Die Hard is indisputably a Christmas movie, if not for the fact that it’s set during Christmastime. That’s enough, right? But purists would rather call it a cop flick, an anti-terror flick, a modern-cowboy epic (“Yippie-kiyay!”) or something to do with crime, since, you know, Bruce Willis is blasting baddies …
Read More »Willie Nelson Tribute Concert Adds Chris Stapleton, Eric Church
With an already impressive lineup in place, the star-studded tribute to legendary entertainer Willie Nelson has expanded with a new group of performers. Joining the lineup of the January 12th event at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena are Chris Stapleton, Emmylou Harris, Eric Church, Jimmy Buffett, Bobby Bare, Jamey Johnson, Lukas Nelson, …
Read More »Lil Jon, Proving He's Still Lil Jon, Made the Year's Rowdiest Christmas Song
Christmas music tends to be somber stuff. Song tempos are often slow, verging on soporific. Singers lean heavily on the creamiest, most sentimental part of their vocal register. And lyrics tend towards the maudlin: “I’ll be home for Christmas, if only in my dreams;” “Last Christmas, I gave you my …
Read More »Revisiting Hours: 'W.' and the Age of Incompetence
Every Friday, we’re recommending an older movie available to stream or download and worth seeing again through the lens of our current moment. We’re calling the series “Revisiting Hours“— consider this Rolling Stone’s unofficial film club. This week’s edition: Tim Grierson on Oliver Stone‘s 2008 Presidential biopic W. George W. …
Read More »The French Protests Do Not Fit a Tidy Narrative
“What’s wrong with elitism?” asked Washington Post columnist Max Boot this week on Twitter. Boot posed this in a discussion about the merits of centrism, raised in the context of the “yellow vest” protests against the government of Emmanuel Macron in France. American media seems to be confused by the …
Read More »Song You Need to Know: Phoebe Bridgers, 'Christmas Song'
From Elvis’ “Blue Christmas” to Diamond Rings’ “Christmas in a Chinese Restaurant” to Merle Haggard’s “If We Make it Through December,” the holiday season has long served as a perfectly-fitting template for songs of the sad-sack variety. “I don’t mean to hate December,” Haggard sang on the latter, “it’s meant …
Read More »American Football on New Self-Titled LP: 'We're Not Petulant Kids Now'
In 2016, American Football had to relearn how to be a band. Surrounded by belated critical praise and an intense fandom, the beloved emo act reunited after a 15-year-long absence to record their sophomore album, a record that aimed to recreate their original blend of confessional lyrics and gentle math …
Read More »Hear Skrillex, Utada Hikaru's Dizzying Preview of New Song 'Face My Fears'
Skrillex, singer-songwriter Utada Hikaru and producer Poo Bear teased their collaborative track “Face My Fears” from the upcoming Disney/Square Enix game Kingdom Hearts III. The preview, set to a cinematic trailer featuring clips from the role-playing title, builds from a simple piano ballad to a dizzying EDM chorus filled with …
Read More »Revisiting Hours: Working-Class Heroes — 'Blue Collar'
Every Friday, we’re recommending an older movie available to stream or download and worth seeing again through the lens of our current moment. We’re calling the series “Revisiting Hours” — consider this Rolling Stone’s unofficial film club. This week’s edition: Alex Pappademas on Paul Schrader‘s 1978 working-class raunchcom/working-man’s crime drama …
Read More »Lyor Cohen: The Album Is On Its Way Out
The music industry is not just rebounding; it’s “going to be in a boom time” very soon, according to Lyor Cohen. The YouTube Music head and venerated music industry executive spoke candidly about his expectations for the future of music in a fireside chatat Yeshiva University’s Cardozo School of Law …
Read More »