R&B
Beyoncé Announces New Visual Album Black Is King
Beyoncé will return next month with a new visual album called Black Is King. It’s due out on July 31st exclusively through Disney Plus. The project ties back to Beyoncé’s previous collaboration with Disney on last year’s CGI remake of The Lion King and the companion album, The Lion King: The Gift. According to a press release, Black Is King “reimagines the lessons of The Lion King for today’s young kings and queens in search of their own crowns. The film was in production for one year with a cast and crew that represent diversity and connectivity.” Beyoncé wrote, directed and produced Black Is King herself. The album will incorporate music and visuals from The Gift in addition to featuring the album’s collaborators and other special guests. “The voyages of Black families, th...
Beyoncé Shares New A Cappella Version of “Black Parade”: Stream
In honor of Juneteenth last Friday, Beyoncé released a new solo song called “Black Parade”. Now, just some days later, Queen Bey is back with a special a cappella version of the track. Per Consequence of Sound writer Nina Corcoran, the original iteration of “Black Parade” was a “celebratory blend of pop, trap, hip-hop, and electronica-verging on Detroit techno” and featured horn and flute arrangements. Although most of the flashiness and extra adornments have been stripped, the global R&B star’s message of Black pride and Black beauty still rings true here — and perhaps even truer when delivered through Bey’s singular, captivating voice. “I hope we continue to share joy and celebrate each other, even in the midst of struggle. Please continue to remember our beauty, strength and power,”...
Songs of the Week: Public Enemy and Beyoncé Raise Voices in Different Ways
Public Enemy (photo by Paul R. Giunta) and Beyoncé Song of the Week breaks down and talks about the song we just can’t get out of our head each week. Find these songs and more on our Spotify New Sounds playlist. America clearly wants music that helps them raise their voices. Don’t believe it? Amid protests, streams of Rage Against the Machine music have increased 62%, enough to send “Killing in the Name”, a 29-year-old song, to top five in the digital streaming charts. Socially conscious outfit Run the Jewels have seen their fourth installment find the Billboard 200 top 10 and are all over mid-year lists. The music we love has its roots in rebellion and hard times, so it’s not surprising that something innate in us turns to our earbuds and streaming devices when the world seems to be circl...
Previously Unheard Version of Aretha Franklin’s “Never Gonna Break My Faith” Released for Juneteenth: Stream
If ever there was a time for new Aretha Franklin music, it would be today: Juneteenth, in the midst of an unprecedented national uprising against racism and police brutality. Miraculously, we’re being gifted just that. A never-before-heard solo version of the Franklin song “Never Gonna Break My Faith” has been released thanks to a collaboration between RCA Recordings, RCA Inspiration, and Legacy Recordings. The original version of the track was a duet with Mary J. Blige that was recorded for the 2006 film Bobby, but this alternate take leaves all the belting to the Queen of Soul, who is backed by The Boys Choir of Harlem. Beyond the excitement of this being a new recording from the legendary singer, its lyrical content is particularly relevant in the current socio-political climate. “You c...
Teyana Taylor Drops Star-Studded New Project The Album: Stream
In honor of Juneteenth, R&B star Teyana Taylor has released her third studio effort, simply entitled The Album, on G.O.O.D. Music/Def Jam. Stream the star-studded project below via Apple Music or Spotify. The follow-up to 2018’s K.T.S.E. is broken up into five distinct parts that spell out the world “album”: “Studio A”, “Studio L”, “Studio B”, “Studio U”, and of course “Studio M”. Each boasts its own selection of special guests, such as Ms. Lauryn Hill on the Kanye West-produced “We Got Love” (an ode to husband and NBA star Iman Shumpert); Erykah Badu on “Lowkey”; and Missy Elliott and Future, who appear together on a track called “Boomin’”. Other artists to feature on the LP are Kehlani, Big Sean, Rick Ross, and Migos’ Quavo. Additionally, Shumpert, who also moonlights as a...
Anderson .Paak Addresses Police Brutality on New Single “Lockdown”: Stream
Anderson .Paak is marking Juneteenth with a new single addressing racism and police brutality. It’s dubbed “Lockdown” and comes with a corresponding music video helmed by famed director Dave Meyers (Billie Eilish, JAY-Z, Ariana Grande). Also known as Freedom Day, Juneteenth celebrates June 19th, 1865, the day the Emancipation Proclamation finally went into full effect throughout all of the Confederate States of America. Legalized slavery may be a thing of the past, but as we’ve seen in just the last few weeks, racism and white supremacy are still very much a(n ugly) fabric of US society, and this is what .Paak focuses on in his latest track. “Sicker than the COVID, how they did him on the ground?/ Speakin’ of the COVID, is it still goin’ around?” says .Paak, referencing the murder of Georg...
