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02 Jun 2023

Tina Turner Tops 40 Million U.S. Streams in Week After Her Death

Fans rallied to the late Tina Turner’s catalog in massive numbers in the week following the icon’s death. Her tracks collected more than 40 million U.S. on-demand streams from May 24, the day of her passing, through the six days after, according to preliminary reports to Luminate.

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Turner, the electric performer whose career spanned multiple generations and multiple genres – with pop, rock, soul and even country among her gifts – died at age 83 on May 24 at her home in Switzerland. Her legacy includes a rare double induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, as she was honored in 1991 part of Ike & Tina Turner and again in 2021 for her solo efforts.

Across all her work, Turner’s tunes captured 40.1 million U.S. on-demand streams May 24-30, up from 2.7 million May 17-23 – a 1,367% increase. Turner’s solo material, consisting of songs largely recorded from 1978 on, contributed 36.1 million clicks of the posthumous activity. Songs credited to Ike & Tina Turner, active from 1960 to 1976, accounted for 4 million streams. (The totals above include both official on-demand streams and user-generated activity [“UGC”] to give a full view of Turner’s posthumous impact. UGC streams do not count toward Billboard’s chart calculations.)

“What’s Love Got To Do With It” led all of the diva’s songs, with 7.2 million clicks May 24-30, up 686% from 912,000 in the previous seven days. The 1984 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 was the main driver behind her monumental comeback that year. It became her sole Hot 100 No. 1, leading the list for three weeks, and ended 1984 at No. 2 on the year-end Hot 100 chart. The single won Turner two Grammy Awards, including record of the year, at the 1985 ceremony and ranks first on the recap of Turner’s biggest Hot 100 hits.

“The Best” claimed second place among Turner’s streamed songs May 24-30, with 4.5 million on-demand clicks, up 1,022%. Turner’s 1989 cover of the Bonnie Tyler cut became a signature song, inspiring the title of her 1991 greatest-hits set, Simply the Best. The same phrase became a common refrain in many tributes and eulogies on social media.

Ike & Tina Turner’s 1971 classic “Proud Mary” cover ranked third May 24-30 thanks to 3.9 million on-demand streams (up 1,132%). Two cuts from Turner’s 1984 LP, Private Dancer, the title track (2.04 million, up 2,502%) and “Better Be Good to Me” (1.8 million, up 1,714%), round out the top five.

On the Billboard charts (dated June 3), “What’s Love” also generated the strongest impact, despite only two days of the posthumous activity surge in the last chart tracking week (May 19-25). (The weekly airplay, sales and streaming windows for Billboard charts run on a Friday-Thursday cycle.) The single debuts at No. 11 on the Hot R&B Songs chart, which began in 2012 and blends streaming, radio airplay and sales activity.

“What’s Love” also returns at No. 1 on the R&B Digital Song Sales chart with 7,000 downloads sold (up from a nominal sum) and leads eight Turner songs onto the 15-position list:

No. 1, “What’s Love Got To Do With It”
No. 2, “We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)”
No. 3, “Proud Mary”
No. 4, “Better Be Good to Me”
No. 5, “Private Dancer”
No. 7, “I Don’t Wanna Lose You”
No. 9, “Let’s Stay Together”
No. 10, “River Deep – Mountain High”

All told, Turner sold 78,000 song downloads May 24-30, a 6,238% vault from a little over 1,000 in the prior seven-day window.

The streaming and sales activity spark album gains for her 2005 greatest-hits effort, All the Best: The Hits. The set debuts at No. 6 on the June 3-dated Top R&B Albums chart, No. 14 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and No. 45 on the Billboard 200.

02 Jun 2023

New Music Latin: Listen To Releases From Young Miko & Jowell y Randy, Gocho & More

New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.

