International
Page: 23
A true champion for positive change in music will be honored at Billboard Canada Women in Music in Toronto on Sept. 7, 2024.
Jessie Reyez will accept the Trailblazer Award, which is given to a female artist who acts as a music industry pioneer by using her platform to spotlight unheard voices and break ground for future generations of performers.
The Canadian singer straddles the worlds of hip-hop, R&B and pop and has proven to be a big star both on and off stage. She’s hit the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Canadian Hot 100 multiple times, while also appearing on a number of other charts in genres including Latin, R&B and dance. She’s collaborated and toured with artists from Billie Eilish to Eminem to Big Sean to Sam Smith. She’s been a hitmaker behind the scenes, too, penning songs for artists including Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa.
On and offstage, Reyez has used her platform to speak up against systemic inequality — from lack of diversity on the staff of major labels to immigration issues to LGBTSQ+ rights.
Reyez was previously honored with the Impact Award at Billboard Women in Music in 2020, accepting during the virtual ceremony while speaking about the ways she’s had to break through barriers as a woman in music.
Trending on Billboard
“I’ve always said that being born a woman on this earth is like being born walking uphill,” she said. “There are so many burdens and bags that we carry and manage to do so with grace.”
Previous winners of the Trailblazer Award include Phoebe Bridgers, Kesha and Janelle Monae. Reyez will accept the award at the first edition of Billboard Women in Music in Canada.
The ceremony will also include guest of honor Alanis Morissette, who will win the Icon Award. The star-studded event will additionally celebrate previously announced honourees Allison Russell, LU Kala, The Beaches and more yet-to-be-announced.
For more on Billboard Canada Women in Music and to buy tickets for the September 7 event, head here. – Richard Trapunski
SiR’s Concert is Cancelled in Toronto, Fuelling Speculation about Drake’s Involvement
Another last-minute concert cancellation at History in Toronto is causing online speculation related to Drake‘s feud with Kendrick Lamar.
Los Angeles R&B singer SiR was set to perform at the venue on July 30 but announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the show has been canceled. The singer stated that the venue canceled the event even though, he says, the show was sold out. “Not sure why,” he tweeted.
ScHoolboy Q reacted with laughter to the news; the rapper’s July show at History was canceled earlier this month with no reason given, and at the time he took to the same platform to imply it was because of the feud between Lamar and Drake. History is a collaboration between Drake and Live Nation.
“CANADIAN POLICE DONT WANT NOBODY FROM TDE PERFORMING,” ScHoolboy wrote after his show’s cancellation. A spokesperson from the Toronto Police Service said it had no part in the decision to cancel the concert.
ScHoolboy Q and Lamar are former labelmates on Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), which Lamar left last year, as well as former members of the group Black Hippy. SiR is also on the label and has collaborated with Lamar.
The SiR cancellation follows another Drake-related incident at History on Monday night (July 29). DJ Scheme, opening for Ski Mask The Slump God, dropped Lamar’s Drake diss track “Not Like Us” at the venue and shared a clip of the crowd singing along at full volume.
ScHoolboy Q, meanwhile, made a not-so-cryptic post on X shortly after, which simply read: “HAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHH 🔵.” His followers interpreted it as a reaction to the “Not Like Us” needle drop. – Rosie Long Decter
Céline Dion Sees Global Spike in Streams After Soaring Olympics Comeback
It’s all coming back to her now: Listeners are streaming Céline Dion in big numbers following a triumphant comeback performance.
The French Canadian superstar performed from the Eiffel Tower on July 26 as part of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. Dion sang French icon Edith Piaf‘s “L’Hymne à l’amour,” making an emotional and highly-anticipated return to the stage amidst a battle with Stiff Person Syndrome.
Viewers tuned in across the globe to see Dion’s performance, and they clearly want more. Her global Spotify listenership has jumped 36% since the performance, with a 64% jump in France.
Dion isn’t the only artist whose catalogue is benefitting from the performance. The original recording of “L’Hymne à l’amour” by Piaf saw a 317% jump in Spotify streams in the day after the opening ceremony.
