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14 Jul 2023

Amazon’s ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ Store Will Have You Channeling You Inner Belly, Conrad & Jeremiah

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.

Are you Team Conrad, Jeremiah or Belly? Well, no matter who you’re rooting for during the latest season of The Summer I Turned Pretty, you can channel your favorite character with clothing and accessories inspired by the show. Amazon has released an official shop with everything from apparel, jewelry, shoes, beauty and more that’ll have you repping Cousins Beach and your favorite character’s style.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Get excited for T-shirts announcing your team and the iconic infinity sign necklace as seen on the show. If you’re a sucker for declarations of love, there’s even apparel for that too.

Season two premiered Thursday (July 13) at 8 p.m. ET on Prime Video, with the first three episodes available. Even before the show aired its latest season, it already had fans raving over the trailer — especially as it debuted Taylor Swift’s “Back to December (Taylor’s Version)”, which had previously been unheard.

Keep reading to shop some of our picks from the shop and see the entire collection here.

back of blue sweatshirt that reads

Amazon

American Eagle AE x The Summer I Turned Pretty Oversized Full Zip Fleece

$59.95

The famous line that stole viewers’ hearts is now written across the back of this oversized sweatshirt. It features a zip-up design on the front with a simple daisy pattern across the pockets, while the back has “There’s only you. For me there’s only ever been you,” allowing all who see your outfit to live that line over and over again.

pink t-shirt that reads

Amazon

The Summer I Turned Pretty – Team Belly Floral T-Shirt

$19.99

Make it known who you’re rooting for with a cotton T-shirt that outright says it. You can snag this pink Belly’s Team tee or, if you’re rooting for a specific brother, pick up a Team Jeremiah or Team Conrad one.

14 Jul 2023

Can You Hear Me Now? Why Cell Phone Service Is Improving at Festivals


Anyone who has attended a music festival has experienced the frustration of attempting to send and receive calls and texts amid tens of thousands of other phone-wielding fans. Messages often don’t go through, arrive an hour after being sent or show up en masse when the night is over, creating confusion and leaving meet-ups unmet.

Anyone who has attended many of the leading U.S. music festivals over the past few years has likely noticed improvements, however, with cell service approaching real-time efficiency. This isn’t a fluke, but the result of focused improvements in how service is provided both generally and at music-related mass gatherings specifically.

“Frankly, I consider phone conductivity kind of like running water these days. Venues have to have it,” says Matthew Pasco, who as vp of information for the Las Vegas Raiders oversaw construction of the distributed antenna system (DAS) at Allegiant Stadium, which has hosted major tours from Taylor Swift, Metallica, The Rolling Stones and Garth Brooks since opening in summer 2021.

That’s because while cellphones used to just be a way of connecting with (or trying to connect with) friends at shows, they’re now seen as part of the concert and festival experience, with mobile ticketing, venue apps and digital payment systems demanding fully functional coverage. Connectivity also fosters greater safety, allowing fans in need of assistance to dial out during emergencies. Social media is another important consideration, with coverage at events now expected to keep up with the ballooning data demands of TikTok, Instagram and even fans livestreaming entire shows, as has happened recently on tours by Swift and Bruce Springsteen. According to Verizon, at Governors Ball 2022, its subscribers alone used roughly 14.5 terabytes of data, which equates to one person streaming 3 million songs continually for over 10 years. So, too, do fans arrive with phones, Apple Watches and iPads ­— and the expectation all of them will work.

Until recently, cell coverage has been wonky at big events as the demands of smartphones collided with networks designed before devices burned through so much data. With upwards of 125,000 people squeezed into a square mile (the size of Coachella’s site), all of whom texting and posting simultaneously, carriers — primarily AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile in the United States — would often overload. Event organizers, who sought to solve this by providing Wi-Fi, found those networks crashed easily due to high volume.

Enter Irvine, Calif.-based tech company MatSing. Founded in 2005, the company builds antennas that, instead of reflecting signals like a traditional antenna, refracts them, creating multiple independent signals beamed in multiple directions. Instead of implementing 10 individual antennas, an event can then employ one ­MatSing lens antenna that creates 10 separate coverage sectors and allows multiple carriers to utilize it.

“Festivals are the hardest thing to create coverage capacity for,” says MatSing executive vp Leo Matytsine. “That was our best way of getting a foot in the door.”

The first music carrier to use MatSing’s technology at a festival was AT&T at Coachella in 2014. “People actually got connectivity that year,” says Matytsine. “After that, Verizon and T-Mobile saw what was deployed, and it started to snowball because the technology worked.” Indeed, it’s how networks function — or don’t — in high-demand settings like festivals that typically cause carriers to lose subscribers, making performance at mass gatherings crucial to customer retention.

MatSing sells its 150-plus antenna models directly to carriers, and they are now permanently installed at 32 U.S. stadiums, arenas, raceways and venues including the Hollywood Bowl, with temporary deployments at myriad Super Bowls, presidential inaugurations and festivals including South by Southwest, Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Burning Man. The lattermost employs one antenna — incorporated by law enforcement as a safety measure, but which provides many attendees with service — while Coachella uses a few to cover its entire festival grounds. Prices vary depending on size and range from a couple of thousand for smaller models to tens of thousands of dollars for larger ones.

Carriers have also caught up with demand. While companies previously deployed mobile cell towers (along with MatSing tech) at mass gatherings to supplement coverage, Verizon representative Karen Schulz notes that “the network has evolved significantly over the past several years.” Improvements include fiber network expansion, carrier aggregation (which lets data flow freely across multiple spectrum bands) and U.S. deployments of high-speed 5G networks starting around 2019.

Unsurprisingly, venues themselves are now building and retrofitting to suit coverage requirements. Allegiant paid for the venue’s eight-figure DAS to maintain ownership over this asset, which the three major carriers rent out. (“I don’t want to sign away all the plumbing in my building so every time someone flushes the toilet, someone else gets paid,” says Pasco.) This DAS system also utilizes 28 MatSing antennas that hang from the roof around the ring of the stadium and service the 60,000-capacity bowl. (This option was chosen over deploying mini antennas under every seat, an option Los Angeles’ 3-year-old SoFi Stadium went with for its DAS.) At Allegiant, traditional cellular antennas have been installed in walkways, VIP suites and other areas MatSing antenna signals can’t reach. The stadium also offers Wi-Fi that has a 60% to 70% adoption rate among fans.

Some older stadiums and arenas, which are often “cement monstrosities,” says Pasco, “really struggle with deploying premium DAS systems because they don’t have the pathway to run cabling.” When such retrofits happen, they’re often “a little bit ugly,” he says.

However this coverage is implemented, its evolution is fostering increased connectedness among individuals in massive crowds, between attendees and venues themselves and with audiences well outside the confines of a show. This festival season, attendees might not even have to ask, “Hey, U there?”

