music
R Kelly Keeps Asking People to Buy His Song Catalog But No One Wants It: Report
Before R Kelly was accused of being a serial sexual predator, he was known as the singer behind such hit songs as “Ignition (Remix),” “I Believe I Can Fly,” and “Bump N’ Grind.” Kelly isn’t making much money on that music these days — see: serial sexual predator — and in the desperate spirit of “sell low,” he’s now trying to pawn off his music catalog on anyone who’ll have it. The problem, as Billboard reports, is that nobody will have it. Having resided in a jail cell since 2019, Kelly is facing a crisis of cash. “His funds are depleted,” his lawyer Devereaux Cannick said earlier this month. And though his catalog continues to generate something like $1.7 million per year in the US, according to a Billboard estimate, next to nothing trickles down to Kelly. Because whil...
Doja Cat Is Blasting Off As Host Of The 2021 VMAs
Do you have your spacesuit ready? The 2021 VMAs are about to take you to a whole new solar system — thanks to none other than Planet Her pioneer Doja Cat, who will host this year’s ceremony. “I’m hosting the 2021 #VMAs this year Wowowowowowow,” she wrote on social media to announce her new gig. She knows a thing or two about Moonperson trophies; at the 2020 show, which was hosted by Keke Palmer, Doja took home the coveted Best New Artist prize. This year, she’s up for five awards she can add to her collection. In addition to her hosting duties, Doja will hit the VMA stage for an unforgettable performance, following her pink-drenched, starry-eyed medley of “Say So” and “Like That” at the 2020 show. This year, she’s nominated for Vi...
The Fiery Furnaces Announce First Tour Dates in a Decade
The Fiery Furnaces are hitting the road. Today, the reunited indie rock duo announced they’re heading out on a three-date mini tour across the US this fall, which mark their first shows together in a decade. Following their previously-announced appearance next month at the Pitchfork Music Festival, the band will kick off the trio of dates on November 13th at Brooklyn Steel in New York City, followed by shows in Chicago on the 15th and Los Angeles on the 17th. For all three dates, Eleanor and Matthew Friedberger be joined by special guest Fred Armisen. “We’re very excited to be playing again, to get a chance to do new things with old stuff, or old things with new people,” the band said in a statement. “And we’re very happy to have Fred opening the shows. We’ll be six on stage, joined by Bri...
With If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, Halsey Crafts Her Own Mythology
When Halsey shared the artwork for her fourth studio album, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, the inspiration was clear: seated on a throne, confidently exposed with a child in her arms, she is the regal image of the Madonna. Halsey (who goes by the pronouns “she/they”) has always seemed fascinated by the stories that make up humanity, from the mythic to the biblical and fantastical. If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power is the next chapter in her own tale. This marks the fourth studio album for Halsey, who is on the cusp of turning 27 — her debut LP, Badlands, shot the singer into the spotlight when she was just 20 years old. Her bracing honesty and electronic production helped her cultivate a dedicated following of young adults, many of whom have grown with her in the years since that deb...
Helado Negro Shares New Single “Outside the Outside”: Stream
Roberto Lange, the electronic musician better known as Helado Negro, has shared the new single “Outside the Outside.” The second preview from his forthcoming album Far In arrives with an accompanying music video composed of video footage of Lange’s family house parties in the 1980s. “Outside the Outside” is a hushed dance number that calls to mind the alienation Lange felt growing up, both as the child of immigrants and as one of the sole musicians in his family. “I found space through music and outsiders finding each other,” he said in a press release. “This is a song about intimate partnerships and long-loving friendships. To be loyal freaks and an outsider amongst outsiders.” The video for “Outside the Outside” mirrors that desire for belonging: “My family came to this country as outsid...
Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Doug “Cosmo” Clifford on Vault Albums and Retiring CCR
Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | RSS Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Doug “Cosmo” Clifford catches up with Kyle Meredith to discuss For All the Money in the World, a record he wrote and recorded with bassist Steve Wright in the mid-’80s and kept inside his Cosmo’s Vault until now. The drummer/producer talks about why he sat on the LP for so long, tapping Joe Satriani to play guitar, and the other vault records that will be seeing release soon — including collaborations with Bobby Whitlock, Doug Sahm, and a solo album. Clifford also tells us why he and CCR bassist Stu Cook recently brought Creedence Clearwater Revisited to a close. Advertisement Related Video Stream the interview wit...
