Music News

25 Jul 2024

back number’s ‘to new lovers’ Debuts at No. 1 on Japan Hot 100

back number’s “to new lovers” (Japanese title: “Atarashii Koibitotachi ni”) debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated July 24, giving the veteran three-man band its fifth No. 1 on the tally and the first in almost five years and eight months.

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The “Suiheisen” (meaning “horizon”) trio’s latest hit is being featured as the theme song of the ongoing drama series called Umi no Hajimari (“beginning of the sea”) being aired on Fuji TV’s popular Monday nights at 9 p.m. time slot. The track tops downloads (24,432 units) and radio airplay, while coming in at No. 4 for streaming (7,532,578 weekly streams) and No. 32 for video views. The song collected 1.9 times more first-week downloads and 1.7 times more streams compared to the previous single by the J-pop band, “Fuyu to Haru” (“winter and spring”), released in January.

This is the fifth time back number has topped the Japan Hot 100, having previously scored No. 1s with “Omoidasenakunaru sonohimade” (“until the day I can’t remember”) in 2011, the band’s seasonal staple “Christmas Song” in 2015, “Boku no Namaeo” (“(you called) my name”) in 2016, and “Old Fashion” in 2018. Other songs in the band’s catalog are also on the rise, with “Suiheisen” rising a notch to No. 38, “Takaneno Hanakosan” moving 42-39, and “Hanataba” (“bouquet”) 84-82.

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Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” slips a notch to No. 2 after reaching No. 1 last week, but streams for the track are down only by about 5% from the previous week (No. 1 for the fifth week in a row for the metric), and the single is at No. 7 for downloads, No. 3 for video, and No. 12 for karaoke.

AKB48’s “Koi Tsunjatta” bows at No. 3. The J-pop girl group’s 64th single, released four months after the previous single “Karakon Wink,” launched with 411,100 CDs in its first week, about 50,000 fewer than the predecessor’s 463,564 first-week copies. 

ONE OK ROCK’s “Delusion:All” jumps 21-7, breaking into the top 10. Streams for the Kingdom: Return of the Great General theme song are up by about 1.9 times the week before, radio up 7 times, and video up 1.5 times. Kocchinokento’s “Hai Yorokonde” also enters the top 10 for the first time, topping the video metric. Streams are up by about 1.2 times the week before (No. 16), while downloads and karaoke for the track also increased, with the former coming in at No. 12.



The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.

See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from July 15 to 21, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.

25 Jul 2024

10 Things We’re Looking Forward to at the 2024 Summer Olympics: Celine Dion, Snoop Dogg & More

The two-week event kicked off July 24.

Celine Dion

Celine Dion performs onstage during the 2017 Billboard Music Awards at T-Mobile Arena on May 21, 2017 in Las Vegas.

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

It only comes every four years — maybe five or three if a global pandemic interferes — but the summer Olympics are finally back. And this time, the Games are being held in Paris, with more than 10,000 athletes gearing up to bring the heat and compete for gold, silver and bronze medals across hundreds of different sporting events.

But while the two-plus-week festivities have already technically kicked off with events starting on Wednesday (July 24), they’ll get fully underway this Friday — with a spectacular opening ceremony on the Seine, marking the first time in history that the summer event’s kickoff doesn’t take place in a stadium. The international celebration will be complete with the traditional torch-lighting ceremony following a months-long relay across France, plus rumored performances from some of the world’s biggest stars.

And though athleticism is certainly at the heart of the Olympics, the Games are also sure to be a booming hub for pop culture in 2024. Several different celebrities are on board to provide commentary on site, while others will likely flock to the City of Love to cheer on their home countries and support their favorite team members — including USA’s Simone Biles, Noah Lyles, Sha’Carri Richardson, Katie Ledecky, Diana Taurasi and Steph Curry.

As the wait for the Games gets smaller and smaller, Billboard is rounding up the top highlights we can’t wait to see play out in Paris this summer. From A-list commentators to celebrity appearances and Swiftie gymnastic routines — plus the inauguration of a brand new Olympic sport — keep reading to see which moments we’re most looking forward to below.

