Music News

17 Jul 2024

Here Are the 2024 Primetime Emmy Nominees in All 7 Music Categories

In the nominations for the 76th annual Emmy Awards, which were announced on Wednesday (July 17), Rickey Minor has two of the five nods for outstanding music direction. Minor is nominated for his work on The Oscars and The 46th Kennedy Center Honors. He has won twice in the category, for his work on Taking the Stage: African American Music and Stories That Changed America (2017) and The Kennedy Center Honors (2020).

The other nominees in the category this year include the 2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which had three music directors – Adam Blackstone, Don Was and Omar Edwards. Like Minor, Blackstone and Was are past winners in this category.

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Two-time Oscar winner Hans Zimmer has three nominations across the seven music categories in the Primetime Emmy nods. He’s up for two awards (alongside Kara Talve) for his work on The Tattoist of Auschwitz and for a third for his work on Planet Earth III.

Others with two nods in music categories, besides Minor and Talve, include Marc Shaiman, Saturday Night Live’s Eli Brueggemann and the team of Atticus Ross, Leopold Ross and Nick Chuba.

Maya Rudolph, who is nominated for outstanding music and lyrics for co-writing “Maya Rudolph Mother’s Day Monologue” for her hosting turn on Saturday Night Live, has three other nominations this year in non-music categories. She is nominated in performance categories for SNL and Loot and character voiceover for Big Mouth.

Final-round online voting begins Aug. 15. The 76th Emmy Awards will broadcast live on ABC on Sunday, Sept. 15, from 8 to 11 p.m. ET/5 to 8 p.m. PT, from the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live, and stream the next day on Hulu. The 76th Creative Arts Emmy Awards take place at the Peacock Theater over two nights on Saturday, Sept. 7, and Sunday, Sept. 8, with an edited presentation to air on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FXX.

Emmy Award winners Jesse Collins and Dionne Harmon along with Emmy-nominated Jeannae Rouzan-Clay of Jesse Collins Entertainment are set to return as executive producers of the 76th Emmy Awards.

Outstanding music direction

The 46th Kennedy Center Honors • CBS • Done + Dusted in association with ROK Productions; Rickey Minor, Music Director

Late Night With Seth Meyers • Episode 1488 • NBC • Universal Television and Broadway Video; Fred Armisen, Eli Janney, Music Directors

The Oscars • ABC • Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; Rickey Minor, Music Director

2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony • ABC • Tenth Planet Productions; Adam Blackstone, Don Was, Omar Edwards, Music Directors

Saturday Night Live • Host: Ryan Gosling • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video; Lenny Pickett, Leon Pendarvis, Eli Brueggemann, Music Directors

Outstanding original music and lyrics

Girls5eva • “New York” / Song Title: “The Medium Time” • Netflix • Universal Television for Netflix; Sara Bareilles, Music & Lyrics

Only Murders In The Building • “Sitzprobe” / Song Title: “Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It?” • Hulu • 20th Television; Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, Music & Lyrics

Saturday Night Live • “Host: Maya Rudolph” / Song Title: “Maya Rudolph Mother’s Day Monologue” • NBC • SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video; Eli Brueggemann, Music; Maya Rudolph, Auguste White, Mike DiCenzo, Jake Nordwind, Lyrics

The Tattooist of Auschwitz • “Episode 6” / Song Title: “Love Will Survive” • Peacock • Synchronicity Films, Peacock, SKY Studios; Kara Talve, Hans Zimmer, Walter Afanasieff, Music; Charlie Midnight, Lyrics

True Detective: Night Country • “Part 5” / Song Title: “No Use” • HBO | Max • HBO in association with Peligrosa, Neon Black, Anonymous Content, Parliament of Owls and Passenger; John Hawkes, Music & Lyrics

Outstanding music composition for a series (original dramatic score)

The Crown • “Sleep, Dearie Sleep” • Netflix • Left Bank Pictures and Sony Pictures Television for Netflix; Martin Phipps, Composer

Mr. & Mrs. Smith • “First Date” • Prime Video • Amazon MGM Studios, Big Indie Pictures; David Fleming, Composer

Only Murders in the Building • “Sitzprobe” • Hulu • 20th Television; Siddhartha Khosla, Composer

Palm Royale • “Maxine Saves a Cat” • Apple TV+ • Apple Studios; Jeff Toyne, Composer

Shōgun • “Servants of Two Masters” • FX • FX Productions; Atticus Ross, Leopold Ross, Nick Chuba, Composers

