Tune Talk: Weekly Music News

Hey! It's Cookie O'Clock, and you’re tuning into another delightful episode of "Tune Talk: Weekly Music News". I'm Brooke, your guide to the most rhythmically riveting week in music. We've got a vibrant playlist of album releases, industry buzz, and juicy bits from the celebrity scene. So, grab your headphones and let’s spin those tunes!

This week, music lovers, we’ve been hit with a tidal wave of new albums across various genres. Imagine the diversity here! First on the spin, SEVENTEEN gave us "HAPPY BURSTDAY" on May 26th—guaranteed to add a pop to your playlists. If you're searching for something fresh, dive into 54 Ultra’s "First Works EP" or elevate your vibes with Seun Kuti's powerful "Heavier Yet (Lays The Crownless Head)", both hitting our ears on May 28th.

Speaking of lifting spirits, May 29th seems to have been quite the day with BORJA's "cuando coincidimos", Pry’s ethereal "Wrapped In Plastic", Ryan Castro’s dance-worthy "SENDÉ", and Verraco's rhythmic "Basic Maneuvers EP" all sharing the limelight. Aesop Rock enters the scene on May 30th with the intriguingly titled "Black Hole Superette", while Alan Sparhawk of Low teamed up with Trampled by Turtles for an album that strums right into our hearts.

And hold on, there’s more! Kathryn Joseph’s hauntingly beautiful "WE WERE MADE PREY", The Minus 5’s creatively titled "Oar On, Penelope!", and SAVAK’s punchy "SQUAWK!" have made May a music hubbub to remember. An overwhelming number of 485 releases, including singles and EPs, filled up the shelves this week. It’s enough to make even the most passionate music fan's ears tingle with excitement!

Looking forward to early June, get your party hats ready because Lil Wayne is gearing up to unleash "Tha Carter VI" on June 6th, featuring a star-studded crew, including the likes of MGK and Billie Eilish. Just imagine the collabs! Young Thug’s "UY Scuti" and Bas’s intriguing team-up with The Hics for "Melanchronica" promise to be June’s melodic fireworks.

Switching keys for a second to the classical side, the reigning champions of tranquility—Jean-Michel Blais and Lara Somogyi—hold strong at No. 1 with "Desert". Meanwhile, Stephen Hough dances delicately with "Chopin: The Complete Waltzes" in second place, and Yuja Wang alongside the Boston Symphony Orchestra climbs up to an impressive third with "Shostakovich: Piano Concertos". Josh Groban’s "Gems" definitely brought some sparkle, landing him in the Top Five.

Time for some backstage tea in industry news! SoundCloud found itself under the spotlight after concerns that artists' music was being used to feed AI without singing a consent tune. They’ve updated their fine print, allowing artists to opt out—though clearer policies are on the wishlist. Over at Spotify, they’ve been playing around with smarter personalization and deeper algorithms—making your playlist their tasty lab experiment.

TikTok is vibing hard, promoting albums from K-pop to Rock. And on the tech side, Grammy winner Poo Bear launched TTIKR—an app that promises to be all about the creators. Meanwhile, British artists boogied their way to over $1 billion on Spotify last year. And YouTube hit a high note, agreeing with South Korea on a music bundling investigation, plus paying a whopping $12 billion to rightsholders so far with Content ID.

In the world of ticketing, the House has passed the Ticket Act to curtail those shocking surprise fees. And our beloved Paul McCartney, Dua Lipa, and Elton John are urging everyone to be transparent about AI’s role in music over in the UK.

So, my music-loving companions, thanks for tuning in to "Tune Talk: Weekly Music News." Keep those ears open and hearts resonating as your favorite artists drop the beats. Until next time, keep the music loud, and remember—it’s always Cookie O’Clock here! Stay tuned, stay musical.