Music News

27 Nov 2023

Jennifer Lopez Announces ‘This Is Me…Now’ Release Date, Plus Details About First Single & Film

Jennifer Lopez’s long-awaited new album, This Is Me…Now, has a release date.

J. Lo’s ninth studio album will arrive on Feb. 16, 2024, through Nuyorican/BMG, she announced Monday morning (Nov. 27).

It’s the star’s first full-length solo release in nearly a decade. Her last album, 2014’s A.K.A., reached No. 8 on the Billboard 200 and featured Billboard Hot 100-charting singles “I Luh Ya Papi,” “First Love” and “Booty.”

This Is Me…Now is the sister album to 2002’s This Is Me…Then, which was dedicated to her partner at the time, Ben Affleck. Lopez and Affleck have since rekindled their romance, and the couple married in 2022.

The new album is written and executive produced by Lopez and Rogét Chayed, along with Jeff “Gitty” Gitelman and HitBoy. Additional songwriter-producers are Angel Lopez, Drew Love, INK and Prince Chrishan. BMG’s Brandon Riester serves as A&R.

The first single fans will hear from This Is Me…Now is titled “Can’t Get Enough,” and it’ll be here in the new year, on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024. “Can’t Get Enough” will mark Lopez’s first release under her recording and publishing partnership with BMG.

On the same day of Lopez’s new album release, This Is Me…Now: The Film, which has been acquired by Amazon MGM Studios, will become available globally on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories. She first teased the project over the weekend, sharing an 18-second clip with fans.

The Nuyorican Productions and Dave Meyers-directed film is described as a “narrative-driven, intimate, reflective, sexy, funny, fantastical and highly visual musical reimagining of her publicly scrutinized love life.” J. Lo’s husband Affleck appears in the writing credits with the star and Matt Walton.

Additional This Is Me…Now: The Film credits include story by Lopez, Meyers and Chris Shafer; produced by Nathan Scherrer; and executive produced by Lopez, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Benny Medina and Courtney Baxter on behalf of Nuyorican Productions.

Lopez, of course, stars in the This Is Me…Now film, and additional cast members are yet to be announced.

26 Nov 2023

Taylor Swift Debuts ‘Say Don’t Go’ & ‘It’s Time to Go’ Live at Final Eras Tour Show of 2023

Taylor Swift put together a themed set of surprise songs for the final Eras Tour concert she’ll play in 2023.

The São Paulo, Brazil, crowd loudly chanted “Reputation” during Swift’s acoustic set Sunday (Nov. 26), but did not get Reputation surprise songs.

Instead, at Swift’s Sunday night concert at Allianz Parque stadium — the 13th international date on The Eras Tour, and the last date until the tour resumes in February 2024 — she performed “Say Don’t Go” and “It’s Time to Go,” treating the audience to live renditions of both for the first time ever.

The emotionally charged ballad “Say Don’t Go,” which Swift debuted live on guitar, was co-written with Diane Warren and just released in October as a vault track on 1989 (Taylor’s Version).

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Then came the concert debut of “It’s Time to Go,” a track co-written with Aaron Dessner and featured on the deluxe version of 2020’s Evermore.

Swift has been performing two surprise songs each night of The Eras Tour and trying to not repeat them.

“There’s some songs that I still really, really wanna play,” said Swift.

But she explained that when she gets back on tour in 2024, she plans to reset and “make all the songs fair game” again.

Throughout the night, “Rep TV” trended on X as fans widely theorized that Swift might announce the release date of Reputation (Taylor’s Version) during her last concert of 2023. That theory grew stronger when Swift slipped up and said “Rep” instead of “Eras” Tour on stage, while introducing her acoustic set.

Although a Reputation (Taylor’s Version) announcement didn’t happen at the show, it was still a very special one for Swift. Earlier in the night, sitting at the piano during the Evermore era of the set, she told the cheering crowd, “This has been the most magical adventure of my life.”

“We find ourselves on the last night of The Eras Tour 2023,” she said. “This tour is something that I thought of because I really wanted to celebrate all the times you guys have been there for me and put together a show that incorporated all my favorite memories of touring — and I’ve been touring most of my life. I love traveling through these memories with you.”

