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03 Nov 2024

SESAC Performance License Rates See 10.4% Increase for 2023-2026 Licensing Period

The arbitration process governing SESAC’s performance license rates has determined that for the 2023-2026 licensing period, a blanket fee of 0.2824% of revenue — or a 10.4% increase from the prior period’s rate of 0.2557% of revenue — will be set, according to a press release from the Radio Music License Committee (RLMC).

The rate represents the amount SESAC, a performing rights organization (PRO), can charge stations in exchange for playing works from their repertory over terrestrial radio.

Each side characterized the final rate determination differently, with the RLMC claiming victory because the arbitration panel rejected SESAC’s efforts to more than double the rate, and also substantially expand the license revenue base. But SESAC says the arbitration award reflects a failure by the RLMC in its attempt to lower the rate.

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The rate decision is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2023, which means that stations paying the SESAC interim licensing fee at 2022 rates will receive “a modest true-up adjustment.” The arbitration process governing SESAC’s rates came about as a result of a 2015 RMLC antitrust litigation settlement with SESAC that set forth a rate arbitration process for the next 20 years.

The RMLC announcement claims SESAC sought to justify its efforts to increase rates and expand the licensing revenue base by relying upon rates set for other music licensors.

Meanwhile, SESAC’s statement on the determination says the RMLC failed in its attempt to tie SESAC’s rates to those of BMI and ASCAP, the two U.S. PROs, which operate under consent decrees that mandate a rate trial in the Southern District of New York when negotiations fail.

“Despite the fact that no increase was warranted, the arbitration decision reported here constitutes a significant victory for RMLC-represented radio stations given SESAC’s demands, and comes at a challenging economic time for the industry,” RMLC chairman Ed Atsinger said in a statement. “The RMLC intends to continue to defend and protect the interests of its members at a time when all of the performing right organizations are seeking to aggressively increase their fees.”

In another aspect of the rate determination, the RLMC said that “long-form license terms are still being worked out but it is expected that the non-music format stations will continue to pay the same 77.5% discount” off of the above music stations’ headline rate. Mathematically speaking, that means the RMLC expects that the non-music rate fee will be set at 0.06354% of revenue, or a 10.5% increase from the prior rate of 0.0575%, Billboard estimates.

“The arbitration award reflects another failure of the RMLC to impose regulated rates on SESAC since SESAC and the RMLC concluded their settlement in 2015,” SESAC performing rights president and CEO Scott Jungmichel said in a statement. “The panel awarded SESAC an over 10% increase while rejecting the RMLC’s attempts to lower the rate, turn back the clock, and yoke SESAC to the regulated rates paid by ASCAP and BMI. In addition, the revenue base subject to the fee is significantly greater than the revenue upon which station groups had sought to pay under the 2017 award.”

03 Nov 2024

Lady Gaga Endorses Kamala Harris, Joins Pennsylvania Rally Lineup for Election Eve

Lady Gaga endorsed Kamala Harris on social media Sunday (Nov. 3), when it was announced she’ll be headlining the Democratic presidential candidate’s campaign rally in Philadelphia on Monday (Nov. 4), the eve before the election. Katy Perry leads the lineup of the VP’s Pittsburgh rally on the same day.

“It’s time to get ready to vote. I’ll see you guys in Pennsylvania,” Gaga said in a video posted on Instagram Sunday, soon after the lineup for Harris’ Philadelphia rally, as well as the lineup for her Pittsburgh rally, was released. The pop star’s clip was captioned with “HARRIS WALZ 2024!!”

Lady Gaga will support the Harris-Walz campaign in Philly on Monday (Nov. 4) as the Vice President holds her final campaign events, the Vote for Freedom rallies, which will be livestreamed. Gaga was announced as a headlining musical guest, along with Ricky Martin, The Roots, Jazmine Sullivan, DJ Cassidy and Adam Blackstone. Oprah Winfrey, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fat Joe are on the lineup as guest speakers.

The Nov. 4 Philadelphia rally will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. ET at The Rocky Steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Those interested in attending can RSVP online here.

Katy Perry, Andra Day, D-Nice and DJ Arie Cole are the musical guests set to headline Harris’ rally in Pittsburgh, also happening in the evening on Monday (Nov. 4).

Those who’d like to attend the Western Pennsylvania event, to be held at the Carrie Blast Furnaces, can RSVP here.

