music
Barack Obama Shares 2021 Summer Playlist
President Barack Obama has shared a new Spotify playlist of songs he’s “been listening to lately.” “With so many folks getting together with family and friends, there’s a lot to celebrate this summer,” President Obama said in a Tweet posted on Saturday. “Here’s a playlist of songs I’ve been listening to lately—it’s a mix of old and new, household names and emerging artists, and a whole lot in between.” President Obama’s Summer 2021 playlist spans nearly 40 songs, and includes classics like The Rolling Stones’ “Tumbling Dice”, George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord”, Joni Mitchell’s “Coyote”, and The Staples Sisters’ “I”ll Take Your There”, alongside fresh cuts like Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open”, SZA’s “Good Days”, Drake and Lil Baby’s “Wants and Needs”, and Migos’ “Straightenin’”.&nbs...
Dave Mustaine Reveals That David Ellefson’s Bass Parts Have Been Replaced on Upcoming Megadeth Album
Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has confirmed that ousted member David Ellefson’s bass parts have been re-recorded for the legendary thrash band’s upcoming album. Somewhat ironically, Mustaine revealed the news to a fan via the celebrity video messaging app Cameo, after recently joining the platform. Mustaine had previously stated that Ellefson’s parts would be replaced after the bassist was fired from the band following the leak of private online sexual encounters. Addressing a fan named Tina, Mustaine said [as transcribed by Blabbermouth]: “I hear you’re a big pretty fan of [the Megadeth song] ‘Fatal Illusion’ right now. That’s cool. Actually, we’ve got one song on the new album — it’s called ‘The Dogs of Chernobyl’ — which is very similar to ‘Fatal Illusion’ in aggression. So I hope you...
Unreleased George Harrison Song “Cosmic Empire” Unveiled: Stream
Last November marked 50 years since George Harrison released his landmark 1970 solo album All Things Must Pass, and to commemorate the milestone, Capitol and UMe will be putting out the album’s special 50th anniversary edition later this summer. As a new preview, they’ve now shared the previously unreleased Harrison song “Cosmic Empire.” Fans have been aware of “Cosmic Empire” for some time, and while the track has occasionally appeared on bootlegs, it’s never sounded this polished. The two-minute sketch is a solo acoustic number, with an irresistible guitar riff and a catchy main theme. “I’m waiting in the queue down at the Cosmic Empire,” Harrison sings. “I wanna a front row pew down at the Cosmic Empire/ An omnipresent view down at the Cosmic Empire.” Check out the animated ly...
Dorothy Returns with Dark and Spiritual New Song “What’s Coming to Me”: Stream
Dorothy is back with a new single, “What’s Coming to Me,” and it marks the singer’s first bit of new music since her 2018 studio album, 28 Days in the Valley. The track shows off Dorothy’s penchant for the blues, with strong, soulful vocals and a rock ‘n’ roll character. “[The song] is a story about casting out a demon and getting redeemed — a metaphor for depression or addiction,” said Dorothy in a press release. “I think it’s something we can all relate to. Everyone’s struggling with something.” Related Video The music video for “What’s Coming to Me” was directed by longtime Smashing Pumpkins collaborator and visual artist Linda Strawberry. As of now, there’s no word on a new full-length album from Dorothy. In the meantime, she has a handful of U.S. tour dates on tap for 2021. Watch...
Spirit Adrift Announce New EP, Unleash New Song “Forge Your Future”: Stream
Spirit Adrift have shared the new song “Forge Your Future” from an upcoming three-song EP of the same name, due out August 27th. A powerful mid-tempo cut, “Forge the Future” touts satisfying doom riffs, poignant lyrics, and soaring clean vocals. It’s one of the strongest traditional heavy metal singles of 2021 so far and further proof that Spirit Adrift are modern masters of the style. Chief songwriter and frontman Nate Garrett culled the 20-minute EP from numerous demos recorded during the pandemic. To hear Garrett discuss the songs, one gathers that Forge Your Future was a highly personal project for the musicians involved. Related Video “On March 1, 2020, I relocated to the woods outside of Austin, Texas,” Garrett explained in a press release. “Two weeks later, everything was locked dow...
Senator Marsha Blackburn Says Taylor Swift Would Be “First Victim” of Socialism
On Thursday, Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn pretended that Taylor Swift supports a nightmarish version of socialism in which women are stripped of their rights, then implied that the pop star is an idiot because Swift herself is a woman, and therefore “would be the first victim” of this imaginary government. Blackburn burped up this overheated word gumbo in a conversation with Breitbart News. The senior Senator from Tennessee was in the middle of warning viewers that if Democrats are elected, their beloved country music would forever be changed to “woke.” “When you talk about country music, and I know the left is all out now and trying to change country music and make it woke,” she said. “When I’m talking to my friends who are musicians and entertainers, I say, ‘If we have a socialist...
