The Wrap-Up: This Week in Music

The Wrap-Up brings you the 5 largest music news stories of the week as well as information about new album and music video releases. This week: new releases from Mitski, Cat Power, and The 1975, exciting announcements for the end of summer, and more!

1. Aretha Franklin, “Queen of Soul,” Passes Away

On Thursday August 16, Aretha Franklin, universally acclaimed as the Queen of Soul, died at the age of 76 from advanced pancreatic cancer. For over 50 years, Franklin has inspired generations of musicians and fans. She is often considered a music legend and one of the greatest singers of all time. We’ll miss you, Aretha. 2. Mitski Releases New Album  Mitski dropped her fifth studio album, Be The Cowboy, on Friday via Dead Oceans. Following her August 12th show at the Columbus Theatre, we were so excited to finally listen to the whole album after her release “Geyser,” “Two Slow Dancers,” and “Nobody.” We’re confident in saying Mitski has delivered another impressive album. Check out the music video for “Nobody” above. 3. Cat Power Returns After Six-Year Hiatus Singer Chan Marshall, also known as Cat Power, recently announced her new album, Wanderer, due 10/5 via Domino Records. And yes, it’s been six years since her last album, Sun. Listen to her new song, “Woman,” feat. Lana Del Rey, above. 4. The 1975 Drop New Song, “TooTimeTooTimeTooTime” The 1975 announced last month that they had two new albums in the works. A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships is due this Novemeber, and Notes on a Conditional Form is set for May 2019. The British pop-rockers dropped “TooTimeTooTimeTooTime” after releasing previous singles “Love It If We Made It” and “Give Yourself a Try” off of A Brief Inquiry. Check out the song above. 5. And Lastly… Our Summer Concert Series is Back!  Earlier today we announced some very special news – the return of WBRU’s annual free outdoor Summer Concert Series. This year we’re partnering with The Rosendale Group to provide three packed days of music, excitement, and fun. We’re so excited and we hope you’ll join us August 31 – Sept 2 in downtown Providence on Union St by The Strand. Keep an eye on our website and social media for upcoming lineup announcements and other surprises. Check out our Facebook event here. Summer may be ending soon, but we’re gonna end it with a bang!