U.K. based Electric Mastering has assembled a vintage vinyl mastering facility, the restoration of which was overseen by analog expert Sean Davies. Its first vinyl reissues for The Electric Recording Company were monophonic. Now the chain has been re-configured for the company’s first stereo reissue.
Bombay Bicycle Club Announce North American Tour Dates Behind First New Album In 6 Years
Today, Mercury Prize-nominated and UK chart-topping indie quartet Bombay Bicycle Club announce North American tour dates in support of Everything Else Has Gone Wrong, their first new album in 6 years. The headlining run includes dates in Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver and will feature support from Sports Team. Everything Else Has Gone Wrong will be released via Caroline International/Island Records on January 17.
Tickets go on sale Friday, January 10 at 10am local time.
Watch the lyric video for new single “I Can Hardly Speak,” which Brooklyn Vegan deems as “an instantly appealing dose of lightly psychedelic indie pop.”
Everything Else Has Gone Wrong was recorded with Grammy-winning producer John Congleton (Sharon Van Etten, Spoon, St. Vincent), and recaptures the magic of the band’s earlier releases. Uncut says, “The London quartet sound rejuvenated … a reminder of how far they’ve advanced since their early badge as adolescent indie rockers.” Paste Magazine just named the new album one of their Most Anticipated Albums of 2020, while DIY Magazine says it “taps into their strongest asset — the ability to break your heart and heal it in the time it takes to move from verse to chorus.”
“Stunning” (Billboard) lead single “Eat, Sleep, Wake” has racked up over 10 million Spotify streams and has been praised for its “invigorating hooks and wistful attitude” (Pitchfork) as well as “immediately feeling like classic BBC” (Dork). Listen here: https://youtu.be/zFb86yrodxE
Watch Bombay Bicycle Club perform the album’s title track, “Everything Else Has Gone Wrong,” for a special VEVO session you can watch below.
Bombay Bicycle Club welcomes the new album’s release with a full tour of the UK later this January and into February. The run includes two nights at London’s Alexandra Palace, with many of those shows long since selling out and with only a handful of tickets left at the remaining dates. Following the North American tour, a busy Summer festival season almost is inevitable.
North American Tour Dates — with support from Sports Team except *
April 16 — Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall*
April 17 — Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
April 18 — Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Waller Creek
April 20 — Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
April 21 — Tulsa, AZ @ Cain’s Ballroom
April 22 — St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall
April 23 — Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
April 24 — Winnipeg, MB @ The Garrick
April 26 — Edmonton, AB @ Midway
April 27 — Calgary, AB @ The Palace Theatre
April 29 — Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
April 30 — Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
May 01 — Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom
May 02 — Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
May 04 — San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
May 06 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
May 07 — San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
May 09 — Mexico City, MX @ El Plaza Condesa
Mastercard Unveils its First-Ever Music Single, Delivering Latest Evolution of its Sonic Brand Identity for The Next Decade
Built on trust and passion, Mastercard is redefining how people interact and recall the brand with the drop of its first-ever sonic-integrated music single. As experiences increasingly define the brand in the eyes of the consumer, Mastercard is designing consumer journeys that cater to the senses and reinforce the brand in new and differentiated ways.
Mastercard is collaborating with songwriter and producer Niclas Molinder to engage with up and coming global artists. Together, they will commission them to build upon the Mastercard sound architecture to curate an auditory experience that brings new meaning and purpose to the brand. Introduced in 2019, the company’s sonic melody is a critical component to how people recognize Mastercard today and into the future and was derived with a flexibility that enables it to live across musical genres and cultures while maintaining familiarity.
For its first song drop, Mastercard is engaging with Swedish artist Nadine Randle to organically and authentically integrate the company’s brand values and sonic identity into a first-ever musical output. Debuting at Live @ CES, an event in partnership with iHeartRadio on January 8, the single, titled “Merry Go Round,” tells the story of a new beginning and fresh start enabled with Priceless possibility.
