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06 Sep 2024

The Offspring’s ‘Make It All Right’ Rises to No. 1 on Rock & Alternative Airplay Chart

The Offspring’s “Make It All Right” ascends two spots to No. 1 on Billboard’s all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart dated Sept. 14.

The track reigns with 3.9 million audience impressions in the week ending Sept. 5, according to Luminate.

The Dexter Holland-fronted act snags its first ruler on Rock & Alternative Airplay, which began in 2009. The band logged its previous best with “Days Go By,” which reached No. 4 in 2012. The group boasts two other top 10s: “Coming for You” (No. 7, 2015) and “Let the Bad Times Roll” (No. 5, 2021).

Concurrently, “Make It All Right” rises 3-2 for a new high on Mainstream Rock Airplay. The band has earned three No. 1s on the chart, dating to its first appearance in 1994. “Gone Away” led for two weeks in 1997, followed by “Coming for You” and “Let the Bad Times Roll,” for a week each.

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“Make It All Right” remains at its No. 2 best on Alternative Airplay, where The Offspring also has notched three No. 1s – though a completely different collection than its Mainstream Rock Airplay haul: “Come Out and Play (Keep ‘Em Separated),” for two weeks in 1994; “Hit That” (one week, 2004); and “You’re Gonna Go Far, Kid” (11, 2008).

“Make It All Right” is the lead single from Supercharged, The Offspring’s 11th studio album, due Oct. 11. It’s the group’s first LP since 2021’s Let the Bad Times Roll, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Alternative Albums chart and has earned 113,000 equivalent album units to date.

All Billboard charts dated Sept. 14 will update on Billboard.com Tuesday, Sept. 10.

06 Sep 2024

Kim Petras & The Chainsmokers ‘Show You How It’s Done’ on New Song ‘Don’t Lie’: Watch the Video

Kim Petras and The Chainsmokers are sneaking in one last song of the summer contender, with the pop star and EDM duo releasing a new collaboration titled “Don’t Lie” and music video Friday (Sept. 6).

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In the video, bandmates Alex Pall and Drew Taggart DJ a rave in the middle of nowhere as Petras mysteriously emerges from a mud puddle and steals the show. “Picture you and me alone/ That’s the feeling that I want,” she sings over a club-ready beat, strutting, posing and dancing with a group of other partiers. “Baby, you’re the only one/ Let me show you how it’s done.”

Even as a thunderstorm sends camping gear flying, the German artist keeps the party going in the rain before disappearing back through the puddle portal she came from.

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“Don’t Lie” marks Petras’ first release since “Reason Why” with the late producer SOPHIE and BC Kingdom. Earlier this year, she dropped Slut Pop Miami, reaching No. 14 on the Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart.

The track also follows The Chainsmokers’ May EP No Hard Feelings. After the duo’s collaboration with Petras dropped Friday, Pall and Taggart shared photos from the set of their video shoot on Instagram and wrote that the project “marks a shift in the way we’ve been making music in the absolute best way.”

“It lead us to rediscovering the process that started all of this back when we were making indie remixes in 2014 hoping they would get some traction on hype machine,” they continued. “Things feel really f–king fun right now. We are excited to share the first piece with you.”

Watch the “Don’t Lie” music video above.

06 Sep 2024

Selena Gomez Teases ‘Mi Camino’ From ‘Emilia Pérez’ Soundtrack

Selena Gomez is showing off her musical talent as well as her acting chops!

The multihyphenate took to Instagram to share a clip of the dance-ready track, “Mi Camino,” which is featured in the upcoming film, Emilia Pérez, in which Gomez stars as Jessi Del Monte. “A little sneak peek of the song “Mi Camino” that I performed in EMILIA PÉREZ,” she wrote in the caption. The clip features a blonde Gomez dancing on a man in a cowboy hat, belting into a microphone the chorus’ lyrics: “Si me caigo en la barranca/ Es mi barranca/ Si me doblo de dolor/ Es mi dolor/ Si me mando al séptimo cielo/ Es mi cielo/ Si me equivoco de camino/ Es mi camino.”

