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SBS Australia
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
Never Tear Us Apart by INXS voted as Australia's favourite song
Aussie power ballad Never Tear Us Apart by 1980s rock royalty INXS has taken out the title of number one song on Triple J's special edition Hottest 100 countdown dedicated to Australian artists. Audiences have been voting for months to reveal Australia's favourite song in the annual countdown that showcases some of the nation's best homegrown music talent. Celebrating on behalf of the band, founding member and drummer Jon Farriss joined the radio station on Saturday night to reflect on the win. "We feel so blessed and we're very grateful," Farriss said. Australian hip hop royalty The Hilltop Hoods came in at number two with their 2003 hit The Nosebleed Section. Queensland pop duo The Veronicas and their 2007 hit Untouched, Missy Higgins' breakout 2004 single Scar and Don't Dream It's Over by Crowded House rounded out the top five. Reflecting on their number three spot, Jess and Lisa Origliasso said for "just two girls from Brisbane", the countdown had brought them to tears. "We're on top of the world right now ... this is such a huge honour for us," Jess Origliasso said. Higgins also joined the radio station, telling presenters she couldn't believe Scar still resonated with Australian audiences more than 20 years since its debut. "I can't quite believe it — I feel like the luckiest person ever," she said moments after the song was played. Missy Higgins says she feels like "the luckiest person ever" after Scar came in at number four. Source: AAP / Joel Carrett The countdown is typically comprised of the best songs of the year from all over the world but the youth station hosted a special mid-year poll dedicated to Aussie artists and tracks to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Belgian-born Australian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Gotye squeezed in to cinch the number 10 spot with his 2011 hit Somebody That I Used To Know. Other notable mentions included Australian music great John Farnham, voted in at number 15 with his 1986 hit You're the Voice. Daryl Braithwaite's The Horses came in at number 30, with Natalie Imbruglia's Torn voted in at 32. More than 2.65 million votes were tallied for the countdown, the station's fourth-largest poll, according to the broadcaster. Eight tracks in the countdown were separated by fewer than 10 votes and only 30 votes separated songs 100 and 101. The countdown kicked off at 10am AEST on Saturday and wrapped at 8pm.
Irish Times
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
You'll Be Alright, Kid by Alex Warren: expressive, exhaustive, angsty man-croon
You'll Be Alright, Kid Artist : Alex Warren Label : Atlantic Alex Warren feels like the culmination of several trends in music. The 24-year-old Californian – best known for his blockbusting power ballad Ordinary – sings in a husky, over-emoted folk-pop style de rigueur among male singers who wish to communicate authenticity while also moving units by the freight-load – think Noah Kahan or Rag'n'Bone Man . These artists have conjured a specific modus of plaid-shirt corporate pop – the backwoods as the main stage, the campfire as the spotlight, sincerity as commodity. Yet for all these commercial trappings Warren's life has been marked with real tragedy. His father died of cancer when Warren was nine, while his mother was an abusive alcoholic who threw her son out of the house when he was 18 before she passed away four years ago. That's a lot of heartache, and he channels it effectively across a sprawling double album marked by a pain that glimmers through the playlist-friendly production. The other component of Warren's success is that he gained internet fame before achieving significant musical success. By the time his mother showed him the door, he had already built an online following courtesy of prank videos with titles such as 'Well that was embarrassing', which saw him amass two million YouTube subscribers. It also primed him for a new level of celebrity when TikTok came along. He duly achieved it when co-founding content creators' collective, Hype-House (with other members including soon-to-be-huge Addison Rae) – which, in turn, spawned a Netflix spin-off. A background like that suggests an artist hungry for overnight fame and willing to do anything to get in. But You'll Be Alright, Kid defies his billing as a TikTok urchin who has blagged his way into a music career. Heavy with angst, burnished with melodrama and propelled by a Hozier/Noah Kahan/Rag'n'Bone man-croon, it's expressive and exhaustive – a blizzard of woe that now and then cuts through the sheen and communicates genuine spiritual turmoil. READ MORE If there's a weakness, it's that the songs often feel like a singular idea revisited from different angles. Warren's vocals stay in the same register, and the tracks all take a more-or-less identical trajectory, where the angst builds and builds and then a dam bursts. In terms of lyrics, he wears his heart on his cuffs, with a storyteller's flair for melodrama and a hint of religious fervour (he is a practising Catholic, and his fan base is fixated by the degree to which his faith informs his writing). The Outside tells the tale of a young person seeking fame only to discover that it is a fruitless chase that leaves you hollowed out inside. 'She moved away when she turned eighteen/In search of home, didn't know what that means,' he sings. 