Ed Sheeran‘s new album = (Equals) isn’t coming out until October 29, but on Thursday afternoon, you can get an early listen to the project on Apple Music.
Ed and Apple Music’s Zane Lowe are teaming up for a “First Listen” global live stream event starting at 3:30pm ET on Thursday. Ed will play new songs from the album and talk about what went into creating them, as well an answer questions from fans. It’ll be available at Music.Apple.com.
= (Equals) is Ed’s first album since his record-breaking release ÷ (Divide), which came out in 2017. His +–=÷x (Mathematics) tour starts in April of 2022, though no North American dates have been released yet.
Brett Eldredge’s latest foyer into the festive world of holiday music arrives today, as he releases his 11-track project, Mr. Christmas.
Over the years, Brett has become known as one of the country genre’s best Christmas crooners, combining his warm baritone vocals with a jazzy, big band-inspired musical backdrop. Altogether, he’s got all the right ingredients to create an instant classic holiday album.
Brett first brought the magic of the season to his fans with his 2016 holiday project, Glow. In the years since, he’s borrowed the name of that project for his annual Christmas tour. Now, he’ll add to his growing cache of Christmas music with a new batch of tracks.
“I really think some of the last of the magic left in this world is in Christmas music,” the singer says. “There’s a lot of joy in this record — even more than the first in some ways — and I wanted to tip a hat to where I started…but also take it to the soulful side of my music.”
Most of all, Brett hopes the new record will offer listeners some festive fun after what has been, for many, a difficult couple of years.
“The world is the world, and life comes at you like it does, but I hope you find some joy in this music,” he says. “I hope it softens life a little bit and puts a smile on someone’s face when they need it. If it does, I’ve done my job.”
The new documentary Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free: The Making of Wildflowerswill get its worldwide release on November 11 as a free streaming event shown in 4K resolution on Tom Petty‘s official YouTube channel as part of the YouTube Originals series.
As previously reported, the movie focuses on the creatively fruitful period from 1993 to 1995, during which Petty made his acclaimed 1994 solo studio effort, Wildflowers, and recorded many other songs that weren’t initially released on the album. The film features previously unseen 16-millimeter footage shot during the making of Wildflowers, archival commentary from Tom, and new interviews with producer Rick Rubin and Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell — who both co-produced the album with Tom — as well as with Heartbreakers keyboardist Benmont Tench.
A new trailer for the documentary has debuted at Petty’s YouTube channel. The two-minute promo features footage of Petty in the studio and on a tour bus and onstage, vintage photos, and clips of Tench and Campbell discussing Wildflowers. You also hear Tom talking about the project and reflecting on his approach to making the record.
Somewhere You Feel Free premiered in March as part of the virtual South by Southwest Film Festival, and the documentary got its theatrical release as a global screening event on Wednesday, October 20 — coinciding with what would’ve been Petty’s 71st birthday.
The film was directed by Mary Wharton, whose credits also include last year’s Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President.
Petty initially had planned for Wildflowers to be a double album, but was convinced by his record label to release it as a single disc. The many extra tracks he recorded during the sessions, along with a bevy of outtakes, finally were released last year on the Wildflowers & All the Rest box set.
If you thought you couldn’t love Harry Styles any more, just watch this video of him giving his mom a sweet birthday shout-out while on tour.
In a fan-captured clip from his tour stop in Uncasville, CT on Thursday, Harry asks the crowd to help him sing “Happy Birthday” to his mom, Anne Twist.
“So, if it’s okay with you, would you mind please singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to my mother?” he says.
He also adds, since his mom was not actually in the audience, “And I hope that maybe she will hear it…and she will because I will show her. She’ll know.”
Harry will be playing another show at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville Saturday night.
Harry talking about his mom @MrsAnneTwist and asking the crowd to sing her Happy Birthday in Uncasville N1 🥰💓
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“Just a Notion,” the new single released from ABBA‘s much-anticipated comeback album, Voyage, isn’t really that new at all.
ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus says “Just a Notion” was originally recorded toward the end of 1978, and was probably destined for their album Voulez-Vous, but he claims he doesn’t “have a clue” why it didn’t make the final cut.
“It’s a good song with great vocals. I know that we played it to a publisher in France and a couple of other people we trusted and as far as I can remember they liked it very much,” he adds. “So it’s a mystery and will remain a mystery.”
The version that was released on Friday features a new backing track with drums and guitars, but the vocals are from the 1978 original. “‘Just a Notion’ is a ridiculously happy song,” Björn adds. “And hopefully it will cheer you up in these dark times!”
ABBA’s album Voyage is being released ahead of their Voyage series of concerts, which will take place in London in 2022. More dates have been added to those shows, which will feature digital avatars of all four band members “performing” their hits. The new tickets go on sale November 3.
Björn says “Just a Notion” “demonstrates what we plan to do with ABBA Voyage [concert] in 2022.” He notes, “There, we will have a live band playing, but all vocals will be from the old recordings.”
Voyage comes out on November 5. It includes the previously released singles “I Still Have Faith in You” and “Don’t Shut Me Down.”
Kane Brown recently shared a special moment with the crowd during a stop on his Blessed & Free Tour, when the singer spotted a little girl named Mia in the crowd and pulled her up onstage to meet him — and the rest of the audience.
In addition to being a big fan of Kane, Mia is currently facing a cancer battle. While in the audience, she held up a sign that said “Sorry for being Xtra, help me get my cancer fighter [to] meet Kane.”
Not only did the singer meet Mia and give her a hug — he also sang his hit “Homesick” to her onstage and autographed her sign before she hopped back down into the crowd to rejoin her family.
After the show, Kane posted some snapshots of the moment on his social media. “This post is dedicated to this sweet little girl Mia,” he wrote in the caption. “You’re so strong and I know everyone in this crowd prayed for u that night.”
When he’s not on the road, Kane is typically hanging out with his own little family: The singer often shares clips and snapshots of himself hanging with his daughter, Kingsley, both on and off the road.
Expanded and remastered versions of The Band‘s fourth album, Cahoots, will be released on December 10, in commemoration of its recent 50th anniversary.
Released in September 1971, Cahoots peaked at #21 on the Billboard 200 and featured such notable tunes as “Life Is a Carnival,” the Canadian-American roots-rock group’s rendition of Bob Dylan‘s “When I Paint My Masterpiece,” and the Van Morrison collaboration “4% Pantomime.”
Among the versions of the 50th anniversary Cahoots reissue is a Super Deluxe box set featuring two CDs, a 180-gram vinyl LP, a Blu-ray disc, a 7-inch vinyl single, a photo booklet and more.
The updated version of the album was mixed by lauded engineer Bob Clearmountain, and overseen by Band guitarist/main songwriter Robbie Robertson.
Robertson explains, “I told Bob, ‘There are no rules. So, every mix we do, I want to start from scratch. I don’t even want to listen to the original. I want to listen to the way we hear it now and be fearless and experimental with it.”
The expanded reissue also features alternate versions of six of the album’s songs, two outtakes from the sessions, and 11 performances from a May 1971 concert at the Olympia Theatre in Paris.
The LP features the remastered original album, while the Blu-ray includes three mixes of Cahoots and some of the bonus tracks — a Dolby Atmos, a 5.1 surround sound and the new stereo mix. The seven-inch single features “Life Is a Carnival” backed with “The Moon Struck One.”
The Cahoots reissue, which you can pre-order now, is also coming out as a two-CD set, digitally, and on vinyl.
Here’s the track list of the reissue’s CDs:
CD 1:
“Life Is a Carnival”
“When I Paint My Masterpiece”
“Last of the Blacksmiths”
“Where Do We Go from Here?”
