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Hello? Turns Out We’ve Been Pronouncing Adele’s Name Wrong This Whole Time

Adele took a moment time during a recent Q&A with fans celebrating her luxurious “I Drink Wine” video to praise one questioner who did something hardly anyone has done during the singer’s entire career: pronounce her name right. After screening the visual for a packed house, the star generously took questions for nearly an hour, including one that included the nomenclature revelation.

When Annie from London beamed in for a long-distance video question — with a full glass of rosé in hand, naturally — she had a thoughtful question about whether the singer’s perspective on her journey to self love during the recording of her 25 album changed while writing 30. “Cheers babe, luv ya!” Annie said sparklingly.

“Where’s she from, Enfield or something? Love that,” Adele asked during the “Happy Hour With Adele” chat. “She said my name perfectly,” the singer added with a smile, noting that she’d had a discussion with chat’s host earlier about how her name should be pronounced. “He came and asked me how I say my name and I said ‘Uh-del.’” So, for the record, if you’ve been saying “Ah-del” this whole time, well, you’ve been doing it wrong.

As far as anyone could tell, Adele — who is from Enfield, which is north of London — hadn’t ever given us the correct pronunciation before, so going forward we have no excuse to get it wrong. The chat was the same one in which the 34-year-old singer revealed that once she’s done with her Las Vegas residency she would love to take a break from music to work on an English degree.

“If I hadn’t made it in my singing, I think I would definitely be a teacher. I think I’d be an English Lit teacher,” she said, noting that her plan is to finish her studies online. 

Watch the chat below (name discussion starts at 21:12 mark).

‘The Last Rocket’: 8 Verses to Remember Takeoff By

Takeoff — born Kirshnik Ball — was reportedly murdered in Houston early Tuesday (Nov. 1) following an altercation outside of 810 Billiards & Bowling when gunfire rang off and fatally struck the Migos rapper while leaving two others hospitalized.

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In the hours since Takeoff’s death, there’s been an outpouring of support from the hip-hop community with touching tributes coming from the likes of Drake, Gucci Mane, Nas, Rich The Kid, Metro Boomin’, Chance The Rapper, Chuck D and more.

As one-third of Migos alongside Quavo and Offset, Takeoff served as the backbone of the seminal trio, which played an integral role in changing the sound of 2010’s rap and turning Atlanta into the hip-hop capital of the world.

Fans had the privilege of witnessing Takeoff go from a reserved teenager blossoming to one of the most consistent wordsmiths the genre had to offer over the course of the past decade.

What made Migos’ meteoric rise from the North Atlanta bando to the Met Gala even more special was that it was always a family affair. For those that don’t know, Takeoff was Offset’s cousin and Quavo’s nephew.

At 28-years-old, Takeoff seemed to just be entering his prime as a rapper. Migos shifted the genre with their decorated Culture series, which produced three installments and a pair of Grammy Award nominations.

Takeoff also branched off to unleash his The Last Rocket solo album in Nov. 2018, which eerily turns four years old on Wednesday (Nov. 4).

More recently, Takeoff teamed up with uncle Quavo under the alias of Unc & Phew for their Only Built For Infinity Links joint album in October. The critically-acclaimed project peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200.

“Personally, I feel like it, because we had to work hard,” Takeoff told Billboard of being more proud of Infinity Links compared to previous albums. “We went back in that bat cave. Dirty, grimy, no cut and scruffy — just ain’t even worried about nothing.”

“Just in that basement cooking up, going in, editing and coming back… Those changes made the album. You think you got it and then you keep painting that picture until you come up with that Picasso.”

Billboard commemorates Takeoff by highlighting some of the lyrical brilliance he displayed throughout his career.

8. “Casper” – The Last Rocket (2018)

“Before we jump in, my n—a we gotta say grace/ My grandmama gone but can’t be replaced/ Jenna, she paved the way (Jenna Lou)/ I’m turnin’ the page on n—s (Turnin’)/ I waited days, remember/ Been had that fame on the side of my hood/ Swear it couldn’t change a n—a.”

7. “John Wick” – (2014)

“The trap game is Madden, no need to ask Madden/ I just hit the plug with the hit stick (boom)/ No Santa Claus, I’m on my Grinch s–t/ F–k it, might light the block up like it’s Christmas.”

6. “L.A. Leakers Freestyle” – (2021)

“They talking about COVID when I heard the news I started sipping a remedy/ If I got an opp and you say you my brother, then he better be your enemy/ I’m taking them back to the bando way back to when a n—a was breaking and entering.”

