After U2’s Epic Debut, Who Should Play Las Vegas Sphere Next?
Written by djfrosty on October 3, 2023
“Striking.” “Mind-blowing.” “Ambitious.” “Massive.” “Dazzling.”
That’s just a sampling of adjectives used to describe U2’s opening night at the brand-new Sphere in Las Vegas on Friday night, with the legendary band sharing the bill with the $2.3 billion venue as the eye-catching orb sets out to revolutionize live music in Sin City.
But once Bono & Co. wrap up their 25-concert stint in December, who should inherit the keys to the game-changing arena? On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie tells Keith all about her experience inside opening night (read our best moments from night 1 here) and we discuss who should headline Sphere next, with everyone from Phish to Harry Styles in the mix.
Also on the show, we’ve got chart news on how Rod Wave spends a second week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart while Doja Cat and Zach Bryan debut in the top 10; how Doja is back at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart with “Paint the Town Red” and SZA’s “Snooze” hits a new high, rising to No. 2; how Taylor Swift dominates the airwaves yet again, as “Cruel Summer” tops the Radio Songs chart; and how Timbaland, Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake are all back together on a hit single for the first time since 2007. Speaking of Timberlake, we’re also chatting about the just-released first *NSYNC song in more than 20 years, “Better Place” from the Trolls Band Together soundtrack.
The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard’s managing director, charts and data operations, Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)