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09 Mar 2023

Kirk Franklin Becomes First Artist to Spend 100 Weeks at No. 1 on a Songwriters Chart

Kirk Franklin makes history as he spends a landmark 100th week at No. 1 on Billboard’s Gospel Songwriters chart (dated March 11).

The artist becomes the first person to reach the 100-week milestone on a songwriters chart. Billboard launched its Hot 100 Songwriters and Hot 100 Producers charts, as well as genre-specific rankings for country, rock & alternative, R&B/hip-hop, R&B, rap, Latin, Christian, gospel and dance/electronic in June 2019. (Alternative and hard rock joined in 2020, along with seasonal holiday rankings in 2022.)

“As a songwriter, there are few things more gratifying than seeing your work connect with people on a deep level,” Franklin tells Billboard. “To have my music resonate with so many for 100 weeks is truly a humbling experience. I am grateful beyond words to those that love my music for their support and to everyone who has played a part in bringing my music to life.”

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Franklin extends his record run atop Gospel Songwriters thanks to three songwriting credits on the latest Hot Gospel Songs chart. He’s also credited as a recording artist and producer on all three tracks. Here’s a recap:

Rank. Artist Billing, Title (co-songwriters in addition to Franklin)

  • No. 4, Maverick City Music X Kirk Franklin feat. Brandon Lake & Chandler Moore, “Fear Is Not My Future” (Brandon Lake, Jonathan Jay, Hannah Shackleford, Nicole Hannel)
  • No. 7, Maverick City Music X Kirk Franklin feat. Naomi Raine & Chandler Moore, “Kingdom” (Chandler Moore, Jonathan Jay, Jacob Poole)
  • No. 9, Maverick City Music X Kirk Franklin, “Bless Me”

The only act to spend at least 100 weeks atop a producers chart is Tainy, who has amassed 119 weeks at No. 1 on Latin Producers, thanks to his work on hits by J Balvin and Bad Bunny, among others.

Franklin has been hugely successful on Billboard’s gospel charts. He holds the record for the most Hot Gospel Songs No. 1s (eight) and has the second-most top five hits (15), top 10s (20) and overall entries (36) in the chart’s 18-year history. He’s also tied for the most No. 1s on Gospel Airplay (nine, with Tamela Mann) and holds the record for the most career entries at the format (25, also over the list’s 18 years).

Franklin’s “Wanna Be Happy?” spent 45 weeks at No. 1 on Hot Gospel Songs in 2015-16, making it the third-longest-leading hit in the chart’s archives, while his “Love Theory” spent 44 weeks on top, the fourth-longest reign. His eight leaders on Hot Gospel Songs have spent a combined 144 weeks at No. 1, the most among all acts.

Franklin has also earned 13 No. 1 albums on the Top Gospel Albums chart, the most among all acts since he first led the chart in December 1993, with Kirk Franklin And The Family. On the all-genre Billboard 200, he’s charted 14 albums, including five top 10s.

09 Mar 2023

A Lewis Capaldi Documentary Is Coming to Netflix: ‘Pretty Terrified for Everyone to See This’

Lewis Capaldi is coming to a screen near you. The “Before You Go” singer is the latest musician to team up with Netflix for a documentary. Titled Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now, the project will go behind the scenes with the star in the midst of his career success.

Capaldi shared the news on Thursday (March 9) in a video of himself dressed in costumes from some of the streaming platform’s biggest shows — Bridgerton, Squid Game, Tiger King, Orange Is the New Black, Money Heist and Wednesday — before donning a gray hoodie to tell fans the news of the forthcoming release.

“I made a NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY!!! it’s called ‘How I’m Feeling Now’ and comes out on April 5th!” the Grammy nominee captioned the video. “Pretty terrified for everyone to see this if I’m quite honest, but I’m so so proud of it.” Capaldi also reposted the news to his Instagram Story, adding, “As if this is actually happening. So buzzing, @netflix @netflixuk x.”

Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now will highlight the Scottish singer returning to his roots and reconnecting with friends and family. The press releases teases that the project will follow him “at a pivotal moment in his career,” including his return to Scotland and his parents house to begin work on upcoming album Broken by Desire to be Heavenly Sent, and grappling with matching the success of his 2019 debut, Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent (which peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard 200).

Broken by Desire to be Heavenly Sent will be released on May 19 via EMI.