14 Jul 2023

Missy Elliott Defends Flyana Boss After Social Media Critique of Their Viral Videos

HipHopWired Featured Video

Flyana Boss

Source: press handout / press handout

Missy Elliott is using her star power to defend Flyana Boss after social media users posted open criticism over the continued running theme in the young Hip-Hop duo’s videos.

Best friends Folayan and Bobbi LaNea, better known as the sprinting musical team, Flyana Boss, have swiftly become the latest sensation to conquer the internet. Their viral presence has garnered widespread attention online– even snagging a Grammy.

Last week, the “DripDemeanor” rapper/icon clapped back at a critic who felt the need to assert their opinion on the group — who has become known for physically running through their videos while reciting lyrics to their songs ⁠— and their marketing method after labeling the methods as “redundant.”

“How many times they gon do the same thing in different videos for this song?” In their visuals, the girls are seen running through crowds of people while rapping their hit song “You Wish.”

The tweet received a response from Missy Elliott, who defended Flyana Boss’ artistic decisions by shedding light on how she experienced similar criticism when breaking out in the late-1990s.

“This old school tactic if you do a bunch of things you confuse the audience,” Missy explained. “They don’t know who you are That’s why most successful artist have eras and for that era they consistently do the same style and sound so you build a particular fan base. [For] Example, my 1st album I wore FingerWaves the entire time,” she wrote. “My sound was a futuristic vibe even down to the way I danced it was a jerky move. But all the elements established the type of artist I was… you must be consistent when you are a new artist.”

Missy’s authoritative teaching continued after another user asked the entertainment legend if confusing the audience by “doing a bunch of things” pertains to an artist’s sound as well; to which Missy replied that artists should focus on crafting a signature sound before experimenting with other creative decisions.

“I feel you should create a sound 1st so ppl can attach that sound to the artist and it becomes your signature,” Missy wrote. “Once the consumer know your sound then you can experiment. TeddyRiley he had the new Jack swing sound. Prince always used that flair drum it was his signature. So it’s like a entire package. That’s why you may see people say this was riri pop era or this was this artist R&B era because for that album they pretty much stay consistent the whole album even down to hair and clothes. Think of the group TLC oversized combat boots era.”

In other Missy Elliott news, fellow legend Busta Rhymes has completely shut down the idea of facing off against the “Supa Dupa Fly” rapper in a Verzuz battle; citing that he wouldn’t be able to fully flex on her with bravado as the reason. In a recent interview with Apple Music, the “Beach Ball” rapper shared that he was told there are two valid competitors that might be able to take him on in a Verzuz: Jay-Z or Missy Elliott.

“See, there’s never a Missy option,” Busta replied. “The reason why I can’t ever do a Verzuz or compete with Missy on a challenging level is ’cause that’s my twin. I’m Missy and she’s Busta Rhymes. I will never ever ever ever ever because I love her so much, I can’t talk my shit the way I would want to in a Verzuz. I love her too much and I hold her in a regard that’s so crazy.”



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14 Jul 2023

Taylor Swift Ties for Most No. 1s on Pop Airplay Chart Thanks to ‘Karma’

Taylor Swift ties the record for the most No. 1s in the history of Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart, as “Karma” ascends to the top of the list dated July 22. The song becomes her 11th leader on the list, matching the marks of Maroon 5, Katy Perry and Rihanna.

(Justin Bieber, with 10 Pop Airplay No. 1s, is the only other act with a double-digit total.)

Meanwhile, dating to the Pop Airplay chart’s inception in October 1992, Swift and Maroon 5 are the only acts to have reigned in the 2000s, ‘10s and ‘20s.

Here’s a recap of Swift’s 11 No. 1s on Pop Airplay, which measures songs’ weekly plays, as tabulated by Mediabase and provided to Billboard by Luminate, on over 150 U.S. mainstream top 40 radio stations.

Title, Weeks at No. 1, Year(s):

  • “Karma,” one (to date), 2023
  • “Anti-Hero,” three, 2022-23
  • “Delicate,” one, 2018
  • “Look What You Made Me Do,” one, 2017
  • “Wildest Dreams,” two, 2015
  • “Bad Blood” (feat. Kendrick Lamar), five, 2015
  • “Style,” three, 2015
  • “Blank Space,” six, 2014-15
  • “Shake It Off,” two, 2014|
  • “I Knew You Were Trouble,” seven, 2013
  • “Love Story,” one, 2009

Also notably, “Karma” is the second Pop Airplay No. 1 from Swift’s 2022 album Midnights, following “Anti-Hero.” The set is her third to generate multiple leaders, after Reputation (two, 2017-18) and 1989 (five, 2014-15).

Contributing to airplay for “Karma,” which gained by 1% in plays on Pop Airplay reporters July 7-13, is its remix featuring Ice Spice. The song (all versions combined) hit a No. 2 high on the all-genre, multimetric Billboard Hot 100 in June. It originally debuted, at No. 9, on the Hot 100 100 dated Nov. 5, 2022, as Swift made history as the first artist to monopolize the chart’s entire top 10 in a single week, with all tracks all from Midnights.

Swift concurrently ascends to the Pop Airplay top 10 with “Cruel Summer,” which surges 14-8 as the list’s Greatest Gainer (up 29%). The song becomes her 22nd top 10, tying Maroon 5 for the second-most, after Rihanna’s 30.

Originally released on Swift’s 2019 album Lover and now being promoted by Republic Records as a new single, the song has been gaining momentum in recent weeks, as Swift has been performing it on her current The Eras Tour, her first in which she’s been able to spotlight songs from Lover, which was released shortly before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each concert on the tour is divided into 10 acts, encompassing nine of her LPs; the Lover era kicks off the show, with “Cruel Summer” performed in the opening set.

The song becomes the third Pop Airplay top 10, and second-highest-charting, from Lover, joining lead single “Me!,” featuring Brendon Urie (No. 7 peak, May 2019), and “You Need to Calm Down” (No. 9, August 2019). The set spun off two other top 20 hits: the title track (No. 16, November 2019) and “The Man” (No. 20, April 2020).

14 Jul 2023

Get to Know the Three New Major Grammy Categories

The Recording Academy has added three new categories for the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, which are set for Sunday Feb. 4, 2024 — best African music performance, best alternative jazz album and best pop dance recording. This brings the total number of categories to 94, the highest total since the number reached an all-time peak of 109 in 2010.

“By introducing these three new categories, we are able to acknowledge and appreciate a broader array of artists,” Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement. “We are excited to honor and celebrate the creators and recordings in these categories, while also exposing a wider range of music to fans worldwide.” 

