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Taylor Swift’s latest album “The Tortured Poets Department” is indeed the blockbuster that many expected it to become. On Sunday, the 31-song double album debuted at No. 1 on the all-encompassing Billboard 200 albums chart, selling 2.61 million so-called equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending April 25, according to Billboard. Traditional album sales (including purchases of digital download albums, CDs, vinyl LPs and cassettes) account for 1.914 million of that total, the publication said on Sunday. “My mind is blown. I’m completely floored by the love you’ve shown this album,” Swift said in an Instagram post. “2.6 million ARE YOU ACTUALLY SERIOUS?? Thank you for listening, streaming, and welcoming Tortured Poets into your life. Feeling completely overwhelmed.” “Tortured Poets” is Swift’s 14th album to claim the top spot. She is now tied with Jay-Z for the second-most No. 1 albums by a recording artist, both artists being just a handful of steps behind The Beatles’ 19 top albums. Swift also has the most No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 albums chart among female recording artists. The achievements are even more impressive when you consider that 14 of Swift’s 15 albums (11 studio albums + four re-recorded “Taylor’s Version” releases) have claimed the No. 1 spot. Her 2006 self-titled debut album peaked at No. 5. Along with the album’s chart-topping performance, Swift marked her biggest first-week sales to date with the album. That honor previously belonged to “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” which sold 1.359 million copies in the US in its first week last year.

New Release Announcement! THE ARMOIRES proudly bring you their next single “Here Comes The Song”, out July 12 on all digital platforms. The third track to preview the band's much-anticipated fourth album due this fall, the single will be teased by an official video during release week, and it's up for pre-order and presave now: https://lnkd.in/g4T7sbRe A profound change of pace from the prior preview singles, “Here Comes The Song” is a sweeping slice of compact and dramatic indie pop storytelling uniquely suited to The Armoires and their singular approach to the form. Vocalists CHRISTINA BULBENKO (keyboards) and REX BROOME (guitars) deliver the emotional, surreal parable in their trademark close harmonies, jointly leaping up an octave at the height of the tension. Drummer JOHN BORACK and bassist CLIFFORD ULRICH build the track to a climax and back down to heartrending coda as the singers tell the dreamlike tale of the titular “Song,” a mercurial character with an agenda all its own. “It's a Faustian story where the devil doesn't show up,” Broome says of the lyrics. “Like many other songwriters, we often feel like we don't so much create the songs as connect with them, plucking them from some realm where they already exist, waiting to be sung. And we all know of songs that are iconic hits, but their meanings are widely misunderstood. The spark for this story was: what if a songwriter connects with a song that has a completely different agenda than the writer's intent – possibly even a sinister purpose, but definitely an ineffable one? What happens when that song gets free in the world, beyond the writer's control, reaching people in ways they couldn't have imagined and might not want? What kind of effect might that have on a creative soul? ” “Here Comes The Song” is just one example of the world-building approach taken by The Armoires in their new material, and the interlocking themes and imagery that fuel the forthcoming album. The full new album from THE ARMOIRES arrives, fittingly, this October, with much more to be revealed in the coming months from Big Stir Records. #TheArmoires #IndiePop #IndieRock #ChamberPop #JangleRock #BigStirRecords

Since 2020, I've been working with Craig Astley on the the Cherry Red Records reissues of all of Toyah's albums (and some singles and EPs) from the Safari Records era, when "Toyah" was the name of the band. That means I've been working on this since before Nathan started, before Joshua started and before Nic was officially employed by AS Design. That's why it feels fitting that the final Toyah band album to be reissued features all four of our names in the credits. If you don't follow AS Design on Instagram, here's some info about this release and our approach to the design: Love Is The Law features brand new cover artwork with a previously unseen photo. Why is it OK to change a 40 year old album cover? Because the world of physical media is now only attractive to a relatively small number of people who want to own a release as part of a collection. Otherwise stream it. And if you're streaming a 40 year old album and don't want to own it, you're probably not interested in the plethora of bonus material. As a collector myself, I regularly buy new/special/deluxe editions of films that reinvent the design each time. They don't just use the artwork from a 1978 VHS release and make do - the new artwork, booklets and postcards etc are often the biggest draws. So why not music? Craig and I approach each release with two main objectives - be true to the original but make it something fans will want to buy all over again. Cherry Red didn't *need* to allow us to do this and could well have insisted on all artwork being exactly as per the originals, so we're grateful to them for that. And I'm biased, but major labels should take note!

