How video game music is bringing orchestral scores to new ears

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Let’s begin the story with a confession: I am not really a gamer. That said, I am enchanted by some of the wonderful orchestral and art music that’s been composed for video games along with the many greats of the classical canon that have been repurposed into their scores. And, just as we all remember the themes to our favourite movies, game music is now the soundtrack of their lives for many people.

I vividly remember hearing the music from Halo 3 – the main theme was spine-tinglingly good and had me turning up the volume. This began a quest to explore the genre more deeply. The two albums of Greatest Video Game Music recorded by the London Philharmonic offered an overview of the range and beauty of games music. Here was everything from Super Mario to Angry Birds and World of Warcraft, all in wonderful orchestral colour, with arrangements by British composer and conductor Andrew Skeet. And yes, Sonic the Hedgehog gets the full London Phil treatment too.

Read: How game scores scored in Australia’s Classic 100 ranking

Closer to home, I began listening to the weekly Game Show on ABC Classic FM hosted by Meena Shamaly, who is a passionate game composer, session musician, songwriter and poet.

‘The capabilities of modern game systems mean that anything you imagine can become a video game soundtrack. There are no limitations on sound and style, so you’re just as likely to hear metal, hip hop and EDM, as you might a fully orchestrated, classically inspired score, with everything in between,’ he says.

Shamaly points to a few new games released this year that highlight the breadth of game composition and vast range of musical possibilities.

‘Elden Ring, for example, calls to mind the influence of Romantic era composers, coupled with both classic and modern film scores. Compare that with Trek to Yomi, strictly featuring instruments authentic to the Edo era of Japanese history. There is also the hybrid approach of combining cultural influences with electronic textures in Horizon Forbidden West, and fully electronic scores like those of smash hit games Stray and Cult of the Lamb.’

Read: Vocalist Julie Elven is the unsung hero of Horizon Forbidden West

Music lives on off-screen

A lot of game music does go on to have a life of its own outside the game-play experience.

‘Every single track in the soundtrack album from The Last of Us, one of the most popular games in the world, has several million plays on Spotify,’ says Shamaly. The title track alone has over 45 million plays and growing. 

And just as I discovered games through the music, so these complex and beautiful soundtracks can introduce vast new audiences to the delights of orchestral and classical music. All those little children you see playing games on mum’s iPad are absorbing this huge range of diverse music from a very young age.

‘It’s not hard to imagine that a love of video game music can lead fans to finding a love for orchestra, choir, and chamber music in its more traditional forms, such as baroque, classical and Romantic era composers,’ says Shamaly.

Orchestras around the world now regularly program concerts of game music alongside traditional programming and more populist special events, such as movies with live music and tribute concerts. These events also attract new and younger audiences into the concert hall to experience orchestral music live on stage.

Fans of The Evil Within will recognise Claude Debussy’s beautiful Clair de lune, composed in 1890; players of Grand Theft Auto 3 hear famous operatic arias by Verdi, Puccini and others; and the game Eternal Sonata is actually inspired by the life and work of the great composer Frédéric Chopin and features his music throughout. And what would Ludwig van Beethoven think now that one of his piano sonatas is embodied by a worm in Earthworm Jim? Many Beethoven scholars say he had a great sense of humour, so perhaps he would be delighted.

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‘And what would Ludwig van Beethoven think now that one of his piano sonatas is embodied by a worm in Earthworm Jim?’

Following a dream

Games composer Starling Tan is a classically trained musician with a master’s degree in oboe performance from the Melbourne Conservatorium. She has recorded a multi-instrument cover album of video game music, composed music for a suite of indie games and was part of the team behind the Sound Byte 2022 festival – a sold-out celebration of Australian video game music.

Read: Australian video game composers celebrated at Sound Byte

‘Music for games is often composed in a classical style, and many game composers come from classical backgrounds,’ explains Tan. ‘Even Nobuo Uematsu, the self-taught main composer for the music of the acclaimed Final Fantasy series, has often said that Tchaikovsky was highly influential in his work.’

Tan says the classical music education system used to discourage musicians from thinking seriously about game music because it was perceived as being somehow inferior to Western art music.

‘As a classically trained musician who was raised on Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin and Vaughan Williams – my favourite composer – I always thought game music wasn’t something I should aspire to write. For one thing, all my favourite game soundtracks were Japanese, and I wasn’t. And you couldn’t really hear them on the radio or in most concert halls.’ 

Sound Byte 2022. Image: Sinister Creative

Despite these reservations, Tan had a dream to write and play game music. ‘This was the music I loved to listen to, both in-game and in everyday life, so it was music worth writing, at least equally as much, if not more so, than the concert or art music that I grew up performing.’ 

Tan says part of the immense appeal of game music is its ability to form an emotional link with the game player that goes beyond just listening to a piece of music.

‘Part of what makes game music so compelling is the immersive aspect of it. Having experienced and formed an emotional link with the same tracks looped for hours in their favourite game, that music can take on a deeper significance for them than it might hold on its own. And many games are played alone, or at least without others physically present, which means their enjoyment of the music is a very personal thing,’ she says. 

For 11-year-old gamer Blake, this immersive aspect is all important. ‘I’ve got my headphones on and it’s just me and the game. The music can pump me up and make me go faster; it can also give me time to pause and relax and see what’s going on.’ 

