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

2. Frances and the Lights

3. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes

4. Kings of Leon

I listen to a lot of Passion Pit, Frances and the Lights, Edward Sharpe and Kings of Leon.

5. Grizzly Bear

I love Grizzly Bear. There are almost too many great indie bands. They’ve got their own sounds going on. From the lyrics to the melodies, everything is great. I feel like indie rock is at a real strong place right now.

—Rick Florino
10.13.09

A Taste:

Led Zeppelin, Kings of Leon, Metallica

“I play kazoo! It’s a really great rock instrument,” laughs Malin Akerman.

Malin has quite the musical sensibility, and it’s one of the reasons that she steals the show more than a few times in Couples Retreat. Her sense of rhythm makes for some impeccable comedic moments. That style probably has something to do with her other gig, fronting The Petalstones. Despite a deep love for music, she doesn’t always have her iPod blaring on set though.

“I don’t really listen to music to get into character,” she continues. “The only time I did was during Watchmen before fight scenes. All I listened to was heavy metal like Primus and the hardest stuff you can think of.”

Typically, Malin dabbles in almost every genre though. She shared her playlist with ARTISTdirect.com editor and Dolor author Rick Florino in this exclusive feature. Check it out below and don’t miss her in Couples Retreat in theaters everywhere now!

Malin Akerman’s Playlist:

1. The Rolling Stones

2. Led Zeppelin

3. Metallica

“I’m listening to everything, really. I’m a big fan of old rock n’ roll. I love The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Metallica.

4. Rilo Kiley

“I love Rilo Kiley right now; I’m hooked on them.”

5. Kings of Leon

“I have to say I’m insanely in love with Kings of Leon. I think women can agree! The singer has got a sexy voice [Laughs]. They’re just sexy!”

—Rick Florino
10.12.09

A Taste:

Santogold, Devil Doll, Kings of Leon, Muse

How do you join Sorority Row’s exclusive club?

“Initiation was—Can you salsa dance?” laughs Jamie Chung.

Audrina Patridge adds, “The first night I got there we all went salsa dancing, and we bonded right away. We were very lucky to have such a great cast. It was a great balance with the humor and horror. It was an incredible experience! They made it look like I was actually stabbed. They made this incision that look so real, and I was walking around with this huge hole in my chest with blood everywhere [Laughs].”

Sorority Row has it all. It’s got its fair share of scares and laughs, and Audrina and Jamie had a hand in both. However, they weren’t just listening to salsa music on set. Audrina and Jamie shared their playlists with ARTISTdirect.com in this exclusive feature.

Check out their playlists below and in this exclusive video and catch Sorority Row in theaters on September 11!

Jamie Chung’s Playlist:

1. Santogold

2. Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs

Jamie: I’m kind of obsessed with Santogold and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Audrina Patridge’s Playlist:

1. Santogold

2. Devil Doll

3. Muse

4. Kings of Leon

Audrina: I love Santogold. Devil Doll is actually really good. It’s very jazzy and burlesque, yet rock n’ roll. Muse’s new album comes out soon, and I’m excited about that. I like Kings of Leon too!

Jamie: They’re just so hot [Laughs].

Audrina: I’ve actually seen them a couple of times!

—Rick Florino
09.07.09

A Taste:

Kings of Leon, Shwayze, Radiohead, The Beatles

Extracurricular activities are a staple of the college experience.

Intramural volleyball, community service, debate team and, of course sorority and fraternity life, remain integral to a “well-rounded” education—as any college counselor will tell you.

However, in Sorority Row, Rumer Willis, Leah Pipes, Briana Evigan and Jamie Chung redefine “extracurricular,” by adding “murder” to that list.

After a raucous house party, they accidentally kill their friend Megan [Audrina Patridge] in a prank gone awry.

That most likely wasn’t in their college’s brochure, but Greek life is all about starting new traditions…

In this smokin’ hot slasher flick, the girls try to cover up what happened but someone knows and is hell-bent on making them pay. High-octane horror ensues…

The actresses coped with all of that gore through cranking their favorite bands on set. Briana Evigan, Rumer Willis, shared their blood-splattered playlists for this exclusive feature.

Check out their playlists below and in the video and don’t miss Sorority Row when it hits theaters on September 11!

