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CNN
12 hours ago
- Business
- CNN
Music festivals were once on the cutting edge. Now, they may be in crisis
Music festivals are facing a crisis. On the brink of what should be another exciting summer festival season, dozens of music festivals are shutting down. The trend has been simmering for years — the longstanding Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago isn't returning this summer, following similar announcements last year from Atlanta's Music Midtown and Kickoff Jam in Florida. Meanwhile, festivals like Jay-Z's Made in America festival and Delaware's Firefly Music Festival haven't returned since 2022. This year, more than 40 festivals have already been canceled, according to one count. These cancellations aren't the only signs that something is awry in the festival scene. For the second year in a row, tickets to Coachella — the preeminent festival in the California desert that once sold out within hours — remained available for months. Electric Forest, Michigan's notable electronic and jam band festival, has also seen a slowdown in sales, igniting more concern over the landscape overall. Some blame the spate of cancellations on changing tastes; others point to the lack of curiosity from younger generations (why pay to see a bunch of acts you haven't heard of?). And, of course, there's a general belt tightening overall. Either way, the result is the same. Music festivals were once on the cutting edge, events where the music and vibe felt fresh and unique. But taken together, the declining ticket sales and cancellations paint a struggling picture of the festival industry, even as other areas of live music thrive. These days, music festivals have become synonymous with summer, with almost every major city boasting their own sweaty sonic assembly. That wasn't always the case. In 1969, when Woodstock brought almost half a million people to see live music at a dairy farm in upstate New York, the event continued to resonate even years afterward, said Tiffany Naiman, director of Music Industry Programs at University of California, Los Angeles. 'It lived in the cultural memory of America,' she said, 'in this idea of a wonderful musical experience that changed people's lives.' Afterward, the desire for similar experiences lingered. Most of the festivals people might be familiar with now — Coachella, Lollapalooza, even Warped Tour — began in the 1990s. Lollapalooza, which began in 1991, notably became the Woodstock for Gen X-ers, Naiman said, a place for community and a diverse set of music. 'It was a great experience for people, because you got to see so many acts and things like that, for so little money,' Naiman said. 'Right now, that has obviously changed.' Blake Atchison, who lives in Nashville, still remembers sneaking into the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival back in 2002, the very first year it was held. Now, he takes his son with him every summer. The whole festival experience, said Atchison — who co-founded Nashville's Deep Tropics festival in 2017 — is magical. There's a sense of discovery in festivals, he said, with all the different stages with different types of music. You can stumble upon an amazing band or DJ that you end up loving, absent of a streaming algorithm feeding you similar sounds over and over again. At a festival, if you're open, Atchison said, you could discover something totally new. 'There's just nothing like it,' he said. 'I love music, I love experiencing music with people, and I don't think there's any purer form to do that than a well put together festival.' But over the years, that festival experience has changed. At Bonnaroo, for example, some longtime attendees have complained that the event has become swarmed with big, corporate sponsors. There's a tension between the two camps: Some mourn the days when the festival felt more bohemian, while others appreciate the increased investment, reflected in better toilets and more popular acts. That divide illustrates just how far festivals have come, but also underlines a challenge: Once integrated into the mainstream, how do these festivals stay distinct? While music festivals have long retained a grip on American identity, their hold might be slipping. Though the number of festivals has ballooned since the late '90s and early aughts, it's not clear that the demand has kept up, said Will Page, former chief economist of Spotify. Inflation and tightening budgets have people spending less in nearly every part of American life, including nightlife, fashion and dining out. While you could once see your favorite act play a major stadium and still attend a festival that same summer, music enthusiasts today are having to choose between the two. 'Roll forward to 2024, you go all in to see Taylor Swift, and you don't bother with the festival,' Page said. 'We're seeing an element of displacement, of cannibalization, of the stadium acts eating the festivals' lunch.' In other words, we've become more risk-averse. Why would you want to travel and pay hundreds of dollars for a weekend pass (not including costs for camping, drinks, food, etc.) to see artists you're not sure you'll enjoy? Especially when you could spend it on Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter tour instead? People want their echo chambers, Page said, and gambling on a festival might not seem worth it. Running a festival has become more challenging for organizers, too. As ticket pricing structures have changed, more artists are foregoing festivals for their own worldwide arena tours, where they can make more money, Page said. That's made it harder for festivals to attract top talent. Operation costs are also rising, Page said, but there's a limit to how much festivals can charge for tickets. 