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07 Sep 2023

Doja Cat Explains Those Cryptic Neck Brace Photos: ‘I’m Literally Fine’

Is it a crime to want a little bit of “Attention?” After sharing photos of herself in neck brace in a pair of Instagram posts on Wednesday (Sep. 6), Doja Cat has revealed that her neck is perfectly fine.

“So, my friend here, my date, my lovely date got whiplash and he takes it off sometimes and I stole it from him. I’m literally fine. Completely fine, my neck is great,” Doja explained to Entertainment Tonight on the red carpet for The Victoria’s Secret World Tour Wednesday night. In a way, the “Say So” rapper was honest from the start — she originally shared those pictures with the caption “I’m fine my neck is fine.”

On Aug. 3, Victoria’s Secret announced that Doja Cat will be headlining The Victoria’s Secret World Tour, which marks the company’s return to TV since its last televised runway show in 2018. The part fashion show, part documentary is set to air on Prime Video on Sept. 26. The Tour ’23 is just one major performance on the horizon for the “Kiss Me More” singer.

On Sept. 12, Doja Cat will take the stage at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards. The Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper boasts six nominations at this year’s ceremony, including artist of the year, video of the year (“Attention”) and song of the summer (“Paint the Town Red”). In 2021, she served as the show’s host and won two Moonpeople.

These two high-profile performances are in support of Scarlet, Doja’s forthcoming fourth studio album. The follow-up to 2021’s Grammy-winning Planet Her, Scarlet boasts a trio of pre-release singles. In addition to “Attention,” which peaked at No. 31 on the Hot 100, Doja also released “Paint the Town Red,” the album’s current radio single, which reached a new peak of No. 3 on the Hot 100 this week (chart dated Sep. 9), and a promotional single titled “Demons,” which features a music video starring Emmy-nominated Yellowjackets actress Christina Ricci.

Doja’s trolling antics come amid an album campaign that has largely been characterized by her testy relationship with fame, media, fans and controversy. In May of this year, she said her two recent albums — Planet Her and 2019’s Hot Pink — were “cash grabs” featuring “mediocre pop,” before taunting, “yall fell for it.” There was also an erratic since-deleted Threads spree lambasting her fanbase, which cost her nearly 300,000 followers. “My fans don’t get to name themselves s–t,” she allegedly said. “If you call yourself a ‘Kitten’ or f–king ‘Kittenz’ that means you need to get off your phone and get a job and help your parents with the house.”

By Aug. 31, Doja revealed an updated album cover for Scarlet after changing the artwork once fans noticed that German hardcore band Chaver also used the same spider on the artwork for their upcoming album cover.

Scarlet is currently slated for a Sep. 22 release.

Watch Doja explain her neck brace pics here:

07 Sep 2023

Twenty Years On, Record Labels Won the Music Piracy Battle With Fans, But May Be Losing the War (Guest Column)

September marks the 20th anniversary of the RIAA launching litigation against consumers in a bid to extinguish — or at least dampen — the flames of peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing. The consumer litigation was part of a multi-pronged effort that targeted internet service providers, the P2P providers like Napster and Limewire and music fans. In early 2003, nearly 40% of internet users in the United States had used a P2P service to download music, or an estimated 54 million individuals. Upon the RIAA’s announcement of consumer suits, parents began asking their children what they were doing with those stacks of blank CDs; coverage of the pending litigation stifled file sharing before the first notice was filed.

Much has been written about the P2P era, but one thing is for sure: The vast majority of downloaders knew it was illegal. If there was any uncertainty in consumer’s minds, the RIAA litigation helped to clear it up. Perhaps that is the greatest legacy of the consumer litigation, which ended in 2008. The actual law was contested for some time, with arguments about technological innovation and the promotion of that technology for purposes of copyright infringement.

By the 10th anniversary of the consumer litigation in 2013, the record labels had largely won the battle against P2P file sharing. After settlement of the Limewire copyright infringement case in May 2011, the number of people using the remaining services rapidly fell in the United States, and by 2013 had dropped 60% from the peak in 2003. Litigation was one of many contributing factors. The P2P file sharing experience was awful for users, fraught with spoofed files, pop-ups, malware, incomplete and incorrect files, and other maladies. iTunes downloads revived the singles era by offering $.99 tracks. Pandora had been at the top of app store charts for several years, and Spotify was gaining momentum. By 2013, half the U.S. internet using population was streaming, and a handful were beginning to pay for subscriptions. The RIAA moved on to other battles, notably the YouTube “Value Gap.”

As the 20th anniversary of the consumer suits approaches, there has been a stunning reversal in progress in the war to limit consumer access to unlicensed music. An estimated 55 million people in the U.S. acquired or accessed “free” music files in the past year, according to MusicWatch research — the same amount as in 2003. What went wrong? There is an abundance of apps and sites that permit consumers to obtain unlicensed music. Apps that permit YouTube stream-ripping are widely available. Mobile apps available with “free downloads” frequently contain unlicensed content. The very social platforms that the industry relies on to promote artists also harbor unlicensed content. Unlike in the P2P era, the law is clear when it comes to these forms of copyright infringement and licensing requirements, though the DMCA still provides a shield to services that rely on content uploaded by fans.

