9 Must-Have Cohen Classics

After 181 recorded versions, singer-songwriter thinks its time for a break

(NEWSER) - Leonard Cohen is tired of people covering “Hallelujah.” “I was reading a review of a movie called Watchmen that uses it, and the reviewer said, ‘Can we please have a moratorium on ‘Hallelujah’ in movies and television shows?’ and I kind of feel the same way,” Cohen said in a recent CBC interview. The song, from his 1984 album Various Positions, is a go-to tune for tearjerkers and other dramas. More»

(NEWSER) - Pop songs are handily beating out traditional hymns in England as the preferred soundtrack for the final goodbye, the Telegraph reports. A survey by a funeral-services company shows that 58% of funerals feature popular music as the top request, versus 35% for hymns; classical grabs just 7%. The top request? Frank Sinatra’s My Way, of course. More»

Pump prices on top of tickets breaking the bank

(NEWSER) - Soaring gas prices are turning down the volume on ticket sales for this year’s summer tours, Rolling Stone reports. Major festivals like Bonnaroo and Coachella didn’t sell out—a rare occurrence—while top acts like George Michael, Maroon 5, and Stevie Wonder are facing difficulty finding fans. That has pushed some to offer major deals like four lawn seats for $100. More»

Gloomy balladeer hits road for first time in 15 years

(NEWSER) - The man Lou Reed called “one of the most important songwriters of our time” will hit the road this summer. Leonard Cohen, 73, will kick off his first tour in 15 years in his native Canada and then head to Europe, the Independent reports. So far, there are no US dates for Cohen, who was enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this month. More»

Flutes may have helped early humans endure bitter cold

(NEWSER) - Researchers have identified two flutes made from mammoth ivory and bird bone as the world's oldest musical instruments, the BBC reports. Discovered in a cave in southern Germany, the flutes were likely fashioned 42,000 to 43,000 years ago, when early humans used them for religious ritual or recreation, experts say. Music may have also helped them maintain social networks as they survived dire cold in Europe and Neanderthals began to die off. More»