With the announcement of a new album and tapped as this year’s Halftime Show entertainer at the Super Bowl, Madonna is preparing to kick off 2012 with a bang. Though not as heavily placed in the public eye this last year, the Queen of Pop has kept herself busy: launching a new clothing line (her second), planning a series of ‘Hard Candy’ branded fitness centers, directing her second film, W.E., which debuted at the Venice Film Festival, and recording a new record, which is slated to drop in March. The album’s first single is expected to hit sometime in late January, just in the time for the Feb. 5th performance at…

It’s Tuesday, which means another batch of new tunes are coming your way. The album selection is a bit scarce, but of the ones dropping today check out Slow Moving Millie‘s cover album Renditions and the new one from Lemonheads, Laughing All The Way To The Cleaners. You may find a track or two to keep you warm on this wintery day. And from the singles category comes the third from Coldplay‘s Mylo Xyloto, “Charlie Brown”, as well as new tracks from Cee Lo Green and Foo Fighters. Check out all of today’s new releases here.

When I first heard Katherine Mez‘s angelic voice on the demo for her track “Just Me”, a sad but beautiful ballad, I was immediately drawn to the rich depth of her tone and control. Few have been lucky enough to hear some of the rough versions of her ideas in song, but those that have know the gift that is her voice.  A voice that, if given the chance, could change the world. A Nashville-based singer who was once in L.A. working on an album that never panned out, has spent the last few years perfecting her craft – leading worship at her church, backing her friend, and another Tragic…

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