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A second round of Spotify price increases have come to France, the world’s sixth-largest recorded music market. Starting Monday (June 2), Spotify individual subscriptions rose 9.2% to 12.14 euros ($13.81) from 11.12 euros ($12.65), a company spokesperson confirmed to Billboard. Additionally, family plans rose to 21.24 euros ($24.15), two-person “duo” plans increased to 17.20 euros […]
The Game wasn’t happy with Complex‘s list of the top 50 L.A. rappers of all time, so he made his own list and posted it on Instagram with a lengthy caption attached.
“A few days ago @complexmusic dropped a list of the Top 50 LA rappers,” the Compton rapper began. “I don’t know who gave final approval but I get it… ‘playas f— up too!!!’ I was born and raised in this city and I’ve never moved from it, left it for more then two months or abandoned it to call anywhere else home. I’ve lost brothers, family, friends, and damn near my own life to the lifestyle that so many people around the world try to imitate.”
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He added: “I say that to say, I AM LA… I’ve mastered the art of surviving in this city that has claimed so many & believe when I say.. I’ve been in the trenches since my birth.”
On the Complex list, The Game falls just outside the top 10 at No. 11.
He went on to mention his own standing within L.A. rap history and seemed confident in his picks. “Forty-five years the music created here has been the soundtrack to my life,” he wrote. “And here I stand today as one of thee koldest rappers in the history of the city, state and coast I’ve given my blood sweat and tears to. Everybody on this list know what it is with me out here and those not on the list understand that the names above from top to bottom best represent this city and its culture.”
He then continued about including certain rappers who weren’t born in L.A. but have claimed and repped the city as their own, like 2Pac, who was born in New York City but raised in Baltimore and the Bay Area before becoming closely affiliated with Los Angeles during a good portion of his rap career.
“The few rappers on the list that weren’t specifically born here are on the list because of their dedication and choice to ride with the city once they got here,” he said in regards to Complex deciding to leave ‘Pac off of their list. “It’s non debatable!!! Argue all you want to but this is how I feel… if I’m wrong, challenge my pen and let me remind you of what and who I am. At the end of the day, this my list punk!!!! I was born here and I will die here…. Sincerely, the Coast Guard.”
The Game’s list is twice as long as Complex‘s, and his top 50 is somewhat similar aside from the order, but the main difference is that he decided to include rappers like 2Pac and The D.O.C. (from Texas) for their contributions to LA rap history even though they weren’t born there.
2Pac, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Kendrick Lamar and himself round out The Game’s top five.
You can check out his list below:
THE BIG STORY: Is the music industry’s billion-dollar legal battle over artificial intelligence suddenly going to be over before it starts? I wouldn’t count on it just yet.
News broke this weekend that Universal Music, Warner Music and Sony Music were each in talks to license their songs to Suno and Udio for use in training AI models to spit out new songs – less than a year after the music companies filed blockbuster copyright cases accusing the AI startups of stealing music on an “unimaginable scale.”
Both sides have framed those cases as an existential fight over the future of music. The labels says Suno and Udio are “trampling” the rights of real musicians in an effort to replace them; the startups argue back that the music giants are abusing intellectual property to crush a new technology that threatens their market share.
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Is an actual deal imminent? I’d lean toward no. Low-boil settlement talks are a common and continuous feature of almost any litigation, and it’s unclear exactly how far they’ve gotten here. The labels have long said they’re open to listening, but striking a final deal – rather than just discussing one in broad strokes – will require solving a long list of incredibly complex problems, as my colleague Kristin Robinson writes.
The choice confronting the music giants in these talks – to strike a deal or fight it out in court – is one facing all creative industries amid the rise of artificial intelligence. If you sell your content to AI firms, you earn short term profits…by empowering a technology that might destroy you in the long run. If you fight it out, you risk being left behind amid a technological revolution, all for what could be a losing cause.
For the music business, history makes that an especially grueling choice. Nobody wants a replay of the 2000s, when labels chose to fight an ascendant new technology in court rather than harness and exploit its potential for profit. Only when the majors opted to partner with streamers like Spotify – in equity stake deals eerily similar to those being discussed with Suno and Udio – did the industry begin the long climb to recovery.
But digital music merely represented a new distribution system, and one where the tech partners would ultimately always need to pay real musicians for their output. If the labels end these lawsuits by handing over their catalogs for AI training now, those new partners might one day no longer need them at all.
You’re reading The Legal Beat, a weekly newsletter about music law from Billboard Pro, offering you a one-stop cheat sheet of big new cases, important rulings and all the fun stuff in between. To get the newsletter in your inbox every Tuesday, go subscribe here.
Other top stories this week…
LIZZO’S APPEAL – Lizzo’s lawyers launched an appeal aimed at ending a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by her former backup dancers, calling it an “attack” on her “First Amendment right to perform her music and advocate for body positivity.” Lizzo’s attorneys say her behavior toward the dancers was clearly part of her artistic approach — and thus shielded by constitutional protections for free speech.
SHADY FACEBOOK MUSIC? – Eight Mile Style, a company that owns much of Eminem’s catalog, filed a copyright lawsuit against Meta over accusations that Facebook and Instagram made “Lose Yourself” and other iconic tracks available to billions of users without permission. The case claimed that the social media giant added Eminem’s songs to its music library without the necessary licenses, violating copyright law on a “massive” scale in the pursuit of “obscene monetary benefit.”
OFFENSE AS DEFENSE – Smokey Robinson filed a countersuit against four longtime housekeepers who recently accused him of rape, claiming the allegations were part of an “extortionate scheme” by the women and their attorneys. The Motown legend accused the women and their lawyers of defamation, invasion of privacy, civil conspiracy and even elder abuse over the “fabricated” allegations.
YOUNGBOY PARDONED – President Donald Trump granted a pardon to YoungBoy Never Broke Again, who was released from prison in April after pleading guilty last year to a single count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon. The rapper, who has faced legal trouble for years, thanked the president on social media: “This moment means a lot. It opens the door to a future I’ve worked hard for and I am fully prepared to step into this.”
TRAFFIC DEATH – Ex-Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Josh Klinghoffer reached a plea deal with prosecutors to avoid prison time after striking and killing 47-year-old Israel Sanchez with his car in Los Angeles last year. Under the terms of the deal, the rocker pleaded no contest to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter without gross negligence and was sentenced to one year of informal probation and 60 days of community labor.
SPOUSAL SUPPORT – Offset updated his divorce filings to demand that his estranged wife Cardi B pay him spousal support after their split is finalized. In an amended version of his answer to Cardi’s divorce petition, the Migos star added a request for an unspecified amount of alimony, but remains unchanged otherwise. The pair of superstars are one year into an increasingly acrimonious divorce case following six years of marriage.
BILLION WITH A B – The Justice Department urged the U.S. Supreme Court to tackle a billion-dollar lawsuit over music piracy filed by the major labels against Cox Communications, warning that a “sweeping” ruling could force internet providers to cut off service to many Americans. The case, in which the labels won a $1 billion verdict in 2019, saw a lower court hold Cox itself liable for widespread illegal downloading by its users.
FIVIO PLEA DEAL – Brooklyn rapper Fivio Foreign took a plea deal to end a criminal case stemming from allegations he pulled a gun on a New Jersey woman after she asked him to jump her car while pulled over. Under the terms of the deal, Fivio admitted to one count of third-degree terroristic threats in return for prosecutors dropping four other charges, including unlawful possession of a weapon and aggravated assault.
Foo Fighters, Chappell Roan and Linkin Park will headline the 15th edition of the Corona Capital festival, which will also mark the highly anticipated return of Deftones to Mexican stages after nearly a decade, promoter OCESA announced on Tuesday (June 3).
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The exciting lineup for the annual rock festival — scheduled to take place from Nov. 14 to Nov. 16 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City — also includes Queens of the Stone Age, Franz Ferdinand, Garbage, Vampire Weekend, Alabama Shakes and Weezer.
“Corona Capital is not just a festival — it’s a bridge between cultures, emotions, and generations,” Memo Parra, director of international events at OCESA, tells Billboard Español. “Since 2010, it has evolved into one of the most important festivals in the world, attracting thousands of fans from every corner of the globe to Mexico.”
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Parra emphasized that, with an attendance of 255,000 people per edition and a team of over 5,000 making it possible, Corona Capital is “living proof of the power of music to bring us together.”
Close to 70 artists and bands make up the 2025 lineup, including Aurora, Damiano David, James, Of Monsters and Men, AFI, Jerry Cantrell, Jehnny Beth, TV On The Radio, 4 Non Blondes, Circa Waves, Mogwai, Shermanology, Jordan Rakei, Kadavar and The Struts, among others.
But the participation of Deftones will undoubtedly be one of the standout moments. The last time the Sacramento, California-based rock band performed in Mexico City was in 2014. In an interview with Billboard Español published in February, vocalist Chino Moreno said that they were in talks for what could be their big return to the country.
Another highly anticipated act is Queens of the Stone Age, who had to cancel its 2024 shows — including one at the Corona Capital festival — due to health issues affecting singer and guitarist Josh Homme.
“What truly sets Corona Capital apart is its musical curation: a carefully crafted selection that has made music the backbone of the festival,” Parra adds, highlighting that people come not only to see their favorite artists, but also to “discover new sounds and be surprised.”
Corona Capital will take place in the context of the centennial celebration of the beer Corona, the festival’s sponsor. Leading up to the event in November, celebrations will be held in several cities across the country under the name Corona Capital Sessions.
The presale for Banamex cardholders will take place on Friday (June 6), with the general sale beginning the following day.
In its 15 years of existence, Corona Capital has solidified itself as the most important international music festival in Mexico, and one of the few in Latin America featuring major English-speaking bands. In the past, it has hosted renowned acts such as Paul McCartney, Jack White, The Cure, Muse, Blur, Nine Inch Nails, Portishead, Interpol, Billie Eilish, Pixies and Richard Ashcroft.
“More than 500 international artists have taken the stage, performing for a curious, open-minded, and passionate crowd that has helped us build a space where inclusion, social impact, and Mexican cultural traditions are celebrated and shared with the world,” Parra says.
Check out the lineup for Corona Capital 2025 below:
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Taylor Swift often serves fans a masterclass in style. Over the years, the “Blank Space” singer has turned some memorable looks, giving fans ample outfit inspo.
Recent data gathered by Kaiia pointed to Swift as the celebrity with the most-copied style on TikTok. Boasting 32.5 million followers on the app, Swift has amassed over 22,410 hashtags dedicated to her fashion game alone. Other celebs following suit with the most fashion-related hashtags include Kendall Jenner, Sofia Richie, Ariana Grande, Kylie Jenner and Rihanna.
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For those looking to dress like Swift, we’ve compiled a few pieces that might fit the bill, including Swift-inspired boots, corset tops, slacks and dresses from top brands like Vince Camuto, Reformation, Amazon, Zara and Aritzia and more.
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Floerns Women’s Square Neck Sleeveless Corset Denim Top
$26.41
$27.99
6% off
A structured denim corset top.
This denim corset top from Amazon is almost a perfect match to the corsetted tops Swift has worn in the past. The Floerns piece features a unique square neckline accompanied by a cropped asymmetrical hem and a zip-up closure on the back. This corset is made of a comfortable stretchy fabric with boning that offers the garment structure.
Vince Camuto Leila Boots
$95.53
$239
60% off
Burgundy knee-high leather boots with block heels.
From knee-high to thigh-high, Swift has worn burgundy booties often, hailing from brands like Giuseppe Zanotti and & Other Stories. These Vince Camuto Leila silhouettes are extremely similar to those aforementioned styles, retailing for $95.53 at Zappos. These sleek boots also feature a zippered interior closure and elasticized goring that improves fit and comfort.
Urban Outfitters Glamorous Brown Plaid Tie-Front Mini Dress
$19.95
$95.00
79% off
A brown and blue plaid dress with ties on the front.
The Glamorous Brown Plaid Tie-Front mini dress — along with coming right out of Swift’s Folklore era — is playful, capitalizing on the bow trend that absolutely swept the fashion landscape in 2024. Bow accents fastened to the front offer textural interest, while the blue and brown plaid print and puffy sleeves set the dress apart from anything similar on the market now. This print, paired with the flirty, cottagecore silhouette, is extremely unique. Plus the $19.95 price tag is hard to beat.
Reformation James Relaxed Blazer in Brown Herringbone
A grayish brown herringbone blazer in an oversized style.
Blazers are a staple for most, but nobody wears them quite as well as Swift does. We think the singer would adore Reformation’s James Relaxed Blazer in “Brown Herringbone,” given its striking similarity to silhouettes she’s worn in the past. This neutral moment matches the “Love Story” singer’s off-duty fashions.
Lululemon High-Rise Pleated Tennis Skirt
A white high-waisted pleated tennis skirt.
Lululemon’s High-Rise Pleated Tennis Skirt is totally Swift-approved — the silhouette is comparable to styles she’s worn in the past that mix sporty and dressy elements. Retailing for $68.00, this skirt is high-waisted for a flattering fit, accompanied by textural pleating throughout that creates movement and dimension. The monochrome white colorway is ideal for styling, given how versatile the hue is. If the colorway isn’t your thing, Lululemon’s High-Rise Pleated Tennis Skirt also comes in True Navy.
Zara Basic Crewneck Sweatshirt
A unisex deep blue oversized crewneck.
The Zara basic is made of a blend of ultra-plush cotton and polyester that makes you feel like you’re being blanketed in an inviting warmth. Whether you’re dressing this down with sweats or wearing it more formal with tailored slacks, the styling possibilities for this piece are endless.
Aritzia The Effortless Pant in Nomad Taupe
Taupe wide-leg pants with pleated accents.
Great for work or a night out, Aritzia’s The Effortless Pant trousers are totally up Swift’s alley. It comes in a neutral taupe colorway, constructed in a tailored but relaxed fashion that gives the wearer room to explore a variety of styling options both casual and formal. These pants are a go-with-anything kind of style you’ll want to have in your closet.
Zara Oversized Poplin Shirt
An oversized poplin button-down shirt in blue and white.
The blue and white striping of this Zara button-down is visually appealing, leaning much more playful than a simple white tee. Long batwing sleeves create dimension and playfulness, giving way to your standard front patch pocket and button closures. Slouchy fits like these are effortlessly chic, especially when worn with jeans and sneakers or equally breezy shorts. Swift has worn button-downs like these for years.
Abercrombie & Fitch Stretch Sequin Micro Short
Black sequin micro shorts.
Looking back on some of Swift’s most iconic stage looks, we’ve picked these sparkly micro shorts from Abercrombie & Fitch. The itty bitty pair is made of black stretch fabric that molds flatteringly to the body. This style is quintessential party material: eye-catching, form-fitted and cheeky. Swift has worn styles like these with oversized hoodies or vibrant flannels, especially during her Reputation era.
Latasa Women’s Red Platform Chunky Mary Janes Pumps
Patent red leather Mary Jane pumps with block heels.
Latasa’s Women’s Red Platform Chunky Mary Janes Pumps gives us flashbacks to Swift’s Red era. These days, the singer has adopted Mary Janes into her modern wardrobe, opting for platform styles that update the otherwise retro silhouette. This pair ticks all the right boxes for Swift’s modern-day footwear formula, with platform soles for height, along with block heels standing at 3.5 inches. The red hue is a nice touch, something we can see Swift, and her fans, wearing time and time again.
Last year, Post Malone released his debut country-inspired project, F-1 Trillion, writing and recording the album in Nashville, and earning hits through country collabs with artists including Morgan Wallen (“I Had Some Help”) and Blake Shelton (“Pour Me a Drink”).
Now, he’s doubling down on his love for Music City, with the upcoming opening of a new entertainment venue in Nashville. Nashville locals and those in town for this week’s CMA Fest spotted signage at a building located 305 Broadway (and the former home of venues WannaB’s Karaoke and Tequila Cowboy) that read “Something BIG Is Coming!,” “We’ll Keep Ya POSTED!” and “Summer 2025.” A name and opening date for the venue has yet to be announced.
Now, TC Restaurant Group — known for its work on on star bars including Morgan Wallen’s This Bar & Tennessee Kitchen, Jason Aldean’s Kitchen + Rooftop Bar, Miranda Lambert’s Casa Rosa and Lainey Wilson’s Bell Bottoms Up — revealed it has entered a partnership with Post Malone for the new venue, which is set to feature three stages, six bars and a dining room.
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“We’ve created a space where everyone can come together and kick some a—,” Post Malone said in a statement. “Nashville has really become a second home for me so I can’t wait to invite y’all over to my house.”
Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion reached No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200, while the singer has played country festivals including Stagecoach and Morgan Wallen’s Sand in My Boots over the past 18 months. He’s currently on his Big A— Stadium Tour, featuring Jelly Roll and Sierra Ferrell.
Adam Hesler, the president and CEO of TC Restaurant Group, added in a statement that Malone’s forthcoming venue “embodies his spirit and brings a new experience to Nashville’s Entertainment District,” while praising the singer’s “talent and ability to transcend multiple genres.”
Beyond the new venue, Posty is also hard at work on another country-infused album, previously telling Billboard he’s been in Nashville writing songs. “[I’ve] made probably 35 songs,” he said at the time. “It’s just a matter of which ones rock, and which ones sock.”
It’s all been out of the ordinary for Alex Warren since his breakthrough hit started climbing the Billboard Hot 100 in February. Since then, the influencer-turned-singer-songwriter has conquered streaming and sales and gotten closer and closer on radio — to the point that now, he has the No. 1 song in the country.
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“Ordinary” rises to the Hot 100’s apex this week (chart dated June 7), in its 16th frame on the listing — replacing Morgan Wallen’s Tate McRae-featuring “What I Want,” and making Warren the second artist in 2025 to top the Hot 100 for the first time, after McRae. At the same time, he debuts at No. 32 with “Bloodline,” a teamup with country star Jelly Roll.
How did “Ordinary” end up going all the way? And will be “Bloodline” be following it to the chart’s top tier? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.
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1. “Ordinary” reaches the Hot 100’s apex in its 16th week on the chart. Are you surprised it was able to get all the way to the top spot, or did you see this coming for It once it started climbing?
Katie Atkinson: Once it started climbing, No. 1 seemed very possible — having seen some similar trajectories for other big-voiced male ballads in the last year-plus — but while “Lose Control” and “Too Sweet” hit the summit in 2024, “Beautiful Things” never made it, so “Ordinary” wasn’t a lock. And then when it overcame the 13-week run of Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther” last week only to be kept out of No. 1 by a deluge of new Morgan Wallen songs, it felt like there was a world where it might not happen. So this has to feel extraordinary for Warren that his breakthrough hit muscled through.
Kyle Denis: Once “Ordinary” started climbing, I did think it would reach the top spot, given how stagnant the Hot 100 is right now and the lack of new 2025 releases cementing themselves as bonafide hits. Nonetheless, I’m still a bit surprised that it hit No. 1 because I don’t rate it as one of the more interesting pop songs we’ve gotten this year.
Lyndsey Havens: Shocked! But just momentarily — as I was quickly reminded that this song has been everywhere. I think this song has enjoyed a nice and steady climb, and as the song of summer conversation is just kicking off, it’s possible “Ordinary” snuck in just in time before a new hit, or longer-loved contender, knocks it from the top.
Jason Lisphutz: I’m somewhere in the middle: when “Ordinary” first reached the top 10, I was a little dubious of its longterm prospects, but for about six weeks or so I was convinced that it would eventually take over the top spot. With a pretty staggering global listenership, unflagging U.S. streams and increasing radio buy-in, “Ordinary” has been a multi-platform smash for a while now, and its rise to No. 1 is no chart fluke.
Andrew Unterberger: If you had told me four months ago, I would’ve been pretty surprised — but this is the kind of hit song that, as soon as it reaches a certain escape velocity, feels almost guaranteed to make it all the way to the moon. So once it jumped into the top 40 on the Hot 100 and started to catch on radio, a No. 1 peak felt practically pre-determined.
2. What do you think is the biggest reason why “Ordinary” was able to really break containment and become one of the year’s biggest hits?
Katie Atkinson: While his first-ever awards show performance at last week’s AMAs was perfectly timed with the song’s ascent, I’m going to nod to radio for this one. If you turn on the radio across pop, adult pop and AC right now, you will hear “Ordinary” within the hour. Maybe within a half-hour, really. This song has felt as inescapable as songs come these days, so with its 15% bump across radio last week (plus no major new album releases), that was the final push it needed.
Kyle Denis: “Ordinary” largely operates in the same vocal and guitar-driven pop-rock space that’s housed recent Hot 100 chart-toppers like Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” and Hozier’s “Too Sweet.” With Myles Smith (“Stargazing”), Benson Boone (“Beautiful Things”) and Shaboozey (“Good News”) all earning hits with different takes on the sound, consumers clearly haven’t gotten tired of it yet. Of course, it also helps that TikTok has latched onto the song, with the official “Ordinary” sound playing in over 573,000 posts on the platform.
Lyndsey Havens: Omnipresence. I turn on the TV and “Ordinary” has a major synch. I turn on the radio and “Ordinary” is playing — and if I change the station, it will be on at least one other at the same time. I walk into a store and “Ordinary” is blasting. The song is connecting across every medium, yet Warren and his team aren’t only banking on this one hit: At the same time that he’s enjoying breakout success — with the song topping both the Hot 100 and Billboard Global 200 — the artist also teamed up with Jelly Roll for their collab, “Bloodline,” which is already trailing behind “Ordinary” on the Hot 100.
Jason Lipshutz: A little over a year after Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” and Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” became inescapable hits — and pretty much remain so today — a market still exists for brash, soulful sing-alongs from full-throated male pop vocalists. Alex Warren likely would have found success with a song as rousing and crowd-pleasing as “Ordinary” regardless of pop trends, but the song certainly hit streaming services at the exact right moment to reach its commercial ceiling.
Andrew Unterberger: America loves us some big-voiced singers and acoustic guitars at the moment! But also, with everything from pop 10 years ago seemingly huge again, a song that splits the difference between Hozier and wedding-ballad Ed Sheeran was probably always going to hit extra hard.
3. At the same time “Ordinary” snags the top spot, Warren’s new Jelly Roll collab “Bloodline” debuts at No. 32 on the Hot 100. Do you think it will grow into another big hit for Warren, or will its momentum get curtailed by how big “Ordinary” still is?
Katie Atkinson: I would not be surprised at all if “Bloodline” — with a jangly sea-shanty melody that is undeniable catnip for AC radio and two newly minted hitmakers at its helm — also climbs to the Hot 100 top 10 over time. That would give Jelly Roll his first hit in the region, which is really the one thing missing from the country star’s meteoric rise to pop culture ubiquity. The virality of both “Ordinary” and Jelly Roll himself could combine for an obvious smash.
Kyle Denis: I think listeners will probably remain focused on “Ordinary” since it’s still relatively fresh, but, as they say, a rising tide lifts all boats!
Lyndsey Havens: I think because you have Jelly Roll on the song, and because the country star is currently on a massive tour with Post Malone, that “Bloodline” could grow into a nice follow-up hit for Warren. But does he need it? No way. If “Bloodline” climbs higher or if it gets curtailed by “Ordinary,” it’s a win for Warren either way.
Jason Lipshutz: Releasing a follow-up single with Jelly Roll was a smart move by Warren, who can now promote both a pop and country track to different audiences without deflating either of their performances. “Bloodline” will likely not become nearly as big as “Ordinary,” but it doesn’t need to — as long as it can expand his listenership and keep his momentum up beyond just one song, the follow-up should be viewed as a success.
Andrew Unterberger: I don’t see it reaching the top 10 — maybe not even the top 20 — but I could see it hanging around the Hot 100 for 30 weeks or so and establishing Warren as officially Not a One-Hit Wonder. Which is all he really needs to do.
4. We’ve seen a trend lately of songs that make it to the chart’s top tier – particularly if they had a long journey of climbing that high – lasting in or around the top 10 for a year or longer. Do you see “Ordinary” becoming one of those songs?
Katie Atkinson: Absolutely. Like “Lose Control” before it, this song will not be vacating its spot for months. It just fits too comfortably and too unassumingly in too many spaces to go anywhere anytime soon.
Kyle Denis: Unfortunately, yes. This is the kind of song destined for extended stays on a litany of radio formats, which will help it stick around on the Hot 100 even once it’s reached its sales and streaming peaks.
Lyndsey Havens: Totally. And that’s because of its omnipresence — and the reasons why it’s everywhere. “Ordinary” is the perfect type of hit that’s equal parts catchy, soaring and safe. It sounds just as great soundtracking a Golden Buzzer moment on America’s Got Talent as it does playing from a car radio with the windows rolled down. Its breezy balladry and luck-to-be-in-love lyrics share roots with a song like Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” — and we all know how well that’s worked out.
Jason Lipshutz: Definitely. Every piece of empirical and anecdotal evidence suggests that “Ordinary” is not slowing down whatsoever, despite already being on the Hot 100 for months on end. While I could see Warren being supplanted at No. 1 on the chart in the near future, “Ordinary” is acting like the type of song that will still be in the top 10 when the weather starts to turn cold — and possibly for much longer after that.
Andrew Unterberger: Teddy Swims is already looking over his shoulder tbh.
5. Who’s another past or present influencer who you could see scoring a No. 1 hit?
Katie Atkinson: I wouldn’t bet against Addison Rae. Her first album arrives Friday, and while lead single “Diet Pepsi” topped out at No. 54 on the Hot 100, it was a top 10 hit on Pop Airplay, peaking at No. 9 in February. And starting her career making dance videos on TikTok sets her up perfectly for a hypervisual pop career. Plus, only our finest pop stars hail from Louisiana, and Addison was born and raised less than two hours from Britney Spears’ hometown.
Kyle Denis: Addison Rae.
Lyndsey Havens: I’m always rooting for jxdn. But, given the current week, let’s go Addison.
Jason Lipshutz: Does Addison Rae count? Every pop single she’s released to date has been good-to-excellent, and my expectations for her imminent debut album are sky-high. A world in which “Headphones On” grows into a late-breaking No. 1 hit is one I want to inhabit.
Andrew Unterberger: Addison Rae feels like the logical call — but I’ll swerve and say Mr. Beast. No I don’t know of any musical ambitions harbored by the man, but it feels near-certain to me that he’ll be involved with leading an influencer all-star charity single at some point. Would you bet the under on that chart debut? I certainly wouldn’t.
The Roots Picnic concluded on Sunday, June 1, and social media was inundated with live accounts from attendees on the ground, who pointed out several issues that dampened the spirit of the large gathering. Hip-Hop Wired was at this year’s Roots Picnic, and we too experienced some of those well-reported issues, but we can say that the second half was an improvement.
The Roots Picnic was held at The Mann Center in Fairmount Park, kicking off on Saturday, March 31. Upon approaching the venue at around 1:30 PM local time, the gate attendants appeared to have issues controlling the crowd. We spoke with some patrons who said they had been standing for more than an hour without receiving any updates from the staff working the lines.
One man, who would only give his first name, T.C., said that he was in line for more than two hours and was visibly upset at the lack of communication from the festival organizers. Another visitor, who did not want to give their name, did state that they drove four hours from Virginia Beach to attend and were told at several times that the lines would move, but that they remained in the line for well over two hours.
Along with the staggered entry times for the general admission, GA+, and VIP tiers, the parking attendants for The Mann didn’t communicate instructions well, very few staff members knew where certain entry points were, and even the police officers on the scene appeared overwhelmed. The parking, while free and plentiful, involved having to park in muddy fields with pools of water, so deep that a few cars were stuck and had to be towed.
After an unceremonious entry through the media gate, we managed to find our way to the makeshift media center atop a large hill, a nightmare for anyone with mobility issues. The media center lounge was an open-air facility that was thankfully covered from most of the wetter elements but not sounds from a nearby covered amphitheater, rendering interviews an almost moot point.
Hip-Hop Wired managed to snag an interview with rising young star Laila! a day ahead of her scheduled set at the aforementioned media tent. However, unlike the covered VIP and artist lounge, the media tent had no WiFi, no windows to keep background voices out, and didn’t shield us properly from the rainy winds. Laiali! was gracious despite the experience and shared with us that this was only her first festival after rocking Tyler, The Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw Festival last year.
Laila!, who is the daughter of rapper Yasiin Bey, doesn’t dabble in the sample-based, jazz-inflected worlds of her father. Instead, she’s very much a young woman who is a product of her generation. Her breakout hit, “Not My Problem,” exploded on social media and led to her strong debut album, Gap Year!
“A lot of people don’t know this, but I do all my own beats in my bedroom, everything is all me,” Laila! said with confidence. She added, “I learned out of necessity instead of waiting on someone else to work with, and I know what I sound the best over.”
Laila! said she’s ready to produce for others, such as Tyler, The Creator, and cited Brandy as an inspiration.
“Brandy’s voice, her lyrics, just everything about her is so great,” Laila! explained. “She’s one of my favorites.”
Hip-Hop Wired also spoke with the organizers of the Dear Summer Festival, a multi-city experience that encompasses music, culture, community, and the power of gathering. Founded in 2011 by Virginia State University and Delaware State University alums, Dear Summer started as a barbecue party in Harlem, and has since expanded into a touring operation with upcoming stops in New York, where it all began, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and Houston.
Co-founder Shareef Moore shared the larger vision of Dear Summer and what the grouping of minds behind the event hopes to achieve.
“We started this venture in the spirit of backyard barbecues, house parties, and a celebration of culture,” Moore said. “From 2011 to now, we’ve seen the power of our events and how people walk away from the experience and make new connections in their communities, which is truly at the heart of Dear Summer.”
Fellow co-founder Andrew Robatham added, “We’re all HBCU grads, and that is front and center of what makes Dear Summer work. We’re taking it back and expanding the party and gathering concept into something people can feel a part of and remain proud of. We’re trying to create lasting memories, and we can’t thank the Roots Picnic for letting us rock.”
We incorrectly framed Dear Summer as a day party during our chat, which Moore stressed limits the scope of what the festival is and what they hope it expands to as the years roll on.
“Calling it a day party doesn’t capture what Dear Summer is, and we’re not comfortable being pigeonholed. The gathering, the festival, starts in the day, but rolls well into the night. It’s a full experience, not just a party,” Moore concluded.
