Spinner http://www.spinner.com Spinner http://www.spinner.com/media/feedlogo.gif Spinner http://www.spinner.com en-us Copyright 2013 Blogsmith, LLC. The contents of this headlines and excerpts feed are available for limited commercial distribution. You may repost this feed to your site provided you link back to the original story, do not edit the material, and do not remove this copyright notice. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ Daft Punk, 'Get Lucky (Feat. Pharell and Nile Rodgers)' -- Listen Now http://www.spinner.com/2013/04/19/daft-punk-get-lucky/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/04/19/daft-punk-get-lucky/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/04/19/daft-punk-get-lucky/#comments Filed under: , , ,


Ethan Miller, Getty

Daft Punk are a musical anomaly, and not just because 20 years into their career we're still not sure what French electronic dance duo Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo look like beneath their robot masks.

Their last proper studio album, Human After All, came out in 2005 to critical and commercial indifference. Until, that is, the pair took their productions (and pyramid) on the road and turned their apparent failure into one of the new century's greatest success stories.

Daft Punk have been rolling out the marketing for their new instrument-based, collab-filled upcoming album, Random Access Memories, in a manner befitting their now-superstar status. Their last blitz, boasting a snippet of "Get Lucky" featuring Pharell Williams on vocals and Chic's Nile Rodgers on guitar, premiered at Coachella and then hit Saturday Night Live. ]]> Daft PunkDaft Punk Get LuckyDaft Punk musicDaft Punk Pharrell WilliamsDaft Punk songsDaftPunkDaftPunkGetLuckyDaftPunkMusicDaftPunkPharrellWilliamsDaftPunkSongsnew Daft PunkNewDaftPunkPharrell WilliamsPharrellWilliams Joshua Ostroff 2013-04-19T10:35:00 00:00 Coldplay Oxfam: Crowdsourced 'In My Place' Video Fights Land Grabs http://www.spinner.com/2013/04/16/coldplay-oxfam-in-my-place-land-grabs/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/04/16/coldplay-oxfam-in-my-place-land-grabs/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/04/16/coldplay-oxfam-in-my-place-land-grabs/#comments Filed under: ,


ColdplayJason Merritt, Getty

A Coldplay concert tends to quickly turn into an audience singalong, essentially crowdsourcing the crooning to create an inspirational, moving moment. The Brit band is now taking that notion to another level with their latest project, a collaboration with Oxfam that pairs an exclusive acoustic version of the group's classic "In My Place" with footage and photos sent in from around the world to raise awareness about landgrabs.

The campaign launched today with a short film assembled by award-winning video director Mat Whitecross from almost 7,000 videos and pic sent by Coldplay fans from 55 countries, ranging from Canada, the U.K., Iceland and Germany to Brazil, Thailand, Saudi Arabia and India.

The idea of the film was "to echo the dislocation and displacement thousands of families experience as a result of land grabs," Oxfam explained in a press release, which notes that governments and private investors regularly buy huge plots of land in the world's poorest nations and then evict those living on it, often violently and without compensation. ]]> Coldplaycoldplay in my placecoldplay landgrabcoldplay oxfamColdplay oxfam videoColdplayInMyPlaceColdplayLandgrabColdplayOxfamColdplayOxfamVideoland grabland grabslandgrablandgrabsOxfamoxfam landgrabOxfamLandgrabWolf GangWolfGang Joshua Ostroff 2013-04-16T14:45:00 00:00 Flaming Lips 'The Terror': No Hamster Balls & Confetti Cannons Now, Just Darkness (Q&A) http://www.spinner.com/2013/04/03/flaming-lips-the-terror/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/04/03/flaming-lips-the-terror/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/04/03/flaming-lips-the-terror/#comments Filed under: , , , ,


Wayne Coyne Flaming LipsMark Metcalfe, Getty

When the Flaming Lips played Spinner's free NXNE show in Toronto before 30,000 odd fans last summer, little did we know that it would be the last time the Lips would play their famously celebratory streamers-lasers-stage-props live show in North America. Following a subsequent Australian tour, Wayne Coyne and company retired their giant hamster ball and confetti canons to develop a new concert experience that better represents the bleakness of their just-released album The Terror.