Read: Composer Stephanie Economou on scoring Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarok

New experiences and musical forms

Tan believes that live performances of the music that gamers know and love offers them a whole new listening experience. 

‘They then have the opportunity to bring their personal experience of the music and have it transformed into a collective emotional experience, creating a sense of community and warmth,’ says Tan.

This emotional connection is deeply felt because the music is so powerful in creating the atmosphere of the imaginary world of the game. 

‘Many games bring with them an entirely new world, that is both similar and different to the world we experience on a daily basis. The music, alongside art, characterisation, written lore and other elements, bears a large part of the responsibility for creating that world. I think it’s a unique and powerful thing to create a world through sound, and the subtle ways in which game music can do that are fascinating to me’.

Tan acknowledges that music educators are now more open to game music and says the perceived prejudice is dying out. Game music composition is now taught at many music schools and conservatoriums, and features in many prestigious international music competitions and awards.

Read: The High Score conference is building game audio from the ground up

Meghann O’Neill is a Lecturer at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music; one of her subjects is a video game composition unit that she developed. ‘Game music encompasses all genres,’ she says. ‘So this is a great opportunity to teach art music styles with a structural focus. I’ve found that students are particularly inspired by minimalism and aleatoric music.’ 

O’Neill encourages her students to explore new ideas and experiment with new musical forms.

‘I love the breadth of ideas my students present via interactive structures. Many experiment within electronic styles, or with retro-aesthetics, like chiptunes; others build art music pieces, for video game implementation.  One of my favourite student games, in recent years, cast the player as a curious explorer in a forest, set to an orchestral palette with voices weaved into the texture as you approach an unexpected colony of tiny people, living under mushrooms.’

It is this ability of the video game music to bring to life imaginary worlds that makes it so intrinsic to the game experience and composer Starling Tan says she is fascinated by the ways in which that game music can create a world through sound. 

‘The emotional aspects of game music are particularly poignant due to their ability to heighten the impact of a story, whether through recurring or transformed leitmotifs, careful selection of instrumentation, or textures, just to name a few. I find that giving a piece of music a purpose in that way, and seeing, or experiencing, how well it’s achieved, is particularly compelling.’ 

This article originally appeared on ArtsHub.



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Zach Bryan’s “Something In The Orange” Is Officially His First Top 40 Hit At Mainstream Country Radio

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Zach Bryan simply cannot be stopped right now.

He’s about to wrap up his American Heartbreak tour at Red Rocks on Thursday (and record a live album in the process), after dropping his major label debut studio album American Heartbreak earlier this year.

He’s sold out pretty much every show on the road, too, and has had massive streaming numbers thanks to the behemoth of a project that included 34 tracks in total. He also put out his Summertime Blues EP, in addition to dropping a few other stand-alone singles.

Recently the aforementioned record was certified Gold, and “Something In The Orange” was officially certified Platinum by the RIAA.

The song also previously debuted at #55 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in May, as well as debuting at #1 on the Emerging Artist Chart.

And as a result of the early numbers, it was announced a few weeks ago that his label, Warner Records, was officially pushing the fan-favorite song “Orange” as a single to country radio.

The single officially broke the Top 40 this week, climbing to the #39 spot on the Billboard Country Airplay chart (one of two charts labels use to officially track their songs performance), making it his very first Top 40 hit on mainstream country radio:

I mean, it’s hard to say anything that hasn’t already been said about Zach, but it’s pretty damn cool to see him making gains on the mainstream chart against the biggest names in country music.

You absolutely love to see it.

Pushing “Orange” as a single sort of falls in line with a recent decision by Cody Jinks to send his Platinum single “Loud and Heavy” to country radio, as well.

And though it’s a relatively small victory at this point, I’d definitely still file it in the “win” column for artists outside of the Nashville machine everywhere, and I’m excited to see how “Orange” continues to climb on the country charts.

Hey, if we keep trending like this, I might actually turn on country radio every now and then…

 





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Composer Richard Shephard’s paintings auctioned for charity

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A COLLECTION of paintings belonging to the composer and former Minster School headmaster Dr Richard Shephard, who died last year, will go under the auctioneer’s hammer next week – with the proceeds going to a music charity set up in Dr Shephard’s memory.

During his life, the composer was a keen collector of paintings – and when he passed away early last year, he left them to the charity set up in his name, the Richard Shephard Music Foundation.

“The collection includes paintings of York and York Minster by many well-known York artists – including W J Boddy, George Fall, Tom Dudley, Fred Taylor and John Langton,” said Sir Ron Cooke, the former Vice Chancellor of the University of York who was a friend of Dr Shephard and is a Trustee of the Foundation.

“The collection also includes many images of cathedrals, including Salisbury and Wells (some by Sheppard Dale); and there are plenty of cats and animals.

“Some of the pictures were included in the exhibitions of York Minster Revealed, and The Streets of York book and exhibition.”

College Street, York, watercolour by Charles Rousse, c1900 (Image: Richard Shephard Music Foundation)

The paintings will be sold at auction at Wombwells auctioneers, based at the Northminster Business Park near Poppleton, at 10am on Friday November 11.

There will be a preview at 7pm on Wednesday November 9.

