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Christmas is over, but winter sales are in full swing. Right now, bargain shoppers can save up to 90% off select items, including clothing, coats, boots, exercise equipment, speakers, headphones, furniture, beauty products, jewelry and other must-haves to start your new year off right.
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Below, find a list of the 33 best after-Christmas and winter sales that you can shop now and into the new year.
The 33 Best After-Christmas & Winter Sales to Shop Right Now:
Abercrombie & Fitch – Up to 50% off, plus an extra 20% off almost everything.
Adidas – Up to 60% off thousands of styles while supplies last.
Anthropologie – Save an extra 40% off sale styles.
Amazon — Save up to 70% off tens of thousands of items, plus Prime Video channels for $1.99 and other discounts at Amazon.
Best Buy — Shop discounted appliances, electronics and more from Apple, Lenovo, Samsung, Sony LG and other brands, including up to $800 off select big screen TVs and up to 60% off laptop accessories.
Bloomingdale’s — Save up to 65% off, plus an additional 30% on items labeled “EXTRA 30% OFF Discount Applied in Bag.” Sale ends 1/2/23.
CalPAK – Up to 45% off select luggage, backpacks and other travel necessities.
Casper – Save up to $600 on select mattresses, plus 30% off sitewide.
Coco & Eve – Get up to 50% off select items while supplies last.
Dick’s Sporting Goods – Up to 65% off during the winter clearance clear-out event (online and in-stores).
Footlocker — Save up to 40% off winter must-haves during Footlocker’s end of the season sale.
Harry & David – Up to 50% off select items during the winter sale.
HP – Save up to 66% off during HP’s red tag sale, plus free shipping.
The Home Depot – Up to 45% off select tools, plus free two-day delivery and up to 50% off holiday décor.
Lululemon – Shop end-of-the-year finds starting at $9.
Macy’s – Up to 60% off during the post-Christmas sale.
Mattress Firm – Up to 60% off select mattresses.
Nastygal – Up to 90% off everything.
Nike — Save 20% on select sale styles (use code: CHEERS for an additional 20% off select items). Offer ends 1/3/23.
Nordstrom – Save up to 60% off from now until 1/2/23; plus an extra 25% off select clearance items (offer ends 12/29).
Old Navy – Up to 75% off; styles from $2.99 and up.
Purple Mattresses – Take 10% off select mattresses, plus 25% off sleep accessories.
Revolve – Up to 70% off during Revolve’s “last chance” sale.
Saks 5th Ave — Up to 80% off designer labels.
Sephora – Beauty Insiders save an extra 20% off select items (code: EXTRA20OFF). Offer ends 1/2/23.
Soundcore – Save on best sellers and other must-have electronics including the Liberty 4 earbuds and Life Q30 headphones.
Target – Up to 50% off clothing, toys, beauty items and more (save 50% off an annual membership to Shipt for fast delivery).
Uncommon Goods – Up to 75% off hundreds of items.
Under Armour – Up to 50% off during the semi-annual event. Offer ends 1/25/23.
Urban Outfitters – Take an extra 40% off all sale styles.
Wayfair – Up to 65% off during the end-of-the-year clear-out sale.
Walmart – Save up to 50% on clothing, seasonal décor, toys and home essentials.
Zappos – Winter clearance sale on boots, sneakers, heels, apparel and more. Sale items start at $7.35.
As 2022 draws to a close, Billboard Pride is taking a look back at some of the queer indie artists who saw their stars rise over the last 12 months. Below, U.K. genre-bender Lava La Rue breaks down their big year.
It’s the end of a busy trip to New York for Lava La Rue. The buzzy, much talked-about indie artist from West London has been in and out of studio sessions and supporting their partner’s gigs around the city, but as they log onto a Zoom call from a Brooklyn hotel room, they look mildly bummed.
“It’s super rainy and gross,” they say, swiveling their camera around to show a cloud-choked skyline just outside their window. “Normally I get this very cute view of everything corny, like the Empire State. Now, it’s just kind of looking like Gotham.” But La Rue acknowledges the weather pattern is just a transitional phase. “It’s been lovely all week, just not today,” they say with a shrug. “It’ll pass.”
La Rue would know what a transitional phase looks like, considering they’ve been actively in one for the last year — throughout 2022, La Rue underwent a shift that brought about a new sound, curated a new audience, and even found the singer a new home for their musical universe. “I think because I started in music fairly young, like in my late teens, some people have been like, “Wow, you’ve been around for quite a long time now,’” they say. “No, I literally feel like I was reborn this year. It feels like starting over almost.”
