SKOPE NEWS FOR JULY 13, 2015

RICH HOMIE QUAN’S “FLEX (OOH, OOH, OOH)” #1 FOR SECOND WEEK

Video, social and streaming sites have shown major support for Rich Homie Quan, reaching #5 at Vevo; over 1.2M followers on Instagram; streaming more than 600,000 daily streams of “Flex” at Pandora, Top 15 on Shazam, and holding court on Spotify’s “Most Necessary” playlist where Quan released his Summer sampler on May 19th and also garnered a feature on Jay Z’s Tidal Summer playlist.

The Atlanta based rapper concluded a round of west coast interviews last week in Los Angeles when he dropped by the BET Awards radio room, KKRL and completed extensive on-camera filming with Music Choice, a media partner for Quan’s upcoming fall release. He then headed to Silicon Valley and was welcomed by Pandora, YouTube, Facebook, InstaGram, Twitter/Vine, Soundcloud and KMEL for an on-air interview before returning home. “I’ve got nothing but love for all the fans, media outlets and supporters who helped take “Flex” to the top”.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/flex-ooh-ooh-ooh-single/id965916276

ANCIENT OCEAN NEW VIDEO

Brooklyn’s J.R. Bohannon released his debut Ancient Ocean LP, Blood Moon, last week on Beyond Beyond is Beyond Records. Full of ambient soundscapes, swells of synth, and hazy, droning instrumentation, it’s racked up praise from NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Noisey, The Quietus & more.

“Blood Moon” opens the album, with contributions from Woodsman’s Jonas Reinhardt & Mark Demolar, and Ancient Ocean has now shared a video for the track. Directed by Zack Hall, it features trippy imagery that slowly unfolds in time with the song, against a hypnotic background.

http://www.residentadvisor.net/feed-item.aspx?id=87489

FREE EP BY SPACEMAN STUU

CNMTC’s first signing, Spaceman Stuu, has now released the label’s first release, entitled Closed Caption. The free EP is releasing on the recently announced Imminence Records imprint CNMTC that is ran by alternative hip hop artist Kinnecom. Kinnecom and Spaceman Stuu had been collaborating on Stuu’s past few releases when Kinnecom decided to venture out and found CNMTC, which will feature hip hop, pop, and alternative artists who all will record under Kinnecom’s production and management. Spaceman Stuu’s Closed Caption features six tracks with two produced by Kinnecom and another featuring him as a guest vocalist. Both Spaceman Stuu and KInnecom are working on various projects throughout the rest of the year.

THE WEEKND ANNOUNCES FRIDAY AUGUST 28, 2015 RELEASE

Grammy Award-nominated multi-platinum alternative R&B trailblazer THE WEEKND has announced that he will release his anxiously awaited third full-length offering, “Beauty Behind The Madness” via XO/Republic Records on Friday, August 28, 2015 in stores and at all digital retailers around the globe. The album, which saw a #1 debut with the iTunes pre-order, has been one of the most anticipated albums of 2015.

http://theweeknd.co/BeautyBehindTheMadness

KAT PERKINS “DRIVE”

NBC’s The Voice Season 6 top 5 contestant Kat Perkins has just released her new self-titled full length album. The album’s first single “Drive” was released in June to rave reviews. “It’s about freedom” says Perkins. “For me, there is just this feeling that fills you when you’re behind the wheel. You can really go anywhere.” Check out the new music video for “Drive” here:

http://yhoo.it/1fu8E6o

GOLD CLASS NEW SINGLE

There are few voices of meaningful dissent left in rock music. Even fewer play with the savagery, subtlety and melody of Melbourne-based newcomers Gold Class. Armed with only a handful of songs, Gold Class quickly drew heads to their live shows when they appeared mid-2014, just a couple of months after getting together. Characterised by attacking rhythms, bristling garage guitar lines and the deep vibrato of singer Adam Curley, the band were soon mixing art-space and basement gigs for their debut seven-inch, “Michael”.

