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Events

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This year’s Roots Picnic was a celebration of music, culture, and community that brought fans from all over the world together for two days of electric performances and camaraderie. 

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See latest videos, charts and news

Grand Marnier joined in on the festivities with another iteration of its signature event series, Encounters on the Road, treating fans to a resort themed oasis with covered seating, custom cocktails, branded merch, and more. 

The luxury spirits brand was born out of an unexpected pairing of ingredients, when Louis Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle had a vision to blend Cognac with Orange Liqueur, creating an iconic blend of flavors. The Grand Encounter is an unexpected and exciting meeting of flavors that inspires us to look out for other unexpected combinations all around us.

At the Grand Encounter, fans +21 responsibly sampled Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge and ordered the brand’s signature summer cocktails including the Grand Margarita, Grand & Ginger, and On the Rocks. 

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In addition to cocktails, Grand Marnier provided attendees with photo moments to create lifelong memories from an unforgettable weekend. The Grand Encounter activation was amongst the most attended all weekend long, with lines of fans eagerly awaiting their chance to enjoy all things Grand Marnier. 

This year’s Roots Picnic delivered a stacked lineup of eclectic artists and unexpected musical pairings. Renowned pianist Robert Glasper backed a beautiful set from rising star Yebba that left fans in awe. Musical director, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Adam Blackstone curated a set with R&B superstar Fantasia and Gospel singer Tasha Cobbs Leonard. Finally, the legendary Roots closed out the Picnic with an epic performance, joining forces with Billboard-chart-topping artist Lil Wayne. 

For those unable to partake in the festivities firsthand, Billboard social media provided an exclusive glimpse into the Roots Picnic experience, including highlights from Grand Marnier’s Encounters on the Road.

Whether enjoying Grand Marnier at your favorite summer festival or at home with your crew, please do so responsibly. 

From signature cocktails to stunning photo ops, the Grand Encounter was the place to be at this year’s #RootsPicnic. Dive into the exclusive experience and see how @grandmarnierusa brought the flavor to Philly.

Love Renaissance (LVRN) has invested in Jerk X Jollof, an event series dedicated to celebrating Afro-Caribbean culture, Billboard can exclusively announce Thursday (June 6).
LVRN’s investment comes more than a year after the Atlanta-based label and management company itself received an investment from Matt Pincus‘ MUSIC, valuing LVRN at more than $100 million. LVRN’s Jerk X Jollof investment is part of its commitment to developing the Afro-Caribbean entertainment space.

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“We at LVRN are excited to expand our reach within the Afro-Caribbean community with the investment in Jerk X Jollof,” said Tunde Balogun, CEO/co-founder of LVRN, in a statement to Billboard. “This is yet another impactful way to further the culture and unify like-minded people from the diaspora through the transformative power of music and entertainment.”

Last year, for the unveiling of Billboard’s U.S. Afrobeats parties guide, Jerk X Jollof founder Brendan Asante told Billboard that the Jerk X Jollof series initially started in 2014 as “an idea in college. Some friends of mine and I just threw a sweaty dance party. Someone brought some jerk chicken, someone brought some jollof rice, and it translated.” Asante and the other founders officially brought the party series to Detroit, Mich., in 2016, and since then, Jerk X Jollof has expanded to cities around the world including Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, New York, Toronto, London, Paris, Berlin, Johannesburg and Accra, Ghana. Uncle Waffles, Skepta, Sarz, Spinall, DJ Tunez and more have all performed at the popular party, while previous all-star attendees include Ayra Starr, Davido, Brent Faiyaz and Chris Brown.

“It was an obvious decision to partner with LVRN in order to broaden the Jerk X Jollof brand,” said Asante in a statement. “The alignment of our vision for the enhancement of Afro-Caribbean culture was immediately evident, and we eagerly anticipate the future of this joint venture.” 

