Home Blog Page 4

Liu Yuning And J. Balvin Reimagine A Van Halen Classic On Coca-Cola World Cup Anthem “JUMP”

Eric Alper
-
0
Liu Yuning And J. Balvin Reimagine A Van Halen Classic On Coca-Cola World Cup Anthem “JUMP”

As the world counts down to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Coca-Cola ignites the excitement with its brand-new official anthem, “JUMP” – the 2026 FIFA World Cup Coca-Cola Anthem. The song is jointly produced by Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME) and Coca-Cola. Alongside the global version, a specially adapted Chinese recording has been released, infusing the iconic melody with the soul of traditional Chinese music and unstoppable energy. Performed by Coca-Cola brand ambassador Liu Yuning and global superstar J. Balvin, “JUMP” launched on May 6th across Tencent Music Entertainment’s QQ Music, Kugou Music, and Kuwo Music – as well as global streaming giants Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music. This is more than a song: it is a musical tribute that proudly lets the world hear the power and passion of China’s voice.

Making history as Coca-Cola’s first Chinese-language World Cup anthem in 12 years, “JUMP” reimagines a rock classic by Van Halen. With a dream production team including Steve Vai and Travis Barker, the track shatters creative boundaries – rock solid at its core, yet richly layered with traditional Chinese instrumentation. The pipa dances, the guzheng sings, the Tang drum thunders, and the erhu whispers with ancient depth – all intertwined with blazing electric guitars and pounding drumbeats. Then comes Liu Yuning’s fiery, signature rap, injecting a distinctly Chinese spirit of courage and joy into the anthem. The result is a breathtaking fusion where Chinese musical heritage and global rock energy collide in a moment of pure, jubilant celebration.

From a bold reimagining of a classic to a profound cultural fusion, “JUMP” is more than a World Cup anthem – it is a powerful declaration of Chinese voices embracing the world stage with confidence and pride. The FIFA World Cup is the ultimate arena for global connection, and “JUMP” lets fans everywhere feel the depth of Chinese culture and the warmth of China’s open heart through every uplifting note. It is Coca-Cola’s way of using music to unite the world, capturing the spirit of “cheering, raising a glass, and seizing the moment” – with Chinese voices shining brightly as an essential part of the global celebration.

Coca-Cola endorses cultural exchange and global unity through music. With “JUMP,” the brand proudly champions the beauty of China’s musical traditions and their place on the world’s biggest stage. As stadiums roar and fans jump as one, this anthem – blending raw passion with the elegance of Chinese musical aesthetics – will echo through every unforgettable moment of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, connecting hearts across all borders.

New Photo Book Captures The Beatles’ Final Concert Through Jim Marshall’s Lens At Candlestick Park

Eric Alper
-
0
New Photo Book Captures The Beatles’ Final Concert Through Jim Marshall’s Lens At Candlestick Park

The Beatles’ last public concert gets a definitive visual record. ‘Beatles by Jim Marshall: Live at Candlestick Park 1966’, out now via Chronicle Books, relives the historic night through the eyes of one of rock’s greatest photographers, collecting more than 150 photos and proof sheets, half of them never before seen.

The access was extraordinary. The Beatles specifically requested Marshall as their photographer, and he was the only one allowed backstage during the Candlestick Park show. He captured not just the concert but the intimate moments around it, the band meeting the Baez sisters and hanging out in the locker room before taking the stage.

The presentation matches the moment. The book shows the images at large scale in the rich, high-contrast tones Marshall favored, and includes his proof sheets, offering a look at how he selected his iconic shots. An in-depth essay by music historian Joel Selvin brings the night back to life.

Marshall’s standing is hard to overstate. The legendary photographer, who died in 2010, shot virtually every major musician of his era across rock, jazz, blues and country, and was the first photographer awarded a Grammy Trustees Award for chronicling music history. Annie Leibovitz simply called him THE rock and roll photographer. The book was assembled with Amelia Davis, who owns and manages Jim Marshall Photography, and Selvin, a longtime San Francisco Chronicle music journalist.

The timing carries weight too. August 2026 marks the 60th anniversary of the Beatles’ final live public concert, making this lavish 176-page volume a fitting way to travel back to that historic night.

Florida Country Newcomer Madden Metcalf Bottles A Gulf Coast Summer On “Sound Of The Summer”

Eric Alper
-
0
Florida Country Newcomer Madden Metcalf Bottles A Gulf Coast Summer On “Sound Of The Summer”

Roll the windows down. Twenty-year-old singer-songwriter Madden Metcalf has dropped “Sound Of The Summer,” an adrenaline-charged new song out now via Wexler Records/MCA that doubles as a portrait of summer romance and a love letter to the season itself. Listen here.

