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Tony Hawk Says He Wishes Kurt Cobain Could Have Met Their Grandson

Tony Hawk has taken to social media to lament the fact that Kurt Cobain isn’t alive to meet the grandchild they share.

In September 2024, it was announced that Hawk’s son Riley and Cobain’s daughter Frances Bean had given birth to a baby boy. “Ronin Walker Cobain Hawk,” Cobain wrote on social media, revealing her son’s birth date as Sept. 17. “Welcome to the world most beautiful son. We love you more than anything.”

While the couple’s 2023 marriage and subsequent parenthood was the dream pairing that ‘90s kids the world over could have hoped for, it also resulted in the newborn boasting two of the decade’s most iconic and influential figures as his grandfathers.

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Now in his own post on social media, Tony Hawk has reflected on the impact that Kurt Cobain had upon his life, reflecting on a Nirvana gig he once attended and sharing his desire that Cobain could have met their shared grandson.

Hawk’s post was shared to Instagram Stories over the weekend and featured a ticket stub to an Oct. 20, 1991 Nirvana concert at the long-gone Houston, TX venue The Vatican. According to Hawk, he was in the area for a skateboarding competition and went directly from the event to the show.

“It was as transformative as live music can possibly be,” Hawk wrote of the gig. “We all experienced something rare and powerful that night. The world would never be the same.”

The event itself took place right on the cusp of Nirvana’s massive global takeover. Priced at just $10, the show took place just shy of four weeks after the seminal grunge outfit had released their breakthrough album, Nevermind. Just under three months later, the record would topple Michael Jackson’s Dangerous to claim the top spot on the Billboard 200, and swiftly turning the group into household names.

“I wish Kurt were here so he could see the incredible woman his daughter has become, meet her devoted, caring husband, and hold our wondrous grandchild,” Hawk added to his post.

Both Nirvana and Tony Hawk have found themselves at the forefront of the news cycle recently. While the surviving members of Nirvana performed separate reunion sets with celebrity vocalists for the FireAid LA Benefit Concert and Saturday Night Live’s SNL50: The Homecoming Concert, Hawk’s eponymous video game series has been the talk of the gaming world thanks to rumors of a new volume to be announced next week.

Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Short n’ Sweet’ Hits No. 1 on Top Album Sales Chart

Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet hits No. 1 for the first time on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart, as the six-month-old set jumps 6-1 on the list dated March 1. It vaults to No. 1 following its deluxe reissue on Feb. 14 with five additional bonus tracks on CD, digital download and two vinyl variants.

In the week ending Feb. 20 in the U.S., Short n’ Sweet sold 71,000 copies across all versions – old and new combined – increasing by 616% in sales. It’s the second-largest sales week for the project, following its opening week (Sept. 7, 2024-dated chart), when it launched at No. 2 with 184,000 copies sold.

Short n’ Sweet marks Carpenter’s first No. 1 on Top Album Sales out of seven total entries on the list.

Short n’ Sweet also returns to No. 1 on the Vinyl Albums chart, for a third nonconsecutive week, as it sold nearly 48,000 copies on vinyl (up 626%). Of Short n’ Sweet’s total overall sales to date, vinyl sales comprise 61% (372,000 of 606,000).

Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album (TEA) units and streaming equivalent album (SEA) units. The new March 1, 2025-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Feb. 25.

Elsewhere on the latest Top Album Sales chart, Kendrick Lamar’s GNX falls 1-2 with 30,000 copies sold (down 74%) while PARTYNEXTDOOR and Drake’s $ome $exy $ongs 4 U bows at No. 3 with 25,000. The Lumineers’ Automatic arrives at No. 4 with 16,000 while Chappell Roan’s chart-topping The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess rounds out the top five, falling 4-5 with 11,000 sold (down 22%).

