Tom Hanks and Austin Butler, the stars of Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming Elvis Presley/Colonel Parker film, might want to watch out. Yola has been cast in the presumably small role of gospel/guitar great Sister Rosetta Tharpe, but once she’s on set, Luhrmann might decide to turn tail and just turn the whole thing into a Tharpe
Music
In its most unique U.S. guest appearance to date, BTS performed on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” Monday night in an episode that focused on the band members’ sense of humor, which doesn’t need much interpretation. The South Korean septet played games with Fallon on the subway, made pastrami sandwiches at New York City’s
February 25, 2020 9:15AM PT Jazz artist Julia Lewis (stylized JULiA LEWiS) is the first signing to the Atlas Music and Quincy Jones Productions joint venture. Lewis, whose real name is Benjamin Falik, arrives from the Bay Area where he built a following as a local producer, DJ and independent artist. Said Richard Stumpf, who founded
February 25, 2020 9:12AM PT Lady Gaga has announced that her next single, “Stupid Love,” the first new material she has released since the “Star Is Born” soundtrack, is dropping Friday at midnight ET. The singer posted the news on her social media accounts; there is also a billboard in Hollywood. Details were scant as
As expected, Justin Bieber cruised to the top of the Rolling Stone albums chart with “Changes,” his first album in more than four years. The new set bowed with 232,700 album units. New releases counted for four of the week’s top 10 albums, with A Boogie wit da Hoodie and Tame Impala coming in in
February 25, 2020 8:34AM PT Lauren Yee’s play draws on the music of Dengue Fever to track the fate of a fictional Cambodian band that ran afoul of the Khmer Rouge. Is there anything less politically threatening than a rock band jamming to its own vibrant music? Tell that to the Khmer Rouge, which descended
An investigation into accusations of sexual misconduct against opera singer Plácido Domingo by opera performers’ union found that he “engaged in inappropriate activity, ranging from flirtation to sexual advances, in and outside of the workplace” when he was a senior executive at the Washington National Opera and Los Angeles Opera, according to the Associated Press
Paul Williams — singer, actor, writer of hits ranging from “We’ve Only Just Begun” to “Rainbow Connection” and, not least, president of ASCAP — will be the 2020 recipient of the Johnny Mercer Award at the 51st Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Dinner, taking place June 11 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel
February 25, 2020 3:30AM PT Scott Harris, the songwriter, producer and musician who has worked extensively with Shawn Mendes, has signed a joint agreement with Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Work of Art. The long-term copublishing deal marks the first collaborative signing between the two companies, both under the Sony Music umbrella. Among Harris’ best known
Robbie Robertson recalls his earliest music memory of being on the Six Nation Indian Reserve in New York and everyone around him could play an instrument. “I thought I needed to get into this club,” the musician says. Growing up surrounded by music and hearing elders on the reservation tell stories stuck out for Robertson.
February 24, 2020 5:23PM PT Wendy Goodman, a 20-year veteran of RCA Records (and formerly imprint J Records), is leaving the company. Currently senior vice president of promotion for the Sony Music label, her last day is Feb. 28. In an email to staff, RCA co-president Joe Riccitelli praised Goodman’s “passion, positivity and tenacity” in
Taking his seat for a panel on the subject of women in country music at Country Radio Seminar last week, one of the speakers, Damon Moberly, VP of promotion at the Mercury Nashville label, made a quip about what a minefield the topic has been. “Doing the female panel. What could go wrong?” Moberly asked,
Leonardo DiCaprio and Morgan Freeman made surprise appearances at the American Black Film Festival Honors ceremony on Sunday night. The “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” actor presented Jamie Foxx with the excellence in the arts award while Freeman announced the movie of the year, which went to “Just Mercy.” Hosted by comedian Deon Cole,
February 24, 2020 9:13AM PT After their worldwide 3-D concert tours, electronic music pioneers Kraftwerk have announced 50th anniversary North American tour dates for summer 2020, also in 3-D. The group was founded in 1970 by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider, along with their now-legendary Kling Klang Studio in Düsseldorf, Germany, where they conceived and
Norva Denton has been promoted to Senior Vice President of A&R for Warner Records, the company announced today. Denton is based at the label’s Los Angeles headquarters and reports to label CEO and co-chairman Aaron Bay-Schuck. “Norva is the perfect fit for our revitalized A&R department, as he brings youthful energy, solid relationships, and a
Go to any trivia night in any bar on any given night and you will see embers burn as teams compete. But 14 tables of music industry heavy hitters had more of a playful, friendly vibe as teams from Apple, ASCAP, Rhino, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and Sony Music Group gathered in the
The Music Business Association (Music Biz) today announces that Kobalt Music Group Founder and Chairman Willard Ahdritz will receive the organization’s 2020 Innovator Award during the annual Music Biz Awards Dinner, taking place Wednesday, May 13 at the JW Marriott Nashville as part of the Music Biz 2020 Conference. According to the announcement, “Observing how
No one was more surprised by the success of Harry Styles’ “Adore You” than Amy Allen, the woman who co-wrote it. “When a song of mine comes out, I always tell my managers [Jonathan Eshak at Mick Management and Gabz Landman]: ‘Don’t say anything unless something remarkable happens,’” says the 28-year-old singer-songwriter, musician and producer.
