Photo: Timothy Kuratek/CBS via Getty Images

News

Recording Academy Moves To A Community-Driven Membership Model

Facebook Twitter Email
Two key elements have been added to the new member submission model in an ongoing effort to build a more representative and relevant membership body
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Nov 19, 2018 - 1:41 pm

In order to continue building a diverse and more representative membership group, the Recording Academy has announced it will implement a new community-driven and peer-reviewed membership model that will shift it into an annual cycle and add two new elements.

The membership's key elements will now include industry recommendations and peer review. Beyond the Recording Academy's basic requirements, new membership submissions must include two professional recommendations to be considered. In addition, a Peer Review Panel of music creators will gather every spring to assess new member submissions with diversity in mind, craft and genre in mind.

"The GRAMMY Awards are already renowned for being a peer-awarded honor, and our new membership model further reinforces that peer-driven commitment to excellence," said Laura Segura Mueller, Vice President of Membership & Industry Relations in a statement.

"Membership is the lifeblood of the Recording Academy and a privilege we strive to uphold. Our new membership model puts the power in the hands of the music community and is designed to build an active, representative membership base that reflects our broader culture. By changing the process to Recording Academy membership, we remain committed to setting a positive example for the music industry as a whole."

These changes are a part of a continuing effort from the Recording Academy to make its membership more inclusive. The shift to an annual membership review cycle is in hopes of looking at both existing members and prospective submissions and, "Be thoughtful about how each individual new member decision stands to shape the collective body."

In October, the Recording Academy announced that it would be inviting 900 music creators to join it as voting members.

The official statement from the Recording Academy can be found here.

Recording Academy Announces 61st GRAMMY Awards Update

Dolores O'Riordan

Photo: Srdjan Stevanovic/WireImage

News

The Cranberries Announce Eighth And Final Album, 'In The End'

Facebook Twitter Email
The Irish alt-rock band, who lost lead singer Dolores O'Riordan last year, also unveiled a new single titled "All Over Now"
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jan 15, 2019 - 4:02 pm

Band members of Irish alternative rock band the Cranberries have announced that they will release their eighth and final album In The End on April 26 via BGM.

"In honour of our dear friend and bandmate, Dolores, we present to you the final album from The Cranberries, ‘In The End,’" the band tweeted.

The announcement comes one year after the death of powerful lead vocalist Dolores O'Riordan, who died suddenly while in London for a recording session on Jan. 15, 2018. She was 46.

The band also released a single titled "All Over Now" from the upcoming album. The song "blends rock, alternative and catchy almost pop-sounding melodies to deliver a classic Cranberries sound," the band said on their website.

The BBC reported in Sept. that O'Riordan's cause of death was a "tragic accident" due to excessive drinking. She was found submerged in the bath of her hotel room.

For 30 years, the Cranberries blended alternative rock with pop to create a melodic sound that could be both hard and sweet. Hits like "Zombie" and "Dreams" captured the band's ability to shift their sound. The final album, which has 11 tracks and was produced by Stephen Street, is a "fitting and powerful closure," the band said.

"I can't think of a more fitting way to commemorate the first anniversary of Dolores' passing and to celebrate her life than to announce to the world the release of her final album with the band," O'Riordan's mother, Eileen O'Riordan, said on the band's album announcement. 

Coachella 2019 Lineup Revealed With Extended YouTube Live-Stream Partnership

Bikini Kill

Photo: Steve Eichner/WireImage

News

Legendary Riot Grrrl Band Bikini Kill Reunite, Announce Tour

Facebook Twitter Email
The "Rebel Girl" band will play all-ages shows in Los Angeles in New York City and a 16+ show in Brooklyn, N.Y. in the spring
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jan 15, 2019 - 12:24 pm

Bikini Kill, the legendary politically outspoken feminist '90s punk band that launched the Riot Grrrl movement, have reunited and announced a tour.

The "Rebel Girl" band, who inspired women to express themselves via music and DIY culture, will play all-ages shows in Los Angeles and New York City, as well as a 16+ show in Brooklyn, N.Y. that will begin in the spring.

