OHMYGOSSIP — Kesha just wants to spend 2017 releasing new music.
The ‘Tik Tok’ hitmaker is fully focused on relaunching her music career after dropping her lawsuit against Dr. Luke – who she claimed sexually assaulted her – and fulfilling her contractual obligations to the producer’s label Kemosabe by submitting 28 new songs.
Kesha has been working on an emotional duet with a mystery collaborator, which made them both cry “happy tears”.
The 29-year-old pop star has penned a heartfelt message to her fans about her horrible year and how she aims to “forever fight” to be able to release the songs she’s been working on.
Alongside a black and white picture of the star slumped in bed, she wrote on Instagram: “Just got back a mix of me and someone singing a duet crying happy tears never in my life imagined this dream could ever actually come true …. please pray one day y’all can hear this music. it’s the most vulnerable and honest I have ever been to myself and it’s literally documenting me growing up. I cannot wait and will forever fight for u to hear it. merry everything and happy every day and thank you for not abandoning me while I fight the good fight. I just want to make art. and let you hear it. that’s all I want for Christmas. and my New Years resolution is to finish my record and give it to you. thank you animals. love y’all. (sic)”
The blonde beauty previously revealed she has been recording a “f**k off” song with a Grammy Award-winning artist, and has since taken to Twitter to share an update.
She wrote: “to the studio with a friend hope he wins the Grammy for producer of the year this year!!!! #secretawesomesongs (sic)”
Kesha’s last track, ‘True Colors’, was recorded with Zedd and came out after a judge ruled she could not be released from her recording contract with Dr. Luke.
She signed a contract with Dr. Luke – who has denied all the allegations of abuse – for five albums in 2005 and has so far released just two, with the most recent, ‘Warrior’, coming out in 2012.
Until she delivered her final three LPs, Kesha could have remained locked in the contract for life.
Although she has now submitted the required 28 songs, the studio wizard – whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald – may not necessarily release them, if they are not deemed commercially satisfactory.
However, Kesha and her team could provide any failure to make the tracks available as proof Sony and Luke are refusing to release her music.

Find more OHMYGOSSIP Music news HERE

OHMYGOSSIP — Kasabian have announced their first tour dates for 2017.
The rock band – consisting of Tom Meighan, Sergio Pizzorno, Chris Edwards, and Ian Matthews – took to Twitter on Thursday (22.12.16) to announce a string of dates in Italy in July 2017.
The ‘Fire’ hitmakers will play a headline show in the city of Taormina on July 19, before heading off to perform at festivals in the capital Rome, on July 21, and in Lucca on July 23.
At present, the band are working on a followup to their 2014 hit album ’48:13′, and the new shows will mark some of the first in which fans will likely get to sample some of the material to be featured on the new album.
When asked last month about the band’s activity, a spokesperson simply said: “The band are currently finishing their new album.”
Despite having only announced three shows so far, it is expected that a larger European tour – including a UK leg – is in the pipeline and will be announced soon.
However, fans expecting the same electronic sound that was present on ’48:13′ will likely be disappointed with any new material the ‘Eez-Eh’ musicians have to offer, as they previously said they were planning on returning to their roots and write a guitar album.
Frontman Tom said: “I said to Serge, ‘Let’s go back to our roots, let’s go back to guitars.’ He said, ‘That’s what I’ve done.’ He played me the demos and I was like, ‘F***ing hell! That’s great that is.’ It’s nothing like ‘48.13’, there’s not f***ing interludes or any of that s**t.”
It was also rumoured earlier this year that Kasabian would be headlining the famous Glastonbury festival – after they wowed crowds in 2014 – although nothing has been confirmed as of yet.
Tickets for the three Italian shows go on sale at 9am on Friday (23.12.16)
Kasabian’s 2017 tour dates:
Jul 19 – Taormina, Italy – Teatro Antico
Jul 21 – Rome, Italy – Postepay Sound Rock in Roma at Capannelle Hippodrome
Jul 23 – Lucca, Italy – Lucca Summer Festival

