At 10+ Million streams, Philadelphia-based electro-R&B duo N i G H T S continue to ride their own genre-bending waves with the release of their new EP — available now.
Complete with lush production and soaring vox, the offering’s premiere double-singles “Magic” and “One” deliver a song to suit just about anyone’s state of affairs this romantic season.
“‘One’ is dark,” N i G H T S co-front Evan Hall says of the track. “We wanted to explore the edgy, dark side of ‘tough love’ for whoever might not have a Valentine heading into this year.
“‘Magic’, on the other hand,” co-front Corey Murphy chimes in, “is the lustful and full of romantic sound that feeds the energy the season usually brings: love, appreciation, gifts, and candy.”
“This season can be very rejuvenating for some,” they continue, “but for some people, it can be very lonely, or not a big deal, or they can’t wait until the day is over because they’re just not entertained by all the hearts and ‘puppy love’ flooding their news feeds.
“‘One’ and ‘Magic’ are for either of those audiences, no matter what category they fall into. This project isn’t just for one person, it’s a hybrid of emotions that generate feelings on ‘the most romantic month of the year.’”
“One” and “Magic” are the first to land in 2021 for N i G H T S, and follow a string of knock-out singles since N i G H T S first entered the scene in 2017 with their debut, “Valentine.” Since then, they’ve stacked more than nine millions streams across Spotify alone.
A Redditor commented on People of the Sun’s latest single “The Lick” with, “why does this actually slap tho?” This is high praise coming from the land of cake days and, if Reddit gold and rocket ships are modern oracles of skyrocketing success, this Canadian big band is one to keep an eye on — stat.
With a freshly pressed EP already available, People of the Sun are an eight-piece hip hop/R&B band that came together in another very ‘of today’ way…
Stuck at home and feeling a creative flash, JUNO Award-winning guitarist Erik Mehlsen called on fellow Regina, Saskatchewan-based artists — member of Little Black Bear First Nation MC Info Red, Pakistani-born MC and producer Origin of Spin, Nigerian-born singer/songwriters Nini Jegz and ADEOLUWA, and Saskatchewan-born keyboardist Ethan Reoch, drummer Cyprian Henry, and bass player Rob Lane — to create the country’s newest, and among the most diverse, acts to date.
They count The Dead South, Hoodoo Mafia, Andino Suns, Def3, the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ Drumline, and more, among their respective rosters of artists they’ve worked with. And, when COVID-19 hit, Mehlsen said he knew “there were a bunch of musicians I had always admired who were now, because of this circumstance, fresh out of work.
“I thought, ‘rarely are we all home and idle,’ and that it was a good time to build a dream band.”
And so from this dynamic abundance of cultural perspective, influence — plus a global health crisis both forcing and fomenting new ideas — the group formally introduced themselves this past November with a six-track debut EP, Last Day of Summer.
“The plan was to make six songs in one shot,” Mehlsen explains. “When I was setting the session up, I knew it was going to be a long, hard night, and no one else really knew what I was planning.
“But they trusted me, and they all really delivered. So much respect was born in that moment.”
“Making music is a dope thing, and it was a humbling experience to witness the band’s evolution in real-time,” Info Red (Brad Bellegarde) says. “Last Day of Summer is like the first day in the next chapter of my music career.”
“The creativity and the energy of the crew changes so much when doing things live — and only have an evening to record,” Reoch says. “I honestly didn’t really know what I was going to play for these songs until we were actually recording, but we definitely couldn’t have captured the energy of these songs any other way!”
“I don’t have too many friends in Saskatchewan that are not Nigerian,” Jegz (Uniniafore Benita Jegede) says. “This band was a nice place to meet people, and it was fun and very therapeutic to just get away from the world and get some good vibes.”
“Making Last Day of Summer was such a thrilling experience,” ADEOLUWA (Isaac Adeoluwa Atayero) recalls. “I’ve always wanted to make a ‘live off the floor’ record, and it was exciting to do it with extremely talented people.”
