djfrosty

30 Aug 2024

Basel Picked As Host City For 2025 Eurovision Song Contest

The 2025 Eurovision Song Contest is setting up roots in the northern Swiss town of Basel. Organizers announced the news on Friday (August 30), revealing that the 69th edition of the international singing competition will visit Switzerland for a third time next May 13, 15 and 17 when it sets up shop Basel’s 12,000-capacity St. Jackobshalle Arena; Eurovision previously took place in Lugano for the very first edition in 1956 and Lausanne in 1989.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Switzerland took home the top prize in the inaugural year of Eurovision, when Lys Assia’s “Refrain” came out on top and then won again in 1988 when Celine Dion triumphed with “Ne partez pas sans moi.” Following last year’s win by Swiss singer Nemo, riverside town Basel, the third largest city in the country, was tapped to host this year after beating out Geneva for the honor.

Nemo thrilled the crowd last year in Malmö Arena in Sweden when the singer — who identifies as non-binary, representing the first Eurovision win by a non-binary act — performed their song about coming to terms with their identity.

Trending on Billboard

The annual Eurovision finals are one of the most-watched TV events of the year, with the 2024 edition drawing in more than 160 million viewers. According to a release announcing next year’s host, the two Swiss cities who were the final candidates were chosen according to criteria including hotel capacity, security, available venues, sustainability, transportation infrastructure and experience with large events.

“The EBU is thrilled that Basel has been selected as the Host City for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025,” said Eurovision executive supervisor Martin Österdahl in a statement. “The Contest was born in Switzerland in Lugano back in 1956 and it’s great to be bringing it back to its birthplace almost 70 years later. Basel’s strategic location at the crossroads of Europe makes it the ideal setting for an event that celebrates the power of music to connect people across borders.”

He continued, “With its unique blend of tradition and innovation, Basel reflects the spirit of the Eurovision Song Contest. The city’s exceptional St. Jakobshalle venue and outstanding hospitality will ensure a memorable experience for delegations, artists and fans alike. Following Contests in the Italian and French speaking parts of the country in 1956 and 1989 we’re also excited to bring the Eurovision Song Contest to German Switzerland for the very first time.”

Basel, a town of 177,000 situated on the River Rhine, is one of the country’s cultural capitals, home to dozens of museums and world-class architecture. Tickets for the nine 2025 shows, including dress rehearsals, are expected to go on sale in the next few months.

Check out the 2025 announcement below.

30 Aug 2024

Patrick Mahomes Says Taylor Swift Has Been ‘Drawing Up Plays’ for the Kansas City Chiefs

They don’t call her mastermind for nothing. When she isn’t crafting songs, albums and concert setlists, Taylor Swift apparently draws up plays, as revealed by Patrick Mahomes in a new interview.

While speaking to Chris Simms for NFL on NBC in a video posted Thursday (Aug. 29), the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback gushed about the pop star’s involvement in the sport ever since she started dating tight end Travis Kelce. “She’s really interested in football, she asks a lot of great questions,” Mahomes said. “She’s already drawing up plays, so we might have to put one in.”

“Meeting Taylor, realizing how genuine and cool she is … that’s been special to me, because like you said, [she’s] the most famous person in the world,” added the athlete, who shares daughter Sterling, son Bronze and a new baby on the way with wife Brittany Mahomes. “I think it’s been cool to see the girls and the women that have really embraced watching football. I know being a girl dad, how cool it is for me … to see these little girls, these daughters and how much they’re loving spending time with their dad watching football.”

Trending on Billboard

The interview comes just a few days ahead of the beginning of the 2024-25 NFL season, which kicks off Sept. 5 with a Chiefs vs. Baltimore Ravens game. Fans will surely be tuning in to see whether Swift is present at Arrowhead Stadium to support Kelce on the big day, with the 14-time Grammy winner currently on an Eras Tour break following the conclusion of its European leg on Aug. 20.

Mahomes and Kelce also recently sat for a pre-season panel with teammates Harrison Butker, Nick Bolton and Justin Reid, during which the topic of Swift briefly came up again. At one point, the tight end told the event’s host, play-by-play announcer Mitch Holthus, “We love you.” Holthus then asked Kelce if he loves him “more than Taylor,” prompting the Ohio native to respond: “Maybe not.”

Watch Mahomes’ interview with NFL on NBC and a clip of the Chiefs panel below.

