Taylor Swift Reveals 1989 Tour Dates

Swift will be launching the 1989 World Tour with the first North American leg on May 20th in Bossier City, LA at the CenturyLink Center and the final announced date will be taking place on October 31st in Tampa, FL at Raymond James Stadium

The first American leg concludes on June 13th in Philadelphia, PA with Taylor heading to Europe for a string of dates that will last until June 27th. She'll kick off the next series of North American dates on July 6th in Ottawa, ON.

It was also revealed on Monday that Taylor will make her world premiere performance of her new single "Blank Space" during the American Music Awards, which will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, November 23rd (8:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT) on ABC. Check out the tour dates here.

Culture Club Streaming First New Song in 15 Years

The track finds the reunited band picking up where the '80s left off, with George singing about his desire for "a little more than silence," surely aware of the self-referential element that exists in his band delivering just what he requests. The song could easily soundtrack an emotional climax and closing credits to a film, speaking to the universality of the appeal in both its melody and its sentiment.

Tribes will be Culture Club's sixth album in total, with all four original members (Boy George, Roy Hay, Mikey Craig, and Jon Moss) expected in this new run. Boy George, the group's most recognizable member, released solo album This Is What I Do last year and toured internationally behind it.

Take a listen to Culture Club's "More than Silence" here.

Pre-Teen Lorde Performance Goes Online

During a session at a local New Zealand radio station, the artist known then as Ella Yelich-O'Connor took on the anthemic ballad, transforming it into a simple folk song.

There's barely any distinguishable difference between her voice on this cover and on the radio today; she has the same smoky, powerful range, exposing the song's dramatic peaks and valley without any of the originals sky scraping guitar work. If anything, it's just a rawer voice on the 12-year-old than what we hear from her on the radio these days.

"It's a privilege to hear a voice like that," exclaimed the radio DJ after her performance. Check out the cover here.

Garth Brooks Falls On Stage While Covering Aerosmith

That doesn't mean that other artists are safe, though. In fact, it's quite the opposite. This past Halloween (Oct. 31) at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., Garth Brooks took a cue from Bryan when he took a stage fall while performing a cover of Aerosmith's "Fever" during his set. After the fiddle feature toward the end of the song, Brooks is seen losing his footing on the moving conveyer belt-like stage, after nailing the landing a few times prior.

He doesn't miss a beat, though. He may have stumbled, but the song must go on and he finishes the track and continues to run down the stage. Watch video footage here.

Kenny Chesney Announces Flora-Bama Concert TV Special

Now Chesney is releasing a video of the event. Titled Kenny Chesney: Live from Flora-Bama, the concert special will debut Nov. 14 at 10 p.m. ET on CMT and CMT Pure. It will re-air Nov. 16, with additional airings planned as well.

"During the soundchecks, I knew this was one of those times� I knew we were gonna want to have the memory forever," Chesney said in a press release. "But I didn't know it was going to turn out the way that it did. Over 40,000 from New Hampshire, Alaska, Texas and all over made their way to the Alabama-Florida line on very short notice; for everyone who wanted to come and couldn't get a wrist band� or sort out their schedules� this is for you!"

The concert took place on the beach along the Gulf of Mexico between Orange Beach, Ala., and Perdido Key, Fla. Chesney played for two and a half hours, and his 32-song set included material for his then-unreleased new album The Big Revival. Read more here.

Beyonce Releasing Platinum Edition Box Set

The box set will include new songs, "7/11" and "Ring Off," as well as four new and unreleased remixes as well as the original, self-titled visual album, featuring 14 songs and 17 videos commentary and an accompanying photo booklet.

Fans that previously purchased the original Beyonc� visual album digitally will be given the opportunity to add the bonus materials, according to the announcement. You can preorder the box set here.

The DVD side of the release will include a live performance DVD that chronicles the year-long "Mrs. Carter Show World Tour," a mini version of the official 2015 Beyonc� calendar, and more. Check out the track details here.

Big K.R.I.T. Streaming New Album Cadillactica Online

The guest-heavy album features verses from Wiz Khalifa, E-40, Lupe Fiasco, A$AP Ferg, Bun B, Raphael Saadiq, Jamie N Commons and more, plus production from Rico Love, among others.

Last year when K.R.I.T. started promoting the album, he told XXL that the concept behind it is a "planet called Cadillactica where the soul and the funk comes from and being able to transcend my music with that idea." Read more here.

Mariah Carey Announces Christmas Concerts

The shows are to commemorate the 20th anniversary of her 14 million-selling holiday album, Merry Christmas, and its follow up, Merry Christmas II You.

All shows will be at the Beacon Theater on Manhattan's Upper West Side. It holds less than 3,000 people, so each night is truly an intimate Christmas experience with Carey.

