Music news

• Executive Shuffles: ASCAP, Downtown Music Publishing, Concord Music Group

  01-04-2015 23:34
  
    Taeko Saito has been hired as International A&R at Downtown Music Publishing. Saito was previously A&R Executive at SONGS Music Publishing. Christine Pepe has been promoted to VP of Business and...
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• Pemberton Music Festival’s 2015 Lineup

  01-04-2015 21:22
  
  Canadian music fest Pemberton Music Festival has released their 2015 lineup. Kendrick Lamar, The Black Keys, J. Cole, and Tiësto are headlining. Other noteworthy acts...
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• Nigeria’s new president Muhammadu Buhari – the man who jailed Fela Kuti

  01-04-2015 20:07
  
  The newly elected leader of Nigeria was once a military dictator who jailed the musician on trumped-up charges. But the Afrobeat hero and fierce critic of corruption was not easily silenced. Continue reading...
  
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• Lee Scratch Perry webchat – as it happened

  01-04-2015 19:44
  
  The dub reggae superstar answered your questions – on the greats of reggae, the war on drugs and the delights of Switzerland. Read his answers below Continue reading...
  
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• Stormzy review – accessible flow that shows his range

  01-04-2015 18:30
  
  O2 Academy, Islington, London
  South London’s rapper evolves the form with gospel R&B and loverman soul and hints at emotional complexity Continue reading...
  
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• Letter: Patrick Gowers, an original and stimulating teacher

  01-04-2015 18:21
  
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• Cobain: Montage of Heck – watch an exclusive clip about Kurt Cobain's time in Nirvana – video

  01-04-2015 17:56
  
  Combining home movies and clippings from the archives, Montage of Heck tells the story of Kurt Cobain's struggle to balance his desire for the spotlight with his hatred of fame. In this clip Cobain's diaries reveal some of the names Nirvana toyed with before deciding on the moniker they'd use to define a musical era• Cobain: Montage of Heck is out in the UK in cinemas from April 10, available on digital download on April 24 and on DVD and Blu-ray from April 27, and premieres in the US on HBO o
  
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• Cynthia Lennon dies at 75

  01-04-2015 17:51
  
  John Lennon’s first wife dies at her home in Spain after a short battle with cancerJohn Lennon’s first wife, Cynthia, has died at her home in Spain, her family said. She was 75.A message on her son Julian’s website said she died “following a short but brave battle with cancer”.Continue reading...
  
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• Gangsta rap isn't dead and gone, despite claims to the contrary

  01-04-2015 17:47
  
  It’s 20 years since Eazy-E’s death. Other gangsta rap stars may have distanced themselves from the genre – but that doesn’t mean the gin and juice has run dryLast week marked the 20th anniversary of Eazy-E’s death. Though the Compton rapper and label impresario’s name doesn’t ring out these days as loudly as, say Biggie’s or Tupac’s (both of whom he directly inspired), his influence does. In fact, despite claims to the contrary, and the fact that Eazy’s one-time arch rival Su
  
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• Sinatra centenary marked with new documentary

  01-04-2015 17:08
  
  Frank Sinatra tells his life story in his own words in a new documentary released this week as part of a year-long celebration to mark what would have been the singer's 100th birthday. The two-part "Sinatra: All or Nothing at All", which centers around Sinatra's 1971 retirement concert, uses old interviews, concert footage, never-before-seen home video and photos. "For me, as a guy who never wrote his autobiography, I thought that concert was his autobiography in song.&q
  
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• Ed Sheeran & Rudimental Take On Jess Glynne For Sunday's No.1

  01-04-2015 17:00
  
  'Bloodstream' is just ahead of 'Hold My Hand' in this week's Official Chart Update...
  
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• Tidal streaming service seeks more artists to join as owners

  01-04-2015 16:55
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — Tidal, the music and video streaming service co-owned by Jay Z, Rihanna, Madonna and other artists, is inviting more performers to join the company.
  
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• Berlioz: Of Madness and Love, works inspired by William Shakespeare CD review

  01-04-2015 16:37
  
  The use of period instruments rather than brass results in a lack of opulence on La Mort de Clèopâtre, but Soyoung Yoon impresses in the Rêverie et Caprice Continue reading...
  
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• Jane Birkin: 'No, Serge, I won’t lick my lips and pout'

  01-04-2015 16:24
  
  As a previously lost film score by Serge Gainsbourg and Jean-Claude Vannier is unearthed, Rock’s Backpages this week reprints Barney Hoskyns’ meeting with Jane Birkin for Vogue in 2003, to discuss the late pop provocateurThe remains of an English breakfast stand on a table, and several bags are strewn around the room – one of them a well-worn example of the famous Hermès “Birkin bag”.In the midst of this mayhem squats the bag’s namesake. Attired in ultra-fashionable combats �
  
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• Jane Birkin: 'No, Serge, I won’t lick my lips and pout'

  01-04-2015 16:24
  As a previously lost film score by Serge Gainsbourg and Jean-Claude Vannier is unearthed, Rock’s Backpages this week reprints Barney Hoskyns’ meeting with Jane Birkin for Vogue in 2003, to discuss the late pop provocateurThe remains of an English breakfast stand on a table, and several bags are strewn around the room – one of them a well-worn example of the famous Hermès “Birkin bag”.In the midst of this mayhem squats the bag’s namesake. Attired in ultr
  
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• Wait, Is Zayn Malik's Solo Demo A One Direction Reject Track Or Not?

