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Spotify Names Olivia Rodrigo’s “drivers license” the Greatest Pop Song of the Streaming Era

Eric Alper
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Spotify Names Olivia Rodrigo’s “drivers license” the Greatest Pop Song of the Streaming Era

Spotify has released its list of the 100 Greatest Pop Songs of the Streaming Era, and Olivia Rodrigo’s “drivers license” sits at #1. The ranking was assembled by a cross-disciplinary team of Spotify editors guided by criteria including cultural impact, musicality, and artist storytelling, covering songs released on the platform from 2015 to the present.

“drivers license” arrived in January 2021 and broke Spotify’s record for most streams in a single day for a non-holiday song, then broke it again the following day. Spotify’s editors describe it as a song that reminded us what it felt like to watch a star be born in real time, a deceptively simple ballad that distilled heartbreak, melodrama, and coming-of-age into something instantly classic.

Chappell Roan lands two songs in the top 2, with “Pink Pony Club” at #2 and “Good Luck, Babe!” at #11. Taylor Swift claims 3 spots in the top 10 alone, with “Cruel Summer” at #3, “august” at #68, and “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” at #49. Billie Eilish places 3 songs in the top 25, including “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” at #9, “bad guy” at #22, and “ocean eyes” at #14.

The list reflects the full arc of streaming-era pop, from Dua Lipa’s “Don’t Start Now” at #4 and Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Run Away With Me” at #5, to foundational moments like Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” at #32 and Drake’s “Hotline Bling” at #21. Tyla’s “Water” at #50 and Rema and Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down” at #29 represent the growing global reach of Afrobeats in the mainstream, while Charli xcx places 3 tracks across the list.

The full 100 is below.

Spotify’s 100 Greatest Pop Songs of the Streaming Era:

