Young the Giant has released the second installment in the band’s four-part album, American Bollywood.
The set is titled Act II: Exile and features four new songs to follow July’s Act I: Origins. You can listen to it now via digital outlets.
“Though exile tends to have a negative connotation, to us, exile is powerful,” Young the Giant says. “It is the act of sacrificing in order to achieve something great. It can be leaving your home country, or it can mean sacrifice in your personal life to reach new heights.”
The remaining two acts of American Bollywood are titled Battle and Denouement. Exact release dates have yet to be announced.
American Bollywood is the follow-up to 2018’s Mirror Master, which spawned the single “Superposition.”
Young the Giant will launch a U.S. tour in support of American Bollywood in October.
New Years Day has premiered a new single called “Hurts Like Hell.”
The track marks the first fresh offering from Ash Costello and company in three years, following the group’s 2019 album, Unbreakable.
“‘Hurts Like Hell’ might seem like a song about a relationship on the surface; in a way, it is, I suppose,” Costello says. “As I struggled to navigate how to continue to pursue my passion during the pandemic, I realized that chaos is where I thrive. I will stare down any obstacle, even if I look like a crazy person to subject myself to it.”
You can listen to “Hurts Like Hell” now via digital outlets. Its accompanying video is streaming now on YouTube.
New Years Day will hit the road this September opening for Halestorm. They’ll launch their own headlining tour in October.
On September 30, Eric Clapton will release The Complete Reprise Studio Albums – Volume I, a vinyl box set featuring remastered versions of his first six studio efforts for the Reprise label.
The 12-LP collection, which can be preordered now, features 1983’s Money and Cigarettes on a single disc, as well as 1985’s Behind the Sun, 1986’s August, 1989’s Journeyman, the 1994 blues-covers project From the Cradle and 1998’s Pilgrim as two-LP sets. The box set also features the Rarities Vol. 1 LP, which includes rare studio and live recordings from the era.
Money and Cigarettes peaked at #13 on the Billboard 200 and featured the top-20 hit “I’ve Got a Rock ‘n’ Roll Heart.”
The Platinum-certified Behind the Sun included “Forever Man,” which reached #26 on the Billboard Hot 100.
August featured “It’s in the Way That You Use It,” which Clapton co-wrote with The Band‘s Robbie Robertson, and the Tina Turner duet “Tearing Us Apart.” Those peaked at #1 and #5, respectively, on Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
Journeyman, which was certified two-times Platinum by the RIAA, included two Billboard‘s Mainstream Rock Tracks chart toppers — “Pretending” and “Bad Love.”
From the Cradle topped the Billboard 200 and has sold over 3 million copies in the States.
Pilgrim reached #4 on the Billboard 200 and included the hit “My Father’s Eyes,” which peaked at #16 on the Hot 100.
Rarities features two previously unreleased tracks, a new mix of “Pilgrim” and a cover of Albert King‘s “Born Under a Bad Sign” that’s a From the Cradle outtake. The latter tune is available now as an advance digital track.
A second box set of Clapton’s Reprise studio albums, spanning from 2001 to 2010, will be released in early 2023.
Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Former Journey frontman Steve Perry has received a lot of media attention thanks to a pair of remixes of his old band’s 1983 hit “Separate Ways,” which appear on the soundtrack of the latest season of Stranger Things.
During an interview on the Rock Classics Radio show, Apple Hits Music DJ Jenn Marino asked him what song he’d like to hear accompanying his scene if he appeared on an episode of Stranger Things.
While the series is set in the 1980s and usually showcases songs from that era, Perry said he’d want to feature a tune by his favorite 1960s soul singer.
“Well, first of all, I would be driving to school in am … really beautiful GTO, and out of the speakers of the car, I would love to hear some Sam Cooke,” Steve declared. “I mean, you’d have to allow that generation to start to discover that by having one guy in the car, a young-looking Steve Perry … playing ‘Cupid’ or [another Cooke tune].”
Steve then settled on a different song and proceeded to serenade Jenn with a verse from Cooke’s posthumous 1965 single “When a Boy Falls In Love.”
“I mean, that song cripples me,” he added. “It’s so teenage and so true. So that’s my choice.”
