Billboard

09 Jul 2023

Here Are 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Madeline Edwards | Billboard Country Live

Madeline Edwards reveals five things you didn’t know about her.

Madeline Edwards
Hi, I’m Madeline Edwards and here are five things you may not know about me.

I used to write sci-fi fiction when I was a little girl and I might still write sci-fi fiction maybe.

My mother’s Polish, and we ate a lot of Polish food growing up and I hated it.

I have a pet peeve, and it is definitely when people don’t finish what they’re chewing in their mouth before they take a drink. It really irks me. I hate that so much.

One thing people may not know about me is I would really love to start my own western line one day. I think it would include cowboy hats and obviously turquoise and cool fringe jackets and stuff. I think that’d be really cool.

I love making cocktails. It is a really cool thing that I picked up during COVID. And when I was at home, I was reading a bunch of cocktail books and learning what liquors to mix and what bitters to use. So that is one of my like, little, you know, talents that I have when I have people come over, I made something called the new fashioned, which is basically the same ingredients as an old fashioned but you use mezcal instead.

09 Jul 2023

Hillary Scott From Lady A Reveals Her Favorite Nashville Slang | Billboard Country Live

Hillary Scott from Lady A reveals her favorite Nashville slang at Billboard’s Country Live event.

Hillary Scott
Hey, I’m Hillary Scott. And here is some of my favorite Nashville slang, and they might be East Texas because that’s where my mom is from, but I’m born and raised in Nashville. So I’ll say that they’re Nashville.

“Six one way, half a dozen the other” — which means it’s kind of the same thing. Just two ways to say it.

And then I mean “bless your heart,” of course.

And there’s just the very original, not by anyone other than Minnie Pearl I believe, which was “y’all come back now, ya hear?”

08 Jul 2023

Carly Pearce Plays Fishing for Answers | Billboard Country Live

Carly Pearce plays Fishing for Answers at Billboard’s Country Live event.

Carly Pearce:
Hi, I’m Carly Pearce and I’m going fishing for answers with Billboard.

What is your favorite album or country album of the year so far? I think Nate Smith’s record is really, really good front to back.

Who was your musical inspiration growing up? All the ladies of the 90s, Trisha Yearwood, Patty Loveless, Lee Ann Womack, and I’m a huge Alison Krauss fan, Loretta, Dolly.

What is the most country thing you’ve ever done? Got married and divorced in one year.

Recording or touring? I like both. I think the recording process is really fun because you get to be so musical but there’s really nothing like getting to see the songs that you write come to life on the road and you get to have summer camp with your band. It’s super fun.

Best concert you’ve ever attended? Either. Alison Krauss and Union Station or Keith Urban open for The Chicks.

What’s your secret talent? Can’t really show you in here but I have the most double jointed arms that you could ever see. Hopefully you can see it, judging by the other people in this room. You can see it

06 Jul 2023

Cardi B’s Paris Fashion Week 2023 Looks

We’ve compiled our favorite Cardi B looks from Paris Fashion Week.

Cardi B, Paris Fashion Week

Cardi B attends the Schiaparelli Haute couture Fall/Winter 2023/2024 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on July 03, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Marc Piasecki/WireImage)

Marc Piasecki/WireImage

Cardi B took over the City of Light for Paris Fashion Week, and she did not disappoint when it came to her jaw-dropping outfits.

“I’m a very blessed girl,” the “Bodak Yellow” rapper wrote on Instagram after attending Thom Browne’s debut couture show. “I’m thankful everyday that my work and my lord have me living my dreams.”

Cardi was even joined by her husband Offset for some of the festivities, as the couple rocked matching luxury black looks at a Balenciaga runway showcase, at one point cozying up for photos together in a video captured on the scene by i-D.

The rapper is a longtime fashion favorite, as she fronted her first campaign for a luxury fashion house in 2020 when she became the face of Balenciaga’s winter 2020 season. That same year, Cardi became the first female rapper to be awarded by the FN Achievement Awards when she won the Style Influencer of the Year award — an honor presented to her by Christian Louboutin.

We’ve compiled our favorite Cardi B looks from Paris Fashion Week, which you can check out below.

06 Jul 2023

You Can Subscribe to Walmart+ for 50% Off — Pay Just $49 for the Year

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Walmart has been rolling out sizzling deals for summer, the latest being a deep discount on its annual membership. If you’ve been thinking about joining Walmart+, now would be a great time to give it a try because the membership is currently 50% off for new subscribers.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

That means you can subscribe to Walmart+ at a discounted rate of just $49 for the entire year. This limited deal won’t last long though, it expires on July 13.

Walmart+ typically costs $12.95 per month or $98 for the annual membership and you can cancel anytime via the Walmart+ accounts page or customer care.

What is Walmart+? The retailer’s subscription membership unlocks instant access to loads of benefits including early access to shop Black Friday deals and other mega sales, special pricing and product releases. Walmart+ members also get a ton of freebees.  

Walmart+

$49 $98 50% off% OFF

What can you get for free with Walmart+? For starters, the membership includes free shipping with no order minimum, so you won’t have to worry about adding things to your cart that you might not even need just to get free shipping.

The membership also includes free grocery delivery, contact-free checkout with mobile-scan and go, free subscriptions to Paramount+ and ad-free streaming with Pluto TV.

And it doesn’t stop there. Members also get a free six-month subscription to Sirius XM (stream in your car or through the app), up to 70% off Aura digital protection (and a 30-day free trial), 50% off True Network Solutions tech support, $10 off your first three tickets purchased with TodayTix, 70% off ReadingIQ for Kids savings of up to $83.88/year on ABCmouse or Adventure Academy, a year free of Pawp pet care and lots more.

What’s currently on sale at Walmart? The retail giant is offering a bunch of great deals for Walmart+ week, which takes place from July 6-13 and is an alternative to Amazon Prime Day.

Walmart shoppers can save big on clothing starting at $10 and great tech deals like these portable Bluetooth speakers that are on sale for $39. Plus, up to 65% off flash deals and back-to-school supplies starting at less than $5.

06 Jul 2023

Raine Group Raises $760M for New Media, Tech Investment Fund

The Raine Group has raised $760 million for investments in fast-growing start-ups in the telecommunications, media and technology space, the London-based investment and advisory firm said on Thursday.

Raine Group raised the money for the new Raine Partners IV fund from public pension plans, sovereign wealth funds, family offices and others. The fund’s first investment was the mobile games developer Tripledot Studios, according to a statement.

With nearly $4 billion in assets under management, Raine Group has grown since its 2009 founding to serve as an adviser or investor in some of the biggest deals in sports, media and entertainment.

Earlier this year, it advised pro wrestling giant WWE on its $21 billion combination with Endeavor and on the estimated $300-million sale of Quality Control to HYBE America.

The Raine Group’s music investment and advisory team — Fred Davis, Joe Puthenveetil and Rob Frech — have invested in SoundCloud and Firebird Music Holdings, and also worked as advisors to Francisco Partners when it acquired Kobalt and helped Larry Jackson raise $1 billion in capital for his new venture, gamma.

The Raine Group also owns stakes in DraftKings, Moonbug, Imagine Entertainment, TelevisaUnivision and VideoAmp.

Similar to its predecessor funds, Raine Partners IV will invest in growth-stage media and technology companies, with a particular focus on sports, media, entertainment and gaming.

The Raine Group co-founder and partner John Salter said they chose Tripledot Studios for the fund’s first investment because it’s “one of the strongest (companies) in casual gaming.”

“As a highly profitable business with more than 400 staff and about 50 million monthly active users, we look forward to actively working with their team to drive continued growth in the casual gaming market,” Salter said in a statement.

05 Jul 2023

Shoes for Steals: Snag the ‘Most Comfy’ Crocs for Only $25

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Upgrade your summer shoe collection with a pair of comfortable sandals that have taken the world by storm: Crocs. Rather than shell out $50+ on a pair of designer platform boots, Walmart has slashed the price off the bestselling Crocs Unisex Baya Clog you can shop now.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Celebrities have quickly jumped on the shoe trend with the most recent being Lil Nas X who partnered with the brand for a next level collaboration. He’s not the only one either — other artists including Justin Bieber and SZA have also created sold-out Crocs collaborations, which you can still snag from resale retailers).

Sport a pair of your own, but for a fraction of the price as places like Walmart, Amazon, Zappos and Nordstrom Rack are offering the shoe up to 55% off.

Keep reading to shop the Crocs Unisex Baya Clog.

light blue Crocs clog

Walmart

Crocs Unisex Baya Clog

$24.99 $54.99 55% off% OFF

This bestselling style features the classic Crocs clog look paired with a lightweight 100% thermoplastic EVA material that’s cushy, lightweight and breathable. It’s available in 17 shades to stock up and personalize to your liking, and can be wiped clean when they’re dirty.

This style has racked up a 4.7 rating on Walmart with almost 8,000 five-star reviews with shoppers praising how comfortable they are.

“My co-workers are wearing them, my neighbors are wearing them, I see school kids wearing them so I decided to find out for myself why everyone I know was wearing these CROCS. Well, let me just say I ordered a pair and I LOVE THEM! They are so comfortable I don’t want to take them off. As soon as I get home from work I change out my work shoes for my CROCS. I’ll definitely buy a few more because I can’t decide which is my favorite color,” said one Walmart reviewer.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best jelly shoes, men’s sneaker deals and platform heels.

04 Jul 2023

Kelly Clarkson Earns Fourth No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales Chart With ‘Chemistry’

Kelly Clarkson earns her fourth No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart (dated July 8) as her latest studio effort, Chemistry, debuts atop the list. The set sold 43,000 copes in the U.S. in the week ending June 29, according to Luminate. Clarkson previously led the tally with Piece by Piece (2015), All I Ever Wanted (2009) and Thankful (2003). All told, Chemistry is her 10th top 10-charting title on Top Album Sales.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Also in the top 10 of the new Top Album Sales chart, Young Thug nabs his sixth top 10 set as Business Is Business bows at No. 6.

Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units. The new July 8, 2023-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on July 5, one day later than usual, owed to the Independence Day holiday in the U.S. on July 4.  For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

Of Chemistry’s 43,000 copies sold in its first week, physical sales comprise 25,500 (18,000 on CD and 7,500 on vinyl) and digital album sales comprise 17,500. The set also enters at No. 1 on the Vinyl Albums chart (her first leader there), and with 7,500 sold, Chemistry lands Clarkson her best week ever on vinyl.

Chemistry’s sales were bolstered by its availability across multiple vinyl variants, including exclusive color editions for Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Clarkson’s webstore, Spotify, Target, Urban Outfitters and Walmart. (Target’s edition also had an alternative cover.) Clarkson’s CD sales were enhanced by multiple editions, including a signed version sold through her webstore, an Amazon-exclusive that contained a poster and a Target-exclusive variant with an alternative cover.

ATEEZ’s The World EP.2: Outlaw falls to No. 2 in its second week, with 32,000 sold (down 68%) after debuting atop the list a week ago. Stray Kids’ former No. 1 5-STAR is a non-mover at No. 3 with 19,000 (down 28%) and ENHYPEN’s Dark Blood is also stationary at No. 4 with 11,000 (down 10%). Taylor Swift’s chart-topping Midnights is steady at No. 5 with nearly 11,000 sold (down 4%).

Young Thug’s Business Is Business is the second and final debut in the top 10, as it starts at No. 6 with 8,500 sold, with 97% of that figure from digital album sales. A small number of sales were generated by a CD edition of the album that was released late in the tracking week to a limited number of independent record stores. Business is the sixth top 10-charting set for the rapper.

Swift has two more albums in the top 10, as her former No. 1s Folklore (10-7 with 8,000; up 4%) and Lover (16-8 with 7,000; up 16%) both climb. Two more chart-topping sets round out the top 10, as SEVENTEEN’s SEVENTEEN 10th Mini Album: FML is a non-mover at No. 9 (nearly 7,000; down 19%) and TWICE’s Ready to Be rises 13-10 (6,000; down 9%).

In the week ending June 29, there were 1.708 million albums sold in the U.S. (down 13.6% compared to the previous week). Of that sum, physical albums (CDs, vinyl LPs, cassettes, etc.) comprised 1.363 million (down 17%) and digital albums comprised 346,000 (up 3.1%).

There were 620,000 CD albums sold in the week ending June 29 (down 14.4% week-over-week) and 735,000 vinyl albums sold (down 19.1%). Year-to-date CD album sales stand at 17.537 million (up 3.9% compared to the same time frame a year ago) and year-to-date vinyl album sales total 23.606 million (up 21.7%).

Overall year-to-date album sales total 50.641 million (up 7.9% compared to the same year-to-date time frame a year ago). Year-to-date physical album sales stand at 41.407 million (up 13.3%) and digital album sales total 9.234 million (down 11.2%).

04 Jul 2023

XG Play How Well Do You Know Your Bandmates? | Billboard

XG test their knowledge and see how well they actually know each other!

XG:
Hi, we’re XG!

Maya:
And we’re gonna see how well we know each other! Let’s go!

Who’s the best dancer?

XG:
3, 2, 1…

Maya:
Jurin!

Jurin:
No!

Juria:
I can’t choose but…

Maya:
What? No! I chose her because she’s the dance leader. She’s the leader of everything, you know?

Who takes the most selfies? Well, everyone does but I see her take it the most. Juria!

Juria:
Oh, thanks!

Maya:
Juria chose herself, guys! Juria! Everyone chose!

Juria:
Me, me, me. I admit it. I also think so too!

Maya:
She admits it!

XG:
Harvey! Cocona!

Maya:
Wait, what? I chose Cocona!

Jurin:
What? Why, Cocona?

Cocona:
No, no, no.

Maya:
Right? Right?

Cocona:
Harvey! Harvey!

Maya:
Okay, wait…

Harvey:
No, you too!

Maya:
Both of them!

Cocona:
Okay!

Maya:
Okay, let’s go!

XG:
3, 2, 1…

Jurin:
Me!

Maya:
What? You? Hinata chose herself!

Jurin:
Oh, Hinata! So many Hinata’s! I’m probably in there too, I think…

Chisa:
Cocona is all mine. Oh, no kidding!

Jurin:
Why? What’s the story?

Maya:
Story! Do you guys have a story?

Juria:
No! There’s no story, but it just feels very Hinata-chan!

Maya:
This whole question suits her well!

Jurin:
I actually have some anecdotes about myself. During the preparation for this Heads in the Clouds, Cocona and I did something new with the rap content of Nothin. But for some reason, I couldn’t memorize this one phrase, so I’m reflecting on that a bit.

Watch the full video above!

03 Jul 2023

Bailey Zimmerman Reveals His Favorite Small-Town Slang | Billboard Country Live

Bailey Zimmerman is revealing his favorite small-town slang!

Bailey Zimmerman
What’s up, y’all? I’m Bailey Zimmerman. And here’s my favorite small-town slang. I kind of started this thing … it didn’t stick around for too long, but we had this thing and we said “Coolin.” Like, “Hey, do you want to go to B-Dubs later and get chicken?” And they will say, “Coolin.” Like, yeah, I’m in or I’m game or whatever. So “coolin” was a word for a while. I feel like bet is a normal thing now, but I’ve been saying bet for years since junior high. We’ve been saying bet and it’s more like, same thing as coolin — “Let’s go to lunch.” “I’m in, bet,” whatever. So in my hometown, we would say hand we’d call people hand, you’re either an operating hand or you’re a string in hand or you’re a laboring in hand, whatever it is. And so when we go to Casey’s in the morning at 6am 5am, you walk up and see your buddy. “What’s up, hand” or “What’s going on, hand,” and it’s just like, “What’s up bro?” Or “what’s going on, man?” But you call them hands like, what’s up, hand? Yeah, it’s like country sh*t.