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Kesha finally revealed the title of her upcoming sixth album on Thursday (March 27). It’s ., as in the punctuation mark period. The 11-song collection due out on July 4 that will feature previously released singles “Joyride” and “Delusional” is described in a press release as an “unapologetic, unfiltered declaration of artistic freedom and fearless authenticity.”
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The latest taste of the album dropped on today, with two versions of the whip-cracking country pop hoedown “Yippee-Ki-Yay,” produced by Pink Slip (Ava Max) and Nova Wav (Beyoncé). “B–ch I just got a brand new car/ Hose me down at the trailer park/ We lit up like a bonfire/ Singing ‘Yippee-ki-yay, yippee-ki-ya-ya,” Kesha sings over the loping plucked guitar and hand-clap beat on a solo version of the track.
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The more fleshed-out lead version of the single features T-Pain, who takes the reins on the second verse where he sings, “I just pulled up in a brand new one/ Bartender, pour me up some damn fluid/ I just wanna see a pretty girl dancing to it/ Drinks on me just ’cause I can do it.”
The singer has been teasing the new song for a week, posting cryptic videos in which the upcoming LP’s signature oversized pink period icon is splashed over her face and body. The album was conceived, co-produced and co-written by Kesha and, according to the release, it, “transcends pop norms to create a raw, daring, and intensely personal sonic journey, a defiant act of self-expression that refuses to adhere to expectations or play it safe.”
Period — the follow-up to 2023’s Gag Order — represents a new chapter in Kesha’s career that kicked off last July when she dropped the first two singles under her own label, Kesha Records. The independent label that has global distribution through ADA gives the singer full creative control and ownership of her work after she settled a long-running defamation suit filed by her former label boss, producer Dr. Luke, in 2023; Kesha filed suit against Luke (born Lukasz Gottwald) over allegations of sexual, physical and emotional abuse in 2014, claims he repeatedly denied.
The full track list for . (Period) is: “Freedom,” “Joyride,” “Yippee-Ki-Yay,” “Delusional,” “Red Flag,” “Love Forever,” “The One,” “Boy Crazy,” “Glow,” “Too Hard” and “Cathedral.”
Listen to both versions of “Yippee-Ki-Yay” below.
Before she travels the world for her Lifetimes Tour, Katy Perry will check out the planet from above. On Thursday (March 27), Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin announced the date of the singer’s ascent into the stars as part of the space exploration company’s first all-women flight crew, with Perry set to embark on the trip just before her upcoming global trek.
According to Blue Origin’s Instagram post, the spacecraft’s launch window begins at 8:30 a.m. CT on April 14 in the West Texas high desert. The company also unveiled the flight’s official patch, which features the last names of each member of the crew emblazoned on the border as well as symbols that are meaningful to the women.
Perry, for instance, is represented on the artwork with fireworks, a nod to her 2010 Billboard Hot 100 hit “Firework,” as well as her “global influence across music, pop culture, and philanthropy,” according to Blue Origin’s website.
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The news comes one month after it was first announced that the “Woman’s World” artist would be joining CBS Mornings‘ Gayle King, NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Amanda Nguyen and entrepreneur/film producer Kerianne Flynn on the NS-31 expedition. The trip will be led by Lauren Sánchez — who is engaged to Bezos and is vice chair of the billionaire’s Earth Fund — and marks Blue Origin’s 11th human space flight.
At the time of the announcement, Perry wrote on Instagram, “If you had told me that I would be part of the first ever all-female crew in space, I would have believed you … Nothing was beyond my imagination as a child.”
“Although we didn’t grow up with much, I never stopped looking at the world with hopeful WONDER!” continued the former American Idol judge, who shares daughter Daisy with Orlando Bloom. “I work hard to live my life that way still, and I am motivated more than ever to be an example for my daughter that women should take up space (pun intended). That’s why this opportunity is so incredible — so that I can show all of the youngest & most vulnerable among us to reach for the stars, literally and figuratively.”
The expedition will take place in between Perry’s rehearsals for the Lifetimes Tour and the trek’s kickoff in Mexico City April 23. Supporting new album 143 — which debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 — the run will also see the musician lapping the United States, Canada, Australia, South America and Europe with shows scheduled through mid-November.