'She thought she'd find it somewhere on the big screen ... Hollywood wasn't all that she thought.' His talent for big moments is showcased throughout the 21-track LP. Typical of that strategy is On My Mind, a Coldplay-esque ballad with backing vocals from Blackpink's Rosé (fresh from her internet slaying get-together with Bruno Mars, APT). [ New Irish albums reviewed: Sons of Southern Ulster, Poor Creature, Darragh Morgan, The Swell Season and California Irish Opens in new window ] There are occasional tweaks to the formula. Bloodline – a collaboration with country rapper Jelly Roll – has the stomping energy of a 16-wheeler with an overheated carburetor. Elsewhere, Troubled Waters lands like a barn dance restaged for the Grammys, while Chasing Shadows is sprinkled with minimal guitar. Warren's mentors have included Ed Sheeran , who has guested with him on live performances of the inescapable Ordinary. However, if he lacks something, it is Sheeran's everyman pop chops. You'll Be Alright, Kid is an agreeably portentous album. But it cries out for a lightness of touch – a sprinkling of pop stardust amid the bombast. It marks Warren as quite the paradox. Behold, the TikTok star who needs to learn how to play to the gallery.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Watch Dolly Parton and Mötley Crüe's New ‘Home Sweet Home' Video
Mötley Crüe and Dolly Parton have teamed up to record a new version of the band's 1985 power ballad 'Home Sweet Home.' The new track appears on their upcoming singles collection From The Beginning, which arrives just in time for the launch of their Las Vegas residency at the Park MGM on September 12. 'For an icon like Dolly Parton to sing on a song that has not only meant so much to us but to all the fans through the years, is a career high that means a lot to us,' Mötley Crüe said in a statement. 'We couldn't be happier to celebrate the 40th anniversary of 'Home Sweet Home' in this special way, and we're excited to share this version of the song with all the Dolly and Mötley fans around the world.' More from Rolling Stone Dolly Parton Will Receive Honorary Oscar at 2025 Governors Awards Dolly Parton Is Still A Diamond In A Rhinestone World - And Her Second Jewelry Collab With Kendra Scott Proves It Sabrina Carpenter Cold-Plunges Before Every Show and 16 Other Things That Didn't Make Our Cover Story They also released a new 'Home Sweet Home' video that mixes with new footage of Parton in the studio with vintage clips of the Crüe, and information about homeless youth and Covenant House. A portion of the proceeds from the song will benefit Covenant House, an organization that aides young people experiencing homelessness. 'That we were able to unite with Dolly to raise awareness for homeless youth and the amazing work of Covenant House, which provides them safe housing and care, makes it even more special,' the band said. 'We hope you'll enjoy 'Home Sweet Home' featuring Dolly Parton as much as Dolly and we enjoyed creating it.' This is far from the first time Dolly Parton has teamed up with rock icons. Her 2023 LP Rockstar featured collaborations with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Sting, Steve Perry, Steven Tyler, Stevie Nicks, Peter Frampton, Joan Jett, Rob Halford, and Simon Le Bon. 'It was an honor and a joy working in the studio on Mötley Crüe's 40th Anniversary re-release of 'Home Sweet Home,'' she said in a statement. 'I was so pleased that they would ask me to sing on such a classic.' Mötley Crüe, meanwhile, have been off the road since October 2024 as Vince Neil recovers from a vocal procedure. It forced them to cancel many shows, and delay their Vegas residency. 'I'm truly sorry,' Neil said in a statement at the time. 'My health is my top priority so I can bring you the awesome shows you deserve, and I can't wait to return to the stage. Thank you for all the well wishes that keep reaching me. Your support means more than you know.' They have ten shows booked at the Park MGM in Vegas between September 12 and October 3. They then head to Riviera Maya, Mexico, on November 7 to play the Rock the Tides Festival on a bill that also includes Def Leppard, Bret Michaels, Extreme, and Living Colour. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked
Forbes
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Sunday Conversation: Nikki Sixx On The Crue Working With Dolly Parton
Motley Crue Motley Crue's 'Home Sweet Home' was, according to Nikki Sixx, intended to be a signature song for the L.A. hard rock icons. Originally released in 1985, the power ballad was their answer to the great '70s rock ballads, like Aerosmith's 'Dream On,' KISS' 'Beth,' Alice Cooper's 'You And Me' or 'Only Women Bleed.' After releasing the fierce Shout At The Devil collection, the Crue was eager to show another side of their music and, like all the bands mentioned above, come up with their anthem. It indeed became a defining song for the band. Forty years later, they are again showing another musical side of the band by brilliantly teaming with Dolly Parton to reinvigorate 'Home Sweet Home' for a new generation and, more importantly, raise money for Covenant House, a cause near to Sixx's heart. I've known Sixx for years, but spurred on by his infectious enthusiasm for getting the privilege to work with Parton – a rock star to all rock stars – and the subjects that prompts, like Johnny Cash, Nashville, the importance of being open to all walks of music, this was, without question, the best interview we have ever had. This was a privilege. Dolly Parton Steve Baltin: Congratulations on taking it to number one 40 