Pharrell Williams

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Pharrell's Gift to These Grads: a 'Steppingstone' to Greatness

Singer vows to line up 114 internships by next summer

(Newser) - Pharrell Williams sure knows how to make people "happy." The Grammy-winning singer-producer stunned graduates of Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy charter schools in New York during a keynote speech last week, announcing he'll line up "A-list internships" for all 114 of them—each of whom...

Pharrell Has a Specific Beef With Trump Rallies

He doesn't want to hear his 'Happy' played anymore

(Newser) - In a Fox News interview Monday, President Trump defended his decision to go ahead with a political rally after the mass shooting in Pittsburgh . Cancel events like that, and it gives too much power to those responsible for tragedies, Trump told Laura Ingraham. "Rallies are meant to be fun,...

Charlottesville Concert Lineup Released

Dave Matthews Band, Justin Timberlake, Ariana Grande among performers

(Newser) - Dave Matthews Band will take the stage in their hometown for a concert to benefit the victims of violence in Charlottesville, Va. The Sept. 24 concert at the University of Virginia will be the only live performance of the year for the band, which was first to suggest such a...

Ariana Grande Announces Star-Clogged Manchester Benefit

Show to be held Sunday with Bieber, Perry, Coldplay, Pharrell, and more

(Newser) - Ariana Grande is not only returning to Manchester for a charity concert in the wake of the deadly bombing that followed her last show in the city, she's bringing basically every pop star one could think of. Grande isn't waiting around, either, and announced Tuesday that the show...

Swift Wins 8, Kanye Booed at Billboard Awards

She beats Garth Brooks' 19-win record

(Newser) - Taylor Swift dominated the Billboard Music Awards with eight wins, including top artist, while Kanye West was booed during his performance that closed the event in Las Vegas last night. Swift—now the most decorated artist in the show's history with 20 wins, beating Garth Brooks' 19—also won...

'Blurred Lines' Lawyer Has Long Been a Disrupter

But this case may be Richard Busch's 'most satisfying'

(Newser) - A jury has found that Robin Thicke's inescapable song "Blurred Lines" borrowed a little too heavily from Marvin Gaye —and that ruling may owe a lot to lawyer Richard Busch, who represented Gaye's family, the New York Times reports in a profile of the man who...

Jury: Robin Thicke Ripped Off Marvin Gaye

He and Pharrell owe Gaye's kids $7.4M over 'Blurred LInes'

(Newser) - Catchy song, Robin Thicke. But a jury says that Marvin Gaye got there first. Jurors awarded Gaye's kids $7.4 million because they determined that Thicke's "Blurred Lines" stole from Gaye's 1977 hit "Got to Give It Up," reports the Los Angeles Times . Thicke...

'Blurred Lines' Made an Insane Amount of Money

Trial reveals details of Robin Thicke song's success

(Newser) - "Blurred Lines" was a huge hit, and now we know exactly how huge. Marvin Gaye's family is suing for part of the money the Robin Thicke song brought in, alleging copyright infringement of Gaye's "Got to Give It Up," and the trial entered its second...

Newcomer Among Top Grammy Nominees

Sam Smith ties Beyonce and Pharrell with six nominations

(Newser) - Newcomer Sam Smith, Beyonce (the most nominated female in Grammy history), and mega-producer Pharrell lead the Grammy Award nominations, with six nominations apiece. Smith's In the Lonely Hour, Beyonce's surprise self-titled release and Pharrell's G I R L will compete for album of the year, along with...

'Impossible Orchestra' Performs Beach Boys Classic

Supergroup includes Brian Wilson, Stevie Wonder, Lorde, and many more

(Newser) - The BBC managed to put together one of the greatest "supergroups" of all time: 27 famous artists who came together to perform the Beach Boys classic "God Only Knows." Brian Wilson is there, of course, but other singers include Stevie Wonder, Pharrell Williams, Lorde, Kylie Minogue, Dave...