“If I fall into the ravine / It’s my ravine / If I double over in pain / It’s my pain / If I send myself to seventh heaven / It’s my heaven / If I take the wrong path / It’s my path,” the lyrics translate to.

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See Gomez teaser post here.

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This past spring, Gomez and castmates Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón and Adriana Paz collectively won the best actress award at Cannes Film Festival for their work in Emilia Pérez.

The Spanish-language musical — which follows a Mexican drug lord (Gascón) embracing her true identity as a woman, will premiere in select theaters in other countries in November, as well as hit Netflix in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. on Nov. 13. 

06 Sep 2024

‘Power Book II: Ghost’ Cast Discusses Their Bond & Show’s Legacy

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Blavity Power Book II Cover

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In an exclusive Blavity feature, the cast of the hit series Power Book II: Ghost sat down to discuss the show’s legacy and the bonds they’ve formed during the series.

In 2014, a new show premiered on the Starz network, becoming a fan favorite and changing the landscape of television in the process. That show was Power. Ten years later, its spinoff Power Book II: Ghost has attained the same levels of fan loyalty as its final season is set to begin. The cast members of Power Book II: Ghost sat down for a cover profile story with Blavity and Shadow and Act, and spoke about the journey of the show and how they’ve grown closer as a cast.

Michael Rainey Jr., who plays Tariq St. Patrick, revealed that he had some misgivings about the spinoff before it was officially announced. “When they first told us what it was going to be, [or] when they first told me at least, I was like, ‘No, what are you all thinking? This is not going to work.’” He would expound on his initial thoughts: “I’m not saying that because I didn’t trust Courtney and her writing and stuff. I just know the fans really stand on business, and they was not liking Tariq. So I’m like, ‘I don’t know how it’s going to work.’ But it worked.” It also was bolstered by Gianni Paolo, who plays Brayden Weston, and Alix Lapri, who plays Josefina “Effie” Morales as original Power actors being part of the Book II cast.

The addition of superstar Mary J. Blige to play Monet Tejada, along with The New Edition Story star Woody McClain and LaToya Tonodeo and Lovell Adams-Gray as Lorenzo “Cane” Tejada Jr., Diana Tejada and Dru Tejada respectively filled out the show’s universe and added more depth to the show. The cast also spoke about their closeness on and off set. “Just literally coming to work and looking forward to working with people that I’m super close with, super cool with, and just super comfortable with,” Rainey said. “That, within itself, just makes work so much easier and so much more comfortable.” The legacy is also something they spoke about distinctly and feel proud about as actors of color. “We make changes. We make things happen. So I hope that it continues to influence those that need to be influenced,” Tonodeo stated.

Read the full story right here.

06 Sep 2024

VK Blanka on His New Album ‘Knightclub’ & How Overseas Touring Has Affected His Musical Sensibility

On Sept. 4, VK Blanka released his new album, Knightclub. In early 2024, he launched his first North American tour in nine cities throughout the United States and Canada. In July, he performed at the largest anime convention in South America, Anime Friends 2024, in São Paulo, Brazil, followed by his first Latin American tour, VK Blanka Latin America Tour 2024, in Santiago and Mexico City. This new album is his first in three years, released in the middle of this heavy overseas touring schedule. These overseas performances have had a tremendous impact on him, which comes through in his music.

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How was your first Latin American solo tour?

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It was so fun. It’s the other side of the world, so there was a whole different type of excitement. What really stuck out was everyone shouting out their love for my music. In Japan, for our shows, we try to create something of a journey, but the audiences in Latin America were amped up the whole way through, regardless of the show’s flow. That made me feel great.

So you can feel differences in countries’ national characters through the audience reactions?