The big bump in listeners indicates that the public is ready and waiting for Dion’s return. Though she hasn’t confirmed a follow-up performance, there have been rumours of a potential Las Vegas show on the horizon.
The performance also followed the June release of a documentary chronicling Dion’s experiences with Stiff Person Syndrome, I Am: Céline Dion.
She shared a message on Instagram after the performance for the athletes in Paris: “stay focused, keep going, my heart is with you!” After everything she’s been through, her heart goes on. – RLD
As legendary K-pop label YG Entertainment prepared its female act to follow its chart-topping girl group BLACKPINK, the seven members being considered for a place in the new act BABYMONSTER – Ruka, Pharita, Rami, Ahyeon, Rora, Asa and Chiquita — competed against each other on the digital series Last Evaluation. Mentored and critiqued by YG […]
The 1975 and frontman Matty Healy are facing a lawsuit from the organizers of Malaysia’s Good Vibes Festival, according to a report by Variety, filed over accusations that Healy’s on-stage protest of the country’s anti-LGBTQ laws resulted in the festival being shut down.
In a case filed in the UK’s High Court, Future Sound Asia is demanding $2.4 million over the July 2023 incident in Kuala Lumpur, during which Healy gave a profanity-laden speech criticizing Malaysia’s anti-LGBTQ laws and then kissed bandmate Ross MacDonald.
Following the incident, local authorities revoked the festival’s license and canceled the final two nights of shows. As reported by Billboard last year, sources within Future Sound said that the incident left the festival in financial ruin and could limit future concerts in Malaysia for years.
Trending on Billboard
In its lawsuit, Future Sound claims that Healy and The 1975 breached their contract with the festival, which stipulated that they would abide by local guidelines. Those rules included kissing, swearing, smoking and drinking on stage, taking off clothes, and talking about politics or religion.
The case claims that local authorities initially refused to let The 1975 play at all, citing Healy’s drug problems. But Future Sound claims that the band appealed and promised that Healy would adhere to “all local guidelines and regulations” in order to secure approval.
A rep for the band did not immediately return a request for comment on the accusations.
Healy’s kiss and statements — he said, among other things, that it was “f—ing ridiculous to tell people what they can do with that and that” — were meant as a protest against Malaysia’s strict anti-LGBTQ+ laws, which make homosexuality a crime.
But local activists have since criticized him, calling it a “publicity stunt” by a Western rock star with a “white savior complex.” He also took light criticism from Julian Casablancas of The Strokes, who had been scheduled to play before the festival was canceled, who said that people “should be knowledgable and respectful toward the culture you’re not familiar with.”
Healy addressed those critiques in October, saying he was “pissed off” about the “liberal outrage against our band for remaining consistent with our pro-LGBTQ stage show.”
Tributes from across the live music industry have been paid to Chris York, one of the United Kingdom’s leading promoters and a director of SJM Concerts, following his death at age 55 following a long illness.
In a statement on Thursday (July 25), SJM Concerts said the company was “deeply saddened” to announce the passing of a man who “helped define the U.K.’s live music scene” over the past three decades.
York’s career in the live music industry began in the late 1980s when he started booking gigs at Warwick University, where he was a student.
After finishing his studies, York worked as a booker at London’s The Venue — putting on early shows by Pulp, Suede and PJ Harvey — before deepening his knowledge of the live business with roles at U.K. live promoters Straight Music and MCP Concerts.
Trending on Billboard
In 1993, York joined SJM Concerts, where he “formed a solid and unshakeable partnership and friendship” with the company’s founder, Simon Moran, that “would last the rest of his career,” the Manchester-based firm said in a statement.
Artists that York promoted during his three decades at SJM included Oasis, Foo Fighters, Green Day, The Chemical Brothers, Lily Allen, Massive Attack, Smashing Pumpkins, Underworld, Robert Plant, Underworld, Lorde, Morrissey, Lorde, Placebo, Kraftwerk, Swedish House Mafia, Suede and Stereophonics, among many others.
