Neal

Bop Shop: Songs From Rosalía, Benee, Wallows, And More

The search for the ever-elusive “bop” is difficult. Playlists and streaming-service recommendations can only do so much. They often leave a lingering question: Are these songs really good, or are they just new? Enter Bop Shop, a hand-picked selection of songs from the MTV News team. This weekly collection doesn’t discriminate by genre and can include anything — it’s a snapshot of what’s on our minds and what sounds good. We’ll keep it fresh with the latest music, but expect a few oldies (but goodies) every once in a while, too. Get ready: The Bop Shop is now open for business. Benee: “Beach Boy” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS4ST7_Bd5E A few years after “Supalonely” went supernova, Benee has settled into a slightly more melancholic sound with “Beach Boy.” Such a sonic turn isn’t surprising given the encroaching darkness found on her great debut album Hey U X. But it is certainly welcome, like a cloudy day at the water you’re determined to make the best of. —Patrick Hosken Rosalía: “Saoko” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o7bCAZSxsg Combining industrial elements, a free-jazz breakdown, and an unrelenting rhythm that pays homage to the reggaeton greats, Rosalía’s latest finds her delving into hip-hop as eagerly as its accompanying video sees her join a biker gang…. Read More →

04FEBNews

Saba Is Relishing The Few Good Things

By Grant Sharples In 2018, the Chicago-born rapper Saba released his breakthrough sophomore album, Care For Me. It was a poignant exploration of grief, life, and innocence, built on piano-driven compositions that belied Saba’s trademark rapid-fire delivery and laser-sharp focus. The record rightfully earned him a bigger audience, which materialized in the form of year-end accolades and a level-up from clubs to theaters, but he doesn’t want to rest on his laurels. “One of our goals was to make the anti-Care For Me,” Saba explains to MTV News. Working alongside co-producers daedaePIVOT and Daoud, Saba frequently referenced his previous album in terms of what not to do for its follow-up. “It’s like, ‘Alright. The last album was great. Let’s never mention it ever again!’” His third LP, Few Good Things, is remarkably different from his previous work. The album’s lead single, “Fearmonger,” is notably more ebullient than the somber aura that permeated this record’s predecessor — the same downbeat energy that made it so gripping and beloved. Saba attributes this radical change to personal growth. “You’re a different person than the person you were five years ago,” Saba says. “My thing, especially with my fans and stuff, I feel like… Read More →

04FEBNews

NCT’s Mark drops gloomy music video for first solo single ‘Child’

NCT member Mark Lee has dropped his first-ever solo single, ‘Child’, alongside its gloomy music video. READ MORE: NCT 2021 – ‘Universe’ review: an electrifying statement of cosmic proportions Unveiled on February 4 at 6pm KST, the visual for ‘Child’ opens with Mark lying unconscious on a yellow sofa in the middle of a seemingly abandoned factory, before we cut to the rapper wandering aimlessly within a decrepit sun-tinted room. “I’m a child / I can’t be the person you want / Have a good night / No need for a lullaby,” he sings in the song’s pre-chorus. Advertisement The new self-composed and -written track is the latest addition to SM Entertainment’s ongoing ‘SM Station’ digital music project, and is the first under a new ‘SM Station’ project, dubbed ‘NCT Lab’,which will serve as a channel for the members of NCT to release new music, solo or otherwise, in the future. The ‘NCT Lab’ project will exist outside official NCT records to be released this year. Mark is also slated to make a comeback with NCT Dream this March, marking the boyband’s first music release since June 2021’s ‘Hello Future’, which itself was a repackaged version of May 2021’s ‘Hot Sauce’… Read More →

