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The Jeff Buckley documentary It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley, will be released in theaters on August 8. The Amy Berg-directed feature about the mesmerizing musician who tragically died at 30 when he accidentally drowned in Memphis’ Wolf River in 1997 will be released theatrically by Magnolia Pictures and then premiere on HBO and stream on HBO Max this winter as part of Bill Simmons’ Music Box series, according to Deadline.
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“Told through never-before-seen footage from Buckley’s archives and intimate accounts from his mother Mary Guibert, former partners Rebecca Moore and Joan Wasser, Jeff’s former bandmates, including Michael Tighe and Parker Kindred, and luminaries like Ben Harper and Aimee Mann, It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley illuminates one of modern music’s most influential and enigmatic figures,” reads a release about the film.
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“His only studio album, Grace, was released to astounding reviews and challenged conventional ideas of genre and gender. His intimate and influential cover of Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ further catapulted him to fame,” it continues. “Still, under pressure to produce his second album, he retreated to Memphis to escape the spotlight and the ever-growing glare of the public eye. In a tragic accident, Buckley drowned in the Wolf River in Memphis in 1997, leaving behind an unfinished second album and a legion of devastated family, friends and fans.”
A number attempts at making a film about Buckley have fizzled out to date, including one backed by Brad Pitt. In January at the doc’s premiere at the Sundance film festival, Buckley’s mother, Guibert, said the actor first floated the idea of a movie about the singer in 2000 after befriending her, but she eventually soured on his pitch. “We’re going to dye your hair, put brown contact lenses on those baby blues, and you’re going to open your mouth and Jeff’s voice is going to come out?” Guibert said she asked Pitt.
That idea never took off, but when Oscar-nominated Deliver Us From Evil director Berg pitched Guibert granted her access to Buckley’s archive and the movie moved forward with Pitt as an executive producer.
“I’ve spent practically my entire career trying to make this film, which takes a very intimate look at one of the greatest singers and songwriters of all time,” Berg, who also directed the 2015 Janis Joplin doc Janis: Little Girl Blue, said in a statement. “I’m so excited Magnolia and HBO have come on board to share this film with the world and give old fans and new audiences a chance to experience Jeff from this unique vantage point. I couldn’t imagine a better team to roll this into the world!”
Buckley was the son of Guibert and late folk musician Tim Buckley and after gaining notice as a session musician and captivating performer in Manhattan’s East Village he signed to Columbia in 1994 and released his debut LP, Grace. It initially got mixed reviews and only reached No. 149 on the Billboard 200 album chart, but the album is now considered a classic, one that Buckley would never follow up.
Though he never completed a second album, Guibert helped compile some of her son’s demos for 1998’s Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk, which reached No. 64 on the Billboard 200 and received a Grammy nomination for best male rock vocal performance for the single “Everybody Here Wants You.”
Joe Jonas scores his first solo top 10-charting effort on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart as his second solo album, Music for People Who Believe in Love, debuts at No. 3 on the chart dated June 7. The set sold 17,000 copies in the United States in the week ending May 29, according to Luminate. Of that sum, vinyl purchases comprise 4,000 – a personal best sales week for Jonas as a soloist on vinyl.
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Jonas has issued one solo studio album previously, 2011’s Fastlife, which debuted and peaked at No. 15 on Top Album Sales. Jonas is also a member of Jonas Brothers, and that trio has logged seven top 10s on Top Album Sales (including four No. 1s). DNCE also counts Joe as a member, and that group has reached Top Album Sales once, with its self-titled project, reaching No. 14 in 2016.
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Elsewhere in the top 10 of the Top Album Sales chart, Playboi Carti, BAEKHYUN and Stereolab all shake-up the region with moves reentries and debuts.
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.
Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem holds at No. 1 on the Top Album Sales chart for a second week (28,000; down 79% from its debut of 133,000). Playboi Carti’s MUSIC reenters the list at No. 2 with nearly 18,000 (up from a negligible sum the week previous) following the fulfillment of deluxe boxed sets, exclusively sold via his webstore, to customers during the tracking week. BAKHYUN’s Essence of Reverie debuts at No. 4 with nearly 10,500. Kendrick Lamar’s chart-topping GNX rises two spots to No. 5 with 8,000 (up 16%).
Rounding out the rest of the top 10: Jin’s Echo falls 2-6 in its second week (just over 6,000; down 82%), BOYNEXTDOOR’s 4th EP: No Genre dips 3-7 in its second week (6,000; down 57%), Sabrina Carpenter’s chart-topping Short n’ Sweet rises 11-8 (nearly 6,000; up 2%), Stereolab’s Instant Holograms on Metal Film debuts at No. 9 (almost 6,000) and Sleep Token’s former leader Even in Arcadia falls 4-10 (5,500; down 29%).
On Wednesday night (June 4), Billboard’s annual Country Power Players event, presented by Bud Light and held at Luke Combs‘s Category 10 venue in downtown Nashville, honored several of country music’s top artists and executives.
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The Country Power Players event also served as a call to action to aid those in the music community–whether artist, songwriter, musician, touring member, executive or other creative—who are struggling with mental health.
Country duo Brothers Osborne honored Music Health Alliance founder Tatum Allsep with the impact award, for her vision and leadership in launching and spearheading the organization with the mission of providing access to healthcare and mental health resources in order to help music professionals connect with medical and financial solutions.
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In presenting Allsep with the impact award, Brothers Osborne’s John Osborne said, “Music Health Alliance’s services are available for free to anyone who has made a living in the music industry for three or more years and services are available to their spouses, partners and children as well. Most recently, MHA once again partnered with our label’s parent, Universal Music Group, in launching the music industry’s mental health fund. The fund provides a wide range of mental health services including personalized recommendations for mental health counselors and psychiatrists, including grants to help offset the costs to anyone in the music industry. That is huge by the way. We all could use that.”
Brothers Osborne also announced they were making a $10,000 donation to Music Health Alliance to help aid the organization’s work, in honor of Allsep, whom TJ called “Nashville’s own Mother Teresa.”
In taking the stage, Allsep thanked Brothers Osborne, saying, “Thank you for commitment to the music mind and thanks for being my friends since day one.”
Allsep recalled having the idea to launch Music Health Alliance 15 years ago, to help those in the music community to get the resources they need. “It is an honor to stand here with the people who shape the sound of our culture, and for the impact of this little engine that could, MHA, to be recognized is so meaningful. To all of you who have walked with us over the years… you’ve kept this mission alive and enabled us to grow from one person on the coffee shop tour in Nashville, to a team of 15 who’ve served 32,000 music people and helped save over $145 million. That’s not monopoly money, y’all. That’s real money.”
Allsep also thanked those on the Music Health Alliance team, saying, “You put boxing gloves on every day and you get in that ring, and you hear the impossible stories, you fight the broken systems, you wrestle and cut the red tape and still you approach every single music person who calls so openly, with open arms and [with] the most powerful medicine that exists on this planet and that’s hope. You are the reason that our mission has an impact.”
She thanked UMG, Brothers Osborne, Dierks Bentley, Marcus King, Sully Erna from Godsmack and others who have stepped up with funding and support, which has helped the organization provide more than 8,000 therapy sessions to help those in need.
“The music mind is filled with so much uninvited noise,” Allsep said. “It’s the noise of pressure, of income instability, of isolation. It is costing our industry big time. Look around. Everybody knows somebody that this has affected. It is costing us creatively, humanly, corporately.”
Allsep noted that in the last few months, Music Health Alliance has seen a 250% increase in requests for mental health support. “That’s not a statistic–that’s a screaming flare. It is an SOS call and we have got to do better,” Allsep said.
“I’m so serious when I say that MHA is equipped with the tools and the knowledge and the partners to help every artist, every songwriter, every crew member, everybody in our industry have access to the mental health that they deserve, but not just in a crisis. We’ve got a have a plan for the long haul. We know music heals. But even the healers need healing. To every label, every publisher, every platform, every artist, everybody who makes a living in this industry. Don’t just admire the mission and impact. Feel it. Fuel it. Fund it.”
She added, “We so desperately need you to stand with us, to nurture the noise. And then, we can truly heal the music.”
Others honored during the evening were Riley Green (honored with the groundbreaker award), Ella Langley (rising star award), BigXThaPlug (innovator award), Little Big Town (the inaugural Ben Vaughn song champion award) and Goldenvoice/AEG’s Stacy Vee (executive of the year).
Billboard continues highlighting the music of more artists this week, as Billboard Country Live launches on June 5, with two days of performances from a range of artists including Jake Worthington, Reyna Roberts, Max McNown, Graham Barham, Mitchell Tenpenny, Drew Baldridge, Alexandra Kay and Cooper Alan.
Though Billy Joel might be sidelined with health issues currently, directors of the new documentary, Billy Joel: And So It Goes, have shared a positive message from the singer.
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Joel, who recently canceled all live performances due to a health issue affecting his ability to perform, had initially planned to be in attendance at the Tribeca Festival for the premiere of the new documentary about his life.
In his absence though, director Susan Lacy shared a message to the audience, with Variety noting Lacy told those in attendance that, “He will be back.”
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“Billy wishes he were here tonight, and he asked us to convey his greetings to you all,” Lacy added (via Deadline). “He said ‘getting old sucks, but it’s still preferable to getting cremated.’”
Lacy was in attendance with producer Jessica Levin at New York City’s Beacon Theatre on Wednesday (June 4) for the premiere of the first part of the two-part documentary. Alongside attendees such as Tom Hanks and Whoopi Goldberg, Tribeca Festival co-founder Robert De Niro echoed the impact Joel has had upon the city.
“Billy may be considered the poet laureate of New York,” De Niro claimed. “You feel the essence of our city in his lyrics.”
The Billy Joel: And So It Goes documentary – which will air on HBO over the summer – aims to provide “an expansive portrait of the life and music of Billy Joel,” while focusing on the love, loss, and personal struggles that have informed his creative process.
Last month, Joel announced the cancellation of his forthcoming performances due to his recent diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus – a condition that occurs when cerebrospinal fluid builds up inside the skull, pressing on the brain.
In a social media post, a statement claimed that Joel’s condition has been “exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance.”
It continued; “Under his doctor’s instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period. Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health”
On Tuesday (June 3), radio host Howard Stern told his listeners that he recently had dinner with Joel, who offered a message to be shared with the general public. “He said, ‘Yeah, you can tell people: I’m not dying,’” Stern said. “He wants people to know that. He’s just got to deal with some medical stuff.”
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) will not remove Northern Irish hip-hop trio Kneecap from their coverage of this month’s Glastonbury Festival, the broadcaster has announced.
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The English festival – which takes place from June 25-29 – will feature the controversial Belfast outfit performing on the West Holts stage on Saturday, June 28. Their inclusion on the lineup comes following calls for the group to be removed in the wake of member Mo Chara, born Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, being charged with a terrorism offense by London’s Metropolitan Police.
Ó hAnnaidh was investigated and subsequently charged for allegedly showing support for militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah in historic videos. Both are proscribed as terror groups according to U.K. law, and considered an offense under the Terrorism Act 2000. Ó hAnnaidh is due to appear in the Westminster Magistrates’ Court on June 18.
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Despite politicians throughout the U.K. writing to organizers of festivals which have booked the band, the group remain on the final lineup for Glastonbury this month, though were recently removed from Scotland’s TRNSMT festival this July following safety concerns from law enforcement.
The announcement of Glastonbury’s final lineup also coincides with the BBC’s plans to air artists’ sets, with the broadcaster telling British publication The i Paper that Kneecap’s performance will be included as part of their coverage.
“As the broadcast partner, the BBC will be bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers,” a spokesperson said. “Whilst the BBC doesn’t ban artists, our plans will ensure that our programming will meet our editorial guidelines. Decisions about our broadcast output will be made in the lead up to the festival.”
However, it was noted that all performances aired on the BBC must meet their editorial guidelines, indicating that “unjustifiably offensive language” will likely be excised. Similarly, the broadcaster’s responsibility to air a broad range of opinions so as not to be seen endorsing specific campaigns means that some aspects of the band’s live show may also be removed ahead of airing.
In April, Kneecap made global headlines following their appearance at the Coachella festival where they projected strong anti-Israel sentiments during their set – sentiments which they had claimed were censored during their first weekend appearance.
“Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people,” the projected messages read. “It is being enabled by the U.S. government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes. F–k Israel; free Palestine.”
Despite apparent attempts to censor the band or hinder any of their successes, Kneecap this week announced their biggest-ever English show, with a huge headline date at London’s OVO Wembley Arena set for September.
Huey Lewis has reflected on his life with severe hearing loss, asserting determination that he’s “not going to give up” hope of returning to performing and recording.
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Lewis, who rose to fame as a member of Clover and the frontman of Huey Lewis and the News, has been absent from the stage since 2018, when he cancelled all tour dates due to his diagnosis with Meniere’s disease.
The disease, which affects the inner ear and prompts vertigo and other disorienting symptoms, saw Lewis experiencing hearing loss during rehearsals and prompted his retirement from live performances until an improvement was observed. “I haven’t come to grips with the fact that I may never sing again,” Lewis told Today in 2018.
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In a new interview with People, Lewis spoke about his life with the disease, explaining that he has since been fitted with a cochlear implant that allows him to hear speech “much better.”
“I lost bilaterally, my hearing … the intense vertigo — knock on wood — I have kind of outgrown,” he explained. “I’m mildly dizzy all the time, and my hearing just went to zero. And now I have a cochlear implant, so I’m much better that way, but I can’t hear music.”
“The worst part is that means it’s bad enough not to be able to perform and sing and play, but it’s really bad not to even be able to enjoy music,” he added.
