The remastered, deluxe edition ofPurple Rain will arrive early 2017, and a “second album of previously unreleased material” will follow
A reissue of Prince’s 1984 classic Purple Rain has been announced. The remastered, deluxe reissue arrives in early 2017 via NPG Records/Warner Bros, and has been developed using plans that were “agreed [upon] with Prince before he passed away,” according to a press release. The Purple Rain reissue will also “arrive with a second album of previously unreleased material.” More details will be revealed closer to the release date.
Additionally, a new greatest hits album, Prince 4Ever, has also been announced. That’s out November 22 in the U.S. and will feature 40 of the Purple One’s best-known tracks, as well as a previously unreleased one titled “Moonbeam Levels.” Check out the album artwork and full tracklist for that below.
Prince 4Ever:
01 1999
02 Little Red Corvette
03 When Doves Cry
04 Let's Go Crazy
05 Raspberry Beret
06 I Wanna Be Your Lover
07 Soft and Wet
08 Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad
09 Uptown
10 When You Were Mine
11 Head
12 Gotta Stop (Messin' About)
13 Controversy
14 Let's Work
15 Delirious
16 I Would Die 4 U
17 Take Me With U
18 Paisley Park
19 Pop Life
20 Purple Rain
21 Kiss
22 Sign 'O' The Times
23 Alphabet Street
24 Batdance
25 Thieves In The Temple
26 Cream
27 Mountains
28 Girls & Boys
29 If I Was Your Girlfriend
30 U Got The Look
31 I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man
32 Glam Slam
33 Moonbeam Levels
34 Diamonds and Pearls
35 Gett Off
36 Sexy MF
37 My Name Is Prince
38 7
39 Peach
40 Nothing Compares 2 U
Watch Prince perform “Purple Rain” during the Super Bowl halftime show in 2007:
One of the indisputable highlights from The 1975’s sophomore album, (deep breath) I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It, is the shimmering smash single “The Sound.” But it turns out, frontman Matt Healy almost gave his band’s would-be hit away... to One Direction.
Earlier this year, Healy spoke about his disappointing studio session with 1D and ultimately questioned the group’s “artistic credibility.” Now, in a new interview with Qmagazine, he’s shed more light on that failed collaboration.
“I went into the studio with them [One Direction] for a couple of hours to work on some stuff and, funnily enough, I ended up showing them ‘The Sound’ as a suggestion, but nothing came of it” he revealed,according to DIY. “I was asked to do it, so I thought I’d see how it all works but it just didn’t really work very well. It didn’t resonate so I thought I’d stick to my own thing.”
Considering the single’s success, he’s probably pretty OK with keeping that one to himself. Besides, there’s seemingly no bad blood between the Brit bands — Healy and Co. recently covered 1D’s “What Makes You Beautiful” for the BBC Live Lounge.
Listen to “The Sound” below, and try to imagine Niall Horan tackling that guitar solo and Harry Styles calling himself “a sycophantic, prophetic, Socratic junkie wannabe.” Ahhh... what could’ve been.
It's widely acknowledged that there are inherent problems with the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame—not the museum or research institution, which does plenty of fine work, but the process of how artists are inducted in the Hall itself. Set aside the argument that a supposedly rebellious music need not be enshrined in a museum—a complaint lodged against the institution since it started inducting artists back in 1986. Over the next three decades, the biases of the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame became apparent, both in who the Hall nominates and who is inducted.
Whenever omissions from the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame are discussed, it's important to keep in mind that there are two separate blocs: the nominating committee, who determine the acts that make the ballot, and the voters who actually induct artists into the Hall. Nobody knows precisely who is on the nominating committee, which was drastically overhauled in 2015 with the intent of producing nominees that didn't adhere closely to classic rock as defined by Rolling Stone. Often, the Hall is seen as the baby of Rolling Stone's publisher Jann Wenner, who was one of the co-founders back in 1983. There's been a lingering impression that Wenner drives the nominating committee, though Rob Tannenbaum punctured that myth forBillboard last year, revealing that Wenner isn't even on the nominating committee, but a bunch of people close to him are, even after said overhaul’s purge of old-timers.
