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11 Jul 2024

Katy Perry Taps Into the Girl Power for Empowering ‘Woman’s World’ Music Video

Katy Perry is back!

The pop superstar made her comeback to the music scene on Thursday (July 11) with the premiere of her music video for her new single, “Woman’s World.” In the clip, Perry is the ultimate pin-up girl, taking on a construction site before she’s hit by an anvil. She then appears in a female-led apocalyptic world and causes fun mayhem with her fellow women. Influencer Trisha Paytas also makes a cameo in the clip.

“You better celebrate/’Cause, baby, we ain’t going away/ It’s a woman’s world and you’re lucky to be living in it,” she sings in the anthemic chorus.

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The track was produced by Dr. Luke, Vaughn Oliver, Aaron Joseph and Rocco Did It Again!. and marks her first proper release since 2020’s Smile, which reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200. “Woman’s World” serves as the lead track to Perry’s upcoming, long-awaited dance-pop album, 143, which is code for “I love you.” The usage dates back to the early 1900s, per Dictionary.com. The project arrives on September 20.

“I set out to create a bold, exuberant, celebratory dance-pop album with the symbolic 143 numerical expression of love as a throughline message,” Perry confirmed in a statement. According to a release, “Woman’s World” will match much of the songs on 143 — a “sexy, fearless return to form for the multifaceted musician.”

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Watch the “Woman’s World” music video below.

11 Jul 2024

Simple Plan’s Take on Elton John’s ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight’ to Lead ‘A Whole New Sound’ Disney Album

Simple Plan‘s pop punk take on Sir Elton John‘s The Lion King classic “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” is the first single from the upcoming Disney album A Whole New Sound. The group’s take on the soaring ballad — which drops at midnight Friday (July 12) — is the first taste of the Mouse House’s 30th anniversary celebration of the iconic animated classic.

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“When Disney reached out to us to be a part of this project, it was a bit overwhelming because there are so many amazing Disney songs. But it became obvious pretty quickly that The Lion King song book, and especially ‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight,’ stood out from the rest,” Simple Plan tells Billboard. “The song just has such a classic feel, and the melodies are so memorable and timeless. We also felt like it would lend itself really well to our style and would sound awesome as a pop-punk version.

“It’s also one of those songs and movies that has been such an important part of people’s lives. Lots of our fans grew up watching it and listening to the soundtrack and we also played them for our own kids,” the band continues. “So, it holds a special place in our hearts and felt like the rare song that could connect to a very wide range of listeners across many generations. Finally, the fact that the movie celebrates its 30th anniversary this year was just the icing on the cake! It’s such an honor to offer our own version of this song and to cover such an iconic artist like Sir Elton John. We’re not sure if he heard the song or not, but we hope he will enjoy this new version and feel like we did it justice.”

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The band is set to perform the song on Aug. 9 at the D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.

According to a release, the collection will feature a number of alternative, rock and pop punk bands reworking popular Disney songs, as well as a fresh streetwise look for Mickey and his friends, with Goofy and Donald Duck slipping into sneakers, skinny jeans and backwards baseball caps for the celebration.

Guitarist Jeff Stinco teased out the collaboration earlier this week when the band posted a video of him taking a Disney-centric quiz in which someone asked him to choose his favorite Mouse House animated film, with the shredder repeatedly choosing The Lion King over such classics as Toy Story, Ratatouille, Lilo & Stitch and Tarzan.

“Why are you always choosing Lion King?” an off-camera voice asked Stinco as he stood in the shadow of Cinderella’s castle. Stinco silently shrugged and smiled, though the caption on the post made sense once the news was unveiled. “Jeff’s really been feeling the love for The Lion King lately,” it read. “There must be a reason [chin stroke and shifty eyes emoji].”

Then, on Wednesday (July 10), Disney Music unveiled a brief preview of the Simple Plan song, with Goofy and Donald rocking out to it along with Mickey under a banner that read “A Whole New Sound.”

11 Jul 2024

Reviewers Approve the Shark Rotator Lift-Away Upright Vacuum for Carpets and Hard Floors—Breathe Easy and Save Up to $150

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.

