State Champ Radio Author: djfrosty
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Trending on Billboard
Venesti and Mike Bahía take “Difícile,” their first partnership, to No. 1 on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart (dated Nov. 22), as the song rallies 13-1 in its 11th week.
“Difícil” soars to No. 1 on the overall Latin radio ranking with 8.24 million audience impressions earned in the United States during the tracking week of Nov. 7-13 (up 55%), according to Luminate. Leading the song’s radio surge are Univision stations KVVF in San José, Calif., KQMR in Phoenix, and KAMA in Houston.
“We are No. 1 on Billboard with Venesti!” Mike Bahía shared with Billboard. “Thank you for the invitation, my friend. I am grateful to Chappell [Warner Chappell Music Latin] for bringing us together, grateful to Luis Salazar, the producer, and Samantha Cámara, one of the composers I love collaborating with. Beyond happy, this is sooo cool, pure fuel.”
“I would like to thank God, first of, because we are No. 1 on Billboard,” Venesti adds. “Grateful to Billboard for their consistent love, my radio crew in the States, my incredible fans, my team, AP Global Music, and Mike Bahía for believing in the song.”
Bahía achieves his first No. 1 on the Latin Airplay chart with “Difícile.” Plus, he becomes the sixth act to earn their inaugural chart-topper in 2025, joining Kapo, benny blanco, The Marías, Gerardo Coronel ‘El Jerry,’ and Morat.
Venesti, meanwhile, banks his third champ, after “Umaye” and “No Es Normal,” with Nacho and Maffio, both one-week rulers in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Elsewehere, “Difícile” reaches new heights on Latin Pop Airplay, as the song climbs 3-1 for its week atop. This also marks Bahía’s first No. 1 there.
Trending on Billboard
Two more of Smokey Robinson’s former employees — a woman and a man — have come forward with claims that the 85-year-old Motown singer sexually assaulted them on the job.
Robinson was first accused of sexual misconduct in May, when four anonymous, female ex-housekeepers at his Los Angeles-area home brought a $50 million civil lawsuit alleging the singer forced them to have oral and vaginal sex dozens of times between 2007 and 2024. Robinson vehemently denied those claims and has countersued the housekeepers for defamation.
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Now, another anonymous female housekeeper and an unnamed male car mechanic want to join the lawsuit. A lawyer for the group, John Harris, argued in a motion to amend the lawsuit on Friday (Nov. 14) that all the claims involve “overlapping events under the same operative timeline.”
The fifth housekeeper, dubbed “Jane Doe 5,” claims Robinson groped her breasts, propositioned her for sex and forced her to scrub his back in the shower between 2007 and 2011. The mechanic, a man known as “John Doe 1,” says Robinson would masturbate while watching him work starting in 2013 and once tried to force him to touch Robinson’s penis.
In a statement shared with Billboard on Wednesday (Nov. 19), Harris said, “We commend these two courageous survivors for stepping forward and adding their voices to this case. We look forward to advocating for them vigorously as they pursue the justice they deserve.”
Robinson’s lawyer, Christopher Frost, responded in his own statement that the new claims are false and part of an “organized, avaricious campaign to extract money from an 85-year-old legend.”
“This group of people, who hide behind anonymity, and their attorneys seek global publicity while making the ugliest of false allegations,” added Frost. “Once the public can see the truth, their avaricious motives and fabricated claims will be revealed.”
The civil claims against Robinson are currently scheduled to go to trial in 2027. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department also opened a criminal investigation after the housekeepers made a police report, though no charges have been filed to date.
Trending on Billboard Doja Cat kicked off her Tour Ma Vie World Tour in New Zealand on Tuesday, and she’s responding to a few early critics of the global trek. It appears some fans weren’t thrilled with clips from Doja’s tour opener, as they took issue with the wardrobe changes, set design, visuals and storytelling […]
Trending on Billboard The 2025 CMA Awards are going down Wednesday night (Nov. 19) live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, and the biggest and brightest stars in country music are all coming to the party. Ella Langley, Megan Moroney and Lainey Wilson lead the way in nominations, tied with six nods apiece. Zach Top follows with […]
Trending on Billboard
It’s officially ladies’ night at the 2025 CMA Awards on Wednesday (Nov. 19), with Ella Langley, Megan Moroney and Lainey Wilson entering the night as the top nominees with six nods apiece.
In fact, Langley nabbed one of the early CMA Awards, taking home music video of the year for her Riley Green collab “You Look Like You Love Me” — a video she co-directed with John Park and Wales Toney.
