Billboard

08 Sep 2024

Lucky Daye Accepts the Torchbearer Award | Billboard’s R&B No.1s 2024

Lucky Daye accepts the Torchbearer award at Billboard’s R&B No.1s 2024 party.

Carl Lamarre:

What it do y’all, can I get a yeah are? Oh, I love that. I love that. I love that. So I’m here to present the next award to a brother of mine, a perennial king in love-making ballads and pillow talk confessions. Lucky Daye has become the new age blueprint in R&B. Women swoon, because when this brother croon it’s just smooth like butter. After his 2019 breakthrough with “Painted,” Lucky Daye put the world on notice and let them know that New Orleans isn’t just a home of Frank Ocean, but another R&B superstar capable of driving the genre forward. By aligning himself with D’Mile early in his career, Lucky became a risk taker, stretching the boundaries of his creativity, as proven by his new album ‘Algorithm.’ His versatility remains unmatched there, as he tap dances through various soundscapes with relative ease. Ultimately, the R&B gods rewarded him for his efforts, as he earned his first No. 1 on R&B Adult this year as a lead artist with “That’s You.” From songwriter to Grammy award winner, Lucky Daye is one of the reasons why R&B will continue to shine for years to come. So without further ado, Billboard would like to present this year’s Torchbearer award, to Lucky Daye.

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08 Sep 2024

Tyla Accepts the Global Impact Award | Billboard’s R&B No.1s 2024

Tyla accepts the Global Impact award at Billboard’s R&B No.1s 2024 party. 

Heran Mamo:

My name is Heran Mamo. I am the Senior R&B, Hip-Hop and Afrobeats writer here at Billboard. Those who know me know that uplifting other African women gives me one of the greatest joys in this job. So I’m really honored to be presenting our next award this evening. For years, she dreamed of becoming Africa’s first pop star. Now she’s taken over the world with her signature Papiano sound, performing her pop infused take on her native South Africa’s Amapiano in the U.S., France, Portugal, Japan, South Korea and more. Last summer, she made a major splash with “Water,” earning her first Hot 100 Top 10 hit, spending eight weeks at No. 1 on mainstream R&B Hip Hop Airplay, spending 46 weeks and counting, at No. 1 on our US Afrobeats Songs chart, and winning the inaugural Best African Music Performance Grammy award earlier this year. She successfully transformed “Africa’s the world” from a motto to her mission. Please join me in a round of applause for Billboard’s Global Force Honoree, Tyla.

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08 Sep 2024

Usher Accepts the R&B Entertainer of The Year Award | Billboard’s R&B No.1s 2024

Usher accepts the R&B Entertainer of the Year award at Billboard’s R&B No.1s 2024 party. 

Hannah Karp:

So it would not be a number one’s party without Usher. He is still breaking records as R&B’s biggest and brightest star three decades into his career, and after landing his 16th No. 1 on our R&B Hip Hop Airplay chart in November, he has way more number ones on that chart than any other artist in the charts 32 year history. Then as if that wasn’t enough, he wrapped up his game changing residency in Las Vegas in December, 100 sold out shows produced in partnership with the creative forces behind the box this very special venue that we’re in tonight, and in February, he headlined a little event called the Super Bowl Halftime Show, dazzling a record shattering 130 million viewers and catapulting his 2004 hit. “Yeah!” back to our Hot 100 Singles Chart. Ladies and gentlemen, please give it up for our Entertainer of the Year Usher.

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08 Sep 2024

Victoria Monét Accepts the Hitmaker Award | Billboard’s R&B No. 1s 2024 

Victoria Monét accepts the Hitmaker Award at Billboard’s R&B No. 1s 2024 party. 