Sir Ron said the money raised from sale of the pictures would go to a good cause.

“In recent years, music teaching in primary schools has declined dramatically,” he said.

“The Richard Shephard Music Foundation was established in memory of Richard, and follows his wishes to reintroduce weekly one-hour music lessons in primary schools in North Yorkshire and Middlesborough.

“Since starting in September, we have established weekly music lessons for over 2,400 children in 12 schools in the region. And the number is rising!

“In addition to the lessons, the Richard Shephard Music Foundation arranges out-of-school events, most recently a combined school singing in the Chapter House of the Minster, and in the Ryedale Festival.”

Dr Shephard, who died at the age of 71 in February last year after being ill for some time, was made an MBE in 2012 for services to music and education.

He was an internationally-renowned composer of church music, as well as a teacher, conductor and chair of both the Leeds Piano Festival and of the Ryedale Festival.

After a private funeral service in March last year, more than 700 people attended a public memorial service for the composer and former Minster School headmaster at York Minster in September 2021.

A catalogue for the auction sale of Dr Shephard’s paintings can be found at www.wombells.co.uk/





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Bahrain-based band Hotboxgroove are at their groovy best on Midnight Blooms – Independent Music – New Music

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With a mysteriously frightening intro that shall stun your senses awake, Hotboxgroove shows us why they’re so highly regarded on the underground with an instrumental gem to play loud right now on Midnight Blooms.

Hotboxgroove is a Bahrain-based indie alternative 6-piece band who fuses together a potent mix of jazz, blues and funky psychedelic to get hearts beating worldwide.

Displaying so much skill and precise timings to solidify a quite outstanding performance, Hotboxgroove has the power to change the mood of the world with a monumental anthem of patience with Midnight Blooms and they certainly deliver. Brimming with a head-nodding style which shall get your soul alive quickly, we find a rather special song waiting to be loved.

Midnight Blooms from Bahrain-based indie alternative 6-piece band Hotboxgroove is a track that might get even the sleepiest souls to awaken from the dead again. Circulating with a world class sound that has so much value in a world with so much sadness, and shall get that blood flow streaming properly again.

Listen up to this new single on Spotify and see more on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen





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Patriots Owner Robert Kraft Funds NFL TV Ad About Standing Up ‘Against Jewish Hate’

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New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft at a game against the Detroit Lions at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts on Oct. 9. (Maddie Malhotra/Getty Images via JTA.org)

By Jacob Gurvis

Robert Kraft, the New England Patriots owner who donates heavily to Jewish causes, funded an advertisement that ran during Sunday’s NFL matchup between the Patriots and the New York Jets urging NFL fans to “stand up against Jewish hate.”

The ad aired during a weekend in which NBA star Kyrie Irving shared a link to an antisemitic movie online and the message “Kanye is right about the jews” was projected at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida, during a college football game between the University of Florida and the University of Georgia.

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“There are less than 8 million Jewish people in this country. Fewer than are watching this game,” read Kraft’s 30-second ad, which featured simple white text on a black background, set to ambient music. “They need you to add your voice.” It was produced jointly by the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism and Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s foundation.

“We must do more to make people aware that antisemitism is a growing threat against Jews on social media and in communities across the country,” Kraft said in a statement. “I have committed tremendous resources toward this effort and am vowing to do more. I encourage others to join in these efforts. My hope is this commercial will continue to enhance the national conversation about the need to speak out against hatred of all types, and particularly to stand up to Jewish hate.”

Kraft, whose estimated net worth is $10.6 billion, has donated millions of dollars to a variety of Jewish causes over the years — including Israel and numerous Jewish institutions and programs in Boston, where his late wife Myra was a longtime leader at the Jewish federation.

The ad follows the recent controversy surrounding rapper Kanye West, whose ongoing antisemitic tirades led to the termination of his highly lucrative contract with Adidas.

The Jacksonville stunt was just one of a handful of antisemitic incidents in the city this weekend, where the same message was displayed on another building and banners reading “End Jewish Supremacy in America” and “Honk if you know it’s the Jews” were displayed on Interstate 10. It is unclear how the Kanye statement was projected across the exterior of the Jacksonville stadium.

The University of Florida and the University of Georgia released a joint statement condemning the incident on Saturday.

“We strongly condemn the antisemitic hate speech projected outside TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville after the Florida-Georgia football game Saturday night and the other antisemitic messages that have appeared in Jacksonville,” the universities said. “The University of Florida and the University of Georgia together denounce these and all acts of antisemitism and other forms of hatred and intolerance. We are proud to be home to strong and thriving Jewish communities at UGA and UF and we stand together against hate.”



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Lee University To Present Chamber Music Showcase Nov. 10

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Gloria Chien

Lee University’s School of Music will present Chamber Music Showcase on Thursday, Nov. 10, at 4:15 p.m. in Squires Recital Hall. The event will be co-directed by Dr. Gloria Chien, artist-in-residence at Lee, and Dr. ChoEun Lee, assistant professor of collaborative piano and vocal coaching at Lee.

“We are very excited to share a delightful program of chamber music with the Cleveland community and Lee family,” said Dr. Lee.

