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13 Mar 2024

‘The Masked Singer’: Reality-TV Star Unmasked on ‘Wizard of Oz’ Night

There was no place like The Masked Singer on Wednesday, March 13, as the quirky singing contest celebrated “Wizard of Oz” night.

Cleocatra, The Beets, Gumball and Afghan Hound took turns on the mic, each of them facing the prospect of going home early.

The resplendent canine performed “The Lion Sleeps” by the Tokens, the upright feline tackled “Stormy Weather” by Etta James, the sugar-ball dispenser performed a medley of “If I Only Had A Heart” by Jack Haley and “Heartbeat Song” by Kelly Clarkson, and those constantly-smiling roots performed Michael Buble’s “Home.”

The dog and the candy were at the bottom of the list, and they entered a battle to “Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead.” The winner, survives. The loser, bye-bye.

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“Wizard of Oz” night wasn’t magical for Afghan Hound, who, after the performances, found herself in the dog house.

The mask came off, revealing reality-TV star, actor, influencer and former beauty queen Savannah Chrisley of Chrisley Knows Best.

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The stint behind the helmet was, no doubt, a welcome distraction for Chrisley, whose parents were jailed last year after being convicted of federal bank fraud and tax evasion in June 2022.

“Honestly, my life over the past year has changed drastically,” she explained when her identify was revealed and host Nick Cannon asked why she decided to participate in this 11th season. “Lost both my parents to the federal system. And now I have custody of my 15-year-old brother and 10-year-old sister,” a comment that drew concerned faces from judges Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, Ken Jeong and newbie Rita Ora.

“So, if I can teach them anything it’s, take every opportunity that comes your way and don’t back down.”

There were lessons learned for Chrisley, too. “I know singing is not for me. I don’t know what a note is, nor do I know what rhythm is,” she continued. “But, it was a good experience.”

Another reason for competing in this 2024 season is “because I know my parents can watch it. And that was a big thing for me.”

Chrisley as Afghan Hound follows the exit of Kevin Hart (as Book) on last week’s season premiere of The Masked Singer.

Watch Afghan Hound’s performances and unmasking below.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=J4FpOG1ibjo&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent


https://youtube.com/watch?v=S9Ofca2KxGM&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent



13 Mar 2024

(G)I-DLE Scores Fourth Top 10 on Album Sales Chart With ‘2’

(G)I-DLE collects its fourth top 10-charting album on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart (dated March 16), as the South Korean pop group’s latest release, 2, debuts at No. 4 with 8,500 copies sold in the U.S. in the week ending March 7, according to Luminate.

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Also in the top 10 of the latest Top Album Sales chart, Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson lands his first solo top 10 as his new set The Mandrake Project bows at No. 5. Plus, ScHoolboy Q’s new Blue Lips starts at No 6, marking his fourth top 10-charting effort.

Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

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TWICE’s With YOU-th holds at No. 1 on Top Album Sales with nearly 17,000 sold (down 82%), after debuting atop the list a week ago. LE SSERAFIM’s Easy is also a non-mover, sitting at No. 2 in its second week with 10,500 (down 69%). Taylor Swift’s chart-topping 1989 (Taylor’s Version) rises 6-3 with nearly 9,000 (down 5%).

(G)I-DLE’s 2 debuts at No. 4 with 8,500 sold – essentially all from CD sales. The set was available in four collectible CD editions, including one Target-exclusive variant. All packages contained branded paper merchandise, some of which is randomized.

Dickinson’s The Mandrake Project starts at No. 5 with 8,000 sold, landing the Iron Maiden singer his first solo top 10 effort. The set was available to purchase as a standard digital album, in four CD variations (a standard edition, two with enhanced packaging, and one with a signed insert), and a pair of vinyl LPs (including one with a signed insert).

ScHoolboy Q’s Blue Lips debuts at No. 6 with nearly 8,000 sold – with more than half of that sum from vinyl sales (4,000 – his best week ever on vinyl). The set was issued in just one vinyl edition, pressed on translucent blue-colored vinyl.

Four former No. 1s round out the latest top 10: Swift’s Lover is steady at No. 7 (7,000; down 2%), Swift’s Folklore rises 9-8 (6,000; up 2%), Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts jumps 16-9 (5,500; up 14%) and Swift’s Midnights dips 8-10 (nearly 5,500; down 10%).