This weekend, Harris made a cameo on Saturday Night Live. She appeared live in an election pep talk sketch during the Nov. 2 episode’s cold open — opposite Maya Rudolph, who was portraying her. Rudolph’s Kamala Harris, preparing a speech, looks into a mirror and sees the real Kamala Harris. “It’s nice to see you, Kamala,” says her reflection (the true Harris). “I’m just here to remind you that you got this — because you can do something your opponent cannot: open doors.”

See Gaga’s endorsement of Harris in her video below, a reminder to vote that was shared with the singer’s 57 million followers on Instagram.

03 Nov 2024

Tyler, the Creator’s ‘CHROMAKOPIA’ Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200

Tyler, the Creator scores his third No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart as his new studio effort, CHROMAKOPIA, arrives atop the tally (dated Nov. 9). The set launches with 299,500 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Oct. 31 — his best week ever in terms of units. Its starting sum — the sixth-largest debut of 2024 — is also notable because the album arrived on an off-cycle Monday (Oct. 28), and thus only had four days of activity in its first chart tracking week. (Most albums are released on a Friday, giving them a full seven days of activity in their opening chart week.)

The album was announced on Oct. 17, slightly more than 10 days before its release on Oct. 28.

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CHROMAKOPIA also claims Tyler, the Creator’s biggest streaming week ever for an album, and largest sales week ever — again, after only four days of availability. Streams and sales were so strong for the set, it would have been No. 1 off streams alone, or solely on sales.

He previously hit No. 1 on the chart with his last two releases, Call Me If You Get Lost (in 2021) and Igor (in 2019). In total, CHROMAKOPIA marks his seventh top 10-charting set on the Billboard 200 — the entirety of his charting efforts.

Also in the top 10 of the new Billboard 200, Halsey logs her fifth top two-charting set as The Great Impersonator debuts at No. 2, Kelsea Ballerini achieves her highest-charting album ever as Patterns opens at No. 4 and Eminem’s chart-topping The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) vaults 44-6 after its vinyl release.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. 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. The new Nov. 9, 2024-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Tuesday, Nov. 5. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

Of CHROMAKOPIA’s 299,500 equivalent album units earned, SEA units comprise 157,000 (equaling 212.55 million on-demand official streams of the 14 songs on the streaming edition of the album, his best streaming week ever; it debuts at No. 1 on Top Streaming Albums chart), album sales comprise 142,000 (his best sales week ever; it debuts at No. 1 on the Top Album Sales chart) and TEA units comprise 500 units. Vinyl sales accounted for 66,000 of the album’s first-week number, which is Tyler, the Creator’s best week ever on vinyl, and the third-biggest debut week on vinyl for a rap album since Luminate began tracking sales in 1991.

CHROMAKOPIA was issued as an 11-song standard digital download album, a 14-song album on CD and vinyl, and a 14-song digital deluxe and streaming album. (The two 14-song editions each had three additional songs versus the standard 11-song album. The 14-song CD and vinyl added “Mother,” “Sticky” (featuring Sexyy Red and Lil Wayne) and “Thought I Was Dead” (featuring Santigold). The 14-song digital and streaming edition added “Balloon” (featuring Doechii), “Sticky” (featuring GloRilla, Lil Wayne and Sexyy Red) and “Thought I Was Dead” (featuring ScHoolboy Q and Santigold).

Album sales were bolstered by the set’s availability across six deluxe collectible CD boxed sets (each containing a CD, poster and another branded merch item) and a green-colored vinyl pressing. The boxed sets and vinyl were exclusively sold via the artist’s official webstore. A stand-alone CD was available to pre-order, exclusively, in the same store, but has yet to be shipped to customers. All physical editions of the album are only available via the artist’s webstore.

The standard 11-song digital download album, as well as the 14-song deluxe digital edition, was widely available through the iTunes Store and similar services (but were not sold on the artist’s webstore).

At No. 2 on the Billboard 200, Halsey’s The Great Impersonator debuts with 93,000 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, album sales comprise 81,000, SEA units comprise 12,000 (equaling 16.05 million on-demand streams of the songs on the streaming edition of the album) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum. The Great Impersonator is the fifth top 10-charting set for Halsey, all of which have debuted in the top two positions of the list.