“Sound is our next frontier for brand expression and a powerful way for us to reach consumers through the passions that connect us all. We’re thrilled to be partnering with Nadine on ‘Merry Go Round’ to integrate the recognizable sonic melody – underscoring the many ways that the branding can be used beyond traditional means,” said Mastercard chief marketing and communications officer Raja Rajamannar.
Mastercard has reimagined how sound can manifest as a brand expression, while also serving as an audio reinforcement of payment security and authenticity – to drive consumers’ peace of mind in a retail setting, today the sonic melody is integrated at more than 7.6 million payment points worldwide. According to research conducted by Mastercard and GfK Global, seventy-seven percent believe the Mastercard sonic sound made the transaction and retail environment more trustworthy.
You can download or stream “Merry Go Round” via RADIO.com or on your favorite music streaming services. “Merry Go Round” is the first single for an upcoming album released by Mastercard integrating sonic, due to launch later in 2020.
Nominees Announced For The 2020 Blues Music Awards
An impressive assembly of blues music masters, ranging from Blues Hall of Famers to rising stars, will gather in Memphis on Thursday May 7, for the 41st annual Blues Music Awards. Presented by The Blues Foundation, the BMAs honor the past year’s exceptional achievements in blues music recording, performance, and songwriting, as well as supporting the blues’ rich cultural traditions. This celebratory evening, recognized internationally as the blues world’s premier event, not only attracts nearly all the nominees, but also presents them in performance.
The event takes place at Memphis’ Cannon Center for the Performing Arts (255 North Main Street), where a Blue Carpet will lead to the theater. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with the ceremony commencing at 6:30 p.m. sharp. Tickets range from individual seats for $80 to full boxes of 10 for $2,500 per box, with most seats being at a $150 per person price point. All tickets (unless otherwise noted) include admission to the post-show After Party, which will feature additional live performances by nominees, buffet dinner, cash bars, and more festivities. The After Party takes place in the newly renovated Grand Lobby of the Renasant Convention Center, which is attached to the Cannon Center via an indoor walkway. Ticket sales are now open and can be purchased at 2020 Blues Music Awards Tickets
Topping the list of talented BMA contenders are Rick Estrin and his band Rick Estrin & the Nightcats, with eight nominations. It’s a familiar situation for Estrin and the group as they garnered eight overall nominations two years ago, which led to a trio of BMA victories (Band of the Year, Song of the Year, and Traditional Blues Artist). This year, they are again up for their 2018 winning categories along with Contemporary Blues Album (for their aptly named Contemporary). Additionally, Estrin has earned B.B. King Entertainer of the Year and Instrumentalist: Harmonica nominations, while guitarist Christoffer “Kid” Andersen and drummer Derrick D’Mar Martin are in the running for their respective instrumental categories.
Just behind Rick Estrin & the Nightcats in the nomination count is Sugaray Rayford. Last year’s Soul Blues Male Artist is not only attempting to retain that title, he’s also nominated for the B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, Soul Blues Album (for Somebody Save Me), Instrumentalist: Vocals, and with the Sugaray Rayford Band for Band of the Year, while “Time To Get Movin’,” penned by Somebody Save Me‘s producer Eric Corne, is competing for Song of the Year.
The Cash Box Kings and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram both are hoping to rule the BMAs too as each act nabbed a handful of nods. Ingram is one of the fastest rising stars in the blues scene, so it’s no surprise finding his name in the Best Emerging Artist Album category. Kingfish, however, also has earned nominations for Contemporary Blues Male Artist and Instrumentalist: Guitar, and his album Kingfish is up for Traditional Blues Album and Album of the Year. Midwestern titans The Cash Box Kings are also competing for Album of the Year and Traditional Blues Album (for Hail to the Kings!), as well as Band of the Year. Their recorded song “The Wine Talkin’,” written by Joe Nosek, John Hahn, and Oscar Wilson, is up for Song of the Year honors, while bandmember Kenny “Beedy Eyes”Smith is among the contenders for Instrumentalist: Drums.
