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Music

Joost Klein representing the Netherlands gestures, during a press conference after the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest, at the Malmo Arena, in Malmo, Sweden, Thursday, May 9, 2024. Hours before the final, Dutch contestant Joost Klein was dramatically booted out by organizers over a backstage incident. He had failed to perform at two dress rehearsals on Friday, and contest organizer the European Broadcasting Union said it was investigating an “incident.” (Jessica Gow /TT News Agency via AP)

Dutch contestant kicked out of Eurovision hours before tension-plagued song contest final

The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest is taking place Saturday in the Swedish city of Malmo.
 
Bambie Thug of Ireland performs the song Doomsday Blue during the dress rehearsal for the final at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, Friday, May 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

How to watch (and stream) the Eurovision Song Contest final

 
FILE - Grupo Frontera arrives at the Latin American Music Awards in Las Vegas on April 20, 2023. Regional Mexican music has become a global phenomenon, topping music charts, breaking streaming records and reaching new audiences as it crosses borders. Their sophomore album “Jugando Que No Pasa Nada" releases on Friday. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

Grupo Frontera’s hybrid Mexican music went global. On a new album, their genre-melding has no limits

 
Eden Golan of Israel performs the song Hurricane during the second semi-final at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, Thursday, May 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Eurovision explained, from ABBA to Zorra, as the Israel-Hamas war overshadows the song contest

 
FILE - Billie Eilish performs on stage during Day 2 of Music Midtown 2019 in Atlanta, Sept. 15, 2019. Music Midtown, a festival that draws tens of thousands of people to Atlanta's Piedmont Park will not take place this year. Posts Wednesday, May 8 2024, on the Instagram page and website of Music Midtown, a longtime fixture for pop music lovers, says the festival is “going on hiatus this year.” (Photo by Paul R. Giunta/Invision/AP, File)

Music Midtown, popular Atlanta music festival, canceled this year

 

Analyst believes Eurovision’s usual unifying effect may be lost this year

Historian and author of the book “Postwar Europe and the Eurovision Song Contest,” Dean Vuletic believes the Eurovision Song Contest, where the final is to take place on Saturday in the Swedish city of Malmo, brings together Europe through music although the current Israel-Hamas war could bring division. (May 11)
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Jay Sean wants to increase South Asian diversity in the music industry

Eurovision song contest shadowed by Israel-Hamas war I AP Explains

Russia’s Manizha releases ‘Candlelight,’ in face of music ban

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Country star Cindy Walker posthumously inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame

Country star Cindy Walker was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Walker, who wrote countless hits across her six-decade career, was celebrated for her immediate, unpretentious songwriting style.
 

Steve Albini, legendary producer for Nirvana, the Pixies and an alternative rock pioneer, dies at 61

Steve Albini, a legendary rock producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more, has died. He was 61.
 
This image released by the Washington National Opera shows a set rendering by Wilson Chin showing one of his designs for a new production of Giacomo Puccini's "Turandot" opening May 11 at the Washington National Opera. (Wilson Chin/Washington National Opera via AP)

Washington Opera offers new ending to Puccini’s final work

Ever since Giacomo Puccini died in 1924 without finishing his last opera, “Turandot,” audiences have thrilled to its soaring melodies like “Nessun Dorma,” but also perhaps lamented the lack of a proper ending.
 
This cover image released by Reigning Phoenix Music shows "Child Within the Man" by Sebastian Bach. (Reigning Phoenix Music via AP)

Music Review: Sebastian Bach’s ‘Child Within the Man’ makes the case for a Skid Row reunion

Legendary hard rockers Skid Row need a singer. Their original lead vocalist, Sebastian Bach, has a molten new solo album, “Child Within the Man.”
 
This image released by Capitol Records shows "Can We Please Have Fun" by Kings of Leon. (Capitol Records via AP)

Music Review: Kings of Leon electrify with new album that nods to the past, ‘Can We Please Have Fun’

Kings of Leon are back with a dozen new tracks on the album “Can We Please Have Fun.” Associated Press critic Mark Kennedy says there’s a raw unpredictability to the band’s ninth album, a welcome return to the Kings’ early sawdust-and-spilled-beer days.
 
This image released by the Metropolitan Opera shows conductors Speranza Scappucci, from left, Marin Alsop and Oksana Lyniv at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York in April 2024. (Muriel Steinke/Metropolitan Opera via AP)

Met Opera hosts 4 female conductors in landmark week. From its founding to 2016, there were only 4

Only four women conducted the Metropolitan Opera in its first 133 years ending in 2016, but now four women have taken the baton in a one-week span.
 
iolanda of Portugal perform the song Grito during the first semi-final at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmo, Sweden, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

The Eurovision Song Contest kicked off with pop and protests as the war in Gaza casts a shadow

Competition in the 68th Eurovision Song Contest kicked off Tuesday in Sweden. The war in Gaza is casting a shadow over the sequin-spangled pop extravaganza.
 
