Music

Fozzy frontman Chris Jericho was reportedly hospitalized with a “non COVID-related, treatable health issue.”

That’s according to the U.K.’s Sin City Swansea venue, where the “Judas” rockers were scheduled to play Friday.

“We were devastated to learn that Fozzy will have to cancel their planned date with us,” reads a statement posted to the club’s Facebook. The post also says that the venue received a message from Fozzy reading, “Chris was checked into hospital by doctors, with a non COVID related, treatable health issue.”

Fozzy also posted a statement on their own social media, writing that “due to circumstances beyond our control,” they will not be playing the Swansea gig. The statement made no mention of Jericho’s condition, though a rep for the band tells People that Chris is “feeling much better” and will “hopefully will be out of the hospital quickly.”

Fozzy had just announced the details of their new album Boombox earlier Friday. The record, due out April 15, includes the singles “Sane” and “Nowhere to Run.”

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Elvis Costello has released another track from his forthcoming album with The Imposters, The Boy Named If, due out January 14.

The new song, “Paint the Red Rose Blue,” is out now, and Costello describes it as “the account of someone who has long-courted theatrical darkness, only for its violence and cruelty to become all too real.”

“In its wake, a bereft couple learn to love again, painting a melancholy blue over the red of romance,” he adds.
    
As previously reported, in addition to the usual formats, The Boy Named If will also be available as an 88-page “hardback storybook edition,” each copy of which will be signed and numbered by Elvis.  It’ll feature 13 illustrated short stories, each one based on one of the album’s songs.

While he’s always been prolific, Costello’s been releasing albums at a steady clip since the start of the pandemic, beginning with Hey Clockface in October of 2020.  This past March, he put out an EP featuring new versions of six songs from that album sung in French by various people, including Iggy Pop. 

Then in September, Costello released Spanish Model, a Spanish-language version of his 1978 album This Year’s Model featuring famous Latin music artists.

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Alicia Keys released her eighth studio album, a double album, simply titled, KEYS. The 26-track project features Khalid, Lucky Daye, Lil Wayne, Brandi Carlile, Pusha T, and Swae Lee. The 15-time Grammy winner offers a dual audio experience; an Originals side with new songs, and an Unlocked side which samples the original tracks. Alicia also dropped a new video, “Old Memories,” on Friday, and performed via livestream at the Dubai UAE Infinite Nights concert series. 

Rick Ross dropped his 11th studio album, Richer Than I Ever Been, the follow-up to his 2019 Port of Miami. Wiz Khalifa, The-Dream, Bennie the Butcher, Wale, Future, and DreamDoll are among the stars featured on the 12 tracks. Also on Friday, Ricky Rozay released the video for “Outlawz” featuring Jazmine Sullivan and 21 Savage.   

Following the first Juice WRLD Day Thursday which was livestreamed from the United Center in Chicago, Fighting Demons, WRLD’s fourth studio album, dropped Friday featuring collaborations with Justin Bieber, Trippie Redd, SUGA of BTS, and Polo G. This second posthumous album is the follow-up to 2020’s Legends Never Die which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The late Juice WRLD will be remembered with the HBO documentary, Into the Abyss, debuting December 16. 

Finally, Cash Money Records co-founder Birdman and YoungBoy Never Broke Again have teamed for the 13-track duo mixtape, From The Bayou. Birdman, who launched the careers of Lil Wayne, Drake and Nicki Minaj, recently predicted that YoungBoy can be the best MC in five years, saying, “I think NBA YoungBoy might be the biggest rapper.”

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AJR‘s Adam Met is certainly ending 2021 with a “Bang!”

The oldest member of the brother trio has earned his PhD from the U.K.’s University of Birmingham. The band announced the news in a tweet Thursday, alongside a photo of Adam holding a copy of his thesis, which is titled Stakeholder Approaches to Human Rights and Development in the Commercial Context.

“Introducing…Dr. Adam Met,” the caption reads. “After years of study, he officially has his PhD.”

Adam’s academic pursuits were previously highlighted in a 2019 New York Times article, which mentioned he was “PhD candidate in international human rights law.”

In addition to officially becoming a Doctor of Philosophy this year, Adam’s 2021 included releasing the new AJR album OK ORCHESTRA, which dropped in March. The record includes the singles “Bang!” and “Way Less Sad.”

Introducing… Dr. Adam Met. After years of study, he officially has his PhD. @AdamAJRbrothers pic.twitter.com/4njG7yStXG

— AJR (@AJRBrothers) December 9, 2021

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Former Flyleaf frontwoman Lacey Sturm has released a new solo single called “Awaken Love.”

The track was co-written by Skillet‘s Korey Cooper. You can download it now via digital outlets.

“Awaken Love” is Sturm’s second song of 2021, following February’s “State of Me.” She released her first and, so far, only solo album, Life Screams, in 2016.

Sturm sang on Flyleaf’s first three albums before leaving the group in 2012. She was replaced by vocalist Kristen May, who then left Flyleaf in 2016. The band’s been on hiatus since.

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A Washington home where Kurt Cobain spent part of his childhood is up for sale.

Located at 413 S Fleet Street in the city of Montesano, the house costs $279,000, and includes over 1,600 square feet of living space.

According to Rolling Stone, the realty team behind the sale didn’t initially realize the history of the address, where Cobain had lived from 1978 to 1982 with his father, Don.

“None of us knew it was until the photographer [Alicia Tisdale] took a picture of it,” realtor Colt Fairley tells Rolling Stone. “She knows Aberdeen pretty well. She was like, ‘Oh my god, this is Kurt Cobain’s house.’ His dad, Donald, tried to make the entire house into a ship.”

You can check out the listing via the site Redfin.com. But if you’re thinking of making a move, the realtor notes that they’ve already received three offers.

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Carrie Underwood’s 2020 Christmas album, My Gift, is on a roll as it heads into its second holiday season. The record, along with its deluxe Special Edition iteration, has notched RIAA Gold certification, with over 300 million global streams to date.

Meanwhile, Carrie’s 2020 holiday special is airing once again this year, streaming on HBO Max, and she’s spreading plenty of seasonal cheer across a number of new televised performances, too.

Carrie’s joining John Legend for the season finale of NBC’s The Voice, where they’ll perform their original holiday song, “Hallelujah,” which appears on My Gift’s track list. Next up, the singer is on the bill for the “Opry Live: USO Holiday Special,” followed by a December 23 headlining appearance at Australia’s “Woolworths Carols in the Domain” and a Christmas Eve performance on NBC’s TODAY.

That’s in addition to the several Christmas-themed performances Carrie’s already given so far in 2021. She performed another song off My Gift during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and she was also part of the CMA Country Christmas lineup this year.

Plus, Carrie contributed a brand-new track to fans’ stockings this year with the release of her song, “Stretchy Pants,” a light-hearted ode to holiday over-eating.

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