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06 Jun 2024

Josh Groban to Host 2024 Jimmy Awards, Honoring High School Theater Arts Students

Josh Groban is set to host the 15th annual Jimmy Awards, which are sort of like the Tony Awards for promising high school theater arts students. The awards are set to take place Monday, June 24, at the Minskoff Theatre in Manhattan.

The National High School Musical Theatre Awards (the formal name of the awards) celebrate individual talent in vocal, dance and acting performance. Named for the late Broadway impresario James M. Nederlander, the Jimmy Awards has been the catalyst for more than $6 million in educational scholarships.

“I am excited to be the host for the 15th annual Jimmy Awards!,” Groban said in a statement. “The dedication and immense talent of these nominees are truly inspiring. Arts education holds a dear place in my heart, and its profound impact is clearly showcased through these young talents each year at the Jimmy Awards.”

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“…We are thrilled to have [Josh] join us in celebrating the achievements of, and giving inspiration to, high school musical theatre students across the country, including the over 100 student nominees performing on stage that night,” Jason Laks, interim president of The Broadway League, said in a statement.

(The Broadway League is also a co-presenter of the annual Tony Awards, along with the American Theatre Wing.)

Tickets for the Jimmy Awards start at $75 and go on sale to the general public on Monday, June 10 through BroadwayDirect.com.

The show will stream for free online beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday, June 24 via the Jimmy Awards Facebook and YouTube channels. The ceremony will remain available online for three days afterwards, through Thursday evening, June 27.

Groban co-hosted the Tony Awards six years ago with Sara Bareilles. The stars each received two Primetime Emmy nominations for their efforts – outstanding variety special (live) and outstanding original music and lyrics for co-writing the special-material song “This One’s for You” with Shaina Taub.

Groban is a two-time Tony nominee for best performance by a leading actor in a musical, for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (his Broadway debut) and Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Groban also received a Grammy nod for the Sweeney Todd cast album, which was nominated for best musical theater album at the ceremony held on Feb. 4.

Groban, 43, is also an active arts education philanthropist and advocate. His Find Your Light Foundation helps enrich the lives of young people through arts, education, and cultural awareness.

06 Jun 2024

Twenty One Pilots Lead Top Rock Albums Chart With ‘Clancy’

Twenty One Pilots and Bring Me the Horizon score new No. 1s on Billboard’s rock album charts dated June 8, with the former’s Clancy debuting atop the Top Rock Albums survey and the latter’s Post Human: Next Gen entering atop the Top Hard Rock Albums list.

Clancy bows with 143,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending May 30, according to Luminate. The sum largely encompasses 113,000 album sales and 29,000 streaming-equivalent units. The week is the biggest in units for any title on Top Rock Albums in 2024 and the best since Zach Bryan’s self-titled LP started with 200,000 on the Sept. 9, 2023, survey.

Clancy marks Twenty One Pilots’ fourth Top Rock Albums leader. The duo first led with Blurryface in 2015, followed by 2018’s Trench and 2021’s Scaled and Icy.

The new set also begins at No. 2 on Top Rock & Alternative Albums and Top Alternative Albums, where Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft reigns for a second week (145,000 units).

On the all-genre Billboard 200, Clancy debuts at No. 3, the act’s third top three entry.

The entirety of Clancy’s 13-song tracklist reaches the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, led by “The Craving” at No. 20 with 5.9 million official U.S. streams, 3.9 million radio audience impressions and 1,000 downloads sold. The song, the latest promoted single from the LP, concurrently debuts at Nos. 23 and 40 on Alternative Airplay and Pop Airplay, respectively. Lead single “Overcompensate” peaked at No. 2 on Alternative Airplay in May.

Bring Me the Horizon’s Post Human: Next Gen starts at No. 1 on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart with 19,000 units. It’s the band’s second leader, following That’s the Spirit for a week in 2015.

Post Human: Next Gen also begins at No. 10 on Top Rock & Alternative Albums, marking the Oli Sykes-fronted act’s sixth top 10, all logged since 2010’s There Is a Hell Believe Me I’ve Seen It. There Is a Heaven Let’s Keep It a Secret.

