Pop Music

Alex Newell, who played the trans character Unique on Glee, is out with a great new dance track. Via press release: Big Beat recording artist Alex Newell has announced the release of his much-anticipated debut EP. “POWER” arrives at all DSPs on Friday, February 19th. “POWER” is preceded by the extraordinary new track, “This Ain’t Over,” which premiered yesterday, January …

David Bowie’s just-released album Blackstar will debut at #1 on Billboard’s album chart next week. It will be his first topper on that chart. Billboard reports: The set, which was released through ISO/Columbia Records on Jan. 8 (Bowie’s 69th birthday), could sell perhaps 130,000 albums in the week ending Jan. 14, according to industry forecasters, and debut at No. 1 …

I just love these. From the Guardian: By now, there is a good chance you have seen the YouTube video of James Corden and Adele singing songs together in a car. Thanks to endless shares and retweets on social media this morning, the video is currently inescapable. About 100,000 people an hour are viewing it. Someone could upload a video …

YouTube’s popular Taiwanese Animators abandoned their usual snark and bombast for a comparatively somber tribute to David Bowie. Watch below.

Well, fuck. The BBC reports: Singer David Bowie has died at the age of 69 from cancer. His son, film director Duncan Jones, confirmed the news and a statement was issued on his social media accounts. “David Bowie died peacefully today surrounded by his family after a courageous 18-month battle with cancer,” it said, asking for privacy for his family. …

1.2 million views in 48 hours. Pink News reports: India’s first trans pop band has released its début single. Hum Hain Happy is a Bollywood inspired cover of Pharrell Williams’ ridiculously catchy 2013 hit Happy. The band, who sing in Hinglish – a blend of Hindi and English – is comprised of six trans women from Mumbai, who were selected …

It’s a year of reunions for the headliners. Via Billboard: Coachella announced its official lineup for 2016 on Monday (Jan. 4), with headliners Guns N’ Roses, LCD Soundsystem and Calvin Harris atop the bill. The two-weekend festival is scheduled for April 15-17 and 22-24. A Guns N’ Roses reunion for the event had previously been confirmed to Billboard via multiple …

Well, damn. Via the New York Daily News: Chart-topping R&B singer Natalie Cole, who followed her legendary father into the music business with hits like “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)” and “Unforgettable,” died at age 65. “Natalie Cole, sister beloved & of substance and sound. May her soul rest in peace,” tweeted the Rev. Jesse Jackson on New Year’s …

All hail the Queen of Soul! Hail, yeah. Carole King’s reactions are priceless. Vulture recaps: Aretha Franklin graced the Kennedy Center Honors stage to pay tribute to Carole King, one of six honorees this year. Aretha received that same honor more than two decades ago, but if you think she deserved it then, hoo boy, just look at her now: …

Vocativ reports: Spotify is facing a $150 million class action lawsuit—led by David Lowery, the frontman for the band Cracker—arguing that Spotify hasn’t been securing the proper licenses for all of the music it offers, and hasn’t been paying royalties to all deserving parties. Using his own tracks as examples, Lowery claims that Spotify has been willfully operating in this …

Backed by a full orchestra, 70s disco divas The Three Degrees performed a medley of their hits last week at the Max Proms in the Netherlands. The group is due to release a tribute to Philly soul/disco which includes covers of hits by The O-Jays, The Trammps, McFadden & Whitehead, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, and more. Their lineup …

Via the Guardian: Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister, founding member and singer in the British heavy metal band Motörhead, has died at the age of 70 shortly after learning he had been diagnosed with cancer. The band announced on their Facebook page that Lemmy learned of the disease on 26 December, and was at home when he died. Lemmy, born Ian Fraser …

Long-awaited news for mop-top fans via Rolling Stone: The Beatles have announced they’ll activate their famous catalog on every on-demand streaming service, from Spotify to Apple Music, as of midnight on December 24th and the record business has one overwhelming reaction: What took them so long? “It’s surprising they didn’t do it this time last year,” says Terry McBride, manager …

“Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox are ringing in the holidays with an Andrews Sisters-style cover of Last Christmas, the 1984 pop hit from English duo Wham! The video, which features vocalists Sara Niemietz, Cristina Gatti, Ariana Savalas and tap dancer Melinda Sullivan, can be seen below.”

Australians still love their flash mobs. Via the Daily Mail: Thousands flocked to Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach on Saturday to escape the searing heat, but were instead treated to a Christmas flash mob – hosted by two gloriously confident drag queens. Dancing to the tune of Kylie and Dannii Minogue’s latest single ‘100 degrees,’ bare-chested men and bikini-clad women wearing …

Billboard interviewed Grand about the new single: Singer/songwriter Steve Grand delivered a last-minute Christmas gift on Monday (Dec. 21) with his new song and sexy video — a cover of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” Grand — whose debut album All American Boy bowed at No. 3 on the Independent Albums chart earlier in 2015 — …

In her cover story interview with TIME Magazine, Adele looks forward to meeting her toddler son’s future girlfriend OR boyfriend. From the interview: Releasing the biggest album of the year comes along with a demanding promotional schedule, but Adele says having her son Angelo, 3, along for the ride actually helped. “The other day I was saying, ‘Oh God, I’m …

Yes. Squeeze. Via Pop Matters: Legendary English pop band Squeeze released a new album, Cradle to the Grave, on November 27th and it’s their highest charting UK release to date, entering the charts at #12. Just goes to show that pop masters’ talents never dim and the record displays the band’s patented combination of memorable melodies and clever lyrics. “Cradle …

Last night at Manhattan’s Terminal 5, Sleater-Kinney vocalist Carrie Brownstein brought out her Portlandia costar Fred Armisen to perform Fred Schneider’s parts in their terrific cover of the 1979 B-52s classic, Rock Lobster. More from Stereogum: Armisen took the role seriously, banging on a cowbell and wearing a salmon-colored sport coat and falling to the floor and pretending to swim …

“Dame Shirley Bassey & vocal trio BLAKE release their unique festive single ‘The Christmas Song’ on December 18th.”