The problem is the consumer. The teenager who knew that they were committing piracy while downloading In Utero from Limewire is now an adult. Today, they can be easily confused. Their Google music searches may include content that infringes on copyright. Same for the app store on their phone. The recent spate of Taylor Swift Eras tour livestreams on TikTok, while technically the same as a stream-rip of “Cruel Summer,” does not register the same in fans eyes. On top of the unlicensed content, MusicWatch studies indicate 20 million streamers are sharing logins to music streaming services.

The industry has not been silent. The RIAA has litigated against stream-rippers. Mixtape app Spinrilla was successfully sued for infringement and shut down in May. Sony and Universal just sued the Internet Archive for copyright infringement. And as an alternative, streaming companies offer family plans, which raise ARPU and blunt the impact of unauthorized account sharing.

Unlike 2003, however, the industry isn’t paying much attention to the infringing consumer. And why should it? There hasn’t been a collapse in revenues as was experienced during the aughts. Most infringing consumers are active streamers and many pay for a subscription — and a vinyl record or two. There’s not much reason to target music fans. But that doesn’t mean that more shouldn’t be done to educate consumers and further protect the rights of artists and copyright holders.

Russ Crupnick is the principal at market research firm MusicWatch.

07 Sep 2023

SiriusXM’s ‘Billboard #2 Countdown Channel’ Celebrates Runner-Up Hot 100 Classics

These songs are two good. Over the Billboard Hot 100’s history, which dates to 1958, more than 500 songs have peaked in the No. 2 spot. Despite never having reigned as the biggest hit of any single week, their legacies endure.

From Thursday (Sept. 7) through Sept. 21, you can listen to revered runner-up Hot 100 hits on SiriusXM’s Billboard #2 Countdown Channel, an exclusive limited-run channel on the SiriusXM App (channel 14).

The Hot 100’s No. 2-peaking songs range from the first – Perez Prado and His Orchestra’s “Patricia,” which reached the rank on the inaugural survey (dated Aug. 4, 1958) – through hits from 2023 by Drake and 21 Savage (“Search & Rescue”), Lil Durk featuring J. Cole (“All My Life”) and Taylor Swift featuring Ice Spice (“Karma”).

Among other songs that put the “best” in second-best are multiple No. 2 Hot 100 hits each by The Beatles, Justin Bieber, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Michael Jackson, Elton John, Dua Lipa, Madonna, Elvis Presley, Prince and Stevie Wonder.

The Billboard #2 Countdown Channel marks the latest partnership between SiriusXM and Billboard. Previously, the Billboard Top 500 R&B Countdown highlighted hits for Black Music Month, the Billboard Women of Pop 1000 Countdown honored Women’s History Month, the Cupid Countdown made Valentine’s Day even sweeter, the Billboard Top 112 Songs of Christmas Countdown dashed through the sounds of the season and the Billboard Top 500 Summer Hits recapped the biggest summer songs in the Hot 100’s history.

Additionally, SiriusXM’s Big 40 Countdown, on ’80s on 8, and the Back in the Day Replay, on ’90s on 9, are based on historical weekly Hot 100 charts, while the Prime 30, on Prime Country, time-travels back through Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart.

(The Billboard #2 Countdown Channel recap is based on actual performance on the weekly Hot 100 chart. Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 2 earning the greatest value and weeks at No. 100 earning the least. To ensure equitable representation of the biggest hits from each era, certain time frames were weighted to account for the difference between turnover rates from those years.)

07 Sep 2023

‘Christmas at Graceland’ Will Open Up Elvis Presley’s Home for Holiday Live Music Special

It doesn’t have to be a “Blue Christmas” this year: NBC is set to celebrate Elvis Presley with the upcoming live music special Christmas at Graceland, executive produced by Elvis’ granddaughter Riley Keough, Billboard can exclusively announce.

The special will air Wednesday, Nov. 29, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and will be simulcast on Peacock.

“My family and I are elated to open the doors to Graceland in this first-of-its-kind special,” said Christmas at Graceland EP Keough; the Daisy Jones & The Six actress is the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley, who died in January at age 54. “With intimate musical performances drawing inspiration from my grandfather Elvis’s cherished Christmases in Memphis, viewers will be invited to experience firsthand the magic that is Christmas at Graceland.”

According to a press release, Christmas at Graceland — which will air immediately after NBC’s Christmas in Rockefeller Center on Nov. 29 (8 p.m. ET/PT) — will “feature music’s biggest stars celebrating the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, his music and his favorite time of year, in an unprecedented holiday special live from his iconic home, Graceland.”