Chicago blues stalwart Billy Branch also has picked up numerous nominations. His album with The Sons of Blues, Roots and Branches: The Songs of Little Walter, is in the battle for Album of the Year and Traditional Blues Album while Branch is nominated for Instrumentalist: Harmonica, Traditional Blues Male Artist, and B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, where he is facing Estrin, Rayford and Blues Hall of Famers Mavis Staples and Bobby Rush. However well he does at the BMAs, Branch is guaranteed to have a triumphant 2020 as he will be inducted into The Blues Foundation’s Blues Hall of Fame the day before the Blues Music Awards along with Bettye LaVette who is nominated for Soul Blues Female.
The 2020 nominations prove that the blues is very much alive and well. In addition to Kingfish’s five nominations, numerous award nominations are also going to young blues artists, including Jontavious Willis, nominated in two categories (Best Emerging Artist Album and Traditional Blues Album, for Spectacular); Larkin Poe, nominated for Band of the Year, with bandmember Rebecca Lovell receiving a nod for Song of the year for “Beach Blonde Bottle Blues”; Samantha Fish, up for Contemporary Blues Female Artist; Annika Chambers, trying to reclaim her Soul Blues Female Artist Award; and 2018 Best Emerging Artists Southern Avenue, nominated this year in the Soul Blues Album category for Keep On.
The day before the BMAs, The Blues Foundation’s Blues Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony takes place Wednesday, May 6, at Memphis’ Halloran Centre at the Orpheum (225 South Main Street). Following a 5:30 p.m. cocktail reception, the inductions begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Halloran Theater. Tickets, which include ceremony and reception admission, are $75 each and, as with any other musical event or charitable donation, they are non-refundable. Tickets to all Blues Music Awards week events will be available at Will Call only; pick-up location information will be released one week ahead of the Blues Music Awards.
The complete list of Blues Music Award nominees can be found below and on The Blues Foundation’s website —www.blues.org/. The ballot will be open for voting by current Blues Foundation members only until 5 p.m. CST on Friday, February 28. To become a Blues Foundation member, visit www.blues.org and click on the Join button to learn about the different membership levels and how to easily and securely join online. Upon membership confirmation, new and renewing members will be sent instructions on how to access the 2020 Blues Music Awards Ballot.
Major funding for the 41st Blues Music Awards is provided by ArtsMemphis, Tennessee Arts Commission, Memphis Tourism, Four Roses Bourbon, Visit Clarksdale, and the Gibson Foundation. Special thanks to special partners The Memphis International Airport and Ditty TV.
The Blues Foundation is a world-renowned Memphis-based organization whose mission is to preserve blues heritage, celebrate blues recording and performance, expand worldwide awareness of the blues, and ensure the future of this uniquely American art form. Founded in 1980, the Foundation has approximately 4,000 individual members and 173 affiliated blues societies representing another 50,000 fans and professionals worldwide. Its signature honors and events — the Blues Music Awards, Blues Hall of Fame inductions, International Blues Challenge, and Keeping the Blues Alive Awards — make it the international hub of blues music. Its HART Fund provides the blues community with medical assistance for musicians in need, while Blues in the Schools programs and Generation Blues Scholarships expose new generations to blues music. The Blues Hall of Fame Museum, located in Downtown Memphis, adds the opportunity for blues lovers of all ages to interact with blues music and history. Throughout the year, the Foundation staff serves the global blues community with answers, information, and news.