The album’s first-week sales were aided by its availability across many permutations: a dozen deluxe collectible CD boxed sets (each containing a CD and branded merchandise), a standard CD, a standard signed CD, four alternative cover CDs (each signed) and eight vinyl variants (including one signed edition). Most of the offerings were exclusively sold in Halsey’s official webstore. The album was also released as a standard digital album, and via seven alternative digital download albums (each with one to three exclusive bonus tracks unique to each of the seven editions) — all of which sold for a discounted $4.99.

The vinyl sales added up to just over 26,000 copies — Halsey’s best week on vinyl ever.

Sabrina Carpenter’s former leader Short n’ Sweet falls 2-3 on the new Billboard 200 with 74,000 equivalent album units earned (down 5%).

Kelsea Ballerini’s Patterns bows at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, marking the artist’s highest-charting album ever and second top 10-charting set. It arrives with 54,000 equivalent album units earned — her best week by units. Of that sum, album sales comprise 35,000 (her second-largest sales week), SEA units comprise 19,000 and TEA units comprise a negligible sum.

Ballerini had previously gone as high as No. 7 on the Billboard 200 with Unapologetically in 2017.

The new album was preceded by the song “Cowboys Cry Too,” with Noah Kahan, which reached the top 20 on the Hot Country Songs chart in July.

The set’s first-week sales were encouraged by its availability across eight vinyl variants (including one signed edition), three digital download editions (a standard set, one with bonus commentary tracks and one with two bonus song tracks), and two CDs (including one signed variant). Her vinyl sales totaled 12,000 for the week — Ballerini’s best week ever on vinyl.

Rod Wave’s Last Lap dips 4-5 on the Billboard 200 with 51,000 equivalent album units earned (down 24%), while Eminem’s The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) jumps 44-6 with 49,000 units (up 193%) after its release on vinyl and cassette. The latter was issued across five vinyl editions (mostly color variants) which combined to sell 31,000 copies in the tracking week — Eminem’s best week ever on vinyl.

Rounding out the rest of the top 10 on the new Billboard 200: Gracie Abrams’ The Secret of Us rises 8-7 (49,000 equivalent album units earned; down less than 1%), Morgan Wallen’s chart-topping One Thing at a Time falls 6-8 (46,000; down 9%), Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft is steady at No. 9 (nearly 46,000; down 5%) and GloRilla’s Glorious falls 7-10 (45,000; down 11%).

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

03 Nov 2024

Fans Choose The Weeknd & Anitta’s ‘São Paulo’ as This Week’s Favorite New Music in All-Genre Poll

The Weeknd and Anitta‘s collaboration “São Paulo” has taken the top spot in this week’s new music poll, showcasing a variety of genres.

In a poll published on Friday (Nov. 1) by Billboard, music fans voted the superstar collab as their favorite new release, with “São Paulo” garnering nearly 66% of the votes. This impressive margin placed it ahead of new music from Shawn Mendes (“Heart of Gold”), The Cure (Songs of a Lost World), Ethel Cain (“Punish”) and Megan Moroney (Blue Christmas… Duh), among others.

The electrifying track will be featured on The Weeknd’s upcoming album, Hurry Up Tomorrow. A release date for the project has not yet been announced. The pair debuted “São Paulo” at a special one-night-only event in Estádio MorumBIS in São Paulo on Sept. 7, which was livestreamed for fans.

“We knew it was too special to just play on stage. We saw great potential in the song and found the beat, which is the heart of the show,” The Weeknd previously told Billboard Brazil.

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The “São Paulo” music video features a surreal visual of Anitta with an exaggerated baby bump, where her belly appears to sing The Weeknd’s parts, with lips emerging from her belly button. The eerie clip concludes with the word “Phantasm,” leaving fans speculating whether it relates to an album or song title.

In addition to “São Paulo,” The Weeknd has released two other tracks from Hurry Up Tomorrow: “Dancing in the Flames” and “Timeless,” featuring Playboi Carti. “Dancing in the Flames” reached No. 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, while “Timeless” peaked at No. 3.

In this week’s poll, Shawn Mendes’ “Heart of Gold” trailed significantly, capturing nearly 30% of the vote. The song is written in memory of a childhood friend who passed away from a drug overdose.

Check out the final results of this week’s poll below and visit Billboard‘s Friday Music Guide for more must-hear releases.