5. “Bars Into Captions” – Only Built For Infinity Links (2022)

“And we are creatures that come from another planet (Creature)/ The rocket ship take off, I’m ’bout to land it (Takeoff)/ I got a stick, the switch is automatic (Brrt)/ Ain’t never average, keep that ‘shh’ in the attic.”

4. “Stir Fry” – Culture II (2017)

“Don’t discriminate, ball players come in all sizes/ Finger roll, post move or the pick and roll/ They mad the way we win, they think we used a cheat code/ Why you keep lookin’ at me?/ I feel like n—-s got static/It must be the Patek.”

3. “Call Casting” – Culture (2017)

“Draco on me, it’s attached/ Name a n—a with the pack (Pack)/ Name a n—a with the sack (Sack)/ Elem’ o’clock, I got the MAC (MAC)/ She eat the molly like a snack (Eat it up)/ This gold on my neck a plaque.”

2. “Fight Night” – No Label II (2014)

“Broke n—s stand to the left (Left)/ My rich n—-s stand to the right (To the right)/ Lil’ mama, she keep looking at me (Lil’ mama)/ I’ma knock the pussy out like fight night.”

1. “T-Shirt” – Culture (2017)

“I’ma feed my family, n—a, ain’t no way around it (Family)/ Ain’t gon’ never let up, n—a, God said show my talent (Show it)/ Young n—a with the Anna, walkin’ with the hammer/ Talkin’ country grammar, n—a, straight out Nawf Atlanta.”

Chuck D Calls Out Gun Violence After Takeoff’s Murder: ‘It’s Not Normal Behavior’

Chuck D has always fought the power, and that includes gun crime.

The rap legend and co-founding member of Public Enemy, Chuck D, like so many others is shocked by the murder of Takeoff, one third of the hip-hop group Migos.

“This is a tragedy, the pain is unbearable,” he tells TMZ Live.

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Earlier in the week, Takeoff became the latest in a growing list of hip-hop stars killed by gunfire, a death that could have been averted.

Sadly, he points out, a death by bullet has been normalized in popular culture in ways that didn’t exist in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

“It’s not normal behavior,” says the Rock And Roll Hall of Famer, but “through culture, it’s been normalized over the years.”

Speaking as a member of the Hip-Hop Alliance, Chuck D insists “the peace, unity love aspect of hip-hop should be revered, and that’s the basis of the foundation.”

He adds, “we’ve taken the motive to making statement to let everybody know that the music and the art form is beautiful,” and that someone holding a gun should be considered “abnormal behavior.”

Early Tuesday (Nov. 1), Takeoff was at a private party with 40 others (including his uncle and bandmate Quavo) at a bowling alley in downtown Houston when investigators say shots rang out.

The chart-topping rapper, whose real name is Kirshnik Khari Ball, was reportedly shot in the head or neck and died from his wounds. He was 28.

He’s one of many in the hip-hop community who’ve been murdered, a troubling list that dates back to Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G., Run-DMC’s Jam Master Jay, and beyond, and includes, in more recent years, the likes of Pop Smoke, Nipsey Hussle and, in September of this year, PnB Rock.

Chuck D doesn’t mince his words. “This is gun violence,” the iconic emcee says. “This has been going on for so long, the access to guns, the access to drugs.”

Mariah Carey Unwraps Christmas Merch Collection

All I want for Christmas is a Mariah Holiday Apron. And a Naughty and Nice Adult Onesie. And maybe a Merry Christmas Red Ornament.

Mariah Carey fans have their wishlists sorted, now that the Queen of Christmas has unwrapped her new holiday merch collection.

Just hours after Carey reminded us that, yes, Christmas is coming, the pop superstar ushered in her latest range of presents.

Prices for her exclusive apparel, accessories, music and more are priced from $15 – $140 and are available at MariahCareyShop.com

Carey is the undisputed Queen of Christmas, with her 1994 holiday original topping the Billboard Hot 100 for eight non-consecutive weeks and ranking as the most popular song of all time on the Billboard Holiday 100.

On the other side of the Atlantic, the evergreen hit briefly held the U.K. record for the longest journey to No. 1, when it hit the summit in December 2020 — 26 years after its release. 

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In Australia, where Christmastime is a summer sweat-fest, “All I Want for Christmas Is You” took 24 years to reach No. 1, finally doing so in December 2018.

