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Azealia Banks has become more known for her public beefs than her music in recent years, and now, she’s starting a new one with author J.K. Rowling
The rapper — who has herself issued a number of anti-trans rants online — took aim at the bestselling Harry Potter author and noted anti-trans advocate in a pair of posts to her X account on Feb. 4. Responding to a fan asking why Banks’ body looked a certain way, the “212” rapper called out the way people discuss women’s bodies in conjunction with the ongoing issue of “transvestigation” online.
“I think the dolls are fab and do not need to shade them or change myself because my femininity is not threatened by them,” she wrote. “All of the insane anti-trans paranoid people like @jk_rowling feel their femininity is threatened for whatever reason and try to mask that insecurity with ‘science’ like anyone is stupid and doesn’t already know these things.”
In a follow-up, Banks directly addressed Rowling who began following her after her initial tweet. “No shade @jk_rowling thanks for the follow and I love you down sis, but [trans women] are not a threat to your femininity,” she wrote. “You are really too rich and legendary to keep spewing the same stuff over and over and over.”
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Continuing, Banks claimed that her own brother identifies as trans, and shared her experiences watching someone struggle with their gender identity. “I have witnessed first hand the type of misery, pain, ostracism, suicide attempts, unnecessary and unwarranted abuse my mother doled out to my brother, the discomfort with his body — it’s not a mental illness it’s a spiritual thing,” she shared. “One would assume that you of all people who have written books about magic and esoteric things would be able to comprehend and understand how states of consciousness vary in a human being. It’s been YEARS sis.”
Closing out her comments, Banks called out Rowling’s views one final time, writing, “I really do think it’s a front for some weird inferiority thing that’s truly just in your mind. I Say this with lots of love and respect.”
The latest tweets represent something of a switch for Banks, who has been criticized multiple times over the past years for her own transphobic comments, in which she’s claimed that transgender women are not real women and spread misinformation about gender-affirming care.
Rowling, meanwhile, has been a vocal critic of transgender issues for years, regularly spreading inaccurate information regarding gender-affirming care, trans women using women’s restrooms and trans youth participating in women’s sports and much more.
Record Store Day U.K. has shared the official list of releases for its 2025 event.
In its 18th year, hundreds of albums, EPs and mixtapes are being pressed onto new special Record Store Day U.K. editions, including releases from the likes of Taylor Swift, Oasis and Charli XCX, on a variety of formats — including 7″ vinyl, 10″, 12″, CD, cassette and picture disc. The event will take place on April 12.
Swift will issue an exclusive 7″ white vinyl of her Post Malone collaboration “Fortnight,” which is the first time that the “Fortnight [BLOND:ISH Remix]” will appear on vinyl.
Oasis’ greatest hits compilation Time Flies: 1994-2009 is back on wax for the first time since 2010, a timely return ahead of the group’s Live ’25 reunion tour. Charli XCX has two limited editions in this year’s list, including a 7″ version of “Guess,” her team-up with Billie Eilish, and a reissue of her 2017 mixtape Number 1 Angel on silver vinyl.
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Fred Again.. will also release special piano versions of his three-part Actual Life LP series, while there’ll be reissues for The Cure, A Tribe Called Quest, Davie Bowie, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Uzi Vert and more. See the full list on RSD’s website.
More than 270 independent record shops across the U.K. – as well as thousands more globally – will prepare to welcome this new wave of releases. There’ll also be a series of in-store parties, events and live performances to mark the event. To see which record stores are involved in RSD U.K. 2025, visit the RSD website for the full list of retailers.
Record Store Day U.K. 2025’s upcoming edition coincides with 18 years of growth in vinyl sales despite the ongoing dominance of streaming services. Based on Official Charts Company data, the BPI reported in December that U.K. sales of albums on physical formats increased year-on-year for the first time since 1994 in 2024, by 1.4%.
The first official Record Store Day event took place in April 2008, with the aim of bringing attention to the importance of independent record shop culture. The event has since evolved into a global celebration, while each year, artists perform in-store sets in honor of the occasion.
On Tuesday (Feb. 4), North Shields singer-songwriter Sam Fender was announced as the official ambassador of Record Store Day U.K. 2025. He follows the likes of Kate Bush, The 1975, Noel Gallagher and Elton John in taking on the role.
