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19 Sep 2023

Megan Thee Stallion Talks Cardi B Friendship, Justin Timberlake Moment & New Album: ‘I’m Finally Closing All the Old Chapters’

”Bongos,” Megan Thee Stallion’s latest collaboration with Cardi B, serves as Meg’s first musical release of the year — a slight change of pace for the artist who famously pumped out two studio albums, a compilation tape and an EP in a little over two years.

Her most recent album, August 2022’s Traumazine, followed years of intense emotional and personal turmoil, online vitriol and legal sagas for the three-time Grammy-winning rapper. On Aug. 8, Tory Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting Megan in July 2020, a long-awaited conclusion to three years of court drama.

“I feel like I’m finally closing all the old chapters and now I’m starting with a blank slate,” Megan tells Billboard in a new interview. “Very fresh, very new. I think the Hotties are gonna be so excited.”

“Bongos” — a raucous Brazilian-funk-nodding sequel to 2020’s historic “WAP” that debuts at No. 14 on this week’s Billboard Hot 100— is the first section of that new chapter. Alongside the song’s release, Megan and Cardi also treated fans to an eye-popping music video — with choreography courtesy of Sean Bankhead — as well as a showstopping performance at the 2023 MTV Music Video Awards.

With more new music on the horizon and a new collaboration with Flamin’ Hot called Flamin’ Hot University (FU), Megan Thee Stallion is carefully setting the stage to take the entire world by storm — again.

Megan Thee Stallion will serve as Thee Official Hot Girl Dean of Admission for Flamin’ Hot University, which features a one-of-a-kind online curriculum centered on food, fashion and lifestyle. FU will also give students the entire catalog of Flamin’ Hot snacks in a special limited-edition package — complete with exclusive merch designed by Melody Ehsani — approved by Megan herself. Proceeds from the merch line will go toward a scholarship for deserving students at Texas Southern University, the “Thot Sh–” rapper’s alma mater, thus helping them sidestep student debt.

In a hilarious conversation with Billboard, Megan breaks down some of her Flamin’ Hot University courses, provides an update on her forthcoming new album, reflects on her friendship with Cardi B, and gives her true reaction to Justin Timberlake yelling out her trademark “real hot girl sh–” ad lib after the VMAs.

How did you come up with the curriculum for Flamin’ Hot University? What are your responsibilities as the Hot Girl Dean of Admissions?

I’m basically just the overseer of all things Hot Girl at this camp. I just wanted to have a lot of things that have something to do with things that are personal to me, how to be a Hot Girl, you know? How to make your favorite snacks at 2 a.m. I feel like every college student knows the struggle. I feel like Hot Cheetos are definitely on the menu at every campus, this is what we eat! So I just want to do things that feel real to me. 

Recently, the state of public education in the country has become increasingly muddled by some troubling political agendas. What does it mean to you to be able to give back to your HBCU during a time like this? 

I know what it’s like to be a struggling college student. I know what it feels like to be discouraged: “I give up, my classes are hard, I can’t even pay for this, etc.” But I really got through it, and I wanted to be able to give back to other students that I know feel the same way I felt. So once I was able to give it, I was like, “Yeah, lemme put my people on.”

That’s real. What’s your favorite Flamin’ Hot snack?

Everybody knows I love me a good fried pickle, so I definitely love making Hot Cheeto fried pickles. That’s my sh–! With ranch!

When you sit back and reflect on how you’ve grown “Real Hot Girl Sh—” from a catchphrase to one of the most recognizable brands in contemporary pop culture, how do you feel?

I feel surprised half the time. Like, wow, I really just be talking, and I just be living, and people are like, “Yes, I wanna do that too!” [Laughs.] I feel like it’s amazing to just authentically be myself and it, you know, translates into a brand. And it makes me feel like, “OK, you know what? I can’t be doing too bad, right?!”

When it comes to the specific Flamin’ Hot University curriculum, what can people expect to see in some of your lessons?

They can definitely expect all of my Hot Girl recipes from the things that I personally would make out of Hot Cheetos and some stuff that I didn’t even know about. Some things that I took from other people. It’s a chef, his name is Chef Scotty and he also went to TSU, and he put me on a few snacks. So I feel like he definitely gonna figure out some things to eat at 2 in the morning.

We gon’ be eating real good! 

