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18 Apr 2024

Billie Eilish Unveils ‘Hit Me Hard & Soft’ Tracklist

Billie Eilish’s new musical era is upon us, and the superstar unveiled the tracklist for her upcoming album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, on Thursday (April 18).

The 10-track album features tracks like “Skinny,” “Lunch,” “L’Amour De Ma Vie,” “Blue,” and “Wildflower,” among others. As of the current announcement, there does not appear to be any collaborative features on the project, as was the case on her previous two albums.

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“Chihiro” is also listed on the album, which Eilish teased in an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe earlier this month. “Today, maybe tomorrow/ Open the door for me/ I know you said before/ You can’t cope with it no more,” she sings on the track, which borrows its title from the main character of the beloved Studio Ghibli film, Spirited Away.

“Every time you put anything out, it feels like your nudes leaked a little bit,” the nine-time Grammy winner said of the upcoming album. “I think this one specifically is like that. Something that Finneas and I said to a couple of people when we started to play it for people is we kind of made the album that if somebody had said, ‘I want you to make an album and no one is going to hear it. You don’t have to worry about anyone’s ears or opinions or anything at all. It’s in your contract to make an album but no one can hear it.’ We pretty much made that album. We made that album without much thought of other people.”

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See the full tracklist here.

Hit Me Hard and Soft, out May 17, will follow the musician’s 2019 debut When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and her 2021 sophomore effort Happier Than Ever, both of which topped the Billboard 200 for three weeks. 

18 Apr 2024

Taylor Swift Announces First Single ‘Fortnight’ With Post Malone, Breaks Spotify Record & More | Billboard News

It’s Thursday April 18th and this is a complete Taylor Swift takeover, ahead of the release of her new album ‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ the superstar announced the lead single “Fortnight,” breaks a record on Spotify for most pre-saves for her new album and we take you inside the ‘Tortured Poets Department’ Spotify library that happened in Los Angeles this week. Billboard explains Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Billboard chart history, Alek Olsen remains on top of the TikTok chart, we look back at the Isley Brothers’ going to No. 1 with “It’s Your Thing” and more!

Tetris Kelly:

Ahead of Taylor’s new album, she’s totally taking over. We bring you inside her exclusive pop up, explained some of her biggest achievements, run down the Tiktok Billboard Top 50 and take a look back at the Hot 100 in 1969.

Rania Aniftos:

Happy Thursday I’m Rania Aniftos for Billboard News. It’s April 18th and we’ve got a lot to get through so let’s jump into our lead stories.

Tetris Kelly:

With broken records, new challenges and major rebrands it’s a total Taylor takeover. Here are the details. Taylor Swift announced the first single off ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ will be “Fortnight” featuring Post Malone after already announcing the music videos coming Friday as well. And she also teased a “Fortnight” challenge set to kick off with the album tomorrow. With the announcement, Taylor gushed about Post Malone saying, “I’ve been such a huge fan of Post because of the writer he is, his musical experimentation and those melodies he creates that just stick in your head forever. I got to witness that magic come to life firsthand when we work together on “Fortnight.” Well fans are definitely excited for the album. Spotify posted on IG saying it became the most pre-saved album countdown page in the streamer’s history. And they aren’t the only ones that are going to blast the new album when it drops at midnight. iHeart Radio announced the rebrand for the release calling themselves iHeart Taylor,

Watch above to learn more!

18 Apr 2024

Linda Perry Opens Up About Her Arduous Work Ethic in ‘Let It Die Here’ Trailer: ‘I Don’t Know How to Stop’

Linda Perry’s Let It Die documentary will be spotlighted at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival in June, but leading up to the event, the official trailer for the film arrived on Thursday (April 18).

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In the two-minute clip, fans get a peek into how much pressure the 4 Non-Blondes star puts on herself in her career. “It’s pretty amazing I turned out the way I did. Everything else was running against me,” the 59-year-old singer-songwriter is heard saying in the voiceover. “Because I was abused mentally, emotionally, physically as a child, I developed a pattern as an adult of self abuse. I live in stress, high anxiety — it’s like I validate myself by working and working and working, and staying in struggle. If I have one day off, I beat myself up.”