“I admit I was exhausted after recording each of our songs back to back in the way that we did, so I didn’t give it too much thought after we finished,” Lane shares. “Listening back to our recordings was an entirely new experience.”
“I was impressed with Erik’s focus,” Henry adds. “Within a month or two of joining the group, we were already recording music videos!”
“Even though the record probably could’ve been more ‘perfect’ if we had recorded it in the studio,” Mehlsen offers, “we made it live off the floor because it properly shows a group of people from different backgrounds working together.
“We all have different backgrounds, but live in the same city,” he continues. “And once you make something together, you have a friend for life.”
“People can feel the real love when they hear this music.”
After two years away from the music scene, Canadian singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Katelyn Biehn is sitting mellow with her newly released single: the innately romantic “Daydreamin’” — available now.
Similar to the rest of the Stratford, Ontario-based singer’s discography, the two-minute, 55 second-spanning comeback single is a beautiful blend of the pop and R&B genres. The guitar and bass-driven instrumentals are complimented by Katelyn’s smooth delivery, perfect pitch and mellow demeanor.
“You know that moment when you see a total stranger and in your mind you imagine walking up to them confidently and introducing yourself and then the ‘rest is history?’ ‘Daydreamin’’ is that idea played out in someone’s mind,” Katelyn says, of her latest creation. “Who doesn’t love a romantic love at first sight story? A first love that lasts the rest of their lives.”
On how she came up with the arrangement, Katelyn said: “I started out with a fun beat just sitting around in my living room, I began making up a story with my friends and then ‘Daydreamin’’ was born.”
To help support the promotion of “Daydreamin’”, Katelyn enlisted producer Roy Hamilton to master the song and create a lyric video for its official release. It features shots of some of the world’s biggest and most popular cities, including: London, Los Angeles, New York City and Seattle. There’s even an abundance of beautiful skyline and overhead shots of Toronto — which is just shy of two hours west of Katelyn’s very own hometown.
At the early age of four, Katelyn’s career began as a drummer, surprisingly enough. To this day, she still plays, however, banging those toms and snares led her to pick up a guitar and start writing her own music. She entered an abundance of talent shows and landed herself in the recording studio with a bunch of Nashville-based musicians by the time she was 17 years old. Those sessions inevitably led to her collaboration with Benji and the release of Spark — her highly-successful 2017 debut effort.
As well as Spark, Katelyn’s back-catalogue includes her 2019 debut EP, Ready; it features five original tracks, including fan favourites “Worth Fighting for” and “Supposed to Be.”
The doe-eyed Ontarian’s songs offer vulnerable and heartfelt snapshots with her satiny vocals over energetic grooves infused by faith. Her inspirations range from John Mayer to H.E.R. to Justin Bieber —whose vocal coach: the Grammy-nominated Mama Jan, is working with Katelyn to draw out the full textures of her voice.
Ottawa, ON-based rockers Taming Sari have just released their fourth single — and very first ballad; the emotional and raw “Gone and Run Away” is available now.
Between the musical composition, vulnerable lyrics and blazing vocal delivery, the four-minute, 50 second-spanning ballad was made to convey emotion to the audience. It’s also jam-packed sonic elements similar to that of the Southern rock country scene and some of Canada’s finest modern rock acts — think The Glorious Sons or Rival Sons.
From the powerful drum fills, to the seemingly-endless slide guitar melodies and then an all-round groovy bass line to drive the Lynyrd Skynyrd-reminiscent track home, Taming Sari has delivered modern day magic with this one.
According to the eclectic band, “Gone and Run Away” is a song for “rockers and lovers.” They describe it as a story about jealousy, heartbreak, and “the emptiness one can feel when a person is gone after a relationship comes to an end.”
On why they chose to record a ballad, Taming Sari agreed: “We had a desire to dip our toes into this slower tempo and explore the emotions of heartbreak within the soundscape of southern rock.”