“It’s a complete honor to be asked to be the Ambassador for Record Store Day 2025,” Fender said in a statement. “The importance of indie stores cannot be understated. Without them, we lose physical spaces for music fans to discover both their favorite new artists and to forge friendships with like-minded people.”
He added: “Thanks so much to all the independent stores around the world who support us. Let’s all make sure we support them too.”
Fender will put out a six-track EP to mark the occasion, titled Me and the Dog. The 12-inch release is set to include two new songs titled “I’m Always on Stage” and “Empty Spaces,” alongside a mixture of other previously unreleased tracks and live renditions.
Irv Gotti — born Irving Domingo Lorenzo Jr. — passed away on Wednesday (Feb. 5) at the age of 54, and the hip-hop community has been in mourning as heartfelt tributes have poured out in the hours since.
Former Def Jam president Lyor Cohen worked extensively with Irv Gotti, who co-founded Murder Inc. Recordings as an imprint under Def Jam with his brother Chris in 1998.
Cohen released a statement paying tribute to Gotti, who he called one of Def Jam’s “most creative soldiers.”
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“Def Jam has lost one of its most creative soldiers,” Cohen said in a statement on Thursday (Feb. 6). “He was hip-hop, and when we were on bended knee he brought the heat and saved our asses. He comes from a very tight, beautiful family from Queens and it’s an honor and a privilege to have known him. Irv you will be missed.”
Gotti brought DMX to Def Jam in the late ’90s and played an integral role in convincing the label to sign him. The Queens native also engineered the lucrative careers of Murder Inc. titans Ja Rule, Ashanti and more.
Irv Gotti initially broke into the music industry as “DJ Irv” when he produced tracks from Jay-Z’s acclaimed Reasonable Doubt debut like “Can I Live?”
He went on to serve as a co-producer architecting hits such as Fat Joe’s “What’s Luv?,” Ashanti’s “Foolish,” Ja Rule’s “Mesmerize” and Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “Always On Time,” Jennifer Lopez’s “I’m Real (Murder Remix)” and many more.
“How I got to Def Jam was because of Ja [Rule],” Gotti once told Complex in 2015. “Because Lyor [Cohen] wanted to sign Ja. First meeting I ever had I was like, ‘We have to sign DMX.’ And they laughed at me. I remember when I left the office Tina Davis said, ‘If DMX don’t sell, your a– is fired.’”
Irv Gotti has suffered from diabetes for years, but an official cause of death is yet to be revealed. Gotti’s children memorialized him with a statement on Instagram Thursday.
“Our dad was an incredible man, a true visionary who transformed the hip-hop industry and changed the game for artists and fans alike,” they wrote. “His passion for music and dedication to his craft inspired many, and his contributions will continue to influence future generations.”
The statement continues: “As we navigate this difficult time, we kindly ask for privacy while we grieve the loss of our dad, son, brother, uncle, and friend. We take comfort in knowing that his spirit will live on through his music and the love he shared with all of us. Thank you for your understanding and support during this challenging time.”
Brian Austin Green is not typically one to speak his mind about ex-wife Megan Fox’s business. But the Beverly Hills, 90210 alum told People magazine that his recent call-out of Fox’s ex-fiancé, Machine Gun Kelly, was born of frustration. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “That’s not something […]
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Source: Monica Schipper / Getty / Katt Williams
MAGA land praising Katt Williams? That is indeed the case, thanks to an old clip featuring the comedian roasting a “Mexican heckler” during a 2011 comedy show.
Katt Williams has never put on the new Klan hood, aka the Make America Great Again hat, or pronounced his love for Donald Trump like some of these sunken-place soldiers out here. Still, folks on the far right have been applauding the comedian/actor for what they describe as “crushing immigrants,” as one “conservative” website called it.
In the clip, which has gone viral on X, formerly Twitter, Williams, who will always have smoke for anyone, especially hecklers, took one to task for reminding him that Arizona—well, Southern Arizona, to be precise—was once part of Mexico following the Mexico-American War (1846-1848) before it was acquired by the United States in 1856 as part of the Gadsden purchase.
