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It was the end of the line for Poodle Moth on Wednesday night’s (May 8) episode of The Masked Singer, as the furry bug had its wings clipped – all 10 feet of them.
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Season 11 of Fox’s kooky singing competition is reaching its climax. Tonight was the quarter-finals, and, as usual, the two celebrities with the least amount of votes went toe-to-toe in a smackdown.
From the top, Clock performed “Get On Your Feet” by Gloria Estefan, Goldfish covered “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole, Poodle Moth checked in with “Price Tag” by Jessie J. ft. B.O.B., and Gumball rolled with a cover of Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours”.
Poodle Moth and Gumball slipped into the bottom ranks, and each was tapped for a rendition of “If I Could Turn Back Time” by Cher.
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There could be only one winner: Gumball, who joins Goldfish and Clock in next week’s semi-finals.
Underneath the Poodle Moth mask was Chrissy Metz, the singer and actor from TV series This Is Us, which earned her nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards.
Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg guessed right. Rita Ora picked Faith Hill, Robin Thicke figured it was Shania Twain, and Ken Jeong suggested Melissa McCarthy.
Why would Metz want to do The Masked Singer? “I still think I’m educating people on me being a singer,” she told host Nick Cannon after the helmet came off, “so that’s part of the reason why I wanted to do the show.” There are moments on stage, in the suit, where it’s “really going full throttle.”
And to be certain, she remarked, “you don’t even know how much sweat is in this suit.” Ok. “I thought, let me challenge myself and I’m glad I did because I learned a lot about myself.”
Metz as Poodle Moth follows the exit of Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken (as The Beets), Jenifer Lewis (Miss Cleocatra), Kevin Hart (Book); restauranteur Joe Bastianich (Spaghetti & Meatballs); TV personalities Savannah Chrisley (Afghan Hound), Billy Bush (Sir Lion) and Colton Underwood (Lovebird); NFL hall of famer DeMarcus Ware (Koala); and singer Sisqó (Lizard).
Watch Poodle Moth’s performance and unmasking below.
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Though it never produced a chart crown, The Killers’ “Mr Brightside” is a record-breaker in the U.K.
Two decades after release, the U.S. alternative rock act’s signature song is anointed as the biggest-ever single which didn’t snag a U.K. No. 1.
The Killers were originally discovered by and signed to U.K. independent Lizard King, and were embraced by Brits as one of their own. “Mr Brightside” was initially released in 2003 with a limited-edition 500 CD run, and was reissued in May 2004, peaking at No. 10.
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The track failed to set the charts on fire but has proven a slow burner, notching 408 weeks on the Official U.K. Singles Chart – almost eight full years.
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Since its release, “Mr Brightside” has accumulated 5.57 million combined units, including 1.066m sales and 530,340,000 streams, the Official Charts Company reports, good enough for third place on the all-time list of biggest songs, behind Elton John’s “Something About the Way You Look Tonight”/”Candle in the Wind 1997.” That streaming tally sends it to No. 5 in the list of most-streamed songs of all time in the U.K.
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The biggest week (across all formats) for “Mr Brightside” in the U.K. was July 2019, when it amassed 17,700 chart units following the Las Vegas act’s headline set at Glastonbury Festival, while its biggest week of sales was registered in 2012, when the single was bought and downloaded 125,200 times.
On its 20th anniversary, “Mr Brightside” eclipses Oasis’ 1995 ballad “Wonderwall” for the unusual honor. “Wonderwall,” lifted from the Manchester rock band’s sophomore album (What’s the Story) Morning Glory), peaked at No. 2.
The OCC crunched the numbers and declared “Mr Brightside” is actually gathering pace. Last year saw the track generate its biggest volume of streams, with 79.97 million plays, the OCC reports, and in 2024, combined weekly sales and streams are up 23% year-on-year.
The Killers will dish out the hits for the Rebel Diamonds Tour of the U.K. and Ireland this summer, which includes 16 arena shows.
The 2024 Met Gala should have been a strictly star-powered triumph for Stray Kids, when the current faces of Tommy Hilfiger set a historic first at fashion‘s biggest night out. Yet amid the glamour, Stray Kids fans — and, possibly, some of the members themselves — were left with the experience marred by their disrespectful treatment by red-carpet photographers, highlighting the systemic barriers still faced by non-Western artists in Hollywood.
