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This Week In Music (May 13, 2022)

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From the loss of Trevor Strnad to the arrest of Young Thug, we’ve gathered the latest need-to-know music news in one place.

Happy Friday, the thirteenth! We know this day is often associated with bad luck and things that go bump in the night, but this month, it’s also the date of an incredible New Music Friday. We’ve got new releases from Kendrick Lamar, The Black Keys, State Champs, Morgue Supplier, and Cage Fight, just to name a few. There’s also a slew of wonderful singles and a decent chance the weather won’t be terrible all weekend. We don’t see any reason to complain.

We cannot ease your workload or give you more hours in the day, but we can help you stay informed. Below you’ll find the biggest stories of the week, all covered by the best outlets in tech and entertainment. Click around, learn what’s happening, and use the weekend to prepare for the end of the month.

But let’s be honest. There is no way we can hope to cover everything that happens. If you see a headline we missed that people need to know, please do not hesitate to send james@haulix.com an email. We’ll include your links in the next update.

THE NEED TO KNOW MUSIC NEWS OF THE WEEK

Black Dahlia Murder Vocalist Trevor Strnad Dead at 41

Trevor Strnad, founding lead vocalist of the melodic death metal band the Black Dahlia Murder, has died at the age of 41.

Strnad’s bandmates confirmed his death Wednesday on social media. No cause of death was provided, but the surviving members shared the contact information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Trevor Scott Strnad,” the Black Dahlia Murder said in a statement. “Beloved son, brother, and Shepard of good times, he was loved by all that met him. A walking encyclopedia of all things music. He was a hugger, a writer, and truly one of the world’s greatest entertainers. His lyrics provided the world with stories and spells and horror and whimsy. It was his life to be your show.”

Spotify launches editorial submission form for indie podcasts

Musicians have long been able to share new and upcoming music with Spotify’s editorial team for playlist consideration. However, podcasters have mostly been left behind. Unless tied to a major production company, most podcasts are left to fight with other shows for whatever attention they can pull. Until this week, when Spotify gave indie shows a shot at real growth.

To help better find, review, and amplify the latest, greatest, and most diverse indie podcasts, the Podcast Editorial team recently opened up an editorial submission form for the U.S. podcasting community. Each applicant will be considered for their editorial features, with the aim of highlighting a wide range of formats (including video podcasts), backgrounds, and experience levels. And if you do get an editorial feature, you’ll have earned a coveted spot as one of Spotify’s featured podcasts across one of our community destinations or in our New Releases section. Read more about how to get your podcast featured on Spotify.

REST IN PEACE: iPod

Apple Inc (AAPL.O) is discontinuing the iPod more than 20 years after the device became the face of portable music and kickstarted its meteoric evolution into the world’s biggest company.

The iPod Touch, the only version of the portable music player still being sold, will be available till supplies last, Apple said in a blog post on Tuesday.

Since its launch in 2001, the iPod took on a storm of competing music players before being eclipsed by smartphones, online music streaming and within the Apple pantheon, by the rise of the iPhone.

The iPod has undergone several iterations since its inception featuring a scroll wheel, the capacity to store a 1,000 songs and a 10-hour battery-life. The version that has been carried till date – the iPod Touch – was launched in 2007, the same year as the iPhone.

Rappers Young Thug and Gunna arrested in connection with RICO case

The popular rapper Young Thug was arrested in Atlanta on Monday, and faces a slew of accusations from Fulton County’s district attorney, including that he was allegedly a founder and active leader of the violent Young Slime Life street gang.

The 80-plus page indictment charges both Young Thug and another rapper, Gunna, with gang-related crimes, and includes more than 25 others who have allegedly participated in YSL gang activity.

The New York Times reported that the lawyer for Young Thug, whose legal name is Jeffery Williams, said that YSL was not a street gang and claimed that the indictment was “baseless to include him.”

“Mr. Williams came from an incredible horrible upbringing, and he has conducted himself throughout his life in a way that is just to marvel at,” Attorney Brian Steel said.

Ashley Gorley Signs With Sony Music Publishing & Domain Capital Group

Award-winning hit songwriter Ashley Gorley has signed a global agreement with Sony Music Publishing, in partnership with Domain Capital Group. The deal encompasses Gorley’s complete catalog of songs, as well as future compositions.

Gorley is one of the most in-demand songwriters in modern music, with a record-setting 59 No. 1 songs and over 400 songs released by artists such as Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Thomas Rhett, Blake Shelton, Dan + Shay, Kelsea Ballerini, Cole Swindell, Bon Jovi, Weezer, and more. He has been named ASCAP Songwriter of The Year an unprecedented eight times, and is a five-time Billboard Top Country Songwriter and five-time NSAI Songwriter of The Year.

Of the deal, Sony Music Publishing Nashville CEO, Rusty Gaston, says, “I’ve been a fan of Ashley Gorley’s songwriting since the late ’90s when we both attended Belmont University together. He’s a true music connoisseur in every sense of the word. His diverse influences combined with his genuine heart have led his songs to define the soundtrack of country music. Sony Music Publishing is so proud to partner with Ashley and our friends at Domain Capital to champion this new leg of his historic songwriting journey.”

“Ashley Gorley is undeniably one of the most talented, hard-working and acclaimed songwriters in the world,” adds Domain Capital Group’s Pete Chiappetta. “We are excited to see what he accomplishes next with Jon [Platt], Rusty, Cam [Caldwell] and the rest of the incredible team at Sony. To partner alongside such a passionate and well-respected group of professionals is an honor.”

