Music

Camila Cabello and Alessia Cara are just a few of the artists who’ve released new holiday tracks today via Amazon Music’s Amazon Originals program.

Camila has recorded “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” while Alessia takes on “Jingle Bell Rock.”  Other artists participating this year include George Ezra, Dan + Shay, Norah Jones, She & Him, NEEDTOBREATHE and more.

“I’ve been traveling a lot since I was 15 and started working so I chose to record [“I’ll Be Home for Christmas”] as an Amazon Original because I’ve always looked forward to being home in Miami with my family for Christmas,” says Camila in a statement. “I wanted to continue the world of my upcoming album Familia by having it be a Mariachi rendition because I’m half-Mexican and I grew up listening to Mariachi music.”

“I’m excited to be on people’s Christmas playlists because it’s such a magical time of the year and getting to be part of the soundtrack during such an intimate family and friend holiday season is a real honor,” Camila adds. “It’s truly special and really sacred.”

Dan + Shay, who rerecorded an original song called “Pick Out a Christmas Tree,” say in a statement, “We sat down to write our song and it sort of poured out of us — it was just the soundtrack for folks going out, families, friends going to a Christmas tree farm, or going to a store down the street and picking out a Christmas tree…hopefully it brings a little joy this holiday season.”

The new songs can be found on a playlist titled Merry Mix, as well as individually. Starting November 19, ask Alexa to play “Merry Mix in DJ Mode” to hear a holiday playlist featuring these new songs, classics, and stars like Mariah Carey sharing their holiday memories.

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Fans will be able to go behind the scenes with the likes of Keith Urban, Luke Bryan and Lady A ahead of the 2021 CMA Awards. ABC just announced a special lineup of pre-awards show programming, including “Backstage Pass: Countdown to the CMA Awards.”

Airing Monday, November 8 from 10:00PM-11:00PM EST, the special will follow Keith, Luke, Lady A, Jimmie Allen, Lauren Alaina and Carly Pearce for one week of life on the road. Over the course of the show, fans will get a first-hand glimpse into the artists’ lives as they navigate their returns to tour life.

Filmed across 24 cities and 168 hours, the special will share behind-the-scenes moments as the artists themselves prepare to converge in Nashville, getting ready for the CMA Awards ceremony. All the featured acts have exciting plans for the CMAs, including performances and nominations. Luke is set to host this year’s show.

The CMAs are set for November 10; they’ll air from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena beginning at 8:00PM EST on ABC.

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Alt-J has released a new song called “Get Better,” a track off the band’s upcoming album The Dream.

Frontman Joe Newman describes “Get Better” as a “union of two songs.”

“The first an improvised song from 2018 I sang to my partner who was suffering from period pain,” Newman shares. “The second was a chord structure I worked on in lockdown that focused on someone living through a bereavement.”

“The context of the pandemic lent my words a chilling weight and gave me a new sense of responsibility as a lyricist,” he says. “Whilst the direct events described are fictional, I believe — or I hope — that it’s emotionally the most honest song I’ve written.”

You can download “Get Better” now via digital outlets. The Dream, which also features the previously released single “U&ME,” will be released February 11, 2022.

Alt-J will hit the road in support of The Dream on a tour with Portugal. the Man starting February 25 in Pittsburgh.

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Courtney Love is applauding the way the Nirvana song “Rape Me” was used in last weekend’s episode of the HBO drama series Succession.

In a message posted in her Instagram Story and on her Twitter feed, Love writes that she’s “never been so proud of approving” the licensing of one of her late husband Kurt Cobain‘s songs, and includes a clip from the episode that features a snippet of the song.

“This cue in [Succession] is as if they truly understood KC, what he was screaming his heart out…without specifics…about,” Love says. “I’m sure wherever he is he’s proud of this.”

Other recent Nirvana syncs include “Something in the Way” for The Batman trailer, and “Come as You Are” in Captain Marvel. Additionally, an orchestral version of “Heart-Shaped Box” was featured in an episode of Westworld.

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Superstars The Weeknd and Post Malone are teasing a collabo they will release Friday.

Malone’s manager, Dre London, posted a clip of the song, “One Right Now,” Tuesday night and commented, “What I couldn’t wait to tell the world This Friday!! I’m excited for u to finally here what I been talking about!! @postmalone & @theweeknd ‘One Right Now’ #DreVision in full effect!! #Shutdown Ting!!! Crazy Movie Video comes next week!!!”

“One Right Now” follows The Weeknd’s team-up with house music supergroup Swedish House Mafia on “Moth to a Flame,” which dropped two weeks ago. This week, the “Blinding Lights” singer was nominated for six American Music Awards, including Artist of the Year and Favorite Male Pop Artist.

While Malone completes his fourth solo album, “One Right Now” will be his first release since the single “Motley Crew” he dropped in July. He’s also featured on DJ Khaled‘s “I Did It,” which was released in June and which featured Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Baby and DaBaby.