The eight-member Billboard 200 chart-toppers attending the Met Gala marked the first time an entire group has hit the glitzy gala together. Making their Met Gala debut in custom-designed suits alongside Tommy Hilfiger himself, members Bang Chan, Changbin, Lee Know, Hyunjin, Felix, Han, Seungmin and I.N arrived at the Metropolitan Museum of Art collectively in navy jackets that would soon reveal the custom ‘fits in various shades of the clothing brand’s signature red, white and blues underneath.
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But a few feet away, amid the flurry of camera flashes that surrounded all sides of the Gala entrance, derogatory comments from on-site photographers groaning about the group’s “robot” demeanor, annoyed that the reveal took place with their backs to one group of photogs, and thinking the band would only understand Korean reveal the thinly veiled prejudices that still plague the industry.
(Note: The video below includes subtitles that don’t always match what can be heard.)
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As The Daily Mail noted, some paps said people would get “confused” because the group took photos with their coats on and off — a racist stereotype that people of Asian descent are challenging to differentiate visually. One photographer can be heard making his peers laugh after joking that viewers would think “two K-pop bands” attended the 2024 Met Gala. (From this reporter’s findings from the last 48 hours, no one has made that mistake.)
The incident shed light on the unfair challenges international celebrities like Stray Kids face navigating less familiar territory in pursuit of global success.
Despite instances where SKZ easily and comfortably adapted to the American media landscape via live interviews like BUILD Series or People TV, last year’s MTV VMAs, or various Fashion Weeks, the singers still face barriers and a dismissive attitude toward their presence. It reflects a lack of understanding while underscoring the need for greater cultural sensitivity and inclusivity in entertainment.
Most of the Kids’ media experience is with Korean and Japanese events, which have systems and red carpets structured differently than in the States. At a typical K-pop event, press conference or awards show, there is a platform for artists to pose for photographers who are all collectively shooting together during a dedicated photo time. Guided by an MC, host or team leader like Bang Chan, the artists almost always coordinate their pose to their left, center and right for everyone to get a range of angles and shots. After that dedicated time, photogs are left to their own devices to get the best pics.
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With this context, Stray Kids did attempt to show love to all sides of the photographers on the Met Gala carpet by staggering themselves so four members were more forward toward one side of the cameras and then turning around so the other four were more forward for the second group of photogs. Also of note: While the photographers knew Stray Kids were a K-pop act, members Bang Chan and Felix grew up in Australia and Seungmin spent some time living in Los Angeles; assuming that an English comment would slide past them (including “What’s Korean for ‘right’?,” which elicited laughs from the paps) is incredibly close-minded.
While it is important to understand that photographers need usable and workable photos to fulfill their livelihoods, the diversity that Stray Kids bring to a function like the Met Gala should be celebrated rather than marginalized. Perhaps the prospect of shooting an eight-member boy band could be a new professional challenge instead of something to bemoan.
Korean artists have been attending the Met Gala for over a decade, with guests like PSY and Siwon of Super Junior attending more than 10 years ago and, more recently, seeing the likes of BLACKPINK‘s Jennie coming for her second Met Gala this year. Considering fashion’s consistent and growing affinity for K-pop partnerships, even more K-pop groups are likely to attend in the future.
Whether the comments were heard or not, Stray Kids moved with grace and poise on the carpet, and their presence alone reminds us of the importance of inviting and embracing different cultures, people and perspectives.
From the reality show that created their group in 2017, Stray Kids have had an unwavering determination to defy expectations and rise above adversity. Despite obstacles, the band’s overarching talent, humility, and tireless spirit to continue forward are not only recognized by one of the world’s most prestigious events but increasingly felt across the different Billboard charts. As they continue to break boundaries and challenge norms, Stray Kids can show how they won’t just make waves in the music industry, but help reshape long-held perceptions and inspire greater change.
Olivia Rodrigo and co-writer Daniel Nigro are the 2024 ASCAP Pop Music Songwriters of the Year. It is the second award in the top category for Rodrigo, who first received the honor in 2022.
Chappell Roan, who has a fast-climbing hit with “Good Luck, Babe!,” which she co-wrote with Nigro and Justin Tranter, was scheduled to present Nigro with his award on Wednesday (May 8) at an invitation-only event in Los Angeles celebrating this year’s ASCAP Pop Music Award winners.
