Innholdsfortegnelse for Jan-02-16 i Billboard Magazine

“Really Love” D’ANGELO & THE VANGUARD PRODUCER D’Angelo ENGINEERS/MIXERS Russell Elevado, Ben Kane FROM Black Messiah LABEL RCA Records The sultry “Really Love” is a smooth gateway to Black Messiah, D’Angelo’s first album in 15 years. Opening with a swell of strings and a flamenco guitar, not to mention a sexy female voice whispering in Spanish, the boudoir ballad reaches a slow sizzle by the time D’Angelo’s falsetto beckons his lady to let “our nectars mingle.” The soulful track, which samples Curtis Mayfield’s “We the People Who Are Darker Than Blue,” peaked at No. 43 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while the album bowed at No. 5 on the Billboard 200. “Really Love” is the outlier of the category — a layered ode to devotion from an otherwise politically…

Best Pop Solo Performance “Heartbeat Song” KELLY CLARKSON FROM Piece by Piece LABEL RCA Records/19 Recordings Limited Clarkson has never had a problem connecting emotionally with songs, whether or not the lyrics are based on her personal life. But co-writer Kara DioGuardi’s lyrics for “Heartbeat Song” — inspired by her own infant son — were especially meaningful: After Clarkson recorded the song, she told DioGuardi the lyrics struck a chord with her because of her newborn daughter. “I know Kelly, and we have a good connection,” DioGuardi told Billboard. “Whatever I was feeling, she felt too.” “Heartbeat Song” peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and soared to No. 2 on Adult Contemporary. Three-time Grammy winner Clarkson is nominated twice this year: Parent LP Piece by Piece is…

Best Urban Contemporary Album Ego Death THE INTERNET LABEL Odd Future/Columbia If Frank Ocean is the most commercially successful R&B splinter of the now-defunct Odd Future collective, then The Internet is its best-kept secret. Featuring core offshoot members Syd Tha Kyd and Matt “Martians” Martin, the group became a critical favorite with its 2011 jazz-inflected debut, Purple Naked Ladies. But with 2015’s Ego Death, the band reached new chart heights. The silky smooth project (with guest appearances from Janelle Monae, Vic Mensa and Tyler, The Creator) zipped to No. 3 on the R&B Albums list and yielded the hit “Special Affair,” which topped the Billboard + Twitter Emerging Artists tally in June. You Should Be Here KEHLANI LABEL Tsunami Mob/Atlantic Kehlani had an explosive year. After independently releasing her debut…

Best Latin Pop Album Terral PABLO ALBORAN LABEL Warner Music Latina This 26-year-old singer-songwriter became a YouTube sensation in his native Spain via home videos he posted of himself singing and playing guitar. Since then, he has been Spain’s top-selling artist for three consecutive years, delivering soulful songs with intricate lyrics and sophisticated arrangements. On Terral, Alboran’s melodies are set to music equally influenced by classical and jazz. The album is Spain’s best-seller of the year, and it was Alboran’s first to reach No. 1 on Latin Pop Albums. Healer ALEX CUBA LABEL Caracol Records This Cuban-Canadian singer built his reputation co-writing with Nelly Furtado, including her single “Mi Plan,” and he has channeled his skill at blending Latin and soulful mainstream sounds into a solo career. An accomplished guitarist,…

WHERE ICONS MINGLE MusiCares Person Of The Year 26th Annual Gala WHERE Los Angeles Convention Center WHEN Feb. 13 WHAT The Grammy-affiliated organization, which offers a financial safety net of critical assistance to those in the music field during times of need, will honor Lionel Richie 2016 event. WHO WENT LAST YEAR Bruce Springsteen; Neil Young; Norah Jones; Sheryl Crow; Jack White; Tom Jones; Crosby, Stills & Nash; Bonnie Raitt; Recording Academy president/CEO Neil Portnow; Alanis Morissette; and Bob Dylan, who was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year. 2015 MEMORABLE MOMENT Willie Nelson could have used an extra rehearsal (or two). The country legend paused during his performance of Dylan’s “Senor (Tales of Yankee Power)” when he lost his place. “We need the lyrics!” he growled in front…