Right. In Japan, there’s this feeling of humanity and spirituality. In Latin America, whether it’s Brazil or Mexico, everyone’s always so cheery. With North American audiences, sometimes they’re going crazy but sometimes they’re cool and collected. All that comes through in the shows. For the Middle East, in Saudi Arabia everyone’s shouting “Yeah!” So, in that way, it feels the same as North America, Latin America, and Europe…except that no matter how energetic the show is, the audience is all sitting back watching it from these cushy seats. Then, when the show ends and you say “Thank you so much, Saudi Arabia!” they give you a standing ovation. In their culture, the way you watch a music show is the same as the way you’d watch a play. I think those differences are really interesting. In that sense, playing in places other than Japan is very stimulating.

In countries like Saudi Arabia, clothing can’t be very revealing, so I’m guessing these cultural changes could also affect wardrobes.

Yeah, they did advise me about that. You can’t wear shorts, so I wore full-length pants, despite the heat. But in town, you’d see Europeans wearing shorts and jogging like it was no big deal (laughs). So there were people from countries who didn’t care about things like that, but since we’re Japanese, we took care to dress the “proper” way. You’d see that gap, as well, in lots of places, which was interesting.

Have these experiences overseas brought about any changes in your own lifestyle?

Yeah, they’ve changed the way I think. Of course, I’ve become more interested in different countries, and my experience has brought things like social situations, politics, economics, and culture closer to home. For example, now if I see that there’s a demonstration happening in France, I know where it’s happening, and I think about the friends I have there, that are my own age. I wonder what they think about the situation. Performing overseas, you establish a lot more connections like that. I feel like, without even being conscious of it, I’ve become more “borderless.”

What’s the meaning behind the title of your new album, Knightclub?

I like giving my albums cool names, like “wizard” or “Devil” (laughs). So, in line with that, I was originally thinking of naming it “Knight.” But then I decided to give it a more musical title, so I took “night club,” which has a cool feel, and then I put a “k” in front to make “Knightclub,” which would also have the double meaning of a legion of knights.

The first song, “Yomigaeri (with Noriyuki Makihara & ayaka),” has a spiritual feel to it. What’s it about?

That wasn’t the kind of song I set out to write from the start, but it ultimately ended out with this theme of life and death. Ever since I was an elementary school kid, I’ve thought about what it means to live, and what it means to die. I feel like my outlook on life and death has come through with the different experiences I’ve had.

“Daddy (Dying in NY)” is an English language song on the album that starts out with a chaotic soundscape. What’s the story behind it?

When I was doing a show in Europe, one of the fans shouted out “Daddy!” I didn’t know what it meant at the time, but when I looked it up later, I found out it was a sexual come-on for a hot guy. I talked about that on the North American tour, too, and then one day I played this show in New York. The show was incredible, and it was the last of the tour, so at the end I felt totally spent. That’s why I gave the song that name, like “a hottie dies in New York.”

“High Love” is a standout song, sung entirely in falsetto. You did the whole thing, including the chorus, yourself, right?

Right. I recorded the whole thing in my home studio. When I debuted, what set me apart was how much falsetto I used and how high I sang. The music I wrote after my debut was more flexible, but one day I realized that I’d never really gone full-steam since my debut song, “Slave of Love.” I wanted to use that same approach again, so I wrote “High Love.”

“Never Run” has an 80’s feel to it. What can you tell us about this song?

Los Angeles musician Josh Cumbee, who mixed the song with me, said “There used to be groups whose music all used this beat, so if we use it, it’s going to sound retro.” I found that pretty surprising. It wasn’t my intent to revive an old sound, I simply thought that it was a great rhythm, the kind of rhythm that could always get people moving. The lyrics to this song are also all in English, and the audience really got into it during our Latin America tour. It’s hard for foreign audiences to sing along to Japanese songs, but this song was surprisingly easy even for audiences in Chile and Mexico. The song showed a lot more global potential than even I’d expected, which I think is fascinating.

“Fortress” is a beautiful, soaring ballad. What were you trying to express through it?

The theme is “defense,” which, in a way, is a passive act or mentality. In the song, I tried to embody this concept not of defending or bearing something out of weakness, but instead because if you go all the way in your defense, then you’ll be unrivalled.

So playing piano and singing are where your true musical roots lie?

