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L.A. Live’s Microsoft Theater Renamed Peacock Theater

L.A. Live’s 7,100-seat venue will no longer be called the Microsoft Theater, officially changing its name to Peacock Theater after NBCUniversal’s premium streaming service as part of a multi-year naming rights agreement with property owner AEG.

The entertainment district’s 40,000 square foot open-air plaza, formerly known as XBOX Plaza, will now be known as Peacock Place. The agreement, brokered by AEG Global Partnerships, establishes Peacock as the exclusive streaming partner of L.A. Live.

The name change comes a year and a half after anchor arena Staples Center changed its name to Crypto.com Arena in a landmark deal valued at $700 million over 20 years.

Kelly Campbell, president of Peacock at NBCUniversal, commented that the agreement brought “all the elements of our brand to life with the millions of fans who visit L.A. Live each year.” Nick Baker, chief operating officer of AEG Global Partnerships, noted the “content within the Peacock platform is ideal for our audiences and the synergies between both organizations around our variety of events is limitless.”

Lee Zeidman, president of Crypto.com Arena, Peacock Theater and L.A. Live, added, “We are looking forward to the opportunity to collaborate with Peacock to create new content and programming to complement our existing roster of amazing concerts, awards shows and special events we are known for at all of our iconic L.A. Live venues.”

With the comprehensive new agreement, Peacock will have an enhanced brand presence across L.A. Live, including significant interior and exterior signage at Peacock Theater, fixed signage at Peacock Place, a branded content studio and customized fan activations and brand integrations throughout select premium locations of the sports and entertainment district.

Peacock will also engage fans via signature digital signage elements, including a brand-new, dedicated LED marquee at the corner of Figueroa and Olympic Blvds., one of downtown L.A.’s busiest intersections. With this new signage, Peacock can highlight its latest content including key series premieres, promotions and special events taking place at L.A. Live over the course of the partnership. Once complete, the largest of the two new signs will measure more than 29 feet high and 56 feet wide. The second will stand at more than 29 feet high and 88 feet wide, providing Peacock with premium exposure to millions of people each year. The signs will connect at the corner, with one facing Figueroa and the other facing Olympic and will remain a permanent fixture at L.A. Live for the length of the partnership.

Confessions on Our Dance Lore: Four Decades of Madonna in Billboard’s Back Pages

Madonna had the music industry burning up so fast after she released her first single in 1982 that a short item about it in the Nov. 6 issue of Billboard introduced her as “a young New York duo.” (Forty-one years later, we’d like to offer an immaculate correction: Madonna is one person.) Since then, Billboard has lived to tell about the Queen of Pop’s 14 studio albums and 12 No. 1 Hot 100 hits. Now, as she prepares to embark on her career-spanning Celebration Tour, which starts July 15 in Vancouver, we’re sharing some confessions from our dance lore.

‘Borderline’ Praise

By the time Madonna’s 1983 debut album came out, Billboard had figured out she was a person — a “young blonde singer/songwriter whose music is in the R&B/dance mode,” to be specific — and offered qualified praise in the Aug. 27 issue. “The songs here are pretty standard dance tunes,” read a ‘Top Album Pick,’ “but Madonna has the pipes and presence to make them a bit special.”

Lucky Spar

Not all Billboard critics were hung up on the future Queen of Pop. A Nov. 24, 1984, review of the Like a Virgin album clucked that “her come-hither image and vivid video profile have made Madonna Ciccone a pop provocateur regardless of her musical gifts.” On the other many-braceleted hand, however, a May 18, 1985, review of The Virgin Tour in Los Angeles gave her props as a performer: “Those of us who figured that Madonna was strictly a studio creation and would fall apart onstage were in for a pleasant surprise.”

Like a Player

“Controversy becomes Madonna,” noted the April 22, 1989, Billboard, after Pepsi pulled a TV ad that featured her following “complaints by Christian groups upset by the use of religious imagery” in her “Like a Prayer” video. But “with Madonna pocketing big money for an ad that aired twice, she is widely perceived at having beaten Madison Avenue folk at their own game.” That game was up, however, by the time she unveiled her coffee-table book, Sex. “Madonna has been jolting the public so consistently for so long now,” said a piece in the Oct. 31, 1992, Billboard, “that we’ve become almost numb to the juice.

