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Day in Pop Report for 08/13/2014


Culture Club Reunite For New Album and Tour
The original lineup of the 80s hit making group Culture Club have reunited and revealed North American tour dates and are also working on a comeback album.

Boy George will be appearing on Late Night with Seth Meyers on Thursday to discuss the tour which also features original members Jon Moss, Roy Hay and Mikey Craig.

So far six dates have been announced for the band's first U.S. trek featuring their original line-up in 14 years. The Tour is scheduled to kick off on November 15th in Rancho Mirage, Ca at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa and includes stop in Oakland, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New York, and Atlantic City.

The band is also planning their first new studio album since 1999. They are currently working on the effort with producer Youth with an eye towards an early 2015 release. more on this story

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Read Drive-By Shooting On Straight Outta Compton Film Set
(Radio.com) A drive-by shooting on the set of the N.W.A. biopic Straight Outta Compton was the real deal, bullets and all. Gossip news site TMZ reports that gunfire erupted outside of a Compton courthouse last week when some local guys (and not the film's cast or crew) flashed gang signs at a passing car.

The website postulated that the gunmen were not targeting the crew of the film, but the bullets came close anyway. A nearby civilian was reportedly hit, but survived.

The L.A. County Sheriff's department is investigating the incident, and has not yet determined if it was gang related. Filming is expected to continue - in Compton - as planned. more on this story

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Randy Travis Releases New Album Influence Vol. 2 Early
Country music star Randy Travis has made his new album, "Influence Vol. 2: The Man I Am," available for digital purchase a week early via Amazon MP3 and the iTunes music store.

The album will officially be released by Warner Bros. Records next Tuesday, August 19th, but his team announced on Tuesday that they released covers album a week early via the digital music retailers.

Travis had this to say about the new covers project, "We had such a great time putting together Influence Vol. 1, but there were still so many musical heroes of yesteryear that I learned from and wanted to honor. We had no choice but to release a second volume.

"The 'Influence' that the older, great ones had on me, and the 'Influence' that I may, somehow, have on the ones that come along after me, is God's way of allowing us to pay it forward. It is my prayer answered-and, His will done-it is what makes me, 'the man I am.'"

You can preview and purchase the digital version of the album here.

Influence Vol. 2: The Man I Am Tracklisting:
I'm Moving On
Set 'Em Up Joe
Are The Good Times Really Over?
Nearly Lose Your Mind
There I've Said It Again
That's The Way Love Goes
Sunday Morning Coming Down
Don't Worry 'Bout Me
Mind Your Own Business
Only Daddy
For The Good Times
California Blues
Tonight I'm Playing Possum (Solo Version)


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Pharrell Reveals NBA 2K15 Soundtrack Details
Pharrell Williams has revealed the soundtrack song listing for NBA 2K15, which he was recruited to curate and the music spans multiple genres from hip-hop to pop to rock and classic alternative rock.

The NBA 2K15 game won't be released until October 7th but Pharrell took to the game's official twitter account to reveal the soundtrack details and as expected he contributes to the effort.

On the pop and hip-hop front, the soundtrack features Pharrell's collaboration with Snoop Dogg "Drop It Like It's Hot," Lorde's "Team", OneRepublic's "Love Runs Out," Lauryn Hill's "Doo Wop (That Thing)", No Doubt's "Spiderwebs", and Missy Elliott's "On & On."

He didn't forget rock fans. The soundtrack also includes tracks from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Black Keys, The Strokes, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Ratpure and it even includes Depeche Mode's classic hit "Personal Jesus."

RHCP and Depeche Mode aren't the only classic artists represented on the soundtrack as it will include tracks from Busta Rhymes, Public Enemy and A Tribe Called Quest.

Check out the full tracklisting here.

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New Kanye West Track All Day Leaks
(Radio.com) Remember that song Kanye West referenced in his recent interview with GQ? You know, the one that he referenced, saying he hoped to release it in the next few weeks? Well, Yeezy season arrived a bit earlier than expected.

The new track, "All Day," leaked yesterday (Aug 12) and though the over 2-minute bootleg is of lower quality, it has Kanye reeling back on the harsher tones of Yeezus, without going soft.

On the track, Kanye responds with a refrain of "all day" as he asks a few questions, ranging from how much time he spends at the mall to how long it took him to get this fly.

With shout outs to Sade and Rico Suave, and a vocal take from Bon Iver's Justin Vernon - or someone who sounds just like him - the track seems primed for heavy rotation. more on this story

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Nas Reveals The Illmatic Tour Details
Nas will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of his debut album "The Illmatic" and the new documentary about the album with a North American tour this fall.