See Capaldi’s announcement below.

09 Mar 2023

Meet the Women Responsible for Producing Music’s Biggest Moments in Bose’s New Turn the Dial Campaign

According to recent studies, only 2.8% of popular songs over the last decade were produced by women. 

In celebration of Women’s History Month, Bose launched a new campaign, Turn the Dial, to celebrate women producers and inspire more young girls to enter the music production space. 

Turn the Dial is a commitment to closing the gender parity gap within music production and highlights notable women producers H.E.R., PinkPantheress, WondaGurl, and Blond:ish. 

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This content series was created to call out the gender disparities in music production and lay the groundwork for a world where producers of all genders are equally represented. It is crucial for young women and non-binary folk to see representation in every role across the industry.

At this year’s Billboard Women in Music Awards, Bose presented ROSALÍA with the inaugural Producer of the Year Award. While accepting the award, she said, “I make my own music, I produce my own songs, and I write my own songs. I want to dedicate this award to all the women who are going to be producers because I am not the first and I won’t be the last.”  

H.E.R.

Gabriella Wilson, the artist known professionally as H.E.R., is a producer, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrument musician. This five-time GRAMMY award-winning artist has been involved in all aspects of the music creation process since her pre-teen years. H.E.R. has co-production credits on a few of her biggest tracks along with an impressive catalog producing for other artists such as Jazmine Sullivan, Mary J. Blige, and Ella Mai. 

PinkPantheress

Viral TikTok sensation turned Billboard charting artist PinkPantheress is the most prominent women producer representing the next generation. The London native has production credits on her hit single “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” featuring Ice Spice which as well as other notable tracks like “Pain,” “Break it off,” and “Attracted To You.” She made a name for herself on TikTok in early 2020 and has grown into one of the most promising artists in music today. Known for a sample-heavy, drum n bass production style, PinkPantheress has successfully integrated a new sound into mainstream American music. 

WondaGurl

WondaGurl is a Canadian record producer, songwriter, and record executive. At the early age of 16, she linked up with Travis Scott which led to her first-ever major placement on Jay Z’s critically acclaimed album Magna Carta Holy Grail. Since then, WondaGurl has been featured on tracks in collaboration with icons such as Mariah Carey, Drake, and more. She is one of the main producers who contributed to Travis Scott’s Astroworld project, making WondaGurl one of the youngest women to add production to a In addition to her record production catalog, WondaGurl founder of her own record label and publishing company, Wonderchild Music which supports women acts like pineappleCITI and sad alex. 

Blond:ish 

Blond:ish is a Canadian production and DJ duo of Anstacia D’Elene Corniere and Vivie-Ann Bakos. Since 2007, they have been carving out space for women and dominating the electronic music scene from Montreal to London. The duo is known for their deep knowledge of music across genres. Blond:ish’s unique talent and ability as individual musicians helps to bridge gaps between genres like afro house, 80s disco, and psychedelic. Blond:ish recently produced and released a collaborative track “Sorry” with the one and only Madonna. 

09 Mar 2023

The Cadillac Three Members Launch War Buddha Label With Warner Records

The Cadillac Three members Jaren Johnston and Neil Mason have teamed with Warner Records via a joint venture to launch the Nashville-based label War Buddha Records.

The first signing to the venture is Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Rett Madison, who recently wrapped a run of shows with St. Paul & The Broken Bones and is slated to play during SXSW 2023.

“As artists ourselves, we created War Buddha first and foremost as a home for artists,” Johnston said via a statement. “In partnering with our longtime friend Aaron Bay-Schuck, alongside Tom Corson and the stellar Warner Records team, we saw the opportunity to mix our dirt with Warner’s power to create a venture fostering both creative expression and commercial success.”

“We want the label to offer a platform for artists with unique perspectives who fit out, not in, and feel unafraid to tell their stories unapologetically,” Mason added. “Rett is the perfect first signing for the label: an artist with the incredible ability to capture life experiences in songs that make the listener feel they are in those moments with her. We’re so grateful to Aaron and Tom for the chance to build this label together.”

