Year: 2022

Way back in August, it was announced that Joni Mitchell would be honored as MusiCares’ 2022 Person Of The Year. Mitchell said in a statement at the time, “I’m honored to be chosen as person of the year by this great charity. I look forward to being part of this gala that will help MusiCares continue their inspired work in providing a support system for those in need.”

Now we’re getting closer to the gala honoring Mitchell, which is set to go down on April 1 (presumably not as an April Fools’ Day joke). Many of the evening’s performers were previously announced, but now St. Vincent, Beck, and Chaka Khan have been added to the lineup.

They join a roster that also includes Leon Bridges, Jon Batiste, Brandi Carlile, Herbie Hancock, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash. Meanwhile, Carlile and Batiste are pulling double duty as the event’s artistic directors. James Taylor and Maggie Rogers were originally set to participate, too, but they had to pull out due to scheduling conflicts.

In January, Mitchell threw her support behind Neil Young’s Spotify boycott, saying, “I’ve decided to remove all my music from Spotify. Irresponsible people are spreading lies that are costing people their lives. I stand in solidarity with Neil Young and the global scientific and medical communities on this issue.”

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Is concern trolling is the new “alternative facts?” Based on the number of ultra-conservative pundits who are currently attempting to reinvent themselves as caring human beings, it sure seems that way. On Wednesday, both Marjorie Taylor Greene and Laura Ingraham tried to spin their previously pro-Putin-seeming rhetoric as concern for the people of Ukraine, with slightly different tones.

First up is MTG: Her day got off to a shaky start when the whole of Congress gave Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a standing ovation, while she neglected to clap and seemed more interested in her phone:

Later, as PatriotTakes shared, Greene posted a video to her Facebook page in which she claimed that if we truly want to help the people of Ukraine, we should not send them any weapons or money “to fight a war they cannot possibly win,” despite many expert opinions to the contrary and the staggering number of Russian soldiers being sent home in body bags. Still, Greene—with as much emotion as a robot—declared that “it’s not our responsibility to give President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people false hope about a war they cannot win.”

On Wednesday night, Ingraham pretty much echoed the same talking points while interviewing Arkansas senator Tom Cotton. While speaking about the $800 million in weapons Biden promised Ukraine, Cotton commented that “the Ukrainian people and army have proven they are capable of fighting the Russians. We need to encourage them to do so, and we need to provide them with the weapons they need to fight the Russians” (which was a pretty major turn of events given Cotton’s recent reluctance to condemn Donald Trump’s pro-Putin comments).

Cotton was barely through his statement when Ingraham interrupted to ask/suggest, “Now you don’t think we’re giving the Ukrainians, at this point—and the rest of the world—false hope? You think, given the fact that Russia is closing in on Ukraine at this moment—you heard the air raid sirens outside of Lviv—that we’re not building people up to this false hope at this point? I’m worried about that!” Cotton, looking somewhat dumbfounded by the question, disagreed.

Of course, this isn’t the first instance of concern trolling we’ve seen this week. On Tuesday, Tucker Carlson attempted to justify his own seemingly pro-Putin rhetoric by explaining that he would just hate for us to do anything that might “prolong the fighting in Ukraine at the expense of the vulnerable civilian population in Ukraine.” Because, like Greene and Ingraham, Carlson can’t help being just so darn caring.

A Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot was announced in 2018. That was also the last time we heard about the Buffy reboot. The “new take” on the WB/UPN series that ran for seven seasons was set to be “contemporary and build on the mythology of the original,” this time with a Black actress as Buffy, but that was before creator Joss Whedon faced abuse allegations from Justice League star Ray Fisher, “threatened” the career of Gal Gadot, and “obliterated his career” in an interview with New York magazine. Buffy and Angel star Charisma Carpenter also said that Whedon “has a history of being casually cruel. He has created hostile and toxic work environments since his early career. I know because I experienced it first-hand. Repeatedly.”

