Alternative Music
Netflix Might Abandon the Binge Model and Start Releasing TV Episodes Weekly
Netflix made binge-watching famous, but as the streaming industry looks more and more like cable with content split between a million competitors, Netflix may soon adopt cable’s traditional releasing model, too. According to Puck News, the platform is considering releasing episodes of TV shows weekly instead of all at once. Puck’s new profile on Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings reports that “Netflix says there’s no hard evidence that week-to-week episodes reduce subscriber churn, but the Netflix churn rate has been inching higher, and it is now the only streamer with a default all-at-once strategy.” Because of this, Hastings “appears” to be willing to switch models after previously refusing to abandoning binge mode. The argument for releasing episodes weekly is that it drums up consistent ...
Aerosmith Rock 50th Anniversary Show at Boston’s Fenway Park: Photos + Video
Aerosmith were finally able to celebrate their 50th anniversary in grand style on Thursday night (September 8th) with a hometown show at Boston’s Fenway Park. The concert was originally set to take place in 2020, but was twice postponed due to the pandemic. The landmark gig marked Aerosmith’s second show back after the pandemic and Steven Tyler’s recent rehab stint kept the band off the road for two-and-a-half years. They warmed up with a concert in Bangor, Maine, this past Sunday (September 4th). After an opening set by fellow Boston rockers Extreme, the Aerosmith boys kicked off their set with “Back in the Saddle.” Joining original members Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford and Tom Hamilton for the career-spanning 19-song set was drummer John Douglas, who is filling in for Joey Kramer as he...
Josh Gad on Central Park’s Meat Loaf-style Power Ballad and the Return of Kristen Bell and Sam Richardson
Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Amazon Podcasts | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | RSS Josh Gad joins Kyle Meredith to talk about Season Three of Apple TV+’s Central Park, which Gad co-created with Loren Bouchard (Bob’s Burgers) and Nora Smith. Advertisement Related Video The actor tells us about the new showrunners, changes, and opportunities with this latest season, including having Kristen Bell return in a new character and creating the interim mayor role especially for Sam Richardson. He also discusses the Meat Loaf-style power ballad that Mike Viola wrote for his character; having Regina Spektor and Sara Bareilles back; and his songwriter wish list that includes Lin Manuel Mirand...
Moby’s 10 Best Songs
This article originally ran in 2014, but we’re dusting it off for Moby’s birthday on September 11th. This week, Moby returns with his 15th studio album, Everything Was Beautiful, and Nothing Hurt, which takes its name from a quote that appears in the classic Kurt Vonnegut novel Slaughterhouse-Five. In celebration, we decided to re-open the Brooklyn-turned-Los Angeles composer’s exhaustive repertoire and carve out our top 10 favorite songs. What we stumbled upon was a list that we’ll be streaming again and again. Everywhere. Here are Moby’s 10 best songs. 10. “Raining Again” Album: Hotel (2005) The rare, oft-forgotten ambient side of Hotel trumps the actual disc that surfaced in 2005. Still, “Raining Again” still feels like a triumphant win for the pop-oriented DJ. It’s the slide guitar for...
Kanye West “Releasing All Grudges” After Queen Elizabeth II’s Death
Queen Elizabeth II’s death has apparently inspired Kanye West to do some self-reflection. In an Instagram post paying tribute to Her Majesty, West promised to give up all of his many grudges. “Life is precious,” he wrote in a slideshow containing two photos of the Queen in her younger days. “Releasing all grudges today. Leaning into the light.” West didn’t go into any specifics, so it’s anybody’s guess which grudges he’s referring to and whether he actually plans to let go for more than 24 hours. He certainly has plenty of high-profile feuds to squash, whether it’s Pete Davidson, Kid Cudi, or John Legend. Earlier this week, he also went on a tirade about his treatment in partnerships with Gap and Adidas. Advertisement Related Video Throughout Davidson’s nine-month relationship with We...
Pearl Jam Cover The Beatles’ Oddity “Her Majesty” in Tribute (?) to Queen Elizabeth II: Watch
Queen Elizabeth II died on yesterday (September 8th) at 96 years old, and that evening Pearl Jam performed a cover of The Beatles’ oddity “Her Majesty” as a… tribute? Eulogy? Middle finger to the face of the 20th century imperialism? Most of the confusion comes from the song itself, a hidden track tucked some 14 seconds after “The End” on Abbey Road. “Her Majesty is a pretty nice girl/ But she doesn’t have a lot to say,” Paul McCartney sings. “I wanna tell her that I love her a lot/ But I gotta get a belly full of wine/ Her Majesty is a pretty nice girl/ Someday I’m gonna make her mine.” It’s a joke, though whether it’s a harmless bit of fun or deeply rude towards the monarchy depends on your perspective. Pearl Jam made no comment on their intentions when they...
