Today's Music Pulse
Drake Nears Record‑Breaking Billboard 200 Streak
Drake is closing in on Morgan Wallen’s record for the most weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, according to The Source. Forbes adds that this also matches Adele’s historic tally of debut‑at‑number‑one singles.
Metallica Pay Tribute to ‘S&M2’ Collaborator, Classical Music Icon Michael Tilson Thomas
Metallica posted a heartfelt Instagram tribute to the late Michael Tilson Thomas, the iconic conductor who guided the San Francisco Symphony for 25 years and co‑produced the band’s 2019 S&M2 concerts. Thomas, a 12‑time Grammy winner, died at 81 after battling brain cancer. The band highlighted his role in shaping the S&M2 program, noting his innovative approach of integrating classical repertoire rather than merely backing the metal group. The tribute underscores the lasting impact of the cross‑genre collaboration that drew 19,000 fans to the live shows.
Jonah Roth – “Not Your Friend”
Singer‑songwriter Jonah Roth released his new single “Not Your Friend,” a raw, 90s‑alt‑rock‑infused track that explores feelings of helplessness amid global chaos. The song’s production mixes grunge‑type guitars, bedroom‑folk intimacy, and lyrical introspection reminiscent of Alex G. Roth’s authentic delivery...
"I'm Deeply Uncomfortable with the Amount of Old Men Here." Teenage Guitar Sensation Grace Bowers Quits YouTube, Blames "Old-Ass Creeps"
Teen guitar prodigy Grace Bowers, 19, announced she is quitting YouTube after describing her audience as filled with "old‑ass creeps." The decision follows a deleted post where she expressed discomfort with older male viewers and a desire to move away...
Watch: MEGADETH Performs Its Version Of METALLICA Classic 'Ride The Lightning' Live For First Time
Megadeth performed a live debut of their version of Metallica’s 1984 title track “Ride The Lightning” at the Movistar Arena in Bogotá on April 26, 2026. The song, which Dave Mustaine co‑wrote before his 1983 departure from Metallica, was sped...
Kikimiki at the Vortex
Kikimiki, a collective born from Tomorrow’s Warriors’ Emerging Artists programme, delivered a compelling set at London’s Vortex. Led by flautist, singer and composer Keira Chakraborty, the band blended intricate improvisation with reverence for jazz tradition. Highlights included an Earth‑Day‑themed rendition...
David Lee Roth Joins Teddy Swims at Stagecoach for ‘Jump’
David Lee Roth surprised Stagecoach Festival attendees by joining Teddy Swims for a live rendition of Van Halen’s 1984 hit “Jump.” The performance marked their third consecutive festival collaboration, following a similar surprise at Coachella. High winds earlier forced an emergency evacuation,...
Dylan Bombs in Tallahassee
Bob Dylan’s 1976 spring tour marked a dramatic shift from intimate theaters to massive arenas, a change highlighted by his April 27 performance at Florida State University in Tallahassee. The larger venues made tickets more accessible, yet the surge in...
Carnegie Hall to Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Its ‘Concert of the Century’
Carnegie Hall will mark the 50th anniversary of its legendary 1976 “Concert of the Century” on May 5, 2026. The tribute, originally organized by violinist Isaac Stern, will be conducted by Yannick Nézet‑Séguin and feature the NYO‑USA All‑Stars alongside star soloists such as Renée Fleming,...
Sd-3
Toronto producer Luke Fenton releases *Sd‑3*, the final entry in his genre‑spanning trilogy. The album stitches pitch‑shifted vocal samples from artists like Bryson Tiller, Lomelda, and Georgia Harmer into a collage of dance, folk, and electronic textures. Fenton’s analog‑Rytm saturation...
Diamond Seas
Sonic Youth’s 20‑minute epic “The Diamond Sea” has been reimagined by plunderphonics pioneer John Oswald for a vinyl‑only release titled “Diamond Seas.” The project stitches together more than 30 live recordings from the band’s 1995 Lollapalooza run and 1996 tour, yielding...
UY SCUTI BØYZ
Atlanta’s Tezzus and diamond* drop their debut mixtape _UY SCUTI BØYZ_ on Young Thug’s YSL imprint, delivering 18 high‑energy tracks that blend veteran and emerging producers. While the project showcases standout moments—like the rapid‑fire hi‑hats on “Ew” and the dual‑style chemistry...