Perry also discussed how he wound up collaborating on the second of the two “Separate Ways” remixes for the Stranger Things season 4 soundtrack. He explained that he contacted series creators, the Duffer Brothers, and offered his services after he heard the first remix, which was used in the new season’s first trailer.
“I had not heard [my voice] that naked [on the track] since the day we did it back in the ’80s,” Steve noted, “and I loved it.”
Britney Spears’ ex-husband Jason Alexander — who infamously broke into her house during her wedding –pleaded no contest to aggravated trespassing and battery. Rolling Stone reports a plea deal allowed for the felony stalking charges to be dropped. Alexander will serve 128 days in jail.
Niall Horan is a proud fan of Harry Styles’ music and says his “favorite song at the moment” is “As It Was,” reportsBillboard. He said the #1 hit is a “great song.”
Kesha celebrated the fifth anniversary of her Rainbow album. “This was a moment in my life that was so f***ing scary. Everything was changing and I had to take a leap of faith. Who I was before was irrelevant and who I was becoming was a stranger to me and to all of you,” she penned on TikTok, thanking her fans for always being by her side.
Ava Max teased more of her upcoming album Diamonds & Dancefloors — sharing some glam photos of her in a ’90s-inspired purple tank and low-rise jeans. “turning tears to diamonds,” she captioned the post, leading fans to believe it’s for her upcoming single “Million Dollar Baby.”
Speaking of new music, Zedd released “an exclusive preview of my upcoming single” on Instagram — but he didn’t reveal its title or release date. He just played a second of the new song.
Jessica Biel shared some throwback photos of her, husband Justin Timberlake and the NSYNC boys, as well as Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore. Justin, who is sporting ultra-curly hair, is posing with bandmates Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, JC Chasez and Chris Kirkpatrick.
If you suspected TikTok is helping songs go viral, you are correct. Billboardreports influencers are helping determine what songs race up the charts — and the songs’ labels are even paying influencers, alternatively called “music curators,” to recommend the tracks to their followers.
A pair of archival live albums capturing metal legends Dio performing at the Monsters of Rock festivals in Donington, England, in 1983 and 1987, respectively, will be released September 23 on CD and as limited-edition two-LP vinyl sets.
The CD and two-LP versions of both albums — Dio at Donington ’83 and Dio at Donington ’87 — will come packaged with a 3D lenticular print of the cover art, while the LP sets will feature an exclusive etching on Side D. Standard single-LP editions of both albums will also be available.
Dio at Donington ’83 features the Ronnie James Dio-led band performing in support of its debut album, Holy Diver. The group’s set featured renditions of four songs from Holy Diver, as well as select tunes from Ronnie’s stints with Rainbow and Black Sabbath, including Rainbow’s “Stargazer” and “Man on the Silver Mountain,” and Sabbath’s “Heaven and Hell” and “Children of the Sea.”
Dio’s 1983 lineup featured drummer Vinny Appice, bassist Jimmy Bain, keyboardist Claude Schnell and future Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell.
Dio at Donington ’87 captures the band performing shortly after the release of its Dream Evil album. Dio’s set included three songs from Dream Evil, the title tracks of their Holy Diver and The Last in Line albums, and select Black Sabbath and Rainbow tunes.
Dio’s 1987 lineup featured Appice, Bain, Schnell and guitarist Craig Goldy.
Dio at Donington ’83 and Dio at Donington ’87 can be preordered now. Recordings of the two concerts were previously released together in a single package in 2010.
Here’s the full Dio at Donington ’83 track list:
“Stand Up and Shout”
“Straight Through the Heart”
“Children of the Sea”
“Rainbow in the Dark”
“Holy Diver”
Drum Solo
“Stargazer”
Guitar Solo
“Heaven and Hell”
“Man on the Silver Mountain”
“Starstruck”
“Man on the Silver Mountain (Reprise)”
And here’s the full Dio at Donington ’87 track list:
“Dream Evil”
“Neon Knights”
“Naked in the Rain”
“Rock ‘n’ Roll Children”
“Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll”
“The Last in Line”
“Children of the Sea”
“Holy Diver”
“Heaven and Hell”
“Man on the Silver Mountain”
“All the Fools Sailed Away”
“The Last in Line (Reprise)”
“Rainbow in the Dark”
Andy Grammer got choked up singing his hit “Saved My Life” to his godmother, Leigh. Andy shared the sweet video, where he dedicated the song to her and had to face away from her to sing it.