In the week ending March 7, there were 1.153 million albums sold in the U.S. (down 9.6% compared to the previous week). Of that sum, physical albums (CDs, vinyl LPs, cassettes, etc.) comprised 850,000 (down 12.9%) and digital albums comprised 304,000 (up 1.4%).

There were 442,000 CD albums sold in the week ending March 7 (down 17.1% week-over-week) and 403,000 vinyl albums sold (down 7.9%). Year-to-date CD album sales stand at 4.318 million (down 30.3% compared to the same time frame a year ago) and year-to-date vinyl album sales total 4.601 million (down 47.8%).

Overall year-to-date album sales total 11.936 million (down 36% compared to the same year-to-date time frame a year ago). Year-to-date physical album sales stand at 8.963 million (down 40.6%) and digital album sales total 2.973 million (down 16.2%).

13 Mar 2024

‘Saltburn’ Is Getting the Funko Pop! Treatment: Here’s How to Buy Them Online

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.

Funko is releasing a new collection of Pop! Vinyls inspired by the characters from Saltburn. The collectible figurines, announced on Monday (March 11), depict Jacob Elordi’s character, Felix Catton, and Barry Keoghan’s character, Oliver Quick.

The Felix Funko Catton Pop! is 4-inches tall and wears a white tank top with jeans and angle wings and what looks like a beer bottle in its hand.

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The Oliver Quick Funko Pop! vinyl stands at 5.25 inches tall and comes decked out in a white suit and antlers, inspired by the outfit worn at Oliver’s Midsummer Night’s Dream-themed birthday party in the film. Both Funko Pop! vinyls retail for $12.

Funko’s Saltburn Pop! vinyls were released on Thursday, March 13, at 9 a.m. PT via Funko.com and will likely be available at major retailers like Amazon at a later date. For now, fans can sign up to receive a notification when the Funkos are ready to order.

Saltburn, a dark comedy-thriller starring Elordi, Keoghan, Rosemund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Alison Oliver and Archie Madekwe was written, directed by Oscar-nominee Emerald Fennell, best known for her feature film directorial debut, Promising Young Woman.

Saltburn, which arrived in theaters last November before premiering on Prime Video the following month, is produced by Fennell, Margot Robbie and Josey McNamara.

In creating the film, Fennel drew inspiration from various movies and novels such as A Clockwork Change, Cruel Intentions, the 1938 novel, Rebecca, and The Go-Between released in 1953.

“Well, to me, Oliver’s profoundly in love with Felix,” Fennels explained in an interview with GQ. “The first thing he says is he wasn’t in love with him. And we know that’s a lie. And the film shows us that’s a lie, and to what degree that is a lie he tells himself, I don’t know, or he’s just, you know, telling Elspeth and us. I always think that this film was just the result of what happens when you don’t get loved back. If he’d loved him back, none of this would ever have happened. I mean, of course it would, but it’s to me about that feeling of loving someone who won’t, or can’t, love you back.”

This latest collaboration adds to a growing list of Saltburn-inspired gear including the viral Bathwater candle, Saltburn posters, T-shirts, car accessories and other items.

Click below to get notified when the Saltburn Funko Pops! will be available for purchase.

Felix from Saltburn Funko Pop

Felix from Saltburn Funko Pop

Oliver from Saltburn Funko Pop

Oliver from Saltburn Funko Pop

13 Mar 2024

Watch Jennifer Lopez Team Up With AI in ‘Atlas’ Trailer

Jennifer Lopez deals with artificial intelligence amid in chaos in the new trailer for Netflix’s Atlas released on Wednesday (March 13).

The film, helmed by Brad Peyton, features Lopez as data analyst Atlas Shepherd, who is forced to disregard her mistrust of AI when she deals with a problematic voyage. The film also also stars Simu Liu, Sterling K. Brown, Gregory James Cohan, Abraham Popoola, Lana Parrilla and Mark Strong, among others. Producers of the film include Peyton, Lopez, Jeff Fierson, Joby Harold, Tory Tunnell, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Benny Medina, Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter.

Last month, Lopez’s new movie, This Is Me … Now: A Love Story, debuted on Prime Video, coinciding with the release her ninth studio album, This Is Me … Now. Lopez teamed with director Dave Myers for the film, described by Amazon as a “narrative-driven cinematic odyssey, steeped in mythological storytelling and personal healing.”

