Before The Score, the Fugees were underdogs. After it, they were global icons. It’s the album that gave us Killing Me Softly, Fu-Gee-La, and Ready or Not, but behind the chart-topping hits and platinum certifications, there’s a story of struggle, improvisation, and genius. Let’s dive into five facts you may not know about this groundbreaking hip-hop masterpiece.
1. The Basement Studio That Built a Classic
Most legendary albums are made in million-dollar studios. The Score? It was born in a basement. The Fugees set up shop in Wyclef Jean’s uncle’s basement, which they called the Booga Basement, and recorded the album on a $135,000 advance. The setting wasn’t glamorous, but it gave the album its raw, organic energy. Wyclef described the process as “calm and unconscious,” with ideas flowing naturally rather than being forced. The basement became a melting pot of creativity, where live instrumentation met intricate sampling, crafting a sound that felt as fresh in 1996 as it does today.
2. The Song That Almost Didn’t Happen: “Ready or Not”
One of The Score’s most iconic tracks, Ready or Not, was almost stopped before it even hit the airwaves. The song heavily samples Enya’s Boadicea, but the Fugees didn’t clear it before release. Enya was prepared to sue—until she found out the Fugees weren’t gangsta rappers. She reconsidered and let them use it, making it one of the most famous accidental collaborations in hip-hop history. Even more incredible? Lauryn Hill recorded the song’s chorus while crying in the studio, delivering a vocal so raw and emotional that the group decided to keep the first take as the final version.
3. How a Fat Joe Beat Sparked “Fu-Gee-La”
Producer Salaam Remi had created a beat intended for Fat Joe, but fate had other plans. During a session, Wyclef asked him to play “the Fat Joe beat,” and as soon as he did, Clef jumped in with the first verse of Fu-Gee-La. The track came together spontaneously, setting the tone for the entire album. While The Score would go on to incorporate more live instrumentation, Fu-Gee-La remained a perfect fusion of sampled melodies and gritty rap energy. The song became their highest-charting U.S. single and later inspired The Weeknd’s Sidewalks and Jay-Z’s Moonlight.
4. The Expensive Music Video That Changed Hip-Hop
At the time, hip-hop videos were often straightforward, but the Fugees changed the game with Ready or Not. Directed by Marcus Nispel, the video had a reported budget of $1.3 million—making it one of the most expensive rap videos of the era. Set against cinematic, action-packed visuals, it pushed the boundaries of what a hip-hop video could be. Years later, the influence of its high-production storytelling can be seen in artists like Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé, and Travis Scott.
5. The Secret Marley Connection on “No Woman, No Cry”
The Score featured a moving cover of Bob Marley’s No Woman, No Cry, but what many fans don’t realize is that it had a direct Marley family connection. The song features uncredited background vocals by Marley’s children, Stephen and Sharon Marley, along with reggae singer Pam Hall. Their contributions gave the track an added layer of authenticity, paying tribute to Marley’s legacy while fitting seamlessly into the Fugees’ world of genre-blending innovation.
The Score expanded the sonic possibilities of hip-hop, blending reggae, soul, and live instrumentation while maintaining a socially conscious narrative. The Fugees took a DIY basement setup and turned it into one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time—one that still sells and sounds great on the radio nearly three decades later.
Craig Finn has announced the release of his eagerly awaited new album, Always Been, arriving via Tamarac Recordings/Thirty Tigers on Friday, April 4. Pre-orders and pre-saves are available now. Produced by GRAMMY Award-winner Adam Granduciel (The War On Drugs) at his studio in Burbank, CA and mixed by 3x GRAMMY® Award-winning engineer Jonathan Low (Taylor Swift, The National, Hurray For The Riff Raff), the collection features musical performances by Granduciel and other members of The War on Drugs, as well as guest vocals by Kathleen Edwards and Sam Fender. Always Been – which marks the sixth LP in a solo discography that sits alongside Finn’s work as frontman and vocalist of The Hold Steady – is heralded by today’s premiere of the new single, “People of Substance,” available everywhere now.
