Julia Michaels has co-written some of this decade’s most indelible hits, exploring every angle of intimacy, from first flush of lust (Selena Gomez’s “Hands to Myself”) to loss and regret (Justin Bieber’s “Sorry”) to erotic solo sessions (Hailee Steinfeld’s “Love Myself”). Now the 24-year-old songwriter wants to bring something new to the Top 40: radical honesty. Last year, when Michaels swallowed her stage fright and stepped out as a solo artist, the title of her first single,...
In its original form, the Maren Morris, Zedd and Grey collaboration “The Middle” was prepped for dance glory – a summit of electronic music producers and a country-pop star embracing her inner disco diva. Since its release in January, the song has become an international hit and reached Number One on Billboard’s Adult Top 40 and Hot Dance/Electronic Songs charts. Over the weekend, Zedd issued a remix EP with five new versions of the song as interpreted by a diverse group...
What makes a summer jam? Is it the sunniest chorus, the hottest beat, the most weeks on the charts? Do the lyrics have to be about beaches and barbecues, or is it a question of vibe? What if it’s a song on your summer playlist and no one else’s? We believe the answer is “all of the above.” This summer, Rolling Stone’s writers are celebrating the songs that are ruling each of their worlds – from huge hits to weirder,...
Khalid, 6lack and Ty Dolla $ign team up for some throwback romance in the new video for Khalid’s “OTW.” Directed by Calmatic, the visual features the trio singing in matching jackets and making choreographed moves as they coordinate to rendezvous with their love interests, who are in the midst of a slumber party. They connect the old-school way, with a call to a wired pink phone. The clip furthers its old school, slow jam vibes by featuring past tech, including...
In a 2012 performance at Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre, Neil Diamond introduced his immigrant anthem, “America,” by paying tribute to his grandmother who emigrated to the United States from Russia in the early 1900s. “She and her daughter, Rose, inspired me to achieve everything that I’ve achieved in my life,” Diamond said that night, holding a photo of her to the crowd. “Her courage will never be forgotten.” The Brooklyn-born singer then dramatically paced the stage as he sang about the...
Up until a few months ago, Mark Foster was facing the serious possibility of going down in history as a one-hit wonder. His group Foster the People still had an intensely loyal following and enough juice to land an opening slot on Paramore’s summer arena tour, but after exploding onto the scene in 2011 with their debut single “Pumped Up Kicks” they saw song after song fail to leave the narrow confines of the Alternative Rock chart and enter the Hot 100....
James Blake discussed depression and anxiety during Performing Arts Medicine Association’s (PAMA) annual symposium on Sunday, Billboard reports. During his talk, he opened up about his personal experiences with depression that led to “eventual suicidal thoughts” and encouraged others to not suffer in silence. “I was taken away from my normal life essentially at an age where I was half-formed,” Blake said during a panel called “You Got This: Managing the Suicide Crisis in the Arts Population.” He added...
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross will compose the original score for director Trey Edward Shults’ new musical Waves, Variety reports. Waves will reportedly be a dramatic musical about contemporary teenage life, chronicling two young couples “as they navigate the emotional minefield of growing up and falling in love.” The film will be synchronized to music, with Reznor and Ross’ original score being paired with contemporary songs. The Waves cast has yet to be finalized, though Lucas Hedges (Manchester By the Sea)...
The two men charged with involuntary manslaughter for the fatal “Ghost Ship” warehouse fire have accepted plea deals that will land them behind bars for nearly a decade. Derick Ion Almena – who converted the commercial warehouse in in Oakland, California into a DIY venue and living space without permits – will serve nine years in jail as part of his plea bargain, while Max Harris, the Ghost Ship’s “creative director” who collected rent and was the doorman on the...
Guns N’ Roses may have missed the 30th anniversary of their monumental debut album, Appetite for Destruction, by a year, but as with all things GN’R-related, it’s better late than never. To mark the legacy of the record that made them superstars, the band is putting out a multi-disc Appetite box set, which collects a treasure trove of B sides, outtakes, rarities and demo sessions – alongside an excellent-sounding remaster of the original album – for an exhaustive, comprehensive look...
Country duo Love and Theft have returned with the new song and video, “You Didn’t Want Me,” their first release in two years. Members Stephen Barker Liles and Eric Gunderson, who scored a Number One hit in 2011 with “Angel Eyes,” bring their signature harmonies to a barbed, melodic kiss-off for someone who didn’t appreciate a relationship when it was actually happening. It’s a theme at odds with the song’s bright, pop-influenced melody and quasi-reggae rhythm, adding a breezy feel...
Sterling Campbell had co-founded a cassette label and a VHS tape label in Ottawa, but needed a new creative outlet after moving back to Cornwall, Ontario, to be closer to his daughter. “I was like, ‘I need to start something up for myself here,’” he says. “‘What’s the most ridiculous thing I could do right now?’” The answer was Strudelsoft, the label that the 36-year-old bills as the first vaporwave imprint dedicated exclusively to releasing music on 3.5″ floppy disk....
Cardi B became the first female rapper in music history to land two Number One hits on the Hot 100 as her “I Like It” rose to the top of the singles chart. Cardi B’s previous Number One came in October 2017 with the rapper’s hit “Bodak Yellow,” which spent three weeks atop the Hot 100. In its 12th week of release, “I Like It” also ascended to Number One. With two Number One hits under her belt, Cardi B...
The elevator pitch for My Morning Jacket, very roughly, has long been the Allman Brothers retooled as Radiohead. So it’s cool that to hear frontman Jim James reverse-engineering his steez on his latest solo LP. A loving tribute to old-school shit spiritually informed by the hippie bible The Whole Earth Catalog, it’s also informed by dirtbag classic rock and slacker post-punk, with loads of choogling guitars and chuckled asides. The shreddy “Just A Fool” is about being a rock-and-roll knucklehead; it...
Imagine you’re out having a beer with some friends when Sir Paul McCartney suddenly starts playing a mere coaster’s throw away. Just recently, McCartney shocked punters at Liverpool’s Philharmonic pub by performing a free surprise concert with a full band, part of a special homecoming edition of James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke. But the ex-Beatle doesn’t need a reason to rock out at random. Over the years, McCartney has displayed a knack for popping up in the most unexpected places, usually...
Go behind the scenes at Cardi B & Offset’s Rolling Stone cover...
Billie Eilish takes fans backstage at Bonnaroo, scouring for Jolly Ranchers and watching viral videos, in an exclusive ‘Rolling Stone’...
Eclectic R&B-pop artist, Kali Uchis, poses for glamorous photos, showcases tour bus in our exclusive...
See Margo Price perform at Governors Ball, smoke pot on her bus in candid new...
Watch behind-the-scenes and live footage of high-energy British band Wolf Alice, as they hit New York for Governors...
