Music

July 17 was the second drop of Record Store Day 2021, and Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam came out on top.

Billboard reports that according to MRC Data, the event resulted in 1.14 million U.S. vinyl album sales overall, and the top-selling RSD release was Foo Fighters’ Hail Satin, released under the name The Dee Gees. The project sold 12,000 vinyl LPs, plus another 3,000 downloads when it was made available digitally on July 19.

The 10-song album features covers of four number-one Bee Gees hits, a cover of “Shadow Dancing” by the Bee Gees’ little brother, Andy Gibb, and live versions of songs from the Foos’ latest, Medicine at Midnight.

The top-selling RSD single release was Pearl Jam’s “Alive,” which was issued on both 12-inch vinyl and cassette, along with the rare B-sides “Wash,” “Dirty Frank” and a cover of The Beatles’ “I’ve Got a Feeling.”

Here are the top-selling RSD 2021 July 17 drop albums at independent record stores, according to MRC Data:

1. Dee Gees/Foo Fighters, Hail Satin
2. Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Deja Vu: Alternates
3. Beastie Boys, Aglio e Olio
4. Amy Winehouse, Remixes
5. Miles Davis, Champions: Rare Miles From the Complete Jack Johnson Sessions
6. Cat Stevens, Harold & Maude: The Songs From the Original Movie (Soundtrack)
7. The Rolling Stones, Hot Rocks 1964-1971
8. Allman Brothers Band, The Final Note: Painters Mill Music Fair, Owings Mills, MD 10-17-71
9. John Prine, Live: At the Other End, Dec. 1975
10. The Ramones, Triple J Live at the Wireless: Capital Theatre, Sydney, Australia, July 8, 1980

And here are the top-selling singles:

1. Pearl Jam, “Alive”
2. Fleet Foxes featuring Resistance Revival Chorus, “Can I Believe You ” / “Wading in Waist-High Water”
3. St. Vincent, “Piggy ” / “Sad But True “
4. Bob Dylan, “Jokerman” / “I and I ” (Remixes)
5. Karen O & Willie Nelson, “Under Pressure “
6. Dio, “God Hates Heavy Metal “
7. Denzel Curry & Robert Glasper, “So Incredible ” / “This Changes Everything ” (Live from Leimert Park)
8. ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic, “Beat on the Brat “
9. Jxdn, “Angels & Demons ” / “Drivers License”
10. The Dirty Knobs, “Humdinger “/ “Feelin’ High “

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Director Ridley Scott has unveiled the trailer for his much-anticipated new film, House of Gucci.

Adam Driver plays assassinated fashion mogul Maurizio Gucci, while an almost unrecognizable Jared Leto plays his cousin, Paulo, and Lady Gaga plays Maurizio’s ex-wife, Patrizia Reggiani, who was convicted of arranging his murder. Maurizio was the grandson of the iconic label’s founder, Guccio Gucci.

As Blondie‘s “Heart of Glass” floats in the background, Gaga says in an Italian accent, “It was a name that sounded so sweet… Synonymous with wealth, style, power. But that name was a curse, too.”

The trailer shows Patricia and Maurizio’s wedding, the trappings of the fabulous wealth that the House of Gucci accumulated and, ultimately, the family drama.

“You need to take out the trash,” Gaga’s Patrizia tells her husband.

“But they’re my family,” Driver’s character protests. 

“So am I,” the ambitious Patrizia replies. 

“You picked a real firecracker,” Oscar-winner Leto’s balding, bloated Paulo replies, rolling his R’s in a way that would make any Italian language teacher proud.

As the trailer takes a dark turn, title cards flash on screen reading: “Money,” “Family,” “Power,” “Betrayal,” “Sex,” “Loyalty,” “Scandal,” “Ambition” and, ultimately, “Murder.”

After an assassin raises his pistol, the trailer cuts to Gaga’s Patrizia in a stylish ski outfit, sipping an espresso by the slopes. “I don’t consider myself an ethical person,” she confesses. “But I am fair.” 

In the final scene, she makes the sign of the cross, saying “Father, Son, and House of Gucci.”

House of Gucci also stars Salma Hayek, and Oscar winners Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons.  It hits theaters November 24.

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Silk Sonic, the dynamic duo comprised of Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars, delighted fans by dropping “Skate,” their brand new single on Friday.

The groovy throwback tune, which infuses elements of the funk and soul music that flourished in the ’70s, serves as an invitation for .Paak and Mars’ object of affection that they hail as a “hundred dollars” in a “room full of dimes.”