“I believe this to be the most narrative record I have made,” says Craig Finn. “Most songs concern a protagonist who pursued a career as a clergyman despite a lack of faith. The record tells the story of his rise and fall and redemption, while also filling out the details of his travels and the world in which he lives. I am very proud of what we made, I hope you enjoy.”
Craig Finn is a Minnesota-bred singer/songwriter based in New York City, best known as the singer of The Hold Steady. Finn spent the ‘90’s leading Minneapolis indie band Lifter Puller, which released three albums and an EP. After relocating to New York, he joined with Lifter Puller member Tad Kubler to form The Hold Steady in 2003. The Hold Steady quickly achieved critical acclaim and a worldwide fanbase with their unique pairing of dense lyrical narratives with big rock guitars. The Hold Steady’s ninth album, The Price Of Progress, was released in March 2023, commemorating the band’s 20th anniversary.
Finn will celebrate Always Been on a wide-ranging US tour as special guest supporting Bob Mould from April 1 at San Diego, CA’s Music Box through Milwaukee, WI’s Turner Hall.
CRAIG FINN – TOUR 2025
APRIL
1 – San Diego, CA – Music Box*
2 – Pioneertown, CA – Pappy & Harriet’s*
4 – Los Angeles, CA – Teragram Ballroom*
5 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore*
7 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre*
8 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom*
9 – Boise, ID – Knitting Factory*
11 – Denver, CO – Marquis Theater*
12 – Fort Collins, CO – Washington’s*
14 – Omaha, NE – The Waiting Room*
15 – Maquoketa, IA – Codfish Hollow Barn*
16 – Madison WI – Majestic Theatre*
18 – Milwaukee, WI – Turner Hall*
* w/ Bob Mould
CRAIG FINN – ALWAYS BEEN
(Tamarac Recordings/Thirty Tigers)
Release Date: Friday, April 4, 2025
Tracklist:
Bethany
People of Substance
Crumbs
Luke & Leanna
The Man I’ve Always Been
Fletcher’s
A Man Needs a Vocation
I Walk With a Cane
Clayton
Postcards
Shamrock (digital only)
Questlove, Oz Rodriguez, and John MacDonald have teamed up to co-direct Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music, a celebration of the most unforgettable musical moments in Saturday Night Live history. Blending deep cuts, iconic performances, and behind-the-scenes diplomacy, Questlove calls it “the ultimate DJ gig” that almost didn’t happen—but now, it’s ready to make history.
Bill McClintock’s latest mashup Whip My Lonely, Dark Heart blends prog, funk, and metal into a seamless masterpiece. Yes, Dio, Dazz Band, and more collide in a genre-bending ride you have to hear to believe.
Yes legend Jon Anderson and The Band Geeks premiere today the 2nd video from their upcoming live cd/dvd for the YES classic “Your Move/ I’ve Seen All Good People”.
The video was shot at the Arcada Theater in St. Charles, Illinois on the 2023 tour and follows the release last month of the video for “And You And I”. “Jon Anderson and The Band Geeks Live – Perpetual Change” will be released on March 14th as a two cd/dvd package as well as triple vinyl and blu-ray.
As previously announced, the band will commence leg one of their 2025 tour April 1st in Tucson, Arizona. The dates for leg one are below along with the new music video:
April 1 Tucson AZ -The Rialto Theater
April 3- Anaheim CA-The Grove of Anaheim
April 5-Las Vegas NV-The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
April 8-Oakland CA-Fox Theater
April 11-Sacramento CA- SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center
April 14-Seattle WA- Moore Theater
April 19-Rockford IL-Coronado Pac
April 23-Milwaukee WI-Pabst Theater
April 25-Des Plaines IL-Des Plaines Theater
April 27-St.Charles IL-The Arcada Theater
April 30-North Tonawanda NY-Riviera Theater
May 2-Cleveland OH-The Agora
May 4-Lancaster PA-American Music Theater
May 7-Wilmington DE-The Grand Opera House
May 10-Ridgefield CT -The Ridgefield Playhouse
May 12-Ridgefield CT-The Ridgefield Playhouse
May 16-Westbury NY-Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair
May 18-Carteret NJ- Carteret Performing Arts Center
Dolly Parton took to the stage of the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Belmont University in Nashville, TN to announce that Dolly: An Original Musical will have its world premiere this summer at the Fisher Center, Music City’s world-class home for the performing arts, before the production comes to Broadway in 2026. Dolly: An Original Musical, will play a four-week limited engagement with preview performances beginning Friday, July 18 for a Friday, August 8 opening night with a final performance set for Sunday, August 17.
