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15 Aug 2023

Travis Barker’s New ‘Time Flies’ Tattoo Celebrates Conquering Flying Fears With Kourtney Kardashian’s Help

Travis Barker has added yet another tattoo to his already massive collection, and his latest body art is a commemoration of a heartwarming milestone for the 47-year-old rocker.

On Sunday (Aug. 13), the blink-182 drummer shared a photo of himself getting the words “Time Flies” tatted on his right wrist in a since-expired Instagram Story. The phrase appears to be a nod to how Barker’s wife, Kourtney Kardashian, has helped him overcome his fear of flying more than a decade after being involved in a fatal plane crash.

In September 2008, a plane carrying Barker, Adam “DJ AM” Goldstein and four other passengers crashed during take-off, killing all aboard except for Barker and Goldstein. The following year, Goldstein died of an accidental drug overdose, leaving Barker, who always had a fear of flying, as the sole remaining survivor of the fatal crash. Following the accident, Barker suffered burns on 65% of his body and spent 11 weeks in the hospital. He now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, and he did not fly on a plane again until 2021, a few months after he met then-girlfriend Kardashian.

“Just flew for the 30th time since my plane crash,” the Grammy-nominated artist posted on Threads on July 12. “Wouldn’t be able to tour or enjoy life again the way I do without the healing love of my amazing wife. I love you.”

The couple, who married in last May, are expecting their first baby together. Barker has two children from a previous marriage to model Shanna Moakler, and Kardashian has three children from a previous relationship with media personality Scott Disick.

Check out a picture of Barker’s new tattoo here.

15 Aug 2023

Twitter/X Wants Music Publishers’ Copyright Lawsuit Tossed Out

Twitter has filed its first formal response to a lawsuit from music publishers alleging widespread copyright infringement on the platform, arguing that it cannot be held liable for the actions of its users.

The filing came two months after dozens of music publishers sued the Elon Musk-owned site, claiming its users had infringed over 1,700 different songs from writers like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé — a claim that, if proven, could put the social media giant on the hook for $255 million in damages.

In a motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed Monday, lawyers for Twitter (now re-branded to X) argued that the company itself was not on the hook for illegal posts by its users. Among other things, they cited the Supreme Court’s high-profile 2005 ruling on the filing sharing service Grokster, which said that digital services cannot be sued unless they take active steps to encourage infringement by users.

“In this case, plaintiffs do not allege that X encouraged, induced, or took affirmative steps with the intent to foster the infringement of plaintiffs’ works,” wrote the company’s lawyers, hailing from the law firm Quinn Emanuel. “To the contrary, X’s anti-infringement policies and practices … belie any reasonable assumption that X has induced its users to infringe any copyrights.”

The case against Twitter was organized by the National Music Publishers’ Association, which has long argued that the site is the last major social media service refusing to license music. TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat have all allegedly entered into such deals with publishers, providing a library of licensed music for users to legally add to their posts.

“Twitter stands alone as the largest social media platform that has completely refused to license the millions of songs on its service,” said NMPA president/CEO David Israelite when the case was filed in June. “Twitter knows full well that music is leaked, launched and streamed by billions of people every day on its platform.”

But in Monday’s response, Twitter’s lawyers argued that even if such licensing deals were the NMPA’s preferred outcome, they are not legally required to avoid a copyright lawsuit – and that the failure to secure one was irrelevant to the infringement case against it.

“The allegation … is just another way of saying that X could do more to address the unauthorized use of music on the site by purchasing licenses from Plaintiffs on behalf of X’s users,” Twitter’s attorneys wrote. “Whether X sought music licenses for users or elected not to do so has no bearing on this inquiry; it is not evidence of an intent to encourage infringement.”

Notably, this week’s filing from Twitter did not delve into the thorny issue of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, a federal law that limits how websites like Twitter can be sued over copyright infringement by their users.

