Last week the Recording Academy announced the nominees for the 2013 Grammy Awards. Soundcheck regular Joe Levy weighs in on the surprises, snubs, and a strange footnote known as "Walsergate."

The 67-year-old British singer-songwriter recently released his tell-all memoir, Rod: An Autobiography, as well as his very first holiday record, Merry Christmas, Baby.

Billboard editor Joe Levy explains how "the world’s greatest rock and roll band" gave birth to the modern touring industry.

A new, and divisive bill in Congress -- called the Internet Radio Fairness Act -- would change the way that services like Spotify and Pandora pay musicians for streaming their music. Billboard editor and Soundcheck regular Joe Levy joins us to break down the dollars and cents of it all.

Billboard editor and Soundcheck regular Joe Levy adds an entry to the dictionary with a category of music he calls "Esperanto Pop." We hear how acts from ABBA to PSY to Usher are making music that's engineered for the biggest pop market possible -- the world.

Soundcheck regular and Billboard editor Joe Levy joins us with a handful of his favorite new and recent music releases, including some albums that have flown just under the radar, but that he's keeping his eye on.

Levy tells us about two different takes on traditionalism from party band Low Cut Connie and the glam rock Sub Pop act known as King Tuff. Plus, he plays music from from blues/rock guitarist Gark Clark, Jr.

Billboard editor Joe Levy gives us his pick for Musician-In-Chief: The Rolling Stones' guitarist Keith Richards. Plus, speaking of elections, the 2013 nominees for the Rock Hall of Fame were announced last week. We hear who made the cut.

Billboard editor Joe Levy joins us to share what he would do with a $500,000 MacArthur "Genius" Award. And, he tells us more about the folky, foot-stompy, chart-topping British band Mumford & Sons.

Last week, the number of major record labels dropped from four to three. News spread on Friday that Universal Music Group (UMG) received approval from industry regulators to take over EMI Music, home to acts like Coldplay and David Guetta, and the Beatles catalogue. Billboard editor Joe Levy joins us to explain what's happened, and what it means for you.

It may have been a quiet summer for new releases, but it's gearing up to be a big fall. Joining us to discuss some noteworthy releases this week is Billboard editor and Soundcheck regular Joe Levy. We hear the latest from Carly Rae Jepsen, Pink, Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music label and a reissue of Michael Jackson's Bad, which features a previously unheard demo from the late King of Pop.

Reality singing shows The Voice and The X-Factor are going head-to-head this fall. Billboard editor Joe Levy joins us with a preview of what to expect.

We get a review of Madonna's new album, "MDNA," from Billboard magazine's new editor, Joe Levy. 

The much-anticipated sci-fi movie “The Hunger Games” comes out in theaters today, but the soundtrack to the film has been selling like gangbusters since Tuesday. Music journalist Joe Levy gives us his review of the star-studded album, which was produced by T-Bone Burnett. Plus, we open the phones to talk about great music inspired by dismal predictions of life in the future.

Bob Dylan's new album, Together Through Life, is the latest chapter in a critically acclaimed comeback that began in 1997. In another Soundcheck Smackdown, we debate Dylan's career revival, his legacy, and this latest release. Joining us are Joe Levy, editor of Maxim magazine and former editor of Blender and ...