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Young Miko and Jowell & Randy, “ID” (The Wave Music Group)

Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko recruits renowned reggaetón duo Jowell y Randy for her new single “ID.” Produced by Mauro and Caleb Calloway, the track is infectious reggaetón infused with smooth Jamaican reggae beats, which halfway through transitions to Jowell & Randy’s hard-hitting perreo sound. In “ID,” the newcomer and urban genre veterans not only exchange NSFW verses about admiring a girl’s behind and her sexy movements, but also deliver a new summer obsession for our playlist. — INGRID FAJARDO

LIT killah, Duki, Emilia, Tiago PZK, FMK, Rusherking, Maria Becerra & Big One, “Los Del Espacio” (Warner Music Latina)

Each one of them is a star in their own right; now, together, they intend to take you to another dimension with “Los del Espacio.” LIT Killah’s new single with Duki, Emilia, Tiago PZK, FMK, Rusherking, Maria Becerra and Big One brings together some of the most prominent artists on Argentina’s current music scene with an up-tempo reggaetón perfect for the summer (or to warm the souls in the southern hemisphere, where winter is kicking in.) “In slow motion/ You stuck with me and you didn’t realize/ That tonight I let you go’/ I know it tempts you,” says part of the chorus of the catchy song, which will undoubtedly make you dance, whether you’re at the beach or on the dancefloor. Written by the octet of friends and produced and mastered by Big One, “Los del Espacio” arrives with a cheerful music video directed by Facundo Ballve — released on June 1 to great hype at an event covered by Billboard Argentina — in which each of the stars has a chance to shine. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Daddy Yankee & Omar Courtz, “BEACHY” (El Cartel Records/Imperial)

An Instagram post is what drove Daddy Yankee to collaborate with newcomer Omar Courtz (featured in Billboard’s On The Radar Latin) on his latest single “BEACHY.” Just in time for the summer, the sultry track—produced by Yankee, Dimelo Flow, BK, and PM — fuses reggaetón with Afrobeats, backed by Yankee’s signature sugary vocals and Courtz’s raspier tones. Co-written by Yankee, Courtz, Justin Quiles, and BCA, “BEACHY” narrates the story of a girl who’s getting tanned at the beach and enjoying the sun while she’s living her best single life. The music video, filmed by Marlon P, brings the song’s breezy essence to life, showing both artists at the beach surrounded by inclusive models. “BEACHY” is part of Yankee’s upcoming LEGENDADDY Goat Edition album. — JESSICA ROIZ

Francisca Valenzuela, “¿Dónde se llora cuando se llora?” (Fantastic Records)

Where does one cry when one cries? It’s a question that Chilean singer-songwriter Francisca Valenzuela is trying to get an answer to in her new pop-ballad track “¿Dónde Se Llora Cuando Se Llora?” Penned and produced by Valenzuela and Francisco Victoria, the song puts the artist’s transformative journey at the forefront, giving the audience a sneak peek of her trek to self-discovery where she’s learned to embrace her vulnerability. “Where does one cry when one cries?/ At the bathroom in my party, in the middle of a reunion/ In the car, in the shower, drugged on an airplane,” she wonders. The raw and ultra-personal new single is the first single from her upcoming sixth studio album. — GRISELDA FLORES

Gocho, No Soy El Mismo (Lado A) (Forgiven Music)

Eight years since his last solo project, singer-songwriter and renowned producer Jose Angel Torres Castro, better known as Gocho, returns with the EP No Soy el Mismo (Lado A) (I am not the same, Side A). In the six-song urban EP, which also features pop and tropical fusions, the artist expresses himself freely about his spirituality and reflects on his life. “I definitely don’t see music the same way as before… I think we have to be aware of the impact we have when we write a song,” he states in a press statement. The album includes “Mi Mejor Cancion” (My best song), released with Farruko, a slow and very personal reggaetón collab written by Gocho and dedicated to his wife, in which he apologizes for his faults and expresses his desire to improve their relationship. “God gives me a new time, so we can build a love that, despite everything, nothing can destroy,” Farruko chants.