03 Nov 2024

Hip-Hop Wired Presents: CRT FRSH [Certified Fresh] Playlist 11.1.24

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CRT FRSH, Hip-Hop Wired’s playlist where we attempt to showcase music we believe is “Certified Fresh,” is back for the fall season with a truncated selection. Now that we’re back, we’re trimming down the CRT FRSH playlist and updating the concept with our latest drop which we hope you all enjoy.

Disclaimer:

The CRT FRSH playlist is a labor of love. We don’t take payments nor do we do favors. We only add joints to our playlist that fit the theme and vision we’re going for and don’t seek to waste the listener’s time. Further, we don’t stick to one lane of Hip-Hop. We believe that all aspects of the music should get some light, whether it’s young lions in the trenches or those hoping for that one shot to blow up to grizzled veterans puffing out their chests with lots more to say.

I want to explain how I approach curating the CRT FRSH playlist. Most importantly, I don’t segregate my Hip-Hop. Every form of music from the main cultural tree deserves a listen and a look. When I construct the playlist, I want to include all regions across the States and, when applicable, across the globe. I also want to entertain every fan of Hip-Hop, not just those who enjoy one segment of it. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get to it.

For those devoted few who keep up with the updates, you may have noticed I created a playlist in memory of the late Kaseem “KA” Ryan, perhaps Hip-Hop’s greatest lyricist if not the genre’s most sincere and vulnerable. That playlist, which captures just a small slice of who KA was, can be heard by clicking here.

We open up this week’s playlist with Tyler, The Creator’s “Sticky” from his new CHROMAKOPIA, which features GloRilla, Sexyy Red, and Lil Wayne and is considered an early standout among some. We follow that with Megan Thee Stallion’s “Bigger In Texas” from her Megan: Act II reissue and finds the Houston Hottie in prime form.

The Alchemist is great for dropping potent singles out of the thin blue sky and we’re better for it. Adding to that stellar track record is “Ferraris In The Rain 2” featuring Freddie Gibbs and ScHoolboy Q. Danny Brown dropped his solid Quaranta album near the top of the year and the Detroit-born, Austin-based rapper and podcaster released a deluxe of the project. We include the somber “Keep It To Me” from the drop.

The Underachievers, AKTHESAVIOR and Issa Gold have been creating amazing music since their 2013 debut, Indigoism, along with consistent solo projects between then. Their new single “Have Nots” is a continuation of their esoteric poetics and atmospheric beats. We also have Buffalo’s Che Noir and her single “Black Single featuring Rapsody from Che’s The Black Lotus project, which she produced herself.

A strong salute to Patty Honcho, Lil Uzi Vert, A$AP Ferg, RXKNephew, Knowitall, Chuck Strangers, Milc, Blaq Chidori, Ab-Soul, BigXThaPlug, El Cousteau and the rest of the contributors to this week’s playlist.

Check out the latest CRT FRSH drop below.

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Photo: Getty

03 Nov 2024

Lil Wayne Reunites With Hot Boys at 2024 Lil WeezyAna Fest

The long-awaited reunion of the Hot Boys has finally taken place.

On Saturday (Nov. 2), the iconic rap supergroup — featuring Lil Wayne, Juvenile, Turk and B.G. — performed together for the first time in more than 15 years at Wayne’s Lil WeezyAna Fest in New Orleans.

The group’s 22-minute set included songs like “Get Your Roll On,” “I Need a Hot Girl,” and “Neighborhood Superstar,” during which the act was joined by Big Tymers’ Mannie Fresh and Birdman, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. Watch the performances here.

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This year’s Lil WeezyAna Fest also featured solo performances from Juvenile, who brought down the house with “Back That Azz Up,” and B.G., who delivered “Bling Bling.”

During his solo performance, Lil Wayne once again spoke about being snubbed for the Super Bowl halftime show, expressing his disappointment at being overlooked in favor of Kendrick Lamar.

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“I told myself I wanted to be on that stage in front of my mom, and I worked my ass off for that position. It was ripped away from me, but this moment right here… they can’t take this away from me,” the rapper told the crowd at the Smoothie King Center.

Wayne previously teased the Hot Boys reunion on X (formerly Twitter) in September. Earlier this year, rumors began swirling when Juvenile hinted at a performance at Essence Fest in New Orleans and mentioned the group was working on a new album.

