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02 Apr 2025

Peso Pluma, J Balvin, Sanz & More Go Behind the Scenes in Billboard’s Mic’d Up

¡Bienvenidos a Mic’d Up! This exciting first episode is an exclusive and immersive behind-the-scenes experience of Billboard chief content officer for Latin and Español Leila Cobo’s life during Billboard Latin Music Week, a notable event in the Latin music calendar.

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Viewers will gain access to intimate moments as Cobo interacts with some of the industry’s most prominent artists, including Mexican star Peso Pluma, global sensation J Balvin, hip-hop icon Fat Joe, Thalía, María Becerra, and more throughout the week.

Mic’d Up features artist interactions and captures the excitement and energy of the various live shows and high-profile events from Billboard’s annual event celebrating Latin music. A notable highlight from the clip is the prestigious Latin Power Players event night, which is part of Billboard‘s annual recognition of Latin executives. In 2024, George Prajin was honored with the executive of the year award for his significant contributions to the Latin music landscape and closing out the week with the celebration of Billboard Latin Week’s impressive 35th anniversary, marking a milestone that reflects the growth and evolution of Latin music over the years.

The unique format of Mic’d Up intends to offer viewers an in-depth and personal look at the inner workings of the Latin music industry, celebrating key highlights and pivotal moments that define this vibrant world. It promises to be a captivating journey through Cobo’s lens, illuminating both the glamour and hard work behind the scenes of Latin music’s most significant events.

Watch the full clip above, featuring behind-the-scenes footage of Peso Pluma, J Balvin and more.

02 Apr 2025

BTS’ ‘Blood Sweat & Tears’ Video Hits 1 Billion YouTube Views

Billboard Women in Music 2025

BTS has added yet another hit music video into YouTube‘s Billion Views club, as their 2016 clip for “Blood Sweat & Tears” has surpassed the milestone.

“Blood Sweat & Tears” is the group’s eighth music video to reach one billion views, and the list also includes “Butter,” “Dynamite,” “Boy With Luv” featuring Halsey and “DNA,” among others. In the “Blood, Sweat & Tears” music video, the septet — including V, Suga, Jung Kook, Jin, RM, Jimin and J-Hope — explores a Renaissance-style art museum before delving into slick choreography. Throughout the cinematic visual, which represents purity juxtaposed with giving into temptation, the members drink elixirs, wear blindfolds, blow smoke. Jin even comes dangerously close to sharing a kiss with a white angel statue with black wings at the end of the video, before V is portrayed looking into the camera with his own angel wings ripped off.

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Suga, RM and J-Hope co-wrote the sensual lyrics, which declare in the chorus, “It doesn’t matter if it hurts/ Make it tighter so I can’t escape/ Hold me tight and shake me/ So I’ll be unconscious/ Kiss me on the lip, lips/ This is a secret between the two of us/ I am addicted to the prison that is you.”  

The song, released in 2016, topped Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales chart and was featured on the group’s Wings album. The project topped the US World Albums chart and hit No. 26 on the all-genre Billboard 200 albums tally.

To celebrate their newest accomplishment, watch BTS’ “Blood Sweat & Tears” music video below.

02 Apr 2025

Nogizaka46’s ‘Navel Orange’ Debuts at No. 1 as Ketsumeishi’s Cherry Blossom Hit Returns to Japan Hot 100

Billboard Women in Music 2025

Nogizaka46‘s “Navel Orange” tops this week’s Billboard Japan Hot 100, on the chart released April 2.

The 38th single by the popular girl group launched with 611,511 CDs after dropping March 26, more than its previous single. The song tops sales and comes in at No. 9 for downloads, No. 13 for radio airplay, and No. 21 for video views to give the group its 28th leader on the tally.

Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” drops a notch to No. 2, but continues its domination of multiple metrics. The Oblivion Battery opener rules streaming for the 30th week with 9,912,320 weekly streams, video for the 13th week, and karaoke for the 12th week.

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Sakanaction’s “Kaiju” holds at No. 3. Downloads for the Orb: On the Movements of the Earth opener are down to 74% compared to the week before, streaming 92%, radio 60%, and video 62%, while karaoke gains for the second week in a row to 113%.

Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Darling” rises 6-4. Karaoke for the three-man band’s latest hit increased for the ninth consecutive week to 105% and radio is also up to 103% week-over-week. The band’s long-running hit from 2023, “Que Sera Sera,” follows at No. 5, jumping 6 slots this week to re-enter the top 10. The song logs its 101st week on the Japan Hot 100 and boasts over 600 million total streams.

