Music News

27 Jul 2023

Post Malone’s New Album ‘Austin’ Has Arrived: Stream It Now

The wait is finally over. On Friday (July 27), Post Malone returned with his fifth studio album, Austin. The set is available to listen to on streaming services now.

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The album contains a total of 17 tracks — “Don’t Understand,” “Novacandy,” “Too Cool to Die,” “Sign Me Up,” “Socialite,” “Something Real” “Speedometer,” “Hold My Breath,” “Enough Is Enough,” “Texas Tea,” “Buyer Beware,” “Landmine,” “Green Thumb” and “Laugh It Off” arrived with the release of the record on Friday, while tracks “Chemical,” “Mourning” and “Overdrive” were dropped as singles preceding the album’s arrival. The latter three singles charted at Nos. 13, 36 and 47 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively.

Upon announcing the name of the project back in May, Malone revealed that recording the project was incredibly rewarding, and highlights the true nature of his artistry.

“This whole deal has been one of the most challenging, rewarding, and exciting records I’ve worked on. I feel it captures who I am as a man and as an artist in this moment,” he wrote in a May 16 Instagram post. “Thank y’all so much for your patience, and thank you for being there with me in my hardest times. I love y’all so much, and am ready to f—ing party with y’all. Cheers, and keep spreading love.”

Austin follows 2022’s Twelve Carat Toothache. Toothache peaked at No. 2 on the all genre Billboard 200 chart, and became Malone’s fourth studio album to chart within the top five.

Listen to Austin below.

27 Jul 2023

Travis Scott Drops ‘Utopia’ Album: Stream It Now

Travis Scott finally dropped his fourth studio album Utopia on Friday, July 28 via Cactus Jack and Epic Records.

The highly anticipated album arrives five years after his last studio album Astroworld, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and included the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single “Sicko Mode,” featuring Drake, which not only became Scott’s first No. 1 hit but also an RIAA diamond-certified single two years after its release. Astroworld was also nominated for best rap album at the 2019 Grammy Awards.

Utopia was preceded by lead single “K-POP” with The Weeknd and Bad Bunny. Scott was originally scheduled to perform the new album at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt Friday, but the special livestreamed concert was canceled due to “complex production issues,” according to a statement from Live Nation Middle East.

The Houston rapper’s LP is being released in tandem with his new film titled Circus Maximus. Produced by A24 and written and directed by Scott, the movie will “take his audience on a mind-bending visual odyssey across the globe, woven together by the speaker rattling sounds of his highly anticipated upcoming album Utopia,” according to AMC. The film will be available at select AMC theaters on July 27, July 30 and Aug. 1-2.

He also released the five Utopia album covers one by one on his Instagram leading up to Friday’s release date, which were photographed by Pieter Hugo and Kristina Nagel.

Listen to Utopia below.

27 Jul 2023

Matteo Bocelli Was Drawn to His Ed Sheeran-Penned Single ‘Chasing Stars’ Due to the ‘Shared Value of Family’

Matteo Bocelli‘s relationship with his father, beloved Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, means everything to him.

“Thanks to my dad, I had the pleasure to be on the most famous stages of the world and got to travel all over the planet,” 25-year-old Matteo tells Billboard. “Bringing our voices on stages, we were bringing a story that is true and authentic. As I always say, music is about authenticity, because when you’re not truthful to music, the music won’t work and people won’t feel it. Our duet ‘Fall On Me’ is a song that talks about a true relationship between father and son and it’s probably why people really felt the song and they were so excited to see us together all the time.”

While he’s already had an impressive amount of musical experience thanks to working and performing with his father, Matteo is ready to re-introduce himself to the world on his own — but not without paying tribute to the family who supported him along the way. The singer dropped a new solo single, “Chasing Stars,” on Friday (July 28), which was written by pop superstar Ed Sheeran and his brother Matthew about their own father.

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“When I was younger, my father was my hero / Let me hop on his shoulders, we sang to the moon,” Matteo’s honeyed vocals croon on the opening lines of the heartfelt ballad, which, as expected, Andrea loved. “Once my father heard that first line calling him my hero, he said, ‘I like this song,’” Matteo recalls with a laugh, before sharing how supportive the Italian legend has been while his son worked to carve his own creative path.

“My father helped this big step feel a little smaller,” he says. “I’m very grateful for everything that he taught me, the values that he gave to me and all the vocal techniques. Every time I have jobs, I still go to him and ask him how I should use my voice. He’s always saying, ‘I’m here for you to help you for whatever you need.’ I think that this is what father should always do. Let their sons live their lives but always be there to support and give advice.”

