Billie Eilish and her brother FINNEAS visited President Joe Biden at the White House on Wednesday.
The duo is currently on Eilish’s Happier Than Ever Tour and had a show scheduled at Washington D.C.’s Capital One Arena, but before they took the stage, they made a pit stop at the White House with their parents. In addition to meeting the president, the siblings got to meet Biden’s newest German shepherd, Commander.
Biden later shared a snapshot of the trio together on social media, and wrote, “When I heard my friends @billieeilish and @finneas were in town for a show, I knew I had to invite them over to the White House. Great to see you and your family — and I’m glad you got to meet Commander.”
Finneas shared the post on his Instagram story and added, “So cool.”
Erika Goldring/Getty Images; Jean Catuffe/Getty Images
In case you missed it, U.S. figure skater Nathan Chenwon the gold medal Wednesday night at the Winter Olympics in Beijing in the men’s singles competition, delivering a thrilling free skate program set to a medley of cover versions of Elton John songs, including “Rocket Man” and “Bennie and the Jets.”
Now, the “Rocket Man” himself has extended congratulations to the 22-year-old athlete via his social media pages.
“Congratulations Nathan Chen for winning Gold skating to ‘Rocket Man’ in the free skate finals in Beijing,” Elton writes.
The British pop-rock legend also points out that Chen is featured in new episodes of the Olympic Channel series From the Top, which Elton executive-produced for his Rocket Sports production company.
Nathan appears with singer/actress Hayley Kiyoko in three segments of the program, which pairs Olympic athletes and music artists together and features them discussing their journeys to success. You can check out the episodes at Olympics.com.
Nicki Minaj is apparently willing to make things right after being criticized for a Black History Month Event she participated in with TikTok.
According to E! Online, on Wednesday, TikTok influencers were invited to a Zoom chat with Nicki as part of TikTok’s Black History Month celebration. But Black TikTok creators later complained that the event, which had a 300-person limit, was dominated by non-Black creators.
After the event, Nicki did an Instagram Live, captured by the SipPink podcast, during which she seemed to address the issue. “I had a really great call, a really great Zoom, with TikTok today. Shoutout to everybody that was on there,” the “Do We Have a Problem” rapper told fans.
But then she went on to note, “I hear you guys. I heard what y’all were saying and let me see if I can schedule something else for you guys, ’cause trust me, I heard y’all loud and clear.”
Black creator Niccoya responded to Nicki’s comments by saying, “WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH QUEEN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING WHEN OTHERS WONT!!”
Nicoya then added, “I’m so glad all the [B]lack creators spoke up and made noise, because if we didn’t and sat in silence nobody would have even KNOWN.”
Denise Truscello/Getty Images for Caesars Entertainment
Sting is the latest rock legend to cash in by selling the rights to his music.
MusicWeek reports that Sting has sold his entire songwriting catalog to Universal Music Publishing Group in a deal that’s worth a reported $250 million. The deal is for Sting’s solo songs, as well as songs by The Police, and includes hits like “Roxanne,” “Every Breath You Take,” “Fields of Gold,” “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” “If I Ever Lose My Faith In You,” “Desert Rose,” “Message In a Bottle” and many more.
MusicWeek reports that the deal is similar to the one Bob Dylan made, in that it includes the rights to the publisher and the writer shares of the songs. It means Sting’s songs are now in the same place as his entire recorded music catalog: Universal Music Group.
In a statement, quoted by MusicWeek, Sting says, “It is absolutely essential to me that my career’s body of work have a home where it is valued and respected — not only to connect with longtime fans in new ways but also to introduce my songs to new audiences, musicians and generations.”
He adds, “Throughout my career, I have enjoyed a long and successful relationship with UMG as my label partner…so it felt natural to unite everything in one trusted home, as I return to the studio, ready for the next chapter.”
The estates of David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen and Paul Simon recently made similar deals regarding their catalogs.
Snoop Dogg is now the proud owner of Death Row Records, the same label that launched his career three decades ago. He signed with the label in 1993 and dropped his debut album, Doggystyle, before later signing with various other labels, including Def Jam.
“I am thrilled and appreciative of the opportunity to acquire the iconic and culturally significant Death Row Records brand, which has immense untapped future value,” Snoop said in a statement. “It feels good to have ownership of the label I was part of at the beginning of my career and as one of the founding members.”
Death Row Records was founded in 1992 by Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, the D.O.C. and Dick Griffey. In addition to Snoop, the label was home to legendary rap icon Tupac Shakur during the 1990s. Ultimately, Death Row filed for bankruptcy in 2006 and bounced around from owner to owner a bit before landing at The Blackstone Group and MRNK Music Group.
Fleetwood Mac in 1977; Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Fleetwood Mac‘s Rumours was released 45 years ago this past week, and in conjunction with the anniversary, drummer Mick Fleetwood reflected on landmark 1977 album with Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe.
Part of the interview focused on the volatile dynamic between the band mates during the making of Rumours.
While working on the album, all five members were dealing with romantic conflicts, as Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham were breaking up, Christine McVie and John McVie had just divorced, and Mick had broken up with his wife.
“[The] five of us were in a state of flux…a lot of pain. And this creature known as Fleetwood Mac and what we were doing became the safe harbor in a way, I believe,” Mick noted. “Was it a complete healing? No, but it has those elements to it, certainly in the complete chaos.”
Having said that, Fleetwood suggested that before the band members had the opportunity to work out their conflicts, the success of Rumours — described by Mick as “the wave of what this body of work created” — drew away their attention.
