Music

POP UNCULTURED: A roundup of weird music news for the week ending May 11

by Anne T. Donahue

Since it’s impossible to address the total madness of the music industry in only five days, Pop Uncultured saves some of the week’s strangest stories for Friday afternoon. Enjoy?

Tim McGraw is releasing his own line of headphones [FULL STORY]

With news that Tim McGraw is releasing a line of headphones, AP reports that despite being a self-described “neanderthal when it comes to electronics” McGraw is now a “direct competitor” with Dr. Dre. Feuds like this can only end badly, but I do look forward to the inevitable throw-down that begins when Dre interprets THIS little gem:

Iggy Pop will release a French pop album [FULL STORY]

Iggy Pop has finished Après, an album of French pop songs that the singer plans to release digitally. Despite having already dabbled in French on 2009’s Préliminaires, this is arguably a new direction, not only because he’s ditching his label, but because of this exclusive behind-the-scenes footage taped during recording:

Jack White wants to play vinyl in space

On top of being in one thousand bands, Jack White wants to be the first person to play vinyl in space, according to NME. Saying he plans to “launch a balloon that carries a vinyl record player and figure out a way to drop the needle with all that turbulence up there [to] ensure it will still play,” Jack White then received feedback from Jim Lovell Tom Hanks himself:

Skrillex is going to be part of a train tour [FULL STORY]

Skrillex, Grimes, Diplo and others will be touring Canada via train this summer, with dates planned from Vancouver to Toronto to Montreal. Not to say it sounds foreboding, but I think we all saw how this kind of thing turned out before:

Serena Williams is a rapper now

MTV reports that Serena Williams plans to release a rap song that includes lines like “I ball hard no tennis racket” and “I can’t see these haters through my Gucci glasses.” While still unconfirmed, sources say Serena was heavily influenced by an infamous track by another pop culture megastar:

Justin Bieber graduated from high school this week

Which means it was not him on the cover of TIME this week.

Rita Wilson has released an adult contemporary album

Rita Wilson has officially released her debut record AM/FM, which features the likes of Sheryl Crow and Chris Cornell. Despite having already starred in Broadway’s Chicago, this is Wilson’s first official album, and upon hearing herself on the radio, reacted exactly like this:

[via Billboard]

Kanye West hates a lot of things [FULL STORY]

Kanye West went on a Twitter rampage this weekend, claiming he hated everything from “cargo shorts” to “long-ass sideburns with the line up RnB beard.” Leonardo DiCaprio could not be reached for comment.

Lady Gaga‘s Simpsons character has been revealed

NME has reported that Lady Gaga will appear on The Simpsons in her meat dress, looking something like this:

Well, she’s still got nothing on my own Simpsons appearance as far as I’m concerned:

Nicki Minaj reunited with Sophia Grace and Rosie on Ellen this week

And now your weekend will be beautiful.