New Grammy Producer Ben Winston Hopes to ‘Do Something Quite Exciting’ With Independent Venues

Bon Iver‘s Justin Vernon has produced and co-written a new album by Minneapolis band Aero Flynn – listen to ‘Madeline’ in full below.It’s the latest work in a 2020 full of collaborations for Vernon, who’s already worked with Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen and more across this year.“This album has been years in the making in a community under Josh [Scott, Aero Flynn frontman],” Vernon tweeted about the album upon its release on Christmas Day (December 25).“We all care about the album, these

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe self-titled third album from British singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka won Britain’s prestigious Mercury Prize earlier this year and is up for Best Rock Album at the 2021 Grammys. Kiwanuka toured Europe behind the 2019 album but saw the U.S.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorRare collaborations between Bob Dylan and George Harrison will be included on a deluxe reissue entitled ‘Bob Dylan – 1970’ that is due on February 26, Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, announced Friday.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorWhile she wasn’t asked about it directly, Fiona Apple, who is up for two Grammy Awards, used her interview with The Guardian to slam the organization for its treatment of ousted president/CEO Deborah Dugan and its nomination of hitmaker Dr.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorEminem has “surprise-dropped” so many albums in the past couple of years that the arrival of a rumor has basically become the official announcement. And sure enough, days after very detailed rumors broke about the impending release of a follow-up to his most recent surprise-dropped album, “Music to Get Murdered by,” it arrived.

Chris Willman Music WriterDo the Grammys’ producer of the year nominations provide any kind of bellwether for which singles or albums will win in the top categories? Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa should hope so.Of the five talents who are nominated for producer of the year (non-classical) s this year, only two had anything to do with any of the recordings being put up in the top four all-genre categories.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorApart from the shocking shutout of The Weeknd from all 2021 Grammy nominations, the hip-hop and R&B categories have arguably been the most controversial and criticized in the 2021 slate.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorJay-Z’s Roc Nation and Random House, a division of Penguin Random House, have announced a new literary publishing partnership to be called Roc Lit 101.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorPR vets Carleen Donovan, Chloe Walsh and Jen Appel have announced the launch of the Oriel Company, which is described as a “modern creative lab and idea house handling media relations, integrated communications, and entertainment consulting.” for musicians, actors and brands.Its initial client list includes Kelsea Ballerini, André “3000” Benjamin, Arctic Monkeys, Phoebe Bridgers, the Killers, Lenny Kravitz, Zoe Kravitz, Adam Levine and Maroon 5, Juliette Lewis, Old

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorReady to party like it’s 1999? Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys have dropped a new song called “Matches” that’s part of the deluxe reissue of Spears’ 2016 album, “Glory.” Listen to the song below.“‘Matches’ featuring my friends @backstreetboys is out now !!!!,” Spears tweeted after the song dropped on Friday morning.

Anna Calvi, Sleaford Mods and more all appear on a new live album which has been released by the organisers behind Independent Venue Week.The nine-track vinyl-only album, out today (December 11), was recorded at various independent venues across the country.‘Independent Venue Week LIVE 2020’ is available to buy from the Independent Venue Week website as well as a number of independent stores across the country.Anna Calvi, who was the Independent Venue Week ambassador for 2020, commented:

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorIn what is surely an unprecedented moment for the Grammy Awards Best Children’s Album category, three of the five 2021 nominees  are asking the Recording Academy to rescind their nominations.“We are deeply grateful to the Recording Academy and its voting members for the honor we’ve received, but we can’t in good conscience benefit from a process that has — both this year and historically — so overlooked women, performers of colors, and most especially Black

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAfter actor Tiffany Haddish told Variety that she had been invited to host the Grammy Awards Premiere ceremony but turned down the offer after being told that she would have to pay her own way, Recording Academy interim chief Harvey Mason, jr. posted a public apology on social media, and said that he had apologized to her personally as well.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorIn a surprise announcement, Taylor Swift revealed that she will be releasing a new album tonight (Thursday, December 11) called “Evermore,” which she described as a “sister” album to her latest release, “Folklore.”More to come… I’m elated to tell you that my 9th studio album, and folklore’s sister record, will be out tonight at midnight eastern. It’s called evermore.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorFor nearly 20 years, Yo La Tengo’s annual eight-night Hanukkah concert series has been a staple of the New York-New Jersey music scene. However, as with many events in 2020, this year’s celebration will be taking a slightly different form.On Friday, December 18 at 8 p.m.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorConcord announced today that two-time Grammy-winner Shooter Jennings will be joining its label group as a staff producer.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditoriHeartMedia has renewed and extended its relationship with Charlamagne Tha God, co-host of New York’s Power 105’s nationally syndicated radio show “The Breakfast Club,” the company announced Tuesday.Under the new five-year agreement, Charlamagne will continue his trademark interview style on the radio show, which airs weekdays from 6-10 a.m.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorGwen Stefani is clearly on a self-retro kick with her new single, “Let Me Reintroduce Myself,” which dropped on Monday.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorWith 3.6 million subscribers, New Music Friday is hardly Spotify’s most popular playlist (that would be Today’s Top Hits, which tops 27 million).

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAs part of Spotify’s annual Wrapped campaign , which launched late last night, the streaming giant has launched a partnership with the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA).As NIVA’s 3,000 members await the passage of the Save Our Stages Act in Congress to preserve independent music venues across the country, Spotify is continuing to shine a light on their plight by taking over space on the marquees of more than 30 COVID-shuttered music venues and donating a