Music

The latest news and reviews of music.

Latest

Queen guitarist Brian May wrote a song for NASA's historic flyby
Queen guitarist Brian May hasn't been shy about his fondness for astronomy (he does have a doctorate in astrophysics), and he's making that patently clear as 2019 kicks off. The artist has written a song to mark NASA's historic flypast of Ultima Thule, appropriately titled "New Horizons (Ultima Thule Mix)." As he explained in a presentation, the tune is an "anthem to the human endeavor" -- it pays tribute to our species' insatiable curiosity about the universe.
Alexa will work with Apple Music on third-party devices 'soon'
Now that Apple Music streams on Echo speakers, there's an obvious question: will third-party devices join the party? Thankfully, the answer is yes. An Amazon spokesperson has informed Mashable that Apple's streaming service "will be coming to other Alexa-enabled devices soon." It didn't say how widespread access would become, although it wouldn't be surprising if the company opens the floodgates instead of cherry-picking non-Echo hardware.
Recommended Reading: How technology is changing entertainment
The future of entertainment Rolling Stone Whether it's music, movies or television, technology is rapidly changing the ways we experience entertainment. Rolling Stone offers a look at a number of ways things like AI, social media and more are altering the landscape, including how Taylor Swift concert organizers used facial recognition to track her stalkers.
YouTube Music offers charts for the hottest songs and videos
If you thought YouTube's music video charts would be a logical fit for YouTube Music, you guessed correctly. The streaming media giant is rolling YouTube Charts into its Music service as playlists that you can find either on the app's home screen or through a search. If you want to listen to the most popular or trendiest songs, they should be a short hop away. All 29 YouTube countries will have both global and local versions of the top 100 songs and top 100 videos, and you'll also find a local-only top 20 trending list.
Sony and Rhapsody prep an audiophile streaming service for Japan
It's notoriously difficult for streaming music services to get a foothold in Japan -- this is a country where CDs still reign (72 percent of music revenue was for physical media in 2017). All the same, Sony and Rhapsody are giving it a shot. They're launching Japan's first audiophile-grade streaming music service, Mora Qualitas, in early 2019. Pay ¥1,980 (about $17.50) per month and you can listen to lossless FLAC files at up to 24-bit/96kHz quality as long as you have the audio hardware to do it justice.
'Stranger Things' compilation earns Grammy nomination for Netflix
The 61st Grammy Award nominations were revealed Friday morning and Netflix shows and documentaries were among the nominees once again. Stranger Things picked up a nod for the second season's compilation soundtrack, while a documentary about legendary music producer Quincy Jones called Quincy (which was co-directed by his daughter Rashida) landed a Best Music Film nomination.
Alexa will pepper you with questions to build better playlists
Amazon is rolling out a few tweaks to Alexa that will make it easier to find the music you want to hear. By telling Alexa what you like and don't like and by conversing with Amazon's assistant about what you enjoy listening to, Alexa will be able to create more personalized suggestions and playback even when you just say, "Alexa, play music."
Spotify's revamped Xbox One app includes smarter voice control
Spotify just became much more useful if it regularly provides the background music for your Xbox One sessions. After weeks of testing, it's releasing a refreshed version of its Xbox One app that promises both easier discovery of music and, importantly, more control when you find it. The new "razor sharp design" (similar to the one from newer PS4 and Roku apps) gives you easier access to the Made for You hub, your library and your recently played songs, while the Xbox One Guide now has shuffle and repeat controls for longer gaming marathons. And if you like to shout at Cortana instead of tapping buttons, you're in for a treat.
Music streaming is fueling vinyl's resurgence
Streaming has been blamed for killing off the CD, but industry experts agree it's helping bolster the growth and quality of another physical music format: vinyl. Since 2015, streaming income has eclipsed CD sales, and the likes of Apple Music and Spotify have become major players in the music industry. This year the Recording Industry Association of America reported that 75 percent of music revenue in the United States came from streaming services. In the past three years, vinyl sales in the US have steadily risen about $2 million annually.
Apple Music will finally support Android tablets
There probably isn't a huge cross section of people who both subscribe to Apple Music and use Android tablets, but Apple has your back if you're part of that group. Listeners have learned that the latest beta of Apple Music for Android now includes tablet support, giving you an optimized and more intuitive interface for choosing tunes. Part of it stems from changes to the interface for all Android users -- Apple is ditching the classic "hamburger" menu in favor of a bottom navigation bar that both speeds up access to common features (like For You) and should be easier to reach on larger screens.
Apple Music will reveal key Grammy nominations on December 7th
Apple's involvement in the Grammys dates back more than a decade. This year, however, its connection will be more conspicuous. The Recording Academy has revealed that Apple Music will stream Grammy nominations in "select categories" (read: the better-known ones) on December 7th at 8:30AM Eastern, right alongside their revelation on CBS This Morning. This doesn't give you much lead time versus reading the full list on the Grammy.com website, which will have everything at 8:45AM. Still it's convenient if you just have to find out whether your favorite artist made the list.
Spotify for Android may let you import music
Do you have songs on your phone that are virtually impossible to find on your preferred streaming service? You might not have to play them in a separate app for much longer. Jane Manchun Wong (who's well known for spotting experimental features) has reported that Spotify is testing a feature that would let Android users import their phone's local music into its app. You could listen to that elusive indie album or unofficial remix alongside the latest streaming hits.
Mighty Vibe review: A much improved iPod Shuffle for Spotify
I'll admit it. When Mighty was first announced in 2016, the prospect of a standalone, offline Spotify player was an exciting and attractive concept -- especially for this subscriber. I got my hopes up. Plus, the tiny device was about the size and shape of an iPod Shuffle, so there was some nostalgia at work too. It looked good on paper, but the original model had some major issues. With the second-generation, $86 Mighty Vibe, though, the company has remedied many of those hiccups and created a compelling gadget for Spotify users.
Google adds more media and messaging options to Android Auto
Google is rolling out media playback and messaging updates on Android Auto to make it more convenient while keeping safety at the forefront. The refreshed media interface should quickly help you find something you want to listen to , while the system can display short previews of texts -- but only when the car is stopped.
The tiny synth craze has gotten out of hand
Calculator watch fans rejoice: there's a new contraption that makes your wrist wear a little more useful. Audioweld has made what it claims is the first synthesizer watch -- which is appropriately named Synthwatch. The husky contraption offers a set of seven keys for capturing tunes via a companion app for iOS and Android. With that software, you can control recording, access a sequencer and tap into a bank of 200 sounds. Of course, tiny instrument works on its own too, and you don't need to have your phone out to use it.
Brian Eno's music creation app is coming to Android, 10 years late
If you remember the early days of Apple's App Store, you might remember Bloom, Brian Eno's "generative music" app. It showed the potential of the smartphone as an artistic tool at a time when mobile apps were still novelties. Well, it's coming back with a vengeance on its tenth anniversary... and it's not just for iOS users this time. Eno and Peter Chilvers are releasing Bloom: 10 Worlds, a "significant" expansion and refinement that will be available for Android in addition to the iPad and iPhone. The core formula, where you touch the screen to introduce new sounds and influence the visuals, remains intact -- there's just a lot more to do.
YouTube Music and Premium now offer student discounts
If YouTube Music is going to compete with Spotify and Apple Music on price, it's going to need discounts for the student set. Thankfully, they've just turned up -- you can now subscribe to a $5 per month YouTube Music Premium plans as well as a corresponding $7 YouTube Premium plan ($6 if you sign up before January 31st). So long as you're a full-time student at an accredited US college or university, you can listen or watch to your heart's content without stretching your budget past the breaking point.
One's Smart Piano helped me play, but not understand
As a kid, I was given a book about a famous doctor who may or may not have been Albert Schweitzer. The first chapter is how he, as a young boy, learned the value of practice from his music teacher. It was a lesson he learned early enough to become not only a virtuoso musician but also a physician and philosopher. I suspect I was given the tome as a way of encouraging me to practice the piano in the hope of becoming as good as ol' Albo. That didn't quite happen.
Roland's latest iOS app syncs music with video clips
If you're a dance music fan, you know that the videos of DJ gigs are sometimes as important as the performances themselves. They capture the electricity of the set and might just convince you to attend the next show. But how is an up-and-coming DJ supposed to stand out? Roland might help. It's launching a Beat Sync Maker app for iOS that links scene changes and visual effects to the beat. You don't need a computer-based editor and the expertise that goes with it -- you just need to have a feel for the timing and effect intensity you're looking for. You can also introduce another video from your camera roll if one isn't enough.
Taylor Swift ensures UMG artists will profit from Spotify shares
Taylor Swift doesn't mess around when it comes to her musical empire. Back in 2014, on the eve of 1989 becoming the first platinum album of the year, she kicked streaming service Spotify to the curb, publicly making clear her position on free music. Even after Spotify conceded to her demands and she restored her catalog to the service, she pulled a power move by keeping the then-newly released Reputation off it for the first week. Now, she's signed with a new record label and again, she's not pulling any punches when it comes to the way her music -- and indeed the music of all artists under the label -- is used.

...