Indigo De Souza Is Just Being Honest
By Max Freedman Indigo de Souza writes about thrilling moments of personal revelation as though finally cementing a long-fomenting, highly specific feeling is the ultimate emotional release. When she sings, “Now that everyone’s gone, I can tell you the truth / I don’t love you, I like you!” on 2018’s “Take Off Ur Pants,” she yelps it with so much ecstasy and liberation you can visualize triple exclamation marks. A standout instance of unburdening and excitement on Any Shape You Take, the follow-up to her anthemic yet spare debut I Love My Mom, is of a kindred spirit. “I’d rather die / Than see you cry!” de Souza exclaims on “Die/Cry,” on which jokes and epiphanies collide atop a semi-staccato power-chord run with giant indie-meets-pop-punk energy. It makes sense: de Souza tells MTV News th...
Marissa Nadler Announces New Album The Path of the Clouds, Shares “Bessie, Did You Make It?”: Stream
Marissa Nadler is gearing up to release her ninth studio album. The Path of the Clouds, the forthcoming LP from the Boston singer-songwriter, arrives October 29th via Sacred Bones and Bella Union. As a preview of what’s to come, Nadler has shared the album’s opening track, “Bessie, Did You Make It?,” along with the song’s pensive music video. Nadler wrote the bulk of The Path of the Clouds in quarantine, during which she found an odd solace in the documentary series Unsolved Mysteries. The show’s frequent topics of cold cases and paranormal wonders pushed Nadler to go for a similarly eerie approach with The Path of the Clouds, which sees her grow in her musical exploration. Here, reality and the metaphysical feel less distinct from each other, driven by simultaneous anxiety and curiosity a...
Explosions in the Sky Announce New Album Big Bend, Share “Climbing Bears”: Stream
Explosions in the Sky ascended to indie rock stardom in the 2000s thanks to a beloved piece of Texas pop culture, Friday Night Lights; now, the Austin-based band are even further cementing themselves into Lone Star State canon with their latest project. Explosions in the Sky are readying the release of Big Bend (An Original Soundtrack for Public Television), a standalone album that builds off their score for the recent PBS documentary, Big Bend: The Wild Frontier of Texas. Along with their two-decade career of studio albums, Explosions in the Sky have also been around the block when it comes to composing film soundtracks. Back in 2019, they were approached to create the score for Big Bend: The Wild Frontier of Texas, an hour-long film that landed on PBS in early 2021. The documentary captu...
Lorde Brings the Beach to Corden for “California” Performance: Watch
Lorde is taking over the Late Late Show with James Corden this week (call it The Lorde Lorde Show), all in celebration of her new LP, Solar Power. On Tuesday night’s episode, the New Zealand phenom not only performed the album track “California,” but sat down with Corden for a chat about her career. After recounting how she was signed to her first record contract after performing in a school talent show, Lorde discussed her recent “cleansing” of social media. If you hadn’t noticed, the pop singer isn’t doing much on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook these days, and it’s entirely intentional. “I did it because I felt like my brain wasn’t working very well anymore,” she said. “It was horribly difficult, hardest thing I’ve ever done.” She compared it to cutting out sugar, where she fe...
“Never Call Me Your Drummer Again!” The Time Charlie Watts Punched Mick Jagger
Charlie Watts, the legendary drummer whose jazz-inflected grooves kept The Rolling Stones, rolling along, has died at the age of 80. The tributes have been pouring in, and amidst all of the fond remembrances, one memory sticks out as being more fond than most: the time Watts punched Mick Jagger. The anecdote comes from Stones’ guitarist Keith Richards’ 2010 autobiography Life. During a period when Jagger was one of the most famous people in the entire world — and, as Richards tells it, among the most irritating — Watts was one of the few people willing to put him in his place. “There was a rare moment, in late 1984, of Charlie throwing his drummer’s punch — a punch I’ve seen a couple of times and it’s lethal; it carries a lot of balance and timing,” Richards wrote. “He has t...
10 Great K-Pop Songs Released in 2021 That You Might Not Have Heard Yet
Even with most touring plans still on hold, 2021 has been another major year for K-pop. Once considered more of a niche industry, K-pop’s explosion in recent years has transformed the genre into a force to be reckoned with. The gateway for many listeners, particularly internationally, comes in the form of world-dominating groups like BTS or Blackpink, but there are plenty of exciting artists emerging, such as Aespa and CIX. K-pop releases in 2021 have included R&B, punk rock, tropical and electronic influences. With the intent of highlighting all of those sounds, we’ve included recent picks from several promising rookies, as well as fresh cuts from more veteran acts like TWICE. Advertisement Related Video Whether you’re looking to discover a new favorite act or just brush up on release...
