Once again blazing trails for Dance Music, genre icon TIËSTO unlocked the new music video for his single “Red Lights”.
The song is the first to be released under his freshly cemented partnership with Casablanca Records and Republic Records, and it also gives audiences an initial taste of what’s to come from his fifth full-length album—due out later this year. “Red Lights” cruises ahead at full speed, merging kinetic house music energy and unforgettable pop prowess. It’s signature TIËSTO, but it also heralds the next phase for EDM.
TIËSTO is one of the most recognizable forces in the genre. He’s received the adoration of millions worldwide, garnered Grammy Award nominations, opened the 2004 Olympic Games, been named “The Greatest DJ of All Time” by Mixmag and the “#1” DJ by Rolling Stone, partnered with Guess and AKG for his own brands, headlined festivals worldwide including Ultra Music Festival, and Electric Daisy Carnival, launched the “Club Life” channel on Sirius XM, and hosted a storied 20-month residency at Hakkasan Las Vegas Restaurant and Nightclub and Wet Republic pool party at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino.
Akon is officially back with the worldwide release of his new single “So Blue”. The multi-platinum superstar, producer, and entrepreneur debuts the music video for “So Blue” exclusively on VEVO. The track serves as a prelude to his forthcoming fourth full-length album set for release early 2014 via Republic Records.
With over 12 million albums sold worldwide, five Grammy Award nominations, and 45 Billboard Hot 100 songs under his belt, Akon is simply unstoppable. His soulful voice and addictive lyrics have propelled countless hits across genres—from pop and R&B to hip hop and dance. In addition to his own chart-dominating singles, Akon has made a staggering 300 guest appearances for icons including Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Gwen Stefani, Lil Wayne, R. Kelly, and Eminem.
Never content to rest on his laurels, Akonhas recently turned his longtime dream of working in Hollywood into a reality. This summer, he landed his first major movie role and will appear alongside costars Adrien Brody, Hayden Christensen and Jordana Brewster in the upcoming indie action thriller “American Heist”, a remake of the 1959 Steve McQueen movie “The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery.” Akon made his acting debut in Jeta Amata’s stirring motion picture “Rise Up”; a fictionalized account of true events that tells the story of an educated Nigerian girl’s return to her rural community to become the leader of a local movement fighting against the polluting oil company. Akon joined a stellar cast including Mickey Rouke, Kim Bassinger, Anne Heche, and Vivica A. Fox. After a successful introduction on the international film festival circuit in 2012, Akon is currently in the studio scoring the soundtrack for the film’s U.S. theatrical release slated for spring 2014.
Multiplatinum recording artist Coldplay will release the first track from the official soundtrack album for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, it was announced today by Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF) and Republic Records, marking the first time Coldplay has ever recorded an original song for a motion picture. The song, titled “Atlas,” is scheduled to be available via iTunes and all digital retailers on August 26, 2013. Republic Records is again teaming up with Lionsgate to release the soundtrack in advance of Lionsgate distributing the film on screens worldwide on November 22, 2013.
“I have great respect and admiration for Coldplay, and we are thrilled with how well they have connected to the themes and ideas within the film,” said filmmaker Francis Lawrence. “Their unwavering passion and excitement for the project elevated the collaboration even further, and we can’t wait to share this music with audiences around the world.”
“We are so honored that Coldplay, one of the iconic rock bands of our generation, will perform the first song out on the new soundtrack,” said Tracy McKnight, Lionsgate’s Head of Film Music. “Knowing that Chris Martin is a fan of the books makes this even more meaningful. The Coldplay single underscores the stature of recording artists we’ve assembled for this powerful soundtrack.”
Monte Lipman, Chairman & CEO of Republic Records, stated, “The creative alliance between Coldplay and The Hunger Games franchise will create a level of excitement and anticipation of epic proportions.”
Coldplay is one of the top recording artists of recent times, selling over 60 million records worldwide and winning seven Grammy Awards and five MTV Video Awards, among other honors. They are signed to Parlophone, the legendary label known for The Beatles, Radiohead, Queen, David Guetta and more.
The first installment of The Hunger Games was the 13th highest-grossing North American release of all time on its way to grossing nearly $700 million at the worldwide box office.
This is the first in a series of highly anticipated announcements of the new artists to be revealed in the coming weeks.
The first Hunger Games partnership between Republic Records and Lionsgate yielded the Grammy Award-winning, chart-dominating The Hunger Games: Songs From District 12 And Beyond executive produced by T Bone Burnett.