“Got your hair in the wind and your skin glistening/ I can smell your sweet perfume/ Mmm, you smell better than a barbecue/ Oh, superstar is what you are,” the duo croons over a swell of strings, electric guitars and a rich chorus of drums.

The two then plead over a smooth refrain for the one they have their eye on to “skate to me” and “slide your way on over” because they “want to get to know ya.”

The sensual and charismatic tune, paired with a playful music video featuring the duo serenading a crowd of female skaters, is sure to skate its way up the Billboard charts.

The two previously hailed “Skate” as a “summertime jam” when teasing it on social media and fans are already predicting it could be a late entry to become the biggest song of the summer. 

“Skate” follows in the footsteps of the duo’s predecessor, “Leave the Door Open,” which will be featured on their hotly anticipated debut album, An Evening with Silk Sonic. 

The LP’s release date is currently unknown.

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Taylor Swift shared empowering messages for gymnasts Jade Carey and Suni Lee, who stepped up to represent the United States at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics following Simone Biles‘ decision to withdraw from the women’s all-around competition.

Taylor, speaking over the gentle intro of her song “evermore,” expressed confidence in the USA Women’s Gymnastics Team and commended the athletes for giving their all.

“Life can surprise you. It can humble you. It can test you. It can inspire you,” the Grammy winner stated in a new promo, which aired during NBC’s broadcast of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The promo shared never-before-seen video of Biles, Carey and Lee training hard for the Games. Taylor shifted the message to center on how the team is handling Biles’ absence. 

“They didn’t expect this to be the story, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t ready for the spotlight,” she said as the footage shifted to Carey and Lee. “They’ve worked for this.  They’ve dreamed about this.  They belong here.”

Expressing confidence that Team USA will make America proud, Swift exclaimed, “So don’t be surprised as the story takes flight from here in the women’s all around in Tokyo!”

Taylor’s message rang true on Thursday night, with Lee making history by claiming the gold medal for the gymnastics all-around event.  She is now the fifth consecutive gymnastics all-around gold medalist, following in the footsteps of Carly Patterson, Nastia Liukin, Gabby Douglas and teammate Biles, who was last to take home the gold in 2016.

Lee, who is 18, is also the first Hmong American Olympian.  As for Carey, she finished in eighth place, losing points for taking a fall on the balance beam.

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Following the resounding success of her debut studio album WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?, Billie Eilish has embarked on her new era in music with her sophomore release, Happier Than Ever.  And she’s definitely very proud of it.

“I can’t even process it. this was the most fulfilling most satisfying and profound experience i’ve ever had with my music,” the 19-year-old Grammy winner posted on Instagram early Friday morning. “finneas and i were just on cloud 9 making this album i feel.. i love every song on this project so so much it literally scares me thinking about putting it out into the world for anyone to listen to. i feel like crying.”

Happier Than Ever, which boasts 16 tracks that dive into the singer’s most vulnerable thoughts, slides effortlessly between a range of complex emotions. In the deceptively upbeat “Getting Older,” Eilish relives the abuse she suffered that she was unable to confront or tell anyone out of fear. By comparison, her track “Lost Cause” is a ferocious takedown of one of her exes, whom she’s relieved is out of her life.

“I grew so much in the process of making this album and experienced so much self realization and self reflection. i wish i could go back and make this album all over again because it was some of the best nights in my life,” says Billie.

“Please take care of this project, it means the world to me,” she closed in the emotional post.

Happier Than Ever is available to purchase and stream now.

 

 

 

 

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Twenty-five years after its release, no album is as well-qualified to represent the L.B.C. as Sublime‘s self-titled swan song.

The third and final record from trio — featuring frontman Bradley Nowell, bassist Eric Wilson and drummer Bud Gaugh — celebrates its silver anniversary today.

Leading up to Sublime‘s release, the band was already primed to hit it big. They’d amassed a dedicated local following in their hometown of Long Beach, California, and after dropping two albums, 1992’s 40oz. to Freedom and 1994’s Robbin’ the Hood, they signed with MCA Records to record their major label debut.

Tragedy then struck when Nowell died in May 1996 of a heroin overdose while Sublime was on tour. He was 28. Wilson and Gaugh disbanded Sublime, but still decided to release the album they’d completed. The self-titled record dropped July 30, 1996, just two months after Nowell’s passing.

