Awards

29 Mar 2023

YouTube’s Lyor Cohen to Receive City of Hope 2023 Spirit of Life Award

YouTube global head of music Lyor Cohen is being honored with the City of Hope’s 2023 Spirit of Life Award, the cancer research and treatment organization announced Wednesday (March 29). The award will be presented at a gala dinner Oct. 18 at the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles.

“City of Hope is proud to honor the notable contributions of Lyor Cohen and celebrate 50 years of philanthropic partnership with the Music, Film and Entertainment Industry group,” said Robert Stone, City of Hope CEO and Helen & Morgan Chu CEO distinguished chair, in a statment. “This collection of industry leaders has made extraordinary contributions to our mission and continues to enhance our ability to deliver tomorrow’s breakthrough innovations today. We look forward to partnering with Lyor and the larger music community in the years ahead to develop new cures and save patient lives.”

Cohen started his career as a road manager for Run-D.M.C. and the Beastie Boys before moving on to executive leadership roles at companies including Def Jam, Warner Music Group and 300 Entertainment, which he co-founded in 2012. Cohen joined YouTube as global head of music in 2016. He sits on the board of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the National Independent Venue Association and is an acting director for the New York-based charity SCAN-Harbor.

“If you have the opportunity to give a gift back to the industry you love, with an organization like City of Hope, whose doctors and scientists’ passion for helping others is so extraordinary, it’s a no-brainer,” said Cohen. “My career has been shaped by a contrarian point of view. Open to making mistakes, making big bets, unpopular decisions and being comfortable with change; that is how culture shifts and how breakthroughs happen. To me, these are many of the same qualities that make City of Hope’s mission to transform the future of cancer care across all communities so impactful. I am honored to join this admirable group of Spirit of Life recipients and look forward to continuing the tradition of leaning on music to bring us together.”

Wednesday’s announcement kicks off a year-long fundraising initiative for City of Hope that includes such events as the Taste of Hope wine dinner and auction on May 17 in New York City, the Music Trivia Bowl on July 20 in Los Angeles and the annual Songs of Hope event.

Evan Lamberg, president of Universal Music Publishing Group North America and president of City of Hope’s Music, Film & Entertainment Industry board, added that the board is “thrilled” to honor Cohen: “In addition to Lyor powering American Hip Hop as a cultural and musical phenomenon, I have known him to have a big heart and passion when it comes to helping others. This is certainly a prime example of that as he now takes an incredible step in helping City of Hope fight cancer, diabetes and HIV.”

Previous recipients of the Spirit of Life Award include Republic Records co-founders Monte and Avery Lipman, Universal Music Group chairman/CEO Lucian Grainge, Epic Records chairman/CEO Sylvia Rhone and former Greenberg Traurig attorney Joel Katz.

29 Mar 2023

Thelma Plum, Ball Park Music Lead 2023 Queensland Music Awards

With two honors, including the coveted song of the year, Thelma Plum was the big winner at the 2023 Queensland Music Awards (QMAs), presented Tuesday (March 28) at Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane, Australia.

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The Gamilaraay singer-songwriter won song of the year and the pop category for her single “Backseat of My Mind,” lifted from her 2022 EP Meanjin. With song of the year, Plum gets a permanent place in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley – a plaque on the Walk of Fame.

“Queensland I feel has always been an underdog,” she told the packed house, “but I tell ya, we’re not anymore.”

Meanjin is up for best record at next week’s Rolling Stone Australia Awards, and “Backseat of My Mind” will get another chance to win song of the year, at the 2023 APRA Music Awards on April 27.

Other winners at the 2023 QMAs included Brisbane indie band Ball Park Music (album of the year for Weirder & Weirder) Gold Coast singer-songwriter Amy Shark (highest-selling single for “Sway My Way”), and country artist Adam Brand (highest selling album for All Or Nothing).

Go-Betweens great Lindy Morrison was presented the lifetime achievement award for her advocacy work, social work, activism and musicianship. Morrison, a member of the Go-Betweens from 1980-1989, played drums on six of the iconic band’s albums, and performed vocals on three.

The folk-rock act’s classic song “Cattle and Cane” was recognized by APRA in 2001 as one of the top 30 Australian songs of all time, and Morrison was celebrated in 2014 with the Ted Albert Award, presented during the APRA Music Awards, held that year in Brisbane’s City Hall.

Away from the studio, Morrison helped establish Support Act in 1998, and served with music industry charity as a social worker until 2021. During the pandemic, she led her team to deliver more than A$5 million in relief grants for music workers in crisis.

“I’m so glad I’m receiving this award while I’m still alive. I would have hated to get this award when I’m dead,” she quipped at the top of what would be the evening’s most rousing speech. “Thank-you Queensland. I’m still playing, I’m on the road all the time…I’m recording, I’m going to the U.K. soon, I got into practice rooms, I’m 70 years of age. And I still feel like that young woman.”