The Weeknd’s former No. 1 Hurry Up Tomorrow falls 2-6 (11,000; down 63%), Stray Kids’ chart-topping HOP rises 9-7 (8,000; down less than 1%), Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft slips 7-8 (nearly 8,000; down 21%), the Wicked film soundtrack falls 8-9 (nearly 7,000; down 24%) and Lamar’s good kid, m.A.A.d city is a non-mover at No. 10 (6,000; down 10%).

How Billy Joel Will Make History on His Summer Tour

Billy Joel is in a New York and New Jersey state of mind.

During his 2025 tour, which kicks off March 15 in Toronto, Joel will play all three New York City-area sports stadiums, making him the first artist to ever play all three in one summer. His impressive feat will come over a month-long period.

Joel will play Yankee Stadium in the Bronx on July 18; East Rutherford, N.J.’s Metlife Stadium, home to the New York Giants and New York Jets, on Aug. 8; and Citi Field, home to the New York Mets, in Queens, N.Y., on Aug. 21. Rod Stewart will join him July 18, Stevie Nicks on Aug. 8 and Sting on Aug. 21.  

“I’m looking forward to playing these iconic stadiums this summer – each holds personal significance to me,” Joel tells Billboard. “There’s nothing like the energy of the crowds in New York, and sharing a stage with my friends, Rod Stewart, Sting and Stevie Nicks, whose music always inspires me, is extremely rewarding.”

The feat is all the more remarkable in that it comes on top of ending his 10-year residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden last July after playing the vaunted venue once a month for 10 years. The run earned Joel $266.7 million and sold 1.9 million tickets over 104 shows, according to Billboard Boxscore.  He played one show at MSG every month except for June 2017 and December 2022, as well as for a year-and-a-half hiatus during the height of the COVID-19 wave.

Joel’s 16-show run ends Nov. 1 at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fla. The run, which concentrates primarily on North America, also includes two U.K. shows in Edinburgh, June 7, and Liverpool, June 21.

Here Are the Lyrics to Kendrick Lamar & SZA’s ‘Luther’

Kendrick Lamar and SZA made waves with their latest team-up, “Luther” off Lamar’s newest album, GNX.

“Luther” made its way up to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, marking Lamar’s sixth leader and SZA’s third. The single’s title is an ode to late R&B legend Luther Vandross, who is sampled on the track.

“Luther” replaced Lamar’s Drake diss track “Not Like Us” atop the Hot 100, just week after the latter returned to to the top spot, thanks to the performance during the Super Bowl LIX halftime show. “Luther” was also a part of the halftime set, with SZA appearing as a surprise guest.

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Below, find the full lyrics of Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther.”

If this world were mine

Hey, Roman numeral seven, bae, drop it like it’s hot
If this world was mine, I’d take your dreams and make ’em multiply
If this world was mine, I’d take your enemies in front of God
Introduce ’em to that light, hit them strictly with that fire
Fah-fah, fah-fah-fah, fah-fah, fah
Hey, Roman numeral seven, bae, drop it like it’s hot
If this world was mine, I’d take your dreams and make ’em multiply
If this world was mine, I’d take your enemies in front of God
Introduce ’em to that light, hit them strictly with that fire
It’s a vibe, do your dance, let ’em watch
She a fan, he a flop, they just wanna kumbaya, nah

In this world, concrete flowers grow
Heartache, she only doin’ what she know
Weekends, get it poppin’ on the low
Better days comin’ for sure (if this world were)
If it was up to me
I wouldn’t give these nobodies no sympathy
I’d take away the pain, I’d give you everything
I just wanna see you win, wanna see (if this world were mine)

It go in (when you), out (ride it), do it real slow (slide)
Baby, you a star, strike, pose (right)
When I’m (when you), with you (with me), everything goes (slow)
Come and (put that), put that (on my), on my (titi), soul (soul)
‘Rari (red), crown (stack), wrist (stay), froze (really)
Drip (tell me), pound (if you), on the way home (love me)

