Neil Diamond 50th Anniversary Collection Announced

UME and CMG today announced the March 31st worldwide release of Neil Diamond 50 - The 50^th Anniversary Collection, a 3 CD Anniversary set whose announcement coincides with the legendary entertainer's birthday. This upcoming celebratory music package marks the 50 ^th anniversary of the iconic, Grammy Award-winning and Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame member's first hit "Solitary Man," that began his trajectory as a legendary songwriter, prolific musician and celebrated performer with a time span that has now marked five decades and counting. To commemorate this anniversary, Diamond will kick off the celebration with a recently announced 50 date U.S. tour that begins this April and newly announced U.K. and European dates to coincide with the anniversary CD release.

The exclusive tour/collector's edition 3 CD package includes 50 songs that range 50 years in Diamond's career. Under the supervision of Diamond, the forthcoming anniversary set will include his own handpicked songs and a carefully curated booklet with new liner notes.

 

Throughout an illustrious and wide-ranging musical career, Neil Diamond has sold over 130 million albums worldwide and has dominated the charts for more than five decades with 37 Top 40 singles and 16 Top 10 albums. He has achieved record sales with 40 Gold albums, 21 Platinum albums and 11 multi-platinum albums.

Bash & Pop Rock Colbert!

The first project from Bash & Pop in two decades, Anything Could Happen, was released last Friday (1/20). The night before the album's release, the band appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. They performed "On The Rocks", and after the song's performance, Tommy Stinson got into a little (playful?) wrestling match with Stephen Colbert. Check out the powerful Colbert performance below.

 

Click  www.cbs.com/shows/the-late-show-with-stephen-colbert

Two New "Now That's What I Call.." Album Releases Announced

NOW That's What I Call Music!, the world's best-selling multi-artist album series, is pleased to announce the simultaneous release of this year's first two NOW collections; NOW That's What I Call Music! 61 and NOW That's What I Call 90s Pop, on Friday, January
27 on CD.



With the release of NOW 60 in November 2016, US sales of NOW series albums breaks the 100 million copies mark.

NOW That's What I Call Music! 61 features 16 major current hits from today's hottest artists including Bruno Mars, Maroon 5 featuring Kendrick Lamar, Alessia Cara, Ariana Grande featuring Nicki Minaj, DJ Snake featuring Justin Bieber, The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk, Rae Sremmurd featuring Gucci Mane, D.R.A.M featuring Lil Yachty, Zay Hilfigerrr & Zaylon McCall, Fifth Harmony, Jon Bellion, Martin Garrix & Bebe Rexha, Hey Violet, Shawn Mendes, Niall Horan, and gnash featuring Olivia O'Brien.

Michael Bolton Announces His 27th Release - "Songs of Cinema"

Michael Bolton has announced plans to release his 27th album, Songs of Cinema a tribute to beloved songs from the world’s most iconic films on Febuarary 10, 2017 on the Frontiers Music Srl Label.

“I’ve always been a huge fan of the movies, says Bolton.” “I love all the classics from Casablanca to The Wizard of Oz.” Most are familiar with Bolton’s feature in The Lonely Island Emmy-nominated viral video Jack Sparrow, but the ballad version created for this album will be a pleasant surprise.

Bolton has a track record of stepping up to render his own versions of classics, like Grammy-winning hit “When a Man Loves a Woman,” presented here with yet a new interpretation. As a singer, he has a unique passion and gift for exploring new repertoires, from rock and pop to R&B. And as a true artist, he always keeps pushing the boundaries across genres.

Netflix recently announced Bolton’s first special with the network Michael Bolton’s Big Sexy Valentine’s Day Special (premiering February 7, 2017) directed by Akiva Schaffer (The Lonely Island) and Scott Aukerman (Comedy Bang! Bang!), follows Michael Bolton as he creates a sexy variety special that serves one very important purpose: to get people in the mood to make love. In the midst of the special’s absurdist adventures, Bolton performs an array of love songs made up of both classic hits and all-new original love-making music. Special guests joining Bolton include Andy Samberg, Casey Wilson, Chris Parnell, Eric Andre, Jorma Taccone, Fred Armisen, Maya Rudolph, Michael Sheen, Randall Park and Sarah Silverman. Michael Bolton’s Big, Sexy Valentine’s Day Special is executive-produced by Michael Bolton, Christina Kline, David Jargowsky, Scott Aukerman and Akiva Schaffer.

