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17 Mar 2023

Cher’s Royalties Lawsuit Against Sonny Bono’s Widow Can Move Forward, Judge Says

More than a year after Cher sued Sonny Bono’s widow Mary Bono over royalties from “I Got You Babe” and other hits, a federal judge has issued an initial ruling refusing to dismiss the case.

Cher claims that her 1978 divorce deal with Sonny gave her a permanent 50% cut from songs written before they split, but that Mary recently stopped paying after she invoked copyright’s termination right. Mary’s attorneys say she was entitled to do so, and that the case should be dismissed.

In a split decision on Tuesday, U.S. District Judge John A. Kronstadt trimmed part of the case, saying any royalties from recording rights regained by Mary should stop going to Cher. But when it comes to the bigger question of the underlying musical compositions, the judge said the divorce agreement might entitle Cher to keep receiving those payments.

“The composition royalties appear to arise solely from the [divorce settlement],” the judge wrote. “On this record, it has not presently been established that [Cher]’s rights to the composition royalties have been terminated.”

In a statement to Billboard following the ruling, Mary’s attorney Daniel Schacht said: “We are happy that the court recognized some of the flaws in Cher’s case at this preliminary stage, and we look forward to resolving the remainder of the case.”

Cher’s attorney declined to comment on the decision.

Sonny and Cher started performing together in 1964 and married in 1967, rising to fame with major hits like “I Got You Babe,” “The Beat Goes On” and “Baby Don’t Go.” But the pair split up in 1974, finalizing their divorce with a settlement agreement in 1978. Under that deal, Sonny retained ownership of their music rights, but Cher was granted a half-share of all royalties.

Bono died in 1998 as the result of skiing accident, leaving Mary in control of those copyrights. And in 2016, she invoked the termination right — a provision of the federal Copyright Act that allows creators or their heirs to win back control of rights they signed away decades prior. Mary sent such notices to Sonny and Cher’s publishers, taking back full control of those copyrights.

Five years later, Cher filed her lawsuit — seeking a ruling the divorce agreement was still in effect and that she was still owed her 50% cut of royalties, regardless of who owns the copyrights now. Mary then fired back a few months later, arguing that the case should be dismissed. Her lawyers said that termination rights were designed to trump all pre-existing agreements, including a divorce agreement.

“Cher’s position would subvert Congress’ intent in enacting the copyright termination provisions: to ensure that authors and authors’ heirs, not grantees or ex-spouses, would benefit from the extended term of copyright,” Bono’s attorneys wrote in December 2021.

In Tuesday’s ruling, Judge Kronstadt denied that motion when it comes to the copyrights for Sonny’s underlying musical compositions, citing language in the divorce agreement that such royalties would be owed “from all sources perpetually.” Based on that language, the judge said the issue “cannot be resolved” until both sides have the chance to offer more evidence and arguments.

The judge did dismiss Cher’s lawsuit to the extent that it deals with royalties from any recording rights that had been terminated by Mary, since Judge Kronstadt said those provisions of the divorce agreement were tied to specific record deals that were no longer in existence. But the extent to which Mary’s termination notices actually went to record companies is unclear; earlier filings in the case only indicated that such notices has gone to publishers.

Read the entire decision here:

17 Mar 2023

Jonas Brothers Just Performed Miley Cyrus Duet ‘Before the Storm’ For the First Time in a Decade

The Jonas Brothers hit the Broadway stage on Thursday (March 16) for the third night of their ongoing Broadway residency, and trotted out their Miley Cyrus collab “Before the Storm” especially for the occasion.

The performance marked the first time the siblings had performed the album cut from 2009’s Lines, Vines and Trying Times since at least 2013, though they decided to only run through the first part of the song, sans Cyrus’ opening verse. “I don’t want to lose her/ Don’t wanna let her go,” Nick Jonas belted out before urging the audience, “Sing it out, c’mon!” and letting the packed crowd sing along for the chorus.

“The ONLY part of Before The Storm Nick could tolerate to sing lol,” a fan on Twitter captioned the video she posted of the number. Of course, the youngest Jonas has quite the history with the Endless Summer Vacation singer, considering they dated in their Disney Channel days as teens and Cyrus allegedly based her 2008 hit “7 Things” on their relationship.

