On her record breaking 31 song anthology, Swift states “I’ve never had an album where I needed songwriting more.”
Not only did Tortured Poets become Spotify’s most-streamed album in a single day in history in less than 12 hours after its release, it also became the first album on the platform to amass more than 300 million streams in a single day ever.
Today, we’re somewhere much more familiar to the artist: Electric Lady Studios, where she’s recorded a majority of the vocals for her latest album, All Born Screaming, out April 26. “I did ‘Hell Is Near’ and ‘Big Time Nothing’ in Studio A,” she says, listing off tracks from the album. “I did ‘Reckless’ in this room. There’s something about doing vocals where you want to feel like it’s for real, and when you’re doing it at your home studio by yourself, you’re like, ‘Well, I could always do it again tomorrow.’
But I witnessed something switch over in her when we met one afternoon at Electric Lady Studios in the West Village, where Clark worked on parts of her last several albums. “This is the room where I recorded the vocals for ‘Violent Times,’ ‘Broken Man’ and ‘Sweetest Fruit,’” she said, referring to songs on the new album. She jumped up from a couch to demonstrate how she’d sung into a particular microphone. Then she got distracted by the studio’s wall of consoles and patch bays.
This morning, Adrianne Lenker shared video of herself and Nick Hakim playing the early singles “Sadness As A Gift” and “Ruined” at that Electric Lady session. In the clip, they sit close to each other but facing different directions, with Lenker on guitar and Hakim on piano. There’s a raw intensity in Lenker’s voice, and she plays a beautifully discordant acoustic solo on “Ruined.” The videos cast a spell, and you can watch them both below.
MUSGRAVES’ HAS AN UPCOMING ON SUNDAY TODAY WITH WILLIE GEIST, AND BILLBOARD HAS AN EXCLUSIVE CLIP OF THE CONVERSATION. THE CHAT TOOK PLACE AT NEW YORK CITY’S ICONIC ELECTRIC LADY STUDIOS, WHERE MUSGRAVES RECORDED HER UPCOMING ALBUM, DEEPER WELL, OUT MARCH 15 VIA INTERSCOPE/MCA NASHVILLE.
Jack and Zane walk around New York before arriving at his work space, Electric Lady Studios, in downtown Manhattan. He opens up about grief and his experience losing a sister at a young age. Antonoff talks about the magic of vinyl, reflects on the success of fun., and the sound of New Jersey. He also opens up about falling in love with his wife, Margaret Qualley.
Just before Memorial Day in 2023, Stipe finally committed to barging ahead with his new material. He would spend a week at Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village, the legendary recording studio opened by Jimi Hendrix in 1970.
Stipe had booked the studio on the third floor, which opened onto a patio on the building’s roof. One evening, I found him outside in the thick of conversation with two younger musicians he’d just met. They happened to be Jack Antonoff, one of [Taylor] Swift’s producers and among the most prolific operators in pop music, and Matty Healy, the frontman of the 1975.
The re-recorded version of Swift’s fifth studio album dropped at midnight Friday (Oct. 27), exactly nine years to the day after the original 1989 was released in 2014. The revamped set features newly recorded editions of all 13 original songs plus three bonus tracks: “Wonderland,” “New Romantics” and “You Are In Love.”
Questlove hosts conversations with a few of today’s most influential artists for the third season of his Youtube series “Quest for Craft,” in partnership with The Balvenie.
Zach Bryan — whose work swings from rock, roots, folk, Americana, country, and beyond — has delivered yet another soulful compilation, this time bringing on Bon Iver and Noah Kahan for the ride.
Maren Morris is burning The Bridge. The songwriter’s new two-track EP — featuring the songs “The Tree” and “Get the Hell out of Here” — seems, metaphorically, to reflect her growing exasperation with the country music industry in Nashville.
A collection of bangers (old-school division) that nobody in their right mind had a right to expect in 2023, Hackney Diamonds (out Oct. 20) isn’t just another new Stones album, but a vibrant and cohesive record — the first Stones album in ages you’ll want to crank more than once before filing away.
In an intimate evening at Electric Lady Studios, leaders in music and fashion came together to raise money and awareness about the fight for gun reform. The event was spearheaded by Karen Elson and Gus Wenner of Rolling Stones Magazine and was hosted alongside Electric Lady Studios Manager Lee Foster and designer Rachel Antonoff. The night closed with a performance by Remi Wolf.
