JO1 Ends North American Tour with an Electrifying LA Show Japanese group JO1 brought electrifying energy to Los Angeles for the final night of their North American tour on Oct. 11. The nine-member group—Issei Mamehara, Ren Kawashiri, Takumi Kawanishi, Ruki Shiroiwa, Keigo Sato, Syoya Kimata, Junki Kono, Sukai Kinjo, and Sho Yonashiro—showcased their music with razor-sharp choreography and undeniable chemistry.
The show opened on a high note with the exhilarating “WHATCHA DOIN,” a perfect song to get the crowd’s energy pumping. JO1’s stage presence was magnetic, and the members knew how to rile up the audience with playful banter in Japanese. The group chose not to use an English translator during these conversations. Without interruptions, the banter flowed naturally, though many English-speaking fans couldn’t fully follow along. The JAMs didn’t seem to mind, cheering and laughing along whenever the members spoke.
JO1’s dynamic choreography elevated each performance, especially “Handz in my Pocket” and “Animal.” Singing and dancing all night is no easy feat, but the group made it look effortless. It was hard to believe this was their U.S. debut.

The group also showed off its vocal talent by slowing things down for a stripped-down performance of “Hiraku” with Junki on keyboard. The intimate moment highlighted the strength of their vocals. To keep fans on their toes, the members then split into units. Takumi kicked off the segment with a solo rap performance, followed by a dance break featuring Ren, Keigo, Sukai, and Issei. The segment closed with Syoya, Junki, Ruki, and Sho covering Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” The mega-popular song had the whole audience singing along.
The night ended with the adrenaline-pumping “IGNITE.” Its rock sound, driven by guitar and drums, had the entire venue rocking out.
The post JO1 Ends North American Tour with an Electrifying LA Show first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

ONErpm names Iasmine Amazonas Chief Marketing Officer as it restructures 200-person global marketing teamIsaac Miranda has also been named Global Marketing Director
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Tupac Shakur's 5 Favorite Albums of the '90sDiscover five surprising albums Tupac Shakur reportedly loved, from Prince and Jamiroquai to Sarah McLachlan and Counting Crows.

‘I HAVE A NEW OUTLOOK NOW: IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE FUN; IT’S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SCARY’Music school dropout Sasha Alex Sloan has already co-written hits with three of the biggest (and most influential) pop stars of the last few years – Camila Cabello, Charli XCX, and Olivia Rodrigo. And she’s only just getting started…
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Miley Aces Bass Persuades in HollywoodThere was a moment that occurred approximately two-thirds of the way into Miley Cyrus (now simply going by Miley)'s first of two nights at the Hollywood Bowl, where all of the pop polish fell away and we saw the very real personality beneath it. This came, by the way, after Miley had already performed a beautifully touching tribute to her godmother—the late, great Dolly Parton—with a rendition of "Jolene" that prompted tears from the artist, and some in the crowd.

The moment we're referring to came just after Miley had made her way back to the stage, through a well-meaning and adoring crowd that was reaching out, en masse, for some sort of contact. She had popped up in the middle of said crowd to perform a couple of songs with Flaming Lips man Wayne Coyne, and she sang "We Can't Stop" while returning to the big stage. When the song was over, Miley needed a minute to take a breath and get her bearings. With no front, no swag, Miley told the crowd that the experience was an overwhelming one for her. This was Miley's big comeback, and when emotions started to build up in an intense way, the artist felt comfortable enough to be utterly vulnerable. With her mom at the side of the stage ready to help if needed, Miley confided in a sea of people, most of whom she doesn't know personally. In return, her trust was rewarded with a wave of love. It was life-affirming, and just one special moment at a show that had many.

Miley's latest album, Bass Persuades, has been out for a month, and it's a decidedly mature piece of work. Dark and pulsating, there are elements on this album that would delight Depeche Mode and Nine Inch Nails fans (if they allowed themselves to like it). It's a record that gets under your skin, and she performed six of those tracks at the Hollywood Bowl. Notably, opening band Model/Actriz returned to the stage to perform a sensual "Different Religion," a song that uses religious themes to explore relationships.

