Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Joe Vitagliano has a deep passion for people, culture, and all things music. Graduating from Belmont University in 2021 with a major in publishing and a minor in law, he’s studied everything from American roots music to ancient Roman history to ‘90s hip-hop to postmodern harmonic theory and more. First joining the American Songwriter staff as a wide-eyed intern in 2019, he’s been reading the magazine since he was a child. A songwriter himself, he sees the opportunity to share these stories as something sacred. “To quote Willie Nelson, we live ‘at a time when the world seems to be spinning out of control,’” he said. “In those times, music is paramount. It’s the ultimate source of solace and tool of expression. To now be able to share it is an honor beyond my ability to articulate.”
2021 is wrapping up nicely for one of the biggest rising names in country music, Thomas Rhett—last week, the 31-year-old earned his fifth career Grammy Award nomination for “Best Country Song” with his hit, “Country Again.” Then, today, he unveiled the new music video for his latest single, “Slow Down Summer.” A cinematic marvel, the More
Country superstar Jason Aldean is giving fans a peek into what’s to come with the second half of his new double-album, MACON, GEORGIA (due on April 22)—today (Dec. 3), he unveiled the tracklisting and dropped his latest single, “Whiskey Me Away.” With a laid-back backbeat, the reflective country tune pays homage to the simple pleasures More
On the evening of Wednesday, December 1, country music megastar Carrie Underwood kicked off her first-ever residency in Las Vegas with a dazzling inaugural performance at the brand-new Resorts World Theatre. Showcasing the highlights from Underwood’s epic career, the show (titled REFLECTION: The Las Vegas Residency) features a top-notch band, dancers, aerialists, a virtual orchestra, More
This past June, Rostam—formerly of Vampire Weekend—unveiled his second full-length solo release, Changephobia. Today (Dec. 1), the 38-year-old multi-instrumentalist and songwriter put out the second half of the album’s corresponding remix project, featuring new versions of the tunes by the likes of Japanese Wallpaper, EasyFun, Ben Böhmer, and more. The first installment of the remix More
On Wednesday (Dec. 1), the legendary rock band Iron Maiden unveiled the dates for the American leg of their “Legacy of the Beast” tour, slated to bring the British metal icons to stadiums across the globe. The state-side run of shows is set to kick off with a show in El Paso, Texas on September More
Wednesday night (Dec. 1), the legendary rock band Journey is set to kick-off an exciting run of dates: a six-show residency at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. Set to perform on December 1-2, 7-8, and 10-11, the shows will feature the band’s greatest hits, including “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Wheel in the Sky” and More
On the morning of Wednesday, December 1, TMZ reports that Jacqueline Avant—the wife of American media mogul and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Clarence Avant—was shot and killed. She was 81 years old. While many of the circumstances around the incident are still unknown, the TMZ report reveals that it occurred early Wednesday More
As soon as Jershika Maple sang the opening words to Paramore’s “Ain’t It Fun” on The Voice on Monday night (Nov. 29), it was clear that a magnificent performance was about to unfold. Singing the 2013 hit as a part of “Challenge Week,” where the contestants go out of their comfort zones, Maple managed to More
It’s “Challenge Week” on The Voice, which means one thing: the top 10 performers are going out of their comfort zones to show off just how amazing their chops are… and singing a goosebump-inducing version of Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You,” Joshua Vacanti certainly rose to the occasion. “You did some really cool More
With the release of Peter Jackson’s new documentary The Beatles: Get Back this past weekend, the Fab Four is on everyone’s minds and tongues… and, as is usually the case, the acclaim is essentially universal. Having perhaps the most influential and consequential legacy in music history, they’ve been the subjects of that kind of adoration More
20 years ago today, on November 29, 2001, the world lost one of the most powerful creative forces in music history: George Harrison. As one-fourth of The Beatles, Harrison helped usher in a new era of pop culture by penning some of the legendary band’s most adventurous and innovative tunes (like “Blue Jay Way,” “Within More
“American Kids” Written by Shane McAnally, Rodney Clawson, and Luke Laird Performed by Kenny Chesney Shane McAnally—the renowned songwriter who’s penned hits for Luke Bryan, Kacey Musgraves, Sam Hunt, and more—likes to go into writing sessions with two things: an idea and something to drink. “I feel like I can’t write without a big, 44 ounce, gas station More
