Each month, we’ve been bringing you picks from artists that are on the verge of something big, from Cher Lloyd to Kendrick Lamar, Local Natives to Atlas Genius and more. There is so much great talent bursting at the seams, especially leading into summer, so we’ve decided to change the game a bit.

Introducing the new On the Rise Channel, featuring a larger list of our staff picks of up-and-coming hits, updated each month. Love that song from the Gatorade commercial? That’s Jake Bugg’s “Lightning Bolt.” Game of Thrones fan? That’s MS MR “Bones” in the Season 3 trailer. Impress your friends with your “before it was cool” discoveries.

Check in throughout the month as we introduce you to the artists in May’s channel, including A$AP Ferg, Daughter, Youngblood Hawke, and more. Enjoy!

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This weekend should hold some serious partying for those participating in the annual celebration of Cinco De Mayo. The day signifies Mexico’s victory over the French army in the mid 1800’s during the Battle of Puebla, one where they were massively outnumbered and still claimed victory. It is an official holiday in the State of Puebla and an celebrated largely in the United States by recognizing Mexican traditions, cuisine and music.

The Music Unlimited services has compiled a channel featuring a variety of music from Mexico, from superstars to indie artists and Ranchera to Banda in the new Cinco De Mayo Channel, now available in the premium channels section. Hear tracks from Vicente Fernandez, Jenni Rivera, Los Daniels and more. Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

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Today is a milestone birthday of influential singer/songwriter Willie Nelson, an outspoken and widely recognized star in country music who turns 80 today. His resume includes a catalog of over 60 studio albums and appearances in both film and television, including Half Baked, Wag the Dog and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. He’s penned several books including The Tao of Willie : A Guide to the Happiness in Your Heart and Roll Me up and Smoke Me When I Die : Musings from the Road.

Earlier this month, he released Let’s Face the Music and Dance. So to celebrate both that and his birthday, we’ve compiled a channel featuring tracks from the new album alongside a wide variety of hits in the new Willie Nelson 80 Channel, now available on the Music Unlimited service. This includes songs from his biggest albums like Stardust and Red Headed Stranger, live cuts with his “family” and collaborations with Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Lee Ann Womack and even Steven Tyler.

Stay tuned for more on the life and career of Willie Nelson throughout the week and enjoy his classics in the new channel.

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Just as Indio, California began to recover from two solid weekends of Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, another stampede of thousands will be making their way down into the valley for Stagecoach Country Music Festival 2013 on the same grounds. There are a few modifications made, cutting down to one “Mane” Stage (for a LOT more standing room), one less side tent and additional areas for ample drinking and partying. The festival kicked off eight years after the first Coachella, growing from two days to three and reaching its first sold-out milestone last year.

The Music Unlimited service will be out all weekend, powering the music in the PlayStation Society Tent with our new channel dedicated to the festival, now available in the premium channels section.

The channel features hit tracks from this year’s line-up, an eclectic mix within the broader country genre, including legends like Hank Williams Jr. and Toby Keith, to mainstream breakout groups like Lady Antebellum and Zac Brown, newcomers Thompson Square and Florida Georgia Line and other sets dedicated to bluegrass and alt-country. There are also a few celebrities-turned-musicians, including Jeff Bridges (ft. The Abiders) and John Reilly & Friends.

Hear them and more, and be sure to swing by the tent if you’re at the fest! Yee-haw!

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Today, the artist formerly known as Snoop Dogg officially released his new album as a “Reincarnated” Snoop Lion, embracing the Rastafarian lifestyle after an enlightening trip to Jamaica a few years ago. His journey was documented in a film, also called Reincarnated, that when coupled with this album, gives us the most intimate look we’ve had at the legendary rapper since his 2007 reality show, Father Hood. The icon grapples with his past, his rise to fame and his message as he continues making music.

Having come from a particularly violent era in Hip-hop, his new message of peace extends to all parts of his life, including what he listening to personally. That said, he’s created a new channel for the Music Unlimited service: Snoop Lion Reggae Picks. The channel features variety of reggae & dancehall favorites of Snoop himself, including tracks from collaborators Collie Buddz and Major Lazer (who produced the new album.) Listen to it now in the premium channels section of the Music Unlimited service.

Snoop Lion embarks on a worldwide journey in May, travelling through a multitude of summer festivals, including London’s legendary T in the Park (alongside Rihanna, Mumford & Sons, The Killers & more.) Take a look at the dates below, listen to the channel and introduce yourself to a new Snoop like you’ve never heard him before.

