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08 May 2023

ILLENIUM’s Self-Titled Set Debuts at No. 1 on Top Dance/Electronic Albums Chart

ILLENIUM bows at No. 1 on Billboard’s consumption-based Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart (dated May 13) with his self-titled set. ILLENIUM earned 17,000 equivalent album units, including 7,000 from traditional album sales, in the April 28-May 4 tracking week, according to Luminate.

It’s ILLENIUM’s second-best sales week yet, trailing only the debut frame of his first No. 1, Ascend (25,000 units; Aug. 31, 2019). ILLENIUM now owns three total No. 1s, as his new entry follows Fallen Embers (one week, 2021) and Ascend (eight weeks, 2019). All six of his chart entries have hit the top 10, a history that also includes Ascend (Remixes) (No. 5, 2020), Awake (No. 3, 2017) and Ashes (No. 6, 2016).

ILLENIUM’s start halts Beyoncé’s 24-week streak at No. 1, which began last November, with Renaissance (No. 2; 13,000 units, down 7%). Dating to the chart’s 2001 inception, no album has logged more consecutive weeks at No. 1 beginning with its debut week. Plus, 24 weeks in a row at No. 1 mark the most for any album, a feat also achieved only by Lady Gaga’s The Fame (December 2009-May 2010). The Fame leads all albums in total weeks at No. 1, with 175 since its 2008 release.

ILLENIUM yields nine new entries on the multi-metric Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, led by “Eyes Wide Shut,” with Avril Lavigne and Travis Barker (No. 9). With those, all 16 ILLENIUM tracks have hit the chart, as the other seven tracks on the album debuted previously.

“Eyes,” however, is ILLENIUM’s first top 10 from the LP and the eighth in his career. It’s also his 57th total charted title since the chart originated in January 2013, tying him with Marshmello for the third-most, after David Guetta (78) and Kygo (62). “Eyes” marks the first appearance on the chart for Lavigne and the third (and first top 10) for Barker.

“Eyes” earned 2.2 million official streams and sold 500 downloads in the United States in the tracking week, also good for starts on the Dance/Electronic Streaming Songs (No. 18) and Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales (No. 11) charts.

08 May 2023

Lily-Rose Depp Says These Pop Superstars Inspired Her Role in ‘The Idol’

Lily-Rose Depp is readying for the premiere of The Idol by spilling the tea on which pop singers influenced her role as Jocelyn on the forthcoming HBO series.

“Of course I’m a Britney [Spears] fan!” the Hollywood progeny told W magazine of the stars she was channeling during her audition for the series. “Who doesn’t love Britney? But I was also thinking about Beyoncé, Mariah [Carey], and every huge pop star of our time. I wanted Jocelyn to be the kind of woman who can dominate a room, someone who doesn’t ever shy away from their sparkle.”

Depp nabbed the role by singing an a cappella rendition of the 1950s standard “Fever,” as made famous by Peggy Lee and covered by Madonna in 1993 — which led to her filming for the series inside SoFi Stadium packed with 70,000 fans ahead of The Weeknd‘s Los Angeles concert last fall.

“I was a nervous wreck,” she said. “I was praying to all my guardian angels. I knew we only had two takes at SoFi. I felt like I was going to my wedding — I was so dolled up and in white!” However, she ultimately nailed the scene and later confessed, “It was quite addicting. I didn’t want to leave.”

The Weeknd, who originally pitched the concept of The Idol to HBO, will also star in the seedy musical drama along with Suzanna Son, Rachel Sennott, Troye Sivan, Dan Levy, Mike Dean, Moses Sumney, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Hank Azaria, BLACKPINK’s Jennie and more. The show will also feature the likes of Hari Nef, Tyson Ritter of The All-American Rejects and the late Anne Heche.

Following extensive reshoots of the entire first season, The Idol is set to premiere June 4 on Max (previously HBO Max). Read Depp’s joint interview with The Weeknd here.

08 May 2023

The Weeknd Joins Bid for NHL’s Ottawa Senators: Report

The star-studded bidding war over the Ottawa Senators is heating up, as The Weeknd has reportedly thrown his hat into the ring to purchase the NHL team.

The “Blinding Lights” superstar joined a group led by Toronto billionaires Jeffrey and Michael Kimel of the Harlo Capital Group aiming to make the purchase, according to a report from Ottawa Sun. The publication added that the Toronto native (born Abel Tesfaye) is a longtime hockey fan and has personal ties to Ottawa, Canada. Billboard has also reached out to The Weeknd’s reps for more information.