30 Aug 2024

Eminem & LL Cool J Join Forces for First-Ever Collaboration on ‘Murdergram Deux’: Listen

LL Cool J and Eminem have joined forces for the first time on a brand new track slated to land on LL’s upcoming The Force album, which arrives on Sept. 6.

The single finds the pair of lethal MCs passing the baton back-and-forth while spitting rapid-fire bars, one hotter than the next. “Murdergram Deux” landed on Friday (Aug. 30) without much of any notice from LL or Em that the track was on the way.

“Give blessings to my disciples, professional I’m a sniper/ Like eight miles away, me and Marshall doing murders/ With dirty burners, break them down and melt them in the furnace,” LL Cool J raps over the skittering Q-Tip production.

Trending on Billboard

Eminem closes out “Murdergram Deux” seemingly without taking a breath and brings the uptempo track across the finish line with a hat tip to his Dr. Dre and 50 Cent-assisted “Crack a Bottle.”

“Go ahead and crack a bottle, ’cause this is E and J/ Meaning me and James (Yeah), got that avocado/ And we the sociopaths, and we got your ho on our laps/ And we’re goin’ back to Cali so she can blow on our sax,” he spews.

It’s been a turbulent journey for “Murdergram” to receive an official release, as an unfinished version of the track was leaked earlier this year, which frustrated the Queens-bred icon.

“It’s not A.I., but it’s not official. It’s not official, it’s not the right version,” he previously told Raymond T. “People just walk all in the kitchen, touching the rolls before they’re done — you know, how your grandmother slaps your hand when you try to check the pots early. It’s not A.I., it’s a real joint.”

Em joined LL Cool J as a guest on his Rock The Bells radio show in 2018, during which the Detroit artist recalled meeting the rapper for the first time on the set of his “Just Don’t Give a F–k” video.

“I’m like, ‘Yo, he’s in here by himself.’ I was buggin’ the f–k out,” Em said. “You quoted a lyric back to me. You said, ‘Yo, how can I be white/ I don’t even exist.’ You quoting that lyric back to me, was like, ‘I think I s–t myself.’”

Eminem also made an appearance at the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction for LL Cool J, where the duo performed his “Rock the Bells” hit.

LL Cool J’s The Force album serves as his first since 2013’s Authentic, and is slated to feature Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, Saweetie, Nas and more.

Listen to “Murdergram Deux” below.

30 Aug 2024

Double Shot: Post Malone & Blake Shelton’s ‘Drink’ Hits Country Airplay Top 10, Shaboozey’s ‘Bar Song’ Rules for Sixth Week

Post Malone’s “Pour Me a Drink” featuring Blake Shelton hops three spots to No. 10 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart (dated Sept. 7). It increased by 18% to 18.6 million audience impressions Aug. 23-29, according to Luminate.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Post Malone adds his second Country Airplay top 10, after “I Had Some Help,” featuring Morgan Wallen, led for four weeks beginning in June. Both singles are from his first country LP, F-1 Trillion, which soared in at No. 1 on the Aug. 31-dated Top Country Albums chart and the all-genre Billboard 200 with 250,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States. It scored the second-biggest week for a country title this year, after Beyoncé’s maiden release in the genre, Cowboy Carter, arrived with 407,000 in April.

Shelton banks his 36th Country Airplay top 10 and his first since “Minimum Wage” hit No. 9 in June 2021. He ties fellow Oklahoman Reba McEntire for the ninth-most top 10s; Kenny Chesney and George Strait lead all acts with 61 each dating to the chart’s 1990 start, followed by Tim McGraw with 60.

Trending on Billboard

Post Malone boasts two concurrent Country Airplay top 10s, as “I Had Some Help” holds at No. 2 (28.1 million in audience). Plus, newest F-1 Trillion single “Guy for That,” featuring Luke Combs, ranks at No. 41 (2.6 million).

Shaboozey Cracks Open Six-Pack

Shaboozey rules Country Airplay for a sixth total and consecutive week with “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” The track, which drew 28.8 in reach among chart reporters (down 3%), is only the second country career-establishing No. 1 to reign for as many as six weeks (counting acts’ first Country Airplay entries as a lead artist or their initial songs promoted to country radio); Carrie Underwood’s “Jesus, Take the Wheel” logged six weeks on top in early 2006.

