Lionel Richie

Bandmate vs Soulmate: So who really knows Hearts in Space's Ezra-David Darnell better?

Brace yourself: Today marks the triumphant, eagerly awaited return of the Mating Game, a feature we dreamed up once upon a time in which we pit bandmate vs soulmate to see who knows who better. It's often been said that being in a band is just like being in a relationship, that sometimes your bandma ... More >>

Linkin Park at Comfort Dental, 8/30/12

LINKIN PARK @ COMFORT DENTAL AMPHITHEATRE | 8/30/12 Some time around the middle part of the last decade, the pop culture zeitgeist moved on from testosterone-driven dude rock that ruled the '90s. Incubus and Linkin Park, two titans of the post-grunge era, never got the memo. Last night, fans witnes ... More >>

Chartbreaker: Gotye and John Mayer spend yet another week at the top of the charts

Another strong week for Gotye, who held on to number one with "Somebody That I Used To Know." If you haven't kept track, that's a tally of eight weeks at the top now. However, that could change next week, as strong pushes from both Rihanna and Katy Perry, not to mention Carly Rae Jepsen, who could ... More >>

Chartbreaker: John Mayer's new album, Born and Raised, takes the top spot this week

John Mayer knocks Adam Lambert from the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart this week as Mayer's new record, Born And Raised, lands at number one. Lambert's Trespassing, meanwhile, drops all the way to number twelve. Born And Raised is Mayer's third number-one album, joining 2003's Heavier Things ... More >>

Chartbreaker: In a clash of Idols, Adam Lambert unseats Carrie Underwood with Trespassing

It's a big week for American Idol this week. Besides the crowning of the season 11 winner, Phillip Phillips, the singing talent show sees another of its alums rise to the top of the Billboard 200 chart. The first time in chart history, one Idol is succeeded by another, as Adam Lambert's Trespassi ... More >>

Twenty fabled moments in Denver music: #19: Michael Jackson hides out here in 1984

Over the course of the next few weeks, Backbeat will be counting down the twenty most fabled moments in Denver music history. Today, a look back at Michael Jackson's week-long stay here in Mile High City in 1984 and the secrecy surrounding it. Long before Michael Jackson's name became shorthand for ... More >>

Chartbreaker: Another strong week for Carrie Underwood and Gotye, thanks to moms

Many of previous weeks' big-performing albums have rebounded on the Billboard 200 chart, thanks to a Mother's Day sales surge. Adele's 21 is the best example of this boost, as the album shoots up from number four to number two this week. It's still not enough to reclaim the top spot from Carrie Unde ... More >>

Chartbreaker: Competition is Blown Away on the charts this week by Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart this week with her fourth album, Blown Away, selling 267,000 copies. Underwood's latest trails only Madonna's MDNA, which sold 358,000, as the biggest-selling debut of 2012. Another noteworthy feat for Underwood this week: She f ... More >>

Chartbreaker: Jack White beats Adele in an otherwise slow sales week for albums

Music sales were slow last week. Jack White's debut solo album, Blunderbuss took the top spot with 138,000 copies sold -- that's less than half of what Madonna 's new one, MDNA , shifted its first week on the chart this time last month: 359,000 (although sales subsequently plummeted the following w ... More >>

Chartbreaker: Lionel Richie bests Madonna and Nicki Minaj, Maroon 5's "Payphone" cashes in

See Also: • Madonna's MDNA falls harder than Lady Gaga's Born This Way did • Madonna's MDNA outsells Lionel Richie's Tuskegee (what year is this again?) Madonna and Lionel Richie -- who would have thought that after four weeks on the Billboard 200 albums chart, only Richie would remain in the t ... More >>

If Britney Spears accepts X Factor job, she could still learn a sexy thing or two from Christina

This time last year, the most contagious pop trend was working with Pitbull, and what a bandwagon trend that was. As much as we're glad the Pitbull days are over, we're not too hot for this new thing, either. And this new thing, somewhat strangely, is serving as a judge for a televised singing compe ... More >>

Dispatch, Theivery Corporation, Chatuaqua and Arvada Center summer lineups announced

Tons of new shows this week: Dispatchis playing a two-night stand at 1STBANK in September, Joe Cocker and Huey Lewis and the News are headlining this year's KOOL Concert, Thievery Corporation and Beats Antique are due at Red Rocks and Esperanza Spalding is slated for shows at the Boulder Theater and ... More >>

Chartbreaker: Madonna's MDNA falls harder than Lady Gaga's Born This Way did, while Nicki Minaj takes the top in the U.S. and U.K.