See Blue Origin’s flight date announcement below.
With Spotify leading the way in subscriber counts, the number of global music subscribers grew 11.6% to 818.3 million in 2024, according to MIDiA Research’s music subscribers market shares Q4 2024 report. That was about the same number of subscribers added in 2023, but where those new subscribers originated continues to change.
“The continued fast rise of the Global South is the market-defining dynamic, pointing to a rebalancing of the global music industry,” Mark Mulligan, managing director/senior music industry analyst, said in a statement. MIDiA Research defines the Global South as regions other than Europe and North America, where subscription penetration rates and prices are the highest in the world. “Revenues still skew heavily to the West but user growth is now consistently coming from elsewhere.”
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Nearly four out of every five new subscribers added in 2024 came from the mid-tier and emerging markets in the Global South, accounting for 78.4% of the 84.8 million new subscriptions last year and nearly three of five global subscribers overall. In turn, the mature streaming markets in Europe and North America represented 41.0% of global subscribers, down from 52.3% in 2020 and 62.0% in 2015.
The Global South has relatively small but fast-growing regions, often places where streaming has enabled a legal music ecosystem to thrive where little to none existed a decade or two ago. As Billboard reported last week, Mexico replaced Australia as the No. 10 market in 2024, according to the IFPI. The Middle East-North Africa region grew 22.8% while Sub-Sahara Africa improved 22.6%. China, the No. 5 market, grew revenues by 9.6%.
Spotify had a 32.2% share of global subscribers and finished 2024 with 236 million global subscribers, according to its latest earnings release. Spotify had more than double the No. 2 company, China’s Tencent Music Entertainment, which had a 14.7% share based on 121 million subscribers. Tencent Music Entertainment operates Kugou Music, Kuwo Music and QQ Music.
Apple Music was No. 3 at 11.6%, which works out to 95 million subscribers. YouTube Music and Amazon Music were tied for fourth at 10.1%,, or 83 million subscribers, each. Neither Apple Music, YouTube Music nor Amazon Music publicly releases their subscriber counts. YouTube’s latest number of 125 million subscribers announced on March 5 includes both YouTube Music and YouTube Premium, the ad-free tier of the video streaming service.
Apple Music and Amazon Music each lost nearly a percentage point of market share and added fewer subscribers than in the previous year. Of all globally available platforms, YouTube Music was the only major streaming service to post accelerated subscriber growth compared to 2023. That tracks to comments made last year by Universal Music Group CFO Boyd Muir. While Spotify, YouTube [Music] and some regional and local platforms showed “healthy growth,” Muir said during the company’s July 24 earnings call, some other, unnamed platforms “have seen a slowdown in new subscriber additions.”
China’s NetEase Cloud Music was No. 6 at 6.7%, which works out to approximately 55 million subscribers. Russia’s Yandex was No. 7 with a 5.0% share equal to 41 million subscribers. All others—including TIDAL, Qobuz, SoundCloud, Deezer, Napster and South Korea’s Melon—had a combined 9.5% share, which equals roughly 78 million subscribers.
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Source: Kaitlyn Morris / Getty
Meek Mill has denied recent claims by Los Angeles gang member Luce Cannon, who alleged that he once kidnapped the rapper and held him for ransom.
Luce Cannon claimed that he and a group of about 50 gang members caught Meek off guard at a club, forcing him to call Rick Ross, who allegedly paid $50,000 for his release. However, Meek quickly took to social media to dismiss the story as entirely false. Responding on X (formerly Twitter), the Philadelphia rapper wrote, “This guy must be using a story to confuse his indictment because I never seen him B4.” Meek made it clear that he has never encountered Luce Cannon and would have handled the situation differently if he had. He went on to say, “I woulda put him to ‘gods test’ on the spot! I never even met buddy but I don’t ‘negotiate’ with fake thugs.”
He also questioned which of his chains were supposedly taken, boasting that all his jewelry is high-end and worth significant amounts. Meek Mill has often been the subject of rumors and controversy, but he consistently responds to false claims. His quick denial suggests he sees this as just another attempt to gain attention at his expense. While Luce Cannon’s claims may have stirred up some discussion online, Meek’s response shut down any speculation, making it clear he believes the story is completely fabricated.
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Source: Getty Images / LeBron James / Stephen A. Smith
The LeBron James versus Stephen A. Smith “beef” has become more comical.
In his 22 seasons, LeBron James has given all indications that he gives zero f***s and is clapping back at anyone who he feels did him or his family dirty or has some wild takes.
James has clearly grown tired of ESPN workhorse Stephen A. Smith constantly talking about him, but the final straw was the analyst talking about James’ firstborn son and now Los Angeles Lakers teammate Bronny James, which led to a now-infamous confrontation that Smith can’t seem to stop revisiting.
The Chosen One got Stephen A. Smith in his feelings again after he stopped by The Pat McAfee Show and addressed Smith’s behavior following the incident.
“He’s on a Taylor Swift tour run right now. It started off with ‘I didn’t wanna address it, but since the video came out, I have to,’” James told McAfee, explaining the ongoing beef with the sports pundit, who is now dipping his toes into politics.
James continued, “Never would I not allow people to criticize players about what they do on the court. That is your job. That’s all part of the game. But when you get personal with it it’s my job to not only protect my damn household but protect the players,” James says before imagining the pundit’s reaction to the clip. “He’s going to be smiling from ear to ear when he hears me talking about him. He’s gonna get home and get some ice ream out of the f-cking freezer and sit in his chair in tighty whiteys on the couch. Like, dude, relax.
Stephen A. Smith Says He Would Have “Swung On” James
Of course, Smith would have something to say on the matter, and he responded via his podcast, The Stephen A. Smith Show, where he spent the entire show blasting James, even claiming he would have “swung on” the professional hooper if things got physical.
He also added that he’s pretty sure he would have gotten his “ass kicked” by James if the two were to have thrown hands.
“When he approached me sitting courtside at that game against the New York Knicks, when he rolled up on me I didn’t know he was gonna roll up on me,” Smith said. “I had no idea, but when he said what he had to say I was in no position to give any kind of retort without making a scene. It was during the third quarter, it was fresh out of a timeout, it was him walking to the basketball court. It was on national television, the cameras were rolling and had I done something what do ya’ll want me to do? You want this to be a reincarnation of Chris Rock and Will Smith?”
“And let me state for the record while we bring up that, let me assure you it wouldn’t have gone down like that. I would have gotten my ass kicked because if that man put his hands on me I would’ve immediately swung on him. Immediately. That I’m not going to tolerate,” he continued.
Nobody Believes You, Stephen A. Smith
As expected, everyone is clowning Stephen A. Smith. LeBron James didn’t waste time responding via Instagram, sharing a video of Smith participating in boxing training and looking ridiculous.
James’ Cavaliers teammate, Kevin Love, even got in on the action.
LOL.
Stephen A. Smith is looking quite foolish. You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
Over the Billboard Hot 100’s 66-year history, hits have spent between one and 57 weeks in the top 10. Of the more than 5,200 top 10s to date, nearly 600 have logged a single frame in the tier. Conversely, The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” boasts the most top 10 weeks (57), followed by two other ubiquitous songs that hit first the top 10 in 2024: Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” (54) and Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” (45).
(The average for a title over the Hot 100’s archives is 6.5 weeks in the top 10. Since 2000, it’s 5.6 weeks; among songs that peaked in 2024, it was 7.2%.)
What are key differences between songs that have short and long stays in the Hot 100’s top 10? Hit Songs Deconstructed, which provides compositional analytics for top 10 Hot 100 hits, has released its 2024 Staying Power report.
Here are three takeaways from Hit Songs Deconstructed’s in-depth research about Hot 100 top 10s during 2024.
Everlasting Love
A hefty 82% of songs that spent 10 or more weeks in the Hot 100’s top in 2024 featured a love/relationship lyrical theme. Encompassing all top 10s, the share was 52%. Among No. 1s, it was 44%.
As noted above, “Lose Control” fits that theme, as do songs with lengthy top 10 runs in 2024 including Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso,” Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” and Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather,” each of which spent more than 20 weeks in the top 10.
Pop Harder to Stop
“Pop songs had the greatest staying power in 2024, with 36% remaining in the Hot 100’s top 10 for 10 weeks or more,” Hit Songs Deconstructed notes. “Country songs followed at 23% and R&B/soul rounded out the top three at 18%. Hip-hop/rap — while it was the most popular primary genre in the overall top 10 — came in fourth in terms of staying power, accounting for 14% of songs.”
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Along those lines, “pop was the most common influence across-the-board, being featured in 95% of songs” with 10 or more weeks in the top 10 in 2024, according to the report. Plus, pop was an influence in two-thirds of songs that charted for nine weeks or fewer.
Leaving? Not So Fast
Simply put (hopefully), faster songs were slower to leave the Hot 100’s top 10 in 2024 and slower songs were faster to leave the top 10.
A 65% majority of songs that charted in the 10 for at least 10 weeks last year had tempos of over 100 BPM, with the most common range being 100-119 BPM. Of songs that spent between one and nine weeks in the top 10, however, 62% had tempos under 100 BPM, with most in the 80-99 BPM range.
Blink-182, Jimmy Eat World, AFI and Jawbreaker will headline the Four Chord Music Festival at EQT Park in Pittsburg/Washington, PA on Sept. 13-14. The 11th annual edition of the event will also featuring Hot Mulligan, Bowling For Soup, State Champs, Set Your Goals, Knuckle Puck, Homegrown, Eternal Boy, Driveways, Charly Bliss and others joining Blink and Jimmy Eat World on night one.
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Night two will host Say Anything, Face to Face, The Wonder Years, Drug Church, Punchline, Koyo, Deathbyromy, Sincere Engineer and others warming up the stage for AFI and Jawbreaker.
“We’ve worked hard to make this year’s festival something special, not only with this incredible lineup, but by making it more accessible for our fans than ever before. We can’t wait to celebrate with everyone at EQT Park!,” founder Rishi Bahl said in a statement.
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A general public on-sale will launch on Friday (March 28) at 11 a.m. ET; The festival is also introducing a ticket layaway plan this year. In addition to single-day general admission and VIP options, Four Chord will also offer up a deluxe VIP option for both days that incudes access to a climate-controlled VIP lounge area, VIP acoustic performances, an exclusive VIP shirt not available to the public, unlimited water refill stations and a Four Chord water bottle, unlimited snacks, a custom VIP holographic commemorative ticket and early entry into the venue and early access to merch, as well as front row access to the main stage and a deluxe VIP lounge overlooking the field, up to three free alcoholic drinks, a parking pass, free storage a merch concierge and private, temperature-controlled bathrooms.
Check out the Four Chord lineup poster below.
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The NFL has recently made a significant change to its rulebook, banning the popular “nose wipe” celebration.
As of the latest update on page 50 of the NFL rulebook, the gesture is now classified as an unsportsmanlike conduct violation. Any player who performs the nose wipe will face a 15-yard penalty. The rule defines the nose wipe as part of a broader category of “violent gestures,” which also includes throat slashes, mimicking the firing of a gun, and any sexually suggestive actions.
The nose wipe has gained popularity among athletes in recent years, largely influenced by modern hip-hop culture. Artists like Young Thug, Future, and YG have used the gesture in their music videos and public appearances. However, its meaning in hip-hop culture is tied to street symbolism. Within certain communities, especially among gang affiliations, the nose wipe is used as a subtle, coded sign often connected to the Bloods gang. The act of wiping the nose in this context signifies distrust or a threat to another person.
While the NFL has not explicitly referenced the gesture’s gang ties, the league’s decision to ban it likely stems from concerns over the promotion of violence or divisive symbolism. By eliminating the nose wipe from the field, the NFL is attempting to maintain a neutral and respectful environment, free from any gestures that could be seen as promoting aggression or gang-related messages.