“4% Pantomime”
“Shoot Out in Chinatown”
“The Moon Struck One”
“Thinkin’ Out Loud”
“Smoke Signal”
“Volcano”
“The River Hymn”
Bonus Tracks
“Endless Highway” (Early Studio Take, 2021 Mix)
“When I Paint My Masterpiece” (Alternate Take, 2021 Mix)
“4% Pantomime” (Takes 1 & 2)
“Don’t Do It” (Outtake — Studio Version, 2021 Mix)
“Bessie Smith” (Outtake)
CD 2:*
Live at The Olympia Theatre, Paris, May 1971 (Bootleg, Partial Concert)
“The W.S. Walcott Medicine Show”
“We Can Talk”
“Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever”
“The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”
“Across the Great Divide”
“The Unfaithful Servant”
“Don’t Do It”
“The Genetic Method”
“Chest Fever”
“Rag Mama Rag”
“Slippin’ and Slidin'”
Bonus Tracks
“Life Is a Carnival” (Instrumental)
“Volcano” (Instrumental)
“Thinkin’ Out Loud” (Stripped Down Mix)
Hardy has recruited two of country music’s most powerful, soul-filled vocalists — Lee Brice and Randy Houser — for the newest release off his upcoming Hixtape Vol. 2.
The new song, “Drink Up,” is a rowdy ode to late nights with plenty of good beer and better friends. “Drink up, drink up/ Whatever you got in your Dixie cup,” the three stars sing in the song’s chorus. “The girls are on fire and the beer’s ice cold/ Something ‘bout tonight just makes me wanna hold my/ Drink up…”
It’s the latest track to be released off of Hixtape Vol. 2, which will be out in full on December 10. In the meantime, Hardy is releasing one song off the collection every Friday, each of which features a star collaboration or team-up.
Other artists who’ve lent their voices to Hixtape include Jon Pardi, Brothers Osborne, Midland, Dierks Bentley and more. Vol. 2 is the follow-up to the first Hixtape, which Hardy put out back in 2019.
Big things are on the horizon for Jimmie Allen, and he couldn’t help but share his excitement with fans on social media this week.
The “Best Shot” star took to Twitter to let fans know that they’ll very likely be able to catch him on the road next year. “It’s official!!!!” he tweeted. “Spring 2022 I’m going out on my first-ever headlining tour.”
The singer hasn’t yet shared any further details, such as an exact lineup of dates or information on his opening acts. However, his upcoming tour plans are just the latest in an exciting string of developments in Jimmie’s career. He’s currently a competitor on NBC’s Dancing with the Stars, and on Friday, his new duet with Elton John, “Beauty in the Bones,” came out.
Jimmie’s personal life has been exciting lately, too. The singer and his wife, Alexis, welcomed a baby girl named Zara James earlier this month.
🚨🚨It’s Official!!! Spring 2022 I’m going out on my first ever headlining tour. 🤙🏽 ♠️
Multi-Grammy winner Steve Wonder is looking to add a couple more Grammys to his collection, with the 2020 singles “Where Is Our Love Song” and “Can’t Put It in the Hands of Fate.” And as usual, he’s doing it on his terms.
Wonder challenged the music industry status quo in 1971 when he signed a new deal with Motown, where he fought for creative control as well as ownership of his master recordings and publishing rights.
Now 71, Stevie insists on doing things his way. Instead of making the Grammy submissions in the typical R&B categories, he pushed to have the songs considered for best melodic rap performance and best American roots performance.
“‘Where Is Our Love Song’ is a song that speaks to everyone, a traditional song or folk song about America,” Wonder tells Billboard. “I said I didn’t care what’s normally done; that I’m not trying to do the typical. So it was submitted in the best American roots performance category.”
As for “Can’t Put It in the Hands of Fate,” Wonder says, “It was such an honor to work with Rapsody, Cordae, Chika and Busta Rhymes for what became an amazing marriage with conscious rap. I wanted to be a part of celebrating their greatness as well as our collaboration, so that’s why I decided to put it in that category.”
Wonder has racked up a total of 25 Grammy Awards over his 60-year career. He’s also one of only four artists — along with Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon and Taylor Swift — to win album of the year three times, and the only one to do so with three consecutive releases — 1973’s Innervisions, 1974’s Fulfillingness’ First Finale and 1976’s Songs in the Key of Life.
