djfrosty

23 May 2025

Kenny Chesney’s Sphere Setlist: Every Song From the First Show

With 33 Country Airplay No. 1s to his name, Kenny Chesney could fill an entire concert—and then some—with only chart toppers. But Thursday night (May 22) at the opening night of his Sphere residency in Las Vegas, he dug deep into his nearly 30 year-catalog.

Chesney’s reputation as a stellar live performer is well established: The four-time Country Music Association Awards entertainer of the year is the only country artist to hit $1 billion in concert grosses reported to Billboard Boxscore. He is well known for his lively, energetic shows and Thursday night was no exception.

Chesney began prepping for the show last summer, which required all new visuals, before moving into Sphere on Monday (May 19).  “Even with all the simulators, the special editing facilities, the way we have approached rehearsals, it wasn’t until we got inside Sphere that me, the band, the crew and all our road family truly got it. It is a whole other world – and I can’t wait for the people who’ve loved this music so intensely to experience this,” he said in a statement.

Like the Eagles, who return to Sphere in October and November, Chesney enhanced the experience for fans with Spread the Love Bar, a bar inspired by Chesney favorite bars, and Hit Guitars, Tiki Bars and a Whole Lotta Love, a free exhibit.

Below are all the songs the Chesney performed on the first night of his 15-night Sphere residency that runs through June 21.

23 May 2025

7 Best Moments as Kenny Chesney Becomes First Country Artist to Play Las Vegas’ Sphere

Las Vegas may be landlocked, but Kenny Chesney took fans to the beach Thursday night (May 22) in the opening night of his 15-date Sphere run.

The four-time Country Music Association Awards entertainer of the year, the first country artist to play the immersive venue, is one of the most celebrated live performers in any genre and he showed once again why during the two-hour and 15-minute concert. During the fun and breezy 27-song set, many songs celebrated the island lifestyle that embodies the spirit of Chesney’s No Shoes Nation.

According to Billboard Boxscore, Chesney is the only country artist to reach $1 billion in concert grosses reported to Billboard.  His passionate No Shoes Nation fanbase has followed him into stadiums, which he has filled for 20 years, so to see him in the 18,000-seat Sphere is a chance to view him relatively close up (despite the crazy steep pitch of the four levels).

Throughout the show, Chesney exhibited a welcome spirit of gratitude for his fans, excitement over his first Las Vegas residency (no starting small for him), and elation at being back on stage, noting this was his first show of 2025. As anyone who’s seen one of his stadium shows knows, Chesney thrives on contact with prosceniums that extend far out into audience. The Sphere doesn’t allow that, so he had to make do with occasionally palm slapping with fans standing in the front section, dubbed The Sandbar, but he still managed to fully connect with the crowd.

Chesney, who was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in March, has logged 33 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, which is more than any other artist since the chart launched in 1990. He landed his first No. 1 in 1997 with “She’s Got It All,” and most recently topped the chart last year with “Take Her Home.” In between have been such hits as “The Good Stuff,” “Living in Fast Forward,” “Don’t Blink,” “American Kids,” “Better as a Memory” and “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem.”

So, it’s no surprise that the show relied heavily on hits (heck, he could have played nothing but his No. 1s and still had the show go longer than two hours), but he also trotted out deeper cuts and lesser performed tunes to create a one-of-a-kind show.

Chesney’s residency lasts through June 21 and tallies 15 dates.

Billboard was at Sphere for opening night, and we’ve rounded up the best moments of the evening.

23 May 2025

Morgan Wallen Reclaims ARIA Albums Chart With ‘I’m the Problem’

Morgan Wallen returns to No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart this week with his sprawling 37-track effort I’m the Problem, marking his second Australian chart-topper following One Thing at a Time, which spent two weeks at No. 1 in 2023.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

I’m the Problem is Wallen’s fourth studio album and his strongest-performing to date Down Under. The country megastar previously peaked at No. 2 with Dangerous: The Double Album and hit No. 53 with his 2018 debut If I Know Me. The album’s title track also rebounds on the ARIA Singles Chart this week, leaping from No. 65 to No. 34.

Meanwhile, new cut “What I Want,” featuring Canadian pop star Tate McRae, debuts at No. 17 on the Singles Chart and cracks the Top 5 on the New Music Chart.

Trending on Billboard

Sydney pop-punk trio Stand Atlantic also make a splash this week, with their 2024 album Was Here roaring back to No. 3 on the Albums Chart following the release of its deluxe edition. It’s the highest-charting Australian artist release this week, leading the Top 5 Australian Artist Albums chart ahead of Spacey Jane’s If That Makes Sense and Cold Chisel’s 50 Years – The Best Of.