Oasis singer Liam Gallagher, The Doves, The Pogues, Stereophonics and Suede are among the many acts who posted tributes on social media.
“Chris York was a true unsung hero of the music world,” wrote The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess on X, adding that the British group “are proud” to have called York a friend.
“You might not recognise the name but if you’re a London gig-goer then you’ll have been at one of the thousands of gigs [York] put on through SJM,” stated Suede’s bassist Mat Osman, who called York “a huge friend and supporter” of the group. “He put on Suede shows from the lowliest to the biggest and was a constant presence in our career,” he added.
Posting on X, U.K. indie rock group Shed Seven said it was “heartbroken” to hear of York’s death. The promoter “played a pivotal role in shaping our career from the very beginning, standing by us every step of the way,” said the band, who topped the U.K. albums charts earlier this year. Shed Seven went on to call York “a kind and inspirational man, a true gent, one of the good guys.”
Those sentiments were echoed by U.K. venue operator Academy Music Group, which called York “a force of nature, exceptional promoter, industry pioneer and above all, a genuine music fan and all-round lovely man.”
During his career, York also worked closely with The Who’s Roger Daltrey, live producer Des Murphy and fellow SJM director Rob Ballantine on establishing the annual Teenage Cancer Trust spring concert series at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Since its launch in 2006, the event has raised more than £30 million ($38 million) for charity with everyone from Ed Sheeran to New Order to Paul McCartney taking part.
In 2021, York was awarded the Jo Walker Meador International Award by the Country Music Association for his work on the Country to Country (C2C) Music festival, which SJM launched in 2013 in partnership with AEG Europe. The event has since become Europe’s biggest country music festival, taking place annually at London’s The O2 arena, Glasgow’s OVO Hydro and Belfast’s The SSE Arena.
“When he got involved at the start of C2C Chris really knew f— all about country. But to his credit he knew what he had to do and immersed himself in every aspect of it and soon became a go-to oracle on country, which he always maintained,” Steve Homer, CEO of AEG Presents U.K., tells Billboard. “He has left a big hole in the live music industry and I’m not sure it will ever be filled.”
“Chris was so loved by the business as you can see from the tributes that are flooding in for him from far and wide,” Emma Banks, co-head of global touring at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and a close friend of York, tells Billboard.
“I am going to miss working with him. I am going to miss his wisdom. I am going to miss chatting with him about pretty much everything and having a laugh with him,” Banks adds. “My thoughts are with Alice, his family, friends and the team at SJM.”
Also paying tribute was Live Nation U.K. and Ireland chairman Denis Desmond, who said York was “a fighter to the end. His legacy will live on.”
LONDON — Record companies that actively embrace sustainability are more efficient, more innovative and more likely to appeal to artists, fans and employees, according to research carried out by European independent labels trade body IMPALA.
The Brussels-based organization’s inaugural report into the economic benefits of sustainability, published Thursday (July 25), says that labels who have implemented green measures, such as reducing travel and shifting distribution from air to sea freight, make cost savings over time and reduce waste.
Other rewards identified by IMPALA members who took part in the survey include tax breaks for sustainable initiatives and the ability to gain a competitive advantage over less-eco-friendly businesses when it comes to attracting and retaining artists, especially from younger musicians who place sustainability high among their list of priorities.
Trending on Billboard
Labels and music companies who have taken environmentally friendly action additionally benefit from an improved brand image among music fans and a more creative and forward-thinking business culture, said the trade group.
The report’s findings are based on qualitative interviews IMPALA conducted earlier this year with a number of European indie labels signed up to the organization’s sustainability task force, including Beggars Group, Ninja Tune, PIAS, Warp and Domino.
Independent research projects carried out by U.K. labels trade body BPI, professional services company PWC and Harvard Business Review into sustainability also fed into the report’s findings.
Helen Smith, executive chair of IMPALA, said its research indicated that the adoption of sustainability practices by record companies benefits not just the planet but also delivers “concrete advantages in other areas such as attracting artists, reducing costs, hiring and retaining employees,” as well as “being seen as a [market] leader.”