For the third night of their takeover at the Marquis Theatre, the JoBros performed the entirety of their fourth studio studio set in full, including a snippet of Common collab “Don’t Charge Me for the Crime” and the live debut of album closer “Keep It Real.”

On Friday night (March 17), they’re set to highlight 2019’s Happiness Begins before the live premiere of their soon-to-be released new LP, The Album, on Saturday (March 18).

Watch the Jonas Brothers sing “Before the Storm” sans Miley Cyrus below.

17 Mar 2023

Ben Affleck Says He’s Done With The DC Universe

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Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - European Premiere

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To many fanboys, Ben Affleck had the best iteration of The Dark Knight in Zack Snyder’s Batman V. Superman and The Justice League, but if you ask the Bawsten actor himself, he didn’t care much for the experience he had in the DC Universe and doesn’t plan on returning anytime soon.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the Oscar winner explained that though the DC films he was a part of have established a cult following years after their release, he felt that the Justice League “stories became somewhat repetitive to me and less interesting.” After that debacle that Joss Whedon put together on the fly, we can’t blame Ben for feeling that way. The Zack Snyder cut of the film was superior though not exactly mind-blowing.

Continuing to explain his beef with Whedon’s remixed version of The Justice League, Ben said “You could teach a seminar on all the reasons why this is how not to do it. Ranging from production to bad decisions to horrible personal tragedy, and just ending with the most monstrous taste in my mouth. The genius, and the silver lining, is that Zack Snyder eventually went to AT&T and was like, “Look, I can get you four hours of content.” And it’s principally just all the slow motion that he shot in black-and-white. And one day of shooting with me and him. He was like, “Do you want to come shoot in my backyard?” I was like, “I think there are unions, Zack. I think we have to make a deal.” But I went and did it. And now [Zack Snyder’s Justice League] is my highest-rated movie on IMDb.”

Keep in mind Zack only got the chance to finish the film he started because of years of fan support and demands that he right the wrong that Whedon gave us after taking over the Justice League when Snyder stepped down due to personal reasons. The Whedon experience was so taxing on Ben that he admits that it led to him drinking too much during production and questioning whether he was content with where his career and life was at the moment.

Luckily Ben is in a better place now, but that doesn’t mean he’s down to return to the DC Universe even if it was in a directing gig for which he’s already won an Oscar in 2013’s Argo.

“I would not direct something for the [James] Gunn DC. Absolutely not. I have nothing against James Gunn. Nice guy, sure he’s going to do a great job. I just wouldn’t want to go in and direct in the way they’re doing that. I’m not interested in that.”

Not even in a directing capacity?! Ben must have really had a bad time being involved in those DC productions. that being said the way that James Gunn is running that ship, we doubt he’d want Ben Affleck to be a part of anything. Just sayin.’

Will you be missing Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne/Batman in the DC Universe? Let us know in the comments section below.

17 Mar 2023

JVKE and SoundExchange CEO Discuss Viral Sustainability and Why It’s the ‘Best Time’ To Be an Emerging Indie Artist

During a SXSW panel on Thursday, March 16, Billboard’s Kristin Robinson moderated a conversation between fast-rising singer-songwriter JVKE and SoundExchange president and CEO Michael Huppe.

Titled “The Creator Boom: How the Industry Can Transform,” Robinson clarified from the start that perhaps a more appropriate name would be how the industry already is transforming, and noted the ways in which independent artists who take off on TikTok, like JVKE, are helping write a new rulebook, with companies like SoundExchange (a non-profit collective rights management organization) helping newcomers play the game — and get paid.

Below are the five biggest lessons learned from the conversation. 

WEIGH THE OPTION OF STAYING INDEPENDENT

JVKE was indeed offered multi-million dollar offers from major labels to sign, and said “there were so many different options and pressures, and it’s a safe option to take the check up front and recoup in 5-10 years, but in that moment I was just like, ‘I’ve seen how much I can grow on my own and we’re curious to see how much further we can go.’ We’re doing it for the greater good, to encourage artists to see how high the ceiling is.”