Meanwhile, Mimi is prepping for four holiday concerts in New York City and Toronto in the wake of releasing her new children’s book, The Christmas Princess.

“I’m trying to make [these shows] as magical as possible,” she said of the series of “Merry Christmas to All!” concerts at Madison Square Garden and Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena in mid-December. “Oftentimes as a child, or even throughout earlier parts of my career, I did not feel loved. I certainly never felt unconditional love, and that’s what I have with my fans: that connection. So I’m extremely excited.”

She got one gift early when, on Tuesday, a songwriter who sued her over accusations that she stole “All I Want for Christmas is You” from his earlier song has dropped his lawsuit — for now.

Migos Label Quality Control Music Mourns Takeoff’s Death: ‘We Are Devastated’

In the wake of Migos member Takeoff‘s untimely death, the hip-hop trio’s label, Quality Control Music, took to Instagram on Tuesday (Nov. 1) to mourn the loss of the rapper.

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“It is with broken hearts and deep sadness that we mourn the loss of our beloved brother Kirsnick Khari Ball, known to the world as Takeoff,” a statement posted to the label’s social media reads. “Senseless violence and a stray bullet has taken another life from this world and we are devastated.”

The heartfelt statement concluded by asking fans to “respect his family and friends as we all continue to process this monumental loss.” The post was captioned with a dove and broken heart emoji.

Takeoff was shot and killed early Tuesday morning (Nov. 1) in Houston, Texas, at just 28 years old. The star — who was one third of the Migos trio alongside his uncle, Quavo, and cousin, Offset — was at a private party at 810 Billiards & Bowling in downtown Houston with Quavo around 2:35 a.m. when investigators say shots rang out during an afterparty attended by around 40 people. Takeoff was pronounced dead at the scene, and two other victims — a 23-year-old male and 24-year-old female — checked themselves into a hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Earlier in the day, Houston’s police chief, mayor and homicide investigators held a press conference, where they shared that the incident is currently under investigation, and encouraged anyone who was either at the scene or has any information to come forward to help authorities solve the case.

Here’s How to Shop the Varsity Jacket Trend Without Going Broke

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.

Shopping for a new jacket? Varsity jackets are always in season and they’ve becoming a large part of music fashion.

Which music stars love varsity jackets? More like which ones don’t love varsity jackets. Justin Bieber might be considered a connoisseur of varsity jackets (just Google “Justin Bieber varsity jacket” for proof), Drake likes to rock them as well, and so does A$AP Rocky (the Harlem native linked with Human Made for a varsity jacket collab).

Dua Lipa, BLACKPINK, Cardi B, Halsey, and BTS members have all been spotted in varsity jackets. LL Cool J sported a one-of-a-kind, red leather varsity jacket from Roots while hosting the 2022 iHeart Radio Music Awards in March. The trendy jacket was a custom design from Roots, but the lifestyle brand carries similar jackets in the same styles, such as the RBA Awards Jacket ($698) and the Classic Varsity ($598).

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Eminem and The Weeknd are among the celebrities who have sported jackets from Roots.

Rihanna, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Snoop Dogg, Big Boi, Ariana Grande, Kehlani, Big Sean, Tyler, the Creator, Young Thug, Nick Jonas, and Pharrell have also sported varsity jackets.

The history of letterman and varsity jackets dates back to 1865, but the more popular incarnation that we see today was born in 1930. Varsity jackets have been seen on Happy Days, Saved by the Bell, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Varsity Blues, All American  — basically any TV show or movie that involves high schoolers. And who can forget Michael Jackson’s iconic red varsity jacket from the “Thriller” music video

Varsity jackets look great, but they can cost you upwards of $500-$1,000. If you can’t afford to spend thousands on high-end brands like Celine, Off-White, Givenchy and Axel Arigato, check below for a list of varsity jackets that you can buy for as little as $50 all the way up to $500.

Varsity Jackets on a Budget: How to Rock the Trend Like Celebs

Maximo’s Men’s Premium Classic Snap Button Vintage Baseball Letterman Varsity Jacket

$51.99

$60.99

If you like the baseball-style varsity jackets, get this budget-friendly, lightweight option in a bunch of different colors (blue/yellow, brown, black, etc.) and sizes S-5XL.  