The composition of the nominating committee can explain some of the biases of the Rock Hall. They still favor rock made by American guys with guitars—of the whopping 19 nominees this year, there are only three women. They have a hard time with soul made after 1970, especially if it ever sounded like disco. They're congenitally predisposed to not acknowledge art-rock and British bands that came after the great invasion; it's frankly ridiculous that Roxy Music andBrian Eno aren't in the Hall, not to mention the Jam, the Cure, the Smiths, and Joy Division, all bands that aren't simply influential but also retain significant followings decades after their debuts. All of these groups are more likely to see induction as the generations shift. The ones left out in the cold will be pioneers from the ’50s—think power-chord greaser Link Wray, who made the ballot in 2013—and pop sensations from the ’60s, such as the Monkees, who spent 2016 on a campaign to get into the Hall but came up short, likely because many Boomers will never abandon the notion that the group is a “fake” band.
Many of these omissions can be chalked up to the nominating committee, but the voters bear some responsibility, too. They're the ones who have rejected Chicten different times and may do so again this year. Unlike the nominating committee, some of the voters are known because it's a mix of artists, industry insiders, and critics. I belong to the latter group and have been fortunate to vote for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame for several years now. In recent ones, the Hall of expanded their voting bloc even more and that, combined with the nominating purge of 2015, shows that the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame mostly knowstheir flaws and, like anybody with a modicum of self-awareness, they're attempting to fix their problems.
Change doesn't come in an instant, and that's evident from this year's round of nominations. At 19 acts, this is the longest ballot the Rock Hall has produced since 1990, and it's also the most diverse. It's possible to see the tensions within these 19 artists, too: The Boomers run headlong into Gen-Xers, with classic rockers sitting alongside veterans from the American Underground of the ’80s. It's transitional, a changing of the guard that doesn't quite acknowledge that this is the last time a soul journeyman like Joe Tex will show up on a ballot, although it likely is.
With that in mind, here's a look at the potential class of 2017. Forget who didn't make the cut—you vote with the ballot you have, not the one that you wish you have.
Bad Brains
First Year of Eligibility: 2007 Previous Nominations: 0
The Case For Induction: As the first hardcore punk band to even make it on the long list, Bad Brains represent a strand of music that has been largely ignored by the Hall: the furious fallout from the original wave of punk, which has become old hat to voters. Plus, Bad Brains illustrated that hardcore could be expansive, incorporating elements of reggae and R&B.
Are They Deserving? As far as influence goes, absolutely. So much of ’80s and ’90s rock is unimaginable without them. There is a direct line that runs through the Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Rage Against The Machine, whose Tom Morello—now a member of the nominating committee—seems likely have to led the charge for their nomination.
Will They Get In? Not a chance in hell.
Chaka Khan
First Year of Eligibility: 2003 Previous Nominations: 1 (2016); nominated with Rufus in 2012
The Case For Induction: Chances are you know Chaka Khan—on her own and as the lead singer of Rufus, she racked up hits that became anthems—but looking at her career, it's nevertheless surprising just how many hits she's had, not to mention how many Grammys. Since 1975, she's won 10 Grammys—two arriving as late as 2008—and her biggest hits (“I'm Every Woman,” “What Cha' Gonna Do For Me,” “I Feel For You”) remain in circulation.
Are They Deserving? Chaka Khan helped usher many different sounds that surfaced in the wake of disco, and the sleek funk she pioneered with Rufus remains a cultural touchstone.
Will They Get In? Unlikely. For a certain class of voters, she's the very definition of a middle tier: two Top 40 hits on her own. Plus, R&B singers who debuted in the ’70s haven't earned much support from the voters and disco remains
Chic
First Year of Eligibility: 2002 Previous Nominations: 10 (2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016)
The Case For Induction: Of all the bands on the 2017 ballot, Chic likely had the deepest impact on culture, opening the door for hip-hop—the Sugarhill Gang used “Good Times” for “Rapper's Delight”—while also becoming the disco act that every rock band eventually ripped off.
Are They Deserving? Unquestionably—and the nominating committee thinks so too, having brought them to ballot a record-shattering 10 times since 2003.
Will They Get In? No. “Eleventh time's a charm” isn't a catchphrase for a reason.
Depeche Mode
First Year of Eligibility: 2006 Previous Nominations: 0
The Case For Induction: Depeche Mode is arguably the first band to push synth-pop to the forefront, scoring their first big hits in the UK in 1981 before carving out a lasting career as purveyors of the dark electronic arts.
Are They Deserving? Without Depeche Mode, large swaths of synth-pop and industrial are unimaginable, not to mention all of that music's offshoots. Depeche Mode are the lynchpin of so much electronic music, including acts like Nine Inch Nails that turned their attack into something harder. Not having them in the Hall will, at some point, seem like a liability.