His best advice for others looking to follow in his path? “It’s really important that every up and coming artist has a tenacious mindset and commitment to overcoming every obstacle, the heart to keep going. It starts with the artist, you yourself have to really go after it. At first, just focus on being self-sufficient – because we have the ability to be now.”

Huppe agreed, and added , “Lower barriers to entry and being DIY means creators are exploding, we’re having so many more people enter the system. It’s fascinating and very fertile for the industry. The problem with that is what used to be a little more orderly, sometimes it feels like chaos out there. Part of what we do is bring order to the chaos.”

WORK TO ATTAIN VIRAL SUSTAINABILITY

“I’m always trying new things and there’s always this balance of trying to fund what you want to do, but you want to balance that with real impact,” said JVKE of his struggle to both sustain momentum and use his platform wisely. “There’s always so much joy that I find in connecting with my fans and I’m always looking through my DMs, looking at my Discord, all sorts of platforms to connect with fans. Now I have a tour coming up and I think that’s really important for a modern artist, to know there are real people, not just numbers [driving your success].

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TODAY’S ENVIRONMENT FOR RISING ARTISTS

Huppe said that when he first entered the industry, the biggest threat was pirate cassette operations. “Now,” he said, “the biggest change is what used to be an ownership model. For 80 years the industry was based around ownership, everything was for sale.” He added that there are, of course, new products being monetized today, like virtual merchandise in the metaverse. But even so, he said, “Now people own very little and it’s all about access. Record labels have adapted and the artists, especially the younger up and coming artists, have really grabbed onto it and seized it.”

Which is exactly why JVKE believes it’s “the best time ever to be [emerging] because you can make music, put it out, get equipment [shipped to] your bedroom. All of those gates to entry that used to be there are pretty much gone, and I think that’s why we see so many people releasing songs now. And I think in the next few years we’re going to see a lot more up and coming artists with a similar story to me.” 

BALANCE CONTENT WITH MUSIC

For an artist like JVKE who took off thanks to TikTok, he spoke to the digital dance of balancing out creator content with posts that directly tease or promote his music. “It was more of a grind when I started out,” he said. “Ultimately, it’s all a mission to connect with people personally. As much as we talk about the algorithm, it’s also just reaching people where they are. Every artist likes doing different things, for me I love writing songs and the raw element of throwing up my phone and playing it and seeing if people like it. Part of growing, for me, means expanding my team so I can stick to what I’m best at. But at first an artist has to do it all themselves.”

MIND YOUR METADATA

Metadata, simply explained by Huppe, “Is data about data.” He said,” In today’s streaming world where 85% of the U.S. recorded music market is streaming, it’s that metadata that determines where the money goes.” He said that over 36 billion performances are reported into SoundExchange each month, with the company paying out every month, totalling over $1 billion annually. “The payment needs to flow properly so people can make a living,” he said. “Metadata is not the sexy part of this, it’s not why anyone does this, but your life will be substantially different if you do it well.”

17 Mar 2023

Every Rusical from ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’ Ranked Worst to Best

More than perhaps any other show in the history of television, RuPaul’s Drag Race has always prided itself on creating a space for the intersection of pop culture and queerness. Whether it’s in a lip sync for your life to a famous LGBTQ anthem, or a pitch-perfect Snatch Game impersonation of a gay icon, Drag Race delivers a bevy of queer cultural moments every year.

In the series’ more recent seasons, one particular brand of those moments emerged as a fan-favorite: the Rusical challenge. Since the debut of “Shade: The Rusical” back in season 6, every main season of Drag Race has featured the now-iconic challenge where queens are tasked with picking roles and creating on a show-stopping theatrical experience. Complete with costumes, choreography and the occasional 11 o’clock number, the Rusical challenge is a near-perfect way to celebrate the queer community’s undying obsession with musical theater.

Just like Broadway itself, pretty much anything can be turned into a Rusical: Some challenges have seen queens telling an original story about drag ingenues interacting with evil queens; others have seen them telling the lightly altered stories of pop divas; one even saw the queens attempting to sell fake pharmaceutical products. In the case of season 15, the queens will be performing in their very on Footloose parody, Wigloose: The Rusical on Friday (March 17).

