Posts tagged with "New Album"

”NEW UNKNOWN” by Captain Kirk Douglas

CAPTAIN KIRK DOUGLAS UNVEILS HIS NEW SOLO ALBUM ‘NEW UNKNOWN’

Captain Kirk Douglas is one of the hardest-working guitarists in music today. Today, longtime guitarist for The Roots, Captain Kirk Douglas, releases his second full-length solo album New Unknown under the artist name Hundred Watt Heart. Listen to New Unknown HERE

Recorded over the course of the pandemic in his Long Island childhood home, New Unknown captures both the uncharted territory Kirk enters as a soloist and the unforeseeable impact of the pandemic on our society at large. The album’s focal track, Land of Look Beyond, is a psychedelia-tinged devotional to mother nature and the importance of returning to one of its roots. In the song it is the chorus, he reflects, Time has flown // All that’s been experienced Has caused us to bloom.

“New Unknown is a sonic culmination of many steps taken during a time when most avenues in our collective lives were closed, Kirk says of the album. Each step involved taking action by reaching into myself or reaching out to another human being and every outcome inspired me to take another action and then another. The result is a creation of organic rock music delivered with power and grace. It brought me a lot of joy and I want to share that with whoever it may resonate with.”

New Unknown captures Kirk its introspective spirit and highlights his powerful presence as a frontman in his own right. Previously released singles, like We Can Be One, featuring a simmering beat and boisterous horn section, received tremendous praise. American Songwriter called the single soul-shaking, while WXPN raved, we can be assured [the album is] something to look forward to. Meanwhile, the rock-forward single, Over The Ocean, was called a terrific display of Douglas’s riff-writing talent by Guitar World. Similarly, his latest meditative release, Breathe In, was championed by mxdwn which called it a track full of introspection.

Audiences worldwide recognize Captain Kirk Douglas is scorching singular style as a six-string powerhouse. Joining The Roots back in 2003, he has supplied guitar and background vocals for a series of critically acclaimed Top 10 albums on the Billboard Top 200, including The Tipping Point [2004], Game Theory [2006], Rising Down [2008], How I Got Over [2010], and Wake Up! [2010] with John Legend. The latter garnered a pair of GRAMMY Awards, namely Best R&B Album and Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for Hang On In There. In addition, his guitar powered The Roots tastemaker-approved, And Then You Shoot Your Cousin in 2014. Between countless sold-out live shows, he holds down guitar duties for the band nightly on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He also notably forces with Gibson Guitars to release his own signature SG model. Inciting widespread applause, Guitar Player has celebrated Kirkis blazing fretboard work, and American Songwriter noted, His wild, bending solos careen off the staccato, precise drum fills from the group is leader and drummer, Questlove. Recorded at Electric Ladyland Studios, he dropped his debut Turbulent Times under the moniker Hundred Watt Heart. Of the latter, Rolling Stone applauded his melodies that range from contemplative, blues-tipped and soulful to raw and raucous.

CONNECT WITH CAPTAIN KIRK DOUGLAS:

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TAYLOR SWIFT TOPS UK CHARTS

TAYLOR SWIFT SCORES NUMBER 1 ON THE UK OFFICIAL ALBUMS CHART WITH MIDNIGHTS

“ANTI-HERO” TOPS THE UK OFFICIAL SINGLES CHART

MIDNIGHTS IS THE UK’S FASTEST SELLING ALBUM OF 2022 AND ACCUMULATES THE BIGGEST FIRST WEEK VINYL SALES IN MODERN UK CHART HISTORY

“ANTI-HERO” IS THE BIGGEST SPOTIFY UK DEBUT FROM AN INTERNATIONAL ARTIST

TAYLOR BECOMES THE FIRST FEMALE ARTIST IN ALMOST A DECADE TO DEBUT AT NUMBER 1 ON BOTH UK CHARTS SIMULTANEOUSLY

Following a record-breaking week for Taylor Swift, her critically acclaimed tenth studio album Midnights tops the UK Official Albums Chart, while lead single “Anti-Hero” tops the UK Official Singles Chart.

Taylor’s Midnights is the fast-selling album of 2022 in the UK, with 204,000 sales, more than doubling her previous biggest opening week in the UK (with 1989 in 2014). Meanwhile, “Anti-Hero” is the Biggest Spotify UK debut from an international artist in history. Taylor is the first female artist to debut at Number 1 on both the UK Singles and Albums Charts simultaneously since Miley Cyrus in 2013.

Taylor also rewrites UK Official Charts history this week as Midnights accumulates the biggest first week vinyl sales since modern chart records began (in 1994). Midnights was certified gold in the UK after just two days of its release.

With nine consecutive Number 1 albums now under her belt, Taylor Swift sets a new all-time Official Chart record, generating the fastest succession of nine UK Number 1 albums of any female artist.