Nashville natives Johnston and Mason, along with their The Cadillac Three cohort Kelby Ray, have released albums via Big Machine Records including 2016’s Bury Me in My Boots, and a pair of 2020 projects, Country Fuzz and Tabasco and Sweet Tea. As songwriters, Johnston has written songs recorded by artists including Tim McGraw (“Southern Girl”), Keith Urban and Eric Church (the duet “Raise ‘Em Up”). Mason has written songs recorded by artists including Miranda Lambert (“Old Sh*t”), and Jake Owen (“Days of Gold”).

“For as long as I have known Jaren and Neil, they have never taken a conventional path,” said Bay-Schuck, co-chairman & CEO of Warner Records, via a statement. “They’ve been fearless in their pursuit of great art, never compromising any integrity or authenticity in their approach to their own artistry or collaborations as songwriters and producers for other artists. As we continue to build the Warner Records brand as one that is always a safe and encouraging place for artists who dare to be different, take risks, and have a point of view, it made total sense to partner with War Buddha on their mission to do the same. We are very excited to welcome Rett Madison as the first artist from this partnership and we can’t wait to see what other unique and amazing talent Jaren and Neil discover.”

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining the Warner Records family with War Buddha!” Madison said. “I’ve felt such genuine enthusiasm from Neil and Jaren in regards to my music and their total support of me sharing my most authentic, artistic voice feels refreshing. I can’t wait to see what we all build together.”

09 Mar 2023

Cardi B Addresses Rumors She’s Co-Starring With Megan Thee Stallion in a ‘B.A.P.S’ Remake

Despite recent rumors, it doesn’t seem like Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion are planning to appear together onscreen again any time soon. In a Thursday morning (March 9) tweet, the “Up” rapper shared that, unfortunately, there’s no merit to recent whispers that a remake of the 1997 cult classic film B.A.P.S co-starring the “WAP” collaborators is in the works.

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“I don’t even know where that rumor even came about….,” she wrote, retweeting a separate post about the B.A.P.S rumors. “Maybe because we looked soo cute in the Wap video ? …kiss kiss.”

The original tweet featured two side-by-side photos, one of Cardi and Meg looking glam in their 2020 “WAP” music video and another of Halle Berry and Natalie Desselle in a scene from B.A.P.S., which stands for “Black American Princesses.” Critically panned but loved by audiences, the film follows two Southern girls who move to L.A. to audition for a music video, but end up in a scheme to scam a dying millionaire.

As fun as a film starring two of rap music’s biggest female artists would undoubtedly be, Cardi does have a lot on her plate at the moment. The Grammy winner has recently been promoting her custom McDonald’s meal with superstar husband Offset, and going back and forth between the recording studio, presumably working on upcoming music, and court-ordered community service, which she has chronicled in social media posts.

“Community service has been the best thing that has happened to me,” Cardi tweeted in late February. “Almost like a spiritual journey because sometimes I leave these centers in tears .Those people that we leave behind they just need somebody to talk and a lil push and YOU might be able to change their life forever.”

See Cardi’s tweet denying a B.A.P.S remake co-starring Megan Thee Stallion below:

09 Mar 2023

The Notorious B.I.G. Saluted On Twitter For 26th Anniversary Of His Passing #RIPBIG

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The Notorious B.I.G. has been covered many times on our site and there is little more we can add to cement the man’s greatness as a rapper, lyricist, and Hip-Hop icon. On the 26th anniversary of his tragic death, Twitter once more gathers to salute The Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggie Smalls in grand fashion.

The Notorious B.I.G., real name Christopher Wallace, was at the height of his fame in 1997. Just six months prior, Biggie’s bitter rival and former friend Tupac “2Pac” Shakur was shot in a drive-by incident and eventually succumbed to his wounds. Even today, the people who carried out these vicious crimes still remain free.

It is astonishing to think that Biggie was just 24 years of age when he died. 2Pac was just 25 at the time of his death. Two young lives, two massive superstars of the culture, gone. Both men should still be here, celebrating Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary with some of their peers and close allies. It is beyond tragic that we’re only left with their memories.

Their passing stands as a grim reminder of the underbelly of Hip-Hop beef that can often turn violent. And even today when so many young artists have lost their lives in the wake of what happened in the 1990s, the same issues of gun violence and the inability to work things out like men still persist.

On Twitter, many are taking a moment to salute The Notorious B.I.G. aka Biggie Smalls, He indeed was the illest.

Check out the reactions below.

