State Champ Radio Author: djfrosty
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Trending on Billboard
Aspen Live, the annual live music industry conference, is returning to Aspen, Colo., Dec. 4-6. Capped at an attendance of 150 people and scheduled around Colorado’s winter activities, the event is the brainchild of longtime touring and event producer Jim Lewi, who heads up production and business development for Embarc Events.
“The first year we did it in 1996, everybody who came was a skier or snowboarder,” says Lewi. “It was dumping snow, and everybody wanted to go out and ski. So I said, ‘Okay, no meetings until after the lifts close.’”
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That philosophy continues today, even though only half of the attendees ski or snowboard, according to Lewi. Mornings feature a group breakfast, followed by activities — skiing, cooking classes, nature walks — that are designed to keep attendees networking. Panel discussions happen in the afternoons, followed by cocktail parties and dinners around town.
The conference’s most anticipated panel brings together Dave Marcus from Ticketmaster, Dean DeWulf from AXS and Sean Stewart from StubHub, moderated by manager Randy Nichols. It’s a lineup that Lewi acknowledges could get contentious.
“I warned StubHub before they said yes that it could get rough with people in the room,” Lewi says. “But this is part of our distribution network now. We can fight it, or we can do business with them and try to get rid of the bots.”
Lewi sees the secondary market as an opportunity for rights holders to capture upside they’re currently missing. “If you’re gonna charge more money for my ticket, I want to get paid on the upside,” he explains. “That’s Sean’s job — to have that direct relationship with the rights holders.”
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Aspen Live’s programming reflects Lewi’s belief that the live music industry can learn from adjacent sectors. One panel focuses on Latin music, exploring how that market has grown beyond border states to continually expand its audience. Another panel brings together performing arts center executives with venue operators and artist managers.
“How do we utilize their models?” Lewi asks. “They have subscribers, they have mailing lists, they book further in advance. What can we learn from them?”
Perhaps most intriguing is a session featuring representatives from minor league baseball team the Nashville Sounds. “They sell more tickets than Major League Baseball, without the names, without the money,” Lewi says. “How are they so good at engaging fans? They’re selling the same product over and over again.”
What distinguishes Aspen Live is its commitment to honest discourse in an intimate setting. “We want it to be more of a discussion and a dialogue than a monologue,” Lewi says. “People yell out their own thoughts throughout the meetings.”
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Lewi notes with pride that the conference has spawned numerous business relationships and partnerships over the years: “A lot of people have created their whole business out of Aspen,” he says.
As the live music industry faces mounting challenges — from affordability concerns to changing consumer behavior — Aspen Live’s intimate, problem-solving approach feels increasingly relevant. As Lewi puts it, the goal is for the industry to find sustainable models in an increasingly difficult market.
“The theme is always, ‘Solve problems and try to learn from each other,’” Lewi says. “I’ve always been very dreamy. I dream that Aspen becomes a place where problems can be resolved.”
Learn more and register at AspenLive.com.
Trending on Billboard Sabrina Carpenter got two for one with her latest Short n’ Sweet Tour “arrest,” with the pop star stopping her show in Los Angeles on Monday night to charge sisters Elle and Dakota Fanning with being too hot. In clips from the singer’s second of six shows at Crypto.com Arena, Carpenter singles […]
Trending on Billboard Kevin Durant and Wale‘s relationship goes way back, as the NBA star even made a guest appearance in voice skits on Folarin’s seminal The Mixtape About Nothing in 2008 when KD suited up as an emerging force for the Oklahoma City Thunder. With the DMV natives still making waves in their respective […]
Trending on Billboard Gunna kicked off his Wun World Tour on Monday in Boston, with the raucous crowd filling MGM Music Hall being treated to a loaded 36-track setlist spanning the Atlanta native’s wide-ranging discography. From “Cfwm” to “Pushin P,” “Drip too Hard” and “Fukumean,” Gunna kept the party going next to Fenway Park with […]
The other artists who recorded tracks penned by Mother Monster might surprise you.
11/18/2025
Trending on Billboard In this week’s episode of The Hot 100 Show, Billboard chart experts explain Sombr’s breakthrough into the top 10 of the Hot 100 with “Back to Friends,” they break down best new artist correlations with the Hot 100, the resurgence of R&B, and Taylor Swift’s “Opalite” possibly surging to No. 1. Meghan […]
Trending on Billboard Stephen Curry tied an elite record while playing against the San Antonio Spurs last week, and the NBA superstar says the achievement has him feeling like a certain rock star. The Golden State Warriors vet put up 46 points on Wednesday night followed by a 49-point game on Friday. The two games […]
Source: Marcus Ingram / Getty
After four years away from the spotlight, Wale returns with his new album, everything is a lot. The reflective, emotionally layered project that proves the DMV rapper hasn’t lost a step but instead has simply gained clarity. Take a look at some key takeaways from Wale’s album everything is a lot, as he finds healing, home and a new perspective.
Wale’s New Album Is Deeply Personal
The album plays like a journal cracked open, filled with self-reflection, heartbreak, and the quiet revelations that come with growing up in the public eye.
Wale sets the tone immediately with “Conundrum,” a stunning opener that pulls listeners straight into a real and vulnerable moment. He revisits a conversation with his child’s mother, who reveals that her new husband thinks it’s time for everyone to move on. Wale doesn’t fight it. Instead, he agrees, which is a moment of maturity that signals the emotional honesty that shapes the entire album.