Earlier this week Taylor broke records across all the major music streaming platforms. She became Spotify’s “Most Streamed Artist in a Single Day”, while Midnights became Spotify’s “Most Streamed Album in a Single Day” (with 185M+ Streams). Taylor Swift now holds the top 5 biggest streaming debuts in Spotify’s global chart history. Midnights also broke the record for the biggest pop album of all time on Apple Music by first-day streams. On Amazon Music, Taylor received globally the most first day album streams, the most first week album streams and the most Alexa requests of any artist ever.

Globally, Taylor’s Midnights has accumulated over 2.5 million album equivalents that includes over 1 billion streams, after scoring 67 #1’s on iTunes.

In the U.S., Midnights is already the best-selling album of 2022. It has sold over 1.4 million overall and over 1 million physical albums, with 500,000+ of that sum attributed to Vinyl sales. It has also accumulated the highest week 1 sales since Taylor’s Reputation in 2017 and is the biggest week 1 seller on vinyl since the ‘90s. While “Anti-Hero” became Taylor’s 55th #1 hit on iTunes singles – the most of any artist in history.

Midnights also marks a first for Taylor in Europe, as it sees her score her first ever Number 1 debut in the album charts of both France and Germany.

Right out of the gate, Midnights earned 5 star reviews from The Guardian, Rolling Stone, The Independent and more. It has already gathered some of the most enthusiastic and unanimous praise of her career to date from critics and fans alike.

Listen to Midnights —HERE.

WHAT THE CRITICS ARE SAYING ABOUT Midnights

“5 Stars” – The Guardian, Alexis Petridis

“With its confident songwriting and understated synth-pop, Swift’s sophisticated 10th album indicates that she no longer feels she has to compete with her peers.” – The Guardian, Alexis Petridis

“5 Stars” – The Independent, Helen Brown

“Midnights will make you feel as though you’re sleeping over at her house while she spills secrets and settles scores into the night.” – The Independent, Helen Brown

“5 Stars” – Rolling Stone, Brittany Spanos

“Her tenth album returns to the dazzling synth-pop of records like ‘1989’ and ‘Reputation,’ with lyrics caught between a love story and a revenge plot” – Rolling Stone, Brittany Spanos

“‘Midnights’ heralds the return of a pop-music mastermind.” – Los Angeles Times, Mikael Wood

“4 Stars” – The Sunday Times, Dan Cairns

“Swift’s leaning-in vocals and neat lyrical twists elevate her songs far above the pretenders that crowd round her.” – The Sunday Times, Dan Cairns

“4 Stars” – Rolling Stone UK, Mark Sutherland

“The latest remarkable album in Swift’s current white-hot streak gently presents itself as a sort of greatest hits composed of songs you’ve never heard before.” – Rolling Stone UK, Mark Sutherland

“4 Stars” – The Times, Will Hodgkinson

“Midnights appeals because, for all its modern touches, it is essentially an old-fashioned singer-songwriter album about human weakness.” – The Times, Will Hodgkinson

“4 Stars” – NME, Hannah Mylrea

“A shimmering return to pure pop.” – NME, Hannah Mylrea

“4 Stars” – The Telegraph, Neil McCormick

“The songs are strong. Indeed, I’d go as far as to say that Swift has never written a bad song…” – The Telegraph, Neil McCormick

“8/10” – Clash, Matthew Neale

“It may reasonably go on to be recognized as her best album to date, a reminder that magic prevails beyond the frustrations, fantasies and damnations she casts across her latest near-perfect body of work.” – Clash, Matthew Neale

“4.5 Stars” – American Songwriter, Alex Hopper

“Taylor Swift Delivers Her Dreamiest and Most Introspective Album to Date with ‘Midnights’” – American Songwriter, Alex Hopper

“The superstar has delivered a focused, legacy-extending new project” – Jason Lipshutz
Billboard

“You’d be beyond cynical not to realize that there’s a real heart being exposed here, amid an adroitness for honest self-revelation that’s as canny as anything we’ve gotten out of a reigning superstar since John Lennon told us he didn’t believe in Beatles.” – Variety, Chris Willman

“Midnights is the mastermind’s ultimate power move” – Rolling Stone, Rob Sheffield

“4 Stars” – The Irish Times, Ed Power

“Swift has, with Midnights, made a tangled, twisting tour de force…” – The Irish Times, Ed Power

“8/10” – Esquire, Alex Bilmes

“’Midnights’ Is an Instant Classic.” – Esquire, Alex Bilmes

“4 Stars” – Metro, David Bennun

“She’s back – and boy does she deliver…” – Metro, David Bennun

“4 Stars” – The i Newspaper, Kate Solomon

“On one of her most personally revealing albums yet, Taylor Swift invites us into a woozy, soft-focus world of self doubt and moonlit conversations. Midnights sounds and feels like a grown-up sequel to the synthy, ‘80s pop world of 1989; she is no longer the wide-eyed ingenue twirling onto the New York streets but a hardened adult with all the self-awareness (and liberal swearing) that goes with it.” – The i Newspaper, Kate Solomon

“5 Stars” – Dork, Abigail Firth

“She’s consistently confessional, but ‘Midnights’ finds Taylor Swift at her most human.” – Dork, Abigail Firth