Performers will be announced closer to the air date.

“To celebrate the holidays at Graceland, and be a part of the King’s legacy, is both an honor and absolute dream come true,” said Jen Neal, executive vice president, live events and specials, NBCUniversal Media Group. “We thank Riley and her family for allowing all of us to visit her grandfather’s iconic home and share an intimate musical experience that Elvis would’ve truly loved.”

Presley has a legendary catalog of Christmas music, with two hits on the 2011-launched Holiday 100 songs chart: “Blue Christmas,” which peaked at No. 11 in 2013, and “Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane),” which hit No. 22 in 2015. His album It’s Christmas Time (a 1985 reissue of Presley’s 1957 release Elvis’ Christmas Album) reached No. 2 on Top Holiday Albums in 2015 — his highest-charting project on the tally; it also peaked at No. 2 on the Top Country Albums chart in 2018.

Christmas at Graceland will be produced by Done + Dusted, Authentic Studios and Felix Culpa, a production company co-founded by Keough and Gina Gammell. Executive producers from Done + Dusted are Raj Kapoor, Katy Mullan and Ian Stewart. Colin Smeeton, Matthew Gross and Marc Rosen will serve as executive producers on behalf of Authentic Studios. Felix Culpa’s Keough and Gammell will also executive produce alongside Graceland’s Joel Weinshanker. Done + Dusted’s Patrick Menton will co-executive produce.

07 Sep 2023

The Deals: Exceleration Invests in Indian Label; Encore Luxury Coach Leasing Acquires Competitor

Exceleration Music formed a strategic partnership with Azadi Records, an India-based independent label co-founded in 2017 by Mo Joshi and Uday Kapur. Under the deal, which marks Exceleration’s first in Asia, Exceleration has made a financial investment in the label to help fuel its growth. Azadi will also benefit from access to Exceleration’s worldwide team and infrastructure, with Exceleration partner Charles Caldas joining Azadi’s board to help guide the label’s strategy, performance and development. Azadi Records artists include Indian hip-hop duo Seedhe Maut, producer Sez on the Beat and rapper Prabh Deep, who won a Toto Funds the Arts (TFA) award — a major independent music prize in India. Forthcoming releases on the label include Seedhe Maut’s mixtape Lunch Break, an EP from Ranj & Clifr and a collaborative album from United Kingdom-based rappers Sonnyjim and PAVAN.

Encore Luxury Coach Leasing acquired Nitetrain Coach Company in Whites Creek, Tenn., making it the largest entertainer coach leasing company in North America. The acquisition brings Encore Luxury’s fleet to more than 145 coaches. Under the deal, Encore’s leasing operations will have offices in Phoenix and Nashville, with over 25 maintenance technicians. Touring clients of the combined companies include Nickelback, Thomas Rhett, Bailey Zimmerman, Lauren Daigle, Ben Harper, Barry Manilow, Beck, Phish and Blink-182.

Virgin Hotels partnered with Sofar Sounds for Hear This!, a new monthly concert series that will showcase emerging Sofar artists. The series will be open to the public, with Virgin Hotels’ Know members receiving premier access to reserve tickets ahead of the public onsale. Attendees of the concerts will also have access to exclusive Spotify and Apple Music playlists featuring highlights and recommendations from Hear This! artists. Members of Virgin’s rewards program, Virgin Red, will also be able to redeem Virgin Points to join Sofar Sounds events at Virgin Hotels, including Hear This! Virgin Hotels will also offer preferred room rates to all Sofar Sounds artists to help alleviate the impact of the pandemic on touring artists. Hear This! kicks off on Sunday (Sept. 10) at Virgin Hotel Dallas, with future iterations in Chicago, Dallas, Nashville, New York City, Edinburgh and the recently opened Glasgow location. Get more details here.

One Media iP acquired the licensor’s income share — or the income that is generated from digital exploitation — of the “Entertain Me” catalog of rights, which includes more than 15,000 tracks performed by artists including Dean Martin, Gloria Gaynor, Judy Garland, Ray Charles and Louis Armstrong. The acquisition was undertaken by One Media’s Harmony IP asset release program, “which allows music rights holders advanced access to the future earnings of their intellectual property by purchasing a portion of their rights up front,” according to a press release.

Also at One Media iP, the company renewed its partnership with music distributor The Orchard; the deal includes a $1 million recoupable advance to One Media “to be used to enhance catalogue enrichment,” according to a press release. The advance is recoupable against future sales by One Media.

The Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority (PCCA) board of directors approved a five-year contract renewal for ASM Global as its venue management company. The new agreement commences on Dec. 1, 2023, and runs through Nov. 30, 2028. ASM Global is “planning to bring many of its most innovative designs to a leading group of convention centers beginning with PCCA,” according to a press release.