The Flaming Lips launched the new album with pair of shows at SXSW last month -- a tiny and instantly legendary Warner Sound gig where they performed their most popular album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots from beginning to end for the first time and another massive free outdoor concert where they played all of the then-unreleased Terror. The second show sent many fans, expecting the Lips usual over-the-top optimism fleeing the lakeshore.

A few hours before the first show in Austin, Coyne sat with Spinner in the group's green room -- really more of a back alley tent behind the venue -- to discuss the 30-year-old band's dark new direction, the similarities between art and masturbation and the ridiculousness of a "supernatural entity that doesn't like gay people." Oh, and the Yoshimi musical, too. ]]> Flaming LipsFlaming Lips The Terrorflaming lips tourFlamingLipsFlamingLipsTheTerrorflaminglipstourThe Flaming Lipsthe flaming lips the terrorthe terror flaming lipsTheFlamingLipstheflaminglipstheterrortheterrorflaminglipsWayne CoyneWayneCoyne Joshua Ostroff 2013-04-03T13:30:00 00:00 Dave Grohl's 'Sound City' Nirvana: SXSW 2013 Show Attracts All-Star Cast to Perform http://www.spinner.com/2013/03/15/dave-grohl-sound-city-sxsw-2013/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/03/15/dave-grohl-sound-city-sxsw-2013/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/03/15/dave-grohl-sound-city-sxsw-2013/#comments Filed under: , ,


Dave Grohl Sound City Players Live at SXSW 2013 RecapRick Diamond, WireImage

"Ladies and gentleman, it's going to be a long fucking night," suggested Dave Grohl at the onset of his marathon Sound City Players SXSW set. "Buckle up." The Foo Fighters frontman was not effin' kidding.

Three-and-one-half hours later, Grohl and a host of famous friends finished their apparently last-ever Sound City Players performance (which was, in example of whimsical corporate synergy, "presented by Citi Private Pass," who provided Spinner with wristbands to skip past the massive line snaking around Stubbs). Grohl assembled the supergroup as part of his "Sound City" documentary about the California studio where Nevermind and countless other classic albums were recorded, from the pop-rock of Rick Springfield to the agit-rock of Rage Against the Machine to the classic rock of Fleetwood Mac and Credence Clearwater Revival.' ]]> cheap trickCheapTrickdave grohldave grohl sxswDaveGrohlDaveGrohlSxswfoo fightersFooFightersjohn fogertyJohnFogertyrick springfieldRickSpringfieldslipknotsound citysound city partysound city sxswSoundCitySoundCityPartySoundCitySxswsouth by southwestsouth by southwest 2013SouthBySouthwestSouthBySouthwest2013stevie nicksStevieNickssxswsxsw 2013Sxsw2013 Joshua Ostroff 2013-03-15T17:20:00 00:00 SXSW 2013: Flaming Lips Play First-Ever All-'Yoshimi' Set, Ponder Fest's Evolution http://www.spinner.com/2013/03/15/sxsw-2013-flaming-lips-play-first-ever-all-yoshimi-set-ponde/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/03/15/sxsw-2013-flaming-lips-play-first-ever-all-yoshimi-set-ponde/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/03/15/sxsw-2013-flaming-lips-play-first-ever-all-yoshimi-set-ponde/#comments Filed under: , ,


Wayne Coyne Flaming LipsAlamy

"My wristbands are getting in the way of my guitar," griped a bemused Wayne Coyne at the Belmont's outdoor stage in front of a few hundred very lucky people.

"SXSW problems," bandmate Steven Drozd quipped back.

Coyne also snarked that the crowd was "cooler than anyone else who couldn't get into the show" -- a sideways comment on a festival that has become as much about where you can get into as who you see there -- but then the Flaming Lips proceeded to make us feel pretty damn cool by launching into a historic first-ever full-album performance Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, including some songs that had never been played live before. ]]> Flaming LipsFlamingLipssouth by southwestsouth by southwest 2013SouthBySouthwestSouthBySouthwest2013sxswSXSW 2013Sxsw2013the flaming lipsTheFlamingLipswayne coynewayne coyne interviewWayneCoyneWayneCoyneInterview Joshua Ostroff 2013-03-15T15:00:00 00:00 SXSW 2013: Deadmau5 Joins Richie Hawtin, Slams 'Yo'Bros,' Praises Tim Hortons, Frets About Mouse Head's Five-Year-Old Fans http://www.spinner.com/2013/03/13/sxsw-2013-deadmau5-richie-hawtin/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/03/13/sxsw-2013-deadmau5-richie-hawtin/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/03/13/sxsw-2013-deadmau5-richie-hawtin/#comments Filed under: , , , ,


