Leighton Meester

Leighton Meester talks to ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino in this exclusive interview about what she’s listening to…

A Taste:

Empire of the Sun, Tom Petty, Jay-Z

Leighton Meester wants to make you sweat, and that’s just what her music is going to do.

“Somebody to Love,” the first single from her forthcoming debut album, is a bona fide club anthem that’ll be lighting up dance floors for a long time to come. It’s sexy and sassy just like the young starlet. Even though Leighton definitely loves her fair share of dance music, she’s got quite an eclectic playlist overall. The fact that she’s all-over-the-map makes her tunes that much more interesting.

Leighton’s in the studio finishing up the album right now, but she found the time to sit down with ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino for this exclusive playlist feature.

Check out Leighton’s playlist below and be sure to keep an eye out for her debut album!

Leighton Meester’s Playlist:

1. Empire of the Sun

I’ve been listening to Empire of the Sun a lot. They’re amazing! They have a lot of really good songs, but “Walking on a Dream” is one of the most-played on my iTunes. They’re very electro. It’s beautiful music, but it’s a little disco-sounding too. This song holds a lot of memories for me. I started listening to it about a year ago, and it reminds me of dancing all night in my hotel room in Paris drunk on champagne [Laughs].
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Chester Bennington of Dead by Sunrise and Linkin Park

Linkin Park and Dead By Sunrise mainman Chester Bennington talks to ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino about what’s on his playlist in this exclusive interview…

A Taste:

Phoenix, Metric, Muse, Cage the Elephant

“I’ve got some pretty interesting stuff going on in my world right now,” says Dead By Sunrise and Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington with a smile.

Not only did he just release one of the best rock albums of the year, Dead By Sunrise’s Out of Ashes, Chester has spent a fair amount of time spinning his favorite acts for inspiration.

Dead By Sunrise mixes the ethereal whimsy of Depeche Mode with Alice In Chains‘ raw vitality for a sound that’s undeniably badass. It’s definitely an amalgam of many different styles, but, most importantly, it’s personal, real and refreshing.

While on the set for Dead By Sunrise’s next video, “Let Down,” Chester sat down with ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino for this exclusive interview about his playlist. Check it out below and be sure to pick up Dead By Sunrise’s Out of Ashes, available everywhere now!
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Kristen Bell of Astro Boy

ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino sits down with Kristen Bell for this exclusive interview about her favorite music! Check out her playlist and video below…she digs Miley Cyrus and Motown…

A Taste:

Miley Cyrus, The Four Tops, Aretha Franklin, The Postal Service

Kristen Bell is a classy girl.

By glancing at the Astro Boy star’s playlist, a cornucopia of MoTown favorites, it’s easy to recognize that she’s got really good taste in music. However, there is a dark side to her iPod—a VERY dark side.

“I will turn up some Miley Cyrus if it’s on in the car,” she laughs with a stunning smile. “I’m not ashamed of that either; I’m really not [Laughs].”

Cranking a little Miley Cyrus is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, little miss Montana even encouraged Eli Roth to go apeshit for Inglourious Basterds. Even though Bell’s Astro Boy character, Cora, doesn’t bash in Nazi brains with a baseball bat, she’s still a touch cookie.

Bell continues, “I like that Cora is a little bit mysterious. She acts like a tough girl, but she has all of these young maternal instincts to keep this group of runaways together. She’s kind of like their Peter Pan!”
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Where the Wild Things Are’s Forest Whitaker, Lauren Ambrose, Max Records

Where the Wild Things Are stars, Max Records, Forest Whitaker, Lauren Ambrose, Catherine O’Hara and Catherine Keener share their playlists with ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino for this exclusive feature…

A Taste:

Django Reinhardt, Louie Armstrong, The Smiths

What’s the best way to get really wild?

Well, you can always start by kicking out your favorite jams and going from there!

The cast of Where the Wild Things Are is extremely eclectic and unique, but their respective playlists may be just as wild as they are! Forest Whitaker and Lauren Ambrose both have a devout appreciation for classic jazz, while Catherine O’Hara spends her time enjoying Indian music and Catherine Keener is jamming Karen O. The biggest sonic surprise though comes from the film’s 12-year-old star, Max Records—he loves The Smiths! Well, there’s really no one wilder than Morrissey so it all somewhat makes sense!
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Drake

Drake gives ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino a glimpse at some of his favorite bands in this exclusive playlist feature

A Taste:

Kings of Leon, Passion Pit, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes

Drake is undeniably the hottest new rapper in the game.

So we had to know…what the hell is he listening to?

“Indie rock,” Drake laughs with a big smile. “I feel like that that music is the best that it’s been in years. There are so many bands that are simply phenomenal.”

Even though he’s rolling with Lil Wayne and trading verses with Slim Shady, Drake prefers to kick back and turn up some fuzzed out artsy bands. That’s probably why he’s got such a unique style and melodic sensibility. You can’t mess with Drake and his shoegazin’ playlist!

Drake opened up his iTunes for ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino in this exclusive playlist feature. Check out what Drake is spinning below and pick up his brand new EP, So Far Gone, available now!

Drake’s Playlist:

1. Passion Pit
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Vince Vaughn of Couples Retreat

Vince Vaughn of Couples Retreat talks to ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino about what’s on his playlist…

A Taste:

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Merle Haggard, Buck Owens

Vince Vaughn knows good tunes.

In fact, he’s a veritable music encyclopedia, spouting off the historical origins of everyone from Led Zeppelin to Merle Haggard at the drop of a hat. Vaughn’s love for music manifests in a different fashion in Couples Retreat though.

In one key scene, he lays it all on the line during an incendiary Guitar Hero showdown during Billy Squier’s “Lonely is the Night.” There’s nothing more epic, or hilarious, than that.

Vaughn shared some playlist selections with ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino in this exclusive feature.

Check out Vince’s playlist below and don’t miss Couples Retreat in theaters everywhere now!

Vince Vaughn’s Playlist:

1. Led Zeppelin
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