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With the Oscar’s coming up this Sunday, the musicals ‘Wicked’ & ‘Emilia Pérez,’ have taken the internet by storm. From fans creating memes to them siding who they think will win at the Oscars. Keep watching to see how the two musicals stack up against each other! Who do you think will win on Sunday? […]
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According to XXL, Texas rapper BigXthaPlug, real name Xavier Landum, got locked up in Arlington after a late-night traffic stop.
Cops pulled him over just after midnight because his tags were expired, and when they walked up to the car, they caught a whiff of weed. A quick search of the vehicle turned up not only marijuana but also a firearm tucked away in the door. BigX was hit with a charge for having less than two ounces of weed. The rapper wasn’t alone though—his passenger, Cleodist Landum (who seems to be a relative), was arrested too.
Cleodist had an active warrant out in Bexar County, Texas, and he was charged with weed possession and unlawful carrying of a weapon. BigXthaPlug, known for his 2024 album ‘Take Care’, which made noise on the Billboard charts, is no stranger to the spotlight. He’s had several Hot 100 hits and was scheduled to tour with Lil Baby this summer. But this arrest puts a bit of a wrench in his plans.
While Texas keeps it strict when it comes to weed, the rapper’s situation reminds everyone that even in the game, you’ve got to play by the rules—no matter who you are. This incident’s got the streets talking, and it’s just another example of how quick things can go left.
More news to come as the story develops.
Katy Perry is leveling up from women’s world to women’s outer space. Shortly after it was announced that she’d be joining the first-ever all-female space flight as part of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin expedition, the pop star gushed about the honor in a heartfelt post on Instagram. “If you had told me that I would […]
The third installment of the business conference NOW PLAYING JAPAN, organized by Billboard JAPAN and Luminate, was held on Feb. 6 at Billboard Live Tokyo.
At this event, executives from Billboard JAPAN and Luminate gave presentations on the latest domestic and international trends in music consumption. Additionally, Tatsuya Nomura, Chairman of the MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN Executive Committee, and Yutaka Inaba, Vice Chairman, appeared as guest speakers to discuss MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN, which will be held in May 2025. They focused on Japan’s music market and explained the efforts being made to help domestic artists succeed on the global stage.
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Scott Ryan, Executive Vice President of Luminate, took the podium first to discuss global trends for 2024, including streaming growth, genre trends, and audience insights, using Luminate’s “2024 Year End Report.” In 2024, global on-demand audio streaming grew 14% over the previous year to reach 4.8 trillion streams, which represents an increase of approximately 75% from 2.7 trillion streams in 2022. While 30% of this streaming volume is from the U.S., the growth rate from 2023 to 2024 for countries outside of the U.S. was 17.3%, indicating that the streaming market is growing on a global scale. He also explained that when focusing on Japan, the total number of streaming users (including both premium and ad-supported) grew by about 13%, and the number of premium users grew by more than 10%.
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In addition, Ryan introduced a new metric developed by Luminate, the “Luminate Export Power Score.” This metric is designed to evaluate a country’s ability to export recorded music globally, and is comprised of four data points. The U.S. is ranked first in this metric, with its top importers being Canada, Australia, and New Zealand; Brazil ranks 10th, with Portugal, Bolivia, and Peru being the top importers. Japan ranks 14th in this metric. Ryan also noted the country of origin for artists as a point of interest, and revealed that English speaking markets losing share to imports is becoming a new trend. Meanwhile in non-English-speaking markets, domestically produced works are gaining market share over imports from English-speaking countries (Japan also falls into this category).
Ryan also mentioned that Luminate, now with data enrichment services, has begun to access songwriting works data, and can now share at a broader scale, more information about how songwriters are driving cultural exchange and activity. By taking the top 1,000 global on-demand audio songs and then analyze them using data enrichment services from the team formerly known as Quansic, Luminate can now identify the top songwriters. The top global songwriter was Taylor Swift followed by Max Martin and The Weeknd.
