Radio is Dead

So we've all probably seen 8 Mile, Straight Outta Compton, Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocket Man, and a select few other big blockbuster movies about the music we love. I wanted to share some films that you may have not seen that also relate to music. Due to the current ongoing pandemic in the world most of us have a lot of newfound free time on our hands. While listening to music is great, it's hard to really understand what led to its creation especially for older bands. The movies not only chronicle the life of rockstars and icons but also the harsh upbringing a lot of them had. People who weren't previously fans can become fans when they watch these films. And for those who were already fans, everybody loves when their favorite artist receives the big screen treatment. Nowhere Boy (2009), a film about the most famous person in the most famous band ever to exist should theoretically lead to a huge blockbuster film. But it didn't, the film had a very lowkey release and...

6ix9ine was certainly the biggest figure in music and social media in 2018. He was on top of the world and touring the world and his songs were dominating the charts. He was meeting every rapper he looked up to and was constantly making headlines. That all changed on November 18, 2018 when he, along with five others, was arrested on charges of racketeering and possession of fire arms. He cooperated with law enforcement, however, and was able to provide them with testimonies that lead to the incarceration of his accomplices. Because of this he was only sentenced to 2 years in prison and was released earlier this month early due to concerns over Coronavirus. Currently he's under house arrest and is unable to leave for any reason. Well, news has surfaced today that he has been allowed by  Judge Paul A. Engelmayer to go to his basement for no longer than 8 hours a day to use his home studio. He has also been allowed to go to his backyard for no more than 2 hours a week for t...

Many artists in early 2010, just before the streaming age, would release mixtapes or "free albums" that could be downloaded for free from the internet. Many of these mixtapes were never released on streaming services the many years later. However, there are a few mixtapes that have been since released on streaming services because of their legendary status such as Chance the Rapper's Acid Rap (2013), Drake's So Far Gone  (2009). These mixtapes weren't on streaming services because the samples in the mixtapes weren't approved to profit off of from the owner.  The late Mac Miller released his debut label mixtape,  K.I.D.S. ,  in 2010 to critical acclaim. This mixtape has long been in the running for his best project by many. In 2020, nearly 10 years after its release, the mixtape is coming to streaming services. Last year, on the mixtape's 9 year anniversary, Benjy Grinberg of Rostrum Records announced that it would be coming out on streaming services s...

Daft Punk, the electronic music duo, haven't dropped an album since Random Access Memories  (2013). Their last release was both a commercial smash hit and a critical success. "Get Lucky", one of the singles from the album was the song of the Summer for every Summer for a while. There were a number of songs from that album that were hits including "Instant Crush", "Lose Yourself to Dance" and "Doin' it Right". Many people including both fans and casual listeners have been waiting for more content from the duo. When you don't release a new album for 7 years, you tend to build up a lot of hype. And Daft Punk have certainly built up a lot of hype. The /r/DaftPunk subreddit has 67k subscribers and has been active for a number of years without new releases from the artist themselves. So what is the name of their forthcoming album you may be wondering. Well, they're no strangers to soundtracks. In 2010, they made the Tron soundt...

You may have seen this silver-bearded, hippie looking man hanging out with your favorite artist. The odds are likely due to his broad scope of genres. He has worked with everyone from Kanye West to the Beastie Boys to the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Slayer and many more artists. You may have even heard other fans say he's legendary and that if he's hanging out with an artist their next album is going to be amazing. You're probably wondering what's so special about this guy. Well, let's learn about legendary producer Rick Rubin. Rick Rubin is the co-founder along with Russel Simmons of one of the biggest record labels for the past 36 years, Def Jam Recordings. With artists such as Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Logic, and many more the record label is home to some of the biggest artists in the world. The record label is also credited with the popularization of hip-hop music with early acts including Run-D.M.C., LL Cool J, and the Beastie Boys. Rick Rubin would produc...

Musicians are some of the most famous and influential people in the world. The Beatles were famously "bigger than Jesus". Well, in times of confusion, uncertainty, and loss many artists are helping in so many great ways. The Beatles themselves hosted a Yellow Submarine movie watch party on YouTube. The amount of fundraisers and awareness these artists are raising is making a difference. In a time where we can't just hold Live Aid part 2 due to the nature of the virus' transmission, artists are taking to the internet. Some artists are simply just doing it in hopes of keeping people entertained and indoors and others are raising money for the cause. Both very honorable and amazing things to do. Post Malone held a digital concert on YouTube  where he covered Nirvana songs. He wore a flower dress as a nod to the late Nirvana frontman and lead singer, Kurt Cobain who also wore a floral dress to a 1990 performance. The concert lasted 1 hour and 17 minutes and contr...

