Music News

Ed Sheeran thinks people shouldn't shame pop music.
The 'Sing' hitmaker feels there is nothing wrong with liking pop acts and he doesn't understand why anyone would criticise their music because it has a big influence on young people and popular culture.
During a new interview with Radio.com, he said: "Pop (and, especially, hip-hop) producers are as important as rock auteurs, Beyoncé is as worthy of serious consideration as Bruce Springsteen, and ascribing shame to pop pleasure is itself a shameful act.
"I'd say pop music is still the number one music that people listen to and has been for the past 70 years, 80 years -- however many years. As long as it's popular, it's pop music I guess."
Earlier this month, the 23-year-old star, who is about to release his new album 'x', also revealed he plans to write with One Direction again after the success of his song 'Little Things' but insists he wouldn't want to deal with them all at the same time.
He said: "I don't know what I could do with five people in a room. Like, if it was one on one, if I wrote five different songs, one with each of them, then it would work, but I'm a control freak when it comes to writing songs and too many cooks doesn't work.
"I'd want it to go in a certain direction - no pun intended - and, like, everyone has an opinion and I wouldn't want it dragged all those different ways. So yes, I would work with each of them individually, but not five of them at once."

Lady Gaga scrapped her video with R. Kelly to avoid controversy.
The 'Judas' hitmaker previously cited "time constraints" and mysterious "betrayals" for dropping the promotional clip for 'Do What U Want' - which was directed by photographer Terry Richardson - earlier this year, but it has now been claimed the footage was too much like an "ad for rape" to be broadcast.
According to the New York Post newspaper, the video sees Kelly - who was the subject of a Village Voice article in December alleging he had conducted "dozens" of sexual assaults - play a doctor to Gaga's patient, with her asking: "Will I ever be able to walk again?"
The singer replies, "Yes, if you let me do whatever I want with your body...
"I'm putting you under, and when you wake up, you're going to be pregnant."
Additionally, around the time the video - which was shot last September - was due for release, its director was accused of sexual misconduct by several models.
A source said: "Gaga had a video directed by an alleged sexual predator, starring another alleged sexual predator.
"With the theme, 'I'm going to do whatever I want with your body?' It was literally an ad for rape."
In January, Gaga blamed "mismanagement" for the lack of video for the single.
She wrote on her website: ''I was given a week to plan and execute it. It is very devastating for someone like me, I devote every moment of my life to creating fantasies for you.
''All my most successful videos were planned over a period of time when I was rested and my creativity was honored.
''Those who have betrayed me gravely mismanaged my time and health and left me on my own to damage control any problems that ensued as a result."

The 1975 have written eight tracks they want on their second record.
The 'Chocolate' hitmakers are working on the follow-up to their 2013 number one self-titled debut record and plan to get into the studio next year and take some time off from touring to work on new material.
Frontman Matt Healy said: "We have the laptop and loads of little demos knocking around.
"The first album was recorded in a little shed and the second one has been very much the same. I mean, garage, tour bus, there's not really that much difference but there are terrible acoustics in a garage.
"I can't dictate the concept of the second album now, because it will change so much."
Matt has revealed the band have eight songs they are sure they want on the album and they plan to head into the studio in February and release the album by September next year.
He said: "We won't do any festivals next year, we'll be recording an album.
"The first album was very open and everyone knew quite a lot about it. Whereas the next album won't be like that. It is going to be slightly about death and it is going to be slightly weird."
The band - also made up of Ross MacDonald, Adam Hann and George Daniel - have just performed at Ibiza Rocks, Bushmills Live in northern Ireland and Isle of Wight recently but admit touring can take its toll and they're looking forward to a break.
Speaking at Bushmills Live, Matt told BANG Showbiz: "Doing this whole tour as a band is quite new to us, making records isn't. We've been together more than 10 years.
"We've been touring for 18 months it's been pretty heavy.
"It subsides a little bit when you're nine or ten shows in but it's our reality now."

Ellie Goulding and Calvin Harris have been back in the studio working on new material together.
The 'Burn' hitmaker has teamed up with the superstar DJ once again, following the success of their song 'I Need Your Love', which reached number four in the UK Singles Chart in 2012.
Ellie posted a photograph of Calvin on her Instagram account today (18.06.14), along with the caption: "Studio with this really tall person".
The DJ looked busy on his laptop and appeared to be enjoying a drink or two, as a bottle of Smirnoff vodka can be seen in the photograph.
In other snaps the pair are seen together smiling and pulling faces while Calvin points towards Ellie and fans were quick to comment on the news they are making music together again.
One posted: "Sweet!! love you guys together (sic)"
The Scottish producer, who has split from singer Rita Ora, and Ellie were also rumoured to be dating after they shot the romantic video for 'I Need Your Love', in which they kissed throughout the promo.
Ellie denied the rumours but said: "We'd love to do another track together soon.
"'I Need Your Love' was so much fun to make, we have a special connection - but just a musical one.''