Tickets for Dolly: An Original Musical, with prices starting at just $40, are on sale now at www.dollymusical.com or by calling the Fisher Center Box Office at 615 460 2255.
Parton said, “I am Tennessee born and raised, and Nashville has been my musical home for over 60 years. So, this is the right and perfect place to present the world premiere of my life story as a musical. Right here in Nashville, at the beautiful Belmont University’s Fisher Center.”
This will mark the first time the Fisher Center will host the world premiere of a new musical featuring a cast and creative team of professional artists.
Dolly: An Original Musical will feature a score by Parton that will include some of her biggest hits as well as new songs she has written especially for the musical, a book by Parton and Maria S. Schlatter, and will be directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher. The musical is produced by Parton, Danny Nozell, ATG Productions, and Gavin Kalin Productions. Jim Carnahan and Carrie Gardner serve as casting directors, and 101 Productions, Ltd. are general manager for the musical.
Casting, additional creative team members, and other details for the world premiere of Dolly: An Original Musical at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts will be announced in the coming weeks.
Madfish and the John Mayall Estate are proud to announce the forthcoming release of a boxset celebrating John Mayall’s remarkable career on the 7th March 2025 called The ‘Second Generation Boxset’ Live Magic 1968-1993.
This new collection of previously unreleased live concerts features sound-desk and audience recordings capturing a host of line- ups with guitar legends Mick Taylor, Harvey Mandel, Walter Trout and Coco Montoya; drummers extraordinaire Keef Hartley, Mike Gardner and Colin Allen; bass supremos Larry Taylor, John McVie, Steve Thompson and horn maestros Blue Mitchell, Johnny Almond and Clifford Solomon all featured along with many more.
Mayall’s influence and appeal was worldwide; the selection of recordings herein showcasing his timeless, singular sound. Captured from 30 incredible performances from cities including New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, Milan, London, and more, the collection spans a 25-year period and offers a comprehensive view of Mayall’s legendary live prowess.
This box set coincides with John Mayall’s much-deserved induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and was approved and fully supported by the Two-Time Grammy Nominee before his sad passing earlier this year. The Mayall estate also supplied two very special privately recorded shows for this box set, both performances coming from Gaz Mayall’s legendary club night Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues in 1981 and 1982 respectively. The former features Alexis Korner and the latter is a rare example of John and his sons Gaz and Ben all appearing onstage together.
The set also Includes a large hardback book with many previously unseen photos plus a commemorative art print. John’s career is legendary, and his influence spread far beyond the confines of the blues scene. Inspired by renowned American blues players, his music career began while at Art school playing with fellow student Peter Ward and other local bands. Following advice to move to London’s burgeoning British Blues scene he immediately found an enthusiastic receptive audience. His own obsession with the blues found a natural home in clubs li Marquee, The Flamingo, The Fillmore, The Scene and Klooks Kleek, all finding fertile proving grounds for Mayall’s style and various line-ups. His reputation quickly grew as he introduced upcoming exciting new talent into his Bluesbreakers line-ups. Throughout his musical career Mayall provided a springboard for musicians who would themselves move on to greater recognition in some of the world’s greatest bands – Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, John McVie, Mick Taylor, and Peter Green, to name just a few. His ability to give opportunities to new artists earnt him the nickname the Godfather of British Blues.
