MUSIC Major Lazer Album Title: Free the Universe Release Date: April 16 Due to artistic differences, Major Lazer producers Diplo and Switch have parted ways leaving Diplo alone to pilot the mainstream reggae revival currently underway. Diplo’s manager told Billboard that he’d like the audience to see Major Lazer as a band or crew. Whether or not the album’s featured artists will perform on Free the Universe tour dates is still up on the air, but appearances by Santigold, Amber of Dirty Proje... [Read more]

Behind the record industry and the endlessly grinding gears of the hit factory stand an elite group of individuals who are responsible for churning out the latest, greatest pop music the world has ever known. The Darwinian process that sees songs made or broken by a fickle public with millions of dollars at stake ensures the survival of only the fittest, but there are a select few who transcend the zeitgeist and end up defining the sound of a given moment. They aren’t always the biggest seller... [Read more]