LVRN and Jerk X Jollof first collaborated on a party during New York Fashion Week in 2022, an event that was also a partnership with Afropunk. “That one was so wild because Brent Faiyaz [pulled] up to the party. [We brought] him, Kawhi Leonard, Joe Freshgoods through the side door. This s— is so comical because I never thought in a million years that I would be dealing with these dope people that are coming to the party,” Asante previously told Billboard. “From that moment, thinking about when it was a sweaty dance party in a college basement, I think that’s one of my favorite memories. Ari Lennox came through, and I was chopping it up with her before she left. I was talking about how she came to Ghana and how she enjoyed it. I was like, ‘Oh yeah, you should come back.’ Those type of moments happening under the roof of us doing something just gave me a glimpse into what the future could hold for it.”

Last month in Atlanta, LVRN and Jerk X Jollof partnered again on a Memorial Day function that was hosted by local music festival brand Milk + Cookies. Another notable achievement in the partnership is the creation of the Jerk X Jollof Stage at Promiseland Australia, which will take place at Doug Jennings Park in Gold Coast Oct 4-6 following the scheduled Jerk X Jollof parties in Melbourne on Sept. 27 and Sydney on Sept. 29. The Jerk X Jollof and LVRN teams worked with the festival to curate an amapiano stage that would showcase a diverse lineup of the genre’s leading talent including Uncle Waffles, Major League Djz, Focalistic and Tyler ICU, along with Jerk X Jollof mainstay hosts/DJs Jae Murphy, Blakito and V-Live — all booked by Jerk X Jollof.

The third annual Gold Gala event will take place at the Music Center in downtown Los Angeles on May 11 and feature appearances from Saweetie, Lucy Liu, Cynthia Erivo, Padma Lakshmi and the cast of Beef.

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The definitive annual gathering of top Asian Pacific and multicultural leaders will bring together more than 600 guests to celebrate the 2024 A100 list — which will be announced on May 1 — which counts down the 100 most impactful Asian Pacific changemakers in culture and society over the past year.

With 2024’s theme of A Gold New World, the event will imagine “a tomorrow for all, built by all,” according to a release announcing the event’s details, with award-winning fashion designer Prabal Gurung bringing the theme to life as the event’s first-ever creative director. Guests will dine on a Michelin-level three-course dinner from OpenTable, with a menu designed by Lakshmi and Gold Gala executive chief Vijay Kumar and his team from the Michelin-starred New York restaurant Semma.

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The night will close out with a performance from 2023 A100 honoree Saweetie, who will receive the first-ever Billboard Gold Music Honor recognizing her boundary-pushing musical accomplishments at the event. In addition, the cast and creators of Emmy-winning Beef will receive the Gold Icon Honor for their groundbreaking representation of the Asian American experience, while Wicked star Erivo will be given the Gold Ally Honor for her work to advance inclusive representation in front of and behind the camera.

“Gold House and Gold Gala have become a beacon for the Asian Pacific community to unite, invest in, and celebrate our inventiveness and impact. This year, I’ve focused on making Gold Gala look truly global while feeling local, balancing the breadth of our expansive diaspora with its bold, unified heart,” said Gurung in a statement. “From the organic and towering arboreal growths to our centerpiece spheres that shape us — the sun, the moon, our Earth — we envisage a new, more holistic, more centered world that enables all of us to bloom.”

HYBE founder and chairman bang Si-Hyuk will be bestowed with the lifetime achievement Gold Legend Honor and Hello Kitty’s 50th anniversary will be celebrated with the Gold Generation Award.

The Gold Gala will be followed by the inaugural Billboard x Gold House Founders Party, which will feature a headlining set from producer/DJ Steve Aoki, as well as a special performance from RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16 winner Nymphia Wind, a karaoke room presented by Rakuten Viki and an additional set from DJ Hu Dat.

