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Day in Pop Report for 03/14/2016


Today's Top Stories


Early Prince Demo Tape Featuring Unreleased Songs Being Auctioned

(SHC) A 1978 Prince demo tape featuring three never-released songs leads the lineup for a auction of memorabilia from the music star by his Ex-Wife Mayte Garcia and Manager Owen Husney.

Other items being offered in the Nate D. Sanders auction of 95 pieces includes a diamond engagement ring, a 1959 Gibson guitar used to compose and record early demo tracks and outfits. We were sent the following details about the demo tape:

The 1978 cassette tape gives a unique window into Prince's early creative process, just as his career was starting to soar. One side of the tape, spanning approximately 23 minutes, features six songs by Prince, three of which are unreleased.

This piece of pop music history comes directly from Prince's collaborator and guitarist, Dez Dickerson, who says of the tape's origin: "Prince originally gave me the cassette in late 1978 because he wanted me to listen to a record he had recorded on side A (a female-fronted funk band whose name I don't remember now). Sometime during the next year or so, I used the A side to record some scratch bass and guitar parts for songs I was going to be recording for a rock/power pop demo I was doing, recording over the original content (you can still hear a snippet of the funk record at the end of the side).

On side B, Prince had his work versions of 6 songs, which I left intact for, at that time, unknown reasons (obviously, we now know it preserved a piece of musical history)." The Side B, containing Prince's songs, opens with an early, acoustic version of "So Blue", followed by two unreleased love songs with bouncy, upbeat choruses and risque lyrics. Next is an early version of "Gotta Broken Heart Again", which later appeared on Prince's seminal "Dirty Mind" album. The fourth track features heavy guitar distortion and a chorus that include very candid sexual pleas from Prince.

The tape ends with a very early, virtually unrecognizable version of "Sometimes it Snows in April", with only a couple of lines from the chorus making the final cut onto the later version of the song that's featured on the "Parade" album, released some eight years after this tape was created. Check out the full catalog of auction items here.

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Harry Styles Leaving One Direction For Hollywood Rumor

(Radio.com) In early February, Harry Styles fueled rumors that he'd be following in Zayn Malik's footsteps by becoming the next member of One Direction to quit and pursue a solo career.

At the time, Styles had dropped the band's management team to sign with CAA. Now, those rumors are starting to make sense, but Styles may not necessarily be thinking solo music project. It sounds as though the singer has Hollywood in his sights.

Deadline reports that Christopher Nolan offered Styles a role in his upcoming action adventure film Dunkirk. Not much is known about the role Styles was reportedly offered, though what we do know about Dunkirk is that it will focus on the evacuation during World War II that saved 300,000 Allied soldiers' lives. Read more here.

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Tegan and Sara Announce New Album 'Love You To Death'

Tegan and Sara have announced that they will be releasing their new studio album 'Love You to Death' on June 3rd following a handful of sold-out intimate venue shows in May.

The 'Love You to Death' album was recorded in Los Angeles and reunited with the group with producer Greg Kurstin (Adele, Sia, Beck, Ellie Goulding).

Fans in Los Angeles and New York City will be able to see Tegan and Sara perform at intimate venues this spring. They will kick things off with two L.A. shows (The Roxy on May 2nd and Teragram Ballroom on May 3rd) and will play Le Poisson Rouge in New York City on May 9th. They expect to announce additional dates soon.

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50 Quits Instagram Over Legal Issues

(Radio.com) 50 Cent has recently been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. The rapper is currently in hot water for continuing to post photos of himself with wads of cash while going through bankruptcy proceedings.

On Thursday (March 10), 50 took to Instagram to announce he is quitting with the social network. "I'm done with IG after tonight, someone else will operate it for me."

He followed that up with a post of what looks like a homeless man with the caption: "the court system still has an old view point, I look in the mirror and see an entrepreneur, a winner. I almost forgot some people look and see a n-er that should not have all that money in the first place. Some old habits don't change fast." See his posts here.

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PJ Harvey Releases New Single 'The Community of Hope'

(NLM) PJ Harvey has revealed a stream of the song "The Community of Hope" via Spotify. The track is the second single from Harvey's new album, 'The Hope Six Demolition Project,' which will released on April 15th.

Stream the new song here. We were sent the following details: 'The Hope Six Demolition Project' draws from several journeys undertaken by Harvey, who spent time in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Washington, D.C. over a four-year period. The album was recorded last year in residency at London's Somerset House and is produced by Flood and John Parish.

Both singles from 'The Hope Six Demolition Project,' "The Wheel" and "The Community of Hope", are available instantly via iTunes when pre-ordering the album.

