Music news

• What More Can (Or Should) Congress Do to Support the Music Community Amid Coronavirus?

  20-03-2020 23:55
  
  On Wednesday, The White House signed into law a coronavirus aid package expanding unemployment benefits and ensuring paid emergency leave for workers. The legislation protects the more than 2 million Americans predicted to file for unemployment claims this week, according to Goldman Sachs — but not the countless independent contractors and freelancers who make up much of the music business, which has been ravaged by virus-related concert cancellations and business closures.
  Now, as Congres
  
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• 5 Best Moments From Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello’s Precious Live Stream

  20-03-2020 23:52
  
  Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello hopped on Instagram Live on Friday afternoon (March 20) from a tropical-looking location for their installment of the Together, At Home: WHO-Global Citizen Solidarity Sessions.
  The half-hour session was the cutest thing we’ve seen all day, and was a much needed pick-me-up in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. The couple sang a number of songs, including Cabello’s “Havana” and Mendes’ “Lost in Japan,” before wrapping
  
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• Craig David reschedules ‘Hold That Thought’ arena tour to April 2021

  20-03-2020 23:50 via nme.com
  
  Craig David has rescheduled his UK arena tour to April 2021 – see the new dates below.
  Read more: Coronavirus: every cancelled gig, festival and tour – and how to get your ticket refund
  The R&B star, whose debut album ‘Born To Do It’ turns 20 this year, will now kick off his ‘Hold That Thought’ tour next year due to the coronavirus crisis.
  “UK Arena tour re-scheduled. Very happy to announce the re-scheduled dates for my Hold That Thought UK Aren
  
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• Bad Bunny Strips Down to Get a Complete Tan in His Revealing Quarantine Diaries

  20-03-2020 23:41
  
  After releasing his chart-topping album YHLQMDLG and partying it up at the clubs with his colleagues and fans in Puerto Rico, Bad Bunny is officially in full quarantine mode amid the spread of the coronavirus.
  In an effort to help prevent COVID-19 from spreading, the Puerto Rican artist is following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s safety guidelines of staying at home and is documenting every part of it.
  On his sixth day, Bunny shared some scandalous photos with the world,
  
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• Dinah Jane Unlocks Her Fantasies On New Song ‘1501’

  20-03-2020 23:34
  
  Dinah Jane releases the bedroom-friendly bop "1501," following last week's equally sultry "Lottery."
  
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• What’s Your Favorite Song From The Weeknd’s ‘After Hours’? Vote!

  20-03-2020 23:28
  
  The Weeknd comes alive in the After Hours — as evidenced by the title of his fourth studio album, released Friday (March 20). So which moody track brings you into the darkness?
  The synth-powered R&B melodies tinged with trap production in songs like “Repeat After Me (Interlude)” (courtesy of Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker’s psychedelic sound) accentuates the crooner’s retro film theme; he even takes inspiration from John Carpenter’s cult
  
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• Parkway Drive postpone UK and European tour dates until later in the year

  20-03-2020 23:27 via nme.com
  
  Parkway Drive have postponed their UK and European tour until later in the year due to the coronavirus pandemic – see the full list of new dates below.
  Read more: Coronavirus: every cancelled gig, festival and tour – and how to get your ticket refund
  The tour was originally scheduled to start April 1 in Hamburg, Germany at Sporthalle Hamburg, but the band have now decided to postpone the tour until November and December.
  “Due to the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic we are pos
  
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• Miranda Lambert Can’t Be Caged in ‘Bluebird’ Video

  20-03-2020 23:25
  
  Country songbird Miranda Lambert channels her title “Bluebird” for a brand-new music video, released Friday (March 20).
  In the video, Lambert remains cooped up in a cage, ruffling her blue bedazzled feathers in front of a quaint nightclub audience. She’s trapped like a real-life pet bird, which feels oddly familiar for a lot of people around the world staying indoors to self-quarantine. But as the country star consoles in the chorus, “And if the whole wide world sto
  