May 04                 Olympic Velodrome                        Seoul, Korea, Republic Of

May 18                 Moses Mabhida                              Durban, South Africa

May 26                 Soundset Festival                            Shakopee, MN

Jun 02                   Wakarusa 2013                                  Ozark, AR

Jun 09                   Moonrise Festival                            Baltimore, M

Jun 29                   BET Experience at LA Live             Los Angeles, CA

Jul 04                     Zenith                                                   Paris, France

Jul 05                     Summerjam Festival                       Cologne, Germany

Jul 07                    Istanbul Calling Festival                 Istanbul, Turkey

Jul 08                     Arena Armeec Sofia                        Sofia, Bulgaria

Jul 10                     Fresh Island Festival                       Novalja, Croatia

Jul 11                     Exit Festival                                        Novi Sad, Rs      

Jul 12                     London Wireless festival               London, United Kingdom

Jul 13                     T in the Park                                       Kinross, United Kingdom

Jul 14                     Openair Frauenfeld                        Frauenfeld, Switzerland

Aug 06                  Heineken Music Hall                       Amsterdam, Netherlands

Aug 09                  Fete du Bruit dans Landerneau  Landerneau, France

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Tagged: reincarnated, snoop lion

Carrying the torch for Scotland is Kimarnock’s own rock legneds, Biffy Clyro, who have taken home multiple honors including top nods at the NME Awards, Kerrang! Awards and a nomination for the coveted Mercury prize. Their bombastic live performances have caught the eye of fans on their home continent and across the world, including UK X Factor winner Matt Cardle covering the song “Many of Horror.” They are arena-level artists and have a significant following in the US as well.

The band has a long history, stretching back to multiple iterations before their debut album as Biffy Clyro, Blackened Sky, in 2002.  The Music Unlimited service is excited to bring you a new channel celebrating the band, the Artist Rewind: Biffy Clyro Channel, now available for subscribers in the US, Europe, Nordics, Australia & New Zealand.

Unfortunately, lead singer Simon Reid was rushed back home after their performance at Coachella Weekend #1, citing serious respiratory issues that needed immediate attention. Unfortunately, that means no set from the band this weekend in Indio or the rest of their North American tour. However, they expect to pick up their tour in June, hitting a staggering amount of festivals in Europe and Nordics, rounding out at with a headlining set at the infamous Reading & Leeds Festival in August (alongside Green Day, Eminem, System of a Down & more.)

Check out all the tour dates below while listening to their impressive catalog in the premium channels section of the Music Unlimited service.

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It’s a big week for Canadian music, as the country celebrates the year in music at The 2013 JUNO Awards, taking place in Regina, Saskatchewan on Sunday. The week prior is also packed with excitement, with events like Juno Fan Fare, JunoFest and Juno Cup leading up to the main event.

The Music Unlimited service is excited to once again feature a channel dedicated to the fun with The 2013 JUNO Awards Channel now available (for users residing in Canada). Hear songs from major nominees like Carly Rae Jepsen, Hedley, Leonard Cohen, Justin Bieber, Metric, Mariana’s Trench and many more, including the show’s host, Michael Buble. You can listen to it now in the premium channels section.

Take a listen and enjoy the show!

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Lil Wayne has been a constant presence in the music scene since the release of his first album, Tha Block is Hot in 1999. His status has be propelled to nothing short of legendary, a massive success in both the rap and mainstream worlds.

Today, Weezy releases his 10th studio album, I Am Not a Human Being II, following the gigantic hit The Carter IV in 2011. Everything in between has been equally significant and we’ve found a way to bring it all together. Starting today, you can listen to the Artist Rewind: Lil Wayne Premium Channel in the Music Unlimited service, featuring over 50 of his biggest hits and cult favorites from all of the albums. Additionally, we’ve thrown in some of his biggest collaborations, including guest appearances on songs by Drake, Chris Brown, Kelly Rowland and more. His golden touch can make or break a song and any album of original material is sure to dominate our top charts for the next several months.

Listen to the channel now in the premium channels section of the Music Unlimited service and check out the newly announced America’s Most Wanted Music Festival tour dates below, kicking off in July and featuring T.I. and Future.
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Forty-three year after his death, a new kind of Jimi Hendrix posthumous album has been released. People Hell & Angels, the intended follow-up to his final 1968 album Electric Ladyland, features 12 never-released original songs you can listen to now on the Music Unlimited service.

To celebrate, we’re jumping back through the entire Hendrix catalog in our new Artist Rewind: Jimi Hendrix Premium Channel. Hear a broad range of Hendrix tracks, including songs from the debut, Are You Experienced, through Electric Ladyland as well as live performances and other songs pulled from the vault in previous years. Find it now in the Premium Channels section.

Jimi Hendrix blazed a trail for guitarists who followed him, becoming an iconic figure in the late 60’s rock movement. A prodigy in every sense of the word, the Seattle native’s impact has pulsed through the music scene in continuous fervor. His tragic death in 1970 heightened the demand for any new music from the guitarist. Fortunately for us all these years later he was well on his way to creating a slate of music that is now being released. While we may never know what it may have eventually turned into had Hendrix completed it, People Hell & Angels shows the direction he was heading in and provides another glimpse into his guitar genius. Enjoy the new album and the channel now!

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This week, we launched the Tegan & Sara Artist Picks Channel on the Music Unlimited service, featuring songs chosen by the Canadian sisters and including tracks off their new album, Heartthrob. One of the biggest reasons for their rise to success is their live prowess, playing everything from acoustic to full band to cover songs. Today, we round-up videos from the duo, including a performance of their hit single “Closer” on Jimmy Kimmel Live and a Cyndi Lauper cover (which they included in their Artist Picks Channel).

“Closer”

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