Billboard.com

Trey Songz Makes $250,000 a Month From His Fan Club App?

Many music fans won't even spend 99 cents on a download. So why do so many pay $3.99 to send Trey Songz a virtual bottle of champagne and some imaginary chocolates? Santa Monica-based company Handmade Mobile Entertainment created an app called The Angel Network, an online fan club and social netwo ... More >>

Is Music Site Uncool Cool Enough to Get Funding?

Music writers David Greenwald and Daniel Siegal want to create a site for in-depth music reporting and criticism, and they want to pay writers a fair wage to do that work. Sort of like the L.A. Weekly's music section, but they want to do it minus the kind of pageview-driving clickbait -- listicles a ... More >>

Milo Greene Aren't Just Hopeful; They're Working Their Asses Off

For a newly-signed band criss-crossing the U.S. touring, maintaining exuberance shouldn't be hard for Milo Greene to do. But the Silver Lake dream pop quintet, having just started their biggest tour, is already a bit road worn.

The Melvins vs. George Thorogood: A War of Words Erupts Over Claims of a Record-Setting Tour

The Melvins are in the midst of an ambitious tour, performing in all 50 states (plus Washington, D.C.) in only 51 days. Pretty impressive, considering the legendary band soon will be entering their fourth decade. One of the pioneers of the 1980s Seattle scene that later birthed Nirvana and Soundgard ... More >>

Chris Brown's "Don't Wake Me Up": Why This Song Sucks

[Editor's note: Why This Song Sucks determines why particular tracks blow using science. It appears on West Coast Sound every Wednesday.] Song: Chris Brown's "Don't Wake Me Up" History: "Don't Wake Me Up" is the hyper danceclub track from Chris Brown's latest album, Fortune. Apparently, wherever ... More >>

Why Folks Are Complaining About Lil Wayne Breaking Elvis' Record - And Why They're Wrong

Last week, rapper Lil Wayne added to his already-quite-substantial legacy by breaking Elvis Presley's record for most songs on the Hot 100 charts by a solo artist. Immediately, however, many began squawking that this record deserved an asterisks, a la Roger Maris' 61 home runs. See also: *My Broth ... More >>

The 20 Worst Hipster Bands: 10-1

Top 20 Worst Bands of All Time Top 20 Musicians of All Time, in Any Genre Top 20 Whitest Musicians of All Time 10. White Rabbits Why do bands need a second drummer? In recent years everyone from Local Natives to Bon Iver to fucking Radiohead has thrown a second kit out there, or at least a floor to ... More >>

One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful": Why This Song Sucks

[Editor's note: Why This Song Sucks determines why particular tracks blow using science. It appears on West Coast Sound every Wednesday.] Song: One Direction's "What Makes You Beautiful" History: "What Makes You Beautiful" is the first single from UK boy band supreme, One Direction. (Note: I'm n ... More >>

Phil Upchurch Introduced Muddy Waters to the Hippies

If he had to pick a number, guitarist Phil Upchurch estimates he has played on over 2000 recordings. Based on the frequency with which his name arises, he's probably right. Asking him to recall some of those dates can be like asking a fisherman about a particular fish he caught 40 years ago. "I'll ... More >>

Comment: People Like Us

Shifty Shellshock Is Out of His Coma! Here's Everything You Need To Know About Him

We were saddened by word that Crazy Town frontman Shifty Shellshock fell into a coma last week. According to TMZ, the 37-year-old Los Angeles native (real name Seth Binzer) is now conscious, though he remains in an intensive care unit at a local hospital. We love the guy, and figured this was as goo ... More >>

Photek: Veteran EDM Producer Is Not Glossy, Not Flossing

Last November, Rupert Parkes was having coffee when KCRW's Jason Bentley called to congratulate him. "For what?" asked the Hollywood electronic music producer and DJ, known as Photek. Turns out his remix of a Daft Punk Tron: Legacy track called "End of Line" was nominated for a Grammy. Skrillex eve ... More >>

Fiona Apple and the Best of SXSW Yesterday

​See also: Five Attractive Strange People Working for Tips at SXSW If you're familiar with chaos theory, which in its basic form is the attempt to find patterns in the random acts of shit on Earth, then you may understand the difficulty that comes with describing a full day at SXSW. To break down ... More >>

12th Planet is the Johnny Appleseed of Dubstep

Skrillex sleeps on his couch

Toby Keith's "Red Solo Cup": Why This Song Sucks

[Editor's note: Why This Song Sucks determines why particular tracks blow using science. It appears on West Coast Sound every Wednesday.] See also: If You Don't Like Country Music You're A Blue State Elitist Song: Toby Keith's "Red Solo Cup" History: "Red Solo Cup" is the second single from Toby ... More >>

