All Music
Not 鈥榗ountry enough鈥�? Beyonc茅 proudly proclaims her Texas roots in 鈥楥owboy Carter.鈥�Houston native Beyonc茅 offers her takes on everybody from the Beatles to Dolly Parton in a clarion call of an album, 鈥淐owboy Carter.鈥�
First LookConductor Seiji Ozawa remembered as a kind and thoughtful humanitarianSeiji Ozawa, who died Feb. 6 in his native Japan, was a world-renowned conductor with a 29-year career with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The BSO described Mr. Ozawa as 鈥渁 musical genius鈥� with 鈥渁 balletic grace at the podium.鈥澛�
First LookTikTok and a major label are in a standoff. How does this song end?TikTok videos featuring major artists鈥� music are being muted after Universal Music Group terminated its licensing deal on the platform. It鈥檚 part of a larger conflict over fair compensation for creators鈥� work 鈥� as well as questions about the use of AI.
First LookWomen win big at Grammy Awards: Swift, Cyrus, EilishThe Grammy Awards showcased wins for women, including Taylor Swift鈥檚 fourth album of the year, Miley Cyrus鈥檚 record of the year, and Victoria Mon茅t as best new artist. The stage was lit up with performances by Tracy Chapman and Billy Joel, among others.
First LookSingin鈥� in the rain? At 2023 concerts, extreme weather was no joke.Dozens of concerts were impacted by extreme weather in 2023, with at least two involving fatalities. As climate hazards intensify, the live music industry, and other outdoor venues, have struggled to adapt large-scale events to a new safety landscape.
First LookChanges at Pitchfork signal a slower tempo in music criticismLayoffs at Pitchfork, an online music publication, aren鈥檛 just a symptom of media consolidation. The website鈥檚 absorption into GQ speaks to a world in which independent criticism and offbeat experiments are getting harder to find 鈥� or sustain.
First LookOates tried to sell his half of the business. Hall can鈥檛 go for that.Hall & Oates is in court. Daryl Hall is suing to stop John Oates from selling his stake of a shared business partnership. The 鈥�80s pop-rock duo has accused each other of inflammatory statements and even betrayal.
鈥楳inister of music鈥�: Courtney Bryan fuses protest with the sacredAt a time when many people take to the streets to protest injustice, Courtney Bryan turns to her piano. The recently named MacArthur fellow calls music a way to grapple with the emotions of things, rather than become numb to others鈥� pain.
Taylor Swift is having a moment. So is girlhood.With a record-breaking tour and yet more Grammy nominations, Taylor Swift is building an unprecedented career on the nostalgia and heartache of girlhood. Yet more deeply, she is showing the power of friendship.
First Look鈥榃hen I play drums, I feel proud鈥�: How music inspires hope in HaitiIn Port-au-Prince, many children are finding joy in playing music. A program that serves 400 Haitian children keeps them safe indoors amid gang violence while providing a creative outlet. 鈥淢usic transforms,鈥� said a former student and now guitar instructor.
How a classical pianist reinvents herself in major and minor waysPianist Simone Dinnerstein is returning to the stage on Sept. 23, at a concert presented by Emmanuel Music at Tufts University in Boston.
At The Record Co., music belongs to everyoneThe Record Co. is a state-of-the-art facility that can be rented for as little as $10 per hour. Each month, 3,500 musicians pass through its doors.
First LookHip-hop at 50: Up from the ashes of urban decay, a creative defianceHip-hop began in the Bronx on Aug. 11, 1973, at a block party in a rec room. DJ Kool Herc introduced the attendees to 鈥渢he break鈥� 鈥� extending the musical beat between verses to allow for longer periods of dancing. A musical phenomenon was born.
How Britain鈥檚 Chineke! is changing classical musicIn the United Kingdom, performer Chi-chi Nwanoku saw a way to create diversity 鈥� and broaden perspectives on orchestra music and members.
Letter from 鈥楪lasto鈥�: Kid packs, wilderness wipes, and 鈥楻ocket Man鈥�The Glastonbury music festival turns a patch of English pasture into one of the happiest places on Earth. The challenge: how to participate, in comfort, with a 2-year-old son and pregnant wife.
First LookPaul McCartney says new Beatles record features AI John LennonThe 鈥渓ast鈥� Beatles record is being made using artificial intelligence. Paul McCartney says audio engineers were able to extract John Lennon鈥檚 unfinished song from an old demo, decades after the band broke up. The new song is set to be released soon.
First Look鈥楽imply the Best鈥�: Icon Tina Turner defined survivor in epic careerBeloved entertainer Tina Turner lived a storied life of strength, overcoming horrific abuse and a stalled solo career to become one of the most popular singers of her era.
First LookEurovision 2023: A message of hope, reprieve from war, for UkraineEurovision returned to the U.K. after 25 years, but the focus this week has been on Ukrainian culture. The finals take place Saturday in Liverpool, England. Fan favorites include Finnish K盲盲rij盲鈥檚聽 鈥淐ha Cha Cha鈥� and聽 鈥淭attoo鈥� by Sweden鈥檚 Loreen.
For this Minnesota choir, 鈥榤usic makes community鈥�What does it take to create unity? An amateur choir in Minneapolis fosters opportunities to connect 鈥� and spread joy.聽
In Pictures: In Senegal, the kora 鈥榖rings me closer to God鈥�The kora fundamentally changed the monks鈥� worship. But the monks also transformed the kora, modernizing its tuning pegs and spreading its popularity.