djfrosty

28 Feb 2023

Here Are All the Oscar Winners for Best Animated Feature

Animated films have a rich history at the Academy Awards. Walt Disney received a special award in 1938 for the previous year’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which was “recognized as a significant screen innovation which has charmed millions and pioneered a great new entertainment field for the motion picture cartoon.”

Fifty years later, Richard Williams received a special achievement award for the animation direction of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The film also won three competitive Oscars.

But it wasn’t until 1991’s Beauty and the Beast that an animated film was nominated for best picture. That same year, the rival Annie Awards added a category for best animated feature. Beauty and the Beast was their first winner, followed by such smash hits as Aladdin (1992), The Lion King (1993-94), Pocahontas (1995) and Toy Story (1996).

Throughout the ’90s, the Oscars resisted adding a category for animated features, though John Lasseter received a special achievement award in 1995 “for his inspired leadership of the Pixar Toy Story team, resulting in the first feature-length computer-animated film.” It wasn’t until 2001 that the Academy finally added a category for best animated feature.

This year’s nominees in that category are Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, The Sea Beast and Turning Red. Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio won the Annie Award in this category on Feb. 25 in a ceremony at UCLA’s Royce Hall in Los Angeles, which makes the Guillermo Del Toro-directed film the Oscar front-runner (though the two shows do not always agree, as you will see.)

Here’s a year-by-year recap of all the Oscar winners for best animated feature film.

28 Feb 2023

Taylor Swift Takes a Trip ‘Through the Eras’ for New Tour Merch Collection

Taylor Swift unveiled another merch collection Tuesday (Feb. 28) ahead of her Eras Tour.

The “Through the Eras” collection features 10 T-shirts, each themed to a separate album by the superstar — from her 2006 self-titled debut and 2010’s Speak Now to 2020’s dual Folklore and Evermore and 2022’s Midnights. Each shirt features graphics of Taylor from the particular album era on the front and the list of cities on the hotly anticipated tour route on the back. (For the record, both 2008’s Fearless and 2012’s Red get a (Taylor’s Version) remake in the drop.)

In addition to Swifties being able to choose a shirt that represents their favorite era, the line also includes a black long-sleeve, white hoodie and gray crewneck sweater showing the “Lavender Haze” singer through the years of her 17-year career. Plus, fans can purchase everything from blankets, sweatpants, phone cases, nail gems, mugs and tumblers to luggage tags, stickers, coasters, notebooks, bandanas, activity books, colored pencils and ponchos in case of rain.

As the March 17 start date for The Eras Tour draws closer, Swift achieved another pair of impressive milestones this week. First, she became only the second woman to ever place 10 albums on the Billboard 200 at the same time after Whitney Houston. And second, she tied the record for the most top 10s in the history of the Adult Pop Airplay chart as “Lavender Haze” landed at No. 9 on the chart dated March 4.

Ahead of The Eras Tour, Billboard also rounded up our picks for the 20 songs from Swift’s discography that deserve a spot on the setlist but likely won’t make the cut considering just how much ground she has to cover over the course of the show.

Get a look at Taylor’s “Through the Eras” collection and prepare to pick your favorites below.

28 Feb 2023

Natanael Cano’s Los CT Label Signs Global Distribution Deal With Downtown Music Services

Downtown Music Services has inked a global distribution, creative marketing and synch licensing deal with Natanael Cano‘s record imprint, Los CT, it was announced Monday (Feb. 27). The label’s current roster includes Gabito Ballesteros, Alejandro Buelna, Tyan G and more.

Under the deal, Downtown Music Services will be responsible for all aspects of global distribution, creative marketing and synch for Los CT. This includes providing listeners with access to new music releases, securing strategic marketing and synch opportunities and ensuring that Los CT artist releases are available on all major digital streaming platforms.

Cano launched Los CT last year amid a public dispute with his former label, Rancho Humilde, as an opportunity to continue broadening the Mexican music style he’s been actively internationalizing.

“I am always very happy to work with people who supported me from the beginning,” Cano said in a press release. “Now being able to distribute my music with some of the same people who always believed in me, I am extremely grateful and motivated to continue giving my all alongside the Downtown Music Services team.”

Downtown Music Services vp of A&R Latin, Ray Tapia, worked side by side with Cano’s manager, Ramon Emilio Hernández, to make this partnership a reality. A subsidiary of Downtown Music Holdings, Downtown Music Services offers bespoke distribution, publishing administration, creative marketing and finance solutions to entrepreneurial creators and their partners.