Silo • “Freedom Day” • Apple TV+ • AMC Studios in association with Apple; Atli Örvarsson, Composer

Slow Horses • “Strange Games” • Apple TV+ • See-Saw Films in association with Apple; Daniel Pemberton, Toydrum, Composers

Outstanding music composition for a limited or anthology series, movie or special (original dramatic score)

All The Light We Cannot See • “Episode 4” • Netflix • 21 Laps Entertainment for Netflix; James Newton Howard, Composer

Fargo • “Blanket” • FX • FX Presents an MGM/FXP Production; Jeff Russo, Composer

Lawmen: Bass Reeves • “Part I” • Paramount+ • MTV Entertainment Studios, 101 Studios, Bosque Ranch Productions and Yoruba Saxon; Chanda Dancy, Composer

Lessons in Chemistry • “Book of Calvin” • Apple TV+ • Apple Studios; Carlos Rafael Rivera, Composer

The Tattooist of Auschwitz • “Episode 1” • Peacock • Synchronicity Films, Peacock, SKY Studios; Kara Talve, Hans Zimmer, Composers

Outstanding music composition for a documentary series or special (original dramatic score)

Albert Brooks: Defending My Life • HBO | Max • HBO Documentary Films and Castle Rock Entertainment; Marc Shaiman, Composer

Beckham • “Seeing Red” • Netflix • A Netflix Documentary Series / A Studio 99 Production in association with Ventureland; Anže Rozman, Camilo Forero, Composers

Jim Henson Idea Man • Disney+ • Imagine Documentaries Productions, Disney Branded Television; David Fleming, Composer

Planet Earth III • “Extremes” • BBC America • A BBC Studios Natural History Unit Production co-produced with BBC America, ZDF and France Télévisions for BBC; Jacob Shea, Sara Barone, Hans Zimmer, Composers

Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed • HBO | Max • HBO Documentary Films presents an Altitude Film Entertainment; Production in association with Berlanti/Schechter Films and Dog Star Films; Laura Karpman, Composer

Outstanding original main title theme music

Feud: Capote vs. the Swans • FX • FX Productions, 20th Television; Thomas Newman, Composer

Lessons in Chemistry • Apple TV+ • Apple Studios; Carlos Rafael Rivera, Composer

Masters of the Air • Apple TV+ • Apple Studios with Amblin Television / Playtone; Blake Neely, Composer

Palm Royale • Apple TV+ • Apple Studios; Jeff Toyne, Composer

Shōgun • FX • FX Productions; Atticus Ross, Leopold Ross, Nick Chuba, Composers

Outstanding music supervision

Baby Reindeer • “Episode 4” • Netflix • A Netflix Series / A Clerkenwell Films Production; Catherine Grieves, Music Supervisor

Fallout • “The End” • Prime Video • Amazon MGM Studios and Kilter Films in association with Bethesda Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks; Trygge Toven, Music Supervisor

Fargo • “The Tragedy of the Commons” • FX • FX Presents an MGM/FXP Production; Maggie Phillips, Music Supervisor

Mr. & Mrs. Smith • “A Breakup” • Prime Video • Amazon MGM Studios, Big Indie Pictures; Jen Malone, Music Supervisor

Only Murders in the Building • “Grab Your Hankies” • Hulu • 20th Television; Bruce Gilbert, Lauren Marie Mikus, Music Supervisors

True Detective: Night Country • “Part 4” • HBO | Max • HBO in association with Peligrosa, Neon Black, Anonymous Content, Parliament of Owls and Passenger; Susan Jacobs, Music Supervisor

17 Jul 2024

Eminem Reunites With Steve Berman in a Skit to Reveal New Edition of ‘The Death of Slim Shady’

Eminem released another limited-edition digital album of his The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) on Wednesday (July 17). The rapper takes it back to his roots when reconnecting with a frustrated Steve Berman, who appears on another skit, which has been added to this latest version of the album.

The Interscope Records vice chairman originally joined Slim Shady for a skit named after him on 2000’s The Marshall Mathers LP, and made another appearance on D-12’s Devil’s Night. He pops up again on an Eminem Show skit in 2002, where Em actually shoots Steve. After some time off, Berman returns on 2009’s Relapse after losing feeling in his right arm following the figurative gun shots.

It’s been well over a decade, and they’re back — back again — and still bickering as usual. Em had some fun with the digital album announcement, which finds Berman nagging the Detroit legend about his LP and finally convincing him to make another guest appearance.

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“Aren’t you supposed to be dead?” Berman quips. “How the f–k are you gonna put out another album without me on it?”

