Tag Archives: Music

I’ll Never Listen To All I Want For Christmas Is You The Same Way After Learning This Fact

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If you’ve managed to go this far without becoming familiar with Mariah Carey’s iconic song All I Want For Christmas Is You, then I’d like to apologise for what I’m sure was a difficult time in your bunker.

The song has just achieved a record-breaking 16th week on Billboard’s number one spot, where it’s appeared for the past four consecutive years in the lead-up to Christmas ― some expect the tune will soon exceed $100 million in earnings.

It blasts from shop speakers, car radios, and YouTube ads yearly. “That song is just embedded in history now,” David Foster, 16-time Grammy-winning composer and producer, said. “It’s embedded in Christmas. When you think of Christmas right now, you think of that song.”

But what I certainly didn’t think about while listening to it, because I didn’t know, was this; it only took 15 minutes to write the song.

What?

Yup! Mariah Carey cowrote the festive hit with songwriter Walter Afanasieff in about 15 minutes, per Cosmopolitan.

“It’s definitely not Swan Lake,” Walter said. “But that’s why it’s so popular—because it’s so simple and palatable.”

Speaking to Billboard, Walter said, “It was always the same sort of system with us. We would write the nucleus of the song, the melody primary music, and then some of the words were there as we finished writing it.”

“That one went very quickly: It was an easier song to write than some of the other ones,” he added.

Huh!

I know ― though to be fair, they did tinker with their easy-bake hit for a little while after the first write-up.

“I tried to make it a little more unique, putting in some special chords that you really don’t hear a lot of, which made it unique and special. I think that’s one of the components that made it unique year after year. That part of it took maybe an hour,” Walter told Billboard.

“Then for the next week or two Mariah would call me and say, ‘What do you think about this bit?’ We would talk a little bit until she got the lyrics all nicely coordinated and done,” he said.

So, while the core of the song was written in less time than it takes me to make my morning bowl of porridge, the entire polishing process took a few extra hours. Still, worth it for a record-breaking hit, right?

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It’s Time To Retire The Beyoncé vs. Taylor Swift Debate

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“When you’re talking about greatness, and when you’re talking about greatness for the 21st century specifically, no one has a longer or fuller track record than Beyoncé.”

That’s how Billboard announced the musical icon as the greatest pop star of the 21st century this week. The declaration came on the heels of the publication announcing its runner-up pick, Taylor Swift, who earned the No. 2 spot for catapulting modern pop stardom to heights many didn’t think were possible across her 17-year (and counting) career. The contest was close, given Swift’s astronomical album sales, streams and touring numbers, but in the end, Billboard explained that Beyoncé topped the list “based on her full 25 years of influence, evolution and impact.”

Of course, the result didn’t sit well with Swifties, who argued that their idol’s accomplishments could’ve satisfied Billboard’s top-spot criteria. And it didn’t take long for members of the Bey Hive to chime in with their own retorts to defend their Queen Bey.

For weeks, the two fan bases had speculated about the music outlet’s hotly anticipated rankings, reigniting the tiresome debate that pits the superstars’ legacies against each other. The discussion hit a fever pitch last year while Beyoncé and Swift were both riding high on their economy-boosting international concert runs (Renaissance and the Eras Tour, respectively), which, according to Pollstar, were the two highest-grossing tours of 2023. And the discourse was reignited after the tours hit the big screen last fall, despite the two singers supporting one another at their Hollywood premieres.

That should’ve been enough to end all catty chatter among fans. But after Billboard’s rankings, now feels like as good a time as any to retire the Beyoncé vs. Taylor Swift argument that’s way past running its course.

Yes, it’s easy to compare the two global juggernauts when none of their peers have reached the same level of cultural dominance in this century. In nearly any arena that matters for pop stars — historic music sales, record-breaking numbers, awards acclaim, etc. — Swift and Beyoncé almost always lead the pack. However, contrary to what stan culture believes, numerous instances prove that Swift and Beyoncé are incomparable in the lanes that make them all-time greats.

Swift’s unequivocally sharp pen has made her one of the most illustrious songwriters of her time, which she demonstrates time and time again with every chart-topping album she releases. Her successful crossover from country to pop superstardom proved her talents were as boundless as her ambitions, charting a path to hit-making, award-winning success. To this day, Swift, according to Forbes, is the only woman in music to build a billion-dollar fortune solely from her musicianship. Even with a later start in the millennium, she’s achieved what many in the pop world can only dream of.