'You have a credit crunch facing festivals across the board,' he said. 'But particularly the smaller festivals are less able to hedge, less able to negotiate those terms, to manage that cost inflation.' The vulnerability of these smaller events can cause issues for prospective buyers. Midwest Dreams, a new EDM festival in St. Louis, was meant to kick off at the end of May, but organizers postponed the event to November about a week before the scheduled start. While a press release points to the damage caused by a recent tornado, onlookers noted that other events at the venue are still proceeding as scheduled. Refunds for the event were also reportedly only offered for 24 hours, after which tickets would roll over to the new date — although in an email to CNN, festival organizers noted the time limit was a ticket vendor policy and anyone who wants a refund will get it. Some fans understood the move; others claimed the festival was covering for low ticket sales. Midwest Dreams denied those claims. Then there's the increasing frequency of severe weather events. Acts can't perform if there's lightning, Naiman said, and insurance can also be a headache. Temperatures are also getting much hotter. The unpredictability of a music festival is part of the experience — but it can also make potential festival-goers wary. Last year, Electric Forest — where single-day passes are going for $175 in 2025 — was plagued with so much rain and severe thunderstorms that the festival was forced to end early and nix performances from headliners. A year later, some fans are still irate over not receiving a refund or voucher. (Electric Forest did not respond to CNN's request for comment.) Either way, for both organizers and attendees, festivals are simply becoming harder bets. And it's not just in the US. Festivals in Canada, in the United Kingdom, and across Europe have seen similar struggles, creating a picture of a worldwide music festival slump. The problems facing music festivals are the same problems facing almost every aspect of society. Money's tight, and the way people discover and experience music today is changing. But people still want to see live music, Naiman said. Indeed, even as the cost of concert tickets has soared, consumers have kept splurging. But among larger festivals, there's been little change or growth over the years, Naiman said. Instead, there's been a flattening, with the same artists playing and the same styles of music. (Case in point: Luke Combs, Tyler, the Creator, and Olivia Rodrigo are all headlining both Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza this year.) 'The larger ones are plateauing because they haven't changed for the better,' Naiman said. 'I don't think that Coachella is doing anything unique or radical anymore.' That unique, grassroots vibe for which many longstanding music festivals became popular has somewhat faded in recent years, particularly as behemoths Live Nation and AEG have gathered ownership over major music festivals, leaning toward a more mainstream EDM and pop-centric lineup. For some longtime fans, that change is hard to swallow. Lollapalooza, for example, which began as a farewell tour before evolving into an underground alternative rock festival, was acquired by Live Nation in 2014. In 2016, bemoaning the influx of EDM into the lineup, Lollapalooza founder and Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell told the Chicago Tribune: 'I sometimes cringe at my own festival.' And music fans seem to be gravitating toward other spaces to experience something new. Currently, The All-American Rejects are embarking on a nationwide house party tour, eschewing traditional venues for backyards, college campuses and, in one instance, a bowling alley. Though the pop-rock band is still playing some summer festivals (Warped Tour, Shaky Knees and Aftershock), while opening for the Jonas Brothers in stadiums, these unconventional shows and the ensuing social media hype have revived the band's early aughts buzz. To set themselves apart, smaller festivals have had to move beyond music as a way to entice audiences, Atchison said. Deep Tropics, which he said has seen an average of 43% growth year over year since its founding in 2017, has focused on sustainability, and integrated more speakers, workshops, and even yoga and breathwork into the festival. 'There's other elements that fans are searching for,' Atchison said. Part of the solution may also lie in reframing what a music festival actually means. Naiman used the Sundance Film Festival as an example, where film buffs gather not to see their favorite movies, but to be the first to uncover the coolest up-and-coming directors and actors. 'Though we like being in our echo chamber, I think there's a hunger for new things,' Naiman said. 'I think it's really about framing it, and how festivals frame this idea of discovery and experience versus seeing whoever again.' That hunger for new things is vital. For music festivals, their survival may very well depend on it.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Miley Cyrus Releases New Album Something Beautiful : Listen and Read the Full Credits
