Music

This year, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is more like the MTV Hall of Fame: The newly-minted inductees are ’80s pop icons Pat Benatar, Lionel Richie, Duran Duran and Eurythmics, plus Carly Simon and country icon Dolly Parton, who also had ‘80s pop hits. The one outlier: rap superstar Eminem. But according to the Hall of Fame’s head honcho, it’s all rock ‘n roll.

“Rock and roll has never been one thing,” says Rock Hall President and CEO Greg Harris. “It’s always been changing. It’s heavily influenced by the youth culture of the era and drives people to think differently, to act differently, to dress differently, to really believe in things.”

“We are seeing that in a big way with this class for the 1980s, but we’ll see it for subsequent decades as time marches on and and we continue to evolve,” he adds. “We’re not stuck in any one sound, but it’s all rock and roll in our book.”

According to the Rock Hall, those honored with induction have created music with “originality, impact and influence [that] has changed the course of rock ‘n roll.”  So how do these ’80s pop stars fit in?

Harris says Pat Benatar “really set a path for lots of female artists to come after her, because she was “in control, uncompromising” and has an “unbelievable vocal range.”  He feels Katy Perry and Miley Cyrus, among others, show her influence.

As for Duran Duran, Harris cites as influential their “infectious melodies” and “complex musical arrangements,” as well as their mixture of guitar and synths, naming The Killers as just one band who followed in their footsteps.

And speaking of guitars and synths, Harris says Eurythmics took those and made it “really funky,” adding that Annie Lennox‘s “unbelievable voice,” really brought “sixties soul into the eighties.” Regarding soul, Harris says, “Lionel Richie is hitting just as hard as Marvin Gaye, in a different era,” noting that acts ranging from Babyface to country superstar Tim McGraw have cited Lionel as an influence.

As for Carly Simon, Harris names Taylor Swift and Alanis Morissette as a few of the women who’ve been impacted by “the honesty of her music and her delivery.” 

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction will be held November 5 at LA’s Microsoft Theater, and will air later on HBO and stream on HBO Max.

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The 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees have been announced, and among this year’s honorees are Pat Benatar, Judas Priest, Duran Duran and Eurythmics.

Benatar, Duran Duran and Eurythmics are among seven artists being inducted in the Performer category, along with country icon Dolly Parton, rapper Eminem, singer/songwriter Carly Simon, and pop/R&B legend Lionel Richie.

Judas Priest will be inducted in conjunction with receiving the Musical Excellence Award, as will acclaimed R&B production duo Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis.

Regarding Benatar’s induction, Rock Hall president and CEO Greg Harris tells ABC Audio that she “really set a path for lots of…female artists,” noting that with her “unbelievable vocal range…she could bring it both [on] ballads and rockers.”

Benatar will be inducted alongside her husband and longtime guitarist, co-producer and songwriting collaborator Neil Giraldo.

Heavy metal fans are sure to be happy about Judas Priest finally being inducted, but perhaps a bit baffled that the dynamic band isn’t part of the Performer category.

Since 2000, the Musical Excellence Award has been presented to 25 musicians, songwriters and producers in recognition of their “originality and influence creating music have had a dramatic impact on music.” Previous recipients include ex-Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, rapper LL Cool J, and late Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Randy Rhoads.

Harris tells ABC Audio, “Judas Priest are going in through this category because they had such a massive influence on the [metal] genre…and being the godfathers.”

While inductees in the Performer category often get the most attention, Harris says Musical Excellence Award recipients, like Judas Priest, are “equal” to the Performer honorees.

“They’re all Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees,” Harris insists.

Meanwhile, reflecting on Duran Duran’s credentials for induction, Harris cites the British New Wave bands “infectious melodies” and “complex musical arrangements,” as well as their mixture of guitar and synths, as influential.

And speaking of guitars and synths, Harris says U.K. duo Eurythmics took those and made them “really funky,” adding that frontwoman Annie Lennox‘s “unbelievable voice” really brought “’60s soul into the ’80s.”

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction will be held November 5 at L.A.’s Microsoft Theater, and will air later on HBO and stream on HBO Max.

This year’s other inductees include Early Influence Award recipients Harry Belafonte and Elizabeth Cotton; and Ahmet Ertegun Award honorees Allen Grubman, Jimmy Iovine and Sylvia Robinson.

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There’s nothing quite like home-cooking, especially when it’s made with a mother’s love. 

For Luke Bryan, there’s no greater delicacy when he’s on the road touring than southern fried chicken, made from his mother LeClaire‘s recipe in a cast iron skillet. But Luke has a specific request when it comes to the size of the bird, noting to Delish that he likes “little bitty chickens, not those big steroid-ed up things that look like half of a turkey.”    

When he’s not cooking up his mother’s fried chicken, you may find Luke in the kitchen whipping up Ore-Ida shoe string French fries in peanut oil, which the superstar cites as the first food he learned how to cook when he was a young boy growing up on a peanut farm in Georgia.

“Totally a safe behavior for a 10-year-old, don’t you think?” he jokes about frying the oil on a stove.

Luke will soon be hitting the road once again when his Raised Up Right Tour kicks off on June 9 in Charleston, WV.  

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Beastie Boys member Adam “MCA” Yauch died 10 years ago Wednesday.

Yauch, Michael “Mike D” Diamond and Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz made up the three main members of the pioneering hip hop/rock group, which made history with 1986’s Licensed to Ill, the first-ever rap album to hit number one on the Billboard 200. Licensed to Ill spawned the hit single “(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!),” and was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2015.