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Atlas hits theaters on May 24. Watch the new trailer below.

Trending on Billboard



13 Mar 2024

You Care: Kim Kardashian Spotted Next To Bianca Censori While Supporting Ex-Husban Kanye West & ‘Vultures II’ Listening Event

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Kim Kardashian & Bianca Censori Hug At Kanye West Event

Source: WWD / Getty / Kim Kardashian

Word on the street is Kim Kardashian is not a fan of her ex-husband’s new nude model/mannequin/wife, Bianca Censori, but that didn’t stop her from standing side-by-side in support of the artist formerly known as Kanye West while she continues to assault us with dated music.

Spotted on TMZ, the internet was stunned when videos hit X, formerly Twitter timelines, showing Kardashian and Censori within arms’ reach of each other, even hugging at Ye’s latest “listening party” for his album Vultures II.

Despite the hug, which blew the minds of Ye’s loyal fans, the celebrity gossip site reports things are not all good between the two women.

Per TMZ:

Check it out … Kim was standing with Bianca behind a police barrier, grooving and mouthing the words to a song from Kanye’s newest studio album “Vultures 2.”

Amazingly, they seemed chill and comfortable in each other’s presence at the Chase Center in San Francisco. But one thing was obvious — the women were not best buds or getting chatty with one another, at least in the footage posted on social media.

According to Yahoo! Entertainment, Kardashian is reportedly not a fan of Censori’s fashion style and her being around her children practically butt-ass naked.

“Kim instructed Kanye to never let Bianca dress like that around their kids,” a source said according to Yahoo! “She is truly surprised that Kanye would let his wife leave the house like that.”

She should also take that up with Ye since we all know he is his wife’s stylist.

Speaking of West, he is celebrating his latest single, “Carnival,” going number 1 by dissing adidas and Drake.

So much for the short-lived goodwill between the rappers.

13 Mar 2024

Tyla Gives BLACKPINK’s Lisa a First Listen of Her Track ‘A.R.T.’

Tyla’s gearing up to release her long-awaited album following the success of “Water,” and the star took to Instagram to share a sweet moment leading up to the drop.

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The singer shared a video of the social media platform in which she’s giving BLACKPINK superstar Lisa a “first listen” of one of the tracks off the upcoming project, titled “A.R.T.” Lisa is seen feeling the groove as she bops her head along to the beat.

See the clip here.

Tyla’s highly anticipated debut LP is slated to arrive on March 22. Named one of Billboard‘s R&B/Hip-Hop Artists to Watch in 2024, the 22-year-old’s eponymous album will feature 14 tracks, including “Water” and the anthem’s Travis Scott-assisted remix.

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Earlier this month, Tyla announced that she is canceling her North American and Europe tour dates and pulling out a handful of festivals, including Coachella, due to a worsening injury.

“As much as this is something I would rather have dealt with privately, it’s important that I share what I have to share with you today,” she wrote. “For the past year I’ve been silently suffering with an injury that has tragically worsened. I’ve seen doctors and specialists with high hopes but the pain has only become more agonizing as has the severity of the situation.

“I am absolutely heartbroken to have to say this but as of right now I won’t be able to proceed with the tour. In consulting with medical professionals it’s become increasingly clear that continuing any festival or tour dates would jeopardize my long-term health and safety.”

13 Mar 2024

Big Loud Signs With Mercury/Republic for Distribution

Nashville’s Big Loud Records has inked a multi-year distribution deal with Mercury/Republic for all releases, effective immediately.

Previously, only releases from Morgan Wallen, Lily Rose and Dylan Gossett had gone through the partnership, while the rest of the Big Loud roster was distributed through Stem and Amped. 

In a memo to the staff obtained by Billboard, Big Loud founders/partners Seth England, Craig Wiseman and Joey Moi stressed that the move is not an acquisition and that the full staff will remain intact: “This partnership allows for Big Loud Records to remain fiercely independent while leveraging their global distribution and resources, as needed, to best serve our world-class roster. Artists and our staff will see increased creative opportunities, robust international support, new multimedia partnerships, additional multi-format promotion muscle and merchandising resources, among many other benefits.  And to clarify: Big Loud Records has not been acquired in any way.  Our full staff will remain intact and will continue to lead with the artists we represent.”

