Music news

• Gift of Gab’s Death Mourned by Chief Xcel, Questlove, El-P, Chuck D & More

  25-06-2021 23:57
  
  Questlove, Run the Jewels’ El-P, Public Enemy’s Chuck D and more are mourning Timothy “Gift of Gab” Parker of hip-hop duo Blackalicious, who died June 18 at age 50.
  “Tim peacefully departed this earth to be with our ancestors on Friday, June 18, 2021,” the Quannum collective, a group that the Bay Area rapper belonged to, said in a statement Friday (June 25). “He is survived by two brothers, one sister, many nieces and nephews, countless friends
  
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• Arcade Fire launch new ‘Past Lives’ series, sharing archive gig footage

  25-06-2021 23:51 via nme.com
  
  Arcade Fire have launched a new archive series, sharing footage from past gigs during the summer.
  Past Lives will see the band sharing performances from across their career, beginning today (June 25) with a performance from their ‘Everything Now’ tour in 2017.READ MORE: Arcade Fire’s new song ‘Generation A’ is a rallying cry for a nation in turmoil“We cannot wait to play live for you all again,” the band wrote to fans in an email newsletter announcing th
  
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• Doja Cat’s Planet Her Has a Song For Every Mood

  25-06-2021 23:36
  
  Doja Cat's 'Planet Her' has a song for every mood — from reflective to swaggering to horny. We've got a track-by-track breakdown.
  
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• Montreux Jazz festival cancels UK artists’ sets over travel restrictions

  25-06-2021 23:25 via nme.com
  
  A number of UK artists have been removed from the bill of Switzerland’s Montreux Jazz festival due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.READ MORE: Festival bosses speak out on how COVID will impact on line-ups this summerThe likes of Rag’n’Bone Man, Inhaler, Alfa Mist, Yussef Dayes and more will no longer play the festival, which is due to take place from July 2-17.
  Despite Switzerland easing its lockdown restrictions from tomorrow (June 26), travellers from countries including the
  
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• 20 Questions With Eslabon Armado: Frontman Pedro Tovar on New Album, Finding Inspiration & More

  25-06-2021 23:17
  
  After writing three chart-topping, back-to-back albums in 2020, Pedro Tovar — Eslabon Armado’s frontman — was left feeling “fried,” he tells Billboard. “I didn’t have the mentality to write songs anymore.”
  But he had to deliver an album by June so he reached out to his manager Angel del Villar, also founder/CEO of DEL Records, to explain the situation. Minutes later, del Villar had booked a resort for Pedro so he could go “relax and get
  
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• Are Cult Legends Sparks the World’s Most Interesting Band?

  25-06-2021 23:13 via rollingstone.com
  
  Rolling Stone Music Now podcast features Ron and Russell Mael of Sparks, along with Edgar Wright, director of 'The Sparks Brothers'
  
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• First Out: New Music From Greyson Chance, Pabllo Vittar, Lucy Dacus & More

  25-06-2021 23:10
  
  As we enter into the final weekend of Pride Month, it’s time to take one final look at your playlists and freshen them up with new music from your favorite queer artists. Billboard Pride is here to help with First Out, our weekly roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ artists.
  From Greyson Chance’s long-awaited new album to Pabllo Vittar’s bop-filled celebration, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below.Greyson Chance,
  
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• Can Touring Artists Require Road Crews To Get Vaccinated?

  25-06-2021 23:07
  
  When Garth Brooks told Billboard he would require his crew to “stay at home” if they did not get vaccinated, he was basically speaking for the entire concert industry. “Of all the bands we deal with, they’re all requiring vaccinated crews,” says Michael Strickland, owner and founder of Bandit Lites, the Nashville company handling lighting for the Brooks stadium tour beginning July 10. “We’re not mandating they be vaccinated, we’re telling them: &ls
  
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• Sinéad O’Connor Calls Memoir Chapter About Prince Both ‘Amusing’ & ‘Frightening’

  25-06-2021 23:04
  
  Sinéad O’Connor is opening up about her latest memoir Rememberings and how the “best” chapter recalls the “frightening” night she met Prince.
  The Irish singer-songwriter, known for her ethereal take on the Prince-penned “Nothing Compares 2 U” that topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1990, discussed her new book Friday (June 25) on The View. Rememberings delves into her upbringing, journey in music and struggles with
  
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• Does Britney Spears Stand a Chance of Dissolving Her Conservatorship?

