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CMAOntario Festival & Awards Returns to Hamilton With 2025 Lineup Led by Sacha, Andrew Hyatt, and More

Music

Eric Alper

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Apr 30, 2025

CMAOntario Festival & Awards Returns to Hamilton With 2025 Lineup Led by Sacha, Andrew Hyatt, and More

The Country Music Association of Ontario (CMAOntario) is proud to announce the first wave of performers for the CMAOntario Festival & Awards Weekend presented by Cowbell Brewing Co. taking place from May 30-June 1, 2025 in Hamilton. In addition to the 13^th Annual CMAOntario Awards Show, CMAOntario Festival & Awards Weekend will include Songs & Stories: Songwriters in the Round, Bonfire, two open stages, and the R2i TuneUp Conference. Tickets are on sale now.

On Saturday, May 31 the CMAOntario Festival & Awards Weekend will present the Bonfire concert at The Music Hall featuring Ontario’s hottest new music by rising stars and CMAOntario nominees with evening concert performances by Sacha, Alexa Goldie, Carson Janik, Dayna Reid, and Drew Taylor.

Jason McCoy of The Road Hammers and Pure Country Radio will host the 13^th Annual CMAOntario Awards Show, presented by Cowbell Brewing Co., taking place Sunday, June 1, 2025 at The Music Hall. McCoy has hosted the CMAOntario Awards Show every year since 2014, stewarding the ship of history making award presentations and performances by Ontario’s country music industry with a brand of unbridled enthusiasm and humour only he could provide.

The CMAOntario Awards Show will include exciting performances by: Andrew Hyatt nominated for four CMAOntario Awards this year; Sacha, nominated for three CMAOntario Awards; Nate Haller, Robyn Ottolini, and Mackenzie Leigh Meyer, who are nominated for two CMAOntario Awards each; Amanda & James, first time nominees for Group or Duo of the Year; Alexa Goldie, nominated for Breakthrough Artist of the Year; Mitch Jean, first time nominee for Francophone Artist or Group of the Year; and the CMAOntario house band, The Western Swing Authority, who are up for two CMAOntario Awards this year.

Music fans can cast their vote for the CMAOntario Fans’ Choice Award, sponsored by Tourism Hamilton, until May 9 at cmaontario.ca/fans-choice/. The 2025 nominees are Josh Ross, Owen Riegling, Sacha, Steven Lee Olsen, Tebey, and The Reklaws.

Additional programming for the CMAOntario Festival & Awards Weekend will be revealed soon!

2025 CMAOntario Festival and Awards
presented by Cowbell Brewing Co.
May 30-June 1, 2025 in Hamilton
The Music Hall, 24 Main Street West
The Textile Building, 10 George Street

Open Stages
Friday, May 30 at The Textile Building
Saturday, May 31 at The Music Hall

Bonfire
Saturday, May 31 at 7pm
The Music Hall
Tickets are $15

CMAOntario Awards Show
Sunday, June 1 at 7pm
The Music Hall
Tickets starting at $40

Tickets available at cmaontario2025.eventbrite.ca

Global Citizen and CME Launch MEDI to Harness Music’s Power Against Global Poverty

Music

Eric Alper

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Apr 30, 2025

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Global Citizen and CME Launch MEDI to Harness Music’s Power Against Global Poverty

Today at the Global Citizen NOW summit in New York, the Center for Music Ecosystems and Global Citizen announced the launch of the Music Economy Development Initiative (MEDI), an initiative to use the power of music to fight extreme poverty and promote responsible and healthy economic development. It will do so by providing data and economic research on emerging economies.

CME Executive Director Shain Shapiro, PhD, said, “719 million people around the world live in extreme poverty, with deeply harmful consequences for their health and life expectancy, as well as their access to education and basic services, among other things. Every tool at our disposal must be deployed to address this dreadful reality. One such tool, which can literally be found everywhere and effectively combats the scourge of extreme poverty, is music. The power of music is manifold: it can inspire humanity and unite us. It can console us and heal us. And music can drive economic growth and create jobs. It can spur responsible economic development to help communities in crisis”.