The track is rooted in a specific place. Metcalf wrote it about St. George Island, Florida, capturing the feeling of being young and in love in his home state, with all his favorite memories of summer on the Forgotten Coast. He said he can’t wait for fans to hear it.

The production pedigree is strong. Paul Sikes (Lainey Wilson, Cody Johnson) and Grammy-nominated songwriter-producer Freddy Wexler (Billy Joel, Post Malone) handled the boards, and Metcalf co-wrote the song with Wexler, Sikes and J.T. Harding (Kenny Chesney, Cole Swindell), fully capturing the heart-on-fire intensity of young love in the summertime.

The songwriting is full of cinematic detail, opening with blue Gatorade rolling across the floorboard and empty beer cans rattling in the truck bed. Lit up by scorching guitar riffs, lush B3 organ and shimmering pedal steel, the country-pop track shows off the warmth and power of Metcalf’s voice as it builds to an exhilarating chorus. The push and pull between real-time nostalgia and pure sensation makes it the kind of song you carry with you.

This is the first new music since his acclaimed debut EP ‘Saltwater Southern’, a March release that landed on All Country News’ “Best of the Week,” with the outlet noting the Florida native is carving his own shoreline rather than chasing country’s current wave. That record’s “Kinda Paradise” hit top placements on Spotify’s New Boots and Coming Up Country playlists and took Holler’s “Best New Country Song of the Week.”

The sound traces straight back to his roots. Metcalf hails from Panacea, Florida, a Gulf Coast fishing town of fewer than a thousand people, raised between mornings on the crab boat and nights at a local restaurant, with Johnny Cash, Jimmy Buffett and Kenny Chesney always playing in his dad’s pole barn. With more new music on the way, he keeps charting his own course as a singular new voice in modern country.

Taylor Swift Writes Original Country Song “I Knew It, I Knew You” For ‘Toy Story 5’

Eric Alper
-
0
Taylor Swift Writes Original Country Song “I Knew It, I Knew You” For ‘Toy Story 5’

Taylor Swift is heading to infinity and beyond. The pop superstar has written and recorded an original country song, “I Knew It, I Knew You,” for Disney and Pixar’s ‘Toy Story 5’, co-written and produced with Jack Antonoff. The track lands Friday, June 5, just ahead of the film’s theatrical release on June 19.

The reveal followed weeks of online speculation, which Swift confirmed Monday, June 1. The buildup leaned into the mystery, with banners surfacing that carried the initials “TS” and 13 cartoon clouds, a nod to both the Toy Story sky and Swift’s favorite number. Pixar joined the fun, sharing an Instagram video of Jessie dancing across one of the “TS” billboards.

Swift’s connection to the franchise runs deep. She posted that she’s dreamed of writing for these characters she’s adored since she was a five-year-old watching the first Toy Story, and said she fell instantly in love with ‘Toy Story 5’ after an early screening, writing the song as soon as she got home.

Collectors get options too. Three limited-edition CDs, featuring standard, piano and acoustic versions, are up for pre-order on Swift’s official website for 48 hours, through Wednesday, June 3 at 1:59 pm ET, or while supplies last. Each comes with double-sided collectible covers, with Side A carrying unique ‘Toy Story 5’ artwork and Side B a unique photo of Swift, expected to ship around June 19.

Alice Cooper Hits The UK For ‘Devil On My Shoulder’ Book Tour With Host Arthur Brown

Eric Alper
-
0
Alice Cooper Hits The UK For ‘Devil On My Shoulder’ Book Tour With Host Arthur Brown

When an icon meets a legend, you take notice. Arthur Brown has been tapped to host four dates of Alice Cooper’s forthcoming UK book tour this October, built around Cooper’s new memoir ‘Devil on My Shoulder’.

The pairing carries serious history. Brown, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee behind more than sixty years of rock folklore, joins Cooper in conversation, one theatrical pioneer drawing out another across a handful of special evenings.

The run launches Sunday, October 11, following the book’s publication via Ebury Spotlight on October 8, 2026. Each night features Cooper in conversation with a special guest, followed by an audience Q&A, giving fans a rare look behind the greasepaint and guillotines. Across the wider tour, three distinct voices from rock, radio and music journalism step in to host, each bringing their own connection to one of music’s most extraordinary lives.

Brown made his enthusiasm plain. He called Cooper more relevant than ever in an age of visual and theatrical live performance, a true pioneer, and said he’s thrilled and honoured to moderate the conversation.