At the outset of their career in 2018, La Rue was known for their chilled-out, bedroom-rap releases, where the then-19-year-old would effortlessly let their bars flow about everything from cheating lovers to self-criticism on songs like “Widdit” and “F–ked it Up.” But as their career progressed, so did their sound — slick rap verses gave way to groovier, dreamier bedroom-pop tracks, until eventually the singer was in their “lo-fi bedroom” funk-pop era with the 2021 EP Butter-Fly.
La Rue is proud of the music they were able to make for the first three years of their career, especially given their limited access to the necessary tools to make projects like Butter-Fly. But the singer-songwriter quickly points out that their limitations in budget meant a limitation to their sound.
“Before, I had to compromise with the kind of music that I made, and when you have to compromise, you become a ‘lo-fi bedroom’ artist because that’s all you have access to,” they say. “I felt pretty boxed into that label … though I really don’t mind, I have nothing against the genre. It just felt really limiting in that approach — I wanted things to sound bigger and more cinematic.”
So, when it came time to craft their next project, it felt fitting to strip that label away with the title. Hi-Fidelity, La Rue’s third and most ambitious EP yet, saw the young artist plugging in — La Rue credits extended time in the studio to hone a cleaner, sharper sound as the key factor in the transformed sound of their latest project. Put simply, “This was the first time I was making music that sounds like the music I want to listen to,” they say.
Part of what makes Hi-Fidelity such a fascinating listen is that much like the rest of La Rue’s discography, it refuses to be pinned to a singular genre. The star’s signature buttery rap bars remain intact, while they also employ elements of funk, disco, pop-punk and R&B all throughout the EP’s five tracks.
La Rue is unsurprised that genre-fluidity has become a defining factor in what their audience looks for from their music. “There is so much cross-pollination of streaming and finding new music online,” they explain. “Now, a song will just have an inescapable viral moment, and you have people who would not normally listen to Steve Lacy suddenly listening to Steve Lacy. Or people who wouldn’t normally listen to pop-punk or Paramore — if one of their songs pops off on TikTok, suddenly they’re listening to a drill remix of a Paramore single.”
But the fluidity is also the point for La Rue — the 23-year-old artist doesn’t want to be labeled by any particular genre, and instead aims to have people search for music that sounds like Lava La Rue. “I think there’s a playlist on Spotify called ‘Planet Rave,’ and it literally just came from PinkPanthress doing a whole jungle/drum-and-bass revival. I started seeing people making music like PinkPanthress to be on that PinkPanthress-inspired playlist,” they explain. “That is the goal; I’ve always strived to have the level of artistry where what I do is recognizable as a person. Like, it is first and foremost Lava. So no matter what genre you apply it on, you recognize the voice and you recognize what I’m trying to say.”
Achieving an artistry on that level requires new audiences — and luckily for La Rue, they got just that this autumn. Following the release of their EP in July, La Rue joined fellow U.K. indie-rock darlings Wet Leg on their European tour, opening for 8 dates in November across the EU.
With a new, fuller sound, and a big spot on a hotly-anticipated tour, La Rue says they got to learn how to perform with a full band in real time while on the road with Wet Leg. “The live performance now is full-on showmanship — we’ve got an acoustic drum kit, big guitar solos, huge bass riffs, two synthesizers, I’m playing guitar as well,” they explain. “When I first did Glastonbury, it was me and a DJ, and I was singing my cute little songs and rapping and jumping into the moshpit, just me being an MC with the track backing me up. I really had to test my musicality when I couldn’t just hide behind the track.”
But the tour also worked for La Rue in a way they didn’t anticipate — it turns out that getting to perform music you’ve been working on for captive audiences of 4,000 people every few nights is excellent market research. “I almost wasn’t going to do the Wet Leg support tour, because in that time, I was supposed to be going into making my new project,” they say. “But seeing how it feels in a room of people has been so inspiring in the creative process for me. It’s changed the levels in my performance style, even in the way I’m recording things in the vocal booth now.”
When it comes to their new project, La Rue is ready for a full-on rebirth. After completing a two-EP deal with Marathon Artists in 2022, the singer says they’ve just signed on as the newest member of the Dirty Hit roster.
“Dirty Hit made so much sense to me — they’re based in West London, they’re an indie, and they’ve got a lot of artists who I grew up listening to and am obsessed with. It all just fit,” they say, a grin crossing their face. “If you look at the artists on their roster, they all lead with so much creativity, whether it’s The 1975 or Rina Sawayama. It’s also ambitious enough to say, ‘No, let’s make this pop off, too.’ It’s nice to feel like you can be ambitious, but still have creative control.”