“4 Stars” – The Mail On Sunday, Tim De Lisle

“It’s breathy, twitchy and thoroughly catchy”– The Mail On Sunday, Tim De Lisle

“4 Stars” – The Observer, Kitty Empire

“Poised between self-flagellation and pure bliss, Pastoral phase behind her, Swift is back in the city with an album of fascinating small-hours contemplation.” – The Observer, Kitty Empire

“4.5 Stars” – The Sun, Jacqui Swift

“The singer-songwriter knows just how to make her millions of fans happy” – The Sun, Jacqui Swift

“5 Stars” – Daily Star, James Cabooter

“Back to her confessional best, Taylor Swift’s 10th album Midnights is her crowning glory.” – Daily Star, James Cabooter

“10/10” – Gigwise, Lucy Harbron

“The strongest reinvention we’ve seen from Taylor Swift in the most honest way.” – Gigwise, Lucy Harbron

“5 Stars” – The Sunday Mirror, James Cabooter

“This is as close as you get to pop perfection” – The Sunday Mirror, James Cabooter

“In the loneliness of the dark, Taylor is just as exposed, flawed and anxious as the rest of us. You can’t help but wonder what else might be keeping her up at night — here’s hoping she’ll tell us about it soon.” – i-D, Alim Kheraj

“4 Stars” – DIY Magazine, Ben Tipple

“In keeping with the record’s theme – thirteen tales of individual sleepless nights – it’s arguably her most candid release to date.” – DIY Magazine, Ben Tipple

“This makes Midnights the closest thing to a concept album Taylor Swift has ever created, and also lends a dreamlike, transient quality to the record as a whole.”- Consequence of Sound , Mary Siroky

“Despite the restless-slumber concept that drifts through its songs, a serene acceptance lurks beneath the singer’s 10th studio album.” – Entertainment Weekly, Marc Hirsh

“Atmospheric. Subtle. Introspective. Painful. Triumphant.” – HITS, Holly Gleason

“Swift uses Midnights as a way to rethink the sonic rhetoric of first-person storytelling and shake off habits that have served her artistically and commercially for more than a decade.” – NPR, Ann Powers

“8/10” – Hot Press, Paul Nolan

“Midnights sees Swift comfortably retain her status as one of modern pop’s most fascinating and compelling artists.” – Hot Press, Paul Nolan

“Taylor Swift releases the record of the year with ‘Midnights’” – Marie Claire, Bree Player

“Midnights might be her most relatable album yet, and it comes at a time where we all feel so disconnected. Politics has become farcical, the cost of living crisis means stress levels have never been higher, and we’re all healing from the fact we literally just came out of a pandemic. In a world of change, Taylor is my continuity, despite the fact she always surprises us.” – Stylist, Chloe Laws

“Much like 1989 before it, this album will stand the test of time, and will be enjoyed increasingly in the years to come.” – AV Club, Saloni Gajjar

“The new album finds the superstar bringing together the best of Folklore with the best of what came before.” – Slate, Carl Wilson
“She’s not only offering us her most personal reflections – a high bar in Swift’s world – but imparting them with poetic grace and an elevated level of storytelling.” – USA Today, Melissa Ruggieri

“Swift at her best, reminding you of her unparalleled ability to make any emotion feel universal.” – AP News, Elise Ryan

“Midnights is perhaps her most self-aware work to date (with some of her best writing to boot)…” – Paste, Ellen Johnson

“Midnights is Swift at her finest, using her quill/fountain/gel pens to write some of her most vulnerable lyrics, screaming at the top of her lungs even through whispers.” – Alternative Press, Ilana Kaplan

“4 Stars” – Sydney Morning Herald, Giselle Au-Nhien

“There’s a self-discovery within this record that feels incredibly satisfying to bear witness to, and it doesn’t hurt that the songs, clever and eclectic, get more addictive with each listen.” – Sydney Morning Herald, Giselle Au-Nhien

“Midnights” is Taylor Swift’s best album. Midnights has the confessional, diaristic elements of Debut, Fearless, and Speak Now; it has the storytelling prowess of Folklore and Evermore; it has the sonic multiplicity of Red; it has the synth-laden bops of 1989 and Lover; and it has the no-fucks-given attitude of Reputation.” – Buzzfeed, Ryan Schocket

“Impressively finding yet another new way to reinvent herself as an artist, Taylor Swift has crafted an intoxicating concept album shimmering with honesty and creative experimentation.” – The Forty Five, Cordelia Lam

“Taylor Swift opens her long-awaited album Midnights by inviting listeners to “Meet me at midnight.” And goddamn it, we will be there, ma’am. We will be there with 13 bells on.” – Pedestrian, Matt Galea

“She is one of pop’s most distinctive vocal melodicists, able to sound conversational and highly tuneful at the same time, with a wonderfully deft use of tone and phrasing.” – Financial Times, Ludovic Hunter-Tilney

“On Midnights, Taylor Swift sounds more herself than ever” – New Statesman, Emily Bootle