Elsewhere, Hozier’s self-titled debut celebrates its 10th anniversary with a jump from No. 27 to No. 10, while the 40th anniversary edition of Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms debuts at No. 33.

The legendary LP spent 34 weeks at No. 1 in the mid-‘80s — second only to The Sound of Music soundtrack’s historic 76-week reign.

On the ARIA Singles Chart, Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” holds firm at No. 1 for a ninth straight week, becoming the longest-running chart-topper by a solo male artist since The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” ruled for 11 weeks in 2020.

Rising star Sombr continues his momentum with “Undressed” and “Back to Friends” sitting at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.

23 May 2025

Miley Cyrus Performs Live Debut of ‘More to Lose’ on ‘Kimmel’

Miley Cyrus brought raw vulnerability to Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday (May 22), performing her latest single “More to Lose” in a striking, emotionally-charged moment on the late-night stage.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Wearing a dark hooded coat and surrounded by a live band and string ensemble, the Grammy winner delivered a stirring rendition of the song beneath dramatic spotlights, echoing the somber, cinematic visuals from the track’s music video released earlier this month.

“On a song like ‘More to Lose,’ I try to keep it a singular take,” Cyrus previously explained in a video shared to Instagram. “I add my harmonies, ad-libs at the end, but it’s really a song that’s more of a story and I never want that to be interrupted or overthought or chasing perfection.”

Trending on Billboard

“I never wanted More to Lose to feel perfect, I wanted it to sound meaningful and emotional,” she added.

The performance arrives just one week before the release of Something Beautiful, Cyrus’ highly anticipated ninth studio album, due May 30. The record is led by “More to Lose,” April’s “End of the World,” and recent tracks “Prelude” and the album’s title track. It also features collaborations with Naomi Campbell and Brittany Howard.

The pop star is set to debut a visual album companion to Something Beautiful at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 6. Described as “a one-of-a-kind pop opera,” the film is directed by Cyrus with Jacob Bixenman and Brendan Walter.

In a recent interview with Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe, Cyrus reflected on her journey to self-acceptance and sobriety — and how it shaped this new creative era. “The sobriety is like, that’s like my God. I need it, I live for it,” she said. “It’s changed my entire life.” Her 2023 smash “Flowers,” which earned her her first-ever Grammys, served as the breakthrough. “It was some sort of key right into the lock of all healing,” she added.

With Something Beautiful, Cyrus continues that journey — and if “More to Lose” is any indication, she’s not shying away from the parts that hurt.

23 May 2025

Rob Thomas Announces 2025 Australia and New Zealand Tour

Rob Thomas is making his return Down Under. The Matchbox Twenty frontman will head to Australia and New Zealand this October and November for a headline solo tour in celebration of his forthcoming album All Night Days and the 20th anniversary of his 2005 debut solo album …Something to Be.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The tour will kick off with back-to-back shows at Perth’s Riverside Theatre on Oct. 24 and 25, before heading to Adelaide, where Thomas will perform at the AEC Theatre on Oct. 27.

He’ll then make his way east for a two-night stint at Melbourne’s The Forum on Oct. 29 and 30, followed by a pair of shows at Sydney’s Enmore Theatre on Nov. 3 and 4. A massive outdoor performance at Sandstone Point in Brisbane is slated for Nov. 8.

Trending on Billboard

After wrapping his Australian dates, the GRAMMY-winning singer-songwriter will cross the Tasman Sea for three shows in New Zealand: Auckland’s Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre on Nov. 11, Christchurch’s Town Hall on Nov. 13, and the Michael Fowler Centre in Wellington on Nov. 15.

“Aussie fans have always been incredible to me,” Thomas said in a statement. “I can’t wait to come back and share these songs—old and new—on what’s going to be a very special run of shows across one of my favorite places in the world.”

Fans can expect a career-spanning set that includes solo hits like “Lonely No More” and “This Is How a Heart Breaks,” his Santana collaboration “Smooth,” and Matchbox Twenty classics such as “3AM” and “Unwell.” The yet-to-be-released All Night Days will mark Thomas’ sixth solo studio album and his first since 2021’s Chip Tooth Smile.

Joining him across various dates will be a lineup of local talent, including Boy & Bear, Eskimo Joe, Little Quirks and Sara Berki.

Tickets go on sale to the general public at 12 p.m. local time on Thursday, May 29. For full ticketing info, visit frontiertouring.com.

23 May 2025

Joe Jonas Unveils ‘Music for People Who Believe in Love’: Stream It Now

Joe Jonas released his long-awaited sophomore solo album, Music For People Who Believe in Love, on Friday (May 23) via Republic Records.

