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Dolly Parton is the 2024 recipient of the PEACE Through Music Award, which honors an American music industry professional, artist or group who has played an invaluable role in cross-cultural exchanges and whose music works to advance peace and mutual understanding globally. The award is presented jointly by the Recording Academy and the U.S. State Department.
Parton, a 10-time Grammy winner who also received a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2011, will be celebrated on Friday (Oct. 25) at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. She will not be in attendance, but sent a video acceptance.
“To say that I was honored to accept the PEACE Through Music Award from the Recording Academy and the U.S. State Department would be putting it mildly,” Parton said. “I was very touched and moved by that. If I have been an inspiration in any way through some act of kindness or through some music that I have written, well, that makes me feel like I have done my job properly. Thanks again for such a great honor.”
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Parton’s commitment to serving others is well-known. Parton’s Imagination Library, which provides underserved children the opportunity to learn through reading, stretches from the hills of Appalachia to the outback of Australia. In addition, she has been a champion of public health, most recently around the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Over the course of her career, Dolly Parton has been committed to enriching communities across the globe, and it’s a privilege to celebrate her dedication to service with the PEACE Through Music Award today,” Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement. “We are grateful to partner with the Department of State on the Global Music Diplomacy Initiative, which represents an important part of the Academy’s work to support music people across the globe.”
“Dolly Parton represents the best of America – her excellence in music, her servant’s heart in giving back to those in need, and her unique ability to always bring people together,” said Lee Satterfield, Acting Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. “On behalf of the American people and Secretary of State [Antony] Blinken, we are honored to celebrate all of her contributions to people around the world with the PEACE Through Music Award in partnership with the Recording Academy.”
The PEACE Through Music Award is determined through a nomination process, with U.S. embassies around the globe submitting nominations to be considered by a selection committee created jointly by the State Department and Recording Academy. The committee includes Recording Academy members, U.S. Department of State leadership, music industry professionals, and academia. The recommended honorees are approved by the CEO of the Recording Academy, then presented to the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, who makes the final selection.
The award is part of the Global Music Diplomacy Initiative, which was announced by the Recording Academy and the State Department in 2023. The initiative is designed to elevate music as a global diplomatic platform that promotes peace, expands economic equity, elevates creative economies, ensures societal opportunity, and increases access to education worldwide. The initiative was developed pursuant to the PEACE Through Music Diplomacy Act, which was championed by the Recording Academy and its members in 2022 at its annual Grammys on the Hill and Music Advocacy Day events, resulting in the legislation being passed into law in December 2022.
Tonight’s Grammy Museum event also recognizes the first-ever cohort of the American Music Mentorship Program, which took place in Los Angeles from Oct. 15-25.
Kate Bush has given a rare interview and teased the prospect of new music.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today program on Friday morning (Oct. 25) the pop icon said that she has ideas and desires to make a start on a new album. Bush released her last studio album 50 Words For Snow in 2011 .
When asked if she was working on new material currently, Bush said: “Not at the moment, but I’ve been caught up doing a lot of archive work over the last few years, redesigning our website, putting a lyric book together.
“And I’m very keen to start working on a new album when I’ve got this finished. I’ve got lots of ideas and I’m really looking forward to getting back into that creative space, it’s been a long time.”
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When presenter Emma Barnett asked if it was a hope she’d had for a while, Bush responded: “Yes it is, really. Particularly [in] the last year, I’ve felt really ready to start doing something new.”
Bush was appearing on the program to promote a new short film that she has created called Little Shrew, which is soundtracked by her 2011 song “Snowflake.” The four-minute short film, which you can watch below, was created by Bush and an illustrator to help raise awareness and funds for the charity War Child, which supports young people caught up in conflicts.
Speaking on the film, Bush said she “started working on it a couple of years ago, it was not long after the Ukrainian war broke out, and I think it was such a shock for all of us.”
“It’s been such a long period of peace we’d all been living through. And I just felt I wanted to make a little animation that would feature, originally, a little girl. It was really the idea of children caught up in war. I wanted to draw attention to how horrific it is for children.
“And so I came up with this idea for a storyboard and felt that, actually, people would be more empathetic towards a creature rather than a human. So I came up with the idea of it being a little shrew.”
The British artist broke through in the late 1970s and her hits include “Hounds of Love,” “Babooshka” and “Wuthering Heights.” In 1980, she became the first solo female British artist to top the U.K. Albums Charts with her third album Never For Ever. Bush’s creative work in recent decades has been sporadic, and in 2014 she shocked the music world when she announced a return to the stage for a residency in London, her first live performances in decades.