  01-04-2015 15:41
  
  Okay we're getting seriously confused now as to what is actually going on with this song...
  
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• The playlist – Middle Eastern and North African: Omar Souleyman, Elias Rahbani and more

  01-04-2015 14:22
  
  Today’s playlist includes Lebanese disco and a pan-Arabic funk mix, the Tropikal Camel and the welcome return of the face of Syrian wedding raveThe boss is back. Omar Souleyman is the face of Syrian wedding rave, or dabke, in the west and has the kind of profile in the UK that a lot of British artists can only dream of. And rightly so. His last album, Wenu Wenu, was released on the Domino imprint Ribbon and produced by Keiran Hebden, also known as Four Tet. This time out, he’s releasing an
  
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• Video Premiere | Breakage Is Back With 'Future'

  01-04-2015 14:21
  
  We chat to the producer about his third studio album and give you the first play of his brand new music video...
  
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• Marika Hackman review – macabre acoustic delicacy

  01-04-2015 14:12
  
  Bush Hall, London
  This young singer-songwriter battles murky acoustics but the grisly imagery of her lyrics, sung with purity of tone, points to great potential Continue reading...
  
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• Aww! Ellie Goulding And Dougie Poynter Get Matching Skull Tattoos

  01-04-2015 14:00
  
  We get the impression that these two are in it for the long haul as they go matchy matchy...
  
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• Noah and the Whale announce split

  01-04-2015 14:00
  
  Five-piece who moved from twee folk-pop to slick MOR are to part ways after eight years togetherNoah and the Whale have announced they are to split. The London-based band came to prominence with the winsome folk-pop of 5 Years Time in 2008, the hit single from their debut album Peaceful, the World Lays Me Down. In latter years, however, they metamorphosed into a sleek drivetime rock outfit, garnering critical acclaim, and high chart placings.The band issued a statement to their fans: “Noah and
  
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• Watch Tom Hardy Turn Badass In The New 'Mad Max: Fury Road' Trailer!

  01-04-2015 13:52
  
  The 1979 classic gets a big budget reboot…
  
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• Khloé Kardashian Shows Off All The Leg In Instagram Snap

  01-04-2015 13:14
  
  All those gym workouts have clearly paid off as Khloé makes us seriously jealous...
  
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• Major Lazer's long-awaited cartoon premieres in April

  01-04-2015 13:00
  
  Featuring the voices of Charli XCX, Ezra Koenig, Riff Raff, Aziz Ansari and JK Simmons, Diplo’s animated series airs this monthContinue reading...
  
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• A Calling to Redeem Rap Music

  01-04-2015 13:00
  
  "We don’t challenge any heresy in the church!" John Perkins declared at a recent meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. Church leaders had gathered to discuss the "the gospel and racial reconciliation"—a longtime struggle for the Southern Baptists, a denomination that split off from other American baptists in 1845 so that its ordained members could still own slaves. Pathological immorality: That's a heavy charge to make against an art form, particularly one that
  
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• Nirvana: 10 of the best

  01-04-2015 12:43
  
  With the Kurt Cobain documentary Montage of Heck imminent, here are 10 rage and pain-filled classics from the unwitting and unwilling poster boys of the alternative revolutionBeneath all that cooler-than-thou championing of the obscure, Kurt Cobain also deeply loved popular culture – trashy, sometimes conservative and often tragically unhip. Though he claimed the first gig he attended was Black Flag, it had really been Sammy Hagar. Nirvana might have been influenced by the Pixies, the Wipers,
  
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• Drake, Rita Ora To Play New Look Wireless' 10th Birthday Party

  01-04-2015 12:38
  
  What! Wireless basically just announced a mini festival days before the big weekend...
  
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• David Beckham Reveals He Gatecrashed His Son Brooklyn's First Date!

  01-04-2015 12:23
  
  We can't decide if it would be cool if Becks was our dad, or totally embarrassing…
  
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• WTF? Is Vicky Pattison Moving To LA To Be Kim Kardashian's Personal Trainer?

  01-04-2015 12:19
  
  So here's the weirdest news story doing the rounds today...
  