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• Reward Offered for Information on Tee Grizzley’s Aunt’s Murder

  20-03-2020 22:58
  
  Crime Stoppers of Michigan is offering a cash reward of up to $2,500 for information pertaining to the murder of Tee Grizzley’s aunt/manager Jobina “JB” Whittaker Brown, according to Detroit local news station WXYZ.
  In August 2019, the rapper’s 41-year-old aunt was hit after a gunman opened fire a Chrysler 300. She was taken to the hospital, but died from her injuries. Grizzley, who was reportedly sitting in the front passenger seat, and the driver were unharmed
  
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• Alaska, Monét X Change & More Drag Stars to Perform in ‘Digital Drag Fest’

  20-03-2020 22:58
  
  The coronavirus outbreak has left millions of people around the world confined to their homes to help prevent the spread of disease. So, to help ease the tensions of quarantined life, some of the fiercest drag stars in the world are preparing to give fans a show they’ll never forget.
  On Friday (March 20), Producer Entertainment Group (PEG) announced their upcoming new web series “PEG Presents: Digital Drag Fest 2020.” Starting March 27 and lasting through April 5, the new serie
  
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• Watch Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard share new song ‘Life in Quarantine’

  20-03-2020 22:57 via nme.com
  
  Death Cab For Cutie‘s Ben Gibbard has released a new song called ‘Life in Quarantine’ – listen to it below.
  Read more: Coronavirus: every cancelled gig, festival and tour – and how to get your ticket refund
  Taking a break from his ‘Live From Home’ series, which he started on Wednesday (March 18), Gibbard recorded the new song for his beloved Seattle.Gibbard’s ‘Live From Home’ series sees him perform from his home studio, where he may be
  
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• *NSYNC’s ‘No Strings Attached’ 20th-Anniversary Merch Line Will Transport You to Y2K: Exclusive

  20-03-2020 22:45
  
  The year 2000 was overwhelmingly riddled with classic pop albums, and the one that many pop purists find themselves revisiting is *NSYNC’s No Strings Attached.
  In celebration of the album’s 20th anniversary, the iconic boy band has once again partnered with Epic Rights for a merch collection that will bring longtime fans right back to the turn of the millennium.The collection (which follows the band’s Dirty Pop-Up Shop in Los Angeles in 2018) is filled with vario
  
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• Hozier Puts His Own Spin on Britney Spears’ ‘Toxic’ During Virtual Concert

  20-03-2020 22:33
  
  Hozier joined the lineup of superstars to participate in the Together, At Home: WHO-Global Citizen Solidarity Sessions. The crooner took to Instagram Live on Friday (March 20) to perform a number of songs, featuring peaceful background vocals from the songbirds outside his window.
  Amid deliveries of Hozier’s romantically apocalyptic tunes like “Nina Cried Power,” “From Eden,” “Take Me to Church” and “Work Song,” he added in a quick
  
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• Shakira Says We Need to Take Coronavirus Crisis Seriously: ‘The Virus Is Too Fast & Leaders Are Too Slow’

  20-03-2020 22:32
  
  While the coronavirus continues spreading worldwide, Shakira has taken a minute of her time to speak up about the consequences and what the government and people can do to help stop the virus’ growth.
  On Friday (March 20), the Colombian singer headed to social media to post an educational video about  COVID-19. “Many countries are either not following the recommendations of the World Health Organization or are being too slow taking measures or they are prioritizing the econ
  
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• Sofi Tukker Rounds Up Stormzy, The Knocks & Burna Boy For a ‘Quarantunes’ Dance Party: Playlist

  20-03-2020 22:23
  
  Sofi Tukker is making the best of a tough situation by filling their quarantine time with daily DJ set livestreams. Each day at 1 p.m., the duo — Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern — have been beaming live from their studio, dropping tracks they hope will make you dance, as we collectively navigate the strange reality in which we find ourselves.
  The “Quarantunes” playlist Sofi Tukker has assembled for Billboard is an extension of this uplifting energy, with these ace s
  
