Monday, April 6, 2015

Beyonce & Rihanna Release New Songs Exclusively on Tidal! "Die With You" & "American Oxygen"

Beyonce & Rihanna Release New Songs Exclusively on Tidal! "Die With You" & "American Oxygen"

Beyonce and Rihanna released new music over the weekend exclusively on the premiere music streaming site, Tidal. 
That was Beyonce debuting her new song called “Die With You” which she teased Saturday on Facebook which given to the context of the song, was a very appropriate day for its release knowing that Saturday was also Beyonce and Jay-Z’ s seven year wedding anniversary. 
But before you run to Spotify or iTunes to sick your ears on B’s new track, stop and about face on over to the new streaming site that is sweeping the music industry called Tidal which is partly owned by B and J. 
Another part owner in the company is our girl Rihanna who also released exclusive music on the streaming site over the weekend. 
Rihanna performed her new song called “American Oxygen” in Indianapolis on Saturday for the March Madness Music Fest. And just like B’s new song, you’ll have to subscribe to Tidal for ten dollars a month in order to listen to Rihanna’s new track at your leisure. 
Very smart marketing strategy I must say. If you’re trying to persuade people to convert over to a new music listening platform, what better way to persuade people than by having two of the biggest names in music make their new material exclusive only to that platform? Genius. 
I don’t know guys, I think they got me. New music by RiRi and Beyonce is too tempting to resist. 
But I want to hear what you guys think. What are your thoughts on Rihanna and Beyonce’s new songs and will you be subscribing to Tidal in order to access them? Sound off in the comment section below. 



Monday, March 2, 2015

Album Review #42 :Big Sean


Album Review #42 : Big Sean
Artist: Big Sean
Album: Dark Sky Paradise (Deluxe)
Album Rating: 3/5
Standout Tracks: "Blessings", "I Don't F*** With You","Deep"




Monday, February 9, 2015

Sam Smith & Beyonce Win Big @ 2015 Grammys

Sam Smith, Beyonce & Pharrell Win Big @ 2015 Grammys

Sam Smith had a huge night at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, picking up four awards, three of them in major categories: best new artist and song of the year and record of the year for his Tom Petty-echoing smash hit “Stay With Me.”
But it wasn’t quite a clean sweep. Beck surprised everyone with an album of the year win for “Morning Phase.” And Kanye West tried to upstage his own infamous 2009 mtv vmas moment as he “jokingly” hopped on stage when Beck won out over Beyoncé.
Meanwhile, even if Kanye was having a blast, the rest of the show featured a surprising amount of very serious performances. Everything — from Usher’s tribute to Stevie Wonder to Katy Perry’s song dedicated to a survivor of domestic violence — led to an incredibly somber night.
Case in point: Beyoncé closed out the show with “Take My Hand Precious Lord” (introducing John Legend and Common’s “Glory”) as a group of background performers held up their hands in a “hands up, don’t shoot” image.

