Keith Richards reveals the real meaning behind "Beast of Burden" that everyone got wrong

"Those who say it’s about one woman in particular, they’ve got it all wrong" —  Matt Miller, Esquire

I can go for that: how soft rock finally got cool

Once, the sound of 70s and 80s yacht rock was a musical punchline. Now Doobie Brother Michael McDonald is in demand from cutting-edge artists such as Thundercat, and hipster cratediggers are championing lost classics  —  The Guardian

11 new companies innovating in the music industry

A changing music industry means even more opportunities for creativity —  Ash Vongtau, pigeonsandplanes.com

Gord Downie's final album Introduce Yerself will haunt you: review

23-track album cannot be divorced from the tragic circumstances of its creation, nor is it really intended to be —  Ben Rayner, Toronto Star

Sex Pistols break down 'Never Mind the Bollocks' track by track

As the British punk landmark turns 40, Johnny Rotten and Glen Matlock look back —  Kory Grow, Rolling Stone

BBC hopes to bury ghost of Top of the Pops with new music show

Sounds Like Friday Night features celebrity comedy sketches as well as live music performances across many genres —  Hannah Ellis-Petersen, The Guardian

His Name was Prince

"Yesterday morning I had a private tour of the new Prince exhibition at London’s O2 centre… This is the unedited version of a Times piece I wrote about it" —  barneyhoskyns.om

Bootsy Collins on the reasons he left James Brown's band

The musician, 66, discusses free love, Funkadelic, coming to earthly consciousness and getting away from being Bootsy  —  Candice Pires,The Guardian

Jenny Mitchell builds record through "winnowing"

"Winnowing" is a curious word and Guelph-based songwriter Jenny Mitchell learned about its meaning from a "kindred spirit of tiny songs"  —  Coral Andrews Waterloo Region Record

U.S. Girls unveiled a bigger, groovier new incarnation at the Tranzac

Meg Remy's Polaris-nominated project has expanded to a 10-piece and the first of her two hometown shows was a glimpse into where they're headed —   Michael Rancic, NOW

Dance like the living dead

Check out our spookily awesome Halloween 2017 playlist   — The Georgia Straight

Depeche Mode keeps it fresh on last stop in North America

Their first show in Edmonton Friday night was also the last on the North American Global Spirit tour —   Fish Griwkowsky, Edmonton Journal

Outspoken Corb Lund says he's done talking politics: 'Put it in your song'

On a rainy October afternoon in Nashville, Alberta’s cowboy-poet savant puts the no religion and politics theory to practice around the diner table —   Theresa Tyler, Calgary Herald

Missing is an opera for murdered and vanished Aboriginal women and girls

City Opera Vancouver and Pacific Opera Victoria commissioned a chamber work based upon the Canadian national tragedy of missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls stands out  —  Stuart Derdeyn, Vancouver Sun

Ready for It? Not when it’s unworthy of Taylor Swift’s talents

Swift’s new dystopian video features a regrettable rap-pop hybrid that feels forced and synthetic —  Vinay Menon, Toronto Star