Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Beat.
10 of the Greatest Rock Albums Ever Made. Top Story - December 2017.
I have to confess, as a card-carrying member of Generation X and as someone who was in the stands when some of the greatest rock albums ever made were actually released, I have spent an inordinate number of hours in the midst of “greatest rock albums ever made” conversations. I’ve grown up reading list after list, too; everything from the first-ever Rolling Stone 100 Greatest Albums of All Time to The Observer’s 100 Greatest British Albums. I’ve devoured countless books about music, including my bible, The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock n’ Roll. I’ve perused myriad issues of Mojo and Q, as well as Creem when it reemerged while I was in college. So I’ve had a chance to vet the opinions of a great many outstanding critics while constructing my own edifice. Where has it gotten me? Down a rabbit hole where you drown in classic rock and die with your motorcycle boots on.
By David Porter8 years ago in Beat
Hot SoundCloud Week 3
Week three of our quest to find top independent artist has brought us a wide variety of R&B hits and EDM anthems. As always, hip hop and rap are well represented but unfortunately many of these artists have yet to perfect their mix to the level of our top 10 featured artist have, so most will fall in the bottom half this week.
By travus Leroux8 years ago in Beat
Being a Girl in the Music Industry Is Hard. Top Story - December 2017.
Being a girl in the music industry is hard. Being a girl that has done porn and is now in the music industry? Even harder. The rejection, preconceived opinions and complete and utter dismissal at some points is heartbreaking at best. I’m not going to sit here and pretend I am the greatest songwriter or producer of all time. Or even that I am particularly special, but I do write and produce my own music, sing on the tracks and write the lyrics. However, my work is dismissed purely based on the harsh fact that I’m a moderately attractive girl with a background in adult film, a lot of the time before I have even had the chance to present any music.
By Samantha Bentley8 years ago in Beat
Live Show Preparation
Ah, Live performance. This is the Artist’s best chance to make a good impression and gain more fans, not to mention to remind current fans of why they love you and your music. The key word here is performance. You want that to be memorable, especially if your audience has paid to get in to see you. That does not mean you give a lackluster performance, even for free events. Be on top of your game at all times from start to finish.
By Tim Ellerbe II8 years ago in Beat
2017's Finest Albums
The greatest ability that humanity possesses is that of reflection. Our tiny, dirty planet has nearly completed yet another lap of the sun, and as the year draws to a close, we humans are naturally inclined to reflect on the year that has passed. Politically and culturally, it has been a turbulent one, to say the least, but we have been fortunate enough to be graced with a plethora of fantastic musical creations to distract ourselves from the forthcoming apocalypse.
By Toby Hickman8 years ago in Beat
Bronxlyn Debuts with '2 Boroughs 1 City'
So I had a pleasant surprise while I was digging up talent for my open mic series, Check It! I came across this video, and after just a few seconds I think, "I need to hear more from this guy." After reaching out to him, I received an invitation to a listening party for his upcoming debut project. His name? No, that's not a typo, you read it right.
By Sadé Sanchez8 years ago in Beat
Live Fast, Die Young
Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Amy Winehouse, and Jim Morrison all have one very cryptic thing in common: they all passed away at the age of twenty-seven. Their deaths, among other celebrity deaths at 27, led to the theory of the 27 Club. A large portion of these deaths were caused by drug overdoses and suicide. Many successful musicians and celebrities have died at the early age of 27 under strangely coincidental circumstances, spawning many theories that correlate their deaths with the self-destructive celebrity lifestyle and satanic influences.
By Faith Fairchild8 years ago in Beat
Promoter vs. Artist
Promoter vs. Artist. It's a constant issue in many local music scenes and communities, especially those rooted in DIY (do it yourself) themes. Over the last few years, I'm seeing more and more social media feuds over the idea of pay to play, bands selling tickets to their shows, and promoters not "doing their jobs." This is a double-edged sword I will happily break down for you.
By Miakoda Nita8 years ago in Beat