Ray of Might

Madonna returned to her club roots in 1998 with Ray of Light. And in a Feb. 28 dance column, Billboard reported on how she introduced “her latest hippie chick/Earth mama persona” at “New York’s brutally hip Roxy nightclub.” The album set a record for first-week sales by a woman. Interviewed about her follow-up, Music, Madonna admitted in the Aug. 5, 2000, Billboard that “I can’t lie; I care about whether or not this record sells a little or a lot.” She needn’t have worried — it outperformed Ray of Light.

Take a Bow

“I don’t ever think about my age until someone says something about it,” Madonna told Elizabeth Banks for a Dec. 10, 2016, cover story after Billboard named her Woman of the Year. “I feel that I have wisdom, experience, knowledge and a point of view that is important. Can a teenager relate to that? Probably not. But that’s OK.” Besides, “I think the most controversial thing I’ve ever done,” she said, when receiving the honor at a Manhattan event, “is to stick around.”

This story originally appeared in the June 10, 2023 issue.

Tim Bowman Jr., Faith City Music & Le’Andria Johnson’s ‘Jesus!’ Leads Gospel Airplay Chart

Tim Bowman Jr., Faith City Music and Le’Andria Johnson’s “Jesus!” ascends to No. 1 on Billboard’s Gospel Airplay chart (dated June 17). In the June 2-8 tracking week, the single increased by 13% in plays, according to Luminate.

“Jesus!” was co-authored by Bowman Jr., Johnson, Gerald Haddon and Tammi Haddon. Bowman Jr. co-produced it with Gerald Haddon and Pjay Edmund. The song is from Bowman Jr. and Faith City Music’s LP Welcome to Faith City, which arrived at its No. 4 peak on Top Gospel Albums last November.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled with the reception of my first single with Faith City Music and Le’Andria,” Bowman Jr. tells Billboard. “It was spawned from a teaching lesson from our pastor, Dr. Mike Freeman. We just took what we do every week at our local church and let the world in on it.”

Freeman is the lead pastor at the Spirit of Faith Christian Center in the Washington, D.C., metro.

“Jesus!” marks Bowman Jr.’s second Gospel Airplay leader, after “I’m Good” led for a week in February 2016. He boasts two other top 10s: “Fix Me,” which hit No. 6 in April 2017, and Vickie Winans’ “How I Get Over You,” on which he’s featured (No. 3, December 2009).

(Like father, like son: Bowman’s father previously hit the Gospel Airplay top 10, as “My Praise” reached No. 8 in 2005 for Tim Bowman, a noted jazz and gospel artist.)

“Jesus!” is Faith City Music’s first Gospel Airplay No. 1, in its first appearance on the chart, and Johnson’s fourth leader, all earned in featured roles.

President Biden Targets Junk Fees With Executives from Live Nation, SeatGeek and Airbnb

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is hosting executives from Live Nation, Airbnb and other companies at the White House on Thursday to highlight his administration’s push to end so-called junk fees that surprise consumers.

Biden prioritized the effort to combat surprise or undisclosed fees in his State of the Union address and has called for legislation, regulation and private sector action to end them. Biden, at Thursday’s event, was set to announce actions by companies that have eliminated or plan to eliminate those surprise fees.

The consumer advocacy push is part of the Democratic president’s pitch to voters ahead of his 2024 reelection bid that government can help improve their lives in big and small ways.

At the White House, Live Nation, which is based in Beverly Hills, California, is announcing that it will provide customers with upfront all-in pricing for its owned venues by September and that Ticketmaster will give consumers the option to view all-in pricing up front for other venues on the live-entertainment tickets platform. SeatGeek, based in New York, will also unveil features to make it easier to browse for tickets with the true cost displayed.

Airbnb, based in San Francisco, rolled out its all-in pricing tool in December, after Biden first called on companies to stop hiding fees.

“President Biden has been working to lower costs for hardworking families by bringing down inflation, capping insulin prices for seniors, and eliminating hidden junk fees,” National Economic Council director Lael Brainard said in a statement. “More companies are heeding the President’s call so that Americans know what they’re paying for up front and can save money as a result.”

