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Obama Drops His Summer Reading, Music Lists

Former president is having a 'brat' summer with Charli XCX's '365,' among other tunes

(Newser) - With the year's warmest weather heading into its final stretch, former President Obama has dropped his summer song and reading lists. "With summer winding down, I wanted to share some songs that I've been listening to lately—and it wouldn't be my playlist if it didn'...

Think Pop Song Melodies Seem Simpler? They Are
Pop Songs Have
Changed in a Big Way
Since the '50s
NEW STUDY
Jul 27, 2024 5:30 AM CDT

Pop Songs Have Changed in a Big Way Since the '50s

Researchers find melody complexity has dropped big time, with simpler rhythms and pitch

(Newser) - If you've ever seen the viral clip of popular radio tunes that all use the same four chords , this latest study will, well ... strike a chord. The research published earlier this month in the journal Scientific Reports isn't about chords per se, but about rhythm and pitch—both...

Yes, That Was Michael J. Fox Performing With Coldplay
Coldplay Jams With 'One of the
Most Amazing People on Earth'
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Jul 6, 2024 6:00 AM CDT

Coldplay Jams With 'One of the Most Amazing People on Earth'

Back to the Future star Michael J. Fox played with UK band at Glastonbury Festival over the weekend

(Newser) - Coldplay featured multiple cameos during its Saturday evening performance at the Glastonbury Festival in England, but there was one in particular that got the crowd on its feet. "Here's another legendary Michael/One who just totally rocks," crooned lead singer Chris Martin in introducing the band's most...

Rap Battle Song Hits No. 1, and 'It's a Bit Disconcerting'

Andre Gee of 'Rolling Stone' muses on lyrics in Lamar's diss track on Drake

(Newser) - Earlier this month, Andre Gee declared in Rolling Stone that Kendrick Lamar "won the great rap war " between himself and Drake, a long-running feud that has resulted in a recent slew of diss tracks—including Lamar's "Not Like Us," which ascended to the No. 1...

Eurovision Contestant Booted Right Before Finale

Joost Klein of the Netherlands was removed over a backstage incident now being investigation

(Newser) - A Dutch public broadcaster reacted angrily after the Netherlands' contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest was dramatically expelled from the competition hours before Saturday's final over a backstage incident that's being investigated by police. The European Broadcasting Union, which organizes Eurovision, said Swedish police were investigating "a...

ABBA, Biggie, Blondie All Have Something New in Common

More than 2 dozen performers are added to Library of Congress' National Recording Registry

(Newser) - Songs and others recordings that are at least a decade old are eligible to ascend to the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry, "based on their cultural, historical, or aesthetic importance in the nation's recorded sound heritage," per a release . This year, the registry welcomes 25 new...

Chechnya Bans Music That Doesn't Have the Right Tempo

It can't be too fast or too slow

(Newser) - Chechen authorities have reportedly shrunk the number of songs that are permissible in the Russian republic by banning music that's too fast or too slow. "From now on all musical, vocal, and choreographic works must correspond to a tempo of 80 to 116 beats per minute" in order...

Guess Who's Coming Back to Spotify?
Guess Who's
Coming Back
to Spotify?
Mar 13, 2024 8:20 AM CDT

Guess Who's Coming Back to Spotify?

Neil Young announces return to streaming platform, still complaining about 'low-res' files

(Newser) - More than two years ago, Neil Young yanked his songs off of Spotify, a protest against what Young said was COVID vaccine misinformation being circulated by podcaster Joe Rogan. Now the singer-songwriter has announced he's coming back to the streaming music platform, though the Consequence of Sound describes his...

To Listen to This Song, You'll Have to Buy a Slice

Metal band Belushi Speed Ball's apparent industry first: a piece of pizza that plays group's new single

(Newser) - What goes better together than headbanging and pizza? Nothing as much as the latest production from Belushi Speed Ball, a thrash metal band that's come up with a most unique way to deliver its latest single. Gizmodo reports that the band—apparently named after the drug combo that helped...

First a Surprise Swift Album, Now One for Bey

Beyonce drops 2 new country tracks during Super Bowl, announces release of 'Act II' on March 29

(Newser) - Beyonce was at the Super Bowl on Sunday in Las Vegas, but it was her Verizon commercial airing for viewers at home that generated the most excitement as she teased what turned out to be a surprise new album and the release of two singles. In the clip, which the...