“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” added a seventh week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated Aug. 31, claiming outright 2024’s longest reign, surpassing the six nonconsecutive weeks on top for Post Malone’s “I Had Some Help.” Shaboozey’s hit has likewise logged the sole longest command this year on the multimetric Hot Country Songs chart, its 11 weeks at No. 1 having bested Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em,” which ruled for 10 weeks in February-April.

All charts dated Sept. 7 will update on Billboard.com Wednesday, Sept. 4 (a day later than usual due to the Labor Day holiday Sept. 2).

30 Aug 2024

Sabrina Carpenter Scores Third Pop Airplay Chart No. 1 With ‘Please Please Please’

Sabrina Carpenter collects her third No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart as “Please Please Please” ascends to the top of the list dated Sept. 7. The song follows her “Espresso,” which ruled for three weeks in July, and “Feather,” which led for a week in April.

“Please Please Please,” released on Island Records and promoted to radio by Republic (and, notably, edited for radio), gained by 8% in plays Aug. 23-29. (The Pop Airplay chart ranks songs by weekly plays on over 150 mainstream top 40 radio stations monitored by Mediabase, with data provided to Billboard by Luminate.)

Carpenter was already the only artist with at least two Pop Airplay No. 1s in 2024. She becomes the eighth artist to rise to the summit with at least three songs in a January-December tracking year, dating to the chart’s 1992 start. Rihanna is the only act to have achieved the feat twice, while Lady Gaga tallied an unmatched four No. 1s in 2009.

Trending on Billboard

Here’s a recap of all such triple triumphs:

  • Sabrina Carpenter, 2024: “Feather,” “Espresso,” “Please Please Please”
  • Doja Cat, 2022: “Need to Know,” “Woman,” “Vegas”
  • Justin Bieber, 2016: “Sorry,” “Love Yourself,” “Cold Water” (Major Lazer feat. Justin Bieber & MØ)
  • Taylor Swift, 2015: “Style,” “Bad Blood” (feat. Kendrick Lamar), “Wildest Dreams”
  • Katy Perry, 2011: “Firework,” “E.T.” (feat. Kanye West), “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”
  • Rihanna, 2010: “Rude Boy,” “Love the Way You Lie” (Eminem feat. Rihanna), “Only Girl (In the World)”
  • Lady Gaga, 2009: “Just Dance” (feat. Colby O’Donis), “Poker Face,” “LoveGame,” “Paparazzi”
  • Rihanna, 2008: “Take a Bow,” “Disturbia,” “Live Your Life” (T.I. feat. Rihanna)
  • Alanis Morissette, 1996: “Ironic,” “You Learn,” “Head Over Feet”

Additionally, Carpenter becomes the first artist signed to Island to log three Pop Airplay No. 1s in a single year. (Mariah Carey is the only other act to have notched multiple leaders on the label in such a span, via “We Belong Together” and “Shake It Off” in 2005.)

“Please Please Please” became Carpenter’s first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has topped both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts.

Meanwhile, Carpenter debuts on Pop Airplay with “Taste” at No. 34. The song, “Please Please Please” and “Espresso” are from her album Short n’ Sweet, released Aug. 23; the official video for “Taste” premiered later that morning. Carpenter is set to begin her Short n’ Sweet Tour Sept. 23 in Columbus, Ohio.

All charts dated Sept. 7 will update on Billboard.com Wednesday, Sept. 4 (a day later than usual due to the Labor Day holiday Sept. 2).

30 Aug 2024

Why Ice Spice, ¥$ & More Love This Viral Producer

When Nico Baran was 10, he discovered the popular digital audio workstation FL Studio during a class presentation and started making dance tracks. “That helped me build up my skills for making loops,” says Baran, who soon transitioned to R&B and trap productions.

Seven years later, in 2020, the Houston-born, Madrid-based producer started DM’ing loops to members of the producer collective and record label Internet Money. One member, oktanner, played the beats for CEO Taz Taylor, who brought Baran onto the team that year. Taylor asked Baran to send him ideas ahead of his session with The Kid LAROI, which led to Baran scoring his first major placement on LAROI’s debut mixtape, F*ck Love, co-writing and co-producing “Tragic” featuring YoungBoy Never Broke Again.

