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Drum’n’bass duo Chase & Status have been revealed as the latest headliner for London’s All Points East festival on Aug. 16. They join previously announced performers for the two-weekend event including The Maccabees, RAYE and Barry Can’t Swim. Billed as the latest instalment in their RTRN II DANCE series, the duo will curate a day’s […]
The 2025 American Music Honors is set to celebrate a powerhouse lineup of legendary artists, with Smokey Robinson, John Fogerty, Emmylou Harris, Tom Morello, and Joe Ely being recognized for their influence on American music.
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Hosted by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music, the event will take place on April 26 at Monmouth University in New Jersey, with Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa, along with Steven Van Zandt and Nils Lofgren, serving as presenters. Tickets for the event go on sale March 25.
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“This year’s honorees represent a cross-section of American music,” said Robert Santelli, founding executive director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives. “Rock, Americana, soul, and country are all represented by some of the most important artists from each genre. We are most excited to honor them and welcome them into the American Music Center family.”
While their careers span different genres—Motown, rock, country, and alternative—the honorees all share an undeniable impact on Billboard’s charts and American music history.
Smokey Robinson’s work as the frontman of The Miracles helped define the sound of Motown, and he was behind some of its biggest early hits. “Shop Around” became Motown’s first million-selling record and climbed to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960. Later, as a solo artist, Smokey kept the momentum going. His 1981 hit “Being with You” also peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100, making it his highest-charting solo single. Meanwhile, “Cruisin’” remains one of his most beloved tracks, reaching No. 4 on the Hot 100 in 1980.
John Fogerty, the voice behind Creedence Clearwater Revival, is a Billboard legend in his own right. The band famously holds the record for the most No. 2 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 without reaching No. 1, with classics like “Proud Mary” and “Bad Moon Rising.” His solo career continued that momentum, with Wrote a Song for Everyone reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200 in 2013.
Tom Morello, best known as the guitarist for Rage Against the Machine, has left a major mark on rock music. The band’s 1992 self-titled debut peaked at No. 45 on the Billboard 200 but became one of the most influential records of the era. Their follow-ups Evil Empire (1996) and The Battle of Los Angeles (1999) both debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
Emmylou Harris, a country and Americana icon, has earned multiple No. 1 albums on the Top Country Albums chart, including Luxury Liner in 1977. She also secured a No. 1 hit on Hot Country Songs with “Together Again” in 1976.
Joe Ely, a pioneer in progressive country music, has had multiple charting albums. His 1981 release, Musta Notta Gotta Lotta, reached No. 135 on the Billboard 200 and peaked at No. 12 on the Top Country Albums chart. His later work continued to make an impact, with Twistin’ in the Wind peaking at No. 55 in 1998, Streets of Sin at No. 51 in 2003, and Satisfied at Last at No. 46 in 2011 on the Top Country Albums chart.
COIN are calling it quits. The Nashville-based pop-rock trio is officially disbanding, frontman Chase Lawrence announced on Tuesday (Jan. 28), citing “revelations” about his bandmates that conflicted with his values.
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“I have recently become aware of revelations around my bandmates and want to share some thoughts directly with all of you,” Lawrence wrote in a statement posted on the band’s official Instagram account.
“I believe in accountability and doing what’s right.”
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The news comes just weeks after COIN announced plans to tour without drummer Ryan Winnen, who left the band earlier this month “to focus on some personal matters.” In his statement, Lawrence revealed that he has now also parted ways with guitarist Joe Memmel.
“Three months ago, I made the decision to move forward without my drummer, and yesterday, I parted ways with my guitarist,” he continued. “Their behaviors directly conflict with my values, and I am devastated for anyone who has been affected by these actions.”
Formed in 2012, COIN rose to prominence with their breakout single “Talk Too Much” in 2016, which peaked at No. 8 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart. The band released five studio albums, including I’m Not Afraid of Music Anymore, released in 2024.
“Creating a space for love & joy through music has always been my mission,” Lawrence added in his statement. “Discovering that this space has been compromised by the actions of others is truly heartbreaking. Unfortunately, these developments have led me to the decision that COIN can no longer continue as a band.”
The singer apologized to fans for “the disappointment this may bring” and confirmed that refunds for the band’s now-canceled tour dates would be available at the point of purchase. Despite the band’s dissolution, Lawrence hinted that he will continue making music in some capacity.
