music
Ukrainian Punks Gogol Bordello Play Secret Show for Ukrainian Soldiers: Watch
Gogol Bordello spent years framing themselves as nationless punks, with frontman Eugene Hütz singing in 2013, “Borders are scars on the face of the planet.” But after Russia‘s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Hütz discovered something unexpected: patriotism. Now, his multinational band proudly touts his Ukrainian heritage, and as VICE reports, they recently traveled to his homeland to play a secret concert for Ukrainian soldiers. “We had an opportunity to support our fighters, defenders, border guards and some refugees with our band — [to] support musically, morally, spiritually,” he told VICE. “Music remains to be a very serious force… a very serious weapon of defense for people for whom burning out and getting tired of war is not an option… People of Ukraine [are] stan...
Life is Beautiful Organizers Take Us Inside 2022’s Global Lineup
When done right, a city festival offers a unique experience that speaks to the heart of its urban surroundings. In the case of Life is Beautiful, much of this exists solely in its location within Las Vegas — rather than add to the glitz and fanfare of the Las Vegas strip, the festival takes place just a few miles north in downtown Vegas, sectioning off the famous Fremont Street and over 18 square blocks of Vegas’ classic, original townsite. “I don’t think any festival in the country takes over 18 square city blocks,” says Allen Scott from Another Planet Entertainment, the company that assists in booking Life is Beautiful each year. He’s joined by Craig Nyman, the head of music and programming for Life is Beautiful Festival, who is similarly proud of the way the festival has transformed alo...
Joni Mitchell Receives Honorary Doctorate from Berklee: “My Mother Would Be Really Proud”
That’s Dr. Mitchell, to you. Joni Mitchell has received an honorary doctorate degree from Berklee College of Music. Berklee’s Office of the President and Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice presented Mitchell with the much-deserved honor yesterday, August 23rd, at a private event in Santa Monica. As Pitchfork points out, the ceremony was hosted by Linda and Russell Brown of MaddocksBrown Foundation, during which the legendary folk musician quipped: “Well, luckily I’m too old to get a swelled head.” Naturally, she also wore a custom beret to the ceremony, embroidered with her new name “Dr. Joni Mitchell.” “It’s a beautiful event. Words can’t describe it. I’ve got my good friends here with me,” Mitchell told the crowd, which included Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. “I wish my parents were...
Harry Styles Wrote a “Sweet and Creepy” Song for Olivia Wilde’s ‘Don’t Worry Darling’
Harry Styles has written a key song for Olivia Wilde‘s forthcoming sophomore directorial Don’t Worry Darling, according to a new Variety cover story interview with the filmmaker. Don’t Worry Darling follows Jack (Styles) and his partner Alice (Florence Pugh), who move to an experimental community that’s allegedly filled with disturbing secrets. The psychological thriller, set in the 1950s, reportedly includes a prominent, aptly-titled “trigger song” in its script, which Pugh’s character frequently sings to herself. “In prep, Harry called me and said, ‘What’s the trigger song? Like, what’s the melody?’” Wilde told the outlet. “I said, ‘I don’t know. I’m going to different writers to write it. Do you have anything in mind?’ And he said, ‘I’ll think about it.’” “Five minutes la...
Adele’s ‘Hello’ Hits 3 Billion Views on YouTube
Adele‘s smash hit “Hello” has reached another impressive milestone. On Wednesday (Aug. 24), YouTube announced that the black-and-white visual for Adele’s 2015 single has reached 3 billion views. The video — directed by Xavier Dolan — still maintains the record for being the quickest to reach the 1 billion mark on the platform, and is also Adele’s first video to reach 3 billion views on YouTube. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news At the time of the visual’s release, “Hello” was named the most explosive debut of any video, impressively racking up 50 million views in its first 48 hours. The stunning video netted as much as 1.6 million views in a single hour during its peak. Following the release of the “Hello” video, YouTube trends manager Ke...