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• Paradigm Implements Layoffs, Paycuts Amid Coronavirus Shutdown

  20-03-2020 22:16
  
  Paradigm is cutting back as the industry has ground nearly to a halt amid the coronavirus pandemic.
  In addition to anticipated layoffs of about a hundred or more of its 600-plus employees, The Hollywood Reporter also has learned that payroll will be reduced for those who remain at the company.
  CEO Sam Gores broke the news in an agency-wide Zoom call this morning, and a second call with department heads was to follow. Although certain divisions, such as Paradigm’s industry-leading music dep
  
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• The Weeknd Returns, Plus New Music From Adam Lambert & More on ‘First Stream Live’

  20-03-2020 22:13
  
  It’s been a long wait, but The Weeknd finally came through with his My Dear Melancholy follow-up, After Hours, a collection of glistening vignettes that hybridize the old Abel with the new.
  Of course, that’s not all that’s new this week: fresh releases from J Balvin, John Legend, Justin Bieber and more make their way into this week’s episode of the First Stream Live podcast, alongside Adam Lambert’s new album Velvet; an interview with the America
  
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• Yes, Josh Groban Just Sang ‘You Raise Me Up’ From His Shower on ‘Billboard Live At-Home’ Concert

  20-03-2020 22:09
  
  Josh Groban hosted a Billboard Live At-Home performance on Friday (March 20) to raise money for Meals on Wheels America, a nonprofit that provides nutrition and helps to eliminate isolation to the elderly.
  Set up on his home piano, the crooner delivered a number of heartwarming tunes that represent “a really nice sentiment for what everyone is going through right now,” including “February Song,” Great Lake Swimmer’s “Changing Colours” and
  
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• Shawn Mendes urges fans to 'take care of each other' amid coronavirus pandemic

  20-03-2020 22:06 via music-news.com
  
  The ‘Señorita’ hitmaker took to Instagram on Friday (20.03.20) to send his “love” to his followers during the ongoing spread of the virus
  
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• On ‘Velvet,’ Adam Lambert Completes His Smooth-As-Silk Musical Journey

  20-03-2020 22:06
  
  “I’ve been feeling nostalgic,” Adam Lambert declares at the opening of his new album, Velvet, out Friday (March 20). “I think it’s time for a throwback/ To remind me how to fall in love.”
  Nostalgia is one of the main driving factors of Lambert’s long-awaited fourth studio album. Continuing in the same vein of late ’60s funk rock that’s fueled his latest releases, Lambert revels in the luxury of his sound at every g
  
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• Eurovision Song Contest to broadcast “alternative” 2020 show

  20-03-2020 21:58 via nme.com
  
  Organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest are looking at “alternative programming” options to showcase this year’s entries in a capacity beyond the live competition.
  Read More: How you can help your local independent record shop amid the coronavirus crisis
  Eurovision 2020 was cancelled earlier this week (March 18) due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The singing contest, which attracts a TV audience of nearly 200 million people each year, was due to take place in Rotterdam
  
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• Struggling Amid Coronavirus, Music Companies Ask Congress for Aid

  20-03-2020 21:54 via rollingstone.com
  
  "The unique nature of our industry means rules that require beneficiaries to have had a single, long-term employer will simply leave our entire workforce behind," organizers write
  
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• See Pabllo Vittar and Thalía Go Wild in New ‘Tímida’ Video

  20-03-2020 21:47 via rollingstone.com
  
  New song will feature on Brazilian drag superstar's upcoming 111 2 EP
  
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• Demi Lovato leads stars taking on Kevin Bacon's #IStayHomeFor challenge

  20-03-2020 21:45 via music-news.com
  
  David Beckham and Millie Bobby Brown also got involved with the initiative.
  
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• Cody Simpson insists he's sober as fans question his quarantine behaviour

  20-03-2020 21:45 via music-news.com
  
  Cody Simpson's energetic dancing prompted the question.
  
