Stevie Finds Wonder Amid the 'Craziness'

Big-name acts, up-and-comers see modest rise in attendance

(NEWSER) - Concert tours remained surprisingly strong this year despite the weak economy, with slightly more people heading out to see their favorite acts than in 2008. Gross revenue held steady at $1 billion for the period from May 1 to Sept. 1, matching earnings a year earlier. Big-name acts like Kenny Chesney, the Dave Matthews Band, Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, and Coldplay all enjoyed strong tours. More»

(NEWSER) - It’s no exaggeration to say that Michael Jackson “made a more profound impact in the arenas of soul, R&B and dance-pop than any other singer or songwriter in history,” writes Jim DeRogatis in the Chicago Sun-Times. But while many fans reach for Thriller, “widely considered the best-selling disc of all time,” DeRogatis and other “hardcore fans” cast their lot with 1979’s Off the Wall. More»

Ziggy-produced film an 'oral history': Dana Stevens

(NEWSER) - A new documentary about the life of Bob Marley is an "exemplary music documentary in almost every way," writes Dana Stevens at Slate : It's "thoughtful and leisurely paced," it's positive without fawning, and it gives an in-depth look at Marley the youth, Marley the father, and Marley the musician. Stevens views it "as an oral history": It's "a 145-minute patchwork of old concert footage and talking-head interviews from people who knew, loved, and worked with the reggae giant." More»

He was 'authentic,' too, and it led to lame copycats: Mike Doherty

(NEWSER) - There's no question that Adele is the reigning queen of pop music, and she's frequently hailed for her "authenticity"—much as Kurt Cobain was two decades ago. But that "early ‘90s fetishization of authenticity" led to a bunch of "dour, humorless copycats" who only brought us "wave after wave of angst-soaked grunge and grunge-lite," writes Mike Doherty in Salon . (See: Puddle of Mudd, Staind, Creed, Nickelback, etc.) Adele's popularity could inspire the same trend, Doherty worries. More»

Singer's performance on live TV better received this time

(NEWSER) - Lana Del Rey didn't exactly get rave reviews for her Saturday Night Live performance, but she seems to have made a fan of David Letterman. After she sang a simpler version of her "Video Games" hit last night, Letterman jokingly asked if she could come back tonight, notes the Huffington Post . "My pleasure," she replied. "How about Monday?" he then added. More»