Before you settle back into your La-Z-Boy this Sunday to watch the big game, let’s take a moment to recap some of the best and worst music-related Super Bowl commercials ever to grace your TV screen. Let’s just hope that The Flaming Lips don’t embarrass themselves in their much-hyped Hyundai ad this year.

THE GOOD

Who better to talk about the gritty determination that defines Detroit than the poster bad boy of the Motor City, Eminem? This brooding car ad actually instilled a spot of Motown pride amid the general goofiness that usually defines Super Bowl commercials. Good job, Rabbit. Continue reading ‘The 5 Best and Worst Music-Related Super Bowl Commercials Of All Time’

After digging through cached images and code in The Strokes’ official website, one Reddit user claimed that he discovered the name and artwork of the band’s upcoming album. The artwork, which is a stark red cover in the style of an old-school RCA tape reel box, features the words Comedown Machine directly underneath the name of the band. The user also reported that several visitors to who had attempted to listen to the band’s new single were directed to a URL that also featured the words “comedownmachine.” Now, following the Reddit scoop, The Strokes’ website features the red artwork prominently displayed behind a stream of the band’s single. The band has also just announced that the album will be released on March 26 through RCA. Once again, Reddit wins at the Internet.

If you can’t wait for the new album, check out OurStage members The Black Rabbits.

More like this:

• The Strokes To Release New Album In 2013
• The Black Rabbits Vs. The Strokes

If you’ve ever wondered what Ke$ha is up to when she’s not feeling like a sabertooth tiger and living hard just like [she] should, you’re about to find out. With the premiere of her new documentary series, Ke$ha: My Crazy Beautiful Life to MTV this April, fans will get an inside look at the singer’s antics as she records Warrior, travels the world, and attempts to find love as her fame rises. You know, the kind of things we all struggle with.

“You might have heard my voice on the radio, seen me onstage or in a music video, but that’s only a part of the story,” Ke$ha said in a statement. “With this documentary series I’m revealing a more complete picture of what my life is really like. It’s not all glamorous, but it’s all real.”

You can check out the promo trailer below.

If you like Ke$ha check out OurStage artist Casey Desmond.

More like this:

• Ke$ha Takes “Die Young” Acoustic
• Ke$ha ‘Warrior’ Album Stream

Deriving their name from an old Celtic myth referencing the Three Noble Strains of music, this week’s featured artist is Nashville’s Noble Three. The duo bring a healthy mix of influential ’90s alternative and ’60s pop to the table, fueled by an intense passion for the music and art of both eras.

Patrick Rickelton and Tres Crow set forth with Noble Three, taking advantage of some YouTube notoriety gained from their previous band, Greenland, simply creating music they believe in. As the band themselves describe, “music that is both beautiful and honest is a worthwhile venture in an art world dominated by clichés and the preening of the Hollywood glitterati.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

You can check out the April 2012 Indie Pop winner, “Shipwrecked” below.

In 2001, the romance of technology was still lighthearted. For Daft Punk, erstwhile pioneers in the world of mainstream electronica, the technologies that propelled their “Digital Love” single to success in the new millennium – the soft synths and sampled wurlitzers – still weren’t at odds with human affection, human love, human communication. They were an addendum, a side note to human intimacy, which still had supremacy even in an age of gradually encroaching machines that would slowly command more time, love, and money than many interpersonal relationships. That time was still to come, though. At the turn of the millennium, America was reeling from other wounds, and the crush of technology was really not a concern. Continue reading ‘Album Review: Ra Ra Riot – ‘Beta Love’’

Australia’s Gold Fields are in for quite a year. After being named one of 2013′s bands to watch by MTV alongside up-and-coming heavyweights like Macklemore, the band is ready to take their insanely catchy blend of synthpop and indie rock to the international masses. They’ve already toured the states with the likes of St. Lucia and Diamond Rings, and are gearing up for another US jaunt this February. We caught up with frontman Mark Fuller to chat about the triple recording of the band’s upcoming album Black Sun, their remix process, and the effect of their massive burgeoning buzz.

OS: You guys just wrapped up a US tour with St. Lucia a little while ago. What was that like?

Mark Fuller: It was awesome. We were already fans of St. Lucia before we heard we were doing the tour and how it actually happened was that they asked us to support them. It was a pretty short tour, I think it only was six or eight shows, but getting to watch them every night was awesome. And when you tour with great bands like that you learn a lot, especially from their live shows; theirs is very tight, and they’re almost perfect live. Even though they’re a young band like us, they’ve got their live thing down pat. Touring with a band like that lets you learn a lot, but at the same time it’s fun because we love their music. The shows themselves were in front of crowds that reminded us of crowds that we play in front of back home, and they were probably bigger. The show in New York was amazing. It was to a packed ballroom; Bowery Ballroom maybe? It was just packed and awesome. One of our favorite shows.

OS: You’ve been named a band to watch in 2013 by multiple big sources: MTV, MySpace, and more.  What’s your relationship like with that buzz?  Do you try to ignore it?  Embrace it?

MF: We don’t really feel it at all. I know that reading stuff like that – like MTV coming out and calling us a band to watch for the year – is really weird for us, because MTV to us is like this massive American thing. It seems almost like it’s not real for something like that to happen, for them to talk about our band. Obviously we’re thankful that they’ve done that, and we feel very lucky that they’ve come across us and are thankful they’ve included us. At the same time, anything like that isn’t going to change what we’re doing. Since we’ve started, we’ve always tried to do what’s best for us and make sure we’re having fun and get other people to enjoy it as well. Any sort of things like that – the buzz – you have to take it in your stride, but it doesn’t change anything really. We’re still doing exactly what we were going to do all along.

Continue reading ‘Exclusive Q and A: Gold Fields Talk Buzz, Buds, and ‘Black Sun’’

On the heels of releasing “Now,” the first single from their upcoming album out April 9, Paramore have announced a short string of North American tour dates in April and May. Tickets will be available starting Friday, February 1. Check out the tour dates and video announcement below the jump.

Check out OurStage act Porcelain if you’re a Paramore fan.

Continue reading ‘Paramore Announce 2013 Tour Dates’

Following his hospitalization in Royal Oak, Michigan last week, Morrissey has been diagnosed with a bleeding ulcer, which will force him to cancel six dates of his current tour, to be rescheduled. He is expected to make a full recovery within two weeks’ time, and will soon announce the rescheduled dates of his cancelled appearances in North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska. The tour is scheduled to resume on February 9 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Contrary to his lyrics, Morrissey apparently never starts something he can’t finish.

If you’re a fan of Morrissey or The Smiths, check out The Bye Bye Blackbirds on OurStage.

More like this:

• Morrissey Announces 2013 Tour Dates
• Morrissey Performs “Action Is My Middle Name” On ‘Letterman’

After Property of Zack broke the news of a Fall Out Boy reunion this past Friday, the Internet has been buzzing with high hopes and anticipation. Coming nearly three years after the band announced their split, it’s all but confirmed that the hiatus is about to end, leaving fans speculating about the possibility of new music, new festival shows, and even new tours.

While we can’t tell you much, we will say that after a recent tweet from guitarist Joe Trohman, that read, ”The rumours are still untrue, unreal & totally outta this world! *shreds gnar, does surf’s up hand signal*. Seriously, it’s not going down,” we can’t help but join fans in wondering if the “denial” is a subtle reference to Skate & Surf Festival, which the band has been long rumored to play.

Check back for more updates, and let us know your thoughts on a reunion in the comments.

If you like Fall Out Boy check out OurStage artist Orange Avenue.

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• WATCH: Rare 2002 Fall Out Boy Performance Surfaces Online
• Pete Wentz Announces Book Tour Dates

If you’re a fan of Dance Gavin Dance, Emarosa, Ghost Runner on Third, or supergroup Isles and Glaciers, then you’re probably aware that Jonny Craig is the frontman for each band. Having released his own solo material on the side, Craig is now headlining his own tour, featuring support from Kurt Travis, Hail The Sun, and The Seeking. The dates and locations for the tour are listed after the jump.

Continue reading ‘Jonny Craig Announces Headlining Tour’