Miley's fiancé Maxx Morando (Liily, formerly The Regrettes) played drums on a very sweet "Let's Get Married," as he did on the album. Nothing felt forced and false about their public displays of affection; cynicism lost and love won.

Miley with Wayne Coyne

Miley with Model/Actriz

The Wayne Coyne songs, from the b-stage in the center of the crowd, were stunning. The Flaming Lips classic "Do You Realize?" felt like a truly spiritual experience, while "Karen Don't Be Sad," from the underrated Miley Cyrus & Her Dead Pets album, showcased her not-so-hidden love for rock 'n' roll. Incidentally, the last time this writer saw Miley live, she was performing at the Chris Cornell tribute concert and converting thousands of naysayers. By now, her cred from those quarters should be a given.

And hey, if you wanted pop hits, you got those too. The rejigged version of power ballad "Wrecking Ball" performed at the Bowl was different to the one generally heard on the radio, but it was equally powerful, and utterly immersive. Miley went back to her 2009 The Time of Our Lives EP to enjoy a bit of her bubblegum pop past with "Party in the U.S.A.," and in this environment it felt like an utterly joyful moment of mutual love between the artist and a crowd that has stuck with her for years.

There wasn't much in the way of a show, a production, at the Bowl but that wasn't the point. This was an honest, open and authentic Miley allowing herself to be her true self and trusting her people. They didn't let her down.

Photo credit: Kevin Mazur / Getty Images.

The post Miley Aces Bass Persuades in Hollywood first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Lenny White's 10 Favorite Albums of All TimeEver wondered which albums inspired jazz-fusion drummer Lenny White? Check out his 10 favorites, from Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix to Santana and Steely Dan.

How Cheap Trick Turned "Surrender" Into a Rock AnthemDiscover how Cheap Trick’s “Surrender” evolved from a studio track into a defining rock anthem through its legendary live version.

'90s Albums That Were Trap Music Before T.I. & Gucci ManeLong before T.I. and Gucci Mane helped define trap, these eight '90s hip-hop albums were already laying the groundwork for the genre.

Making Noise: Rage Against the RockstarsWelcome again to Making Noise, your weekly look at hot topics, buzzy tidbits and music news that’s raising the volume and going viral on social media and in music lover circles. 

As the midterm elections near, it seems everyday brings a new musicmaker to cancel or clap for depending on where you stand. The (world) stage is getting crowded, too. Artists like Jack White and Hayley Williams are using their platforms on social media and onstage to speak out, but others seem just as interested in throwing shade at them. Metallica’s James Hetfield, is the latest to join the conversation by insisting he’s not in it, after announcing at a recent Sphere show that “Metallica is not here, like some other entertainers, to influence you with their bullshit.” 

The band’s early anti-authoritarian lyrics and themes—which they still perform—beg to differ and former fans have been calling out the disconnect. Following the backlash Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters got into the ring, stating on a podcast this week: “I’m so bored with him. He’s just showing that he’s a complete prick. He’s got an IQ of about three, and why we’re talking about him I honestly don’t know, because he’s a nobody.”

Round and Round

Of course, it’s not surprising coming from Waters who made speaking politically part of his shows, but now another rocker is joining the chat too, seemingly taking Hetfield’s side. In a new just-turned-viral clip online, Nikki Sixx is seen saying, “It does not matter to Mötley Crüe if you’re a Republican. It does not matter to Mötley Crüe if you’re a Democrat. It doesn't matter if you’re gay or if you’re straight or if you’re going right down the fucking center of the lane of life cause we’re all in this together. Can we agree?" A lot better than Hetfield’s “bullshit” statement but it still begs the question: if the stance is that politics should stay out of music, why bring them up at all?

