The Grammys’ Confusing Rap and R&B Nominations, Under the Microscope

LCD Soundsystem‘s James Murphy along with Jonathan Galkin and Tim Goldsworthy, and they’ve since released records by the likes of LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture and Hot Chip.Next month marks the 20th anniversary of DFA’s first releases – The Rapture’s ‘House of Jealous Lovers’ and The Juan MacLean’s ‘By The Time I Get To Venus’ – and the label is set to celebrate the milestone with a special event at the Knockdown Center in New York City on March 26.“Anniversaries, schmaniversaries, but given everything we’ve all collectively been through, this feels like a plausible excuse to throw a party. So that’s what we’re doing,” DFA said in a statement.It’s crazy, really.

Biffy Clyro have announced details of a new documentary called Cultural Sons Of Scotland, premiering on Amazon Prime Video next week (February 25).The new film is described as an “intimate documentary film showing the back-to-basics recording process they adopted to create their ninth studio album, ‘The Myth of the Happily Ever After’.“With unprecedented access to the band, the new feature length film takes viewers on the journey with Simon, Ben and James as they return to their home in Ayrshire to create their latest, critically acclaimed album in the most unusual of studio environments.”The synopsis adds: “The film explores how the experience of recording an album in Scotland for the first time prompted the band to reflect on the importance of where they’re from, how this has influenced their career to date and reinforced their lifelong bond as friends and bandmates.”Watch the first trailer for Biffy Clyro: Cultural Sons Of Scotland below.Speaking of the new film, which also traces Biffy Clyro’s 20-year history and sees them return to Glasgow for a massive 2021 show at Glasgow Green, frontman Simon Neil said: “In the same part of the world as I wrote my very first song is where we’re making this record, and there’s something really pure about that.”Drummer Ben Johnston added: “We don’t need all the bells and whistles for us to be fulfilled and happy, we just need the three of us to be making music together and have that vibe in a room – and that’s what keeps our hearts beating.”“Everyone should join a band…” bassist James Johnston said.

Futurama star John DiMaggio has said that he will only return for the show’s revival if the whole cast receives a pay rise.The voice actor, who plays chain-smoking robot Bender in the series, took to social media to explain his conditions to reprise his role.“I’ve been thinking about everything that’s been going on these past months and just to be clear, I don’t think that only I deserve to be paid more. I think the entire cast does,” DiMaggio wrote on Twitter yesterday (February 15).“Negotiations are a natural part of working in show business.

Madonna has revealed that the audition process is underway for her forthcoming film biopic.The singer and actor confirmed back in 2020 that she is co-directing and co-writing the forthcoming film, and later described the project as a “visual autobiography”.After announcing back in October that the script for the untitled biopic was “almost finished”, Madonna has now confirmed that auditions for the film are underway.Posting on Instagram overnight, the singer shared a clip of herself dancing to her track ‘Burning Up’, which was released in 1983.A post shared by Madonna (@madonna)“Auditions for my film are a surreal experience,” she wrote in the caption for the clip.

Future Islands have returned today (February 16) with a brand new track – listen to the groove-led ‘King Of Sweden’ below.The new song follows the standalone track ‘Peach’, which the band released last summer and was their first original track since their sixth album, ‘As Long As You Are’, came out in 2020.It’s not clear yet whether ‘King Of Sweden’ and ‘Peach’ are tasters of the band’s seventh studio album, which they confirmed in 2021 they had already started work on.For now, listen to ‘King Of Sweden’ below.Next week (February 21), Future Islands are set to head out on an extensive UK and European headline tour, their first since 2018.See the full list of dates, which include a show at London’s Alexandra Palace, below.FEBRUARY 202221 – Helsinki, The House Of Culture23 – Stockholm, Annexet24 – Oslo, Sentrum Scene26 – Copenhagen, VegaMARCH 20221 – Berlin, Columbiahalle2 – Warsaw, Palladium Warszawa4 – Munich, TonHalle5 – Zagreb, Tvornica Kulture6 – Milan, Fabrique8 – Barcelona, Razzmatazz9 – Madrid, La Riviera10 – Lisbon, Camp Pequeno12 – Nimes, La Paloma13 – Paris, Olympia15 – Utrecht, Ronda17 – Frankfurt, Batschkapp19 – Lille, Aeronef20 – Antwerp, De Roma21 – Cologne, E-Werk23 – Manchester, Academy25 – London, Alexandra Palace27 – Belfast, Ulster Hall28 – Dublin, Vicar Street31 – Newcastle, Northumbria SU InstituteAPRIL 20221 – Edinburgh, Usher Hall2 – Glasgow, O2 Academy Reviewing Future Islands’ new album ‘As Long As You Are’, NME wrote: “‘As Long As You Are’ maybe an unexpected handbrake turn for Future Islands and it may not be as hit-laden as its predecessor, but it’s a refreshing record in its own right and one that throws up plenty of existential quandaries.”

