album

From Bill Steffen to Craig's Cruisers, Meijer to 28th St, this album is full of West Michigan references.

After retailers, musicians' unions, labels and other groups met to discuss album releases and piracy, it's been decided that beginning this summer, albums will come out on the same day everywhere. Instead of new music coming out on Tuesdays in the U.S., albums will be released on Fridays beginning this summer.

The Bala Brothers -- Loyiso, Zwai and Phelo Bala -- are a household name in South Africa because of their fusion of operatically-trained voices, rich harmonies and traditional South African melodies and rhythms. The Bala Brothers are releasing a self-titled album March 3, with DVD and Blu-Ray releases March 24 for a taped concert program airing as a PBS-TV special starting Feb. 28.

No surprise here, but the "Frozen" soundtrack from Walt Disney Records was ranked the No. 1 best-selling album on the 2014 year-end Billboard 200 chart. It is the first movie soundtrack to reach No. 1 on the year-end chart since "Titanic" in 1998 and is the first Disney soundtrack to top the chart since "Mary Poppins" in 1965, according to Billboard.

Rhythm and blues music legends Aretha Franklin and Earth, Wind & Fire are releasing new music today. "Aretha Franklin Sings the Great Diva Classics" finds the Queen of Soul performing ten cover versions of songs made famous by other great women singers. Meanwhile, Earth, Wind & Fire is out with its first Christmas album, "Holiday."

October just started and it ain't even close to Halloween yet. So, how about some Christmas music? Legacy Recordings announced today plans to release "Holiday," the first holiday music album from Earth, Wind & Fire on Oct. 21.

Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band announced this morning they will hit the road in support of Seger’s first new studio album in eight years, "Ride Out," with a tour supporting it opening in mid-November in Michigan with a Dec. 9 date at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. Also appearing in Grand Rapids with Seger & The Silver Bullet Band is The J. Geils Band. "Ride Out,"