Nicol Ostrc

Bop Shop: Songs From Apink, Kurt Vile, Jazmine Sullivan, 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. Apink: “Dilemma” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP4lbSymeZ4 After nearly two years, K-pop girl group Apink make their highly anticipated comeback with “Dilemma,” an edgy heartbreak anthem that keeps fans on their toes. As the title track off their new special album, Horn, it finds the veteran superstars exploring a darker concept. Synth and electronic sounds blend with grounded guitar and bass to create a dynamic track that takes listeners on a sonic journey. With its many peaks and valleys, perfect pop chorus, and high-energy dance break, “Dilemma” is a song made for stadiums. Accompanied by a dramatic, dance-heavy music video, “Dilemma” further proves Apink’s strength and… Read More →

18FEBNews

Beach House, Their Muses, And Once Twice Melody

By Laura Studarus Beach House members Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally acknowledge that, like everyone else, they have been impacted by the string of devastating global events over the past two years — and that the extended pandemic shutdown gave them time to explore the musical nuances of what would become their eighth studio album, Once Twice Melody. But more than music about disaster, what they crafted was a tribute to where their imaginations took them while everyone else was getting sick of the phrase “unprecedented times.” That meant making peace with the fact COVID-19 would forever be part of their story. “You can’t not mention it,” Legrand tells MTV News. “We’ve all been affected — and the restrictions caused us to shift in little various ways.” There’s no arguing the dream-pop duo have an innate sense of their wheelhouse. But despite a steady clip of releases, beginning with their spartan self-titled album in 2006, they’ve also allowed themselves a fair amount of reinvention (something that Scally emphasizes should be normalized in any creative field). After the equally hushed follow-up Devotion, the two signed to Sub Pop and produced Teen Dream, an album that was meant to fill bigger spaces,… Read More →

18FEBNews

NMIXX delay debut showcase after member catches COVID-19

JYP Entertainment‘s upcoming girl group NMIXX have delayed debut showcase performance after a member was diagnosed with COVID-19. READ MORE: Over 14 years into her career, K-pop icon Taeyeon still keeps us guessing Earlier today (February 18), the label announced in a statement that the girl group’s forthcoming debut showcase after NMIXX member Bae was tested positive for COVID-19. The showcase was originally set to be held on February 22 to coincide with the release of NMIXX’s debut single album ‘Ad Mare’, but will now be held on March 1. JYP Entertainment shared that Bae had begun experiencing a sore throat on the evening of February 16, after which the entire group tested themselves using self-test kits. After Bae’s kit indicated a positive result, all seven members proceeded to take a PCR test the following morning. Advertisement However, Bae is the only member of NMIXX to have officially tested positive as of February 18. “All NMIXX members have completed their second doses of the vaccine, and all scheduled activities were carried out after checking for negative results with self-test kits beforehand,” the company wrote, as translated by Soompi. “Bae currently does not have other symptoms besides a mild fever and… Read More →

17FEBNews

Death Grips’ ‘No Love Deep Web’ NSFW album cover is now available on new clothing line

Death Grips have unveiled a collection of clothing that features the album artwork for 2012’s ‘No Love Deep Web’. READ MORE: NME’s Intense, Unseen Death Grips Interview from 2012 The cover of the band’s second studio album was notable for its sexually explicit imagery. At the time, their website was shut down hours after they announced that they would be defying their record label and leaking the new album. The band had previously explained that they had leaked the album because: “The label wouldn’t confirm a release date for NO LOVE DEEP WEB ’till next year sometime.” Advertisement The new online capsule collection from Vetememes and Rough Simmons features Death Grips’ uncensored ‘No Love Deep Web’ artwork on items like parkas and sweatshirts. Conveniently, they all come with a removable magnetic censor bar. Elsewhere in the same collection, there are items featuring the American rapper Viper. The clothing is being billed as officially licensed Death Grips merchandise, with all proceeds going to the band. Check out the collection here. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rough Simmons (@rough_simmons) Last May, Zach Hill shared the debut single from his new group, Undo K From Hot, titled ‘750 Dispel’. Writing… Read More →

