bbnews
Page: 225
Lewis Capaldi wouldn’t be denied his first No. 1 in Australia, as Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent blasts to the summit.
The Scottish singer and songwriter’s sophomore album eclipses the No. 7 best for his debut Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent from 2019. Platinum-certified Divinely Uninspired bounces 34-30 this week in its 210th cycle on the survey.
Coming in at No. 2 on the ARIA Chart, published May 26, is John Farnham’s Finding The Voice (Wheatley Records / Sony Music Australia), the soundtrack to the documentary of the same name.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Finding The Voice becomes the legendary Australian singer’s 20th top 10 album in Australia.
The documentary, like its companion album, is a hit. In the weeks following its release May 18 through Sony Pictures, Finding the Voice was confirmed as the best-selling theatrical release of an Australian music documentary.
Farnham is accustomed to life at or near the top of the charts. His blockbuster 1986 album Whispering Jack spending 25 weeks at No. 1, and is the highest selling album by an Australian act, shifting more than 1.6 million copies. Today, it’s certified 24-times platinum.
He also led the albums tally with Age Of Reason (1988), Chain Reaction (1990), Then Again… (1993), Highlights From The Main Event with Olivia Newton-John and Anthony Warlow (1998), 33 1/3 (2000), The Last Time (2002), Highlights from Two Strong Hearts: Live (2015) and Friends For Christmas, both with Olivia Newton-John (2016).
Farnham has been in the headlines due to poor health. The ARIA Hall of Fame-inducted singer underwent major surgery last year to remove a cancerous growth on his throat, and subsequently endured a stint in hospital as he battled a chest infection.
Completing an all-new top three is Sleep Token’s third album, Take Me Back To Eden (Spinefarm/Inertia). It’s new at No. 3 for the British rock band’s first appearance on the ARIA Chart, while Ed Sheeran‘s latest, Subtract (Atlantic/Warner), dips 1-4.
Also cracking the top 10 on debut is South Coast, Australian indie band The Vanns with their second album Last Of Your Kind (Upper River Records/AWAL), new at No. 8, for their first impression on the tally.
Adelaide alternative rock band Bad//Dreems starts at No. 10 with Hoo Ha! (BMG/ADA).
Over on the ARIA Singles Chart, Morgan Wallen logs a seventh week at No. 1 with “Last Night” (Republic/Universal).
Finally, Lana Del Rey secures the top debut with her recently unearthed recording from 2012, “Say Yes To Heaven” (Interscope/Universal), new at No. 20, while Australia’s pop princess Kylie Minogue scores her 49th top 50 single with “Padam Padam” (Liberation), new at No. 39.
Taylor Swift is a queen of the modern pop world. But when she joins forces with other artists, especially ones at the top of their game, the songs are automatically a cultural event. Big or small, artists who work with Swift always seem to pair with her voice perfectly — which is probably why she’s […]
Ex-Earth, Wind & Fire and the Commodores band member Sheldon Reynolds is being remembered by former collaborators as a fine guitarist, singer and songwriter, and an even better person.Reynolds died Tuesday (March 23) at the age of 63. “This news of Sheldon Reynolds transition is very sad for all of us who knew and worked with him. Sheldon vocally had Reese down,” writes Bailey in a social post, republished by the official EWF accounts.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“That’s what Maurice said when he hired Sheldon to share vocals and play guitar. Sheldon was an excellent addition to the band, a great writer and producer, and a genuinely kind and loving person. He will be missed. Our condolences to his family.”
Details surrounding his death have not been formally announced.
Born Sept. 13, 1959 in Cincinnati, OH, Reynolds displayed a gift for the guitar at an early age. He went on to tour with singer Millie Jackson, and later joined Sun, recording three albums with the R&B act.
In 1983, he joined the Commodores. During a four-year spell with the band, he performed on the 1985 LP Nightshift and the following year’s album release United. The good times kept coming when Reynolds joined EWF as lead guitarist and co-vocalist. He went on to play on the soul band’s LPs Touch The World (1987), Heritage (1990), Millennium (1993) and In The Name of Love (1997). The midtempo Millennium hit “Sunday Morning” earned a Grammy Award nomination in the category of best R&B vocal performance by a duo or group.
