Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Beat.
Best Guitars Under $500
If you love the idea of playing an electric guitar, you're not alone. It's awesome and always will be. Getting a quality electric guitar isn't easy, especially when you have a limited budget—and let's be real, all aspiring rock stars have a budget.
By Buddy Brown8 years ago in Beat
Miguel- 'War and Leisure' Review
It’s been a long time since Miguel’s first commercial hit, “All I want is You”. His first album, Kaleidoscope Dream, left a sonic footprint on RnB and pop. Since then, he’s had a dilemma: as his artistry continues to evolve, the nostalgia invoked by his debut album continues to overshadow the steps he takes.
By Rap Disciple8 years ago in Beat
What It's Like Being a Concert Junkie in Canada
It's 2017 and I am sure that there are many Canadians out there that understand the struggle of being addicted to going to concerts. I can also assume that there are some people that may read this confused. So let me try and explain this situation better and easier for some.
By Mandy Petit8 years ago in Beat
Aaliyah Says Tink Is the One in A "Million"
Tink has rekindled the spirit of R&B in 2017 when her first debut song “Treat Me Like Somebody,” was released. It brought us back to the 90's, a time when SWV was on constantly replaying on the radio. Her new song “Million,” is reminiscent of the late R&B mogul Aaliyah’s “One in a MIllion.” It’s catchy and sentimental lyrics definitely pierces the soul. It’s refreshing to hear a young artist sing about love especially since it’s not a profitable entity in today’s music industry.
By Latasha Edwards8 years ago in Beat
Social Media; Brand Your Manners
Keep it simple; keep it organic. In the world of Facebook, business pages have limited exposure. However, we’ve all made that mistake when we post something mildly controversial and somehow the page reach sky rockets. Sadly, the attention our bands, venues, artists and other companies receive is not necessarily the attention we want people to associate us with. It takes so much positive to eliminate a negative. It only takes one negative situation to eliminate any good within someone’s mind. For example, you post something political. It can be something as silly as who your band is collectively voting for. Your band becomes associated with the beliefs of that party. You may have made the post in jest, or hastily, however once it goes out into the Facebook universe, or any social media universe, it’s out there. Despite your efforts to delete these notions, you may find there is someone always prowling beyond your doorstep. The reach in this case would be organic, however, the damage inflicted would take far more than one positive organic post to fix.
By Christine Collins8 years ago in Beat
Why This Microphone Was Chosen to Record Taylor Swift's Vocals
If you are anything like me, you get extreme cases of GAS. No, I didn't have one of the infamous gritty cheese dip episodes many have had. I'm referring to GAS-gear acquisition syndrome. It's an epidemic with us musicians and audio professionals. In fact, I have battled with GAS so severe that music equipment and instruments have come and gone through my studio so quickly that nobody else knew they were ever even there. It's sad really.
By Joey Anderson8 years ago in Beat
Get the Most out of Your Endorsement Relationships
Assuming everyone reading this is either a musician, works with musicians or has at least met a musician in their lifetime, there will come a certain point in your musical journey where your mind will shift towards the realm of endorsements. Those endorsements may come in the form of providing musical instruments, merchandise, food/beverages or even contraception (although with such a long standing history of musicians being model parents, who would really require that?). When that point comes and preparation meets opportunity, there is something to be remembered…endorsing an artist is a relationship and you have to feel it. Most companies will not sign an artist just to sign an artist. Companies sign an artist because they are 100% behind them. Sometimes it just doesn’t happen, like any relationship, but it may work for another company. So it’s not really about a mistake, it’s about it not really clicking. What can you keep in mind as an artist to put yourself in the best possible situation to ensure success with your endorsement? Well, it’s fairly simple…
By Christine Collins8 years ago in Beat
10 Lesser Know Winter/Christmas Songs
I freaking love Christmas carols. I can hardly restrain myself from singing them til November 1st and after December 25th. I like to think of myself as a bit of a Christmas music hipster, as I'm always on the hunt for new songs. So here are some Christmas/Winter songs I think are obscure if you still want that winter vibe, but get tired of the overplayed songs.
By Annie Nonimous8 years ago in Beat
Kendrick Lamar and Multiple Album Meanings
Yes, it is. But not in the way people may think and not in a way that makes it worth buying the album for a second time. Kendrick Lamar’s Damn. is a fantastic record with a range of both trunk-knocking hits such as “DNA.”, “HUMBLE.” and “ELEMENT.” and thought provoking and mind bending revelations such as “PRIDE.”, “FEAR.”, and “DUCKWORTH.”. The record starts out with the expository track “BLOOD.”, a mysterious and somewhat haunting track that tells the story of Kendrick coming across a blind woman who he attempts to help but ends the track by shooting him. The record continues with Kendrick reflecting back on everything that led him to lose his life. The old blind woman can be interpreted as Kendrick having a run-in with Lady Justice and her taking his life is the culmination of all the social and political injustice that Kendrick raps about often in his music. Damn. is a depressing album at times, as it can be quite evident that Kendrick has little to no hope left in him. The fire within him to fight against social injustice heard on “To Pimp a Butterfly” is seemingly replaced with a depressing realization that maybe these injustices are self-inflicted (especially apparent on the voicemail at the end of the song “FEAR.”) or unsolvable. Kendrick is defeated on this album. He has been beaten down and is left with a tangible feeling of despair. He has been looking for answers all this time and, after all of it, he is left thinking that maybe it’s his own fault. He is truly defeated by coming to the realization that he is the cause of his own torment and anguish.
By Justin Smith8 years ago in Beat