Em ultimately obliges: “All right, man, I’ll fix it.”

“Ok, @steveberman.. I fixed it,” Em added on social media. “Get the new #TheDeathOfSlimShady digital album- STEVE BERMAN Edition! Includes BOTH bonus tracks #1 and #2 + an exclusive skit w/ Steve. Avail only on shop.eminem.com until THURS. at midnight ET!”

The latest digital album comes with both bonus tracks — “Like My S–t” and “Kyrie & Luka” featuring 2 Chainz. Fans will have the chance to purchase the limited-edition LP until Thursday night (July 18).

The Death of Slim Shady served as Em’s 12th LP and first since 2020’s Music to Be Murdered By. The rapper is headed toward earning his 10th consecutive Billboard 200-topper if he can unseat Taylor Swift for the No. 1 slot.

17 Jul 2024

Lorde Says She Felt ‘Misunderstood’ by Charli XCX Before They Teamed Up on ‘Girl, So Confusing’

Lorde and Charli XCX both found clarity after working things out on the “Girl, So Confusing” remix. But before she hopped on the fan-favorite Brat track, the New Zealand singer-songwriter says she felt quite misconstrued by her friend.

Chatting for Charli’s new Billboard cover story, Lorde opened up about her perspective on the cathartic experience of recording the remix. The English alt-pop star had originally sent her counterpart the track as a simple heads-up that it was about the strain she felt in their friendship, a move the “Solar Power” musician said inspired “both deep empathy for my friend and this feeling of, ‘Man, I’ve been misunderstood, and I really want to make it right.’”

In response, Lorde almost immediately suggested teaming up for a joint remix. “I don’t know if you like me/ Sometimes I think you might hate me/ Sometimes I think I might hate you,” Charli sings on the track before her duet partner chimes in with, “You’d always say, ‘Let’s go out’/ But then I’d cancel last minute/ I was so lost in my head/ And scared to be in your pictures.”

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“When I was writing this verse, I was saying these things to her for the first time,” Lorde told Billboard. “There was such a rawness and an immediacy to what I was saying. I love that we truly did work it out on the remix. There’s something very brat about that, something very meta and modern.”

“Only Charli could make that happen,” she continued. “She had opened up a channel between us, and it made me say things that I had never said.”

The cover story comes a little more than a month after the “Von Dutch” singer dropped her critically acclaimed album Brat, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 — her highest peak on the chart to date — as well as inspired a wave of new internet trends. Many fans see it as a long-overdue commercial triumph for the tastemaker — as does Lorde, who stressed, “Charli’s been doing this.”

“Michelangelo apparently once said, ‘I’m just going to carve away all that is not David,’” the “Green Light” artist added to Billboard. “And I feel that that’s what we are getting to witness in real time: Charli saying to herself, ‘I’m going to carve away all that is not Charli.’”

17 Jul 2024

Billboard Korea’s CEO Yuna Kim on Embracing Strong Female Leadership In Korea

Billboard Korea’s CEO Yuna Kim spoke with Billboard Japan for its Women in Music interview series featuring trailblazing female players in the country’s music industry. Billboard Japan launched its WIM initiative in 2022 in the same spirit as the established example of Billboard’s event that began in 2007, honoring artists, producers and executives who have made significant contributions to the music industry and empowered women through their work, the highest accolade being Woman of the Year.

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Kim is the CEO of Billboard Korea, which joined Billboard’s international editions in June 2024. Reflecting on her career and the Global Women Leader Forum she launched in 2022 to empower Korean businesswomen, Kim spoke candidly about the challenges and issues surrounding female artists in Korea and the need for independent female leaders.

We’d love to hear about how you started your career and became the CEO of Billboard Korea.

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I started my own business in Shanghai 15 years ago. I had an entertainment company called GMI Entertainment and brought many K-pop stars, Korean actors, and celebrities to China to make TV programs, dramas and movies. I then moved to South Korea in 2016 and joined a big company Shinsegae Group, where I was head of global marketing. I then signed a licensing agreement with Penske Media Corporation, which owns WWD in the U.S., to launch WWD Korea in 2019 and then Billboard Korea this year.

Not only have you worked in the music industry, you have worked in different areas in the entertainment space.

Yes, exactly. In Shanghai, I had my TV program at Anhui TV, a major broadcasting company. I also launched my social media channels on Douyin, and Xiaohongshu, called Meet The Idol when I was there. So, I have a good understanding of the media and the entertainment business.