Even now, the piano is always my main instrument. That will probably never change. But the direction I use when I perform is changing. Actually playing live shows, it’s really constricting being trapped behind the piano the whole time. I want to move around more and be more active, so there are parts of my approach that are changing little by little. One thing that is true for both my first album and this album is that I handled all the arrangements myself. Recently, I’d been asking lots of different people to work on arranging the songs, but with this album, I’ve come full circle and did all the arrangements myself again. That’s one connection between the new album and my first album.

“Matane” is a simple song with very intimate vocals. I feel like it gives a glimpse of the true you.

I took a straightforward, genuine approach with “Matane.” When I wrote it, I thought it would be a good song to end the album with, and I hoped that it would linger with the listener, even after it ended. My concept for it was to create the same feelings that I hoped the audience at one of my shows would have as they headed back home.

What do you see in your future?

I want to create great music, for everyone to listen to that music, and to put on shows in every city. Other countries are no longer a mystery to me. The world is now my home, so I think it would feel wonderful to put on a complete world tour, playing in cities in Japan, Latin America, North America, the Middle East, Europe, and Australia.

—This interview by Takayuki Okamoto first appeared on Billboard Japan

06 Sep 2024

Want Double-Digit Streaming Growth? Look Outside the U.S.

If investors and music companies want high streaming growth rates, they should look beyond the suddenly sluggish U.S. market.  

Of the few countries that have released midyear recorded music industry figures, the U.S. has the lowest growth rate for streaming — by far. Japan, Brazil, Italy, Germany and Spain each easily bested the 3.8% growth rate mustered by the U.S. in the first half of 2024, though they are far smaller markets.  

In Brazil, the ninth-largest market in 2023, streaming revenue improved 21.1% to 1.442 billion BRL ($284 million) in the first half of 2024, according to the country’s trade group, Pro-Música Brasil. Subscription revenue rocketed 28.4% to 995 million BRL ($196 million) while ad-supported streaming rose just 6.6% to 436 million BRL ($86 million).  

Streaming accounts for 99% of total revenue in Brazil, a market that was early to adopt streaming platforms. (Pro-Música Brasil did not include synch and performance royalties in the midyear numbers. In 2023, those two segments accounted for 12% of Brazil’s total revenue.) The former internet radio service Rdio — acquired by Pandora in 2015 — launched in Brazil in 2011. Muve Music, acquired by Deezer in 2015, launched a partnership with leading mobile carrier TIM in 2013. Deezer still powers TIM’s music streaming platform and extended that partnership in January.  

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Important markets in Asia and Europe also delivered impressive streaming gains in the first half of the year. Spain nearly matched Brazil with 19.1% streaming growth and a 16.6% improvement in total revenue. In Italy, recorded music revenue jumped 15.1% and streaming revenue, which accounts for 80% of the total market, grew 18.1%. (Figures in currency were not provided by Italy’s trade group, FIMI.) The world’s second- and fourth-largest markets, Japan and Germany, had streaming gains of 12.7% and 9.0%, respectively.  

In aggregate, the five ex-U.S. markets grew 12.2% compared to the first half of 2023, with the smallest markets having the highest streaming growth rates. Brazil’s market is less than 3% the size of the U.S., while Spain and Italy are 3% and 4% the size of the world’s largest market, respectively. Germany’s market is 15% as big as the U.S. Japan is just a quarter of its size. 

What the U.S. lacks in momentum it makes up for in size. Based on total market revenue for 2023, the U.S. was more than twice the size of the five ex-U.S. markets combined — $11.04 billion to $5.47 billion, according to IFPI figures. In fact, the U.S. is so large that a 3.8% streaming gain was worth $404 million — more than the entire Spanish recorded music market ($355 million) and nearly as big as Italy’s ($477 million). To reiterate, that’s not just streaming — we’re talking about those countries’ entire market revenue.  

The rate of streaming growth underpins much of the money flowing into the music business. Investors and companies are betting the global market can generate nearly double-digit growth through the end of the decade. The latest Goldman Sachs “Music in the Air” report, a standard reference point for gauging the potential of music as an investment, forecasts that global streaming revenue will grow at a 10% compound annual growth rate through 2030. That would turn last year’s $19.3 billion streaming market into $37.8 billion by the end of the decade.