This year, Record Store Day ran in the annual unveiling of their special vinyl releases — which includes contributions from last year’s Global Ambassador, Taylor Swift, and 2023’s Ambassadors, Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires — during a cozy celebration at Electric Lady Studios Thursday (Feb. 16)
Rolling Stone’s January cover star Rosalía sat down to discuss her ballad “Hentai” for the latest episode of “The Breakdown.” The Spanish singer sat down and discussed the song at Electric Lady Studios, where she worked on the track with Pharrell.
Perfume Genius has shared a cover of Radiohead’s “4 Minute Warning.” The song was recorded at New York’s famed Electric Lady Studios as part of Spotify’s Live at Electric Lady series. The four-track EP also features “Whole Life,” “Photograph,” and “On the Floor.”
With Being Funny In A Foreign Language, The 1975 fuse together the textures and musical ideas of soft-rock hits from three decades ago with modern sensibilities in a way that sounds instantly familiar, yet distinctively of-the-moment. Their fifth studio album was recorded alongside producer Jack Antonoff between London and New York at Electric Lady.
One their new Live at Electric Lady EP, MUNA have shared their rendition of Taylor Swift’s “August.” The Spotify-exclusive EP also includes tracks from their self-titled album, including “Silk Chiffon,” “Anything but Me,” and “Kind of Girl.”
Though Surf Curse have never lost the intense post-punk that can both sedate you and jolt you awake, there’s a newfound tenderness — a “milkiness,” according to the band — that characterizes their new album Magic Hour.
Father John Misty has shared a live EP of reimagined tracks from Chloë and the Next 20th Century. The Spotify exclusive session also includes a cover of Stevie Wonder’s “I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever).”
On her ‘Live at Electric Lady’ EP, Remi Wolf shares her cover of a modern classic: Frank Ocean’s “Pink + White.” Released exclusively on Spotify, the EP also features live renditions of songs from Wolf’s own discography including singles “Sauce” and “Liz.”
“Right now, the joy on the record feels like the greatest form of rebellion,” Rogers, 28, said. It’s a hard-won hope, which — politically, culturally, environmentally — might be the vibe of the moment. The album, she told NYT, is “joy with teeth.”
In honor of the band’s 60th anniversary, Keith Richards stopped by Electric Lady for the second installment of the BBC’s four-part rockuseries, ‘My Life as a Rolling Stone.’
Watch part of the interview, filmed in Studio A, here.
“American Heartbreak” sculpts the entire breadth of human experience, as Bryan stitches together songs of love, loss and life’s fleeting nature with brilliant command.
On Florence Welch’s fifth album, the songs concern devils and angels and life and death, but Dance Fever is more fascinating as a self-interrogation—these are her most personal lyrics, and among her most poignant.
The Spanish superstar’s third album is a showcase for Rosalía’s exceptional range. It aspires to stretch itself out across genres and play with form, and attains exactly what it sets out to achieve.
YEBBA’s “Live At Electric Lady” features tracks from her debut album Dawn, which was released in September of 2021. Arranged and produced by James Francies, the Spotify-exclusive EP features contributions from Questlove, Stro Elliot, Pino Palladino, Charles Myers, and string players Marta Bagratuni, Francesca Dardani, Sally Gorski, and Tia Allen.
Watch YEBBA cover “The Age Of Worry” from John Mayer’s ‘Born and Raised’ album, which was originally recorded in the very same room a decade ago with producer Don Was.
In response to YEBBA’s release of this cover single, John Mayer wrote, “So moved. Thank you for showing what’s been hiding in my own work through your profoundly powerful and soulful take. You are so special I can’t stand/understand it sometimes.”
Once again, Adele transforms her heartbreak into a searching, graceful, and incredibly moving album. But the complexity of her emotions and the nuanced productions make this her most ambitious work to date.
“Bleachers Live At Electric Lady” features a collection of songs from the Jack Antonoff-fronted band including live takes of their Billboard 200-charting album “Take The Sadness Out Of Saturday Night,” as well as a cover of The Cars’ “Drive”.
Japanese Breakfast’s “Live At Electric Lady” features a cover of Weezer’s “Say It Ain’t So” accompanied by Quartet121. The Spotify-exclusive EP also features live renditions of songs from Michelle Zauner’s 2021 album “Jubilee,” including singles “Be Sweet” and “Savage Good Boy.”