Watch clips of Swift playing “Say Don’t Go” and “It’s Time to Go” below.

26 Nov 2023

Ozzy Osbourne Addresses Whether He’ll Perform Live Again Amid Health Struggles, Slams Geezer Butler

Ozzy Osbourne is “taking it one day at a time” amid new health struggles, but he still hopes to perform live again one day.

In a new interview with Rolling Stone UK, the 74-year-old metal icon reveals that a tumor was discovered in one of his vertebrae during a fourth spinal surgery. The operation was mean to repair damages from a 2019 fall that dislodged metal rods from a procedure in the early 2000s.

“It’s really knocked me about,” Osbourne said. “The second surgery went drastically wrong and virtually left me crippled. I thought I’d be up and running after the second and third, but with the last one they put a f—ing rod in my spine. They found a tumor in one of the vertebrae, so they had to dig all that out too. It’s pretty rough, man, and my balance is all f—ed up.”

Over the summer, the rocker — who also has Parkinson’s disease — canceled his headlining set at October’s Power Trip festival in Indio, Calif., which would’ve found him performing alongside Guns N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, AC/DC and Metallica, among others. He last took the stage in 2022 for brief performances in Los Angeles and England.

Osbourne announced his retirement from touring earlier this year, but he hopes to take the live stage again someday despite his health struggles.

“I’m taking it one day at a time, and if I can perform again, I will,” he tells Rolling Stone UK. “But it’s been like saying farewell to the best relationship of my life. At the start of my illness, when I stopped touring, I was really pissed off with myself, the doctors, and the world. But as time has gone on, I’ve just gone, ‘Well, maybe I’ve just got to accept that fact.’”

He added, “I’m not going to get up there and do a half-hearted Ozzy looking for sympathy. What’s the f—ing point in that? I’m not going up there in a f—ing wheelchair. I’ve seen Phil Collins perform recently, and he’s got virtually the same problems as me. He gets up there in a wheelchair! But I couldn’t do that.”

Osbourne, who said in September that he’s working on a new album, notes that a final performance would give him a chance to say goodbye and express his gratitude to fans.

“For whatever reason, that’s my goal to work to. To do those shows. If it’s at Ozzfest or somewhere, or even a f—ing gig at the Roundhouse,” he says. ““If I can’t continue doing shows on a regular basis, I just want to be well enough to do one show where I can say, ‘Hi guys, thanks so much for my life.’ That’s what I’m working towards, and if I drop down dead at the end of it, I’ll die a happy man.”

During the interview, Osbourne also touched on his relationship with the other members of Black Sabbath, including bassist Geezer Butler.

“It’s sad, man. We all grew up together, and he can’t pick up the f—ing phone like a man and see how I’m doing,” said rocker continued, who has received support from Tony Iommi and former Sabbath drummer Bill Ward.

Butler took to social media to respond to Osbourne’s comments after the interview was published.

“I don’t want to engage in a tit for tat. Having made 2 attempts to wish Ozzy well, without a reply, I figured it best to privately keep him in my thoughts,” Butler wrote on Instagram.

26 Nov 2023

Drake’s ‘For All the Dogs’ Back at No. 1 on Billboard 200 After ‘Scary Hours’ Deluxe Release

Drake’s For All the Dogs jumps back to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (dated Dec. 2), for a second week atop the list, rising 4-1 with 145,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Nov. 23 (up 102%), according to Luminate. Nearly all of its units were driven by streaming activity. The album’s return to the top is fueled largely by its deluxe reissue on Nov. 17 with six new songs, dubbed For All the Dogs Scary Hours Edition. All versions of the album are combined for tracking and charting purposes.

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For All the Dogs debuted atop the chart dated Oct. 21.