“But this economic development doesn’t happen on its own,” Shapiro continued, “It requires the proper infrastructure and legal framework and investment of resources and work-hours to build it. MEDI aims to address this and amplify the power that music can have by providing data, evidence, and research, guiding the development of the systems and policies that can help spur successful and responsible economic development with the proper engagement of the music community and its partners.”

MEDI will conduct and make public research and data through the MEDI portal, outlining both the current state of the music ecosystem and its economic potential, initially in 22 countries. It will use the data to develop evidence and recommendations, enabling partnerships to expand music’s economic potential in Africa and around the world. These include Move Afrika, local collaboration, comprehensive market assessments, the development of multilateral and private-sector partnerships, and support for national copyright and infrastructure reform, among other initiatives.

The development of MEDI began at Global Citizen NOW 2024, where a vision was shared for how music can help end poverty and drive economic growth. The inaugural Music Policy Assembly followed on February 24 at the J. Randall Center for Yorùbá Culture in Lagos, which hosted the launch of MEDI’s first position paper, We Need Tracks Before We Have Trains, co-authored by CME’s Shain Shapiro and music economist Will Page.

Moving forward, MEDI will expand the portal to map more countries and quantify the economic potential of recorded music worldwide. It will also launch two pilot studies, one with the Ministry of Culture and Francophonie of Côte d’Ivoire and another with the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy of Nigeria, co-financed by the IFC.

Alongside CME and Global Citizen, MEDI’s partners include Universal Music Group (or UMG, the world’s leading music-based entertainment company) and the International Finance Corporation (or IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets).

Paul McCartney’s WINGS: The Story of a Band on the Run Set for November 2025 Release

Music

Eric Alper

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Apr 30, 2025

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Paul McCartney’s WINGS: The Story of a Band on the Run Set for November 2025 Release

Wings was more than a band—it was a second act that soared. In WINGS: The Story of a Band on the Run, Paul McCartney opens the archives and the memories, revisiting a time of risk, reinvention, and incredible songs. It’s not just about what came after The Beatles—it’s about what came alive when Paul decided to fly again.

One of music’s greatest adventures told by a cast of incredible characters who were there, including: Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Denny Laine, Mary McCartney, Stella McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, George Martin, Sean Ono Lennon, Chrissie Hynde, Dustin Hoffman, Twiggy and all the members of Wings—Denny Seiwell, Henry McCullough, Jimmy McCulloch, Geoff Britton, Joe English, Steve Holley and Laurence Juber.

This remarkable cast tells the story of a band who made history—selling over 22 million albums worldwide, spawning singles including #1 hits “My Love,” “Band on the Run,” “Listen to What the Man Said,” “Silly Love Songs,” “Let ‘Em In,” and “With a Little Luck,” and an Oscar nomination for “Live and Let Die” (the first James Bond theme to receive that nod). A band who pushed the boundaries in both the studio and in live performances, from their first university tour through to pioneering large scale concerts, long before stadiums and arenas were commonly used for rock shows.

The book includes a foreword written by Paul McCartney and is compiled from over 42 hours of brand-new interviews, plus historical interviews, and newly discovered, previously unheard interviews from Paul’s personal archive. WINGS: The Story of a Band on the Run features over 150 photographs capturing Wings throughout the years—many previously unseen—and shot by an array of photographers including Linda McCartney, Mike McCartney, Clive Arrowsmith, Henry Diltz, Robert Ellis and Paul himself. The book also includes memorabilia, including some of Paul’s diary page entries from the time and handwritten lyrics.

WINGS: The Story of a Band on the Run is an international story that moves through space as well as time, including adventures in Scotland, New York, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Nashville, Lagos, Japan, the Virgin Islands, Morocco, Montserrat and other memorable places, against the backdrop of political and social timelines of the 1970s.

