Taylor Swift

Danny Brown

Why Muzak, as a concept at least, will never die

Muzak just joined the ranks of words like aspirin, brassiere, cellophane, escalator, granola, kerosene, linoleum, trampoline, yo-yo, & zipper. These were brands that became the colloquialism for the thing itself, and the word lives on well after the brand itself has gone to that great Piggly Wi ... More >>

Lady Gaga at Xcel Energy Center, 2/6/13

Lady GagaXcel Energy Center, St. PaulWednesday, February 6, 2013Even before she was famous, Lady Gaga's career was a pop commentary on being famous. Now that The Fame is more a given than just an album title, the effect of the stardom she created has taken its toll, though not necessarily to the det ... More >>

Patti Page, pop-country crossover sensation, passes away at 85

Country crossovers didn't begin with Taylor Swift; the genre's embraced its pop side for almost as long as folks have been laying bow to fiddle. And for that reason, today we eulogize Patti Page, the pop/country/R&B singer and onetime Benny Goodman band singer who passed away Tuesday.

Taylor Swift unveils 2013 U.S. tour -- St. Paul in September

The complex pop marvel that is Taylor Swift is heading back out on the road in 2013. Based upon her multiple car accidents during her recent interview time with Rolling Stone, let's just hope that she's not driving the bus. The 58-concert trek across the U.S. (and a little bit of Canada) in support ... More >>

Beach House's Victoria Legrand on memory, female empowerment, and social media

Beach House duo Alex Scally and Victoria Legrand might be the darlings of the indie rock world, but they enter that realm unconsciously and perhaps a little unwillingly. The pair's recent fourth album, Bloom, is a lushly arranged dreamscape, full of the roaming synth-pop that Beach House fans have c ... More >>

Can Taylor Swift age gracefully with Red?

See also: Taylor Swift at the Xcel Energy Center, 6/14/11 and 6/15/11 Taylor Swift sells out Xcel Much has been made this week of Taylor Swift's Monday night video chat, in which 72,000 fans tuned in to watch the totally-pop, maybe-kinda-country songstress discuss her upcoming record, Red, with a ... More >>

American Idol ISO country judge: our predictions

The country music world's been abuzz all week with Idol chit-chat about - cue Ryan Seacrest voice - Who will be... the next American Idol judge. Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez have vacated their seats, with Mariah Carey joining tenured judge Randy Jackson for the program's twelfth season, and rumor ... More >>

Florence the Machine at State Theatre, 4/27/12

Florence the MachineState Theatre, MinneapolisFriday, April 27, 2012View a slideshow from the concert here."This is such a beautiful venue," Florence Welch said to her assembled subjects midway through Friday's performance. And indeed the ornate State Theatre is one of the few spots worthy of the ... More >>

Prince & Bon Iver visit Blue Ivy Carter on Saturday Night Live

Justin "Vernon" Timberlake.​Call this the skit from this weekend's Saturday Night Live that they expected would end up on the blogs. In it, the power couple of Beyonce and Jay-Z are receiving guests to visit their newborn Blue Ivy Carter. Portrayed by various members of the cast, LL Cool J, Nicki ... More >>

WLTE switching to pop country station BUZ'N 102.9

​If the fact that Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney's show at Target Field sold out in a mere four hours isn't enough to convince you that top-40 country is winning the populist vote here in the Twin Cities, this should do it: The snoozy longtime lite rock staple WLTE (102.9 Lite FM) will switch to an ... More >>

Lydia Loveless to play Lee's, Hymie's tomorrow night

Hearing 21-year-old Ohioan Lydia Loveless' Bloodshot release Indestructible Machine, your immediate association upon taking in her rich, steady and intense voice is "Neko Case. She sounds like Neko Case." But no, that's not quite right. It's got a rougher edge than that. Stay instead within the Buck ... More >>

Beastie Boys will fight for your right to wear Chuck Taylors

​Are you a stone Beastie Boys fanatic? Did you unironically have "No Sleep 'Til Brooklyn" tattooed on your lower back? Do you need some shoes? Do you have $200 to spare? If all of the above things are true about you, then Ad-Rock, MCA, and Mike D have some news you might be interested in: they've ... More >>

