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The second annual I’m Just Me: A Charley Pride Celebration of Inclusion brunch will take place May 6 at the Hall Park Hotel in Frisco, Texas, two days before the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards.
Mickey Guyton, a two-time ACM Award nominee and the first Black woman to host the ACM Awards, in 2021, will emcee the event that celebrates honorees who represent Pride’s legacy in country music as leaders in hope, advocacy and innovation.

This year’s honorees are country singer/songwriter Brittney Spencer, iconic artist Lionel Richie, Guyton, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” singer Shaboozey, the Freddy Fender Estate, F2 Entertainment president/CEO Fletcher Foster, Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient and grandmother of Juneteenth Opal Lee, Amazon Music head of country music Michelle Tigard Kammerer, Tennessean country music reporter Marcus Dowling and mtheory CEO Cameo Carlson. (More honorees are to come.)

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The groundbreaking Pride, who died in 2020 at age 86, was country music’s first Black superstar, breaking down barriers despite facing racial adversity and going on to win three Grammy Awards. He was the first Black artist to win entertainer of the year at the Country Music Awards, and he received the ACM’s Pioneer Award and the Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He scored 29 No. 1s on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and was the first Black artist to reach No. 1 on the chart.

The invite-only I’m Just Me event will be presented by Amazon MGM Studios, in partnership with Amazon Music and the Academy of Country Music.

“We’re honored to support this celebration that uplifts trailblazers pushing the genre forward, while reaffirming our commitment to broadening the narrative and welcoming a wider range of voices into the spotlight,” Ryan Redington, GM of Amazon Music, said in a statement.

Reba McEntire will host the 60th ACM Awards, which will stream free live across more than 240 countries and territories on Prime Video and the Amazon Music channel on Twitch from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, on Thursday, May 8, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Madonna‘s steamy video for her 1987 True Blue single “La Isla Bonita” has joined the YouTube billion-views club. The visual for the song featuring flamenco guitar, maracas and Latin percussion was helmed by prolific film (Pet Sematary Two, Best. Christmas. Ever!) and TV director Mary Lambert, known for her work on music videos for Janet […]

Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “KUSUSHIKI” holds at No. 1 for the second week on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated April 23.
The The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Part 2 opener debuted at No. 6 on the tally revealed April 9 and hit No. 1 last week. Compared to the week before, downloads for the track are down to 61%, streams to 90%, and video views to 63%, while karaoke points are up to 142% and radio airplay to 292%. The latest hit by the three-man band rules streaming and radio while coming in at No. 3 for downloads, No. 2 for video, and No. 59 for karaoke.

ME:I’s “MUSE” jumps 73-2. The track began streaming March 17 and debuted at No. 59 on the chart released March 26. After falling off the list, it re-entered at No. 85 on April 9, rose to No. 73 the following week, and hits No. 2 this week after selling 234,404 CDs during the chart week.

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HANA’s “ROSE” slips a notch to No. 3. The track continues to rule video for the third consecutive week, while coming in at No. 13 for downloads, No. 2 for streaming, and No. 7 for radio.

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Following at No. 4, also down a spot from last week, is Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac.” The song has been particularly popular in karaoke, topping the metric for 15 consecutive weeks since its release on Jan. 15.

Sakanaction’s “Kaiju” stays at No. 5. Points for the track are down in downloads, streaming, radio, and video, while gaining slightly in karaoke (101%) compared to the previous week.

King Gnu’s “TWILIGHT!!!” debuts at No. 7. The track was released on April 18 as the theme song for the animated movie Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback. Despite only being counted for three days, the song racked up 14,679 downloads to top the metric, and comes in at No. 25 for streaming, No. 8 for video, and No. 12 for radio. King Gnu surprised fans with a free live performance in Kabukicho, Tokyo on the song’s release day, drawing an estimated 6,000 people to the plaza in Shinjuku, the largest crowd ever for the location.

Outside the top 10, “GBAD (Number_i Remix),” the collaboration between Jackson Wang and Number_i, bows at No. 13. The track comes in at No. 2 for downloads, No. 56 for streaming, and No. 37 for videos.

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 April 14 to 20, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account.

If you’re already missing new episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race on your TV screen, don’t fret. The long-awaited 10th season of the franchise’s All Stars format is coming even sooner than you might think.

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On Wednesday (April 23), Paramount+ announced that RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season 10 is set to debut on Friday, May 6, on the streaming service. To celebrate the show’s expansive history, the newest season of All Stars will feature a whopping 18 contestants from past seasons of the show, each vying for their spot in the Drag Race Hall of Fame.

The queens joining the new season of the franchise are Acid Betty (season eight), Aja (season nine & All Stars 3), Alyssa Hunter (season 14), Bosco (season 14), Cynthia Lee Fontaine (seasons eight and nine), Daya Betty (season 14), Deja Skye (season 14), Denali (season 13), Ginger Minj (season seven, All Stars 2 and All Stars 6), Irene the Alien (season 15), Jorgeous (season 14 and All Stars 9), Kerri Colby (season 14), Lydia B Kollins (season 17), Mistress Isabelle Brooks (season 15), Nicole Paige Brooks (season two), Olivia Lux (season 13), Phoenix (season three) and Tina Burner (season 13).

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With a massive cast of queens for All Stars 10, the show is also switching up its format for the season. Dubbed the “Tournament of All Stars,” the first three episodes of season 10 will see each of the 18 queens split up into three groups of six contestants. Performing in brackets amongst their groups for three episodes, the top three queens from each group will advance to the semifinals, where they will subsequently compete in another bracket for two episodes. The finalists from the semifinal bracket will make their way to the finale — a Lip Sync Smackdown for the Crown — where they’ll duke it out for the grand prize of $200,000.

The announcement comes on the heels of the finale for RuPaul’s Drag Race season 17 on April 19, where — spoiler alert — frontrunner Onya Nurve was crowned America’s Next Drag Superstar after a hotly contested lip sync to Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra” against fellow finalist Jewels Sparkles.

Check out the official Meet the Queens livestream for All Stars 10 below:

Save this storySaveSave this storySaveSpiritualized have added two U.S. dates to their tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of their second album, Pure Phase. They’ll play the album in full at Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre and downtown Los Angeles’ Orpheum Theatre on September 25 and 28, respectively.In a press release, J Spaceman said of Pure Phase, “I think it’s quite extraordinary and I’d probably say it’s my favourite of the records I’ve made. The construction of it satisfied something in me that likes breaking the rules, not in any kind of grandiose way but there’s something in the process of that which really satisfies me. Each side of the stereo contains a completely separate mix. I checked the masters back and it still sounds like this extraordinary thing. It exists in its own space; it doesn’t sound like anybody else.” The album, he added, was inspired by Michael Nyman, Steve Reich, John Adams, and rock’n’roll and gospel, creating music that “sounds like driving as fast as you can in torrential rain.”All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Spiritualized: Pure Phase Anniversary TourBuy Now at TicketmasterSpiritualized:05-09 Krems an der Donau, Austria – Donaufestival05-29 Athens, Greece – Athens Epidaurus Festival06-05 Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Sound Barcelona06-20 Lido di Camaiore, Italy – La Prima Estate07-25 Sheffield, England – Tramlines Festival08-14 Exeter, England – Beautiful Days08-17 Ottery Saint Mary, England – Beautiful Days09-25 Brooklyn, NY – Kings Theatre09-28 Los Angeles, CA – Orpheum Theatre

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Eugene “Big U” Henley Jr., a notable music executive with ties to the late Nipsey Hussle, is in the crosshairs of federal prosecutors for his alleged role as a gang leader. According to prosecutors, Big U is seeking the assistance of President Donald Trump, whom he reportedly referred to as the “Orange Man.”

The Los Angeles Times reports that Big U, 58, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge A. Joel Richlin in Los Angeles in a pre-trial hearing on Tuesday (April 22) where it was ruled that the alleged Rollin 60s Crips leader will remain behind bars as he awaits trial. Richlin read off the list of charges Henley faces and considered him a flight risk and a danger to the community, thus why he will remain jailed.

Henley currently faces a 43-count indictment with charges ranging from violating RICO laws, embezzlement of charity donations, tax evasion, and the alleged murder of a rapper that was under his tutelage.

“Even in his short time in custody, he is up to his old tricks, once again trying to use some of those same celebrities for his personal gain,” the government stated in a briefing ahead of the Tuesday hearing. “He has even suggested that he can manipulate the President of the United States into intervening in the case and dropping the charges, even as he simultaneously derisively refers to the President as ‘the orange man’ while in custody. This Court should not be fooled by the good deeds defendant promises to accomplish if only he could close the detention doors behind him.”

A pretrial conference is scheduled for May 9. Big U has pleaded not guilty.

Photo: Leon Bennett / Getty

Hanna Nicole and Ashley Grace are so in sync that they even finish each other’s sentences at times. 
Collectively known as Ha*Ash, the Louisiana-born sisters’ bond has powered the duo’s career over the past 20 years, and that built-in connectedness also contributes to their unbreakable status in Latin music. On April 24, the sisters will be honored at Billboard and Telemundo’s annual Latin Women in Music event with the Unbreakable Award, celebrating both their music and their career as a remarkable sibling duo that is perhaps more relevant than ever today.  

“When I hear the word unbreakable, the first thing that comes to my mind is that, although this career has been like a roller coaster, here we are doing what we love to do the most,” says Hanna, who is a year and a half older than Ashley. “It’s an honor to not only be recognized for our work after 23 years of career but to continue to live from our stories and songs. It’s a blessing.”  

Speaking in perfect English and Spanish, a reflection of their bicultural upbringing — living half of the year in Mexico and the other half in the U.S. as kids — Hanna and Ashley are in the midst of their biggest tour ever, with a South American trek that included stops at Chile’s Viña del Mar Festival, in the wake of their 2024 album, Haashville. 

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It’s the latest high point in a career that fueled Latin pop’s domination in the early 2000s with their country-tinged “Odio Amarte,” the first single from their self-titled debut album, and “Estés Donde Estés,” which became Ha*Ash’s first top 10 hit on Billboard‘s Latin Pop Airplay chart.  

“ ’Estés’ became the theme song of a Mexican telenovela, so it got such a big push from that,” Ashley explains. “Back then, if one of your songs was picked up by a telenovela, it was like wow you made it. We never imagined this would be our breakthrough song, but it opened doors. We started performing small gigs, and after that, we kind of took off.”  

But it was “Odio Amarte” that showcased Ha*Ash’s signature sound: Latin pop with a country twist. It was a style that came naturally to the Mexican-American sisters who grew up in the South listening to the likes of Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks. Hanna and Ashley — professionally trained musicians and singers — would translate those artists’ songs to Spanish so their friends in Mexico could understand what they were singing about.  

“That’s who we are, a mixture of two cultures, different musical genres, that’s the consequence of where we lived and who we are,” says Hanna. But their vision of fusing pop with country was met with resistance from some label execs who argued country wasn’t popular in the Latin world. “We would get yeses from labels we were visiting but they wanted us to just do pop, and we didn’t want to record just to record, we wanted to do what felt natural to us. We said no to those labels because we weren’t in a hurry to release anything, and we wanted to be loyal to our sound.”

Ha*Ash

Sony Music

Eventually, their demo ended up in the right hands at Sony Music México, with whom they signed and released their debut LP, Ha*Ash, in 2003. It was also around that time that the then teenagers signed with Ocesa Seitrack for management.  

“Staying genuine to their music has been extremely relevant [to their success],” says manager Octavio Padilla of Ocesa Seitrack. “That is what has generated a true connection between Ha*Ash and their fans and that has maintained this bond for so long. If today you go to a Ha*Ash show in Chile, Argentina or anywhere in Latin America, you will be able to see that connection where all their fans feel identified and close to Hanna and Ashley.”  

All told, Ha*Ash has released a total of eight albums and, over the years, the duo has accumulated a total of 16 entries on Latin Pop Airplay, four of which reached the top 10, including “El Cielo Te Mandó Para Mí” from their latest studio album, Haashville (2024), which reached a No. 7 high on Latin Pop Airplay.

Besides recording music, touring has been key to Ha*Ash’s success. “Thank God that’s been where we’ve overachieved,” says Hanna. “I wouldn’t say that we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for live shows, but our careers would be different. Today, we are very fortunate to be on tour and sell the number of tickets that we have sold but tomorrow is not guaranteed so we value the good moments.”  

That grateful mentality was instilled in them as little kids. Hanna and Ashley grew up in a strict household where they were taught the value of hard work at a young age. They started performing when they were around 12 years old at state fairs, rodeos and even a stint at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, as tourism ambassadors — handpicked by the Secretary of State in Louisiana who heard them sing at church. “On the weekends, we would fly from Mexico to Louisiana to sing at all these events and we’d take our guitars, which were way bigger than us, and we’d perform and then fly back to Mexico on Sundays,” Hanna recalls of their extraordinary childhood.  

Ashley chimes in, “We were home-schooled and when we weren’t touring, my dad would ask, ‘What’s your schedule? Because you’re not just going to sleep around or watch television.’ So, it was either piano or guitar class, singing class, going to the gym, doing something productive. ‘If you have an hour that I don’t see on your schedule, you’re wasting your time,’ he would tell us.”  

And they wouldn’t have it any other way either. “When we signed with Sony, we were underage so my dad would go into every single meeting. He was always like, ‘One day I won’t be here, so you guys need to sit in and listen because I know I have done my job when I’m not here and you’re able to continue with your career.’ We are very grateful to my dad for that, for teaching us to work and to value.”  

