Music News

11 Apr 2024

Phish Announces New Album ‘Evolve’ Ahead of Las Vegas Sphere Dates

Phish is continuing an exciting year by announcing their upcoming 16th studio album, Evolve.

The band revealed that the album will be arriving on July 12 via JEMP Records, and also dropped the title track on all DSPs and streaming services on Thursday (April 11). The album will follow 2020’s Sigma Oasis, which peaked at No. 16 on Billboard’s Top Rock Albums chart.

The announcement comes just a week before Phish is set to play a four-show run at Las Vegas’ eye-popping Sphere venue from April 18 to 21, 2024. “From the moment we first heard about Sphere and its potential, we’ve been dreaming up ways to bring our show to this breathtaking canvas,” Trey Anastasio, Phish’s guitarist and vocalist said in a statement at the time. “We’re thrilled to present this completely unique experience to Phish fans.”

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The Sphere run will be followed by an extensive tour, which will kick off on July 19 in Mansfield, Mass., and stretch all the way until Sept. 1 in Commerce City, Colo. For more information on tickets and venues, check out Phish’s website here.

Listen to “Evolve” below. Pre-order details for the album of the same name will be available in the coming weeks, according to Phish’s Instagram announcement.

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11 Apr 2024

Creepy Nuts’ ‘Bling-Bang-Bang-Born’ Holds at No. 1 as ILLIT’s ‘Magnetic’ Rises to No. 3 on Japan Hot 100

Creepy Nuts’ “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” continues to rule the Billboard Japan Hot 100, now in its 11th straight week atop the chart released April 10.

The MASHLE season 2 opener is still at No. 1 for downloads, streaming, video views and karaoke. Downloads for the hip-hop hit are down by about 4.5% from the week before at 17,122 units, while streaming is steady at 22,797,748 streams (down 1%). Total points are at 18,799, approximately 2.2 times ahead of the track at No. 2.

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ILLIT’s “Magnetic” jumps 8-3 after debuting on the chart last week. Streaming for the new HYBE group’s single is up by about 48.6% with 10,866,450 streams, moving 7-3 for the metric, and downloads are up by about 15.4% with 2,277 units, moving 23-19. Radio moves 84-24, and the total for the song is at 6,953 points this week.

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“Tokimeki UNITED” by Real Idol Project bows at No. 5. This track by the project featuring 250 men in 38 idol groups hailing from various management companies was created as the theme song for the Real Idol Festival event being held this month at the Tokyo Garden Theater. Released Apr. 2, the CD sold 150,764 copies in its first week, topping the sales metric by a wide margin. 

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 April 1 to 7, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.

11 Apr 2024

Maggie Rogers Announces North American Arena Tour Dates

Maggie Rogers is heading back on the road, this time in arenas.

The star announced on Thursday (April 11) her first-ever arena tour, dubbed the Don’t Forget Me Tour Part II, to celebrate the release of her third studio album, Don’t Forget Me. The Live Nation-produced outing will kick off on Oct. 9 at Moody Center in Austin, Texas, before it hits cities like Philadelphia, Boston, New York City, Chicago, Seattle and more before wrapping up on November 2 in Los Angeles, Calif. Ryan Beatty will join Rogers as the opening act on her fall tour dates.

The previously announced first leg of the Don’t Forget Me Tour kicks off May 23 in San Diego, Calif., and wraps in Miami, Fla., on June 22. The Japanese House is slated as the supporting act.

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In addition to the arena tour, Rogers also announced Box Office Week, which will include pop-up events and special shows taking place over the course of the week at intimate venues in four U.S. cities. Additionally, Rogers will continue her commitment of in-person ticketing from April 13 to 20, where fans can go to the box office of any arena she’s playing at and buy tickets for $25 with no added fees. At her pop-up events, she’ll be selling the tickets herself.

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“On the last album, Surrender, I decided to go old school and sell tickets in-person in an effort to reduce fees, combat bots and get tickets directly into the hands of fans,” the singer explained in a press statement. “That process was so fun, this year I’m hosting ‘Box Office Week,’ where I’ve set some special prices for fans who want to come purchase tickets in person.”

See the full list of Box Office shows and Don’t Forget Me Tour Part II dates below. For ticket purchasing information, refer to Rogers’ website here.