Rodrigo and Nigro have shared two Grammy nods for song of the year (for “Driver’s License” and “Vampire”) and one for best rock song (for “Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl”). In less than three and a half years, Rodrigo has amassed 17 top 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including three songs – “Driver’s License,” “Good 4 U” and “Vampire” – that entered the chart at No. 1.
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“Calm Down,” performed by Rema and featuring Selena Gomez, wins ASCAP Pop Song of the Year. Co-written by Rema, Gomez, Michael “LONDON” Hunter, Amanda “Kiddo AI” Ibanez and Andre Vibez, the song reached No. 3 on the Hot 100 and rode the chart for 57 weeks. “Calm Down” is published by Hook Like Behavior, Kobalt Music Publishing, Livelihood Music Company, SMG Tunes, Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group and Warner Chappell Music.
Publisher of the Year goes to Universal Music Publishing Group for songs including “Calm Down,” “Cuff It” (Beyoncé), “Dance the Night” (Dua Lipa), “Barbie World” (Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice with Aqua), “Lavender Haze” (Taylor Swift), “Paint the Town Red” (Doja Cat), “Star Walkin’ (League of Legends Worlds Anthem)” (Lil Nas X) and “Sure Thing” (Miguel).
Other 2024 ASCAP Pop Music Award-winning songwriters include Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff (their holiday evergreen “All I Want for Christmas Is You”), Noah Kahan (“Dial Drunk”), St. Vincent (“Cruel Summer”), Meghan Trainor (“Made You Look”) and Leon Thomas (“Snooze”).
As previously announced, Charli XCX received the ASCAP Global Impact Award. Charli is gearing up for the release of her sixth solo album, BRAT on June 7 and a North American tour with Troye Sivan, who was set to present her with the award.
The ASCAP Pop Music Awards honor the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP’s most-performed pop songs of 2023. The winners are determined by data on terrestrial and satellite radio and for programmed and on-demand audio streams, all provided by Luminate Data LLC.
More information on the 2024 ASCAP Pop Music Award winners is available here.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
For the first time in 50 years, Beatles fans will get to go inside the making of band’s final album. Let It Be, the 1970 documentary helmed by Michael Lindsay- Hogg, arrives on Disney+ on Wednesday (May 8).
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The documentary, restored by The Beatles: Get Back director Peter Jackson’s production company, shares rare footage of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr from the recording studio to the Apple Corps’ rooftop in London where the Fab Five wrote and recorded Let It Be and performed live for the last time as group.
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“Let It Be was ready to go in October/November 1969, but it didn’t come out until April 1970,” Lindsay-Hogg recalled, according to Disney. “One month before its release, The Beatles officially broke up. And so the people went to see Let It Be with sadness in their hearts, thinking, ‘I’ll never see The Beatles together again. I will never have that joy again,’ and it very much darkened the perception of the film.”
“But, in fact, how often do you get to see artists of this stature working together to make what they hear in their heads into songs? And then you get to the roof, and you see their excitement, camaraderie, and sheer joy in playing together again as a group and know, as we do now, that it was the final time, and we view it with the full understanding of who they were and still are and a little poignancy. I was knocked out by what Peter [Jackson] was able to do with Get Back, using all the footage I’d shot 50 years previously.”
“I’m absolutely thrilled that Michael’s movie, Let It Be, has been restored and is finally being re-released after being unavailable for decades,” said Jackson. “I was so lucky to have access to Michael’s outtakes for Get Back, and I’ve always thought that ‘Let It Be’ is needed to complete the Get Back story.”
Read on for ways to join Disney+ and stream Let It Be.
How to Stream Let It Be on Disney+
Let It Be is a Disney+ Original streaming exclusively for subscribers. If you’re not a Disney+ subscriber, here’s a short rundown of how much it costs, and how to land a free subscription.
Disney+ plans start at $7.99/month for the Basic subscription and $11.99/month for Disney+ Premium (ad-free streaming).
Looking for a Disney+ deal? You have a few options, the easiest being a bundle plan, which saves you up to 37% off. Subscribe to the Disney+ Basic Duo plan with Hulu for $9.99/month, or the Trio plan with Hulu and ESPN+ for $14.99/month.