“If you love another country more than you love America, mother****er, then get to stepping to that b***h,” Williams tells the heckler before leading a USA chant.
X Reminds Conservatives That Katt Williams Is Not One of Them
While conservatives are praising the moment, liberals who have sense know that Williams is definitely not down with their cause. “Trumpers and Magas lovin Katt Williams for his Phoenix show, until he roasts their chief dummy in office it’s kinda like their vote.. they will FAFO soon enough!” one post on X read.
Another user on X wrote, “Its really funny the conservative internet is losing its mind right now calling it “breaking news” over finding a clip of Katt Williams from 2012 when Obama was President & now acting like it’s from today Im extremely positive Katt Williams is going to have a tremendous response.”
We can’t wait to hear what Katt Williams thinks about this.
Hit the gallery below for more reactions from Trumpers.
1. Definitely wasn’t on our bingo card, that’s for sure.
2. Who’s gonna tell this guy?
3. Someone needs to tell him
4. Fair point
5. Ummmm no.
7. Lol these “patriots” are ridiculous
What a difference a year can make.
Warner Music Group said on Thursday that revenue from its first fiscal quarter fell 5% to $1.67 billion from a year ago, as the company suffered tough comparisons to a period last year when it still had BMG as a physical and digital distribution client and enjoyed a $30-million boon from a digital licensing renewal deal.
But the third-biggest major music company also showed that the deep staffing cuts and wind-down of certain businesses over 2024 freed up money for investment — such as the $450-million acquisition of Tempo Music‘s catalog — and growth, like Atlantic’s half-a-percentage point market share expansion.
WMG’s quarterly results — which included a nearly 40% decrease in operating income and $27 million in restructuring costs and impairment charges — depict a company deep in transformation. Chief executive Robert Kyncl is trying to increase efficiency in legacy businesses and technology, while standardizing its sprawling global network, and striking more lucrative deals with streaming platforms.
Recorded music revenue in the first fiscal quarter, which ended Dec. 31, 2024, fell 7% to $1.35 billion from last year’s quarter, as BMG’s termination of its distribution deal created a $32 million drag (evenly split between streaming and physical revenue). Last year’s quarter also included the extension of one artist’s licensing agreement worth $75 million, and the $30-million renewal of a digital partner’s license.
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WMG says if you strip those three things out, total revenue rose 3.4%.
Overall, digital revenue and streaming revenue each fell by around 2%.
Adjusted operating income before depreciation and amortization (adjusted OIBDA)–which measures the profitability of a company’s core businesses–fell 19.5% to $363 million, and adjusted OIBDA margin fell to 21.8% from 25.8% in the prior-year quarter. If you take out the negative impacts of the licensing agreement and digital partner renewal, the company said its adjusted OIBDA fell by just 0.3% and adjusted OIBDA margin decreased 0.8 percentage point.
The company said adjusted OIBDA margin was also dragged down by the 8% rise in the value of the U.S. dollar since last year’s presidential election. (Almost 60% of Warner’s income is earned in euros and other currencies that trade against the dollar, according to the company.)
“All of these impacts will stabilize over time,” Kyncl said on a call with analysts discussing the earnings. “We’re confident about the future. Our goals are clear: increase our share of the pie, meaning market share; grow the pie itself by increasing the value of music; and become more efficient, providing greater cash flow, both for re-investment and for shareholder return.”
The company’s net income was up nearly 25% to $241 million, boosted by foreign exchange hedging activity and the sale of a $29-million of an investment. Free cash flow was up 12% to $296 million.
Other highlights from the company’s earnings and conference call:
» Within Recorded Music, digital and streaming revenue both fell by 3.9% and 3.7%, which reflects a 2% decline in subscription revenue and an 8.2%-decline in ad-supported revenue. If you strip out BMG’s termination and the digital partner’s license renewal, the company says recorded music streaming revenue was up 1.5% and subscription revenue increased 5.3%, while ad-supported revenue still fell by 7.9%. Nonetheless, physical revenue rose 7.8% thanks to the strength of releases by Linkin Park, Charli XCX, Teddy Swims, Mariya Takeuchi and Benson Boone.
» Music publishing revenue rose 6.3% to $323 million from growth in digital, performance and other revenue, partially offset by lower mechanical revenue.
