Music

Michael Ray will debut the music video for his album title track, “Higher Education” tonight, and he’s bringing a rowdy crowd of friends along to help him do it.

Lee Brice, Kid Rock, ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons, and Tim Montana are all featured guests on Michael’s song, an anthemic tip-of-the-hat to the working-class life lessons the singer and his pals have all learned outside the classroom.

Tonight, Lee and Tim are helping Michael introduce the visual aspect of the song to fans: They’ll join him for a YouTube Premium-exclusive after-party, which will take place directly after the video premieres on YouTube at 6 p.m. CT.

Michael recently got warmed up for his music video’s debut with a stop on Fox and Friends, where he and Tim — who’s also a songwriter on “Higher Education” — discussed the track. They also shared a performance video of the song, which was filmed at Music City venue the Nashville Palace.

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Of Monsters and Men has shared a previously unreleased song called “Phantom.”

The track, which vocalist Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir first wrote at age 16 while growing up in Iceland, is included on the newly released 10th anniversary reissue of Of Monsters and Men’s 2011 debut album, My Head Is an Animal.

“It was one of those songs that belonged to an era before the band but also these first few years that the band was forming and finding our sound,” Nanna says of “Phantom.”

“We never recorded it but it was always very important to our history and believe it was patiently waiting all these years,” she adds. “I’m so incredibly happy this song finally found a home and that we get to share it with you!”

The My Head Is an Animal reissue is out today. It also includes another previously unreleased song called “Sugar in a Bowl.”

Of Monsters and Men will keep the 10th anniversary celebration going with a batch of special concerts in Iceland in November. Streams of the shows will be available to watch in December.

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So maybe President Biden’s gift to Olivia Rodrigo wasn’t quite as weird as we thought?

While on Jimmy Kimmel Live! earlier this week, the 18-year-old singer said that one of the gifts she received after visiting the White House was a shoehorn engraved with the presidential emblem. But now she’s clarifying that the “shoehorn” was actually an ice cream scoop.

“thank u for having me @jimmykimmellive !!! also thank u to my mom who told me this president biden ice cream scoop was a shoe horn and let me repeat it on national television lolllll,” Olivia wrote on Instagram.

She also included a photo of said ice cream scoop.

 

 

 

 

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The second annual Rolling Loud New York kicked off Thursday with several surprises, including an unannounced appearance by Lil Nas X.

For Jack Harlow‘s encore, he brought out Lil Nas, wearing a white puffer jacket and ripped black pants, to perform their number-one hit, “Industry Baby,” according to Billboard.

Lil Uzi Vert provided fans with the first performance of three tracks from his upcoming album, The Pink Tape, followed by his hits “POP,” “XO TOUR Llif3” and “Do What I Want.”

Thursday’s headliner 50 Cent rapped “Many Men,” “Hate It or Love It, and “P.I.M.P.”, and then was joined by A$AP Rocky for “LPFJ2,” followed by DaBaby performing “Masterpiece.”

Rolling Loud New York continues Friday, headlined by J. Cole, and wraps up Saturday with headliner Travis Scott.

 

 

 

 

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Drake is bringing together twelve of the top battle rappers for a special competition that will be livestreamed on Saturday. He has teamed with the Ultimate Rap League to host Drake’s Til Death Do Us Part.

“I really put this event together because so much time we spend debating in sport, in competition, what would happen if this person had to go up against this person,” Drizzy said in a promo video.

“A lot of the time our debates stem from our dream matchups, and this event, fortunately for us in battle rap, is that exact debate coming to life,” Drake continues. “These are battles that are fueled by rivalry, hate, a true chance to silence all the talking and definitely set up moments that will rewrite legacy and rewrite history for some people.”

The event continues Drake’s month-long birthday celebration, and marks the Ultimate Rap League’s 12th anniversary.

