My Chemical Romance, Future, And Jack White Are Headlining The 2022 Music Midtown Festival

Two weeks after Shaky Knees Festival took center stage in Downtown Atlanta, the city’s other major festival, Music Midtown Festival, has ceased the limelight with yet another thoroughly stacked lineup. Going down from September 17th to 18th in Atlanta’s sprawling Piedmont Park (which you guessed it, is in Midtown), Music Midtown’s headliners include the reunited My Chemical Romance, native son rapper Future, rock and roll stud Jack White, and pop-punk mainstays Fall Out Boy.

Over 30 acts will descend upon four stages at the park for the two-day festival, which still features a giant Ferris wheel that you can hop on and take in the views. The diversity-minded festival bill will feature appearances from indie rock stars in Phoebe Bridgers, Mitski, and Phoenix; rappers 2 Chainz and Denzel Curry; and pop crossover acts like Quinn XCII, Louis The Child, and Conan Gray. Also performing over the weekend are Turnstile, A Day To Remember, 100 Gecs, Alex Benjamin, Keshi, Marc Rebillet, Key Glock, Tinashe, Hippo Campus, Ashe, and more.

Check out the full lineup poster below. Tickets for Music Midtown festival go on sale Friday, May 20th at 10 a.m. here.

Music Midtown lineup
Music Midtown

Some of the artists mentioned here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Spotify Is Testing Out NFTs On Artist Profiles And Folks Are Very Unsure Of The Consequences

As Spotify continues to add bells and whistles to the streaming service’s artist profiles like the ability to buy concert tickets and merch, they’re beginning to test out NFTs, too. As Music Ally and Billboard report, artists like Steve Aoki and The Wombats present two of the early test cases, where artists can promote their NFT’s on their profiles and people can click through to purchase them on NFT marketplaces. The test is currently available to select US users via Spotify’s the Android app.

At first glance, this does seem like a slippery slope of sorts, as artists have turned to NFTs as a way to control 100% of the net proceeds from the sale of their music and publishing rights. Considering Spotify pays artists a paltry sum that lies somewhere between $0.003 to $0.005 per stream, it’s understandable to think that there might be an ulterior motive at play from the Swedish streaming giant.

“Spotify is running a test in which it will help a small group of artists promote their existing third-party NFT offerings via their artist profiles,” a spokesperson from Spotify told Music Ally. “We routinely conduct a number of tests in an effort to improve artist and fan experiences. Some of those tests end up paving the way for a broader experience and others serve only as an important learning.”

Music Ally also reported that Spotify isn’t taking a cut of any NFT sales in this test. But one has to wonder if they’ll take a cut of whatever the NFT marketplace makes? Or if when the testing period is over and the feature is fully implemented, that they’ll indeed work their way into taking a cut of the direct sale of the NFT. Promoting an NFT on Spotify does not seem like a good proposition for smaller artists who count on the sale of their NFTs as a main source of income. But for artists like Aoki, or The Wombats, who have a comfortable pipeline of income sources and are looking to spread the word about their new blockchain ventures, then this might make sense.

The responses from people on social media have shown the inherent distrust that Spotify has built among users and non-users alike. “Just feels like they’ll find a way take the power from artist’s again,” one Twitter user said. “Work on your established problems first,” another user suggested, while another user issued the ultimatum that, “If Spotify goes in this direction im gonna cancel my subscription.”

Portola Music Festival’s Loaded Inaugural Lineup Features Flume, MIA, And Jamie xx

Just when you thought that we had enough music festivals announced for 2022, San Francisco’s brand new Portola Music Festival has splashed onto the circuit with an incredibly diverse lineup of marquee electronic-leaning dance, pop, and hip-hop crossover acts. This is a seriously stacked lineup with big names at the top like Flume, The Chemical Brothers, Jamie xx, and a #rare performance from MIA.

Pier 80 is the grounds for the inaugural edition of the Goldenvoice-produced two-day festival on September 24th and 25th. Also appearing on the very well-curated bill are acts like Kaytranada, Jungle, Charli XCX, The Avalanches, Caribou, Toro y Moi, James Blake, Four Tet + Floating Points, Caroline Polachek, PinkPantheress, DJ Shadow, Lane 8, Yaeji, Slowthai, The Blessed Madonna, Justin Martin, and more. While late to the party, this is a legit unbelievable lineup.