“The question of futureproofing is also important as companies see sustainability as an opportunity before it becomes a burden, and this pays off almost immediately,” said Smith in a statement accompanying the report.
IMPALA, which represents 6,000 independently owned European labels and music companies in 33 countries, launched its sustainability program in 2021. It aims to halve the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions before 2050.
To help reach those goals the organization devised a carbon footprint calculator for member labels to measure and reduce their emissions. So far, nearly 150 labels have signed up to the initiative, which has now been rolled out to the U.S. in partnership with the American Association of Independent Music (A2IM).
IMPALA’s first carbon footprint calculator data report, which was published last year, found that the biggest source of carbon emissions for the indie sector is manufacturing (predominantly vinyl production), followed by the distribution of physical products.
To help tackle the climate crisis record labels around the world are taking positive steps to become more sustainable by reducing waste, water, electricity and fuel consumption.
Other green practices that have been recently introduced by IMPALA members include replacing plastic jewel CD cases with cardboard ones and switching vinyl production from PVC compound to the more environmentally friendly polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material, which equates to a 70-80% reduction in energy consumption, says the organization. Opting for 140g vinyl instead of 180g also lowers production costs and labels’ environmental impact, it adds.
Members of IMPALA’s sustainability task force noted that green initiatives had a significant impact on the quantity and quality of job applications they received, improving employee retention and workplace culture.
“We’re proud to have sustainability as one of our core company values and have seen this translated with attracting and retaining top talent, said Horst Weidenmueller, chair of IMPALA’s sustainability task force and CEO of K7 Music.
Last month, the Germany-based label became one of the first indies to receive B Corp certification in recognition of its social and environmental practices. “It’s great to see consumers and suppliers moving in the same direction,” said Weidenmueller in a statement.
According to a 2022 survey by U.K. charity Music Declares Emergency and the University of Glasgow, music fans are more likely to care about climate change and place a higher priority on tackling the crisis than non-music fans. A different survey by U.K. entertainment product manufacturer Key Production found that 71% of 18–24-year-old respondents were willing to spend more on physical music products with a reduced environmental impact. Across all age groups, 50% of respondents said they would pay a premium price for eco-friendly merchandise, CDs or records.
In line with consumers’ growing concerns around environmental issues, sustainability has become a key focus and area of investment for the wider music industry.
Last year, Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group joined forces to establish the Music Industry Climate Collective (MICC) – a new alliance to address and lessen the sector’s environmental impact, which is being assisted and advised by A2IM.
In 2021, all three major record companies, plus independent labels BMG, Beggars, Partisan, Warp, Ninja Tune and the Secretly Group, signed up to the Music Climate Pact, a wide-ranging commitment to “decarbonize” the global record business.
Ticketmaster announced Wednesday (July 24) that the company is expanding its presence in Africa with the acquisition of Quicket, described in a press release as “a major player in Africa’s general admission event and festival ticketing.” Quicket, which was founded in South Africa in 2011, is known for its self-service platform and event organizer […]
Sellout events like Glastonbury Festival and mega-grossing stadium shows by Beyoncé, Harry Styles and Blur helped lift the U.K. live music industry to record heights last year, generating 8 billion pounds ($10.3 billion) for the country’s economy, according to new figures published Tuesday (July 23).
Umbrella trade organization UK Music reports that 19.2 million “music tourists” attended live concerts and festivals in the United Kingdom in 2023, up 33% on the previous year. The trade body defines a “music tourist” as someone who has traveled at least three times the average commuting distance for their region or is based overseas.
The £8 billion financial windfall these music tourists contributed to the local economy through direct spending on things like gig tickets, travel, accommodation and food and beverage sales, as well as indirect spending on supply chain businesses such as security and fencing, represents an increase of 21% on 2022’s 6.6 billion pound total.
Trending on Billboard
The 2023 figure is the highest ever recorded by UK Music since the organization started analyzing music tourism spending a decade ago. That’s despite the number of foreign concertgoers falling fractionally to just over 1 million last year, down from 1.053 million in 2022. However, the total number of domestic music tourists grew 36% year-on-year to 18.2 million, said UK Music, while 62,000 jobs were sustained by live gigs.