Getting political in music or on stage is a choice, and ya gotta respect artists who do, even at the expense of maybe losing fans. They have a right not to as well, and fans who feel cheated by that can choose not to support. Artists calling each other out is the icky new part of this story, though of course, beefing over personal matters has been a thing since the beginning.

Fight the Pollsters  

Power to the People Fest, held in Maryland last week saw Foo Fighters, Jack Black (“Jack Sabbath”), Bruce Springsteen and Soundgarden with The Pretty Reckless’  Taylor Momsen and Cypress Hill to name a few, perform a livestreamed show to promote “Peace, Love, Justice and Music” bringing everyone together— well sort of. Organizer Tom Morello’s admission that he didn’t vote for Kamala Harris kinda hung over it like a sad cloud. Smugly bragging to Rolling Stone about the last election and endorsing her led many to assume he didn’t vote at all, but he clarified later that he did, just not for the Democrat. Of course, the liberal rocker didn’t vote for Trump,—well technically—but as the internet reminded him, third party voting essentially helps out the GOP by splitting the left. One day this might change but right now, it’s—as Metallica sang— “sad but true.” In any case you can watch some great clips from the festival on YouTube.

For the Birds

In more important social discourse news, lol, Kelly Clarkson is once again taking over our feeds, this time not over her love of A.I., but over a weird mechanical bird. It all started with a snarky social media post about an encounter she described as “Pretty Woman” treatment from a Brooklyn shop called Art of Play. After the shop denied her wishes to purchase a wall-mounted singing bird, stating it was not for sale, she brought receipts showing its $15,000 price tag. The back and forth on socials over what actually happened has been non-stop with the store’s latest statements seriously claiming that “Kelly Clarkson has put us in danger!” We thought the store’s initial response was funny yet fan-y as it incorporated the singer’s own lyrics in a playful way, but now it’s gone off the rails a bit, with multiple interviews and an advertised new price for the bird: 15 million! Here’s hoping the two parties stop pecking at each other because clearly there are more important things to argue about.

This Isn’t It

Could all the discourse in the world be driving some artists a bit mad? Giant Drag's Annie Hardy played a bizarre joke last week after posting an obit for herself on her Instagram, Facebook, and Threads. It read "RIP Annie Hardy" and "June 5, 1981 - Oct 3, 2026" with a photo of the singer and the statement: "It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Annie -Summer Hardy. A caring friend to many, a friend to the Animals and a follower of Jesus Christ. Please respect the families wish for privacy during this difficult time. Services to be announced in the days to come Rest in Peace, Annie. The world will never be the same." 

But it was all fake. Hardy, known to be a prankster, made the post herself and had planned to keep it going until a friend went to check on her and said it wasn’t true. Why did she do it? Hardy and Giant Drag (a band we truly loved during the "indie sleaze era" as early aughts alt music is now lamely dubbed) had a show at the Redwood Bar in DTLA this week, but promo apparently wasn’t it. Here’s some of what she shared with Stereogum about the odd ruse:

 “Pranks are insensitive, and there is nothing funny about someone passing away. A "hoax" feels like a more accurate description. A hoax shatters what was previously believed to be true, forcing a shift in perspective. In that moment, as old assumptions and emotions dissolve, you are given the opportunity to decide how to view reality moving forward. One profound aspect of loss is how the living often let go of past grievances, choosing instead to remember the deceased in a purely positive light. Their hearts open fully, knowing they won't see that person again... Also I wanted to point out how everything in these phones now is fake. The only real thing we have left in life is our love for one another but here we are letting alleged loved ones evaporate in a mist in the background.”

Making Noise: Sound Bites

Taylor Swift will be in L.A. this weekend to perform at the Academy Museum Gala, the bougie celeb event that floods our feeds with glitzy red carpet fashion akin to the Oscars each year.  If you’re in L.A., avoid the area as Swifties will surely be swifting about and traffic will be terrible, regardless. Where will Tay and Trav eat and hang out while in L.A.? The gossip rags and paps will surely let us know, mostly against our will.