In 2022, Bush’s 1985 single “Running Up That Hill” featured heavily in the fourth season of Netflix’s Stranger Things and saw a flurry of interest and streams in her back catalog. The song peaked at No .3 on the Billboard Hot 100, bettering its placement of No. 30 upon its original release, and topped the U.K. Singles Chart for three weeks to give Bush her second No. 1 single. In 2023, the song topped 1 billion streams on Spotify.
Kylie Minogue, the queen of pop, is crowned on Australia’s albums chart with Tension II.
The new collection is Kylie’s ninth leader on the ARIA Chart, fifth in succession, and second in a year; its predecessor, Tension, logged one week at the summit in September 2023.
Tension II (via Mushroom Music) is the Melbourne-raised pop icon’s 17th studio album, and with its fast start on the chart, pushes Kylie to No. 9 on the list of acts with the most No. 1s in Australia, a tally that includes Light Years (from 2000), Fever (2001), X (2007), Kiss Me Once (2014), Golden (2018), Step Back In Time: The Definitive Collection (2019), Disco (2020) and Tension.
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She also has 10 No. 1 singles in Australia, from “Locomotion” in 1987 to “2 Hearts” in 2007, ARIA reports, and she’s on the brink of a 10th No. 1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart.
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“It is so awesome to see Australia’s OG pop queen continuing to dominate globally and at home, bringing joy and disco into our lives,” comments ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd. “Huge congratulations to her and her team for such a phenomenal career, five consecutive No. 1 albums, and continuing to represent Australia on the world stage.”
Also new to the ARIA Chart, published Friday, Oct. 25, is Dean Lewis’ The Epilogue (Island/Universal), at No. 2. It’s a third top 10 for the triple ARIA Award winner, a tally that includes a No. 1in 2019 with A Place We Knew.
Meanwhile, New South Wales indie rock duo Skegss start at No. 4 with Pacific Highway Music (Concord/Universal), their third full-length album. Skegss now have four top 10s under their belts: 2015 EP 50 Push Ups For A Dollar peaked at No. 4; My Own Mess hit No. 2 in 2018, and 2021’s Rehearsal went all the way to No. 1.
ARIA Award winner Thelma Plum’s lands in the top 10 with I’m Sorry, Now Say It Back (Warner Music Australia), new at No. 7. It’s the Brisbane singer and songwriter’s followup to debut Better In Blak, which peaked at No. 4 in 2019.
Confidence Man impact the top 40 with 3AM (La La La) (via I Oh You/Mushroom), on which the Aussie electro-pop act takes a time-machine back to ’90s rave and clubland. 3AM (La La La) is new at No. 40.
It’s a Melbourne double on the ARIA Charts as Rosé opens at No. 1 on the singles tally with her Bruno Mars collaboration, “APT.” (via Atlantic/Warner). That’s a record-breaking feat, making Rosé the first solo female K-pop artist to lead the chart. She’s just the second solo K-pop singer to rule the ARIA Chart after PSY’s “Gangnam Style” spent six weeks at the top back in 2012.
Rosé was born in Auckland and raised in Melbourne, before making the move to South Korea, where she joined Blackpink and smashed records everywhere. In Australia, the foursome owns the highest-debuting single by a K-pop group in ARIA Chart history, when “Pink Venom” went to No. 1 in 2022.
Declan McKenna is in a transitional state. When Billboard speaks to the British musician in early October, he’s surrounded by boxes while he moves apartments in London. He’s also packing his gear for a string of live headline dates in North America, which include a role as a special guest on Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet tour, his first-ever arena gigs. It’s a period of fresh beginnings and new opportunities.
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Then there’s the biggest change: after a decade signed to Columbia Records, McKenna is going independent. McKenna signed with the label in 2015 aged 16 following the success of his viral single “Brazil” and his victory in Glastonbury Festival’s Emerging Talent Competition. The indie–pop song was a riposte to soccer governing body FIFA and their decision to name Brazil as hosts for the 2014 World Cup without addressing deep-seated inequality and poverty. The track is approaching 675m streams on Spotify.
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McKenna released three LPs on Columbia, most recently What Happened To The Beach? which charted at No.3 on the UK Albums Charts in February. There were shades of Paul McCartney’s 1971 solo record Ram and a looser West Coast feel to the record which was made in LA with producer Gianluca Buccellati, whose credits include Arlo Parks and RAYE. McKenna also played a 10,000 capacity headline show at London’s Alexandra Palace to accompany its release.
As the deal was approaching its end, McKenna started plotting a new path forward. Now, he’s self-releasing his music via his label Miniature Ponies, a joint venture with ADA, a distribution company owned by Warner Music Group.
“I did like the idea of being independent and not having to explain what you’re doing and why you’re doing it,” McKenna says. “I feel quite confident that I know how to do it, and it felt like the right time to try and get something else out.” He’s effusive with praise with some of his collaborators at the label, but says the relationship had met its natural end having fulfilled his obligations for three studio albums.