Fleetwood maintained that the fallout of those conflicts, particularly between Nicks and Buckingham, continues to the present day. Of course, tensions between the two led to Lindsey being fired in 2018.
“[E]specially for Stevie and Lindsey, I don’t think [things] certainly are…resolved fully,” Mick said, “and I wish they were and I visualize those moments as the years trickle by somehow, but I truly, somewhat sadly think…that will go into the rainbow somewhere and never really change.”
Rumours spent 31 weeks at #1 on the Billboard 200, featured four top-10 hits — “Go Your Own Way,” “Dreams,” “Don’t Stop” and “You Make Loving Fun” — and has sold over 20 million copies in the U.S.
The Chainsmokers will headline TikTok’s Tailgate Party this Sunday, in addition to several other Super Bowl events. And while the duo, who are based in L.A., are Rams fans, they’re not counting out the Bengals either.
“That’s a very dangerous question,” The Chainsmokers‘ Drew Taggarttells Uproxx when asked for his predictions. “[If I answer], I automatically p**s off 50% of the people there. But they’re both great teams. I think the energy of the Rams being at home and that stadium is going to really play in their favor. I’ve been really impressed watching them.”
“I’ll admit it, I’m not the biggest football fan…but I know I love being a part of it. I love being part of the events and I’ve been really impressed watching [the Rams] and I think they can persevere in the Super Bowl,” he adds.
However, Drew notes, “I think everyone’s really excited for the Bengals and [quarterback] Joe Burrow might be the most popular man in America right now. And so I know everyone’s kind of rooting for that from the underdog side.”
At the Super Bowl where they’ll be performing, Drew and his musical partner Alex Pall will no doubt play their new single “High,” from their upcoming album, which they recorded in Hawaii in late 2021.
“There’s a lot more depth on this album that I can’t wait for our fans to hear,” Drew tells Uproxx. He adds, “I feel like this album is very genreless, and it’s going to be really fun to have everybody hear stuff that still feels like Chainsmokers, but pulls in a lot of other things that we’ve loved over the years.”
Fans can enter the giveaway by using a QR code that’s printed on a ticket located on the inside of one of the CDs from in the Deluxe Edition of Envy of None’s self-titled debut album, which is due out on April 8. In addition, fans outside of the U.K. can enter by simply sending their full name, postal address and email address to “EON Giveaway, Snapper Music, 52 Lisson Street, London, NW1” by July 11, 2022 — the contest’s closing date. Visit KScopeMusic.com/EONGiveaway for more details.
The Alex Lifeson Epiphone Les Paul Standard Axcess guitar, which was released in June 2021, was based on a similar model on which Lifeson collaborated with Gibson in 2015. The instrument features special modifications requested by Lifeson, including alterations to the pickups and a vibrato setup.
Lifeson’s Epiphone Les Paul Standard Axcess guitar is available for a list price of $899.
As for Envy of None, Lifeson is joined in the band by bassist Andy Curran of the veteran Canadian rock group Coney Hatch, guitarist/keyboardist Alfio Annibalini and singer-songwriter Maiah Wynne.
The album is an 11-track collection that offers up a wide sonic palette, with influences including alternative rock, synth rock and experimental rock mixed with melodic pop. It includes a song titled “Western Sunset,” which Alex wrote as a tribute to late Rush drummer Neil Peart.
Envy of None can be pre-ordered now, and will be issued in multiple formats, including digitally, on CD, on LP and as a deluxe limited-edition collection featuring a blue-vinyl LP, a two-CD set and a booklet.
Sevendust has added a second leg to the band’s upcoming 21st anniversary Animosity tour.
The newly scheduled dates run from April 29 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to May 19 in Birmingham, Alabama. It follows the previously announced first leg, which begins March 4 in Oklahoma City, and concludes March 27 in Nashville.
For the full list of dates and all ticket info, visit Sevendust.com.
Animosity, Sevendust’s third album, was released in November 2001. It includes the singles “Praise” and “Live Again.”
Sevendust released their latest album, Blood & Stone, in 2020. A deluxe version of the record dropped this past December.
Last year, Cardi B and Lizzo collaborated on the number-one hit “Rumors,” and this year, both stars are featured in Super Bowl commercials.
Cardi is joining Lil Dicky in a comical Gopuff comical spot for his imagined event between the first and second quarter of the Super Bowl, called the “Quartertime Show.”
In the ad, Lil Dicky contacts Cardi via FaceTime and asks her, “So are you down to perform at the ‘Quartertime Show’ with me?” to which the “WAP” rapper responds, “Umm…no. Absolutely not,” while sampling some of her vodka-infused Whipshots.
Lizzo provides the soundtrack for a Google Pixel Super Bowl spot. The brief clip for the all-new Pixel 6 camera features a photo of the “Truth Hurts” singer among pics of a wide array of people to show off the product’s Real Tone feature. The three-time Grammy winner is heard singing “If You Love Me,” a previously unreleased song. “‘Cause if you love me, you love all of me/ Or none of me at all,” she croons with backing vocals from a choir.
After dropping a teaser last week, Zendaya has revealed her full-length Super Bowl ad for Squarespace featuring narration by Andre 3000 from Outkast. In the clip, the Euphoria star portrays Sally, and the commercial plays off the classic children’s tongue-twister about a girl named Sally who sell sea shells. With the help of Squarespace, Sally’s failing business becomes a success.
Finally, Eminem is taking advantage of performing in the Super Bowl halftime show with Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg by promoting a family business. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominee is teaming with Postmates to bring his Detroit-based Mom’s Spaghetti restaurant to LA for a pop-up for Super Bowl weekend.
