Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas lands first Number One on UK singles chart


Wham!‘s ‘Last Christmas’ has reached Number One in the UK for the very first time, 36 years after it was first released.

  • Read more: Seasonably Rich: How much are musicians making from our favourite Christmas songs?

Climbing from Three to One, the Christmas favourite by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley racked up 9.2 million streams over the past week, reaching the top of the chart in the same week as the fourth anniversary of George Michael’s death.

‘Last Christmas’ spent five weeks at Number Two when it was first released in 1984 – kept off the Number One spot by Band Aid’s ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’.

Since 2007, shortly after downloads were introduced to the UK singles chart, ‘Last Christmas’ has re-entered the Top 40 on a further 13 occasions, reaching Number Two again in 2018.

It’s followed in this week’s chart by two other vintage Christmas classics, with Mariah Carey‘s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ at Number Two and The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl‘s ‘Fairytale Of New York’ at Number Five.

Taking to Twitter to respond to the news, Andrew Ridgeley wrote: “I am delighted, somewhat amazed & profoundly pleased that WHAM!’s iconic Christmas classic Last Christmas has finally achieved the accolade of becoming a No 1.

“It’s a fitting tribute 2 George’s songwriting genius and 1 of which he would’ve been immensely proud & utterly thrilled.”

In addition to reaching the top spot, the festive track has sets a new record for the longest time taken to for a single to reach Number One, at 36 years, overtaking Tony Christie’s ‘(Is This The Way To) Amarillo’, which took 33 years and four months to claim the top spot in March, 2005.

Until this week ‘Last Christmas’ was the UK’s best-selling single to never reach Number One, accumulating 1.9 million pure sales to date across its lifetime. That title has now handed over to Maroon 5’s ‘Moves Like Jagger’ (1.55 million pure sales), a Number Two hit in 2011.

Earlier this month, Mariah Carey‘s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ reached Number One in the UK for the very first time, 26 years after it was first released.

The track was streamed 10.8 million times in the week leading up to the chart reveal, also breaking the record for the most streams in a week for any song in 2020.

Meanwhile, a County Durham road sign has gained a new addition in the form of a tribute to Wham! and the duo’s single ‘Last Christmas’.





Source link

Watch Gwen Stefani revisit some iconic outfits in ‘Let Me Reintroduce Myself’ music video


Gwen Stefani returned with a new single titled ‘Let Me Reintroduce Myself’ last month, and has now followed up with a music video to match.

Premiering on YouTube yesterday (January 1), the clip for ‘Let Me Reintroduce Myself’ sees Stefani revisit some of the most iconic outfits of her 35-year career. The singer heralds looks from her early No Doubt-days with the polka-dot dress she wore in the ‘Don’t Speak’ music video, as well as a crop top tracksuit from the ‘Just A Girl’ clip in 1995.

Fans will also be able to spot fashion choices from the ‘Love Angel Music Baby’ era, including her Japanese-inspired ‘Harajuku Girls’ getup, Alice-In-Wonderland themed outfit from ‘What You Waiting For’ and a black beanie in ode to ‘Hollaback Girls’.

Watch the video below:

“literally can’t believe i got to revisit the original old me,” Stefani wrote on Twitter following the clip’s release.

“this one is for all the old school and the new school… got a smile on my face go ahead and pass it on.”

The release of ‘Let Me Reintroduce Myself’ marked the singer’s first original new music in four years, since her 2016 LP ‘This Is What The Truth Feels Like’.

She also released a Christmas album in 2017, featuring covers of classic songs.

In October last year the singer appeared The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon for a skit titled ‘Gwen Stefani’s Gone Country’, where she turned No Doubt’s ‘Don’t Speak’ and ‘Spiderwebs’ into country songs.





Source link

Listen to a Preview of Space Wizard’s Wonky Debut EP, the First to Drop on Subtronics’ Cyclops Label

Cyclops Recordings looks primed for an absolutely monster 2021. Subtronics‘ new record label pumped out a bevy of wild bass tracks to close out 2020, and it is keeping its foot on the gas pedal with its newest release.