41st Blues Music Award Nominees
Acoustic Blues Album, Sponsored by Newman, DeCoster
Catfish Crawl– Catfish Keith
Confessin’ My Dues –Terry Robb
Good as Your Last Dollar– Fruteland Jackson
Solo Ride – Bruce Katz
This Guitar and Tonight – Bob Margolin
Acoustic Blues Artist, Sponsored by Folk Alliance International
Eric Bibb
Guy Davis
Rhiannon Giddens
Fruteland Jackson
Doug MacLeod
Album of the Year, Sponsored by Rum Boogie Café and Blues Hall
Church of the Blues – Watermelon Slim
Hail to The Kings! – The Cash Box Kings
Kingfish – Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
The Preacher, The Politician or The Pimp – Toronzo Cannon
Roots and Branches: The Songs of Little Walter– Billy Branch & the Sons of Blues
B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, Sponsored by B.B. King’s Blues Club
Billy Branch
Rick Estrin
Sugaray Rayford
Bobby Rush
Mavis Staples
Band of the Year
The Cash Box Kings
The Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling
Rick Estrin and the Nightcats
Southern Avenue
Sugaray Rayford Band
Best Emerging Artist Album
Before Me – Ben Levin
Folie a deux – Hudspeth & Taylor
Kingfish – Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Spectacular Class – Jontavious Willis
Through My Eyes – John “Blues” Boyd
Blues Rock Album,
Killin’ It Live – Tommy Castro & The Painkillers
Masterpiece– Albert Castiglia
Reckless Heart– Joanne Shaw Taylor
Survivor Blues – Walter Trout
Up and Rolling – North Mississippi Allstars
Blues Rock Artist, Sponsored by Landmark Band
Albert Castiglia
Tommy Castro
Tinsley Ellis
Eric Gales
Walter Trout
Contemporary Blues Album
Contemporary – Rick Estrin and The Nightcats
Don’t Pass Me By: A Tribute to Sean Costello – Various Artists
Kingfish – Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
The Preacher, The Politician or The Pimp – Toronzo Cannon
Venom & Faith – Larkin Poe
Contemporary Blues Female Artist
Diane Blue
Vanessa Collier
Shemekia Copeland
Samantha Fish
Janiva Magness
Contemporary Blues Male Artist
Toronzo Cannon
Gary Clark Jr
Luther Dickinson
Rick Estrin
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Instrumentalist Bass
Willie J. Campbell
Patrick Rynn
Bill Stuve
Larry Taylor
Michael “Mudcat” Ward
Instrumentalist Drums
Tony Braunagel
Cedric Burnside
June Core
Derrick D’Mar Martin
Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith
Instrumentalist Guitar
Christoffer “Kid” Andersen
Laura Chavez
Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
Junior Watson
“Monster” Mike Welch
Instrumentalist Harmonica, Sponsored by Hohner Harmonica
Billy Branch
Rick Estrin
Dennis Gruenling
Brandon Santini
Kim Wilson
Instrumentalist Horn
Mindi Abair
Jimmy Carpenter
Vanessa Collier
Trombone Shorty
Nancy Wright
Instrumentalist Piano (Pinetop Perkins Piano Player)
Anthony Geraci
Bruce Katz
Dave Keyes
Jim Pugh
Victor Wainwright
Instrumentalist Vocals
Shemekia Copeland
Sugaray Rayford
Curtis Salgado
Mavis Staples
Dawn Tyler Watson
Song of the Year
“Bleach Blonde Bottle Blues,” written by Rebecca Lovell
“Lucky Guy,” written by Nick Moss
“Resentment File,” written by Rick Estrin, Joe Louis Walker, and JoJo Russo
“Time To Get Movin’,” written by Eric Corne
“The Wine Talkin’,” written by Joe Nosek, John Hahn, and Oscar Wilson
Soul Blues Album
Dog Eat Dog – Billy Price
Keep On– Southern Avenue
Real Street – Tad Robinson
Sitting on Top of the Blues– Bobby Rush
Somebody Save Me– Sugaray Rayford
Soul Blues Female Artist
Annika Chambers
Thornetta Davis
Bettye LaVette
Terrie Odabi
Vaneese Thomas
Soul Blues Male Artist
Billy Price
Sugaray Rayford
Tad Robinson
Curtis Salgado
Wee Willie Walker
Traditional Blues Album
Church of the Blues– Watermelon Slim
Hail to the Kings! – The Cash Box Kings
Lucky Guy! – The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling
Roots and Branches: The Songs of Little Walter– Billy Branch & the Sons of Blues
Spectacular Class – Jontavious Willis
Traditional Blues Female Artist (Koko Taylor Award)
Rory Block
Sue Foley
Mary Lane
Trudy Lynn
Teeny Tucker
Traditional Blues Male Artist
Lurrie Bell
Billy Branch
John Primer
Jimmie Vaughan
Jontavious Willis
Halsey Announces ‘Manic’ World Tour With Blackbear and Pvris
GRAMMY award-nominated, multi-platinum artist Halsey will launch the North American leg of her world tour on June 2 at White River Amphitheatre in Seattle, WA. Produced by Live Nation, the headline run will include shows at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles (June 10), Forest Hills Stadium in New York (July 15), Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena (July 24) and Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre (July 27). See below for itinerary. The supporting acts will beand blackbear and PVRIS (July 12 – August 1).