The line "Is Rock Dead?" is one that has been repeated over and over since early 2010. Dumb articles use it to get outraged rock fans to click and read further. But everyone has noticed hip hop's take over of the charts. The current Hot 100 charts have The Weekend's "Blinding Lights" (R&B) at number 1 then Drake's "Toosie Slide" (Hip-Hop) at number 2 followed by Roddy Rich's "The Box"  (Hip-Hop)  at number 3. While the top 3 is a pretty exclusive club, there isn't a song considered rock by Billboard charting until #23 which is "Level Of Concern" by Twenty One Pilots. While rock no longer dominates the charts, does that mean it's dead? Of course not. A genre doesn't have to be charting and performing at the highest level for it to be alive. Alternative and indie music by definition is not well performing on the charts but it's not a dead genre by any means. There are many new indie and alternati...

The first concept album is a debate that will possibly never end. The phrase picked up heavy traction when The Beatles dropped Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hears Club Band  (1967) and critics praised it as the first true concept album ever. Many have also called The Who's Tommy  (1969) the first concept album as well as Days of Future Passed (1967) by The Moody Blues. However, others such as myself, believe that In The Wee Small Hours  (1955) is actually the first true concept album. The album perfectly captures that weird melancholy time from around midnight to the early hours in the morning. The album was also a huge departure from Sinatra's other more radio-ready work. So now you know what is considered the first concept album,  Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hears Club Band , and you know what others such as myself consider the first concept album,  In The Wee Small Hours . However, I think it's time we learned what exactly a concept album is. Merriam-Webster de...

Last.fm is a website that has been around since 2002 and that originally offered an online radio streaming service, listening history tracking, and recommendations based off of your listening history. Nowadays, it has dropped the radio streaming service in favor of "scrobbles" or plays and gives you recommendations. This has always been considered the best feature of the website with some users even having been scrobbling for over 10 years. Not only does it track your music data, it also gives you great recommendations based on that data. I believe this tool is perfect for anyone who is truly interested in not just music but music discovery. I've found some artists I've come to really enjoy on this platform such as Arrested Youth, Hobo Johnson, and many more. The website has an array of features that allows you to easily discover music. For example, you can browse to the homepage where it gives you a series of recommendation based on your recent listening his...

This Friday, April 24, 2020, was a very slow Friday for music. Typically Friday is the day when most artists decide to release their music. However, this Friday in particular was very slow. The most notable releases were singles rather than albums. Either way, we still give you the most notable releases on Friday every Friday! The Scotts - The Scotts (Single) The Scotts - The Scotts The Scotts by The Scotts is a song by a new supergroup formed by Travis Scott and Kid Cudi. This is their single and fans are excited for a possible full-length project. The song is produced by Daytrip, Dot Da Genius, Plain Pat, and was mixed and mastered by none other than Mike Dean. The song debuted on Fortnite and is a likely contender to top the Hot 100 Charts. Kali Uchis - To Feel Alive (EP) Kali Uchis - To Feel Alive Kali Uchis has released a brand new EP with a tracklist of 4 songs and a runtime of about 10 minutes. She said on instagram, " r ecorded all of it alone, in my r...

Travis Scott and Kid Cudi have formed a new rap supergroup together aptly named The Scotts. The Scotts of course being a shared name between them, Kid Cudi being Scott Mescudi and Travis Scott being just Travis Scott. For both artists this is their second supergroup. Travis Scott is one half of Huncho Jack with Quavo being the second half.Kid Cudi is one half of Kids See Ghosts with Kanye West being the other half. Their first single is out on all streaming platforms tonight, however, it debuted on Fortnite as part of the "Astronomical" event. The promotion for this single is amazing and they're taking advantage of the quarantine by building up a lot of hype through Fortnite and throughout all of social media. @Kaws  who made the artwork for the single posted on Instagram with the caption " New project made while staying home!  @travisscott   @kidcudi  🙏✌️". With all the promotion and backing this song has going for it, it has the potential to top the c...

