With 1984's A Private Heaven, Sheena Easton successfully followed in the footsteps of Olivia Newton-John in shedding her "girl next door" persona - so much so that future U.S. Second Lady Tipper Gore's Parents Music Resource Center "honored" Sheena's Prince-penned "Sugar Walls" with a slot on its "Filthy Fifteen" list. No wonder Gore and co. were threatened by the success of "Sugar Walls;" A Private Heaven became the singer's most successful album to date. How to follow it up? Enter Nile
Fans of French electronic duo Daft Punk may have been shocked when the group suddenly announced their dissolution at the start of 2021. But the robots haven't really powered down: a year later, they digitally expanded debut album Homework for its 25th anniversary, compiled an album of remixes from the era, and even showed off some limited, never-before-seen footage from an early concert following Homework's release (which shockingly showed members Guy-Manuel de Homem Christo and Thomas Bangalter
Band break-ups can be traumatizing, no matter how they happen. Philip Bailey, whose high falsetto vocals were a key part of Earth, Wind & Fire during their most commercial years in the '70s and '80s, has frequently described the band's (temporary) dissolution, brought up during a 1983 band meeting by founder Maurice White, as one of the lower points of his career. Bailey's next moves could shape his trajectory as an artist for better or worse. Of course, what happened over the rest of the
Putting on the black tie, cranking out the white noise... David Bowie wasn't one to look back. But when he announced Black Tie White Noise, many fans collectively breathed a sigh of relief. Might the "old" David Bowie be returning? The 1993 album was his first in six years, following three albums (two studio and one live) with his hard rock band, Tin Machine. It also reunited him with Nile Rodgers, producer of his all-time best-selling album Let's Dance, and with Ziggy Stardust-era
While The Second Disc prides itself on connecting people to reissues and box sets they can keep on their shelves, it's no secret that listening audiences are also digital - catalogue music lovers, too - and our passion is connecting people to music from the past that they might adore. So we're introducing a new Saturday feature: The Weekend Stream, which focuses on hidden gems that recently made it to digital channels that might make your playlists a little brighter! Train, Drops of Jupiter
Since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, indie music retailer Bandcamp has waived their share of revenue for indie artists and labels using their platform to give "the little guys" a leg up in the absence of touring and other moneymaking activities for musicians. The result was more music bought by more fans than any day on the site, a record broken on the first Friday of May. The Second Disc has proudly covered Bandcamp Fridays in June, July, August, September, Octoberand November - plus
David Bowie's official website has announced plans for a fifth epoch-covering box set to release next year, after delaying an alternate version of said collection for a 2020 release. In a brief post, the late singer's website confirms that the follow-up to the four career-spanning album boxes - 2015's Five Years (1969-1973), 2016's Who Can I Be Now? (1974-1976), 2017's A New Career in a New Town (1977-1982) and 2018's Loving The Alien (1983-1988) - will cover the widest span of time yet: 1993
Looking for something to make you dance this summer? Rhino's rolling out individual vinyl editions of three classic CHIC albums, and has also brought more than a dozen mixes and bonus tracks from the legendary disco band to digital channels for the first time. CHIC co-founder, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and legendary producer Nile Rodgers oversaw remasters of CHIC's early classic work on CD and vinyl last year for a handsome box set. On June 21, the three main albums in that box - 1977's
Johnny Mathis was billed on his very first album as "A New Sound in Popular Song." In the decades since that 1956 debut, the vocalist has always explored new avenues in pop from Latin music to Philly soul. But the most adventurous of Mathis' 60-plus albums may be the one that got away...until now. Tomorrow, Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music will proudly present the first-ever standalone compact disc release of I Love My Lady, the remarkable 1981 album by two American treasures: Johnny
Johnny Mathis was billed on his very first album as "A New Sound in Popular Song." In the decades since that 1956 debut, the vocalist has always explored new avenues in pop from Latin music to Philly soul. But the most adventurous of Mathis' 60-plus albums may be the one that got away...until now. On February 1, 2019, Second Disc Records and Real Gone Music will proudly present the first-ever standalone compact disc release of I Love My Lady, the remarkable 1981 album by two American
Good times are on the way from the tight-knit musical unit that made everybody dance. On November 23, Atlantic Records and Rhino will celebrate the 40th anniversary of CHIC's chart-topping, record-breaking "Le Freak" with a new box set. The CHIC Organization 1977-1979 will arrive in 5-CD and 6-LP formats, bringing together new Nile Rodgers Signature Edition remasters of CHIC's first three albums plus Sister Sledge's CHIC-produced We Are Family and a bonus disc of period single edits and
In 2010, Dimitri from Paris was invited to remix a number of tracks from the venerable CHIC catalogue for The CHIC Organization Box Set. Vol. 1: Savoir Faire. The Turkish-born, French music producer and DJ's remixed takes on classics like "I Want Your Love," "I Feel Your Love Comin' On," Sister Sledge's "Thinking of You" and "Lost in Music," and Norma Jean Wright's "Saturday" were all released as digital singles. Now, those remixes and more have just been collected on a new set available on 2
To commemorate what would have been David Bowie's 71st birthday, Parlophone has unveiled a previously unreleased gem from the vaults: the singer's original demo for "Let's Dance," recorded with guitarist/producer Nile Rodgers. As both devoted and casual fans know, "Let's Dance," from Bowie's 15th studio album of the same name in 1983, marked a sea change for the enigmatic performer. Having pushed the envelope dabbling in glam, disco and alternative rock during the late '60s and '70s, Bowie -
Usually it takes 60 years to get to a diamond anniversary, but what's a few years early to celebrate Diana Ross! The R&B legend will be honored with a lifetime achievement award at the American Music Awards on November 19, and a new digital compilation will be released that weekend (Friday, November 17) to get the celebration started. Diamond Diana: The Legacy Collection is a breezy 15-track non-chronological trip through Miss Ross' unprecedented career. Focusing primarily on her solo
UPDATE (9/7/2017): Nearly a year after the deluxe Listen Without Prejudice--and some months after the unexpected passing of George Michael on Christmas 2016, the expanded Listen Without Prejudice is back on the calendar and packing a few new surprises. The 3-CD/1-DVD set and cut-down 2-CD package (featuring the original album and the MTV Unplugged set) will now hit stores October 20. The 2-CD set features new cover art as well as one additional bonus track: a new remix of Listen-era B-side