Allseated, which offers virtual tour technology and floorplan design tools for venues, raised $20 million in funding, including capital from Level Structured Capital (an affiliate of Level Equity) and existing investors Magma Ventures, Vestech Partners, NYFF and WGG. The money will be used to further scale Allseated’s space visualization and collaboration platform and fuel its global expansion. Along with the new funding, the company is spinning out its Meetaverse division; according to a press release, “this includes a brand-new entity with a dedicated mission: to pioneer immersive experiences, such as virtual events and corporate environments, within an emerging market landscape.”

Full-service artist management company and record label Red Music Rising, which is managed entirely by Indigenous individuals, struck an exclusive global distribution deal with Warner Music Canada/ADA Canada. The Red Music Rising roster includes Wolf Saga, Boogey The Beat, Logan Staats and Nimkish.

Grant Avenue Studio, a legendary recording studio based in Hamilton, Ont., that has hosted artists including Gordon Lightfoot, Johnny Cash, U2 and Sarah McLachlan, was sold to music and film industry executives Mike Bruce and Marco Mondano. Bruce is a musician who owns and operates film studios, including Aeon Bayfront Studios in Hamilton, while Mondano owns D.C. Music, a rehearsal, recording and live production studio in Toronto. Grant Avenue Studio was established in 1976 by Daniel Lanois and his brother Bob, who later teamed up with engineer Amy King to helm the studio until the spring of 2023. Under its new ownership, new offerings at the studio will include an artist lounge, a writers’ studio, film and photography location opportunities and artist development programs.

Deezer expanded its partnership with leading Latin e-commerce platform Mercado Libre, becoming the official music streaming partner for the company’s new retail and entertainment subscription program, Meli+, which has been introduced in Mercado Libre’s main markets, Brazil and Mexico. The program includes a full year of music streaming from Deezer, among other elements. Brazilian artist Ana Castela has been appointed as the official Deezer ambassador on Meli+ and will star in joint campaigns and promotion.

Symphony, an artificial intelligence-powered marketing operating system for artists, creators, managers and independent labels, closed a $1 million pre-seed fundraising round from investors including Spice Capital, GoldHouse Ventures, LVRN Records, Guin Records, former Motown Records CEO Ethiopia Habtermariam and artists including 21 Savage and 24kGoldn. The SymphonyOS platform uses artificial intelligence to analyze millions of data points in order to create music marketing strategies for artists and labels. Since its beta launch in April 2022, SymphonyOS has processed over $750,000 worth of advertising budgets.

07 Sep 2023

2023 CMA Awards Nominations: Snubs & Surprises

The final nominees for the 57th annual Country Music Association Awards were revealed Thursday morning (Sept. 7), with this year’s slate of nominees reflecting the chart dominance of an array of artists, but leaning heavily on giving recognition to relative newcomers whose starpower is surging — including Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, HARDY and Jordan Davis.

Over the past year, Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night,” Luke Combs’s rendition of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car,” and Zach Bryan’s “Something in the Orange” have been among the songs gaining traction on the Billboard Hot 100, and those artists are among those who have earned top honors heading into the CMA Awards this year.

As she did in 2022, “Heart Like a Truck” singer-songwriter Wilson again leads the pack, with nine nominations — followed by “Need a Favor” hitmaker Jelly Roll (five nominations), and both Combs and HARDY with four nominations. Meanwhile, several artists, writers and/or producers earned a trio of nods each, including Davis, Ashley McBryde, producer/mix engineer Joey Moi, “wait in the truck” songwriter/producer Jordan Schmidt, Chris Stapleton, Wallen and musician/producer Derek Wells.

The eligibility period for the 2023 show is July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023. According to CMA rules, “singles, albums, music videos and qualified music products for the annual show must have been released or reached peak national prominence during the eligibility period.”

The 57th Annual CMA Awards, hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, broadcasts live from Nashville Wednesday, Nov. 8 (8:00 – 11:00 PM/EST) on ABC. Here are some of the biggest snubs and surprises from Thursday’s nominations.

07 Sep 2023

Head of Johnny Kitagawa’s Johnny & Associates Talent Agency Resigns, Apologizes For Uncle’s Sex Abuse

The head of a powerful Japanese talent agency resigned Thursday (Sept. 7) and made an apology punctuated by repeated, lengthy bows, nine days after an internal investigation concluded that its founder had sexually abused hundreds of young performers over decades.

Julie Keiko Fujishima announced she was stepping down as president of Johnny & Associates, the agency founded by her late uncle Johnny Kitagawa, and promised to contribute to a compensation fund from her own fortune.

“This is what my uncle committed, and as a niece, I want to take responsibility,” Fujishima said solemnly. Fujishima said the alleged sex abuse had really happened and that she would stay on the company’s board to see through a victim compensation program.

A group of men who accused Kitagawa of raping them as children said they were pleased the company apologized, but some had reservations.

“The wounds in my heart will not heal,” Yukihiro Oshima told reporters. “But I feel a little better.”

Fujishima remains the sole owner of Johnny’s, and her replacement faces his own allegations of mistreating young performers.