Gocho, who reached the top of Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart with “Si Te Digo la Verdad” and co-produced reggaetón hits like “Dale Don Dale” by Don Omar, is currently on the Billboard Tropical Airplay chart with the Funky-featuring “Solución,” the first single of the album. No Soy el Mismo (Side A) also includes other team-ups, such as “Hablaré” with Alex Zurdo, “Te enseñaré” with Onell Diaz and “Soledad” with Jay Kalyl. “Each one of them gave the album that unique touch to take it to the next level,” he says of his collaborators. The EP is a good introduction to this new facet of the artist, with an implied continuation to come with the eventual Side B. — LUISA CALLE

Los Aptos x Cuco, “Miel” (Warner Music Latina/VPS Music)

Propelled by sparkly synths and a steel-string guitar, Los Aptos and Cuco conjure up a whirling love-letter ballad that harkens back to the whimsical, romantic era of The Beatles’ Rubber Soul and the gruperas of Los Yonics — equipped with hooded eyes and their heart on their sleeve. “You’re as strong as a ray of sunshine/ To my world you’re so essential/ And those beautiful honey-colored eyes/ Like chocolates on Valentine’s Day and a sunset,” sings frontman Juan Ortega against a hazy sierreño backdrop. The charming quality is that “Miel” oozes with pure idealism and sweetness. It’s a perfect laid-back summer jam for your newfound crush. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

02 Jun 2023

The Weeknd, Madonna & Playboi Carti, Foo Fighters: What’s Your Favorite Music Release of the Week? Vote!

With summer just around the corner — and June officially here — new music releases are beginning to drop, with this week featuring the likes of The Weeknd and friends, Foo Fighters and more.

The Weeknd continues to roll out tracks from the soundtrack for Max’s (formerly HBO Max) The Idol, this time with the help of two new guest features on new track “Popular.” Playboi Carti and Madonna swoop in for assists on the slinky track, laden with booming synth instrumentals and plinking percussion. The rapper boasts of his financial prowess and how it lures in women, while the “Like a Virgin” singer defends her superstar status while simultaneously extending pity to a woman desperately trying to cling to the limelight.

Foo Fighters describe their latest album But Here We Are as “hard-fought,” and it’s no surprise as to why — the LP serves at the first album release since the loss of the band’s longtime drummer Taylor Hawkins last year, and the record speaks to the gravity of his passing. Ten-minute track “The Teacher” is sure to get listeners choked up at the level of emotion highlighted on the song, and “The Glass” hits home as Grohl emotively sings, “I had a vision of you, and just like that/ I was left to live without it.”

Peso Pluma & Bizarrap, Jelly Roll, Stray Kids and more all dropped new material this week, but which release is your favorite? Vote in our poll — or enter in your personal favorite song or album selection — below.

02 Jun 2023

Kelly Clarkson Once Hid a Creepy Doll in Reba McEntire’s Closet

Let’s face it — some dolls are creepy, and Kelly Clarkson has an experience of her own to prove it. In a Friday (June 2) interview with the cast of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on her eponymous talk show, the American Idol alumn revealed her own encounter with a creepy doll.

Reflecting on an overnight stay at Reba McEntire’s house, the “Stronger” singer said, “She had this doll and it was so creepy to me.” “Two days later, she’s like ‘So, I found the doll in the closet?’ And I’m like, ‘Oh my God! I’m sorry, I didn’t put it back!’” she continued. The “Breakaway” singer explained, “It scared me and I couldn’t sleep! I’m not just gonna sleep with that thing looking at me!” Emmy-winning Maisel star Alex Borstein chimed in, “I’ve had that happen at Airbnbs, they had something very creepy and I couldn’t look at it and I had to put it away.”

Thankfully, Clarkson smoothed things over with her fellow Grammy-winning superstar. “[Reba] was like, ‘Did you put my stuff in the closet?’” Clarkson recounted. “I kinda did. I did, I’m so sorry! I should have brought it back out,” she replied. The conversation then evolved into sharing memories of jokingly stealing from the Maisel costume department.