“There’s a lot to figure out about the future, but I know I’m not done making music yet,” he concluded.
Read Lawrence’s full statement via COIN’s Instagram below.
Just over ten years since TV on the Radio last shared fresh music with their dedicated fanbase, vocalist Tunde Adebimpe has announced the release of his forthcoming debut solo album.
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Dubbed Thee Black Boltz and set for release on April 18th, the record comes following Adebimpe’s signing to the iconic Sub Pop Records in October. While the new track “Magnetic” was released at the time, the formal announcement of the new album has also come accompanied by the Jahphet Landis-produced “Drop”
Per a press release, Thee Black Boltz is not a TV on the Radio album, though the excitement Adebimpe experienced while going out on his own was similar to what he felt in the band’s early days in Brooklyn at the turn of the century. However, while his songwriting process remains the same, the previous safety harness of a full band allowing him to leave ideas incomplete did not exist within this context.
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“I’ve been doing this thing with this group of people for so long, that I can just have a vague sketch of a concept and I know Jaleel [Bunton] or Kyp [Malone] will have five brilliant ideas on where it can go,” Adebimpe says. “But for Thee Black Boltz, I didn’t have that scaffolding to hang on. That was both terrifying and exhilarating.”
On the topic of the album’s title, Adebimpe explains that it’s a response to the unease that world has experienced – ranging from a post-pandemic world and its movement towards “violent authoritarianism” – and also his own grief, including the passing of his younger sister during the record’s construction.
“It was my way of building a rock or a platform for myself in the middle of this fucking ocean,” he says of the album. “Also, it’s a good name for a cool metal band, and I think that most people would describe me as akin to a very cool metal band.”
Adebimpe reprised his role up the front of TV on the Radio last year when the band played their first live shows since 2019. Performing in New York City, Los Angeles, and London, the performances coincided with the reissue of their 2004 debut album Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes. The reissue was also complemented by the addition of five bonus tracks, which served as the band’s first release of unheard music since 2014’s Seeds album.
Following a surprise comeback show in 2024, Alabama Shakes are bringing their reunion into the new year, with confirmation of new music.
The band confirmed their intentions to return with new music in a post shared to Instagram on Monday (Jan. 27).
The series of photos shows the band – including vocalist and guitarist Brittany Howard, bassist Zac Cockrell, and lead guitarist Heath Fogg – in the studio with producer Shawn Everett, who mixed and engineered their last album, 2015’s Sound & Color. “Working on some exciting stuff!” the group wrote in the accompanying caption.
The band went on hiatus in 2018, with Howard soon embarking upon a solo career that resulted in the release of 2019’s Jamie, which peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard 200. Her second solo album, What Now, would arrive in February 2024.
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Alabama Shakes first formed in Athens, Alabama in 2009, with two albums – Boys & Girls and Sound & Color – arriving in 2012 and 2015, respectively. Their second album would chart atop the Billboard 200 and win them three Grammys, including Best Alternative Music Album, and Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance for “Don’t Wanna Fight”.
The group reunited for a benefit concert in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in December 2024, though drummer Steve Johnson was absent from this performance. Johnson had previously been arrested in March 2021 after being indicted on charges of abuse of a child, though they were later dismissed in December of that year. Johnson was also absent from the recent photos shared by Alabama Shakes, so it’s currently unknown whether he will be involved in their new era.
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In November 2024, Howard also announced the debut of a new hardcore band called KUMITE. The group made their live debut in Nashville on Jan. 12, though no further details have arrived in regard to further shows or potential recorded material.
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Fat Joe is trending yet again for a fashion faux pas. He is getting absolutely cooked online for his purple fur coat and hat combination that he wore to a recent Knicks game.
As spotted on HipHopDX Don Cartegena attended the New York Knicks versus the Sacramento Kings game at Madison Square Garden. As usual he was seated court side but his outfit left many questioning his style sense. Fat Joe was sporting a purple fur coat with a matching a Russian ushanka style hat to match. The official Knicks account shared a photo of him to X, formerly Twitter, and the outfit was met with slander, confusion and more.
“He looks f*cking ridiculous,” one user wrote while another chimed in saying “Bro TRIPPIN”. The photo soon went viral and the Knicks account went on to post a different shot of Fat Joe with new caption that read “Moving in mauve” but that didn’t stop the jokes from coming his way. It seemed he brought the team a bit of good luck as the New York Knicks beat the Sacramento Kings 143-120.