"Bikini Kill are thrilled to announce they will be regrouping to play shows in NY and LA this spring," the band said on their website. "They will perform with their iconic line-up of Kathleen Hanna on vocals, Tobi Vail on drums, and Kathi Wilcox on bass -- along with guitarist Erica Dawn Lyle."

The group formed in 1990 and were based in Olympia, Wash. and Washington, D.C. Before their break-up in 1997, they recorded and released a demo, two EPs, two LPs and three singles. They toured the U.S., Japan, Europe and Australia.  

Frontwoman Hanna went on to form band Le Tigre and a solo career as Julie Ruin. The Punk Singer documentary is based on her activism and musical career and shows the singer's life and battle with Lyme disease.

Tickets for all three shows will go on sale on Friday, Jan. 18. Both NYC shows will be on sale at 9 A.M. PT / 12 P.M. ET, while the L.A. show will go on sale at 10 A.M. PT / 1 P.M. ET. For more info, visit the band's website.

Coachella Announces "Every One" Initiative To Fight Harassment And Assault
 

Mike Garson

Mike Garson 

Photo: Chris McKay/Getty Images

News

A Bowie Celebration Announces Tour Dates

Facebook Twitter Email
A Bowie Celebration will tour cities in Europe in Jan. and early Feb., before hitting U.S. cities including Los Angeles, Houston and New York City
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jan 14, 2019 - 4:50 pm

David Bowie's backing bands are heading out on tour to continue the GRAMMY winner's legacy for the third year in a row.

A Bowie Celebration will tour cities in Europe in Jan. and early Feb., before hitting U.S. cities including Los Angeles, Houston and New York City until March. 

The tour is formed by Bowie's "longest-leading and most frequent band member" Mike Garson, guitarist Earl Sick, bassist Carmine Rojas, multi-instrumentalist Mark Plati, guitarist Charlie Sexton and vocalists Bernard Fowler and Corey Glover, according to Rolling Stone.

The magazine reports that the band has been joined by several guest vocalists in the past, including Perry Farrell and Evan Rachel Wood, and plays hits like "Rebel Rebel" and "Ziggy Stardust."

"One way or another, David is continuously there with us,” Garson said in a statement. “He’s on stage each night, in the audience and always in the very essence of each song. We do these shows for the fans who’ve loved David and his music, and for those who are new to his music-they’re about to get hooked. Through this process of the celebration of his music, we do these shows for David who is a constant presence in our minds, hearts and soul."

For more information on the tour see here.

Quincy Jones To Receive Special Achievement Honor From The African-American Film Critics Association

Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones 

Photo: Frederick M. Brown/FilmMagic

News

Quincy Jones To Receive Special Achievement Honor From The African-American Film Critics Association

Facebook Twitter Email
Music’s beloved Renaissance man and film producer Jason Blum are the latest additions to the AAFCA's 2019 honorees
Jennifer Velez
GRAMMYs
Jan 14, 2019 - 12:24 pm

GRAMMY-winning music legend Quincy Jones will receive a Special Achievement honor from the African-American Film Critics Association, the largest group of black film critics.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Jones and film producer Jason Blum are the latest additions to the AAFCA's 2019 honorees and will be honored on Feb. 6 at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood.

"Quincy Jones is a cultural icon," AAFCA co-founder Shawn Edwards said in a statement. "For nearly 70 years, he has helped shape pop culture as a music composer and producer as well as a film/TV composer and producer. His creative influence is unparalleled. He has molded the arts, film and music with a force that we may never witness again in our lifetime and given back all along the way."

The two will be celebrated along with the AAFCA's best picture winner Black Panther.

Netflix executive Tengo Nagenda, early jazz cornetist Buddy Bolden, searching director Aneesh Chaganty and HBO's Kelly Edwards are among other recipients who will have their own ceremony on Feb. 2.

Meet The First-Time GRAMMY Nominee: Angela Aguilar On Her Culture And Family Legacy