Varsity Jackets on a Budget: How to Rock the Trend Like Celebs

Amazon

LP-Facon Faux Leather Bomber Jacket

$65

$

As you probably already know, Amazon carries tons of reasonably-priced varsity jackets. This wool jacket is a decent option for $65. It has faux leather sleeves, two waist pockets, and the classic ribbed collar. The jacket comes in sizes XXS to 4X-Large, and you can buy it in several different colors including black, red and blue.

H&M Baseball Jacket

$59.99

$

H&M’s relaxed-fit, baseball jacket is woven in cotton-blend fabric, and features matching ribbing at the collar, cuffs, and hem. The jacket is available in forest green and dark blue.

Varsity Jackets on a Budget: How to Rock the Trend Like Celebs

Amazon

Stewart & Strauss Original Varsity Jacket

$219

Stewart & Strauss is a sought-after brand for affordable and durable varsity letterman jackets. The company was founded in 1971 and sells jackets in adult sizes XXS up to 6XL, in regular and tall sizes. The stylish jackets also feature an inside 1/2 zip-out lining to easily add your own embroidery and patches. The jacket pictured above comes in dozens of two-toned designs: black and gold, red and white, blue and white, purple and white, red and blue, green and black, blue and grey, black and grey, etc.

Boohoo Men

Boohoo Man BM13 Varsity Jacket

$40

Love a bargain? This colorful varsity jacket is 50% off at Boohoo Man. The jacket is made from a blend of nylon, polyester and cotton and it’s almost sold out online (sizes L and XL are still available). Click here for more Boohoo Man options and here for women’s varsity jackets.  

Culture Kings

Culture Kings Carré MVP Varsity Jacket Brown

$139

The Carré MVP Varsity Jacket features the standard Chenille patches, contrasting sleeves, and ribbed trims. This Culture Kings jacket maintains the retro-style varsity design and is available in multiple colors, including brown/cream, light blue, black, red, and chocolate brown. Click here to shop Culture Kings jackets for men and women.

Nasty Gal

Nasty Gal Faux Leather Cropped Varsity Jacket

$33

$66

Looking for a cropped varsity jacket? This red, letterman jacket is half off at NastyGal.com. The jacket comes in red and black in sizes small and medium (large is sold out). Find additional, cropped varsity jackets here.  

Alo Yoga

Alo Yoga G.O.A.T. Varsity Jacket

$248

Calling all stylish Capricorns! This letterman jacket from Alo Yoga is perfect for the “G.O.A.T.” in your life. The jacket is available in the white/bone color pictured above and black.

Coach Outlet

Coach Leather Varsity Jacket

$499

$998

The Diary Script Varsity Jacket is sold out at the Coach Outlet, and this leather jacket is almost gone, so you might want to act fast if it catches your eye. Comfy and cute, this jet-black jacket from is marked down 50% at Coach Outlet.

Halsey, Ryan Tedder and Zara Larsson Celebrate Taylor Swift’s Hot 100 Record: ‘That’s a First’

Taylor Swift set a historic record on the Hot 100 this week (chart dated Nov. 5) by dominating all ten slots of the top 10, and fellow artists like Halsey, Ryan Tedder and Zara Larsson have all been celebrating her record-breaking accomplishment.

“That’s a first,” the OneRepublic frontman wrote on his Instagram Story above the Billboard chart filled with Swift’s Midnights songs while Larsson wrote, “This is insaaaaane” with a fire emoji.

Meanwhile, Halsey wrote “And that’s how ya do it @taylorswift long live taykarma” of her pal, who enlisted her to help perform “Shake It Off” at the 2019 American Music Awards alongside former Reputation Stadium Tour opener Camila Cabello.

First single “Anti-Hero” is now Swift’s eighth career No. 1 hit while instant fan favorites like “Lavender Haze,” “Midnight Rain” and “Question…?” helped round out the Top 10 along with “Maroon,” “Bejeweled” and the Lana Del Rey-assisted “Snow on the Beach.”

Earlier on Tuesday (Nov. 1), Taylor announced the U.S. dates for The Eras Tour, her upcoming stadium jaunt where Swifties will finally be able to hear the songs they love from Lover, Folklore, Evermore, Fearless (Taylor’s Version), Red (Taylor’s Version) and Midnights live for the first time. (Ahead of the mad dash for tickets, check out Billboard’s dream setlist for the shows here.)

Meanwhile, Tay’s former tourmate and “That’s When” collaborator Keith Urban also commented on her tenth album, raving, “It’s just beautiful. Absolutely love it, top to bottom. I think it’s one of her best albums ever.”