We gon’ be eating real good! [Laughs] 

One of my favorite parts of your TikTok is how hard you go in the gym. What role has physical fitness played in your life over the past couple of years?

Physical fitness helps me with my mental. If I feel like I’m a little stressed or I’m a little whatever I’m feeling that day, I know I can go let it out in the gym and it helps me clear my mind. I love boxing. I love anything HIIT [high-intensity interval training]-wise. I love pushing myself. When I’m in the gym, I’m like, “Girl, if you can’t do two more squats, I don’t know if you’re gonna be able to handle two more comments!” 

So, I definitely go in the gym and I push myself and I motivate myself and I’m pushing my body. But, to push your body, I feel like it’s to push yourself mentally. The gym is definitely a mental thing. To get yourself out the bed in the morning or whatever part of the day, even if you don’t have time to work out in the morning, if you push yourself to finish your day and go to the gym, I feel like it’s all mental. And I feel like you feel like, “Oh my gosh, I did it,” and now you can reward yourself. Working out just feels super rewarding. I feel very accomplished after I work out. 

Congratulations on the “Bongos” release and VMAs performance! The music video is very elaborate. What was it like shooting that? 

It was so much fun! Every time me and Cardi link up, it ain’t nothing but laughs and a whole party. Both our teams absolutely love each other. Everybody hangs out on their own time anyway, so it kind of felt like we was going out every morning. Oop, Cardi had me waking up so early for these damn — lemme not even curse — Cardi had me waking up so early for these shoots!

How early y’all was up? 

Baby, I will start my glam at 3 in the morning to do my first shot at like 8 or 9, and sometimes it didn’t even happen at 8 or 9. If I’m up at 3 in the morning, I’m probably shooting at 3 p.m.! Like goddang! But it was a great time though.

Y’all built different, because 3 a.m. is crazy.  

3 a.m. is crazy! But you know you can’t pay the sun to stay out long, so you gotta get all your shots during the day.

While recording “Bongos,” did you and Cardi feel any pressure to re-create or live up to the heights of “WAP”? 

I know for myself, I don’t make music with any expectations. I don’t really care about charts and stuff like that. Obviously, everybody wanna be No. 1, everybody wants to win, everybody wants to give their fans these bragging rights. But I just make music because I love to make music, so I’m not making it like, “Oh, I gotta top this” or “Oh, we have to be better than the last time.” I’m like, “No, we’re gonna make a song because we like to make music, and it’s gonna be fun!” It doesn’t have to be the same vibe. That was already its great, own moment. It served its purpose at that time. That was two, three years ago. We two different women now! So this is different. 

I wasn’t expecting it to be anything like “WAP” because we’re not even in the same headspace. I think it was COVID. Baby, we was in the house recording! [Laughs.] Now we outside! It’s time for everybody to be in a good mood. It’s time for everybody to feel a different way. I was so excited when [Cardi] sent me this song because I had never recorded over a beat like that before. I never rapped to anything like that, and I felt like it was a challenge. I was like, “Oh, this is something new. OK, girl, you want me to go to work today, I got you!”

What is it about Cardi specifically that makes her such a good collaborator and friend? 

Speaking to the collaborator part like, she literally just let me do me. This is the second time she’s sent me a song, and I’ll be like, “Friend, can I do whatever I want to do on the beat? I’m finna put two verses on here, all right?” She always let me do whatever I want to do creatively. I just appreciate that so much because sometimes people try to give you a direction and they want you to do what they want you to do, but she’s like “Megan, what you think?” She’ll ask me what I think about this song like, “OK, how you think we could make it better? What should we do next? Just do whatever you wanna do and then we’ll piece it together.” 

I love the creative freedom that she gives me. She’s always open to whatever I’m saying or any suggestion, so I love that about her. She not scared to try nothing, and her ego ain’t big. She’s not a woman that’s scared to say “you’re right.” So, I really love that about her work-wise. 

Friendship-wise, she’s just so real. When I first met her, she was so shy! Anybody’ll probably see her online and they think her personality gonna be one way, no, it’s so opposite. But like as we got more [close as] friends — you know people start off shy and then they get like “Oh, yeah, this the real you”? — I feel like I definitely get to see the real her. She’s just so nice, and she’s really a kind person. That’s what I really like about her. And she just raw. First thing that come to that lady brain, she gon’ say it! And I like that. I respect people like that. She’s definitely a “take it how you wanna take it” type of person.

