Alternative Rock

In an exclusive interview with Blogcritics, New Zealand native and music icon Bic Runga discusses 20 years of music, her fifth LP, 'Close Your Eyes', and who she is today.

A wonderful trip down memory lane.

Here are my highlights in popular music from 2016. It includes records by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Bright Light Bright Light, David Bowie, Melanie C, Hikaru Utada, Beyoncé, and many more!

On December 9 and 10, Blink 182 and Green Day headline Live 105's Not So Silent Night at Oracle Arena in Oakland.

On Dec. 8, Milky Chance, Capital Cities and Warpaint are among the featured bands at Radio 94.7's 4th annual Electric Christmas concert event in Sacramento, CA.

Von Konow’s new single “Cosmic” will ring true to listeners hooked on 1980s synthpop rock.

NRBQ are every bit as adventurous as they were as a young bunch of guys playing around at the Adams home some 51 years ago, even though Terry Adams stands alone as the only band member spanning the timeline from then to now. How he’s been able to hang on to the energy and charming irreverence that permeates this box of collected performances (both studio and live in concert) is a testament to his continued enthusiasm and love of music.

If you've never seen Iggy Pop in concert, 'Post Pop Depression: Live at the Royal Albert Hall' is the next best thing.

Nineteen years removed from Theaudience, Bextor's catalog runs six solo albums deep with this year's 'Familia' as proof of her power. Bextor's grasp of pop music shows an awareness that the genre isn't solely beholden to four-on-the-floor ideas; this knowledge has led her to outfox predecessors and lap contemporaries. This overview acts as an introduction to one of the brightest voices in contemporary pop.

If you’re not a fan of the band but want to experience one of the more potent albums to come from the wave of bands labeled as “emo” during the last decade, then you should definitely consider this landmark release from My Chemical Romance.