State Champ Radio holidays
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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. Make room on the mantel, Martha Stewart is moving in! The lifestyle guru joins her bestie Snoop Dogg in releasing her […]
‘Tis the season, and Kelly Clarkson is helping ring in the holidays. The superstar is set to return for her second year as host of NBC’s annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center telecast. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news She announced the exciting news during Tuesday’s (Nov. 5) episode of The […]
Tick tock on the clock! The Halloween party isn’t going to stop just yet, but the Christmas season is coming early to Spotify. The music streamer is set to release five new Spotify Singles at the stroke of midnight local time on Tuesday (Oct. 15), including one by Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200 chart-topper Kesha.
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This year’s annual singles collection — which arrives a little earlier than usual this time — will feature four other artists and their covers of holiday tunes. The featured musicians and their yuletide songs are:
“Holiday Road” by Kesha
“Driving Home for Christmas” by Dasha
“River” by Max Richter
“Run Rudolph Run” by Mark Ambor
“Emmanuel” by Miel San Marcos
“As you’ll hopefully hear, each single really showcases the personality and style of each artist — often reinventing holiday classics in an entirely new way,” Talia Kraines, Spotify’s senior editor of pop, tells Billboard.
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“With ‘Holiday Road,’ Kesha has taken this really fun ’80s song – which wasn’t originally a holiday song – and brought it to the modern day. We just knew she would sound amazing singing it, and she does. Her vocals make me think of The Go-Gos or The Bangles here. It feels like a monumental year for Kesha, and we’re thrilled to be a part of it – she’s reclaiming her joy and owning her own voice,” she adds of the Grammy nominated artist. “It also seemed fitting to have Kesha make a holiday song with us because her music actually hits a high each year on Spotify during the holiday season. Tracks like ‘Tik Tok’ and ‘Timber’ have come to be known as New Year’s and celebration anthems.”
Kesha for Spotify Singles
Courtesy of Spotify
As for “Driving Home for Christmas,” Kraines notes that it’s “huge in the U.K. and Europe” if not the U.S. “We saw this as a great opportunity to give this holiday song a whole new audience in America while sharing a new version for countries where the song is already beloved,” she says of Dasha’s contribution.
Last year’s Spotify Singles’ holiday collection was announced during mid November, usually when the music streamer decks the speakers with holiday tunes. It featured Laufey’s interpretation of the classic “Winter Wonderland,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 and No. 80 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 charts; Kirk Franklin’s gospel take on “Joy to the World”; Ezra Collective’s cover of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”; and Musica Mexicana artist Panter Bélico offered his original tune “Un Vaquero En Navidad.”
Previous Spotify Singles for its Holiday Collection include Kurt Vile’s take of Bob Dylan’s version of holiday classic “Must Be Santa,” IVE’s holiday mix of its own “After LIKE” and more. The overall Holiday Collection playlist on Spotify also includes contributions from Miley Cyrus, DMX, Demi Lovato, Sam Smith, Liam Payne, John Legend, Fifth Harmony, Camilo, Black Pumas and many, many more.
‘Tis the season for some holiday joy! Jimmy Fallon announced on Thursday (Oct. 10) that his festive comedy album, Holiday Seasoning, will be arriving on November 1 via Republic Records. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The album is a collection of all original songs and star-studded […]
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. Entering the Emerald City doesn’t have to be a dream anymore — an official Wicked advent calendar inspired by the upcoming […]
The Queen of Christmas has spoken — it’s not the holiday season just yet. Mariah Carey took to Instagram on Wednesday (Oct. 2) to share a video of herself on a private jet, as her song “All I Want for Christmas Is You” begins to play in the background. “This is your pilot speaking. Welcome […]
‘Tis the season for the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball tour!
The iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Lineup Announcement Party took place on Friday (Sept. 27) with The Kid LAROI and Dasha helping announce the official lineup for iHeartRadio 102.7 KIIS FM’s Jingle Ball in Los Angeles presented by Capital One. The duo performed at the celebration, as radio personality JoJo Wright listed off this year’s Jingle Ball LA stars.
The Los Angeles event, which will take place on Dec. 6 at the Intuit Dome, will include performances by SZA, Tate McRae, Meghan Trainor, Kane Brown, Benson Boone, Madison Beer, Shaboozey, T-Pain, Paris Hilton and NCT Dream.
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The Kid LAROI, of course, is excited to see his girlfriend McRae take the stage at the big event. “Maybe I’m biased,” he admits. “It feels wrong to say I’m most excited for anyone else!”
LAROI himself is also returning to the Jingle Ball tour for the third time, taking the stage in New York City, Boston, Washington, D.C. and Miami. “Good music always wins,” he says of this year’s variety of genres. “I’m a huge fan of everyone on the lineup.”
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Dasha agrees, and is personally very excited for country’s representation on this year’s lineup. “Finally!” jokes the rising country star, who will be taking the stage at the shows in Philadelphia, Dallas and Washington, D.C. “I feel like for a while people have viewed country music in a box, that it’s for bros in the South and that’s kind of it. There are a lot of up-and-coming artists have changed that narrative with songs that have traveled across the world and new perspectives and new stories. It’s relatable to different types of people now. With the power of social media and new artists, people are finally like, ‘Oh, s—, I’ve been missing out on this.”
She also really wants to get up close and personal with the fans during her performance. “I usually hop into the crowd during ‘Austin,’ so hopefully they let me,” she says. “A girl like me likes to get in the crowd.”
In addition to LA, the Jingle Ball tour will hit Dallas, Chicago, Detroit, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Miami. See the full lineup list here. For those who can’t see the fun in person, the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour stops will be part of an exclusive network special on ABC, airing December 18, and available for streaming the next day on Hulu.
“The annual iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour has become the biggest holiday music event of the year featuring the hottest artists of the year playing their songs that went No. 1,” said John Sykes, president of entertainment enterprises for iHeartMedia and Tom Poleman, chief programming officer for iHeartMedia, said in a press statement. “We are thrilled to be back again with ABC to bring this year’s lineup to millions more fans across the country.”
The iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Capital One Cardholder Pre-Sale begins Tuesday, Oct. 1, at 10 a.m. local time and runs through Thursday, Oct. 3, at 10 a.m. local time, or while pre-sale supplies last. Pre-sale information and tickets will be available at iHeartRadio.com/CapitalOne. All other tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, Oct. 4, at noon local time and will be available at iHeartRadio.com/JingleBall.
All the Lambily wants for Christmas is Mariah Carey — and they’re getting it again. The Queen of Christmas announced on Friday (Aug. 2) that her annual Christmas Time tour is coming back for 2024, but with a little extra to celebrate. “It’s not time yet, but I have exciting news‼️” the five-time Grammy winner […]
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Happy holidays to the Hip-Hop Wired readership, and thanks to all of you who have supported us throughout the year. We’re back with another hefty holiday gift guide to assist any of the last-minute shoppers out there like us.
We’d like to apologize for just getting this guide up as this has been a pretty busy month at HHW. That said, let’s get into it.
This year’s holiday gift guide covers a lot of areas from products for the outdoors, apparel, tech, gaming, and much more. Some of these companies are shipping out goods all week so be sure to peruse the list below and snag that one item that will make the day of your loved ones. If you can’t make the shipping deadlines, put those gift cards to use!
Once again, happy holidays to all of the Hip-Hop Wired massive an’ crew out there. We’ll see you all on the flipside in 2024 with more gift guides!
Airscape
Coffee storage is a serious business and keeping one’s precious beans fresh is the first step in a proper cup. Airscape provides a solution in that regard via its innovative, airtight canisters that will also look good on your kitchen counter.
Learn more here.
Banana Phone
The Banana Phone might take some people back to the days of Lancelot Link, Secret Chimo (D.L. is showing his age here). The device is a Bluetooth-enabled handset that also works as a speaker. But beyond its wacky look, the Banana Phone has a bigger mission. A percentage of its annual sales goes toward gorilla conservation.
Learn more here.
Blvck Paris
We featured Blvck Paris last month for our Black Friday guide and they’re back again with a series of new streetwear fashion drops for men and women. Whether you’re going for the understated or the expressive, Blvck Paris doesn’t miss.
Learn more here.
Blackthorn Denim
Blackthorn Denim, founded by John Gallagher, has fit at the top of its mind. With three styles for varying body styles from slim fit to relaxed, Blackthorn Denim aims to bring quality jeans back to the forefront with its limited but tightly curated offerings.
Learn more here.
Can I Remix You A Drink?
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From the minds of legendary “Rappa Ternt Sanga” T-Pain and veteran music journalist Kathy Iandoli, Can I Remix You A Drink? is a drinking card game that comes on the heels of the T-Pain’s cocktail book, Can I Mix You A Drink? The concept of Remix is clever as it gives players the objective of ending with no cards in their hands via mixing, remixing, and drinking.
Learn more here.
Caribbrew
Founded by Beverly Malbranche, Caribbrew specializes in coffee and cacao sourced from Haiti with gift sets, individual bags of ground and whole-bean coffee, body scrubs, and more.
Learn more here.
Culture Kings
We’re always down to feature Culture Kings, a leader in streetwear fashion. Boasting a number of high-profile collaborations with the likes of Nas, J. Cole, and more, there isn’t a lane that the company doesn’t cover.
Learn more here.
DOROTHY
DOROTHY is a one-stop shop that offers music-themed blueprints, posters, tote bags, mugs, notebooks, you name it. The designs are eye-catching conversation pieces and the price point is beyond approachable. As they are across the pond, order now to get your wares by the holiday.
Learn more here.
Flexispot
is a leader in functional office equipment in the form of its innovative standing desks and office chairs, among other offerings. We love the fact that Flexispot is always offering great sales throughout the year and this period of time is no different. We’ve used their Comhar table, and we love it! We can’t recommend Flexispot enough.
Learn more here.
FRESH by Houston White
Designer and businessman Houston White Jr. is on a mission to provide fashion, hair, and skincare products to the masses. The Minneapolis native has an exceptional product in his FRESH line of body washes, lotions, and more. He also has a product line that can be found in Target stores.
Learn more here.
High Camp Flasks
If you’re someone who likes to schlep their drinks handily when enjoying the outdoors, High Camp Flasks is the brand for you. Coming in various sizes, and colors, along with customizable engraving, this is the flask or tumbler for the nature lovers in your family or crew.
Learn more here.
Hippy Feet
Any time we can feature Hippy Feet in our gift guides is a mood boost. Beyond its wide selection of socks and apparel pieces, what warms the heart is that a significant portion of sales goes towards helping homeless youth.
Learn more here.
It’s A Date
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Whether you’re a new couple still getting to know one another, or you’ve been together for years, dates are a way to keep the flames stoked. It’s A Date, a fun scratch-off card set that gives over three dozen date ideas, offers a number of ideas to bring you and your loved one closer.
Learn more here.
Jigsaw Surf Co
Founded by former college athletes Charlie and Victoria Fennell, Jigsaw Surf Co combines the pair’s love of surfing and jigsaw puzzles. So when you can’t get to the waves, why not build a board until the conditions improve?
Learn more here.
Lee
Lee is much more than just a brand that makes jeans as the company has expanded to casual and work wear, streetwear apparel, collaborations with other brands, and more. They’ve got a handy gift section on their site so check it out!
Learn more here.
Lyrically Correct
Lyrically Correct is a card game that tests players on their knowledge of lyrics of their favorite Hip-Hop and R&B songs of the 1990s and 2000s. Paired with good vibes and someone on the aux, this has all the makings of an epic game night.
Learn more here.
Meta Quest
Meta Quest, the leading VR headset in the game, is still going strong with its Meta Quest 2 headset with plenty of games and experiences for the whole family. With the addition of the beefed-up Meta Quest 3 headset, the Metaverse graciously awaits all willing to explore the various worlds within.
Learn more here.
Moonbird
Founded by Stephanie Broes and Michael Broes, moonbird (stylized spelling) is a device that helps its users learn the benefits of deep, controlled breathing. We’ve been using moonbird ourselves for the past few weeks and already can tell the difference in our temperament, outlook on life, and ability to focus. It’s truly miraculous.
Learn more here.
Nokia
Nokia is still in the digital devices game despite other companies taking big strides over the years. The Finnish company offers a selection of affordable smartphones and tablets that run on the Android operating system, including its flagship Nokia XR21 rugged phone.
Learn more here.
Old Trapper
Old Trapper is the beef jerky and beef snacks line for people not afraid of big, bold flavors. This is premium stuff, trust us on that.
Learn more here.
PaddleSmash
PaddleSmash combines Pickleball and Roundnet into a fun backyard game the whole family can play.
Learn more here.
PDP
PDP specializes in high-end gaming controllers and accessories for the Playstation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. This is for the serious gamers out there and with branded collaborations, you’re sure to find your next pair of sticks and headset.
Learn more here.
PURPLE
PURPLE, founded in 2017, offers comfortable but luxurious streetwear and denim offerings. While its wares are designed to be high in quality, the price point isn’t going to deter anyone who might be looking to invest in their fashion journey.
Learn more here.
Ray-Ban Stories
Improving on already impressive tech, Ray-Ban and Meta connect once more for its Ray-Ban Stories smartglasses. Style and function never looked this good.
Learn more here.
SMMT Outdoor
Learn more here.
Tillys
Tillys is a retail destination for several top fashion and apparel brands for men, women, and children. The company has a handy gift guide section that will take some of the fuss out of finding the perfect gift.
Learn more here.
Wacom
Wacom specializes in an array of graphics tablets and display devices that are essential for graphic designers and sketch artists to form their creations. The Wacom experience is boosted with its Wacom One tablet and pen series with seamless integration via Mac, PC, or Android devices.
Learn more here.
Well Gifted
Well Gifted, founded by longtime friends Heather Pittman and Andi Longsworth, takes the fuzz out of creating a thoughtful gift box with its customizable selections, themed gift sets, and more. Coffee, sweets, and more are all artfully selected to create the gift boxes.
Learn more here.
Yoursy
Founded by NAHA-certified aromatherapist and aromatic perfumer Melike Atilgan, Yoursy created a line of essential oils for productivity, calming, and even rest. The oils can either be used in a diffuser or applied via a handy roll-on applicator.
Learn more here.
Zojirushi
Zojirushi is a brand that’s new to us but the Japanese manufacturer has been a leader in kitchen and home appliances unbeknownst to us. You can shop their rice cookers, coffee makers, and more here in the States. Everything appears to be high-quality stuff too!
Learn more here.
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Photo: Getty
Barry Manilow turned 80 this year, but don’t think for a second that he’s slowing down. He’s too booked to even consider it. Tonight (Dec. 11) at 10 p.m. ET/PT, NBC will air Barry Manilow’s A Very Barry Christmas.
The show was filmed about five weeks ago at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino where he performs his long-running show, Manilow: Las Vegas – The Hits Come Home! The special consists of half holiday songs (“Jingle Bells,” “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Feliz Navidad” and “White Christmas”) and half Manilow hits (his three Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits – “Mandy,” “I Write the Songs” and “Looks Like We Made It” – and what is probably his most famous song “Copacabana”). The special was directed by Matt Askew, who directed Weekends With Adele.
A Very Barry Christmas is Manilow’s third Christmas-themed TV special. He has also released three Christmas albums and was planning to record another one this year, but didn’t get it done. “I started to lay out all the songs that I was going to do, and then this year happened,” Manilow told Billboard. “This year was like the craziest year ever.”
Manilow was honored by the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall in May. He played five consecutive nights (there are no nights off for this trouper) at Radio City Music Hall in May and June – and he’s already booked for five more shows at the legendary venue in April 2024. He was a presenter on the Tony Awards in June. Harmony, the stage musical he wrote with longtime collaborator Bruce Sussman, which had spent decades in development hell, finally opened on Broadway in November.
Manilow has probably done more TV – and used it more effectively – than just about any other pop music performer. He won a Primetime Emmy in 1977 for his first special, The Barry Manilow Special. The show, which featured Laverne & Shirley star Penny Marshall, was seen by 34 million viewers. He won his second in 2006, for the PBS show Manilow: Music and Passion.
He won that first Emmy, at least in part, because he was hot as a pistol in 1977, with a No. 1 single on the Hot 100 (“Looks Like We Made It”) and a No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 (Barry Manilow/Live). He won his second, at least in part, because his fellow professionals respected the way he had survived the ups and downs of a long career. He had “made it through the rain,” to borrow the title of one of his best songs – one that a longtime Fanilow (that would be me) ranked No. 6 on this list of his 25 top 40 hits on the Hot 100 that we posted in June to coincide with his reaching the big 8-0.
Manilow talked to Billboard on the eve of tonight’s special. This conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
How did this new special for NBC come about?
NBC executives came to see my regular [non-holiday] show at the Westgate and we were talking afterwards, and they were saying they were looking for Christmas product because everybody was on strike. And I said, “I have a Christmas show. We’ve been doing it for the last four years, and everybody seems to love it.” We sent them a video of it and they loved it. Before we knew it, we were taping the show.
You’ve taken this Christmas show on the road too.
It’s always received really well. I figured out a way of not only doing Christmas songs but my hits. It goes back and forth. It still always feels like a Christmas show, even when I’m singing “Copacabana.”
Christmas songs are right in your wheelhouse because so many of them are filled with yearning and emotion.
Even the [up-tempo] ones feel emotional because we’ve heard them all of our lives. That’s the only way I write, arrange or perform. If it doesn’t make me feel something, and if it doesn’t make the audience feel something, whether it’s sad or happy, then I’ve missed; then I haven’t done it right.
When did you tape the special?
About four or five weeks ago. We did two tapings. When I did my first batch of specials back in the ’70s and ’80s, there were about five cameras. [On this one,] they brought in 12 cameras. They had every angle they possibly could. It’s a beautiful-looking special. It looks otherworldly.
Any guests?
No, but we have Santa, little children, loads of Christmas trees — and it snows on the audience.
Why do you think TV works so well for you?
I try to be as genuine and as honest with every word and everything I say as I possibly can. If I’m right, that works to the camera, just like it works to an audience. If I can’t feel that I am being truthful in every lyric that I sing, then I shouldn’t be on the stage.
Last night I watched your 2019 interview for the Television Academy’s The Interviews series. You talked about how that first special in March 1977 took you to another level of fame and recognition – which is saying something, because you had had two No. 1 hits by that point.
The next morning [after the special aired], I went to the airport and everybody was yelling at me, “Barry! Barry! Barry!” The day before that, nobody paid any attention, but after that, it changed.
Did ABC ever offer you a summer replacement TV show, like a lot of music stars did back did back then?
They did, but I turned it down. I didn’t think it was the right thing to do — but I told them I would love to do one special a year, and they were OK with that. I didn’t think summer replacement [series] were helping the artist, and I didn’t want to be the guy that introduced people and did comedy sketches. That’s really not what I do. I would be terrible at that.
I didn’t realize the term “Fanilow” came from your 2003 appearance on Will & Grace.
One of the characters [played by guest star Sara Gilbert] was waiting [in line with Will, played by Eric McCormack] for tickets to a show of mine and said she was a Fanilow. It was a joke. It was clever and people picked up on it.
That phrase was a gift to you, because it’s catchy and affectionate.
I didn’t like it in the beginning. I thought it was kind of a put-down. But people would come up to me and say, ‘I’m a Fanilow,’ and they’d be so proud that I began to like it. And now I do like it.
I’m impressed that, 50 years into your career, you played five nights at Radio City.
For a New York guy like me, just to do [one night at] Radio City would have been enough — but to sell out five nights, that was really a thrill.
I’m also impressed that you played five consecutive nights. Artists half your age take nights off.
Oh please. I don’t even worry about that. I never get tired. I don’t sleep and I don’t eat. That’s my secret.
Harmony finally opened on Broadway this year. When did you and Bruce first write it?
We got the idea in 1997. It took awhile for us to put it together. And then the producer couldn’t get [it to Broadway] so we’d put it back in the drawer. Then there was another producer waiting to try it. Most of the time, we signed with a production company for three years. Every time we had to wait [until the previous deal was up]. Most of the time they just couldn’t get it to New York.
Dionne Warwick [whose 1979 comeback album Manilow produced] got the Kennedy Center Honors last week. The ceremony will air on TV later this month. It seems to me that if they base their selections on artists who have risen to the top in many different fields of entertainment, you should have gotten it by now. You went to the top in recordings, TV and live performances. If you ever do get that call, what would it mean to you?
Well, it’s quite an honor. No, they’ve never called and asked, and I don’t think they ever will. Maybe I just don’t do the kind of thing they want their honorees to do. I don’t understand why. If they did, would it be the top of the line? It would be pretty close to the top of the line to get an honor like that.