Having a song written by Ed Sheeran on his debut album made the song even sweeter, as Matteo has been a fan of the superstar since he released 2011’s “The A Team.”

“To think that in my very first album, I have a song with him, it’s incredible. It’s really a privilege,” Matteo says, noting that he met Sheeran “multiple times” over the years, but really got to know him back when he worked with Andrea on his 2017 “Perfect Symphony” duet. “We kept in contact, and later on, we asked if it was possible to have a song written by him. We thought it’d be a privilege to have one of his songs and he sent us ‘Chasing Stars.’ I fell in love with the song in the very first moment because it’s beautiful, the melody and also the lyrics. It wasn’t a song that he wrote for me. It was a song that he did for himself — but what’s cool is the song has a theme that is quite common because we both have a shared value of family and a passion for music.”

He continues, “I found so many connections on that song that I said, ‘I’ve got to do it.’ Not only because everything Ed touches is beautiful, but also because all the pieces of the puzzle were fitting perfectly.”

As for the age-old phrase, “Never meet your heroes,” the warning proved to be completely untrue in Matteo’s experience working with Sheeran. “One of the things that I appreciate so much about Ed is that in his music and art in general, he knows what it means to be free and to have the freedom to do what you love in your way,” Matteo says. “Many artists in their career have been judged for what they were doing or the way they were bringing music to people. For this reason, he gave me the freedom to perform the song the way I like. He wasn’t at all the type to be like, ‘No, you got to do this, you got to do that.’ He encouraged me to perform it the way I feel, because he said, ‘At the end of the day, you’re going to be on stage performing the songs.’”

The Parisi-produced “Chasing Stars” will be featured on the singer’s upcoming debut solo album, fittingly titled Matteo, set for release on September 22 via Capitol Records. The 12-track project will feature both Italian and English songs capturing this new chapter in Matteo’s life.

Despite his confidence in taking this next step as a solo artist, Matteo is still growing and learning who he is, just like any 25-year-old. “They always ask me who I am today and I always say, ‘Honestly, I don’t know,’ because it’s truly a specific and particular phase of my life,” he says of how he views himself at this moment. “This is why one of the first ideas we thought of was to call the album Fasi, which means ‘phases’ in English, because it’s a very important moment of my life with many, many changes. I’m super happy about all of the music I made these last two years and this record will be the product of getting to experiment and work with many writers and composers. You learn so many things, you have so many experiences and so many stories to tell. I hope that the concepts and all the stories and emotion will be able to connect with people.”

Listen to “Chasing Stars,” and watch the moving music video, below.

27 Jul 2023

Taraji P. Henson & Cardi B Dish the Dirt on Offset’s Rumored Affair in ‘Jealousy’ Teaser

Offset and Cardi B are reclaiming the narrative surrounding their relationship in their upcoming collaboration, “Jealousy,” and the two enlisted Taraji P. Henson for a hilarious promotional teaser shared on Thursday (July 27).

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In the one-minute clip, Cardi dials up the Girls Trip star, claiming that a women is once again alleging that Offset cheated on his Grammy-winning wife. “That stank h– b—,” Henson replies. “She’s thirsty.”

Cardi then replies, “Since he [cheated] before, whether he did it or not, people are going to believe it. That’s why I want to bag this n—-. Even though it’s in the past, you should have never done it in the first place. That’s why we’re always in this motherf—ing predicament.”

When Henson asks if Cardi’s going to leave Offset, the “I Like It” rapper replies, “I love him but, b—-, I’m tired of his s—.” Offset then comes banging on Cardi’s door to talk out their issues.

Excluding their collaborations through Migos, “Jealousy” will mark the sixth time Offset and Cardi B appear on the same song as soloists. The husband-wife duo first collaborated on the remix of Cardi’s “Lick,” back in 2017. Since then, their string of collaborations have included “Um Yea,” “Who Want the Smoke?” (with Lil Yachty) and the Grammy-nominated “Clout.”

Watch the teaser below before “Jealousy” arrives in full on Friday (July 28).

27 Jul 2023

The Eagles’ 15 Best Songs: Critic’s Picks

During the late 1960s all — or at least many — roads led to Southern California, and the Eagles were one of the destinations.

It was not a band formed with modest intentions. Glenn Frey had already sung on a national hit (Bob Seger’s “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man”) when he came west from Detroit, and Don Henley‘s Shiloh had an album produced by Kenny Rogers. They met Bernie Leadon, late of the Flying Burrito Brothers, while all of them played in Linda Ronstadt’s 1970-71 backing band, while Randy Meisner was a veteran of Poco and Ricky Nelson’s Stone Canyon Band. It was a supergroup of sorts, with a universe of great collaborators such as Jackson Browne, JD Souther and Jack Tempchin, and one that certainly flew to super, and superlative, heights.

