Category Archives: Hot AC

Alternative Rock CHR Hot AC

Watch Lorde cover Bruce Springsteen alongside New Zealand musician Marlon Williams

Steven Ferdman/Getty ImagesLorde is back with another Bruce Springsteen cover.

The "Royals" artist sang a duet of The Boss' song "Tougher Than the Rest" with fellow New Zealand musician Marlon Williams during his concert in Auckland this week. Footage of the performance was posted on social media.

Lorde previously covered Springsteen's "I'm on Fire" back in 2017. That came after Bruce put his spin on "Royals" during a 2014 concert in New Zealand.

Springsteen actually recently released that live "Royals" cover as part of his The Live Series: Songs Under Cover Vol. 2 compilation album. You can listen to that now via digital outlets.

And if you're looking for more Springsteen/Lorde connections, Bruce is featured on a new song called "Chinatown" by Bleachers, the band fronted by Lorde's Melodrama producer, Jack Antonoff.

By Josh Johnson
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Alternative Rock CHR Hot AC

Glass Animals releases new “Heat Waves” remix featuring “Mood’s” iann dior

Credit: Pooneh GhanaGlass Animals is in a "Mood"...to collaborate with iann dior.

The band has released a new remix of "Heat Weaves" featuring the up-and-coming hip-hop artist, who teamed up with 24kGoldn for the mega-hit, "Mood."

You can listen to the dior version of "Heat Waves" now via digital outlets.

The original "Heat Waves" appears on Glass Animals' new album Dreamland, which dropped last summer. It currently sits at number one on Billboard's Alternative Airplay chart.

By Josh Johnson
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Alternative Rock CHR Hot AC

Billie Eilish reveals she wore a wig to hide her blonde transformation

Francis Specker/CBS ©2021 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.Wondering how Billie Eilish went from sporting her signature lime green ‘do at the Grammys to being platinum blonde just a couple days later? The answer is a little wig magic.

In a TikTok video Thursday, the 19-year-old singer subtly revealed she'd been wearing a green-and-black hair piece to keep her new color under wraps.  She even wore it at the Grammy Awards.

In the comments, she admitted she’d been donning the wig in public for the past two months. That's because switching up her hair color that drastically required multiple sessions with her colorist.

Billie's hairdresser, Lissa Renn, wrote in a since-deleted post captured on social media that it took "6 weeks to get all the black out of her ends without damaging it."

Needless to say, fans were shocked to find out Billie had been hiding the hair transformation under a wig, with one commenting, “What in the Hannah Montana,” while another wrote, “This is why I have trust issues.”

Billie’s blonde reveal on Instagram Wednesday sent the internet into a frenzy. The photo racked up 18 million likes in 24 hours, putting it in the top-10 of most-liked Instagram photos ever.

By Andrea Tuccillo
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Active Rock Alternative Rock CHR Hot AC

Report: Coachella canceled for 2021; set to return in 2022

Rich Fury/Getty Images for CoachellaCoachella won't be returning until 2022, Variety reports.

The famed California festival, which is usually held in April, was first canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Coachella organizers originally postponed it to October 2020 before scrapping it for the year altogether and setting sights on April 2021.

In January of this year, Riverside County health officials canceled the April 2021 dates. Reports claimed that organizers were postponing to October 2021, but those dates were never officially announced. That might be just as well, since Variety's report cites "two industry sources with knowledge" who say that Coachella will not be happening at all this year. The festival is now expected to return in April 2022.

Coachella has not yet made an official announcement, and Variety's requests for comment from the festival promoter and its parent company were either declined or unanswered.

Before it was canceled, Coachella was set to feature headlining sets from the reunited Rage Against the Machine, Frank Ocean and Travis Scott.

By Josh Johnson
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Alternative Rock CHR Hot AC

Billie Eilish trades in her signature green and black locks for blonde

Francis Specker/CBS ©2021 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.The new era of Billie Eilish is upon us.

The singer has traded in her signature lime green and black hair color for blonde. She revealed the new color and cut, a ‘70s inspired shag, on Instagram Wednesday.

Billie initially teased fans on her Instagram Story, writing “Can you guess what color?” She then posted a short video doing a hair flip and smiling at the camera. “Did you guess correctly?” she captioned it.

She also posted a separate photo showing off the new ‘do, which immediately set off a frenzy of likes. It had racked up over seven million likes just an hour after Billie posted it.

It seems like she was waiting until after the Grammys to officially close out her green hair chapter. She was still sporting the black and green at Sunday’s show, where she picked up two awards, including Record of the Year.

The 19-year-old previously promised fans she'd be changing her hair color after the release of her Apple TV+ doc, The World’s a Little Blurry.

By Andrea Tuccillo
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Active Rock Adult Contemporary Alternative Rock CHR Classic Hits/Oldies Classic Rock Country Hot AC Urban Urban AC

Grammys 2021: The complete winners list

The Recording AcademyThe 63rd Annual Grammy Awards aired Sunday night on CBS, hosted by Trevor Noah.