Album Of The Year Sound & Color ALABAMA SHAKES PRODUCERS Alabama Shakes, Blake Mills ENGINEER/MIXER Shawn Everett MASTERING ENGINEER Bob Ludwig LABEL ATO Records To Pimp A Butterfly KENDRICK LAMAR FEATURED ARTISTS Bilal, George Clinton, James Fauntleroy, Ronald Isley, Rapsody, Snoop Dogg, Thundercat, Anna Wise PRODUCERS Taz Arnold, Boi-1Da, Ronald Colson, Larrance Dopson, Flying Lotus, Fredrik “Tommy Black” Halldin, Knxwledge, Koz, Lovedragon, Terrace Martin, Rahki, Sounwave, Tae Beast, Thundercat, Whoarei, Pharrell Williams ENGINEERS/MIXERS Derek “Mixedbyali” Ali, Thomas Burns, James “The White Black Man” Hunt, 9th Wonder, Matt Schaeffer MASTERING ENGINEER Mike Bozzi LABEL TDE/Aftermath/Interscope Records Traveller CHRIS STAPLETON PRODUCERS Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton ENGINEER/MIXER Vance Powell MASTERING ENGINEER Pete Lyman LABEL Mercury Nashville 1989 TAYLOR SWIFT PRODUCERS Jack Antonoff, Nathan Chapman, Imogen Heap, Max Martin, Mattman & Robin, Ali Payami,…

Artists, songwriters and producers are taking a greater interest in Washington, D.C., these days. With Congress halfway through its review of copyright law, the creative community, as well as radio stations, digital music services and intellectual property experts, is trying to influence how and how much royalties will be paid in the coming decades. Legislation introduced in 2015 addresses some of the main issues. The Fair Pay, Fair Play Act of 2015 seeks the right for record labels and recording artists to receive royalties from broadcast radio. The Songwriter Equity Act would benefit music publishers by changing how some royalty rates are established. And the Allocation for Music Producers Act aims to improve the royalties received from performances at digital services. While digital companies have armies of high-priced lobbyists, the…

“Alright” KENDRICK LAMAR SONGWRITERS Kendrick Duckworth, Mark Anthony Spears, Pharrell Williams PUBLISHERS WB Music Corp., TDE Music, Hard Working Black Folks Publishing, EMI Music, More Water From Nazareth, Sounwave TDE Productions, Sony/ATV FROM To Pimp a Butterfly LABEL TDE/Aftermath/Interscope This track is a prime example of what makes To Pimp a Butterfly, the second official album from 2016’s top Grammy nominee, so compelling. “Alright” starts as a spoken-word treatise before exploding into a shapeshifting portrait of America that brings in jazz horns, skittering drum beats and Lamar’s mellifluous rapping as he struggles with troubles and temptations. Yet at the end of each verse, he reassures himself that “We gon’ be alright” — a simple rallying cry for a nation reeling from gun violence and police brutality. The song became an…

Best Rap Album 2014 Forest Hills Drive J. COLE EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Jermaine Cole, Mark Pitts LABEL Roc Nation/Columbia Records Releasing 2014 Forest Hills Drive just three weeks after it was announced, the North Carolina rapper managed to parlay his near-surprise third album into a fruitful year, despite the LP’s counterintuitive promotion. There were no singles or guest verses accompanying the set, yet this deeply personal collection — named after the address of Cole’s childhood home in Fayetteville — still debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making the MC one of six acts to top the tally with their first three studio full-lengths. Cole, who was also featured on Janet Jackson’s comeback single “No Sleeep,” spent a good part of the year on the road and, in September, saw…

Sam Smith Pair the 2015 best new artist’s jewel-tone suit and sleek basics with his signature cross studs and a James Bond watch 1 EDDIE BORGO Compass studs, $100; eddieborgo.com. 2 BOGLIOLI wool and cashmere blazer, $995; mrporter.com. 3 EMMA WILLIS shirt, $370; emmawillis.com. 4 BURBERRY wingtip brogues, $750; burberry.com. 5 OMEGA Planet Ocean Seamaster watch, $6,200; omegawatches.com. Beyoncé The R&B singer proved black and white equals high impact, with a sleek jumpsuit and geometric jewelry in 2013 1 ROLAND MOURET Lilyvick contrast one-shoulder gown, $2,286; saks.com. 2 VALENTINO check-enameled clutch, $1,827; valentino.com. 3 BIONDA CASTANA lace-up pumps, $600; farfetch.com. 4 MONIQUE PEAN fossilized wooly mammoth, black jade and diamond ring, $11,740; moniquepean.com. Taylor Swift Go for baroque with opulent, gilded jewelry, embroidery and beading, like the pop star did…

The Newbies TEGAN & SARA The indie pop act (and twin sisters) have lived in Los Angeles since April, with Tegan residing downtown and Sara in Silver Lake Watering Hole Club Tee Gee (3210 Glendale Blvd.) “Cash-only with great leather booths and a real ‘untouched for 50 years’ vibe,” says Sara Quin. Foodie Haven Bestia (bestiala.com, 2121 E. Seventh Place) “I fantasize about the mussels and clams to the point of obsession,” says Sara. Caffeine Jolt Intelligentsia (intelligentsiacoffee.com, 3922 Sunset Blvd.) “If you’re a lingerer, no one will bat an eye,” says Tegan Quin. Locals Only Grand Central Market (grandcentralmarket.com, 317 S. Broadway) “Wander through the street vendors and multigenerational families on the sidewalks,” says Sara. Cultural Palette Cleanse LACMA (lacma.org, 5905 Wilshire Blvd.) “The James Turrell light installation is…

