State Champ Radio Pop
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Someone very special was posted up at NPRâs offices this week: Post Malone, making his Tiny Desk Concert debut on the heels of his new album Austin.
Postyâs voice sounded a little rough around the edges during the four-song performance, which he explained was due to the strain of his ongoing If Yâall Werenât Here, Iâd Be Crying Tour. After joking about how nervous he felt to perform on the web series, he noted: âIâm on tour, and my voice is âballsâ right now, so I appreciate you guys listening and putting up with that.â
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The rock star kicked off his set with âSunflower,â his 2019 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 smash with Swae Lee written for the Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse soundtrack. Next, with the help of a string quartet and backup singers, he transformed his 2017 single âI Fall Apartâ into an emotional, folksy ballad.
âYou guys fâking rock, thank you for being nice to me,â Post told the crowd halfway through the set.
The 28-year-old artist went on to sing âCircles,â which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in 2019, before closing out with âEnough Is Enough,â a song from his July 28 album Austin. Both songs got the rootsy, full-band acoustic treatment as well, with Post playing acoustic guitar throughout the entire concert.
âIâm sweating my aâ off,â he confessed after the performance concluded. âThis is like a dream for me.â
Austin debuted last week atop both the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart as well as the Top Alternative Albums chart, and reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in its first week. On top of his tour schedule, Post has been hard at work promoting the record, making stops on Zane Loweâs Apple Music 1 show and Alex Cooperâs Call Her Daddy podcast.
Watch Post Maloneâs Tiny Desk concert above.
Lucky fans at Lordeâs Sziget Festival show in Budapest Monday night (Aug. 14) were treated to two very special surprises: a performance of one of the indie pop iconâs unreleased songs, as well as a guest appearance from Caroline Polachek. Lorde has been previewing two unreleased songs at her festival shows over the past week […]
After a male concertgoer wrestled a female fan to the ground in order to forcefully take Drakeâs sweat towel from her â which Drizzy had thrown to her as a gift following his recent L.A. show â the rapper wasnât about to let her take the L. In fan videos chronicling the moment, which went […]
Adele has issued a stern warning to fans who would dare to throw any objects up at her on stage during her Las Vegas residency. But nobody said anything about signs. Though itâs apparently verboten to bring placards into the singerâs Weekends with Adele residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, one sneaky couple secreted […]
How can you miss them if they donât go away? Thatâs essentially what BTSâ RM said during a Weverse livestream over the weekend, during which the singer promised ARMY that the K-pop supergroup is on target to regroup right on schedule.
After reading a heartfelt letter from an ARMY member expressing how much the group has meant to their fans over the past decade, RM offered some assurance, and hope, that things will be back to normal soon.
âI hope our songs and solo projects could be another reminder to you guys of how important ARMY was, has been and will be in our lives at the same time,â he read, speaking in English after listening to the ARMY-created tribute song âLove Lettersâ during the chat. âI hope that it is a reminder that spring will come again. Please continue to keep BTS alive in your hearts, in this moment and perhaps throughout your entire life.â
After sharing the ARMY thoughts, RM got personal, noting that band mate Suga talked âa lotâ about the feelings he had during his 28-show solo run this year and how much love he felt from ARMY, who are patiently âwaiting for the reunion in 2025â; BTSâ seven members announced last year that they were taking a group break to focus on solo projects while the men prepare to take part in South Koreanâs mandatory military service requirement.
âEven though weâre doing our solo activities on our own⌠what Iâm thinking these days when Iâm doing my solo projects is⌠this is just like a vacation,â RM said of his solo efforts, which include his recent hot trending songs No. 1 collab with Colde on âDonât Ever Say Love Me.â
âTo get back to where I was, which was BTS and ARMY. All the solo [activities] is just a journey,â he said. âBut it is a very important journey for Chapter 2. But itâs a journey to get back home safe.â
And then RM uttered the words all of ARMY have been waiting to hear.
