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26 Jun 2024

Country Thunder Festivals President Troy Vollhoffer on the Brand’s Expanding Success

Country Thunder Music Festivals and Premier Global Production president Troy Vollhoffer had a decadelong career as a hockey player beginning in the early 1980s — including multiple years in the Western Hockey League and a stint with the Baltimore Skipjacks, minor-league affiliate of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins. But off the ice, he was already building his status in live music production.

Vollhoffer tells Billboard his money from playing hockey “allowed me to have the capital to invest into theatrical equipment, a lighting system,” which he used to launch Premier Global Production in 1986. For nearly four decades, the company has rigged touring lights and outdoor staging for artists including Metallica, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen, Tim McGraw and Florence + the Machine, as well as for events including Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo Music Festival and Austin City Limits.

Though he was leading a production company, Vollhoffer says, “I never thought the festival business would be an interest of mine.” Still, his experience with live events meant he was able to observe numerous concerts and festivals over the years. “We did a lot of festivals, and we saw some great ones and we saw some not-so-great ones,” he says.

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Years before he transitioned into his current role leading the Country Thunder brand of festivals and the production company, he was already familiar with the territory: Vollhoffer’s father served as a production manager for the Big Valley Jamboree in Saskatchewan, Canada, and as a teenager, Vollhoffer helped as a stagehand.

The festival would change names and shift from country to rock acts and back again, but in 2005, Vollhoffer acquired the festival (at the time called the Craven Country Jamboree). In 2017, the event was folded into the Country Thunder brand as Country Thunder Saskatchewan, one of the six multiday Country Thunder Festivals Vollhoffer oversees in the United States and Canada.

Vollhoffer acquired the Country Thunder brand in 2009 from Larry Barr, for the Arizona and Wisconsin festivals. Country Thunder Alberta (another Canadian event) was added to the fold in 2016, followed by Country Thunder Saskatchewan in 2017, Country Thunder Florida in 2019 and Country Thunder Bristol (in Tennessee) in 2021. Since acquiring Country Thunder Wisconsin and Country Thunder Arizona, attendance has surged from averaging 12,500 patrons per day to up to 30,000 per day.

This year, Luke Combs is headlining Country Thunder Festivals in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Florida. Eric Church and Lainey Wilson were named as headliners this year for the Arizona and Wisconsin events. Country Thunder Bristol, set for this weekend (June 28-29), will feature Cody Johnson, HARDY, Bailey Zimmerman and Trace Adkins.

These names extend the Country Thunder brand’s storied history of headliners — which already includes Keith Urban, George Strait, Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson, Reba McEntire and the late Toby Keith — who have made for some memorable moments, such as when Strait played the Craven Country Jamboree in 2009 and the time Keith got behind the bar and served up drinks after his set in 2008.

“The music business is going to miss Toby Keith,” Vollhoffer says. “He was such a big personality. After his show, he just went behind the bar. He was like, ‘I got this,’ started bartending, and he was back there rocking it up until three o’clock, four o’clock in the morning.”

Far from a cut-and-paste mentality, Vollhoffer says the brand strives to make each festival as unique as the artists who play them, from Country Thunder Arizona’s site embedded in the mountains to the more coastal feel of Country Thunder Florida. Given the far-flung locations of each festival across the United States and in Canada, Vollhoffer and his team take care to book artists that resonate in each market.

“There are bands you’d play in Phoenix that you wouldn’t play in Wisconsin and people who aren’t even known in Canada that do great business in Arizona,” Vollhoffer says. “The thing about Canada is that records break later there. Something could be super hot in America, but maybe not [in Canada] yet. But when you’re booking a show a year in advance, you’re rolling the dice at times.”

One of those dice rolls that proved fortuitous was booking Wallen just prior to his skyrocketing success. In 2019, Vollhoffer met with Wallen’s team to discuss booking him for multiple Country Thunder festivals in 2020.

“I had dinner with his management. He was a $25,000 act, and that’s what we paid him that year. I agreed to do the deal and I was to take a flier on him for Saturdays [at multiple festivals] — and it didn’t end up working out [due to the coronavirus pandemic, which caused festivals to be canceled in 2020]. We pretty much sold out right across the board when it hit, but that doesn’t happen very often,” Vollhoffer adds.

By the time Wallen headlined three Country Thunder festivals in 2022 — Arizona in April, Wisconsin in July and Florida in October — his 2021 breakout set, Dangerous: The Double Album, had become the No. 1 title on the year-end Billboard 200 Albums chart. The same month that Wallen headlined Country Thunder Florida (October 2022), he also played his first headlining stadium show in Arlington, Texas.

Another risk that paid off was booking Zimmerman in July 2022, just as he was earning his initial hits with “Fall in Love” and “Rock and a Hard Place.”