Tapia said, “We are thrilled to partner with Natanael Cano and the Los CT record label team. The Mexican music scene is undergoing a transformation with an increasing number of collaborations and a growing number of artists attracting millions of monthly listeners. This genre remains one of if not the most independent, and we are super excited to have the opportunity to contribute to its success. ¡Ánimo!“

“We have been working on this for a minute and I am really excited about this partnership and how we are helping put this new era of the culture out there,” added Hernández. “There is so much promising talent in this space and we look forward to working with some of these artists and the team at Downtown Music. They really knew the genre, the music and understood our goals from the beginning.”

This year, Cano has achieved three entries on the Billboard Global 200 chart, including “AMG” with Gabito Bastelleros and Peso Pluma which hit No. 35 on the tally. He’s also scored two entries on the Billboard Hot 100.

28 Feb 2023

No, Pete Davidson Is Not Munching On Ice Spice, Twitter Has Jokes Anyway

HipHopWired Featured Video

CLOSE

Celebrity Sightings In New York City - February 13, 2023

Source: Raymond Hall / Getty / Ice Spice

Former SNL star Pete Davidson is famous for his comedic exploits and legendary for dating history because he always has a baddie on his side. A rumor came out of nowhere, implying Davidson is now dating Ice Spice, and Twitter, of course, reacted.

Ice Spice is arguably one of the hottest Hip-Hop artists out right now, so why not link up with one of Hollywood’s most eligible bachelors?

Well, sorry to break it to those excited about Ice Spice and Pete Davidson, but the rumor of these two hooking up was another Twitter joke that someone decided to run with, according to TMZ.

Sometimes Twitter misses the whole “satire” element embedded in tweets, and this situation is one of those cases.

Pete Davidson, who collects hotties like Thanos collects infinity stones, is currently dating Chase Sui Wonders and was recently showcasing public displays of affection with her at the Daytona 500.

Ice Spice has been romantically linked with many people coming out, like Drake, Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin and fellow rapper Lil Tjay, who blessed the “In Ha Mood” crafter with a custom-made rose gold Richard Millie RM-05 watch.

Even though the rumor was flat-out false, that didn’t stop Twitter from making jokes and having ridiculous reactions to the idea of Pete Davidson possibly munching on Ice Spice.

Lol.

This is good news for those who think they got a shot at bagging Hip-Hop Annie. You can peep more reactions to the false dating rumor in the gallery below.

—

Photo: Raymond Hall / Getty

1. Lol, gotta love a good Future meme.

4. No chill.

28 Feb 2023

Ben Kweller Announces His Son Dorian Has Died: ‘He Was Only 16 & He Was a True Legend’

Ben Kweller, singer/songwriter and former frontman of the band Radish, revealed Tuesday (Feb. 28) that his 16-year-old son Dorian has died. The singer-songwriter shared the news via Instagram but did not offer any additional details regarding what led to his death.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“There’s no way that I can be typing this but I am…. Our son, Dorian Zev Kweller, was killed last night,” Kweller captioned a photo of his late son smiling into the camera. “He was only 16 and he was a true legend. Kindest, gentle soul, a friend to all. If you knew him, you know. We’ll never get over him as long as we’re here on earth.

“Please keep his spirit alive with your memories and the music he made: @reallyzev. Dorian Zev wrote and recorded songs every day. A true poet from the day he started speaking. Only a few of his recordings were released but he was on a path and excited about his journey. He had so many plans!!! His first gig was in two weeks, at SXSW. My last text with him was about the merch he wanted to make. My baby boy was at the starting line with so much life ahead of him… I have no idea why things like this happen. We’re in complete shock and don’t know what the future holds. Lizzy, Judah, and I have no idea how to deal with this disaster. Thank you for your prayers and support and we apologize if we are slow to respond to messages.”

Dorian’s label, The Noise Company, also issued a statement following the young musician’s death via Facebook. “It’s with great sadness that we have to even say this… in a tragic event last night, we lost Dorian Kweller, who on this page we know as @reallyzev … this young man represented everything positive in life and the future. A kind heart, a smile that illuminated the world and passion for life and music,” the company wrote. “If you have kids, hug them. If you have a partner, squeeze them extra hard. Love yourself and live every moment with the passion that Zev did every day of his life. We are just in shock and send BK, Liz and Judah all our love and support.”

As Zev, Dorian’s music career kicked off in 2022. The 16-year-old released his first single, “Parachute,” in July and followed up the track with “How I Am,” “4th of July,” “SH3,” “Nobody’s Perfect” and his most recent release, “Hickeys,” on Feb. 24.

Dorian is survived by his parents, Ben and Lizzy Kweller, and his younger brother Judah.

28 Feb 2023

Every Woman Nick Cannon Has Had Kids With, From Mariah Carey to Alyssa Scott

It takes a village to raise children, as the saying goes. And in Nick Cannon‘s case, that village includes not one, not two, but six baby mamas (so far).

In recent years, the Masked Singer host has become famous for being, well, fertile. He was already a dad to three kids when he welcomed his fourth in December of 2020, an occasion that marked the start of a baby-making marathon during which he fathered eight more children in the span of two years. Need a math check? That’s a total of 12 kiddos, starting with the twins he shares with superstar ex-wife Mariah Carey and ending, for the moment — ’cause who knows if another pregnancy announcement is coming? — with a baby girl he and model Alyssa Scott welcomed in December 2022.

Billboard has been covering the Nick Cannon baby beat since day one, from his many birth announcements to his vasectomy deliberations to the jokes famous friends such as Kevin Hart and Ryan Reynolds have made at his expense.

But it’s about time his children’s mothers got some recognition of their own, because — let’s be honest — when it comes to actually carrying the baby and giving birth, they do all of the work. But on top of that, these women are impressive in their own rights and should be highlighted for their accomplishments as singers, actresses, models and moguls on top of being loving mothers.

So, in the spirit of giving some due respect on the title “baby mama,” keep reading to find out more about the six women Nick Cannon has had children with.

28 Feb 2023

The 8 Best Record Players & Turntables for the Ultimate Listening Experience

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Nothing beats the sound of a vinyl turntable, right?

For music lovers, having a vinyl setup in your home is the ultimate way to enjoy your favorite albums, but with all the turntables out there, it’s hard to find the perfect one.

Fear not, Billboard has your back! To make it easy for you, we searched to find a selection of our favorite turntables (click here funky, sleek ways to store and display your record collection in your home or studio).

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Some of the products below are from retailers such as Amazon where Prime members can get free shipping (start your 30-day free trial here) and other benefits — including discounts and access to Prime Video and Prime Music.

See below for a list of eight of the best record players and turntables to buy in 2023. For more product recommendations, check out our tips on how to clean your vinyl records and the best speakers for music lovers.

Crosley CR8017B-BK Voyager Vintage Portable Vinyl Record Player Turntable with Bluetooth

$59.88 $99.95 40% OFF

Heyday turntables are budget-friendly favorite among TikTokers, but they’re currently out of stock at Target. If you don’t mind shopping pre-owned options, HeyDay turntables are available on resale sites like eBay. Plus, there are tons of other record players under $100 such as the Crosley CR8017A Voyager Portable Turntable pictured above and the ByronStatistics 3-Speed Vinyl Record Player ($51.24).

Amazon

Fluance RT81 Elite High Fidelity Vinyl Turntable Record Player

$249.99

Fluence RT81 is another highly rated record player. Features include an Audio Technica AT95E diamond elliptical tipped stylus (designed to track your record grooves with greater precision and accuracy for a high-definition audio experience) and a rubber slip mat for “superior isolation from unwanted vibrations.” Although Fluence record players do not include Bluetooth, you can connect them external speakers or click here to shop the Fluence RT81 turntable with five-inch bookshelf speakers ($489).

Amazon

U-Turn Audio – Orbit Plus Turntable with Built-in Preamp (White)

$399.00

Time for U-Turn! The U-Turn Orbit (available in white, red, black and blue) is known for it’s “balanced and neutral sound” and they’re popular on TikTok. This sleek turntable is equipped with an OA2 gimbal arm that utilizes “precision bearings” to ensure that the stylus moves freely, a low-resistance acrylic platter for “speed consistency” with anti-skate preset and an adjustable counterweight. The external, two-speed belt drive (33 1/3 RPM and 45 RPM) is designed to separate the “low-noise motor from the rest of the turntable.”

Sony PS-LX310BT Turntable

$249.99

Moving up on the price scale, Sony’s PS-L310BT wireless turntable lets you experience vinyl in full stereo. This $250 turntable features a single button press, high-quality audio, Bluetooth connectivity and both operating speeds (33 1/3 rpm and 45 rpm).

Amazon

Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT-RD Fully Automatic Belt-Drive Stereo Turntable, Red/Black, Bluetooth, Hi-Fi, 2 Speed

$219.00

Interested in Audio Technica? The AT LP-60 is discontinued but the AT-LPX60BT is a good alternative for beginners and intermediate listeners. Merging hi-fi audio and Bluetooth technology for wired and wireless listening, the AT-LP60XBT easily pairs with speakers and headphones. The turntable is available in several different colors including red, white, black, blue, silver and lilac.

Victrola

Victrola Revolution GO Portable Rechargeable Record Player

$199.99

Need a portable record player? Check out Victrola’s portable, rechargeable Bluetooth record player. It features a three-speed belt driven turntable and an Audio Technica moving magnetic cartridge. The rechargeable battery lasts for up to 12 hours.