Gaz Mayall spoke recently about the forthcoming boxset “The family has been working closely with Madfish / Snapper Music over the past couple of years to bring together this formidable collection of music and memorabilia. We are very excited to present this fabulous selection to coincide with John’s long overdue induction into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame”.
Silverstein is excited to continue celebrating their 25th anniversary with the spring leg of the 25 Years Of Noise Tour. Kicking off on April 18th, newly announced dates will feature support from Real Friends, Broadside, and Greyhaven. Pre-sale tickets, including VIP packages, will be available today starting at 12pm ET at silversteinmusic.com/vip. General on-sale begins this Friday, Jan 31st at 10am local time.
The band shares: “The celebration continues! 25 Years of Noise – Spring Edition is coming this April and May with an incredible lineup featuring Real Friends, Broadside, and Greyhaven. We’re heading to some new cities and revisiting places we haven’t played in years. With two albums and a world tour, 2025 is shaping up to be a huge year for Silverstein. See you on the road!”
This year, fans around the world are invited to join the band in celebrating their “silver” anniversary with the 25 Years Of Noise Tour. These shows offer a discography-spanning performance and fans are able to vote for their favorite songs from each record to help decide the setlist. The first leg of North American dates continues through February 15th and features support from Thursday, Arm’s Length, and Split Chain. Following the month-long run, Silverstein will bring the tour to the UK / EU alongside Thursday, The Callous Daoboys ahead of the newly announced spring leg.
In addition to the new tour dates, Silverstein recently released “Don’t Let Me Get Too Low”. The song is the latest from Antibloom, the first part of their prolific double album Antibloom / Pink Moon. The records were written in the deserts of Joshua Tree and represent the band’s most eclectic and prolific body of work to date. Antibloom will see its release on February 21st, 2025 via UNFD, with Pink Moon to follow later in the year.
North American Tour Dates:
(w/ Thursday, Arm’s Length, Split Chain)
1/28 – Albuquerque, NM @ El Rey Theater
1/29 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theater
1/31 – Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
2/1 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
2/2 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern
2/4 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
2/6 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
2/8 – St Louis, MO @ The Pageant
2/10 – Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room
2/11 – Chicago, IL @ Concord
2/12 – Detroit, MI @ Royal Oak
2/14 – Toronto, ON @ History
2/15 – Montreal, QC @ L’Olympia
(w/ Real Friends, Broadside, Greyhaven)
4/18 – Albany, NY @ Empire Live
4/19 – Portland, ME @ Aura
4/20 – Hartford, CT @ Webster
4/22 – Norfolk, VA @ NorVa
4/23 – Knoxville, TN @ The Mill & Mine
4/24 – Charleston, SC @ Charleston Music Club
4/26 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade
4/27 – Huntsville, AL @ Mars Music Hall
4/29 – Little Rock, AR @ The Hall
4/30 – FT. Worth, TX @ Tannahill’s Tavern
5/02 – Wichita, KS @ TempleLive
5/03 – Des Moines, IA @ Val Air Ballroom
5/04 – Madison, WI @ The Sylvee
5/06 – Rochester, NY @ Water Street Music Hall
5/07 – London, ON @ London Music Hall
5/08 – Ottawa, ON @ Bronson Centre
5/10 – Columbus, OH @ Sonic Temple *
5/11 – Allentown, PA @ Archer
5/13 – Richmond, VA @ The National
5/14 – Jacksonville, NC @ Hooligans
5/16 – Daytona Beach, FL @ Welcome To Rockville *
* – indicated Festival Date
UK / EU Tour Dates:
(w/ Thursday, The Callous Daoboys, Bloom)
2/28 – Manchester, UK @ O2 Ritz
3/1 – London, UK @ O2 Forum Kentish Town
3/4 – Brussels, BE @ AB
3/5 – Paris, FR @ Trabendo
3/6 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg
3/7 – Wiesbaden, DE @ Schlachthof
3/8 – Munich, DE @ Backstage Werk
3/10 – Vienna, AT @ Arena
3/11 – Nuremburg, DE @ Lowensaal
3/13 – Berlin, DE @ Huxleys
3/14 – Hamburg, DE @ Grosse Freiheit
3/15 – Cologne, DE @ Palladium
Acclaimed Swedish indie-pop band Peter Bjorn and John are bringing their iconic Writer’s Block album back to life on a highly anticipated U.S. tour in May 2025. This marks the band’s first stateside shows in six years and commemorates the 19th anniversary of their breakthrough LP, originally released in 2006. The announcement follows news of the band’s appearance at this year’s Just Live Heaven Festival in Pasadena, CA on May 10th where they’ll be playing alongside Vampire Weekend, Rilo Kiley, Bloc Party and TV on the Radio.
Writer’s Block is widely regarded as one of the most influential albums of the mid-2000s. The LP was one of Pitchfork’s “Best New Music” picks and had The Guardian calling it “A delight, from start to finish.” The album’s single “Young Folks,” featuring Victoria Bergsman, became an era-defining anthem, earning widespread and long-lasting acclaim. The song’s infectious whistling has been spotlighted in numerous cultural discussions and earlier this year The New York Times featured “Young Folks” in their “In Praise of Whistling in Pop Music” newsletter and playlist “The Amplifier.” In addition, the song was featured prominently in two of the period’s biggest TV shows – Gossip Girl and How I Met Your Mother.
Furthermore, several album tracks caught the ear of some very well-known rappers. Kanye West rapped over “Young Folks” for his 2007 mixtape Can’t Tell Me Nothing, and in 2009 Drake sampled “Let’s Call It Off” on his track of the same name and Azealia Banks rapped over “The Chills,” retitling the track “The Chill$.”
This milestone tour offers fans a chance to relive Writer’s Block in its entirety, along with other beloved hits from Peter Bjorn and John’s extensive discography. The band’s innovative approach to songwriting and their knack for crafting timeless melodies have solidified their place as indie pop pioneers, and this tour promises to celebrate their enduring legacy.
09 May: San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
10 May: Pasadena, CA @ Just Like Heaven
13 May: Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
14 May: Denver, CO @ Bluebird
16 May: Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line
17 May: Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
19 May: Toronto, ON @ Great Hall
21 May: New York, NY @ Irving Plaza
22 May: Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
23 May: Washington DC @ Black Cat
Smithsonian Folkways has announced the launch of the Smithsonian Folkways Music Pathways, an innovative new teaching tool designed to illuminate lesser-known corners of music history using the sounds and resources available in the label’s iconic catalog. The Music Pathways are a free resource available to educators, parents, and the general public, contiguous with Folkways’ mission of making the sounds of the world broadly accessible and increasing understanding among people and cultures. Two Pathways are available now: Estoy Aqui: Music of the Chicano Movement and Cajun and Zydeco Music: Flavors of Southwest Louisiana, with a third covering women in the blues forthcoming. The Smithsonian Folkways Music Pathways offer step-by-step guides through both the music and the history of the people who made it, offering moments for listening, reflection, hands-on activities, and storytelling for teachers and learners in all subjects.
The Music Pathways are a first-of-their-kind lesson-plan resource that meets national academic standards in a variety of subjects, such as Common Core, National Standards for Music Education, and more. The Pathways present music within many contexts, allowing students to discover how music connects to historical moments and why it sounds as it does. Lesson plans are situated like nesting dolls inside larger inquiries of study, allowing students, educators, and parents to move between different topics within each Pathway easily and logically. Music Pathways are currently available for students in grades 6-8, with Pathways for additional age groups to be launched.
Extensive resources from across the Smithsonian are utilized throughout the Music Pathways. Audio, liner notes, and artwork that comprise many releases on Smithsonian Folkways (and other collections, such as Arhoolie Records) are positioned adjacent to photographs, video, scholarship, and other media from nearly every museum and unit of the Institution. Learners are able to see, hear, and directly engage with primary resources that illustrate the vibrancy of the cultures and relevance of the histories being explored. These comprehensive, ready-made resources are able to be immediately implemented in classroom and hybrid learning environments, providing educators with vetted, engaging deep dives that cover multiple perspectives on the histories being uncovered. Each Music Pathway, in its entirety, contains 12-18 hours of rich, thematic, multidisciplinary content that is customizable based on the needs of individual teachers and students in a variety of learning contexts. Music, history, and other humanities teachers alike will find lesson plans that will make for easy curricular integration and standards fulfillment.