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• The Libertines Are Back And Will Announce Album 'Soon'

  01-04-2015 12:16
  
  The Indie legends teased the message via their Facebook page…
  
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• Ringo Starr taps friends for 'Postcards,' reflects on music world

  01-04-2015 12:05
  
  By Bob Mezan LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Despite a struggling music industry and a less-than-favorable relationship with online streaming music platforms, former Beatle Ringo Starr is still insistent on making new songs.  Starr, 74, released "Postcards From Paradise" this week, his 18th solo studio album featuring 11 original songs by the veteran musician in collaboration with friends such as Peter Frampton and Joe Walsh. I play with other good musicians," Starr told Reuters, noting
  
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• Duchovny's 'Shock' At Launching Music Career

  01-04-2015 11:31
  
  David Duchovny has had a busy television career but it seems he has been flexing his musical muscles on the side and is releasing his first album. The X Files actor will release Hell Or Highwater on 12 May.
  
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• MTV Review | Fast & Furious 7

  01-04-2015 11:23
  
  You absolutely cannot miss Paul Walker’s thrill-packed final onscreen ride...
  
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• Fantasma perform Basbizile live in session – video

  01-04-2015 11:00
  
  South Africa's Fantasma perform their single Basbizile at the 100 Club in central London exclusively for the Guardian. The song appears on their debut album Free Love, released on Soundway Records, and incorporates genre-bending elements of hip-hop, electronica and South African traditional music. Fantasma are: Spoek Mathambo on vocals and electronics, Bhekisenzo Cele on guitar and vocals and Cubain Kabeya on percussion• Read the Guardian's five-star review of Fantasma's Free Love Continue rea
  
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• Zayn Malik And Perrie Edwards Jet Out Of The UK Amid Controversy

  01-04-2015 10:43
  
  The couple have had enough of Britain as they flee the country together...
  
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• Club MTV Presents The Sourz Colours Tour

  01-04-2015 10:35
  
  We've teamed up with Sourz in the run up to the Holi Festival of Colours for an unforgettable tour...
  
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• Joni Mitchell treated in intensive care at Los Angeles hospital

  01-04-2015 10:08
  
  Grammy award-winning folk singer in ‘fair condition’, say authorities, after paramedics were called to her Bel Air homeThe folk singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell is being treated in intensive care in hospital in Los Angeles.The website jonimitchell.com, which describes itself as the artist’s official site, said: “Joni was found unconscious in her home this afternoon. She regained consciousness on the ambulance ride to an LA area hospital.Related: Joni Mitchell: 10 of the bestContinue readi
  
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• Justin Bieber attends mediation as part of snapper lawsuit

  01-04-2015 10:07
  
  The Baby singer has been in Miami on both legal business and to perform his music.
  
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• Breaking: Google Calling Off $14.1 Billion Spotify Acquisition…

  01-04-2015 10:03
  
  Google is now abruptly walking away from its planned, $14.1 billion acquisition of Spotify, according to multiple sources speaking to Digital Music News early this morning....
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• Judas Priest's British Steel coffee will help you live after midnight

  01-04-2015 09:55
  
  Veteran metallers unleash their own coffee to mark the 35th anniversary of their landmark album Continue reading...
  
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• Justin Bieber nears completion of album with Kanye West and Rick Rubin

  01-04-2015 09:21
  
  Singer says he had to scrap one version of the album because he was ‘in a dark place’ Continue reading...
  
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• Singer Joni Mitchell hospitalized in Los Angeles

  01-04-2015 06:44
  
  LOS ANGELES (AP) — Joni Mitchell was hospitalized in Los Angeles on Tuesday, according to the Twitter account and website of the folk singer and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, but details on her condition have not been released.
  
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• The mixtape: Gang of Youths, Tuka, Mojo Juju, Left and Perry Keyes

  01-04-2015 03:36
  
  Gang of Youths revive indie rock, Tuka makes avante-garde hip-hop, while Mojo Juju brings sass and neo-soul to her new album Continue reading...
  
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• YouTube and Coachella Have Updated the Livestream Experience

  01-04-2015 01:47
  
  Twitch exclusively streamed all of Ultra Music Festival this past weekend. Last year Ultra streamed on YouTube, but this year the festival said “we don’t tolerate mediocrity”...
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• Estate of Selena Quintanilla sues UMG Recordings over royalties

  01-04-2015 01:03
  
  (Reuters) - The estate of Latin pop star Selena Quintanilla filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against UMG Recordings Inc, claiming that royalties have been withheld since her death 20 years ago. Selena, dubbed "the Queen of Tejano," was just 23 years old when Yolanda Saldivar, the president of her fan club, shot and killed her at a Days Inn motel on March 31, 1995. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan, accuses UMG Recordings, a subsidiary of Vivendi's Universal Music Group, of breach of con
  
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• Who's Sold The Most Singles Of 2015 So Far?

  01-04-2015 01:01
  
  Find out who's shifted the most copies of their tunes so far this year...
  
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• Executive Shuffles: ReverbNation, Cumulus Media, Rightscorp, Arising Artist

  01-04-2015 00:03
  
  Tommy Page has been hired as SVP of Brand Partnerships at Cumulus Media. Page was previously VP of Artist and Brand Partnerships at Pandora. Simon Perry has been promoted to CCO of ReverbNation. Perry...
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