Will They Get In? Quite unlikely. If the Cure couldn't make it in, there's not a chance that Depeche Mode will garner enough votes from people who voted for Chicago.
Electric Light Orchestra
First Year of Eligibility: 1996 Previous Nominations: 0
The Case For Induction: Electric Light Orchestra started as a side project of the Move—and founding members Roy Wood and Bev Bevan are on the Hall's list of official band members—but soon became the project of Jeff Lynne. He turned ELO into the greatest proponent of posh pomp-pop of the ’70s, elaborating the second side of Abbey Road and happily accepting disco when the moment called for it.
Are They Deserving? Jeff Lynne eventually became a renowned producer, helming hits for his Traveling Wilburys bandmates Tom Petty and Roy Orbison at the tail of the ’80s. His affection for the overblown became a pop touchstone aped by several generations of bands. More importantly, many of ELO's biggest hits remain in regular rotation on radio and TV, so they're among the most well-known acts on the ballot.
Will They Get In? Strong chances. They have a rich, diverse catalog and name recognition, plus Lynne has deep industry connections.
Jane’s Addiction
First Year of Eligibility: 2012 Previous Nominations: 0
The Case For Induction: Bridging the gap between the sleazy Sunset Strip metal and the skeevy alt-underground of L.A. in the ’80s, Jane's Addiction were among grunge’s pioneers in their own way. They were the first band to marry majestic AOR with gutter college rock, suggesting there was a wider audience for both. Add to that Perry Farrell's founding of Lollapalooza, and the impact Jane's Addiction had in the late ’80s and early ’90s was seismic.
Are They Deserving? It's hard to deny that Jane's Addiction were pivotal in ushering the glory days of alternative rock. That said, they really had just two or three good albums—it all depends if you count 1987's eponymous effort on Triple X—but their influence on ’90s rock culture is profound.
Will They Get In? Quite possible. Their narrative is irresistible, plus they read as old-fashioned hard rock, so they could pick up some of the more conservative voters.
Janet Jackson
First Year of Eligibility: 2007 Previous Nominations: 1 (2016)
The Case For Induction: Often overshadowed by her brother Michael,Janet is a force in her own right, a pioneer in incorporating hip-hop with R&B in the ’80s, and somebody who kept pushing forward the boundaries of soul.
Are They Deserving? Definitely. She was the biggest female R&B star of her time, delivering blockbusters for a decade straight, each helping to shape the face of modern pop.
Will They Get In? Unlikely. She missed last year, just after she released a new album, and the climate isn't kinder to her now.
J. Geils Band
First Year of Eligibility: 1995 Previous Nominations: 3 (2005, 2006, 2011)
The Case For Induction: At their peak, no act worked harder than the J. Geils Band: They were a road band, hammering it out city to city, cranking out records along the way. They also were clever enough to channel their sensibilities into early MTV, providing a template other AOR groups to follow.
Are They Deserving? The J. Geils Band define straight-ahead rock‘n’roll, yet it's hard to see the band as a game-changer. Then again, that's their kind of their charm—they were a rock band without pretensions.
Will They Get In? Maybe. For voters who don't like all the R&B and punk on the ballot, Geils could prove tempting.
Joan Baez
First Year of Eligibility: 1985 Previous Nominations: 0
The Case For Induction: Joan Baez could've made the ballot 30 years ago so the question is, why didn't she? It may be as simple as the fact that she's never been perceived as rock’n’roll, even if Judas Priest did cover her “Diamonds And Rust” two years after it was a hit in 1975. Nevertheless, Baez's blend of passion and politics became a pop culture archetype, evident in Tracy Chapman, the Indigo Girls, and Ani DiFranco, to name just a few.
Are They Deserving? Baez may not be strictly rock, but thankfully, definitions have become increasingly malleable in the Rock Hall’s collective mind. She had tremendous influence in the '60s folk scene and beyond.
Will They Get In? Her chances are good. It's her first time on the ballot, and she's beloved by Boomers.
Joe Tex
First Year of Eligibility: 1990 Previous Nominations: 4 (1998, 2006, 2007, 2011)
The Case For Induction: Joe Tex worked hard, landing his first hit in 1964 with “Hold On (To What You've Got)” and getting his last hit in 1977, bridging the gap between Southern soul in the ’60s and funk in the ’70s.