Get ready to transform your cleaning routine this summer with the Shark Rotator Lift-Away Upright Vacuum. Originally priced at $298.95, you can now snag it for just $149. This vacuum comes with DuoClean PowerFins and a self-cleaning brush roll, so it works well on both carpets and hard floors. Its one of a kind Lift Away feature is handy for cleaning the stairs and other tricky spots, allowing you to detach the pod from the main body of the vacuum, transforming into a portable cleaning device.

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The Shark Rotator Lift-Away Upright Vacuum also includes a HEPA filter to help keep the air in your home fresh. Its advanced HEPA filter also captures 99.9% of dust and allergens, a great option for people who suffer from allergies or want to maintain a healthier lifestyle.

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Want free shipping on Walmart items? Join Walmart+ for free for the first 30 days. The membership includes free shipping and free delivery from your local store, free Paramount+ and so much more!

Reviewers Approve the Shark Rotator Lift-Away Upright Vacuum

Walmart

Shark Rotator Lift-Away Upright Vacuum with DuoClean PowerFins and Self-Cleaning Brushroll

If you’re still on the fence on whether or not to add this high-quality vacuum to your cart, check out the reviews.

A Walmart customer said, “I really like the lightweight style and also the suction control setting on the handle. I absolutely love that the hair doesn’t get rolled up in the brush and the fact that it picks up every little thing…works on all levels of flooring and carpet. Definitely worth the buy!”

Another Walmart customer said, “It’s easy to clean out the trash compartment. The accessories are handy when reaching hard places. The first time I used it, I immediately saw and felt a difference in the room. It was easier to breathe without all the dust. I like that it can be used in carpet and hardwood floors.”

For more product recommendations, check out ShopBillboard‘s roundup of inflatable pools for the summer heat, Walmart’s must-have summer fashion picks, and Love Island USA Season 6 Islander-inspired looks.

11 Jul 2024

AI Music Companies Suno and Udio Hire Elite Law Firm for Copyright Battle With Major Labels

AI music companies Suno and Udio have hired elite law firm Latham & Watkins to defend them against lawsuits filed by the three major labels in late June, according to court documents.

Filed by plaintiffs Sony Music, Warner Music Group (WMG) and Universal Music Group (UMG), the lawsuits claim that Suno and Udio have unlawfully copied the labels’ sound recordings to train their AI models to generate music that could “saturate the market with machine-generated content that will directly compete with, cheapen and ultimately drown out the genuine sound recordings on which [the services were] built.”

Latham & Watkins has already played a key role in defending top companies in the field of artificial intelligence. This includes the firm’s work to defend Anthropic against allegations of infringement levied by UMG, Concord Music Group and ABKCO last October. Latham represents OpenAI in all of its lawsuits filed by authors and other rights owners, including the case filed by the New York Times and a case filed by comedian Sarah Silverman and other writers.

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The Latham team is led by Andrew Gass, Steve Feldman, Sy Damle, Britt Lovejoy and Nate Taylor. Plaintiffs UMG, WMG and Sony Music are represented by Moez Kaba, Mariah Rivera, Alexander Perry and Robert Klieger of Hueston Hennigan as well as Daniel Cloherty of Cloherty & Steinberg.

It is common for AI companies to argue that training is protected by copyright’s fair use doctrine — an important rule that allows people to reuse protected works without breaking the law — and it is likely this will become a core part of Latham’s defense of Suno and Udio’s practices. Though fair use has historically allowed for things like news reporting and parody, AI firms say it applies equally to the “intermediate” use of millions of works to build a machine that spits out entirely new creations.

So far, both Suno and Udio have declined to comment on whether or not they have used unlicensed copyrights in their datasets. However, the music industry started to question what was in those datasets after a series of articles written by Ed Newton-Rex, founder of AI music safety nonprofit Fairly Trained, were published by Music Business Worldwide. In one of them, Newton-Rex said he was able to generate music from both Suno and Udio that “bears a striking resemblance to copyrighted music.”

The lawsuit cites circumstantial evidence to support the labels’ belief that their copyrighted material has been used by Suno and Udio in AI training. This includes generated songs by Suno and Udio that sound just like the voices of Bruce Springsteen, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Michael Jackson and ABBA; outputs that parrot the producer tags of Cash Money AP and Jason Derulo; and outputs that sound nearly identical to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” The Beach Boys’ “I Get Around,” ABBA’s “Dancing Queen,” The Temptations’ “My Girl,” Green Day’s “American Idiot” and more.