17FEBNews

Olivia Rodrigo announces new Disney+ documentary ‘Driving Home 2 U (A Sour Film)’

Olivia Rodrigo has announced a new documentary that follows the writing of her debut album ‘Sour‘. Watch the teaser trailer for Driving Home 2 U (A Sour Film) below. READ MORE: Olivia Rodrigo: “It’s important for me to be taken seriously as a songwriter” The singer-songwriter revealed details of the film on her Instagram, alongside the teaser clip. The film is set to premiere exclusively on Disney+ on March 25. Directed by Stacey Lee, Driving Home 2 U follows a road trip that Rodrigo took from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles, during which time she was writing ‘Sour’. The film will include a personal angle, as audiences are let into her process and memories of writing the album. Advertisement ‘Sour’ was released in May 2021 and followed her debut single ‘Drivers License’, which took on a life of its own on TikTok following its release. In a four-star review, NME called the album “an almost-masterpiece that’s equal parts confident, cool and exhilaratingly real”. According to the press release, Driving Home 2 U will include “new live arrangements of her songs, intimate interviews and never-before-seen footage from the making of the album”. It will feature 11 songs from ‘Sour’ performed in unique locations,… Read More →

17FEBNews

Broods Welcome You To Grieve On Space Island

By Gabriel Aikins As much as it can hurt, grief is a necessary part of life. It allows for the processing of loss and can be a reminder of cherished memories that will never be forgotten. Most importantly, it spurs growth and introspection. Joy may spring from sorrow, and that’s where its true value lies. Siblings Georgia and Caleb Nott, better known as New Zealand pop duo Broods, have been through much turbulence over the last couple years. They’ve since transformed it into their new album Space Island, and they’re inviting listeners to take the journey with them. After releasing their third record Don’t Feed The Pop Monster in February 2019, vocalist Georgia went through a painful divorce, and things shut down in March of the following year as COVID-19 took hold. It was from this position that she and multi-instrumentalist Caleb first began to work on what would become Space Island, an album that struck both of them as deeply personal. Georgia recalls realizing the enormity of the emotion she poured into her writing. “There was definitely a time when I was like, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to share this with people,’” she tells MTV News. In… Read More →

17FEBNews

Moderat announce first album after six-year hiatus, ‘MORE D4TA’

German electronic group Moderat have announced their fourth album and their first release since 2016’s ‘III’, ‘MORE D4TA’ – find the art and full tracklist below. READ MORE: India Jordan: “Making music feels integral to my existence as a human. It makes me feel alive” The 10-track album is set to be released on May 13 on Monkeytown Records, and can be pre-ordered here. It features lyrics inspired by member Sascha Ring’s trips to Berlin’s Gemäldegalerie museum, often with his infant daughter. As the album itself was written during the pandemic era, many of Ring’s ruminations were on his worries for the future as he pondered the museum’s antique paintings, leading to many of the album’s songs dealing with “feelings of isolation and information overload”. Advertisement Moderat have shared the first preview of the album in the song ‘Fast Land’, which received a striking music video directed by Ben Miethke. Watch it here: The supergroup – comprising Sascha Ring of Apparat and Modeselektor’s Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary – first announced their hiatus in 2017 to focus on their own projects, and subsequently spent two years apart before reuniting to release more music as a group. Moderat recently announced a… Read More →

