Music

Jackson Browne, Beck Honor Wes Anderson Needle Drops at Hollywood Bowl Concert

• Hollywood Bowl concert celebrated the music of Wes Anderson films with performances by Beck, Jackson Browne, and other artists across two nights
• Program mixed iconic songs featured in Anderson films with new orchestral arrangements by composers Mark Mothersbaugh and Alexandre Desplat
• Performers shared personal stories from collaborating with Anderson, reflecting on how music shaped the director's filmmaking process

"I'm indebted to Wes for having discovered this song and giving it this life," Browne said before playing "These Days," which was featured prominently in 'The Royal Tenenbaums.'

Madonna Achieves 10th No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 With ‘CONFESSIONS II’

• Madonna scores her 10th Billboard 200 No. 1 with CONFESSIONS II.
• It opened with 134,000 units, her best week since 2014.
• Her first chart-topper of the 2020s, spanning four decades of No. 1s.

Madonna has secured the 10th No. 1 album of her career on the Billboard 200 as her new studio record, CONFESSIONS II, debuts atop the chart dated 18 July. It is her first chart-topper of the 2020s, making her the first act to reach No. 1 in the…

“My first boyfriend introduced me to The Wall. It was the only interesting thing about him”: Author and musician Joanne Harris on having the audacity to perform Pink Floyd, Rick Wakeman and Genesis music in her school band

• Joanne Harris played flute in a school prog band before her writing fame.
• Genesis, Pink Floyd and Rick Wakeman shaped her early musical tastes.
• A boyfriend introduced her to Pink Floyd's The Wall.

In a 2018 interview republished by Louder, author and musician Joanne Harris — best known for the novel Chocolat and later awarded an OBE for services to literature — reflects on her early musical life and the progressive rock that shaped her. Long before her writing career, Harris…

The Motown show that Michael Jackson said was just shy of perfect: “It didn’t work”

The article discusses a 1983 Motown television special that, despite its acclaim, left Michael Jackson feeling it fell just short of perfection, with the singer reportedly saying "it didn't work." The piece frames this as a rare moment of self-criticism from a performer usually associated with the show's…

8 Movies With Great Scores and Soundtracks

• Collider lists eight films with strong original scores and song soundtracks.
• An American Werewolf in London ranks eighth for its moon-themed songs.
• Call Me by Your Name places seventh with 1980s pop selections.

This Collider feature by Jeremy Urquhart compiles eight films that succeed on two musical fronts at once: an original score composed specifically for the film, and a soundtrack built from pre-existing songs. The author notes that most films do one or the other — citing The Good, the…

Anime’s top creators explain why AI can’t replace the human touch

• Anime creators at Anime Expo championed the human touch over AI art.
• Amano: AI is only a tool; only humans create originals.
• Ghost in the Shell team used hand-drawn techniques to stress the human body.

At this year's Anime Expo in Los Angeles, Polygon found that an unexpected theme emerging from interviews with leading anime creators was a renewed appreciation for the human hand in animation, particularly amid the rise of AI-generated art. Speaking to figures including artist Yoshitaka Amano and the Science…

3 of the Most Tender Folk Songs of the 1970s That Will Leave Anyone Heartbroken

• Music feature identifies three acclaimed 1970s folk songs recognised for their emotional impact, particularly on listeners experiencing heartbreak
• Songs by James Taylor, Neil Young, and Gordon Lightfoot use intimate storytelling and introspective lyrics to explore relationships and loss
• The article suggests these tracks resonate universally across different emotional states due to their detailed emotional narrative

American singer-songwriter James Taylor at a BBC TV studio, London, 20th October 1970. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images) These three folk songs from the 1970s will leave anyone heartbroken. You can't help but get emotional with these. The post 3 of the Most Tender Folk Songs of the…

Noah Kahan Cements His Hometown Hero Status With Divine Fenway Park Residency Finale

• Kahan completed a record-breaking four-night Fenway Park residency with over 151,000 combined attendance
• His album 'The Great Divide' debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with platinum certification
• The performance featured elaborate stage production and attracted devoted fans from across the region

The 29-year-old Vermont native made history on his Great Divide Tour as the only artist to sell out four nights at the historic ballpark.