Category: pop music

— Includes expanded licensing and digital distribution for Mayday

HANGZHOU, China, Dec. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Cloud Music Inc. (HKEX: 9899, “NetEase Cloud Music” or the “Company”), a leading interactive music streaming service provider in China, today announced that it has entered into a licensing agreement for digital music distribution (“the Agreement”) with B’in Music International Co., Ltd. (“B’in Music”), a leading C-pop music production company, granting NetEase Cloud Music the right to distribute B’in Music’s music catalog, including one of the most influential C-pop bands Mayday.

Under the terms of the Agreement, the two companies will leverage their unparalleled talent and musical prowess and collaborately promote the presence of prominent and fan-favorite C-pop artists and content within the B’in Music catalog. B’in Music’s robust portfolio boasts a number of influential C-pop artists and groups including JONATHAN LEE, MAYDAY, RENÉ LIU, TARCY SU, DELLA, JIA JIA, ANN and others.  

Established in 2006, B’in Music is one of the most influential independent record lable in Asia music community and boasts numerous renowned artists and musical works. Acting on the mission of “Believe in music”, B’in Music attaches great importance to the development of “original singer-songwriters” and “artists with strong vocal skills”. B’in Music’s pioneering business model spanning various musical genres and content, and has demonstrated its expertise in diversified music types that integrate emotional experience and create content reflective of rapid changes in the pop culture industry.

Mayday is an iconic rock band in Asia music community that has influenced and motivated a great number of audiences for over 2 decades. This Agreement enables NetEase Cloud Music to introduce Mayday’s full recorded songs copyright under B’in Music. Together with the existing Mayday copyrights on the platform, NetEase Cloud Music offers users instant access to Mayday’s complete studio album catalogue under B’in Music and Rock Records.

As one of China’s leading online music platforms, NetEase Cloud Music has been a preferred online destination among the younger generation to enjoy music in a wide variety of genres from artists both at home and abroad. The unique music community atmosphere, highly interactive user base and impressive user stickiness of NetEase Cloud Music underpins the platform’s capability in efficiently promoting music content and enhancing the interactions between artists and their fan base.

NetEase Cloud Music has been actively growing its portfolio and expanding its partnerships with top entertainment companies to enrich the high-quality content offering on the platform to better address users’ diverse music tastes. Recently, NetEase Cloud Music has extended music copyright cooperations with a number of top record labels, including Modern Sky, Emperor Entertainment Group, China Record Group, Feng Hua Qiu Shi, Yuehua Entertainment, Linfair Records, SM Entertainment, TF Entertainment, YG Entertainment, KAO!INC, Avex and Pony Canyon. Moving forward, NetEase Cloud Music will pursue further collaborations with upstream copyright owners and continue to provide more high-quality music content for music lovers in China.

About Cloud Music Inc.

Launched in 2013 by NetEase, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTES; HKEX: 9999), Cloud Music Inc. (HKEX: 9899) is a leading interactive music streaming service provider in China. Dedicated to providing an elevated user experience, Cloud Music Inc. provides precise, personalised recommendations, promotes user interaction and creates a strong social community. Its focus on discovering and promoting emerging musicians has made Cloud Music Inc. a destination of choice for exploring new and independent music among music enthusiasts in China. The platform has been recognised as the most popular entertainment app among China’s vibrant Generation Z community.

Please see https://ir.music.163.com/ for more information.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements relating to the business outlook, estimates of financial performance, forecast business plans and growth strategies of the Company. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company and are stated herein on the basis of the outlook at the time of this press release. They are based on certain expectations, assumptions and premises, some of which are subjective or beyond our control. These forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect and may not be realised in the future. Underlying these forward-looking statements are a lot of risks and uncertainties. In light of the risks and uncertainties, the inclusion of forward-looking statements in this press release should not be regarded as representations by the Board or the Company that the plans and objectives will be achieved, and investors should not place undue reliance on such statements.

Investor Enquiries:

Angela Xu
Cloud Music Inc.
music.ir@service.netease.com

Media Enquiries:

Li Ruohan
NetEase, Inc.
globalpr@service.netease.com

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SOURCE NetEase Cloud Music

On her sophomore album Hold the Girl, Rina Sawayama, the breakout British artist known for the mashup style of her 2020 debut—Y2K pop meets nu-metal meets ‘90s R&B—doubles down on her sonic signature. This time, she hones in on the sounds of early 2000s adult contemporary radio, updating them with stadium-sized drum fills and stomping club beats to tell the story of reparenting herself.

From the acrobatic “ay-ee-ay-ee-ay” choruses of “Catch Me in the Air” and “Forgiveness” to the acoustic country-pop sweetness of “Send My Love to John” and high-gloss sheen on piano power ballad closer “To Be Alive,” Hold the Girl creates a world of vintage pop songs for the emotionally literate millennial seeking to recapture the joy of music from a 2000s-era childhood with an adult perspective on the decade’s ills.

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If 2021 saw the mainstream revival of pop-punk with albums from artists like Olivia Rodrigo and Willow, then 2022 marked the glossy, glorious return of adult contemporary. That’s exactly the music I remember from my own childhood, sitting driver’s side in the very back bench seat of my mom’s ‘96 Town and Country, the voices of Sheryl Crow, Faith Hill, and Shania Twain belting the chorus again and again, building on it, vocal flourishes swooping out of the overdubs. This was deceptive music, its acoustic guitar and piano-driven pop the basis for strong voices to drive that feeling of venturing into new beginnings (“I’m going to tell everyone to lighten up”), second-guessing your good luck in love (“Baby, isn’t that the way that love’s supposed to be?”), or giving yourself over to it completely (“And for your love, I’d give my last breath”) to the fully saturated brink.

More From ELLE

 

Like the decade of romantic comedies that preceded it, the adult contemporary genre was home to music that excavated the feelings of women in all their seriousness, leaving melodrama to the straightforward feel-good-chasing Hot 100 pop hits, an ephemeral taste of emotion that lasts as long as a song, but doesn’t linger. Songs spun on adult contemporary radio were all about that leftover residue of feeling: women torn apart and incapable of letting it go—long past the point of anyone else caring—falling in love again with the shadow of the past creeping over their shoulders, or exploring the clarity of feeling that comes after personal disaster. Ultimately, it asks the question: Who am I now that I know I can survive this?

This year’s albums from a new vanguard of pop musicians—Sawayama, Maggie Rogers, and L.A. three-piece MUNA among them—offered similar answers about reclaiming their agency and freedom, using adult contemporary as the base of their sound and building on it with their own array of influences. Sawayama added the arena rock of the ’80s and the neo-futurist visions of early Max Martin; Rogers took the new wave lifeblood of New York and pushed herself into distorted territory ruled by men when she was growing up; MUNA kept the dark pulse of the nightclub from their earlier albums for an electronic and heartfelt effect.

All three acts are on the trajectory from arena-opener to big ticket billing, not merely supporting the likes of Taylor Swift, Lorde, and Kacey Musgraves, but filling those seats themselves in the next few years to come. Their albums are all the product of universe-mandated self-reflection stemming from the beginning of the pandemic, and in reaction to the whims of fame and success.

For Sawayama, that manifested as going back to her childhood and using the popular music of that time (and the country-pop of Shania Twain in particular) to relieve herself of old traumas, creating something she didn’t have growing up as a queer, Asian girl living under Section 28 in the U.K. The best example of that is the rollicking “This Hell,” but the whole resulting album—its power ballad beginning swept into a rave and industrial rock middle act, barreling straight back to stretched out, heartfelt pop—leaves you winded, like leaving a therapy appointment all cried out. “If I can heal someone around me or someone that I don’t know with the songs I write, and I’ve been given an opportunity to do so,” she told ELLE in June, “why wouldn’t I take it?”

For Rogers, weighed down under the intense pressure to deliver her debut and the non-stop years of touring that followed, holing up in Maine at the beginning of the pandemic was a chance to return to the root of her creative process, making music as a mode of being rather than in service to an industry that expected something from her.

“I think that I came back to songwriting in a way that feels as vulnerable and intimate as it did in high school or college, when I was making songs just for myself,” she told ELLE.com earlier this year.

Surrender, her sophomore album released in July, is a full-throttle offering, pushing everything to the brink of feeling: her voice, untamable on the single-take recording of “Horses”; the production, its stretched contrasts between the slowed down, Vanessa Carleton-esque opener “Overdrive” and new wave frenzy of “Shatter”; and its sentiments, self-possessed on “That’s Where I Am” and unselfconsciously optimistic on the acoustic slow burn “Begging for Rain” and closer “Different Kind of World.”

Rogers made the sort of album she wanted to hear live in a period without shows, but also maybe one that creates a vision of her future as a more centered person, confident in her place in the music industry. “I think that’s so much of what creativity is, right?” she told ELLE.com in July. “You create the world you want to see, and these acts of imagination inevitably become super hopeful.”

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Maggie Rogers – Horses (Official Video)

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For MUNA, their third, self-titled album was the result of a professional shake-up, an unexpected exit from major label RCA at the beginning of 2020 that sent Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin, and Naomi McPherson back to the drawing board and wondering what it would sound like to make music as if they were “a huge dyke boy band.”

“I really love the idea of reimagining our childhoods, but casting ourselves as the cultural icons that we wish we could have had,” Gavin, the group’s lead singer, says over Zoom in December.

“It would truly have meant the world to me as a 12-year-old, 13-year-old to see a band like us,” McPherson told ELLE.com back in June.

It led to a certain amount of joyful irony when MUNA dressed up as Lindsay Lohan’s band Pink Slip from the movie Freaky Friday for their tour-ending hometown shows at the end of October. For a person like me who started forming memories and seeking out my own musical interests at the turn of the century, it seemed like the only bands without any cis men in them (and where the members played instruments, unlike pop girl groups like Spice Girls and Destiny’s Child) were fictional, like Pink Slip or Josie and the Pussycats. Doubtlessly, that era was more defeating for McPherson, who is nonbinary. But even Maskin, who recalls going to see the band Heart perform while growing up, says there was something reductive and tokenizing about the way the rock band was talked about at the time. She notices the oversimplifications about MUNA are akin to that too.

“It couldn’t be just like a woman who’s performing rock music, it’s like ‘Heart was like the girl band,’ of that time,” she says. “I feel like there’s always some sort of token girl band … and Heart was so sexualized.”

Naomi McPherson, Katie Gavin, and Josette Maskin of MUNA.

Gavin expresses similar unease about what she internalized about the music industry and her chances of succeeding in it when growing up.

“I was so sure that the keys to the kingdom were held by powerful men, and they were only given to the women that they wanted to fuck,” she says.

Let’s be clear: MUNA are fuckable. But the kinds of people losing their minds over the band’s chemistry on stage are probably not the same kind of people who could make or break artists’ careers in the 2000s based on their desirability to cis male record execs. These days MUNA are under the wing of fellow queer musician Phoebe Bridgers and her label, Saddest Factory, and they’ve made a record of gleaming pop music without forsaking emotional intimacy, the lyrical lived experience of queer existence, or shedding their more adventurous electronic impulses. On their self-titled album released this summer, the wind-in-your-hair rush of “Silk Chiffon,” an ode to letting yourself fall in love with a girl that sounds destined for a 2000s teen rom-com (and ended up in one this year), can sit right alongside the full-throated “What I Want” and the downtempo, country-pop ballad “Kind of Girl.”

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MUNA – Kind Of Girl (Official Video)

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“There’s something kind of beautiful about revisiting the sounds of our elders and trying to honor that legacy by struggling to be as full of the versions of ourselves [as possible],” Gavin says. “The record that we made sounds like an early 2000s record, but it’s a lot more explicitly queer than an early 2000s record would be able to be.”

Rina Sawayama, Maggie Rogers, MUNA, and so many other artists who might have felt excluded by the 2000s’ essentialism in gender and sexuality have grown up to make great music this year—music that builds on the adult contemporary tradition of acoustic guitar and piano music that was popular at a time when attitudes were quite different. iLe examined the sociopolitical landscape of the world and her place in it as a Puerto Rican woman on the Cubist self-portrait Nacarile; the U.K.’s Connie Constance dissected the power dynamics of interpersonal relationships as a Black woman on Miss Power; SZA took an acoustic turn on SOS. to get realer than ever about insecurities and unflattering romantic impulses.

Outside of the music world, early aughts nostalgia began to filter into the mainstream this year, with young audiences on TikTok excited about the aesthetics of mini-skirts and low-rise jeans while glossing over how those styles were born in an era that emphasized impossible beauty standards around thinness and whiteness and femininity. Growing up in the 2000s? That decade was pure brain poison. But if we can resist an oversimplification of the past, if we can deconstruct it and build it anew in ways that better serve our adult selves as Rina Sawayama, Maggie Rogers, and MUNA did in 2022, then vintage sound can be fertile soil to plant a garden in.

I can’t believe 2022 is about to be behind us. Man, that year flew fast. Well, we ended with one of the biggest hauls we have ever had here at 2 Loud 2 Old Music. There are 38 albums purchased or gifted this month alone!! That is insane. Several of these purchases will be part of the new Review Series coming in 2023 after the Scorpions are done of course. Thanks for stopping by each and every day, week or month and I hope you all had a wonderful year. And I hope next year is even better for you. Let’s get started on a review of the December 2022 Vinyl & Cds…

First up is another Kiss record. I bought the 40th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition Box Set but that doesn’t come with a vinyl. The 3-LP Deluxe Edition has such a pretty blue color vinyl, I had to have it as well. I didn’t make it in time for last months post as it should have but at least I have it now…

Then I picked up the new 4 CD Deluxe Edition 20th Anniversary Box Set of Robbie William’s debut solo album ‘Life Thru A Lens’. It has a remastered album, 2 bonus discs of rarities and a live show…Just perfect!!

There was a deluxe edition released of Halestorm’s latest album, ‘Back from the Dead’, which has 18 tracks…that is a lot!!

Then it is on to some Needtobreathe releases. First is the Insiders’ Club Only release of the Best of The Insiders, Vol. 1. They first sent out the CD which is below. The album will come out in March and they will send me it at that time…I like rare, limited edition releases…

Then came a vinyl I have been waiting 22 months to get. I pre-ordered it in January 2021 and the show was going to be March 2021 with the vinyl to come out later for that show. With delay after delay after delay, the album arrived at the end of November 2022 (after I had completed the November Purchases post). Needtobreathe kept us informed the whole time and gave us a postcard and a patch as a gift for the long delay. The patch is cool, I’ll give them that, but autographed copies would’ve been cool!!

Now it is on to a purchase that helped me decide my next series. I was still missing 6 vinyl albums from Bon Jovi and/or Jon Bon Jovi and to buy three of them individually it was almost the price of the box set, so I bought the box set. Some of my duplicates I’ll trade in at my local store to pick up something nice. The set is 17 studio albums plus a bonus LP of B-Sides and other tracks. It is the Bon Jovi Albums Box Set…

And because this came out prior to the release of their album 2020, I went ahead and bought it too even though I’m not a massive fan of it, I need it to complete the set…

And then I got to thinking, I need to get the Jon Bongiovi Power Station songs as that would be perfect to kick it off. While looking for it, I found the Deluxe Edition to New Jersey with a demos disc and a DVD with a documentary and music videos…

And then for Christmas, I picked up a few things. First is the new book by AC/DC lead singer Brian Johnson…Can’t wait to dive in to that one…

I really like those Rock Candy Re-Issues as I’ve picked up a few lately so I gave my daughter a selection of those as options for Christmas and she got me two great ones…

And lastly, the very first album on vinyl I ever bought was from a TV Commercial back years and years ago. It was the Greatest Hits for The Monkees. I found a box set online and told my wife that if she wanted, that would be a great gift as it is 9 studio albums plus a bonus LP of various single edits and stuff…

And that is all. Well, there are 5 purchases I have made from Europe and Canada that did not arrive in time for this post, so we know we have at least 5 items for January so far. Here is everything I got in December 2022! Thanks for stopping by and Happy New Year!!

— Christian Bale reunites with filmmaker Scott Cooper, who directed him in “Hostiles” and “Out of the Furnace,” for “The Pale Blue Eye,” a murder mystery set in 1830 New York. This time Bale plays a detective investigating a series of killings alongside a young Edgar Allen Poe (played by “Harry Potter” and “The Queen’s Gambit” alum Harry Melling). In his review for The Associated Press, Mark Kennedy wrote that “a very satisfying and unexpected ending” awaits those who can bear the movie’s chill, which should be easier when it’s available in your living room, on Netflix, on Thursday.

— If you haven’t consumed enough rich food, or content about very rich people, over the holidays, HBO Max has a treat coming your way with “The Menu,” streaming on Monday. Ralph Fiennes plays a celebrity chef at a very exclusive restaurant where things take a decidedly sinister turn for its various patrons including a foodie fanboy (Nicolas Hoult) and his skeptical date (Anya Taylor-Joy), a movie star (John Leguizamo) and a food critic (Janet McTeer). AP Film Writer Jake Coyle, in his review, wrote that the screenwriters “bake an amuse-bouche of commentaries on class and service industry dynamics into an increasingly unhinged, and bloody, romp.”

— AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr

MUSIC

— Get the year started right with a pop — from Iggy Pop. “Every Loser,” his latest album out Friday, Jan. 6, includes the the savage “Frenzy” and the very catchy “Strung Out Johnny.” Pop is joined on the album by members of Blink 182 (Travis Barker), Foo Fighters (Taylor Hawkins), Guns N’ Roses (Duff McKagan), Jane’s Addiction (Chris Chaney, Dave Navarro, Eric Avery), Pearl Jam (Josh Klinghoffer, Stone Gossard) and Red Hot Chili Peppers (Klinghoffer, Chad Smith). The result is 11 songs, his team says, “by a man who refused to go gently into that good night.”

— Rising country singer-songwriter Brandon Ratcliff on Friday, Jan. 6, drops the album “Tale of Two Towns,” with a really lovely and melancholy title track that explores the push-pull of staying or escaping home. ”Are you more brave for leaving or sticking around?” he asks. More singles include “Drove Me Country,”“Someone Who Believes In You” and “Always Moving On,” revealing a hard-to-pin down and exciting artist. Ratcliff has toured with Kelsea Ballerini, Brett Young and Keith Urban, and in 2020 was named to Pandora’s Ones to Watch list and topped Rolling Stone’s all-genre Breakthrough Artists chart. He is the son of multi-Grammy Award winner Suzanne Cox.

— Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy

TELEVISION

— It wasn’t until the 2019 Lifetime docuseries, “Surviving R. Kelly,” that criminal investigations into the disgraced singer were kicked into high-gear. Earlier this year, Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison where a jury in New York found him guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking. A second trial in Chicago ended on Sept. 14 with his conviction on charges of producing child pornography and enticing girls for sex. Lifetime will conclude its coverage on R. Kelly’s victims with “Surviving R. Kelly: The Final Chapter,” with a two-night special, premiering Monday and Tuesday.

— A new Netflix docuseries delves into the rise and fall of financier Bernie Madoff, who was behind the largest Ponzi scheme in history and died in prison in 2021. The series features clips of Madoff’s court depositions and interviews with people including investigators, his former employees and victims. All four-episodes of “Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street” drop Wednesday on the streamer.

— Sixty acts from past seasons of “America’s Got Talent” and other “Got Talent” iterations across the globe will compete in “America’s Got Talent: All-Stars.” Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel and Heidi Klum return as judges with Terry Crews as host beginning Monday on NBC.

— Alicia Rancilio

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Catch up on AP’s entertainment coverage here: https://apnews.com/apf-entertainment.

I can’t believe we are through with another year. And what a year it was, It saw me complete my goal of one post for every day of the year and it saw me start and still not finish the massive Jeff Scott Soto Series. I still have about 6 months to go on that one. Crazy. It saw some struggles as I had a minor surgery but the two week recovery was hard and then I got sick and was miserable for another two weeks and that put a massive damper on my enthusiasm for writing. For October, I barely wrote anything. Thankfully, I keep ahead so it had no impact on my readers, you probably didn’t even notice, but for me, it was hard. But we are way past that now and all is good.

With the Soto series and the Scorpions series, I actually didn’t spend much time with new releases, but I did have a bunch that I liked and wish I spent more time with. So, we are going to go through the Top 10 Rock Albums of 2022 and of course there will be some honorable mentions, a worst of album and some of my favorite Non-Rock albums. Sit back, grab a cup of coffee if it is morning, or a beer if it is any other time of day…and enjoy!!

#10 – HALESTORM – BACK FROM THE DEAD: Lzzy Hale and the boys are back from the dead and they are rocking the hell out of you with this one. With the title track, then “Wicked Ways” and “The Steeple”, they showed they mean business and are carrying the torch for rock. Listen to this and you know Rock Ain’t Dead!! And if you want more great ones, I really like “Psycho Crazy” and the ballad “Raise Your Horns”…oh sooooo good!!

#9 – H.E.A.T. – FORCE MAJEURE: I thought there last album was amazing with Erik Gronwell on vocals, but Erik left and is now with Skid Row who also released an album this year. Original H.E.A.T. lead singer, Kenny Leckremo, returned and they released another stellar release. I like it way better than the new Skid Row…sorry Erik. Such stellar tracks as “Back to the Rhythm”, “Nationwide”, “Tainted Blood” and “Demon Eyes” to only name a handful.

#8 – STARCRAWLER – SHE SAID: This L.A. pop/punk, rock band exploded on to the scene a few years back and with their new release they caught my attention. What a great record. I love lead singers, Arrow de Wilde’s vocals as she has such a great tone. They even played our local record shop, Repo Records, a couple months back. I really enjoy “Roadkill”, “Stranded” and “Broken Angels”. This is not something I would typically listen, not sure why, but wouldn’t. However, there is something about them that drew me in and never let go.

#7 – ELLEFSON/SOTO – VACATION IN THE UNDERWORLD: The first four songs on this thing are just brutal with the title track, “Like a Bullet”, “Sharpen the Sword” and “The Reason”. A totally killer opening set. But it doesn’t wane from there. It is more heavy guitars, bass and pounding drums. An assault on the senses and you won’t press charges. Jeff Scott Soto is vicious in his vocal attack and Ellefson shows he means business. A welcome new project from Soto.

#6 – ALDO NOVA – THE LIFE & TIMES OF EDDIE GAGE E.P.: Now, this is a 10 song set so not really an E.P., however, the full album is over 20 songs and two CD set and hasn’t been released yet. This was a sample of the Rock Opera that Aldo has in store. This 10 song set sat in my CD player and long time and got played a lot!! I find that the story is great of a guy who sold his soul for rock & roll and what happens to him. Great song such as “Hey Ladi Dady”, ‘Free Your Mind”, “King of Deceit” and “On the Way to the Psycho Ward” were all fantastic and told great stories…Aldo release the whole thing NOW!!!

#5 – BILLY IDOL – THE CAGE E.P.: What two E.P.’s in a row, come on they aren’t albums. So what, they are great. Now Billy’s is only 4 songs, but they are great. The title track, “The Cage”, “Rebel Like You” and “Miss Nobody” are all great Idol tracks and shouldn’t be missed. But “Running from the Ghost” is the prize on this one as it is Billy at his best and being introspective on his life and he expressed it perfectly in a song. We might not get albums from him as he seems to like this whole E.P. every year kind of thing. And I’m okay with that if they are as good as this.

#4 – LIT – TASTES LIKE GOLD: This for me was my Summer album as it was a total blast and a great reminder of everything I loved about Lit. It is all right here. Go sit by the pool and crank this baby!! So many great songs including “Yeah Yeah Yeah”, “Mouth Shut”, “Do It Again”, “Kicked off the Plane” and “The Life That I Got”. And that is only part of them. I really awesome blast from the past and glad they are back in full form.

#3 – SHINEDOWN – PLANET ZERO: Shinedown are back with another concept album, but for me, it was the songs and not the concept even though it is a good concept about not losing our humanity or bowing to the chaos of life. A 2LP set full of 20 tracks they rock especially “Planet Zero”, “Daylight”, ‘Dead Don’t Die” and one of my favorites, “A Symptom of Being Human”. If you like Shinedown at all, then this is a must pick up as it will rock you hard as Brent Smith is at his best vocally.

#2 – SCORPIONS – ROCK BELIEVER: Wow!! Did the Scorpions come out of nowhere with their best album in decades and that isn’t an exaggeration. They brought back their old school 80’s rock sound and in a big way. Klaus’ voice just gets better an dhow is that for someone who has been doing this for 50 years! It’s insane. Check out such great songs as “Gas in the Tanke”, “Rock Believer”, “Shining Of Your Soul”, “Seventh Sun” and “Peacemaker”. This one blew me away with how good it turned out to be. Totally unexpected and totally welcomed!!

#1 – GHOST – IMPERA: Tobias Forge just keeps bringing it album after album with Ghost. Impera is no different although it is. I like the Ghost sound as it is metal, it is 80’s rock, it is arena rock and even pop all rolled in to one. How he does it, we don’t know just glad he does. This album is now the first Ghost album I have bought and now as a result I am starting to get all the rest so that should tell you something. The best tracks are “Kaisarion”, “Call Me Little Sunshine”, “Hunter’s Moon” and “Darkness at the Heart of My Love” and I could list more but you get the point. Tobias has made me a believer in Ghosts. He can haunt me always now.

HONORABLE MENTION:

In no particular order…

Ozzy Osbourne – Patient Number 9: Ozzy shouldn’t be putting albums out this good this late in his career, it is unheard of. This time around he had a lot of guest guitarist including Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Zakk Wylde and Tony Iommi. My favorite tracks were “Immortal”, ‘No Escape from Now, Patient Number 9 and most especially Degradation Rules. It made honorable because I think I liked his last one a little more (if only slightly).

Hollywood Undead – Hotel Kalifornia: After 8 albums, this rap metal, rap rock band out of L.A. is still bringing the aggressive music to the masses. I don’t know why I love these guys so much, but I guess it is because I like the aggressiveness of the lyrics and the music. I need a release. Love to listen to them while I’m driving. They keep their greatness going with this one with songs like “Chaos”, “World War Me”, “Ruin My Life” and “City of the Dead” to name a some. Worth checking out.

The Alarm – Omega: Mike Peters is ill and has been pumping out music. He has done 6 albums in 6 years and all of it has been quality material. He is having a rather prolific moment while he battles chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Whatever the reason for this output, as fans we are reaping the benefits. I wish him all the best and hope he beats it and is around for years to come. Thanks for all this great music!! On this one I really like “Protect and Serve” and “We Got This” along with “Still Unsafe” and “Gods and Demons” plus many more. This one just missed the Top 10.

Def Leppard – Diamond Star Halos: Def Leppard finally bring us a new album some 7 years after their last one. Is this their best, not by a long shot, but I enjoyed it immensely this year. Any time I can get new music from them, I’ll take it. There were a lot of good songs including “Take What You Want”, “Kick”, “Fire It Up”, “Open Your Eyes” and my favorite “Liquid Dust”. They had moments of all their albums on here and I think that is why I liked it. Didn’t love it, but it deserves an honorable mention at the very least. Glad to have it.

Megadeth – The Sick, The Dying and The Dead: I was never a big Megadeth fan, but with their last album Dystopia, that changed and has continued with their new album. I find these last two to be more accessible for people like me and it has me even interested in their back catalog as well. My favorites on this album are the title track plus “Life in Hell”, ‘Night Stalkers (with Ice-T)” and “We’ll Be Back”.

MACHINE GUN KELLY – MAINSTREAM SELLOUT: How the hell did this get nominated for a Grammy as Best Rock Album. Proof one that the Grammy’s have lost touch with all reality. This is so not rock and is completely unlistenable. It sounds like a bad Blink 182 ripoff. Total trash. What do people see in this garbage??? The best songs on here are NONE!!!

I always like to mention the albums I liked this year that wouldn’t be listed in the rock label. Here they are…

Richard Marx – Songwriter: What I loved about this is how Richard had 5 songs that were pop, 5 that were rock, 5 that were country and 5 that were ballads. They funny thing is there isn’t much difference between any of the sounds, but just enough to make that categorization. Whatever he wants to call them, for 20 songs, there were so many great songs on here including “Moscow Calling”, “Same Heartbreak Different Day”, “One Day Longer”, “Believe in Me” and “We Are Not Alone”. There are more but I need to write about the other albums now.

Will Hoge – Wings on My Shoes: I am a huge fan of Will. I have all his albums and saw him in concert this past year as well. He can’t really do any wrong for me. And his new album did not disappoint. I really loved his dig at Trump with “Whose God Is This?” and live it was even better. The other new songs that were worth grabbing are “John Prine’s Cadillac”, “Queenie”, “All I Can Take” and “It’s Just You”. Do yourself a favor and check this man out.

James Bay – Leap: James Bay is a pop artist who has some rock tendencies at time. But I love his vocals and his style (I wish I could pull of that hat). This is his third album and he can craft a great, catchy song and again, that tone of his vocal just grabs me. A great pop singer and not a bad guitar player either. I really like “Give Me the Reason”, “Nowhere Left to Go”, “Everybody Needs Someone”, “One Life” and “Silent Love”.

Harry Styles – Harry’s House: Yes, I like Harry Styles, I can’t help. You have my Kids to thank for that. He is a great pop singer and has so many great songs that are like ear worms that burrow in to your head and you can’t get the song out of it. So many great tracks on here including the big hit “As It Was”, but I really love “Late Night Talking”, “Music From A Sushi Restaurant” and even “Little Freak”. He is doing something right!

Robbie Williams – XXV: Now this isn’t a typical album. It consists of all his classic hits newly orchestrated by Jules Buckley, Guy Chambers and Steve Sidwell, and re-recorded with the acclaimed Metropole Orkest. The copy I got came with a book and a bonus CD of 10 additional songs. I think he did a great job and reconstructing the songs.

Matt Nathanson – Boston Accent: This is a different album for Matt. It isn’t as pop as his earlier work. He is taking a slight turn and trying something a little left of center. He is keeping it fresh and trying to grow as an artist. The one thing the album hasn’t changed is his brilliant song writing and his lyrical phrasing as it always a delight. I really like “Picture”, “German Cars”, “Boston Accent” and “Beginners”.

And there you have it. All the albums I enjoyed in 2022. Some surprises for me and some that weren’t. I am glad each year we do get some great new albums to keep our listening pleasures fresh. It is nice to get new material from newly discovered artist or even from old favorites. Music is the always the best and can get you through any situation and why I love it so. Let me know what your favorites were for the year and tomorrow we will see what is coming for new music in 2023!! Can’t wait for that!!

Thanks for always stopping by and spending some time!!

This Grammy Award-winning artist released Un Verano Sin Ti in 2022. Bad Bunny is the artist behind “Neverita,” releasing a music video for the “summer rejection” track. Here’s what we know about this song and the meaning behind its lyrics. 

Bad Bunny released ‘Neverita’ off ‘Un Verano Sin Ti’

Bad Bunny is the artist behind “Me Porto Bonito,” “Titi Me Preguntó,” and “Moscow Mule,” releasing Un Verano Sin Ti in 2022. In the same collection, the songwriter released the pop-rap original, “Neverita.”

According to Spotify’s credits, “Neverita” was co-written by Tainy and Bad Bunny (real name Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio). The track was produced by Cheo Legendary, La Paciencia, and Tainy. Since its debut, “Neverita” earned over 440 million plays on the streaming platform, with Elvis Crespo even releasing a cover. 

While some Un Verano Sin Ti songs detail a summer romance, “Neverita” is the story of a summer rejection. The love interest expressed she’s “staying single this summer.” That doesn’t stop the narrator from wanting to spend time with her. 

“I’m ready for you and you pull away from me,” Bad Bunny sings in the chorus, according to a Genius translation. “Damn it, what a conceited little girl / She put her heart in the cooler / She says that this summer she’ll stay single.”

What is ‘Neverita’ by Bad Bunny about?

The title “Neverita” references a type of sea snail. According to Pop & Top, “he named the main character girl that way because she was slow in relationships, while the musician was drowning in an ocean of feelings.” “Neverita” also translates to “little refrigerator” in English.

Of course, this is Un Verano Sin Ti, so this song has a summer-y undertone in its lyrics. The narrator says, “let me spread sunblock on you, so you don’t get burned” and, later, “Lovers come and go, like the waves.”

There are even references to pop culture, with the narrator saying he’ll watch TikToks with his crush. Unfortunately, she treats him like a “meme,” meaning she doesn’t take him seriously. 

In one of the last lines, the narrator recognizes the toxic relationship, calling the love interest an “abuser.” According to one fan translation, Bad Bunny sings, “I’ll go find you a beer and while I’m at it, a heart.”

Bad Bunny released the ‘Neverita’ YouTube music video

On Aug 22, this singer released his “Neverita” music video. The STILLZ and We Own The City-created production highlights the days of MTV and TeleHit, with a ’90s and early 2000s graphic design vibe and Bad Bunny grooving along. At one point, he dresses in a sun costume. 

Since its premiere, the “Neverita” music video earned over 150 million views, as well as thousands of supportive comments from fans. Music by Bad Bunny is available on most major streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music. 

When the world pivots from viruses to political divisions to the unpredictability of Mother Nature, music is a constant. A place to turn for hope, celebration and nostalgic relief.

2022 was sonically triumphant, a return or near return to normalcy for live performance and tours both big and small.

Studio releases fueled those concerts, from new songs sprinkled in at the Journey show at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium to album release shows by Akron-Canton area groups such as The Buffalo Ryders and The Ohio Weather Band.

Personally, it was an extraordinarily satisfying year, affirming my love for established musical artists while uncovering newer indie and alternative acts.

Here’s a review of my favorites, a smorgasbord of local, regional and national artists, from alt-country to indie rock to retro rock to mainstream pop.

Best rock albums of 2022

Eddie Vedder, “Earthling” − Vedder’s solo work inevitably causes me to ponder what would have become of Kurt Cobain musically.

The two icons were bookends to the grunge rock era: Pearl Jam compared to Nirvana and vice versa. Even after Cobain’s suicide in 1994, the comparisons persist. So what would Cobain’s solo material have sounded like? Weird, eclectic noise rock? Hushed acoustic music overtop a bed of cello and violin? Straight-forward alternative rock with pop sensibilities?

The mystery is obviously unanswerable, but for Vedder, the results of his latest studio work are refreshingly pleasing, exceeding Pearl Jam’s most recent album with its newness and breadth of sound. From a peppy show tune-evoking number with Elton John, “Picture” to “Power of Right,” which proves that despite his current role of classic rock elder statesman, Vedder still possesses a streak of “Crazy Eddie,” the early ’90s Pearl Jam frontman who was a juggernaut of punk rock energy and attitude on stage.

More:Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder calls astronauts on space station for Earth Day chat (video)

Other highlights include the lovely “Mrs. Mills,” a piano-rich, orchestral track reminiscent of The Beatles. Triumphant, tempo-shifting rockers include “Invincible” and “Brother the Cloud.” Mellower tracks include “Long Way,” a leisurely, melodic song imparting a Tom Petty vibe.

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Nikki Lane, “Denim & Diamonds” − After a roughly five-year hiatus, alt country rocker Nikki Lane released a new album that is catchy and groove-laden while alternating between fast-charging numbers and a few songs reminiscent of classic country crooning.

Lane is equally adept at both, quickening the pace on songs like “Born Tough” and easing off the gas a bit for a sweet tribute to the enduring marriage of her grandparents on “Good Enough.” Regardless of style, her signature country girl sass and indie artist irreverence remain fully intact.

Toggling somewhere between vintage country and alternative rock, the results are fantastically unique, the comforting riffs and steady guitar strumming anchored by the sweet rasp and authenticity of Lane’s vocals. Favorites include the opening track, “First High,” which hums along with the wind-blown ease of a desert highway road trip in a Cadillac convertible.

Lane sings inspired lyrics with the confidence and swagger of the coolest gal in a honky-tonk: “Oh, take me back to the first dream, 501 blue jeans, tighter than goddamn Springsteen, take me back to the first show, right back to the first note, when I knew my heart was pure rock and roll.”

The Buffalo Ryders, “Going Nowhere” − The Akron area alternative rock band returns with a second album that both faithfully echoes the stellar 2021 release, “Where the Liars Go” and breaks new ground with mid-tempo, subtly pop-rock influenced songs “For a Moment” and “Take it if it’s Easy” that are infectious but never too light.

Most times, the band plows straight ahead like a three-man army of sound with heavy hitter songs like “Going Nowhere” and “Holy Ones.”

The Buffalo Ryders is yet another regionally based group deserving of national notoriety and high-volume streaming. And a recent concert at Musica in Akron only intensified my appreciation for the band’s moody vocals and alt rock legitimacy.

JD Eicher, “Majesto Sessions” − Doting dad, street tough Youngstown area native, exquisite songwriter and inspired vocalist − JD Eicher is the total package.

Eicher’s 2022 effort “Majesto Sessions,” paired with a novel he authored, is also a prime example of when less is more.

More:Northeast Ohio’s JD Eicher makes music and tells stories with album, novel

A lean, eight-track effort, the album juxtaposes moments of indie pop rock brilliance like “Vacation” and “Kamikaze” with the soulful serenity of “Back To Me” and “Cloud In My Head.” Eicher sings each note with trademark conviction, rising and falling in pitch and intensity without ever being overwrought.

Kudos to famed romance novelist Nicholas Sparks for plucking Eicher out of obscurity to pen four songs as a companion to the 2016 book, “Two by Two.” The creative partnership raised Eicher’s profile, but I’m still left wondering why a hit Netflix, Amazon Prime or Apple TV show hasn’t tapped Eicher’s talents for a soundtrack.

The Ohio Weather Band, “High Noon Glow” − Vocalist Corey King shines on this 12-song effort that is difficult to nail down in terms of genre but reliably and enjoyably varied in sound.

Expertly produced, the Americana, roots-oriented album mixes the beat, tempo and song structures on a number of gems, including the propulsive, storybook of a song, “Rubber Town.” Formed in Alliance, the band also has a fun side, examples including the piano-complemented ramble of a tune, “Red Eyes” and the bar room stomp and ode to life on the road, “See Ya on Stage.”

King demonstrates full command of his voice, swinging between restraint and a heartfelt, tempered howl. Candidate for song of the year, “Found Her Hangin” spotlights the frontman at his very best on a soft, affecting ballad where King sings overtop sparse but lush instrumentation.

Charlie Hickey, “Nervous At Night” − This was my most unexpected musical discovery of 2022.

Opening for “Wolf Alice” at Beachland Ballroom this past spring, Hickey immediately drew me in with the depth of sincerity he projected on stage with a single bandmate. Rarely have I seen a musician immerse himself so personally in every word, every note, every chord.

I call it window sill pop, Hickey strumming a guitar to the backdrop of understated instrumentation. Weaving stories about adolescence and young adulthood with novel details about fake IDs, strawberry moons, throwing rocks at windows in romantic yearning, drawing on jeans with a Sharpie, and falling asleep in a theatre seat with a water bottle full of wine.

“Nervous At Night” ranks as the pinnacle of the 11-track album, clearly a song of the year candidate.

Hey Monea, “Banner Year” − Featuring the seasoned pop rockers Daniel and Nate Monea, this longtime Stark County-based regional favorite is in prime form on an album brimming with melodies and hooks.

Daniel Monea’s voice is distinctively pleasant while he scales notes low and high, always sounding confident and at ease within the framework of the songs. Pliable vocals, rich harmonies, efficient songwriting and sprightly guitar work sparkle on every tune.

Savvy production at the band’s Little C Studios also adds to the polish and snappiness of the tracks. Among the best are “Give It to You,” “Lipstick,” “Duval” and “’90s Radio,” which is a festive and nostalgic callout to another era.

The new album was released during a busy year for Hey Monea, which also embarked on the project, “52/22,” where the band covered one song weekly for every year from 1970-2022. The splendid results are a must watch and listen for music junkies and casual fans alike, with the Monea brothers and supporting musicians curating an eclectic trove of classic songs in an array of genres, including country, pop, glam rock, new wave, metal and more.