Toby Keith tops Forbes' "Highest-Paid" list

Photo by Nikki MillerGimme fifty mill and I'll sell you a Ford pickup truck!​No, he didn't out-earn Lady Gaga, who topped Forbes' list of highest-paid celebrities, but at his $50 million to her $4.5 billion, Toby Keith was at the top of the list of country artists, thanks in part to his chain ... More >>

Mark Mallman tour diary, Vol. 2

​The zombie apocalypse might very well begin in Des Moines, IA. I can see em all now, loping out of the cornfield, eyes glaring like lost Wal-Mart dads. This guy at the show the night before claimed Iowa to have the highest level of radon in America. In the morning Aaron Lemay was watching Shaun ... More >>

Dolly Parton, Handsome Furs, Journey, and more

Top 10 concert photos of the summer so far

It's been a rainy start to our summer so far, but that hasn't stopped Twin Cities fans from busting out their ponchos and going outdoors to take in live music. Between Rock the Garden, Soundset, the Warped Tour, and shows at the Minnesota Zoo's amphitheater, concertgoers have had plenty of chances t ... More >>

Taylor Swift at the Xcel Energy Center, 6/14/11 and 6/15/11

Photos by Steve Cohen​Taylor SwiftJune 14 and 15, 2011Xcel Energy Center, St. PaulThe best spectacle of Tuesday night's Taylor Swift show at the Xcel was Swift performing "Love Story" standing on what looked like a floating balcony, suspended by wires and soaring like a UFO over fans' heads. But t ... More >>

Taylor Swift shoots 'em up and Shania Twain falls hard at the CMT Awards

Photo courtesy of Rick Diamond/Getty Images ​Country music fans were abuzz last night about the CMT Music Awards, but not necessarily on account of the winners.

Twister's greatest moments in pop culture

​Since its inception as an advertising gimmick for a shoe wax company, Twister has come a long way. Almost 50 years later, it's been played by 65 million people, and everyone from Johnny Carson to Keanu Reeves to Taylor Swift has been tied in knots on its colorful game board. Here are some of the ... More >>

Britney Spears and Enrique Iglesias coming to Xcel July 6

​This summer's arena calendar is already filling up, with Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, and Journey coming to the Xcel, plus shows by Usher, Rihanna, Sade, and the aging pop version of Voltron, NKOTBSB, coming to the Target Center. To add to the spectacle, Britney Spears is throwing her hat in the rin ... More >>

Owl City announces new record and Roy Wilkins show, hearts Taylor Swift

​​Two-and-a-half unforgivingly short months away, Owl City will be in the nation's faces again.

Taylor Swift ticket seller at Xcel recounts sweet story of front-row fan

via @XcelEnergyCtr​It's a big day for ticket on-sales in the Twin Cities -- both the Gayngs Affiliayted Showcase and Adele went on sale at First Avenue, with Adele selling out in a matter of minutes, and the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul opened its box office doors for legions of Taylor Swift fan ... More >>

The Week That Was: Travis Barker won't go away, Aretha Franklin alive

​What's that you say? All you want for Christmas is to not be Travis Barker? That's easy; wish granted! Unless, of course, you are Travis Barker, in which case: too bad, so sad. You're always gonna look like a skate rat ghoul. Anyway, let's take a gander at what happened in the world of music last ... More >>

Jamey Johnson to play benefit at Fine Line Friday

Courtesy of jameyjohnson.com​So you're a hipster who hates country music but loves Waylon Jennings. Despises Keith Urban and Toby Keith but digs on Cash. Thinks Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift can burn in a pyre of blonde extensions and Auto-tune processors but thinks Loretta in her black wi ... More >>

Eight G.O.O.D. reasons to buy 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy' today

​Finally! After tons of build-up, Kanye's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is out in stores today. Here are eight reasons you should buy it immediately.

