Here’s what to do when you’ve just been playlisted. And don’t forget your website – your news section misses you.
How Photography has Shifted Gears over Time
The fact remains that the photographic scene is still transforming. There is a strong sense that this artistic work is yet to undergo tremendous enhancements, which, whether positive or negative, is a decision and interpretation of the photographic culture. The fact remains that technology is improving all aspects of life, and advancements in one area often transform the other. For example, the inception and improvements done on the computer made viewing images much more straightforward. People used to create view master images on reels for viewing; this was a demanding process. With the current operating systems and applications, photography has been made attractive. A photographer can take charge of his/her captured images and transform them into whatever dimension he/she sees fit.
With continued automation of cameras and the formation of digital darkroom techniques, the photographic process is becoming more automatic, and the faults that existed in the analog images have been dealt with in at most fullness. The new image forms have disrupted how people perceive the old ones. However, analog images still find a way of mutating and fitting into the digital world. The rest of this post shares how photography has changed in the past two decades.
Apple Transformed the World
Steve Jobs took the podium in the Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco, to present an iPhone to the world. This was in the eighth year of the current Millenium. During this time, the photographic scene was not that developed since the first iPhone’s highest resolution was 2mp without a capacity to record videos. However, the launch of this phone was the beginning of the world’s most significant development; the smartphone. Furthermore, the introduction of the smartphone also revolutionized filmmaking. Today there are high-end smartphones with the capability to record amazing pictures and videos. These devices have given people, even those with little or no expertise in photography, an opportunity to compose their images.
The Convergence Union of video and Photography
Initially, photography and videography were distinct entities even though both embraced the new era of digitalization and used almost similar technologies. However, in the previous decade, September 2008, this changed when Cannon introduced the EOS 5D Mark II camera. Before this device got introduced, the making of a film was quite expensive, and filmmakers had to get deep into their pockets to purchase video cameras or films that were quite expensive. However, with the new Cannon camera, they could shoot various videos from HD to cinematic video on a still camera that was approximately $3000. This was the beginning of unifying videos and photos.
The significant boost in the development of impressive digital technology is that it would not take long to have an image captured or viewed as the norm. The view master images needed to be bathed in a chemical for visibility, and viewing required a little more effort. Today the cameras are multifunctional and can capture and aid in viewing the images at the same time. One will not have to wait for the final product to view the result of his/her photo since the digital cameras give feedback.
Alicia Keys to Teach MasterClass in Songwriting and Producing
MasterClass, the streaming platform where anyone can learn from the world’s best across a wide range of subjects, today announced that 15-time Grammy Award-winning artist Alicia Keys will teach a class on songwriting and producing. For the first time ever, Keys will not only reveal her complete approach to songwriting but also share her inspiring philosophies on how to unlock authenticity, empathy and vulnerability. Keys’ class is now available exclusively on MasterClass, where subscribers get unlimited access to all 90+ instructors with an annual membership.
Designed for artists of all levels, Keys’ MasterClass will share her rare and valuable insight into songwriting with soul. Within the intimate setting of her personal studio, Keys will take members through her entire process, starting with developing lyrics at the piano in the Live Room, recording and layering vocals in the Iso Booth, and finally, arranging sonics in the Control Room. Breaking down the anatomy of her many anthemic tracks, she explains the various influences and elements that come together to create her signature authentic and retro-futuristic sound, including how she harnesses the power of specific vocal arrangements and experiments with instruments and software. Fans will appreciate her rare deconstruction of the creative process behind one of her most iconic hits, “Fallin’.” Keys will also go beyond her technical skills to discuss her take on inequalities in the music industry and how she’s creating more space at the table for those whose voices are silenced. Offering a rare look at the wealth of knowledge and experience behind her monumental career, her class will empower members to define their purpose, channel their empathy and find their authentic rhythm.
“I cannot stress enough the power you have when you’re truly confident in yourself,” said Keys. “In my MasterClass, I’m excited to connect on a different level. We’re gonna talk about what I’ve learned, my process and how to access what’s inside of you, so you can connect and get it out into the world.”