What makes a good Rusical performance? Below, Billboard takes a look back at every Rusical performance in the history of RuPaul’s Drag Race and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, and ranks them from worst to best based on their general concepts, execution, music and overall impact. Take a look at where your favorite Rusical ended up below:

17 Mar 2023

De La Soul’s Catalog Nets 12 Million U.S. Streams After Digital Release

The long, long wait for De La Soul’s early catalog to reach digital retail and streaming services yields big results for the group on the newest round of Billboard charts. After years of internal label conflicts and issues with sampling clearances, the trio’s first six studio albums became available across digital retail and streamers on March 3 and generated a swell of activity. In the tracking week of March 3 -9, the De La Soul catalog registered 12.5 million official on-demand U.S. song streams in the week ending March 9 and sold 28,000 albums (both digital download and physical copies combined), according to Luminate.

The six studio albums had long been out of print on physical formats in the U.S., and all were reintroduced on CD, vinyl and cassette on March 3.

De La Soul is comprised of Kelvin “Posnudos” Mercer, Vincent “Maseo” Mason and the late David “Trugoy the Dove,” Jolicoeur, who died on Feb. 12 at age 54. The trio formed in Long Island in 1988 and released its debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising, on March 3, 1989, exactly 34 years before the early catalog’s digital and streaming debuts. In addition to 3 Feet High and Rising, the March 3 digital and streaming premiere included rollouts for De La Soul Is Dead (1991), Buhloone Mindstate (1993), Stakes Is High (1996), Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump (2000) and AOI: Bionix (2001).

3 Feet is easily De La Soul’s biggest album for the week. The set returns to the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart at No. 8 with 26,000 equivalent album units. It previously spent 36 weeks on the list in 1989-90, including five frames at No. 1, helped by the hit single “Me, Myself and I,” which topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for one week in June 1989, and follow-up hits “Say No Go” (No. 32) and “Buddy” (No. 18).

Most of the 3 Feet activity this week – 21,000 units – comes from album sales, with 4,000 in streaming-equivalent album units and the remaining 1,000 balance from track-equivalent album units. 14,000 of the sales sum came from vinyl LP sales alone — across multiple variants. (One unit equals the following levels of consumption: one album sale, 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams for a song on the album.)

In addition to its top 10 re-entry on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, 3 Feet debuts at No. 4 on the Top Rap Albums chart, which began in 2004, and re-enters at No. 15 on the all-genre Billboard 200 for its 20th total week on the survey.

Unsurprisingly, “Me, Myself and I,” the trio’s biggest hit from their biggest album, leads the recap of De La Soul’s most streamed songs, with 1 million on-demand streams (including user-generated content [UGC], which does not count toward Billboard’s charts). More 3 Feet cuts, “The Magic Number,” which featured in the credits of the 2021 film Spider-Man: No Way Home, and “Eye Know,” rank second and third, respectively, with 618,000 clicks for the former and 511,000 streams for the latter. “Stakes Is High,” the title track of the trio’s 1996 album, lands in fourth place with 289,000 streams, while “Change in Speak,” another 3 Feet tune, rounds out the top five with 287,000 plays.

17 Mar 2023

Lil Nas X Says There’s ‘No Such Thing’ as a Role Model After Being Compared to Andrew Tate

Lil Nas X has never been one to shy away from a fight with an internet troll, as he proved yet again after one user made an ill-fated comparison involving the rapper.

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On Wednesday (March 15), Lil Nas quote tweeted a user who made a comparison between the rapper and disgraced social media influencer Andrew Tate. “On the left, we have ‘Lil Nas X’ twerking on Satan. On the right, we have Andrew Tate, who teaches young people to think critically, to take care of their physical health and build financial security,” the tweet said alongside two images of Lil Nas and Tate. “Guess which one is deemed controversial and which is hailed as a role model.”

The “Industry Baby” rapper first pointed out that he wasn’t really “twerking on Satan” in his “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” music video. “1. that is a cgi animated being not satan from the bible book,” the rapper wrote.

Getting to his larger point, Lil Nas pointed out that he never signed up to be anyone’s idol, and encouraged his fans to think for themselves rather than finding a celebrity to admire. “2. there’s no such thing as a good role model,” he continued. “y’all need to find yourselves and stop looking for people to look up to.”