17FEBNews

Kanye West sends “love you” message to Kid Cudi amid Pete Davidson beef

Kanye West has seemingly extended an olive branch to Kid Cudi. READ MORE: First look: jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy review – the awakening of Mr West The since-deleted Instagram post seen by Complex, which was a screenshot of a message from Cudi in which he asked for help to “keep my mind sane” amid the tension over SNL host Pete Davidson, Ye showed support by writing “Love you family” above. It’s not clear why the rapper has now removed it. Last week, Ye said his collaborator (whom he released a 2018 album with under Kids See Ghosts) would not appear on ‘Donda 2’ due to his friendship Davidson, who is dating his estranged wife Kim Kardashian. Advertisement West posted a handwritten note to Instagram last Saturday (February 12), sharing the news with his fans. “Just so everyone knows Cudi will not be on Donda because he’s friends with you know who,” it read. “You know who” appeared to refer to Davidson. Pete Davidson, Kanye West and Kid Cudi CREDIT: Getty Images Cudi responded to Ye on Twitter, saying that the pair had “talked weeks ago about this”. “You’re whack for flipping the script and posting this lie just for a look on the… Read More →

16FEBNews

Trey Songz faces third sexual assault accusation

Trey Songz has been accused of sexual assault by an anonymous woman following an alleged incident she claims took place in 2016. According to documents obtained by TMZ, the R&B singer (real name Tremaine Aldon Neverson) has been named in a $20million lawsuit filed by a woman who has claimed he anally raped her. The woman alleges Songz invited her to a house party in Los Angeles, where he invited her upstairs for what she believed would be consensual sex. She says the two of them had engaged in a consensual sexual relationship prior to the alleged incident. She then claims Songz repeatedly asked her if he could “get that ass” on the way upstairs, to which she said she repeatedly told him “no” and to stop asking. The woman claims the singer’s demeanour changed upon entering the bedroom and alleges he threw her to the ground, ripped her pants off, pinned her down face first and forced his penis into her anus without her consent. She claims she screamed in pain and begged Songz to stop, and tried fighting him off but says she was overpowered. In the suit, the woman claims someone entered the room during the alleged… Read More →

16FEBNews

Lianne La Havas announces residency at London’s newly-reopened KOKO

Lianne La Havas has announced a residency at the newly-restored London venue KOKO this spring. READ MORE: Lianne La Havas – ‘Lianne La Havas’ review: third time’s the charm (and a shrewd play for self-ownership) The singer-songwriter will play three dates at the venue, on May 9, 10 and 11. Tickets go on sale this Friday at 9am, and you can find them here. They will be La Havas’ first live shows since the release of her self-titled third album in July 2020, due to pandemic-related delays. Advertisement The residency will also mark some of the first shows at KOKO for three years. The venue initially shut in 2019 for a planned £70million refurbishment. A CGI impression of KOKO after refurbishment. CREDIT: Recent Spaces It had been hoped that KOKO would only be closed for a year, but their plans suffered some major setbacks. In January 2020, there were fears for the future of KOKO after a fire broke out at the venue, while the coronavirus pandemic and “colossal water damage” also held up progress. Earlier today (February 16), La Havas returned to Twitter after it appeared her account was hacked. “Okayyyyyyyyy. I didn’t take up a new career selling PlayStations…. Read More →

15FEBNews

Foals: “The only party that this record isn’t for is a Tory party”

Foals have hit out at the current UK Conservative government, the ongoing ‘Partygate’ scandal and other things doing “long-lasting” damage to the country. READ MORE: Foals on the cover: “Life is something to be cherished and enjoyed” The band were speaking to NME for this week’s Big Read cover story to launch their upcoming seventh album ‘Life Is Yours’. Rejecting the “doom soup” of their previous records ‘Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost’ parts one and two and the subsequent pandemic, the Oxford trio sought to make a “going out record”. “We were thinking about parties, club nights and being drunk on the bus at 2am trying to get home,” frontman Yannis Philippakis told NME. “All of it: the excitement before you go out, meeting up with your friends, the wild abandon. ‘Who’s got the pingers? Where are we going?’ This is all of that youthful excess of going out.” Advertisement However, the frontman did say that he would not welcome the album being used to soundtrack any frivolities at Number 10 Downing Street. “The only party that this record isn’t for is a Tory party,” he said, referring to the ongoing scandal that surrounds Sue Gray’s report into parties that… Read More →