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The move comes as Mercury/Republic parent Universal Music Group is undergoing a massive restructuring, with the East Coast labels realigning under a new structure called Republic Corps under chairman/CEO Monte Lipman. Mercury will continue to be led by president Tyler Arnold and general manager Ben Adelson. 

The announcement arrives as Wallen’s One Day at a Time spends its 19th non-consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, breaking the previous record of 18 weeks held by Garth Brooks more than 30 years ago. 

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The memo is in its entirety below. 

Good afternoon everyone,

We’re writing to share an important update regarding our distribution for Big Loud Records and our affiliate labels.

After many incredible years with Stem and Amped we have decided to enter into a new multi-year distribution deal with Mercury Records/Republic, amplifying our existing partnership with Monte & Avery Lipman as well as Tyler Arnold and the greater Mercury Records/Republic team. 

We are immensely grateful for the tireless efforts of Milana, Kristin, Bobby, Alison, and the entire team at both Stem and Amped who have supported our releases for the better half of a decade.  Both teams have been an integral part of our growth story and remain a highly recommended distribution and artist resources solution for self-determined artists and companies.  We remain proud investors of Stem to this day.

The Big Loud partners and executive leadership team are immeasurably proud of what this roster and staff have accomplished over the past eight years.  Our songs, albums, artists, and company have seen the top slots of nearly every chart in our format.  Best of all, we’ve earned those accolades with integrity.  We’re reaching new heights with broadened creative ventures and international outposts leading our growth into new genres and markets.  With this next chapter, we are thrilled to elevate with a like-minded, best-in-class team that’s effectively been the #1 all-genre record label in the business for the last decade.  Rest assured, Mercury Records/Republic both mirrors and supports our renegade spirit. 

This partnership allows for Big Loud Records to remain fiercely independent while leveraging their global distribution and resources, as needed, to best serve our world-class roster.  Artists and our staff will see increased creative opportunities, robust international support, new multimedia partnerships, additional multi-format promotion muscle and merchandising resources, among many other benefits.  And to clarify: Big Loud Records has not been acquired in any way.  Our full staff will remain intact and will continue to lead with the artists we represent.

Our hope is that this announcement makes you as excited as the partners and the executive leadership team feel because we achieved this together.  From the smallest artists to the biggest, it takes the entire village – we are confident Big Loud will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

Please feel free to reach out to your department head, Patch, Austen, or Seth if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Seth, Craig, and Joey

13 Mar 2024

Collapse of Adidas’ Kanye West Partnership Contributed to a Net Loss for the Company in 2023

LONDON (AP) — Adidas said Wednesday that it’s donated or is planning to give away more than $150 million to groups fighting antisemitism and other forms of hate from the sales of Yeezy shoes last year after it severed ties with Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West.

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The German sportswear brand had 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) worth of popular Yeezy sneakers piled up in warehouses after it broke off its partnership with Ye in October 2022 over his antisemitic and other offensive comments on social media and in interviews.

Adidas decided to sell some of the remaining shoes in batches, with two releases last year and another that launched late last month, and donate a portion of the proceeds to anti-hate groups.

Trending on Billboard

The company has made donations to the Anti-Defamation League and the Philonise & Keeta Floyd Institute for Social Change, run by social justice advocate Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd.

Net sales of what’s left of Adidas’ former banner line of sneakers brought in about 750 million euros last year, compared with over 1.2 billion euros in 2022, the company reported.

Of the 300 million-euro profit it earned from the sales of Yeezy shoes last year, the company said it had given away or planned to donate over 140 million euros (about $152 million).

Adidas said deciding to sell a big chunk of its Yeezy inventory and improved operations helped it pull out operating profit of 268 million euros last year, a nearly 60% plunge from the previous year. It blamed a high tax rate for ending the year with a net loss of 58 million euros, a massive turnaround from net income of 254 million euros in 2022.

“Although by far not good enough, 2023 ended better than what I had expected at the beginning of the year,” said CEO Bjørn Gulden, who took over the top job last year.

Looking forward, Adidas expects to make about 250 million euros in sales of the remaining Yeezy shoes this year.

But the Herzogenaurach, Germany-based company points to North America as a persistent problem spot, expecting revenue to decline in the mid-single digits this year and grow everywhere else. It said that North America was “particularly affected by the negative Yeezy impact” and that revenue there dropped 16% last year.