11 Jul 2024

Travis Scott & Ken Griffey Jr. Tease Nike Diamond Baseball Collaboration

Houston rapper Travis Scott and baseball legend Ken Griffey Jr. are in a new spot teasing a collaboration for Nike Diamond — the sneaker company’s baseball division.

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The commercial features Scott at the plate taking batting practice while hitting baseballs with his Cactus Jack logo on them as “The Kid” stands on the side and gives him batting advice. This seems to be the start of a new campaign because the caption reads:

“Lesson 1: Mindset x Mechanics”

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“Swing for the fences. Park somewhere else.”

And earlier this week, Nike Diamond posted a spot of the rapper walking up to the plate in his signature Jordan Shark-A-Don sneakers as his rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” is played with the caption reading:

“You’ve seen Cactus Jack rock a stadium. But can he dominate the diamond?”

This is all leading up to this upcoming MLB All-Star Weekend in Arlington, Texas. The HBCU Classic will kick off the festivities tomorrow, Friday (Jul 12), at 8 p.m ET on the MLB Network, followed by the Futures Game, the Futures Skills Showcase, the All-Star Futures Game, and the Celebrity Softball Game on Saturday starting at 4:00 p.m. ET.

The Home Run Derby airs on Monday at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN and the 2024 MLB All-Star Game is on Tuesday at 8:00 p.m ET on FOX.

Back in February, during Travis’ own HBCU Classic, he gifted each player custom Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low baseball cleats.

Hopefully this means we’ll be getting a Cactus Jack version of the iconic Nike Air Griffey Max.

11 Jul 2024

Letitia Wright Distances Herself From ‘Sound of Hope’ Film Partner The Daily Wire

HipHopWired Featured Video

Source: Nykieria Chaney / Getty / Letitia Wright

Letitia Wright is letting the world know she wants nothing to do with Ben Shapiro’s right-wing media company.

Spotted on Variety, the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star issued a statement on Instagram distancing herself from The Daily Wire, the right-wing media company co-founded by Ben Shapiro, who is a partner on the film Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot.

The film tells the true story of Bishop W. C. Martin and Donna Martin, who, along with other families from their church, led an effort to adopt 77 children stuck in the foster care system.



Wright, an executive producer on the film, made it clear in her statement that she had nothing to do with The Daily Wire’s involvement in the project.

Per Variety:

“To be clear, after we completed the production of this film, Angel Studios were brought on board to handle its distribution and they later partnered with The Daily Wire,” Wright wrote in a statement posted to Instagram. “That was not my decision, and I was not given an update or made aware of this decision. I am in no way aligned or affiliated with the The Daily Wire. I am thankful for all who want to positively champion this film and campaign to serve children. However, I do not condone using this beautiful film for divisive political purposes.”

Jeremy Boreing Takes A Shot At Letitia Wright

In response to Wright’s statement, Daily Wire co-CEO Jeremy Boreing took a shot at the actress:

“The Daily Wire is truly honored to partner with Angel Studios on such an important project. But, such is the intolerance of the modern left that instead of celebrating this accomplishment and all it might mean, one of the film’s producers, Letitia Wright of ‘Black Panther’ fame, used the occasion to condemn The Daily Wire’s involvement in sharing this message across the country. 

Letitia and I probably don’t share the same politics, but I believe we share a Christian faith and, more importantly, the same goal of shining a light on something we can all agree on — a community banding together to help kids in need. We hope people don’t allow this distraction to steal from the message from the film and the impact it can have. Everyone should see this movie and join the fight for kids. It’s too important not to.”

Angel Studios also responded to Wright’s statement:

“This powerful film takes a stand for vulnerable kids, and we’re pursuing partners who are passionate about this fight. Angel Studios is grateful for both Letitia and Daily Wire’s partnership on getting this story out into the world, and everyone concerned about the foster care and adoption crisis to get involved and see ‘Sound of Hope.”

Variety reports The Daily Wire, through its streaming service DailyWire+, struck a deal with Angel Studios to distribute the film in theaters. In 2023, Angel Studios distributed the surprise hit Sound of Freedom, which was also criticized for being QAnon propaganda for its depictions of human trafficking.

Wright is deeply religious and was reportedly sharing anti-vaccine statements during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic while on the set of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 

A claim she denies.

