AM Prep-Music

January 19, 2021 GMT

MORGAN WALLEN’S “DANGEROUS” IS NUMBER ONE

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Morgan Wallen’s “Dangerous” album has set a record for the largest streaming week for a country album. Billboard reports “Dangerous” was streamed 240.18 million times in the past week. That beats the record of 102.26 million set by Luke Combs and “What You See Is What You Get” in October. Billboard’s formula for streaming puts the “Dangerous” streams as equivalent to 184,000 units of sales. Add actual sales and “Dangerous” gets credit for moving 265,000 units in the past week, putting it at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Taylor Swift is second with “Evermore,” and “Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon” by Pop Smoke is in third place. Jazmine Sullivan’s “Heaux (HOH) Tales” is fourth. “The Voice” by Lil Durk is number five.

NEW RADICALS REUNITE FOR BIDEN INAUGURATION

WASHINGTON (AP) - New Radicals will reunite for a performance for the first time in more than two decades tomorrow as part of Joe Biden’s inauguration festivities. Frontman Gregg Alexander tells Rolling Stone the one thing on earth that would make them get together, if only for a day, is the hope that they could be even the tiniest beacon of light in a dark time. Biden wrote in his book “Promise Me, Dad” that the New Radicals song “You Get What You Give” was the theme song for his late son, Beau, while he was fighting cancer. It was also the walk-out music for Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President-elect Kamala (KAH’-mah-lah) Harris. The Washington Post reports Earth Wind and Fire, Nile Rodgers, Kathy Sledge and Andra Day also have been added to the lineup of entertainment.

GARTH BROOKS WILL PERFORM AT BIDEN INAUGURATION

NEW YORK (AP) — Garth Brooks says his involvement in Joe Biden’s inaugural festivities is not a political statement, but a statement of unity. Brooks said in a virtual press conference yesterday he may be the only Republican at this event, but he believes in reaching out to those who think differently than he does. Brooks says he wants to be able “to differ in opinion and hug each other at the same football game.” Brooks says he will perform solo. Brooks had performed for Barack Obama’s inauguration but declined to play at Donald Trump’s, citing a scheduling conflict.

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE CONFIRMS SECOND CHILD

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Justin Timberlake is a dad again. Timberlake tells “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” his wife, actor Jessica Biel, gave birth to a boy, but he did not say when. They’ve named him Phineas. Timberlake and Biel also have a 5-year-old son, Silas.

STEVIE WONDER RELEASES OPEN LETTER TO MLK ON KING HOLIDAY

NEW YORK (AP) — Stevie Wonder, whose advocacy helped make civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a national holiday, is urging the incoming Biden administration to form a national commission on equality. Wonder released a video message yesterday as an open letter to King, who was assassinated in 1968 and whose birthday was made a federal holiday late in 1983. In the video, Wonder said, “for 36 years, we’ve had a national holiday honoring your birthday and principles, and you would not believe the lack of progress. It makes me physically sick.”

ICED EARTH’S JON RYAN SCHAFFER HIMSELF IN AFTER CAPITOL RIOT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Iced Earth guitarist Jon Ryan Schaffer has turned himself in to the FBI in Indianapolis after he was sought for being one of the rioters at the U.S. Capitol. An FBI spokeswoman says Schaffer has been charged with several felony counts, including engaging in an act of physical violence. The Indianapolis Star reports Schaffer was seen in photos and on video holding a can of bear repellant spray and in “verbal altercations with Capitol Police inside the Capitol building.” It’s uncertain if Schaffer has a lawyer who can speak on his behalf. The other members of Iced Earth say in a statement they condemn the violence at the Capitol and hope all who were involved are brought to justice.

RADIOHEAD DEMO GOES TO AUCTION

LONDON (AP) - A demo cassette by a band that would later become Radiohead is for sale. Omega Auctions in London says a cassette titled “Gripe” from the band On A Friday features three songs not heard before. Singer Thom Yorke designed the cover and wrote notes for the inlay. The cassette was believed to have been made in 1988 or ’89 and given to someone who knew the band who prefers to remain anonymous. The cassette is expected to sell for at least $2,700 at auction next Tuesday.