Notes Finally Change in Organ Piece That's Played for 22 Years

Performance of John Cage's Organ2/ASLSP isn't slated to end until 2640

(Newser) - The late American avant-garde composer John Cage asked that his piece Organ2/ASLSP be played as its name instructs: That latter part is a nod to the phrase "as slowly and softly as possible," reports the Conversation . Cage, who died in 1992, never dictated just how slowly he meant,...

Here Are Obama's Top Songs of 2023
Obama's
Top Songs
of 2023
Dec 30, 2023 7:29 AM CST

Obama's Top Songs of 2023

All hail the former chief's favorite tunes from the year past

(Newser) - For those waiting with baited breath to see what all the hip sexagenarians were listening to this year, well, here's the personal list of the favorite music of at least one. That's right, former President Obama is out with his annual list of songs that he had on...

25-Year Search for Mysterious X-Files Song Finally Pays Off

Internet thread leads to songwriters who penned tune that appeared in 1998 episode

(Newser) - There was always mystery upon mystery layered in The X-Files, the popular sci-fi series starring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, and now a big meta one regarding the show itself has been solved. The Washington Post reports on a melancholy country-western song heard in the background of a Season 6...

This Is Apple Music's Top Song Globally for 2023

Country star Morgan Wallen's 'Last Night' led a pack of tunes by Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, and SZA

(Newser) - Country singer Morgan Wallen's "Last Night" topped Apple Music's global song chart in 2023 as the giant music streamer released year-end lists Tuesday and provided listeners with data on their own most listened-to tunes. Wallen's hit emerged as the country song with the most days—52—...

Mystery Song's Origin Stumps Online Sleuths

With only 17 seconds of the New Wave song recorded, no one has cracked where it came from

(Newser) - Can you name this tune in 17 seconds? If so, you'd be the hero to a community of online sleuths who've been tracking down its origin for the last two years. Rolling Stone covers the quest to crack the case of "Everyone Knows That," which has...

Taylor Swift Isn't Only One in the Relationship With a No. 1 Song

Turns out boyfriend Travis Kelce can also carry a tune, as heard on Christmas tune with brother Jason

(Newser) - Watch out, Taylor Swift— your new man can apparently sing. The BBC reports that a Christmas song recorded by Travis Kelce, tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, along with his older brother, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, shot to the No. 1 spot on Apple's iTunes, just hours...

'N Sync Has First New Song in 20 Years

'Better Place' is part of the DreamWorks film 'Trolls Band Together'

(Newser) - They got the band back together: 'N Sync is releasing its first new song in two decades, reports Variety . "Better Place" will be featured in the upcoming DreamWorks Animation film Trolls Band Together. As Today notes, the song from the iconic boy band won't be released until...

Kari Lake Drops a New Song About '81 Million Votes'
Kari Lake's
New Song
Just Dropped
Jun 2, 2023 9:43 AM CDT

Kari Lake's New Song Just Dropped

GOPer releases '81 Million Votes, My A--,' announces appeal of Arizona gubernatorial loss

(Newser) - Kari Lake's protracted challenge to last year's gubernatorial race in Arizona, which the GOP candidate lost to Democrat Katie Hobbs, seemed to finally be over last month, after Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Peter Thompson dismissed her only remaining legal challenge on the matter. But the former news...

Amid Air Raids, Ukrainian Group Preps for Eurovision

Tvorchi, featuring Andrii Hutsuliak and Jeffrey Kenny, will perform 'Heart of Steel' Saturday in UK

(Newser) - Last year, Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra took home the grand prize at Eurovision for "Stefania," just a few months after the Russian invasion that has upended life there since. Per NPR , there's now a "special spotlight" on Ukraine for its entry this year into the international...

Ed Sheeran Shares What He Thinks Swayed Jury

After his copyright trial, singer cites '101 songs' that use the same 4 chords

(Newser) - In the view of Ed Sheeran, the key to persuading a jury that he didn't steal from Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" wasn't the performance of his hit song "Thinking Out Loud" in court, or really anything that the pop star did himself....

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