For Love or Money: Bas & Rexx Life Raj on the Creative Battles Today’s Artists Face
Artists are constantly fighting the internal battle between carrying out their creative vision and sacrificing integrity for commercial success. Bas and Rexx Life Raj are a pair of respected rhymers who have dipped their toes into hip-hop’s mainstream, but have been reluctant to fully immerse themselves into that world. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Bas struggled with the aforementioned mental battle in February when he tweeted about having an 11-track album authentic to himself and the world he wanted to create with his next body of work — but was grappling with the idea of releasing another more palatable version to the mainstream, one that boasted A-list features and a streaming-friendly 17-song tracklist. “There’s certain algo...
Trending Up: Demi Lovato Strikes a Chord With ’29,’ Evanescence’s ’00s Classic Returns to ‘Life’ & More
Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up column, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip. This week: Demi Lovato’s “29” starts an TikTok trend revisiting past traumas, while an Evanescence discount inspires more nostalgic remembrances, and a New York Mets pitcher’s dramatic entrance routine makes a viral hit out of a late-’10s EDM banger. Demi Lovato’s “29” Inspires Fans to Look Back in Anger [embedded content] Demi Lovato has sparked a sobering but therapeutic conversation with their fans online this week, following the release of her song “29.” Many believ...
Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Scotty McCreery Blend Country Music & a Good Cause at ACM Party for a Cause
“You get country music and a good cause, what could be any better?” Scotty McCreery told the crowd gathered at Ascend Amphitheater in downtown Nashville on Tuesday evening (Aug. 23). The ACM Party for a Cause benefiting ACM Lifting Lives returned to Nashville for a second year, welcoming a stellar performer lineup of reigning ACM duo of the year Brothers Osborne, McCreery, Blanco Brown, Travis Denning, Sara Evans, Caylee Hammack, Darius Rucker, Ingrid Andress, Hailey Whitters and Brad Paisley to downtown Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The balmy summer evening served as a perfect backdrop for a night of music to raise money for ACM Lifting Lives, the philanthropic arm of the Academy of Country Music. The organiz...
Chike – Please
Don’t miss this brand new tune from talented singer, Chike. The Hard To Find crooner Chike is back on with a new release piece of music he calls “Please“, a thrilling track off his album “The Brother’s Keeper“. The new record is an impressive song, in that he delivers a perfect pitch vocal well blended with the rhythm and notable lyrics. This follows his new song “On The Moon” on the new project. Listen to Chike’s new song Please below and share. Download coming soon.
Chike – Winner
Don’t miss Chike’s amazing new song titled – Winner. Nigerian songster Chike is back with a brand new song called “Winner,” an exhilarating number from his released album “The Brother’s Keeper.” His flawless pitch delivery and seamless blending of the rhythm and noteworthy lyrics make the new song stand out. This comes after his brand solo new record from his album, “Please.” However, this merit a place on your playlist. Listen and share Chike’s new piece of music “Winner” below. Download coming soon.
Chike – Enough
Nigerian singer, Chike dishes out a fantastic new song, Enough. Chike has a brand new music piece called “Enough,” an electrifying track taken from his newly premiered album “The Brother’s Keeper.” His immaculate pitch delivery, seamless rhythmic blending, and notable lyrics elevate the new song to a new level. This is the follow-up to his recent solo single, “Winner, on his new full-length play. However, you update your playlist by adding the song to it. Listen. And share Chike – Enough below. Download coming soon.
Psycho Las Vegas 2022 Invades Sin City with Mercyful Fate, Emperor, and More: Recap + Photos
With a new and larger venue at Resorts World, the 2022 edition of the Psycho Las Vegas festival took place this past weekend, serving up its most diverse lineup yet. The six stages offered something for everyone, and despite a few last-minute scheduling changes the festival once again went off without a hitch. The festivities unofficially kicked off on Thursday (August 18th) with the annual Psycho Swim party, which brought many to the pool area to soak up the sun (and the beer) while watching Uniform, Starcrawler, Death Chant, Bridge City Sinners, Elders, and Eyehategod, before Midnight closed out the evening with one of their heaviest and most frantic sets in recent memory. The festival got its official start on Friday (August 19th) and highlights throughout the day included Devil Master,...