“As is Swift’s creative fingerprint, Midnights is as lyrically taut, literary and tongue-twisting as any of her projects.” – SPIN, Bobby Oliver

“Midnights is something brand new, while still ultimately encapsulating all that Taylor Swift is known for – songwriting that leaves her listener feel comforted, understood, and content, in the most beautiful way.” – Notion, Rachel Martin

“I’ve really come to admire and respect Taylor Swift’s approach, both to music and to celebrity.
After all the shit she’s copped, she’s decidedly removed herself from the minutia that comes with being a celeb and only engages with the public on her own terms: every few years through her albums.” –Matt Galea, Pedestrian

“4 Stars” – Toronto Star, Aisling Murphy

“Midnights might be the best album of Swift’s discography.” – Toronto Star, Aisling Murphy

““[Midnights] a return to sleek pop.” – The Australian, Andrew McMillen

“The album is like a confession uttered in the depths of night: It’s honest and authentic in a way that bares the soul.” – Harper’s Bazaar, Dani Maher

Dave Audé – Motions

Listen to Grammy Award-winning Producer, DJ and Remixer Dave Audé discuss his debut album and illustrious career with Vaughn Lowery on 360 MAG podcast HERE.

Los Angeles native Dave Audé is a Grammy Award-winning producer. Currently, he resides in Nashville with his loving wife and three kids. In the early 90’s, he was best known as the co-founder of Moonshine Music.

Audé has produced a plethora of highly acclaimed artists such as Beyoncé, Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, Céline Dion, Lady Gaga, and Madonna. With 13 number-one singles on the Billboard Dance Music Charts, he has remixed hundreds of songs.

In 2010, Audé was nominated for a Grammy for his remix of Dean Coleman’s, “I Want You.” In 2016, he won for his Bruno Mars makeover of “Uptown Funk.” Dave admits the best part of the Grammy’s, “Knowing I’m nominated.” The DJ adds, ”Obviously winning as well and taking home the trophy, but really getting there first, being nominated by someone and everyone vote for you, and making it to the final five is really amazing.”

Dave Audé’s professionalism and and rhythms reflect his characteristic ease within the realm of mathematical electronic music. With twenty years plus experience, this vet maintains his methodology, “The real focus is on the artist and the song,” Dave confesses.

Audacious Records has produced a 120 as a remixer and 14 #1s as an artist. In 2015, the imprint was listed No.1-Independent Record Label. Of late, they continue dropping hits like, “This Is Our Time” and “Break Out.”

In 2008, he was named musical director for the Pussycat Dolls Tour. Today, he serves as the Grammy co-chairman of the Nashville chapter.

As the ultimate remixer, Dave provides the sonic solution. With a strong background rooted in artist development and musicality, he co-wrote and co-produced Selena Gomez’s Kill’em with Kindness as well as remixed Shaggy and Sting’s Just One Lifetime.

Throughout the decades, he built a reputation as a master remixer and producer, delivering chart-topping results. Audé constantly experiments with various genres, conjuring melodic magic for his fans across the globe. In 2021, Audé received his third GRAMMY nod for “Best Remixed Recording, featuring Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato on “Met Him Last Night.”

Subsequently, Dave Audé made a decision to manufacture his very own menu of music. According to Dave, ‘‘I just decided that I wanted to do my thing and have an album. I really wanted to sit down and write a bunch of music with my friends and put out an album of my own.’’ Audé’s chameleon-like abilities allow him to succeed in any genre, from pop to country and electronic to rock. Upon being asked about his best-loved tracks, “They are all my favorites for different reasons.” Further, for Dave, the dance genre isn’t strictly for the clubs, it’s life’s soundtrack. ”Nowadays dance music is heard in everything, it’s to brush your teeth, to wake you up in the morning, to prepare breakfast, etc.,” shares the megastar.

Some advice to aspiring music producers:

“Sometimes the long road is the road to take.”
”You need to gain some experience and meet people.”
For all those people who want to work in music: “It’s really about knowing that you want to do something with music, you know, stick with it, keep in mind what your goal is, what your end goal is.”

Article: Andrea Esteban, Vaughn Lowery

MEGHAN TRAINOR – TAKIN’ IT BACK

GLOBAL SUPERSTAR MEGHAN TRAINOR RELEASES FOURTH FULL-LENGTH ALBUM, TAKIN’ IT BACK, VIA EPIC RECORDS

LISTEN HERE

UNVEILS VIDEO FOR NEW SINGLE “MADE YOU LOOK”

WATCH HERE

October 21st, 2022 – Today, GRAMMY® Award-winning, global superstar Meghan Trainor has released her anxiously awaited fourth full-length album, Takin’ It Back, via Epic Records. This time around, she made a conscious decision to hark back to the signature sound she introduced on her 2015 full-length debut, TITLE, and bring it forward to today. Listen HERE.