Record of the Year: "Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)" - Sam Smith (Steve Fitzmaurice, Rodney Jerkins & Jimmy Napes, producers; Steve Fitzmaurice, Jimmy Napes & Steve Price, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer)
Album of the Year: "Morning Phase" - Beck (Beck Hansen, producer; Tom Elmhirst, David Greenbaum, Florian Lagatta, Cole Marsden Greif-Neill, Robbie Nelson, Darrell Thorp, Cassidy Turbin & Joe Visciano, engineers/mixers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer)
Song of the Year: "Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)" - Sam Smith (James Napier, William Phillips & Sam Smith)
Best New Artist: Sam Smith
Best Pop Solo Performance: "Happy (Live)" - Pharrell Williams
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: "Say Something" - A Great Big World with Christina Aguilera
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: "Cheek to Cheek" - Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga
Best Pop Vocal Album: "In The Lonely Hour" - Sam Smith
Best Dance Recording: "Rather Be" - Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne
Best Dance/Electronic Album: "Syro" - Aphex Twin
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album: "Bass & Mandolin" - Chris Thile & Edgar Meyer Jr.
Best Rock Performance: "Lazaretto" - Jack White
Best Metal Performance: "The Last in Line" - Tenacious D
Best Rock Song: "Ain't It Fun" - Paramore (Hayley Williams & Taylor York, songwriters)
Best Rock Album: "Morning Phase" - Beck
Best Alternative Music Album: "St. Vincent" - St. Vincent
Best R&B Performance: "Drunk in Love" - Beyonce featuring Jay Z
Best Traditional R&B Performance: "Jesus Children" - Robert Glasper Experiment featuring Lalah Hathaway & Malcolm-Jamal Warner
Best R&B Song: "Drunk in Love" - Beyonce featuring Jay Z (Shawn Carter, Rasool Diaz, Noel Fisher, Jerome Harmon, Beyoncé Knowles, Timothy Mosely, Andre Eric Proctor & Brian Soko, songwriters)
Best Urban Contemporary Album: "Girl" - Pharrell Williams
Best R&B Album: "Love, Marriage & Divorce" - Toni Braxton & Babyface
Best Rap Performance: "I" - Kendrick Lamar
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: "The Monster" - Eminem featuring Rihanna
Best Rap Song: "I" - Kendrick Lamar (K. Duckworth & C. Smith, songwriters)
Best Rap Album: "The Marshall Mathers LP2" - Eminem
Best Country Solo Performance: "Something in the Water" - Carrie Underwood
Best Country Duo/Group Performance: "Gentle on My Mind" - The Band Perry
Best Country Song: "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" - Glen Campbell (Glen Campbell & Julian Raymond, songwriters)
Best Improvised Jazz Solo: "Fingerprints" - Chick Corea, soloist
Best New Age Album: "Winds of Samsara" - Ricky Kej & Wouter Kellerman
Best Jazz Vocal Album: "Beautiful Life" - Dianne Reeves
Best Jazz Instrumental Album: "Trilogy" - Chick Corea Trio
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: "Life in the Bubble" - Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band
Best Latin Jazz Album: "The Offense of the Drum" - Arturo O'Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra
Best Gospel Performance/Song: "No Greater Love" - Smokie Norful (Smokie Norful; Aaron W. Lindsey & Smokie Norful, songwriters)
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song: "Messengers" - Lecrae featuring For King & Country
Best Gospel Album: "Help" - Erica Campbell
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: "Run Wild. Live Free. Love Strong." - For King & Country
Best Roots Gospel Album: "Shine For All the People" - Mike Farris
Best Latin Pop Album: "Tangos" - Ruben Blades
Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album: "Multiviral" - Calle 13
Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano): "Mano A Mano - Tangos A La Manera De Vicente Fernandez" - Vicente Fernandez
Best Tropical Latin Album: "Mas + Corazon Profundo" - Carlos Vives
Best American Roots Performance: "A Feather's Not a Bird" - Rosanne Cash
Best American Roots Song: "A Feather's Not a Bird" - Rosanne Cash (Rosanne Cash & John Leventhal, songwriters)
Best Americana Album: "The River & The Thread" - Rosanne Cash
Best Bluegrass Album: "The Earls of Leicester" - The Earls of Leicester
Best Blues Album: "Step Back" - Johnny Winter
Best Folk Album: "Remedy" - Old Crow Medicine Show
Best Regional Roots Music Album: "The Legacy" - Jo-El Sonnier
Best Reggae Album: "Fly Rasta" - Ziggy Marley
Best World Music Album: "Eve" - Angelique Kidjo
Best Children's Album: "I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up For Education and Changed the World (Malala Yousafzai)" - Neela Vaswani
Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling): "Diary of a Mad Diva" - Joan Rivers
Best Comedy Album: "Mandatory Fun" - "Weird Al" Yankovic
Best Musical Theater Album: "Beautiful: The Carole King Musical" - Jessie Mueller, principal soloist; Jason Howland, Steve Sidwell & Billy Jay Stein, producers (Carole King, composer & lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast)
Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media: "Frozen" - Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, Tom MacDougall & Chris Montan, compilation producers
Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media: "The Grand Budapest Hotel" - Alexandre Desplat, composer
Best Song Written for Visual Media: "Let It Go" - Idina Menzel (Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez, songwriters)
Best Instrumental Composition: "The Book Thief" - John Williams, composer
Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Capella: "Daft Punk" - Pentatonix (Ben Bram, Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Avi Kaplan, Kirstin Maldonado & Kevin Olusola, arrangers)
Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals: "New York Tendaberry" Billy Childs featuring Renee Fleming & Yo-Yo Ma (Billy Childs, arranger)
Best Recording Package: "Lightning Bolt" - Pearl Jam (Jeff Ament, Don Pendleton, Joe Spix & Jerome Turner, art directors)
Best Boxed or Special Edition Limited Edition Package: "The Rise & Fall of Paramount Records, Volume One (1917-27)" - Various Artists (Susan Archie, Dean Blackwood & Jack White, art directors)
Best Album Notes: "Offering: Live At Temple University" - John Coltrane (Ashley Kahn, album notes writer)
Best Historical Album: "The Garden Spot Programs, 1950" - Hank Williams (Colin Escott & Cheryl Pawelski, compilation producers; Michael Graves, mastering engineer)
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: "Morning Phase" - Beck (Tom Elmhirst, David Greenbaum, Florian Lagatta, Cole Marsden Greif-Neill, Robbie Nelson, Darrell Thorp, Cassidy Turbin & Joe Visciano, engineers; Bob Ludwig, mastering engineer)
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Max Martin
Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: "All Of Me (Tiesto's Birthday Treatment Remix)" - John Legend (Tijs Michiel Verwest, remixer)
Best Surround Sound Album: "Beyonce" - Beyonce (Elliot Scheiner, surround mix engineer; Bob Ludwig, surround mastering engineer; Beyonce Knowles, surround producer)
Best Engineered Album, Classical: "Vaughan Williams: Dona Nobis Pacem; Symphony No. 4; The Lark Ascending" - Robert Spano, Norman Mackenzie, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Chorus (Michael Bishop, engineer; Michael Bishop, mastering engineer)
Producer of the Year, Classical: Judith Sherman
Best Orchestral Performance: "Adams, John: City Noir" - St. Louis Symphony (David Robertson, conductor)
Best Opera Recording: "Charpentier: La Descente D'Orphee Aux Enfers" - Boston Early Music Festival Chamber Ensemble; Boston Early Music Festival Vocal Ensemble (Paul O'Dette & Stephen Stubbs, conductors; Aaron Sheehan; Renate Wolter-Seevers, producer)
Best Choral Performance: "The Sacred Spirit of Russia" - Conspirare (Craig Hella Johnson, conductor)
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: "In 27 Pieces - The Hilary Hahn Encores" - Hilary Hahn & Cory Smythe
Best Classical Instrumental Solo: "Play" - Jason Vieaux
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album: "Douce France" - Carl Bagge, Margareta Bengston, Mats Bergström, Per Ekdahl, Bengan Janson, Olle Linder & Antoine Tamestit (Anne Sofie Von Otter; Bengt Forsberg, accompanist)
Best Classical Compendium: "Partch: Plectra & Percussion Dances" - Partch (John Schneider, producer)
Best Contemporary Classical Composition: "Adams, John Luther: Become Ocean" - Ludovic Morlot & Seattle Symphony (John Luther Adams, composer)
Best Music Video: "Happy" - Pharrell Williams (We Are From LA, video director; Kathleen Heffernan, Solal Micenmacher, Jett Steiger, video producers)
Best Music Film: "20 Feet From Stardom" - Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer & Judith Hill (Morgan Neville, video director; Gil Friesen & Caitrin Rogers, video producers)








Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Beyonce & Katy Perry Set To Perform @ 2015 Grammys

Beyonce & Katy Perry Set To Perform @ 2015 Grammys
Katy Perry, Beyonce
Well, the 57th Annual Grammy Awards just got that much more fierce.Katy Perry and Beyoncé have been added to the show's already jam-packed performance lineup at what is almost the 11th hour—considering the 2015 Grammys is Sunday!
Billboard was first to report the addition of Perry, who can rest easy on her high tiger after presiding over the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show in history. (So of course the Recording Academy wanted in on that...) Per the music mag, the Prism artist, who's nominated for two Grammys this year, will be singing her ballad "By the Grace of God" and, of course, could have more tricks up her sleeve.
Meanwhile, Common spilled the beans regarding the very special addition to his and John Legend's planned performance of "Glory," their massively popular song from Selma, which is the frontrunner to win the Oscar for Best Original Song in a couple of weeks.
"We do have an incredible introduction to our performance," Common told Us over the weekend. "A segue into our song ‘Glory,' as a tribute to Selma, being done by the great Beyoncé. That's one of the greatest talents you can have, helping us segue into it. To co-create a performance with someone like her. It's good."
Queen Bey, who's tied for the top of the pack with six nominations (including Album of the Year and Best Music Film), will kick off the already hotly anticipated collaboration with the gospel song "Take My Hand Precious Lord."
And the must-see and who'd-a-thunk-it pairings keep on coming: The Recording Academy also confirmed this morning that Album of the Year nominee Beck will take the stage with Chris Martin; Mary J. Blige will join Sam Smith (we can feel the slow-burning angst already); Best New Artist nominee Brandy Clark will now be making her Grammys performance debut with country veteran Dwight Yoakam; John Mayer, Herbie Hancock and Questlove will joinEd Sheeran; Juanes, who's up for Best Latin Pop Album, will presumably sing a hit from Loco de Amor; pianist Lang Lang will team up with someone on one of the past year's catchiest tunes; and, last but not least, Sia will do her thing, presumably while wearing a mask and surrounded by long-limbed dancers.

