PANIC! AT THE DISCO'S "HIGH HOPES" ARE PAYING OFF

The aspirational hit song High Hopes has climbed to #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The tracks strong triumph over adversity lyrics, “Had to have high, high hopes for a living. Shooting for the stars when I couldn’t make a killing. Didn’t have a dime but I always had a vision.”, are resonating with diehard and new Panic! At The Disco fans. Frontman Brendon Urie explained the meaning behind the song and what inspired the lyrics in a tweet saying – “I spent too long not setting my expectations high enough, worried about how it felt to fail. I hit a point when I realized I had to aim high and fail, fail, fail in order to keep growing.” Congrats go out to Urie on Panic!’s success and his smash hit. 

This weekend I’m aiming high with an HK exclusive remix on High Hopes. Plus custom HK remixes on fresh Grammy nominated tracks from Silk City & Dua Lipa featuring Diplo & Mark Ronson, Travis Scott, Lady Gaga & Bradly Cooper. I’ll be mixin’ in new beats from Zayne featuring Nicki Minaj, Lucas & Steve, Madison Beer with Offset, Mark Ronsonand Miley Cyrus, some sick mashups, killer throwbacks, a re-imagined Christmas classic you just gotta hear and So Much More! The party is on and your invited!

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

WHO IS BAZZI

The 20 year old Michigan native, Bazzi has a certified Platinum hit with his breakthrough single Mine. He started in the biz by posting songs on YouTube then moved to LA to pursue his music career and…oh yeah…finish high school. Bazzi’s talents don’t stop at singing and songwriting though, he says “I’ve been playing guitar since I was 6, and then drums, bass and piano since I was 10 years old.” His debut album Cosmic  just dropped and he plays instruments on all of the albums 16 tracks. Of his smash Mine, Bazzi says the melody for his slinky, love-struck confessional suddenly popped into his head while hanging out with some friends at a pool party and he went to the studio two days later to record it. Apparently I need to spend more time at the pool.

This weekend I’m gonna make Mine, mine with an exclusive HK remix on Bazzi’s hit. I can’t wait to drop the needle on other custom remixes on Zedd featuring Maren Morris and Grey, Bebe Rexha, Zayn, Meghan Trainor, Calvin Harris, Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars & Cardi B. Plus new bangers from Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, bülow and so much more! Call the crew and grab the munchies! It’s a party!

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

MAX GETS IN THE MIX WITH HK™

This week Max is  getting In The Mix with HK™ just as his hit single Lights Down Low goes Top 20 and is certified GOLD. Not only a great talent, Max is a super nice guy who’s been working his ass off. Touring, doing music collabs and trying to get 100 songs written and in the can so he can whittle it down to his favorite 10 for a new album.  I can’t wait to talk with him about how his sultry hit Lights Down Low came about, the story behind the video and time spent living out of a van. 

I’ll also be Maxing out custom HK remixes on your favorite chart toppers from P!nk, Zayn, Post Malone, Dua Lipa, Liam Payne, Sam Smith, of course Max and so much more! I’m gonna re-imagine a classic throwback or two and there’s gonna be some brand spankin’ new tracks from NF, Khalid and others. The beats are massive and the party’s gonna be epic!

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™ .

AN ACTRESS, SWEDISH DJ, COUNTRY MUSIC DUO AND A SINGER-SONGWRITER WALK INTO A….HIT!

I’m talking about Academy® Award-nominated actress/singer Hailee Steinfeld, Grammy nominated Swedish DJ/producer Alesso, multi-platinum duo Florida Georgia Line, acclaimed singer–songwriter watt and their new smash Let Me Go. It has been described as an eye-popping collaboration with all the right ingredients for its lyrics to quickly get stuck in your head. It’s also quickly sticking to the Pop chart. This Sunday you can see this all-star crew take the stage live at the AMA’s for what is sure to be a show-stopping performance of their hit track. Right now I’ve got my own show stopping custom HK remix of Let Me Go brewing up in the lab plus exclusive HK remixes on Ed Sheeran , Bebe Rexha, Charlie Puth, P!nk, Zayn, Demi Lovato and so much more! Like hot new beats from Daya, Lauv, Astrid S, Cheat Codes and Khalid! Plus I’ll be throwing in a few aural surprises you just don’t wanna miss!