Looking at regional and market based trends, the amount of J-Pop streams outside of Japan was mentioned as a notable trend. The number of premium users is also growing globally, with Asia, Europe, and Latin America showing the largest growth in 2024 from the previous year. While Latin America has been the fastest growing region overall since 2021, when focusing on 2024, Asia and Europe are showing a more rapid growth compared to other regions.
Ryan concluded by listing four key points: “Streaming in Japan and globally continues to grow at double-digit percentages, faster than in Western mature developed markets,” “Share of local content is increasing in Japan and many non-English speaking countries, and declining in English speaking markets like the U.S., UK and Canada,” ”Quansic Music Enrichment and Matching Services now provide new visibility on Songwriter and Recording activity” and ”New Audience Insights information will be coming soon for Japan and other top global music markets, enabling strategic planning.”
Next, Tatsuya Nomura, Chairman of the MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN Executive Committee, and Yutaka Inaba, Vice Chairman, took the stage for a discussion on the theme “The Meaning of Hosting an Awards Show in Japan Today.” Billboard JAPAN’s Naoko Takashima served as moderator.
The inaugural MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN will be held on May 21 and 22, 2025, in Kyoto, with an awards ceremony and performances. The May 22 event will be broadcast on NHK, including some BTS coverage, and will also be available worldwide on YouTube with a delayed stream. Unlike traditional Japanese music awards, MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN has been designed with a global perspective. One of the key reasons for establishing this award was the shift in Japan’s music industry from a CD-centric model to streaming, a transition accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which highlighted the growing international reach of Japanese music.
Nomura and Inaba emphasized that Japan lacked a transparent, democratically structured awards show akin to the Grammy Awards. Nomura explained, “In the U.S., the Grammy Awards recognize the best music of the year, and I thought Japan needed something similar. While Japan has various awards, they often lack transparency and industry participation. We wanted to create an opportunity where people could participate democratically, engage thoughtfully, and vote with genuine interest.” Inaba added, “This award is managed jointly by five major music industry organizations, meaning it exists for the benefit of the industry rather than any single entity. If any revenue is generated, it will be reinvested into Japan’s music industry. Many companies have resonated with this vision and have chosen to support us as partners. The more people take an interest in music, the more it will enrich and revitalize various aspects of society.”
MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN will have six major categories in addition to more than 60 other award categories. The primary selection of nominated artists will be based on Billboard JAPAN’s charts, utilizing publicly available data to ensure an objective and quantitative perspective that fairly captures listener response. Following this, over 5,000 music industry professionals will vote to determine the winners. The voting criteria will shift from quantitative analysis to a qualitative approach, evaluating artists based on their creativity and artistic excellence. Inaba noted, “Even if we narrow down the top five artists based on chart performance, industry professionals might have different opinions regarding who is truly the most outstanding artist, regardless of general fan popularity. We want to encourage deeper discussions about music.”
Nomura also revealed some of the challenges involved, stating, “The more we ensure transparency in the selection process, the more difficult the artist bookings become.” Beyond the awards themselves, the committee announced plans to support the global and digital expansion of Japanese music throughout the year by organizing showcase live performances worldwide. Already scheduled for March is a showcase event within SXSW, which is expected to continue annually, as well as “matsuri ’25: Japanese Music Experience LOS ANGELES” at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, featuring Ado, ATARASHII GAKKO!, and YOASOBI. Moving forward, the committee aims to create more opportunities for artists to engage with local J-Pop fans not only in the U.S. but also across Asia, Latin America, and Europe. Additionally, to support the industry beyond live performances and artist activities, a training program for music industry professionals is set to launch in the spring.
Seiji Isozaki from Billboard JAPAN delivered the final presentation under the theme “Reflections on Providing Global Data.”
