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15 May 2024

Ashley Gorley Presents Nate Smith With Rookie of the Year | Billboard’s Country Power Players 2024

Ashley Gorley presents Nate Smith with Rookie of the Year at Billboard’s Country Power Players 2024.

Ashley Gorley:
It is my privilege to present this year’s Billboard Rookie of the Year Award to my friend Nate Smith. Any Nate Smith fans in the house, come on. Within the first few minutes of my first writing session with Nate, I was a Nate Smith fan. He was kind, thankful, excited, personable, ready to learn and contribute. Someone I wanted to be friends with and help any way that I could. He was a rock star with a one-of-a-kind voice, creating his own lane in country music, and I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know him over the past couple of years and his work ethic character and talent has grown every day.

Nate’s journey started 15 years ago, when he made the move to Nashville. He played the Broadway bars, wrote songs, did the thing. He ended up moving back home after a while, but he kept grinding from his hometown to keep his dream alive. Then he posted some stuff on TikTok and his world changed. He hustled until everybody knew how good he was, and he had no choice but to move back to Nashville because every one body wanted him there.

Fast forward to today, and I’d say coming back to Nashville was the right call. His debut single, “Whiskey on You,” soared to No. 1 on country radio, was certified double platinum. His current single, “Bulletproof,” is closing in on top 10 on radio, his song “World on Fire” made history with a record-breaking 10 consecutive weeks at No. 1.

Keep watching to learn more!

15 May 2024

Seth England On Morgan Wallen & Post Malone Collaboration & More | Country Power Players 2024

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15 May 2024

Nate Smith Talks Securing Performance With Avril Lavigne & More | Country Power Players 2024

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15 May 2024

The War and Treaty Share What Being A Groundbreaker Means to Them | Country Power Players 2024

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14 May 2024

Taylor Swift Rewrites Her Eras Tour to Make Room for ‘Tortured Poets Department’: What Got Edited Out?

The latest missive from The Desk of Taylor Swift is a newly penned Eras Tour setlist, to make room for her 11th studio album The Tortured Poets Department.

Last week, Swift brought her blockbuster trek to Europe for the first time, playing four shows at Paris’ La Defense Arena. After a year-plus of concerts — not to mention the theatrical release of her Eras Tour film and a streaming version on Disney+ too — the pop superstar made wholesale changes to the well-worn setlist, reshuffling the order, combining two eras into one and adding a seven-song section dedicated to her latest release.

On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie & Keith (who have been to two Eras Tour concerts apiece) take a closer look at the changes Swift implemented at the European kick-off. Listen below:

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Also on the show, we’ve got chart news on how the Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake feud continues to heat up the charts, as Lamar’s “Not Like Us” debuts at No. 1, his “Euphoria” jumps into the top 10, and Drake’s “Family Matters” debuts at No. 7. Plus, over on the Billboard 200, Dua Lipa scores her highest-charting album ever, as her new studio set Radical Optimism debuts at No. 2, behind a third week at No. 1 for Swift’s Tortured Poets.

The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard’s managing director, charts and data operations, Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)

14 May 2024

Eminem’s Slim Shady Receives Obituary, ZICO Teases New Music From Jennie, Jimmy Fallon Shares Top Moments With Billboard Chart Toppers & More | Billboard News 

It’s Tuesday, May 14th, and an obituary for Eminem’s Slim Shady appeared in a Detroit newspaper ahead of the release of his upcoming album. ZICO teases in an interview with Billboard that he’s heard some of Jennie’s solo tracks and that they’re all really good. Yves from LOONA  returns to music for the soundtrack of K-Drama, “Missing Crown Prince.” NewJeans performance director takes to IG stories to express her frustration about ILLIT copying creative elements from NewJeans’. Tyla takes us Behind The Photo and shares some of her favorite moments with her best friend. We sat down with Jimmy Fallon to talk about some of his favorite memories of Billboard Chart Toppers on his show. Rapsody shares why ‘Please Don’t Cry’ is her most vulnerable album, her collaborations with Lil Wayne and more!

