GRAMMYs

Beastie Boys 

Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage via Getty Images 

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Beastie Boys Release 'To The 5 Boroughs' Deluxe Edition In Honor Of 15th Anniversary

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"For the occasion, twelve rare tracks have just been released digitally in addition to the original 15 songs on the album," the group said in a tweet
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jun 17, 2019 - 4:14 pm

GRAMMY-winning hip-hop group the Beastie Boys are celebrating 15 years of their GARMMY-nominated To The 5 Boroughs LP with the first-time digital release of the 15 songs on the album and 12 unreleased rare tracks. 

"Hello everybody - To the 5 Boroughs came out 15 years ago today," the group said in a tweet on Friday, June 15. "For the occasion, twelve rare tracks have just been released digitally in addition to the original 15 songs on the album."

The deluxe edition also includes remixes from the following GRAMMY nominees: Blur guitarist Graham Coxon and producer Just Blaze. There are also rare cuts like "Rizzle Rizzle Nizzle Nizzle." 

To The 5 Boroughs was nominated for a golden gramophone at the 47th GRAMMY Awards. Listen to the album here. 

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GRAMMYs

Michael Lang 

Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for Focus Features

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Woodstock 50 Is Officially Cancelled

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The anniversary fest was meant to take place in two weeks at the Merriweather Post Pavilion around Baltimore
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Aug 1, 2019 - 11:40 am

It's official: Two weeks before scheduled to take place, organizers have announced that Woodstock 50, which originally had Miley Cyrus, The Raconteurs, Santana and more as headliners, is cancelled.

The festival that was to take place Aug.16–18 has faced issues ranging from financial troubles to issues with venues, since its inception. Co-founder of Woodstock and Woodstock 50 organizer Michael Lang cited artists backing down as one of the reasons the music event has decided to not go forward with the event this time, after having recently found a new venue, the Merriweather Post Pavilion around Baltimore, and starting a collaboration with HeadCount, a non-profit committed to getting people registed to vote. 

"We are saddened that a series of unforeseen setbacks has made it impossible to put on the Festival we imagined with the great line-up we had booked and the social engagement we were anticipating. When we lost the Glen and then Vernon Downs we looked for a way to do some good rather than just cancel," Lang said in a statement. "We formed a collaboration with HeadCount to do a smaller event at the Merriweather Pavilion to raise funds for them to get out the vote and for certain NGOs involved in fighting climate change. We released all the talent so any involvement on their part would be voluntary. Due to conflicting radius issues in the DC area many acts were unable to participate and others passed for their own reasons."

Lang enouraged artists who have been paid by the festival to donate to HeadCount: "I would like to encourage artists and agents, who all have been fully paid, to donate 10% of their fees to HeadCount or causes of their choice in the spirit of peace. Woodstock remains committed to social change and will continue to be active in support of HeadCount’s critical mission to get out the vote before the next election. We thank the artists, fans and partners who stood by us even in the face of adversity. My thoughts turn to Bethel and its celebration of our 50th Anniversary to reinforce the values of compassion, human dignity, and the beauty of our differences embraced by Woodstock.”

The festival had been struggling with several details throughout its planning. The festival struggled with venue permits, financial support, and having a clear lineup. In late April, it was announced that the festival was canceled to due to the backing out of their original funder, Dentsu Aegis Network.  

Woodstock 50 Music Festival Finally Finds Venue, Merriweather Post Pavilion

GRAMMYs

Michael Sticka 

Photo: Rebecca Sapp/WireImage via Getty Images 

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Michael Sticka Named GRAMMY Museum President

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Sticka, who first joined the organization in 2014 and formerly held the position of Executive Director at the GRAMMY Museum, will continue to lead the museum's growth and strategy
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jul 30, 2019 - 2:14 pm

The GRAMMY Museum has promoted Michael Sticka to President as the Recording Academy and the Latin Recording Academy make the largest conributions to the museum in either organization's history.

Sticka, who first joined the organization in 2014 and formerly held the position of Executive Director at the GRAMMY Museum, will continue to lead the museum's growth and strategy. He will also "oversee all aspects of Museum operations, including curatorial, development, marketing, grants and awards, public and education programs, and more," a statement said. His contract will extend through 2022. 

“As Executive Director, I’ve witnessed our team’s incredible passion, hard work, and dedication, which has strengthened our impact and presence in the Los Angeles music and education communities,” said Sticka. “I’m honored that the Board has entrusted me in the role as President, allowing me to continue leading this extraordinary team with the purpose of driving our social good within the community and uphold the Museum's mission to educate, inspire, cultivate creativity, and share the significance of music."