  1. “drivers license,” Olivia Rodrigo
  1. “Pink Pony Club,” Chappell Roan
  1. “Cruel Summer,” Taylor Swift
  1. “Don’t Start Now,” Dua Lipa
  1. “Run Away With Me,” Carly Rae Jepsen
  1. “Sorry,” Justin Bieber
  1. “Green Light,” Lorde
  1. “One Dance,” Drake, Wizkid, and Kyla
  1. “BIRDS OF A FEATHER,” Billie Eilish
  1. “no tears left to cry,” Ariana Grande
  1. “Good Luck, Babe!,” Chappell Roan
  1. “Can’t Feel My Face,” The Weeknd
  1. “Sunflower,” Post Malone and Swae Lee
  1. “ocean eyes,” Billie Eilish
  1. “Delicate,” Taylor Swift
  1. “we can’t be friends (wait for your love),” Ariana Grande
  1. “Closer,” The Chainsmokers and Halsey
  1. “Blinding Lights,” The Weeknd
  1. “Espresso,” Sabrina Carpenter
  1. “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus
  1. “Hotline Bling,” Drake
  1. “bad guy,” Billie Eilish
  1. “deja vu,” Olivia Rodrigo
  1. “New Rules,” Dua Lipa
  1. “Kill Bill,” SZA
  1. “Please Please Please,” Sabrina Carpenter
  1. “Watermelon Sugar,” Harry Styles
  1. “Von dutch,” Charli xcx
  1. “Calm Down,” Rema and Selena Gomez
  1. “Cut To The Feeling,” Carly Rae Jepsen
  1. “Without Me,” Halsey
  1. “Shape of You,” Ed Sheeran
  1. “What Was I Made For?,” Billie Eilish
  1. “Despacito – Remix,” Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, and Justin Bieber
  1. “Die With A Smile,” Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars
  1. “Love On The Brain,” Rihanna
  1. “As It Was,” Harry Styles
  1. “Hello,” Adele
  1. “Circles,” Post Malone
  1. “Say So,” Doja Cat
  1. “Wild Thoughts,” DJ Khaled, Rihanna, and Bryson Tiller
  1. “Be the One,” Dua Lipa
  1. “Escapism.,” RAYE and 070 Shake
  1. “The Middle,” Zedd, Maren Morris, and Grey
  1. “Butterflies,” Kacey Musgraves
  1. “CUFF IT,” Beyoncé
  1. “Havana,” Camila Cabello and Young Thug
  1. “Into You,” Ariana Grande
  1. “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version),” Taylor Swift
  1. “Water,” Tyla
  1. “Woman,” Doja Cat
  1. “STAY,” The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber
  1. “thank u, next,” Ariana Grande
  1. “Eastside,” benny blanco, Halsey, and Khalid
  1. “Bad Liar,” Selena Gomez
  1. “HOT TO GO!,” Chappell Roan
  1. “Lover,” Taylor Swift
  1. “good 4 u,” Olivia Rodrigo
  1. “Vroom Vroom,” Charli xcx
  1. “When We Were Young,” Adele
  1. “I Took A Pill In Ibiza (Seeb Remix),” Mike Posner and Seeb
  1. “I Know A Place,” MUNA
  1. “Perfect,” Ed Sheeran
  1. “APT.,” ROSÉ and Bruno Mars
  1. “Never Really Over,” Katy Perry
  1. “About You,” The 1975
  1. “Nothing Breaks Like a Heart,” Mark Ronson and Miley Cyrus
  1. “august,” Taylor Swift
  1. “Rainbow,” Kacey Musgraves
  1. “Ever Again,” Robyn
  1. “Good as Hell,” Lizzo
  1. “Heart to Break,” Kim Petras
  1. “Now I’m In It,” HAIM
  1. “Girl, so confusing featuring lorde,” Charli xcx and Lorde
  1. “Midnight Rain,” Taylor Swift
  1. “Cheap Thrills,” Sia and Sean Paul
  1. “Rush,” Troye Sivan
  1. “Headphones On,” Addison Rae
  1. “Stick Season,” Noah Kahan
  1. “Lush Life,” Zara Larsson
  1. “Issues,” Julia Michaels
  1. “Levitating,” Dua Lipa and DaBaby
  1. “Bruises,” Lewis Capaldi
  1. “Supercut,” Lorde
  1. “Happy World,” Debbii Dawson
  1. “Kiss Me More,” Doja Cat
  1. “21st Century Cool Girl,” Chloe Qisha
  1. “Lost In Japan,” Shawn Mendes
  1. “Love Me Not,” Ravyn Lenae
  1. “Lose You To Love Me,” Selena Gomez
  1. “So Easy (To Fall In Love),” Olivia Dean
  1. “California,” Grimes
  1. “Sports car,” Tate McRae
  1. “Just for Me,” PinkPantheress
  1. “Rain On Me,” Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande
  1. “Motivation,” Normani
  1. “Angel Of My Dreams,” JADE
  1. “If the World Was Ending,” JP Saxe and Julia Michaels
  1. “Slow Hands,” Niall Horan
  1. “Cool for the Summer,” Demi Lovato

Duran Duran and Nile Rodgers Reunite for Disco-Fueled New Single “Free to Love”

Eric Alper
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Duran Duran and Nile Rodgers Reunite for Disco-Fueled New Single “Free to Love”

Duran Duran and Nile Rodgers are back together, and the result sounds exactly like you’d hope. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees have released “Free to Love,” their first new music of 2026, a disco-driven synth-pop anthem co-written with Rodgers that carries the unmistakable warmth of their four-decade creative partnership. It’s upbeat, it’s urgent, and it lands at exactly the right moment.

Simon Le Bon calls it “disco for the 2020s,” and that description holds up. The track is built for open spaces and loud speakers, with a chorus that pushes freedom as something personal and non-negotiable. Nick Rhodes put it plainly: “Every time we plug in and play with Nile, the electricity he generates could light up a whole city.” Rodgers adds, “Whatever chaos is going on outside, inside the studio we’re free to love our peace.”

The music video, directed by Jonas Åkerlund (Madonna, Beyoncé, Metallica) and featuring British broadcaster Clara Amfo, pulls from the visual language of classic TV music shows, disco balls included. It’s a deliberate, joyful throwback that suits the song perfectly.

