Billboard

11 Sep 2024

Sabrina Carpenter’s Sweet Success on the Charts | Billboard Explains

Sabrina Carpenter took over the summer with “Espresso,” and her Hot 100 No. 1 “Please Please Please.” She’s had hits on the Pop Airplay chart and Billboard 200. Keep watching to see where Sabrina Carpenter started and how she swiftly took over the charts!

Tetris Kelly:
Did you know that Sabrina Carpenter’s song “Skin” was her first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100? Sabrina has taken this summer by storm thanks to her hits “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” and she just dropped her new album, Short n’ Sweet. But who is Sabrina? What has her journey in music looked like? And how did she become a force to be reckoned with on the charts? This is Billboard Explains: Sabrina Carpenter’s Sweet Success on the Charts.

Born in Quakertown, Penn., Sabrina started uploading videos to YouTube at 10 years old, covering songs by Christina Aguilera and Adele. She went on to land guest starring roles on shows like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, until she scored the role of Maya Hart for the Disney Channel series Girl Meets World. She even recorded the show’s theme song, “Take on the World” alongside her co-star Rowan Blanchard.

Sabrina signed with Hollywood Records and released her first EP, Can’t Blame a Girl for Trying, in 2014, featuring the single of the same name. Sabrina made her Billboard 200 chart debut with her first full-length album, Eyes Wide Open, and followed that up with her sophomore project, Evolution, featuring her first radio hit, “Thumbs.” Sabrina dropped more music over the years, including “Skin” in 2021 and her album Emails I Can’t Send featuring the hit track “Feather,” which became her first No. 1 hit on the Pop Airplay chart.

Fast forward to 2024, when Sabrina booked two major gigs: opening for Taylor Swift on her Eras World Tour and performing at Coachella.

10 Sep 2024

Billboard’s Inaugural R&B No. 1s Party: Relive the Evening | Billboard News

Catch all the highlights from the star-studded evening, which celebrated chart-toppers, industry newcomers and the fifth anniversary of Amazon’s Rotation program.

Kyle Denis:

Chart-toppers…

Victoria Monét:

I just want to start off by saying thank you so much, Billboard, for this recognition.

Usher: 

It is really happy to be able to celebrate here with Billboard.

Kyle Denis:

…and industry newcomers…

Tyla:

Thank you so much Billboard. 

Kyle Denis:

…were celebrated at Billboard’s R&B No. 1’s  party, and we have highlights from the star-studded evening. To round out our jam-packed week of events in celebration of the R&B and hip-hop genres, the Billboard R&B No. 1’s  party was where the likes of Usher and Tyla received their flowers. While the latter received the Global Force award, Usher nabbed the R&B Entertainer of the Year Award and previewed something special he’s working on for 2026. It all went down at the intimate event held at The Box in New York City, which also celebrated the fifth anniversary of Rotation, the global hip-hop and R&B brand from Amazon Music. For the last five years, Rotation has produced weekly playlists, original content, livestream events and more for the hip-hop and R&B genres. Billboard and Amazon Music execs celebrated the milestone with opening remarks, which was followed by plenty of star power as the night continued on. The event took place just a few days after Billboard’s Hip Hop Live, a showstopping concert featuring Teezo Touchdown, BossMan Dlow and BigXthaPlug. It’s one of many exciting things on BigX’s plate. That Texas rapper was just named Amazon Music’s next breakthrough artist and showed the crowd just why he deserves the shine. For more on Billboard’s R&B No. 1s party, head on over to Billboard.com.

10 Sep 2024

Diddy Hit With $100M Default Judgment in Sexual Assault Lawsuit | Billboard News

Diddy has been hit with a $100 million judgment in a sexual assault lawsuit brought to him by inmate Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith. Keep watching for the full story.

Tetris Kelly:

Diddy’s been told to cough up $100 million in a sexual assault case he blew off.

Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith:

I’d like to either preserve the issue of default judgment or judgment in my favor based on failure to answer.

Tetris Kelly:

Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith claimed Diddy drugged and sexually assaulted him at a party back in 1997.

Derrick Lee Cardello-Smith:

He offered me $2.3 million to allow what happened to me to go away.

Tetris Kelly:

In a livestream of the court proceedings last week, Cardello-Smith claimed Diddy told him he wouldn’t be responding to his complaint and intended to settle outside of court. According to court documents, Diddy chose not to respond to the complaint after confirming receipt, so Judge Anne Marie Anzalone ruled in favor of default judgment, awarding Cardello-Smith the $100 million he was suing for. Given the large sum of money he now owes, the judge set a payment schedule of $10 million every month, starting October 1st. In a statement to Billboard, Diddy’s attorney strongly denies his client was ever served with the lawsuit, saying he “looks forward to having this judgment swiftly dismissed.”