The tour will not only feature Nas revisiting each track from the album but his performances each night will be followed by a screening of the new documentary "Nas: Time Is Illmatic."

Nas will be kicking off the tour on October 2nd in Rochester, New York at Main Street Armony and concluding the trek on October 19th in Oakland, California at the Fox Theater.

His new documentary, "Nas: Time Is Illmatic," is scheduled to open at the Tribeca Film Festival on October 1st and two days later will be released on iTunes and On-Demand. more on this story

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Smokey Robinson's New Duets Album Streaming Online
Motown legend Smokey Robinson has made a full streaming of his new duets album "Smokey & Friends" available online ahead of the official release date next week.

The album won't officially be released until next Tuesday, August 19th but Robinson's camp announced yesterday that fans are getting an advance listen to the album via iTunes Radio.

"Smokey & Friends," will be streaming in full on the online platform until next Monday, August 18th. Smokey is joined on the album by an all-star list of guest vocalist revisiting some of his biggest hits and other hit songs he has written for others.

The album features Smokey singing duets with Elton John, James Taylor, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, Mary J. Blige, CeeLo Green, John Legend, John Mayer, Miguel and more.

Check out the album stream here and see below for the full track and special guest list:

Tracklisting:
1. The Tracks Of My Tears - Elton John
2. You Really Got A Hold On Me - Steven Tyler
3. My Girl �- Miguel, Aloe Blacc & JC Chasez
4. Cruisin' - Jesse J
5. Quiet Storm �- John Legend
6. The Way You Do (The Things You Do) - CeeLo Green
7. Being With You -� Mary J. Blige
8. Ain't The Peculiar - James Taylor
9. The Tears Of A Clown - Sheryl Crow
10. Ooh Baby Baby �- Ledisi
11. Get Ready - Gary Barlow

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Ariana Grande Releases Break Free Video
(Radio.com) Know those campy, so-bad-they're-great sci-fi films with oddball storylines and laughable costumes and sets? If you've ever wanted to mash that up with Ariana Grande in a music video, you got your wish this week (Aug. 12).

The 21-year-old released her hotly anticipated video for "Break Free" Tuesday evening, and like Grande teased, it's a full-on homage to the B-movie cult classic Barbarella. Grande plays a space operative whose mission is simple: kill the bad aliens by any means possible, break out of their tentacled clutches and drive off into the (space) horizon with Zedd, who's featured on the song.

Unlike, say, Guardians of the Galaxy, where the aliens are often computer-generated and seamless in their transition to the big screen, Grande went for the very unbelievable alien costumes of decades ago, which makes the video all the more entertaining - and perhaps a new favorite video for that Star Trek geek out there who also happens to really, really love Ariana Grande.

It's even complete with a Star Wars-esque intro with the words rolling up the screen, and at one point Grande shoots projectile firebombs out of the breast of her spacesuit at some opposing aliens. What has science wrought?!

Check it out here.

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Capital Cities To Launch North American Tour This Fall
Capital Cities have announced that they will be following their summer trek as the support act on Katy Perry's Prismatic world tour by launching their own headline tour this fall.

The group will be launching the North American headline trek on October 1st at the Ogden Theatre in Denver, Co and will conclude the tour on November 19th at the Fox Theater in Oakland, Ca.

The fall tour will also includes stops in Tampa, Atlanta, Raleigh, Philadelphia, Boston, two shows in New York City at Webster Hall, Washington D.C., Montreal, Toronto, Chicago, Milwaukee and Minneapolis.

Capital Cities' latest single "One Minute More," is also included on the new feature film "The Giver", which is set to open this Friday. The track originally was featured on the deluxe version of their "In A Tidal Wave Of Mystery" album. more on this story

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Drake Releases Club Going Up On a Tuesday Remix
(Radio.com) In honor of it being a Tuesday yesterday, Drake released a remix of iLoveMakonnen's track, "Club Going Up On a Tuesday," which questions whether it's wise to wait until Friday night to head out to the club.

On his "Tuesday" remix, Drake makes it clear that while you're catching a few Zzz's, he's working overtime. Drizzy is definitely working for the weekend and clubbin' on the weekdays. Tuesday is the new Friday.

Drizzy is currently on tour with Lil Wayne, where he partakes in nightly rap battles. Fans get to choose the winner via their new Street Fighter-inspired app. But for fans that still aren't really show how the app works, Drake's released an informative video.

