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18 Aug 2023

Jon Batiste Unleashes ‘World Music Radio’ Featuring Lana Del Rey, Lil Wayne & More: Stream It Now

Jon Batiste’s talents as a bandleader are on show once again with World Music Radio, the U.S. musician’s collaboration-jammed new album.

The multi-hyphenate, Grammy Award-winning artist dropped World Music Radio at the stroke of midnight, an LP that clocks-in at more than one hour and features assists from Lana Del Rey, Lil Wayne, Kenny G and others.

“World Music Radio is a concept album that takes place in the interstellar regions of the universe,” Batiste explained earlier in June, with the announcement of the new studio effort. “The listener is led through the album by an interstellar traveling griot named Billy Bob Bo Bob, who takes you sonically all around the world at the speed of light.”

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In addition to Del Rey, Lil Wayne, and Kenny G, the album boasts guest spots with Jon Bellion, Fireboy DML, J.I.D., NewJeans, and is executive produced by Batiste, Bellion and Ryan Lynn.

“I couldn’t be prouder of this project. I’m so grateful to all my collaborators,” he says in a new piece-to-camera, posted at launch.

World Music Radio arrives two years after Batiste made history as the first Black artist to win the Grammy for album of the year in 14 years, when he triumphed in the category for his genre-spanning We Are.

He was nominated for 11 awards at the 2022 Grammys, more than any other artist, winning a total of five on the night, adding to a collection that already boasts an Academy Award for best original score thanks to his work on 2020’s Soul alongside Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails.

Batiste is familiar to millions of night-owls as the former bandleader on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, which he exited last year after seven seasons to focus on his work.  

The jazz master has landed two titles on the Billboard 200: 2014’s Social Music (No. 134, as Jon Batiste & Stay Human) and 2021’s We Are (No. 25).

Stream World Music Radio below.

18 Aug 2023

G Flip’s ‘Drummer’ Beats a Path to No. 1 In Australia

G Flip makes a noise with Drummer (via Future Classic/Universal), as the Australian artist bows at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart.

It’s the singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist’s first leader, after their debut About Us peaked at No. 6 in 2019.

The homegrown hero has been on a roll in recent years, landing 11 tracks in the triple j Hottest 100 countdown, earning three ARIA Award nominations, bagging three platinum-certified singles (“About You,” “Drink Too Much,” and “Killing My Time”), and one gold (for “Lover”), and performing at the nationally televised Logie Awards, and AFL and AFLW Grand Finals.

A talented drummer, G Flip co-produced and co-wrote every song on the new album, alongside the likes of Tommy English and Colin Brittain.

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“Finally, we can celebrate another Aussie at No. 1 on the Albums Chart,” comments ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd. “Congratulations to G Flip and their team on this absolute triumph. As an artist and personality, G Flip has done so much for pushing the narrative of Australian music forward, and truly represents the next wave of homegrown success here and overseas. We couldn’t be happier to celebrate their first ARIA No. 1.”

G-Flip is supporting the new LP with a national tour this month and next, spanning 13 dates in Brisbane, Cairns, Adelaide, Perth, Torquay, Melbourne, Sydney and Newcastle, with North America dates kicking off Sept. 18 at The Catalyst Atrium, Santa Cruz, CA.

Luke Combs started his own tour of Australia this week, and he’s already making his presence felt on the national albums survey, published Friday, Aug. 18, with two titles lifting into the top 10. This One’s For You rises 14-9 in its 283rd week on the tally, and former leader Gettin’ Old gains 17-10 in its 21nd week. Further down the list, another former No. 1, Combs’ What You See Ain’t Always What You Get (all via Columbia/Sony), improves 21-14 in its 197th week on the survey.

Also new to the ARIA Chart is Volcano (AWAL), the fourth studio album from U.K. electronic pairing Jungle. Volcano erupts at No. 22.