Over the course of two tenures and seven (mostly multi-platinum) studio albums, the Eagles have sold more than 150 million records worldwide, while Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) has been locked for years in a battle for best-selling album of all time with Michael Jackson‘s Thriller. The accolades run from six Grammy Awards to inductions into the Rock & Roll and Vocal Group Hall of Fames to a Kennedy Center Honor. And more importantly, Eagles are the first name mentioned in any discussion of California or country rock.

Frey’s death in January 2016 could have grounded the Eagles for good, but the group took flight again with Frey’s son Deacon and Vince Gill in place for tour dates that are set to wrap up later this year with The Long Goodbye Tour. (Meisner, who exited the group in 1977, after the previous year’s Hotel California album, died in July 2023 at age 77.)

Here are our choices for the 15 best Eagles song to date.

27 Jul 2023

Randy Meisner, Original Eagles Bassist & ‘Take It to the Limit’ Wailer, Dies at 77

Randy Meisner, founding Eagles bassist and the sky-high voice behind the band’s 1976 Billboard Hot 100 top five hit “Take It to the Limit,” has died at age 77, the band announced Thursday (July 27).

Meisner died Wednesday night due to complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to a statement from the band.

“Randy was an integral part of the Eagles and instrumental in the early success of the band,” the band said in the statement. “His vocal range was astonishing, as is evident on his signature ballad, ‘Take It to the Limit.’”

Alongside Glenn Frey, Don Henley and Bernie Leadon, Meisner — born in Scotts Bluff, Nebraska, in 1946 — was a founding member of the Eagles in 1971. Before forming the band, he played with Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band and was the original bass player for country-rock group Poco in the late 1960s.

Meisner was with the Eagles from their self-titled 1972 debut album through 1976’s Hotel California, before quitting the group in 1977. (He was replaced by Timothy B. Schmit, who had also succeeded Meisner in Poco when he had departed the group to form the Eagles.)

The bulk of the Eagles’ vocal duties went to Henley and Frey, but Meisner sang lead on one of the group’s most enduring hits: “Take It to the Limit,” from the 1975 album One of These Nights, peaked at No. 4 on the Hot 100 in 1976 and spent 23 weeks on the chart — the band’s longest-charting hit on the tally. The song is remembered for Meisner’s lofty vocals, especially toward the end of the song when his “aaaahs!” rise to new heights.

Meisner was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the Eagles in 1998.

Tragedy struck Meisner’s personal life in 2016 when his wife, Lana Rae Meisner, was fatally shot in the couple’s Los Angeles home after an “accidental discharge of a firearm,” according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

According to the Eagles’ statement, funeral arrangements are pending for Meisner.

27 Jul 2023

Morrissey Slams Sinead O’Connor Tributes After Her Death: ‘You Praise Her Now Only Because It Is Too Late’

Following the death of Sinead O’Connor on Wednesday, fans and friends within the music industry continue to mourn the singer, citing her talent and outspoken activism. But Morrissey isn’t buying all the tributes.

The Smiths frontman wrote a blog post Wednesday condemning those who called O’Connor an “icon” or “legend” in their tributes but did not have enough courage to support her or her music while she was alive.

“She had only so much ‘self’ to give,” Morrissey wrote. “She was dropped by her label after selling 7 million albums for them. She became crazed, yes, but uninteresting, never. She had done nothing wrong. She had proud vulnerability…and there is a certain music industry hatred for singers who don’t ‘fit in’ (this I know only too well), and they are never praised until death – when, finally, they can’t answer back. The cruel playpen of fame gushes with praise for Sinead today…with the usual moronic labels of ‘icon’ and ‘legend.’ You praise her now ONLY because it is too late. You hadn’t the guts to support her when she was alive and she was looking for you.”

The “This Charming Man” singer then explicitly called out the media and music executives for ridiculing O’Connor publicly and pushing her into “giving up.”

“The press will label artists as pests because of what they withhold…and they would call Sinead sad, fat, shocking, insane…oh but not today!” he continued. “Music CEOs who had put on their most charming smile as they refused her for their roster are queuing-up to call her a ‘feminist icon,’ and 15 minute celebrities and goblins from hell and record labels of artificially aroused diversity are squeezing onto Twitter to twitter their jibber-jabber…when it was YOU who talked Sinead into giving up…because she refused to be labelled, and she was degraded, as those few who move the world are always degraded.”

To Morrissey, O’Connor’s sudden death unfortunately does not come as a surprise — he notes that the outcome the late star has faced is one experienced by many fallen icons in Hollywood and the music industry at large.

