Music

The prospect of South Korea’s mandatory military service has been looming over BTS for quite some time now.  Despite a 2018 law allowing certain K-pop musicians to postpone their military service until the age of 30, the group’s oldest member, Jin, will hit that milestone in December. But now, a Korean government official has proposed another way.

The mayor of the South Korean city of Busan recently appointed BTS as PR ambassadors for promoting that city’s bid to host the 2030 World Expo. Now, Korea’s Yonhap News Agency reports that the mayor has asked the office of the president of South Korea to allow BTS to do “alternative military service.”

The mayor’s idea is to have the group’s work as Busan’s PR ambassadors stand in for their military service. He said, “If BTS is allowed alternative military service, its members will be assigned with national duties as heavy as military service and will serve the nation in their unique capacity.”

It’s not clear if that proposal will be approved. According to Billboard, the members of BTS have said that they’re willing to serve in the military, and the South Korean parliament has considered a bill shortening K-pop stars’ military service from two years to three weeks.

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Spoon has announced a vinyl reissue of the band’s 2002 album, Kill the Moonlight.

The limited edition white LP will be released September 9 and is available to preorder now.

Kill the Moonlight was Spoon’s fourth studio effort and spawned the single “The Way We Get By,” which, like many other indie rock songs of the time, was notably featured on the soundtrack for the TV show The O.C.

Spoon’s most recent album is this year’s Lucifer on the Sofa, which includes the single “The Hardest Cut.” The group will resume touring in support of Lucifer on the Sofa on a co-headlining run with Interpol, launching August 25 in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

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Rick Ross is breaking his silence after several of his Wingstop locations were fined for labor law violations.

As reported by XXL, employees at five Wingstop restaurants in Mississippi were illegally forced to foot the bill for background checks, safety training and uniforms, dropping their hourly rates below the $7.25 federal minimum wage. A 15-year-old employee was also revealed to have worked past 10 p.m. on multiple occasions — despite a law that specifically prohibits those under 16 from working after 7 p.m.

The violations subsequently resulted in a fine; Ross’ Boss Wings Enterprises LLC was forced to pay roughly $114,000 “in back wages, liquidated damages and civil penalties” to the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division. The rapper has since taken accountability for the missteps.

“When you’re running a business, there will be mistakes,” Ross said in clips shared on his Instagram Stories. “But as the biggest boss, you never make the same mistake twice. You see, accountability. Taking accountability is big when you the biggest. And remember this, most successful people don’t take stumbling as a set back, but actually a stepping stone to greater things you heard me? Let’s be great. A toast to the hustlers.”

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Inquiring Migos fans have been wanting to know why Takeoff was the only member without a verse on their hit “Bad & Boujee.” Nearly six years after the song’s release, there is finally an explanation.

In a teaser for the return of Elliott Wilson and Brian “B. Dot” Miller‘s Rap Radar podcast, Quavo chalked Takeoff’s exclusion up to lack of time, as the group was eager to release a new record.

“I just think it was just timing,” he said. “We was just tryna get something out. We was actually pissed off because we ain’t have no music out a couple months before that little wave.”

The group, Huncho added, eventually decided to leak the song on SoundCloud, as they were embroiled in a lawsuit with their former label, 300 Entertainment.

“Bad & Boujee” was released in 2016 and featured a guest verse from Lil Uzi Vert. The song, Quavo revealed, was supposed to be a collaboration solely between Offset and Lil Uzi, but he managed to squeeze in a verse at the last minute.

“I wasn’t even finna be on it. It was gonna be Set and Uzi,” Huncho explained. “I had to do my verse on some quick, fast, rush shit. It was just everybody running to the song and trying to get it done.”

Fortunately, the single performed well, earning Migos a #1 hit, a Grammy nomination and a four-times Platinum certification.

The Rap Radar interview featuring Quavo and Takeoff — also known as Unc & Phew — premieres Thursday. As for Offset, he’s preparing for the release of his new single, “54321,” due out on Friday.

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Just like they’ve done with Harry Styles, Zayn Malik and Liam Payne, The X Factor UK has released Louis Tomlinson‘s complete first audition. Surprisingly, the majority of the video is comprised of unseen footage.

The then-18-year-old singer is a bundle of nerves as he tries to impress judges Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Nicole Scherzinger. Despite his nervousness, the judges keep giving Louis a chance to prove himself — by letting him sing multiple songs.

He starts off by singing Scouting For Girls‘ “Elvis Ain’t Dead,” but Cowell cuts off the music after a few seconds and asks, “What other songs [can you sing]?”

Louis offers to sing Plain White T’s‘ “Hey There Delilah,” and the judges pick up on the fact that he is trying to hold himself together.  

“Louis, calm down. It’s a much better song,” Simon instructs, then offers even better advice when the singer admits he’s “so nervous.”

“Look, you know what,” the mega producer says, “You’re actually doing well, which is why we asked you to do a second song. Right? So this is a better song for you.”

Louis manages to stumble through the song, but the judges detect that he just needs to come out of his shell to show them what he’s truly capable of.  

“You look a little defeated,” Scherzinger notes, adding he sings so much better when he isn’t pacing the stage.  She nods sympathetically as Louis explains he can “do so much better.”  But it’s his, “Please, give me a chance,” that really gets the audience on his side.

We all know what happens next — he’s put through to the next round and becomes a member of One Direction, and the rest is history.

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Cole Swindell added three more dates to his Back Down to the Bar tour this week. In October, he’ll make two extra stops in Georgia, and he also just added a show in Charlotte, North Carolina. For a full list of Back Down to the Bar tour dates, visit his website.

Ashland Craft, Chapel Hart and Brittney Spencer are all on the bill for CMT’s upcoming “Next Women of Country” showcase, set to take place September 28 at City Winery in Nashville.

The Cadillac Three are beefing up their U.S. Hillbilly Hypnotized Tour with several new dates. Check their website to see the full calendar.

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Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness has premiered a new single called “Stars.”

“The song is really about how loving someone can be both beautiful and painful,” McMahon explains. “How the hardships and joy visited upon the person you love become your own. When you really love someone, you love them baggage and all.”

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

The most recent Wilderness album is 2018’s Upside Down Flowers. Since then, McMahon has released the one-off singles “Get on My Wave” and “New Year Song.”

McMahon is currently on a U.S. tour with Dashboard Confessional. The joint outing continues Wednesday in Baltimore.

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Is Jane’s Addiction hinting at a reunion with Eric Avery?

In a tweet Wednesday, the “Been Caught Stealing” rockers posted a video featuring Avery jamming on a bass alongside frontman Perry Farrell. Sadly, the video doesn’t feature the audio from the session, just the hiss of static feedback.

Avery is an original member of Jane’s Addiction and played with the group through their 1991 breakup. He eventually rejoined Jane’s from 2008 to 2010, but he didn’t play on either of the band’s reunion records, 2003’s Strays and 2011’s The Great Escape Artist.

If Avery is indeed back in Jane’s, that raises the question of what becomes of Chris Chaney, who’s played bass in the band since 2011. There’s also uncertainly surrounding guitarist Dave Navarro, whose “long bout” with COVID-19 forced Jane’s to scrap their set at this year’s Welcome to Rockville festival. Jane’s was also set to play Lollapalooza last month, but was quietly removed from the lineup. In both cases, Jane’s was replaced by the reunited Porno for Pyros, which is also fronted by Farrell.

Meanwhile, Farrell recently told Spin that new Jane’s material is in the works, and the band is set to embark on a U.S. tour with The Smashing Pumpkins in October.

Stay tuned.

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