Sound & Color ALABAMA SHAKES PRODUCERS Alabama Shakes, Blake Mills ENGINEER/MIXER Shawn Everett MASTERING ENGINEER Bob Ludwig LABEL ATO Records Alabama Shakes may be perceived as an underdog in the album category, with a lower commercial profile this week on the Billboard 200 than the group’s four competitors. But a prefix like “under” hardly seems relevant in the face of Brittany Howard’s overpowering vocals. Those alone might not have merited the rootsleaning band a nod in what is arguably the Grammys’ most prestigious category, but the group transcended genre with the sonic leap of Sound & Color. It’s no wonder that Blake Mills received a nomination for producer of the year and Shawn Everett and Bob Ludwig are up for engineering. Although the album’s No. 1 bow on the Billboard…

COURTNEY BARNETT One of the few independent singer-songwriters ever to be nominated in this category, Barnett — a dry-witted DIY rocker — closes a breakout year with her first Grammy nod. Following a string of EPs, the Sydney native released her brazen full-length debut, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, in March — on Mom & Pop and her own Milk Records, which she runs with her girlfriend, musician Jen Cloher. Arriving on the heels of buzz-building performances at the CMJ and South by Southwest festivals, the LP crowned the Top Rock Albums and Independent Albums charts and set off a nonstop tour that yielded slots at Pitchfork, Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza. The deadpan 28-year-old also appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Tonight Show Starring…

Best Rock Album Chaos And The Calm JAMES BAY LABEL Republic Records This soul-baring U.K. singersongwriter may not yet be a U.S. household name, but Bay should be recognizable at the Grammys; he’s known for always wearing a wide-brimmed hat over his long hair. In February, Bay took Critics’ Choice plaudits at the Brit Awards (past winners: Adele, Sam Smith). Chaos and the Calm, the best-selling U.K. debut album of 2015, has been slower to catch on in the United States, peaking at No. 15 on the Billboard 200. Still, it was produced (in Nashville) by Jacquire King, who has won Grammys with Kings of Leon, Buddy Guy and Tom Waits, and Bay also has been nominated as best new artist, while his earnest, brisk “Hold Back the River” is…

Best Country Album Montevallo SAM HUNT LABEL MCA Nashville Hunt may have confirmed the end of country’s “hat act” era, eschewing not just Stetsons but also the ball caps of bro-country for his own suave style. That goes for his sound, too, with a romantic hip-hop influence that helped his late-2014 debut album, Montevallo, hit No. 1 on Top Country Albums. The album has spawned three Hot Country Songs No. 1s, including the 11-week leader “Take Your Time.” Pain Killer LITTLE BIG TOWN LABEL Capitol Records Nashville Country’s favorite coed vocal quartet previewed its sixth album with “Day Drinking,” a party single that narrowly missed becoming a No. 1 Country Airplay hit like the raucous “Pontoon” had before it. Then came “Girl Crush,” an almost ’50s-styled ballad with 21st-century sensuality…

Skin Care: Lancer Dermatology Pop into Dr. Harold Lancer’s Rodeo Drive digs for the Red Carpet Flash Facial (starts at $400), a mix of vitamins, collagen and oxygen that lifts and hydrates skin without leaving it red or splotchy. Jennifer Lopez and Beyoncé have enlisted his services. lancerskincare.com Menswear: Mohawk Man Browse sharply tailored suits by Dries Van Noten and Issey Miyake, wool felt toppers by SuperDuper and Scha, or grooming goods by Baxter of California at this essential men’s shop. Need help? Owner Kevin Carney is on-site to help find your perfect fit. mohawkgeneralstore.com Glam: Striiike Book the Lucky Striiike (starts at $500) at this Beverly Hills beauty studio and watch the famed Streicher sisters work their magic in a triple-duty primp sesh that features feathered brows, a blowout…

Aim For Alternate Drop-Offs “At the Staples Center, what you’ve got to pay attention to is that certain areas will be blocked off for the limos and red carpet. Last year, I dropped off [a client] on Olympic Boulevard by the JW Marriott Hotel. There’s a walkway that goes down by Nokia Theater and right to Staples. They were happy that I got them that close.” Always Call “Walk a few blocks away from the most congested area and then request a car. Then, call the driver and tell them exactly where you are. Make sure you’re ready to go because there are a lot of one-way streets downtown. If a car doesn’t see you and has to go around the block, it could take an extra 20-30 minutes.” Trim…