Rumors that Kitagawa had abused children followed his career for decades, but his power allowed him to silence almost all allegations until his death in 2019. The company agreed to investigate earlier this year, after the BBC aired a documentary that spoke with several accusers and others began to come forward by name.

The three-month probe concluded that Johnny Kitagawa sexually assaulted and abused boys as far back as the 1950s and targeted at least several hundred people.

The company named a 56-year-old performer as its new leader. Noriyuki Higashiyama said he was retiring as an actor and singer to take the job, a role that will include overseeing compensation for men who were assaulted as children.

“A horrendous crime has been committed,” Higashiyama told reporters at a Tokyo hotel, bowing deeply with Fujishima.

“It will take time to win back trust, and I am putting my life on the line for this effort.”

Higashiyama immediately fielded questions about allegations that he had engaged in bullying or sexually abusing other Johnny’s boys.

“I don’t remember clearly; maybe it happened, maybe it didn’t,” he said.

He acknowledged he tended to be strict with younger performers, and that he may have done things as a teen or in his 20s that he would not do now. A new company structure, which will include an outside compliance officer, will be announced next month, Fujishima said.

At one point, she choked down tears, stressing the achievements of the company’s singers and dancers. “I only feel deep gratitude to all the fans,” she said. Kitagawa had been so powerful that she, and many others, had kept silent, she added.

The men who have come forward say Kitagawa raped, fondled and abused them while they were working for his company as dancers and singers.

Many of the victims were members of a backup group called Johnny’s Jr., who danced and sang behind bigger stars. One man who came forward recently said he was routinely molested when Kitagawa had yet to found his company. He was just 8 years old.

Higashiyama denied he was a victim. He said Kitagawa had been like a father to him, while denouncing his acts as “the most pathetic in the history of humankind.” When he found out what Kitagawa had done, he felt as though he had lost everything, Higashiyama recalled.

“Whether I am qualified to take on this job, you be the judge,” he said.

Separately, Guinness World Records said it had stripped Kitagawa of all the records he had held, such as No. 1 hits, according to its policy toward “criminals.”

07 Sep 2023

Olivia Rodrigo Celebrates Summer’s End (And Her ‘Guts’ Album) With Jeni’s Ice Cream Weekend Takeover

You wouldn’t know it from the triple-digit temperatures that are still broiling across the country, but Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream and Olivia Rodrigo have teamed up to celebrate summer’s end with a special ice cream stunt this weekend. The sweet treats company announced on Wednesday (Sept. 6) that it’s rolling out an Olivia Rodrigo cone takeover this Friday (Sept. 8) through Sunday (Sept. 10) in all its shops across the U.S.

“This weekend only! We’re turning all Buttercrisp Waffle Cones & Bowls purple to celebrate @oliviarodrigo’s new album GUTS (drops Friday, 9/8),” read an Instagram post announcing the promotion that feature special purple cones; click here to find a Jeni’s near you. The ice cream company teased the collab earlier this week in an Insta post featuring purple batter being poured into a waffle iron while promising a “super-special, shop-only collab this weekend.”

Rodrigo’s second album, Guts, is due out on Friday, more than two years after her Grammy-winning debut, Sour, made the Bizaardvark and High School Musical: The Musical: The Series into a chart superstar thanks to her debut single “Drivers License,” as well as hits “Deja Vu” and “Good 4 U.” The singer has previewed Guts with the singles “Vampire” and “Bad Idea Right?”

Rodrigo recently tamped down talk that the lacerating “Vampire” could be about Taylor Swift after fans speculated that the song about a “bloodsucker, famef—er” might be aimed at one of Olivia’s childhood music idols. “How do I answer this?” Rodrigo reportedly whispered to Guardian journalist Laura Snapes, when the question about “Vampire” arose during an interview ahead of the Sept. 8 release of Guts.

“I mean, I never want to say who any of my songs are about,” she said. “I’ve never done that before in my career and probably won’t. I think it’s better to not pigeonhole a song to being about this one thing. I was very surprised when people thought that.”

Check out Jeni’s post about the Rodrigo special event below.

07 Sep 2023

Blink-182 Appear to Tease New Music With Mystery Website and Lyric Posters

Blink-182 are up to… something. The pop-punk trio posted a mysterious new video on their official site on Wednesday (Sept. 6) and fans have spotted posters in a number of cities that seem to hint at a new single. The latter reportedly feature the Blink logo and the line “One more time…”

A snap of a set of posters one fan found in a Toronto store window reportedly have what seem like lyrics that read: “Do I have to die to hear you miss me?/ Do I have to die to hear you say goodbye?/ I don’t want to act like there’s tomorrow/ I don’t want to wait to do this one more time.”