10 Sep 2024

Beyoncé Gets Candid About Her Stardom | Billboard News

Beyoncé sat down with GQ magazine and got candid about who she listens to, her life and more. Keep watching to see our favorite moments from her cover with GQ!

Tetris Kelly:
Beyoncé is on the cover of GQ, and she’s being candid about pop stardom, who she’s listening to, she even had time to go to the movies, and answers that question about the visuals. We’re breaking it all down.

We’ve known Queen Bey to be a pop star for 25 years, but after her knee injury, does she think about retiring? She told the mag: “I retired from the formula of the pop star a very long time ago. I stopped focusing on what’s popular, and began focusing on the qualities that get better with time and experience. Good music and strong messages will never retire.”

So who does Beyoncé have time to listen to?

“I love Doechii and GloRilla, and I just heard That Mexican OT, he’s from Houston … He goes hard! I really like ‘Please Please Please’ by Sabrina Carpenter, and I think that Thee Sacred Souls and Chappell Roan are talented and interesting.”

And my favorite takeaway? She has time for Disney. She said, “The best movie I’ve seen this year is Inside Out 2. I think it’s brilliant.”

And when it comes to Renaissance and Cowboy Carter not having visuals, she stated: “I thought it was important that during a time where all we see is visuals, that the world can focus on the voice. The music is so rich in history and instrumentation. It takes months to digest, research and understand. The music is enough.” 

10 Sep 2024

Suki Waterhouse’s ‘Memoir of a Sparklemuffin’ Creative Process, Upcoming Tour & More | Billboard News

Suki Waterhouse’s second album, Memoir of a Sparklemuffin, is coming soon. The singer, model and actress shares how she recorded the album while pregnant, how her role in Daisy Jones and the Six inspired her to tackle her solo career, a glimpse into her upcoming tour and more!=

Hey, I’m Lindsey Havens for Billboard News, and we are here with artist, singer-songwriter, actress, model, whatever, Suki Waterhouse. 

Hi! 

I feel like I need to say that’s a song title, which we will get into — you just, like, do so much.

She’s a model, actress, whatever. 

Your second album, Memoir of a Sparklemuffin album,  I want to ask first how it was different this time compared to the making of your debut album.

The first record I made, I’d never made a record before. I’d been releasing things by myself for, like, 10 years, 8-10, years, so  I didn’t have a label, I didn’t have any team. There was no sort of, like, there was nothing behind me at that point. And then I kind of went and asked a couple of people if they would sign it, and everyone said no. And then Sub Pop said yes, but I had to kind of really bang down the door. And it took like, six months of writing emails, and they said, “No, we don’t want to listen to any songs from models or actresses, whatevers.”

So it was a completely different experience this time. I’ve been able to collaborate with different people, and, you know, have, yeah, have different artists that I could call up, and a few more people wanted to get in the room with me than they did before. So it was, like, very, very different in that way. 

09 Sep 2024

BOYNEXTDOOR on ‘19.99’ Adulthood Transition, ‘Dangerous’ & ‘Nice Guy’ | Billboard News

BOYNEXTDOOR shares how 19.99 marks the group’s journey into adulthood and how the album’s themes deal with the emotions surrounding that. The boys talk about how “부모님 관람불가 (Dangerous)” and “Nice Guy” portray the epitome of their personal stories, why K-Pop is no longer a genre, but a culture, their first Japanese release and more!

Hey, what’s up? It’s Tetris with Billboard News, hanging out with BOYNEXTDOOR. How’s it going, fellas? So you guys have a busy, busy time right now, you obviously announced your album ‘19.99.’

Yeah that’s right!

So tell me about the album and tell me about the title because why 19.99?

The album explores the emotions experienced just before turning 20. Specifically, the tracks express the intricate emotions that precede and follow turning 20. That’s the key point to focus on, so please look forward to it. 

We’re watching the growth. 

Yeah, that’s right. The album captures BOYNEXTDOOR’s journey to adulthood. This album is especially involved with a lot of our story, our true stories. We felt a lot of some kind of pain, some kind of happiness, and some kind of thankfulness. We always feel pain for growing, so that is our story.

I mean, you’re covering a lot of emotions there. The pre-release track was called “(Dangerous).”

That’s right!

Tell me about that song and why that was the perfect song to set the tone.

The pre-release track “Dangerous” shows our mischievous side. We sometimes would imagine things like not listening to our moms, hanging out with friends all night, and so on, as students before we turned 20. We tried to uniquely express in our own way the diverse feelings we had, wanting to just have fun. 

Oh you guys are really giving both sides because that’s “Dangerous,” but then the main single “Nice Guy.” So tell me about “Nice Guy.” 

Keep watching for more!