All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by Pitchfork editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, Condé Nast may earn an affiliate commission. Miley Cyrus in 'Easy Lover,' directed by Miley Cyrus, Jacob Bixenman, and Brendan Walter Miley Cyrus has released her new album, Something Beautiful. The follow-up to 2023's Endless Summer Vacation boasts contributions from a slew of notable musicians, including Foxygen's Jonathan Rado, Alabama Shakes' Brittany Howard, and the War on Drugs' Adam Granduciel. Cyrus executive-produced Something Beautiful with Shawn Everett, who also plays a number of instruments on the album. In addition, Everett mixed and mastered the LP at his own Subtle McNugget Studios in Los Angeles. Listen to Something Beautiful, see the new music video for 'Easy Lover,' and find the full list of album credits below. Something Beautiful is really filled with big names. Here are some more: Bibi Bourelly, Nick Hakim, Alvvays' Molly Rankin and Alec O'Hanley, Tobias Jesso Jr., Kenny Segal, bassist Pino Palladino, saxophonist Joseph Shabason, Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Nick Zinner, Model/Actriz's Cole Haden, BJ Burton, the Lemon Twigs' Brian D'Addario, Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea, Atoms for Peace's Joey Waronker, high-profile songwriters Tyler Johnson, Kid Harpoon, Ryan Beatty, and Emile Haynie, Miike Snow's Andrew Wyatt, Haim's Danielle Haim, Sad Sax of Shit's Nelson Devereaux, and Money Mark. Plus, Cyrus samples Marie Davidson's 'Work It (Soulwax Remix).' Cyrus announced Something Beautiful back in March; the album arrives with a companion film directed by Cyrus, Jacob Bixenman, and Brendan Walter. The film will get a theatrical release in June. Cyrus released the singles 'Prelude,' 'Something Beautiful,' 'End of the World,' and 'More to Lose' ahead of the record. Cyrus has said that Something Beautiful was inspired by Pink Floyd's The Wall. 'My idea was making The Wall, but with a better wardrobe and more glamorous and filled with pop culture,' she said in an interview with Harper's Bazaar. Writer: Miley Cyrus, Maxx Morando, Cole Haden, Shawn Everett, Jonathan Rado, and Michael Pollack Producer: Miley Cyrus, Maxx Morando, Shawn Everett, Jonathan Rado, and Michael Pollack Engineer: Shawn Everett, Ian Gold, and Pièce Eatah Assistant Engineer: JC LeResche Vocal Engineer: Pièce Eatah and Shawn Everett Tape Operator: JC LeResche Strings and Organ recorded at Bandrika Studios (Los Angeles, CA) with the Barr-Fox Wurlitzer Theater Organ 1st Assistant Engineer: Harry Risoleo 2nd Assistant Engineers: Joyie Lai and Tristan Curbishley Studio Assistant: Teo Suarez Synth and Drum Programming, SFX and Foley: Shawn Everett Bass: Pino Palladino, Jules Levy, and Eric Shetzen EMS Synthi, Barr-Fox Wurlitzer Theater Organ programming, MS 20, Fairlight CMI, Moog System 55, SFX and Foley: Jonathan Rado OB6, ARP Solina String Ensemble, Minimoog, and Drum Programming: Maxx Morando Saxophone: Henry Solomon Fairlight CMI Programming and Moog System 55 programming: Tim Curtis Barr-Fox Wurlitzer Theater Organ Programming, SFX, and Foley: Ian Gold SFX and Foley: Pièce Eatah Violin I: Alyssa Park, Luanne Homzy, Ben Jacobson, Wynton Grant, Molly Rogers, and Andrew Kwon Violin II: Jessica Guideri, Maya Magub, Aiko Richter, Stephanie Yu, Eun Mee Ahn, and Clayton Penrose-Whitmore Viola: Luke Maurer, Zach Dellinger, Rita Andrade, and Drew Forde Cello: Jake Braun, Charlie Tyler, Caleb Vaughn-Jones, and Christine Kim Organ: Ty Woodward Leader and Arranger: Maxwell Karmazyn AFM Contractor: Jules Levy - Savage Music Productions Conductor: Tim Davies Admin: Haji Goto Lead Orchestrator, Librarian, and Copyist: Niall Ferguson Orchestrator, Librarian, and Copyist: Alex Williams Barr-Fox Wurlitzer Theater Organ Engineer: Harry Risoleo Writer: Miley Cyrus, Maxx Morando, Max Taylor-Sheppard, Michael Pollack, and Ryan Beatty Producer: Miley Cyrus, Maxx Morando, Max Taylor-Sheppard, Shawn Everett, Jonathan Rado, and Michael Pollack Engineer: Shawn Everett, Ian Gold, Ivan Wayman, and Pièce Eatah Assistant Engineer: JC LeResche, Ben Miller, and Alisse Laymac Vocal Engineer: Pièce Eatah and Shawn Everett Tape Operator: JC LeResche Drums, Bass, Pulsar-23 Drum Machine, and Electric Guitar: Maxx Morando Electric Guitar: Adam Granduciel Omnichord: Kenny Segal Bass: Pino Palladino Piano, EMS Synthi, CS 80, Lexicon Prime Time, Mellotron, Vibraphone, SFX, and Foley: Jonathan Rado Modor NF-1, Prophet 10, Hammond B3: Max Sheppard Tenor Saxophone: Adam Schatz Alto Saxophone and Solo: Josh Johnson Baritone Saxophone: Jon Natchez Rhodes and Moog Model D: Nick Hakim Vocals: Xoco Everett SFX and Foley: Shawn Everett, Ian Gold, and Pièce Eatah Writer: Miley Cyrus, Michael Pollack, Gregory Aldae Hein, Shawn Everett, Jonathan Rado, Molly Rankin, and Alec O'Hanley Producer: Miley Cyrus, Shawn Everett, Michael Pollack, Jonathan Rado, Maxx Morando, Max Taylor-Sheppard, Molly Rankin, and Alec O'Hanley Engineer: Shawn Everett, Ian Gold, Ivan Wayman, and Pièce Eatah Assistant Engineer: JC LeResche, Alisse Laymac, and JC Chiam Vocal Engineer: Pièce Eatah and Shawn Everett Tape Operator: JC LeResche Drums, Bass, OB-6: Maxx Morando Bass: Pino Palladino Teenage Engineering Choir Programming, Drum Programming, and Claps Programming: Shawn Everett CP 80, Yamaha CP70, Mellotron, EMS Synthi, Six String Bass, Juno 106, LinnDrum, Acoustic Guitar, High Strung Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Glockenspiel, Bass, and Percussion: Jonathan Rado Juno, Electric Guitar, ARP, Prophet, Various Synths, Acoustic Guitar, Piano, and Emulator: Alec O'Hanley Vocals: Molly Rankin Rhodes Piano, and OB-6: Max