When can we expect new music from you, girl? We’re starving! 

It’s definitely coming very soon. I’m really excited about this chapter of my life because I feel like I’m finally closing all the old chapters, and now I’m starting with a blank slate. Very fresh, very new. I think Thee Hotties are gonna be so excited. I’m trying different things. I got a lot of things that I produced with Ju and with some new producers.

Oh, you got behind the boards! 

Baby, I was behind the piano! Yeah! [Laughs] It’s very exciting. I can’t wait for Thee Hotties to really get in my head with this new person I feel like I’m becoming.

What sounds are you thinking of? Is there anything you know for sure you want to address? Is there a tour on the way? What other tea can you give us! 

The tea is… everything about the music is tea! [Laughs] Just expect the unexpected. Expect a lot of rawness, a lot of realness, a lot of sh— talking. Just know I’m coming and I hope everybody ready. 

Oh, we ready! One quick question before you go: Were you expecting Justin Timberlake to say “real hot girl sh—” in that TikTok? 

Dawg! That’s why my mouth was open big! I was so excited! It’s a good feeling when you know the icons know about you. It made me feel good. I was like, “C’mon, real hot girl sh—!”

 

19 Sep 2023

Sexyy Red Says Her New Lip Gloss Line Colors Are Based on ‘Pound Town’ Lyrics And, Oh Boy!

If the lyrics to Sexyy Red‘s breakthrough hit, “Pound Town,” didn’t already make you blush, just wait until you get a load of the St. Louis-bred rapper’s new lip gloss line. The track — which leaves almost nothing to the imagination — will be honored with what Red said is an upcoming product extension that may struggle to get primo shelf space at the local Walgreen’s due to the very explicit nature of the shades.

In a chat with Interview magazine, Red said, “I got a lip gloss line dropping soon, y’all better shop with your girl. I got all different flavors: Coochie Juice, Bootyhole Brown, Coochie Pink, Sex on My Period, Gonorrhea, Yellow Discharge, and Nut.” At press time a spokesperson for Red, 25, could not be reached for additional information on when the line will be released and where it will be available.

In the interview, the “SkeeYee” MC expounded on some other hot topics, including her beloved Duck Nails (“I love them. When I was little and used to watch Jerseylicious, the girl had duck nails and they straight brought that s–t back. I feel like everything comes back around.”) and whether she’s trying to get signed (“I’m not even looking for no deal, for real.”)

She also weighed in on attending church (“I ain’t been in a minute. But I be praying.”), diss tracks (“They be fun but I think they cause drama. Soon as you diss someone something happen to you. You know how it is.”) and her thoughts on Casamigos tequila (“I don’t drink. Liqour stink.”)

Red topped the list on the first-ever TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart — dated Sept. 16 — with her latest single, “SkeeYee”; the song also came in at No. 67 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated Sept. 16.

19 Sep 2023

Living Colour Blast Jann Wenner’s All-White ‘Masters’ Book and Apology: ‘Smacks of Sexist Gatekeeping and Exclusionary Behavior’

Just days after Rolling Stone magazine founder Jann Wenner was removed from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation’s Board of Directors following an interview with the New York Times in which he addressed criticism of the myopic scope of his new book, The Masters, the members of Living Colour weighed in on the controversy in a pointed statement.

The pioneering 1980s “Cult of Personality” funk metal band — whose guitarist, Vernon Reid, helped form the Black Rock Coalition in 1985 — said the fact that Wenner would title his book The Masters without including a single woman or Black artist is absurd on its face. “The very idea of a book called The Masters‘ which blatantly omits the essential contributions of Black, people of color and women to Rock & Pop Culture speaks to a much larger and more systemic problem,” wrote the band, whose members include singer Corey Glover, bassist Muzz Skillings and drummer Will Calhoun.

“His New York Times interview statement that African American and female artists are not ‘articulate’ enough to express themselves about their own work is absurd on its face,” it continued. “For someone who has chronicled the musical landscape for over 50 years, it is an insult to those of us who sit at the feet of these overlooked geniuses.”

In the Times interview, Wenner, 77, discussed the book that collects interviews he’s done over the years for the magazine, comprised of only white men, including U2’s Bono, Bob Dylan, Jerry Garcia, Mick Jagger, John Lennon and more. No women or people of color are included in the book, with Wenner noting in the introduction that neither made the cut because they were not in his “zeitgeist.”