Tetris Kelly: 

The real Slim Shady kicks the bucket. Tyla takes us behind the photo. We learn more about Jennie’s solo tracks. All of LOONA’s members return to music and the NewJeans, ILLIT drama heats up. Jimmy Fallon talks about some of his biggest musical guests and Rapsody stops by to talk new music. Let’s jump right into it, here at Billboard News. Slim Shady is dead, but Eminem lives on. We’re talking about the obituary and his new venture. It seems Eminem may be taking his upcoming album, titled ‘The Death Of Slim Shady,’ literally. The Detroit Free Press ran a fake Slim Shady obituary on Monday and it’s a hilarious read. It states “Slim Shady Made Lasting Impressions. Fans ‘Will Never Forget’ Controversial Rapper.” It continues, “His complex and tortured existence has come to a close, and the legacy he leaves behind is no closer to resolution than the manner in which this character departed this world. May he truly find the peace in an afterlife that he could not find on Earth.” What? The ad obituary appears to be in support of Em’s upcoming 12th studio LP, news that was first broken by his frequent collaborator Dr. Dre on Jimmy Kimmel in March. And there’s music news in general and then the whole world of Kpop. There’s so much going on, here’s Three Things You Need To Know in Kpop. Jennie earned her second No.1  on the World Digital Song Sales Chart with “SPOT!” 

Keep watching to learn more!

14 May 2024

Tyla’s Adventures With Her Best Friend, Fashion for Heritage Day | Behind the Photo

Tyla shares stories behind her photo at the skate park, on the beach, dressing up for Heritage Day and more in Behind the Photo with Billboard.

Tyla: 
Hello, it’s Tyla and I’m taking you Behind the Photo with Billboard.

This was taken by my very best friend. This was when I was in Ghana and we went to the skate park and I have no idea. I was in skates, but I was having very much fun that day.

This is a cute one. It’s going to sound like everything has to do with my best friend, but we’re basically always together. And over here we were in Cape Town, South Africa, and we had our own picnic. AY! We were having a girls day gossiping there on the Cape Town beach, and she took a picture of me eating sushi.

YES! This is me in South Africa for Heritage Day. I was feeling myself this day. I woke up very early to do my edges, my head wrap, my outfit. I was feeling very fancy. Yeah, this was … this was a cute moment. The most iconic Tyla picture that will ever exist.

This was in school. Literally, me and my best friend again. I don’t know what we were doing, but we were leaders in the school and I think we had to organize clothes as like the RCL of the school. No, we were playing with those clothes. We were not being serious. She snapped this picture of me and the rest is history.

14 May 2024

Rapsody on Why ‘Please Don’t Cry’ Is Her Most Vulnerable Album, Working With Lil Wayne, Women in Hip Hop & More | Billboard News

Rapsody shares why ‘Please Don’t Cry’ is her most vulnerable album, how her truth is incorporated throughout all of the songs and her various collaborations including: Lil Wayne, Erykah Badu, and Dixson. She also talks about the resurgence of women in hip hop and how Nicki Minaj & Cardi B helped pave the way and more!

Rapsody:

I think it’s exciting and beautiful time for hip hop, to have women at the forefront. We’re everywhere. It’s gonna stand the test of time and I think it’s going to help to even out the playing field, that may not be that we’re always at the forefront, but we won’t be in the shadow. What’s up y’all this is Rapsody and you’re watching Billboard News.

Gail Mitchell:

I’m thrilled to be sitting next to Rapsody.

Rapsody:

I’m so happy to be here with you. Legend.

I wanted to get your take on the resurgence of women in hip hop and you’ve seen a lot of change, ups and downs in that arena. Is this more than just a moment? I think some people might still try to look at it as a fad. It’ll go away, but is…

Rapsody:

No. You know, this is a beautiful beginning. You know, just we never seen it like this, or no. I think there was a time. 90s of course you know we have MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, Lauryn, Lil’ Kim, Foxy, Missy Elliott, Charli Baltimore, I can go on and on. But I think with social media, you just, you see it in such a heavy force. It’s everywhere. So I mean, I’m excited about it.