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™ 

WOMEN IN MUSIC AND IN THE MIX WITH HK

Congrats go out to the strong and inspiring women who have been in the news for their contributions to music and the world this week! Selena Gomez was named Billboards 2017 Woman of the Year and Demi Lovato and P!nk were named on People’s 25 Women Changing the World  list. In a compilation of comments from the women being honored Demi said-“They said that I wouldn’t make it, but here I am”. P!nk stated “They all said I couldn’t do any of the things I’m doing now”.  Well, I know what I’m doing now and that’s workin’ on remixes of these amazing ladies hits for you!

This weekend I’m gonna fire up the decks with Selena’s brand new banger, Demi and P!ink’s chart toppers plus exclusive HK  remixes on Imagine Dragons, Halsey, Maroon 5, Taylor Swift, Kesha, Charlie Puth , Camila Cabello, Zayne and so much more! Like a mashup that will require a serious increase in volume and a throwback that will make you say WTF was that!!! The tracks are hot and the bass is thumping.

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™ 

IT'S PARTY TIME ON IN THE MIX WITH HK™

It’s the weekend and that means NO work and ALL play. And play is what I can’t wait to do. I’ll be playin’ all your faves like you’ve never heard them before! Get ready for my sonic throwdown including exclusive HK remixes on Charlie Puth, Kesha, Shawn Mendes, Demi Lovato, Zayn, Maroon 5, Selena and her X, The Biebs.

Plus new beats from Axwell & Ingrosso, Marshmello and Khalid, Fergie and so much more. Just when you think your speakers never sounded so good…I’ll be reworking a Rihanna classic that’ll blow you away! I’ve got the musical recipe to knock your weekend out of the park.

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™. 

MUSIC BRINGS HEALING, JOY AND TOGETHERNESS

In recent years music lovers have suffered senseless attacks of horrific violence - the shooting during the Eagles of Death Metal concert in Paris, Pulse night club shooting in Miami, the Manchester Arena bombing after an Ariana Grande concert and now the Route 91 Harvest Festival, shooting in Vegas. This is the second time in less than 18 weeks that I find myself writing about it. My heart is broken and thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families. I have to keep reminding myself that love and kindness will always win and in a free and open society we will continue to go out and enjoy life and live music. It’s more scary now, in the wake of these tragedies and we all have to be more vigilant. Music is the thing that brings us all together and it will never be silenced.

This weekend I’m embracing love, life and the positive power of music! I’m pulling out all the stops with custom HK remixes on your favorite chart topers from Taylor Swift, Macklemore, Kelly Clarkson, Portugal. The Man, Dua Lipa, Halsey and more! Also featuring new music from Zayn/Sia, Axwell & Ingrosso, The Revivalists, Fergie, Dej Loaf and Blackbear. It’s a come together party you don’t wanna miss and it’s all going down right here.

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™ .

JULIA MICHAELS THE NEW-OLD "IT" GIRL

If you’re one of the many who think Julia Michael’s first single Issues is all you know of her work you’re wrong. Michaels has been writing songs since the age of 12 but in little more than 3 years she’s had 12 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, 8 which reached the Top 40 and none of which featured her voice. A few of the songs this 23 year old penned are Justin Bieber’s Sorry, Hailee Steinfeld’s Love Myself,  Fifth Harmony’s All in My Head and Selena Gomez’s Hands To Myself. Michael’s says her song Issues  pushed her to become a solo artist. Saying: “ I wrote it after a fight I had with my boyfriend, I just felt uncomfortable having someone else sing such a personal song of mine.” It hit too close to home to pass it along to another artist.

I don’t think you’ll have any “Issues” with this weekend’s show. It’s gonna be lit with custom HK remixes on Bruno Mars, Zayn, Ed Sheeran, Kygo & Selena, The Chainsmokers featuring Coldplay and so much more. Plus new bangers from Harry Styles, Lady Gaga and Imagine Dragons.

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

IS DUA LIPA LEAPING TO STATESIDE STARDOM

Dua Lipa the English singer/songwriter with a deep, sultry, emotive voice is poised for stateside stardom. Over the past year she has been an A-lister in the UK and Europe where she’s racked up 5 top 40 hits. Although Lipa has already made some noise in America, the dropping of her debut album this summer should put her squarely on the US map.