We hope Letitia Wright isn’t actually working with Ben Shapiro.

11 Jul 2024

Beastie Boys Sue Chilis for Using ‘Sabotage’ in Advertisement Without Permission

The Beastie Boys are suing the owner of Chilis over allegations that the restaurant chain used the rap trio’s iconic 1994 song “Sabotage” in a social media advertisement without permission.

In a lawsuit filed Wednesday (July 10) in Manhattan federal court, the hip-hop legends accused Brinker International of infringing their copyrights by using the song without a license — an especially serious allegation from a trio that famously doesn’t allow its music to appear in ads.

“Use of the ‘Sabotage’ sound recording, music composition and video was all without permission,” the group’s attorneys write. “The plaintiffs do not license ‘Sabotage’ or any of their other intellectual property for third-party product advertising purposes, and deceased Beastie Boys member Adam Yauch included a provision in his will prohibiting such uses.”

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The Beastie Boys says the Chilis ad in question featured three men in “70s-style” wigs, fake mustaches, and sunglasses carrying out a “robbery” of food ingredients from a Chilis. The group says it clearly “intended to evoke” the music video to “Sabotage,” a parody of 1970s “crime drama” television programs that featured Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz, Michael “Mike D” Diamond and the late Adam “MCA” Yauch in similar attire.

The band’s lawyers say using the song was bad enough, but that by recreating a video that featured “unauthorized video impersonations of Diamond, Horovitz and Yauch, Brinkers also violated federal trademark law by duping consumers with a false endorsement.

“The public was confused into believing that plaintiffs sponsored, endorsed and are associated with defendant Brinker in promoting defendant Brinker’s ‘Chili’s’ restaurants and products,” the lawsuit reads.

A spokesperson for Brinker did not immediately return a request for comment.

The Beastie Boys are infamously protective of their music when it comes to advertising, a stance underscored by the fact that Yauch’s will featured a provision prohibiting the use of his image, music and any art he created in advertising.

In 2013, the group sued a toy company called GoldieBlox after it released a viral parody of the group’s 1987 song “Girls” to promote its engineering and construction toys for girls, eventually winning a settlement in which the company apologized and donated a portion of its revenues to charities. And in 2015, the group won a $1.7 million verdict against Monster Energy over a video used by the energy drink company that used several of the group’s songs in a promotional video.

But they’ve also given certain uses of their music their blessing. In 2016, “Sabotage” appeared in a trailer for Star Trek Beyond; the next year, the group permitted the song to be used in an advertisement for the video game Destiny 2. Though those were advertisements, both of them were promoting artistic works rather than products.

11 Jul 2024

Morgan Wallen Signs With Austin Neal for Management

Morgan Wallen has signed with his longtime booking agent Austin Neal for management via Neal and Wallen’s newly formed firm, Sticks Management, Billboard has confirmed. Wallen will be the firm’s only client.

Wallen was previously managed by Big Loud partner/CEO Seth England alongside K21’s Kathleen Flaherty, who will now serve as executive director of the Morgan Wallen Foundation on a full-time basis. Wallen’s relationship with his label, England’s Big Loud Records, will remain the same, and England and Neal will continue collaborating on Wallen’s career strategy. HITS was first to report the news.

Neal began booking Wallen under the radar in the fall of 2021 several months after the country star was dropped by WME over his use of a racial slur. The following February, the partnership was made official when Neal announced the launch of The Neal Agency with Wallen onboard as a client.

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England, who was named Billboard‘s 2024 Country Power Players Executive of the Year in May, began managing Wallen shortly after signing the then-rising singer-songwriter to Big Loud Records in 2016. Since that time, Wallen’s stardom has expanded beyond the bounds of country, with the singer scoring two nine top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including two long-running No. 1s: 2023’s “Last Night” (16 weeks at the top) and his Post Malone collaboration “I Had Some Help,” which spent six weeks atop the tally earlier this year. Wallen has also racked up two No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200: 2021’s Dangerous: The Double Album and last year’s One Thing at a Time, which spent 19 weeks at the chart’s summit, surpassing Garth Brooks‘ Ropin’ the Wind as the longest-running No. 1 country album ever on the tally.