Jeezy To Release His First Book ‘Adversity For Sale: Ya Gotta Believe’

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Jeezy

Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz

Jeezy is about to boss up once again. He is releasing his first book this summer.

As spotted on HipHopDX the Atlanta trapper turned rapper is taking writing skills to the next level. This week he announced his first published literary work Adversity For Sale: Ya Gotta Believe. The “Soul Survivor” rapper took his Instagram account to share the news. “This is for all my day ones and everybody that’s been down with me since the beginning. This is the greatest story never told” he wrote. “In this motivational memoir, I use parts of my life story, every step, every mishap, every up and down that I’ve gone through to get to this point in my life to motivate the hustlers, entrepreneurs, and believers.”

The formal press release adds more details regarding Da Snowman’s purpose of the book. “Jeezy will use parts of his story to illustrate some rules and principles he’s used to get him through his darkest days and kept him going, even when it felt impossible to go any further and the odds stacked against him felt insurmountable. Through this book, his goal is to give everyone from the block to the boardroom a message of hope to get through their days.”

You can pre-order the book here. 

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Snoop Dogg Reflects On Writing ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot’: ‘I Cannot Let Pharrell Out-Rap Me’

From hip-hop and gospel to reggae and country, Snoop Dogg is no stranger to dabbling in different genres. On Thursday (June 15), the West Coast rap legend begins his foray into yet another new genre: spoken word.

In an exclusive clip from his Audible Original Words + Music series episode titled “From the Streets to the Suites” shared with Billboard, the hip-hop icon reflects on writing the 2004 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single “Drop It Like It’s Hot” with legendary producer Pharrell Williams. “He in the back with the keyboards, it’s just him and the engineer. He ain’t even got the beat all the way made,” he reveals in the snippet. “This how this n—a get down, he don’t say words, he just [mimics Pharrell’s wordless vocalizations], so it’s my job to make that s–t make sense!”

According to the “Gin and Juice” rapper, Pharrell laid his verse for “Drop It Like It’s Hot” first. The producer impressed Snoop so much that the rapper joked, “This n—a done took the bar all the way … I cannot let Pharrell out-rap me on my motherf—–g song!”

Snoop then recounts the creation of the song’s third verse. While he was in the recording booth, Pharrell stopped him and said, “That third verse … that ain’t it.” Just “20 minutes later,” Snoop returned with an even harder verse. “That’s what I mean about ‘I like to be produced,’” Snoop said. The 16-time Grammy-nominee also revealed that Dr. Dre was his “worst critic on all of [his] music at the time.”

“This n—a don’t like nothing!” Snoop exclaimed. “I’m scared he gon’ come and say he don’t like it!” Thankfully, even Dre couldn’t deny the greatness of “Drop It Like It’s Hot.” As Snoop tells it, Dr. Dre called him on the phone and said, “N—a, this s–t right here off the hook! This s–t bomb, n—a! Y’all did that!”

“Drop It Like It’s Hot” went on to become the first of Snoop’s three Hot 100 chart-toppers. The Cali icon has landed 45 songs on the ranking throughout his career. On the Billboard 200, the “What’s My Name” rapper has sent 11 titles to the top 10, three of which reached the summit.

Snoop Dogg

Audible

Snoop Dogg’s new Audible Original, “From the Streets to the Suites,” debuts on Audible today and serves as vol. 35 of the platform’s signature Words + Music series. The special is set to feature Snoop Dogg’s reflections on his life and career, including pivotal moments such as meeting Dr. Dre and buying Death Row Records. Directed by radio personality Angie Martinez and written and performed by Snoop himself, “From the Streets to the Suites” also features original performances of a slew of classics including “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang,” “Gin and Juice,” “Beautiful” and “Drop It Like It’s Hot.”

Other musicians to grace Audible’s Words + Music series include John Legend, Eddie Vedder, Yo-Yo Ma, James Taylor, Common, Smokey Robinson, Rufus Wainwright, Alanis Morissette, St. Vincent, Alice Cooper, Elvis Costello, Gary Clark Jr., Sting, Church D, Sheryl Crow and Billie Joe Armstrong.

