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Soundcheck

Monday, February 11, 2008
  • martini
    smaku/flickr.

    Intoxicating Lyrics

    A new study shows that more than one third of the most popular songs in the US reference drugs and alcohol. Well, duh! But which songs make the list may surprise you. We talk to the study’s author, and to a music critic. Also: Indie rockers The Kills join us for a live performance. And finally: a round-up of last night's Grammy Awards ceremony.

Grammy Round-up

LA Times music critic Ann Powers reviews last night's Grammy Awards show, in which Amy Winehouse and Herbie Hancock took home some of the top prizes.

The Hard Stuff, in Song

Rap and country tunes top the list of songs that reference drugs and alcohol, according to a new study. We talk to the leader of the study, Brian Primack, from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and Los Angeles Times chief pop music critic Ann Powers as we debate the trend and its impact.

Weigh in: Are you bothered by the presence of booze and drug references in music? Tell us why or why not.

Music Lyrics Offer Earful About Drugs

The Kills Live

The Kills are an edgy rock duo from London who, as an LA Times critic describes: “make music so sexy and unsettling it can make you sweat on a cold night.” They join us for a live performance.

The Kills website
The Kills on MySpace

Best Live Performances of 2008

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We revisit memorable in-studio performances from Toumani Diabaté, Cat Power, Regina Spektor, and others.

The Year in Music and Branding

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Pop music and advertising go together like peanut butter and jelly. Grey Group music director Josh Rabinowitz shares his picks for the best song picks and ad campaigns of 2008.

Critics Week

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Music writers look back at the year's best pop, rock, hip hop, classical, jazz, Latin and world albums. Plus: the worst music of the year and the best online music. Read our critics' lists here. And don't forget to cast your vote in our best-albums poll.

Noteworthy New York

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We have invited musicians and artists to help us select their favorite cultural destination in the neighborhood where they live. From parks and coffee shops to bowling alleys and museums, the options are as diverse as our group of contributors.