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28 Aug 2023

Nicki Minaj Teases New Single ‘Last Time I Saw You’ With Minute-Long Snippet: Listen

Fans of Nicki Minaj rejoiced on Monday afternoon (Aug. 28) when the Pink Friday rapper treated them to a snippet of her new record “Last Time I Saw You” via TikTok. 

The minute-long snippet finds Minaj in a pop-centric lane, leaning more toward her singing prowess than grizzly raps. “Beggin me to stay and then you walk away/ There’s something that you wanted to say/ I was in a rush and you say you were crushed/ But I said I’d be back, it’s OK,” sings Minaj. 

“Last Time I Saw You” was first teased on Minaj’s Instagram Live earlier this month, where fans quickly voiced their excitement for the record’s upcoming release. Flattered by her fans’ approval, Minaj responded on X (formerly known as Twitter), saying, “Glad you like the lyrics. The irony is that my fave part of the whole song is the very end… like the last 30 seconds. can’t wait for you guys to hear the whole thing.”

Throughout the summer, Minaj has constantly updated fans on the status of her Pink Friday sequel. Slated to drop this November, her effusiveness has listeners waiting to hear what “eargasms” she has in store for her fifth studio album. “Yesterday I worked on my current TOP 2 songs off [Pink Friday 2],” she tweeted last month. “The eargasms that y’all are about to have. Ooohhhh chiiiii huntyyyyy don’t make dat serveeeee.” 

Pink Friday 2 will be Minaj’s first studio album since 2018’s Queen, which featured “Chun Li,” “Good Form” and “Barbie Dreams.”

Listen to the snippet of “Last Time I Saw You” below. 

28 Aug 2023

Taylor Swift Reflects on Playing Mexico for the First Time: ‘The Most Unforgettable Shows’

It was a fairy tale come true for Taylor Swift when the pop superstar played four shows at the Foro Sol in Mexico City, Mexico, to kick off her Eras Tour’s international dates. After completing the concerts in Mexico’s capital — which kicked off Aug. 24 and wrapped Aug. 27 — Swift shared her thoughts on finally playing the country for the first time.

“After years of wanting to play in Mexico City, just got to play 4 of the most unforgettable shows for the most beautiful and generous fans,” she captioned an Instagram carousel featuring multiple photos of herself performing on stage posted Monday (Aug. 28). “Feeling so grateful for the memories we’re making together on this tour … TE AMO.”

During her run of shows, Swift continued with the tradition of performing two surprise songs each night. On the first evening, she delivered “I Forgot That You Existed” and “Sweet Nothing”; night two featured “Tell Me Why” and “Snow on the Beach”; the third night offered “Cornelia Street” and “You’re on Your Own, Kid”; and the final show was “Afterglow” and “Maroon.”

The 12-time Grammy winner has a much deserved break after finishing the shows in Mexico City. Her next shows on the Eras Tour returns to North America briefly, with mid October and early November gigs in Miami, New Orleans and Indianapolis. She then goes international again in mid November, beginning with tour dates in Argentina.

Though Swift was busy performing in Mexico City, she took some time out on Saturday (Aug. 26) to shout out best friend Selena Gomez, who released new song “Single Soon” on Friday. “WHEN UR BESTIE IS THE BESTEST,” Swift wrote over a clip of the new song she shared on her Instagram Stories. “WILL BE DANCING TO THIS FOREVER METHINKS.”

28 Aug 2023

Miley Cyrus Says She Thought of Adele While Writing ‘Used to Be Young’: ‘Always Hoped You Would Love It’

Miley Cyrus is continuing to get showered with love over her vulnerable new single, “Used to Be Young,” and gained yet another famous supporter over the weekend.

At her Las Vegas residency show on Friday night (Aug. 25), Adele said she’s “obsessed” with Cyrus’ song. “I’ve always been a big Miley Cyrus fan, and I’ve got such a soft spot for nostalgia,” she told the audience. “That song — whew, it might make me tear up right now. I absolutely love her. I think it’s amazing. She’s such a legend and I love her.”

