djfrosty

Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s ‘Vultures 1’ Swoops In at No. 1 In Australia

Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign land at No. 1 in Australia with Vultures 1.

The result, which answers a question on how international audiences would respond to Ye’s recent controversies, is his fifth ARIA Chart leader, following Yeezus (June 2013), Ye (June 2018), Jesus Is King (Nov. 2019) and Donda (March 2021), an album from which a record-setting 19 tracks flooded the singles tally.

The independently-released effort is a career best for Ty Dolla $ign (Universal), beating the No. 37 peak of Beach House 3 in 2017.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Also new to the ARIA Albums Chart, published Friday, Feb. 16, is Jessica Mauboy‘s Yours Forever, new at No. 10 for the homegrown pop star’s eighth top 10 album.

Trending on Billboard

Yours Forever is Mauboy’s first LP for Warner Music, and is the followup to 2019’s Hilda, her second ARIA No. 1 album.

A trio of leading ladies from the United States are in the market, or on the way. And the excitement around their live appearances are impacting the national charts.

Taylor Swift kicks off the Australia leg of her The Eras Tour tonight, with the first of three consecutive nights at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Currently, half of the top 10 titles on the ARIA Chart, and eight of the top 20, belong to TayTay. Produced by Frontier Touring, Swift’s tour of these parts wraps next week with a four-night stand at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.

Pink, meanwhile, is touring stadiums for Live Nation, a trek that sees her former leader Trustfall (RCA/Sony) return to the top 10, up 36-9.

And SZA’s SOS (RCA/Sony) spikes, following the announcement of an arena tour of these parts, also produced by LN. SOS lifts 10-5.

Over on the ARIA Singles Chart, published today, Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season” (Universal) logs a third week at No. 1. “Stick Season” leads a podium ahead of Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” (Warner) and Jack Harlow’s “Lovin On Me” (Atlantic/Warner), respectively.

Soros Fund Management Becomes Primary Shareholder In Audacy

Six weeks after Audacy filed for bankruptcy, a corporate maneuver that sees Soros Fund Management emerge as the radio company’s primary shareholder.

Soros Fund Management takes its seat at the head of the table after acquiring a sizeable chunk of Audacy’s debt, roughly $414 million in total.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The private investment management fund takes around 40% of Audacy’s total senior debt, source tells the New York Post, outsizing the stakes held by the likes of PGIM, Capital Commercial Finance, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Mockingbird Credit Opportunities Company, and Solus Alternative Asset Management.

Billboard reached out to Audacy but reps hadn’t responded at press time.

Trending on Billboard

Led by chairman George Soros, who founded the private investment management fund in 1970, Soros Fund Management has experience working with radio and media assets, including $80 million invested for Latino Media Networks by way of Lakestar Finance, notes Radio Ink, plus investments in Vice Media and Crooked Media.

Addressing the Soros development, Audacy noted, “The decision by our existing and new debtholders to become equity holders in Audacy represents a significant vote of confidence in our company and the future of the radio and audio business.”

Its statement continues, “We expect to emerge from our restructuring process with a strong capital structure and well-positioned to capitalize on our strategic transformation into a scaled leading multi-platform audio content and entertainment company. We intend to continue running our business, executing our strategy and delivering for our listeners and advertisers as we always do.”

The Soros investment comes amid a turbulent time for Audacy, which on Jan. 7 said it would file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to reduce debts.

The Philadelphia-based broadcasting giant, formerly named Entercom, said at the time that a deal with debt holders would reduce its debt load by about 80%, from $1.9 billion, acquired primarily from its 2017 merger with CBS Radio, down to $350 million, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

That agreement, first disclosed by The Wall Street Journal, would give Audacy’s debt holders equity in the reorganized company.

Audacy’s portfolio includes 230 radio stations, among them WCBS in New York, KROQ in Los Angeles, WFAN Sports Radio in New York and WBBM Newsradio in Chicago. Audacy’s podcasting brands include two studios, Cadence13 and Pineapple Street Studios, and Popcorn, an online marketplace for connecting creators and brands. Each month, the business claims to engage with over 170 million.

Trouble was brewing back in May 2023 when the business warned that a weak financial outlook could cause it to default on its debt.

Audacy has previously said it does not expect any operational impact due to the bankruptcy and restructuring.

A hearing to approve the Audacy restructuring plan is set for Feb. 20 in a Houston bankruptcy court.

Ariana Grande & Mariah Carey Deliver A Diva’s Dream With New ‘Yes, And?’ Remix: Stream It Now

With less than a month to go before Eternal Sunshine takes over the world (Mar. 8), Ariana Grande is keeping her attention on “Yes, And?” — and she’s tapped a certifiable legend to breathe new life into the song. Marking their second official collaboration, Ariana Grande and Mariah Carey have teamed up for a new “Yes, And?” remix.

