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Aly & AJ Open Up About One Sister’s First Kiss With Joe Jonas: ‘It Was So Innocent’

Aly & AJ Michalka just took a trip down memory lane on Call Her Daddy, with the younger sister recalling her first kiss with the Joe Jonas on the podcast episode posted Wednesday (Jan. 8).

When host Alex Cooper asked AJ to confirm whether the 33-year-old musician’s first kiss was really with the Jonas Brothers band member, AJ replied: “Yes, that is true. In a bowling alley.”

“It was so innocent,” she continued. “It was sweet.”

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AJ went on to share that she and the DNCE frontman dated for about a year and a half, about which her 35-year-old older sister and bandmate remarked, “I mean for a young relationship, like over a year is pretty good. That’s pretty solid.”

“We met on tour,” AJ continued of Joe. “The Jonas Brothers opened for us, and that’s when we started — like, there was a spark. I was like, ‘Oh, this would be fun.’ We started dating on that.”

The Michalka sisters met the Jonas Brothers when both sibling musical groups were working with Disney. Aly & AJ starred in Disney Channel’s Cow Belles, while Joe and brothers Nick and Kevin led two Camp Rock movies and a series titled Jonas on the network.

And while their teenage romance didn’t last, both AJ and the “Sucker” singer went on to find love elsewhere. While the former has been dating boyfriend Josh for six years, Joe was married to actress Sophie Turner — with whom he shares two young daughters — for four years before their split in 2023.

Listen to Aly and AJ discuss the latter’s first kiss with Joe Jonas below.

K-Pop Updates: ROSÉ’s ‘Rosie’ Confessions & SEVENTEEN’s BSS ‘Teleparty’ Comeback | Billboard News

ROSÉ went on ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’ and shared some secrets about her latest album ’Rosie,’ while SEVENTEEN’s BSS make a return with ‘Teleparty.’ Keep watching for all the K-pop updates!

Tetris Kelly:

From ROSÉ’s talk show confessions to a new SEVENTEEN subunit EP, we’re breaking down what’s poppin’ in K-pop. ROSÉ sat down with Kelly Clarkson to discuss her new album ‘Rosie’ and just how honest it is. And you know we’re big fans of SEVENTEEN, and their subunit BSS has returned close to two years after their debut EP, sharing their new three-track ‘Teleparty.’ In addition to the new music, Seungkwan, DK and Hoshi act as apparent “ambassadors of youth” in a trailer for the EP.

Ariana Grande Thanks Ryan Reynolds for ‘Most Generous’ ‘Wicked’ Praise: ‘You Really Moved Me’

Ariana Grande is thanking Ryan Reynolds for his kind words about Wicked at the National Board of Review Annual Awards Gala.

At Tuesday night’s event, the Deadpool star presented the musical with the night’s main honors — and made the “Yes, And?” singer tear up in the process.

Taking the podium at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City, Reynolds praised Wicked for its promotion of “togetherness” while giving special shout-outs to director Jon M. Chu and producer Marc Platt. The Canadian actor also specifically commended Cynthia Erivo and Grande’s performances in the film, saying of the latter, “Your comedic athleticism and charm is never at the cost of emotional stakes.”

“I have watched your performance over and over again, and I have learned from you each and every time,” Reynolds continued of Grande. “If Gene Wilder were alive today, I think he would be in awe of you. The Glinda character is a high-wire act. Your entire performance is a trust fall, and you caught yourself. You are brilliant.”

Shortly after the ceremony, Reynolds shared a photo on Instagram Stories of the R.E.M. Beauty founder listening to his speech with tears welling up in her eyes. Grande then reposted it onto her own Story and wrote, “YOU REALLLY MOVED ME.”

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“CLEARLY LOL,” she added. “thank you for the [kindest] and most generous words last night am so serious they meant so much and i appreciate you !!!!!!”

The Victorious alum, Erivo, Chu and Platt were all on hand to celebrate Tuesday as Wicked took home the National Board of Review prize. At one point, the project’s two leading ladies gave a speech of their own defining the power of friendship-first collaboration between costars.

“It’s the singular ‘I love you’ text, or the random ‘I’m proud of you’ voice note,” Erivo said at one point before Grande hilariously dead-panned: “It’s being so good at acting that no one ever finds out how much we f–king loathe each other.”