On a regional basis, London was the United Kingdom’s most popular destination for attending music concerts, drawing 6.9 million music tourists — up 40% year-on-year — who contributed £2.8 billion ($3.6 billion) in spending. The North West of England, a region which includes the cities of Manchester and Liverpool, was the second most popular destination for traveling music fans, with 2.3 million people visiting for live shows and spending £735 million ($950 million).
UK Music chief executive Tom Kiehl said in a statement that the record numbers “demonstrates the positive impact music tourism has on our towns and cities” but warned that “beyond a handful of very successful musicians the opportunities for many artists are becoming increasingly squeezed.”
“Grassroots music venues and festivals, studios and rehearsal spaces are facing tough economic pressures and it’s vital that the music ecosystem that enables musicians and artists to perform is supported to ensure that everyone — no matter where they live — can have access to music,” added Kiehl.
So far this year, around 50 U.K. music festivals have either been canceled or folded entirely due to rising production costs and changes in music fans’ ticket-buying habits, according to The Association of Independent Festivals (AIF). The country’s grassroots music venues circuit is also having a difficult time, with the Music Venue Trust (MVT) reporting that 125 venues have either shut down or stopped putting on live music in 2023.
For emerging and mid-tier U.K. artists, the increased costs of fuel and post-Brexit requirements for touring carnets and work permits have brought further financial burdens. As a result, UK Music is calling on the newly installed Labour Government to urgently address what it is calling a “cost-of-touring crisis.”
The United Kingdom is the world’s second-largest music exporter and the world’s third-biggest recorded music market behind the United States and Japan. But without action, it risks being overtaken by countries who are more proactive, warns the trade body, which published a 10-point “Manifesto for Music” last year.
“The U.K’s thriving music industry continues to be one of our most powerful global exports and an important driver of economic growth,” said culture secretary Lisa Nandy in a statement accompanying Tuesday’s music tourism figures.
She said the government will “work hard to ensure our creative industries get the support they need to flourish, driving opportunity and economic growth into every community and inspiring the next generation of performers.”
The inaugural SXSW London will take place June 2-7, 2025, at more than 20 venues throughout the city’s Shoreditch neighborhood, marking the first time the longstanding event will happen in Europe.
As the gears get turning, the event has also announced new hires Clare Barry, the former marketing director of Cannes Lions; writer and film programmer Anna Bogutskaya; and artistic curator Beth Greenacre. Organizers forecast that SXSW London will generate more than £75 million (roughly $97 million) for the U.K. economy.
According to its booker Adem Holness, a London native, the event will also emphasize the city’s many cultures while working to connect artists and industry workers from local scenes with international audiences and potential partners.
Trending on Billboard
“The thing we can do uniquely is pull together reflections of the cutting-edge, grassroots music communities and — if I’m just thinking about the music program — how people can get involved in what is happening at the cutting edge and how they might be able to work with those different international music scenes to develop them and develop ideas with them,” he says. “That’s what I think SXSW London should be.”
This focus is thus not just on music, film and technology, but the cultures these things emanate from. This, Holness envisions, will create a gathering that “doesn’t just feel like a series of performances, but like you’re experiencing culture and moment around that.”
The event will also incorporate broader European perspectives, with Holness and his team focused on programming that highlights “the cutting edge of music and culture in Europe and beyond.” As such, he adds, the goal is to “make sure our neighbors and friends feel like they’re a big part of what we’re trying to do.”
Still, the 20,000 anticipated attendees will land at an event site that is distinctly London, with Holness saying that Shoreditch “feels in a way like a microcosm of what London is. It’s a hub of technology, but you’ve also got incredible nightlife. You’ve got distinct diasporic communities in and around that area and obviously the whole of London. But I think [Shoreditch provides] a great opportunity for people who might not have been to London before to understand who we are and what we’re about.”
SXSW London follows the 2023 debut of SXSW Sydney. The original event in Austin has been happening since 1987 and has grown to become one of the biggest events in the global music calendar, attracting hundreds of thousands of musicians, creatives, filmmakers, media companies and music industry executives to the state of Texas every March.