Sublime became a major success, and is now considered one of the most defining albums of the ’90s. It’s been certified five-times Platinum by the RIAA, and spawned hit singles in “Santeria,” “Wrong Way” and “What I Got.”

Another single, the George Gershwin-sampling “Doin’ Time,” received a second life when Lana Del Rey covered it in 2019. Her version hit number one on Billboard‘s Alternative Airplay chart.

Following Sublime‘s release, Wilson and Gaugh continued to play together in different projects before reforming Sublime in 2009 with new lead singer Rome Ramirez. Due to legal reasons, they changed their name to Sublime with Rome.

Gaugh has since left Sublime with Rome, although Wilson remains in the band. The group has released three albums, the most recent of which being 2019’s Blessings.

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When your shoes clash with your wine…ugh, so embarrassing, right?  Well, Jon Bon Jovi is here to save you from that fashion faux pas.

As Wine Spectator reports, Hampton Water rosé, the acclaimed wine created by the New Jersey rocker and his son, Jesse Bongiovi, is teaming with the Italian sportswear brand Superga to create Hampton Water-branded shoes.  According to Jesse, he first encountered the Superga team at a wine event; they “hit it off,” he says, and that led to the idea for the footwear.

The limited-edition “Superga x Hampton Water 2750 Cotu Classic 2021” is a canvas sneaker with a hand-painted Hampton Water logo.  It also has the words “Hampton Water” stitched across the heels and comes with two colors of dip-dyed shoelaces — one in “rosé pink,” of course, and the other in “Mediterranean blue.” 

Two hundred pairs are now available for pre-order, via Superga’s website for $99.  The official release date is August 30, which means you won’t be able to spend Summer 2021 sipping Hampton Water in your Hampton Water sneakers.  But there’s always 2022, and maybe Bon Jovi will be back on the road by then.

Previously, Hampton Water teamed with the high-end candy brand Sugarfina to sell a line of branded rosé-flavored gummies.

 

 

 

 

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Get ready to hear Metallica as you’ve never heard them before.

Last fall, it was revealed that the metal legends had recorded an orchestral version of their song “Nothing Else Matters” for the upcoming Disney movie Jungle Cruise. Now, with the pandemic-delayed film set to finally be released this Friday, we’ve gotten our first preview of what Disney Metallica sounds like.

Brief snippets of the track can be heard in a new Jungle Cruise teaser, which Metallica tweeted Thursday. According to the band, you’ll hear “Nothing Else Matters” not once, but twice in the film.

“It was an honor to work with renowned, legendary [composer] James Newton Howard as we reimagined the song by performing his arrangement and creating a rendition we like to think is fit for an excursion through the Amazon,” Metallica says.

You’ll be able to hear the recording in full when the Jungle Cruise soundtrack drops tomorrow alongside the film, which will screen in theaters and on Disney+ via Premier Access.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

Planning to watch @JungleCruise in theaters or on Disney+ Premier Access tomorrow? Keep an ear out for a totally new and different version of “Nothing Else Matters,” appearing twice in the film! Check out this sneak peek. #JungleCruise pic.twitter.com/APbKEk7d1h

— Metallica (@Metallica) July 29, 2021

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Rick Astley is never gonna give up being happy about the success of his video for “Never Gonna Give You Up.”

As previously reported, the video for the 1987 number-one hit has just hit one billion views on YouTube, making it only the fourth clip from the ’80s to reach that milestone.  In a video reacting to the news, Astley says, “I’ve just been told that ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ has been streamed a billion times on YouTube. That is mind-blowing. The world is a wonderful and beautiful place and I am very lucky.”

Then, in another post, the British singer announced, “To celebrate 1 Billion views for Never Gonna Give You Up I’m releasing a limited & numbered 7” blue vinyl of the song, 2500 of them and I’ll be signing them all!” 

You can pre-order your copy now at Rick’s official online store.

But wait, Rick’s not gonna let you down: There’s also a mini-documentary coming about the video, which was filmed in London and features the singer dancing in an oversized raincoat.  The doc will feature new interviews with the singer, as well as Pete Waterman and Mike Stock of Stock Aitken Waterman, the songwriting and production team that created the track.

The video’s producer will also be interviewed, as well as Simon West, who directed the video before going on to make feature films like Con Air, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and The Expendables 2. More participants will be announced soon.  So far, there’s no release date for the doc.

Meanwhile, Rick has a U.K. arena tour planned for October, which will include free shows for health care and front-line workers.

 

 

 

 

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