Here’s a closer look at the three new Grammy categories. —Paul Grein

Best Alternative Jazz Album

From swing to bebop to fusion, evolution has defined jazz throughout its history. The Grammys’ new best alternative jazz album category acknowledges that constant change, as a new generation brings the storied genre into the 21st century.

In recent years, the Grammys’ existing best jazz instrumental album category has recognized esteemed musicians of yesteryear, awarding the likes of Ron Carter, Wayne Shorter and Chick Corea — who all played with Miles Davis in the late 1960s and early ’70s. By contrast, less conventional jazz artists such as Kamasi Washington and Makaya McCraven, and bands such as Sons of Kemet and The Comet Is Coming (both led by acclaimed British saxophonist Shabaka Hutchings), have remained absent from the category’s nominees. Robert Glasper, the genre-hopping musician who has played with artists from Herbie Hancock to Mac Miller, received a single jazz category nomination in 2016, but snuck into the best R&B album category last year; his surprise win with Black Radio III caused fellow nominee Chris Brown to infamously remark: “Who the f–k is Robert Glasper?”

In its announcement of this new category, the Recording Academy noted that alternative jazz “may be defined as a genre-blending, envelope-pushing hybrid that mixes jazz … with other genres,” including R&B, hip-hop, classical, rap and dance music. As genre distinctions become less rigid, the category’s value rests in how it will allow musicians like Washington — who earned recognition outside the jazz community for his contributions to Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 album, To Pimp a Butterfly — to be honored without conforming to more traditional conceptions of jazz.

Contenders may include Dinner Party, the collaborative project of Washington, Glasper and fellow jazz-meets-hip-hop traveler Terrace Martin; Angel Bat Dawid, the clarinetist-composer signed to influential contemporary jazz label International Anthem; saxophonist Sam Gendel, a prolific puveyor of ambient jazz; and the trio comprising Vijay Iyer, Shahzad Ismaily and Arooj Aftab for Love in Exile. (Aftab was nominated for best new artist and won for best global music performance in 2022.). —Eric Renner Brown

Best African Music Performance

From Afrobeats crossover hits like Burna Boy’s “Ye” and Wizkid’s “Joro” in 2018 and 2019, respectively, to more recent smashes like Rema’s “Calm Down” and CKay’s “Love Nwatiti,” the myriad sounds of Africa have become increasingly dominant in the U.S. and U.K. mainstream markets. After the broad best global music performance category flattened the diversity of non-Western musical stylings, the Recording Academy’s new best African music performance category aims to respond to the explosive growth of the continent’s music.

In 2021, the Grammys awarded the inaugural best global music performance trophy to Arooj Aftab’s “Mohabbat” — a shock to those betting on Wizkid & Tems’ “Essence,” by far the most commercially successful song in the category. The following year, “Bayethe,” a collaboration among South African artists Wouter Kellerman, Zakes Bantwini and Nomcebo Zikode, beat out Burna Boy’s cultural and commercial juggernaut, “Last Last,” yet another marker that an adjustment was needed to properly recognize Afrobeats and its impact.

From its inception, the global music category was an attempt to recognize hundreds of genres across a plethora of languages, cultures and countries. But the rise of Afrobeats, Afro-pop and, more recently, amapiano, has become undeniable. Thanks to a Selena Gomez remix, Rema’s “Calm Down” holds the longest reign on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart (45 weeks and counting, as of the July 15 chart).

On the Hot 100, it peaked at No. 3. In July, Burna Boy became the first Nigerian artist to headline a U.S. stadium with his stint at New York’s Citi Field as a part of his Love, Damini tour.

The new best African music performance category seeks to honor “recordings that utilize unique local expressions from across the African continent, highlighting regional melodic, harmonic and rhythmic musical traditions.” The award will highlight subgenres including, but not limited to, Afrobeats, Afro-fusion, Afro-pop, alté, amapiano, genge, fuji, Ghanaian drill, Afro house, South African hip-hop and Ethio-jazz.

As the eligibility period draws to a close, keep an eye on these potential best African music performance nominees: “2:30” by Asake; “Sittin’ on Top of the World,” Burna Boy; “Charm,” Rema; “People,” Libianca; “Unavailable,” Davido & Musa Keys; “Soweto,” Victony; “Party No Dey Stop,” Adekunle Gold & Zinoleesky; “Reason,” Omah Lay; “Mnike,” Tyler ICU, Tumelo.za, DJ Maphorisa, Nandipha808, Ceeka RSA & Tyron Dee; and “Amapiano,” Asake & Olamide. —Kyle Denis

Best Pop Dance Recording

The Recording Academy has long attempted to cram dance and electronic music’s disparate styles into an all-encompassing pair of categories: best dance/electronic recording and best dance/electronic album. The collision of house, EDM, intelligent dance music and other subgenres has made for strange nominee bedfellows over the years — like in 2022, when Tiësto’s pop-centric crossover smash, “The Business,” competed against the delicately experimental “Loom” from Icelandic composer Ólafur Arnalds featuring Bonobo.

But nowhere has the Grammys’ dance/electronic culture war been so acute as with pop dance (or “dance pop,” as it’s more commonly called), the style that rides the line between the two genres with big melodies, center-of-attention vocals and traditional pop structures. In 2005, Britney Spears’ “Toxic” triumphed over songs like The Chemical Brothers’ “Get Yourself High” for best dance recording. While the categories started shying away from pop stars amid the EDM boom of the 2010s, the pop structures inherent to EDM presented their own challenges.

The dance screening committee, which employs a panel of experts to review submissions to the two dance categories that may be better suited elsewhere, historically struggled with where to place dance pop songs. A source on this committee says it was always hard to classify songs with, for example, a house beat but otherwise fully pop production. Which is why the Grammys have taken an overdue step in their acknowledgment of the music’s wide appeal with its addition of best pop dance recording. The change also earns the genre at large a greater Grammys presence with the addition of five more nominees.

The pop dance category would neatly fit a few early front-runners, including Illenium and the output from his self-titled rock/EDM hybrid album and Jessie Ware’s disco-infused set, That! Feels Good! The category will also likely be the new home for major pop stars making dance-centric songs, with Kylie Minogue’s thumping “Padam Padam” a contender for 2024. While the dance genre is dizzyingly eclectic, the addition of pop dance is one thing everyone can agree on. —Katie Bain

This story will appear in the July 15, 2023, issue of Billboard.

14 Jul 2023

Taylor, Beyoncé & Beyond: Who Could Challenge Elton John’s Boxscore Record?

Now that the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour has ended, a slew of competitors is racing up the road to $940 million.

Chris Martin, Coldplay, Elton John, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, BTS

Clockwise from left: Chris Martin of Coldplay, Elton John, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift & BTS.