Listen to the full exclusive clip below:

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Behind the Scenes of Halsey & Suga’s ‘Lilith’ Video: BTS Rapper Reveals How He’ll Kill Time on Tour

Don’t dwell on the past, because a behind-the-scenes video of the making of Halsey and Suga‘s collab of “Lilith (Diablo IV Anthem)” is about to drop, and Billboard has an exclusive first look at the BTS rapper’s time filming the visual.

During an interview taped while making the music video, Suga shares what a big fan he is of the Diablo video games, and how Diablo IV — which arrived June 6 — will play into his downtime while he’s on his first solo world tour. “I played Diablo 1, 2 and 3,” he tells the camera. “Back then, I spent a lot of time in the Cow Level.” (According to PC Gamer, Cow Level in Diablo 3 is a secret level event that honored artist Kevin Kanai Griffith, who died in October 2014 from a rare form of cancer. In that level, players battle against a horde of — yup, you guessed it — armed cow warriors.)

“I am preparing to play [Diablo IV] once it releases and I am touring,” continues the K-pop star, who is currently on the road supporting his solo album, D-DAY. “I bought a new laptop and I am just waiting. Once it releases, I will be playing, even as I am touring.”

The music video featuring the BTS member originally dropped on June 5, and since then, has already raked in more than 8 million views on YouTube. The moody visual — which was done in collaboration with Blizzard Entertainment, the video game developer behind the popular Diablo series — features Halsey walking through the Chapelle des Jésuites in Cambrai, France, while draped in dark hooded cloak before dropping it to reveal her fierce warrior garb and eventually becoming the game’s Blessed Mother Lilith. The reworked, darker version of “Lilith” — originally from her critically acclaimed 2021 album If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power — has Suga joining Halsey for the chorus and rhyming a new verse about mid-song.

“Step out of the moment that’s been trapping you in/ All this negativity of hatred and insanity/ Don’t dwell on the past/ It’s time to make a change/ Look around believe in what you see/ I have returned to hell,” he raps before duetting with Halsey.

“I’m thrilled that I got to collab with SUGA of BTS on a reimagined version of ‘Lilith; for the Diablo IV anthem!” Halsey previously said in a statement of working with the K-pop star. “Having spent countless hours in Sanctuary with my family, I’m here as both a fan and a collaborator. Plus, I’ve always wanted to do a concept with SUGA with this type of dark mythology. Hopefully, fans of Diablo, SUGA, and myself will love Lilith’s embrace.”

Watch Billboard‘s exclusive clip of Suga talking about his love for the game above, and check out the full behind-the-scenes video of the making of his and Halsey’s “Lilith (Diablo IV Anthem)” when it arrives later today.

In the meantime, revisit Halsey and Suga’s full music video for “Lilith (Diablo IV Anthem)” below:

The Deals: BMG Acquires The Hollies’ Recording Catalog; Soundtrack Your Brand Raises $15M

BMG acquired the recording catalog of British band (and Rock & Roll Hall of Famers) The Hollies. The deal includes over 20 studio, compilation, live and tribute album titles and rarities that are wholly owned by the group, including Evolution and Butterfly (1967), Hollies Sing Dylan and Hollies Sing Hollies (1969), Confessions of the Mind (1970); Distant Light (1971), Romany (1972), Out on the Road (1973); Hollies (1974), Another Night (1975), Write On and Russian Roulette (1976), Hollies Live Hits (1977), A Crazy Steal (1978), Five Three One – Double Seven O Four (1979), Buddy Holly (1980), and Then, Now, Always (2009). The agreement encompasses eight of The Hollies’ most-streamed tracks, including “Carrie Anne,” “King Midas In Reverse,” “Jennifer Eccles,” “On A Carousel,” “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother,” “Long Cool Woman (in a Black Dress)” and “The Air That I Breathe,” as well as the group’s cover versions of “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” (Bruce Springsteen), “Boulder to Birmingham” (Emmylou Harris) and “Say It Ain’t So, Jo” (Head).