Happy Birthday Sturgill Simpson! Born June 8th - John Sturgill Simpson in Jackson, KY. Songs include: >>> "Life of Sin", >>> "Living the Dream", >>>  "Turtles All the Way Down", >>> "The Promise", (cover of the 1980s band When In Rome) >>>  "Long White Line", >>> "Sugar Daddy", >>> "Brace For Impact (Live a Little)", >>>  "Keep It Between the Lines", >>> "Call to Arms.", >>> "You can't have the Clown", >>> "Breackers Roar".... > His first two albums, High Top Mountain and Metamodern Sounds in Country Music, were independently released in the US; the latter album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Americana Album. Also listed 18th on Rolling Stone's "50 Best Albums of 2014," and named among "NPR's 50 Favorite Albums of 2014." > Simpson's third album, A Sailor's Guide to Earth, was released in April 2016 on Atlantic Records and was his first major-label release, later earning him Best Country Album at the 59th Grammy Awards and also being nominated for Album of the Year. > Simpson's fourth album, Sound & Fury, was released in 2019, and was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album at the 63rd Grammy Awards. > He is the first male on his mother's side of the family to not work in a strip mine or deep mine. > After three years in the Navy, where he worked in the Combat Information Center of a frigate, Simpson spent some time in Japan. He later lived in Everett and Seattle, Washington, where he waited tables at IHOP, before moving back home to Lexington, Kentucky. > Simpson focused on building a career at a Salt Lake City railroad freight-shipping yard for Union Pacific Railroad, which he eventually ended up managing. He credits his wife and friends with changing what he characterized as a hobbyist focus on songwriting and playing to convincing him to get serious about music as a potential career. >  He secured his first substantial role the same year, appearing in several episodes of the CBS All Access television series One Dollar, in which he plays the part of Ken Fry, a laid-off steel mill worker who sells stolen goods. > In 2019, he wrote and performed the theme song for Jim Jarmusch's horror-comedy movie The Dead Don't Die, in which he also appeared as "Sturgill Zombie". >  In 2020, he appeared in the horror movie The Hunt. > In 2021, Simpson was cast in Martin Scorsese's epic Western crime drama film Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) as bootlegger Henry Grammer, who was involved in the Osage Indian murders. > In 2023, Simpson joined the cast for the third season of the HBO crime comedy The Righteous Gemstones playing Marshall, a member of a doomsday prepping militia. He sang a cover of "All the Gold in California" that was later released on the season's soundtrack under the name of his character Brother Marshall and the Choir of Fire.

Hey LinkedIn fam! Here’s another deck for your lovely eyes to read, hope you like it! With the 10 year anniversary of 5 Seconds of Summer's self-titled debut album coming next month, thought to dive deep & make a case study on its rollout. This is because their campaign is a prime example on how a proper album roll-out should go in order to leave a lasting impact. Up until now, the album is highly regarded & was recently ranked No. 17 by Rolling Stone Australia as one of the greatest albums of all time on their countdown. The Perfect Milestone 📈: To me & countless others, the album perfectly encapsulates a coming-of-age project that reflects a teenager’s fiery youth. From turbulent romances (“Amnesia,” “Heartbreak Girl,” “Good Girls”) to defying conformity towards authority (“Social Casualty,” “Independence Day”), the album reflects that time period in the band’s lives. It’s also an album that provides a milestone in the band’s career & how much they have evolved since their breakthrough in 2014. Their sound & songwriting have improved tremendously the past decade, especially seen in recent albums Youngblood (2017), CALM (2020) & 5SOS5 (2022). This achievement is significant, considering how their debut album set a high bar for their artistry. The lead single “She Looks So Perfect” is 3x platinum certified by the RIAA AU & earning the band their first ARIA Award for “Song of the Year.” For Americans, this achievement is equivalent to winning a Grammy for Song of the Year. To further emphasize the significance of this, 5 Seconds of Summer won this award when they were around roughly 18-20 years old. Leaving An Impact 🎸: What made 5 Seconds of Summer stand out from their contemporaries in 2014 was their practice of releasing a separate EP with new songs to accompany each single they released. Example: when they released “Amnesia” as the next single off the record, it was supported with an EP that contains new song “Daylight,” a cover of Green Day’s “American Idiot” & a live version of “Amnesia” at Wembley Stadium. All of these weren’t found on the original self-titled effort & made the EP more intriguing to consumers. Recent artists who have employed similar strategies for their own projects include Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa, Noah Kahan, Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, & more. Any feedback on improving this deck is greatly appreciated (& let me know regarding corrections on timeline to be made. 2014 was jam-packed!) Friendly reminder that I am still looking for my next full-time role in music/entertainment in Los Angeles. Disclaimer: deck was strictly within the 2014 timeline. Deck Link: https://lnkd.in/ehcx7yEh Rolling Stone AU: https://lnkd.in/eNaPfUFR #5SecondsofSummer #10YearAnniversary #CaseStudy #MusicBusiness #UMG #UniversalMusicGroup #BMG #CapitolRecords #InterscopeRecords #IGA #CAAMusic #AlbumRollout

SPRING Into Action Day 14: Create nested albums. If you work chronologically you can have a 2024 file folder/album, then make an album for each month under that, or maybe you prefer by event. FOREVER uses Nested Albums and they are a great way to organize (or 'nest') albums within a larger, main album. This makes it easier to always find exactly what you are looking for! Take 15 minutes today to get started. 1. Select the Album that you would like to be the main album (or the top of your organization structure). 2. Once inside the main album, click "Add a Nested Album" at the top. Fill in the details, and you're good to go! 3. Repeat steps 1 & 2 as often as necessary.