Ole Jensen/Getty Images; Leon Neal/Getty Images; Kevin Mazur/WireImage; John Shearer/TAS23/Getty Images; Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Elton John played the last of 330 shows on the Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour last Saturday night (July 8) in Stockholm. In doing so, he further extended his record for the highest grossing tour of all time, closing out at $939.1 million.

John secured the record earlier this year, bypassing Ed Sheeran’s The Divide Tour and U2’s U2 360 Tour. With one last leg of almost 50 arena shows in Europe, he’s now $150 million ahead of those two tours, with almost another $150 million separating them from the rest of the all-time leaderboard.

That sounds like a secure lead for Sir Elton, but even his old competitors can’t be counted out. Sheeran is on the road again with The Mathematics Tour. It launched last year and continues throughout the summer in stadiums.

In fact, there are a number of artists eyeing John’s record. The inner circle of stadium acts is constantly expanding as more contemporary artists seek to maximize their touring business. Tours are seemingly getting longer, with Sheeran himself releasing another new album mid-tour. In addition, ticket prices, particularly in arenas and stadiums in North America, are surging thanks to platinum and dynamic ticketing, plus primary market re-sale.

All of that is combining to create an era in the concert business that allows for eye-popping Boxscore reports across genres and generations. John proved patience is key, touring arenas and stadiums for almost five years (including during the COVID-19 blackout) to reach $900m-plus heights. On that note, we look to the second half of 2023, and further into 2024, and 2025 as we speculate on future contenders for the crown.

Scroll through some of the most likely challengers to see how the all-time Boxscore top 10 could shift in the months and years to come.

14 Jul 2023

Executive Turntable: New President of Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame; Sony Music Hires Middle East MD

Marti Cuevas is the new president of the The Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame (LSHOF), Billboard can exclusively announce. Additionally, the organization said Mauricio Abaroa will serve as the chairman of the newly-established ‘Latin Angels’ La Musa Capital Funding Committee. The company’s former president, Delia Orjuela, will continue in her role of president emeritus. According to the LSHOF, the new additions and re-alignment “reflect the expansion of responsibilities commensurate with the continuing growth of the Latin Songwriters Hall Of Fame in membership, activities and stature.” The LSHOF’s main event each year is the La Musa Awards, which honors the world’s greatest Latin music creators and their memorable songs.

“[Marti and Mauricio] will help us continue to build and expand the world’s first organization that truly honors and celebrates the lives and music of Latin music’s greatest songwriters and composers,” added Rudy Pérez chairman and CEO of LSHOF — which he co-founded in 2012 with Desmond Child. –Griselda Flores

Rami Mohsen was appointed managing director of Sony Music Middle East, where he’ll drive the label’s overall strategy and operations across the fast-growing market. Mohsen arrives at Sony following a brief stint as Spotify’s head of music for the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia — but for the bulk of the last 20 years he worked his way up to oversee operations at Cairo-based Nogoum FM, the first private radio station in Egypt and one of the largest in the Middle East. In a statement, Sony executive Shridhar Subramaniam said “Rami is well-positioned to take [SMME] to new heights,” and the company has good reason to be optimistic. A surge in recorded music revenues in the MENA market made it last year’s fastest growing region, rising by almost 24% and driven almost entirely — a 95.5% chunk — by streaming, reports the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).

Primary Wave Music promoted veteran creative specialist Marty Silverstone to president of global sync. Based out of their new Beachwood Canyon office in Los Angeles, Silverstone will continue to oversee a crack synch licensing department responsible for placing a number of roster songs across TV (Stranger Things, Ted Lasso), film (Elvis and The Fabelmans) and this thing called the Super Bowl (nine commercials in the three years, the company says). Silverstone is 13 years into his PWM tenure — having joined senior creative director before stepping up to svp/head of sync in 2014. Prior to Primary Wave, Marty was head of creative licensing at independent publisher North Star Media. “[Marty’s] vision for how our catalog of music can be reimagined has no bounds,” commented founder and CEO Larry Mestel. “He and his team have brought new life to our iconic and classic songs helping to usher them into the modern era.”

Veteran artist manager Christian Stavros just revived Little Operation, the Los Angeles-based agency he originally founded in 2010, bringing with him an artist roster headlined by Angel Olsen, Devendra Banhart, Best Coast, Morgan Nagler and King Tuff. Stavros’ right hand is McKenzie Rice, who’ll handle day-to-day operations while also managing Little Op client Jack Van Cleaf. The two managers previously worked together at Other Operation, the creative house Stavros co-built and launched in 2021. You can reach Stavros and Rice at info@littleoperation.com.

Other Operation’s other co-founder, Heather Kolker, announced the formation of her management company this week as well. At Dreamshop Management, she’ll continue to represent Icelandic indie folk rockers Of Monsters and Men, queer indie-pop band MUNA, and the solo projects of OMaM singer-guitarist Nanna and MUNA member Naomi MacPherson. Joining Kolker as day-to-day manager at Dreamshop is Megan Manowitz, who previously worked in booking and tour management at Ground Control Touring and most recently project managed at Mondo Mondo, a luxe brand. Kolker can be reached at heather@dreamshopmgmt.com.

ICYMI: A flurry of senior executives and staff members have left posts at Hipgnosis Song Management in recent months … The board of directors at Gibson Brands confirmed Cesar Gueikian as president and CEO.

Sony Music Nashville named Fred Rubenstein as vp of digital marketing, to be responsible for overseeing the digital marketing team and leading the strategy, execution and implementation of social media and digital marketing campaigns across the Sony Nashville roster. Rubenstein will also focus on new partner/platform opportunities to advance digital discovery, enhance artists’ brands and drive consumption. Rubenstein was most recently senior. manager of creator acquisitions & development for Amazon’s live streaming service Twitch. Prior to his role at Twitch, Rubenstein was a member of digital marketing teams at Elektra Music Group and Roadrunner Records. –Jessica Nicholson

Kobalt Music appointed Teresa Romo as senior creative director for Latin America, responsible for overseeing the independent music services company’s expansion in Mexico. She’ll remain based in Los Angeles and report to Nestor Casonu, president of Latin America, who remarked the “market is in need of someone that not only has a deep understanding of the genre but also the vibrant and fascinating Mexican culture.” Prior to joining Kobalt, Romo served as Latin head of creative for BMI, where she signed and developed a songwriter roster including Edgar Barrera, Ana Barbara, Geovani Cabrera, Kuinvi, Alemán and Carla Morrison. Earlier in her career, Romo held senior publicity and communications roles at The Recording Academy, NBCUniversal, Universal Music Latin Entertainment and Warner Music.

UTA promoted Brandi Brammer to senior vice president of global music operations, an upgrade from her previous role as vp of people and business partnerships at the mega-agency. She’ll continue to be based out of Nashville. In her new role, Brammer will lead the day-to-day operational work of UTA Music, spanning human resources, legal and business affairs, finance, facilities and technology initiatives. Before joining UTA in 2021, Brammer served as vp of human resources at WME, leading HR for the agency’s music division.

