Music is crucial during a fashion show (or after-party)—it gets the crowd buzzing, the models seriously strutting their stuff and generally sets the mood for a collection. Oh, and it’s pretty hard to miss—especially if it sucks. Thankfully, Elle UK has listed a bunch of songs designers are using in their runway shows and after-parties—great music, mind you—perhaps a few new tunes to add to the old iPod? After the jump, the bitchin’ hot songs on replay this London Fashion Week, who sings them and where they were heard.

Mary Travers of Peter, Paul and Mary passed away from leukemia yesterday at the age of 72 and I teared up several times last night and this morning just thinking about her.

When I was 14 years old, my Girl Scout leader, who also happened to be the editor of our dinky local newspaper, asked if I wanted to become an intern. One of the very first stories she asked me to write was covering a talk at our town’s university by the folk singer and activist Mary Travers. I knew vaguely about Travers’ folk trio—everyone sang “Puff The Magic Dragon” in kindergarten, right?—but I was well past the age of listening to Peter, Paul and Mary. They just sang kids’ music, right? I thought she was like Raffi.

But when Mary Travers spoke and performed that night at Fairfield University—wow! Travers wasn’t a kids’ music singer; she was one of the icons of America of the 1960s. Her music and her activism literally helped change the way we are in America today. Travers was an ally in the Civil Rights Movement, was arrested for protesting apartheid in South Africa, and sang songs about social justice, like “Blowin’ In The Wind,” whose lyrics, I’m sorry to see, are timeless. Here was a woman who was intellectual, creative, passionate, and compassionate who bravely stood up for what she thought was right regardless of its personal consequences to her—and yet still seemed like a happy person!

It truly was a life-changing experience for me, one of the first times I had a template for what kind of person I truly admired. Mary Travers was the first adult woman I looked to and thought, “I want to be you when I grow up.”

Karaoke isn’t normally a classy affair. Dive bars, sloppy slurred words, vodka shots, and embarrassing photos are more like it. Leave it to A.P.C., one of our favorite French clothing labels, to make karaoke cute. Their new DVD offers instrumental versions of the standards: “Like a Virgin,” “Billie Jean,” and other hits by the likes of The Ramones, The Spice Girls, and The Police. Except, instead of the cheesy beach scenes and ‘80s montages you normally get on the screen (OK, we do kind of like those), you get nature images filmed from a boat on a polar exploration in icy Greenland. See? Classy. [$35, Apc.fr]

Deana Martin, daughter of the legendary Dean, is unspoiled Hollywood royalty, the type of woman who makes sure you’re seated comfortably and well taken care of before she sits down to be interviewed by you. She’s genteel, friendly and refreshingly open about her famous Dad and her own interesting life. Now that is class and Deana Martin has it in abundance.

A singer and actor in her own right, she comes by her talent naturally; a good deal from her Dad and some from her mother, Elizabeth “Betty” Martin, who penned the beautiful lyrics to the hit 1950’s song, “For Your Love.”  Talent all around. Continue reading...

You can tell a lot about a person by the kind of music they like. We know Rachel Zoe‘s clothing preferences (expensive vintage dresses, Hermes Birkin bags, face-covering sunglasses) from her reality TV show. We know her current fashion and beauty picks from her newsletter. Now, with the release of her iTunes playlist, we know her taste in music.

While the decades most significantly represented (the ‘60s and ‘70s) make sense given that she loves vintage clothing from those eras, we would have guessed there would have been some less obvious current artists than Madonna and Coldplay. Rachel’s assistant Taylor dresses all rock’n’ roll with tons of black eyeliner and messy hair, so shouldn’t she be cluing Rachel in to some less overplayed tunes? After the jump, Rachel’s commentary on her taste in music.

Calvin Harris is one lucky guy. Or one incredibly weird one. In this video, the Scottish electro-pop musician creates what he calls a “Humanthesizer” to play his new single, “Ready For The Weekend” (his upcoming album drops on the 17th). Using a body paint that conducts electricity, he coated the hands and feet of about a dozen girls in bikinis. It would seem that paint, when in contact with another electrical conductor (like a painted hand or base), activates sounds. Dividing the scantily-clad girls into musical sections—piano, drums, bass, and synthesizer—Harris plays the song by slapping the ladies’ hands. It’s bizarre—and kind of incredible. [YouTube.com]

Eddie Murphy was never really respected as a singer, but don’t tell that to former Danity Kane member Aubrey O’Day. She has remade Eddie’s “Party All the Time,” off his 1985 LP How Could It Be. Eddie’s “Party All the Time” sounds like typical ‘80s synth-heavy pop music, but Aubrey was able to update it for 2009. And by update I mean she used all the voice-enhancing technology available in 2009. That being said, I have to admit that I did enjoy listening to her version, but it won’t become my favorite song or even make it into my iPod. After the jump, compare Aubrey’s version to Eddie’s “Party All the Time” video featuring Rick James.

