Music

People Thought This 1993 Song Was “Too Pop” for Country Music, Then It Went No. 1 in Both Genres

• Nashville listeners thought “I Swear” was too pop for country.
• John Michael Montgomery took it to No. 1 on the country chart.
• All-4-One’s version reached No. 1 on the Hot 100.

“I Swear” was turned down by several Nashville figures who thought it sounded too pop for country music, but John Michael Montgomery recorded it and took it to No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot Country Singles chart. The song’s success across genres matters because it showed how…

The 1905 composition Joni Mitchell called her first musical obsession

• Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” captivated Mitchell as a child.
• Her parents’ record collection shaped her musical tastes.
• She said she still loves trumpet music and moonlit melodies.

Joni Mitchell has said that Claude Debussy’s “Clair de Lune” was her first musical obsession, a childhood favourite that helped shape her lasting taste in music. The piece’s impressionistic sound and free approach to composition also offer context for the musical influences behind Mitchell’s own work. In a…

How Soviet TV Audiences Fell Under the Spell of Mass Hypnosis Artist Anatoly Kashpirovskiy

• Kashpirovskiy became a Soviet television sensation.
• His broadcasts reached an audience of about 300 million.
• A new documentary draws on hundreds of hours of archival footage.

Polish filmmaker Łukasz Konopa’s documentary “Kashpirovskiy. Under the Spell”, screening at the Ji.hlava documentary festival, revisits the Soviet-era television hypnotist Anatoly Kashpirovskiy. The story matters as a portrait of a mass cultural phenomenon during the political and social upheaval surrounding the collapse of communism. A trained doctor, Kashpirovskiy…

Born 82 Years Ago Today in Chicago, the Outlaw Country Rebel Who Parodied Merle Haggard and Later Ran for Texas Governor

• Kinky Friedman was born 82 years ago in Chicago.
• His career spanned country music, novels and politics.
• He died in 2024, aged 79.

Kinky Friedman, the singer, songwriter, novelist and political candidate, was born in Chicago on 1 November 1944. Known for provocative humour and social satire, he became a distinctive figure in country music and Texas public life. Friedman formed Kinky Friedman and The Texas Jewboys in 1973 and released…

In 1989, a song failed to chart in the US. Now, Bruce Springsteen calls it “every rock star’s dream”

• Springsteen calls ‘I Wanna Be Adored’ every rock star’s dream.
• The Stone Roses track was released in 1989.
• Noel Gallagher recalled discussing the band with Springsteen.

Bruce Springsteen has named the Stone Roses’ 1989 song ‘I Wanna Be Adored’ as “every rock star’s dream”, praising a track that failed to chart in the US. His enthusiasm shows how the Manchester band’s music resonated with an artist whose own songs often explore ambition, fame and…

EVANESCENCE’s AMY LEE: ‘It’s A Beautiful Thing To Be Able To Bring Big Groups Of People Together To Feel Something Real’

• Amy Lee says Evanescence is experiencing renewed momentum.
• “Sanctuary” is driving the band’s current creative push.
• Lee sees live shows as a place for shared emotional release.

Evanescence singer Amy Lee said the band is in an inspired period, with its new album “Sanctuary” helping fuel renewed momentum. She said the group is putting more of itself into its music and live shows, and values bringing audiences together to share an emotional experience. Speaking at…

Youth unemployment gap widens; Australian terror row and Salford surge make headlines

ONS figures show unemployment is twice as high among young non-UK nationals as British peers. Australia’s opposition criticises restrictions on a released terrorist, while Salford City’s promotion hopes gather pace.