“Drake isn’t just a casual battle rap fan and has been a supporter behind the URL movement for years,”  Ultimate Rap League CEO Troy Mitchell says in a statement. “Over the last 20 months, he’s helped our brand grow by facilitating our partnership with Caffeine, which allows us to stream our premium content for free to our fanbase.”

“Drake’s Til Death Do Us Part is not just a birthday celebration for our friend,” Mitchell continues. “It is a shifting of the culture and is going to be the biggest event ever witnessed in battle rap history, bigger even than Summer Madness 2.”

Drake’s Til Death Do Us Part airs live on URL’s Caffeine channel on Saturday, October 30th at 6 p.m. EDT/3 p.m. PDT and will stream exclusively on URL’s app,

 

 

 

 

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Jake Owen, Ronnie Dunn and Texas-based singer Jake Worthington take the wheel on “Jonesin’,” the newest release off of the Hardy-curated Hixtape Vol. 2.

The track — which Florida Georgia Line band mate Brian Kelley co-wrote with Nashville hitmakers Ernest K. Smith and Corey Crowder — is a feel-good ode to a couple of the titans of the country genre.

“Well, I’m jonesin’ for some Jones / I’m hankerin’ for some Hank / And I’mma two-step across the dance floor / With a little lightning in my drink,” the trio sing in the chorus. “And I’m out here for a good time / Yeah, I’m trying to find some love / Gonna keep this tractor rolling / ‘Til they kick me out the country club…”

Of course, those lyrics are clever tips of the hat to songs from the Possum himself, George Jones, with another honorable mention for another country great, Hank Williams.

“Jonesin’” is the latest release off of Hixtape Vol. 2, which drops in full this December. A collaborations project also featuring the likes of Jon Pardi, Jimmie Allen, Dierks Bentley and many more, the Hixtape is a follow-up to Hardy’s 2019 duets project, Hixtape Vol 1.

Speaking of Hardy, he’s got plans to make his late-night TV debut next month. He’ll make a stop on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where he’ll perform his current single, “Give Heaven Some Hell.” That spot is set for November 8, just a few days after the 2021 CMA Awards, where Hardy’s nominated for New Artist of the Year.

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The lawsuit between Bad Wolves and the band’s former frontman, Tommy Vext, has been settled, Billboard reports.

Vext, who fronted Bad Wolves for their first two albums, parted ways with the group earlier this year in January. In July, Vext filed a lawsuit against Allen Kovac, the CEO of Bad Wolves’ record label, Better Noise Music, alleging that Kovac had orchestrated his exit from the band due to his political views, including his support for former President Donald Trump and his stance against the Black Lives Matter movement. Vext also alleged that Kovac used racial slurs in conversations with him.

Bad Wolves and Better Noise then countered with their own lawsuit, saying Vext infringed upon copyright in using his former band’s name to promote his own solo tour.

Now, in a joint statement to Billboard, the parties declare that they’ve “collectively resolved their disputes.”

“This is a settlement with no winners and no losers; it’s beneficial to everyone in order to move on and bury the hatchet,” the statement reads. “This is a new beginning and a bright future for all those concerned.”

It continues, “We’re all excited to get back to what’s important, and that’s the music. Bad Wolves and Tommy wish each other the best going forward, and ask that their fans respect this decision.”

The result comes at a fitting time, since Bad Wolves’ new album, Dear Monsters, is out today. The record is the group’s first with new lead singer Daniel “DL” Laskiewicz.

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Papa Roach has premiered a new single called “Dying to Believe.”

The earnest track finds frontman Jacoby Shaddix singing, “I’m dying to believe/That we’re more alike than we think/That we’re all the same underneath.” You can listen to it now via digital outlets.

“Dying to Believe” follows the recently released tunes “Kill the Noise” and “Swerve,” featuring FEVER 333‘s Jason Aalon Butler and rapper Sueco. All three are set to appear on the next Papa Roach album, due out in 2022.

Papa Roach’s most recent record is 2019’s Who Do You Trust?

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