The showcase will include a diverse combination of instruments, from flute-marimba duo, horn-voice-piano trio to saxophone-voice-piano trio, as well as repertoires sung in German, French, and Russian. The concert will feature works by Nathan Daughtrey, Joaquín Nin, Richard Strauss, and Tchaikovsky, among others. 

Student instrumentalists include Laurie Alltop, flute; Allison Dupree, piano; Lynnae Eades, piano; Madeline Fowler, marimba; Sydney Gobble, horn; Jose Hairston, alto saxophone; and Ye Eun Kim, piano.

Student vocalists include Sophia McCosh, mezzo-soprano; Amanda Phillips, mezzo-soprano; Anaka Schmitt, mezzo-soprano; and Alleigh Watson, mezzo-soprano.

Lee University’s School of Music’s chamber music program focuses on classical music performed by small ensembles. The participating students audition and are placed into duos, trios, or other groupings. Throughout the semester, these ensembles meet with faculty members from Lee’s School of Music each week for coaching and critique. The Chamber Music Showcase highlights the achievements the chamber ensembles have made throughout the semester.

Dr. Chien is the co-artistic director of Chamber Music Northwest in Portland, Oregon, as well as the Lake Champlain Chamber Music Festival in Burlington, Vermont, along with her husband, violinist Soovin Kim. In the fall of 2009, she launched String Theory at The Hunter, a chamber music series at the Hunter Museum of American Art in downtown Chattanooga, as its founder and artistic director. For the last decade, Dr. Chien was the director of the Chamber Music Institute at Music@Menlo. She frequently appears with the Chamber Music Society and is a Steinway Artist.

Faculty at Lee since 2016, ChoEun has given numerous performances across the world in major venues including Carnegie Hall, Ozawa Hall (Tanglewood Music Center), and Harris Concert Hall (Aspen Music Festival). She was twice invited to the Tanglewood Music Festival and was named a recipient of the Grace B. Jackson Prize. She has been invited as a repetitor to the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz and most recently, she world-premiered a co-commissioned vocal chamber music for soprano, saxophone, and piano by Lori Laitman in the National Opera Center in New York City.

This free concert is non-ticketed and open to the public.

Livestream viewing will be available at leeu.live/.

For more information about this performance or upcoming events, contact the School of Music at 614-8240, or visit leeumusicconnect.com.


ChoEun Lee



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2022 CMA Awards Predictions | ACountry

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The CMAs Nominees have been announced and folks, nothing makes us more excited for the holiday season than the anticipation of who will win these highly coveted categories. We will be able to tune in on Wednesday, November 9th to watch hosts Peyton Manning and Luke Bryan bring the fun to the 56th Annual CMA Awards!

It is always so fun to see who is nominated for what, and who walks away with the most nominations at the end of the day. This year we were thrilled to see first-time nominee Lainey Wilson nominated for six separate awards – Album of the Year (Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’), Female Vocalist of the Year, Music Video of the Year (“Never Say Never”), Musical Event of the Year (“Never Say Never”), New Artist of the Year, Song of the Year (“Things A Man Oughta Know”). 

Take a look at all of the nominees for the 56th Annual  CMA Awards and check out our predicted winners in bold:

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

  • Luke Combs   

  • Miranda Lambert    

  • Chris Stapleton  

  • Carrie Underwood   

  • Morgan Wallen 

SINGLE OF THE YEAR

Award goes to Artist(s), Producer(s) and Mix Engineer  

  • “Buy Dirt” – Jordan Davis featuring Luke Bryan
    Producer: Paul DiGiovanni
    Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley 

  • “half of my hometown” – Kelsea Ballerini (feat. Kenny Chesney)
    Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Ross Copperman, Jimmy Robbins
    Mix Engineer: Dan Grech-Marguerat 

  • “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” – Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde
    Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne
    Mix Engineer: Ryan Gore 

  • “’Til You Can’t” – Cody Johnson
    Producer: Trent Willmon
    Mix Engineer: Jack Clarke 

  • “You Should Probably Leave” – Chris Stapleton
    Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton
    Mix Engineer: Vance Powell 

ALBUM OF THE YEAR  

Award goes to Artist(s), Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s) 

  • Growin’ Up – Luke Combs
    Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton
    Mix Engineers: Jim Cooley, Chip Matthews 

  • Humble Quest – Maren Morris
    Producer: Greg Kurstin
    Mix Engineer: Serban Ghenea 

  • Palomino – Miranda Lambert
    Producers: Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert, Jon Randall, Mikey Reaves
    Mix Engineer: Jason Lehning 

  • Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’ – Lainey Wilson
    Producer: Jay Joyce
    Mix Engineer: F. Reid Shippen 

  • Time, Tequila & Therapy – Old Dominion
    Producers: Shane McAnally, Old Dominion
    Mix Engineer: Justin Niebank 

SONG OF THE YEAR

Award goes to Songwriter(s) 

  • “Buy Dirt”
    Songwriters: Jacob Davis, Jordan Davis, Josh Jenkins, Matt Jenkins 

  • “Never Wanted To Be That Girl”
    Songwriters: Shane McAnally, Ashley McBryde, Carly Pearce 

  • “Sand In My Boots” 
    Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Michael Hardy, Josh Osborne 

  • “Things A Man Oughta Know”
    Songwriters: Jason Nix, Jonathan Singleton, Lainey Wilson 