  25-06-2021 23:04 via rollingstone.com
  
  Despite Britney Spears' harrowing public statement about her ongoing, 13-year conservatorship, the singer may have a long road ahead of her
  
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• First Stream Latin: New Music From Sofia Reyes & Pedro Capo, Boza, Alexis y Fido & More

  25-06-2021 23:00
  
  First Stream Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums and videos recommended by the Billboard Latin editors. Check out this week’s picks below.
  Sofia Reyes & Pedro Capó, “Casualidad” (Warner Music Latina)
  Mexican singer-songwriter Sofia Reyes and Puerto Rican hitmaker Pedro Capó aren’t leaving anything up to chance on their new track “Casualidad,” fueled by a subtle-yet-irresistible reggaeton beat. The pair join forces for t
  
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• UK Government Releases Its COVID-19 Concert Study — After Getting Sued by Angry Venues and Event Organizers

  25-06-2021 22:49 via digitalmusicnews.com
  
  The UK government has released the results of its Events Research Programme COVID-19 concert study – after being sued by a number of angry venue owners and event organizers. UK live-music representative Live Music Industry Venues and Entertainment (LIVE) and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group are among the entities that levied the legal action, […]
  The post UK Government Releases Its COVID-19 Concert Study — After Getting Sued by Angry Venues and Event Organizers
  
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• Krept & Konan release official England Euro 2020 anthem ‘Olé (We Are England)’

  25-06-2021 22:38 via nme.com
  
  Krept & Konan have released their new track ‘Olé (We Are England)’, the official anthem for England’s Euro 2020 campaign – listen to it below.READ MORE: In a league of their own: the best football songsThe duo documented the recording of the track in a recent BBC documentary which saw the rappers seeking England manager Gareth Southgate’s help along with squad members footballers Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Declan Rice and Tyrone Mings.
  The track, featuring S1
  
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• Mumford & Sons Guitarist Is Quitting the Band to ‘Speak Freely’ on Political Issues

  25-06-2021 22:37 via digitalmusicnews.com
  
  Winston Marshall has announced he is quitting Mumford & Sons to speak freely about political issues. Marshall took a break from the folk-rock band he helped found back in March. That’s after tweeting praise for a book by right-wing activist Andy Ngo. Marshall was accused of endorsing the actions of far-right groups, but says nothing […]
  The post Mumford & Sons Guitarist Is Quitting the Band to ‘Speak Freely’ on Political Issues appeared first on Digital Music New
  
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• Blackalicious MC Timothy ‘Gift of Gab’ Parker Dies at 50

  25-06-2021 22:33
  
  Timothy “Gift of Gab” Parker of hip-hop duo Blackalicious has died. He was 50.
  The Bay Area rapper was a member of the Quannum collective, who confirmed his death in a statement.
  “Tim peacefully departed this earth to be with our ancestors on Friday, June 18, 2021,” the group said in a statement on Friday (June 25). “He is survived by two brothers, one sister, many nieces and nephews, countless friends, and fans across the globe.
  “We ask that the fam
  
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• How to Watch the 2021 BET Awards

  25-06-2021 22:29
  
  If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, we may receive an affiliate commission.
  The BET Awards are just around the corner, and this year’s theme is “Year of the Black Woman,” aiming to celebrate and honor Black women’s impact on culture.
  See below for how to watch the 2021 BET Awards online.How to watch the 2021 BET Awards
  The BET Awards, hosted by Taraji P. Henson, air on Sunday (June 27) at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and simu
  
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• As Ticket Prices Skyrocket, Bruce Springsteen Offers $75 Discounted Tickets to His Broadway Show