The DMCA provides sites like Twitter with immunity — a “safe harbor” — from litigation over material uploaded by their users, so long as they promptly remove infringing content and ban repeated violators from the platform. The publishers’ lawsuit goes to great lengths to argue that Twitter failed to do either of those things, meaning the site has legally forfeited the DMCA’s protections.

Twitter heavily refutes that point and, though they did not do so on Monday, its lawyers will undoubtedly invoke the DMCA’s protections at a later stage of the case if their current motion is denied.

The case against Twitter was filed by Concord, Universal Music Publishing Group, peermusic, ABKCO Music, Anthem Entertainment, Big Machine Music, BMG Rights Management, Hipgnosis Songs Group, Kobalt Music Publishing America, Mayimba Music, Reservoir Media Management, Sony Music Publishing, Spirit Music Group, The Royalty Network, Ultra Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music and Wixen Music Publishing.

A rep for NMPA did not immediately return a request for comment on Twitter’s new filing.

15 Aug 2023

Drake Goes Off On Male Fan For Wrestling a Woman Over Rapper’s Sweat Towel: ‘Are You Dumb?’

After a male concertgoer wrestled a female fan to the ground in order to forcefully take Drake‘s sweat towel from her — which Drizzy had thrown to her as a gift following his recent L.A. show — the rapper wasn’t about to let her take the L.

In fan videos chronicling the moment, which went down seconds after Drake finished his second of four performances at the Kia Forum, the “Rich Flex” rapper can be seen tossing his towel to a woman watching him exit from the upper level. Immediately after the terry tribute, a male fan instigates a tug-of-war for the rag, pulling the woman to the ground.

Turns out, that’s actually a great way to earn yourself a scolding from the man of the hour. “Are you dumb?” Drake yelled angrily as he watched the scene unfold. “I’mma send someone up there.”

The five-time Grammy winner is halfway through his four-night run at the Forum, with his third show at the venue slated for Tuesday night (Aug. 15). Kim Kardashian was in attendance at his Sunday night (Aug. 13) performance, as were Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny, looking very much in love. At one point, Bunny joined Drake onstage and the two announced to the crowd that they’re teaming up for a collaboration on Drizzy’s next album.

Drake will be on the road with his joint It’s All a Blur Tour with 21 Savage through early October, hitting up arenas in the U.S. and Canada before closing out with a final show in Columbus, OH. The trek marks his first North American tour in five years, following 2018’s Drake & The Three Migos Tour. In 2019, he toured through Europe with support from recently imprisoned rapper Tory Lanez and Radio 1 DJ Tiffany Calver.

Watch Drake intervene in a fan scuffle over his sweat towel below:

15 Aug 2023

Don Toliver, Yung Miami and More Slated For Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ 2023 REVOLT WORLD

Don Toliver, Moneybagg Yo, Yung Miami and Mr. Eazi are among the talent lineup set for Sean “Diddy” Combs’ upcoming REVOLT WORLD. The reimagined REVOLT Summit, presented by Walmart, will take place Sept. 22-24 in Atlanta.

Embodying this year’s theme, “We Are Hip-Hop,” the additional talent announced thus far includes Jeezy, G Herbo, Joey Bada$$, Omarion, Juvenile, Tank, Tee Grizzley, Saucy Santana, Queen Naija, Lauren London, Young M.A, Uncle Waffles, Jozzy, Curren$y, Babyface Ray, Tyler Lepley, Maiya The Don, Dvsn and Royce Da 5’9”. This year’s slate of keynotes, panels and performances will also feature conversations with key executives and personalities such as LVRN’s Amber Grimes, Apple Music’s Walter Tucker and sports journalist/author Jemele Hill. 

Live viewings and tapings of REVOLT’s various hit series are on the bill as well. The show menu includes Caresha Please, The Jason Lee Show, Drink Champs with Noreaga and DJ EFN, Assets Over Liabilities with Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings and Big Facts with Big Bank, DJ Scream and Baby Jade.