Fans will have access to a chance at advance tickets during the artist presale, which begins tomorrow, January 9. Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, January 17, at 10:00 AM local time. All tickets for the North American headline dates will include a CD copy of Halsey’s third studio album, Manic, set for January 17 release on Capitol Records.
Since 2015, Halsey has amassed over 25 billion streams worldwide and sold more than 11 million adjusted albums globally. She has played sold out dates on five continents (including New York City’s Madison Square Garden), been nominated for a GRAMMY and appeared on a wide variety of magazine covers, including Rolling Stone, Cosmopolitan, NYLON, Forbes, Playboy and Billboard. Her 2015 debut album, BADLANDS, was certified Platinum by the RIAA within one year of its release. Halsey claimed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 with 2017’s Platinum-certified hopeless fountain kingdom, which contained such hits as the 2x Platinum “Now or Never” and the 4x Platinum “Bad at Love.”
The success of the 6x Platinum “Without Me” has made Halsey the first and only female artist to have at least three songs chart on the Billboard Hot 100 for 50 weeks each. Rounding out the trio of songs are the 4x Platinum “Eastside,” her collaboration with Benny Blanco and Khalid, and The Chainsmokers’ 11x Platinum “Closer,” which she featured on. “Without Me,” which took Favorite Song, Pop/Rock honors at the American Music Awards, spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in early 2019, marking her first solo single to reach the top spot. It now ranks as the longest-running Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit by a female artist of this century. She is the first artist to rank at Nos. 1 and 2 simultaneously on Billboard’s Hot 100 Pop Songs radio airplay chart. In March 2019, Halsey became the first artist in history to replace herself at No. 1 twice on the U.S. Pop Songs Airplay chart when “Without Me” returned to No. 1, bumping “Eastside” from the top spot. “Without Me” was the most-played song of 2019 at U.S. radio. She featured on BTS’ Platinum hit, “Boy With Luv,” and, more recently, alongside Future on “Die for Me,” a track from Post Malone’s new album.
Halsey continues to push creative boundaries, expanding her influence and impact beyond music. After making her film debut in the animated 2018 summer movie Teen Titans GO! as the voice of Wonder Woman, she was seen in A Star is Born, starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. She continues to use her voice to speak up for causes she passionately believes in, including disenfranchised youth, women’s rights, mental health and the LGBTQ community. GLAAD honored her in 2018 as “Outstanding Music Artist.” In 2019, she has won an AMA, the Hal David Starlight Award, presented by the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a VMA and two Teen Choice Awards.