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Upon seeing the video on Twitter, Cyrus retweeted the clip and sent the love right back. “@Adele, I thought of you often while writing this song – always hoped that you would love it. This means the world to me. I love you. Mission accomplished,” the 30-year-old singer sweetly wrote.

“Used To Be Young” marks Cyrus’ first piece of new music since the release of Endless Summer Vacation back in March. The album, her eighth studio effort, debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, and also arrived alongside its own Backyard Sessions via Disney+. 

“You tell me time has done changed me / That’s fine, I’ve had a good run / I know I used to be crazy / That’s ’cause I used to be young,” Cyrus sings in the chorus of “Used to Be Young,” a song she said that she wrote over the past 18 months.

See the interaction between Adele and Cyrus below.

28 Aug 2023

Jung Kook & Latto’s ‘Seven’ Secures Sixth Week at No. 1 on Billboard Global Charts

Jung Kook’s “Seven,” featuring Latto, adds a sixth week at No. 1 on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts (dated Sept. 2), encompassing its entire run on each survey. Upon its debut, the song became the first leader on the lists for a member of BTS as a soloist.

Plus, Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red” vaults 17-3 on the Global 200 and 27-7 on Global Excl. U.S.

The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts, which began in September 2020, rank songs based on streaming and sales activity culled from more than 200 territories around the world, as compiled by Luminate. The Global 200 is inclusive of worldwide data and the Global Excl. U.S. chart comprises data from territories excluding the United States.

Chart ranks are based on a weighted formula incorporating official-only streams on both subscription and ad-supported tiers of audio and video music services, as well as download sales, the latter of which reflect purchases from full-service digital music retailers from around the world, with sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites excluded from the charts’ calculations.

‘Seven’ Scores 6th Week Atop Global 200

Jung Kook’s “Seven,” featuring Latto, logs a sixth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, with 94.1 million streams (down 10%) and 2,000 sold (down 45%) worldwide Aug. 18-24.

The song is just the second of 2023 to debut atop the Global 200 and spend its first six weeks at No. 1, after Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” logged its first six weeks on the chart on top beginning in January.

Oliver Anthony Music’s breakout hit “Rich Men North of Richmond” holds at No. 2 on the Global 200, where it launched a week earlier. The song by the Farmville, Va.-based singer-songwriter drew 28.5 million streams (up 41%) and sold 127,000 (down 19%) worldwide in the tracking week.

“Richmond,” which has drawn the attention of both the right and left politically in the U.S. for its lyrical focus on issues including taxes, welfare and more, also enters Global Excl. U.S. at No. 117, with 5.8 million streams (up 110%) and 10,000 sold (up 9%) outside the U.S. Of the song’s total consumption in its second week, 80% of its streams and 92% of its sales were from the U.S. (In its first frame, those figures were 88% and 95%, respectively.)

Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red” roars 17-3 on the Global 200, with 49.6 million streams (up 53%) and 6,000 sold (up 71%). In its third week on the chart (it debuted at No. 20), the song, which has gone viral on TikTok, becomes the rapper/singer’s fourth top 10 and ties “Kiss Me More,” featuring SZA, in May 2021, for her best career rank on the chart.

Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” dips to No. 4 from its No. 3 Global 200 high and Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night” holds at No. 5, also after reaching No. 3.

Jung Kook No. 1, Swift Top Five on Global Excl. U.S.

Jung Kook’s “Seven,” featuring Latto, concurrently commands the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart for a sixth week, with 85.8 million streams (down 10%) and 2,000 sold (down 26%) outside the U.S. Aug. 18-24.

As on the Global 200, the song is the second this year to begin atop Global Excl. U.S. and spend its first six weeks at No. 1, following Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” starting in January.

Myke Towers’ “LaLa” is steady at No. 2 on Global Excl. U.S., after it led the list for a week in July; Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night” holds at its No. 3 high; and Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” is likewise stationary, at its No. 4 best.

Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” pushes 7-5 for a new Global Excl. U.S. top rank, marking her seventh top five hit (among 11 top 10s), and her first week in the region in 2023. She had last placed in the tier in December with her former No. 1 “Anti-Hero.”