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Photo: Nitro / Getty

09 Mar 2023

Eliah Seton Named CEO of SoundCloud

SoundCloud named Eliah Seton as its new CEO, the company announced today (March 9). Seton, who has served as president of the company since 2021, replaces Michael Weissman, who is leaving the company “for a new opportunity,” according to a press release.

Simultaneously, the company announced that Union Square Ventures founder Fred Wilson has been named chairman of the board. Wilson, who has been on the board at SoundCloud since 2011, replaces company founder and former CEO Alexander Ljung, who will be taking a new role as chairman emeritus and remain a member of the board.

“As the only platform with direct relationships with artists and fans at scale, SoundCloud has a singular opportunity to forge the future of the music industry by unlocking the full power of fandom,” Seton said in a statement. “I am grateful to Mike for our partnership, to Fred and the board for their confidence and thrilled to work alongside our incredible leadership team to realize that vision.”

Seton joined SoundCloud from the Warner Music Group, where he spent a number of years first working for former WMG CEO Stephen Cooper, then as senior vp of strategy and operations for Warner International, before moving to ADA, eventually being named president of independent music and creator services for the major label. He moved to SoundCloud in 2021 during a shakeup of the company, during which Weissman moved into the CEO role and SoundCloud began an evolution from an indie-focused streaming service towards a hybrid organization that now offers label and artist services, as well as distribution, audience insights and a growing roster of artists and partnerships.

During that period, SoundCloud also rolled out a fan-powered royalties initiative, which switched up how independent creators got paid on the platform, and Seton led the deal that brought Warner Music artists into the fan-powered royalties fold. In August, the company laid off 20% of its global staff while it pursued a different strategy amid the advertising-affected market, though in December it announced its revenue grew 19% in 2021, according to financial statements published in Germany. In the past year, SoundCloud has inked joint ventures with Quality Control’s management wing Solid Foundation and Atlanta-based management and services company Third & Hayden, and partnered with artists such as Lil Pump, Tekno and Aly & AJ, among others.

Wilson replaces Ljung as chairman, who originally founded the company and was its CEO from 2007 to 2017, at which time Kerry Trainor took over as CEO and Weissman as COO. According to a press release, Ljung will “remain closely engaged and available to the company’s management team and employees going forward.”

“I have served on SoundCloud’s board for more than a decade and can honestly say that I have never been more excited about the direction and leadership of the company,” Wilson said in a statement. “Eliah’s passion for the business of music, relationships and vision are exactly what is needed for the next phase of SoundCloud’s growth. On behalf of the board, I want to thank Mike for his leadership, dedication and partnership over the past several years and welcome Eliah to this new role.”

09 Mar 2023

Opry Entertainment Group Makes Investment in Whiskey Riff Lifestyle Brand

Opry Entertainment Group (OEG) has made a minority investment in country music lifestyle brand Whiskey Riff in an effort to draw a younger audience to its properties.

OEG, which counts the Grand Ole Opry, Ryman Auditorium, WSM Radio and the Blake Shelton-inspired Ole Red slate of restaurants/music venues among its portfolio, plans to use the alignment with Whiskey Riff to reach a younger demographic, attract new audiences to its brands, develop a stronger digital presence and further support emerging artists.

“They have created a really compelling brand, one that has built an incredibly loyal following,” says Mark Fioravanti, president and CEO of Ryman Hospitality Properties of Whiskey Riff. “They attract a younger demographic, and this gives us another way to connect our brands and the artists we support with younger fans.”

Fioravanti declined to comment on the specific percentage invested in Whiskey Riff or if OEG plans to increase its ownership stake in Whiskey Riff in the future.

Created by Steve Gazibara and Wes Langeler in 2015, Whiskey Riff has become a destination website for consumer country music news and content, as well as for outdoors and lifestyle content that resonates with the country music audience.

Across the Whiskey Riff brand umbrella as a whole, including Whiskey Riff social media accounts as well as @RIFFOutdoors, @WhiskeyRiffShop and @WhiskeyRiffRaff, the company says the sites have collectively drawn over 3.3 million social media followers. Over half of Whiskey Riff viewers are between the ages of 18-44.

Gazibara tells Billboard of launching Whiskey Riff, “I just thought, ‘If you are a college kid sitting in class, you don’t have a place to go to get a playlist, a podcast, a funny story, an outdoors thing, music stories and maybe a funny t-shirt if you want to get it for a concert.’”