  • “You Should Probably Leave”
    Songwriters: Chris DuBois, Ashley Gorley, Chris Stapleton 

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR   

  • Miranda Lambert 

  • Ashley McBryde 

  • Carly Pearce 

  • Carrie Underwood 

  • Lainey Wilson 

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR 

  • Eric Church 

  • Luke Combs 

  • Cody Johnson 

  • Chris Stapleton 

  • Morgan Wallen 

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR

  • Lady A 

  • Little Big Town 

  • Midland 

  • Old Dominion 

  • Zac Brown Band 

VOCAL DUO OF THE YEAR

  • Brooks & Dunn 

  • Brothers Osborne 

  • Dan + Shay 

  • LOCASH 

  • Maddie & Tae 

MUSICAL EVENT OF THE YEAR

Award goes to Artist(s) and Producer(s)  

  • “Beers On Me” – Dierks Bentley with BRELAND & HARDY
    Producers: Dierks Bentley, Ross Copperman 

  • “If I Didn’t Love You” – Jason Aldean & Carrie Underwood
    Producer: Michael Knox 

  • “Longneck Way To Go” – Midland (featuring Jon Pardi)
    Producers: Dann Huff, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne

  • “Never Say Never” – Cole Swindell (with Lainey Wilson)
    Producer: Zach Crowell 

  • “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” – Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde
    Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne 

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR

  • Jenee Fleenor, Fiddle 

  • Paul Franklin, Steel guitar 

  • Brent Mason, Guitar 

  • Ilya Toshinskiy, Banjo 

  • Derek Wells, Guitar 

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE YEAR   

Award goes to Artist(s) and Director(s)  

  • “I Bet You Think About Me” (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault) – Taylor Swift (featuring Chris Stapleton)
    Director: Blake Lively 

  • “Longneck Way To Go” – Midland (featuring Jon Pardi)
    Director: Harper Smith 

  • “Never Say Never” – Cole Swindell (with Lainey Wilson)
    Director: Michael Monaco 

  • “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” – Carly Pearce and Ashley McBryde
    Director: Alexa Campbell 

  • “’Til You Can’t” – Cody Johnson
    Director: Dustin Haney 

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR  

  • HARDY 

  • Walker Hayes 

  • Cody Johnson 

  • Parker McCollum 

  • Lainey Wilson 

Don’t miss The 56th Annual CMA Awards,” hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning LIVE from Nashville Wednesday, Nov. 9 (8:00 – 11:00 PM/EST) on ABC.

How did we do? Do you think we nailed these predictions? Last year, we were way off, so go easy on us with our predictions this year! We are so excited to tune into this exciting event – are you tuning in? Tweet us your opinions here, keep us with country music memes on Instagram here, and keep up with the latest country music news on our Facebook here! 





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A Composer’s Diary: FFF week 10: Consume less

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I would like to contribute to FFF (Fridays for Future) in my own way: by sharing one concrete action per week that YOU can do, and which I am trying to do, for combating climate change. 

FFF week 10: Consume less

WHY: Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when, according to calculations, people’s consumption exceeds the Earth’s biocapacity, or the capacity to generate renewable resources and process the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels. Finland already passed its own Overshoot Day last Saturday on 10th of April, which means if all people in the world would consume like people in Finland, we would need about four planet earths. It is estimated that when the corona crisis eases people will spend all the money they have saved while being at home, on shopping, which might be “great for the economy” but is terrible for our planet!

WHAT CAN I DO: Consume as little as possible. Buy second hand as often as possible, and things you need seldom you can rent or borrow. Take care of your possessions and electronics and prolong their life. If all Europeans for instance would use their phone one year longer than they do now, we would reduce our CO2 emissions by 2 million tons! (The same amount of emissions that 2 million cars make!).

Any personal tips on how to consume less? Please share!

Cecilia Damström Helsinki 2021. Photo by Tuuli Solhagen


 

Links:
https://wwf.fi/uutiset/2021/04/nakokulma-ilman-koronapandemiaa-suomen-ylikulutuspaiva-olisi-tanaan-kulutamme-edelleen-yli-maapallon-kestokyvyn/
https://wwf.fi/uutiset/2019/07/nailla-teoilla-voit-vahentaa-ylikulutustasi/
https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11141662
https://www.hs.fi/paakirjoitukset/art-2000007871246.html
https://www.tekniikkatalous.fi/uutiset/kayta-puhelintasi-vuosi-pidempaan-vahennat-roimasti-paastoja-tutkimus-euroopan-tasolla-paastovahennys-vastaisi-kahden-miljoonan-henkiloauton-vuotuisia-paastoja/8bdb71cd-ad20-4cf9-b28e-d51f008dbdf6
https://www.aamulehti.fi/uutiset/art-2000007244909.html



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K-POP HOTSPOT October 2022 – THP

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Before we get into this month’s roundup we want to extend our condolences to the families and victims of the Itaewon incident. May they rest in peace.

