Music News

James Morrison doesn't want to be thought of as a "boring" artist any more.
The 'Broken Strings' singer is worried his style of music has led some fans to think he is too earnest or "moody" but he hopes they will listen to his latest album 'Higher Than Here' and change their minds.
Speaking to Magic Radio backstage at the station's The Magic of Christmas concert, he revealed: "I said in the beginning I'd like to do something with a bit of a sense of humour. My problem is that I'm quite quiet so I can come across quite moody I suppose and I just wanted to level out people's perceptions of me a little bit.
"I think I've been sort of boring. I think people think I'm really boring! So I wanted to do something that was just fun and takes the mick out of the record industry and out of myself."
The 'Demons' songwriter has made a social media video series titled 'James Morrison vs The Music Industry', a mockumentary which has been dubbed the music industry's answer to 'The Office', and he hopes that will also help him attract a new audience.
He said: "I said in the beginning I'd like to do something with a bit of a sense of humour. My problem is that I'm quite quiet."

Ed Sheeran has been nominated for a second year running for the British Artist of the Year at the BBC Music Awards 2015. The 'Photograph' hitmaker won the gong last year but faces stiff competition in the category this time round as he's up against 'H...

'Gangnam Style' singer Psy has released a surprise album which features Ed Sheeran. The Korean pop sensation - real name Park Jae-sang - has simply titled the record 'Psy 7th Album' and he has drafted in a host of famous musicians to collaborate with ...

Coldplay have revealed Beyoncé totally "transformed" their song 'Hymn For The Weekend' when she lent her vocals to it.
The highly-anticipated track features on the band's forthcoming album 'A Head Full of Dreams' - due for release on Friday (04.12.15) - and the guys about the 34-year-old R&B superstar's "understated" vocals gave the track the magic touch it needed.
Speaking about their time in the studio together, Coldplay bassist Guy Berryman revealed: "It was amazing, she came in, she did her thing, she was unbelievably professional. I think she was in and out in five minutes. And yeah, we're just so blessed to have her sing on one of our songs. She really transformed it, and made it into something that we're all incredibly proud of. It's quite understated which I like. She's just fab and she's so sweet and down to earth."
The four-piece group - consisting of Guy, Chris Martin, Will Champion and Jonny Buckland - had initially intended the track would be a party anthem until Beyoncé interpreted it in a different way.
Speaking to DJ Annie Mac on UK station BBC Radio 1, Guy explained: "It started off being quite a different kind of vibe. Chris was wanting to write a sort of party song, and the words were 'drinks on me, drinks on me.'
"We said to him, 'Look: you can't say that, you can't get away with that.' So the whole story of the song changed - then he asked Beyoncé to sing on it and she very kindly said she would."
Beyoncé is one of a handful of star collaborators on the LP, others include Noel Gallagher and Chris ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow.

Thom Yorke has slammed YouTube - comparing the website to Nazi Germany.
The Radiohead frontman hit out at the site, on which people can watch music videos for free, claiming it has "seized control" of artists' music and insisting it draws comparisons to Adolf Hitler's dictatorship in the Second World War.
He said: "People continue to say that this is an era where music is free, cinema is free.
"It's not true. The creators of services make money - Google, YouTube. A huge amount of money, by trawling, like in the sea - they take everything there is. 'Oh, sorry, was that yours? Now it's ours. No, no, we're joking - it's still yours'.
"They've seized control of it - it's like what the Nazis did during the Second World War.
"Actually, it's like what everyone was doing during the war, even the English - stealing the art of other countries. What difference is there?"
The 47-year-old musician also blasted YouTube for complaining about AdBlocker, an app which allows people to skip adverts on the website, when he insists artists are being paid "laughable amounts" or not at all for their music.
He added to Italian newspaper La Repubblica: "The funny thing is that YouTube has said 'that's not fair'.
"You know? They say it's not fair - the people who put adverts in front of any piece of content, making a load of money, while artists don't get paid or are paid laughable amounts - and that seems fine to them. But if they don't get a profit out of it, it's not fair."

Craig David has teased a future collaboration with Drake.
The 'Born To Do It' hitmaker and 'Hotline Bling' rapper have a mutual appreciation for each other's music and with the Brit's comeback album on the horizon for 2016, he's hinted that a "Craig David/Drake mix tape" could be on the cards "when the time is right".
Asked how Drake came to be a big fan of his, Craig revealed: "When I saw Drake in this restaurant (in Miami) we walked up to each other and there was this moment when I was like, 'Oh man that tune is all I'm listening to.' And he was like, 'Man I need to call my producer, if I can tell him right now that I'm with you, 'Born To Do It'! The tunes you have.' And this was kicking off.
"When the time is right, when it's really right, and there's the Craig David/Drake mix tape, I promise you, not on a 'get gas, beg a man to be on his record' kind of thing, because he's the hottest thing right now. But he'd easily be like, 'Yeah man I want to do that.' "
Meanwhile, the 'Fill Me In' crooner released new single 'When The Bassline Drops', a collaboration with grime MC Big Narstie, on Monday (30.11.15), and is keen to show he's still "hot and happening", despite not releasing an album since 2010's 'Signed Sealed Delivered'.
He told BBC Radio 1Xtra: "I know deep down, even with 30 million records sold, I have to show that I get that respect now ... I see myself as a new artist right now, where I've got to prove myself. You've got to be hot and happening. There's no point talking about what you did back in the day ... you're only three minutes away from a hot song, I just got to keep writing and writing."