She continued, “I don’t know how to shut it off so I can just breathe. I don’t know how to stop.”

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The trailer also shares clips of interviews from Christina Aguilera, Dolly Parton and Brandi Carlile. “I could tell from the second I met her that she was different,” Aguilera says, before Parton adds, “I take my job very seriously and I just love it when I meet somebody and I feel that kindred spirit about.”

Carlile echoed the sentiment, noting, “Linda is just a major pioneer, just powered through all of the noise.”

According to the documentary’s description, “Let It Die Here is an intimate look at a vulnerable and courageous woman as she navigates life-altering personal circumstances amidst gnawing career decisions. Linda‘s past and present collide as she struggles to answer the big questions she can no longer avoid: Who am I? Am I loved? What’s my purpose? What will I leave behind?”

Let It Die Here is currently slated to be “coming soon.” Watch the trailer below.

18 Apr 2024

The Isley Brothers Hit No.1 In 1969 With ‘It’s Your Thing’ | Chart Rewind | Billboard News

On today’s episode of Billboard’s Chart Rewind, we look back at the Isley Brothers hitting No. 1 on the Best Selling Rhythm & Blues singles chart, now called Hot R&B / Hip-Hop songs with their song “It’s Your Thing.”

Alyssa Caverley
The Isley Brothers make it to the top on this week’s Chart Rewind. We head all the way back to 1969 the Isley Brothers hit the No.1 spot with their hit. It’s your thing on what was called the Best Selling Rhythm and Blues Singles Chart. Now called Hot R&B, Hip-Hop songs is spent four weeks at the top and was their first No. 1 on any Billboard chart. Over on the Hot 100, the song reached No. 2 and remains the group’s highest charting song

18 Apr 2024

National Independent Venue Association Reveals Programming for 2024 Conference

The National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) has unveiled programming for its third annual conference. NIVA ‘24 will take place in New Orleans from June 3-5 with speakers from Eventbrite, National Independent Talent Organization, Wasserman, Live Music Society, Spotify, Meta and hundreds of independent venues and promoters from across the country.

This year’s speakers will include IAG’s Marsha Vlasic, United Talent Agency’s Nick Nuciforo, Grammy Award-winning Rebirth Brass Band, Eventbrite co-founder/CEO Julia Hartz, Bandsintown’s Fabrice Sergent, NPR Tiny Desk Contest winner Tank and the Bangas and George Porter, Jr., founding member of the band Meters.

The 2024 edition will also spotlight NIVA’s New Orleans venues including Generations Hall, Tipitina’s, Republic NOLA and d.b.a.

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“The nation’s independent live entertainment community has finally found a home to focus on the preservation and elevation of our industry at the annual NIVA Conference in New Orleans,” said Jamie Loeb, chair of NIVA’s conference programming committee and senior of marketing at Nederlander Concerts, in a statemenet. “Agents, bookers, venue owners and operators, promoters, and festivals will come together to showcase the vibrant voices and experiences of the live entertainment ecosystem. This year, we gather to celebrate our past successes and to chart a collective path towards a more dynamic and inclusive future for independent stages nationwide.”

The wide range of panel topics will include community programming, marketing, performing rights organizations, sponsorships, comedy booking, ticketing, breaking emerging talent, safety, and food and beverage. This year, the National Independent Venue Foundation (NIVF), in collaboration with NIVA, will offer a certified harassment training workshop, delivered in partnership with Calling All Crows and Spotify Plus 1.

NIVA ‘24 will also feature an opening night party presented by Lyte on Sunday (June 2), NIVA Gras presented by Eventbrite on Monday (June 3) and NIVA Night in NOLA featuring a Live Music Society lounge at d.b.a. on Tuesday (June 4).

The conference will also include an operations networking session presented by Protect Group on Monday, a booking networking session presented by VenuePilot on Tuesday and a working lounge presented by Live Music Society for the duration of the conference. Programming will conclude with a happy hour each day presented by Etix on Monday, Prekindle on Tuesday, and Live Music Society with D Tour and Midtopia on Wednesday (June 5).

