Author: djfrosty
Page: 5
Several roots-based music luminaries will perform to help aid various communities, as part of the third annual Hello From the Hills concert, slated Sunday, Jan. 26 at Nashville’s City Winery.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Ruby Amanfu, Cory Branan, Hayes Carll, Brad Goodall, Silas House, Amanda Shires, Charlie Starr of Blackberry Smoke, and Jesse Welles are all set to take the stage at the intimate Music City venue, with author and storyteller House — most recently known for his work on Tyler Childers’ music video “In Your Love” — hosting the event.
The annual Hello From the Hills concert was founded by Hope in the Hills and The Hello in There Foundation, with the past two concerts drawing performers including Jason Isbell, Tyler Childers, Shires, Sierra Ferrell, Wynonna Judd, Gabe Lee, and Amythyst Kiah. Event proceeds have made it possible for the event’s organizers to make over $100,000 in community grants over the past two years, benefiting organizations including Raphah House, Healing Institute, MusiCares and Musicians Recovery Network.
Trending on Billboard
Jody Whelan, Oh Boy Records managing partner and Hello in There Foundation board member and treasurer, tells Billboard, “I feel like at this event, it’s so much more than just a performance. You really see the heart of these performers. They are more than just artists, more than just songwriters. You get to see the love they have and the passion they have for different organizations and they see how it affects communities.”
Hope in the Hills’ Ian Thornton tells Billboard, “Music is the thing that brings people together — that’s the business Jody and I are both in. We just know so many great artists and folks have been gracious about donating their time. Nobody gets paid for this. I think the mission in and of itself pushes them to want to be part of it.”
This year, proceeds from the concert will benefit the veterans assistance programs Operation Stand Down Tennessee and Building Lives, as well as My Fathers House Nashville, which provides shelter, life skills and education to fathers who have faced homelessness, incarceration and other adversities. As well, merchandise sales will aid those impacted by the ongoing wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area.
Hello From the Hills
Courtesy Photo
Whelan says, “It’s great to be able to reach into some of these smaller community-based organizations and support them. I love the big organizations that we support, but $10,000 can go really far to a small, local organization — and that equals, ‘We can help this many people.’ We try to invite people from the organizations that are benefiting to be there, so they can see it and talk about their work.”
The Hello in There Foundation was established in 2021 by the family of the late singer-songwriter John Prine and is guided by message of Prine’s 1971 song “Hello in There.” In 2017, Hope in the Hills was launched by members of Tyler Childers’ team, as well as community members in Kentucky, with the aim of combatting the opioid crisis and supporting recovery throughout Appalachia.
“I’ve long admired the work that Ian and the folks at Hope in the Hills and Healing Appalachia have done,” Whelan says. “The Prine Family started our foundation a few years ago and we’ve been close to them for a long time. So we thought, ‘Can we do something to work together?’ The way we formatted it was we each picked one charity that we felt served our mission and then came together and support another organization.”
Whelan adds, “A lot of times, we let John’s songs kind of guide us. This year, it is focusing on veterans and those struggling with addiction, and John’s song ‘Sam Stone’ is a huge touch point. We think about the organizations and how it might tie in with the work that Hope in the Hills is doing. Once you start talking with these organizations, fighting addiction is such a big part of so many different organizations, even if it’s not their primary thing, like homelessness and addiction impacting veterans. Addiction is such a big topic and it affects lives in so many different ways.”
Looking ahead, Thornton is positive about the continued acceleration of the event’s impact: “I’d like to keep this as an annual event coming to Nashville. We’ve talked about bringing it to other cities, too, because I love the idea of being able to help local community organizations in other cities, especially in this region. I don’t know when we’ll have time to do that, but it will happen soon. I don’t see us going into the virtual space anytime soon. We want to keep getting people in rooms, together in community, and sharing their stories.”
Tickets are still available for this year’s Hello From the Hills at citywinery.com.
True to their word about collabing earlier this week, Bruno Mars and Sexyy Red teamed up and released “Fat Juicy & Wet.” The pair’s song came out with a star-studded video as well. Keep watching for all the details on the new single! Tetris Kelly:Bruno got his Sexyy Red wish in a new track, and […]
Wicked fever reaches Billboard’s Top Movie Songs chart, powered by Tunefind (a Songtradr company), as Cynthia Erivo’s “Defying Gravity,” featuring Ariana Grande, rises to No. 1 on the December 2024 survey.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Rankings for the Top Movie Songs chart are based on song and film data provided by Tunefind and ranked using a formula blending that data with sales and streaming information tracked by Luminate during the corresponding period of December 2024. The ranking includes newly released films from the preceding three months.
