Music News

In our daily news show, Rolling Stone’s Brittany Spanos checks in on a few of the headlines everyone is discussing. For today’s episode, watch the video to get a quick take on:

1. Lady Gaga “pregnant” with new album
2. Former Blink-182 guitarist Tom DeLonge details UFO TV series on History Channel
3. Britney Spears songs will soundtrack new princess-themed musical
4. Song of the Day: Robyn, “Ever Again“

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Dick Dale, “the King of the Surf Guitar,” has died at the age of 81.

California Rocker first reported that Dale died Sunday. His bassist Sam Bolle confirmed Dale’s death to the Guardian. No cause of death was revealed, but the guitarist suffered from health issues in recent years.

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In our daily news show, Rolling Stone’s Brittany Spanos checks in on a few of the headlines everyone is discussing. For today’s episode, watch the video to get a quick take on:

1. Madonna’s ‘Like a Prayer’ 30th Anniversary
2. Bill & Ted ‘Face the Music’ Announcement
3. ‘Once Upon A Time In Hollywood’ Trailer
4. Song of the Day: Lizzo and Missy Elliott Collaboration

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Beyoncé delivered a heartwarming speech after accepting the 2019 Entertainer of the Year Award at the NAACP Image Awards Saturday night.

Before beginning her speech at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, she told the audience she wrote her thoughts down ahead of time. The speech also served as a tribute to her fellow nominees, Chadwick Boseman, LeBron James, Regina King, and Ryan Coogler.

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The Grammy-winning, Mexican-American heartthrob Miguel Jontel Pimentel is undeniably Latino — but as an R&B star who sings in English, he’s rarely counted among the league of Latin pop stars pervading American airwaves.

Yet that perception would change in 2017, after Miguel joined Mexican pop singer Natalia Lafourcade in a heartrending rendition of the Coco theme song, “Remember Me.”



Miguel would push the bounds even further that year by flexing his Spanish-language skills in the jaunty funk-rock "War & Leisure" which features vocals by Colombian-American songstress Kali Uchis.

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Old Dominion, Chris Janson and Shane McAnally were among the off-camera winners at the 54th ACM Awards. Old Dominion, currently on their Make It Sweet Tour, won Group of the Year, while Janson, who released his new single “Good Vibes” in February, received Music Video of the Year honors for “Drunk Girl.” McAnally was named Songwriter of the Year.

Dierks Bentley and Brothers Osborne’s collaboration “Burning Man” won Music Event of the Year earlier in the day. Written by Luke Dick and Bobby Pinson, the Number One single appears on Bentley’s latest album The Mountain.

Bentley and the Osbornes are both set to perform at Sunday night’s ACMs, although not with each other. Bentley will team up with Brandi Carlile for a rendition of their The Mountain duet “Travelin’ Light,” while Brothers Osborne join Maren Morris on the pop-country star’s song “All My Favorite People,” off her album Girl.



The Music Event of the Year honorees join other previously announced winners in the new artist categories: Luke Combs was named New Male Vocalist, Ashley McBryde New Female Vocalist and Lanco New Group/Duo on March 25th.

The 54th Academy of Country Music Awards air Sunday night at 8:00 p.m./ET on CBS, live from Las Vegas. Reba McEntire hosts.

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If you’re setting up your home audio system and floor space is at a premium, consider picking up a pair of bookshelf speakers. Larger than a portable speaker but more compact than floor speakers, bookshelf speakers deliver loud amplification and solid, stereo sound for small to medium-sized rooms.

Though they’re often shaped like a cube or rectangle, these speakers think outside of the box when it comes to audio quality, dynamics and efficiency, creating fuller sound and rounder textures than what a wireless unit can deliver. They don’t just have to sit on a bookshelf either – place them on a table, stand or windowsill, adjusting the height to be as close to your ear level as possible for best performance.



Bookshelf speakers won’t get you the same room-shaking power or rumbling bass that a full-sized set will provide, but for your office, den, or bedroom, they’ll be more than enough. If you’re setting up a home theater system, pair the speakers with a subwoofer to really amp up your listening experience.

1. Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Speakers
2. Q Acoustics 3020i Bookshelf Speaker
3. Bose 301-V Stereo Loudspeakers
4. Klipsch RP-160M Bookshelf Speaker
5. ELAC Uni-fi UB5 Bookshelf Speaker

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Ahead of tonight’s much anticipated post-Battle of Winterfell episode of Game of Thrones, the Weeknd, SZA and Travis Scott have dropped their new video for “Power Is Power,” their collaboration for the all-star GoT-inspired For the Throne album.



The video finds the Weeknd emulating Jon Snow, SZA donning Daenerys grab and Scott sitting atop the Iron Throne as key sequences from Game of Thrones plays in the background.

For the Throne features new songs from an eclectic mix of artists like Mumford & Sons, the National, Rosalia, Maren Morris, Ellie Goulding, A$AP Rocky and more. Rolling Stone recently spoke to Jeff Peters, HBO’s Vice President of Licensing and Retail, about the quasi-soundtrack.

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On 2016’s Santana IV, Carlos Santana brought back most of the surviving musicians who made 1971’s Santana III. On his new album Africa Speaks, (out June 7^th) the guitarist went in a wildly different direction, recording with an eight piece band – including vocals of Afro-Latin singer Buika and Santana’s wife Cindy Blackman on drums – with Rick Rubin over ten days at Rubin’s Shangri La Studios in Malibu.



“It feels like this was meant to be … like a gift from heaven to receive and give to the masses.”



Santana’s new track “Yo Me Lo Merezco” is an example of that sound – a track that starts out with a hypnotic groove and soulful vocals from Buika before turning into an explosive jam.
Santana is currently on the road, playing an intimate residency in Vegas before the Supernatural Now tour, marking the 20^th anniversary of his massive album. The tour hits arenas and amphitheaters all summer.

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A sweater worn by Kurt Cobain during the singer’s last photoshoot with Nirvana sold for $75,000 at auction Saturday.

The cardigan, which Cobain donned at a pre-In Utero photo session in the summer of 1993, more than doubled its pre-auction estimate of between $10,000 and $20,000, Julien’s Auctions said.
Pictures of Cobain wearing the sweater, captured by photographer Jesse Frohman, featured in the photobook Kurt Cobain: The Last Session.


“The shoot was meant to take place in Central Park in New York City, but due to Cobain being sick just hours before, the shoot was relocated to the basement of the hotel where the band was staying,” Julien’s Auctions noted of the item. “Cobain showed up three hours late to the shoot and immediately asked for a bucket due to his nausea.”

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