He has since compiled a genre-spanning résumé — and an impressive original loop library, which he often shares as sounds on TikTok — producing songs for rappers like Lil Tecca, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and Shy Glizzy, as well as Latin artists like Bad Bunny with Young Miko, Eladio Carrión and Fuerza Regida. In June, when Baran posted a now-viral snippet titled “Love Is Gone” — a moody instrumental that has since amassed 1.8 million TikTok plays and 4.3 million official on-demand global streams, according to Luminate — Drake caught wind of the hype. “He reached out to me through Instagram,” Baran says. “I’m still sending him stuff to this day.”

Trending on Billboard

Wallace Joseph, SVP of A&R at Warner Chappell Music, calls the producer a “genius,” saying his talent is “purely natural. What he’s doing is next level; whether he’s playing keyboards, producing, or anything else, everything he touches goes viral.”

Ahead, Baran is hoping to make time for his own music as well, saying he “definitely” wants to release an album of his own — “kind of like Metro Boomin and DJ Khaled,” he says, “where I can bring artists into my own sound.”

¥$ (with Lil Wayne), “Lifestyle”

Last November, Baran wrote, “POV: Ty Dolla $ign & Kanye need beats for their next album,” over a TikTok featuring one of his loops. In December, when Ye previewed “Lifestyle” during an Instagram Live filmed at a private Las Vegas party teasing Vultures 2 (despite Vultures 1 not having dropped), Baran noticed a familiar beat: The song sampled “Love Is Gone.” As Baran recalls, “People were sending me screen recordings through Instagram like, ‘Kanye sampled you!’ ” One of the song’s producers, Australian duo FNZ, had sent Ty “Love Is Gone.” Baran says, “He liked it a lot. He showed it to Kanye, and Kanye loved it. It still feels unbelievable.”

Ice Spice & Central Cee, “Did It First”



In 2023, songwriter-producer Lily Kaplan sent Baran a Dropbox link and asked him to tinker with her vocal tracks. He built a loop around one of them by chopping up the line “Baby, do you understand?” and adding synths before sending it to RIOTUSA, Ice Spice’s go-to producer. RIOT ultimately used it for Ice and Central Cee’s “Did It First,” one of the buzzier singles from her debut album, Y2K!, that dropped in July. “Ice Spice really loved that one loop, and it kind of went crazy,” says Baran of the track, which hit No. 10 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

The Kid LAROI, TBA



Four years after “Tragic,” one of LAROI’s producers reached out to Baran about sampling a loop that he had posted on TikTok to use on a track from the Australian artist’s forthcoming second album. (His debut, The First Time, arrived last November.) “That’s mainly what I’m focusing on right now,” Baran reveals. “I’m sending a lot of ideas to LAROI’s producers. Aside from that one song, hopefully more [will] come about.”

A version of this article originally appeared in the August 31, 2024 issue of Billboard.

30 Aug 2024

Karol G Duets With Andrea Bocelli in Powerful Rendition of ‘Vivo Por Ella’: Stream It Now

Andrea Bocelli has joined forces with Karol G for a new duet called “Vivo por Ella,” which arrived Friday (Aug. 30) via Decca Records/Sugar Music. The new single reinvents one of the Italian tenor’s most iconic tracks, “Vivo Per Lei” (“I Live for Her”), which originally features Spanish singer Marta Sánchez. The single is part of Bocelli’s upcoming album, Duets, which is slated to release on Oct. 25 and celebrates his 30th anniversary in music.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

 Switching out the original piano for a blend of bow-stroked (arco) and plucked (pizzicato) violin notes, the newly reimagined version of the song adopts a slightly faster pace than the ’90s version. This powerful rendition features the passionate tenor of the Italian paired seamlessly with the vibrant vocals of the Colombian superstar. The song is produced by David Foster and Ellis.

Trending on Billboard

“This song holds a very special place in my heart, and it’s a great honor to reimagine it with one of the most talented and exciting new artists in the world, Karol G,” Bocelli said in a statement. “Her beautiful voice helps create a timeless celebration of love and music that will find new fans and resonate across generations.”

Karol G added in the press release, “I discovered Andrea when I was a teenager. I was super connected to his music, the power of his voice and his unique way of creating music. This song is a huge honor for me – it’s a song I’ve always loved, and when I was invited to sing ‘Vivo por Ella,’ it felt like coming home. It’s a song I really feel inside myself, it feels like it’s going to be a special point in my career.”