The Rodgers connection goes back to his remix of “The Reflex” in 1984, the band’s first Billboard Hot 100 number one, and has continued through their 2004 album ‘Astronaut’ and the 2015 track “Pressure Off.” “Free to Love” is the latest chapter in one of pop music’s most reliable collaborations.

Duran Duran headline BST Hyde Park in London on July 5th with Scissor Sisters as special guests, following a BeachLife Festival appearance and a four-night Las Vegas residency at Fontainebleau. A full European run follows.

Duran Duran 2026 Tour Dates:

May 1, BeachLife Festival, Redondo Beach, CA

May 2, Fontainebleau, Las Vegas, NV

May 6, Fontainebleau, Las Vegas, NV

May 8, Fontainebleau, Las Vegas, NV

May 9, Fontainebleau, Las Vegas, NV

June 19, Heartland Festival, Kværndrup, DK

June 22, Spoorpark, Tilburg, NL

June 24, O2 Arena, Praha 9, CZ

June 26, Schleyerhalle, Stuttgart, DE

June 28, Papp Arena, Budapest, HU

July 1, Sofia Arena, Sofia, BG

July 2, Arena Boris Trajkovski, Skopje, MK

July 5, BST Hyde Park, London, UK

July 7, Arena di Verona, Verona, IT

July 9, La Reggia Di Caserta, Caserta, IT

July 11, Villa Manin, Passariano, IT

July 12, Piazza Grande, Locarno, CH

Muscle Shoals Singer-Songwriter Bay Simpson Drops Nostalgic Rock Single “Too Good To Be True”

Eric Alper
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Muscle Shoals Singer-Songwriter Bay Simpson Drops Nostalgic Rock Single “Too Good To Be True”

Bay Simpson arrives as a solo artist with real credentials behind him. The Muscle Shoals singer-songwriter, fresh off a chair turn from Adam Levine on NBC’s The Voice Season 29, has released “Too Good to Be True,” a nostalgic rock single that draws directly from the experience of growing up in the early 2010s and only understanding those years once they’re gone. It’s out now.

The song carries serious songwriting weight. Simpson co-wrote it with Brian Maher, whose credits include Justin Moore chart-toppers, and James LeBlanc, whose pen has touched Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, and Martina McBride. The result is a track built for people who didn’t appreciate what they had until the chapter closed. “I didn’t enjoy high school when I was in it,” Simpson says, “but when I look back now, I miss it.”

Levine’s reaction during the blind audition said plenty. “It’s in your bones,” he told Simpson. “The tone and the way you delivered the vocals really showed me an understanding of rock ‘n’ roll music. This dude is going to be different than anybody on the show.” That kind of endorsement from a rock credibility benchmark doesn’t come easily.

Simpson’s backstory adds another layer. At 20, he landed his first major cut when Kid Rock recorded his song “Never Enough.” He’s shared stages with Dwight Yoakam and Jamey Johnson fronting his country-rock band Outlaw Apostles. Now stepping out solo, he’s bringing the full weight of Muscle Shoals with him.

What Every Venue Manager Should Understand About Switchgear and Electrical Safety

Eric Alper
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0

By Mitch Rice

Running a venue is hard work.

Between planning events, managing employees, and appeasing guests, electrical safety compliance is likely the furthest thing from your mind. But it should be one of the first. One electrical malfunction can close your venue, harm your guests, and cost you everything.

The good news?

Armed with a rudimentary knowledge of switchgear and compliance with electrical safety, you can prevent the majority of switchgear problems that venue managers encounter every year.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

  1. Why Electrical Safety Compliance Matters So Much
  2. What Switchgear Actually Does In Your Venue
  3. The Most Common Switchgear Mistakes Venue Managers Make
  4. 5x Practical Electrical Safety Tips

Why Electrical Safety Compliance Matters So Much

Let’s start with some hard numbers.

