Music News

02 Jul 2024

Jason Aldean Opens Up About His ACM Awards Toby Keith Tribute: ‘I Just Didn’t Want to Mess It Up’

In May, Jason Aldean took the stage at the Academy of Country Music Awards to honor the legacy of the late singer-songwriter Toby Keith with a version of Keith’s breakthrough hit “Should’ve Been a Cowboy.” Keith died in February at age 62, following a battle with stomach cancer. During a Monday (July 1) interview on The Bobby Bones Show, Aldean opened up about his tribute performance.

iHeartRadio personality Bobby Bones noted, “A lot of us knew Toby [Keith] in different ways, and you had a relationship with Toby. Do you want to actually be feeling [the sadness over his loss]? Or do you want to not feel it so you can pull off a performance?”

Trending on Billboard

Aldean replied, “Yeah, I think it was a little bit more of that. I felt like Toby deserved a great tribute for the career he had. I knew it was going to be a big night for his family and people that were going to be out there. To be honest, I just didn’t want to mess it up. I wanted to go out and give him a send-off that he deserved.” During the ACM Awards, Aldean sat on a stool and was flanked by two additional guitar players as he offered up an earnest, slowed-down version of the Keith hit.

“Especially with us kind of changing the song up, you just don’t know how people are going to take that. You know what I mean?” Aldean said. “If they’re going to like it, not like it, or whatever. So for us, it was trying to do something cool and different and something to honor him and his family. His wife texted me that night after the show, which was really the icing on the cake for me if [she] approved, I’m cool.”

Following the performance, Keith’s family publicly praised Aldean’s performance, posting on Keith’s official X account, “The Covel family would like to thank Jason Aldean for the wonderfully touching performance at the ACM Awards tonight. It was the perfect tribute to Toby Keith.”

Watch Aldean’s interview on The Bobby Bones Show below:

02 Jul 2024

Martina Navratilova Slams ‘Misogynistic’ Article Criticizing Taylor Swift for Being ‘Unmarried & Childless’

Whether or not it was their intention, Newsweek got quite a bit of negative attention last week for publishing an opinion piece by writer John Mac Ghlionn that criticized Taylor Swift for being “not a good role model” due to her status as “unmarried and childless.” Now, Martina Navratilova is leading the charge against the author’s views, which she slammed as being “a massive pile of misogynistic bull” on X Sunday (June 30). 

“This guy should be ashamed of himself and I can’t believe he writes for Newsweek…and they printed it,” the tennis champion wrote. “I mean…” 

Navratilova also pointed out in the replies: “Taylor never claimed she was a role model.” 

Trending on Billboard

The former Olympian’s comments come in response to Ghlionn claiming in his piece — which was simply titled Taylor Swift Is Not a Good Role Model — that the public “must ask if [Swift’s] personal life choices are ones we want our sisters and daughters to emulate.” 

Why? Because, as the writer put it, “at 34, Swift remains unmarried and childless, a fact that some might argue is irrelevant to her status as a role model … But, I suggest, it’s crucial to consider what kind of example this sets for young girls.” 

Ghlionn also took issue with the 14-time Grammy winner writing songs that he claims “depict her as the victim” and promoting what he sees as “romantic promiscuity” through her public relationships.  

Navratilova is just one of countless people to comment that the opinion piece is rife with sexist connotations, while The Standard recently published a counterargument pointing out that male pop stars almost never receive the same type of critique. 

“To claim that Swift’s power as a role model is diminished by those mediaeval metrics is pure misogyny,” added writer Claire Cohen. “It positions a woman’s worth in terms of her duty towards men and sends us back to an era in which we were little more than walking wombs … And no doubt if Swift was married with children, she’d be criticized for leaving her family at home while she selfishly went on tour and accused of emasculating her husband by being the breadwinner.” 

Billboard has reached out to Newsweek for comment. 

So far, Swift herself hasn’t responded to Newsweek’s article. The “Fortnight” singer – who’s been open for years about her stance as a feminist as well as her experiences battling sexist commentary — is currently busy on the European leg of her global Eras Tour, which most recently wrapped three nights in Dublin. 

