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The only existing copy of Wu-Tang Clan’s Once Upon a Time in Shaolin, one of the greatest collector’s items in recorded music history, will finally get its public debut.
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There is a catch: you’ll have to visit Tasmania next month to hear it.
The Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Hobart, the capital of the Apple Isle, has loaned the one-off record for its upcoming exhibition, Namedropping.
Mona’s Frying Pan Studios will host 30-minute listening parties twice-a-day from June 15-24, where a curated selection of tracks from the album will be played.
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“During Namedropping,” reads a statement, “the world’s only copy of the Wu-Tang Clan’s fabled seventh studio album will be on display in the museum. We’re giving you the chance to hear it, too. At least some of it.”
Tickets are free – if you are lucky enough to secure a ticket, the museum handily warns – and available only for over-18s.
“You hear talk about once-in-a-lifetime opportunities: this is probably one of them,” reads a statement.
The brief history of Once Upon a Time in Shaolin is so unusual, it’s worthy of its own feature film.
The hip-hop pioneers announced the secret, one-of-a-kind pressing in 2015, a rebuff to the digital world in which we now live. And put the record under the hammer.
“When you buy a painting or a sculpture, you’re buying that piece rather than the right to replicate it,” says RZA in a Q&A on the online auction site. “Owning a Picasso doesn’t mean you can sell prints or reproductions, but that you’re the sole owner of a unique original. And that’s what Once Upon a Time in Shaolin is. It’s a unique original rather than a master copy of an album.” The Clan delivered the coup de grâce on the project by deleting all digital files.
The winning bidder was Martin Shkreli, the notorious so-called “pharma bro” who went on a headline-dominating rampage when he both hiked up prices of the HIV/AIDS drug Daraprim and purchased the unreleased double-disc for a cool $2 million.
He continued to capture headlines when promised to share the album publicly, but only if Donald Trump was elected as president. That happened, and Shkreli shared a small series of videos, all of which featured him with snippets of the album playing in the background – despite being under orders from the Clan to not play the album for 88 years.
Shkreli attempted to sell the album on eBay, chastened by the backlash he’d received from a member of the Clan and the music world. The sale didn’t go through and, in 2018, following Shkreli’s conviction for securities fraud, he was forced to part ways with the album under a federal court-ordered seizure of assets.
In 2021 the US Department of Justice reportedly sold the album for $4 million to digital art collective PleasrDAO, its current owner.
Empire of the Sun rises again with a tour in support of Ask That God, the forthcoming fourth studio album by the electro-pop outfit from Down Under.
Led by Luke Steele (frontman of indie-rock act The Sleepy Jackson) and Lord Littlemore (Nick Littlemore of electronic trio PNAU), Empire of the Sun will embark on a tour of Australia, kicking off Oct. 24 at Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, and visiting Melbourne, Brisbane and wrapping Nov. 1 with a show at Red Hill Auditorium, in Steele’s hometown, Perth.
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The national trek, produced by Frontier Touring, is the first announced in support of Ask That God, the group’s first album in eight years. Additional treks are yet to be announced.
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Due out July 26 (via EMI Australia), Ask That God is led by the first singles “Changes” and “Music On The Radio;” both are accompanied with sparkling, Michael Maxxis-helmed music videos that capture Steele and Littlemore in all their astral-wizardry.
Ask That God is the follow-up to 2016’s Two Vines, which logged at week at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums and featured contributions from Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham, Wendy Melvoin from Prince’s Revolution band and two members of David Bowie’s Blackstar band, pianist Henry Hey and bassist Tim Lefebvre.
To build the buzz, Empire of the Sun today shared behind the scenes footage from the “Changes” music video.
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“Ask That God is an album we searched for and were thankfully blessed with. We are nothing more than conduits, gathering experience and finding what is meant for the Empire to find,” explains Steele.
Since their breakthrough debut album from 2008, Walking On A Dream, which housed the title track and “We Are The People,” Empire of the Sun has collected eight ARIA Awards (including four at the 2009 ceremony), two APRA Music Awards, an APRA Billions Award, and collected 7.6 billion streams, according to EMI.
“Walking On A Dream” belatedly cracked the Billboard Hot 100 in 2016, peaking at No. 65, after hitching a ride with a Honda Civic campaign. The track would become a U.S. chart leader, hitting No. 1 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs, for their second leader after 2013’s “Alive” – a song that was released five years after “Walking on a Dream.” Empire of the Sun would also preside over the Billboard + Clio Music’s Top Commercials chart for successive months in the United States, where the single is now platinum certified.
Littlemore hinted at some hidden gems in an interview with Billboard in 2021. “There’s a lot of great music in the bag. I’m hoping that will see the light of day,” Littlemore told this reporter. “I have great faith. I don’t feel we have exhausted that well by any stretch. The name still has a lot of goodwill. I really hope we can come together and finish it.”
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The U.K. singles chart race was something of a feast, as Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” (Island) beat Billie Eilish’s “Lunch” (Interscope) for the title. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news With its latest crown, confirmed Friday, May 24, “Espresso” extends its streak to four weeks. Carpenter’s breakout hit is […]
It’s Billie Eilish’s week in the U.K., as Hit Me Hard And Soft punches its way to No. 1 with personal-best results.
According to the Official Charts Company, Hit Me Hard And Soft (Interscope) knocks out 67,100 chart units in its first seven days, easily surpassing the opening week for her 2019 leader When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, which bowed with 48,400 units.
With that effort, Eilish hits a perfect three-from-three with her studio albums (When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and 2021’s Happier Than Ever also debuted at the summit), and bags the second-biggest opening week for any album in the U.K. this year, behind only Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department, which shifted a mighty 270,000 U.K. chart units in just seven days.
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Also, three tracks from the California alternative pop phenomenon’s latest LP crack the national top 10, led by “Lunch” at No. 2, ahead of “Chihiro” (No. 7) and “Birds Of A Feather” (No. 9), lifting her career tally of U.K. top 10 hits to 12.
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The runaway leader on the midweek chart, when it was outselling the rest of the top 5 combined, Hit Me Hard And Soft knocks Swift from the summit, as Tortured Poets (via EMI) dips 1-2, while Zayn lands a No. 3 start with Room Under The Stairs (Republic Records). That’s the former One Direction singer’s third top 40 solo appearance, following 2016’s chart-leading Mind of Mine and 2021’s Nobody is Listening, which peaked at No. 17.
Further down the Official U.K. Albums Chart, Portishead singer Beth Gibbons debuts at No. 7 with her first solo studio album, Lives Outgrown (Domino Recordings), while legendary Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash earns a No. 8 entry with his star-studded collection, Orgy of the Damned (Gibson).
Finally, Michael Head & the Red Elastic Band scores a second U.K. top 10 with Loophole (Modern Sky), new at No. 10.
Ahead of NLE Choppa’s interview release, we give you a sneak peek where he breaks down the Kendrick Lamar & Drake beef, who won, and more! NLE Choppa: I think the win is like, you know, how Kendrick go home and feel about it, and how Drizzy will go home and feel about it. I […]
Tank hits No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart for a ninth time, as “Before We Get Started,” featuring Fabolous, rises to the top of the June 1-dated survey. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Before We Get Started” is Tank’s third straight ruler, following “Slow,” […]
Future, Metro Boomin and Kendrick Lamar’s “Like That” adds two more Billboard airplay No. 1s to its collection, rising to the top of the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay tallies dated June 1.
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The coronation of “Like That” on both lists accompanies its continued reign on Rap Airplay for a fifth week and Rhythmic Airplay for a third frame.
“Like That” becomes the first song to rule all four charts since Drake and 21 Savage’s “Rich Flex” in 2023. “Rich Flex,” as with “Like That,” also reigned on all four simultaneously (Feb. 4, 2023).
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On Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, “Like That” is the sixth No. 1 for Future and first since “Wait for U,” featuring Drake and Tems, led for 16 weeks in 2022. He first led in 2014 as featured, with Chris Brown, August Alsina and Jeremih, on DJ Khaled’s “Hold You Down.” “Like That” is Lamar’s fifth No. 1 and first since 2017’s “Love.”; he first reigned with “Swimming Pools [Drank]” in 2012. Metro Boomin leads for the first time as a billed recording artist.
On R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (which blends audience data on mainstream R&B/hip-hop and adult R&B stations), “Like That” leads with 17.5 million in reach, up 9%, May 17-23, according to Luminate. It becomes Future’s fourth No. 1 and first since “Wait for U.” It’s Lamar’s third (and first since “Love.”) and Metro Boomin’s first.
Concurrently, “Like That” debuts on Pop Airplay. While Future charted four titles at the format previously this decade and Metro Boomin reached the list twice in 2023, Lamar makes his first appearance on the ranking since 2018.
“Like That,” from Future and Metro Boomin’s collaborative album We Don’t Trust You (the pair’s first of two LPs in 2024), debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated April 6 and led for three frames. It ranked at No. 7 on the most recently published survey (dated May 25, reflecting data May 10-16).
We Don’t Trust You debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 dated April 6 and has earned 809,000 equivalent album units to date.
All Billboard charts dated June 1 will update on Billboard.com Wednesday, May 29, a day later than usual due to the Memorial Day holiday May 27.
Godsmack lands its 13th No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, reigning with “Truth” on the June 1-dated survey.
The song becomes Godsmack’s first ruler since “Surrender,” which led for five weeks beginning in November 2022. The band first reigned with “Awake” in February 2001. It first reached the chart with “Whatever,” a No. 7-peaking tune in March 1999.
With 13 No. 1s, Godsmack ties Van Halen for the sixth-most in Mainstream Rock Airplay’s 43-year history.
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Most No. 1s, Mainstream Rock Airplay:19, Shinedown17, Three Days Grace14, Five Finger Death Punch14, Foo Fighters14, Metallica13, Godsmack13, Van Halen12, Disturbed
“Truth” is the second song from Godsmack’s 2023 album Lighting Up the Sky to top Mainstream Rock Airplay, following “Surrender.” In between, “Soul On Fire” reached No. 2 last year.
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Concurrently, “Truth” lifts 10-9 on the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay survey with 3.3 million audience impressions, up 7%, May 17-23, according to Luminate.
On the most recent multimetric Hot Hard Rock Songs chart (dated May 25, reflecting data May 10-16), “Truth” placed at a No. 15 high. In addition to its radio airplay, the song earned 296,000 official U.S. streams in that span.
Lighting Up the Sky is purported to be Godsmack’s final studio LP. It debuted at No. 1 on the Top Hard Rock Albums survey in March 2023 and has earned 97,000 equivalent album units to date.
All Billboard charts dated June 1 will update on Billboard.com Wednesday, May 29, a day later than usual due to the Memorial Day holiday May 27.
After an 11-year hiatus, New Kids on the Block banded together once more to create and release their new album ‘Still Kids.’ They share how their new song “Better Days” was created, their thoughts on *NSYNC and Backstreet Boys, what fans can expect on their upcoming nostalgic Magic Summer tour and more!
Joey McIntyre:
It involved wooing room service, a bottle of wine. Yeah.
Donnie Wahlberg:
And then he played hard to get for two days, wouldn’t talk to John, so John would go “what happened? He’s not texting me.”
New Kids on the Block:
Hey, we’re the New Kids on the Block. This is Billboard News.
Jason Lipshutz:
You guys have a new album out for the first time in 11 years. What is the feeling like? What does today feel like for you guys?
Joey McIntyre:
Well, it is exciting to finally be able to share the album. I mean, it’s been finished and ready to go for a little bit. It’s exciting and just hearing the fans, you know, diving in right away. We’re excited, we’re proud of the album, and excited to play it, and have listening parties. Right, Jordan?
Jordan Knight:
It’s always fun to put new music out and share it with the fans. It’s something you’ve been working on for a year, or whatever how long it took us.
Jason Lipshutz:
Have you guys been scrolling social media feeds? Are you the type of guys that scroll, like to see the reactions, like favorite songs? Getting the music out? Like, are you guys plugged in on that? Or do you just kind of let it go?
Joey McIntyre:
I was just on there, yeah. And the fans are already calling out different songs.
Watch the full interview above!
Billie Eilish is on top in the land Down Under with Hit Me Hard And Soft, while 10 tracks from it impact the ARIA Top 50 Singles chart.
Hit Me Hard And Soft (via Interscope/Universal) debuts at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, published Friday, May 24, giving Eilish a perfect three-from-three. The U.S. pop phenomenon’s debut When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? logged eight non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 in 2019-20, and followup Happier Than Ever spent two weeks at the top in 2021.
Eilish dines out with album track “Lunch,” which arrives at No. 5 on the national singles survey for the top debut of the week. It’s her 15th top five hit spot in Australia, a tally that includes two No. 1s (“Bad Guy” in 2019 and “What Was I Made For?” in 2023).
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Eilish’s third LP knocks overs Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department (Universal), down 2-1, while Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts (Geffen/Universal) completes the ARIA Chart podium, holding at No. 3.
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Much-loved Australian rock act Hoodoo Gurus returns to the survey with Stoneage Romeos (Universal), their debut album which enjoys the 40th anniversary treatment. Stoneage Romeos reenters the ARIA Chart at No. 8, besting its original peak position of No. 29 back in 1984. That’s the ARIA Hall of Fame-inducted band’s seventh top 10 appearance. Hoodoo Gurus will play the classic album in full when they return to the road this November and December for the national Back to the Stoneage Tour, produced by Empire Touring.
Meanwhile, new releases from Slash (Orgy Of The Damned at No. 14 via Gibson/Sony) and Zayn (Room Under The Stairs at No. 16 via Universal) crack the top 20.
Over on the ARIA Singles Chart, Tommy Richman bags his first leader on the Australian singles with “Million Dollar Baby” (Conc), up 2-1. The singer and songwriter is the fourth act to score their first No. 1 this year, following Noah Kahan, Benson Boone and Sabrina Carpenter, ARIA reports.
Country cuts round out the top three, with Post Malone and Morgan Wallen‘s “I Had Some Help” (Universal), down 1-2, and Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” (EMP), holding at No. 3.
