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Music News: Avicii fans mourn, celebrate legacy with massive outdoor dance party

Avicii fans at a memorial dance party in Stockholm on April 21, 2018.
Avicii fans at a memorial dance party in Stockholm on April 21, 2018.FREDRIK PERSSON/AFP/Getty Images

by Jay Gabler

April 23, 2018

As Prince fans know, sometimes the most meaningful way to mourn an artist is to celebrate his legacy. That was on the minds of Avicii fans who filled the streets of his native Stockholm, Sweden on Saturday for a massive dance party featuring the music of the late DJ.

Avicii, one of this decade's biggest pop stars, was found on Friday, dead of undisclosed causes at age 28. Peers and collaborators including Calvin Harris, Diplo, Skrillex, and Madonna paid tribute on social media to the hugely popular artist who was best-known for "Wake Me Up," a 2013 single that hit the top five in the U.S. and number one in 22 countries. (Billboard)

Prince investigation data released

A day after announcing they would not be filing criminal charges related to Prince's death, Carver County authorities released a vast trove of data from their investigation. Among the documents are "photos from every nook and cranny" of Paisley Park, notes MPR News, and transcripts of painful interviews with Prince's associates and collaborators including Sheila E., Judith Hill, Larry Graham — and even Sinéad O'Connor.

Meanwhile, Prince's estate is reportedly planning to publish a book of Prince's unreleased lyrics and poetry — a separate project from the unfinished memoir also expected to be published this year. (Billboard)

Heartbreakers reunite

At a Saturday night concert in Austin, Texas to benefit advocacy for individuals with autism, Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench, and Steve Ferrone of the Heartbreakers reunited onstage for the first time since Tom Petty’s death.

"Among other moments," notes Pitchfork, "they did 'Guess I'm Doing Fine' and 'Where It's At' with Beck, 'Because the Night' with [Patti] Smith, and played their hit 'I Won't Back Down' with [Stephen] Stills." (Technically, the latter was a Petty solo hit, though Campbell played on the recording.)

Kanye to produce new Nas album

In addition to his own new album and the Kid Cudi collaboration he's seemingly planning to release this summer — as well as the philosophy book he's writing in real time on Twitter — Kanye West says he's producing albums for other artists, the most notable of which is an LP by rap legend Nas that Kanye says we can expect on June 15. (Billboard)

Queen's birthday concert to feature all-stars

Tom Jones is 77 years old, but he's still just a toyboy to Queen Elizabeth II, who celebrated her 92nd birthday with a Saturday night concert at the Royal Albert Hall featuring Jones, Kylie Minogue, and Sting (with, inevitably, Shaggy), among others. (NME)