Music and culture agency Premier Music Group promoted Winslow Bright and Aaron Mercer to co-president roles in charge of its music supervision and strategy teams across advertising, film, TV, and podcasts. They’ll both report to CEO Josh Deutsch and creative director Randall Poster. Bright joined PMG in 2020 from Search Party, the music supervision company acquired by Deutsch, and Mercer arrived in 2019 after Premier snatched up Wool & Tusk. Premiere also elevated longtime music supervisor — and former Search Party-er — Meghan Currier to executive producer. “Each of them brings a new perspective to the work we do,” commented Deutsch.

The Academy of Country Music announced a round of new hires and promotions. Kris Reyes has been hired as director, finance and operations; Kortney Toney has been hired as manager, programming & community engagement; Libby Gardner has been promoted to senior manager, content & editorial; Jesse Knutson has been promoted to senior manager, publicity & media relations; Haley Montgomery has been promoted to senior manager, awards & membership; Taylor Wolf has been promoted to senior manager, ACM Lifting Lives; and Alexis Bingham has been promoted to coordinator, events. Reyes has previous experience in operations accounting at TravelCenters of America. Toney previously worked at Opry Entertainment Group and Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Knutson is a multiple Emmy winner, having served as a TV reporter in Nashville, Seattle and Harrisburg, PA, and as a producer at Los Angeles’ KNBC. Montgomery joined the Academy in 2020 as manager of awards & membership after holding a variety of multi-discipline roles across the industry. –JN

Women in Music, a nonprofit founded in 1985 that works to empower and advance women in the music industry, recently welcomed new ambassadors and advisory board members. This year’s ambassadors include: rapper Rapsody, CD Baby executive Faryal Khan-Thompson, veteran booking agent Amy Davidman, Atlanta agency owner Dina Marto, and REBEL vp Adriana Arce. WIM 2023 advisory board is: Lauren Apolito, Nikisha Bailey, Erin Barra, Cindy Charles, Liz Cimarelli, Alex Flores, Maureen Ford, Ali Harnell, Ariel Hyatt, Lauren Iossa, Sari Kohen, Bea Koramblyum, Linda Lorence-Critelli, Molly Neuman, Mayna Nevarez, Jennifer Newman Sharpe, Jessica Sobhraj, and Monika Tashman.

Former TikTok creative licensing executive Rich Sica and commercial music industry veterans Jack Bradley and Aleena Bissett have teamed up to launch Juice, a new music company focused on “speed and the ear-worm ethos” to produce short-form social and other online content for brands and creators. Sica, Juice’s advising creative director, oversaw creative music licensing across North America and LATAM during his two-plus years at TikTok. Managing director Bradley and head of production Bissett arrive from commercial music shop HiFi Project, which they’ll continue to run.

Cade Price was promoted to general manager at Play It Again Entertainment, the label and management company founded by singer-songwriter Dallas Davidson. In his new role, Price will oversee daily operations of PIAE and its roster of artists, including rising singer Dylan Marlowe, whom Price manages. The Missouri native, who is now based in Nashville, joined Play It Again five years ago and has worn many hats across publishing, marketing and A&R. “Cade Price thinks outside of the box,” said Davidson. “I love that about him. Just look at what he did with Dylan Marlowe. He took his talent and the music Dylan was making and made sure that millions of people got to hear it.”

PR firm Shore Fire Media promoted Taylor Perry to senior account executive. The Brooklyn-based publicist joined Shore Fire in 2020 as a publicity assistant and since then was upped to account executive, leading campaigns for Samara Joy, Jewel, Rhino Records and other clients.

Blue Raincoat Artists has hired veteran artist manager Amy Frenchum, who brings along her clients Ezra Collective and Yazmin Lacey to the London-based agency. BRA is the artist management arm of Blue Raincoat Music, a Reservoir company, and has a roster including Arlo Parks, The Nova Twins, Skunk Anansie, The Mysterines, Cigarettes After Sex and Phoebe Bridgers.

Nashville Bites: Ruth Todd was appointed Bonneville executive vp/chief content officer. A former TV news anchor, she was most recently senior vp/chief reputation officer for beauty and wellness company Nu Skin. Bonneville’s country stations include KNCI Sacramento, Calif., and KYGO Denver… The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp. established a Music City Host Committee to assist in booking events and raise funds for the city’s newly approved stadium. Eric Church is the lone artist on the 16-member panel, chaired by former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. –Tom Roland

14 Jul 2023

Demi Lovato Prepping ‘Revamped’ Album With Rock Versions of Her Hits

Demi Lovato is ready to rock. On the heels of releasing a rocking version of her 2017 hit “Sorry Not Sorry” featuring Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash on Friday (July 14), the singer also announced that she’s prepping an entire album featuring amped-up versions of some of her biggest hits.

REVAMPED is slated for release on Sept. 15 and it will feature the reimagined guitar-heavy versions of “Sorry,” as well as the previously released “Heart Attack (Rock Version)” and “Cool For the Summer (Rock Version).” The news was accompanied by a grungy 40-second video cued to the new “Sorry,” as well as the near-metal “Summer” revamp and the relentless version of “Heart Attack.”

In a message accompanying the teaser, Lovato wrote, “Breathing new life into the songs that played such a huge role in my career has allowed me to feel so much closer to my music than ever before. I can’t wait for you to hear REVAMPED.” At press time Lovato had not revealed the full track listing for the 10-song album, which a release promised would feature all new vocals and production on tracks that find Demi reimagining her “career-defining songs with a fresh perspective that reflects her current artistic vision.”

She also weighed in on teaming up with legendary GNR guitarists Slash on “Sorry,” which was originally released six years ago as the lead single from Demi’s sixth studio album, Tell Me You Love Me. “Slash is an iconic artist who I’ve been a fan of for years, it’s an absolute honor to have such a legend like him on the rock version of ‘Sorry not Sorry,’” she said in a statement.

“With REVAMPED, I wanted to pay homage to the songs that resonated the most with fans and played a big role in my career by breathing an exciting new life into them. Creating this project has been incredibly fun and allowed me to express my passion for rock music in a new way, and I feel so much closer to my older music because of it. I can’t wait for everyone to hear more!”

The singer began performing the rocked-up versions of her songs featured on REVAMPED on her 2022 tour in support of the HOLY FVCK album. That collection marked a return to Demi’s rock and pop-punk beginnings thanks to assists from Yungblud, Royal & the Serpent and Dead Sara; the tour also featured an all-female band led by acclaimed rock guitarist Nita Strauss (Alice Cooper).

Watch the REVAMPED video teaser below.