Sheppard Violin, Transcription, Arranger, and Orchestration: Maxwell Karmazyn Violin: Adam Millstein Viola: Molly Rogers Cello: Dennis Karmazyn AFM Contractor: Jules Levy - Savage Music Productions Writer: Miley Cyrus, Michael Pollack, and Autumn Rowe Producer: Miley Cyrus, Shawn Everett, Michael Pollack, Jonathan Rado, and BJ Burton Engineer: Shawn Everett, Ian Gold, BJ Burton, and Pièce Eatah Assistant Engineer: JC LeResche and JC Chiam Vocal Engineer: Pièce Eatah and Shawn Everett Tape Operator: JC LeResche Vocal Loop Pad: Miley Cyrus Drums, Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, EMS Synthi, Choir Sample Programming, Hammond B3, Marxophone, Piano, Vibraphone, Fender Rhodes, Tubular Bells, Tape Loops, Treatments, SFX, and Foley: Jonathan Rado Bass and Fretless Bass: Pino Palladino Vocal Loop Pad Programming: Shawn Everett Saxophone Programming, Violin Programming, and Modular Piano: BJ Burton Saxophone: Nelson Devereaux Violin: Bed Gaunt Piano, Wurlitzer 200a, Choir Sample Programming, and Harpsichord: Michael Pollack Harpsichord and Hammond B3: Larry Goldings and Drew Erickson Harp: Sara Kawai Choir Vocals: Sarah Barthel SFX and Foley: Ian Gold and Pièce Eatah Rhythmic Programming: Nate Smith Writer: Miley Cyrus, Maxx Morando, Max Taylor-Sheppard, Shawn Everett, Jonathan Rado, and Michael Pollack Producer: Miley Cyrus, Maxx Morando, Shawn Everett, Max Taylor-Sheppard, Jonathan Rado, and Michael Pollack Engineer: Shawn Everett, Ian Gold, and Pièce Eatah Assistant Engineer: JC LeResche Vocal Engineer: Pièce Eatah and Shawn Everett Tape Operator: JC LeResche Strings and Organ recorded at Bandrika Studios (Los Angeles, CA) with the Barr-Fox Wurlitzer Theater Organ 1st Assistant Engineer: Harry Risoleo 2nd Assistant Engineer: Joyie Lai and Tristan Curbishley Studio Assistant: Teo Suarez Drums: Bob Everett Guitar, Bass, Drums, Moog DFAM, Pulsar 23, and Tascam PortaStudio 424 MK2: Maxx Morando Bass, Drums, Waldorf Quantum, Kurzweil K2000, Modor NF-1, and Prophet 10: Max Sheppard Bass: Pino Palladino Synth programming, SFX, and Foley: Shawn Everett Vibraphone, Synth Programming, Fairlight CMI, Moog System 55, EMS Synthi, SFX and Foley, and Treatments: Jonathan Rado Alto Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone, Clarinet, and Bass Clarinet: Henry Solomon Bass: Charlie Anastasis Guitar: Sam De La Torre Fairlight CMI Programming and Moog System 55 Programming: Tim Curtis SFX and Foley: Ian Gold and Pièce Eatah Violin I: Alyssa Park, Luanne Homzy, Ben Jacobson, Wynton Grant, Molly Rogers, and Andrew Kwon Violin II: Jessica Guideri, Maya Magub, Aiko Richter, Stephanie Yu, Eun Mee Ahn, and Clayton Penrose-Whitmore Viola: Luke Maurer, Zach Dellinger, Rita Andrade, and Drew Forde Cello: Jake Braun, Charlie Tyler, Caleb Vaughn-Jones, and Christine Kim Bass: Jules Levy and Eric Shetzen Leader and Arranger: Maxwell Karmazyn AFM Contractor: Jules Levy - Savage Music Productions Conductor: Tim Davies Admin: Haji Goto Lead Orchestrator, Librarian, and Copyist: Niall Ferguson Orchestrator, Librarian, and Copyist: Alex Williams Barr-Fox Wurlitzer Theater Organ Engineering: Harry Risoleo Writer: Miley Cyrus, Michael Pollack, Ryan Tedder, and Omer Fedi Producer: Miley Cyrus, Shawn Everett, Michael Pollack, and Jonathan Rado Engineer: Shawn Everett, Ian Gold, and Pièce Eatah Assistant Engineer: JC LeResche Fiddle Engineer: Tim Reitnouer Vocal Engineer: Pièce Eatah and Shawn Everett Tape Operator: JC LeResche Drums: Justin Brown Bass: Pino Palladino Guitar, stomps, SFX, and Foley: Jonathan Rado Fiddle: Sara Watkins Pedal Steel: Matt Pynn Stomps and Wurlitzer 200a: Michael Pollack Stomps, String Synths, Programming, SFX, and Foley: Shawn Everett Electric Guitar: Brittany Howard Stomps, BG Vocal FX, SFX, and Foley: Ian Gold Background Vocal FX: Bronte Araghi SFX and Foley: Pièce Eatah Writer: Miley Cyrus, Maxx Morando, Shawn Everett, Jonathan Rado, and Michael Pollack Producer: Miley Cyrus, Maxx Morando, Shawn Everett, Jonathan Rado, and Michael Pollack Engineer: by Shawn Everett, Ian Gold, and Pièce Eatah Assistant Engineer: JC LeResche Vocal Engineer: Pièce Eatah and Shawn Everett Tape Operator: JC LeResche Strings and Organ recorded at Bandrika Studios (Los Angeles, CA) with the Barr-Fox Wurlitzer Theater Organ 1st Assistant Engineer: Harry Risoleo 2nd Assistant Engineer: Joyie Lai and Tristan Curbishley Studio Assistant: Teo Suarez OB-6, Prophet 5, Minimoog, Pulsar 23 & PERKONS HD-01, and Overstayer Modular Channel: Maxx Morando Synth Programming, SFX, and Foley: Shawn Everett Barr-Fox Wurlitzer Theater Organ Programming, Vibraphone, Fairlight CMI, EMS Synthi, Moog System 55, Treatments, SFX, and Foley: Jonathan Rado Saxophones and Clarinets: Henry Solomon String Programming, SFX, and Foley: Ian Gold SFX and Foley: Pièce Eatah and JC LeResche Fairlight CMI Programming, and Moog System 55 Programming: Tim Curtis Violin I: Alyssa Park, Luanne Homzy, Ben Jacobson, Wynton Grant, Molly Rogers, and Andrew Kwon Violin II: Jessica Guideri, Maya Magub, Aiko Richter, Stephanie Yu, Eun Mee Ahn, and Clayton Penrose-Whitmore Viola: Luke Maurer, Zach Dellinger, Rita Andrade, and Drew Forde Cello: Jake Braun, Charlie Tyler, Caleb Vaughn-Jones, and Christine Kim Bass: Jules Levy and Eric Shetzen Organ: Ty Woodward Leader and Arranger: Maxwell Karmazyn AFM Contractor: Jules Levy - Savage Music Productions Conductor: Tim Davies Admin: Haji Goto Lead Orchestrator, Librarian, and Copyist: Niall Ferguson Orchestrator, Librarian, and Copyist: Alex Williams Barr-Fox Wurlitzer Theater Organ Engineering: Harry Risoleo Writer: Miley Cyrus, Michael Pollack, Shawn Everett, Jonathan Rado, Bibi Bourelly, and Tobias Jesso Jr. Producer: Miley Cyrus, Shawn Everett, Jonathan Rado, Michael Pollack, and BJ Burton Engineer: Shawn Everett, Ian Gold, and Pièce Eatah Assistant Engineer: JC LeResche Vocal Engineer: Pièce Eatah and Shawn Everett Tape Operator: JC LeResche Drums: Joey Waronker Bass: Pino Palladino MS 20 Bass, Acoustic Guitar, EMS Synthi, Hammond B3, CS 80, Wurlitzer 200a, Vibraphone, Electric Guitar, Tape Loops, and Treatments: Jonathan Rado Drum Programming and Ambient Sculpture: Shawn Everett Electric Guitar: Nick Zinner Violin, Transcription, Arranger, and Orchestration: Maxwell Karmazyn Violin: Adam Millstein Viola: Molly Rogers Cello: Dennis Karmazyn AFM Contractor: Jules Levy - Savage Music Productions Motorcycle: Fabienne Grisel SFX and Foley: Ian Gold and Pièce Eatah Writer: Miley Cyrus, Maxx Morando, Michael Pollack, Shawn Everett, Brittany Howard, and Jonathan Rado Producer: Miley Cyrus, Shawn Everett, Michael Pollack, Jonathan Rado, and Maxx Morando Additional Production: Brittany Howard Engineer: Shawn Everett, Ian Gold, Ivan Wayman, and Pièce Eatah Assistant Engineer: JC LeResche and JC Chiam Vocal Engineer: Pièce Eatah, Shawn Everett, and Ian Gold Tape Operator: JC LeResche Drums, Bass, Electric Guitar, and PERKONS HD-01: Maxx Morando Bass: Pino Palladino MS 20, Electric Guitar, CS80, Waldorf Wave, JP 8000, Synth Programming, Clav, JP 8000, JV1080, ARP Quartet, Juno 60, and Treatments: Jonathan Rado Drum Programming, Synth Programming, and TB 303 Bass Programming: Shawn Everett Clav: Money Mark Electric Guitar: Danielle Haim Juno 60, Waldorf Wave, ARP Quartet: Michael Pollack Vocals and Electric Guitar: Brittany Howard Synth: Alec O'Hanley Syndrum and Vermona DRM-1: Jay Rudolph Writer: Miley Cyrus, Maxx Morando, Gregory Aldae Hein, Michael Pollack, Andrew Wyatt, Emile Haynie, Shawn Everett, and Jonathan Rado Producer: Miley Cyrus, Shawn Everett, Jonathan Rado, Michael Pollack, and Maxx Morando Additional Production: Kenny Segal Engineer: Shawn Everett, Ian Gold, and Pièce Eatah Assistant Engineer: JC LeResche and Nick Hodges Vocal Engineer: Pièce Eatah and Shawn Everett Tape Operator: JC LeResche Drums, OB-6, and Electric Guitar: Maxx Morando Bass: Pino Palladino Omnichord and Sampler: Kenny Segal Electric Guitar: Adam Granduciel Wurlitzer 200a, Moog System 55, CS 80, Acoustic Guitar, Slide Guitar, MS 20, and Marxophone: Jonathan Rado Drum programming and MS 20 Programming: Shawn Everett Writer: Miley Cyrus, Michael Pollack, Shawn Everett, Jonathan Rado, Marie Davidson, David Dewaele, Stephen Dewaele, and Pierre Guerineau Producer: Miley Cyrus, Shawn Everett, Jonathan Rado, Michael Pollack, and Ian Gold Engineer: Shawn Everett, Ian Gold, and Pièce Eatah Assistant Engineer: JC LeResche, Ben Miller, and Nicole Schmidt Vocal Engineer: Pièce Eatah and Shawn Everett Tape Operator: JC LeResche Strings and Organ recorded at Bandrika Studios with the Barr-Fox Wurlitzer Theater Organ 1st Assistant Engineer: Harry Risoleo 2nd Assistant Engineer: Joyie Lai and Tristan Curbishley Studio Assistant: Teo Suarez Drums: Joey Waronker and Kane Ritchotte Bass: Pino Palladino and Flea LinnDrum Programming, MPC Programming, Electric Guitar, Wurlitzer 200a, Melodic Bass, TR-808 Programming, Fairlight CMI, Moog System 55, MS 20, Elka Synthex, and ARP Quartet: Jonathan Rado LinnDrum Programming, Drum Programming, Vocoder Programming, and TB 303 Programming: Shawn Everett Wurlitzer 200a, ARP Quartet, and MS 20: Michael Pollack Cristal Baschet and Ondes Martenot: Thomas Bloch Spoken Words: Naomi Campbell Saxophone: Henry Solomon Oberheim DMX, and Synths: Alec O'Hanley Vocals: Molly Rankin Saxophone: Joseph Shabason Bass Sample: Soulwax Fairlight CMI Programming and Moog System 55 Programming: Tim Curtis TR-808 Programming: Ian Gold Violin I: Alyssa Park, Luanne Homzy, Ben Jacobson, Wynton Grant, Molly Rogers, and Andrew Kwon Violin II: Jessica Guideri, Maya Magub, Aiko Richter, Stephanie Yu, Eun Mee Ahn, and Clayton Penrose-Whitmore Viola: Luke Maurer, Zach Dellinger, Rita Andrade, and Drew Forde Cello: Jake Braun, Charlie Tyler, Caleb Vaughn-Jones, and Christine Kim Bass: Jules Levy and Eric Shetzen Organ: Ty Woodward Leader, Arranger, Transcription, and Orchestration: Maxwell Karmazyn AFM Contractor: Jules Levy - Savage Music Productions Conductor: Tim Davies Admin: Haji Goto Lead Orchestrator, Librarian, and Copyist: Niall Ferguson Orchestrator, Librarian, and Copyist: Alex Williams Barr-Fox Wurlitzer Theater Organ Engineering: Harry Risoleo Contains a sample from 'Work It (Soulwax Remix)' as performed by Marie Davidson. Written by Marie Davidson (SOCAN), David Dewaele, Stephen Dewaele, and Pierre Guerineau (SOCAN). Published by Just Isn't Music Ltd. (PRS) & Third Side Music Inc. / Strictly Confidential Rights (SABAM), admin. by Ruminating Music c/o Wixen Music Publishing, Inc. Used courtesy of Ninja Tune Records. Writer: Miley Cyrus, Gregory Aldae Hein, Michael Pollack, Maxx Morando, Max Taylor-Sheppard, Shawn Everett, Jonathan Rado, Ethan Shevin, and Ian Gold Producer: Miley Cyrus, Shawn Everett, Jonathan Rado, Michael Pollack, Maxx Morando, Max Taylor-Sheppard, and Ethan Shevin Engineer: Shawn Everett, Ian Gold, Ivan Wayman, and Pièce Eatah Assistant Engineer: JC LeResche, Ben Miller, and JC Chiam Vocal Engineer: Pièce Eatah and Shawn Everett Tape Operator: JC LeResche Drum Machine and K2000: Maxx Morando Drums: Bob Everett and Kane Ritchotte Bass: Pino Palladino MS 20, Oberheim, Trem Synth, CS 80, Wurlitzer 200a, EMS Synthi, Electric Guitar, ARP Quartet, Lexicon Prime Time, Mellotron, Akai Filtering, Vibraphone, Acoustic Guitar, and Treatments: Jonathan Rado Yamaha Portasound: Michael Pollack Drum Machine, NF-1, K2000, and Prophet 10: Max Sheppard Drum Machine, K2000, and Prophet 10: Ethan Shevin Synth and Electric Guitar: Alec O'Hanley Minimoog: Miley Cyrus New Melody, Drum Programming, TB 303 Bass programming, TR-909 Programming, Choir Instrument, Synth Programming, SFX, and Foley: Shawn Everett Vocal Contractor: Alexander Lloyd Blake Singer: Michael Lichtenauer, David Morales, Luc Kleiner, Dermot Kiernan, Eric Lyn, and Matthew Broen Choral Coordination: Jules Levy - Savage Music Productions Arranger, Transcription, and Orchestration: Maxwell Karmazyn TB 303 Bass Programming, TR-909 Programming, Choir Instrument, Juno 106, and Wurlitzer 200a: Ian Gold Writer: Miley Cyrus, Tom Hull, and Tyler Johnson Producer: Miley Cyrus, Shawn Everett, Jonathan Rado, Michael Pollack, Kid Harpoon, and Tyler Johnson Engineer: by Shawn Everett, Ian Gold, Pièce Eatah, and Kid Harpoon Assistant Engineer: JC LeResche, Alisse Laymac, Nick Hodges, Claudia Iatalese, and JC Chiam Vocal Engineer: Kid Harpoon, Pièce Eatah, and Shawn Everett Tape Operator: JC LeResche Bass: Pino Palladino Acoustic Guitar, MS 20, Timpani, Tubular Bells, EMS Synthi, Fairlight CMI, Marxophone, and Electric Guitar: Jonathan Rado Screech Horns, Choir Programming, Guitar Programming, and String Programming: Shawn Everett Trumpets, Violins, Guitarron, Vihuela, Harp, and Acoustic Guitar: Mariachi Los Camperos Violin, Viola, Shoulder Cello, Transcription, and Orchestration: Maxwell Karmazyn Theremin: Randy George Flute, Bass Flute, Clarinet, Oboe, and Tin Whistle: Ashley Jarmack Clarinet and Bass Clarinet: John R. Walters Alto Saxophone and Baritone Saxophone: Patrick R. Posey Cristal Baschet and Ondes Martenot: Thomas Bloch Double bass, AFM Contractor: Jules Levy - Savage Music Productions Cello: Niall Taro Ferguson Sitar and Electric Sitar: Andrew Synowiec Prepared Piano: Nick Hakim Nylon String Acoustic Guitar: Brian D'Addario Drum Programming, 12 String Acoustic Guitar, and Bass: Kid Harpoon Cymbal and Bell Percussion: Ian Gold Fairlight CMI Programming: Tim Curtis Executive Producer: Miley Cyrus and Shawn Everett Mixed and Mastered by Shawn Everett at Subtle McNugget Studios (Los Angeles, CA) Mix Assistant: Ian Gold $33.00, Rough Trade Originally Appeared on Pitchfork
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
12 New Albums You Should Listen to Now: Miley Cyrus, Ty Segall, and More
All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by Pitchfork editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, Condé Nast may earn an affiliate commission. Miley Cyrus, February 2025 (Kevin Mazur/Peacock via Getty Images) With so much good music being released all the time, it can be hard to determine what to listen to first. Every week, Pitchfork offers a run-down of significant new releases available on streaming services. This week's batch includes new albums from Miley Cyrus; Ty Segall; Caroline; Heinali & Andriana-Yaroslava Saienko; Matt Berninger; Shura; Yeule; Aesop Rock; Obongjayar; Qasim Naqvi; Rome Streetz & Conductor Williams; and Photographic Memory. Subscribe to Pitchfork's New Music Friday newsletter to get our recommendations in your inbox every week. (All releases featured here are independently selected by our editors. When you buy something through our affiliate links, however, Pitchfork earns an affiliate commission.) After winning the Record of the Year Grammy for 'Flowers' last year, Miley Cyrus took a logical next step that so often eludes pop stars at the highest level: She leaned into her weirdest, most experimental impulses for an album that panders to nobody but herself. Enter Something Beautiful, a wily pop opus with contributions from a diverse array of indie artists. Executive-produced by Cyrus and Shawn Everett, the sprawling album balances its outré intentions by keeping a handle on the most durable pop influences—'the Beatles and Elvis and David Bowie and Prince like Madonna, these are all pop artists,' Cyrus told Apple Music. Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify Listen on Tidal Listen on Amazon Music Buy at Rough Trade Possession isn't the usual Ty Segall record as of late. The longtime psych-rock staple co-wrote the album with filmmaker Matt Yoka to be a collection of American stories about hopeless kleptomaniacs, urban explorers, and other people who slip through the cracks. Segall sounds looser and sunnier on these songs, harkening back to his older sound while allowing the vibrancy of Yoka's imagination—which previously took shape solely in the visual world of Segall's albums Goodbye Bread, Manipulator, and Emotional Mugger—to lead toward low-heat grooves ('Fantastic Tomb') and Bowie-style classic rock ('Possession') when it may. Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify Listen on Tidal Listen on Amazon Music Listen/Buy at Bandcamp Buy at Rough Trade Caroline's debut album built an outpost at the intersection between post-rock, emo, and campfire folk. Three years later, the follow-up, Caroline 2, expands outward in every direction, pairing scraggy, strummed chorales with heart-on-sleeve mantras and distorted furore. The London octet enlisted Caroline Polachek for lead single 'Tell Me I Never Knew That,' one of many moments that feels like the work of not just a band but a community. 