Released to digital streaming platforms on Friday (Feb. 16), the new version of Grande’s latest Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper arrives after a few days of teasing via her official Instagram page, Carey’s official Instagram page, and the @sweetener account Grande has been relaying album-related news on since 2018.

After teasing a special announcement via her Instagram Story earlier this week (Feb. 13), Grande confirmed Carey’s appearance on the “Yes, And?” remix with a Feb. 14 post captioned, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this dream come true and for sprinkling your brilliance and magic on my little song @mariahcarey. [It] means more to me than [I] could ever possibly articulate and [I] cannot wait for everyone to hear this! [I] love you eternally!!!!!!!”

Trending on Billboard

Mariah returned the love in Grande’s comment section, writing, “Darling angel, I am so effing excited to be joining you on the yes, and? remix!! This is such a magical moment!! Love you ❤️ MC.”

The two vocal powerhouses first team up for a track back in 2020. Alongside EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson, Carey and Grande updated “Oh Santa!” — a single from Carey’s Merry Christmas II You (2010). That track, which delighted fans in its union of two artists (Carey and Grande) than have been unfairly pit against each other in the past, came complete with a glitzy music video. The three divas delivered the first joint live performance at the song last month (Dec. 9) at Madison Square Garden during the New York stop on Carey’s Merry Christmas One & All! tour.

In January (chart dated Jan. 27), “Yes, And?” debuted atop the Hot 100, marking Grande’s eighth career No. 1 single. The house-indebted bop serves as the lead single from Eternal Sunshine, her forthcoming seventh solo studio album, which serves as her first LP since 2020’s Billboard 200-topping Positions.

Stream Ariana Grande and Mariah Carey’s “Yes, And?” remix now!



Jennifer Lopez Unveils ‘This Is Me… Now’: Stream It Now

Jennifer Lopez is reflecting on her growth. The multi-hyphenate superstar unveiled her ninth studio album, This Is Me… Now, on Friday (Feb. 16).

This Is Me…Now is the sister album to 2002’s This Is Me…Then, which was dedicated to her partner at the time, Ben Affleck. Lopez and Affleck have since rekindled their romance, and the couple married in 2022. It’s also Lopez’s first full-length solo release in nearly a decade. Her last album, 2014’s A.K.A., reached No. 8 on the Billboard 200.

This Is Me…Then was something that I wrote at that point in time that wound up capturing a moment where I fell deeply in love for the first time in that way, and I didn’t know that I would look back and I think. ‘What a kind of poetic thing to say,’” Lopez told Billboard in a recent interview.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

She continued, “Then to have this kind of crazy, strange, magical, surrealistic plot twist where I wound up back with that person, it was insane and it was also very inspiring. So I went back in the studio, and in the way that This Is Me… Then captured that first moment in time, I wanted to capture this moment in time. It’s even more beautiful and inspiring than the first time. I have something to say about love now that I’ve been looking for which is — I’m sure people wonder because I did — does true love exist? Is that type of love real? Does anything last forever? When I felt like I had the answers to that, I wanted to share that with all the people who’ve been on this journey with me, who watched me get up and fall down, in and out of relationships. It may not be a straight road, but the love is there.”

Trending on Billboard

Listen to This Is Me… Now in full below.

Phony Stark’s X Allegedly Selling Blue Check Accounts To Terror Groups

HipHopWired Featured Video

Elon Musk and X

Source: Anadolu / Getty

A tech watchdog group is placing high scrutiny on X, formerly Twitter, alleging that it’s letting terror groups pay for verified accounts.

A report from the Tech Transparency Project (TTP) on Wednesday (Feb. 14), claimed that it discovered that 28 premium subscription accounts on X, formerly Twitter, under owner Elon Musk’s verification plan were given to groups that are currently under sanction by the United States including designated terror groups such as the Hezbollah organization. The subscriptions, identified by a blue check for verification, cost $8 a month and offer more promotion by the platform’s algorithm. Before Musk acquired the platform, accounts with a blue check were primarily for celebrities, companies and other notable figures.

The report detailed all of the groups and individuals involved beginning with Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah whose account has over 93,000 followers. It was listed as “ID verified,” which meant that X received government certification from Nasrallah. Also included was an account belonging to Ansarallah, the Yemeni militia group more commonly known as the Houthis. An account belonging to Iran’s Press TV state-run news outlet and one belonging to Russia’s Tinkoff Bank was found to have gold checks, which denote verified organizations. The cost for those subscriptions is $1,000 a month.