You are now the CEO of Billboard Korea. Do many women hold executive roles in Korea?

It is gradually increasing, but still low. In the Korean music industry, the proportion of female executives is only 6%. As you know, South Korea is a very conservative country.

Yes, Japan is the same way.

So, like women in Japan, it is tough to become an entrepreneur in South Korea. This is why in 2022, I invited global women leaders from the U.S. and organized the Global Women Leader Forum in South Korea. I wanted to teach the women leaders in Korea, about what it means to be a female leader. And to do this, we thought we needed to learn from other countries. We invited Maye Musk to speak at the forum because we wanted to focus more on independent women. She is well known as a single mother, having raised three children, including Elon Musk. She is very independent and has many beautiful stories to tell, and we hope to have a second forum by the spring of 2025.

Did you see any changes since holding the Global Women Leaders Forum?

Before organizing the forum, many of my friends told me, “Korea is a very conservative country, so many women leaders wouldn’t want to participate. So there is no point in doing it.” As you know, it’s a very sensitive topic. Many women in Korea feel they are not capable of holding executive positions, such as a CEO. They feel that they should give up because many women think they need to fight against men for these positions. But my view is different. Women have their unique strengths and personalities. Instead of fighting against men, they should be able to utilize their unique styles and strengths.

Approximately 300 women leaders attended the forum, which changed their thinking dramatically. Even older women leaders said that women leaders are necessary, not just for women, but for the company. Since then, other media outlets have started similar campaigns for female leadership. At Billboard Korea, we would also like to launch initiatives to empower female leaders and entrepreneurs in the music industry.

It’s a great initiative. Japan is gradually changing from an era in which women were expected to work in the same way as men, or even more than men, to an era in which men and women support each other both at work and at home. Since it takes time to change people’s values, it’s a gradual change, yet I believe entertainment can play a major role in this process.

Let’s talk about the challenges surrounding female artists. When you look at the year-end charts in the U.S. and Japan, men continue to outnumber women. When we spoke to Billboard‘s editorial director Hannah Karp for this interview series, she said there are still issues that need to be resolved, such as safety for women in recording studios and sexual harassment. What problems do you see in South Korea?

There is harassment in South Korea as well. Many men don’t want to get involved in such issues, so it doesn’t get covered in the news, especially in the older media. I feel it’s a major problem when voices of female artists and creators are not heard. There are also issues surrounding the way women look. We are all under huge pressure to be slim and pretty or expected to look like dolls, not human beings. So young K-pop celebrities invest heavily in their faces and bodies, trying to be younger and more beautiful. This is an issue in the Korean entertainment industry.

Everyone’s appearance changes as they grow older. Do K-pop fans continue to support their favorite artists as they age gracefully or do they move on and support younger artists?

I think it is 50-50 among K-pop fans. BTS fans continue to support them even after they have gone to military service, and they seem to enjoy the fact that they are growing with age. However, the same cannot be said for girl groups. I feel there is a lot more demand for female artists to be younger.

What can we do as a media outlet to support female artists and ensure that they can continue to perform and make music for a long time?

For this reason, I would like to focus more on independent women and female leaders. If we understand and empathize with our idols, not only with their appearance but also with their thoughts and philosophy, we will want to continue supporting them no matter how old they are. As a media outlet, we can listen to the voices of the fans and the artists, right? By helping artists and fans to build a relationship, artists can continue to grow.

The most popular Korean acts in Japan are male and female groups. Are there any female solo artists outside of the mainstream who have enjoyed long careers in Korea?

That is a good question. As you say, there are artists from various genres in South Korea, but only girl and boy groups have had global hits. The reason being, it is more difficult for solo artists to gain a dedicated fandom compared to groups. Therefore, many agencies produce groups. There are many talented female solo artists in Korea, and Billboard Korea wants to introduce all genres to the world, such as K-R&B, jazz, classical, hip-hop and trot.

We also want to introduce artists of different genders and genres to the world. I believe this can change the world view of the Japanese and Korean music scene.

Billboard is launching its media all around the world. We have different cultures and ways of thinking, but women should be independent in every country. We want to think about what needs to be done in each country to support women and implement it.

This interview by Naoko Takashima first appeared on Billboard Japan.

17 Jul 2024

Big Sean Delivers Bristling Freestyle Over Aaliyah Classic, Ends Fan Speculation Over His Target

Big Sean is in album mode. He dished out an appetizer for fans on Tuesday (July 16) when joining On the Radar for a fiery freestyle over Aaliyah’s 1996 classic “If Your Girl Only Knew.”