And while the festival takes place nowhere near San Francisco’s Garden District known as the “Portola,” it’s actually named after the short-lived Portola Festival of 1909, which celebrated San Francisco’s re-opening following the great fire of 1906. Back then, the festival was built around a parade down Market Street. It then disappeared in 1913 for 35 years before re-establishing itself as a series of Mardi Gras-style parades in 1948, and then fading into the abyss in 1950. Now we have a full-on dance party in a refurbished warehouse and tents on a historic pier. Sure.

Check out the lineup poster below and tickets go on sale on Friday, May 20th, here.

Portola Music Fest Lineup
Portola Music Fest

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Gorillaz Announce Their Upcoming North American Tour Supported By Earthgang and Jungle

Fans of the Gorillaz have much to be excited about as the group announced its upcoming North American tour beginning on September 11 in Vancouver. There are 21 set dates spanning across the United States and Canada, finishing up on October 23 in Miami. Earthgang and Jungle will join them on select dates (from September 11 to October 19 for Earthgang, then on October 21 and 23 for Jungle).

This announcement comes in the midst of Gorillaz’s world tour throughout Europe and South America, generating much excitement as this is its first stateside tour since 2018. Gorillaz last release came in 2020 with Song Machine: Season One, Strange Timez (Deluxe). The band is recognized by the Guinness Book Of World Records as the planet’s Most Successful Virtual Act.

Check out the full list of Gorillaz’s tour dates below:

09/11 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
09/12 – Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
09/14 – Portland, OR @ Moda Center
09/17 – Las Vegas, NV @ Life is Beautiful Festival
09/19 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Vivint Smart Home Arena
09/21 – San Francisco, CA @ Chase Center
09/23 – Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum
09/26 – Phoenix, AZ @ Footprint Center
09/28 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
09/30 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center
10/01 – Irving, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
10/03 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
10/05 – Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
10/06 – Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
10/08 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
10/11 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden
10/12 – Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
10/14 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia
10/17 – Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
10/19 – Alpharetta, GA @ Ameris Bank Amphitheater
10/21 – Orlando, FL @ Amway Center
10/23 – Miami, FL @ FTX Arena

Gorillaz is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Megan The Stallion, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, And So Many Others Sign A Pro-Roe V. Wade Ad

As talk of an apparently impending overturn of Roe v. Wade spreads, people are using their influence to take action. Now, a bunch of musicians have come together to do just that, by attaching their names to a new full-page New York Times ad from Bans Off Our Bodies and Planned Parenthood.

The ad reads, “The Supreme Court is planning to overturn Roe v. Wade, taking away the constitutional right to abortion. Our power to plan our own futures and control our own bodies depends on our ability to access sexual and reproductive health care, including abortion. We are Artists. Creators. Storytellers. We are the new generation stepping into our power. Now we are being robbed of our power. WE WILL NOT GO BACK — AND WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN.”

Below that are the names of 160 young artists who signed the ad. Some of the musicians who appear include Angel Olsen, Ariana Grande, Ashe, Ashnikko, Bethany Cosentino, Billie Eilish, Blu DeTiger, Camila Cabello, Cautious Clay, Clairo, Dave Burd (Lil Dicky), Demi Lovato, Dorian Electra, Finneas, Gayle, Grandson, Halsey, Hayley Kiyoko, Holly Humberstone, Karlie Kloss, Kelsey Lu, King Princess, Lauren Jauregui, Lauv, Lykke Li, Madison Beer, Megan Thee Stallion, Meghan Trainor, Miley Cyrus, Mitski, Noah Cyrus, Olivia Rodrigo, Paramore, Phoebe Bridgers, Pink Sweats, Pom Pom Squad, Princess Nokia, Rebecca Black, The Regrettes, Rina Sawayama, Selena Gomez, Shawn Mendes, Snail Mail, Soccer Mommy, Sunflower Bean, Tate McRae, Tinashe, Weyes Blood, and X Ambassadors.

Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation Of America, also offered a statement, saying, “Should the Supreme Court take away the constitutional right to safe, legal abortion, young people stand to lose the most. So many of us — who grew up with the understanding that Roe was settled law — could have never imagined that our own children would have fewer rights and less freedom over their own bodies and futures. What we see in young people from all walks of life is that they aren’t backing down — not today, not ever. Like the artists who signed on to this ad, their resolve to keep bans off their bodies is a source of hope during a dark time, and we are determined to keep fighting alongside them, for them.”

Check out the ad below.

Bans Off Our Bodies Roe v. Wade Ad 2022
Bans Off Our Bodies

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

My Chemical Romance Returns With ‘The Foundations Of Decay,’ Their First Song In Eight Years

In October 2019, My Chemical Romance delivered exciting news to its fans. The band announced a reunion concert in Los Angeles, news that was shared six years after the band split in 2013. A short time later, the band announced their first North American tour in nearly a decade, a string of shows that they eventually had to postpone until this year. In the nine years since their band’s split and eventual reunion, My Chemical Romance only released one song, that being 2014’s “Fake Your Death.” At long last, that drought is now over as they return with “The Foundations Of Decay.”

The brash record clocks in at six minutes and it’s led by none other than the band’s longtime front vocalist Gerard Way. The record touches on the battles one faces in life and the scars it leaves you with. “The Foundations Of Decay” also mentions 9/11 through its lyrics, an event that inspired My Chemical Romance’s start in 2001. “And he was there, the day the towers fell / And so he wandered down the road,” Way sings. “And we would all build towers of our own / Only to watch the roots corrode / But it’s much too late / You’re in the race.”

My Chemical Romance dropped their record as they prepare to perform at a number of festivals in the coming weeks. The band is set to make appearances at Riot Fest, Firefly, and When We Were Young.

You can listen to “The Foundations Of Decay” in the video above.

My Chemical Romance is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The Next Two Years Of Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, And Austin City Limits Will Stream On Hulu

It’s not always feasible to put a weekend aside and get out to a major music festival, but now three of the biggest will be more accessible than ever, at least for the next couple years: It was announced today Hulu will be the streaming home of Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits (all events put on by C3 Presents) for the 2022 and 2023 events, in partnership with Live Nation.

The next of those festivals is Bonnaroo, which is set to go down from June 16 to 19. Then it’s Lollapalooza from July 28 to 31, followed by two weekends of ACL, from October 7 to 9 and 14 to 16.

Hulu president Joe Earley in a statement, “Hulu and Live Nation are both committed to delivering exceptional entertainment to fans, so we are thrilled to be collaborating with them, again, as we expand our offering to include these three legendary festivals. Each event is unique, but all three bring people together for incredible music, artistry, and experiences, which we are fortunate to be able to share with Hulu subscribers.”

C3 Presents’ Charlie Walker also noted, “The demand for live music is at an all-time high and the live experience has never been more connected to digital. By expanding our partnership with Hulu, even more fans will be able to tune into each of these incredible festival experiences in real-time and enjoy live performances from their favorite artists with the fans on-site.”

Lil Nas X, SZA, Paramore, And Red Hot Chili Peppers Will Play Austin City Limits 2022

This year’s Austin City Limits line-up is stacked with several exciting acts. Upon returning to Austin’s Zilker Park for its annual celebration of live music, ACL has a promising group of headliners.

Taking place over the course of three days for two consecutive weekends, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Chicks, Pink, SZA, Kacey Musgraves, Flume, Paramore, and Lil Nas X will headline both the weekends of October 7 to 9 and October 14 to 16. Texas fans of Lil Nas X will be elated to see the “Industry Baby” rapper live after the initial announcement of his Montero tour didn’t include any Texas dates, due to the fact that his “ex lives out there.

Also on the line-up are Diplo, Japanese Breakfast, Jazmine Sullivan, Omar Apollo, Bia and more.

While many of the acts will perform both weekends, some acts will only perform one of the weekends. Carly Rae Jepsen, Gayle, Lil Durk, and James Blake will all play weekend one only. Wet Leg, Lucky Daye, Princess Nokia, and Teezo Touchdown will play weekend two.

