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Justin Timberlake seemingly confirms that *NSYNC will be featured on his upcoming album. Fans are in a frenzy after Lady Gaga refers to her “past career.” Lizzo addresses the claim that she rejected Jennifer Lopez’s ‘This is Me… Now’ cameo offer. Reneé Rapp opens up about her love for Beyoncé, shares thoughts on creating an […]
Tones And I enters the history books once more, as the Australian artist’s monster hit “Dance Monkey” ticks past 3 billion streams on Spotify.
With that feat, Tones (real name: Toni Watson) becomes the first female artist to achieve that streaming milestone.
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Since its commercial launch in 2008, Spotify has entered just eight songs into the three billion streams club; with the exception of “Dance Monkey,” all of them are recorded by male artists from North America or the United Kingdom.
At the top of the tree is The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” (4.092 billion streams), ahead of Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” (3.796 billion) and Lewis Capaldi’s “Someone You Loved” (3.239 billion), respectively.
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Since “Dance Monkey” dropped in May 2019, nothing has been quite the same. The single logged 24 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the ARIA Chart, an all-time record, and spent 11 weeks at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, a record for a solo female artist.
Konstantin Kersting produced and mixed the song, which hit No. 1 in more than 30 countries around the world.
Tones, a one-time busker, also nailed a Billboard Hot 100 hit with “Dance Monkey.” The second single from her debut EP The Kids Are Coming, “Dance Monkey” swung to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, earned the artist her first top 10 hit on Billboard‘s Pop Airplay, Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and Dance/Mix Show Airplay charts, and Tones claimed top spot on the Hot 100 Songwriters Chart.
Apple, owner of music recognition app Shazam, has named “Dance Monkey” as the most-Shazamed song of all time, with users of the app identifying the track more than 44.4 million times. And in April 2023, the official music video for “Dance Monkey” clocked two billion views on YouTube.
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Global streams across Tones’ catalog, which includes 2021’s “Fly Away,” which peaked at No. 11 in the U.K.
Tones is currently opening for Pink’s Summer Carnival stadium tour of Australia which, too, should bust records. When it completes its final show in late March, the trek, produced by Live Nation, is expected to pass 900,000 ticket sales for Australia and New Zealand, a box-office record for a solo female artist.
Earlier in the month, Tones shared the new single “Dreaming,” co-written with Sam Nelson of X Ambassadors and co-produced alongside Nelson and Randy Belculfine.
“Dreaming” will appear on her sophomore album, due out later this year and the followup to 2021’s Welcome to the Madhouse, which debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Chart.
Fred Again has done it again, selling out all six of his Australian arena shows within hours of the tour announcement.
The Grammy Award-winning British producer and artist this week announced three-night stands at both Sydney’s 22,000-capacity Qudos Bank Arena and Melbourne’s 15,000-capacity Rod Laver Arena, and a pop-up show on the Gold Coast, south of Brisbane, at a venue yet to be announced.
Over 1 million fans virtually queued for tickets, snapping up more than 100,000 tickets in “a matter of hours” for a sell-out, according to reports for Handsome Tours, which is presented the tour with sister companies Laneway Presents, TEG Live and Astral People.
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With his forthcoming run of Australia, Fred Again (real name Fred Gibson) has taken the concept of a snap tour announcement to another level.
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On Tuesday (Feb. 27), Fred announced a surprise performance at Sydney’s Opera House for that evening via his Instagram, and sold out it “emphatically,” say reps for TEG-affiliated Handsome Tours, with over 145,000 people queuing for less than 3,000 tickets. The one-off show at the Opera House’s Concert Hall set the record for the largest on-sale demand for the iconic venue — all within a 24-hour timeframe.
Off the back of that pop-up show, the full-scale tour announce which too has sold out. All dates will feature support from JOY (ANONYMOUS), who debuted new, unreleased music at Fred’s Sydney Opera House special.
Fred Again has a special — and deep — connection with Australian music fans.