Dua (means “Love” in Albanian) was born and raised in London until the age of 11 when her family relocated to Kosovo. At 15 she returned to London to live with a friend and pursue her music career. Lipa started uploading covers of Christina Aguilera and Alicia Keys to YouTube (seriously how many artists has YouTube kicked off?!). Within a year she attracted the attention of Lana Del Rey’s manger and by 18 Dua had a recording contract with Warner Bros. Somewhere in between she did some modeling but quickly left that biz when she was told she had to lose weight. Lipa says of that time, “ I love food too much and I’d like to think that my voice is my best feature”. If I didn’t already L-O-V-E this girl for her wicked voice I love her even more now!

This week on In The Mix with HK™ Dua’s latest single Be The One is my Pick To Hit™.  

Speaking of hits….I’ve got all your faves like you’ve never heard them before! Get ready for exclusive HK remixes on Marian Hill, Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, The Chainsmokers and Katy Perry. Plus new bangers by Zayn, Stargate featuring Pink & Sia, Rag ‘N’ Bone Man, Halsey and of course Dua Lipa! Then just when you thought the party was over the top I’m putting together a mashup that will blow you away!

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS

Some interesting things happened this week in the music biz that should not be understated and probably would make your head spin. The Chainsmokers have three different singles in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. There are only two other groups to manage this rare feat. The Beatles were the first back in 1964. A decade later the Bee Gees did it with a trio of hits from their Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. And now the smokin’ hot EDM pop producers have joined the club. Think about that for a second. The Chainsmokers are now in the same league with The Beatles and The Bee Gees. But wait! There's more! Nicki Minaj tied Aretha Franklin's record for 73 songs to land in the Hot 100. That surpasses legends like Beyoncé, Madonna, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Barbara Streisand and others. Mind blowing right?

I'm hoping to blow your mind this weekend on In The Mix with HK™. I got your clubbing soundtrack all locked and loaded to turn any car, living room, basement or backyard into your personal party palace. I’m droppin’ the needle on exclusive HK remixes on Ed Sheeran, Rihanna, Maroon 5, Ariana Grande, Clean Bandit, Zayn/Taylor Swift, Shawn Mendes and of course the Chainsmokers! Plus new beats from PartyNextDoor, Lorde, Marian Hill and so much more! Dance, hydrate and repeat is our mantra! 

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.  

HEY VIOLET AND MORE THIS WEEK ON IN THE MIX WITH HK™

The LA based group Hey Violet began as the 4 girl hard rock band Cherri Bomb while its members were still in middle school. Since its inception the group has had a change of musical direction to punk-pop, the parting of a member, addition of guitarist and a bassist and is no longer an all-female band. They’ve  signed to 5 Seconds of Summer’s Label Hi Or Hey Records and have a new single Guys My Age making noise on the Pop charts!

This weekend I can’t help but make some noise with a custom HK remix on Hey Violet’s latest track Guys My Age plus the new hits from Charli XCX, G-Eazy, Clean Bandit & Anne-Marie! Also coming to this mix party are fresh beats from Zayn feat. Ms. Swift, Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Ariana Grande, Maroon 5, The Weeknd, Shawn Mendes, Hailee Steinfeld and SO MUCH MORE! The bass is gettin’ low and the volume’s goin’ up!

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

THE ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS PARTY SOUNDTRACK

Decorations are hung, presents under the tree, the crew is on notice, food and beverages are at the ready but don’t forget the heartbeat of the holidays…In The Mix with HK™! I’ve got your ultimate Christmas party soundtrack wrapped and ready for delivery this weekend.

I’ll be throwin’ down some of your Christmas faves like you’ve never heard them before with exclusive custom HK remixes on Rihanna,  Twenty One Pilots, Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes, Lady Gaga, Zayne, Taylor Swift and so much more. I'm also packing some musical mistletoe. Yeah, that's right! Plus new bangers from Flume, Clean Bandit & Anne-Marie featuring Sean Paul, Charli XCX and Daya.

This week’s party is gonna tear the roof off and the jams just keep on comin’ with next week’s New Year’s show. I’ll be remixing and spinning your picks for best tracks of 2016.