“Why is ANYBODY surprised that Sinead O’Connor is dead? Who cared enough to save Judy Garland, Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse, Marilyn Monroe, Billie Holiday? Where do you go when death can be the best outcome? Was this music madness worth Sinead’s life? No, it wasn’t,” he wrote. “She was a challenge, and she couldn’t be boxed-up, and she had the courage to speak when everyone else stayed safely silent. She was harassed simply for being herself. Her eyes finally closed in search of a soul she could call her own.”

As of press time, O’Connor’s cause of death remains unknown, but according to BBC, her death is not being treated as suspicious.

Read Morrissey’s statement in full here.

27 Jul 2023

Drake Calls Out Fan Who Threw Purse at Him Onstage: ‘You Don’t Have, Like, a Life You Need to Attend To?’

When it comes to items being thrown onstage, there is a certain point where Drake draws the line. The rapper took a moment Wednesday night to call out a fan who threw their purse onstage during his tour stop at Madison Square Garden.

“Why would you throw your purse up here? You don’t have a life?” he said, holding up the bag by its strap. “You don’t have, like, a life that you need to attend to? Your I.D. and sh–!”

He continued, “Why would you throw this? This was a terrible idea. Here, take this back. You don’t have, like, work to go to tomorrow or something? You just throwing your purse up here and sh–? You really didn’t think that through, at all.”

Drizzy’s rant comes days after a fan threw her bra onstage at a different concert. “36G?” he excitedly said while inspecting the undergarment onstage. “Locate this woman immediately.” The person who threw the bra was, indeed, located and identified as TikToker Veronica Correia. (In the time since, Correia received an offer to appear in Playboy.)

Elsewhere during Drake’s concert, he confirmed that his new album, For All the Dogs, is officially on the way and is scheduled to arrive very soon. “I will be back soon. I have an album dropping for you in, like, two weeks or some sh–. But until then, just know, you’re always with me and I’m always thinking of you. Everything I do is for you. Every time I step in that booth, I hope I make you proud,” he told the crowd.

Watch the video of Drake calling out the person who threw a purse at him below.

27 Jul 2023

The Chicks Postpone Tonight’s Nashville Concert

Just hours before their slated headlining concert at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, The Chicks revealed that they are postponing the show due to illness.

A statement from The Chicks’ team said they are working to reschedule the show, noting that fans are encouraged to keep their tickets for the newly scheduled date.

“The Chicks are looking forward to seeing their Nashville fans soon and apologize for any inconveniences this may cause,” the statement read.

Canadian pop trio Wild Rivers was slated to open the concert.

The next show on The Chicks’ world tour is Saturday at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee. They previously performed on Tuesday at Louisville, Kentucky’s KFC Yum! Center. The world tour launched in June in Oslo, Norway, with stops in the U.K. and Europe before returning to North America. Other openers on the world tour have included Maren Morris and Ben Harper.

“North America! Thank you to all our fans for making last Summer so fun! We look forward to returning to the road and bringing the show to fans in new cities across the US and Canada! See you soon,” the trio said in a statement when announcing the world tour back in February.

The Nashville show would have marked The Chicks’ first Nashville headlining concert since 2016, although the trio did perform during the Bonnaroo festival in 2022 in Manchester, Tennessee.

The Nashville concert was slated to include an array of the trio’s signature hits, including music from 1999’s Fly and 2002’s Home, as well as their 2020 album, the Jack Antonoff-produced project Gaslighter, which marked their first album in 14 years.

27 Jul 2023

Sia Previews New Song ‘Champion’ During FIFA Women’s World Cup

Sia has added another empowering anthem to her discography.

The singer debuted her new song “Champion” during FOX Sports’ coverage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 on Wednesday night (July 26), when the USA faced off against the Netherlands — which ended in a 1-1 tie.

The nine-time Grammy nominee’s music can be heard throughout Fox Sports’ coverage of the tournament, including hits like “Chandelier,” “Titanium,” “Unstoppable,” “Alive,” “Cheap Thrills” and more.

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This year, the FIFA Women’s World Cup will be held until Aug. 20, when the final two teams face off. When does the U.S. women’s team play next? You can catch them move closer to another World Cup trophy on Tuesday (Aug. 1) at 12 a.m. ET, when they play against Portugal. To check out the entire FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 schedule, click here.

Fox Sports is the official English-language broadcast partner in the U.S., which means you’ll need to tune in to Fox Sports or any of its affiliated channels, such as Fox and FS1 to watch the tournament. You’ll also be able to view it through FoxSports.com or the Fox Sports app (you’ll just need to log in with your provider’s info).

Check out a snippet of “Champion” from Fox Sports via a fan-captured Twitter video here.