âEventually, when we get back and reunite together in 2025⌠[we will] be back for sure. Weâll be joining together again. And that will be in 2025.â
During the 40-minute video chat, RM also commented on his buzz cut (âno reasonâ he said when someone asked why heâd shorn his locks) and busted out some dance moves, admitting that heâs âscaredâ heâs going to forget the groupâs choreo if he doesnât keep practicing. He also munched on a candy bar and fessed up that he doesnât really watch soccer unless itâs the World Cup.
So far, Jin and J-Hope have entered the military and Suga is expected to go next.
Watch RMâs live chat below.
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BeyoncĂŠ showed some love for Lizzo during her Renaissance gig in Atlanta on Monday night (Aug. 14). After previously appearing to leave the âAbout Damn Timeâ singer out of the lyrics to the âBreak My Soul (The Queens Remix)â earlier on the tour after Lizzo was hit with a lawsuit from three former dancers accusing her of creating a hostile environment and sexual harassment, Bey slotted Lizzo back in and added a shout out during the last of three gigs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
âLizzo. I love you, Lizzo!â BeyoncĂŠ shouted during the performance of the song that finds her ticking off a list of legendary female artists including Bessie Smith, her sister Solange, Erykah Badu, Janet Jackson, Lauryn Hill and many others.
Just a week after being hit with the lawsuit from the former dancers â which also included allegations that they were pressured to touch nude dancers during a live sex show â the lawyer representing the three dancers said last week that âwe have received at least six inquiries from other people with similar stories since we filed the complaint.â
The original complaint covering alleged harassment that allegedly took place between 2021-2023, was filed on behalf of dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez. It accused Lizzo (born Melissa Jefferson) and her Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc. of a wide range of legal wrongdoing, including racial and religious discrimination. They also included allegations that the captain of Lizzoâs dance team, Shirlene Quigley, forced her religious beliefs on the plaintiffs and took repeated actions that made them uncomfortable, including commenting on their virginity and simulating oral sex on a banana in front of them.
Lizzo denied the initial allegations in a statement, in which she wrote that they are âfalseâ and âsensationalized stories,â adding, âI am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be these last few days. I am very open with my sexuality and expressing myself but I cannot accept or allow people to use that openness to make me out to be something I am not.â
She said that the allegations that she and her company created a hostile work environment were âunbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed.â BeyoncĂŠ had pointedly left Lizzoâs name out of the live performance of the âBreak My Soulâ remix during an Aug. 1 show in Massachusetts, repeating Baduâs name four times instead; she reportedly slotted the singerâs call-out back into the song during a show in Maryland on Aug. 7. Beyâs mother, Tina Knowles, said the apparent Lizzo leave out was not done on purpose, pointing out that the singer also left out former Destinyâs Child member Kelly Rowlandâs name that night, while fans have noted that not every name in the remix makes it into every performance.
Lizzo has kept a low profile since the lawsuit was filed and one of the only shows she had on her upcoming roster, a headlining slot at this yearâs Made in America festival in Philly (Sept. 2-3), was pulled last week when organizers unexpectedly cancelled the event â which was also slated to feature SZA as a headliner â due to âsevere circumstances outside of production control.â
Check out the Lizzo moment below.
Looking for some motivation to help power you through the start of another work week? We feel you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, weâve got you covered.
These 10 tracks from artists including No Rome, Sufjan Stevens, Trina, Whitney and more will get you energized to take on the week. Pop any of these gems into your personal playlists â or scroll to the end of the post for a custom playlist of all 10.
