Billboard

18 Feb 2025

Latin Artist Spotlight: Shakira’s Global Influence | Billboard News

Shakira is shaking up 2025 with her tour Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, and we’re highlighting her success in our series of highlighting Latin artists.

Tetris Kelly:
Shakira is a global icon, and as we take this month to highlight Black and Latin artists, we are putting the spotlight on the Colombian musician. Happy birthday, Shakira. Thanks for chatting with Billboard. We wished Shakira a happy birthday right before she lit up the stage at the 2025 Grammy Awards and won best Latin pop album. 

Shakira:
You are loved. You are worth it, and I will always fight with you. 

Tetris Kelly:
Continuing with the music on tour and the images from the massive stadium show has the world ready to grab tickets. 

Shakira:
I’ll see you guys on tour in May here. 

Tetris Kelly:
Yes, I’ll see you then. 

Shakira: 
Starting in two weeks in Rio, we’re gonna start in Brazil, Latin America, first home. 

Tetris Kelly:
And she has plenty of hits to perform, like her Billboard Hot 100 No. 1  hit “Hips Don’t Lie” and “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53.” And as she continues to always slay, we say we love you, Shakira.

18 Feb 2025

G-Eazy on ‘Breakdown’ With Demi Lovato, Britney Spears, Rediscovering Himself & More | Billboard News

G-Eazy is entering a new chapter and finds himself rediscovering who he is with new music on the way. He talks about finding a kindred spirit with Demi Lovato, working with Britney Spears, his upcoming tour and more!

Are you excited for G-Eazy’s return? Let us know in the comments!

Michael Saponara:
You guys ready to play a little Beat the Buzzer? So in this game, jeez, he’s gonna have 60 seconds and to answer as many questions as he can in rapid fire style. I think he’s ready for it. 

G-Eazy:
Let’s go. 

Oakland or New York City?

Man, it’s always gonna be Oakland, but I do love living in New York. 

Blonde or brunette? 
Both. 

Kanye or Jay-Z?

Both. Watch the Throne.

LiAngelo or Lonzo Ball?

Oh, man, LiAngelo, man. He got that song going. That song is really good. I’ll say … I would say him, yeah. I mean, if Lonzo played more, yeah, but like, you know, it’s tough. 

You’re going with Gelo. 

The best ability is availability.

Right. Jalen Brunson or Steph Curry? 

Steph all day. Come on, man. 

Airbnb or hotels?

Hotels. I’m banned from Airbnb.

Recording at home or in the studio?

I’ll often like, record at home, get an idea done, and then like, like, cut it through in the studio. 

Bacon, egg and cheese or chop cheese?

Sausage, egg and cheese. 

‘90s or 2000s?

Oh, man, 2000s. 

All right, vanilla or chocolate? 

I’m a vanilla baby.

Shout-out, missionary Jack. I had a few questions. I had about “Freak Show” I wanted to get into. You talked about being raised by ‘Pac, Amy, Bob Dylan, Jay-Z and Wayne. I know you have a record with Wayne already, but out of the other ones, if you could choose to collaborate with any of those, who would you have gone with?

Keep watching for more!

18 Feb 2025

Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 Countdown for Feb. 22, 2025 | Billboard News

Kendrick Lamar takes over the top 10 of the Hot 100, but will he hit No. 1 again?

Tetris Kelly: 
The Grammys followed by the Super Bowl see some influence on the charts. This is the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 for the week dated Feb. 22. SZA and Kendrick are up to 10, “Pink Pony Club” also makes its top 10 debut. Shaboozey is down to eight, as is “APT.” to seven, and “Birds of a Feather” to six. “”Squabble Up” is back up to five while last week’s No. 1 is at four. “TV Off” jumps to three, as “Luther” rises to a No. 2 peat. And returning to No. 1 is Kendrick Lamar with “Not Like Us.”

If you want more Billboard, make sure you hit the subscribe button and ring the bell to be notified on all our latest videos.

16 Feb 2025

Kendrick Lamar’s ‘GNX’ Returns to No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart

Kendrick Lamar’s GNX jumps back to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, for a second week atop the list (rising 4-1 on the survey dated Feb. 22), following his Super Bowl halftime show (Feb. 9) and the set’s release on physical formats. (It was previously only available to stream, and to purchase as a digital download album.)

