Music

“I don’t know if you guys know this, but I just turned 21,” Olivia Rodrigo told her audience during the opening show of her 2024 tour Friday night. (They knew.) “I’m really fucking excited about it — big birthday. I went to the gas station the other day and I bought a pack of cigarettes

The opening night performance of Olivia Rodrigo‘s Guts Tour — which premiered Friday night in Palm Springs — is on the record books, and fans eager to know if their favorites made the setlist now have some idea what to expect as the tour winds its way through the U.S. and Europe for the next

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Kacey Musgraves is saying goodbye to people who are real good at wasting her time, and hello to a brand new Boy Smells candle. Named after her hotly anticipated new album “Deeper Well,” set

The American Federation of Musicians has struck a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, reaching a deal that union leaders hailed as “a watershed moment for artists” that includes residuals for made-for-streaming content and protections against the use of AI. The AFM announced the tentative agreement one day after the

Beyoncé is part of a great tradition of artists from the pop, R&B and rock worlds stepping into the realm of country music, whether it’s for one record or, in occasional instances, a whole career shift. Of course, none of her predecessors made immediate international headlines by releasing a country single, the way Bey did

Palestinian musicians Saint Levant and MC Abdul have united to release “Deira,” which sees the two artists paying peaceful tribute to the people and culture of Gaza and performing in traditional Shaabi Arab musical style. Levant recently signed with Universal Arabic Music label, founded by Wassim “Sal” Slaiby, manager of the Weeknd and CEO of

Taylor Swift unveiled yet another special edition of her upcoming album, the “Tortured Poets Department,” this one featuring the bonus track “The Albatross,” during her “Eras Tour” show in Australia on Feb. 22. Sharing the album art for the special edition on Instagram, Swift revealed an alternate cover — a black and white image of

The first step with any new MGMT album is finding your bearings. In the years since their 2007 breakthrough album “Oracular Spectacular,” the duo’s discography could be characterized by its almost allergic aversion to following the success of such generation-defining anthems as that album’s “Kids,” “Electric Feel” and “The Youth.” The band’s fifth album, “Loss

Shinsadong Tiger, a prominent songwriter in the Korean pop (K-Pop) music scene, has been found dead in Seoul. He was 40. Tiger, whose real name was Lee Ho-yan, was found collapsed at his work place, according to music industry sources quoted by the semi-official Yonhap News Agency. “It is correct that Shinsadong Tiger was found

London’s venerable Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is getting with the times and seeking a Swiftie in the role of a “Superfan Advisor.” The British Swiftie, who will be on a zero hours part time contract, will be required to provide insights into fan culture and the memorabilia that Swift aficionados make and collect. Swifties

SZA has long been known to make fans play the waiting game, which is why the release of “Saturn,” the single that she debuted in a Mastercard commercial during the Grammy Awards, is a welcome if not unexpected surprise. The singer-songwriter, who’s famously spoken about her perfectionism in creating music, has been careful to release

Following years of laborious self-introspection, Puerto Rican rapper Residente has finally released his second solo album, “Las Letras Ya No Importan,” or “The Lyrics Don’t Matter Anymore.” The frontman of the influential hip-hop group Calle 13 dropped the 20-song set on Thursday night via Sony Music and 5020 Records. Comprised of music Residente has collected

Live Nation had another record year in 2023 as multiple superstar acts toured the world and live entertainment returned in earnest after the pandemic shut it down for nearly all of 2020 and 2021. The world’s largest live-entertainment company saw revenue of $22.7 billion, up 36% from 2022, pointing to record attendance, ticket sales and

Roni Stoneman, a country musician who was known as “first lady of the banjo,” and was seen by millions as a familiar face on television’s “Hee Haw,” has died. She was 85. No cause of death was given. “For Roni Stoneman, known as ‘The First Lady of the Banjo,’ country music was a birthright and

Heading into the Academy Awards on March 10, with Golden Globe and Grammy wins behind him, “Oppenheimer” composer Ludwig Göransson would seem to have the original score Oscar sewn up. The Swedish composer, already an Oscar winner for 2018’s “Black Panther,” also has a BAFTA award and Grammy awards, spent nine months writing three hours