See Navratilova’s tweets below. 

02 Jul 2024

Cardi B Teases New Song That Samples Janet Jackson: ‘Y’all Like This Vibe for CB2?’

Cardi B has given more hope to the Bardi Gang in regards to her long-awaited sophomore album being released in 2024 by teasing another snippet on her Instagram Story on Monday night (July 1). The clip finds the Bronx native showcasing a softer side of her typically fiery raps, and the possible CB2 single samples Janet Jackson’s “Funny How Time Flies (When You’re Having Fun).”

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“I hope that you on your way/ Crazy ’bout you,” she sings over Jackson’s beat. “Waiting on you, can’t wait to sit on that face/ Focused on you.”

Trending on Billboard

“Yall like this vibe for CB2?” Cardi captioned the video, which shows her in a car.

Fans seemed to be feeling the snippet in their reactions on X. “Love that song!!!!!!! Belcalis you’ve done it again!!!! So ready for cb2,” one member of the Bardi Gang wrote.

“Funny How Time Flies,” which appeared on Jackson’s 1986 blockbuster Control, was produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Plenty of other artists have sampled it in the past, including Tinashe, SWV, The Lost Boyz and Camp Lo. Jackson’s track was released in the U.K. and Ireland, but was ruled ineligible to chart in the U.S., while other Control singles — including “Nasty” and “When I Think of You” — dominated commercially.

Cardi seemed to be practicing her affirmations on X over the weekend when she put out good energy into the universe when it comes to her proving her detractors wrong once again. “I have everything planned, locked, and ready to go. Every thing I said I would do this year, I’m going to do it. Nothing is going to stop me. I proved myself before and I’m going to do it again… now rest,” she wrote.

It’s been more than six years since Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy album arrived in April 2018. It topped the Billboard 200 with 255,000 album units sold in the first week and went on to win best rap album at the 2019 Grammy Awards.

Listen to the snippet below.

02 Jul 2024

Bebe Rexha Rails Against Music Biz: ‘I’ve Been Silenced and PUNISHED By This Industry’

Bebe Rexha launched a fiery broadside against a music industry on Tuesday morning (July 2), claiming in a series of X posts that she’s been mistreated and sabotaged at every turn. The 34-year-old singer who has helped write songs for everyone from Eminem to Selena Gomez, Tate McRae and Tinashe while scoring hits with G-Eazy, Martin Garrix and Florida Georgia Line wrote that she has the kind of inside dirt that could burn things to the ground.

“I could bring down a BIG chunk of this industry. I AM frustrated. I Have been UNDERMINED,” wrote Rexha, who has been writing songs and performing since she was a teenager. “I’ve been so quiet for the longest time. I haven’t seen the signs even though people constantly are bringing them up and they have been SO OBVIOUS. And when I have spoken up I’ve been silence and PUNISHED by this industry Things must change or I’m telling ALL of my truths. The good the bad and the ugly.’ I’ve been so quiet for the longest time. I haven’t seen the signs even though people constantly are bringing them up and they have been SO OBVIOUS. And when I have spoken up I’ve been silence and PUNISHED by this industry Things must change or I’m telling ALL of my truths. The good the bad and the ugly.”

At press time a spokesperson for Rexha’s label for the past decade-plus, Warner Records, had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment on the tweets and the singer had not specifically revealed what inspired her series of fired-up missives. When a fan asked “what happened again,” Rexha replied, “Again? You haven’t even heard 5 percent. You have NO IDEA.”

Trending on Billboard

In another exchange, a fan opined that, “nobody should be forgiven for the time they took your name out of ‘Hey Mama.’” The tweet appeared to reference the 2015 David Guetta song “Hey Mama,” which was co-written by Rexha, Guetta and several others. At the time, Rexha told Billboard that though she was credited as a co-writer, she was not initially listed as a vocalist on the track alongside Nicki Minaj and Afrojack, a situation that stuck in her craw given what she described at that time as an already rocky path in the music industry.

“I really wanted to be featured on it, because, you know, I’ve been signed and dropped, and now signed a second time, so it’s been hard, the then-25-year-old said. “What ended up happening was that it looked like a lot of names on the title, so they wanted to keep as many low features as possible. That’s what I was told, and it makes sense to me. I guess more than two [featured] names don’t look good on the radio.”

