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02/20/2025
At long last, ‘The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Club’ has a top 10 hit on its track list. Here’s how it happened.
02/20/2025
Three 6 Mafia had been hit with Satanism allegations in the past and DJ Paul hopped on Bunnie XO‘s Dumb Blonde Podcast earlier this week to clear the air.
Paul explained that the satanic imagery was essentially “just an image” for the Memphis crew, and it started with DJ Infamous referring to the group as Triple 6 Mafia.
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“Basically Lord Infamous said ‘Triple 6 Mafia’ in a song, that wasn’t even our group name,” he told Bunnie, who is married to country star Jelly Roll. “I liked that and I was like, ‘Whoa, that’s dope.’ And I started sampling ‘Triple 6 Mafia, Mafia.’ And that became really popular with us, but that still wasn’t our name.”
He continued: “I was just sampling that, and then it was time to form a group, I was like, ‘We should call ourselves Triple 6 Mafia.’ And everybody liked it … Next thing I know, white fans came like that [snaps fingers]. They flocked to us.”
DJ Paul downplayed the late Lord Infamous being involved with Satanism in any fashion when asked by Bunnie. “He was just high,” he quipped. “That n—a grew up singing ‘Amazing Grace’ in a church, and I was playing the organ … It was just an image. It was just something that was cool. We never studied Satan or nothing like that.”
Formed in the early ’90s by DJ Paul, Juicy J and Lord Infamous in Memphis, Three 6 Mafia went on to become one of the most influential rap groups in the genre’s history. The horrorcore crew saw stints from the late Gangsta Boo, Koopsta Knicca as well as Crunchy Black.
Best known for hits such as Billboard Hot 100 top 15 anthem “Stay Fly,” “Poppin’ My Collar,” “Slob on My Knob” and many more, Three 6 Mafia became the first rap group to win an Oscar Award in 2006 for “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” in Hustle + Flow, which took home best original song. The group’s last album arrived in 2008 with Last 2 Walk.
Watch the full interview below.
Being an innovator can often mean traveling a lonely road. Singer/songwriter Laufey knows that better than most. The 25-year-old Berklee College of Music grad who has spent the past four-plus years plumbing the tricky confluence of jazz, classical and pop is lauded as a Gen Z innovator in TIME magazine’s Women of the Year feature.
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Taking her place on this year’s list alongside the indefatigable Nicole Kidman, trans-rights activist Raquel Willis, Emmy-winning Shogun star Anna Sawai and abortion rights activist Amanda Zurawski, among others, the Reykjavík-born performer is hailed as the “only singer in the world who has their jazz scat solos sung back to them note-for-note by arenas filled with adoring fans.”
With a wide range of inspirations stretching from Schubert’s series of eight solo piano Impromptus to Ella Fitzgerald’s signature scatting and Taylor Swift-like pop bridges, the piece notes that Laufey is as comfortable playing heady pieces alongside symphony orchestras as she is making one of her signature lighthearted TikTok videos.
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“I used to think that was such a scary thing: that nobody had walked that trail before me,” she told the magazine during a break from recording her third album in New York. “But I now realize that when you’re the one determining which steps to take next and which branches to pull to the side, that’s when you know you have something good on your hands.”
The songs on her romantic 2022 debut, Everything I Know About Love, and it’s 2023 follow-up, Bewitched, are comprised of mostly original lovesick ballads inspired by what she calls her “bible,” the Great American Songbook. “I want people to enjoy the music without feeling like they have to be super educated on its history,” said the singer who learned to play classical piano and cello as a child. “Like any other kind of music, it can be something that lifts you up or accompanies you on a sad day.”
And though she rose to prominence in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic by posting videos of herself singing some of those midcentury standards, Laufey decided to take a right turn from honing her chops on the jazz circuit performing already-established favorites in favor of writing original songs TIME described as “in the style of those old standards, but imbued with modern slang and conveying big, relatable feelings.”
That unique mix of beloved old reliables and TikTok videos in which she models outfits and lip synchs to Sabrina Carpenter songs — as well as having her dance moves ported into Fortnite — has led to fast friendships with fellow twentysomething pop starlets such as Olivia Rodrigo and Beabadoobee. “There are a lot of young women who connect with each other — and me — through this feeling of being the outcast,” she said.
The one-of-a-kind mash-up has already paid off in a major way, with Laufey taking home her first Grammy last year for best traditional pop vocal album for Bewitched. Not willing to be a media-appointed “savior of jazz,” though, Laufey said her upcoming as-yet-untitled album will be more “daring” and feature a more diverse mixing of genres.
“I want to see if I can keep the integrity of my music but also allow myself to try out a bit of what modern technology allows,” she said, seemingly unbothered by critics, and fans, who are sometimes eager to ding her for wanting to stray from her perceived lane. “The fact that the jazz and classical worlds seem to struggle with the idea of an artist being both commercially successful and musically interesting — it breaks my heart a little. Why can’t I be both?”
02/20/2025
The North Shields’ third LP is stacked with massive anthems and lyrical greatness.
02/20/2025
Kim Kardashian was in protective mother-lion mode after North West‘s performance in the Hollywood Bowl’s Lion King production received backlash.
On the latest episode of Hulu’s The Kardashians Thursday (Feb. 20), the reality star clapped back at critics of her eldest daughter’s stage presence and vocal chops, which North showcased as Simba in the May 2024 production. “She’s so proud of herself,” Kim said. “She did such a great job. And anyone that is hating on a kid is just a hater — she’s not there to be Mariah Carey.”
“And if anyone wants to hate on a child that is having the time of their lives, ‘F–k you,’” the Skims founder added.
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Clips of the 11-year-old — whom Kim shares with ex-husband Ye (formerly Kanye West), along with three other kids — singing “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” at the Bowl were quick to go viral last spring. Many critics theorized that North had snagged the role only because of her famous parents, while others went as far as accusing the former couple of “buying” the experience for North.
But on The Kardashians, Kim countered those claims. “North is the moment,” she told cameras. “They want to see North West on a TikTok, on a this, on an anything. Because she’s a personality, a performer.”
And while some people on social media weren’t so kind to North, the aspiring performer had plenty of support in the moment. As shown on the new episode, both Kim and Ye were in the audience to cheer on their firstborn, with the mogul and rapper — who finalized their divorced in 2022 — taking a moment to gush over North after the show.
“Man, she did so good,” Ye told Kim, who replied, “I was just crying from the side.”
North has also continued nurturing her artistic side, collaborating with FKA Twigs — and rapping in Japanese — on a song titled “Childlike Things” off the English singer-songwriter’s latest album Eusexua. And shortly before facing more backlash for his latest flurry of antisemitic hate speech, Ye revealed that he was personally “training” North in the art of music-making.
“This little girl made me love music again,” the rapper gushed on Instagram in January. “She asked me to make beats for her I got back on the ASR Chopped up beats for her album.”
Kendrick Lamar’s music has been inescapable on TikTok in recent days, a fact no better highlighted than the rapper taking the entire top four of the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart dated Feb. 22, paced by his Drake diss track “Not Like Us” at No. 1.
The TikTok Billboard Top 50 is a weekly ranking of the most popular songs on TikTok in the United States based on creations, video views and user engagement. The latest chart reflects activity accumulated Feb. 10-16. Activity on TikTok is not included in Billboard charts except for the TikTok Billboard Top 50.
“Not Like Us” debuted on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 last May, ultimately spending nine straight weeks in the top 10 (capped by its No. 2 then-best on the June 1, 2024, list) and departing the survey that September. It returned, however, on the Feb. 15 chart at No. 17, spurred by uploads surrounding Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show performance that occurred on the last day of that tracking period, Feb. 9, as well as in the wake of the tune’s five Grammy Award wins on Feb. 2.
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Now with a full tracking week (Feb. 10-16) following the performance, “Not Like Us” soars to No. 1, becoming Lamar’s first ruler on the chart, which began in September 2023. Many of the top uploads reference Lamar’s performance of the song during his set or outright include clips from the rendition itself.
“Not Like Us” concurrently returns to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, as previously reported. It’s also back atop Streaming Songs via 49 million official U.S. streams in the week ending Feb. 13, up 156%, according to Luminate.
Nos. 2 and 3 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 were also performed during Lamar’s Super Bowl appearance: “Luther,” his collaboration with SZA, slots into the runner-up position, while “Peekaboo,” featuring AzChike, rises to No. 3. All three songs are from Lamar’s 2024 album GNX. “Luther” also benefits from Super Bowl clips, with many top-performing videos being reactions to Lamar’s initial fake out of “Not Like Us” into “Luther.”
And while “Peekaboo” was also performed during the set, its top uploads are a continuation of a trend that largely proliferated in January, utilizing quick edits and poses set to Lamar’s “bing-bop-boom-boom-boom-bop-bam” lyric.
“Luther” rises 3-2 for a new peak on the Hot 100 dated Feb. 22, while “Peekaboo” leaps 81-28.
Lamar completes the four-peat in the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s top four via a SZA song, as her “30 for 30,” a duet with Lamar, rises 8-4. That’s a new peak for the song, which had previously risen as high as No. 5 earlier in February thanks to its trend highlighting Lamar’s “If it’s f–k me then f–k you/ And that’s the way I like it” lyric.