Exposure to electricity is among the most common workplace causes of death in the United States. From 2011 through 2022, there were 1,322 deaths at work from electricity exposure. Worryingly, 70% of these fatalities were in non-electrical occupations.

That means the people getting hurt aren’t electricians.

They’re venue employees. Event technicians. Folks just like you. That’s why working with a trusted medium-voltage switchgear manufacturer is a game changer for venue managers serious about electrical safety compliance. You get properly tested equipment that meets modern safety standards — which can save lives.

Here’s why this matters for venues specifically:

  • Masses of people — at any time, there are hundreds (or even thousands) of people within your venue.
  • High power demand — stages, lighting, sound systems, HVAC… that all takes a lot of juice.
  • Complex infrastructure — venues have more electrical systems than a regular office.

If something breaks down, it affects everyone. The stakes are higher for a venue than most commercial spaces.

What Switchgear Actually Does In Your Venue

Switchgear is the backbone of your electrical safety system.

Consider it as a traffic cop for electricity in your venue. It can control, protect and isolate electrical equipment to ensure the safe flow of power to the right place at the right time.

Without proper switchgear, you have no way to:

  • Safely disconnect circuits during maintenance
  • Protect equipment from power surges and short circuits
  • Isolate faults before they cause bigger problems
  • Meet electrical safety compliance standards

Pretty important, right?

Most facilities have low-voltage switchgear (lighting/outlets) and medium-voltage switchgear (larger loads like HVAC, stage, and main power distribution). Medium voltage is what ensures safe and reliable delivery of your facility’s main power. If it fails, everything shuts down.

The Most Common Switchgear Mistakes Venue Managers Make

Here is where things get interesting.

Venue operators don’t intentionally create electrical issues. They simply aren’t trained to recognize them. These are common errors.

Skipping Regular Inspections

The biggest mistake?

Failure to regularly inspect switchgear. Facility managers think, “If the lights are on, switchgear is okay.” Switchgear failures are gradual over months or years. An annoyance now can lead to a catastrophic failure next month.

Visually inspect your switchgear at least annually. Every 6 months if it’s a high use area at a busy venue.

Ignoring Age and Wear

Switchgear doesn’t last forever.

The typical lifespan of most equipment is 25-30 years. However, if you are operating a busy venue, this number decreases. One recent report showed a 29% increase in Lockout/Tagout violations from 2022 to 2023, demonstrating how many businesses are skimping on electrical maintenance.

Be not one of them. If your switchgear is 20 years old or older, begin planning now for a replacement.

Using Unqualified Technicians

This one is a big problem.

It’s easy to understand why some venue owners and facility managers want to hire the cheapest electrician available. However, working on medium-voltage switchgear is a specialised trade. Cutting corners can put lives at risk.

Always make sure your electrician is licensed and has commercial switchgear experience.

5x Practical Electrical Safety Tips

Okay the meat and potatoes. Do these and you should hit most of the frequently encountered problems.

Create A Comprehensive Safety Plan

Every venue needs a written electrical safety plan.

This is not a mere checklist. It’s your guide for when an electrical emergency occurs. Here’s what your safety plan should include:

  • Emergency shutdown procedures for each system
  • Contact info for your electrical contractor
  • Inspection schedules and maintenance records
  • Staff training requirements
  • Documentation of all switchgear and equipment

Make it simple enough for any member of your staff to understand. The best safety plan is one that will be followed.

Train Your Staff Properly

Your staff is your first line of defence.

5,180 non-fatal electrical injuries with days away from work occurred in 2023 and 2024 combined. This is an increase of 59% over the two years prior. Yikes. Training makes a difference.

Make sure your staff knows:

  • How to spot signs of electrical problems (burning smells, flickering lights, hot outlets)
  • What to do in an electrical emergency
  • Who to contact if they notice any issues

Even basic training can prevent most workplace electrical incidents.

Invest In Quality Equipment

Cheap switchgear is expensive.