Preceded by singles “Work It Out,” “What This Could Be” and “Heart By Heart,” the studio set arrives nearly a decade and a half after the Jonas Brothers heartthrob’s first solo offering with 2011’s Fastlife.

The new LP also features swooning focus track “Honeyblonde” as well as guest assists from a diverse roster of collaborators including DOMi and JD BECK (opener “Woven”), Sierra Ferrell (the country-tinged “Sip Your Wine”), Louane and Tiny Habits (“Hey Beautiful,” dedicated to his two daughters), Luísa Sonza (“What We Are”) and his youngest brother Franklin Jonas (“Velvet Sunshine”).

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

In between solo projects, Jonas has remained hard at work on other musical endeavors, releasing 2019’s Happiness Begins and 2023’s The Album with Kevin and Nick as well as a self-titled album in 2016 with his other band, the party-ready pop collective DNCE.

Trending on Billboard

Ahead of the release of Music For People Who Believe in Love, Jonas spoke exclusively with Billboard about creating the body of work under his own name and his hopes for how it will touch the lives of his fans.

“It was scary at times, and also freeing,” he said in an August 2024 interview. “I’m not trying to come for anyone on this album. I’m not trying to put stuff on blast. I have a beautiful life that I’m grateful for. I’ve got two beautiful kids. I’m a happy person, and the music needed to resemble that — but also, the journey to get here…At the core of it, if this

Celebrity Photos

Celebrity Photos

40 Photos

DJ Frosty

DJ Frosty

23 Photos


helps people through what they’re going through, that’s all I can really wish for.”

Stream Jonas’ Music For People Who Believe in Love below.

23 May 2025

Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour Thrills the NYC Area: Review & 7 Best Moments

“I said, they NEVER take the country out me!” Beyoncé bellowed in the misty night sky on Thursday (May 22) — repeating a lyric from “Formation” for emphasis, and also presenting the main idea of her sprawling Cowboy Carter tour, which made its way to New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium for the first of a five-night run. Most superstars on their eighth album, and a quarter-century into their career, would craft a stadium show around their most well-loved hits, with a few new songs sprinkled in for good measure; Beyoncé is, of course, not like most superstars.

The Cowboy Carter tour instead animates every inch of last year’s full-length, with the entirety of the album’s country-music vision unwrapped in painstaking detail, from the instrumentation to the visuals to the choreography; a handful of well-worn hits are grouped together in the setlist, but they come across closer to an afterthought than a point of emphasis. This is not a complaint: Beyoncé is not only a dazzling performer with a second-to-none combination of stage presence and vocal strength, but as she’s evolved into an uncompromising album artist over the past decade, she’s become more adept at translating a studio aesthetic into a stage show with cohesion and purpose.

In the case of Cowboy Carter tour, the result is a sumptuous exploration of Beyoncé’s riff on country as a core influence and thrilling modern medium, complete with a line-dance stage moves, fake westerns as visual interludes, costumes with ample fringe and a giant stage in the shape of a star. With Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé bent modern country music around her personality, and its corresponding stage show achieves a similar effect, getting a stadium audience to don cowboy hats to watch their favorite pop star.

Yet the show makes clear that this is who she’s always been: her musical interests may change and her catalog of hits may grow, but this side of Beyoncé is indispensable to her identity. Indeed, no one can take the country out of her — so she decided to make Cowboy Carter her biggest, boldest live show to date.

With Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour starting its run in the NYC area on Thursday night, here are the seven best moments from night one at MetLife Stadium:

22 May 2025

Prayers Up: Detroit Rapper Skilla Baby Reportedly Shot

2024 BET Media House
Source: Julia Beverly / Getty

Detroit rapper Skilla Baby was reportedly hit in a targeted drive-by near 8 Mile, sources tell FOX 2.

Word is, he was in a black SUV that got shot up with bullets before crashing into a building. Skilla was reportedly grazed to the head and back, and caught one in the hand, but he made it to the hospital and is expected to be alright. People close to the situation say this wasn’t random; Skilla was the target and was alert when paramedics got to him.

Skilla had just posted a positive message earlier this week, praying and spreading love to his followers. To see something like this go down right after that message makes it even more heartbreaking.

No suspects have been named yet, and no arrests have been made. As more info drops, fans are standing behind Skilla, praying for a speedy recovery and hoping he stays safe.

More news to come as the story develops.

HipHopWired Featured Video

22 May 2025

Trax Records Is Releasing a 40th-Anniversary Compilation This Summer

Trax Records is releasing a hefty compilation project next month as part of the label’s ongoing 40-year-anniversary celebrations.