“We were surprised to find that X was providing premium services to a wide range of groups the U.S. has sanctioned for terrorism and other activities that harm its national security,” said Katie Paul, the director of the Tech Transparency Project to a reporter. “It’s yet another sign that X has lost control of its platform.” In their report, the TTP stated that 10 of the 28 accounts were paying to ensure that they kept “legacy” checkmarks that they had earlier. There is uncertainty as to how these groups and individuals avoided the rules to pay for their accounts according to X’s guidelines. Musk did let go of 80% of the staff at X since acquiring the platform in October 2022.

X released a statement later on that day refuting the claims from the TTP report. Several of the accounts listed in the Tech Transparency Report are not directly named on sanction lists, while some others may have visible account check marks without receiving any services that would be subject to sanctions,” the statement read. Several of the mentioned accounts did have their check marks removed before the statement was posted.

Cumulus Media VP of Country Charlie Cook to Depart Company in May

Cumulus Media vp of country Charlie Cook is set to leave the company, with his last day being May 31, Billboard has confirmed. Cook also serves as operations manager for Cumulus’ Nashville cluster and program director for Nashville country stations WKDF and WSM-FM Nashville. Cook’s most recent contract renewal was in 2022.

Country Aircheck first reported the news of Cook’s upcoming departure, noting that Cook told vp/market manager Allison Warren, chief content officer Brian Philips and senior vp of programming operations John Dimick in April 2023 of his desire to pursue new challenges. Cook stated, “They asked me to give them a year. Well, here we are almost a year later and it’s time for me to move away from an experience that I have loved for something new and different. Thanking everyone inside Cumulus and in Nashville would fill these pages so I look forward to personally thanking everyone over the next few months.”

Philips said in a statement, “Charlie Cook’s accomplishments and awards are the stuff of Nashville legend. He is of course, in character, irreplaceable. I foresee a future where we will always rely on his wise counsel. He represents the gold standard among Cumulus employees. We are deeply grateful for his immeasurable contributions.”

Trending on Billboard

Warren added, “Charlie has been a vital part of the Cumulus and specifically WKDF/WSM-FM family for the past nine years. He has helped shape and drive the format of both 103.3 Country and 99.5 Nash Icon, bringing joy and entertainment to countless listeners. He is not only a talented professional, but also a loyal friend and a passionate music lover. We cannot thank him enough for his years of service, dedication, and creativity. We wish him the very best in whatever adventures are ahead. He will be greatly missed, but never forgotten.”

Cook launched his radio career at Michigan stations in the 1970s, followed by roles at stations in Denver, L.A. and New York. He received Billboard‘s country DJ of the year honor in 1977. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, heserved in roles at McVay Media and Westwood One.

Cook was inducted into the Country Radio Hall of Fame in 2011 before joining Cumulus in 2014. Last year, he was honored with the Academy of Country Music’s service award, alongside Bill Mayne; Cook is the Academy of Country Music’s longest-serving board member.

Cumulus Media has launched a search for Cook’s successor, having posted a job opening for a music & brand content manager.

Coachella’s First Weekend Finally Sells Out 

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival’s first of two weekends has now sold out of general admission tickets, according to promoter Goldenvoice. Once known for selling out on the same day that the lineup was released, this year, the festival took exactly 27 days, four hours and 38 minutes to sell approximately 125,000 tickets for the first weekend.

That’s far longer than in 2023 when tickets for the first weekend sold out in just four days, or in 2022 when Coachella returned after a two-year pandemic break and sold out both weekends of the festival in about 40 minutes. 

Goldenvoice president and festival cofounder Paul Tollett has not publicly addressed this year’s festival’s sales and declined to comment for this story.  

Trending on Billboard

News of the weekend one sellout, for April 12–14, was announced Thursday (Feb. 15) on Goldenvoice’s X account, with a tweet posted at 2:38 pm PST saying, “GA and GA + Shuttle passes for Coachella Weekend 1 are now SOLD OUT. Very limited Weekend 1 VIP remain. See you in the desert.” Those weekend one VIP tickets are going for $1,399. Weekend two VIP tickets are priced at $1,100, while three-day general admission tickets for the second weekend, April 19-21, are priced at $549.

In 2022, weekend two tickets sold out shortly after the lineup was announced, but the second weekend did not completely sell out last year.  

This year’s Coachella lineup is led by Lana Del Rey, Tyler. The Creator, Doja Cat and a special reunion of No Doubt.  

Madonna Announces Collaboration With The Weeknd & Playboi Carti

Madonna has another collaboration up her sleeves, this time with The Weeknd and Playboi Carti.