How historic, ultimately, is Lamar’s domination of this week’s chart? Prior to this week, no act had even possessed two songs in the top five at the same time, let alone four of the top five and the entire top four. In fact, before Lamar, no act had slotted more than two songs in the top 10 in a single week, either.
In all, Lamar boasts seven appearances on the Feb. 22 tally; “TV Off,” featuring Lefty Gunplay, jumps 48-16, while “All the Stars” (also with SZA) and “Love.” (featuring Zacari) debut at Nos. 33 and 38, respectively. That’s a tie for the most in a single week, alongside Taylor Swift, who had seven on the Sept. 23, 2023, ranking, the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s second week of existence.
It’s not all Lamar in the top 10, of course. Two songs also reach the region for the first time, led by the week’s top debut in Fergie’s “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” which bows at No. 7. Despite the general sentiment of the song (No. 1 for Fergie on the Hot 100 in 2007), its rise is nonetheless concurrent with the Feb. 14 Valentine’s Day holiday — but instead, it’s used to show pets covered in lipstick smudges, set to the “I’ll be your best friend and you’ll be my/ Valentine” lyric.
Bertha Tillman’s “Oh My Angel” also hits the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s top 10, leaping 16-10. Like “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” the song is buoyed by romance- and love-related content, whether it’s showing romantic partners, friends, family or pets.
BossMan Dlow’s “Shake Dat Ass (Twerk Song)” makes the top 10 for the first time since last July — and at a new peak, shooting 15-8. Its original run featured just BossMan Dlow’s vocals, while its return is spurred by a trend to the remix (released last December) featuring GloRilla.
See the full TikTok Billboard Top 50 here. You can also tune in each Friday to SiriusXM’s TikTok Radio (channel 4) to hear the premiere of the chart’s top 10 countdown at 3 p.m. ET, with reruns heard throughout the week.
On Kameron Marlowe’s third Sony Music Nashville album, Sad Songs For the Soul, out Friday (Feb. 21) he’s veered from crafting a standard country project to fashioning a concept album focused on those with shattered hearts.
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As he sorted through songs he’d written since signing with Sony Music Nashville in 2020, he realized he had a stack of solid songs—all heartbreak anthems—that he had never put on previous albums.
“They’d kind of been sitting in my music vault for a while,” Marlowe tells Billboard. “I’d want to put ‘em on the projects, but I didn’t want to have too many sad songs on a project. So, I was like, ‘It’d be cool to just have one project where I can put them all together.’”
The Red Light-managed Marlowe acknowledges the inherent stress in releasing a project that is outside the norm of what fans have come to expect but says crafting the project rejuvenated his creative impulses. “It sounds different than my music usually does,” Marlowe says. “It’s more of a passion project for me. I felt like I was getting stomped creatively and I needed to open my mind and produce this a little differently.”
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Echoing the raw feelings of heartbreak, the album is stripped back, with sparse snares and cymbals in lieu of a full drumkit. Though the nearly 10-song project centers around pain and disappointment, each song approaches from the topic from a different angle, such as the Kendell Marvel co-write “Dear God.”
Marlowe calls Marvel “one of my favorite writers in Nashville that I’ve gotten to work with,” adding, “We really wanted it to be this conversation between this person and God, just throwing out all your faults and knowing why [an ex-lover] is gone, but praying to God she’ll still give you another shot.”
Elsewhere, “The Basement” feels reminiscent of the rock-infused brand of ‘90s country from artists such as Travis Tritt. “It feels like something he would’ve done back in the day,” Marlowe notes. “Travis is definitely one of my inspirations — I learned a lot of my singing from listening to him.”
He wrote one of the project’s standout tracks, “How’s the Leaving Going,” with Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill and lauded songwriter/NSAI Board president Lee Thomas Miller during a songwriter’s camp in Nashville.
“It’s a bit terrifying,” he says of the prospect of writing with Gill. “He’s the sweetest guy in the world, but he’s also insanely talented in so many ways — singing, guitar playing, songwriting. So it was intimidating stepping into that room. I trust myself when I’m writing, but when you are writing with a caliber [of writer] like Vince and Lee, you can question, ‘Is that line going to be all right?’ before you say it out loud. But it was so worth it. We wrote something I think is very beautiful.”
Marlowe also included a blistering, soulful cover of Cam’s 2015 hit “Burning House,” a song Marlowe calls “the coolest heartbreak song I think I’ve ever heard. You can see everything she’s talking about in that song.” It was that decision that set Sad Songs for the Soul in motion, though Marlowe’s initial concept for the album left room to expand on the project.
“The title was actually Sad Songs For the Soul Vol. 1: Heaven and the Bottle,” he says. “It was the full concept, in case I wanted to do a volume two down the road. I still may one day.”
While Marlowe’s grizzled voice and the slate of sad songs glue the project together, Sad Songs For the Soul leans on songs that touch on an array of styles, from rock-tilted anthems, torchy R&B-fueled numbers and gospel-influenced songs. The North Carolina native grew up soaking in the sounds of gospel music in his local church and becoming a worship leader. But by high school he had segued from church songs to rock anthems, starting a band with some local friends.
“I had no idea what I was doing at the time, but my high school teacher was so excited that somebody was playing music,” Marlowe recalls. “He created a class for me and my buddies to rehearse and learn how to put songs together. He would set up shows for us, which was exciting for me because I was learning how to build songs out, build a band and how to play those songs live.”
Marlowe pursued music during a short stint in college but dropped out to work to support his family, serving as an auto parts salesman for General Motors. Throughout, he continued playing music, putting up videos of himself singing cover songs on Instagram. One of those videos — a powerful cover of Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey” — led The Voice to come calling.
“They found me on social media, and — this is terrible that I even had this going on — but back then, I had my phone number in the bio of my [profile], thinking girls might reach out to me. But it ended up turning out to be a good thing, that The Voice found that number and reached out.”
He competed on season 15 of The Voice, singing songs from Hootie & the Blowfish, Waylon Jennings and Bob Marley, and advancing to the top 24 before being eliminated. Encouraged by the competition, he moved to Nashville and quickly found that fans gravitated toward his independently released, solo-written song “Giving You Up,” which led to Marlowe signing with Sony Music Nashville.
In the five years that have elapsed, Marlowe has issued many songs that evince his gale force of a voice, bolstered by an ever-maturing songwriting style. He issued 2022’s We Were Cowboys and 2024’s Keepin’ the Lights On, featuring songs including “Steady Heart” and the Ella Langley collaboration “Strangers.”
“I’ve learned how to persevere through the tough times and I feel like that’s something that I’ve leaned on pretty hard the past couple years, where I’m by no means a massive artist yet,” Marlowe says. “I would love to get there one day, but I’ve really tried to persevere and keep just staying in my lane and not worrying about what other people are doing — just following my path.”
Beyond the new album, the WME-booked Marlowe is opening shows for Parker McCollum and will launch his 2025 Keepin’ the Lights On Tour March 7. Given his nimble voice, it’s possible that path could at some point mean Sad Songs for the Soul could be just the first “passion project” he releases.
“My favorite thing is just to discover new songs,” Marlowe says. “I would love to do a soul kind of record one day or a rock record. But those would all be passion projects for me, because I feel like country music is what I am the most — but I could see a record with maybe some Kings of Leon songs that I love so much.”
This is Publishing Briefs, a semimonthly bulletin of recent signings, deals and doings in the wide world of music publishing.
In case you missed it, the Copyright Office requested public comment on “factors that may be contributing to the formation of new PROs” and Puerto Rican reggaetón star Yandel signed a worldwide publishing administration deal with Warner Chappell Music.
Caught up? Here’s what else is going on:
Reach Music Publishing signed a deal with Michael “Fitz” Fitzpatrick, lead vocalist of Fitz and The Tantrums, granting them copyright interest in his entire back catalog of around 100 songs, including hits like “Handclap,” “Out of My League” and “The Walker.” The agreement also includes administration of Fitz’s solo album Summer of Us and the upcoming Fitz and The Tantrums album set for release in 2025. Reach Music had previously administered much of Fitz’s catalog through Dangerbird Records since the band’s 2010 debut. Michael Closter, Reach Music’s founder, expressed excitement about completing the circle and officially representing Fitz’s catalog, while Fitz praised Reach Music’s passion and “hustle,” adding “I couldn’t be more excited about this deal and to make the future happen.” Reach Music, an independent publisher with offices in Los Angeles, Nashville, and New York, specializes in publishing administration and copyright acquisitions, managing works from artists like Public Enemy, Judas Priest, John Mayer and Zac Brown.
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Concord Music Publishing signed rising country artist-songwriter Cole Goodwin to a worldwide publishing deal, covering his full catalog and all future works. Originally from Pooler, Ga., outside Savannah, Goodwin gained attention with his 2023 self-produced EP Soon Enough and has since toured the Southeast, opening for acts like Austin Snell, Conner Smith and Zach Top. Goodwin’s latest single, “Fast Track Back,” was released in January. He will be touring extensively this spring and summer, joining Top, Smith and Dylan Marlowe, and Luke Bryan’s stadium tour. “He is proof that traditional country music is alive and well in the next generation of hitmakers and I am thrilled that he has chosen Concord as his publishing home,” said Courtney Allen, CMP’s senior director of A&R.
The Hello Group Publishing and Sony Music Publishing Benelux renewed their multi-year partnership, enhancing global collaboration in A&R, sync, licensing and administration. This deal expands THG’s reach, especially in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific. Founded in 2021, THG has become a leader in K-pop and J-pop, working with artists like NCT Dream and TWICE Japan. They operate in Hollywood, London, Seoul, Mumbai and Dubai, with a roster that includes new signings like Avery Walker and Nanee. THG CEO and global head of creative Taylor Jones praised Sony for its global support, saying the music giant “allowed our flexible operating ideas to flourish, and supported our trajectory in fast-growing international markets such as India, Middle East and of course, our continued traction in South Korea and Japan.”
Mau P, a Dutch DJ and producer, signed a global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music Benelux. Born Maurits Jan Westveen but also known as Maurice West, Mau P gained fame with underground club hits. He rebranded and released “Drugs from Amsterdam,” which topped Beatport’s Top 10 and garnered over 200 million streams. His follow-up, “Gimme That Bounce,” coincided with his first North American tour. Mau P’s success continued with tracks like “Your Mind is Dirty” and “Dress Code,” remixes for top artists and sets at Tomorrowland and EDC Las Vegas, among other events. Last year saw the launch of his show concept, BADDEST BEHAVIOUR, which debuted in NYC. WMG Benelux president Niels Walboomers praised Mau P’s talent, saying his “approach to production aligns perfectly with our vision to champion great artistry.”
Range Music Publishing expanded its roster with four new additions: Darius Coleman, Alex Goose, James Maddocks and Simon Oscroft. Coleman, in partnership with Tommy Brown and Champagne Therapy Music Group, has collaborated with artists like Normani and Chris Brown, and co-wrote “You See Me” from The Color Purple soundtrack. Goose, a producer/songwriter, has worked with Childish Gambino and composed for brands like Nike and Apple. Maddocks, co-wrote Morgan Wallen’s No. 1 hit “Cowgirls” and has worked with Post Malone and Khalid. Oscroft, a New Zealand native, co-wrote and produced Almost Monday’s No. 1 Alternative hit “Can’t Slow Down.” Range Music’s roster also includes artists like Shaboozey, Jack Harlow and Saweetie.
Story House Collective, founded by Christian artist/songwriter Matthew West, signed to its roster producer/songwriter Carter Frodge, who has worked with artists including Cain (“The Commission”), Newsboys (Stand), Jordan St. Cyr (“Be My Defender”) and The Afters (“God Is With Us”). Story House Collective also represents artists including West, Anne Wilson and Peter Burton.
Prescription Songs signed EJAE, a Korean American singer, songwriter and vocal producer. The NYC-based EJAE has worked with top K-pop groups like AESPA, TWICE, Red Velvet and NMIXX, contributing to hits such as Red Velvet’s “Psycho” and AESPA’s “Drama.” Recently, she has been the lead singing voice and songwriter for an upcoming animated K-pop movie on Netflix. Prescription Songs A&R Nick Guilmette praised EJAE’s ability to craft compelling melodies and concepts across genres, saying she’s “already has a catalog of international hits with over a combined billion streams, and is truly just getting started.”
Leon Else, a Los Angeles-based artist and singer-songwriter from the UK, signed a co-publishing deal with Brill Building Music Publishing. Known for his releases through Interscope and as an independent artist, Else’s music has been featured on numerous Apple and Spotify editorial playlists, as well as in various sync placements. Most recently, he co-wrote BTS member Jin’s “I Will Come To You,” which sold over 1 million copies in its first week.
Gangsta, the Colombian producer behind global hits such as Kapo’s “Ohnana”, “UWAIE” and “Aloh Aloh,” as well as Fariana’s “Caballito” and Wolfine’s “Bella”, signed a publishing deal with Sony Music Publishing Colombia and NEON16. The alliance “aims to unite the strengths of two powerhouse teams within the Latin music industry to bring GANGSTA’s sound to different markets worldwide,” according to a press release. Gangsta, who has a deep knowledge of Caribbean and African music (afrobeat, amapiano, salsa, and reggaetón), has also worked with Piso 21, Mariah Angeliq, Pedro Capó, Wisin, Elena Rose and Farruko, among other artists. –Sigal Ratner-Arias
Matt Lang signed an exclusive worldwide publishing deal with Anthem Entertainment and partnered with WME and River House Artists for booking and management. These alliances aim to boost his presence in the U.S. country scene while maintaining his success in Canada. Since his 2018 debut EP, Lang has achieved over 50 million streams, three Top 10 radio singles and multiple award nominations, including three Canadian Country Music Association nods. He has performed at major festivals like Boots & Hearts and Lasso Montreal, and internationally at Berlin’s C2C and the UK’s Buckle & Boots Festivals. Lang’s latest single, “Back To The Bar,” dropped this month.
APG and WZRD BLD’s In The Cut Publishing signed producer and writer Will Carlson. Known for his genre-blending style, Carlson leads the project Bilmuri on Columbia Records and has over 35 collaborative tracks. He co-wrote and produced four songs for Knox’s upcoming Atlantic Records debut. Carlson is also co-producing We Came As Romans’ new album and has upcoming singles with Pop Evil and Bad Wolves.
Last Publishing Briefs: Tori Amos Sticks With Downtown
For several years, the consensus has been clear: Hit singles are getting shorter. Blame for this has fallen on shrinking attention spans, an environment of endless musical abundance in which songs must impress themselves on listeners quickly or risk being discarded, and the rise of short-form video platforms, which cause users to fall in love with 15-second sound snippets, rendering a full track irrelevant.
In 2024, however, the average length of songs that cracked the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 actually rose by more than 20 seconds, to 3:40, according to Hit Songs Deconstructed. At the same time, the portion of top 10 hits that let over a minute pass before hammering home a chorus rose to its highest level in a decade, nearly 23%.
While a single year of data doesn’t reverse a trend, it’s clear that longer hits have not been banished permanently from the upper reaches of the Hot 100. Five top 10s last year exceeded five minutes, including two apiece from Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar. These are the musical equivalents of doorstops, more than twice as long as the shortest top 10, Tate McRae‘s “Greedy.” And those hits seem downright laconic next to Drake‘s “Family Matters,” released in the middle of his venomous, no-holds-barred showdown with Lamar, which ran past 7:30.
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Top songwriters and producers were cautiously optimistic about having more room to roam last year — and more freedom from the old adage, “Don’t bore us, get to the chorus.”
“The whole short-form thing has been pushed so hard,” says GENT!, who co-produced Doja Cat‘s “Agora Hills,” a hit that clocks in at 4:25. “The majority of the time, with short-form content, you need a gimmick, and I think music lovers are kind of tired of the gimmicks.”
“[An increase of] 20 seconds is significant,” adds the writer and producer Cirkut (Lady Gaga‘s “Abracadabra,” ROSÉ and Bruno Mars‘ “APT.”). “People may be tiring of the quick little TikTok thing.”
On a spectrum between succinct and long-winded, Cirkut leans toward the former. “I do like to get to the hook,” he says. But he acknowledges that “sometimes, a longer verse keeps you waiting, and if it’s well-written, then it makes the chorus that much more satisfying.”
TikTok can certainly reward brevity as users fall hard for sonic morsels, even a verse or a hook from an as-yet-unwritten song. But perhaps counterintuitively, when “any catchy part of a song could be what grabs people’s attention,” this may end up loosening the constraints binding commercial songwriters, according to Matt MacFarlane, senior vp of publishing at Artist Partner Group. “Song length becomes less relevant,” adds Olly Sheppard, also a senior vp at APG. “Listeners already like the part they found on TikTok,” so they’re locked in regardless of how peculiar or meandering the rest of the track turns out to be.
This theory also got a vote of support from Evan Blair, who produced and co-wrote Benson Boone’s theatrical, heaving ballad “Beautiful Things,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100. (At three minutes on the dot, “Beautiful Things” was shorter than the average top 10 hit last year, but it did make listeners wait more than a minute before drenching them with a chorus.) “Now that teasing tracks [on TikTok and other social media platforms] is a thing, we often don’t introduce songs to the world chronologically,” Blair says. “If we draw people into the middle of the song, the journey to get there matters much less.”
While TikTok plays a prime role in music discovery, it is not the only factor influencing what songs become popular. Vincent “Tuff” Morgan, vp of A&R at the indie publisher peermusic, points out that many of the star artists and songwriters who released albums last year are now in the second half of their 30s. They have devoted fan bases, so they don’t live or die by viral trends: Instead, they can be confident that even if they take their time, legions of listeners will linger with them.
“If you look at the chart, a lot of these are seasoned songwriters,” Morgan says. “The commonality is that the songwriters are a little more mature than the Gen-Z, TikTok generation.” Superstars like Swift, Lamar, Bruno Mars and Beyoncé, who combined for two dozen top 10 hits between them in 2024, are all 35 and up.