Listen to Drake's remix here.

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Kenny Chesney Offers Up Flora-Bama Song
Kenny Chesney has given fans a new incentive to pre-order his new album, "The Big Revival," on iTunes by offering fans that order the album a download of a new track and he has revealed the album's tracklisting.

The new song is entitled "Flora-Bama" and Chesney explains that the track was inspired by a friend that told him about spending an entire afternoon in the Flora-Bama bar on Perdido Key.

"He'd just ducked in for a beer, and six hours later, he'd emerged with a bunch of new friends, a great time and the sort of memory you keep going back to."

Chesney will be headlining a concert at the bar, which is on the Alabama-Florida line, this Saturday. His new album, The Big Revival, is set for release on September 23rd. Check out the tracklist here.

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Hilary Duff Releases Comeback Single
(Radio.com) Hilary Duff's comeback in music involves banjos. That doesn't necessarily mean she's gone country - far from it - but for "All About You," Duff's new single and first song from her upcoming new album being serviced to radio, the former Disney star certainly draws on some folk elements.

Much like previous song "Chasing the Sun," "All About You" has a sunny quality to it, seemingly fitting for a day beside the pool or beach. The banjo follows a fairly country formula, but the remainder of the instrumentation is more pop, perhaps tapping into popular music's recent but now wavering fascination with rootsy instruments.

"Think you're all about me but I'm all about you" Duff sings on the chorus, which itself seems akin to something Taylor Swift might have written at the turn of the decade.

Check it out here.

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Tim McGraw Releases New Song Sick of Me
(Radio.com) Tim McGraw adds a self-deprecating note to his repertoire with his newest song. "Sick of Me," the newest song off McGraw's upcoming album Sundown Heaven Town, is a mid-tempo rocker that finds the country star building up the object of his affection while tearing himself down, leaving him vulnerable.

"All I want to tell you is you were right," he sings. "And I miss you / And I'm sick of me, too." "Sick of Me" is apologetic in its tone, McGraw searching for forgiveness for all the times he's done his lady wrong.

The new song follows Sundown Heaven Town's two singles released so far, "Lookin' for That Girl" and "Meanwhile Back at Mama's," the latter featuring wife Faith Hill.

Listen to the new song here.

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Ella Henderson Releases Glow Video
(Radio.com) "What hath night to do with sleep?" John Milton asked in the classic epic poem Paradise Lost. Ella Henderson revisits the question in the video for her single, "Glow."

Whether Henderson realizes it or not, "Glow" presents an interesting allegory to the ideas in Paradise Lost. It is unclear if she and the little imps (teenagers) romping around in the glow of the evening throughout this video are working for good or for evil. To what ends do they run and through the woods, in search of what?

Director Charles Mehling has crafted a career of beautiful make-up ads, making already stunning women look even more so for the camera with clever tricks of lighting and angle. Pantene and Rimmel dot his resume. Naturally he applies that beauty aesthetic to the look and feel of "Glow," creating an eternal magic hour look on Henderson's already lovely skin.

But as Henderson describes in the listeners of her song as "soldiers of the light" and a spotlight shows us the outline of several teenage figures marching in a loose formation, there is the feeling that this uplifting song has been matched with a visual of the tragedy of human experience. The children frolic around in glowing light with no clear purpose or intent. At times the aesthetics make them look malevolent as well as angelic. Are these angels dark, Milton might wonder? Or are they simply in desperate search for freedom - that same freedom Adam & Eve craved in paradise.

Watch the video here.

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The Lumineers Have New Track On The Walking Dead Soundtrack
(Radio.com) The Walking Dead is slowly becoming a force to be reckoned with when it comes to its soundtracks, with a new edition of songs coming as part of the pre-order of the show's fourth season DVD and Blu-Ray.

One of the tracks off the bonus Songs of Survival, Vol. 2 is "Visions of China," recorded by folk rockers the Lumineers. Yes, it's the "Ho Hey" guys, but don't think that hit song has "Visions of China" pegged in the band's usual genre.

Frontman Wesley Schultz's voice has a Thom Yorke quality to it, and the song itself is a slow, droning track that's shed much of the band's happy-go-lucky, Mumford-esque folk.

Instead, there's little more than acoustic guitar, Schultz's voice and some other underlying instruments, like a booming cello. Listen here.