The Weeklings back with Studio 2 Album

Strongly inspired by The Beatles, The Weeklings have released their highly anticipated second album entitled "Studio 2". The album takes the listener on a sonic journey that evokes the kind of excitement contained in early Beatles recordings.

To accomplish this feat, The Weeklings flew to England to record at Abbey Road Studios in June. They discussed ideas with former Beatles recording engineers Ken Scott and Alan Parsons, and then recorded in the very room, called Studio 2, where The Beatles had worked with the legendary producer George Martin.

"Studio 2" is the result of such painstaking efforts. The album contains eight new Weeklings songs and four ultra-rare Lennon/McCartney bonus tracks.

"Some (Lennon/McCartney compositions) are only now seeing the light of day as finished recordings," Zeek Weekling said. "The album completely embodies the magical legacy of the original British Invasion ... We recorded all tracks live, standing where The Beatles stood, with all vintage 60's equipment."

The band's debut album, "Monophonic", received heavy rotation on many radio stations since its release in March 2015. The song "You Know What To Do" earned the title of "Coolest Song in the World" on Sirius/XM's "Little Steven's Underground Garage" channel. In addition, The Weeklings recorded an hour long "Loft Session" for legendary DJ Mike Marrone on Sirius/XM Channel 30.

The Weeklings are:

Lefty (Glen Burtnik), bass guitar/vocals: platinum and gold record awarded songwriter, composed songs for John Waite, Styx, Randy Travis, Marshall Crenshaw, Patty Smyth and Don Henley. Portrayed Paul McCartney in the Broadway production of Beatlemania, and went on to perform as a member of major international acts including Styx and The Orchestra (composed of former members of ELO).

Zeek (Bob Burger) rhythm guitar/vocals: gold record awarded song writer whose credits include Styx, Donnie Iris, HBO pictures, Kasim Sulton and others. Performed with Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel and Jon Bon Jovi.

Rocky (John Merjave) lead guitar/vocals: longstanding member of The Fest for Beatles Fans house band, Liverpool, performed with Billy Preston, Donovan, Ronnie Spector, Billy J. Kramer, Denny Laine and many others.

Smokestack (Joe Bellia) drums/vocals: He has been the drummer with Southside Johnny, Dave Mason, Marshall Crenshaw, Bruce Springsteen, Nils Lofgren, Rick Derringer, Jon Bon Jovi and many others.

"Studio 2" was released on November 18 and is available on CD and vinyl formats

The Bangles's "Ladies And Gentlemen… The Bangles!" Out June 24

Hand-selected by the band members from their personal music, archives, Ladies and Gentlemen… The Bangles! is a 16-track collection of re-mastered ’80s-era rarities, demos, live recordings and more, including their debut single and all of the tracks from their self-titled EP ; produced by legendary Ramones/Blondie producer Craig Leon, unavailable since its initial release on vinyl in 1982.  The set will be out on Omnivore Recordings on June 24, 2016.

Encompassing the very first years of the band’s development, from their earliest days as The Bangs to their incarnation as The Bangles, this is the original line-up of Susanna Hoffs, Debbi Peterson, Vicki Peterson, and their first bass player, Annette Zilinskas. (Annette’s replacement, long time Bangles bassist Michael Steele appears on a couple of live tracks.)

“We’re so pleased to give our fans and music lovers alike the chance to enjoy the early fruits of our labor. Some of these tracks have never seen the light of day,” states drummer/singer Debbi Peterson.