Major Release Announcement! BIG STIR RECORDS is proud to announce the November 8 CD and Streaming release of the third album from Akron, Ohio's LIBRARIANS WITH HICKEYS: HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS BY TELEPHONE. Featuring 12 tracks of sparkling, melodic guitar pop, the album is a grand leap forward for a band already acclaimed for the jangling textures and instantly memorable melodies of their first two albums (and an unbroken string of hit indie singles). The new record is up for pre-order and pre-save now: https://orcd.co/lwh-htmfbt LIBRARIANS WITH HICKEYS have come a long way in a short time, establishing themselves as a vital force on the modern power pop and jangle rock landscape. It was just 2020 when the debut album LONG OVERDUE saw the band, anchored by the twin-guitar sound of Mike Crooker and Ray Carmen burst onto the scene, before the 2022 breakthrough HANDCLAPS & TAMBOURINES cemented their reputation as indie pop mainstays. Their latest singles, the recent “Hello Operator” and the freshly-released “No More Goodbyes”, have proven to be their best and most widely celebrated tracks yet. It would be remarkable enough if Librarians With Hickeys were simply consistently delivering radio-ready pop gems, but the new abum shows a new focus and depth without any sacrifice of the band's keen melodic instincts and accessible, hook-driven sound. “HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS BY TELEPHONE isn’t a concept album by any means (thank heavens)!” says Crooker. “But it does comment on how people struggle to communicate with each other. It has the hooks, melodies and harmonies you’ve come to expect from us, while incorporating some overarching nods to that theme of the challenges of connection in the modern world..” HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS BY TELEPHONE is simply crammed with jangly pop goodness that's genuinely deserving of the overused superlative “timeless”. LIBRARIANS WITH HICKEYS needn't be concerned with coming through loud and clear. Can you hear them now? Good. #LibrariansWithHickeys #NewAlbum #IndiePop #PowerPop #JangleRock #IndieRock #BigStirRecords

Part Two of my favorite 2023 releases this time contains EPs, singles, a live collection, compilations, and a reissue. It's the latest post on the Pure Pop 4 Now People blog: https://lnkd.in/eMsEGzz5

Album Pick: Danger Mouse & Jemini - Born Again I think my favorite thing of coming back from my Florida vacation is that I came back to some truly terrific vinyl I had been waiting on. So let’s dive right into one of those albums. Born Again by Jemini and the Danger Mouse is a direct follow up to their 2003 Ghetto Pop Life album, in fact it was made at the same time and for some reason (I haven’t gotten the full story here) was released 20 years later. So what does Born again bring to the table. Well you still have the Danger Mouse early 2000s production, that is heavy on pianos, drums, bass loops, etc. and less choral. It is interesting, and certainly a good addition to the underground 90s/00s rap collection. “All I” (A1) is a good way to kick off an album but it really starts bopping on “Looked Up” (A2), with just a solid delivery and the production kicks into high gear with the keyboards on “Me” (A3), and does not let up after that. Some truly terrific samples, but you can see a bit of the decline from the first one. This is a good shadow, but it does not replace the original. Early Danger mouse is all about providing a decent canvas with which to paint lyrically poetic numbers over. There is not a lot to say here, if you liked Ghetto Pop Life, then this is a good album to sync your teeth in (though I would argue Ghetto Pop life is better) if you didn’t then this won’t change your mind, but it is certainly a fun album to have and my kids love the album art. Song pick: Locked up - https://lnkd.in/ezRWbjrs #DailyAlbum #MusicalMusings

In this post, I completed question number 40 out of 45 questions assigned by Sir Zia. Album: Write a function called make_album() that builds a Object describing a music album. The function should take in an artist name and an album title, and it should return a Object containing these two pieces of information. Use the function to make three dictionaries representing different albums. Print each return value to show that Objects are storing the album information correctly. Add an optional parameter to make_album() that allows you to store the number of tracks on an album. If the calling line includes a value for the number of tracks, add that value to the album’s Object. Make at least one new function call that includes the number of tracks on an album. Ali Jawwad ❤️Rabeea Zubair ❤️Hamzah Syed ❤️Mubashir Ali ❤️Asharib Ali ❤️ Emad Bin Mohiuddin ❤️Mannal Rana ❤️