In a traditional record deal, the label takes a percentage of your record sales and other things related to the sale and distribution of your music. However, it is no secret that the record labels have been suffering great losses since the rise of streaming and decline of physical sales. To make up for that loss in income, record labels have been offering young, talented rappers that don't know any better 360 deals. These deals have proven very lucrative for the record labels. So what is a 360 deal? A 360 deal is a record deal that encompasses every financial aspect of your fame. This includes the record label taking a cut of your live performances, merchandising, sponsorships, copyrights, anything having to do with the artist.  You may have heard that the new way of becoming rich in the music industry is touring.  Well the record labels are even taking a cut from tours. So is it a good thing or a bad thing? The record labels make the deal sound good and con...

Asher Roth who most people know only from his 2009 song “I Love College” has grown as an artist in many ways since his debut album,  Asleep In The Bread Aisle  (2009). For one, he is no longer the frat rapper many knew him as. His last full-length solo studio album, Pabst & Jazz (2016), is proof of his growth. Some would even say it was a pivot into the indie rap scene away from mainstream hip hop. He, however, has not reached anywhere near the heights he was able to get to during his frat rap days. His new release, Flowers On The Weekend  (2020), was released at 12:00 am EST April 23rd, 2020. This is a day before the usual artist release date of Friday meaning clearly he is not trying to chart. On this new album he attempts pop rap by enlisting the help of artists like Lil Yachty and CJ Smith whose hooks are infectious. When hearing a song like "Hibiscus" it becomes very clear that Asher Roth is successful in his new pursuit. The album even finds Roth singi...

Tik Tok, previously musical.ly, is consistently dominating the music charts. From record-breaking, 17 week chart-topping, "Old Town Road" by Lil Nas X to 11 week chart-topping "The Box" by Roddy Rich, tik tok has been producing many pop stars. While dance songs and catchy hooks are nothing new in music they are what's dominating tik tok and in turn what is dominating the Hot 100 charts. It seems that many artists are taking notice and jumping on the trend. A song like "Toosie Slide" by Drake which went number 1 is clearly trying to become a Tik Tok hit by incorporating a dance and repeating the chorus frequently throughout the song. This is something that artists have done in the past but is now more prevalent due to Tik Tok. The short and looping nature of tik tok videos allow users to utilize songs with infectious hooks like "Envy Me" by Calboy and "Roxanne" by Arizona Zervas to keep users coming back and sharing the video. I...

Isaiah Rashad has released his new single, "Why Worry" as part of TDE Fan Appreciation Week. The song was allegedly played on his IG Live a couple of weeks ago before its official release. This song is following Ab-Soul's freestyle and Zacari's two singles which were also part of the event. Isaiah Rashad's new single, however, has definitely been the highlight of the week so far. Fans haven't heard any new official music since his last full length studio album, The Sun's Tirade  (2016). Fans are more than pleased with the new single with many on /r/HipHopHeads & /r/IsaiahRashad showering the song with praise. The song truly is amazing with amazing lyricism, amazing backing vocals, and a good bouncy beat. This has many fans excited for his newest album of which no details are out yet. Theories are already circling, however, of theoretical release dates or release windows. Other fans are also awaiting more TDE Fan Appreciation drops. Some are...

Previously, albums were purchased and then listened to.  Listeners' first impressions of the album came after they had already dropped their $10 for a brand new record.  The only deciding factors when purchasing were the album cover and whether or not you liked their previous work. Things have, however, rapidly changed in the streaming age of the early 2010s-present. Nowadays, music consumption has changed due to the rapid rise in streaming. Listeners have access to every album new or present. The streaming catalog also includes a wider variety of music due to its ease of access for even independent artists without record label backing. This means that the competition for your ears is greater than ever. While the stakes may be lower due to lower revenue, the artists are as passionate as ever to break out into the mainstream.  This makes the intro track as important as ever. The first impression the listener will get when listening to your new album is that firs...

Buddy Holly Buddy Holly (September 7th 1936 - February 3rd 1959) Buddy Holly was a rising star in the mid to late 50s. In 1957, his band, The Crickets, got their first and only chart topping hit single with "That'll Be the Day". They had a few others song that charted in the top 40 and had success but ultimately Holly decided it was best to go solo. He released his debut album in March of 1958 and followed it up with an album a month later. With two albums under his belt, he hit the road with other rising musicians at the time. The tour, however, would occur during winter time. The broken down buses they were using to get from venue to venue was frustrating Holly along with other members of the tour. They decided for their next show they'd charter a plane. What ensued would be dubbed "The Day the Music Died" and would be remembered for generations to come. The pilot was not certified to operate under the conditions that presented themselves that day....