In a release announcing the event, REVOLT chairman Combs said, “REVOLT WORLD was created to celebrate the global impact of hip-hop and introduce a new live event category that represents the highest level of entertainment, education and opportunity. Our vision was to build on the tremendous success of REVOLT Summit and deliver a first-of-its-kind event that reimagined the intersection of culture, community and connections with the most influential leaders across generations.”

Added REVOLT CEO Detavio Samuels, “We are thrilled to present this extraordinary lineup of talent at REVOLT WORLD who share our mission to provide access, knowledge and opportunities that amplify our culture’s influence. From industry icons to visionary thought leaders, these individuals embody the spirit of creativity, empowerment and change that REVOLT stands for. Together, we will ignite conversations, spark inspiration and create a lasting impact on a global scale.”

More REVOLT WORLD talent will be revealed closer to the event’s September dates. For additional information about REVOLT WORLD and to purchase tickets now, visit revoltworld.com.

15 Aug 2023

Don Toliver, Yung Miami and More Slated for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ 2023 REVOLT WORLD

Don Toliver, Moneybagg Yo, Yung Miami and Mr. Eazi are among the talent lineup set for Sean “Diddy” Combs’ upcoming REVOLT WORLD. The reimagined REVOLT Summit, presented by Walmart, will take place Sept. 22-24 in Atlanta.

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Embodying this year’s theme, “We Are Hip-Hop,” the additional talent announced thus far includes Jeezy, G Herbo, Joey Bada$$, Omarion, Juvenile, Tank, Tee Grizzley, Saucy Santana, Queen Naija, Lauren London, Young M.A, Uncle Waffles, Jozzy, Curren$y, Babyface Ray, Tyler Lepley, Maiya The Don, Dvsn and Royce Da 5’9”. This year’s slate of keynotes, panels and performances will also feature conversations with key executives and personalities such as LVRN’s Amber Grimes, Apple Music’s Walter Tucker and sports journalist/author Jemele Hill. 

Live viewings and tapings of REVOLT’s various hit series are on the bill as well. The show menu includes Caresha Please, The Jason Lee Show, Drink Champs with Noreaga and DJ EFN, Assets Over Liabilities with Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings and Big Facts with Big Bank, DJ Scream and Baby Jade.

In a release announcing the forthcoming event, REVOLT chairman Combs said, “REVOLT WORLD was created to celebrate the global impact of hip-hop and introduce a new live event category that represents the highest level of entertainment, education and opportunity. Our vision was to build on the tremendous success of REVOLT Summit and deliver a first-of-its-kind event that reimagined the intersection of culture, community and connections with the most influential leaders across generations.”

Added REVOLT CEO Detavio Samuels, “We are thrilled to present this extraordinary lineup of talent at REVOLT WORLD who share our mission to provide access, knowledge and opportunities that amplify our culture’s influence. From industry icons to visionary thought leaders, these individuals embody the spirit of creativity, empowerment and change that REVOLT stands for. Together, we will ignite conversations, spark inspiration and create a lasting impact on a global scale.”

More REVOLT WORLD talent will be revealed closer to the event’s September dates. For additional information about REVOLT WORLD and to purchase tickets now, visit revoltworld.com.

revolt world

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15 Aug 2023

Taylor Swift Extends Artist 100 Longevity Record to 76 Weeks at No. 1

Taylor Swift spends a record-extending 76th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Artist 100 chart (dated Aug. 19), thanks to the continued success of her latest album, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), as well as 10 additional albums on the Billboard 200 and five songs on the Billboard Hot 100.

The set ranks to No. 4 in its fifth week on the Billboard 200 with 60,000 equivalent album units earned Aug. 4-10, according to Luminate, after spending its first two weeks at No. 1. It became Swift’s first re-recorded album, of three that she’s released so far, to notch its first two weeks at the summit.

Also boosting Swift’s Artist 100 standing are 10 additional albums on the Billboard 200. This is the fifth week (all consecutive) that Swift has landed 11 titles on the survey. Four weeks ago, she became just the third act – and first woman – to chart at least 11 in a single week, following The Beatles and Prince.