Thanks in part to Reynolds’ contributions, the band was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame’s class of 2000, and earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, awarded in 1995.Reynolds went on to work across solo projects with Bailey and EWF’s late band leader Maurice White, who died in 2016. His passing closely follows the death of former EWF drummer Fred White in January, at the age of 67.EWF and Lionel Richie, who fronted the Commodores until 1983, before embarking on a successful solo career, will set out on a joint tour from this August, dubbed Sing A Song, All Night Long.
Joy McKean, the Australian singer, songwriter and country music scene builder who, along with her husband, the late Slim Dusty, formed one of this nation’s great creative partnerships, died Thursday (May 25) following a battle with cancer. She was 93.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“Joy passed away peacefully last night with family by her side,” reads a message from her family, issued Friday (May 26).
A trailblazer in the country scene, McKean enjoyed a career spanning more than 70 years, and composed some of the genre’s most celebrated songs, from “The Biggest Disappointment” to “Ringer from the Top End,” “Walk a Country Mile,” “Indian Pacific” and “Lights on the Hill,” an award-winning hit for her husband Slim Dusty, whom she married in 1951. Many others have covered the song, including Keith Urban.
Lauded as the “grand lady” of Australian country, McKean made cut her teeth in the 1940s and ‘50s, working alongside her sister Heather — as the McKean Sisters.
Joy McKean in the 1950s. Courtesy Kirkpatrick Family
Courtesy Kirkpatrick Family
After teaming up with Dusty, Australian country music had its golden couple. McKean wrote many of Dusty’s iconic songs, managed him for half a century, and the pair toured relentlessly in regional and remote Australia, at a time when the perceived role of women was that of home-maker.
With McKean as his support, muse and collaborator, Dusty released more than 100 albums and sold over eight million copies. Dusty died in 2003, aged 76.
McKean’s trophy collection is almost as impressive as her songbook. She’s a two-time inductee into the Australasian Country Music Roll of Renown and winner of the Industry Achiever Award, bestowed on her by the Country Music Association of Australia, which she co-founded back in 1992. She’s a winner of seven Golden Guitar awards, including the very first statue, won at the inaugural Tamworth Country Music Awards back in 1973.
In 1991, McKean was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for “service to the entertainment industry,” and, 30 years later, in 2021, was the recipient of the Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music, one of the music industry’s highest honors. She said of the salute, “after what has been a lifetime of working in the music industry, and loving just about every minute of it, I find it fascinating to reflect on the changes that have taken place.” On the night, the award was presented by her children Anne and David Kirkpatrick.
Joy is survived by her two children, four grandchildren, and six great grandchilden. “She will be remembered as a pioneer in Australian music,” reads the statement from her family.
Australia’s music community is paying tribute to the country music legend.
“Where do I start about this beautiful woman, your songs will always be the melodies that makes my heart sing,” writes homegrown country star Troy Cassar-Daley. “Your emails always like a hand written note of encouragement and love.” He adds, “thank you for being the best yard stick a man can ask for.”
Joy McKean,Where do I start about this beautiful woman, your songs will always be the Melodies that makes my heart sing,Your emails always like a hand written note of encouragement and love.♥️ to Anne & David & kids thank you for being the best yard stick a man can ask for xx pic.twitter.com/AEQOKml8YN— Troy Cassar-Daley (@troycassardaley) May 26, 2023
“Vale Joy McKean OAM, the ‘Grand Lady of Country Music’, who has passed away at age 93,” reads a post from APRA AMCOS. “We extend our condolences to Joy’s family, friends and many fans. She will be greatly missed.”
Vale Joy McKean OAM, the ‘Grand Lady of Country Music’, who has passed away at age 93. We extend our condolences to Joy’s family, friends and many fans. She will be greatly missed.https://t.co/gQ7adMCdeU— APRA AMCOS (@APRAAMCOS) May 26, 2023
ARIA Award-winning country artist Fanny Lumsden writes, “What an icon. Someone I didn’t even realize I was following in the path of until quite recently. (I know, shameful). But will I will draw strength from as I continue to play halls throughout regional aus, sharing stories, running a business & a family. Thank you Joy.”
Joy McKean. What an icon. Someone I didn’t even realise I was following in the path of until quite recently. (I know, shameful). But will I will draw strength from as I continue to play halls throughout regional aus, sharing stories, running a business & a family. Thank you Joy— Fanny Lumsden (@Fannylumsden) May 26, 2023
After scoring a No. 2 debut on the Hot 100 this week with his J. Cole-assisted single “All My Life,” Lil Durk looks to topple that feat on the Billboard 200 with the release of his new album Almost Healed. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Released today (May […]
The music world lost one of the all-time great rock stars when Tina Turner passed Wednesday (May 24), at the age of 83.
