Music News

Take That are to receive the key to The O2.
The trio, comprised of Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen, are to be presented with the accolade after reaching 21 performances at the central London venue - a record first established by Prince in 2007.
The band said: "We've loved each and every performance at The O2 and this run of ten nights has been particularly special. We're delighted that so many people have had the chance to see us and this award is for each and every one of them. Thanks to everyone involved in making our performances what they are and of course to The O2 team for the key to the venue, it means a lot. "
The 'Relight My Fire' hitmakers - who released their seventh studio album 'III', their first since Jason Orange left the band, last year - completed eight sell-out shows at the iconic arena in 2008, and have since racked up a staggering 21 performances in total thanks to a New Year's Eve show, a Jingle Bell Ball performance, two appearances at the BRIT Awards, and their recent run of 10 shows, which will end with their 22nd gig on Friday (19.06.15).
The key, which was designed using the band's latest album artwork, will now be housed on the walk to the arena's stage.

A new Zayn Malik track has leaked online.
The 22-year-old singer - who quit One Direction three months ago - teamed up with rapper MIC Righteous for a cover of Rae Sremmurd's 'No Type' and within hours of the audio being made public, the song was embroiled in controversy when Zayn's friend and collaborator Naughty Boy claimed the track was unfinished and had been stolen.
He tweeted: "Just wait for the real one... you won't be disappointed.
"That had nothing to do with me or Zayn, something was stolen from the hard drive that had nothing to do with the rapper involved.(sic)"
However, Righteous hit back and insisted he hadn't "stolen" the track.
He replied: "Why r u like this.. 'The real one' ur just gona take my verse off and put krept and konans back on.
"Tell the truth shah. We recorded them bars in ur studio months ago. .. Bout 'stolen hard drive'.(sic)
"LOL NB just denied me like peter denied jesus, an to think we been mates for yrs. guess thats what not being in control of ur own music does (sic)"
The song was taken down but Righteous later reuploaded it, insisting he doesn't have to "keep the label happy" and was making the song public for Zayn's sake as he isn't allowed to release music for two years.
He explained: "F--k stepping on egg shells cos i wanna keep the label happy.. I ain't signed i can do me...Zayn wants the tune out, he ask me to be on the song, shah [naughtyboy] told me that his label wont let him release any music for the next two yrs.. So you know what i did? I did it for him, for you. And at the end of the day they cant say no to me, i work for the people not the industry.(sic)"
Shortly after Zayn quit One Direction, Naughty Boy released a solo demo from the singer called 'I Won't Mind', but it was taken down soon afterwards following a backlash.

Oritsé Williams' solo career is a chance to "get a lot off [his] chest".
The 28-year-old singer - who is releasing a new single under the moniker OWS - has insisted his new sound will be very different to that of his former boyband JLS, who broke up in 2013, as he is now able to be himself while the 'You Make Me Wanna' hitmakers were more about "manufacturing music for a specific demographic".
Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz, he said: "This time around, obviously with me doing my solo stuff, I'm just getting a lot off my chest. It's music that I love. Not really manufacturing music for a specific demographic or audience. I'm just making music that I love and I get to write about what I want and get a lot of it off my chest in my music. I'm able to be creative with different things for example like getting to write my first video. I've never done that before during my time with JLS so I'm getting to be creative on all levels that I want to be creative on."
The 'Waterline' singer - who nearly always wore a hat when performing with JLS - went on to talk about how the video for his new single 'Waterline' represents his departure from the boyband.
He explained: "There's a lot of deep things in short residual snippets [in the video]. You know it goes through talking about things like childbirth to stereotypes and religion, race, sexuality to the start of one era and the end of another. My hat falling into the sea is the end of one era and that's my time with the group and stepping forward into the sea is me pushing forward as OWS."
'Waterline' featuring Pusha T is available to purchase now: http://smarturl.it/Waterline-EP

