Ashlee Simpson

10 Other Musicians Who Should Have Said "Blow Me"

The line between rock star and cranky toddler can be a fine one; deny them their candy and you've got tears welling up and naughty words being shrieked at ear-bursting decibels. Every once in a blue moon, though, a rational thought will pipe up from said rock star, and it deserves a little bit of no ... More >>

Justin, Selena and Music's Top 10 Heartbreaking Split-Ups

By now, we've all had a few days to digest the awful, shocking news that North America's sweethearts, Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, have decided to buck destiny and call it quits. We're not entirely sure how this could have happened, but Obama was just reelected. Clearly, our worst fears are alrea ... More >>

Santigold Goes Hard

Dance-pop provocateurSantigold is the polar opposite of the starlets she once co-wrote songs with.

Top 10 Most Outrageous Onstage Incidents, Antics & Meltdowns

Everyone has their meltdown moments, no doubt about it. We make mistakes and, most of the time, we try to correct them. We have them because we are all human. Unfortunately, though, when you are in the spotlight, your hurts, tantrums, mistakes and meltdowns are all magnified for all the world to se ... More >>

Are SNL's Divisive Musical Guests Making It Relevant Again??

Even as sketch comedy tastes have changed, and a segment of the population has sadly written it off as an unfunny relic, NBC's Saturday Night Live is still pulling in cutting-edge, marquee musical guests each week, in the process creating national stars or pariahs. Or sometimes both. Case in point ... More >>

"Change Your Name To A Symbol" & Other Dumb Ways To Derail Your Music Career

brightestyoungthings.comThe sign officially known as "Love Symbol #2"​Sunday marked the 18th anniversary of the date Prince changed his name to that confounded "Love Symbol", and we can't help but wonder if he would have had more success had he waited a decade or two. Like it or not, in toda ... More >>

Vanilla Ice And 11 Other Artists Dallas Can Keep

​Tomorrow night at 2016 Mainstage, Houston gets to relive its (our?) dark white-rap past when Dallas native Vanilla Ice hits the stage at the venue formerly known Sammy's On Main. Yes, that Vanilla Ice, from our haughty neighbors to the north who can do no wrong in the eyes of Texas Monthly. ... More >>

When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong: Pop Princess Edition

MB Pictures/ Rex Features​Dave Chapelle teaches us that the art of "keeping it real" may sometimes go awry. According to urbandictionary.com, this occurs when "in the act of keeping it real, the outcome is unexpected and usually has a negative effect on the individual who decided to keep it re ... More >>

Pop Rocks: Ten Musicians I Want to Have Sex With Less Than Lady Gaga

​I understand Lady Gaga's declaration of celibacy last month was something of a big deal, if only because most of us have a hard time believing everyone in the music business isn't vigorously fellating each other on those off days when they're not sacrificing puppies to Clear Channel or auto-tunin ... More >>

Pop Rocks: You Really Should Be Watching Supernatural

​The CW is, by all generally accepted standards of measure, a horrible network. Just about every show is aimed at that unfortunate segment of the pre-adolescent population whose parents can't afford basic cable, so instead of several hundred channels of garbage programming, these poor kids are fo ... More >>

Game Time: Five Biggest College Football Title Game Implosions

It's almost here. After wading through the sludge of bowl season, with just one more "go get me some popcorn" match left tonight between Troy and Central Michigan (Admit it, ninety percent of you reading this have no idea what state "Troy" is in), finally tomorrow Alabama and Texas will meet for a ... More >>

Paternity Suit Aside, At Least Matthew Knowles Isn't as Bad as These Manager Dads

​In news that was greeted with yawns outside of Houston - and not exactly shouted from the rooftops here - Matthew Knowles, father of Beyonce and Solange, has been slapped with a paternity suit by an actress in Los Angeles. This obviously wouldn't be much of a story if not for his famous offspring ... More >>

Five Spot: What's Worse Than a Blink-182 Reunion?

Welcome back to Five Spot. Every week, we'll examine a recent bit of music news and list five reasons why it's either brilliant or dumb-assed. Send tips to introducingliston@gmail.com. Apparently, God hates us: Blink 182 possibly plotting comeback. There were a few other things we considered for ... More >>

Single File

Disney Channel fits Texan Demi Lovato for a glass slipper

Wishing Upon a Star

The improbable redemption of Ashlee Simpson

"La La" Love You

I am a Pedestrian Report: Bellaire

What's in Your Favorite Singer's Backseat?

John Popper, Chingo Bling and John Mayer

Where Do You Buy Your Hair?

...and other questions reporters can't ever ask

The Edge of the Spotlight

Trouble for "Texas Troubadour" Chris Knudson

Ashlee Nose What's Up

Double Vision

Jess and Lisa Origliasso give teen pop a harmonic jolt as the Veronicas

Pop Rocks

Ten albums that'll snap and fizz in your ear buds all winter long

Weighting...

Ryan Reynolds recalls his fat years in Just Friends

For Those About to Rock

Guitar Hero cranks rhythm-gaming up to 11

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Whitney's Dookie Bubble

Being Bobby Brown is not all fun and games

Teenage Anarchy

How The Nightfly learned to stop worrying and love Ashlee Simpson

Sweeping Riddim

Check the African-spun grooves at Fagilia Houston

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Monsters of Hip

Five bands' worth of Urban Outfitters employees grace Cardi's stage with shopworn licks and attire

Rotation

Guilty Pleasures, Part II

More music figures confess their deep, dark secrets

Trend-Spotting

In a scandal-ridden election year, the year's top ten music stories were all about winning the popular vote

Trend-Spotting

In a scandal-ridden election year, the year's top ten music stories were all about winning the popular vote

This Week's Day-by-Day Picks

Feelings, Nothing But Feelings

The New York Times misses the point in its attack on "rockism"

Blizzard of Oz

Dubya, Ashlee and Bill O'Reilly have spun Racket's mind into the twilight zone; also, two local retro-cool institutions bite the dust

Best Local Girl Made Good

Ashlee Simpson

Autobiography (Geffen)