Yvonne Rogers - The Button Jar (Pyroclastic Records, 2026)
Brooklyn‑based pianist Yvonne Rogers is set to release her first solo album, The Button Jar, on May 8, 2026 via Pyroclastic Records. The record follows her 2023 debut Seeds and blends concise improvisations, minimalist textures, and richly harmonic passages, many under three...
GroakDontCroak Vol. 1
Maryland rapper Xang releases his latest project, "GroakDontCroak vol. 1," further defining the ambient rap subgenre that has been gaining traction in the DMV area. The album mixes nocturnal, psychedelic beats with drill‑style 808s and eerie synths, showcasing collaborations with producers...
Kan Sano Lets Go of Control and Lets Others in on ‘Mojacat’
Japanese veteran producer Kan Sano released his first solo album in four years, "Mojacat," embracing a collaborative approach that departs from his long‑standing perfectionist style. The record features guest artists such as J‑pop icon Ua, guitarist Shingo Sekiguchi, singer‑songwriter Satoko...
Maggio Musicale Awarded ‘Franco Abbiati’ Prize for Best Opera Production of 2025
The Italian Music Critics Association presented its 45th Franco Abbiati Awards, honoring the 2025 season’s top achievements in opera. Maggio Musicale Fiorentino earned Best Opera Production for its staging of Hans Werner Henze’s Der Junge Lord, conducted by Markus Stenz and directed by Daniele Menghini. Other notable...
Marigona Qerkezi, Johan Reuter, Ian Rucker, Heidi Stober & Laura Mayer Lead Royal Danish Opera’s 2026-27 Season
The Royal Danish Opera unveiled its 2026‑27 season, featuring a slate of productions from Verdi’s “Macbeth” to Bizet’s “Carmen.” Star singers Marigona Qerkezi, Johan Reuter, Ian Rucker, Heidi Stober and Laura Mayer headline key performances, while conductors such as Vassilis...
Brooklyn Art Song Society Continues New Voices Festival with “Long II”
The Brooklyn Art Song Society (BASS) will extend its New Voices Festival with “Longing II” on May 10, 2026 at Roulette in Brooklyn. A pre‑concert lecture by composer Benjamin Attahir begins at 4:30 p.m., followed by a program that spotlights the world premiere of...
Ringo Starr Embraces Country Voice on New Album
My talk with Ringo about his very enjoyable "Long Long Road" album, which came out Friday, and a few other fun topics we got onto, like the origins of his name... Ringo Starr on Making a Second Album With T...
Red Clay Strays Reveal New Album, 2026 Tour Dates
The Red Clay Strays will release their new album *Grateful* on June 5, produced by veteran Dave Cobb, featuring a blend of roots music and spiritual motifs rather than a full gospel record. Frontman Brandon Coleman describes the project as a...
The Beatles Rejected This Song Three Times Before It Became One of George Harrison’s Biggest Hits in 1970
George Harrison’s ballad “Isn’t It A Pity” was turned down three times by the Beatles during the Revolver era, only to surface on his 1970 solo debut All Things Must Pass. The song’s plaintive lyrics and lush arrangement resonated with listeners, becoming one...
Jazz in the Key of Life
Miguel Zenón, the Puerto Rican saxophonist who fuses traditional folk forms with modern jazz, won the 2024 Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album with “El Arte Del Bolero Vol. 2.” He is a MacArthur and Guggenheim Fellow and has released more...
Foo Fighters Drop New Track “Of All People” Ahead of 12th Album “Your Favorite Toy”
Foo Fighters have released the single “Of All People,” the latest preview of their forthcoming 12th studio album, Your Favorite Toy, due April 24. The track follows three earlier releases and underscores the band’s renewed momentum after a year‑long hiatus.
Ink Makes Her Mark at Stagecoach Debut: ‘Living My Dream’
Ink, born Atia Boggs, made her Stagecoach festival debut performing songs from her EP *Big Buskin’*. The 39‑year‑old singer‑songwriter delivered a standout set that included her debut single “Turquoise Cowboy” and tracks honoring her Atlanta roots. Ink also highlighted her...
