Music News

Lenny Kravitz's most cherished piece of music memorabilia is a harmonica given to him by Bob Dylan.
The 51-year-old musician has been a lifelong fan of Dylan's music and he was blown away when the 'It Ain't Me Babe' singer presented him with the mouth organ as a gift following a concert in Atlanta.
But so far he has resisted the urge to try out the instrument.
When asked what he has done with Dylan's harmonica, he shared: "It's on the mantel in my bedroom in Paris. I see it when I wake up. I've picked it up a few times and looked at it. It has a piece of tape on it with the keys written on it. I'll play it someday. I've put special things from my life on that mantel: the plastic cast of my hand that my uncle made when I was six; a ceramic mask I made in art class when I was about seven; a Cartier watch that belonged to (cabaret singer) Bobby Short; the handwritten set list to Woodstock that Hendrix wrote right before doing the gig. I bought those years ago."
Kravtiz's heroes are Dylan, Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney and Rolling Stones singer Sir Mick Jagger.
The rocker admits he admires their undiminished passion for performing even though they are all in their 70s and he hopes to still be on stage when he reaches the same decade of his life.
In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, he said: "Bob and Mick and McCartney - it's wonderful to see how they've become like the jazz cats. I saw The Rolling Stones on the last tour, the last show of the American leg. They were as hardcore as I've ever seen them - their aggression and precision were unbelievable. I look at them and say, "That's what I want to be doing when I'm in my 70s."

Naughty Boy has hinted Beyoncé could be a surprise guest at the BRIT Awards.
The 31-year-old producer's collaboration with the R&B superstar and Arrow Benjamin, 'Runnin' (Lose It All)', is up for the British Artist Video prize at the ceremony and he has discussed their nomination with her and he teased she could be up for attending.
He said: "I'm so excited about the BRIT nomination. I spoke to Beyoncé she's mad excited."
When pushed on whether Queen Bey plans on attending, he added: "Beyoncé doesn't need an invite, she's already invited."
After working with Beyoncé, Naughty Boy is now keen to record a song with her husband, rap legend Jay Z.
Discussing potential artists for his upcoming new album, he said: "I'd love for Jay Z to be on it."
It was previously reported that Beyoncé had been trying to convince Jay to sign Naughty Boy to his Roc Nation record label.
A source said: "Naughty Boy's track 'La La La' became a worldwide hit and it managed to catch the attention of Jay Z.
"Beyoncé and Naughty Boy have formed a close friendship and she has spoke to Jay about him going to Roc Nation."

Iggy Azalea's record label have told her she can't make a video for her song 'Zillion'.
The 'Fancy' singer reached out to her fans on Twitter and told them Virgin/EMI won't allow her to make a music video for the "buzz track" that she dropped online as a teaser for her next album because they didn't think it was "good enough".
Iggy posted a series of tweets which read: "Bad news update:my record label Virgin/EMI seems to feel the response to my viral record "zillon" wasnt good enough & im not allowed a video ... I felt like it was dope so, whatever. ted cockle doesn't wanna see me shine. what can i say (sic)"
Although the 25-year-old rapper is disappointed by her label's reaction she is going to remain "mildly professional" but if she needs to she'll drive around Los Angeles playing her album full blast if she can't get her music out any other way.
She wrote on the social media site: "Anyhow i could say ALOT - but ill keep it mildly professional. Just wanted to let some of you guys asking know whats happening. If all else fails ill just drive around LA and play my new album really loudly every monday from 4-6pm hahaha (sic)"
Iggy has confirmed the name of her second album is 'Digital Distortion' and it is due to be released sometime this year.

The Last Shadow Puppets are releasing their new album 'Everything You've Come To Expect' on April 1.
The group - consisting of Arctic Monkeys singer Alex Turner, Miles Kane and Simian Mobile Disco's James Ford - have confirmed their second LP is coming in just a few months, but eight years after their debut 'The Age of the Understatement'.
The record was made last summer at Rick Rubin's Shangri-La studios in Malibu, California - which was previously owned by Bob Dylan and The Band - and as well as the trio of artists it also features Mini Mansions' Zach Dawes on bass and Owen Pallett scoring the string section.
Turner has revealed the reason between the lengthy gap between albums is that The Last Shadow Puppets want their LPs to be a trilogy and they "wanted to write the second and third parts" before releasing the second.
When asked if fans would have to wait another eight years for the third instalment, Turned told the new issue of NME magazine: "Well, I don't know about that. There are lots of other things we have to factor in."
Kane has joked it wasn't easy to get Turner to commit to the side project again.
He said: "It seemed to all align correctly. I did have to get (Alex) in a headlock briefly, but he came around."
Whereas their debut paid homage to the music of Scott Walker, this album has wider influences.
Turner revealed: "I think the last record ended up being just one thing. We talked about Scott Walker a lot and our record became perceived as a homage to that sound. This one, in my head, doesn't wear its influences on its sleeve as much as the first one did. We were definitely listening to a bit of Isaac Hayes this time, but it was less of a big deal."
Kane added: "At that time (of the first album), all that stuff was new to us. We were discovering it for the first time. This time, it was just songs that we were buzzing off that we were inspired by."