McKenna toasts to the new era with a double AA-side single “Champagne” and “That’s Life,” the first release on Miniature Ponies. On the two tracks he fuses more electronic elements into his sound, and retains his passion for hooky songwriting; McKenna’s melodies and choruses are some of the best to come out of British pop in recent years. Both songs examine the ludicrous excesses and follies of success, and on “Champagne” we’re drawn into vacuous conversations where the social currency is attention: “Of course I didn’t mean what I said, I just wanted them to laugh,” he begrudgingly admits.
A key reason behind the decision to go independent, McKenna says, was to streamline the decision making process and to work freely with potential collaborators across his music and visuals.
“If I were there advising my younger self I would say ‘you need to stick to your guns on this,’” McKenna says. “There’s a lot of working through fear from all different corners of the industry but pushing past that and letting creativity happen naturally is so necessary and important.”
Outwardly facing, his catalog so far has shown little signs of compromise. His ambitious 2017 debut What Do You Think About The New Car? was produced with former Vampire Weekend member Rostam Batmanglij and James Ford, whose credits include Arctic Monkeys and Florence + The Machine. 2020’s Zeroes, meanwhile, nodded to ‘70s glam-rock and embraced the imperfect nature of the creative process, and boasts one of his finest songs in “The Key To Life On Earth.”
Likewise, McKenna’s voice continues to be forthright. In 2019 he released the single “British Bombs” which highlighted the role that British arms companies play in fuelling conflict on a global scale; it’s now a fan favorite and a staple of his live performances.
The new independent era dovetails with some of McKenna’s biggest shows. From Nov. 1, he’ll join Carpenter as her main support at arena shows in Los Angeles, Seattle, Denver and more. He said the pair met at Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago last summer where Carpenter revealed she was a fan of his work. Earlier this year Carpenter invited McKenna to join as a special guest, following on from fellow British artist Griff who also got the call for the tour.
“It might be surprising for some people, and it was surprising for me to an extent, because I’m not exactly the bookies favorite to do this gig,” he laughs. “Sabrina, along with a couple other pop artists that are quite obvious, has brought a sense of fun back to pop music”
He adds: “Most of the music I love isn’t super clear about the lyric meanings and intentions. Sabrina has a bit of that. She can hammer home a concept, but also have fun.”
After that he’ll head to Australia for a string of co-headline dates with Northern Irish indie heroes Two Door Cinema Club and next summer McKenna will join Imagine Dragons on their stadium run through Europe, his biggest ever venues. The final date will arrive at his beloved soccer team Tottenham Hotspur’s Spurs Stadium in London. “I feel very lucky as that is a dream gig,” McKenna says.
Next step in his journey as an independent artist is to increase the speed of releases. He says he’s still “hoarding” music that he’s keen to share, something that falls squarely on Miniature Ponies’ label boss: himself.
“I’ve always spearheaded what I’m doing and who I’ve worked with creatively, but there’s a different layer to it now where I don’t have someone looking over my shoulder,” he concludes. “It’s a freeing thing.”
Country music superstar and dedicated Dodgers fan Brad Paisley is set to perform the national anthem for Game 1 of the 2024 World Series this Friday night, Oct. 25, at Dodger Stadium.
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It will mark his fourth time singing at the World Series, a fitting match for a lifelong Dodgers fan. This year’s showdown between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees will start with two games in L.A., followed by the next leg of the series in New York at Yankee Stadium, with Game 1 coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, and ESPN Radio.
With 18 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, Paisley has had a major presence on country radio with songs like “We Danced” and “Mud on the Tires.” A member of the Grand Ole Opry since 2001, Paisley has written 21 of his 25 No. 1 hits, and in 2008 became the first artist to achieve 10 consecutive Billboard Country Airplay No. 1 singles.
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His albums have similarly made a mark; Mud on the Tires and Time Well Wasted both claimed multiple weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, while his album Hits Alive stayed on the charts for over 135 weeks.
In addition to his chart success, Paisley has earned three Grammys, 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, and 14 Country Music Association Awards, including an Entertainer of the Year award. His longstanding partnership with Carrie Underwood as co-hosts of the CMA Awards for 11 years made them a fan-favorite duo, highlighting his wit and charm alongside his formidable musical talent.
Beyond his accomplishments, Paisley’s deep connection to his fans has driven his success, with hits like “Freedom Was a Highway” and his current single, “Truck Still Works,” which has been climbing the charts and offering a preview of his next album.
The new album, which will likely come out in early 2025, will be his first full-length album since 2017 and his first since moving from Sony Nashville’s Arista imprint to Universal Music Group Nashville’s EMI Records.
