• Jamie xx Reportedly Doesn't Clear Persuasions Sample...Except He Totally Did

    In an age where similarities between songs can be the cause of multimillion-dollar lawsuits, you better make damn sure you get your samples cleared. The most recent case of alleged, or at least suggested, foul play was Jamie xx's "I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)," which features a prominent sample of The Persuasions' 1972 hit "Good Times." Last week band member/manager Jimmy Hayes stated that the sample hadn't been cleared...but he was wrong.
  • Roger Waters, Decemberists, First Aid Kit Among Newport Folk Headliners

    The Newport Folk Festival has probably reached the peak of its lineup announcements as it revealed this week that former Pink Floyd leader and solo standout Roger Waters will be headlining the event. This marks the first performance for the bassist since the last show of his "The Wall" tour during 2013.
  • Amsterdam Adding Three 24-Hour Nightclubs to City's Rich EDM Background

    Three Amsterdam nightclubs have been granted 24-hour permits, only adding to the Dutch city's reputation as a party town. It also begs the question as to whether they can truly be considered "nightclubs" anymore. The permits have apparently already been approved by mayor Eberhard van der Laan, according to Resident Advisor.
  • The FBI and Musicians: John Lennon, N.W.A., Nine Inch Nails and More Acts with Reports

    John Lennon appeared on The Dick Cavett Show on this date more than forty years ago and made a bold prediction: The FBI were keeping a close eye on him. This might sound like a typical conspiracy theory of the early '70s, except that it was totally true...either an indication that the FBI was predictable or it just wasn't very good at the secrecy thing. Lennon had all of the makings for a good FBI target: He had a record with drugs, he was vocally against the Vietnam War, and his political leanings were just right of being a godless communist. He wasn't the first, nor would he be the last, to gather attention from the Bureau. Here are another lot of otherwise harmless musicians that would get lengthy files in Washington D.C., from Elvis Presley to N.W.A.
  • Metallica, Nicki Minaj, More Headlining 2015 X Games in Austin, TX

    Metallica has been announced as the headliner for the 2015 X Games Super Stage, playing on a bill that features Nicki Minaj, Talib Kweli, Kid Ink, the Glitch Mob, Pennywise, Deltron 3030 and Joywave. The news was revealed during an interview between the band and skateboarding icon Tony Hawk.
  • B.B. King's Family Clashes with Manager Over Control of Legend's Affairs

    B.B. King's continued health issues have opened the door to a more uncomfortable series of event's in the blues legend's life regarding his family's struggles with longtime manager Laverne Toney over control of the guitarist's care and property. Three of his children—Patty King, Rita Washington and Karen Williams—filed for control of their father's care, alleging elder abuse and theft on the part of Toney, although a Las Vegas court ruled that there was no proof of abuse to justify handing over control of his affairs.
  • George Carlin, Richard Pryor and More May Reappear as Holograms

    George Carlin, Richard Pryor and Bob Hope may be coming back for a slew of live performances exclusively at the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, NY, according to Rolling Stone. You are no doubt uncomfortable with this idea, understand that all of the aforementioned stand-ups are deceased, and the explanation might not make you feel any better about it: The comedy industry might take a page out of music's books and use holograms to resurrect legendary comedians to perform at the center.
  • Zac Brown Band Tops Billboard 200 Third Time with 'Jekyll + Hyde'; Josh Groban, Tyler Farr Debut as Well

    The Zac Brown Band found itself on top of the Billboard 200 for the third time with its new album 'Jekyll + Hyde.' Although it wasn't the group's biggest sales week (that goes to its last record, 'Uncaged') but it still managed to move 228,000 equivalent albums. The band has also been busy away from album sales, topping both the Country Airplay Chart and the Mainstream Rock Songs charts with different songs from the album. The only other act in Nielsen history to hit that mark was Bon Jovi.
  • Music Times Floyd Mayweather Playlist: Lil Wayne, Phil Collins and More

    Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will face off this weekend for what many boxing fans are calling the "fight of the century." Regardless of how great the sparring actually is, it will certainly feature the highest payout in the sport's history, with the two fighters sharing up to $300 million between them. Music Times might not be a sports outlet but we wanted to get in on the action by creating playlists for each of the contestants involved. Here are five tracks to get Floyd Mayweather pumped, ranging from Lil Wayne to Phil Collins.
  • Back of The Billboards: 'On The Other Hand: All The Number Ones' by Randy Travis

    Society always celebrates the records that top the Billboard 200 album chart. Back of The Billboards is a Music Times weekly segment that looks at the opposite end: the new record that finished closest to the back of the Billboard 200 for the previous week. We hope to give a fighting chance to the bands you haven't heard of. This week we look at country icon Randy Travis and his newest greatest hits compilation, showcasing his no. 1 country singles.
  • You Won't Listen to New Music After You Turn 33, According to Study

    This obviously doesn't apply to Music Times readers, but a new study has estimated that the average music listener stops seeking out new music past the age of 33. Ajay Kalia, representing the website Skynet & Ebert, tapped into the data available via Spotify and its Echo Nest analytics branch to check out what listeners of various ages were streaming...and it seems like people in their late-30s and beyond weren't exactly tuning into Rae Sremmurd.
  • Vance Joy Wins International Songwriting Award for 'Riptide'

    Vance Joy (nee James Keogh) has won the 2014 International Songwriting Competition with his alt-pop hit "Riptide," and he did so in a historic way. It's the first time in the contest's 14-year history to merit perfect scores from every judge. Those judges included a number of fellow musicians, including Avicii, Bastille and Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels of Run D.M.C.
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