Recounting those years with the Go-Betweens and other acts she performed with, “We were devoted to art, and we would do anything as long as it was for art. We marched for black rights, we marched for civil rights. And we marched for the right to march. We played music in the streets for pro-choice.”

The city of Brisbane came out a winner when, during a pre-recorded bit, Qld premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced a A$3.8 million investment in the annual Bigsound showcase event and conference.

“We all know how powerful music can be,” she said. “It helps tell our stories, and provides a stage for social change. It helps connect people and shapes our culture. Right now in Queensland, I believe there’s something special happening with our music scene here, and tonight I want everyone in this room to know that our government backs you and backs your industry. I know how important Bigsound has been for the industry over the past 22 years. That’s why I’m pleased to announce $3.8 million in funding over the next four years to make Bigsound even bigger and even better.” The 2023 edition is set for Sept. 5 – 8.

Formerly known as QSong, the QMAs celebrate the state’s “brightest emerging artists and established legends,” with its categories judged by more than 100 music industry professionals.

More than 13,000 songs have been submitted since its inception in 2006. Winners have included Keith Urban, the Veronicas, Kate Miller-Heidke, Bernard Fanning, Sheppard, Violent Soho and many others.

The annual event is organized by trade body QMusic, with Brick Lane, Brisbane City Council and Queensland Government on board as major partners.

2023 Queensland Music Awards – Winners:

MAJOR AWARDS

SONG OF THE YEAR
Presented by Brick Lane Brewing
Thelma Plum

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Presented by Brisbane City Council
Ball Park Music – ‘Weirder & Weirder’

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Presented by Grant Thornton
Lindy Morrison

SCHOLARSHIPS

2023 GRANT MCLENNAN FELLOWSHIP
Sahara Beck

2023 BILLY THORPE SCHOLARSHIP
NEISH

2023 CAROL LLOYD AWARD
Platonic Sex

CATEGORY AWARDS

BLUES | ROOTS AWARD
Presented by Trentham Estate
Jen Mize & The Rough N’ Tumble – ‘All Riled Up’

CHILDREN’S MUSIC AWARD
Presented by The Truss Company
Cheeky Monkey Club – ‘Yes or No – A Song About Consent’

CONTEMPORARY CLASSICAL AWARD
Presented by Queensland Conservatorium – Griffith University
Monique Clare – ‘Downhill Skiing’

COUNTRY AWARD
Presented by ABC Radio Brisbane
James Johnston – ‘COUNTRY BOYS’

ELECTRONIC AWARD
Presented by The Prince Consort
Sycco – ‘Ripple’

FOLK AWARD
Presented by APRA AMCOS
Yb. – ‘Blackphemy’

HEAVY AWARD
Presented by IJS
DZ Deathrays – ‘Paranoid’

HIP HOP AWARD
Presented by NAFA
Khi’leb – ‘Cheques’

INDIGENOUS AWARD
Presented by Anacta
William Barton – ‘Kalkani’

JAZZ AWARD
Presented by Jazz Music Institute
Trichotomy – ‘Forward Motion’

POP AWARD
Presented by Star Entertainment Group
Thelma Plum – ‘Backseat Of My Mind’

ROCK AWARD
Presented by Comiskey Group
WAAX – ‘No Doz’

YOUTH (AGES 10 – 17) AWARD
Presented by SAE
Lottie McLeod – ‘Happy Birthday’

SOUL | FUNK | RNB AWARD
Presented by The Sound Garden
Miiesha – ‘Still Dream’

WORLD AWARD
Presented by MEAA
Isaac Conomos and Menaka Thomas – ‘Space’

REGIONAL | REGIONAL AWARD
Presented by Telstra
Sahara Beck – ‘Nothing Wrong With That

VIDEO AWARD
Presented by Creative Productions
Ben Wrigley – Purple Static by Mirrors

HIGHEST SELLING SINGLE
Amy Shark – Sway My Way

HIGHEST SELLING ALBUM
Adam Brand – All Or Nothing

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS

METRO VENUE OF THE YEAR
Presented by Oztix and The Music
The Fortitude Music Hall

REGIONAL VENUE OF THE YEAR
Presented by Oztix and The Music
Sol Bar

FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR
Presented by Oztix and The Music
Caloundra Music Festival

ACCESSIBLE VENUE OF THE YEAR
Presented by CPL – Choice, Life, Passion
Kingston Butter Factory

28 Mar 2023

Lenny Kravitz Jokes That Taylor Swift ‘Went in My Closet’ for Her 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards Look

Taylor Swift had a jovial backstage run-in with none other than Lenny Kravitz on Monday night at the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards.

“The moment Lenny Kravitz and Taylor Swift met backstage,” the official iHeartRadio account wrote on the behind-the-scenes video on TikTok. In the clip, fans can spot Ice Spice shuffling past before Kravitz stops Swift for a chat.

