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Taylor Swift released a secret double album. At midnight, The Tortured Poets Department dropped. Two hours later, Taylor released 15 bonus tracks. Her Instagram announcement said, “I’d written so much tortured poetry in the past 2 years and wanted to share it all with you, so here’s the second installment of TTPD: The Anthology.”
This week, Swifties latched onto Taylor’s Easter egg teasing a surprise at 2 a.m. Then she used the victory hand emoji (two finger salute) which now we know refers to the double-album surprise release at 2 in the morning.
Billboard magazine’s review of The Tortured Poets Department called Taylor’s album “messy, unguarded and undeniably triumphant.” So many songs about Joe Alwyn and Matty Healy, two of the men she dated in 2023. Travis Kelce gets a song, “So High School”. (Billboard)
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Taylor also announced that the first single from the album will be “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone! The artist hyped up her fellow musician ahead of the single dropping. “I’ve been such a huge fan of Post because of the writer he is, his musical experimentation and those melodies he creates that just stick in your head forever,” Swift shared on Instagram. The video for “Fortnight” drops tonight at 8.
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Swifties will descend upon the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame today for a celebration of the new album, The Tortured Poets Department. The museum is inviting fans to come and learn about the artists that influenced and inspired her music, and view artifacts, including the sweater worn by Taylor Swift in the music video for “cardigan.” DJ Guilty Pleasures will be blasting her playlist all day in the event going from 10am-5pm. (Rock Hall)
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will announce its Class of 2024 this Sunday night on ABC’s American Idol.
The nominees, announced in February, are:
• Mary J. Blige – second nomination
• Mariah Carey – first nomination
• Cher – first nomination
• Dave Matthews Band – second nomination
• Eric B. & Rakim – first nomination
• Foreigner – first nomination
• Peter Frampton – first nomination
• Jane’s Addiction – second nomination
• Kool & the Gang – first nomination
• Lenny Kravitz – first nomination
• Oasis – first nomination
• Sinéad O’Connor – first nomination
• Ozzy Osbourne – first nomination
• Sade – first nomination
• A Tribe Called Quest – third nomination
Once again there was a fan vote with the Top 5 artists selected by the public comprising a “fans’ ballot” that will be tallied along with the other ballots to determine the 2024 inductees.
With over 4.2 million ballots cast, the Top 5 are:
1. Dave Matthews Band
2. Peter Frampton
3. Foreigner
4. Ozzy Osbourne
5. Cher
The Hall of Fame Foundation was originally going to announce the nominees for the Class of 2024 in January, but it was pushed back to February 10th in partnership with ABC/Disney+ at the Television Critics Association conference in Los Angeles. Then the Hall’s fan vote was originally announced as ending on April 26th, but that was pushed up to this past Monday so the Class of 2024 could be announced Sunday on ABC’s American Idol.
Like last year’s ceremony, the 2024 Induction Ceremony will stream on Disney+ with a highlight show to follow on ABC. The Induction Ceremony will take place this fall in Cleveland — date and venue to be announced.
Billie Eilish unveiled one-month in advance the tracklist for her third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft. Billie said previously that she and Finneas fearlessly wrote and recorded this album, “Every time you put anything out, it feels like your nudes leaked a little bit. This one is like that. We made the album without much thought of other people.” (Billboard)
The album due on May 17 features 10-tracks:
1. Skinny
2. Lunch
3. Chihiro
4. Birds of a Feather
5. Wildflower
6. The Greatest
7. L’Amour De Ma Vie [translate: Love of My Life]
8. The Diner
9. BitterSuite
10. Blue
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One less stalker for Harry Styles to contend with. Myra Carvalho pleaded guilty this week to bombarding Harry with 8000 hand-written letters. An avalanche of mail arrived at Harry’s home in a matter of one-month. Harry secured a 10-year restraining order against Myra Carvalho. The judge also sent her to jail for three-months and banned Myra from attending any of Harry’s concerts. Myra was arrested six-months ago while loitering around his London neighborhood with a map of Harry’s frequent hangouts. She had traveled from Brazil to England to personally hand-deliver her 8001st hand-written letter. (The Mirror, UK)
Beyonce and Lil Nas X will be featured in a documentary. Call Me Country: Beyoncé & Nashville’s Renaissance arrives in one-week on the Max streaming platform. The documentary explores how Lil Nas X impacted country music by collaborating with Billy Ray Cyrus on “Old Town Road.” There’s a history lesson of Black artists in Nashville and how Beyonce’s Country Carter album honored their legacy. Call Me Country will feature interviews with Grammy-winning country duo Brothers Osborne as well as “Texas Hold ‘Em” banjo player Rhiannon Giddens. (Billboard)
Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose has launched his own website, leaving fans to wonder what’s coming. There has been no explanation from Rose as to what his new website is for or what it means when it comes to the legendary rock band. The landing page of the site features draggable photos of Rose, video clips in the background, his autograph and the quote: “You gotta live to learn and run, or you’ll die trying.”
The site’s about page reads: “Unmistakable vocal style, he has carved out a legendary status in the rock history,” alongside a brief biography of Rose’s life and career with Guns N’ Roses. The news tab features articles about the band’s 2023 single ‘The General’ and the gallery tab is home to a plethora of photos of Rose performing on stage.
There are many fans convinced Rose may be releasing a memoir of sorts, with one user writing, “My fingers are crossed for either a book or some solo material” while another shared: “There better be some book or solo projects…at the very least, this site better get updated.”
Elsewhere, a fan joked that the singer may be dipping his toes into the world of wines saying “Maybe he’s getting into the wine business. Axl Rose Rosé,” with another fan responding: “That would be an appropriate business for him. Releasing a product that was actually created 20 years ago and stored in a dark room until now.” (NME.com)
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Allman Brothers Band founding member Dickey Betts has died at the age of 80, according to a post on his official Instagram page.
Betts co-founded Allman Brothers Band in 1969 along with brothers Duane and Gregg Allman, Berry Oakley, Butch Trucks and Jaimoe Johanson, releasing their self-titled debut that year. They went on to be considered one of the pioneering Southern rock bands and were particularly known for their touring career, which included long shows filled with extended jams.
In addition to playing lead guitar in the band, Betts wrote and sang lead on several songs, including “Ramblin’ Man,” their only top 10 hit, and “Blue Sky.” He also composed the band’s well-known instrumental tunes, including “Jessica” and “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed.”
Over the years, the Allman Brothers Band went on hiatus, while Betts concentrated on other projects, including a solo career and forming other bands, like Great Southern, Betts, Hall, Leavell and Trucks and the Dickey Betts Band.
Betts was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Allman Brothers Band in 1995. He was officially ousted from the band in 2000 and never played with them again.
With Dickey’s death, 79-year-old drummer Jaimoe Johanson is the last living Allman Brothers co-founder. Richard ‘Dickey’ Betts was 80 years old. (ABC)
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