music
Andrea Bocelli Recovers from COVID-19
Andrea Bocelli has revealed that he himself recently recovered from COVID-19. The 61-year-old opera singer said in a Facebook post that he was initially diagnosed in March, but chose to keep the news private because he “didn’t want to unnecessarily alarm my fans and also wished to protect my family’s privacy.” Fortunately, Bocelli had a “swift and full recovery by the end of March.” In fact, by Easter (April 12th) he was well enough to stage a special special solo performance from the famed Duomo cathedral in Milan, Italy. Bocelli also went on to reveal that he has donated his blood in hopes that it’ll help find a curse for COVID-19. “A modest — but fundamental — gesture, through which I am playing my small part,” he commented. In a separate interview with the Wall Street Journal...
Lady Gaga and BLACKPINK Drop Collaborative Single “Sour Candy”: Stream
Lady Gaga will drop Chromatica tonight at midnight, and yet the blockbuster star continues to rain singles on us. This morning, she’s unveiled her collaboration with BLACKPINK: “Sour Candy”. Stream it below via YouTube. The South Korean girl group truly takes over the track, allowing Gaga to slink her way in and out. Similar to lead single “Stupid Love” and her Ariana Grande collaboration “Rain on Me”, “Sour Candy” is another banger from the Oscar winner, proving Chromatica will bring the party to our pandemic. As the song suggests, take a bite, take a bite below. Editors’ Picks After a minor delay, Gaga’s fifth album Chromatica arrives tonight at midnight on May 29th. Sir Elton John is also expected to appear on the Joanne follow-up, which is said to be “a return” to Gaga’s dan...
Coachella Likely Postponed Until 2021: Report
Coachella was one of the early victims of the COVID-19 pandemic, as the festival was forced to postpone its annual April event. Organizers had initially hoped to staged Coachella in the fall, but with large-scale events seemingly prohibited for the foreseeable future, those plans have now shifted to 2021. According to Bloomberg, Coachella is in the process of rescheduling its 2020 festival for 2021. Festival organizers at Goldenvoice have already reached out to a number of artists scheduled to play this year’s Coachella to gauge their availability for next April, Bloomberg adds. It’s also worth noting that not every performer on the 2020 lineup has been asked to play next year. The original Coachella lineup featured Rage Against the Machine, Frank Ocean, and Travis Scott, in addition ...
Protomartyr Share New Single “Michigan Hammers”: Stream
Protomartyr were meant to release their new album, Ultimate Success Today, tomorrow. However, due to the coronavirus crisis, the band has now pushed the album’s release date to July 17th. To tide fans over until then, they’ve shared a new single in “Michigan Hammers”. For all its kineticism, “Michigan Hammers” feels extremely coalesced. Shots of staccato guitar are glued together with relentless but measured drums and the coaxing of horns. It’s like rubble being carefully reconstructed into art, which is fitting considering the track’s themes: “What’s been torn down can be rebuilt/ What has been rebuilt can be destroyed,” sings frontman Joe Casey. The song comes with a video made using only stock footage due to, as Casey puts it, the current “miasma.” “This video is a retelling of a well-k...
Madonna Mocked Over George Floyd Tribute Video
Madonna would be wise to skip Instagram once and awhile. On Thursday, the veteran pop icon shared a video of her 14-year-old son David Banda dancing to Michael Jackson’s oft-forgotten HIStory single “They Don’t Care About Us”. The clip was meant to serve as a tribute to George Floyd, who was tragically killed by Minnesota police officers on Monday evening. In a caption, Madonna wrote, “Brutal murder travels around the world my son David Dances to honor and pay tribute to George and His Family and all Acts of Racism and Discrimination that happen on a daily basis in America.” Not surprisingly, the message arrived with a deafening thud across the Internet as thousands mocked the Material Girl for the performative post. Below, we’ve gathered a number of reactions, all of which illuminate the ...
Lil Yachty Drops Guest-Heavy New Album Lil Boat 3: Stream
Lil Yachty is sailing into the weekend with his star-studded new album, Lil Boat 3. Stream it in full below via Apple Music or Spotify. The Atlanta MC’s fourth studio effort comes almost two years after Nuthin’ 2 Prove. It’s also the third and final installment in his Lil Boat series, following 2016’s debut project and Lil Boat 2 in 2018. For the 19-track project, Lil Yachty brought onboard a dream team of hip-hop’s most prominent artists, such as Drake, ASAP Rocky, Tyler, the Creator, and Future. Also appearing on Lil Boat 3 are Tierra Whack, Mike Will Made-It, DaBaby, Young Thug, Lil Durk, and Lil Keed. Lil Yachty teased the LP with a handful of early singles, including “Oprah’s Bank Account”, which featured a video in which the rapper actually impersonated Oprah. Edi...