On Tuesday, though, in response to that fan’s “Hey Mama” comment, Rexha said, “My love. That? Compared to all the other stuff you don’t know about? That’s Child’s play.” The back-and-forth continued, with Rexha telling another commenter who asked what has stopped her from speaking out that, “THEY PUNISH YOU.”

A decade removed from the “Hey Mama” drama, Rexha also claimed that in the midst of promoting her latest single, “I’m the Drama,” she’s been struggling to, well, promote the song because of what she claims are further roadblocks from the industry. “Marketing? I have no budget for that,” she wrote of the song that dropped on June 28. “IM FED UP.”

The singer who released her third full-length studio album, Bebe, in 2023, continued to explain her frustration, writing, “This is not just coming from a place of anger. It’s sadness. I’m sitting in my hotel room in London Crying my eyes out. I’ve felt hopeless for the longest time. I’ve been walking a lot through this city and meeting fans and they have really ignited something inside of me.” In the midst of the string of laments, Rexha thanked her fans for continually giving her the strength to carry on.

To date, Rexha has scored four top 10 hits, including her 2017 FGL collab, “Meant To Be,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as the 2015 G-Eazy team-up “Me, Myself & I” (No. 7), “Hey Mama” (No. 8) and 2022’s David Guetta collab “I’m Good (Blue)” (No. 4); Rexha recently lashed out at Eazy, calling him an “ungrateful loser” and dubbing their song his “only real hit.”

Check out Rexha’s tweets below.

02 Jul 2024

Hot 100 First-Timers: Ella Langley Scores First Entry With Riley Green Duet ‘You Look Like You Love Me’

Ella Langley is officially a Billboard Hot 100-charting artist, as the singer-songwriter arrives with her viral duet, “You Look Like You Love Me,” with Riley Green.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Released June 21 via SAWGOD/Columbia Records, the track debuts at No. 53 on the Hot 100 (dated July 6) with 8.6 million official U.S. streams, 14,000 in radio airplay audience and 3,000 downloads sold in its first week, according to Luminate. It also opens at No. 15 on the Hot Country Songs chart, where it’s Langley’s second entry, after “Strangers,” with Kameron Marlowe (No. 43 peak, February).

“You Look Like You Love Me” (which marks Green’s fifth Hot 100 hit) was boosted by activity on TikTok leading up to its official release. Before releasing the song, Langley and Green shared snippets on TikTok, as well as live performances of it on their joint tour. One version of the song has soundtracked over 225,000 clips on TikTok, while another has been used in over 100,000 videos. Their teasing of the track helped it debut at No. 9 on last week’s TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart (dated June 29).

Trending on Billboard



Langley first appeared on Billboard’s charts dated June 3, 2023, when her debut EP, Excuse the Mess, entered at No. 19 on Heatseekers Albums (which ranks the top-selling albums each week by new or emerging acts). The set includes a collaboration with fellow recent Hot 100 First-Timer Koe Wetzel.

Langley recently concluded a supporting stint on Green’s Ain’t My Last Rodeo Tour, as well as Hardy’s Quit!! Tour. She has other supporting gigs lined up on Morgan Wallen’s One Night at a Time Tour, Luke Bryan’s Mind of a Country Boy Tour and Dierks Bentley’s Gravel & Gold Tour.

“You Look Like You Love Me” is slated to appear on Langley’s debut full-length, Hungover, due Aug. 2.

02 Jul 2024

Taylor Swift Hung With Travis Kelce, Stevie Nicks and Paramore at Dublin Bar After Eras Tour Shows: ‘Such a Warm and Genuinely Friendly Night’

After sweating it out for more than three hours a night on her Eras Tour Taylor Swift has earned some down time with friends. And that’s exactly what she got over the weekend after wrapping her three-night stand at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, when she and some fellow A-listers dropped into the city’s Hacienda bar.