» Warner completed multi-year publishing and recorded music licensing deals with Amazon and Spotify over the past year, Kyncl said, though he declined to provide much detail. The deal with Spotify notably includes a new publishing agreement with a direct licensing model with Warner Chappell Music for the United States and several other countries. “There’s more work to do with others and for all of this to cycle through, but this is a really great step in the right direction.”
» Atlantic’s market share ticked half a percentage point up, a small win Kyncl attributed to the growing investments made in A&R last year. He said the investments came as a result of money left over after it made” organizational changes and investments into technology … [and] exited some non-core businesses.” Kyncl later said, “Our goal was to reinvest the majority of those savings into strategically important initiatives that will propel our business forward. This enabled us to increase our A&R investment by double-digits last year and this year.”
» Kyncl said buying Tempo is “a great example” of the company’s acquisition strategy. “As we become more efficient, we are creating a virtuous cycle that will enable greater reinvestment that delivers accelerated growth.”
When one steps outside the airport in Ibiza, they see a long row of billboards promoting many of the club nights on the Spanish island, a longtime destination for dance music fans. Many visitors have noticed the simple but striking fact that all of these billboards feature the names and faces of exclusively male artists.
“Is it equal opportunity? It’s definitely not. There’s something going on there. It’s still controlled by a bunch of, I guess, old school bookers and club owners.” So says Aloki Batra, the CEO of hospitality and real estate group FIVE, which acquired Pacha Ibiza in 2023. Hoping to innovate on the island while also maintaining and extending Pacha’s historic status, he was determined to do something different.
And so for the 2025 season, and for the first time in the history of Pacha — which opened its doors in 1973 — the club will have a female resident, with longstanding house producer Blond:ish launching an 11-week residency on May 21. Called “Abracadabra” (the name of the event series she’s hosted around the world for years) the party will focus on music, merriment and magic.
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“We literally have things levitating in the air,” says the producer born Vivie-ann Bakos. “We’re building this hologram [installation] and just doing epic stuff where it feels like magic.” Bakos cites plans to install “press for champagne” buttons on the dancefloor, allowing clubbers to simply press a button to have a glass of champagne delivered to them, putting trained magicians and illusionists on the dancefloor, pulling people out of line and gifting them with VIP status for the night and other special flourishes and “random acts of kindness” and whimsy to make the nights inviting, interesting and meaningful.
“A residency is a place where you can create and iterate on a consistent basis, and you learn from the previous weeks,” says Bakos. “We don’t just have one chance; you have people coming to see you every week, and you learn from the people a week before, so by the middle of the residency it’s this crazy snowball effect of what we want to do. And the reason we do this party goes back to helping people live their best life. Without speaking about it, we show people through the music how to create their own magic.”
In terms of the distinction of being Pacha’s first female resident, Bakos says being the first female anything has never been a focus of her career, which began more than 15 years ago and has included major festival plays, global club shows, an official remix of Taylor Swift’s “Fortnight,” a collaboration with Madonna and a focus on environmentalism through her Bye Bye Plastic initiative, which works to reduce the use of single use plastic within the industry.
During it all, she’s been more focused on meeting her goals with the music itself. Bakos does say, however, making history as Pacha’s first female resident “I think it maybe means a lot for the music industry as a whole, because I think a lot of people are triggered when you’re outside at the Ibiza airport and you see all the billboards.” (Her face will appear on billboards on other parts of the island, as most of the billboards near the airport are owned by the Ibiza clubs Hï and Ushuaïa.)
Batra says that while “a lot of names were getting thrown around” for potential residents, Bakos proved that she has what it takes after a playing a series of nights at Pacha last summer. Here, Batra found that “the music on point, the energy was really infectious and she has a way of resonating with the dancefloor that I thought was special.”
Bakos, her wife and their new baby will live on the island this summer during the residency. Before that, however, she’ll release her debut album, Never Walk Alone on February 14 via Insomniac Records. The 11-track project is full of bright, bouyant house music that reflects Bakos’ current mindset and mission.
“I used to make darker music, because I was living in after hours,” she says. “But my music is definitely not dark these days. You can feel that, and it’s because every decision I make with my music is about answering the question ‘How can I help people live their best lives?’”