Isozaki outlined the various services currently offered by Billboard JAPAN, including the “Global Japan Songs excl. Japan” chart, the “Chart Insight Global” data analysis service, and Luminate’s CONNECT service for corporate clients, highlighting their respective benefits. While acknowledging that some companies hesitate due to the high cost of these services, Isozaki pointed out that relying on inexpensive peripheral data often leads to mere “predictions,” which can ultimately put companies at a disadvantage. Isozaki then emphasized the advantages of utilizing accurate data to make informed decisions. He also reiterated the importance of enhancing music and artist identifiers, a topic that had been raised at the previous convention in September. Currently, tens of millions of songs by millions of artists, including their derivative versions, are being streamed across hundreds of platforms in dozens of languages. He expressed concerns that this explosive growth in content has led to lost opportunities and revenue overseas. Isozaki emphasized that improving metadata accuracy can help increase revenue, warning that using lower-cost alternative services with limited coverage rates would require working with multiple providers, ultimately leading to higher costs. He urged consideration of updating metadata through Luminate, which would allow for higher matching accuracy.
Isozaki also discussed the potential impact of MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN, presenting comparative data on streaming trends before and after the broadcast of multiple songs during the 2024 year-end NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen. The graphs showed a significant increase in streaming numbers for all featured songs following the broadcast. He explained that MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN, like Kouhaku, has the potential to become an internationally recognized program that influences audiences both in Japan and globally. He also reaffirmed Billboard JAPAN’s commitment to fully supporting the initiative and closely monitoring its impact.
—This article by Haruki Saito and Maiko Murata first appeared on Billboard Japan
The Japan Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA) and TOYOTA GROUP are joining forces to launch the Music Way Project, a collaborative endeavor that supports and promotes the globalization and sustainable growth of the Japanese music industry.
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With “Japanese music drives the world” as its concept, this project will focus on “human development” and “place development” for those taking on challenges on the global stage in music. For the former, to be a guiding light for young people with aspirations in music, the project will help refine the talents of those active globally through corporately supported seminars for student talents, training young people in the industry, and workshops with creators. For the latter, the Toyota Arena Tokyo — slated to open this autumn in Japan — will be utilized, and showcases will be held in the United States (Los Angeles), Europe (London) and Asia (Thailand). Toyota Group will offer its overseas bases to “providing spaces for young talent to shine.”
CEIPA Chair of the Board Shunsuke Muramatsu, TOYOTA GROUP Representative Akio Toyoda, and composer/Agency for Cultural Affairs Commissioner Shunichi Tokura took the stage at the joint press conference held in Tokyo Tuesday (Feb. 25). “With the expansion of the streaming business, the market for entertainment content is growing rapidly. Music is always closely linked to contents that Japan excels in, such as games, anime, live-action films, and events. Music has the power to spread without limit,” Muramatsu said, noting that the project is focusing on music first among the many forms of entertainment.
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As a move towards producing artists who reach global audiences, a major showcase event called matsuri ’25: Japanese Music Experience LOS ANGELES, will take place in March at the Peacock Theater, set to feature J-pop stars Ado, ATARASHII GAKKO!, and YOASOBI. Also, the inaugural MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN, the largest music awards in Japan, is slated for May at the ROHM Theater Kyoto.
When comparing export values by industry, automobiles are worth 22 trillion yen, semiconductors 5.5 trillion yen, and steel 4.5 trillion yen, while the content industry, including entertainment, is worth 5.8 trillion yen. Elaborating on TOYOTA GROUP’s intention to participate in this project, Toyoda said, “When I was president of Toyota Motor Corporation, I think my driving force was my love for Japan. That is why I want Japan to continue to be needed by the world.”
He went on to express his hopes for the development of the project, concluding, “There’s a lot of good music in Japan, as well as many talented people. We want them to rock the world with their music, and want to support them so that people everywhere can get to know their talent. If you see someone working hard, please support them. Your support will widen paths and build more of them. When more paths are built, you can climb even the steepest mountains. Please give them that chance.”
MUSIC WAY PROJECT Outline
Promoters: CEIPA x TOYOTA GROUP
Aim: Supporting and promoting the fundamental globalization and sustainable growth of the Japanese music industry.
Human development that refines the talents of those taking on the global stage:
Student Seminars: Courses for students in collaboration with domestic universities, etc.
Professional Seminars: Online courses for young industry professionals, etc.