Briana Evigan’s Playlist:

1. Shwayze

2. Radiohead

3. Coldplay

4. Kings of Leon

5. After Midnight Project

Briana: I’m a dancer, so I have a lot of hip hop albums, but I like listening to totally opposite music—Radiohead, Coldplay, Kings of Leon and After Midnight Project.

6. Cat Stevens

7. The Beatles

Briana: Cat Stevens and The Beatles are some of my favorites. The new stuff’s only fun when you go out, and then you get sick of it really quickly. Not hating on them though…[Laughs]

Leah Pipes’ Playlist:

1. Shwayze

2. Creedence Clearwater Rival

Leah: For my birthday, a friend of mind gave me some Creedence Clearwater Revival CDs, and I never really gave them a chance before. I knew their songs, but now I’m like, “Sold!”

Rumer: “Run Through The Jungle” is like top 5!

Rumer Willis’s Playlist:

1. Shwayze

2. Woodstock

Rumer: For me, I’m all about Woodstock or anything old school and classic rock.

—Rick Florino
09.07.09

A Taste:

Mastodon, Kings of Leon, M.I.A., Black Sabbath

“The beauty of the world is, there’s something for everybody,” says iconic skinsman Matt Sorum [Velvet Revolver/Guns N’ Roses/The Cult/Camp Freddy] with a smile.

He’s right, and diversity is definitely one plus side of modern music.

Matt continues, “People can find so many things to satisfy themselves. I don’t think one form of music is better than another. If some people dig pop that’s cool. It’s up to the person who likes it. Would I rather go back and listen to Led Zeppelin IV? Yeah, I would. That album still makes me experience that entire feeling that I did when I first heard it. I went, “Fuck!’ and then it just became part of my life and my essence.”

In between producing The Darling Stilettos, running his boutique Sorum Noce and pounding out some of the biggest rock n’ roll grooves ever, Matt Sorum sat down with ARTISTdirect.com to talk music. He opened up his iTunes and gave us an exclusive look at what he’s spinning. Check out his playlist below!

Matt Sorum’s Playlist:

1. M.I.A.

I got into M.I.A. because of my girlfriend. She buys more stuff than I do. She still goes and buys records, which is cool!

2. Kings of Leon — Only By the Night

I listened to this album and went, ‘Wow, these guys have really found their niche!” They had this Southern rock thing going on and then they made this album with these great vocals, very simple structures and melodies. It said something too. It had great guitar tones. Everything was very simple but majestic like an early U2 album. I’ve heard dashes of that when I first listened to Rattle and Hum.

3. The Killers

I think the Killers are coming into their own and turning into a class-A band. I saw them at Coachella, and they were stellar.

4. Mastodon — Crack the Skye

I really got into Mastodon. Their new album is awesome. Brendan O’Brien produced it, and I thought the tones were really cool.

5. Alice In Chains

I’m very excited about their new stuff. When we toured with them, I realized that I forgot how many fuckin’ hits they had. They waited and were respectful. God bless them. Why shouldn’t Alice In Chains be on tour playing those songs?

6. Darling Stilletos

I’ve been producing this group and we’ve been dabbling in listening to a lot of older stuff lately. We’ve pulled out stuff I love—The Clash, David Bowie and The Stooges. I turned all of these young girls onto this stuff. Let’s recreate the message here! Why does rock n’ roll make people feel good? When I was a kid, it was a lifestyle for me.

7. Black Sabbath — Vol. 4

The greatest era of rock n’ roll ever was the ’70s. Sorry, it was. Where could you find a band like Black Sabbath on the same stage doing a concert with Earth, Wind & Fire and The Eagles on the same day? It was California Jam 1974. The headliner was Emerson, Lake & Palmer. What happened to the fuckin’ world? The closest thing I’ve seen to it is the Coachella lineup. Shit’s so stagnant. When one band blows the doors off, the whole culture will change. It’s going to turn on a fuckin’ dime.

8. AC/DC — Back In Black

With this album, AC/DC were like, “We’re back, and we’re going to throw down the rock.” That’s fuckin’ heavy [Laughs].

—Rick Florino
06.29.09

A Taste:

Kings of Leon, Sick Puppies, Phil Collins

Chris Daughtry is a real rock n’ roll cowboy. He rolls into towns, takes over their largest venue and then rides off into the sunset.

Instead of a six-gun and a horse, he’s got a huge voice and a knack for riffs. On his forthcoming record, Leave This Town, Daughtry takes everything to a new plateau. His band is tighter than ever, busting out massive melodies like there’s no tomorrow. Daughtry has created one of the most epic rock records of the year, and he and the boys are ready to bring that sound to the masses.