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Rocking a DMX shirt, Sean wanted to salute another late legend and “pay tribute to one of [his] favorite singers ever.”

“I got better things to do than find someone to beef with/ Or else I’m off the deep end/ This game will take you either way, you know it’s offense-defense,” he raps.

The Detroit spitter rumbles through the two-minute sprint and gives a shout-out to Black activist Dr. Umar Johnson. “Trust when I see your dark side I got night vision/ Going hard is Dr. Umar on white women,” Sean spews to close out the freestyle.

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The “find someone to beef with” bar caused a stir on social media, as fans speculated that he could be targeting Kendrick Lamar — following his feud with Drake — or Ye, who attempted to hop into the same beef.

Big Sean took to X to bring an end to the narratives running rampant on social media making it seem as if he were sniping at his peers.

“Yall goin wit so many narratives, im talking to da haters who just keep finding something to point out they dont like bout me,” he wrote in a since-deleted tweet. “Its not even worth explaining tho im a just focus on the music.”

Kendrick affiliate DJ Hed claimed he spoke to Sean and confirmed that the lyric in question wasn’t directed at K. Dot. “I talked to Sean. The bar was ‘I got better things to do then find someone to beef with’ And it was not for Dot,” he tweeted. “Bar was directed at a different Gemini.”

Earlier this week, Big Sean previewed an unreleased track titled “Fighting Fires” produced by Ye (former known as Kanye West), which he said could be headed for Vultures 2 — if it ever arrives.

Elsewhere during Monday night’s (July 15) IG Live session, Sean provided some insight into his Detroit 2 follow-up, which could be coming sooner than fans think.

“You know what I love about this album? It’s so many different sides of me,” he said. “It’s multi-f–king-faceted, just like me. I meditate every morning, but I also got straps in the studio — not them straps; I keep guns. [The album] really represents what the f–k I’ve been going through for these past couple of years.”

Sean Don also admitted that he stopped drinking and is practicing sobriety, which has it’s tough times, especially with his partner Jhené Aiko on the road with their 1-year-old son.

“I just stopped drinking in 2022 ’cause that s–t was just f—ing me up,” he explained. “Any of y’all who got like issues with s–t, mentally, that motherf—king alcohol — it’s a depressant so if you dealing with any anxiety like me, I always be thinking about what I gotta do, how I gotta do it, what’s next et cetera. N—a stay away from that alcohol, boy.”

Big Sean has three consecutive No. 1 albums atop the Billboard 200 with 2020’s Detroit 2 serving as his most recent LP. He returned earlier this year with his “Precision” single and dished out features for Jessie Reyez and Eminem. The 36-year-old will also be adding “author” to his résumé in October when his Go Higher book promoting mental wellness arrives.

Watch Sean’s “On the Radar” Freestyle below.



17 Jul 2024

Selena Gomez & Donald Glover Land Primetime Emmy Nods for Acting

Selena Gomez and Donald Glover both received Primetime Emmy nominations in acting categories on Wednesday (July 17). It’s Gomez’s first acting nomination, Glover’s fifth.

Gomez was nominated for outstanding performance by a lead actress in a comedy series for Only Murders in the Building. She had been passed over for a nod in the category the last two years. Her co-stars, Martin Short and Steve Martin, were nominated in the equivalent category for lead actors for their work on the show – Short for the third year in a row and Martin for the second time in three years.

Glover was nominated for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for Mr. and Mrs. Smith. He received three nods for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series for his previous series, Atlanta. He won in that category in 2017. Glover was nominated for outstanding guest actor in a comedy series in 2018 for hosting Saturday Night Live. The multi-talented artist was also nominated for writing, directing and executive producing Atlanta. He won outstanding directing for a comedy series for that series in 2017, the same year as his acting win. He received a second nod this year for outstanding writing for a drama series for Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

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Gomez also stands to receive a nomination for outstanding comedy series for serving as an executive producer of Only Murders in the Building. (The names of the nominees in series categories haven’t been announced yet.) She was nominated in that category in both of the last two seasons.

Gomez and Glover have both topped the Billboard Hot 100. As Childish Gambino, Glover led the chart for two weeks in May 2018 with “This Is America.” Gomez hit No. 1 in November 2019 with “Lose You to Love Me.”

As Childish Gambino, Glover has amassed five Grammys. Gomez has yet to win a Grammy, but she has received two nominations.

