new york city MUSIC

We've all got a place in our heart for, yes, even Kanye. Wait, Let me finish- "Im'a explain" This has been a big year for Kanye West.  He dropped a new album, had a child with Kim Kardashian and now is recently engaged.  The guy seems unstoppable.  There aren't many people in  Entertainment or Sports Celebrities that get this kind of publicity, He's had a few crazy outrageous moments, of course, and is now touring for his Yeezus album.  This Saturday he'll be performing with Kendrick Lamar at Madison Square Garden.  Sunday he'll be performing with A Tribe Called Quest. He seems to always be doing things his way regardless of what others are going to say about him.  He started to come out wearing the confederate flag and told Ryan Seacrest on his morning show that he was taking back the symbol.  Although it is a risky move, he is commended on his boldness.  Who knows how it will go over in the long run, and if people will even take to t...

EDM hasn't been around for as long as Rock n Roll's history and Rolling Stone Italia seems to want it to stay that way   Last week the magazine uploaded a video to its online website that, although seeming satirical, pokes fun at electric dance music.  Rolling Stone claims that that kind of music will die, but guitar solos and rock anthems will not.  The video goes on about how EDM is fake music and that there is nothing like Rock and there will never be anything to beat it so EDM should just stop now.  Rolling Stone focuses on the drug related aspects of EDM and how it almost always is associated with half naked girls, lollipops and neon lights.  The "bad stuff."  But what about the good?  Technology has made some intense advances and now artists can pull sounds from anywhere to make a catchy tune.  Of course there are going to be some duds in a world where music is easy to make, but searching for the gold is worth it.  The video ...

Justin, Justin, Justin.  What's going on, guy?  You seem to be quite the trouble maker these days. If you haven't noticed, Justin Bieber's name has been surrounded by chaos lately.  Just this past weekend he was booed on stage after only performing for an hour.  He had gotten on the Buenos Aires stage an hour and a half late because of a day spent in the hospital.  He wrote  "food poisoning is #allbad" on his twitter to fans earlier with a picture of him and an IV drip.   Do we give him credit for still getting up on stage even for a little while?  I guess so, but kid, what are you eating over there that keeps giving you food poisoning.  Seems best to stay away from that, your fans need you.   This incident is following a handful of others on tour.  A video surfaced of a woman videotaping a sleeping Bieber and tweeting money she allegedly was given by the singer.  He has also been charged with graffiti in Brazil whic...

Who doesn't like a good concert?  The music is loud, it's live and your favorite artist is on stage... what could be better. How about being front row while the music is loud, it's live and your favorite artist is on stage?  It can actually get even cooler if you're Valentina Attard.  This past weekend the 15-year-old wanted to take a picture of herself at a Beyonce concert. Next thing she knew, Beyonce was right behind her posing for a selfie with her.  Attard wrote on her tumblr that she asked the singer to take the photo with her.  After, she wrote that "it was such a blur i just remember her bending down to me and my friend and i just turned for the photo and wowoowow it was the best moment ever like she posed its crazy i wasnt even expecting her to look at my phone or notice me in the crowd." While Attard was taking the picture, there is also video footage of Beyonce bending down mid song to pose with the girl.  You can see it  HERE  a...

Boy bands are in again.  One Direction, The Wanted, The... Slants.  Yes, that's right, an all boy Asian-American band.  The name is striking, it might even make you crack a smile, but The Slants don't care.  They are all about breaking racial stereotypes. The U.S. Patent and Trademark office doesn't feel the same way.  The Slants have been denied access registering their name because the government believes the name to be offensive towards Asian- Americans. It's all about perspective though, The Slants see it in a completely different way.  They think that their band name empowers instead of mocks.  In an interview with Time Entertainment, founder Simon Tam says its a case of reverse racism.  "In my opinion, the concern is a little misguided.  We have people being offended on behalf of our community, yet they're denying us rights ."   Basically, what's the big deal?   Society has labeled and categorized different social groups...

Katy Perry has made us all wait for her new album Prism.  Its been three years since Teenage Dream and Perry has finally unleashed her latest project.  Not as playful as Teenage Dream, Prism still is full of catchy popular tunes that are sure to make it big on the radio.  Not a full five stars but it's not half bad and will probably make you want to dance. I mean, who doesn't like a little Katy Perry once in a while?  "Roar" has already become a hit and it only came out a bit over a month ago.  This is her fourth studio album and "Roar" is getting it off to a great start. There was a little controversy around the song when it first appeared however.  Sara Bareilles came out with her new single "Brave" right before Perry's new hit.  When the two are played together the melodies are strikingly similar.  The only people who seem to be upset about the coincidence are fans of Bareilles and Perry.  When asked about it, Bareilles jokes and says ...