Data from last year offers some support for Morgan’s theory. The average length of a top 10 hit was 3:40, and the average age of the lead artists on songs that exceeded 3:40 was around 35. That’s roughly five years more than the average age of the lead artists whose hits clocked in under 3:40.
Not only that: 12 out of 18 of the top 10s that sprinted to the finish line in less than 3 minutes came from musicians under the age of 30. On the other end of the spectrum, Swift, who is 35, had seven top 10 hits longer than 3:40, and Lamar, age 37, had six.
This is all exciting for Dan Petel, who runs This Is Noise, a management company with a roster of songwriters and producers. For years, he’s been admonishing his clients, “stop sending songs that are just two verses and a chorus!” And now he believes, “happily, we’re evolving away from 15-second clip-based music.”
“If you’re gonna have a great song,” Petel adds, “why would you want it to end so soon?”
Bill Medley confesses that he thought “my recording days were over” since it had been more than a dozen years since the legendary baritone from The Righteous Brothers had released an album. But, thankfully, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee was wrong. On Friday (Feb. 21), Curb Records will release Straight From the Heart, a collection of country songs that pairs Medley with such artists as Vince Gill, Michael McDonald, Keb’ Mo’ and Shawn Colvin.
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The 84-year-old, who still performs with Bucky Heard as the Righteous Brothers — his original partner, Bobby Hatfield died in 2003 — is the voice behind such timeless, foundational ‘60s hits as “Unchained Melody,” “(You’re My) Soul & Inspiration” and, of course, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin,’” which was one of Phil Spector’s first productions using his layered Wall of Sound technique. Until 2019, the gorgeous classic was BMI’s most performed song in the performing rights organization’s repertoire for 22 consecutive years. Medley also paired with Jennifer Warnes for the iconic Grammy-winning “(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life” from the 1987 movie, Dirty Dancing.
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Straight From the Heart isn’t Medley’s first flirtation with country: He had a string of entries on Billboard’s Country Songs chart from 1979 to 1985 — including “I Do,” which reached No. 17 in 1984 — and played with such acts as Kenny Rogers, Alabama and Loretta Lynn.
In an expansive phone interview, the creator of blue-eyed soul talked about why he wanted to make the new album, recording in the studio with Spector and if it was more fun to tour with The Beatles or The Rolling Stones.
The new album spans songs as far back as the 1940s, with Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” to the 2000s with Vince Gill’s “These Days.” How did you pick the songs?
[Producer] Fred [Mollin] made a list of songs, I made a list of songs — and it just came down to the writing of the song and the artist that did it. I would love to do 10 more of these albums, and pay tribute to a million more great country songwriters and singers.
It’s been a dozen years since you put out an album. How did this one come to pass?
Fred and I have been friends for quite a while, and we’ve been talking about doing this album. We started out to do kind of a small album, and then my manager called Mike Curb, and Mike has been a friend of mine since 1970. Good, good friend. So, it went from the small album to kind of this important album. I think Fred was just interested in getting my voice on tape while I was still able to do it.
Did you have any concerns about that?
[I’m] always worried about my voice, but I knew those songs. I’ve been locked in with a lot of great songs, like “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feeling” and “Unchained Melody,” and all those songs, they’re real melodic, and country songs give you the flexibility to do them the way you want. I’m 84, I’m not a country singer — but I love country blues songs. I’ve always thought George Jones was one of the great blues singers in the world.
Speaking of George Jones, many people consider “He Stopped Loving Her Today” the greatest country song of all time. What was your approach for taking on that one?
Fred mentioned it, and I just mentioned that I love the song. Who doesn’t? And I said, “No, I can’t go there.” But they thought that I could and should, and they made the track. They said, “OK, if you don’t like it, then we won’t put it on.” But after I sang it a few times, I just loved the song so much that I okayed it… I had the final say on all the songs, but that one for sure, if it just comes off like a bad version, I don’t want it on the album.
One of the first tracks that came out from the album was a cover of Ray Charles’ “Crying Time,” with Michael McDonald. You two have two of the most iconic voices ever. What was singing with him like?
Mike and I have known each other for years. He was a big Ray Charles fan. So was I. He’s just really musically open. He sounds phenomenal; he sounds like Michael McDonald. I did want Mike on the album, and I especially wanted him to sing with me on “Crying Time.” I knew that we could do a good job on that. I was concerned, and Mike probably was too, that because we have such distinctive voices, [we didn’t know] how we would sound when we were actually singing together, harmonizing with each other. And he’s just so good, it just worked out perfect.
Ray Charles is your all-time favorite singer, and you got to meet him when you did the TV show Shindig! Did you learn any good business pointers from Ray? He counted the money himself.
No, I didn’t learn anything from him, but I learned awfully quick [about the business]. When we had a hit with “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling,” the first thing our agent did is put us with a business manager. That just saved our life, and we didn’t do anything stupid with our money. We were pretty down-to-earth guys. He was our business manager for a long time. Then he became my manager — and just a few months ago, he passed away. He’d been my manager for 60 years.
Did he get to hear the album before he passed?
Yes, he did. He said, “This is what you should have been doing all your life.”
You toured with Loretta Lynn and Alabama. Who else were you hanging with in those years?
I was working at a place in Phoenix where upstairs was a rock n’ roll, pop joint. Downstairs was this country bar. I was upstairs doing my [solo] show. I’d always go down to the country [bar] and they would ice up about five Coors Lights for me, and I would sit there and watch this guy. He would come over, and we would have a beer together and get to talking. And turns out it was Waylon Jennings. And so we became friends. Kris Kristofferson was a friend. Glen Campbell was a real good friend. And Kenny Rogers was a good friend. I just loved all of those guys. All my guys are gone.
You do “Sunday Morning Coming Down” on here. Is that a tribute to Kris?
No, I just love the song. It has such a great lyric. I really thought it was maybe one of the best songs that he’s written. He’s written some phenomenal songs. The truth is, I’m 84 years old and I probably have lived that [song]. I’ve had all the ups and the downs. Been married three, four times. That’s kind of why I picked certain songs. That one song I did with Vince Gill, “These Days,” is just the truth. Boy, I’ll take these days over any other days I’ve ever known.
You and Vince have a history. You were both nominated for best new male artist at the ACM Awards in 1985. Vince won. Did it seem weird to you that someone who had been having hits as long as you had was nominated because you had switched to country?
I thought it was very, very unusual — and I didn’t feel that I should necessarily be in that. I was thrilled that country music was accepting me. I thought that was really amazing and they always have, but being a newcomer of the year, I felt that somebody else should have been in that spot and not me. It was perfect for Vince, and he did pretty good. [Laughs.]
You’re obviously used to singing duets. What is the key to a successful duet?
For the Righteous Brothers and even Jennifer Warnes, it was kind of the beauty and the beast. You know, Jennifer sang so pretty, and Bobby Hatfield had a beautiful voice — and I always had this raspy kind of rock n’ roll voice. And so, I think for duets, if the two guys are lead singers, they have to sound different, or it’s just going to sound like the same guy doing the whole song. Girls are just so magical, because it’s so different. Simon & Garfunkel were pretty similar, and the Everly Brothers, for sure, were very similar. But I like the beauty and the beast idea.
You’re making your Grand Ole Opry debut on Feb. 22. Ringo Starr just made his Grand Ole Opry debut, so you have two guys in their 80s making their debuts.
That’s wonderful. He has a great band with him. I just don’t want people to think that I’m a rock n’ roll guy trying to sneak into country music. Country music has been a part of my life for years — and even in The Righteous Brothers show, I used to do what I would call a Ray Charles tribute, but it was all beautiful country songs like “Born to Lose,” “You Don’t Know Me” and “I Can’t Stop Loving You.” I just needed to do those songs.
Speaking of Ringo, who was it more fun to open for? The Beatles or the Rolling Stones?
Oh, you want to get me in trouble? [Laughs.] Well, it’s a pretty simple answer. The Beatles, when we opened for them, it was the first American Beatles tour — and the kids were just screaming and crying, yelling out, “John, John, Ringo!” Whatever. A lot of times when we were on, they’d be clapping and screaming, “We want The Beatles!” So then when they asked us to do The Rolling Stones, they hadn’t really made it yet. I think the next weekend after we worked with them, they became huge. So that was at least more musical, opening for them, so that was really more fun. But being with The Beatles was, obviously, more historic.
“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” ushered in the Wall of Sound. What was it like being in the studio with Phil Spector?
I remember he worked us real hard, real hard and real long, but it always got better so we didn’t mind it. Phil Spector was fine with us because we were kind of just a couple of street guys. He was used to working with a lot of girls. Working with him was fine, and we loved the song, but by the time the song was done, I think somebody asked us, “What do you think? Do you think it’s a hit?” I said, “There’s not a chance in the world that this will be a hit.” It’s way too long. It was over four minutes long — and, in those days, you did two-and-a-half minute records — and I sounded like I was on the wrong speed. I don’t know, it just sounded like a great record that could never be a hit. It’s just a remarkable record.
How was that different from making this album?
This was the most comfortable, easiest, rewarding album I’ve ever done. Working with those Nashville musicians was just such an honor, but, boy, just so easy and so good. I love the album and if something happens with it, that would be wonderful.