But the enormity of the U.S. market, which accounted for 42% of global streaming revenue in 2023, according to the IFPI, means other markets will need to continue those rapid paces for the global market to maintain that 10% streaming growth rate. The five ex-U.S. markets’ 12.2% growth rate is nearly halved to 6.4% when their $5.47 billion total value is combined with the U.S. market, which is worth $11.04 billion.  

Developing markets certainly have the potential to contribute to global growth, but many of the most populous countries — India, Indonesia, the Philippines — are relatively small and based more on advertising than high-value subscriptions. For the math to work, the global market needs a strong U.S. 

06 Sep 2024

Laila!’s Highly-Anticipated Debut Album ‘Gap Year’ Is Here: Stream It Now

Laila! — the singer, songwriter, producer, rapper, and viral sensation — has dropped her debut album Gap Year!

Her songs “Like That!” and “Not My Problem” were already viral by the time the world knew what she looked like; a testament to this era of streaming and social media, and she’s taken full advantage of it. The Brooklyn artist’s debut album features 17 tracks that she wrote and produced all on her own. But that shouldn’t come as a surprise when you remember she graduated high school in three years, is a descendant of rap royalty, and her mother’s nickname for her is “Baby Genius.”

Laila! explained the meaning behind her album title on Instagram last month (Aug. 19). “I’m not sure if you guys know, but basically I graduated a year early from high school (in my junior year) & i didn’t have any plan for college,” she wrote. “In all honesty, I just wasn’t taking it seriously, so I decided to take a GAP YEAR (thankfully my mom didn’t freak out), which will mark one school year on the day my album releases … This album is a collection of what i’ve made during this year of being out in the real world & doing what I love; it’s so, so personal and dear to me so i really really pray you all like it.”

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She’ll be headlining her first show later this month in her hometown of Brooklyn at Baby’s All Right on Friday, Sept. 20.

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Stream Laila!’s Gap Year below.

06 Sep 2024

Taylor Swift’s Denim Game-Day Outfit Is Almost Out of Stock: Here’s How to Shop the Look on a Budget

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Taylor Swift’s game-day denim look is going viral. The pop star popped up at Arrowhead Stadium in a scorching denim outfit with red thigh-high boots to support her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs during the NFL’s season kickoff game on Thursday (Sept. 5).

Of course, Swift is no stranger to denim outfits, but the 34-year-old singer glammed it up for game day — complete with her signature red lip and billowy curls. She launched a new denim era in a Versace Medusa ’95 Denim Corset and Giuseppe Zanotti Frannie Boots, as spotted by Taylor Swift Style, and GRLFRND Whitney Mid Rise Mom Shorts from Revolve.

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Where to Buy Taylor Swift’s Game-Day Denim Outfit and Boots

Versace

Versace Medusa ’95 Denim Corset Top

Where to Buy Taylor Swift’s Game-Day Denim Outfit and Boots

Revolve

GRLFRND Whitney Mid Rise Mom Short

$102

$134

24% off

Where to Buy Taylor Swift’s Game-Day Denim Outfit and Boots

Farfetch

Giuseppe Zanotti Frannie Patent Leather Boot

$966

$1,650

41% off

The shorts and boots are almost out of stock, but the Medusa Corset is available in sizes ranging from 36 to 50 at several retailers, including Neiman Marcus, FWRD, Farfetch and Versace.com.

According to the Versace website, the top is a reimagining of the luxury designer’s signature Atelier Versace corset. The $1,325 top is cinched at the waist with V-shaped boning, a cropped silhouette made in medium denim wash and “accented by Medusa ’95 hardware” on the shoulder straps.

Swifties looking for a budget-friendly spin on the outfit can find plenty of denim alternatives for under $100. To make the search easier, we did some digging online and found a few denim corset tops and high-waisted denim shorts that will help you pull off the look — without spending your entire paycheck.

See more below.