The original “Vivo Per Lei” achieved success in numerous countries when it was released in 1995 on his album Bocelli, including on the Billboard charts, peaking at No. 16 on Hot Latin Songs, No. 8 on Tropical Airplay and No. 9 on Latin Pop Airplay.

This career-spanning 32-track collection of Duets also includes duets with Ed Sheeran, Celine Dion, Sarah Brightman, Dua Lipa, Jennifer Lopez, Giorgia and Luciano Pavarotti, as well as Shania Twain, Chris Stapleton, Gwen Stefani, Marc Anthony, Hans Zimmer and more.

Stream the song below:

Duets tracklist:

CD1
1. “Time To Say Goodbye” (Sarah Brightman)
2. “Vivo Por Ella” (Karol G)
3. “Quizás, Quizás, Quizás” (Jennifer Lopez)
4. “Fall On Me” (Matteo Bocelli)
5. “Perfect Symphony” (Ed Sheeran)
6. “Da stanotte in poi (From This Moment On)” (Shania Twain)
7. “Holding On” (Gwen Stefani)
8. “Il mare calmo della sera” (Chris Stapleton)
9. “The Prayer” (Céline Dion)
10. “La vie en rose” (Édith Piaf)
11. “E più ti penso – from ‘Once Upon A Time In America’” (Ariana Grande)
12. “If Only” (Dua Lipa)
13. “Somos Novios” (Christina Aguilera)
14. “Return To Love” (Ellie Goulding)
15. “Rimani qui” (Elisa)
16. “Vivo per lei” (Giorgia)

CD2
1. “Dare To Live (Vivere)” (Laura Pausini)
2. “Can’t Help Falling In Love” (Katharine McPhee)
3. “Hallelujah” (Virginia Bocelli)
4. “Amazing Grace” (Alison Krauss)
5. “Moon River – from ‘Breakfast At Tiffany’s’” (Sofia Carson)
6. “Canto della terra” (Lauren Daigle)
7. “La voce del silenzio” (Marc Anthony)
8. “Canzoni stonate” (Stevie Wonder)
9. “Un amore così grande” (Veronica Berti)
10. “Notte ‘e piscatore” – Live in Modena (Luciano Pavarotti)
11. “Io ci sarò” (Lang Lang)
12. “Pianissimo” (Cecilia Bartoli)
13. “The Pearl Fishers Duet” – Live in Central Park (Bryn Terfel)
14. “Bambina mia ricordati” (Virginia Bocelli)
15. “What Child Is This?” (Mary J. Blige)
16. “Time To Say Goodbye” (Matteo Bocelli, Hans Zimmer)

30 Aug 2024

Sabrina Carpenter Drops ‘Short n’ Sweet’ Bonus Track & Barry Keoghan Is Ready for It

Sabrina Carpenter has been one busy woman. Just one week after dropping her sixth studio album, Short n’ Sweet, the 25-year-old pop star released a surprise bonus track — and Barry Keoghan was first in line to download.

Sharing an outtake from her Short n’ Sweet cover shoot, Carpenter announced the new song on Instagram Thursday (Aug. 29). “surprise b—h!” she captioned the post.

The “Feather” singer went on to explain that she penned the song — titled “Busy Woman” — with producer Jack Antonoff and cowriter Amy Allen after she turned her new album in to her record label. “[I] was so sad i couldn’t include it…,” she added, noting that the song would only be available to purchase on her website for a limited time. “it’s one of my favorites so i wanted to give it to you as a thank you for all of the love!!!!!”

Trending on Billboard

In the comments, her Academy Award-nominated boyfriend was quick to show support. “Lets feckin go!! ??” Keoghan wrote.

After Carpenter dropped Short n’ Sweet on Aug. 23, fans were quick to speculate that the Work It star wrote some of the project’s songs about the Irish actor — particularly the NSFW “Bed Chem.” “I was in a sheer dress the day that we met/ We were both in a rush, we talked for a sec,” she sings on the track. “Who’s the cute boy with the white jacket and the thick accent? … Who’s the cute guy with the wide, blue eyes?”

Keoghan also stars opposite Carpenter in the music video for her Billboard Hot 100-topping single “Please Please Please,” which is featured on Short n’ Sweet. The pair first sparked dating rumors in late 2023, a few months before making their public debut at the Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty in March.

See Carpenter’s post below.