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

"THIS GIRL" IS THIS WEEK'S PICK TO HIT™

This Girl is Kungs reworking of a Cookin’ On 3 Burners song. The track has gone #1 on the French and German charts, #2 on the UK Singles Chart and this week it’s the Pick To Hit™ on In The Mix with HK™. Kungs, born Valentin Brunel, is a French DJ, record producer and musician. His musical interest was sparked at the age of five when he received a djembe as a gift from his parents. Which may explain the esoteric feel of his music. At 17 he began creating melodies using his own instruments. In 2014 Kungs began recording and uploading his bootleg mixes and by 2016 he opened for David Guetta’s European tour and recorded This Girl. Hear it this week On In The Mix with HK™ and hit me back with your thoughts.   

In The meantime I’ll be hittin’ you up with exclusive HK remixes on Daya, Charlie Puth featuring Selena Gomez, Shawn Mendes, Pink, Calvin Harris featuring Rihanna and others. There're also new tracks from Lukas Graham, Zayn and Clean Bandit! And that's just getting the party started! I’ll be dropping the needle on all your favorite hits! 

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE BACK TO THE BIG SCREEN AND IN THE MIX WITH HK™

Justin Timberlake is set to join the cast of Kate Winslet and Jim Belushi for Woody Allen’s next flick. The film will be the first collab. between JT and director Allen. Shooting for the movie will begin in New York this Fall. In typical Allen fashion, the plot details and film’s title are being kept under wraps. What’s not under wraps is the custom remix of JT’s Can’t Stop The Feeling that I have just for you! It will be unleashed on this week’s In The Mix with HK™ along with exclusive remixes on Meghan Trainor, Zayn, Nick Jonas, Sia, Fifth Harmony, Twenty One Pilots and so much more! Plus new bangers from John Legend, Tiesto, David Guetta and that left of center, elusive new pop sensation Kiiara! It’s a summer party soundtrack you don’t wanna miss! 

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND HK STYLE!

John Adams wrote that Independence Day … ought to be celebrated by pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other from this time forward and forever more. If President Adams were alive today I believe he would have added…and by jamming out to In The Mix with HK™ for a non-stop musical extravaganza in all American HK style! That’s right, John Adams would be getting his patriotic groove on this weekend.



In honor of our Nation’s Birthday Bash I have put together custom HK mixes and remixes on all your favorite hits. Get ready for sonic fireworks from Pink, Shawn Mendes, Daya, Selena Gomez, Coldplay, and Justin Timberlake! Plus new tracks from Kent Jones, Zara Larsson, Zayn and more! There's gonna be a special mash-up and a few other surprises. I’ve got your epic July 4^th weekend party soundtrack ready to explode! So don't miss a single second of In The Mix with HK™ this weekend! 

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.  

THIS WEEK THE CHAINSMOKERS GET IN THE MIX WITH HK™

The Chainsmokers have had a smokin’ hot year! With hits like Don’t Let Me Down featuring Daya and Roses featuring Roses, the dynamic duo from New York has been topping the charts! This weekend Andrew and Alex get In The Mix with HK™ to talk about the current state of EDM and it’s future. And without a doubt, you know I’m gonna fire up the decks for your future weekend party soundtrack! Get ready to turn the volume up on exclusive HK remixes of One Republic, Ariana Grande, Sia f/Sean Paul, Meghan Trainor, Twenty One Pilots, Ruth B, Zayn, Lukas Graham, Adele, of course The Chainsmokers and so much more!

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

WILL ZAYN DO IT AGAIN?

Zayn has been busy since exiting One Direction a year ago, saying “I wasn't 100% behind the music. It wasn't me.” Since then his music is all about him, even naming his recently released first solo album Mind of Mine. The first single of that LP, Pillow Talk,  blew up and is still on the charts. It debuted at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 as well as toping the charts in 68 countries. Now Zayn is pushing his latest track Like I Would. Recent live performances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and The View have certainly brought the song to the public’s attention. Will Like I Would be the 2^nd Zayn monster hit? Check it out on the Pick To Hit™ segment of In The Mix with HK™ this weekend and tweet me with your thoughts @HowardHKKessler.

In the meantime catch up on some rest, cause I'll be hittin' the one's and two's and rockin' your body with the likes of Drake, Fifth Harmony, Sia, Ariana Grande and Mike Posner. Of course they're all like you've never heard them before in pristine custom HK fashion. I've also got new jams from Zedd, One Republic, Timeflies, Selena Gomez and others. Plus a few sonic surprises to crack your cranium!