The Queen of Pop took to Instagram on Thursday (Feb. 15) to share a preview of the “Popular” music video, featuring the trio trading lines and singing the chorus in unison. “I did song with @theweeknd and @playboicarti -called – Popular Duh !” she captioned the post, which you can see here.

The song’s music video will be debuting exclusively in Fortnite Festival, to wrap up The Weeknd’s takeover of the event’s Season 1. According to Fortnite’s official website, fans can watch the clip in a new dedicated viewing area in Jam Stage, where the “Popular” video will repeat from February 15 at 7 p.m. ET until February 18 at 7 p.m. ET. The “Popular” Jam Track will also be available in the Fortnite Shop starting February 15 at 7 p.m. ET.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Earlier this week, The Weeknd teased that he’s back in the studio on Instagram. His teaser comes a month after he posted the album covers from his 2020 album After Hours and 2022’s Dawn FM, and a third, black slide with a white question mark in the middle and a parental advisory warning label. “3,” he wrote as the caption, indicating that a third installment of the album trilogy is on the way.

Don Toliver Earns First Top 10 as Lead Act on Hot Rap Songs Chart

Don Toliver snatches his first top 10 hit as a lead artist on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart as “Bandit” opens at No. 9 on the list dated Feb. 17. The track, released on Cactus Jack/Atlantic Records, also starts at No. 38 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, the week’s highest debut.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

In the tracking week of Feb. 2 – 8, “Bandit” recorded 10.9 million official U.S. streams, according to Luminate. The sum sparks the song’s No. 5 entrance on the Rap Streaming Songs chart and No. 18 start on the corresponding, all-genre Streaming Songs list. Streams drive almost all the “Bandit” activity for the week; the song sold a negligible number of sales downloads and registered 145,000 airplay audience impressions.

Although “Bandit” gives Toliver his first top 10 as a lead artist on Hot Rap Songs, the Houston-based rapper/singer has two prior visits in featured roles, which both peaked at No. 3. He and NAV had supporting spots on Internet Money and Gunna’s “Lemonade,” in 2020, while he and Future were guests on Metro Boomin’s “Too Many Nights,” in 2022.

Trending on Billboard



Elsewhere, “Bandit” begins at No. 13 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and becomes Toliver’s best showing as a lead act, overtaking the No. 15 peak of “Flocky Flocky,” featuring Travis Scott, in 2021. On the all-genre Hot 100, “Bandit” arrives at No. 38 and gives the artist his third top 40 hit. “Too Many Nights” reached No. 22 in December 2022 and SZA’s “Used,” which features Toliver, earned a No. 30 high the same month.

Toliver’s new track also yields a win for Kevin Parker, best known as the chief figure of Tame Impala, who claims a songwriting credit from “Bandit” sampling the act’s “One More Hour.” Thanks to the lift, Parker picks up his first top 10 as a writer on Hot Rap Songs after three previous entries: Kanye West’s “Violent Crimes” (No. 14) in 2017, Travis Scott’s “Skeletons” (No. 24) in 2018 and Kid Cudi’s “Dive” (No. 20) in 2020.

ScHoolboy Q “Yeern 101,” French Montana “Blood Thicker Than Water” & More | Daily Visuals 2.15.24

HipHopWired Featured Video

Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) throws its 10th annual toy drive and concert featuring SZA, Jay Rock, YG and other TDE artists performing followed by a gift giveaway to kids in the Nickerson Gardens housing projects

Source: Jason Armond / Getty

We’re still a few weeks away from hearing what ScHoolboy Q’s been cookin’ in the lab when he releases his next full-length LP, Blue Lips and while fans await the albums arrival, the TDE artist is giving them something to chew on before serving up the final product.

Dropping off some new visuals ton “Yeern 101,” ScHool shows us how he brings the hood with him wherever he goes. Whether it be a fancy soiree for rich folks or swinging that iron on the golf course, Q is always going to be his authentic self regardless of the environment as he should.

French Montana meanwhile seems ready to make it rain wherever he goes and in his clip for “Blood Thicker Than Water” the Bronx representative hops on a private jet with bags of cash on route to a club where he links with Rick Ross and turns up with multiple women who twerk like there’s no tomorrow.

Check out the rest of today’s drops including work from Lil Tjay, Vado, and more.

SCHOOLBOY Q – “YEERN 101”



FRENCH MONTANA – “BLOOD THICKER THAN WATER”



LIL TJAY – “GOOD LIFE”



TJ PORTER, MILLYZ & ROWDY REBEL – “1ST OF THE MONTH”



VADO – “NUMBER RACKETS”



TURK – “AIN’T NO LOVE”


https://youtube.com/watch?v=FxAqKEOI2kI&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

GAKTRIZZY – “ON THE RUN”



LUMP – “RUN DOWN FREESTYLE”