A talented performer from a young age, Keys scored her first No. 1 hit in 2001 with “Fallin’,” which was featured on her debut album, Songs in A Minor, and landed her her first five Grammy Awards, including those for Song of the Year and Best New Artist. She’s released six more critically acclaimed studio albums since her debut: The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003), As I Am (2007), The Element of Freedom (2009), Girl on Fire (2012), Here (2016) and, most recently, Alicia (2020). As one of the most influential songwriter-performers of the last two decades, Keys has been honored with countless awards, including 15 Grammy Awards, 17 NAACP Image Awards, nine Billboard Music Awards, five American Music Awards and seven BET Awards, as well as the Starlight Award by the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In addition to her singing career, Keys is also acclaimed for her humanitarian work, philanthropy and activism. At just 22 years old, she co-founded and serves as the global ambassador of the nonprofit HIV/AIDS-fighting organization Keep a Child Alive; she launched the We Are Here Movement, a petition to demand racial justice and equality; and in 2018, Keys formed She Is the Music, a music-industry group for female advancement.
Dolly Parton Launches Virtual Holiday Cards With American Greetings
Dolly Parton and American Greetings announce their latest collaboration, A Holly Dolly Christmas Collection, just in time for the holidays. Spurred by the success of Parton’s initial Everyday Card collection and her SmashUp “Birthday Time” e-card, these holiday cards in collaboration with the global superstar will bring more joy, hope, love and laughter to families around the world.
“Knowing that I can be a small part of making someone’s day a little brighter is such a great feeling, and this holiday season, especially, it helps to know someone you love is thinking about you,” says Parton.
Earlier this year American Greetings announced a multi-year partnership with Parton that includes digital and physical products integrating the legendary singer-songwriter’s music in unique ways. “Birthday Time,” Parton’s SmashUp initial digital ecard offering, has been sent more than 500,000 times since its launch six months ago.
“Dolly’s message of joy, hope and humor has really resonated with our customers, as evidenced by the resounding success of her SmashUp and the initial launch of her Everyday Card line,” says Rob Matousek, Executive Director/GM – Direct to Consumer Business at American Greetings. “As we approached the holidays, we wanted to bring an additional offering of digital products to market. We believe Dolly’s curated collection of holiday cards and a musical e-card featuring her rendition of ‘Holly Jolly Christmas’ are the perfect pairing for the season.”
Discover Dolly Parton’s American Greetings holiday collection here: https://www.americangreetings.com/dolly/holly-dolly
Everyday Dolly Parton cards are available at www.americangreetings.com/dolly.
Dolly Parton SmashUps are available on www.americangreetings.com, www.bluemountain.com, and on the SmashUps apps available for iPhone https://apps.apple.com/us/app/smashups/id1441317717 and Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smashups&hl=en_US
The Full-Length Trailer For HBO Documentary ‘The Bee Gees, How Can You Mend A Broken Heart’, Out Now
The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Frank Marshall (“Seabiscuit”, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”) chronicles the triumphs and hurdles of brothers Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb, otherwise known as the Bee Gees.
The iconic trio, who found early fame in the Sixties, went on to write over 1,000 songs, including twenty number one hits throughout their storied career. This film follows the Bee Gee’s meteoric rise, as they rode the highs of fame and fortune, negotiated the vagaries of the ever-shifting music business and navigated the complexities of working so intimately alongside family.
The feature documentary premieres December 12 on HBO Max.
Bing Crosby, Chuck Berry, Ella Fitzgerald And Frank Sinatra Get Animated For New Holiday Videos
his holiday season, musical legends Bing Crosby, Chuck Berry, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra are returning in animated form with first-ever official music videos from UMe for some of the most iconic and beloved songs in the Christmas canon. In the beautifully hand drawn and painted videos created by Fantoons Animation Studios, Crosby brings joy to a down in the dumps town with his trusty Bing-O-Matic™ in “Winter Wonderland” and croons over a multigenerational military family’s holiday gatherings in “White Christmas,” guitar-clad Berry helps Santa with his Christmas rounds in vintage comic book style in “Run Rudolph Run,” Fitzgerald and Frosty delight in a winter wonderland storybook setting in “Frosty The Snowman” and Sinatra delivers mid-century style, glitz and grace as only he can in the holiday classics, “The Christmas Waltz” and “Mistletoe and Holly.”