Also in the top 10 of the new Billboard 200, Dolly Parton achieves her highest-charting album ever — and third top 10 — as Rockstar opens at No. 3, while ENHYPEN logs its third top 10 with the No. 4 arrival of Orange Blood.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Dec. 2, 2023-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Tuesday (Nov. 28). For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

Of For All the Dogs’ 145,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Nov. 23, SEA units comprise 141,500 (up 99%, equaling 190.23 million on-demand official streams of the set’s 29 tracks, inclusive of its six added songs), album sales comprise 2,000 (up 884%) and TEA units comprise 1,500 (up 456%).

Taylor Swift’s chart-topping 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is a non-mover at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, earning 138,000 equivalent album units (down 14%).

Parton’s Rockstar makes a splashy debut at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, scoring the legend her highest-charting album ever and her third top 10. She previously visited the region with Blue Smoke (No. 6 in 2014) and Trio (her collaborative set with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris; No. 6 in 1987).

Rockstar launches with 128,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Nov. 23. Of that sum, album sales comprise 118,500, SEA units comprise 8,000 and TEA units comprise 1,500. The arrival marks Parton’s biggest week, by units earned, since the chart began measuring by units in December 2014. Further, with 118,500 copies sold, Parton achieves her biggest sales week for an album in the modern era, since Luminate began electronically tracking sales in 1991. She more than doubles her previous biggest week, notched in 1993 when Slow Dancing With the Moon sold 50,500 copies in its second week on the chart (rising 54-19 on the March 20, 1993-dated list).

The star-studded Rockstar was promoted as Parton’s first rock album (she’s primarily released country music in her nearly 60-year career), and its recording was sparked by Parton’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. The 30-song set has a mix of original songs and covers, and boasts a cavalcade of guest stars — 40 in all. Among them are Pat Benatar, Miley Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Elton John, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, Chris Stapleton, Ringo Starr, Sting and Steven Tyler.

Rockstar’s first-week sales were bolstered by its availability across a variety of editions and formats, in addition to some non-traditional music retailers including Cracker Barrel, Dollar General and HSN. The album’s CD edition was available in four editions — a standard version and three variants, each with alternative cover art: for HSN, with three bonus tracks; a Dallas Cowboys version, and a Tennessee Volunteers edition with a bonus track. The latter two were tied to a pair of high-profile live TV performances from Parton: during the Georgia Bulldogs vs. Tennessee Volunteers football game on Nov. 19, and during halftime of the Washington Commanders vs. Dallas Cowboys football game on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 23).

Rockstar was pressed on more than 10 vinyl variants, including exclusive editions (all in different colors, some with different cover art) for Amazon, Barnes & Noble, independent record stores, Parton’s webstore, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame store, Target and Walmart. Parton’s webstore also carried a deluxe digital download version of the album with three exclusive bonus tracks. Rockstar was also offered in multiple deluxe boxed sets, sold through Parton’s webstore, containing either a vinyl or CD version of the album with a branded T-shirt of various designs.

ENHYPEN nabs its third top 10-charting effort on the Billboard 200 as Orange Blood bows at No. 4 with 90,000 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, album sales comprise 87,000, SEA units comprise 3,000 (equaling 4.68 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum. The Korean pop ensemble previously hit the top 10 with Dark Blood (No. 4, in June) and Manifesto: Day 1 (No. 6, 2022). Nearly all of Orange Blood’s first-week activity was generated by CD sales (86,000), enhanced by the album’s availability across a dozen collectible CD packages (including exclusive versions sold by Barnes & Noble, Target and Walmart; all with branded merchandise inside, some with randomized elements).

The top 10 of the Billboard 200 is rounded out by six former No. 1s, as Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time is steady at No. 5 (68,000 equivalent album units earned; down less than 1%); Swift’s Midnights rises 7-6 (56,000; up 9%); Stray Kids’ ROCK-STAR falls 1-7 in its second week (51,000; down 77%); Swift’s Lover bolts 14-8 (nearly 51,000; up 16%); Swift’s Folklore climbs 18-9 (45,000; up 22%); and SZA’s SOS bumps 12-10 (44,000; up less than 1%). (Many albums on the chart, including Swift’s Midnights, Lover and Folklore, see sizable sales gains owed to holiday shopping promotions and early Black Friday campaigns that kicked in during the tracking week.)