Final-round online voting begins Aug. 15, 2024. The 76th Emmy Awards will broadcast live on ABC on Sunday, Sept. 15, 8-11 p.m. ET/5-8 p.m. PT) from the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live, and stream the next day on Hulu. The 76th Creative Arts Emmy Awards take place at the Peacock Theater over two nights on Saturday, Sept. 7, and Sunday, Sept. 8, with an edited presentation to air on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FXX.

Emmy Award winners Jesse Collins and Dionne Harmon along with Emmy-nominated Jeannae Rouzan-Clay of Jesse Collins Entertainment are set to return as executive producers of the 76th Emmy Awards.

17 Jul 2024

Shaboozey’s ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’ Is the Most Played Song on TouchTunes Jukeboxes

Ever wondered what the most played song is in the United States on jukeboxes? According to TouchTunes, that song is Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which leads the jukebox service’s first ranking of music available on its platform.

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“A Bar Song” tops the TouchTunes Frontline Chart, which ranks music released in the last 18 months, for the second quarter of 2024 (covering April 1-June 30). It’s also the most played song among the entire catalog of songs available on TouchTunes (besting all songs on the TouchTunes Catalog Chart, which ranks any music released longer than 18 months ago).

That’s after first-quarter (January-March) data that saw Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey” the platform’s most played song and No. 1 on the Catalog ranking. The song remains No. 1 on the second-quarter Catalog tally and the second most played song overall behind “A Bar Song.”

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“A Bar Song” tops the Frontline chart despite not even being available for the entire three-month period; it was released on April 12. The track has reigned on Billboard’s multimetric Hot Country Songs chart for five weeks through the latest list, dated July 20, and reached the all-genre Billboard Hot 100’s summit for one frame (July 13). It’s No. 2 on the newest Hot 100, as previously reported, via 69.5 million in airplay audience, 41.5 million official U.S. streams and 21,000 downloads sold, according to Luminate.

“Tennessee Whiskey” was released in 2015 and is featured on Stapleton’s Traveller album from that year. It’s remained a popular song to stream, let alone play on TouchTunes jukeboxes; the tune has spent a record 447 weeks on Billboard’s Country Streaming Songs chart.

Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” ranks behind “A Bar Song” as No. 2 on the Frontline list. Released in June 2023, the song – which crowned the Hot 100 for a week in March – sported an 18% in plays quarter over quarter, according to TouchTunes.

Post Malone’s Morgan Wallen-featuring “I Had Some Help” bows at No. 3 on the Frontline chart, while Wallen’s own “Last Night” and Luke Combs’ “Fast Car” rounds out the top five.

Of note, four of the top five are country songs. That genre domination coincides with TouchTunes’ data on all frontline songs on the platform; in quarter two, 36% of plays were for country songs, 16 percentage points more than the next closest genre (rap, 20%).

Including catalog, that percentage drops to 23% of the entire platform for country, based on a 21% share of all catalog titles. It’s nonetheless the second highest performing genre among all catalog songs, behind rock, which nabs 41% (and 38% of all songs). That’s despite the entire top six of the Catalog chart being country music; after “Tennessee Whiskey” comes Toby Keith’s “I Love This Bar” at No. 2, with Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places,” Jelly Roll’s “Son of a Sinner” and Hardy’s “Truck Bed” rounding out the top five.

The highest ranking rock song on Catalog is Queen’s “Fat Bottomed Girls,” which appears at No. 7.

Wallen boasts the most songs between the two surveys: eight (two on Catalog, six on Frontline). The Frontline sum includes his featured role on Malone’s “I Had Some Help.”

“Music superfans of all genres use the jukebox to curate shared listening experiences,” John Stephen, TouchTunes head of music partnerships and audience, tells Billboard. “From introducing a new generation to classics from icons like Garth Brooks and Van Morrison, to spotlighting current sensations such as Shaboozey and Benson Boone, TouchTunes unites people through music in over 60,000 locations nationwide.”

See both 25-position charts below.