Sitting on the set of his video for first single “No Surprise.” Daughtry delves into one stand out track, “September.”

He says, “I was out on the road away from my family. A lot of times, when you’re rundown and isolated, you’re forced to think about things you haven’t thought about since you were nine or ten years old. For me, that’s the only way that I could’ve written ‘September.’ With everything going on your brain, there are things you forget about in your life. Then you finally calm down and get in a place where your thoughts go somewhere else.”

He continues, “I started thinking about my childhood—how simple growing up was, how playing in the rain was something special and how you actually remembered summers back then. Then you grow up, and every day is the same. Birthdays aren’t any different. You barely remember the summers. You’re always working, and there’s no separation and nothing to look forward to. That song captures my entire childhood, and I wouldn’t have been able to write that five or six years ago. Being on the road for so long, you’re forced to live outside of what you’ve been used to for so long. You almost have a different worldly view of life in general. All of that goes into lyrics.”

It’s pretty heartfelt and heavy, to say the least. Daughtry and guitar player Brian Craddock shared their playlists with us in this exclusive feature.

Daughtry’s Playlist:

1. Kings of Leon — Only By the Night

Chris: As a band we all got into Kings of Leon at the same time. I’d been hearing about them for a while because they’re on our label. I heard this album, and I was like, “Wow!” I really think I became a fan when I saw them at the Clive Davis’ Grammy Party. I just thought, “These dudes are incredible!” Then I met them in the bathroom [Laughs]. We were washing our hands. What’s up guys?!

Brian: I’m listening to all things old! Kings of Leon is probably the only new thing I’m listening to.

2. Sick Puppies

Chris: There’s a band called Sick Puppies that’s amazing. They’re sick [Laughs]. They’re an incredible trio from Australia. Oddly enough, a gentleman by the name of Richard Marx turned me on to them. You’d never think!

3. Daughtry — Leave This Town

Chris: Everyone infused their influences into this record, and you’ll hear different chemistry on the record, and I think that’s what makes this stand out so much. When we were recording, Howard Benson said, “This reminds me more of a Led Zeppelin record because it’s a little grittier and more loose.” It wasn’t so mechanical, slick and polished. It sounds like a band. At the end of the day, that’s all we could’ve hoped for. I thought the album title was all-encompassing with the record’s themes of people wanting to get up, start over and get away from their problems but figuring out no matter where they go the problems are going to go with them. The album sums it up and many songs touch on that subject, and it felt like the right title.

Brian: We toured for two and a half years solid. Not only did we get better as a band, we also got four new best friends out of the deal. When you hear the record you can hear the evolution of the band. I think this album is a pinnacle moment for us so far.

Brian’s Playlist:

1. Phil Collins

2. Don Henley

3. Tom Petty

4. Van Halen

5. Whitesnake

Brian: I always go back to the stuff that takes me back to being a kid—Phil Collins, Don Henley and tons of Tom Petty, Van Halen and maybe some Whitesnake every now and again. These records are the soundtrack of my life. I go back and think about where I was at that moment.

Chris: Those are all classics!

6. Counting Crows

Brian: Counting Crows makes me think of a time in my life. I’m going to make you a mixtape!

—Rick Florino
06.15.09

A Taste:

Jay-Z, Kanye West, Drake, Kings of Leon

Some families have a secret recipe that they hand down for generations.

Sometimes it’s for cookies or lasagna, however, it’s different for every clan. For the Wayans family, it’s a potent comedy concoction—the perfect mixture of slapstick and sarcasm. With Dance Flick, director Damien Wayans carries on his family’s time-honored tradition of parodying Hollywood trends. In fact, Dance Flick stands proudly alongside the Wayans’ funniest fare, striking the same irreverent comedy gold.

Damien shared his playlist with us in this exclusive feature. Check out what he’s spinning below! Dance Flick is out now!

Damien Dante Wayans’ Playlist:

1. Jay-Z

2. Kanye West

3. Drake

4. Lil Wayne

5. Kings of Leon

6. MGMT

Check out the video interview here here!