  25-06-2021 22:21 via digitalmusicnews.com
  
  Bruce Springsteen is offering discounted tickets for his Broadway performance. The discounted tickets will be available for 32 seats of each performance, sold at $75 each. Online ticketing sweepstakes company Lucky Seat is handling the ticket lottery. The Springsteen on Broadway digital lottery started today for the first performance on June 29. The show runs […]
  The post As Ticket Prices Skyrocket, Bruce Springsteen Offers $75 Discounted Tickets to His Broadway Show appeared first on Dig
  
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• Nottingham’s Splendour Festival cancels 2021 edition: “Here’s to a huge party in 2022”

  25-06-2021 22:16 via nme.com
  
  Nottingham’s Splendour Festival has announced that it’s cancelled its 2021 edition due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.
  The festival was set to be held on Saturday July 24, and announced its intention to go ahead back in March following the unveiling of the UK’s road map out of lockdown.READ MORE: What’s the point of festival pilots if the Government won’t publish the results?Now, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed last week (June 14) that the date t
  
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• Charlie Worsham Previews ‘Sugarcane’ EP With Charming New Song ‘Half Drunk’

  25-06-2021 22:14 via rollingstone.com
  
  The Nashville all-star celebrates spontaneity, true love and liquid courage
  
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• The Band Camino Preview Self-Titled Debut With New Song ‘Know It All’

  25-06-2021 22:09 via rollingstone.com
  
  Nashville pop-rock outfit will release their new album in September
  
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• DJ Shadow, Blackalicious’ Chief Xcel Pay Tribute to Gift of Gab

  25-06-2021 22:08 via rollingstone.com
  
  "He was, quite simply, the most preternaturally gifted MC I’ve ever worked with," DJ Shadow writes of rapper, who died June 18th at the age of 50
  
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• How Cars Became Music’s Hottest Accessory While We Were All Stuck At Home

  25-06-2021 22:07
  
  With the new Fast & Furious movie out this weekend, and the franchise also receiving a spotlight in Billboard’s latest digital cover story, we’re diving into some additional car-themed stories this week. Here, we look at why cars and driving in general has been such an obvious source of pandemic-era fascination in recent pop music. 
  Long before Rostam released his second solo album, Changephobia, at the top of June, he was recovering from COVID-19 —
  
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• Cher wishes fans “Happy Pride Month” in first ever TikTok

  25-06-2021 22:05 via nme.com
  
  Cher has now joined TikTok, and for her first post she celebrated Pride month with her fans.READ MORE: Cher’s live shows are ludicrously good fun. Give her the Glastonbury legends slot immediately!The legendary pop star shared her first video on the platform on Wednesday (June 23), in which she introduced herself in various different ways while donning an assortment of colour wigs.
  “Hi, it’s me, the great and powerful Cher. And I’m on TikTok,” a blonde-haired C
  
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• Is Spotify Karaoke Coming Soon? – New Patent Reveals Karaoke Features

  25-06-2021 21:58 via digitalmusicnews.com
  
  Spotify is evolving to become more than just a music streaming platform. Spotify Karaoke may be coming soon. Last year, Digital Music News brought news that Spotify is working on a karaoke feature. Reverse engineer specialist Jane Manchun Wong found references to the in-app karaoke mode. The feature allows users to turn the vocals of […]
  The post Is Spotify Karaoke Coming Soon? – New Patent Reveals Karaoke Features appeared first on Digital Music News.
  
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• 15 Best Albums By LGBTQ Artists of 2021 (So Far): Staff Picks

  25-06-2021 21:35
  
  To say it’s been a tough year and a half for the world would be a colossal understatement. Between a pandemic, extremist politics, widespread environmental breakdowns and more, the last 18 months have been, to put it mildly, nightmarish.
  But the LGBTQ community has always had a penchant for fueling hope, inspiration and change in moments of adversity. Our music is no different — even the Wikipedia entry for the phrase “gay anthem” notes how LGBTQ artists revel in the them
  
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• Mary J. Blige Talks ‘My Life’ Doc, Protecting Her Inner-Child & Honoring Andre Harrell: Watch

  25-06-2021 21:33
  
  When Mary J. Blige was 23, she released her incredibly vulnerable magnum opus My Life. But the pain she carried in her voice wasn’t just her own.
  A 6-year-old Blige living in the Schlobohm housing projects of Yonkers with her sister and mother was very attuned to hearing and seeing women in the neighborhood being physically and verbally abused by men, sometimes even her own mother. The kind of music Blige, 50, creates is meant to comfort and uplift those very women, which is high
  
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• Cruel World 2022 festival adds second date due to “overwhelming demand”

  25-06-2021 21:33 via nme.com
  
  Cruel World festival has added a second date for its 2022 event due to an “overwhelming demand” for tickets.READ MORE: Blondie on their historic Havana trip: “It could have been a disaster”Morrissey, Blondie and Bauhaus will lead the line-up for the upcoming festival, which will now take place on May 14 and 15 next year at Brookside at The Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
  Other names on the bill include Devo, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Psychedelic Furs, Viol
  
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• Ludacris wants to keep sex of fourth child a surprise

  25-06-2021 21:31 via music-news.com
  
  Ludacris is happy with either a boy or a girl.
  
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• Ne-Yo & Wife Crystal Smith Welcome Their Third Child Together, His Fifth

  25-06-2021 21:23
  
  Ne-Yo is a dad again! His wife, Crystal Smith, announced on Friday (June 25) that she has given birth to their third child together.
  The 41-year-old singer’s wife shared the news of the birth of their daughter, Isabella Rose, in an Instagram post. She was born four weeks early and weighed in at just 5 pounds, 7 ounces, according to Smith’s caption.
  “God said don’t make plans honey!” Crystal wrote. “She came 4 weeks early but right on time for mommy! 5 lbs 7 oz
  
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• Madonna Marks Pride Weekend With a NYC Club Performance & Auction

  25-06-2021 21:06
  
  Happy Pride indeed! Madonna helped kick off New York’s Pride weekend with a surprise performance during The Standard’s re-opening bash Pride x Boom on Thursday (June 24).
  Madonna’s set, which took place in the Boom Boom Room, featured the Queen of Pop performing “Hung Up” and “I Don’t Search I Find” off Confessions on a Dance Floor and Madame X, respectively, from atop the bar for a crowd packed with bold-faced names. Among the attendees were Lance
  
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• Mary J. Blige Was Worried About the Sophomore Jinx. Then She Put Out ‘My Life’

  25-06-2021 20:55 via rollingstone.com
  
  Producer Chucky Thompson looks back on the making of Blige's second album, which is celebrated in a new documentary released on Friday
  
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• Tyler, the Creator, Doja Cat, Ed Sheeran & More: What’s Your Favorite New Music Release? Vote!

  25-06-2021 20:45
  
  This week’s new music release took us on a journey outside planet Earth with a guaranteed guide if we got lost.
  Doja Cat invited her fans to Planet Her, her third studio album, and greeted them with a myriad of sounds, from heartfelt R&B ballads about being in love, like “You Right,” featuring The Weeknd, to hardcore bars about how men ain’t all that on “Ain’t Shit” and “Get Into It (Yuh).”
  On the new album, Doja raps, “Ca
  
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• Tributes paid to Blackalicious rapper Gift Of Gab, who has died aged 50

  25-06-2021 20:39 via nme.com
  
  Gift Of Gab, best known as one half of Bay Area rap duo Blackalicious, has died aged 50.
  The rapper’s death was confirmed by his Quannum collective, who shared a statement revealing that Gift Of Gab (real name Timothy Jerome Parker) had died of natural causes.
  “Tim peacefully departed this earth to be with our ancestors on Friday, June 18, 2021,” the statement reads. “He is survived by two brothers, one sister, many nieces and nephews, countless friends, and fans across t
  
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• France to lift all COVID-19 restrictions on outdoor events this month

  25-06-2021 20:37 via nme.com
  
  All restrictions on outdoor live events in France are set to be lifted later this month.READ MORE: European festivals on returning in 2021: “We are only more optimistic for the summer”From June 30, events in the country will be able to operate at 100 per cent capacity for fans who have either been fully vaccinated or can present proof of a negative COVID-19 test.
  Current attendances for outdoor events are set at a capacity of 5,000 people, but those will be removed from next week. In
  
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• Hear RZA’s New DJ Scratch-Produced Song ‘Saturday Afternoon Kung Fu Theater’

  25-06-2021 20:33 via rollingstone.com
  
  RZA vs Bobby Digital out August 6th
  
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• How to Watch the Bow Wow vs. Soulja Boy ‘Verzuz’ Battle

  25-06-2021 20:23
  
  After much anticipation and weeks of Twitter beef, Bow Wow and Soulja Boy will face off for real this Saturday (June 26) at 8 p.m. ET for the latest installment of Verzuz.
  Now in its second season, the live rap battle show was created by Timbaland and Swizz Beatz during the pandemic as a way of supplementing live performances. Ashanti and Keyshia Cole, Jeezy and Gucci Mane, and E-40 and Too Short have all battled it out on Verzuz.
  Soulja Boy wasted no time trolling Bow Wow in the buildup to the
  
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• Lady Gaga’s ‘Born This Way Reimagined’: Every Cover Ranked

  25-06-2021 20:09
  
  It’s been ten long years, and the blink of an eye, since Lady Gaga’s Born This Way revved its way into our hearts. Pop music has morphed through countless trends since since the heyday of early-2010s turbo-pop, but Born This Way’s flamboyant, electrifying vision has lost none of its vitality.
  Out today (June 25) as part of a tenth anniversary reissue is Born This Way Reimagined: a series of six covers by artists from the broader LGBTQIA+ community. A bonus disc that accompanies
  
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• First Spin: The Week’s Best New Dance Tracks From Elohim, Diplo & Damian Lazarus, More

  25-06-2021 20:01
  
  New music? We’ve got it. From disco to deep house, here are the best new dance tracks out this week.
  Elohim, “Journey to the Center of Myself”Eric B. and Rakim took a journey into sound, but Elohim takes that one step deeper with a groovalicious, psychedelic “Journey to the Center of Myself.” Proving herself a commanding force in today’s electronic landscape, this two-minute freak-out plays bright and unhinged with hypnotic bleep-bloops, grumbly bass lines and
  
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• Foo Fighters, BTS, Rihanna & A$AP Rocky, and the Week’s Biggest Winners (June 25)

  25-06-2021 19:59
  
  The stars are out and about again as the world slowly opens up as the COVID-19 pandemic begins to wane. The Foo Fighters are booking show after show while making history along the way. Meanwhile, A$AP Rocky and Rihanna can’t enjoy their date night without getting asked for their IDs because a bouncer didn’t recognize the superstar couple.
  But Britney Spears made a rare (virtual) appearance in court to directly speak about her 13-year conservatorship in a harrowing test
  
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• Recording Academy Quietly Settles With Ousted Ex-CEO Deborah Dugan

  25-06-2021 19:48 via digitalmusicnews.com
  
  Nearly 18 months after ousted Recording Academy head Deborah Dugan levied all manner of shocking allegations against the Grammys, she and the 64-year-old organization have quietly settled. The Recording Academy placed Deborah Dugan on administrative leave just 10 days before the start of the 62nd Grammys, initially citing “a formal allegation of misconduct” from assistant […]
  The post Recording Academy Quietly Settles With Ousted Ex-CEO Deborah Dugan appeared first on Digital
  
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• 2021 IMS Business Report To Be Presented Next Week In Partnership With Billboard Dance

  25-06-2021 19:45
  
  Each year, the IMS Business Report offers a deep dive into the musical, financial and cultural trends driving the growth of the global dance music industry.
  Now, after a year like no other, the IMS Report will return this Monday (June 28) to offer a survey of the dance scene as it emerges from the grips of the pandemic.
  For the first time, the report has been prepared by data analyst David Boyle, who will present highlights from the full report during the presentation, which begins streamin
  
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• Fans Think Rihanna Changed the Matching Shark Tattoo She Got With Drake