“Life as a Gun” and “Michael” will be included on Gold Class’ forthcoming debut album. Gold Class will release their debut album with felte (EU/US) and Spunk Records (AUS) later this year.

http://noisey.vice.com/blog/listen-to-gold-class-latest-track-like-a-gun

THE OUTFIT, TX NEW SINGLE

Dallas trio The Outfit, TX (Mel, Dorian, and JayHawk) are gearing up for their forthcoming Deep Ellum EP with “Watcha Mean,” a product of the group’s “Cooly Fooly Space Age Funk” genre. Full of smooth synth bass lines, synthesizer, and crisp 808 drum tracks, TOTX delivers every rhyme with the Southern bravado the trio has become synonymous with. The track, which premiered via Passion of the Weiss, features a menacing beat from Mel and Dorian, with JayHawk, K. Nation, and Crit Morris delivering rhymes over Mel’s hypnotic chorus.

http://www.passionweiss.com/2015/07/09/deep-cover-the-outfit-tx-co-say-what-they-mean/

KENNY CHESNEY BREAKS RECORDS

Kenny Chesney’s been playing Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field almost as long as he’s been headlining summer stadium tours – and the thrill is anything but gone. On his 8th appearance at the home of the Philadelphia Eagles, the man who’s won 8 Entertainer of the Year Awards broke his own record for a single night country music show, selling 55,131 tickets to his Big Revival 2015 Tour.

“It’s funny,” marvels the high energy performer “when you go back to markets in this size venue tour after tour, you wonder if people are ever going to get tired of the big show, the long day – and listening to the crowd last night, they were as alive, as loud, as crazy about the music as they were in 2006 (the first time he played there).

http://www.kennychesney.com/

RENNY WILSON ALBUM STREAM

Punk Explosion/Extension, or Punk Ex for short, is the latest musical detour from the loins of Canadian avant-pop artist Renny Wilson. Recorded between 2007 and 2014, Punk Ex follows Renny’s natural progression from the breakup of his high school garage punk band, the Subatomics, in 2007 to his present- day life in Montréal.

http://www.aux.tv/2015/07/premiere-listen-to-the-new-album-from-renny-wilson-punk-explosionextension/

DIPLO’S MAJOR LAZER RELEASES “LEAN ON” REMIX EP

Major Lazer is releasing a collection of official remixes of their global smash hit “Lean On” with DJ Snake featuring MØ, with new versions of the track from Dillon Francis & JAUZ, CRNKN, Ephwurd & ETC!ETC!, Fono, Malaa and Moska. Get the new EP, out now, here.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/lean-on-remixes-feat.-m-dj/id1014209424?app=itunes

AUSTRALIAN SUPERSTARS PEKING DUK RELEASE NEW SINGLE “SAY MY NAME”

Australian superstars Peking Duk release their first official US single “Say My Name” feat. Benjamin Joseph, from the band Safia, today. The song premiered on Earmilk yesterday here, who said “A little bit of rock, a little bit of pop, and a whole lotta catchy vibes, Peking Duk prove to be force to be reckoned with.”

http://www.earmilk.com/2015/07/09/peking-duk-announce-new-ep-and-release-new-single-say-my-name-feat-benjamin-joseph-premiere/

NEW ORLEANS RAPPER SHARES VIDEO FOR NEW SINGLE “SHAWTY LUV”

Quality Control’s rising new signee New Orleans rapper Young Greatness announces his new mixtape I Tried To Tell Em dropping July 24th via Quality Control. The mixtape features Yo Gotti, Quavo of Migos, Magnolia Chop, Sonyae-Elise and production by Jazze Pha, Cardo Got Wings, Nard & B, Honorable C.N.O.T.E and others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3UJOUplyAU

KEVIN GATES RELEASES NEW TRACK “KNO ONE”

Kevin Gates released a new track today “Kno One,” which is now available at all digital retailers (http://smarturl.it/GatesKnoOne). The song comes just before Gates embarks on the second round of his wildly successful “I Don’t Get Tired (#IDGT) Tour,” which kicks off next Tuesday, July 21st in Des Moines, IA (full itinerary below). “Kno One” premiered yesterday via The Fader and was produced by IKENNA FuNkEn and The Featherstones.