Taming Sari is lead singer Warren Meredith, drummer and backing vocalist Adam Ouellette, guitarists Joe Fraser and Miguel Brunette-Kingsberry, as well as bassist Alex Pellerin-Auprix. During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the group is based between Ottawa and Gatineau, Quebec. In their short tenure together before the world was swept off its feet by the worldwide health crisis, Taming Sari was able to play 45 live shows, including some with beloved Canadian bands like The Lazys and Planet Smashers.
Back in May 2019, the bilingual quintet made their official debut with the pummeling single “Down with the Devil,” before releasing another, “Wake Up Boy,” that July. The two singles helped the aspiring musicians promote — and build up hype for their soon-to-follow debut album — Thirsty from the Drought, which dropped in September 2019. Since then, the blues-inspired five-piece put out their 2020 hit single, “Loving Way.”
All 10 songs recorded by Taming Sari — including “Gone and Run Away” — was recorded and produced by Toronto-based producer Ross Hayes Citrullo. Commending him for his work and contributions to their success, Taming Sari said: “our creative relationship grows stronger every time we work on a new single together.”
SiriusXM and the Recording Academy join forces to celebrate the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards with the launch of The GRAMMY Channel.
The GRAMMY Channel will feature a variety of music from this year’s nominees across the GRAMMY Awards’ 30 Fields, including top nominees Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Brittany Howard, DaBaby, Dua Lipa, Harry Styles, Justin Bieber, Megan Thee Stallion, Phoebe Bridgers, Post Malone, Roddy Ricch, Taylor Swift and more, all leading up to the live broadcast of Music’s Biggest Night on March 14 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT. Listeners can also expect to hear music from GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Honorees such as Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, Salt-n-Pepa, Selena and Talking Heads, as well as exclusive interviews with music’s biggest stars from behind the scenes at the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards. For a complete nominations list, visitwww.grammy.com.
The limited-edition channel will begin March 2 at 12 p.m. ET and run through March 14 on channel 104. For all information on The GRAMMY Channel please visit: https://www.siriusxm.com/GRAMMY
SiriusXM’s The GRAMMY Channel is available to listeners nationwide on SiriusXM radios, on the SiriusXM app and at home with Amazon Alexa, the Google Assistant or however they stream in their house. Streaming access is included for most subscribers. Go towww.siriusxm.com/ways-to-listen to learn more.
About The Recording Academy
The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music’s history while investing in its future through the GRAMMY Museum, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares, and celebrates artistic excellence through the GRAMMY Awards — music’s only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world’s leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.
For more information about the Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @RecordingAcad on Twitter, “like” Recording Academy on Facebook, and join the Recording Academy’s social communities on Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
The global background music market size is expected to reach USD 2.49 billion by 2027.
Restaurants and other food service outlets use multiple marketing tactics and strategies to increase the footfall. Acoustic branding, which involves design and presentation of appropriate background music that reinforces the brand personality is gaining traction among establishments. Within the hospitality industry, it is pivotal that the background music is in sync with brand values to create distinct and unique customer experiences.
Auditory experience plays a vital role in distinguishing the restaurant brands from their competitors, which makes it a key area of consideration for every restaurant or cafe chain. However, the perceived benefits associated with background music systems can vary from customer to customer, as a result, it has a certain level of limitations to it.
Lucrative business of retail giants such as Walmart, Whole Foods, the Kroger Co., Costco, and Home Depot; and further expansion of retail network is expected to offer growth opportunity for the market. Buoyancy in hospitality industries and adoption of innovative business strategies to enhance profits have positively impacted the demand for background music.
Hiring of music consultants by stores, restaurants, and many other businesses is rising significantly owing to their ability to provide expertise on suitable background music. Music consultants are being increasingly approached by business units to create distinct and cohesive musical identities for their brands, which also implies fusion of the brands with specific heritages. This, in turn, is also creating large-scale penetration for background music systems across various business verticals.
Further, the fitness industry in the region is evolving to align their offerings with changing fitness trends. According to the International Health, Racquet & Sports Club Association (IHRSA), over 25,000 health clubs of fourteen markets in Asia Pacific attracted over 22 million members. The expanding middle class and significant influence of millennial population have significantly propelled the growth of the end-user industries that use background music systems to strengthen consumer relations and obtain business profits.