Cyndi Lauper saluted National Vinyl Record Day by explaining what makes the music format so special. Taking to Instagram, she explained in a video, “Everybody forgets that it sounds great. We used to have a saying, ‘It’s not final ’til it’s vinyl.'” She then played her 1983 hit “She’s So Unusual” to prove her point.
Jessica Biel shared some throwback photos of her, husband Justin Timberlake and the NSYNC boys, as well as Jimmy Fallon and Drew Barrymore. Justin, who is sporting ultra-curly hair, is posing with bandmates Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, JC Chasez and Chris Kirkpatrick.
Paula Abdul showed off how much her dog loves her. She shared a video of her coming home; the little dog tackles Paula, covers her in kisses and runs around in total excitement. “Talk about someone who’s excited to see me,” she wrote on TikTok.
Ava Max shared some glam photos of her in a ’90s-inspired purple tank and low-rise jeans. “turning tears to diamonds,” she captioned the post, leading fans to believe this is for her upcoming single “Million Dollar Baby.”
If you suspected TikTok is helping songs go viral, you are correct. Billboard reports influencers are becoming kingmakers in making songs go viral — and labels are even paying influencers, alternatively called “music curators,” to recommend certain songs to their followers.
Turnstile guitarist Brady Ebert is no longer in the band.
In a statement posted to their Instagram Story, the “Mystery” rockers write, “Turnstile and guitarist Brady Ebert are parting ways.”
“We are deeply grateful for our time together,” the statement continues. “Our love for him continues and we wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”
Ebert has been with Turnstile since the band was founded in 2010. He played on the group’s 2021 breakout album Glow On, which spawned the singles “Mystery” and “Blackout,” as well as their first two records.
Turnstile is set to open a run of dates on My Chemical Romance‘s U.S. reunion tour later this month. They launch their own headlining tour in October and will play the Dia de Los Deftones festival in November.
Beyoncé is preparing for the release of her very first Renaissance music video. On Friday, the singer shared a teaser of the visual for the album’s opening track, “I’m That Girl.”
The video captures Beyoncé taking a phone call and then cooking up some eggs — all in a metallic armor bodysuit. The camera then cuts to Bey making her way into a lounge, where she’s seen sitting on a dusty pink couch; another shot shows her swinging her braided ponytail alongside a horse at the bar.
Additionally, the visual features a rapid montage of Bey in different looks.
Though a release date for “I’m That Girl” hasn’t been announced, it will be the first song off the new album to receive music video treatment. The track comes after lead single “Break My Heart,” which topped the Billboard charts following its release.
Beyoncé is also making headlines for “Make Me Say It Again, Girl,” her duet with The Isley Brothers. Ronald Isley met her when she was in Destiny’s Child and told Billboard that collaborating with Bey “was one of the first things [he] thought about” when making his new album.
Parks and Rec veteran Aubrey Plaza has been earning raves for her portrayal of the title character in the new thriller she produced, Emily The Criminal.
Plaza plays a former art student, crushed by her loans and working a dead-end job in Los Angeles to try to make ends meet in spite of a criminal record.
But when Theo Rossi‘s Youcef comes into Emily’s life with a sketchy way out, she quickly learns how far she’s willing to go.
Despite this, it’s easy to find yourself rooting for the character. “I think it’s rare to have a female character that’s so unapologetic,” Plaza explains to ABC Audio.
“And the script and the movie [don’t] try to make her likable. She’s just, I think … relatable. I think that what she’s going through, I think really kind of touches on something that a lot … of young people in today’s … society … feel they’re going through, as well.”
“She’s not from Los Angeles and she’s just doing the best she can, and I think that there’s just something about that that is likable,” Aubrey says.
“The script really tracks her decisions; even though they’re questionable, you kind of … see the little tiny baby steps that she takes. And I think you’re just rooting for her because she’s just doing the best she can with what she’s got. And I think everybody can relate to that.”