Find more OHMYGOSSIP Music news HERE

OHMYGOSSIP — Adele and Beyoncé are both set to perform at the 2017 Grammy Awards.
The R&B superstar and ‘Hello’ hitmaker will go head-to-head in the categories for Album of The Year, Record of The Year and Song of The Year and Grammy producer Ken Ehrlich is confident both will perform on the night.
He told Billboard: “Very few people say no to the Grammys. Over all of the years I’ve been doing the show, there have been [only] three or four acts who’ve actually said no.
“But I can tell you that Adele and Beyoncé are not two of them. We have every anticipation that both of them will be with us in February. We love a good horse race. It’s a fine line: We love the competition aspect of it, but it’s really more – here’s the cliché – the family of music. I don’t know how many of those three categories they’re in together that we’ll announce during the telecast, but we’ll probably come pretty close. When you can start with that as a foundation for a show, you’re in pretty good shape.”
And Universal Music Publishing Group chairman/CEO Jody Gerson has praised both stars for being in control of their own careers.
He explained: “The difference this year, compared to others, is that Beyoncé and Adele are both women controlling their careers. In years past, the women who have been nominated probably were A&R’d by men who told them what songs to sing, and men who wrote the songs for them and then asked them to go into the studio and kill it vocally. These two iconic superstars control their own destinies. They’re not ‘divas.’ I think that was [the term] of the time. It’s strange to me that VH1 still does it, because I don’t know if that’s how I would describe any woman. I wouldn’t describe Beyoncé as a ‘diva.’ She is fierce, as is Adele.”
Meanwhile, Adele’s ‘Hello’ co-writer and producer, Greg Kurstin, revealed the pair celebrated her nominations with champagne.
Greg said: “We actually saw each other and had a little champagne. You just never know how anything is going to go. I was so nervous the night before. But then I woke up to the good news.”

Find more OHMYGOSSIP Music news HERE

OHMYGOSSIP — Shawn Mendes is to release a live album of recordings from his show at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
The ‘Treat You Better’ hitmaker is giving his fans an early Christmas present by dropping the new record ‘Live At Madison Square Garden’, comprised of live tracks from the 18-year-old Canadian hunk’s one-night-only live concert, which took place on September 10.
The compilation includes the hit songs ‘Mercy’, ‘Stitches’ and ‘Life Of The Party’ and special medleys.
Meanwhile, Shawn recently revealed he is planning on hitting the studio with his new best friend, One Direction’s Niall Horan.
Asked if they plan on collaborating, he recently said: “Yes, definitely, it will. Eventually when we get time. I met him for the first time the other day, but it’s funny because we felt like we knew each other because we were talking back and forth for a long time. But yeah, when we get the chance, I’d love to write with him. I think he’s incredible. He’s got this great, great vibe happening with this whole acoustic thing so I think I really want to get involved with it, if he is down. Which he is, I think.”
‘Live At Madison Square Garden’ will be released on Friday (23.12.16).
It comes ahead of the pop hunk’s upcoming UK arena tour, which seems him play two nights at The O2 in London on June 1 and June 2, 2017.
The full tracklist for ‘Live At Madison Square Garden’ is as follows:
Live at Madison Square Garden Track Listing:
01. ‘The Weight’ (Live)
02. ‘Treat You Better’ (Live)
03. ‘Lights On’ (Live)
04.’I Don’t Even Know Your Name’, ‘Aftertaste’, ‘Kid In Love’ & ‘I Want You Back’ (Live Medley)
05. ‘Bad Reputation’ (Live)
06. ‘Ruin’ (Live)
07. ‘Life of The Party’ (Live)
08. ‘Three Empty Words’ (Live)
09. ‘Don’t Be A Fool’ (Live)
10. ‘Mercy’ (Live)
11. ‘Never Be Alone’ & ‘Hey There Delilah’ (Live Medley)
12. ‘Stitches’ (Live)