“I hope that the Austin and Sydney teams, when we’ve done our take on it, feel proud of it as well,” Holness says. “I hope they feel like it lives up to the incredible work they’ve done, but also has its own flavor.”
In April 2021, it was announced that SXSW had signed a “lifeline” deal with P-MRC, a joint venture between Penske Media Corporation and MRC, making P-MRC a stakeholder and long-term partner with the Austin festival. P-MRC is the parent company of Billboard.
Post Malone played what may have been the biggest concert in North America this summer last Friday, July 12. At Festival d’été de Québec (FEQ) in Quebec City, he performed a show for over 100,000 people on the historic Plains of Abraham. That’s par for the course for FEQ, which gets major stars in a variety of genres for 10 days every year, yet, outside of Quebec, remains somewhat under the radar.
Malone played after opening sets by Canadian band Valley and rising pop/country artist Jessie Murph. His set was teed up with a crowd singalong to “Sweet Caroline,” before a string section heralded Post’s entrance onto the stage. He started with his 2018 hit “Better Now,” with huge fireworks erupting at every chorus. Throughout the next two hours, he played songs from the Ozzy Osbourne-sampling “Take What You Want” to “Sunflower,” “Congratulations” and the recent No. 1 hit “I Had Some Help.”
He broke out some adorably silly dance moves and basked in the applause after every song, which seemed to take him aback. At one point, he even brought up a Quebecer from the audience named Felix, who joined him on stage to chug from a red solo cup and then strum an acoustic guitar while Post Malone crooned “Stay.”
Trending on Billboard
This year’s FEQ took place from July 4-14 and boasted headliners from 50 Cent to the Jonas Brothers, Nickelback to the Zac Brown Band.
While FEQ gets major artists for those main stage performances, artistic director Louis Bellavance says it’s not only about getting the biggest acts. “All of them have a function, a role to play in what we’re building,” he says.
It’s about finding the right types of genres and acts that resonate with the Quebec audience, which can sometimes differ from the rest of Canada and the United States, he says. R&B doesn’t play as well as in other markets, nor do many English Canada rock bands. That’s not to say rock doesn’t go over well, though — Mötley Crue packed the stage on the final night, Sunday, July 14, with a crowd much more multi-generational than you might think for a band whose sound and antics peaked in the ’80s.
One new addition this year was Saturday night’s all-Spanish mainstage night of J Balvin, Ivan Cornejo and GALE. FEQ has booked Latin artists before, but never as big as this year’s showcase. It was clear people travelled for the event, with Colombian superstar Balvin spotlighting all the flags in the front row and fans from Spanish-speaking countries around the world. Mexico, Spain, Peru, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Honduras and Colombia were all “in la casa,” he said.
Read more from FEQ here. -Richard Trapunski
Canadian Country Music Association Awards 2024 Nominations: Jade Eagleson, MacKenzie Porter Lead The Pack
The Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) has announced the official nominees for the 2024 CCMA Awards. Topping the list of contenders with six nods apiece are Jade Eagleson and MacKenzie Porter, the latter of whom will co-host the awards show alongside American country star Thomas Rhett.
Hot on their heels with five nominations apiece are The Reklaws and Josh Ross, while High Valley, Owen Riegling and Dallas Smith are each cited in four categories. Other notable Canadian artists making the list include Dean Brody, Steven Lee Olsen, James Barker Band, Brett Kissel, Tenille Townes and Lindsay Ell.
The awards show takes place in Edmonton, at Rogers Place in the heart of downtown, on Saturday Sept. 14 at 8 pm ET, and is broadcast by CTV.
Performers include Dasha, Jade Eagleson, Brett Kissel, The Reklaws, MacKenzie Porter, Thomas Rhett and Dallas Smith, with more to be named.
Two major CCMA Award categories are open for public voting by country music fans across Canada. This year’s Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year nominees are Hailey Benedict, Dax, Teigen Gayse, Matt Lang and Owen Riegling, and fans can vote for their favourite at ccmafanvote.com.