Box Office Week/Release Shows
04-13 New York, NY – Irving Plaza        
04-14 Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts/The Fillmore     
04-16 Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club
04-19 Chicago, IL – House of Blues                        

Don’t Forget Me Tour Part II
10-09 Austin, TX – Moody Center
10-15 Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
10-17 Boston, MA – TD Garden
10-19 New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
10-22 Toronto, Ontario – Coca-Cola Coliseum
10-24 Chicago, IL – United Center
10-25 Minneapolis, MN – Target Center
10-29 Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
10-30 Portland, OR – Moda Center
11-01 San Francisco, CA – Chase Center
11-02 Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum

11 Apr 2024

Kendrick Lamar’s Comedy With ‘South Park’s Trey Parker & Matt Stone Gets a Release Date

He already has a Pulitzer Prize and 17 Grammys to his name, but Kendrick Lamar could be adding a couple of new film awards to his crowded mantle soon. On the final day of CinemaCon (April 11), Paramount Pictures announced the new live-action comedy from Lamar and South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker begins shooting soon, and also revealed the release date.

“I’m excited to announce that we’re going into production this summer on a [comedy] from the creators of South Park, Matt Stone and Trey Parker,” Paramount film chief Brian Robbins revealed to the audience about the currently untitled film, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “This script is one of the funniest and most original scripts we’ve ever read, and it’s certain to create some fireworks when it hits theaters on July 4, 2025.”

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The Independence Day theatrical release for the film is apt considering its plot. Previously announced in 2022, the upcoming movie will “depict the past and present coming to a head when a young Black man, who is interning as a slave re-enactor at a living history museum, discovers that his white girlfriend’s ancestors once owned his,” according to a press release at the time.

During the presentation, Robbins also confirmed that the movie is set to begin shooting this summer. Lamar, along with Grammy winner Dave Free, will produce the picture through pgLang, a multidisciplinary communications company specializing in music and visual media that the two founded in 2020. Stone and Parker will produce via Park County, a media and entertainment company the two Emmy winners founded in 2012.

While Stone and Parker — who have been dabbling in musicals since 1993’s Cannibal! The Musical — await the debut of season 27 of South Park, the official announcement of their forthcoming film with Lamar follows a particularly active few months for the “Humble” rapper.

In March, Lamar teamed up with Future and Metro Boomin for the Billboard Hot 100-topping “Like That,” which include a fiery verse that found him throwing direct shots at fellow blog era superstars Drake and J. Cole. That musical battle has dominated headlines since, with J. Cole responding (“7 Minute Drill) and quickly retracting his reply, while Drake continues to keep fans waiting for his response to Lamar’s call-outs.

Although Lamar boasts four consecutive Billboard 200 chart-toppers and an eye-popping 72 career entires on the Hot 100 — including the No. 1 singles “Humble” (one week), “Bad Blood” (with Taylor Swift, one week) and “Like That” (two weeks) — he’s not the only collaborator on the forthcoming film with some Billboard chart success. On the chart dated July 24, 1999, the South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut soundtrack peaked at No. 28 on the Billboard 200.

11 Apr 2024

Selena Gomez’s New Movie ‘Emilia Pérez’ Will Premiere at Cannes Film Fest: ‘Beyond Grateful’

Selena Gomez is headed to France this spring. After the Cannes Film Festival revealed that its 2024 lineup includes Jacques Audiard’s upcoming film Emilia Pérez, in which the singer-actress stars, she excitedly confirmed the news and shared a few first-look posters for the project on Instagram.

“I’ve been waiting to show you guys this one!!” she wrote. “I’m beyond grateful Emilia Pérez, directed by Jacques Audiard, will premiere at @festivaldecannes in May!”

In one of the posters, Gomez rocks bleached short hair and a floral blazer, standing in a dark room dimly lit by colorful neon fixtures. A second portrait shows the “Love On” singer’s costar Karla Sofía Gascón, who leads the cast as the film’s titular role, shot from behind as she sits on a bed in a bra and skirt. A third finds Zoe Saldana striking a dynamic pose in a bright crimson pantsuit.

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According to Variety, Emilia Pérez is a musical crime melodrama centered around Gascón’s character, a cartel leader who evades the law by having a sex change and, in doing so, embracing her true identity as a woman. Also on the docket for this year’s Cannes Film Festival are Yorgos Lanthimos’ Kinds of Kindness starring Poor Things‘ Emma Stone and Willem Dafoe; Paul Schrader’s Oh Canada featuring Richard Gere; Paolo Sorrentino’s Parthenope led by Gary Oldman; and Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance with Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley.

Auidard’s new film is just the latest onscreen endeavor Gomez has undertaken recently. The Rare Beauty founder is currently working on the fourth season of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building with costars Steve Martin and Martin Short, as well as co-producing a reboot of the Disney Channel series on which she got her start, Wizards of Waverly Place.

See Gomez’s post below.

11 Apr 2024

Texas Eclipse Festival Insists Last-Minute Cancelation Was ‘Not … for Insurance Money’

Organizers of the Texas Eclipse Festival have released a lengthy statement addressing various aspects of the event that came under online scrutiny after the final two days of the festival in Burnet, Texas, were canceled earlier this week.