“Top 10 Statues That Cried Blood,” the new album’s latest radio single, concurrently debuts at No. 1 on Hot Hard Rock Songs with 2.6 million streams and 266,000 airplay audience impressions. It also starts at No. 39 on Mainstream Rock Airplay.

06 Jun 2024

Luke Combs to Release ‘Fathers & Sons’ Album Next Week

Just in time for Father’s Day, Luke Combs will release the new album Fathers & Sons on Friday, June 14.

On Instagram, Combs shared news of the album along with cover art for the project and the track list. He captioned the photo: “I can’t wait for y’all to hear the full album next week and hope y’all love this project as much as I do.”

The album is led by Combs’ new song “The Man He Sees in Me,” which he previously teased on social media.

Combs himself is a father to two sons. He and wife Nicole welcomed their oldest son, Tex Lawrence Combs, on Father’s Day in June 2022. Last year, their second son, Beau Lee Combs, was born in August. In revealing the release of “The Man He Sees in Me,” Combs shared a carousel of photos on Instagram, giving fans a glimpse into his role as a dad, while Nicole commented on the photos, “Our living room looks like a daycare & I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Judging by the titles of some of the songs on the project, including “Ride Around Heaven,” “Front Door Famous,” “Remember Him That Way” and “All I Ever Do Is Leave,” it seems as though some are sure to be tear-jerkers.

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Combs also previewed the familiarly titled “Take Me Out the Ballgame” in April, playing the song during his two-concert stint at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The project follows Combs’ 2023 album Gettin’ Old, which was nominated for album of the year at the CMA Awards, and his 2022 project Growin’ Up, which earned a Grammy nomination for best country album.

See the full track list for Combs’ Fathers & Sons below:

Front Door Famous
In Case I Ain’t Around
Huntin’ By Yourself
Little Country Boys
Whoever You Turn Out to Be
Remember Him That Way
The Man He Sees In Me
All I Ever Do Is Leave
Plant a Seed
Ride Around Heaven
My Old Man Was Right
Take Me Out to the Ballgame

06 Jun 2024

Watch Kelly Clarkson Go Down in a ‘Blaze of Glory’ as She Botches the Lyrics in Front of Bon Jovi

Kelly Clarkson admittedly crashed and burned when she attempted to sing Jon Bon Jovi‘s “Blaze of Glory” on the latest edition of Kellyoke on Thursday (June 6). And to make matters worse, the Bon Jovi frontman himself was in the building and witnessed the entire thing.

In a new blooper reel from The Kelly Clarkson Show segment, the “Stronger” singer describes the 1990 hit as “the song that almost killed me.” “I just can’t read, whatever,” she adds. “I know that song, but in rehearsal, I messed it up like a gazillion times.”

The video then cuts to a montage of Clarkson singing incorrect lyrics over and over again, getting increasingly frustrated with each botched take. “My learning disability kicked in,” she quips at one point.

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At the end, Bon Jovi — who was a guest on the talk show’s latest episode — comes out and gives the pop star a big hug. “I can’t say the right words!” she tells him, flustered.

Written for Young Guns II, “Blaze of Glory” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 the year it was released. The album of the same name peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200.

Bon Jovi and his band are just one day away from dropping their new LP Forever. During a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, the 62-year-old rock star said he was inspired to record the project after recovering from vocal cord surgery, even though he’d previously thought he was done making albums. “I went into this surgery and I had a lot of time on my hands — all I could really do was sit around and start to think about songs,” he told the outlet. “I started to feel joy again. And we — the collective we, who lived through COVID — we’d all come out of that fog, and we were interacting again. There was a new appreciation for life. And I was having this new appreciation for my body. And it led to all these songs.”

Watch Clarkson’s “Blaze of Glory” blooper reel above, plus her full Kellyoke performance here:


https://youtube.com/watch?v=DZqLXPew2eY&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

06 Jun 2024

Reneé Rapp Opens Up About Her Last-Minute Decision to Come Out as Lesbian on ‘SNL’: ‘It Felt Good’

Before January 2024, Reneé Rapp publicly identified as bisexual. However, she made a last-minute decision when appearing in a sketch for Saturday Night Live to come out as lesbian — thanks to a sweet introduction from comedian Bowen Yang.