But who will take home the other prizes? The 59th annual CMA Awards are broadcasting live tonight from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, 8 to 11 p.m. ET on ABC, and you can follow along with Billboard for the complete winners list below.
Entertainer of the Year
Luke Combs
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson
Single of the Year
Award goes to Artist(s), Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)
“4x4xU” – Lainey Wilson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
“Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” – Luke Combs; Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; Mix Engineer: Chip Matthews
“Am I Okay?” – Megan Moroney; Producer: Kristian Bush; Mix Engineer: Justin Niebank
“I Never Lie” – Zach Top; Producer: Carson Chamberlain; Mix Engineer: Matt Rovey
“You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley & Riley Green; Producer: Will Bundy; Mix Engineer: Jim Cooley
Album of the Year
Award goes to Artist, Producer(s) and Mix Engineer(s)
Am I Okay? – Megan Moroney; Producer: Kristian Bush; Mix Engineer: Justin Niebank
Cold Beer & Country Music – Zach Top; Producer: Carson Chamberlain; Mix Engineer: Matt Rovey
F-1 Trillion – Post Malone; Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins; Mix Engineer: Ryan Gore
I’m the Problem – Morgan Wallen; Producers: Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi; Mix Engineers: Charlie Handsome, Joey Moi
Whirlwind – Lainey Wilson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce
Song of the Year
Award goes to Songwriter(s)
“4x4xU”; Songwriters: Jon Decious, Aaron Raitiere, Lainey Wilson
“Am I Okay?”; Songwriters: Jessie Jo Dillon, Luke Laird, Megan Moroney
“I Never Lie”; Songwriters: Carson Chamberlain, Tim Nichols, Zach Top
“Texas” ; Songwriters: Johnny Clawson, Josh Dorr, Lalo Guzman, Kyle Sturrock
“You Look Like You Love Me”; Songwriters: Riley Green, Ella Langley, Aaron Raitiere
Female Vocalist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Ella Langley
Megan Moroney
Lainey Wilson
Male Vocalist of the Year
Luke Combs
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Zach Top
Morgan Wallen
Vocal Group of the Year
Lady A
Little Big Town
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
The Red Clay Strays
Vocal Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Maddie & Tae
The War And Treaty
Musical Event of the Year
Award goes to Artists and Producer(s)
“Don’t Mind If I Do” – Riley Green (featuring Ella Langley); Producers: Scott Borchetta, Jimmy Harnen, Dann Huff
“Hard Fought Hallelujah” – Brandon Lake with Jelly Roll; Producer: Micah Nichols
“I’m Gonna Love You” – Cody Johnson (with Carrie Underwood); Producer: Trent Willmon
WINNER: “Pour Me a Drink” – Post Malone (feat. Blake Shelton); Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome
“You Had To Be There” – Megan Moroney (feat. Kenny Chesney); Producer: Kristian Bush
Musician of the Year
Jenee Fleenor – Fiddle
Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar
Brent Mason – Guitar
Rob McNelley – Guitar
Derek Wells – Guitar
Music Video of the Year
Award goes to Artist(s) and Director(s)
“Am I Okay?” – Megan Moroney; Directors: Alexandra Gavillet, Megan Moroney
“I’m Gonna Love You” – Cody Johnson (with Carrie Underwood); Director: Dustin Haney
“Somewhere Over Laredo” – Lainey Wilson; Director: TK McKamy
“Think I’m In Love With You” – Chris Stapleton; Director: Running Bear
WINNER: “You Look Like You Love Me” – Ella Langley & Riley Green; Directors: Ella Langley, John Park, Wales Toney
New Artist of the Year
Ella Langley
Shaboozey
Zach Top
Tucker Wetmore
Stephen Wilson Jr.
CMA Broadcast Awards winners will be determined by a final round of judging this month. Entries are judged by a panel of broadcast professionals, representing all market sizes and regions. The winners were revealed on Tuesday Oct. 7. Recipients will be celebrated at the CMA Awards.