Damien Scott:

Thank you for coming out. We really appreciate it. It’s been a historical, amazing hip-hop week here at Billboard. I’m glad that we can have this R&B celebration. I’m Damien Scott. I’m the deputy editorial director at Billboard. I’ve been here for a year so far. It’s been an amazing, amazing ride. But tonight I’m here to talk about a very special person. When we named Jaguar II as one of the best albums of 2023, we said the album signaled Victoria Monét’s commercial breakthrough, and put her on the same page as all the superstars whose career she helped elevate in the years past. Because that’s what she does. She just makes everything better. Then she has kept it moving. Her mainstream arrival came when she won three Grammys, including one for best new artist, and she’s been on a roll since then. Her smash hit “On My Mama” was one of the only two songs to top the Adult R&B Airplay, Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts in the last year. But all of that is only a small part of why we’re so proud to present her with the 2024 Hitmaker Award. Victoria Monét, please come down and accept this.

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06 Sep 2024

Linkin Park Announces New Female Vocalist & New Album Along With Tour | Billboard News

After a seven year hiatus after the death of their lead singer, Linkin Park announced their comeback with a new album and a new tour. Keep watching for all the details on their new vocalist and new music.

Tetris Kelly:

Billboard cover stars, Linkin Park, have recruited a new singer. After the tragic death of Chester Bennington in 2017, Linkin Park entered a hiatus period. Seven years later, they’ve made their surprise comeback with a new singer. Emily Armstrong joins Mike Shinoda as co-vocalist of the chart topping band. She told Billboard,  “I’m on cloud nine, but then it hits you that there’s a lot of work to be done and going into these [older] songs, by a singular voice that’s beloved by so many people — it’s like, ‘How do I be myself in this, but also carry on the emotion and what he brought in this band?’” You may know EMily from the band, Dead Sara. Not only will she cover Chester’s vocals on tour starting next week, their new album, ‘From Zero,’ is due November 15th. Fans got a taste of what’s to come with “The Emptiness Machine.” For the full story, head to Billboard.com

06 Sep 2024

BTS’ RM & Megan Thee Stallion ‘Neva Play’ About Their New Collab | Billboard News

Megan Thee Stallion & BTS’ RM released their highly anticipated collab “Neva Play,” and the duo wasn’t playing when it came to the music video. Keep watching to see the video and who else the boys of BTS have collabed with!

Tetris Kelly:

Thee collab has finally arrived: it’s RM of BTS and Megan Thee Stallion with “Neva Play.” We’re discussing the hot new track and some other times the BTS Boys have worked with top western artists in this week’s music you should know. RM’s rap is as smooth as ever as the leader of BTS appears in the video with animated style we know Thee Stallion was a fan of. She looks flawless as always in multiple looks and moves showing us her iconic skills. It’s not the first time she has collabed with RM. She appeared on BTS’ “Butter” remix. And the fellas have worked with the best on some of their biggest hits like Halsey on “Boy With Luv,” Nicki’s epic verse on “IDOL,” their Hot 100 No. 1 with Coldplay, j-hope and J. Cole, and Jung Kook has worked with Charlie Puth, Latto and Jack Harlow. And there’s so many more. Who would you like to see BTS collab with? Let us know in the comments. 

06 Sep 2024

Selena Gomez Is a Billionaire, According to Bloomberg | Billboard News

Selena Gomez has reached billionaire status thanks to her various business ventures, according to Bloomberg. Keep watching for a breakdown of how much each endeavor makes!

Narrator:
Selena Gomez has reached billionaire status thanks to her many business endeavors. According to Bloomberg, Selena’s net worth has grown to $1.3 billion. In addition to 41 Hot 100 hits, her acting career is hotter than ever, too. Hulu’s Only Murders In the Building has gained Selena four Emmy and two Golden Globe noms, plus a reported $6 million per season, and it just got renewed for season five. She’s raking in that Disney dough as EP and star of the upcoming Wizards Beyond Waverly Place, but the bulk of her net worth comes from Rare Beauty.

Selena’s the most followed woman on Insta and her followers love to get her look. Selena shut down the rumors of selling the company earlier this year telling TIME, “I don’t have any plans on that, genuinely.”

05 Sep 2024

Rachelle Jean-Louis Accepts the Executive Of The Year | R&B Hip-Hop Power Players 2024

Rachelle Jean-Louis accepts the Executive of the Year award from Victoria Monét at Billboard’s R&B Hip-Hop Power Players 2024.