04FEBHit Singles

Anaïs Mitchell – Anaïs Mitchell

The first phase of the Covid crisis brought a rude interruption to normal life for Anaïs Mitchell. She was living in New York, in the ninth month of her pregnancy with her second child. Mitchell’s creative life was dominated, as it had been for some years, by the demands of Hadestown, the juggernaut of a musical which has grown from her folk opera about the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice (also the basis for her 2010 album). It’s hard, with the world now stuck in a state of numbed alarm, to remember the fearful reality of the early part of the pandemic, but Mitchell reacted by quitting the city and going back to Vermont. Mitchell’s family moved into her grandmother’s old house, just along the driveway from her childhood home. Her second daughter was born a week later. ORDER NOW: Johnny Marr is on the cover in the latest issue of Uncut Creatively, this enforced stillness offered a chance to refocus. “There was something about feeling kind of invisible,” she tells Uncut. “Maybe I felt I had more access to me in the music, and it didn’t matter what came out of it.” This fresh sense of perspective is clear… Read More →

03FEBNews

The Horrors lead 20 new additions to Wide Awake 2022 line-up

The Horrors are among the 20 new additions to the 2022 line-up of London’s Wide Awake festival. The event, which made its debut last year, will return to Brockwell Park in south London from May 27-28. READ MORE: Wide Awake Festival 2021 review: a portrait of a punk scene that’s still thriving After recently announcing Primal Scream and Bicep as their 2022 headliners, Wide Awake has now added 20 more names to their bill for this year. Advertisement As well as The Horrors, the likes of Dream Wife, Alex Cameron, Grove, Harry James, Katy J Pearson, KEG, Sorry, The Golden Dregs, The Lounge Society and The Umlauts have all joined the line-up for Wide Awake 2022. Wide Awake 2022 line-up Croatian Amor, Elena Colombi, Fulu Miziki, Identified Patient, Kiara Scuro, Marcus Harris, Melts, Modern Woman and Vladimir Ivkovic round off the other new additions to the bill. These acts join the already confirmed likes of Caribou, Working Men’s Club, Leon Vynehall, Floating Points and Yard Act on the Wide Awake 2022 line-up. Tickets for this year’s festival are on sale now, and you can find them and more information about Wide Awake 2022 by heading here. Advertisement The Horrors recently… Read More →

02FEBNews

Mickey Guyton and Jhené Aiko for Super Bowl performances

Country-singer Mickey Guyton and singer-songwriter Jhené Aiko have both announced they’ll be performing at the Super Bow LVI pre-game show. READ MORE: Grammys nominations 2022: Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, Justin Bieber, Olivia Rodrigo and J. Cole lead with most nods Guyton will be performing national anthem ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’, while Aiko will be singing ‘America The Beautiful’. Other performances slated before kick-off include, Yola signing ‘Life Every Voice and Sing’ with Gospel group Mary Mary and Zedd who will be serving as the pre-show DJ. Guyton confirmed the news via Twitter, sharing, “I am shook, I am grateful, I am praise dancing.” ??Look??at??God. I am shook, I am grateful, I am praise dancing… So excited to be singing the national anthem at #SBLVI on February 13th! @nfl @nbcsports pic.twitter.com/bDdpyt1rCb — Mickey Guyton (@MickeyGuyton) February 1, 2022 Advertisement This will be a full-circle moment for Gutyon, who, according to Rolling Stone decided to become a country singer after seeing LeAnn Rimes perform the national anthem at a baseball game. Guyton released her debut album ‘Remember Her Name’ in 2021, and is nominated for this year’s Best Country Album Grammy as well as Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance for… Read More →

02FEBNews

Little Simz to headline Glastonbury Festival’s West Holts stage

Little Simz has been announced as a headliner of the West Holts stage at Glastonbury Festival 2022. READ MORE: Little Simz live in London – record-busting rapper shines brighter than ever The rapper last played the stage in 2016 for a mid-afternoon set. She previously performed at the Worthy Farm, Somerset festival in 2019 when she took to the Park Stage. Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis revealed the news during a chat with BBC Radio 1’s Clara Amfo tonight (February 2). Advertisement Eavis said: “Little Simz…has just confirmed to headline the West Holts Stage.” As Emily Eavis just revealed during her chat with Clara Amfo on @bbcradio1 – the amazing @LittleSimz will headline the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury 2022! pic.twitter.com/ZhHwZvOGBU — Glastonbury Festival (@glastonbury) February 2, 2022 She added that Glastonbury is now “in full festival mode” as it prepares to host its first complete festival since the COVID pandemic forced two years of postponements. Last September, the stripped-back Live At Worthy Farm event was held as a replacement. Full line up will be March — Emily Eavis (@emilyeavis) February 2, 2022 This year’s Glastonbury will take place from June 22-26. So far, Billie Eilish has been confirmed to headline the Pyramid… Read More →