Broadcast Personality of the Year (by market size):
Weekly National
WINNER: “Country Countdown USA with Lon Helton” (Lon Helton) – LH Productions
“The Country Top 40 With Fitz” (Cory “Fitz” Fitzner) – Hubbard Broadcasting
“The Original Country Gold” (Rowdy Yates) – Syndicated Media
“Today’s Country Radio” (Kelleigh Bannen) – Apple Music Radio
“Y’all Access with Kelly Sutton” (Kelly Sutton) – Compass Media Group
Daily National
“Big D & Bubba” (“Big D” Derek Haskins, “Bubba” Sean Powell, Carsen Humphreville, Jonathan Shaffer, and Garrett Freche) – Silverfish Media
“Highway Mornings With Cody Alan” (Cody Alan and Lauryn Snapp) – SiriusXM
“Ridin’ With Rowdy” (Rowdy Yates) – SuiteRadio / RFC Media
WINNER: “The Rob and Holly Show” (Rob Stone and Holly Hutton) – Audacy
“Wilhite and Wall Show” (Darren Wilhite and Tim Wall) – Ebert Productions
Major Market
WINNER: “Chris Carr & Company” (Chris Carr, Sam Sansevere, and “Dubs” Michael Wilczynski) – KEEY, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.
“Hawkeye and Michelle” (“Hawkeye” Mark Louis Rybczyk and Michelle Rodriguez) – KSCS, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas
“The Lo Show” (Lauren “Lo” Barker) – KKBQ, Houston
“Rachel Ryan” (Rachel Ryan) – KSCS, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas
“The Scotty Kay Show” (Scotty Kay) – WUSN, Chicago
Large Market
“Deb & Matt in the Morning” (Deborah Honeycutt and Matt Malone) – WFMS, Indianapolis, Ind.
WINNER: “The Q Morning Crew w/ Mike & Amanda” (Mike Wheless and Amanda Daughtry) – WQDR, Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
“Scott and Shannen” (Scott Dolphin and “Shannen O” Oesterreich) – WMIL, Milwaukee, Wis.
“Tim & Chelsea” (Tim Leary and Chelsea Taylor) – WIRK, West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Fla.
“Wayne D and Tay” (“Wayne D” Danielson and Tay Hamilton) – WSIX, Nashville
Medium Market
“The Doc Show with Chewy” (Ken “Doc” Medek and Sean “Chewy” Medek) – WGGY, Wilkes Barre-Scranton, Pa.
“Ellis and Bradley Show” (Bill Ellis and Beth Bradley) – WSSL, Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.
“Joey & Nancy” (Joey Tack, Nancy Barger, and Karly Duggan) – WIVK, Knoxville, Tenn.
WINNER: “Mo & StyckMan” (Melissa “Mo” Wagner and Greg “StyckMan” Owens) – WUSY, Chattanooga, Tenn.
“Spencer Graves Show” (Spencer Graves, Megan Terry, and Blair Davis) – WDXB, Birmingham, Ala.
Small Market
WINNER: “Ben & Arnie” (Ben Butler and Arnie Andrews) – WCOW, La Crosse, Wis.
“Brent Lane and The Cat Pak Morning Show” (Brent Lane and Jordan Glass) – WYCT, Pensacola, Fla.
“Dan Austin Show” (Dan Austin) – WQHK, Fort Wayne, Ind.
“Hilley & Hart” (Kevin Hilley and Erin Hart) – KATI, Columbia, Mo.
“Liz & Scotty in the Morning” (Liz Del Grosso and Scotty Cox) – KCLR, Columbia, Mo.
Radio Station of the Year (by market size):
Major Market
WINNER: KKBQ – Houston
KSCS – Dallas-Ft. Worth, Texas
KYGO – Denver-Boulder, Colo.
WUSN – Chicago
WXTU – Philadelphia
Large Market
WCTK – Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket, R.I.
WMIL – Milwaukee-Racine, Wis.
WSIX – Nashville
WINNER: WUBE – Cincinnati
WWKA – Orlando, Fla.
Medium Market
KUZZ – Bakersfield, Calif.
WHKO – Dayton, Ohio
WINNER: WIVK – Knoxville, Tenn.
WLFP – Memphis, Tenn.
WQMX – Akron, Ohio
Small Market
KATI – Columbia, Mo.
KCLR – Columbia, Mo.
WCOW – La Crosse, Wis.
WKML – Fayetteville, N.C.
WINNER: WXBQ – Johnson City-Kingsport-Bristol, Tenn.-Va.
Source: Emilee Chinn / Getty
Meek Mill has fed the streets with a 4-piece EP. Let’s break it down.