Bella Shmurda – High Tension 2.0 EP Download
Check out this latest music project from Bella Shmurda – High Tension 2.0 EP From the staples of Dangbana Republik, Bella Shmurda unlocks his second EP which he tags “High Tension 2.0”. This is coming as a follow-up to his maiden EP released in 2020 dubbed High Tension Volume 1. This EP consists of 8 tracks all done by the singer with no feature as he unleashes the bulk of his creativity on them. Being one of the most collaborative acts this season, Bella has tagged along with a host of artists in delivering their songs. He’s also done well for himself in singles like “World”, “Party Next Door”, and “Rush” which were released prior to the dropping of this EP. These singles are still on the charts and ringing loud on the streets. He drops a project to wrap all of his offerings this year and...
Song of the Week: Courtney Barnett Returns With the Graceful and Grounded “Rae Street”
Song of the Week breaks down and talks about the song we just can’t get out of our head each week. Find these songs and more on our Spotify Top Songs playlist. For our favorite new songs from emerging artists, check out our Spotify New Sounds playlist. This week, Courtney Barnett sheds light on the special details in everyday experiences. Courtney Barnett sings like she’s talking to an old friend. This doesn’t just apply to her rambling, folksy delivery that recalls Bob Dylan, but to her lyrics, too, telling stories that feel familiar despite the inclusion of specific details. Five years ago, Barnett was nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys, and in those years since, she’s continued to develop her authentic repertoire, with “Rae Street” as the latest addition. Ahead of her recently...
Deftones Postpone North American Tour with Gojira Until Spring 2022
One of 2021’s most highly anticipated tours will have to wait until 2022. Deftones have just announced that they’re postponing their summer North American outing with Gojira until next spring. The news comes roughly one month before the tour was supposed to kick off. As it was, the tour had already been postponed from 2020 due to the pandemic. Despite the fact that many bands will start touring again this summer and fall, Deftones felt that “uncertainty still remains in different markets throughout the country,” and decided that it would be best to wait until next year. The rescheduled trek will now take place in the spring, kicking off April 14th in Portland, Oregon, and running through May 28th in Minneapolis. The new itinerary includes three added dates in Las Vegas, Cincinnati, and Nas...
The xx’s Romy Combines Two Covers with “You’re Not Alone in the Rhythm of the Night”: Stream
The xx broke out with indie rock so sparse it sounded black and white, but their last album I See You (2017) introduced bright neon techniques cribbed from hip-hop and EDM. Now, co-founder Romy has combined the approaches with “You’re Not Alone in the Rhythm of the Night,” a simple acoustic performance that remixes two songs together. Built from parts of Olive’s “You’re Not Alone” and Corona’s “The Rhythm of the Night,” Romy’s new cover is a stirring statement to those feeling lost and afraid. She recorded the track for Apple Music’s Home Session for Pride, and in a press release she said she chose these tunes because they remind her of “when I was about 17 and started going to Gay bars in London.” She explained, “I’ve combined two songs into this cover, Olive – ‘You’re Not Alone...
Margo Price Announces New EP Live From the Other Side, Performs “Hey Child” on Colbert: Watch
Margo Price has announced Live From the Other Side, a new audiovisual EP due out July 16th via Loma Vista Recordings. To preview the project, the country singer filmed a Late Show with Stephen Colbert performance featuring a new version of “Hey Child” with Adia Victoria, Allison Russell, Kam Franklin, and Kyshona Armstrong. Live From the Other Side will contain a cover of The Beatles’ “Help” (also featuring Victoria, Russell, Franklin, and Armstrong), a solo arrangement of “That’s How Rumors Get Started,” and “Hey Child.” In a statement, Price reflected on the year since she released the excellent That’s How Rumors Get Started and shared how Tina Turner influenced her new project. “I hope it kept you warm during those cold, lonely nights,” she said about Rumors. “Some things changed f...
Billie Eilish Tackles Stalkers And Privacy In Dark ‘NDA’ Video
Billie Eilish released her newest single “NDA,” from her sophomore album Happier Than Ever, on Friday (July 9) — along with an eerie self-directed music video. And astonishingly, no visuals or stunt doubles were used. The video depicts Billie walking alone on a highway in the dark night, with deep synth bass beats and plucky strings to evoke a creepy atmosphere. Occasionally, cars race past her, causing Billie to become distressed. The bass grows even more intense and aggressive during the event of the chorus. At one point, a group of dark shadowy figures follow and stalk behind her. When she looks back, they disappear. The track itself is quite dark on its own, as it discusses Eilish’s struggles to have a private personal life and a romantic partner due to her fame and the stalkers ...