Check out Larsson, Tedder and Halsey’s support for Taylor below.

Opry Entertainment Group Revenue Soars 57.3% in Q3 as Nashville Recovers From Pandemic

Ryman Hospitality Properties’ country-focused entertainment business, Opry Entertainment Group, saw its revenue grow 57.3% to $77.2 million in the third quarter, the company reported Monday (Oct. 31). Through the first nine months of 2022, the entertainment segment grew 86.2% to $183.6 million.  

Excluding acquisitions and investments over the last three years, Opry Entertainment Group revenue and EBITDA were 19% and 21% higher than over the same period in 2019, said CEO Colin Reed. Among its properties are Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium and Wild Horse venues, as well as the media network Circle, a three-year-old joint venture with Gray Television.  

“This is the same type of growth we saw pre-pandemic,” said Reed. However, the company lowered the top end of its guidance range for full-year entertainment adjusted EBITDAre (a real estate version of EBITDA) from $80 million to $76 million (the bottom end of the range remained at $72 million). 

Opry Entertainment Group is benefitting from increasingly strong tourist interest in Nashville. Outgoing CEO Reed said Nashville International Airport had a record 1.83 million travelers in June, up 9% from the same month in 2019. Nashville also set a record for hotel demand in June of 875,000 room nights, 11% greater than in June 2019. 

Ultimately, Ryman wants Opry Entertainment Group to “flourish as a standalone, separate entity,” said Reed. To that end, in the second quarter, Ryman sold 30% of Opry Entertainment Group to investment firm Atairos Group and media giant NBCUniversal for a combined $300 million in a deal that closed in the second quarter. The new investors have a right to request an initial public offering four years after the deal — in 2026 — or sell their stake back to Ryman for cash or shares, said president Mark Fioravanti, who will succeed Reed as CEO on Jan. 1, 2023. Prior to the seventh anniversary in 2029, Atairos Group and NBC Universal can sell their stake back to Ryman if there has not been a sale, spin-off or IPO.  

Bringing aboard new investors should help Opry Entertainment Group’s efforts to capitalize on the popularity of country music and culture. Ole Red, a chain of multi-level bar/music venues the company created in partnership with country star Blake Shelton, opened its fourth location in Orlando in 2020 and a fifth location in May at Nashville International Airport. A sixth location in Las Vegas is scheduled for 2023. 

The company branched out to another fast-growing city in the second quarter by closing its acquisition of Block 21, a mixed-use property in Austin, Texas that includes ACL Live at Moody Theater, home of the television show Austin City Limits Theater, as well as the W Austin Hotel and retail and office space. 

Reed is optimistic that Nashville’s growth will benefit Opry Entertainment Group without hurting its core hospitality business. There are more than 50 new hotel developments in Nashville-Davidson County, Reed said, and the city projects over 2,600 additional rooms will be available in the next two years. These hotels aren’t competitors to Ryman’s Opryland Resort and Convention Center on the outskirts of town, he noted, and they will bring additional customers to Ryman’s entertainment properties in the city.  

“Many of these new visitors will end up seeing a show at the Ryman, touring the Opry House or spending an evening at Ole Red or the Wild Horse,” another downtown Nashville venue in its portfolio, said Reed. “When they leave Nashville and return home, or they go to Austin or Las Vegas for their musical pilgrimage, we’ll be there, continuing to engage with them whether through our investments in expanding the Ole Red footprint or deepening our virtual reach across linear television, digital streaming or online.”  

Rihanna Has Returned & We’re Hoping ‘Lift Me Up’ Is Just the Beginning

Rihanna made her long-awaited return to solo music last week when “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever arrived, ending a drought that goes back to the 2016 release of her last album ANTI.

On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie & Keith are talking all about the emotional ballad, which serves as a tribute to late Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman. What has the response been to the song? Do we think she’ll have any more contributions to the Wakanda Forever soundtrack? And will these songs — or any other new songs — make an appear during her Super Bowl halftime headlining gig in February?

To hear about all this and more, listen to the podcast below.

Also on the show, we’ve got chart news on how Taylor Swift absolutely dominates both the Billboard 200 albums chart and the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart this week. Her Midnights album scores the biggest week for any album in nearly seven years, while she holds down the entire top 10 songs on the Hot 100 chart — the first time any act has done that — led by “Anti-Hero” at No. 1.

The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard‘s senior director of charts Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)