This is Meek Mill’s first solo release in four years following “Expensive Pain.” In 2023, he and Rick Ross teamed up for their joint album, “Too Good To Be True.” Both Projects were well-received, especially “Expensive Pain.” Day 1 fans waited three years for that album, and it didn’t disappoint. Tracks like “Intro (Hate On Me)” continued Meek’s tradition of explosive openers, and “We Slide” featuring Young Thug. Delivering what many fans consider one of Thugger’s best verses.
Since “Expensive Pain,” Meek has been relatively quiet musically, popping out for a few standout features. He tore up Philly rising star Lihtz’s “Crash Out (Remix)” and supported another rising artist, Kocky Ka, on “Dark Nights.”
Now we have “Indie Pack Volume 1“.
With just one feature, Fridayy on the outrace track “4TH OF JULY,” the EP carries a Flamerz-type energy and has been getting strong reactions online. Some fans even claim Meek is back in the mode they are up on. The project arrives just weeks before his “Meek Mill and Friends” concert in Philadelphia on December 5th at the Xfinity Mobile Arena (formerly the Wells Fargo Center).
The timing feels intentional, almost like Meek is warming up the city before hitting that big stage. Check out the full breakdown on what we took away from the North Philly legends’ newest project below.
1. Meek snaps on the intro, continuing his streak as one of the best project openers in Hip-Hop
2. There NEEDS to be a remix to “Free Smoke” with Skrilla featured.
3. Meek Mill is now fully independent
4. Meek Milly with a new Philly sports reference
5. 6 years ago in November Meek was sentenced 2-4 years in prison.
He came back better than ever and has helped push through 22 bills aimed at rebuilding the lives of people who’ve been incarcerated.
Trending on Billboard Kali Uchis and Blood Orange are among the artists added to Tyler, the Creator’s 2025 Camp Flog Gnaw, following the festival’s postponement to this weekend (Nov. 22-23) due to inclement weather. Geese and emerging rapper Fakemink were also added to the bill after Clairo, Don Toliver, Men I Trust, Sombr, Tems and […]
Trending on Billboard Halsey has dropped a few bars to Kendrick Lamar‘s “Swimming Pools (Drank),” and it’s going viral. On Wednesday (Nov. 19), Halsey took some time out of her Back to Badlands Tour to playfully spit a few bars set to K-Dot’s 2012 hit. Halsey pleaded with Kendrick to keep an open mind before […]
Trending on Billboard Cynthia Erivo and a group of children at her old school will be changed for good after an emotional surprise visit from the Wicked star. In a heartwarming video shared by BBC Radio 1 on Tuesday (Nov. 18), Erivo walks into a room of shocked squeals and delighted tears from unsuspecting choir […]
Trending on Billboard
Released Nov. 7, YEONJUN’s debut solo album NO LABELS: PART 01 is one of the most compelling K-pop releases of 2025.
When his first mixtape GGUM dropped in fall 2024, it initially felt like a slightly puzzling choice. Its electronic-tinged hip-hop sound — filled with mechanical textures, indistinct vocals, and a repetitive hook — seemed to lean more toward concept than toward showcasing YEONJUN’s strengths: vocal ability, dynamic tonal shifts, and live power that had long been overshadowed by his reputation as a dancer. Yet as reactions remained divided, the view began to shift as I watched YEONJUN continue stepping onto stages alone — including year-end award music shows — driven purely by love for performance. I began to understand why he had chosen the song and, eventually, to cheer for that choice. During the group’s subsequent tour, TOMORROW X TOGETHER members appeared in various ways during YEONJUN’s “GGUM” stage, making it clear that they were proud of the performance as well. And when YEONJUN chose the reggae rock genre track “Ghost Girl” for TXT’s fourth studio album The Name Chapter: TOGETHER released in July this year, the question naturally arose: Where would he go next? The answer arrived in the form of NO LABELS: PART 01.
The album cover — an instantly viral image capturing YEONJUN dancing shirtless in his most unfiltered form — was shot by photographer Hye.W.Kang (@hyeawonkang). Although she had previously worked with him for magazine covers and TXT group shoots, this was the first time they spent three full days together on a project. To her, YEONJUN was unmistakably an artist with strong self-assurance.