“Taylor! Girl!” he calls out as the pair hug, with the “Lavender Haze” singer telling the host, “You did amazing!”

From there, Kravitz jokes that the superstar just might have pilfered her sequined, hooded look directly from his flamboyant wardrobe. “OK, you went in my closet, huh? You went in my closet,” he quips while Swift volleys back, “Yeah, absolutely. I was just inspired by you, I was like, ‘My favorite color is…’” before the video cuts out.

While Kravitz MC’d the evening’s star-studded ceremony, Swift took home six awards out of her eight total nominations, including song of the year and best lyrics (for “Anti-Hero”), TikTok bop of the year (for fan fave “Bejeweled”), favorite use of a sample (for using her own “Out of the Woods” in Midnights album cut “Question…?”), pop album of the year (for Midnights) and the special honor of this year’s iHeartRadio Innovator Award.

Accepting the latter award, the superstar spoke about her own trial-by-error process of coming up with new ideas. “I never a single time woke up in the morning and said, ‘You know what I’m gonna do today? I’m gonna innovate stuff,’” she said. “What I did do was make the right decisions for me. People want an example of something working before, but I think the coolest ideas, moves and choices are new ones, ones that set a new precedent. I’m so thankful because my fans have backed me up on things like switching genres or re-recording all my old music.”

Watch Swift and Kravitz’s awards show meet-up below.

28 Mar 2023

2023 Latin American Music Awards: Anuel AA, Myke Towers & More Performers Announced

The Latin American Music Awards unveiled the first wave of performers set to take center stage in April at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. 

Confirmed for the 8th edition of the awards show are Anuel AA, who will perform “Más Rica Que Ayer”; newlyweds Guaynaa and Lele Pons, who will perform a medley that includes their latest collab “Abajito”; Myke Towers, who will perform his newest track “Mi Droga”; and Prince Royce, who will surprise viewers with an unreleased song. 

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Additionally, Spanish newcomer Bad Gyal and Regional Mexican crooner Eden Muñoz will make their Latin AMAs debut. The former will deliver her single “Chulo,” and the latter will offer his viral solo hit “Chale!” 

Nominations for the 2023 awards — based on streaming, sales, radio airplay, tours, and even social media interactions data provided by Billboard and Luminate during the eligibility period (Feb. 12, 2022, through Feb. 4, 2023) — are led by Bad Bunny with 11 nominations. He’s followed by Becky G and Daddy Yankee, each with nine nominations; at eight nods each are Grupo Frontera, Karol G, Rauw Alejandro, Romeo Santos, and Rosalía. Meanwhile, Muñoz, Bizarrap, Blessd, Grupo Frontera, Los Lara, Luis Figueroa, Luis R Conriquez, Quevedo, Santa Fe Klan and Yahritza y Su Esencia are nominated in the best new artist category. 

Carlos Vives and Pepe Aguilar will be recognized as 2023 Latin AMAs Legacy honorees. This year’s ceremony will be co-hosted by Galilea Montijo Julián Gil and Natti Natasha.

For the first time since its debut on Oct. 8, 2015, on Telemundo, the ceremony will be broadcast live simultaneously on Univision, UNIMÁS, and Galavisión (starting at 7 p.m. ET) after TelevisaUnivision acquired the rights from dick clark productions in September.

28 Mar 2023

Photos From the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards’ Red Carpet & Backstage

The iHeartRadio Music Awards took over the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Monday night (March 27), celebrating the artists we hear most across the airwaves.

Among some of the big winners of the night were P!nk, who accepted the Icon Award, and Taylor Swift, who was presented with the Innovator Award. “The thing about these exciting nights and moments and especially this award, they’re shining a light on the choices I made that worked out, that turned out to be good ideas,” the superstar, who took a break from her massive The Eras tour to accept the award, told the crowd. “I want everyone to know — especially young people — that the hundreds and thousands of dumb ideas that I had led me to my good ideas. You have to give yourself permission to fail. I try as hard as I can not to fail because it’s embarrassing, but I give myself permission to.

“Make the right choices that make sense for you and someone one day might thing you’re innovative.”

We’ve compiled photos from the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards, from the red carpet to backstage and beyond. Check out our gallery below.

28 Mar 2023

Joni Mitchell Feted With Gershwin Prize By Friends & Musical Luminaries in D.C.

The tribute concert for the Gershwin Prize, designated each year by the Library of Congress to fete an artist’s lifetime contribution to popular music, is by its very nature a love fest. The fact that this year’s event ratcheted up the heartstrings even more than usual is a testament to its 2023 honoree, Joni Mitchell.

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The show, which took place earlier this month in Washington, D.C., and airs Friday (March 31) on PBS, brought out a cavalcade of well-wishers, musical talent and friends. That included Brandi Carlile (who, besides performing, acted as an intermittent MC), James Taylor, Annie Lennox, Cyndi Lauper, Marcus Mumford, Graham Nash, Angélique Kidjo, Ledisi, Diana Krall and Herbie Hancock.

Mitchell, 79, was an obvious choice for this year’s Gershwin. She’s received a host of recent accolades since she made a remarkable recovery after suffering a brain aneurysm in 2015 that left her hospitalized. She received the Kennedy Center Honor in 2021, was celebrated as MusiCares’ 2022 Person of the Year and received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music the same year.

Seated front and center in DAR Constitution Hall, which added rows of chairs in front of the stage to accommodate a full house of invitation-only fans and Capitol Hill luminaries, Mitchell swayed and smiled throughout the night, clearly relishing the celebration.

Carlile, who performed her professed favorite Mitchell song, the title track from her 2007 album Shine, sprinkled in stories of spending time with Mitchell during her convalescence and Mitchell’s triumphant return to the Newport Folk Festival last year, where she performed 13 songs.

“The songs of Joni Mitchell, like the woman, speak to innocence and experience, success and failure, overcoming odds, falling short,” Carlile told the crowd. “[Last summer] she showed the world that it was not done with Joni Mitchell, and she showed the world that she was not done with us. All of us on stage here tonight just couldn’t let anything pass without recognition of Joni’s courage, her determination, her spirit, will and grit.”

The performances were strong across the board, all delivered with reverence on a stage that was adorned with images of some of Mitchell’s paintings. And the band comprised musicians who are longtime collaborators and friends of Mitchell, including music director Greg Phillinganes.

Mumford got things started with “Carey,” from Mitchell’s cherished 1971 album Blue. Lennox soared with power and passion on the timeless “Both Sides Now.” Kidjo got creative with her time in the spotlight: while performing Mitchell’s Billboard Adult Contemporary No. 1 “Help Me,” she hopped off the stage and delivered a portion of the song directly to Mitchell, who obliged by dancing along in her seat.

Describing her contribution “Big Yellow Taxi,” Ledisi said Mitchell wanted listeners to understand the importance of maintaining the balance of the natural world, “but she did it in an almost subversive way, wrapping the message in a universally easy-to-sing chorus that sneaks up on you and then hits you in the face with the importance of taking action.”

Nash, who shared a long-resonating love affair with Mitchell between 1968-70, recalled meeting her in 1967. “She took me to her room and played me probably over a dozen of the most incredible songs I’ve ever heard in my life,” he said, before launching into “A Case of You,” which was highlighted by photos of the two in their younger years.

Lauper gave a lilting performance of title track to Blue, though she immediately had to do a second take when Ken Ehrlich of Ken Ehrlich Productions made one of a few mid-show appearances to make sure the event would be ready for its primetime debut. (When Ehrlich came out, halted Taylor’s silky, buttery performance of “California” and asked him to start over, Taylor quipped, “Is this the part where you come in?”)

Excitement was palpable leading to the finale, when a beaming Mitchell rose from her seat and took the stage.

“This is such a great honor; it’s so exciting to see all of these musicians I admire preforming my music. And I wanted to express my gratitude by singing a Gershwin song,” she said, before launching into a jaunty rendition of “Summertime,” which she followed up with her own iconic “The Circle Game,” joined by the cast of performers.

28 Mar 2023

Chris Blackwell, Angélique Kidjo and Arvo Pärt Named 2023 Polar Music Prize Laureates

The laureates for the 2023 Polar Music Prize have been revealed. They are Chris Blackwell, who founded Island Records, one of the U.K.’s most successful independent labels; Angélique Kidjo, dubbed “Africa’s premier diva” by Time; and Arvo Pärt, who created the minimalist compositional style known as tintinnabuli, and is one of the most-performed classical composers in the world. All three will be honored in the presence of the Swedish Royal Family at a ceremony and banquet on May 23 at Stockholm’s Grand Hotel.

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The prestigious Polar Music Prize was created by Stig “Stikkan” Anderson, famed Swedish writer/producer/label owner/publisher and manager of ABBA, and first presented in 1992. This year’s laureates, who will all be in attendance, will each receive a cash prize of 600,00 Swedish kronor (approx. $58,000 U.S.).

Blackwell built an impressive roster of artists for Island, including Bob Marley, Cat Stevens, Roxy Music, Steve Winwood, Robert Palmer, Nick Drake, Melissa Etheridge, Tom Waits, Grace Jones, U2 and Marianne Faithfull. Kidjo relocated from her home country of Benin to Paris, where Blackwell heard her sing and signed her to Island. Her life of music and activism was praised by President Bill Clinton, who cited her “passionate call for freedom, dignity, and the rights of people.” Influenced by sacred music, including Gregorian chants, Pärt is known for his laconic, reduced compositions, with his style evolving from neo-classical in his early years to more avant-garde music.

Blackwell has a long history with Sweden, first traveling there in the late 1950s. In 1960, he met with Dag Haeggquist, a beloved figure in the Swedish music industry, who was running the independent Sonet label. “I really liked him,” Blackwell tells Billboard. “So when I was back in Jamaica, I did a record there and thought it sounded okay. I sent it to Dag to see if he might be interested in releasing it, and that’s what happened. It didn’t do well but I worked with Dag for many years after that.”

One of Blackwell’s most memorable times in Sweden was a visit on his 30th birthday in 1967, when he was in Gothenburg, on tour with Traffic. “A few people were smoking what they were not supposed to be smoking and everybody was shocked that I’d never smoked any weed before in my life. ‘You? Coming from Jamaica and you’ve never smoked any weed?’ And I said no. I never had – at that time.”

Kidjo also has many memories of Sweden, though one that stands out is laced with tragedy. “I was on tour and was supposed to play in Stockholm,” Kidjo recalls to Billboard. “The night before, I heard that a discotheque had burned down with all the kids in it.” (On Oct. 29, 1998, an arsonist burned down a discotheque in Gothenburg. There were 63 deaths and 213 people were injured). “I thought, ‘How are we going to do this concert?’ Everybody wanted to cancel, and I said, ‘No. Please, let’s do something. Let’s celebrate the spirit of those kids that are gone. Let’s help heal the wound.’ It was one of the most difficult things that you do as a performer, knowing that the youth [who died] were never going to be there anymore and thinking about the pain of the parents and the loss of the parents. I use music to be the art of healing, building bridges. Music has come to my rescue so many times that I ask myself sometimes, ‘If I was not a singer, how would I live in this world?’”

Kidjo is looking forward to seeing Blackwell for the first time since the pandemic began. “I couldn’t dream of a better person to share this with because he was the one who taught me what it is to be on a major label, to be humble, to keep grounded and focus on the music. The first 10 years of my career brought me to where I am today because Chris won’t lie to you. If it’s not good, Chris is going to tell you. When he would listen to my demos, he would call me right away and say, ‘I like this number and this number, but I didn’t like that.’ And he’s always right.”

The citation that will be read at the ceremony for Blackwell says, in part, “As a record producer and genuine music lover, Chris Blackwell has been one of the key figures in the development of popular music for half a century. When Island Records was founded in Jamaica in 1959, he began his mission to introduce the world to ska and reggae. In folk, rock and disco, he has invested in uncompromising artists and helped them become the best version of themselves. Never focusing on sales figures, but on the songs and albums as works of art, Chris Blackwell has expanded the world and abolished border controls between genres.”

Calling her “unique and unstoppable,” Kidjo’s citation reads, in part, “Angélique grew up in Cotonou, surrounded by the dynamic Beninese culture and listening to music from all over the world: soul, jazz, reggae, Afrobeat, pop, classical. When a communist dictatorship tried to silence her, she moved to Paris and became even more active. Angélique Kidjo invented the word batonga, a response to those who think girls don’t belong in schools, and runs the Batonga Foundation, which seeks out girls and provides them with education. Bono has said of her, ‘In Africa’s new morning, Angélique Kidjo is the warmth of the rising sun.’”

Pärt’s citation says he “has likened his music to white light. It is in the encounter with the prism of the listener’s soul that all colors become visible. Arvo Pärt has created the compositional style tintinnabuli, from the Latin word for ‘bell,’ in which the music moves according to a given structure. In 2006 and 2007, Arvo Pärt dedicated the performances of his works to the murdered Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya and other dissidents in Russia. Arvo Pärt’s courageously beautiful music creates depth in every sense.”

Marie Ledin, managing director of the Polar Music Prize, tells Billboard, “It was so great to be back last year staging the Polar Music Prize after two years away due to COVID. And this year I feel that the committee has again risen to the challenge of choosing three laureates that are so well-deserving. It’s a great privilege for the Polar Music Prize to be able to put these three remarkable talents in the spotlight and hopefully introduce new audiences to their music. I’m looking forward to a wonderful evening of great music at the ceremony in Stockholm on May 23.”

Blackwell, Kidjo and Pärt join a long list of laureates that includes Elton John, Ravi Shankar, Metallica, Ennio Morricone, Led Zeppelin, Renée Fleming, Paul McCartney, Grandmaster Flash, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, Isaac Stern, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Sonny Rollins, Diane Warren, Gilberto Gil, B.B. King, Emmylou Harris, Yo-Yo Ma, Miriam Makeba, Björk, Wayne Shorter, Patti Smith, Dizzy Gillespie, Iggy Pop, the Kronos Quartet, Youssou N’Dour and Chuck Berry.

27 Mar 2023

Here Are the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards Winners (Updating Live)

Monday night’s (March 27) iHeartRadio Music Awards celebrated the artists we hear most across the airwaves, with Lenny Kravitz hosting and performing.

Taylor Swift collected the Innovator Award and Pink won the Icon Award, but who else took home prizes?

Find the night’s big winners below:

Song of the year
“About Damn Time”- Lizzo
WINNER: “Anti-Hero”- Taylor Swift
“As It Was”- Harry Styles
“Big Energy”- Latto
“Enemy (from the series Arcane League of Legends)”- Imagine Dragons
“First Class”- Jack Harlow
“Ghost”- Justin Bieber
“Heat Waves” – Glass Animals
“Industry Baby” – Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow
“Woman” – Doja Cat

Artist of the year
Beyoncé
Doja Cat
Drake
Dua Lipa
Harry Styles
Jack Harlow
Justin Bieber
Lizzo
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd

Best duo/group of the year
AJR
Black Eyed Peas
Blackpink
Glass Animals
WINNER: Imagine Dragons
Måneskin
OneRepublic
Parmalee
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Silk Sonic

Best collaboration
“Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)”- Elle King & Miranda Lambert
“Cold Heart”- Elton John & Dua Lipa
“half of my hometown”- Kelsea Ballerini ft. Kenny Chesney
“I Like You (A Happier Song)” – Post Malone ft. Doja Cat
“Industry Baby” – Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow
“One Right Now”- Post Malone & The Weeknd
“Sweetest Pie” – Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa
“Unholy” – Sam Smith & Kim Petras
“Wait For U” – Future ft. Drake & Tems
“You Right” – Doja Cat ft. The Weeknd

Best new pop artist
Dove Cameron
Gayle
WINNER: Jax
Nicky Youre
Steve Lacy

Country song of the year
“Buy Dirt” – Jordan Davis ft. Luke Bryan
“half of my hometown” – Kelsea Ballerini ft. Kenny Chesney
WINNER: “She Had Me At Heads Carolina” – Cole Swindell
“The Kind of Love We Make” – Luke Combs
“Wasted On You” – Morgan Wallen

Country artist of the year
Carrie Underwood
Jason Aldean
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
WINNER: Morgan Wallen

Best new country artist
Bailey Zimmerman
WINNER: Cody Johnson
Elle King
Elvie Shane
Priscilla Block

Afrobeats artist of the year
Burna Boy
CKay
Fireboy DML
Tems
Wizkid

Hip-hop song of the year
“F.N.F. (Let’s Go)”- Hitkidd & GloRilla
“First Class” – Jack Harlow
“Girls Want Girls” – Drake ft. Lil Baby
“Super Gremlin”- Kodak Black
“Wait For U” – Future ft. Drake & Tems

Hip-hop artist of the year
Drake
Future
Kodak Black
Lil Baby
Moneybagg Yo

Best new hip-hop artist
B-Lovee
GloRilla
Latto
Nardo Wick
SleazyWorld Go

R&B song of the year
“Break My Soul” – Beyoncé
“Free Mind” – Tems
“Hrs And Hrs” – Muni Long
“I Hate U”- SZA
“Smokin Out The Window” – Silk Sonic

R&B artist of the year  
Blxst
Muni Long
Silk Sonic
SZA
Yung Bleu

Best new R&B artist 
Blast
Brent Faiyaz
WINNER: Muni Long
Steve Lacy
Tems

Alternative song of the year
“Black Summer”- Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Edging”- Blink-182
“Enemy (from the series Arcane League of Legends)”- Imagine Dragons
“Heat Waves”- Glass Animals
“Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)”- Kate Bush

Alternative artist of the year
Imagine Dragons
Måneskin
Red Hot Chili Peppers
twenty one pilots
Weezer

Best new artist (alternative & rock)
Beach Weather
BoyWithUke
WINNER: Giovannie and the Hired Guns
Turnstile
Wet Leg

Rock song of the year
“Black Summer”- Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Patient Number 9”- Ozzy Osbourne ft. Jeff Beck
“Planet Zero”- Shinedown
“So Called Life”- Three Days Grace
“Taking Me Back”- Jack White

Rock artist of the year
Ghost
WINNER: Papa Roach
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Shinedown
Three Days Grace

Dance song of the year
“Cold Heart”- Elton John & Dua Lipa
“Escape”- KX5, Kaskade, Deadmau5 ft. Hayla
“Heaven Takes You Home”- Swedish House Mafia & Connie Constance
“Hot In It”- Tiësto & Charli XCX
WINNER: “I’m Good (Blue)”- David Guetta & Bebe Rexha

Dance artist of the year
WINNER: Anabel Englund
Joel Corry
Sofi Tukker
Swedish House Mafia
Tiësto

Latin pop/reggaeton song of the year 
“El Incomprendido” – Farruko/ Víctor Cárdenas/ DJ Adoni
WINNER: “MAMIII”- Becky G & Karol G
“Me Porto Bonito”- Bad Bunny ft. Chencho Corleone
“Moscow Mule” – Bad Bunny
“Provenza”- Karol G

Latin pop/reggaeton artist of the year  
Bad Bunny
Daddy Yankee
Farruko
Karol G
Rauw Alejandro