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Snoop Dogg and another famous Canadian, Vancouver native Ryan Reynolds, have also previously joined separate groups bidding on the team, which hasn’t won a Stanley Cup since they joined the NHL in 1992. The bidding deadline is May 15. Reynolds and the Remington Group are reportedly preparing a $1 billion bid. According to Ottawa Sun, there are seven groups currently bidding for the purchase.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman revealed during a SiriusXM interview last week that having a celebrity as part of an ownership group in Ottawa could be beneficial for the team. “It can be a plus for the franchise going forward,” he shared. “But the bids are going to have to stand on their own merit.”

08 May 2023

This Ballad Is Ed Sheeran’s Favorite Song on His New Album ‘Subtract’

Ed Sheeran is fresh off the release of his vulnerable, 14-track new album Subtract, and the 32-year-old superstar sat down with Apple Music’s Matt Wilkinson along with his album collaborator, The National’s Aaron Dessner, to discuss their experience working on the project together.

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“It’s totally different to any way that I’ve worked before,” Sheeran explained of collaborating with Dessner. “He comes with a finished product and goes, ‘Write what you feel.’ And there’s no like, ‘Oh, that line sounds a bit weird,’ or this. You write brain to page and the song’s done. And then you go in and you basically form it. And if anything, we strip back more from the recordings that he sent.”

Dessner noted that the duo immediately “clicked,” adding, “There was like a little wildfire. When we got together, we thought we’d try a few things, and we ended up with 36 songs or something.”

With a slew of songs showcasing his masterful songwriting, it’s hard to imagine that Sheeran has a favorite song on Subtract. However, he has a special connection to the songwriting process of “No Strings,” which details an unconditional type of love. “It just came from Aaron being on piano and me singing. And then we put it down and it’s as if the song didn’t matter. And then coming back to it’s now my favorite song on the record,” he shared.

Listen to the full Apple Music interview with Sheeran and Dessner here.

08 May 2023

NewJeans Break Guinness World Record for Fastest K-Pop Act to Hit 1 Billion Spotify Streams

NewJeans and their Bunnies fanbase have a major achievement to celebrate.

Guinness World Records confirmed that the K-pop group — which consists of members Minji, Danielle, Hanni, Hyein and Haerin — has officially become the K-pop act (solo male, solo female or group) to hit 1 billion streams the fastest on Spotify, after just 219 days.

The feat comes less than a year after NewJeans made its formal debut in July 2022. The K-pop stars have a total of six songs on Spotify: “Attention,” “Hurt,” “Hype Boy,” “Cookie,” “Zero, “”Ditto” and “OMG,” with the last two charting at Nos. 82 and 74 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, respectively. “OMG” is currently the girl group’s most-streamed song on the platform, clocking over 320 million plays.

According to Guinness World Records, NewJeans has claimed the throne from BLACKPINK‘s Lisa, who previously held the title among all K-pop acts with a record of 411 days, starting from Oct. 26, 2022. (BTS‘ Jung Kook broke the solo artist record in 409 days on March 27.)

In addition to a performance at Lollapalooza this summer — which will make the quintet the first K-pop group to perform at the music festival, following BTS member J-Hope’s solo performance at last year’s fest — NewJeans are gearing up for a comeback this summer, which means new music for fans to devour.

“It was actually yesterday that they finished recording for the new album that is scheduled to be released this summer,” Min Hee Jin, executive producer/CEO of NewJeans’ label ADOR, told Billboard in early April. “I wanted to break the stereotype that only certain styles of music would be able to succeed in the so-called mainstream industry. In the albums going forward, NewJeans will continue to strive to present something new and unique to exceed the expectations of their fans. NewJeans members keep growing and growing, and we can’t wait to surprise the world again.”

08 May 2023

Viral Coachella Star Diljit Dosanjh Now Has a Hit Film in the United States

Diljit Dosanjh, the Punjabi singer and performer whose colorful, dance-packed set at Coachella became a viral sensation on the internet, has now also found success on the big screen with his new film, Jodi, Released by Rhythm Boyz Entertainment in the United States this weekend, the musical grossed $734,000 on just 125 screens. While modest compared to blockbuster U.S. releases, that’s a big number for a Punjabi film Stateside.

Written and directed by Amberdeep Singh, Jodi is a musical love story starring Dosanjh and Nimrat Khaira as two artists who set out on a painstaking journey to redefine the Punjabi folk music scene in the 1980s. In April, the film broke the record for the most viewed Punjabi trailer in 24 hours, with approximately 12 million fans watching on YouTube.

“He’s unique in that his overall presence, his attire, and his music are very traditional,” says Dosanjh’s manager, Sonali Singh. “He’s not trying to change to make himself into something that’s he not in order to reach out to a larger audience.”

Festival promoter Goldenvoice shared a reel of his first performance during Weekend 1 of Coachella. The clip garnered more views on Instagram than any other artist’s set posted from the official festival account.