Outside the top 10, JO1’s “BE CLASSIC” debuts at No. 11. The lead title track off the eleven-member boy band’s best-of album, released Apr. 2, tops downloads and comes in at No. 18 for streaming and No. 4 for videos. Also, cherry blossom season is in full gear in Japan and Ketsumeishi’s “Sakura” from 2005 has re-entered the Japan Hot 100. Downloads, streaming, videos, and karaoke for the classic seasonal staple have increased and the track hits No. 89 this week.

The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.

See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from Mar. 24 to 30, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account.

02 Apr 2025

Gracie Abrams’ ‘That’s So True’ Hits No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult Pop Airplay Chart

Gracie Abrams‘ “That’s So True” ascends a spot to No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult Pop Airplay chart (dated April 5). The song is her first leader on the radio ranking. It previously became her first No. 1 on any airplay chart when it crowned Pop Airplay for two weeks in March.

The song, on Interscope/ICLG, gained by 3% in reporting stations’ plays March 21-27. (The Adult Pop Airplay chart ranks songs by weekly plays on over 80 adult top 40 radio stations monitored by Mediabase, with data provided to Billboard by Luminate.)

The folk-pop single, which Abrams co-wrote and co-produced, was released in November on the deluxe edition of her album The Secret of Us. “That’s So True” became Abrams’ first top 10 on the all-genre, multimetric Billboard Hot 100, where it reached No. 6 that month. Among other chart accomplishments, it led the Official UK Singles chart for eight weeks, the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 for two frames and multiple surveys in Billboard’s Hits of the World charts menu.

Abrams – who opened for Taylor Swift on 47 dates of the groundbreaking The Eras Tour – earned songwriter of the year honors as part of Billboard’s 2025 Women in Music celebration on March 29 in Los Angeles. She is also set to receive the Hal David Starlight Award at the Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Dinner in June in New York.

Abrams co-wrote The Secret of Us with Audrey Hobert. “To my best friend and the most clever Audrey Hobert … for every single reason, I am me because of you,” she said in her Women in Music acceptance speech. “And our album is what it is because of you. Having never written a song prior to [the LP], you helped me translate every single feeling I was itching to articulate.”

02 Apr 2025

Ashley Gorley, Morgan Wallen, Jelly Roll & More Win 2025 CMA Triple Play Awards: Full Winners List

Ashley Gorley, Charlie Handsome, Jessie Jo Dillon, Morgan Wallen and Jelly Roll are among the songwriters who will be honored at the 2025 CMA Triple Play Awards. This year’s ceremony, hosted by composer and CMA board member Jim Beavers, will be held Tuesday, April 29, in Nashville. 

The CMA Triple Play Award is presented to songwriters who pen three No. 1 songs within a 12-month period based on the Country Aircheck chart and two key Billboard charts — Country Airplay and Hot Country Songs. (See the full list of honorees below.)

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Gorley and Handsome each had a hand in writing six No. 1 hits, which means they each pick up two Triple Play Awards. These are Gorley’s 25th and 26th CMA Triple Play Awards, extending his lead as the most decorated recipient in the award’s history. And he has an even bigger honor coming up: On June 12, he’ll be inducted into the all-genre Songwriters Hall of Fame at the annual gala at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York.

Dillon was nominated for a Grammy for songwriter of the year, non-classical, this year for the second year in a row. This is her first CMA Triple Play Award. Other songwriters receiving their first CMA Triple Play Awards this year are Rocky Block, John Byron, Jordan Minton and Taylor Phillips. Triple Play honorees Wallen and Jelly Roll are both notable for being superstar artists in addition to being songwriters.

CMA will also honor 73 songwriters who have achieved their first No. 1 country hit since the previous ceremony.

“Songwriters are the heartbeat of Country Music, and the CMA Triple Play Awards allow us to recognize the incredible talent and dedication it takes to write not just one, but three No. 1 songs in a year,” says Sarah Trahern, CMA CEO. “We’re also proud to celebrate those reaching their first No. 1 — a milestone that marks the beginning of many great stories. We look forward to uniting our songwriting community later this month to honor these achievements and the creative contributions that continue to shape the genre.”

Music publisher David Conrad is set to receive the 2024 CMA Songwriter Advocate Award, which honors individuals who have significantly supported and advanced the art and careers of songwriters. Conrad, a music publishing veteran with more than 35 years of experience, is a driving force in establishing Nashville as a leading songwriting hub. Starting as GM for Charley Pride‘s PiGem/Chess Music in 1973, he went on to serve as head of Almo/Irving Music’s Nashville office.

“Some of my favorite folks in the Nashville song business have been recognized before me so it’s twice the honor,” Conrad said in a statement. “This is as good as it gets, and I am privileged to be included.”