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However, the journey of coming out was a long one. Rapp sat down for a recent interview with Them, where she opened up about accepting her identity as a lesbian. The “Tummy Hurts” singer referred to the viral Tumblr guide, Lesbian Masterdoc, as helping her back in December. “I’m sure for some people it doesn’t feel right,” she explained. “I don’t know all the nuances to the conversation. However, for me, it was really beneficial.”

Rapp also attributed her self-realization to a new group of queer friends.  “All of a sudden, I had these people around me who were either nonbinary people, trans friends, or lesbians, and I was like, ‘I feel so happy when I’m with you guys. And I also really want to call myself a lesbian when I’m around you,’” she said.

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The 24-year-old singer continued of the “lesbian” label, “When you’re bisexual, you almost want to prove yourself, so I thought it was kind of that. But it came to be that, no, I’m actually just gay like that.”

When it came time to perform on SNL, Rapp was set to appear in a sketch in which Yang was originally supposed to introduce her as “our little bisexual intern Reneé.” Before the show, Rapp ended up asking one of the show’s writers, Celeste Yim, to change “bisexual” to “gay”. She recalled, “I didn’t want to do it and be like, ‘Oh my God, I’m not using the word ‘bisexual,’ and make bisexual people feel s—ty. I also didn’t want to be like, ‘OK, I’m ‘gay’ and have all the lesbians be like, ‘Say you’re bisexual, then.’ I felt so wrapped up and scared.”

However, “gay” still didn’t feel right. Rapp ended up calling a friend, who told her, “I think it would be really f—ing sick if you came out as a lesbian on SNL.” Ultimately, she was introduced by Yang as “our little lesbian intern,” officially coming out.

“I stayed off my phone for a couple days because I was so f—ing terrified and felt so s—ty but then it was just, like, a thing, and it felt good,” she said.

Read the full interview here.

06 Jun 2024

Drake & Sexyy Red in Top 3, Central Cee & Lil Baby Land in Top 10 of TikTok Billboard Top 50 | Billboard News

Will Drake and Sexyy Red be able to take over the No. 1 spot from Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby”? “BAND4BAND” by Central Cee and Lil Baby makes its way into the top 10, and more!

Tetris Kelly:
“Million Dollar Baby” rank continues while three new tracks make the top 10. Tommy Richman spends a fifth week on top of the TikTok Billboard Top 50 for the chart posting June 6. It beat Lay Bankz’s run, while “Tell Ur Girlfriend” bounces back to the second spot.

Sexyy Red and Drake’s “U My Everything” hits the chart at No. 3. Stephen Kramer Glickman’s version of “Crazy” leaps 41 to six thanks to a trend where people highlight their past cringe moment. Central Cee and Lil Baby’s “BAND4BAND” debuts at eight. Users love pointing out the duo’s different accents on the app.

Every Thursday, Billboard will bring you the verified list of the hottest songs on TikTok by monitoring music discovery and engagement on the platform in the United States to find the TikTok Billboard Top 50. Each week, users can simply go to any sound detail page and tap the top right button to access the charts page.

06 Jun 2024

Clearance Deal! This Summer Staple Minidress Is on Sale for Less Than $5

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.

Score big this summer with this must-have Luv Betsey Mini Dress! Originally priced at $19.95, you can now get it for less than $5 at Walmart. If you are looking for a comfortable outfit in floral print or solid color, this is the perfect style, and won’t brea the bank.

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Minidresses are a comfort staple. Whether you’re lounging by the pool or running errands, this minidress will help you stay on top of your summer style with ease. You can get this dress in three different prints: Whisper White, White (out of stock), and White Ditsy Floral. Sizes run from XS to XL.

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Want free shipping? 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!

This Summer Staple Minidress Is on Sale for Less Than $5

Walmart

Luv Betsey Smoked Mini Dress

With its classic puff sleeves and square neckline, this garment will never go out of style. What’s more, it also includes pockets! So if you are looking for a comfortable dress with pockets, this is the one for you.