“When I was referring to the zeitgeist, I was referring to Black performers, not to the female performers, OK? Just to get that accurate,” Wenner told the Times’ David Marchese. “The selection was not a deliberate selection. It was kind of intuitive over the years; it just fell together that way. The people had to meet a couple criteria, but it was just kind of my personal interest and love of them. Insofar as the women, just none of them were as articulate enough on this intellectual level.”

Wenner then attempted to clarify his views, saying, “It’s not that they’re not creative geniuses. It’s not that they’re inarticulate, although, go have a deep conversation with Grace Slick or Janis Joplin. Please, be my guest. You know, Joni [Mitchell] was not a philosopher of rock ’n’ roll. She didn’t, in my mind, meet that test. Not by her work, not by other interviews she did. The people I interviewed were the kind of philosophers of rock … Of Black artists — you know, Stevie Wonder, genius, right? I suppose when you use a word as broad as ‘masters,’ the fault is using that word. Maybe Marvin Gaye, or Curtis Mayfield? I mean, they just didn’t articulate at that level.”

Wenner, who founded the magazine in 1967 and was its editor and editorial director until 2019, was removed from the board of the RRHOF on Saturday after an emergency vote in which all the board members except for one chose to oust him; hours later he issued an apology for his comments.

“In my interview with The New York Times, I made comments that diminished the contributions, genius, and impact of Black and women artists and I apologize wholeheartedly for those remarks,” he said in a statement provided to The Hollywood Reporter. “The Masters is a collection of interviews I’ve done over the years that seemed to me to best represent an idea of rock ‘n’ roll’s impact on my world; they were not meant to represent the whole of music and it’s diverse and important originators but to reflect the high points of my career and interviews I felt illustrated the breadth and experience in that career. They don’t reflect my appreciation and admiration for myriad totemic, world-changing artists whose music and ideas I revere and will celebrate and promote as long as I live. I totally understand the inflammatory nature of badly chosen words and deeply apologize and accept the consequences.”

The Living Colour statement said that as far as the band was concerned, the apology did not temper the original comments by Wenner. Futher, the said the book’s lack of diverse voices, especially from someone who chronicled the rock music landscape for half a century, was an affront on multiple levels. “It is an insult to those of us who sit at the feet of these overlooked geniuses. To hear that he believes Stevie Wonder isn’t articulate enough to express his thoughts on any given subject is quite frankly, insulting,” they wrote. “To hear that Janis Joplin, Joni Mitchell, Tina Turner, or any of the many Woman artists that he chooses not to mention, are not worthy of the status of Master, smacks of sexist gatekeeping, and exclusionary behavior.”

The statement concluded, “Mr. Werner’s [sic] apology only solidifies the idea. That his book is a reflection of his worldview suggests that it is narrow & small indeed.”

Wenner was inducted into the RRHOF as a non-performer in 2004 and was one of the founders of the Foundation in 1983; her served as the Foundation’s chairman from 2006-2020. He left Rolling Stone in 2019 when the publication was acquired by Penske Media Corporation, which is also Billboard‘s parent company.

RS — whose president and CEO is Wenner’s son, Gus Wenner — issued a statement on Monday (Sept. 18) distancing itself from the magazine’s founder. “Jann Wenner’s recent statement to the New York Times do not represent the value and practices of today’s Rolling Stone,” the publication tweeted. “Jann Wenner has not been directly involved in our operations since 2019. Out purpose, especially since his departure, has been to tell stories that reflect the diversity of voices and experiences that shape our world. At Rolling Stone‘s core is the understanding that music above all can bring us together, not divide us.”

See Living Colour and RS‘s statements below.

19 Sep 2023

Congressional Bill That Would Enable Indie Artists to Negotiate Better Streaming Rates Takes Aim at AI

Independent musicians will have more power to negotiate with artificial intelligence developers over “fairer rates and terms for the use of their music” if a newly introduced version of the Protect Working Musicians Act passes the U.S. House, according to Rep. Deborah Ross (D-N.C.). 

“AI threatens the creator — finding the person or entity that has co-opted your work and turned it into something else and then going after them is so onerous,” Ross, who sponsored the revised act and sits on the House Judiciary Committee, says in a phone interview from Washington, D.C. “That’s one of the reasons for this bill — to allow people to do this collaboratively. We need to do this sooner than later. We’re seeing this threat every single day.”