—Rick Florino
05.22.09

A Taste:

Glasvegas, MGMT, The Stills

Kings of Leon don’t mess around. On their latest album, Only By the Night, these four southern boys churn out straightforward rock n’ roll. With undeniable anthems like “Sex Is On Fire,” they pay homage to the classics, but they venture into new territory through moody and massive sonic textures on the likes of “Use Somebody” and “Closer.” The hypnotic flourishes arise from Matthew Followill’s guitar playing. He doesn’t simply play; he paints aural landscapes, blending bluesy licks with a heightened sensitivity for ambiance.

It’s no surprise that Matthew’s playlist is all over the map. He opened up his iTunes for us in this exclusive feature and gave us a look at what he’s spinning. Check out his playlist below!

Matthew Followill’s Playlist:

1. White Lies — To Lose My Life

“I just downloaded their album, and I really like it.”

2. Glasvegas — Glasvegas

“If you haven’t checked out Glasvegas, you should! They’re really good.”

3. MGMT — Oracular Spectacular

“The MGMT record is a little older now but that one’s good. We’ve been listening to it forever.”

4. The Whigs

“The Whigs are simply awesome!”

5. The Stills

“I’m always listening to The Stills.”

—Rick Florino
05.11.09

A Taste:

Kings of Leon, The Ting Tings, U2

The Bacon Brothers have got a lot of heart. In fact, it all pours out on New Year’s Day, the duo’s latest collection of inspired, cinematic folk rock. Iconic actor Kevin Bacon (Mystic River, Wild Things, The Woodsman, Footloose) and his brother Michael know how to write a good tune, and that’s instantly apparent after one spin of their latest offering.

For Kevin, songwriting starts at home. “We grew up in Philly and there are some songs on the record that are very evocative of Philly soul music,” says Kevin with a smile. “We have a lot of different influences, and the guys in the band influence us as well. We like to keep our ears open and take in as much music as possible.”

That approach has served the Brothers well, especially on the album’s standout track, “Kikko’s Song.” Dissecting that particular cut, Kevin continues, “My wife’s nickname is ‘Kikko.’ I sort of wrote the song for both of us. There was a philosophy she was starting to embrace. Remembering some of the sentiments of the song, it’s funny because it speaks as much to myself as much as it does to her. That’s part of what helping people through rough times and marriage are about. It’s got some of those same thoughts that we’ve expressed to each other at different times.”

Well put!

Check out what Kevin and Michael are spinning below only on ARTISTdirect.com.

Kevin Bacon’s Playlist:

1. Kings of Leon — Only by the Night

“It’s such a great record.”

2. The Hold Steady

3. U2 — No Line On the Horizon>

“I love the new U2 Record!”

4. Mike Doughty

“I’ve been listening to him a lot lately.”

Michael Bacon’s Playlist:

1. The Ting Tings — We Started Nothing

“My newest discovery is the Ting Tings. I love them. I saw them in New York. They’re very modern, but they have a lot of depth—much more depth than a lot of new music does.”

—Rick Florino
03.26.09

A Taste:

Kings of Leon, Iron & Wine, Bruce Springsteen

On their debut, Life, Love & Lies, Canadian rockers State of Shock wield a combination of big choruses and massive melodies. Frontman Cam Melnyk opened up his iTunes for us and gave us an exclusive gander at what he’s spinning. Some of his selections are quite surprising!

Discover what Cam is listening to below and check out State of Shock’s Life, Love & Lies.

1. Kings of Leon

2. Iron & Wine

3. Ray LaMontagne – Gossip In the Grain

4. Nickelback – Dark Horse

5. Bruce Springsteen – Working On a Dream

—Rick Florino
03.25.09

A Taste:

Kings of Leon, Jason Mraz, Ingrid Michaelson

Sara Bareilles makes pretty pop music. Her smash single, “Love Song,” is nominated for two Grammys–one for “Song of the Year” and one for “Best Female Pop Vocal Performance”— and the singer/pianist is thrilled to be in the same company as some of her favorite artists. She’s got pretty eclectic tastes, as evidenced by the playlist she provided to ARTISTdirect.com for their exclusive Grammy page.

Check out what Sara is spinning below and be sure to watch The Grammy Awards this Sunday February 8th at 8pm EST/5pm PST on CBS to see if Sara’s among the winners!

Sara Bareilles’ Playlist

1. Kings of Leon — “Sex on Fire”

2. Ingrid Michaelson — Be OK

3. Jason Mraz — “I’m Yours”

4. Raining Jane — Paper Nest

5. Bob Marley — Everything

“He’s a gift from God,” the singer/pianist says.

— Amy Sciarretto
02.06.09