Hello, honey bees who have a taste for the best honey, aka K-POP. It is time again for a new installment of your favorite THP feature – our K-POP HOTSPOT in October! So much happened this month, from debuts to comebacks and more, so this K-POP roundup is packed! Before we dive in, make sure to check out the comebacks we already covered, such as SUHO x MEW, ITZY, GI-DLE, STRAY KIDS, LE SSERAFIM, WONHO, KWON EUNBI, KEP1ER, DREAMCATCHER, MAMAMOO, TAN, TREASURE, ITZY, JAMIE, ONEWE, MX KIHYUN, and BTS JIN.

Before we get into the comebacks and debuts though, let’s have a look at what some of our favorite artists were up to! Girl groups killed it this month and XG is such a new cool group you need to check out, especially since Juria slayed this IU cover of ‘Dear Name!‘ Another girl group that is always slaying the game every month is our beloved aespa, and since we can’t wait for new music, it was super convenient that the group released two remix versions of their banger ‘Girls.’ Make sure you listen here.

With the music releases being top-notch this month we are always excited to see our faves live! Well, conveniently enough, one of our faves announced more tour dates just after they got nominated for four big international awards! SEVENTEEN will return to the Philippines and Indonesia for additional shows in December. Make sure you check for some leftover tickets! Another act we love and that just wrapped up their mega-watt tour is LOONA. They concluded their first world tour with a grand final concert which was held at the Handball Gymnasium in Seoul, South Korea on October 15th and 16th. We are so proud of these girls and hope they get their well-deserved rest! 

Okay, we are done, promise! Now, let’s get into many more amazing comebacks and debuts from October.

AB6IX

We really weren’t kidding when we said 2022 is AB6IX’s year! They’re back after less than two months with their sixth EP Take A Chance. The title track ‘Sugarcoat’ is a groovy bop that’s so fun to jam to, no matter what kind of mood you’re in! This quartet never fails to amaze us with their vocals and visuals.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT AB6IX:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

DYNAMIC DUO

Have you ever wanted time to stop? We know that feeling all too well, and so does Dynamic Duo! Their newest single, ‘She Gonna Stop,’ featuring Leellamarz is such a cozy and catchy track. Gaeko and Choiza rap about not wasting your time feeling jealous and enjoying your life as much as possible. And we love how the title is a play on words with the Korean word for “time.”

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DYNAMIC DUO:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM GAEKO | INSTAGRAM CHOIZA 

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT LEELLAMARZ:
INSTAGRAM | SOUNDCLOUD

KANG DANIEL

You know we are never not down for some new Kang Daniel music! This time he finally released his first Japanese EP, Joy Ride, which is as exciting as the title suggests. A joy to listen to and the b-sides have our attention, too. Daniel has become the master of R&B-meets-pop music and we are enjoying every second of it. The next question: Korean comeback when?

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KANG DANIEL:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER |  WEBSITE | YOUTUBE 

ROCKET PUNCH

Rocket Punch came back to us this month with more upbeat and cute music! The girls released their first full Japanese album called Doki Doki Love and it slaps, people! We love this sound, it just immediately puts a smile on our faces. This is the feel-good music we needed this autumn and it makes us so excited for what’s to come for the group!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ROCKET PUNCH:  
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | MEMBER TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

KINGDOM

The kings of concepts returned this month with another amazing banger! KINGDOM just added a brand new member and we are excited about his story and king, but this comeback was all about Louis. ‘Long Live The King’ is the perfect combination of dramatics, mysterious music, and Kingdom’s signature sound. We, for sure, had this banger and b-side ‘Poison’ stuck on our playlists.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KINGDOM:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

MUNAN

In some Korean-Australian news, we got a new music video and single from Munan! ‘Freak Like Me’ is the perfect soundtrack to your next road trip. Your vibes and aesthetic needs are also fulfilled by the accompanying music video which is super fun. We defo put Munan onto our replay playlist!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MUNAN:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE

SUZY

Suzy’s back again! And this time, she gifted us a dreamy, English-language single titled ‘Cape.’ Suzy co-wrote and co-composed this super sweet track, which is about being by someone’s side no matter when or where. We can’t get enough of her angelic vocals, and we’re excited for Suzy to show us even more sides to her music!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SUZY:
INSTAGRAM

DKZ

Everybody, it finally happened! Onc DKZ returned this summer after gaining more public recognition, they made a fast return with the moody rap-focused ‘Uh Heung.’ It’s the power anthem we have been waiting for, and they got their first win with this as well! We are so happy and proud of these boys and they deserve everything that is coming for them!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DKZ:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | TIKTOK | YOUTUBE

THE ROSE

The members of The Rose are all back together again, and they’ve just released their first full-length album, HEAL. We can honestly say it’s one of the most beautiful albums we’ve heard all year. The composition of each song is great, and our favorites are ‘Definition of ugly is,’ ‘Childhood,’ ‘See-Saw,’ and the title track, ‘Sour.’ There are ten incredible tracks that hold everything we’ve felt and everything we needed to hear. This one’s for all those who are heartbroken, healing, and/or hopeful.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ROSE:
DISCORD | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

NU’EST BAEKHO

Everybody, stay calm! Baekho just made his solo debut this month with his EP, Absolute Zero! The title track ‘No Rules’ is a sultry song about two lovers meeting in secret (wink), and our favorite b-side tracks are ‘Love Burn’ and ‘Bad 4 U.’ Baekho shows off his charms as well as his beautiful falsettos in this mini-album.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NU’EST BAEKHO:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

