Author: djfrosty
Page: 101
Alex Warren has continued his dominant streak at the summit of the U.K. Singles Chart for a third consecutive week with breakout hit “Ordinary” (Apr. 4). The US singer-songwriter and influencer holds off competition from Chappell Roan, Doechii, and Ariana Grande to keep the spot following a third consecutive week of growth. Official Charts Company […]
LOCASH leads Billboard’s Country Airplay chart (dated April 12) for the first time since 2016 as “Hometown Home” ascends a spot to No. 1. The song increased by 10% to 30.1 million audience impressions March 28-April 3, according to Luminate. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The […]
Contemporary Christian Music hitmaker and five-time Grammy winner Brandon Lake is set to release a new album and launch a massive arena headlining tour this year.
Lake — whose song “Hard Fought Hallelujah” has spent 16 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart and gave him his all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart debut — will release his upcoming album, King of Hearts, on June 13. Lake co-wrote each of the album’s 16 songs and the project will include his 10-week Christian Airplay hit “That’s Who I Praise” and the Jelly Roll collaborative version of “Hard Fought Hallelujah.” Other songs on the album include “I Know a Name” with CeCe Winans, “Right in the Middle” with Hulvey, and “Remember the Miracles” with Hank Bentley.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
In an Instagram post, Lake shared, “I’m not sure if I knew who this record was for when I started writing it, but as the songs came the more I realized it was not for the seemingly put together, but rather those who are honest about their brokenness, but also have a desire to connect with their creator and experience Him in everyday life.”
Trending on Billboard
He added, “This creator is King of the universe, King of Nations, King of creation, but none more important than King of hearts. ♥️”
In addition to the album, Lake will embark on his 48-city King of Hearts arena headlining tour starting Oct. 2 at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, FL. The trek will visit cities including Salt Lake City, Detroit, Philadelphia, Oklahoma City, Atlanta and more, before wrapping next May in his hometown of Charleston, S.C. We The Kingdom bandmember-turned-solo artist Franni Cash will open shows on the fall 2025 dates on the tour. Lake’s fall 2025 and spring 2026 tour dates will follow his upcoming Summer Worship Nights 11-city tour with Phil Wickham.
The full list of Lake’s King of Hearts tour dates can be found at brandonlake.co.
Lake will also appear on American Idol on April 20, as part of a three-hour Easter special episode that will also feature performances from Winans, Jelly Roll, Roman Collins and The Brown Four.
See the tracklist for King of Hearts below:
1. “Plans” (Brandon Lake, Jacob Sooter, Hank Bentley, Jordan Colle)
2. “King Of Hearts” (Brandon Lake, Jacob Sooter, Hank Bentley)
3. “Hard Fought Hallelujah” with Jelly Roll (Brandon Lake, Steven Furtick, Benjamin William Hastings, Chris Brown, Jason Bradley DeFord)
4. “Daddy’s DNA” (Brandon Lake, Hank Bentley, Jacob Sooter)
5. “I Know A Name” with CeCe Winans (Brandon Lake, Steven Furtick, Jacob Sooter, Hank Bentley)
6. “As For Me & My Home” (Brandon Lake, Benjamin William Hastings, Jacob Sooter, Hank Bentley)
7. “The Great I Am Can” (Brandon Lake, Hank Bentley, Jacob Sooter, Micah Nichols)
8. “Remember The Miracles” with Hank Bentley (Brandon Lake, Hank Bentley, Jacob Sooter, Jordan Colle, Brandon Breitenbach)
9. “Right In The Middle” with Hulvey (Brandon Lake, Chris Hulvey, Micah Nichols, Zac Lawson, Benjamin William Hastings)
10. “But God” (Brandon Lake, Micah Nichols, Benjamin Williams Hastings, Zac Lawson)
11. “Watch This!” (Brandon Lake, Steven Furtick, Hank Bentley, Jacob Sooter)
12. “Spare Change” (Brandon Lake, Hank Bentley, Jacob Sooter, Micah Nichols)
13. “Ghost Stories” (Brandon Lake, Jacob Sooter, Hank Bentley, Jordan Colle)
14. “SEVENS” (Brandon Lake, Micah Nichols, Hank Bentley, Jacob Sooter, Steven Furtick)
15. “That’s Who I Praise” (Brandon Lake, Benjamin William Hastings, Micah Nichols, Zac Lawson, Steven Furtick)
16. “The Half Has Not Been Told” (Brandon Lake, Steven Furtick, Jason Ingram)
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Goedefroit Music / Getty
Fans will have to wait a little bit longer for the Michael Jackson biopic. The project has been pushed to 2026.