02FEBNews

Eminem, Dolly Parton, A Tribe Called Quest, And More Nominated For Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced the nominees for its upcoming class of 2022, and the crop of 17 artists it is considering for induction this year truly covers the expanse of popular music. From hip-hop pioneers to a few glossy pop superstars, a metal icon to a punk forerunner, and legends from the realms of country and Afrobeat, there’s a little something for everyone. Beck, Pat Benatar, Kate Bush, Devo, Duran Duran, Eminem, Eurythmics, Judas Priest, Fela Kuti, MC5, New York Dolls, Dolly Parton, Rage Against the Machine, Lionel Richie, Carly Simon, A Tribe Called Quest, and Dionne Warwick are all those up for potential induction. As ever, Greg Harris, the Rock Hall’s president and CEO, introduced this year’s nominees from inside the museum in Cleveland, Ohio today (February 2). “These 17 artists have had a massive impact on the music we all love and we celebrate each day inside the museum, he said in a video ahead of the announcement. https://www.instagram.com/p/CZe4PtWNEJQ/ It’s the first year of eligibility for Eminem, whose debut album, Infinite, was released in 1996, a few years before he reached superstar status. An artist becomes eligible for nomination at least 25 years… Read More →

01FEBNews

Warner Music Group scraps unrecouped debts for heritage artists

Warner Music Group has today (February 1) announced that it will be scrapping any unrecouped debt for artists who signed to the label before the year 2000. The move follows Sony Music’s announcement last year that it would begin to pay royalties from streaming and other revenue streams to thousands of artists who signed deals with the label before 2000 and were yet to recoup their advances. WMG, the world’s third largest music rights company, issued a statement confirming it would be following suit with the introduction of a “legacy unrecouped advances program”, which is set to be put into effect on July 1. Advertisement “[We’ve] announced a legacy unrecouped advances program where, for our artists and songwriters who signed to us before 2000 and didn’t receive an advance during or after 2000, we won’t apply their unrecouped advances to royalty statements for any period beginning July 1, 2022 or after,” Warner said in a statement (via Music Business Worldwide). “The program will also benefit other artist royalty participants such as producers, engineers, mixers and remixers.” Will Universal Music Group be next to disregard unrecouped balances? CREDIT: AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images This means that for any heritage artist whose monthly royalties were… Read More →

01FEBNews

Check out the ticket details for Burning Man Festival 2022

Burning Man has announced the ticket details for this year’s festival. The event will return to the Black Rock Desert, Nevada between August 28 and September 5, 2022, after the COVID pandemic forced the cancellation of both its 2020 and 2021 editions. READ MORE: Light your fire: this Burning Man doc will change the way you think about festivals Tickets for this year’s Burning Man will be available via multiple tier releases throughout the months leading up to the festival, the first being tomorrow’s FOMO Sale (February 2). Advertisement This initial batch will include higher-priced tickets – costing between $1,500 to $2,500 (£1,100 to £1,850) – with the aim of supporting Burning Man and the wider community that surrounds the event, as DJ Mag reports. Fans who opt to book through the FOMO Sale give low-income fans a chance to attend the event, as well as helping organisers to fund art grants. The next tier is the Ticket Aid Program – formerly known as the Low-Income Ticket Program – which provides access to lower-priced tickets for fans whose “applications demonstrate that their circumstances merit financial assistance and convey their intended engagement in Black Rock City in a meaningful contribution to… Read More →

01FEBNews

Bright Eyes announce plans to reissue their back catalogue and share new recordings