Iranians Who Made Video of Pharrell's 'Happy' Sentenced

Sentence won't be carried out unless defendants are found guilty of future crimes

(Newser) - Six young Iranian men and women videotaped dancing to Pharrell Williams' "Happy" and the video's director have been sentenced to suspended jail terms and lashes, says a defense lawyer. Farshid Rofugaran said today that the seven have been sentenced to six months in jail and 91 lashes each,...

Robin Thicke Confesses to Rampant Drug Abuse: Deposition

Pharrell also put on the spot in lawsuit with Marvin Gaye's family

(Newser) - The past year or so could've been better for Robin Thicke: The family of legend Marvin Gaye sued Thicke for ripping off Gaye in creating his hit song "Blurred Lines" (Thicke has a countersuit against them); Thicke's wife, Paula Patton, dumped him ; and he made his situation...

Spotify's Most-Streamed Song Ever Is...

Avicii's 'Wake Me Up,' with 235M listens

(Newser) - If Spotify listens are a barometer for musical quality, then the best song of all time is, apparently, "Wake Me Up," by electronic dance music producer and DJ Avicii. The song has been streamed some 235 million times, the Huffington Post reports, making it the music service's...

Iran Arrests 6 for 'Vulgar' Video of Pharrell's 'Happy'

Clip 'hurt public chastity,' Tehran's top cop says

(Newser) - A joyful homemade video of Pharrell Williams' "Happy" resulted in arrest and public humiliation for six young Iranians. Tehran's chief of police says the six people seen singing and dancing on the city's rooftops—including three unveiled young women—created a "vulgar clip which hurt public...

7 Things to Know About Last Night's Grammys

Pharrell Williams wore a really odd hat

(Newser) - Opted not to sit through 210 minutes of Grammy action? No worries. Here's your cheatsheet to seven people, moments, and sartorial choices worth knowing about:
  • Taylor Swift didn't win, but she maybe thought she did. Her Red was up for Album of the Year, and as they named
...

Daft Punk Wins Record, Album of the Year

Lorde wins Song of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance for 'Royals'

(Newser) - Awards? What awards? A few Grammys were handed out beforehand, Rolling Stone reports, but the show is first and foremost ... a show. Beyonce kicked things off by getting sexy on a chair and giving the censors a challenge with "Drunk in Love." Jay-Z joined in to rap and...

Radio's Top Songs By Genre
 Radio's Top Songs By Genre 
BEST OF THE DECADE

Radio's Top Songs By Genre

Tim McGraw's Something Like That played 487K times

(Newser) - Feel like you heard Tim McGraw’s Something Like That about half a million times in the past decade? Well, the ratings folks at Nielsen will back you up on that, with their list of commercial radio’s most-played songs of the decade:
  • Country: Something Like That, Tim McGraw, 487,
...

Who Needs Chris? Rihanna Lines Up Duets

Jay-Z, JT, Kanye among those who want to record

(Newser) - Rihanna’s planned duet with ex Chris Brown ended on a flat note when he allegedly assaulted her—but lucky for her, she has five back-ups good to go. Jay-Z, Kanye West, Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, and Soulja Boy are all ready to record with her, the Mirror reports. “...

Pharrell Sets Menu for Fashion Plates

Hip-hop tastemaker boasts luxe jewelry, clothing lines

(Newser) - NERD frontman Pharrell Williams has lent his Midas touch to more than just hip-hop, Erica Kennedy writes in a Paper profile. The multi-tasking taste-maker boasts luxe clothing and jewelry lines, and friendships and collaborations with assorted style icons. "Pharrell doesn't buy something because it's fashionable," says one comrade...

Material Girl Gets Back in the Groove

Almost 50, Madonna has 2 films and a pop record on the way

(Newser) - Pushing 50, Madonna is still rolling out movies and tunes like a true blue star, Vanity Fair reports. And she is unfazed by nasty reviews for Filth and Wisdom, a feature that she directed starring a Ukrainian gypsy punk singer. “You have to get to a point where you...

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