He made his live debut here in January 2023, performing sets at Laneway Festival, selling-out headline shows, and unleashing surprise DJ pop-ups that reportedly sold-out in under 5 seconds, including a set at Sydney’s 5,500-capacity Hordern Pavilion. Last year, he was the most played artist on the triple j, the national youth-focused radio network.
Fred Again Australia Tour 2024:March 4 — Rod Laver Arena Melbourne Tickets (SOLD OUT)March 5 — Rod Laver Arena Melbourne Tickets (SOLD OUT)March 6 — Rod Laver Arena Melbourne Tickets (SOLD OUT)March 9 — Gold Coast pop-up (venue TBC) (SOLD OUT)March 12 — Qudos Bank Arena Sydney Tickets (SOLD OUT)March 13 — Qudos Bank Arena Sydney Tickets (SOLD OUT)March 14 — Qudos Bank Arena Sydney (SOLD OUT)
Country music duo LOCASH has launched Galaxy Label Group in partnership with Studio2Bee Entertainment, founded by veteran Nashville music executives Skip Bishop and Butch Waugh.
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BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville will distribute the label, Billboard can reveal.
LOCASH’s Preston Brust and Chris Lucas celebrated the newly-announced venture on Wednesday evening (Feb. 28) during an event in downtown Nashville, just as radio programmers descended on Music City for the annual Country Radio Seminar.
“We’re all blessed to be part of this music business and we have a chance to do what our passion is, and to have Skip and Butch back on the team with us, it’s great,” Lucas tells Billboard during a Zoom call with LOCASH and Bishop.
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In launching the label, LOCASH, who formed in 2008, draw on nearly two decades of experience as artists and writers. In 2016, they earned a top 5 Country Airplay hit with “I Love This Life,” and followed with the chart-topper “I Know Somebody,” top 20 song “Ring on Every Finger,” and in 2019, earned another top 5 Country Airplay hit with “One Big Country Song.”
“We’ve talked about doing a label for years,” Lucas says. “Some of the best success we’ve had was when were have been more hands-on with it.”
Bishop and Waugh had previously worked on the campaign for “I Love This Life,” and the full-fledged staff that Studio2Bee has with marketing and radio reps, “seemed like a perfect match,” Bishop explains.
A nod to the label’s name, Brust says the ideal artist roster will include genres beyond country, though they haven’t signed additional artists just yet. The hard lessons LOCASH has learned along the way as artists and songwriters influence the business model for the new label.
L-R: PETER STRICKLAND, GENERAL MANAGER, BMG; KATIE KERKHOVER, VICE PRESIDENT, A&R, BMG; SKIP BISHOP, STUDIO2BEE ENTERTAINMENT; PRESTON BRUST, LOCASH;
CHRIS LUCAS, LOCASH; JON LOBA, PRESIDENT, FRONTLINE RECORDINGS, NORTH AMERICA, BMG; QUINN BAUDUCCO, SENIOR MANAGER, BUSINESS & LEGAL AFFAIRS, BMG; JOJAMIE HAHR, EVP, RECORDED MUSIC, BMG NASHVILLE
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“The main thing that we’ve seen on some bigger labels is that sometimes some artists would be to the side because another artist was hot at that moment,” Brust says. “We’ve always talked about that and how it’s not fair, because there is so much talent in this city.”
Galaxy Label Group will also serve as home to LOCASH’s new music; BMG Nashville’s Wheelhouse imprint had previously released their albums. The duo has been in the studio working on their upcoming album, with their first single, “Hometown Home,” expected to release in the spring.
“This song just stepped into the roots of what Locash is about,” Lucas says. “It’s about hometown love and being the guy who says, ‘We could go anywhere in the world and start a new life together, but if you want to stay here in our hometown, that’s good with me too, because I just want to be with you.’ It’s one of those messages that is relatable and hits you in the heart.”
Beyond signing artists, Galaxy Label Group aims to aid songwriters. The duo says Galaxy Label Group will give songwriters a percentage of the master royalties (out of the label’s share) on every recording for the label, including Locash’s upcoming album. The commitment could mean a boost for songwriters, whose incomes have seen significant, negative impact in the steaming era. When physical albums sold regularly, songwriters would be paid on each album sold, earning a solid income regardless of whether their song was picked as a radio single. But with streams comprising the bulk of music consumption, songwriters are increasingly dependent on radio hits, losing out on the valuable income avenue physical records once provided.
The commitment follows in the footsteps of some smaller indie labels such as Facet Records and Good Boy Records, as well as individual artists such as Kip Moore, who in 2017 pledged an annual bonus for songwriters.
“We want to be fair,” Lucas says. “It’s one of those things where if we sit down and before the album comes out, we say, ‘This [percentage] seems fair.’ We could get down the road and if the single just goes into another realm, who knows? We could change a percentage at that point.”
Ultimately, Brust says, they hope to “create new revenue streams in this the industry.” He adds, “Nashville is built on the song. The best songwriters in the world—I would put us up against anyone. Nashville has it, period. There’s no one better than that. We want songwriters to have a fair chance. If someone’s getting 700 million streams and the songwriter’s barely seeing a dime, that’s not fair. We want to get a part of this ahead of the game and get a fair percentage for them. That’s what we’re most excited about right now—giving back to the community that has been there for us.”
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky are starring in a new short film together for Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty. Artists like Beyoncé, Harry Styles and SZA are having their music removed from TikTok after UMG pulled songs featuring their songwriters. After being publicly encouraged to release new music by her ex Offset, Cardi B is teasing fans with a track that features a Missy Elliott sample. Chlöe shared a teaser of her new track ‘FYS’ out this Friday. Charli XCX announces her sixth album ‘Brat.’ And more!
Tetris Kelly:Rihanna and A$AP give us beauty in a new short film. More of your favorite songs get removed from TikTok. New bops are coming from Cardi, Chloe and Charli as we prepare to honor Charli XCX at Women in Music.
We made it to hump day. It’s Wednesday, February 28th, and this is Billboard News. Somehow, February is still happening and the news never stops coming this month. So let’s get into it for today.
Rihanna and A$AP Rocky drop a short film to show off their Fenty collab.
Narrator:She was a classy dame, but she had odd ways of showing her affection from leaving me out cold in the dark to stealing my heart.
Tetris Kelly:Rihanna and her man, A$AP Rocky, are giving old Hollywood glam in ‘Born To Steal: Yours, Mine, Ours.’
Narrator:Although the female’s choices are endless, because she borrows from the male for her camouflage.
Tetris Kelly:This short film highlights the couple’s collaborative products.
A$AP Rocky:She did not steal my blazer. I can’t steal any of her clothes.
Tetris Kelly:They teased their collab earlier with the cutest interview clip when Complex asked RiRi what would be the perfect collab with A$AP.
Rihanna:We did that already, twice. We got two bomb a** little boys at home.
Tetris Kelly:And now we know what the Fenty Skin and Beauty product they were promoting is.
Narrator:So when I finally solved the case of my missing Lux Bomb, I wasn’t surprised when she surfaced. Not so fast, baby. This one’s mine.Watch the full video above!
After an unlikely global smash hit that was 37 years in the making, and a long-overdue induction into the Rock Hall, Kate Bush is named as ambassador for the U.K.’s Record Store Day 2024.
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The English singer rarely appears in public, on TV or radio. Though, being asked to serve as ambassador for RSD is “a huge honor,” she writes in a message on her official website. “It really is a great privilege.”
The 65-year-old “Wuthering Heights” singer is a life-long vinyl advocate. Last year, her label Fish People reissued her albums on wax, spanning 10 studio efforts, including U.K. No. 1s Hounds of Love and Never for Ever, The Dreaming, and her debut The Kick Inside, plus the remix album Director’s Cut.
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“There’s a special emotional connection that happens between the possessor of an album, the music and the artwork,” she said at the time, “when it exists in the real world. It’s something we can treasure in a unique way.”