In this world, concrete flowers grow
Heartache, she only doin’ what she know
Weekends, get it poppin’ on the low
Better days comin’ for sure (if this world were)
If it was up to me
I wouldn’t give these nobodies no sympathy
I’d take away the pain, I’d give you everything
I just wanna see you win, wanna see (if this world were mine)

I can’t lie, I trust you, I love you, I won’t waste your time
I turn it off just so I can turn you on
I’ma make you say it loud
I’m not even trippin’, I won’t stress you out
I might even settle down for you, I’ma show you I’m a pro
I’ma take my take my time and turn it off
Just so I can turn you on, baby
Weekends, get it poppin’ on the low
Better days comin’ for sure

I know you’ll come
I know you’re comin’ for
(Anything)
(If this world were mine)

Lyrics licensed & provided by LyricFind
WRITERS
Sam Dew, Atia Boggs, Kendrick Lamar, Marvin Gaye, Solana Rowe
PUBLISHERS
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Donuts & Debauchery: 8 Best Moments From Tyler, The Creator’s Los Angeles Chromakopia Tour Stop

It’s incredible to think about the evolution of Tyler, The Creator’s music. From the days of Odd Future in Fairfax, where his music felt like controlled chaos, to now—headlining arenas, selling out shows, and having a Billboard No. 1 album. Despite his success, Tyler remains the same person from Los Angeles, CA. His return to his beloved city for the Chromakopia Tour was a nostalgic and fun-filled experience.

The Chromakopia Tour is like a love letter to everything Tyler has built, combining old and new, chaos and control, humor and real emotion. The crowd at Crypto Arena for his six-day run was lit up in green, pulling fans into the Chromakopia world before the show started. And when Tyler finally hit the stage, it wasn’t all about the music—it was about the moments in between. The weird ones, the nostalgic ones, the ones that had everyone looking at each other like, are we really all barking right now?

That’s the magic of a Tyler show. You go in thinking you’re just there to hear some great music, but you leave feeling like you were part of something bigger, something that only you, as a fan, can experience at a Tyler, The Creator show. Whether he was eating a donut mid-verse or teasing songs with a vinyl player, every detail felt thoughtful. Here are the eight best moments from night five of Tyler, The Creator’s LA run.

Nicky Jam Opens Up About Donald Trump’s “She’s Hot” Moment, New EP, Sobriety & More | Billboard 

Leila Cobo sat down with Nicky Jam where he opens up about meeting Donald Trump and how he reacted to the “She’s Hot” comment, his sobriety, stories about Enrique Iglesias, Fher of Mana, his relationship with his wife, getting bariatric surgery and more!

Keep watching for this in-depth and vulnerable conversation with Nicky Jam. 

What was your favorite part of the interview? Let us know in the comments below!

Nicky Jam:

I would love to tell you that Trump story. 

Leila Cobo:

Tell me the story.

Well I haven’t told anyone. 

Tell me!

I’m going to take advantage and tell you about it. 

Nicky, you came to La Industria hungry.

If they come to La Industria, you have to try these cheese arepas and cream. 

And how involved are you in preparing the dishes on the menu?

In almost everything. I mean, my DNA is all over the menu.

Ok, then wait, because I have the menu here. 

Oh, no wait.

You just touched it and it moved a little.

The man-

Here comes the most handsome man in the world. So here is the most handsome man in the world. And how are you? Oh, what a delight. Thank you!

Server:

With pleasure. 

So, these are the famous arepas with “queso de mano.” “Queso de mano” is the one that is shredded inside?

No.

The reverse?

Yes, the soft one over there, try it! Take a little bite, it’s fine. You’re going to stick a fork in an arepa?

Yeah…

D*amn! You know that I’m a real thug. 

Let’s see, but is this a Colombian or Venezuelan arepa?

But you are a lady. This is a Venezuelan arepa. 

You clearly know that it is not Colombian.

Keep watching for more!