“We knew that his performance was going to be appreciated, but the reception he received went well beyond our expectations,” says Singh. “And we also love the fact how his community and larger Indian audiences, along with other celebrities and media houses all across globe were able to come together for this moment and support Singh.”

Dosanjh’s mesmerizing set had called for 25 band members and 40 dancers, both of which needed to be reduced in size to accommodate time pressure and staging issues. Singh says that in India, Dosanjh’s performance was compared to an Academy Award win and was watched and commented on by most television outlets.

“It was a very proud moment for fans in India,” she says “Many back at home will never get to attend Coachella and his performance was very special for them.”

08 May 2023

HHW Gaming: PlayStation Showcase Reportedly Coming This Month, Konami Rumored To Drop Metal Gear Solid & More

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PlayStation Showcase Reportedly Coming in May, Twitter Reacts

Source: NurPhoto / Getty / PlayStation Showcase

Rumor has there is a PlayStation Showcase on the horizon.

There have been rumblings about a PlayStation Showcase happening, and according to one very reliable insider, it could be right around the corner.

Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb shared a schedule on Twitter on Monday detailing what gamers could look forward to in the form of gaming events filling in the void left behind by E3 after it announced it was not happening this year. 

On the list were several events we already knew were going down in Los Angeles, but to the surprise and excitement of many, PlayStation Showcase sat at the top of that list, and it’s expected to happen the week of May 25th, according to Grubb.

In a follow-up tweet, he added that it could happen before the 25h, but “that’s probably the latest that week it could happen.”

Grubb is not one to put out baseless information on his Twitter account, and because he is sharing a date means that he’s pretty confident the showcase is happening.

What Games Will Be Shown During The PlayStation Showcase?

Now, the main question is, what the hell will PlayStation show at this showcase? Unlike its smaller scale State of Play presentations that are usually just a collection of trailers and sometimes deep dives in the case of Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, PlayStation Showcases are usually big events where Sony pulls out the bangers.

Many believe we could get our first look at gameplay from Insomniacs’ Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which is still coming sometime this year, and more gameplay footage from Final Fantasy XVI or Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. 

Will PlayStation Drop A Konami Bomb?

But, rumors are floating around that Konami will boast a huge presence during the PlayStation Showcase showing off the Silent Hill 2 Remake, which we already know is a PlayStation exclusive, but new to the conversation is a Castlevania game and a remake of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, which might be exclusives on the PS5 for a period of time.

This all according to podcast host Nick Baker, so take this news with a grain of salt, but if true, this could be huge for PlayStation, and another sour note for Xbox owners.



Windows Central editor Jez Corden also said he “heard similar” news about Metal Gear Solid exclusivity to PlayStation. In a follow-up tweet, he wrote, “Just heard Sony landed a deal with Konami for Silent Hill, Metal Gear, and maybe even a new Castlevania.”

Again, we shall wait and see, but you know the video game Twitter is chatting about it. You can see all the reactions in the gallery below.

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Photo: NurPhoto / Getty

2. If these rumors are true, Sony wins the year again

4. A Spider-Man 2 date would be nice

7. Seeing some Wolverine action would be nice.

08 May 2023

Chris Brown Responds to Video of Backstage Scuffle at Lovers & Friends Festival: ‘Keep Ya Narrative’

After making headlines over an allegedly heated altercation backstage at the Lovers & Friends festival in Las Vegas, Chris Brown took to the comments section to tell his side of the story.

“Yall been geeked all weekend, y’all dragging it now,” the R&B singer commented on a post showing fan-captured footage from the festival. “It was mad people backstage and security was trying to clear everyone off the stage. People started pushing back.. I INTERVENED To let them know MY CHILD WAS BACK THERE. So y’all can keep ya narrative.”

In the video, Brown can be seen shouting at multiple men who appear to be security guards as members of his entourage attempt to hold him back and de-escalate the situation. While he didn’t specify which child was with his at the festival, the star shares three kids with three different women: 8-year-old daughter Royalty, 3-year-old son Aeko Catori and 1-year-old daughter Lovely Symphani.

Fans replied to Brown’s Instagram comment in support of the “Under the Influence” singer’s reaction, with one writing, “You shouldn’t even have to explain! But you said your peace. Let them have it. They are literally trying anything [at this point]. Y’all really need to let him live his life! He’s not what y’all are continually trying to make him out to be! The real ones know the changes he’s made.” Another commented, “I don’t even see what was so ‘crazy’ about your behavior,” followed by a couple of shrugging emojis, while a third added, “It actually looks as if he is the one de-escalating the situation.”

Others, however, saw the footage in a different light, with one commenter pointing to Brown’s 2009 assault of then-girlfriend Rihanna: “Chris Brown has anger management issues and until he gets it under control he’s going to continue to be violent. We should know this from when he beat up Rihanna.”