http://www.thefader.com/2015/07/09/kevin-gates-kno-one

GRIZZLY GATO “PORK BELLY”

Today marks the official release of “Pork Belly”, the animated video for the lead single off the new Grizzly Gato upcoming debut album “While You Were Sleeping” on Sub-Bombin Records. The mystique of Grizzly Gato, a recluse underground NY hip-hop group comprised of emcee/producer Grizzly Grimace & emcee Oddy Gato continues, with this upbeat joint encrypted with sharp-tongued wit- each rapper photo shopped with super human strength and spewing that filth.

MS MR UNVEILS BRAND NEW SINGLE “CRIMINALS”

With just a week remaining until the release of their explosive new album, How Does It Feel, music duo MS MR (Lizzy Plapinger and Max Hershenow) have unveiled their brand new single, “Criminals.” First shared by Zane Lowe on Apple’s Beats 1 World Record this week, listen to the shimmering and energetic pop anthem now:

http://smarturl.it/CriminalsStream

KENNY ROGERS TO RELEASE FIRST NEW CHRISTMAS ALBUM IN SEVENTEEN YEARS

While summer is only a few weeks old in the northern hemisphere, it’s important to remember that there are only 165 shopping days left until Christmas!

Country Music Hall of Fame member and one of the best-selling music artists of all time, Kenny Rogers, will be releasing his first new Christmas album in seventeen years via Warner Music Nashville / Warner Bros. this fall. Titled Once Again It’s Christmas, the festive set will be Rogers’ first Christmas release since 1998’s Christmas From The Heart and his sixth Christmas release overall.

Several special guest stars join Rogers on Once Again It’s Christmas, including Alison Krauss, Jennifer Nettles, Home Free, Jim Brickman, and Winfield’s Locket.

http://media.warnermusicnashville.com/kennyrogers/kennyrogerslifetime/

POSTÅAL VIDEO “FREEDOM”

POSTÅAL were introduced to each other in a cave. Distant cousins from costal towns on the British south Coast and French Bretagne region, they now put music together in Paris.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAfZzFnvmq8

FINE POINTS LP STREAM

Hover is very much a product of the West Coast, capturing the energy of the Pacific’s crashing waves, the peaceful vibe of the giant redwoods, and the warmth of the hazy California sun. Full of crystalline guitars, dreamy soundscapes, and cosmic fuzz tones, it’s a dynamic collection of songs that touch on growth, rebirth, acceptance, and self-discovery.

http://floodmagazine.com/18301/listen-fine-points-premiere-their-debut-album-hover/

NEW SINGLE BY THOMAS JACK

A new anthem for the summer has finally been unveiled, and it comes in the form of ‘Rivers’ – an original single from tropical house tastemaker and globetrotting DJ/producer and Thomas Jack. ‘Rivers’ builds upon the sound’s usual laid-back style with an up-tempo summer cocktail of classical guitar flourishes, organic percussion, and infectious vocals from collaborators Jack McManus and Tim Woodcock.

‘Rivers’ was produced by Thomas Jack and the German progressive house artist JUNKX, and is being released on Pete Tong’s own FFRR Records.

http://smarturl.it/Riverss

MEW USES FACEBOOK TO RECRUIT FANS FOR NEW “WITNESS” MUSIC VIDEO

Danish alt-rockers Mew enlisted a group of devoted fans to appear in the video for the band’s new single, the radio-friendly post-punk-with-a-voluminous-sing-along-chorus song “Witness,” debuting today. The band put a call-out on their Facebook page, inviting fans to come to the Republique Theatre in Copenhagen early last month to dance while the band performed the track.

KRANIUM X TY DOLLA $IGN

For the first time New York has its own Dancehall star. Born Kemar Donaldson in Montego Bay, Jamaica but raised in Jamaica Queens, 24 year old Kemar aka Kranium has established himself in a very short time as one of the hottest international dancehall artists with his hits “Nobody Has To Know,” “Lifestyle,” and “History”. Everything started in the dancehall parties in his Jamaica Queens neighborhood and the New York dancehall scene. Since he began recording in late 2008 Kranium always had a popular song in rotation.