“UMe is incredibly honored and excited to partner with these legendary artists and estates to celebrate their iconic holiday songs and give them official videos,” says Bruce Resnikoff, President and CEO of UMe, the global catalog company of UMG. “Last year was the first time we created holiday videos and we had such a tremendous response that we’ve gone all in again this year and our content team and Fantoons have really outdone themselves. These songs are some of the most popular year to year and we hope these videos brighten up fans holidays as well as attract new audiences across the digital platforms they inhabit. Similar to before, the video assets and creative will be deployed across UMe’s holiday marketing and advertising campaigns for a cohesive look and feel and to achieve greater engagement across a broader audience.”
These videos are just some of the many ways that UMe is celebrating its unmatched Christmas catalog and helping to turn up the joy this holiday season. In addition to the new animated videos, a variety of “Christmas With…” collections for artists including The Beach Boys, Bing Crosby, Brenda Lee, Burl Ives, Chuck Berry, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, The Jackson 5 and Nat King Cole are available to stream on your favorite DSP and there’s of course the annual Christmas Music playlist which features some of the most popular songs and artists across the holiday music canon, pairing timeless classics with contemporary favorites.
uDiscover Music is also getting into the spirit with their just launched holiday hub which will feature a variety of gift guides for all types of music lovers, eclectic playlists and the memorable stories behind classic holiday tunes. Visit it here: https://uDiscover.lnk.to/Christmas2020
For those looking for more holiday entertainment, The Ed Sullivan Show’s official YouTube channel is celebrating the season with a music-and laughter-filled holiday playlist. Classics include “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby, “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer” by Gene Autry, “Jingle Bells” by Paul Anka, and more. Festive fun lights up things with “Mrs. Claus Interview” by Stiller & Meara, “Deck The Halls” by the Baird Puppets and holiday cheer with The Muppets.
Steven Wilson To Release ‘1 Of 1’ Boxset For £10,000 To Aid The Music Venue Trust
Steven Wilson has announced details of a completely unique special edition of his forthcoming sixth album, THE FUTURE BITES.
ULTRA DELUXE MUSIC PRODUCT ON OBSOLETE MEDIA will retail for £10,000. All proceeds will go directly to the Music Venue Trust to directly help save grassroots gig venues in the UK.
ULTRA DELUXE MUSIC PRODUCT ON OBSOLETE MEDIA represents the insane peak point of modern consumerism while offering one fan the ultimate Steven Wilson collectable.
Never done before and never to be repeated, it is a hugely enhanced version of his already brilliant new record that provides an insight into Steven’s working process. The ultimate aspirational product, it proves that if music is an ongoing conversation between artist and fan, this 1 of 1 edition of THE FUTURE BITES is less mass email and more like the closest thing you’ll get to an in-depth discussion with the artist over an intimate dinner date for two.
Inside ULTRA DELUXE MUSIC PRODUCT ON OBSOLETE MEDIA bespoke box are the contents of the already announced deluxe box set of the album alongside music unheard anywhere else, conceptual artwork, hand-written lyrics and items of personal ephemera from Steven Wilson’s archive. It includes:
- One sided 7 inch single with unique track “THE TASTEMAKER” – an edition of one, never to be released anywhere else
- Unique laptop bag used in “EMINENT SLEAZE” video
- THE FUTURE BITES test pressing
- “EMINENT SLEAZE” test pressing (with b-sides “EYEWITNESS” / “IN FLORAL GREEN”)
- “12 THINGS I FORGOT” test pressing (with b-sides) “MOVE LIKE FEVER” / “KING GHOST (TANGERINE DREAM REMIX)”
- CDR of unreleased 2016 soundcheck performance of a cover version never otherwise performed live
- Steven Wilson’s Grammy nomination certificate and medal from 2011 for Grace For Drowning – best surround sound mix
- Printed materials used in the “EMINENT SLEAZE” video
- 6 x laminated AAA passes for various tours between 2011-18
- Polaroids from THE FUTURE BITES cover shoot photo session
- Original drawing by Hajo Mueller of Steven Wilson
- Handwritten lyrics with corrections for various songs between 1996-2020:
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- “Count of Unease”
- “Follower”
- “Eminent Sleaze”
- “Salvaging”
- “Veneno Para Las Hadas”
- “Personal Shopper”
- “The Raven that Refused to Sing”
- “Dark Matter”
Steven Wilson: “This edition of THE FUTURE BITES takes the whole notion of deluxe limited editions to its logical and fairly extreme conclusion, as the ultimate limited edition will obviously end up being just one copy. In many ways, this edition is more analogous with the world of art than with those of music or luxury branding. Only one person can own an actual painting with the artist’s brush strokes on it. There is no variance, only the one original.