Amazon

Rega Planar 1 Record Player

$595

If you can afford to go up in price, the Rega Planar 1 is a good starting point on the scale of high-end turntables. It features a brand new RB110 tonearm, built with the new Rega designed bespoke bearings with ultra-low friction performance and a 23mm, higher mass, phenolic platter equipped with an improved flywheel effect for better speed stability. The turntable runs on a 24v, low noise, synchronous motor designed to reduce the vibration transfer.

B&H Photo

Technics SL-1200MK7 Turntable

$1,099.95 $1,299.99 15% off% OFF

For DJs looking to invest in a quality turntable, Technics is the way to go. Last year, the brand unveiled the Technics SL-1200M7LPA Turntables celebrating the 50th anniversary of the popular series. The limited edition turntables — which were available in seven colors including red, black, blue, white, green, beige and yellow — were only around for a limited time but if you want an alternative from the same brand, go for the the SL-1200MK7.

28 Feb 2023

Evan Rachel Wood Fires Back, Says She Never Pressured Marilyn Manson’s Abuse Accuser

Evan Rachel Wood is strongly denying allegations that she “manipulated” Ashley Morgan Smithline into making allegations of rape against Marilyn Manson.

Days after Smithline made those explosive accusations, Wood filed her own declaration in Los Angeles Court on Monday (Feb. 27), saying she had proof that it was Smithline who had first contacted her with accusations against Manson (real name Brian Warner), not vice-versa.

“I never pressured or manipulated Ashley Morgan Smithline to make any accusations against plaintiff Brian Warner, and I certainly never pressured or manipulated her to make accusations that were not true,” Wood wrote in the filing.

Wood attached screenshots of purported text message conversations, including one in which Smithline told her “I have no reason to make this up!” Another set of messages read: “Just know you set me free. By listening. I love you.”

“Ms. Smithline has always told me that she was abused by Mr. Warner,” Wood wrote.

Smithline and Wood are two of several women to accuse Manson of serious sexual wrongdoing over the past two years. After Wood posted her allegations to Instagram in February 2021, lawsuits quickly followed from Smithline, Manson’s former assistant Ashley Walters, Game of Thrones actress Esmé Bianco and two Jane Doe accusers.

Manson has denied all of the allegations, and the cases by Smithline, Walters and Bianco have since been dropped or dismissed. Now, Manson is pursuing his own defamation lawsuit, claiming that Wood and another woman, Illma Gore, had “secretly recruited, coordinated, and pressured prospective accusers to emerge simultaneously” with false accusations against him.

In a filing last week in that defamation case, Smithline made her bombshell accusations about “manipulation” against Wood: “I succumbed to pressure from Evan Rachel Wood and her associates to make accusations of rape and assault against Mr. Warner that were not true.”

In a response on Monday, Wood’s lawyers submitted Wood’s declaration stating that she had never coerced Smithline. They also filed formal arguments urging the judge to ignore Smithline’s new declaration, calling it nothing more than a “bad-faith attempt” by Manson’s lawyers to save his “meritless” defamation lawsuit against Wood from being dismissed.

“Documented evidence shows that it was Smithline who reached out to Wood about plaintiff’s abuse more than a year before Smithline now claims defendants somehow convinced her that she was abused,” Wood’s lawyers wrote.

In a statement to Billboard on Tuesday in response to Wood’s new filings, Manson’s attorney Howard King said: “It is unsurprising that Evan Rachel Wood is desperately fighting to keep Ashley Smithline’s testimony out of court – because she knows the truth will expose her plot to manipulate the women who trusted her in order to destroy Brian Warner.”

On top of denying Smithline’s accusations about manipulation, Monday’s filings from Wood and her attorneys also came with explosive new allegations of their own.

In a separate declaration, a supposed friend of Smithline named Karl Neilson stated that he was in possession of a voicemail from July 2022 in which Smithline had told him that Manson’s lawyer, King, had improperly reached out to her directly to discuss the case — and that she was worried he was trying to get her to flip on Manson’s other accusers.

“I have not called back, obviously. Obviously, it’s very clear that a lawyer legally shouldn’t and can’t call me without calling my lawyer directly,” Smithline allegedly said in the voicemail to Neilson.

“The only reason why he would be calling me at all, a week ago, and leaving a message is that he thinks I’m the weak link, and he might want to settle with me to turn on the other girls, and say that it was all, like, a ruse,” Smithline allegedly said in the voicemail to Neilson.

In his statement to Billboard on Tuesday, King flatly denied that he had improperly reached out to Smithline.

“I never discussed Ashley Smithline’s claims against Brian Warner until after she had reached out to me and terminated her counsel,” King said. “Moreover, when Ms. Smithline recently spoke with me for almost two hours, we taped the conversation in full and that recording proves that every single thing in her declaration was taken from her words, not mine.”