Clarkson, who has earned three chart-toppers on both the Billboard 200 and the Hot 100 since she became the original American Idol 21 years ago, is currently preparing the release of her tenth studio album. Titled Chemistry, Clarkson’s new record – her first of original pop music since 2017’s Meaning of Life — is due June 23, and features the pre-release singles “Me,” “Mine,” “Favorite Kind of High,” and, most recently, the Steve Martin-assisted “I Hate Love.”

Watch Clarkson reflect on her creepy doll experience in the video above.

02 Jun 2023

Adam Lambert Teams Up With Orly for ‘High Drama’ Nail Collaboration: Shop the Limited Collection Before It’s Gone

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Adam Lambert and Orly teamed up for a “high drama” collaboration in honor of Pride Month. Inspired by Lambert’s High Drama album, the six-piece collection of vibrant nail polishes will be available exclusively at Orlybeauty.com on Friday (June 2).

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“We are all very excited about this collaboration. Adam has such a powerful voice, both in his music and in championing the causes closest to his heart,” said Tal Pink, Vice President of Business Development at Orly International. “As a musician myself as part of a rock band, we not only are immense fans of Lambert’s musical talents but also his compassion and advocacy for the queer community.”

The Adam Lambert x Orly: High Drama Collection features a silver metallic shade dubbed “Fluidity,” an apple green polish named “Adam’s Apple” and a black and silver glitter polish named “In the Moonlight.” There’s also a gold polish called “Hero Worship,” a plum shade named “Flight of Fancy” and “Berry That” — a custom navy duo chrome shimmer that Lambert conceptualized and created at Orly Color Labs in West Hollywood, Calif.

Adam Lambert

Courtesy Photo

The polishes retail for $10.50 and the six-piece collection retails for $63. Proceeds from the collection will go to Stand With Trans, a non-profit organization that provides critical support for trans youth and their families.

“Stand with Trans is thrilled to be invited to participate in this exciting collaboration with ORLY and Adam Lambert. Adam’s voice will send an impactful message to folks about the importance of celebrating the trans and queer community,” said Roz Gould Keith, founder and executive director of Stand with Trans.

Shop the collection below.

Orly

Adam Lambert x Orly High Drama Collection — Fluidity

$10.50

Adam Lambert x Orly High Drama Collection — Flight of Fancy

$10.50

Orly

Adam Lambert x Orly High Drama Collection — In the Moonlight

$10.50

02 Jun 2023

Cynthia Weil, Prolific Co-Writer of ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,’ Dies at 82

Cynthia Weil, the prolific lyricist who wrote dozens of indelible pop hits with husband Barry Mann over a six-decade career has died at 82. According to the Associated Press, Weil’s death of undisclosed causes was confirmed on Friday (June 2) by Interdependence Public Relations, which represents Mann’s daughter, Dr. Jenn Mann.

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Weil and Mann were one of the most formidable songwriting teams to set up residence in Manhattan’s famed Brill Building in the 1960s, which was also home to fellow pop songwriting powerhouses including Carole King and Gerry Goffin. Weil’s tear-stained ballads about young love, undying devotion and social struggles include such classics as the Crystals’ “Uptown,” the Drifters’ “On Broadway,” The Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” and the Animals’ anti-war anthem “We Gotta Get Out of This Place.”

Longtime friend King paid homage to Weil in a statement that featured an image of her with Mann, Weil and her then-husband Goffin at a BMI dinner in 1962, writing, “We lost the beautiful, brilliant lyricist Cynthia Weil Mann… The four of us were close, caring friends despite our fierce competition to write the next hit for an artist with a #1 song. Sometimes we wrote in different combinations, e.g., Mann and Goffin ‘Who Put The Bomp?’ and King and Weil ‘One To One.’ Cynthia’s high professional standard made us all better songwriters. My favorite Cynthia lyric is, “Just a little lovin’ early in the mornin’ beats a cup of coffee for startin’ out the day.” If we’re lucky, we know this is true, but she wrote it — and then she rhymed “mornin’” with “yawnin’” in the next verse. May the legacy of lyrics by Cynthia Weil continue to speak to and for generations to come. Rest in peace with love and gratitude.”