Bright Eyes have announced plans to reissue their entire back catalogue. READ MORE: Bright Eyes: “I hope our music makes people feel less alone” The band – comprised of Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis and Nate Walcot – will reissue all nine of their studio albums along with a Companion EP for each LP featuring new recordings of songs from the original release plus a cover version from an artist they found particularly inspiring at the time. They will kick off the campaign on May 27, with their first three albums – ‘A Collection Of Songs Written And Recorded 1995-1997’, 1998’s ‘Letting Off The Happiness’ and 2000 LP ‘Fevers And Mirrors’. You can view a trailer for their reissues below. Advertisement The band have also shared new recordings of ‘Falling Out Of Love At This Volume’, ‘Contrast And Compare’ featuring Waxahatchee and ‘Haligh, Haligh, A Lie, Haligh’ with Phoebe Bridgers, from the six track Companion EPS all of which you can listen to below. “It’s a meaningful way to connect with the past that doesn’t feel totally nostalgic and self-indulgent,” says Oberst of the series. “We are taking these songs and making them interesting to us all over again. I like that…. Read More →

31JANNews

Lewis Capaldi announces huge concert in Cardiff

Lewis Capaldi has announced a huge concert in Cardiff in the summer. READ MORE: The Big Read – Lewis Capaldi: “I make jokes because I’m comfortable with who I am” The singer-songwriter is set to play at Alexandra Head in Cardiff Bay on July 20 as part of The Bay Series. Tickets go on sale this Friday (February 4) at 10am and can be purchased here. The date comes in the middle of a busy UK tour in the summer, which will see him perform at Manchester Castlefield Bowl, along with dates in Glasgow and Ireland before wrapping up with two nights at The O2 in London. Advertisement He is also set to headline this year‘s Isle Of Wight Festival alongside Muse and Kasabian in June. Lewis Capaldi. CREDIT: Burak Cingi/Redferns Meanwhile, Bastille frontman Dan Smith recently revealed that he has been writing with Capaldi as the latter continues work on his second album. Capaldi released his debut record, ‘Divinely Uninspired To A Heavenly Extent’, in 2019. At the beginning of 2021, he announced he was taking a break from social media in order to focus on completing the LP’s follow-up. “I did some writing with [Capaldi] and it was… Read More →

31JANNews

Lizzo shares footage of her mother and grandmother reacting to her new song

Lizzo has continued to tease the imminent release of new music, sharing a video of her listening to a snippet of an unreleased song with her family. The video – originally posted to Lizzo’s TikTok page and then across to her Instagram account – sees the rapper and singer sitting in the car with both her grandmother and her mother. The three are seen nodding their heads and singing along to the song, which has been superimposed over the video’s original audio. The song in question, titled ‘Special’, is now projected to be the follow-up to last year’s Cardi B-featuring single ‘Rumors’. Advertisement Watch the footage below: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lizzo (@lizzobeeating) In the post’s caption, Lizzo notes that the footage is taken from “the first time I played my new music for my momma”. “I was nervous to post this,” she wrote. “Just know: If the ones you love support you – that’s all you need.” She continued this sentiment in her Instagram stories following the post, as documented by Music-News.com. Advertisement “I’ve always wanted to make my momma proud,” she wrote. “She told me she has ALWAYS been proud of me. She… Read More →

31JANHit Singles

Nils Lofgren removes his music from Spotify

Crazy Horse and E Street Band guitarist Nils Lofgren is the latest artist to announce he’s removing his music from Spotify in support of Neil Young. ORDER NOW: Johnny Marr is on the cover in the latest issue of Uncut READ MORE: Neil Young & The Crazy Horse – Barn review In a post shared to the Neil Young Archives on January 29, Lofgren expressed his solidarity with Young, actress Daryl Hannah and the doctors, scientists and nurses who have called out “Spotify for promoting lies and misinformation that are hurting and killing people”. “When these heroic women and men, who’ve spent their lives healing and saving ours, cry out for help you don’t turn your back on them for money and power. You listen and stand with them,” he wrote. Advertisement “As I write this letter, we’ve now gotten the last 27 years of my music taken off Spotify. We are reaching out to the labels that own my earlier music to have it removed as well. We sincerely hope they honor our wishes, as Neil’s labels have done, his.” “We encourage all musicians, artists and music lovers everywhere to stand with us all, and cut ties with Spotify.”… Read More →