14 Jul 2023

Grammys 2024 Big Four Predictions: Who Could Score a Nomination?

When the nominations for the 66th annual Grammy Awards are announced Nov. 10, Taylor Swift and SZA are each likely to receive nods for album, record and song of the year. It will be a bit harder to crack the Big Four categories than it was the last two years: The Recording Academy is cutting the number of nominees in each of those categories from a bloated 10 to eight, which was the magic number from 2018 to 2020. (Before that, it was generally five.)

And this year’s eligibility period closes two weeks earlier than usual, running from Oct. 1, 2022, through Sept. 15, 2023. Following are Billboard’s best bets for who will be in contention.

In a welcome change, the academy reinstituted a baseline of involvement needed to receive a nomination in this category. Credited and featured artists, songwriters, producers, engineers, mixers and mastering engineers must have worked on at least 20% of an album’s playing time to receive a nod. This is up from no baseline the last two years, when the academy handed out nominations in this category like they were Halloween candy.

Boygenius, The Record

The trio, consisting of Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus, co-produced its long-awaited debut album with Catherine Marks. Previous “supergroup” collaborations to be nominated in this category include Crosby, Stills & Nash; the all-star Trio consisting of Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris; Traveling Wilburys; and The Three Tenors. Billboard 200 peak: No. 4.

Drake & 21 Savage, Her Loss

This year’s 50th anniversary of hip-hop has received yearlong coverage, which boosts the already good chance that at least one rap album will make the finals. Her Loss was up for album of the year at the BET Awards in June. This would be the third album of the year nomination as a lead or co-lead artist for Drake (following Views and Scorpion) and the first for 21 Savage. Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (one week).

Lana Del Rey, Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd

Del Rey’s ninth studio album could yield her second nod in this category, following Norman F–king Rockwell! four years ago. Del Rey co-produced the album with Jack Antonoff, Benji, Zach Dawes, Drew Erickson and Mike Hermosa. Billboard 200 peak: No. 3.

Foo Fighters, But Here We Are

One of the Grammys’ favorite bands collaborated with one of the Grammys’ favorite producers, Greg Kurstin, a two-time winner for producer of the year, non-classical. The Foo Fighters’ 11th studio album — their first since the death of drummer Taylor Hawkins in March 2022 — could yield their third nod in this category. Billboard 200 peak: No. 8.

Olivia Rodrigo, Guts

Rodrigo’s upcoming second album could very well follow her debut, Sour, to an album of the year nod. It was produced by Dan Nigro, who also did the honors on Sour. This would be the second time Rodrigo has been nominated alongside one of her idols, Taylor Swift, in this category. Sour competed with Swift’s evermore two years ago.

SZA, SOS

This tied for album of the year at the BET Awards with Beyoncé’s Renaissance (a Grammy nominee in this category last year). SZA’s second studio album had multiple producers, including Babyface, Jeff Bhasker, Benny Blanco and Shellback. Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (10 weeks).

Taylor Swift, Midnights

This would be Swift’s sixth nomination in this category, which would put her in a tie with Barbra Streisand for the most nods by a woman in Grammy history. Swift co-produced Midnights with Jack Antonoff, Sounwave, Jahaan Sweet and Keanu. She could make history when the Grammys are presented Feb. 4, 2024, becoming the first person to win album of the year four times. She’s currently tied with Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon with three wins each. Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (six weeks).

Morgan Wallen, One Thing at a Time

This would be the first country album to be nominated in this category since Kacey Musgraves’ Golden Hour five years ago (which won) and the first by a male country artist since Chris Stapleton’s Traveller eight years ago. Joey Moi, Cameron Montgomery, Charlie Handsome and Jacob Durrett co-produced the collection, which is Wallen’s third studio album. Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (15 weeks — longer than any other album since Adele’s 2011 release, 21).

Within Reach: Luke Combs, Gettin’ Old; Miley Cyrus, Endless Summer Vacation; Jelly Roll, Whitsitt Chapel; Noah Kahan, Stick Season; Karol G, Mañana Será Bonito; Lil Baby, It’s Only Me; Metro Boomin, Heroes & Villains; Janelle Monáe, The Age of Pleasure; Paramore, This Is Why; Ed Sheeran, – (Subtract); Sam Smith, Gloria; Tanya Tucker, Sweet Western Sound; Lainey Wilson, Bell Bottom Country

Sound, Big Four, Grammy First Look, Luke Combs, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, Rihanna

Clockwise: Luke Combs, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift and Rihanna.

Illustration by Andrei Cojocaru. Jeremy Cowart; Brianna Capozzi; Christopher Polk for PMC; Ezra Shaw/Getty Images.

Swift is still looking for her first win in this category, as are past contenders such as SZA and Rihanna. “Calm Down” by Rema & Selena Gomez, which would have been a strong contender, was released before the start of the eligibility year. Rema’s solo recording of the song was entered, but not nominated, for best global music performance last year.

Miley Cyrus, “Flowers”

Cyrus’ father, Billy Ray Cyrus, has received two record of the year nods — for “Achy Breaky Heart” and “Old Town Road,” his collaboration with Lil Nas X. The Cyruses would become just the third parent and child to each receive record of the year nods, following the Sinatras (Frank and Nancy) and the Coles (Nat “King” and Natalie). Billboard Hot 100 peak: No. 1 (eight weeks).

Luke Combs, “Fast Car”

Tracy Chapman’s original version of this song was a 1988 record of the year nominee. This would become only the second song in Grammy history to be the basis of two singles that received record of the year nods. The first was “Mack the Knife.” (Bobby Darin’s recording was the 1959 winner, while Ella Fitzgerald’s was a 1960 nominee.) Hot 100 peak: No. 2 (so far).

Lil Durk & J. Cole, “All My Life”

The melodic chorus on this hip-hop smash gives it broad-based appeal. This would be the first collaboration by two rappers to receive a nod in this category since DaBaby’s “Rockstar” (featuring Roddy Ricch) three years ago. J. Cole finally won his first Grammy (after amassing 12 nominations) four years ago for “A Lot.” Lil Durk is still looking for his first win. Hot 100 peak: No. 2.

PinkPantheress & Ice Spice, “Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2”

This is vying to become the third collaboration by two women in the past four years to land a nod in this category. Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage” (featuring Beyoncé) was nominated three years ago, and Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More” (featuring SZA) was a contender two years ago. Hot 100 peak: No. 3.

Rihanna, “Lift Me Up”

This soulful ballad from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever arrived at the start of the eligibility year. This would be Rihanna’s fourth record of the year nominee, and her first on her own. She was previously nominated for collaborations with Jay-Z (“Umbrella”), Eminem (“Love the Way You Lie”) and Drake (“Work”). Hot 100 peak: No. 2.