About the album, Meghan said, “I tried to do the doo wop feel I had at the beginning of my career, but the 2022 version of it. This is from the new Meghan who is a wife and mom with a baby. This is from me right now. I decided to give the people what they want, but with my spices added to it. I wanted to make my Title 2.0.”

To bring the record to life, she worked closely alongside a “core squad” of Gian Stone, Federico Vindver, Sean Douglas, and her brothers Ryan and Justin Trainor out of her own home studio. The first single released from the album “Bad For Me,” featuring Teddy Swims found the powerhouse tapping into her doo wop roots with throwback harmonies underlining a simmering groove as she opened up lyrically. Her second release, “Don’t I Make It Look Easy” is a track with anthemic energy that resonates for many, especially mothers, who juggle so many things and yet make it look so easy.

Accompanying the album’s release is a video for Meghan’s new single, “Made You Look.” The spunky track has horns that pipe up as her doo wop harmonies double up the attitude on the chorus, “I could have my Gucci on. I could wear my Louis Vuitton, but even with nothing on, bet I made you look.” The vibrant and stylized music video sees Meghan moving between different colorful worlds – from Hollywood set ups to a big finale dance performance. By Meghan’s side are TikTok personalities Chris Olsen, Remi Bader, Becca Means, Drew Afualo, along with JoJo Siwa, Scott Hoying, and husband Daryl Sabara. Watch HERE.

Yesterday, Candy Crush Saga exclusively debuted the video in-game for the first time in the game’s 10-year history. From October 20th to 26th, Meghan will be transformed into a “Candified” character for an immersive in-game takeover. Players will be able to swipe along with her, unlocking a variety of special treats and boosters.

Regarding “Made You Look,” Meghan said, ““After having a baby, I struggled really hard to feel sexy. I actually wrote this song when I was ass-naked singing the chorus in the shower,” she admits. “I can wear all of these gorgeous things, but I look better without all of that shit on. I wrote a self-love anthem for myself. Even though you had a baby, went through it, and your body shows it, you’re still sexy.”

Takin’ It Back integrates doo-wop and classic harmonies into one anthem after another taking you through Meghan’s journey into marriage, motherhood, and achieving a new level of confidence.

Takin’ It Back Tracklist

Sensitive ft. Scott Hoying
Made You Look
Takin’ It Back
Don’t I Make It Look Easy
Shook
Bad For Me ft. Teddy Swims
Superwoman
Rainbow
Breezy ft. Theron Theron
Mama Wanna Mambo ft. Natti Natasha and Arturo Sandoval
Drama Queen
While You’re Young
Lucky
Dance About It
Final Breath

ABOUT MEGHAN TRAINOR:

Meghan Trainor first made history in 2014 with her diamond-certified smash single “All About That Bass.” Since then, the award-winning singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist has garnered a GRAMMY® for Best New Artist, achieved eight multi-platinum singles and two platinum albums, sold out three world tours, penned multi-platinum hits for peers across pop and country, and received countless industry awards and nominations. Expanding her influence on pop culture, she starred on FOX’s hit series THE FOUR: Battle for Stardom for two seasons and on the superstar coaching panel of The Voice UK alongside Sir Tom Jones, will.i.am, and Olly Murs. She kicked off 2020 with the release of her third full-length album, Treat Myself (Epic Records), which includes the platinum smash “No Excuses” as well as blockbuster anthems and collaborations such as “Nice To Meet Ya” [feat. Nicki Minaj], “Genetics” [feat. Pussycat Dolls], and “Wave” [feat. Mike Sabath]. At the end of 2020 she released her first-ever Christmas album, A Very Trainor Christmas, featuring the #1 holiday radio single “White Christmas.” Last fall, we got to watch her as the host of Top Chef Family Style on Peacock and as a judge on Clash of the Cover Bands on E!. In September of 2021 she also launched her podcast Workin’ On It which she hosts alongside her brother, Ryan Trainor. Meghan has recently released her fourth full-length album, Takin’ It Back, which takes you through her journey into marriage, motherhood, and achieving a new level of confidence. She will be kicking off 2023 by joining the judging panel of the iconic star-maker series, Australian Idol, in its highly anticipated return to air.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

BLACKPINK’S BORN PINK DEBUTS NO. 1 ON BILLBOARD

BLACKPINK’s ‘Born Pink’ Debuts No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart

Global superstars BLACKPINK unveil their long-awaited second full-length album BORN PINK via YG Entertainment / Interscope Records. Stream HERE. The album is accompanied by a cinematic video for new single “Shut Down.” Watch it HERE. On October 15, the girl group embarks on a world tour that touches down on four continents. BORN PINK is now available at all digital retailers.

BORN PINK was spearheaded by the record-shattering single “Pink Venom,” which topped the Billboard Global 200 and debuted at No.1 on Spotify’s Global Top Songs Chart, amassing 7.9M streams within the first 24 hours. The song’s official music video also conquered YouTube, amassing 90.4M views within the first 24 hours. That ranks as JISOO, JENNIE, ROSÉ, and LISA’s biggest debut to date, the biggest release by females (group or solo) of this decade, and the third biggest 24-hour debut of all time.