“When we booked him for [Country Thunder] Wisconsin, I think we were maybe the second show he’d ever done professionally,” Vollhoffer recalls. “He was on around one in the afternoon. We had an influx of audience, which was unusual for [1 p.m.]. There were a ton of people, and it was fantastic.”

For each event, between 500 and 800 staffers are hired to work security, parking, camping, hosting, operational site crews and entrance gates. Vollhoffer has seen the increasing costs associated with putting on a festival, from talent booking costs to expenses for staffing, hotels and transportation.

“I’m pretty fortunate to be able to compile great lineups, and that’s from relationships — but it’s getting a little bit harder now,” he says, adding that the exchange rate hits hard with the Canadian festivals.

Since the October 2017 mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas, where 58 people were killed and over 850 people were injured, Vollhoffer has escalated security at his festivals. “Our security budget has been increased by twice what it was previously, and our police presence in each market is very high,” he explains. “We’ve had [police] dogs, we’ve had towers set up so police have a bird’s-eye view all over the site. We’ve done drones, all sorts of things. It’s all about keeping fans safe.”

As with most festival owners, Vollhoffer is aware of the impact the rising overall costs of putting on the series can have on ticket prices. The general-admission ticket price for the six Country Thunder festivals averages less than $300.

“Unfortunately, you have to raise your ticket price,” he says. “I don’t know if there is a correction coming or not, but you can no longer charge the consumer more than what the market will bear. There was a lot of money in the marketplace. Now that’s changed. We’re having a great year, but we take one year at a time. I don’t believe the adage is necessarily correct where in times of economic downturn, the show business will always flourish. People have a decision between buying milk and buying a concert ticket. I think they’re buying milk right now.”

The Country Thunder festivals have also earned the respect of Vollhoffer’s peers, with Country Thunder Arizona, Wisconsin and Bristol each earning the Academy of Country Music’s festival of the year honors. Vollhoffer was also honored with the ACM Awards’ Lifting Lives Award and received the Don Romeo talent buyer of the year accolade.

Vollhoffer says the idea of expanding the festivals beyond North America “is not off the table,” though he says, “We’ve not entertained it. We wanted to become a household name in America first, but Europe’s different … a lot of different red tape to jump through, a lot of different regulations, and it has a very mature festival market, with the rock festivals.”

As for artists Vollhoffer would love to see headline Country Thunder, he says, “We’ve talked about having Post Malone — he’d be a great addition.” He also notes that he’s seeing several newcomers who seem poised for future headliner status. “Riley Green’s coming in hot; I think he’s going to be great. And Tucker Wetmore is on fire.”

Vollhoffer adds, “We have so many great artists this year. We are fortunate to have Luke Combs and Eric Church headlining. That’s always great business. It’s going to be a great year.”

26 Jun 2024

Kelsea Ballerini Announces Noah Kahan Duet ‘Cowboys Cry Too’: Here’s When It Arrives

Saddle up, Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan fans: The two singer/songwriters are partnering up on a new song titled “Cowboys Cry Too,” and it’s dropping in less than 48 hours.

The “Peter Pan” singer broke the news Wednesday (June 26) via social media, sharing the single’s cover art and release date. “cowboys cry too with the incredible @NoahKahan out friday,” she wrote. “so proud and excited to release this first song in a new chapter of music.”

On the cover, a blurry photo of the “Dial Drunk” artist’s profile sits in the foreground, while an in-focus portrait of Ballerini looking down solemnly makes up the background. Reposting the announcement on his Instagram Story, Kahan simply wrote, “Can’t wait for this.”

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The track comes nearly a month and a half after the two stars teamed up at the 2024 Academy of Country Music Awards, where Ballerini enlisted the Vermont native for a joint performance of her song “Mountain With a View” and his Billboard Hot 100 hit “Stick Season.” In a red-carpet interview with Billboard ahead of the ceremony, Kahan recalled meeting his collaborator and her boyfriend, Outer Banks star Chase Stokes, for the first time at Billboard + NMPA Songwriter Awards during Grammy Week in February.

“I kind of felt overwhelmed and out of place,” he said. “Kelsea and Chase made me feel really comfortable, and I think that’s why I was so excited to work with her. Kelsea’s just one of those people that the voice is so special, but the songwriting is so real, and you can see that she lives her songs. I really look up to her and admire her for that.”

See Ballerini and Kahan’s announcement below.

26 Jun 2024

Justin Timberlake Is Back Online, Britney Spears Reconciles With Kids & More | Billboard News

After Justin Timberlake’s arrest a little over a week ago, he’s back online sharing his tour merch with fans. Britney Spears may or may not be reconciling with her kids and more.

Tetris Kelly:

Justin Timberlake is back online, J.Lo flies commercial like the rest of us, and Britney may or may not be reconciling with her kids. This is your millennial pop news update. Since Justin’s DWI arrest he’s been quiet on social media — until now. The pop king has continued his world tour and jumped online to show off the exclusive merch for his Madison Square Garden stop. Meanwhile, there was some good news hitting the net about his ex, Britney Spears. Brit had been upset that her kids cut contact with her and have been living in Hawaii. But Kevin’s lawyer told ET, “The good thing is that the boys saw their mom was doing well and have a desire to speak with her. There has been some telephonic communication between Britney and her sons, and we think that is a step in the right direction.” TMZ was quick to post that the boys and Spears have not reconciled and it was just a Mother’s Day call. Can they leave Britney alone? And Jennifer Lopez canceled her tour to spend time with family, and she’s apparently doing so affordably. Jenny From the Block was photographed in business class on an Air France flight from Italy to France. Short flight, but definitely a change from her private-jet lifestyle.

26 Jun 2024

Sheryl Crow Blasts Drake’s Use of 2Pac AI Vocals on ‘Taylor Made Freestyle’: ‘It’s Hateful’

Sheryl Crow is voicing her concern with the artificial intelligence tidal wave sweeping the music industry as the “slippery slope” of AI has her worried about the future.

The Grammy-winning singer recently spoke to the BBC about AI, which she believes “goes against everything humanity is based on.” Crow even ripped Drake for attempting to resurrect 2Pac while using the late rapper’s AI vocals alongside Snoop Dogg’s on Drizzy’s “Taylor Made Freestyle” diss track directed at Kendrick Lamar.

“You cannot bring people back from the dead and believe that they would stand for that,” she said. “I’m sure Drake thought, ‘Yeah, I shouldn’t do it, but I’ll say sorry later.’ But it’s already done, and people will find it even if he takes it down. It’s hateful. It is antithetical to the life force that exists in all of us.”

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Billboard has reached out to Drake’s team for comment on Crow’s comments.

Crow wrestles with topics such as artificial intelligence and its jarring ramifications on her Evolution album’s title track, which arrived earlier in 2024.

In April, Tupac Shakur’s estate threatened legal action if the OVO mogul didn’t take down his “Taylor Made Freestyle” from social media. The estate shared the cease-and-desist-letter exclusively with Billboard.

“The Estate is deeply dismayed and disappointed by your unauthorized use of Tupac’s voice and personality,” the estate’s attorney, Howard King, wrote in the letter. “Not only is the record a flagrant violation of Tupac’s publicity and the estate’s legal rights, it is also a blatant abuse of the legacy of one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time. The Estate would never have given its approval for this use.”

King continued: “The unauthorized, equally dismaying use of Tupac’s voice against Kendrick Lamar, a good friend to the Estate who has given nothing but respect to Tupac and his legacy publicly and privately, compounds the insult.”

Less than 24 hours later, Drake obliged and removed the track from his social media platforms.

Earlier this week, the three major music companies each filed lawsuits against AI music startups Suno and Udio. They cited the alleged repeated infringement of copyrighted recordings “at an almost unimaginable scale.”

26 Jun 2024

In the Live Nation Antitrust Case, Who Will Win & Who Will Lose?

Given the glacial pace at which federal antitrust litigation moves, the U.S. Department of Justice’s historic lawsuit against Live Nation and its wholly owned subsidiary Ticketmaster is expected to take years to wind its way through the legal system whether it’s fully adjudicated or the live-event Goliath agrees to make changes to its business, which the government often terms “behavioral remedies.”

And though it’s clearly too early to predict how the case will play out, legal expert and antitrust attorney Lawrence J. White from New York University’s Stern School of Business says the potential winners and losers have already been largely pre-determined based on hints found in the 128-page complaint that the DOJ filed May 23 in U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York.

“The companies mentioned in the complaint as being the most harmed by anti-competitive behavior are typically the same companies that stand the most to gain in the solution,” White says.

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In the case of Live Nation, the winners will very likely be the company’s main concert promotion rival, AEG Presents; secondary-market ticketing competitor SeatGeek; and a handful of major independent promoters like Chicago’s Jam Productions. The losers would likely be Live Nation; Irving Azoff and Tim Leiweke’s venue owner, management and hospitality company, Oak View Group — which the DOJ alleges “has described itself as a ‘hammer’ and ‘protect[or]’ for Live Nation” — as well as, potentially, major artist management companies and talent agencies, depending on the government’s solution for more competitive ticket pricing.

“The government tends to rely on private companies to carry out its policy goals during the remedy phase of an antitrust case,” explains White, pointing toward the original consent decree drafted around the 2010 merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. That agreement unsuccessfully propped up two private companies — AEG and Comcast Spectacor — to serve as competitors to Ticketmaster.

Whether the DOJ wins in court or ends up settling with Live Nation, White says it will lean on large corporations to assist with enforcement of the ruling. As Live Nation’s only major competitor for ticketing and concert promotion, AEG, which owns AXS Ticketing, is an obvious choice as a DOJ partner because of the company’s large scale, which will be critical for the DOJ’s long-shot goal to lower ticket prices. (The DOJ is believed to have interviewed more than 100 individuals from the live-music industry as part of its recent antitrust investigation into Live Nation.)

In a May 23 press release that announced the lawsuit filing, Attorney General Merrick Garland said, “We allege that Live Nation relies on unlawful, anti-competitive conduct to exercise its monopolistic control over the live-events industry in the United States at the cost of fans, artists, smaller promoters and venue operators.” He contends that increasing competition among Live Nation’s ticketing rivals and in the artist promotion space will lower the face value prices of tickets.

Prior to the 2010 merger of Live Nation and Ticketmaster, four or five ticketing companies were capable of competing with the latter at the arena level. In 2024, only two remain: AXS and SeatGeek, the secondary site that also happens to own one of the only primary ticketing products capable of servicing major arenas and stadiums.

In a statement released to Billboard, SeatGeek said, “We are hopeful that the Department of Justice’s antitrust lawsuit to break up the Live Nation-Ticketmaster monopoly will restore fair market competition to live entertainment.” On the concert promotion front, there are far fewer major independent promoters now than there were prior to 2010 and only a handful capable of touring major arena acts across the country. In addition to Jam Productions, they include Nashville’s Outback Concerts and Another Planet Entertainment in the San Francisco Bay Area. All three promoters declined to comment for this story.

In a May 31 letter to his staff, AEG chairman/CEO Jay Marciano outlined how the DOJ could make concert promotion fairer and drive down the cost of ticketing by dismantling Live Nation’s “flywheel” business model, which is cited in the DOJ’s complaint and described in its May 23 press release as “a self-reinforcing business model that captures fees and revenue from concert fans and sponsorship, uses that revenue to lock up artists to exclusive promotion deals and then uses its powerful cache of live content to sign venues into long-term exclusive ticketing deals, thereby starting the cycle all over again.”

Marciano’s letter said Live Nation’s flywheel model “deploys the excessive profits of its ticketing monopoly to outspend what the concert market can profitably sustain.”

Under this theory, ticket prices would drop if Live Nation was prevented from using its other revenue sources to overpay artists and compete with other promoters offering artists an 85/15 or a 90/10 split on ticket sales.

Although the theory is not widely accepted by most major talent agents or managers — IAG executive vp/head of global music Jarred Arfa calls it “unrealistic” and “illogical” — it is gaining popularity among large indie promoters and DOJ lawyers, sources tell Billboard. White notes that whether the government settles or takes Ticketmaster to trial will depend on “the time and resources the DOJ wants to expend on the case and the evidence against Live Nation it has collected.”

26 Jun 2024

Former Dave Matthews Band Member Boyd Tinsley Arrested for DUI

Boyd Tinsley, a violist of Dave Matthews Band from 1992 to 2018, has been arrested for a DUI in Rio, Virginia, according to a video first posted by TMZ and confirmed by Billboard.

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According to a statement shared to Billboard by the Albemarle County Police Department: “On Monday, June 24, at approximately 5:54 pm, the Albemarle County Police Department responded to a two-vehicle crash that had occurred in the area of Seminole Trail (U.S. 29) and Woodbrook Drive. There were no reported injuries as a result of the crash. Based on the result of the investigation, responding officers took one adult male into custody on suspicion of DUI. He was transported to Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail.”

This is not Tinsley’s first legal trouble of the year. In February, Tinsley was hit with a new lawsuit alleging that the musician breached the terms of a sexual harassment lawsuit that was settled in 2019. Boyd was sued in May 2018 by trumpeter James Frost-Winn of making frequent sexual comments to him over the course of their professional relationship as a member of the band Crystal Garden, which Boyd formed, produced and managed for a documentary project indented to chronicle the group’s rise to fame. 

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The two parties agreed to a $837,000 settlement payment to Frost-Winn in 2019, but lawyers for Frost-Winn claim that Tinsley breached a “mutual non-disparagement” clause on February 22, 2022 in a series of posts on social media, which goes against the clause that prevented either party from discussing the matter publicly.

The violinist appeared on every Dave Matthews Band album from 1994’s Under the Table and Dreaming through 2018’s Come Tomorrow. In February 2018, Tinsley announced he was leaving the band shortly before the sexual harassment accusations became public, writing in a statement, “I need to take a break from the band & touring 2 focus on my family & my health 4 a while. I will miss you guys & my brothers in the band but I’m somewhat worn out & need 2 spend more time with my family & 2 bring more balance to my life.”

26 Jun 2024

Justin Bieber Holds Onto Wife Hailey Bieber’s Baby Bump in Adorable Instagram Post

Justin Bieber is ready to be a dad!

The superstar took to Instagram on Tuesday (June 25) to share a series of photos over the past few weeks, including the first snap — a gorgeous black-and-white photo in which he’s seen kissing his wife, Hailey Bieber, on a boat as he holds on to her growing belly.

The “Love Yourself” singer and Rhode founder announced that they are expecting their first child together back in May, when they took to Instagram to share a series of photos and videos from a film shoot they did among a vast meadow, in which Hailey is seen wearing a skin-tight lace gown, cradling her growing baby bump as Justin snaps photos of her. In one of the clips, the couple also renewed their vows.

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Shortly after they shared the news, the singer’s mom celebrated on social media. “So, I have been waiting for this day and now that they have shared it I can finally celebrate with y’all,” Pattie Mallette said in a video posted to Instagram. “Oh my gosh, I’m gonna be a grandma! Oh my goodness! YES!”

The couple officially wed in September 2018 at a New York City courthouse. A year later, they flew down to the Montage Palmetto Bluff hotel in South Carolina with their friends and family for a more traditional wedding ceremony and star-studded party.

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26 Jun 2024

‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ Hits Streaming: Here’s How to Watch the Prequel at Home

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Anarchy rules in the latest installment of the expanding Mad Max series as you can now finally watch Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga online and at home. The fifth installment of the series goes back in time, focusing on the origin story of one of the most iconic characters in the series: Imperator Furiosa — and now you can stream the movie from your couch.

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Keep reading to learn the streaming options available to watch Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga online.

How to Watch Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Online

You can rent or buy Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga online on Prime Video through its video on demand service (VOD). Rentals are available for $24.99 or you can buy the movie to own for $29.99. A Prime membership is not required to stream Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga — you just need to make the purchase and the movie will be automatically downloaded into your video library. Rentals are available for 30 days after purchase and for 48 hours once you begin streaming the movie.

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Looking for additional options? You can also stream Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga on Apple TV through VOD. You can rent or buy the movie for $24.99 or $29.99 respectively, and have the movie automatically download to your video library. You don’t need an Apple TV+ subscription either — once you purchase the movie it’ll immediately be added to your digital collection to watch whenever.

How to Watch Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga At Home

Collectors can also preorder 4K editions of the movie on DVD including a limited-edition steelbook available through Walmart.

Keep reading to shop Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga on 4K and Blu-ray/DVD below.

steelbook of furiosa: a mad max saga

“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” 4K Steelbook

This exclusive steelbook includes a display-worthy cover as well as an interior with photos from the movie. Within the steelbook is a 4K DVD in addition to a Blu-ray edition and digital code to download and watch Furiosa online.

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“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” 4K DVD

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$29.96

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You can also score the regular 4K edition of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, which comes with bonus features that’ll give you a deeper look into the movie. You’ll also receive a digital code to download the movie to watch wherever.

How to Watch 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga' Online: Stream Movie At Home

“Mad Max Ultimate 4-Movie Collection Anthology” [4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray]

Rewatch the entire series with this four-movie collection of Mad Max movies 1-4 in 4K Ultra HD. You’ll not only get every single movie, but also special features and Blu-ray DVDs.

Is Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga On Any Streaming Service?

Right now you can only watch Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga online through Prime Video and Apple TV, but it’s common for movies to drop onto streaming platforms 45 days after leaving theaters. Since Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga was distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it’ll eventually be available to stream through Max. While you wait for the movie to release onto the streaming platform, you can watch every Mad Max movie on Max beforehand.

If you already have a Max subscription, you can watch the Mad Max series for no additional cost when you log into your account. Don’t have a Max membership? While the streaming platform doesn’t come with a free trial, packages start as low as $9.99 a month and gives you access to the entire Max library including every Mad Max movie.

Prime members can also add Max to your Prime membership through the Prime Channel storefront and receive access to the entire Max library in addition to everything within the Prime Video library.

Anya Taylor Johnson takes on the main role of Furiosa who is taken from her home in the Green Place of Many Mothers and thrown into the hands of a horde of bikers, which is led by none other than warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth). Trapped in the wasteland, Furisoa attempts to fight and escape her way back home, but becomes stuck in the middle of Dementus’ fight for power against another tyrant.

Other cast members include Tom Burke, Lachy Hulme, George Shevtsov, John Howard, Angus Sampson, Nathan Jones, Josh Helman and Charlee Fraser.

Check below to watch the trailer for Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.

26 Jun 2024

How Did ‘Please Please Please’ Become Sabrina Carpenter’s First Hot 100 No. 1?

If you needed further confirmation of Sabrina Carpenter‘s star status in 2024, this week’s Billboard Hot 100 (dated June 29) offers pretty incontrovertible evidence: She occupies two of the Hot 100’s top five spots this week by her lonesome, while also claiming the chart’s apex for the first time.

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“Please Please Please,” Carpenter’s latest single — which debuted behind only Post Malone and Morgan Wallen’s “I Had Some Help” at No. 2 on the Hot 100 last week — climbs that final spot to No. 1 this week. Meanwhile, its predecessor “Espresso” is still lingering around the top five, sliding from No. 3 to No. 4. Both songs are expected to be on Carpenter’s upcoming Short n’ Sweet LP, now one of the most-anticipated pop albums of the year.

What does it mean for Carpenter that “Please Please Please” became her first No. 1? And what can other pop aspirants learn from her phenomenal 2024 success? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.

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1. This week, Sabrina Carpenter scores her first Hot 100 No. 1 with “Please Please Please,” while its predecessor “Espresso” remains in the top five on the chart. Does this feel like a particularly notable coronation moment to you for Sabrina, or is her stardom already practically old news at this point?

Christopher Claxton: I think this is a particularly notable moment for Sabrina. She’s already a star, we know that, but it’s pretty surprising that none of her tracks have reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 until now. In all honesty, I expected “Feather” to get to No. 1 or at least the top 5. “Feather” did go No. 1 on Billboard‘s Pop Airplay chart, but it’s different when you have a No. 1 on the multimeric Billboard Hot 100. Ultimately, I think she’s finally getting the airtime her tracks deserve.

Lyndsey Havens: The thing that I’m loving about Sabrina’s success right now is that there has been a sustained string of notable coronation moments over the past few months – and all the while, she’s not only managing to repeatedly top herself but also ensure no bit becomes too stale. It was just this March that “Feather” was Sabrina’s biggest hit to date, and that followed “Nonsense,” which felt like that would be her biggest hit. Then came “Espresso,” and it felt like that would surely be her biggest hit, and now here we are with “Please.” To me, this kind of momentum is increasingly rare – and entirely deserved. But now that “Please” has indeed become her biggest song to date, scoring Sabrina her first Hot 100 No. 1, I’m curious to see what could happen next. Where do you go when you’re already at the top?

Jason Lipshutz: “Espresso” opened the floodgates for Sabrina Carpenter as an A-list pop artist, but one could have argued that she was still a one-smash wonder, as she scored her first top 20 hit with an undeniable refrain. The ascent of “Please Please Please” erases any doubt that Carpenter is among pop’s upper tier, though — especially considering that it climbed higher than “Espresso,” with both a less immediate hook and more subtle approach. Carpenter was already a star prior to “Please Please Please,” but her first Hot 100 chart-topper ensures that her stardom will transcend her breakthrough hit. 

Andrew Unterberger: The Coachella and Governor’s Ball gigs she played after the respective releases of “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” felt like the coronation moments to me. But this is kind of an “If you don’t know, now you know” moment for Carpenter’s burgeoning A-list status: In case the memes and live clips and streaming totals didn’t persuade you, there’s really just no arguing with having two of the top five songs (including the No. 1) on the Hot 100 during one of the most competitive moments in recent pop history. She’s a superstar.

Christine Werthman: Let’s go straight to the source, shall we? “MY FIRST #1 on the @billboard HOT 100!!!!!!! And espresso at #4,” Carpenter wrote on Instagram. “I’m very immensely grateful so i will surely always remember this day for the rest of my life!” Others might consider her a star already, but the No. 1 is the ultimate feather (also a great song) in her cap. This is absolutely a big moment for her. 

2. While “Espresso” put Carpenter at top 40’s forefront and generated a ton of Song of the Summer buzz, “Please Please Please” has already reached commercial heights in two weeks that “Espresso” has yet to reach in over two months. What is it about “Please” that allowed it to become her first song to get over the top on the Hot 100?

Christopher Claxton: Several factors contribute to the rapid success of Sabrina Carpenter’s “Please Please Please” compared to “Espresso.” For one, it’s catchy and relatable, thus able to resonate more with a broader audience. Carpenter also has a new group of fans after she finished supporting Taylor Swift on the Eras Tour. Her fanbase is not only more active in streaming and promoting her music due to the consistent success of her previous songs, but she also has a new set of supporters, contributing to the greater anticipation built around the song.

Additionally, Sabrina co-wrote “Please Please Please” with Jack Antonoff, who has worked on every Swift album since 2014. Bringing Taylor Swift supporters to her fanbase, along with a song written in a style that those fans enjoy, is a pretty reliable recipe for success. The sound and timing of the twangy pop song is another important factor: From Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” to Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song,” country music has been at popular music’s forefront lately.

Lyndsey Havens: Momentum. “Espresso” was like this perfect delectable appetizer that fed fans while also increasing the appetite for more – and “Please” is the whole meal. I do think part of its success needs to be credited to Jack Antonoff, who has such a way in the studio of creating addicting, fiendish melodies that beg repeating – like the glittering opening synths that arrive with a bit of unexpected twang and the little swish and hand claps that occur in between the first and second parts of the chorus. But even more so than the production elements that shine is Sabrina’s delivery, especially on a viral one-liner like, “I beg you, don’t embarrass me motherf–ker.” 

Jason Lipshutz: A combination of three things: newfound interest in Carpenter’s music post-“Espresso,” which has elevated her all the way to arena headliner level already; the pedigree of “Please Please Please,” complete with Jack Antonoff and Amy Allen studio credits and a flashy music video co-starring Carpenter’s romantic partner, Barry Keoghan; and the quality of the song itself, which hoists up Carpenter’s wry sense of humor and whisper-pop bluntness within a shimmery production that flirts with country balladry. It’s a singular song that arrived at the right time, and was presented in a compelling way.

Andrew Unterberger: “Momentum” about sums it up. “Please Please Please” is a fundamentally weird song, shifting keys and modes and tones and even genres throughout its three minutes — it’s fun and it’s compelling and it’s cool but if it wasn’t released by Sabrina Carpenter at this particular moment in time it seems unlikely to me that it would’ve been a big hit. But because Carpenter has pushed all the right buttons for years now and built her audience the right way, they’re more than willing to follow her down some windier paths now. And so a twisty country-pop hybrid like “Please Please Please” can outchart even a no-doubt smash like “Espresso,”” because her fans trusted that it would be worth sticking with, and were rewarded with a song that was sneakily even more addictive than its predecessor.

Christine Werthman: The comedic, bad-boy video with her real-life boyfriend, Barry Keoghan, garnered plenty of attention and has over 36 million views (“Espresso” has accrued nearly twice that many since its April release), but “Please Please Please” has a lot more going for it than just the visual. While “Espresso” was, fittingly, a spunky shot with a TikTok-able lyric (“I’m working late/’Cause I’m a singerrrr”), “Please,” though only a few seconds longer, makes it feel like Carpenter is taking her time.

The Jack Antonoff production adds a dreamier vibe than her other songs, marrying watery synthesizer and electric guitar with tender acoustic guitar and some irresistible background claps. Where “Espresso” maintains the same energy and tempo throughout, “Please” builds with a subtle key change and a sparkly outro, as well as a narrative that gives it that extra tension. While both play to Carpenter’s humorous strengths, “Please” is a more dynamic song overall.  

3. When you think of this breakout period of Carpenter’s a decade from now, which of the two songs do you think will come to mind first?

Christopher Claxton: For me, I think it’ll be “Espresso.” It’s my favorite out of the two, and a song that I think can be played no matter the mood you’re in, since it’s feel-good music — whereas in “Please Please Please,” she’s begging a man not to break her heart, which is less all-purpose.

Lyndsey Havens: “Espresso.” Though “Please” has emerged as the bigger hit, you never forget your first, as they say. Plus, the “I’m working late, ’cause I’m a singer,” line has permeated into popular culture — and clever quips like that can often stick around well beyond the lifespan of the song itself.

Jason Lipshutz: “Espresso” still — I love “Please Please Please,” but Carpenter’s emergence came from a summer-defining powerhouse, full of bubbly personality and quotable lyrics. Maybe “Please Please Please” will stand strong at No. 1 for multiple weeks as “Espresso” slips down the chart, but I think it’s more likely that “Espresso” hangs around the top 10 for multiple extra months, and becomes one of the biggest hits of 2024, even if it never musters its way up to the chart’s very peak. And when we look back at this time many years from now, we’ll be thinking about “that’s that me espresso” and “I’m working late/ ‘cuz I’m a singerrrrr.”

Andrew Unterberger: For all her many great songs already — and likely many more to come — “Espresso” will always be the one that put her on that higher pop plane. It’s not a perfect comparison, but I think of the two songs as somewhat analogous to Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next” and “7 Rings” duo; the latter ended up the bigger chart hit, but the former was the enduring moment.

Christine Werthman: I will forever be entertained by the line “Heartbreak is one thing, my ego’s another/I beg you don’t embarrass me, motherf–ker.” Flawless. Also, as I have said to some of my colleagues, that triplet “embarrass” makes it even more interesting and sometimes hard to sing! I vote “Please.” 

4. As someone who’s made practically every right move to build her status from pop fan favorite to unequivocal superstar over the past two years, is there one particular move or strategy of Carpenter’s that you think other artists and their teams can learn from?

Christopher Claxton: One notable strategy that has contributed to Sabrina Carpenter’s rise to stardom is her consistent and authentic engagement with fans on social media. She uses platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, actively sharing behind-the-scenes content, personal stories, and interacting with fans through Q&A sessions. This approach has helped her build a strong, loyal fanbase that feels personally connected to her journey. Other artists can learn from this by prioritizing genuine interactions with their audience to foster increased support and loyalty.

