Rock music has found a new poster child. The Black Keys, who released their seventh studio album El Camino last week, have been rocking their consistent bluesy garage rock for the last decade and rarely strayed from their rock-at-the-core sound. That remains true on El Camino. A mild-moderate fan of their previous efforts, the Keys have reached beyond their core audience, delivering a sound that appeals across genre lines. Maybe it’s the pivotal bridge in the lead-track “Lonely Boy”, that seems to connect their consistent sound to an insatiably infectious hook, allowing credibility on the pop charts. And it’s that track that have music enthusiasts (and music supervisors) salivating. “Gold On The…

If I had to make an early prediction of who’d be the biggest new star in 2012, it would be Lana Del Rey. Del Rey jumped up on my radar a few weeks ago, but it wasn’t until this week that I fell in love with her music and just can’t seem to get enough of the self-proclaimed “gangsta Nancy Sinatra”. Lizzy Grant – Lana Del Rey is her stage name comprised of her idols Lana Turner and Ford Del Rey – has been buzzing since her EP for first singles “Video Games” and “Blue Jeans” reached the top five on the US iTunes Albums Chart hours after its release.…

The year may be quickly coming to a close, but there are still a few major releases coming your way … just in time for the holidays. Amy Winehouse‘s Lioness: Hidden Treasures is out today reminding us of a talent and, now legendary, voice taken from us way too soon. The posthumous album, and follow up to her 2007 career-defining album Back to Black, includes 13-tracks from the late-singer, of which only four were recorded post-Black. Also out today, The Black Keys new record El Camino, featuring the new hit single “Lonely Boy”, a holiday classic by Kelly Clarkson and a slew of other singles and albums. Check out the full list…

It’s Fall, which means the trees are turning deep shades of reds and oranges and the air is crisp and cool. But Fall also means that new music is dropping just as quickly as the leaves. Some of the year’s biggest and most anticipated releases of the year make their debut during the colder months, (see Coldplay, Ryan Adams, Kelly Clarkson, etc.) and in the midst of all that music, it’s rare that an undiscovered emerging talent makes its way onto Listen! It’s Vetrano. But ever since I first heard SPELLS in the late summer, I haven’t been able to stop listening to his captivating debut EP Escapist. A unique…

It’s been nearly a decade since the world watched Kelly Clarkson, the Texas-native girl next door, take the title as America’s first Idol. Nine years later, and still one of the show’s most successful spawns (aside from country Queen Carrie Underwood), Clarkson emerges with her fifth album entitled Stronger. No stranger to pop-anthems and power ballads – Clarkson’s last efforts taught the master class -, it’s those missing elements that keep this album from actually living up to its title. Sure, the disco-inspired title track “What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger)” has all the makings of a Top 40 mega-hit. It bursts into the turbulent, feel-good chorus we’ve come to expect…

Coldplay‘s video for “Paradise,” the second single from Mylo Xyloto has emerged. Shot by director Mat Whitecross, who had his hand in directing the band’s “Christmas Lights” video, and shot in South Africa, the clip follows the band as they travel to meet up for band rehearsal and a live show. Oh, and all the while they’re dressed like elephants. The video is not yet available in America, but you can watch it below. Enjoy! Coldplay – Paradise by news-de-stars

When news broke that Coldplay had collaborated with Rihanna on their upcoming record, Mylo Xyloto, many doubted that the pairing would fit together.  But frontman Chris Martin assured fans when he told MTV that “her bit on the record is his favorite bit.” He explained, “When the song came out, it sort of asked for her to be on it.” “And I think at this point, we have nothing to lose, and so we’ve been trying some new things and trying to break down the perceived boundaries between different types of music. Because from where we’re sitting, it seems like you can try and sound any way you like nowadays. You don’t…

The new single from pop-rockers The Fray emerges today – its the first from their upcoming album, dropping in early 2012.  Following the formula that has garnered the band a number of top 10 singles and tons of radio play, “Heartbeat” sounds like another carefully crafted, manufactured production from their hit factory. And with the “if you can love somebody, love ’em all the same” hook and a memorable melody, the track seems like a strong start to kick off the band’s new project. Listen to “Heartbeat” below and share your comments, thoughts and feedback on the new uptempo single from The Fray.

When Kaleidoscope Heart was released last year, I fell in love with the sweet vocals and charming lyrical style of Sara Bareilles. Of course she had me in 2007 with her massive hit “Love Song”, but until her sophomore LP it wasn’t clear where her place would be in this fickle industry. Now, with two hit albums under her belt, a seat at the judges table on NBC’s hit series The Sing Off and a catchy new single impacting radio and quickly climbing the charts, she’s captured the hearts of millions. Her latest single “Gonna Get Over You” comes with a new version of the track featuring the unstoppable Ryan Tedder.…

When I moved to Nashville last year, there was a stigma: country music was king. But when Chancellor Warhol proclaims “the King is in the building” on the new single, “Elvis”, from his sophomore LP The Silver Factory, I believed him. In Nashville, the hip-hop scene is one of two things. Chancellor Warhol is neither of them. His indie flare keeps him relevant with the city’s tastemakers and trendsetters, while his clever rhymes and strong lyrics give him enough street-cred to go up against hip-hop’s finest. His first solo record, Japanese Lunchbox, was released last year and set the bar for his unique electro-rap style that urges listeners to the dance floor.…