09 Sep 2024

Were Beyoncé & Lil Wayne Snubbed? | Billboard News

Fans feel Beyoncé got snubbed from a CMA Awards nomination for “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” and ‘Cowboy Carter,’ and that Lil Wayne should have performed at next year’s Super Bowl halftime show. Do you think the two stars were snubbed? Let us know in the comments!

Narrator:

From country to football, fans think their faves just got snubbed. Beyoncé topped the Billboard Hot 100 this year with her country hit “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM.” But that wasn’t enough to get her any nominations at the CMA Awards. Many fans pointed out that they find it strange that Bey didn’t get one nod yet Post Malone, who Beyoncé featured on ‘Cowboy Carter,’ got four for his song with Morgan Wallen. 

Current chart-topper and another ‘Cowboy Carter’ collaborator, Shaboozey, had this to say on X: “That goes without saying. Thank you beyonce for opening the door for us, starting a conversation, and giving us one of the most innovative country albums of all time!” He got two CMA noms, including for new artist of the year. 

In the football world, many are excited to see Kendrick Lamar perform at the Super Bowl halftime show, but some are saying Lil Wayne should have gotten the honor since SB59 will take place in his hometown of New Orleans. In the rap world, Birdman, Master P, Mase and many more spoke in defense of Wayne, while Nicki Minaj fired off a bunch of posts on X suggesting Jay-Z didn’t pick Lil Wayne because of her. Neither Lil Wayne nor Jay-Z have addressed these concerns. Billboard has reached out to Jay-Z’s reps at Roc Nation for comment. Do you think Lil Wayne or Beyoncé got snubbed? Let us know in the comments.

09 Sep 2024

RUMBAZO 2024: What to Expect This Weekend | Billboard News

In partnership with Estrella Jalisco & Billboard, RUMBAZO 2024 just announced what to expect for this weekend, and we got you covered.

Grab your tickets at rumbazofest.com/tickets and use the code “Billboard” at checkout to receive $10 off any GA ticket.

Narrator: 

RUMBAZO is almost here and now you can see when all your favorite artists are set to take the stage on September 13th and 14th. Nicky Jam, Luis R. Conriquez, Codiciado, Arcángel and so many more will deliver iconic sets. In addition to some epic performances, you can get some delicious food and beverages at the RUMBAZO Cantina. Estrella Jalisco returns as the festival’s title sponsor, bringing renowned tattoo artists to help celebrate 203 years of independencia. Plus, festivalgoers can take in all the art on site like the Tiempo Car Club. And if you wanna level up your experience at the downtown Las Vegas events center, you can grab VIP tickets for exclusive viewing areas, bathrooms and activations. RUMBAZO is the ultimate Mexican Independence Day weekend celebration with Latin music, food and culture. Grab your tickets at rumbazofest.com/tickets, and when you use the code “Billboard” at checkout, you’ll receive $10 off any general admission ticket.

09 Sep 2024

Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 Countdown for Sept. 14, 2024 | Billboard News

Will Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” take No. 1 for a ninth week?

Narrator:

This is the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 for the week dated September 14. From nine to 10 is “Not Like Us.” While Teddy jumps a spot to nine. Chappell is still at eight, as is Billie at No. 7. And Gaga and Bruno at six. Sabrina’s “Taste” falls two to five. While “Please Please please” is at four, and “Espresso” is up to its peak at No. 3. “I Had Some Help” is back up to two, and grabbing an incredible ninth week at No. 1  is Shaboozey’s  “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” If you want more Billboard, make sure you hit the subscribe button and ring the bell to get notified on all our latest videos.

08 Sep 2024

Fonzi Thornton Accepts the Icon Award On Behalf of Luther Vandross | Billboard’s R&B No.1s 2024

Fonzi Thornton accepts the Icon Award on behalf of Luther Vandross accepts the Icon Award from Billboard’s Editorial Director Hannah Karp at Billboard’s R&B Hip-Hop Power Players 2024.

Hannah Karp:

For our first award, I want to salute an R&B icon, a late legend whose first six albums all reached number one on the Top R&B Hip Hop Albums Chart. He racked up eight number one albums over the course of his career, and he also co-produced Aretha Franklin’s seven week No. 1 R&B album ‘Jump To It,’ and he’s the subject of a wonderful new documentary that will stream wide next year. Of course, Luther Vandross is no longer with us, but I am so happy that we have his best friend, Fonzie Thornton, a singer and a board member of the Luther Vandross estate to accept the Icon Award for Luther tonight. Welcome Fonzi.

Fonzi Thornton:
How’s everybody this evening? It is such an honor for me to be here tonight and accept this prestigious award for Luther Vandross, who I have known since I was 14 years old. So I just want to congratulate Luther, his family, the Vandross estate, all of his singers, his musicians, his record company, thank you all for honoring my friend.