Credit should be given to some of the brand activations, including McDonald’s, SKYN, Bailey’s, Progressive, Patron, and Toyota, among others. However, fans complained of long lines to obtain free swag and food, and crowd control, along with supply, was found to be lacking.
Delays in the set times, both Saturday and Sunday, allowed sounds to bleed into the other across the three major stages and an activation station. That said, we took in GloRilla’s crowd-pleasing set. Jeezy brought the Snowman vibes to the stage, and strong sets from Tems, Kur, and headliners Maxwell and Latto.
On Sunday, the weather cooperated, but the grounds and security within were still out of order. Delays in set times moved everything an hour later, which led to us missing some performances. We did get to see the always stellar J. Period Live Mixtape segment with Black Thought, who was joined by The Clipse, a surprise for many, and 2 Chainz, all of whom delivered.
Go-Go legends Backyard Band rocked the Mann Stage, which was packed to capacity, and were joined by CeeLo Green, who was in and out. Surprisingly, the Philadelphia crowd was quite familiar with the band’s well-rehearsed Go-Go routines. The Roots took the stage next and celebrated 30 years of their second album and major label debut, Do You Want More ?!!!??!. Black Thought, pulling double duty for the day, was in top form and joined by Rahzel, poet Ursula Rucker, and Dice Raw during the set.
Lenny Kravitz brought his familiar soulful rock vibes to the Fairmount Park Stage, which was followed by Funk Flex, and the festival was closed out by hometown hero, Meek Mill.
In all, the lack of organization, delays, and accommodations for media professionals to perform their work was not ideal. Further, the lack of communication and assistance from organizers was also troubling. Hopefully, 2026 improves on the several mistakes made this past weekend.
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Photo: Getty
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Italian techno producer Deborah de Luca is off the HARD Summer 2025 lineup poster amid a public dispute regarding the font size of her name on the bill.
Late last week, HARD Summer posted a revamped version of the 2025 lineup poster that does not feature de Luca’s name, as the original poster did. In the comments section of the post, when a fan asked where de Luca’s name was, the festival wrote that the producer “informed us she will no longer be playing the festival.” But the Italian techno producer responded to their comment, saying, “That’s not right! You put my name smaller than others. I asked you to change it and you didn’t want to do it. Now you changed it by deleting my name.”
She then made another comment saying that “I’m very sorry, guys! But they put my name smaller than others, it was not dignified for my career. I asked to change it and they told me no. It was not my choice. I’m very sad, but I’m sure it will be a crazy festival and you will have a lot of fun.”
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The spot where de Luca’s name was on the original poster now features electronic foursome Ladies of Leisure. Sean Paul has also fallen off the poster, with the position where his name was in the original poster now occupied by Busta Rhymes. Other lineup additions include Barry Can’t Swim, Fcukers and DJ Gigola, whose names were all blurred out on the original poster for the festival, which happens August 2-3 at Hollywood Park at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. The comments section on the revamped poster is a mixed bag of feedback, with many fans lamenting on de Luca’s absence and others being less generous. Representatives for de Luca and HARD Summer did not immediately respond to Billboard‘s request for comment.
As previously reported by Billboard, while such font sizes may seem inconsequential, they are often the subject of intense negotiations between artists, managers and agents and event producers. As such, situations like this one between HARD and de Luca are not unheard of.
Speaking to Billboard in 2015, Governor’s Ball co-founder Jordan Wolowit told Billboard that he once “had a very legitimate act formally pull off the festival the day before our announce, because they hated their billing. My initial reaction was to tell them to piss off — respectfully — but, luckily, good judgment kicked in and I acquiesced to their wishes — which was to be moved three spots up from where they were. It was kind of hilarious, actually. From then on, I have had a line in my offers that clearly states billing is solely at my discretion.”
When Taylor Swift posted a photo of herself leaning back and smiling, her first six studio albums scattered in front of her, on Friday (May 30), the party was on.
Swift’s announcement that she had successfully purchased the master recordings of her first six albums, for an undisclosed sum from investment firm Shamrock Capital, was met with jubilation by her millions of fans. Swift finally had full control of her intellectual property, in a byzantine music industry where such ownership was incredibly difficult to come by, even for the biggest superstars. The importance of such artistic freedom was not lost on Swift, who rightfully treated the occasion as a hard-fought celebration in a letter to fans on Friday. “To say this is my greatest dream come true is actually being pretty reserved about it,” she wrote.
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As even casual pop culture observers likely know by now, Swift spent over a half-decade re-recording her back catalog to combat this previous lack of creative ownership, with Taylor’s Version albums of 2008’s Fearless, 2012’s Red, 2010’s Speak Now and 2014’s 1989 offering faithful re-creations under her domain. Not only did these re-recorded albums prove wildly successful – as fans rallied around the vision and motivation of their favorite artist, and helped 1989 (Taylor’s Version) score an even bigger debut than the original album – they also inspired real industry change, from other artists exploring ways to re-record their own material to label groups reworking standard contracts to prevent them from doing so.
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Still, the news that Swift had bought back her masters was met with some consternation about the future of the Taylor’s Version albums: Swift wrote that her 2006 self-titled debut was fully re-recorded, while Reputation (Taylor’s Version) was not. “Full transparency: I haven’t even re-recorded a quarter of it,” she wrote of her 2017 full-length.
So will the long-sought-after Reputation (Taylor’s Version) ever get completed? Will Taylor Swift (Taylor’s Version) receive a release date in the near future? What’s the point of a re-recorded album, now that Swift owns all of the original albums? And what do we do, moving forward, with the four Taylor’s Version albums that did get released?
We don’t know the answers yet, but we know how much the Taylor’s Version albums have already given us – including “All Too Well (10-Minute Version),” an irreplaceable linchpin recording in her catalog.
We’ll see if and when this project gets completed, how the Taylor’s Version re-recordings will age, and what versions of her hits and deep cuts fans will gravitate toward in the future. But just because the battle is now over, it’d be shortsighted to declare all for naught. The four Taylor’s Version albums presented her back catalog to a new generation – helping first to prime fans for the globe-conquering, catalog-revisiting Eras tour, and then to help cement her career year while the trek was underway.
Plus, fans received over two dozen unheard “From the Vault” songs — castoffs from the original albums that Swift reworked to include on her Taylor’s Version releases. These previously unheard goodies across the bonus cuts on the four re-recordings ranged from collaborations with Maren Morris and Fall Out Boy, to a late-breaking radio hit in the effervescent Red (Taylor’s Version) dance-pop track “Message in a Bottle,” to another Hot 100 chart-topper in the wistful “Is It Over Now?,” from 1989 (Taylor’s Version).
Which brings us to the greatest “From the Vault” song, and the one that stands as the greatest musical legacy of the entire re-recording project. When Red was released in 2012, the five-and-a-half minute “All Too Well” was positioned on the track list as an extended songwriting showcase in between shorter, more radio-friendly pop singles like “I Knew You Were Trouble” and “22.” While those hits helped Swift transition to pop superstardom with 1989 two years later, the power of “All Too Well” as a richly detailed examination of a failed relationship endured, becoming a fan favorite in the years following Red.
The song, and its cult status, also marked an important inflection point for Swift as a storyteller. A year before Red (Taylor’s Version) arrived in 2021, Swift pivoted away from top 40 on Folklore and Evermore, using an indie-folk aesthetic to explore different characters and narratives with the same care as one of her fiercely embraced album cuts.
A 10-minute version of “All Too Well” had long been teased, and the release of Red (Taylor’s Version) proved to be the perfect occasion for its unveiling. Any Swift purist could have been reasonably worried about the decision to nearly double the length of one of her best-loved songs. Yet the supersized version of “All Too Well” was not overstuffed — instead, “All Too Well (10-Minute Version)” towers above the original. Expanding the song’s world of stray thoughts and heartbreak totems while expertly navigating the story’s twists and turns, Swift turned a for-the-fans album cut into an authoritative epic.
With 10 minutes to work with, Swift lets each new detail of “All Too Well” simmer without building to a boil. The profane keychain that gets tossed her way, her subject’s refusal to “say it’s love,” the inquisitive actress, the charming chats with her father, the heartbroken 21st birthday — each new line is woven into the tapestry of a reflection that already exists, and Swift delivers them with varying degrees of frustration and regret.
Most of Swift’s songs wouldn’t improve if pushed to the 10-minute mark, but the structure of “All Too Well” — verses stacked upon one another, chorus lyrics shapeshifting to reflect her curdling emotion — allows for the bulked-up format. By the time the song starts to fade out with the refrain “Sacred prayer, I was there, I was there,” the passage of time is made explicit, as Swift’s recollections are stored in a time capsule that needed to be made a little bit bigger. Sure, there are new Easter eggs for fans to pore over and peruse – but nothing about “All Too Well (10-Minute Version)” feels forced, and that’s why it provoked such a strong reaction upon its release.
All Too Well: The Short Film, written and directed by Swift, was released along with the 10-minute version, and she performed the song in full on Saturday Night Live the day after its release. With so much pre-release hype and release-weekend promotion, “All Too Well” shot to the top of daily streaming charts immediately – and one week later, the song sat atop the Hot 100, the first Taylor’s Version track to come anywhere close to the chart’s peak. The flashpoint of excitement around its release demonstrated Swift’s still-rising commercial power, about a year before she made it unignorable with the record-setting success of 2022’s Midnights.
It also clued in countless casual listeners to one of her best songs. “All Too Well” isn’t just a fluky chart hit; the song now stands as a defining work for Swift, and an encapsulation of her legacy as a modern songwriter. In the future, critics, writers and historians will need a song to represent Swift’s cultural impact, and that song may very well be “All Too Well” – which simply wouldn’t have been the case without the Taylor’s Version moment.
That impact was on full display during the Eras Tour, where “All Too Well” was performed in its 10-minute incarnation as the final song in the Red portion of the show. Each night, stadiums full of Swifties sang along to its fourth, fifth and sixth verses, and bellowed “F—k the patriarchy!” with uninhibited glee.
Now that Swift’s Taylor’s Version project has entered a new phase of existence, those sing-alongs are worth considering as part of its legacy. “All Too Well (10-Minute Version)” wasn’t just a commercial ploy, or catnip for the critics. It’s now an anthem for all of us.