Rolling Stone has created its mid year list of its pick for best albums of 2013. Here's their list: 1. Vampire Weekend "Modern Vampires of the City" 2. Kanye West "Yeezus" 3. Daft Punk "Random Access Memories" 4. John Fogerty "Wrote a Song for Everyone" 5. David Bowie "The Next Day" 6. Jake Bugg "Jake Bugg" 7. The National "Trouble Will Find Me" 8. Atoms for Peace "Amok" 9. Pheonix "Bankrupt" 10. Queens of the Stone Age "...Like Clockwork" 11. Deerhunter "Monomania" 12. Bombino "Nomad" 13. Parquet Courts "Light Up Gold" 14. Palma Violets "180" 15. Kacey Musgraves "Same Trailer Different Park" 16. So So Glos "Blowout" 17. Eleanor Friedberger "Personal Record" 18. Chance the Rapper "Acid Rap" 19. Boards of Canada "Tomorrow's Harvest" 20. My Bloody Valentine "MBV"...

She's the new queen of alternative pop... at 16.  Lorde comes from New Zealand bringing a brand new sound to popular charts.  Her hit 'Royals' is sarcasm at its best-- calling out major flaws in the music industry who boasts lyrics about a lavish lifestyle none of us will ever have.  It's not a mockery however, just a spin on what everyone else is talking about.  "Now, though, I'm obsessed with really high profile celebrities who get really f***ed up; I think you know who I'm talking about!  I find it all so interesting, such tragedies that stem from being put on a pedestal," is what the singer says to Liza Darwin for Noisey about her fascination with celebs and their lives ultimately leading to lyrics. Discovered at only 13 during a school talent show, Lorde is sure to win over most of the crowd in the future.  She is sure to remain pop royalty as her music progresses.  Will her music remain with the same joking tone when she herself becomes a meg...

It feels like Miley Cyrus is everywhere lately.  Twerking, showing off her body and breaking records. Whatever she's doing, it seems to be working.  People can't take their eyes off of her. With the help of social media, there were over 100 million views of her video 'Wrecking Ball' in just six days. The 20-year-old singer is constantly on Twitter making sure her following fans keep up.  The video is controversial as for the most part features a nude Cyrus swinging on a 'wrecking ball.'  Sources say the song is aimed towards former fiance Liam Hemsworth, the two publicly split this week.   The deluxe version of Bangerz features five different selections of cover art.  In recent racy fashion, one of those covers is of a nude Miley.  Fans are encouraged to vote for their favorite cover with the winner being the final deluxe version.  Voting starts at 3 p.m. today and the winning cover will be revealed on October 14th. By: Tori

Super-producer, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, and AMP3 PR client, Blazetrak , are teaming up to launch a global talent search. Auditions will be accepted throughout the month of August with all as piring producer/songwriters invited to submit their best track to “Darkchild” through the Blazetrak platform at www.blazetrak.com . The talent search will ultimately result in a signed publishing deal with Darkchild/RJ Productions LLC. On October 1st, 2010, one lucky winner will be announced LIVE on Ustream and will be offered the production/publishing deal. Darkchild has produced hits for Lady GaGa, Mary J Blige and Michael Jackson among many others. A little big about Blazetrak... Blazetrak provides direct access to a roster of celebrity professionals and industry experts in the areas of: music, fashion, tv/film, sports, business & lifestyle. Users are able to browse these professionals and the various opportunities they are offering, and can submit to their pro of choice (for a fee...

The new EP from NYC singer/songwriter Dion Roy , "The Nearest Light", officially debuted yesterday, June 23rd. The icing on the case though was that the EP debuted at #13 on the iTunes singer/songwriter album charts and is still charting a day later. In celebration of the new EP, a release party was held last night at The Living Room on the lower east side of Manhattan. Dion, along with a full band, took the stage a little after 7pm to play a set for the packed house. Dion's band included, Peter Roessler on guitar, Ed Marshall on bass, and special guest Boots Factor, of Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, on drums. Dion engaged the crowd with short anecdotes and the sound was great, the crowd seemed to be having a blast and offered a full applause with hoots and hollers after each song. Dion appeared to be in his element up on stage and word is that he'll be heading out on a full tour this summer. "The Nearest Light", a follow up to Dion's debut album ...

This year seems to be the year of female empowerment – at least in the eyes of MTV. The MTV Video Music Award nominees were announced this week – with Lady Gaga and Beyoncé leading the pack with the most VMA nominations: 9. Close behind is Britney Spears with her musical comeback at 7 nods. All three ladies will compete in the Video of the Year category – Lady Gaga for the addictive “Poker Face,” Beyoncé for the also addictive “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” and Britney Spears for the slightly hypnotizing “Womanizer.” Beyoncé said on behalf of her nomination: “ I've been blessed this year to have 'Single Ladies' become a video people really connected with and responded to. I've spent so much time watching all the great versions people created all around the world. It's beautiful to feel you touch people and bring a song to life with a video.” Lady Gaga, on the other hand, had a bit more of a bizarre statement by thanking MTV “for being our video flagship, a...