Trendy Artists of the Week: Romeo Santos, Lana Del Rey, Sam Smith, Macklemore, Scorpions

Romeo Santos Banned in Dominican Republic

Anthony "Romeo" Santos, a prominent bachata and Latin pop artist hailing from New York City, New York, is a very popular musical act in the Caribbean region. However, there is one country there that won’t be able to enjoy all of his songs. In the Dominican Republic, his single “Suegra” will not be allowed to be played on any radio station in the island nation, as per the decision by the local National Commission of Public Entertainment and Radio. The reason: its chorus is about ways Santos would like to kill her detested mother-in-law, such as poisoning her coffee or driving her over a cliff.

To also give some good news to the Central and South American bachata fans, he is currently on tour in the region, appearing in Guatemala City, Asunción, and Buenos Aires in April.

New Lana Del Rey Album Out - Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd

Meanwhile, major alt pop singer Lana Del Rey just dropped her new record last month, the 9th in her discography. It bears the lengthy title “Did You Know That There's a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd”, but that did not stop it from reaching the #3 spot in the famous Billboard 200 chart in the US; while topping the charts in Australia and the United Kingdom.

The titular track was released back in December. It’s a 5-minute orchestral pop cut, linked below for your listening pleasure.

Sam Smith Breaks Down in Tears on First Date of UK Tour

Sam Smith has had a few big hits recently, most notably, “Unholy” from last year. Now he’s hitting the road in his home country of the UK with his “Gloria” tour. His very first show at the Utilita Arena in Sheffield, however, didn’t kick off as expected. The overwhelmed Smith broke down in tears after he saw the large, enthusiastic crowd who came out just for him. You may think this would be not that unusual for a major EDM/pop artist like him - however, remember, his last major tour was 5 years ago.

Macklemore Tours Europe, Performs at Old Trafford

Unlike Smith, Macklemore is not exactly at the peak of his career. But he’s still able to sell quite a few tickets, even performing at a venue as large and illustrious as the Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester, UK. While he was there, he also stayed to see Manchester United beating Everton 2-0 in the Premier League.

Scorpions’ “Wind of Change” Hits 1 Billion Views on YouTube

Here’s some good news for the old school rock fans too: the German band Scorpions’ 1990 classic “Wind of Change” just hit one billion views on YouTube. Congratulations to Rudolf Schenker and his crew, who are still going strong after over 50 years since their formation.