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dick clark productions and NBC today announced additional performers for the “2020 Billboard Music Awards,” including superstars Demi Lovato, Sia and En Vogue. Hosted by Kelly Clarkson, the “2020 Billboard Music Awards” will broadcast live from The Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC.
Performances will tie in powerful and moving social justice messages as Demi Lovato will give a world premiere performance of new music, Sia, in a rare television appearance, will perform her latest single, “Courage to Change,” and En Vogue, celebrating their 30th anniversary, will give a timely performance of their anthem, “Free Your Mind.”
Smokescreens shares new single “Working Title” about reaching your breaking point”
‘Working Title’ is a song about being at your wit’s end and wanting time to stop so you can catch your breath. For me it was a long time job I had that ground me down slowly over the years. I was there until I finally reached a breaking point. The song was written after that breaking point.” -Chris Rosi, Smokescreens
New Music: Canadian duo Flõstate fuse indie electro and pop in sophomore single “Home Ground”
“Flõstate.. create a mesmerizing downtempo number with “Home Ground”. Beginning with gentle chimes and warm piano tones, the song seduces from the get-go, as Florence’s sultry and sinuous vocals enter into the mix alongside mellow beats.” – Pop Matters
ROYAL & THE SERPENT TO JOIN YUNGBLUD ON HIS ‘THE WEIRD TIME OF LIFE’ DIGITAL TOUR
Following the breakout success of her track “Overwhelmed,” Royal & The Serpent has been tapped to join YUNGBLUD on his ‘The Weird Time of Life’ global digital tour, kicking off November 16th and spanning 16 dates across the globe. Each show will be a unique localized experience with full-scale production.
London Grammar Announce New Album Release Date, New Single & Video Out Now
‘Californian Soil’ is the irrefutably beautiful third record from London Grammar which took root from a moment of intense transformation for frontwoman Hannah Reid. After a long and frustrating period of feeling powerless over her own path as an artist, the singer/songwriter decided to claim her role as leader of the British trio, a shift that soon restored her clarity of purpose. With the unequivocal support of bandmates Dan Rothman and Dot Major, Reid guided the band through the making of their most dynamic album yet, a decidedly feminist and utterly transportive body of work.
B R I Q U E V I L L E: Cvlt Nation Debuts Quelle Full-Length From Masked Post-Metal Collective
Writes Cvlt Nation of the offering, “What does an isolated mind sound like? That’s what Belgian post-rock band B R I Q U E V I L L E set out to find when they began recording their new record Quelle in the COVID-19 world. I don’t know about you, but when the world seemed to change overnight, I immediately began anticipating the art and music that would emerge from the confusion and disorientation we found ourselves in. So we’re really excited to be sharing this album: a true time capsule for a year that none of us will forget. It’s eerie and harsh, and at the same time comforting and uplifting – a perfect soundtrack for a year that’s brought us utter destruction and death and at the same time as many of us are awakening and ascending….”
Hear destruction, death, awakening, Ascending on B R I Q U E V I L L E ‘Quelle’ Full Album Stream
Cerrone’s Supernature Soundtracks New Gucci Ad Campaign
French disco icon Cerrone released his iconic anthem “Supernature” back in 1977, his first #1 record on the US dance chart and arguably the magnum opus of the legendary musician’s career. The song was recently tapped to soundtrack Gucci’s new tailoring ad campaign featuring Tyler, The Creator, A$AP Rocky and Iggy Pop – who are seen gallivanting around a lush Hollywood hills home, adorned with the latest Gucci garbs (and some exotic birds).
Blacc Cuzz – “Dope” (Official Audio)
Dream Big Empire rapper and recording artist Blacc Cuzz presents a new banger for the hustlers, “Dope”. Jumping off the porch waist deep into the streets of Lincoln Ave, a young wild Blacc Cuzz rose quickly before hitting rock bottom as a youngin’. Resilient, he bounced back with a Corvette at 16. A decade later and Blacc Cuzz’s lyrics take you on the journey he blazed to bulldoze his way up from being down on his ass.
Featured in Times Square – ‘Loverboy’ Dream-Pop Album Out Now
Garnering 200K streams in its first weekend of release, Loverboy showcases McCoppin in his truest form, holding a sense of innocence as it further dives into his ’80s tinged dance-pop sound yet also explores the softer romantic pop side of the artist as well.
Wytch Hazel Unveils New Song “Dry Bones”
Lancashire’s soaring hard rock sect, Wytch Hazel, will release its shimmering new album, ‘Wytch Hazel III: Pentecost’, on October 30 via independent underground label Bad Omen Records (Satan’s Satyrs, Spell). Recorded by ex-Purson multi-instrumentalist Ed Turner, the quadruple-tracked record imbues a rich, anthemic late night drivetime vibe, passionately embracing the most high-end, smash-hit classic rock and heavy metal circa its late 1970’s heyday. ‘Wytch Hazel III: Pentecost’ succeeds the band’s 2018 sophomore release, ‘II: Sojourn’, and 2016 debut, ‘Prelude’, glorified by Under the Radar as “an invocation of rock and roll at its purest and, more specifically, of all that made the New Wave of British Heavy Metal in the late ’70s so special”.
CANNONS RELEASE CINEMATIC NEW VIDEO FOR “FIRE FOR YOU”
Today, alternative / electro-pop band CANNONS have released the official video for their latest hit “Fire for You.” The visual, directed by Ryan Rundle, follows a broken-hearted bride, played by CANNONS front woman Michelle Joy, as she seemingly flees the altar with her best men (bandmates Ryan and Paul) and seeks comfort out on the town.
beabadoobee Releases “How Was Your Day?” Single & Video
“’How Was Your Day?’ is a track that explores all the relationships I neglected when I was away from home” Bea explains, “I wanted to emphasise the rawness of the lyrics with the song sonically which is why I recorded it on a four-track with all the little mistakes and vocal wobbles included. I wanted the music video to feel nostalgic to me, to include all the people I cared about, it took me back to the time I first started making music.”
GWAR Releases “Sick of You” Live Video
Beefcake the Mighty opined; “Oh Oderus, alas, how we miss your bellicose belligerence! Our fans always want us to play the song ‘Sick of You,’ so naturally, we hate playing it and try to avoid it wherever we can. It really is the most ridiculous GWAR song there is. So, enjoy this tidbit Ding Dongs!”
Runnner Releases “One of One” EP
Runnner is the project of LA-based songwriter and producer Noah Weinman. Sometimes working alone, other times acting as a musical collective with a close group of friends, Runnner fuses intimate songwriting with experimental production to create what he jokingly refers to as “bandcamp songs for soundcloud kids.”
Lunchbox premieres their “I Really Wanna Know” video
Lunchbox’s Tim Brown and Donna McKean have been making records in their Oakland, California basement for two decades, inspired by 1960s/70s AM-radio pop and TV show theme music, punk, C86, and mod à la The Creation and The Jam. From the sonically-inventive indiepop of The Magic of Sound (1999) to the dub-influenced psychedelia of Evolver (2001) to the critically-acclaimed bubblegum of Lunchbox Loves You (2013), the couple have established a sound all their own.
SINGER/SONGWRITER RENCE RELEASES PERFORMANCE VISUALIZER FOR “STRAWBERRY BLONDE
Sharing real life snapshots in song, Rence magnifies his personal perspective through a genre-less palette, bordering pop, alternative, electro, indie and hip-hop all at once, yet never dipping into one for too long. He introduced himself on the breakthrough independent project, Pink. The lead single “Baby Blue” racking up nearly 10 million streams. Peers such as Lauv, Chelsea Cutler and FLETCHER lent support as critical acclaim came from Hilly Dilly, Lyrical Lemonade, Ones To Watch, Elevator Magazine, and more.
U.K. Artist Keeley Forsyth Releases Ominous EP “Photograph”
Forsyth’s genius as a composer and performer has fascinated the U.K. market. With the release of her stunning new material on Photograph and title track set for international release as the first single on September 30, she’s poised to breakout in the U.S. in 2020/2021.
New Video! Jegotit “Kobe (Bean)”
Jegotit grew up on the Northside of Stockton to a single mother. At an early age he felt the calling to create. Whether it was freestyling or on the football field, it gave him a freedom that he craved. After graduating from Cezar Chavez High in 2013 he turned to the streets for answers and found them in the studio. His versatile deliveries are influenced by the diverse exposure to everything from reality hip hop artists such as 2pac and woke artists like J Cole to Linkin Park and Blink 182. Never putting limits on his work is something that Jegotit embraces in his music. Touching on the painful topics such as depression, self esteem issues, to music that starts the party, the goal in the end is have a good time. This up and coming heartbreaker has a sound that can resonate with any audience.
Tiger Kid – New Single “Ever On”
Tiger Kid is a Los Angeles-based solo project and the brainchild of vocalist/instrumentalist Michael Canton, who has a new single, “Ever On” available now.
Tiger Kid combines the music of throwback melodic hard rock with lyrics that focus on aggressive self-affirmations, dealing with everything from anxiety and unrealized potential, to our place in the universe and our right to be here.
Amy Winehouse 2 NEW BOXSETS ‘12×7: The Singles Collection’ (US) And ‘THE COLLECTION’ (US)
A 7″ singles box set comprising all of Amy Winehouse’s memorable singles from the Frank, Back To Black and Lioness: Hidden Treasures albums will be released on November 20. Featured tracks include “Stronger Than Me,” “Rehab” and “Love Is A Losing Game,” all of which won the Ivor Novello Award for Amy in 2004, 2007 and 2008. The set also includes the Grammy® Award-winning “Body and Soul,” a duet with the legendary Tony Bennett. The singles will be housed in individual picture sleeves and pressed on black vinyl. The deluxe box also features a 20-page lyrics booklet and a set of art cards.
Several years in the making, SERPENTS OF SECRECY has been through overwhelming grief creating the Ave Vindicta album. Following a CD single release in 2017, bassist Rev. Jim Forrester (also of Sixty Watt Shaman, Foghound) was murdered on the streets of Baltimore. The band spread the word to help track down the killers while dealing with their own personal loss of their dear friend, while leaving the record to the side as it was just too painful to hear. Finding solace in the fact that Jim would have wanted the album to see completion and release, the band finally forged their way through and locked into the final stages of creating the record. Having completed the record in recent weeks, the band is now extremely proud of the final product and is ready to present Ave Vindicta. The album will see release on Halloween, Forrester’s favorite holiday.
ANSON Releasing New Single “Runaway” On October 23
Of the track, ANSON says, “I wrote “Runaway” in early 2019 after a pretty long day of grinding it out at my day job. For me, this song is about the longing for more in my life that I rarely voice on the day to day. The dream of running away from the mundane in search of something better. To follow my dreams and not wither away in the hustle of just staying afloat. I think we all get a little lost in our lives and forget the goals that we started with. This song is an ode to that and a hope to one day break the system.”
PPE developed for musical instrument instruction
OrchKids, a music program designed to create social change and nurture promising futures for Baltimore City youth, was looking for a personal protective equipment (PPE) solution that would allow them to safely deliver instrumental music instruction amid the pandemic (once they are able to do so). Currently, in partnership with Baltimore City Public Schools, they are offering online programming only, so OrchKids contacted Shield Pals, a Maryland-based PPE manufacturer and retailer, to help brainstorm and develop solutions.
The flute, for example, is considered a “super spreader” due to how one blows air through the instrument, so creative solutions to keep both students and staff safe during lessons on a variety of musical instruments, from tubas to flutes to bassoons and more, was paramount. One solution that came out of the collaboration was “bell covers” to cover various woodwind and brass instruments’ bells to dampen air flow that may otherwise increase the risk of air droplets potentially containing the virus that causes COVID-19 spreading from student to teacher.
ELUCID & The Lasso are SMALL BILLS (New Single & Video)
Today, Small Bills released their first video for the song “ET Diamond (feat. Koncept Jack$on).” The track is hard jargon and next level style from the Detroit based producer The Lasso and NYC’s E L U C I D. The video was shot by 7th Flow productions in Bedford Stuyvesant. Stereogum calls it “an oblique and absorbing piece of art-rap.” The track is another brilliant example of The Lasso’s ability to create soundscapes without limit or range. The production is a glossy industrial night ride that gives E L U C I D and Koncept Jack$on room to roam the dark.
