• The Purge kicks off this Saturday with news that ahead of his performance of the track at next Sunday night’s TV Week Logie Awards, Conrad Sewell’s record label Warner Music has re-serviced his single ‘Remind Me’ to Australian media. The track peaked at No.22 on the ARIA singles chart early last month and it’s hoped that his performance of the song on TV’s night of nights will help give it another little push in the right direction. Delta Goodrem and Jimmy Barnes are also set to perform on the night.
• Calvin Harris is back with new music. The super producer reunited with Rihanna for ‘This Is What You Came For’, which dropped at digital retailers (and media) across the planet yesterday. The single comes hot on the heels of Calvin’s recent Australian No.1 smash ‘How Deep Is Your Love’.
• Another producer roping in some high profile vocal talent this week is European DJ Zedd, who’s employed the services of Ke$ha on his new single ‘True Colours’; the songstress saying on her socials, “It’s a miracle when someone gives you a chance at finding your voice again with no reason other than that he is a fucking beautiful person with a heart of gold”. ‘True Colours’ is out now.
• Adele fans should be setting their recording devices on Monday night, when Channel 9 airs her special concert event ‘Live In New York City’, straight after the second episode of ‘The Voice’. Filmed at Radio City Music Hall in New York back in November, the concert naturally showcases tracks from her new album ’25’, along with the classics that will have you singing along at home (and possibly reaching for the tissues to boot. It’s on air from 9pm Monday.
• auspOp favourite Andrew De Silva has popped his song ‘Nothing Without You’ up on YouTube. “It was my last performance on AGT,” he explains. “I was then signed to Sony and they never thought of releasing it. A lot of people have been asking what song it was, so here it is.” The single has also been made available on digital platforms.
• Angus Stone has a new musical project. It’s called Dope Lemon and, hot on the heels of its lead single ‘Uptown Folks’, which dropped last month, Angus has confirmed that an album is also forthcoming. ‘Honey Bones’ be its name and June 10 be its release date. A new song, entitled ‘Fuck Things Up’ has been made available as a grat track.
• Fans of The Cure won’t be left out when it comes to headline sideshows when the band descends upon Australia for Splendour In The Grass in July. Live Nation has confirmed that the band will be playing shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide during their visit, though the Perth and Adelaide dates are still to be advised. The Cure will play Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena (formerly Allphones Arena) on Monday July 25 and Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on July 28. Telstra pre-sale tickets are go from 10am on Tuesday, while general public tickets are on sale from 10am on Friday May 06.
• CMC Rocks Queensland will be back in 2017, with organisers giving you plenty of notice when it comes to booking your transport to and accommodation in Willowbank in Ipswich. Australia’s largest country music festival will hit the Queensland city from March 10 – 12 in what is the event’s 10th anniversary. So expect plenty of big names and surprises.
• The Internet have added second and final shows in Sydney and Melbourne to their upcoming Aussie visit. Due to unprecedented demand, the band will now play Melbourne’s 170 Russell on July 26 (sold out) and 27, along with Sydney’s Metro Theatre on July 29 (selling fast) and 30. Tickets for the new dates are on sale now.
• The Australian Independent Music Awards will be held at the Enmore Theatre on Wednesday October 28. And organisers are now calling for entries from unsigned artists all across the country. Think you have what it takes to win? Or just want a little bit more information? Head to www.musicoz.org now for further details. Submissions close on Sunday July 17.
• Blink 182 have confirmed the release of a new album. ‘California’ comprises a pretty healthy 16 new songs including lead single ‘Bored To Death’. The band’s first new album in five years will drop across the globe on Friday July 01.
• Hot on the heels of the announcement of shows on the Western side of the country to celebrate 20 years of their ‘Fish’ album, Shihad have confirmed shows on the East Coast, with shows locked in at The Triffid in Brisbane (July 01), Factory Theatre in Sydney (July 15) and the Croxton Park Hotel in Melbourne (July 16). Tickets are on sale now.
• The top three is steady again on the UK singles chart this week, with Drake, Sia and Mike Posner maintaining. But Joe Jonas’ outfit DNCE is on the move with ‘Cake By The Ocean’ – it’s up five to No.4. Prince’s passing results in a number of his classic songs peppering the UK singles chart, but none goes higher than his classic ‘Purple Rain’, which is up from No.65 to No.6. ‘Hold Up’ is the best for Beyoncé, premiering at No.17 (though ‘Formation’, ‘Sorry’, ‘6 Inch’, ‘Don’t Hurt Yourself’ and ‘Freedom’ all premiere between positions 31 and 40). Further Prince UK chart positions this week; ‘When Doves Cry’ (26), ‘Kiss’ (38), ‘Raspberry Beret’ (47), ‘1999’ (49) and ‘Little Red Corvette’ (70).
• Beyoncé’s straight in at No.1 on this week’s UK albums chart; ‘Lemonade’ proving fizzy enough to outsell Prince’s ‘The Very Best Of’ to claim the top spot. But Prince dominates the top five; ‘Ultimate’ is up to No.3, the ‘Purple Rain’ soundtrack up to No.4. Sia’s ‘This Is Acting’ edges to No.5. The new Katherine Jenkins album ‘Celebration’ manages a top ten debut in amongst it all (No.7 on debut). More Prince with ‘The Hits / The B-Sides’ at No.13 on re-entry, plus ‘Sign O The Times’ at No.15, ‘1999’ at No.28, the ‘Parade’ soundtrack at No.41, ‘Around The World In A Day’ at No.47, ‘HitNRun Phase One’ at No.50 and ‘Diamonds And Pearls’ at No.51.
• It’s finally happened… Rihanna, Drake and ‘Work’ have fallen from No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart after ten successive weeks in the top spot. In fact, they fall to No.4, leapfrogged by Desiigner’s ‘Panda’ (No.2 to No.1), Lukas Graham’s ‘7 Years’ (No.3 to No.2) and Drake’s ‘One Dance’ (No.13 to No.3). Prince’s passing begins to take effect on the singles chart, with his iconic ‘Purple Rain’ re-entering the US charts at No.17. But it’s not the only Prince classic making its presence felt in the US this week; a number of his smash hits follow; ‘When Doves Cry’ (No.20), ‘Kiss’ (No.28), ‘Little Red Corvette’ (No.29), ‘Let’s Go Crazy’ (No.39) and ‘1999’ (No.41) also re-enter the top 100.
• It’s the same on the albums chart Stateside, where ‘The Very Best Of Prince’ re-enters the countdown right at the top, knocking The Lumineers flying. The ‘Purple Rain’ soundtrack is back in the chart mix at No.2, ahead of the week’s highest debut at No.3 for Sturgill Simpson’s ‘A Sailor’s Guide To Earth’. Santana’s ‘Santana IV’ premieres at No.5, while Prince’s ‘The Hits / The B-Sides’ re-enters at No.6. Prince also occupies Nos.31, 61, 95, 147 and 160.
• What effect will Prince’s death have on the Australian charts this week? Will his music occupy the No.1 spot on the ARIA albums chart? Or will Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’ have the fizz needed to debut in pole position? We shall, of course, be providing you with all the answers as part of our regular weekly Chart Watch, which is live again from 6pm on the East Coast.
TICKETS PLEASE
MONDAY MAY 02 : Band Of Horses (Melbourne)
MONDAY MAY 02 : The Rubens (Adelaide)
THURSDAY MAY 05 : Brandy (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth)
FRIDAY MAY 06 : The Cure (Sydney, Melbourne)
FRIDAY MAY 06 : Ladyhawke (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane)
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