“Great to welcome Taylor Swift with all her musicians and dancers to the Hacienda last night. Special to also welcome Superbowl champion Travis Kelce, the legendary Stevie Nicks and Paramore,” the bar wrote on Facebook on Monday (July 1). “It was such a warm and genuinely friendly night, we did not request our ‘usual’ Hacienda photo so as to allow Taylor and friends the chance to properly relax and enjoy their well-deserved time off.”

The Dublin shows were notable for several reasons, one of which was a seeming surprise appearance by three-time Super Bowl champ Kansas City Chiefs tight end Kelce, who strode into the venue mid-show and appeared to catch his girlfriend’s eye. In videos posted by fans, Taylor seems to light up when Kelce walked in during the Folklore song “August.”

Trending on Billboard

In addition, one of Swift’s all-time musical lodestars, Fleetwood Mac singer and solo star Nicks, seemed to get a bit misty at that show after Taylor performed the Midnights track “You’re On Your Own, Kid.” Swift dedicated the live debut of The Tortured Poets Department song “Clara Bow” to Nicks at the show, and according to fan videos, when the singer began performing “You’re On Your Own” Nicks got teary-eyed.

Last year during a show in Atlanta, Nicks said the song helped capture the sadness she felt following the death of her longtime Mac bandmate Christine McVie in November 2022. “Thank you to Taylor Swift for doing this thing for me, and that is writing a song called ‘You’re On Your Own, Kid,’” Nicks said at the time. “That is the sadness of how I feel. As long as Chris was, even on the other side of the world, we didn’t have to talk on the phone. We really weren’t phone buddies. Then we would go back to Fleetwood Mac, and we would walk in and it would be like ‘little sister, how are you?’ It was like never a minute had passed, never an argument in our entire 47 years.”

Swift will be back on stage at Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam on Thursday (July 4) for a three-night stand before moving on to another three-fer at Gelsenkirchen, Germany’s Arena AufSchalke on July 17-19.

Check out the fan footage below.

02 Jul 2024

Jamie Foxx Describes ‘Bad Headache’ That Led to Being ‘Gone For 20 Days’ During 2023 Health Crisis

It’s been more than a year since Jamie Foxx was hospitalized due to what has so far been an described as a “medical complication.” Though he spent nearly a month in the hospital, the Oscar-winning star has not revealed any details of what crisis he suffered to date.

But in an impromptu scrum outside a hotel in Phoenix recently, Foxx gave a group of fans a few details about how he ended up in the ER. In a clip posted to TikTok by motivational speaker Dr. Brenda Combs, Foxx revealed that he has almost no memory of that time.

“Look, April 11 last year — bad headache. I asked my boy for an Advil,” Foxx said, pausing and then snapping his fingers. “I was gone for 20 days. I don’t remember anything.” He explains that his sister, Diedra Dixon and daughter, Corinne Foxx, took him to a doctor’s office in Atlanta, where he got a cortisone shot. Pointing to his head, Foxx said the doctor told him, “There’s something going on up there.”

Trending on Billboard

Foxx then paused again and said cryptically, “I won’t say what on camera… I don’t want to say it on camera.”

In March, Foxx, 56, said he was getting ready to open up about the health crisis. “Everybody wants to know what happened, and I’m going to tell you what happened. But I’ve gotta do it in my way,” Foxx said at the time. “I’m gonna do it in a funny way. We’re gonna be on the stage. We’re gonna get back to the standup sort of roots.” Foxx teased that the show would be called “What Had Happened Was” and that it will feature “all the things that happened, especially on our side of our community.”

Last July, Foxx posted an emotional video update on his recovery. “I went through something that I thought I would never, ever go through. I know a lot of people were waiting or wanting to hear updates, but to be honest with you, I just didn’t want you to see me like that,” Foxx said. “I want you to see me laughing, having a good time partying, cracking a joke, doing a movie, television show. I didn’t want you to see me with tubes running out of me and trying to figure out if I was gonna make it through.”

Last April, daughter Corinne Foxx announced that her dad had been hospitalized for an undisclosed “medical complication” while filming the Netflix movie Back in Action in Atlanta with Cameron Diaz.

Check out the video below.