FILE - PJ Morton performs at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, April 26, 2019, in New Orleans. Morton comes home with a new album and memoir dropping soon amid a Saturday afternoon performance May 4, 2024, at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which nears the end of an eight-day run. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)

New Orleans’ own PJ Morton returns home to Jazz Fest with new music

Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and producer PJ Morton comes home with a new album and memoir dropping soon amid a Saturday afternoon performance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which nears the end of an eight-day run.
 
This cover image released by Warner Music shows "Radical Optimism" by Dua Lipa. (Warner via AP)

Music Review: Dua Lipa’s ‘Radical Optimism’ is controlled dance pop

In the chorus of “Whatcha Doing,” the fifth track on Dua Lipa’s latest album, she sings: “If control is my religion, then I’m headed for collision,” referencing the unexpected pull of a new partner.
 
Chinese rapper Boss X performs at a concert in Chengdu in southwestern China's Sichuan province, Saturday, March 16, 2024. The rapper, who had come up from making music in a run-down apartment in an old residential community in the city, was now playing to a stadium of thousands. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

A Chinese flavor of rap music is flourishing as emerging musicians find their voices

Although Chinese rap has been operating underground for decades in cities like Beijing, it is the Sichuan region — known internationally for its spicy cuisine and its panda reserve — that has come to dominate.
 
Jessica Pratt poses for a portrait in Los Angeles, Friday, April 26, 2024, to promote the album “Here in the Pitch." (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Singer-songwriter Jessica Pratt’s latest album is a distinct shift from her austere sound

When Jessica Pratt released her debut self-titled album in 2011, the singer-songwriter was critically praised for her austere guitar and hypnotic voice.
 
FILE - Taylor Swift performs during "The Eras Tour," May 5, 2023, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. Swift is adding one more accolade to her repertoire this year: a resolution recognizing 2023 as the Taylor Swift era in her home state of Pennsylvania. The resolution passed the state House of Representatives on Wednesday, Dec. 13. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)

Artists from Universal Music Group are heading back to TikTok as a new licensing deal is reached

Artists from Universal Music Group, which include Drake, Adele, Bad Bunny and Billie Eilish, will be returning to TikTok as the two parties have struck a new licensing agreement following an approximately three-month long dispute.
 
This image released by Prime shows Nicholas Galitzine, left, and Anne Hathaway in a scene from "The Idea of You." (Prime via AP)

Movie Review: In ‘The Idea of You,’ a boy band is center stage but Anne Hathaway steals the show

In the warmly charming rom-com “The Idea of You,” Anne Hathaway plays a 40-year-old divorcee who becomes romantically involved with a 24-year-old heartthrob in a boy band called August Moon.
 
This cover image released by Atlantic Records shows "Reasonable Woman" by Sia. (Atlantic Records via AP)

Music Review: Sia soars with first solo album in 8 years, ‘Reasonable Woman’

A whole album of Sia is great — great, don’t get us wrong — but Sia paired with the icon Chaka Khan? Fire.
 
Dua Lipa poses for a portrait to promote her new album "Radical Optimism" on Friday, April 26, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Drew Gurian/Invision/AP)

Dua Lipa is all about ‘Radical Optimism,’ in her music and other pursuits

Grammy-award winning pop star Dua Lipa’s third album, “Radical Optimism,” releases Friday. UK rave culture and genre-averse alternative groups like Primal Scream and Massive Attack were key influences.
 
This cover image released by PLEDIS Entertainment shows “17 Is Right Here” by Seventeen. (PLEDIS Entertainment via AP)

Music Review: SEVENTEEN’s ’17 Is Right Here’ is a study of their impressive evolution

K-pop boy band SEVENTEEN ventures into confident adulthood with their latest compilation album, “17 Is Right Here,” writes the Associated Press’ Cristina Jaleru.
 
This cover image released by Republic Records show "The Tortured Poets Department" by Taylor Swift. (Republic Records via AP)

Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ hits No. 1, with songs claiming the top 14 spots

Taylor Swift continues to dominate in the week following the release of her 11th album, “The Tortured Poets Department.”
 
Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones performs during the first night of the U.S. leg of their "Hackney Diamonds" tour on Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Houston. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)

The Rolling Stones show no signs of slowing down as they begin their latest tour with Texas show

The Rolling Stones are showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. They kicked off their latest tour Sunday night at Houston’s NRG Stadium.
 
FILE - Brazilian singer Catia de Franca, 77, performs at a warehouse converted into a venue for independent artists in Sao Paulo, Brazil, April 19, 2024. It took almost half a century for de França to find her audience. Her belated fame largely reflects a revival taking place in Brazil, where vinyl records outsold CDs and DVDs for the first time last year. (AP Photo/Andre Penner, File)

Brazil’s vinyl revival is pulling forgotten artists out of obscurity

It took almost a half century for Brazilian singer Cátia de França to find her audience, but she finally has — with the help of a near-obsolete audio technology.
 