Plus, two more Lamar albums return to the top 10 in the wake of the halftime show: 2017’s chart-topping DAMN. drives 29-9 and 2012’s good kid, m.A.A.d city vaults 27-10. The latest Billboard 200 reflects activity generated in the U.S. in the week ending Feb. 13.

With GNX, DAMN. and good kid, m.A.A.d city all in the top 10, Lamar is the first rap act with three albums in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 at the same time. The chart began publishing on a regular, weekly basis in March 1956.

Trending on Billboard

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Feb. 22, 2025-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Feb. 19, one day later than usual, owed to the Presidents’ Day holiday in the U.S. on Feb. 17. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

According to Luminate, of the 236,000 equivalent album units earned by GNX in the week ending Feb. 13 in the U.S., SEA units comprise 117,000 (up 86%; equaling 161.01 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs; it jumps 4-1 on Top Streaming Albums), album sales comprise 116,000 (up 10,100%; it reenters at No. 1 on Top Album Sales for its first week at No. 1 on that chart) and TEA units comprise 3,000. The set’s 236,000 units earned mark its largest week since it debuted at No. 1 on the Dec. 7, 2024-dated chart with 319,000.

With GNX selling 116,000, that marks Lamar’s largest sales week for an album since DAMN. debuted with 353,000 sold in its first week (chart dated May 6, 2017). Of GNX’s 116,000 sold, vinyl sales comprise 87,000 — Lamar’s best week ever on vinyl. GNX was released on physical formats for the first time on Feb. 7, on CD, cassette and five vinyl variants.

As Lamar has three albums concurrently in the top 10 on the Billboard 200, he’s the first living male artist to achieve that feat since Herb Alpert on the Dec. 24, 1966-dated chart (when he, along with the Tijuana Brass, had three titles in the top 10). The most recent act, overall, with at least three albums in the top 10 was Taylor Swift on the Dec. 9, 2023, chart, when she had five in the region.

Before Lamar, the last male artist — or anyone aside from Swift — to have at least three albums in the top 10 at the same time was Prince, following his death, in 2016. That year, on the May 14 chart, he logged five titles in the region; and on the May 7 chart, he had three in the top 10. Prince died on April 21, 2016.

GNX is currently in its 12th consecutive week on the chart and has yet to depart the top five on the weekly tally.

Former No. 1 DAMN. drives 29-9 on the Billboard 200 with 39,000 equivalent album units earned (up 93%) and good kid, m.A.A.d city jumps 27-10 with 37,000 units (up 71%). DAMN. spent four weeks atop the list in 2017, and it was last in the top 10 on the March 17, 2018-dated chart, when it ranked at No. 9. The good kid album peaked at No. 2 in 2012 and was last in the top 10 on the Nov. 24, 2012-dated chart, when it placed at No. 9.

SZA, who was a special guest performer during Lamar’s halftime show, sees her former No. 1 SOS climb 3-2 on the latest Billboard 200 with 109,000 equivalent album units earned (up 33%). The album was reissued on Feb. 9 with four additional tracks.

The Weeknd’s Hurry Up Tomorrow falls 1-3 on the Billboard 200 in its second week (101,000 equivalent album units; down 79%), Bad Bunny’s chart-topping Debí Tirar Más Fotos descends 2-4 (78,000; down 17%) and Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess climbs 6-5 (59,000; up 19%).

Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft falls 5-6 (56,000 equivalent album units earned; up 6%), Sabrina Carpenter’s former leader Short n’ Sweet is steady at No. 7 (51,000; up 5%) and Morgan Wallen’s chart-topping One Thing at a Time is a non-mover at No. 8 (41,000; down 8%).

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

14 Feb 2025

Drake & PartyNextDoor Drop ‘$ome $exy $ongs 4 U’ | Music You Should Know | Billboard News

Drake & PartyNextDoor have released their joint album ‘$ome $exy $ongs 4 U’ for Valentine’s Day, and he had more to say about his beef with Kendrick Lamar on the album.

What do you think of the new album? Let us know in the comments below!

Tetris Kelly:

Drake is back, and he’s not being shy about his beef with Kendrick Lamar. He dropped a brand-new album with PartyNextDoor, and we’re breaking it all down. In this week’s Music You Should Know: ‘$ome $exy $ongs 4 U.’ Happy Valentine’s from Drake and PartyNextDoor, as they gift you with 21 new tracks on ‘$ome $exy $ongs 4 U.’ And Drake’s ready to move on from the drama saying: “F— a rap beef, I’m tryna get the party lit.”

And after Kendrick performed his Drake diss track “Not Like Us” on the world’s biggest stage. Drake went in even more on the new album. The PartyNextDoor collab album is mostly feature-less outside of them bringing on Yebba, Chino Pacas and Pim. There’s a lot to unpack. Is this Drake’s big comeback? Let us know in the comments.

14 Feb 2025

NFL Exclusive: Creating Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show | All Access | Billboard News

Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show was one of the most watched shows of all time. We’re taking you inside the big day with an exclusive interview from the NFL’s Head of Music sharing how the show was created, talking with the hottest stars about his performance and more!

What did you think of Kendrick’s halftime show? Let us know in the comments!

E-40:
Man, I’m so happy for him overall. Man, that’s a bad man. 

Seth Dudowsky: 
And when you look at an artist like Kendrick in terms of the talent to be able to execute in a way that very few artists — let alone hip-hop artists — can, and it’s a production and a musical performance that isn’t just about understanding music and art, then how do you display it for broadcast and in media in a way that makes sense on a global scale? 

Tetris Kelly:
We were on the field and behind the scenes with the creators to find out the real story of Kendrick Lamar’s epic halftime show at Super Bowl 59. 

Megan Thee Stallion: 
That’s why we came. 

Tetris Kelly:
We take you there in Billboard All Access. 

Flavor Flav:
Come on, man. I’m humble, just like him, and I hope that’s what he opens up with.

Kendrick Lamar: 
The passion I have now is still the passion I had then. And I think that carried on to the Super Bowl. 

Seth Dudowsky: 
For this year with Kendrick Lamar, we announced him the first weekend of the season. We already have a set playground for them to play in. So when they come with their ideas, they’re not coming with staging ideas that can’t fit through the tunnel. And then shortly after that, his creative team, Dave Free, Mike Carson, a few weeks later, came to us with the initial seeds of what they wanted to do narratively.

Keep watching for more!

14 Feb 2025

Billboard Reacts To Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show & Ye’s X Rants | Billboard Unfiltered

In today’s episode of ‘Billboard Unfiltered,’ Billboard staffers Kyle Denis, Damien Scott, and Angel Diaz react to Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show, highlighting the best and controversial moments, discussing Ye’s X rants and more.

What did you think of Kendrick’s performance? What do you think of Ye’s X rants? Let us know in the comments!

Damien Scott:

It’s hard to wrap that as a fan. I can’t imagine doing that in a leather jacket  on the field, under the lights. 

Kyle Denis:

I don’t know if I can sit through two years of the most ridiculous rants ever and cluttered albums for 30 seconds of one great verse that reminds me of ‘College Dropout.’ I can’t do it anymore. 

Welcome back to a new episode of Billboard Unfiltered. We got to introduce our hip hop editor, Angel Diaz. Welcome to the show. How you feeling?

Angel Diaz:

I’m good man, excited to be finally on here. 

Damien Scott:

First time? 

Angel Diaz:

Yeah first time .Well, first time caller. Long time listener.

Kyle Denis:

Well this weekend, we had the Super Bowl Halftime Show featuring Kendrick Lamar. The performance featured SZA, Samuel L. Jackson, Serena Williams and Mustard. It was a very ‘GNX’ heavy set list. He started off with an extended teaser of the unreleased track from that album, but then quickly went into “Squabble Up,” which then gave into “HUMBLE” and “DNA,” some older classics. He brought out SZA for “Luther” and “All the Stars.” Closed things off with “Not Like Us,” featuring a very funny sh*t eating grin, of course, and closing with “TV Off.” But we got to talk about the response of this show. It’s officially broken the record for the most watched halftime show of all time, over 133.5 million viewers. What are your thoughts, guys? 

Keep watching for more!

14 Feb 2025

JISOO Talks ‘Earthquake’ Shakeup, Debut Solo Album ‘AMORTAGE,’ BLACKPINK Reunion Tour | Billboard News

BLACKPINK’s JISOO has released her debut solo mini-album, AMORTAGE. She walks us through her new pop sound, the reasons for releasing it now, her creative process for “Earthquake,” BLACKPINK’s upcoming summer tour reunion and more!

JISOO:
I’m in Billboard!

Tetris Kelly: 
Yes she is! She made it to Billboard. And I mean, we’re so happy to have you. The beginning of the year just kicked off, so what have you been up to?

Ah … These days, I’m always filming a drama. I’m shooting the drama and new series.

How was it to step into the acting world? What’s it been like?

So, I initially pursued acting because I loved the idea of transforming into a completely new person. Now, having been in several series, I find that with each role, I embody someone different. It’s a refreshing experience that offers a unique charm distinct from my work as a singer.

And I feel like you’re also a new character when you do new music. We’re here to talk about the new music today. “Earthquake” is so good. I was about to blow listening to it. So tell me why that song was the first one you wanted to offer up to your fans?

That song captures the thrill of experiencing first love. When I first heard it, I was immediately swept up by this intense, wonderful feeling — it was like butterflies in my stomach. It just clicked. The song lived up to its title perfectly, evoking that precise emotion from the very first listen. That’s exactly why I chose it.  

And do you feel like there was some inspiration behind that subject that made you want to really lock into it?

Keep watching for more!

13 Feb 2025

Doechii’s ‘Denial Is a River’ Hits Top 3 of TikTok Billboard Top 50 | Billboard News

The TikTok Billboard Top 50 has a new No. 1, but who could it be between Doechii, Lady Gaga and Fetty Wap? Keep watching to find out!

Tetris Kelly: 
Grammy winners see a boost this week, while a decade-old hit reigns supreme. Fetty Wap’s “Again” rides from eight to No. 1 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 for the chart posting Feb. 13. It’s all thanks to a trend where users act like they’re listening to the hit on a speaker from 10 years ago when the song was released. Doechii’s “Denial Is a River” lands at No. 3 after performing the hit at this year’s Grammys and taking home best rap album. Also making a splash that evening was Lady Gaga. After premiering her new song “Abracadabra” during a commercial break, the song became a hit on TikTok, debuting at No. 9.

Every Thursday, Billboard will bring you the verified list of the hottest songs on TikTok by monitoring music discovery and engagement on the platform in the United States. To find the TikTok Billboard Top 50 each week, users can simply go to any sound detail page and tap the top right button to access the charts page.

13 Feb 2025

Ahmir ‘Questlove’ Thompson & Joseph Patel Discuss ‘Sly Lives!’ | Billboard in Conversation

Billboard‘s Deputy Editorial Director Damien Scott spoke with Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson (executive producer and director) and Joseph Patel (producer) of Sly Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius) about the film’s creation and the enduring impact of Sly Stone’s legacy, both historically and in today’s culture. Check out the documentary, available now Hulu.

Damien Scott: 
What’s up, everyone. I’m Damien Scott. I’m the deputy editorial director at Billboard, and today we have two very special guests. I’m joined by the Academy Award winning duo Amir “Questlove” Thompson and Joseph Patel, the director and producer of these groundbreaking work Sly Lives! I’ll say the whole title, just so everyone knows when you see it: Sly Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius). Thank you …

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson:
Thank you for having us. 

Damien Scott: 
… for coming through to Billboard today. Most people know Sly Stone as an innovator. He’s the guy who essentially blended all of the popular genres together to create this newfound gumbo that became … what became basically American pop music, in a way. Why did you choose to focus on Sly right now? 

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson:
I believe that we chose Sly or Sly chose us. Sly is in a very unique position in the American music pantheon, and Sly is essentially the first Black megastar, kind of in an era, and I’ll say this lightly with air quotes, where there was supposed to be no limits. Sly’s success is a little bit different than Ray Charles or Chuck Berry or James Brown, anyone that was entertaining during either the Reconstruction period or the Civil Rights period. So Sly is basically kind of the embodiment of what Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech was about, like this utopian multiracial mix of Black and whites, men and women together.

Keep watching for more!