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On Monday (April 8), attendees were notified that the remainder of Texas Eclipse Festival had been canceled due to severe weather hours before the eclipse, with Texas governor Greg Abbott directing the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to activate state emergency response resources ahead of a storm system that moved across the state that afternoon.

In the wake of the cancellation, the event was subject to sharp online criticism and rumors, leading to the statement that addressed myriad facets, including the decision-making process around the cancellation, attendance numbers and safety protocols.

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In terms of the decision to cancel, organizers outline a day-by-day timeline of the meetings that took place, saying that the final decision was ultimately made in conjunction with the festival team, local agencies, law enforcement and a weather expert. “The choice to cancel was unanimous.” reads the statement, “and driven by the level of risk of the forecasted weather and severity of the associated outcomes.”

“We did not cancel for insurance money,” the statement highlighted. “We made a hard decision to put safety first and avoid a far worse situation. Texas Eclipse festival will take a significant financial loss.”

In regard to rumors about the event being oversold, the statement says that “the show was not oversold / over capacity. Burnet County approved our permit with capacity at 40,000 people. We were well under that number.”

The statement goes on to say that “rumors of multiple deaths circulating on social media are inaccurate. One person passed away at the hospital after being transported from the festival.” The statement did not provide further details on the death, with respect to “the family’s privacy as well as following HIPAA guidelines.”

In regard to partial refunds for the canceled days, organizer say they are “are working diligently with our ticket provider to provide more information. We are committed to resolving this quickly and will update everyone very soon. A significant number of guests purchased using a payment plan which complicates the process. 

Texas Eclipse was organized by a newly formed alliance of independent promoters including longtime EDM promoter James Estopinal and his recently rebranded concert outfit Disco Presents; technologist, entrepreneur and Texas Eclipse festival founder and “head of alignment” Mitch Morales; and California-based festival organizer, curator and producer Gwen Gruesen from Symbiosis Gathering.

Read the full statement below.

11 Apr 2024

Kelsea Ballerini Knew Chase Stokes Was ‘The One’ the Minute He Stepped ‘Straight Out the Bronco’

The annual CMT Music Awards have become a special place for Kelsea Ballerini and boyfriend of more than a year Outer Banks star Chase Stokes. Just days after hosting the show again, the “I Quit Drinking” star told E! News that their first big public outing was the 2023 edition of the CMTs, “so it kind of felt like a little full circle and we’ve gotten to live a lot of life together in that year.”

Most importantly, though, Ballerini, 30, was asked to pinpoint the moment she knew Stokes, 31, was “the one” for her. “We’re so happy and you know we both have big lives and we’re both trying to weave through it together and give each other our own space to thrive and grow,” she said and, when pressed for more detail, added, “straight out the Bronco.”

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The latter was a reference to their first date in Jan. 2023 in L.A., the day after she’d flow out to perform at a party. “I had just gotten done playing and he was like, ‘I”m the valet,’” she said on the Call Her Daddy podcast in November. Worried their phone chemistry might not manifest in person, Ballerini said the moment Stokes got out of his truck she was hooked. “He hopped out of his Bronco, and he did not say a word to me,” she said. “And he grabbed my face and he kissed me and he pulled my face away and he said, ‘Thank God you’re real.’”

Ballerini hosted the CMT Music Awards for the fourth time on Sunday night and in the E! interview she said her “final” time as MC was fun and loose. “I felt comfortable. It was the most present I felt. I had fun. I riffed a little bit,” she said of her calm demeanor at the show that was dominated by Jelly Roll’s three wins and the “Need a Favor” singer’s first awards show performance.

Ballerini and Stokes went public with their romance in Feb. 2023 and since then they’ve walked a number of red carpets together and frequently chronicled their love affair on their socials. The singer gushed about the joy of having Stokes on hand to support her on Sunday, noting that he caught a flight before the show was over to jet back to work the next day. “He shows up,” she said.

She also gave a glimpse into the couple’s private life, which she said often consists of hanging out at home in Nashville or Charleston and playing Yahtzee and hanging around with their dogs. Reminded that she filmed their first date together, Ballerini was asked to give some advice to other women for their first dates. “Honestly? Go in knowing you got you,” she said. “If it works, it’s meant to and if it doesn’t you’ve still got you. And I think that’s the most important thing.”

11 Apr 2024

Megan Thee Stallion Reveals Her Surprising Favorite Social Media App: ‘I Can Curate What I Want to See’

Megan Thee Stallion pulled up to Adweek’s Social Media Week in New York City on Wednesday (April 10), where she revealed her favorite social media app at the moment — and it’s probably not the go-to for most people in their late 20s like Meg.

The Houston Hottie tapped into her Millennial spirit and crowned Pinterest as her favorite app with an appreciation for curating her own visual mood board.