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No Rome, âDeep Divingâ
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Alternative artist No Rome is gearing up for the release of his Blueboy Must Die mixtape (Sept. 8) and âDeep Divingâ is the latest sampling. Though just one single, it can best be described as a sonic smorgasbord, abandoning structure and prioritizing experimentation â a risk that pays off in the form of fluttering beats, acoustic riffs and thumping, brassy live instrumentation. â Lyndsey HavensÂ
Jonny Yukon, âJealousâÂ
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Johnny Yukonâs writing resume â having penned tracks for Lil Wayne, Camila Cabello and more â reflects the range of influences on his own sound, too. With a discography rooted in R&B and hip-hop, Yukonâs interest in left-of-center pop peeks out on singles like âMomentâ and âWhispers.â But his latest, âJealous,â takes a sharper turn toward psych-pop, creating a hazy daydream, much like a Tame Impala song â no jealousy, just flattery here. â L. Havens
Turnstile, BADBADNOTGOOD & Blood Orange, âAlien Love CallâÂ
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Proving just how versatile Turnstile truly is, the Baltimore punk band teamed with Canadian instrumental band BADBADNOTGOOD for a collaborative EP, New Heart Designs, that reimagines three songs off the formerâs 2021 album Glow On. And while the reworked âAlien Love Call,â which features Blood Orange on both versions, strays the least from the original, the assist makes it feel even more ethereal â and drives home just how surprising the song was for a punk act to begin with. â L. Havens
Whitney, âKansasâÂ
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âKansasâ arrives as a surprise gift for fans of Whitney, as the band has been performing the track live to positive reactions for some time. The duo (Max Kakacek and Julien Ehrlich) has said âKansasâ is what ultimately morphed into âFTAâ (off its 2019 album Forever Turned Around), and only recently did they decide to finish it as originally imagined. The result is a return to the raw and folky sound crucial to Whitneyâs core, making it the perfect release after the actâs poppier third album Spark. â L. Havens
Mette, âVan GoghâÂ
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Rising R&B-pop artist Mette may be best known for starring in N.E.R.D. and Rihannaâs âLemonâ music video, but as she continues to release singles at a steady clip, that soon could change. Her latest, the groovy and playful âVan Goghâ â on which she asserts, âI could be Van Gogh if youâd be my museâ â arrives with news of her signing to RCA, signaling that this is just the beginning. â L. Havens
Daisy World, âur soggyâÂ
As the lead single off a forthcoming debut album from newcomer Daisy World, âur soggyâ highlights the best of what she has to offer: confident sass delivered via gorgeous vocal runs and harmonies. And while the R&B-pop artist calls it a âsilly little diss trackâ about rejection, when she sounds this smooth, itâs hard to imagine anyone turning her away. â L. Havens
Sufjan Stevens, âSo You Are Tiredâ
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For over two decades, Sufjan Stevens has been able to conjure magic when he picks up an acoustic guitar. âSo You Are Tired,â the delicately heartbreaking lead single from upcoming album Javelin, begins with some somber piano, after which Stevens quickly transitions into strumming through his confusion and sadness. âTiredâ recalls the intimacy of 2015âs Carrie & Lowell â Javelin is billed as his first true singer-songwriter album since then â but the tapestry of voices that enter the song harks back to early-career triumphs like Seven Swans and Illinois. â Jason Lipshutz
Yeule, âGhostsâ
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Last year, Yeuleâs Glitch Princess prodded at human identity with technical prowess and emotional curiosity; ahead of forthcoming album Softscars, they continue to explore those themes, as âGhostsâ adopts the perspective of a spirit looking in on our shared state of being (âIf only I could be / Real enough to love,â they lament). Whereas the electro-pop of Glitch Princess was often adamantly experimental, the singer-songwriter sway of âGhostsâ is effective in its simplicity, making complex ideas accessible for a wider audience. â J. Lipshutz
Trina, DreamDoll and Supa Cindy, âBig Mood (Freestyle)â
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The same day Trina hit the stage at Yankee Stadium to celebrate #HipHop50 as part of the showâs Queens of Hip-Hop segment, the Southern rap legend dropped âBig Mood (Freestyle)â to demonstrate sheâs still one of Da Baddest B-tches around. A collab with Bronx rapper DreamDoll and media personality Supa Cindy, the trackâs subdued piano melody and laid-back beat allows the trioâs effortless yet hard-hitting flows to command your attention on this two-minute rush. â Joe Lynch
Sedona, âDominoâ
Indie pop darling Sedona traded in the upbeat tempo of June single âDominoâ and reinterpreted the meaning of the song for its acoustic version. The trackâs biting lyrics cut even deeper with its drums stripped, with the singer openly discussing the painful dissolution of a relationship and its aftermath. âTaking sides it hurts so bad/ Solid footing just another scam/ Torn open again,â she softly croons on the trackâs second verse, before setting up a solid chorus for the rest of the track to float on. â Starr Bowenbank
Ed Sheeran canât stop reminding fans: âautumn is coming.â And while itâs certainly possible that the pop superstar is just really, really passionate about the fall season, Sheerios are pretty sure that heâs actually teasing the arrival of a new project.