Why you might have heard Paul Simon’s ‘The Sound of Silence’ at Spanish Mass

One song has stuck with Julio Cuellar Gonzales for practically his entire life, following him from a small town in Bolivia all the way to Virginia.
 
FILE - John Oates performs in Glendale, Ariz. on July 17, 2017. Oates will release his sixth solo album, “Reunion,” on May 17, 2024. (Photo by Rick Scuteri/Invision/AP, File)

John Oates’ new album is called ‘Reunion.’ But don’t think Hall & Oates are getting back together

For music fans, John Oates is most recognizable as one-half of the Grammy-nominated Hall & Oates, the multi-platinum soul-pop duo behind hits like ″Private Eyes” and “Maneater.”
 
This album cover image released by Republic Records shows "Funk Generation" by Anitta. (Republic Records via AP)

Music Review: Anitta welcomes listeners into her ‘Funk Generation’ on new album

First, she took over Brazil. Now, the world. The trilingual Brazilian pop star Anitta has returned with a new album, the club-to-bedroom ready “Funk Generation.”
 
FILE British band The Pet Shop Boys, Neil Tennant, left, and Chris Lowe perform after receiving The Oustanding Contribution To Music award at the Brit Awards 2009 at Earls Court exhibition centre in London, England, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009. Forty years and 50 million record sales after the Pet Shop Boys rose to fame with “West End Girls,” the iconic British duo is releasing a new album. “Nonetheless” is their 15th studio album. It arrives Friday, April 26, 2024. (AP Photo/MJ Kim, File)

Four decades in, the Pet Shop Boys know the secret to staying cool

Forty years and 50 million record sales after the Pet Shop Boys rose to fame with “West End Girls,” the iconic British duo is releasing a new album.
 
Members of the Zulu Steppers parade with the New Groove Brass Band along the Fair Grounds at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans, Thursday, April 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)

New Orleans Jazz Fest 2024 kicks off Thursday and The Rolling Stones to headline next week

It looks like the third time will be the charm as the 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage festival prepares for The Rolling Stones.
 
This album cover image released by Total Pleasure Records in partnership with Virgin Music Group shows "All Born Screaming" by St. Vincent. (Total Pleasure Records/Virgin Music Group via AP)

Music Review: St. Vincent’s art-rock burns bright on seventh album, ‘All Born Screaming’

On her seventh full-length studio album, Annie Clark, who performs as St. Vincent, unleashes her broad range of art-rock gifts, from the crackling ember of her vocals to raging infernos of swirling, epic orchestration, writes the Associated Press’ Jim Pollock.
 
This album cover image released by Parlophone/Warner shows "Nonetheless" by Pet Shop Boys. (Parlophone/Warner via AP)

Music Review: Pet Shop Boys have done it yet again with catchy and bittersweet ‘Nonetheless’

Pet Shops Boys are back with their fifteenth studio record. The stone-faced British pop duo is known for their synthesizer-backed dance tracks with simple vocals and emotional lyrics.
 
This photo shows Phish fans walking through the lobby of the Sphere on Saturday, April 20, 2024, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Josh Cornfield)

Phish fans are famously dedicated. What happens when they enter the Sphere?

The 20,000 fans walking toward the glowing Sphere in Las Vegas last week were there for a band that many visiting the Strip have no idea exists.
 
FILE - Jon Bon Jovi poses for a portrait in New York on Sept. 23, 2020 to promote his new album "2020". Hulu is streaming a four-part docuseries "Thank You, Good Night: The Bon Jovi Story," premiering April 26. (Photo by Drew Gurian/Invision/AP, File)

After 4 decades in music and major vocal surgery, Jon Bon Jovi is optimistic and still rocking

Bon Jovi is marking its 40th anniversary. A new docuseries called “Thank You, Goodnight,” debuts Friday on Hulu and recounts the band’s beginning and rise to super stardom.
 
FILE - Swedish pop group ABBA celebrate winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest on stage at the Brighton Dome in England with their song Waterloo, April 6, 1974. The 68th Eurovision Song Contest is taking place in May in Malmö, Sweden. It will see acts from 37 countries vie for the continent’s pop crown. Founded in 1956, Eurovision is a feelgood extravaganza that strives to banish international strife and division. It’s known for songs that range from anthemic to extremely silly, often with elaborate costumes and spectacular staging. (AP Photo/Robert Dear, File)

Excitement is building for the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest. Here’s everything you need to know

The 68th Eurovision Song Contest is taking place in May in Malmö, Sweden. It will see acts from 37 countries vie for the continent’s pop crown.
 
FILE - Neil Young performs at the BottleRock Napa Valley Music Festival at Napa Valley Expo in Napa, Calif., on May 25, 2019. Young offers a ragged and raw live take of his 1990 album "Ragged Glory" with a new album, titled "F##in' Up." (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)

Music Review: Neil Young delivers appropriately ragged, raw live version of 1990’s ‘Ragged Glory’

Neil Young offers a ragged and raw live take of his 1990 album ‘Ragged Glory’ with a new album that has a somewhat profane title.
 
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