"I can't imagine being anywhere more special than live on stage, in my hometown, celebrating with my fans during the Christmas season, my most treasured time of the year," Carey said in a statement published on her website. "I can't wait!"

Check out the dates here.

DJ Khaled Releases Remix Featuring Usher, Rick Ross, Fabolous, More

Usher gets subbed in for the Chris Brown part, even admitting that it is a remix in the hook. For the rhymes, Khaled enlists Rick Ross, Fabolous, and Ace Hood, creating essentially a second trip around an all-star track. Which one is best will surely be debated among Khaled's fans.

DJ Khaled is preparing to release his eighth album, I Changed Alot, which does not have a release date but is expected before the end of the year. The original "Hold You Down" is expected to be featured on it.

Listen here.

K. Michelle Releases New Track 'Maybe I Should Call'

Fresh off her recent single with Rick Ross, K. Michelle is vulnerable as ever over a simple piano-driven beat. "I love him, but I never call / Maybe that's my flaw," she sings. "Maybe that's why I ain't got a man 'cause I be doing too much thinking."

It's a classic tale of long-distance strife, a relationship crumbling under the pressures of who should make a move first. "Maybe I Should Call" will come off Anybody Wanna Buy a Heart, K. Michelle's forthcoming sophomore album. AWBAH will hit stores on Dec. 9, while Michelle's video for "Love 'Em All" will debut tonight live during the premiere of VH1′s show K. Michelle: My Life.

Her last album, Rebellious Soul, came out last year and earned Michelle a No. 2-peaking album on the Billboard 200. Listen to the new track here.

The Decemberists Release New Song 'Make You Better'

"Make You Better," the first song from the band's upcoming What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World, was released yesterday (Nov. 3) to digital retailers and is available to stream on Spotify.

Musically, "Make You Better" finds the Portland rockers shedding the country instrumentation that typified 2011's The King is Dead - but it isn't exactly a return to early form either, with frontman Colin Meloy's usual acoustic guitar replaced with electric, but more, say, R.E.M. than the prog rock undertones of 2009's The Hazards of Love.

"But we're not so starry-eyed anymore," Meloy sings over a full band sound of guitars, piano and drums. The song is the first major release from the album, the band's seventh and first in four years. It's due out Jan. 20.

Check out the song and the album tracklisting here.

Brad Paisley Announces 2015 Country Nation World Tour Dates

The new leg of the tour will begin Jan. 17 in Morgantown, W.V. The three-month outing will then wind down March 7 in Lubbock, Texas. Paisley's special guests for this portion of the tour are Parmalee and the Swon Brothers.

Paisley released his latest studio album Moonshine in the Trunk this past August. His current radio single is "Perfect Storm." Check out the new tour dates here.

French Montana Releases 'Julius Caesar' Video

Now he's released an accompanying video for the song. Directed by Fif Rivera, the clip finds him going to the desert and bringing an entourage with him.

Not of people, mind you; French is accompanied by nothing by cars, dirt bikes and the gorgeous empty skyline. Images of him stunting in a Chanel facemark are interspersed with brief clips of it skylines and and Roman statuary. Montana's stoic posture against the regal background seems like an image the ancients would approve of.

Montana is currently preparing the world for the triumphant release of his Mac & Cheese album; he's given the tentative date of Dec. 16 for the project.

Watch the video here.

Lady Gaga Covers 4 Non Blondes 'What's Up'

This Hallow's Eve, Lady Gaga gifted her fans with the latter: a six-plus minute dramatic rendition of 4 Non Blondes' karaoke classic, "What's Up." Gaga didn't hold back in her cover, hitting every scream for scream in singer Linda Perry's original. Some might say Gaga even went overboard with the screams, at least during the beginning - but you can tell she's really passionate about her cover of choice.

The whole event starts out with Gaga's voice building as she sits which turns into Gaga belting out the "heyyy-ee-eyyyyys" and verses as she stomps around the stage. She never breaks from character throughout the song, except when adding her own scatting part in the middle.

Watch the performance here.

Ariana Grande Releases Love Me Harder Video Featuring The Weeknd

In the Hannah Lux Davis-directed clip, Grande, who recently wowed at CBS Radio's We Can Survive concert at the Hollywood Bowl, takes us into an abandoned Victorian house filled with dust covered furniture and candelabras. She primps and poses in lingerie and cat ears to let us know, you got to love her harder.

Her partner in crime, The Weeknd shows up, creeping out of the shadows to help Grande get the love she deserves. The two eventually come together in a stairwell, where all great romances begin.

Watch it here.

Kanye West Adidas Line Coming This Month

But what exactly will these kicks look like? Unlike the Air Yeezys, which were firmly in the realm of basketball shoes, the Yeezy Adidas are rumored to have more of a running shoe silhouette.