'Everything You've Come To Expect' tracklisting:

'Aviation'
'Miracle Aligner'
'Dracula Teeth'
'Everything You've Come To Expect'
'The Element Of Surprise'
'Bad Habits'
'Sweet Dreams, TN'
'Used To Be My Girl'
'She Does The Woods'
'Pattern'
'The Dream Synopsis'

John Legend wants his album to be "beautiful".
The 'All of Me' hitmaker is gearing up to release the follow-up to his 2013 LP 'Love In The Future' and has revealed he is collaborating "with some really talented musicians" for the new tracks.
He told MTV News: "I'm just in the studio working on my album, that's the main focus, and working with some really talented musicians and hopefully we'll make something beautiful.
"I think I'll be finished in the next couple months and then I'll probably put it out either summer [or] early fall. It will be this year for sure."
Meanwhile, John has got a big year ahead as his wife Chrissy Teigen is pregnant with their first child.
However, music is not far from his mind as the 'Sports Illustrated' model has revealed he is penning a track for the little one.
She shared previously: "A few years ago, a lot of people were writing songs when they got pregnant and he was like, 'I just don't feel like I'm gonna be that guy, I'm not gonna write a song. I think (of) Stevie (Wonder) with 'Isn't She Lovely,' I think how can you do any better than that? I'm just not gonna be that guy.
"(Then) yesterday he texted me, like, 'Writing a song for our baby!'"

Foxes wants to work with Calvin Harris and Sia.
The British singer - who worked with dance producer Zedd on 'Clarity' - wants to make more feel good music and would love to team up with the superstar DJ-and-producer and the 'Elastic Heart' hitmaker.
She revealed: "I did a lot of dance music that year (in 2013) and it'd be nice to go back to that. I really respect Calvin Harris' songwriting and if there's anyone out there writing really good dance music it's him. I'd love to work with Sia as well - that was supposed to happen. In the future that'd be great."
Meanwhile, Foxes has revealed the delay in releasing her second studio LP 'All I Need' is down to her going on tour with Pharrell Williams in 2014.
She explained: "I was in the middle of doing the second album and I got a call. You don't really say no! I took my laptop - most of it did get written while I was on tour with him."
Asked what it was like touring the 'Happy' hitmaker she said he never stops working and was even writing fresh music right before going on stage.
She told NME: "We did quite a lot. At the beginning I was like, "F**k, it's Pharrell. We had lots of catering hangouts. I was really impressed because he was constantly working, constantly making beats. Two seconds before he'd go on stage he'd be writing music. I just think he doesn't really stop."
On the follow-up to her debut album 'Glorious', the 26-year-old singer has teased it has a tracklist of empowering songs.
She previously told BANG Showbiz: "It's empowering and about coming out of something and being stronger, rather than 'I hate him, he's a b*****d.'"
'All I Need' is expected to drop on February 5.

Ellie Goulding feels like her music is made for "the future" because it can take a while to "take off".
The 'On My Mind' hitmaker was anxious about releasing her poppier third studio album 'Delirium' last November because it's markedly different to her previous LPs 'Lights' and 'Halcyon'.
She explained: "I sometimes feel I write music for the future. It doesn't always take off when I first release it."
But, she needn't worry as she's received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance for her single 'Love Me Like You Do' at the prestigious awards ceremony.
And on hearing she'd been shortlisted, Ellie was so overwhelmed she had to take a nap and afterwards she felt tearful.
She told The Daily Telegraph newspaper: "I found out about my Grammy nomination and I was just like, 'Oh, great', and I had to have a nap. When someone woke me up 10 minutes later I wanted to cry."
Fame hasn't always been easy for the 29-year-old singer, who has suffered with panic attacks in recent months.
Recalling a trip to A&E after suffering heart spasms, she shared: "I was having these huge heart palpitations and it was really scary."

Charlie Puth recorded Selena Gomez's vocals on 'We Don't Talk Anymore' in a closet.
The 'See You Again' hitmaker collaborated with Selena on the track for his forthcoming debut LP 'Nine Track Mind' and although the unusual session was "the most ghetto set up ever" he believes her delivery added to the "quaintness" of the album.
Talking about their time together, he told ET Online: "She came over and I literally set the mic up in a closet. So, I can say that I've vocal produced Selena Gomez while she's in a closet recording. It was, like, the most ghetto set up ever, but I think it added to the quaintness of the record. She did a really good job, too."
The pair have kept in touch ever since and Selena is Charlie's first port of call if needs any advice on how to handle fame.
He said: "She's very used to the spotlight, and I'm now kind of getting in that world, and I kind of got freaked out about it. She's a really good person that I can kind of turn to and ask for advice."
Charlie's career sky-rocketed after his 2015 song 'See You Again' with Whiz Khalifa - recorded for the soundtrack to 'Furious 7' as a tribute to the late Paul Walker - became a global number one hit.
The pair will head to the Grammys next month, where they are up for Song of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Song Written for Visual Media.
Charlie's album 'Nine Track Mind' is released on January 29.

Florence + The Machine, Jamie xx and Bloc Party will perform War Child charity shows as a part of Passport to BRITs Week. A series of concerts - also including headline performances from Lianne La Havas, Above & Beyond and Frank Turner, as well as...