Some of the key participants in the industry include PlayNetwork, Inc., Sirius XM Holdings, Inc., Auracle Sound, TouchTunes Music Corporation, Imagesound, Soundnet Limited (Soundjack), Easy on Hold, Xenox Music & Media B.V., Express Melody, Qsic Pty Ltd., OpenEar Music, Cloud Cover Music, Almotech Media Solutions, and Mood Media Corporation.
Key Topics Covered:
1. Introduction 1.1. Report Description 1.1.1. Objectives of the Study 1.1.2. Market Scope 1.1.3. Assumptions 1.2. Stakeholders
2. Executive Summary 2.1. Market Highlights
3. Research Methodology 3.1. Overview 3.2. Data Sources
4. Background Music Market Insights 4.1. Background Music – Industry snapshot 4.2. Background Music Market Dynamics 4.2.1. Drivers and Opportunities 4.2.1.1. A ‘Valued-Added Service’ to Influence Customer Psychology 4.2.1.2. Use of Acoustic Branding as a Key Marketing Strategy in Restaurants Triggers Adoption 4.2.2. Restraints and Challenges 4.2.2.1. Rising Penetration of Live Bands in Restaurants and Cafes Impedes Growth 4.3. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis 4.4. PESTLE Analysis 4.5. Background Music Market Industry trends
5. Background Music Market Assessment by Product Type 5.1. Key Findings 5.2. Introduction 5.3. AV System 5.4. Music Streaming
6. Global Background Music Market, by End Use 6.1. Key Findings 6.2. Introduction 6.3. Retail Stores 6.4. Cafes & Restaurants 6.5. Leisure & Hospitality 6.6. Public Organization 6.7. Others
7. Background Music Market Assessment by Geography 7.1. Key findings 7.2. Introduction
8. Competitive Landscape 8.1. Expansion and Acquisition Analysis 8.2. Partnerships/Collaborations/Agreements/Exhibitions
9. Company Profiles 9.1. Company Overview 9.2. Financial Performance 9.3. Product/Services Benchmarking 9.4. Recent Developments
MasterClass, the streaming platform where anyone can learn from the world’s best across a wide range of subjects, today announced that Questlove will teach a class on music curation and DJing. The Grammy Award–winning musician will explore the vast connectivity of music, sharing his encyclopedic musical knowledge to teach members how to increase their music vocabulary and connect songs to entertain, inspire and enlighten. Questlove’s class is now available exclusively on MasterClass, where subscribers get unlimited access to all 100+ instructors with an annual membership.
“Questlove’s storied career and unparalleled knowledge and passion for music has made him a music icon and one of the most influential individuals in the industry,” said David Rogier, founder and CEO of MasterClass. “In his MasterClass, members will gain a deeper understanding of how to listen to and absorb music so they can deconstruct songs and gain a deeper appreciation of everything they hear.”
For members looking to expand their music knowledge and deepen their love and appreciation for music, Questlove will give an inside look into his creative process for curating music and DJing. Using a versatile playlist composed of classic hip-hop, neo-soul, jazz and R&B, Questlove will break down the musical attributes, psychology and emotional impact of each song to teach members how to use those elements to create their own musical journey. Through a series of engaging demonstrations, Questlove will also share the basics of DJing—from how to deconstruct music for organization, combination and performance to scratching and segues for music sets. He will also break down his equipment list and show members how to choose and use the right equipment to create a great DJ set. For members who want to level up, he will cover live loop creation, phasing, beat juggling and more. Questlove will also share insights and life lessons from his career as the drummer for the Roots, musical director of The Tonight Show, bestselling author, DJ and more.
“It’s one thing to listen to music, but it’s another thing to embrace it and have it come to you,” Questlove said. “Nothing will take the place of the passion that I feel for music, and I hope my MasterClass will open up a portal in your heart so that you learn to love music, find it and appreciate it.”