Variety is reporting that the forthcoming project detailing Michael Jackson’s life will not be released until next year. According to the report, Michael will most likely be split into two parts thus the need to reschedule the premiere date (originally Oct. 3). To no surprise, this project has been in the making for time. In 2019, Deadline reported that producer Graham King of Bohemian Rhapsody fame had secured the rights from the estate to Michael Jackson’s life story and access to his music catalog. John Logan (Gladiator) was tapped to write the screenplay.
Fast forward to 2022, Lionsgate was announced as the studio to distribute the film. The following year, Antoine Fuqua was appointed as director and principal casting followed shortly after. Jaafar Jackson, Michael’s nephew, is set to make his debut playing the iconic performer. The project will also feature several accomplished actors including Nia Long (Katherine Jackson), Colman Domingo (Joe Jackson) and Larenz Tate (Motown Records founder). Filming commenced in January 2024 and wrapped up that June.
In an interview with Variety Colman Domingo detailed his approach about playing Michael’s father, Joseph. “I had to go on the inside and find out everything that I love about Joe Jackson: what his tools were for survival in the world, the tools that he gave to his children, whether it was the way he reared his children or being from where he was, I want to examine all of that.”
Lionsgate has yet to confirm report from Deadline.
Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
This week, Miley Cyrus seeks friends for “End of the World,” Ed Sheeran goes global and ENHYPEN drop their first single of the year. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Miley Cyrus, “End of the World”
The three songs that Miley Cyrus has released this week, culminating in sparkling new single “End of the World,” have included members of indie darlings like Alvvays, The War on Drugs and Model/Actriz in the liner notes — but instead of Cyrus pivoting to the Pitchfork set, she has synthesized their attributes for her most effervescent collection of songs in years, with “End of the World” sounding primed to shimmer on top 40 radio and stoking anticipation for the upcoming album of the same name.
Trending on Billboard
Ed Sheeran, “Azizam”
Place the wistful, finger-picked melancholy of – (Minus) and Autumn Variations squarely in the past: Ed Sheeran is back to crafting stadium-sized anthems, and with “Azizam,” a relentlessly catchy mash-up of the singer-songwriter’s Irish folk sing-along instincts and Persian pop production, Sheeran has kicked off his next era with global ambitions.
Elton John and Brandi Carlile, Who Believes in Angels?
“My ambition for her with this album was to break her internationally,” Elton John told Billboard recently about working with Brandi Carlile on Who Believes in Angels?, a rollicking rock project that pushes Carlile out of her Americana sound and towards more mass-appeal songwriting; the pair play off each other well, and the project could indeed open new doors for the Grammy winner.
ENHYPEN, “Loose”
ENHYPEN’s first new music of 2025 is a throwback to boy band days of yore: “Loose” carries a funky groove and boasts plenty of high-falsetto harmonies, with moments that recall classic Motown but the K-pop group steeping the single in modern sensibilities. “Loose” will thrill ENHYPEN diehards, but there’s plenty of crossover potential with this one.
Sexyy Red, “Hoochie Coochie”
With one minute remaining on a two-and-a-half minute track, Sexyy Red sits back and lets the ominous piano line rock for a few seconds, before tossing out some ad-libs and returning to the chorus; that’s how efficient she is on the raunchy, riotous “Hoochie Coochie,” dressing down her competition so thoroughly in the first half of the new single that she can take a break to shine midway through.
Djo, The Crux
While Joe Keery’s musical project scored a viral smash last year with “End of Beginning,” Djo is a long-term investment that’s already paying dividends: new album The Crux stretches its creative ambition outward, as Keery tinkers with alt-pop idiosyncrasies, makes room for moments of hushed beauty, and upends anyone pigeonholing him into one song, sound or medium.
Lainey Wilson, “Bell Bottoms Up”
“Bell Bottoms Up” is already a set highlight on Lainey Wilson’s tour in support of last year’s Whirlwind album, and the studio version of the single captures its live energy, with the rising country star declaring, “I’m fillin’ up these jeans like I do my cup / Throwback, throw down, bell bottoms up!” before a heel-kicking guitar solo crashes in.
Editor’s Pick: Scowl, Are We All Angels
The tension between pop bliss and hardcore rage makes Scowl’s new album, Are We All Angels, an immediately intoxicating listen — the way that the Santa Cruz band construct songs on their Dead Oceans debut, the next scream or hook is always lurking around the corner, but band leader Kat Moss serves as the connective tissue between Scowl’s two modes and achieves a true breakthrough.