Here is the complete list of winners in the major categories:

Record of the Year
"Everything I Wanted" by Billie Eilish

Album of the Year
Folklore by Taylor Swift

Song of the Year
"I Can't Breathe" by Dernst Emile II, H.E.R. & Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.)

Best New Artist
Megan Thee Stallion

POP

Best Pop Solo Performance
"Watermelon Sugar" by Harry Styles

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
"Rain On Me" by Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
American Standard by James Taylor

Best Pop Vocal Album
Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa

ROCK/ALTERNATIVE

Best Rock Performance
"Shameika" by Fiona Apple

Best Metal Performance
"Bum-Rush" by Body Count

Best Rock Song
"Stay High" by Brittany Howard

Best Rock Performance
"Shameika" by Fiona Apple

Best Rock Song
"Stay High" by Brittany Howard

Best Rock Album
The New Abnormal by The Strokes Alternative

Best Alternative Music Album
Fetch the Bolt Cutters by Fiona Apple

R&B/RAP

BEST R&B PERFORMANCE
"Black Parade" by Beyoncé

Best Traditional R&B Performance
"Anything For You" by Ledisi

Best R&B Song
"Better Than I Imagined" by Robert Glasper, Meshell Ndegeocello & Gabriella Wilson, songwriters (Robert Glasper feat. H.E.R. & Meshell Ndegeocello)

Best Progressive R&B Album
It Is What It Is by Thundercat

Best R&B Album
Bigger Love by John Legend

Best Rap Performance
"Savage" by Megan Thee Stallion feat. Beyoncé

Best Melodic Rap Performance
"Lockdown" by Anderson .Paak

Best Rap Song
"Savage" by Beyoncé, Shawn Carter, Brittany Hazzard, Derrick Milano, Terius Nash, Megan Pete, Bobby Session Jr., Jordan Kyle Lanier Thorpe & Anthony White, songwriters (Megan Thee Stallion Featuring Beyoncé)

Best Rap Album
King's Disease by Nas

COUNTRY

Best Country Solo Performance
"When My Amy Prays" by Vince Gill

Best Country Duo/Group Performance
"10,000 Hours" by Dan + Shay & Justin Bieber

Best Country Song
"Crowded Table" by Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby & Lori McKenna, songwriters (The Highwomen)

Best Country Album
Wildcard by Miranda Lambert

DANCE/ELECTRONIC MUSIC

Best Dance Recording
"10%" by Kaytranada feat. Kali Uchis

Best Dance/Electronic Album
BUBBA by Kaytranada

GOSPEL/CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song
"There Was Jesus" by Zach Williams & Dolly Parton; Casey Beathard, Jonathan Smith & Zach Williams, songwriters

Best Gospel Album
Gospel According to PJ by PJ Morton

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album
Jesus Is King by Kanye West

Best Roots Gospel Album
Celebrating Fisk! (The 150th Anniversary Album) by Fisk Jubilee Singers

LATIN

Best Latin Pop or Urban Album
YHLQMDLG by Bad Bunny

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album
La Conquista del Espacio by Fito Paez

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)
Un Canto Por Mexico, Vol. 1 by Natalia Lafourcade

Best Tropical Latin Album
40 by Grupo Niche

COMEDY

Best Comedy Album
Black Mitzvah by Tiffany Haddish

MUSICAL THEATER

Best Musical Theater Album
Jagged Little Pill (Glen Ballard, composer; Alanis Morissette, composer & lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast)

MUSIC FOR VISUAL MEDIA

Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media
Jojo Rabbit (Various Artists) Taika Waititi, compilation producer

Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media
Joker by Hildur Guðnadóttir, composer

Best Song Written For Visual Media
"No Time to Die" by Billie Eilish O'Connell & Finneas Baird O'Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish) Track from: No Time to Die

MUSIC VIDEO/FILM

Best Music Video
"Brown Skin Girl" Beyoncé, Blue Ivy & WizKid
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter & Jenn Nkiru, video directors; Astrid Edwards, Aya Kaida, Jean Mougin, Nathan Scherrer & Erinn Williams, video producers

Best Music Film
Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice
Linda Ronstadt Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Friedman, video directors; Michele Farinola & James Keach, video producers

By George Costantino
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Alternative Rock CHR Hot AC Urban

Grammys 2021: Billie Eilish wins Record of the Year, but tries to give it to Megan Thee Stallion

Francis Specker/CBS ©2021 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.The 63rd Grammy Awards closed out the night with its nail-biter category, which was filled to the brim with top talent -- Record of the Year.

Up for the trophy this year were BeyonceDaBabyBillie EilishDoja CatDua LipaPost MaloneBlack Pumas and Megan Thee Stallion.

The award was presented by the legendary Ringo Starr, who has nine Grammy wins under his belt.