Motley Crüe promised it was not "goodbye" as they took to the stage at Download Festival.
The legendary rock band played their last ever slot at the festival in front of a crowd full of festival-goers who had battled through the mud to take their places near the main stage.
Addressing the excited crowd, frontman Vince Neil said: "We've been together almost 35 years. 1981, we were four f***ing teenagers walking the streets of Hollywood, California saying, 'Let's make some f***ing music man.'
"So we did and that's why we are here. And I'll tell you, it's not saying goodbye. Tonight is a celebration of Motley Crüe music."
And celebrate they did with a 14 song setlist and a unique performance, which included dancing girls, drummer Tommy Lee playing in a fire pit in the shape of a pentagon and Nikki Sixx's flame throwing guitar.
The 'All Bad Things Must End' rockers also paid tribute to the Sex Pistols and Gary Glitter and even opened their set with the soundtrack from 'The Sound Of Music'.
The group ended their fantastic performance with a rather emotional rendition of 'Home Sweet Home', with Tommy Lee retiring to the piano.
Sounding close to tears, Vince added, for the last time: "Good night Download and God bless."
Other rock legends performing at the festival included Billy Idol, Myles Kennedy & Slash as well as, more controversially, Muse.
When the 'Drones' hitmakers were announced as headliners for the heavy metal festival alongside Kiss and Slipknot, fans rushed to complained they didn't quite fit the bill.
However, they pulled out all the stops as if they had something to prove, with pyrotechnics, fireworks and even throwing out bouncy balls into the crowd.
They played their heaviest set to date, treating fans to both old and new tracks including some from their latest LP 'Drones' and classics such as 'Time Is Running Out' and 'Plug In Baby'.

Corey Taylor is "happy" Slipknot are on the same page and all talking again.
The frontman of the heavy metal band - who last played Donington Park in 2013 - was really emotional as he took to the main stage at the Download Festival on Friday night (12.06.15).
Speaking to Download.co.uk, Corey said: "Download is like home for me and it has been for the past 10 years now. Coming back you have to look at what you've done before and go we are not going to even out. Let's see how far we can go and reach the peaks in the valleys.
"It feels like this band is on the same level as each other for the first time again. We're all on the same page again, we are all talking again."
In the two years since they last performed at the festival, drummer and co-founder Joey Jordison was fired from the group because they "just weren't able to work anymore" and five years ago, the band had suffered a massive loss when bassist Paul Gray passed away.
Their set included some of their classics - 'Before I Forget', 'Duality' and 'Wait and Bleed' - and behind his mask, Corey appeared overwhelmed to be sharing the stage with his band members - who include bass player Alessandro Venturella and drummer Jay Weinburg - once again.
He added: "We're are honoured, we're happy and ecstatic to be a part of the history of Download."

Jess Glynne is to undergo vocal cord surgery.
The 25-year-old singer will have emergency surgery on her voice next week, having cancelled her planned performance at Isle of Wight Festival over the weekend after doctors said she was too ill to perform.
Revealing the news on Instagram, she said: "I am so so sad to tell you that I'm having to have vocal surgery next week. (sic)"
The 'Hold My Hand' hitmaker - who is most well known for providing the vocals on Clean Bandit's Grammy Award-winning hit 'Rather Be' - revealed the sad news means she has had to pull out of forthcoming performances.
She said: "I'm so sorry and it kills me but I have to cancel some forthcoming shows and festivals. I'm a little scared but I will be back singing better than ever very soon! Love hugs and kisses Jess xxx (sic)."
The fiery haired musician previously said she was "devastated" at having to ditch her slot at Isle of Wight Festival - which Ella Eyre instead performed in - indicating she hoped she would be well enough for her scheduled performance at other events such as Glastonbury.
She wrote on Twitter: "I'm so devastated and sad to announce that I won't be performing at the Isle Of Wight Festival today. I haven't been well and my doctor has told I'm not allowed to sing. I'm so sorry if I have let anyone down! I'm gutted!I will get better as soon as possible and I'll be back to make it up to you! Big love and hugs and I hope you understand and hope everyone who is going has an amazing day! Wish I could be there (sic)."

Janet Jackson has announced her 'Unbreakable' comeback tour.
The 49-year-old singer will kick off the North American leg of her tour in Vancouver on August 31, with her 36 North American tour dates stretching through until November, although the star has hinted further shows around the world are yet to be announced.
The string of shows have been scheduled in support of her forthcoming 11th studio LP, tentatively titled 'Unbreakable', which she announced last month.
Teasing the tour and record, she posted a video online at the time in which she said: "I promised you'd hear it from my lips and now you will. This year: new music; new world tour; a new movement. I've been listening. Let's keep the conversation going."
The musical icon - who has sold more than 160 million records worldwide last toured North America with her 'Number Ones' greatest hits show in 2011 - is set to assume full creative control with her new album following the poor commercial performance of her last album, 2008's 'Discipline', by releasing it through her own label Rhythm Nation and BMG.
Tickets for the North American run of Janet Jackson's Unbreakable World Tour go on sale on June 22 at janetjackson.com.