“We’ve wanted to make these songs available to a new audience for a long time,” adds singer/guitarist Vicki Peterson. “We’ve thrown in a couple of live tracks, and even some of the first demos, all lovingly collected and re-mastered, so you no longer have to dig out a cassette player to hear them.”   Singer/guitarist Hoffs continues, “I feel a very special connection to our early recordings. The garage of my parents’ house was our musical laboratory, and we took all the flavors of our favorite bands and mixed up a concoction of jangly guitars, McCartney-inspired bass parts, grooves powered by punk energy, and harmonies galore! These songs and recordings were our musical manifesto — all that mattered and inspired us, fueled by youthful energy, hope and blind ambition.

100+ Song "Frank Sinatra:A Voice on the Air" Releasing in November

In a matter befitting the 100^th birthday of an American icon, Sony Music's Legacy Recordings announces the November 20th, 2015 release of Frank Sinatra: A Voice on Air (1935-1955), a historic 100+ track, 4-CD deluxe box set culled from an invaluable collection of rare radio broadcasts and rehearsals – immaculately restored from the original recording masters for unprecedented high-fidelity sound.

Luxuriously packaged with a 60-page book, Frank Sinatra: A Voice on Air (1935-1955) is an essential addition to Sinatra's voluminous discography, offering a unique glimpse into the formative period of America's first teen idol: Frank Sinatra, the man who became known the world over as "The Voice." Included in the book are an introductory essay by renowned singer, pianist and archivist Michael Feinstein; a personal remembrance by Frank's eldest daughter Nancy Sinatra and detailed essay by foremost Sinatra historian, author and box set producer Charles L. Granata. The package was designed by noted Art Director Maria Marulanda, who created the landmark 2007 Columbia/Legacy box set Frank Sinatra: A Voice in Time.

In assembling this groundbreaking box set marking the first official release anthologizing Frank Sinatra's seminal radio performances, the producers have mined treasures from their own extensive Sinatra broadcast transcription collections and the world's most prestigious archives and sound recording repositories including The Library of Congress, the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center, the Paley Center for Media, the Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Initiative archive and The University of Colorado's Glenn Miller Archive. Included are dozens of rare photographs and recording artifacts that help to illustrate the scope of Sinatra's incredible radio career.

Now That's What I Call Music Vol 55 and Now New Wave 80s Announced

NOW That's What I Call Music!, the world's best-selling multi-artist album series, is proud to announce all the major hits chosen for NOW That's What I Call Music! Vol.55 and the simultaneous release of NOW That's What I Call New Wave 80s!, the NOW brand's first foray into the post-punk alt-rock New Wave pop music universe of the 1980s featuring the songs, artists and bands that defined the look, sound and style of that era.

NOW 55 and NOW New Wave 80s, the ultimate summer playlist collections, will be available on Friday, August 7, 2015.  NOW New Wave 80s is being offered in a standard 18-track edition.

NOW That's What I Call Music! Vol. 55 features 16 major current hits from today's hottest artists including Ellie Goulding, Tove Lo, Jason Derulo, Fifth Harmony (featuring Kid Ink), David Guetta (featuring Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha & Afrojack), OMI, Major Lazer (with MO & DJ Snake), Skrillex & Diplo (with Justin Bieber), Pitbull (featuring Chris Brown), DJ Snake & AlunaGeorge, Nick Jonas, Maroon 5, Andy Grammer, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and Little Big Town.

In addition, NOW 55 continues the "NOW What's Next" bonus track program with five free up-and-coming New Music Preview tracks from stars of tomorrow including Conrad Sewell, Clairity, Jidenna (featuring Roman GianArthur), All Time Low and Smallpools.

The NOW New Wave 80s standard CD  features 18 essential 80s New Wave tracks by artists including INXS, Billy Idol, The Romantics, The B-52's, Adam Ant, The Go-Go's, Thompson Twins, Berlin, General Public, The Cure, Psychedelic Furs, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, Echo & the Bunnymen, Big Country, R.E.M., Tears For Fears, Eurythmics, and Human League.

NOW That's What I Call Music! is a joint venture from Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment.