Music News

Charli XCX thinks the music industry "uncreative".
The 22-year-old singer - born Charlotte Emma Aitchinson - debuted at the top of the UK charts in 2012 with 'I Love It', which she wrote for Icona Pop and has since sold more than 4.3 million downloads.
However, Charli has revealed that this success meant that record labels were demanding more angry hits from her in a bid to replicate these sales - something that she was adamant "wasn't going to be the case" if they forced her to be something she wasn't.
The 'Boom Clap' star said: "There were definitely some people who wanted me to be a certain way. But I think we all figured out kinda quickly that wasn't going to be the case. I developed an understanding with my record label early on I would do this my way or no way at all. I learnt that the music industry can become a really uncreative place when you have a hit, because people just want you to replicate that. People behind the scenes can change with the success of a song."
Charli also revealed that, despite writing about crashing cars into bridges and throwing s**t down the stairs in 'I Love It', she finds it very hard to pen lyrics if she's feeling mad.
Speaking to the Australian Daily Telegraph, she said: "I find it really difficult to write songs if I'm actually angry. If I'm furious it just ends up with loads of screaming."

Simply Red will release their first album in eight years in June.
The band has announced a new album 'Big Love' to coincide with their world tour to celebrate their 30th anniversary, which they announced last autumn.
Frontman Mick Hucknall has revealed the album - which will be the first to feature only original songs since 1995's 'Life' - came about after he started to wonder how the band were going to sound on tour.
After getting a concept for Simply Red's live sound in his head he then got inspired to start writing and then he couldn't stop penning tracks.
The 'Holding Back the Years' singer said: "Once I began wondering how Simply Red were going to sound, I started writing songs."
While he hasn't worked with Steve Lewinson, Kenju Suuki, Kevin Robinson, Dave Clayton and Ronnie Roth for eight years, the break has meant that Mick now has a much clearer appreciation for Simply Red's legacy.
He admitted that the reason it has been so long since a completely original album is because he'd been "fighting" the idea of Simply Red's sound, but is now "comfortable with the band being a "blue-eyed soul group".
Mick, 54, said: "With (Simply Red's 2007 album) 'Stay' I was running away from Simply Red. But now I'm comfortable with the notion of us as a blue-eyed soul group. I had to stop myself fighting that idea. Our sound is original too. I honestly don't know of another band that has pulled so many musical strands together."
'Big Love' will be released on June 1.

Foo Fighters and Muse are set to headline BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend.
Scott Mills announced the festival's line-up on the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show this morning (20.04.15), and revealed that Muse will headline the Main Stage on Saturday May 23, while Foo Fighters top Sunday's bill.
Muse's frontman Matt Bellamy has admitted that the last time the 'Supermassive Black Hole' band played at the free festival was a "disaster", so they're very excited to make up for it next month.
Matt said: "I'm very excited to play. The last time we played 'Big Weekend', for us it was a disaster, so I can't wait to make up for it on this performance. I'm really looking forward to coming back and doing a great show. I'm pretty sure that we may unveil another new song that we will play for the first time which is pretty exciting."
The In New Music We Trust stage line-up was also announced this morning, and is being headlined by Rudimental and Jamie T.
Jess Glynne will be supporting Rudimental on the Saturday, and although she performed with Clean Bandit last year, this is going to be her first solo outing to the festival.
The 'Hold My Hand' singer said: "My first Big Weekend in my own right and what a line up to be a part of. I can't wait to play Norwich with my band and let you hear some of the songs from my new album. It's going to be big."

Alexandra Burke is releasing all her new music by herself without the help of a label.
The 26-year-old singer - the winner of 2008's 'The X Factor' - is going to resurrect her pop career by going it alone without a record label behind her and she is excited about her new direction.
The 'Hallelujah' singer told the Metro newspaper: "I like to let my music do the talking. It's quite personal, it's a lot to do with my private life, love life and professional life all mixed into one that I'm talking about."
The pop star made the decision to self-release her new music after leaving 'X Factor' boss Simon Cowell's Syco label in June 2013 due to "creative differences" and then struggling to find a permanent label that would let her make the music she wants to.
Now her own boss, Alexandra feels re-invigorated and her bold decision provided her with fresh inspiration for her songs.
She explained: "This is great because it's me doing me. It's 100 per cent all me and not being told by A&R or anyone what to do. It's me making all the decisions and running the ship."
Alexandra was previously in a "rocky" relationship with soccer player Jermain Defoe, and that romance has also provided her with plenty of lyrical inspiration.
She said: "Basically, any rumours that were about me I put them straight into my music."
Alexandra's new EP 'Renegade' was self-released as a free download last month and is available now.

Sir Paul McCartney says his friendship with Ringo Starr is a "beautiful thing".
The 72-year-old singer handed over the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Award for Musical Excellence to his former Beatles bandmate at the 30th year of the annual event at Cleveland's Public Hall, in Ohio, on Saturday (18.04.15) and paid him a glowing tribute in his speech.
Reflecting on their early days together, Paul recalled: "We did ballrooms and clubs around England, and we got a little work in Europe, and then we eventually came to America.
"And here we were, we were staying in rooms together. And I wasn't a sheltered kid, but I just had my mom and dad growing up and my brother.
"So I was staying in a hotel room with a strange man. This really brought us together. We lived like in each other's pockets, virtually. But it was a beautiful thing, a wonderful thing."
Ringo's induction into the Hall of Fame made him the final Beatles member to go in as a solo artist. He along with Paul and the late John Lennon and George Harrison were honoured in 1988 as a band.
Also inducted at this year's ceremony was late singer Lou Reed, Joan Jett - who was inducted by a breast-baring Miley Cyrus - Green Day, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Bill Withers, guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble and The "5" Royales.
Speaking about his induction, Bill said: "A lot of different types of music are in [the Hall of Fame].
"Miles Davis has no resemblance whatsoever to Jerry Lee Lewis. But each type of music has its own constituents and there's a commonality."

Taylor Swift's mother honoured her with a heartfelt tribute as she presented her with the Milestone Award at the Academy of Country Music Awards last night (19.04.15).
The 25-year-old singer's mother, Andrea Finlay - who was recently diagnosed with cancer - took to the stage to introduce the blonde beauty at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and gushed over the star's achievements.
She said: "I've watched this milestone artist from the time she was a tangled hair little girl growing up on our farm, full of imagination and creativity. And ever since then, her favourite thing in the world to do has been to write a song, tell a story, play a guitar, or a piano. And I've seen those things carry her through every emotion, every experience in her life. Good or bad.
"I'd like to thank the ACMs for honouring her in this way. But I'd also like to thank the entire music community for taking such good care of her. And [to] the fans, I know you love her as I love her, And for that I thank you eternally.
"I am a very proud mom."
After Taylor made her way on stage, the teary pair were seen hugging before the 'Black Space' hitmaker went on to personally thank her fans for accepting her transition from country music to pop in her latest album '1989'.
She said: "You truly see who a person is when you give them news that they weren't expecting. And so, to the country community, when I told you that I'd made a pop album and that I wanted to go explore other genres, you showed me who you are with the grace that you accepted that with."
Other winners at the ceremony, which was hosted by Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan, included Blake's wife Miranda Lambert, who took home the Female Vocalist of the Year, Album of the Year and Song of the Year Awards.
His co-host Luke picked up the Entertainer of the Year gong, while Jason Aldean won Male Vocalist of the Year and Cole Swindell took home the New Artist of the Year prize.

The full Academy of Country Music Awards 2015 winners list is as follows:

Entertainer Of The Year:
Luke Bryan

Female Vocalist Of The Year:
Miranda Lambert

Male Vocalist Of The Year:
Jason Aldean

Album Of The Year:
Miranda Lambert, 'Platinum'

Song Of The Year
Miranda Lambert, 'Automatic'

New Artist of the Year:
Cole Swindell

Vocal Duo Of The Year:
Florida Georgia Line

Vocal Group Of The Year:
Little Big Town

Single Record Of The Year:
Lee Brice, 'I Don't Dance'

Lulu feels sorry for Zayn Malik.
The 22-year-old pop star made the decision to quit chart-topping boy band One Direction last month and the 'Shout' singer has admitted she sympathises greatly with the star.
She said: "The big pop stars are all lonely, even with thousands of people screaming at them. You do have to feel sorry for that kid Zayn Malik.
"When I was a little bit younger than him I married Maurice Gibb, and looking back I can see we were drawn to each other because we were both lonely."
And the 66-year-old singer has admitted she feels her emotional development has been "stunted" by joining the music business at an early age.
She added to The Observer magazine: "I don't think I'm emotional grown up. Being in the music business from an early age sort of stunts your growth in that way."
Meanwhile, the pop star has revealed her new album will be "outrageous".
She said previously: "It's nuts, to think I'm doing this, at this age! It's a first for me, at 66. It's kind of outrageous. It's scary, in fact, if I think of it like that. I should have started writing when I was young, that was a big mistake, but it feels like it fits so well now.
"I've found a way to deal with the things that have driven me. I've always tried not to be vulnerable and this is allowing me to open up, in a way. I feel like I've grown up. And yet, the opposite is true, I feel like I'm just beginning."

Ella Henderson and Danny O'Donoghue's collaboration is an "emotional power ballad".
Last week, it was announced that The Script frontman and the 19-year-old 'Ghost' singer recently met to work on a musical collaboration and it's now been revealed that the song is going to be a "gushy" ballad.
Ella's band member, Josh, told BANG Showbiz: "We listened to the song the other day and it is the perfect emotional power ballad.
"It sounds really good, it's very pop but still soulful - You could say it's pretty gushy.
"They are the perfect people to do a song together and it looks like this song will probably be the first in a few that they will do together. They really enjoyed it and they got on well."
The former 'X Factor' contestant is currently working on her studio album, while the Irish pop singer, 34, recently admitted he is becoming more heavily involved in the song-writing side of the music industry.
Danny said he is enjoying working with a variety of acts and producers behind the scenes.
And speaking prior to hooking up musically together, Danny admitted: "[Ella is] an amazing vocalist."

Mumford & Sons hate their name.
The 'I Will Wait' hitmakers share songwriting duties and frontman Marcus Mumford doesn't like the fact their moniker sounds like he is their driving force and he admits they considered re-Christening themselves.
He said: "I definitely regret the band name. If I'd known it was going to go this way I would have wanted to call it anything other than my last name.
"It's a ball-ache. We thought about changing it but it's a bit late now."
The group have moved away from the folk sound of their first two albums on new record 'Wilder Mind' and are relieved to have shed their tweed waistcoats and bow ties in favour of leather jackets, in keeping with their new image.
Keyboard player Ben Lovett said: "I think it would be fair to say that we've noticed that in some of our old photos we look like absolute idiots.
"There were so many car crashes. We look like us in our photos now. I don't even want to describe how we used to look."
However, Marcus insists they haven't made a calculated attempt to change their style.
He told NME magazine: "We didn't sit down and say, 'Let's wear leather guys'. Over an eight-year period you behave differently. You go to different places, you probably have different friends. You wear different clothes.
"We didn't hire a stylist and say, 'Let's rebrand ourselves.' "