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Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.
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This week, Mac Miller’s beautiful mind shines once again, Central Cee debates currency with 21 Savage, and Lucy Dacus might break with “Ankles.” Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Mac Miller, Balloonerism
If 2020’s Circles, the first posthumous Mac Miller release, provided fans a sense of closure following his tragic 2018 passing at the age of 26, Balloonerism — a long-sought-after collection of songs that date back over a decade — serves as a reminder of his wonderfully unruly creativity, with songs ranging from the shimmering piano-rap anthem “Funny Papers” to the nearly 12-minute closing exploration “Tomorrow Will Never Know.”
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Central Cee feat. 21 Savage, “GBP”
Considering the success of “BAND4BAND,” Central Cee’s team-up with Lil Baby, it’s no surprise that the UK rapper has previewed his imminent album Can’t Rush Greatness with another high-wattage collaboration — but “GBP,” featuring 21 Savage, iterates on the formula of Cench’s biggest hit, with similarly eerie production but a more spacious flow, which nicely counterbalances 21 Savage’s twitchy delivery.
Lucy Dacus, “Ankles”
Boygenius has become a supergroup that has elevated all three of its members’ profile, and Lucy Dacus’ next album, Forever is a Feeling, will arrive in March with much more fanfare than any of the singer-songwriter’s previous projects; it also helps that “Ankles,” a driving love song with beautiful harmonics on the hook, may be Dacus’ most accessible single to date, and bring in even more fans ahead of the new full-length.
Marshmello & Jonas Brothers, “Slow Motion”
Four years after scoring a hit together with “Leave Before You Love Me,” Marshmello and Jonas Brothers have reunited for “Slow Motion,” which veers toward country-pop territory more than its predecessor: after the JoBros croon the wide-reaching chorus together, their masked producer swoops in a sparkly beat drop, making for a charming bit of pop interplay.
John Summit feat. CLOVES, “Focus”
John Summit’s upward trajectory continues with “Focus,” a hypnotic new dance track with Melbourne singer-songwriter CLOVES, in which the producer tosses out a collection of pulsating rhythms and lets his collaborator weave them into a yearning cry; “Focus” runs for nearly four minutes, but begs for repeat listens (or, fingers crossed, an extended mix).
Mumford & Sons, “Rushmere”
Mumford & Sons have gone back to basics with “Rushmere,” which previews the band’s first album in seven years and finds Marcus Mumford, fresh off a recent debut solo album, leading his group (now a trio, following the departure of banjoist Winston Marshall) toward the stomping, crowd-pleasing folk-rock that made them mega-sellers at the turn of the 2010s.
Hailey Whitters, “Casseroles”
On her first new single in two years, country star Hailey Whitters offers a nuanced reflection on grief and recovery with “Casseroles,” with the Iowa native wondering how people move on from loss once loved ones stop checking in and the comfort food stops arriving. Whitters, who lost a brother over a decade ago, imbues the song with an unsettled sense of hurt, her voice prodding at an uneasy questions for herself and others.
Editor’s Pick: Rose Gray, Louder, Please
The cover of Rose Gray’s debut album depicts the British pop singer on a beach, listening to a Walkman and seemingly screaming along to her favorite song while the strangers around her ignore her cries; Louder, Please will inspire similar fits of passion from pop listeners, with songs like “Everything Changes (But I Won’t),” “Free” and “Tectonic” providing sophisticated beats and top-notch sing-along fodder.
SZA promised fans updates and new songs would be added to her Lana project earlier this month, but nothing has changed yet 11 days later. Fans voiced their frustrations with the Grammy-winning singer on X, and she clapped back in a series of messages posted shortly after midnight ET. “Punch was right,” she began by […]
Throughout his career, Kele Okereke has never been one to stand still. When Billboard UK calls the Bloc Party vocalist and guitarist to discuss The Singing Winds Pt. 3, his new solo album released Jan. 17, Okereke paces around his London home for the duration of our chat, working his mind (and body) while he reflects on an illustrious career in music — one that has never remained in a single place.
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Okereke’s new project is his seventh solo studio album since 2010, and the third installment to his Elements project, which has taken inspiration from the forces around us. It kicked off in 2021 with The Waves Pt. 1 and was followed by The Flames Pt. 2 in 2023, both born out of a necessity to create during lockdown. Each collection is written and produced solely by Okereke in his home studio and with minimal tools.
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“It was important to me to do everything myself and for every sound to be made by my guitar,” he says. “During the lockdowns, I was at home and not really sure what I was going to do with my life, but I knew that I still wanted to be creative. It forced me to go back to the guitar. It gave me a new appreciation for the instrument.”
In the coming months, Okereke will head out on the road to tour this project, his first time using loop pedals and building each song live on stage. Then it’s back to Bloc Party to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its beloved 2005 debut album Silent Alarm, which the band will be playing in full across the U.K. at some of its largest outdoor shows to date.
Upon release, the LP landed to No. 3 on the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart and has endured as an essential of 21st century indie rock. A sonic fusion of influences from post-punk to electronica, plus lyrics that touched upon the British government’s disastrous war in Iraq and Afghanistan during the mid-’00s, set the group apart both from chaotic, romantic contemporaries like The Libertines and fashionable, sexy art-school graduates like Franz Ferdinand.
The group released a number of records in the ensuing years, notably 2007’s cult classic A Weekend In The City (No. 12 on the Billboard 200) and more recently 2022’s Alpha Games. Okereke still leads from the front with founding member Russell Lissack (guitars), plus Louise Bartle (drums) and Harry Deacon (bass) now completing the lineup; other founding members Matt Tong and Gordon Moakes left the band in 2013 and 2015, respectively.
As he releases The Singing Winds Pt. 3 and preps an upcoming tour with Bloc Party, Okereke speaks to Billboard UK about the project, his upcoming memoir and the enduring appeal of Silent Alarm.
You’re on the third installment of this project with The Singing Winds Pt. 3. What has it given you creatively?
It started very much as an accident or chance. It’s given me a focus and has been a somewhat indulgent but incredibly enjoyable way to throw myself into music. When I started making solo records [in 2010] it was very much a reaction to the fact that with Bloc Party, we were a guitar band and I wanted to get away from that. I wanted to explore other worlds and that’s what I did with the first four records – they were all coming from different places.
You started releasing the project in 2021. Did you anticipate it unfolding over this time period?
I always knew that it was going to take a while. When you’re writing these songs, you have to live your life and be inspired. Back then when I was working on The Waves, I didn’t really know what the next records were going to sound like, but [after] a year of living and experimenting, and being creative with Bloc Party and working on something very different, it shows you where you need to go next. I knew it was going to be a longer form project, but I really like the pace. I’m composing and writing a lot at home and you’re waiting for inspiration to spark.
Is each LP a reaction to the last in the series?
Doing these interviews and looking backwards retrospectively you can see a path, but at the time you’re just inching around in the dark. When I was making The Waves, it was tonally all in one place so I knew that I needed to go somewhere different next. To me when you listen to that record, it feels like you’re bobbing on water – there’s no drums or percussion, it’s just this floating thing. Whereas with The Flames the sounds are very brittle and abrasive and extreme, and it’s been interesting to see that in the writing process.
The point about this project is that I wanted each of these elements to have quite a different sonic and emotional personality. They’re all connected to the classical elements and it’s interesting to consider how I could refer to those elements in the song and the lyrics and the textures of the record.
On this release there’s a lot of candour, particularly on “The Arrangement” which highlights a broken romantic relationship. You’ve always been vulnerable in your songwriting, but as you get older and have your own family, do you censor yourself at all because of the real-world consequences?
There are moments of vulnerability in this record, and throughout my career I’ve always written from an emotional place, but in the past things would be hidden in abstraction and just glimpses of my personal life; for the most part I’ve been quite guarded in things.
With this next Bloc Party record, it’s very personal and confessional, and I’ve never really done that as a songwriter. I’ve always preferred an element of distance. But in the past year I’ve been through quite an unbelievable time and had some very difficult relationships with people, and this is the only place to put all of that.
This next [Bloc Party] record I’m making will be about the study of a fleeting relationship from start to finish. And it’s going to be incredibly personal, but I’m excited about that because it’s something I’ve never really done before. I’ve never really spoken directly, and this time I will.
Can you tell us anything more about what listeners might hear?
Without wanting to go into too much detail, I had a relationship with someone that wasn’t honest and I think I need the world to see that. So this next Bloc Party record is going to come from a place of necessity. We’ve written everything and we’ll be recording soon, and hopefully will be out in 2026. The only thing I will say is that ‘heartbreak’ is a term that people keep bandying around about these songs. It’s going to be emotional, for sure.
You’re heading out on the road this summer for the 20th anniversary of Silent Alarm. What’s your relationship like to that album?
Obviously I’m thankful that it has resonated and stood the test of time. Before we made that record we had a bit of a name for ourselves and a song or two out and it was this underground, exciting thing. But when we made the record we knew we had to strive further than what people were expecting of us.We knew it had to be expansive and there was this fear that we might be pushing it too far when we were in the studio, but we didn’t succumb to that, and I’m glad that we managed to express what we wanted to express. I’m glad that it worked and we made the best record we could, because it has stood the test of time.
Kele Okereke
Eleanor Jane
At the end of last year you released Another Weekend In The City, a companion record of B-sides from around the time of your sophomore album. It must be nice to see that excitement towards other pieces of music from throughout your career, not just Silent Alarm…
It’s nice to be able to go back and listen to those records, and to remember where I was when I wrote them, the conversations that I was having and the people that were in my life. That’s the stuff that comes back to me when I go back to these songs and I don’t really do that so often. I had to do it for Silent Alarm as I had to relearn the songs. I’ve always been obsessed with looking forward, but I am recognizing that we’ve done something quite good and it’s nice to bask in that sometimes.
Both records and 2008’s Intimacy had instant success on the charts and took you around the world. How did that feel in the moment?
Growing up when we were listening to music and going to shows, they weren’t bands that were on the cover of the NME and weren’t that in your face. So when that stuff started happening for us it was surreal to feel like we’d leapfrogged somehow where we thought we were going to be.
On top of the success we were having, it was nice that people were noticing us outside of the U.K. in the US, Europe and Australia and that we weren’t just a British band. There are still a lot of bands that are successful in the U.K. but don’t necessarily translate to other territories for some reason, but for us it felt quite immediate that people all around the world were curious about us – and that’s maintained.
I’ve heard that you’re in the process of writing a memoir. How’s that going?
I can’t say much about it but I’m about halfway through. I’m enjoying it, for sure. I was a little bit reluctant before because I’ve always been quite a private person, and there was something about the idea of writing my life in my words and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do that. But I started it and it’s amazing what has come back to me and my life over 20 years ago. Things that I never thought about or remembered unless I was doing this process. It’s giving me a perspective on things that I wouldn’t have had unless I forced myself to stop and look back.
I suppose it gives you the chance to write your own story in your own words. The discourse when you started your career was written by other people, particularly the indie press which had a bigger influence back then…
Having been around for so long, you have the sense that people have an understanding or belief about who you are or the perception of who you are, so it’ll be fun to present my story in my words. That was something I found very frustrating at the start of our career: you’d do interviews with journalists and you’d talk passionately and have a great conversation, then you’d read the interview and it would just be a reduction of everything you said. The one line where you inadvertently mentioned another band, it’d get taken into the pull quote where you slagged someone off.
There was so much of that at the start of our career, and I realized very quickly that I had to insulate myself from that. I just stopped reading the interviews, reviews and features because even though we were successful and it was a positive time, it also felt like a bit of a caricature of who I knew we were.
Alpha Games got a great response from fans. Does the wider response to your music from fans or critics impact you these days?
I think very early on that to do this job the right way, I had to not listen to what anyone else said… from our immediate team to the fans as well. I know that might sound controversial, but once the record is out there it’s not mine anymore. I only listened to Silent Alarm recently to relearn the songs; I’m never going to have the experience that other people have listening to my music, but I’m fine with that. Why I do this job is that I love creating music, and pulling ideas out of the air and making them come back through the speakers. The only thing I serve is that process is bringing songs into the world. So once they’re done and out there, that’s it for me.
Maybe that sounds naïve, but that’s the way I’ve been operating for the past 20 years, and probably the reason why I’ve made so much music in these past few years — because that’s why I do it. I know I’m in a fortunate position with the success I’ve had, but also this is my life and I love it. I feel grateful that 20 years later I’m still able to create.
The Singing Winds Pt. 3 is out now on Kola.
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Mac Miller left the world far too soon in 2018, just as his creative output was gaining notice and garnering him a wider fanbase. To commemorate the drop, the estate of Mac Miller has released a new body of work in Balloonerism along with a short film, and fans on X have reacted to the release in kind.
Balloonerism clocks in at 14 minutes and has just two features with SZA and Delusional Thomas showing up for “DJ’s Chord Organ” and “Transformations” respectively. According to what we read on Wikipedia, this album was recorded between 2013 and 2014. But fans reportedly have had access to some of these songs over the years via leaks and it was teased late last year at Camp Flog Gnaw.
Much of the album follows the soulful nature of Swimming, one of our favorite releases from the Pittsburgh star, and finds him flexing his singing abilities across several tracks. Songs like “5 Dollar Pony Rides” melt into a jazzy groove after a verse as Miller belts out vocals. The track “Friendly Hallucinations” continues the warm sound of the preceding track but finds Miller in confident rapper mode as he handles the hook capably.
Sonically, it sounds reminiscent of Miller’s work on his mixtape Faces, and certainly reveals more of his musical interests and connections with the sprawling musical community of Los Angeles with bassist Thundercat showing up on backing instrumentals alongside Thundercat’s brothers, drummer Ronald Bruner and keyboardist Jameel Bruner among others. Larry Fisherman, the producer moniker of Miller, shows up in the credits as well.
You can check out Mac Miller’s Balloonerism by clicking here along with the short film below supporting the project. Keep scrolling to see reactions from X regarding the new drop.
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Twisters and The Idea of You lead this year’s contenders for the 15th Guild of Music Supervisors (GMS) Awards, earning two nominations each recognizing both music supervision and songwriting.
Rachel Levy, the music supervisor of Twisters, is nominated for best music supervision in major budget films. She has a second nomination for best song written and/or recorded for a film for “Out of Oklahoma,” which was written by Luke Dick, Shane McAnally and Lainey Wilson and performed by Wilson. (At the GMS Awards, music supervisors are nominated for songs from films they supervised.)
Frankie Pine, the music supervisor of The Idea of You, is nominated for best music supervision in mid-level budget films. He has a second nod for best song written and/or recorded for a film for the title song, which was written by Carl Falk, Savan Kotecha and Albin Nedler and performed by Anne-Marie and Nicholas Galitzine.
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Cat Stevens’ “The First Cut Is the Deepest,” which was first recorded in 1967, is nominated for best song written and/or recorded for television, thanks to it being featured in The Brothers Sun. Bo Wang performed the song in the since-canceled Netflix series. Angela Asistio was music supervisor.
The GMS Awards honors outstanding achievement in the craft of music supervision in film, television, documentaries, advertising, trailers, and video games. Winners will be announced at their awards gala at The Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 23.
Netflix garnered the most nominations for a studio – 13 nods. Additional film contenders include Wicked, Deadpool & Wolverine, Emilia Pérez and The Brutalist. Top TV contenders include Baby Reindeer, Fallout, Palm Royale and English Teacher.
As previously announced, songwriter Stephen Schwartz (Wicked) will accept the Icon Award and music supervisor Bonnie Greenberg (My Best Friend’s Wedding) will accept the Legacy Award.
Tickets are available only to members of GMS and their Friends of the Guild patrons.
For more information on the ceremony, visit GMSAwards.com. For more information on the organization, visit www.GuildofMusicSupervisors.com
Here’s a complete list of nominations for the 2025 Guild of Music Supervisor Awards.
FILM
Best Music Supervision in Major Budget Films
Jordan Carroll – Better Man
Dave Jordan – Deadpool & Wolverine
Julianne Jordan – The Instigators
Rachel Levy – Twisters
Tom MacDougall, Matt Walker – Moana 2
Maggie Rodford – Wicked
Best Music Supervision in Mid-Level Budget Films
Deva Anderson, Rachel Lautzenheiser – The Piano Lesson
Iain Cooke – Back to Black
Pierre-Marie Dru – Emilia Pérez
Steven Gizicki – A Complete Unknown
Frankie Pine – The Idea of You
Mary Ramos – The Greatest Hits
Best Music Supervision in Low Budget Films
Jessica Berndt, Chris Swanson – I Saw the TV Glow
James Cartwright – Dandelion
Csaba Faltay, Milena Fessmann – Maria
Kier Lehman – Los Frikis
James A. Taylor – The Brutalist
Scotty Taylor – My Old Ass
Best Music Supervision in a Non-Theatrically Released Film
Joel C. High, Sami Posner – Meet Me Next Christmas
Susan Jacobs, Jackie Mulhearn – Out of My Mind
Rob Lowry – Sweethearts
Aminé Ramer – Lonely Planet
Morgan Rhodes – Thelma the Unicorn
Robin Urdang – The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat
Best Song Written and/or Recorded for a Film
“The Idea of You” – The Idea of You; Songwriters: Carl Falk, Savan Kotecha, Albin Nedler; Performers: Anne-Marie, Nicholas Galitzine; Music Supervisor: Frankie Pine
“The Journey” – The Six Triple Eight; Songwriter: Diane Warren; Performer: H.E.R.; Music Supervisor: Joel C. High
“Kiss the Sky” – The Wild Robot; Songwriters: Delacey, Jordan Johnson, Stefan Johnson, Maren Morris, Michael Pollack, Ali Tamposi; Performer: Maren Morris; Music Supervisor: Natalie Hayden
“Like a Bird” – Sing Sing; Songwriters: Abraham Alexander, Brandon Marcel, Adrian Quesada; Performers: Abraham Alexander, Adrian Quesada; Music Supervisor: Dan Wilcox
“Out of Oklahoma” – Twisters; Songwriters: Luke Dick, Shane McAnally, Lainey Wilson; Performer: Lainey Wilson; Music Supervisor: Rachel Levy
“Why I’m Here” – Shirley; Songwriters: Samara Joy, Paul Sylvester Morton Jr.; Performer: Samara Joy; Music Supervisor: Madonna Wade-Reed
TELEVISION
Best Music Supervision in a Television Drama
Deva Anderson, Rachel Lautzenheiser – Masters of the Air Season 1
Matt Biffa – One Day Season 1
Linda Cohen – The Sympathizer Season 1
Stephanie Diaz-Matos – Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist Season 1
Catherine Grieves – Baby Reindeer Season 1
Trygge Toven – Fallout Season 1
Best Music Supervision in a Television Comedy
George Drakoulias, Ian Herbert – Palm Royale Season 1
Kerri Drootin, Charlie Haggard – Loot Season 2
Christa Miller, Tony Von Pervieux – Bad Monkey Season 1
Javier Nuño, Joe Rodríguez – Acapulco Season 3
Jen Ross – English Teacher Season 1
Best Music Supervision in Reality Television
Brandon Boucher, Peter Davis – The Challenge: All Stars Season 4
Jon Ernst – Love Is Blind Season 6
Meryl Ginsberg, Sara Torres, Jordan Young – Love Island USA Season 6
Carrie Hughes – Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta Season 11
Cat Stevens’ “The First Cut Is the Deepest,” which was first recorded in 1967, is nominated for best song written and/or recorded for television, thanks to it being featured in The Brothers Sun. Bo Wang performed the song in the since-canceled Netflix series. Angela Asistio was music supervisor.
DOCUMENTARIES
Best Music Supervision in a Documentary Film
Maureen Crowe, Lisa Moberly, Janet Billig Rich – Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple
Justin Feldman – Music by John Williams
Jonathan Finegold – Gaucho Gaucho
Dawn Sutter Madell – Eno
Aminé Ramer – Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary
Best Music Supervision in a Docuseries
Sam Carlin, Drew Kramer – Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza Season 1
Alexandra Eckhardt – Kings from Queens: The Run DMC Story Season 1
Ed Gerrard – Gospel Season 1
Gary Welch – Camden Season 1
Allison Wood – Breath of Fire Season 1
ADVERTISING
Best Music Supervision in Advertising (Synch)
Abbey Hendrix, Jonathan Wellbelove – iPhone 15 Storage – “Don’t Let Me Go”
Andrew Kahn, Morgan Thoryk – “Two-Step”
Mike Ladman, Mara Techam – “Breaking Moves the World”
Peymon Maskan, Gemma Schladow, Alec Stern, Jenna Wilson – “Power of She”
Nicole Palko, Jonathan Wellbelove – “iPhone 15 Plus Battery – One More”
Best Music Supervision in Advertising (Original Music)
Danielle Beauvoir, Nick Maker – “Out of This World: The Official Anthem of the Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup”
Abbey Hendrix, Jonathan Wellbelove – “iPhone 16 – Imagine It. Genmoji It.”
Scott McDaniel – “1 Performance, 30 Years in the Making”
Patrick Lawrence Zappia – “Give Your Gift.”
Best Music Supervision in Advertising (Long-Form)
Codie Childs – “PS5 | Play Has No Limits”
Connie Edwards, Sunny Kapoor – “Spot it Early”
Mike Ladman, Mara Techam – “A Mountain of Entertainment – Hail Patrick”
Mike Ladman, Mara Techam – “H.O.R.S.E. on a Horse”
Nellie Rajabi, Jonathan Wellbelove – “The Relay”
Al Risi – “An American Love Story”
TRAILERS
Best Music Supervision in a Trailer (Film)
Megan Barbour, Greg Smith, Tyler Torrison – 28 Years Later – Official Trailer
Maggie Baron – Anora – Official Redband Trailer
Deric Berberabe, Jordan Silverberg – Thunderbolts* – Trailer 2
Anny Colvin – We Live in Time – Official Trailer
Will Quiney – Cuckoo – Official Trailer
Best Music Supervision in a Trailer (Series)
Deric Berberabe, Hudson Saxe, Jordan Silverberg – Severance: Season 2 – Official Trailer
Bobby Gumm – 3 Body Problem – Final Trailer
Vanessa Jorge Perry – Skeleton Crew – Official Trailer
Scenery Samundra, Gregory Sweeney – DISCLAIMER* – Official Trailer
Naaman Snell – The Last of Us: Season 2 – Official Teaser
Best Music Supervision in a Trailer (Video Game & Interactive)
Jonny Altepeter, Jackie Palazzolo, Vitaly Shenderovsky – “VALORANT” – Clove Agent Trailer – 2 WORLDS
Alex Hackford, Lindsey Kohon, Naaman Snell – “Destiny 2: The Final Shape” – Launch Trailer
Lindsey Kohon – “Black Ops 6” – Gameplay Reveal Trailer
Raphaella Lima, Steve Schnur – “College Football 25” – Official Reveal Trailer
Raphaella Lima, Michael Sherwood – “Apex Legends: Upheaval” – Gameplay Trailer
VIDEO GAMES
Best Music Supervision in a Video Game (Synch)
Benjamin Beladi – The Sandbox – Alpha Season 4
Maya Halfon Cordova, Kyle Hopkins – Forza Horizon 5 – Retrowave
Nora Felder – Stranger Things VR
Alex Hackford – MLB The Show 24
Raphaella Lima, Cybele Pettus, Steve Schnur – EA SPORTS FC 25
Ryan Tomlin, Brandon Young – Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Best Music Supervision in a Video Game (Original Music)
Manu Bachet, Raphaël Joffres – Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown; Composers: Gareth Coker, Mentrix
Codie Childs, James Marshall – LEGO Horizon Adventures; Composer: Homay Schmitz
Codie Childs, James Marshall – Until Dawn; Composer: Mark Korven
Glenn Herweijer, Ben Sumner – Life is Strange: Double Exposure; Composers: Glenn Herweijer, Nick Hill, Tessa Rose Jackson, Luciano Rossi
Steve Schnur – Dragon Age: The Veilguard; Composers: Lorne Balfe, Hans Zimmer
Sam Yang – Delta Force; Composers: Edwin, Jason H, LUMi, Johan Söderqvist, Zio
Ethel Cain‘s posts about the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson have sparked outrage from a panel of Fox News hosts, who likened her words to “terrorism” and are calling on fans to “boycott” the singer.
On a recent episode of the network’s The Big Weekend Show, panelists Jason Chaffetz, Jackie DeAngelis, Anita Vogel and Guy Benson opened a segment about the “American Teenager” singer’s comments by summarizing what she wrote on Instagram Stories Jan. 10. In addition to using the hashtag “#KillMoreCEOs,” Cain had said that peaceful protesting is no longer enough to solve corporate greed in the United States and posited, “It’s simple, you make them fear for their lives and hit them in the only place they hurt or nothing will ever get done.”
But the 26-year-old musician’s words were several steps too far for the Fox commentators, with Benson calling her message “sick” and “depraved.” “The message there is violence is the answer,” he continued. “You know who used that exact same mentality, that type of language? Terrorists. That is actual terrorism, what she’s talking about here … This should be a very clear black-and-white moral issue, and it is scary to see how much support that type of sentiment has gotten.”
“It’s absurd, it’s gross,” agreed Vogel, who then brought up how Meta previously banned Donald Trump from its platforms following the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. “Are they going to remove this woman for calling for murder?”
“People need to boycott her,” added DeAngelis, with Chaffetz saying, “I hope people call her out for this.”
Billboard has reached out to Cain’s reps for comment.
The “Crush” artist’s posts — and Fox News’ response — are part of a broader discussion that’s played out since Thompson was shot and killed on a New York City street. Suspect Luigi Mangione was taken into custody shortly afterward and is now facing state murder and terror charges, to which he’s pleaded not guilty. He’s also facing federal murder and stalking charges; if convicted on the murder charge, he could face a death sentence.
In addition to her incendiary hashtag Jan. 10, Cain had also shared a post quoting former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich’s assessment that institutions such as the NRA, Big Oil and insurance companies contribute to corruption in Congress. In Reich’s words: “Money in politics is the root of our dysfunction.”
“I genuinely mean what I say. Corporations giggle at protesting,” Cain had added at the time. “Why would anyone ever willingly come down off their throne that they’ve spent years building off the suffering of their fellow man? … It seems quite straightforward to me. ‘Violence is never the answer’ wrong. Sometimes it is.”
Two days prior, Cain released her highly anticipated album Perverts. It followed 2022’s Preacher’s Daughter.
Time for an abbreviated edition of Executive Turntable, Billboard’s compendium of promotions, hirings, exits and firings — and all things in between — across the music business.
Due to the wildfires across Los Angeles, West Coast companies are dealing with matters more pressing than onboarding and promoting executives. We have compiled ways these and other music companies are coming together to support those affected by the blazes, plus a running list of organizations offering relief for musicians and music industry professionals, as well as a tally of affected industry events. More coverage here.
Concord promoted Lidia Kim to senior vice president of the company’s new digital division of business and legal affairs for Concord Music Publishing. Based in New York and reporting to general counsel Amanda Molter, Kim will lead global digital business initiatives, including licensing strategies, rights enforcement, direct deal negotiations and partnerships with DSPs. The Nashville-based company said Kim will work closely with other key execs, including Jim Selby, Duff Berschback and Jeff Van Driel, to modernize and optimize Concord’s digital rights infrastructure. Kim has been with Concord since its 2017 acquisition of Imagem, contributing to all things legal and business affairs related. She played a critical role in integrating multiple acquisitions and preparing Concord for future expansion. “She fiercely advocates for every artist and songwriter we represent,” said Molter. “Her aptitude, combined with her demonstrable passion for music, makes her uniquely qualified to take on the challenge of growing this new division.” Kim, an alumna of NYU and Notre Dame Law School, previously served as a legal fellow at Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, providing legal services to artists.
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Soundstripe, the music licensing tech company, appointed Jeff Perkins as CEO. With a proven track record of scaling businesses, Perkins will lead Soundstripe as it prepares to launch a new “click-to-license music solution” later this year. Co-founder Travis Terrell will become president, focusing on partnerships and business development, while co-founders Micah Sannan and Trevor Hinesley will serve in advisory and CTO roles, respectively. Soundstripe supports over 1,000 enterprise clients and one million content creators with a diverse catalog of more than 15,000 sync-ready songs, enhanced by advanced AI tools. The company has distributed $13.2 million in payouts to artists. Before joining Soundstripe, Perkins spent five years at ParkMobile, where he served as chief marketing officer and later CEO, growing revenue by 233% and leading to its sale to EasyPark Group in 2021. Prior to ParkMobile, he was CMO at QASymphony (now Tricentis), where he secured a $40 million Series C. He has also held senior marketing roles at PGi and AutoTrader, as well as gigs in advertising at Saatchi & Saatchi and Havas. “He has proven himself a highly effective leader with experience scaling businesses that cater to both large enterprises and individual users,” said Terrell. “We know Jeff is the right person at the right time to lead Soundstripe into our next stage of growth.”tk
Berklee appointed Betsy Newman as executive vp, effective Jan. 1. With over a decade under her belt at Berklee, including serving as interim evp for the past 18 months, Newman has been instrumental in advancing the institution’s strategic goals alongside Provost David Bogen and president Jim Lucchese. In her new role, Newman will focus on student-centric strategies to foster innovation and growth, continuing her commitment to prioritizing student success. As senior vp for student enrollment and engagement, she led initiatives that improved recruitment, retention and graduation rates. Newman also developed the Berklee Bridge program, funded by a $1.8 million grant, to enhance student success. Notable achievements include launching the Center for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, student success programs like the Black Scholars Initiative and Thrive Scholarship. “Betsy Newman brings a tremendous wealth of leadership experience to her role as executive vice president at Berklee,” said Lucchese. “Her commitment to Berklee and our students sets a standard for excellence. I look forward to collaborating with Betsy on empowering our students to live creative lives on their own terms.”
Caldecott Music Group promoted David Nam Le to managing director of Vista Musical Instruments and hired Jon Bahr as senior advisor of artist and label services at BandLab Technologies. Le, with a career at Swee Lee, Harmony, MONO and Heritage Guitars, will lead strategy and cross-group initiatives. Bahr, formerly vp at Downtown Music Holdings, brings expertise in licensing, distribution and publishing to enhance BandLab’s artist services. Both gents report directly to group CEO Meng Ru Kuok, who emphasized the appointments “underscore Caldecott Music Group’s commitment to our mission of empowering our community of artists, creators and fans.” Singapore-based CMG is comprised of BandLab Technologies, NME Networks and Vista Musical Instruments.
River House Artists opened key promotions within its team: Zebb Luster to executive vp, Lance Houston to general manager and vp of streaming and radio, and Raines Edenfield to director of A&R. Luster, the company’s first hire in 2017, will oversee all divisions, including the label and publishing arms, while focusing on strategic growth. Houston, who joined in 2022 with nearly three decades of radio experience, will handle day-to-day operations and maintain relationships with radio and streaming partners. Edenfield, a 2020 addition, will lead talent scouting and oversee creative processes for the artist roster. Luster has been instrumental in signing talent like Hudson Westbrook and Austin Snell, while launching a successful publishing arm. Houston has strengthened industry ties and led impactful radio campaigns. Edenfield has championed artists like Zach Seabaugh and John Harvie, securing pop star Knox. Founder Lynn Oliver-Cline praised their dedication, saying “this is the most vibrant and excellent team to date.”
NASHVILLE NOTES: Farris, Self & Moore promoted Sally D’Avanzo to associate business manager as it celebrates its 10th anniversary. D’Avanzo, who started as an office administrator, has been with FSM since college. Partner Catherine Moore praised her dedication, knowledge and alignment with the boutique business management firm’s values. “Sally encompasses the FSM values of all in, boutique, authentic and innovative and she continues to exude those values whether it’s working with clients or mentoring staff,” said Moore … Fair Trade Services promoted Kai Elmer to vp of national promotion. Elmer launched his career at Moody Broadcasting Network, and joined Fair Trade as manager of national promotion in 2007. Elmer has worked with artists including MercyMe, Phil Wickham, CeCe Winans, and Colton Dixon through his role at Fair Trade promoting songs to Christian radio. —Jessica Nicholson
Black River Entertainment promoted Micah McNair to creative director. McNair, who joined as video content manager in August 2023, quickly made an impact, earning multiple Telly Awards for his work with artists like MaRynn Taylor, Scotty Hasting and Pryor Baird. With over a decade of experience, McNair’s career began in 2010 as a photographer and now includes a video portfolio with over 250 million views. His work spans live worship albums, GMA Dove Awards performances, and collaborations with major artists such as Kelsea Ballerini, Riley Green, and Kirk Franklin. Tanya Schrage, Black River’s Vice President of Marketing, praised McNair’s ability to create authentic and meaningful visuals that enhance the music. Black River’s roster includes Kelsea Ballerini, Chris Young, MaRynn Taylor, Scotty Hasting, and Pryor Baird.
BOARD SHORTS: The Women’s Music Business Association announced its 2025 leadership, including officers and board of directors. WMBA operates with two main boards: the board of directors, overseeing governance and strategy, and the Board of Officers, managing daily operations and implementing strategies. The 2025 Officers include president Mackenzie Adkins, vp Megan Astri, secretary Rachel Mangan and treasurer Kelsey Roche. The board of directors is led by chairwoman Amery Fridenstine, alongside industry leaders Sheree Spoltore, Jensen Sussman and Christy Walker-Watkins. Brandi Simms will continue as board Emeritus, while Lauren Spahn serves as legal counsel … The AIMP Nashville Chapter unveiled its 2025-2026 officers. John Ozier, vp of creative at Reservoir Media Management, has been elected chapter president, succeeding Ree Guyer of Wrensong Music, who’ll step down but remain on the board. Other newly elected officers include Courtney Crist (Eclipse Music Group) as vp, Janine Ebach (Ebach Entertainment) as secretary, and Kari Barnhart (Studio Bank) as treasurer.
ICYMI:
Patrick Spence
Sonos CEO Patrick Spence stepped down from the top job and his seat on the board after the speaker company faced months of challenges and layoffs following a fraught redesign of its mobile app … WME added veteran music agent Lance Roberts as a partner in its Nashville-based country music division.
Last Week’s Turntable: Disney Veteran Dips for Sphere CFO Role
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Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal that would end over a year’s worth of conflict in the Gaza region this coming weekend.
On Wednesday (Jan. 15), President Joe Biden, accompanied by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, announced that Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal. The truce is set to put an end to 15 months of hellish bombing and fighting in the Gaza Strip, which has killed thousands in the region and reshaped the scope of the Middle East. The deal is contingent upon Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu receiving the approval of the terms from his full Cabinet and security Cabinet. Representatives for Hamas have agreed to the terms. The news was met with jubilation in Gaza. “Praise God, this tragedy is over,” Gaza City resident Mohammad Fares said when interviewed. “We’re all overcome with joy.”
The ceasefire deal, which is set to go into effect Sunday (Jan. 19), has three proposed phases beginning with a six-week period where Hamas is expected to release 33 of the 96 remaining hostages it captured after its attack in Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023. At least 34 hostages from the 250 who were taken have been confirmed or believed to have been killed. Israel is expected to release Palestinian hostages for every hostage returned in addition to allowing scores of humanitarian aid into the Gaza region. State Department spokesperson Matt Miller said a “massive infusion of trucks” is expected to enter once the ceasefire begins. The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen said that Europe would send $123 million in aid to support those displaced. Palestinians displaced from northern Gaza during the bombing will be allowed to return to the area.
Negotiations for the terms of the second phase are set to take place on the 16th day of the first phase of the ceasefire, with the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt continuing to serve as mediators. On Thursday, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that Hamas added “last-minute updates” to the deal, which amounted to reneging on the original terms. Hamas has denied any changes. Observers note that Netanyahu’s stance may be to maintain his fragile coalition, including far-right parties who want to keep fighting Hamas. In the interim, Israel has continued to conduct airstrikes on the region, with the Gaza Health Ministry claiming that over 80 lives were lost in the last 24 hours.
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A$AP Rocky has rejected a plea deal in his gun assault case against A$AP Relli, and his lawyer is confident he will be acquitted.
As per Newsweek, A$AP Rocky’s trial is set to get underway next week. While he has claimed innocence since news broke about the alleged shooting that struck former A$AP Mob member and collaborator A$AP Relli, Daily Mail reports that he was offered a plea deal Wednesday ( Jan. 15). According to his lawyer Joe Tacopina A$AP Rocky has “no interested” in a settlement. “Our client has indicated he’s willing to take anything but obviously I will listen to any offer and I have an obligation and duty to relay to my client,” Tacopina told the presiding judge during the recent hearing.
After the conference concluded Joe Tacopina spoke to reporters outside of the court. “There’s a reason that 10 police officers searched and didn’t find shell casings there,” the legal professional explained. “[It’s] not because they were blind or drunk or because they didn’t want to find it. It’s because they did a thorough job. Tacopina also confirmed that A$AP Rocky would testify if need be. “He’s confident and he’s ready to go. He believes in justice, and he believes this is going to work out for him.”
You can see footage from the latest hearing below.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday (Jan. 17) upheld a federal statute that will effectively ban TikTok from the country over national security concerns, rejecting the company’s arguments that the law violates the First Amendment.
In a unanimous ruling, the high court said the law – set to go into effect on Sunday — was fair game because the U.S. government has valid fears about China’s control over TikTok, a popular social media service with 170 million American users that has also become a key cog in the modern music industry.
Attorneys for TikTok’s Chinese-owned parent ByteDance had argued that the law was clearly unconstitutional because it violates the First Amendment’s protections for free speech. But in Friday’s decision, the high court was unswayed.
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“There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community,” the justices wrote. “But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok’s data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary.”
The ruling has major implications for the music industry. TikTok has become a key part of the modern music ecosystem – a core promotional tool for labels and a jumping off point for many new artists, albeit one that has occasionally butted heads with rights owners and can sometimes prove difficult to harness into lasting success.
Friday’s decision will allow the ban to go into effect on Sunday, but it’s unclear exactly what will happen next. President-elect Donald Trump, set to take office on Monday, has vowed to “negotiate a resolution” to save the platform. And even outgoing President Joe Biden, who championed and signed the law, has reportedly signaled openness to prevent TikTok from going dark.
The TikTok law, which requires the app’s Chinese-owned parent ByteDance to either sell the app to a U.S. company or face a total ban on January 19, was approved by wide bipartisan majorities in Congress last year and signed by President Biden in April. Proponents have argued that TikTok presents a national security threat because of its connections to the Chinese government and access to millions of Americans.
TikTok and ByteDance sued in May, calling the law “unprecedented” violation of free speech aimed at “silencing” more than 170 million Americans. But in December, a lower federal appeals court rejected those arguments, ruling the law was aimed at protecting Americans from a “foreign adversary nation.”
Friday’s decision upheld that ruling, repeatedly stressing concerns about the Chinese government’s control over TikTok and the information it could pull from it.
“Petitioners do not dispute that the Government has an important and well-grounded interest in preventing China from collecting the personal data of tens of millions of U. S. TikTok users,” the justices wrote. “Nor could they. The platform collects extensive personal information from and about its users.”
Much of the ruling – a so-called “per curiam” decision that was not signed by any particular justice – was spent deciding on the level of “scrutiny” that such a ban should face under the First Amendment. While TikTok’s attorneys argued it was the kind of egregious intrusion into free speech that merits “strict scrutiny” by judges, the high court instead ruled that the law was the kind of less-problematic restriction that warrants only “intermediate scrutiny.”
Under that looser standard, the justices ruled Friday that the TikTok ban passed constitutional muster — deciding that the law served an “important government interest” and didn’t restrict free speech any more than was necessary to accomplish that goal.
The federal government was clearly justified in preventing a foreign adversary from “collecting vast swaths of sensitive data about the 170 million U. S. persons,” the justices wrote. And they said the TikTok ban was sufficiently limited in addressing that specific goal to avoid violating the First Amendment.
“Rather than ban TikTok outright, the Act imposes a conditional ban,” the justices write. “The prohibitions prevent China from gathering data from U. S. TikTok users unless and until a qualified divestiture severs China’s control.”
The government had also separately argued that the TikTok ban was fair game because of the power China could wield by using TikTok’s algorithm to influence Americans. But the justices effectively sidestepped that argument in their decision, saying it was not necessary to decide the case.
Ahead of Friday’s ruling, the music industry was already preparing for such an outcome. As Billboard‘s Elias Leight writes, record labels have been gearing up for the potential of life without TikTok: “Where is new artist discovery happening in 2025 if this app completely disappears?” The live music business has also been preparing to lose the platform, Billboard’s Dave Brooks writes, since festivals and other promoters have increasingly relied upon TikTok in recent years to reach ticket buyers.
Read the Supreme Court’s full decision here.