After debuting at No. 2 on the November 2024 Top Movie Songs, “Defying Gravity” rules the latest chart amid Wicked’s first full month of theatrical release; it was debuted in theaters on Nov. 22.
Trending on Billboard
Set during the finale to the first part of Wicked (Wicked: For Good, its sequel, is scheduled for a Nov. 21 premiere), “Defying Gravity” earned 47 million official on-demand U.S. streams and 13,000 downloads in December 2024, according to Luminate.
The song peaked at No. 44 on the Dec. 7-dated Billboard Hot 100 and ranks at No. 71 on the latest tally.
In all, Wicked accounts for six of the chart’s 10 positions in December, including the entire top four. Grande’s “Popular” follows “Defying Gravity” at No. 2, boasting 35.1 million streams and 7,000 downloads.
The top non-Wicked entry belongs to Nirvana’s “Come As You Are,” featured in the movie Queer, released Nov. 27. A No. 32 hit for Nirvana on the Hot 100 in 1992, the song earned 15 million streams and 1,000 downloads in December.
It’s one of two songs from Queer to make the latest list, ahead of Prince’s “Musicology,” which enter the survey at No. 8.
See the full top 10, also featuring music from Kraven the Hunter and Sonic the Hedgehog 3, below.
Rank, Song, Artist, Movie
“Defying Gravity,” Cynthia Erivo feat. Ariana Grande, Wicked
“Popular,” Ariana Grande, Wicked
“What Is This Feeling?,” Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo, Wicked
“No One Mourns the Wicked,” Ariana Grande feat. Andy Nyman, Courtney-Mae Briggs, Jeff Goldblum, Sharon D. Clarke & Jenna Boyd, Wicked
“Come As You Are,” Nirvana, Queer
“Sign of the Times,” Harry Styles, Kraven the Hunter
“Dancing Through Life,” Jonathan Bailey feat. Ariana Grande, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode & Cynthia Erivo, Wicked
“Musicology,” Prince, Queer
“Run It,” Jelly Roll, Sonic the Hedgehog 3
“The Wizard and I,” Cynthia Erivo feat. Michelle Yeoh, Wicked
Marilyn Manson will not face criminal charges from Los Angeles prosecutors following a four-year investigation into allegations of domestic violence and sexual assault, the city’s District Attorney said Friday.
Nathan J. Hochman, elected in November, said his office had decided that the statute of limitations had expired for any domestic violence charges against the rocker (Brian Warner), and that they simply could not prove a sexual assault charge in court.
In a brief statement, Hochman said prosecutors “recognize and applaud the courage and resilience of the women who came forward” and thanked them for their “cooperation and patience.”
“While we are unable to bring charges in this matter, we recognize that the strong advocacy of the women involved has helped bring greater awareness to the challenges faced by survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault,” Hochman said.
In a statement to Billboard, Manson’s attorney Howard King said: “We are very pleased that, after a thorough and incredibly lengthy review of all of the actual evidence, the District Attorney has concluded what we knew and expressed from the start – Brian Warner is innocent.”
Manson has faced a slew of allegations of sexual wrongdoing over the past several years, including from his ex-fiance Evan Rachel Wood, who alleged that the rocker “started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years.” He also faced claims from former assistant Ashley Walters, model Ashley Morgan Smithline and two Jane Doe accusers.
Manson has denied all of the allegations, and many civil lawsuits filed against him have since been dropped, dismissed or settled. He later sued Wood for defamation over her accusations, but a judge dismissed much of the case in 2023. Manson eventually dropped the case in November and agreed to pay Wood $327,000 in legal fees.
In early 2021, Los Angeles County detectives said they were conducting a criminal investigation and eventually served a search warrant on Manson’s West Hollywood home. The identities of Manson’s accusers in the criminal case have not been disclosed, but Game of Thrones actor Esmé Bianco publicly shared last year that her allegations against him were part of the criminal probe.
In October, then-District Attorney George Gascón said that “new evidence has emerged within the last few weeks” and that his office was pursuing “new leads” that would add to the “already extensive” case file they had amassed. But just weeks later, Hochman was elected.
With January wrapping up, today’s top artists are keeping the coldest season of the year hot with their latest music releases. Kicking off the new drops is Bruno Mars, who teamed up with Sexyy Red for a fun “strip club anthem” titled “Fat, Juicy & Wet.” “Fat, Juicy and Wet” is Bruno’s third recent collaboration, […]
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.
Ally Brooke has a new collaboration up her sleeve and the singer says it’s lowkey one of the favorite projects she’s ever worked on.