25 Jul 2024

Will Smith Is Getting Ready to Drop His First Album Since 2005

Will Smith says he’s hard at work — and that he might be dropping a new album soon.

The rapper and actor did an interview with Instagram account Black Film Allies where he revealed that he’s been working on new music. “Over the past year and a half, I’ve been in the studio,” he said. “I have a project that is the most personal and powerful music project I’ve ever done. The idea of the music is, ‘Dance in your darkest moments.’”

Smith performed a new song “You Can Make It” at this year’s BET Awards with the track debuting at No. 3 on the Hot Gospel Songs chart. The song currently sits at No. 14 and has been on the chart for three weeks.

He also recently posted an Instagram Reel of himself and Russ giving their song “Work of Art” the car test and mentioned that he just finished his album before introducing the clip. Will Smith hasn’t released a full-length album since 2005’s Lost and Found.

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While there isn’t a title or release date yet for the project yet, there is an Instagram page and a website that’s under construction entitled Dance in Your Darkest Moments, so all signs point to that being the name of the album. The bio in the IG page says that it’s “a human wellness initiative designed to inspire self-exploration, encourage acceptance, & cultivate a celebration for life.”

Smith recently posted a clip on his Instagram breaking down how his classic song “Summertime” came about.

Many have speculated for years that Rakim ghostwrote his verses, but that urban legend was put to rest in a recent moment between the pair. “I was absolutely trying to sound like you on ‘Summertime,’” he told Rakim backstage at CBS’ A Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip Hop last year. “‘Cause I had been screaming all night, and I couldn’t get my ‘happy-go-lucky’ high voice. And then Hula just said, ‘Yo, just gimme that Rakim sh–.’”

Check out Smith’s interview clip below:

25 Jul 2024

Donald Trump Uses Don Toliver’s ‘Attitude’ to Soundtrack TikTok Targeting Kamala Harris

The unlikely aligning of a pair of Dons. Donald Trump posted a video soundtracked by Don Toliver’s “Attitude” featuring Charlie Wilson and Cash Cobain to his TikTok account on Wednesday (July 24).

The clip finds the former president blasting Vice President Kamala Harris by utilizing some of his previous soundbites attacking the probable Democratic presidential nominee while “Attitude” vocals thump in the background.

“KAMALA, YOU’RE FIRED,” Trump captioned the video. Toliver has yet to publicly react to Trump’s TikTok. Billboard has reached out to reps for Don Toliver and Charlie Wilson for comment.

With just over 100 days until the election, the twice-impeached former president takes several shots at Harris in the TikTok clip. “You’ve been terrible at everything you’ve done. You’re ultra-liberal and we don’t want you here. We don’t want you anywhere,” 45 spews.

Fans were stunned to hear the worlds of the Cactus Jack artist and Trump colliding. “He saw Kamala use brat for promo and had to lock the f–k in,” one person wrote on X.

Another chimed in, “We’re living in a simulation!”

“Attitude” appeared on Don Toliver’s Hardstone Psycho album in June, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 — his highest since 2021’s Life of a Don. The Cash Cobain-produced single reached No. 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 16 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts.

Kamala Harris has also had her share of music moments since Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race on July 21. Charli XCX endorsed the Democratic front-runner, claiming that “Kamala IS brat” after her acclaimed LP, and Harris HQ returned the favor by changing her X banner to the signature Brat lime-green tint with black text.

Harris appears to have found a fitting anthem of her own. After walking out to Beyoncé‘s “Freedom” during her inaugural visit to campaign headquarters, the vice president released her first campaign video July 25 featuring Bey’s 2016 hit.

“What kind of country do we want to live in,” she asks in the clip. “There are some people who think we should be a country of chaos, of fear, of hate. But us? We choose something different. We choose freedom.”

Watch Trump’s TikTok below:

25 Jul 2024

Cardi B Slams Political Misogyny, Calls Kamala Harris Disrespect ‘Disgusting’

Cardi B doesn’t want any misogyny towards Kamala Harris.

The rapper took to X to share a 20-minute Spaces rant, expressing empathy that following President Joe Biden’s dropout from the presidential race, Vice President and potential Democratic nominee Kamala Harris “has 70, 80 days to change people’s perspective of her.”