“We share a certain segment of fans with Opry Entertainment, but we also have different fans in certain capacities,” Langeler adds. “The Opry does a great job of promoting rising artists that are independent and then they also bring on seasoned veterans, [Country Music] Hall of Fame members. I think we can really just help each other grow and continually bring new fans to each other.”

One element the Whiskey Riff co-founders insist won’t change is the site’s distinctive voice.

“The Opry knows we’re gonna have opinions,” Gazibara says. “They don’t have a say in the content, obviously, but of course you want to amplify their content that fits with our audience—and there is plenty of that from their end.”

Currently, OEG supports emerging artists in multiple ways, including Grand Ole Opry debut performances, as well as the “My Opry Debut” series, which runs on television network Circle, OEG’s joint venture with Gray Television. Additionally, new acts garner support through the Opry NextStage program, and performances at various Ole Red locations (Ole Red is set to add a Las Vegas location later this year).

OEG and Whiskey Riff are considering a range of collaborative options, including podcasts and cross-promotional retail/branding opportunities. “You might see some of their brand of products in our brick and mortar locations,” Fioravanti says. “We are just starting to have those discussions, but it’s an opportunity to collaborate with our retail capabilities.”

Gazibara and Langeler envision further amplifying Whiskey Riff’s lifestyle content, including food, hunting, fishing and other sports. Meanwhile, the Colorado-based Whiskey Riff will soon have a full-time Nashville presence; the site’s operations manager will relocate to Nashville, while the site’s Nashville-based assistant editor will move to a full-time role.

“They will have access to go backstage [at the Opry], talk to people, maybe get some fun, rapid-fire content before artists go onstage, or show the jam band-kind of thing that often happens backstage,” Langeler says. “We want to give fans an inside look at stuff they maybe wouldn’t have seen.

“The Opry is the greatest country music institution in the world,” Langeler adds. “I think we will be a machine going forward, pumping out content, giving fans that access and telling great stories. Country music is such a rich storytelling fabric and we will be able to help the Opry amplify that, and they will be able to help us to be able to tell these stories.”

09 Mar 2023

The Cure Announce 2023 North American Tour Dates

The Cure announced their first run of North American dates in more than four years on Thursday (March 9). The Robert Smith-led band’s Shows of a Lost World Tour is slated to kick off on May 10 at the Smoothie Center in New Orleans and take the goth rock icons through Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, Montreal and Atlanta before wrapping up at Miami-Dade Arena in Miami, FL on July 1.

The run — their first extensive U.S. dates since 23019 — will include a three-night stand at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles (May 23, 24, 25) as well as a triple-play at New York’s Madison Square Garden (June 20, 21, 22); The Twilight Sad will open all the shows.

Tickets for all 30 dates will go on sale via Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan program beginning March 15; pre-registration is required and registration will close on March 13 at 10 a.m. PT. In the wake of ticket sale snafus affecting Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny onsales, in a message to fans, the Cure wrote, “we have priced tickets to benefit fans and our efforts to block scalpers and limited inflated resale prices are being supported by our ticketing partners.”

At press time there was no information about new music from the band, though Smith has been promising a follow-up to 2008’s 4:13 Dream for several years.

Check out the dates for The Cure’s Shows of a Lost World 2023 North American Tour below.

May 10 — New Orleans, LA @ Smoothie King Center
May 12 — Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
May 13 — Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion
May 14 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center
May 16 — Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheater
May 18 — Phoenix, AZ @ Desert Diamond Arena
May 20 — San Diego, CA @ NICU Amphitheatre
May 23 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
May 24 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
May 25 — Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl
May 27 — San Francisco, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
June 1 — Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
June 2 — Vancouver, British Columbia @ Rogers Arena
June 4 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Vivint Smart Home Arena
June 6 — Greenwood Village, CO @ Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
June 8 — Saint Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
June 10 — Chicago, IL @ United Center
June 11 — Cleveland, OH @ Blossom Music Center
June 13 — Detroit, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre
June 14 — Toronto, Ontario @ Budweiser Stage
June 16 — Montreal, Quebec @ Bell Centre
June 18 — Boston, MA @ Xfinity Center
June 20 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
June 21 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
June 22 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
June 24 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
June 25 — Columbia, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
June 27 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
June 29 — Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena
July 1 — Miami, FL @ Miami-Dade Arena