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

RUTH B FOUND A HIT WITH LOST BOY [VIDEO]

Ruth B’s song Lost Boy got its start in a fairytale kinda way! Just two years ago Ruth was a teenager playing piano and singing covers, then uploading them to Vine from her childhood bedroom. But it was the day that the Canadian singer/songwriter and college student had finished binge watching the TV show Once Upon A Time that the real magic began. Ruth sat at her keyboard and played around with random chords singing different words. One of the lines she sang was: “I am a lost boy from Neverland, usually hanging out with Peter Pan”. Ruth said she didn’t think much of it but she posted it on Vine because it kept ringing in her head. One week later the Vine of that little line had 85,000 likes with people asking for more. So Ruth would come home after school and write a new line to the song and post it, eventually she says “I had a chorus”. Amazingly, Vine users were able to see the evolution of the song in real-time. It didn’t take long for major-labels to find those Lost Boy snippets and soon Ruth’s desires to become a lawyer were sprinkled with pixie dust and turned into musical dreams.

I’ll be sprinkling pixie dust on the ones and twos this weekend when I bring you an exclusive HK remix of Ruth B’s Lost Boys that will have Peter Pan jammin! Get your party pants on cause I'm also featuring exclusives this week on Justin Timberlake, Flume f/Kai, Zayn, G-Eazy/Bebe Rexha, Pink, Mike Posner, Twenty One Pilots and more! Plus new surprises from Calvin Harris/Rihanna, Kiiara and Julien Creance. And, there might even be a re-imagined HK classic in there!

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

HK TALKS WITH SHAWN HOOK - THIS WEEK ON IN THE MIX WITH HK™

Hot off appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Entertainment Tonight  Shawn Hook joins me this weekend to chat about Canadian fans vs U.S. fans, the long road to success and so much more! His current track Sound Of Your Heart (clicking over 30,000,000 streams on Spotify) introduced him to America but this Canadian singer, songwriter and producer is no overnight success. At the age of 4, Shawn studied piano at The Royal Conservatory and by high school he was playing piano and trombone in a jazz big band while writing and recording his own music. Shawn went on to the Art Institute in Vancouver to study audio engineering. Then in 2004 he released his first album and his passion for music has been growing ever since!

My passion to bring you the best weekend party soundtrack is in overdrive! Sparks will be flying when I drop the needle on custom HK remixes of Zayn, G-Eazy featuring Bebe Rexha, Gwen Stefani, Usher and Mike Posner! I’m also spinnin’ new bangers from Ariana Grande, Jason Derulo and AlunaGeorge! Plus my exclusive interview with Shawn Hook is gonna be off the hook (pun totally intended)! It’s all going down right here this weekend! 

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.

CAN MUSIC STREAMING EVER MAKE MONEY…FOR ANYBODY!

 By now you've heard of them all. Companies like Spotify, Pandora and Deezer. Streaming services who constantly throw around subscriber numbers, streaming numbers and Wall St. numbers. And, we keep hearing how "streaming" is "the thing" now versus actual downloading.

Well, despite all the hoopla…these companies are all still struggling to be profitable. Even Tidal – the latest to enter the fray – with its powerhouse list of celebrity owners, can't seem to make a buck. And it's only gonna get worse for these companies when the other 5,000 pound gorillas in the room make some moves. You know them as Apple, Google, YouTube and Amazon. These are the really big sharks in the tank who could squash the other guys even if they were making money. So stream while you can, because I seriously question whether it's a biz model to last. At least not the current way it's being done.

Have no fear cause radio is here to stay and I'll be getting things done in fine style this weekend when I'm throwin' down all your fave hits, some new dance floor stompers and a couple special surprises. Tune in and turn it up to hear HK exclusives on Zara Larsson & MNEK, Twenty One Pilots, Rihanna & Drake, DNCE and Zayn. Plus brand new music from Zendaya, Fifth Harmony, DJ Snake and Sia. Of course that's just a peek into the sonic wonder I've got planned so don't miss a single beat! 

Remember…if it's hot, if it's new and it makes you wanna move…you're In The Mix with HK™.