The ceremony came two days after the 2025 Golden Globes, where Wicked took home the award for cinematic and box office achievement. Among the films it beat: Deadpool & Wolverine, which Reynolds starred in, co-wrote and co-produced. Following its Nov. 22 premiere, Wicked quickly became the top-grossing film based on a Broadway musical ever released. As of Jan. 5, the project has surpassed $681.3 million worldwide.

Its sequel, Wicked: For Good, hits theaters Nov. 21, 2025.

Emmy Awards Amend Rules in a Music Category Starting in 2026: What’s Changing?

The Television Academy announced a rule change for the Primetime Emmy Awards in the category of outstanding original main title theme music, which takes effect in 2026.

“A main title theme must appear in 50% or more of eligible episodes submitted for the 2026 Emmy competition,” the new rule states. “The main title theme has been further defined as a musical fingerprint and calling card that is identifiable and unique to a show, thereby drawing an audience in by setting the show’s tone and what is to come.”

The last five winners in this category are Hollywood by Nathan Barr (2020), The Flight Attendant by Blake Neely (2021), The White Lotus by Cristobal Tapia de Veer (2022), Wednesday by Danny Elfman (2023) and Palm Royale by Jeff Toyne (2024).

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The TV Academy also announced two changes that will take effect with the 77th Emmy Awards competition later this year.

Guest Performer eligibility: If a performer has been nominated or has won in a lead or supporting performer category, the performer will not be eligible to submit in a guest performer category in a subsequent Emmy year for playing the same character role in the same series. They may, however, continue to enter in a lead or supporting category.

This smart move will open up more spots for actors who are truly guests on a show, not actors who are playing recurring characters. Mel Brooks won three consecutive Emmys (1997-99) for outstanding guest actor in a comedy series for playing Uncle Phil on Mad About You. Seven actors won two guest actor Emmys for playing the same character on the same series. They were Jay Thomas for playing Jerry Gold on Murphy Brown, Cloris Leachman for playing Grandma Ida on Malcolm in the Middle, Colleen Dewhurst for playing Avery Brown on Murphy Brown, Kathryn Joosten for playing Karen McCluskey on Desperate Housewives, Ron Cephas Jones for playing William Hill on This Is Us, Patricia Clarkson for playing Sarah O’Connor on Six Feet Under, and Margo Martindale for playing Claudia on The Americans.

Directing: An eligible individual director or the identical directing team may now enter multiple achievements per category if the achievements are for different programs. Previously, directors were allowed to submit only one entry per category. This change will allow the director to submit an episode from each of the programs they directed.

Will SZA Ever Make a Joint Album With Kendrick Lamar? Here’s What She Has to Say

Kendrick Lamar and SZA have teamed up for a plethora of hit records over the years. From “All the Stars” to “Luther,” and most recently “30 for 30,” fans have long been clamoring for a joint project from the former Top Dawg Entertainment teammates.

With Dot and Solana set to hit the road for the Grand National Tour in April, perhaps the idea of a collab project coming to fruition is closer than ever.

SZA stopped by Sherri on Wednesday (Jan. 8) in promotion of her upcoming One of Them Days movie coming to theaters next week, and she also discussed possibly teaming up with Lamar for a joint project at some point down the line.

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“I would love that,” SZA said point-blank when asked about a collab album. “I think that would be amazing. He’s such a genius. And a part of his genius is like him being so elusive and so mysterious and I love it.”

SZA also admitted she had no idea what version of her vocals were appearing on GNX that ended up becoming “Luther” and album closer “Gloria.”

“I don’t know what’s going on as much as you don’t know what’s going on,” she continued. “When ‘Luther’ came out, I said, ‘OK, that’s the vocals we’re using, period.’ Same with ‘Gloria.’ I said, ‘OK.’”

The Grammy-winning singer appreciates the unknown of working with Lamar, because it pushes her creativity outside her comfort zone at times.

“That’s also part of the fumbling and finding,” she said. “He’s a huge part of my fumbling and finding era because I’m trusting his expertise and being thrust into these moments and spotlight and saying yes. He’s so good at saying yes, but staying grounded. So I’m just like, ‘Teach me, sensei, what you know.’”

SZA and Kendrick embark on their stadium tour across North America starting April 19 in Minneapolis. The Grand National Tour will hit Houston, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Seattle, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Toronto before wrapping up in Washington, D.C., on June 18.

Watch the Sherri clip with SZA below.

Eurythmics’ ‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)’ Music Video Joins YouTube’s Billion Views Club

Talk about a sweet dream come true! Eurythmics’ music video for their classic 1983 hit, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” has surpassed one billion YouTube views. It marks the British synth-pop duo’s first clip to enter the Billion Views Club.