Co-Write Global CAMP: Hosting cowriting camps where creators from around the world assemble.
Place development to provide spaces for young talent to shine:
Enhancing overseas bases: Utilizing three bases in the U.S. (Los Angeles), Europe (London), and Asia (Thailand), and supporting activities of artists domestically.
GLOBAL SHOWCASE LIVE: Strengthening artists’ footholds and networks by developing showcases in Asia and Europe. Utilizing TOYOTA ARENA TOKYO, slated to open this fall.
Drake doesn’t have any love for those who turned their back on him during the Kendrick Lamar feud, and he thanked those peers who stood by him over the course of the last year. The 6 God addressed the audience during a recent concert in Brisbane as part of his Anita Max Win Tour, where […]
Justin Bieber let fans in on his smoke break Thursday (Feb. 27), with the star sharing a carefree video of himself enjoying what appears to be a blunt or cigar while jamming out to Don Toliver on Instagram Stories.
In the clip, Bieber keeps his face close to the camera while inhaling thick clouds of smoke and exhaling straight into the lens, giving a couple of cheeky smiles. All the while, he bops along to the Houston-born rapper’s “Hardstone National Anthem,” which appears on Toliver’s Hardstone Psycho. Released in June, the album reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
The “Peaches” singer has worked with Toliver in the past, appearing on the latter’s 2023 Love Sick track “Private Landing” alongside Future. The “Bandit” musician also joined Bieber on the 2022 single “Honest.”
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Bieber’s Thursday afternoon smoke sesh comes two days after he posted a different video of himself vibing to music on Instagram, that time hanging out with a friend and freestyling a silly rap: “High like a fly guy/ I fly high like a magpie/ I go high like a bad guy.” Doechii commented, “me asf lmaaooo.”
The clips follow shortly after a rep for Justin and his wife, model Hailey Bieber — with whom he welcomed his first son, Jack Blues, in August — disputed speculation that the musician is using hard drugs in a statement shared with TMZ Feb. 23. Calling the rumors “exhausting and pitiful,” the spokesperson said that the misconception “shows that despite the obvious truth, people are committed to keeping negative, salacious, harmful narratives alive.”
The rep also added that this past year has been “very transformative for him as he ended several close friendships and business relationships that no longer served him.”
Justin has been notably more active on social media recently, though not all of his posts have been as unserious as his latest video. Earlier this month, he posted an earnest note on Instagram Stories declaring that it’s “time to grow up,” adding, “changing is about letting go!”
“Are you tired of trying to follow all of the rules in hopes to get the results you crave?” he continued in the Feb. message. “Ive found love to be more powerful than rules. I tried to follow the rules. Im not good at it. But u dont need to follow rules to enter into a life of love. U just receive so enter love living! God always grants us love! … Today im letting go and remembering the weight isnt on me to change. The weight is on God. So I give all my insecurities and my fears to him this morning. Because I know he gladly takes 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. It’s been a busy 2025 for Selena Gomez. Fresh off a Golden Globes nomination for her role in Emilia Perez, and […]
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New York City Mayor Eric Adams came under fire for his referring to Black leaders asking him to resign as “negroes” and invoking Jesus in a speech.
There is more trouble surrounding New York City Mayor Eric Adams after his recent comments at a Black History Month event at his mayoral residence, Gracie Mansion. In his speech on Tuesday (Feb. 25), he chastised Black politicians who called for him to step down in the wake of Adams agreeing to work with President Donald Trump while federal corruption charges against him could be dropped. “This is a biblical moment,” Adams began, continuing: “When Jesus was on the cross, he said, ‘God forgive them for they know not what they do. All these negroes who are asking me to step down, God forgive them.”
Adams would end up in a testy exchange when questioned by Curt Menefee, the co-anchor of Fox 5’s Good Day New York program on Wednesday (Feb. 26). “Are you implying that if you’re Black, you have to support you?” Menefee asked. “No, not at all. I’m asking for all New Yorkers to support me,” Adams replied, prompting Menefee to pointedly ask, “Are you saying all New Yorkers are negroes?” Adams seemed flustered, defending himself by saying: “I thought I was very clear in my definition of what I said … you got 8.3 million New Yorkers, 8.3 million people didn’t call for me to step down. I get just the opposite when I’m in the streets.”