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

26 Nov 2023

Beyonce Stuns With Gorgeous Silver Hair at ‘Renaissance’ Film Premiere in Los Angeles

Beyonce certainly knows how to make an entrance.

The 42-year-old superstar singer was a vision of beauty with long silver hair and a stunning Versace dress at the premiere of Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce, held Saturday evening (Nov. 25) at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif.

The star-studded event featured a chrome carpet graced by Destiny’s Child members Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, LaTavia Roberson and LeToya Luckett, along with other celebs like Janelle Monáe, Lizzo, Chloe X Halle‘s Chloe and Halle Bailey, Gabrielle Union, Lupita Nyong’o, Tyler Perry and Kris Jenner, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Bey’s parents Tina and Mathew Knowles were also in attendance.

Beyonce didn’t formally walk the carpet, but snuck in and out of the screening with her family, THR reports.

The 32-time Grammy winner wrote, executive produced, as well as co-directed the concert documentary, which chronicles her record-breaking Renaissance World Tour.

Director Ava DuVernay, who attended the L.A. premiere, shared a lengthy statement about the concert film on her Instagram Story following the event.

“My favorite part was a section that made me so emotional I felt as if she was speaking for me,” DuVernay wrote. “She talks candidly about having to fight to be heard as a Black woman leader working at a high level of difficulty. Having to endure being second guessed often and gaslit constantly. We actually see moments of this happening to her on camera. People directly doubting, shortchanging, gaslighting her. I haven’t seen that described in a film before. Something that I’ve experienced far too often, unfolding on the big screen, in detail, as proof, as evidence that this is real and not in our heads.”

Beyonce’s longtime publicist Yvette Noel-Schure also shared a photo of her client’s gorgeous look at the premiere.

“There is so much I want to say about RENAISSANCE: A Film by Beyoncé, after the Los Angeles premiere, but nothing could top what @ava has said,” Noel-Schure wrote on Instagram, referencing DuVernay’s post. “You are about to explore the most creative mind on Mother Earth. And she looks Foine. Foine. Foine.”

Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce opens worldwide on Friday (Dec. 1). Following the L.A. premiere, Renaissance will have another major screening in London on Thursday (Nov. 30).

26 Nov 2023

Jennifer Lopez Promises a ‘Musical Experience’ in ‘This Is Me… Now’ Album Teaser

Jennifer Lopez is taking fans on a “musical experience” in a new teaser for her upcoming album.

On Saturday (Nov. 25), the 54-year-old singer and actress dropped a brief clip packed with tons of visuals to further build anticipation for her upcoming ninth album, This Is Me… Now.

The 18-second teaser opens with the words “Hear It, See It, Live It” before transitioning to stunning shots of her dancing in the rain, twirling in a factory, a motorcycle racing through water, and more.

“This musical experience is a manifestation through music, film, and reality, of life’s journey on the search for truth about love,” reads a message at the end of the clip, along with a link to onthejlo.com.

A larger announcement about This Is Me… Now is expected to arrive on Monday (Nov. 27), according to Lopez’s social media accounts and website.

This Is Me… Now is the follow-up to the superstar’s similarly titled 2003 album, This Is Me… Then, which was dedicated to her partner at the time, Ben Affleck. The two were engaged in 2002 before parting ways in early 2004. The pair rekindled their romance in 2022 and married soon after. Lopez has confirmed that Now is also inspired by Affleck and their stronger-than-ever relationship.

The forthcoming set, which does not yet have an official release date, marks Lopez’s first solo album since 2014’s A.K.A., which peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 chart. In 2022, she teamed up with Maluma for the soundtrack of their Marry Me film.

See Lopez’s This Is Me… Now teaser on Instagram below.

25 Nov 2023

Taylor Swift Performs ‘Safe & Sound’ and ‘Untouchable’ Live for the First Time in Over a Decade in Sao Paulo

Taylor Swift surprised fans with two rarely performed songs at her Saturday night concert at the Allianz Parque stadium in São Paulo, Brazil, on Nov. 25.

