Iggy Azalea

Iggy Azalea

Photo: Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images

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Iggy Azalea Renames Album, Releases Four New Tracks

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GRAMMY nominee drops some hints and tracks on social media about her long-anticipated sophomore album
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Nov 8, 2017 - 3:54 pm

Initially slated for release in June, it looks like Iggy Azalea's anticipated second album is still in the works, or even getting re-worked.

Iggy Azalea On The Success Of "Fancy"

The GRAMMY nominee revealed on Twitter that the album title of her next project, originally called Digital Distortion, may have changed. When asked by a fan about the album title, Azalea responded the new title is Surviving The Summer.

Though this might look like another setback, for fans of the rapper, there's some hope. While she didn't release any material from the new album she is seemingly working on, because she "can't give away songs other people have helped write/produce," Azalea released four other tracks that were written and produced with Ljay Currie.

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Chance The Rapper

Chance The Rapper

Photo: Rick Kern/WireImage.com

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Chance The Rapper Teases Deluxe Version Of 'Merry Christmas Lil' Mamma'

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The GRAMMY winner is back with Jeremih to spread a little holiday cheer
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Dec 18, 2017 - 12:31 pm

Get ready to "Jingle Bells all the way" with Chance The Rapper and Jeremih's deluxe reissue of their Christmas mixtape, Merry Christmas Lil' Mama.

Chance The Rapper Wins Best Rap Album GRAMMY

Released for free last year via SoundCloud, Chance's holiday-themed mixtape featured tunes such as "All The Way," "Joy" and "I'm Your Santa" with fellow Chicagoan Jeremih.

The duo announced via Instagram in a faux infomercial they would be reprising their instant classic holiday album for 2017, this time with "a gang of new altxmas bangerz," such as "Big Kid Again" and "Down With Dat," featuring drumming contributions from Common and "Master Of None" actress Lena Waithe.

You can get your fill of Chicago mixtape Christmas goodness when the project drops later this week.

Chance The Rapper: Lyft Partnership Benefits Chicago Public Schools

Apple Music on phone
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Copyright Royalty Board Increases Streaming Rates, But By How Much?

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The Copyright Royalty Board has announced a portion of their cost of living rate increases for next year
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Nov 29, 2017 - 4:23 pm

In news of interest to artists and other copyright holders, the Copyright Royalty Board has begun announcing new rate determinations to take effect in 2018. The first batch includes slight increases to account for cost of living.

Master recording copyright holders will now receive a rate of $0.0018 for ad-supported, non-subscription music streaming services, up from $0.0017. Performances on paid subscription services will now be worth $0.0023, a slight uptick from $0.0022. In addition, non-commercial webcasters will pay an increased amount of $0.0018 performance.

These rate increases are the first rate determinations announced by the Board. Additional determinations will be announced shortly, which will impact the entire music industry. Royalty rates expected to be impacted include mechanical licenses paid by labels and digital services to publishers and songwriters and the amount of compensation copyright owners receive from SiriusXM and Music Choice.

Apple Music Exclusive: Watch Classic GRAMMY Performances

Top 60th GRAMMY Awards nominees
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Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars Top 60th GRAMMY Nominations

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Get the TL;DR on the top nominees for the 60th GRAMMY Awards
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Nov 28, 2017 - 5:35 am

It's that time of year again — 60th GRAMMY Awards nominees have been announced and we have complete coverage on all your favorite nominees. Here, get the TL;DR on this year's top nominees.

GRAMMYs

Jay-Z is this year's top dawg, having earned eight nominations, including Record Of The Year ("The Story Of O.J."), Song Of The Year ("4:44") and Album Of The Year (4:44). He's also nominated in every category in the Rap Field, as well as for Best Music Video for "The Story Of O.J."

As one of the top GRAMMY winners of all time, Jay-Z now has 74 GRAMMY nominations to his name and 21 wins. The most nominations he ever earned in a single year is nine, which he received at the 56th GRAMMY Awards.

Joining Jay-Z as a nominee is every category in the Rap Field is Kendrick Lamar, who has earned seven 60th GRAMMY nominations. Lamar also garnered nods for Record Of The Year for "HUMBLE." (as well as Best Music Video) and Album Of The Year for DAMN. Lamar is already a seven-time GRAMMY winner and is now a 29-time nominee.

Bruno Mars is vying to add more GRAMMY wins to his five awards, having earned six nods this year, including Record Of The Year ("24K Magic"), Album Of The Year  (24K Magic) and Song Of The Year ("That's What I Like"). Mars has previously been nominated in the Record Of The Year category five times and he took home a GRAMMY in the category for 2015 for "Uptown Funk" with Mark Ronson.

Childish Gambino earned five 60th GRAMMY nominations, looking to take home his first career GRAMMY wins. He's nominated in two R&B and the Urban Contemporary categories, along with Album Of The Year for Awaken, My Love! and Record Of The Year for "Redbone."

Producer No I.D. also has five 60th GRAMMY noms to his name, including Record, Song and Album Of The Year for his work on Jay-Z's 4:44. In addition, he is in the running to earn the coveted Producer Of The Year, Non Classical award. No I.D. previously won a GRAMMY for Best Rap Song for his work on Jay-Z's "Run This Town" at the 52nd GRAMMY Awards.

A first-time GRAMMY nominee, hip-hop artist Khalid earned his first five GRAMMY nods this year, including for Song Of The Year for his participation in "1-800-273-8255" alongside fellow first-time nominees Logic and Alessia Cara.

SZA has also earned five nominations, marking her first career GRAMMY nods. She is in the running for the prestigious Best New Artist prize, along with Best R&B Performance ("The Weekend"), "Best R&B Song ("Supermodel"), Best Urban Contemporary Album (Ctrl), and Best Rap/Sung Performance ("Love Galore" featuring Travis Scott).

Who will come out on top at the 60th GRAMMY Awards? Find out by watching Music's Biggest Night live on Jan 28, 2018, on CBS.

Holiday sheet music
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How Holiday Music Affects Your Mental Health

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Love it or hate it, there's no doubt holiday music has an impact on our mental health
Renée Fabian
GRAMMYs
Nov 27, 2017 - 12:17 pm

There are generally two kinds of people in this world: Those who love holiday music and those who can't stand it. Regardless of which side of the fence you stand, it turns out science has an explanation.

Scientists tell NBC News it all comes down to your childhood association with holiday music.

"Our response to Christmas songs depends on the association," said Dr. Rhonda Freeman, a clinical neuropsychologist. "Many of us associate this music with childhood and a happy time of presents and traditions and all the specialness that happens around that time of year."

However, on the other side, those who had a difficult childhood or who associate the season with loss find that holiday music brings on more painful associations.

The reason these childhood holiday music impressions have so much power over us even as adults is thatthe prefrontal cortex area of the brain, the rational thinking part of the brain, is still developing in children. As a result, a child's brain is more emotional, and those emotional associations around music stick well past adolescence. 

Because we listen to the same body of holiday music year after year since the time we are small, and tunes like "Silent Night" or "Carol Of The Bells" are designed to elicit an emotional response, it makes complete sense it's hard to get these songs out of our heads and hearts.

So love them or hate them, know you're not alone in your holiday music feels.

U.K. Charity Brings Live Holiday Music To Senior Centers