Gorley’s recent hits include “You Should Probably Leave” by Chris Stapleton, “Sand In My Boots” by Morgan Wallen, and “What’s Your Country Song” by Thomas Rhett. In addition to being a hit writer, Gorley also acts as a publisher. His Tape Room Music has celebrated 35 No. 1 hits.

SONG OF THE WEEK: Misery Index – “Complete Control”

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Here’s what happens when you miss your music video shoot

Director Ryan Staake is a very patient person.

Staake, a renowned creative mind behind numerous music videos, recently found himself in the unusual predicament of showing up to a shoot only to discover the talent that hired him was nowhere to be found. The extras and label reps were present however, as were the set pieces, so Ryan did what any professional on a schedule would: He pushed on.

The job in question was a music video for the single “Wyclef Jean” from Atlanta rapper Young Thug. Staake had based his shooting schedule on a recorded conversation with Young Thug that had taken place prior to the day of production, but when Thug was nowhere to be found the morning of the crew had to work around his absence. The same shots were completed, sans Thug, with a promise from label reps and management that the rapper would appear later in the day.

….But that never happened.

Staake’s budget for Wyclef Jean was $100,000, and though he did not have his star he managed to film every sequence he was tasked with bringing to life. He was given some performance footage to splice in after the fact, which was shot in a lower quality than the video itself, but that was all he could get from the man who was supposed to be in essentially every scene of the video.

With no other paths to getting the shots he wanted, Staake decided to deliver a final cut that featured everything Young Thug wanted (except, of course, Young Thug himself). He also added text overlays to explain what should be happening in sequences, as well as what shots were impossible due to Thug’s absence. The result is one of the most unusual and amusing music videos in a long time. Check it out:

Perhaps the most surprising thing about the video above is that it was actually uploaded on Young Thug’s official Youtube account. This mean Thug either approved of the cut above himself, or that someone at his label figured they might as well use the clip after spending a cool one-hundred grand having it made. Whatever the case, I’m happy this clip made it to the light of day.

James Shotwell is the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. He is also the Managing Editor for Substream Magazine, host of the Inside Music Podcast, and a 10-year veteran of the entertainment business. We recommend you follow him on Twitter.

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How I Left Alternative Music Behind And Fell In Love With Hip-Hop

The following post was submitted to Haulix by Michael Giegerich, a universally respected hip-hop critic whose origins in music began in the world of punk and alternative rock. We asked Michael if he would shed some light on his transition between genres, and fortunately for us he was more than willing to share his adventures here on our blog. Enjoy.

One of my fondest childhood memories goes something like this: riding shotgun in my dad’s car on a sunny afternoon in 2005, Mike Jones’ “Back Then” was coursing through the speakers. The track was inescapable on Atlanta’s 95.5 The Beat and MTV alike, but at this moment, how many times I’d previously heard the single didn’t matter. Maybe it was due to the contagious levels of confidence in Jones’ flow, or maybe it was the blustering, record-scratching beat, but one thing was certain: I wasn’t just casually enjoying “Back Then” – it made me feel alive.

An average kid from the suburbs, I spent the bulk of my teenage years invested in metal and hardcore music, dragging my mom to shows and spending every last cent to my name on edgy band tees. Eventually, armed with nothing but a Tumblr blog and an audio recorder at the age of 15, I converted this passion into words – a lot of words, in fact. Over the next four years, I poured my heart and soul into covering the bands whose stages I dove from and CDs I wore thin; in tandem, my writing skills and industry relationships grew.

As the story goes, though, my love for the genres I once valued so highly began to wither upon my sophomore year in college; a natural conclusion to a phase that some may say lived past its shelf-life. Coincidentally, a severe bout of depression almost stole my life soon after, and in the process, my love for music and writing was robbed entirely. The next six months found me spiraling downward as I searched for anything that would make me feel whole again; changing majors, scenery, and medication, all routes that proved fruitless. I eventually smashed into rock bottom after it became clear nothing could break my fall, but in those depths, some much needed self-reflection led to finding the common denominator of happiness in my life: hip-hop.

I had actively kept up with more than a handful of rappers for years, sure. Hell, I even reviewed my fair share of rap records and was more knowledgeable on the genre than most in my social circle. Yet, for the first time, I consciously realized the pure, unadulterated joy it gave me. Whether it involved getting buck to Rae Sremmurd’s pop-infused Atlanta trap at my university’s spring concert or throwing back lukewarm beers to Danny Brown’s unmistakable squaw in my dorm room – much like that sunny afternoon in 2005 – the weight on my shoulders dissipated. Upon this realization, I slowly but surely picked up writing again while devoting myself to understanding as much as humanly possible about the music that had given me so much. I began examining hip-hop projects with a fine-toothed comb, reading every feature related to the genre I could find, and most importantly, reminding myself everyday of how fortunate I was to receive this chance at redemption.

Seven months later, it’s almost overwhelming to see how much has changed. My mind is sharper than ever, my appreciation for hip-hop is expanding exponentially, and recently, I conducted what is undeniably the most notable interview of my career to date. In truth, though, I’m not satisfied just yet. As hip-hop once pushed me to find inner peace, the inescapable work ethic of the genre now pushes me to perfect my writing skills and not lose sight of the promising road ahead. There’s a long way to go, but throughout the journey, one simple fact will remain constant: hip-hop saved my life.

So here’s to you, hip-hop. Here’s to you and whatever the future may bring. 

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