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A few songs later, “Power and Problems” dives deeper into the wounds he carries into relationships, where love feels like both motivation and minefield.
Standout Samples, Production and Features
Sonically, the project is rich, soulful, and sample-heavy. Fans are calling it “easily one of Wale’s best-produced albums” to date. “Belly” flips Soul II Soul’s iconic “Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)” into a nostalgic, head-nodding groove. “Michael Fredo” arrives with triumphant fight-night energy, like a walk-out anthem for a heavyweight bout. And “Watching Us,” featuring Leon Thomas, reimagines Goapele’s “Closer,” blending Wale’s introspection with Thomas’ smooth, ethereal vocals.
The features are stacked and intentional and come mostly in the back half of the tracklist. Afrobeats stars Seyi Vibez and Teni deliver vibrant chemistry on “YSF.” Meanwhile, breakout artist Odeal brings a warm, Brent Faiyaz-like texture to “City on Fire.” Ty Dolla $ign, Shaboozey, Nino Paid, Andra Day and more round out the album with flavors that expand Wale’s palette without drowning his voice.
In a press statement shared with Rap-Up, Wale said the album title represents the emotional whirlwind he’s been navigating.
“I called it everything is a lot. because that’s exactly how life feels sometimes. But even in the madness, there’s meaning,” Wale said in the statement.
He describes the album as a journey toward peace. It’s a reminder that heaviness doesn’t stunt growth, but it shapes it. Even the short track lengths are intentional. As he recently explained, if he’s said what needs to be said, the song is complete. No filler. No forcing.
Check out a clip from the conversation below:
Even The Rollout From Wale and His Team Is Organic & Just Makes Sense
The rollout itself echoed this newfound groundedness. Wale partnered with DC’s local plant shop and wellness café Grounded for the second-ever “Gifted Week” DC Poetry Jam. He performed alongside hometown poets and artists. Grounded even launched a collaborative drink, Rosemary Honey Latte, which is designed to calm the spirit. Another clever nod to the album: “everything is… a latte.”
With everything is alot, Wale is reconnecting with his city, his craft, and himself.
Source: Mauricio Santana / Getty
Russ has always been outspoken about things in the music business.
His next rant: Roc Nation’s Platform
Roc Nation has recently rolled out a new distribution platform that is reportedly giving artists an 85% royalty payout (monthly), distributes to over 200 platforms, & no upfront costs to sign up. Sounds good, right? Russ disagrees. Not only does he disagree, he breaks it down, “An 85/15 split to press upload is madness. Major labels take 15% distro off the top, too, so it seems like they just modeled the business off of that. If you’re an artist, this makes no sense to sign up for imo.”
Russ has always encouraged artists to stay independent in the music business. In his song “Utah Freestyle,” he talks about how labels can pull the rug from under you, “Access, I still got the same as the major labels. They wait ’til you got a table, then they take the table.” He has also been involved in the rise of independent star LaRussell’s success as he took him under his wing without signing him at the beginning of his career.
LaRussell has built a movement in Hip-Hop and always gives Russ his flowers anytime he gets the chance:
“Shoutout to @russ for being a real one. He gave me a deal very early and capital to build while remaining completely independent! I was able to build a catalog of 30+ albums that I own completely while in the deal. He didn’t give me no handouts and I still had to grind my ass off to get here but he respected and valued what I was building and remained supportive 🙏🏾. There’s not many white men in this industry that I trust 😂😂😂. RUSS IS AN EXCEPTION”
Trending on Billboard
After Ariana Grande‘s upcoming run of shows comes to a close next year, the sun might set on her life as a touring artist.
While guesting on an episode of Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast posted Tuesday (Nov. 18), the pop superstar explained that while she’s feeling really excited to perform for her fans in 2026, she doesn’t think she’ll do it again any time soon after the trek supporting 2024 album Eternal Sunshine ends. “I’m going to do a small stint of shows next year, because that is something that sounded authentically good to me,” she began.
“Following those authentic impulses, it feels like a really good idea,” Grande continued before reflecting on how she’s been shifting focus in her career to include more acting projects. “My pop career sort of took over my life in a way. I feel very privileged and grateful to learn that there can be room for different creative endeavors … The last 10 or 15 years will look very different to the ones that are coming up.”
“I don’t want to say any definitive things,” she added. “I do know that I’m very excited to do this small tour, but I think it might not happen again for a long, long, long, long time. So I’m going to give it my all. I think that’s why I’m doing it, because I’m like, ‘One last hurrah. For now.’”
It’s not the first time the Grammy winner has hinted that she’d be focusing less on pop music going forward. In October, she revealed that she once thought she would “never” make an album again after her 2020 Positions LP, but that playing Glinda in the Wicked films — the second of which premieres Nov. 21 — inspired her to keep creating music, leading to Eternal Sunshine.
That said, Grande has been even less keen on touring over the years. She hasn’t hit the road since her Sweetener World Tour wrapped in 2019, and when she was asked in 2024 by Variety whether she was planning shows for her Eternal Sunshine era, she replied, “I think the next few years, hopefully we’ll be exploring different forms of art, and I think acting is feeling like home right now.”
This past August, however, Grande announced that she’d be touring after all, with her Eternal Sunshine trek kicking off in June next year and running through August. Her shows are planned for L.A., Atlanta, Chicago, Montreal, London and a few more cities.
Watch Grande’s full interview on Good Hang above.
