By Kerry Doole
How the Cranberries’ final album, after the death of Dolores O’Riordan, was completed
Here, world, is your new Cranberries album. The Cranberries are finished. The band was finished the moment their singer, Dolores O’Riordan, died unexpectedly at just 46 years of age in a London hotel room on Jan. 15, 2018, and her friends and bandmates of nearly 30 years knew that instantly. – Ben Rayner, Toronto Star
Review: Just John x Dom Dias chart new ground for Toronto hip-hop on Don III
The rapper/producer duo cover a ton of ground in the third of their EP trilogy, all with a thrilling unpredictability. – Claudia McNeilly, NOW
5 things to know about Pleasures by Dirty Radio
Vancouver production team Dirty Radio is back with more catchy dance beats and are prepping for road time in support of the group’s brand new release, titled Pleasures. – Stuart Derdeyn, Vancouver Sun
Rapper Jae Sterling to build a hip-hop community with National Music Centre residency
The Jamaican-born, Calgary-based hip-hop artist has begun a week-long residency at the National Music Centre. The specific goals are to produce an EP and documentary using the centre’s instruments, studios and engineers while drawing from the city’s often unheralded hip-hop talent. – Eric Volmers, Calgary Herald
Celebrity chefs, glitter bars, makeup artists: How music festivals sweeten VIP experiences
While a feast of rock idols the likes of Aerosmith, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Nickelback dish out epic anthems at the Roxodus music festival this summer, groups of VIP concertgoers will be chowing down on a more lavish experience an earshot away. – David Friend, CP
Hot imports from Sao Paulo and New York, Willcox and Weiss spice up jazzy weekend
“The past informs the future...We've thoroughly immersed ourselves in the tradition, but for any creative musician it's open music full of possibilities, and every day we try to find a new way to do this.” - trumpeter David Weiss. – Roger Levesque, Edmonton Journal
Mission Folk Music Festival headliners will include Beaton-Plasse and Vancouver's Geoff Berner
The festival, now in its 32nd year, will take place July 26-28 at Fraser River Heritage Park in Mission. Things kick off with July 26 with a pay-what-you-can main stage concert spotlighting some of the artists who'll be playing the weekend. – Mike Usinger Georgia straight
Lizzo is coming to Toronto... twice: Just announced
You now have two chances to see the quickly rising singer/rapper. Plus: upcoming concerts from Tame Impala, Kurt Vile, the full CMW lineup and more. – NOW
Lawyer's legacy bringing world-class soprano, quartet to London
A critically acclaimed string quartet and a world-renowned soprano are featured in a concert at London’s Wolf Performance Hall this Sunday. – Joe Belanger, London Free Press
International
Pete Buttigieg: My favorite bands are too ‘dystopian’ to play my inaugural
We caught Buttigieg between campaign stops to talk about Radiohead, garage bands and listening to Pharrell Williams in a war zone. – Alex Pappademas, LA Times
Britney Spears responds to #FreeBritney conspiracy: 'All is well'
Fans were speculating that Spears had been admitted to a mental health facility against her will under the terms of her father’s conservatorship. – Laura Snapes, The Guardian
Def Jam names DJ Mormile, Jeff Burroughs to senior executive team
Both men have worked in the industry for more than two decades. – Chris Eggertsen, Billboard
Grime once again dominates Ivor Novello awards nominations
Politically charged work well represented but female songwriters miss out. – Lanre Bakare, The Guardian
Prince's sister Sharon Nelson accuses Comerica Bank of mismanaging his estate'
If the bank's powers are not curbed, she predicts, "Prince’s estate will be bankrupt by the end of the year.” – Claudia Rosenbaum, Billboard
Spotify removes Blood on the Dance Floor’s catalog following rape allegations
Spotify has removed electro-pop band Blood on the Dance Floor’s catalog following a series of reports in which nearly two dozen women accuse frontman Jesus David Torres of sexual assault. The streaming service explained that the band’s music was removed for violating the platform’s prohibited content policies. – Tosten Burks Spin
New Orleans’ Jazz Fest turns 50, an American institution with humble roots
The event locals refer to simply as “Jazz Fest” is revered by the community at large and among music aficionados of various stripe. It’s the granddaddy of destination music festivals, and nearly unique in being inextricably linked to the culture and community in which it takes place. – Randy Lewis, LA Times
Selena Gomez doesn't want to be called pretty anymore. Here's why
She wants everyone to know she is more than her looks. The actress and singer, 26, opened up about self-acceptance and authenticity on Coach's first-ever episode of their "Dream It Real" podcast Wednesday, which marked Gomez's first in-depth interview of the year. – Cydney Henderson, USA Today