Adidas expects to almost double operating profit to about 500 million euros this year despite “macroeconomic challenges and geopolitical tensions.” It plans to further scale up popular shoe lines like Samba that are seeing “extraordinary demand,” launch new ones and get a boost from major sports events like the Paris Olympics this summer.

Adidas shares were up slightly in late morning trading.

13 Mar 2024

Bon Jovi’s ‘Always’ Music Video Hits 1 Billion YouTube Views

Bon Jovi has notched another video in the Billion Views Club. The band’s clip for their 1994 hit, “Always,” hit one billion views on YouTube.

It’s their third music video to reach the accomplishment, following 2000’s “It’s My Life” and 1986’s “Livin’ On a Prayer.” The Marty Callner-directed clip showing a difficult breakup stars Jack Noseworthy, Carla Gugino, Jason Wiles and Keri Russell and was made available on YouTube in 2009.

“Always,” featured on Bon Jovi’s 1994 album, Cross Road, reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, marking one of the band’s 10 top 10 hits on the tally. “Always” was also bass player Alec John Such’s final single with the band before he left in late 1994.

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Cross Road, meanwhile, debuted and peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and remained on the chart for an impressive total of 57 weeks. The album featured lasting hits like “Livin’ On a Prayer,” “Wanted Dead or Alive,” “You Give Love a Bad Name” and “I’ll Be There For You,” among others.

In other Bon Jovi news, the band is the subject of an upcoming deep-dive four-part docuseries that drops next month on Hulu. Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story chronicles the band’s epic, four-decade career. All episodes will arrive for streaming April 26, retelling the Bon Jovi story with personal videos, unreleased early demos, original lyrics, and never-before-seen photos, according to Hulu.

Trending on Billboard

Watch the “Always” music video below.

13 Mar 2024

Selena Gomez on Mental Health Struggles, Ariana Grande on Mariah Carey Collab & More | Billboard News

Selena Gomez opened up about her mental health on a SXSW panel and revealed that she “had to hit rock bottom” before overcoming her mental health struggles. Perrie Edwards, formally of Little Mix, announced her debut solo album which is set to feature RAYE and Ed Sheeran. Flo Milli’s “Never Lose Me” has gone viral and she is now teaming up with SZA for the remix. Tyla gave BLACKPINK’s Lisa a sneak peek at her upcoming album and teased that collaboration could be in the works. Ariana Grande details how Mariah Carey ended up on the “yes and?” remix. And more!

Tetris Kelly:
Selena opens up about hitting a mental health rock bottom. Perrie Edwards recruits a record breaker, a Flo Milli/SZA remix and Tyla’s possible K-pop crossover. Ariana Grande gushes about Mariah Carey. Charli XCX gives advice to her younger self and The Stage at South by Southwest headliner Illenium covers Billboard.

What’s good, music lovers? It’s Wednesday, March 13th. I’m Tetris Kelly and this is Billboard News. It’s the middle of the week and it is as busy as ever. Here’s our top story.

Selena Gomez:
It’s funny because all the things I was been b*tching about then I’m very grateful for now so it’s really ironic.

Tetris Kelly:
Selena Gomez that she hit rock bottom before grappling with her mental health. South by Southwest is in full swing in Austin, Texas and Billboard is on site and bring you the news.

Selena Gomez:
It was about our journeys and we ended up relating a lot to each other and it was a turning point and I think it was more like how can we do that for other people.

Tetris Kelly:
Miss. Gomez was with her mother and discussed her vulnerable 2022 documentary ‘My Mind & Me’ at South by Southwest. The panel is titled ‘Mindfulness Over Perfection: Getting Real on Mental Health.’

Selena Gomez:
I think the moment I did that I felt this insane amount of release because there wasn’t any hiding anymore. There wasn’t- there wasn’t just this image that people can see and think oh, it looks nice, and it was probably one of the hardest moments of my life.

Tetris Kelly:
The 31-year-old filmed the doc over the course of six years and touches on her diagnosis with bipolar disorder.

Selena Gomez:
It’s helped release a lot of anxiety of keeping it in just to let people know I’m having- I’m having a hard day or or I just need a minute.

Tetris Kelly:
Gomez recently released her new single “Love On” which debuted at No. 56 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Watch the full video above!