While the Music Pathways were designed with national education standards in mind, they are also perfect for independent and lifelong learners, as well as anyone interested in learning more about the histories behind their favorite LPs released by Smithsonian Folkways. They are excellent supplemental resources for parents who wish to introduce their children to music and culture from around the world.
As a leader in resources for music educators for over 30 years, Smithsonian Folkways now charts a new direction for educational projects at the label. In 2024, Folkways received an internal grant through the Smithsonian’s Together We Thrive initiative to support an in-house curriculum specialist overseeing educational offerings like the Music Pathways. “We are thrilled that Dr. Jennifer Mellizo, a music educator and respected researcher with over 22 years of teaching experience in K-12 classrooms, joins us as our first full-time educator at the label,” said Folkways Director and Curator Maureen Loughran. “The Smithsonian’s commitment to education at Folkways encourages us to further develop deep contextual resources, like Music Pathways, and explore new projects dedicated to teachers and students from all parts of the world.” Under Mellizo’s supervision, a third Music Pathway on women and the blues will be released later in 2025.
César Chávez, photograph by Ernest Lowe. National Portrait Gallery
Estoy Aquí: Music of the Chicano Movement:
Estoy Aquí: Music of the Chicano Movement explores Smithsonian Folkways Recordings’ large collection of songs and genres that emerged as symbols of cultural identity and pride during the Chicano movement of the 1960s-1970s. During this important time in American history, people in Mexican American and ally communities bravely advocated for equal rights and called for social change. As activists and leaders like César Chávez, Dolores Huerta, Reies López Tijerina, and Corky Gonzales fought for fair wages, safe working conditions, land rights, educational opportunities, and political representation, musicians documented history as it was happening––they expressed struggles, energized political messages, and lifted the spirits of strikers, marchers, and protestors.
This Smithsonian Folkways Music Pathway celebrates the Chicano/a community’s important contributions to the American story. As you immerse yourself in the sounds of mariachi, dance to the infectious beat of conjunto, engage with the complex rhythms of son jarocho, and sing protest songs that became anthems during the Chicano movement, you will gain a deeper understanding of how history can shape both the present and the future.
Clifton Chenier, photograph by Reed and Susan Erskine. Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
Cajun and Zydeco Music: Flavors of Southwest Louisiana:
Through displacement and hardship, both Cajuns (descendants of what is today known as Nova Scotia) and Creoles (people from a combination of Caribbean, West African, Native American, Spanish, and Portuguese descent) ended up making their homes along the banks of the Mississippi River in a place called “Acadiana.” Their exchange of French-language music and diverse cultural traditions created what we now think of as “Cajun” and “zydeco” music. A true musical melting pot, the unique sounds and styles of Cajun and zydeco continue to influence each other and the vibrant music culture of southwest Louisiana. When people with different ancestries combine similar instrumentation, lyrical themes, language, and rhythms into one pot, the result is a true musical gumbo!
Drawing heavily from seminal audio recordings in the Arhoolie Records collection, which Smithsonian Folkways acquired in 2016, Cajun and Zydeco Music: Flavors of Southwest Louisiana explores the diverse roots and stylistic developments of these music genres and celebrates the “laissez les bons temps rouler” (let the good times roll) ethos that is alive and well in this region today.
Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, the “National Museum of Sound,” makes available close to 60,000 tracks in physical and digital format as the nonprofit record label of the Smithsonian, with a reach of 80 million people per year. A division of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, the non-profit label is dedicated to supporting cultural diversity and increased understanding among people through the documentation, preservation, production and dissemination of sound. Its mission is the legacy of Moses Asch, who founded Folkways Records in 1948 to document “people’s music” from around the world. For more information about Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, visit folkways.si.edu.
