• Tracy Chapman

    2024 Songwriters Hall Of Fame Nominees Announced

    The Songwriters Hall of Fame nominees for the class of 2024 have been announced. Founded in 1969, the Songwriters Hall of Fame was established to honor those whose work, represents, and maintains, the heritage and legacy of a spectrum of the most beloved English language songs from the world's popular music songbook.
  • Debbie Harry by Decade: Celebrating the Blondie Frontwoman's 70th Birthday

    The year 1945 was an astounding one for music history, giving us Eric Clapton, Bob Seger, John Fogerty and Carly Simon. Add another big 70th birthday to the year, as July 1 marks the near-diamond anniversary of Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry. Music Times is celebrating the big day by looking back over her four decades in music and choosing our favorite track from each of the ten-year spans she's spent in business.
  • 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.
  • Melissa Etheridge Talks Tour with Blondie, Joan Jett, New Los Angeles Live DVD

    Melissa Etheridge is about to release a tribute to her last tour with the new live DVD 'A Little Bit of Me: Live in L.A.' while simultaneously preparing for her next gig, a co-headlining run with Blondie that will bring also Joan Jett into the fold for a few shows. Music Times had the chat with the Grammy/Oscar-winner while she prepped for the upcoming tour...we found her favorite Los Angeles venues, what city's audiences trumps even her hometown crowd, as well as being a Debbie Harry-fangirl during high school.
  • 5 Bad Vocalist Solo Debuts, from David Lee Roth to Nearly All of The Beatles

    On this date 30 years ago, Freddie Mercury of Queen released his first solo album, Mr. Bad Guy...and it failed drastically, at least from a commercial standpoint. It seems odd now—when a solo album from Brandon Flowers or other vocalists attached to a big-name band can release an album by themselves and land in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 without breaking a sweat—that one of the liveliest frontmen in rock history couldn't get into the Top 150 of the album sales charts with his first solo release. That said (and despite the cheesy image of Mercury in shades on the album cover), Mr. Bad Guy ain't a bad record. That can't be said about the solo debuts of these other famous vocalists, from The Beatles' members to David Lee Roth.
  • Morrissey Tour Comes for United States after Two False Starts; Blondie and Amanda Palmer Among Openers

    Morrissey's last two attempts at a tour in North America haven't gone so well, as both were cut short by illness. The vocalist has announced a new run however and we're hoping that third time is indeed the charm. Although a constant opener hasn't been announced yet, Blondie has been named as a one-night opener for Moz's show at Madison Square Garden in New York, while Amanda Palmer will open for the closing night of the run in San Jose.
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