The 2024 Fans’ Choice nominees are Dean Brody, Jade Eagleson, High Valley, James Barker Band, Tyler Joe Miller, Steven Lee Olsen, MacKenzie Porter, The Reklaws, Josh Ross and Dallas Smith.
Find the full list of nominees here. –Kerry Doole
ScHoolboy Q’s Toronto Concert Cancelled, Blames Drake’s Beef with Kendrick Lamar
A cancelled show is seemingly connected to the year’s biggest story in rap music: the heated beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar.
ScHoolboy Q was supposed to perform a sold-out show at Toronto venue History on Thursday (July 18). But Q took to X Wednesday to announce that the show had been cancelled, supposedly due to the feud: “CANADIAN POLICE DONT WANT NOBODY FROM TDE [Lamar’s label] PERFORMING..” he wrote.
ScHoolboy Q used to be in the group Black Hippy with Kendrick Lamar and is a former labelmate on Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE). Lamar left the label last year. The venue History is a partnership between Live Nation and Drake.
Q went on to post several times about the show, referencing PartyNextDoor’s recent performance at the Hollywood Palladium in Lamar and ScHoolboy’s hometown of L.A.: “if we wanted to get yall we would’ve just did it.. now wHen sumbody get Hurt don’t cry…”
Q later clarified that he found the cancellation funny and didn’t mean his post as a threat, but as advice: “I neva said “ ima kill sumbody” im saying if we wanted to crack it off we could’ve smH,” he wrote, “ima soccer dad.”
ScHoolboy Q, who performed at Lamar’s June 14 Pop Out Concert, is also briefly featured in Lamar’s video for the Drake diss track “Not Like Us,” which has added some fire back to a fight that was on the verge of dying down. Q and Lamar go back a long way, as former collaborators in Black Hippy alongside Jay Rock and Ab-Soul.
Drake posted an Instagram story following Q’s posts on X, leading some to speculate that he was trolling the rapper. In the shared story, Drake is seemingly sporting blue slides, possibly referencing ScHoolboy’s single of the same name.
He’s also wearing a shirt that reads “Free Yayo,” a reference to hip hop artist Tony Yayo who in a recent interview spoke about not wanting to get caught up in the Drake/Kendrick beef.
“You don’t wanna say something about Drake and f–ckin can’t go to Canada,” he told VladTV.
Though no official explanation for the cancellation has been revealed, the event page for the concert on Ticketmaster states that it was cancelled by the event organizer.
“The decision to cancel this event was made by the venue, not by the Toronto Police Service,” says a spokesperson from the Toronto Police Service.
Billboard Canada has reached out to Live Nation for comment.
The cancellation follows a recent attack on Rick Ross — who previously released Drake diss track “Champagne Moments” — in Vancouver, while “Not Like Us” played at the concert. Drake liked a post about the incident at the time. – Rosie Long Decter
On Feb. 13, 2024, BMSG, Inc. made waves in the Japanese music industry with their statement, “BMSG’s Recommendations for Pulling the Music Industry Back from the Brink of Unsustainability.” The announcement discussed the problems of Japan‘s music industry, which still heavily relies on CD sales. One of the issues discussed was how this reliance on physical media has led to people purchasing multiple copies of the same CD, contributing to the generation of excessive waste. BMSG declared its commitment to taking action to change the music industry’s structure and minimize CD waste.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The announcement highlighted that the bulk-purchasing of CDs has been a longstanding issue, sparking debate for over a decade. The fact that this announcement came from BMSG, a record label and management agency home to dance and vocal groups with passionate fandoms, created a huge stir, both inside and outside the industry.
Trending on Billboard
In a revealing interview in The Quiet Revolution of Billboard Japan, published on Feb. 20, SKY-HI, CEO of BMSG, Inc., elaborated on the issues highlighted in the company’s recent announcement. Seiji Isozaki, the book’s author and chart director for Billboard Japan, shared his insights from the conversation.