The 2025 CMA Triple Play Awards recipients are being recognized for the following songs:

Rocky Block

“Man Made a Bar,” recorded by Morgan Wallen feat. Eric Church

“Cowgirls,” recorded by Morgan Wallen feat. ERNEST

“Pour Me a Drink,” recorded by Post Malone feat. Blake Shelton

John Byron

“Thinkin’ Bout Me,” recorded by Morgan Wallen

“Pour Me a Drink,” recorded by Post Malone feat. Blake Shelton

“Love Somebody,” recorded by Morgan Wallen

Zach Crowell

“God Gave Me a Girl,” recorded by Russell Dickerson

“Stars Like Confetti,” recorded by Dustin Lynch

“Outskirts,” recorded by Sam Hunt

Jessie Jo Dillon 

“Memory Lane,” recorded by Old Dominion

“Back Then Right Now,” recorded by Tyler Hubbard

“Halfway to Hell,” recorded by Jelly Roll

Ashley Gorley

“I Had Some Help,” recorded by Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen

“Cowgirls,” recorded by Morgan Wallen feat. ERNEST

“Bulletproof,” recorded by Nate Smith

“Young Love & Saturday Nights,” recorded by Chris Young

“Love Somebody,” recorded by Morgan Wallen

“I Am Not Okay,” recorded by Jelly Roll

Charlie Handsome

“Thinkin’ Bout Me,” recorded by Morgan Wallen

“I Had Some Help,” recorded by Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen

“Cowgirls,” recorded by Morgan Wallen feat. ERNEST

“Pour Me a Drink,” recorded by Post Malone feat. Blake Shelton

“Love Somebody,” recorded by Morgan Wallen

“I’m the Problem,” recorded by Morgan Wallen

Jelly Roll

“Halfway to Hell,” recorded by Jelly Roll

“I Am Not Okay,” recorded by Jelly Roll

“Liar,” recorded by Jelly Roll

Ben Johnson

“TRUCK BED,” recorded by HARDY

“Bulletproof,” recorded by Nate Smith

“Liar,” recorded by Jelly Roll

Chase McGill

“God Gave Me a Girl,” recorded by Russell Dickerson

“Mamaw’s House,” recorded by Thomas Rhett feat. Morgan Wallen

“Chevrolet,” recorded by Dustin Lynch feat. Jelly Roll

Jordan Minton

“Save Me the Trouble,” recorded by Dan + Shay

“your place,” recorded by Ashley Cooke

“Love You, Miss You, Mean It,” recorded by Luke Bryan

Randy Montana

“Different ’Round Here,” recorded by Riley Green feat. Luke Combs

“Where the Wild Things Are,” recorded by Luke Combs

“This Is My Dirt,” recorded by Justin Moore

Hunter Phelps

“TRUCK BED,” recorded by HARDY

“Take Her Home,” recorded by Kenny Chesney

“Bulletproof,” recorded by Nate Smith

Taylor Phillips

“Thinkin’ Bout Me,” recorded by Morgan Wallen

“World on Fire,” recorded by Nate Smith

“I Am Not Okay,” recorded by Jelly Roll

Ernest Keith Smith

“I Had Some Help,” recorded by Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen

“Cowgirls,” recorded by Morgan Wallen feat. ERNEST

“I’m the Problem,” recorded by Morgan Wallen

Josh Thompson

“Angels (Don’t Always Have Wings),” recorded by Thomas Rhett

“Stars Like Confetti,” recorded by Dustin Lynch

“Young Love & Saturday Nights,” recorded by Chris Young

Morgan Wallen 

“Mamaw’s House,” recorded by Thomas Rhett feat. Morgan Wallen

“I Had Some Help,” recorded by Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen

“Love Somebody,” recorded by Morgan Wallen

02 Apr 2025

Bob Moses, Mau P & More Lead Zenyara Desert Nights 2025 Lineups During Both Coachella Weekends

Billboard Women in Music 2025

Zenyara Desert Nights is back and bigger than ever for 2025.

Global experiential agency Corso Marketing Group (CMG) and underground nightlife tastemakers Framework have revealed the lineup for their invite-only late-night festival series, returning April 11–13 and April 18–20, with exclusive access driven by Dorsia and in collaboration with Tao Group Hospitality.

Held at the sprawling, 70-acre Zenyara estate in the Coachella Valley, the two-weekend affair promises deep grooves, underground legends and the kind of high-touch hospitality money can’t buy — unless you’re on the list.