15FEBNews

Dr Dre says the NFL insisted on “minor changes” to lyrics for the Super Bowl Halftime Show

Dr Dre has given his first interview following his Super Bowl Halftime Show performance, reflecting on Eminem‘s much-publicised decision to take the knee, the NFL’s censorship of some lyrics, and more. READ MORE: The biggest moments from the Super Bowl Halftime Show 2022 The legendary rapper and producer joined forces with Eminem, Mary J Blige, Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg for the show, which also featured surprise appearances from 50 Cent and Anderson .Paak. Asked by TMZ whether organisers had requested the performers remove any lines, Dre said: “There were a few things we had to change, but it was really minor things.” Advertisement Bringing up Eminem’s taking the knee, he said “that was Em doing that on his own and there was no problem with that.” It was reported after the show that the rapper was reportedly told not to kneel by the NFL, a claim the league has denied. During Lamar’s section of the set, which consisted of a medley of some of his songs, the lyric “If Pirus and Crips all got along / They’d probably gun me down by the end of this song” was notably absent from ‘mAAd City’. Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent,… Read More →

14FEBNews

Apink return with mesmerising new music video for ‘Dilemma’

K-pop girl group Apink have made their long-awaited return with ‘Dilemma’, the title track of their new special album ‘HORN’. READ MORE: VIVIZ – ‘Beam Of Prism’ review: a sparkling, solid re-debut from former GFRIEND trio The new 11-track record is the girl group’s first project in nearly two years, since their April 2020 mini-album ‘Look’. Between the two projects, Apink had also released the song ‘Thank You’ in 2021, which is also featured on ‘HORN’. Notably, all six members of the girl group have penned lyrics for the tracks on ‘HORN’. Son Na-eun had contributed lyrics to the song ‘HOLY MOLY’, while Chorong and Namjoo are the sole lyricists for ‘Free & Love’ and ‘Just Like This’, respectively. Additionally, Hayoung, Bomi and Eunji had also helped pen the songs ‘Trip’, ‘Thank You’ and ‘Dream’. Advertisement In the music video, Apink long for a lost lover, waiting forlornly for their return. “It’s okay even if the flame died out / It’s okay to pretend it’s love / I don’t care if I get hurt / It’ll hurt even more if I’m no longer in your mind,” they sing on the pre-chorus. ‘Horn’ also marks Apink’s first comeback since Son departed their… Read More →

13FEBNews

Killing Joke announce ‘Lord Of Chaos’ EP and share fiery title track

Killing Joke have announced the release of a new EP, ‘Lord Of Chaos’ – you can listen to its title track below. READ MORE: The 20 best ’80s metal albums The London post-punk stalwarts’ upcoming release will be their first new material in seven years, following their most recent album, 2015’s ‘Pylon’. In addition to announcing the new LP, the band – comprising Jaz Coleman, Paul Ferguson, Geordie Walker, and Youth – shared the title track, which continues in a similar vein to their last full-length: a heavy, industrial sound, with haunting vocals and driving guitar and bass. Advertisement “Flash points everywhere/ And everybody’s scared/ Complex systems failure/ And the lord of chaos is in,” Coleman sings on the song’s fiery chorus. You can check out the new track below: ‘Lord Of Chaos’ arrives on March 25. You can pre-order/pre-save it here – see the tracklisting below. ‘Lord Of Chaos’ tracklist: 1. ‘Lord Of Chaos’ 2. ‘Total’ 3. ‘Big Buzz’ (Motorcade Mix) 4. ‘Delete In Dub’ (Youth’s Disco 45 Dystopian Dub) Killing Joke are also gearing up to head out on their ‘Honour The Fire Tour’ this spring, marking their first UK tour in over three years. Advertisement The band will visit Nottingham, Bristol, Birmingham,… Read More →