That sounds counterintuitive, right? But buying the lowest priced equipment means higher costs over time due to equipment failure, downtime, and safety incidents. Quality switchgear has a longer service life, more reliable operation, is up-to-date with today’s safety requirements, and pays for itself over time.

The upfront cost is higher, but it pays for itself within a few years.

Schedule Regular Thermal Imaging

Here’s a pro tip most venue managers miss.

Thermal imaging helps your electrician to identify hot spots in your switchgear before they turn into issues. Hot spots are often a sign of loose connections, worn contacts, or overloaded circuits — all potential fire hazards or sources of equipment failure.

Schedule thermal imaging at least annually. It’s inexpensive, fast, and finds problems before they turn into catastrophes.

Keep Detailed Records

Last but not least — document everything.

All inspections, repairs, and upgrades must be documented. Good records allow you to identify trends, demonstrate compliance at inspection, plan future maintenance, and mitigate liability if something does go wrong.

A simple spreadsheet works fine. The important thing is that you actually do it.

Final Thoughts

Electrical safety compliance isn’t just a box to tick.

It’s the basis of a safe venue. When you know your switchgear, adhere to recommended inspection schedules and commit to quality products, you are keeping your guests, your staff and your business safe. Cutting corners and hoping for the best never pays off.

Remember to:

  • Inspect your switchgear regularly
  • Train your staff properly
  • Work with qualified electrical contractors
  • Invest in quality equipment from trusted manufacturers
  • Keep detailed records of everything

Start with one or two. Build from there. The best time to take care of electrical safety was yesterday. The second best time is today.

Data and information are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended for investment or other purposes.

Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, Who Led San Francisco Symphony for 25 Years, Dies at 81

Eric Alper
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Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas, Who Led San Francisco Symphony for 25 Years, Dies at 81

Michael Tilson Thomas, one of the most galvanizing figures in American classical music, died Wednesday at his home in San Francisco. He was 81. The San Francisco Symphony confirmed that Thomas, known universally as MTT, passed away surrounded by family and friends, succumbing to glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer he’d been fighting since 2021. His final public appearance was a concert celebrating his 80th birthday in April 2025.

The scope of his career was staggering. A protege of Leonard Bernstein, Thomas served as music director of the San Francisco Symphony for 25 years beginning in 1995, transforming the orchestra into one of the most innovative ensembles in the world. Before San Francisco, he held principal positions with the London Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Buffalo Philharmonic, and conducted virtually every major orchestra on the planet. His 12 Grammy Awards documented a discography of more than 120 recordings, with his Mahler cycle for SFS Media standing as a particular landmark.

Thomas was also a builder. In 1987, he co-founded the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, a postgraduate orchestral academy that trained more than 1,200 fellows over 35 years and transformed South Florida’s cultural landscape. The academy’s Frank Gehry-designed New World Center, which opened in 2011, was Thomas’s vision made permanent. As an educator he had no peer in classical music since Bernstein himself, with his “Keeping Score” television series reaching audiences far beyond the concert hall.

“A ‘coda’ is a musical element at the end of a composition that brings the whole piece to a conclusion,” Thomas said last year when he announced his public appearances would wind down. “My life’s coda is generous and rich.” He is survived by no immediate family. His husband and manager Joshua Robison died in February 2026.

The Afghan Whigs Drop New Single “Duvateen” as 40th Anniversary North American Tour Kicks Off

Eric Alper
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The Afghan Whigs Drop New Single “Duvateen” as 40th Anniversary North American Tour Kicks Off

Forty years in and The Afghan Whigs are still writing songs that hit like a gut punch. The Cincinnati rock veterans have released “Duvateen” via Royal Cream/BMG, a piano-driven track that finds Greg Dulli staring down mortality with the kind of unflinching clarity that’s defined the band since 1986. The title references the light-manipulating fabric used on film sets, deployed here as a metaphor for the darkness that frames every life.

