A new study has found that over 40% of people in the US are listening to new music during the coronavirus pandemic.
The figure comes from the third installment of Billboard and Nielsen Music/MRC Data’s survey series, “COVID-19: Tracking the Impact on the Entertainment Landscape.” MRC Data has been conducting surveys at two-week intervals, using a sample of 1,010 people ages 13+, which is considered representative of the U.S.’s census population.
More specifically, the latest iteration found that, while 84% of people were listening to the music they usually listen to, there was a four percent increase in the percentage of people who reported they were listening to new music from artists they had never listened to before, from 39% to 43%.
As families spend more time at home, family-friendly genres such as children’s, country, and classical are the only genres that haven’t seen a downturn since the economic shutdown began, the study found.
People are also consuming more music videos than they used to – an 10% increase compared to the baseline period of Feb. 21 to March 12. Though some respondents cancelled their streaming service subscriptions during this period, 27% became first time subscribers, with 73% of those reporting that they were likely to continue it after the pandemic ends.
Finally, the study reported that people are enthusiastic about music venues reopening, but want to see health concerns addressed. Specifically, the study found that 61% of participants would want hand sanitizer stations throughout the venue, while 51% would have a preference for outdoor events. Half of respondents would want to see social distancing guidelines enforced, while 35% would want attendees’ temperatures to be taken before entering the venue.
As much as Hayley Williams showcases the strength and versatility of her singing voice on her debut solo album Petals For Armor, one of its most memorable moments comes in the form of a voice memo at the beginning of the song ‘Dead Horse’. “Alright, it took me three days to send you this, but… Uh, sorry, I was in a depression,” the Paramore singer confesses as a jaunty melody rises to the surface, her dog barking in the background. “But I’m trying to come out of it now,” she adds before the drums kick in, and the song unfolds into an upbeat, funky tune that wouldn’t have felt out of place on Paramore’s 2017 record, After Laughter, which juxtaposed the bright, bubbly sounds of 80s synth-pop with lyrics that confronted Williams’ struggle with mental illness.
But if After Laughter was playful enough to tackle those hardships with a slight smirk – on the lead single ‘Hard Times’, Williams signs off with the line “And I gotta get to rock bottom” – Petals for Armor is more candid though still triumphant in its exploration of the interminable lows that come with battling depression. That voice memo perfectly encapsulates the emotional arc of the record – first, there’s the intimacy of opening up to a friend, then the vulnerability of admitting you’ve been in a bad place, and finally, the confidence that it might just get better. Originally released as a three-part EP, Petals for Armor affords Williams the necessary space to make a truly personal record that dives into and mirrors the complexities of recovery in a way that a Paramore record couldn’t – despite the fact that her fellow band members contributed to the making of the album, most notably guitarist Taylor York, who serves as the producer, it’s Williams’ personality that always remains at the center.
Rather than exploring depression, though, ‘Dead Horse’ actually turns out to be a song addressing the other big cloud hanging over Petals for Armor – that of divorce. The result of a tumultuous 10-year-relationship that left Williams feeling both shame and betrayal, it’s a subject the singer had previously shied away from discussing, and her voice is barbed with an almost liberating sense of indignation as she sings: “When I said goodbye, I hope you cried.” It’s clear her attitude has changed since the beginning of the record – on the second verse of opener ‘Simmer’, whose title very much fits the mood the track, Williams opens up about how her insecurities affected the relationship, implying that even now, she has the tendency to blame herself for the way things ended. If she had seen herself as “something more precious”, she sings, “He would’ve never.”
As the album progresses, though, Williams reaches the realization that seeing herself as worthy is something she owes no one but herself. This is most evident on the cleverly poetic ‘Roses/ Lotus/ Violet/ Iris’, a feminist ode to individuality that upturns the familiar “roses are red” structure into a chorus that repeats the word “roses” to insinuate that a flower can grow independently of other flowers. “And I will not compare/ Other beauty to mine/ And I will not become/ A thorn in my own side,” she proclaims on the bridge. The fact that the track features boygenius, aka Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus, only renders the message of claiming one’s individuality all the more potent, especially as these artists are often lumped into the same category of “female indie songwriters”.
As Williams acknowledges the complexities of her own self, Petals for Armor blossoms into its own multi-faceted flower. While there is a sense that sonically, the album picks up where After Laughter left off – it is a pop album, after all, much to some fans’ dismay – there’s also more variety than one might initially expect. The restrained guitar line on ‘Leave it Alone’ has a Radiohead circa In Rainbows vibe to it, while ‘Sudden Desire’, which finds Williams getting more in touch with her sexuality, is reminiscent of Post-era Björk. She sounds even more like Björk on the ecstatic ‘Watch Me While I Bloom’, where she shows off the dynamism of her voice before the track blooms into another synthpop jam. And if that weren’t enough, there’s even a hint of jazz on the song ‘Taken’.
