• The Charts and Afghanistan 2001: Alicia Keys, Jay Z and Nickelback [Memorial Day Special]

    Memorial Day 2015 bears a special significance for two reasons: More importantly, it's the first time in 14 years that the holiday has been celebrated with no American troops involved in a "major ground war," and it's also the 25th anniversary of the first invasion of Iraq during the Gulf War. We at Music Times can do little but throw out our thanks to those who have served and those who currently serve in the United States military, but we wanted to check out what the Billboard charts looked like on both dates, August 2, 1991 and October 7, 2001, the dates when Americans last became embroiled in foreign combat. It features the rise of Alicia Keys, Jay Z and Nickelback.
  • Jay Z Officially Launches Tidal

    It is official: Jay Z's move into the music streaming business has arrived and he is bringing a lot of his friends with him. At an industry event today at New York City's James A. Farley Post Office in Herald Square, Jay Z announced the launch of TIDAL with his 16 artist partners. The event was live streamed as Jay Z announced his plans for the Hi-FI service with Madonna, Kanye West, J. Cole, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Usher, deadmau5, Jason Aldean, Jack White, Daft Punk, Beyoncé, Arcade Fire's Win Butler, Alicia Keys, Coldplay and Calvin Harris.
  • Rihanna, Alicia Keys and Pitbull: Ranking Previous NBA All Star Game Halftime Shows Before Ariana Grande's Gig

    This year's NBA All Star Game Halftime Show will feature Ariana Grande (and presumably guests) providing entertainment to the fans at Madison Square Garden. Just like the Super Bowl's big showcase, the NBA's version of events has been hit-or-miss throughout its history. Music Times takes a look at the last five NBA All Star Game halftime shows—from Rihanna, Pit Bull, Alicia Keys and more—and ranks them, while hoping that this year's will live up to the best.
  • Swizz Beatz, Alicia Keys Welcome 2nd Son Genesis Ali Dean

    Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys welcomed their second child into the world Saturday, Dec. 27. A boy, Genesis Ali Dean, was born in the morning hours over the weekend. The producer and the singer were ecstatic about the bonus holiday gift. Genesis is the younger brother of the couple's first child, Egypt. "The joy of joy is joy!! It's a boy," Keys wrote on Instagram. "We are so grateful!! #blessings!!"
  • Alicia Keys Shares Unreleased Song "Somewhere In The City" Ahead Of Second Child's Birth, Upcoming Album [LISTEN]

    Alicia Keys and Swizz Beats are expecting their second child by New Years and just celebrated their baby shower over the weekend. Just in time for the holidays, Keys dug into her archives to bring us an outtake from her 2012 album Girl On Fire called "Somewhere In The City" as part of her "12 Days of Christmas" giveaway. The full song was never officially released, though it was featured during the end credits of her documentary, Keep A Child Alive With Alicia Keys.
  • Beyoncé, Pharrell, Kendrick Lamar Among Music Nominees For 2015 NAACP Image Awards [FULL LIST]

    The NAACP has announced the nominees for the 2015 Image Awards, which honor outstanding people of color in film, television, music, and literature. Among the music category nominees are Beyoncé, who nabbed four nominations including Outstanding Female Artist for Beyoncé Platinum Edition and Outstanding Song For "Pretty Hurts;" Pharrell, who's up for four awards including Outstanding Male Artists and Outstanding Album for G I R L; and Kendrick Lamar, who is up for three awards including Outstanding Male Artist.
  • Michael Brown, Eric Garner: 10 Tribute Songs From T.I., Alicia Keys, J. Cole, And More

    Following the grand jury decisions regarding the police-related deaths of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO and Eric Garner in Staten Island, NY, plenty of musicians have expressed their outrage and calls for peace and unity by releasing songs inspired by these incidents. Here are 10 songs inspired by the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner.
  • Alicia Keys to Perform at EMAs

    The rich get richer and the MTV EMAs add another massive talent to its roster of performers tonight. It was announced yesterday that the legendary and supremely talented Alicia Keys will be joining the MTV European Music Awards tonight, according to MTV. MTV has made a big push with the MTV EMAs, in its 20th year, in the past few years, and the channel is going all in. Possibly the most talked-about person on the planet, Nicki Minaj, will be hosting the whole affair, where we will see appearances from Enrique Iglesias, Ed Sheeran, Kiesza, Charli XCX, Ariana Grande and more. There will also be a special tribute to Ozzy Osbourne during the show. In a statement to Billboard, Bruce Gillmer, MTV EMAs executive producer, spoke about the event and what to expect.
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