System of a Down and Deftones are set to perform the first after-dark performance at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco this August. Promoter Another Planet Entertainment announced the groundbreaking event Tuesday (April 9), alongside Live Nation; it will also feature performances from The Mars Volta, Viagra Boys and VOWWS. Explore See latest videos, charts […]

Billboard’s Latin Music Week, the most prestigious and longest-running week dedicated to the celebration of Latin music, will return to Miami this October.
Set for Monday, Oct. 14 to Friday, Oct. 18, Latin Music Week 2024 brings together top and emerging Latin music artists and executives from around the world for a week of showcases, networking, exclusive conversations, panels, workshops, activations and concerts.

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The event, which last year featured superstar Q&As with the likes of Shakira and Fonseca and in-depth panels anchored by Peso Pluma, Wisin, Fuerza Regida, Young Miko, Nicky Jam, Arcangel, Ivy Queen and Myke Towers, among others, is known as the top gathering place for the most influential and impactful artists today, both established and emerging, as well as the ultimate meeting ground for top music executives.

“We’ve created the single most important event in Latin music and the only gathering place for top artists to come together in art, conversation, and creativity,” says Leila Cobo, chief content officer of Billboard Latin/Español. “We’re thrilled to be returning to Miami to celebrate this over three-decade-long legacy, and we look forward to announcing this year’s roster of superstars, executives, and rising talent.”     

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Over 5,000 registrants attended last year’s event, which featured over 50 artists, 40 artist and executive conversations, panels and workshops and more than 50 executives in an unprecedented five days of activities.

Marquee panels included Latin Music Week’s now-iconic Women’s Panel and “Making the Hit Live,” which last year featured Pedro Capó and Carin León, who wrote a song live that was released on Sony Music.

To see an overview of last year’s events, look here.

Programming will be expanded in this 2024 edition to accommodate audience demand.

Registration and additional details will be released in the coming weeks, with official registration opening soon and special rates available for returning attendees and students. Latin Music Week is expected to sell out, as it has for the past 10 years. For real time updates please visit  BillboardLatinMusicWeek.com. 

The desert heat is turning up with 2024 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival just around the corner. Tyler, the Creator, Doja Cat and Lana Del Rey are leading the pack as this year’s headliners.

Del Rey will take the stage on Friday (April 12 and 19), with Peso Pluma, Lil Uzi Vert, Justice, Bizarrap, Deftones, ATEEZ, Everything Always, Peggy Gou, Young Miko, Sabrina Carpenter and more also set to perform. Tyler, the Creator will then headline on Saturday (April 13 and 20), with Blur, Ice Spice, Gesaffelstein, Sublime, Jungle, Dom Dolla, Bleachers, Grimes, Jon Batiste, LE SSERAFIM and more also on the bill. Doja will round out the weekend on Sunday (April 14 and 21), alongside J Balvin, Jhené Aiko, Khruangbin, Carin León, John Summit, Lil Yachty, DJ Snake, LUDMILLA, the Rose and more.

No Doubt is also on this year’s lineup, marking the Gwen Stefani-led group’s reunion for the first time in nine years.

In addition to the star-studded lineup during the festival itself, there are countless parties and events in between sets and after hours where fans can enjoy even more action — from Neon Carnival and Revolve Festival to Heineken House and beyond.

See below for where festivalgoers and artists will be hanging out during the weekend. (Updating ahead of Coachella weekend 1 with new events. Most events are invitation-only.)

Friday, April 12

On Thursday (Mar. 7), Pop Conference 2024 will kick off three days of programming that includes a keynote session with funk legend George Clinton, as well as with musical duo and Prince & the Revolution members Wendy & Lisa.

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This year’s PopCan, titled “Legacy! Legacy! Music Collections and Archives,” will be held Mar. 7-9 on the USC University Park campus. For the first time in the annual summit’s 22-year history, Pop Conference will be hosted by the USC Thornton School of Music, in collaboration with the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

“For 22 years the Pop Conference has been an incredible gathering of pop music writers, journalists, critics, scholars and musicians,” says dean of the USC Thornton School of Music Jason King, who serves as the USC conference producer and keynote curator for PopCon. “It’s an unparalleled opportunity to engage in sustained, thoughtful discussion on pop music over the course of a weekend.