The former Ike & Tina Turner singer possessed the style, the songs and sass, her mid-‘80s solo comeback is the stuff of legend, and her longevity helped to redraw the lines for showbiz.
It was on the stage, however, where Turner was TNT. When the “Nutbush City Limits” star strutted her stuff, it was always pure heat. Explosive.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Below, Billboard compiles some of Turner’s top televised performances.
Turner had to wait for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but she made a terrific case for elevation during the 1989 ceremony. That year, Turner inducted Phil Spector and performed with a starring cast that included Bruce Springsteen, Little Richard, John Oates and more. Her closing performance of “River Deep – Mountain High,” her 1966 Spector-produced classic, was a sizzling highlight. In 1991, Spector inducted Ike & Tina Turner on their behalf, and in 2021, Tina was inducted as a solo artist by Angela Bassett, who had portrayed the singer in 1993’s docudrama What’s Love Got To Do With It.
For those who closely followed Tina Turner journey, her solo comeback in 1984 represented so much more than a musical revival. Turner would later speak openly about how she had once attempted suicide by taking 50 sleeping pills to her escape abusive marriage with Ike Turner. Her 1970 reworking of “Proud Mary,” written by John Fogerty, frontman of Creedence Clearwater Revival, helped her heal. Turner, the survivor, would perform the song on Italian TV in 1971. Sit back and soak it up.
Two full years before Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and the rest of the Dream Team swept to gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, Tina Turner was winning hearts in the Catalonian capitol. Turner performed an epic concert at the Barcelona Olympic Stadium in 1990, which was captured for a TV special and included this cut of “Better Be Good to Me,” from 1984’s Private Dancer.
With 1984’s Band Aid project, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure wanted to “Feed The World.” With their trans-Atlantic Live Aid concert in 1985, Geldof and Ure changed the world. On Saturday, July 13, 1985, a full house at London’s Wembley Stadium caught some of the biggest acts on the planet, from Paul McCartney, to Elton John, U2, The Who, David Bowie and Queen. Then, Philadelphia’s John F. Kennedy Stadium came online, with a lineup that included Led Zeppelin, The Beach Boys, Madonna, Duran Duran, and Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger. As he completed his set, Jagger welcomed Tina Turner on stage for performances of “State of Shock” and “It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll (But I Like It),” one of the final musical moments in an historic day for live music.
“Nutbush City Limits” is a song that passes the test of time. Once a piece of art crosses that threshold, it’s literally unimpeachable (the contribution of the controversial Ike Turner will always add an asterisk to the duo’s works). “Nutbush” captures a sound and a time that can’t be repeated. It rocks but you can dance to it, and the synth solo is a moment of wizardy. None of it matters without the injection of fire that Tina Turner brings. Don’t believe it? The proof is there, captured for eternity on a 1973 episode of Der Musikladen (The Music Shop), a West German music TV program that ran from 1972 to 1984. Turner is pure dynamite.
Tina Turner’s name is etched into the hearts and minds of all Australians who grew up in the ‘80s or ‘90s, thanks to her years-long association with the national rugby league competition. Turner appeared in promotional videos as the sport expanded into the NRL, now one of the most popular professional sports in these parts. Her song “The Best” soundtracked some of those memorable campaigns, and is today recognized as the unofficial song of Australian rugby league. There’s no argument about Turner’s place in Australian sport: she’s the Queen of Rugby League. During the 1993 NRL grand final, Turner performed “The Best” for a full house at the Sydney Football Stadium. Watch the clip below and listen for the roars of approval from football fans.
The late Tina Turner had a river deep connection with Australia, one that was built on hits, touring, connections and a unique sporting alliance.
Turner’s extraordinary solo comeback in 1984 was engineered by Roger Davies, the great Australian artist manager who has guided the careers of Pink, Olivia Newton-John, Janet Jackson, Cher and many others. For bonus points, Davies was portrayed by one of his clients, James Reyne, frontman of Australian Crawl, in 1993’s What’s Love Got to Do With It, the award-winning autobiographical film based on Turner’s life.
The rocker also starred as Auntie Entity in 1985’s Beyond Thunderdome, the third in George Miller’s Mad Max action movie franchise.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The “Nutbush City Limits” singer, however, would tackle something no other U.S pop artist had done, when she committed to a series of much-loved campaigns for Australia’s premier rugby league competition.