It’s always a bold move to perform one of the coaches’ songs on The Voice, but Divighn was up for the challenge — and he excelled.
For the Knockout rounds, the 33-year-old California native opted to perform Maroon 5’s “Harder to Breathe” in front of Adam Levine himself. He added choreography and amplified emotion to the Songs About Jane breakout hit, all while maintaining impressive vocal control.
His competitor, Kaiya Hamilton, followed up with a performance of Alessia Cara’s “Here,” an objectively difficult song to sing due to its pace. Hamilton had no issue, though, displaying flawless vocal ability and range as she delivered the track.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Both performances were met with standing ovations by the judges, and Levine voiced his support for Divighn’s choice to perform a Maroon 5 song. “Divighn, you got great taste in music, man,” he joked, before adding more seriously, “I always secretly dread when people are going to do our songs, because it makes me nervous. I’m so close to it. I love what you did with it. You took it and did something that I actually liked, and that it wasn’t what I normally do. The way that you can get up there and move the way you were moving, and still just deliver a rock solid big vocal, that’s big.”
He also praised Hamilton, noting, “I love how you sing. You kind of gave the opposite clinic. Your’s was like, ‘I’m not going to worry about anything except singing my butt off.’”
Trending on Billboard
Though, as perhaps expected, he ultimately gave his pick to Divighn. “I would maybe go with Divighn, because he has all these other things that were really impressive but it’s no disrespect to you Kaiya because you did an amazing job as well,” he said.
However, the choice on who stays in the competition comes down to the duo’s coach, Michael Bublé, who revealed that he “made a mistake” putting Divighn and Hamilton against each other. “Divighn, your performance, your choreography was beautiful and so smooth and so fun to watch. You’re an overall entertainer,” he told his team member. “Kaiya, your voice is undeniable. You sang the heck out of this and I feel like you know who are as an artist.”
Watch the Knockout round performance below, and find out who Bublé chooses when the full episode airs on Monday (April 7) at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, before it streams the next day on Peacock.
Vancouver label Nettwerk is giving a boost to a key west coast accelerator program.
Music BC’s ARC intensive welcomes 10-15 emerging artists annually to participate in intensive workshops and professional development training. For the next three years, Nettwerk will be offering extra resources to the program, to help the cohorts further grow their skills and profiles.
Specifically, Nettwerk will give participants the opportunity to leverage the label’s direct access to digital service providers (DSPs) and social media properties. In an industry where digital presence has become paramount, those tools will help ARC artists reach a wider range of fans and build audiences toward long-term loyalty.
The label is an influential indie music company in Canada, representing Canadian and international talent like pop duo Milk & Bone, folk singer James Vincent McMorrow, and indie pop artist Miya Folick. Founded in 1984, Nettwerk operates in cities across the globe like London, Sydney, Berlin and Nashville. Recently, the label celebrated its 40th anniversary.
“At Nettwerk, we believe deeply in the value of the independent music sector in fostering innovation and elevating exceptional talent,” says Nettwerk president Simon Mortimer-Lamb. “Partnering with Music BC’s ARC Program celebrates Nettwerk’s unwavering commitment to helping unsigned Canadian talent find their places on the world stage and build a lasting legacy in the music industry.”
Trending on Billboard
“With an undeniable track record and a long-standing commitment to artist development, Nettwerk has helped shape the careers of countless artists on the global stage,” adds Music BC Executive Director Lindsay MacPherson. “It speaks volumes that they recognize the impact of our work through ARC to empower emerging talent in our own backyard.
ARC has hosted three cohorts so far, with alumni including rising hip-hop artist Kimmortal and R&B singer Sadé Awele. The program consists of a three-day training clinic, a five-day retreat, and a culminating performance, tackling topics like building a brand, vocal performance and recording techniques and mental health care.
≈
bbno$ Lands ‘Check’ on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100
bbno$ has a knack for making the most of a moment.
The Vancouver rapper won the TikTok Fan Choice Award at the Junos this past weekend, and used the time to nab the viral moment of the night. “Elon Musk is a piece of garbage,” he said, eliciting cheers in the patriotic crowd. (He also took the time to remind people his name is pronounced “baby no money” and not “bibinos.”)
Already in the viral zeitgeist, he has another thing to celebrate as his song “Check” debuts at No. 75 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 for the chart dated April 5, 2025.
Built around a familiar sample, War’s instantly recognizable “Low Rider” horns, the song’s nonstop hooks burrow into your head in less than two minutes – though many are hearing it in even shorter 5 or 10 second chunks on TikTok.
bbno$ has had billions of streams on Spotify and TikTok for songs like “La La La” and “Edamame,” with “Check” quickly racking them up too, so expect to see him on the charts again.
