Music – Page 3425 – 105.7 WDNY

Is *NSYNC’s ‘Home for Christmas’ really a holiday classic? Lance and Joey weigh in

December 20, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Most artists wait until they’ve established themselves before releasing a Christmas record, but *NSYNC did it with their second album. Today, 1998’s Home for Christmas is considered a Christmas pop classic, though Lance Bass still thinks it’s odd that they made it so early in their career.

“It was so strange,” he laughs. “I was just talking about that with AJ McLean from the Backstreet Boys, ’cause they just did a Christmas album that’s coming out next year. I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh…I can’t believe after only knowing each other for two years, we…came out with a Christmas album!'”

Lance says he’s pleasantly surprised that the album has stood the test of time. “We do not think it would be accepted as well as it has [been],” he notes. “Because…in 1998, we were just stupid little teenagers in a boy band that no one really knew yet.”

But Joey Fatone tells ABC Audio that the album — and its big single “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays” — really hold up.

“I listen to it every time the holidays come around,” he says, laughing. “The songs are good! The songs ring true! The songs are fun…and now it’s becoming some sort of a classic.”

Joey adds, “It’s weird to know that there’s a possibility when I’m gone or when all of us are gone…they’re still gonna be playing that album…[and] that song.”

Lance, meanwhile, is preparing for his “magical” first Christmas as a dad to newborn twins Alexander and Violet, and he can’t wait to share his favorite holiday traditions with them.

“I always loved finding our Christmas tree together and…decorat[ing] it together and looking at all the memories as you put every little ornament on,” he says. “And so I’m excited to…go down memory lane every year and decorate the tree with the kids.”

Adele, Ed Sheeran lead BRIT Awards nominations

December 18, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Adele and Ed Sheeran are among the leading nominees for the 2022 BRIT Awards, the U.K. equivalent of the Grammys.

Both Adele and Ed have four nominations, including Artist of the Year, Song of the Year — “Easy on Me” and “Bad Habits” respectively — as well as Best Pop/R&B Act. Additionally, Adele’s 30 and Ed’s Equals are both up for Mastercard Album of the Year.

Other nominees for Song of the Year include Elton John and Dua Lipa‘s “Cold Heart” and “Heat Waves” by Glass Animals. Dua is also up for Best Pop/R&B Act, while Glass Animals and Coldplay are up for Best Rock/Alternative Act. Coldplay is also up for Best Group.

Notably, gender-based categories have been removed.

In the International categories, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Nas X, Doja Cat and Billie Eilish are up for Artist of the Year, while BTS, Silk Sonic, Måneskin and reunited Swedish icons ABBA are up for Group of the Year.

International Song of the Year nominees include:

Billie Eilish – “Happier Than Ever”
Doja Cat feat. SZA – “Kiss Me More”
The Kid Laroi & Justin Bieber – “Stay”
Lil Nas X – “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)”
Måneskin – “I Wanna Be Your Slave”
Olivia Rodrigo – “Good 4 U”
Polo G – “Rapstar”
The Weeknd – “Save Your Tears”

The 2022 BRIT Awards will be handed out February 8, 2022 at London’s O2 Arena and livestreamed globally on YouTube.

Queen’s Brian May tests positive for COVID: “PLEASE take extra care out there”

December 18, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Queen‘s Brian May is the latest musician to test positive for COVID-19.

Displaying a positive result on a home COVID test, the 74-year-old guitarist wrote on Instagram, “Yep. The shocking day finally came for me. The dreaded double red line. And yes – definitely NO sympathy please – it has been a truly horrible few days, but I’m OK. And I will tell the tale.”

“PLEASE take extra care out there, good folks,” he added. “This thing is incredibly transmissible. You really do NOT want it messing up YOUR Christmas.”

Over the past few weeks, various pop and rock musicians, from Bryan Adams to singer/rapper Lil Nas X, have revealed positive COVID tests. May’s test comes as the omicron variant sweeps through his native U.K.: In London alone, there have been 65,525 new confirmed cases in the past week, and more than 26,000 in the past 24 hours alone.

Earlier in the year, May spoke out against anti-vaxxers, saying, “There’s plenty of evidence to show that vaccination helps. On the whole they’ve been very safe. There’s always going to be some side effect in any drug you take, but to go around saying vaccines are a plot to kill you, I’m sorry, that goes in the fruitcake jar for me.”

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Cage the Elephant releases new t-shirt for Kentucky tornado relief

December 18, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Cage the Elephant has released a new t-shirt to raise money for the relief efforts in Kentucky after the band’s home state was hit by devastating tornadoes earlier this month.

The shirt features a drawing of the Kentucky state lines with a heart marking the city of Bowling Green, where brothers Matt and Brad Shultz were born and started Cage the Elephant. You can pre-order one now via CagetheElephant.com.