Over the last 20-plus years, Beyoncé, meanwhile, has far exceeded what anyone could’ve expected from the former frontwoman of a ’90s and early aughts girl group, Destiny’s Child (one of the most successful in history). Her talents aren’t limited to music — her roles in films like “Dreamgirls” and “Cadillac Records” have proven that. But as many well know, Beyoncé’s name will be forever etched in the history books for consistently raising the bar for musical excellence (live performances, outstanding visuals, genre-bending projects, you name it), no matter the genre. Her ability to disrupt industry conventions has inspired many, including Swift, to be originators in their own right. But what truly sets the legend apart from Swift and everyone else is that she’s remained the standard of pop stardom for decades and is still reaching above and beyond to cement her legacy.

It does us all a disservice to try and assert why Beyoncé and Swift are better than one another when they’re two vastly different symbols of greatness. Where one dominates with statistics and chart numbers, the other has had an immeasurable cultural impact. But as with many polarising conversations about music, it’s more fun to fuel a narrative that keeps these two icons in constant competition, even when they oppose it.

Swift said it best in her 2023 Time Person of the Year profile: “Clearly it’s very lucrative for the media and stan culture to pit two women against each other, even when those two artists in question refuse to participate in that discussion.”

The media and stans will likely cash in on that discourse again for the 2025 Grammy Awards — where Swift and Beyoncé are both nominated for record, song and album of the year — but don’t count on the pop stars to feed the frenzy.

As history has shown, Swift and Beyoncé have held nothing but reverence for each other’s work over time. Last year, in an Instagram post, Swift praised her contemporary for being “a guiding light throughout my career” who’s also “taught me and every artist out here to break rules and defy industry norms.” Beyoncé was just as generous with her words years prior when she held space for Swift to finish her acceptance speech at the 2009 Video Music Awards — where Kanye West infamously interrupted Swift to argue that Beyoncé should’ve won instead.

Even when people expect Swift and Beyoncé to pick sides against each other, they show that they know better than to entertain such negativity — it’s served their groundbreaking legacies well. When will fans finally learn to do the same?

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Here’s Who Nabbed Nominations For The 2025 Grammy Awards

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It’s time to press play on Grammys season.

Nominees for the 67th Grammy Awards were announced by the Recording Academy on Friday morning, leaving music fans with a lot to sound off on.

To drop the news, broadcaster Gayle King and comedian Jim Gaffigan joined forces with a long list of past Grammy winners that included Kylie Minogue, Mark Ronson, Paramore’s Hayley Williams, Green Day’s Billy Joe Armstrong and last year’s best new artist, Victoria Monét.

Honoring the work released between September 2023 through this August, this year’s slate of nominations features both Grammy veterans and a charming array of newcomers.

Beyonce' accepts the Innovator Award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, Monday, April 1, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Beyonce’ accepts the Innovator Award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, Monday, April 1, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

via Associated Press

Beyoncé’s most recent release, “Cowboy Carter,” earned 11 nominations, making her the most-nominated artist in the show’s history.

The western-infused album, which the artist herself has declared a “Beyoncé album” and not a country record, will compete in both pop and country categories.

One year after taking home album of the year for her 2022 effort, “Midnights,” pop heavyweight Taylor Swift’s 2024 double album, “The Tortured Poet’s Department,” emerged with six nominations. Her “Fortnight” collaborator Post Malone snagged seven nominations of his own.

A replica of a Grammy triphy at L.A.'s GRAMMY Museum. The 2025 nominations dropped on Friday.
A replica of a Grammy triphy at L.A.’s GRAMMY Museum. The 2025 nominations dropped on Friday.

Matt Winkelmeyer via Getty Images

It was a breakout year for artists like Chappell Roan and Charli XCX, who secured six and seven nods, respectively.

While Roan is veritable newcomer, rocketing into the public consciousness with the release of her studio debut, “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” Charli’s sixth full-length album, “Brat,” elevated the English singer from a long-simmering underground pop icon to an inescapable, slime-green cultural phenomenon this past summer.

Chappell Roan arrives at the premiere of "Olivia Rodrigo: GUTS World Tour" on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at nya studios EAST in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Chappell Roan arrives at the premiere of “Olivia Rodrigo: GUTS World Tour” on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at nya studios EAST in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

via Associated Press

With seven nominations, Billie Eilish is the now only artist to have her first three albums each nominated for album of the year.

The beef between rappers Kendrick Lamar and Drake will now have a chance to play out in the awards sphere. Lamar’s hit Drake diss, “Not Like Us,” received five nods. His rival, who released the album “For All the Dogs” last fall, received none.

There will be plenty more spectacle to come when winners across 94 categories are announced at the 2025 Grammys, set to take place live from Los Angeles on Feb. 2, 2025.

Check out the nominees for some of the key categories below:

Album of the Year

André 3000 – “New Blue Sun”

Beyoncé – “Cowboy Carter”

Billie Eilish – “Hit Me Hard and Soft”

Chappell Roan – “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess”

Charli XCX – “Brat”

Jacob Collier – “Djesse Vol. 4”

Sabrina Carpenter – “Short n’ Sweet”

Taylor Swift – “The Tortured Poets Department”

Record of the Year

The Beatles – “Now and Then”

Beyoncé – “Texas Hold ’Em”

Billie Eilish – “Birds of a Feather”

Chappell Roan – “Good Luck, Babe!”