PARK JIHOON

Did someone ask for a new retro synth banger? We for sure did and Park Jihoon has more than provided with ‘Nitro.’ Yes, we freaked out seeing the Belgrade-based music video for this bop, but we lost it even more over the red hair and piercings! Jihoon, that’s your best look yet! But yes, ‘Nitro’ has made our October more than perfect and the entire mini album seems to be The Answer to all of our questions.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PARK JIHOON:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

UP10TION

UP10TION kills it with another bangin’ mini-album, and we can’t think of a comeback when they didn’t deliver. Their 11th EP, Code Name: Arrow, exceeds all our expectations, which were already high thanks to the rest of their discography. ‘What If Love’ is an addictive title track with a music video that could be a movie!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT UP10TION:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

VIXX RAVI

Name another idol who has a whole block party before enlisting in the military. Wait, we can’t, because no one’s doing it like Ravi! Ravi knows how to go out with a bang and his latest single, ‘Block Party,’ is the definition of a banger! His rap verses are unmatched and we always love music videos where everyone’s dancing and having fun. We’ll miss Ravi while he’s away, but we know the next 18 months of us replaying his discography will fly by.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RAVI:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

LEE CHANHYUK

Lee Chanhyuk takes us back to the 80s with the vibes on his first solo album, Error! The title track, ‘Panorama,’ is a bop with contrasting lyrics about life ending before you’ve had the chance to live it. It’s an important reminder to make choices you won’t regret later. You should also know that he co-composed all 11 songs on the album, on top of writing the lyrics to each one himself! We think it’s clear that Lee Chanhyuk is a man of many talents.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT AKMU:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM CHANHYUK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

N.FLYING

This new N.Flying really came at the right time. We love this band so much at THP, and with Jaehyun and Hun having to soon report for their military service, this comeback is bittersweet. ‘I like you’ offers us the well-beloved N.Flying sound – the guys have perfected this genre of pop-rock music with a touch of killer vocals and dramatic and cute lyrics. We for sure will miss the boys. Thankfully ‘Monster’ is here to keep us company until they are back as one.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT N.FLYING:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

IVE

IVE’s debut was one of the most anticipated K-Pop events of 2021, and they still have yet to disappoint us! Their debut single, ‘Eleven,’ is an absolute hit and we love every second of it. The best part is that they’ve given us the Japanese version of the track for their Japanese debut! (Spoiler alert, it’s still a bop). The accompanying music video is beautiful, just like the original, and the girls look stunning. Not to mention, we also got a new, original Japanese track, ‘Queen of Hearts,’ and we’re in love with it too. Congrats on your Japanese debut, IVE!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IVE:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | TIKTOK | YOUTUBE

WEI

After listening to Love PT.2: Passion, we’re sure we can all collectively agree that WEi is on ‘Higher Ground.’ From explosive energy to cheerfulness, this mini album has it all! It’s a perfect addition to their previous release, Love Pt.1: First Love, as listening to the albums in order will walk you through the stages of love, both the wholesomeness of having a first love to the intense feelings that come with being in a romantic relationship. We loved listening to WEi’s incredible vocals, and we can’t wait to see what else they have in store for RUi.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WEI:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

RED VELVET JOY & WONSTEIN

On behalf of the K-Pop community, thank you to whoever put Red Velvet’s Joy and Wonstein on the masterpiece that is ‘Love Song!’ This beautiful single is about two people getting to know each other and falling in love. ‘Love Song’ is the second release of the World Peace Project series, where some of the proceeds from music streams will be donated to the organization. Naturally, we’ll be replaying this duet for the foreseeable future!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JOY:
INSTAGRAM

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WONSTEIN:
INSTAGRAM | SOUNDCLOUD | YOUTUBE

JO YURI

The queen of light, soft pop vocals is back with probably our favorite song of hers so far. ‘Loveable’ is not only our favorite adjective when we want to describe Jo Yuri but it is also a fantastic song. The laid-back indie-pop vibes are real and Yuri’s performance of the song makes it extra soothing. We are glad to have her back to ring in fall and can’t wait for more from her!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT JO YURI:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

QUEENZ EYE

We have another debut on our hands, people! The new girl group Queenz Eye are fresh out of the oven and their single is extra ‘Yummy Yummy.’ The music video for this one had us blessed with amazing visuals and a girl crush extravaganza. ‘Yummy Yummy’ is the upbeat, high-energy pop banger our workout playlist needed. We can’t wait for what the future has in store for these girls!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT QUEENZ EYE:
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

KIM MINHA & NCT DOYOUNG

Let’s talk about a team-up! We had an eargasm the moment we found out Kim Minha and Doyoung would be blessing us with a song! ‘Fallin” is everything we had hoped for. A vocal feast for our ears, the slow but upbeat single is the perfect soundtrack to our autumn!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NCT:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

ATBO

ATBO is back and with a lot of ‘Attitude!’ We had been waiting for the freshly-debuted boy group to grace the Kpop scene with their presence again and thankfully, they pulled through. ‘Attitude’ is here and it is one catchy boy group banger! Right into the ear and living there for the time being. Of course, if you want something a bit more melodic, ‘Magic’ is the b-side you should focus on!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ATBO:  
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