Faye Webster is the latest artist to share an installment of Spotify’s ongoing live music series Live at Electric Lady. Her session at the iconic studio features a cover of the Fleet Foxes song “If You Need To, Keep Time on Me,” from 2017’s Crack-Up.
Brandi Carlile’s seventh album, “In These Silent Days,” braves the extremes of Carlile’s songwriting. The album reaffirms her ambitions and polishes them, too.
When Natalie Bergman first visited Electric Lady Studios years ago, she said she “fell in love with the studio; the collage work on the walls, the color palette of the rooms, the music that is and was created there.” Bergman returned to Electric Lady to perform six songs from her debut album, “Mercy,” for Spotify’s “Live At Electric Lady” series.
Celebrating Electric Lady’s 51st anniversary, Patti Smith’s Live At Electric Lady EP features renditions of her classics along with covers of Bob Dylan and Stevie Wonder.
Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett have released a studio video for their version of the classic Cole Porter standard, “I Get a Kick Out of You,” filmed at Electric Lady.
Her Melodrama follow-up, co-produced with Jack Antonoff, features contributions from Robyn, Phoebe Bridgers, Clairo, and others. Watch Lorde and Antonoff perform the title track on Electric Lady’s rooftop in the midst of a summer storm.
Featuring a number of songs from his recently released album, as well as a selection of notable covers, Jon Batiste’s Live At Electric Lady EP offers an exciting peek inside a world-class studio filled with world-class talent.
Whether it’s the etherealness of “Chinatown” (featuring fellow New Jersey mainstay Bruce Springsteen), the Devo-meets-Talking-Heads quirk in “Stop Making This Hurt” or the ping-ponging guitar and saxophone in “How Dare You Want More,” the album is an ideal representation of Antonoff’s restless creativity.
For the EP series, the participating artists are encouraged to play their own compositions as well as cover songs of artists connected to the studio’s history, including Stevie Wonder, The Clash, The Rolling Stones, David Bowies, and many others.
On “The Off-Season,” Cole offers technical brilliance and a focus on quietly dazzling wordplay, drawing the same meticulousness from his guest artists.
FLOOD Magazine talked to Electric Lady’s Lee Foster about the new site he’s running with the Johnston family to share the late songwriter’s visual art.
The cult singer-songwriter’s posthumous exhibition at Electric Lady Studios—the largest showing of his visual art to date—channels the same weird beauty as his homespun musical universe.
Recording the album “wasn’t cathartic as much as it was therapeutic,” Steve Earle said to The New York Times. “I made the record because I needed to,” reflecting on “J.T.”, a tribute album to his late son.
“As Lee Foster, partner/GM of New York’s iconic Electric Lady Studios, says, ‘There is no replacement for real human interaction and connectiveness in music making.’ Which is why the studio — which celebrated its 50th anniversary this year — quickly established safety protocols that included advance COVID-19 testing, on-site screening, mask mandates and socially distanced sessions.”
Watch the exclusive performance of Bleachers playing “Chinatown” ft Bruce Springsteen and “45” live on the roof at Electric Lady. Both tracks will be featured on Bleachers’ upcoming album, set to release early next year.
Electric Lady 50th Anniversary Merch Capsule featuring Daniel Johnston x Electric Lady tees, Electric Lady Label Bomber & Garage Jackets, Hoodie, and Vintage Design tee and tote bag. AVAILABLE NOW.
“SHORE” retains all the hallmarks of what made Fleet Foxes so great in the first place… a dedication to art that emotionally lifts you off this planet.
Produced by The Neptunes and featuring Ty Dolla $ign, “Hit Different” is a classic SZA sultry jam, perfectly timed to soundtrack the last days of summer.
“Fifty years ago — on Aug. 26, 1970 — Jimi Hendrix opened a psychedelic recording space in Greenwich Village, N.Y. Created by an artist and for artists, Electric Lady Studios broke the mold for what a recording studio could be.”
Taylor Swift’s eighth album, folklore, asserts something that has been true from the start of Swift’s career: Her biggest strength is her storytelling.
The Raconteurs: Live at Electric Lady EP and enhanced album with special behind-the-scenes clips, storylines and more is out now exclusively on Spotify. In celebration of Electric Lady’s 50th anniversary, listen to the EP featuring a cover of The Voidoids “Blank Generation” here. To view the documentary and concert film click here.
Steve Earle & The Dukes will release a new 10-song album, “Ghosts of West Virginia”, on May 22, marking Earle’s 20th studio album. The project was produced by Earle and engineered by Ray Kennedy at Electric Lady Studios in New York City.