National Music Centre to Launch New Exhibition Honouring Canadian Hitmakers Dan Hill, Ginette Reno, Glass Tiger, and Loreena McKennitt

Music

Eric Alper

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Apr 30, 2025

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National Music Centre to Launch New Exhibition Honouring Canadian Hitmakers Dan Hill, Ginette Reno, Glass Tiger, and Loreena McKennitt

National Music Centre (NMC), in partnership with the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS), will unveil a new exhibition at Studio Bell on May 7, celebrating the latest Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees.

This year’s honourees include multi-talented music legend Dan Hill, iconic Québec chanteuse Ginette Reno, pop-rock superstars Glass Tiger, and renowned Celtic fusion singer-songwriter Loreena McKennitt. The exhibition opens in advance of the live Canadian Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, taking place on May 15 at Studio Bell, home of the National Music Centre. Tickets for the event are sold out.

Grammy and JUNO Award-winning Canadian songwriter Dan Hill is best known for his timeless classic “Sometimes When We Touch.” Covered by countless artists – including Dolly Parton, who called it her “favorite song of all time” – the iconic ballad helped earn Hill an induction into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2021.

Over her 65-year career, Quebec icon Ginette Reno has recorded 42 albums, all achieving Gold or Platinum status, performed over 2,000 songs, and starred on the silver and small screens. Celebrated by Canadian, Quebec, and French governments, her enduring legacy is defined by authenticity, warmth, and artistry that transcends generations and borders.

Glass Tiger burst onto the scene with 14 Top 40 hits in five years, including the iconic “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone)” and “Someday.” Grammy-nominated and five-time JUNO winners, they’ve sold five million albums and performed alongside legends like Tina Turner, Bryan Adams, and Cheap Trick.

Loreena McKennitt is a globally acclaimed artist whose genre-blending “eclectic Celtic” sound has sold over 14 million albums. With a vast discography and critical acclaim in over 40 countries, her music has earned Gold, Platinum, and Multi-Platinum certification across four continents.

The exhibit will showcase photos, storytelling, and memorabilia from the four inductees. Highlights include a synthesizer and stage outfits from Glass Tiger, along with handwritten lyrics for “My Town,” signed by Rod Stewart. Also featured are a Montreal Canadiens jersey worn by Ginette Reno during multiple national anthem performances, along with Loreena McKennitt’s harp and the ornate mask worn in her “The Mummers’ Dance” music video.

Visitors can also get hands-on with two learn-to-play interactives, allowing fans to get lessons directly from this year’s inductees – acoustic guitar with Dan Hill and synthesizer with Sam Reid of Glass Tiger.

“The Canadian Music Hall of Fame exists to honour the artists whose music has shaped our cultural identity, and this year’s inductees are nothing short of legendary,” said Andrew Mosker, President and CEO of the National Music Centre. “Dan Hill, Ginette Reno, Glass Tiger, and Loreena McKennitt have made a lasting mark on Canada’s musical heritage. We’re proud to celebrate their stories and songs through this new exhibition at Studio Bell.”

“Each of these inductees has helped define what it means to be a Canadian artist on the world stage,” said Allan Reid, President & CEO, CARAS/The JUNO Awards. “We’re honoured to recognize the extraordinary contributions of these artists, whose careers have spanned decades and transcended genres, languages, and borders. CARAS is proud to partner with the National Music Centre to bring their powerful musical legacies to life through this new exhibition. We’re especially excited to celebrate them in person during the Canadian Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Calgary on May 15.”

The Canadian Music Hall of Fame: Class of 2025 exhibition is accessible with paid admission to Studio Bell and will run from May 7, 2025 until February 2026.

25 of the Best Live Albums Ever Recorded

Eric Alper

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Apr 30, 2025

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25 of the Best Live Albums Ever Recorded

There’s something about a live album that a studio can’t capture — the sweat, the improv, the crowd screaming a lyric louder than the singer. These albums documented their best performance and bottled lightning.

1. Johnny Cash – At Folsom Prison
The Man in Black didn’t just sing for the inmates — he sang with them. Gritty, raw, and electrifying, it’s the sound of redemption echoing off prison walls.