Weil was born on Oct. 18, 1940 in New York City and studied ballet and piano as a child, but after graduating from Sarah Lawrence University with a theater major she scored a job working for composer Frank Loesser at 20 and soon met Mann, whom she married in 1961. After scoring their first hit that year with Tony Orlando’s “Bless You,” the pair became regular collaborators with “Wall of Sound” producer Phil Spector, with whom they worked on the Ronettes’ “Walking in the Rain” and the Crystals’ “He’s Sure the Boy I Love.”

They landed their most enduring chart-topper in 1965 with the blue-eyed soul smash “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” a No. 1 hit produced by Spector that has been covered dozens of times and became the most-played song on radio and TV in the 20th century according to BMI.

The width and breadth of their songwriting ranged from lounge singers Eydie Gorme (“Blame it on the Bossa Nova”) and her duet partner Steve Lawrence (“Don’t Be Afraid, Little Darlin’”), to pop group Jay and the Americans (“Only in America,” a collaboration with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller), rock band Paul Revere & the Raiders (the anti-drug tune “Kicks”), singing TV group The Partridge Family (“I Really Want to Know You” and “I’m on the Road”) and British siren Dusty Springfield (“Just a Little Lovin’” from her iconic 1969 Dusty in Memphis album).

The 1970s brought collabs with rockers Blood Sweat & Tears (“So Long Dixie”), country singer B.J. Thomas (“Here You Come Again”) and the Grass Roots (“Mamacita”), as their hot streak continued into the 1980s with Bill Medley’s “Don’t Know Much,” which was a No. 2 hit for Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville in 1989, winning a Grammy in 1990 for best pop performance by a duo or group with vocal. They did it again in 1981 with the Quincy Jones/James Ingram ballad “Just Once,” which hit No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for a best male pop vocal performance Grammy in 1982.

Weil and Mann also wrote hits for Dionne Warwick (“Never Gonna Let You Go”), Bette Midler (“All I Need to Know”), Jeffrey Osborne (“We’re Going All the Way”), the Pointer Sisters (“Baby Come and Get It”) and Ronstadt and James Ingram (“Somewhere Out There”), a No. 2 hit they collaborated on with James Horner for the animated movie An American Tail that won Grammys in 1988 for song of the year and best song written specifically for a motion picture or television.

She also scored hits on her own or with other writers for the Pointers (“He’s So Shy”), Barry Manilow (“Somewhere Down the Road”), Lionel Richie (“Running with the Night,” “Love Will Conquer All”), Peabo Bryson (“If Ever You’re in My Arms Again”), Chaka Khan (“Through the Fire”), Sheena Easton (“So Far So Good”) and Martina McBride (“Wrong Again”).

Weil was the first woman recipient of the Ahmet Ertegun Award at the 2010 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction (which she shared with Mann), and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1987 and landed the first-ever National Academy of Songwriters Life Achievement Award (both with Mann), as well as the Songwriting Hall of Fame’s highest honor, the Johnny Mercer Award in 2011. She is survived by Mann, 84, and their daughter, Jenn.

02 Jun 2023

One Call Away: These Flip Phones Are Gen Z-Approved

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Touchscreen, flat smartphones are the it cell phone to own, but newer models have continued to grow in size unlike our pocket space. Since the ’90s have made a sweeping comeback among fashion there’s a new accessory everyone (especially Gen Z) is scrambling to own: a flip phone. Celebrities like previous Billboard Hot 100 chart topper Ed Sheeran and “Alone” singer Kim Petras have hopped on the trend with Sheeran even preferring the old school model as it helps him limit social media usage, which he said in The Collector’s Edition podcast.

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Petras even remembers growing up with the phone during the early 2000s. “In the early 2000s, people I looked up to had the iconic pink Razr and it was the coolest accessory,” she said in a statement for Motorola.