“So anybody who’s Black who calls for you to step down, they need help from God. I’m focusing on this because your use of the word negro has come up repeatedly over the last couple of weeks, and I think some people actually have an issue with that term,” replied Menefee, adding, “So explain who you’re talking to when you use that term specifically.” Adams would deflect.
The exchange reflected the growing dissatisfaction with Adams in the Black community in recent weeks. Harlem-based Reverend Johnnie Green expressed his displeasure. “I think all spiritual leaders in this town are appalled by it,” Green said of the remarks. “It just shows you the times in which we live how dangerously wicked people can be… He is no savior, he is no Christ, he is no sacrificial lamb.” Public Advocate Jumanne Williams also blasted Adams. “You can see someone who is in major crisis and has no ability to look within, that is a very dangerous person to have running the city.”
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A jury of his peers may have found A$AP Rocky not guilty of shooting his former associate, but A$AP Relli isn’t giving up on the case and will continue to pursue legal action against the “RIOT” rapper.
According to Rolling Stone, A$AP Relli has once again taken legal action against A$AP Rocky over the shooting incident, which occurred Nov. 6, 2021 and has filed a civil lawsuit against Rihanna’s baby daddy. While Rocky maintains that he used a prop gun in the incident, which shot blanks, Relli still says that he used a real gun, which left his left hand wounded. Unfortunately for Relli, a jury sided with Rocky’s side of the story and acquitted the rapper on all charges. Still, Relli wants some kind of retribution and will continue to fight for his coin in a court of law.
Per Rolling Stone:
“We intend to continue litigating this case,” Ephron’s lawyer, Melissa Mikail, told the court at the hearing. “The standard in a criminal case is much higher than the preponderance of the evidence standard in a civil matter. We still believe that our claims have merit, and we intend on fully litigating them.”
In his lawsuit, Ephron alleges Rocky, born Rakim Mayers, pulled out a handgun and fired at him during a verbal altercation on the corner of Selma Ave. and Vista Del Mar Ave. on Nov. 6, 2021. At the criminal trial, Ephron told jurors he immediately felt a hot sensation on his left hand and believed he was grazed by a bullet. Under fierce cross-examination, he was combative and confronted with allegations he perjured himself repeatedly.
In the original lawsuit, Ephron (Relli) was seeking a $30 million payday to avoid taking the case to trial. Rocky declined and ended up walking away scot-free… for now. A trial date for the civil case has been set for Jan. 12, 2026, so Rocky has some time to relax from his previous three-week trial before heading into court for his latest legal problem. Rocky’s lawyer isn’t sweating it though, as he feels the civil suit doesn’t hold much weight following Rocky’s acquittal.
At the follow-up hearing in the related matter Wednesday, Mayers’ civil lawyer James Sargent said he didn’t believe the claims in Ephron’s lawsuit deserved a trial. “My position is there’s no longer a basis for them. Mr. Ephron testified in the criminal case as to the facts and circumstances. The jury’s acquittal speaks volumes as to how they valued that testimonial evidence,” Sargent told Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge William Fahey.
Outside the courtroom after the hearing, Sargent told Rolling Stone he’s confident his client will prevail again. “The allegations Mr. Ephron raises in this case stem from the same incident that a jury of 12 people rejected wholesale. Mr. Ephron testified there, and the jury, in the face of that testimony, returned a complete acquittal. So we look forward to a full vindication of Mr. Mayers in this matter,” he said.
Never forget that OJ Simpson was acquitted by a jury of his peers for murder, but ended up losing everything in the civil lawsuit that ultimately followed his not guilty verdict. So in cases like this, you just never know.
What do y’all think about A$AP Relli bringing a civil lawsuit to A$AP Rocky? Should he just let it go or is he justified? Let us know in the comments section below.