2. Nirvana – MTV Unplugged in New York
An acoustic set that became a memorial. Kurt Cobain turned covers and rarities into haunting final words. You can almost hear the ghosts between chords.

3. Genesis – Three Sides Live
Prog meets pop with Phil Collins at the helm. It’s part precision, part party, and proof that Genesis knew exactly how to bring their studio wizardry to the stage — and then set it free.

4. James Brown – Live at the Apollo (1963)
Tight, sweaty, explosive. James Brown and his Famous Flames didn’t just perform — they performed in all caps. This album redefined what live energy could sound like.

5. Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band – Live 1975–85
It’s three decades of Boss greatness in one epic collection. From Jersey dive bars to stadiums, this set proves why Springsteen is the working-class hero of rock.

6. Beyoncé – Homecoming: The Live Album
A cultural reset. Beyoncé’s Coachella performance was part concert, part history lesson, part divine intervention. Recorded proof that you can break the internet with a marching band.

7. The Who – Live at Leeds
Raw, loud, and gloriously imperfect — like a punk band that just happened to have written Tommy. If your speakers survive this album, you’re doing it right.

8. Aretha Franklin – Amazing Grace
Recorded in a church, backed by a gospel choir, this album is a spiritual experience whether or not you believe in anything. Except for Aretha. You will believe in Aretha.

9. Led Zeppelin – How the West Was Won
Clocking in at over 150 minutes, this is Zeppelin unchained. The solos are long, the swagger is thick, and Plant’s vocals hit like thunder.

10. The Allman Brothers Band – At Fillmore East
Southern rock jammed to cosmic levels. Duane Allman’s guitar work is otherworldly. You can smell the cigarette smoke and hear the whiskey in the amps.

11. Bob Dylan – The Bootleg Series Vol. 5: Live 1975 – The Rolling Thunder Revue
Dylan reinvents his classics again, surrounded by an all-star circus of musicians. The result? Lightning in a bottle — and a feathered hat.

12. The Rolling Stones – Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out!
The Stones were young, dangerous, and absolutely on fire. This is what rock ‘n’ roll sounded like before insurance policies and corporate sponsors.

13. Talking Heads – Stop Making Sense
David Byrne in a big suit. Enough said. But also: this is art-rock that moves. No other live album makes you want to dance and take a film theory class.

14. Queen – Live at Wembley ‘86
Freddie Mercury + 70,000 fans = the definition of stadium rock. His voice is flawless, the band is tight, and the energy is straight-up electric.

15. Peter Frampton – Frampton Comes Alive!
No one expected the guy from Humble Pie to release one of the best-selling live albums ever. But the talkbox solo in “Do You Feel Like We Do” made history.

16. Eric Clapton – Unplugged
Clapton trades electric for acoustic and tears our hearts out with “Tears in Heaven.” Smooth, intimate, and Grammy-approved.

17. Cheap Trick – At Budokan
Proof that Japan knew something the rest of the world didn’t — until this album exploded. “I Want You to Want Me” has never sounded more alive.

18. Sam Cooke – Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963
It took decades to release this because it was “too raw” for Sam’s image. Thank goodness we got it anyway — it’s Sam at his most unfiltered and thrilling.

**19. Metallica – S&M
Thrash meets symphony. Metallica with the San Francisco Symphony shouldn’t work… but it absolutely does. Headbang with a bow tie.

20. Simon & Garfunkel – The Concert in Central Park
500,000 fans. One of the most legendary duos. A set list of lullabies and anthems for every lonely soul and quiet thinker in the world.

21. Prince – One Nite Alone… Live!
Prince doing what Prince does best: everything. Funk, jazz, rock, soul — he plays like the stage is his playground and the crowd is in on the secret.

22. Joni Mitchell – Miles of Aisles
Recorded during her 1974 tour, Joni’s introspective voice and poetic lyrics land even deeper when sung live. Soulful, stripped-back, and stunning.

23. Otis Redding – Live in Europe
Otis. A mic. A crowd ready to feel. This is how you learn what soul means — it’s not a genre, it’s Otis.

24. Pearl Jam – Live on Two Legs
Before streaming every show was the norm, this was your best shot at capturing Pearl Jam’s live magic. Gritty, urgent, and full of Eddie Vedder’s fire.

25. The Clash – From Here to Eternity: Live
A punk hurricane caught on tape. This album captures The Clash before the suits, before the breakup — just raw politics, sweat, and guitars.

20 Great Songs for Mother’s Day That Say ‘I Love You, Mom’ Better Than a Card

Eric Alper

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Apr 30, 2025

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20 Great Songs for Mother’s Day That Say ‘I Love You, Mom’ Better Than a Card

Whether you’re celebrating a mom, a stepmom, a chosen mom, or someone who was your whole world growing up — these songs are your soundtrack for Mother’s Day. Some will make you cry. Some will make you dance. All of them say, “Thanks, Mom.”

1. Boyz II Men – “A Song for Mama”
The harmonies, the lyrics, the strings — this is the mother of all Mother’s Day songs. If “You’re the queen of my heart” doesn’t make her cry, play it again.

2. Taylor Swift – “The Best Day”
Taylor wrote this as a love letter to her mom, and it’s full of childhood memories and teenage gratitude. You can hear the home videos in her voice.

3. Spice Girls – “Mama”
From teen rebellion to full-circle appreciation, this one hits every stage of growing up. Bonus points if you and your mom still know the harmony.

4. Carrie Underwood – “Mama’s Song”
A country ballad for the moment you grow up and move on — but not without thanking the woman who raised you. Tissue box required.

5. Tupac – “Dear Mama”
One of the rawest, realest tributes in hip-hop history. Tupac’s love for his mother — flaws and all — shows just how deep that bond runs.

6. Beyoncé – “Ring Off”
A powerful anthem about watching your mom reclaim her strength. It’s not a lullaby — it’s a crown.

7. The Shirelles – “Mama Said”
Sometimes Mama did say there’d be days like this. This early girl-group hit is both wise and groovy — just like her.

8. Mac Miller – “I’ll Be There”
Mac’s tender shoutout to his mom is tucked into this soulful rap. A sweet reminder that grown sons still need their moms.

9. Dolly Parton – “Coat of Many Colors”
Dolly’s masterpiece about her mama’s love stitched into a handmade coat. Poverty never sounded so rich with heart.

10. The Intruders – “I’ll Always Love My Mama”
A soul classic that turns every Mother’s Day into a dance party. Funky, fun, and full of affection.

11. Lukas Graham – “Mama Said”
This modern twist on a childhood pep talk will hit home for anyone who was told to stay kind, dream big, and brush their teeth.

12. Céline Dion – “Because You Loved Me”
Not technically about a mom, but come on — who else believed in you when no one else did? Céline is the Mother’s Day playlist.

13. Kacey Musgraves – “Mother”
A piano-and-voice gut punch written mid-tour homesickness. Short, stunning, and deeply relatable.

14. Brandi Carlile – “The Mother”
An unflinching look at the mess and magic of motherhood. It’s not just sweet — it’s true.

15. Meghan Trainor – “Mom”
A poppy, playful bop that includes an actual phone call with Meghan’s mom. It’s like a sonic Mother’s Day brunch.

16. The Temptations – “Oh Mother of Mine”
A soulful early Temptations cut that wears its heart on its sleeve. For the old-school moms who know every Motown record.

17. Trace Adkins – “Then They Do”
Country storytelling at its best: kids grow up, and moms miss the noise. Bittersweet, beautiful, and real.

18. Christina Aguilera – “Oh Mother”
A powerful song of gratitude for a mother’s strength in difficult times. Christina sings it like a tribute and a promise.

19. Josh Groban – “You Raise Me Up”
Yes, it’s dramatic. Yes, it’s emotional. Yes, it will 100% make your mom cry in the best way.