Deadmau5 and Richie HawtinGetty | Getty

Techno icon Richie Hawtin noted at the beginning of his "in conversation" SXSW panel with EDM superstar Joel "Deadmau5" Zimmerman that they were both Canadians, but then they proved it when asked what it was about Canada that had resulted in two of the biggest names in electronic music coming form the country. They both replied, "Tim Horton's doughnuts and the double-double."

"I had one across from my studio," Hawtin added.

"Really, I have one across my studio, too," said Zimmerman, noting sardonically to the crowd, "There's a Tim Horton's on every fucking corner in Canada." ]]> Deadmau5EDMPlastikmanRichie HawtinRichie Hawtin Deadmau5RichieHawtinRichieHawtinDeadmau5south by southwestsouth by southwest 2013SouthBySouthwestSouthBySouthwest2013SXSWSXSW 2013Sxsw2013Tim HortonsTimHortons Joshua Ostroff 2013-03-13T14:00:00 00:00 SXSW 2013, 'Downloaded': Napster's Sean Parker, Shawn Fanning Defend Tech in Doc http://www.spinner.com/2013/03/11/sxsw-2013-downloaded-napster-sean-parker-shawn-fanning/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/03/11/sxsw-2013-downloaded-napster-sean-parker-shawn-fanning/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/03/11/sxsw-2013-downloaded-napster-sean-parker-shawn-fanning/#comments Filed under: , , ,


Shawn Fanning Alex Winter Downloaded NapsterMichael Buckner, Getty

"Downloaded," the first film selected by SXSW thanks to its perfect intersection of the festival's three themes of music, film and interactive technology, opens with the squelchy crunch of a dial-up modem, a sonic signifier of just how far we've come since 1998. The film by Alex Winter, formerly of "Bill and Ted" fame, tells of the rapid rise and dramatic fall of pioneer file-sharing tech, Napster.

"It could have been told from one perspective or the other, and so to make a documentary that had historical perspective and also tells both sides of the story in an objective way is difficult to do," noted infamous Napster co-founder Sean Parker after the world premiere screening at the Paramount theatre ended in rapturous applause. "Coming here, I wasn't sure how the audience would react, but it seemed like everyone was pretty into it. The guys in front of me were really into it, because I was whispering to my fiancé and they told me to shut up." ]]> alex winterAlexWinterDownloadeddownloaded filmdownloaded napster filmDownloadedFilmDownloadedNapsterFilmnapsterSean ParkerSeanParkerShawn FanningShawnFanningsouth by southwestsouth by southwest 2013SouthBySouthwestSouthBySouthwest2013SXSWSXSW 2013Sxsw filmsxsw film festivalsxsw film festival 2013Sxsw2013SxswFilmSxswFilmFestivalSxswFilmFestival2013 Joshua Ostroff 2013-03-11T12:20:00 00:00 SXSW 2013: Danny Boyle and Underworld's Rick Smith Talk Trainspotting's Rave Influence http://www.spinner.com/2013/03/09/sxsw-2013-danny-boyle-rick-smith/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/03/09/sxsw-2013-danny-boyle-rick-smith/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/03/09/sxsw-2013-danny-boyle-rick-smith/#comments Filed under: , , , ,


SXSW 2013: Danny Boyle and Rick SmithHutton Supancic, Getty Images

Splitting the difference between SXSW's film and music streams, Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle and longtime collaborator Rick Smith of Underworld held an "in conversation" panel, a good deal of which centered around their first and most famous work, "Trainspotting," which rode the ecstatic wave of dance anthem "Born Slippy," making both 90s cultural touchstones.

