MUSIC

Billie Holiday was born Eleanor Fagan in 1915 and is one of her generation's most famous jazz vocalists. She lived a successful life but has remained controversial long after her death. Rumors that the US Government had something to do with her death persist until this day.Here’s a quick look at her life and the controversial death of this jazz queen!

The American female rap scene used to be dominated by one artist: Nicki Minaj. Nicki Minaj maintained her reign as the most prominent female rapper in the USA (and arguably the world) for over eight years. However, things have dramatically changed in recent years. When Cardi B swung into the limelight with the hit single 'Bodak Yellow’ in 2017, Nicki Minaj’s claim to the title of the most prominent female rapper in the USA has been questioned often. Since Cardi B’s emergence, other female rappers like Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat, and Latto have also become a part of the conversation. As is often the case in the music industry, when artists are often compared to each other, it sparks a rivalry that leads to unfriendliness and lots of public insults. Hence, Nicki Minaj and Cardi B have never really been friendly toward each other, as they continue to compete for the number one female rapper spot.

As if the 2022 Oscars weren’t mired with enough controversy, THAT incident with Will Smith, the removal of awards such as those for editing, documentary short, score, production, design, animated short, sound, live-action short, and makeup and hairstyling from the live broadcast- we also had to contend with rumors of Billie Eilish’s pregnancy.When Billie Eilish walked down the red carpet for the 2022 Oscars in a custom ruffle gown by Gucci, fans and spectators couldn’t help but wonder about the singer’s possible pregnancy. The overflowing black dress was shapeless and figure-hiding. Eilish was photographed several times holding her belly and social media was soon flooded with pregnancy rumors.The young singer, known for writing certified hits alongside his brother Finneas O’Connell, bagged the Best Original Song category for the movie No Time to Die, the twenty-fifth installment in the James Bond franchise. Not much is known about the singer's private life despite her success. The pop icon has been nominated for 129 awards and has won 118, including seven Grammy awards. She also has the distinction of holding two Guinness World Records for “Most Simultaneous US Hot 100 entries by a female” and “Youngest Female at No.1 on the UK albums chart.Let's get to know her a little better by taking a brief glance at the singer's relationships.

Hidden meanings to song lyrics have fascinated fans for ages.  From Bonnie Tyler’s power ballad “Total Eclipse of the Heart” originally being called “Vampires in Love” to the The Beatle’s track Lucy in The Sky With Diamonds and the ongoing debate to whether it referenced LSD.

If you're confused by the career trajectory and subsequent mega-stardom of rapper Machine Gun Kelly, you're not alone. The man cut his teeth as a monotonous performer who dug into his depressed state of mind for moving lyrics, and now he is equally monotonous as a pop-punk singer. Regardless of how much you like the genres that he inhabits, fans have an unquestionably difficult time defending the now-singer's talents, which most are hard-pressed to find at all. Here's the rundown of how Machine Gun Kelly transitioned into the rock world, and by his own words injected it with newfound life.

Rosalía has yet to be dethroned as the best-reviewed 2022 album on Metacritic. Does this young artist really deserve the credit of this prestigious honor? The short answer is a resounding YES! Rosalía's third album MOTOMAMI is more vocally and lyrically raw, passionate, and honest than before. The music has variety with intricate songwriting and production, all under a brilliant modernized fusion of pop and cumbia. Here's the story behind this great 2022 album.

For all his select moments of appeal to fans, Harry Styles' albums were mostly known to critics just for their aping of pre-2000s rock cliches. For the first time, the fan-favorite member of One Direction synthesizes his inspirations for his solo career into a work of their own that sounds both timely and timeless, equally nostalgic and forward-thinking. Check out the details of Styles' latest full-length release below!

If you don't know Kendrick Lamar, you have been living under a rock these past years. First finding universal critical success with his records Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City and To Pimp A Butterfly, his popularity surged with audiences thanks to wide exposure on two major singles 'Humble' and 'All The Stars' featuring SZA, both of which have over a billion plays on Spotify. He has been labeled an artist of the generation and considered to have a near-perfect discography. With that amount of pressure, Lamar's follow-up had to be appropriately grand, and thus, his longest and most personally in-depth record, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, was born.

If you're a Radiohead fan, and you haven't heard this, then you are in for a serious treat! The two most prominent Radiohead members, vocalist Thom Yorke and guitarist Johnny Greenwood, lead a trio that shows the two celebrated English musicians covering every instrument aside from the drums in their new project The Smile. While obviously the draw is for previous fans of these two big names, The Smile will appeal to any who appreciate genre-mashing rock bands.

With their second album for Sub Pop, 2007's Cease To Begin, Band of Horses cemented their signature sound following the surprise mega-hit 'The Funeral,' and they have been a staple of the light indie-rock scene that appealed to lovers of their folksy sound as well as the casual masses. These early successes in the 2000s helped them onto major labels and allowed them to survive some critical low points in the 2010s with Mirage Rock and Why Are You OK. Now, with Things Are Great, they have reclaimed their sound and are as good as ever.

Country star Dolly Parton has a career that speaks for itself and critical acclaim that would have lasted even if she stopped making good albums after Coat of Many Colors. So on album #48, fans and critics alike know not to expect much more groundbreaking material out of her. Whether standalone or as a companion to her well-received fictional novel of the same name, Run, Rose, Run still does not quite cut it in terms of quality, even if some critics would argue that it improves upon her other recent output.

In Bodega's 2018 debut, Endless Scroll, these Brooklynites injected their catchy indie punk with the chaos and quirks of their home, and succeeded to some degree consider their newness. In 2022, Broken Equipment unfortunately does not cement them as the best band of their kind, instead being both more of the same and less of the chaotic, quirky qualities that made their first album stand out a bit more. Considering their solid image and boundless potential, the sophomore slump is a serious loss.

In the classic second track highlight slot, Alexander James O'Connor (also known as Rex Orange County) gives us 'Open A Window,' a standout encapsulation of the relaxed style that excelled his career with songs like 'Loving Is Easy.' The rest of the album sadly does not reach that height, aiming for a blatantly unoffending wash of freewheeling '70s color. With as many soaring string leads as indie-pop and hip-hop flourishes, Rex Orange County undeniably sets a vibe, so let's see how the rest of the album shakes out.

As of July 2022, the classic Beatles album A Hard Day's Night, their defining third record and first all-original output, is now 58 years old. Unsurprisingly, it's as great as the day it came out, a pinnacle of gently aching ballads and exuberant British pop. Here's everything you need to know about every song from A Hard Day's Night, each one composed by the undefeated songwriting champions John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

Spiritualized, the spacey project by J. Spaceman (Jason Pierce), redefined space rock for the indie era with 1997's Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space. Pierce's iconic project has remained a staple of the usual album cycle, always turning in a new solid effort every four years, which stayed consistent since Pierce is the sole writing member of the group. And after another four years, he is back like clockwork with Everything Was Beautiful, which despite being on schedule is a very special effort. Here's the lowdown on this new Spiritualized album!