20. The Backstreet Boys – “The Perfect Fan”
Written by Brian Littrell for his mom, this one is all boy-band heart with a chorus built for hugs.

20 Songs About School That Made You Want to Skip Class and Start a Band

Eric Alper

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Apr 30, 2025

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20 Songs About School That Made You Want to Skip Class and Start a Band

By the time the bell rings, these songs have already started a revolution — in your Walkman (or Spotify playlist, kids), your car stereo, and maybe even your guidance counselor’s office.

1. Chuck Berry – “School Days”
The godfather of rock ‘n’ roll had it all figured out in 1957: history books, algebra, and a jukebox cure for classroom blues. When Chuck sang, “Soon as three o’clock rolls around,” kids everywhere started tapping their feet toward freedom.

2. Alice Cooper – “School’s Out”
This isn’t just a song — it’s a rite of passage. Cooper channeled every teen’s fantasy of burning their textbooks and never going back, and somehow made rebellion sound like a Broadway finale.

3. Pink Floyd – “Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)”
A children’s choir, disco bassline, and anti-authoritarian sneer — Floyd weaponized education critique into a #1 hit. Still banned in South Africa during apartheid. Still required listening.

4. Van Halen – “Hot for Teacher”
No subtle metaphors here. Just double bass drums, David Lee Roth’s teenage fantasies, and a reminder that high school was confusing, loud, and deeply hormonal.

5. The Ramones – “Rock ‘n’ Roll High School”
Forget homework — Joey Ramone would rather blow up the whole institution. It’s punk, it’s fun, and it made school hallways feel like concert venues.

6. Taylor Swift – “Fifteen”
Before she took on the Eras, she captured a freshman year so painfully relatable it hurts. Heartbreak, best friends, and thinking you know everything — until you don’t.

7. Simple Plan – “I’m Just a Kid”
Pop-punk’s ultimate pity party. If you ever felt like no one understood you in high school — especially your gym teacher — this one screamed for you.

8. Blink-182 – “Going Away to College”
If teen angst was a major, Blink would be tenured professors. This one’s for the kids who fell in love in homeroom and cried in dorm stairwells.

9. Avril Lavigne – “Sk8er Boi”
High school cliques, missed chances, and mall-punk perfection. If you ever rolled your eyes at the popular girls who didn’t get it, this was your anthem.

10. The Beach Boys – “Be True to Your School”
Before they surfed every coast, the Beach Boys gave school loyalty a rock ‘n’ roll makeover. Letterman jackets never sounded so sincere.

11. The Donnas – “High School Yum Yum”
Pure bubblegum-punk from the girls who made high school sound like a locker-lined runway of bad boys, loud guitars, and glitter lip gloss.

12. Pearl Jam – “Jeremy”
A haunting tale from the classroom that still stops you cold. Eddie Vedder turned one real-life tragedy into a powerful critique of bullying, silence, and school culture.

13. Nirvana – “School”
“Won’t you believe it, it’s just my luck.” With barely 50 words, Cobain turned a grunge jam into an anthem of social fatigue and teen detachment.

14. Glee Cast – “Don’t Stop Believin’”
Yes, it’s originally Journey. But once it hit the school auditorium in that pilot episode? It became the anthem for locker-lined underdog dreams everywhere.

15. Foster the People – “Pumped Up Kicks”
A dark, disturbing reminder that not every school memory is bubblegum pop. Under a deceptively catchy beat lies a commentary on isolation and violence.

16. The Jackson 5 – “ABC”
Who needs textbooks when you’ve got MJ making education sound like a Motown dance party? Reading, writing, and rhythm never blended better.

17.Steely Dan – “My Old School”
Donald Fagen got arrested at college, swore he’d never go back, and then wrote a jazz-rock groove about it. Ivy League shade has never sounded so slick.

18. Weezer – “Troublemaker”
Rivers Cuomo was the nerd in the back of the class who figured out how to turn it all into rock stardom. And then wrote a song about it. Again.

