Michael Ray co-wrote two of the seven songs on his latest release, the Higher Education EP, but one of those songs changed him forever. The Florida native penned both “Picture” and “Didn’t Know I Was Country,” and he says the latter had a profound impact on his life and career.

“It was in that moment when I really felt a change in my songwriting,” Michael tells American Songwriter, recalling when he wrote “Didn’t Know I Was Country” with Ashley Gorley and Taylor Phillips. “I was just being very honest and wasn’t hesitating. In the past, I worried about ‘If I do this, will these people like me?’ Finally, I was like I’ve been through enough and I’ve survived it. Let’s just try being yourself.”

Higher Education is Michael’s first release since his 2018 album, Amos. Ironically, it was after he released that record, which included the hit single “The One That Got Away,” that he realized he needed to switch directions.

“I am super proud of Amos as an album, but the pandemic made me really think about how I would feel if that were my last record ever,” Michael reflects. “And I realized, I can’t say I would be okay if that was my last collection ever.”

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Lana Del Rey has announced the details of her long-teased new album, Blue Banisters.

The follow-up to this past March’s Chemtrails Over the Country Club, which was originally scheduled to drop on July 4, is now set to arrive on October 22.

Blue Banisters includes the previously released title track, as well as the songs “Text Book” and “Wildflower Wildfire.” A fourth cut, titled “Arcadia,” is also out today, along with a video directed by Del Rey herself. You can watch that streaming on YouTube.

Here’s the Blue Banisters track list:

“Textbook”
“Blue Banisters”
“Arcadia”
“Interlude — The Trio”
“Black Bathing Suit”
“If You Lie Down with Me”
“Beautiful”
“Violets for Roses”
“Dealer”
“Thunder”
“Wildflower Wildfire”
“Nectar of the Gods”
“Living Legend”
“Cherry Blossom”
“Sweet Carolina”

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Former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson has formed a new band.

The group is called The Lucid, and it also features Sponge vocalist Vinnie Dombroski, guitarist Drew Fortier and Fear Factory drummer Mike Heller. They’ll release their self-titled debut album on October 15; you can listen to lead single “Maggot Wind,” now via digital outlets.

“It’s been a real blast making a record with these guys and I must say that it’s refreshing to explore some new musical avenues…to step out a bit from what each of us have done stylistically in our own careers,” Ellefson says.

“There was an effortless synergy that came with creating these songs together which is always amazing when working with new people,” he adds. “I’m looking forward to everyone checking it out!”

The Lucid is Ellefson’s first project since he was dismissed from Megadeth last May after sexually explicit video of him interacting with a woman leaked online. 2000s era Megadeth bassist James LoMenzo replaced Ellefson on tour, and Dsvid’s bass parts for the band’s upcoming new album were re-recorded.

Here’s the track list for The Lucid:

“Maggot Wind”
“Deaths of Despair”
“Spoiler Head”
“Hair”
“Maskronaut”
“Damned”
“Breech Boy”
“Pigs and Sons”
“Parade of Spit”

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A brief video clip of what appears to be an ad for UberEats starring Lil Nas X and Elton John — which apparently is going to arrive in full tomorrow — has been posted on Elton’s Twitter account.

In the clip, Elton is sitting behind a white piano, while dressed in a pink cowboy outfit similar to something Lil Nas X would’ve worn in 2019 when he was promoting his record-setting number-one hit “Old Town Road.” 

Then Lil Nas X walks into the frame wearing one of Elton’s most over-the-top outfits: He’s dressed head to toe in multicolored feathers, with sparkly silver sunglasses and a mirrored leather headpiece. Elton famously wore that outfit while appearing on The Muppet Show in 1978.

As the clip proceeds, Elton looks up from the piano, clocks Lil Nas X and says, “B**** stole my look!” Nas starts laughing, and says, “That wasn’t it!,” meaning that Elton delivered the wrong line.  But as both he, Elton and the crew off camera crack up, Nas adds, “You know what? Let’s keep it!”