“The project has some deeper things on it but, like the song itself, is really about creativity and nostalgia and you know the themes that you want to hear right now,” he told Billboard. “Sometimes, like in these times, it’s great to give people something they just want to turn up and takes them to a place where they feel good.”
Three members of San Diego metalcore band As I Lay Dying have abruptly exited the band, citing clashes with personal morals amid the band’s turbulent history.
Guitarist Ken Susi, bassist Ryan Neff, and drummer Nick Pierce shared statements this week detailing their reasons for his departure, leaving just controversial frontman Tim Lambesis and guitarist Phil Sgrosso in the lineup.
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In a statement posted on social media on Oct. 24, Susi explained that his morals had been “tested to a breaking point.”
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“My time playing with As I Lay Dying has come to an end today. I leave with so much gratitude for everyone who followed and supported me from my days in Unearth to this era of my career,” Susi wrote. “I jumped into the AILD camp with full knowledge of the heightened dramatic history but had a drive to just play great music with great friends.”
He added, “Unfortunately, my personal morals have recently been tested to a breaking point, and it’s not the saddest ending to what could have been the greatest second chance for this band.”
This follows a post by bassist Ryan Neff, who left on Oct. 18, calling it “the right step for my personal and professional journey.”
Susi had noted in his announcement that Neff had received “a lot of backlash for stepping down first.” He added, “I regret not sharing this decision sooner and standing confidently with my friend — he’s a flawless musician and an even better person. I’ll miss you all on this stage, and I look forward to seeing you on the next one. Anyone looking for a guitar player? My resume is ready.”
Neff reflected in his own statement, “As of today, I have made the decision to leave As I Lay Dying,” Neff wrote via Instagram. “This choice comes after much reflection, and I believe it is the right step for my personal and professional journey. I am grateful for the experiences and connections I’ve made during my time with the band. Thank you to all the fans for your support.”
Drummer Nick Pierce joined them in departing, also citing personal reasons in his own statement. “As of now, I am no longer playing drums for As I Lay Dying,” Pierce wrote. “This is far from being the ending I anticipated, and I feel I need to distance myself from the band in an effort to retain my personal health and integrity.”
It follows the band’s touring manager, Alex Kendrick, also announcing his departure from working with the group.
In a now-deleted tweet, Kendrick wrote: “I no longer work for AS I LAY DYING – I do not wish to be asked questions nor will I answer any. I’ve made life long memories that will never be forgotten but my chapter of the book has completed. I wish everyone the best of luck and clearly I’m still rocking with Phil out here.”
Founded in 2000, As I Lay Dying rose to prominence as a Grammy-nominated act but became embroiled in controversy in 2013 when Lambesis was arrested and later sentenced to prison for attempting to hire a hitman to kill his then-wife, Meggan Lambesis. Lambesis pleaded guilty in the case and served two years of a six-year sentence.
After his release in 2016, the band reunited in 2018 with a mix of original and new members. However, tensions lingered. Former guitarist Nick Hippa, along with drummer Jordan Mancino and bassist Josh Gilbert, previously left in 2020. Since then, Susi, Pierce, and Neff joined the lineup, only to now announce their exits.
At the time of writing, Lambesis has not addressed the departures, and the future of As I Lay Dying remains uncertain. Their eighth album, Through Storms Ahead, is still set for release on Nov. 15.
Seven years after delivering “The Cure,” Lady Gaga is finally diagnosing the “Disease.” After some sly teases through a Spotify playlist and a pair of custom websites, Gaga finally confirmed the single’s release date via Instagram on Monday (Oct. 21). In the post, the Grammy and Oscar winner shared the single’s cover art, which finds […]
Summer Walker released her new single “Heart of a Woman” on Friday (Oct. 25) via LVRN and Interscope Records. “Heart of a Woman” is the lead single from her upcoming third studio album Finally Over It. The new LP follows the theme of Walker’s 2021 sophomore album, Still Over It, and 2019 debut album, Over […]
Here it is, Hotties! Megan Thee Stallion dropped her Megan: Act II deluxe album on Friday (Oct. 25) via Hot Girl Productions. The set features 12 new tracks plus “Neva Play,” featuring RM of BTS, as a bonus. TWICE is featured on the remix of her Billboard Hot 100 No. 36 hit “Mamushi,” originally featuring Yuki […]
Halsey is back with yet another trick up her sleeve. The singer dropped her latest album, The Great Impersonator, on Friday (Oct. 25). In addition to previously released singles “The End,” “Lucky,” “Lonely Is the Muse” and “Ego,” the LP also features songs such as “Only Girl Living in LA,” “Dog Years,” “Panic Attack,” “I […]