19. The Police – “Don’t Stand So Close to Me”
Sting pulls from his teaching days to write a tale of inappropriate classroom chemistry — more literary thriller than love song, and still unsettling in all the right ways.

20. Olivia Rodrigo – “Brutal”
A high school diary exploded into a Gen Z scream-along. Olivia isn’t trying to be okay with any of it — and that honesty? It’s as sharp as a freshly-sharpened pencil to the gut.

School never really leaves us, does it? These songs prove that whether you were the rebel, the romantic, or the valedictorian with a hidden punk side, music was always your best study buddy.

OMD Celebrate 40 Years of ‘Junk Culture’ With Remastered Vinyl Reissue

Music

Eric Alper

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Apr 30, 2025

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OMD Celebrate 40 Years of ‘Junk Culture’ With Remastered Vinyl Reissue

Following a stand-out headline date at London’s The O2 Arena last year, OMD have now announced plans to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of their acclaimed album Junk Culture with a very special vinyl release, out June 20th on UMR/Virgin.

Originally released on April 30th 1984 and the band’s fifth album, Junk Culture is arriving on vinyl for the first time since the late 80s and has been remastered from the original ½ inch reels and cut at half speed by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios. The release follows 40th anniversary releases for the band’s catalogue, including reissues for Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (1980), Organisation (1980), Architecture & Morality (1981) and Dazzle Ships (1983).

A consciously more melodic effort than its experimental predecessor, Dazzle Ships, the album was lauded across the board. Junk Culture has reached Gold status in the UK and landed in the UK’s Top 10 album chart upon release. Produced by the band and Brian Tench (with additional contributions by Tony Visconti), Junk Culture was recorded at a variety of locations including AIR Studios in Montserrat, using the band’s newly-acquired, state-of-the-art Fairlight CMI sampler keyboard, and mixed at Wisseloord in Hilversum, Netherlands.

The record also returned OMD to the upper reaches of the singles charts, with ‘Locomotion’ (top 5 in the UK and top 10 across Europe), ‘Talking Loud and Clear’ (No. 11 in the UK, top 5 in Belgium, the Netherlands and Ireland), and the club hit ‘Tesla Girls’ (No. 21 in the UK, No. 8 in the Netherlands). All three remain live favourites. The version of ‘Tesla Girls’ here differs slightly from the one used on the original album at the request of the artist. “The final version we did for the original album was made out of the 12-inch extended version,” explains Paul Humphreys. “For this reissue, we elected to use the Wisseloord edit version as it’s the same arrangement that we play live, and I think it’s the best one. The one on the original album goes around the piano riff twice in the intro but I think this Wisseloord edit was always the definitive version.”

OMD have sold an astonishing 25 million singles and 15 million albums, which has established them as electronic synthesiser pioneers and one of Britain’s best-loved pop groups.

Junk Culture Tracklisting:
Side 1
1. Junk Culture
2. Tesla Girls
3. Locomotion
4. Apollo
5. Never Turn Away

Side 2
6. Love And Violence
7. Hard Day
8. All Wrapped Up
9. White Trash
10. Talking Loud And Clear

KATSEYE Returns With Explosive New Single “Gnarly,” Ushering in Bold New Era

Music

Eric Alper

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Apr 30, 2025

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KATSEYE Returns With Explosive New Single “Gnarly,” Ushering in Bold New Era

After debuting at No. 1 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists and Heatseekers Albums charts with their 2024 debut EP SIS (Soft Is Strong), KATSEYE returns with “Gnarly,” a hard-hitting club banger built on earth-quaking 808s, gritty rave synths and a pugnacious attitude. As they embark on this new era, KATSEYE captures what it’s like to grow up in the digital age and to simultaneously be thrust in the limelight – resulting in a heady blend of excitement, vulnerability and overstimulation. Always reveling in life’s dualities, KATSEYE leans into the dual meaning of “gnarly” and embraces the blurred line between the real and the digital worlds. The track was produced by Pink Slip, Tim Randolph, HYBE founder “hitman” Bang and Slow Rabbit. Listen to “Gnarly,” released today via HYBE x Geffen Records. The video made its broadcast premiere on MTV Live, MTVU, MTV Biggest Pop and on the Paramount Times Square billboards.

