When Elton John was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, he brought his longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin onstage and handed him his award. “I feel cheating standing up here because without Bernie, there wouldn’t have been any Elton John at all,” he said. “And …
Read More »TikTok's Hottest Tracks of 2023
Having a hit on TikTok isn’t as straightforward as it was in the early days of the app. Now, a song can go viral countless ways: A single line, an artful mashup, a sped-up remix, or a creator-fueled dance challenge can all lead to a track taking off. But even …
Read More »Myron Elkins Was Welding Away His Life in a Factory. Then He Heard Bob Seger
Myron Elkins is one of those guys who seems to have stepped out of another time. At just 22, the former welder from the small town of Otsego, Michigan — closest city: Kalamazoo —drops names like Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, and Al Green when recounting his musical mileposts. But he’s …
Read More »Willie Nelson in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: 10 of His Best Rock Covers
Willie Nelson celebrated his 90th birthday last weekend with some of his talented friends and admirers —from Keith Richards to Billy Strings —at the Hollywood Bowl in L.A. Just a few days later, the iconic singer-songwriter also added to his accolades by becoming a newly elected member of the Rock …
Read More »The Hives Survive: Inside the Swedish Garage-Rockers' First Album in 11 Years
When the Hives released their last album, in 2012, the Swedish garage-rockers didn’t plan on waiting 11 years to follow it up. Unfortunate, unforeseen events just kept getting in their way. The trouble started in 2013, when bassist Dr. Matt Destruction left the group due to health problems; continued in …
Read More »In Europe, Angèle Is a Famous Pop Star. In the States, She Just Wants You to Love Her Music
Angèle knows you might not know her songs — or understand them — and she’s OK with that. This weekend, the Belgian pop star is performing a string of shows at New York City’s Terminal 5, wrapping her productive and eye-opening first-ever tour of the U.S. Back home, she’s used …
Read More »Timbaland Just Added Fuel to Our Growing Rap Dystopia
Maybe there’s an alternate universe where musicians are currently banding together against AI, opting to blackball anyone complicit in its rapid ascension from a viral sideshow into a thorn in the industry’s side. But that’s not the case on this planet, where prominent artists like Grimes and now Timbaland are …
Read More »A Grateful Dead Tribute Band — in Drag — Raises Money for Trans Youth in Tennessee
When Melody Walker and her friend Caitlin Doyle first envisioned the Grateful Dead tribute band Bertha, Tennessee’s legislature hadn’t yet introduced legislation limiting drag performance. The Nashville musicians were just daydreaming about an all-women Dead tribute group, but soon landed on the idea of doing it in drag. “I was …
Read More »Willie Nelson, Missy Elliott, Kate Bush, George Michael Lead Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2023 Class
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has officially announced this year’s inductees: Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine, and the Spinners will join the class of 2023 in the Performer category. Chaka Khan, Al Kooper, and Bernie Taupin will receive the …
Read More »Turnpike Troubadours Talk Anticipated New Comeback Album and Real Reason Behind the Breakup
At first glance, the newborn calf held its own. A few days old, nestled under a tarp in the cowboy’s shop, it lifted its head and surveyed the room when the cowboy walked in for a wellness check. The calf was sick. It had not attempted to nurse its mother …
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