So, with a new record deal under their belt and a debut album in the works, what comes next for La Rue? The answer, much like their sound, contains multitudes. “I literally feel like I’m at the beginning of my journey, and my whole goal is to just make everything bigger and brighter and more cinematic,” they explain. “It’s gonna be a whole world-building experience — there’s simply so much to be done.”
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.
Waited until the last minute to finish your holiday shopping? With just two days before Christmas, last-minute shoppers plan to hit the streets in droves but procrastination isn’t the only thing driving this seasonal shopping ritual, ” target=”_blank” >inflation has a lot do with why many people waited until the last minute.
If you’re a last-minute shopper, we rounded up a list of more than a dozen retailers that offer in-store and curbside pickup, plus their store hours on Christmas Eve. However, some stores close early on Christmas Eve, so you might need to reach out directly for more information.
What’s open on Christmas Day? CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Kroger and most grocery stores will be open along with movie theaters and certain restaurants.
See below for a roster of retailers that offer in-store and curbside pickup.
13 Retailers That Offer BOPIN (Buy Online Pickup in Stores):
Best Buy – From earbuds to appliances, Best Buy has huge selection of gift-worthy items that you can order online and pick up in stores. To do so, place and order and click “store pickup” at checkout, select the store of your choice and you’ll be contacted when the order is ready. Best Buy’s last-minute holiday sale ends on Christmas Eve (the store will be open from 8 a.m.- 7 p.m.).
Bloomingdale’s – Spend while you save at Bloomingdale’s. Shoppers will get $25 off for every $100 spent during the Great Gift Mas Sale (ends Dec. 24). The store offers same-day delivery (on orders placed an by noon) and in-store and curbside pickup within about two hours of placing your order. Bloomingdale’s will be open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Christmas Eve at select locations.
Target – Place your order online and pick up in store, curbside pickup (via the Target app), or have your items delivered through the Shipt app. Target’s Christmas Eve hours are from 7 a.m.-8 p.m.
Walmart – Get last-minute gifts and holiday savings at Walmart (Christmas Eve store hours: 6 a.m-6 p.m.). To BOPIS, place your order online, choose a time slot and an associate will grab your items and beg them up. Walmart will send a “ready for pickup” email when the order is ready.
Kohl’s – Order last-minute gifts by 1 p.m. and pick them up by 6 p.m. at Kohl’s. Save an extra 20% off (in-store and online) with code: ENJOY20. Kohl’s will be open from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Macy’s – Save up to 60% off select items during Macy’s Last-Minute Gift Sale and in-store pickup within two hours of placing your order. Christmas Eve store hours: 8 a.m.- 7 p.m.
Nordstrom – From stocking stuffers to gift options, Nordstrom has enough variety for anyone on your list. To order online and pick up in store, click the product details and select “free pickup,” followed by same-day or next-day pickup. Once your order is ready, you’ll receive an email with further directions to pick it up. Nordstrom’s Christmas Eve store hours: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Finish Line – Place an order at Finish Line.com or on the app, click the “shop by store” feature, chose your location and checkout like normal. After the order is placed, you’ll receive an email confirming the purchase and another letting you know when to pick it up. Be sure to bring your confirmation email and an ID to pick up your purchase. Finish Lines usually closes at 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. depending on the location. Customer Care hours are 8 a.m.- 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Nike – Shop Nike.com or use the Nike app to place your holiday order and save up to 50% off select items for a limited time. Tap “delivery” and “pickup” to see if your item is available for pickup at a local store. If so, your order will be ready within two hours (you’ll receive an email code when it’s time to pick up). Visit the pickup desk to retrieve your item in store or choose the option for curbside pickup. Nike’s Christmas Eve hours are from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at select locations.
Dick’s Sporting Goods – DSG offers one-hour curbside, or in-store pickup (you can also add another person to your pickup order at checkout). Right now, shoppers can save 50%-60% off thousands of items, including Nike, Adidas and more. DSG stores close at 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Urban Outfitters – To order online and pick up in stores, simply click the “pickup” option at checkout, choose the most convenient location and the store will let you know when the order will be available. And if you purchase a $50 gift card, Urban Outfitters will give you $10 off your next purchase of $50+.
Clothing retailers such as Gap, Old Navy, H&M, JCPenny, Carter’s, Free People, Sephora, Ulta Beauty and Express also offer in-store and curbside pickup.
Costco – Costco has a huge warehouse of perfectly giftable products that you can order online and pickup in store. Click here for more details. Costco will be open from 8 a.m-5 p.m. on Christmas Even (6 p.m. in select locations).
The Home Depot – Save up to 45% off select tools, plus free two-day delivery at Home Depot. Most in-store pickup orders are ready within a few hours (click here for more details). Home Depot closes at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Turns out Survivor contestants don’t necessarily have to outwit, outplay or outlast in order to win a big cash prize. That’s because Sia has once again given away huge spoils of her own to her favorite season 43 contestants.