One of the saddest ironies in the music world is the fact that songwriters are at the very bottom of the streaming economy. While there’s no question that streaming, and Spotify in particular, saved the music business after 15 years of financial freefall, the jury is still out on who exactly was saved. Major music

Olivia Rodrigo and Noah Kahan are set to release a special edition split single featuring Rodrigo’s cover of Kahan’s “Stick Season,” and Kahan’s cover of Rodrigo’s “Lacy.” Both covers were recorded during the artists’ respective appearances on BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge late last year. The seven-inch colored vinyl will be available at participating independent

Long-running, Grammy-winning rock band Kings of Leon are starting off 2024 with a bang, announcing that they have signed with Capitol Records, which will release their forthcoming ninth full-length studio album, to be followed by a major world tour. The album, titled “Can We Please Have Fun,” was produced by Harry Styles/ Florence and the

Greta Gerwig finally commented on the “Barbie” Oscar snubs heard around the world, telling Time magazine that it’s wonderful she’s still nominated for an Academy Award despite missing out on a best director nomination. Gerwig is nominated for adapted screenplay thanks to “Barbie.” Controversy has surrounded the 2024 Oscar noms ever since Gerwig was snubbed

The Songwriters Hall of Fame has announced that Diane Warren will be the 2024 recipient of the Johnny Mercer Award at the organization’s induction and awards gala slated for Thursday, June 13, 2024, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. The Johnny Mercer Award, the Hall’s highest honor, is reserved for a songwriter

The roll that country star Jelly Roll is on will make itself felt in arenas in the late summer and fall of 2024, as the singer has laid out an itinerary that has him headlining big-sized halls in 37 U.S. cities over a two-month period. The “Beautifully Broken” tour starts Aug. 27 at Salt Lake

Billy Strings, the group Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway, and Iris DeMent won top competitive honors at the International Folk Music Awards, handed out in a ceremony Wednesday night in Kansas City, Missouri as part of the annual Folk Alliance International Conference. String was named artist of the year, while “City of Gold,” from Tuttle

After years of releasing loose singles in the wake of her group Fifth Harmony’s split, Normani has finally announced her upcoming debut album titled “Dopamine.” Fans took note yesterday that the singer wiped her socials, a tactic often used by artists signaling the imminent arrival of a new era. Today, she took to Instagram to

The Oscar-nominated song “Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)” by Scott George has a deep meaning. The lyrics, sung in Osage, invite listeners to stand up, be tall and be proud. “We’re still here after all of that,” George says. What George is referring to is the true story of the Osage murders and tragedy

Four whalers are set adrift after a violent storm sinks their ship. Lost at sea, exposed to the elements and on the brink of starvation, the men must make horrifying decisions in their struggle to survive. Cannibalism may or may not be on the menu. That grim setup doesn’t scream Broadway musical!  But that’s exactly

Never rarely means never in the music world, and nearly five years after Slayer — one of the greatest metal bands in history — officially disbanded, they’re reuniting for two festival dates this fall, and seemingly possibly more. The two dates announced so far are Chicago’s Riot Fest on Sept. 22 and the Louder Than

Sean “Diddy” Combs has issued a legal response denying claims he gang-raped a 17-year-old girl in 2003. This was just one of four separate sexual assault allegations lodged against the R&B artist late last year. The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe, alleged that she was flown on a private jet from Michigan to Combs’ recording

Berner, the American rapper and CEO behind the cannabis brand Cookies, in association with 4 Ways Entertainment, has set the cast for their first joint film, “Splash City.” Alex Ferrufino, David Mansanalez, John Mercado, and Arie Rose of 4 Ways are set to produce the coming-of-age thriller set against the backdrop of “the real and

Chan Marshall — a.k.a Cat Power — is one of the most distinctive singers of her generation, emerging from the indie-rock scene of the early ‘90s to become a unique artist fusing a multitude of styles that range from rock to folk to low-key soul, in a long string of albums that alternate between originals and

Ameen Sayani, the doyen of Indian radio, died on Tuesday in Mumbai following a heart attack. He was 91. The news was confirmed by his son Rajil Sayani. Sayani, known for his mellifluous voice, initially worked as an English-language presenter for All India Radio (AIR) in Bombay, as Mumbai was known then, thanks to his