Find more OHMYGOSSIP Music news HERE

OHMYGOSSIP — Royal Blood have teased their second album with a cryptic trailer.
The ‘Figure It Out’ rock duo posted a 17-second video clip of 27-year-old frontman Mike Kerr – who is joined by drummer Ben Thatcher in the group – getting tattooed with the year 2017 inked on his arm, leading fans to predict they are to drop their eagerly-awaited follow-up to their 2014 self-titled debut in the new year.
Alongside the teaser posted on their Facebook page, they simply wrote: “2017.”
The ‘Little Monster’ hitmakers last gave an update on their next record in October 2015, when they revealed they’d built a mini recording studio inside their tour bus, whilst also admitting they won’t release new music until it “sounds amazing”.
Mike previously said: “I built a studio in the back of our bus.
“It’s very hard to write when everything keeps falling over because the driver’s taken a massive corner. It was our writing den – we’d have Clint Eastwood movies playing with the volume down.”
And, although the record has been a long time coming the band did share new track, ‘Hook, Line and Sinker’, which they debuted live at Reading Festival in August, a song which drummer Ben, 28, admitted is “the weirdest song” they’d written at the time.
He said: “I think that song came about a few months before Reading. We were so desperate to play it, so we did. The writing process really has just begun.
“Maybe that’s like, the weirdest song on the record, I don’t know yet – It’s hard to say.”

Find more OHMYGOSSIP Music news HERE

OHMYGOSSIP — Blink-182’s forthcoming deluxe edition of ‘California’ contains “a whole other album” of unreleased music.
The pop punk trio – comprised of Mark Hoppus, Matt Skiba and Travis Barker – will treat their fans to some “great songs”, which were made during the recording process of their seventh studio LP, but didn’t make the standard edition, and new tracks featuring a more electronic sound that were freshly recorded.
The ‘All The Small Things’ rock band’s bassist-and-vocalist, Mark Hoppus told Billboard: “It’s almost, it’s more than a whole other record, it’s a double album at this point and it’s more of an extension of what we did in the studio earlier this year.
“Some of the songs were songs that we did not put on the first album, but are great songs.
“And some are brand new songs that we just wrote last week, a lot of high-energy songs, punk rock, some ballad-y songs, a little more electronic experimentation, it’s a good mix.
“It’s not a collection throwaway songs, it’s like a whole other album.”
‘California’ was written without their long-time guitarist Tom DeLonge – who has been replaced in the band by Matt Skiba of Alkaline – and speaking about the change in lineup in a new documentary, bassist Mark Hoppus revealed the musician was the only viable choice.
He said: “The only person we talked about coming and playing our shows was Matt. The reception to Matt was amazing, overwhelming. People were chanting his name before we even came out and played.”
Meanwhile, Blink will be heading to the UK next July with a 10-date run of shows kicking off at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena on July 3 and finishing up at The O2 in London on July 19.

Find more OHMYGOSSIP Music news HERE

OHMYGOSSIP — Robbie Williams admits a “lot of neuroses” have gone into making his latest album.
The 42-year-old singer recently made a comeback with his new record ‘The Heavy Entertainment Show’ but says he felt under enormous pressure to ensure it was a hit.
He told The Sun: “There’s been a lot of neuroses that have gone into the making of this album: ‘I must find a hit from somewhere or else everybody dies.’ That’s what it’s felt like.
“I’ve been working really hard. I’m a working daddy. I have a purpose, I’ve been doing it all for the kids.”
And Robbie recently admitted to feeling “burnt out” after going on an extensive promotional tour for his new record.
He said: “I’m a bit burnt out, to be honest with you. Listen, I’m having the best time. My job is absolutely amazing … I’m loving my job, I’m loving my life. But I’ve been mega busy.
“I was in Australia two minutes ago, then Spain then Germany and I’ve been talking about myself and singing at people. And when ‘Rock DJ’ came on I was like ‘Oh my God, there’s nothing in the tank.'”
Robbie has also claimed he contacted the producers behind the ‘Carpool Karaoke’ segment of James Corden’s American late night talk show but has yet to receive a call back as he’s “not famous” in America.
He said: “I suppose you have to be famous in America to do ‘Carpool’. I’m not famous there. I’m yet to tick that box.
“James hasn’t got back to me about doing ‘Carpool Karaoke’ yet. It does need to happen.”