Some NFL stars, like CeeDee Lamb, have made the nose wipe a regular part of their post-touchdown celebrations, using it as a personal signature on the field. Lamb, always known for his flashy style, has often used the gesture to emphasize his excitement after getting a first down. However, with the league’s new ruling, Lamb and other players who have adopted the nose wipe will now have to find new ways to celebrate without risking a penalty.
Fans of the ACM Awards will get super-served at this year’s ceremony as the show, which had clocked in at two hours since moving to the commercial free Amazon’s Prime Video, will expand by 30 minutes.
“It was a long discussion with Amazon because we pride ourselves on the fact that we’re the only major awards show that clocks in at two hours and that’s a big consumer benefit for our show,” says Academy of Country Music CEO Damon Whiteside. “However, this year there’s so many things that we want to accomplish in the show because we want to give a proper nod to our history, but we still have a lot of business to take care of in terms of the current nominees as well, so we just felt like the extra time will allow us to do some special things. I don’t think viewers are going to be unhappy that we’re giving them an extra 30 minutes of really amazing content.”
Ella Langley leads all nominees with eight nods, which Whiteside sees as a sign of how current and fresh the ACM Awards are. “To have essentially a brand-new artist lead the nominations, especially in our 60th year, it’s almost like a full-circle thing, because we really pride ourselves on often being the first organization to honor a new artist,” Whiteside says. “It speaks to the fact that we’ve always been an organization that is very new artist forward.”
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Langley is followed by Cody Johnson, Morgan Wallen and Lainey Wilson, all of whom received seven nominations, with Chris Stapleton garnering six nods.
Whiteside also lauds Johnson’s seven nominations as “he just continues to grow and so it’s exciting to see him get acknowledged and, obviously, Morgan Wallen continues to be a juggernaut,” he says. He also enthuses over Kelsea Ballerini’s first nomination for entertainer of the year. “I can’t say enough about her and her journey and the way she continued to grow as an artist.”
Like Langley, a number of artists, including Dasha, Shaboozey, Red Clay Strays and Zach Top landed their first nominations this year. “It does feel like a really fresh crop of artists are getting recognized,” Whiteside says.
Beyoncé received no nominations, despite winning two country Grammys in February, including for country album of the year, just weeks before first-round ACM voting opened. “Were we hoping she’d be nominated? Absolutely,” Whiteside says. “We love that Beyoncé is in the country genre. That’s fantastic for all the country artists out there. It’s fantastic for the fans. The more successful she is, the more we’re bringing more mainstream people into the genre which we want.”
Unlike Grammy voters, who span all musical genres, the more than 5,000 ACM voters primarily make a living in country music and are mostly based in Nashville. “I think, more likely, they’re going to be voting for artists that they’ve got relationships with and work with on a regular basis and that are in the country music business 365,” Whiteside says, but adds, “We’d love to have Beyoncé on the show. She has an open invitation to be on the ACM stage anytime she ever wants to.”
As Whiteside, executive producer/show runner Raj Kapoor, and show producer dick clark productions work on the show, they are trying to strike the right balance between old and new. “It’s tough because we may have a really great idea on honoring this artist from the past, but then it’s like, ‘Well, that may take away a slot from a current artist’,” Whiteside says. So far, Wilson, Blake Shelton and Eric Church have been announced as performers. The three new artist winners-male, female and duo or group- who are announced in advance will also perform.
“It’s a little bit of a past/present/future approach,” Whiteside adds. “It’s going to be a really iconic night and a great way to look back and look forward and celebrate where we are right now as an industry.”
Plans around the ACM Awards are still being firmed up but will include free shows on the Star Plaza on May 6 and 7, as well as a Top Golf tee-off tournament on May 6, and an official after party following the awards.
With the Amazon deal and the contract with the Cowboys for the Frisco location both expiring this year, Whiteside says things could look very different next year depending upon if the deals aren’t renewed.
“For 2026, we may do a major pivot again and define what’s the future of the academy. This year is a very special year, but next year is going to be kind of turning the page,” he says. “It’ll be a fresh new year. We don’t know yet where we’ll be. We don’t know what [outlet] we’re going to be on. Everything’s a new day in 2026, so it’s going to be the evolution of the ACM Awards, but we’re excited about that because it’s a blank slate.”
The ACM Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.
Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo are set to receive the 2025 ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award at the annual Chapin Awards Gala on June 4 at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City.
The 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees and longtime activists, who have been married since 1982, will become the second married couple to receive the award. Songwriting greats Nicholas Ashford & Valerie Simpson received it in 2010.
The Chapin Awards Gala will include a cocktail reception, dinner, and live music. Additional honorees will be announced in coming weeks.
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The event is a major fund-raiser for WhyHunger, a global nonprofit dedicated to ending hunger. Founded in 1975 by Chapin and radio DJ Bill Ayres, WhyHunger funds and supports community solutions to protect the human right to nutritious food.
“We are deeply honored to receive the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award and to stand alongside WhyHunger in their tireless fight to end hunger,” Benatar and Giraldo said in a joint statement. “Music has always been a powerful force for change, and we believe in using our voices not just to entertain, but to inspire action. WhyHunger’s mission aligns with our lifelong commitment to justice and equity, and we are proud to support their work in ensuring that nutritious food is a fundamental right for all.”
“As we celebrate WhyHunger’s 50th anniversary and reflect on our collective journey to end hunger and advance the human right to nutritious food, it’s important to uplift those who have helped lead the way,” Jenique Jones, WhyHunger’s executive director, said in a statement. “Honoring Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo with the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award is a testament to their unwavering commitment to social justice and their powerful influence in igniting change through music.”
Last year’s gala honored singer-songwriter Michael Franti for his music-driven activism, recognizing his work with his and his wife Sara’s non–profit, Do It for the Love.
Benatar won four consecutive Grammy Awards for best rock vocal performance, female from 1981-84 and charted 15 top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. She won three American Music Awards and a People’s Choice Award.
Chapin, a singer, songwriter and social activist, made a big impact in his life, which was tragically cut short when he was killed in a car crash in 1981 at age 38.
Chapin, who wrote and performed such pop/folk classics as “Cat’s in the Cradle” (a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974), “Taxi” and “W*O*L*D,” was an early music industry advocate for the world hunger movement. He co-founded WhyHunger a full decade before music industry titans came together as USA for Africa to record “We Are the World” in 1985. Chapin gave tirelessly gave of his time and talents to perform at benefits and events in support of a range of social causes. (On the afternoon he was killed, he was driving to a benefit, where he was slated to perform.)
Chapin received two Grammy nominations in his lifetime – best new artist of 1972 and best pop vocal performance, male two years later for “Cat’s in the Cradle” (which was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2011). In its year-end issue for 1972, Billboard gave Chapin a Trendsetter Award, which was inscribed “For devising a storytelling style of songwriting with a narrative impact rare to popular music.”
The ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award was first presented in 1987 to Kenny Rogers, who had been part of “We Are the World” two years earlier. Two subsequent recipients of the award – Harry Belafonte and Kenny Loggins – were also part of that iconic smash, which raised millions for famine relief.
Tickets to the event can be purchased here.
Here’s a full list of winners of the ASCAP Harry Chapin Humanitarian Award. They are listed in reverse chronological order.
2025: Pat Benatar, Neil Giraldo
2024: Michael Franti
2019: John Mellencamp
2018: Jason Mraz
2017: Jon Batiste
2016: Kenny Loggins
2015: Grace Potter (ASCAP Harry Chapin Vanguard Award); Felix Cavaliere (ASCAP Harry Chapin Legacy Award)
2014: The Fab Faux (Beatles tribute band founded by Will Lee, bassist for Late Show With David Letterman)
2013: Yoko Ono
2012: Darlene Love, Peter Noone and Ronnie Spector
2011: Rubén Blades
2010: Ashford & Simpson
2009: Wyclef Jean
2008: Elvis Costello
2007: Jackson Browne
2006: Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels
2005: Michael McDonald
2004: Emmylou Harris
2003: Judy Collins
2000: Harry Belafonte
1994: Barbra Streisand
1988: Peter, Paul & Mary
1987: Kenny Rogers