music

Lyndsey Parker
Music’s rigged-est night? What to expect from Sunday’s scandal-ravaged Grammy Awards
Lizzo and Billie Eilish are expected to be Sunday's big winners, but their big night will likely be tainted by the scandal that has exploded before the ceremony.
Lyndsey Parker
The enduring power of Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive,’ 40 years after it made Grammy history
The song won a Grammy for Best Disco Recording in 1980 — the only year that award was given — but survived the disco backlash and became a classic.
Variety
Watch Lin-Manuel Miranda and ‘Freestyle Love Supreme’ in Exclusive Clip From Sundance Documentary
Before turning "Hamilton" and "In the Heights" into musical phenomenons, Lin-Manuel Miranda could have been found on stage, spouting off-the-cuff rhymes with his improv group, "Freestyle Love Supreme." After performing across the globe, the troupe -- founded 15 years ago by Miranda, his frequent collaborator Thomas Kail and emcee Anthony Veneziale -- made its Broadway […]
Good Morning America
Deborah Dugan speaks out after filing lawsuit against Recording Academy with Grammy allegations
Deborah Dugan spoke out for the first time since filing a lawsuit against the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences during an appearance on "Good Morning America" on Thursday. The first female head of the National Academy of Recording Arts, who was placed on leave last week -- just 10 days before the Grammy Awards -- discussed the sexual harassment and gender discrimination complaint that she filed on Tuesday with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Raechal Shewfelt
Grammys 2020: How to watch Lizzo, Billie Eilish and more on music's biggest night
The 2020 Grammys, the 63rd annual event, are set for Jan. 26, a full two weeks ahead of when last year’s ceremony was held, at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Lyndsey Parker
Blinded by science: Remembering the surreal 'Synthesizer Showdown' of the 1985 Grammys
It was the most ’80s thing that ever happened, but it still seems cooler than anything that's taken place at the Grammys in the past 35 years.
Pitchfork
BTS Announce 2020 World Tour
The boy band recently announced the new album MAP OF THE SOUL : 7
People
Recording Academy Head Files Complaint After Being Placed on 'Administrative Leave' Days Before Grammys
Grammys 2020: Deborah Dugan Sues After Being Placed on ‘Administrative Leave’
The Wrap
Former Recording Academy Chief Neil Portnow Accused of Raping Female Recording Artist
Neil Portnow, the former CEO of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences that oversees the Grammy Awards, on Tuesday was accused of raping an unnamed female recording artist.In a discrimination complaint filed Tuesday with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, ousted Recording Academy CEO Deborah Dugan, said that Portnow “allegedly raped a female recording artist, which was, upon information and belief, the real reason his contract was not renewed.”Dugan, who replaced Portnow last May to become the first woman to lead the Recording Academy, did not name the artist or offer many details about when the alleged incident might have occurred.In her complaint, Dugan said that she learned of the accusation last May while attending a three-day meeting of the Academy’s Board at the Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel after taking the job. “Ms. Dugan was hauled into a conference room and told — for the very first time — that a foreign recording artist (and member of the Academy) had accused Mr. Portnow of raping her following a performance that she gave at Carnegie Hall,” the complaint reads.Also Read: Ousted Recording Academy CEO Deborah Dugan Files Discrimination Complaint With EEOCPortnow could not immediately be reached for comment.The Recording Academy issued a response to Dugan’s complaint: “It is curious that Ms. Dugan never raised these grave allegations until a week after legal claims were made against her personally by a female employee who alleged Ms. Dugan had created a ‘toxic and intolerable’ work environment and engaged in ‘abusive and bullying conduct’. When Ms. Dugan did raise her ‘concerns’ to HR, she specifically instructed HR ‘not to take any action’ in response.