Music News

Dolly Parton Motley Crue team up When two titans from seemingly opposite ends of the music universe collide, history is made. Country legend Dolly Parton and rock icons Mötley Crüe have joined forces for a genre-blurring rendition of the Crüe’s hit, “Home Sweet Home.” Dolly Parton, with her unmistakable voice and boundless charisma, is no stranger to crossing musical boundaries. Her career has spanned country, rock, pop, bluegrass, and even dance. Meanwhile the Mötley Crüe has built their lega

Photo Credit: PBS & NPR A group of state attorneys general asks a federal judge to side with PBS and NPR in the legal battle over plans to end the networks’ federal funding. Filed on Friday, a 41-page amicus brief by 22 state attorneys general say the Trump administration’s plans to defund PBS and NPR through an executive order are unlawful actions which threaten the “critical importance of public media.” The filing argues that public media is especially beneficial to small, local, and tr

Photo Credit: Ye Jinghan R. Kelly seeks a new trial amid allegations of prosecutorial corruption amid ongoing claims of a murder-for-hire plot. R. Kelly and his attorney have filed a motion in Illinois asking that the singer’s federal conviction on sexual misconduct, racketeering, and other charges be vacated, alleging widespread prosecutorial corruption. Among the allegations, Kelly’s attorney claims significant manipulation of the 2021 trial’s key witness. The motion’s filing comes amid ong

Photo Credit: Igor Omalaev Across America, a wave of staffing cuts is reshaping the business landscape. The music industry has served as a bellwether for these broader corporate cuts that extend beyond the major labels and impact every aspect of the industry. Over the past few years, major record labels—Universal Music Group (UMG), Warner Music Group (WMG), and Sony Music—have enacted significant layoffs, reflecting pressures felt across sectors. While these moves are partly a response to plat

Photo Credit: FoldRevolutionary958 / reddit After the 2025 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival was canceled due to bad weather, organizers announced 75% refunds—pissing off long-time Bonnaroovians in the process. Tens of thousands of attendees found themselves caught in relentless rain and flooding, with the festival grounds quickly turning into a muddy morass. Videos and social media posts showed festivalgoers wading through ankle-deep water and struggling to navigate the chaotic campground. Org

Spotify head Daniel Ek, whose company is facing calls for an FTC investigation over its aggressive bundling strategy. Photo Credit: Fortune Live Media / CC by 2.0 The fallout over Spotify’s bundling shenanigans isn’t through yet, as federal lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are now urging the FTC to launch a related investigation. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) entreated FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson to scrutinize the bundling craze – as well as the consumer and

Photo Credit: Ryan Schmidt, Esq. on Instagram K Fresh and his attorney post an open letter to Timbaland and AI company Suno over music allegedly stolen by the producer to train Suno’s AI. Timbaland is facing criticism online for allegedly stealing another artist’s music to use in AI beat prompts in association with AI company Suno. Now, producer K Fresh and his attorney, Ryan Schmidt, have penned an open letter to Timbaland and Suno, posted on Instagram on Friday. “We are writing at a time wh

Rod Stewart has released a track exclusively via Amazon Music. Photo Credit: Amazon Music Are we witnessing the return of music streaming exclusives? Possibly, as Amazon Music has added a pair of Originals, one from Rod Stewart ahead of his Glastonbury performance next week. The music platform put out separate releases about the projects, which mark the latest in a line of Amazon Music Originals. First up is Jim Burgess’ disco remix of Rod Stewart’s “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” This existing effor

Photo Credit: MGM Records, 1966 Falsetto singer-songwriter Lou Christie, best known for songs like “Lightnin’ Strikes” and “I’m Gonna Make You Mine,” has passed away at age 82. Lou Christie, beloved singer-songwriter of the 1960s who became a country singer in the ‘70s, has passed away. His family confirmed his death “after a brief illness” in an Instagram post on Wednesday. He was 82. “It is with deep sorry that we share the passing of our beloved brother, Lou Christie,” the post reads. “He

Photo Credit: Stonyblony / CC by 4.0 A petition has been started asking for 100% refunds from Live Nation after Bonnaroo’s last-minute cancellation. After Bonnaroo’s mid-festival cancellation due to weather, attendees have taken to social media to demand full refunds. A petition has been started on change.org asking Live Nation for a 100% refund, while the festival’s Instagram post elicits even more backlash from festival-goers. “This year’s Bonnaroo music festival, owned and managed by Live

Spotify HiFi might actually be set to roll out in 2025, new evidence suggests. Photo Credit: Alex Lujan Audiophiles rejoice? According to yet another wave of seemingly reliable evidence, Spotify HiFi might finally be set to launch. Spotify client-customization tool Spicetify recently disclosed said evidence, including a number of screenshots, on X. But before that, a Redditor, citing findings from Spotify’s latest app update, suggested improved audio quality could be “right around the corner

Photo Credit: Savannah Rohleder Maine has enacted a sweeping new ticketing law aimed at protecting consumers from deceptive practices, excessive fees, and price gouging in the live event marketplace. The law, officially known as S.P. 403/L.D. 913 or Maine Public Law Chapter 354, was signed by Maine Governor Janet Mills and will take effect in 90 days. It is already being hailed at the toughest ticketing reform law in the United States—with several industry bodies praising the reform. The legi

We have already celebrated a Brat summer and embraced a hot girl summer. However, rising dance-pop sensation and international DJ Chloe Jane is eager to usher in a glowsticks-up summer with her electrifying single “Oopsie Daisy.” Serving as the second focus track of her eagerly awaited debut album. This track encapsulates an energetic vibe that promises to elevate dance floors everywhere. Additionally, it’s incredibly exciting to witness Chloe step out from her DJ booth to own the stage as a