“You know what I really like, Pinterest. I’m not gonna tell anybody what my Pinterest is. I got a lot of stuff saved, OK! I deleted Instagram and Twitter off my phone, but I have TikTok and I got Pinterest. Pinterest is like the best app, in my opinion, right now because I can curate what I want to see,” she explained.

“I can get on there and see what I want to see. Like if I want to see puppies all day, that’s what I see,” she added. “Makeup, puppies, breakfast, workout videos, booty shorts. I see all the content I like to see.”

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Pinterest’s Instagram account hopped into the comment section to co-sign Meg’s message: “We’re hotties for life!”

Per Statista, Pinterest has more than 97 million active users in the United States, and that figure is expected to continue to grow over the next few years thanks to a bump in engagement with Generation Z.

Megan Thee Stallion’s admission regarding deleting Instagram and X from her phone could be tied to the backlash she received throughout the Tory Lanez shooting case.

“A lot of people didn’t treat me like I was human for a long time,” she told Women’s Health earlier this week. “I feel like everybody was always used to me being the fun and happy party girl. I watched people build me up, tear me down, and be confused about their expectations of me. As a Black woman, as a darker Black woman, I also feel like people expect me to take the punches, take the beating, take the lashings and handle it with grace. But I’m human.”

Megan credited therapy and working out for jumpstarting her healing process. “Before I went onstage, I would be crying half the time because I didn’t want to [perform], but I also didn’t want to upset my fans,” she admitted. “I didn’t want to get [out] from under the covers. I stayed in my room. I would not turn the lights on. I had blackout curtains. I didn’t want to see the sun. I knew I wasn’t myself. It took me a while to acknowledge that I was depressed. But once I started talking to a therapist, I was able to be truthful with myself.”

Lanez was ultimately sentenced to 10 years in prison on three felony counts over the incident last August, in which he shot Meg in the feet following an argument outside a pool party in the Hollywood Hills in July 2020.

Watch Megan reveal her favorite social media app below.

11 Apr 2024

Olivia Rodrigo Celebrates End of Guts World Tour North American Leg: ‘Immensely Grateful’

Olivia Rodrigo is officially done spilling her guts in North America — for now. After closing out the first leg of her Guts World Tour with four nights at Madison Square Garden, the 21-year-old pop star made sure to thank her fans and crew for making it special with a post on Instagram Thursday (April 11), as she gears up to take her trek to Europe later this month.

Sharing a carousel of photos from her time at the famd New York City venue — during which Noah Kahan and Jewel both joined her onstage for surprise duets — Rodrigo wrote, “4 nights at madison square garden!!! whatta way to end this leg of the tour.”

“immensely grateful for all the wonderful people who work so hard on making this show happen every night and thankful for everyone who has bought tickets and jumped and screamed and sang along with me <3>

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The Grammy winner also included a picture of her posing backstage with Talking Heads frontman David Byrne. Other snaps show her performing on the Garden’s stage and hanging out with her best friends, musician Conan Gray — wearing a handmade tank that reads, “u call urself a Livie? name 10 olivia rodriguez songs” — and actress Madison Hu, behind the scenes.

The “Vampire” singer will resume her Guts Tour April 30 in Dublin, after which she’ll spend the first half of summer traveling through the U.K., Germany, France, Spain and more countries. In July, she’ll return for a second North American leg, ending with four performances at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Cali.

In her caption, she excitedly added, “see u soon europe!!!!”

11 Apr 2024

Jon Bon Jovi Recalls Hanging Out With Michael Jackson’s Chimp: ‘Bubbles Partied Like a Rock Star’

Jon Bon Jovi didn’t get to party with Michael Jackson in the ’80s, but he did get to hang out with the next best thing: the King of Pop’s beloved pet chimp, Bubbles. 

While chatting on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Wednesday night (April 10), the 62-year-old musician recalled one of the crazier days of his rock-star past, which involved meeting Jackson at a hotel in the middle of Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet Tour. The “Livin’ on a Prayer” musicians invited the late pop icon to party with them that night, but things didn’t go quite as planned. 

“He didn’t come,” Bon Jovi told Kimmel, laughing. “But he sends Bubbles the Chimp as his representative. That was big. Bubbles comes down and wreaks havoc. Bubbles partied like a rock star.” 

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To the frontman’s memory, Bubbles spent much of the evening “jumping on the bed, putting on a show.” “I don’t remember who brought him down, or if he just came down on his own with a cigar,” he added. “Bubbles showed up, man — he hung hard. Hotel management threatened to throw us out.” 

The new interview comes a few weeks ahead of the April 26 release of the documentary Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story on Hulu. The band’s 16th studio album, Forever, will arrive just over a month later on June 7. 

Bon Jovi also spoke about his friendship with Bruce Springsteen, album cover woes and buying back his first guitar 40 years after selling it on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Watch the full interview above.