The Worst Day Of K-Fed's Life

It's hard to believe, but five years have passed since the release of Kevin Federline's debut Playing With Fire, which came out on Halloween, 2006. It was a scary night for some, but K-Fed was on top of the world. Married to Britney Spears, he was psyched to finally bring his brand of hip-hop to the ... More >>

Scarface Is Out Of Jail, Performs At Key Club Tomorrow: Excerpts From His Last Interview

​Scarface plays the Key Club tomorrow night. This is big news, considering most folks didn't even know that the greatest of all southern rappers was out of the pen. In October 2010 he began a term at Montgomery County Jail in Alabama over numerous unresolved child support cases. (There is also ... More >>

M83 - The Music Box - 11/9/11

Ian Cohen​See also: M83's Anthony Gonzalez Makes Soundtracks, Without The Movie M83 The Music Box 11-9-11 Better than: Having to actually be 16 again. At the risk of completely disavowing any claims of critical distance, this was the concert event of 2011 for yours truly and I don't care wh ... More >>

Skrillex: L.A. DJ, Producer Is Boy King of Electronic Dance Music

Leads the mashed-up, remixed generation

Lupe Fiasco - Hollywood Palladium - October 10, 2011

Lainna FaderLupe Fiasco​Lupe Fiasco and Chiddy Bang Hollywood Palladium October 10, 2011 Better than... hip-hop shows without electric fiddle. Lupe Fiasco's "Generation Laser" show last night at the Palladium did not seem like it was going to go well. A couple hours after the doors opened, t ... More >>

Oh, Randy

Katy Perry Ties Michael Jackson; Sign of the Apocalypse? Not So Much

​With her latest single "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)," Katy Perry has again hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100, her fifth single from Teenage Dream to do so. She is only the second artist in the chart's history to achieve this feat, the first being Michael Jackson, on Bad. We've known ... More >>

Rhino Records Pop-Up Store Returns

Rhino's back!​Once upon a time, there were not one, but two physical Rhino Record stores in Westwood: The first was a 2,000 square foot space that opened in the late '70s and then transitioned into the "Blow-it-Outlet"--selling used and discontinued merchandise--upon the opening of the newer l ... More >>

With Godspeed on Our Side

How did an experimental political punk octet become the hottest ticket of the winter?

Nicki Minaj vs. Lil Kim (And Five More Potential Combatants) (NSFW for Beef)

Nicki Minaj recently set the record for female rapper with the most singles on the Billboard Charts at once; her single "Your Love" hit number one this summer, making her the first female rapper with a number one single since Lil Kim's "Jump Off" in 2003. The Queen Bee was not amused, accusing M ... More >>

Katy Perry Gives Us Legitimate Excuse to Write "Katy Perry Naked" on a Headline

Behold La Perry's heavenly body​ In the past we haven't been above tricking people into reading legitimate-yet-unsexxxy news items by shamelessly offering hot Katy Perry bikini pictures. This time, though, sexy Katy Perry has given us a legitimate excuse to rack up them pageviews by unveiling ... More >>

Carly Simon Resurrects "You're So Vain" Rumors, Once Again

Who So Vain?​About forty years ago, Carly Simon fornicated with some famous dudes. The list allegedly includes James Taylor (her main squeeze), Warren Beatty, Mick Jagger, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, the 1968 Yugoslavian Alpine skiing team, Spiro Agnew, the 14th Dalai Lama, a young Dav ... More >>

Movie Reviews: Did You Hear About the Morgans?, Iron Cross, The Young Victoria

Also, The Lightkeepers, My Son, My Son What Have Ye Done and more

Promote This: The Adler Effect

On the eve of the Sunset Strip Music Festival, Lou Adler and his son Nic talk about the concert business

GO LA: Fat Beats, Fat Tuesday and a Fat Comedian

And a fat lot more to do in L.A., February 20-26

Van Morrison Once Again Ventures Into the Slipstream

Math Rock, M.I.A., and the Secret of iTunes Plus

Hip-Hop Is Dead

...and other reports that have been greatly exaggerated

Middle-Aged Bastards and Still Monsters of Rock

The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam once again roam the earth

Busking for Stardom

What matters for buzz bands these days is becoming the next blog thing

Of Mice and Gorillaz

Panoramic producer Danger Mouse orchestrated some of 2005’s most memorable moments. He’s just warming up

Balls Out

Dane Cook does whatever it takes to make you laugh

Breakfast with Tiffany

Things That Go Pomp In the Night

The Darkness' new bohemian rhapsodies

Art and Struggle . . .

. . . but mainly nutso debauch with David Lee Roth

Still Rockin’ in the Almost Free World

Ghosts vs. Boasts

Will Jam 4 Food

Improvising an alternative music scene

Dark Flowers

Prime cuttings from the current metal crop

TCB Rock

Thank the makers of Incubus

Letters

Back to the Country

Randy Travis comes full circle (almost)

Music Reviews

Mockin' Bird

Patti Page comes out swinging