“With regards the contents of the 1 of 1 edition, it’s the purchaser’s choice as to whether they decide to share what they’ve bought or keep it to themselves. Do they want to exhibit ‘the painting’, or put it on display at home? If it was me, I’d probably keep it private but I’ll leave it entirely up to them as what they do with the contents of their purchase.”
All proceeds from the sale of ULTRA DELUXE MUSIC PRODUCT ON OBSOLETE MEDIA go directly to the Music Venue Trust to help save grassroots venues across the UK that have been affected by COVID 19. For Steven, those are the kinds of venues he spent his formative years playing.
“The first Porcupine Tree show was in The Nag’s Head in High Wycombe and, for the first ten years the band played live shows, we gigged solely in that subterranean world of clubs and pub venues. As someone who doesn’t really exist within the mainstream, this is the stuff that really affects me. I wouldn’t be sat here with any sort of career in the music industry if it weren’t for those venues and – just as importantly – the people who make them work night after night.
“The loss of venues in this country feels like a big part of my history dying. If you try to imagine the world without live music, you know immediately it would be a terrible place. Music is a connector, it’s an inspiration and it’s a healer for so many people. It’s essential we work now to save these places for future generations of bands and fans.”
Meghan Trainor Releases Official Video For “Holidays” Featuring Earth, Wind & Fire
Directed by Sarah McColgan [Mariah Carey, Hailee Steinfeld, Kelly Clarkson], Meghan Trainor ‘s ” Holidays ” video sees Meghan ringing in the season with a party full of glitz and glamor. Joining the festivities is Earth, Wind & Fire who bring the visual to life and make it the best Holiday Celebration. Get in the spirit with ” Holidays ” out now!
Queen’s ‘Greatest Hits’ Gets Top US Top 10 For The First Time — 40 Years After Release
or the first time since its release in 1981 and after a jaw-dropping 412 weeks on the chart, Queen’s landmark Greatest Hits compilation has hit the Top 10 of the Billboard 200, rocketing from No. 36 to No. 8. Its previous peak was No. 11, which it hit in 1992. The 9x Platinum-selling career-spanning collection also hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Vinyl Albums Chart with the second-largest sales week of 2020 for any vinyl release.
Spanning Queen’s triumphant first act, Greatest Hits includes some of the world’s most iconic rock songs, including the stadium-sized symphonic chart-topper “Bohemian Rhapsody,” the most-streamed song of the 20th century around the globe and the most-streamed classic rock song of all time. Other gems featured on this compendium include the roof-raising “We Are The Champions,” the crowd rousing “We Will Rock You,” the tongue-in-cheek “Fat Bottomed Girls,” the stomp-stomp-stomp late 70’s disco inspired “Another One Bites the Dust,” to the finger-snapping jukebox retro-rock homage “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and the soaring, impassioned, gospel-tinged “Somebody To Love.”
Queen recently teamed with Target and Walmart for two separate Greatest Hits vinyl exclusives, both being 2-disc LPs, 180 gram, with fans having a choice between ruby blend marble vinyl or red and white-colored vinyl.
In an era dominated by hip-hop and pop, Queen is bigger than ever with a timeless appeal and a new generation of fans. Their recently released live album, Queen + Adam Lambert Live Around The World, shot to No. 1 on the UK’s Official albums chart, their first time topping that chart since 1995’s Made In Heaven.
Greatest Hits marks the ninth top 10 album for Queen, joining the Bohemian Rhapsody soundtrack (No. 2 in 2019), Greatest Hits I, II & III: The Platinum Collection (No. 6, 2019), Classic Queen (No. 4, 1992), The Game (No. 1, 1980), Jazz (No. 6, 1979), News of the World (No. 3, 1978), A Day at the Races (No. 5, 1977) and A Night at the Opera (No. 4, 1976). This past Saturday marked the 45th anniversary of the release of A Night at the Opera.