Adding to the speculation that the reunited group are prepping a follow-up to their late 2022 comeback single, “Edging,” is a revamped official site which now opens with a note that says “Site closed for maintenance.” But if you click on the box that says “okay,” it leads you to a colorful page where a figure in a yellow hazmat suit and gas mask wearing headphones is busy dancing around and scrubbing various messages off a dirty bathroom wall.

The wall features a band logo, the words “crappy punk rock,” “a pink TV playing classic Blink concert footage and the apparent lyrics “I don’t feel pain/ But I feel more than you’d ever know.” As the scrubber listens to what sounds like a new Blink riff on the headphones, they slowly erase all the messages on the wall while tuning the TV and cueing up a clock that blinks “12:00” as the sounds of a strummed acoustic guitar briefly bubble up.

In addition, fans who text the phone number on the wall will get a response that reads: “helloooo it’s your favorite crappy rock band blink-182. make sure you click the link above so we can save your contact.” Blink re-re-united with twice-departed singer/guitarist Tom DeLonge last year and dropped “Edging” in October. Though they’ve been teasing a comeback album ever since, to date they have not yet announced a title or release date for their follow-up to 2019’s Nine, which featured DeLonge’s fill-in, Alkaline Trio guitarist/singer Matt Skiba. DeLonge shared what appeared to be a snapshot from a new video two weeks ago in which he strummed a guitar in front of a green screen.

The band has been on tour in Europe, but last week they were forced to postpone a series of shows so drummer Travis Barker could fly home to be by pregnant wife Kourtney Kardashian’s side due to a medical emergency she described as “urgent fetal surgery”; the band will resume the tour on Friday (Sept. 8) in Antwerp, Belgium.

See the poster and new landing page pics below.

07 Sep 2023

Lainey Wilson Leads 2023 CMA Awards Nominations – And Makes History (Full List)

Lainey Wilson is the top nominee for the 2023 CMA Awards, with nine nods. Wilson was also the top nominee last year, with six nods. Wilson is the first artist in CMA history to top the nominations list in her first two appearances on the final ballot.

Moreover, Wilson is just the fourth artist in CMA history to land nine or more nominations in a single year. She follows Merle Haggard (nine nods in 1970), Alan Jackson (a record 10 nods in 2002) and Miranda Lambert (nine nods in both 2010 and 2014).

Wilson is the first artist in 13 years to land two nominations for single of the year in the same year. Wilson is nominated for “Heart Like a Truck” and as a featured artist on HARDY’s “wait in the truck.” Lambert was the last artist to land two nods in this category in one year; she was nominated in 2010 with both “The House That Built Me” and “White Liar.”

First-time nominee Jelly Roll landed five nominations, second only to Wilson for the most nods this year.

Luke Combs and HARDY each collected four nominations. Jordan Davis, Ashley McBryde, producer/mix engineer Joey Moi, songwriter/producer Jordan Schmidt, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen and musician/producer Derek Wells each secured three nods.

Two women are nominated for entertainer of the year for the fourth consecutive year. Carrie Underwood and Wilson are nominated this year. Underwood and Lambert were both nominated in each of the last three years. This is the first time in CMA history that two women (or woman-led groups) have been nominated four years running.

The other entertainer of the year nominees are Combs, who won in that category the last two years; Stapleton, nominated for the seventh time; and Wallen, nominated for the second year in a row.

Women dominate the album of the year nominations for the second year in a row. Wilson, McBryde and Kelsea Ballerini are nominated in that marquee category this year. Wilson, Lambert and Maren Morris were nominated last year.

The other nominees in that category this year are Combs and Wallen.

Lambert landed her 17th nomination for female vocalist of the year, which puts her in a tie with Martina McBride for second place in that category; Reba McEntire leads with 18 nominations.

Little Big Town landed their 18th nomination for vocal group of the year; only Alabama has had more nods (21).

Brooks & Dunn was nominated for vocal duo of the year for a record-extending 24th time.

Three of the five song of the year nominees were written by gaggles of four or more songwriters, a change from past practices in country songwriting circles. A fourth was written by a three-member team. The only nominee written by a solitary songwriter was written 35 years ago: Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car,” nominated this year because of Combs’ smash cover version.

Chapman isn’t the only Black artist to receive a CMA nod this year in a high-profile category: The War and Treaty, consisting of married couple Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter, is nominated for vocal duo of the year for the first time.

Davis’ “Next Thing You Know” and “Wait in the truck” by HARDY featuring Wilson are this year’s only works to receive nominations for single, song and video of the year. “Fast Car” and “Heart Like a Truck” were both nominated for single and song of the year, but not music video of the year.

First-time CMA Awards nominees — besides the aforementioned Jelly Roll, Chapman and The War and Treaty — include Mason Allen, Trannie Anderson, Renee Blair, Michael H. Brauer, Katelyn Brown, Zach Bryan, Josh Ditty, David Fanning, Nicki Fletcher, Greylan James, Paul Jenkins, Gena Johnson, Chase McGill, Cameron Montgomery, Megan Moroney, Austin Nivarel, Eivind Nordland, John Osborne, Hunter Phelps, David Ray Stevens, Patrick Tohill, Alysa Vanderheym, Hailey Whitters, Ben Williams, Dallas Wilson and Charlie Worsham.

