music blog
Coachella 2022: Danny Elfman Plays Songs from The Simpsons, Edward Scissorhands, and More
Danny Elfman took the stage at Coachella on Saturday for a festival set unlike any other. The rare appearance by the legendary composer — which he introduced as a “strange little show” for the crowd — included a plethora of songs from films he’s scored, as he led a full orchestra through highlights from Edward Scissorhands (“Ice Dance/The Grand Finale”) and 1989’s Batman to a medley from The Nightmare Before Christmas (“Jack’s Lament/This is Halloween/What’s This?”) and a rocking version of The Simpsons theme song — by which point he was shirtless. Elfman also dusted off a number of Oingo Boingo tracks, including “Insects,” “Nothing to Fear (But Fear Itself),” “Only a Lad,” “Dead Man’s Party,” and closer “Who Do You Want to Be.” Related Video Joining on stage was an impressive backing...
Arcade Fire to Join Saturday Night Live’s Five-Timers Club
Arcade Fire are returning to Studio 8H! On Saturday, NBC revealed the rock band will be back on Saturday Night Live for the May 7th episode opposite host Benedict Cumberbatch. It will mark Arcade Fire’s fifth time serving as the show’s musical guest since they made their SNL debut back in 2007. (Side note: is there an equivalent to the Five-Timers Club for musical guests? Do they get jackets, too?) This time, Win Butler and co. will be promoting their latest album WE, which drops on May 6th (the same day Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness opens in theaters). Advertisement Related Video This past weekend, Arcade Fire took the stage at Coachella, playing an emotional 13-song set dedicated to the people of Ukraine and Pearl Jam. Lizzo pulled double duty on the latest ep...
Nicki Nicole Makes Her U.S. Debut at Coachella: ‘I Felt So Emotional’
“I never imagined that so many people would come watch my first show in the U.S.,” Nicki Nicole told her fans at Coachella’s Sonora stage as she tried to hold back tears. No one could have guessed that the Argentine trap star was making her U.S. debut at the festival on Saturday. For starters, she drew a significant crowd at the indoor stage, who chanted her name — “Nicki, Nicki, Nicki” — just minutes before she stepped onstage. And she seemed calm, cool and collected up there. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In reality, “I was really nervous,” Nicole told Billboard minutes after her 40-minute set. “The stage is indoors compared to all the other stages here, so it’s not like someone can just stop by. If someone really wanted to see me, ...
Fans Choose Anitta’s ‘Versions of Me’ as This Week’s Favorite New Music
What a week to be an Anitta fan! The Brazilian singer released her fifth album, Versions of Me, on Tuesday, and the trilingual project tops this week’s Billboard new music poll. Fans voted in a poll published Friday, and the album scored more than 70% of the vote over the weekend. But the album release was just the tip of the iceberg for the Latin pop star. Anitta also made her Coachella debut on Friday night, with fans hashtagging her performance #Anichella all over social media. She brought out Snoop Dogg and Saweetie as special guests during the set, and also put on a sensual performance of her viral smash hit “Envolver.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Elsewhere in the poll, Phoebe Bridgers‘ new song “Sidelines” — written for the Hu...
Lil Durk’s ‘7220’ Returns to No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart
Lil Durk’s 7220 returns to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart for a second nonconsecutive week, as the set steps 2-1 on the April 23-dated list with a little over 47,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending April 14 (down 8%), according to Luminate, formerly MRC Data. The album bowed atop the chart dated March 26 and spent the next three weeks in the runner-up position. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Plus, four more albums debut in the top 10: Jack White’s Fear of the Dawn, 42 Dugg and EST Gee’s Last Ones Left, Fivio Foreign’s B.I.B.L.E. and Camila Cabello’s Familia. The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multimetric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, ...
Megan Thee Stallion Debuts Fiery New Song Dedicated ‘To Whom the F— It May Concern’ at Coachella
Megan Thee Stallion made her Coachella debut late Saturday, and she didn’t disappoint, packing her set with spicy hits and one especially fiery brand-new song. Introducing the yet-unheard song, the Houston rapper said it was personal to her and dedicated it “to whom the f— it may concern.” It’s unclear what the song is called, but it wrapped with a couple of notable phrases. The final line — “you’s a bi—” — was broadcast across the festival’s big screens, while she also repeated the Twitter-favorite lyric “di– don’t run me, I run di–.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news It’s unclear if there’s one specific inspiration behind the new song, though social media is suggesting some of the lyrics could be targeted at Tory Lanez, who is currently...