Philadelphia has honored long-running hometown hip-hop act the Roots by naming a stretch of a city street “Avenue of the Roots.” The sign on the stretch of East Passyunk Avenue between South Street and Bainbridge Streets, near where the group got their start, received one of the city’s distinctive red footnotes, according to the Philadelphia
Cutting Edge Group, a leading music financier and services provider for film, TV and advertising, has acquired Lakeshore Records, a top independent soundtrack label. Their partnership will provide Cutting Edge with an in-house label, while Lakeshore will continue to operate as an independent, doing albums for such high-profile projects as “Marriage Story,” “Moonlight,” “Stranger Things”
As the first South Korean band to attain superstar status in the United States, BTS have done an remarkable job of maintaining it. Each album has topped its predecessor, and the group’s fourth full studio outing, “Map of the Soul: 7,” looks to be no exception, with all 20 of its titles landed in the
There has always been a place for humor in rap, with a lineage reaching back to the Beastie Boys’ debut album or 2 Live Crew’s raunchy records in the eighties. The caveat for “funny” rap being that if you go the humorous route, you need to have your bars land right, and to do so
Blue Ivy Carter is an NAACP Image Award winner at just 8 years old. The 51st annual NAACP Image awards held their non-televised dinner on Friday night ahead of the main ceremony on Saturday. Beyoncé dominated the music categories, picking up six wins, including outstanding female artist, album for “Homecoming: The Live Experience, soundtrack/compilation for
With a reported four million copies in worldwide pre-orders and their stars shining brighter than ever thanks to chart-topping albums and playing the world’s biggest stages, BTS’ just-released “Map of the Soul: 7” was sure to be a success no matter what it sounded like. But instead of resting on starpower, the record-breaking group decided
It’s rare for any song to get a standing ovation from the entire house, much less one from a developing artist, at UMG Nashville’s annual artist showcase at the Ryman Auditorium during Country Radio Seminar. It happened when Kacey Musgraves debuted on that stage to sing “Merry Go Round.” It happened again when Chris Stapleton
In what may be the first signal of the next era of Def Jam Recordings, Naim McNair has been named senior VP of A&R at the company. The move comes just hours after it was confirmed that Paul Rosenberg, chairman and CEO of the label since January of 2018, is leaving his post at the
UPDATED: Paul Rosenberg, chairman and CEO of Def Jam Recordings since January of 2018, is leaving his post at the company, a source close to the situation confirms to Variety. Jeff Harleston, general counsel for Def Jam parent company Universal Music Group, will serve as interim chief until a new CEO is appointed; he will
Tim McGraw announced his return to the Big Machine in a surprise appearance at a Country Radio Seminar luncheon being hosted by the label group Friday in Nashville. “Uh, Tim, I missed you!” deadpanned a beaming Scott Borchetta, Big Machine’s founder, president and CEO, as McGraw emerged from behind a curtain. “I missed you too!”
Whether as co-founder of Black Sabbath or as a solo artist, Ozzy Osbourne spent his life and art (at least, the non-reality television part) conjuring death, summoning its spirits and welcoming its hold on heaven or hell. You know the drill: his albums were filled with graveyards, devils and bloodlust. At times Ozzy was ferocious, even
Alesso, David Guetta, DJ Snake, Major Lazer, Martin Garrix, The Chainsmokers, Tiësto and Zedd are among the more than 250 artists scheduled to perform at the Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) Las Vegas 2020, which celebrates 10 years in the city. Taking place at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which will be utilized in its entirety this