Fans of the “Old Town Road” singer also made sure to add a third point to the debate: Lil Nas X is not an alleged human trafficker. Tate and his brother Tristan were detained by Romanian police on Dec. 29 on suspicion of “human trafficking and rape.” Tate and his brother were denied bail for a third time on Wednesday (March 15), remaining in Romanian prison while awaiting formal charges.

17 Mar 2023

Courtney Love Tells Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to ‘GO TO HELL IN A HANDBAG BRO’ in Scathing Guardian Op-Ed

Courtney Love is legendarily allergic to holding her tongue. The former Hole singer proved it again on Friday (March 17) with yet another broadside aimed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in an op-ed in the Guardian, a follow-up to an Instagram missive earlier this week in which she said she was “so over these ole boys #fixtherockandrollhalloffame.”

The piece, titled, “Why Are Women So Marginalised by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?,” opens with Love describing her lifelong obsession with rock n’ roll by stating, “I got into this business to write great songs and have fun.”

But, she writes, “What no magazine or album could teach me or prepare me for was how exceptional you have to be, as a woman and an artist, to keep your head above water in the music business.” She cites the pioneering work of Big Mama Thornton (“Hound Dog”), who paved the way for Elvis, and, later, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, saying that their songs, and the latter’s “evangelical” guitar playing, changed music forever and helped create rock ‘n’ roll.

She then notes Tharpe didn’t make it into the RRHOF until 2018 — following what she terms a public shaming — more than three decades after 1986’s, all-male group of initial inductees: Chuck Berry, James Brown, Fats Domino, Ray Charles, Little Richard, Sam Cooke, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley.

For the record, she adds, Thornton is still not in today, when just 8.48% of inductees are women and only nine women are on the organization’s nominating board. Love also quotes music historian Evelyn McDonnell, a Rock Hall voter, as saying that among the musicians and music industry members on the voting committee, 90% are male.

“If so few women are being inducted into the Rock Hall, then the nominating committee is broken. If so few Black artists, so few women of color, are being inducted, then the voting process needs to be overhauled,” Love writes. “Music is a life force that is constantly evolving – and they can’t keep up.”

Love says this year’s nominations provided another reminder of “just how extraordinary a woman must be to make it into the ol’ boys club,” noting that more women were nominated this year than at any time in the organization’s 40-year history. That group includes Kate Bush, Cyndi Lauper, Sheryl Crow and Missy Elliott, as well as the White Stripes’ drummer Meg White and New Order keyboardist Gillian Gilbert.

However, Love wrote, visionary pop iconoclast Bush is on her fourth nomination (after first becoming eligible in 2004), despite being the first female act to hit No. 1 on the U.K. charts with a song she wrote at 19, “Wuthering Heights.” She didn’t make it onto a ballot until 2018, after the Hall of Fame’s co-founder and then-chairman, Rolling Stone magazine founder Jann Wenner, was inducted in 2004.

“Never mind that she was the first woman in pop history to have written every track on a million-selling debut,” Love wrote of 1978′s The Kick Inside. “A pioneer of synthesisers and music videos, she was discovered last year by a new generation of fans when ‘Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)’ featured in the Netflix hit Stranger Things. She is still making albums.”

The list goes on: 30 years to induct Nina Simone, the 2014 crowning of Linda Ronstadt, who released her debut album in 1969 — acts are eligible 25 years after the release of their first record — and was the first woman to headline stadiums, not to mention Tina Turner finally being ushered in as a solo act 30 years after her first induction with former husband, bandmate and abuser, Ike Turner.

“You can write the Rock Hall off as a ‘boomer tomb’ and argue that it is building a totem to its own irrelevance,” she writes. “Why should we care who is in and who is not? But as scornful as its inductions have been, the Rock Hall is a bulwark against erasure, which every female artist faces whether they long for the honour or want to spit on it. It is still game recognising game, history made and marked.”

Calling the Rock Hall a “king-making force” in the global music industry that can impact an artist’s concert ticket prices, performance guarantees and quality of their reissue campaigns, Love says getting enshrined can be a “life-changing” experience. “The Rock Hall has covered itself in a sheen of gravitas and longevity that the Grammys do not have,” she adds. “Particularly for veteran female artists, induction confers a status that directly affects the living they are able to make. It is one of the only ways, and certainly the most visible, for these women to have their legacy and impact honoured with immediate material effect.”