“Hot Boys is back together, man. What you talkin’ about put the Hot Boys back together? Show y’all ain’t keeping up with sh–,” he said on Instagram Live in May. “Turk gonna be with me tonight, I’m gonna be with B.G. next week. Me, Wayne, Turk and B.G., all of us gonna be on stage in New Orleans with Mannie Fresh and Birdman. And we already done started working on a Hot Boys album. Any other f—ing questions? Keep on askin’ put the Hot Boys together. Have some f—in’ patience.”

Despite the hype, fans were disappointed when the anticipated reunion at Essence Fest didn’t occur; while Birdman, Mannie Fresh, Juvenile, and B.G. took the stage together, Wayne opted for a solo set afterward, and Turk was absent.

The Hot Boys’ last album was 2003′ Let ‘Em Burn.

03 Nov 2024

UK Prosecutors Considering Charges Against Russell Brand Over Assault Allegations

British prosecutors say they have been given a file of evidence from police about alleged sexual offenses by comedian Russell Brand and are considering whether to charge him.

The Crown Prosecution Service said late Saturday (Nov. 2) that “we have been passed a file by the police to consider a charging decision in this case. Any decision to charge is made independently, based on the evidence and in line with our legal test.”

Detectives from London’s Metropolitan Police force have interviewed 49-year-old Brand three times over “non-recent sexual offenses.”

“Our investigation continues and a file has now been passed to the CPS,” said Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation. “We have a team of dedicated officers providing specialist support to the women who have come forward. We are committed to investigating sexual offences, no matter how long ago they are alleged to have taken place.”

In September 2023, British media outlets Channel 4 and the Sunday Times published claims by four women of being sexually assaulted or raped by Brand between 2006 and 2013, at the height of his fame. The accusers have not been identified.

The comedian, author and Get Him to the Greek actor has denied the allegations, saying his relationships were “always consensual.”

Known for his unbridled and risqué standup routines, Brand hosted shows on radio and television, wrote memoirs charting his battles with drugs and alcohol, appeared in several Hollywood movies and was briefly married to pop star Katy Perry between 2010 and 2012.

In recent years, Brand has largely disappeared from mainstream media but has built up a large following online with videos mixing wellness and conspiracy theories.

03 Nov 2024

Kamala Harris Joins Maya Rudolph for Election Day Pep Talk on ‘SNL’: Watch

Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance during Saturday Night Live on Nov. 2.

With Election Day just around the corner, the vice president stopped by Studio 8H during the cold open of the episode, hosted by comedian John Mulaney.

Harris joined SNL cast member Maya Rudolph, known for her spot-on impression of the Democratic presidential nominee during the show’s 50th season, in a hilarious opening sketch.

Saturday’s episode launched with a parody of CNN, featuring Chloe Fineman as anchor Kaitlan Collins, who reports on a rally with former President Donald Trump (played by James Austin Johnson) and his running mate J.D. Vance (Bowen Yang). The scene then shifts to a conversation in Pennsylvania involving Rudolph’s Harris, Andy Samberg’s Doug Emhoff, Jim Gaffigan’s Tim Walz, and Dana Carvey’s Joe Biden.

Rudolph’s Harris later steps aside to prepare for her campaign speech, saying, “Well, this is it, the last campaign stop in Pennsylvania. Gosh, I just wish I could talk to someone who’s been in my shoes — a Black South Asian woman running for president, preferably from the Bay Area.”

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She then sits down and looks into a mirror, where the real Kamala Harris is reflected back at her. “It’s nice to see you, Kamala,” the actual vice president says. “I’m just here to remind you that you got this because you can do something your opponent cannot: open doors.”

Rudolph delivers her signature Kamala laugh, saying, “Now Kamala, take my palm-ala.” The two then start finishing each other’s sentences: “The American people want to stop the chaos and end the drama-ala with a cool new step-mamala. Look, let’s get back in our pajamas and watch a rom-Kamala, like Legally Blonde-ala. And start decorating for Christmas, Fa-la-la-la-la.”

In other highlights from the Nov. 2 episode, Mulaney returned as host for the sixth time, while musical guest Chappell Roan made her debut, performing “Pink Pony Club” and premiering a new country song titled “The Giver.”

Watch SNL‘s “2024 Pre-Election Cold Open” sketch below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.

03 Nov 2024

Chappell Roan Dazzles With New Country Song ‘The Giver’ During Elaborate ‘SNL’ Debut

Chappell Roan debuted a new country song during her musical guest debut on Saturday Night Live.