PJ Harvey and her band will perform a number of festival dates across Europe this summer, including London's Field Day on Sunday 12th June, and a return to Glastonbury on Sunday 26th June, twelve years after her last appearance at Worthy Farm. See the tour dates here.

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Eric Church Takes Action Against Scalpers

(EBM) Eric Church is once again taking strong action against scalpers in light of recent on-sales for his back-to-back intimate engagements at Red Rocks Amphitheater. We were sent the following details:

"I get asked all the time about my favorite venue, and I always answer the same way. Red Rocks. When people ask why, I just smile and say, 'you must not have been there.' It's truly breathtaking," the ACM Entertainer of the Year nominee shares. "I'm honored to have two shows there."

Upon their normal review of the orders for the two nights, Church and his team discovered that a total of 2,700 tickets were purchased by known scalpers, including more than 750 tickets purchased by a Texas-based scalper ring, all of which were cancelled. "I do want to add a quick word about the scalpers," Church insists. "I have never seen more relentless, nefarious and frankly disgusting efforts to defraud the fans and the general public. Six words for you thugs: You Will Not Win. I Will."

Q Prime South's Fielding Logan has long spearheaded Church's war on scalpers noting, "On an ongoing basis, our team will continue to examine ticket orders and cancel tickets purchased by scalpers."

So when the more than 19,000 concert attendees arrive in Morrison, Colorado and see "sold out" across its iconic marquee for two nights, the Church Choir can feel confident that the Chief is doing everything he can to help the fans in the fight against scalpers.

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Lil Wayne and Ariana Grande Collaborate On 'Let Me Love You'

(Radio.com) Ariana Grande hasn't shared the full tracklist for her upcoming 15-track album Dangerous Woman yet, but she did reveal four song titles, including one collaboration with Lil Wayne.

In addition to the title track, "Dangerous Woman," which she released early Friday, March 11th, Grande's new album will include another song "Be Alright."

Beyond those two tracks, Grande shared that a track called "Into You" and another called "Let Me Love You" will be a part of her album. The latter features Lil Wayne, who previously rapped about the singer on his own track "London Roads" off his album Free Weezy Album. Read more here.

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Brandy Clark Releases 'Girl Next Door' Video

(Radio.com) Brandy Clark has released a new music video for her single "Girl Next Door." Her new album Big Day In A Small Town will be released on June 10th. In the clip a Stepford wife marionette brings Brandy's lyrics to life.

'I wrote that with Jessie Jo Dillon and Shane McAnally, and that idea came from Jessie Jo," Clark told Radio.com. "Jessie Jo is the epitome of cool; she's a little bit of a wild child, and she was dating this guy who loved that about her when he first met her, and then as time wore on, he wanted her to be a little bit more demure.

"And I said, 'Well, what do you think of that?' She's like, 'I wanna say, 'Brother, you want the girl next door, go next door!" ' And I said, 'Jessie, that's a song!'"

See the full track listing and watch the new music video here.

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Bone Thugs-n-Harmony Get Sesame Street Makeover

(Radio.com) Bone Thugs-n-Harmony got a Sesame Street makeover, or is it the other way around? Either way, some genius Internet mind decided to see what happens when you take footage from the popular children's show and edit it over Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's classic song "Tha Crossroads." Answer? Hilarity.

While the show itself has created numerous parodies putting its own unique spin on cultural fare, this mash-up isn't from anyone associated with Sesame Street.

YouTube user 'isthishowyougoviral' posted the video on March 10th, which shows Elmo, Cookie Monster, Grover and more characters lip-syncing along to the hit. Check it out here.

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Eric Paslay Release Guest Filled 'High Class' Video

(Radio.com) Eric Paslay brought along his high class friends Charles Kelley, Kristian Bush and Maddie & Tae, along with his brother John Paul and wife Natalie, to help him make the video for "High Class," the lead single off his upcoming sophomore album.

In the video, directed by Wes Edwards, Paslay and his friends drew upon the Copacabana scene from Goodfellas. Initially dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt, Paslay makes his way through the back entrance and kitchen of a club before being transformed into a more polished version of himself. Once he dons a black suit and shades, everything takes on a level of "high class."

The video offers viewers lots of flare, sparkle and more. Paslay performs on a stage at a swinging club before taking to the hallways for a choreographed dance number. "We ain't on the list/ But we on the list/ When you look like this/ And you walk like that/ Skip the line baby/ Don't look back/ Tonight we high class/ Yeah, tonight we high class," he sings on the chorus.

Watch the new video here.

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Ciara and Russell Wilson Get Engaged

(Radio.com) Congratulations to music star Ciara and NFL quarterback Russell Wilson, who just got engaged. The happy couple took to social media to share the news with fans.

