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Max Martin: Why a Pop-Hit Songwriter and Producer Created a Musical

March 31, 2023

Even if you don’t know who Max Martin is, you’ve definitely heard his songs. Hit-pop songs are kind of his thing after all. Martin first stepped into the music world in 1985 as a frontman for....

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MANILA GREY: Vancouver's Rising R&B Duo

March 18, 2023

The Filipino-Canadian duo from Vancouver has been releasing new tracks left and right, and they are known for their most streamed songs on Spotify, “Timezones,” and “Silver Skies.” Previously .......

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How did Miley Cyrus’ Heartbreak Song “Flowers” Break the Spotify Record?

March 17, 2023

The singer, songwriter, and actress Miley Cyrus has recently released a record-breaking song called “Flowers” in January 2023. This song recites her 10-year long relationship with her ex-husband....

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Men I Trust: Canada’s DIY Indie Band That Could Be Your New Favourite

March 4, 2023

Men I Trust is a Canadian indie pop band known for their dreamy and mellow sound. Their music is laid back, incorporating elements of funk, disco, and R&B to create a smooth and groovy vibe that is

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Basics For Building an At-Home Recording Studio

March 3, 2023

Artists like Kaytranada have proved that you don’t need access to a professional recording studio to create well-produced music. As technology and social media have advanced, it is now easier than eve

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Facing the Music: Legal Challenges With AI and Copyright Laws

February 25, 2023

People draw inspiration from others when forming their ideas, it’s a fact of life. Sampling in music is no exception - and artists do it for a variety of reasons. Traditionally, copyright laws and

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Tobias Jesso Jr.: GRAMMY-Winning Canadian Sells His Song Rights

February 23, 2023

Tobias Jesso Jr. You may know his name from his 2015 solo album Goon. Or maybe from his work on various popular songs, such as “When We Were Young” by Adele and “Alive” by Sia. Or even from his rece

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How Popular TV Shows and Movies Resurrect Classic Songs

February 23, 2023

HBO’s The Last of Us is arguably the hottest show out right now, receiving near universal acclaim from viewers and critics alike. This holds especially true for episode three: “Long, Long Time”.

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Ginalina: Bringing Her Taiwan Roots Into Her Latest Album

February 21, 2023

Folk singer. Songwriter. Canadian. Polyglot. All of these titles belong to Gina Lam, also known by her stage name Ginalina. In November 2022, she released her latest album titled Going Back: Remembe

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Rihanna’s Super Bowl Performance

February 21, 2023

Rihanna is an illustrious artist. She is among the best selling female artists of all time, and was one of the greatest hitmakers of the 2000s and 2010s. She has since grown to become the richest...

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How do Streaming Platforms Pay Artists - Is It Fair?

February 20, 2023

Streaming is now the driving force of the music industry, making up 84% of the industry revenue in the U.S. While streaming is much more convenient for listeners, many artists argue that it is near im

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Why Jay-Z Was Named The #1 Rapper Of All Time

February 23, 2023

Who is the greatest rapper of all time? Is it even possible to crown just one person? Well, Billboard and Vibe did exactly that. And, according to them, that person is Jay-Z. In honor of Hip-Hop’s

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Olivia Rodrigo Strikers Gold Again with “GUTS”

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Photo Source: Teen Vogue

For Olivia Rodrigo’s devoted fans, the long-anticipated moment has finally arrived.  After a long two year wait since the release of her first breakout album “Sour”, Olivia Rodrigo is back with her sophomore album, “GUTS.” Olivia Rodrigo has been a revelation in the music industry since her first album, with songs like “drivers license” and “good 4 u” taking the world by storm. The pressure on Rodrigo’s new album has been undeniably immense after the massive success of her debut album. But she does not have to worry, as “GUTS” is already here and it’s nothing short of a masterpiece. 

Just like her 2021 debut, “Sour,” the album has 12 tracks, with Rodrigo credited as a lead songwriter alongside her go-to producer Dan Nigro. Rodrigo talks about how the album is “about growing up and finding your footing in the world” in an interview with The Guardian. The first single of the album, “Vampire,” was released back in June 30, 2023. In only its first week of release, “Vampire” racked up as the highest one-week streaming total on the Hot 100 with 23 million streams. 

It was not the single that only skyrocketed with streams, “GUTS” also became Rodrigo’s second No.1 album at the age of 20. Around 302,000 albums were sold in the U.S. and nearly 100 million streams in the first week, making it the largest opening week for any album released in 2023. In comparison to her breakthrough album, “Sour” debuted with 295,000 units sold in the opening week.

The album included many hits, with all 12 tracks from the album placed in the top 40 of Hot 100. Upon the album’s release, Rolling Stone even granted “GUTS” a score of a perfect 100, titling it as an “instant classic.” Fans has also gone crazy with Olivia Rodrigo announcing a 75-date world tour that is going to start in February 2024. However, if you’re in Toronto and you were looking forward to attending her concert, then Ticketmaster has unsurprisingly announced that tickets to each of her 2024 Toronto dates has been already sold out. You don’t have to worry since you can still stream her “instant classic” album on both Apple Music and Spotify! Below is the track list of the album of the year contender. 

  1. all american b – h 
  2. bad idea right
  3. vampire
  4. lacy
  5. ballad of a homeschooled girl
  6. making the bed
  7. logical
  8. get him back
  9. love is embarrassing
  10. the grudge
  11. pretty isn’t pretty
  12. teenage dream