General on-sale begins today at noon CT. Check out the full line-up below.

ACL 2022 Line Up
Courtesy of Austin City Limits Festival

Some of the artists mentioned are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

1970s Covers From Phoebe Bridgers, St. Vincent, And Thundercat Lead The ‘Minions 2’ Soundtrack

Over the weekend, teasers made it seem like Tama Impala and Diana Ross were perhaps making an album together. It turns out that’s only sort-of-but-not-really true: They are appearing on an album together, yes, but that album is the soundtrack to the upcoming Minions: The Rise Of Gru movie, the full tracklist of which has now been revealed.

Their contribution is a collaborative new song called “Turn Up The Sunshine.” The 19-track album mostly consists of covers, but other originals include “Cool” from Verdine White (of Earth, Wind & Fire), RZA’s “Kung Fu Suite,” and Heitor Pereira’s “Minions: The Rise Of Gru Score Suite.”

As for the covers, they’re all of songs from the ’70s, coinciding with the movie’s setting. Selections include St. Vincent doing Lipps, Inc’s “Funkytown”; Thundercat doing Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like An Eagle”; Phoebe Bridgers doing The Carpenters’ “Goodbye To Love”; and Brockhampton doing Kool & The Gang’s “Hollywood Swinging.”

Check out the Minions: The Rise Of Gru (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) art and tracklist below.

Minions The Rise Of Gru Soundtrack
Decca

1. Diana Ross — “Turn Up The Sunshine” Feat. Tame Impala
2. Brittany Howard — “Shining Star” Feat. Verdine White (Earth, Wind & Fire cover)
3. St. Vincent — “Funkytown” (Lipps, Inc. cover)
4. Brockhampton — “Hollywood Swinging” (Kool & The Gang cover)
5. Kali Uchis — “Desafinado” (Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto cover)
6. Caroline Polachek — “Bang Bang” (Nancy Sinatra cover)
7. Thundercat — “Fly Like An Eagle” (Steve Miller Band cover)
8. Phoebe Bridgers — “Goodbye To Love” (The Carpenters cover)
9. Bleachers — “Instant Karma!” (John Lennon cover)
10. Weyes Blood — “You’re No Good” (Linda Ronstadt cover)
11. Gary Clark Jr. — “Vehicle” (The Ides Of March cover)
12. HER — “Dance To The Music” (Sly & The Family Stone cover)
13. Tierra Whack — “Black Magic Woman” (Santana cover)
14. Verdine White — “Cool”
15. Jackson Wang — “Born To Be Alive” (Patrick Hernandez cover)
16. The Minions — “Cecilia” (Simon & Garfunkel cover)
17. GEM — “Bang Bang” (Nancy Sinatra cover)
18. RZA — “Kung Fu Suite”
19. Heitor Pereira — “Minions: The Rise Of Gru Score Suite”

Minions: The Rise Of Gru (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is out 5/20 via Decca.

Tame Impala And Diana Ross Seemingly Have A Star-Studded Album Coming Out Soon

A few months ago, it was reported that Tama Impala and Diana Ross (aka one of the best lead singers of all time) were working on a new song together, with a source telling The Sun at the time, “Diana might be 77 but she is determined to push musical boundaries and challenge herself. She loves reinvention and melting genres together. She’s really excited to work with Tame Impala and is ecstatic with the track — she can’t wait for fans to hear it.”

Now it appears the two got along so well that they’ve actually made an entire collaborative album.

NME reports that some posters started showing up in London over the weekend which seem to tease a full-length project from Ross and Tame Impala. The colorful poster teases something that’s “coming soon,” produced by Jack Antonoff, and that features Tierra Whack, HER, Brittany Howard, Jackson Wang, Bleachers, Phoebe Bridgers, GEM, Heitor Pereira, Weyes Blood, Kali Uchis, Verdine White (of Earth, Wind & Fire), Thundercat, Caroline Polachek, RZA, St. Vincent, Gary Clark Jr., and Brockhampton.

This comes after Ross released Thank You, her first album of new original material since 1999’s Every Day Is A New Day, in November 2021. Antonoff and St. Vincent contributed to that project, too.