Disney+ no longer offers free trials, but you can go through a third party such as Verizon to get a free subscription. Currently, Verizon customers can score a free six-month subscription to Disney+ with select Unlimited phone plans.
Disney+ offers a huge collection of exclusive TV series, movies, documentaries, concert specials and sports. Let It Be leads a trio of music documentaries arriving on Disney+ this month including Queen Rock Montreal premiering on May 15, and The Beach Boys documentary on May 24.
Watch the trailer for Let It Be below.
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Marc Anthony adds a 15th top 10 to his Billboard Tropical Albums chart career as Muevense, his 11th studio album, starts at No. 4 on the ranking dated May 11. The 10-track set, released April 24 via Sony Music Latin, enters with 3,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending May 2, according to Luminate.
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Sales and streaming activity contribute to Muevense’s first week sum: albums sales comprise 1,500 units, while 1,500 units derive from streams, equaling 2.2 million official on-demand streams of the album’s songs. Track-equivalent album units comprise a negligible sum of the album’s first week.
On the Tropical Latin Albums chart units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.
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May is a month for celebration for Marc Anthony, who in addition to banking his 15th top 10 on Tropical Albums, launched his new Sirius XM channel, Muevense Radio, on May 1. Running for a limited time, through May 31, the channel features a best-of-playlist, plus music from his influences and favorite artists, and stories surrounding the breadth of his over three-decade tenure.
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Muevense arrives on Tropical Albums two years and two months after Marc’s previous album Pa’lla Voy reached No. 3 in March 2022. Plus, the new album extends his span of 15 top 10s to 31 years, dating to his first week in the top 10 on Feb. 17, 1993, when Otra Nota debuted and peaked at No. 2.
Further, Muevense joins two other Marc Anthony albums on Tropical Albums: 3.0 and Sigo Siendo Yo. While the latter claims its 280th week on the tally, 3.0 banks its 509th week and extends its record for the set with the most weeks overall since Tropical Albums began in 1985.
Beyond its Tropical Albums arrival, Muevense, encompassing eight salsa tracks, one bachata, and one regional Mexican ballad with Pepe Aguilar, also opens at No. 50 on Top Latin Albums.
The set was preceded by three songs. “Ale Ale” flies 16-3 on Tropical Airplay with a robust 227% gain in audience impressions, to 4 million, earned in the U.S. during the same tracking week. The song likewise opens at No. 22 on Latin Airplay as the Hot Shot debut of the week. The song was premiered live at the Latin American Music Awards on April 25.
Back on Tropical Airplay, with the new visit to the upper tier, Marc collects his 57th top 10 entry, and extends second-most record among all acts behind Victor Manuelle who continues to lead with 65 top 10 career hits. The bachata “Punta Cana,” meanwhile, dips 4-6 due to a 34% dip in audience, to 2 million.
Lastly, over on Regional Mexican Airplay, thanks to his co-billed “Ojala Te Duela,” with Pepe Aguilar, the Puerto Rican scored his first entry ever on a regional Mexican chart in Nov. 2023.
It’s Wednesday, May 8th, and Drake & Kendrick Lamar’s beef is getting intense. On Tuesday morning, Drake’s security guard was shot at the rapper’s Toronto residence and his London OVO store was vandalized with the phrase “they not like us,” referencing Kendrick’s diss to Drake. On top of that, it looks like both rappers’ diss […]
Cardi B is defending herself after forgetting the name of Sensen Lii, the Chinese fashion designer who created the rapper’s jaw-dropping, black tulle look at the 2024 Met Gala on Monday night (May 6). Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news On the red carpet, when asked by […]
Grupo Frontera and Christian Nodal‘s first collaboration, “Ya Pedo Quien Sabe,” glides 3-1 on Billboard‘s Regional Mexican Airplay chart (dated May 11). The new joint champ marks the eighth No. 1 for Grupo Frontera and 17th for Nodal. All eight of Grupo Frontera’s leaders are collaborations.
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The duet crowns Regional Mexican Airplay after a 17% gain in audience impressions, to 7.8 million, earned in the U.S. during the April 26-May 2 tracking week, according to Luminate. “Ya Pedo Quien Sabe” was released March 7 via the Grupo Frontera label. The song is the second cut from Frontera’s forthcoming album, Jugando A Que No Pada Nada (slated for May 10 release).