TouchTunes Frontline Chart

1. “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Shaboozey
2. “Lose Control,” Teddy Swims
3. “I Had Some Help,” Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen
4. “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen
5. “Fast Car,” Luke Combs
6. “Beautiful Things,” Benson Boone
7. “Get It Sexyy,” Sexyy Red
8. “Save Me,” Jelly Roll with Lainey Wilson
9. “Lovin on Me,” Jack Harlow
10. “Where the Wild Things Are,” Luke Combs
11. White Horse,” Chris Stapleton
12. “Cowgirls,” Morgan Wallen feat. Ernest
13. “Too Sweet,” Hozier
14. “Texas Hold ‘Em,” Beyonce
15. “I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan feat. Kacey Musgraves
16. “Pretty Little Poison,” Warren Zeiders
17. “You Proof,” Morgan Wallen
18. “Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar
19. “Yeah Glo!,” GloRilla
20. “Need a Favor,” Jelly Roll
21. “Try That in a Small Town,” Jason Aldean
22. “Spin You Around (2024),” Morgan Wallen
23. “Paint the Town Red,” Doja Cat
24. “Thinkin’ Bout Me,” Morgan Wallen
25. “Rich Baby Daddy,” Drake feat. Sexyy Red and SZA

TouchTunes Catalog Chart

1. “Tennessee Whiskey,” Chris Stapleton
2. “I Love This Bar,” Toby Keith
3. “Friends in Low Places,” Garth Brooks
4. “Son of a Sinner,” Jelly Roll
5. “Truck Bed,” Hardy
6. “Neon Moon,” Brooks & Dunn
7. “Fat Bottomed Girls,” Queen
8. “Drinkin’ Problem,” Midland
9. “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink,” Merle Haggard
10. “Wasted On You,” Morgan Wallen
11. “Copperhead Road,” Steve Earle
12. “Something in the Orange,” Zach Bryan
13. “Whiskey Glasses,” Morgan Wallen
14. “Don’t Stop Believin’,” Journey
15. “Simple Man,” Lynyrd Skynyrd
16. “Family Tradition,” Hank Williams Jr.
17. “Rockstar,” Nickelback
18. “The Joker,” The Steve Miller Band
19. “Brown Eyed Girl,” Van Morrison
20. “Save Me,” Jelly Roll
21. “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” Toby Keith
22. “Thunderstruck,” AC/DC
23. “Oklahoma Smokeshow,” Zach Bryan
24. “Sweet Child o’ Mine,” Guns N’ Roses
25. “In the Air Tonight,” Phil Collins

17 Jul 2024

Ariana Grande to Release A Cappella Versions of ‘The Boy Is Mine’ & ‘We Can’t Be Friends’

As she continues plucking away at her upcoming Eternal Sunshine deluxe edition, Ariana Grande is treating fans to multiple new versions of both “The Boy Is Mine” and “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love).”

The 31-year-old pop star shared plans to drop digital bundles for both singles on Instagram Stories Wednesday (July 17). The “Boy Is Mine” package will include her previously released remix with Brandy and Monica, as well as instrumental, solo a cappella and group a cappella versions. The latter will also feature the ’90s R&B-pop icons, who guested on the track after making surprise cameos in Grande’s Penn Badgley-led music video for the track.

As for “We Can’t Be Friends,” the two-time Grammy winner will unleash an a cappella version, an instrumental version, a string version and an instrumental string version. The bundle follows the heartbreaking dance track reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March, supported by a music video inspired by Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind that starred Grande opposite Evan Peters.

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Both bundles will arrive Friday (July 19). Physical single copies featuring selections of those new versions are also available on Grande’s website.

The Wicked star’s new releases arrive as Eternal Sunshine spends its 18th week on the Billboard 200. Upon its debut, the album topped the chart for two weeks.

Grande recently confirmed that a deluxe edition of the LP is in the works, featuring brand new music to complement the original set of 13 tracks — not that fans should expect it to arrive any time “super soon.” “I definitely thought this album was perfect as it was, and I still kind of feel that way,” she told Evan Ross Katz on a recent episode of his Shut Up Evan podcast. “With time, I’ve been inspired to write more songs and inclined to do this deluxe. I’m really tempted to put a creative button on this storytelling, and I have a lot of ideas.”

“I don’t just want to slap the music onto what I already think is a perfect version of the album,” she added at the time. “I want to let it live in this current state a little while longer, take my time to execute my vision for this deluxe and make sure that it’s worth the wait and as special as I think it can be.”

17 Jul 2024

Eminem’s ‘Tobey’ Swings Into Top 10 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart

After its first full tracking week, Eminem, Big Sean and BabyTron’s “Tobey” rockets to the top 10 of Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The song was released on Wednesday, July 3, allowing it only two days of activity for the chart’s Friday-Thursday tracking cycle for the week of June 28-July 4, but despite the truncated window, “Tobey” still debuted at No. 26. After the tracking week of July 5-11, the collaboration, which name checks Spider-Man actor Tobey Maguire in its hook, soars to No. 7 on the list dated July 20.