The 2025 lineup features a stacked roster of talent, including Bob Moses (Club Set), Vintage Culture, Mau P, WHOMADEWHO (Hybrid Set), Dixon b2b Jimi Jules, Mahmut Orhan, Damian Lazarus b2b Dennis Cruz and more. A special guest is also confirmed for Saturday, April 12 — because Zenyara never misses a surprise moment.

2025 lineups

Weekend One

Friday, April 11: Ahmed Spins, Bob Moses (Club Set), Damian Lazarus b2b Dennis Cruz, KILIMANJARO

Saturday, April 12: Special Guest

Sunday, April 13: Dixon b2b Jimi Jules, WHOMADEWHO, Yulia Niko, DESIREE, Sparrow & Barbossa

Desert Nights lineup

Desert Nights

Courtesy Photo

Weekend Two

Friday, April 18: Mahmut Orhan, Vintage Culture, Ahmed Spins, Beltran

Saturday, April 19: ChaseWest, Mau P, Autograf, Miramar

Sunday, April 20: Francis Mercier, Mind Against, Tripolism + more TBA

Desert Nights lineup

Desert Nights

Courtesy Photo

Since launching in 2018, Zenyara Desert Nights has earned a reputation as one of the most exclusive, off-site experiences of Coachella season — where the energy of a club night meets the polish of a luxury brand retreat. Past editions have featured performances from artists like RÜFÜS DU SOL, Kaytranada, Skrillex and Solomun, while attracting an elite mix of artists, designers, athletes and industry leaders from around the globe.

And just when you think they’ve peaked, enter Rodeo Nights, Zenyara’s first-ever country-inspired weekend, set for April 25–27 during Stagecoach. Full lineup details are still under wraps, but expect luxury with a side of cowboy boots.

With premium brand partners including Patrón El Alto, Red Bull, Heineken, Rivian, and Outcast, immersive activations will be spread across Zenyara’s aquatic playground, complete with a private beach, a full spa, golf and tennis courts, and a rooftop-ready infinity pool. Co-produced by CMG and Framework, in association with Dorsia and Tao Group Hospitality, Zenyara 2025 is once again shaping up to be the desert’s most coveted invite—and the late-night party everyone will wish they got into.

02 Apr 2025

10 Albums Made By Couples: From Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco to The Carters

Plus, two Beatles and their spouses, Sonny & Cher and more.

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco during the 82nd Annual Golden Globes held at The Beverly Hilton on Jan. 5, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California.

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco during the 82nd Annual Golden Globes held at The Beverly Hilton on Jan. 5, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California.

Christopher Polk/GG2025/Penske Media

Billboard Women in Music 2025

On the Billboard 200 chart dated April 5, two artists shared the No. 2 spot: Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco, whose friends-to-lovers romance manifested into the sweet couple’s album I Said I Love You First, long after they first started working together as singer and producer a decade prior.

But while the engaged twosome’s opening on the charts was certainly impressive, Gomez and Blanco are far from the first musical couple to craft an LP together. For many, romantic love and musical inspiration have gone hand in hand for decades, with some songwriting pairs starting out in band dynamics that turned romantic, and others deciding to try out music together only after they were in a relationship. There’s iconic duos like Sonny & Cher and Ike & Tina Turner, whose careers and lives as husband and wife were inextricably linked, and of course, there’s power couples such as Jay-Z and Beyoncé orTim McGraw and Faith Hill, where either spouse boasted an illustrious solo music career long before they united on joint albums.

No matter the exact dynamic, it’s easy to see the appeal of making music with a romantic partner. There’s no reason to hold back when it comes to writing lyrics — you probably already know everything about each other — and in many cases, your collaborator is just down the hall if you need them, doubling productivity.

From Selena and Benny to The Carters all the music-making soulmates that came before them, check out 10 albums that were made by couples below.

02 Apr 2025

After Drake Trolls ‘Joe Budden Podcast’ With Melyssa Ford Merch, She Asks ‘Where’s My Check?’

Billboard Women in Music 2025

After dropping the highly anticipated “Nokia” video, Drake made some merch available on his website, andJoe Budden Podcast co-host Melyssa Ford isn’t happy about it.

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On DrakeRelated.com, the Toronto rapper is selling a “Hot Moms Vixen” hoodie with an image of Ford and lettering that says videovixens.ca on the back. And while the web address redirected to the podcast’s Patreon page at first, it now redirects to Ford’s Hot & Bothered with Melyssa Ford podcast YouTube page.

Of course, the pod talked about the hoodie, and when asked if she was given a head’s up, Melyssa Ford said she wasn’t and “woke up to it” like everybody else. She then mentioned that the website that’s printed on top of her image redirects to the pod’s Patreon page. “There is a jacket with my image on it,” she explained. “And underneath it, it says ‘videovixex.ca.’ So, dot c-a is dot com in Canada. You click on that link and it take’s you to Joe’s Patreon.”