The tornadoes have killed at least 91 people, over 70 of whom lived in Kentucky. Illinois, Tennessee, Arkansas and Missouri also suffered fatalities.

KENTUCKY TORNADO RELIEF T-SHIRT

All proceeds will be donated to the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund and other charities benefiting individuals and families in Bowling Green and other parts of Kentucky who were impacted by the recent tornados.https://t.co/PEFysNBoNH pic.twitter.com/WzXmFsmb4J

— Cage The Elephant (@CageTheElephant) December 17, 2021

Stevie Nicks to headline 2022 Jazz Aspen Snowmass fest after canceling 2021 appearance at event

December 18, 2021 by WDNY Radio

When Stevie Nicks canceled all of her scheduled 2021 performances a few months back over concerns about COVID-19, one of the shows was a headlining appearance at the Jazz Aspen Snowmass festival. Well, the Fleetwood Mac singer has now been announced as one of the headliners for next year’s edition of the Colorado fest, making it her first confirmed concert of 2022.

Nicks is one of three headliners announced for Jazz Aspen Snowmass’ 2022 Labor Day Experience, set for September 2-4 in Snowmass, Colorado. The other two headliners are country star Chris Stapleton and R&B singer Leon Bridges.

Early bird three-day passes will go on sale starting Monday, December 20, at 10 a.m. MT. In addition to general admission passes, you can buy Deck Passes, which entitle you to complimentary grille food, as well as access to a private bar and restrooms.

The Labor Day Experience was reinstated last year following a COVID-19 pandemic-related cancellation in 2020. As of now, Jazz Aspen Snowmass plans to require attendees show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination, or a negative test result taken within 72 hours.

Jazz Aspen Snowmass is a non-profit organization founded in 1991 that aims to “present and preserve jazz and related forms of music through world-class events, performances and education programs,” according to its website.

Meanwhile, Nicks is featured on a track called “Stolen Car” on Elton John‘s new collaborative album, The Lockdown Sessions, which debuted at #10 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Archival Chuck Berry live album released today, recorded during the 2000s at his hometown club Blueberry Hill

December 18, 2021 by WDNY Radio

The recently announced archival Chuck Berry album Live from Blueberry Hill was released today on CD and digital formats.

The album features 10 performances recorded between July 2005 and January 2006 at the shows that the legendary rock ‘n’ roll pioneer and his backing band played regularly at the Blueberry Hill restaurant and club near his hometown of St. Louis.

Live from Blueberry Hill boasts renditions of many of Chuck’s most famous tunes, including “Roll Over Beethoven,” “Rock and Roll Music,” “Sweet Little Sixteen,” “Around and Around” and, of course, “Johnny B. Goode.”

Berry’s backing group at the Blueberry Hill shows included his daughter Ingrid on harmonica and his son Charles Berry Jr. on guitar.

In a new interview with the St.Louis Post-Dispatch, Charles says the album is “a serious bonus prize for us and for any fan of my father,” adding, “My whole family is very excited for there to be a non-bootleg release of the Blueberry Hill recordings.”

Chuck’s son notes that his father and the band were in great form at the concerts and that the recordings are “real deal, high quality.”

During his later years, Berry performed 209 times at Blueberry Hill’s The Duck Room, named after Chuck’s famous “duck walk” stage move.

“Out of all the places Dad liked to play, Blueberry Hill was his favorite,” Charles tells the newspaper. “He loved it. We all loved it. It’s an intimate venue, and he could just relax and do what he wanted.”

Regarding whether there are plans for more archival releases, Charles says, “I can’t reveal. But there’s always the possibility of something new and exciting.”

Vinyl versions of Live from Blueberry Hill will be released on April 15, 2022, and can be pre-ordered now.

Berry died in 2017 at age 90.

White All Over: Dave Clark Five’s debut album, ‘Glad All Over,’ reissued on white vinyl

December 17, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Legendary British Invasion band The Dave Clark Five‘s 1964 debut U.S. album Glad All Over was reissued today as a limited-edition white vinyl LP.

This marks the first time Glad All Over has been available on vinyl since 1964.

The album reached #3 on the Billboard 200 chart, and yielded three hit singles — the title track, “Bits and Pieces” and “Do You Love Me,” which peaked at #6, #4 and #11, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 100. The song “Glad All Over” also was a #1 hit in the U.K.

In 1965, the Glad All Over album was certified gold by the RIAA for sales of 500,000 copies in the U.S.

The reissue was remastered at London’s Abbey Road Studios by band leader and drummer Dave Clark himself.

The Dave Clark Five went on to score six more top-10 hits during the 1960s — “Can’t You See That She’s Mine,” “Because,” “I Like It Like That, “Catch Us If You Can,” “You Got What It Takes” and the chart-topping “Over and Over. The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.