28JANNews

Nija Has Penned No. 1 Hits For Plenty Of Pop Stars — Now It’s Her Turn

By Alex Gonzalez These days, Nija Charles doesn’t have much time to sleep. In between business meetings and sessions with artists for whom she is penning and producing tracks, the New Jersey-born multi-hyphenate is booked and busy. With a resume boasting platinum tracks for artists like Ty Dolla Sign, Ariana Grande, and Beyoncé, she has become one of the industry’s most in-demand songwriters. After years behind the boards, Nija (as she’s known professionally) is finally at the forefront with her debut EP Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn You, out today (January 28). Days before the EP’s release, she has been dealing with antsy fans demanding an update on the project, and perhaps even making “hella threats on [her] life,” as she tweeted. (Given the state of Stan Twitter, which she often lurks, this may or may not have been a joke.) The previous night, she had a studio session with Chlöe Bailey, producer London on da Track, and guitarist Omer Fedi. “I was actually telling [Chlöe] how I was so glad I actually went,” Nija tells MTV News, “because my day was going bad yesterday until the session, and we made two dope songs.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZC0Wq2IFes Despite her current prowess, Nija… Read More →

26JANNews

‘Rocket League’s Grimes Neon Nights event has begun

Rocket League has partnered with artist Grimes to bring players the new Neon Nights event featuring event specific toppers, decals and more. READ MORE: ‘Hidden Deep’ is a creepy puzzle-platformer with cool tools and amusing deaths Beginning today (January 26) and continuing until February 8, Psyonix has teamed up with Grimes to bring players a new Neon Nights themed event featuring new challenges, Grimes themed items and songs, and the return of the limited time Heatseeker Ricochet mode, as well as new Golden Moons. Also releasing today is their new song ‘Shinigami Eyes’ which is featured as part of the event. To celebrate the start of the event Grimes took part in an event on Rocket League’s Instagram Live hosted by Athena. In the live they spoke about their new songs and the new event. Advertisement The new items, songs, challenges and features of the Neon Nights event are as follows: New Event Challenges – players will be able to complete new event challenges to unlock items such as the ‘Player of Games’ and ‘Shinigami Eyes’ player anthems, Grimes themed Gravitator and Space Queen toppers, a braided trail, Grimes Decal, Grimes Wheels, Grimes Player Banner, Fireworks (Multichrome) Universal Decal, and Uncanny Boost. Return of Heatseeker… Read More →

26JANNews

Johnny Marr responds to Morrissey’s plea to stop mentioning him: “An ‘open letter’ hasn’t really been a thing since 1953”

Johnny Marr has responded to Morrissey‘s recent statement, in which the former Smiths frontman asked Marr to stop mentioning him when giving interviews. In a post on his Morrissey Central website, the controversial singer-songwriter wrote: “This is not a rant or an hysterical bombast. It is a polite and calmly measured request: Would you [Marr] please stop mentioning my name in your interviews?” “Would you please, instead, discuss your own career, your own unstoppable solo achievements and your own music? If you can, would you please just leave me out of it?” Advertisement Morrissey continued: “The fact is: you don’t know me. You know nothing of my life, my intentions, my thoughts, my feelings. Yet you talk as if you were my personal psychiatrist with consistent and uninterrupted access to my instincts.” In response, Marr took to Twitter today (January 26) and directly addressed Morrissey, writing: “An ‘open letter’ hasn’t really been a thing since 1953, It’s all ‘social media’ now. Even Donald J Trump had that one down. “Also, this fake news business… a bit 2021 yeah?” He then added the hashtag “#makeindiegreatagain” and, in a separate Instagram post, shared a photo of himself lounging in a hammock in the sea…. Read More →

26JANNews

Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun says she had to “cover” her emotions as a singer