Over on the ARIA Singles Chart, also published Friday, Billie Eilish’s “What I Was Made For?” (Interscope/Universal) extends its rule into a third week. Lifted from the Barbie soundtrack, “What I Was Made For?” becomes Eilish’s longest-reigning leader, eclipsing the two-week streak for “Bad Guy back in 2019. It leads an unchanged top three, ahead of Dave and Central Cee’s “Sprinter” (Virgin Music Australia/Universal) and Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night” (Atlantic/Warner), respectively.

Finally, Olivia Rodrigo bags two top 10s on the national chart, as former champion “Vampire” holds at No. 5 and her new release “Bad Idea Right” enters at No. 10, for the week’s highest debut. Both tracks will appear on the U.S. pop star’s sophomore album GUTS (Geffen/Universal), due out Sept. 8.

18 Aug 2023

Michael Parkinson Dies at 88: Elton John, Michael Caine, David Beckham and More Remember U.K. Chat Show Legend

Tributes are flowing for Michael Parkinson, the legendary British chat show host who died Wednesday (Aug. 16) at the age of 88.

Parky, as he was affectionately known in his homeland, championed countless musicians across his career on TV, during which time his talk show was a “must-see” staple on British TV.

The broadcaster’s seemingly endless conveyor belt of top celebrities ensured high ratings and, over time, included almost every big name in the music scene, from members of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, to Elton John, Tina Turner, David Bowie, George Michael and Robbie Williams.

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With his predilection for adult-leaning, often jazz-oriented performers, Parkinson’s program gave a platform for the likes of Jamie Cullum, Katie Melua and Michael Bublé, among many others.

Starting out as a print journalist, Parkinson became a producer at the commercial British TV channel Granada in the late 1960s. He became the archetypal chat show presenter via a weekly program for BBC1 which began in 1971 and ran on Saturday nights for 361 editions until 1982. His “Parkinson” show continued from 1998 until his retirement in December 2007, with a star-studded finale which included such guests as David Beckham, Michael Caine, David Attenborough, Judi Dench, Billy Connolly and Cullum.

Parkinson was saluted on numerous occasions for his work. In 1998, he became a Gold Badge recipient – an award that pays tribute to people judged to have made a special and lasting contribution to the U.K.’s entertainment industry.

In 2000, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to broadcasting. And in 2005, Parkinson was honored with the Music Industry Trusts’ Award, otherwise known as the “person of the year,” presented annually to an individual who has made a distinctive and lasting contribution to the U.K. music industry. On the night, Parkinson was declared as “the musicians’ champion.”

In 2008, he was Knighted for services to broadcasting.

A proud Yorkshireman and lifelong cricket fan, the broadcaster passes a decade after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which he batted with radiotherapy.

Many of those celebrities who appeared on Parkinson’s popular show have paid tribute to the broadcasting legend.

“Michael Parkinson was a TV legend who was one of the greats,” writes Elton John on Instagram. “I loved his company and his incredible knowledge of cricket and Barnsley Football Club. A real icon who brought out the very best in his guests. Condolences and love to Mary and his family.”

Parkinson “was irreplaceable,” recounts veteran actor Michael Caine, “he was charming, always wanted to have a good laugh. He brought the best of everyone he met. Always looked forward to be interviewed by him.”

Adds retired England soccer great David Beckham: ‘I was so lucky to not just be interviewed by Michael but to be able to spend precious time talking about football and family our 2 passions plus the GoldenBalls moment.”

Writes actor Stephen Fry, “Having grown up watching him interview greats, my first appearance was impossibly thrilling for me. The genius of Parky was that unlike most people (and most of his guests, me included) he was always 100% himself. On camera and off.”

17 Aug 2023

Charlie Puth Applies Sultry ‘Lipstick’ Ahead of Fourth Studio LP: Stream It Now

Charlie Puth turns up the steam for “Lipstick,” the first cut from his forthcoming studio album.

A collaboration with producers Happy Perez and Pop Wansel, “Lipstick” slipped out at the stroke of midnight, and will serve as the lead single from Puth’s fourth studio album, according to Atlantic Records.

The tune has an old-school groove, over which Puth sings, “Come and put your lipstick on my neck and my body/Just to show these bitches that you’re mine/ Lipstick on my collar show ‘em you ain’t no hobby/ You’re the one who gets it all the time.”

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Puth’s next album is listed as “coming soon.” It’s the followup to 2022’s Charlie, which carried the singles “Light Switch”, “That’s Hilarious”, “Left and Right” with Jungkook of BTS, and peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard 200, his third consecutive top 10 LP on the all-genres tally. The U.S. artist’s debut Nine Track Mind from 2016 peaked at No. 6, and his sophomore effort, 2018’s Voicenotes, reached No. 4.

Puth’s career revved up with an assist on Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again,” which appeared on the Furious 7 soundtrack. The track gave Puth his first and only No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 when it was released in 2015, and charted on the all-genre tally for a total of 52 weeks. Recently, the singer and songwriter marked his official return to the Fast & Furious franchise with a feature on the Fast X single “Angel Pt. 2.”

Back in March, he released a short film co-starring Sabrina Carpenter, “That’s Not How This Works,” and a single with the same name, featuring Dan + Shay and Carpenter.

Puth returns to the road next month with The Charlie Live Experience, for an international run that will see him head to Australia for the first time in October and November.

Stream “Lipstick” below.

17 Aug 2023

Guns N’ Roses Classic Crowns Top TV Songs Chart After ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ Synch

Multiple songs from the second season of Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned Pretty dot Billboard’s Top TV Songs chart, powered by Tunefind, for July 2023, paced by Guns N’ Roses’ classic “Sweet Child o’ Mine” at No. 1.

Rankings for the Top TV Songs chart are based on song and show data provided by Tunefind and ranked using a formula blending that data with sales and streaming information tracked by Luminate during the corresponding period of July 2023.

“Sweet Child o’ Mine” featured in the fourth episode of The Summer I Turned Pretty’s second season, which aired July 21.

In July 2023, the song, a two-week No. 1 for Guns N’ Roses on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1988, racked up 19.3 million official on-demand U.S. streams and 3,000 downloads, according to Luminate.

Four songs from The Summer I Turned Pretty reach the July 2023 ranking in all, with “Sweet Child o’ Mine” followed by Frank Ocean’s cover of “Moon River” at No. 6 (1.6 million streams, episode five).

The Chambers Brothers’ “Time Has Come Today” takes No. 2 after a synch in Justified: City Primeval on FX. Heard in the show’s second episode (July 18), it earned 292,000 streams in July 2023.

Big Star’s “Thirteen” leads a trio of songs from Apple TV+’s The Afterparty at No. 3, with 347,000 streams after its inclusion in the second season’s fourth episode on July 26.

See the full top 10, also featuring music from The Righteous Gemstones and What We Do in the Shadows, below.

Rank, Song, Artist, Show (Network)
1. “Sweet Child o’ Mine,” Guns N’ Roses, The Summer I Turned Pretty (Amazon Prime Video)
2. “Time Has Come Today,” The Chambers Brothers, Justified: City Primeval (FX)
3. “Thirteen,” Big Star, The Afterparty (Apple TV+)
4. “I Wish,” Skee-Lo, The Afterparty (Apple TV+)
5. “Party Up,” DMX, The Righteous Gemstones (HBO)
6. “Moon River,” Frank Ocean, The Summer I Turned Pretty (Amazon Prime Video)
7. “Ants Marching,” Dave Matthews Band, What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
8. “Good Day,” Nappy Roots, The Afterparty (Apple TV+)
9. “Edamame,” bbno$ feat. Rich Brian, The Summer I Turned Pretty (Amazon Prime Video)
10. “The Distance,” Cake, The Summer I Turned Pretty (Amazon Prime Video)

17 Aug 2023

Britney Spears Shares First Post After Breakup Reports, Reveals She’s ‘Buying a Horse’

Breakups are never easy. Some folks keep calm and carry on. Some of us heal by cutting our hair, hitting the gym, or eating the contents of the fridge.

Britney Spears, it would appear, is indulging in some retail therapy.

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In her first post to Instagram after reports spread on her separation from Sam Asghari, Brit has announced she’s identified a new addition for her stable.