Love ticks off seven-time nominee funk icon Chaka Khan as another “tragic” miss in the Hall’s induction history and claims that, “The Rock Hall’s canon-making doesn’t just reek of sexist gatekeeping, but also purposeful ignorance and hostility. This year, one voter told Vulture magazine that they barely knew who Bush was – in a year she had a worldwide No 1 single 38 years after she first released it.”

A spokesperson for the RRHOF had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment at press time. Billboard has not independently confirmed the statistics or numbers cited by Love in the piece.

“If the Rock Hall is not willing to look at the ways it is replicating the violence of structural racism and sexism that artists face in the music industry, if it cannot properly honour what visionary women artists have created, innovated, revolutionised and contributed to popular music – well, then let it go to hell in a handbag,” Love concludes.

17 Mar 2023

New Music Latin: Listen to Releases From Manuel Turizo, Elena Rose & 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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Manuel Turizo, 2000 (La Industria Inc./Sony Music Latin)

In 2000, named after his birth year, Manuel Turizo is more experimental than ever — and the first few songs are proof of that. Though he stays truthful to his reggaetón-pop core, the Colombian artist does not shy away from techno beats (as heard in “Triste”) fast-paced merengue (the Marshmello-assisted “El Merengue”) sultry reggae and dancehall fusions (“Jamaica”) and trap (“U Lala”). 2000 is a feel-good, summer-ready production that’s home to 15 track — including the previously released “Extasis” with Maria Becerra and “La Bachata,” which hit No. 1 on Billboard‘s Tropical Airplay Chart, Latin Airplay Chart, and most recently, the Argentina Hot 100.

Over energized rhythms and relatable lyrics, the Colombian artist also gets ultra-personal in the notable “Vacio” — a track where he opens up about chasing his dreams at such a young age (Turizo was 15 years old when he dropped his first hit “Una Lady Como Tú”). Further solidifying a very intimate set, the cover art is an actual photo of Turizo when he was a baby. — JESSICA ROIZ

Elena Rose, “El Hombre” (Warner Music Latina)

A groovy pop track is Elena Rose’s first single of the year, which also serves as a preview to her upcoming debut album. As ever, the singer-songwriter’s ethereal vocals — which adapt to whichever style will serve as her canvas — take center stage in this soon-to-be anthem. The sweet, yet poignant “El Hombre” describes an evolved man, one who isn’t scared to be vulnerable and has embraced his softer side. “He’s different from the rest,” she sings, introducing this unicorn of a man. “It’s not the man that opens the door for you, but the one who doesn’t want to close doors for you. A man isn’t the one that loves you but the one who teaches you how to love.” — GRISELDA FLORES

Lupita Infante, “Besarte Así” (Sony Music Latin)

In times when lyrics are getting more and more explicit, it’s refreshing to hear Lupita Infante’s utterly romantic “Besarte Así” (To Kiss You Like This,) the third single from her upcoming album Amor Como En Las Películas de Antes (Love Like in the Old Movies). With a retro sound and very sweet, innocent lyrics, the mariachi ballad (written by Infante with Pedro Dabdoub) imagines what would be the perfect kiss with the perfect someone: “If I get closer, little by little, I feel my voice tremble/ When I say your name what I really want is kissing you,” she sings, in Spanish. The song is about “letting your imagination take you somewhere you’ve never been before,” Infante says in the production notes, adding that the track “lets you envision that one kiss you have dreamed about your entire life, allowing yourself to embrace those loving feelings.” — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Isabella Lovestory, “Latina” (Isabella Lovestory)

Freaky urbano purveyor Isabella Lovestory doesn’t mind sharing alcohol, men and lipstick with her Latina comrades — after all, it’s a sisterhood. Buoyed by a glitchy, intoxicating reggaetón beat and her riot grrrl antics, the Honduran-born artist arrives with a powerful mission statement that’s filled with pride and conviction: “Latina.” Her first track of 2023 already sounds like an electrifying art-pop feminist anthem, one that’s empowering mujeres the web over (“I feel beautiful listening to this queen” or “I didn’t ask to be Latina I just got lucky,” commented some online users).