Here’s a recap of Swift’s current Billboard 200-charting titles.

Rank, Title:
No. 4, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
No. 5, Midnights
No. 6, Lover
No. 9, Folklore
No. 13, 1989
No. 15, reputation
No. 18, Red (Taylor’s Version)
No. 24, Evermore
No. 30, Fearless (Taylor’s Version)
No. 144, Taylor Swift
No. 181, Speak Now

Swift also boasts four albums in the Billboard 200’s top 10 for a third time. Last month, she became the first living artist to achieve the feat in nearly 60 years.

On the Hot 100, Swift charts five songs: “Cruel Summer” (up 4-3, a new high), “Karma” featuring Ice Spice (20-13), “Anti-Hero” (31-18), “Blank Space” (a re-entry at No. 49) and “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” (76-63).

“Blank Space,” Swift’s seven-week Hot 100 No. 1 in 2014-15 from her album 1989, has been gaining in recent weeks, as she has been performing it on The Eras Tour, and ahead of the Aug. 9 announcement of her re-recorded 1989 (Taylor’s Version), due Oct. 27.

Rounding out the Artist 100’s top five, Travis Scott drops to No. 2, Morgan Wallen rises 4-3, Luke Combs lifts 5-4 and Post Malone falls 3-5.

The Artist 100 measures artist activity across key metrics of music consumption, blending album and track sales, radio airplay and streaming to provide a weekly multi-dimensional ranking of artist popularity.

15 Aug 2023

Luke Combs Sets Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour For 2024, With 25 New U.S. Stadium Shows

Reigning CMA Awards entertainer of the year Luke Combs is gearing up for a double-header of a tour next year, when his Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour launches in April.

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The 25-show outing will visit 13 cities, with nearly every city getting two nights — Fridays and Saturdays — of shows.

The tour kicks off April 12-13 in Milwaukee, WI. Combs will also play two nights at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium, Jacksonville’s Everbank Stadium and Phoenix’s State Farm Stadium, before wrapping with two shows in Houston at NRG Stadium on Aug. 9-10.

Since his breakthrough hit “Hurricane” spent two weeks at the pinnacle of Billboard’s Country Airplay chart back in 2017, Combs has become known for his wellspring of hits, becoming one of the biggest country music sensations of his generation. But with this tour, he continues doubling down on introducing fans to other musicians he loves, from contemporary country acts, to those that lean more into the Americana and Red Dirt genres.

The Friday night lineup of shows will feature Combs’ headlining set, in addition to guests Charles Wesley Godwin, Hailey Whitters, The Wilder Blue, Cody Jinks and The Avett Brothers. The Saturday night opening acts will include Jordan Davis, Colby Acuff, Drew Parker and Mitchell Tenpenny.

“We got an opportunity to do two shows in some U.S. markets on the World Tour, but when I found out we were going to be able to do two shows for most all of the cities on the 2024 tour, I decided I wanted each show to have their own unique set up of openers, as well as my own unique setlist,” Combs said in a statement. “I thought this would give people an opportunity to come to both nights if they want, but see two completely different shows.”

He added, “With country music being such a wide genre and being a huge fan of it all myself, I wanted to open up my stage to acts that lean into Outlaw, Americana and Red Dirt on Friday nights, as well as having a night with people I have toured with in the past, who are more contemporary country,” he explained. “I’m super excited to have both groups be out on the road with me for the Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour!”

The tour takes its name from Combs’ recent pair of albums, 2022’s Growin’ Up, and its 2023 companion Gettin’ Old, and will follow his current 44-show World Tour, which visits three continents and 16 countries, and continues through the fall with concerts in Europe and Australia.

Combs recently helped country music make history on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, as his rendition of Tracy Chapman’s classic “Fast Car,” alongside Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” and Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town,” recently commanded the top three slots on the Hot 100, the first time in the chart’s history that three country songs had reached that milestone. “Fast Car” also spent five weeks atop the Country Airplay chart, and two weeks atop the Adult Pop Airplay chart.