Brooke has teamed up with JCPenney on a new clothing collection focused on petite fashions and figure-flattering fits. Dubbed the Bold Elements x Ally Brooke collection, the line includes dresses, tops, pants, suits, jackets and accessories in “misses,” petites and plus sizes. There are 29 pieces in total with with prices starting at $30.
Brooke says she was inspired to create the collection after having trouble finding pieces that fit her body type. In her “Finding Your Harmony” memoir (which was released in 2023), Brooke revealed that she was “incredibly self-conscious” during her time with Fifth Harmony. In a new interview with Rolling Stone, she adds that a lot of her outfits during that period made her feel awkward and unflattering, adding that she “would have loved to have my Bold Elements by Ally Brooke line back then.”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
NEW RELEASE
Bold Elements x Ally Brooke Collection
The new collection includes everything from figure-flattering wrap dresses and flirty prints, to fashion-forward trench coats and wide-leg pants. The styling is a mix of boho chic and European flair, with affordable price points (everything is under $120).
Trending on Billboard
“At 5’0”, I know firsthand how being petite has its challenges, especially in the entertainment industry and in positions of power,” Brooke says in a statement. “I have often been overlooked, whether because of my stature or my identity as a Latina woman. I’m proud to partner with JCPenney to launch this collection because I want every woman to feel empowered and confident with fashion that fits – no matter her size or identity.”
JCPenney, meantime, says the line is designed to bring out the “Big Fashion Energy” in everyone.
“Inclusivity has always been a top priority for JCPenney, and we’re excited to deliver on that promise with this new collection, specifically tailored to petite women – who are often left out of fashion spaces and conversations,” says Marisa Thalberg, Catalyst Brands’ Chief Customer and Marketing Officer.
The Bold Elements x Ally Brooke collection is only available for a limited time so fans should snag the pieces while they can. Shop the collection online at JCPenney.com.
Some of the biggest streaming services in music are banding together to fight against a major piece of Canadian arts legislation – in court and in the court of public opinion.
Spotify, Apple, Amazon and others are taking action against the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)’s 2024 decision that major foreign-owned streamers with Canadian revenues over $25 million will have to pay 5% of those revenues into Canadian content funds – what the streamers have termed a “Streaming Tax.”
Those funds will go towards established organizations like the non-profits FACTOR Canada and Musicaction, which financially support thousands of musicians and music companies across the country, and which have seen their own resources dramatically drop due to reduced contributions from private broadcasters. It will also go to funds supporting radio and local news.
Trending on Billboard
The CRTC decision was one of the biggest Canadian music stories of last year, and legal challenges from those services, as well as the Motion Picture Association – Canada (which includes Netflix, Disney, Prime Video and the major U.S. producers and distributors of movies and TV), have pushed it into 2025. The courts have paused the payments until the appeal is heard by the Federal Court of Appeal in June of this year.
That pause has already put at least one fund under immediate duress. The Indigenous Music Office had been directed by the CRTC to launch an Indigenous Music Fund with resources from the streamers’ base contributions, but the delay impedes the IMO’s ability to start the new fund.
The conflict over the regulation is turning into a major struggle, one that illustrates the massive changes and challenges that Canadian music is facing in an increasingly digital landscape. It’s a modern wrinkle to a debate that has spanned decades in Canadian music and media.
“At the base of it, the streamers are questioning the validity of CanCon policies,” says Leela Gilday, musician and board chair of the Indigenous Music Office.
The battle isn’t only happening in court, but in online petitions, political speeches and in Instagram posts from one of Canada’s most successful musicians.
“The Canadian government’s new music streaming tax is going to cost you more to listen to the music you love,” says Bryan Adams in a video shared on Instagram.
The “Summer of ‘69” singer, also a noted critic of Canadian Content regulations, has joined a lobby group called DIMA (the Digital Media Association) in publicly arguing against the regulation. DIMA, which represents Amazon, Apple, Spotify and YouTube, launched a campaign last fall titled “Scrap the Streaming Tax.” The campaign warns consumers that the mandated payments “could lead to higher prices for Canadians and fewer content choices” as a result of increased subscription fees.
But many within the industry have welcomed the regulation, including the membership at CIMA, the Canadian Independent Music Association.
“The question for tech companies who are making money in Canada is: is it appropriate for them to contribute to the Canadian music ecosystem?” asks Andrew Cash, president of CIMA.
Head here for much more on this story.
—Rosie Long Decter
≈
Canadian Music Industry Leaders Lay Out the Issues That Will Define 2025
As the music industry ramps up in the post-holiday break, the agenda is being set. A number of issues have revealed themselves as the big conversations of 2025: AI, arts funding, government policies amidst uncertainty in Ottawa, support of independent promoters and venues, mental health, the divestment of DEI budgets, and many more.