Before his untimely death, Heath Ledger had started a side career directing music videos. The one he began directing for the Modest Mouse song “King Rat” debuted today, and according to The Masses, a film and music company Heath was a partner in, the video shows Heath’s “impassioned stance against the illegal commercial whale hunts taking place off the coast of Australia each year.” Proceeds from iTunes downloads in the next month will go to Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. This wasn’t the first music video Heath had directed. He also oversaw the one for Ben Harper’s “Morning Yearning,” and two for N’fa. Click here to watch Heath’s video for “King Rat.” 

U2 is one of those bands that keeps putting out good stuff, year after year after year. The group, which released its 12th studio album earlier this year, is currently traveling around the world on their 360 Degree Tour and just released a David O’Reilly animated video for their song “I’ll Go Crazy if I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight.” Plus, they has seriously cute merch. Even if we can’t make it to any of U2 concerts this summer, we’ll be there in spirit every time we put on our T-shirt (photo after the jump). [$30, U2.com]

We’re giving five winners a U2 T-shirt AND a CD with the Dirty South Remix of the single “Crazy,” but you have to work if you want one. The five best commenters for this coming week—from today, Friday, July 24 through Thursday, July 30—will be awarded with one. So, be as clever, smart, and original as you can! Click HERE to read the official rules.

It’s new release Tuesday, so it’s time to take the latest tunes for a spin. Forget Jordin Sparks and Demi Lovato’s new top 40 hits. This week is all about indie awesomeness, thanks to Magnolia Electric Co., The Fiery Furnaces, and Portugal the Man. Oh, yeah, and Sugar Ray, aka Mark McGrath, is trying to make a comeback. “When it’s over, that’s the time I fall in love, again.” Is that line still working on the ladies? Find out after the jump!

Pitchfork says the kick-ass electro-punk group, Le Tigre, is working on music with Christina Aguilera of all people. Presumably they’re doing music for X-tina’s new album, since JD Samson recently told NickyDigital.com that Le Tigre won’t be touring again “anytime in the near future.” (Kathleen Hanna has been teaching at NYU, Johanna Fateman recently had a baby, and JD Samson has been DJing with a group called MEN.) Oh, poo. Well, at least we’ll hear Christina get their beats dirrty. But still…what’s next? Ani Di Franco and Miley? Cowboy Junkies and Taylor Swift? Ooh wait, that would be kind of awesome. [Pitchfork]

We’ve always thought Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” was a masterpiece, and it’s even more of one when performed by an orchestra. After the jump, two more pop songs made elegant with the help of violins, French horns, and bamboo.

Last night, part one of “Inside the Obama White House” aired on NBC with the dreamy Brian Williams hosting. The behind-the-scenes look at a day at the White House makes us want to quit our jobs to hang out in the Oval Office (or, you know, answer someone’s phone). Since Williams makes a point of pointing out the music staffers play, including the national security advisor’s preference for U2, we couldn’t help but notice the music NBC chose to accompany the hour-long special.

I hate when I buy concert tickets and the price of the ticket is practically doubled by excessive charges and fees. Well, tomorrow—that’s June 3rd, people—I’ll be able to dry my tears. To appease frustrated fans, LiveNation.com is nixing all service fees tomorrow for any tickets bought to amphitheater shows. “No Service Fee Wednesday” begins at 12:01am and lasts for 24 hours. And on scattered Wednesdays for the rest of the summer, Live Nation will be running other promotions. [Billboard]

So here’s whose tickets we’re gonna snag for cheap tomorrow.

I’ve finally got a base tan, which is how I know summer is almost here. To celebrate, I’ve put together a kick ass summer playlist of old and new jams that act as the perfect accompaniment to frosty Coronas, gossip mags, and a day at the beach. And check out the playlists our girls at Lemondrop put together for gals planning on hitting the asphalt for a summer roadtrip—“99 Luft Balloons” AND “Forever Your Girl”? Hell yes.

Rihanna stars in Kanye West’s video for “Paranoid.” Why is she appearing in a music video for a song she doesn’t even sing on? We have a few ideas:

1. Kanye is ditching Amber Rose for Rihanna.
2. Kanye thought it would help Rihanna’s image by giving her some exposure unrelated to Chris Brown.
3. Rihanna wanted to procrastinate on putting out a new album even longer and is doing whatever she can to fill her day.
4. Rihanna had a lot of ‘80s-style clothes in her closet and thought it was high time they got put to use.
5. Rihanna wanted to showcase the moves she’s learned in dance class. If this is the case, keep working on them, girl.

We get it, Beyonce, Sasha Fierce is great at dancing. Now can we have an exciting video, please? I’m rather disappointed by the crop of videos Beyonce is putting out for her I am…Sasha Fierce. The “Diva” video was just a mash-up of her other videos. And now “Ego” looks like it was filmed the same day she did “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).” “Ego” would have been perfect for a video that told a story, but Beyonce only has time for a tried and true trick. You’d think Beyonce, who wants to be a celebrated actress, would take any opportunity to act instead of continuing to shake her butt.

Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold loves cheese, and he has great taste in music. In fact, the politico posts videos featuring the bands he loves in “Fein-tunes.” This month, he sang the praises of Midwestern indie group Wilco. It’s proof that sometimes Washington can back more than legislation. It can back that ass up, too. [Pitchfork]