Determining this mission is a function of Bakos’ own personal and professional evolution. In the earlier years, she says, “I was just traveling the world trying to play for the biggest crowds ever.” As time went on, however, “I started actually figuring out what my why is, and why I exist in the world and the music industry and why I’m a DJ.”
This contemplation led her to determine that “I want to help people live their best life, and I’m doing that through my music. That’s my connection point with every single person in this world, without having a conversation.” Bakos made this goal part of the conversation with her album collaborators, taking time to talk about the intention for tracks while making them alongside artists including British singer Stevie Appleton, L.A.-based, Zimbabwe-born singer, rapper and producer Bantu and more.
Bakos is releasing the vinyl editions of Never Walk Alone on bio-based PVC, a material that’s 99.9% petroleum-free, cuts 90% of the carbon dioxide emissions from the process and creates no difference in the sound quality between bio-vinyl and regular vinyl. With the eradication of single use plastic a longtime part of her mission, Bakos knew she had to make a plastic-free vinyl, although at first “I didn’t know it was possible. It was just a dream.” Figuring out that it could actually happen, she says, further demonstrated to her “that magic does exist.”
She hopes this vinyl will also show other artists that it can be done, the same way Bye Bye Plastic has shown that there are alternatives to venues using loads of single use cups and bottles. Partnering with Pacha has easy, she says, as they’re already “quite sustainable.” (The club operated exclusively on renewable electricity for the 2024-2025 season and is focused on bringing down water consumption at the venue at the nearby Ibiza resort, DestinoFIVE, which is set to reopen as a five-star resort this season after a significant remodeling. It’s also pursuing LEED Gold or higher certification across its properties in Ibiza and Dubai.) Bakos hopes their extra efforts this season will, in the competitive Ibiza market, make “the other clubs get FOMO” and follow suit with similar environment-focused projects.
Working with Pacha and Batra on making Abracadabra special has been especially refreshing, Bakos says, because “He’s a ‘yes’ guy. He’s very supportive. It’s amazing to work with him, because he’s not from the music industry, so he comes with a different outlook, whereas the traditional music industry is very set in their ways on how to do things old school. I love that he comes with a different mindset that’s very possibilist, versus limiting.”
LeBron James just shared his excitement for Kendrick Lamar‘s fast-approaching Super Bowl Halftime Show performance with a post on Instagram — something that might be a little pointed considering that, hours before, Drake had made headlines for dissing the basketball star.
Reposting an NFL video of the Compton rapper’s performance at Dr. Dre’s halftime exhibition in 2022 — “Ready to see @kendricklamar run it back,” the league wrote in its caption — James wrote Wednesday (Feb. 5), “HE GONE KILL THAT [S–T]!!!!”
“CAN’T WAIT *Bart Scott voice,” the Los Angeles Lakers power forward added on his Story.
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James’ show of support for Lamar comes shortly after Drizzy switched around one of his lyrics at his Wednesday concert in Australia, seemingly to throw shade at the athlete. Instead of performing his Scorpion track “Nonstop” as written — “How I go from 6 to 23 like I’m LeBron?” — Drake rapped for the crowd, “How I go from 6 to 23 but not LeBron, man.”
The NBA star is believed to be someone who, in Drake’s eyes, might have turned on the Toronto musician at the height of his feud with Lamar last year. James attended Dot’s Juneteenth Pop Out concert last year and rapped along to songs such as “Euphoria” and “Not Like Us,” both of which are famously diss tracks dragging the “God’s Plan” rapper (the latter being so personally upsetting to Drake, his legal team is suing Universal Music Group on accusations of defamation which the label has vehemently denied).
On his 2025 freestyle “Fighting Irish,” Drake addressed the people he thinks switched sides on him, spitting, “The world fell in love with the gimmicks, even my brothers got tickets, seemed like they loved every minute/ Just know the s–t is personal to us and wasn’t just business/ Analyzing behavioral patterns is somewhat suspicious.”
Lamar is now just three days away from taking the stage between halves at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, where the Kansas City Chiefs are gearing up to play the Philadelphia Eagles for the LIX Lombardi Trophy. In January, the “DNA” artist announced that frequent collaborator — and soon-to-be tourmate — SZA, will join him for the highly anticipated performance.