Check out more on this week’s charts here.
≈
SOCAN Celebrates 100th Year: Canada’s largest music rights organization marks its centennial with a record $512.4 million in royalty distributions, a 17.5% increase from 2023. Despite this success, SOCAN warns that less than 10% of online music consumed in Canada is Canadian-made. It urges greater support for local artists, emphasizing their role in the nation’s economy, culture, and global presence. SOCAN’s 2024 Annual Report highlights revenue growth to $559.4 million, new software initiatives, and enhanced educational programs, maintaining an expense-to-revenue ratio of 12%. FULL STORY
≈
SiriusXM Canada Launches New South Asian Music Channel, SiriusXM Dhamaka
SiriusXM Canada is launching a new channel dedicated to South Asian music.
That makes the satellite radio company the latest in a series of Canadian music institutions to put resources behind the massive growth of South Asian music in Canada.
The new channel, SiriusXM Dhamaka, is available across North America on channel 796. The channel will play a mix of Canadian and international stars, as well as featuring exclusive artist interviews, live performances, talk programming and comedy.
It’s programmed by Canadian radio host and Emmy-nominated music supervisor Raoul Juneja. Juneja previously created Canada’s first South Asian music TV show, V-Mix on OMNI Television in 2011.
Over ten years later, South Asian music is one of the buzziest subjects in the Canadian industry.
Rising superstar Karan Aujla won the Junos fan choice award last year, and heads into this year’s Junos with three nominations In 2024, Diljit Dosanjh made history with two Canadian stadium shows on his Dil-Luminati Tour, while artists like AR Paisley, AP Dhillon and Ikky make waves on the Canadian charts.
The Canadian industry is supporting that growth. The Junos introduced a new category for South Asian music recording for the 2025 awards, and Warner Music Canada’s 91 North records, a joint venture with Warner India, has been a key source of investment in new South Asian talent.
SiriusXM Dhamaka provides a new avenue for that expansion, promising to showcase Hindi, Punjabi, Pakistani, South Indian,Bengali and West Indian artists who make up the global South Asian diaspora.
“This channel has been in the works for some time, and we are so proud to finally announce its launch,” says Michelle Mearns, senior vice president of programming and operations. “SiriusXM Dhamaka showcases not only our incredible South Asian talent right here in Canada, but also international artists, giving listeners the opportunity to discover new and emerging music from around the world.”
Mumford & Sons has returned to the top of the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart for the first time in nearly a decade with the release of Rushmere (Apr. 4).
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The folk group’s fifth studio album – their first since 2018’s Delta – has placed them back at No. 1, and follows two previous chart-toppers: 2012’s Babel and 2015’s Wilder Mind. Their huge 2009 debut, Sigh No More, peaked at No. 2, as did Delta. Each of the band’s LPs – minus Sigh No More – has topped the Billboard 200.
Rushmere is the first LP from the group since the departure of guitarist Winston Marshall who left the band in 2021, with Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett and Ted Dwayne continuing as a trio.
Trending on Billboard
The group’s upcoming arena shows sold out instantly upon ticket release last week, and will include two dates at London’s The O2, alongside dates in Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle, Cardiff, Glasgow and Sheffield in November and December.
Rock band The Darkness finish the week at No. 2 with eighth studio album Dreams on Toast, their highest spot for 22 years. Earlier this week, guitarist Dan Hawkins threw down the gauntlet in the chart battle with Mumford & Sons, saying to Classic Rock that he was “confident” that Dreams on Toast would go to No. 1, adding “We’re going to beat those c—s.” The flamboyant rockers’ 2003 debut Permission To Land remains their sole chart-topper in the U.K.
Following the release of a deluxe edition, Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine returns to the top five, finishing the week at No. 3. The album first went to No. 1 upon its initial release in March 2024 and spawned two singles “Yes And?”, and “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” which both hit No. 2 on the Official Singles Chart.
Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet finishes the week at No. 4 while indie hero Lucy Dacus’ Forever is a Feeling finishes at No. 5. In 2023, the debut album from Boygenius – comprised of Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker – hit the top spot on the U.K. Albums Chart.
“Cowgirls” hitmaker and four-time ACM Award nominee Ernest is adding another notch to his musical resume, launching his own label, DeVille Records, in a joint venture with Big Loud Records (where Ernest himself signed as an artist in 2019).
Ernest’s DeVille Records features Chandler Walters, Rhys Rutherford and Cody Lohden as its first artists. Ernest, Walters, Rutherford and Lohden are all managed by new recently-announced management company Greenhouse Management, launched by Kiley Donohoe.
