Irish rock icons U2 re-record past songs. Songs Of Surrender features new renditions of 40 songs from their discography, a career-spanning repertoire that ranges from the 1980 non-album single 11 O’Clock Tick Tock to Get Out Of Your Own Way, a single from their last album Songs Of Experience (2017). Frontman Bono and guitarist The Edge handled most of the re-recordings during the pandemic lockdown, although bassist Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr play on some songs. The album also serves as a companion to Bono’s memoir released in November 2022, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story. Most of the tracks have been stripped down to their bare essentials, with minimal instrumentation, putting Bono’s voice front and centre.
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Michelle Yeoh won the Oscar for best actress
Michelle Yeoh has won best actress at the 95th Academy Awards on Sunday night, becoming the first woman of Asian descent to win the award. Yeoh, who earned the trophy for her acclaimed performance in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” has also entered the history books for becoming the first Malaysian-born performer to be honored with a best actress Oscar.
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Today in Music’s History
On June 13th 1995, Alanis Morissette released her studio album, Jagged Little Pill. The album went on to sell over 30 million copies world-wide, and made Morissette the first female Canadian to score a US No.1 album. ‘Jagged Little Pill’ featured the massive hits, ‘You Oughta Know’, ‘Hand in My Pocket’, ‘Ironic’, and ‘You Learn’.
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Today in Music’s History
On July 18th 1980, Billy Joel held the top position of both the US albums and singles charts. His album Glass Houses contained his first and biggest No.1 hit, ‘It’s Still Rock ‘n’ Roll to Me.’ The song conveys Joel’s criticisms of the music industry and press, commenting on new musical styles of the time such as new wave being mere rehashes of older musical styles. It also addresses changing trends and attitudes of the era. The single eventually reached Platinum status from the RIAA for sales of over 1 million copies in the United States.
