R&B
Syd Drops New Single “Right Track” Featuring Smino: Stream
Back in February, Syd returned with her first solo music in nearly four years. The Internet member has been keeping herself busy since, leading up to today’s release of her new single “Right Track,” which features vocals from Smino. Stream it below. “Right Track” is a love song that stays true to Syd’s usual laidback R&B groove. Backed by a fluttering, Latin-influenced guitar riff, the track details the beginnings of a relationship that’s going well, and the excitement of taking things to the next step. “Everything feels so right, don’t you love it when things go right?” Syd coos in the bridge. “Now can somebody tell me why you would fight that?” Along with the new single, Syd has also announced her only show of 2021, where she’ll take the stage with the LA Philharmonic at The Ford on ...
SZA Shares New Song “The Anonymous Ones”: Stream
As SZA fans await news of her next album, the New Jersey singer has unveiled “The Anonymous Ones,” a new song off the soundtrack to the film adaptation of Dear Evan Hansen. Stream it below. The track was written specifically for the coming-of-age movie by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Amandla Stenberg. The latter artist stars as Alana Beck and performs the song in the Dear Evan Hansen musical film, which hits theaters nationwide on September 24th. Production was handled by Rob Bisel and frequent SZA collaborator Carter Lang. “The Anonymous Ones” features SZA pointing out that everyone has hidden insecurities and fears no matter how well they seem put together. “All those anonymous ones/ Never name the quiet pain they bury,” the TDE signee sings. “Keep on keeping secrets that they ...
Tasha Announces New Album Tell Me What You Miss the Most, Shares “Perfect Wife”: Stream
The first leaves in Chicago are beginning to turn, which means it’s the perfect weather to listen to the Windy City’s own Tasha. The singer/songwriter has announced her new album Tell Me What You Miss the Most, out November 5th, and shared the lead single “Perfect Wife.” The follow-up to 2018’s Alone at Last was produced by Tasha alongside Eric Littman. As she tells it, the new album shows significant artistic growth. “When I made Alone at Last, I had only been writing songs for two years. I hardly even knew what kind of song writer I was,” she said in a statement. “But this record feels much stronger as far as a representation of my songwriter and musicianship. I did feel like I was piloting it in a way that I haven’t really felt before.” You can hear some of that...
Golden Sand Destination Hip-Hop Festival Brings 50 Cent, TLC, Ludacris to Riviera Maya
Pollen Presents, a technology company known for its event experience packages, has announced the lineup for its first-ever Golden Sand destination music festival. Taking place January 12th-16th, 2022, Golden Sand aims to present an immersive weekend filled with classic hip-hop and R&B, luxury resort amenities, and adventures all along the gorgeous beaches of Riviera Maya, Mexico. The Phase 1 lineup includes 50 Cent, TLC, Kelly Rowland, Ludacris, Nelly, Flo Rida, Sean Paul, T-Pain, Fat Joe, and Lil’ Kim, with more artists to be announced soon. Beyond the music, attendees will be able to indulge in the all-inclusive services of the Barcelo Riviera Maya resort. That includes all premium food and beverages from over a dozen restaurants and bars, 11 swimming pools, jungle adventures, yoga, ...
JoJo on How Mental Health, Depression, and Joni Mitchell’s Blue Shaped Her New EP
Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | RSS JoJo sits down with Kyle Meredith to discuss her new EP, Trying Not to Think About It, it’s firth single “Worst (I Assume).” and the building the new songs around mental health, negative patterns, and how depression affects your relationships. Advertisement Related Video The singer/songwriter/actress talks extensively on how the new songs were built around mental health, negative patterns, and how depression affects your relationships. JoJo also discusses how Joni Mitchell’s Blue lent a heavy dose of inspiration when looking towards lyrics, while the classic sounds of Usher, Justin Timberlake, and Aaliyah along with...
Yola Belts Out “Diamond Studded Shoes” on Kimmel: Watch
Yola has one of the best voices in modern country right now, in part because of the undeniable soul she brings to the genre. Last night, she got to reintroduce her show-stopping voice on Jimmy Kimmel Live! with a rousing rendition of “Diamond Studded Shoes.” Watch a replay of her performance below. For the occasion, Yola broke out the Stand For Myself track in a cozy room back home in Nashville, Tennessee. What starts out with the warm vibe of a local band at a bar quickly turns into a powerhouse country-pop song worth dancing along to. Yola shows off her voice with subdued verses and effortless trills, but it’s her massive belted notes towards the end that steal the show. All told, it’s a goosebump-raising live version of “Diamond Studded Shoes” that further drives home the song’s an...