You can read some of the most hilarious responses to Fat Joe’s purple fur outfit below.
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It seems like a full week rarely goes by without news of a new lawsuit being filed against deeply embattled music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is now the defendant in dozens of civil lawsuits most of which allege sexual assault. (He’s also the plaintiff in one defamation suit filed against a grand jury witness and his attorney.)
Well, it’s not just Diddy’s alleged abuse victims who are coming forward to speak out against the Bad Boy CEO. One of his former artists, D. Woods of singing group Danity Kane, recently sat down with ABC News to discuss her own experiences with Diddy — and it ain’t pretty!
“I would say that this moment now is a time where I feel like my experience, my truth will really be heard and actually considered and believed,” D. Woods, born Wanita Denise Woodgett, told ABC News’ Eva Pilgrim, host of Good Morning America.
“You know, he is looked at as a hero of our community, and myself included, I looked up to him too,” Woodgett continued, speaking of Diddy. “So a lot of people don’t want to believe that their hero can be this other person.”
Woodgett hasn’t accused Diddy of sexual assault or anything of that nature, but she recalled how he was verbally abusive to her and other members of her group, all of whom were featured on the MTV reality show Making the Band, which was overseen by Diddy.
“He did it in different ways with all of us, you know, picking and prodding and just a way to chip and knock away, but then praise you,” Woddgett said of Combs.
From ABC:
After her time as part of Danity Kane, D. Woods continued to pursue her passions, including performing on Broadway.
If she had the chance to talk to Combs today, the singer told Pilgrim she is not sure what she would say.
“I honestly do not know, but I don’t think you really have to say anything, as long as I’m holding my head up high and my shoulders back,” she said.
Watch the interview with D. Woods below.
In the 50-year history of Saturday Night Live, the show’s myriad musical highlights have been paired with plenty of controversies, but creator and producer Lorne Michaels has asserted that no musical guest has ever been barred from returning.
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Michaels’ claims emerged in the new three-hour documentary Ladies & Gentleman… 50 Years of SNL Music, which premiered on NBC on Monday (Jan. 27). Alongside notable revelations in regards to the show’s musical history (including the fact that no one seems to know the melody to the SNL theme song), Michaels pushed back at long-standing reports that numerous artists have been banned from the show for various reasons.
“I’ll read it sometimes in the Post, ‘So and so’s banned for life,’” Michaels explained. “We’ve never banned anyone. We’re way too crass and opportunistic. If something’s hot, we’re going to go for it and have it on.”
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Though it’s not exactly clear where the reports that artists have been banned from SNL have emerged from over the years, a number of controversial appearances make it easy to see why bans would be expected.
One of the earliest incidents of an apparently banned performer came from a December 1977 episode in which Elvis Costello stepped in for the Sex Pistols. Despite planning to perform “Less Than Zero”, Costello switched up his set at the last moment and instead performed “Radio Radio” – a track that was critical of commercial radio in his native U.K. Undeterred by the negative reaction his appearance generated from the show’s staff, Costello later returned to the show in 1989, 1991, and again in 1999 where he parodied his first performance alongside the Beastie Boys.
Among the most notable examples of controversial musical guests was that of Sinéad O’Connor, who tore up an image of Pope John Paul II during an a cappella performance of Bob Marley’s “War” in 1992. Protesting sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church, O’Connor’s urging for viewers to “fight the real enemy” became one of the most infamous moments on the show’s history.
Other instances also include Los Angeles punk outfit Fear appearing on the show at the insistence of John Belushi in 1981, with their rowdy set reportedly causing $500,000 in damage. A 2004 performance from Ashlee Simpson also gained international notoriety after she was revealed to be lip-syncing due to illness, though she would later return the following year without incident.
The nascent documentary also featured further information about Rage Against the Machine’s 1996 performance, in which they appeared alongside then-presidential candidate Steve Forbes.
Following a version of “Bulls on Parade” (which was planned to feature upside-down American flags hung from their amps until stagehands intervened), bassist Tim Commerford vented his frustration by throwing one of the flags into Forbes’ empty dressing room. The incident caused the Secret Service to respond on behalf of the billionaire, locking the band down in their dressing room until the completion of the show.
The 50 Years of SNL Music documentary – which is co-directed by Oscar-winning Roots drummer Questlove – is part of SNL’s 50th anniversary programming, and arrived following the premiere of SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night on Jan. 16.