A full list of panels, speakers and more information on the conference can be found here.

18 Apr 2024

Thousands of People Are Buying These Paul Atreides Action Figures, Inspired by Timothee Chalamet in ‘Dune 2’

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.

Dune: Part Two dominated the theater after its premiere, racking up close to $500 million at the global box office, according to Variety. Now, you can finally watch Dune: Part Two online at home. But if seeing it on the screen isn’t enough to satiate your love for the series you can stock up on Paul Atreides Dune action figures too.

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Toy brands like Mcfarlane and Funko have released a line of collectible figurines inspired by the sci-fi movie that you can shop now on Amazon. What has reviewers in awe though, is how much the Dune: Part Two action figures look like its lead actor, Timothée Chalamet. So, if you’ve always dreamed of bringing Chalamet home with you, these action figures are the closest you can get.

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It’s not just Amazon shoppers that are scrambling to get their hands on the Dune: Part Two merch, Walmart and Target are also selling the action figure, though they’re already sold out. With how popular the figurines are, Shop Billboard doesn’t expect these to stay in stock for long, so we recommend picking up these Dune 2 figurines on Amazon now.

Keep reading to shop the most popular picks below.

paul atredies funko pop with blue eyes

Funko Pop! Movies: “Dune: Part Two” – Paul Atreides

$11.99

$12.99

8% off

$18.99

Funko dropped its own line of mini figures that look like the characters from the sequel including this Paul Pop! The displayable design stands at 4.2 inches tall and comes complete with vibrant blue eyes and the Fremen desert suits (and yes, Chalamet’s wavy coif too).

action figures of timothee chalamet, zendaya

McFarlane Toys – “Dune: Part Two” Amazon Exclusive (4-Pack)

$58.92

$69.99

16% off

Amazon released an exclusive four-pack of figurines, with Paul Atreides, Chani, Gurney and Stilgar — and it’s on sale for 16% off. When you purchase one of the collectable boxes, you have a chance of receiving a piece of Chani’s actual costume from the movie. Along with the action figures, you’ll also get two thumpers, four wormrider hooks, two swords, a crysknife and four figure stands.

action figure of paul atredies

McFarlane – “Dune 2” Paul Atreides Action Figure

Prefer just a single action figure? McFarlane has an action figure created to look like Chalamet from the film. The limbs are moveable to pose ot your liking and recreate moments from the movie on right on your coffee table.

standing figure of paul atredies

Dark Horse Comics “Dune”: Paul Atreides Figure

This Paul Atreides figurine is based on the first movie and stands at 9.25-inches tall. You can admire the hand painted design, which features intricate details and is posed to look like an actual scene from the movie.

The action figures aren’t the only collectibles inspired by Dune that you can stock up on, Amazon has a photography book still in stock with still from the making of the movie. Lego also dropped a buildable set inspired by the Atreides Royal Ornihopter or you can grab a deck of Dune playing cards.

For more product recommendations, check out our recommendations of the best music Funko Pops!, gaming gifts and Star Wars gifts.

18 Apr 2024

Living Legends Foundation to Honor Donnie Simpson, L. Londell McMillan & More at 2024 Awards Dinner and Gala

The Living Legends Foundation has set Oct. 4 as the date for its 2024 awards dinner and gala. The event, also celebrating the foundation’s 33rd anniversary, will take place at Taglyan Cultural Complex in Hollywood.

This year’s slate of industry honorees includes:

Donnie Simpson, Jerry Boulding Radio Award: The legendary radio and television personality signed off the airwaves earlier this year after a 55-year career that began at Detroit’s WJLB-FM and included tenures at Washington, D.C., outlets WKYS-FM, WPGC-FM and WMMJ-FM. Also known for his long-running stint as host of BET’s Video Soul, Simpson is a Radio Hall of Fame and National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame inductee.

L. Londell McMillan, Kendall A. Minter Entertainment Advocate Award (renamed after the noted industry attorney who died last year): The chairman/CEO of The McMillan Firm and veteran entertainment attorney is currently co-managing the Prince Legacy (one of two holding companies overseeing the star’s estate). McMillan’s list of clients over the years has included Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder. Under the firm’s NorthStar Group division, McMillan also serves as executive publisher of Source magazine.