Next up, BLACKPINK will kick off their world tour, which is predicted to be attended by more than 1.5M people, at the KSPO DOME in Seoul Olympic Park on October 15. The group will then visit the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore, among others, before landing in New Zealand on June 21, 2023. A full list of dates is linked HERE.

BORN PINK TRACKLIST:

1. Pink Venom

2. Shut Down

3. Typa Girl

4. Yeah Yeah Yeah

5. Hard to Love

6. The Happiest Girl

7. Tally

8. Ready for Love

ABOUT BLACKPINK:

One of the most massively successful K-pop groups in music history, BLACKPINK have redefined the global pop landscape since first bursting onto the scene in 2016. Along with boasting the #1 most-subscribed artist channel on YouTube, the South Korean quartet has achieved such boundary-defying milestones as scoring the highest-charting album by a female group in over a decade and becoming the first K-pop girl group ever to perform at Coachella (the largest music festival in the U.S.). Comprised of JISOO, JENNIE, ROSÉ and LISA—all immensely charismatic vocalists, dancers, and fast-rising fashion icons—BLACKPINK began their meteoric rise with their 2016 debut “SQUARE ONE” and further proved their crossover power with “SQUARE UP” (a 2018 release that quickly cracked the Billboard 200).

Soon after signing with Interscope Records through a global partnership with YG Entertainment, the group made their full-length debut with 2020’s immediately iconic THE ALBUM. THE ALBUM shot to #2 on the Billboard 200 and landed three singles on the Billboard Hot 100: “How You Like That” (the iconic single that shattered several YouTube records, including fastest video to cross 150 million views), “Ice Cream” (a collaboration with Selena Gomez that broke the record for highest-charting female K-pop group on the Hot 100), and “Lovesick Girls” (a track that’s sold over 1.4 million copies worldwide, making BLACKPINK the first K-pop girl group to sell over a million units). Through the years, BLACKPINK have also garnered a number of major awards (including an MTV Video Music Award for Song of the Summer as well as three E! People’s Choice Awards), collaborated with superstars like Dua Lipa and Lady Gaga, performed on “The Tonight Show,” and starred in BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky (a 2020 film hailed by the New York Times as an “endearing documentary that emphasizes each member’s individuality”). With over 6.3 billion career Spotify streams to date, BLACKPINK have unveiled their wildly anticipated sophomore album BORN PINK. In less than a month, the group will hit the road for their 2022/2023 world tour kicking off on October 15 in Seoul, South Korea.

BLACKPINK – ‘BORN PINK’ eAlbum

[Instagram | Twitter | YouTube]

YouTube Music

Photo: YG Entertainment

KID CUDI – Entergalactic

GRAMMY Award-winning multiplatinum sonic visionary, artist, producer, actor and director Kid Cudi has announced a pre-save for his anxiously awaited tenth full-length album and one of the most anticipated projects of 2022, Entergalactic. In addition to the pre-save, Cudi and NETFLIX also revealed the official trailer for the project. The show and the album will be released on September 30.

Watch the trailer HERE
Pre-save Entergalactic HERE
Key art HERE and new images HERE

Cudi commented, “Entergalactic is everything I’ve always wanted to do, create a long-form visual companion to an album. It all started with the music which helped bring this storyline and these characters to life. Entergalactic is unlike anything I’ve ever done, certainly my most ambitious project to date; I can’t wait for you to finally experience it.”

He initially set the stage for the album with “Do What I Want.” Right out of the gate, it amassed 11.7 million Spotify streams and counting. Beyond plugs from HYPEBEAST, XXL, NME, and more, Stereogum proclaimed, “‘Do What I Want’ is a chilled-out track with an even, skittering beat with Cudi rolling through lyrics about feeling settled and creatively powerful.”

Cudi also serves as an EP on Entergalactic alongside Kenya Barris, through their respective production companies Mad Solar and Khalabo Ink Society.

Kid Cudi is about to complete the North American leg of his To the Moon – 2022 World Tour. He closes it out with a bang, performing a hometown gig in Cleveland, OH for his own Moon Man’s Landing Festival. In the Fall, “To The Moon” travels to the Toyosu PIT in Japan and all over Europe, including The O2 in London, Verti Music Hall in Berlin, AFAS Live in Amsterdam, Palais 12 in Brussels, and the Zenith in Paris, with Milan closing out the tour at Fabrique on November 22. The full confirmed itinerary below.

“To The Moon” Tour 2022 (remaining dates)

About Entergalactic:

Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi and Kenya Barris join forces to present the television event Entergalactic, an original, immersive, animated story about a young artist named Jabari — voiced by Mescudi — as he attempts to balance love and success. Finding the latter brings Jabari a step closer to the former, when moving into his dream apartment introduces him to his new neighbor, photographer it-girl, Meadow — voiced by Jessica Williams. An explosion of art, music, and fashion, Entergalactic takes place in the only city that can handle all three: New York. Alongside Mescudi and Williams, Entergalactic boasts an all-star cast including Timothée Chalamet, Ty Dolla $ign, Laura Harrier, Vanessa Hudgens, Christopher Abbott, 070 Shake, Jaden Smith, Keith David, Teyana Taylor, Arturo Castro and Macaulay Culkin.

