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With 33 Country Airplay No. 1s to his name, Kenny Chesney could fill an entire concert—and then some—with only chart toppers. But Thursday night (May 22) at the opening night of his Sphere residency in Las Vegas, he dug deep into his nearly 30 year-catalog. Chesney’s reputation as a stellar live performer is well established: […]
Las Vegas may be landlocked, but Kenny Chesney took fans to the beach Thursday night (May 22) in the opening night of his 15-date Sphere run.
The four-time Country Music Association Awards entertainer of the year, the first country artist to play the immersive venue, is one of the most celebrated live performers in any genre and he showed once again why during the two-hour and 15-minute concert. During the fun and breezy 27-song set, many songs celebrated the island lifestyle that embodies the spirit of Chesney’s No Shoes Nation.
According to Billboard Boxscore, Chesney is the only country artist to reach $1 billion in concert grosses reported to Billboard. His passionate No Shoes Nation fanbase has followed him into stadiums, which he has filled for 20 years, so to see him in the 18,000-seat Sphere is a chance to view him relatively close up (despite the crazy steep pitch of the four levels).
Throughout the show, Chesney exhibited a welcome spirit of gratitude for his fans, excitement over his first Las Vegas residency (no starting small for him), and elation at being back on stage, noting this was his first show of 2025. As anyone who’s seen one of his stadium shows knows, Chesney thrives on contact with prosceniums that extend far out into audience. The Sphere doesn’t allow that, so he had to make do with occasionally palm slapping with fans standing in the front section, dubbed The Sandbar, but he still managed to fully connect with the crowd.
Chesney, who was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in March, has logged 33 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, which is more than any other artist since the chart launched in 1990. He landed his first No. 1 in 1997 with “She’s Got It All,” and most recently topped the chart last year with “Take Her Home.” In between have been such hits as “The Good Stuff,” “Living in Fast Forward,” “Don’t Blink,” “American Kids,” “Better as a Memory” and “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem.”
So, it’s no surprise that the show relied heavily on hits (heck, he could have played nothing but his No. 1s and still had the show go longer than two hours), but he also trotted out deeper cuts and lesser performed tunes to create a one-of-a-kind show.
Chesney’s residency lasts through June 21 and tallies 15 dates.
Billboard was at Sphere for opening night, and we’ve rounded up the best moments of the evening.
This Is Not a Dark Ride
Morgan Wallen returns to No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart this week with his sprawling 37-track effort I’m the Problem, marking his second Australian chart-topper following One Thing at a Time, which spent two weeks at No. 1 in 2023. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news […]
Miley Cyrus brought raw vulnerability to Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday (May 22), performing her latest single “More to Lose” in a striking, emotionally-charged moment on the late-night stage.
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Wearing a dark hooded coat and surrounded by a live band and string ensemble, the Grammy winner delivered a stirring rendition of the song beneath dramatic spotlights, echoing the somber, cinematic visuals from the track’s music video released earlier this month.
“On a song like ‘More to Lose,’ I try to keep it a singular take,” Cyrus previously explained in a video shared to Instagram. “I add my harmonies, ad-libs at the end, but it’s really a song that’s more of a story and I never want that to be interrupted or overthought or chasing perfection.”
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“I never wanted More to Lose to feel perfect, I wanted it to sound meaningful and emotional,” she added.
The performance arrives just one week before the release of Something Beautiful, Cyrus’ highly anticipated ninth studio album, due May 30. The record is led by “More to Lose,” April’s “End of the World,” and recent tracks “Prelude” and the album’s title track. It also features collaborations with Naomi Campbell and Brittany Howard.
The pop star is set to debut a visual album companion to Something Beautiful at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 6. Described as “a one-of-a-kind pop opera,” the film is directed by Cyrus with Jacob Bixenman and Brendan Walter.
In a recent interview with Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe, Cyrus reflected on her journey to self-acceptance and sobriety — and how it shaped this new creative era. “The sobriety is like, that’s like my God. I need it, I live for it,” she said. “It’s changed my entire life.” Her 2023 smash “Flowers,” which earned her her first-ever Grammys, served as the breakthrough. “It was some sort of key right into the lock of all healing,” she added.
With Something Beautiful, Cyrus continues that journey — and if “More to Lose” is any indication, she’s not shying away from the parts that hurt.
Rob Thomas is making his return Down Under. The Matchbox Twenty frontman will head to Australia and New Zealand this October and November for a headline solo tour in celebration of his forthcoming album All Night Days and the 20th anniversary of his 2005 debut solo album …Something to Be. Explore Explore See latest videos, […]
Joe Jonas released his long-awaited sophomore solo album, Music For People Who Believe in Love, on Friday (May 23) via Republic Records. Preceded by singles “Work It Out,” “What This Could Be” and “Heart By Heart,” the studio set arrives nearly a decade and a half after the Jonas Brothers heartthrob’s first solo offering with […]
“I said, they NEVER take the country out me!” Beyoncé bellowed in the misty night sky on Thursday (May 22) — repeating a lyric from “Formation” for emphasis, and also presenting the main idea of her sprawling Cowboy Carter tour, which made its way to New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium for the first of a five-night […]
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Detroit rapper Skilla Baby was reportedly hit in a targeted drive-by near 8 Mile, sources tell FOX 2.
Word is, he was in a black SUV that got shot up with bullets before crashing into a building. Skilla was reportedly grazed to the head and back, and caught one in the hand, but he made it to the hospital and is expected to be alright. People close to the situation say this wasn’t random; Skilla was the target and was alert when paramedics got to him.
Skilla had just posted a positive message earlier this week, praying and spreading love to his followers. To see something like this go down right after that message makes it even more heartbreaking.
No suspects have been named yet, and no arrests have been made. As more info drops, fans are standing behind Skilla, praying for a speedy recovery and hoping he stays safe.
More news to come as the story develops.
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Trax Records is releasing a hefty compilation project next month as part of the label’s ongoing 40-year-anniversary celebrations.
Out digitally and on vinyl on June 20, Trax Records: The 40th Anniversary Collection features singles and remixes by house pioneers including Frankie Knuckles, Marshall Jefferson, Ron Carroll, Frankie Bones and Joey Beltram, along with work by the label’s late founder Larry Sherman and its longtime owner/president Rachael Cain, who has long made music under the name Screamin Rachael.
The project was curated by the label’s creative director Jorge Cruz, who’s been with Trax since 2009. Cruz will play as part of a release party for the project happening at Chicago’s Reckless Records on June 20. Beyond Cruz’s set focused on the history of Trax, the event will feature sets by Joe Smooth, Ron Carroll, Screamin’ Rachael and more.
The project will also be available for purchase via limited-edition vinyl drops. On June 20, the first batch of songs of the compilation’s 40 total tracks will be released, with subsequent vinyl releases each containing six to seven tracks to maximize sound quality and happening through January 2026. Vinyl will be available at record stores worldwide.
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The Trax plant opened in Chicago in 1984, with the label business becoming officially incorporated the following year, amid the dawn of house music, with Trax widely recognized as a crucial early hub for evolution and dissemination of the genre. In its early years, the label released key house tracks, including Frankie Knuckles and Jamie Principle’s “Your Love,” Marshall Jefferson’s “The House Music Anthem (Move Your Body)” and many other genre-defining classics by artists like DJ Pierre, Ron Hardy, Mr. Fingers, Phuture, Maurice Joshua and Screamin’ Rachael.
The label also recently announced the release of its first vinyl release in more than a decade, Rising Again, a six-track compilation that’s out now.
Trax Records: The 40th Anniversary Collection track list
Jacques x Gregory feat. Screamin’ Rachael – “I’ll Take You There (Full Journey Mix)”Willie Wonka – “What Is House”Frankie Knuckles – “Your Love”Marshall Jefferson – “Move Your Body”Stylophonic – “Jack It Up”Armando – “Love In Heart”Mark Row, Jame Starck feat. Carol Jiani, “Free Your Mind’Paul Johnson – “Follow This Beat”Screamin’ Rachael – “Rising (Lea Rognoni Remix)”Fuck Charley Pleasure Zone – “House Nation”Yuri Suzuki – “DATA MANIA”D Beat – “Pump It (Lea Rognoni Remix)”Sir Nesis- “Freaks (So Called Friend Remix)”Frankie Bones – “Beat Me Up”Joey Beltram – “The Start It Up”Ricky Dillard – “As Always (Full Vocal Version)”Marshall Jefferson – “Ride The Rhythm (Remix)”Owen E – “Shift”Analog 87 – “rOOmclaSSic”Jorge, Carmelo Carone – “Jack the Acid Kid (Hiroko Yamamura & Eric Elvambuena Remix)”Phuture – “Spank Spank (Original Mix)”Screamin’ Rachael – “Gina (XXX) [Someone from Lithuania with a Friend Named Jorge Remix]”Jared – “Fly So High (Roger Sanchez Tilt Mix)”Hercules – “7 Ways to Jack”Ron Carroll – “1993 the Bargin Enterprize”Luca Gerlin – “Battery (Kkles Mix)”Jesse Velez – “Girls Out On The Floor (Dub)”Camilo Do Santos – “1984”Samurai Sam – “House of Japanese”David Chong – “There Is No Place”Frankie Knuckles – “Your Love (You Got The Love Remix)”Seph Martin – “Rainy Nights”Larry Sherman – “Colors”Miss Autumn Leaves – “No Turning Back”Late Nite ‘DUB’ Addict – “The ‘F’ Word”Carlos Nilmmns feat. Genoveva – “Fade Out (Original Mix)”Ron Hardy – “Liquid Love (Chicago Mix)”Screamin’ Rachael – “Sensation (Zewmob Radio Edit)”Chris Jones – “Strong2 (Dance Mix)”Screamin’ Rachael – “My Main Man”
Jennifer Lopez is set to host the 2025 American Music Awards, which will air live coast-to-coast on Memorial Day, Monday (May 26), and she’ll also open the show with a musical performance.
On Thursday (May 22), Lopez took a break from rehearsals to chat with Billboard about hosting and performing. She had a surprising revelation — “I don’t love being a host, to be quite honest” — but she will no doubt give the hosting gig everything she’s got, which is a signature J.Lo trait.
We discussed her debut performance on the show in 1991, as a backup dancer behind New Kids on the Block, a mid-performance slip in 2009 (ever the trouper, she was back on her feet instantly), and a tribute performance to salsa legend Celia Cruz in 2013 that she regards as one of her favorite performances she’s ever done.
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This year’s show will be held at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. It’s Lopez’s second time hosting the AMAs; she first hosted the show 10 years ago. Other performers on this year’s show include Janet Jackson (who is set to receive the ICON Award), Rod Stewart (who is set to receive a lifetime achievement award), Benson Boone, Blake Shelton, Gloria Estefan, Gwen Stefani, Lainey Wilson and Reneé Rapp.
Here’s our conversation, with just light edits.
The AMAs went on the air when you were 4 and a half. Did you grow up watching the AMAs and the Grammys?
Absolutely.
Did they kind of feed your dreams?
Yes, they did, absolutely. You can’t help but watch those [shows], being an artist or not even knowing you’re an artist yet, and just be pulled in by the performances and the incredible moments that you see, and people kind of being celebrated for what they do. It was just always amazing to see which moments kind of put a mark on your mind when you’re watching TV and those awards shows. And I do think it makes people who are young artists believe that it’s something you can actually accomplish.
Do you remember specific artists who had that effect on you when you were a kid?
I remember watching with my mom. She was a huge Diana Ross fan, and I remember seeing Diana Ross on the AMAs and the Grammys. I remember seeing all the Motown artists. Tina Turner was also a big one for me.
You’re the fourth music star to solo-host the AMAs twice, following Lionel Richie, Diana Ross and Pitbull. I’d say you’re all in good company.
Oh wow. Yeah, that’s good company. That’s a nice group.
I watched all 10 of your previous AMAs performances the other day – nice work if you can get it – and you really commit. You go all out. It’s like one of your songs says, “Go hard or go home.” You go hard.
I do go hard. I enjoy performing and I enjoy kind of pushing myself out of my comfort zone to do different things. I started as a dancer, so my performances are very kind of dance-oriented because that’s who I am at heart. I feel like I am a singer and I am an actress and I love doing those things, but I think I came out of the womb dancing. And my mother was a dancer, so I think I picked that up from her.
I grew up watching variety shows and specials headlined by people like Ann-Margret and Mitzi Gaynor. There aren’t many places anymore for that kind of all-around entertainer. Awards shows are about it. Just about all 10 of your AMAs performances were big production numbers with big production values. They gave you a showcase to show what you can do.
Yeah, that is true. There’s different things as an artist. I do films as an actor and I do my shows and my touring for my music. Trying to kind of bring those things together is never an easy thing and you don’t get to do that, but I think when you’re hosting an awards show, you get to sing a little bit and dance a little bit and people get to feel your personality and your energy.
I don’t love being a host, to be quite honest. I think that’s why it’s taken me 10 years to do it again. I do get – believe it or not – shy and nervous, but I do remember having a great time doing it back then [in 2015]. I felt like it was a good time to give it another try.
What do you remember about the 1991 show when you were a dancer behind New Kids?
Oh my God, I remember that was such an exciting moment for me. I had been hired as a dancer. This is before I was acting and singing and doing my own music. I was hired to be a backup dancer for New Kids. Just the idea of being part of that was such a big deal. I was right in the middle, in the center, and it was exhilarating, to be quite honest. It was amazing. I couldn’t believe it and being around all the other artists and seeing some of the stars that I liked. It was so much fun.
You were just 21, and that was back when awards shows reached a massive audience.
Yeah, everyone in my neighborhood saw it. They couldn’t believe it was me. It was so much fun. It was a great moment.
In 2009, performing “Louboutins,” you did a dismount and fell on your backside, but what impressed me watching it was how quickly you were back on your feet. It was a split second. Do you remember that?
Of course I do. I just slipped and fell down for a second, but yeah, I got right back up. And it wasn’t as big a deal as everybody made it, but yes, I was a little bit hurt for a couple of days. That whole day I didn’t feel it because I had so much adrenaline, and the performance went so well.
In 2013, you did a tribute to Celia Cruz, in which you performed “Químbara,” “Carnaval” and “Bemba Colorá.” Did you know her?
I did not know her very closely, but I had met her. I was always such a huge fan of hers. Like the minute they asked me to do the Celia Cruz tribute, I knew exactly what songs I wanted to do. I knew exactly the type of number that I wanted to do. It was an amazing moment. I felt kind of her energy flowing through me. That’s probably one of my favorite performances of all time that I’ve done.
The American Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.