Soundtrack Your Brand, a global music streaming service for businesses, announced a $15 million pre-growth round led by Matt PincusMUSIC in partnership with Liontree, JS Capital Management and Schusterman Family Investments. The round also included funding from music investors Dundee Partners and was supported by all major existing Soundtrack Your Brand investors including Balderton Capital, Fuel Venture Capital, Industrifonden, Telia and DIG. The investment will allow Soundtrack Your Brand to “double down” on its go-to-market strategy, according to a press release. Along with MUSIC’s investment, Pincus will join Soundtrack Your Brand’s board. In 2024, the company plans to raise an additional growth round.

ADA Worldwide partnered with Rostrum Records to distribute the indie label’s entire catalog and new releases. Recent Rostrum releases include Fat Nick’s “Songs on the Radio” and DC The Don’s “Funeral” as well as new music from Alé Araya and Brevin Kim. Forthcoming releases include music from Fat Nick, Lou Phelps and My Favorite Color.

Yoto, an audio platform for kids that’s behind screen-free portable audio players the Yoto Player and Yoto Mini, signed a deal with Warner Music Group that will make music from some of WMG’s artists available on the players. The partnership kicks off in June with music from Super Simple Songs, a popular YouTube channel boasting original children’s songs and traditional nursery rhymes that’s been distributed by WMG’s arts music division since 2020. Next year, Yoto will create “cards” featuring music from a curated group of WMG’s pop, rock and soul artists.

Believe signed a marketing and distribution deal with Global Records Germany, the new Berlin branch of independent label Global Records. The first release under the agreement is “Party Songs” by Gamuel Sori & INNA, which dropped June 9.

John Williams Surprises Audience at ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ Hollywood Premiere With Orchestral Performance

John Williams surprised the audience at Wednesday night’s (June 14) Hollywood premiere of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. According to Deadline, the five-time Oscar-winning 91-year-old composer was joined by a full orchestra for a performance of several movements from the movie, including the main title theme and “Helena’s Theme,” which he wrote for Phoebe Waller Bridge’s new character in what is reportedly the final chapter of Indy’s ride.

The unannounced mini-concert was introduced by Dial of Destiny executive producer and series architect director Steven Spielberg. “We have a tradition with Indiana Jones which is that Indy has his music in all the various moves that he has, and his action scenes and comedy, and so many modes, the music is always there,” Williams told the audience at the Dolby Theatre.

“The other part of the tradition is that we usually have a theme for the heroine or leading lady. In this film we have Phoebe Waller Bridge,” the composer continued of Waller Bridge’s character, who is Jones’ goddaughter. “You’ll see the most brilliant duet between Harrison and Phoebe as they do their wonderful witty dialogue and action and comedy and jeopardy which they do so wonderfully. Phoebe will be represented musically by a lyrical piece, reminiscent of the ’40s and ’50s and old Hollywood. This is ‘Helena’s Theme’. It’s all about Phoebe, not all parts of her, but a lot of it.”

Deadline reported that earlier in the evening star Harrison Ford, 80, said it is definitely his last run at the swashbuckling, adventure-loving archaeologist. “I always wanted to do a film about Indiana Jones towards the end of his life, and [director] Jim Mangold developed a script that got us to a point where I really had the best time making this film, it’s really been fun,” Ford told the site. Dial of Destiny hits theaters on June 30.

Listen to some of the concert below.

Normani Talks ‘Candy Paint’ Preview & Partnering With Bose for Her ‘Next Chapter’

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Normani is entering her next chapter. The singer teamed with Bose to give fans a preview of her new single “Candy Paint” in a dance-themed commercial dropping Thursday (June 15).

“I’m really excited to partner with Bose, especially going into this new chapter,” Normani told Billboard during a phone interview on Wednesday (June 14). “In terms of my career and my music, I know the wait has been extensive but it’s definitely going to be worth it, and I just feel like the partnership couldn’t have come at a better time.

“It just felt like it was so in alignment with where I am musically and creatively,” she explained. “The Bose team [were] really hands on and allowed me to be hands on and take leadership in terms of the creativity. It just felt authentic and enjoyable, honestly. It was probably one of the most seamless experiences [for a partnership] thus far. It was fun! The energy was great the day of [the shoot] and it just felt easy.”