Nicky Jam Finally Explains Why Donald Trump Confused Him for a Woman at His Rally

On the 10th anniversary of his hit song, “El Perdón,” and as he readies to release new music, reggaetón superstar Nicky Jam spoke with Billboard about quite literally everything.

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We chatted with the Puerto Rican star for over an hour, about his new marriage and his love for his new wife; about the story behind “El Perdón;” quitting alcohol; regrouping mentally and preparing new music — due out at the end of the month — that is rooted in happiness.

He also spoke about the infamous, yet hilarious, Donald Trump introduction at a rally in Las Vegas last September, when the President invited Nicky Jam, who at the time announced he was endorsing Trump, to the stage saying,  “Do you know Nicky? She’s hot!”

“You want to know why he said, ‘She’s hot?’” Nicky Jam asked over a brunch of arepas at his restaurant, La Industria, in Miami. “I’ll tell you. I haven’t told this story to anyone.”

Before turning to Trump-Gate, Nicky Jam spoke at length about the history of “El Perdón,” the breakout hit he recorded with Enrique Iglesias, which when released in 2015, spent 30 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart.

“Don’t give that song to anyone. That song is mine!” Nicky Jam recalls Iglesias telling him about the romantic track, which was also released in a bilingual version.

Nicky Jam also spoke about his new record deal with Virgin. And yes, he did get into the details of the Trump faux pas.

Turns out when Nicky Jam went to meet the now-President for the first time at the rally, he allowed his wife to go inside first. “Obviously, I let my wife go first, and when he saw her he said, ‘Wow, she’s beautiful!’” recalls Nicky Jam. “It’s flattering to have the president tell my wife that she’s hot. But when I met him, in his mind she was Nicky Jam.”

“So that’s when he said, ‘Latin superstar Nicky Jam, she’s hot.’ I’m sure when I went onstage he thought, ‘Oh my God.’ Because, what does he know about Nicky Jam? He doesn’t listen to reggaetón.”

Of course, the faulty intro was the tip of the iceberg. Nicky Jam was criticized for endorsing Trump, and just a few days, he rescinded his endorsement after a comedian referred to Puerto Rico as a floating island of garbage at another Trump rally.

“I can’t support your campaign because I have to support my country,” said Nicky Jam. “I learned my lesson.”  However, he admits, the onslaught of negativity online was jarring. “Had this happened when I was in my twenties, I’d have gone crazy!” he says.

The one good thing?

“Trump called and apologized” for the “hot” comment. “He said, I never call nobody, but you’re a standup guy.”

Roberta Flack’s Children’s Book Returns to Top of the Charts Following Singer’s Passing

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Roberta Flack’s life story was detailed by the late singer in a 2023 children’s book that’s back in the spotlight, following the Grammy winner and soul legend’s passing Monday.

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Titled “The Green Piano,” the autobiographical picture book chronicles the singer’s journey to becoming a world-renowned singer, tracing her love for music back to a green piano that her father found in a junkyard and repaired for her. Originally released two years ago, the book is back at number one on Amazon’s bestsellers charts as of this writing.

The Green Piano: How Little Me Found Music

$13.68

$18.99

28% off

Released by Anne Schwartz Books, the 40-page picture book follows little Roberta, as she falls in love with playing the piano keys and learns to express herself through song. “When her daddy spies an old, beat-up upright piano in a junkyard, he knows he can make his daughter’s dream come true,” reads the publisher description. “He brings it home, cleans and tunes it, and paints it a grassy green. And soon the little girl has an instrument to practice on, and a new dream to reach for–one that will make her become a legend in the music industry.”

Of course, Flack’s early days and nights with that green piano helped her develop her musicality and her voice, which went on to grace number-one hits like “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” and “Killing Me Softly with His Song.” 

“The Green Piano” was written by Flack and Tonya Bolden, with full-color illustrations from artist and painter Hayden Goodman. Get the book on sale now at Amazon. You can also listen to the audiobook version of Flack’s kids book here.

According to her spokesperson, Flack passed away surrounded by friends and family on Feb. 24. She was 88.