KATSEYE says, “We want people to feel the vibes, to really connect with our music. ‘Gnarly’ feels true to us — it’s bold, it’s fun, and it shows a different side of what we’re about. It feels good to share more of that as we grow alongside the EYEKONS,” referring to the group’s dedicated fandom.

Named an artist to watch for 2025 by VEVO DSCVR and TIDAL, KATSEYE don’t just break the mold — they’re making their own. The global girl group is the first of its kind, forged within the high standards of the K-pop system, but armed with the explicit goal of smashing through boundaries both cultural and creative. Ranging in age from 17 to 22 and coming from immensely different cultures, the six members of KATSEYE are: Daniela (Cuban/Venezuelan-American, from Atlanta, GA), Lara (Indian, from New York, NY), Manon (Ghanaian-Italian, from Zurich, Switzerland), Megan (Chinese-American, from Honolulu, HI), Sophia (Manila, Philippines), and Yoonchae (Seoul, South Korea).

After the world watched them compete and come together through HYBE and Geffen Records’ groundbreaking Dream Academy show and artist development program (a story told in the Netflix docuseries, Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE), the group made its recording debut with the aptly titled single “Debut” in the summer of 2024, which was featured on Rolling Stone’s “Songs You Need to Know” playlist. KATSEYE’s second single, “Touch,” found a spot on Billboard’s Staff List of “The 100 Best Songs of 2024.” Their chart-topping debut EP, SIS (Soft Is Strong), included both singles plus three new songs.

SIS received widespread critical acclaim, with features running in Interview Magazine; PAPER; the Los Angeles Times (including an appearance on the cover of Image Magazine); Associated Press; Cosmopolitan; V Magazine; OUT Magazine; and the first-ever social-first cover of InStyle. KATSEYE performed on “Good Morning America,” “GMA3” and “The Kelly Clarkson Show.”

The group was nominated for two 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards and gave a stunning performance at the MAMA Awards. The Los Angeles Times observed, “they blew everyone away with their commanding stage presence and on-point, intricate and athletic prowess.” Billboard said, “KATSEYE slayed a high-flying rendition of their tracks ‘Debut’ and ‘Touch’ in a special collaboration with the Los Angeles Rams Cheerleaders squad.” View the performance HERE. KATSEYE stars in Fendi’s new “Fendi For Yourself” global digital campaign and Pepsi has tapped “Debut” for a new ad campaign.

KATSEYE continues to create a prismatic, mercurial and potent pop sound that thrives in the tension between softness and strength, polish and raw power, precision and rebellion — always shining, always evolving, as “Gnarly” affirms.

Lorde Announces New Album ‘Virgin,’ Shares Chart-Topping Single “What Was That”

Music

Eric Alper

-

Apr 30, 2025

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Lorde Announces New Album ‘Virgin,’ Shares Chart-Topping Single “What Was That”

Lorde has officially announced her highly anticipated new album, Virgin, set for release on June 27. The project marks the New Zealander’s first full-length body of work in four years and promises a bold evolution in her sound and storytelling. You can pre-order the album HERE

The announcement follows the release of her new single What Was That, co-produced by Lorde, Jim-E Stack and Dan Nigro. The track has been praised for its raw energy and emotional immediacy, offering a glimpse into the sonic world of Virgin.

What Was That has already made a major impact, hitting #1 on Spotify in the US — Lorde’s first US #1 on the platform since Royals. It also landed at #3 in the UK and #5 globally, solidifying Lorde’s triumphant return to the top of the charts.

The video for What Was That, shot on location in New York — including a surprise performance in Washington Square Park — captures the intimate, spontaneous spirit of this new chapter.

That Eric Alper

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Lorde Announces New Album ‘Virgin,’ Shares Chart-Topping Single “What Was That”

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