"We were doing pretty well as an underground dance band in the U.K.," recalls Smith, "and we would get a call once a week, 'Can we use your music in X film or TV program?' Every time it would be like, 'What's it for?' They'd say, 'A violent, drug-dealing, death, mayhem scene in a nightclub.' For us, that was horrible. We hated it. The [rave] culture that we were a part of felt safe, felt so positive, this was not what we were interested in. ]]> danny boyledanny boyle south by southwestdanny boyle sxswDannyBoyleDannyBoyleSouthBySouthwestDannyBoyleSxswrick smithrick smith south by southwestrick smith sxswRickSmithRickSmithSouthBySouthwestRickSmithSxswsouth by southwestsouth by southwest 2013SouthBySouthwestSouthBySouthwest2013sxswsxsw 2013Sxsw2013the underworldthe underworld rick smithTheUnderworldTheUnderworldRickSmith Joshua Ostroff 2013-03-09T16:35:00 00:00 Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan Pins The Internet With Wrestling Furniture TV Ad http://www.spinner.com/2013/02/20/billy-corgan-wrestling-furniture-ad/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/02/20/billy-corgan-wrestling-furniture-ad/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/02/20/billy-corgan-wrestling-furniture-ad/#comments Filed under: , ,


bill corganYouTube

Billy Corgan, the erstwhile alt-era icon and Smashing Pumpkins frontman, has been at least as focused on wrestling as music for the past few years. So perhaps his awesomely absurdist TV ad for Chicago furniture supplier Walter E Smithe, which acts as a backdoor viral ad for his wrestling concern Resistance Pro, should be less surprising.

But that doesn't make it any less hilarious, does it?

So have a gander at Corgan's latest project, in which he plays musical chairs with the Smithe brothers before inviting his pro wrestlers into the ring to crack some furniture-seller skulls. Then hit the gallery below to find out about 15 other ridiculous musician appearances in TV ads.

As much as Billy likes to mope-sing about being alone, in this case he's got some great company ranging from Ringo Starr and Rolling Stones to Iggy Pop and Johnny Rotten. ]]> Billy Corganbilly corgan smashing pumpkinsbilly corgan wrestlingBillyCorganBillyCorganSmashingPumpkinsBillyCorganWrestlingsmashing pumpkinsSmashingPumpkinswalter e smitheWalterESmithewrestling Joshua Ostroff 2013-02-20T11:29:00 00:00 Grammys 2013: Worst Grammy Award Nominations Ever http://www.spinner.com/2013/02/06/grammy-awards-grammys-2013-worst-nominations-ever/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/02/06/grammy-awards-grammys-2013-worst-nominations-ever/ http://www.spinner.com/2013/02/06/grammy-awards-grammys-2013-worst-nominations-ever/#comments Filed under: , , , , ,


Milli Vanilli Alvin and the Chipmunks Mick Jagger Rolling StonesAP | Getty | Getty

Music fans and critics alike enjoy annually complaining about the Grammy Awards' winners, losers, surprises and snubs. But sometimes the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences gets it really wrong.

Consider this year when the unknown (and untalented) keytar-wielding Al Walser somehow landed a Best Dance Recording nomination for his "Friday"-quality song "I Can't Live Without You," causing pretty much the entire Internet to yell "WTF?!" in unison.

Not to downplay Walser's inclusion, but the Grammy Awards have been honoring the dishonorable ever since they began. So we dug into the archives to compile a list of the absolute worst Grammy nominations ever. Not all have won, but c'mon academy voters, none should have even been nominated. Turn up your gramophones!