Dan Levy to Host HBO Max Cooking Competition The Big Brunch: First Look Photos
If you’ve ever wanted to have brunch with Dan Levy, now’s your chance: the comedian is set to host a new cooking competition show called The Big Brunch for HBO Max, and the first photos from the series have been revealed. Cooking competitions galore, but The Big Brunch centers on “one of the most versatile, yet underrated, dining experiences.” The series’ eight-episode first season pits 10 chefs against each other for a sizable cash price of $300,000. Levy, who created and executive produces the show, judges the competition alongside chef Sohla El-Waylly and restaurateur Will Guidara. Andrew Fried, Dane Lillegard, Sarina Roma, and Faye Stapleton also serve as executive producers. Dan Levy’s The Big Brunch will premiere its first three episodes on HBO Max on November 10th. Another...
Reboot Review: An Uneven but Entertaining Hollywood Satire
The Pitch: A reboot is considered to be a death knell in the current entertainment landscape, a clear indicator of a risk-averse industry out of original ideas and desperate to recycle old ones to save themselves from major financial loss. Most reboots simply pander and rehash their concepts in order to satisfy their fanbases. Once in a blue moon, though, resurrecting a piece of intellectual property can actually lead to something subversive, a chance to fix poorly aged elements or find fresh, new stories to share with contemporary audiences. Enter young indie filmmaker Hannah Gilman (Rachel Bloom), who wants to reboot the (fictional) 2000s multicam sitcom Step Right Up for Hulu. Instead of repeating all the original’s broad, Full House-inflected humor, however, Hannah envisions the new se...
Wolfgang Van Halen Shares Clip of Himself Shredding “Eruption” to Mark Anniversary of Van Halen Classic: Watch
Eddie Van Halen recorded his legendary shred guitar instrumental “Eruption” 45 years ago today this week. To mark the anniversary, the late rock icon’s son Wolfgang Van Halen posted a clip of himself ripping through part of the track in the studio in 2015. Wrote Wolfgang on Twitter: “In honor of Eruption being recorded 45 years ago today, here’s me playing part of it on the guitar it was recorded on in 2015 while tracking some guitars for the first @MammothWVH … Love you, Pop” Wolfgang lets loose and comes very close to replicating his dad’s virtuosic talents. “Eruption” stands as one of the greatest guitar instrumentals of all-time and could be considered the earliest example of the guitar shredder style, as it was released on Van Halen’s self-titled debut in 1978. Advertisement Related V...
D23’s Marvel and Luscasfilm Presentation (Live Blog)
Disney is holding its first in-person D23 Expo since 2019 this weekend, bringing fans all the latest updates on Marvel, Pixar, and more. This Saturday, September 10th sees perhaps the most highly anticipated panel take over the grand Hall D23 at California’s Anaheim Convention Center, with Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, and Marvel sharing the stage for a two-hour extravaganza. While a selection of panels from the event will be streamed online for fans around the world, the Big Three presentation can only be seen by in-person attendees. Not to worry, though, as we’ll have you covered with a complete live blog of every trailer, casting announcement, and fresh bit of news that gets revealed. So what can we expect from this major studio showcase? On the Marvel front, there’s a good bet we’ll...
The Little Mermaid Teaser Offers First Look at Halle Bailey as Ariel: Watch
Disney has revealed the first teaser trailer for its upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid from director Rob Marshall. The 90-second teaser offers our first glimpse at Halle Bailey as Ariel, who briefly sings “Part of the World.” The clip premiered at D23 on Friday and can be seen below. Set to hit theaters on May 26th, 2023, The Little Mermaid also stars Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Javier Bardem as King Triton, and Jonah Hauer-King as Eric. Voice actors include Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, and Awkwafina as Scuttle. Advertisement Related Video Alan Menken, who composed the music for the 1989 animated film, co-wrote four new songs with Lin-Manuel Miranda for the remake. Speaking of the original film, Ursula voice actor Pat Carroll passed away in July at...
Pixar Announces Inside Out Sequel
Are you prepared to get back in your feels? Pixar has revealed that a sequel to their 2015 hit film Inside Out is on the way. Disney announced the news during animation panel at the D23 Expo on Friday. Inside Out mostly took place inside the brain of a young girl named Riley, and the five anthropomorphic emotions that ruled it. The movie starred Amy Poehler as Joy, Phyllis Smith as Sadness, Bill Hader as Fear, Lewis Black as Anger, and Mindy Kaling as Disgust. Due out in Summer 2024, the sequel will be directed by Kelsey Mann with a screenplay written by Meg LeFauve. The story will center around Riley as a teenager as she experiences a new array of emotions. Advertisement Related Video After the original film’s release release, Pixar president Jim Morris hinted that the stud...