12FEBNews

Halsey announces second show at Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Halsey has announced details of a second show at the famous Red Rocks Amphitheatre for this summer. READ MORE: Halsey: “I’ve always been driven to reinvent myself and reinvent my genre” The new show, set for July 7, comes the day after an existing show at the Colorado venue. Support will come from The Marías and Abby Roberts. The gigs come as part of Halsey’s Love And Power US tour in support of fourth album ‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power’. Support for the tour comes from Beabadoobee, PinkPantheress, Wolf Alice, Abby Roberts and The Marías. Advertisement See Halsey’s full list of US tour dates below. MAY 2022 17 – iThink Financial Amphitheatre, West Palm Beach, FL 19 – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre, Tampa, FL 21 – Hangout Music Festival, Gulf Shores, AL 24 – FirstBank Amphitheater, Nashville, TN 27 – PNC Music Pavilion, Charlotte, NC 29 – Pine Knob Music Theatre, Detroit, MI JUNE 01 – Xfinity Center Boston, MA 03 – Blossom Music Center, Cleveland, OH 05 – Budweiser Stage Toronto, ON 08 – Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MD 11 – The Governors Ball, New York, NY 16 – White River Amphitheatre Seattle, WA 18 – RV Inn Style Resorts… Read More →

12FEBNews

Jack Harlow confirms new music is coming next week: “I need to drop”

Jack Harlow has confirmed that his new single will be released next week via a comedic video – check it out below. Harlow released his last album ‘That’s What They All Say’ at the end of 2020 and despite a series of high profile collaborations with the likes of Lil Nas X, Eminem and Ty Dolla $ign, it’s been over a year since Harlow last shared a solo track. Earlier this week, he released a minute-long clip poking fun at the lack of new music. Advertisement During a therapy session, his therapist asks Harlow how his work going before Harlow replies “jeez, where do I start?” Sensing some stress, the therapist then says “I take it you haven’t picked a new single? I’m just saying this is our 28th session, it’s a little overdue. Even my daughter is asking ‘Mom, when is dropping his new song?’” “I need to drop,” replied Harlow before confirming the new song will be out “next week”. Check out the video below: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jack Harlow (@jackharlow) The caption for the clip then confirms a release date of February 18. Advertisement This isn’t Harlow’s first venture into acting… Read More →

12FEBNews

Watch Big Thief’s immersive new studio video for ‘Red Moon’

Big Thief have shared an immersive new studio video for their new track ‘Red Moon’ – check it out below. The track appears on the band’s 20-song new album ‘Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You’, which was released yesterday (February 11) via 4AD. READ MORE: Big Thief – ‘Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You’ review: a new chapter The video, which sees Big Thief perform alongside Mat Davidson of the band Twain on fiddle, was shot by vocalist Adrianne Lenker’s brother Noah at Scott McMicken’s home studio in Tuscon, Arizona. It was one of four locations in which the band recorded the new album. Advertisement The live take captured in the video is also the version that makes the final edit on the album. Check it out below. Reviewing ‘Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You’, NME wrote: “There’s a certain looseness that suits Big Thief well across the whole record. Those in search of a tightly cohesive album knitted around a single concept have probably come to the wrong place entirely – but for a sprawling answer to the band’s two huge 2019 breakthrough records ‘Two Hands’ and ‘U.F.O.F’, then look no further.” The… Read More →

12FEBNews

Kingsley Ben-Adir to play Bob Marley in upcoming biopic

Kingsley Ben-Adir has been confirmed as the star of the forthcoming Bob Marley biopic. READ MORE: 7 Essential Bob Marley tracks It was first announced back in 2018 that a biopic, produced by Ziggy Marley, was in the works, before Reinaldo Marcus Green, director of Oscar-nominated tennis drama King Richard, was revealed to be attached to the film last year. Ben-Adir, who most recently portrayed activist Malcolm X in One Night in Miami, will portray Marley in the as-yet-untitled film by Paramount Pictures. Advertisement Speaking to Collider last year, director Green revealed that the film will focus on the making of Marley’s classic album ‘Exodus’ with The Wailers, which he recorded after moving to London following an unsuccessful assassination attempt in Jamaica. Of the Marley family’s input on the film, Green added: “Ziggy Marley is, right, my point of contact for the film, and producer on the project. So we’re full steam ahead. I’ve brought on Zach Baylin (a writer on King Richard) to help me write it, which is great bringing our team back together. Hopefully, we’ll have a script very soon. I’m really excited about that one.” Elsewhere, an immersive Bob Marley exhibition has opened in London this month…. Read More →