The Protect Working Musicians Act, which Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) introduced in October 2021 a few months before he left Congress, would allow indie artists to collectively bargain for royalty rates with streaming giants such as Spotify and Apple Music. As it stands, the major labels that own most worldwide master recordings have enormous negotiating power to set rates; the act would “give the smaller independent more of a voice,” says Jen Jacobsen, executive director of the Artist Rights Alliance, which worked with Ross on revising the bill.

Ross picked up the bill when Deutch announced he would not return to the House, then held hearings with indie artists in her district, which includes Raleigh. Since then, Ross says, “The AI issue has become even more important.” The revised act would allow artists to behave like plaintiffs in a class-action suit, she adds, “fighting for their rights” with a central attorney.

“Our work is being scraped and ingested and exploited without us even knowing,” Jacobsen says. “Adding the AI platforms seemed like a relevant and important thing to do.”

Writers and artists have warned for months that AI could transform their ideas into new works with no way to get paid for the usage. In April, “Heart On My Sleeve,” an AI-created song that mimics the voices of Drake and The Weeknd, landed millions of TikTok, Spotify and YouTube plays. At the time, Sting told the BBC: “The building blocks of music belong to us, to human beings. That’s going to be a battle we all have to fight in a couple of years: defending our human capital against AI.”

“Musicians are really worried about this — not just the big-name ones, but small artists, too. Small ones, especially,” Jorgensen says. “The most important thing for this bill is that small, independent artists and record labels need to be recognized and have each others’ backs.”

It’s unclear when the House might vote on the revised bill — or if it would pass. “As you can see in Congress, lots of bills aren’t passing — like the budget!” Ross says. “But this has been a very bipartisan issue in the judiciary committee. It’s the perfect time to bring these issues up.” 

19 Sep 2023

Travis Scott Questioned For Hours in Civil Deposition Tied to Astroworld Lawsuits

Travis Scott was questioned for several hours on Monday (Sept. 18) in a civil deposition he gave in connection with hundreds of lawsuits that were filed against him and others over the deaths and injuries at the 2021 Astroworld festival. Scott was questioned in Houston during a deposition that lasted around eight hours, two people with knowledge about the litigation said.

Lawyers and others connected to the civil lawsuits are under a gag order, preventing them from saying little beyond what happens during court hearings.

“Travis Scott’s deposition is typical legal procedure. What is not typical is how the media continues to focus on him despite being cleared of any wrongdoing by extensive government investigations, including by the Houston Police Department,” Ted Anastasiou, a spokesperson for Scott, said in a statement. “Travis is fully cooperating with the legal process while still remaining committed to his tour in support of his record-breaking album, Utopia, and his charitable efforts to support at-risk communities.”

Following an investigation by Houston Police, no charges were filed against Scott after a grand jury in June declined to indict him and five other people on any criminal counts related to the deadly concert. Police Chief Troy Finner declined to say what the overall conclusion of his agency’s investigation was.

In July, the police department made public its nearly 1,300-page investigative report in which festival workers highlighted problems and warned of possible deadly consequences.

According to a summary in the investigative report of a police interview conducted two days after the concert, Scott told investigators that although he did see one person near the stage getting medical attention, overall the crowd seemed to be enjoying the show and he did not see any signs of serious problems.

This was the first time Scott was questioned by attorneys for those who have filed lawsuits since a crowd surge at his Nov. 5, 2021, concert in Houston killed 10 festivalgoers. Those killed, who ranged in age from 9 to 27, died from compression asphyxia, which an expert likened to being crushed by a car.

Similar crushes have happened all over the world, from a soccer stadium in England to the hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia to Halloween festivities in the South Korean capital. Most people who who die in crowd surges suffocate.

Scott’s deposition comes as a judge earlier this year scheduled the first trial from the lawsuits for May 6, 2024. That first trial would take place nearly 2.5 years since the deadly concert. Documents filed in court in April listed more than 1,500 active cases, many of which were filed against Scott and Live Nation, the concert promoter.

Of these, 992 were cases with physical injuries and 313 were cases of “emotional distress, pain, suffering and mental anguish.” Orthopedic surgeries have been completed in 17 of these cases, with other surgeries recommended in another 21.