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• Production Team TMS on the Unlikely Success of ‘Someone You Loved’

  20-03-2020 21:42
  
  “When you’re looking for a voice, you never know where it’s going to come from.”
  Pete “Merf” Kelleher, one-third of the English production trio TMS, is musing about the runaway success of Lewis Capaldi’s sparse and aching “Someone You Loved,” which marks the biggest track in their already stacked discography.
  “Traditionally, we’ve definitely been keen to overproduce records and just throw loads of sh-t in there,” Kelleher ex
  
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• Watch Taylor Swift’s Dad Make His Acting Debut in ‘The Man’ Behind-the-Scenes Clip

  20-03-2020 21:39
  
  Taylor Swift is making time a home a bit more entertaining, and the songstress uploaded a video to Instagram on Friday (March 20) to show a hilarious behind-the-scenes moment from her “The Man” music video.
  In the tennis scene at the end of the clip, Swift’s dad Scott plays the umpire who makes an unfavorable call–leading to the pop star’s “man” persona having a full-blown meltdown.“Basically I started pelting my dad with tennis balls, which was ex
  
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• BMI Postpones Pop Awards, Film, TV & Visual Media Awards Due to Coronavirus Concerns

  20-03-2020 21:39 via digitalmusicnews.com
  
  Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI) has called off its Pop Awards and its Film, TV & Visual Media Awards in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Both events had been scheduled to take place in Los Angeles this May, and BMI indicated in its statement that they will be rescheduled “when we can safely celebrate.” The […]The post BMI Postpones Pop Awards, Film, TV & Visual Media Awards Due to Coronavirus Concerns appeared first on Digital Music News.
  
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• Latin Remix of the Week: Becky G Joins SAYGRACE for ‘Boys Ain’t Sh–‘ Bilingual Remix

  20-03-2020 21:36
  
  SAYGRACE teams up with Becky G for a new bilingual remix of her song “Boys Ain’t Sh–,” which dropped back in October.
  “I loved the original song so much and wanted to jump on it! I feel people around the world, no matter what language they speak, have related to the sentiment of the song at some point in life,” Becky G said about teaming up with SAYGRACE for the remix.
  SAYGRACE adds, “I am honored to have Becky G join me on this new version of my song. S
  
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• First Spin: The Week’s Best New Dance Tracks From Fisher, TOKiMONSTA, Don Diablo & More

  20-03-2020 21:35
  
  New Music Friday is intense. Hundreds of songs drop from artists around the world, and you’re supposed to somehow find the best ones. It’s fun work, but it’s time-consuming — so we at Billboard Dance want to give you a hand. Each week, we sift through the streams and dig in the digital crates to present the absolute must-hears from the wide breadth of jams.
  With the coronavirus leading to canceled tours and festivals around the globe, this week saw the world’s
  
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• Here’s How Streaming Services Are Supporting the Music Community During the Coronavirus Crisis

  20-03-2020 21:30
  
  As cities and states continue to shut down all but essential services and the live music industry has essentially ground to a standstill, the music community has been struggling with the loss of work and an uncertain future. On Friday (March 20), dozens of music companies came together to pen a joint letter to Congressional leaders asking for financial assistance, while others have put in place policies and programs aimed at helping artists reach their fans and make up lost revenue.
  With touring
  
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• Chloe Lilac’s Long, Winding Road Leads To Explosive Confidence On ‘Obvious’

  20-03-2020 21:25
  
  At only 18, Chloe Lilac's life has already been a great journey. Her delicate new single 'Obvious' finds her moving forward confidently — she tells MTV News about diving into her past and theorizing on her future.
  