Where to Buy Taylor Swift’s Game-Day Denim Outfit and Boots

Bardot

Bardot Denim Bustier in Vintage

Channel Swift’s look in Bardot’s denim bustier. The corseted top is available in sizes 2-12.

Where to Buy Taylor Swift’s Game-Day Denim Outfit and Boots

Revolve

Superdown Mika Denim Corset

Superdown’s Mika Denim corset is another play off Swift’s high-fashion top, but in a darker wash. The corset is stocked in sizes XXS, S, M and XL.

Where to Buy Taylor Swift’s Game-Day Denim Outfit and Boots

Steve Madden

Steve Madden Dawn Wine Boots

Steve Madden’s Dawn Wine Boots look nearly identical to Swift’s Guiseppe Zannotti boots, but at a fraction of the price. The vegan leather, pointed-toe boot features a 3.6-inch heel.

Where to Buy Taylor Swift’s Game-Day Denim Outfit and Boots

Levi’s

Levi’s 80s Denim Mom Shorts

$48.99

$69

29% off

Levi’s bestselling mom shorts are on sale at Urban Outfitters in indigo, black and rinsed denim (sizes 24-34 in select washes). The shorts are also available at a bunch of different retailers including Free People, Revolve and Amazon.

Where to Buy Taylor Swift’s Game-Day Denim Outfit and Boots

Mango

Mango High-Rise Denim Shorts

$29.99

$49.99

40% off

If you’re looking for a baggy fit, check out these high-rise denim shorts from Mango. The shorts are available in medium blue, light blue, black and white denim.

Denim shorts are versatile enough to wear from summer to fall, and even winter with the proper layering, and they’re easy to find online. For more Swift-inspired options, check out Everlane’s A-Line Denim Short ($48), High Waist Mom Shorts from Zara ($35.90) and Hollister’s Ultra High-Rise Medium Wash Denim Shorts ($20).

06 Sep 2024

Halsey Fights Their Own ‘Ego’ in 90s Inspired Music Video

Halsey is officially killing their ego.

The singer dropped a music video for her latest single, “Ego,” on Friday (Sept. 6). In the clip, Halsey plays two characters representing two versions of themselves. On one end of the dinner table, the star is seen with long, red hair with full glam makeup and a black mini dress. On the opposite end, Halsey rocks short hair of the same color, wearing no makeup and a tuxedo.

“I think that I should try to kill my ego/ ‘Cause if I don’t, my ego might kill me/ I’m all grown up but somehow lately/ I’m acting like a f—ing baby/ I’m really not as happy as I seem,” Halsey sings in the rock-tinged chorus, as her two egos fight each other around a dimly lit home, using any weapons necessary to get the job done.

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“Ego” is the fourth single from Halsey’s upcoming album, The Great Impersonator, set to drop on Oct. 25. The star has described the project as deeply personal, saying, “I made this record in the space between life and death, and it feels like I’ve waited an eternity for you to have it.”

This week, the three-time Grammy nominee also shared the album’s main cover art, which features a black-and-white close-up of them with rosy cheeks and a star-shaped sticker with the title on her forehead. “Step right up, ladies and gentlemen,” the sticker’s fine print reads. “Behold the marvel of a century. Witness the uncanny ability of a woman who can become anyone, anything your heart desires.”

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The Great Impersonator will mark Halsey’s first album since 2021’s If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The project also features previously released singles “The End,” “Lucky” and “Lonely Is the Muse.” 

Watch the “Ego” music video below.

06 Sep 2024

Reggae/Dancehall Fresh Picks of the Month: Peetah Morgan, Mortimer, Spice, Skillibeng & More

With carnival season coming to a close, it’s time to let go of the summer and ease into the cooler half of the year. Lucky for us, the world of Caribbean music closed out summer with a bang. During the annual West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn, NY, on Labor Day (Sept. 2), the Queen of Dancehall, Spice, joined forces with BK rap star Lola Brooke for a special parkway performance of “Cry,” from the Jamaican superstar’s new Mirror 25 album.