On the touring front, Wallen scored the fourth-highest-grossing concert tour of 2023, according to Billboard Boxscore, taking in $260.4 million from 44 shows. More recently, he played to 50,000 fans when he headlined BST’s Hyde Park in London on July 4, marking the largest country concert ever held in the United Kingdom. His most recent single, “Lies Lies Lies,” was released on July 5.

Billboard has reached out to England and Flaherty for comment.

11 Jul 2024

Hundreds of People Are Personalizing This $14 Makeup Bag With Their Initials: Here’s Where to Buy It

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.

Whether you consider yourself an over-packer or you only add travel necessities to your luggage, keeping your beauty products safe and secure is essential. Storing your makeup tools and skincare products in a plastic bag is one way to keep your belongings organized, but also creates an eyesore. Amazon is lending a helping hand with a limited-time deal on a personalized makeup bag that’ll stylishly hold your beauty must-haves while also preventing friends from accidentally picking up your cosmetics bag.

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For $14, Amazon is offering this minimalist-approved makeup holder that can be customized with the letter of your name. You’ll not only receive a large pouch but also a small travel bag, which is perfect for separating your makeup brushes from your foundation. Already, more than 500 people have purchased the makeup pouch from the online retailer, earning itself the label of “Amazon’s Choice” under cosmetic bags.

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Keep reading to shop the deal.

amazon pink and white striped makeup bags with purple, blue, green and black versions

YOOLIFE Personalized Cosmetic Makeup Bag

$13.59

$15.99

15% off

Keep your beauty belongings in one fashionable spot with this customizable makeup bag. The fabric material comes in a striped pattern with seven shades to choose from. You can also pick from letters A-Z that’ll decorate the front center of the bag. Besides makeup, the bag is large enough to hold other small travel essentials including charging cables and hair accessories.

Reviewers can’t stop obsessing over how “pretty and roomy” the bag is, while also noting it makes a thoughtful gift for the travel lovers or friends in your life.

Amazon’s popular pick isn’t the only personalizable design available though, keep reading to discover other options.

What Are the Best Personalized Makeup Bags?

To help you find the best customizable cosmetic bags out there, ShopBillboard put together a list of bestselling options you can shop below.

cream personalized makeup bags

Zexpa Apparel Personalized Makeup Bag

Zexpa’s personalizable bag allows you to pick the font and color before adding your name to the front of the bag. The material is made from 100% canvas that is bendable and soft, making it easy to pack away or place on your bathroom counter.

cream cosmetics bag with initials embroidered

The Cosmetics Bag

Pick up Away’s luxurious cosmetics bag that can be customized with your initials for an additional cost. You can choose from two different fonts and a variety of thread shades to make it uniquely your own. The top also comes with a built-in handle to make it easier to carry or store in your luggage.

canvas monogrammed makeup bag tuckernuck

CB Station Navy Monogrammed Canvas Makeup Bag

Tuckernuck’s makeup bag is currently being offered for a wallet-friendly $15 and includes a two-tone cream and navy blue colorway that’s completed with your initials. The material uses canvas that’s both durable yet soft for easy storing, while the side loop can easily be attached to your carry-on.

red leatherology makeup bag with initials

Leatherology Small Train Case

$90

$125

28% off

Go for a designer look that’s bold with Leatherology’s small cosmetics bag. It’s made with premium leather materials and features a zip closure and wide main compartment for storing makeup, skincare products or your smart device’s cables.

For more product recommendations, check out ShopBillboard‘s roundups of the best makeup bags for travel, gym bags and Nike crossbody bags.

11 Jul 2024

Sexyy Red Says Tour Isn’t Canceled & More | Billboard News

Sexyy Red confirms she’s not canceling her tour and we rank the Top 10 best rap albums!

Tetris Kelly:

Sexyy Red says her tour is not getting canceled and Billboard ranks the Top 10 Rap Albums. Here’s your Hip Hop news for today. Fans were speculating that Sexyy Red’s tour would be canceled after touring data reported that only 37.11% of tickets for the 24-date trek has been sold. Sexyy Red said not so fast, posting “My fans are buying tickets we’re doin just fine we not canceling no tour dis canceling sht all cap.” Okay we’ll see you there. And we have released the Billboard 100 greatest rap albums and the Top 10 has arrived. Sitting on top is Nas, but if you want to know which album and where legends like 2Pac and Jay-Z land and who didn’t make the list? Head over and watch the discussion on Billboard Unfiltered.