SZA, “Kill Bill”

This would be SZA’s third record of the year nominee, and her first on her own. She was previously nominated for collaborations with Kendrick Lamar (“All the Stars”) and Doja Cat (“Kiss Me More”). Hot 100 peak: No. 1 (one week).

Taylor Swift, “Anti-Hero”

This would be Swift’s fifth nod in this category. She was previously nominated for “You Belong With Me,” “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space.” Swift would be the first artist whose first five nominations in this category were for solo recordings (and not collaborations or group/duo recordings) since Frank Sinatra in the ’50s and ’60s. Hot 100 peak: No. 1 (eight weeks).

Morgan Wallen, “Last Night”

This single and/or Combs’ “Fast Car” would be the first country single (going by Grammy performance category placements) to receive a record of the year nod since Lady A’s “Need You Now” 13 years ago (which won). Taylor Swift’s subsequent “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” topped Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, but vied for a performance nod in the pop field at the Grammys. Hot 100 peak: No. 1 (13 weeks).

Within Reach: Zach Bryan featuring Maggie Rogers, “Dawns”; Lana Del Rey, “A&W”; Jelly Roll, “Need a Favor”; Labrinth, “Never Felt So Alone”; Coi Leray, “Players”; Lil Uzi Vert, “Just Wanna Rock”; Dua Lipa, “Dance the Night”; Janelle Monáe, “Lipstick Lover”; Paramore, “This Is Why”; P!nk, “Trustfall”; Olivia Rodrigo, “Vampire”; Ed Sheeran, “Eyes Closed”; Toosii, “Favorite Song”; Tanya Tucker & Brandi Carlile, “Ready As I’ll Never Be”

Sound, Big Four, Grammy First Look, Tanya Tucker, Brandi Carlile, Jelly Roll, Lil Durk

From left: Tanya Tucker & Brandi Carlile, Jelly Roll & Lil Durk.

Illustration by Andrei Cojocaru. Gary Miller/WireImage; Chum Daddy; Katie Jones for WWD.

Last year, six of the 10 record of the year nominees were also nominated for this songwriter’s award. This year, five out of eight could double up. Luke Combs’ “Fast Car” won’t be eligible because it was already well-known. Tracy Chapman was nominated in this category in 1988 for writing it.

“A&W”
Songwriters: Lana Del Rey, Jack Antonoff, Sam Dew

Del Rey and Antonoff were nominated in this category four years ago for co-writing “Norman F–king Rockwell.” He won this honor 11 years ago for co-writing fun.’s “We Are Young” (featuring Janelle Monáe). This would be Dew’s first nomination in the category.

“All My Life”
Songwriters: Lil Durk, J. Cole, Dr. Luke, Rocco Did It Again!, Ryan OG, LunchMoney Lewis, Theron “Uptown AP” Thomas

This would be Dr. Luke’s third nomination in this category following nods for Katy Perry’s “Roar” and the Doja Cat-SZA collaboration “Kiss Me More.”

“Anti-Hero”
Songwriters: Taylor Swift, Jack Antonoff

“Anti-Hero” could give Swift a record seventh nomination for song of the year, which would surpass Paul McCartney and Lionel Richie for the most nods in the history of the category. Surprisingly, this would be the first Swift-Antonoff collaboration to be nominated for this award.

“Flowers”
Songwriters: Miley Cyrus, Gregory “Aldae” Hein, Michael Pollack

This would be the first nod in this category for all three co-writers. The song is a modern twist on such hits as “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers,” a nominee in this category 45 years ago, and Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man,” a nominee for best pop solo performance 10 years ago.

“Kill Bill”
Songwriters: SZA, Carter Lang, Rob Bisel

This would be SZA’s third nod in this category; she was among the co-writers of “All the Stars” and “Kiss Me More.” Lang was also nominated in this category for co-writing the latter. Bisel was nominated for record of the year as an engineer-mixer on the irresistible pop smash.

“Lift Me Up”
Songwriters: Ludwig Göransson, Rihanna, Tems, Ryan Coogler

This would be the first nomination in this category for Rihanna, Tems and director Coogler. Göransson won this award five years ago for co-writing Childish Gambino’s “This Is America.” “Lift Me Up” would be the first Academy Award nominee for best original song to also be nominated for the top songwriting Grammy since “Fight for You” from Judas and the Black Messiah two years ago.

“Need a Favor”
Songwriters: Jelly Roll, Rob Ragosta, Joe Ragosta, Austin Nivarel

This song, released as the lead single from Jelly Roll’s breakthrough album, Whitsitt Chapel, has a refreshingly honest and affecting chorus, which begins: “I only talk to God when I need a favor/And I only pray when I ain’t got a prayer.”

“Ready As I’ll Never Be”
Songwriters: Brandi Carlile, Tanya Tucker

This would be Carlile’s fifth nomination in this category and Tucker’s second. They previously collaborated on “Bring My Flowers Now,” a nominee here two years ago. “Ready As I’ll Never Be,” which was featured in the 2022 documentary The Return of Tanya Tucker, could also receive a nod for best song written for visual media.

Within Reach: “Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2,” PinkPantheress & Ice Spice; “Dance the Night,” Dua Lipa; “Dawns,” Zach Bryan featuring Maggie Rogers; “Eyes Closed,” Ed Sheeran; “Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old,” Luke Combs; “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen; “Lipstick Lover,” Janelle Monáe; “Never Felt So Alone,” Labrinth; “Players,” Coi Leray; “Thank God,” Kane Brown & Kaitlyn Brown; “This Is Why,” Paramore; “Trustfall,” P!nk; “Vampire,” Olivia Rodrigo

Sound, Big Four, Grammy First Look, Gracie Abrams, Ice Spice, Peso Pluma, PinkPantheress

Clockwise: Gracie Abrams, Ice Spice, Peso Pluma and PinkPantheress.

Illustration by Andrei Cojocaru. Mark Horton/Getty Images; Mike Coppola/Getty Images; Jerry Budar; Mia Teresa.

Though The Record is boygenius’ first album, the trio won’t be eligible here because one of its members, Phoebe Bridgers, is a previous Grammy nominee. She received four nods, including best new artist, three years ago.

Zach Bryan and GloRilla probably won’t be eligible because they were nominated in performance categories last year. The Grammy rulebook makes an exception for such artists, provided they hadn’t at the time of those nominations released enough material to be “eligible in this category for the first time.” Bryan and GloRilla were both eligible and entered for best new artist last year.

The Grammy screening committee will have the final say on whether Coi Leray and Jelly Roll are eligible. Neither has been nominated before, but both have been around awhile. Leray was nominated for best new artist at the BET Awards two years ago, and Jelly Roll has been releasing records since 2011.

Gracie Abrams

Aaron Dessner and Matias Tellez co-produced the singer-songwriter’s first studio album, Good Riddance. Abrams has served as an opening act on Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour tour and Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour. Fun fact: Abrams’ father, J.J. Abrams, won two Primetime Emmy Awards as executive producer/director of Lost.

