Louder: The Beatles’ “last” song has arrived

Plus: Rock Hall induction, Kirsty MacColl, Laufey and more

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story November 4, 2023 By Caryn Ganz Pop Music Editor I was not willing to miss a Missy Elliott performance (or a Sheryl Crow/Olivia Rodrigo duet), so I attended the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction at Barclays Center in Brooklyn last night. Ben Sisario has the full report on an event where figures who might not have been honored by the institution in the past were heartily celebrated. It was indeed a big week in looking back at rock's past. A new Beatles song? In 2023? "Now and Then," what's billed as the group's "last" track, arrived with help from the same technological advances that powered Peter Jackson's "Get Back" series. Jon Pareles put it in perspective. Bob Mehr wrote about the legacy of Kirsty MacColl, the singer-songwriter who died at 41 in 2000, precluding a usual late-career reappraisal. Lindsay Zoladz sent two fantastic newsletters (about the Mountain Goats' vast catalog and Sofia Coppola's best needle drops). Giovanni Russonello examined the Laufey phenomenon, Jon Caramanica led a conversation about the Noah Kahan phenomenon and Marcus J. Moore asked 11 musicians and writers for their favorite Monk moments. Getty Images CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK The Beatles' 'Now and Then': A Glimpse of Past Greatness The "last" song with contributions from all four Beatles, made possible by new technology, finds its power in vulnerability and nostalgia. By Jon Pareles Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT On TikTok, Gen Z Beatles Fans Share Thoughts on 'Now and Then' "Can't believe it's 2023 and I get the joy of hearing a new Beatles song for the first time ever," a 23-year-old says in a video post. By Madison Malone Kircher THE CRITICS THE PLAYLIST Olivia Rodrigo's Haunting 'Hunger Games' Tune, and 9 More New Songs Hear tracks by Megan Thee Stallion, Torres, Mount Kimbie and others. By Jon Pareles, Giovanni Russonello and Lindsay Zoladz CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK Laufey's Old-Time Pop Is Smooth. Its Relationship to Jazz Is Spikier. The 24-year-old multi-instrumentalist found fame on TikTok with her nostalgic songs. But her dedication to her followers may be holding her music back. By Giovanni Russonello CRITIC'S PICK Review: In 'Stereophonic,' the Rock Revolution Will Be Recorded David Adjmi's riveting new play, with songs by Will Butler, is about a '70s band that nearly destroys itself making an epochal album. By Jesse Green CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK Watching Britney Spears, as a Girl and a Woman For 25 years, American culture has used her body to determine a woman's worth. In "The Woman in Me," she asks us to take a second look. By Amanda Hess ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME Derek Blanks for Missy Elliott Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson and Sheryl Crow Join the Rock Hall Innovators from genres that have long been underrepresented in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame were celebrated at the event's 38th annual induction ceremony in Brooklyn. By Ben Sisario Toni Anne Barson/Getty Images 'We're Making Progress': How the Rock Hall of Fame Is Trying to Evolve John Sykes, the chairman of the organization behind the hall, talks about the ouster of Jann Wenner, the need to diversify inductees and surprises at this year's ceremony. By Ben Sisario Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT THE AMPLIFIER NEWSLETTER Sofia Coppola's Best Needle Drops Hear songs that memorably accompanied scenes in "The Virgin Suicides," "Lost in Translation," "Priscilla" and more. An Introduction to the Mountain Goats How do you start listening to a band with 22 albums? We're here to help. 5 MINUTES Dante Zaballa Five Minutes That Will Make You Love Thelonious Monk We asked Jon Batiste, Arooj Aftab, Mary Halvorson and others to share their favorites. By Marcus J. Moore FEATURES KPA/United Archives, via Getty Images Kirsty MacColl's Voice Was Singular. A New Box Aims to Bring It Wider. The singer-songwriter, who died in 2000, is best known for duetting on "Fairytale of New York." But in an unusual career, she also made her mark behind the scenes. By Bob Mehr Matt Sayles/SAYLES, via Associated Press MY TEN What Fuels the 'Manic Creativity' of Joan Baez The 82-year-old singer and subject of a new documentary sleeps in a tree, has come to terms with not being a reader and is more interested in upside down than right side up. By Kathryn Shattuck Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT POPCAST Noah Kahan's Rootsy Rock Revival Revisiting the rustic mainstream sound of the early 2010s, the Vermont singer-songwriter has broken through with "Stick Season." Popcast (Deluxe): Is the Pop Music Machine Stuck in Place? With certain headliners hogging up space, where are the new stars? We checked in on recent hits from the radio, streaming services and TikTok. OBITUARY Mark Sullivan/Getty Images Dwight Twilley, Power-Pop Hitmaker, Is Dead at 72 With a sound inspired by the Beatles and Elvis Presley, he climbed the charts and drew critical praise in the 1970s and '80s. But long-term stardom proved elusive. By Alex Williams TV & MOVIES Diane Alexander White, via PBS The Day Disco Was Demolished "The War on Disco," a new PBS documentary, explores the backlash against the genre and the issues of race, gender and sexuality that informed it. By Chris Vognar DGM/Monoduo Films CRITIC'S PICK 'In the Court of the Crimson King' Review: 50 Years of Off-Kilter Rock Toby Amies's documentary dives into the history of the British progressive rock band King Crimson and its chief disciplinarian, Robert Fripp. By Glenn Kenny NEWS THE CHARTS Blink-182 and the Rolling Stones Bring Rock Back to the Top 10 The pop-punk heroes' latest LP debuts at No. 1, and the Stones' first collection of original songs in 18 years opens at No. 3. By Ben Sisario Britney Spears's Memoir Sells 1.1 Million Copies in U.S. in First Week Sales of "The Woman in Me," which chronicles the pop star's life, from stardom as a teen to the conservatorship that controlled much of her adulthood, demonstrate tremendous interest in Spears's story. By Julia Jacobs Man Accused in Tupac Shakur's Murder Pleads Not Guilty The suspect, Duane Keith Davis, faces a charge of murder with a deadly weapon. He has spoken openly about his presence at the scene in a memoir and interviews. By Pashtana Usufzy and Julia Jacobs Second Woman Accuses Steven Tyler of Sexually Assaulting Her in the 1970s In a lawsuit, a woman says that the Aerosmith frontman groped and fondled her in a New York phone booth when she was about 17. By Maya Salam Buffy Sainte-Marie's Indigenous Parentage Is Questioned An investigation by the CBC disputed a key part of Sainte-Marie's story, saying that a birth certificate shows she was born to a white family in Massachusetts. By Christopher Kuo Huey Lewis and the News Musical Is Coming to Broadway in March "The Heart of Rock and Roll" is a romantic comedy featuring songs by the chart-topping 1980s band. By Michael Paulson BOOKS Valerie Macon/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images The Many People Behind 'The Woman in Me' Three authors helped Britney Spears get her life story on the page. By Jacob Bernstein Frances F. Denny for The New York Times What the Suburbs Did for Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen A new book by the author Jim Cullen explores the uncanny parallels between the careers of these two musicians, and how they were products of their time and place. By Sopan Deb Make a friend's day: Forward this email! Get this from a friend? Sign up here. Follow us on Twitter @nytimesmusic. Send your feedback on Louder at theplaylist@nytimes.com. Check out our full range of newsletters and subscribe to The Amplifier here. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Louder from The New York Times. To stop receiving Louder, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018