Drummer, DJ, producer, culinary entrepreneur, New York Times bestselling author and member of the Roots, Questlove is the unmistakable heartbeat of Philadelphia’s most influential hip-hop group. He is the musical director for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where his beloved Roots crew serves as house band. Beyond that, this four-time Grammy Award–winning musician’s indisputable reputation has landed him musical directing positions with everyone from D’Angelo to Eminem to Jay-Z. Questlove has also released four books, including the New York Times bestseller Mo’ Meta Blues; Soul Train: The Music, Dance and Style of a Generation; somethingtofoodabout; and, most recently, Mixtape Potluck. Questlove and Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter of the Roots have executive produced the acclaimed documentary series Hip Hop: The Songs That Shook America on AMC under their production company, Two One Five Entertainment, which recently announced a first-look deal with Universal Television to develop scripted and non-scripted programming. Questlove will serve as executive producer for the upcoming documentary The League, centered on the tumultuous journey of Negro League baseball. He also made his directorial debut with the acclaimed feature documentary Summer of Soul, which explores the legendary 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. The film debuted on the opening night of the 2021 Sundance Film Festival in January. Questlove also recently announced he will direct a new documentary about the career and legacy of Sly Stone.
M&M’S Messages are returning to store shelves with new on-pack expressions for consumers to enjoy, while inspiring connections through one of the most powerful ways we connect with each other: music. First launched in 2020, each M&M’S Messages pack features a unique expression delivered by the iconic M&M’S spokescandies to help people connect and find humor in everyday life. To celebrate and inspire connections through music, M&M’S Messages packs now include a code that can be scanned to access a curated Spotify playlist, bringing to life better moments and more smiles through the messages featured on-pack with the corresponding music to celebrate.
There are now 28 different M&M’S Messages packs available, each including a unique message and complementary Spotify playlist to match the theme of the message on pack such as “Have a great day pretending to do work” paired with a playlist of songs to make you feel like a boss, or “Slay Girl” paired with a playlist filled with powerful female artists.
The new M&M’S Messages packs are more than just a treat – they are a way to spark a connection through music, a natural medium that brings people together, and a reflection of Mars Wrigley’s commitment to create better moments that make the world smile.
“Music and M&M’S have an incredible power to help us connect to one another and celebrate life,” said Allison Miazga-Bedrick, Mars Wrigley Senior Brand Director. “Incorporating music into M&M’S Messages packs are a new way for us to help fans share their true selves and connect with others, which helps us live our purpose of better moments and more smiles.”
“There’s something special about the evolution of M&M’S packaging and we were immediately drawn to the opportunity to partner with the M&M’S team to make the joy of music front and center this go round,” said Brian Berner, Head of North America Advertising Sales, Spotify. “These curated Spotify playlists give people an opportunity to connect at a time when we’re all hungrier than ever for new ways to interact.”
M&M’S Messages packs are featured on the beloved fan-favorite flavors – Milk Chocolate, Peanut, Peanut Butter and Caramel. Fans can find M&M’S Messages on shelves now at retailers nationwide for a limited time or order their favorite M&M’S Messages packaging design on mms.com.
Looking ahead, select M&M’S Messages will be featured on Kyle Busch’s No. 18 M&M’S Toyota Camry at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway this spring, where race fans will have the opportunity to win M&M’S Messages-inspired prizes. More details to be announced in March.
SiriusXM announced today a new collaboration with groundbreaking rock guitarist and acoustic troubadour, Tom Morello, including all-original content that spans three new streaming music channels and a new additional weekly show beginning March 2, and an original podcast, beginning March 3.
The content hand-crafted by Morello includes streaming music channels that are part of SiriusXM’s Xtra Channels offering, which has expanded even more since its debut of 100 curated music channels in early 2019. Morello’s music channels will amplify the intersection where music and activism collide, a wide-range of heavy metal music, and will explore his personal influences and musical collection. See channel info below.
“When SiriusXM approached me about doing a new slate of shows, I only had one condition: I say what I wanna say and I play what I wanna play,” said Morello. “When the right combination of rhythm and rhyme washes over a huge throng or transmits through an ear bud it can provide a spark for action or a life raft for survival. Music MATTERS. And I’m very much looking forward to inflicting on listeners the music that matters to me.”
