A woman retaliates against her unfaithful boyfriend in the new clip for Zedd and Elley Duhe’s “Happy Now.” Despite the single’s cheerful-sounding name, “Happy Now” actually dissects an imploding relationship, capturing a couple who have “nothing left to say” to each other. In the clip, two couples are enjoying a …
Read More »Nigel Olsson Reflects on 50 Years of Playing Drums for Elton John
Elton John was just a shy, gawky 22-year-old struggling pianist/songwriter when drummer Nigel Olsson first laid eyes on him. It was early 1969 and John was a staff songwriter for Dick James’ DJM Records, desperately trying to write songs for the likes of Lulu, Roger Cook and the Eurovision Song …
Read More »MTV VMAs 2018: God Is a Really Bored Woman
There was something poignant about MTV’s big question this year: How the hell can we keep people from noticing the Video Music Awards? Bump it to a Monday night in August? Not enough. Give Jennifer Lopez a lifetime achievement award for her singing? Not enough. Make Aerosmith jam with Post …
Read More »Eagles' 'Greatest Hits' Overtakes Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' as Best-Selling Album
The Eaglesofficially have the best-selling album of all time.Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975has overtakenMichael Jackson‘s Thriller, reclaiming the top spot nearly a decade after the King of Pop’s death. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) recently recalculated sales of the best-of collection and certified the LP as 38x platinum, pushing …
Read More »See Stephen Colbert Remember Aretha Franklin: 'She Can Never Be Replaced'
Stephen Colbert honored Aretha Franklin on Thursday night’sThe Late Show following the legendarysinger’s death earlier that day from pancreatic cancer. “The world is poorer for her not being here,” Colbert said solemnly. “There is no Queen of Soul right now, and she can never be replaced.” Colbert remembered seeing Franklin …
Read More »Ariana Grande's 'Sweetener' Proves That Trap Is the New Pop
Like nearly every modern pop star, Ariana Grande has flitted from genre to genre over the course of her career, easily collapsing the distance between the steroidal EDM of “Break Free” and the relaxed reggae of “Side to Side,” the clipped Eighties pop of “Love Me Harder” and the storming …
Read More »Flashback: Aretha Franklin Owns 'A Natural Woman' Alongside Mariah Carey and Others
In 1998, VH1 launched one of its most memorable franchises: an annual special called Divas that features multiple generations of iconic vocalists singing their hits as well as each other’s on the same stage. Of course, you can’t debut a series called Divas without including Aretha Franklin, who was joined …
Read More »Fricke's Picks: Guitar Wonders From Circles Around the Sun, Howlin' Rain and More
The theme is simple here: four albums with guitars galore — solo and in tandem; loaded with effects and stripped to pure tone; in settings where you least expect them, but always in flight. Circles Around the Sun,Let It Wander (Rhino) This tripping-instrumental quartet was certified authentic psychedelia before they …
Read More »Janis Joplin's Breakthrough Album: 10 Things You Didn't Know About 'Cheap Thrills'
Big Brother and the Holding Company were a band before the summer of 1967. They had gigs, fans and even a full-length record ready for release. But all that early history was eclipsed after they took the stage at the Monterey Pop Festival in June for a pair of performances …
Read More »Flashback: The Buggles Join Yes and Prog Chaos Ensues
The Buggles could have gone in a lot of different directions once their debut single “Video Killed the Radio Star” became a huge hit all over the world in late 1979. The synth duo (featuring Trevor Horn on lead vocals and Geoff Downes on keyboards) could have spent the next …
Read More »