But perhaps the most successful experiment here is the one where Williams has the most fun, which is undeniably the track ‘Cinnamon’ – an infectious tune about living alone after moving to a new house that, as you can imagine, hits especially hard during this period. But Williams manages to find comfort, even pleasure in being alone. “Home is where I’m feminine,” she coos atop layers of processed vocals, different versions of herself. But as a woman in a male-dominated scene, it’s the feminine side that has been repressed the most, and here, she allows herself to embrace it fully.
Unfortunately, not all songs feel as revelatory or exciting. ‘Over Yet’ tries to be an uplifting pop punk anthem but ends up being too generic in its portrayal of mental illness, especially compared to the rest of the tracklist, while the third part of the LP is overall not as strong as the first two. Had it been cut down to its most essential songs, the nearly hour-long Petals for Armour would feel a bit less meandering and more focused, even if perhaps it wouldn’t be as true in its depiction of self-growth. But the album certainly succeeds in setting out the stage for Williams as a compelling solo artist, one whose dynamic range and multidimensional personality can no longer be ignored.
The Master by Paul Thomas Anderson is one of his finest films starring the late brilliant Philip Seymour Hoffman, highly-regarded Amy Adams, and the equally impressive Joaquin Phoenix. From an acting point of view, it is one of the strongest films I have seen in recent years. The film itself was nominated for three Oscars, all of which were for acting.
The film follows a Naval veteran who arrives home from war unsettled and uncertain of his future until the Cause and its charismatic leader entice him.
Oscar-nominated Nightcrawler follows Louis Bloom, a desperate con man, who breaks into the world of crime journalism by recording crime scenes in an unethical manner to get ahead of his competition and to grow his business. Bloom grows from an observer to a participant, who doesn’t just observe the crime scenes but alters them to his advantage.
Here are 12 brilliant stills from the film which was directed and written by Dan Gilroy.
Elle Hollis, a growing star in the world of Pop music, has released her latest song Onto Something. The song flourishes on the euphonious vocals of Hollis, backed by a catchy ear-warming beat, taking us back in time. With this tune released, it will be delightful to see what is to follow for Elle Hollis.
Henry Green Tide feat. Andreya Triana
With exquisite music, we have Henry Green featuring Andreya Triana in their collaboration Tide. Vocally we hear the soul-lifting vocals of Triana that transcend the song into a wave of beauty. The overall production itself is impressive too; in fact, Green delivers a top-notch production that thrives on delicate, mellifluous elements, making this song one for the playlists.
Betty Wright, the iconic R&B and soul singer known for hits such as ‘Clean Up Woman’ and ‘Where Is the Love?’, has died at the age of 66, TMZ reports.
While the cause of death was not immediately disclosed, the news was confirmed by Wright’s niece, who wrote on Twitter: “Sleep in peace aunty Betty Wright. Fly high angel.”. Steve Greenberg of S-Curve Records later told the New York Times Wright had been diagnosed with cancer in the fall of 2019.
Wright was born Bessie Regina Norris in 1953 in Miami, the youngest of seven children, and started singing in her family’s gospel group the Echoes of Joy. She released her first album at the age of 15 in 1968, with the single ‘Girls Can’t Do What the Guys Do’ becoming her first Top 40 hit. ‘Clean Up Woman’, written by Clarence Reid and Willie Clarke, came three years later, reaching No 6 in the US charts. The track was later sampled by the likes of Mary J. Blige (‘Real Woman’) and Chance the Rapper (‘Favorite Song’). In 1976, Wright was awarded her first and only Grammy for Best R&B Song for her second biggest single, ‘Where is the Love?’. She continued recording singles and albums throughout the 1980s and 1990s.
Wright also had a prominent career as a backing vocalist, singing for the likes of Stevie Wonder (who also produced her 1981 single ‘What Are You Going to Do With It’), David Byrne, Peter Tosh, Gloria Estefan, Jimmy Cliff, Stephen Stills, Alice Cooper, Jennifer Lopez, and many others. Unafraid to jump between genres, she also frequently made appearances on records by hip-hop artists, including Diddy, Nas, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, and the Game. In 2011, she collaborated with The Roots for her final studio album, Betty Wright: The Movie. In 2016, she was featured on DJ Khaled, Kendrick Lamar, and Big Sean’s ‘Big Key’.
Wright spent much of her later life as a producer and mentor to younger artists. “I loved being around Ms Betty Wright,” John Legend wrote on Twitter. “She was always so loving and giving to younger artists. Always engaged, always relevant. She will be missed.” Chuck D, Snoop Dogg, DJ Khaled, and more, also took to social media to pay their respects.
I loved being around Ms Betty Wright. She was always so loving and giving to younger artists. Always engaged, always relevant. She will be missed https://t.co/JGefXj5jgx
Sebastian Weiss, a well-known photographer for architectural photography with eye-pleasing aesthetics, presented a superb series in which he explores magnificent buildings in the neighbourhood of Belval in Luxembourg. Belval is a place known for large steelworks that dominate the view, and this series illustrates that perfectly.