One Walmart customer stated, “This dress fits great true to size. Pockets bonus! Fun summer day dress light weight and soft! Adorable cottage core print smocked top!”

Another shared, “Quality clothing at a price that’s a steal. This dress is super cute and amazingly comfortable.”

If you’re looking for a longer summer dress, consider the Time and Tru Cross Back Dress that’s also currently on sale for just $7.28, a steal from its original price of $17.98.

For more product recommendations, check out these alternative Maxi Dresses on sale for $6, Abercombie & Fitch Midi Dress, and stylish skorts to change up your summer outfits.

06 Jun 2024

Eminem’s ‘Houdini’ Backlash, Drake’s ‘Wah Gwan Delilah’ Feature, Cardi B vs. Bia | Billboard Unfiltered

In the fifth episode of Billboard Unfiltered, Billboard staffers Damien Scott, Trevor Anderson and Carl Lamarre break down Cardi B & Bia’s beef from verses to allegations made. They also discuss Eminem’s return to rap with “Houdini,” the backlash he’s receiving with the Megan Thee Stallion reference, and how his career has evolved with age. The trio also dives into Drake’s music post Kendrick feud and more!

Damien Scott:
Cardi is so big. To me, her going on live and doing all this is like, it’s, like, so messy.

Carl Lamarre:
Are you guys checking for an Eminem album 2024?

Damien Scott:
Yeah. I listen to every Eminem album. 

Carl Lamarre:
Wow!

Trevor Anderson:
Drake jumped that thing into the top 10.

Carl Lamarre:
It slid pretty …

Trevor Anderson:
We’re not talking about slides.

Carl Lamarre:
We are back with a fresh episode of Billboard Unfiltered. We have Mr. Trevor Anderson back with us. 

Damien Scott:
Welcome back, Trev.

Trevor Anderson:
Yo, what’s up? It’s pretty good to be back.

Carl Lamarre:
How was Paris? 

Damien Scott:
Was it a vacation? 

Trevor Anderson:
Yeah, it was. 

Damien Scott:
Passport on pivot?

Trevor Anderson:
Yeah, you know.

Damien Scott:
As they used to say. 

Trevor Anderson:

Yeah, but it was nice. It was a good time. I appreciate y’all. Yeah.

Carl Lamarre:
This week, pretty formidable. You know, in terms of what we got going on. First off, Cardi B versus Bia. Cardi B last week, she jumped on GloRilla’s and Megan Thee Stallions remix for “Wanna Be,” had, you know, some things to say about Bia, which she threw a little bit of shots.

Damien Scott:
Can you break down this beef? Do you understand how this beef started?

Carl Lamarre: 
So, I think, this is just like, guilt by association type s–t, because, you know, Bia’s team Minaj right? Team Nicki. So you know.

Keep watching to learn more!

06 Jun 2024

Publishing Briefs: SONA Foundation & Backline Partner to Provide Mental Health Services for Songwriters

The Songwriters of North America (SONA) Foundation has partnered with mental health provider Backline to launch a new therapy assistance project. Called TAP, the program will provide qualifying songwriters up to $1,500 in funding for therapy services. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed weekly. Each week, the program manager will send new applications stripped of identifying info to the TAP Grant review team. Rage Against the Machine‘s Tom Morello counts himself as a supporter of the initiative. “Mental health should be accessible to all. And yet a lot of folks don’t know where to begin and don’t have insurance that covers the help they need,” said Morello in a statement. “I am proud to support The SONA Foundation’s TAP grant program which offers financial assistance and mental health resources to music creators in need.” To learn more about applying for a TAP grant, visit sonafoundation.com/tap-grants.

Sony Music Publishing has been awarded Publisher of the Year at BMI‘s 2024 Pop Awards. Held on Tuesday (June 4) in Beverly Hills, it is the major publisher’s seventh consecutive win. SMP’s executive vp/head of A&R Walter Jones said, “We are incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to support and champion SMP’s songwriters every day, and this award reflects their outstanding achievements.”