Reflecting on their 20 plus years in music, Hanna and Ashley are most grateful to be able to do this together.  

“I just feel that we were brought up to do everything together and once we were working and traveling, although we’re surrounded by so many people, at the end of the day, it’s just us,” Hanna says. “We’ve always had each other’s backs, and we speak so openly about what works and what doesn’t because we have a bond that is like no other. We’re sisters first and then we’re partners. Sisterhood always comes first.”  

The third annual Billboard Latin Women in Music special will air live at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT on Thursday, April 24 exclusively on Telemundo, Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.

Read Billboard’s Latin Women In Music 2025 executive list here.

Save this storySaveSave this storySaveAfter teasing it at Coachella, Addison Rae has confirmed that her debut album, Addison, is out June 6. She’s also shared the album cover. See it below.Addison will include Rae’s singles “Diet Pepsi,” “Aquamarine,” “High Fashion,” and “Headphones On.” The album will follow the pop artist’s debut EP, AR.Read about “Diet Pepsi” at No. 13 in “The 100 Best Songs of 2024.”All products featured on Pitchfork are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Addison Rae: Addison$33 at Rough TradePhoto by Ethan James Green

UPDATE (April 23): Emmy Award-winning producers Jesse Collins and Dionne Harmon, and Emmy-nominated Jeannae Rouzan-Clay of Jesse Collins Entertainment are set to return as executive producers of the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, broadcasting live coast-to-coast from the Peacock Theater in L.A., Sunday, Sept. 14. This marks their third consecutive year as the show’s executive producers.
Collins has also served as an executive producer of the Grammy Awards for each of the last four years, working alongside Ben Winston and Raj Kapoor. He won his Primetime Emmy as an executive producer of The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, which won outstanding variety special (live) three years ago. His fellow executive producers on that show were Jay-Z and Desiree Perez.

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“We’re thrilled to be partnering again with the talented team at Jesse Collins Entertainment,” Television Academy chair Cris Abrego said in a statement. “Jesse, Dionne and Jeannae are terrific collaborators who have now produced two exceptionally creative, innovative and entertaining Emmy broadcasts, and we’re excited about their approach to this year’s celebration of television.

PREVIOUSLY (April 16): Comedian Nate Bargatze is set to host the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, broadcasting live coast-to-coast from the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 14 (8-11 p.m. ET/5-8 p.m. PT) on CBS, and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

With this announcement, three of the four EGOT-level awards shows will have had first-time hosts this year. Conan O’Brien hosted the Oscars for the first time on March 2. Cynthia Erivo will host the Tony Awards for the first time on June 8. The only EGOT-level show to stay with a tried-and-true host was the Grammys, which was hosted by Trevor Noah for the fifth time on Feb. 2.

“It’s a huge honor to be asked to host such an iconic awards show and I’m beyond excited to work with CBS to create a night that can be enjoyed by families around the world,” Bargatze said in a statement.

“Nate is one of the hottest comics in the business with a remarkable and hilarious brand of comedy that deeply resonates with multi-generational audiences around the globe,” said Television Academy chair Cris Abrego.

Bargatze, 46, received a Grammy nomination three years ago for best comedy album for The Greatest Average American. The comedian, author, podcaster, actor, director and producer is a Nashville native. He grossed $82.2 million and sold 1.1 million tickets in 2024, according to numbers reported to Billboard Boxscore, which put his tour at No. 1 for the year’s highest grossing comedy tours.

Cedric the Entertainer, star of CBS’ The Neighborhood, hosted the Primetime Emmys in 2021, the last time CBS aired the show. (The Primetime Emmys rotate among the three legacy networks and Fox.) Last year’s show, on ABC, was co-hosted by the father-and-son team of Eugene Levy and Dan Levy.

The producer of this year’s show has not yet been named. Jesse Collins Entertainment produced the last two Primetime Emmy Awards telecasts, with Alex Rudzinski on board as director for both shows.

Nominations for the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced by the Television Academy on Tuesday, July 15, streaming live at 8:30 a.m. PT on the academy’s website.

This year’s Creative Arts Emmy Awards will be held on Saturday, Sept. 6, and Sunday, Sept. 7. Those ceremonies will be produced by the Television Academy.

Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service, as well as on demand. Paramount+ Essential subscribers will not have the option to stream live, but will have access to on-demand the day after the special airs.

As country music prepares to take over Coachella Valley this weekend for the annual, sold-out Stagecoach Country Music Festival, more than five dozen acts spanning a wide array of sounds will perform on multiple stages April 25 to April 27 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Two-time CMA Awards entertainer of the year […]