For the multimetric Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, which combines streaming, radio airplay and sales data, “Tobey” registered 13.6 million official U.S. streams, according to Luminate, In the July 5-11 tracking week. The nine-figure sum prompts a No. 4 debut on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs chart and No. 21 on the corresponding, all-genre list. The track also sold 3,000 song downloads and repeats at No. 4 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart. “Tobey” only generated a negligible amount of airplay, with radio promotional efforts still focused on Eminem’s focus single, “Houdini.”

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With “Tobey,” Eminem captures his 18th top 10 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Here’s a rundown of his collection:

Song Title, Artist (if other than Eminem), Peak Position, Peak Date

  • “Lose Yourself,” No. 4, Dec. 21, 2002
  • “Forever,” Drake featuring Kanye West, Lil Wayne & Eminem, No. 2, Oct. 31, 2009
  • “Love the Way You Lie,” featuring Rihanna, No. 7, Oct. 2, 2010
  • “My Life,” 50 Cent featuring Eminem & Adam Levine, No. 6, Dec. 15, 2012
  • “Berzerk,” No. 2, Sept. 14, 2013
  • “Survival,” No. 6, Oct. 26, 2013
  • “Rap God,” No. 2, Nov. 2, 2013
  • “The Monster,” featuring Rihanna, No. 1 (13 weeks), Nov. 16, 2013
  • “Guts Over Fear,” featuring Sia, No. 6, Sept. 13, 2014
  • “Walk on Water,” featuring Beyoncé, No. 6, Dec. 2, 2017
  • “River,” featuring Ed Sheeran, No. 5, Jan. 3, 2018
  • “Fall,” No. 10, Sept. 15, 2018
  • “Lucky You,” featuring Joyner Lucas, No. 5, Sept. 15, 2018
  • “The Ringer,” No. 7, Sept. 15, 2018
  • “Killshot,” No. 2, Sept. 29, 2018
  • “Homicide,” Logic featuring Eminem, No. 2, May 18, 2019
  • “Godzilla,” featuring Juice WRLD, No. 3, Feb. 1, 2020
  • “Houdini,” No. 1 (one week), June 15, 2014
  • “Tobey,” with Big Sean & BabyTron, No. 7 (to date), July 20, 2024

The new hit secures Big Sean his 12th career top 10 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and first in nearly seven years, since “Feels,” a Calvin Harris track that featured the rapper alongside Pharrell Williams and Katy Perry, reached No. 10 in August 2017.

BabyTron, meanwhile, achieves a career milestone by teaming up with his fellow Michigan rap stars, earning his first Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs top 10 with his first title to make the chart.

“Tobey,” which includes lyrics suggesting Eminem’s stance on his place on the Billboard staff’s Greatest Rappers of All Time list, appears on the superstar’s The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) album. The set, released on July 12, is the rapper’s first new body of work since 2020’s Music to Be Murdered By.

17 Jul 2024

Cody Johnson Offers Stirring National Anthem Performance at MLB All-Star Game: Watch

Cody Johnson offered a sterling performance of the national anthem on Tuesday (July 16), just before the second evening of the MLB’s All-Star game.

Appropriately, the MLB got native Texan Johnson to perform the national anthem for the game, which was held at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, home to the Texas Rangers.

As the cameras centered on Johnson — who was clad in a suit jacket, jeans and a white shirt — he removed his signature cowboy hat before delivering an expertly rendered version of “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

Johnson was well-prepared for the moment, having spent years on the road, building his fanbase concert by concert and becoming a well-known performer in Texas before breaking through to the mainstream in 2022 with his hit “‘Til You Can’t,” which was named single of the year by the Country Music Association.

Johnson’s performance came one night after fellow country singer-songwriter Ingrid Andress, known for her hit “More Hearts Than Mine,” performed another memorable version of the national anthem at the MLB’s Home Run Derby — a pitchy version that sparked a torrent of criticism from viewers.

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Andress spoke out and owned up to the performance, posting a statement on her social media pages that read, “I’m not gonna bulls–t y’all. I was drunk last night. I’m checking myself into a facility today to get the help I need. That was not me last night. I apologize to the MLB, all the fans, and this country I love so much for that rendition. I’ll let y’all know how rehab is I hear it’s super fun. xo, Ingrid.”

The national anthem is notoriously hard to sing, and Andress is far from the first artist to spark backlash after performing the tune. Musicians including Fergie, Christina Aguilera and Steven Tyler have earned criticism for their performances of the song.

Johnson will return to headline at Globe Life Field later this year, when he brings his Leather Tour to the stadium on Nov. 9.

Watch Johnson’s performance below: