When Elvis Costello was promoting his last album, the eclectic “Hey Clockface,” in 2020, he told Variety, “The guitar songs I’ve written for are for another day,.” And now, it appears, that day is at hand. Costello is announcing a new album that promises to go more full-bore into his rock ‘n’ roll side than
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SALES Caroline Stern’s Canoe Film has boarded international sales for feature documentary “I Get Knocked Down,” where Dunstan Bruce features alongside his former Chumbawamba band members to reveal the little known history of the anarchist punk band which suddenly found itself at the top of the charts globally in 1997. Chumbawumba’s “Tubthumping” reached number 1
The Miss Universe Competition will hold its 70th edition in Israel on Dec. 12, the Miss Universe Organization, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism and the city of Eilat announced today (Oct. 26). In a competition first, United Arab Emirates will participate in the pageant, and Morocco returns for the first time in 40 years. Israel
Controversial Malaysian singer-songwriter Namewee, who has been accused of insulting China and Chinese people with his recent viral hit ballad “Fragile,” and advocating independence for Hong Kong and Taiwan, says that those were not his intentions. But on Tuesday he said that he has no regret in releasing a song that got him banished from
Ginny Mancini, former big-band singer, widow of composer Henry Mancini and one of Hollywood’s leading philanthropists, died Monday night at her Malibu home. She was 97. She founded the Society of Singers, which supports professional singers; served as president of the Henry Mancini Institute, now based at Miami’s Frost School of Music, which encourages young
“Can we go deep into the obscure, or do we need to stay mainstream?” When Matt Groening asks that question, the invitation is tantalizing to consider. In this case, Groening is talking about jazz, and specifically about his new partnership with Quincy Jones’ music-video hub, Qwest TV. His mission for Qwest was a curated video
It was an eclectic mix of material invading the top 5 on the album chart this week, as Young Thug and Mac Miller entered at Nos. 1-2, but then a new Coldplay album and a new version of a very old Beatles album popped in at Nos. 3-4. Meanwhile, on the song chart, Adele releasing
A day after preliminary ballots went out to Grammy voters, Brandi Carlile took to social media to say she was “surprised and disappointed” to learn that a single she has in contention this year, “Right on Time,” has been shifted from the American Roots division, where it was submitted, to the best pop performance category.
Ed Sheeran already had some album promotion under his belt before his plans took a turn this week, as Tuesday morning saw the release of a “Tiny Desk” video concert, filmed for the NPR franchise, including several songs the “=” album (pronounced “equals”) that/s coming out Friday. [embedded content] With the popular video series having
Travis Scott has unveiled the lineup for his third annual Astroworld Festival, taking place in his Houston hometown on Nov. 5-6, and like the rapper himself, it’s far-reaching and full of surprises, ranging from Lil Baby and SZA to Bad Bunny and Tame Impala to Earth Wind & Fire. Along with founder and headliner Scott,
Walter James “Herbie” Herbert II, a Bill Graham protégé who began as a roadie for Santana and ended up managing Journey for 20 years, died at his home in Orinda, California on Monday, Oct. 25, of natural causes. He was 73. Herbert is the third Graham business associate to have died over the past few
As the hearing that may determine the end of her conservatorship approaches, Britney Spears took to Instagram late Monday to air some grievances about the way she has been treated by her family. “This message is to my family … for hurting me deeper than you’ll ever know,” beneath a photo of a mini typewriter.
Adele, master of the slow reveal, has unveiled what appear to be the first two dates of the tour in support of her forthcoming album “30” — and they’re a blockbuster: two nights in London’s Hyde Park next summer, the sprawling green in the middle of her hometown that has hosted concerts by everyone from
The estate of legendary R&B singer Luther Vandross has struck a wide-ranging partnership with Primary Wave Music that sees the company acquiring a stake in the late artist’s publishing, master recording income stream, and name and likeness rights. The company will continue a long-term partnership with the estate to manage all assets. Sources tell Variety
The Posies, a Seattle band that found alternative radio and MTV success in the 1990s, has split up after allegations of sexual misconduct were made by multiple women against co-founder Ken Stringfellow, leading his on-and-off musical partner of the last 35 years, Jon Auer, to declare he believed the women and was quitting the band.
In the five years since his death from cancer in January 2016, David Bowie’s estate has kept fans captivated with an extensive, tastefully curated series of reissues that have presented a vast amount of material in a non-overwhelming manner. Happily, that same approach is evident in the “Bowie 75” pop-up stores (so named for his
We at Variety usually reserve our get-out-the-vote efforts for things like presidential and congressional elections. But with the Grammy Awards’ dramatic changes to the voting process earlier this year — most notably the elimination of the “secret” nominating committees, which makes the Recording Academy membership’s individual votes more important than they’ve been in decades —
Veteran artist manager Laura Haber has announced the launch of Little Lion Management, which sees her continuing to work with longtime clients First Aid Kit, Tove Lo, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The firm is “focused on a holistic, bespoke, and personally supportive approach to each client’s individual career and personal goals,” according to the announcement.
Beyonce musical director/bassist Divinity Roxx (pictured above with Yani Marin), blind artist Lachi, deaf activist Mervin and more were winners at the first Wavy Awards, presented on Saturday by Blonde Music News and intended to celebrate “women, LGBTQ+, non-binary, artists of color, talent who identifies as having a disability and allies.” Sophia Chang gave a
The National Independent Venue Association — a.k.a. NIVA, the coalition that has played a monumental role in helping the country’s indie venues to survive the pandemic — will be honored for its work at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony in Ohio on Saturday (Oct. 30). Formed just weeks after the pandemic forced
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers has announced that a special “Homecoming” Edition” of its annual ASCAP Women Behind the Music event will take place virtually on Wednesday, October 27 at 3 p.m. ET/ 12 p.m. PT as part of the 2021 ASCAP Experience. The event is part of a week of ASCAP
On the heels of its first performances in more than two years over the weekend in Los Angeles, Bon Iver has revealed details for a 2022 U.S. tour. The first leg of the trek begins March 30 in Mesa, Ariz., and wraps April 15 in Miami. It resumes June 3 at Forest Hills Stadium in
Warner Records has named Karen Kwak executive vice president and head of A&R, joining the company on Nov. 1 and reporting to co-chairman & CEO Aaron Bay-Schuck. She will be based at the company’s Los Angeles headquarters and work closely with the team to steer its A&R department. A veteran executive, Kwak most recently headed
The Recording Academy has announced that Fulwell 73 Productions will oversee all aspects of the 2022 Grammy Awards, taking place at Los Angeles’ Staples Center on Monday, Jan. 31, 2022, broadcasting live on CBS and streaming live and on demand on Paramount+. Jesse Collins, Raj Kapoor and Ben Winston will serve as executive producers. Jeannae
It wasn’t directly timed to the Halloween season, but Phoebe Bridgers’ concert Friday night at the Greek in L.A included what surely had to be the most terrifying moment that will occur at any rock show this year… and one that’s presumably been repeated nightly on the singer-songwriter’s current tour, which comes to a close
The musical stars aligned for a noble cause on Saturday night at Audacy’s eighth annual We Can Survive concert, which boasted a stacked lineup that included Saweetie, the Kid Laroi, Shawn Mendes, Black Eyed Peas, Maroon 5, Doja Cat and Coldplay. The star-studded show, which was presented in partnership with the the American Foundation for
The chandelier inside the Majestic Theatre, Broadway’s most beloved ghost light, rose again on Friday evening as “The Phantom of the Opera,” the longest running show in Broadway history, returned to its first performance since the industry’s COVID-19 shutdown and, with its soaring path above the audience, brightened the lights of Broadway to a brilliance
Popular British musician Ed Sheeran has tested positive for COVID-19, but will continue performing from home. “Hey guys. Quick note to tell you that I’ve sadly tested positive for Covid, so I’m now self-isolating and following government guidelines,” the singer-songwriter posted on Instagram on Sunday. “It means that I’m now unable to plough ahead with
Matty Healy, the singer-songwriter who fronts the band the 1975, turned up as a surprise opening act for the second of Phoebe Bridgers’ sold-out two-night stand at the Greek Theatre… and he had his own special guest: Bridgers, of course, who often joins her support acts, both famous and not so, for a cameo. “I
The groundbreaking success of BTS has erased any lingering sense that K-Pop is a passing phenomenon. This year alone, the seven-member troupe has landed three No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, while groups including BLACKPINK, NCT 127 and TOMORROW x TOGETHER have notched top five albums on the Billboard 200. K-Pop is here