The Song of the Year award typically is one of the toughest to choose, since the rock genre has always favored full albums over individual songs. And this year is no exception, with rock legends going up against a couple of younger artists in a field dominated by the many of the same acts who are up for Album of the Year.
Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr may mark the 50th anniversary of Beatlemania hitting U.S. shores next month by performing together. Showbiz 411 reports that the two surviving Beatles could show up on David Letterman's late-night show during his network's week-long celebration of the Fab Four.
Last year's best live albums were more than mere concert souvenirs. The greatest of them revealed glimpses of hardworking bands on the road, hammering out their familiar material in new and often exciting ways
The best reissues of 2013 offered fans different perspectives of some of rock's most classic albums. Some were expanded with alternate cuts and outtakes, some were laid out like history lessons with demos and live tracks and some were completely overhauled, stripping down old records to reveal new works beneath the surface. But
'High Hopes' is Bruce Springsteen's most disjointed album, and purposely so. Pulled together from various outtakes, cover songs and re-recordings from the past two decades, Springsteen's 18th album is looser and less structurally sound than anything he's released since becoming a star in the mid '70s. And without something more sturdy to hang his music and lyrics on, 'High Hopes' is somewhat aimless.
When the Doors entered a Hollywood recording studio to make their debut album at the end of August 1966, they knew what they wanted. Months of serving as house band at the Whisky a Go Go had sharpened their playing and performing skills to the point where one member of the quartet could abruptly swerve toward a new direction and the others would follow without missing a beat.
Back in September, guitarist Dave Davies said there was a "50-50" chance of the Kinks reuniting. Apparently, those numbers are getting better by the day.
By most accounts, Ric Ocasek and Ben Orr's first band was a total failure. In 1976, the duo -- which actually went by the name Ocasek & Orr at first -- picked up a few members, became Cap'n Swing and gigged around Boston. But they didn't really catch on. By the end of the year they had a new name, and on New Year's Eve, they made their public debut. It was only a matter of time before the Cars would drive straight onto radio playlists.
Steve Winwood led a percussion-stuffed musical tribute to Carlos Santana, who was one of five performers to receive the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor in 2013. The gala, which took place on Dec. 8, was televised on CBS last night.