Recorded in a variety of studio settings, tunes include Van Halen’s “Runnin’ with the Devil,”; Men At Work and “Who Can It Now?”; “On the Road Again” by Willie Nelson; “The Boys Are Back In Town” by Thin Lizzy; “To Be With You” by Mr. Big; Night Ranger’s “Sister Christian”; “Right Here Right Now” by Jesus Jones; “The Bones” by Maren Morris; Sheryl Crow’s “All I Wanna Do”; “Jealous” by Nick Jonas; Madonna’s “Material Girl”; Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream”; Meredith Brooks and “Bitch”; “Cecilia” by Simon & Garfunkel; “Trouble” by Coldplay; “We’re Going to Be Friends” by The White Stripes; and “It’s the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” by R.E.M.

Best album honorable mentions: Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, “Cool It Down”; Wet Leg, “Wet Leg”; The Black Keys, “Dropout Boogie,” The Paris Accord (featuring Scott Paris), “Music for Space Exploration”

Best EP, live record, concert, small show and the ‘Power of Taylor’

EP of the year: Urban Honey, “Nectar” − The Canton-based band’s inaugural release is such a tease, the four songs leaving me wanting more, more, more.

Originating as a purely instrumental group in 2021, Urban Honey added dynamic vocalist Christine Reichard. At first, I wasn’t sure she completely fit based on an early show at the former Buzzbin in downtown Canton. But every doubt has since been erased.

More:New local music from Ohio Weather Band, Urban Honey, Paris Accord

“Nectar” showcases the band’s deft grasp of riff rock, old school blues, instrumental jamming and songcraft. Reichard is the not-so-secret weapon, scaling notes with ease and glass-shattering power.

A blend of garage rock rawness and studio refinement, notable songs include the hot banger, “JayBird” and the upbeat cure to sadness, “On My Mind.”

Full of promise, Urban Honey has been hard at work on new material at Realgrey Records. Piano and superb local saxophonist Matt Corey apparently will be making guest appearances on the next batch of songs. Can’t wait.

Best live record: Brian Lisik & Hard Legs, “Hotsy Totsy!” − Eager to watch Brian Lisik live in late October at The Auricle in downtown Canton, I missed out on my chance, unable to be two places at once when Urban Honey was performing at Patina Arts Centre.

But “Hotsy Totsy!” is easily the next best thing, a 12-track show recorded at The Rialto Theatre in Kenmore.

Capturing the unvarnished intimacy of a club show, Lisik thankfully refrained from overproducing the album, maintaining the ragged edges and spontaneity of a jam at the neighborhood bar while evoking what Paul Westerberg would have sounded like in his early days.

More:Singer, songwriter Brian Lisik has a strong new album

Easily ranking among my all-time favorite live records, “Hotsy Totsy’s” setlist was wisely curated with both recognizable favorites like “Junior High School” and a random but endearing cover of “Under the Boardwalk,” complete with a few forgotten words.

Best concert: Journey in Canton: Journey headlining the Concert for Legends was an all-time great moment in Canton music history.

More:Journey and Donnie Iris electrify stadium crowd with rousing HOF Fest show

A virtual jukebox of hit songs, the iconic band was musically flawless and wonderfully enthusiastic on stage at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival. Even without former vocalist Steve Perry, it was a wholly satisfying spectacle. Arnel Pineda was a human pinball of energy who reached skyscraper notes with precision and seemingly with ease.

Standout moments were aplenty − “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Open Arms,” “Faithfully” and “Lights.” And equally memorable was opener Donnie Iris and the Cruisers, the band leader a freak of nature at age 79, ripping guitar leads, shrieking on pitch and smiling endlessly as he convincingly declared, “Love Is Like A Rock.”

The Power of Taylor: Taylor Swift is undoubtedly the biggest star in music at the moment, the country singer-songwriter turned pop diva proving it when online ticket sales for her tour next year overwhelmed Ticketmaster with demand.

Another sign of Swift’s sweeping popularity is within my own household. My 17-year-old daughter has never been the rock god worshipping teenager I was in the 1980s … until Swift released her new album, “Midnights.”

She’s been a casual music fan, liking songs and attending a few concerts, but never with an unwavering allegiance to a band or musical artist … until she became entranced with all things Taylor.

It’s been fun to watch my daughter plead with me to play Swift’s new songs from “Midnights” on car rides. Or listen to her strategize a plan to pounce on concert tickets online. Most heartwarming was when she personally connected with the synth-enhanced jewel of a song, “You’re On Your Own, Kid.”

She explored the lyrics, even discussing them with dear old dad, a fossil of the eras of ’80s glam rock and ’90s grunge.

Thanks, Taylor, for introducing my daughter to the sonic elixir known as popular music.

Best small live show: Joe P at Erie St Vinyl in Massillon − Another exciting musical discovery was New Jersey-based indie rocker Joe P performing on a stool with an acoustic guitar while surrounded by shelves stocked with vinyl records.

More:Black Friday retro style: Quonset Hut offers vinyl treasures on Record Store Day

Credit Erie St Vinyl owner Sam Heaton and The Summit 91.3 FM in Akron for partnering on the supremely cool and deeply enjoyable show in front of less than 100 people.

The personable, playful and engaging Joe P played songs both from his 2021 EP, “Emily Can’t Sing” and the 2022 effort, “French Blonde.” Both releases are superb and rank among the best music of the last two years.

Vocally and musically, it’s indie rock with an energized spin while detouring for moments of introspection. Lyrically imaginative and layered in electro-sound, Joe P, formerly of the band Deal Casino, should be a reliable creator on the alt rock scene for years to come.

Think Pete Yorn meets The Dandy Warhols meets a sound that is uniquely New Jersey bred, an indie pop rock version of Bruce Springsteen.

Reach Ed at 330-580-8315 and ebalint@gannett.com.

On Twitter @ebalintREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Best music of 2022: Eddie Vedder, Taylor Swift, JD Eicher, Nikki Lane