Plus, Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red” flies 27-7 on Global Excl. U.S., with 29.3 million streams (up 55%) and 1,000 sold (up 44%). The song is her third top 10 on the chart and first since she scored her first three in 2021.

The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts (dated Sept. 2, 2023) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (Aug. 29). For both charts, the top 100 titles are available to all readers on Billboard.com, while the complete 200-title rankings are visible on Billboard Pro, Billboard’s subscription-based service. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

28 Aug 2023

Live Entertainment Veteran Steve Kirsner Joins Venue Coalition as VP of Booking

Entertainment consulting company Venue Coalition has hired veteran entertainment executive Steve Kirsner as vp of booking. In his new role, Kirsner will focus on servicing the company’s 150+ member venues across North America, assisting them with national and regional booking as well as doing advocacy work for the national touring industry.

The addition of Kirsner comes on the heels of several new arenas joining Venue Coalition as members over the past few months. They include Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., and its sister venue EagleBank Arena in Fairfax, Va.; Agganis Arena in Boston; Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield, Mo.; John F. Savage Arena in Toledo, Ohio; Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, Fla.; and Mexico City’s Pepsi Center WTC. 

“I’m excited to join the team at Venue Coalition,” said Kirsner, who most recently served as vp of booking & events at SAP Center at San Jose, Calif. “As a former venue client and member of Venue Coalition, I have intimate knowledge of how valuable their services are to independent venues. I’m eager to get started and represent so many members, many of whom I call friends, and to assist as we drive more first-class content into their buildings and help them navigate the touring landscape.”

Kirsner’s 47-year career runs deep in the live entertainment industry. He spent a decade as an integral part of magician Doug Henning’s team, working his way up to vp/GM of Henning’s company where he was responsible for all aspects of the magician’s business. In the early ’90s, Kirsner left Los Angeles to begin producing tours, music videos and special events for Mannheim Steamroller in Omaha, Nebr., where the group was based. Looking to return to California, in 1996 Steve took on the role of director, and then vp of booking & events, at SAP Center at San Jose (formerly San Jose Arena, Compaq Center and HP Pavilion), where he would remain for over two and a half decades. Booking the arena under the mentorship and leadership of Frank Jirik and Jim Goddard, it eventually became one of the top twenty venues in the United States for ticket sales.

“We are so excited to bring Steve onboard,” said Venue Coalition president Andrew Prince. “He has decades of extensive operational and programming experience running one of the most successful venues in the country. We welcome his expertise and passion for this industry and know his strong relationships and stellar reputation will be a great benefit to our organization.”

28 Aug 2023

Timbaland & Justin Timberlake Team Up With ESPN for Season-Long Monday Night Football Collaboration

season is back, and ESPN is taking Monday Night Football up a notch with a star-studded musical collaboration.

The network revealed on Monday (Aug. 28) that it’s teaming up with Timbaland and Justin Timberlake throughout the 2023-24 NFL season to curate music for select Monday Night Football games. The curated music from the superstar duo will run in Monday Night Football promotional spots, live telecasts and pre-game shows for seven weeks this season, starting with week one’s Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets game. Beatclub, a music creator platform founded by Timbaland, will have its users and A&R team supporting the duo in the music creation for the season.

“Football and music go hand-in-hand, like the iconic Timbaland and Justin Timberlake duo, who collaborate on music to near perfection,” said ESPN Senior Director of Sports Marketing, Curtis Friends, in a press statement. “ESPN’s Monday Night Football music curatorship is popular with fans given the access this partnership provides to new and unexpected combinations of music with sport. We’ve had Diplo, DJ Khaled, Drake, and Marshmello and this fifth season, for the first time, we have two curators in Timbaland/JT we know will energize all us fans for this NFL football season.”

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For the Bills vs. Jets game on September 11, Timbaland and Timberlake’s upcoming collaboration with Nelly Furtado, “Keep Going Up,” will soundtrack Aaron Rodgers’ Jets debut against the Bills. The single is the long-awaited follow-up to the trio’s first collab, 2007’s “Give It to Me,” which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 16 years ago. 