Megan Thee Stallion Can Depose Tory Lanez in YouTuber Defamation Lawsuit, Judge Rules

Megan Thee Stallion (Megan Pete) and her legal team have been granted permission to depose Tory Lanez (Daystar Peterson) behind bars following a ruling by a federal judge on Monday (Feb. 24).

“Plaintiff may take the oral deposition of Daystar Peterson, either remotely via videoconference technology or as otherwise arranged upon agreement with the California Correctional Institution,” reads the ruling, filed in Florida federal court by Judge Cecilia Altonaga.

Megan and her legal team’s motion — which was unopposed by the defense — comes as part of the rapper’s lawsuit against blogger and social media personality Milagro “Gramz” Cooper. In the suit, filed last October, Megan accused Cooper of cyberstalking, defamation, emotional distress and engaging in a “coordinated campaign” to spread “vicious and hateful rumors.”

Megan alleges that Cooper served as a “mouthpiece and puppet” for Lanez by promoting deepfake pornography of her and making unsubstantiated claims that she suffered from alcoholism in a series of YouTube videos. To back up these claims, her legal team said they’d discovered prison phone calls during which Lanez coordinated payments to Gramz.

Representatives for Megan, Cooper and Lanez did not immediately respond to Billboard‘s requests for comment on the judge’s ruling.

Lanez is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence after being convicted over a 2020 incident in which he shot at Megan’s feet during an argument following a small party at Kylie Jenner’s Hollywood Hills home. His appeal remains pending.

In January, Megan was granted a five-year restraining order against Lanez after she tearfully testified that the R&B singer and convicted felon has continued to “terrorize” her from behind bars with a “campaign of harassment.”

“It just seems like I have to relive it every day,” Megan said during a video livestream. “The person who shot me won’t let me forget it. I’m scared that when he gets out of jail he’s going to still be upset with me … I feel like maybe he’ll shoot me again and maybe this time I won’t make it.”

BRIT Awards 2025: A.G. Cook to Collect Producer of the Year Prize 

The BRIT Awards has announced that A.G. Cook is the recipient of this year’s producer of the year award.

The British musician was an executive producer for Charli XCX’s Brat LP, which hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200, and No. 1 on the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart

Cook has had co-writing and co-producer credits on a number of albums, including Beyoncé’s Renaissance in 2020, but he is best known for his working relationship with Charli XCX. Cook has played executive producer on several of Charli’s projects: 2017 mixtapes Number 1 Angel and Pop 2; 2019 LP Charli; and 2020’s How I’m Feeling Now

Speaking on the news, Cook said, “As someone who’s always felt like a bit of an outsider, I’m very flattered to be recognized by The BRITs. From the early PC Music days to the Charli mixtapes and beyond, I’ve been lucky to work on so much music that I truly believe in. In particular, I’d like to dedicate this moment to Sophie, whose vision and artistry is still a driving force for producers everywhere.”

The honorary producer of the year prize was first awarded in 1977 to The Beatles producer George Martin, and in recent years has been won by Fred Again.. (2020), Inflo (2022), David Guetta (2023) and Chase & Status (2024). Cook was selected for the prize by a panel of expert judges.

Cook has been a key player in the British and international pop scene for the past decade. In 2013, he established the influential PC Music record label, which is credited with spearheading the hyperpop sound. In 2024, he released his third studio album, Britpop, which appeared on Billboard U.K.’s albums of the year list, with Sophie Williams writing that the LP “felt like a safe, uplifting, candy-striped wonderland where one could hide from growing global anxiety.”

The BRIT Awards ceremony will take place Saturday (March 1) at London’s O2 Arena, and will be hosted by comedian Jack Whitehall. Performances on the night will come from Sabrina Carpenter, Sam Fender, Teddy Swims, Shaboozey and more, and the ceremony will be broadcast live on ITV and on streaming service ITV X from 8:15 p.m. GMT.