UTA signed Mexican singer-songwriter Jasiel Nuñez. Managed by George Prajin, founder/CEO of Prajin Parlay and co-founder of Double P Records along with global superstar Peso Pluma, with whom he has a longstanding creative partnership. The Guadalajara native contributed to Peso’s 2023 album Génesis on tracks like “Laguna” and “Rosa Pastel,” the latter of which reached No. 24 on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart. In 2024, Nuñez also joined Peso on his Éxodo tour. Nuñez’s latest album, La Odisea — featuring collaborations with Luis R Conriquez, Tito Double P and Danny Lux — landed at No. 8 on Billboard‘s Top Latin Albums chart and at No. 6 on Regional Mexican Albums. “I’m excited and thankful to become part of the United Talent Agency family,” said Nuñez in a statement. “This marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter, and I’m ready to push música Mexicana to new heights.” — Isabela Raygoza
Americana music luminary Charley Crockett signed with Island Records and will release his upcoming 15th album, The Lonesome Drifter, with the label in March. In 2024, Crockett released the indie albums $10 Cowboy and $10 Cowboy Chapter II: Visions of Dallas. He is nominated for best Americana album at this year’s Grammy Awards. — Jessica Nicholson
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Alternative rock trio The Hunna (“Bonfire,” “She’s Casual”) signed with FLG, the recently launched imprint of Frontiers Label Group. According to a press release, the band has racked up more than 750 million streams since hitting the scene in 2015.
EaJ (“Car Crash”), formerly a member of the Korean rock band Day6, signed a global label deal with Position Music. Born Jae Park, eaJ is managed by Coulter Reynolds and Jerren Devine of Reynolds Management.
Metal/alt-rock singer-songwriter Violent Vira signed with Mom+Pop Music, which released her latest single, “Saccharine,” on Friday (Jan. 24) and will put out her next album later this year. Booked by CAA, Vira recently got off a 34-city tour and also played last year’s Sick New World festival.
Peso Pluma’s Double P Records added Mexican singer-songwriter Julian Mercado and legacy group Reynaldos de la Sierra to its roster. Both artists, plus newcomer Saul Villareal, will be managed by George Prajin, whose roster includes superstar Peso Pluma as well as Tito Double P, Santa Fe Klan and Gabito Ballesteros. “Double P Records is a place where artists can come to grow their careers, but also a place where they can feel at home with their family, their mentor, their manager and their friends all at once,” Peso said in a statement. Prajin added, “We are excited to be welcoming Julian, Reynaldos de la Sierra and Saul to our family. As fans of their music, we have been witnessing their drive to propel their career and are confident that with our team onboard we can help them grow even further than they ever imagined.” — Griselda Flores
Provident Entertainment/Sony Music has signed former American Idol contestant Madison Watkins to the label’s roster. Watkins, who has been making music since 2019, just released a new song, “Spin,” and is readying a new project for release in 2025. — Jessica Nicholson
Monument Records, in a joint venture with Sony Music, inked a deal with six-piece, Denver-formed band Clay Street Unit. Fronted by lead singer/guitarist Sam Walker, the group recently released the EP Introducing Clay Street Unit. — Jessica Nicholson
North Carolina-based Ramseur Management signed Americana singer-songwriter Jack Blocker, who is prepping his upcoming debut LP. The firm is led by Dolph Ramseur, long-time manager for folk band The Avett Brothers, and its roster also includes Amythyst Kiah, Big Richard and Colby T. Helms. Blockers’s day-to-day managers will be Morgan Deese Locklear and Lisette Rodriguez. — Jessica Nicholson
Nashville-based label River House Artists signed twin-brother duo The Kentucky Gentlemen to its roster. The band, composed of Brandon and Derek Campbell, has previously toured with The War and Treaty and been featured on songs by Will Hoge and Fancy Hagood. The duo recently released the song “Country Hymn.” — Jessica Nicholson
Composer Mara Keen signed with ABKCO Music & Records. Keen has contributed to film and TV projects including Netflix’s Princess Power and Scrappack Production’s Just One More Thing.
Ryan Whyte Maloney, who appeared on The Voice in 2014, has died. He was 44 years old. The Las Vegas Clark County Coroner confirmed to People on Tuesday (Jan. 28) that Whyte Maloney died by suicide, with the cause of death listed as a gunshot wound to the head. The Traverse City, Mich., recorded his […]