Catch the game on September 11 at 8:15 p.m. ET. on ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes.

28 Aug 2023

Consequence Defends Former Ye Publicist Indicted in Georgia

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Trevian Kutti

Source: Fulton County Jail / Fulton County Sheriff’s Office

The former publicist for Ye aka Kanye West indicted in the Georgia election case involving former President Donald Trump has a friend in Consequence.

As Trevian Kutti surrendered to officials at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia last Friday (August 25th), many were struck by her smiling mugshot given the seriousness of being one of Trump’s co-conspirators in trying to overturn the results of the 2020 Presidential Election. But Consequence, who got to know Kutti as she worked with Ye and Chance The Rapper, said in an interview that it’s just part of her pleasant demeanor.

“She was always cool, I never got shady vibes from her…solid Black woman,” the Queens rapper said of the publicist. “That’s why I left a comment on one of the pages saying, “Free her until she’s free”. He would elaborate about her working with Ye back then. “I don’t know what her official title was, I know that [publicist] is what people have thrown out there.” He also complimented her and Trump for having the best mugshots out of the group that has been charged by the Fulton County District Attorney’s office.

Consequence did hint that Kutti’s political background might have affected her current situation. “There have been an array of personalities that have been around us in a working capacity. When you’ve had the run we’ve had, you’re gonna run into everybody. I don’t know if her business with Ye is what bled into what is being alleged at this point.”

Kutti is accused of intimidating former Fulton County election worker Ruby Freeman to compel her to alter her testimony about what happened during election night at the State Farm Arena where a ballot processing center was stationed. She as well as the other defendants including former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, and Rudy Giuliani were released on bond with the exception of Harrison Floyd who remains incarcerated.

The “Grammy Family” rapper did mention his latest project Who Shot Jamal in the interview and also dropped a hint that Ye could make a sudden entry into the 2024 presidential discussion. “We’re gonna keep the main thing the main thing, but we’ve always been the disruptors, and nothing’s gonna change about that.”

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28 Aug 2023

Labor Day Tech Deals: This Blink Security Camera Is 50% Off at Amazon

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Last week, Amazon introduced a fourth generation Blink Outdoor camera that retails for $199. The new release means you can score a great Labor Day tech deal on previous iterations of the Blink camera, including third generation Blink Mini Outdoor 3, which is currently 50% off at Amazon.

Best Labor Day Sales Amazon

13 Must-Have Amazon Labor Day Deals to Take Advantage of Now

The wireless, battery-powered HD security camera features infrared night vision and can be used outdoors for up to two years before the AA battery needs to be replaced.

Amazon

Blink Outdoor (3rd Gen) – wireless, weather-resistant HD security camera with two-year battery life and motion detection, set up in minutes – Add-on camera (Sync Module required)

$44.99 $89.99 50% OFF

The Blink Sync Module is sold separately, but is required to use the Blink camera. And don’t forget about the Blink Subscription Plan — it lets you save and share videos for up to 60 days.

Also on sale, the first generation Blink Mini outdoor camera is just $24. The camera records 1080 HD video, has night vision, motion detection, two-way audio and works with Alexa.

Amazon

Blink Mini – Compact indoor plug-in smart security camera

$24.99 $34.99 29% OFF

Meanwhile, the Blink Outdoor 4 features upgrades in motion detection, enhanced lowlight detection and a broader field-of-view. The device is powered by Blink’s custom-designed, third-generation silicon offering advanced, dual-zone motion detection that provides broader coverage so customers can catch events earlier, and the battery lasts for up to two years like other Blink cameras. The camera has HD live view, two-way audio and works with Alexa, like the other cameras listed.

Amazon

All-New Blink Outdoor 4 (4th Gen) — Wire-free smart security camera, two-year battery life, two-way audio, HD live view, enhanced motion detection, Works with Alexa – 1 camera system

$119.99

Blink Outdoor 4 is a No. 1 new release at Amazon. It costs $119.99 for a one camera system, including a Sync Module 2. The Blink Cloud Subscription includes unlimited cloud video recording, up to two months of video history, person to person detection; plus, you can instantly watch videos as soon as they’re recorded and save and share clips. You can also customize what alerts you receive and from where on your property, along with the ability to save and share clips in the cloud. Plans start at $3 per month, or $30 for the year.