To see the worst Grammy nominations ever, in chronological order, click to launch the gallery below: ]]> 2013 Grammy awards2013GrammyAwardsA Taste of HoneyAfromanATasteOfHoneybad grammy nominationsBadGrammyNominationsBaha MenBahaMenBlues BrothersBluesBrothersDavid SevilleDavidSevilleDomenico ModugnoDomenicoModugnoEric ClaptonEricClaptonGrammy AwardsGrammy nominationGrammy nominations 2012Grammy nominations 2013GrammyAwardsGrammyNominationGrammyNominations2012GrammyNominations2013Grammysgrammys2013Herbie HancockHerbieHancockhorrible grammy nominationsHorribleGrammyNominationsJethro TullJethroTullMilli VanilliMilliVanilliNew Vaudeville BandNewVaudevilleBandPaul McCartneyPaulMccartneyQuad City DJsQuadCityDjsRobin WilliamsRobinWilliamsRolling StonesRollingStonesScott StappScottStappSi Zentner the Johnny Mann SingersSiZentnerTheJohnnyMannSingersskee-loSteely DanSteelyDanThe Chipmunk songTheChipmunkSongVaughn MeaderVaughnMeaderWe are the WorldWeAreTheWorldWill SmithWillSmith Joshua Ostroff 2013-02-06T12:00:00 00:00 12-12-12 Benefit Concert for Victims of Hurricane Sandy - AOL/Spinner http://www.spinner.com/2012/12/12/12-12-12-sandy-benefit-concert/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/12/12/12-12-12-sandy-benefit-concert/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/12/12/12-12-12-sandy-benefit-concert/#comments
]]> 121212-live-stream Joshua Ostroff 2012-12-12T19:05:00 00:00 Stars' Torquil Campbell on Politics, Frank Ocean and Radicalizing Pop http://www.spinner.com/2012/11/22/stars-torquil-campbell-politics/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/11/22/stars-torquil-campbell-politics/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/11/22/stars-torquil-campbell-politics/#comments Filed under: , , ,


Stars Evan Cranley Amy Millan Torquil CampbellNorman Wong

When Stars new album The North came out earlier this fall, outspoken singer Torquil Campbell made any number of political pronouncements to the press, right up to warning about Canada's creeping fascism. So it was a little surprising to press play and hear none of those opinions made their way into the album's songs.

We asked why, and our subsequent conversation ranged from Woody Guthrie, Frank Ocean and Pussy Riot to Obama, culture wars and Canada's "evil" prime minster while ending on the inherent radicalism of pop music. Oh, and we also spoke about eggs. ]]> CSISStarsStars politicsTorq Campbelltorquil campbelltorquil campbell politicsTorquilCampbell Joshua Ostroff 2012-11-22T15:30:00 00:00 Lights: 'True Colors' Singer on Being Bullied as a Teen and How Tough it is For the Amanda Todd Generation http://www.spinner.com/2012/11/16/lights-bullying/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/11/16/lights-bullying/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/11/16/lights-bullying/#comments Filed under: , , ,


LIGHTSLIGHTS Facebook

Lights is a pretty and successful pop star. But that's now. Back when she was known as Valerie Poxleitner, she was just another teenage girl whose light was dimmed by bullies for the crime of being different.

"In high school I not only didn't have a whole lot of friends, I went to a lot of different schools because we moved a lot. I ended up just keeping to myself and trying to get my work done and do my thing. I wasn't particularly stylish. I was kind of lanky. I didn't grow into my body yet," Lights tells Spinner backstage at Free the Children's We Day youth rally in Calgary, where bullying has become a topic in the wake of Amanda Todd's suicide.

"There'd be groups of girls that didn't like me, they didn't like that I smiled, that I was happy, that I worked hard and tried to get out of high school with good marks. I would get pushed into lockers and called names and teased and people would try and start fights with me. Someone keyed my car. And it's not that I had a lot of enemies, it happens to everyone -- even the most popular people in school have problems." ]]> Amanda toddanti-bullyinganti-bullying weekbullyingbullying awareness weekcyberbullyingFree the childrenKids Help PhoneLIGHTSLights anti-bullyingLIGHTS bullyingLIGHTS cyberbullyingLIGHTS We Dayteenage bullyingWe Day Joshua Ostroff 2012-11-16T17:30:00 00:00 10 Things as Old as Anthony Kiedis: Red Hot Chili Peppers Singer Turns 50 http://www.spinner.com/2012/11/01/anthony-kiedis-50-red-hot-chili-peppers/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/11/01/anthony-kiedis-50-red-hot-chili-peppers/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/11/01/anthony-kiedis-50-red-hot-chili-peppers/#comments Filed under: , ,


Anthony Kiedis Red Hot Chili PeppersGetty

The Red Hot Chili Peppers have always seemed somewhat juvenile, what with their topless torsos and sock-clad, er, chili peppers.

But when we say "always," we mean it -- the iconic alt band has been around since 1983. So it shouldn't be a huge surprise that lead singer Anthony Kiedis is turning 50 today, but it still kinda is.

Fifty is pretty old, right?