Tickets for the Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour go on sale to the general public on Aug. 25 at 10 a.m. local time here, while Combs’ fanclub members will have access to a presale beginning Aug. 23 at 10 a.m. local time.

See the full list of dates below:

April 12 – Milwaukee, WI @ American Family Field

April 13 – Milwaukee, WI @ American Family Field

April 19 – Buffalo, NY @ Highmark Stadium

April 20 – Buffalo, NY @ Highmark Stadium

April 27 – University Park, PA @ Beaver Stadium

May 3 – Jacksonville, FL @ EverBank Stadium

May 4 – Jacksonville, FL @ EverBank Stadium

May 10 – San Antonio, TX @ Alamodome

May 11 – San Antonio, TX @ Alamodome

May 17 – Santa Clara, CA @ Levi’s® Stadium

May 18 – Santa Clara, CA @ Levi’s® Stadium

May 31 – Phoenix, AZ @ State Farm Stadium

June 1 – Phoenix, AZ @ State Farm Stadium

June 7 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Rice-Eccles Stadium

June 8 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Rice-Eccles Stadium

June 14 – Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium

June 15 – Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium

July 19 – East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium

July 20 – East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium

July 26 – Washington, D.C. @ FedExField

July 27 – Washington, D.C. @ FedExField

August 2 – Cincinnati, OH @ Paycor Stadium

August 3 – Cincinnati, OH @ Paycor Stadium

August 9 – Houston, TX @ NRG Stadium 

August 10 – Houston, TX @ NRG Stadium 

15 Aug 2023

Damien Scott Named Billboard’s Deputy Editorial Director

Damien Scott has been named Billboard‘s new deputy editorial director, the music media brand announced Monday (Aug. 14).

In his New York-based role, Scott will work to expand Billboard’s audience through news coverage, video, social content, live events and more, all with a special focus on hip-hop and R&B.

“We are so happy to have Damien on board,” added Hannah Karp, editorial director of Billboard. “Damien’s expertise will be instrumental as we continue to grow, evolve and expand our content for music fans and creators across genres.”

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“We are beyond thrilled to welcome Damien to the team,” said Mike Van, president of Billboard. “Damien’s deep experience in driving culture is unparalleled and we cannot wait to work alongside him, especially as we expand our global coverage of hip-hop.”

Scott has had an extensive career in media, editing and writing, most recently working as the head of editorial at music distribution company UnitedMasters. Before that, he worked as the president of the J. Cole-co-founded Dreamville Ventures and was also the editor-in-chief and VP of content and development at Complex Media, where he helped produce the successful cultural festival ComplexCon. He has held roles at companies including BET, Hearst Autos, Mass Appeal, VIBE and Time magazine.

Scott is based in Billboard‘s New York office and reports to Karp. Deputy editorial director Rob Levine continues to oversee coverage of the business of music.

15 Aug 2023

R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: UMI, Headie One, frex & More

Hip-hop officially turned 50 years old late last week, but it’s never too late to celebrate the genre that has soundtracked Black life in America over the past five decades. With Fresh Picks, we intend to highlight those next up in R&B and hip-hop, and this week we have a range of sounds to do so — from R&B rhythms by frex, UMI and Elmiene to rap anthems by DavidTheTragic (with Kenny Mason), Devin Malik and Headie One.

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Don’t forget to check out our August picks so far in the Spotify playlist, linked below.

Freshest Find: frex, “Hoodie Back”

frex wants her hoodie back ASAP. The Pennsylvania native details a situation that’s all too familiar — the classic story of someone keeping a memento following the end of a relationship. “When the love dries up, I want my s–t back,” she shared on the inspiration for the new single. “I made ‘Hoodie Back’ with [artist/producer duo] Mulherin and [producer/songwriting duo] Trackside. I wanted something with open instrumentation, and they were in the mood for early 2000s drums, so we meshed it together.”