The Beasties followed Licensed to Ill with 1989’s experimental Paul’s Boutique. While it didn’t reach the commercial heights of Licensed to Ill, Paul’s Boutique became a critical darling and is now considered to be highly influential.

Eventually, the trio found themselves back atop the charts with 1994’s Ill Communication, which included the single “Sabotage.” Ill Communication kicked off a streak of three straight number-one Billboard 200 albums, followed by 1998’s Hello Nasty and 2004’s To the 5 Boroughs.

After a one-off instrumental record in 2007, the Beasties released Hot Sauce Committee Part Two in 2011, which would turn out to be their final album. Yauch, who’d announced in 2009 that he’d been diagnosed with cancer, died May 4, 2012, at age 47.

About a month before Yauch died, Beastie Boys were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Yauch did not attend, but sent in a speech read by Horovitz at the ceremony.

Yauch’s death was mourned by artists throughout the music world, and he was memorialized with a park named after him in his hometown of Brooklyn, New York. Horovitz and Diamond have since disbanded Beastie Boys.

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Prior to Grammy-winning musician PJ Morton‘s release of his latest album, Watch the Sun, he alerted the music world about two important aspects of its creation process: the legendary special guests like Jill Scott, El DeBarge and Alex Isley who contributed to the collection of original songs; and the challenge he imposed upon himself to create an unapologetic and vulnerable body of work.

“I’m being more honest, more authentic, more open than I’ve been in the past,” Morton said in a statement ahead of the album’s release last Friday. “As much as people know about me, I’m pretty private about specifics, but these were some real things going on in my life. So it manifested with lyrics that pushed myself.”

To make the 11-track album and its songs, including “Biggest Mistake” and “Still Believe,” the Maroon 5 keyboardist ventured away from his New Orleans home to Bogalusa, Louisiana’s historic Studio in the Country, where music greats such as Betty Davis and Stevie Wonder have recorded in the past.

In conversation with ABC Audio about his experience working alongside Stevie Wonder as well as Nas on the album’s third single, “Be Like Water,” Morton says the collaboration was a “dream come true.”

“It’s a huge honor, obviously, to have two GOATs,” he said. Having previously collaborated on Stevie Wonder’s 2013 single, “Only One,” Morton said they’ve “developed a great relationship” over the years. And after hearing the song and expressing that he loved Stevie Wonder, “like we all do,” said Morton, Nas joining the track was a no-brainer.

Watch the Sun has been two years in the making and now that it’s out, Morton hopes listeners can “connect in a deep way” and experience the same vulnerability he did in creating it.

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Dua Lipa is embracing a healthier lifestyle and recently revealed she’s finally quit smoking.

Speaking on the newest episode of her At Your Service podcast, the “Levitating” hitmaker answered questions from fans and one asked how she manages “the physical toll” of her demanding tour schedule.

“I’ve had to make health changes in my lifestyle when embarking on this tour,” Dua explained. “I actually had laryngitis in December and that kinda kickstarted me quitting smoking a month earlier than I was supposed to!”

“I did it and I have stuck to it,” Dua proudly declared, adding she has a “habit tracker” on her phone to help her stick to her goals. “Every night I tick off all the good things I’ve done for my body and the things I’ve done for myself.”

Dua said quitting smoking is one way she’s stayed on top of her mental health and that it “energizes” her to keep up the good work.

The “New Rules” singer is currently on her pandemic-delayed Future Nostalgia tour, which played over 70 dates since starting in February. It runs into the fall, with a final stop planned in Peth, Australia on November 16.

Dua’s also working on her third studio album.

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Post Malone is going to be a dad!

The “Congratulations” rapper and his girlfriend are reportedly expecting their first child together.

In a statement obtained by TMZ Post Malone, born Austin Post, said “I’m excited for this next chapter in my life, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, and for since I could remember I was sad.”

“Time to take care of my body and my family and friends, and spread as much love as we can every day,” the 26-year-old added.

Malone and his girlfriend, who hasn’t been publicly identified, celebrated with friends and family over the weekend, according to the outlet.

This will be the first child for Malone.

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If you can’t make it to Southern California’s 2022 BeachLife Festival later this month, you can still enjoy the beach vibes from the comfort of your own home.

Select sets from the three-day event, which will be held May 13-15 on Redondo Beach, will stream live online for free. Among the artists you’ll be able to watch include Weezer, The Smashing Pumpkins, Steve Miller Band, 311, Sheryl Crow, Vance Joy, Black Pumas, Stone Temple Pilots and Cold War Kids.

The stream begins May 13 at 1 p.m. PT via BeachLifeFestival.com.

BeachLife tickets are also still available for those who wish to attend in person.

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If you thought for a second that Drake and all of his chart-topping music would be slowing down for any reason, think again. 

According to Variety, the Grammy-winning rapper just signed a massive deal with Universal Music Group that, while its value hasn’t officially been revealed, sources say could be worth upwards of $400 million.

What was confirmed by UMG chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge on the company’s Q1 earnings call Tuesday morning that Variety attended were other details of the deal, such as it stretches across multiple projects, including recordings, merchandise and visual media. 

Drake’s partnership follows that of a similar UMG deal inked recently by The Weeknd, whose contract terms were also not shared. 

While we may not know the exact number, Drake is said to be on his way to making lots of cash with the new venture — a “Lebron-sized” deal as one insider referred to it. 

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