'The first record was a compilation, but this one is a declaration,' as singer-guitarist Jasper Llewellyn put it in press materials. Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify Listen on Tidal Listen on Amazon Music Listen/Buy at Bandcamp Buy at Rough Trade Ukrainian composer and avant-garde electronic musician Heinali has spent the past few years contributing to the growing trend of fusing electronic music with medieval folk. On Гільдеґарда, the album recorded from his new show with Andriana-Yaroslava Saienko, he draws from the work of Hildegard von Bingen to explore further the intersection of those genres. The 12th-century abbess, composer, philosopher, and visionary becomes a thrilling subject when backed by modular synths, Ukrainian folk singing, and high medieval music. Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify Listen on Tidal Listen on Amazon Music Listen/Buy at Bandcamp The National's Matt Berninger made his second solo album, Get Sunk, around his move from Los Angeles to Connecticut. After a period of writers' block—and a sense he was 'drowning' in his own voice—he cracked open a new songwriting idiom, before assembling musicians including Booker T. Jones, Hand Habits' Meg Duffy, National touring member Kyle Resnick, and members of the Walkmen, mostly recording with Berninger in a basement. 'Our heart's are like old wells filled with pennies and worms,' he said of the album's themes. 'I can't resist going down to the bottom of mine to see what else is there. But sometimes you can get yourself stuck.' Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify Listen on Tidal Listen on Amazon Music Listen/Buy at Bandcamp Buy at Rough Trade Shura glides between rallying and confessional synth-pop on I Got Too Sad for My Friends, the six-years-coming follow-up to Forevher. The British singer-songwriter applies her lithe pop sensibility to topics such as social anxiety, pandemic isolation, and, as ever, the tumult of love on the Luke Smith–produced album, which features guest turns from Cassandra Jenkins, Helado Negro, and Becca Mancari. Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify Listen on Tidal Listen on Amazon Music Listen/Buy at Bandcamp Buy at Rough Trade In a shapeshifter career, Evangelic Girl Is a Gun is Yeule's most disarming transformation yet. Having mastered hyperpop heaters and meteoric alt-rock, the singer-producer-songwriter summons trip-hop ooze and industrial sleaze on an album that is both a total reinvention and, on the synth-pop-grunge hybrid of songs like 'Eko,' a consolidation of the adventuring spirit that has made Yeule one of the defining artists of the decade. Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify Listen on Tidal Listen on Amazon Music Listen/Buy at Bandcamp Buy at Rough Trade On Black Hole Superette, Aesop Rock presents the late-night convenience store as a symbol of the modern condition. The Long Island veteran—assisted by likeminded rappers Lupe Fiasco, Homeboy Sandman, Open Mike Eagle, billy woods, and Elucid—invites us into surreal lyrical mazes as he stumbles, half-asleep, through a vortex of consumerism and encroaching tech. Watch the hallucinatory 'Checkers' video for a window into the dreamworld. Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify Listen on Tidal Listen on Amazon Music Listen/Buy at Bandcamp Buy at Rough Trade Paradise Now is a renewed mission statement from Obongjayar, the Nigerian musician whose hyperactive fusion of Afrobeat, soul, and hip-hop has made him a sensation in his adopted hometown of London. The album adds volleys of synth-punk and summery electropop to his eclectic palate, explored with collaborators including producer Kwes Darko, Fontaines D.C.'s Carlos O'Connell, and, on 'Talk Olympics,' Little Simz. Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify Listen on Tidal Listen on Amazon Music Listen/Buy at Bandcamp Buy at Rough Trade Dawn of Midi drummer Qasim Naqvi flexes his skills as a composer on his latest album for Erased Tapes, Endling. Haunted by a phrase from a dream his wife had one night—'God docks at death harbor'—the Pakistani American artist conceived of a 'tone poem' about, he's said, 'the last human on the planet—an endling, traversing a world centuries into the future. A world decayed and mutated into a strange amalgam of the natural and artificial.' Moor Mother features on the undulating ambient refractions of 'Power Down the Heart.' Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify Listen on Tidal Listen on Amazon Music Listen/Buy at Bandcamp Buy at Rough Trade New York rapper Rome Streetz and superstar producer Conductor Williams unite for their debut collaborative album in Trainspotting. Williams' freewheeling production snips hooks from jazz and gospel while his collaborator knots together dense verses on industry greed on the Tribe-referencing 'Rule 4080,' expanding the vintage style the pair explored on Rome Streetz's 2022 album, Kiss the Ring. Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify Listen on Tidal Listen on Amazon Music Photographic Memory is the solo project of Los Angeles producer, singer, and songwriter Max Epstein. I Look at Her and Light Goes All Through Me, his third album, shares some of the maximalist sensibilities of collaborators like Militarie Gun and Jane Remover, neutralizing lashings of overdriven excess with oases of introspective, melodic emo and shoegaze. Guests include Winter and Wisp. Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify Listen on Tidal Listen on Amazon Music Originally Appeared on Pitchfork