Find more OHMYGOSSIP Music news HERE

OHMYGOSSIP — Bjork has penned an emotional Facebook post about sexism in the music industry.
The 51-year-old singer took to the social media website on Wednesday (21.12.16) to share the lengthy post which discussed how female music artists are only “allowed” to sing music “about their boyfriends”.
Writing on the site, the ‘It’s Oh So Quiet’ hitmaker said: “women in music are allowed to be singer songwriters singing about their boyfriends . if they change the subject matter to atoms , galaxies , activism , nerdy math beat editing or anything else than being performers singing about their loved ones they get criticized : journalists feel there is just something missing … as if our only lingo is emo … (sic)”
The controversial singer went on to state that whilst she has written songs that break away from the mould, she didn’t get “full acceptance from the media” until she released the 2015 album ‘Vulnicura’, as that “shared a heartbreak”.
She continued: “i made ‘volta’ and ‘biophilia’ conscious of the fact that these were not subjects females usually write about . i felt i had earned it . on the activist ‘volta’ i sang about pregnant suicide bombers and for the independence of faroe islands and greenland . on the pedagogic ‘biophilia’ i sang about galaxies and atoms but it wasnt until ‘vulnicura’ where i shared a heartbreak i got full acceptance from the media . men are allowed to go from subject to subject , do sci fi , period pieces , be slapstick and humorous , be music nerds getting lost in sculpting soundscapes but not women . if we dont cut our chest open and bleed about the men and children in our lives we are cheating our audience . (sic)”
But the ‘Army of Me’ singer is determined to make a change going into 2017, and has urged people to support the “right to variety” for female musicians.
She closed the post by saying: “lets make 2017 the year where we fully make the transformation !!! !!! the right to variety for all the girls out there !!! onwards merry christmas björk (sic)”

Find more OHMYGOSSIP Music news HERE

OHMYGOSSIP — Haim have collaborated with former Vampire Weekend member Rostam Batmanglij on their new album.
The pop rock trio – comprised of sisters, Este, Danielle and Alana Haim – have given an update on their hotly-anticipated second studio LP and revealed they are working with the ‘Oxford Comma’ hitmaker and coveted producer Ariel Rechtshaid, famed for his work with the likes of Madonna and Sky Ferreira, who is co-producing the record with the three girls.
Alana, 25, has defended their decision to only have two collaborators on their follow-up to 2013’s ‘Days Are Gone’.
She said: “There’s a lot of cooks in the kitchen anyway.
“There’s three perfectionist in our band, and to add anymore people would be too much of a party.”
The ‘Don’t Save Me’ hitmakers plan on releasing their sophomore album in the summer of 2017, as they want to ensure they are happy with each track.
Explaining the record’s delay, Alana told Entertainment Weekly: “We write everything, we play everything, and we help produce everything.
“These things take time, and we refuse to put out anything we’re not 100 percent in love with.”
The girls are thrilled for their fans to hear the new stuff and Alana teased that they can expect something very special.
She added: “To get to ‘Days Are Gone’, it took us seven years. We are super excited for the next chapter, to just tour our hearts out and really hit the ground running in 2017.
“You don’t even know what’s coming for you. I’m warning you. You. Don’t. Even. Know.”
Haim were forced to abandon nine shows, including sets in at Reading and Leeds Festivals earlier this year, in order to complete the forthcoming album.
Taking to Facebook at the time, the band wrote: “We’d hoped to be done with recording but as it turns out, we’re at a critical point of finishing up and need to stay close to home until it’s complete. Unfortunately we need to cancel our European performances including Way Out West, Tivoli, Frequency, Krakow, Zurich Openair, Reading and Leeds, and Electric Picnic. We hate to disappoint you guys that had plans to come see us and promise we’ll be back in the near future to share our new music with you.”