Regional Mexican song of the year 
“Cada Quien”- Grupo Firme ft. Maluma
“Cómo Te Olvido” – La Arrolladora Banda El Limón de René Camacho
“Si Te Pudiera Mentir”- Calibre 50
“Ya Solo Eres Mi Ex” – La Adictiva
“Ya Supérame”- Grupo Firme

Regional Mexican artist of the year
Calibre 50
Christian Nodal
El Fantasma
WINNER: Grupo Firme
La Adictiva

Best new Latin artist
Blessd
Kali Uchis
Quevedo
Ryan Castro
Venesti   

Best lyrics (socially voted category)
“About Damn Time” – Lizzo
“abcdefu” – Gayle
“Anti-Hero” – Taylor Swift
“Buy Dirt”- Jordan Davis ft. Luke Bryan
“Glimpse Of Us”- Joji
“Lift Me Up”- Rihanna 
“N95” – Kendrick Lamar
“pushin P” – Gunna ft. Future, Young Thug
“Super Freaky Girl” – Nicki Minaj 
“Wasted On You” – Morgan Wallen
“We Don’t Talk About Bruno”- Lin-Manuel Miranda performed by the Cast of Encanto

Best music video (socially voted category)
“Anti-Hero”- Taylor Swift 
“As It Was” – Harry Styles 
“Calm Down”- Rema & Selena Gomez
“Don’t Be Shy”- Tiësto & Karol G 
“Don’t You Worry”- Black Eyed Peas, Shakira, David Guetta
“Envovler” – Anitta 
“Left and Right”- Charlie Puth ft. Jung Kook of BTS
“Pink Venom”- BLACKPINK 
“Tití Me Preguntó” – Bad Bunny 
“Yet To Come” – BTS 

Best fan army (socially voted category)
“Barbz”- Nicki Minaj 
“Beliebers”- Justin Bieber 
“BeyHive” – Beyoncé
“Blinks”- Blackpink 
“BTSArmy”- BTS 
“Harries” – Harry Styles 
“Hotties”- Megan Thee Stallion 
“Louies”- Louis Tomlinson 
“RihannaNavy”- Rihanna 
“Rushers”- Big Time Rush 
“Selenators” – Selena Gomez 
“Swifties”- Taylor Swift 

Social star award (socially voted category)
Bailey Zimmerman
Charli D’Amelio
Em Beihold
Gayle
GloRilla
JVKE
Lauren Spencer-Smith
Yung Gravy

Favorite tour photographer (socially voted category)
Bad Bunny – Siempreric
Demi Lovato – Angelo Kritikos
Dua Lipa – Elizabeth Miranda
Halsey – Yasi
WINNER: Harry Styles – Lloyd Wakefield
Louis Tomlinson – Joshua Halling
Luke Combs – David Bergman
Machine Gun Kelly – Sam Cahill
Olivia Rodrigo – Donslens
Post Malone – Adam DeGross
twenty one pilots – Ashley Osborn
YUNGBLUD – Tom Pallant

TikTok bop of the year (socially voted category)
“About Damn Time”- Lizzo 
“As It Was” – Harry Styles
“Bad Habit” – Steve Lacy 
“Bejeweled”- Taylor Swift 
“Big Energy”- Latto 
“Cuff It”- Beyoncé
“Envolver”- Anitta 
“Just Wanna Rock” – Lil Uzi Vert 
“Made You Look”- Meghan Trainor 
“Super Freaky Girl” – Nicki Minaj 
“Unholy”- Sam Smith & Kim Petras 
“World’s Smallest Violin”- AJR 

Favorite documentary (socially voted category)
Halftime – Jennifer Lopez 
Life in Pink – Machine Gun Kelly 
Love, Lizzo– Lizzo 
Niall Horan’s Homecoming: The Road to Mullingar With Lewis Capaldi – Niall Horan + Lewis Capaldi 
Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me – Selena Gomez 
Shania Twain: Not Just a Girl – Shania Twain 
Sheryl – Sheryl Crow 
Untrapped: The Story of Lil Baby – Lil Baby 

Favorite tour style (socially voted category)
Bad Bunny
Carrie Underwood
Dua Lipa
Elton John
Harry Styles
Lady Gaga
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
Machine Gun Kelly
Olivia Rodrigo
Rosalía
The Weeknd

Favorite residency (socially voted category)
“An Evening with Silk Sonic” – Silk Sonic
“Enigma + Jazz & Piano” – Lady Gaga 
“Let’s Go!” – Shania Twain 
“Love In Las Vegas”- John Legend 
“Love On Tour” – Harry Styles 
“Play”- Katy Perry 
“Reflection: The Las Vegas Residency” – Carrie Underwood
“Usher: My Way – The Las Vegas Residency” – Usher
“Weekends with Adele” – Adele

Favorite use of a sample (socially voted category)
Beyoncé’s “Summer Renaissance” – sampled Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love”
Blackpink’s “Pink Venom” – sampled 50 Cent’s “P.I.M.P,” Rihanna’s “Pon de Replay,” and
Biggie’s “Kick In The Door”
Chlöe’s “Treat Me” – sampled Bubba Sparxxx & Ying Yang Twins’ “Ms. New Booty”
David Guetta & Bebe Rexha’s “I’m Good (Blue)” – sampled Eiffel 65’s “Blue (Da Ba Dee)”
DJ Khaled & Drake’s “Staying Alive” – sampled The Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive”
Doja Cat’s “Vegas” – sampled Shonka Dukureh’s “Hound Dog”
Jack Harlow’s “First Class” – sampled Fergie’s “Glamorous”
Latto’s “Big Energy” – sampled Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy”
Lizzo’s “Break Up Twice” – sampled Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing)”
Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl” – sampled Rick James’ “Super Freak”
Taylor Swift’s “Question…?” – sampled Taylor Swift’s “Out of The Woods”
Yung Gravy’s “Betty (Get Money)” – sampled Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up”

Most Played Artist
WINNER: Doja Cat

Country Album of the Year
WINNER: Luke Combs, Growin’ Up

27 Mar 2023

Taylor Swift Accepts Innovator Award at 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards: ‘You Have to Give Yourself Permission to Fail’

Taylor Swift took a brief break from her blockbuster The Eras Tour on Monday night (March 27), popping by Los Angeles’ Dolby Theater for the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards to accept the Innovator Award.

Phoebe Bridgers presented the award to her “Nothing New” collaborator, explaining how hearing a young Swift singing her own songs on country radio when she was growing up is what inspired her to become an autobiographical songwriter.

“I was listening to country radio one day with my mom and Taylor came on,” Bridgers said. “I heard a girl not much older than me singing a song she had written about her own life and the song was really good. As I grew up, so did Taylor, and so did her songs.

“Taylor has always told the truth,” Bridgers added. “She has always written songs about exactly where she is. I’m grateful to have grown up in a world with Taylor Swift in it. Or ‘The World (Taylor’s Version).’”

Before Swift took the stage, a video montage played of her famous friends and fans — including Selena Gomez (“She can represent what she’s walking through so well”) and Dolly Parton (“We wanna keep you around forever”) — singing Swift’s praises.

“Anyone who is part of that video, that video really blew my mind,” Swift said, before launching into her speech and marveling at being labeled an “Innovator.”

“I never a single time woke up in the morning and said, ‘You know what I’m gonna do today? I’m gonna innovate stuff,’” she said. “What I did do was make the right decisions for me. People want an example of something working before, but I think the coolest ideas, moves and choices are new ones, ones that set a new precedent. I’m so thankful because my fans have backed me up on things like switching genres or re-recording all my old music.

“The thing about these exciting nights and moments and especially this award, they’re shining a light on the choices I made that worked out, that turned out to be good ideas,” she added. “I want everyone to know — especially young people — that the hundreds and thousands of dumb ideas that I had led me to my good ideas. You have to give yourself permission to fail. I try as hard as I can not to fail because it’s embarrassing, but I give myself permission to.

“Make the right choices that make sense for you and someone one day might thing you’re innovative.”

The Eras Tour continues this weekend at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where MUNA and GAYLE will open Friday night and beabadoobee and Gracie Adams open Saturday night. Bridgers will join The Eras Tour as a warm-up act starting with the Nashville dates in May.

27 Mar 2023

Morgan Wallen, Carrie Underwood & More Among 2023 Video of the Year Finalists at CMT Music Awards

On Monday (March 27), CMT revealed the six finalists for video of the year at their upcoming awards show, including Morgan Wallen, Blake Shelton and more.

Wallen’s visual for “You Proof” is nominated, while Shelton is competing with 2022’s “No Body.” The four other nominees rounding out the category include Carrie Underwood‘s “Hate My Heart” from her latest album Denim & Rhinestones, Cody Johnson‘s “Human,” HARDY‘s Lainey Wilson-assisted “Wait in the Truck” and Kane Brown‘s “Thank God” with his wife Katelyn Brown.

Voting in the video of the year category, which started with a crop of 16 videos, will continue through the weekend, with the top three nominees being announced Sunday (April 2) ahead of the show and the big winner revealed during the telecast on CBS.

Underwood’s inclusion in the top six continues her hot streak at the CMT Awards; the American Idol champ holds the record as the most-awarded artist in the show’s history, and she’s been up for video of the year for five consecutive years.

Shelton coming out on top would make it The Voice coach’s second win for video of the year after being crowned in 2018 for “I’ll Name the Dogs,” though the Browns would make history with a win as the first-ever husband and wife duo to take home the prize. (The Different Man singer also happens to be co-hosting the ceremony opposite Kelsea Ballerini.)

For HARDY, Wilson, Johnson or Wallen, a victory over the country veterans would bring a first-time win in the category. The latter currently holds the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 for the third consecutive week with his sprawling, 36-track album One Thing at a Time (chart dated April 1).