Wiz Khalifa, Smoke DZA & Big K.R.I.T. Restore The Blog Era Vibes With New Project
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Marcus Ingram / Getty Anytime we can get a joint project with Wiz Khalifa, Smoke DZA, and Big K.R.I.T., we are in luck. The ten-song project Full Court Press links three of the most influential blog era artists with one goal: Making melodic music for the spring. A decade and a half ago, rap blogs were king, introducing the world to some of the rap game’s biggest new talents. Wiz, KRIT, and Smoke DZA came on the scene, introduced the world to their sound and etched out their own lanes. Wiz’s 2010 mixtape, Kush and OJ, Krit’s KRIT WUZ Here, and DZA’s George Kush Da Bottom, were among the most praised. Their projects reintroduced the stoner aesthetic that groups like Cypress Hill and Luniz used before them and brought in a stylistic change of easygoing vibes...
MAGA Rapper Releases Video To “Show Love” For Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, As Embarrassing As It Sounds
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: Megan Varner / Getty So… Apparently, in Florida, there exists a right-wing rapper (yes, you read that correctly) named Kurt Jantz who goes by the rap name Forgiato Blow. Recently, Janz released a music video meant to celebrate Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz as well as former president Donald Trump, and we at the Black delegation have but one question: WTF is this Yo’ MAGA TV Raps nonsense here? [embedded content] Nah, we really need to know what Bargain Basement Bubba Sparxxx thinks he’s doing here. What is this? This is a rap song (don’t you dare call this Hip Hop) where an MC (in this instance, it stands for MAGA Caucasity) rattles off generic Republican talking points in verse form while looking like he just got done stabbing his Hispanic cell mate so he coul...
Megan Thee Stallion Performs New Song At Coachella, Sparks Lil Kim Comparisons
HipHopWired Featured Video CLOSE Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Megan Thee Stallion held down Coachella last night, and earned all the praise. The Texas rapper also performed a new song that has Twitter chattering about its Lil Kim vibes. Getting compared to the Queen Bee is never a bad thing in Hip-Hop Circles. Meg’s new cut rocks the same sample flipped on Jodeci’s “Freek’N You” remix with Ghostface Killah and Raekwon. In that regard, Thee Stallion is playing with house money, and the Hotties certainly approve. Check out the positive reactions to the new cut, along with the Lil Kim praise, in the gallery.
National Cannabis Festival Returns To Washington, D.C. This Week, Wiz Khalifa Headlines
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: National Cannabis Festival / NCF The annual National Cannabis Festival will return to Washington, D.C. this week and features one of the strongest advocates in Hip-Hop for the sticky green leaf. Headlining this year’s festival at the RFK Festival Grounds is Wiz Khalifa, who will be joined on stage this coming weekend by a bevy of entertainers and speakers in support of the NCF’s wider mission. Over the weekend (April 16), the NCF’s 420 Week activation began with the launch of a new beer from local brewery DC Brau, NCF Legalize It! Lager, along with ta Hemps and Hops panel discussion at Eaton Hotel. Source: National Cannabis Festival / NCF Related Stories This coming Friday (April 22), the National Cannabis Policy Summit will feature a who’s who of cannabi...
DREAM THEATER’s JAMES LABRIE Says ‘It’s Great’ To Be Talking To MIKE PORTNOY Again: We ‘Carried Around Negativity Far Too Long’
Ex-DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy attended the group’s concert on March 4 at Beacon Theatre in New York City. It was the first time Portnoy witnessed his former bandmates perform live since his exit from the iconic progressive metal outfit more than 11 years ago. According to DREAM THEATER fans who attended the show, singer James LaBrie gave Portnoy a shoutout from the stage and Mike waved. Several fans also took pictures of Portnoy at the venue, with Mike and his wife reportedly watching the performance from near the Beacon Theatre soundboard. The next day, Portnoy shared a few backstage photos from the concert and he included the following message: “After 36 years, I finally got to see my 1st DREAM THEATER show last night! It was a wonderful evening and it was such a plea...
SABATON Rejoined By Former Guitarist THOBBE ENGLUND At Hometown Concert (Video)
Swedish metallers SABATON were rejoined by their former guitarist Thobbe Englund on stage this past Thursday (April 14) at their hometown concert at Kulturföreningen Magasinet in Falun. Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be see below. The day after the show, SABATON shared a photo of the reunion on its social media and included the following message: “Last night we played a sold-out show in our hometown, Falun, as part of our Swedish tour. Gracing us on stage was Thobbe Englund, our old guitarist, who joined us for a few songs. Together we forged a powerful triple guitar assault that was both epic and emotional. It has been 6 years since Thobbe left SABATON.” Back in 2016, SABATON singer Joakim Brodén told The Metal Voice about Englund‘s decision to leave the band: &#...