Writing about the series Weiss stated: “With this series I document the successful transition from a former location of heavy industry to a state-of-the-art knowledge site and its remarkable buildings from architects like Polaris Architects, Baumschlager Eberle, Witry & Witry or Valentiny hvp architects. Some traces of industry have been integrated into the new urban concept and have become a symbol of renewal; a bridge between the past and the future.”
BROCKHAMPTON have shared two new tracks, ‘N.S.T.’ and ‘things can’t stay the same’. The normally prolific rap group – which dropped a total of five albums between June 2017 and and August 2019 – had stayed relatively quiet since the release of their downbeat album GINGER last year, having only put out a remix of highlight ‘SUGAR’ featuring Dua Lipa back in March.
The two new songs made their debut on May 8, during a surprise livestream under the name Technical Difficulties Radio. BROCKHAMPTON ringleader Kevin Abstract also announced that the group has two new albums on the way, to be released this year. He also said they are planning to release new non-album tracks every Friday.
‘things can’t stay the same’ features Kevin Abstract and Matt Champion singing atop a chipmunk soul sample of ‘Trouble Will Find Me’ by Amnesty, while ‘N.S.T.’ features Abstract, Champion, and Bearface, as well as a rare verse from producer Jabari Manwa. The “technical difficulties” tag sampled in both songs is taken from an unreleased 10-minute Big L/Jay Z freestyle.
If you are conscious about sustainable fashion, you can start with what you own. You may already be doing these things, but here is a shortlist that will hopefully help you or someone else you know.
Pass down
One of the typical ways to keep the longevity of the clothes is by passing them down to family and friends. It is one of the common ways that people have been getting rid of their clothes over centuries and remains vital when it comes to sustainable fashion. If you are a recipient of some older clothes, you can always alter them to match your style, if needed.
Donate/Sell
Another common way to extend the longevity of your clothes is to donate them to charities; in fact, this can be your accessories as well as shoes. There are places now that take unwanted clothing, and you may even receive a reward from the store, such as coupons or gift cards. If you own branded clothing and you want to make some money off it, then you may choose to sell it on websites or apps for other people to make use out of your unwanted clothes. Depop and eBay are good examples of a place to sell your clothing.
Recycle
You may have clothing that you may want to get rid off, but it doesn’t meet charity standards, or they are not in good enough condition for someone else to wear. An alternative to other options is to look for recycling areas that take textiles. You could ask around some charity shops that recycle old unwanted clothing.
Repair
If you love a piece of item that you don’t want to throw away, you could always repair the item if it is repairable. If you are a beginner and unsure of what to do, you can look on YouTube to give you some guidance. Otherwise, if you have family or friends that know how to repair old clothes, then you could ask them to help you. Finally, if you run out of options, there are plenty of places that can fix them for you, but it might cost you a bit of money.
Alter
For any fabric or clothing type, there are endless ways to alter clothes including using patches from places like Patches4Less. Some examples include hemming pants or skirts; adding embellishments such as lace trim or chenille patches; sewing new buttons on jackets; and even re-sewing seams so they fit better (for example, turning an asymmetrical design into a symmetrical one).
This can be as simple as adding customized chenille patches to repair clothes and turn them to something more stylish. There are many different ways to do this. You can use an iron-on patch or sew your own patch on yourself. If you want a more professional look, there are companies that specialize in custom patches like 4incustompatch. They have a huge selection of fabrics and designs for you to choose from so you can find exactly what you’re looking for!
Hopefully, this article has given you the tools to be more sustainable with what you own. Have fun with it and be creative. But remember, sustainability starts with what you buy. Next time you purchase an item of clothing, shop sustainably, seek out zero waste shops and find high-quality clothes that will last for years.
Little Richard, an early pioneer of the first wave of rock n’ roll, has passed away at the age of 87. The musician’s son, Danny Penniman, revealed the news on Rolling Stone magazine, but the cause of death has not yet been disclosed. Richard, whose real name was Richard Penniman, had been suffering from health problems for several years.
The pianist-singer was born in Macon, Georgia – the second of 12 children – before being kicked out as teenager and taken in by a white family who owned the club where he first performed. Richard became famous in the mid-50s with the hits ‘Tutti Frutti’, ‘Good Golly Miss Molly’, ‘Lucile’, ‘Long Tall Sally’, ‘Rip It Up’, and ‘The Girl Can’t Help It’, among others, and was particularly known for his flamboyant style, frenetic performances, and raspy singing. His music and personality came to inspire countless musicians, including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Rod Stewart, AC/DC, and Prince, who have all cited him as a major influence.
In the late 50s, Richard changed his lifestyle to pursue a career as a gospel artist, before returning to rock n’ roll in the 1960s. In 1986, he joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s first class of inductees, and in 1993 was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys. In 2010, ‘Tutti Frutti’ was included in the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress.
In an Instagram post, band member Kelvin Holly said: “Rest in peace, Richard. This one really stings. My thoughts and prayers go out to all my bandmates and fans all over the world. Richard truly was the king!”
