Music

Oscar-nominated producer/songwriter Mark Ronson has put together an FYC video — not campaigning for his own Academy Award nomination for the music of “Barbie,” but for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame bid for Foreigner, the founding lineup of which happens to have his stepfather, Mick Jones, as a cornerstone. The video, posted on

Universal Music Group has acquired a 25.8% interest in Chord Music Partners — whose portfolio includes music from the Weeknd, Ellie Goulding, John Legend, Kid Cudi and more — for $240 million. Chord, which was formed in 2021 by KKR and Dundee Partners, will work with UMG and Dundee as part of a long-term partnership

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Did you miss the initial Harry Styles wave when his illustrious biography hit the stands and rocketed to number on Amazon? Fear not, the photo book and collection of essays from the music industry

Judi Pulver, a singer-songwriter who became the top music sales executive for Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, died Tuesday in Santa Monica, Calif. She was 77. Pulver spent about 15 years with Variety, steering all music-related sales and marketing activity. Pulver was well known and well regarded in the music community, respected for the knowledge

Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s “Vultures” is the No. 1 album in the United States this week despite the 16-song set getting major pushback from streaming platforms for West’s antisemitic behavior. The album was temporarily removed from streaming services just a few days after its release on Feb. 9 due to a complaint from

A U.S. appeals court has overturned a $1 billion 2019 decision in favor of the major labels against cable and internet provider Cox Communications, setting the stage for a new trial. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia ruled on Tuesday that the $1 billion in damages was not justified and that

Mexican singer Peso Pluma is set to headline over 35 shows for a massive North American arena tour. Produced by Live Nation, the “Exodo” tour launches in late May with stops in venues including Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena and Miami’s Kaseya Center, and festival dates in New York, Chicago and Mexico.

On Tuesday, March 5, Foo Fighters will perform at a private concert in Washington, D.C. hosted by Power to the Patients, a non-profit fighting for a more affordable, accessible, and equitable healthcare system through price transparency. Veteran rappers Fat Joe, who has spearheaded music’s awareness of the organization, and Chuck D will also be in

John, Paul, George and Ringo will each be the subject of a different upcoming feature film. Director Sam Mendes plans to make four separate movies, one from each Beatles member’s point of view. They will intersect to “tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history,” leading up to their 1970 breakup, according to

David Bowie: “Waiting in the Sky (Before the Starman Came to Earth)” (LP, black vinyl, 8000 copies) Here’s a space oddity: An alternate version of the “Ziggy Stardust” album that has a significantly different track listing, put together provisonally in late 1971 before the record took a different turn with some additions and subtractions in

Ludwig Göransson takes audiences on a captivating journey behind the creation of “Can You Hear the Music,” the theme from the award-winning film “Oppenheimer.” Göransson’s ability to weave together diverse musical elements while maintaining a cohesive narrative shines through in this timeless piece. By delving into “Can You Hear the Music,” Göransson reveals his meticulous

Lil Wayne, Jill Scott and André 3000 are just a few of the artists on deck for The Roots’ annual Roots Picnic 2024. The event, taking place on June 1-2 at Philadelphia’s The Mann in Fairmount Park, features a robust lineup of musicians including Nas, Gunna, Victoria Monét, Sexyy Red, Babyface, Cam’Ron, Smino, Wale, Tyla

Saudi Arabia’s Film AlUla has announced it is adding a state-of-the-art music recording studio alongside its moviemaking studios. The film commission for the swathe of northwest Saudi Arabia roughly the size of Belgium that also comprises a lush oasis and vast sandstone canyons currently has filmmaking facilities that include two large soundstages, a backlot, and production

U2 has been performing Crowded House’s “Don’t Dream It’s Over” in concert at the band’s Sphere residency recently, and before Saturday night’s show, the introduction to that song extended far longer than usual, as Bono paid tribute to the dream of Alexei Navalny, the Russian dissident who died in prison days earlier. The singer spoke

Twin directors Damiano and Fabio D’Innocenzo, who are known to Berlin Film Festival audiences for stylishly gritty dramas “Boys Cry” and “Bad Tales,” are back with eclectic detective series “Dostoevskij,” premiering in the fest’s Berlinale Special section. Set in the stark Roman hinterland, the six-episode show — produced by Sky Studios with Rome’s Paco Cinematografica