UMI, “happy im”

“I wrote this song to remind myself to stop running from love — that life is meant to be sweet. Think less, love more,” wrote UMI. On “happy im,” gentle acoustic guitar glides over a stripped-back drumbeat while the Seattle native’s emotionally charged delivery enchants as her lyrics seamlessly flow between Japanese and English. “Happy I’m falling for you. Happy I love myself too,” she sings, serenading her partner and herself.

Äyanna, “Say You Love Me”

“Say You Love Me” is an anthem for love. The R&B/pop fusion relishes in Äyanna’s knack for combining those sounds along with soul and beyond. “‘Say You Love Me’ is my favorite song in the project. To me, it feels like the perfect stadium love song to sing,” she shares. “I wanted to know what an R&B ballad would sound like if it was inspired by ‘Sunflower’ by Post Malone, which was one of my favorite songs at the time. Every time I hear or sing this song, it takes me back to where I was when I wrote it — experiencing love for the first time.” “Say You Love Me” will appear on her upcoming EP.

Elmiene “Mama”

Elmiene returns with a new confessional track, “Mama.” Co-written and produced with Sampha the track sees the Oxford-based singer baring his soul as he reckons with his imperfect existence, asking: “Would you mourn a sinner mama? Could you love my demons mama?”

DavidTheTragic feat. Kenny Mason, “Let’s Play”

DavidTheTragic and Kenny Mason are a dynamic duo. The two linked again for their new single “Let’s Play” where the former raps about playing the game when it comes to modern hookup culture. Mason slides in around the 35 second mark, rapping about being on a mission to go out with the money.

Devin Malik, “LINK DUCKER”

Devin Malik is a link ducker, or one who ducks links. On the self-produced hi-hat and clap heavy new track, the California rapper/producer sounds off for two and half minutes about not taking s–t from anybody and getting money. “Barely touch my phone because it always be something/ Unless it’s ’bout some bread, then like Miss Tubman, I’m running,” he raps.

Headie One, “More Money More Problems”

Produced by long-time collaborator M1OnTheBeat and Deggzy, “More Money More Problems” is the embodiment of Headie One’s street-smart lyrics. On the drill track, he recounts his journey from the streets of Tottenham to rap superstardom, while paying homage to The Notorious B.I.G. and Nipsey Hussle.

15 Aug 2023

Elektra Elevates Jacob Fain to EVP / Head of A&R

Elektra Entertainment has promoted Jacob Fain to executive vice president and head of A&R at the Warner Music-owned label unit. The Los Angeles-based Fain joined Elektra in late 2020 and was most recently senior vp of A&R and head of the label’s data and analytics team. He’ll continue to report directly to Elektra president Gregg Nadel.

“Jake is a standout A&R with incredible, creative instincts shaped by years of experience,” Nadel noted. “He has an innate ability to form genuine, meaningful relationships and has helped our artists at every stage of their career articulate their vision and surpass their potential.”

During his short time at Elektra, Fain has signed country star Bailey Zimmerman and he is credited with steering Masked Wolf’s breakout single “Astronaut In The Ocean” to the top the Billboard charts in 2021.

Before joining the Warner family, Nadel spent 13 years at Sony Music Publishing, where as svp of A&R he signed and developed some of the company’s top songwriters and producers, including The Chainsmokers, Leon Bridges, Of Monsters and Men, Chase Rice, Princess Nokia and others. Prior to SMP, Fain worked in A&R at Republic Records and marketing at RCA Records.

Earlier this year, Elektra Entertainment (which includes Elektra, Fueled by Ramen, Roadrunner and DTA Records, among others) elevated Johnny Minardi to senior vp of A&R as part of a spate of promotions. And this month the label umbrella announced the promotion of Aimie Vaughan-Früehe to evp/head of promotion and streaming.

“Elektra is building a cutting-edge, forward-thinking record company focused on music that moves culture and developing best in class talent. I’m so proud of the work we have done to serve our artists in an evolving landscape, and to be part of such an incredible team. I’m grateful to Gregg and my Elektra family for this opportunity.”