Source link

MF DOOM, hip-hop’s elusive supervillain, dead at 49


by: David Klemow


Jan 1, 2021

“So nasty that it’s probably somewhat of a travesty having me / then he told the people ‘You can call me, Your Majesty!’”

MF DOOM, your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper, has died at 49. Hip-hop’s self-proclaimed supervillain, born Daniel Dumile, died on October 31 of 2020. A revered enigma until the very end, the world first learned of the legendary rapper’s death two months later on December 31 in an announcement by his wife, Jasmine, with a cause of death not immediately disclosed. Impossibly elusive and simultaneously exalted, DOOM was hip-hop royalty, and news of his passing is a travesty that has shaken the greater industry to a sobering, mournful halt.

Dumile, unequivocally one of hip-hop’s most inspirational forces, influenced multiple generations of rhymers and beat makers, largely from the shadows of the underground. Hidden behind his iconic metal mask—an homage to Marvel’s infamous Doctor Doom—Dumile’s prolific output defined hip-hop’s subterrain throughout the late 90’s and early aughts.

Born in London in 1971, Dumile moved to Long Island, New York at a young age. He would he soon start performing as Zev Love X, alongside his younger brother DJ Subroc as part of the hip-hop outfit KMD. The group fell apart after Subroc was killed in a car accident in 1993 ahead of KMD’s sophomore album. After the death of his brother, Dumile essentially disappeared, not to reemerge until the late 1990’s behind what would become his signature mask.

From there, DOOM would go on to launch a teeming catalog of music and beat compilations across various monikers and alter-egos. His 2004 joint project with Madlib under the Madvillain pseudonym, Madvillainy, stands as a paragon of hip-hop’s most richly layered beatwork and lyricism. Mm..Food, an anagram for MF DOOM, features some of the most intricately knotted rhymes schemes and dexterous wordplays ever pressed to wax. DOOM was equipped with lyrical shrewdness and sharp-witted wit that, to this day, hopscotch leaps and bounds over rap’s top rhymers.

DOOM’s output would slow considerably after the first decade of the new millennium, though by 2010, Dumile had six full-length projects under his belt, including The Mouse and the Mask alongside Danger Mouse. More importantly, DOOM’s output was capped by a level of influence and esteem that is nearly impossible to overstate. And despite his aversion of the public spotlight, DOOM was omnipresent across hip-hop even beyond his dying day. Long live the King, and

“Just remember ALL CAPS when you spell the man name.”

Tags: beats, dead, hip-hop, madlib, MF Doom, rap

Categories: Music, News, Videos






Source link

Kings Of Leon share snippets of two new songs due out next week


Kings Of Leon have shared snippets of two new songs that are both due out next week – listen to them below.

  • Read more: Kings Of Leon – Their 10 best songs

The band, who haven’t released any official new material since 2016’s ‘Walls’, teased the imminent release of a new song called ‘Must Catch The Bandit’ earlier this week.

“Blame it on the holiday ‘cheer’, but I just feel like sharing,” bassist Jared Followill tweeted on Christmas Day (December 25). “@kingsofleon tweeted ‘the w8 is nearly over’ TEN MONTHS ago. Enough.”

Today (January 1), Kings Of Leon have shared a snippet of the aforementioned record on Instagram with an accompanying video clip and release date of January 7.

In addition to ‘Must Catch The Bandit’, the band also shared a clip of another new track called ‘Feel The Way You Do’, along with the same release date.

You can listen to both tracks below:

Despite no official releases arriving in the last four years, in March the band shared a live recording of a new song called ‘Going Nowhere’. The performance was recorded in their hometown of Nashville and featured only frontman Caleb Followill on acoustic guitar.

Meanwhile, Kings Of Leon were due to play their first London show since 2017 this summer, but were forced to cancel it by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The US band would have headlined Finsbury Park on June 28, with support meant to come from Courteeners, Cage The Elephant, Inhaler, Soccer Mommy and The Big Moon. Announcing the cancellation in May, promoter Festival Republic said they were “working hard” with Kings Of Leon to arrange a new show.





