• Billboard Hot 100 vs. Official Charts Company: Mariah Carey, Wiz Khalifa and 40 Years of No. 1s

    Few people realize just how different the music across the pond is from that we listen to in America, that the Hot 100 doesn't exist in the UK, and that its equivalent to our singles chart doesn't just feature a whole bunch of American artists with even more One Direction and Ellie Goulding tracks. Music Times is looking back at the last five decades of music, and at the no. 1 hits on April 2 every ten years on the spot, going back to 1975. The ultimate contest, of course, is which country has better taste. Last month the win went to the UK in the best-of-five showdown. This month features Wiz Khalifa, Jason Derulo, Mariah Carey and more in the field.

  • Cleveland Rap Songs: T-Pain, Milford Jerome (and Iman Shumpert?) Get Behind Cavaliers

    Tonight the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James will go up against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors for the first game of the NBA championship. To get revved up for the series, Music Times has assembled hip-hop songs about each of the respective teams, as few musicians get as amped for their local sports teams as rappers (the number of songs/mixtapes named "Beast Mode" after Marshawn Lynch is astounding). We'll start with the Eastern Conference and Cleveland, perhaps ground zero for the hip-hop-meets-harmony movement thanks to the city's much loved Bone Thugs.

  • Golden State Rap Songs: E-40, Mistah F.A.B. (and Lil B?) Get Behind Warriors

    Tonight the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James will go up against Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors for the first game of the NBA championship. To get revved up for the series, Music Times has assembled hip-hop songs about each of the respective teams, as few musicians get as amped for their local sports teams as rappers (the number of songs/mixtapes named "Beast Mode" after Marshawn Lynch is astounding). We'll start with the Western Conference and Golden State, representing Oakland and its hyphy hip-hoppers. And no: "CoCo" by O.T. Genasis doesn't count...regardless of how often the team sings it.

  • Where Next For Third Man Records? Our Predictions: London, Austin and...Malta?

    Jack White has always had his hometown Detroit's back, whether that means building baseball fields, paying off the debts of the local Masonic temple or—in this case—opening a new location for his Third Man Records. The rocker made headlines all over the nation yesterday when he announced that his label would be opening a new retail store (with office space) in Michigan, expanding from its current headquarters in Nashville. It got us at Music Times wondering, where is he likely to expand to next? Here are five cities that may be the next place to open a Third Man Records location (hint: New York City ain't one of them. White noted recently that he dislikes the city strongly).

  • 5 Incredible Transgender Musicians: Wendy Carlos, Antony, Laura Jane Grace and More

    The world has been fixed on Caitlyn Jenner this week, after the former Olympic champion and current Keeping Up With The Kardashians star revealed her new feminine identity on the cover of Vanity Fair this week. News that might have provoked shock in recent years, and even months, was greeted largely with acceptance and praise. Hopefully this will help usher in a new era where transgender individuals will be acknowledged simply as human beings. Music Times hopes to help by saluting musicians such as these, who are far more notable for the music they produce than the gender they represent.

  • Electronic Music Producer, DJ & Composer Photek Talks 'How to Get Away with Murder' Score [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]

    Electronic music DJ, record producer and three-time Grammy nominated remix artist Photek (a.k.a. Rupert Parkes) has always had a full plate when it comes to his career in the music industry, but his newest role as composer for the hit ABC crime drama How to Get Away with Murder definitely stretches his talents to the fullest. In a new exclusive interview with Music Times, Photek spoke to us about scoring the Viola Davis series, working on tight deadlines with short turnarounds, his relationship with showrunner Peter Nowalk, and taking on the composing world as an electronic producer.

  • Young Thug, Lil Wayne, Travis Barker and More: Face and Head Tattoos in Music

    Young Thug shocked the world when he revealed that he had gotten an ice cream cone tattooed on his face in tribute to Gucci Mane. "Shocked" might be a bit of a stretch, considering that the rapper has been on a tear of unpredictable behavior since the release of his Barter 6 album. First he tried to cop the name Tha Carter 6 from Lil Wayne (and in an "unrelated" incident, his road manager was just arrested for allegedly shooting at Weezy's tour bus). The he got the "tribute" tattoo. What next? Will he start wearing clocks on chains as a "tribute" to Flava Flav? Anyway, all we have right now is that Young Thug got some fresh ink, and it's on his face. Here are six other prominent musicians that have used their heads as showcases for questionable art installations.

  • Ranking New Wave Vocalist Solo Debuts: Sting, Debbie Harry, David Byrne and More

    On this date 30 years ago, Sting released his first solo album—The Dream of The Blue Turtles—after the inevitable split of the feuding Police. Some band vocalists have the chops to make it on their own, and some don't. Based on how Turtles did, we'd say that the bassist was doing alright, and since then he's been nominated as a solo performer for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...so it seems both fans and critics have taken a liking. You can argue that Sting's solo debut has nothing on Synchronicity, The Police's last album (and tough competition), but it deserved kudos nevertheless. Music Times looked at the first album from a number of other New Wave vocalists and ranked them, from best to "shoulda never left." Check out individual releases from David Byrne, Debbie Harry, Ric Ocasek and more.

  • The Rolling Stones and University Songs: Will Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh and NC State Get Tributes?

    The Rolling Stones made every Ohio State Buckeye fan go nuts (pun intended) when the band performed "Hang On Sloopy" at Ohio Stadium in Columbus last night. The band, probably the biggest touring act in the world aside from Paul McCartney, has a host of huge venues hosting it throughout the "Zip Codes" tour. Several of these, like Ohio Stadium, also play host to NCAA football programs throughout the year, so Music Times decided to check out what the official songs of those programs are, just in case the Stones might think about busting them out during forthcoming live performances.
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