See Also

CLASS:Y

OKAY, CLASS:y, come through! These girls delivered an incredible comeback with their mini-album Day and Night, and we’re beyond impressed by their talents! The two tracks ‘Zealous’ and ‘Tick Tick Boom’ are like day and night with their sound, concept, and choreography, which shows just how much range CLASS:y has. We were even blessed with music videos for both songs, and they didn’t disappoint!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CLASS:Y:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

ENHYPEN

ENHYPEN! We miss these boys so much! Thankfully they released their full Japanese album 定め in October and we finally got to hear some of our favorite songs again! Especially the lead single ‘Future Perfect’ sounds extra good in Japanese. We are still waiting patiently (more or less) for the boys’ new Korean comeback but until then this album will be replayed a lot!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ENHYPEN:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | MEMBERS TWITTER | OFFICIAL TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

ONLYONEOF RIE

Rie continues to break through barriers with his new single ‘Because.’ His new single is really catchy because of the beat and melody, not to mention that Rie blows us all away with his amazing vocals. You can tell that there is a heartfelt message behind the song, and we cannot wait to hear more solo songs from Rie in the future.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ONLYONEOF: 
 FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | MEMBER TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

EPEX

We had to wait a year for the follow-up to BIPOLAR Pt. 2 Prelude of Love, but now Prelude of Love Chapter 1. ‘Puppy Love is finally here! We have waited for EPEX to try the uniform-band outfit concept and, boy, was it worth it! ‘Hymn To Love’ is the EPEX love song we have been waiting for. This one is so high-energy and hard-hitting that it suits our workout playlist perfectly. If you are in need of a softer-sounding song, ‘Love Bomb’ is right there!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT EPEX:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

NCT TEN

You know that when NCT’s Ten breathes we are here to scream about it! ‘Birthday’ came to us in the form of a new NCT Lab x SM Station single and it is a sexy one. Ten channels his inner R&B artist and gives a moody and alluring performance with this single, which left us craving even more.


TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NCT:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

TFN

TFN – formerly known as T1419 – is back with their first mini-album and, boy, is this a good one. We might even say it’s the best work they have released so far! ‘Amazon’ makes us crave a trip to the jungle and its melodic pre-chorus and catchy hook get us right there mentally! Even with a new name, the boys haven’t lost their spark, as ‘Amazon’ is a bop and a half.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TFN:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

ALICE

ALICE is back with a new dance track, and we NEED to play it on a loop all day. ‘Dance On’ is such a groovy song with a fun music video to match! We’re so proud to see the group continue on after all they’ve been through. And we’ll be supporting and dancing along with them for as long as possible!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ALICE:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

VIVIZ

VIVIZ really said, “we’re THE queens,” with their new single ‘Rum Pum Pum!’ It’s a bold and addictive song about what it’s like to fall in love with them. We’re especially in love with the music video visuals and concept for this track. Everything from the set to the outfits is fantastic, and the girls look expensive! (As they should!)

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT VIVIZ:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

TripleS – ACID ANGEL FROM ASIA

TripleS is going to be a massive 24-member girl group. But, before they come at us with full force, their first pre-debut, 4-member sub-unit, Acid Angel from Asia, is here. And yes, did they not hesitate to bring us a bop and a half! ‘Generation’ has everything we love about the chic girl group K-pop trend rang in by NEWJEANS and LE SSERAFIM. The melody, the chorus, and the vocals… everything is here and fit. We are excited about upcoming units and the full group debut!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TRIPLES:
INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE | WEBSITE

KENTA & SANGGYUN

JBJ95 fans, we have amazing news for you! In a series of fortunate events, Kenta and Sanggyu are finally free to promote as a duo again! And they did not hesitate to give us a new song immediately after the court’s ruling! ‘Dreams’ is a beautiful short song about the boys’ journey so far and we hope it is only up from here! Here is to new beginnings.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT KENTA & SUNGGYUN:
INSTAGRAM KENTA | INSTAGRAM SANGGYUN | TWITTER

YOUNITE

YOUNITE finished October off as ‘Bad Cupid’s and we are here for it! If we needed a high-energy love song, this one is it. Not only do their vocalists stand out during the pre-chorus, but their rappers also show us what they’ve got during the verses! The bridge of ‘Bad Cupid’ is also another highlight for us! YOUNITE have worked hard this first year on their music and we can see a really bright future for them!

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUNITE: 
 FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

How did we make it through this month of bangers without collapsing, right? Are we ready for November’s comebacks to come at us in full force? Of course! What was your favorite comeback of October? Which one are you most excited about in November? Let us know in the comments below, or tweet us @TheHoneyPOP!

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Lil Baby & Future Run Through NYC In “From Now On” Video

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As expected, Lil Baby took the top spot on the Billboard 200.

It’s Only Me debuted atop the charts in its first week, earning 216,000 album-equivalent units (including 6,500 pure album sales). This marks the Quality Control talent’s third No. 1 album, following 2020’s My Turn and 2021’s The Voice of the Heroes project with Lil Durk.

Lil Baby has now shared a video for “From Now On.” Featuring everyone’s favorite role model, Future, the two run around New York City doing what they do best.

Lil Baby & Future Run Through NYC In “From Now On” Video was last modified: October 31st, 2022 by Meka





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