Avenged Sevenfold is down with Beach Boys covers, but not with going to Mars
M. Shadows of Avenged Sevenfold tells us how to know when certain songs are the right ones to cover, and the key differences between being an opening act and a headliner.
Joss Stone tossed the script (and recorded her dogs) for ‘Project Mama Earth’
Singer Joss Stone and her four collaborators improvised some exciting new music around a pair of Cameroonian rhythms, Mangambe and Bikutsi.
How superstar producer Swizz Beatz uses Instagram to push art, battle Timbaland
Swizz Beatz spoke with Digital Trends about his upcoming album, using Instagram to find artists for his No Commission art show, and more.
Pop a cork and sit down. For Slowdive, vinyl is all about the ceremony
Slowdive pioneered the sound of turning up the distortion, blaring the feedback, and distorting vocals beyond recognition, and bands like Beach House have taken this post-rock vibe to the next level.
Silverplanes jet into the ‘Gulfstream’ of modern listening, one EP at a time
Silverplanes’ Aaron Smart on modern audiences wanting to consume music, working with legends, and the differences between digital and analog.
Barenaked Ladies cut loose and show it all with ‘Fake Nudes’
Rather than get themselves worked up into a hot, dense state of indecision, the four main men of Barenaked Ladies decided to once again work with producer Gavin Brown on their new LP, Fake Nudes.
For the Bloody Beetroots, sometimes building bridges means tearing down songs
Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo of The Bloody Beetroots is the ripped masked DJ who lays down some of the sickest beats around while also performing a punishing, physically demanding live set.
How deep is your crate?’ DJ Cut Chemist digs down on ‘Die Cut’
Cut Chemist resides among today’s top turntablists, who have forged their own identities via the sound and vibe from the records they spin, mix, sample, and create.
As loud and snotty as ever, the Dead Boys are keeping punk alive
Punk icons the Dead Boys defined the genre’s look, sound, and attitude -- and they’re still at it four decades later
Big Boi of Outkast talks about holding ‘Jedi rap status’ in the streaming era
Big Boi of Outkast released his third album of this decade, Boomiverse, and spoke with Digital Trends about adapting to the new age of music.
From early Macs to vinyl, Sonic Youth guitarist Lee Ranaldo digs his tech relics
Lee Ranaldo and Sonic Youth took open guitar tunings and off-kilter rhythms and timbres to their absolute limits like no other experimental no-wave alt-rock bands had ever done before.
Friends, admirers, and collaborators remember Canadian rock legend Gord Downie
Gord Downie leaves behind a recorded legacy with The Tragically Hip that is based in the grit and groove of the finest rock has to offer, along with his beyond-vivid songwriting.
His father did it with sitar, but Dhani Harrison proves EDM can heal, too
An EDM-tinged aura that expands on his film and TV compositional work permeates all throughout Dhani Harrison’s first full-fledged solo album, IN///PARALLEL.
Cult classics: How the creepy hymns of ‘Far Cry 5’ came to life
This year, composer Dan Romer scored his first video game, the music of "Far Cry 5", but influence of his past film work can still be heard.
Remembering Tom Petty with an unreleased interview on gear, recording, his legacy
The late Tom Petty discussed the sound he was going after in the studio, what makes for a good engineer, and what his vision of The Heartbreakers’ future was.
Ever wonder how an album is made? Neil Finn live-streamed the process
Out of Silence shows Neil Finn in the moment as a live-streaming music creator, and he plans to continue to utilize the platform to launch new music.
Backed by an orchestra, Kaki King shape shifts yet again on ‘Live at Berklee’
Avant-guitarist Kaki King discusses the philosophy behind Live at Berklee, how to bring classical performance and composition into the modern era.
Deer Tick returns from hiatus with a double-barreled dual album release
Deer Tick is stronger than ever, as evidenced in their two new albums. Acoustic songwriting dominates Vol. 1 and punk-like abandon thunders forth on Vol. 2.
What is AptX HD and can it save wireless audio? We test it to find out
AptX HD is the newest audio technology that promises to help increase the sound quality from Bluetooth headphones to CD-quality resolution. We’ve put it to the test.
Furious times call for furious songs on ‘Shade,’ Living Colour’s righteous return
Living Colour’s new genre-defying album Shade examines a constant dialogue about what it’s like being an American in today’s topsy-turvy modern times.
The Revolution carries Prince’s purple flag forward … with a little more bass
The Revolution discusses the Purple Rain band’s studio techniques when recording with Prince, the missing bass on When Doves Cry, and what’s next.
Awesome tech you can’t buy yet: Smart soccer balls, vibro razors, drum rings
Check out our roundup of the best new crowdfunding projects and product announcements that hit the web this week.
The party is the show for Corin Tucker and her Filthy Friends
Guitarist/vocalist Corin Tucker discusses how her new band Filthy Friends keeps their songs feeling current in today’s ever-changing socio-political climate, the current status of Sleater-Kinney, and how to challenge yourself as an artist whenever you play live.
On ‘To The Bone,’ Steven Wilson crafts accessible songs that transcend time
Steven Wilson discusses his new album To the Bone, the secrets of post-modern sound construction, and how to make music feel timeless.
Vök drummer Einer Stef on the ‘Icelandic sound,’ Björk covers, and their first LP
Vök drummer Einar Stef discusses the band’s process, and which Björk covers it should do.
Mellower but still a madman, Black Grape’s Shaun Ryder is all about the music now
Black Grape frontman Shaun Ryder talks ‘Pop Voodoo,’ signing vinyl the “right” way, and how his kids currently view his musical legacy.
Broken Social Scene’s ‘Hug of Thunder’ brings 18 artists together for sonic harmony
Broken Social Scene reconvenes every few years to make beautiful music together, just as they’ve done on their new album, Hug of Thunder.
From floppy disks to $500 music videos, Battle Tapes did it their way on ‘Form’
Battle Tapes mastermind Josh Boardman wanted to flip the sonic script while working of Form, the genre-busting EP that follows up 2015’s Polygon.
If SoundCloud evaporates, prepare for musical drought
SoundCloud is hemorrhaging money, and a new article suggests the company may have only weeks left. What happens if SoundCloud goes bankrupt?
Styx crosses solar systems and generations on ‘The Mission’
On their new album ‘The Mission,’ Styx revisits the space optimism of 1977’s ‘The Grand Illusion’ with a new mission: Mars.
Digital bagpipes aren’t destroying Scotland’s heritage, they’re helping save it
Duncan Menzies’ digital chanter translates the fingering of rookie bagpipe players into direct feedback on their strengths and weaknesses.
‘Tomorrow Forever’ is a long album for an impatient era, but Kickstarter loves it
Matthew Sweet turned to Kickstarter to record Tomorrow Forever, a 17-song forward-thinking melodic riff-fest that somehow never feels long.
Start the presses: How vinyl production was reinvented from the ground up
After decades of struggling with ancient equipment and ten years of insane annual increases in demand, the vinyl manufacturing industry is taking its first new strides in decades, and that means prettier, better-sounding, and more diverse records than ever.
Awesome tech you can’t buy yet: Programmable drums and self-making bedsheets
Check out our roundup of the coolest crowdfunding projects and product announcements that hit the Web this week. You can't buy this stuff yet, but it sure is fun to gawk!