Billboard Canada gathered 10 music industry authorities from music grant FACTOR, the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA), Music Publishers Canada and many more to talk about the biggest challenges and opportunities facing Canadian music this year.
Here are just a few highlights:
“For the Canadian-owned sector, the ability to compete in a functioning market is paramount,” says Andrew Cash, president and CEO of CIMA. “However, market concentration among the large foreign-owned multi-nationals labels and tech platforms is now at over-reach. That is why CIMA lodged an official complaint with Canada’s competition bureau after TikTok walked away from its negotiations with Merlin. And it is why independent trade associations in Europe and Australia are raising serious concerns after Universal’s recent purchase of Downtown Music.”
“One of the biggest challenges facing the industry this year will be the divestment of DEI budgets, which have been a big part of the reason we have seen such great diverse talent enter the industry over the last five years,” says Keziah Myers, executive director of ADVANCE – Canada’s Black Music Business Collective. “Managing the shift away from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and reminding the industry that Equity-focused processes should be where their efforts are will be a challenge.”
“The fundamental principles of copyright continue to be challenged by artificial intelligence and the platforms that exploit it,” says Jennifer Brown, CEO of SOCAN. “Canadian music creators stand to lose more than 20% of their annual revenue to generative AI platforms by 2028 if safeguards aren’t put in place to protect their copyrights.”
Read the whole roundtable conversation here.
—Kerry Doole and Richard Trapunski
≈
Big Wreck Named Record Store Day Canada Ambassadors for 2025
Big Wreck have been named 2025 Record Store Day Canada ambassadors. The Canadian rock band will also be releasing their 2012 album Albatross on vinyl for the first time in deluxe 2xLP limited-edition featuring live and unreleased music as a Record Store Day exclusive. The album was certified Gold and was their biggest hit since In Loving Memory Of… in 1997 and its big shiny rock radio staple “That Song.” The title track of Albatross has also gone Platinum.
“It’s a great honour for Big Wreck to be Record Store Day Ambassadors,” says Big Wreck leader Ian Thornley. “We grew up going to record stores and building our vinyl collections and it means a lot to us to continue the tradition. It’s especially exciting to be putting Albatross out into the world for the first time on vinyl. That record holds a special place.”
Big Wreck succeeds another popular Canadian rock band of the era, The Tragically Hip, who were last year’s ambassadors. This week, Post Malone was named 2025 Record Store Day Ambassador for the U.S.
Head here for a list of participating Record Store Day Canada stores.
—Richard Trapunski
Last Week: A Closer Look at Canada’s Export Power
North West is saying konnichiwa to the next step in her music career, guesting on FKA Twigs’ new album, Eusexua, almost a year after she made her musical debut on dad Ye’s Vultures 1. The 11-year-old daughter of the artist formerly known as Kanye West and Kim Kardashian raps in Japanese on “Childlike Things” — […]
HipHopWired Featured Video
A Georgia high school basketball player is the target of an investigation after the teen was seen on video socking out two rival players with violent punches. The teen alleges that one of his opponents called him a racial slur, resulting in the hand of god haymakers.
As seen on TMZ, the incident took place on Jan. 3 in the city of Calhoun, Ga., some 70 miles northwest of Atlanta’s city center. A Rockmart High basketball player was viewed unleashing heavy blows on two Sonoraville High players during the evening contest.
A player for Rockmart High is seen via smartphone video footage shoving a Sonoraville High to the ground. As the player rose from the floor, the teen landed a straight right that floored his opponent. A Sonoraville High teammate is seen rushing into the shot and catches a straight right hand as he rushes in with his hands down.
Bystanders then cleared the stands and other players along with coaches intervened before separating the boys just as an all-out melee nearly sparked off. The Gordon County Sheriff’s Office says it’s investigating the matter. The teen who doled out the punches claimed that one of the opponents kept using the “n-word” slur.
The Rockmart High player, who is 16, faces two charges of simple battery but neither schools nor the students involved have made any public statements. The use of the slur has yet to be confirmed as well.
The video, which we must warn is violent and might be triggering to some, can be viewed below. We urge caution before viewing the footage.
Ouch 🤕 pic.twitter.com/P9QCpsOm43
— GrindFace TV (Entertainment) (@grindfacetv) January 7, 2025
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
—
Photo: Getty
Morgan Wallen earns his 16th No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart as “Love Somebody” lifts a spot to the top of the tally dated Feb. 1. The song, which he co-wrote, increased by 9% to 33.8 million audience impressions Jan. 17-23, according to Luminate. Dating to his first Country Airplay No. 1, “Up Down” […]