Dot is also fresh off of big wins the 2025 Grammys Sunday (Feb. 2), with “Not Like Us” taking home both song and record of the year.
Both Lil Wayne and Drake earn their first No. 1s on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart as Lil Wayne’s “She Will,” which features Drake, jumps 4-1 on the Feb. 8-dated tally.
The TikTok Billboard Top 50 is a weekly ranking of the most popular songs on TikTok in the United States based on creations, video views and user engagement. The latest chart reflects activity accumulated Jan. 27-Feb. 2. Activity on TikTok is not included in Billboard charts except for the TikTok Billboard Top 50.
“She Will,” which was originally released in 2011 on Lil Wayne’s album Tha Carter IV, has exceled on TikTok thanks to a dance trend that features creators performing leg-shaking moves, often up against a wall of some sort.
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Usages of the song generally highlight the “Ladies and gentlemen, Drizzy” lyric before the outro, though the most utilized sound then drops out the vocals in favor of the synth-led instrumental.
Drake previously reached No. 2 on the chart twice: on his “IDGAF” featuring Yeat in 2023, and on the Sexyy Red collaboration “U My Everything” last year. As for Lil Wayne, “She Will” is his second top 10, following the No. 9 peak of Tyler, the Creator’s “Sticky,” on which he’s featured alongside GloRilla and Sexyy Red.
“She Will” debuted and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 2011. In the Billboard tracking week ending Jan. 30, the song earned 5.4 million official U.S. streams, up 30%, according to Luminate.
Lil Wayne and Drake’s coronation isn’t the only thing happening in the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s top 10 this week. Former No. 1 Stepz’s “Rock” rebounds 8-2, while 5 Seconds of Summer’s “She Looks So Perfect” is the week’s top debut at No. 3.
“She Looks So Perfect,” which peaked at No. 24 on the Hot 100 in 2014 as 5 Seconds of Summer’s breakout song, benefits from a TikTok trend in which users respond to the hypothetical compliment “you’re so funny,” often with the creator responding by talking about trauma that made them that way – so much so that 5 Seconds of Summer’s Michael Clifford reacted to the trend with a video captioned, “’you’re so funny’ thanks our song is now the theme song for trauma bonding.”
The song sports a 31% gain in the week ending Jan. 30 to 1.4 million streams.
Former No. 1 “Champagne Coast” by Blood Orange also returns to the top five, leaping 7-4, while 7dnight’s “Khong Sao Ca” vaults 24-5 in its second week on the chart. Featured on the Vietnamese music competition show Rap Viet and released in November 2024, “Khong Sao Ca” rises via a dance trend, while some top-performing clips also highlight pets and stuffed animals.
Earth, Wind & Fire’s classic “Let’s Groove” shoots 11-6, marking the group’s second top 10 after “September” in 2023. As the title and song’s general vibe suggests, its rise is made up mostly of dance videos, some following a specific trend and others simply featuring the dancer showing off their best moves.
“Let’s Groove” peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 in 1981 and accumulated 2.3 million streams in the latest tracking period, up 17%.
The other newcomer to the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s top 10 is Fetty Wap’s “Again,” which debuts at No. 8 a week after his “Jimmy Choo” appeared on the ranking at No. 9. Many of the videos reference listening to the song on JBL speakers and setting it to TV and movie scenes, alongside dances, lip-synchs and more.
“Again,” which peaked at No. 33 on the Hot 100 in 2015, is up 250% in streams to 4.8 million in the Jan. 24-30 tracking week.
See the full TikTok Billboard Top 50 here. You can also tune in each Friday to SiriusXM’s TikTok Radio (channel 4) to hear the premiere of the chart’s top 10 countdown at 3 p.m. ET, with reruns heard throughout the week.
Most musician biopics follow a familiar arc — a rise and fall, fueled by the childhood trauma behind it all, then a third-act redemption tied to a career peak. The rise usually involves a montage of tour buses and adoring audiences, the fall a montage of drug use and mistreatment of friends or colleagues. By 2007, the formula was so well established that it inspired the parody Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story. More recently, Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman, imaginative as they were, leaned on some of the same tropes.