“Tongue-in-cheek and playful, [‘Latina’] is a song that celebrates being Latina without being cliché and ‘dove commercial’ about it,” she says in a press release. “It’s a commentary on the tokenizing of latinidad, reclaiming the uniqueness and poignancy of every experience each Latina has.” Produced by Chicken, Kamixlo and Nick León, the commanding neo-perreo song also coincides with the announcement of her upcoming tour, Laticonica. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

Luis R Conriquez & Grupo Frontera “Dame un Chance” (Kartel Music)

Luis R Conriquez and Grupo Frontera team up to deliver “Dame un Chance.” The contemporary norteño band and the Mexican singer-songwriter offer a fresh regional Mexican fusion that effortlessly combines traditional norteño sounds with the lively rhythm of cumbia. Produced by Edgar Barrera, the song serves as a romantic plea to be given a chance, committing to change (and even to consume less alcoho)l if it would grant them an opportunity with the person they love: “I have a feeling that my life is better with you/ I know very well that they say that I am a mess/ And it’s true I admit it too, but I also know how to love you pretty/ I’ll go down and drink a little so that you can see that I need you.” The accompanying video showcases the artists performing live with an enthusiastic group of men dancing and partying. — LUISA CALLE

Lenier & Yomo, “Corazón Callejero” (Mr. 305 Records)

Cuban singer-songwriter Lenier recruits Puerto Rican artist Yomo to deliver a love letter in “Corazón Callejero.” With a blend of charming melodies and uptempo beats, the heartfelt track — a sweet confession of love — seamlessly balances Yomo’s signature vocals and Lenier’s raspy-yet-soothing voice. “Yo tengo un corazón callejero, un corazón bandolero que de ti se enamoró (I have a street heart, a bandit’s heart that fell in love with you),” they sing in the chorus. — INGRID FAJARDO

Below, stream Billboard’s New Music Latin playlist, also featuring other recent releases from the Latin world.

17 Mar 2023

Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Catalog Up 16% in Streams After Gary Rossington’s Death

Lynyrd Skynyrd’s catalog gained in streaming and sales following the death of founding guitarist Gary Rossington March 5.

In the March 3-9 tracking week, the Southern rockers drew 16.4 million official U.S. streams, according to Luminate. That’s a 16% jump over the previous period of Feb. 24-March 2 (14.1 million).

Pacing the group, which was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, in overall volume for its songs was “Sweet Home Alabama,” from 1974’s Second Helping. The classic track, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s lone top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 (No. 8 peak, October 1974), earned 4.5 million streams March 3-9, up 7% from 4.2 million.

The song is followed by “Simple Man,” from 1973’s (Pronounced ‘Lĕh-‘nérd ‘Skin-‘nérd), at 3.9 million streams, a 5% boost. Next up, “Free Bird” from the same album, with a 11% jump to 3.1 million streams. The latter sports a slightly larger bump than the other songs, unsurprisingly: Rossington was the architect of the hit’s signature slide guitar riff.

A fourth Lynyrd Skynyrd song impacts the week’s top 2,000 streams in the U.S.: “Gimme Three Steps,” also from the 1973 LP, with 1.6 million streams, up 8%.

Those gains are enough for “Alabama,” “Simple” and “Bird” to hit Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and Hot Rock Songs charts (where older songs are eligible to appear if in the top half and with meaningful reasons for their resurgences). “Alabama” leads at No. 17, followed by “Simple” (No. 21) and “Bird” (No. 24). (“Simple” is in its third consecutive week on the ranking, having re-entered thanks to a viral American Idol audition with the song.)

All three titles also enter Rock Digital Song Sales, each with 1,000 downloads sold. In all, the band’s catalog moved 6,000 song downloads March 3-9, a vault of 103%.

The group’s All Time Greatest Hits concurrently scales Top Rock & Alternative Albums, bounding 28-15 with 11,000 equivalent album units earned, up 19%.

Rossington died March 5 at age 71. His cause of death has not yet been revealed. He had been the final surviving original member of Lynyrd Skynyrd, whose origins date to 1964.