“Nonetheless, we immediately launched independent investigations to review both Ms. Dugan’s potential misconduct and her subsequent allegations. Both of these investigations remain ongoing. Ms. Dugan was placed on administrative leave only after offering to step down and demanding $22 million from the Academy, which is a not-for-profit organization. Our loyalty will always be to the 25,000 members of the recording industry. We regret that Music’s Biggest Night is being stolen from them by Ms. Dugan’s actions and we are working to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.”Dugan’s attorneys, Douglas Wigdor and Michael Willemin, dispute the Academy’s statements. “Ms. Dugan repeatedly raised concerns throughout her entire tenure at the Academy, and even gave large presentations focused on diversity and inclusion at Board meetings,” they wrote. “The Academy has lost its way and abandoned the recording industry, instead focusing on self-dealing and turning blind eye to the ‘boys’ club’ environment, obvious improprieties and conflicts of interest.”Her attorneys continued: “It was never Ms. Dugan’s intention to turn this into a public fight precisely because of her love for music and the members of the recording industry. Unfortunately, staying silent was made impossible by the Board’s repeated leaks and disclosures of false and misleading information to the press.”They also disputed the Recording Academy’s claim that Dugan sought a $22 million payout to leave her position. “On the morning of the day she was put on leave, the Academy offered Ms. Dugan millions of dollars to drop all of this and leave the Academy. The Board Chair demanded an answer within the hour,” the attorneys wrote. “When Ms. Dugan refused to accept and walk away, she was put on leave. The Academy claimed that Ms. Dugan was put on leave based on accusations made against her over a month prior that the Board knows very well are meritless. That is not a credible story.”Also Read: 26 Stars Who Only Need a Grammy to EGOT, From Liza Minnelli to Al Pacino (Photos)In her complaint, Dugan said the the accusation was presented to her as if the Board had just learned of it but “in reality, they were well aware of the allegation at the time Ms. Dugan agreed to take the CEO position, but never told her.” Dugan also said the Recording Academy pressured her into rehiring Portnow as a consultant for the “hefty sum of $750,000,” which she said she refused to do.Dugan also accused Joel Katz, the Academy’s general counsel, of sexually harassing her during the three-day meeting. Katz said in an email he is not responding to media inquiries: “I am currently out of the office with a respiratory infection. I will not be checking email or taking calls until I’m feeling better.”Dugan also said that a letter sent by interim CEO Harvey Mason Jr. to the Academy membership on Monday was “designed to retaliate against Ms. Dugan, threaten her, and malign her reputation.”In the letter, Mason Jr. said that Dugan was placed on administrative leave after the Academy’s executive committee received a letter from Dugan’s attorney saying she would agree to step down from her role as CEO and “withdraw” her accusations if she was paid out, with Billboard reporting on Monday she asked for the sum of $22 million.You can read Dugan’s complaint with the EEOC below.Filed EEOC Supplement by Sharon Waxman on ScribdRead original story Former Recording Academy Chief Neil Portnow Accused of Raping Female Recording Artist At TheWrap
Erin Donnelly
Brandi Carlile and other female country stars praise CMT's new 'equal play' policy: 'Cowgirl up'
The country music channel has announced that it'll give equal airtime to videos from men and women, following complaints of sexism in the industry.
Lyndsey Parker
Milli Vanilli's Fab Morvan recalls 1990 Grammy scandal: 'All those journalists were just out for blood'
The duo never wanted to win the Grammy in the first place, for fear that the attention would increase the risk of their secret coming out.
Rolling Stone
Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani Get Close in ‘Nobody But You’ Video
Couple will perform together at the Grammy Awards on January 26th
Suzy Byrne
Ozzy Osbourne reveals he has Parkinson's disease: 'It's been terribly challenging for us all'
As for his decision to speak out now, he said, "I'm no good with secrets."
Chris Willman
Singer David Olney Dies During Performance at Florida’s 30A Festival
Singer-songwriter David Olney has died at age 71, after falling silent and dropping his head in the midst of a performance at the 30A Songwriters Festival in Florida Saturday night. Some news reports said he "collapsed" on stage, but that isn't quite true: Olney simply became still on his stool, leading some audience members and […]
Megan Johnson
Michelle Obama shares her workout playlist — and Lizzo and Ariana Grande are pumped
The former first lady revealed she's listening to Ed Sheeran, Sam Smith and Cardi B in the gym.
Lyndsey Parker
In praise of feminist icon Stephanie Zinone, or why 'Grease 2' was always cooler than 'Grease'
Almost 40 years after it bombed at the box office, this cult classic is finally getting its due.