Girls’ Generation vocalist and actress Seohyun has opened up about how she has evolved after embarking on her acting career. READ MORE: Yuju on her rebirth as a soloist: “Obviously, I’m really worried about doing this alone” In a recent interview with GQ Korea, the idol-actress shared that acting has given her an outlet to express her emotions more honestly. Seohyun also revealed that she had felt the need to hide her emotions while she was active as an idol. “When working as a singer, I often had to cover my emotions and maintain a poker face. This is because on stage, I had to be ‘well put together Seohyun,’” confessed the 30-year-old actress, as translated by Soompi. Advertisement The star went on to compare this to acting. “Acting is a secondhand creation, based on what I, Seo Ju-hyun (Seohyun’s real name), have experienced. So in each moment I can express my feelings more honestly,” she explained. “In the past when I felt like crying, I used to swallow the urge to cry,” she later shared. However, the singer and actress added that she has since learnt to embrace such emotions. “Nowadays, if there’s a moment when I want to… Read More →

26JANHit Singles

Neil Young wants his music removed from Spotify “immediately”

Neil Young wants his music “immediately” removed from Spotify, which he says is “spreading false information” about the COVID-19 vaccine. ORDER NOW: Johnny Marr is on the cover in the latest issue of Uncut READ MORE: Neil Young & The Crazy Horse – Barn review The legendary folk-rocker shared an open letter to his team Monday (January 24), formally requesting that they – his agents at Lookout Management and the corporate leadership at Warner Bros. – “act on this immediately” and keep Young “informed of the time schedule”, as Rolling Stone reports. He took particular aim at controversial podcaster Joe Rogan – a prominent skeptic of the COVID-19 vaccine who has a $100million exclusivity contract with Spotify – pointing out the widespread misinformation shared through his podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. Advertisement “Please immediately inform Spotify that I am actively canceling all my music availability on Spotify as soon as possible,” Young wrote in his letter. “I am doing this because Spotify is spreading false information about vaccines – potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread by them. “They can have Rogan or Young. Not both.” At the time of writing, Young’s discography remains accessible on… Read More →

25JANNews

Blossoms unveil details of new album and share title track, ‘Ribbon Around The Bomb’

Blossoms have today (January 25) unveiled details of their new album, ‘Ribbon Around The Bomb’ – you can listen to the title track below. READ MORE: Blossoms and Rick Astley live in London: the best Smiths gig since December 12, 1986 It will be the Stockport five-piece’s fourth album and is set for release on April 29 – you can pre-order/pre-save it here. Speaking about the new album and single, the group’s Tom Ogden says: “While on tour in 2019 in Mexico, I visited Frida Kahlo’s house. Looking at her paintings on show, someone had described one of them as being like a ‘ribbon around a bomb’. Advertisement “I immediately thought that it was a great title for a song and album because of the imagery that it evoked in my mind. I thought about how lots of things in life could be described as being a ribbon around a bomb in the sense that as people we often dress things up which have a darkness lying beneath them.” The video for the title track’s new single has been directed by Arctic Monkeys‘ Creative Director, Edwin Burdis, who worked on the band’s ‘Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino’ and ‘AM’ albums.’… Read More →

25JANNews

Jack Black pays tribute to Meat Loaf: “Thank you for rocking so hard”

Jack Black has honoured the late actor and musician Meat Loaf, who died from reported complications due to COVID last week (January 20). READ MORE: Meat Loaf, 1947 – 2022: a unique performer with big, bold odes to the dreamers and believers Black, also an actor and musician, paid tribute to the artist who starred in his band Tenacious D‘s film The Pick Of Destiny in 2006. “I think I was 9 years old when my big sister took me to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Meat Loaf rocked the hell out of that movie,” Black began his post on Instagram. Advertisement “25 years later I begged him to play my father in my band’s movie The Pick Of Destiny and by god he rocked the hell out of that one too. Thank you Meat for rocking so hard!!! Much love to his friends and family. Meat Loaf Rest In Peace.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jack Black (@jackblack) Meat Loaf, whose real name was Marvin Lee Aday, released his debut album ‘Bat Out Of Hell’ in 1977. It remains one of the biggest-selling records of all time, having sold 43million copies worldwide. He released… Read More →