Lyndsey Havens: Persistence – and kindness. Over the years, the two things that I think stand out most about Sabrina as an artist and businesswoman is that she has remained incredibly driven and incredibly humble. She’s had so many nearly-there moments tracing back to her start with Disney to signing with Island to entering into the public discourse for one thing or another, but all the while she kept her head down and kept working. That, to me, is the most admirable and applicable thing of all. 

Jason Lipshutz: Over the course of multiple albums, a label switch, singles that didn’t take off and tours that kept getting bigger, Carpenter kept betting on her eccentricities — the quirks that made her songs, style and stage presence unique, from the self-deprecating lyrical passages on Emails I Can’t Send to her tongue-in-cheek merch to the personalized “Nonsense” outros on tour. Carpenter built a fan base by being herself, and that base was ready to stream and support once she landed on a single, “Espresso,” that was primed for a true mainstream moment. If I were an aspiring artist watching Carpenter’s ascent, I would study the way she amplified what makes her special, unflaggingly, over multiple years and projects.

Andrew Unterberger: Never underestimate the value of a good running bit — especially when you’re really winning to commit to it. The evolving “Nonsense” outros were immeasurably helpful in establishing Carpenter as a pop star worth paying attention to, because they were always good and clever and gave you a reason to keep an eye on any major gig she was playing. Her poking fun of her own miniature size (down to the title of her upcoming album) is another good one, one that makes her relatable and human without actually being too embarrassing or explicitly unglamorous. The songs are the most important thing, of course, but a little reliable and identifiable personality always goes a long way.

Christine Werthman: Take your time. Carpenter released four albums between 2015 and 2019, and then took three years before dropping emails i can’t send in 2022. The jump between Singular: Act II and emails is significant, and it shows that she and her team were willing to let her take the time to establish her cheeky style and playful pop sound.  

5. Make one bold prediction about Carpenter’s upcoming album Short n’ Sweet. (It can be about its commercial performance, a special guest/collaborator, a song subject/theme/sound, anything.)

Christopher Claxton: Based on the way she’s growing as an artist and her popularity in streams, I think at least one more of her songs from ‘Short n’ Sweet’ will be in the top 10. I also think we’ll get a lot more songs that are sonically similar to “Please Please Please.”

Lyndsey Havens: At this point, this is practically a decaf prediction, but the album will debut at No. 1 – and stay put there for a bit. 

Jason Lipshutz: Based on “My ‘give a f–ks’ are on vacation” and “I beg you, don’t embarrass me, motherf–ker,” I guarantee that we are in for some SPECTACULAR swearing!

Andrew Unterberger: She works with Max Martin for the first time on one of the singles, and it surprises absolutely no one by zooming right to No. 1 on the Hot 100.

Christine Werthman: Taylor will pop in. Maybe.

26 Jun 2024

Creepy Nuts’ ‘Bling-Bang-Bang-Born’ Logs 19th Week at No. 1 as IS:SUE’s ‘CONNECT’ Debuts at No. 2 on Japan Hot 100

Creepy Nuts’ “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” continues to rule the Billboard Japan Hot 100 for the 19th week on the chart released June 26.

The viral hip-hop hit comes in at No. 2 for downloads, streaming, video views, and karaoke this week. Downloads for the MASHLE Season 2 opener increased slightly compared to last week and overall points decreased only slightly, perhaps due to the duo wrapping up its headlining tour over the weekend (June 23) after having been on the road since March.

Now in its 19th week atop the Japan Hot 100, “BBBB” is closing in on the all-time record for most weeks at No. 1 held by YOASOBI’s “Idol,” which ruled the tally for 22 weeks.

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IS:SUE’s “CONNECT” debuts at No. 2. The four-member girl group made its major-label debut on June 19, and “CONNECT” is the lead track off its first single. Launching with 133,769 CDs, the track rules sales and also radio, while coming in at No. 28 for downloads.

Bowing at No. 3 is JEONGHAN X WONWOO’s “Last night (Guitar by Park Juwon)” by two members of the K-pop group SEVENTEEN. The single sold 99,154 CDs in its first week and hits No. 2 for sales, while hitting No. 29 for downloads, No. 36 for video and No. 58 for streaming.

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Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” slips 3-4 this week, but the track has reached No. 1 for streaming after steadily climbing the ranks for weeks. The song has been hovering in the top five on the Japan Hot 100 for ten consecutive weeks.

Outside the top 10, MY FIRST STORY x HYDE’s “Mugen” climbs 21-13. The opener for the Hashira Training arc of the popular anime series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba saw increases in downloads (158% week-over-week), streaming (114%), and radio (132%) ahead of the final episode of the season airing this Sunday (June 30).

The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.

See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from June 17 to 23, here (https://www.billboard.com/charts/japan-hot-100/). For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account (https://twitter.com/BillboardJP_ENG). 

By: Billboard Japan / Photo: Courtesy Photo