Music

For all the Ben Gibbard super fans out there, this tour is for you.

Death Cab for Cutie has announced a co-headlining tour with Gibbard’s The Postal Service side project. The outing will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the two bands’ respective 2003 albums, Transatlanticism and Give Up.

“I know for a fact I will never have a year again like 2003,” Gibbard says. “The Postal Service record came out, Transatlanticism came out. These two records will be on my tombstone, and I’m totally fine with that. I’ve never had a more creatively inspired year.”

The tour kicks off September 8 in Portland, Maine, and will wrap up October 13 in Los Angeles. Tickets go on sale next Friday, December 16, at 10 a.m. local time, with presales beginning Wednesday, December 14.

For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit GiveUpTransatlanticismTour.com.

You can catch just Death Cab on tour supporting their new album, Asphalt Meadows, beginning in January.

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It’s been a year since Meghan Trainor released the music video for “I Believe in Santa,” and the singer is ready to dish on some little-known facts about the festive offering.

Meghan released the “Vevo footnotes” of the music video, which explained how she brought her creative vision to life and why she made the song.

“I’m a Christmas baby and I’ve wanted to write a Christmas album since I was very young. I wrote and produced ‘I Believe in Santa’ with my brothers. When writing the song, I remembered my friends fighting over whether or not Santa was real when we were 10 years old,” Meghan revealed.

She also explained she asked JoJo Siwa to star in the music video because she was “super pregnant” at the time with her son, Riley. “I couldn’t do all of the dancing,” Meghan explained before crediting the video for making her and JoJo closer friends.

It was also disclosed JoJo and her mom, Jessalynn Siwa, designed the whimsical and glitter-filled costumes she wore in the video. In addition, Meghan cast “‘the’ verified Santa J Claus from TikTok” in the music video, but had actor David Haverty do all of his stunts.

Additionally, director Josh Forbes says the music video had an alternate ending where a mecha Santa “picked up JoJo like King Kong and blew up the house with laser eyes.” As for why it wasn’t used, Forbes said “nobody liked it and it was way too expensive.”

The song was featured in A Very Trainor Christmas, which Meghan released in 2020. 

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Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Jet Black, drummer for the influential British punk/new wave band The Stranglers, has died. He was 84.

The band wrote on social media, “It is with heavy hearts we announce the passing of our dear friend, colleague and band elder statesman Jet Black. Jet died peacefully at home surrounded by his family. Fond adieu, fly straight JB.”

In a longer statement on the band’s website, they reveal that founding member Black, born Brian Duffy, died “peacefully at his home on December 6.” He had retired from performing live with the band in 2015 due to respiratory health issues.

Referring to Stranglers keyboard player Dave Greenfield‘s death in 2020 from COVID, bass player and vocalist Jean-Jacques Burnel said, “The welcoming committee has doubled. After years of ill health Jet has finally been released.”

Burnel continued, “He was a force of nature. An inspiration. The Stranglers would not have been if it wasn’t for him. The most erudite of men. A rebel with many causes. Say hi to Dave for me.”

Black, a successful businessman who’d been a semi-professional drummer in the ’50s and ’60s, formed the band in 1974 after he decided to return to music. The Stranglers were identified with the punk rock movement because they toured with The Ramones and Patti Smith, but in actuality, they were older and much more musically adept than the other bands in the genre.

While they never had a U.S. hit, their songs “Peaches,” “No More Heroes,” “Something Better Change,” “Golden Brown,” “Skin Deep” and “Always the Sun” were hits in the United Kingdom and have been heavily used in commercials, TV shows and movies. “Golden Brown” was used in the Black Mirror episode “Metalhead” and in season 2 of The Umbrella Academy.

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Lizzo is going viral for her resounding acceptance speech at the People’s Choice Awards earlier this week, with some fans saying she should run for office. Among those voices is Fleetwood Mac‘s Stevie Nicks.

Lizzo told the crowd while accepting The People’s Champion trophy, “I don’t need a trophy for championing people … to be an icon isn’t about how long you’ve had your platform. Being an icon is what you do with that platform.”

She then brought a group of female activists onstage — 17 in all — and individually highlighted their work, which encompassed anti-gun violence organizations, and protecting the rights of Indigenous peoples, transgender people, women and much more. Images of the activists were shown on video screens around the stage.

“Give them their flowers,” the singer rallied. “Power will always be to the people … follow them and support them.”

Stevie was so moved by Lizzo’s speech that she wrote on her socials, “Dearest Lizzo … your presentation … was not only so beautiful and so needed, that you get the award for being a great woman of our time.”

“I was so impressed and so touched that you put that together and pulled it off,” Stevie continued. “It was stunning, and everyone heard you. You have given all women soundbites forever— flute player, singer, songwriter, future politician…?”

Stevie concluded, “Your name is in the stars now.”

So far, Lizzo hasn’t responded to Stevie’s kind words.

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Armani White is showcasing a musical performance of his hit song “Billie Eilish” exclusively on the Vevo platform. The rapper earned a stamp of approval from the network as one of the DSCVR Artists to Watch in 2023.

The annual campaign, which is headed into its ninth year, “highlights emerging global artists poised to break through in the year ahead,” giving them promotion and exposure across Vevo’s network. White is one of 20 global artists to make the 2023 list.

“VEVO Artist To Watch has a history of being one of those platforms that almost always calls out the next stars early,” White says in a statement. “To be among that is an honor and a challenge I’m gratefully accepting.”

”After spending the last few years refining his craft, Armani White has been showing the world exactly what a dynamic artist looks like. His vivid storytelling is earnest and energetic,” adds Jordan Ferree, manager of artist & label relations. “Whether freestyling while getting his hair braided, or shining on our DSCVR stage, he leaves nothing on the table. The rising MC has lived many lives, and none without adversity. We can’t wait to see the one unfolding as he becomes the star he’s destined to be.”

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The Recording Industry Association of America announced the albums and singles that earned Gold and Platinum certification this year, revealing Future as the man behind the top single of 2022.

According to the trade organization, the rapper’s single “Wait For You” featuring Drake and Tems is certified three-times Platinum, which means it moved 3 million units. Jack Harlow‘s “First Class” also went multiple Platinum this year.

Among the singles that earned Platinum certification are Beyoncé‘s “Break My Soul,” Harlow’s “Nail Tech,” Doja Cat‘s “Vegas,” and Lil Baby‘s “In a Minute” and “Right On.” Nicki Minaj‘s “Super Freaky Girl,” Quavo & Takeoff‘s “Hotel Lobby” and Russ‘ “Newcomer” also moved 1 million units, as did two other Future songs: “Puffin on Zooties” and his collaboration with Gunna, “pushin P.”     

As for the albums that went Platinum in 2022, they include Bey’s Renaissance, Lil Durk‘s 7220 and Future’s I Never Liked You.

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Google released its top trending searches of 2022. Topping the list for musicians was Adam Levine.

Google based its results on queries with high spikes of traffic over a sustained period of time and compared it to 2021’s data. 

As for why Adam topped the list of trending musicians, it’s believed it has something to do with his alleged infidelity. Several women accused the singer of sending them inappropriate messages. Adam admitted his conduct “crossed the line,” but maintained he never cheated on wife Behati Prinsloo, who’s currently pregnant with their third child.

Kate Bush also made the list, finishing in seventh place. Her 1985 song “Running Up That Hill” blew up over the summer after the new season of Stranger Things featured it. On that note, that song was sixth on the list of top trending songs of 2022, while Stranger Things was the second-most-trending TV show this year.

Ricky Martin was the eighth-most-trending artist, which likely stems from his legal battle with nephew Dennis Yadiel Sanchez. Sanchez accused Martin of various misdeeds, which Ricky vehemently denied. He claimed Sanchez was trying to “assassinate” his reputation.

Disney’s Encanto, which is the top trending movie of 2022, took three spots in the top 10 of top trending songs. “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” and “Surface Pressure” came in respective first and second place, while “What Else Can I Do” was 10th.

Other songs making the list were Sam Smith and Kim Petras‘ “Unholy” in fourth place, Harry Styles‘ “As It Was” in fifth, Lizzo‘s “About Damn Time” in eighth and Taylor Swift‘s “Anti-Hero” in ninth. Taylor was also third in trending ticket searches.

When it came to top trending celebrity deaths, Aaron Carter was the fifth, while Olivia Newton-John was sixth.

Disney is the parent company of ABC News.

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Copyright © 2022, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Paramore has premiered a new song called “The News,” which will appear on the band’s upcoming album, This Is Why.

As its title suggests, “The News” reflects Hayley Williams and company’s experience in the world since 2020.

“Lyrically, it probably explains itself,” Williams says. “The 24-hr news cycle is just impossible to comprehend. And I feel a pang of guilt when I unplug to protect my headspace. The common reaction, or non-reaction, seems to be dissociation. Not one of us is innocent of that and who could blame us?”

You can listen to “The News” now via digital outlets and watch its accompanying video streaming now on YouTube.

This Is Why, the long-awaited follow-up to 2017’s After Laughter, arrives February 10. “The News” is the second song to be released from the album, following the title track.

Paramore will launch a U.S. headlining tour in support of This Is Why in May. They’re also opening select dates on Taylor Swift‘s stadium tour in March.

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