The Bose visual takes viewers on a trip through Normani’s creative process, from jotting down lyrics to recording and coming up with choreography — all while sporting Bose Quiet Comfort headphones and Quiet Comfort earbuds. In some of the more personal moments, Normani opens up about misconceptions people have about her and striving to be her most “authentic” self.

The visual will appear on Bose.com and the brand’s social media accounts.

“At Bose, we’re a community of music lovers, and we partner with artists to help showcase the power of sound during the moments in their career that matter the most,” said Jack Daley, VP, global media & partnerships at Bose. “Like her music, Normani is a force in the industry — we’re excited to premiere this track with her and for what our relationship will hold in the year ahead.”

Normani spoke further with Billboard about what she enjoyed most about the Bose collaboration, the inspiration behind “Candy Paint,” and what the next chapter looks like.

Billboard: What inspired ‘Candy Paint?’

Normani: It’s Texas, all the way! I really wanted to create a record that allowed me to show my personality. I feel like there’s a misconception; it probably has everything to do with my social media. [Laughs] I think that people think I’m so serious, which is the complete opposite [of me]. Anybody that really knows me knows that I’m really funny. I’m a goofball! I love to twerk. [Laughs] I’m just regular. I really wanted to create a record that encompassed that and allowed my personality to shine. It’s a performance record first, which I know my fans have been waiting for, for a very long time. It’s fun, energetic, bossy. It’s bold. It’s sassy but assertive, and yeah, I’m really excited to shoot the music video.

How long did it take to put together?

I would say it came pretty quickly. I had been working with Starrah, who I’ve been working very closely with just on the project overall, I feel like she knows me better than anybody. And the cool thing is we’re able to push each other. The idea came organically. I remember playing it at an event — my family and friends were there, and [my choreographer] was like, “Should we play it?” We ended up teasing it, and it was undeniable! We were like, “OK, this is it! This is the one!”

Bose

Normani

Bose

What I love about the Bose spot is that it feels very authentic to who you are.

I’m really grateful that that’s how it was captured. Shout-out to the creative team, because you really get a peek into who I am — not only as the artist, but also me being able to wear so many different hats. I feel like a lot of people still know very little about me, and I think that through the [Bose] spot you get to know a little bit more.

I learned that you moved from New Orleans to Houston after Hurricane Katrina. I didn’t know that!

Yeah, I was 9 years old at the time. I was a baby.

It really speaks to your resilience.

Thank you. I’ve been through a lot, just in my personal life, you know? Even just talking about my parents and what they’ve been through on top of COVID and trying to get the project out I’ve just – I’ve had a lot up against me, but I always manage somehow to pull through as best as I can, and honestly that’s by the grace of God and him just giving me the strength to endure and persevere.  

You also mention trusting yourself. How has that shaped your career thus far?

I started in a girl group [Fifth Harmony] when I was 15. I remember that being one of the lowest points for me in terms of my confidence. We’re young, we’re trying to figure out who we are on top of having to do that in front of the rest of the world, while they pit us against each other, and then the things that people project on you, you kind of start to believe. Not just musically, but in my personal life, it’s easy to let those things creep in and for you to allow everybody’s perception to become your identity. But I’ve worked so hard in my adult life [over] the last two to three years. It’s a daily fight. I can’t say that every day is the same, but I’m just really intentional. I speak words of affirmation to myself. I’ve gotten a lot closer to God and I know that through that I’m able to know who I am and who I’m called to be versus the things that people put on me.

I’ve been really intentional with my time. Spending a lot more time with myself and getting to know myself and doing things anyway — even if I’m afraid. I can wholeheartedly say that through a lot of my career I know that I’ve been afraid. And that’s a vulnerable moment for me to even be honest with you and express, but yeah, just leaning into it and doing it anyway and knowing that God has a plan and it’s all going to work for my good. It’s the moments that you feel uncomfortable, the moments that you’re unsure or maybe even moments of chaos that he’s able to do what he does best and make something out of nothing.  

What would you title this next chapter?

“Transformative.” In the season of actually stepping into who I am called to be.

Check out a preview video below.