Are They Deserving? Without a doubt. Joe Tex belongs to a select category of soul men that not only could play to the rafters but transferred that energy onto record. His music remains kinetic.
Will They Get In? No. Joe Tex is worthy, but he's not well-known by the public.
Journey
First Year of Eligibility: 2000 Previous Nominations: 0
The Case For Induction: Frankly, the case for induction lies entirely on “Don't Stop (Believin'),” which became a modern standard after scoring the final scene of “The Sopranos” (and a million terrible “Glee” singalongs from there). Without that, it's hard to imagine Journey garnering enough support to get to the final ballot.
Are They Deserving? Ha! Journey does stand for a certain kind of AOR rock—the kinds of anthems that scored so many corporate events and movie soundtracks—so they define an era, but Journey's brand of album rock possesses a delicious irony: they're an album rock outfit who are really a singles band, and they don't have enough great songs to fill out a Greatest Hits album.
Will They Get In? Sigh. Yes. They, along with Yes, will attract this year's fan vote.
Kraftwerk
First Year of Eligibility: 1995 Previous Nominations: 3 (2003, 2013, 2015)
The Case For Induction: No other band pushed electronics to the forefront likeKraftwerk, the group that prophesied the 21st century back in the mid-'70s. So much of what's happened since is due to them—ambient, Bowie's Berlin records, industrial, synth-pop, techno—and their very name remains the touchstone for synth-rock: if you don't know the music, the name itself suggests a sound.
Are They Deserving? Without a doubt. Kraftwerk and Chic are the bands on the 2017 RRHOF ballot who are crucial to the sound of popular music in 2017.
Will They Get In? Iffy, sadly. Their previous rejections are relatively new and Kraftwerk, no matter how influential they are, fly in the face of the idea of real musicians playing real instruments for real listeners—the core idea behind so many Rock Hall voters and visitors.
MC5
First Year of Eligibility: 1991 Previous Nominations: 1 (2003)
The Case For Induction: Punks before anybody knew what to call them, the MC5preached revolution. Even if much of that revolution was as hedonistic as it was political, the Detroit band’s blend of grime and glory proved to be influential and enduring.
Are They Deserving? Without a doubt. Set aside the political rabble-rousing ofKick Out The Jams: the short, sharp blasts of Back In The Usa pointed towards the Ramones.
Will They Get In? Not likely. They're the definition of a cult band: loved passionately by a few but not many.
Pearl Jam
First Year of Eligibility: 2016 Previous Nominations: 0
The Case For Induction: The Oasis to Nirvana's Blur, Pearl Jam always positioned themselves as the heir to the throne vacated by the Who… or perhaps U2 or Bruce Springsteen or the Clash, acts that aspired to be the biggest band in the world by talking about big, important things.
Are They Deserving? Despite inspiring legions of imitators in their early years, they wound up not spawning soundalikes as much as being totems for how a band could operate on their own terms.
Will They Get In? Absolutely. This is the biggest lock on the ballot.
Steppenwolf
First Year of Eligibility: 1993 Previous Nominations: 0
The Case For Induction: Steppenwolf is the ultimate biker band—a certain subculture that isn't often heard in the Hall, which tends to scorn such grimy hard rock.
Are They Deserving? Steppenwolf had one titanic song—“Born To Be Wild” is as iconic as any other song from any other artist on this ballot—plus two other classics (“Magic Carpet Ride,” “The Pusher”), though that seems slightly slim for the Hall.
Will They Get In? Steppenwolf has the potential to be the biggest surprise induction in 2017 because they're the closest thing to old fashioned ’60s rock’n’roll, which may be enough for the more conservative voters in the Hall.
The Cars
First Year of Eligibility: 2003 Previous Nominations: 1 (2016)
The Case For Induction: No other band bridged the gap between AOR and punk better than the Cars. By channeling the sound of the Velvet Underground with AM pop, they practically pioneered commercial new wave.
Are They Deserving? Yes. The Cars defined the sleek sound of the early ’80s, and they were one of the first rock bands to conquer MTV.
Will They Get In? It's 50-50. They didn't get in last year, so there may not be much sympathy for them on a ballot this stacked.
The Zombies
First Year of Eligibility: 1989 Previous Nominations: 1 (2014)
The Case For Induction: The Zombies always were the most sophisticated of their British Invasion peers, favoring laid-back R&B grooves and jazzy improvisations. They also slid into the pastoral for Odessey & Oracle, the 1968 album that is one of the best full-length responses to Sgt. Pepper’s.