Charli XCX – “360”

Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”

Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso”

Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone – “Fortnight”

Song of the Year

Beyoncé – “Texas Hold ’Em”

Billie Eilish – “Birds of a Feather”

Chappell Roan – “Good Luck, Babe!”

Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”

Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die With a Smile”

Sabrina Carpenter – “Please Please Please”

Shaboozey – “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”

Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone – “Fortnight”

Best New Artist

Benson Boone

Sabrina Carpenter

Khruangbin

Chappell Roan

Teddy Swims

Songwriter of the Year

Edgar Barrera

Jessi Alexander

Jessie Jo Dillon

Producer of the Year

Daniel Nigro

Dernst “D’Mile” Emile II

Ian Fitchuk

Best Pop Solo Performance

Beyoncé – “Bodyguard”

Billie Eilish – “Birds of a Feather”

Chappell Roan – “Good Luck, Babe!”

Charli XCX – “Apple”

Sabrina Carpenter – “Espresso”

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

Ariana Grande, Brandy & Monica – “The Boy Is Mine – Remix”

Beyoncé Featuring Post Malone – “Levii’s Jeans”

Charli XCX & Billie Eilish – “Guess Featuring Billie Eilish”

Gracie Abrams Featuring Taylor Swift – “Us.”

Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die With a Smile”

Best Rap Performance

Cardi B – “Enough (Miami)”

Common & Pete Rock Featuring Posdnuos – “When the Sun Shines Again”

Doechii – “Nissan Altima”

Eminem – “Houdini”

Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar – “Like That”

Glorilla – “Yeah Glo!”

Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us”

Best R&B Performance

Chris Brown – “Residuals”

Coco Jones – “Here We Go (Uh Oh)”

Jhené Aiko – “Guidance”

Muni Long – “Made for Me (Live on BET)”

SZA – “Saturn”

Best Latin Pop Album

Anitta – “Funk Generation”

Kali Uchis – “Orquídeas”

Kany García – “García”

Luis Fonsi – “El Viaje”

Shakira – “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran”

Best Rock Performance

The Beatles – “Now and Then”

The Black Keys – “Beautiful People (Stay High)

Green Day – “The American Dream Is Killing Me”

Idles – “Gift Horse”

Pearl Jam – “Dark Matter”

St. Vincent – “Broken Man”

Best Alternative Music Performance

Cage the Elephant – “Neon Pill”

Fontaines D.C. – “Starburster”

Kim Gordon – “Bye Bye”

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – “Song of the Lake”

St. Vincent – “Flea”

Best Country Solo Performance

Beyoncé – “16 Carriages”

Chris Stapleton – It Takes a Woman”

Jelly Roll – “I Am Not Okay”

Kacey Musgraves – “The Architect”

Shaboozey – “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”

Best Musical Theater Album

“Hell’s Kitchen”

“Merrily We Roll Along”

“The Notebook”

“The Outsiders”

“Suffs”

“The Wiz”

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The Real Story Behind Dancing In The Moonlight Is Mindblowing

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You know the song Dancing In The Moonlight? The one that was originally written by Sherman Kelly and later covered by Toploader?

That song is not what it seems. If you think it’s the perfect nonsense song that’s ideal for family parties and work functions, you may want to read on to find out the real history of the song.

You’ll never hear it the same way again…

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The story behind Dancing In The Moonlight

Speaking to the music journalist Mike Morsch, Sherman Kelly revealed that the song was written after he and his girlfriend had been attacked and left for dead by the notorious Fountain Gang in St. Croix.

Once they had finally crawled their way to hospital and received treatment, Sherman recalled overhearing doctors talking: “I woke up to the sound of my hospital roommate screaming in pain. Finally the screaming stopped and I heard two doctors talking about him. ‘That’s it, he’s gone,’ said one doctor about the other patient.

″‘What about him, you think he’s gonna make it?’ And the other doctor said, ‘No, I doubt it.’ I realised they were talking about me.”

Of course, Sherman did make it and quite literally lived to tell the tale.

Once he was home, he started writing the verses that would soon become Dancing In The Moonlight.

“I envisioned an alternate reality, the dream of a peaceful and joyous celebration of life. It was just me imagining a better world than the one I had just experienced in St. Croix.

“It was amazing. People liked the song right from the start. I liked it, but I wouldn’t have predicted that it would become a big hit.”

And that it did.

Since being written in 1969, the song has been covered 16 times and is a firm favourite among pop music fans.

As Morsch said: “An unspeakably traumatic experience that almost cost him his life had turned into a beautiful song.”