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Chase Rice Launching Ignite the Night Tour
(Radio.com) Chase Rice is one of the rare country (or otherwise) music sensations that has built his reputation based on his live show. So word that Rice is going on tour serves both diehards as a another chance to check out a tried and true favorite, and for new fans to finally hear what everyone is talking about.

On Sept. 5, Rice will embark on the Ignite the Night Tour, starting in Denver, Colo., and continuing to a number of House of Blues venues, as well as the Beardstown Fall Festival in Beardstown, Ill., and finishing in New York City at Irving Plaza.

Old Dominion and Michael Ray will act as support at various stages of the tour, and you can pick up your tickets at his website on Aug. 13 for a pre-sale, with the tickets going on regular sale on Aug. 15. more on this story

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Future, Chris Brown and More On DJ Khaled's New Track
(Radio.com) DJ Khaled is going big on his eighth album, I Changed Alot. First he shared "They Don't Love You No More," with verses from Jay Z, Rick Ross, Meek Mill and French Montana. Now, on its followup, he's joined by R&B heavyweights Future, Chris Brown, Jeremih and August Alsina.

The second single, entitled "Hold You Down," goes out to all of the ladies with his motley crew of backup partners singing wooing verses over a shiny beat.

Future manages to drop four car references within the span of his verse - highlight: "Your body my new Bugatti" - while, on a more somber note, Brown slyly references his rocky past: "I had some problems back home (so I heated up) I ain't with that bulls**t at all (then I laid it down)."

Brown's verse aside, the track is a sweet love letter to the guys' ladies and a solid second single for DJ Khaled. Listen here.

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Peyton and Eli Manning Release New Rap Song Fantasy Football Fantasy
(Radio.com) Move over, Clint Dempsey. Watch out, Metta World Peace. The Mannings are coming for the throne. Eli and Peyton Manning are certainly more known for their football prowess than what they can bring to the table musically, but that didn't stop the brothers from starring in their own commercials for DirecTV - and adding rap music to their resumes in the process.

Last year brought "Football on Your Phone," released just in time for the NFL season, and after 8 million views on YouTube, they'll try to replicate the success with "Fantasy Football Fantasy."

The video starts with the Mannings on - where else? - a football field, while dancers flank each yard line. But soon, the fantasy aspect of the song comes into play - and they're not just talking about fantasy football online, either.

Peyton tosses a football from the field all the way to some dude's luxurious pool, while Eli equates DirecTV's new Fantasy Zone Channel to being showered with tiny footballs.

Also appearing in the video are New York Jets running back Chris Johnson and legend Joe Namath, who's making stew with your mom. Check it out here.

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DJ Shadow Releases New EP The Liquid Amber
(Radio.com) Bay Area DJ/production legend DJ Shadow has returned with a new record label, Liquid Amber, which has launched with an EP of the same name. "I'd like to announce a new little imprint I started: it's called Liquid Amber," Shadow explained in a press release. "

The first release will feature some of my own songs, and soon, if everything falls into place, I'll be putting out other people's music as well. It'll be primarily digital, with some physical releases from time to time� whatever feels right. I'm going to try to keep it low-key and fun."

The Liquid Amber EP features two new DJ Shadow tracks, "Ghost Town" and "Mob," as well as a Machinedrum remix of his 2002 single, "Six Days." "'Ghost Town' is an ambitious ride through many of the micro-genres within the Future Bass umbrella that have inspired me recently, while 'Mob' is an intentionally stripped-down, Cali-certified head-nodder," Shadow detailed. "Both songs were written, programmed, and mixed by myself, and they represent the forward steps I feel I've taken as an engineer. The 'Six Days' remix was something I asked Machinedrum to knock out as a tour weapon, and he crushed it (naturally), so I felt it deserved a proper release."

Listen to the latest music from DJ Shadow here.

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Singled Out: Broken Quote's Ghost Crowd
Today David Schrier, a.k.a. Broken Quote, tells us about the song "Ghost Crowd" from his brand new release "Foreshadowing Sunlight", which was released earlier this summer. Here is the story:

The song "Ghost Crowd" is about that feeling one can have of being isolated in public and seeing it in others. Crowds of people interacting, but not really connecting. It's also about not being present in the moment but being somewhat aware that you aren't.

There have been times on and off where I've lived in that place. It's something I've actively worked on moving away from. Which is part of the reason for writing it, of course.

This song started as two seemingly separate songs. I don't remember exactly when I came up with the idea for the song, I remember I was driving and the phrase " People all around, population ghost crowd " popped in my mind and it reflected something I had felt but couldn't really express well until then. I took those lyrics and the overall idea and started working with some piano melodies, but wasn't quite satisfied.