30 Aug 2024

The Cure Releasing Live Versions of Two New Songs on Eco Vinyl

While fans continue the seemingly interminable wait for the proper follow-up to 2008’s 4:13 Dream, The Cure will slake their thirst for new music in October with the release of live versions of two new songs. After debuting some fresh tracks on the road over the past few years, the Robert Smith-led group will issue the two-song live 12″ single Novembre: Live in France 2022 on Oct. 1, marking their first official release of new music in 16 years.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The double A-side 12″ will have in concert versions of “And Nothing Is Forever” and “I Can Never Say Goodbye,” both songs the band started playing in concert two years ago. The songs will be released on Eco-vinyl through Naked Record Club, with net profits going to Brian Eno’s Earth Percent climate charity. Intense, dreamy ballad “And Nothing Is Forever,” was recorded at Montpellier Sud de France Arena on Nov. 8, 2022, while the equally gauzy “I Never Can Say Goodbye” was tracked in Toulouse at Zénith on Nov. 13, 2022 on the French leg of the goth rock group’s 2022 Shows of a Lost World tour.

“I’d like to thank The Cure and NAKED Record Club — both true innovators — for their generous support of vital climate projects through the release of The Cure – Novembre: Live In France 2022,” Eno said in a press release. “It’s a powerful example of how the music community can work together to build a better world.”

Trending on Billboard

The tracks will appear on 5,000 individually numbered vinyl LPs — 100 of which will be signed– with pre-orders open now. According to Naked Record Club, their releases are pressed on sustainable vinyl, which is made by an injection-molding machine that uses a reported 90% less electricity than traditional steam presses on non-toxic recyclable PET plastic instead of PVC, which is toxic and takes thousands of years to decompose.

Back in 2020, Smith promised that the band’s 14th album would “definitely be out soon,” saying at the time that he was wrapping up recording and was preparing to mix any day. “But until it’s completed, no one will believe me. I look forward to it coming out more than anyone else, trust me!” Smith added in February of that year.

See the announcement below.

30 Aug 2024

Executive Turntable: ADOR Replaces CEO While TikTok and Universal Nashville Make Moves

Welcome to another edition of Executive Turntable, Billboard’s comprehensive(ish) compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across music. While you’re here, we also have a weekly interview series spotlighting a single executive and a regularly updated gallery honoring many of the industry figures we’ve lost throughout the year.

HYBE-owned label ADOR appointed Kim Ju-young to replace founder Min Hee-jin as CEO of the imprint, home of K-pop girl group NewJeans. The decision was made on Tuesday (Aug. 27) by ADOR’s board of directors following a turbulent several months of legal disputes, allegations of defamation and an earlier attempt by HYBE to dismiss the exec, who co-founded ADOR in 2021. ADOR said Min, formerly a creative director at SM Entertainment, would continue to produce music for NewJeans. Additionally, ADOR said it will restructure in order to separate its management and production sectors. Kim most recently served as HYBE’s chief HR officer and was previously head of HR at South Korean video game publisher Krafton. The move is the second major leadership change in a month for HYBE, which recently promoted Jason Jaesang Lee to CEO, replacing Jiwon Park in the top spot ahead of what it has since dubbed its “HYBE 2.0” strategy.

Trending on Billboard

TikTok elevated Toyin Mustapha to head of music partnerships for the UK, Ireland and Sub-Saharan Africa. He joined the ByteDance-owned platform in late 2018 as music content and artist partnerships manager before shifting over to music promotions lead at SoundOn, TikTok’s DIY distribution service. “I’m really looking forward to helping the incredible team continue to build on all of their great work driving music discovery and making TikTok a true home for artists at every stage, as we support as much incredible homegrown talent as possible,” Mustapha said in announcing his move. Back at SoundOn, Nichal Sethi was upped to head of SoundOn for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). He joined the ByteDance family in 2022 from BMG, where he held a senior director-level position. Remarked Sethi: “I’ve been lucky to work with some amazing artists and teams so far and looking forward to working with many more in the future as we help more independent artists break through on TikTok and beyond.”