Fiddle player Jenee Fleenor, who has won musician of the year four years running, is nominated again this year. She faces steel guitarist Paul Franklin, who is nominated in the category for the 31st time; guitarist  Derek Wells (his eighth time); guitarist Rob McNelley (his second); and multi-instrumentalist Charlie Worsham (his first).

Winners will be determined in a final round of voting by eligible voting CMA members. The third and final ballot will be emailed to CMA professional members on Monday, Oct. 2. Voting closes on Friday, Oct. 27. CMA Broadcast Awards winners will be determined by a final round of judging this month. Entries are judged by a panel of broadcast professionals, representing all market sizes and regions. Winners will be revealed in October and will be honored at the CMA Awards. All balloting is tabulated by Deloitte. 

The 57th annual CMA Awards, hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning for the second year in a row, broadcasts live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Wednesday, Nov. 8 (8–11 p.m./ET) on ABC. The show is a production of the Country Music Association. Robert Deaton is the executive producer.

The first CMA Awards Banquet and Show was held at Municipal Auditorium in Nashville in 1967. The following year, the CMA Awards was broadcast for the first time on NBC – making it the longest-running annual music awards program on network television. The CMA Awards have aired on ABC since 2006.

Here’s a complete list of the nominations for the 57th annual CMA Awards (listed in ballot category order):  

Entertainer of the year

Luke Combs

Chris Stapleton

Carrie Underwood

Morgan Wallen

Lainey Wilson

Single of the year

Award goes to Artist(s), Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)

“Fast Car” – Luke Combs; Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; Mix Engineer: Chip Matthews

“Heart Like a Truck” – Lainey Wilson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce

“Need a Favor” – Jelly Roll; Producer: Austin Nivarel; Mix Engineer: Jeff Braun

“Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis; Producer: Paul DiGiovanni; Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley

“wait in the truck” – HARDY (feat. Lainey Wilson); Producers: HARDY, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt, Derek Wells; Mix Engineer: Joey Moi

Album of the year  

Award goes to Artist, Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)

Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville – Ashley McBryde; Producers: John Osborne, John Peets; Mix Engineers: Gena Johnson, John Osborne

Bell Bottom Country – Lainey Wilson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce

Gettin’ Old – Luke Combs; Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; Mix Engineers: Michael H. Brauer, Jim Cooley, Chip Matthews

One Thing at a Time – Morgan Wallen; Producers: Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi, Cameron Montgomery; Mix Engineers: Josh Ditty, Joey Moi, Eivind Nordland

Rolling Up the Welcome Mat – Kelsea Ballerini; Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym; Mix Engineers: Dan Grech-Marguerat, Alysa Vanderheym

Song of the year 

Award goes to Songwriter(s)

“Fast Car”; Songwriter: Tracy Chapman

“Heart Like a Truck”; Songwriters: Trannie Anderson, Dallas Wilson, Lainey Wilson

“Next Thing You Know”; Songwriters: Jordan Davis, Greylan James, Chase McGill, Josh Osborne

“Tennessee Orange”; Songwriters: David Fanning, Paul Jenkins, Megan Moroney, Ben Williams

“wait in the truck”; Songwriters: Renee Blair, Michael Hardy, Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt

Female vocalist of the year 

Kelsea Ballerini

Miranda Lambert

Ashley McBryde

Carly Pearce

Lainey Wilson

Male vocalist of the year

Luke Combs

Jelly Roll

Cody Johnson

Chris Stapleton

Morgan Wallen

Vocal group of the year

Lady A

Little Big Town

Midland

Old Dominion

Zac Brown Band

Vocal duo of the year  

Brooks & Dunn

Brothers Osborne

Dan + Shay

Maddie & Tae

The War And Treaty

Musical event of the year 

Award goes to Artists and Producer(s) 

“Save Me” – Jelly Roll (with Lainey Wilson); Producers: Zach Crowell, David Ray Stevens

“She Had Me at Heads Carolina (Remix)” – Cole Swindell & Jo Dee Messina; Producer: Zach Crowell

“Thank God” – Kane Brown (with Katelyn Brown); Producer: Dann Huff

“wait in the truck” – HARDY (feat. Lainey Wilson); Producers: HARDY, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt, Derek Wells

“We Don’t Fight Anymore” – Carly Pearce (featuring Chris Stapleton); Producers: Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Carly Pearce

Musician of the year

Jenee Fleenor

Paul Franklin

Rob McNelley

Derek Wells

Charlie Worsham

Music video of the year 

Award goes to Artist(s) and Director(s)