The album hit #1 on the Billboard Top 200 on its release with sales over 175,000, making it the first soundtrack to top the chart since November 2009. It was the best-selling soundtrack of 2012, the fastest selling soundtrack ever at iTunes, and was certified gold by the RIAA shortly after its release. The album earned a Golden Globe Award nomination and three Grammy Award nominations, and its first single, Taylor Swift’s “Safe & Sound” featuring The Civil Wars, won the 2013 Grammy Award for “Best Song Written for Visual Media”.
ABOUT THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE The Hunger Games: Catching Fire begins as Katniss Everdeen (played by Jennifer Lawrence) has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark (played by Josh Hutcherson). Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a “Victor’s Tour” of the districts. Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) – a competition that could change Panem forever. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is directed by Francis Lawrence, and produced by Nina Jacobson’s Color Force in tandem with producer Jon Kilik. The novel on which the film is based is the second in a trilogy written by Suzanne Collins that has sold over 50 million copies in print in the U.S. alone.
Yeah, I know — I shoulda posted this yesterday…woopsies.
Anyways, The Lonely Island is coming out with a new album and they have an announcement to make. See below.
The Lonely Island, the comedic rap trio comprised of Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone, will release the highly anticipated The Wack Album on Tuesday, June 11th. The group’s third studio effort onRepublic Recordswill include new songs featuring Pharrell Williams, T-Pain, Billie Joe Armstrong, Solange, and other special guests to be revealed. These artists join previously announced collaborators Adam Levine, Kendrick Lamar, Justin Timberlake, and Lady Gaga.
Beginning, well, yesterday – the group is kicking off “Wack Wednesdays” on their YouTube channel. Every Wednesday leading up to the release of The Wack Album, they will debut new content including music videos, exclusive announcements, and world premieres of tracks. These videos will also be distributed on twitter via @thelonelyisland with #wackwednesdays.
Here’s the first video of The Wack Wednesdays Series:
The Lonely Island recently released The Wack Album’s lead single, “YOLO” (feat. Adam Levine and Kendrick Lamar), which has garnered over 40 million views on YouTube in only three months. The trio also boasts a staggering 1.2 billion overall views on their YouTube channel. Their 2011 album Turtleneck & Chain, which debuted at #3 on Billboard, was nominated for a Grammy® in the category of “Best Comedy Album” and featured such talents as Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, Snoop Dogg, Santigold, and Beck. The album’s first smash single “I Just Had Sex” (feat. Akon) was certified platinum. The second single, “The Creep” (feat. Nicki Minaj and John Waters) has over 74 million YouTube views. Additional singles, “Jack Sparrow” (feat. Michael Bolton) has 105 million views and “Threw It On The Ground” has 52 million views on YouTube.
Their 2009 debut album, Incredibad, included Emmy® winning sensation “D*** In A Box,” featuring Justin Timberlake. The album also featured the follow-up gold records “J**z In My Pants” and “Like a Boss” which have over 234 million views combined on YouTube. The Grammy® nominated third single “I’m On A Boat” (feat. T-Pain) went platinum and catapulted the album into over 430,000 copies sold making it the #1 selling comedy album in 2009 and 2010. The trio established themselves with the enormously popular series of corresponding Digital Shorts for their singles, which were frequently featured on Saturday Night Live beginning with the debut of the pop culture sensation “Lazy Sunday” in 2005.
Youngblood Hawke has a special treat for its fans. Right now, the Los Angeles indie pop quintet are giving away the song “Dannyboy” for free here – simpy enter your email address in exchange.
Given the fervent excitement surround their impending album; the group has partnered up with iTunes to unveil their full-length debut, Wake Up [Republic Records], a week early on the iTunes store. It’ll be available exclusively on iTunes April 23, and it will hit all other retailers one week later on April 30, its official release date.
The band is hot off of string of sold out headlining shows up and down the West Coast along with ten smoking SXSW appearances. They’ll be hitting on the road again starting April 19th in Austin, TX (all dates below). You can also use the hashtag #YBHtour while the band is on the road.
“We Come Running” has become a ubiquitous anthem in its own right. With danceable cadence and a massive refrain, the song resounds with arena-ready energy. The group recently performed the standout track live on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, which you can watch here. Plus, its music video has some real teeth, featuring an audience of sharks and the submersed band members. Consistently drawing attention, the clip recently surpassed 1.5 million views on YouTube/VEVO and counting.