Source link

Grimes Releases “Miss Anthropocene” Rave Edition With Rezz Remix Of i_o Collaboration


Celebrate New Year’s Day with brand new music from REZZ, ANNA, Channel Tres, Tale Of Us & Ame, Modeselektor, Richie Hawtin, and more via Grimes’ Miss Anthropocene (Rave Edition).

Truly, no one is more capable or deserving of this remix of “Violence” by Grimes & i_o than REZZ. On December 29, she wrote:

Grimes is one of my fav artists. When Garret (i_o) was making “violence” with her, we were texting a lot during that time. he would send me updates of their song & I told him it was a repeat song for me.. Very grateful to have remixed it & it be coming out officially.

With Grimes’ ethereal vocals and i_o’s mysterious original production, REZZ turns up the bass and tempo for her own brand of dark midtempo. Listen below and find the full remix album here!

 

Photo via Rukes.com



Source link

The 10 Best EDM Tweets of 2020

Twitter has allowed fans to connect with their favorite public figures like never before, and given us somewhat of a glimpse into the (not so) private thoughts of music stars, actors, and regrettably, even politicians.





Source link

Run The Jewels action figures star in ‘Walking In The Snow’ music video – Dancing Astronaut


by: Mitchell Rose


Jan 1, 2021

Run The Jewels are back with another music video supporting their critically acclaimed 2020 record RTJ 4. Directed by Chris Hopewell of Jacknife Films & Black Dog Films, “Walking In The Snow” sees bedroom floor action figures of Killer Mike and EL-P spring to life in a macabre Toy Story-esque stop motion thriller. Directly in line with the source material, the latest RTJ video is packed with political statements, consistent with the veteran rappers’ career discographies.

“Walking In The Snow’s” video follows the group’s video for Cyberpunk 2077, the equally impressive and incredibly animated “No Save Point.” Additionally, earlier this month Mike and EL dropped off a new remix of “The Ground Below” featuring heavy rock influences courtesy of Royal Blood‘s Mike Kerr.

Featured image: Lorne Tomson

Tags: El-P, Killer Mike, Run The Jewels, stop motion

Categories: Music, Videos






Source link

Flying Lotus reveals he was working on an EP with MF DOOM before the rapper’s death


Flying Lotus has revealed that he and MF DOOM were working on an EP together before the rapper’s passing.

News of DOOM’s death was confirmed last night (December 31) by his wife Jasmine, who posted a tribute on the legendary rapper and producer’s Instagram account.

She revealed DOOM (real name Daniel Dumile) passed away on October 31, 2020. His cause of death has not yet been confirmed.

Flying Lotus, who had worked with DOOM previously, was one of the first musicians to take to social media to express his disbelief and shock.

“God fucking damnit,” he tweeted. “What the fuck!!?!? Are u serious? My souls is crushed. The weight of this moment. I know we are in a pandemic but we have to celebrate DOOM. Just playing the music isn’t good enough.”

A fan then suggested to FlyLo that fans had been anticipating more collaborations from the two, specifically a longer project, to which he revealed that the two had actually been working on such a project.

“I hate to say this but we were actually working on an EP,” he wrote. “There were more songs that I haven’t even heard.” He didn’t give anymore details, but it sounds as if they didn’t get to wrap it up before his untimely death.

Last month, Flying Lotus dropped ‘Lunch Break’ featuring DOOM, which released as part of the latest update to Grand Theft Auto Online. The pair previously contributed ‘Masquatch’ to the game. FlyLo also hosted a tribute event dedicated to DOOM on Twitch last night.

Meanwhile, Lupe Fiasco has paid tribute to MF DOOM with a new freestyle shared to social media last night.

“Thanx DOOM…I learned so much from you about the art of rapping,” the ‘Kick Push’ rapper said, sharing the track on Twitter. “Studied and analyzed you for years as recently as a few days ago. I wish I could’ve met you to tell you that…here’s some raps…rest easy…Amin…”

Earlier today, Tim Burgess hosted a special tribute listening party for MF DOOM‘s ‘Born Like This’ album.





Source link

deadmau5 Announces New Year’s Eve and 2021 Streaming Events

Those of you who are unable to attend deadmau5‘s 2020 New Year’s drive-in shows are in luck.





Source link