Universal Music Group Nashville appointed Derek Anderson as senior vp of commerce. Anderson has more than 15 years of industry and music distribution experience and in this new role, he oversees e-commerce, retail and streaming teams for the label group. Anderson’s career includes time at Sony Music’s RED Distribution, Kobalt/AWAL, The Orchard, Black River Entertainment and New West Records. “Having followed [UMGN’s] industry dominance from afar, I’m very much looking forward to building upon their great foundation and continuing to grow personally and collectively with the UMG team,” said Anderson. –Jessica Nicholson

Sony Music Publishing Australia hired Julian McGruther as senior A&R, a new position at the publisher. He’ll focus on boosting the company’s roster of local talent and report directly to Craig Hawker, Sony Music Publishing’s head of A&R/creative. McGruther joins from Mushroom Music, where in seven years he rose to creative director and worked with artist including Amy Shark, Nat Dunn and Mona Khoshoi, among others.

The Country Radio Broadcasters revealed its elected members for the organization’s 2024-2025 Board of Directors. Returning board officers for 2024-2025 are Kurt Johnson (Townsquare Media) as president, John Shomby (Country’s Radio Coach) as vice president, and Beverlee Brannigan (Beverlee Brannigan LLC Creative Coaching) as secretary. Elected/appointed members of the new board are Emily Cohen Belote (Amazon Music), Justin Chase (Beasley Media Group), Mike Harris (UMG Nashville), Debra Herman (Apple/Shazam), Jennifer Johnson (Riser House Records), Ashley Morrison (iHeartMedia/WFUS), Jordan Pettit (Opry Entertainment Group), Greg Strassell (Hubbard), Allison Warren (Cumulus Nashville) and Kristen Williams (Warner Music Nashville), while those continuing their terms are Chuck Aly (Country Aircheck), George Couri (Triple 8 Management), Gator Harrison (iHeart Country), Steve Hodges (Sony Music Nashville), Clay Hunnicut (BMLG), Kenny Jay (Albright & O’Malley & Brenner), Jon Loba (BMG North America), Mike McVay (McVay Media), RJ Meacham (Curb Records), Brent Michaels (KUZZ), Charlie Morgan (Apple Music), Rod Phillips (iHeart Country), Joel Raab (Joel Raab Country Radio & Media), Royce Risser (The Familie), Tim Roberts (Audacy/WYCD) and Matt Sunshine (The Center for Sales Strategy).  –J.N.

BOARD SHORTS: Former Warner Music executive Linda Walker will be joining the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA) as the UK org’s new chair, effective Sept. 1. She succeeds Ben Drury, who served for 18 months in the role. Walker spent nearly 20 years at WMG, rising from an account manager to senior vp of commercial for UK and Europe … Creator-run nonprofit Artist Rights Alliance added songwriter and voice actor Dan Navarro to its board of directors and beefed up its music council with the likes of Aerosmith, Creed, Wolfgang Van Halen, Lauren Daigle, Jerry Flowers, Myles Kennedy and Sevendust. Founded in 2013, the ARA’s mission is to provide “artists and their allies with resources, knowledge, and tools to navigate the complex music business landscape.” It launched its music council, along with an Artists’ Bill of Rights, in mid-2020 with names including Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow and Emmylou Harris. The board and council both provide advisory input and offer their oomph to advocating for legislation to benefit artists rights.

Creator-centric marketing company QYOU Media hired Karen Kehm as vp of communications. Kehm is tasked with overseeing all marketing and communications efforts, along with B2B initiatives, at the company. Prior to QYOU, she held senior communications roles at influencer marketing firm BENlabs and at AOL. “We’re thrilled to welcome Karen to the team to help continue QYOU’s forward trajectory as we head into 2025,” said Glenn Ginsburg, president of QYOU Media. “We are excited to continue to shed light on the innovative work we’re doing across the influencer marketing space, tapping into the cultural zeitgeist to connect our client partners with their target audiences, through socially relevant and authentic campaigns.”

Mike Lisanti recently departed Prodigy Artists to launch MLennial, a new artist management agency with clients including BARELY ALIVE, Kompany, MUZZ and SABAI. The Los Angeles-based manager previously served as chief operating officer at Prodigy, where he was credited with helping to revitalize the career of dubstep DJ/producer Crankdat.

ICYMI:

Celine Joshua

Celine Joshua

Former Universal Music executive and longtime music tech futurist Celine Joshua joined BMG for the newly created role of executive vp of global marketing … Dr. Kenji Kitatani is Warner Music Japan‘s first chairman in a decade … and Warner Music Brazil onboarded Tatiana Cantinho and Mariana Frensel to fortify its genre-focused strategies and strengthen its market presence.
Last Week’s Turntable: Warner Music Bolsters Global A&R Team