Stereophonics and Faithless will co-headline the Isle of Wight Festival.
The two acts - who will take to the stage at Seaclose Park, Newport on Friday June 10 2016 - are the second performers to be added to the bill after it was revealed Queen and Adam Lambert will close the annual event on Sunday June 12.
Stereophonics' frontman Kelly Jones said: "I love playing the Isle of Wight Festival. I got to steer the boat over last time. Captain of the ship and honked the horn! Only the captain gets to honk the horn. This will be our third time at the festival."
And Faithless added: "We can't wait to return to play such an iconic festival for the second time. We were proud to be part of its relaunch in 2005 and it's an absolute pleasure to be invited back."
Speaking to Absolute Radio Breakfast Show host Christian O'Connell at the band's show for War Child and Absolute Radio, Kelly revealed they hope to pick up some new fans during their Isle of Wight performance.
He explained: "When you're starting out, on your first and second record festivals are a brilliant place to steal other people's fans and we stole quite a lot of people's fans and it was great and then you move up the bill and then you do your own thing."
"And it works both ways - now when we're playing gigs and we're on the bill with people like George Ezra and Ellie Goulding on their first and second records and then we try to steal their fans as well because they're 16 and 17. Basically we just keep stealing people really."
"At the Isle of Wight Festival we'll be stealing fans, we're going to steal some Queen fans."
For more visit www.absoluteradio.co.uk or www.isleofwightfestival.com.

Ed Sheeran has signed one of his "all-time favourite" singers Foy Vance to Gingerbread Man Records.
The 'Thinking Out Loud' hitmaker's label - which is a subsidiary of Warner Music UK LTD - is slowly filling its roster with new acts and has drafted its second singer/songwriter in Northern Irish solo artist Foy.
Ed announced on Twitter today (30.11.15): "I've signed my second act to my label. One of my all-time favourite artists and inspirations, get a free track at - http://www.foyvance.com/ (sic)"
The signing may not surprise Ed's fans, since the 'She Burns' singer has joined him on numerous tours since 2012 and his tracks have garnered popularity through airplay on US TV shows 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Vampire Diaries'.
Foy, 40, is currently touring Australia and plans to put out his third studio album next spring.
But with just 42,000 twitter followers compared to his 24-year-old boss's 15.9 million, the 'Make It Rain' singer should expect a fairly different reception to his music now he's backed by Ed.
Speaking about Foy in 2013, the Ed shared: "I first saw Foy performing at Hay (festival) about six years ago. I was the guitar technician for the band Nizlopi, and I was hanging around with them in a tent where this dude was on stage; I was transfixed by his voice. I asked his crew who he was. Because of their Irish accents, initially I thought they'd said 'Five Ants' so I spent a long time Googling that. Eventually I figured it out and bought his album.
"Every time I see him play I get annoyed that more people don't know about him. You just need the right opportunities and I think it's going to happen now for Foy."

Will Young ended his 'Love Revolution' tour with a joke-filled set at London's Hammersmith Apollo on Sunday night (29.11.15).
The 'Love Revolution' singer hugged people in the front row, plucked camera phones from waving hands to take photos of the packed auditorium, and branded himself an "over-excited pop-vicar" on the closing night of the UK and Ireland tour.
Addressing the thrilled 5,000 strong crowd on his choice of ensemble - which was a black, floor length jumpsuit that flapped around him as he jumped and sauntered across the stage - Will quipped: "I'm wearing ... What is it? It's like a cassock, I'm an overexcited pop vicar with a top knot!"
Armed with just a mic stand and a trio of incredible backing singers, the 36-year-old pop star - who is known for his passion for wearing female skirts and dresses - opened the enigmatic set with 'Brave Man', followed by 'U Think I'm Sexy' from his new album '85% Proof' and continued to tear through a list of hits old and new such as 'Light My Fire', 'Gold', 'Runway', 'Like a River', 'Changes' and his recent hits 'Love Revolution' and 'Joy'.
Will took time out to chat to fans on several occasions and mused that he had "mixed feelings of sadness and joy" that the 20-date tour was at its end, and mimed stuffing his face with doughnuts, because he had had so much fun and needed to "console" himself.
The star even asked the crowd to choose his next track, to which many cheered and shouted "Jealousy", however, Will called on his congregation of fans to have "patience" and left them waiting until just before the encore to sing the hit.
Meanwhile, glitter rained down on the former 'Pop Idol' winner as he belted out 'Light My Fire' and he later frolicked and crawled along the sparkly stage.
Will ended the night with two encores, during which he belted out fan favoured track 'Leave Right Now', but ended the night on new hit 'Promise Me'.
The catchy tune - which is sure to be a hit thanks to its current sound and distinct drum 'n' bass beat - had everyone up dancing and made sure the night ended on a high.