"She said Yes!!!" Wilson tweeted, sharing a video of the couple and a massive engagement ring. "Since Day 1 I knew you were the one. No Greater feeling� #TrueLove @Ciara."

"God Is Good! Grateful For You @DangRussWilson," Ciara tweeted. "You Are Heaven Sent. I'm Looking Forward To Spending Forever With You."

See the happy tweets here.

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Gazzo and Sugarwhiskey Release New Single What You Waiting For?

(Republic) Gazzo has released his brand new single "What You Waiting For?" featuring New York alternative pop duo Sugarwhiskey at all digital retailers via Casablanca Records.

"What You Waiting For?" sees GAZZO create a sunny and slick guitar-driven musical backdrop for Sugarwhiskey to carry a playful verse and unshakable chant. Propelled by handclaps, a bright bass line, and a stunning drop, it's his biggest anthem to date.

Gazzo's latest music reflects his roots as a multi-instrumentalist. The world got to know the New Jersey artist and producer as a progressive house maven, but he's just at home with a stand-up bass, on the drums, or playing guitar as he is behind the decks. He's sharing this evolution on the full-length documentary, Natural Ingredients, out very soon. Stream the song here.

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Jean-Michel Jarre Streaming 'What You Want' Featuring Peaches

(MSO) French electronic star Jean-Michel Jarre is streaming "What You Want" his collaboration with Peaches, which is featured on his upcoming new album Electronica Vol 2: The Heart Of Noise.

Following JARRE's critically acclaimed 2015 album Electronica Vol. 1: The Time Machine, The Heart Of Noise (Sony Music/RED) is scheduled to be released on May 6th/

The album features collaborations with Pet Shop Boys, Primal Scream, E.S., Julia Holter, Gary Numan, Jeff Mills, Rone, Siriusmo, Yello, The Orb, Sebastien Tellier, Hans Zimmer, Cyndi Lauper and Christophe. It is a tribute to Luigi Russolo, Italian composer and builder of experimental musical instruments, who predicted the dawn of the synthesizerand electronic music.

Check out the new song here.

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firekid Announces Tour With Brett Dennen

(Atlantic) firekid has announced plans for a major U.S. tour as special guest to Brett Dennen. The dates get underway May 10th at Wilmington, NC's Brooklyn Arts Center and then continue through New York City's Bowery Ballroom on June 13th.

The musical brainchild of Nashville-based singer/guitarist Dillon Hodges, firekid is currently wrapping up a tour with Elektra/Atlantic recording group Kaleo, which stops tonight in Los Angeles for a sold-out show at the Troubadour. A number of additional dates are scheduled through March, including appearances at Austin's South By Southwest Festival (SXSW).

Firekid (aka Dillon Hodges) proved a prodigy upon first picking up the guitar, winning the National Flat Pick Guitar Championship as a 17-year old high school senior - the second youngest person to ever win the prestigious competition. Recorded in Hodges' hometown of Muscle Shoals with producer Sam Hollander (The Fray, Train), "firekid," released last fall, was described by Paste as "an accessible sound that stays true to Hodges' country background, but� continues to push (the) boundaries." See the tour dates here.

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Max Frost Announces U.S. Tour And Releases 360 Withdrawal Video

Max Frost has announced that he will embark on his first ever US headline tour this spring and has released an innovative 360 degree live video of his new single "Withdrawal."

The track comes from his recently released EP Intoxication and he teamed with Omniception and Impeccable Pictures to create the 360 visual for the song which features him playing every instrument used in the song simultaneously in the video. Watch the video here

The headline tour is scheduled to kick off at The Tank Room in Kansas City on April 27th and will be wrapping up at the House of Blues in Dallas on May 14th. See the tour dates here.

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Eminem's 'Not Afraid' Gets Covered By 12 Year Old Fan

(Radio.com) Eminem is being covered in a way you haven't heard before. Twelve year old Sparsh Shah released his cover of Em's "Not Afraid" back in January with the following message:

"Hello everyone! This is Sparsh, and this my debut clean cover of Eminem's song, 'Not Afraid' (with my classical touch) from his album 'Recovery' as my rapper avatar, 'PURHYTHM'. I feel like 'Not Afraid' has been my power song ever since I heard it for the first time and Eminem became my idol in the rap genre.

"He has inspired me so much with his powerful songs and lyrics (minus curses), and I aspire that one day, I could get to meet him and sing (or rap!) with him.

"It's always been my dream to inspire BILLIONS of people one day with my musical talent, and I wish that dream comes true. Please like, share, and subscribe if you liked my cover! :-)"

Shah suffers from Osteogenesis Imperfecta, a disorder characterized by fragile bones which can easily be broken. Check out the cover here.

