Music

There are two dials at Gorillaz HQ which determine 1) how many guests will be on an album, and 2) how elaborate its broader cartoon lore will be. 2018’s The Now Now, positioned as a solo album by Damon Albarn’s “2-D” alter ego, had minimal guests and only the slightest bit of extra-textual hijinks. On the other hand, 2020’s wildly overstuffed Song Machine project, in which every track was accompanied by at least one guest and a new cartoon detailing the band’s ongoing dystopian adventures, turned both dials to 11....

Twenty-three years ago, on Feb. 21, 2000, a then-little-known trio called Rascal Flatts launched their country music career with their debut single, "Prayin' for Daylight." The band has gone on to be a massively popular mainstay within the genre, with a storied, two-decade career under their belts.Before Rascal Flatts recorded "Prayin' for Daylight," however, they didn't yet have a record deal -- or even a name for their group. In a feature in the Tennesseean, songwriters Steve Bogard and Rick Giles -- who co-penned the song -- remember that at the time, "they were calling this...

Courts & Crime Nikolas tells Rolling Stone she plans on re-filing her case against the Rhye singer Rhye lead singer Michael Milosh’s malicious prosecution case against his ex-wife Alexa Nikolas was stricken from court earlier in February following an anti-SLAPP motion from Nikolas’s attorneys, documents reviewed by Rolling Stone confirm. The decision comes nearly six months after the singer first sued Nikolas’s lawyers over claims that that they knowingly filed a “frivolous” lawsuit against him that “lacked any legal basis” regarding allegations of sexual misconduct against him. Nikolas, an actor...

With two days of honky tonkin’ musical showcases in the rearview mirror, the 2023 Ameripolitan weekend in Memphis came to a close on Sunday — but not without a few more fireworks. From a showcase of one of country music’s most recognizable instruments to memorable award show speeches, here are the four best things we saw on the final day of the Ameripolitan weekend.Steel Guitar PullThe final day of Ameripolitan kicked off down the street from Graceland at Hernando’s Hideaway, a music venue and restaurant owned by Ameripolitan founder Dale Watson, with a steel guitar...

More than half a decade after Lil Peep died of a drug overdose, his mother and former label have settled a multimillion-dollar wrongful death lawsuit. In a Friday filing, Peep’s mother Liza Womack informed the L.A. Superior Court of the settlement with her son’s label First Access Entertainment, per Pitchfork. Though terms of the settlement are unavailable, a post on the late rapper’s Instagram informed fans that “his music will be in the care of his mother and brother, and no one else.” “It is a solemn moment for us...

Reigning CMA Female Vocalist of the Year Lainey Wilson has released her cover of the Rolling Stones classic “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” from their 1969 album, Let It Bleed.Instead of opening with a choir like the original, Wilson’s reimagined version starts off with gentle acoustic strums, before she arrives on the first verse. “I saw her today at the reception / A glass of wine in her hand / I knew she was gonna meet her connection / At her feet was a footloose man,” Wilson sings.The...

With no superstar guests or costume changes, Rihanna’s long-awaited, hit-packed comeback at last week’s Super Bowl Halftime Show relied entirely on her own music — and her singular stage presence and swagger. And as always, the performance, complete with an understated pregnancy reveal, prompted endless online discourse. In the new episode of Rolling Stone Music Now, Tomás Mier — who liked the show, but saw it as a low-energy letdown compared to halftime spectacles from Lady Gaga and Katy Perry — debates its merits with Mankaprr Conteh, who saw it as...

After a triumphant and exciting day one of the 2023 Ameripolitan Music Awards weekender —the organization’s first gathering since 2020 — the music and good times took an even bigger leap forward on Saturday, with everyone from singer-songwriters to one-man bands, supergroups and more taking center stage.From Brennen Leigh to Sierra Ferrell, here are the five best things we saw on day two of the 2023 Ameripolitan weekend.Brennen Leigh, Katie Shore and Melissa CarperOpening up day two of Ameripolitan festivities was a bonafide western supergroup with Brennen Leigh, Katie Shore...

O N MARCH 4, 2020, guitarist Chad Taylor stood on a beach outside of the Hard Rock Hotel in the Dominican Republic. He fired up a Cuban cigar and stared out at the vast ocean. After years of bitter infighting and nasty legal battles, his band Live — best remembered for their Nineties hits “Lightning Crashes” and “I Alone” — was finally reunited and back on the road. Live had just wrapped up a successful co-headlining tour with Bush, there was talk of cutting a new album, and they were...

Kellie Pickler's husband, songwriter and musician Kyle Jacobs, died in an apparent suicide on Friday (Feb. 17), and celebrities including Paula Abdul were among the many who turned to social media to express shock, sympathy and support.According to Variety, Jacobs died by suicide on Friday (Feb. 17). He and Pickler had been married since 2011, and they starred together in a reality television show called I Love Kellie Pickler on CMT, which lasted three seasons.Metro Nashville Police tell Variety and TMZ that Jacobs died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound....

Skrillex has surprised fans with another new album, just a day after releasing his Quest for Fire.  The EDM-pop superstar previously revealed that a follow-up LP, dubbed Don’t Get Too Close, was on the way, and during Skrillex’s performance Saturday at New York’s Madison Square Garden, he informed the crowd that the album is out right now; the MSG gig also featured specially made “bootleg CDs” of the new album, which won’t be available anywhere else. Like Quest for Fire, Don’t Get Too Close is a star-studded affair, comprising recent...

The women of country and western music wowed on day one of the Ameripolitan Music Awards festivities in Memphis with their over-the-top outfits, wit, and — of course — their music. From honky tonk to outlaw, western swing, doo-wop and more, there was a flavor of country music on display to appease everyone’s musical appetite and two-step to.Here are the five best things we saw on day one of the 2023 Ameripolitan weekend.Tammi SavoyWith her blend of old-school soul, blues, and jazz, it was almost as if vintage pinup Tammi...

"I got cut from my team as a kid (it was traumatic!) and now I’m laughing," singer tweets postgame Janelle Monáe had fun — but no points — participating in Friday night’s NBA All-Star Celebrity Game in Salt Lake City. Fresh off the release of her new single “Float” — a track that’s been used in promoting televised NBA games this season — Monáe suited up for coach Dwyane Wade’s team as part of the annual celebrity game, which Monáe later tweeted as a “bucket list” moment for her. “I...