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peermusic has signed songwriter/executive Jessica Vaughn to a global publishing administration deal. This includes the administration of her back catalog, synch services for selected masters and a synch agreement with Vaughn’s company, Head Bitch Music, where she helps signees build up synch-friendly catalogs.

Universal Music Publishing Germany and Electric Feel Europe have extended their administration deal with producer/writer JUMPA. The new agreement builds upon the previous deal, adding in UMPG as a co-publisher for the German talent. JUMPA is best known for German top 10 hits “Fühlst Du das auch” by Apache 207, Loredana and Mozzik’s “Rosenkrieg” and “Auf die Party” with badmómzjay and Domiziana.

Concord Music Publishing has signed Maddie Kerr, songwriter and lead vocalist of Mercury, to a global publishing deal. A Nashville-based rock talent, Kerr’s deal with Concord is a worldwide co-publishing agreement that includes her full catalog as well as future works.

Universal Music Publishing China has signed Cheerful Music to an exclusive worldwide deal, excluding mainland China. A top local catalog founded in Shenzhen in 2019, Cheerful Music is home to hits like “YI XIAO JIANG HU (KE MU SAN), “XIAO CHENG XIA TIAN,” “TA SHAN HE” and “BAN SHENG XUE.”

06 Jun 2024

New ‘Hunger Games’ Book In the Works: Here’s How to Read the Entire Series in Order While You Wait for the Release

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Suzanne Collins is taking us back to Panem with a fifth installation in The Hunger Games book series, but this time, she’s taking us back in time to 24 years prior to the events of the main trilogy. The Hollywood Reporter announced the news this week, stating the upcoming book titled, Sunrise on the Reaping, won’t be released until March 18, 2025, but that means you have plenty of time to catch up on the series — including watching the most recent movie online, which also gained recognition for debuting an Olivia Rodrigo song.

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This time around, readers won’t be following President Snow’s point-of-view, but will get to hear from another familiar face: Haymitch Abernathy — Katniss and Peeta’s mentor and the only other person from District 12 to win the Hunger Games. His experience is also significant as it marked the Second Quarter Quell to take place.

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Instead of counting down the days until the book comes out, new and seasoned fans of the Hunger Games world can read every book to help pass the time. Right now, you can even score 39% off a boxed set from Target, Amazon and Walmart, which drops the price down to less than $40. Keep reading to shop the deal below.

How to Read 'Hunger Games' Series In Order Before Book 5 Comes Out

“The Hunger Games” Books 1-4 Box Set

$38.06

$38.06

$61.96

39% off

$38.06

$46.47

18% off

Enter the world of The Hunger Games with this boxed book set that includes every single book currently published in the series. You can choose from paperback or hardcover editions and enjoy a display-worthy box that won’t just keep your collection dust-free, but also looks great placed on a mantle.

How Many Books Are in The Hunger Games Series?

There are four books published as of now including The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay and The Ballad of the Songbirds & Snakes. Once Sunrise on the Reaping is published there will be a total of five books within the series. If you look at the movies though, the third book, Mockingjay was split into two movies, which expanded the movies into five total.

If you’d also like to watch The Hunger Games films, you can stream all four movies online through Starz, which has a 7-day free trial through Prime Video. After the free trial is over, you’ll be charged $9.99 a month on top of your Prime membership subscription. You’ll need a Prime membership in order to watch The Hunger Games series online for free. If you don’t already have a membership, Amazon offers a 30-day free trial for new users who sign up.

How to Read The Hunger Games in Order

The best way to read the books is in the order the series was released in, which would start with The Hunger Games followed by Catching Fire, Mockingjay and The Ballad of the Songbirds & Snakes. While the fourth book is considered a prequel to the main trilogy, you could still read Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes first, to understand all the Easter eggs that will likely be placed within Sunrise on the Reaping.

Fans can also look forward to seeing book five on the big screen as it was reported that the upcoming book has already scored a movie deal.

For more product recommendations, check out ShopBillboard‘s roundups of the best female musician memoirs, country music books and books about jazz.