Some of the lawsuits have since been settled, including those filed by the families of three of the people killed during the concert.

Scott’s deposition on Monday took place on the same day that hip-hop artist Drake, who performed several songs with Scott during the Astroworld concert, was performing in Houston. Drake was also sued in connection with the deadly concert.

19 Sep 2023

Marilyn Manson Fined For Spitting ‘Big Lougee’ at Camerawoman

Marilyn Manson was sentenced to 20 hours of community service and fined by a court on Monday (Sept. 17) after pleading no contest to blowing his nose on a camerawoman at a 2019 concert in New Hampshire.

The controversial artist (real name: Brian Warner) was charged with two misdemeanor counts of simple assault, relating to an incident with the videographer during a show at Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford.

Manson had initially pleaded not guilty to the assault charges, but later changed his plea to no contest, the BBC reports, which means the goth-rocker was not contesting the charge but does not admit guilt.

The judge required Manson to appear in court, and described the incident in question as “egregious.” Manson was fined about $1,400, with $200 suspended, and will be allowed to complete his community service in California, as requested.

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According to a police affidavit, the Associated Press reports, Manson approached videographer Susan Fountain in the stage pit, and spat a “big lougee” at her. Later, he is said to have returned, kneeling and covering one nostril before blowing the other on her arms and hands.

Manson “blows a significant amount of mucous at Fountain,” a police sergeant who reviewed concert video footage said in the report. The camera then captures Manson “point and laugh at Fountain as she gets down and walks away,” reads the affidavit.

Manson reportedly wore a black suit in court, and spoke twice to the judge: to acknowledge his name and to confirm “yes” when asked if he understood the sentence.

Fountain did not attend court, but prepared a statement. “For me, I’m a professional person and I’ve been in this industry for 30 years. I’ve worked for a lot of companies, and in all the years I’ve worked with people, I’ve never been humiliated or treated the way I was by this defendant,” it reads. “For him to spit on me and blow his nose on me was the most disgusting thing a human being has ever done.

“I understand this was not a big criminal charge to begin with, but I was hoping that the defendant would receive a sentence that would make him think twice before doing something like this again,” the statement continues.

Manson has been the subject of sexual assault and abuse allegations from multiple women, including Evan Rachel Wood, Esmé Bianco, Ashley Waters, Illma Gore and others. Despite those claims, which Manson has denied, the artist returned from a social media hiatus earlier this year to seemingly tease new music.

Manson has achieved 10 top 10 titles on the Billboard 200 chart, including No. 1s with 1998’s Mechanical Animals and 2013’s The Golden Age Of Grotesque.

See Billboard’s full timeline of Manson’s abuse allegations here.

19 Sep 2023

Olivia Rodrigo Scraps Australia Promo Visit, Hints at 2024 Tour

The bad news first, Olivia Rodrigo won’t be visiting Australia later this week. The good, she’ll be back next year.

The U.S. pop phenomenon has canceled her trip Down Under at short notice, citing “unforeseen circumstances.”

The “Vampire” singer was scheduled to visit Sydney for a fan Q&A event this Friday, Sept. 22, a session that was to include “an exclusive once-in-a-lifetime Q&A,” along with chances to win a meet and greet with the artist. “I can’t wait to get down to Australia,” she enthused in a statement issued Sept. 1, announcing the promo excursion. “I’ve never been and I’m so excited to meet everyone. I’ll see you soon Livies”.

Those plans are now scrapped.

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“We regret to inform you that due to unforeseen circumstances Olivia Rodrigo’s trip to Australia has been cancelled,” reads a statement from Universal Music Australia. “Unfortunately the fan Q&A event on Friday 22nd September will no longer be going ahead.”

The message contains a caveat. “Olivia is devastated that she won’t be able to make it,” the note continues, “however she’s so excited to see her Australian Livies in 2024.”

That hint at things to come is bound to keep fans on their toes. Just last week, Rodrigo announced two separate waves of dates for her Guts World Tour, which includes stops across North America, the U.K. and Continental Europe, but nothing in Australia.

Rodrigo’s popularity right now in Australia is, like elsewhere, sky-high. Her sophomore album Guts is the current No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, and all 12 tracks from it impact the national singles chart. Guts is the followup to Sour, Rodrigo’s 2021 debut which logged eight non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 in Australia. All told, three of her singles have led the official ARIA Chart: “Vampire,” “Drivers Licence” and “Good 4 U.”