Aaliyah’s One in a Million Finally Hits Streaming Services
25 years after its release, late R&B legend Aaliyah’s second studio album, One in a Million, has finally arrived on streaming services. Stream it via Apple Music or Spotify below. One in a Million saw Aaliyah linking up with producers like Timbaland and Missy Elliott to break away from the sound crafted by R. Kelly on her 1994 debut, Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number, and carve a unique lane in the R&B landscape. Slick Rick and Treach of Naughty by Nature contributed guest verses to the album. For years, most of Aaliyah’s catalog was in limbo because Barry Hankerson, her uncle and the co-founder of Blackground Records, wouldn’t license her music to streaming services or digital retailers. Prior to today, Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number was her only album available to str...
R Kelly Trial Day 1: Prosecutors Liken Singer to Crime Boss Who Blackmailed His Victims
Opening statements in the federal trial of R Kelly got underway in Brooklyn on Wednesday. The disgraced singer is charged with an array of sex crimes against six women and girls, including kidnapping, trafficking, and forced labor. According to The Daily Beast, in her opening statement Assistant United States Attorney Maria Cruz Melendez sought to portray Kelly as the leader of a criminal enterprise who knowingly facilitated his crimes. Cruz Melendez described Kelly as a “predator… who used his fame, popularity and the individuals at his disposal to target and groom girls, boys and young women for his sexual gratification.” Advertisement Related Video Prosecutors say they’ll present the jury with evidence including text messages between Kelly and his alleged victims, as well as video...
Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak to Release Silk Sonic Debut Album in January 2022
Since first introducing their collaborative Silk Sonic project back in March with “Leave the Door Open,” Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak have kept the music world waiting for word on their first album. It looks like we still have a few months to go, as the duo have revealed their LP, An Evening with Silk Sonic, is targeting a January 2022 release. The pair confirmed the news in an extensive new interview with Rolling Stone. Apparently, the album was initially set for a fall drop, but they wanted to release a few more singles to give the songs their own space. “I don’t want to be binge-watched,” explained Mars. (Since “Leave the Door Open,” we’ve only received one other Silk Sonic track: “Skate,” which arrived in late July.) Speaking about their detailed collaborative process, ...
Ray Charles to Be Inducted into Country Music Hall of Fame
Ray Charles is set to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame alongside the rest of the class of 2022. Widely known for his genre-redefining contributions to R&B, soul, and gospel music, Charles was also responsible for breaking down color barriers in country music at the height of the Civil Rights era. His two-volume Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music from 1962, reissued back in 2019, was a personal passion project that ended up becoming a landmark release for both country at large and Charles individually. The album went on to become one of the best selling country LPs of the time, demonstrating the genre’s commercial potential. The single “I Can’t Stop Loving You” not only spent five weeks atop the Billboard 100, but is often considered the definitive version of the ...
The Weeknd Shares Extended Version of “Take My Breath”: Stream
Last week, The Weeknd finally unveiled “Take My Breath,” the lead single from his upcoming album The Dawn that he’s been teasing for quite a while. Now, he’s back with an even groovier extended version of the hit song, which you can stream below. “Take My Breath (Extended Version)” goes all in on ’80s synth, disco drumming, and that infectious, wobbly bass that sounds like it’s straight out of a Halloween movie. It’s hard to hear the lengthier version of this absolute jam and not interpret it as The Weeknd giving everyone a reason to dance as vaccinated people cautiously begin celebrating a post-pandemic world. “I know temptation is the devil in disguise,” he sings. “You risk it all to feel alive.” The single is about being in a whirlwind romance, of course, but lyrics about making your br...
R.I.P. Dennis “Dee Tee” Thomas, Saxophonist of Kool & The Gang Dead at 70
Dennis “Dee Tee” Thomas, a founding member and longtime saxophonist of Kool & the Gang, has died at the age of 70. According to a lengthy obituary published on the group’s social media, Thomas passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, August 7th. Thomas appeared on every one of Kool & the Gang’s albums, playing alto saxophone, flute, and percussion. He was also the “master of ceremonies” at the group’s concerts. Advertisement Related Video Thomas first met Ronald Bell and Robert “Kool” Bell in high school, and together they began playing music with several other friends including Spike Mickens, Ricky Westfield, George Brown, and Charles Smith. After initially calling themselves the Jazziacs, the group eventually settled on the name “Kool & the Gang.” Over the proceeding ...