She added: “What the f—k is going on? Where’s my check? Where’s my f—king check? That’s what the f—k I want to know.”

She then claimed that she may own the image because it’s from her first calendar and said that she sent Drake a DM about the situation. “There’s a possibility that I do own it,” she suggested. “There’s a possibility that I shot that for my first calendar… I sent a DM, said, ‘Hey.’”

While Drake and Budden’s rift goes back a ways, the former recently mentioned Budden and Ford on the $ome $exy $ongs 4 U song “Gimme a Hug” where he raps, “Melyssa Ford, you a legend from the 6, hate to see you with a d—ksucker,” in reference to Joe’s analysis of his battle with Kendrick Lamar last year.

02 Apr 2025

Watch Dua Lipa Sing a Surprise Cover of Lorde’s ‘Royals’

Billboard Women in Music 2025

You can call her Queen Li? At her Auckland, New Zealand, concert Wednesday (April 2), Dua Lipa paid tribute to the country’s biggest pop star by performing a cover of Lorde‘s “Royals.”

In clips from the show, the “Levitating” artist looks glamorous in a lacy black bodysuit and fuzzy cream shawl as she commands the stage at Spark Arena. “We’re bigger than we ever dreamed, and I’m in love with being queen,” she sings over the lush harmonies of her backup singers, holding up her hands in the shape of a crown above her head. “And we’ll never be royals/ It don’t run in our blood/ That kind of luxe just ain’t for us/ We crave a different kind of buzz.”

“Let me be your ruler/ You can call me queen bee,” Dua continues, dancing along to the music as fans in the crowd loudly sing the lyrics with her. “And baby, I’ll rule/ Let me live that fantasy.”

The “Royals” cover was a special treat for the fans at her show in Auckland, where she’s set to perform a second sold-out night at Spark Arena on Friday (April 4). Dua will next bring her Radical Optimism Tour — supporting 2024’s album of the same name — to Europe for a slew of dates in the spring and summer, followed by North America and Latin America in the fall.

Released in 2013, “Royals” marked the “Green Light” singer’s debut single and breakout smash, spending nine weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track later found a home on Lorde’s first album, Pure Heroine, which bowed at No. 3 on the Billboard 200.

Lorde hasn’t released an album since 2021’s Solar Power. She’s been steadily teasing in recent months that she’s back in the studio, however, and appeared on Charli xcx “girl, so confusing” remix last year.

Watch Dua sing Lorde’s “Royals” in Auckland below.

02 Apr 2025

Ye Says J. Cole’s Music Is for Virgins & He’s ‘Hurting Hip-Hop’

Billboard Women in Music 2025

Ye — formerly Kanye West — blasted J. Cole and his music during another X rant on Tuesday night (April 1), but it didn’t seem to be any sort of April Fools’ Day joke.

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“I hate J Cole music so much,” West said matter-of-factly. “It’s like between Kendrick and J Cole I bet you industry plants asked J Cole to diss Drake then we would have been accosted with a J Cole Super Bowl commercial with no SZA song to save it.”

The embattled Chicago native went on to diss Cole’s artistry by claiming that the Dreamville leader’s music was strictly for virgins. “No one listens to J Cole after loosing [sic] their virginity,” he wrote.

Ye also brought up purported conversations around 2021’s Donda era when he pleaded with Drake that he was “hurting hip-hop” by giving J. Cole a bigger platform.

“When I met up with Drake during Donda most of the convo was me telling him he was hurting hip hop by giving J Cole a platform and I was saying how much I loved Future,” he added.

Kanye previously dissed J. Cole last year when adding a verse to the “Like That” remix. “Play J.Cole get the p—y dry,” he raps.

The relationship between Ye and Cole has been icy for some time. The North Carolina rhymer jabbed at West on multiple occasions in the past. While he respects Ye’s artistry, Cole hasn’t had any issue checking him on tracks like 2016’s “False Prophets” and 2019’s “Middle Child,” saying he feels West hasn’t lived up to the billing.

The 48-year-old has been draped in controversy in recent months while his unhinged X rants have found him doubling down on his antisemitic remarks and appreciation for Hitler while wearing a Swastika shirt and chain.

West provided context about some of his recent rants when he spoke with DJ Akademiks last week for an hour-plus-long interview, which saw him wearing a black KKK-inspired hood and touching on Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Kim Kardashian, Diddy, Virgil Abloh, Jay-Z, Playboi Carti and more.

Find Ye’s rant sniping at J. Cole below.