Gail Mitchell:

Who were your key influences on the hip hop side coming up? 

Rapsody:

My key? Lauryn Hill, Jay Z, Lil Wayne, Nas, Biggie. Erykah Badu, she’s hip hop. To me MC Lyte, Queen Latifah. I listened, DMX heavy. What? Heavy, heavy East Coast right?

13 May 2024

Tyla Joins ‘Fortnite,’ Taylor Swift Rules at No. 1, Ariana Grande Back in the Studio, Drake & Kendrick Fight It Out on Hot 100 and More | Billboard News

It’s Monday, May 13, and Taylor Swift is still ruling at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Not only that, she’s set to feature on Gracie Abrams’ new album and will be part of the Bridgerton season 3 soundtrack. Ariana Grande posted on her IG story that she’s back in the studio. Are we getting more new music soon? ‘Fortnite’ revealed that they added Tyla as a new Challenge Emote with her song “Truth or Dare.” Katy Perry shares that her daughter calls her Katy Perry occasionally, and we have Katy’s reaction. Drake and Kendrick Lamar have been battling with diss tracks, but how will this shake up this week’s Billboard Hot 100? Keep watching to find out more! We were at the Gold Gala with Steve Aoki and Saweetie, and we give you an exclusive look into the afterparty we hosted. We sat down with Aitana and she shared how it went down with creating “Akureyri” with Sebastián Yatra and more!

Tetris Kelly
What update is shocking Ariana fans? Tyla goes digital and Katy Perry is Katy Perry, Kendrick and Drake’s beef tops the charts, more Taylor Swift on the way, we take you inside the Gold Gala with Sweetie and Steve Aoki, and Aitana shows us how it went down. Who likes Mondays? Well, we do when we’re Billboard News! Let’s dive in. Taylor spends a third week on top of the Billboard 200, but that doesn’t mean we can have more. If you thought you got a lot with 31 tracks from ‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ you’re getting even more. Gracie Abrams posted the tracklist to her upcoming album ‘The Secret of Us’ with one track featuring Taylor Swift. She talked about the song titled us on her IG stories saying, “All I can tell you for now is that some of the most fun I’ve had in my whole entire life was writing this song together.” And there’s more, Variety shared some of the soundtrack to season 3 of Netflix’s ‘Bridgerton’ episode 4 will feature a cover of Taylor’s “Snow on the Beach” with Lana Del Rey. The first four episodes will also have quartet covers of Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever,” BTS’ “Dynamite,” and “Cheap Thrills” by Sia.

Watch the full video above!

13 May 2024

Aitana On How She Made “AKUREYRI” With Sebastián Yatra | How It Went Down | Billboard

In today’s episode of ‘How It Went Down,’ Spanish star Aitana shares how she created her new song “AKUREYKI” and making the music video with her co-writer, Colombian star, Sebastián Yatra.

Aitana
Well the truth is this is my third song with Sebastián Yatra. We seem to understand each other quite well in the studio, that’s for sure. The truth is that I will tell you that “AKUREYRI” is the song we started in Iceland on a trip we both made in 2023 for the first time for my birthday and we bought a guitar. We went to buy a guitar and Sebastián started trying out different guitars I was recording at the little shop and he started with the chords to “AKUREYRI” then he started, I don’t know, like throwing some verse, I don’t know like some verses and then I came up with the melody…I have that recorded on a video, you know? Like literally and Sebastián said to me, that melody is very pretty and then we kind of said ah, let’s start a song. We took the guitar and started the song in a car and there they began the first verses and the first tunes for “AKUREYRI” and then later on we finished it in Mexico. It’s a song that took months, it’s not a typical song that you make in a day or a week, but it is a song that we gave a lot of time and in very different conditions. Sebastián is a very versatile artist. In other words, like he can really make a song that makes you dance, or a song that will make you cry for a whole week if you need to.