Proceeds from each ticket for the Guts World Tour will benefit her new Fund 4 Good initiate, which will support community non-profits that work toward girls’ education, reproductive rights and prevent gender-based violence.

18 Sep 2023

Jet Set For Induction Into ARIA Hall Of Fame

Jet will soar into the ARIA Hall of Fame later this year.

The rockers cap a reunion, and the 20th anniversary of their debut album, with elevation into the Australian recorded music industry’s Hall of Fame, which will take place during the 2023 ARIA Awards, set for Nov. 15 in Sydney.

“We’re all quite chuffed and honored to be in such esteemed company,” comments frontman Nic Cester in a statement issued by ARIA. “We are humbled to receive this recognition.”

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Formed in Melbourne and led by Nic Cester (vocals/guitar) and his brother Chris Cester (vocals/drums), along with Cameron Muncey (vocals/guitar) and Mark Wilson (bass), Jet roared out the blocks with Get Born, their debut LP which dropped in 2003 — 20 years ago.

Packing a sound that fell somewhere between the steady, thump and grind of Iggy and the Stooges and the bombast of Oasis, Jet got away with the Get Born single “Are You Gonna Be My Girl,” which enjoyed global exposure in an early Apple iPod campaign, and cracked the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart (peaking at No. 29).

Get Born also contained the singles “Look What You’ve Done,” “Rollover DJ “and “Get Me Outta Here.” At the 2004 ARIA Awards, the LP won six categories and it’s certified nine-times platinum in Australia, making it one of the top five highest-selling Australian rock albums of all time, the trade body reports.

Follow-up albums include Shine On (2006) and Shaka Rock (2009), all of which cracked the top 40 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Jet was finally grounded in 2012, before briefly reforming in 2017 to play with Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band on their sold-out Australian tour of that year. A handful of dates followed, including a slot at Fuji Rock festival in Japan. Then, the act announced earlier this year a reunion tour.

Those dates are slated to kick off this Friday, Sept. 22 at Melbourne’s Forum Theatre, though Chris Cester won’t be on the road due to “family reasons,” according to a statement from the band.

“Throughout their career,” comments ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd, “Jet has achieved numerous accolades and milestones including seven ARIA Awards, chart-topping albums, and sold-out tours around the world. They changed the face of Australian rock music with a culture shifting album and have been a huge influence for other musicians over their career and that truly deserves our highest honor.”

Jet ends a years-long Hall of Fame drought. Organizers had shelved the segment, arguably the most important spot in the record industry’s flagship event, when the pandemic ruined the live experience. Those barriers are no longer a concern. The last artist elevated into the ARIA Hall of Fame was the late Indigenous artist Archie Roach, in 2020.

Herd adds, “We couldn’t be happier to welcome them to the ARIA Hall of Fame as the first inductees since 2020.”

As previously reported, the 2023 ARIA Awards will take place at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion.

ARIAs will premiere live on Stan for the first time (from 5pm local time). That live stream will be followed by a free-to-air feed from commercial TV broadcaster the Nine Network (from 7.30pm local time) with performances and moments available on-demand on the @ARIA.official YouTube channel.

The 2023 edition of the ARIAs marks the fifth year in partnership with streaming giant YouTube. Nominations will be presented 10am local time on Sept. 21, and streamed live on the ARIA Awards website.

18 Sep 2023

Busted Blasts to No. 1 on Midweek U.K. Chart

Move over Olivia Rodrigo, Busted wants its chart crown.

The British pop punk act leads the midweek U.K. chart with Greatest Hits 2.0, a 20th anniversary collection of the trio’s works, which includes a “Guest Features Edition” with cuts reworked by the likes of Jonas Brothers, All Time Low, Simple Plan, Dashboard Confessional, Hanson and You Me At Six.

With Greatest Hits 2.0, Busted, comprising Charlie Simpson, Matt Willis and James Bourne, should nab a fourth U.K. top 10 appearance, a list that includes three No. 2 peaks (Busted from 2002, A Present for Everyone from 2003 and Half Way There from 2019). The band has landed four U.K. No. 1 singles, but, until now, never topped the albums survey.

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Rodrigo’s Guts powered to No. 1 last Friday, Sept. 15 with the year’s healthiest first-week numbers, for her second leader. Guts dips to No. 2 on the chart blast.