Elton and Lil Nas X have teamed up on a song called “One of Me” that will appear on both Nas’ debut album, Montero, due out September 17, and Elton’s forthcoming collaborative album The Lockdown Sessions, which will be released on October 22.

Now this will surprise you 👀🚀 @lilnasx

More to come tomorrow @ubereats #ad pic.twitter.com/MJ2oL87UK3

— Elton John (@eltonofficial) September 8, 2021

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When Lil Uzi Vert made a surprise appearance during Lil Baby‘s headline set Saturday night at the Made in America festival in Philadelphia, fans noticed that the trademark pink diamond in his forehead was missing.

The “XO Tour Llif3” rapper claims that the jewel was knocked out while he was crowd-surfing at the Rolling Loud fest in Miami in July. Fortunately, he recovered the gemstone, and did not suffer any facial damage.

“I jumped into the crowd and they kind of ripped it out,” he tells TMZ. “I still have the diamond so I feel good.”

The two-time Grammy nominee spent years saving so he could buy the diamond from his favorite jewelry designer, Elliot Eliantte.

“This one stone cost so much I’ve been paying for it since 2017. That was the first time I saw a real natural pink diamond,” Uzi tweeted in January. “A lot of M’s in my face.” Now he has a barbell piercing in his forehead in place of the diamond.

Vert is featured on Meek Mills‘ latest single, “Blue Notes 2,” which dropped September 1.

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Angels & Airwaves have premiered a new song called “Spellbound,” a track off the band’s upcoming album, Lifeforms.

The ’80s-esque tune is accompanied by a fittingly neon video that finds Tom DeLonge and company performing from inside a “first-of-its-kind laser-walled cube.” You can watch it now streaming on YouTube.

“Spellbound” follows previously released Lifeforms songs “Euphoria,” “Losing My Mind,” “Restless Souls,” “Kiss & Tell” and “Rebel Girl.” The whole album, which marks the first full-length AVA effort in seven years, arrives September 24.

Angels & Airwaves will launch a U.S. headlining tour in support of Lifeforms September 29 in Riverside, California.

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The Wanted, the British boy band best known for their 2011 hit “Glad You Came,” are launching a comeback.

A greatest-hits album from the quintet, marking the 10th anniversary of their formation, is due out November 12. It’ll feature the first new music from the group since they split in 2014.

The Wanted also will perform together for the first time in seven years on September 20, at a London charity concert called Inside My Head.  It will raise money for Stand Up to Cancer, as group member Tom Parker has been very publicly battling an inoperable brain tumor.

In a comical video announcing the reunion, all five members of the group — Tom, Max George, Nathan Sykes, Jay McGuinness and Siva Kaneswaran — randomly meet up in a hospital waiting room, where they collectively decide to get back together.  As all the group members complain about minor medical problems — a broken arm, an injured ankle, a torn-up finger — Tom looks at the camera incredulously.

“We have been talking on and off for a few years about getting back together for the anniversary,” Jay says in a statement, according to OfficialCharts.com. “This is all about having fun with our mates. No pressure, just FUN.”

 

 

 

 

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Coldplay is headlining the opening concert at Seattle’s new Climate Pledge Arena.

The show, which will mark Chris Martin and company’s first arena performance in nearly five years, takes place October 22. Tickets go on sale next Wednesday, September 15, at 10 a.m. PT.

For those unable to attend, the concert will stream live via Amazon Music.

The Climate Pledge Arena, which will also be the home of the new Seattle Kraken NHL expansion team, is described as the “first net zero carbon certified arena in the world operating on 100% renewable energy.” Coldpaly is a fitting opener, then, since Martin previously stated that he didn’t want to tour until the process could be made carbon neutral.

Meanwhile, Coldplay is gearing up to release a new album called Music of the Spheres on October 15. It includes the lead single “Higher Power.”

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