The week prior, Brooklyn once again played host to the Caribbean Music Awards, which featured hours of celebrations of the past year in Caribbean music and culture. Fresh off his stellar Stateside comeback performances earlier this year, Buju Banton took home album of the year (reggae) for Born for Greatness, which featured collaborations with Victoria Monét, Stephen Marley and Snoop Dogg. Masicka’s Generation of Kings — which reached No. 2 on Reggae Albums last December — was crowned album of the year (dancehall), while fellow Jamaicans Shenseea (artist of the year female – dancehall), Lila Iké (artist of the year female – reggae), Valiant (artist of the year male – dancehall) and Dexta Daps (performer of the year – dancehall).

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Two 2023 Billboard-charting hits — Teejay‘s “Drift” and Byron Messia & Burna Boy‘s “Talibans” — earned trophies as well. Teejay’s joint took home video of the year (dancehall) while Byron took home a pair of honors: collaboration of the year (dancehall) and song of the year (dancehall). Other notable victors included Shaggy & Kes (collaboration of the year – reggae) and Romeo Santos (artist of the year – Latin Caribbean). On the honorary side, Marcia Griffiths received a Lifetime Achievement Award, Cedella Marley received a Legacy Award and Spice was honored as Artist of the Decade.

Naturally, Billboard’s monthly Reggae/Dancehall Fresh Picks column will not cover every last track, but our Spotify playlist — which is linked below — will expand on the 10 highlighted songs. So, without any further ado:

Freshest Find: Mortimer feat. Kabaka Pyramid & Lila Iké, “Bruises”

For the latest single from his forthcoming From Within LP (due Sept. 20), Mortimer, one of contemporary reggae’s guiding lights, recruits Kabaka Pyramid and Lila Iké for a solemn, reflective track that deals with the bleak state of the human condition and the global Black struggle. Keeping the tradition of speaking truth to power while injecting a distinctly modern, almost hip-hop-inflected groove to its reggae foundation, “Bruises” is a winning collaboration. Between Kabaka’s sizzling verse and Lila’s tender timbre, “Bruises” is a wholly dynamic listen that balances the hurt and hope that ground the trio’s powerful lyrics.

Chronic Law, “Dark Up Di Place”

Chronic Law is on a seemingly endless hot streak, and his run continues with “Dark Up Di Place.” Operating in the trap dancehall lane, the St. Thomas star adds another solid gun chune to his arsenal with this ominous banger. “How you fi shoot up a yard weh nobody nuh live, come on” he taunts in a tone that’s equal parts apathetic and snarky, underscoring how comfortably he rests in his own proclamations of dominance and power. The chugging riddim feels as dark as the song’s title suggests, but it’s Chronic’s menacing delivery that really brings the whole song together.

Capleton, “Jah Guide My Step”

For the deluxe version of the Brimstone Riddim album, reggae legend Capleton made a characteristically moving appearance with “Jah Guide My Step.” “Jah, guide my step/ Jah, guide and protect” he opens the song, immediately matching the triumphant energy of those opening horns by grounding his vision for his future in the hands of the Almighty. Some of the best reggae songs blend their blistering political commentary with reverence for the endless possibilities of a future buoyed by steadfast faith and holy guidance, and that’s exactly what Capleton achieves on this poignant new track.

Skillibeng feat. Tokischa, “Boom”

Ahead of his stint as a support act on Nicki Minaj‘s historic Pink Friday 2 World Tour, Skillibeng angled himself towards a reggaeton crossover moment with his new Tokischa-assisted track, “Boom.” Built around a sample of the iconic “Bam Bam” riddim, the Yeti-produced track finds Skillibeng doubling down on his trademark X-rated lyrics. “It nuh matter, baby gyal, yuh hot, look how yuh proper/ Waan fi plow yuh like a farmer, wi fi f–k inna da car yah,” he spits to close out his verse, with Dominican rapper and singer Tokischa effortlessly matching his energy with the lines, “He call my p—y, say, ‘Miss fatty-fatty’/ P—y so tight, gon’ make him a murder.” From bilingual verses to an iconic sample, “Boom” is tailor-made for some kind of crossover success — even if this is the second time Skillibeng has put out a song with that name!