Those reissues feature the remastered audio from a 2018 campaign, when Bush’s entire musical output was released on vinyl across four box sets, including songs that had never before been pressed on wax.
Bush’s comeback is the stuff of legend. Powered by the fourth season of Stranger Things, Bush’s 1985 hit “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God”) became a chart phenomenon all over again.
By mid-2022, she was No. 1 on Hot 100 Songwriters Chart, and the song had logged multiple weeks at No. 1 in Australia and the U.K., where she was anointed as the oldest female artist ever to lead the Official U.K. Singles Chart (at 63 years and 11 months).
In the U.S., “Running Up That Hill” topped both Billboard Global Charts, and, climbed to a new peak position of No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Then, in November 2023, Bush was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame.
To celebrate her new ambassadorial role, Fish People will issue an exclusive 10″ UV printed disc “Eat the Music” (single version), “Lily” and “Big Stripey Lie,” to coincide with RSD on April 20.
“The added bonus of vinyl is that it encourages people to listen to albums,” Bush continues, “an art form that I’ve always thought can be treasured in a unique way.”
In the U.K., over 260 stores participate in RSD in every corner of the country, reps say, and is one of the biggest new music events on the calendar.
Bush is a national treasure in her homeland, where she has bagged seven top 10 singles, including two No. 1s; and 12 top 10 albums, including three leaders.
Read Kate Bush’s RSD message in full below:
What a huge honour to have been asked to be Ambassador for this year’s Record Store Day. It really is a great privilege.
Isn’t it great to see how the resurgence in vinyl has taken the Music Industry by complete surprise? It had decided to leave vinyl far behind, but it would seem that not everyone agrees! I love that!
I know there are many, many artists who are just as excited to see the audience turning the tide.
In the same way that some people like to read a book on Kindle but also want to have a book as a physical object, a lot of people like vinyl and streaming. Both have different appeals.
The added bonus of vinyl is that it encourages people to listen to albums. An art form that I’ve always thought can be treasured in a unique way.
An album on vinyl is a beautiful thing, given a strong identity by its large-scale artwork. There’s a much more personal connection with the artist and their work.It’s been fun putting designs together for some of the previous RSDs. This year’s design echoes the cancelled release of ‘Eat the Music’ as the first single from the album, ‘The Red Shoes’.
The image was intended to be on the cover of the single bag and is now on the disc as a UV print.
The title, ‘Eat the Music’, is meant to be a playful nod to ‘If music be the food of love, play on,’ from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.
Each year Record Store Day gathers more attention, more momentum, and attracts more people who cram into indie record stores all over the world to see what’s up. What’s new?
This year, I hope you have a fantastic time at this very important event, and that you get to celebrate music that’s been specially released for you.Very best wises,Kate
No one can sing a Journey number quite like the mighty Steve Perry. Or perhaps Gene Taylor.
Hailing from Vernon, New Jersey, now based in Brooklyn, NY, the 33-year-old Taylor has done the rounds of theater and performed for much of his life. Under the bright lights of NBC’s The Voice on Tuesday night (Feb. 27), he showcased his talents for power and glory.
For Taylor’s blind audition, a cover of Journey’s 1978 song “Lights”. Power, glory.
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John Legend turned first, then Dan +Shay, followed by Reb McEntire and, finally, Chance the Rapper, for a four-chair turn and a standing ovation.
“I always love a tenor who can sing those beautiful big notes,” says Legend, “but also you had finesse. It was just so expertly done as a vocalist.” And with that, Legend launched into his sales pitch. Legend would also identify some classic vocal skills in the mix, a fusion of Nat King Cole with rock.
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“Your voice is unbelievable,” says Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay. “I was just sitting back and enjoying the music for just a second.” Dan Smyers chimed in, “so much power, so much control. You’re a star. We could tell you’re a seasoned pro.”
“I thought it was awesome,” reckons Chance. The reason he was last to turn? “It was because I was really arrested by the performance. Your tone is so different, and I was just really into it. And then I turn and see you and you, like, kind of got this southern vibe to you.” The Chicago rapper is convinced Taylor will “go really far” in the 2024 competition, thanks to his “distinct tone.”
If the The Voice fans and coaches didn’t already love the contestant, he made certain of it when he brought his mom on stage.
A minor hit following its release, “Lights” has enjoyed a second life as inspiration blast for Bay Area sporting franchises. Now, perhaps an unexpected lift after its exposure on The Voice.
“The way you were working the crowd,” notes McEntire following the audition, “that was perfect to go with your beautiful voice.”
So, with any doubts over his talents utterly erased, and all coaches rolling out the welcome mat, it was time for Taylor to make a decision. He chose Legend.
The 25th and latest season of The Voice began Monday. Watch Taylor’s performance below.
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Fred Again is full of surprises.
The British producer and electronic music artist springboards from his pop-up show at the iconic Sydney Opera House to a six-date arena run of Sydney and Melbourne next month, plus the promise of another surprise show on the Gold Coast, south of Brisbane.
Handsome Tours, part of the TEG Group, parent of Ticketek, TEG Dainty and other businesses, is producing the tour.
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The Grammy-and-Brit Award winning musician on Tuesday (Feb. 27) became the first artist to announce, sell out, and perform at the Opera House, all within a 24-hour timeframe.
The announcement of that one-off show at the Concert Hall was made from his Instagram account, and triggered a stampede as more than 145,000 entered a virtual queue to buy tickets, reps says.
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That’s the biggest on-sale demand the 2,679-capacity room has ever experienced.
Fred Again (real name Fred Gibson) won’t be going anywhere. Three consecutive concerts await at Melbourne’s 15,000-capacity Rod Laver Arena from March 4, followed by three consecutive nights at Sydney’s 22,000-capacity Qudos Bank Arena. The Gold Coast will host a show between those two runs at a location TBC, reps say.
Support is Joy (Anonymous), and the general on-sale starts Thursday, Feb. 29 — with, surprise, no pre-sale.
Starting out as a producer, the Brit’s career has been nothing short of explosive. A prolific creator, Fred’s DNA is on at least seven U.K. No. 1 singles, and, along the way, he became the Brit Awards’ youngest ever producer of the year champ, and scooped two Grammy Awards earlier this month for best dance/electronic album (for Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 23, 2022)) and best dance/electronic recording for his work on “Rumble” with Skrillex and Flowdan.
Fred Again (real name: Fred Gibson) has a special bond with Australian audiences. He made his live debut here in January 2023, performing sets at Laneway Festival, selling-out headline shows, and unleashing surprise DJ pop-ups that reportedly sold-out in under 5 seconds, including a set at Sydney’s 5,500-capacity Hordern Pavilion.
To celebrate the new tour dates, Fred Again drops “stayinit,” a collaboration with Lil Yachty and Overmono, the latest in his series of “USB” releases. U.S. fans get a taste of the action when Fred Again headlines Bonnaroo 2024 this June.
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Fred Again Australia Tour 2024:March 4 — Rod Laver Arena Melbourne TicketsMarch 5 — Rod Laver Arena Melbourne TicketsMarch 6 — Rod Laver Arena Melbourne TicketsMarch 9 — Gold Coast pop-up (venue TBC)March 12 — Qudos Bank Arena Sydney TicketsMarch 13 — Qudos Bank Arena Sydney TicketsMarch 14 — Qudos Bank Arena Sydney
Sean “Diddy” Combs is being sued by ‘The Love Album: Off the Grid’ producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones Jr. for sexual assault and harassment, sex trafficking and various other forms of misconduct. Jennifer Lopez opened up about the celebrities who passed on being included in her film “This Is Me… Now: A Love Story.’ BTS’ […]
The new documentary ‘Kids Are Growing Up: A Story About A Kid Named LAROI’ hits Prime Video on Thursday. The Kid LAROI: Maybe I’m just feeling lost. I guess I’m just going through what maybe most people my age are going through, but I guess the difference is this is the time for people to […]