Both Malone and The Weeknd were recently forced to postpone major events due to the pandemic. The “Rockstar” rapper’s third annual Posty Fest, which was scheduled for October 30-31 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, has been moved to next year, while the Toronto star’s After Hours tour was postponed once again, this time to summer 2022.

 

 

 

 

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Before Thomas Rhett became a country superstar with a string of number-one hits and sold-out tour dates, he was a budding teenage songwriter who learned important lessons about country music from his dad, Rhett Akins.

Back in the ‘90s, Rhett had a successful career as a recording artists with top-10 hits like “Don’t Get Me Started” and “That Ain’t My Truck.” But in the years that followed, he found greater success as an in-demand Nashville songwriter, writing for the likes of Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean and Justin Moore.

This week, Rhett officially joined the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and his superstar son accompanied him to the ceremony. Afterward, Thomas hopped on social media to share a few words about what his dad has meant to him as a songwriter over the years.

“Dad, I can’t express how amazed I am at your talent, creativity, drive and even though you have all that drive how calm you are through the process,” he wrote, alongside a picture of himself and Rhett at the induction ceremony.

“I have learned so much from you and will continue to learn from you,” TR continues. “It’s mind blowing that we get to work together as songwriters and we have such a blast doing it. I love you and tonight was so well-deserved.”

Not only do the father-son duo often write together, but they tour together, too: Rhett most recently joined his son as an opening act on Thomas’ Center Point Road Tour.

 

 

 

 

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Milky Chance has released a collection of covers, demos and remixes titled Trip Tape.

The 10-track set features the “Stolen Dance” duo putting their spin on songs including Soft Cell‘s “Tainted Love,” Dua Lipa‘s “Levitating” and The Weeknd‘s “Save Your Tears.” You’ll also find Milky Chance’s current single, “Colorado,” and an accompanying remix, as well as demo recordings of four songs.

“We spent so much time in the studio the past couple of years working on new music and ‘Colorado’ was the big kick-off,” Milky Chance says.

“But in lockdown two things happened,” the band explains. “Next to ‘Colorado’ we found ourselves with so many new songs we love and we also got into making our own versions of other artists’ songs we enjoy. On top of that Icarus made a remix of ‘Colorado’ that we’re absolutely buzzing about!”

Trip Tape is available now via streaming platforms.

Milky Chance released “Colorado” over the summer. It currently sits in the top 10 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart.

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The United Nations Climate Change Conference is taking place in Glasgow, Scotland through November 12, and some of the world’s top musical artists are using their social platforms to help spread the word about the importance of taking action against the global threat.

Cher, Jason Mraz, Melissa Etheridge, Pentatonix, Natasha Bedingfield, Cyndi Lauper, Camila Cabello and more have teamed up with the Right Here, Right Now Climate Alliance; throughout the end of the conference, they are posting messages aimed not just at world leaders, but at their millions of followers.

The goal is to mobilize half a billion people to urge the leaders to accelerate action against climate change, which can cause flooding, fires, extreme weather and destruction of species, not to mention its impact on poor and marginalized populations.

“We’re grateful for all of the celebrities who are helping promote climate change as a human rights crisis,” says David Clark, founder of Right Here, Right Now. “It is critically important that we humanize the issue through a human rights lens, as people need to understand the choices they make, have real impact on the lives of others.”

Join the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance & global partner @UNHumanRights in calling for the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow @COP26 to treat #ClimateChange as the #HumansRight crisis it is. Learn more & get involved: https://t.co/Pq0UfRJR1M #RHRN #COP26 pic.twitter.com/u3iQamHBPl

— Jason Mraz (@jason_mraz) November 2, 2021

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After being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Saturday, Jay-Z apparently realized his life was lacking something millions of people have. Now, finally, he has an Instagram account.

Hova kicked off his life on IG Tuesday night with a poster for The Harder They Fall, the film he co-produced which debuts Wednesday on Netflix. The Western stars Idris Elba, Regina King, Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, LaKeith Stanfield and Delroy Lindo.

Jay has two songs on the soundtrack: “Guns Go Bang” with Kid Cudi, and “King Kong Riddim,” featuring Jadakiss, Conway The Machine and BackRoad Gee. Other artists on the album include Ms. Lauryn Hill, CeeLo Green and Seal.

The Roc Nation mogul was quickly followed on Instagram by nearly two million people, while he at last check follows only one person: his wife, Beyoncé, who has 216 million followers.

As Jay-Z, born Shawn Carter, promotes The Harder They Fall, he’s being sued by a perfume company for alleged breach of contract. Parlux Fragrances accuses him of failing to promote the Gold Jay Z fragrance line as part of a 2012 agreement.

During a court appearance Monday in New York City, Carter blasted the company “for crappy, lazy work” and for allegedly violating their agreement by selling the fragrance at the Superdrug discount drugstore chain in the United Kingdom without his knowledge, as reported by the New York Post. 

“We are trying to build a brand,” Jay-Z testified. “You’re almost cutting the legs off from the brand [by] putting it in discount stores.”

He also denied the accusation that he failed to promote the product. “It was a tough relationship,” he said, “but I was still trying to create something amazing.”

 

 

 

 

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