I had this other guitar riff I was playing with and the words " Say,..say you know " just came out. I knew there was something in that so I kept it around.I had some other lyrics I was messing with for the guitar riff besides the ones mentioned, but they just didn't feel right. At some point I got the feeling to try the lyrics from the piano piece with the guitar riff and it just hit me that this is where these needed to be. From there the other lyrics came naturally and I found where " Say,..say you know " fit.

Then I started filling in the other elements. I banged out a reverb heavy hip hop / trip hop style drum loop as the backbone that seemed to add an interesting element. Then I experimented / recorded samples and a bass line that fit the vibe and I came up with a different piano piece for the outro and put recorded samples from people talking at a party over it.

I hope it helps people to know that others have felt the same way.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen for yourself here and learn more about the album right here!

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Questlove Pays Tribute To Robin Williams
(Radio.com) After news of Robin Williams passing broke Monday (Aug. 11), the music community took to Twitter and Instagram to remember the Oscar-winning comedian. Questlove was one of those musicians to pay tribute, telling the story of the first time he ever met Williams.

With a photo of Williams from Mork & Mindy, The Roots drummer started his Instagram post by writing, "Man. The smallest gesture can mean the world to you. Robin Williams made such an impact on me and didn't even know it."

Questlove explains that at the 2001 GRAMMYS, Williams got into the elevator with the Roots and "named checked all of us." Questlove says the band had to ride the elevator to the backstage area and they all piled inside. "When suddenly this voice just said 'questlove�..black thought�.rahzel�.the roots from Philadelphia!!!!' That's right you walked on this elevator saying to yourself 'ain't no way this old white dude knows my entire history and discography'�.we laughed so hard. That NEVER happened to [us] before," he wrote.

"A legend acknowledged us and really knew who we were (his son put him on to us) man it was a small 2 min moment in real life but that meant the world to me at the time," Questlove wrote. "Everytime I saw him afterwards he tried to top his trivia knowledge on all things Roots associated. Simply because he knew that meant everything to me. May his family find peace at this sad time. I will miss Robin Williams. #RIP." More.

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Wiz Khalifa's New Album Blacc Hollywood Streaming Online
(Radio.com) Slowly but surely, new music from Wiz Khalifa has trickled out onto the Internet, much of it from his upcoming album Blacc Hollywood. Now the album is available to stream in full prior to its release, via MTV.

Blacc Hollywood, out next week on Rostrum/Atlantic, is Khalifa's fifth studio album, coming at a time when the Pittsburgh rapper is one of the genre's bigger stars.

Given that sort of sway, Khalifa didn't skimp on the major featured guests. In addition to the just-released "True Colors" with Nicki Minaj, the album also features Project Pat, Juicy J and Ty Dolla $ign, among others.

The deluxe version, now streaming, also includes two bonus tracks in addition to the 13 standard album songs. There's a "We Dem Boyz" remix including Rick Ross, ScHoolboy Q and Nas, while the DJ Mustard-produced "You and Your Friends" includes Snoop Dogg, plus Ty Dolla $ign on his third featured cut on the album.

Blacc Hollywood is out Aug. 19. Listen to the full album here.

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Elvira Stars In New Ryan Adams Video
(Radio.com) With his new "Gimme Something Good" video, Ryan Adams and Elvira are pulling a Dorian Gray. This is an interesting time for it, as the world ( that is the world of a certain generation and inclined to enjoy a particular type of music, that being in particular members of Generation X who were/are fond of indie rock) contemplates the solid excellence of the new Spoon album and music writers prepare their "the Chevy truck of indie rock" thinkpieces.

Adams is of that same ilk and generation, and has crafted an excellent, solid, exactly-what-you-want-from-Ryan Adams album that will be released in September.

And so the video to go with it is meant to push the buttons of a specific kind of person. Director Michael Reich uses a VHS tape effect on the footage at times, so give it that same effect that Gen X would find familiar from host duties on ThrillerVideos. She was a movie star in her own B-movie right, but she also played hostess to some of the great, tame creep show films - including an '80s B-movie take on Oscar Wilde's excellent work, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

It's a remarkable parallel because Adams and Elvira both look perfectly preserved in the video. And Wilde very aptly captures the essence of Adams, and why such a video would appeal to him, in this particular quote from Dorian Gray: "Humanity takes itself too seriously. It is the world's original sin. If the cave-man had known how to laugh, History would have been different."

Check out the video here.

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