“Light on in the Kitchen” – Ashley McBryde; Director: Reid Long

“Memory Lane” – Old Dominion; Directors: Mason Allen, Nicki Fletcher

“Need a Favor” – Jelly Roll; Director: Patrick Tohill

“Next Thing You Know” – Jordan Davis; Director: Running Bear

“wait in the truck” – HARDY (feat. Lainey Wilson); Director: Justin Clough

New artist of the year

Zach Bryan

Jelly Roll

Parker McCollum

Megan Moroney

Hailey Whitters

2023 CMA Broadcast Awards

Finalists for broadcast personality of the year (by market size):

Weekly National

“American Country Countdown” (Kix Brooks) – Cumulus/Westwood One

“Country Countdown USA” (Lon Helton) – Compass Media Networks

“Honky Tonkin’ with Tracy Lawrence” (Tracy Lawrence and Patrick Thomas) – Silverfish Media

“On The Horizon with Buzz Brainard” (Buzz Brainard) – SiriusXM

“Y’all Access with Kelly Sutton” (Kelly Sutton) – Firefly Media/Silverfish Media

Daily National

“Angie Ward” – iHeartMedia

“The Big D and Bubba Show” (Derek “Big D” Haskins, Sean “Bubba” Powell, Patrick Thomas, and Carsen Humphreville) – Silverfish Media

“Katie & Company” (Katie Neal) – Audacy

“Nights with Elaina” (Elaina Smith) – Westwood One

“The Sam Alex Show” (Sam Alex) – Sam Alex Productions, LLC

Major Market

“Chris Carr & Company” (Chris Carr, Kia Becht, and Sam Sansevere) – KEEY, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.

“Frito & Katy” (Tucker “Frito” Young and Katy Dempsey) – KCYY, San Antonio, Texas

“Hawkeye in the Morning with Hawkeye and Michelle” (“Hawkeye” Mark Louis Rybczyk and Michelle Rodriguez) – KSCS, Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas

“Josh, Rachael & Grunwald” (Josh Holleman, Rachael Hunter, and Steve Grunwald) – WYCD, Detroit, Mich.

“Scotty Kay” (Scotty Kay) – WUSN, Chicago, Ill.

Large Market

“The Big Dave Show” (“Big Dave” Chandler, Ashley Heiert, and Jason “Stattman” Statt) – WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio

“The Morning Drive with Mike Kellar and Jenny Matthews” (Mike Kellar and Jenny Matthews) – KBEQ, Kansas City, Mo.

“Scott and Shannen” (Scott Dolphin and “Shannen O” Oesterreich) – WMIL, Milwaukee-Racine, Wis.

“Tim & Chelsea In The Morning” (Tim Leary and Chelsea Taylor) – WIRK, West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Fla.

“The Wayne D Show” (“Wayne D” Danielson and Tay Hamilton) – WSIX, Nashville, Tenn.

Medium Market

“Cait & Bradley Morning Show” (Cait Fisher and Matt Bradley) – KWEN, Tulsa, Okla.

“Clay & Company” (Clay Moden, Rob Banks, and Kadie Daye) – WYRK, Buffalo-Niagara Falls, N.Y.

“Ellis and Bradley Show” (Bill Ellis and Beth Bradley) – WSSL, Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.

“Mo & StyckMan” (Melissa “Mo” Wagner and Greg “StyckMan” Owens) – WUSY, Chattanooga, Tenn.

“Steve & Gina In The Morning” (Steve Lundy and Gina Melton) – KXKT, Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa

Small Market

“The B100 Morning Show with Brittney Baily” (Brittney Baily) – WBYT, South Bend, Ind.

“The Eddie Foxx Show” (Eddie Foxx and Amanda Foxx) – WKSF, Asheville, N.C.

“Officer Don & DeAnn” (“Officer Don” Evans and DeAnn Stephens) – WBUL, Lexington-Fayette, Ky.

“Steve & Tiffany in the Morning” (Steve Waters and Tiffany Kay) – WFLS, Fredericksburg, Va.

“Steve, Ben and Nikki” (Steve Stroud, Ben Walker, and Nikki Thomas) – WXBQ, Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, Tenn.-Va.

Finalists for radio station of the year (by market size): 

Major Market

KCYY – San Antonio, Texas

KEEY – Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minn.

KKBQ – Houston, Texas

KSCS – Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas

WXTU – Philadelphia, Pa.

Large Market

WIRK – West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Fla.

WKDF – Nashville, Tenn.

WMIL – Milwaukee-Racine, Wis.

WUBE – Cincinnati, Ohio

WWKA – Orlando, Fla.

Medium Market

KUZZ – Bakersfield, Calif.

KXKT – Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa

WGGY – Wilkes Barre-Scranton, Pa.

WPCV – Lakeland-Winter Haven, Fla.

WQMX – Akron, Ohio

Small Market

KCLR – Columbia, Mo.

WBYT – South Bend, Ind.

WKML – Fayetteville, N.C.

WXBQ – Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, Tenn.-Va.

WYCT – Pensacola, Fla.