Alice Cooper Dates With Host Arthur Brown:

13 Oct 2026 – London, UK @ Palladium

14 Oct 2026 – Brighton, UK @ Dome

17 Oct 2026 – Stockton, UK @ Globe

20 Oct 2026 – Wolverhampton, UK @ Civic Hall

Alice Cooper Dates Without Arthur Brown:

11 Oct 2026 – Cardiff, UK @ New Theatre

12 Oct 2026 – Cambridge, UK @ Corn Exchange

16 Oct 2026 – Manchester, UK @ Opera House

19 Oct 2026 – Glasgow, UK @ Pavilion Theatre

Video: Sam Smith Reimagines ‘In The Lonely Hour’ At The BBC Proms, Now Streaming

Eric Alper
-
0
Video: Sam Smith Reimagines ‘In The Lonely Hour’ At The BBC Proms, Now Streaming

Sam Smith’s BBC Proms debut was a stunner, and now it lives online. Recorded under the iconic dome of London’s Royal Albert Hall in August 2024 and now streaming, the performance marked the tenth anniversary of Smith’s debut album ‘In the Lonely Hour’, with the first half devoted to reimagining its deeply personal songs in lush new arrangements. Backed by the full grandeur of the BBC Concert Orchestra under longtime collaborator Simon Hale, Smith’s soulful voice fills every corner of the historic hall. The orchestral treatment gives cinematic scope to beloved hits like “Stay With Me” and “Lay Me Down,” lifting the emotional pull of the lyrics, while guest turns from jazz singer Clare Teal and vocalist LaDonna Young show off Smith’s range. The night built to a standing ovation, a reminder of exactly what live music can do.

Sathnam Sanghera Makes The Case For Pop Icon George Michael In ‘Tonight The Music Seems So Loud’

Eric Alper
-
0
Sathnam Sanghera Makes The Case For Pop Icon George Michael In ‘Tonight The Music Seems So Loud’

George Michael finally gets the serious cultural reckoning he’s long been denied. Award-winning author Sathnam Sanghera makes the argument in ‘Tonight the Music Seems So Loud: The Meaning of George Michael’, out now via Pegasus Books, a deeply personal study of the pop superstar and a kaleidoscopic window into fame, homophobia, the 80s and 90s, creative genius and addiction.

Sanghera’s thesis is pointed. While shelves groan with earnest books on Bowie, Dylan and Lennon, Michael rarely draws that kind of analysis, more often filed as a celebrity than a cultural figure. The book pushes back, showing how his life and work broke extraordinary boundaries and helped define an era.

The details make the case. A second-generation immigrant and son of a Greek-Cypriot restaurateur, Michael could barely read music and played no instrument formally, yet wrote hit songs in a single afternoon and played nearly everything on recordings that became totemic. He mastered both rock and R&B, and after Freddie Mercury’s death was seriously floated as a replacement frontman for Queen.

The contradictions are the heart of it. A symbol of eighties excess who quietly played benefit gigs and gave in secret, a teen crush kept in the closet by homophobia who became an impassioned campaigner for gay rights, a star adored and ridiculed and praised by tough critics all at once.

The reviews back up the ambition. Kirkus called it a spirited and nuanced portrait of a complex pop icon in a starred review, while Booklist likened Sanghera’s voice to a friend convincing you their favorite band is the best. Publishers Weekly framed it as a worthy reassessment of an influential star.

Sanghera brings real range to the work. A historian, novelist and memoirist whose ‘Empireland’ was a Sunday Times bestseller, he’s been shortlisted twice for the Costa Book Awards and elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Across 288 pages, he explains why the love for George Michael has only deepened since his death on Christmas Day 2016.

Country-Rock Maverick Corey Kent Names His Sound On New Album ‘Heartland Rock And Roll’

Eric Alper
-
0
Country-Rock Maverick Corey Kent Names His Sound On New Album ‘Heartland Rock And Roll’

Corey Kent has finally put a name to the sound he’s been chasing his whole career. The multi-platinum Oklahoma native has announced ‘Heartland Rock and Roll’, a 16-track album arriving Friday, September 25, 2026, via Sony Music Nashville, fusing country, rock and soul into the genre-blurring style he’s spent years carving out. Listen here.

He’s framing it as a defining moment. Kent calls it his third major label album and the first time he’s been able to name the sound he’s worked toward all along, songs that sound like where he’s from and lyrics that move from nostalgia to honest regret and gratitude for the simple things.