02 Jul 2024

Flavor Flav Taking Olympics Hype Man Duties Seriously, Pledges $1,000 & Cruise Voyage For All U.S. Women’s Water Polo Team Members

Flavor Flav admittedly doesn’t know much about water polo, but the Public Enemy rapper is all in on the U.S. Women’s team this summer when they travel to Paris for the 2024 Olympics. After the rapper responded to a comment by team coach and three time gold-medal-winning captain Maggie Steffens calling for support for the team earlier this year, the dynamic duo appeared on CBS Mornings together on Monday (July 1) to talk about their unlikely partnership.

Flav — who has signed a five-year sponsorship deal for both the men’s and women’s U.S. water polo teams — was dressed in his finest red, white and blue team USA olympic gear for the chat, including, of course, an enormous, blinged-out Team USA medallion. “These women out here… the women’s water polo team they out there bustin’ their butt to make United States look good,” Flav told co-hosts Nate Burleson and Gayle King.

“And they chasin’ this dream, you know what I’m sayin’?,” Flav said of the team that scored back-to-back-to-back gold medals in 2012, 2016 and 2020. The Public Enemy hype man admitted that he didn’t know much about the sport before and had only seen it briefly on TV during previous Olympics. But when his manager showed him Steffens’ post about how team members — like many Olympic athletes — have to have two or three jobs to support their sports careers he said he had to get involved.

Trending on Billboard

“I was definitely surprised. I was really excited,” Steffens said of her reaction when Flav responded to her post and pledged to help out. “When Flav responded it was definitely not who I expected. But it has been a beautiful, beautiful expectation and relationship that has changed and he’s really opened up a lot of doors and truly been a hype man for us. It’s been amazing.”

On May 4, Steffens wrote in an Instagram post that she and her fellow athletes could really use some financial support before this summer’s games. “You all are truly the team behind the team and we feel it and we need it! Many of my teammates aren’t just badass champions, but also teachers, business owners, coaches, physicians assistants, and more. Some may not know this, but most Olympians need a 2nd (or 3rd) job to support chasing the dream (myself included!) and most teams rely on sponsors for travel, accommodations, nutritional support, rent/lodging, and simply affording to live in this day and age,” Steffens wrote on Instagram in paying tribute to her hard-working mates.

Father of four girls Flav, 65, responded at the time, “AYYY YOOO,,, as a girl dad and supporter of all women’s sports – imma personally sponsor you my girl,,, whatever you need. And imma sponsor the whole team. My manager is in touch with your agent and imma use all my relationships and resources to help all y’all even more. That’s a FLAVOR FLAV promise.”

During their interview Flav said that he’s since learned that the intensely physical sport in which players can swim in excess of two miles during a match while treading water most of the time is “one of the hardest games to play.” Blown away by the amount of work they put into their sport for what is typically very little remuneration, Flav said he was happy to step in, which Steffens said has already made a difference.

“He’s always making us laugh and definitely brings a lot of positivity,” Steffens said of the shine Flav has brought amid the anxiety that has begun to creep in as the July 26 opening date for the Paris games approaches. “To have Flav’s really positive, optimist and fun energy it brings a great perspective to our team.” After Flav noted that he can swim, Steffens pledged to get the rapper in the pool to test out his water polo skills.

In a surprise that lit up Steffens already beaming face, Flav revealed that his sponsorship will come with a Virgin Voyage cruise as well as a $1,000 bonus. “That’s amazing,” a shocked-looking Steffens said with a wide grin on her face. “I’m elated, that’s amazing. Thank you so much!”

For now, though, Flav is planning to be in Paris to cheer the team on and, he added, he hopes his effort will open the doors for other celebs to sponsor Olympic athletes.

Check out Flav and Steffens below.

02 Jul 2024

Reneé Rapp Teases New Album: ‘Every Song Is a Snapshot of What I Was Going Through’

Reneé Rapp is ready to showcase a year of transformation through her highly-anticipated sophomore album.

The 24-year-old singer and actress, known for her debut album Snow Angel and role in the Mean Girls movie musical, discussed her new project in a new instalment of Instagram‘s Close Friends Only podcast.