Queen’s Greatest Hits remains the best-selling album of all time in the UK.
Bob Mould Announces ‘Distortion: 1996 – 2007′ Vinyl Box Set
On January 22nd, 2021, Demon Music Group will release Distortion: 1996-2007, the second of four vinyl boxsets chronicling the solo career of legendary American musician Bob Mould. It follows hot on the heels of the recently released 8LP Distortion: 1989-1995 boxset, which took in Mould’s early solo outings as well as his records with the much-beloved Sugar, and the 24CD Distortion: 1989-2019 box, which covers the entirety of his post- Hüsker Dü output.
Distortion: 1996-2007 takes in six studio albums across nine LPs: Bob Mould (1996), The Last Dog and Pony Show (1998), modulate. (2002 – first time on vinyl), Long Playing Grooves. (2002 – first time on vinyl), Body of Song (2005) and BLOWOFF (2006 – first time on vinyl), as well as a new compilation Distortion Plus: 1996-2007 which features an array of bonus tracks including the demo version of ‘Dog on Fire’ (the theme from The Daily Show), B-sides and other rarities, pressed on clear vinyl.
As with the previously released Distortion: 1989-1995, each album in the set has been mastered by Jeff Lipton and Maria Rice at Peerless Mastering in Boston and is presented with brand new artwork designed by illustrator Simon Marchner and pressed on 140g clear vinyl with unique splatter effects. The boxset includes a 28-page companion booklet featuring liner notes by journalist Keith Cameron, contributions from Death Cab For Cutie’s Ben Gibbard and Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino, lyrics, memorabilia and much more. An exclusive indie edition limited to 750 copies worldwide also includes a 12″x12″ screen-print of the new modulate. album cover hand signed by illustrator Simon Marchner and Mould himself.
Watch a trailer for Distortion: 1996-2007 below:
“It’s called Distortion because it describes the music and it fits the world we live in,” says Mould of the boxsets. “In this new age, everybody shares their life in real time. But I’m not done yet. If I didn’t have a constantly active career, this anthology might feel like the proverbial dirt landing on top of my coffin — though somehow I seem to be able to crawl my way out of the dirt every time!”
2021 will see two further vinyl Distortion boxsets covering the years 2008 to 2019 rounding out a year-long celebration of one of the most storied, creative and consistent voices in the American underground. As Cameron offers:
“In 1989, Bob Mould was already a renowned figure, thanks to his trailblazing work with Hüsker Dü: the Minneapolis trio which refracted ’60s pop melody through the discord of hardcore punk, creating a new language that Pixies and Nirvana would subsequently teach the world to sing. With his debut solo album Workbook, however, Bob Mould amazed his audience with its pastoral beauty and contemplative tone.
“It would be the first in an ongoing series of artistic transformations, each profoundly shaped by Mould’s sensitivity to his environment. In 1992, he formed Sugar, a band whose debut album Copper Blue earned both critical plaudits and a long overdue popular dividend. Just three years later, with Sugar at its commercial peak, Mould ended the band and made a self-titled solo record mapping the most nakedly personal path down a road already hallmarked by unsparing self-expression. He shocked then confounded fans by announcing his retirement from rock music in 1998 and re-emerging in the new century as an experimental electronica artist and successful DJ, whose club night Blowoff became a phenomenon across the US. By the end of the ’00s, Mould had found a harmonious accommodation between his musical selves, and in 2012 released the catalytic Silver Age, made with his latest power trio configuration, and heralding a resurgent decade. A succession of albums up to 2019’s Sunshine Rock followed, each one a real time/real life distillation of fearless artistic vision and a master craftsman’s skill.”
Discover more about the boxsets including full tracklistings and FAQs here:
The 9LP Distortion: 1996-2007 boxset is released Jan 22nd, 2021, via Demon Music Group. The 24CD Distortion: 1989-2019 and 8LP Distortion: 1989-1995 boxsets are both available now. Keep your eyes peeled for two further vinyl boxsets later in 2021.