Find more OHMYGOSSIP Music news HERE

OHMYGOSSIP — The Lumineers are donating money made from their cover of ‘Blue Christmas’ to the environmental charity Cool Earth.
The ‘Hey Ho’ rockers – comprised of Wesley Schultz, Jeremiah Fraites, Neyla Pekarek, Stelth Ulvang and Byron Isaacs – will give every dollar made from the festive tune – famously covered by Willie Nelson in 1979 and originally penned by Elvis Presley – to the award-winning organisation, which works with indigenous rainforest communities across the globe to halt deforestation.
The band’s founder, Wesley Schultz said: “I grew up listening to Willie Nelson’s Xmas album ‘Pretty Paper’ and this was always my favourite song on it. Of any Christmas song out there, this one stands out to me as a truly good song, Christmas or not. All proceeds from our cover will be donated to Cool Earth, an organisation that works alongside indigenous villages to halt rainforest destruction.”
And Cool Earth’s Director, Matthew Owen added: “We were humbled and thrilled that such a fantastic band is supporting our work. The generosity of The Lumineers and their fans means that we’ll be able to protect more trees than ever before in 2017.”
The Lumineers were recently announced as the support for Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers alongside Stevie Nicks at British Summer Time Hyde Park in 2017 on July 9.
The ‘I Won’t Back Down’ hitmaker will be joined by his band mates, the Fleetwood Mac singer and Lumineers as they celebrate four decades as a band with their only UK performance of 2017, and a rare one at that, as it is only the second time they’ve played in 18 years, following a triumphant performance at the Isle of Wight Festival in 2012 and two sold-out shows at the Royal Albert Hall.
The Lumineers’ cover of ‘Blue Christmas’ is out now on iTunes.

Find more OHMYGOSSIP Music news HERE

OHMYGOSSIP — Chance the Rapper’s “favourite moment” of 2016 was getting to perform a tribute to the late great Muhammad Ali.
The ‘No Problem’ hitmaker looked up to the boxing legend – who tragically passed away earlier this month
at the age of 74 from septic shock – as a father figure and so getting to perform a song in his honour at the ESPY Awards earlier this year was a huge deal.
Speaking to Huw Stephens on BBC Radio 1, the Chicago-born MC – whose real name is Chancellor Bennett – shared: “This whole year has been amazing. My favourite moment is playing a tribute to Mohammad Ali.
“Muhammad Ali was kind of like my dad, I likened him a lot to him, so it hit me really hard when he passed away. 2016 has been a heart-heavy year.”
The 23-year-old rapper – who released his critically-acclaimed album ‘Coloring Book’ on May 13 – described the tribute as the “only redeeming factor” in a year of “weird legislation and elections”.
He added: “My favourite moment was playing the ESPYs.
“2016, let’s be honest, it kind of sucked, a lot of legends passed away.”
Meanwhile, Chance said his only regret is not being able to marry British singer Jessie Ware, who he met backstage at Glastonbury with Sam Smith.
He said: “That was the day I met Jessie Ware, who is the most gorgeous woman in the entire world, no joke.
“She is one of the nicest people I have ever met and she just got engaged a couple of months earlier and, honestly, one of my biggest regrets is being as young as I am and not being able to marry Jessie Ware.”

Find more OHMYGOSSIP Music news HERE

OHMYGOSSIP — St. Vincent has revealed her 2017 album will be her “deepest, boldest work” yet.
The 34-year-old singer/songwriter – whose real name is Annie Clark – is set to drop her as-yet untitled record, a follow-up to her 2014 self-titled fourth studio album, this spring and has warned fans to expect a political element to her new music.
She said: “I’ve been able to step back and reflect and not just be in the tour, record, tour, record cycle that I’ve been in for about 10 years.
“I think it’ll be the deepest, boldest work I’ve ever done.
“I feel the playing field is really open for creative people to do whatever you want, and that risk will be rewarded — especially now that we have such high stakes from a political and geo-political standpoint.
“The personal is political and therefore the political can’t help but influence the art. And only music that has something pretty real to say is gonna cut the mustard.”
The ‘Digital Witness’ hitmaker knew from a young age she was destined to be a musician, but suffered a setback when she dropped out of Berklee College of Music, where she studied theory and performance, which left her “depressed”.
She added to Guitar World magazine: “Since I was a five-year-old kid I knew I was going to play music. I was just going to do it.
“So when I had to move back home after dropping out of college it was depression that I had never felt in my life. Like, Oh, I’m a failure. This was not part of the plan.
“Guitar was one of those things, those callings.
“It just hit me. I would draw guitars, and make guitars, when I was five years old. I was completely obsessed with the shape. I loved it. I was in love with it even before I started to play it.”

Find more OHMYGOSSIP Music news HERE

OHMYGOSSIP — Snoop Dogg will feature on Charlie Wilson’s next album.
The 63-year-old singer, songwriter and producer is preparing for the release of ‘In It To Win It’ in February 2017 and he has collaborated with a number of stars including Snoop Dogg, Lalah Hathaway and T.I. on the record.
Charlie and T.I. will also release a new single, ‘I’m Blessed’.
He said: “‘I’m Blessed’ says exactly where I am in my life, blessed to still be making music that people want to hear. 2016 has been a tough year for so many people around the world and I am proud to release a song that reminds us that we can all find some blessings in our lives.”
Meanwhile, Snoop recently slammed Kanye West for ranting on stage.
The 45-year-old rapper took to social media to slam the 39-year-old musician – who has three-year-old daughter North and 12-month-old son Saint with his wife Kim Kardashian West – for constantly venting about fellow artists.
Speaking in a clip, which sees Snoop give a running commentary whilst listening to Kanye’s speech in the background, the ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot’ hitmaker said: “This n****r crazy. Have you heard this n****r diss a n****r onstage? This n****r crazier than the s**t I got on my head.
“That n****r crazy. I can’t believe he’s still talking. He picked the wrong night to vent like that, them Sacramento n****rs ain’t feeling that s**t.
“He was talking that weird a*s s**t. That’s just my thoughts.
“I smoke weed. Weed don’t make you do that. What the f**k is he on?”

Find more OHMYGOSSIP Music news HERE

OHMYGOSSIP — Glastonbury Festival could be moving to the Midlands once every five years from 2019.
The annual music extravaganza’s organiser, 80-year-old Michael Eavis, is currently working out the logistics to move the event to a new site “towards the Midlands” every five years so that his farmland can recover.
However, he doesn’t want it to be a permanent move as he feels it would be a “huge loss” to the Somerset site in South West England.
He told BBC News: “I’m arranging to move the show [but] it would be a huge loss to Somerset if it went there forever.
“We’ve got a wonderful product, what we do, and we can do it almost anywhere.
“I love my own farm … I might have to move it eventually.
“Most people are on side now and it’s a wonderful, wonderful boost for the whole of Somerset and beyond as well. I don’t want to lose it forever, no way.”
It comes after Eavis addressed rumours it was to be held at Longleat a short distance away at the 9,000 acre stately home estate in Wiltshire by 2019.
However, the owners of Longleat, Viscount and Viscountess Weymouth, turned Eavis down as they are worried there would be ‘too much mud’ to clean up, it was previously reported.
Michael previously stressed any move would only be for one year.
He added: “That’s its home, that is probably the best place for it, Pilton is.
“Worthy Farm is very warm, it’s full of atmosphere and character and history as well.
“But I really do need an alternative site, no doubt about it.”
And he admitted he was worried that the future of the festival is “unsafe” while they have no confirmed site.
He said: “It really worries me it keeps me awake at night worrying that we won’t have anywhere else to go for the event because it’s so successful and so huge and people love it so much. It’s a bit unsafe at the moment.”
So far the only confirmed headliners are Radiohead and Ed Sheeran and the Foo Fighters are said to be the final headliners, although it’s yet to be confirmed.