As the producers behind the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown developed the project, they faced the challenge of making a film that didn’t rely on those plot points, about an iconic singer-songwriter who seldom reveals much. Dylan never derailed his career with a debilitating drug problem (his 1966 tour was fueled by amphetamines, by many accounts, and a motorcycle accident that summer gave him the chance to take some time off), and his career doesn’t have a clear arc so much as a series of sudden left turns. He established himself as a folk singer, then left that scene behind to become a rock star — then veered into country, made an album about his divorce and recorded three gospel albums as a born-again Christian, all in the first two decades of a career that has lasted more than six. It’s not an easy story to make into a film, let alone one with commercial appeal.
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The film works, though. As of the first week of February, the movie has grossed more than $67 million in the U.S. and more than another $20 million abroad, according to Box Office Mojo, and it’s already one of the 10 most successful music biopics in history. It has also received critical acclaim, and numerous Academy Award nominations — including for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (for Timothée Chalamet as Dylan), Best Supporting Actress (for Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez), and Best Supporting Actor (for Edward Norton as a note-perfect Pete Seeger). Just as important for Dylan and the companies that have the rights to his music — Universal Music Group owns his publishing, Sony Music his recordings — the film has introduced both his story and his music to a younger generation.
From the beginning, the idea behind the film was to focus on a few years of Dylan’s life, from his 1961 arrival in New York to the summer of 1965, when he “went electric” by performing live with a rock band at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. Dylan’s company had been developing a project set at this time, and in 2016 it optioned the rights to the Elijah Wald book Dylan Goes Electric! Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties, which HBO planned to develop into a film. Jack Cocks, who is credited with co-writing the screenplay to A Complete Unknown, wrote a script, but the project never moved forward.
A few years later, Alex Heineman asked his friend and fellow film producer Fred Berger if he would be interested in making some kind of Dylan biopic. “I asked, ‘How did you get the rights?’” Berger remembers. “And he said, ‘I don’t have them.’” The two went to Dylan’s management, which told them that HBO had the rights to another project.
Meanwhile, Berger and Heineman reached out to Chalamet, who was interested in playing Dylan. When the rights to the project became available in 2019, it ended up at Searchlight Pictures, with James Mangold directing — but it didn’t start shooting for another few years. “We got Searchlight and then we got Jim [Mangold], and then we got COVID,” says a source close to Dylan. After that came the writer’s strike.
By then, Mangold, along with Berger and Heineman and Dylan’s team, had the story, as well as an approach. “James Mangold and I and the other producers have a similar feeling about biopics, which is that a cradle-to-grave approach is an expanded Wikipedia page,” Berger says. (Mangold shares a co-writing credit with Cocks.) The director “focused on a narrow period of time” that offered a compelling story to make a larger point about Dylan and what drives him.
In his book, Wald shows that Dylan’s decision to go electric wasn’t just a matter of instrumentation but of leaving the folk scene, with its focus on authenticity and leftist politics, for a rock band and a style that involved more leather jackets than workwear. The original approach for the movie would have spent more time on that political context but the film casts the conflict in more personal terms: Dylan needs to turn away from familial figures, including Pete Seeger, in order to follow his muse. Mangold “approaches story from character,” Berger says. “It’s not about acoustic versus electric — it’s about the family that lifted him up and how those relationships are on the line.”
The stakes are personal, in other words, so A Complete Unknown lacks a rousing resolution, as well as rousing music to accompany it. (The last song Dylan is seen playing in the film is the same song that ended his actual Newport set, “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,” an acoustic kiss-off to a scene he had outgrown.) Afterward, Dylan seems to be contemplating his next move, rather than rejoicing in triumph, as Queen is seen doing in Bohemian Rhapsody after the scene set at its Live Aid performance.
It’s hard to know what the success of A Complete Unknown might mean for future music films, but it certainly opens up more possibilities. Coincidentally, one of the next rock biopics to come out will be Deliver Me from Nowhere, a movie about Bruce Springsteen essentially going acoustic, on his 1982 album Nebraska. (It’s Springsteen’s darkest and least commercial album, so don’t expect anthemic music there, either.) It will be interesting to see how that does — and what other stories will follow it to the big screen.