If Buffy does get a reboot, it will likely be without Whedon’s involvement (like how The Conners continued without Roseanne). But it will have Sarah Michelle Gellar’s support:

Interviewed for the new book Into Every Generation a Slayer Is Born: How Buffy Staked Our Hearts, Gellar was asked by author Evan Ross Katz about the constant reboot talk. The actress said she would support a reboot if it happened, explaining that the ending to the original series left the door open for exploration of other slayers.

Who does she think should play the Slayer? “I vote Zendaya,” Gellar said. She can battle figurative demons on Euphoria, and literal demons on Buffy. It’s a natural fit.

You can purchase Into Every Generation a Slayer Is Born: How Buffy Staked Our Hearts here.

(Via ScreenRant)

Just before the end of 2021, Lil Nas X, the internet’s embodiment of fun, disruptive chaos, vanished from social media like the Last Airbender. It’s understandable; after all, he spent most of that year dominating the discussion with his album Montero and No. 1 singles “Call Me By Your Name” and “Industry Baby.” He’d also trolled the racist, homophobic establishment that lost its sh*t every time he made a move to oblivion and back. I’d say he earned a break.

But, the world needs good chaos now more than ever and so, like the titular character of the above-mentioned, award-winning animated series, Lil Nas X has returned to his stomping grounds, bringing photos of his wild hairstyles from the past few months, more good-natured trolling, and best of all, the first teasers of his new music, which included screenshots of two new songs currently on his phone: “Down Souf Hoes” featuring fellow queer rapper Saucy Santana and “Late To The Party” with viral favorite YoungBoy Never Broke Again.

After Nas popped back up on Instagram and TikTok — two of his favorite mediums — he popped back onto fans’ Twitter feeds like the Cheshire Cat, wondering, “why are people surprised i’ve been away for so long? have y’all really never heard of maternity leave?” The reference to his Montero rollout, in which he staged an entire pregnancy, was quickly followed by a slew of memes and jokes that he hadn’t been online because “i gotta bbl (Brazilian butt lift),” as well as a video in which he shows off his best Atlanta accent.

Welcome back, Lil Nas X. Thanks for being you.

(Spoilers for Netflix’s Bad Vegan will be found below.)

Bad Vegan is Netflix’s latest in a line of scammer-focused documentaries and limited series. It’s perhaps the most unbelievable of the bunch, given that there’s talk of dog immortality and a “meat suit,” but if you’re into exploring a handful of episodes about people who’ve made the worst life decisions possible, it could be your thing. There’s also an odd Alec Baldwin connection, as well, but essentially, this is the story (which is at least partially true) of Sarma Melngailis, the wildly successful celebrity New York-vegan-restauranteur who fell from grace.

Long story short: Sarma entered into an incredibly bad relationship that waved an army of red flags from the beginning. She persisted, eventually embezzling money from her restaurant (while leaving her employees unpaid) and investors, funneling the dollars to Anthony Strangis (who operated under the “Shane Fox” pseudonym), and then they eventually became casino-frequenting fugitives. They got busted in the most bizarre way (shown in the series), and then Sarma served four months on Rikers Island.

The story’s sensational but pretty unbelievable at moments. Sarma’s narration often shows little affect and close to zero emotion, and there’s some lingering mystery when it comes to the woman dubbed as “the vegan Bernie Madoff.” Did she fall into a cult mentality, and/or is her story filled with holes? Whatever the case, as one user put it, “‘Bad Vegan’ literally saw ‘Tinder Swindler’ and said hold my beer rookie.”

It’s really bonkers. Sarma held an economics degree and ran two enormously popular restaurants but somehow started believing that Anthony/Shane had secret-agent/black-ops superpowers or something. A lot of heads are shaking.

All of the wire transfers also added up (Sarma’s access to enormous sums of money is astounding) and served to break more deals for the audience, cautionary tale or not.

Maybe a little sympathy can be found for Sarma? It’s out there.

But mostly, people can’t stomach the resources squandered here.

The Alec Baldwin thing is actually rather amusing, if true.

Yet the story is kind-of a disaster. It’s sad not only for Sarma but also for the many people who paid for her bad judgment and continued belief in a clearly terrible man. She also didn’t apologize in the series, which ain’t great.

PEOPLE has now reported that Sarma claims to have repaid her jilted employees with money from the documentary. “Of all the harm and the many debts resulting from my downfall, this portion weighed heaviest,” Sarma expressed.

Bad Vegan (from executive producer Chris Smith of Tiger King and Fyre: The Greatest Party) is currently streaming on Netflix.

Last night at SXSW, Phoebe Bridgers hosted a “corporate retreat” for her label Saddest Factory. Taking the stage at Mohawk in Austin were Bridgers and her Saddest Factory artists: Muna, Claud, Sloppy Jane, and Charlie Hickey.

Toward the end of the Saddest Factory Corporate Retreat, Bridgers and company delivered a cover of My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome To The Black Parade.” In a clip shared by Eater Austin editor Nadia Chaudhury, the Saddest Factory crew couldn’t be happier, smiling as they sing the emo kid classic to an enthusiastic crowd.

This comes shortly Cardi B surprisingly brought some renewed attention to the song by shouting it out on Twitter. Meanwhile, this comes way after a 2018 tweet in which Bridgers declared, “welcome to the black parade is the bohemian rhapsody of my generation.”

Bridgers launched Saddest Factory in 2020, following the success of her second album, Punisher. This June, Muna will release their self-titled third album via Saddest Factory–their first on the Dead Oceans imprint and their first since leaving RCA. Earlier this week, they released the album’s lead single, “Anything But Me.”

“In the past we’ve stayed in relationships for a long time, waiting until we hit low lows to admit it was over,” said Muna in a statement. “‘Anything But Me’ is a song about leaving a partnership simply because it doesn’t feel right. It’s about trusting yourself and your instincts enough to walk away from someone while you still have love for each other and before it gets too bad.”

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

This week features new music from Lucky Daye as he finally returned with his sophomore album Candydrip, his first full-length release since his 2019 debut Painted. Elsewhere, Eric Bellinger breathes new life into “Only Fan,” a standout from his 2021 album New Light, thanks to a new remix, and Mariah The Scientist returns with a new EP, Buckles Laboratories Presents: The Intermission

Lucky Daye — Candydrip

Lucky Daye solidified himself as one of the singers in the new class of R&B with his 2019 Grammy-nominated debut Painted. Nearly three years removed from that release, Daye is back in action with his second album Candydrip, a 17-track effort that arrives with features from Lil Durk, Chiiild, Smino, Alex Isley, and more.

Eric Bellinger — “Only Fan (Remix)” Feat. Riley

Late last year, Eric Bellinger dropped off his eighth album New Light, giving listeners 15 songs and features from Sevyn Streeter, Teedra Moses, Dom Kennedy, The Game, and more. Months later, Bellinger is back with a remix to “Only Fan,” one of the standout efforts from the project. Bellinger updates the track with a sweet verse from singer Riley.

Mariah The Scientist — Buckles Laboratories Presents: The Intermission

In 2021, Mariah The Scientist had one of the better R&B releases with her sophomore album Ry Ry World. It was the follow-up to her 2019 debut releases Master and it flaunted features from fellow ATLiens Young Thug and Lil Baby. While many are still enjoying that project, Mariah returns with an appetizing EP, titled Buckles Laboratories Presents: The Intermission, which grants her fans another collection of four new songs.

Shenseea — Alpha

Over the last few years, Jamaican singer Shenseea has laced collaborations with some of the biggest and most talented names in music, working with Masego, Kanye West, Vybz Kartel, and more. Finally, after all these collaborations, which helped to elevate her name, Sheensea arrives with her debut project Alpha, with 14 songs and guest appearances from Megan Thee Stallion, 21 Savage, Tyga, Beenie Man, Offset, and Sean Paul.

Eli Derby & 6lack — “Lately”

DMV singer Eli Derby is one of the newest additions to LVRN’s extremely talented roster. In the coming months, Derby will release his debut project which is spearheaded by two singles: “Gaslight” and “Love Song.” Derby’s back with his third single, “Lately,” which features LVRN star 6lack who provides an excellent verse to Derby’s qualms with love

Brandon Banks — “Get On”

It’s been quite a while since we heard from West Coast singer Brandon Banks. His last release came in 2020 with his Static EP, a strong body of work that brought forth appearances from UMI and Mereba. Finally, he’s back with new tunes in the form of the reflective and motivating “Get On,” a track that finds Banks pushing himself to overcome obstacles and succeed.

WurlD — My WorlD With U

Almost ten years after he arrived with his debut EP, Nigerian singer WurlD is still going strong with his new project My WorlD With U. It’s highlighted by songs like “Let You Down,” “Press,” and “Toxic” while it also invites names like Sarz, Landstrip Chip, LuuDadeejay, and more to accompany WurlD throughout the project’s 19 songs.

Rema & AJ Tracey — “FYN”

Later this month, Nigerian singer Rema will release his debut album, Rave & Roses after building his name up in the afrobeats lane through tracks like “Soundgasm” and “Dumebi.” While we’ve yet to receive an official tracklist for the project, Rema shares its second official single, “FYN” with AJ Tracey. The track, which is an abbreviation for “Fresh Young N****,” is a confident effort that follows “Calm Down” which was released at the top of the year.

OHenry — “7 Days A Week” Feat. Derek King

Next week, rising Nigerian-American singer OHenry will release his debut album My Turn To Be King. The project is already led by two solid singles, “Racin’” and “Belong With Me,” and now he lays off a third effort for us to enjoy. “7 Days A Week” is a warm and bouncy effort that shines thanks to OHenry’s passionate strive to keep his partner happy every day of the week.

UMI — “Sorry”

If you’re a fan of UMI, it’s time to get excited. The Seattle singer revealed that her debut album Forest In The City will arrive on May 27. In addition, she also announced a North American tour in support of the project. While the wait continues for Forest In The City, UMI drops off the album’s tender lead single, “Sorry.” The track is nothing short of beautiful as it provides optimism for what’s to come.

Yuna — Y1

After going two years without dropping a song, Yuna is back with a project for her first release of the year. Y1 presents four songs that clock in at a brief but enjoyable nine minutes altogether. The new release is the first portion of her upcoming five-part album Y5.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Since mid-January, Aimee Mann has been creating and posting a “comics journal” on Instagram, in which she shares some of her thoughts with accompanying illustrations in a four-panel format. In her latest one shared yesterday, Mann reveals Steely Dan took her off their summer tour and attests that may have to do with the type of music she makes and being a woman.

The comic reads, “I was supposed to open for Steely Dan this summer. I just found out that they took me off the bill. No one is entirely sure why, but it seems they thought their audience wouldn’t like a female singer-songwriter? As it happens, Steely Dan is the one band that I 100% love, with no reservations, so it really sucks. But you know what? People are allowed to not like you, for whatever reason.”

Mann later took to Twitter to share an article about her comic and write, “All is forgiven if [Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen] just tells me what [‘Brooklyn (Owes The Charmer Under Me)‘] is about.”

She also responded to a supportive comment from Jason Isbell, who tweeted, “My wife hates Steely Dan. I have discussed that with Aimee Mann, who truly loves Steely Dan. Now I’ll never again try to convince my wife that Steely Dan is good. Aimee opened for us, and I’m so glad to say our audience loved that sh*t. I was very much honored she’d do it.” Mann replied, “You sweetheart, thank you for saying that. I was so proud to be a part of your scene.”

Neither Steely Dan nor Fagen have yet to offer a public response to Mann’s post.

Tom Cruise hasn’t a film premiere at Cannes since 1992 when he and his second wife, Nicole Kidman, brought Far and Away to the prestigious film festival. However, that thirty year absence is set to come to an end when Top Gun: Maverick flies into this year’s Cannes. As for why the long-awaited sequel to the 1986 classic is playing at the festival, it’s a tale as old as Hollywood: Cruise is practically getting the royal treatment. Via Variety:

Tom Cruise is set to be celebrated at the Cannes Film Festival this May with a career retrospective, an in-person conversation on stage and the premiere of his eagerly awaited “Top Gun” sequel “Maverick: Top Gun.” The actor will be in attendance at the Palais des Festivals on May 18 for a tribute event that will take in his 40-year film career. He will also take part in a conversation with journalist and Cannes associate Didier Allouch.

The Cannes premiere is a much-needed plug for Cruise, who has been batted about perhaps more than any other actor during the pandemic. The production for Mission: Impossible 7 took nearly two years to finish and became an extremely costly endeavor as the film continued to shoot across Europe. For those efforts, Cruise watched as the film was delayed several times, with Top Gun: Maverick often being pushed back as a result. So there’s nothing like a big splashy debut and a VIP event to remind everyone that Tom Cruise is still out here fighting to make movies that almost kill him. Seriously, they’re very dangerous.

Top Gun: Maverick will take audiences to the danger zone on May 27.

(Via Variety)

There are several metrics to measure whether or not a song is a hit: Radio play, streaming numbers, high-profile syncs, and social media engagement can all be factors. While any combination of these categories could point to a track’s success, the true barometer by industry standards is its chart performance on the Billboard Hot 100.

But chart success isn’t necessarily an indicator that an artist is a bonafide hitmaker. Take Nicki Minaj, for example: She was a radio fixture for an entire decade before taking the coveted Hot 100 crown with the 6ix9ine-assisted “Trollz” in 2020. And then there are artists like reggae band Magic!, who topped the chart with their breakout hit “Rude” in 2014. The track held the No. 1 spot for six consecutive weeks, but the band’s follow-up singles failed to chart and they quickly faded into obscurity.

More often than not, it’s difficult to earn the title of “hitmaker” without notching a No. 1. In fact, undisputed superstars like Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, and Lil Nas X topped the Hot 100 on their first try. But not everyone is so lucky: here are ten A-listers who have yet to top the charts as a primary artist.

Dua Lipa

Biggest Hits So Far: Two tracks from her 2020 album, Future Nostalgia, “Don’t Start Now” and “Levitating” (featuring DaBaby) hit No. 2.

Oliva. Billie. Doja. Lizzo. Almost all of the latest wave of pop women have taken the top spot on the charts – with the glaring exception of Dua Lipa. Had there not been worldwide lockdowns during her made-for-the-club disco album’s release cycle, it’s possible she may have hustled her way to No. 1. Luckily, she’s still in the early stages of her career and it’s not so much a question of “if,” but “when.” And that “when” could be soon: her team-up with Elton John for “Cold Heart” (Pnau remix) has been buzzing around the top ten, with a peak of No. 7. (Fun fact: if the track were to hit No. 1, it will be Elton’s tenth trip to the top of the Hot 100 and his first since 1997’s “Candle In The Wind.”) Plus, she just released a collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion that has true chart potential.

Diplo

Biggest Hit So Far: As part of the DJ trio Major Lazer, Diplo hit No. 2 with “Cold Water,” which featured Justin Bieber and MØ.

Diplo is easily one of the biggest and busiest names in dance music. Not only has he teamed up for several side projects (Major Lazer, Jack Ü, LSD, and Silk City), but his resume includes production credits for the likes of Beyoncé, Lil Wayne, The Weeknd, and Madonna. Still, the Hot 100 has not been Diplo’s friend: he’s only reached the top ten a handful of times since breaking out over a decade ago.

J. Cole

Biggest Hit So Far: J.Cole’s 2021 team-up with 21 Savage and Morray, “My Life,” clocked in at No. 2.

It’s impossible to have a conversation about modern hip-hop without mentioning J. Cole; in fact, he was included alongside Drake, Nicki Minaj and Kendrick Lamar for Spotify’s RapCaviar mural series that depicted the foursome as the Mount Rushmore of 2010s Rap. With his 2018 album KOD, Cole tied with The Beatles in simultaneously charting six tracks inside the Top 20, a record that the rock band had previously held for 54 years – but his No. 1 hit still remains elusive.

Machine Gun Kelly

Biggest Hit So Far: His Fastball-sampling collab with Camila Cabello, “Bad Things,” hit No. 4 in 2016.

MGK has never been much of a Hot 100 juggernaut: “Bad Things” is his sole trip to the top ten. These days, it seems that MGK is more interested in making provocative headlines with his fiancé than cranking out hits (see: “Machine Gun Kelly Gave Megan Fox A Thorny, Intentionally Painful Engagement Ring”). His latest album, Tickets To My Downfall, only spawned two Hot 100 entries: “My Ex’s Best Friend” (No. 20) and “Bloody Valentine” (No. 50).

Imagine Dragons

Biggest Hit So Far: The rockers hit No. 3 with “Radioactive” in 2012.

Between a Glee cover, an abundance of commercial syncs (for brands like Jeep, Nintendo, and Microsoft), and a chokehold on multiple radio formats, Imagine Dragons have been one of the most inescapable bands of the past decade. Though they’ve cracked the upper echelon of the chart multiple times (“Believer” and “Thunder” both hit No. 4 and “Demons” hit No. 6), the band has yet to rack up a No. 1.

A$AP Rocky

Biggest Hit So Far: He’s a featured artist alongside Cardi B on G-Eazy’s No. 4 hit “No Limit” from 2017 and his feature on Selena Gomez’s “Good For You” peaked at No. 5 in 2015.

Since his 2011 debut, Rocky has only notched one top ten hit as a lead artist: 2012’s “F*ckin’ Problems” (featuring Drake, 2 Chains, and Kendrick Lamar), which hit No. 8. The stat is a sharp contrast to his partner: Rihanna has had 14 chart-toppers and only sits behind The Beatles, Mariah Carey, and Elvis Presley as the artists with the most No. 1 singles ever.

Backstreet Boys

Biggest Hit So Far: The boy band hit No. 2 with “Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)” in 1996.

Despite their presence in pop culture, boy bands were rarely reaching the Hot 100’s pinnacle in the Y2K era; the No. 1 slot was often occupied by ladies like Destiny’s Child, Janet Jackson, Monica, and Brandy. In fact, BSB’s biggest rival, NSYNC, only hit No. 1 once, with 2000’s “It’s Gonna Be Me.” Still, the Backstreet Boys managed to collect a total of six top 10s.

Lana Del Rey

Biggest Hit So Far: A 2013 remix of her melancholy “Summertime Sadness” earned Del Ray a No. 6 slot.

Despite her A-list status, Lana has remained comfortably in her lane as a critical darling rather than an artist who chases hits. Her only top ten, the aforementioned “Summertime Sadness,” landed there with a serotonin-boost courtesy of remixer Cedric Gervais. And on her second-highest charting track, “Don’t Call Me Angel” (which hit No. 13), Del Rey makes a drowsy cameo on the bridge, while her pop star collaborators Ariana Grande and Miley Cyrus take the more substantial chunks of the 2019 Charlie’s Angels soundtrack single.

Gunna

Biggest Hit So Far: Gunna’s 2018 breakout single “Drop Too Hard” with Lil Baby shot to No. 4.

If the success of his latest album, DS4Ever, is any indicator, Gunna won’t be without a No. 1 hit for much longer. Earlier this month, the rapper edged out The Weeknd’s Dawn FM for the top spot on the Billboard 200 albums chart. He’s just one high-profile collab away from taking the Hot 100 glory.

Demi Lovato

Biggest Hit So Far: The former Disney star hit No. 6 with the brassy “Sorry Not Sorry” in 2017.

When it comes to their lack of No. 1s, you can’t say Demi hasn’t tried. Their hotly anticipated 2021 collab with Ariana Grande fizzled in at No. 61 while other recent high-profile team-ups with Christina Aguilera and G-Eazy failed to chart at all. But hope isn’t lost: Lovato recently teased a punk-pop rebrand on social media and given the current emo revival, they may just be onto something.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.