Find more OHMYGOSSIP Music news HERE

OHMYGOSSIP — Red Hot Chili Peppers have postponed their Dublin shows due to frontman Anthony Kiedis suffering from flu.
The ‘By The Way’ rockers – also comprised of Flea, Chad Smith and Josh Klinghoffer – were due to perform at the Irish Capital’s 3Arena on Tuesday (20.12.16) and Wednesday (21.12.16), but have put the shows on hold until the new year so that the 54-year-old rocker can get better.
In a statement, released via promoters MCD, the band said: “We are so sorry that we cannot come to Dublin as planned for the next few days.
“Anthony has been fighting off the flu all week and after the show last night (18.12.16) it was clear that he has to stop touring and recover, hence the decision to push back the shows to next year.”
In May, the rock group had to pull out of their KROQ Weenie Roast headlining slot at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre in Irvine, California, and their planned performance for iHeartRadio after Anthony was rushed to hospital by ambulance with “extreme stomach pains”.
The band’s drummer Chad Smith revealed the medical emergency was “really scary”, but said Anthony was “on the mend”.
At the time, Chad said: “His stomach was killing him (and) It was really scary. So we went directly to the hospital and we were really upset we couldn’t play for the fans, but also more worried about him. I really appreciate all the well wishes. People sent so much stuff.”

Find more OHMYGOSSIP Music news HERE

OHMYGOSSIP — Nina Simone and Sly Stone are among those to receive the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement gong at the 2017 Grammys Special Merit Awards.
The 70-year-old soul singer – who is best known for the 1965 classic ‘Feeling Good’ – will bestowed with the honour along with the 73-year-old ‘Dance to the Music’ hitmaker, made famous as the frontman for Sly and the Family Stone, and ‘Sunday Morning’ rockers, The Velvet Underground.
Stone has been honoured for playing “a critical role in the development of soul, funk, rock, and psychedelia.”
On honouring Velvet Underground, the Recording Academy wrote: “Despite a relatively brief lifespan and limited commercial success, the Velvet Underground are now recognised as one of the most influential rock bands of all time. Comprising Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, and Maureen ‘Moe’ Tucker, the band was, perhaps, ahead of their time, both visually and sonically. Often dubbed the quintessential proto-punk band, they’ve continued to be the benchmark for countless modern-rock movements over the past 50 years.”
Elsewhere, Gospel star Shirley Caesar, jazz musician Ahmad Jamal, rocker Charley Pride and country legend Jimmie Rodgers will also be the recipient of the prestigious accolade, which recognises artists who have achieved a “timeless legacy”.
Neil Portnow, the Recording Academy President and CEO, said: “This year’s Special Merit Awards recipients comprise a prestigious group of diverse and influential creators who have crafted or contributed to some of the most distinctive recordings in music history.
“These exceptionally inspiring figures are being honored as legendary performers, creative architects, and technical visionaries. Their outstanding accomplishments and passion for their respective crafts have created a timeless legacy.”
Over the years the likes of Eric Clapton, Dolly Parton, Elvis Costello and more have been handed the Special Merit Award and they have each contributed to a new book by the Recording Academy, titled ‘A Grammy Salute To Music Legends’, which is slated for release on January 1.

Find more OHMYGOSSIP Music news HERE