In a video shared by Entertainment Weekly on Friday (Dec. 23), the pop star doled out $200,000 to three players who fell short of the CBS competition’s $1 million grand prize when the Sole Survivor was announced on Dec. 14.
“Hi, Jesse! It’s your biggest fan, Sia!” she begins during a video chat with Jesse Lopez, who finished in fourth place. “I really think that you deserved to win, and I think you just played the most epic, sneaky, wonderful game in the whole world. … So I wanted to give you $100,000.”
“Oh my god!” a shocked Lopez exclaimed.
The pop star then went on to share how much she was impressed by the love he has for his family, and how he has changed his life despite his difficult childhood. Sia added that she hoped Survivor would ask him back for another season. “I’ll try and boss Jeff into it,” she said of potentially pulling some strings with the show’s longtime host, Jeff Probst.
Owen Knight, who finished in third place, was another player who earned the Sia Award. “I just wanted to tell you that I really see you, and I really loved your personality and how beautiful and kind and, like, I’m used to being a bit of the underdog and a little bit of the outsider,” she told him. “I knew that I wanted to make sure that I gave you something just to lift your spirits, even, so I decided that I want to give you $50,000 just to say ‘I love you and keep going.’”
Sia then shared why his gameplay touched her so deeply. “You spoke for all the underdogs, and that meant a lot to me because I don’t say much publicly,” she explained to Knight. “So when other people say what I feel or mean, that makes me feel proud and that makes me feel seen as well.”
The third lucky contestant was Ryan Medrano, who also received $50,000. “You’re a totally beautiful, beautiful person,” she told Medrano, who was the 10th person voted out and the third member of the jury. “I love you! I was so bummed you were let go so soon! … You’re a beautiful person. Your vibe is awesome.”
Probst told EW that there are two reasons why Sia is so generous when it comes to the contestants. “She gets a lot of joy from watching Survivor players take on such a personal and often vulnerable life adventure,” he shared. “And she has been incredibly fortunate in her own career and wants to share some of that fortune with others.”
Earlier this year, the Survivor superfan also gave another of her favorite contestants a big cash prize. Drea Wheeler, who finished in seventh place on season 42, received $100,000 from the star. The nine-time Grammy nominee has also given three players from 2019’s Survivor: Island of the Idols a total of $215,000.
Watch the video of Sia surprising her favorite Survivor players of the season with big cash prizes:
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.
If you’ve been looking to sign up for Paramount+, AMC+, Showtime, BET+, or Starz, Amazon launched a streaming deal on Friday (Dec. 23) that you’ll want to snag.
PrimeVideo Channels are $1.99 per month for up to two months with Amazon’s limited promo. The discounted streaming services usually cost up to $10.99 a month on their own, so this deal essentially gets you up to a $10 discount on a monthly subscription, or two full months of service for less than $2.
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Use the limited deal to get Showtime, where you can watch George & Tammy, The Chi, Billions, The Man Who Fell From Earth, I Love That For You, Yellowjackets, American Gigolo, Ziwe, Dexter and more. Or use it to get Paramount+ to stream live TV and Paramount+ Originals such as 1923, Tulsa King, Ink Master, The Offer, Halo, Evil, RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, The Good Wife, Star Trek: Discovery and network shows including Big Brother, and Starz hits including Outlander, The Serpent Queen, Becoming Elizabeth, P-Valley, Gaslit and the entire Power franchise.
Other channels included in the Amazon streaming deal include AMC+, Discovery+, Epix, Lifetime Movie Club, Cinemax, ACORN TV, AllBlk, Hallmark Movies Now, Noggin and PBS Kids.
Prime Video Channels Deal: Paramount+, Starz and More $0.99/month for up to 2 months
This deal ends Jan. 1, 2023, so you’ll want to act fast to save big. Keep in mind, you’ll need to be an Amazon Prime member to score the $1.99 streaming deal. Not a Prime member? Click here to start your free 30-day free trial. That’ll give you instant access to shop this Prime Channels deal along with holiday sales and more.
Amazon is also offering deals on Audible and Amazon Music Unlimited. Right now, you can get three months of Amazon Music Unlimited for free for a limited time only. An Amazon Music Unlimited plan costs just $8.99/month after the free trial ends. See full details here.
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.
It’s time to get grounded! The arrival of Capricorn season means that your home and work life could probably use some attention.
Capricorn is ruled by Saturn, a generational planet considered in Roman mythology to be a fatherly figure to the planet Jupiter (which rules Sagittarius, the sign before Capricorn) and although September happens to be the busiest birthday month, “goat season” is special because it takes us from the holidays into the new year.
With the sun in Capricorn, a new moon in Sagittarius and Mercury heading back into retrograde on Dec. 29, we figured now would be a great time to round up a collection of astrology-inspired gift ideas for every zodiac sign.
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You’ve probably noticed that astrology is more popular than ever. Gone are the days of zodiac items being restricted to crystal shops and Etsy. Nowadays, astrology gifts are available just about everywhere — including major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Nordstrom.
Whether you’re a water sign, earth sign, air sign, fire sign, or somewhere on the cusp, this list has something for everybody.
See more below.
The Birthdate Book
$95 $100 5% off% OFF
Know someone who has a birthday coming up? Birth charts provide a deeper understanding of yourself and those around you. The Birthdate Book is a customizable, made-to-order book illustrating your birth chart with over 70 pages of detailed, astrological analysis.
Capricorn Crystal Birthday Gift Set
$19.99 $26.99 26% off% OFF
Think inside the box! Astrology lovers will like this crystal box set, which comes complete with healing stones. The Capricorn collection pictured above includes six natural stones: Tiger’s Eye, Garnet, Red Jasper, Clear Quartz, Black Obsidian, and Green Fluorite.
Uncommon Goods
Crystal-Infused Zodiac Nail Polish
$18
Nail art meets astrology! This adorable set features crystal-infused, vegan nail polish for all the signs.
Glow in the Dark Constellation Blanket
$24.95 $35 29% off% OFF
Cozy up in constellations with this luminous blanket featuring all 12 star signs: Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Capricorn.
Uncommon Goods
Zodiac Star Sign Socks
$12
While you’re cozying up in a blanket, throw on a pair of zodiac socks! The socks are made from a breathable, soft bamboo blend, and available in women’s sizes 6-9.
Amazon
Wax & Wit Capricorn Candle – 9oz
$24.95
You light up my life! This funny candle is perfect for the earth sign with a sense of humor. Find more Zodiac candles here.
ASOS Mix-and-Match Astrology Pajamas
$21 $26 19% off% OFF
This stellar pajama set features an allover celestial print and a relaxed fit perfect for lounging around the house. ASOS Mix-and-Match Astrology Pajamas are only available in select sizes, but you can mix and match them with shorts or pants. If there’s more room in your budget, check out the Karen Mabon Zodiac Short Pajamas ($180).
Sephora
Sephora Astrology Lip Stories Lipstick
$5.50 $9 39% off% OFF
A vegan lipstick with an astrological flare. This Sephora lipstick is available in multiple shades for each zodiac sign in satin, matte or a metallic finish. You can also find this lipstick on Amazon.
Rellery
Rellery Scorpio Zodiac Necklace
$155
No matter your zodiac sign, jewelry is always a good gift idea! Rellery’s Zodiac Necklace is made from gold-plated sterling silver and it’s available for all 12 zodiac signs including the Scorpio design pictured above. The pendant measures just under 3/4 inches and the adjustable chain measures 16-18 inches. Looking for a cheaper astro necklace? Click here.
Greenline Goods Aries Stemless Wine Glass
$17.98
A perfectly affordable gift for fire signs, water signs and other wine lovers, this astrology wine glass holds 15 ounces of liquid and prominently features the Aries constellation on the front and bottom of the glass and stars all over. If you rotate the glass, you’ll notice the other 11 constellations are featured as well. This adorable wine glass is available in any of the 12 zodiac signs.
Amazon
18K Gold Plated Zodiac Stud Earrings 12 Constellation Astrology Card-Sagittarius
$5.69
The only way is up for Sagittarius! This fiery, mutable sign reminds us to chase our dreams and face life with carefree confidence. These 18K, gold-plated stud earrings are available in all 12 zodiac designs.
The Astrology Deck: Your Guide to the Meanings and Myths of the Cosmos
$11.67 $18.95 38% OFF
Capricorn season is a time to dig a little deeper. This astrology deck is great for astrology novices and pros, star gazers and anyone fascinated by the zodiac. Created by a professional astrologer, the set include 70 cards, an interactive birth chart and instructional booklet.
Papier
Virgo 2023 Planner
$32
There’s a good reason why Virgo is ruled by the plant Mercury. For one, Virgo is a stable earth sign skilled in verbal and non-verbal communication, and they like to keep things organized. With 2023 right around the corner, you’d be remiss not to have a planner on deck.
Revolve
Gemini Long Sleeve Band Tee
$60
Calling all Geminis: here’s a shirt that puts your astrological sign on display! This long-sleeve band tee is available at Revolve in sizes XS-L, click here for more zodiac shirts.
Casetify
Pisces iPhone Case
$88
A gift for the sensitive but intuitive pisces. This Casetfy phone case is available for iPhone and Android in multiple colors including peri purple, matte black, clear black, kiwi and bubble gum.
Glow in the Dark Zodiac Art
$35
Zodiac glow! This dazzling wall art (measuring 5 x 5 inches) celebrates the uniqueness and beauty of each zodiac sign. The collection pictured includes Taurus, Libra and Cancer.
Amazon
Astrology Meditation Ottoman (Cover Only)
$17.99
A celestial gift for a meditating Virgo or Gemini, and anyone else prioritizing mindfulness and relaxation. This boho cushion cover can be used for a meditation ottoman, a large pillow and other comfy decor pieces.
Urban Outfitters
Ark Made Zodiac Crystal Aroma Therapy Spray
$12
The Zodiac Aroma Therapy Spray is designed for every zodiac sign with special blends of essential oils and crystals to benefit your moon, sun or rising sign.
Amazon
3D Constellation Crystal Ball with Silver LED (Aquarius Zodiac Sign)
$19.99 $25.99 23% OFF
Aquarians are multifaceted and filled with light, just like this crystal ball. The 3D Constellation Crystal Ball showcasing the water bearer sits above a 3.15-inch, silver LED base. The crystal ball is available in any of the 12 zodiac signs.
Walmart
What’s Your Sign?
$17.99 $19.99 10% off% OFF
What’s your sign? Players compete to create the funniest horoscope by matching the included Ending cards with Horoscope cards while a rotating judge choses the winner. The card game is designed for three to 20 players ages 17+.
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.
Top Gun: Maverick has landed on Paramount+.
The blockbuster film, which has raked in more than $1 billion worldwide and re-released in theaters earlier this month, arrived on the streaming platform on Thursday (Dec. 22) in time for the holiday weekend.
Tom Cruise reprises his role as naval aviator, Pete Maverick, and suits up to train a new fleet of Top Gun graduates in the sequel directed by Joseph Kosinski. Val Kilmer also reprises his role as Tom “Iceman” Kazansky from the original film.
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Miles Teller, John Hamm, Jennifer Connelly, Glen Powell, Jay Ellis, Danny Ramirez and Ed Harris are also among the cast.
Top Gun: Maverick was initially released on VOD on Aug. 23, and it only took a week to become the best-selling digital movie release in history. The action drama made $126.7 million at the box office opening weekend and $7.9 million over a relatively slow Labor Day holiday weekend, in addition to soaring to No. 1 on the list of digital movie releases.
In the past, Paramount movies have hit Paramount+ 45 days after their theater release. However, Top Gun: Maverick took a little longer to touch down. Keep reading for details on how to stream Top Gun: Maverick for free on Paramount+.
How to Stream Top Gun: Maverick on Paramount+
Starting Thursday, Paramount+ members can stream Top Gun: Maverick on the platform at no extra cost. If you’re not subscribed, Paramount+ offers a free trial for the first week.
After the free trial ends, the monthly subscription is $4.99 for the basic package and $9.99 to stream without ads. Choose the annual plan and save 50%, but you don’t have much time left, the holiday offer ends on Jan. 2, 2023.
Paramount+
$4.99/month after 7-day free trial
Want more streaming deals? Paramount+ is included free with Walmart+ and select T-Mobile plans.
Top Gun: Maverick VOD: How to Stream on Prime Video
Top Gun: Maverick is available on Prime Video as a VOD release, but it’s also streaming free when you subscribe to Paramount+. To stream, add Paramount+ as a channel (free trial included).
If you’d rather pay out of pocket, purchase a digital copy of Top Gun: Maverick for $9.99 on Prime Video ($3.99 to rent). The film is also available on VUDU, Apple TV, YouTube and Google Play.
Top Gun: Maverick (VOD) $9.99
For those want to snag a physical copy, Top Gun: Maverick Blu-rays and DVDs is on sale for $24.96 at Amazon (free shipping for Prime members and it’ll arrive before Christmas if you order today).
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Top Gun: Maverick Blu-ray (Pre-Order) $24.96
Packed with more than 80 minutes of bonus features, including behind-the-scenes footage, the Blu-ray and DVD release will give fans a front-row seat into the making of one of the biggest movies of all time. (Top Gun: Maverick has already surpassed Black Panther to become the fifth highest-grossing film domestically.)
Bonus features include Breaking New Ground – Filming Top Gun: Maverick, featuring behind-the-scenes content with the cast and crew; Cleared For Takeoff, which shows the cast preparing for filming in a fighter plane, and A Love Letter to Aviation, where Cruise shares his passion for aviation while piloting his very own plane — a vintage World War II P-51 Mustang. An extended version of James Corden’s “Top Gun Training With Tom Cruise” is featured among the bonus content, along with Lady Gaga’s music video for “Hold My Hand,” the lead single on the Top Gun: Maverick soundtrack.
Pre-order Top Gun: Maverick Blu-ray + digital and the 2-movie 4K HD collector’s edition ($39.96) at Amazon and enjoy fast and free shipping for Prime members. The film is also available at Walmart, Best Buy, Target and Zaavi.com. The Blu-ray includes a digital copy and retails for $25, the DVD is $19.99, the 4K UHD Blu-ray is $29.99 and the Top Gun: Maverick Limited Edition Steelbook Blu-ray is available at Walmart and Amazon.
Top Gun: Maverick is produced by Cruise, Jerry Bruckheimer, Christopher McQuarrie and David Ellison.
As 2022 draws to a close, Billboard Pride is taking a look back at some the queer indie artists who saw their stars rise over the last 12 months. Below, NYC rap veteran Cakes Da Killa breaks down his big year.
Last summer, multiple publications declared that “house music was back,” thanks to superstars like Beyoncé and Drake infusing their new music with its chunky synths and four-on-the-floor drum patterns. For Cakes Da Killa, however, the genre never went anywhere. When asked how aware he was of the “revival” taking place, he quips, “Not at all. Too drunk to pay attention.”
Cakes was also too busy, focusing on his own career this year — after almost a decade of underground success, the NYC rap vet used his 2022 to show the world his versatility and preeminent songwriting with Svengali. Released in October through his new label home Young Arts, the long-awaited second LP proved to be a turning point in Cakes’ career — and one he’s eager to keep building on.
But as the rapper tells Billboard over Zoom, Svengali had been in the works since 2018, and got shelved since the outset of the pandemic in 2020. “It didn’t seem like the time [to release it],” Cakes explains. “I knew I wanted to be a creative person through the pandemic, but I didn’t want to drop a full body of work, like an album, during that time. … But then it was a situation where I had been sitting on this project for four years — this s–t was coming out regardless.”
For Cakes (born Rashard Bradshaw), persevering through adverse release conditions had already been the story of his entire career. Coming up during “the SoundCloud generation,” as he calls it, Cakes gained steam across various internet platforms with the release of his Easy Bake Oven mixtape in 2011. Joining the likes of Mykki Blanco and Le1f, Cakes became a point of fascination for media figures around the U.S., as an openly gay rapper leading the way towards greater visibility.
It’s a theme that continued throughout Cakes’ career — no matter what independent label he signed with or what kind of sound he was making, his sexuality had become the inextricable focal point of his public image, which made attempts to seek out the attention of major labels more difficult. “When I was coming out as an artist, the label system was not prepared for queer artists, so there was no option in the first place — it was like, ‘You’re an independent artist because you’re weird,’” he says.
When the pandemic hit, Cakes had a decision to make — he had crafted a new album that would potentially help re-contextualize his artistic contribution to rap, but that album was also rife with sorrowful themes. Ultimately, the world “had enough of all of that,” he says.
Instead, Cakes unveiled his Muvaland mixtape series with producer Proper Villains as he left his home in New York to move to Atlanta. Released in two volumes throughout the pandemic via HE.SHE.THEY, the sweltering club project saw Cakes leaning into his house roots with wild abandon.
Gaining newfound attention thanks to his booming pandemic club single “Don Dada” and still refining the sound of Svengali with producer Sam Katz, Cakes started 2022 with a big change when he signed an album deal with TOKiMONSTA‘s label, Young Arts Records. By working with a label run by a fellow artist, Cakes says he could see the difference from his past label experiences clearly. “She has this different type of perspective on how to run things, which I appreciate — it’s very artist-focused,” he explains. “The record deal was signed because they genuinely loved what I was doing and what I was making.”
With a renewed outlook on his place in the industry, Cakes looked at his second album and decided, as he puts it “‘F–k it, let’s put it out.’” On Oct. 28, the world was introduced to the world of Svengali, a hypnotic, genre-fused project that saw Cakes take a sharp left turn with his sound — the elements of his hip-house roots remained intact, now bolstered by a darker ambient noise around it.
“Sonically, what me and Sam produced was something that combined a lot of the sounds I listen to on the day to day — that’s jazz, neo-soul, R&B and house music — and the product is something that is so deeply me,” he says. “Muvaland is this very sugar-coated, high fructose corn syrup project, while Svengali is much more grown and refined.”
Cakes’ efforts didn’t go unnoticed: Svengali quickly earned critical acclaim, with Pitchfork writing that the album “feels like a milestone he’s been working toward for years,” and calling Cakes ” a bandleader of the jazz era he reveres, putting on for the divas and icons of his time.” While the album didn’t gain any instant success on platforms like YouTube or TikTok, the rapper says he’s watched his streaming numbers steadily rise since the project’s release.
As the topic of internet virality comes up, Cakes quickly becomes uncomfortable. Yes, he has a TikTok account that he posts on sporadically, and yes, he acknowledges that, without platforms like SoundCloud or Tumblr, his career likely wouldn’t exist. But when it comes to the dominance of TikTok in the current music market, Cakes doesn’t feel great about what it means for artists.
“It’s just so performative, to me,” he says with a sigh. “Historically speaking, that performative thing kind of feels like minstrel shows to me, to be real. I don’t think everyone has that intention, nor do I think it’s the intention of the app. But the connotation that it has — leaning choreography and dancing to get people to like you — doesn’t sit well with me.”
Throughout the conversation, Cakes makes it clear that success will happen on his own terms, not because of a viral trend he capitalized on or a major label deal that got him more radio airplay. He’s hustled before, and he’s happy to hustle again. “I’ve always been a hard worker and somebody who was a go getter,” he explains. “But when the pandemic happened, that was like, ‘The time is now, do what you wanna do. And if you’re gonna do it, make a product that you’re completely in love with. If it’s fab, people will like it.’”
That doesn’t mean he can’t dream, though — Cakes hopes to see the songs off of his upcoming summer project on the Billboard dance charts soon. More importantly, he hopes that his artistic renaissance over the last year allows him to finally be seen as a once-in-a-generation artist.
“I’m just over here trying to cement myself as somebody bigger than the ‘queer rap’ label that the media has placed on me,” he explains. “I’m trying to be considered as a dope songwriter and artist first.”
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“Just like old times, only better.” Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Nia Long, Regina Hall, Sanaa Lathan, Melissa De Sousa, Terrence Howard and Harold Perrineau reunite in The Best Man: The Final Chapters.
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The limited series, based on the film franchise written and directed by Malcolm D. Lee, will premiere on Peacock on Thursday (Dec. 22).
Fans of The Best Man will get a chance to catch up with the lives of Harper (Diggs), Robyn (Lathan), Jordan (Long), Lance (Chestnut), Quentin (Howard), Shelby (De Sousa), Candace (Hall) and “Murch” (Perrineau) in the spinoff series developed, written and executive produced by Lee and Dayna Lynn North.
Although one familiar face will be missing from the show (Monica Calhoun’s character died from cancer in the 2013 sequel), the series will introduce new characters played by Yvonna Pearson, Sinorice Moss, Aaron Serotsky, Nicole Ari Parker, Terrence Terrell, Michael Genet, Tobias Truvillion, Eric Scott Ways, Ron Canada and Brandon Victor Dixon.
Lee, Charles Stone III, Robert Townsend and Stacey Muhammad directed episodes of The Best Man: The Final Chapters.
How to Watch The Best Man: The Final Chapters for Free
All eight episodes of The Best Man: The Final Chapters will drop on Peacock on Thursday. The show will stream at no extra cost to subscribers.
Not subscribed? Peacock starts at $4.99/month for the ad-supported plan and $9.99/month to stream without commercials. Peacock also provides free episodes and eligible Xfinity, Cox and Spectrum customers can get a free subscription to the platform.
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Watch the trailer for The Best Man: The Final Chapters below.
Allison Holker Boss, the wife of the late Stephen “tWitch” Boss, is mourning her husband in her first public post on social media since announcing his death a week ago.
“My ONE and ONLY,” she wrote in a heartbreaking note on Instagram on Wednesday afternoon (Dec. 21). “Oh how my heart aches. We miss you so much.”
Holker Boss shared a sweet selfie of the couple, who were married in 2013.
Ellen DeGeneres — who worked with tWitch on the The Ellen DeGeneres Show — was among the many friends to comment on Holker’s post, writing, “There is so much love coming to you. I hope you can feel it.”
Boss — a DJ, dancer and television host — died by suicide at age 40. His wife was the first to share the news of his death through a statement to People. “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us,” she said on Dec. 14. “Stephen lit up every room he stepped into. He valued family, friends and community above all else and leading with love and light was everything to him. He was the backbone of our family, the best husband and father, and an inspiration to his fans.”
“To say he left a legacy would be an understatement, and his positive impact will continue to be felt,” she added. “I am certain there won’t be a day that goes by that we won’t honor his memory. We ask for privacy during this difficult time for myself and especially for our three children. Stephen, we love you, we miss you, and I will always save the last dance for you.”
See her latest post in memory of her husband below.