• Taylor Swift's Former Classmate Reveals Inspiration Behind "Picture To Burn"

    Taylor Swift is known for writing breakup songs about her ex-boyfriends. Fans get a kick out of trying to decipher the boy behind the ballad. Following the release of Swift's latest album, 1989, the wife of one of Swift's high school crushes is claiming that her husband is the man behind Swift's 2008 hit "Picture To Burn" off her eponymous debut album.
  • Ryan Seacrest and Jenny McCarthy Detail 'Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve'

    "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" is a holiday tradition thath as been around since the 1970s. Unfortunately, the show's namesake died in 2012, but Ryan Seacrest and Jenny McCarthy have been carrying on the tradition ever since. This year will be bigger than ever, with more than five hours of music planned, featuring acts like Taylor Swift, One Direction and Elton John. The pair dished on what they are looking forward to the most tomorrow night, Dec. 31, during a press conference."I think there are two incredible live moments that we're going to have here in New York. One is Taylor Swift celebrating the incredible year that she's had, live," Seacrest said, "Billboard" noted. "And then we're going out to Barclays Center [in Brooklyn] to Elton John, who will be standing by. This show has been going for decades, and this is the first time he's been on our show, so that's exciting for us."McCarthy added, "The fact that we've got so many artists this year makes it feel like it will be the best year yet. At rehearsals yesterday, the producers said, 'Without a doubt, this is our favorite show.'"Florida Georgia Line, Idina Menzel, MAGIC!, Iggy Azalea, Charli XCX, Meghan Trainor, Lady Antebellum and Gavin DeGraw are also set to perform.
  • Music Times 25 Best Songs of 2014: Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Hozier, St. Vincent & More

    2014 was the year of a thousand controversies: Taylor Swift pulled all of her music from Spotify, Sun Kil Moon started a feud with The War On Drugs, Jack White accused The Black Keys of ripping him off (again), and almost nobody went platinum. When you put all of that aside, however, what you're left with is a bunch of incredible songs, which is really what it's all about. Here are the 25 best songs from 2014, as determined by Music Times writers Ryan Book, Caitlin Carter, Joey DeGroot, Kyle Dowling, and Carolyn Menyes.
  • Listen to the Taylor Swift 'Blank Space'/'Style' Mashup She Is Raving About [LISTEN]

    Making it in today's music business can be hard. Trying to get heard through all the millions of other YouTube cover artists, mixtape rappers and SoundCloud producers can be nearly impossible without a well-oiled machine backing you with connections and financial support. For those who do get lucky, though, it is generally a mixture of luck and hard work that gives them their break. Two country/folk artists — Louisa Wendorff and Devin Dawson — may have just gotten that break after Taylor Swift tweeted out a mashup cover of her songs "Blank Space" and "Style" from her hit album "1989."OBSESSED. @louisawendorff http://t.co/gXrXYEZx1B — Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) December 27, 2014The pair put an acoustic spin on the tracks and expertly mesh the vocals together for a mashup that does not sound forced at all. The pair have noticed the love Swift has given them and reacted in kind on social media.YOU GUYS!!!! I'm so overwhelmed by what's happening!!!! Thank you all so much for all your encouragement and support and @taylorswift13! — louisa wendorff (@louisawendorff) December 27, 2014WHAT IS LIFE?!?! pic.twitter.com/ddQ3KiIoer — louisa wendorff (@louisawendorff) December 27, 2014
  • Nicki Minaj's 'The Pinkprint' Tops 'Billboard's' R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart: Third Record in a Row for 'Anaconda' Rapper

    Although Nicki Minaj's "The Pinkprint" is stuck behind Taylor Swift's 1989 on the "Billboard" 200, it recently hit No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It is the "Anaconda" rapper's third effort to take the top spot on the chart, following 2012's "Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded" and 2010's "Pink Friday." It is also her third album with "pink" in the title."Anaconda" and "Only" hit No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs list — "Anaconda" spent six weeks on top. "Bed of Lies" featuring Skylar Grey and "Feeling Myself" featuring Beyoncé are just now starting to make some moves on the charts.Minaj has been all over the headlines recently for differing reasons. She killed it on "Saturday Night Live" earlier in the month. The rapper has also been involved in a public back-and-forth with ex-boyfriend Safaree Samuels.
  • Taylor Swift First Artist to be Number One on Billboard's Artist 100 List for 10 Consecutive Weeks

    Taylor Swift is the first artist to be on top of the Billboard Artist 100 list for 10 weeks straight. The chart, which was introduced in July, tracks data from other Billboard lists like the Hot 100, Top Albums Sales and Social 50, all of which Swift has dominated with her new release, '1989.' Her record will be a tough one to break considering Sam Smith only topped it for three weeks straight and Ariana Grande only clocked in two.
  • Taylor Swift Continues Reign on 'Billboard' 200 with '1989'; Nicki Minaj's 'The Pinkprint' Hits Number Two

    Taylor Swift's "1989" moved back into the No. 1 spot on the "Billboard" 200, bringing its total, nonconsecutive weeks at the top to six. It sold 375,000 copies last week, bringing the total for the year to 3.34 million. The record is on pace to overtake the "Frozen" soundtrack, which sold 3.46 million so far. Nicki Minaj's "The Pinkprint" sits comfortably at the No. 2 spot, "Billboard" notes.Swift is tied with Mariah Carey for total weeks at No. 1 with 30. Only one other woman has them beat with 46: Whitney Houston. The Beatles are still in first for all artists with 132 weeks at No. 1.Pentatonix has the No. 3 spot with "That's Christmas to Me." Minaj was able to crack the top 10 recently, and D'Angelo's new "Black Messiah" hit No. 5. "The Pinkprint" did not perform as well as the artist's previous effort "Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded." The former sold 244,000 in its first week while the latter hit 253,000 — it also debuted at No. 1.
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