Dulli doesn’t pull punches about what the song means to him. “When I finished ‘Duvateen,’ it felt like my life passing before my eyes,” he says. “I’m at a precipice in life where I can look behind and clearly see the forest of my youth, but I can also see the path to the other side. And it’s going to inform what I do for the rest of my days.” It’s the kind of songwriting that reminds you why the Whigs have never sounded like anyone else.

“Duvateen” follows “House of I,” their first new music since 2022, which drew praise from Rolling Stone, SPIN, and Pitchfork. Both singles point toward a new album arriving later this year. Details are coming soon.

The 40th Anniversary North American Tour launches this weekend with Mercury Rev along for the ride as special guests. Twenty-one dates stretch from Woodstock, NY to Pioneertown, CA, covering the coasts and everything in between. UK dates follow in September.

“40 years later, I still get to do the thing I love the most,” Dulli says. “Writing songs and performing them with my friends all over the world. I truly have to pinch myself.”

Tickets and info at linktr.ee/theafghanwhigs.

The Afghan Whigs & Mercury Rev Tour Dates:

April 25, Bearsville Theater, Woodstock, NY

April 27, Royale, Boston, MA

April 28, 9:30 Club, Washington D.C.

April 30, Webster Hall, New York, NY

May 1, Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA

May 2, Mr. Smalls Theater, Pittsburgh, PA

May 4, Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY

May 5, House of Blues, Cleveland, OH

May 6, Bogart’s, Cincinnati, OH

May 8, Turner Hall Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI

May 9, Metro, Chicago, IL

May 10, Varsity Theater, Minneapolis, MN

May 12, Summit Music Hall, Denver, CO

May 15, Aladdin Theatre, Portland, OR

May 16, Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, BC

May 17, The Showbox, Seattle, WA

May 19, The Fillmore, San Francisco, CA

May 20, The Bellwether, Los Angeles, CA

May 22, The Observatory, Santa Ana, CA

May 23, The Observatory North Park, San Diego, CA

May 24, Pappy & Harriet’s, Pioneertown, CA

UK Dates:

September 19, Stylus, Leeds, UK

September 20, The Palais, Nottingham, UK

September 22, SWG3 Galvanizers, Glasgow, UK

September 23, O2 Ritz, Manchester, UK

September 24, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London, UK

September 26, Chalk, Brighton, UK

Countertenor John Holiday Announces Debut Album ‘Over My Head’ Arriving This July

Eric Alper
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Countertenor John Holiday Announces Debut Album ‘Over My Head’ Arriving This July

John Holiday has one of the most distinctive voices in classical music, and now it’s getting its proper debut. The acclaimed countertenor releases his first album, ‘Over My Head,’ on July 17, 2026 through PENTATONE. Recorded at WGBH studios in Boston alongside pianist and close collaborator Kevin Miller, the album weaves together spirituals, art song, and contemporary works into a deeply personal program Holiday describes as “Love in the Key of Resilience.”

The repertoire covers serious ground. Works by Hall Johnson, Robert L. Morris, and H. Leslie Adams sit alongside world premiere recordings by Theo Morrison and Carlos Simon, plus Holiday’s own arrangements of standards including “Fly Me to the Moon,” “Summertime,” and “Strange Fruit.” It’s a program that reflects the full range of an artist equally at home in Baroque opera and American song.

The Wall Street Journal calls his voice “arrestingly powerful, secure and dramatically high.” The Los Angeles Times names him “one of the finest countertenors of his generation.” The New Yorker simply called it “a thing of astonishing beauty.” The critical consensus is unanimous, and ‘Over My Head’ is the record that formally introduces Holiday to a wider audience.

PENTATONE rolls out the album digitally ahead of the July release, with Holiday’s arrangement of “Strange Fruit” arriving May 22, followed by Theo Morrison’s “I Hear an Army Charging Upon the Land” on June 26.

‘Over My Head’ arrives July 17, 2026 on PENTATONE.

