Roky Erickson — lead vocalist and principal songwriter for the psychedelic band the 13th Floor Elevators and one of the leading lights of Texas rock — died Friday in Austin. He was 71. Erickson’s death was confirmed by his brother Mikel to Bill Bentley, who produced the all-star 1990 Erickson tribute album “Where the Pyramid
Music
48. That is the number of women Jim DeRogatis claims to know by name who allege that they have been sexually assaulted or abused by R. Kelly over the course of nearly 30 years. The veteran reporter, who has broken multiple stories on Kelly’s alleged sexual crimes and misconduct — including revealing the existence of
May 31, 2019 9:05AM PT Guitar slinging flyers rejoice! American Airlines passengers can now check their musical equipment as standard baggage without the previous oversized bag fees. The airline said in a statement that the new policy, “will be music to the ears of musicians who fly on American.” Sporty passengers too have cause to
May 31, 2019 8:14AM PT What’s with the giant cardboard cut-outs of Drake’s face hoisted in the air at Raptors games and outside Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, where thousands of fans gather in the so-called “Jurassic Park”? Well, it just might have something to do with the rapper’s swelled head when his beloved team wins a
May 31, 2019 5:48AM PT As promised, Cardi B dropped her new song “Press” in the wee hours of Friday morning. While the social media posts teasing the song had a courtroom theme referencing serial killer Aileen Wuornos, a former sex worker who was sentenced to death after being convicted for the murders of seven
May 30, 2019 4:45PM PT Odell Beckham Jr. is among the NFL stars to appear in the minute-long clip. Travis Scott’s bombastic “Sicko Mode” soundtracks a new Nike commercial created by 22-year-old newcomer Gibson Hazard. The director and filmmaker, who recently launched animation studio House of Hazard, has made intricate attention to detail his signature.
There’s arguably no bigger celebrity hoops fan right now than the rapper Aubrey Drake Graham, whose beloved Toronto Raptors square off with the NBA defending champion Golden State Warriors tonight in Toronto, for the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals. Known for his courtside seat near the scorer’s table, Drake has developed a reputation
Legendary New York radio station WPLJ — which launched in 1971 as a pioneering AOR (album oriented rock) station, then embraced the MTV-inspired new wave movement of the early ‘80s and eventually morphed into a hot adult contemporary outlet — will go dark Friday at 7 p.m. ET. The frequency, acquired from Cumulus Media by
“Then It Fell Apart” has proven to be all too self-fulfilling a title for Moby’s second memoir. Anyone hoping to see fireworks in the Q&A portions of the remaining dates on his book tour will be disappointed. He’s canceled all outstanding appearances in the wake of a flap over his and Natalie Portman’s drastically conflicting
If you’re kicking yourself that you missed U2’s 30th anniversary “Joshua Tree” in 2017, you have another shot at it after all… if you can get to, or are in, Asia. The band is going to bring its California desert-inspired music and imagery across the ocean, beginning November 8 in New Zealand (full dates below).
Katy Perry unveiled the video for her new Zedd-produced single “Never Really Over” for a group of selected fans at YouTube’s L.A. headquarters Wednesday night. And it’s very Don Draper sitting in a field finding himself in the final scene of “Mad Men.” But with a lot more choreography, of course. “I would say that
UPDATED: Singer R. Kelly, who has already been charged with 10 counts of aggravated sexual abuse, has been hit with 11 new counts of sexual assault and sexual abuse, according to Cook County, Illinois, court records cited by the Chicago Tribune. While details were incomplete, the paper says four of the new counts charge Kelly
May 30, 2019 8:53AM PT The General Assembly of CISAC, the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers, has voted for the temporary expulsion of Spanish society SGAE, the organization announced today. The move comes about after a sanction procedure brought against SGAE, which is essentially Spain’s performing rights organization, by CISAC late last
May 30, 2019 8:24AM PT Singer-songwriter Leon Redbone, who specialized in old-school vaudeville and Tin Pan Alley-style music, died earlier today, his family confirmed. He was 69. A post on his website reads, with a deadpan tone and humor characteristic of his music: “It is with heavy hearts we announce that early this morning, May
May 30, 2019 6:30AM PT Kanye West talks about mental health and his bipolar condition in a third clip released today from his forthcoming interview with David Letterman. The host asks, “What is the mechanism that is malfunctioning in your brain — do you know?” West’s response is similar to many descriptions of a manic