"If you're making music in our world today, you've already won. And I thank you," the 80-year-old commended before cracking open the purple envelope.

But, the true winner of the night who closed out the 63rd Grammy Awards was Billie Eilish, who took home the golden trophy for her hit "everything i wanted."

The 19-year-old singer took the stage with her brother Finneas, but refused to accept the honor.  Instead, she wanted to give it to "Savage" rapper Megan Thee Stallion.

"Megan, girl, I was going to write a speech about how you deserved this but then I was like 'There is no way they will choose me,'" said Eilish. "You deserve this."

"You had a year that I think is unstoppable. You are a queen. I want to cry thinking about how much I love you," she gushed as the rapper stared up in shock. "You are so beautiful. You are so talented. You deserve everything in the world. I think about you constantly. I root for you always. You deserve it."

The "bad guy" singer then asked the crowd, "Can we just cheer for Megan Thee Stallion?"

"But thank you also, I really do appreciate this," she concluded. "Thank you to the academy, thank you to Ringo. I love you, I love my team, thank you to my brother Finneas and yeah, thanks for being here, I love you, thank you." 

Had Meg won Record of the Year, she would have swept all four categories in which she was nominated.

By Megan Stone
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Alternative Rock CHR Hot AC

SHAED details debut album, ‘High Dive’; listen to new song “Part Time Psycho” featuring Two Feet

Photo Finish Records SHAED's debut album officially has a title and a new release date.

The 11-track effort is titled High Dive, and will arrive May 14, about a month after the initially announced April 16 release date. A portion of the proceeds from album sales and pre-orders will be donated to the mental health organization Teen Line.

High Dive features the previously released tracks "No Other Way" and "Once Upon a Time," as well as the duet version of the hit "Trampoline," featuring ZAYN. Another album cut, a collaboration with Two Feet titled "Part Time Psycho," is available now for digital download.

"All of us are part time psychos," SHAED says. "Feeling anxiety, pressure, confusion, and sadness is normal. But bottling these feelings up can be dangerous."

"It's OK to admit when you're struggling. It's OK to feel a little psycho," the trio adds. "YOU ARE NOT ALONE. And you never will be. We hope that sharing this song about our own struggles helps normalize the ups and downs we all experience, and sparks more conversation about mental health."

Here's the High Dive track list:

"Dizzy"
"Osaka"
"Part Time Psycho" feat. Two Feet
"High Dive"
"I Know Nothing"
"Once Upon a Time"
"Colorful"
"Trampoline" feat. ZAYN
"No Other Way"
"Wish We Had Longer"
"Visible Woman"
"Six in the Morning"

By Josh Johnson
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Alternative Rock CHR Hot AC

‘Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry’ director explains how documentary is her way of giving back to fans

Courtesy of Apple TV+Billie Eilish is putting her life story front and center thanks to her brand new documentary, Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry, out now on Apple TV+.

Director R.J. Cutler sat down with ABC Audio to explain how the film project came to be and, first and foremost, what interested him in telling a teenage pop star's story.

"I think it's a very interesting time of life, a teenage life, people are crossing the threshold from childhood into adulthood and really figuring out who they are," he explained, saying that, at 19, that is where Eilish is in her life at the moment. "And that was very, that struck me as very rich."

In addition, Cutler wanted to highlight "the dynamic between Billie and her brother [Finneas]" because it further illustrates her family and how it functions.

Overall, the director believes this particular film has something for everyone, and the audience, no matter their age, will take something away from it.

"It's a film that’s for folks of all ages, it's a family film," he described. "It's a film as much about Billie's folks as it is about Billy herself."

As for why such a young singer was so open with the idea of giving the world an unabashed look at her private life, the 59-year-old filmmaker says it wasn't surprising once he came to know the "bad guy" singer.

"Billie definitely lives in the land of, in the time of social media," Cutler described, gesturing to the Grammy winner's 77 million Instagram followers. "It's a big part of her dynamic with her audience. And I think that's and that's very important to her to connect to her audience personally as deeply as her art connects to them musically." 

By Megan Stone and Jason Nathanson
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Alternative Rock CHR Hot AC

Billie Eilish announces ‘The World’s a Little Blurry’ online premiere event

Courtesy Apple TV+

Billie Eilish is celebrating the release of her upcoming documentary The World's a Little Blurry with an online premiere event.

The streaming special will premiere this Thursday, February 25, at 9 p.m. ET via the Apple TV app and Eilish's YouTube channel.

Eilish will perform a stripped-down set during the event, and will also participate in an interview with the doc's director, R.J. Cutler.

In further anticipation of The World's a Little Blurry's debut, Eilish has shared a live version of her song "ilomilo," which is featured in the film. You can download the performance now via digital outlets.

The World's a Little Blurry premieres this Friday, February 26, in theaters and via Apple TV+.

By Josh Johnson
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.