Dream Summer Collab: Beyoncé, Cardi, Megan, Rihanna Unite
What if Beyoncé drops Act III, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion make another summer banger AND Rihanna gives us a lil feature before Labor Day 🔥 Hottest Hot Girl Summer since 2016. We need to keep collectively using our...
Deaf Center ~ Through Time / A Second
Deaf Center released the ambient concept album *Through Time* and its companion piece *A Second*, exploring the perception of time through spacious piano, strings, and electronic textures. The record features Otto A Totland’s minimalist piano, Erik K Skodvin’s haunted strings, and Simon...
Fans Choose Noah Kahan’s ‘The Great Divide’ as This Week’s Favorite New Music
Noah Kahan’s folk‑rock album *The Great Divide* captured 60% of the votes in Billboard’s fan‑voted new‑music poll released April 24, making it the week’s top pick. The 17‑track record, his first full‑length since 2020’s *Stick Season*, features the title single that...
Spontaneous Mezzanine Pop‑Up Performance Rocks The Cuban Club
I don’t know who this guy is, but he basically did his own unofficial pop up show on the 2nd floor mezzanine of The Cuban Club last night in Tampa. He was awesome. https://t.co/fqGOGUmK8J
Iconic Icons Grace Jones, D'Angelo Open Armani Exhibit
Grace Jones & D'Angelo at the opening of the Giorgio Armani Exhibit in New York (2000) https://t.co/Fq01PUZezn
Now & Then: Vincent Neil Emerson’s Blue Stars and the Reach of Old No. 1
Vincent Neil Emerson’s new album Blue Stars channels the understated, detail‑driven songwriting of Guy Clark’s 1975 classic Old No. 1 while adding broader instrumentation and contemporary themes. The record leans on personal memories of Texas road trips, family, and Native heritage, yet remains...
The Night ‘Ghetto Singer’ Ryan Castro Became a Singer Who Fills Stadiums
Colombian singer‑songwriter Ryan Castro turned a night at Medellín’s Atanasio Girardot Stadium into a stadium‑scale spectacle, drawing roughly 47,000 fans. The show opened with a dramatic helicopter intro and featured a rotating roster of guests, including Sean Paul, Maluma, J Balvin, Feid...
Lainey Wilson Brings Out Riley Green After Canceled Stagecoach Set in Standout Moment
After high winds forced evacuations and canceled several acts at Stagecoach, Lainey Wilson’s headlining set was pushed to 10:30 p.m. on Friday. Despite the delay, Wilson delivered a 90‑minute performance that included new material from the deluxe re‑issue of *Whirlwind* and...
NBA YoungBoy Documentary Screening Reportedly Shut Down Over Rowdy Fans
The documentary *American YoungBoy* documenting NBA YoungBoy’s MASA tour was screened in a major theater when rowdy fans disrupted the showing, prompting staff to temporarily halt the event. After the crowd demanded the film continue, the theater resumed the screening....
James Taylor’s Favorite Album Is Later in His Career (And More Inventive) Than You Might Think
James Taylor revealed that his 1997 album *Hourglass* is his personal favorite, despite being less iconic than his early 1970s hits. The record reached No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and earned a Grammy for Best Pop Album. Taylor recorded it...
The Mysterines’ Callum Thompson Launches New Project AKA with Fuzzed Out Single ‘It Grows On Trees (Money)’
Liverpool guitarist Callum Thompson has unveiled his solo moniker AKA, debuting with the fuzz‑laden single “It Grows On Trees (Money). The track, a satirical take on modern wealth‑making, is paired with a quirky video starring giant, skate‑boarding dogs roaming the...
Charlamagne Tha God Praises Drake’s “ICEMAN” For Reviving Album Rollouts
Charlamagne Tha God lauded Drake’s upcoming album ICEMAN on his Brilliant Idiots podcast, highlighting the project’s elaborate rollout as a comeback for traditional album promotion. He argued that most major artists now rely on surprise drops, neglecting the buildup that...
Former Boyz Members Unite, Support Inter‑Zection Concert
I think it says so much about The Boyz innerworkings and members' hearts that both members who left were in attendance and publicly supporting the Inter-Zection concert at this time 🥹🥹 Wishing the best for all
10 Minutes Backstage with Gavin Rossdale at Stagecoach
Gavin Rossdale took Bush to the Stagecoach country music festival, joining a lineup of 1990s rock acts performing for a traditionally country audience. While backstage, he teamed with Guy Fieri for a live cooking demonstration, highlighting his newly launched TV...