11FEBNews

Doja Cat’s rework of Hole’s ‘Celebrity Skin’ has dropped in full

Doja Cat has released her cover of Hole‘s classic single ‘Celebrity Skin’ in full – you can listen to it below. The Los Angeles artist previewed her take on Courtney Love and co.’s 1998 track yesterday (February 10). It was recorded as part of a team-up with Taco Bell for The Grande Escape, an advert designed to “give fans a bold new taste of what it means to Live Más”. READ MORE: Courtney Love: “I feel like the luckiest motherfucker in the history of rock’n’roll” Doja Cat’s new version of Hole’s ‘Celebrity Skin’ – the original of which appears on the group’s third album of the same name – contains reworked lyrics that were written in partnership with frontwoman Love. Advertisement Due to air during the fourth quarter of this Sunday’s Super Bowl (February 13), The Grande Escape tells “an epic story of liberation from conformity and shows Doja Cat alongside others who escape from a clown college in pursuit of discovering Live Más for themselves”. Per a press release, the commercial is “a depiction of the exhilaration and comfort that comes from honouring and celebrating being different”. Speaking about the project in a statement, Doja Cat explained: “I’ve enjoyed… Read More →

11FEBNews

Coldplay react to BLACKPINK’s Rosé’s cover of ‘Viva La Vida’

British band Coldplay have reacted to BLACKPINK member Rosé‘s recent cover of their 2008 song ‘Viva La Vida’. READ MORE: ‘Snowdrop’ review: a bastardisation of the struggle of a nation The K-pop idol shared a new stripped-down, live studio cover of Coldplay’s seminal 2008 track earlier today (February 11) in celebration of her birthday, accompanied by The Black Label producer LØREN on guitar. The British band have since taken notice of her cover, sharing a link to the video on their Instagram Story, while wishing the Korean-Australian singer a happy birthday. “Love this. What a voice,” they wrote, while tagging the K-pop idol. “Happy birthday Rosé.” Advertisement Credit: Screengrab via @coldplay on Instagram Aside from Coldplay’s ‘Viva La Vida’, Rosé also released her verison of Neckdeep’s 2015 single ‘December’, as well as a tender and slowed-down rendition of Oasis’ 1995 classic ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’. The three live studio renditions are the latest covers Rosé has released, with theprevious one being a cover of ‘Wildfire’ originally by Cautious Clay in December, which she had uploaded to her personal Instagram. For that cover, she was seen performing with a pale pink electric guitar, which appears to be the one John Mayer gifted to… Read More →

10FEBNews

Keith Buckley addresses Every Time I Die break-up: “It’s heartbreaking”

Keith Buckley has addressed Every Time I Die’s break up at a solo show in London. READ MORE: Every Time I Die’s Keith Buckley talks 20 years as a hardcore hero The band underwent a messy split in January, following a public spat between frontman Buckley and the band’s other four members. During the show on Monday (February 7), Buckley addressed the split saying “it is not the end of anything: I can’t even say what the state of the band is right now.” Advertisement He continued (via Metal Hammer): “I don’t know what the future holds, but I know that, right now, this is exactly where I fucking want to be, and I’m very thankful to be here.” “I think that it’s an objective fact that Every Time I Die existed for longer than most bands, so there was something in that formula that was alchemic, that was completely singular to us. And I think it was the rivalry… I think it was just those two forces constantly battling which kept pushing the band along. And once I got sober, and I realised that that was a very antiquated way to power shit…[I thought] we don’t need to push the band… Read More →