Watch the footage and read Brown’s response in the post below.

08 May 2023

Billboard Latin Women in Music Recap, Chris Brown & Usher’s Alleged Fight & More | Billboard News

An alleged fight between Chris Brown and Usher took place in Las Vegas. Morgan Wallen’s ‘One Thing at a Time’ continues to lead the Billboard 200 albums chart as SEVENTEEN, Eslabon Armado, and Jack Harlow debut in the top 10 this week. We are breaking down everything that happened at the first-ever Latin Women in Music. And more!

08 May 2023

R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: JELEEL!, Kirby, BLK ODYSSY & More

Happy Monday! We’ve got ten fresh new tracks to get you pumped for (and help you survive) the new week ahead. From steamy singles by Phabo, BLK ODYSSY and Taylor Belle to uptempo anthems from JELEEL! and tobi lou, this week’s column has everything you need and more.

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And of course, don’t forget to share the wealth with our Spotify playlist, linked below.

Freshest Find: JELEEL!, “COME HERE!”

JELEEL!’s energy is undeniable. The Rhode Island rapper has a knack for stage diving and doing back flips at his shows. His hyper attitude is also reflected in his music, as he’s found a pocket rapping over glitchy, chaotic beats to get his bars off. “COME HERE!” is one of the more cohesive tracks from his recent debut album REAL RAW!, where he spits about attracting women and his fast and furious cars.

Phabo, “Casamigos”

Phabo is on a mission when he’s in the sheets. His steamy, neo-soul new single is inspired by the freaky activities that often follow indulging in the titular popular tequila brand. The San Diego-born singer even practices his Spanish on the track, singing “Casamigos reposado/ Nos tiene comportando salvajemente (got us behaving wildly).”

BLK ODYSSY, “ODEE”

BLK ODYSSY oozes confidence on his spacey new single “ODEE.” The Austin-based artist sings about his extravagant lifestyle to impress women, saying his wrist and drip are “odee.”

OhGeesy feat. Bino Rideaux & 03 Greedo, “Games”

OhGeesy and his boo are “connected like a Bluetooth.” The L.A. rapper teams up with Bino Rideaux and 03 Greedo to rap about not playing games in a relationship and wanting to be held down by their shorties. Laced with spaced-out 808s, L.A. bounce sounds and bed creaks, “Games” is a mix of trap R&B with a West Coast flare.

Danielle Ponder, “Roll the Credits”

Emotion is at the forefront of Danielle Ponder’s new single “Roll the Credits.” “[The] song [is] about spirituality in all of its forms and our ability to find God in all things if we are paying attention,” writes Ponder in a press release. The singer takes to San Juan, Puerto Rico for the song’s video, where she channels nature’s spirits, letting her old-school, bluesy vocals ring in the forest and city streets alike.

Latir, “To My Dear Anxiety (Acoustic Demo)”

In the most stripped-back and vulnerable moment of his EP Daydreams & Desires, Latir writes to his own anxiety. Thickly layered reverb surrounds the poetic singer’s voice and guitar, as he unfolds sweet falsettos and belts filled with desperation. The deep cut presents his raw talent, invoking emotion throughout its three minutes.

Taylor Belle, “SAY MY NAME”

On “Say My Name,” Taylor Belle taps into nostalgia, with a camcorder-style visual and Destiny’s Child song title. But there’s nothing dated about the singer’s flow and production, presenting a sensual single that feels both current and classic.

tobi lou, “Sorry I’m Late”

Nigeria-born, Chicago-raised artist tobi lou has garnered significant buzz thanks to his hyperactive sound and playful energy. “Sorry I’m Late” is no exception, as the rapper delivers a single that’s perfectly chaotic for all of our summer shenanigans.

Kirby feat. Rapsody, “Eve Gene”

“Black woman/ Unprotected in this world/ Is she loved, is she treasured, is she hurt?” On “Eve Gene,” Memphis singer-songwriter Kirby eloquently unravels the power and pain of her identity, adding on social media that the track helped her heal, and she hopes it does the same for her listeners. “I hope my non poc friends & family listen to this song and are reminded to hold space for the black women in their lives,” she adds. Featuring neo-soul production elements and a raw verse from revered MC Rapsody, the cut carries a vital message and is essential listening for the week and beyond.

kwes. feat. Sampha & Tirzah, “Open Up”

The critically acclaimed U.K. film Rye Lane not only boasted a captivating storyline, but an equally striking soundtrack. On “Open Up,” musical savants Sampha and Tirzah team up, their complimentary tones and lyrics intertwining to capture the heartwarming humanity of the Raine Allen Miller-directed film.