Suzy Byrne
Eminem reenacts Las Vegas concert shooting in new 'Darkness' video while calling for better gun laws
The rapper’s eleventh studio album, "Music To Be Murdered By," was released Friday as well as the video for the track “Darkness,” which calls for an overhaul of U.S. gun laws.
Lyndsey Parker
James Blunt breaks down in powerful music video starring dying father: 'We're just two grown men saying goodbye'
In his devastating new “Monsters” video, an anguished Blunt stares down the lens, his eyes welling up with tears.
Rolling Stone
Eminem Surprise-Releases New Album, ‘Music to Be Murdered By’
Rapper releases anti-gun-violence clip for new single, “Darkness,” channeling Las Vegas Route 91 shooting
The Wrap
Recording Academy CEO Deborah Dugan Out Following ‘Misconduct’ Accusation
Recording Academy president and CEO Deborah Dugan is out after less than a year on the job and less than two weeks before the group’s biggest event: the 2020 Grammy Awards.According to the Los Angeles Times, which first reported the news, Dugan stepped down entirely after the group’s board placed her on administrative leave to investigate “a formal allegation of misconduct by a senior female member of the Recording Academy team.”“In light of concerns raised to the Recording Academy Board of Trustees, including a formal allegation of misconduct by a senior female member of the Recording Academy team, the Board has placed Recording Academy President and CEO Deborah Dugan on administrative leave, effective immediately,” the organization said in a internal memo first published in full by Variety.Also Read: Apple to Release 'The Banker' in March After Conclusion of Misconduct Review“The Board has also retained two independent third-party investigators to conduct independent investigations of the allegations. The Board determined this action to be necessary in order to restore the confidence of the Recording Academy’s Membership, repair Recording Academy employee morale, and allow the Recording Academy to focus on its mission of serving all music creators,” the memo continued. “Board Chair Harvey Mason Jr. will serve as interim President and CEO pending the conclusion of the investigation. The Recording Academy Board of Trustees is committed to fostering a safe, diverse, and inclusive workplace, music industry, and society.”Details about the accusation of misconduct have not been made public. Representatives for the Recording Academy did not immediately respond to a request for comment from TheWrap.Dugan was the first woman to serve in the Grammy Awards organization’s top job. She replaced Neil Portnow, who had served in the role since 2002 but stepped down in 2018 after an open letter from a group of female music executives called for his resignation. The group cited the lack of female representation at the 2018 Grammy Awards, and Portnow’s comments during the post-ceremony press conference where he said that women need to “step up” if they want to improve the gender imbalance in the music industry.Read original story Recording Academy CEO Deborah Dugan Out Following ‘Misconduct’ Accusation At TheWrap
Lyndsey Parker
Suzi Quatro talks Rock & Roll Hall of Fame snub: 'It's just plain stupid'
“If you're an organization that prides itself on doing the right thing by the right people, what more can be right than the fact that I was the first?"
Associated Press
Review: Mac Miller posthumous album is heartbreakingly full
“Why does everybody need me to stay?” Mac Miller asks on the first single from his latest release. Miller's 12-track album is heartbreakingly sublime, a portrait of a wry and honest musician acknowledging his demons but looking past them. Miller died of an accidental drug overdose in 2018 at 26 and was working on “Circles” as a sort of companion album to his Grammy-nominated “Swimming.” Producer Jon Brion, who worked on “Swimming” and also produced for Kanye West and Dido, was asked to finish Miller's work.
Erin Donnelly
Kacey Musgraves calls out country radio station for not playing women back to back: 'Smells like white male bull****'
Musgraves and Kelsea Ballerini are speaking out after a country station admitted it won't play two female artists in a row.
Rolling Stone
Beastie Boys’ Spike Jonze-Directed ‘Live Documentary’ to Stream on Apple TV+
Beastie Boys Story brings Mike D and Ad-Rock's stage show to the big and small screen this April
Lyndsey Parker
Pat Benatar shockingly snubbed by Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; Whitney Houston, Depeche Mode, Notorious B.I.G. among 2020 inductees
Women and hard rock in general were passed over, as were almost all of the top rankers in the Hall's fan vote.

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