In the ultimate twist of "Give Me Some Luvin'" irony, Nicki Minaj has dethroned Madonna from the top of the Billboard 200 chart this week, as Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded easily takes the top spot with 253,000 copies sold, while Madge's MDNA dropped to number eight, selling only 48,000 in its second ... More >>

Chartbreaker: Madonna's MDNA outsells Lionel Richie's Tuskegee (what year is this again?)

Madonna nabs the top spot on the Billboard 200 with her new album, MDNA. The set, her twelfth studio album, is also her eighth number-one; Madonna is now second only to Barbra Streisand with the number of top albums, and even then Babz only leads by one. MDNA shifted 359,000 copies, nearly 80,000 mo ... More >>

The Best of SXSW Music: Wednesday 3/14/2012

​If you're familiar with chaos theory, which in its basic form is the attempt to find patterns in the random acts of shit on Earth, then you may understand the difficulty that comes with describing a full day at SXSW. To break down the bright, scintillating chaos, Village Voice Media's roving musi ... More >>

Alert: SXSW coverage ahead

"What I want from each and every one of you is a hard-target search of every gas station, residence, warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse and doghouse in that area." -- Tommy Lee Jones, The Fugitive You don't have to spend much time at South By Southwest to know that all of the above building ... More >>

An interview with Ideal Fathers in advance of their farewell show tonight at the Larimer

​Over the course of a line-up change or two, Ideal Fathers Ideal Fathers, playing its final show tonight at the Larimer Lounge, developed a sound and a stage presence that probably would have been lumped in with "dance punk." But there was always an agenda in the band to inspire people to wake ... More >>

Mogwai at the Bluebird Theater, 5/2/11

Tom MurphyMogwai​ MOGWAI With Errors 05.02.11 | Bluebird Theater Errors, from Glasgow, Scotland, started things off with what seemed like the intro to an ethereal, somber set of music. Turns out, though, the foursome was just getting warmed up with a slow drift into its first song. Clearly t ... More >>

Q&A with John Eriksson of Peter Bjorn and John

Peter Bjorn and John.Although John Eriksson, who stars in this week's Westword profile of his band, Peter Bjorn and John, was trained to be a classical percussionist, and spent years as a member of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, he's come to appreciate the perks of being a rock star -- partic ... More >>

Q&A with Reggie Youngblood of Black Kids

Black Kids. In an interview for a Westword profile in advance of an April 15 Oriental Theater gig with Mates of State and Judgement Day, Reggie Youngblood, lead singer and songwriter for Black Kids, talked at length about his buzzy band and plenty more. Get into his head after the jump.

Q&A With the Jonas Brothers

Beyond Playlist: Prinzhorn Dance School and More

Bad Plus...Plus

Bad Plus...Plus

A Legendary Outing

Twilight Princess is the best Zelda ever.

A Legendary Outing

Twilight Princess is the best Zelda ever.

Westword Music Showcase 2006

Be there or be square!

Strange but True

A year of dysfunctional family values -- and missing panties.

Heart of Glass

What's old is new with the Bang on a Can All-Stars

Nerd Up

When it comes to brainy pop, Hot IQs are real geniuses.

The Beatdown

Legendary is relative, especially when it comes to the Amercan Music Auditions.

Kill Me Tomorrow

The Garbageman and the Prostitute (GSL)

Perfect Truth

Cee-Lo breaks from the Mob in a solo quest to save hip-hop.

That's Kinky!

Kinky Friedman is an author/musician/Jewish cowboy like no other.

Endless Lionel

Lionel Richie is back. Make your plans accordingly.

Talking Shop

Paths of Glory.

The Grandfathers of Punk

Denver's early punk rock pioneers are remembered

Raekwon

Immobilarity
(Loud)

Looks Like He Made It

Reviewers have tried to get rid of him for years, but Barry Manilow's not going anywhere.

Music by the Pound

The Pound Boys' DJ Dealer is keeping the beat in Denver and beyond.

Spy in the House of Love

Getting cozy with Mary Marlowe, Denver's queen of late-night romance.

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Quiz Show

Before you declare yourself a Grammy expert, let Backbeat test your skills.

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JOIN THE MOB

DENVER'S DEUCE MOB WANTS TO CRUISE ONTO THE HIP-HOP CHARTS.

OUR MOTOWN

PRODIGAL SON

EARTH, WIND AND FIRE'S PHILIP BAILEY RETURNS TO HIS HOMETOWN EAGER TO TURN YOUR FROWN UPSIDE DOWN.

AND THE WINNER WAS...