The initial project from the new label is Cadillac Sessions, a mixtape-style compilation set for release on May 9, that will feature two new original songs, and one cover from Ernest, Walters, Rutherford and Lohden, plus guest artists. The project will blend honky-tonk, ’90s country, Western swing and more.
Trending on Billboard
“We’re going to build this thing wide and on concrete,” Ernest said in a statement of DeVille Records. “Artist development. Write the songs and do it the old-school way. Make the videos, see the vision, help the vision come to life.”
“We have been in business with ERNEST for almost a decade. What started with ERN as a young prolific songwriter-artist in Big Loud’s publishing hallways, has evolved into so much more over the years,” Big Loud CEO / partner Seth England added. “Our partnerships in ERN’s Cadillac Music have gone so well, and his desire to create DeVille Records alongside of it made sense. ERNEST himself grew in an independent and cultural environment much like the one he desires to create. He and I have talked about this day for years, and all of the unique ways we could help break the next wave of prolific artists. Kudos to Rhys, Cody and Chandler for buying into this vision and supporting this unique rollout style with our upcoming DeVille project.”
With the new label, Ernest continues doubling down on giving back to his hometown of Nashville. Last year, he released a musical love letter to his hometown with the album Nashville, Tennessee, has earned multiple ACM, CMA and Grammy nominations, including his current ACM nominations for artist-songwriter of the year, as well as being a co-writer on the ACM song of the year-nominated song “I Had Some Help,” recorded by Morgan Wallen and Post Malone.
Writer, artist and steel guitar player Walters is touring with Post Malone and Ernest, and co-wrote the Post Malone/Morgan Wallen hit “I Had some Help.” Kentucky native Lohden, a former firefighter/paramedic, draws on the sounds of ’80s country singers such as Keith Whitley and Don Williams, and has toured with Ernest, Bailey Zimmerman and Walker Hayes. Rutherford has contributed to songs by (“Is This Really Over?”), Ernest feat. Morgan Wallen (“Hangin’ On”), Kashus Culpepper (“Talk With Me”) and George Pippen (“Rest of Our Life”).
Last month, DK Metcalf proposed to Normani — and according to the “Motivation” singer, she was totally clueless that the NFL wide receiver was going to pop the question.
While stopping by The Jennifer Hudson Show on Friday (April 4), Normani told her side of the story, describing how the new member of the Pittsburgh Steelers popped the question during a family gathering in Houston. “I had absolutely no idea,” she began. “As oblivious as oblivious can get, that was me.”
The former Fifth Harmony member went on to explain that Metcalf was originally going to propose to her a year prior on a trip to Turks and Caicos, but ultimately decided to wait as not to overshadow the June 2024 release of Normani’s debut solo album, Dopamine. Fast forward to last month, when the wide receiver tricked the musician into thinking that she was headed to a birthday celebration for his sister — but really, it was her own engagement that she walked into.
Trending on Billboard
“I’m like, dang, I hope I don’t ruin the surprise… I thought I was in on the surprise, but I got surprised,” Normani told Hudson, noting that the room in which Metcalf proposed was decorated with bunches of flowers, as well as a violinist and pianist. “He really did it up for me.”
The “Wild Side” musician’s visit to the talk show comes just a few weeks after Metcalf revealed their engagement during an NFL press conference following his recent trade from the Seattle Seahawks to the Steelers. “Hold that rock up, baby,” he said at the time, gesturing to Normani sitting nearby, before telling reporters: “It was my sister’s spring break and just thought about getting the whole family together for a big kumbaya and joining our families with the ring.”
The couple first sparked dating rumors in summer 2022, going official on Instagram a year later. They were introduced by Ciara and Russell Wilson, who played with Metcalf on the Seahawks.
“[Ciara] kept telling me, ‘There’s this guy, there’s this guy,’ for literally like two years,” Normani told Hudson on Friday. “I was in a relationship at the time… but then when the time came around and the time was right, God put all of that together.”
Also on the show, Normani played a game of “Shake It or Share It,” wherein she had to either answer personal questions or bust a move in different styles of dance. While avoiding queries about secrets she hasn’t told her parents and the craziest things fans have done, the X Factor alum showed off her impressive breakdancing and disco skills. She did, however, reveal which celebrity she’d have officiate her wedding to Metcalf — “Ciara, easy,” she said” — as well as if she wants to have kids someday.
“Absolutely,” Normani replied. “My dream has always been four. I want a big family.”
Watch Normani on The Jennifer Hudson Show above and below.