Rush Share Permanent Waves 40th Anniversary Reissue: Stream
Rush have shared a 40th anniversary reissue of their classic 1980 album Permanent Waves. Stream it below with Apple Music or Spotify. Permanent Waves was a defining moment in the prog-rock era. Rush eased back from the epic song formats that had defined their first six albums, producing tight, radio-friendly cuts and an honest-to-goodness hit in “The Spirit of Radio”. But the essence of the band remained experimental, and in the shifting time signatures of “Jacob’s Ladder” and the multi-suite, nearly ten-minute closer “Natural Science”, they allowed their creativity to run wild. Fittingly for the band’s maximalist ethos, the new reissue has been given the name Super Deluxe. In addition to the original six tracks (re-mastered as part of the famous “Abbey Road Mastering Studios 2015” se...
Lady Gaga Premieres New Album Chromatica: Stream
The wait for Lady Gaga’s sixth full-length album, Chromatica, is finally over. Stream it in full below via Apple Music or Spotify. Chromatica was originally scheduled to be released on April 10th, but was postponed until May 29th due to the coronavirus pandemic. It’s Gaga’s first record since the 2017 LP Joanne, as well as the first release since scoring an Oscar for Best Original Song for A Star is Born highlight “Shallow”. The new album features guest appearances from pop music luminaries Elton John, Ariana Grande, and K-pop band BLACKPINK. Three singles were unveiled in the lead-up to today’s release: “Stupid Love”, “Sour Heart (featuring BLACKPINK)”, and the certified bop “Rain On Me (featuring Grande)”, which we recently named Song of the Week. Gaga and Grande celebrated “Ra...
Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist Deliver New Collaborative Album Alfredo: Stream
As promised less than 24 hours ago, Indiana rapper Freddie Gibbs and veteran producer The Alchemist have released their new collaborative album, Alfredo. Dig in and stream it below via Apple Music or Spotify. Comprised of 10 songs, the delectable effort features special guests in Tyler, the Creator (“Something to Rap), Rick Ross (“Scottie Beam”), Conway the Machine (“Babies & Fools)”, and Benny the Butcher (“Frank Lucas”). It marks the second joint release from Gibbs and The Alchemist following their 2018 mixtape Fetti. The pair initially teased Alfredo with “1985”, a soulful single peppered with curling guitars. On the track, the Indiana rapper name-dropped both Michael Jordan and Joe Pesci. Meanwhile, its corresponding Nick Walker-directed vide...
Dolly Parton Shares Uplifting New Song “When Life is Good Again”: Stream
Dolly Parton has released a new song today titled “When Life is Good Again”. Penned while in quarantine, it serves as a beacon of hope for all those struggling during this pandemic. On the moving track, the beloved country music legend acknowledges the pain of our current circumstances. However, she also reassures that not only is it all temporary, but that we’ll come out of it stronger, better people. “We’ve been brought to our knees/ We’ve been so ill at ease/ There are no guarantees,” Parton sings during her second verse. “But you know life goes on/ This too shall pass away/ Bring new and different days/ We need to change our ways/ And right our wrongs.” Hear it for yourself below via Entertainment Weekly. Today’s offering is just one of many gifts that Parton has given to her lock...
PJ Harvey’s Catalog to Be Reissued on Vinyl with Rare Album Demos
Over the next 12 months, PJ Harvey’s entire back catalog will be reissued on vinyl as part of a new archival campaign orchestrated by UMe/Island and Beggars. To kick off the series, Harvey’s 1992 debut, Dry, will be reissued on July 24th, marking the first time the album has been in print in 20 years. The reissue comes with a fresh remaster by the album’s original producer, Head. It’s available to pre-order here. What’s more, an 11-track companion album collecting all of the demos from Dry will receive its first-ever standalone release, in digital, CD, and vinyl forms, also on July 24th. Dry-Demos comes packaged with previously unseen photos and a digital download card. It’s available to pre-order here. Below, you can hear Harvey’s demo version of “Sheela-Na-Gig”. In the coming m...
Killer Mike Supports Black Gun Ownership In New Op-Ed
America is a nightmare, a reality that’s hardly lost on Killer Mike of Run the Jewels. In a new op-ed for Colorlines, the rapper and activist has called on black communities across the country to embrace the second amendment. “My message to Black people across the country is the same today as it was a year ago: the only person you can count on to protect yourself and your family is you,” Killer Mike wrote under his legal name Michael Render. “God gave you the right to use whatever tools are available to defend your rights. Nothing—including gun ownership—should be discarded. I encourage gun ownership to my wife, my son and daughters, your sons and daughters and all Black people.” Killer Mike went on to reference several historical figures who shared similar sentiments, particularly Harriet...
