Ryan Book

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  • Horrible Songs for National Hot Dog Day, From Elvis Presley to Limp Bizkit

    Today is national hot dog day, a celebration of perhaps the most American of food items, and a time for everyone to enjoy their "tube steaks" in whatever way they prefer (your correspondent, from Cincinnati, prefers his with chili, cheese and mustard). Although there aren't very many losers when it comes to eating hot dogs...there are plenty of losers when the food item gets tossed into music. Here are five examples of musicians failing to find musical inspiration in America's favorite pork byproduct, from Limp Bizkit to LMFAO.

  • 6 Hip-Hop Song Sans Verses for AC: Tupac, Eminem, Kanye West and More

    Has your mother ever commented how much she enjoys the chorus to "See You Again" or "Monster," but that she really wishes Wiz Khalifa and Eminem (respectively) hadn't "ruined" the song with their raps? She's not the first. This week we found out that a revised version of the former song, featuring only Charlie Puth's hook, as well as new melodic verses in place of Khalifa's bars, has been on the rise at Adult Contemporary radio...occasionally known as "Adult Conservative." The only thing less likely to end up on AC than hip-hop is heavy metal, but as rappers frequently find themselves invited to guest on pop singles (such as Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" featuring Kendrick Lamar), labels sometimes edit the "offending" portion out, resulting in a safer, frequently less exciting product.

  • N.W.A. Reunion with Eminem Filling in For Eazy-E? Rumors Say 'Yes'

    Chatter has persisted about a possible N.W.A. reunion, following the group's performance at the BET Experience in Los Angeles and the forthcoming film Straight Outta Compton, and now some voices are giving credence to the idea, suggesting that Eminem may tour with the icons.

  • 'See You Again' Gains AC Airplay; More Charlie Puth, No Wiz Khalifa

    Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth's "See You Again" may be done at the top of the Hot 100, but it's just now picking up steam on the Adult Contemporary charts. This may surprise conservative listeners everywhere, as hip-hop is about as welcome on AC radio as Iggy Azalea at the BET Awards. The trick? Getting soulful crooner Puth to release his own version of the song, minus Khalifa's headlining raps.

  • LeBron James Signs With Warner...WB Trademarks 'Space Jam'...Do The Math

    Music Times recently named the soundtrack to 'Space Jam' as one of the most influential '90s music compilations, and now we may have a new film to consider nearly two decades later. A number of actions on behalf of Warner Brothers, involving one NBA superstar LeBron James, suggest that the long-rumored sequel to the Michael Jordan/Looney Toons classic may be soon upon us.

  • Michael Jackson Did Not Write 'The Simpsons' "Do The Bartman"(?)

    A piece of pop culture kinda-history has died as authoritative proof has come out revealing that no, Michael Jackson really did not write The Simpsons' classic "Do The Bartman." Original songwriter Bryan Loren (whose name has been on the track the whole time) sold off his publishing rights to the song, as well as a number of his other compositions. Considering the lawsuits the Jackson family has been bringing against AEG, you can bet they'd stick their legs out if there was a chance Jacko's estate should be getting royalties for "Bartman."

  • 5 Best Twitter Beefs of 2015: One Direction, Iggy Azalea, Taylor Swift and More

    Twitter hasn't been short on beefs for 2015, but this week has blown up the social media service as Meek Mill has called out Drake for allegedly using a ghostwriter, and Nicki Minaj and Taylor Swift have gone back and forth about VMA nominations and body shape. They weren't the first musicians to stir things up with 140 characters (or several salvos of 140 characters) this year. Here are five other digital battles that have gone down during 2015 thus far, including One Direction, Iggy Azalea and...believe it or not... not Azealia Banks (we take her tweets for granted anymore).

  • 7 Hip-Hop Guest Spots for George Clinton's 75th Birthday: Snoop, Tupac, More

    Music Times wants to wish George Clinton, the iconic bandleader behind Parliament and Funkadelic, as well as the greatest figures in funk music history. We could spend thousands and thousands of words describing how great his bands were in the studio and live onstage...but that's a theme that's been reworked thousands and thousands of times. One subject that doesn't get as much respect is Clinton's influence on the world of hip-hop. If you don't believe us, just check out how many guest spots he's done for hip-hop tracks over the years, from Snoop Dogg to Tupac to Kendrick Lamar. We chose the biggest names that Clinton has worked with just to demonstrate how far and wide his appreciation in the genre stretches.

  • Alibaba Announces Music Division, Streaming Service Alizila

    The Chinese music scene is in for a huge shakeup as web commerce conglomerate Alibaba has announced a music division. The company will reportedly be combining two of its holdings, Tiantian and Xiami, into one massive streaming service titled Alizila.

  • Lee Brice Partners with Jagermeister for Fall Country Music Tour

    One could be forgiven to buying into the stereotypes regarding beer and whiskey as the go-to adult beverages of choice for country music stars, but Lee Brice is shaking things up a bit by grabbing Jagermeister as the primary sponsor for his upcoming tour. The "Jagermeister Presents" country tour will feature Brice, as well as openers Granger Smith and Brian Milson.

  • Newport Folk Icon Theodore Bikel Dead at 91; Original 'Sound of Music' Star

    Theodore Bikel, an actor known for his work in Fiddler on The Roof and The Sound of Music, as well as an accomplished musician who founded the Newport Folk Festival, has died at the age of 91. A statement from his publicist reports that the performer died of natural causes at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles.

  • Tyrese Tops Billboard 200 with 'Black Rose,' Beats Meek Mill, Taylor Swift

    Tyrese may be the first musician to both star in a film with a no. 1 soundtrack ('Furious 7') and have a no. 1 album of his own in the same year ('Black Rose'). Although he didn't contribute to the aforementioned soundtrack, his most recent album became his first to top the Billboard 200, moving 86,000 equivalent units.
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