Here’s the full Glad All Over track list:

Side A
“Glad All Over”
“All of the Time”
“Crying Over You”
“Stay”
“Chaquita”
“Do You Love Me”

Side B
“Bits and Pieces”
“I Know You”
“3406”
“Time”
“Who Do You Think You’re Talking To”

Eric Clapton to release new single, “Heart of a Child,” on Christmas Eve

December 17, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Eric Clapton is planning a little holiday gift for fans, announcing plans to release a new song called “Heart of a Child” next Friday…Christmas Eve.

The digital track can be pre-saved and pre-added now.

Interestingly, Clapton co-wrote the song with Robin Monotti, an Italian film producer and architect who identifies as a pro-vaccine-safety advocate, and who apparently espouses similar anti-lockdown views to Eric.

“Heart of a Child” was co-produced by Clapton and his longtime studio collaborator Simon Climie. Musicians joining Eric on the track include Sonny Emory on drums, Nathan East on bass, Dirk Powell on mandolin, Daniel Santiago and Pedro Martins on guitar, Climie on keyboards and percussion, and Sharon White and Katie Kissoon on backing vocals.

Strings on the track were arranged and conducted by Nick Ingman, and the strings were led by violinist Everton Nelson. Ingman also arranged and conducted strings on Clapton’s recent single “This Has Gotta Stop.”

Jimmie Allen’s hoping to keep the cross-genre duets coming, and he’s got a special message for Beyoncé

December 17, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Jimmie Allen saw his star skyrocket in 2021, capping off a big year with a Grammy nomination in the all-genre Best New Artist category.

In a new interview with Billboard, he says the magnitude of that mention didn’t fully hit him until much later, during a conversation with a songwriter friend in the pop and R&B worlds.

“He said, ‘This nomination is bigger than you because you are a Black man from Delaware having success in country music,’” Jimmie remembers his friend saying. “‘Your Grammy nomination came from your success in country music, a genre of music that [people] don’t really associate Black people with too much. Win or lose, you have the ability here to inspire people that want to do something [similar], but they don’t see a lot of people that look like them.’”

Jimmie’s profile in the genre and beyond has also risen due to versatile collaborations. For example, the deluxe edition of his Bettie James album features guest spots from the likes of R&B singer-songwriter Babyface and pop/soul star Monica, as well as country stalwarts like Brad Paisley, whose duet with Jimmie, “Freedom Is a Highway,” is a country radio hit.

He’s not planning to slow his collaborations game down, either: Jimmie would love to team up with other out-of-genre artists like Will Smith and Stevie Wonder, plus country legends like Shania Twain.

“Beyoncé and Jay-Z are definitely two dream people on my list,” he adds. “There were rumors about her wanting to do a country song or a country record. Listen, Beyoncé: I’m here. Let’s get cracking.”

New Music Friday: Roddy Ricch, the Weeknd, Gucci Mane, and Nick Cannon’s ‘Miracles Across 125th Street’ soundtrack

December 17, 2021 by WDNY Radio

Roddy Ricch dropped his second studio album, LIVE LIFE FAST, on Friday, featuring Future, 21 Savage, Kodak Black, Ty Doll $ign, Lil Baby, Gunna, and Takeoff from Migos. The 18-track project is the follow-up to his 2019 RIAA double-Platinum debut album, Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial. The Grammy winner also debuted the video for “25 million” from the album. The 23-year-old rapper recently celebrated “The Box” from Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial being RIAA-certified Diamond for ten million sales.

The Weeknd served double duty Friday, dropping two tracks with separate artists. The three-time Grammy winner is featured on the latest posthumous release by Aaliyah, “Poison.” The song is the first single from her upcoming album, Unstoppable, due in 2022. The Toronto star previously sampled her 2002 hit “Rock the Boat” on “What You Need,” from his 2011 mixtape, House of Balloons. The Weeknd is also featured on FKA Twigs’ new song, “Tears in the Club”. The new tracks follows the “Blinding Lights” singer’s previous release, “One Right Now,” with Post Malone, which dropped on November 5

Also, Gucci Mane is celebrating the holidays with his So Icy Christmas compilation album. The “Trap God” recorded five solo tracks on the project, which also features several of the artists from his 1017 Global Music label, including BigWalkDog, BiC Fizzle, and Hotboy Wes.

Finally, Nick Cannon released the soundtrack for his holiday film Miracles Across 125th Street, which he directed, produced, and in which he stars. The 13 tracks feature Cannon, as well as several of the cast members, including Teyana Taylor, Fred Hammond, Lil Kim, Jim Jones, Karen Clark-Sheard, Kierra Sheard, and Kiki Sheard. Miracles Across 125th Street premieres Monday, December 20 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on VH1.

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