years later. Nikki Sixx: It's those surprise things. You write a song, and it means something to you. Then, at least the way I look at, it is once the song is released and it's out, it becomes other people's song. And it means different things to them. What does 'Home Sweet Home' mean? It means so much to so many different people. Everywhere around the world, we play this song and it's an intimate moment where the song means something to everybody. Then Dolly comes on and re-ignites the song in a way that doesn't lose what it's originally all about yet also kind of updates it and working with her is just a career high. Baltin: All artists agree, once you release a song, it is no longer yours, it goes out into the world and evolves. But your relationship with your songs also changes because you grow older, you have different experiences. I imagine your definition of home in 2025 is a hell of a lot different than it was in 1985. So, what does the song mean to you today? Sixx: Dolly looked at me and said, 'I really love these lyrics.' This was one of her husband's Carl's favorite songs. And she goes, in her very sweet southern accent, 'When you're young, you want to get as far away from home as possible. You want to chase those dreams. You want to chase whatever you want to do. And then once you get there, it's the journey getting back to your roots.' I was like, 'No one's ever explained my lyrics to me that clear.' That just touched me on so many levels. Baltin: What a compliment. I remember the whole controversy when she didn't feel she belonged in the Rock Hall, which was hilarious because she's as much of a rock star as anybody in the world. Sixx: I loved that moment when I saw online where she said if she's going to be in the Rock Hall she's got to make a rock record. And I remember I read that at like midnight or something online, and my very first phone call the second I could get a hold of my manager, was like, "I want to play bass on that record." So, I was one of the first people that had reached out. They'd started reaching out, this whole concept, so they had a song ready to go, they sent it out, and I cut the song. I thought, 'Wow, how exciting that I get to be part of Dolly making a rock record. Me and probably 25, 30 other people that really respect her.' Then I got a phone call from 615 area code and I'm like, 'I'm not answering if you're not in my contacts, I'm not going to answer the phone until I could listen to the voice message.' Cause we all get inundated with too many telemarketers and all this stuff. So, after the message was done, I pushed play and it was like, 'Nikki, this is Dolly.' She went on to say how much she loved the bass on the record. So, I missed a phone call from Dolly Parton, I just pushed re-send and she picked up the phone. We had this sweet conversation about everything from songwriting to where she's at as far as touring. At the time she had no plans on doing any kind of live touring. That started this relationship, and my wife has a flower company called Bouquet Box. So, we sent Dolly these flowers from Bouquet Box and her and her friends and I believe her sister all got together and they did this whole DIY flower thing that my wife's been building. Then we started getting more thank yous and we had a great time, so by the time we got around to wanting to do something special with 'Home Sweet Home,' and Dolly's name came up, I was like, 'If all those other things had not happened, it could have been a shot in the dark. It's like calling Paul McCartney. It's like, hey, what are you doing, Paul? You feel like singing 'Home Sweet Home?' But if you have a relationship with her.' So, this relationship started to build in a friendly way. And they reached out and she was a hard yes. That was just a career high. Baltin: I grew up on Motley Crue. Being a kid in the 80s, I was like, 'Oh, I'm a metal kid. I hate this type of music, this type of music, this type of music.' Long story short, I've since realized what an ignorant kid I was as a lot of people are when you're a teenager. It's so funny to think about it because I've never met a rock star who doesn't worship at the altar of Johnny Cash, for example. Sixx: Yes! We were in Nashville with Dolly and you've seen the video where I'm in the studio with her and they're filming and she's in there and I'm like sitting there pinching myself like this kid that came from Idaho on a Greyhound bus with a dream is sitting there and the director goes, "Hey, would you just ask her to sing it one more time.' I'm looking at the talkback button and I'm looking at Dolly and I look at him I go, 'Are you f**king crazy? You want me to ask Dolly to do it one more time? He goes, 'Yeah, just please ask her to do it one more time.' I'm like, 'Well, there's only one way around this.' So I go, 'Hey Dolly. Could you sing that eight more times for me?" And she goes, "Well, absolutely." And then I turn around and her manager, Danny, looks at me and goes, 'She will outwork everybody in this building. She'll be the last person here and she won't leave until it's perfect.' Then we did all these takes together. And the kid inside of me is going, 'What the f**k is happening? I'm hanging out with Dolly Parton' She makes it so easy, that's why I think also why so many people adore her, you know, she makes you feel like the biggest star in the room. Baltin: You've had so much success. But when you get the respect of your peers and especially peers that you admire, it means more than anything in the world. Sixx: And the amount of songs that woman has