The 26-year-old pop star launched the musical portion of the John Mulaney-hosted episode on Nov. 2 with a vibrant and elaborate performance of her popular song “Pink Pony Club,” from her 2023 debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. The Studio 8H stage was decorated with a throne-like chair and a backdrop of digital galloping ponies, while the singer dazzled in a striking red wig with white streaks, heavy makeup, and a glittery white gown.

In her second dramatic performance, Roan premiered a country-infused song titled “The Giver,” where she confidently asserts her ability to “get the job done” and satisfy a female partner better than any man. During a spoken word segment of the fiddle-driven track, she remarked, “All you country boys think you know how to treat a woman right. Well, only a woman knows how to treat a woman right. She gets the job done.”

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Later in the song, Roan sings, “You ain’t gotta tell me/ It’s just in my nature/ So take it like a taker/ ’cause baby I’m a giver.”

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Saturday’s show marked Roan’s SNL debut. In late October, the singer appeared to tease her next music era in an Instagram post in which she shared some selfies and hinted at the follow-up to her debut breakthrough LP.

“Album kinda popped off imo but it is time to welcome a hot new bombshell into the villa,” she captioned the pics, in a reference to the Love Island catchphrase welcoming new contestants that led fans to speculate that she’s working on her sophomore project.

A potential album will follow the release of Roan’s debut, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. After a series of headline-making performances — including at Coachella and Gov Ball 2024 — the 14-track project earned a peak of No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

Watch Roan’s SNL performance of “Pink Pony Club” below (“The Giver” was not available at press time). For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.

02 Nov 2024

Kamala Harris to Appear on ‘SNL’ in Last Episode Before Presidential Election

Vice President Kamala Harris has made an unannounced trip to New York to appear on Saturday Night Live, briefly stepping away from the battleground states where she’s been campaigning with just three days to go before the election.

Harris departed on Air Force Two after a campaign stop on Saturday (Nov. 2) in Charlotte, North Carolina. She was scheduled to head to Detroit, but once the aircraft was in the air, aides said it was actually going to New York.

Her appearance on the show was confirmed by three people familiar with Harris’ plans who were not authorized to speak publicly about them. It is the final SNL episode before Election Day on Tuesday.

Actor Maya Rudolph first played Harris on the show in 2019 and has reprised her role this season, doing a spot-on impression of the vice president, including calling herself “Momala.”

Rudolph opened the show’s season premiere with the line: “Well, well, well. Look who fell out of that coconut tree.” And she’s joked about keeping President Joe Biden in his place.

Harris’ husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, has been played by former cast member Andy Samberg, and Biden is played by Dana Carvey, who also famously played then-President George H.W. Bush in the early 1990s.

Rudolph’s performance has won critical and comedic acclaim — including from Harris herself.

“Maya Rudolph — I mean, she’s so good,” Harris said last month on ABC’s The View. “She had the whole thing, the suit, the jewelry, everything!”

Harris added that she was impressed with Rudolph’s “mannerisms.”

Senior Trump adviser Jason Miller expressed surprise that Harris would appear on Saturday Night Live, given what he characterized as her unflattering portrayal on the show.

Asked if Trump had been invited to appear, he said: “I don’t know. Probably not.”

Politicians have a long history on SNL, including Harris’ Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump, who hosted the show in 2015.

Hillary Clinton was running for president in the 2008 Democratic primary when she appeared next to Amy Poehler, who played her on the show and offered a trademark, exaggerated cackle. The real Clinton wondered during her appearance, “Do I really laugh like that?”

Clinton returned in 2016, while running against Trump in a race she ultimately lost.

The first sitting president to appear on Saturday Night Live was Republican Gerald Ford, who did so less than a year after the show debuted. Ford appeared on April 17, 1976, and declared the show’s famous opening, “Live from New York.”

Barack Obama was still just a Democratic presidential candidate when he appeared in February 2008, and Republican Bob Dole made an appearance in 1996 — a mere 11 days after losing that year’s election to Democrat Bill Clinton. Dole consoled Norm Macdonald, who played the Kansas senator on the show.

Then there was Tina Fey’s 2008 impression of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin — and in particular her joke that “I can see Russia from my house.” It was so good that Fey won an Emmy award. Palin herself appeared on the show that season, in the weeks before the election.