“[I’ve] been working for a while to create samples to share. I will start to put them out semi regularly. Today is the first edition – all made at Electric Lady in NYC where I’ve been for while now – all recorded live.” – Jack Antonoff
Run the Jewels unveiled another new bruising track, “Ooh LA LA,” from their upcoming album Run the Jewels 4. The track is centered around a sample taken from Greg Nice’s verse on the 1992 Gang Starr classic, “DWYCK,” while it also features record scratching from DJ Premier. That combo lends the song a distinctly old school vibe, over which El-P and Killer Mike are at their egregious best.
The actor, comedian, and musician Donald Glover has made the first truly outstanding album of the decade, offsetting cultural examinations with moments of sweet levity. 3.15.20 is the glorious payoff of his musical evolution.
After Hours delivers on the most compelling aspects of The Weeknd’s vision; leveraging a self-loathing villain into an irresistible, cinematic narrative with his most satisfying collision of new wave, dream pop, and R&B.
“Electric Lady is saturated in myth. But song by song, Antonoff has written his way in.
Antonoff’s own records now line those hallowed Electric Lady walls, including Lorde’s 2017 pop opus “Melodrama,” St. Vincent’s sleek 2018 “Masseduction” and Lana Del Rey’s recent spectral masterpiece, “Norman F— Rockwell!” — he produced and co-wrote all three.”
To read the full LA Times article, please click here.
Los Angeles-based band MUNA traveled to the legendary Electric Lady Studios in New York City to record two special Spotify Singles, which were released Nov. 13. The trio stripped down their original song “Stayaway,” which was part of their sophomore studio album Saves The World released Sept. 6 this year, and covered Normani’s Billboard Hot 100 No. 33 hit, “Motivation.”
“One of the greatest albums of the decade: It sounds timeless and contemporary; the instrumental interludes and the stylistic and tempo shifts all hang together because of his warm, sincere vocals and fantastic songwriting.” – The Guardian
The new collection for fashion brand Nasty Gal, which supermodel Delevingne showcased at New York’s famed Electric Lady, is inspired by the likes of Cher and Stevie Nicks
Dark, chaotic, unconventional — all descriptions that would make sense for a movie about one of the most infamous and unpredictable villains in comic book history. To give this comic book character human depth, director Todd Phillips brought in Hildur Guðnadóttir who could transform darkness into sensitive musicality.
On her elegant and complex fifth album, Lana Del Rey sings exquisitely of freedom and transformation and the wreckage of being alive. It establishes her as one of America’s greatest living songwriters.
Vampire Weekend’s new Spotify Singles session features two tracks recorded at Electric Lady Studios: a piano-led, rendition of “This Life” and a cover of Bruce Springsteen’s Born In The U.S.A. track “I’m Goin’ Down.”
Springsteen albums are usually grand affairs but he’s never made one that sounds so vast and luxurious throughout. Paired with the down-and-out characters who haunt its mountains and canyons, the purposefully anachronistic arrangements—recalling jukeboxes, FM radios, sepia-toned montages, faded memories—carry an elegiac tone. It’s been a long time since popular music sounded like this, and it ties these characters to an era as much as a place.
Electric Lady Producer Management’s Jonathan Rado: Titanic Rising doesn’t feel blissfully adrift. Instead, it feels like Mering knows exactly where she’s going. You can hear it in the robust string sections of album opener “A Lot’s Gonna Change” and the sturdy backbone-beat of “Andromeda” and the sentiments of “Wild Time,” a patient ambler with a ‘70s soft-rock vibe (including a hint of “Landslide”) and a plainspoken bridge: “Everyone’s broken now,” Mering sings, “And no one knows just how we could have all gotten so far from truth.”
Miley Cyrus has dropped a new EP, She Is Coming. The six-song collection is the first of three EPs planned by the singer and includes pulsating pop single “Mother’s Daughter.”
YEBBA, who hails from West Memphis, Arkansas and has roots in gospel, delivers a classic disco diva turn on “Don’t Leave Me Lonely,” pushing her vocals over Ronson’s infectious production, which expertly mixes dance drums and synth stabs with clever string flourishes.
Discussing the process of creating “Cellophane,” executive produced by Noah Goldstein, FKA twigs said in a statement, “throughout my life I’ve practiced my way to being the best I could be, it didn’t work this time. I had to tear down every process I’d ever relied on. go deeper. rebuild. start again.”