Here’s another walking-and-talking film from festival favorite Hong Sang-soo, encapsulating a sliver of Korean life with his customary elusive delicacy. Shot largely in creamy black and white, Berlin competition entry The Novelist’s Film centers on the meeting between two artists who, for different reasons, have simply stopped working.

The managing director of a kitchen company has been jailed for more than six years for his part in a £10 million cocaine smuggling operation.

Falkirk councillors have been challenged to leave the ‘gladiator style’ arguments behind and start co-operating ahead of a vital budget meeting next month.

Whilst every wedding guest outfit starts with finding the perfect clothes to wear, the accessories you team them with are of course equally as important.The biggest concern when putting together a show-stopping look is the shoes. If you’re looking for something to dance all night in, a platform heel will serve you well, but if it’s a destination wedding, perhaps a summer-style sandal will suit the warmer temperatures.

Long gone are the days when tampons and sanitary pads were the only period products available at your time of the month. If you head to your local chemist you'll find more options than you could ever have imagined, including menstrual cups, period pants and re-usable pads – there are now (thankfully!) so many options on how to handle your period. And sustainable period brand WUKA have now unveiled another intriguing innovation – period leggings that claim to absorb up to three tampons' worth of your flow.

Gary Lineker believes fans should 'probably lower expectations' of Manchester United icon Cristiano Ronaldo and Paris Saint-Germain's Lionel Messi.

Police are appealing for help to find a missing woman who was last seen leaving Fairfield Hospital.

Manchester boxing legend Ricky Hatton has confirmed his interest in making a boxing comeback this year.

A Salford -based criminal gang led a significant operation transporting drugs into Warrington, a court has heard.

Jess Hayes has revealed she's undergone breast surgery to get implants after feeling self conscious over her stretched skin.The 28 year old is mum to son Presley, two, and sadly suffered a miscarriage with her second child Teddy at just 19 weeks. cSharing several snaps and videos from her hospital bed following the surgery, Jess has now explained how her pregnancies and three stone weight loss made her breasts less voluminous.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorJohn Fletcher, best known as Ecstasy from the pioneering rap group Whodini, has died, the group’s Grand Master Dee has confirmed. The cause of death was unclear at the time of this article’s publication; he was 56.Roots drummer Questlove was the first to break the news on Wednesday (Dec.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorThe self-titled third album from British singer-songwriter Michael Kiwanuka won Britain’s prestigious Mercury Prize earlier this year and is up for Best Rock Album at the 2021 Grammys. Kiwanuka toured Europe behind the 2019 album but saw the U.S.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorWhile she wasn’t asked about it directly, Fiona Apple, who is up for two Grammy Awards, used her interview with The Guardian to slam the organization for its treatment of ousted president/CEO Deborah Dugan and its nomination of hitmaker Dr. Luke, who has been embroiled in lawsuit with singer Kesha over unproven sexual assault allegations for year.Dugan brought legal action against the Recording Academy after her sudden ouster just days before the 2020 awards, which is ongoing.“I’m waiting to hear more about what Deborah Dugan has to say because that all reeks to me,” Apple said.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorIn what is surely an unprecedented moment for the Grammy Awards Best Children’s Album category, three of the five 2021 nominees  are asking the Recording Academy to rescind their nominations.“We are deeply grateful to the Recording Academy and its voting members for the honor we’ve received, but we can’t in good conscience benefit from a process that has — both this year and historically — so overlooked women, performers of colors, and most especially Black performers,” wrote Alastair Moock & Friends, the Okee Dokee Brothers, and Dog on Fleas in a social media post.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorVeteran A&R exec Rob Stevenson is joining 300 Entertainment as a partner, the company announced Thursday. The move sees Stevenson, who was most recently executive VP of A&R at Universal’s Republic Records, reuniting with 300 co-founder and CEO Kevin Liles, with whom he worked for five years at Island Def Jam.According to the announcement, Stevenson will assume an active role in top-tier affairs at 300 and will be overseeing a number of high-priority growth projects, including new initiatives in distribution, publishing, and consumer engagement.During his time at Def Jam in the ‘00s, Stevenson signed and worked closely with such acts as the Killers, Fall Out Boy and Sum 41.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorNew Grammy Awards executive producer Ben Winston says he is “looking to do something quite exciting with independent venues” either in or around the 2021 show, according to a comment in an interview with Billboard.Responding to a question about what might be new with the 2021 show, Winston responds, “I’m so struck by the independent music venues around the world, and I’m aware of how hard hit that side of the industry has been.

Jem Aswad Senior Music EditorAfter actor Tiffany Haddish told Variety that she had been invited to host the Grammy Awards Premiere ceremony but turned down the offer after being told that she would have to pay her own way, Recording Academy interim chief Harvey Mason, jr. posted a public apology on social media, and said that he had apologized to her personally as well.