Grammy-winning artist Wyclef Jean, 88rising cofounder (and early investor in Musical.ly and Triller) Jaeson Ma, and former Head of Amazon Music for Independent Artists Madeline Nelson gathered for Indie Week Happy Hour to launch OpenWav. The event celebrated the official launch of OpenWav — a streaming, merch, ticketing, and superfan platform aiming to empower independent artists with tools to thrive in the ownership economy. OpenWav is cofounded by Jaeson Ma and Eric Tu — who also serves as C

Photo Credit: Eva Rinaldi / CC by 2.0 Fat Joe’s former hype man filed a lawsuit against the rapper with allegations he engaged in sex acts with minors, financial fraud, labor exploitation, and more. Terrance “T.A.” Dixon, Fat Joe’s former hype man, has filed an incendiary lawsuit in federal court against the rapper. Filed on Thursday, the lawsuit alleges that Fat Joe, whose real name is Joseph Antonio Cartagena, engaged in “coercive labor exploitation, financial fraud, sexual manipulation, vio

Photo Credit: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame | Carol Kaye Legendary bassist Carol Kaye has publicly declined her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. At 90 years old, the outspoken Kaye posted on Facebook to make her views known. She is being recognized with the Musical Excellence Award at the 2025 ceremony, but Kaye has chosen not to attend or participate. She cites fundamental disagreements with the language the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has used to frame the legacy of studio mu

Photo Credit: Genevieve / CC by 2.0 Legendary radio host Barret ‘Dr. Demento’ Hansen has announced his retirement after 55 years in radio—marking the end of an era for fans of comedy and novelty music. The most recent airing of his regular show revealed the news, with a series of retrospective episodes airing until his official farewell in October. That farewell will coincide with the 55th anniversary of his iconic radio program. Dr. Demento first appeared on the airwaves in October 1970 at K

Photo Credit: Deezer Deezer launches the world’s first AI tagging system for music streaming, providing full transparency on all albums with AI generated tracks. Paris-based global music platform Deezer has introduced the world’s first AI tagging system for music streaming, clearly displaying which albums include fully AI generated tracks. The company recently announced the launch of its AI music detection tool, revealing that nearly one-fifth (18%) of all music uploaded on a daily basis—more

An Eras Tour performance from Taylor Swift, who’s being pulled back into the Justin Baldoni v. Blake Lively showdown. Photo Credit: Ronald Woan Just when she thought she was out, they pulled her back in: Taylor Swift is once again being dragged into the Justin Baldoni v. Blake Lively legal war, where her texts with Lively are officially fair game. As many already know, the Baldoni v. Lively battle definitely doesn’t begin and “end with” the It Ends With Us co-stars, who’ve been clashing for a

A playground display featuring a character from Pocoyo, which Animaj owns. Photo Credit: Rodelar HarbourView wasn’t kidding about its plans to invest across music, sports, and the wider entertainment space alike. The firm has taken the lead on an $85 million raise for gen AI animation company Animaj. Newark-based HarbourView Equity Partners reached out with word of the investment, which Paris-headquartered Animaj disclosed in an announcement of its own. Founded in 2022, the latter business sa

Photo Credit: Scruffy Bear Media Frontiers Music proudly announces the signing of legendary English rock supergroup Asia for an exciting new chapter in their storied history. Last year saw a rebirth for legendary supergroup Asia, with a new lineup featuring founding member, keyboardist Geoffrey Downes, drummer Virgil Donati, guitarist John Mitchell, and vocal newcomer and bassist Harry Whitley. This new chapter promises to reignite the band’s iconic spirit, stepping into a promising new creati

Photo Credit: Adrian Gonzalez A first-of-its-kind initiative brings leading community organizations together to ensure every student districtwide has access to high-quality arts education. Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) and Arts Access Miami (AAM) have entered into a first-of-its-kind partnership to dramatically expand equitable access to arts education across the school district. Managed by Young Musicians Unite (YMU) and fiscally sponsored by The Miami Foundation (TMF), AAM is bui

Photo Credit: Gadiel Lazcano The Irish Music Rights Organization (IMRO) has announced record-breaking revenues for 2024, reporting total income of €53 million ($60.74M). This figure represents a 16% increase over the previous year and a 25% rise compared to 2022. Distributions to songwriters and publishers reached €46M ($52.66M) in 2024, reflecting a 22% year-on-year increase and a 62% surge since 2022. IMRO’s international profile continues to expand, with new member admissions up 63%. The or

Photo Credit: Don Toliver for Downtown Neighbouring Rights Hot off the signing of Jason Mraz, Downtown Neighbouring Rights signs Don Toliver, Brazilian DJ Zerb, and label Innerground Music. Downtown Neighbouring Rights (DNR) has announced a slew of international signings with globally recognized recording artists and labels. These include American rapper and singer-songwriter Don Toliver, Brazilian DJ and producer Zerb, and Drum & Bass label Innerground Music, founded by DJ Marky. Through

Will cell phone bans become the norm for concerts? Sabrina Carpenter is the latest artist to applaud the idea of device-free shows. Photo Credit: Magenta Will phone bans become the norm for concerts? The question is once again taking center stage – this time because Sabrina Carpenter has revealed that she’s open to prohibiting mobile devices at her own shows. The Pennsylvania native, who’s set to release a new album in August and has multiple performances teed up, disclosed as much in a recen