Music News

Billy McFarland, promoter of the failed Fyre Festival in the Bahamas, pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges in New York. Mark Lennihan/AP hide caption

McNally Smith College of Music is closing at the end of its current semester, in a move that was announced via email. McNally Smith College / Screenshot by NPR hide caption

Pat DiNizio, leader of The Smithereens, died on Tuesday. He's seen here singing during the band's 2003 performance at Rockefeller Center in New York City. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images hide caption

Billy Paul, the singer of "Me and Mrs. Jones" and other soul ballads, has died. He's seen here in 2006. John M. Heller/Getty Images hide caption

Fans of late Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister are calling for a new heavy element to be named after him. Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Coachella hide caption

Conductor Kurt Masur, seen here performing in Leipzig in 2007, announced in 2012 that he had been suffering from Parkinson's disease. He died at age 88. Sebastian Willnow/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

Carlos Aguilera recently discussed how he played the saxophone during surgery to remove a brain tumor at Regional Hospital of Malaga, in Andalusia, Spain. Jorge Zapata/EPA /LANDOV hide caption

Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, two members of N.W.A, will be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Acts like The Smiths and Nine Inch Nails were overlooked. The prog rock band Yes got a no. Kevin Winter/Getty Images hide caption

Rock musician Scott Weiland, seen here during a photo shoot at the Sundance Film Festival in January, has died while on tour in Minnesota. Larry Busacca/Getty Images hide caption

Singer Aretha Franklin has won a temporary injunction to stop a documentary about her live album Amazing Grace from being released. The film was to premiere Friday. Express Newspapers/Getty Images hide caption

Billie Joe Armstrong (left) and Mike Dirnt of Green Day play the Reading Festival. Green Day and five other acts will join the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year. Yui Mok/PA Photos/Landov hide caption

Jack Bruce, left, seen here with fellow Cream members Ginger Baker (center) and Eric Clapton in 1967, has died. The bassist sang such hits as "Sunshine of Your Love." George Stroud/Getty Images hide caption

Bob Marley, seen here performing in Paris in 1980, died years before Legend was released. It has since sold millions of copies — and this week, it hit No. 5 on the Billboard chart. Guidot Lou/Dalle /Landov hide caption

This photo released by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department shows rap music mogul Marion "Suge" Knight after he was arrested in Aug. 2008, in Las Vegas. AP hide caption

Legendary blues guitarist Johnny Winter, seen here performing in Valencia in 2008, has died at age 70. Diego Tuson/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and John Bonham of Led Zeppelin, in 1970. A new lawsuit says the group borrowed from another band's work without crediting it, for the huge hit "Stairway to Heaven." Roger Jackson/Getty Images hide caption

Pharrell Williams, center, performs "Happy" during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday, with the help of dancers who attend an L.A. high school (they're dressed in pastel colors). John Shearer/John Shearer/Invision/AP hide caption

A map of the U.S. lists the musical acts that set states apart from each other. It's not a matter of an artist's popularity, says Paul Lamere, who made the map, but of a state's distinct preferences. Paul Lamere, Director of Developer Platform at The Echo Nest hide caption