Focus Music Notes. "Out of the Blues". Popular music through the decades

The multi-award-winning and Billboard chart topping, Sean Paul reunites with Sia to release their club anthem “ Dynamite ” – an indisputable pop banger to round out the year. Produced by Banx & Ranx and Greg Kurstin (Adele, Pink, The Foo Fighters), the upbeat single relies on dancehall-centric beats, Sia’s trademark quavering voice as she belts “Light me up and set me free,” and Sean’s undeniable dance inducing riffs   LISTEN TO “DYNAMITE” HERE . The track marks a highly anticipated follow-up collaboration between the genre-bending artists since their smash hit “ Cheap Thrills ,” also produced by Greg Kurstin , which has racked up over 1.6 billion YouTube views since its 2016 release. Of the song, Sean Paul says, “’Dynamite’ started out as just a good vibe song. After recording ‘Cheap Thrills’ Sia and I knew we would record another single and ‘Dynamite’ is the second installment.” He adds “Banx and Ranx, Greg Kurstin, myself and Sia, worked on this single and ...

GRAMMY®, EMMY®, and Tony® Award-winning actor, singer, director, composer, playwright, and author Billy Porter unveils a brand new single entitled “Children” today. The single marks Billy’s debut under his newly minted joint partnership with Island UK and Republic Records. NEW YORK, NY (October 15, 2021) TAP>LISTEN TO “CHILDREN” HERE “Children” is a high-energy dancefloor anthem co-written with GRAMMY® Award-nominated songwriter MNEK [H.E.R., Dua Lipa] and Little Mix’s Jade Thirwell. Speaking about the inspiration behind the track Billy says, “It’s a song that is inspired by my life and everything I’ve gone through to get here.” The song begins wistfully, with Porter empathizing: See I know times are hard, Yeah I mean it from the heart You’re not losing the fight, love will make it alright Cos i’ve been there, done that, worn that dress, so you know mama knows it best A beat drop follows, kicking into a propulsive disco groove as Porter triumphantly promises: a change starts today...

Algerian born, Tottenham raised, Miraa May one of the fiercest, most prodigiously talented and highly rated artists in UK music teams up with best friend RAYE on the unmissable R&B anthem “Go Girl”. The song celebrates female excellence and the unbreakable bond Miraa shares with her female friends and gives us the first taste of what’s to come on her eagerly awaited TBA debut album. Speaking about Go Girl Miraa says: “I’m so excited for my first release in a whole year! More crazy that it’s the first drop off my debut album, and to top that off I got to write it with the incredible RAYE, couldn’t have asked for more” ‘Go Girl’ launcheD on 6 th October at 7.30pm with a ‘Targo Embargo’ on 1Xtra’s DJ Target show, as well as a ‘Just Dropped’ play on Radio 1’s Clara Amfo show. Listen here :  The accompanying video, creatively directed by Miraa May alongside Ghanaian-British director Sheena Brobbey, drops at 8pm on 6 th October. It’s a non-stop party that featur...

Throughout 2021, the world has been celebrating the life and legacy of R&B pioneer Marvin Gaye to honor the 50th anniversary of the release of his groundbreaking record What’s Going On . After half a century, the wisdom behind R&B’s first seamless concept album, What’s Going On , continues to ring true: a poignant plea that we might organize to address often-overlooked issues of inequality and ecological distress. Closing out the year, Motown and UMe are continuing the celebration with the release of What’s Going On: 50th Anniversary 2LP Edition on December 3, 2021 . This premium vinyl release features direct-to-analog mastering from the original primary album tape reels by acclaimed engineer Kevin Gray , one of the first times this has been done since 1971, offering an undeniably authentic listening experience. What’s Going On: 50th Anniversary 2LP Edition bonus LP opens up the album’s writing and production palette. Featured are four rare cuts making their vinyl ...

  RAY BLK HIGHLY ANTICIPATED DEBUT ALBUM ‘ACCESS DENIED’ OUT OCTOBER 1 ON ISLAND RECORDS NEW SINGLE “OVER YOU” FT. STEFFLON DON OUT NOW - Listen to “Over You” here:  👀👀👀 Follow RAY BLK: Facebook Twitter Instagram    READ MORE POSTS ON RAY BLK WHO SAID WHAT “Although the album is called ‘Access Denied’, Ray BLK has granted us the first glimpse into her rebirth, and we’re ready for the ride.”  NME ***** “The debut studio album from Ray Blk   should already be on your list of things to look forward to” – Complex ‘Access Denied’ has proven itself every bit worth the wait.” DIY ****   “When you can switch between soulful vocals and biting verses as seamlessly as Ray BLK does here, this debut deserves to be more than a mere platform for her talents: it should be a podium.” Loud & Quiet 7/10   “An inheritor to Lauryn Hill’s soulful crown”  The Times

The Specials eagerly awaited new album “Protest Songs – 1924 -2012”, conceived and recorded during lockdown, during a time when the world was in a state of social, existential and political flux, is out now. The already critically-acclaimed record, follows a triumphant 2019 for Terry Hall, Lynval Golding and Horace Panter, who celebrated their first ever number 1 album “Encore” 40 years after they exploded onto the music scene and launched the 2 Tone movement. Released via new label Island Records , “Protest Songs 1924 – 2012” features twelve singular takes on specially chosen protest songs across an almost 100-year span and shows that The Specials still care, are still protesting and are still pissed off! The Specials emerged in the late 1970s as the multiracial flagship of the 2 Tone movement, and sang of racism, unemployment and injustice making a very clear political statement every time they stepped on stage. It's fitting, then, that in 2021, at a time when th...