“23 to 24 has been such a massive difference for me,” Rapp shared. “It’s about this … and to this point, a reflection on my 23rd year specifically … It was so bad, and I thought 22 was insane for me.”

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Rapp’s debut album received acclaim for its emotional depth with tracks like “In the Kitchen” and “Tattoos.”

Trending on Billboard

The past year has been a period of significant personal growth and challenges for Rapp, and this transition period will be a central theme in her upcoming album, promising fans a more intimate look into her life and experiences.

“I think one of the last songs I wrote, I had such a terrible day. I just had such a bad day and just like bad experiences, and I was like I have nowhere else to go with my thoughts because obviously I can’t put them outward in this moment, therefore I will be like mentally just writing,” Rapp said when discussing her creative process for the new album.

“It was really about finding an outlet,” Rapp continued. “I remember just feeling so overwhelmed and thinking I needed to do something with all this negative energy. So, I sat down in a corner, closed my eyes for about 10 minutes, and just let the thoughts flow.”

“It was like a form of mental escape, a way to process everything without having to vocalize it directly.”

Rapp believes that these intense emotions often fuel her best work.

“I think the rawness of those emotions adds a layer of authenticity to my music. It’s like, in that moment of vulnerability, I can tap into something deeper and more genuine. The song I ended up writing that day captured exactly what I was feeling – the frustration, the sadness, everything. It turned out to be one of my most honest pieces.”

She added, “Every artist has their own way of dealing with their emotions, and for me, writing has always been therapeutic. Whether I’m having a good day or a bad day, writing helps me make sense of my experiences.”

“It’s like every song is a snapshot of what I was going through at that particular time.”

You can catch Reneé Rapp on Close Friends Only below.

02 Jul 2024

Sabrina Carpenter’s Self-Showdown For U.K. No. 1 Single Spot

Sabrina Carpenter is in the midst of a major battle, and her fiercest competitor is none other than herself.

As the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart reaches its midweek point, Carpenter’s smash hit “Espresso” remains piping hot and is neck-and-neck with “Please Please Please” (both via Island Records) as both singles vie for the coveted No. 1 spot.

“Espresso” debuted straight in at No. 6 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart upon its release, and on May 3, 2024, it became Carpenter’s very first U.K. leader. It also marked the highest-charting U.K. No. 1 about caffeine in 24 years, since All Saints’ 2000 hit “Black Coffee.”

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Meanwhile “Please Please Please,” the second single from Carpenter’s sixth studio album Short ‘n’ Sweet, toppled Eminem‘s “Houdini” back in late June to secure Sabrina her second U.K. No. 1 single in less than two months, while “Espresso” stayed at No. 2. In doing so, Sabrina set a new Official Chart record, becoming the youngest female artist in history to hold the No. 1 and No. 2 spots on the Official Singles Chart in the same week.

Trending on Billboard

In other U.K. singles chart news, rising star Chappell Roan is also making waves. Her catchy and heartfelt single “Good Luck, Babe!” (via Island) is poised to hit a new peak at No. 4, up from its debut in the top 10 last week.

Based on midweek sales and streaming data published by the Official Charts Company, Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” (via EMI) is expected to re-enter the top 10 at No. 10, riding the wave of excitement from her The Eras Tour. Swift’s ability to keep her music relevant and engaging is once again on full display, as fans continue to support her timeless hits.

Dua Lipa, fresh off her headline performance at Glastonbury Festival, is seeing her track “Illusion” (via Warner Records) re-enter the top 20, currently at No. 13. The festival’s influence is also boosting Coldplay, with their new song “feelslikeimfallinginlove” (via Atlantic) set to reach a new peak at No. 21. Both acts have clearly benefited from their standout performances, drawing renewed attention to their latest releases.

BTS icon Jimin is aiming for his third top 40 U.K. single with “Smeraldo Garden Marching Band” (via Big Hit Music) featuring rapper Loco, with the track projected to land at No. 18. Inspired by The Beatles‘ iconic Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the K-Pop star’s latest solo effort sees him once again collaborate with renowned producers Pdogg, GHSTLOOP, and EVAN, who previously worked on his debut solo album, FACE.

Stay tuned for the final chart results at the end of the week to see which tracks secure their positions.