Celebrating his 80th birthday, the David Bowie's estate just announced BOWIE 80, a month long celebration on 2027 featuring an array of events, merch releases and more. Sign up for info here.

Ozzy & Black Sabbath: Back to the Beginning, a condensed film version of the live-streamed event in Birmingham, U.K. that took place just before Ozzy Osbourne's death, put together by musical director Morello, will be in theaters at the end of the month, but MC was in the house for the Osbourne family's special premiere event this week. Our full report is on the way, but snag your advance tickets now here.

The post Making Noise: Rage Against the Rockstars first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Shoreline College's Music Tech Programs Utilize Solid State Logic ORIGIN ConsolesThis is the sort of news that should give everyone the warm-and-fuzzies before the weekend, thanks to ORIGIN inline architecture helping students, "attain a practical understanding of recording, mixing, routing, and gain staging through hands-on operation within a broader environment that also includes SSL interfaces."

According to news released this week, "Shoreline College, 10 miles north of downtown Seattle, Washington, opened its recently constructed Bracken Building, the new home of its Music and Music Technology programs, in April 2026. The new facility houses two recording studios with associated live tracking rooms, three small production/mixing rooms and two MIDI/computer labs that all feature equipment from Solid State Logic, including ORIGIN 32-channel and ORIGIN 16-channel inline analogue mixing consoles and dozens of SSL’s USB audio interfaces."

“We had two goals with this new space,” said Matt Jorgensen, Music Technology Faculty, Shoreline College, in that statement. “Number one was to have two recording studios that were nearly identical, and the second was to almost take a step back from the digital world and have the consoles be purely analogue.”

"Shoreline's investment in both SSL ORIGIN consoles and SSL audio interfaces helps create a more complete educational experience, allowing students to develop and translate practical, real-world production skills from the 'classroom to the control room' that mirrors industry practice," Ashleigh Davies, Head of Education, Solid State Logic, told MC. "We are proud to have our technology being used by Shoreline in this manner."

“When I recorded in Seattle I spent a lot of time at Studio X, which famously has a big SSL console, and all the engineers in town have always raved about SSL,” Jorgensen says. “But I think having a giant SSL would have been a bit overkill for what our students are doing, so I think what drew us to the ORIGIN board was the fact that it’s simple. We are an educational institution, and those consoles help us to get the students up and running as quickly as possible so they can do the things that they want to do.”

For more info, visit solidstatelogic.com.

The post Shoreline College's Music Tech Programs Utilize Solid State Logic ORIGIN Consoles first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

From Universal Music’s fresh round of layoffs to Spotify’s catalog surge… it’s MBW’s Weekly Round-upThe biggest headlines from the past few days...
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How Lou Reed Turned "Walk on the Wild Side" Into an Unlikely Pop HitHow did Lou Reed turn "Walk on the Wild Side" into a pop hit? Explore the song's underground roots, unforgettable bassline, and the real people behind its lyrics.

ORBITAL REVISITS A HISTORIC MOMENT WITH OFFICIAL GLASTONBURY 1994 RELEASEElectronic pioneers Orbital recall one of the most influential performances in dance music history with the first official release of their legendary Glastonbury1994 set.

Restored and remastered from the original tapes, the collection captures the moment the duo helped bring electronic music from underground clubs to the festival main stage, forever changing the perception of live dance performances.

Photo credit: Steve Double

The post ORBITAL REVISITS A HISTORIC MOMENT WITH OFFICIAL GLASTONBURY 1994 RELEASE first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.

Warner Chappell Music signs My Chemical Romance to exclusive worldwide publishing dealWarner Chappell will oversee the catalog's global rights administration, copyright protection, and sync licensing across film, television, and video games.
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Billy Cobham's 10 Favorite Albums of All TimeBilly Cobham’s musical influences run deep. Discover his 10 favorite albums, featuring jazz legends, groundbreaking fusion, and timeless recordings.