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“This year’s theme—all about music legacies, archives and collections—is a topical one, given that we’re living in a moment where we are witnessing polarizing cultural debates around the value of history, memory and the past,” King continues. “I’m so happy to bring this conference to USC and Los Angeles.” 

The first day of PopCan will be highlighted by A Little Light Under the Sun: The Unstoppable Funky Genius and Cosmic Legacy of George Clinton, in which the icon will discuss “history, legacy and impact in relationship to his personal archives and history,” per programming. On Friday night (Mar. 8), Wendy & Lisa will be in conversation with Timothy Anne Burnside, museum curatorial specialist at the Smithsonian National African American Museum of History and Culture.

In addition, a roundtable discussion “A Seat at the (Mother)Ship: The Reclamation of Women’s Stories in Parliament-Funkadelic” will center and recognize the women who became fundamental in building the legacy of P-Funk. PopCon programming will be rounded out by more panels and discussions, mentorship sessions and performances.

Pop Conference 2024 is free and open to the public, with advance registration here.

The 73rd NBA All-Star Game is just around the corner, and beyond the big game, festivities stretch all weekend with some of the biggest stars attending and performing. Indianapolis, Ind., will host NBA All-Star event for the first time since 1985, with The Pacers’ home arena, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, marking the location for the NBA Rising Stars […]

As part of our continuing efforts to serve the music industry and its creators, Billboard Pro now features a music industry events calendar for readers.

The calendar will act as music’s most complete summary major national and international industry events, from conferences to festivals to networking mixers and more. Just as Billboard is music’s must-read source for news, charts and analysis, now it also is the go-to for business happenings.

January

February

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September

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December

Dec. 4–10 – XLive (Las Vegas)

Want your event listed? For more information contact joe.maimone@billboard.com.

Independent publishing company Primary Wave is teaming up with Billboard to celebrate Billboard No. 1s during Grammy Week with their 17th annual pre-Grammy party on Feb. 3.
The event, which will take place at the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills, Calif., will feature a DJ set from CeeLo Green, who will pay tribute to Primary Wave’s roster and catalog. In addition CeeLo’s set, expected attendees include Asake, Bryson Tiller, DDG, Fantasia Barrino, Gavin Rossdale, Hit-Boy, Jon B, Iann Dior, Lecrae, Rapsody, Rebecca Black, SAINt JHN, Smokey Robinson and Tainy, among others.

It’s a fitting guest list for a Billboard No. 1s party, given that there are multiple Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers in the mix. Robinson scored two Hot 100 No. 1s with The Miracles: “The Tears of a Clown” and “Love Machine (Part 1)”; Barrino topped the chart with her American Idol coronation song “I Believe”; and Iann Dior teamed up with 24kGoldn to reach the summit with “Mood.”

The Primary Wave Pre-Grammy Party Celebrating Billboard No. 1s is sponsored by McIntosh, Morgan Stanley Global Sports & Entertainment and Iron Mountain Entertainment Services.

The event will take place just a day before the 66th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 4, where SZA leads the pack with nine nominations — including record and song of the year nods for her Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Kill Bill” and an album of the year nod for her 10-week Billboard 200 chart-topper SOS.

Next up are Phoebe Bridgers, Victoria Monét and engineer/mixer Serban Ghenea with seven nominations; six of Bridgers’ nods are with the indie trio boygenius (alongside Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus), plus a solo mention in best pop duo/group performance for her SZA collab “Ghost in the Machine.” Other six-time nominees this year include Taylor Swift and her longtime producing partner Jack Antonoff, along with Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Miley Cyrus, Jon Batiste and Brandy Clark.