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The Chris Ashbrook-directed music video begins with member Annie Lennox giving a business meeting to Dave Stewart in a conference room while dressed in a sleek androgynous suit, chanting the instantly-recognizable opening chorus: “Sweet dreams are made of this/ Who am I to disagree?/ I travel the world and the seven seas/ Everybody’s looking for something.” The musical duo then meditate from the conference room and teleport into a colorful dream world. In their fantasy land, they play instruments in a farm amid a herd of cows.

“Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” was the final single and title track of the group’s 1983 sophomore album. On the Billboard charts, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, and peaked at No. 2 on the Dance Club Songs tally. It was certified gold in the U.S. by the RIAA and led to a number of popular covers including ones by Swing and Marilyn Manson.

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To celebrate Eurythmics’ latest accomplishment, rewatch the “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” music video on YouTube below.

Every L.A. Music Event Canceled or Postponed Due to Wildfires (Updating)

As a trio of devastating wildfires continues to spread through the greater Los Angeles region, music and music-related events — including several tied to the current film awards season in the city — are being canceled or postponed out of both safety concerns and respect for the unfolding situation.

As postponement and cancellation announcements continue to come through, we’re keeping track with the updated list below. (These are listed in descending order of announcement, so you can find the latest cancellations at the top.)

Better Man premiere

Paramount Pictures canceled the L.A. premiere of its forthcoming Robbie Williams biopic Better Man on Wednesday (Jan. 8), with a studio spokesperson stating, “Due to the dangerous conditions affecting Los Angeles we are canceling tomorrow’s premiere of ‘Better Man.’ Our thoughts are with those impacted by the devastating fires resulting from these conditions, and we encourage everyone to stay safe and follow guidance and orders from local officials and government agencies.”

Critics Choice Awards

The annual film and TV awards ceremony — which boasted nominees including Miley Cyrs, Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Selena Gomez and Maren Morris in the Best Song category — was postponed from Sunday (Jan. 12) to Jan. 26 at the Santa Monica Airport’s Barker Hangar. “This unfolding tragedy has already had a profound impact on our community. All our thoughts and prayers are with those battling the devastating fires and with all who have been affected,” said Critics Choice Association CEO Joey Berlin in a statement.

Unstoppable premiere

A red-carpet screening of the wrestling drama starring Jennifer Lopez set for the DGA in West Hollywood on Tuesday night (Jan. 7) was also canceled due to the fires. “In light of today’s safety concerns around heightened wind activity and fire outbreaks in Los Angeles, we regret to inform you that we are canceling tonight’s premiere of ‘Unstoppable,’” said the studio in a statement. “As much as we were looking forward to celebrating this wonderful and inspiring film with you, safety is our first priority. We encourage everyone to watch ‘Unstoppable’ on Prime Video, which will be available globally on January 16. Thank you for your understanding and please stay safe.”

Emilia Perez music event

An event in Hollywood to celebrate the music of the Netflix film starring Selena Gomez that was set to be attended by songwriters/composers Camille & Clément and star Karla Sofía Gascón was canceled by the streamer.

A Complete Unknown screening and dinner

A screening and dinner for the Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothee Chalamet set to take place at the San Vicente Bungalows in West Hollywood on Thursday (Jan. 9) was postponed.

American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts

The ceremony, which celebrates individuals in 14 filmmaking categories from the past year, including music, was postponed from Thursday (Jan. 9) at Hollywood’s Egyptian Theatre, with a new date to be announced later. “We have made the decision to postpone tomorrow’s (January 9th) Tribute to the Crafts at the Egyptian due to the dangerous ongoing fires and wind conditions. We will update you on a new date as soon as we know,” said a statement released by the organization.

Selena Gomez’s Rare Pop Up

A pop-up event slated from Friday to Sunday (Jan. 10-12) at Complex LA to celebrate five years of Gomez’s Rare album was postponed.

Did Lil Baby Shade Gunna on ‘Running This S–t’? | Billboard News

Lil Baby just released the deluxe version of WHAM, and his new track “Running This Shit” has fans speculating that he’s shading Gunna. Keep watching to see where the song may be addressing Gunna.

Tetris Kelly:
Did Lil Baby just call out Gunna on a new track? Lil Baby recently released the deluxe version of his album Wham, which features a new track “Running This Shit.” The song has fans speculating about whether Lil Baby is referring to his former collaborator Gunna as a “rat.”