Upcoming Youngblood Hawke Tour Dates:
4/19 – Austin, TX – Parish
4/20 – Houston, TX – Buzzfest at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
4/22 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade
4/23 – Charlotte, NC – Visulite Theatre
4/24 – Nashville, TN – Mercy Lounge
4/25 – Columbia, MO – Mojos
4/27 – Dallas, TX – Dallas Stadium
5/3 – Tampa, FL – Florida Sunshine Festival
5/5 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheatre
5/6 – Minneapolis, MN – Triple Rock Social Club
5/7 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
5/8 – Detroit, MI – Shelter
5/9 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
5/13 – New York, NY – Santos Party House
5/14 – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall
5/15 – Washington, DC – U Street Music Hall
5/21 – Santa Ana, CA – The Observatory
5/22 – Los Angeles, CA – Avalon
5/23 – San Francisco, CA – Popscene
5/25 – Portland, OR – The Hawthorne Theatre
5/26 – George, WA – Sasquatch Festival @ The Gorge
5/27 – Vancouver, BC – Vogue
6/22 – Dover, DE – Firefly Music Festival
7/02 – Milwaukee, WI – Summerfest
7/03 – Orlando, FL – WXXI
7/12 – Cincinnati, OH – Bunbury Festival
7/13 – Canton, OH – WHBC QuickLounge
Back in November last year, I posted about The Last Bison with a free download of their track, “Switzerland.” (You can see the post here.) Well now, The Last Bison has officially arrived with the release of their full-length debut album, Inheritance via Republic Records. In support of the release, the band is currently on the road through mid-April, including stops at SXSW, Savannah Stopover Festival, the Tree Fort Music Festival and more. The band also took time to film a BEAUTIFUL cover of M83’s “Midnight City,” which you can watch below.
The Virginia indie folk septet roams in its own pastures, threading together strands of classical, indie, and rock into a vibrant sonic patchwork, which the members have cleverly dubbed “mountaintop chamber.” The first single “Switzerland” whisks listeners away from the rustic heart of the American south into a cold European eve under the winter stars. It also elegantly evinces the group’s robust instrumental fusion and warm, wistful melodies.
The best kind of art is always a family affair, and Ben Hardesty fronts The Last Bison being joined by his dad Dan and sister Annah. Their ranks also include lifelong friends Andrew and Jay Benfante, Teresa Totheroh, and Amos Housworth.
Already, the sounds of the rustically soulful collective have resonated powerfully with the press with their Inheritance EP drumming up widespread acclaim. NPRencapsulate their enigmatic style calling it “classical-influenced Southern folk-rock,” while the LA Weekly praised them for being “At once epic and intimate, great-outdoorsy and fireside cozy.” PopMatters fittingly declared, “Are The Last Bison a Band to Watch in 2013? Most definitely.”
The Last Bison invite everyone to join their family now and enjoy Inheritance.
UPCOMING TOUR DATES:
3/05 – Athens, GA – The Melting Point
3/06 – Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic
3/07 – Savannah, GA – Savannah Stopover Music Festival
3/10 – Denton, TX – 35 Denton Music Festival
3/11 – Houston, TX – Fitzgerald’s Downstairs (free show)
3/12 – Austin, TX – Blackheart (Paste Magazine/Newport Folk Festival Showcase, 12am)
3/13 – Austin, TX – SXSW
3/15 – Austin, TX – The Wild Honey Pie Showcase @ Uncorked (900 E. 7th St, 3:45pm)
3/18 – Denver, CO – The Soiled Dove Underground
3/20 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
3/21 – Boise, ID – Tree Fort Music Festival
3/22 – Wenatchee, WA – Caffe Mela
3/23 – Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern
3/24 – Vancouver, BC – Media Club
3/26 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
3/29 – San Francisco, CA – The Rickshaw Stop
3/30 – Los Angeles, CA – The Mint
4/02 – La Jolla, CA – The Loft (UCSD)
4/05 – Kansas City, MO – The Record Bar
4/06 – Ames, IA – The Maintenance Shop (Iowa State University)
4/08 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue & 7th Street Entry
4/09 – Milwaukee, WI – Club Garibaldi
4/10 – Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern
4/12 – Bloomington, IN – The Bishop
4/13 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
4/14 – Louisville, KY – Uncle Slayton’s
The Royal Concept is offering a free download of their brand new single “World on Fire.” Available on their official site now, the track comes from the Swedish quartet’s forthcoming full-length album for LAVA Records/Republic Records, due out later this year.
Following up the band’s acclaimed self-titled debut EP, “World on Fire” blazes with sexy synths, an ’80s-style swing, and a danceable hook. Delivered with a spark of effusive charisma and cheeky lyrics, it’s primed to heat dance floors everywhere up. Frontman David Larson sings, “I see the world has gone mad.”
The band will be sharing the stage with alternative sensations Imagine Dragons and Atlas Genius for a string of dates in February.
Musically Amusing 