• Welcome to your Saturday edition of The Purge and welcome to ‘Bad At Love’, the new single from US pop songstress Halsey. The track is the second official single to be lifted from her recently-released album ‘hopeless fountain kingdom’ and follows on from ‘Now Or Never’, which has been certified platinum for sales in excess of 70,000 units here. The single’s service to Australian media couldn’t have come at a better time either. She’s due in the country on Monday for a whirlwind promotional visit.
• We’ve got a new track from Snakehips to call our own. The latest single from the EDM duo is called ‘Either Way’ and it featurs both Anne-Marie and Joey Bada$$ in guest vocal roles. You may, of course, remember them from their 2015 triple platinum hit ‘All My Friends’.
• US girl group Fifth Harmony will release their new self-titled album on August 25. Announced following an appearance on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’, it’s the ladies’ third long player but the first since Camila Cabello left the group at the end of last year. We’re promised an album “packed with energy, passion and show-stopping vocals”.
• Great news for fans of ‘Issues’ singer Julia Michaels; the songstress dropped a fresh new mini album called ‘Nervous System’ yesterday. It features seven songs, including her triple platinum smash ‘Issues’ and her latest single ‘Uh-Huh’, which has already blasted through more than 20 million streams on Spotify. The US singer will be on ground in Australia supporting Shawn Mendes on his upcoming national tour this November.
• Homegrown favourite Dean Lewis yesterday released his new single ‘Lose My Mind’. It’s the third track from his ‘Same Kind Of Different’ EP and he’s on the record as saying it “could be my favourite song on the EP”. His label Island Records has also revealed that his breakout smash ‘Waves’ (which was sat at No.33 on last weekend’s ARIA charts) is now officially double platinum, meaning it’s sold in excess of 140,000 units.
• To celebrate the release of his new album ‘Love And Blood’ yesterday, Shane Nicholson has confirmed that he’ll appear in-store at Basement Discs in Melbourne on Friday August 04 for an exclusive intimate performance. Naturally, he’ll be meeting with the public and signing copies of the new album, the follow-up to 2015’s ‘Hell Breaks Loose’.
• Former ‘Glee’ favourite Darren Criss has stepped back into the spotlight with his new single, a stripped-back reworking of the classic ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ from ‘Les Miserables’. It’s the singer’s first solo single in seven long years and has been released to celebrate the return of New York’s Elsie Fest in October.
• Sydney outfit Cloud Control will release their new album ‘Zone’ on September 01. Their label tells us that the album was written in a small beach house near the NSW regional centre of Forster and has been described as “profound, but also flippant, euphoric, but conceptual”. They’re heading on the road in support of it from late September, kicking off with a show at the Metro Theatre in Sydney on September 22. Tickets for all dates are on sale now.
• Gold Coast producer Paces has followed up his single ‘Savage’ with a new track called ‘Creepin’. “When I made ‘Creepin’ I was just trying to make the most hyper, fun track to play at my shows,” he explains. “Something for my dancers on stage and something for the Pacey Peeps to wile out to.” It’s available digitally now.
• And there’s a brand new Skrillex single doing the rounds. ‘Would You Ever’ is the producer’s first original release in two long years and features a vocal from singer songwriter Poo Bear. That’s Poo Bear. The single is also out now.
• Acclaimed UK singer songwriter George Ezra has confirmed he’ll be back on Australian shores in March next year; shows locked in for Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Supported by Ainslee Wills, he’ll play the Enmore Theatre in Sydney on March 06, the Forum Theatre on March 07 and The Tivoli in Brisbane on March 09. Tickets for them all are on sale now.
• Also confirming live dates late this week is Canberra MC Citizen Kay. His national tour, which kicks off at Proud Mary’s in Erina on September 30 and wraps at Amplifier in Perth on October 20, features seven dates in total; all in support of his upcoming album ‘Belly Of The Beast’, which drops at retail on August 25. Tickets are on sale now.
• 50 Cent will be back in the country next year for shows in Sydney and Melbourne in celebration of the 15th anniversary of his album ‘Get Rich Or Die Trying’. The outdoor shows will take place at Parramatta Park on Friday February 09 and Melbourne Showgrounds on Saturday February 10. Tickets are on sale now.
• Well that didn’t last long. Yes, DJ Khaled, Rihanna and Bryson Tiller snatched the UK No.1 spot last week with their smash single ‘Wild Thoughts’, but it’s already gone. And it’s surrendered it to (can you believe it?) Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber with ‘Despacito’. Apart from those two swapping the No.1 and No.2 spots again, the entire top five is steady. Sigala and Ella Eyre are into the top ten with ‘Came Here For Love’ (No.11 to No.9), while Rudimental and James Arthur follow them in with ‘Sun Comes Up’ (No.16 to No.10). Louis Tomlinson scores an (unlucky for some) No.13 debut with his new solo offering ‘Back To You’, while Enrique Iglesias dips his hat into the Latin resurgence with ‘Subeme La Radio’, which is new at No.16. Linkin Park’s ‘Numb’ re-enters the countdown at No.20 after the tragic death of the band’s lead singer Chester Bennington.
• Hello Lana Del Rey! The US songstress scores her third UK No.1 album with ‘Lust For Life’, which premieres in the top spot ahead of a No.2 debut for Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott’s ‘Crooked Calypso’. Ed Sheeran’s at three, before three classic Linkin Park albums re-enter the top ten; ‘Hybrid Theory’ at No.4, ‘One More Light’ at No.5 and ‘Meteora’ at No.7. There’s a No.9 debut for Tyler The Creator’s ‘Flower Boy’, a No.10 debut for Dizzee Rascal’s ‘Raskit’ and a No.11 debut for Declan McKenna’s ‘What Do You Think About The Car?’. Linkin Park’s ‘Minutes To Midnight’ re-enters at No.15.
• Thought this might be the week that DJ Khaled, Rihanna and Bryson Tiller finally snatched the No.1 spot from Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber? Think again. ‘Despacito’ is still number one Stateside and it’s there for an eleventh week. Bruno Mars regains some ground (‘That’s What I Like’ up from No.4 to No.3), while French Montana’s ‘Unforgettable’ bullets from No.9 to No.5. Good news also for Charlie Puth this week too, with his earworm ‘Attention’ finally cracking the US top ten (No.13 to No.10). Demi Lovato will be ‘Sorry Not Sorry’ to see her new single bullet from No.52 to No.23. Selena Gomez’ ‘Fetish’ rises further, however. And how (No.92 to No.27).
• No movement atop the Billboard 200 album chart this week, with Jay-Z maintaining position with ‘4:44’. After debuting in the No.1 spot last week, he keeps it, holding off Kendrick Lamar and a debut at No.3 for the new French Montana album ‘Jungle Rules’. There’s not too much more action in the top ten, but we have a No.15 debut for the new ‘Kaleidoscope’ EP from Coldplay and a re-entry at No.17 for Linkin Park’s album ‘One More Light’ after Chester Bennington’s death.
• We couldn’t possibly squeeze any more in this Saturday morning, so we’ll leave you safe in the knowledge that we’ll be back at 6pm on the East Coast for our regular weekly ARIA Chart Watch. Talk about dependable.
TICKETS PLEASE
SATURDAY JULY 29 : In Stereo (Brisbane, Perth)
MONDAY JULY 31 : EasyFever Tour (East Coast)
MONDAY JULY 31 : Luke Million (Nationally)
MONDAY JULY 31 : Old Crow Medicine Show (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane)
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 02 : Royal Blood (Nationally)
FRIDAY AUGUST 04 : The Chainsmokers (Nationally)
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