Out digitally and on vinyl on June 20, Trax Records: The 40th Anniversary Collection features singles and remixes by house pioneers including Frankie Knuckles, Marshall Jefferson, Ron Carroll, Frankie Bones and Joey Beltram, along with work by the label’s late founder Larry Sherman and its longtime owner/president Rachael Cain, who has long made music under the name Screamin Rachael.

The project was curated by the label’s creative director Jorge Cruz, who’s been with Trax since 2009. Cruz will play as part of a release party for the project happening at Chicago’s Reckless Records on June 20. Beyond Cruz’s set focused on the history of Trax, the event will feature sets by Joe Smooth, Ron Carroll, Screamin’ Rachael and more.

The project will also be available for purchase via limited-edition vinyl drops. On June 20, the first batch of songs of the compilation’s 40 total tracks will be released, with subsequent vinyl releases each containing six to seven tracks to maximize sound quality and happening through January 2026. Vinyl will be available at record stores worldwide.

Trending on Billboard

The Trax plant opened in Chicago in 1984, with the label business becoming officially incorporated the following year, amid the dawn of house music, with Trax widely recognized as a crucial early hub for evolution and dissemination of the genre. In its early years, the label released key house tracks, including Frankie Knuckles and Jamie Principle’s “Your Love,” Marshall Jefferson’s “The House Music Anthem (Move Your Body)” and many other genre-defining classics by artists like DJ Pierre, Ron Hardy, Mr. Fingers, Phuture, Maurice Joshua and Screamin’ Rachael.

The label also recently announced the release of its first vinyl release in more than a decade, Rising Again, a six-track compilation that’s out now.

Trax Records: The 40th Anniversary Collection track list

Jacques x Gregory feat. Screamin’ Rachael – “I’ll Take You There (Full Journey Mix)”
Willie Wonka – “What Is House”
Frankie Knuckles – “Your Love”
Marshall Jefferson – “Move Your Body”
Stylophonic – “Jack It Up”
Armando – “Love In Heart”
Mark Row, Jame Starck feat. Carol Jiani, “Free Your Mind’
Paul Johnson – “Follow This Beat”
Screamin’ Rachael – “Rising (Lea Rognoni Remix)”
Fuck Charley Pleasure Zone – “House Nation”
Yuri Suzuki – “DATA MANIA”
D Beat – “Pump It (Lea Rognoni Remix)”
Sir Nesis- “Freaks (So Called Friend Remix)”
Frankie Bones – “Beat Me Up”
Joey Beltram – “The Start It Up”
Ricky Dillard – “As Always (Full Vocal Version)”
Marshall Jefferson – “Ride The Rhythm (Remix)”
Owen E – “Shift”
Analog 87 – “rOOmclaSSic”
Jorge, Carmelo Carone – “Jack the Acid Kid (Hiroko Yamamura & Eric Elvambuena Remix)”
Phuture – “Spank Spank (Original Mix)”
Screamin’ Rachael – “Gina (XXX) [Someone from Lithuania with a Friend Named Jorge Remix]”
Jared – “Fly So High (Roger Sanchez Tilt Mix)”
Hercules – “7 Ways to Jack”
Ron Carroll – “1993 the Bargin Enterprize”
Luca Gerlin – “Battery (Kkles Mix)”
Jesse Velez – “Girls Out On The Floor (Dub)”
Camilo Do Santos – “1984”
Samurai Sam – “House of Japanese”
David Chong – “There Is No Place”
Frankie Knuckles – “Your Love (You Got The Love Remix)”
Seph Martin – “Rainy Nights”
Larry Sherman – “Colors”
Miss Autumn Leaves – “No Turning Back”
Late Nite ‘DUB’ Addict – “The ‘F’ Word”
Carlos Nilmmns feat. Genoveva – “Fade Out (Original Mix)”
Ron Hardy – “Liquid Love (Chicago Mix)”
Screamin’ Rachael – “Sensation (Zewmob Radio Edit)”
Chris Jones – “Strong2 (Dance Mix)”
Screamin’ Rachael – “My Main Man”

22 May 2025

Jennifer Lopez Reflects on Her AMAs History & Returning as Host – Even as She Admits: ‘I Don’t Love Being a Host’

Jennifer Lopez is set to host the 2025 American Music Awards, which will air live coast-to-coast on Memorial Day, Monday (May 26), and she’ll also open the show with a musical performance.

On Thursday (May 22), Lopez took a break from rehearsals to chat with Billboard about hosting and performing. She had a surprising revelation — “I don’t love being a host, to be quite honest” — but she will no doubt give the hosting gig everything she’s got, which is a signature J.Lo trait.