“Buying a horse soon,” she writes in a post on Instagram, accompanied by a pic of the pop star enjoying a trot on the beach. “So many options it’s kinda hard,” she continues. “A horse called Sophie and another called Roar. I can’t make up my mind. Should I join the camaraderie and put a pink cowboy hat on. Either way I think I found my sweet spot with Roar.”

TMZ was the first to share news of Britney and Sam’s split after a year of marriage, though neither side has publicly confirmed the current status of their relationship. Billboard has reached out to Spears’ reps for more information.

The U.S. singer and Asghari have been romantically linked since meeting on the set of Spears’ 2016 “Slumber Party” music video. The couple got engaged in September 2021, and soon tied the knot in a stunning, star-studded Los Angeles wedding ceremony in June 2022.

Rumors of marital trouble began swirling back in March, when Asghari, an an Iranian-American model, actor, and fitness trainer, was spotted without his wedding ring. His rep told People, however, that he simply removed it because he was filming a movie. The 29-year-old actor supported Spears through her grueling – and very public — legal battle to end her 13-year conservatorship that controlled her personal and professional life.

The 41-year-old artist last posted Asghari on her Instagram page earlier this summer, sharing a series of smiling selfies with her husband captioned with a red shoe emoji.

17 Aug 2023

Westlife Sets ‘Hits’ Tour of North America

Westlife is going west for a first-ever tour of North America.

The hitmaking Irish boyband will embark on a multi-date trek in 2024, timed around St. Patrick’s Day, Ireland’s national day of celebration.

Westlife: The Hits Tour is scheduled to kick off March 13 at Meridan Hall in Toronto, followed by dates at Boston’s MGM Music Hall at Fenway (March 14), New York’s Radio City Music Hall (March 16), and Chicago Theatre (March 18).

“North America, we can’t wait to see you! It’s gonna be EPIC,” reads a message on the group’s socials.

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According to a statement, the brief run will feature the band’s many hits, including “Swear It Again,” “Flying Without Wings,” “World Of Our Own,” “My Love,” “If I Let You Go,” and “Hello My Love.”

But first, a U.S. TV debut on Monday, Aug. 21 with a spot on Good Morning America.

Formed in 1998, Westlife made an immediate, and sizeable, impact in the British Isles.

They hold the record for most consecutive No. 1s in the U.K. (seven) and most singles to debut at the summit.

All told, they’ve scored eight No. 1 albums in the U.K. and have an impressive haul of 14 No. 1 singles, one of the biggest for any act, surpassed only by the Beatles and Elvis Presley. Twenty-five Westlife singles have hit the U.K. top 10.

According to Warner Music’s EastWest division, which signed the act in 2021 — also on St. Patrick’s Day — the group has sold over 55 million records worldwide.

The foursome of Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Kian Egan, and Nicky Byrne (past member Brian McFadden is no longer with the band) reunited for the 2019 album release Spectrum, which again ruled the Official U.K. Albums Chart. Their career trophy collection includes two Brit Awards, four MTV Awards and a venue record at Croke Park Stadium in Dublin, which they sold-out five times.

16 Aug 2023

Britney Spears & Sam Asghari’s Relationship: A Timeline

Relive all of the major moments in Britney and Sam’s romantic journey with this relationship timeline.

Britney Spears and Sam Asghari

Britney Spears and Sam Asghari arrive for the premiere of Sony Pictures’ “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood” at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California on July 22, 2019.

VALERIE MACON/AFP/GI

Britney Spears is “stronger than yesterday” with Sam Asghari on her side, as the duo have been attached at the hip since meeting back in 2016 on the set of Spears’ “Slumber Party” music video. 

Since then, the couple has traveled together, taken the cutest Instagram pictures and supported each other through the highs and lows. “It was the humbleness that attracted me,” Asghari recently said of their relationship in a June 2022 interview with GQ. “She was very humble and she had a beautiful soul.”

The couple got engaged in September 2021, and tied the knot in a stunning, star-studded wedding ceremony in June 2022.

We’ve documented the most notable moments from Spears and Asghari’s relationship — from meeting to marriage — in a comprehensive timeline. See it below.

16 Aug 2023

Selena Gomez & Francia Raisa Reconnect, RBD Members Joining Latin Music Week & More | Billboard News

Selena Gomez reconnects with her old friend Francia Raisa after rumors of a falling out between the two. Feid, Myke Towers, Manuel Turizo, several members of RBD and more are joining the party at Billboard’s Latin Music Week, October 2nd – 6th in Miami. Nick Jonas falls through a hole in the stage during a recent Jonas Brothers concert in Boston. Sydney Sierota and Noah Sierota from Echosmith see how well they know each other. Mario talks about which rappers have inspired him backstage at Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players and Live event. And more!

Tetris Kelly:
Selena Gomez and Francia Raisa’s friendship reunion continues. The Jonas Brothers’ Boston show was one for the books. We’ve got more major Latin Music Week announcements. We catch up with Mario at our Hip-Hop Power Players event, and we see how well Echosmith really knows each other.

It’s Wednesday, August 16th. I’m Tetris Kelly for Billboard News, and let’s get this Hump Day started off on a good note.

Me and my girls indeed — Selena Gomez and her bestie Francia Raisa are back at it, having several girls’ nights out, including knocking down some pins last night in LA. Are they over the drama? Well, we’re talking about it. After having dinner at Giorgio Garibaldi in Santa Monica last week, the two were back at it again, bowling with friends in Studio City last night. Francia was Selena’s kidney donor after Gomez needed a transplant due to her battle with lupus. The two had a bit of a public falling out after Selena referred to Taylor Swift as her “only friend” in the industry.

Francia recently said the “Bad Blood” is no more after Selena wished her a happy birthday. We’re happy to see the two BFFs hanging out and we’re so excited for new music heading our way as well.

Watch the full video above!

16 Aug 2023

Morgan Wallen Just Tied Mariah Carey for This Chart Record

Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” ties Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” for the second-most weeks spent atop Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart in the tally’s decade-long history, crowning the Aug. 19-dated survey. Meanwhile, the songs share the record for the most time on top, 18 weeks each, among hits billed to singular acts and no collaborators.

“Last Night” leads Streaming Songs for an 18th nonconsecutive week with 26.3 million official U.S. streams in the Aug. 4-10 tracking week, down 2%, according to Luminate.

The song first crowned the Streaming Songs list dated March 18, its sixth week on the ranking, boasting 47.5 million streams that week. It has not fallen below No. 3 since.

An 18th week at No. 1 ties Carey’s holiday anthem, which first led Streaming Songs upon the Jan. 5, 2019, chart and has returned each year since for anywhere between three and five weeks at No. 1 during the holiday season.

The overall record for most weeks at No. 1 belongs to Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus: 20 weeks in 2019.

Most Weeks at No. 1, Streaming Songs:

  • 20 weeks, “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus (2019)
  • 18, “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen (2023)
  • 18, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
  • 16, “Despacito,” Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee feat. Justin Bieber (2017)
  • 14, “Rockstar,” Post Malone feat. 21 Savage (2017-2018)
  • 14, “Panda,” Desiigner (2016)
  • 13, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz & Encanto Cast (2022)
  • 13, “The Box,” Roddy Ricch (2020)
  • 13, “Fancy,” Iggy Azalea feat. Charli XCX (2014)
  • 13, “Wrecking Ball,” Miley Cyrus (2013-2014)

“Last Night” remains Wallen’s only Streaming Songs-topping tune. He first appeared on the ranking with “Whiskey Glasses” in 2019 and rose as high as No. 3 twice, with “Wasted on You” in 2021 and “Don’t Think Jesus” in 2022, prior to the reign of “Last Night.”

“Last Night” concurrently spends its 27th week at No. 1 on Country Streaming Songs, which is nearly halfway to the overall record, kept by Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line’s “Meant To Be,” which ruled for 55 weeks in 2017-19.

As previously reported, “Last Night” spends a 16th week at No. 1 on the multi-metric Billboard Hot 100, rewriting the mark for the most frames at the summit among non-collaborations.