Randy Sparks, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter and founder of the folk music group the New Christy Minstrels, died Feb. 11 at an assisted-living facility in San Diego. He was 90.  His son, Kevin, confirmed the news to the New York Times, adding that Sparks was living on his 168-acre ranch in Jenny Lind, Calif., northeast of San

After Justin Bieber delivered his first performance in a year for the 2024 NHL All-Star Game earlier this month, speculation that the Canadian superstar would be making a surprise appearance at Usher‘s Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show was high. Despite the excitement, that moment never came, and Usher has finally revealed why. Speaking with “The

Jennifer Lopez has spent the better part of her career navigating the two halves of her public persona: Bronx-born girl next door “Jenny from the block” and Hollywood power player “J.Lo.” Though much of the tension between the two has been amplified by media coverage that spans calculated marketing campaigns and inescapable paparazzi scrutiny, Lopez

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. Vampire Weekend has announced a 2024 tour in support of their forthcoming album “Only God Above Us,” in addition to releasing the album’s first two singles “Capricorn” and “Gen-X Cops.” After the album’s arrival

Paramore, not surprisingly, is balking at the idea of singularly getting an honor from the Tennessee legislature celebrating the band’s Grammy accomplishments, after the GOP-led House snubbed fellow winner Allison Russell for a similar resolution. “The blatant racism of our state leadership is embarrassing and cruel,” singer Hayley Williams as part of a lengthy statement.

These days it can be all too easy for rock fans to fall into despair. What was the last truly culture-shifting new rock band? The Strokes? The White Stripes? Alternative forms of rock have been thriving, but it’s been a grim two decades for traditional guitar-based rock, as even the powers-that-be behind Grammy nominations seemed

The family of Brian Wilson, co-founder and primary songwriter of the Beach Boys, has filed for a conservatorship after the death of the musician’s wife last month. The filing states that Wilson, 81, is suffering from a “major neurocognitive disorder (such as dementia).” “Following the passing of Brian’s beloved wife Melinda, after careful consideration and

Primary Wave Music has announced a partnership with the heirs of a producer behind the legendary dance-music group the Village People that involves a stake in the outfit’s brand, master recordings and publishing assets. Songs included in the partnership are such dancefloor icons as “Y.M.C.A.,” “Macho Man,” “In the Navy,” “Go West” and more. Full

Variety veteran Todd Spangler has been promoted to Business Editor, overseeing coverage of corporate and financial news, mergers and acquisitions and other deal activity for media and entertainment’s largest conglomerates. Spangler will also continue to drive Variety‘s coverage of digital media and Silicon Valley tech giants. Based in New York, Spangler is a pillar of

It turns out the track list for Taylor Swift‘s upcoming album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” wasn’t fully revealed yet, at least not for every edition. A different deluxe edition than the previous deluxe edition was announced Friday morning, featuring not just alternate cover art but a different exclusive track: a previously unannounced song called “The

A GoFundMe page set up for the family of Lisa Lopez-Galvan, the woman killed in a mass shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs’ victory parade, has caught the attention of Taylor Swift, who made donations on the page totaling $100,000 early Friday morning. The “Elizabeth Lopez-Galvan Memorial” page was set up Thursday afternoon, with a

Is country radio an easy, inevitable home for Beyoncé‘s new single, “Texas Hold ‘Em”? That’s what some top radio executives are saying, contrary to some early speculation about how a crossover record from the superstar might fare. Although these execs point out that it will be up to listeners to ultimately decide, they’re saying that

Rapper Vince Staples plays a semi-fictionalized version of himself in “The Vince Staples Show,” debuting today on Netflix. The comedy, which skewers celebrity culture and depicts Staples’ surreal adventures, comes after roles in the films “Dope” and “White Boys Can’t Jump” and series like “Insecure” and “Abbott Elementary.” Your character’s relationship with money is an

Few artists have ever fused pop and dance music as fluidly as ABBA, and their influence is writ subtly but large on Dua Lipa’s new single “Training Season” — the second from her still-untitled forthcoming third album — which was previewed during her performance at the Grammy Awards earlier this month. Driving but not as

Kanye West and Ty Dolla Sign will headline Rolling Loud on March 14, the festival announced on Thursday morning. Under the pseudonym ¥$, West and Ty appear as the only artists on the newly added fourth date for the California festival in Inglewood from March 14 to 17. West preemptively announced his placement in the festival via Instagram