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AP PHOTOS: Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande cut a ‘Wicked’ swath around the world
In “Wicked,” Elphaba and Glinda travel from Shiz University to the Emerald City on a glistening green train to meet the wizard. In real life, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande have traveled much farther and wider and longer — and on airplanes…
How to watch and stream the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
NEW YORK (AP) — The holiday season really kicks off when the massive helium balloons start floating through New York. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade — two years away from its 100th birthday — this year will feature 17 giant character…
10 holiday gifts to hit the right note for music lovers
Music fans should be easy to shop for this holiday season, right?
Wrong! What do you pick up for the friend who knew about that rapper months before the rest of the world? What about the audiophile, whose listening habits are particular…
Music Review: Father John Misty’s ‘Mahashmashana’ offers cynical, theatrical take on life and death
The title of Father John Misty's sixth studio album, “Mahashmashana,” is a reference to cremation, and the first song proposes “a corpse dance.” Religious overtones mix with the undercurrent of a midlife crisis atop his folk chamber pop.…
Music Review: The Breeders’ Kim Deal soars on solo debut, a reunion with the late Steve Albini
When the Pixies set out to make their 1988 debut studio album, they enlisted Steve Albini to engineer “Surfer Rosa,” the seminal alternative record which includes the enduring hit, “Where Is My Mind?” That experience was mutually beneficial…
‘Tis the season for holiday albums, from Jennifer Hudson to Toby Keith and Jimmy Fallon
It’s not the holiday season until the house is full of festive music, from classics to covers and reimaginations across genres, for all to enjoy. In honor of the most wonderful time of the year, The Associated Press’ Music Writer Maria…
Singer Paul Kelly: An Australian icon the country seems to be keeping for its own
NEW YORK (AP) — During his first visit to New York in seven years, Paul Kelly made sure to stop at Katz's deli, check out a friend's restaurant recommendation in Little Italy, and take some long walks. Then there was business to attend to,…
Rauw Alejandro on Puerto Rico, salsa and working with Pharrell on his new album
MIAMI (AP) — Last year, Puerto Rican superstar Rauw Alejandro was in outer space.
“Playa Saturno,” the 2023 surprise spinoff to his 2022 record “Saturno,” brought his R&B-informed reggaeton to new heights on an extraterrestrial concept…
Music Review: Gwen Stefani’s ‘Bouquet’ is a romantic return to mellow rock — with an ageless voice
Words and phrases like “nostalgia” or “back to her roots” come to mind when listening to Gwen Stefani’s fifth studio album, “Bouquet” — and it is in no way negative.
Across 10-tracks, the powerhouse singer leans into the mellow rock of her…
Ringo goes country, again. The ex-Beatle mixes peace and love with twang and heartache on new album
Country music comes naturally to Ringo Starr. The former Beatle has dabbled in the music ever since singing the country hit “Act Naturally” with the Beatles in 1965, and he's now about to release a whole country album. Starr says in an…
Shel Talmy, produced hits by The Who, The Kinks and other 1960s British bands, dead at 87
Shel Talmy, a Chicago-born music producer and arranger who worked on such British punk classics as The Who’s “My Generation” and The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me,” helped oversee hits by Manfred Mann and the duo Chad & Jeremy and was an…
Burt Bacharach, composer of classic songs, will have papers donated to Library of Congress
WASHINGTON (AP) — Burt Bacharach, one of the most celebrated and popular composers and songwriters of the 20th century, will have his papers donated to the Library of Congress.
Bacharach's widow Jane Bacharach, who made the donation, and…
Q&A: Muna’s Katie Gavin on comfort music, creative freedom and her debut solo record
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Katie Gavin is self-proclaimed “gay famous.”
The pop band Muna first broke through with “Silk Chiffon,” an anthem to queer joy. Though Gavin, the frontwoman of Muna, has dipped a toe in pop music's mainstream, she’s…
Jennifer Hudson, Kylie Minogue and Billy Porter to perform at Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade
The giant balloons may be flying at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but the stars will be on street. Organizers revealed Thursday that Jennifer Hudson, Kylie Minogue and Billy Porter will all perform, an upping of the star wattage over…
Dolly Parton sings her family’s story on ‘Smoky Mountain DNA.’ She says it is her ‘favorite album’
NEW YORK (AP) — Dolly Parton's musical story starts further back than most might expect — to the British Isles of the 1600s. That's where her ancestors hail from, eventually landing in the hollers of East Tennessee and its familiar mountain…