Well, let's put it into perspective by looking at 10 other things that are as old as Anthony Kiedis: ]]> Andy Warholanthony kiedisanthony kiedis birthdayBeatlescuban missile crisisJamaicaJames BondNavy sealsred hot chili peppersRolling StonesSpider ManThe BeatlesThe HulkWalmartWilt Chamberlain Joshua Ostroff 2012-11-01T17:40:00 00:00 Halloween Birthdays: U2, Beastie Boys, Smiths Members & Vanilla Ice Celebrate Spooktacularly http://www.spinner.com/2012/10/31/halloween-birthdays-u2-beastie-boys-smiths-vanilla-ice/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/10/31/halloween-birthdays-u2-beastie-boys-smiths-vanilla-ice/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/10/31/halloween-birthdays-u2-beastie-boys-smiths-vanilla-ice/#comments Filed under: ,


Larry Mullen U2, Johnny Marr The Smiths, Ad-Rock Beastie Boys, Vanilla IceGetty (x3) | Youtube

It really sucks to have your birthday on Christmas, since so many people who aren't even having a birthday get freaking presents and it totally is your actual birthday and, well, blergh.

But what if your birthday was a day of unbridled hedonism where everyone dresses up in cool costumes and either hits the streets for too much candy or hits the bars and house parties for too many drinks? Not too shabby.

Well, it turns out a fair number of musical folks were born on Halloween so we decided to dig around and see if their spooky birthdays have had any impact on their musical output... ]]> Ad RockAdam HorowitzBeastie Boys Ad RockBirthdayshalloween birthdaysJohnny MarrJohnny Marr the smithsLarry MullenLarry Mullen JrLarry Mullen Jr.Larry Mullen Jr. U2musician birthdaysThe SmithsU2Vanilla IceWillow Smith Joshua Ostroff 2012-10-31T16:15:00 00:00 Political Songs: Top 12 Post-Millennial Anthems That Rallied the Masses http://www.spinner.com/2012/10/02/political-songs-top/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/10/02/political-songs-top/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/10/02/political-songs-top/#comments Filed under: , , , , ,


Gino DePinto, AOL

Last week, a little over a year after the Occupy Wall Street movement had its first anniversary, Tom Morello and System of a Down's Serj Tankian rolled out their hard-rocking protest anthem "We Are the 99%."

With its mosh-friendly riffs and chant-friendly chorus, it's a long-awaited return to form by the former guitarist of Rage Against the Machine.

Of course, it's also a reminder that in the dozen years since Rage disbanded, no artist has been quite as politically angry despite the one-two punch of the War on Terror and Great Recession. But we apparently remembered wrong, because despite a relatively lower level of outrage, a surprising number of classic political songs have indeed emerged from this messy new millennium. ]]> Barack ObamaBarack Obama songsMitt RomneyMitt Romney songsObama songspolitical songsPoliticsWe Are the 99 Joshua Ostroff 2012-10-02T16:30:00 00:00 7 Signs of the Coming Musical Apocalypse http://www.spinner.com/2012/08/24/7-signs-of-the-coming-musical-apocalypse-chavril/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/08/24/7-signs-of-the-coming-musical-apocalypse-chavril/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/08/24/7-signs-of-the-coming-musical-apocalypse-chavril/#comments Filed under: , , ,


Getty | Getty

When news of Chavril broke earlier this week, the Internet erupted with a collective shudder.

Clearly the surprise engagement of Nickelback singer Chad Kroeger and fallen pop-"punk" star Avril Lavigne, announced in such rock cred-heavy publications as People and Hello Canada, was a sure sign of the apocalypse. And we agree, them Mayans were dead-on with 2012 being the end of the world.

But not just because of Chavril. There have many more musical signs this year that end is indeed nigh.