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Joi Brown, the inaugural Impact Player Award: Brown is the founder/CEO of Culture Creators, whose same-titled foundation has awarded more than $300,000 in scholarships over the past two years in keeping with its mission of being a vital link between global cultural leaders and the next generation of diverse creators. Through its annual Innovators and Leaders Awards brunch, Culture Creators has honored industry executives and creatives such as Byron Allen, Swizz Beatz, H.E.R. and Epic Records chairwoman Sylvia Rhone. 

Chris Chambers, Media Executive Award: Founder/CEO of The Chamber Group, Chambers has represented star clients in music, entertainment, fashion and sports such as Usher, Mariah Carey, OutKast, Drake, Naomi Campbell and Kelly Rowland. His firm has also worked with corporate and lifestyle clients ranging from Versace and HBO to Netflix and the Essence Music Festival. Prior to launching The Chamber Group, Chambers served as a publicity executive for labels such as Mercury, Interscope, Arista and LaFace Records.

Mike Kelly, Music Executive Award: A radio broadcaster and record label executive of more than 40 years, Kelly served as PD of legendary St. Louis station KATZ-FM. He then segued into record promotion at various labels, including Arista, Motown, Elektra, Warner Music Group and Atlantic. His resumé lists working projects by artists such as Whitney Houston, Missy Elliott, Bruno Mars and Jack Harlow. Kelly currently works as a radio consultant via his company, Real One 24/7 Promotion and Marketing.

Gwen Franklin, Mike Bernardo Female Executive Award: Before her latest venture as founder/CEO of empowerment organization B. Lifted Up! Inc., Franklin helmed senior executive posts in radio promotion, marketing, sales and artist development through stints with Casablanca, A&M, Capitol, Mercury and RCA Records. The list of artists she’s worked with includes Quincy Jones, Donna Summer, Janet Jackson, MC Hammer and SWV.  

In a release announcing the upcoming awards dinner and gala, Living Legends Foundation chairperson David Linton commented in part, “As we reflect on the brilliance and excellence of today’s global music and entertainment leaders, we’re pleased that the organization remains the longest-standing Black music organization to date, founded in 1991 by Black music executives. And as we approach another milestone year, we’d like to further cement the organization as the key stakeholder in Black music by reclaiming our mission of ‘protecting and preserving the legacy of those who create, market and elevate Black music,’ which includes R&B, hip-hop, jazz, blues, country, reggae and world music.”

18 Apr 2024

Beyoncé ‘Call Me Country’ Documentary Featuring Brothers Osborne & Rhiannon Giddens Headed to Max

As Cowboy Carter enjoys a second consecutive week atop the Billboard 200, the world continues to dissect Queen Bey’s latest opus. On Thursday (April 18), via a press release, Max announced a new documentary titled Call Me Country: Beyoncé & Nashville’s Renaissance slated to hit the streamer on Friday, April 26.

Produced by CNN FlashDocs, the upcoming documentary will provide a look at the impact of high-profile acts like Beyoncé and Lil Nas X on the contemporary country music scene and how their contributions connect to the history of Black artists in Nashville.

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Earlier this year, Queen Bey made history with “Texas Hold ‘Em,” the lead single for Cowboy Carter, announced and released during the 2024 Super Bowl (Feb. 11). On the chart dated Feb. 24, “Texas Hold ‘Em” reached No. 1 on Hot Country Songs, marking the first time a Black woman had ever topped the ranking. The following week (chart dated March 2), “Texas Hold ‘Em” became the first country song by a Black woman to top the Billboard Hot 100. Following the release of “Texas Hold ‘Em” and its B-side, “16 Carriages,” streaming activity for other Black women in country exploded across the board.

Call Me Country will feature interviews with Grammy-winning country duo Brothers Osborne, “Texas Hold ‘Em” banjo player Rhiannon Giddens, Rissi Palmer, Aaron Vance and Denitia, as well as analysis from a slew of cultural critics and country music experts, including Touré and co-directors of the Black Opry Holly G. and Tanner D.

Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé’s eighth solo studio album, arrived March 29 with 27 tracks that pay homage to the Black roots of country music and envision a distinctively Beyoncé-esque future for the genre. The sprawling album included collaborations with several ascendant Black country stars including Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, Tiera Kennedy, Shaboozey and Willie Jones. In addition, country music legends Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton voiced interludes on the album, which Beyoncé described as a “continuation” of her Grammy-winning Renaissance record.

Fans may still be waiting on the visuals, but, in the meantime, they can enjoy the Call Me Country documentary.

18 Apr 2024

MediaCo Acquires Estrella Media’s Content & Digital Operations 

MediaCo Holding has acquired all of Estrella Media’s network, content, digital and commercial operations, the company  announced on Thursday (April 18).

According to a press release, the transaction — which closed April 17 — will see Estrella Media brands join MediaCo. These include the EstrellaTV network’s linear and digital video content business, Estrella Media’s digital channels (EstrellaTV, Estrella News, Cine EstrellaTV and Estrella Games) and the EstrellaTV app.

Though the deal does not include Estella Media‘s TV and radio stations, a press release notes that the transaction will allow MediaCo to “reach the established audiences of” those stations, including Que Buena Los Angeles, La Raza in Houston and Dallas, and El Norte in Houston. MediaCo operates urban radio stations HOT 97 and WBLS 107.5 in New York. Per the transaction terms, Estrella will own and operate its local radio and TV stations while MediaCo will “provide the innovative programming and content to which their audiences have grown accustomed.”

Jacqueline Hernández, who most recently served as CEO/founder of New Majority Ready, has been appointed MediaCo’s interim CEO. “We believe this combination is the first step in building a unique multicultural media company that will reach diverse U.S. audiences wherever they choose to consume content and create value for marketers working to reach these important audiences,” she said in a statement.

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“This leverages the strengths of two great companies to build something new,” added Deb McDermott, chair of MediaCo. “We are committed to representing and serving the Hispanic marketplace, as well as continuing to represent and grow the diverse audience that MediaCo already serves. We see a need for media brands to embrace opportunities with all audiences, and Estrella Media is a key part of our growth strategy.” 

18 Apr 2024

AP Dhillon Drops Out of Coachella Weekend 2 After Guitar-Smashing Backlash

AP Dhillon is leaving the California desert behind.

Coachella announced that the Punjabi-Canadian star will not appear at the festival’s second weekend as planned, citing a “scheduling conflict.” The festival announced the news in a follow-up tweet to one announcing that rapper Kid Cudi has been added to the lineup.

While Dhillon’s first-weekend performance was well-received by the Coachella crowd and many of his supporters, he’s also had some backlash due to how he closed his set, which has been widely covered by media in India.

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The artist finished his performance by smashing his guitar onstage.

Some fans have invoked India’s cultural reverence for musical instruments, criticizing Dhillon’s rock-star move as a sign of disrespect and arrogance.

“The guitar that has provided you with life, love, peace, success and respect- you end up breaking it!” reads one popular comment on Dhillon’s post featuring footage of the smash.

In a subsequent post, Dhillon shared photos of his tribute to the late Sidhu Moose Wala, with the caption “the media is controlled and I’m out of control.” The last slide of the post features footage of Kurt Cobain smashing his guitar, linking Dhillon’s move to a longstanding rock and roll tradition.

If guitar-smashing has a long lineage in rock and roll, so does criticism of the move. Phoebe Bridgers faced backlash in 2021 for breaking her guitar on Saturday Night Live, while even some notable guitar-smashers are now critical of their former selves. Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea tweeted his regrets shortly after Dhillon’s Coachella set. “feel like such an idiot for smashing my bass to pieces on stage back in the day, pathetic,” he wrote on X.

Fans who are disappointed to miss Dhillon’s second Coachella performance can take some solace in his recent collaboration with U.K. Grime artist Stormzy, until there’s more news of upcoming performances.

This article was originally published by Billboard Canada.