Dana Droppo:

Hello everybody. My name is Dana Droppo. I’m Chief Brand Officer of Billboard. It is my tremendous honor to introduce an artist whose unparalleled talent earned her Billboard’s Rising Star honor at women in music. Also seven Grammy nominations, three wins, including Best New Artist. She’s a decorated songwriter. She’s an explosive dancer and a visionary of R&B music, a genre that is, in her manager’s words, “both timeless and influential.” Tonight, we’re here to celebrate that manager, an incredible executive who I am so proud and excited to honor. She is someone who has always answered and come through for me when I needed a favor or advice. She’s been a big dreamer and quiet hustler since the day I met her. And I also think it is illegal to be so talented and so incredibly fine at the same time. It’s giving Virgo energy, which is very appropriate, because she is the second woman ever to be named Billboard’s Hip-Hop and R&B Executive of the Year. The first was Beyonce. Please welcome to the stage. Victoria Monét.

Victoria Monét:

Hi everyone. I’m going to be reading from my phone, and I have a lot to say, so brace yourselves.

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05 Sep 2024

Megan Thee Stallion Accepts the Artist Of The Year | R&B Hip-Hop Power Players 2024

Megan Thee Stallion accepts the Artist Of The Year award from Billboard’s Editorial Director Hannah Karp at Billboard’s R&B Hip-Hop Power Players 2024.

Hannah Karp:

There’s only one woman who has topped the Hot 100 with a rap song this year, and I am thrilled to have her with us tonight. Not only did she kick off 2024 with a bang with that incredible No. 1 “HISS,” but she debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 in June as an independent artist, no less. The biggest debut for any rap album released by a woman in 2024. She also topped Billboard’s, Top R&B Hip-Hop albums chart for the second time in her career, becoming the sixth female rapper to do so, ever. And on top of it all, as a philanthropist, an activist, a college graduate, an entrepreneur and a fitness coach, that’s keeping us all in great shape, she is an incredible role model, not just for everyone in this business, but for our children and for music fans around the world. Please give it up for our Artist of the Year, Megan Thee Stallion.

Megan Thee Stallion:

Back there running my mouth. Okay? First of all, I want to thank God, yes, period. And then I want to thank my angels, my mama, my daddy, my granny, because I know they watching over me and nothing would be possible without them.

05 Sep 2024

Here’s the Setlist to Linkin Park’s First Performance in 7 Years

Linkin Park came roaring back on Thursday night (Sept. 5), with Billboard’s exclusive digital cover story diving into the mega-selling rock band’s surprise return. Emily Armstrong and Colin Brittain have joined the band as co-vocalist and drummer/co-producer, respectively; their new album, From Zero, will be released on Nov. 15; they’ll be playing six arena shows across four continents, beginning next week; and they’ve got big touring plans in 2025.

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And the band kicked everything off in riveting fashion with a livestreamed performance from the Warner lot in Los Angeles on Thursday night, playing a small for hardcore fans for a little over an hour. The set marked the first Linkin Park performance in seven years, following singer Chester Bennington’s tragic death in 2017.

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Following an intro that included bits of “Castle of Glass” and “The Requiem,” the band ripped into “The Emptiness Machine,” which will be the lead single to From Zero. Armstrong appeared onstage midway through the song to deliver her second verse, as a reveal for who would be joining Mike Shinoda as the band’s other lead vocalist.

Linkin Park then performed a mix of their biggest hits (“In the End,” “Numb,” “Crawling”) and fan favorites (“Lying From You,” “Waiting for the End”). They also gave “Lost,” the re-discovered single from their Meteora 20th anniversary set last year, its live debut, with Armstrong leading a piano version of the top 40 hit.

The band will kick off its six-date arena tour next Wednesday (Sept. 11), in Los Angeles. Until then, check out the setlist to Thursday’s intimate performance, and watch the full performance below:

Intro: “The Requiem,” “Castle of Glass”
“The Emptiness Machine”
“Somewhere I Belong”
“Crawling”
“Lying From You”
“The Catalyst”
“Waiting for the End”
“Numb”
“One Step Closer”
“Lost”
“What I’ve Done”
“In the End”
“Faint”

Encore:

“Papercut”
“Bleed It Out”