On the track’s second verse, Lil Baby raps: “I don’t care what he did, he a rat still/ And I said what I said, don’t at me.”

Lil Baby hasn’t hidden his feelings towards Gunna as of late. While speaking on Charlamagne Tha God’s Out of Context interview series, the rapper had this to say:

Charlamagne Tha God:
What’s the relationship with you and Gunna right now?

Lil Baby:
We don’t got no relationship.

Tetris Kelly:
We’ll continue to follow this story as it evolves. We reached out to Gunna and Lil Baby for comment. You can take a listen for yourself on the WHAM deluxe.

For more hip-hop news, keep it locked here at Billboard.

Convicted Donald Trump Requests Supreme Court To Block Hush Money Sentencing

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Donald Trump has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to block the sentencing for the hush money case before it takes place at the end of the week.

On Wednesday morning (Jan. 8), Donald Trump made an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court to block his sentencing in the hush money case in New York City. “This court should enter an immediate stay of further proceedings in the New York trial court,” the application from his legal team read, “to prevent grave injustice and harm to the institution of the presidency and the operations of the federal government.” 

Trump was convicted last May on 34 felony counts for falsifying business records related to payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels, whom Trump had an affair with. The payments were made through Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, in 2016 before his election to the White House later that year. Trump is scheduled to appear in federal court Friday (Jan. 10) before District Court Judge Juan Merchan, 10 days before he is sworn in as president. Merchan has signaled that he may not give Trump any fines or jail time. Still, the sentencing would solidify Trump’s entering office with the dubious distinction of being a convicted felon.

Trump’s defense hinges on the polarizing ruling made by the Supreme Court last June that said that former presidents did have broad immunity for their past actions. His lawyers also argued that his status if fully sentenced would hinder his abilities as president. “In fact, the prospect of imposing sentence on President Trump just before he assumes office as the 47th president raises the specter of other possible restrictions on liberty, such as travel, reporting requirements, registration, probationary requirements, and others — all of which would be constitutionally intolerable under the doctrine of presidential immunity,” they wrote.

The Supreme Court has directed its prosecutors from the office of  Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to answer the motion by 10 a.m. Thursday (Jan. 9). The previous appeal in New York was denied on Tuesday (Jan. 7), prompting Trump’s lawyers to file an emergency appeal to that state’s highest court and the Supreme Court simultaneously.

Bob Dylan’s Catalog Way Up in Streams After ‘A Complete Unknown’ Biopic Release

Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.

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This week: Timothée Chalamet helps get Bob Dylan rolling on streaming, one of basketball’s Ball brothers goes supernova on social media, a late dance great sees streaming gains from a new documentary and more.

The Streams, They Are a-Boomin’: Bob Dylan’s Catalog Soars Thanks to ‘A Complete Unknown’

A Complete Unknown, James Mangold’s new Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothée Chalamet, has spent the past few weeks scoring raves from critics, posting top 10 box office receipts and earning Oscar buzz, with Chalamet zooming into the Best Actor race  thanks to his portrayal of the music icon during the first half of the 1960s. With the film going into wide release on Dec. 25, Unknown has helped Dylan’s storied catalog receive a huge spike on streaming services since Christmas Day, with listeners putting away their holiday playlists and picking up Highway 61 Revisited.

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During the week ending Dec. 26, Dylan’s catalog earned 11.6 million U.S. on-demand streams, according to Luminate; that number leapt to 20.2 million streams the following week (ending Jan. 2), in the first full tracking week since the film’s wide release. Compared to Dylan’s streaming numbers from one month earlier, in which his catalog earned 8.1 million streams in the week ending Dec. 5, A Complete Unknown has helped the legend’s weekly streaming numbers grow by roughly 150%.

Meanwhile, some of Dylan’s early classic songs (which Chalamet sings himself in the film) have gotten replayed since its release, with listeners wanting to either revisit or discover the original versions. “Like a Rolling Stone” earned 1.64 million streams in the week ending Jan. 2, a 232% increase from its streaming total five weeks ago (494,000 during the week ending Nov. 28). Meanwhile, “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “The Times They Are a-Changin’” posted streaming jumps of 215% and 174%, respectively, from their weekly totals during the last full tracking week of November. With the Academy Awards nominations being announced next Friday (Jan. 17) and the Oscars scheduled for Mar. 2, these streaming numbers may stay boosted — or keep climbing — for a few more months. – JASON LIPSHUTZ


G3 Gelo (aka LiAngelo Ball) Scores 2025’s First Viral Smash 

There’s hitting the ground running, and then there’s scoring the first viral track of the year just three days in. G3 Gelo, aka LiAngelo Ball, knows a thing or two about the latter. 