George Bush calls Kanye West rant lowest point of presidency

​MATT LAUER: You remember what he said? PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Yes, I do. He called me a racist. A brief excerpt has been posted of Matt Lauer's interview with former President George W. Bush, set to air this Monday night on Matt Lauer Reports.For a man who dammed the river of scientific prog ... More >>

Taylor Swift inks deal with Target

Screengrab via TwitPicTaylor Swift and Target: Kissing the dog means inking a deal. ​We know what Taylor Swift saw from the stage last month at the Target Center, and now we know her performance in front of Big Red's army had an even bigger upside than a quick paycheck. Swift has signed a dea ... More >>

The VMAS: Goddammit

​The most vapid and useless event in the music industry happened last night - no, not the Grammys/Country Music Awards/Rock And Roll Hall of Fame inductions/Band Aid/Entourage season premieres/American Idol/issues of Rolling Stone - it's MTV's 42nd Annual Video Music Awards, a myopic perineum desp ... More >>

Taylor Swift, John Legend schmooze with Target's Bullseye [PHOTOS]

Via TwitPicTaylor Swift gives Bullseye a kiss​Taylor Swift, John Legend, Keith Urban, Enrique Iglesias Charice and other A-list artists added some star power to Target Corp's annual national company meeting yesterday at the Target Center. Backstage, Swift and Legend schmoozed with Bullseye, t ... More >>

Month in Music: May 2010

​What happened to May? Is it seriously almost coming to an end? If you need a little refresher on one of the busiest music months in recent memory, head over to our Month in Music slideshow, which recaps photos of Gayngs, the Lyn-Lake street fest, Taylor Swift, Dessa, Romantica, and more.

Taylor Swift returns to the Twin Cities

Photo by Tony Nelson​Pop-country megastar Taylor Swift returned to the Twin Cities (less than a year after playing the Target Center) to charm the Xcel in St. Paul. Tony Nelson got up close and personal with the singer and delivered an amazing slideshow of photos; click here to check them out.

Taylor Swift sells out Xcel

Photo by Steve Cohen​ SOLD OUT SOLD OUT SOLD OUT. I'm worried for li'l Taylor Swift. Her last American tour sold out all across the board. In fact, she sold out Staples Center and Madison Square Garden in less than two minutes. This tour? Also sold out sold out sold out. Appears the next show wit ... More >>

"We Are The World" to be remade. Really?

There's such a deficit of collective songwriting talent and ability out there that we've absolutely gotta re-make "We Are The World" as a Haiti benefit event single?

The Decemberists, Dave Matthews, many more record music for Haiti

Many sites are offering free, exclusive music in exchange for Haiti donations.

Mall of America's music: Top-drawing acts since 2002

Over the past decade, bubble gum pop stars from Taylor Swift to Mariah Carey drew crowds as large as 15,000 people to the mall's rotunda.

Grammy nominations: Do we care?

How many local music fans will tune in to this year's Grammys?

The Friday 5: Zombie Pub Crawl, Taylor Swift, squirrel chasing

See what stories were most popular on citypages.com this week.

Gimme News Weekly Wrap-Up: Oct. 12-16

New music from Bob Dylan, Tegan and Sarah announce TC date, Greycoats offer free album download & new videos from Sick of Sarah & To Kill a Petty Bourgeoisie.

Taylor Swift, Jolie Holland, School of Seven Bells, and more

Taylor Swift

Kanye West & Lady Gaga tour called off

Shocking.

Are You Ready for the Country: How to tune a turd

Ten ways I'd put the hurt on Kanye West.

Are You Ready for the Country: County fairs, cowboy boots and Sparks

Today I head back from my hometown's county fair; cheap Sparks and heckling Blake Shelton made for a rough three nights.

Kid Rock, Lynyrd Skynyrd

Are You Ready For the Country: Your cheatin' heart will tell on you

Blame it on your lying cheating cold deadbeating two-timing double-dealing mean mistreating loving heart.

What's Playing

Top Ten Spins This Week on KEEY 102.1 FM

WHAT'S PLAYING

Top Ten Spins This Week at KEEY, 102.1 FM

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

Ten reasons to tune in country radio in 2006