Tom Morello’s Battle Hymns Radio (ch. 1124) will thread the needle between music and activism throughout history and genres. The channel will provide an audio assault of rebel anthems featuring the Freedom songs of the 1960s, the hip hop music that has been standing up for Black lives for decades, and the mosh pit-inciting, radically-raging rock.
Tom Morello’s Heavy Metal Happy Hour Radio (ch. 1122) will feature a hand-selected array of heavy metal music, ranging from hidden gems to classic cuts for a happy hour that never ends.
Tom Morello’s Riffs, Rhymes, & Rebellion Radio (ch. 1123) will dive deep into Morello’s personal record collection to showcase the diverse sonic landscape of riffs, beats, and ballads that shaped his music and career.
Tom Morello’s three Xtra channels are the latest additions to SiriusXM’s stable of music channels created with iconic artists including The Beatles, U2, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Pearl Jam, Eminem, LL COOL J, Phish, Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, Kirk Franklin, Diplo, Bob Marley, B.B. King, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra and more.
SiriusXM’s E Street Radio will debut Tom Morello’s Radio Comandante, a weekly show dedicated to a new musical theme, featuring a collection of wildly diverse songs that have influenced him as an artist. Each week his show will air on a SiriusXM channel that suits the current show’s theme. The premiere show of Tom Morello’s Radio Comandante will focus on the theme of American class consciousness and examine the 80-year history behind Bruce Springsteen’s song “The Ghost of Tom Joad.” The show will air Tuesday, March 2 at 10 a.m. ET and 4 p.m. ET on channel 20, with replays throughout the week.
This is Morello’s second weekly show on SiriusXM, following the incredible success of Tom Morello’s One Man Revolution on SiriusXM’s Lithium channel, where Morello shares stories spanning his 30-year career as a groundbreaking artist, while taking listeners on a fearless exploration through 90s alternative & grunge music that ignited a revolution. Tom Morello’s One Man Revolution airs every Monday at 4 p.m. ET on channel 34.
Adding to the latest array and launch of SiriusXM’s original, exclusive and popular podcasts is Tom Morello’s Maximum Firepower, which will be available on the SiriusXM app, Pandora, Stitcher, and wherever listeners access their podcasts, beginning Wednesday March 3 and air weekly on SiriusXM’s Volume, channel 106 every Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. ET, also beginning on March 3. This SiriusXM original, weekly podcast will focus on the music, the moments, and the movements that have shaped Tom’s worldview and left an indelible mark on him as an artist and activist.
Subscribers are able to listen online, on-the-go with the SiriusXM mobile app, and at home on a wide variety of connected devices including smart TVs, devices with Amazon Alexa or the Google Assistant, Apple TV, PlayStation, Roku, Sonos speakers and more. Go towww.siriusxm.com/ways-to-listen to learn more. SiriusXM subscribers with streaming access can enjoy a unique mix of exclusive, original, and popular podcasts via the SiriusXM mobile app or online atwww.siriusxm.com/podcast2020.
American music legend Willie Nelson follows his bestselling books It’s a Long Story and The Tao of Willie with Letters to America, a more personal and intimate book than anything he’s ever written. The book will be published by Harper Horizon on June 29th.
From his opening letter “Dear America” to his “Dear Willie” epilogue, Willie digs deep into his heart and soul–and his music catalog–to lift us up in difficult times, and to remind us of the endless promise and continuous obligations of all Americans–to themselves, to one another, and to their nation.
In a series of letters straight from the heart, Willie sends his thanks and his thoughts to Americans past, present, and future, his closest family members, and his personal heroes, from our founding fathers to the leaders of future generations.
Willie’s letters are rounded out with the moving lyrics to some of his most famous and insightful songs, including “Let Me Be a Man,” “Family Bible,” “Summer of Roses,” “Me and Paul,” and “Yesterday”s Wine.”