Janet Jackson's North American 'Unbreakable' tour dates:
August 31 - Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena
September 2 - Calgary, AB Scotiabank Saddledome
September 4 - Edmonton, AB Rexall Place
September 8 - Winnipeg, MB MTS Centre
September 11 - Grand Rapids, MI Van Andel Arena
September 15 - Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre
September 17 - Raleigh, NC Walnut Creek Amphitheater
September 18 - Charlotte, NC PNC Music Pavilion
September 20 - Miami, FL American Airlines Arena
September 23 - Orlando, FL Amway Center
September 24 - Tampa, FL Amalie Arena
September 26 - Atlanta, GA Chastain Park Amphitheater
September 27 - Nashville, TN Ascend Amphitheater
September 29 - Memphis, TN Fedex Forum
September 30 - New Orleans, LA Smoothie King Center
October 9 - Las Vegas, NV AXS @ Planet Hollywood
October 10 - Las Vegas, NV AXS @ Planet Hollywood
October 16 - Los Angeles, CA The Forum
October 17 - San Diego, CA Viejas Arena
October 19 - Phoenix, AZ Comerica Theatre
October 24 - Salt Lake City, UT Energy Solutions Arena
October 25 - Denver, CO Pepsi Center
October 27 - Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
October 29 - St Louis, MO Chaifetz Arena
October 30 - Omaha, NE Centurylink Center
November 1 - Minneapolis, MN Target Center
November 12 - Honolulu, HI Neal S. Blaisdell Center
November 13 - Honolulu, HI Neal S. Blaisdell Center

Scroobius Pip and Kindness are making a charity album.
The spoken word artist and much-hyped musician are just two of the artists featuring on 'The Long Road', which is a ground-breaking new project on which the stars will each collaborate with a refugee who has been forced to flee their home and come to the UK, to create songs based on their lives to raise funds and awareness for the British Red Cross.
The Sierra Leone All Stars will also feature on the LP, with the whole project being produced by Ethan Johns, who has previously worked with Sir Paul McCartney, Kings of Leon, The Vaccines, Ryan Adams and Laura Marling.
Speaking about the LP, Ethan said: "This is a very special opportunity to create an album with a narrative that helps more people understand the realities of being a refugee and the journeys people go through.
"Music is one of the oldest forms of storytelling, and these are important stories to be told."
Kindness , whose real name is Adam Bainbridge, is working with a man named Ayman Hirh who fled Syria when fighting broke out in 2012, and said working on the song has been "fantastic".
He explained: "Getting to know Ayman has been fantastic and I'm looking forward to telling his story in the studio."
The announcement comes at the beginning of the UK-wide Refugee Week (15 - 21.06.15), with the charity encouraging people to get involved in the project by sharing pictures of the people, places and things they feel celebrate the contribution of refugees in the UK by using the hashtag #TheLongRoadEP on social media, with the images eventually creating the album artwork.
For more information about the project and Refugee Week go to: www.redcross.org.uk/refugeeweek

Mick Fleetwood finds it "magical" having Christine McVie back in Fleetwood Mac.
The 71-year-old keyboardist returned to the band last year, 16 years after leaving, and now the drummer, Mick, has described having the band's most well-known line-up back together as being like a "lovely fairytale".
He said: "We're enjoying what we're doing and of course it's unbelievably great to have Chris back, you know. Well it felt like a full circle. It's brilliant, and the lovely fairytale is that she really came back and we don't really stop until December 2015. We get a little break after this tour.
"It's more magical and appropriate than you could ever think and imagine for us."
The 67-year-old musician was speaking at Isle of Wight Festival, which they flew into in a large helicopter after making a deal with the event's organiser John Giddings to secure the "biggest helicopter" in the festival's history, which made him remember how far they have come as a band.
Talking to Absolute Radio's Sarah Champion at the Isle of Wight Festival, he explained: "There was about 18 people in it and it freaked me out that so many people could be in a helicopter. It was actually like a reminder of when Fleetwood Mac first started to really get off the ground, so to speak, in a big way. We didn't really realise what had happened to us in the United States after the advent of 'Rumours' and we were helicoptering in which was our first time that we'd ever done that, to a festival in Texas. It was at that moment out of a helicopter, like the Isle of Wight that you look down and you think to yourself, 'Wow that's a lot of people'.
"So all these years later to be in a helicopter and coming in and seeing a cartload of people is super gratifying and inspiring."