Sticka, who created the museum's Community Engagement Department as executive director, said the museum will continue to invest in its community engagement, curatorial mission and education program. Sticka said the museum's goal is to reach 100,000 over the next five years. 

The Recording Academy contributed $5 million for museum renovations and technology updates, while the Latin Recording Academy will donate more than half a million dollars in a three-year period to grow the Latin music exhibits, education programs and the hiring of a Latin music curator. Both presidents of each organization shared their excitement for Sticka's promotion and their investment in the museum's work. 

“Under Michael’s leadership and guidance, the GRAMMY Museum has not only secured substantial new investments from the Recording Academy and the Latin Recording Academy, but has also seen a tremendous increase in visitors, revenue from attendance, merchandise and event sales, and more” said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the Recording Academy and Chair of the Board of Directors of the GRAMMY Museum. “The Museum’s growth and path towards cementing its status as ‘the’ steward and place where Music Has A Home, as well as its future financial and business well-being is reflective of and a testament to Michael’s strategic vision, impressive operational skills, and exceptional leadership.”  

“We are thrilled to expand our relationship with the GRAMMY Museum,” said The Latin Recording Academy President/CEO Gabriel Abaroa Jr. “The Latin Recording Academy and the GRAMMY Museum share the commitment of educating the public about the significant contributions Latin music has made in the world. I look forward to expanding our presence inside the GRAMMY Museum in an impactful way that guides the narrative and preserves the stories of Latin music and its creators."

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GRAMMYs

Michael Sticka

Photo: Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

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GRAMMY Museum Awards $200,000 In Grants To Music Health, Research Projects & More

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The Museum's grant program, which awards organizations and individuals annually, has given more than $7.5 million to over 400 grantees to date
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jul 10, 2019 - 11:25 am

15 recipients will have the opportunity to do music related research as well as work on preservation and archiving programs thanks to a generous grant from the GRAMMY Musuem Grant Program.

The grants, funded by the Recording Academy, will award $200,000 to recipients in the U.S. working on various projects, including reasearch on how musical training affects complex memories, musical ahedonia and singing accuracy's relationship to cognitive function. Among preservation projects, some recipients will work on archiving 960 audio reels belonging to Cajun and zydeco artists, uncirculated jam tapes from four-time GRAMMY-winning folk musician John Hartford and "221 rare interview recordings with African-American actors, performers, composers, musicians, and scholars, among many other preservation projects."

"The work we help fund includes an impressive array of projects that are at the forefront of exploring music's beneficial intersection with science, and that maintain our musical legacy for future generations. The initiatives announced today exemplify the Museum's mission to uphold music's value in our lives and shared culture," Executive Director of the GRAMMY Museum Michael Sticka said. 

The museum's grant program, which awards organizations and individuals annually, has given more than $7.5 million to over 400 grantees to date, Sticka said.  

The GRAMMY Museum Grant Program strives to aid efforts advancing the archiving and preservation of "recorded sound heritage of the Americas for future generation."

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GRAMMYs

Photo: Xavi Torrent/WireImage via Getty Images 

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Barcelona's Primavera Sound Announces 2020 LA Fest

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"Faithful to the philosophy of the event, the new festival will present a unique Primavera Sound brand lineup in urban surroundings," the fest said in a statement
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jun 3, 2019 - 11:27 am

Barcelona's Primavera Sound music festival has much to look forward to in 2020. One of Europe's most popular festivals, the fest has brought together rock, pop and underground sounds to the Spanish city since 2001. Now, the fest, which also runs NOS Primavera Sound in Portugal, has announced it is bringing a new version of the music event to Los Angeles. 

Primavera Sound Los Angeles will take place at L.A. State Historic Park just outside of downtown L.A. on Sept. 19–20 in 2020. The announcement was made Sat., June 1, the last day of the 2019 Barcelona edition, which featured performances from Miley Cyrus, Rosalía, J Balvin, Jarvis Cocker and more. 

"Now we see and are clearly seen," the fest tweeted on Saturday. "@Primavera_Sound is going global and is coming to L.A. in 2020. Welcome: @Primavera_LA_"

The fest promises to bring the sound and vibe Primavera has come to be known for to the City of Angels. "Faithful to the philosophy of the event, the new festival will present a unique Primavera Sound brand lineup in urban surroundings," the fest said in a statement on its website.

Late last year, Primavera Sound shared a new tagline and commitment to equality: "The New Normal," or a 50/50 gender split among performers, which was reflected in their diverse 2019 lineup.

The fest also announced the festival dates in Barcelona and Porto will be June 4–6 and June 11–13, respectively. No lineups for their 2020 events have been released.

A limited number of tickets for the LA fest will be available June 7 at 6 p.m. Spanish time. For more information, visit the Primavera Sound website. 

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