News Feed Top

On November 9, 1975, the Ohio Players released “Love Rollercoaster,” which would eventually become the biggest hit of their careers. The song, which was later covered by the Red Hot Chili Peppers for the Beavis and Butt-Head Do America soundtrack, was the second single off of their seventh studio album, Honey . Shortly after the track came out, rumors began to circulate that the model featured on Honey ’s iconic front cover (Ester Cordet) had been murdered. But that’s not all: Some even claimed that Cordet’s dying scream was recorded and actually found its way into the final version of “Love Rollercoaster.” According to the most common version of the story , Cordet burned herself with the honey she’s seen dripping into her mouth in the cover photo. She then supposedly returned to the studio and threatened to sue over the incident, at which point she was either stabbed by a member of the band or one of their associates as they were recording the song. In other variations, it was ...

2003 was a turning point for the new century, as artists began truly distancing themselves from 90s overlap. 90s rap was more serious tonally, dominated by gangsta rap for the majority of the decade. By the 2000s, rap had reverted back to its hip-hop roots and began dominating the main pop charts. 23 years later, millennials may be getting older, but surely every millennial will still remember these hip-hop hits from 2003. “Stand Up” By Ludacris ft. Shawnna By 2003, Ludacris had already cemented his place among the frontrunners in rap at the turn of the century. On September 2, 2003, Ludacris released this hit single featuring a call-and-response with rapper Shawnna. It became Ludacris’ first song to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, it went to No. 1 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, the Hot Rap Songs chart, and the Rhythmic Airplay chart simultaneously. Had Ludacris not already broken out in the 2000s, he certainly would’...

The animated series Sailor Moon premiered in 1993 in Japan and instantly became a hit. A few years later, it made its way to the U.S. and Canada, where it really took off and became a permanent fixture of pop culture and a massive inspiration for animators. In the ‘90s, endless content was geared toward boys— Dragon Ball Z , Cowboy Bebop , Pokémon —but Sailor Moon was the first major anime aimed at young girls. The series begins with a young girl, Usagi Tsukino (Kotono Mitsuishi), who has the same worries and problems every teenage girl does. She worries about juggling school, a social life, and finding love in the near future. Her life is turned on its head when she meets a talking cat who hands her a brooch that turns her into Sailor Moon. Now, her worries include protecting and saving the universe. But she can’t do it alone, so she enlists young girls from other planets to be the “Sailor Guardians.” Why is ‘Sailor Moon’ so popular? The reason Sailo...

Xbox has responded to reports that it is unhappy with GTA 6 pre-orders on its consoles. Microsoft denies being concerned about PlayStation 5’s larger share and says Grand Theft Auto VI is already breaking pre-order records for Xbox. Microsoft Denies Report About GTA 6 Pre-Orders on Xbox Screenshot: Rockstar Games The Verge’s Tom Warren recently reported that Xbox was worried about low GTA 6 pre-order numbers on its platform. However, Xbox CSO Matthew Ball has now directly responded to the report, calling it “untrue.” The Microsoft executive also claimed that the Rockstar title is breaking records for Xbox. “Not true. Tom, we are very happy with GTA VI pre-orders. The title is breaking records for XBOX, we expect even more records will be broken throughout the fall, and our internal analysis shows our share of pre-orders to be matching our share of the console market.” Tom, we are very happy with GTA VI pre-orders. The title is breaking records for XBOX, ...

Music journalism is going to the wall, and places for sensible, well-informed, nuanced takes on the latest releases are dwindling. So we thought we might as well put the final nail in the coffin. Read this month’s album reviews here , here and here . 300SkullsAndCounting and Jenny Sparks THIS IS SPA TOWN! XL Recordings I can only apologize for my role in popularizing “UK Poo,” a term that has but should absolutely not be applied to this new collaboration between 300SkullsAndCounting and Jenny Sparks. Admittedly, lead single “The Ballad of St Nick’s Park” has many of the microgenre’s key features: absurdity, naive charm, and a music video featuring shirtless kids necking Courvoisier and sour candy outside a mini-supermarket. With screamo vocals, 8-bit keyboards, and speed garage wobble bass, the project lays a pipe from the noughties dancefloor hysterics of Test Icicles, Klaxons, and Hadouken! through to contemporary jerk and hyperpop. So I think it would be far more app...

Some weeks end with a bang. This one ends with Neptune opposing the Sun at full strength and the Moon still in Pisces, which means Friday has a soft, slightly surreal quality to it — everything feels a little more significant than it probably is. Lean into it, just don’t make any major moves based on it. Jupiter sextile Mercury is also closing out today, Stargazer, and it’s been keeping big ideas well-grounded all week, so give it one last good run before it goes. Use the earlier hours for anything requiring a clear head and actual follow-through. Neptune takes full hold of the evening either way. Friday knows what it is. Read your horoscope for the week , and see what the stars have in store for your sign today.  Aries: March 21 – April 19 Neptune opposing the Sun hits exact today, and with Neptune already trining Mars, your drive and your daydreams are basically running on the same frequency right now. That’s a good feeling — but Friday is...