Willow – <COPINGMECHANISM>

WILLOW has released a new single “curious/furious” from her forthcoming album – <COPINGMECHANISM> out September 23. <COPINGMECHANISM> was produced by WILLOW and Chris Greatti and follows 2021’s explosive release, lately I feel EVERYTHING. Fans can pre-save <COPING MECHANISM> today and pre-order the album on CD and cassette. This past week WILLOW also announced a performance at the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles on September 26. Tickets on sale HERE.

WILLOW has released two additional tracks from <COPINGMECHANISM> beginning with the single, “<maybe> it’s my fault,” and followed by “hover like a GODDESS,” along with a visualizer directed by Jaxon Whittington and edited by Dana Trippe. “WILLOW’s gearing up to release her next album,” said Stereogum, “and it’s taking her in the direction of harder rock. She’s no stranger to heavy music, but that darkness is allowing WILLOW to explore other sides of herself as well.”

WILLOW has been road-testing the songs from <COPINGMECHANISM> over the past months while on a major North American tour with Machine Gun Kelly. She’s also just back from stops across UK & Europe in Reading, Leeds, Munich and Dublin, and released a live performance of “hover like a GODDESS” from Lollapalooza Chicago. She’ll play Firefly Festival on September 22nd and iHeart Festival in Las Vegas on September 24th.

WILLOW’s 2021 album, lately I feel EVERYTHING, showcased her pop-punk sound and featured heavy hitters such as Travis Barker, Avril Lavigne and more. Since its release, l.i.f.E has amassed 400 million global streams. WILLOW was nominated for “Best New Alternative Artist” at the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Awards, and was named Billboard’s Greatest Pop Stars of 2021: Comeback Artist of the Year. The album featured the platinum-certified single, “t r a n s p a r e n t s o u l feat. Travis Barker,” which was a top 5 record at Alternative radio, netting over 300 million global streams to date. “Easily the best and most assured music of her career so far,” said The New Yorker. “The album is the first to maximize her talents, externalizing the pent-up, dialed-up angst of her adolescence.”

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Hardwell – RND

After months of single drops, Hardwell releases his full REBELS NEVER DIE album.

Stream/Download HERE.

Over six months ago, electronic dance pioneer Hardwell surprised fans around the globe with a return show at Ultra Music Festival in Miami and the announcement of a new album and world tour. Now, following weeks of waterfall releases, Hardwell makes the whole REBELS NEVER DIE album available for fans worldwide to enjoy in its entirety.

As part of the official release, Hardwell also delivers the final single from the album, the title track REBELS NEVER DIE. The track’s arrival in the public domain now positions it as the depth-filled centrepiece of what the entire album is about. The lyrics on the track, “Live life to the fullest, don’t be afraid to die, legends live forever, but rebels never die”, also align with the philosophy behind this new music created by Hardwell. Which is to give 100%, have no fear and be bold in your convictions as an artist – all mantras that Hardwell has held dear throughout his entire career.

Featuring entirely solo material, the arrival of REBELS NEVER DIE ushers in a new era for one of electronic music’s biggest-known stars. Including goosebump-inducing singles like ‘BROKEN MIRROR’,’INTO THE UNKNOWN’, and ‘I FEEL LIKE DANCING’, alongside the seismic club bangers’ GODD’, ‘LASER’ and ‘PACMAN’, fans have been given a chance to dive headfirst into Hardwell’s creative mind.

Hardwell’s sabbatical opened the opportunity to commit more focus in the studio for artist discovery. He used this time to explore complete creative freedom, playing with new ideas and making new music with no real plan. Back to the music he used to listen to as a child, rediscovering his old vinyl collection, Hardwell was inspired to make his new album REBELS NEVER DIE. The result is a solo studio album that combines the music he started with, early hard trance riffs, and the energy of his big room sounds, all built around a techno-esque musical structure. “I hate to be caught up in one particular genre. I always try to make music I love to play out. I don’t consider myself a mainstream artist, techno, or big room artist, I consider myself Hardwell, and this is what Hardwell is. If it’s not a genre, then it’s not a genre; it’s just me.”

Always a leader with a quest to evolve, not repeat. REBELS NEVER DIE marks a critical point in the musical shift for Hardwell’s legacy as one of dance music’s most iconic figures.

HARDWELL x REBELS NEVER DIE ALBUM
1. BROKEN MIRROR
2. INTO THE UNKNOWN
3. FUCKING SOCIETY
4. BLACK MAGIC
5. DOPAMINE
6. GODD
7. PACMAN
8. MIND CONTROL
9. REMINISCE
10. ZERO GRAVITY
11. LASER
12. I FEEL LIKE DANCING
13. SELF DESTRUCT
14. REBELS NEVER DIE

Hardwell’s REBELS NEVER DIE is available now on all streaming platforms via Revealed Recordings!