Owning a flip phone doesn’t mean completely giving up all the features a smartphone carries — newer models are bringing you the best of both worlds with touchscreen capabilities, HD cameras, app usage and more. All paired with the famous screen flip feature, of course.

Whether you’re looking to cut down your screen time or want a more compact, portable phone to carry in your tote bag, flip phones make it easy to stay connected — without having to lug around a tablet-sized smartphone in your hand.

In anticipation of the Motorola Razr Plus being released on June 23, we rounded up a list of flip phones to shop in a range of versions from styles with just the basics to new flip phones featuring the latest tech. Check below to shop our picks for the best flip phones to own in 2023!

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of portable phone chargers, best TV deals to shop right now and best graduation gifts.

Samsung Galaxy flip phone straight and bent with display screen on

Best Buy

Samsung – Galaxy Z Flip4 

$999.99

Get all the characteristics of a smartphone shrunk down into a portable flip phone design with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4. It comes in four colors to customize to your liking and comes with flex mode allowing you to use the top portion to video call friends while browsing the Internet on the bottom half.

teal Nokia flip phone open and closed with display screen on

Best Buy

Nokia 2780 Flip | Unlocked | Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile | Blue

$89.99

Go back to basics with the Nokia 2780 Flip Phone, which is not only an affordable option but comes with all the necessities including talk, text and a camera. Just note that a SIM card is not included.

Motorola razr+ flip phone bent open with camera and keypad lit up

Motorola

Motorola razr+

$999.99

The Motorola Razr+ is not only Petras-approved, but aims to be the phone for content creators and it’s already getting rave reviews. It turns your smartphone into a fashionable accessory you can carry with you and shoot video, snap pictures, text, call, use social media and more. It won’t be available for pre-order until June 16, but until then, you can register to be notified of presale and once it’s available you’ll be able to purchase it through phone carriers or grab it universally unlocked at Amazon, Best Buy and Motorola.

Gray Alcatel flip phone flipped open with time and apps on display screen

Walmart

Alcatel – My Flip 2 Prepaid Tracfone

$43

Flip on over to Alcatel’s prepaid flip phone featuring only the essentials. Whether you’re traveling or just want to declutter your accessories, this phone will enable you to call, text, surf YouTube and even use a maps feature.

gray Consumer Cellular flip phone partially open with time display on front screen

Consumer Cellular

Consumer Cellular Verve Snap

$69

Keep things simple and under $100 with this flip phone from Consumer Cellular. It’s compact enough to throw in your purse, pocket or backpack and will allow you to call and send text messages without the distraction of social media.

02 Jun 2023

The Weeknd Teases Viewers Will Hear ‘More of’ Madonna in ‘The Idol’: ‘She Is the Ultimate Pop Star’

From “Die for You” to “Creepin’,” The Weeknd has become almost synonymous with the upper regions of the Billboard Hot 100 in recent years. With the imminent premiere of his new HBO drama, The Idol, Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye is angling himself toward a new arena: television domination.

The Idol, which The Weeknd co-created with Emmy-nominated Euphoria producer and director Sam Levinson, is set to star Lily Rose-Depp, Troye Sivan, Moses Sumney, Jennie Ruby Jane, and, of course, The Weeknd himself. On Friday (June 2), the “Earned It” singer sat down with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 to discuss The Idol, the forthcoming soundtrack, and his new single “Popular,” which features Madonna and Playboi Carti.

“I’m definitely proud of it,” The Weeknd gushed. “And then Madonna, Madge. She’s the ultimate co-sign for this song, for this album, and for this TV show.”

Originally a collaboration between only The Weeknd and Playboi Carti, the “Can’t Feel My Face” singer revealed, “We’ve had a different version of this song prior. So I’ve had these vocals for a while and I’ve kind of just worked around it, and then kind of kept it in the tuck. But now it felt like it was time.”

“Popular” marks the second single from The Idol soundtrack following The Weeknd and Future’s No. 18-peaking duet “Double Fantasy.” Although “Popular” marks the first official collaboration between Madonna and The Weeknd, the Idol star promised that viewers will “hear more of her in the show. She is the ultimate pop star.”

With Madonna’s towering musical legacy and singular commercial success, it comes as no surprise that The Weeknd sings her praises. “I’ve always wanted to work with her,” he mused. “I’ve always wanted to write and produce a Madonna album … well, co-produce with her, of course … because she’s a visionary and she has such a singular vision, and I just want to come into her world and create a classic Madonna album. That was always my dream n… Hopefully, this is the appetizer for that.”

The Weeknd, who is currently in Portugal preparing for another leg of his globe-trotting After Hours Til Dawn Tour, worked on The Idol soundtrack alongside Sam Levinson and Mike Dean. “It’s such a labor of love and such a collaborative project,” he said. “You’ve got three maniacs in the studio … it’s a very cohesive body of work.”

Described as “very experimental, but still pop,” The Idol soundtrack also features production contributions from Across the Spider-Verse soundtrack curator and frequent Weeknd collaborator Metro Boomin.

The Idol is set to premiere on HBO Sunday (June 4). “I feel great because everyone involved feels great,” The Weeknd told Lowe of the show’s premiere. “We’re all so proud of what we made. It’s controversial. It is. And as you know, I’m no stranger to it. Sam is no stranger to it. We’re just excited for people to finally watch it and come up with their own opinion.”

Watch his interview with Zane Lowe above.

02 Jun 2023

How Bailey Zimmmerman Went From TikTok Breakout to Country Chart-Topper

When Bailey Zimmerman takes the stage to perform his brooding, multiweek Country Airplay chart-topper “Rock and a Hard Place,” the memories of a particularly bad breakup come flooding back to him.

“There was a girl I really loved. I wanted to give her the world and bought her a ring, and then she did some really messed-up stuff,” Zimmerman says. “Every time I see people cry during ‘Rock and a Hard Place’ when I’m singing it live, it takes me back to that moment. I remember being in my truck, screaming the lyrics to [Morgan Wallen’s] ‘Sand in My Boots’ because I was so sad and hurt. The line in ‘Rock’ about ‘We’ve been swinging and missing’ just resonated with me.”

When it comes to his career, Zimmerman (who is signed to Warner Music Nashville/Elektra Music Group) has been doing plenty of swinging — and making lots of contact. Now he’s not just screaming the lyrics to Wallen’s song: He’s opening the superstar’s stadium tour this summer. Less than four months after notching his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart with “Fall in Love” in December, “Rock” reached the top spot, too. “Fall in Love” was still on its way to No. 1 when Zimmerman’s management team began seeding radio executives with the follow-up single.

“ ‘Rock’ checked all the boxes — great lyric, great melody, and it perfectly fits the direction Bailey is going,” says The CORE Entertainment co-founder/CEO Kevin “Chief” Zaruk, who co-manages Zimmerman with 10th Street Entertainment. “The feedback we received was that it would be an even bigger hit.”

The early stations that jumped on “Rock and a Hard Place” were prescient: The song (written by Heath Warren, Jacob Hackworth and Jet Harvey) achieved even more chart success than its predecessor, leading Country Airplay for six weeks. And in April, it became Zimmerman’s first top 10 on the all-genre Hot 100.

In less than three years, the 23-year-old native of Louisville, Ill., has gone from burgeoning TikTok star to bona fide hit-maker and, now, Billboard’s inaugural country Rookie of the Year. After high school, he began working on a natural-gas pipeline in West Virginia and gained a modest TikTok following for his videos of custom-lifted trucks. Singing was simply a hobby for Zimmerman until December 2020, when he uploaded a video of himself performing “Never Comin’ Home,” a song he had written with high school friend Gavin Lucas. The track went viral, and Zimmerman gave his union notice the following day.

“It was funny, because they were like, ‘You mean we should just take you off the schedule for a bit?’ And I was like, ‘No, I quit. I’m done,’ ” Zimmerman recalls. He continued writing songs and moved to Nashville to record, adding producer Austin Shawn to the core group of collaborators helping him craft his raw, unflinching brand of rock-tinged country. Zimmerman recorded in a spare bedroom in Shawn’s house, cutting his vocals in a small closet. “It’s the same room [where] I met Bailey for the first time, where we talked about lifted trucks and dirt bikes for about three hours straight,” Shawn says.

Bailey Zimmerman photographed on May 18, 2023 at The Underdog in Nashville.

Bailey Zimmerman photographed on May 18, 2023 at The Underdog in Nashville.

Caitlin McNaney

Zimmerman signed his co-management deal in 2021 and announced his label deal the following year. Now he’s one of several artists who have recently ascended swiftly from social media virality to packing venues. (The Neal Agency books his shows.) He’s acutely aware that he sidestepped years of the grueling club shows that typically pave the way to country stardom — and that his learning curve is happening publicly. A few months ago, a clip of him singing off-key live went viral, leading him to post an endearing video in which he apologized for sounding “absolutely awful” before launching into a sturdy a cappella version of “Rock and a Hard Place” to prove he had simply experienced an off night.

“You can say, ‘You didn’t have to go through the 10 years in the bars to get where you are at.’ At the same time, [those artists] had plenty of time to deal with things like your mic not being on or your [in-ear monitors] going out — they could learn all that in clubs,” Zimmerman says. “I had to learn it in front of thousands of people.

“The first two years were rough,” he continues. “I got [vocal cord] nodules and had to not talk for almost three months. My voice was so weak, and I had to build it back slowly — I never went hoarse for a show, thank God, and I never needed surgery. But my voice is stronger now, and I’ve learned how to take care of it.”

Bailey Zimmerman photographed on May 18, 2023 at The Underdog in Nashville.

Bailey Zimmerman photographed on May 18, 2023 at The Underdog in Nashville.

Caitlin McNaney

Not that Zimmerman has had much time to ponder his whirlwind success. Following its May 12 release, his major-label full-length debut, Religiously. The Album, entered the Top Country Albums chart at No. 3 and the Billboard 200 at No. 7.

“We’ve been working so hard, and to see the songs touching people like they have is amazing,” Zimmerman says. “And to be Rookie of the Year for Billboard is such a big deal. I can’t wait to call my mom — she’s going to freak.”

This story will appear in the June 3, 2023, issue of Billboard.

02 Jun 2023

Taylor Swift Announces Latin American Eras Tour Shows, Promises ‘Lots More’ International Dates

The Eras Tour is going global. After keeping fans waiting for months, Taylor Swift announced Friday (June 2) that she’s bringing her best-selling show to Latin America with summer and autumn stops in Mexico, Argentina and Brazil, featuring Sabrina Carpenter as her opener.

“Really thrilled to tell you this!!” the pop star wrote in a post to her social media accounts. “Mexico, Argentina and Brazil: We are bringing The Eras Tour to you this year!”

“@SabrinaAnnLynn will be joining us on all of the shows!” she continued, calling the 24-year-old “Nonsense” musician a “sweet angel princess.” “LOTS more international dates to come soon, promise!”

Swift concluded her post by directing fans to her touring website for more information on registering for ticket pre-sales and on-sales. And while the “Anti-Hero” singer’s relationship with Ticketmaster has been strained recently (she slammed the company in November for mishandling high-demand sales for the American Eras Tour dates), Swift’s Latin American tickets will be sold through the ticketing platform.

A total of eight Eras Tour dates are currently slated for Swift’s venture to Latin America. Starting Aug. 24, she’ll play three consecutive shows at Mexico City’s Foro Sol. The Grammy winner will then return in November for a pair of shows at Estadio River Plate in Buenos Aires, followed by shows at Estádio Nilton Santos in Rio de Janeiro and Allianz Parque in São Paulo.

Echoing Swift’s words, a note at the bottom of a digital flier for the leg reads, “Additional international dates will be announced soon.”

See all of Taylor Swift’s Latin America Eras Tour dates below: