Laurence Gartel © 2014 The Recording Academy. All rights reserved

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Laurence Gartel Creates The Official 57th GRAMMY Awards Artwork

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Striking art for Music's Biggest Night features a life-sized version of the iconic GRAMMY statuette wrapped in distinctive psychedelic imagery using vinyl, glitter and prismatic materials
GRAMMYs
Dec 19, 2014 - 5:00 am

The Recording Academy has announced the selection of artist Laurence Gartel to create the official artwork for the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards. The striking work features a life-sized version of the iconic GRAMMY statuette wrapped in the distinctive psychedelic imagery of the artist using vinyl, glitter and prismatic materials. The piece will be used to create the official artwork for Music's Biggest Night and will grace the cover of the GRAMMY Awards program book, telecast tickets, poster, and other promotional materials.

"We are thrilled to have Laurence Gartel create our official GRAMMY Awards artwork as he brought a truly visual element to the iconic GRAMMY statuette," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "His work provides a fitting nod to the vibrancy of the artists, musicians, and creative professionals who we’ll honor at the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards."

Gartel has been known around the world as a pioneer of digital art. His innovative and colorful imagery has championed many notable advertising campaigns over the past 35 years. He grew up in New York City, where he was greatly influenced by the punk rock scene, working alongside musicians Stiv Bators, Sid Vicious, Wendy O. Williams and the Ramones. His groundbreaking work has been exhibited in the United States at the Museum of Modern Art, Princeton University Art Museum, and Long Beach Museum of Art, as well as internationally in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History, Bibliothèque nationale de France, and Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Gartel has spent the last several years creating art cars and was the feature of the 113th Annual New York International Auto Show with his own Pavilion. View more of Gartel's work at www.gartelart.com.

Gartel joins a growing list of talented artists, including Shepard Fairey, Charles Fazzino, Frank Gehry, Marcus Glenn, Phil Hansen and David LaChapelle, who have all created the annual official GRAMMY artwork.

The 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards will be held Feb. 8, 2015, at Staples Center in Los Angeles and broadcast live in high-definition TV and 5.1 surround sound on CBS from 8–11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). For updates and breaking news, visit The Recording Academy's social networks on Twitter and Facebook and Instagram. 

Stevie Nicks

Stevie Nicks

Photo: Steve Granitz/Getty Images

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Stevie Nicks Scores Her Second Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction

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In addition to this year's induction as a solo artist, Nicks was previously inducted in 1998 for her work in Fleetwood Mac
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Dec 13, 2018 - 11:59 am

On Dec. 13 the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame announced their 2019 inductees to be honored on March 29, 2019, at the 34th annual induction ceremony. The final selection includes the Cure, Def Leppard, Janet Jackson, Stevie Nicks, Radiohead, Roxy Music including Brian Eno, and the Zombies. It was the first time on the ballot for Def Leppard, Stevie Nicks and Roxy Music, and Nicks' win as a solo artist makes her the first woman to ever be inducted twice into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame previously inducted Nicks in 1998 for her work in Fleetwood Mac. Earlier this year, Fleetwood Mac became the first band to receive the MusiCares Person of the Year award for their philanthropy, and their albums Fleetwood Mac (1975) and Rumours (1977) have been inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame.

As for the other inductees, Pitchfork recapped Radiohead's divergent reactions last year when they made the previous final ballot. Jonny Greenwood's response was, "I don't care," but Colin Greenwood said he'd be grateful. They didn't make it on the 33rd round but now they're among the 34th confirmed inductees.

Rolling Stone caught up with Def Leppard's Joe Elliott right after he heard the news. "We finally find out we're in," he said. "Now we can stop holding our breath and go, 'Great! How wonderful to be in the same club as the Rolling Stones and the Beatles and the Who and Queen and etc., etc.' It's nice. It's a good club to be in."

The 34th Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held on March 29, 2019, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. It will be shown on HBO and heard on SiriusXM. Ticket availability will be announced in January. The 2019 inductees' exhibit at the Hall's museum in Cleveland, Ohio will be unveiled the same night.

Bon Jovi, Dire Straits Among Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame 2018 Inductees

Lil Wayne

Lil Wayne

Photo: Rick Kern/WireImage/Getty Images

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Lil Wayne Reveals Four December Tour Dates

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The GRAMMY-winning rapper initially broke news of the mini-tour on Dec. 3, asking fans to vote on where to hold the shows
Ana Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Dec 12, 2018 - 4:40 pm

On Dec. 11, GRAMMY-winning rapper Lil Wayne announced the four cities he would visit on the I Ain't Sh*t Without You tour: Houston, Washington D.C., Atlanta and Chicago. These are the first major shows the rapper has planned since his long-delayed and hotly anticipated Tha Carter V was finally released on Sept. 28.

Wayne initially broke news of the mini-tour on Dec. 3, asking fans to vote on where to hold the shows. In an announcement video, he stressed the intimate and exclusive vibe all four shows would have: "It's gonna be a real intimate setting, some different sh*t. You might get to hear some sh*t you've never heard or some sh*t some people may never hear, things like that."

Now that the votes are in and the cities have been chosen—although the venues are still undisclosed—fans can RSVP for tickets, which are free for Tidal members. Non-subscribers can sign up for a free trial in order to join in.

To get a taste, watch below to see Wayne performing "Uproar" from Tha Carter V, along with collaborator (and fellow GRAMMY winner) Swizz Beatz, on Saturday Night Live.

"Lollipop" To "A Milli": Lil Wayne's 'Tha Carter III' 10 Years After

Justin Tranter 

Photo: Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images

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Justin Tranter Wants To Elevate A New Generation Of Superstars With New Label

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The highly regarded songwriter, who earned a Song Of The Year GRAMMY nomination in 2017, has teamed up with A&R executive Katie Vinten and Warner Bros
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Dec 12, 2018 - 3:55 pm

GRAMMY-nominated songwriter Justin Tranter, co-writer of Halsey's "Bad At Love" and Justin Bieber's "Sorry," is teaming up with A&R executive Katie Vinten and Warner Bros. Records to form Facet Records, which aims to house the "next generation of superstars,” Warner Bros. has announced.

“Justin is a true visionary and one of the greatest songwriters in the game, with a remarkable ability to bring the best out of people," Warner Bros. Records Co-Chairman & CEO Aaron Bay-Schuck said in a statement. "Katie is a brilliant A&R person who has been the guiding force behind an incredible roster of chart-topping songwriters, Justin among them.”

Tranter is a highly regarded songwriter and has been widely recognized by the Recording Academy. In 2017, at the 60th GRAMMY Awards, Tranter earned a Song Of The Year GRAMMY nomination for Julia Michael's "Issues."

“I am beyond honored and excited to begin this next chapter with Warner Bros. Records,” Tranter said in statement. “It makes perfect sense to partner with my queen Katie Vinten on this label venture, since we built my songwriting career from the ground up."

Vinten and Tranter have worked with Warner Bros. on artists’ projects, including Selena Gomez, Gwen Stefani and Imagine Dragons. With the continuing collaboration Tranter hopes to "change other people’s lives as well."

Tranter told the GRAMMY Museum's "Required Listening" podcast that as a teen he was inspired by many female songwriters of the ‘90s era, including Courtney Love and Tori Amos.

He also spoke about his close relationship Julia Michaels. "Obviously, me and Julia have written an insane amount of songs together. At that point, when we wrote 'Issues,' we were already really close. To write something as raw and honest and bare your soul as 'Issues,' you kind of really need to know somebody."

READ: Songwriter Justin Tranter: Women Tell Awesome Stories | "Required Listening"

Tranter, an advocate for songwriters and the LGBT community, said he named the label ‘Facet’ "because the most precious stones deserve thought-out, passionate facets to make them really shine."

"Justin is a fierce champion for artists and their songwriting peers, takes risks, dares to be different and fights daily for the causes they believe in, both within and outside the scope of the music business," Bay-Schuck said.

With the new label, Tranter hopes to continue elevating voices.

"Once I got into pop songwriting, I was kind of just ready to help other people tell their stories. … I'm here to facilitate, and structure, and grow, and make things a little more fabulous and a little more urgent," he said.

Song Of The Year Nominations Roundup | 2019 GRAMMY Awards

Chrissie Hynde

Chrissie Hynde

Photo: Samir Hussein/Getty Images

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Chrissie Hynde, Annie Lennox, More Artists Come Out Against Brexit

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Artist signatories of the Music4EU petition join major UK music organizations, executives, managers, event organizers and more
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Dec 12, 2018 - 3:35 pm

On Dec. 11 the UK organization Music4EU launched its petition and signature drive uniting leading British artists, executives and music community organizations to oppose Brexit, Britain's plan to exit the European Union. Billy Bragg, Paloma Faith, Chrissie Hynde, Annie Lennox, Pink Floyd's Nick Mason, and Nadine Shah are just a few among the many British artists who endorse the petition's statement, "Brexit represents a significant threat to the UK's music industry."

Exit from the EU was chosen by British referendum in 2016, but the problem with Brexit is the lack of details in the plan, and also the complexity of EU regulations that have harmonized systems such as travel and taxation, making life more convenient. Negotiations between UK Prime Minister Theresa May and the EU have not resolved the need for agreed details governing an orderly departure.

As a result, the Music4EU petition's signatories believe, "Leaving the EU’s customs union, single market, VAT [taxation] area and regulatory framework (in whole or part) could devastate our global market leadership, and damage our freedom to trade, tour and to promote our artists and our works."

Music organizations endorsing the petition's warning include the Association of Independent Music; British Academy of Songwriters, Composers & Authors; Featured Artist Coalition; Music Managers Forum; Music Producers Guild; and the Musicians Union. Rolling Stone has a useful summary, but the petition itself and its growing list of endorsements conveys its own special character.

"It is critical to find a way out of this mess," the petition concludes. "Therefore we ask you to examine alternative options to maintain our current influence and freedom to trade."

Why Trade Matters To Music Creators