For the third year in a row, the U.S. recorded music business in 2018 was graced with double-digit growth mainly due to the boom of subscription music streaming, according to numbers released Thursday by the Recording Industry Association of America. The annual report, which tracks sales across digital and physical …
Read More »Anderson .Paak Details New Album 'Ventura,' Plots Tour
Anderson .Paak has announced he will release a new album called Ventura. The follow-up to last fall’s Oxnard, his forthcoming fourth album was recorded during the same period as his previous LP and is executive produced by Dr. Dre. Ventura is due on April 12th via Aftermath Entertainment. “Growing up …
Read More »Ilhan Omar on Finding Her Way in Washington
Editor’s note: This interview was conducted in January, several weeks before Rep. Ilhan Omar wrote, in a since-deleted tweet, that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s threat to punish herself and Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib for their criticism of Israel was “all about the Benjamins baby.” Omar publicly apologized for the …
Read More »Janet Jackson Announces Las Vegas Residency
Janet Jackson has announced Metamorphosis, her Las Vegas residency that will kick off this spring and runs through the summer at Park Theater at Park MGM resort. Tickets for the 15-date run go on sale Saturday via Ticketmaster, with a presale for members of the artist’s fan club and Citi …
Read More »Music Festivals in Australia Have Become a Hot Political Issue
The strong festival culture of New South Wales, Australia is lauded by many music fans; lawmakers, though, see it as a danger. Following a string of deaths at local music festivals, several of which involved young people and have been attributed to drug overdoses, the government announced new rules requiring …
Read More »Donald Trump, 'Holmes & Watson' Win Big at 2019 Razzies
Donald Trump, Melissa McCarthy and Holmes & Watson were the big “winners” at the 39th annual Razzie Awards, which celebrated Hollywood’s worst films and performances of 2018. Holmes & Watson, the Sherlock spoof starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, took home four Golden Raspberries, including Worst Picture, Worst Supporting …
Read More »Marc Anthony Revives His Classic Salsa Sound on 'Tu Vida en la Mía'
Marc Anthony‘s recordings have touched multiple genres, but driving, brassy, full-band salsa has always served as the singer’s home base. Anthony released freestyle singles with the legendary house producer Louie Vega and English-language ballads that became massive crossover hits, but after each exploration, he pivoted back to salsa. Since his …
Read More »Thomas Friedman Is Right: Pie Doesn't Grow on Trees
Thomas Friedman, metaphor Jedi, is back. After years of what’s seemed like a concerted effort to ease back on his famed use of mixed imagery, the New York Times columnist delivered a classic in, “Is America Becoming a Four Party State?” The piece is designed to set the stage heading …
Read More »Hear Freddie Gibbs, Madlib Reunite on Ruthless New Song 'Flat Tummy Tea'
Freddie Gibbs goes on an absolute tear on his latest collaboration with producer Madlib, “Flat Tummy Tea.” The song clocks in at a quick two-and-a-half minutes, with Madlib splitting the track in two distinct sections, the first a swift, blown-out beat, the second a hazy head-nodder. Gibbs starts the track …
Read More »Song You Need to Know: Empath, 'Soft Shape'
Empath made a big impression with last year’s Liberating Guilt and Fear EP, a radical 16-minute rush of basement noise and sky-high melody. It was an exciting tape to listen to, in part because it suggested so many possibilities for the future of this band as it continues figuring out …
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