Ice Spice

The rapper, born Isis Naija Gaston, has landed four top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2023 thanks to collaborations with PinkPantheress (“Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2”) and past best new artist nominees Taylor Swift (“Karma”) and Nicki Minaj (“Princess Diana,” “Barbie World”). Ice Spice was nominated for best new artist at the 2023 BET Awards.

Jelly Roll

The rapper turned country artist had a star-making night in April at the CMT Music Awards, where he performed “Need a Favor” and won three trophies. Jelly Roll, born Jason Bradley DeFord, will turn 39 in December, which would make him the oldest individual nominee in this category since Andrea Bocelli, who was 40 when he was nominated 25 years ago.

Coco Jones

Jones won best new artist at the BET Awards, beating GloRilla and Ice Spice. The former child star was featured on Radio Disney’s The Next Big Thing in 2010-11 and starred in the Disney Channel film Let It Shine in 2012. Her breakthrough track, “ICU,” reached No. 63 on the Hot 100 in May. Jones was also featured on a track on Babyface’s 2022 album, Girls Night Out.

Noah Kahan

The singer-songwriter’s third album, Stick Season, vaulted to No. 3 on the Billboard 200 following the release of an expanded edition in June. It will probably be nominated for best Americana album or best folk album.

PinkPantheress

The British singer-songwriter was nominated for the rising star award at the Ivor Novello Awards in 2022. She won the BBC’s Sound of 2022 poll and has been nominated for three NME Awards. “Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2” reached No. 3 on the Hot 100.

Peso Pluma

The Mexican singer-songwriter-rapper born Hassan Emilio Kabande Laija is vying to become the third Latin artist to be nominated in this category in the past five years, following Rosalía and Anitta. Génesis, his third studio album, entered the Billboard 200 at No. 3, becoming the highest-charting regional Mexican album to date.

Bailey Zimmerman

The singer-songwriter’s first studio album, Religiously. The Album, reached No. 7 on the Billboard 200. Zimmerman was nominated for new male artist of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards in May.

Within Reach: Lola Brooke, Doechii, Fifty Fifty, FLO, HARDY, JVKE, Kelela, RAYE, Rema, Toosii, The War and Treaty, Hailey Whitters

This story will appear in the July 15, 2023, issue of Billboard.

14 Jul 2023

Jay-Z’s New Exhibition ‘The Book of Hov’ Set to Light up Brooklyn & the Hearts of Hip-Hop Fans

On Thursday night (July 13), Jay-Z watched another one of his manifestations come to life when the Brooklyn Public Library unveiled an honorary exhibition for the billionaire polymath. 

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Aptly titled “The Book of HOV” — based on his song lyric in DJ Khaled’s 2022 Grammy-nominated anthem “God Did” — the exhibition includes “archived objects, including original recording masters, never-before-seen photos, iconic stagewear, prestigious awards, and recognitions, as well as videos and artifacts from every facet of Jay-Z’s professional life.”

“Brooklyn Public Library, including the Center for Brooklyn History, is home to the most expansive collection of Brooklyn history in the world, and Jay-Z is an important part of the borough’s story,” the CEO of the Brooklyn Public Library Linda Johnson told Billboard. “We are proud to celebrate his mastery of music, poetry, the written word, and the oral tradition, and we hope the exhibit will inspire visitors to bet on themselves and pursue their own dreams, musical or otherwise.”

A throng of supporters huddled behind the barricades and watched the 37-year-old library become a playground for the hometown kid who used to throw paper planes from his Marcy Projects window. Song lyrics ranging from Jay-Z’s “Sweet” to “Encore” grace the building’s exterior like an open-paged book. At the same time, a live band serenaded the attendees with a medley of Jay-Z classics, including “Roc Boys,” “Allure,” “Can’t Knock the Hustle,” and “Where I’m From.” 

“The design of the exterior plays with the building facade, which was built to symbolize an open book while paying homage to Jay’s words,” The Book of HOV co-creative director Ken Tokunaga told Billboard. There’s also a blue LED cube outside the library that plays the content of Jay’s career to greet people on their way inside the building. “The classical type contrasts with the contemporary aesthetic of the LED cube that sits at the promenade center. We always aimed for this tension between classic and modernity,” added Book of HOV co-creative director Ian Schatzberg. 

Jay-Z and Beyoncé attended the prestigious honor and used the celebration as a much-needed break from the singer’s Renaissance Tour as she looks to head back on the road this Saturday (July 15). Jay-Z’s superstar friends, including DJ Khaled, Babyface, Fat Joe, and Steve Stoute, also stopped by to enjoy the festivities and relish the feats of the Brooklyn icon. 

Inside the 40,000-square-foot exhibition, artifacts dating back to Jay’s 1996 introduction make up the iconic showing. Spanning eight sections, rooms such as “Hov Did That” contain his 2008 Glastonbury Festival guitar, a 2009 hand-written letter from the daughter of Frank Sinatra, and his 2021 Rock and Roll of Fame Award. In addition, “Baseline Studios” is a re-imagination of where Hov recorded some of his most famed works, such as 2000’s The Dynasty: Roc La Familia, 2001’s The Blueprint, and 2003’s The Black Album. One more notable section inside the exhibit is titled “Business, Man,” as it highlights his most significant wins on the business front, mainly the birth of his clothing brand Rocawear, his management company Roc Nation, and his streaming company, TIDAL.

The exhibition will be free for the public beginning Friday (July 14), and no library cards are needed to get inside. There will be 13 limited-edition library cards that fans can collect, as each one features the cover of Jay-Z’s solo albums dating back to 1996’s Reasonable Doubt. Those who don’t live in New York can also experience the exhibition online, as famed radio host Angie Martinez narrates the story behind each of the eight sections.

“It’s not every day that an exhibit of this scope is housed in a public, actively used space. Typically, visitors would have to pay museum fees to access this type of immersive experience, and we’re thrilled to make it available free of charge to every New Yorker, from every walk of life, as part of their visit to our Central Library,” explained Johnson.

She added: “The exhibit is a labor of love by Roc Nation and was created by people who have worked closely with JAY-Z and know him best. It was important to all of us that The Book of HOV be an enhanced library experience in which the public is able to attend programming, spend time browsing our collections, and check-out books and vinyl records, all while learning about this Brooklyn-born icon’s extraordinary and inspiring contributions.”

Central Library Building, Brooklyn Public Library

A view of the Central Library Building of the Brooklyn Public Library in Grand Army Plaza as it’s being covered with lyrics by artist Jay-Z in celebration of 50 years of Hip-Hop on July 10, 2023 in New York City.

Roy Rochlin/Getty Images