NewYearsDayProject | a song a day blog

Thirty Seconds to Mars ’ third album,  This Is War,   is about overcoming conflict. The band had been “at war” with their record label,  EMI , claiming that the contract they signed was not binding in their home state of California due to the contract’s duration. The band eventually made a documentary titled   Artifact   about the lawsuit and took aim at the exploitative role of labels, allowing fans, not just of the band but all artists, to see the seedy side of the music business. Before releasing  Artifact,  the lawsuit was settled, and Thirty Seconds to Mars signed a new deal with EMI, renegotiating their terms. Both parties were able to come to favorable terms to create a contract that worked better in the changing music business of the coming decade of the 2010s.  FATHER HAS SPOKEN.  For an album about conflict in the music industry,  This Is War  is a very hopeful album. This is probably due to the production by two legendary...

The Killers was one of the biggest bands in the early ‘00s, especially in the UK, where their single “ Mr. Brightside ” holds the record for the longest single to chart on the UK Singles Chart at 260 non-consecutive weeks. The band is an example of a band that peaked early. While the band has been releasing consistent quality music after their whirlwind successful debut album Hot Fuss , no subsequent release came close to their first album. After releasing three records with The Killers between 2004 and 2008, lead singer Brandon Flowers released his debut solo record Flamingo in 2010. After the album promotion cycle for Flamingo , The Killers released their fourth album, Battle Born in 2012. The band released their fifth album five years later, during which Flowers released his second album, The Desired Effect .  WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR HEAD NOW? In rock ‘n’ roll history, a lead singer recording a solo project is often an omen of the band’s implosion. For the handsome Brandon ...

  First appearing in 2001,   Lovedrug   released their   eponymous EP   in 2002 and their    Rocknroll   EP in 2004 before releasing their debut record,   Pretend You're Alive ,  in June 2004. Selling over 20,000 records soon after the record was released, the band was signed to   Columbia Records ,   and their song " Spiders " was intended to be marketed as a radio hit. But rock star grandeur was never really in Lovedrug's reach, as the label dropped the band in the middle of restructuring. Lovedrug was a hard-working band, touring with acts such as   The Killers ,   Robert Plant ,   Sam Phillips ,   Switchfoot , and   Copeland . They would enjoy some success with their follow-up record,   Everything Starts Where It Ends ,  but would continue making music until 2020, although they are probably best remembered for their first two records.   SEARCHING ON A WIRE FOR A WIRE .  The ...

  MUNA  is an alternative pop group composed of three friends who studied together at the  University of Southern California . The trio self-produced their debut EP and uploaded it to  Bandcamp  and  SoundCloud . The band's success with their debut EP led to the group signing with  RCA  records and releasing their 2017 debut record,  About U.   In May 2021, the band announced that they had signed to  Phoebe Bridgers '  Saddest Factory  record label. The group recently released the single " Silk Chiffon " which features Bridgers singing a verse. The song is one of the group's few singles to chart on  Billboard , peaking at #35 on the US Alternative chart.  KEEPIN' IT LIGHT LIKE SILK CHIFFON.  I think I first heard MUNA in the awkward teen comedy  Alex Strangelove ,  a story about a high school senior who is struggling to understand his sexuality. All the members of MUNA identify as queer, though, as...

The ‘90s in rock music started quietly. Hair metal was still around, but vibey New Wave tracks had gained traction in the late ‘80s. It was an eclectic time without a clear direction for a musical style. Of course that all changed in the fall of 1991 when  Nirvana  burst onto the scene and Alternative and mainstream rock listeners determined that grunge would be the collective musical trend. Just as disco didn't die in 1979, the New Romantics sound of the late ‘80s carried over into the early ‘90s. In fact, in the early ‘90s,  New Order ,  The Smiths ’  Morrisey , and  Depeche Mode  enjoyed their peak success. For Depeche Mode, that success came from a dark pop song, which crossed the Alternative Rock band over to the pop charts with the single from their seventh album  Violator , “ Enjoy the Silence .” ALL I EVER WANTED, ALL I EVER NEEDED IS HERE IN MY ARMS.  Produced by the now legendary Mark Ellis, better known as  Flood ,  Viola...