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• Academy Music Group and Live Nation postpone all live shows in March

  20-03-2020 21:07 via nme.com
  Academy Music Group and Live Nation have announced that all their live shows up to March 31 have been “temporarily postponed” in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
  Read More: Coronavirus: every cancelled gig, festival and tour – and how to get your ticket refund
  Sharing the news across various social media accounts, including major associated venues such as the O2 Academies, the statement explained that “all shows and events until 31 March are temporarily postp
  
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• The Zac Brown Situation Raises a Difficult Question — Did Government Inaction Wipe Out the Touring Industry?

  20-03-2020 21:03 via digitalmusicnews.com
  
  Canceling mega-events like SXSW was unequivocally the right thing to do — and that’s the consensus after just one week of retrospect.  Postponing large tours has also been judged as highly prudent and responsible.  But Zac Brown’s decision to fire his entire touring support team — and his reasons for doing so — raise a […]The post The Zac Brown Situation Raises a Difficult Question — Did Government Inaction Wipe Out the Touring Industry? appea
  
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• The Zac Brown Situation Raises a Difficult Question — Did Government Inaction Effectively Wipe Out the Touring Industry?

  20-03-2020 21:03 via digitalmusicnews.com
  
  Canceling mega-events like SXSW was unequivocally the right thing to do — and that’s the consensus after just two weeks of retrospect. Postponing tours has also been judged as highly prudent and responsible. But Zac Brown’s decision to fire his entire touring support team — and his reasons for doing so — raise a very […]The post The Zac Brown Situation Raises a Difficult Question — Did Government Inaction Effectively Wipe Out the Touring Industry? appea
  
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• Atlantic Records Fires Back In Cardi B $5 Million ‘Tattoo Lawsuit’

  20-03-2020 20:50 via digitalmusicnews.com
  
  Atlantic Records is firing back against the man who’s suing Cardi B over the tattoo shown on the cover of Gangsta Bitch Music, Volume 1. The corresponding lawsuit was filed in 2017, and in it, Kevin Brophy Jr. and his legal team argue that the back tattoo of a model (The6atSix) featured on Gangsta Bitch’s […]The post Atlantic Records Fires Back In Cardi B $5 Million ‘Tattoo Lawsuit’ appeared first on Digital Music News.
  
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• Miley Cyrus Tells Hailey Bieber Why She Left Her Church

  20-03-2020 20:45
  
  Miley Cyrus and Hailey Bieber not only grew up as friends, but also both grew up in the Christian church, a major topic they discussed ahead of their beauty tutorial on Cyrus’ latest Bright Minded Instagram Live episode Friday (March 20).
  When the two landed on the R of the Instagram Live series title — which stands for Reliable sources — Bieber listed family members, friends, therapists, random strangers, pets and church parishioners, which shifted the conversation
  
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• Rayvon Owen Is Looking for ‘Honesty’ From His Lover on Sultry New Single: Premiere

  20-03-2020 20:38
  
  Rayvon Owen, the American Idol season 14 finalist and gay singer-songwriter who’s been charging his own path in the industry for years, is back after a hiatus with a new single, “Honesty,” premiering exclusively on Billboard.
  Owen wowed Idol judges Keith Urban and Jennifer Lopez during his audition for the massively popular show, and rose quickly in the ranks. Finishing fourth in his season, Owen went on tour with his fellow Idol contestants all over the globe while guarding a
  
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• Nicole Scherzinger wants Ed Sheeran to pen her a song

  20-03-2020 20:29 via music-news.com
  
  The Pussycat Dolls star is good friends with the pop superstar and she hopes one day he'll lend his talent to a track for her solo collection.
  
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• Charli XCX doesn't think it feels right to release 'an official album' during the coronavirus pandemic

  20-03-2020 20:27 via music-news.com
  
  The '1999' hitmaker has admitted she's unlikely to put out the record - the follow-up to 2019's 'Charli'- which she had nearly
  
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• The Beatles sang explicit lyrics live as their fans' deafening screams drowned them out

  20-03-2020 20:23 via music-news.com
  
  The Beatles used to sing explicit lyrics during their gigs because their fans' deafening screams drowned them out.
  