She continued, “I always knew how people are when it comes to women, but the disrespect? Listen, if you don’t like her as a politician, that’s you. But if you disrespect her because she’s a woman? It’s very disgusting.”

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Cardi added, “It’s crazy because four, five days ago, I was like, ‘Yo, I feel like I’m not a feminist.’ I’ve been feeling like a lot of these women are your worst enemies. The toughest critics are women. […] But then, the natural self of me is like, ‘Damn, maybe I am a feminist.’

“Men are always gonna blame your success on her p—-. People are blaming her success on her p—-. What? She f—ed Joe Biden? She f—ed the whole Democratic Party that the whole Democratic Party decided she should be Vice President? I hate that narrative because I feel like women work harder than men.”

The rapper concluded, “The way that y’all disrespect her, makes me like her.”

Since Biden’s endorsement of Harris, countless party members, public figures and voters alike provided an outpouring of support for the attorney-turned-politician’s last-minute campaign, which raised more than $50 million in fundraising less than a day after it launched. “On behalf of the American people, I thank Joe Biden for his extraordinary leadership as President of the United States and for his decades of service to our country,” Harris wrote in a public response to the news. “I am honored to have the President’s endorsement and my intention is to earn and win this nomination.”

Watch Cardi’s full Spaces clip here.

https://twitter.com/i/spaces/1lPKqONZkqQJb

25 Jul 2024

Kamala Harris Reminds Fans That ‘Your Vote Is Your Power’ in Special ‘Drag Race’ Appearance

Fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race didn’t just fall out of a coconut tree — and Vice President Kamala Harris wants to remind them of the context they exist in.

Ahead of Friday’s (July 26) finale episode of All Stars 9, Drag Race shared an official clip set to air in the first moments of the episode, where the vice president stopped by the workroom — alongside Drag Race judge Michelle Visage, choreographer Jamal Sims and special guests Leslie Jones, Lance Bass and Cheyenne Jackson — to share some words of encouragement for those watching at home.

“Each day we are seeing our rights and freedoms under attack, including the right of everyone to be who they are, love who they love, openly and with pride,” Harris said. “So as we fight back against these attacks, let’s all remember no one is alone. We are all in this together, and your vote is your power. So please make sure your voice is heard this November, and register to vote at vote.gov.”

The new clip arrives just as Vice President Harris takes the baton from President Joe Biden as the presumptive Democratic nominee in the 2024 presidential election. The commander in chief announced Sunday (July 21) that he was dropping out of the race, and quickly endorsed Harris. In the days since Biden’s announcement, Harris’ campaign reports that they have $126 million dollars in support of the vice president.

Among those expressing their support for Harris’ presidential bid are a number of celebrities, including Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi B, Charli XCX and others. Even Beyoncé shared her support for the vice president by clearing the Harris campaign’s use of her song “Freedom” in rallies and in her latest campaign ad.

This won’t be the first time a major political figure has appeared on RuPaul’s Drag Race. In season 12, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined the judges’ panel to critique the queens’ performances during their unauthorized Madonna Rusical. Meanwhile, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has made two surprise appearances on the show — in All Stars 3 and All Stars 7.

The finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 9 begins streaming Friday on Paramount+. Check out the full clip of Vice President Harris’ appearance below:

25 Jul 2024

Taylor Swift Praises Ryan Reynolds’ Work on ‘Deadpool’ & Jokes He’s Her ‘Godkids’ Sperm Donor’

Taylor Swift loves a good anti-hero, which is why her love of the new Deadpool movie comes as no surprise. That, plus the fact that Ryan Reynolds — one of her best buddies — produced and stars in the franchise’s latest installment.

And on Thursday (July 25), the pop star showered the film with praise on her Instagram Story, sharing a photo she took with Reynolds — along with Blake Lively, who is married to the actor, and his Deadpool & Wolverine costar Hugh Jackman — at an October Kansas City Chiefs Game.

“Over the past few years I have watched one of my best friends on this planet pour every bit of his heart, soul, sweat, time, energy, jokes, pain, joy, rebellion, darkness, and magic into this film,” she wrote. “He’s created the best work of his life, and this film feels like an actual joy portal, a wild escape from reality, and an abs sandwich.”