Out alongside the announcement is the smoldering new song “Cigarette Burns,” available everywhere now. Written by Zach John King, Ben Stennis, Lauren Hungate and Jameson Rodgers, the slow-burning ballad pairs Kent’s smoky vocal with a hazy melodic glow as he reignites the feeling of a love that was bad for his health but hurt so good.

Kent traced the track’s pull to a personal touchstone, naming Kings of Leon’s ‘Come Around Sundown’ as a favorite and describing how “Cigarette Burns” carries that same blend of country western feel and laid-back beach town rock. He called it a fresh soundscape, timeless yet new.

The road to here has been steady and hard-earned. From dancehalls and dive bars in Bixby, Oklahoma, to two No. 1 Country singles, more than 1 billion career streams and multiple RIAA certifications, Kent has built a career on doing things his own way, and on this album he leans fully into the differences that once made him feel like an outsider.

The single joins a strong run of previews. “Rocky Mountain Low” featuring Koe Wetzel sits Top 10 and climbing at Country radio, “Empty Words” arrived early on fan demand with more than 20 million social media views, and the stripped-back “Wannabe” showed off the project’s emotional core. Produced primarily by Austin Goodloe with additional work from Jon Randall and Chris Farren, the record trades in warm distortion, raspy country soul and small-town grit.

Next week brings a busy Nashville run. On Thursday, June 4, Kent plays three stages: Billboard Country Live at Category 10, the Gibson Garagefest Sony Nashville Takeover at Gibson Garage Nashville, and Spotify House at Ole Red Nashville.

Prog Rock Pioneers Gentle Giant Reissue Landmark ‘In A Glass House’ In Remixed Atmos Edition

Eric Alper
-
0
Prog Rock Pioneers Gentle Giant Reissue Landmark ‘In A Glass House’ In Remixed Atmos Edition

One of progressive rock’s boldest statements is coming back in a big way. Gentle Giant’s ‘In a Glass House’ returns July 31, 2026, newly remixed and remastered by Grammy-winning producer Eber Pinheiro alongside the band’s own Derek Shulman. You can order it here.

Originally released in 1973, the album pushed hard at the edges of composition, musicianship and studio experimentation. Its intricate arrangements, shifting time signatures and thought-provoking themes have kept it a cornerstone of the genre and one of the band’s most celebrated works, anchored by enduring pieces like “The Runaway,” “Experience” and the epic closing title track.

For the first time, the record has been mixed in both 5.1 surround sound and Dolby Atmos, cracking open those dense arrangements and letting the performances breathe in a whole new way.

Shulman framed the project around rediscovery. He recalled how far the band pushed themselves in every direction during the original sessions, and said revisiting the recordings with modern technology surfaced details and textures that were always present but never fully heard. The goal, he said, was to present the album the way they always hoped it could sound, clearer, more dynamic and true to the original vision.

The immersive mixes go a step further. Shulman described the Atmos and surround versions as a way for listeners to step inside the music, calling it rewarding to hear the album take on new life while staying completely faithful to what the band created in 1973.

The reissue arrives in a range of formats, including a standard 180g vinyl LP, a limited edition clear vinyl pressing, CD, and a deluxe CD/Blu-ray edition featuring the stereo, 5.1 surround and Dolby Atmos mixes.

Track Listing:

  1. The Runaway (7:24)
  2. An Inmates Lullaby (4:28)
  3. Way of Life (7:52)
  4. Experience (7:48)
  5. A Reunion (2:11)
  6. In a Glass House (7:39)
  7. Index (1:20)

Mashup Maestro Bill McClintock Welds Black Sabbath And Queen Into Metal Monster “Rockanoid”

Eric Alper
-
0
Mashup Maestro Bill McClintock Welds Black Sabbath And Queen Into Metal Monster “Rockanoid”

Bill McClintock is back doing what he does best, and “Rockanoid” is a glorious pileup. The mashup maestro fuses Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid” with Queen’s “We Will Rock You,” then keeps stacking, pulling in Metallica’s “Sad But True,” Def Leppard’s “Rock of Ages,” Dio’s “We Rock,” a double shot of AC/DC in “Let There Be Rock” and “For Those About to Rock,” Judas Priest’s “Rock Hard Ride Free,” Ozzy Osbourne’s “Rock ‘n’ Roll Rebel,” Pat Benatar’s “Heartbreaker” and Helix’s “Rock You.” It shouldn’t hold together, and that’s the fun of it, a teetering tower of riffs that somehow locks into one headbanging whole. McClintock credits the chaos to running out of his ADHD meds, and honestly, the results speak for themselves.

1...345...3,744Page 4 of 3,744

Follow us on Instagram @thatericalper

That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

Popular posts

Popular category

© Copyright - That Eric Alper