Listen to Gwen Stefani + Blake Shelton’s new duet, ‘Purple Irises’

February 9, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Ellen von Unwerth/Courtesy of Warner Music Nashville

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton have released their new duet, “Purple Irises.”

The couple throws things back in their respective pre-choruses, with Stefani singing, “It’s not 1999 / But this face is still mine / The way you look at me / I swear my heart hits rewind.”

Shelton, later in the song, sings, “It’s not 2014/ But you still look good in those jeans/ Lookin’ in the mirror/Do you see what I see?”

They come together in the chorus, singing, “But if someone comes along and tries to love you like I love you/ Don’t know what I’d do, don’t wanna lose you/ If someone comes along and tries to take you, tries to make you/ Don’t let ’em change your mind/ Wonder why you took a risk/ On a broken heart you cannot fix/ No, I never knew a love like this/ Now I’m picking purple irises.”

Of their heartfelt duet, Shelton says, “We love this song so much. It’s a song Gwen wrote with a couple of friends of hers, and I fell in love with it the first time I heard it. She knew there was something different about it and asked me to come in and sing with her.”

“My longtime producer, Scott Hendricks, produced it, and Gwen’s been wanting to work with him for a long time now, and it’s turned into this really cool and different song that can live anywhere,” he adds.

“Purple Irises” follows 2021’s “Happy Anywhere” and 2019’s “Nobody but You” — both of which became chart-topping singles.

Stefani is headlining the Super Bowl 58 TikTok Tailgate on Sunday and will perform “Purple Irises” with Shelton during the show. You can watch the performance on @NFL on TikTok.

All four members of R.E.M. make surprise appearance at ‘Murmur’ tribute concert

February 9, 2024 by WDNY Radio

It’s been a while since the members of R.E.M. have been out together publicly, but that all changed on Thursday, February 8.

Photos and videos posted to social media show Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, Bill Berry and Peter Buck at the 40 Watt Club in their home city of Athens, Georgia, where they made a surprise appearance at a concert celebrating the 40th anniversary of R.E.M.’s debut album, Murmur.

The show was part of actor Michael Shannon and musician Jason Narducy‘s tour, in which they play Murmur in full along with other R.E.M. tracks. According to Stereogum, Buck, Berry and Mills joined Shannon and Narducy for various songs.

Stipe didn’t perform, but he did come out onstage to address the crowd. “Speaking on behalf of Bill and Mike and Peter, we are so f***** thrilled to be here tonight,” he said, prompting cheers from the crowd.

This isn’t the first time members of R.E.M. turned up at the 40 Watt Club for a celebration of one of their albums. In 2022, Mills and Buck were surprise guests at a concert celebrating the 40th anniversary of R.E.M.’s debut EP, Chronic Town.

Usher’s new album, ‘Coming Home,’ with H.E.R., Burna Boy & more has arrived

February 9, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Usher‘s ninth studio album, Coming Home, has finally arrived.

The 20-track project includes appearances by H.E.R., The-Dream, Summer Walker, 21 Savage and Latto, with a title song featuring Burna Boy. It also follows the release of the #6 track, “Ruin,” and its matching music video featuring Nigerian artist Pheelz.

Coming Home comes after a 2023 that saw Usher’s well-attended My Way Las Vegas residency go viral — and kicks off an action-packed 2024 with an upcoming headlining performance at the Super Bowl 58 halftime show on February 11.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the big game, Usher revealed Coming Home has been five years-in-the-making.

“There was a huge stop in the middle of that because of the pandemic and and what that offered. And then coming back out of it, I needed a little bit of motivation, which is why I decided to put my shows on sale in Las Vegas,” he said.

He added, “And now I’m ready to share some of what I was working on before and what I worked on after I decided to start my shows here in Las Vegas.“

Tori Kelly releases new song “high water,” announces new album ‘TORI.’

February 9, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Following her health scare last year, Tori Kelly has released a new song inspired by the ordeal called “high water.” She also announced a brand-new album, TORI., due out April 5, which follows her 2023 seven-track EP tori. It’s available for preorder now.

In a statement, Tori says, “I have been working on my next album for the last few years, exploring new sounds and expressing so many different sides of myself. I thought I had covered it all until I had a health scare in July of last year that reminded me just how fragile life can be.”