Let's take a look, shall we? ]]> Avril LavigneChad KroegerchavrilConor KennedyJack WhiteJustin BieberKanye WestKim KardashianMiley CyrusMiley Cyrus dubstepNickelbackOne DirectionParis HiltonParis Hilton DJTaylor Swift Joshua Ostroff 2012-08-24T17:00:00 00:00 Drake is Top Dog at OVO Fest, Outshines Special Guests Nicki Minaj, Snoop Dogg and Rick Ross http://www.spinner.com/2012/08/06/drake-ovo-fest-snoop-dogg-rick-ross-nicki-minaj/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/08/06/drake-ovo-fest-snoop-dogg-rick-ross-nicki-minaj/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/08/06/drake-ovo-fest-snoop-dogg-rick-ross-nicki-minaj/#comments Filed under: , ,


Sarjoun Faour Photography/WireImage

For three years running, Drake has hosted the biggest hip-hop event in Toronto (and almost anywhere else, too). His OVO Fest, named after his hometown pre-fame October's Very Own clique, began in 2010 as a way to stake his claim in the hip-hop scene. He did this by not just headlining his own festival, but bringing out the biggest special guests anyone could bring out -- Jay-Z and Eminem. This was his way of saying rap's ruling kings had welcomed him into the royal court.

The following year he had less to prove, but more to say with his special guests -- his boss, fresh-from-prison Lil Wayne, appeared as a symbol of loyalty while Stevie Wonder was a way for the rapper-singer to show his concept of music extended back further than the Boogie Down Bronx.

So how could he top that in 2012? Well, he couldn't. And by taking up the top spot himself and focusing on showing love for his hometown, maybe he didn't have to. ]]> DrakeNicki MinajNickiMinajOVOOVO festOVO fest 2012OVOfestOVOfest 2012Rick RossSnoop DoggSnoop LionWaka Flocka Flame Joshua Ostroff 2012-08-06T10:35:00 00:00 Amy Winehouse: The Songs She Loved, From Carole King to the Zutons http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/23/amy-winehouse-favorite-songs/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/23/amy-winehouse-favorite-songs/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/23/amy-winehouse-favorite-songs/#comments Filed under: , ,


Dan Kitwood, Getty


Amy Winehouse, in excerpts from a previously unbroadcasted interview published by the Guardian to mark the anniversary of her death, spoke of her favorite Shangri-Las song "I Can Never Go Home Anymore," which she deemed "the most depressing ever."

This inspired us to track down some of the other songs that had made a similarly strong impact on Winehouse's. After all, what better way to pay tribute to Miss Winehouse than by shining some light on the music that had helped shape her whole life?

Here are five of Amy Winehouse's favorite songs: ]]> Amy WinehouseAmy Winehouse Carole KingAmy Winehouse deadAmy winehouse deathAmy Winehouse favorite songsAmy Winehouse favourite songsAmy Winehouse Sarah VaughanAmy Winehouse Shangri-LasAmy Winehouse songsAmy Winehouse ZutonsAmywinehouseCarole KingSarah Vaughanshangri-lasThe SpecialsThe Zutons Joshua Ostroff 2012-07-23T15:30:00 00:00 Polaris Prize: Grimes, Drake, Japandroids, Feist Make 2012 Short List http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/17/polaris-prize-short-list-2012/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/17/polaris-prize-short-list-2012/ http://www.spinner.com/2012/07/17/polaris-prize-short-list-2012/#comments Filed under: , ,


Redferns | Getty | Filmmagic.com

Canada's Polaris Prize has gone through some growing pains over its seven year lifespan as the 200+ jurists and music fans alike try to wrap their head around a $30,000 award for the best Canadian album that declares its disdain for such factors as genre, sales, public profile, fan base, or net worth.

The latter, of course, has become an issue this year with Drake, one of the world's biggest pop stars -- a former child-star who boast-raps he's "25 sitting on 25 Mil" on bonus cut "The Motto" off Take Care. His latest album has earned outsized critical acclaim and commercial success alongside a corresponding backlash.

Last time he was Polaris eligible, Thank Me Later didn't even make the 40 album long list. This time, the Toronto rapper-slash-singer swagged his way onto the short list alongside nine nominees who similarly demonstrate the depth and breadth of Canada's modern music scene. ]]> Cadence WeaponCadenceWeaponCold SpecksColdSpecksDrakeFeistFucked UpGrimesHandsome FursJapandroidsKathleen EdwardsKathleenEdwardsPolarisPolaris Music PrizePolaris Music Prize 2012Polaris PrizePolaris Prize Short List 2012Polaris Short ListPolaris Short List 2012PolarismusicprizePolarismusicprize2012PolarisprizePolarisprize2012Yamantaka Sonic TitanYamantakaSonic Titan Joshua Ostroff 2012-07-17T14:40:00 00:00