Music

Twenty-two years ago today (Dec. 11) was a big day for Brad Paisley: It was on this day in 1999 that the singer earned his first No. 1 hit with the song "He Didn't Have to Be," from his debut album, Who Needs Pictures.Paisley co-wrote "He Didn't Have to Be" with his longtime friend and frequent co-writer, Kelley Lovelace. The tune was based on true events from Lovelace's life: The tunesmith became a stepdad to son McCain Merren when he married his wife, Karen.""He Didn’t Have to Be" was probably the most life-changing...

Good night, Papa Nez. The music world is mourning today for the late, great Michael Nesmith, and celebrating his long, weird, beautiful life. He died today at 78, just weeks after the Monkees’ final show on Nov. 14. He was the coolest Monkee, the rock star of the band, the tall, lanky Texan in the wool hat. Nobody did more to eroticize aviator shades and sideburns than Nez. But he was the band’s dedicated musician, writing a slew of cowboy-hippie classics: “Tapioca Tundra,” “Listen to the Band,” “Circle Sky,” “Auntie’s...

Sure, "Soul" might feel like a little bit of a left turn for fans of Lee Brice's more traditional country music — and the singer even admits that at the beginning, he was a little nervous for the song to be a single, because it felt like a risk."It kinda did for a minute," he admits to Taste of Country, "until I started playing it live. Until I started getting calls from my countriest of countriest of kin and friends, going, 'Man, this thing, 'Soul,' is gonna be the best thing...

An extinction-level disaster and dark political comedy may not necessarily be the kinds of things that make one think of Bon Iver. But as Adam McKay was chatting with Oscar-nominated composer Nicholas Britell about the music for the end of his new satire, Don’t Look Up, it was the director who suggested, “Y’know, it would be great if there was an original Bon Iver song playing right there. That would just be, like, perfect.” Britell, as he recently recalled to Rolling Stone, excitedly chimed in, “Do you want me to...

In "Sanctuary Song," indie roots duo Vivian Leva and Riley Calcagno show the power of a single story.Documenting the tragic deaths of Óscar Alberto Martínez Ramirez and his toddler daughter Valeria, who drowned in the Río Grande in 2019 while trying to seek sanctuary in the United States, the track is simple and stripped-down, with minimalist accompaniment from haunting guitar and strings. Accompanying it is a similarly bare-bones music video, depicting Calcagno and Liva performing the track on a stark, black and white riverbank with the sounds of water rushing around them.These light dressings allow the...

Documentaries about Kanye West, Sinead O’Connor and the Middle East’s first female metal band are set to premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. The Utah fest announced its programming slate Thursday, with the O’Connor documentary Nothing Compares set to make its debut as part of the World Cinema Documentary Competition. The film, directed by Irish filmmaker Kathryn Ferguson, boasts archive footage — much of it unseen — from the period of O’Connor’s career stretching from 1987 to 1993, as well as new interviews with the singer herself. “As an...

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is gearing up to open another exhibit, this time for country duo Florida Georgia Line.Florida Georgia Line: Mix It Up Strong will open on Jan. 21, 2022, and run almost a full year until Jan. 1, 2023. The exhibit will give visitors an unprecedented view into the lives of FGL members Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley, specifically how their relationship first started and how the pair have leaned into incorporating cross-genre influences into their country songs."Florida Georgia Line expanded the country music audience...

Travis Scott broke his silence about the Astroworld tragedy in a 50-minute conversation with Charlamagne Tha God that was posted Thursday. In his first interview since the Houston festival on Nov. 5 that killed 10 people, the rapper reiterated that he did not know anyone died until after his performance. “I’ve been on different types of emotions, an emotional rollercoaster,” Scott said. “It gets so hard because I always feel connected to my fans, and I went through something and my fans went through something and people’s parents went through...

Dustin Lynch won't be working on a new album this holiday season, but that's not to say new music isn't imminent.The "Thinking 'Bout You" singer shares that album No. 5 is done and delivered, and it will include at least three collaborations. The version of his newest No. 1 hit with MacKenzie Porter is one of the songs set to be a part of DL5 (release TBA). He talked about the other two during a conversation with Taste of Country Nights.Porter joined Lynch for an interview that celebrated the duo's new...

Cordae fired up his slideshow deck and busted out the black turtle neck to announce the release date for his new album, From a Bird’s Eye View, set to arrive Jan. 14, 2022. Donning a classic Steve Jobs look, the rapper shared a short spoof of big tech keynote speeches, calmly pacing the stage as he intoned, “This is a day I’ve been looking forward to for two-and-a-half years. As a creative and an innovator, we must always aim to outdo ourselves. And with that being said, I present to...

Blake Shelton has added another major award to his trophy shelf. The country superstar took home Country Artist of the Year at the 2021 People's Choice Awards on Tuesday night (Dec. 7).Shelton was on hand at the ceremony on Tuesday night to perform his latest single, "Come Back as a Country Boy," on the same night that he also performed the song on The Voice as the Top 8 contestants were whittled down to the Top 5.Shelton also made a speech in accepting his award, which was voted on by...

Wizkid and Tems appeared virtually on The Tonight Show to perform their joint single “Essence.” Performing in an empty arena, the pair offered a soulful rendition of the track, complete with sultry dance moves. “Essence” is the hit single off Wizkid’s most recent album, Made in Lagos, which dropped in 2020. The musician told Rolling Stone there was no specific vision for the song. “I remember that day,” he recalled. “I had, like, six producers in the room. I was recording the last song on the album, and, yeah, Tems came...

When Luke Bryan was a senior at Georgia Southern University, his eyes landed on Caroline Boyer, a freshman at the time, and the fishing fanatic was in, hook, line and sinker.“It took me eight seconds to figure it out, and it took her about eight years to figure it out,” he admits. “I had to drink a lot before I could go talk to her, but I did. Somehow I managed to ease over there and somewhat be charming. It was one of those situations for me, it was like,...

John Legend is set to headline a Las Vegas residency at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino starting next April. On Monday, Legend shared the news on Twitter with a promotional video saying, “Get ready for Love in Las Vegas! My 2022 Vegas residency featuring your favorite songs from my entire career… full band… beautiful show…magical night.” Get ready for Love in Las Vegas! My 2022 Vegas residency featuring your favorite songs from my entire career… full band… beautiful show…magical night. Presale signup begins now for early access...