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Hospital Honors Blake Shelton's Father

(Radio.com) Blake Shelton's father is being honored by a hospital in Shawnee, Okla. The singer posted a photo of the fountain located at St. Anthony's hospital new wing that pays tribute to the late, Richard Lee Shelton, who passed away in 2012.

Richard "Dick" Shelton was hospitalized in December of 2011 with pneumonia. At the American Country Awards that year, his son sent him a shout out form the stage.

"I want to say hi to my dad back home � he's been having a pretty rough couple of weeks, and I know he's watching tonight," Shelton said. "I love you, Dad, and I dedicate this to you, man. Thank you." Read more here.

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Gwen Stefani Has Fans Wondering Who The Song 'Misery' Is About

(Radio.com) As much as Gwen Stefani's new album deals with her marriage's end, it appears to be equally about her new relationship. So who exactly is her new tune "Misery" about: her ex-husband Gavin Rossdale or her new country beau Blake Shelton?

Stefani released a lyric video for the new track on Friday (March 11th), which uses a notebook to doodle the song's words. "Where'd you go?/ I got so used to being round you boy/ I'm trying not to care, but where'd you go?/ I'm doing my best to be sensible/ I'm trying not to care, but/ You're like drugs/ You're like drugs to me," Stefani sings in the opening verse.

On the chorus, Stefani begs the man she addresses throughout the song, "Put me out of my misery/ Hurry up, come save me/ Enough enough of this suffering/ Hurry up, come save me/ Put me out of my misery/ Put me out of my misery."

While some have speculated that Stefani could be singing about her ex-husband Gavin Rossdale, a completely fair claim given that she could be pining over a different outcome than her divorce, it's equally possible that "Misery" is about Shelton. Whether Stefani is singing for her new man to pull her out of a post-divorce funk, or for her former husband to return and restore their relationship to its former glory is a tricky call. Listening to the song from each perspective, it makes sense either way. Read more and watch the video here.

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Song Details For Dazed and Confused 'Spiritual Sequel' Revealed

(Radio.com) Richard Linklater's new film Everybody Wants Some features a soundtrack full of 80's memories. The film, which Linklater has called a "spiritual sequel" to Dazed and Confused, follows a group of college friends in the 1980s.

The soundtrack "tries to capture the amazing diversity of what was on the table musically at that time," Linklater said in a prepared statement. "So many artists were at the top of their game, and it seemed like a lot of popular genres were viable.

"Metal and R&B were as big as ever, disco was still hanging in there (although it would be 'dead' within a year or so), and, thanks to the movie Urban Cowboy, country was suddenly cool in places it hadn't been before. Even more exciting was the immediacy of punk and new wave, and the first examples of this thing you'd eventually know as hip-hop.

"Over the years some of this has been parodied and made to look ridiculous, but this movie is asking you to experience it as if for the first time - from those opening drum beats of 'My Sharona' to the utter newness of 'Rapper's Delight.'"

Check out the full track list for the soundtrack here.

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Singled Out: Kate Vargas' Call Back The Dogs

Americana/singer songwriter Kate Vargas tells us about her new single "Call Back The Dogs". The video for the track was animated by Emily Hubley (Hedwig & The Angry Inch). Here is the story:

I have a serious love for words and how words tease out imagery. There are occasions where I hear words that ignite such an instant image in my head, that I know they must be put into a song. This was the case with "Call Back The Dogs".

I was at a Zen monastery in upstate New York, living like a monk for the weekend. It was something I viewed, at the time, as half pastime and half punishment. Regardless, I recognized that I could really benefit from being quiet.

There was a new group there and I listened in while one of the monks described meditation to them. He described our thoughts as dogs and sitting to meditate as letting the dogs off the leash. "The dogs will wander," he said, "Every now and then, they will go really far. Just call them back." I wrote down the words "call back the dogs" in my notebook and it stayed there for a couple years. But I had a distinct image of these dogs and they ran around my brain constantly. I would sit down with it and try to place it somewhere, but nothing was fitting right. I view songwriting as putting together a puzzle; when it fits, you know it fits.

One night I decided to stick with the theme of thoughts, the dogs as thoughts. What does it mean to let my thoughts wander? What makes me want to call them back? What happens when I don't? Should I? It can drive person crazy - thinking about thoughts! I made a decision to watch all these thoughts and memories and imagery without judgment, as a sort of science experiment. My song, "Call Back The Dogs", is a result of that ongoing experiment.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself as you watch the video here and learn more about Kate right here!

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