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“Ya Pedo” was composed by Edgar Barrera, Horacio Palencia, Nathan Galante and Diego Bollella and produced by Barrera.
As the dynamo collaboration takes the lead on Regional Mexican Airplay, it becomes the fourth team-up by a group and a soloist in 2024 to top the list. Here’s the recap:
Chart Date, Title, Artist, Weeks at No. 1Feb. 3, “Harley Quinn,” Fuerza Regida & Marshmello, oneMarch 2, “Alch Si,” Carín León + Grupo Frontera, oneApril 13, “La Cumbia Triste,” Los Angeles Azules y Alejandro Fernández, oneMay 11, “Ya Pedo Quien Sabe,” Grupo Frontera & Christian Nodal
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With “Ya Pedo,” Nodal extends his record for the most No. 1s among soloists, with 17 champs in his account since the chart’s inception in November 1994. Plus, he enters a tie with La Arrolladora Banda el Limón de René Camacho for the fifth-most rulers in the Regional Mexican Airplay’s chart’s nearly 30-year history. They trail Calibre 50 who remains at the lead, way ahead of its next competitor, with 25 No. 1s, Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga with 20, Intocable (19) and Banda El Recodo de Cruz Lizárraga (18).
Grupo Frontera picks-up its eighth No. 1; a collection that began a little over a year ago, when “Que Vuelvas,” with Carín León, topped the Regional Mexican radio ranking for six weeks starting the Jan. 28, 2023-dated list.
Further, “Ya Pedo” takes the crown from Calibre 50’s “Días Buenos, Días Malos” after the latter’s one week in charge. The song drops to No. 14, marking the biggest fall from No. 1 since Los Temerarios’ “Sin Que Lo Sepas Tú” equally tumbled 1-14 in 2007.
With the Regional Mexican Airplay locked, “Ya Pedo” next looks to give each act a new No. 1 on the overall Latin Airplay chart, where it climbs 10-5 with a 16% gain, and adds 8 million in audience.
In a video statement posted to Instagram over the weekend, longstanding English DJ Hot Since 82 shared the story of a terrifying carjacking attempt he experienced after a gig in Rio de Janeiro over the weekend.
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“Left the club at 5 a.m., still dark, 10 minutes into the car journey to the airport, we were being followed and pursued by a gang of jackers, murderers, I don’t know what they are, wearing AK-47s with full magazines” the producer born Daley Padley said in the clip.
“We’d been set up,” he continued. “They knew exactly where we were, what car and exactly where we were going to be at which time. Which leads me to believe that we were set up.”
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He continues that if not for “the heroic maneuvers of our driver, I don’t even know if we’d even be alive right now. I really don’t. We were on a busy motorway, pitch black, the car in front have pressed the brakes for us to stop, and then the people hung out of the car windows with balaclavas and AK47s.”
At this point, the driver put the car in reverse and says, Padley, “we were flying down a busy motorway going the wrong way, weaving in and out of traffic. If the AK-47s shooters didn’t get us, we’re lucky we didn’t have a really bad car crash, because we were weaving in and out of oncoming traffic going 60/70 miles per hour with the car full of AK-47s following us. They were adamant that they were going to get us; they wouldn’t stop. We had to go miles and miles down a motorway in reverse to try to get away from the shooters.”
Padley joked that the situation was like a Fast & Furious movie, but added that “I’m giggling about it, but I’m f—ing broken inside… It makes you lose faith in humanity, knowing that someone has told these shooters where we were going to be. To be honest, I don’t know if I’ll ever come back to Brazil now.”
He continued that after the incident, he changed hotels in case he was still being followed and booked a flight out of the country, missing his scheduled appearances at Warung Day Festival in Curitiba on May 4 and Timewarp Brazil on that same day.
He added that he “can’t risk being in positions like this” given that he has children, adding that his wife is set to give birth to the couples next baby in six weeks. He added that he sympathizes “with the people of Brazil who have to live their lives in fear.”
In the comments, a large group of DJs including Tiësto, Anabel Englund, Honey Dijon, Jamies Jones, Amelie Laens expressed their support and gratitude that Padley made it out alive and unharmed. Vintage Culture, who is Brazilian, commented that “We work hard to get artists here and those things happen. Hope you are safe; our country is not at all like that, let’s get you back in a better opportunity. Love ya mate. A few bad apples put Brasil in a very difficult position.”