In the soulful song, Tori sings, “I know/Something is comin’ in the mornin’/If I can make it through the night/Whatever comes/ hell or high water/I know, I know what’s on the other side.”

Her statement continues, “‘high water’ is about simply holding on and believing that there will be light at the end of the tunnel. Now my hope is that [‘high water’] will uplift others in whatever they might be going through and encourage them to keep going.”

Neil Diamond’s hit “I Am … I Said” featured in Super Bowl ad for Volkswagen

February 9, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Neil Diamond‘s “Sweet Caroline” has long been associated with baseball, but now his unmistakable voice will be part of Sunday’s Super Bowl — courtesy of an ad for Volkswagen.

A two-minute extended cut of a 60-second ad that’s going to run during the third quarter of the game on February 11 has just been released. Called “An American Love Story,” it’s soundtracked by Diamond’s 1971 top five hit “I Am … I Said.”

The commercial traces the journey of the Volkswagen brand in America, from its arrival in the U.S. in 1949 to the present day, and shows how the brand has become a part of the fabric of American culture over the years.

We also see some of the brand’s iconic appearances in movies and TV shows, including the 1968 movie The Love Bug and a clip of Bart and Lisa Simpson playing “punch buggy” during a car trip.

In addition to being available on YouTube, the two-minute version of the spot debuted on February 9 at the 2024 Chicago Auto Show Media Preview and to current owners via the Volkswagen myVW app.

“I Am … I Said,” from Diamond’s album Stones, is a highlight of the current Neil Diamond Broadway musical, A Beautiful Noise.

Latto drops new single, “Sunday Service”

February 9, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Latto is taking things to church with her latest new single, “Sunday Service,” making it clear to any doubters that she’s the IT girl.

“I don’t sing R&B but, b****, I’m really her, f*** wrong with n*****?” she raps on the chorus. “I hang up the phone on n***** (Click) You ain’t my daddy, b****, I’m big mama.”

The “Big Energy” rapper teased the track on Instagram a few weeks ago and recently caused a frenzy on the internet, thanks to the single’s cover art where Latto’s sitting in front of a wall featuring the faces of other female rappers — from Sexyy Red, Coi Leray, Megan Thee Stallion and Ice Spice — whose eyes were covered with a black bar.

Latto’s set to drop off the accompanying music video, directed by her and Hidji World, at 12 p.m. ET Friday. In it, she’ll appear in various locations, including the Bronx, with “20 black suburbans pulling up like Sunday Service.”

Queen looks back at 100 career highlights as they wrap this season of ‘Queen The Greatest Live’

February 9, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Queen is wrapping up the second season of their weekly YouTube series, Queen the Greatest Live, with a montage of footage from the band’s legendary career.

Queen launched the series back in 2021, and for this season’s 50th episode, the 100th overall, they are sharing a five-minute video highlighting 100 memorable images and moments, set to their track “One Vision.”

The video features lots of performance footage of Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon, including clips from the Rainbow Theatre in 1974 and 1985’s Live Aid at Wembley Stadium. There’s also a helicopter view of Knebworth Park in 1986, which was Mercury’s last live show, as well as lesser known moments, like the band enjoying tea on their first trip to Japan in 1975 and Freddie on the shoulders of Superman.

The montage also includes some post-Freddie highlights featuring Paul Rodgers and Adam Lambert, and ends with footage of Freddie wearing his infamous red crown and cloak.

But this isn’t where things end for Queen. It sounds like fans have a lot to look forward to in the year to come, as the band has promised “big plans afoot for 2024 and beyond.”

Queen is currently on a tour of Japan. They play Sapporo on Saturday, February 10. A complete list of dates can be found at queenonline.com.

Listen to The Black Keys’ cover of “I Forgot to Be Your Lover”

February 9, 2024 by WDNY Radio

The Black Keys have shared their cover of the soul classic “I Forgot to Be Your Lover.”

The track was originally recorded in the ’60s by William Bell. It was later covered in the ’80s by Billy Idol as “To Be a Lover.”

You can listen to The Black Keys’ version now via digital outlets and watch its accompanying lyric video streaming now on YouTube.

“I Forgot to Be Your Lover” will appear on the upcoming Black Keys album, Ohio Players, the follow-up to 2022’s Dropout Boogie. Ohio Players is due out April 5 and also includes the lead single “Beautiful People (Stay High).”

