From pop to politics, what to know as Sweden prepares for the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest

LONDON — It’s springtime in Europe — time for the annual blossoming of spectacle and sound known as the Eurovision Song Contest. Taking place in May in Malmö, Sweden, the 68th annual competition will see acts from 37 countries vie for the continent’s pop crown in a feelgood extravaganza that strives — not always successfully … Read more

Mary J. Blige, Cher, Ozzy Osbourne, A Tribe Called Quest and Foreigner get into Rock Hall

NEW YORK — NEW YORK (AP) — Mary J. Blige,Cher, Foreigner, A Tribe Called Quest, Kool & The Gang and Ozzy Osbourne have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a class that also includes folk-rockers Dave Matthews Band and singer-guitarist Peter Frampton. Alexis Korner, John Mayall and Big Mama Thornton earned … Read more

Taylor Swift drops 15 new songs on double album, ‘The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology’

NEW YORK — Could there be a Taylor Swift new album rollout without a few additional surprises? No. On Friday, the pop star released her 11th album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” an amalgamation of her previous work and reflecting the artist who — at the peak of her powers — has spent the last few … Read more

Music Review: Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ is great sad pop, meditative theater

Who knew what Taylor Swift’s latest era would bring? Or even what it would sound like? Would it build off the moodiness of “Midnights” or the folk of “evermore”? The country or the ’80s pop of her latest re-records? Or its two predecessors in black-and-white covers: the revenge-pop of “Reputation” and the literary Americana of … Read more

ABBA, Blondie, and the Notorious B.I.G. enter the National Recording Registry

LOS ANGELES — ABBA, Biggie, Blondie and Rudolph are entering America’s audio canon. New inductees into the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress include ABBA ‘s 1976 album “Visitors,” The Notorious B.I.G. ‘s 1994 album “Ready to Die,” Blondie ‘s 1978 breakthrough “Parallel Lines” and Gene Autry’s 1949 version of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed … Read more

Music Review: Lizzy McAlpine tells intimate folk-pop stories on her third album, ‘Older’

The opening track on folk-pop singer-songwriter Lizzy McAlpine’s third album, “Older,” is only one minute and 40 seconds long. In that time, “The Elevator” carries the listener into McAlpine’s internal world, climbing a steady piano melody toward a drum-led instrumental before the song meets an abrupt end — depositing the listener at the second track, … Read more

Happy ABBA-versary! Fans mark 50 years since ‘Waterloo’ took the world by storm

LONDON — It’s 50 years since ABBA won a major battle with “Waterloo.” A half-century ago on Saturday, the Swedish quartet triumphed at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with the peppy love song, which opens: “My my, at Waterloo, Napoleon did surrender, and I have met my destiny in quite a similar way.” The song … Read more

Glass Animals return this summer with a new album, each song exploring a ‘different side of love’

NEW YORK — Glass Animals’ latest album was born thanks to a massive storm, a house on a cliff and an existential crisis. What emerged from that? A 10-track collection exploring love. The indie-pop band’s frontman, songwriter and producer Dave Bayley found himself in an Airbnb house high on stilts below Mulholland Drive in Los … Read more

Music Review: Jesse McCartney’s ‘All’s Well’ celebrates adult life after teen pop star fame

Former teen heartthrob Jesse McCartney — best known for his boy band days in Dream Street, his solo hit “Beautiful Soul,” writing “Bleeding Love” for Leona Lewis and an acting career on “Summerland” — is aging like a fine wine on “All’s Well,” his late… Former teen heartthrob Jesse McCartney — best known for his … Read more

What to stream this week: Beyoncé, Steve Martin, J-Hope, Mike Birbiglia, Bill Nighy and ‘Madu’

Beyoncé’s country album and a documentary about a Nigerian boy who dreams of being a professional ballet dancer are some of the new television, movies, music and games headed to a device near you. Also among the streaming offerings worth your time as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: Bill Nighy plays an English … Read more