  25-06-2021 19:39
  
  When Rihanna hit the town Wednesday (June 23) in New York with boyfriend A$AP Rocky, eagle-eyed fans noticed something was different about the singer. Specifically, they spotted that the shark tattoo that RiRi got on her ankle to match the one ex Drake has on his arm in 2016 was gone and seemingly replaced with some new, regal skin art.
  In pics posted to Twitter, Rihanna’s left ankle now has a crown on it, which could be seen above the strap of her high-heeled shoes. The Navy, naturally, h
  
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• Myke Towers Wants To Prove He’s Arrived — And Can Do It All

  25-06-2021 19:33
  
  In the past 12 months alone, 27-year-old Myke Towers has had nine top 10 hits on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart and 13 tracks on the Billboard Global 200, including three top 20s: “Caramelo” with Ozuna; “Bandido” with Juhn and “Pareja del Año” with Sebastian Yatra. Towers has also scored hits with Anitta and Selena Gomez crafting pop-leaning singles that sharply contrast to his stark, heart-felt solo raps.
  His chameleonic abilities, c
  
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• Listen to Aitch’s summer-ready new single ‘Learning Curve’

  25-06-2021 19:33 via nme.com
  
  Aitch has shared a brand new single – watch the video for ‘Learning Curve’ below.READ MORE: Aitch – “My debut will 100,000 per cent be a proper Manchester album”The track is the latest preview of the Manchester-based rapper’s forthcoming debut album, which he’s currently working on.
  ‘Learning Curve’ is packed full of party-starting melodies, with a statement describing it as a song that “captures the mood of a generation desp
  
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• Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Is Still On The Right Track, 10 Years Later

  25-06-2021 19:30
  
  Lady Gaga's anthemic, pro-LGBTQ+ album still resonates 10 years later, even as cultural attitudes have evolved. Producer Fernando Garibay and fans explain why, to MTV News.
  
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• Live music industry demands government reopening after pilot event results released

  25-06-2021 19:26 via nme.com
  
  The live music industry is demanding that the UK government reopens live events following the results of a number of recent pilot events.READ MORE: What’s the point of festival pilots if the government won’t publish the results?Earlier today (June 25), it was revealed that just 28 people who attended pilot events researching the impact of large-scale gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic tested positive for the virus.
  The new data was released by scientists working for
  
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• Olivia Rodrigo reclaims Official Chart double

  25-06-2021 18:54 via music-news.com
  
  Olivia Rodrigo reclaims the Official Chart double as Sour returns to Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart for a third week
  
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• Eurovision winners Måneskin score two simultaneous Top 10 singles in UK charts

  25-06-2021 18:49 via nme.com
  
  2021 Eurovision Song Contest winners Måneskin have entered the UK singles charts this week, scoring two simultaneous Top 10 singles.READ MORE: Italian Eurovision winners Måneskin talk future plans and “bullshit” drug allegationsAfter it was reported earlier this week that the Italian band were on for high chart positions, it has now been confirmed that their track ‘I Wanna Be Your Slave’ has climbed one place to Number Six from last week’s seventh place
  
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• Natalie Imbruglia Reacts to Ex-Boyfriend David Schwimmer’s Crush on Jennifer Aniston

  25-06-2021 18:42
  
  It was the one with the ex on a recent episode of Australia’s The Kyle and Jackie O radio show! Natalie Imbruglia was the guest, and briefly discussed ex-boyfriend David Schwimmer, whom she dated in the ’90s while Friends was airing.
  The topic came up when host Kyle mentioned that he watched HBO Max’s Friends: The Reunion, and was curious when he heard Schwimmer and Aniston discuss their mutual crushes, and how the timing for a romance was never quite right because they were bo
  
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• One To Watch: Rei Ami Explains How a Music Video That Cost $50 Changed Her Career

  25-06-2021 18:31
  
  REI AMI filmed the visual for her breakout single “Snowcone” with a budget of $50. “I edited that bitch all by myself,” she tells Billboard of the clip, which was posted in October 2019. “I uploaded it. I brought on management. We did a simple roll-out, and I f–king dropped it. The YouTube algorithm picked it up at 150k views, and that’s when s–t went off.”
  The “Snowcone” music video has racked up more tha
  
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