Despite Lewis’ being unable to perform, his eponymous group did, however release a new album in 2020, with Weather consisting of seven tracks recorded shortly before his diagnosis. However, Lewis notes he’s hopeful yet realistic about his chances of experiencing performing and recording again, calling it “the best feeling in the world.”
“But I’m never going to get there,” he conceded. “I mean, I might get to where I can try to, and I’m not going to give up. I’m going to try. But geez, that kind of fun, that kind of great ride. I doubt I’m ever going to see that … feel that again.”
Despite his inability to perform or record as part of Huey Lewis and the News, the singer has remained active in the world of music. While the jukebox musical based on the band’s music, The Heart of Rock and Roll, has been staged in San Diego and on Broadway in recent years, Lewis was this week named in the ongoing search for the guitar Michael J. Fox played in Back to the Future.
SEVENTEEN found their way back to The Kelly Clarkson Show on Wednesday (June 4) to perform “Thunder,” the lead single from their just-released fifth studio album Happy Burstday. The off-site performance takes place in an industrial warehouse, and it starts with THE 8 answering a ringing payphone branded with the logo of The Kelly Clarkson […]
Billboard hosted its first Global Power Players event in London on Wednesday night, where Elton John and his husband and manager David Furnish, EMPIRE founder and CEO Ghazi Shami and Afrobeats superstar Tems were recognized with special awards. John and Furnish collected the Creators’ Champion Award, with John saying in his speech, “Supporting the next […]
Billboard hosted its inaugural Global Power Players event in London on Wednesday (June 4) to celebrate music industry leaders from across the world.
The invite-only event at Shoreditch House in east London honored the chosen executives for the Global Power Players list and the first-ever U.K. Power Players selections. Huge names including Sir Elton John and his husband and manager David Furnish, EMPIRE founder and CEO Ghazi Shami and afrobeats superstar Tems were recognised with special awards.
John and Furnish collected the Creators’ Champion Award, and John used his speech to warn the U.K. government that “we will not back down” in relation to the Labour party’s controversial AI bill, which proposes an opt-out approach for music rights holders. Key industry figures such as John have called upon the government to work with the creative industries to find a solution; the government’s bill has been rejected by the House of Lords on five occasions in recent weeks.
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“Copyright has to be transparent and seek permission,” John said. “These two principles are the bedrock of the industry and they must be included in the data bill as a backstop. Let’s be clear: we want to work with the government, we want our government to work with us. We are not anti-AI and we are not anti-Big Tech.”
He added: “I will fight for this until it’s done and people have a fair deal. Every young artist or new person who writes a song, I want them to have a future and have their copyright respected.”
Ahead of her headline set for Billboard Presents The Stage as part of SXSW London on Thursday (June 5), Tems collected the Diamond Award from incoming Billboard Africa editor Nkosiyati Khumalo.
“Being African and a musician is a whole new world and I feel like Billboard has been so supportive of not just African music but the whole scene and the culture,” she said. “This has been a really great honor, especially given that that African music is moving to heights that has never been seen before, and Billboard is one of the key players in moving that needle forward.”
EMPIRE founder and CEO Ghazi Shami was the recipient of the coveted Clive Davis Visionary Award, joining TDE’s Punch and Top Dawg (2024), Bang Si-hyuk (2023) and Joe Smith (2014) as honorees. Named after the iconic recording executive, the prize was presented by Nigerian musician and YNBL label boss Olamide, and follows EMPIRE alum Shaboozey’s record-busting stay atop the Billboard Hot 100 in 2024 with “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”
Collecting the award, Ghazi said: “I often tell people that EMPIRE is a philanthropy company masquerading as a record label. I truly believe that in my heart. It wasn’t always that way. Being a visionary means you see a need in your community and you try and figure out how to serve that need. I felt that the San Francisco and the Bay Area community had a void in the music distribution space and fast-forward 15 years later, I’m blessed to say we built a global operation that reaches the four corners of the earth. We have employees in 25 countries and have probably the most diverse staff in the music business by design and intention.”
He added, “I grew up as an immigrant kid in San Francisco with Palestinian parents who were refugees of war, and sometimes as a child I often felt like I was invisible. How would I be seen in a world that didn’t see me? I took the initiative to build a company where everyone could be seen and everyone could be heard and I always like to tell people that if you’re excellent they can’t deny your existence.”
The ongoing dispute between K-pop breakout group NewJeans and its agency ADOR, a HYBE subsidiary, escalated this week as the Seoul Central District Court approved a stricter legal measure restricting the group’s independent activities. In a ruling issued Friday (May 31), the court granted ADOR’s request for indirect compulsory enforcement, ordering each member of the group — Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein — to pay 1 […]