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Letâs back up. Sheeran has been cryptically dropping the phrase âautumn is comingâ for a couple weeks now, using it to caption a number of Instagram photos and videos. Funnily enough, one of the pictures was a meme of the musician standing in front of a fall landscape, with all of the leaves replaced with hundreds of pictures of him and his ginger hair.
Then, on Sunday (Aug. 13), the âBad Habitsâ singer shared a montage of clips from his time in Minneapolis, where he recently broke U.S. Bank Stadiumâs attendance record with his Mathematics Tour. In the caption, he wrote: âHad an absolute blast. Left some clues around the stadium about autumn coming. Did you know autumn is coming?â
While in Minneapolis, Sheeran also worked a shift at the Lego store in Mall of America, where he sang a surprise performance of his 2013 hit âLego House.â He also passed out his own custom Lego figurine, which wears a shirt reading â you guessed it â âAutumn is coming.â
But thatâs not all. Fans also noticed that at his Aug. 5 Kansas City show, Sheeran sported a jersey emblazoned with the number 9 and, in place of his last name, âAutumn.â Then, one week later, at his Minneapolis show, he wore a jersey with the number 29, this time printed with the word âVariations.â
With the potential clues in place, fans online are trying to connect the dots. âAutumn Variations?â theorized one fan on Twitter. âAutumn is coming! 9/29, 29/9 aka September 29?â
âIâm throwing this out there now that Autumn Variations is coming on September 29 based on the clues given by Ed this weekend in Minneapolis,â tweeted another fan.
If fans are correct and Edâs unconfirmed next album does come out this fall, itâll be his second LP to drop this year. In May, he released Subtract (stylized âââ), which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.
See what Sheerios are making of Ed Sheeranâs âautumn is comingâ mantra below:
lego house at the lego store with autumn is coming in lego? he’s having the time of his life LMAOâ deka (@mendyoursoull) August 12, 2023
Ed confirmed at the show tonight that Subtract was the last album with his record label. The next one he’s releasing on his own label. A lot less promotion and no single or anything like that for this one. #AutumnIsComingâ đHoney Nut Sheeriođ (@TheIATeam) August 12, 2023
ed sheeran learned the words “autumn is coming” and never said anything else ever againâ sisiii đŚ (@edshivers_) August 12, 2023
Ed releasing autumn on his own. most likely next month. THIS CAN’T GET ANY BETTERâ Ema falls in âĽď¸ (@_teddyspics_) August 12, 2023
Iâm throwing this out there now that Autumn Variations is coming on September 29 based on the clues given by Ed this weekend in Minneapolis.â Stooph (@St3ffffffffff) August 13, 2023
ed sheeran is so omg autumn variations september 29??? he teased us so much and now maybe we have a confirmationâ tere is in the afterglow đ°ď¸ (@imhighwalls) August 13, 2023
Britney Spears is putting her dance skills to the test with a brand new apparatus. On Sunday (Aug. 13), the ââŚBaby One More Timeâ hitmaker revealed that she recently purchased a hot pink dancer pole, and put it to work in a video posted to her Instagram. The clip finds the 41-year old donning a […]
V may be about to embark on his solo career, but that doesnât mean he canât bring a buddy with him. In a couple dozen new concept photos previewing his upcoming debut album Layover, the BTS band member costars alongside his pet dog, Yeontan. In some of the snaps, V â real name Kim Tae-hyung […]