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“I don’t know how he did it,” she added before joking, “But that’s just Hugh for you!”

The musician went on to encourage fans to buy tickets if they “like things that are unspeakably awesome,” and added of Reynolds’ character in the film, “Shout out to Wade Wilson, aka my godkids’ sperm donor!”

The Free Guy star quickly reshared Swift’s post to his own Story and wrote, “Omg, this may have just killed @thehughjackman” and added, “i’m also [dead]” with a skull-face emoji.

Reynolds and Lively are parents to four children — James, Inez, Betty and Olin. Swift has been a close friend of the family for years and even used the names of the three oldest kids in her Folklore love triangle songs. Years prior, she borrowed Reynolds’ actual Deadpool suit for her 2016 Halloween costume, after which he returned the favor by wearing a tee with her cats Meredith and Olivia on it in Deadpool 2.

“Yes, I had a T-shirt made,” he said in a recent SiriusXM Town Hall, joking that Swift took legal action against him in response. “I was sued. I lost everything in that one. And getting sued by a friend is tough to swallow. Also, she has just a lot of very, very powerful lawyers. I found out later those are just the paralegals. The real lawyers didn’t even bother with it.”

The “Fortnight” singer’s post will no doubt further fuel rumors that she makes a cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine. Fans have been convinced she appears in the film since Reynolds appeared to re-create her Evermore album cover in his Deadpool costume, before which a poster for the project featured Eras Tour-inspired friendship bracelets.

Even so, Reynolds all but shut the rumors down in a recent interview with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. “I wish,” he said when asked about the possibility, joking, “If I ever stop, she’d make a good Deadpool. She’s funny, funny, funny!”

25 Jul 2024

Olivia Rodrigo Invites Tyler Childers on Stage to Sing ‘All Your’n’ During Guts World Tour Stop in Kentucky

Olivia Rodrigo had a surprise for fans during her Guts World Tour stop in Lexington, Ky., on Wednesday night (July 24), when she welcomed Tyler Childers to perform his Grammy-nominated single “All Your’n.”

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During the show at Lexington’s Rupp Arena, the crowd erupted in cheers when Kentucky native Childers appeared to join Rodrigo for a crossover collaboration of “All Your’n,” which appears on his 2019 album Country Squire.

“I’m just such a huge fan of his and this song we’re about to sing I think is one of my favorite love songs of all time,” Rodrigo told the Lexington crowd.

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The “Vampire” hitmaker has welcomed a slew of guests artists during her Guts World Tour, including Lily Allen, Sheryl Crow and Noah Kahan.

To date, Rodrigo has earned a trio of Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping hits including the aforementioned “Vampire,” “Good 4 U” and the eight-week chart-leader “Drivers License.”

Rodrigo, who has been an outspoken advocate for reproductive rights — shared on social media that a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales for her Guts World Tour stop in Kentucky will be used through her Fund 4 Good initiative to aid abortion funds, including Kentucky Health Justice Network and A Fund Kentucky.

Childers released his most recent album, Rustin’ in the Rain, in 2023. He’s also earned a string of Grammy nominations for songs including “In Your Love,” which earned Grammy nominations for best country solo performance, best country song, and best music video, while Rustin’ in the Rain earned a Grammy nomination for best country album.

Watch the Rodrigo-Childers collaboration below:

25 Jul 2024

Cardi B Has Some Strong Thoughts on the New Popeyes Wing Flavor: ‘It Taste Like a Sprite Soda’

There are not many places you can order Popeyes wings at 4:30 a.m., but New York City lives up to its “city that never sleeps” nickname. After a night in the studio and looking for some fuel before hitting the gym, Cardi B ordered the new honey lemon pepper flavored wings at Popeyes and gave a brutally honest review for fans to hear on social media during the wee hours of Wednesday morning (July 24).

“Popeyes y’all really fumbled with this flavor because this flavor is not it,” she declared in a video on Instagram Stories. “This lemon pepper flavor with honey or this sweet taste on it, it’s just not good. It tastes like a f–king Sprite soda. I don’t f–king like it.