Mitski is on track for a career-best chart spot with The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We, the American singer and songwriter’s seventh studio album. It’s set to drop in at No. 3, for what would be Mitski’s second top 10 appearance, after 2022’s Laurel Hell peaked at No. 6.

Meanwhile, Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor could bag his first solo U.K. top 10 with CMF2, new at No. 4 on the chart blast. It’s the followup to 2020’s CMFT, which reached No. 11. As a member of Slipknot, Taylor has three No. 1 albums: 2001’s Iowa, 2019’s We Are Not Your Kind and 2022’s The End So Far.

Jared Leto’s Thirty Seconds to Mars is flying to a third top 10 with It’s the End of the World, the U.S. alternative rock band’s sixth studio release. It’s new at No. 5 on the Official Chart Update, and could equal or better 2013’s Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams (No. 5 peak) and 2018’s America (No. 4).

Rock And Roll Hall of Fame-inducted group the Pretenders should scoop a seventh U.K. top 10 album with Relentless, new at No. 7 on the chart blast. If it stays on target, it’ll give Chrissie Hynde and Co. their highest-charting album since 1994’s Last of the Independents, which peaked at No. 8.

Also eyeing a top 10 berth is Ash, the Northern Irish independent band whose eighth studio album Race the Night is set to start at No. 8. Race The Night could become the rockers’ sixth U.K. top 10 collection and highest-charting LP since 2004’s Meltdown went to No. 5.

Steve Hackett’s Foxtrot at Fifty + Hackett Highlights: Live in Brighton could become the guitar hero’s best U.K. chart appearance in more than 40 years. It’s on course for a top 10 debut, at No. 10, for what would be Hackett’s first top tier solo effort since 1980’s Defector peaked at No. 9.

Also impacting the midweek top 40 are LPs by Madison Beer (Silence Between Songs at No. 12), Demi Lovato (Revamped at No. 20), Sleepy Hallow (Boy Meets World at No. 29), The Bites (Squeeze at No. 30) and Sugababes (The Lost Tapes at No. 39).

All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Albums Chart is published late Friday, Sept. 22.

18 Sep 2023

Disney Is Dropping a Blu-Ray Box Set Featuring 100 Animated Movies: Here’s How to Pre-Order It Online

A massive Disney Blu-ray box set just went up for pre-order on Monday (Sept. 18). The Legacy Animated Film Collection features a century’s worth of Disney and Pixar movies dating back to 1937.

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The set includes three volumes of 100 Disney and Pixar animated movies on Blu-ray including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, The Lion King, Cars, The Little Mermaid, Frozen, Fantasia, Dumbo, Bambi, Peter Pan, Cinderella, The Aristocats, Beauty & The Beast, Sleeping Beauty, Lady and the Tramp, A Goofy Movie, Toy Story, Mulan, Aladdin, A Bug’s Life, Encanto, Elemental and more, according to The Wrap.

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Disney Legacy Animated Film Collection Blu-ray Box Set

$1,499.96

The set includes a digital code for all 100 movies, original theater poster artwork, a collectible crystal Mickey ears hat and more. The collection is available for pre-order exclusively at Walmart and will be released Nov. 14.

Disney is continuing its centennial celebration by re-releasing The Incredibles, Coco and other beloved movies in select theaters. Disney also confirmed the dates for next year’s D23 fan event, which will return to the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif., from Aug. 9-11. The ultimate fan event will bring together Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic.

Interested in learning more about Disney films? Good Chemistry: The Story of Elemental is now streaming on Disney+ along with Elemental and other films such as The Little Mermaid (live action and animated versions), Luca, A Bug’s Life, Toy Story, Cars, Light Year, Coco, Soul, Inside Out and Brave. You can also stream vintage Disney movies, Disney Channel originals and classics from the ’90s such as The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Lion King, live-action 101 Dalmatians and lots more

Subscribe to Disney+ and pay just $1.99 for three month (offer ends Sept. 20).

Disney+ Limited Discount

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Disney+ is home to a ton of original series and exclusive movies such as Loki, Lang Lang Plays Disney, Animal Up Close with Bertie Gregory, Ahsoka, Andor, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Assembled: The Making of Guardians of the Galaxy.

Watch the video below for a look inside Disney’s 100th anniversary collectible box set.