Richard Marx's 1989 'Repeat Offender' Tops Billboard
On this day in 1989, Richard Marx released 'Repeat Offender.' Featuring "Satisfied," "Right Here Waiting," and "Angelia," it produced multiple #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and became his first album to top the Billboard 200. https://t.co/i4J9jBhAtK
Throwing Copper: 32‑Year Journey to 8‑Million‑Copy Success
32 years ago today, Live released Throwing Copper. It slowly found an audience as radio stations and MTV added "Lightning Crashes" and "I Alone," and hit #1 on the Billboard Album Chart a year later and sold over 8 million...
3 of Johnny Cash’s Best Crossover Pop Hits of His Career
Johnny Cash, famed as a country legend, also achieved notable success on rock and adult‑contemporary charts. Three of his most celebrated crossover hits—“I Walk The Line,” “Ring Of Fire,” and “A Boy Named Sue”—each topped the country chart while breaking into the Top 20 on rock...
MICHAEL's Finale Mirrors Inside Llewyn Davis' 1983 Jam
Surprised by how much the ending of MICHAEL rips off INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS. [Spoiler alert] It ends in 1983, at a college commons in Vermont, where a kid is playing the album THRILLER as a young jam band takes the stage...
Kathryn Grimm's New Single Brightens Hearts with Pop‑Rock Joy
Portland singer-songwriter and guitarist Kathryn Grimm releases feel-good pop rock single "Goodbye To The Blues," a joyful, groove-driven track about love sweeping the darkness clean away. https://t.co/QCEMvVqUn0
Bruno Mars' Catalog Floods Billboard as ‘Risk It All’ Hits New Radio Peaks
Bruno Mars has 12 tracks charting across Billboard’s genre‑specific lists, highlighted by the return of “Risk It All” to the Digital Song Sales chart at No. 23 and new peaks on Rhythmic, Adult R&B, and Radio Songs airplay charts. The resurgence...
Sandy Beaches Cruise Unveils 2027 Roots Music Lineup
Sandy Beaches Cruise announces its 2027 lineup featuring Keb' Mo', JJ Grey & Mofro, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, and dozens more roots music heavyweights for a seven-day sailing out of Fort Lauderdale. https://t.co/2FaCmQj2hZ
Remember When Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson Wrote One of the Best-Selling Singles of All Time in 1985?
In 1985, Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson co‑wrote the charity anthem “We Are The World,” produced by Quincy Jones and performed by a roster of 45 top artists. The single was created to aid famine‑stricken Ethiopia through USA For Africa, raising over...
NYC Names Jimi Hendrix Way, Launches TeachRock Curriculum
New York City officially co-names West 8th Street "Jimi Hendrix Way," launching a new national TeachRock curriculum bringing Hendrix's revolutionary musical legacy into classrooms across the country. https://t.co/eXVgneCCzi
After Just One Weekend, Michael Jackson Film Ranks Among 10 Highest-Grossing Music Biopics Worldwide: Find Out Where
The Michael Jackson biopic *Michael* pulled in $217.3 million worldwide and $97 million in North America during its opening weekend, making it the highest‑grossing debut for a music biopic and placing it at No. 3 on Billboard’s all‑time list. The film’s launch eclipsed...
Nedra Talley, Last Surviving Member of The Ronettes, Dies at 80
Nedra Talley, the last surviving core member of the iconic 1960s girl group The Ronettes, died at age 80. The Ronettes, known for hits like “Be My Baby,” helped pioneer Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound,” influencing generations of musicians. After...
The Agency's New Single Funds Rosa Thomas' Stroke Recovery
Newcastle folk noir collective The Agency... release "We Fell to the Floor" featuring The Samphires, with all proceeds supporting vocalist Rosa Thomas's recovery from a 2025 stroke. https://t.co/YRKV2cIMme
Thin Lizzy Credits Kentucky Radio Stations for Turning This 1976 Track Into a Top 40 Hit
In a 2016 interview, Thin Lizzy guitarist Scott Gorham credited two Louisville, Kentucky DJs with turning the band’s 1976 demo “The Boys Are Back In Town” into a national hit. The song, saved from the album’s cut list, received relentless local airplay, prompting other stations to follow...