JACK GARRATT PREMIERES VIDEO FOR NEW TRACK “WEATHERED”

British singer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Jack Garratt premieres the video for his new song “Weathered” today on Vevo. Directed by Andrew Donoho (The Gaslight Anthem, Meg Myers), the nostalgia-tinged video was shot in Georgia and follows the camping adventures of three real-life brothers, perfectly capturing the song’s mood and swirling atmospherics.

http://www.vevo.com/watch/GBUV71500551

RØMANS’ “UH HUH” VIDEO PREMIERES AT COMPLEX

The video for RØMANS’ single “Uh Huh” is premiering today at Complex who praises, “’Uh Huh’ is plainly and clearly a snappy, well-considered piece of pop music with an infectious hook that can’t be underestimated. If you’re having a bad day, put this video on, turn the volume right up and watch until the end of time.”

http://www.complex.com/music/2015/07/premiere-romans-uh-huh-video

THE KARMA KILLERS RELEASE NEW MUSIC VIDEO FOR “DOMINO”

Explosive New Jersey rockers the Karma Killers – Micky James (vocals/guitar), Mango (bass/vocals), Billy Stevens (guitar/vocals), and Josh Grigsby (drums) – are heavily influenced by classic rock, punk rock, and soul, which has guided them to creating their alternative sound, described by them as “Night Pop.” Their sound combines vibes of New York (Ramones, the Strokes), L.A. (Beach Boys, Bangles), London (David Bowie, Duran Duran), and beyond (Nirvana, Garbage).

MIGOS INTERVIEW VIA ROLLING STONE

On the heels of releasing their highly successful debut clothing line Young Rich Nation that’s been selling out across the country, their hit track “Fight Night” has officially been certified Gold by the RIAA. Further solidifying that it’s their time, Migos were recently profiled in Rolling Stone magazine who then crowned them “Atlanta’s hottest rap group.” The print issue hits newsstands July 31st. Read the full story here:

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/features/migos-young-rich-and-outrunning-trouble-20150624

RANDY VALENTINE NEW SINGLE “MAMA SAID”

“Mama Said” is the second single from Randy Valentine’s chart topping EP “Still Pushing” which was released on May 1st. Produced by Joe Ariwa (son of legendary dub producer Mad Professor), the instrumental is an adaptation of Augustus Pablo classic “Cassava Piece Riddim” with a Heavy dub bass-line and drums which align themselves perfectly with RV’s melodic voice.

13-YEAR-OLD SINGER/SONGWRITER SKYLAR STECKER SIGNS WITH CHERRYTREE RECORDS/INTERSCOPE

13-year-old singer songwriter Skylar Stecker has signed with pop alternative label Cherrytree Records / Interscope. The Wisconsin native, whose YouTube channel has over 25 million views and 280,000 subscribers, is gearing up to release her full-length debut album This Is Me due out on September 25th.

“Since the Cherrytree Music Company’s inception in 2005, we’ve been drawn to label artists and management clients with singular voices and strong points of view,” said Martin Kierszenbaum, Chairman of the Cherrytree Music Company. “When I first met Skylar, I was immediately struck by her extraordinary vocal timbre, intonation and control. Her poise and talent for songwriting were just as remarkable. I don’t think I could be more excited to welcome her to our boutique Cherrytree roster.”

http://skylarstar.com/

MADONNA RELEASES REMIX VIDEO FOR “BITCH I’M MADONNA” TODAY

Madonna released a remix version of “Bitch I’m Madonna” today on VEVO. The video, directed by longtime Madonna collaborator Jonas Åkerlund (Ghosttown, Music, Ray of Light), is cut to the Sander Kleinenberg’s remix of the epic track and features both additional footage and remixed footage of the original video.

http://www.vevo.com/watch/USUMV1400669