• Welcome to your Saturday edition of The Purge. We’re getting ‘Personal’ this week; kicking things off with the new single from British band The Vamps and Maggie Lindemann. The latter has been sweeping the world recently with her breakout single ‘Pretty Girl’, so the timing for this collaboration is perfect. “We always enjoy working with new people,” the band says. “When we heard Maggie’s tune ‘Pretty Girl’ we knew she was going to be awesome. She’s such a talented person whose voice added so much to the single.” The single dropped digitally yesterday.
• Call it a little taster, if you will… former One Direction star Louis Tomlinson has dropped a new track called ‘Just Like You’. According to his label Sony, it’s not a new single… that will come later this year. But co-penned by Louis alongside Burns and Jesse Thomas, this should tide fans over while they wait for the new single proper. Sony also tells us that Louis’ fans will be waiting until next year for his debut solo album.
• Could Jonas Blue score a fourth top ten ARIA hit? His local label is certainly hoping so, servicing the UK DJ’s new track ‘We Could Go Back’ to local media yesterday. Featuring vocals from Moelogo, the single follows on from his smash hits ‘Fast Car’, ‘Perfect Strangers’ and ‘Mama’; the latter featuring Australian star William Singe.
• Aussie producer and performer Nick Murphy has dropped a new single entitled ‘Medication’. We’re told that the new song, which was released on Wednesday, is only the first piece to the puzzle, with publicists teasing to “stay tuned for more Nick Murphy news coming soon.” It’s Nick’s first new music since dropping his ‘Missing Link’ EP back in May.
• Christmas is fast approaching for another year and Josh Groban has revealed that he’ll help make the yuletide a little merrier this season with the release of a deluxe edition of his festive set ‘Noël’ to co-incide with its 10th anniversary. To be released on November 03, the new album comprises the 13 tracks on the original album, along with six extra recordings, four of which are brand new (‘White Christmas’, ‘Christmas Time Is Here’ with Tony Bennett, ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’ and ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’).
• Just when you thought it was safe to pack away all your ‘Frozen’ merchandise, the holiday season is about to get frosty again, with the release of ‘Disney’s Olaf’s Frozen Adventure’. The soundtrack will be released on Friday November 03, almost two months before the new short film will feature in front of Disney Pixar’s new movie ‘Coco’, which hits cinemas on December 26. Four new original songs feature as part of the new release, including ‘Ring In The Season’, performed by stars Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel and Josh Gad.
• The news keeps getting better for Australia’s Vance Joy, with his latest single ‘Lay It On Me’ this week being certified platinum for sales in excess of 70,000 units. To celebrate, he’s released a special acoustic version of it and has hinted that more new music is to come very soon. Vance will compete for Best Male Artist at this year’s ARIA Awards.
• Sydney’s Lupa J has dropped a new EP. ‘A House I Don’t Remember’ arrived at digital providers everywhere yesterday, giving followers six new Lupa J songs to call their own. To celebrate its release, Lupa will play a one-off show at the Chippendale Hotel in her hometown on Saturday November 11. Tickets are on sale now.
• Belle and Sebastian have confirmed the release of three EPs from later this year. The ‘How To Solve Our Human Problems’ trilogy will kick off in early December with the release of the first EP, which comprises five tracks (‘Sweet Dew Lee’, ‘We Were Beautiful’, ’Fickle Season’, ‘The Girl Doesn’t Get It’ and ‘Everything Is Now’). That EP, due on December 08, will be followed by the second five track EP on January 19 and a third and final instalment on February 16.
• Warner Music is striking while the iron’s hot and, with his single ‘All On My Mind’ currently ensconced in the Billboard top 10 Stateside (and an appearance on ‘Ellen’ set to screen in Australia on Monday), they’ve confirmed that Anderson East’s new album ‘Encore’ will be released on Friday January 12.
• Sam Smith has confirmed that the profits from his recently-announced one-off show at the Sydney Opera House will all go to charity. The money will be split three ways; beneficiaries are Reach Out, an online mental health organisation for young people and their parents, Twenty 10, a New South Wales support network for young GLBTIQ people and to the campaign for Marriage Equality. Tickets for the one-off show are on sale from midday AEDT on Monday.
• Swedish duo First Aid Kit will play headline shows in Sydney and Melbourne when they’re in the country for Bluesfest in Byron Bay next April. They’ve locked away a gig at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney on Tuesday April 03 and another at Melbourne’s Croxton Bandroom on Thursday April 05. Tickets for the band’s first local shows in three years are on sale from 9am local time this Monday, October 16.
• US outfit We The Kings will celebrate the 10 year anniversary of their self-titled debut album by hitting the road for a series of shows across Australia from early February. The run of six shows kicks off at The Triffid in Brisbane on February 01 before moving to Sydney (Metro Theatre on Feb 02), Melbourne (Arrow On Swanston on Feb 03 and 170 Russell on Feb 04), Adelaide (Governor Hindmarsh on Feb 07) and finally Perth (Rosemount Hotel on February 08). An exclusive fan pre-sale is live already ahead of general sales, which go live at 9am local time this Tuesday, October 17.
• 360 is taking the show on the road in March next year in support of his upcoming album ‘Vintage Modern’. The run of capital city shows kicks off at The Evelyn in Melbourne on February 24 before dropping in on the Metro Theatre in Sydney (March 02), The Triffid in Brisbane (March 03), Governor Hindmarsh in Adelaide (March 09), The Astor in Perth (March 10) and the Forum Theatre in Melbourne on March 16. ‘Close Circle’ pre-sale tickets are live on Tuesday before general public tickets go on sale from this Thursday, October 19.
• Midnight Oils have added another one-off show entitled ‘One For The Oceans’, this time at the Fremantle Arts Centre on Sunday October 29. For the first time ever in Australia, they’ll be playing their classic LP ’10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1′ in its entirety, at the same time raising funds for a range of charities that support reef protection in the face of climate change. Oils’ members get first dibs on tickets from 10am WST on Monday before general public tickets hit from 10am WST on Wednesday, October 18.
• The first line-up for Melbourne’s Sugar Mountain Festival is here… and there’s plenty to get excited about. Local heroes Cut Copy head the list of top name talent who’ll take the stage at the January 20 event, but they’re set to be joined by the likes of Joey Bada$$, Jamila Woods, Honey Dijon, Actress, Beaches and more. First release tickets are on sale now.
• Post Malone makes himself comfortable atop the UK singles chart for a second successive week with his global hit ‘Rockstar’, this week holding off a challenge from Camila Cabello’s single ‘Havana’ which seemingly has designs on the top spot, improving from No.3 to No.2. Zayn and Sia’s ‘Dusk Till Dawn’ climbs slightly (No.7 to No.6) and is now just one position away from matching its UK chart peak thus far. But J Balvin and Willy Williams’ ‘Mi Gente’ is really on the move (No.14 to No.8) now that Beyoncé’s vocals appear on the track.
• Shania Twain has lost top spot on this week’s UK albums chart. In fact, her new album ‘Now’ tumbles out of the top ten entirely in its second week, slumping to No.11. Shania’s place has been taken this week by Liam Gallagher and his new long player ‘As You Were’. It debuts in the No.1 position ahead of a No.2 debut for Giggs’ ‘Wamp 2 Dem’. The rest of the top five is made up of Ed Sheeran, The Killers and Foo Fighters. A-Ha is in at No.6 with their new long player ‘MTV Unplugged : Summer Solstice’. They lead a procession of further top ten entries; Marilyn Manson’s ‘Heaven Upside Down’ at No.7, Darkness’ ‘Pinewood Smile’ at No.8, JP Cooper’s ‘Raised Under Grey Skies’ at No.9 and Jason Manford’s ‘A Different Stage’ at No.10.
• There’s still no budging Cardi B and her single ‘Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)’ from the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in the US this week. It scores its third week on top ahead of Post Malone’s ‘Rockstar’. But ‘Mi Gente’ from J Balvin and Willy William may upset the apple cart next week now that it’s got superstar Beyoncé lending her vocals to it. It rockets from No.21 to No.3. Could it land No.1 next week? Imagine Dragons also have designs on some higher chart placings with their latest single ‘Thunder’ which bullets from No.17 to No.7. Ed Sheeran’s ‘Perfect’ is also on the move, jumping from No.58 to No.34 now that it’s been granted single status.
• And welcome back Shania Twain. The Canadian country/pop star’s first album in 15 years has premiered at No.1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, giving her No.1 in the key markets of the UK, UK, Australia and at home in Canada. Last week, the Killers’ new album was shining in the No.1 spot. This week, however, its chart position is less than ‘Wonderful Wonderful’; it’s plunged to No.59. The entire US top five this week is made up of new entries. After his untimely death, fans have sent Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ best-of debuting in the No.2 spot. That’s ahead of new entries for Demi Lovato’s ‘Tell Me You Love Me’ (No.3), A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie’s ‘A Bigger Artist’ (No.4) and Miley Cyrus’ ‘Younger Now’ (No.5). Tamar Braxton’s ‘Bluebird Of Happiness’ enters at No.14.
• And that’s another Purge done and dusted for the week. We will, however, be back at 6pm AEDT with another exciting look at the happenings on the Australian charts with our ARIA Chart Watch.
TICKETS PLEASE
MONDAY OCTOBER 16 : First Aid Kit (Sydney, Melbourne)
MONDAY OCTOBER 16 : Grinspoon (Gold Coast)
MONDAY OCTOBER 16 : Rodrigo Y Gabriela (Nationally)
MONDAY OCTOBER 16 : Sam Smith (Sydney)
TUESDAY OCTOBER 17 : Twilight At Taronga (Sydney)
TUESDAY OCTOBER 17 : We The Kings (Nationally)
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 18 : Hotter Than Hell (Nationally)
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 18 : Midnight Oil (Fremantle)
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 18 : Angus & Julia Stone (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane)
THURSDAY OCTOBER 19 : 360 (Nationally)
FRIDAY OCTOBER 20 : P!nk (Nationally)
Australia's first stop for pop!