Monday, February 2, 2015

Rhianna & Lady Gaga Added To 2015 Grammys Performer List


Rhianna & Lady Gaga Added To 2015 Grammys  Performers List



Rihanna. Lady Gaga. 2015 Grammys. Talk about a night to remember.

What’s up, you guys, and welcome back to Trophy Life – your non-stop award show coverage! So as if the list of 2015 Grammy performers, including Sam Smith, Madonna, Ariana Grande, Pharrell and Miranda Lambert didn’t already leave us speechless… seriously, I’m out of breath!... we are soooo excited to see Lady Gaga and her right-hand man, Tony Bennett, as well as Rihanna, Kanye West and Paul McCartney added to the insanely amazing performance list!

Gaga shared the exciting news via Twitter that she and her Cheek to Cheek duet partner Tony Bennett would be performing, saying, “Me and @itstonybennett are so excited to announce we will be performing at #TheGrammys this year! Thank you to @TheGRAMMYs and our fans!” Hmm, we can only imagine what outfit she will surprise us with this year… and do you think Tony will match her…? Now that would be interesting.

And then the planned performance from Paul McCartney – YAS! – along with Rihanna and Yeezus himself, singing their brand new song, “Four Five Seconds….” Hells yes. And if you’re one of those unnamed people who still doesn’t know who Paul McCartney is, stop right now and do your homework.

So not that we need to persuade you any further but just a reminder to tune into the 2015 Grammys, which will air live on CBS on February 8 at 5 p.m. So which of these star-studded performers are you most excited to kill it at the biggest music event of the year?! Share your thoughts in the comments section below, 

Sunday, February 1, 2015

Katy Perry To Bring Missy Elliot & Lenny Kravitz On Super Halftime Show!!!!

     Katy Perry To Bring Missy Elliot & Lenny Kravitz On Super Halftime Show!!!!
Katy Perry has one simple goal going into her Super Bowl Halftime Show performance Sunday at Glendale's University of Phoenix Stadium.
"I just hope at the end of the day that over 100 million people are all smiling in unison," she says. "And if you could imagine that happening, I think there's going to be an incredible energy that goes throughout the world. I think we're all going to have a wonderful, fun, not-so-serious time."
At a press conference Thursday in Phoenix, the singer dropped several hints about what viewers can expect, from a "flaming hot" costume to open the show to the identity of a second special guest.
"I have to keep some surprises for Sunday," Perry said. "But I'm very, very excited about this guest because I thought long and hard about it and wanted to kind of bring someone back — a throwback of sorts that definitely needed some more shine. All I can say is that it will be a real female fun night. I think when this person enters the stage and you hear the first ring of the chord, I think jaws will drop and faces will melt when she steps onstage."

Thursday, January 22, 2015

TLC Launch A Kickstarter Campaign To Fund Final TLC Album

TLC Launch A Kickstarter Campaign To Fund Final TLC Album

Chilli and T-Boz of TLC
One last time! After 25 years, T-Boz and Chilli, will release a final album as TLC. 
The two remaining members of the hip-hop group created a Kickstarter campaign on Monday, Jan. 19, to fund the upcoming project. Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas asked fans for $150,000 to back a fifth and final studio album. 
"We want to do one last TLC album," T-Boz, 44, said in a video to fans. "We want to do an album but we want to do it on our own."

"We want to be able to be creative, think outside the box, and just be free to do what we really want to do," Chilli, 43, chimed in. "We want to give you guys the quality of work that we have always given you."

In less than a week, the musicians met and exceeded their goal, counting $173,390 in contributions as of Thursday, Jan. 22. The funds came from followers and supporters, including one very famous face. 
"A BIG Special THANK YOU 2 @katyperry for her pledge to our #Kickstarter Campaign!" T-Boz tweeted on Tuesday, Jan. 20. "Your awesome!"

"Wow @katyperry..." added Chilli of the star, who reportedly gave $5,000 to the fundraiser. "Thanks so much for pledging!"
Perry's contribution gave her access to a choice of three incentives at the $5,000 level: a onesie from TLC's fashion archives, a slumber party in Atlanta with Chilli, or a slumber party in Los Angeles with T-Boz. As the onesie and the sleepover with Chilli were unclaimed as of Thursday morning, the "Roar" singer, 30, may have planned a little "California Gurls" get-together with T-Boz. 

The upcoming project will be TLC's first studio album since the untimely death of founding member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes. The star died in a car accident at the age of 30 in April 2002, after recording tracks for the group's last album, November 2002's 3D

In the years since, T-Boz and Chilli have performed sporadically as TLC and released compilation albums with past recordings, but have yet to debut a record of new music without Left Eye.

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Coachella 2015 Lineup Announced!!!!!

         Coachella 2015 Lineup Announced!!!!!

Coachella Poster


The season of crop tops, floral headbands, henna tattoos, and port potties is among us people which can only mean one thing. Coachella baby! 

The official 2015 festival headliners were announced via twitter this morning and we’ve got all the details. 
AC/DC will be kicking the festivities off on April 10th as well as the 17th, Jack White will be performing on April 11th and the 18th, and Drizzy Drake will be the closing headliner on April 12th and the 19th. 
AC/DC, Jack White, and Drake?? Yes please. Amongst a slew of other performers, Florence and the Machine, David Guetta, The Weekend, and Hozier will also be rocking the festival. 

Now If you’ve ever tried in the past, you know that if you wish to attend Coachella there is no time to lose when it comes to buying tickets. You need to jump on that yesterday. And with a lineup like this you know it’s going to be epic, not to mention all the surprise performers that will no doubt make an appearance. 

Indio CA, friends, music, you know the drill. 
So what do you guys think about this lineup and whom do you predict will make a surprise appearance? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below

K. Michelle Announces New Nationwide Tour!!!

K. Michelle Announces New Nationwide Tour!!!



Atlantic recording artist K. Michelle has announced details of her upcoming, headlining tour, dubbed "My Twisted Mind Tour." The first leg (Part One) kicks off February 5th at San Francisco's Mezzanine and then travels through the month (see itinerary below). Additional dates will be unveiled soon -- for regularly updated news and information or to purchase tickets, please log on to www.thekmichelle.com/tour.
"My Twisted Mind Tour" celebrates K. Michelle's blockbuster new album, "ANYBODY WANNA BUY A HEART?," which made a historic chart debut upon release last month, entering at #6 on the SoundScan/Billboard 200 -- the year's highest charting debut from a female R&B artist. What's even more exciting, the album -- which includes the hit singles, "Love Em All," "Maybe I Should Call," and "Something About The Night" -- debuted at #2 on Billboard's "Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums" chart as well as at #1 on the iTunes Store's "Top R&B/Soul Albums" ranking.
02/05: San Francisco, CA @ Mezzanine
02/06 Los Angeles, CA @ Saban Theatre
02/13 Orlando, FL @ Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre
02/16 Baltimore, MD @ Rams Head
02/20 Shreveport, LA @ The Strand
02/22 Greensboro, NC @ Cone Denim Center
02/25 Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz
02/26 Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore
 02/27 Myrtle Beach, SC @ HOB
03/07 Rochester, NY @ Auditorium Theatre
03/08 Seattle, WA @ The Showbox SoDo
03/12 Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre




Sunday, December 14, 2014

Album Review #41: K. Michelle: "Anyone Wanna Buy A Heart?"

                  Album Review #41: K. Michelle: 
                 "Anyone Wanna Buy A Heart?"




Artist:K.Michelle
Album: "Anyone Wanna Buy A Heart?"
Album Rating:4.5/5
Standout Tracks:"Judge Me". "Love 'Em All","How Do you Know","Something About The Night","Build A Man"