Deep Purple shares preview of new “Smoke on the Water” video

February 9, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Deep Purple is set to release a new animated video for their classic tune “Smoke on the Water” on March 1, and they’re sharing a preview of what to expect.

In a sneak peek of the clip, co-directors Dan Gibling and Luke McDonnell share their inspiration for the video, describing the tune as “one of the most iconic rock songs of all time.”

“Beyond the scope for people that like rock music, people know this song,” Gibling says. “So the story is contained within the lyrics, is about them making the record, and the time is running out. So all these lyrics start conjuring up ideas of a race and a chase to make this record.”

As for the decision to animate the video, McDonnell notes, “The beauty of animation, it completely opens up your world, you know, you’re not limited by anything.” He adds, “There’s a really interesting integration between our fictional world and honoring the real story that actually happened.”

“Smoke on the Water” was inspired by the events that surrounded the recording of Deep Purple’s 1972 album, Machine Head. In 1971 the band planned to record at Montreux Casino, but the venue caught fire during a concert by Frank Zappa. The title is a reference to smoke from the fire spreading over Lake Geneva.

Deep Purple recently released a 2024 remix of “Smoke on the Water” as part of a preview of their super deluxe edition of Machine Head, which is due out March 29. It is available for preorder now.

Super Bowl halftime: Usher goes from 2011’s special guest to 2024’s headliner

February 9, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Usher during the Black Eyed Peas’ halftime show in 2011; Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Bringing out special guests during the Super Bowl halftime show has become a thing in recent years — except for Rihanna, unless you want to count the baby in her belly at the time as a “guest.” This year’s Super Bowl halftime performer, Usher, was even a guest back in 2011.

After several years of classic rock artists, 2011 marked the year pop music returned to the Super Bowl, with Black Eyed Peas playing halftime. Usher was a guest during the show, performing “OMG” after making his entrance from the ceiling on a wire, which he says could have ended in disaster.

At a press conference February 8 in Vegas, Usher recalled, “My hand got caught in the wire that was holding me, like, 30 feet in the air. And I almost missed my first mark. I was like, ‘Oh my God, don’t let this malfunction cause me to miss something!'”

But Usher said he also recalled “how amazing it felt to be in front of that many people and feel the energy — so much so that it made me really passionate about eventually getting this moment.”

The idea of having big-name stars perform during halftime only dates back to 1991, when New Kids on the Block did it. Before that, marching bands, older stars like Chubby Checker or the vocal troupe Up with People were the norm.

But what changed the game was Michael Jackson‘s 1993 performance, featuring an inflatable globe and a choir of over 3,000 local children. Thanks to Michael, the ratings increased between halves during the game. From then on, stars and spectacle were the rule.

Here’s a look back at who’s done the halftime show since 1991:

1991 — New Kids on the Block
1992 — Gloria Estefan
1993 — Michael Jackson, performing with 3,500 children
1994 — Country stars Clint Black, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, Wynonna Judd and Naomi Judd
1995 — Patti LaBelle, Miami Sound Machine and Tony Bennett
1996 — Diana Ross
1997 — ZZ Top, James Brown, the Blues Brothers featuring Dan Aykroyd, John Goodman and James Belushi
1998 — Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, Martha Reeves, the Temptations, Queen Latifah
1999 — Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
2000 — Phil Collins, Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias, Toni Braxton
2001 — Aerosmith, *NSYNC, Britney Spears, Nelly, Mary J. Blige
2002 — U2
2003 — Shania Twain, No Doubt, Sting
2004 — Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Nelly, Kid Rock, P. Diddy
2005 — Paul McCartney
2006 — The Rolling Stones
2007 — Prince
2008 — Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
2009 — Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
2010 — The Who
2011 — Black Eyed Peas
2012 — Madonna
2013 — Beyoncé (and Destiny’s Child, briefly)
2014 — Bruno Mars feat. Red Hot Chili Peppers
2015 — Katy Perry, Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott
2016 — Coldplay, Beyoncé and Bruno Mars
2017 — Lady Gaga
2018 — Justin Timberlake
2019 — Maroon 5, Travis Scott, Big Boi
2020 — Jennifer Lopez and Shakira
2021 — The Weeknd
2022 — Dr. Dre, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige and Snoop Dogg with 50 Cent and Anderson .Paak
2023 — Rihanna
2024 — Usher

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