written, I think it's like 5,000 songs. It's unbelievable. We were talking about songwriting, and she says she gets up between two and three in the morning. She likes that time. One of her rituals is she'll pick up a guitar or a banjo or something and she'll just start fiddling around and it's the quiet time for her. She's already had a full day, we're all sleeping and she's kicking our ass. Baltin: Have you been surprised by the response? Sixx: This has been a real joy, and it makes me happy that so many different types of people have responded to the song, like you were talking about it. I remember when I was young, I was like, 'This is my kind of music.' I was definitely not into a lot of the records that my mom had in her record collection, all the way to even like Woodstock stuff, like Crosby, Stills & Nash. I'm like, 'Where's my Black Sabbath? I want Led Zeppelin, I want Aerosmith.' That's what I was about until punk came. But now I would listen to all these albums that I probably never even gave a chance because I'm older and you realize that music's not so one-dimensional. A song like 'Home Sweet Home' can touch a metalhead and it can touch a country person at the same time. And that's something you just don't know about a song until it's been around for a while. Baltin: For you, what was that one album from your parents that you didn't like as a kid that you've now realized is the best? Sixx: Oh my god, that's a great question. I think growing up something like Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, the crooners. And then you go back, and these guys were f**king nailing it; melody lines, lyrics, vocal, presentation, the musicianship. You start listening to the records, there are no Pro Tools, no auto tune, that kick drum and that bass is that tight because that's what happened on that take. You go back and you really start to appreciate it. There's so much out there now that you can find out about artists. There are a lot of ways we discover music that might not have been for us. One of them happened to Motley Crue is a lot of people discovered Motley Crue. They had heard of Motley Crue, but when The Dirt came out it was like, 'Oh, right.' That kind of happened to me with the Johnny Cash movie and The Doors movie. I was never a massive Doors fan at all. But the movie was just fascinating. Baltin: What is it about Covenant House specifically that speaks to you? Sixx: I've been involved with them since we released The Heroin Diaries and we were donating proceeds to build a music program there, which we did. So, my thought at the time specifically around this charity was music saved me, it gave me something to live for when I was younger specifically and lost my ways to stuff. And I was like, 'Man, what if these kids that are out on the street, they have an amazing outreach program and they're bringing them in and they're assessing them and giving them physicals and finding out where they're at education wise. Now they have to get back into school and therapy and it's so much easier just to go out on the street and score drugs." I was like, 'What if at the end of the day they can go into the music program, and they could learn how to rap or learn how to write country music or take piano lessons, whatever it would be?' And I saw so many kids just light up through that music program that it's just been a relationship that I've maintained with them. When we were doing the Hollywood takeover I went and talked to the guys in the band. I said, 'Would be amazing for us to go back on the Strip and [give back].' We figured out a way for each venue, the Troubadour, the Roxy and the Whiskey, all the instruments, everything was color-coded, one-of-a-kind basses, guitars, drums, we put it up for auction and we ended up raising about $350,000, which all went to Covenant House and the guys were super stoked about it and it's now become a part of the Motley Crue world. I believe in Vegas we're going to be working with the localized charity that helps kids get off the street. We could relate; we were a bunch of street rats. None of us ever experienced any of the hardships these kids do, but we know how important the music was. So, to raise awareness to that, raise money for that, they're like this this is fantastic to do.
ABC News
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Behind Carla Wehbe's cover of ABBA's 'The Winner Takes It All' for Like A Version
Carla Wehbe was locked and loaded with her choice for her debut Like A Version, it wasn't going to be anything other than the band who sound tracked her childhood – ABBA. "My mum is obsessed with ABBA," she said. "I've always dreamed of doing an ABBA song if I ever got to do Like A Version." While she didn't grow up in a house that always had music playing, it's in the older eras of music where Carla found comfort and joy. So it was only natural that she honour that with her entry into the Like A Version archives. Carla's version of ABBA's 1980 power ballad leans more into the sentimental and self-aware energy at the end of a relationship, harnessing the emotions with swelling strings, steel lap guitar and Carla's weapons-grade vocals. "I love drama and I love big orchestral feeling," she said. "I love strings and I love pedal steel, so I got all the instruments that I love the most and put them in there. And then I wanted to make it as emotional and powerful as possible." There's no doubt this cover is brimming with emotion and power, it's knocked the wind right out of us in the best way. Posted 2h ago 2 hours ago Thu 12 Jun 2025 at 10:30pm