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3 days ago
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Saint Etienne Announce Final Album, Share Video for New Song 'Glad': Watch
All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by Pitchfork editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, Condé Nast may earn an affiliate commission. Saint Etienne's Sarah Cracknell, Pete Wiggs, and Bob Stanley, photo by Rob Baker Ashton Saint Etienne have announced announced a new album, and they're saying it's their final one. International, the British indie-pop trio's follow-up to The Night, is out September 5 via Heavenly. The new album is led by the single 'Glad,' which was co-written and co-produced with the Chemical Brothers' Tom Rowlands and features Doves' Jez Williams on guitar. Watch the accompanying video, directed by Scrub, below. 'We asked Tom if he had any songs in progress that might suit Saint Etienne, and he sent a backing track that he'd been working on with Jez from Doves,' Saint Etienne vocalist Sarah Cracknell said in a statement. 'We fell in love with it straight away, and the top line melody and words for 'Glad' came easy.' Pete Wiggs added, 'The song is about taking pleasure in everyday things like nature and the outdoors when life is otherwise getting you down.' Along with Tom Rowlands and Jez Williams, International has contributions from Confidence Man, Erol Alkan, Vince Clarke, Nick Heyward, Orbital's Paul Hartnoll, and Xenomania's Tim Powell. Formed in London in 1990, by childhood friends Wiggs and Bob Stanley, Saint Etienne put out two singles that same year—'Kiss and Make Up' and their cover of Neil Young's 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart'—before they added Cracknell for 'Nothing Can Stop Us.' All three songs appeared on the band's 1991 debut, Foxbase Alpha, which kicked off a decade-defining run of albums, most notable among them 1993's sophomore effort So Tough, 1994's Tiger Bay, and 1998's Good Humor. Wiggs, Stanley, and Cracknell became beloved for their blend of twee indie-pop and contemporary club sound, which balanced an alluringly cosmopolitan sheen with charm, wit, and approachability. After 2005's Tales From Turnpike House, Saint Etienne took an extended break from recording. Since their return, in 2012, with Words and Music by Saint Etienne, however, the band has consistently put out new records, among them Home Counties (2017) and I've Been Trying to Tell You (2021). According to a press release, 'The group aren't splitting up as such—they still remain the best of friends after 35 years recording together—but they don't feel like they want to go on forever and wanted to go out with a bang.' Read about Saint Etienne's Foxbase Alpha in 'The 25 Best Indie-Pop Albums of the 1990s.' $33.00, Rough Trade International: 01 Glad 02 Dancing Heart 03 The Go Betweens [ft. Nick Heyward] 04 Sweet Melodies 05 Save It for a Rainy Day 06 Fade 07 Brand New Me [ft. Confidence Man] 08 Take Me to the Pilot 09 Two Lovers 10 Why Are You Calling 11 He's Gone 12 The Last Time Originally Appeared on Pitchfork
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3 days ago
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Popular 2000s hip-hop duo to release first new album in 15 years
Pusha T and No Malice have made it official that there will be a new Clipse album — the first in 15 years. The famous hip-hop duo revealed in an Instagram post Thursday that their fourth studio album will be called 'Let God Sort Em Out.' The long-awaited project will serve as a follow-up to Clipse's 2009 effort, 'Til the Casket Drops.' 'Let God Sort Em Out,' which is being produced by longtime collaborator Pharrell Williams, will be released July 11, Pitchfork reported. The album is available for pre-order on Clipse's website while its first single, 'Ace Trumpets,' drops Friday. Formed by brothers Gene 'Malice' and Terrence 'Pusha T' Thornton, Clipse is credited with establishing Virginia as one of the East Coast's strongholds in hip-hop. The brothers were discovered by Williams, a fellow Virginia Beach native, in the 1990s. Williams helped the duo get signed to Elektra Records, where Clipse recorded their 1999 album 'Exclusive Audio Footage.' However, the album was shelved and the duo was dropped. Williams then helped Clipse get signed to Arista Records, where they released their 2002 full-length project, 'Lord Willin'.' The album produced the hit singles 'Grindin',' 'When the Last Time' and 'Ma, I Don't Love Her.' It also reached the top 10 of the R&B/Hip-Hop and Billboard 200 charts and was later certified gold by the RIAA. Clipse released two more successful albums – 2006's 'Hell Hath No Fury' and 2009's 'Til the Casket Drops' — before going on hiatus in 2010. Both Pusha T and No Malice pursued solo careers and put out several projects in the interim. The brothers reunited as Clipse when they appeared on Kanye West's song 'Use This Gospel,' featured on his 2019 album, 'Jesus Is King.' Since then, Clipse has performed regularly at Primavera Sound Barcelona, Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival and elsewhere. Shakira, Jason Aldean's Fenway shows canceled due to 'unforeseen circumstances' '80s music icon says she went to Hawaii 'to die' while battling colon cancer No jail time for rock guitarist previously charged with vehicular manslaughter 'Let's not twist the message': Country music star clears up viral AMAs moment Legendary rock guitarist, Grammy-winning producer dies at 77 Read the original article on MassLive.