Are They Deserving? The Zombies are one of the oddest British Invasion bands but also one of the most wonderful, pioneering a certain kind of precious pop. Even if their influence is indirect, it's impossible to imagine twee-ish indie-pop without them.
Will They Get In? Probably not. They're perceived as few-hit wonders by many voters.
Tupac Shakur
First Year of Eligibility: 2016 Previous Nominations: 0
The Case For Induction: If any rapper could be called a rock star, it's Tupac. He never had a massive crossover hit, but he was a magnetic and crucial figure in hip-hop who helped bring an end to the era of rap groups with his indelible personal tales.
Are They Deserving? Like any star who died too early, it's sometimes tempting to dismiss Tupac Shakur's legacy as a cult of personality. Yet Tupac not only changed the direction of hip-hop, his catalog remains complex and compelling 20 years after his death.
Will They Get In? Very likely. NWA wound up in last year—continuing proof that the Hall is starting to warm to hip-hop.
Yes
First Year of Eligibility: 1994 Previous Nominations: 2 (2014, 2016)
The Case For Induction: Yes is one of the great prog-rock bands, an act that not only pushed the boundaries of rock but wound up crossing over to the crucial AOR demographic.
Are They Deserving? Yes stand as the flagship for an entire prog-rock subculture that usually isn't acknowledged by the Hall. Unlike any of their peers, they had a genuine pop sense, which is why they scored a hit in 1984 with “Owner Of A Lonely Heart,” an MTV staple that didn't betray their artier roots.
Will They Get In? Of all the bands here, Yes is the most vulnerable for a fan boost, which may be enough to push them across the finish line.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again:Shawn Mendes is basically John Mayer’s mini-me. Mayer’s influence was all over the Canadian crooner’s sophomore album,Illuminate, and now it’s all over Mendes’s Instagram, too.
Last night (October 17), the 18-year-old decided to shatter hearts all over the world by posting a clip of him covering Mayer’s “Dreaming With a Broken Heart,” from 2006’s Continuum. “My favourite lyrics of all time,” he wrote by way of introduction. The vid cuts off right after the first verse, but that’s probably for the best, TBH... too much more would’ve required us to take a personal health day.
Mendes’s adoration for Mayer is well-documented by now — he routinely cited Mayer as his musical hero duringIlluminate’s promotional campaign, and toldThe Fader they’ve even struck up a friendship. “We're actually getting to be really good friends, which is amazing for someone like me. He's my idol, musically,” Mendes said. “He gave me a guitar, and that's the guitar I'm playing ‘Ruin’ on.” (#CelebIdolGoals, am I right?)
Anyway, seemingly inspired by his own dreamy cover, Mendes followed up with another Instagram vid featuring a brand new song. “This is the song writing process for me,” he wrote in the caption. “Some chords, melodies and random words that make no sense put together for a while until you find what you want to say from within the music.” With aching lyrics like “Honestly I could not go without you by my side,” we’ll file this piano ballad under “songs that prove Shawn needs a hug.”
Kehlani and Little Simz have teamed up for a new track called “Table.” It was produced by Jahaan Sweet, DJ Dahi, and DJ Relly Rell. Listen to their collaboration, and see the artwork, below.
Kehlani : “Table” [ft. Little Simz] (viaSoundCloud)
Kehlani’s latest release was 2015’s You Should Be Here. Little Simz put out A Curious Tale of Trials + Persons and AGE 101: DROP X in 2015.
Madonna may rule as the Queen of Pop, but her kingdom stretches over the last calendar year according to Billboard.
Her Madgesty was dubbed Billboard's Woman of the Year for her insane work ethic and the touring efforts behind her 2015 full-length, Rebel Heart. It only further proves what we already know: Madonna is peerless, and the fact that she continued to earn her title as the highest grossing female touring artist of all time backs that up.
“Madonna is one of a miniscule number of super-artists whose influence and career transcend music,” said Janice Min ofBillboard. “With her creative vision, relentless innovation, and dedication to philanthropic causes, she is an inspiration to hundreds of millions of people around the world, all while shattering every career record out there. She is an important feminist on top of that, a one-of-a-kind artist who’s used her influence to change the conversation around women, sexuality and equal rights.”
Damn straight. Billboard's previous two Women of the Year were Lady Gaga(2015) and Taylor Swift (2014). Congrats to Madonna, and long may she reign