‘Over My Head’ Tracklist:

  1. I’m Gonter Tell God All O’ My Troubles, Hall Johnson
  2. VOCALISE I, Carlos Simon
  3. Strings in the Earth and Air, Theo Morrison
  4. O Cool is the Valley Now, Theo Morrison
  5. Lightly Come or Lightly Go, Theo Morrison
  6. Now, O Now, in this Brown Land, Theo Morrison
  7. I Hear an Army Charging Upon the Land, Theo Morrison
  8. VOCALISE II, Carlos Simon
  9. Humoresque, Robert L. Morris
  10. Gospel Blues, Robert L. Morris
  11. Juba: Ev’rytime I Feel the Spirit, Robert L. Morris
  12. Fly Me to the Moon, arr. John Holiday
  13. Summertime, arr. John Holiday
  14. VOCALISE III, Carlos Simon
  15. Strange Fruit, arr. John Holiday
  16. Prayer, H. Leslie Adams
  17. The Heart of a Woman, H. Leslie Adams
  18. Night Song, H. Leslie Adams
  19. Sence You Went Away, H. Leslie Adams
  20. Over My Head and Amazing Grace, arr. John Holiday

Deaf Singer ALI Stuns the Judges on ‘The Voice’ With a Soulful Take on “Killing Me Softly”

Eric Alper
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Deaf Singer ALI Stuns the Judges on ‘The Voice’ With a Soulful Take on “Killing Me Softly”

ALI walked onto The Voice stage for Season 23’s blind auditions and delivered a performance of “Killing Me Softly with His Song” that stopped the room cold. Then she revealed she was born deaf and wears two hearing aids, and the room got even quieter. Kelly Clarkson and Chance the Rapper both turned their chairs. ALI chose Clarkson as her coach, a full-circle moment for a singer who grew up in Walnut, California listening to Clarkson songs her uncle burned onto CDs for her.

Darryl “DMC” McDaniels and Public Enemy Veterans Unite as New Hip-Hop Power Group FREEDOM

Eric Alper
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0
Darryl “DMC” McDaniels and Public Enemy Veterans Unite as New Hip-Hop Power Group FREEDOM

Three architects of hip-hop history have joined forces. Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, DJ Johnny Juice, and Brian Hardgroove, both veterans of Public Enemy, have formed FREEDOM, a new group built to bridge rock, hip-hop, and social consciousness. Their debut single, “I’m On Your Side,” arrives May 15, 2026 through Worldwide Entertainment Group, The Orchard, and JRB Innovations.

“I’m On Your Side” isn’t background music. It’s a direct response to a polarized world, a track about reclaiming your voice when truth and democracy feel like contested territory. The song pairs hard-hitting beats with lyrics that demand engagement, not just passive listening. It’s an anthem with real stakes behind it.

The music video was filmed in New York in a single day, directed by Simon Kinney of Synergy Group Productions, whose credits include Pink, Metallica, and Ed Sheeran. An additional shoot took place in Santa Fe, co-directed by Zay Santos of Santa Fe Stockyards. The result is a visual that matches the song’s urgency.

FREEDOM is also launching a fan community platform alongside the single, giving listeners a way to connect directly with the group’s message. Exclusive merchandise drops as part of the official launch.

McDaniels, Juice, and Hardgroove carry serious individual weight. Together, FREEDOM has the kind of combined credibility that doesn’t need a build-up. “I’m On Your Side” hits all major streaming platforms May 15th.

Riz Ahmed Turns a Children’s Board Game Into Surreal Tragedy on Saturday Night Live UK

Eric Alper
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Riz Ahmed Turns a Children’s Board Game Into Surreal Tragedy on Saturday Night Live UK

In a delightfully unhinged sketch from the third episode of Saturday Night Live UK, guest host Riz Ahmed plays a man whose growing fixation with the children’s game Operation spirals into genuine real-life tragedy. The surreal bit is exactly the kind of absurdist comedy that makes live sketch television worth watching. SNL UK, branded “Live From London,” premiered in March 2026 and airs live at 22:00 every Saturday on Sky, with six episodes in its first run. It’s the first British incarnation of the franchise Lorne Michaels launched in New York back in 1975.

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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

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