The Jackson brothers want to appear on a future Michael Jackson album.
The King of Pop's siblings - Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Jackie - have revealed they hope to be able to work on a record after Michael's posthumous album 'Xscape' hit the number one spot recently and eight more are reportedly planned for release.
Jackie told Gigwise: "We would love to do some recording on the next album.
"We haven't had time to do that yet, but we would love to get into a recording studio on another record. I would love to be a part of my brother's next record."
Jackie, 63, also praised the new album and is insists he is supporting the re-mastering of more of Michael's demos and unheard tracks.
He said: "I'm very pleased with what they did, considering what they had to work with.
"The way things came together - Timbaland, Jay Rock and all the other producers on that record. They made a good record out of what they had to work with, they did a fantastic job. The work they did on that record was wonderful.
"I want to keep the legacy alive, I want the fans to keep hearing music from Michael and the whole family. We want to give it to them as much as we can."
The Jacksons are set to perform two shows in the Isle Of Man and Hardwick Garden Party Live this year with a video projection of Michael, following his hologram appearance at the Billboard Music Awards.
Jackie said: "It is an emotional experience. It's a bittersweet moment sometimes when we are showing him on the screen behind us, people are tearing up and crying in the audience, and it makes us cry too on the stage, but we switch it around to some up-tempo songs and it returns to cheering and dancing. It's a bittersweet moment."

Kasabian feel they deserve to be given the headline slot at Glastonbury festival.
The 'Eez-eh' band - made up of Serge Pizzorno, Tom Meighan, Chris Edwards and Ian Matthews - insist they're ready to step onto the Pyramid Stage at Worthy Farm for the performance of a lifetime next week because they've proved themselves as a band.
Asked if the band has earned their headline slot, Serge told NME magazine: "Five records, 10 years. Yeah, we have. They always like to put a British band on, which is incredible. It's a great story. We were first on [the Other Stage] all those years ago.
"For our band, there's so many preconceptions, it's f***ing hilarious. There's so many lazy people that assume we're a certain way."
The band, who have released their fifth studio album '48:13', will perform alongside fellow headliners Metallica and Arcade Fire and aim to change some people's perceptions.
Serge, 33, added: "That evening, people will just be like, 'Wow, I didn't realise it was anything like this!' That moshpit at Glastonbury on Sunday night, man. We want it to be visible from outer space."
Meanwhile, the band are also performing a huge homecoming gig in Leicester on Saturday (21.06.14) and Serge admits he can't chose which is more important to the band - Victoria Park or headlining Glastonbury.
He said: "That's a tough question. That's done me! I don't know how to answer that. They mean so much for different reasons. They both have to be amazing, they can't not be."

Lady Gaga's 'Judas' plagiarism lawsuit has been dismissed.
A judge has ruled the singer's 2011 track, taken from her second studio album 'Born This Way', is "not substantially similar" to Chicago-based musician Rebecca Francescatti's 1999 song 'Juda'.
Rebecca accused Gaga, 28, of ripping off elements of her song in a lawsuit filed in 2011, but U.S. District Judge Marvin E. Aspen has determined she has failed to provide sufficient evidence of the alleged similarities between the two songs.
According to Billboard.com, Judge Aspen said: "We conclude as a matter of law that the two songs are not substantially similar. No reasonable trier of fact could find that defendants copied protected expression in Francescatti's song. The songs do not 'share enough unique features to give rise to a breach of the duty not to copy another's work.' Accordingly, we grant defendant's motion for summary judgement."
In the ruling, Judge Aspen further explained the lawsuit's objection to a similar title and similar musical notes "are not sufficient to give rise to a finding that the Gaga song has captured the total concept and feel of the Francescatti song".
The court official also found that the elements of plagiarism alleged by Rebecca were not protectable on their own and feels the musician has failed to present unique or protectable elements under plagiarism law.
He added: "We find that Francescatti has neither established that the elements are protectable nor has she established a unique combination of these unprotectable elements. No reasonable trier of fact could find that the songs' expressions are substantially similar."

Katy Perry has launched her own record label.
The 'Roar' hitmaker has teamed up with her record company Capitol to launch Metamorphosis Music and has already made her first signing to the imprint, singer/songwriter Ferras Alqaisi.
After teasing a "huge" announcement on twitter earlier this week, she took to the social media site yesterday (17.06.14) to say: "I am so ECSTATIC to finally announce my NEW label Metamorphosis Music & my first signing, the incredibly talented & soulful FERRAS! (sic)"
Katy went on to praise her new signing and promoted his new self-titled EP, which includes a duet with her entitled 'Legends Never Die'.
She added: "USA/CANADA: check out his INCREDIBLE ep here (& our duet!) and come see him play on #ThePrismaticWorldTour (sic)"
Meanwhile, Ferras is delighted to have been signed up by his "dear friend" and can't wait to join her on tour.
He posted: "The secret is out! I've signed to my dear friend @katyperry's new record label Metamorphosis Music.... (sic)"
He later added: "Thanks so much everyone for all your amazing comments and well-wishes! I'm so excited to see u on the #prismaticworldtour in 5 days! (sic)"

Sam Smith cried when he heard choirs performing his music.
The BRIT Critics' Choice Award-winner's first LP 'In The Lonely Hour' might have become the fastest-selling debut album of 2014 so far, but Sam has remained so humble that he still feels emotional when he hears people singing his songs.
Asked about the last time he cried, he admitted during an interview with Hot Press.com: "The day before yesterday, because I was recording a song in L.A. with a 30-piece orchestra and 20 gospel choirs and they were singing my song.
"I cried my eyes out. My music is so personal so when I heard that happening I was like, 'Oh my gosh!'."
Sam, 22, is a self-professed sensitive soul and explained he wanted his debut album to be deeply personal and not feature unrealistic ideals he can't identify with.
The 'Money on my Mind' hitmaker said: "I'm drawing on unrequited love on the album. It's called 'In The Lonely Hour' because it's about loneliness, and the purest form of loneliness you can find because I've never been in a relationship before.
"So it's almost like I fell in love with my loneliness, because it was just me and that. It's not necessarily sad, it's my version of what I think is love right now. Which I think will change, but I just wanted to be as brutally honest as I could about being lonely."