Halsey – Manic World Tour – North American Leg
6/2 | Seattle, WA | White River Amphitheatre
6/4 | Portland, OR | Sunlight Supply Amphitheater
6/6 | Mountain View, CA | Shoreline Amphitheatre
6/7 | Sacramento, CA | Golden 1 Center
6/10 | Los Angeles, CA | Hollywood Bowl
6/13 | Phoenix, AZ | Ak-Chin Pavilion
6/15 | Dallas, TX | Dos Equis Pavilion
6/16 | Houston, TX | The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
6/18 | Charlotte, NC | PNC Music Pavilion
6/21 | Cleveland, OH | Blossom Music Center
6/24 | Atlanta, GA | Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood
6/26 | Detroit, MI | DTE Energy Music Theatre
6/27 | Chicago, IL | Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
6/30 | St. Paul, MN | Xcel Energy Center
7/1 | Kansas City, MO | Sprint Center
7/3 | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee Summerfest
7/5 | Boston, MA | Xfinity Center
7/12 | Toronto, ON | Budweiser Stage
7/15 | Forest Hills, NY | Forest Hills Stadium
7/18 | Holmdel, NJ | PNC Bank Arts Center
7/19 | Columbia, MD | Merriweather Post Pavilion
7/22 | Tampa, FL | MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
7/24 | Nashville, TN | Bridgestone Arena
7/25 | St. Louis, MO | Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
7/27 | Morrison, CO | Red Rocks Amphitheatre
7/30 | Salt Lake City, UT | USANA Amphitheatre
8/1 | Irvine, CA | FivePoint Amphitheatre
Prince To Receive All-Star GRAMMY Tribute Concert Featuring Beck, Alicia Keys, John Legend And More
This month, seven-time GRAMMY winner Prince will be honored with an all-star tribute concert in celebration of his unparalleled career and unprecedented influence on music. Presented by The Recording Academy, AEG Ehrlich Ventures and CBS, the “Let’s Go Crazy: The GRAMMY Salute to Prince” concert will feature a lineup of all-star artists paying tribute to the eternal music legend, including GRAMMY Award-winning artists Beck, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Juanes and many others. The event takes place Tuesday, Jan. 28—just two days after the 62nd GRAMMY Awards—at 7:30 p.m. PT at the Los Angeles Convention Center during a live concert taping, which will broadcast on the CBS Television Network later in 2020. Tickets for the tribute concert are on sale now.
Other artists confirmed for the event include GRAMMY winners Usher, H.E.R., St. Vincent, Common, Gary Clark Jr., Foo Fighters, Earth, Wind & Fire and Mavis Staples, as well as singer/songwriter Susanna Hoffs. The night will also feature a historic joint performance by several of Prince’s most celebrated musical friends and collaborators, including his GRAMMY Award-winning band The Revolution, past GRAMMY nominee Sheila E.—who, alongside Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, is a co-musical director of the special—and the Prince-formed funk band Morris Day And The Time. Additional performers for this momentous concert will be announced in the coming weeks.
“Prince. The Purple One. His Royal Badness — regardless of how you identify him, he is indisputably one of the greatest musical virtuosos of all time,” Deborah Dugan, President/CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement. “With his subversive attitude and commanding nature, he straddled musical genres and created electrifying music that was bursting with character. He continues to serve as an inspirational icon for artists and fans worldwide, and we are so honored to pay tribute to his legacy at this year’s post-GRAMMYs special.”
Prince’s start in music broke grounds by successfully negotiating with Warner Bros. Records to not only let him produce his 1978 debut album, For You, but to play all 27 instruments featured on the project. In 1984, Prince achieved international fame with the release of his album and film, Purple Rain. He has more than 40 RIAA certifications, ranging from platinum to diamond. His catalog includes 19 Top 10 singles and five No. 1 hits, including the GRAMMY-winning “Kiss,” as well as five chart-topping albums, including the GRAMMY-winning Purple Rain. Prince has garnered seven GRAMMY Awards, and 38 GRAMMY nominations overall, and he was presented with the Academy’s President’s Merit Award in 1985. In 2004, he was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and received the Icon Award at the 2013 Billboard Awards. Releasing nearly 40 studio albums, Prince has solidified his mark as one of the most influential artists of all time.
Lizzo, Billie Eilish, Aerosmith, Gwen Stefani And Blake Shelton To Perform At The 2020 GRAMMYs
Get ready to #UnexpectEverything as the first wave of performers for the 62nd GRAMMY Awards has been announced. Artists taking the stage on Music’s Biggest Night are first-time nominee breakout stars Billie Eilish and Lizzo, who will each make their GRAMMY stage debuts; powerhouse artists Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani, who will take the GRAMMY stage together for the first time ever; and four-time GRAMMY winners and 2020 MusiCares Person of the Year Aerosmith, who will perform a medley of some of their legendary hits. It all goes down on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020, live from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and broadcasted live on the CBS Television Network at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.