May 30, 2019 6:08AM PT This morning Bruce Springsteen released “Tuscon Train,” a third song from his forthcoming album, “Western Stars.” The clip was directed by Thom Zimny, who helmed the Netflix special of “Springsteen on Broadway” and other projects with the Boss over the years. The black-and-white video features many of the musicians who appear
May 29, 2019 7:33PM PT Jennifer Lopez has signed with L.A. Reid’s Hitco, Variety has confirmed with sources close to the singer. Lopez was signed to Epic Records when Reid ran the label — he exited in May 2017 following an accusation of sexual harassment by a former employee — though it never materialized in
After recently signing with Atlas Music Publishing, Brandi Carlile and her collaborators Phil and Tim Hanseroth have made the movie to a new publishing rights organization, too, with BMI announcing today that the PRO has signed the trio to a long-term deal. “We are thrilled to have the incomparable Brandi Carlile and Phil and Tim
Three songs into the launch of his “Chip Tooth Smile” tour, Rob Thomas took a moment to issue a disclaimer: that “f— ups” were possible on this first show of a six-week trek. It had been a minute since he last performed as a solo artist, and though the Jersey shore was a stone’s throw
The band Sleater-Kinney has signed to the independent label Mom + Pop Music, which will release their new St. Vincent-produced album later this year. Today, the band released a new song, “Hurry on Home,” accompanied by a lyric video directed by Miranda July. The band also announced an extensive fall North American tour; with tickets
Grammy-nominated R&B singer Gallant was a few months shy of turning 2 when Soul Asylum’s “Runaway Train” became a music-video milk carton for the MTV generation, helping locate 21 of the 36 missing children featured in the Tony Kaye-helmed clip. [embedded content] But as Gallant became exposed to the song and its video growing up
UPDATED: Veteran Interscope executive VP and head of publicity Dennis Dennehy — who over the years has played a huge role in the careers of Eminem, Lady Gaga, Beck and many others — is headed to AEG Presents in the newly created role of chief communications officer, the company announced today. He will report to
May 29, 2019 8:55AM PT The Rolling Stones rescheduled North American tour topped ticket marketplace StubHub’s fifth annual summer preview of the most in-demand acts of the season. Tickets for their forthcoming jaunt across the continent — which was delayed for several weeks by Mick Jagger’s heart surgery — topped last summer’s most in-demand tour,
WME today announced that veteran agent Lucy Dickins is joining the agency as head of its UK Music division. Dickins joins from ITB (International Talent Booking), and will formally start with WME in June. Dickins’ clients include Adele, Mumford & Sons, Laura Marling, James Blake and Mabel, whom WME will now represent globally. Dickins also
If there’s one thing the music industry takes very seriously, it’s an iconic logo. So when Warner Bros. Records announced a major rebranding earlier today — complete with a new name, Warner Records — the biz responded swiftly and viscerally on social media. The new black and white logo replaced the WBR shield, which has
May 28, 2019 4:40PM PT Ariana Grande has postponed two Florida tour dates due to illness, the singer announced on social media today. The shows originally scheduled for tonight (May 28) at Tampa’s Amalie Arena and May 29 at Orlando’s Amway Center will be postponed to November 24 and November 25, respectively. Grande shared on
“The Voice,” NBC’s durably low-pressure hang with four music superstars, airs in the spring and fall, but Blake Shelton needs at least some time away from his revolving chair. Enter “Songland,” produced by former “Voice” judge Adam Levine — a series that applies “The Voice’s” attitude of cheerful bonhomie between industry A-listers to the songwriting
May 28, 2019 1:45PM PT Earlier this month, online poker giant PokerStars asked 1,000 of its European customers to select their favorite poker-themed song from a list of choices. There were two finalists: Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” and Motörhead’s “Ace of Spades.” And according to the announcement, Motörhead’s 1980 classic “not only won, but crushed”
May 28, 2019 12:59PM PT “Booksmart” soared after its South by Southwest debut with glowing reviews, with some critics hailing it as the next classic teen comedy. But that didn’t translate to box office success in its first weekend. It opened to $8.7 million, far behind comedies like “Superbad” that it’s been compared to. But
Songwriters competing on the new NBC show “Songland,” which premieres tonight, will see their music released through BMG. The company announced a global recordings and publishing partnership with the show. BMG will serve as worldwide distributor for Songland Records and its publishing arm will administer the show’s publishing company, called Eligible Music. Original music is