YEONJUN, “NO LABELS: PART 01”
Courtesy of BIGHIT MUSIC
“YEONJUN knows exactly what he wants to express; he moves with a clear artistic direction in both performance and music,” Kang told Billboard Korea. “The album title NO LABELS had already been finalized, and because I naturally gravitate toward work that focuses on the person rather than any devices or concepts, I was grateful to be offered this project.” Understanding the music was also essential. “From the morning of the first day, I kept listening to his tracks so I could fully absorb the mood he wanted to convey. I listened to them over and over — quite a lot.” In both the early-released images and the album cover, YEONJUN exists not as a static figure but as a presence defined through movement. The slight distortions, shadows, and irregular poses are not “safe A-cuts,” but closer to the aesthetic of a deliberately chosen B-cut — images that capture an artist’s energy most vividly. “The shirtless shoot took place on the second day. YEONJUN felt a bit unfamiliar at first, but quickly found his rhythm. We did very minimal retouching. We all agreed that rather than crafting a smooth, refined image, we wanted to preserve his natural expressions and movements.” While design considerations likely influenced the final cover choice, YEONJUN’s own presence — and the strength of his decisions — undoubtedly played the biggest role.
The first day’s shots, using props like a bed and chairs, were featured prominently in the album’s ‘SET-UP B’ version. Kang felt that if the focus remained solely on movement, YEONJUN’s iconic face and energy might not fully come through. The result: images that balanced his power as a performer with his presence as an individual.
YEONJUN
Hye.W. Kang / Courtesy of BigHit Music
The third day of shooting took place alongside the music video schedule in Thailand. “The movement-based scenes and video shots wrapped surprisingly quickly,” Hyewon Kang recalls. “YEONJUN was already fully prepared for his performance. He wasn’t someone who ‘showed’ something in front of the camera — he was an artist who stepped in with conviction and completion already within him.”
“NO LABELS, JUST ME” — a phrase anyone could throw around rhetorically — is something YEONJUN proves thoroughly through both the music and visuals of his first solo album. Aside from the final track “Coma,” all six songs were produced entirely by producer-songwriter MISHA (@thatboymishaa), giving the album remarkable cohesion. MISHA, who previously worked with TXT’s “Upside Down Kiss,” shared via social media, “This project is a lot of firsts for me and means the world. Thank you for believing in these songs and allowing me to be completely myself as a writer and producer throughout this project.”
YEONJUN
Courtesy of BigHitMusic
The opening track “Talk to You” begins with crisp drum beats and YEONJUN’s confident attitude, pairing his rap with rhythmically controlled vocals that cut through the intense electric guitar in the chorus. Its rock energy flows naturally into the relaxed electronic sound, synth textures, and minimal rhythm of “Forever.” The third track, “Let Me Tell You (feat. Daniela of KATSEYE),” featuring KATSEYE’s Daniela, continues the synth-driven warmth and sensual tone, deepening the album’s cohesive mood. “Do It,” an old-school hip-hop number built on drums, bass, and a standout keyboard in the latter half, lets YEONJUN’s laid-back voice take the lead — before shifting into the hard-hitting hip-hop sound of the fifth track, “Nothin’ Bout Me.” With lines like ‘Define me if you can,’ ‘Say what you want, no cares,’ and the explosive ‘All that talkin’ Shut up,’ punctuated by scratching and shouting, the track delivers the album’s message most directly. The heightened energy flows seamlessly into “Coma,” whose tape-stop effects allow the intensity to slowly ease as the album nears its end — leaving behind the line, “You’re in my zone, come and follow.”
Given its cohesive sound and concept, the music video for this project was created as a six-minute omnibus combining three tracks — “Coma,” “Let Me Tell You (feat. Daniela of KATSEYE),” and “Talk to You” — under the banner of NO LABELS: PART 01. Director Song Taejong(@songtaejong) recalls, “The idea of making a 6-minute omnibus video came from the label(BigHit Music). Honestly, I was worried at first. Since videos are getting shorter these days, we added fun moments and unexpected elements throughout the 6-minute video to keep viewers attention. I always try to capture the full charm of my subjects, but during the wire scenes, I looked at the monitor and thought, ‘This might be the coolest shot I’ve ever filmed,’” he said with a laugh.
Conversations around K-pop are endless. Whether it’s “music to watch or music to listen to,” what elements it borrows from past legacies, or whether its intricate vocabulary and overbuilt imagery allow the core — the music — to truly shine. Amid constant doubt, criticism, pressure, and anxiety — YEONJUN has openly shared that he cried from fear and burden before his “GGUM” promotions, and his behind-the-scenes videos show the emotional strain of songwriting, choreography, performance, and tight deadlines — he still brought forward something entirely his own. And for that reason, YEONJUN’s latest album carries no labels and no references. Perhaps it’s because he doesn’t need them. He already knows — with his whole body, through every lesson learned — exactly how he is meant to move.