Cardi continued: “From one through 10, I’ll give it a two. I like the other one, I like the sweet heat. I was trying to be a lil’ different. I was trying to do lemon pepper, [but] I did not [think] it was gonna come with a sweet kick to it. I don’t f–king like it. It’s a dub.”

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The Grammy-winning rapper shared she’d been in the studio for three straight nights and it was finally time to go home and hit the gym. However, she showed some love to NYC for having late-night food options, unlike a lot of cities across the United States.

“Which state is better than New York? Because were are literally eating Popeyes still at 4:30 in the morning,” she said. “That’s crazy. There’s no place on earth that’s serving Popeyes at 4:30 in the morning. Even though it’s a dub … Your state is not giving like New York!”

A rep for Popeyes tells Billboard that the chain welcomes all “rankings and reviews” of its wings from customers.

“If you can’t take the heat, then get out of the kitchen,” a rep for the company quips. “And we are in the kitchen. A lot. … We believe variety is the spice of life and that’s why we have six flavors for wing enthusiasts like Cardi to enjoy. We are not surprised that Cardi loved our Sweet ‘N Spicy wings flavor. Our people will be in contact with her people for a taste of all flavors for the next studio session. And while we wait on her next late-night review, we encourage guests to share their personal Wings ratings with us on social.”

It’s not the first time Cardi B has been critical of Popeyes. In June 2023, she posted a video eating chicken from the fast food chain and complained about it being too big and “the size of her face.”

“Literally, it’s the size of my face — look! It’s too big, it’s too big for me and I don’t like that,” she said at the time.

Cardi is no stranger to reviewing her meals, and she teamed up with famed food critic Keith Lee in March to give their opinion on a burger joint in Los Angeles.

The rapper is continuing to grind in the studio after she promised that her long-awaited sophomore album would indeed be arriving later this year.

“I wanna say this to Bardi gang or anybody who’s just a fan of my music or even my craziness… I have my good days and my bad days but you know what, whether it’s good or bad I couldn’t be happier with the obvious anticipation for my album. Sometimes I get a little aggressive because yall know I don’t like to be told what to do but I promise you it’s coming THIS YEAR,” she confirmed on X July 18. “Thank you for the love and anticipation and always holding me down. I love yall.”

25 Jul 2024

Taylor Swift Gushes About Rainy Eras Tour Show in Hamburg: ‘Loved Those Crowds’

With her Hamburg fans, Taylor Swift would dance in a storm in her best dress, fearless. Following two nights at Volksparkstadion — one of which was complete with sheets of rain — the 34-year-old pop star is thanking her German crowds for showing up and showing out this week.

Sharing a carousel of dynamic photos from the concerts on Instagram Thursday (July 25), Swift gushed, “Hamburg!! I loved those crowds so so so much.”

“AND we got a rain show night one, unlocking Fuzzy Hair Me for the evening ?,” she continued, referencing the way her hair forms tight curls when faced with humidity. “Been having a blast watching these new Eras crowd traditions unfold all throughout Europe… You guys are seriously so creative. See you ? Munich!”

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Following her tenure in Hamburg July 23-24, the “Anti-Hero” singer will next set up shop in Munich for two back-to-back shows starting Saturday (July 27). She has less than a month left on the European leg of her global Eras trek, after which she’ll return to North America in October for one last victory lap through the U.S. and Canada.

At Volksparkstadion, Swift continued her tradition of singing two surprise song mashups during each nightly acoustic set, this time performing combinations of “Teardrops on My Guitar” with “The Last Time” and “We Were Happy” with “Happiness” on the first night, followed by “The Last Great American Dynasty” with “Run” and “Nothing New” with “Dear Reader” on the second.

In the crowd on Night 1 was Flavor Flav, aka “King Swiftie,” whom Swift gave a shout-out from the stage just before closing out the show. The Public Enemy rapper posted a clip of the moment on X, as well as a video of a sweet gift one person in attendance gave him.

After the show, he tweeted, “Shout out back to @taylorswift13 @taylornation13 and her team and family for having me,!!! ??????”