Rock icons Aerosmith make their triumphant return to the GRAMMY stage this month as performers, nearly 30 years after making their GRAMMY stage debut at the 33rd GRAMMY Awards in 1991. In addition to their career-spanning performance, the legendary band is also being honored as this year’s MusiCares Person Of The Year, which will recognize their considerable philanthropic efforts over five decades as well as their undeniable impact on American music history. Through the years, Aerosmith have shown support for a number of charities around the world, including frontman Steven Tyler’s Janie’s Fund.
The 2020 GRAMMYs will also feature highly anticipated debut performances from two of the biggest breakout artists of the past two years: Billie Eilish and Lizzo.
First-time GRAMMY nominee and performer Billie Eilish is in the running for some of the night’s biggest awards, including: Best New Artist; Album Of The Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for her 2019 album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?; and Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for album single “Bad Guy.”
Lizzo, who received the most nominations at the 2020 GRAMMYs with a total of eight nods, is making her debut as both a GRAMMY nominee and performer this month. She’s up for several major awards, including Best New Artist. Her 2019 album, Cuz I Love You [Deluxe], is also up for Album Of The Year and Best Urban Contemporary Album, while album track “Truth Hurts” is nominated for Record Of The Year, Song Of The Year and Best Pop Solo Performance. Album tracks “Exactly How I Feel” and “Jerome” are also nominated for Best R&B Performance and Best Traditional R&B Performance, respectively.
Taking the GRAMMY stage together for the first time ever, three-time GRAMMY winner Gwen Stefani will perform alongside Blake Shelton, a current GRAMMY nominee who’s up for Best Country Solo Performance for his 2019 track, “God’s Country.”
Tune in to the 62nd GRAMMY Awards, which are once again hosted by Alicia Keys, on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020, and broadcasting live on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT to catch all these amazing performances and to see who will take home the night’s biggest awards.
Bad Religion Announce Their Own Official Autobiography “DO WHAT YOU WANT”
DO WHAT YOU WANT: The Bad Religion Story reveals the ups and downs of the band’s 40-year career. From their beginnings as teenagers jamming in a San Fernando Valley garage dubbed “The Hell Hole” to headlining major music festivals around the world, DO WANT YOU WANT tells the whole story in irreverent style.
While DO WHAT YOU WANT tracks down nearly all of Bad Religion’s members past and present, the chief storytellers are the four voices that define Bad Religion: Greg Graffin, a Wisconsin kid who sang in the choir and became an L.A. punk rock icon while he was still a teenager; Brett Gurewitz, a high school dropout who founded the independent punk label Epitaph Records and went on to become a record mogul; Jay Bentley, a surfer and skater who gained recognition as much for his bass skills as for his onstage antics; and Brian Baker, a founding member of Minor Threat who joined the band in 1994 and brings a fresh perspective as an intimate outsider.
With a unique blend of melodic hardcore and thought-provoking lyrics, Bad Religion paved the way for the punk rock explosion of the 1990s, opening the door for bands like NOFX, The Offspring, Rancid, Green Day, and Blink-182 to reach wider audiences. They showed the world what punk could be, and they continue to spread their message one song, one show, one tour at a time-with no signs of stopping.
Bad Religion formed in Los Angeles in 1980, and ranks among the most influential American punk rock bands of all time. They have released 17 albums that have sold over five million copies, and they continue to sell out venues all over the world.
Jim Ruland has been writing for punk rock zines like Flipside since the early ’90s and has written for every issue of Razorcake, America’s only non-profit independent music fanzine. He is the co-author of My Damage with Keith Morris, the founding vocalist of Black Flag, Circle Jerks, and OFF!
You can get it here.
Pegi Cecconi to receive 2020 Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award
The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) today announced music industry maven Pegi Cecconi will be awarded the 2020 Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award for her ongoing contributions and dedication to the Canadian music industry.
The Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award recognizes individuals whose work has significantly impacted the growth and development of the Canadian music industry. The prestigious award is named after Walt Grealis, legendary Canadian publisher and co-founder of the JUNO Awards. This year’s award will be presented to Cecconi at the 49th Annual JUNO Gala Dinner & Awards on Saturday, March 14 at the WTC Saskatoon at Prairieland Park in Saskatoon, SK.