We discussed her debut performance on the show in 1991, as a backup dancer behind New Kids on the Block, a mid-performance slip in 2009 (ever the trouper, she was back on her feet instantly), and a tribute performance to salsa legend Celia Cruz in 2013 that she regards as one of her favorite performances she’s ever done.

Trending on Billboard

This year’s show will be held at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. It’s Lopez’s second time hosting the AMAs; she first hosted the show 10 years ago. Other performers on this year’s show include Janet Jackson (who is set to receive the ICON Award), Rod Stewart (who is set to receive a lifetime achievement award), Benson Boone, Blake Shelton, Gloria Estefan, Gwen Stefani, Lainey Wilson and Reneé Rapp.

Here’s our conversation, with just light edits.

The AMAs went on the air when you were 4 and a half. Did you grow up watching the AMAs and the Grammys?

Absolutely.

Did they kind of feed your dreams?

Yes, they did, absolutely. You can’t help but watch those [shows], being an artist or not even knowing you’re an artist yet, and just be pulled in by the performances and the incredible moments that you see, and people kind of being celebrated for what they do. It was just always amazing to see which moments kind of put a mark on your mind when you’re watching TV and those awards shows. And I do think it makes people who are young artists believe that it’s something you can actually accomplish.

Do you remember specific artists who had that effect on you when you were a kid?

I remember watching with my mom. She was a huge Diana Ross fan, and I remember seeing Diana Ross on the AMAs and the Grammys. I remember seeing all the Motown artists. Tina Turner was also a big one for me.

You’re the fourth music star to solo-host the AMAs twice, following Lionel Richie, Diana Ross and Pitbull. I’d say you’re all in good company.

Oh wow. Yeah, that’s good company. That’s a nice group.

I watched all 10 of your previous AMAs performances the other day – nice work if you can get it – and you really commit. You go all out. It’s like one of your songs says, “Go hard or go home.” You go hard.

I do go hard. I enjoy performing and I enjoy kind of pushing myself out of my comfort zone to do different things. I started as a dancer, so my performances are very kind of dance-oriented because that’s who I am at heart. I feel like I am a singer and I am an actress and I love doing those things, but I think I came out of the womb dancing. And my mother was a dancer, so I think I picked that up from her.

I grew up watching variety shows and specials headlined by people like Ann-Margret and Mitzi Gaynor. There aren’t many places anymore for that kind of all-around entertainer. Awards shows are about it. Just about all 10 of your AMAs performances were big production numbers with big production values. They gave you a showcase to show what you can do.

Yeah, that is true. There’s different things as an artist. I do films as an actor and I do my shows and my touring for my music. Trying to kind of bring those things together is never an easy thing and you don’t get to do that, but I think when you’re hosting an awards show, you get to sing a little bit and dance a little bit and people get to feel your personality and your energy.

I don’t love being a host, to be quite honest. I think that’s why it’s taken me 10 years to do it again. I do get – believe it or not – shy and nervous, but I do remember having a great time doing it back then [in 2015]. I felt like it was a good time to give it another try.

What do you remember about the 1991 show when you were a dancer behind New Kids?

Oh my God, I remember that was such an exciting moment for me. I had been hired as a dancer. This is before I was acting and singing and doing my own music. I was hired to be a backup dancer for New Kids. Just the idea of being part of that was such a big deal. I was right in the middle, in the center, and it was exhilarating, to be quite honest. It was amazing. I couldn’t believe it and being around all the other artists and seeing some of the stars that I liked. It was so much fun.

You were just 21, and that was back when awards shows reached a massive audience.

Yeah, everyone in my neighborhood saw it. They couldn’t believe it was me. It was so much fun. It was a great moment.

In 2009, performing “Louboutins,” you did a dismount and fell on your backside, but what impressed me watching it was how quickly you were back on your feet. It was a split second. Do you remember that?

Of course I do. I just slipped and fell down for a second, but yeah, I got right back up. And it wasn’t as big a deal as everybody made it, but yes, I was a little bit hurt for a couple of days. That whole day I didn’t feel it because I had so much adrenaline, and the performance went so well.

In 2013, you did a tribute to Celia Cruz, in which you performed “Químbara,” “Carnaval” and “Bemba Colorá.” Did you know her?

I did not know her very closely, but I had met her. I was always such a huge fan of hers. Like the minute they asked me to do the Celia Cruz tribute, I knew exactly what songs I wanted to do. I knew exactly the type of number that I wanted to do. It was an amazing moment. I felt kind of her energy flowing through me. That’s probably one of my favorite performances of all time that I’ve done.

The American Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.