Spice, “You Are Worthy”

To kick off her career-commemorating Mirror 25 album, Spice brought herself to the church doors with this gospel-steeped opener. “When I look at what You carry me through/ Who could it be? No other one but You/ I stand on your word in Psalms 92/ And Psalms 35, the words in Mark 2,” she sings in the song’s emotional second verse. In a conversation with Billboard, Spice explained that she opened her album with a gospel song to give God praise for helping her through a near-fatal health scare. “I’m supposed to be here because God saved my life for a reason,” she said. “I escaped death. I don’t take that lightly.” With the way her voice soars with gratitude over the evocative amalgam of organs, piano, drums, and guitar, it’s clear that Spice meant every word of that explanation.

The Wailers, “Sins”

It’s been a major year for the Marleys, but The Wailers have something to say too. On Aug. 30, the Grammy-nominated band launched their Evolution album featuring the excellent closer, “Sins.” Across an earthy mixture of guitars, bass, and horns, the Aston Barrett Jr. warns people to not use the Bible to justify themselves and to not “be a hypocrite,” two proclamations that inadvertently (maybe intentionally!) set them in opposition to the way quite a few artists across genres, including reggae and dancehall, use the Bible to justify positions that can be extremely harmful and downright heinous. It’s a ballsy closer, one that pushes the album further into conversations at the intersection of religion, music, and politics — a true testament to the enduring legacy of both Bob Marley and reggae music at large.

Peetah Morgan & Zion I Kings, “Who Run the World”

Earlier this year (Feb. 25), Peter “Peetah” Morgan — the lead singer of Morgan Heritage — passed away, but his moving voice is still as powerful as ever on “Who Run the World,” his take on Zion I Kings’ “Full Bloom” riddim. “Who run di world and who call di shots/ Yuh think a you just because you hold a glock,” he sings before shouting out Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, and Thomas Sankara among other “African fathers who fight for our liberation.” In a way, the song is a smart answer to those who think being armed automatically equates to having and securing power. It’s also a timely reminder of the interconnected struggles of the global Black diaspora — especially in light of the frenzy Buju Banton’s take on Afrobeats caused a few weeks ago.

DJ Cheem, “She Getting On (Never)”

Bajan-American soca artist DJ Cheem delivers a sunny end-of-summer jam with “She Getting On.” By all accounts, it’s a standard soca track that praises a lady’s posterior and recounts wicked wins over a jaunty combination of groovy drum patterns. What takes “She Getting On” to another level is the chorus melody. It’s relatively straightforward, but when Cheem’s voice soars on “know” just as the whistles and horns come in, your waist will probably start moving on its own accord — and that’s exactly how you know that you have a real soca hit on your hands.

Tina (Hoodcelebrityy), “Lover Man”

Fresh off her Tina vs. Hoodcelebrityy project from earlier this year, Tina is back with a new single that pulls from two dancehall classes. “Lover Man,” a song that flips the script on dancehall’s male-dominant explorations of romance, takes notes from Dave Kelly’s 1994 “Pepperseed” riddim, as well as the hook from Nadine Sutherland & Terror Fabulous’ classic, “Action.” With her voice floating between different registers and lyrics that champion a woman’s right to be selective with who she crowns her “lover man,” Tina’s new single is a sweet synthesis of all of her sonic influences and both of her personas.

Chip & DJ Frass, “Gyalis Pree”

For his take on DJ Frass’ “Party Bus” riddim, Tottenham emcee Chip steps into his dancehall bag with a sexy combination of his British rap foundation and his Caribbean roots. He effortlessly switches between spitting debaucherous bars (“Weed and tequila/ Standard procedure”) and employing a melodic, AutoTune-assisted cadence that allows his voice to try on different textures to play up the subtle percussiveness and vibrant synths of Frass’ riddim. Of course, that callback to 50 Cent’s “In da Club” (“Find me in the club…”) is the icing on top.