Comparisons have been made to the sleek, technical Adidas Tubular Shake. It's a look that would be very much in line with the muscular, yet minimal aesthetic West explored on Yeezus. Read more here.

Meghan Trainor Launching Her First Headlining Tour

The 16-date tour will kick off on Feb. 11, nearly a month after the release of her official debut, Title, out Jan. 13, which will include tracks off her EP of the same name.

The tour kicks off in Vancouver, British Columbia before making stops in Los Angeles, Dallas, New York City and Boston for a special St. Patrick's Day show. Her opening act will be the Australian band, Sheppard.

Read more and check out the dates here.

Nicki Minaj Gets Tamer For 'Pinkprint' Deluxe Album Cover

She already dropped her song "Only" featuring Chris Brown, Drake and Lil Wayne and a teaser for the album (due out Dec. 15), now she's revealing the album art for the album. Well, the cover of the Deluxe edition of the record. Yes, there will be more Nicki to go around.

Unlike her NSFW cover for "Anaconda" this one is quite tame, unless perhaps you're worried about someone stealing your identity through your fingerprint.

The cover is none other than a pink print of Nicki's finger, smudged in what looks like hot pink lipstick. When she revealed the artwork she promised the standard edition artwork would be made available soon. She also thanked the "Kanye West Team" in the Instagram post, leading many to believe that Kanye's DONDA company had a little something to do with this.

Check out the photo here.

Why Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert Won't Be Interviewed Together

But in an interview that aired this weekend on CBS' 60 Minutes, Shelton and wife Miranda Lambert - separately - speak on their careers, their lives together and why they won't ever do an interview with each other in the same room.

"I know that would be interesting," he said of the idea of he and Lambert sitting down together for interviews. "We try so hard to keep people's focus on what we do and not our marriage. It's almost impossible to do that."

He said he doesn't want to open that door any further to give "every other magazine out there a two second quote that turns into alien babies. "When we do interviews, I love talking about her. I could talk about her all day," he added. "All we've got left is she and I and our home and we just want to keep it that way."

Read more here.

Singled Out: Sun Gods to Gamma Rays' A Ghost to Find

The song "A Ghost to Find" was written about halfway through writing our new album. Our guitarist Paul came to practice with the skeleton of the song he had demoed, we all dug it, so we decided to jam on it a bit and learn the chords.

Often while the band is working on learning the structure of a new song, I'll sit down with a pad of paper and pen and get to writing. Most of our lyrics for this record were written in one go, on the spot, while the rest of the band was learning the chords. This has been a really fun dynamic for me because I get to infuse a new song with ideas while everyone is still learning it, and that's exactly what happened with "A Ghost to Find." While the band was learning their chords, and I writing the songs lyrics, I came up with the chorus chords and melody in a bit of a spontaneous breakaway from the groove and verse chords.

Our whole record lyrically represents a divorce from one's original self, and the blossoming of someone new. This song embodies the breakaway stage, and is lyrically very precious to me. I grew up a self-imposed, charismatic, evangelical Christian. A few years after high school I went off to university and studied philosophy, myth, and literature. It was during this time that I became very confused about my faith, as so many of us have experienced. However, studying the importance of narrative and myth, I also learned how the stories we tell ourselves are still incredibly important-it's hard to just let them go. The lyrics to "A Ghost to Find" represent a moment in time where I yearned to live a life that was knowable, where I wouldn't have to fight myself about my beliefs anymore. But in some ways the lyrics still use traditional Christian tropes, while kind of turning them on their head, so to speak.

The first four lines give a clear picture of what is happening: "I am floating away from you/ you said that you would stay/ now here I am, reflections grow dark/ now here I am, in shades of gray." There is a sense of loneliness and pain, and a sense that the person singing is struggling with not living a life that is binary any longer.

The second verse represents the ghost of religion past, how it's always there asking questions and making judgments: "haunted just by the thought of you/ a ghost inside my head." Beside the obvious sense of haunting, I wanted to portray that I was emotionally tired of this internal struggle with who I once was and who I am becoming. The last two lines really develop that feeling: "but I want, want to be found/ I can't stand to face this again."

The chorus is really where a lyrical interpretation get's tricky, and the chorus lyrics still even elude me sometimes. "Come and find me in the dark/ come and take my by the hand/ come and heal me of my scars/ won't you come and heal my sins." Sometimes when I am on stage singing these lyrics I am desperate for a time in my past when I felt I had a clear understanding of my worldview. Othertimes I am singing these lyrics into the abyss, hoping that maybe someone will hear my call and come along side me in my struggle to understand my changing worldview. I like that the lyrics can be continually re-negotiated, because in many ways that embodies the struggle that is represented in the lyrics: that life isn't nearly as black and white as we think it is.

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

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