A master in her field, Cecconi is a savvy and determined business woman who has nearly 50 years of experience in the music industry with diverse roles ranging from booking, legal and all aspects of artist management including publishing, recording, record production and merchandising. Having served as Vice President of SRO Management Inc. and independent record label Anthem Entertainment Group for much of her career, Cecconi has played a pivotal role in the development and success of numerous artists, including Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees Rush and Steven Page (Barenaked Ladies), songwriter Ian Thomas, Gowan, Matthew Good, Molly Johnson, and The Tea Party. Currently, Cecconi serves as a consultant for Anthem Entertainment.
“We are thrilled to name Pegi Cecconi as this year’s Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award recipient, celebrating her long-standing contributions to the Canadian music industry throughout her illustrious career,” said Allan Reid, President & CEO, CARAS/The JUNO Awards & MusiCounts. “Always a force to be reckoned with, her loyalty, foresight, and passion for what she does have benefited some of our country’s finest artists and helped them to garner international acclaim.”
“I’m honoured to be receiving this award that gives recognition to my life’s work and passion for business and the Canadian music industry,” said Pegi Cecconi. “From my humble beginnings booking bands in high school to working with Ray Danniels and Rush, I am thankful for everyone that has been along for the ride with me. It took 50 years in the industry for someone to make me speechless, and Allan did that when he called to share this news.”
Cecconi’s career in the music industry began at her high school in South Porcupine, ON, where she worked as a social convener booking bands. After graduating, she got her first job as an agent with Tommy and Vic Wilson at the Concept 376 Agency. When Ray Danniels and Vic Wilson later partnered to establish SRO Management, Cecconi made the move to join them and gained valuable experience in artist management. After a few years, she went on to work as a legal secretary for well-known entertainment lawyer, Bernie Solomon, where she learned more technical elements of the music business, including music publishing and master licensing. With this specialized knowledge, Cecconi went back to SRO Management and helped facilitate the company’s entry into publishing. Cecconi was an essential member of the team, helping the company grow from an artist management and booking agency into a comprehensive entertainment group.
At SRO Management, Cecconi played a vital role when the team launched independent record label Anthem Entertainment Group in 1977 which went to release every Rush release in Canada. Throughout her career Cecconi has always fought hard to get the best deals for her artists, exploring every avenue within the music industry to get Canadian artists heard. With a knack for business development and negotiating with record companies, Cecconi helped Rush rise to the title of ‘world’s biggest cult band’ and Bob and Doug McKenzie sell millions of copies of their comedy album Great White North.
Highly revered by her peers in the music Industry, Cecconi has received the Brian Charter Award from the Music Managers Forum for her significant contributions to the Canadian music scene. Cecconi has been an active member of the Canadian music industry for her career, having served on the board of directors for the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) for 18 years, FACTOR for 18 years including Chair, Independent Digital Licensing Agency (IDLA), and the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA).
The 49th annual JUNO Awards and JUNO Week 2020 will be hosted in Saskatoon, SK from March 9 through March 15, 2020, culminating in The JUNO Awards, on Sunday, March 15, at the SaskTel Centre, broadcast live on CBC, CBC Radio One, CBC Music, the free CBC Gem streaming service in Canada and globally at cbcmusic.ca/junos
JUNO Kick-Off Concert Featuring a Headlining Set by The Sheepdogs
The JUNO Kick-Off Concert Presented by CBC Sports features a headlining set by The Sheepdogs, plus a night of classic Canadian covers and collaborations with your favourite JUNO artists and players from JUNO Cup. Come kick off JUNO Week and support MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity associated with the JUNO Awards.
This year’s lineup will also feature appearances from Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo) and members of JUNO-Award winning bands Billy Talent, Splash’N Boots, The Strumbellas, as well as Eagle & Hawk, Hollerado, and Saskatchewan’s own Hunter Brothers. Additional participants to be announced in the coming months.
You can get tickets here.