Tickets for the REBELS NEVER DIE album world tour are available now via: www.djhardwell.com

For more information check:
www.djhardwell.com | www.facebook.com/djhardwell
www.twitter.com/hardwell | www.youtube.com/hardwell
www.instagram.com/hardwell | www.open.spotify.com/user/hardwellofficial

John Legend – Legend Album

Multi-platinum, 12-time Grammy Award-winner John Legend released his highly anticipated eighth studio album, LEGEND, via Republic Records. Executive produced by Legend and prolific producer-writer Ryan Tedder (Beyoncé, Adele, et al), the vibrant double album is suffused with an unapologetic spirit of sensuality and joy, informed by the full vulnerability of pain, praise and healing. LEGEND is available to stream/download HERE.

ACT I of the epic double album recalls vividly the worldly, sensual pleasures of Saturday night – full of lust, self, sex and adventure. It opens with “Rounds”, an immersive joint featuring Rick Ross, an artist with whom Legend has collaborated perhaps more than any other. Other tracks include the smoldering R&B bedroom romp “Splash” featuring Jhene Aiko and rapper Ty Dolla $ign, “Dope,” a “summery, feel-good track” featuring rapper JID (Rolling Stone) and “Love,” featuring Jazmine Sullivan, whom Legend has known since she was a young artist. ACT I climaxes in the immediately addictive and utterly uplifting “All She Wanna Do” featuring Saweetie, which Uproxx called a “sexy, dancefloor banger” and Rolling Stone described as a “roller disco jam.”

ACT II evokes the feeling of a Sunday morning, with its focus on healing, intimacy, soulfulness and commitment. It includes “Honey,” “a sultry, jazz-inspired” R&B track featuring Muni Long (Billboard) and “Wonder Woman,” a touching tribute to the power and grace of all the women in Legend’s life featuring the nostalgic, soulful Dap Kings. Other tracks on ACT II include “Good,” featuring Ledisi, a tale of intimate healing and the relief that comes with knowing you’re in a relationship with the right person and “Pieces,” a devastatingly beautiful ballad about living with loss and grief.

LEGEND has the feeling of a classic, and yet feels new, representing a fresh start for the artist with record label Republic, and a playful, adventurous feel. At the same time, it asserts its place in the canon of Black art, where honoring one’s ancestral story is as much part of existence as is that love, beauty and joy.

“I never feel divorced from my ancestors,” said Legend. “I have such reverence for my musical heritage, that I don’t feel like I need to leave it behind to be adventurous, or creative, or to try something new. When I’m creating something new, I’m still hearing the voices and influences of Stevie, Marvin, Curtis, Aretha, Nina, Donny and Prince. Black musicians have always been at the forefront of innovation in music. But where I think hip hop is always about what’s new, with soul music, we are a bit more nostalgic … and hopefully what we’ve been able to do with LEGEND is that synthesis of looking forward, but also connecting with where we come from.”

Legend is set to perform “Pieces” from the new album at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards on September 12. Next month, the EGOT winner will return to Las Vegas for his critically acclaimed “Love in Las Vegas” residency, with shows running from October 14 through October 29. Billboard previously raved about the show, saying “…Legend held the full house in his hands as they danced, screamed and aah-ed their way through a generous set encompassing the multiple Grammy winner’s eight-album catalog of hits and fan faves.” Tickets are available HERE.

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NAV – DPBA

Chart-topping rapper, producer, and XO artist NAV has released his fourth album, Demons Protected By Angels. Executive produced by NAV & Amir “Cash” Esmailian, the album features Gunna, Lil Uzi Vert, Travis Scott, Lil Baby, Future, Don Toliver, Lil Durk, Bryson Tiller, Babyface Ray, and Realest K with production from NAV, Wheezy, Pro Logic, Boi 1da, Money Musik, Tay Keith, BenjiCold, Rex Kudo and more. Demons Protected by Angels includes the previously released singles “Never Sleep” ft. Travis Scott and Lil Baby, which quickly amassed over 40 million streams in a month, as well as the pensive “Wrong Decisions” track, which Nav produced and directed the video for. The album art was created by famed German-born, New York City-based visual artist Erik Parker.

For the release, NAV teamed up with VLONE for a limited edition run of merch inspired by the album. The VLONE X NAV DPBA https://shop.navmusic.com/.

NAV’s most recent effort, his 2020 Emergency Tsunami mixtape, garnered praise from GQ, Complex, Hypebeast, and more, plus earned Nav his debut late-night TV performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! His past two studio albums, Good Intentions (2020) and Bad Habits (2019), debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 100. Additionally, he’s amassed over 9 billion global streams, 4 Billboard Top 10s, and 11 Hot 100 hits. This year alone, three songs earned RIAA-Platinum certifications with 2X Platinum “Tap” (feat. Meek Mill), 2X Platinum “Myself,” and “Up.”

Lister HERE.

Album art by Erik Parker

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