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• The Show Must Go Online: The Cozy Connection Of Artist Livestreams

  20-03-2020 20:21
  
  As more people practice social distancing and self-isolation (artists included), mainstream and indie musicians are taking to the digital space to throw digital shows and preserve their fan connections.
  
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• From The Weeknd to Kelsea Ballerini, What’s Your Favorite New Music Release? Vote!

  20-03-2020 20:21
  
  “Let music heal us,” The Weeknd proclaimed ahead of his highly anticipated After Hours album drop, and other artists’ releases have arrived to give fans relief amid recommended self-quarantine.
  J Balvin and Lauren Jauregui couldn’t fathom delaying their new material during this time, as Balvin drew in his fans with Colores, a project that makes you wish you were allowed to party, and Jauregui teamed up with Puerto Rican producer Tainy for &l
  
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• How The Hu Are Coping With Being Stranded In Australia

  20-03-2020 20:20
  
  The global coronavirus crisis has resulted in canceled tours, artists getting crammed into long customs queues, and in the case of Mongolian rock band The Hu, being stranded in another country because the borders of their homeland have been sealed off. In the midst of this, Billboard called the band at their Airbnb “bunker,” as manager/translator Tuga Namgur calls it, where they are staying in the Sydney, Australia area. Given that right now they’re not making money and had to
  
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• UK drill rapper Psychs shares coronavirus advice track ‘Spreadin”

  20-03-2020 20:12 via nme.com
  
  South London drill rapper Psychs has released a new track about the effects of the coronavirus on daily life, ‘Spreadin”.
  Read More: Move over, Chicago: how the UK made drill its own – and then sold it back to the world
  Speaking to the BBC about the song, he explained: “I knew that if I’d done this in the right way, it would grab people’s attention… especially my generation.”
  The songs lyrics cover a multitude of issues affected by the outbreak, i
  
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• Omara Portuondo to Perform From Havana Home With Orquesta Faílde

  20-03-2020 20:11
  
  Clubs and bars in Cuba have shut down, and concerts have been canceled due to coronavirus concerns, but that does not mean that the oxymoronic idea of a silent Havana has become a reality.
  Among the Cuban artists making music at home is 89-year-old Omara Portuondo, who will offer a concert on Saturday afternoon with the Orquesta Faílde on Facebook Live.
  “We’ll take all the precautions,” says bandleader and flute player Ethiel Faílde, who is the great-great grandso
  
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• The Weeknd Wants to Give the World ‘Philip K.’ Dick

  20-03-2020 20:09 via rollingstone.com
  
  On the Toronto singer's new album 'After Hours,' we're teased with information about "futuristic sex"
  
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• Mac Miller has two new posthumous singles released

  20-03-2020 20:09 via music-news.com
  
  Mac Miller's two new posthumous singles 'Right' and 'Floating' have been released on the deluxe version of 'Circles'.
  
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• YouTube Drops HD in Europe Streaming Amid Streaming Surge – Joining Netflix

  20-03-2020 20:02 via digitalmusicnews.com
  
  YouTube is dropping HD streaming in Europe amid the coronavirus outbreak – joining Netflix. Both streaming services are self-regulating and complying with a request from the EU. The move is temporary in response to calls from the European Commission for platforms to help ease demand. As more people stay home to work – infrastructure is […]The post YouTube Drops HD in Europe Streaming Amid Streaming Surge – Joining Netflix appeared first on Digital Music News.
  
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• YouTube Drops HD in Europe Amid Streaming Surge – Joining Netflix

  20-03-2020 20:02 via digitalmusicnews.com
  
  YouTube is dropping HD streaming in Europe amid the coronavirus outbreak – joining Netflix. Both streaming services are self-regulating and complying with a request from the EU. The move is temporary in response to calls from the European Commission for platforms to help ease demand. As more people stay home to work – infrastructure is […]The post YouTube Drops HD in Europe Amid Streaming Surge – Joining Netflix appeared first on Digital Music News.
  
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