From 1989 to 1995, Turner was the face of the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) competition, now rebranded the National Rugby League (NRL), appearing alongside the game’s most famous athletes in national commercials, and sometimes on the ground for the sport’s showpiece events, including a set during the 1993 grand final at the Sydney Football Stadium.
Those campaigns included Turner’s hits “What You Get Is What You See” and “The Best,” and, for many sports fans and athletes in these parts, she represents a golden era for the code.
Thanks to her contribution as the competition expanded out of New South Wales, “The Best” is today recognized as the unofficial anthem of rugby league in Australia, a sport for only the knuckliest, toughest types in society.
Turner, who in one memorable promotional video pushes those he-men around in the dressing room, was a perfect fit, her sass, style and songs offsetting the brawn. She became the unlikely Queen of League.
Those Aussie connections played a part. Because her manager Davies was Australian, “we were able to make contact,” John Quayle, then head of the NRL, recounts in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The sport’s administrators presented to Davies while on a visit to his homeland. A partnership seemed unlikely, then an opportunity materialized.
“He rang and said you’ve got one day in London to film and if you can do it, we can have a look at it and go from there.” Working in “freezing conditions,” the team taught Turner the finer points of the game, she warmed to it, and a slice of marketing magic was created.
On Wednesday (May 24), Turner died at 83 years old, prompting both fans, fellow musicians and friends to express their condolences on social media — including one particular sporting code in the land Down Under.
“Vale Tina Turner, the Queen of Rugby League,” reads one post from the official NRL account.
Another post reads, “Tina Turner provided the soundtrack for a golden era of rugby league. Today we reflect on her immense contribution to the game.”
Watch some of Tina Turner’s classic campaigns for Australia’s professional rugby league competition below.
Tina Turner, whose gritty vocals and fierce, sizzling performances powered two iconic music careers —as one-half of husband-and-wife duo Ike & Tina Turner and later as a solo star — has died, her rep confirmed to Billboard. The eight-time Grammy Award winner was 83. TETRIS KELLY:Tina Turner has died at the age of 83. A […]
If you had one shot, or one opportunity, to seize everything you ever wanted, just one moment… Gina Miles can identify her moment, and no, she didn’t let it slip. Miles, the teen from Paxton, IL won the 2023 season of The Voice on Tuesday night (May 23), but she unofficially stole the nation’s hearts […]
It was the end of an era Tuesday night (May 23) as The Voice crowned its 2023 winner, and coach Blake Shelton hung up his cowboy hat for the very last time.After months of blind auditions, tears, cheers, battles, and a few baffling moments, five contestants duked it out in second night of the two-part grand final. On night one, which beamed out Monday on NBC, Gina Miles, Grace West, D.Smooth, Sorelle and Noivas respectively graced the stage for solo performances. Tonight, each of the finalists teamed up with their coaches for a duet. And faced the final countdown.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
One theme that bubbled away through the season had focused on Shelton, and whether the outgoing nine-time winning coach would leave the reality TV show on a high note. For this swansong, Shelton had twice the opportunity of his rival coaches. On Tuesday, he performed with Noivas on Michael Buble’s “Home,” and with Grace West on Blake’s own hit “Lonely Tonight.” Would he, could he do it again? Flat answer, no.
As the 23rd season wrapped, it was Niall Horan’s teammate Gina Miles who took the glory.
The 19-year-old resident of Nashville, TN, broke hearts with a rendition of “Nothing Compares 2 U,” Prince’s classic 90s number made popular by Sinead O’Connor, and a cover of Taylor Swift’s “Style.”
When she dueted with Horan on Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind,” The Voice viewers had seen enough.
Horan, the debutant, enjoys the rub of the green. Blake, who had a near miss in his quest to crack double figures, might call it the luck of the Irish.
“I’ve been wrestling with this for a while, and I’ve decided that it’s time for me to step away from The Voice after Season 23,” Shelton said in a statement. “This show has changed my life in every way for the better, and it will always feel like home to me. It’s been a hell of a ride over these 12 years of chair turns, and I want to thank everyone at The Voice from NBC, every producer, the writers, musicians, crew and catering people; you are the best.”
Shelton’s teammate Grace West finished second and Kelly Clarkson’s singer D.Smooth completed the podium.
The victorious Miles collects a six-figure cash prize and a recording contract with Universal Republic Records.