“It was my first time meeting SKY-HI in person, but I’d heard a lot about what he’d said and done before. Some of his activities involved the hit charts, and I found them really thought-provoking. They motivated me in creating the Japanese charts. I thought that discussing the charts with him would offer insights into the artists’ perspectives on chart changes and allow for a multifaceted exploration of issues surrounding hit charts.”
“Meeting him in person, what I felt was his flexible stance on living in the present. At Billboard Japan, we’ve also continued to think about the limits and possibilities of the current music industry through our efforts with the hit charts. Although our positions are different, I strongly felt that he had also been grappling with the same issues, and it was a very encouraging dialogue.”
At the April BMSG convention, members of the entertainment industry watched SKY-HI’s presentation, where he reinforced the company’s commitment to these sustainability recommendations. Through the presentation, which was later streamed on YouTube, SKI-HI spoke directly about the recommendations, sharing them with the rest of the world.
[embedded content]
BE:FIRST’s concept single, “Masterplan,” released on April 24, was the first project to embody BMSG’s sustainability proposal. The single comes in a paper sleeve to reduce the amount of plastic generated by CD production. BMSG also eliminated retailer-specific add-ons — collectibles that come with CDs sold by specific music retailers that are randomly packaged with CDs, both of which drive bulk CD purchasing. Due to these decisions, the number of CDs shipped during the period from April 24 to May 22 fell by roughly 70,000, but total sales of singles and single-related merchandise, including merchandise featuring the single’s art, roughly doubled. Using paper sleeves cut plastic usage during the CD production phase by 10 tons and reduced the amount of associated CO2 emissions by 59 tons.
The title track, “Masterplan,” made a splash by debuting at the top of Billboard Japan’s Hot 100 song chart. The album’s solid chart results demonstrated that it’s possible to take the number one position without relying on the bulk purchasing of CDs by fans or retailer-specific add-ons.
“When we think about what makes a hit,” said Isozaki, “it’s important to look at how the hit charts are structured and how valid those charts are—whether those charts resonate with people. Getting to know the evolving Billboard charts in the US and the individuals shaping their evolution, I’ve come to deeply appreciate the significant responsibility we bear.”
“In the U.S., in the early ’90s, Nielsen Music (now Luminate) succeeded in collecting point-of-sale data from record stores across the country. Until then, data had been generated based on the results of fax and telephone surveys. The shift to this new, objective data collection method revolutionized the Billboard Hot 100 lineup overnight. The changes came as quite a shock, both inside the industry and out, and profoundly transformed what it means to be a hit. One thing we find very impressive is how Billboard’s charts have been able to keep resonating with people in the same way by constantly making adjustments, adding new data such as downloads and streaming plays.”
“In the early 2010s, Japan saw a surge in fan-driven bulk purchases due to customer participation activities. The phenomenon brought renewed attention to the practices of the music charts. This raised a dilemma. On the one hand, we needed to recognize the support that fans provided artists by bulk-buying their music. On the other hand, we also needed to ensure that our charts resonated with the broader audience so as to accurately represent which songs were true hits. And, no matter what, our charts should never incentivize unsustainable fan behavior that leads to burnout. So, since the mid-2010s, we’ve been meticulously adjusting the charts weekly to strike just the right balance. These adjustments have gradually reshaped Japan’s definition of a hit song.”
“Today, purchasing multiple copies of the same track has minimal impact on the hit charts. Fans desire longevity in their favorite artists’ careers. SKY-HI’s proposal invites us all to consider how fan activities in Japan can sustainably support artists.”
BMSG says that BE:FIRST’s initiatives are just the beginning of an ongoing effort to improve the sustainability of Japan’s music industry. On July 1, the South Korean boy band ATEEZ and BE:FIRST released their collaborative single, “Hush-Hush.” As BMSG sets its sights on the international arena, it is extending its reach beyond Japan’s borders. The full impact of these moves on the music industries of Japan and the wider world remains to be seen, yet it is evident that BMSG is steadfast in meeting these challenges.
[embedded content]
This article by Seiji Isozaki and Maiko Murata first appeared on Billboard Japan.