Subscribed to Amazon Prime? Prime members get free, overnight shipping on Blink Outdoor cameras and millions of other items. If you’re not subscribed to Prime, launch your free 30-day trial here.

28 Aug 2023

Netflix Shop Sale: Grab 26% Off ‘Stranger Things’ x Metallica, ‘Emily in Paris,’ ‘Bridgerton’ & More Merch

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Netflix isn’t just the home of some of the hottest shows and movies, but also has a dedicated Netflix Shop filled with official merch for popular series including Stranger Things, Bridgerton, Emily in Paris, Wednesday and more. And right now, you can stock up on merch from your favorite show for 26% off in celebration of the streamer’s 26th birthday.

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Yes, that even includes the Stranger Things x Metallica collaboration, featuring a mix of apparel with the band’s logo — perfect for showing off during their current tour, which you can still snag tickets to here.

The sale won’t last forever, though, and is actually ending on Tuesday (Aug. 29), so take advantage of the deals now.

Keep reading to shop the collaboration below.

black t-shirt with metallica and devil logo with guitars

Netflix Shop

Hellfire Club x Metallica Vintage Shirt

$25.89 $34.99 26% off% OFF

For less than $30, slip this T-shirt on with your go-to varsity jacket and enjoy the 100% cotton that can be paired with jeans and shorts for a cool, casual look.

black and white baseball shirt with stranger things hellfire club logo

Netflix Shop

Hellfire Club x Metallica Raglan Shirt

$29.59 $39.99 26% off% OFF

Replace your band T-shirts with this collaboration that combines the popular sci-fi series and rock band. It comes in a baseball top style with the band’s iconic logo and the Hellfire Club’s mascot.

black hoodie with metallica and stranger things logo

Netflix Shop

Hellfire Club x Metallica Hoodie

$44.39 $59.99 26% off% OFF

Get ready for ultimate cozy vibes. This hoodie comes with the iconic Hellfire Club logo in a neutral black shade that will go with almost anything. Plus, it comes with a front pocket to store your phone, wallet and more.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best music Funko Pops, musician brand collaborations and Barbie the movie dolls.

28 Aug 2023

7 Biggest Revelations From Ariana Grande’s ‘Yours Truly’ Q&A: Album Covers, New Makeup & More

It’s been 10 years since Ariana Grande emerged as an angel-voiced pop star with her debut record Yours Truly, transforming seemingly overnight from Nickelodeon star to full-blown force to be reckoned with on the charts.

And in celebration of the album’s very first double-digit anniversary, the 30-year-old pop star planned a full week’s worth of surprises for fans who’ve been supporting her since the very beginning. These include a 10th anniversary special edition of Yours Truly, complete with newly recorded live versions of six of the album’s tracks — which Grande also filmed live performances of in London — merch capsules and behind-the-scenes footage. The most revealing part of Yours Truly’s anniversary, though, has been Grande’s two special Q&A videos on TikTok, in which she revealed memories, favorite moments and upcoming projects related to her 2013 LP.

“Happy 10 years of Yours Truly,” she told fans at the beginning of the Q&A, sitting in a corner of the farmhouse where she filmed the six live performances. “Thank you … for supporting me every step along the way, accepting me, loving me, allowing for humanness and everything. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

The star went on to candidly answer questions submitted by fans via Twitter, opening up about writing, recording and releasing Yours Truly (which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200), all while starring as Cat Valentine on Victorious. She also touched on the most important things she learned in the process, making revelations about things she’d do differently today.

“Thanks for being along for the ride, and for being here,” Grande later added. “I’m so grateful for all of you, and how f–king crazy has it been these ten years? So much has happened. So much has happened. So much. Has. Happened.”

Here are seven of the biggest revelations from Grande’s Yours Truly Q&As. (You can check out her full responses on TikTok here and here.)