Whitney Houston’s Legacy of Breaking Down Barriers in the Entertainment Industry
Subscribe now to our ongoing Whitney Houston season of The Opus. You can also prep for the experience by listening to Whitney Houston via all major streaming services or enter to win a copy of Vinyl Me, Please’s 35th anniversary Whitney Houston box set. Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher | Radio Public | RSS Follow on Facebook | Podchaser “After the second album [Whitney], I started thinking, ‘Maybe I’ll do a movie someday,’” Whitney Houston told MTV in 1992 when asked how she had first caught the acting bug. It had taken nearly five years after that initial notion for the R&B and pop superstar to take on the big screen in The Bodyguard alongside Hollywood everyman Kevin Costner. In that time, she was rumored to have turned down working with Robert De ...
The Legacy of Whitney Houston in 10 Duets
Subscribe now to our ongoing Whitney Houston season of The Opus. You can also prep for the experience by listening to Whitney Houston via all major streaming services or enter to win a copy of Vinyl Me, Please’s 35th anniversary Whitney Houston box set. Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher | Radio Public | RSS Follow on Facebook | Podchaser The term “diva” was not coined or derived for Whitney Houston. That being said, nobody’s ever been more worthy than her to don that honorific. Our best memories of Houston recall a performer with grace, humor, and a voice that could leave a crowd speechless with both its power and range. However, the images of Houston burned in our mind — in true diva fashion — don’t see her often sharing a stage. The hits that’ll go on long af...
Switchfoot Cover Frank Ocean, Vampire Weekend, Harry Styles, and More on New EP
In addition to writing new music, artists have been spending plenty of their quarantine time covering songs they hold dear. We’ve seen James Blake take on Joni Mitchell, Weezer’s Rivers Cuomo put his spin on Nirvana, and Incubus’ Brandon Boyd take a crack at Beach House. Switchfoot, the alt-rock outfit best known for that one 2004 Christian chart-topper, are also following suit with a new covers EP, though it features some very unexpected selections. Simply titled Covers, the upcoming effort sees Switchfoot branching out beyond their religious rock to reimagine originals by Frank Ocean (“Swim Good”), Vampire Weekend (“Harmony Hall”), and Harry Styles (“Lights Up”). There are also renditions of “Lucky Man” by The Verve and “Sick Boy” by The Chainsmokers. In a statement about the EP’s v...
Whitney Houston’s Historic Billboard Run Contains Multitudes
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher | Radio Public | RSS It’s hard to underestimate Whitney Houston’s stardom. For better and for worse, the world knows so much more about the late diva than we do about most artists from her era. Houston’s meteoric rise would eventually place her own personal life under a microscope, and it’s the tragic details that all too often overshadow her unparalleled legacy and groundbreaking influence. Looking back, though, Whitney Houston wasn’t just a pop star. She wasn’t just an incredible voice. No, she was a trail blazer, the first of her kind, who opened the door for so many artists to follow. For its highly anticipated 10th season, The Opus plans to trace those footsteps, and put a spotlight on the star t...
Sevdaliza Shares Haunting New Song “Joanna”: Stream
The Iranian-Dutch artist Sevdaliza has shared her new song, “Joanna”. The haunting single comes from an unnamed album, due out later this summer. For fans of Sevdaliza’s 2017 debut album, ISON, “Joanna” will sound stripped-down, even bare. ISON weaved together R&B drums and genre-bending synthesizers into rich sonic tapestries. In contrast, the backing track of “Joanna” relies on simplicity. An acoustic guitar picks out three notes at a time, so that the beginning of each measure is full of silence, while brief electronic flourishes accent the end of phrases. “Evil personified/ She preys on the dead/ Desert woman/ Veiled in silence,” Sevdaliza sings, pitching her husky voice somewhere between a whisper and a moan. “Joanna” utilizes this stark imagery to paint a bleak picture of u...
Whitney Houston’s Self-Titled Debut Introduced a Voice for All Times: Classic Review
The Opus: Whitney Houston premieres on Thursday, May 28th and you can subscribe now. You can also prep for the experience by listening to Whitney Houston via all major streaming services or enter to win a copy of Vinyl Me, Please’s 35th anniversary Whitney Houston box set. Spotify | Google Play | Stitcher | Radio Public | RSS Follow on Facebook | Podchaser Music allows us to feel an array of emotions and is one of the universal aspects of the human experience. It can be the cause of laughter or the reason for momentary sadness. It sparks fond memories and serves as a time stamp of the most pivotal points in our lives. The music industry is forever changing, and even the most skilled of artists can fade into obscurity if they fail to adapt. Musicians come ...