After a snippet of “Tweaker” went viral in late December, Gelo – the second of basketball’s three Ball Brothers, along with guards Lonzo and LaMelo of the Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Hornets, respectively — uploaded the full thing to WorldStarHipHop’s YouTube channel, with DSP uploads following soon after. 

The early ’00s hip-hop-indebted track has increased in streams every day since its official release on Jan. 3. By its fourth day of release, streaming activity for “Tweaker” jumped a jaw-dropping 871% from where it was upon its debut. The song earned over 1.83 million official on-demand U.S. streams on Jan.  6 versus 188,000 streams on Jan. 3. 

Already given the stamp of approval by sports teams across the country, a few hip-hop heavyweights are also co-signing G3 Gelo’s breakout hit; both Boosie Badazz and Moneybagg Yo have asked Gelo to send them an open verse. What’s more? A newscaster has already referenced “Tweaker” live on the air! With so much momentum and little competition from 2025 hip-hop releases at the moment, the coast is clear for “Tweaker” to reign in the coming weeks. – KYLE DENIS


Avicii’s Catalog Surges in Streams After New Documentary

The Avicii catalog experienced a significant streaming surge following the release of a new documentary about the late artist.

In the wake of the Dec. 31 release of I’m Tim on Netflix, global on-demand streams of the Swedish producer’s catalog increased by 63.9%, according to Luminate. The artist’s catalog had a total of 26.4 streams in the four days preceding the film’s release, Dec. 27-30, with this number rising to 43.3 million from Dec. 31-Jan. 3. 

The streaming surge has been especially pronounced for three of Avicii’s biggest songs: 2013’s “Wake Me Up” (featuring Aloe Blacc) has experienced a 47.1% increase in global on-demand streams; 2015’s “The Nights” has seen a 27.6% increase; and 2011’s “Levels” has had a 68.2% increase. – KATIE BAIN

Read more about the I’m Tim documentary and Avicii’s related streaming gains here


‘Mufasa’ Soundtrack Roars Into the New Year with Multiple Streaming Hits 

After losing out to Sonic 3 in its debut week at the domestic box office, Mufasa – the Barry Jenkins-helmed prequel to 2019’s Oscar-nominated photorealistic remake of the 1994 classic – climbed to the summit, becoming America’s first No. 1 movie of 2025. Helping Mufasa sustain its box office pull: the stunning streaming success of its soundtrack, led by Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr., who are in the midst of a viral press tour. 

According to Luminate, the Mufasa soundtrack pulled 1.02 million official on-demand U.S. streams in its first week of release (ending Dec. 19). That figure jumped 224% the following week (Dec. 20-26) to over 3.33 million streams. By its third week of release – the same week the film topped the domestic box office – Mufasa’s streams jumped a further 137% to 7.92 million streams. 

The breakout hit of the Lin-Manuel Miranda-penned soundtrack is the adorably protective “I Always Wanted a Brother,” performed by Pierre, Harrison, Jr., Theo Somolu and Braelyn Rankins. The Mufasa-Scar duet has consistently been the most-streamed song from the album, logging over 3.17 million streams last week (Dec. 27-Jan. 2). From family-centric TikTok trends to NOLA bounce “trip out” remixes and Pierre’s viral Jennifer Hudson Show spirit tunnel walk, “Brother” is quickly becoming a cultural phenomenon. Pierre also duets with Tiffany Boone on “Tell Me It’s You,” another breakout song from the soundtrack. Streaming activity for their duet has exploded 1,301% over the past two weeks, crossing 1.09 million official on-demand U.S. streams last week (Dec. 27-Jan. 2). 

In addition to returning cast members from the 2019 film like Beyoncé and Donald Glover, Mufasa boasts some new additions, including Grammy winner Blue Ivy Carter and BAFTA-nominated actor Mads Mikkelsen. While Carter does not sing in Mufasa, Mikkelsen performs “Bye Bye,” yet another viral cut from the soundtrack, alongside Joanna Jones and Folake Olowofoyeku. “Bye Bye” has jumped over 120% in streaming activity for each of the past two weeks, earning over 1.25 million streams last week (Dec. 27-Jan. 2). – KD