“This has been a tradition that I started on The Eras Tour,” Swift said to the São Paulo crowd, explaining that she tries her best to deliver two songs she’s never played, or at least hasn’t played in a very long time, during her acoustic set. “Both songs I am playing tonight I have never, ever played on this tour.”

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First up was “Safe & Sound” off of The Hunger Games soundtrack, on guitar. The song from the 2012 feature film hasn’t been heard on Swift’s stage in a decade; she last played it in 2013 on her Red Tour. The original recording featured The Civil Wars, but Swift performed the tune solo Saturday night.

Next, on piano, was the ballad “Untouchable,” which Swift re-recorded for Fearless (Taylor’s Version) but hasn’t performed live since 2011.

Night one in São Paulo featured the live debut of “Now That We Don’t Talk” from the 1989 (Taylor’s Version) vault. “I’ve never performed this one live before,” she teased the crowd on Friday. “Let’s see how I do with it.” She followed that surprise with a rare performance of Speak Now‘s “Innocent” at the piano.

She’ll return to São Paulo’s Allianz Parque stadium for a third night on Sunday.

Over three nights in Rio de Janeiro last weekend, Swift played several songs live for first time in he career, including 1989 (Taylor’s Version) vault tracks “Slut!” and “Surburban Legends,” and the emotional “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” from Midnights (3AM Edition).

Watch clips of “Safe & Sound” and “Untouchable” from the Nov. 25 São Paulo show below. You can stay up-to-date with of all the surprise songs from The Eras Tour with Billboard‘s full list here.

25 Nov 2023

Billy Joel Says He Scored ‘Cool Dad Points’ After Taking Daughters to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour

Billy Joel earned “very cool dad points” after taking his daughters to see Taylor Swift in concert.

The Piano Man opened up during an interview with People about attending the pop superstar’s Eras Tour in Tampa, Fla., on March 15 with his little pair of Swifties.

“Oh, she’s great. She’s really very good,” Joel told the publication during the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, which opened Friday and features an exhibit in his honor. “We’re going to probably go see her again.”

After the Eras Tour show in March, the “We Didn’t Start the Fire” singer took to Instagram to share a gallery of photos that included his wife, Alexis Roderick, and their two daughters, Della Rose, 8, and Remy Anne, 6.

In the snapshots, the girls appeared to be dressed in outfits inspired by Swift’s Folklore/Evermore and Lover eras, posing for pictures before the show and later dancing along as the singer belted out “Are You Ready for It?”

“Rockin’ into our new ‘era’ thank you @Taylorswift we loved the show! #swifties #taylorswift #theerastour,” Joel captioned the images.

Della and Remy also got an extra special treat: They were able to meet Swift herself backstage alongside their mom and dad.

The legendary artist and his family are far from the first celebrities to geek out at Swift’s Eras tour. Selena Gomez, Jack Antonoff, HAIM, Aaron Dessner, Marcus Mumford, Diplo and Shania Twain are among the tour’s celebrity attendees (see a full list of all the famous guests at The Eras Tour here).

25 Nov 2023

Stampede at Music Festival in Southern India Kills at Least 4 Students

A stampede during a music festival at a university in southern India on Saturday (Nov. 25) killed at least four students and injured 60 others, according to news agency Press Trust of India.

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The disaster happened at the Cochin University of Science and Technology in Kerala state where students were enjoying a live musical event that was interrupted by rain, leading the audience to scamper for shelter that resulted in a stampede.

At least two people among the injured are in critical condition, news website Indian Express reported.

Pinarayi Vijayan, the top elected official in Kerala, said he had ordered an investigation.

25 Nov 2023

Sam Hunt and Wife Hannah Lee Fowler Welcome Second Baby

Congratulations are in order for Sam Hunt and his wife, Hannah Lee Fowler, who have welcomed their second child together.

The 38-year-old country musician took to Instagram on Friday (Nov. 24) to share the exciting news with his 3.3 million followers.

“Thank You Lord,” Hunt captioned a photo of his beautiful family.

In the snapshot, the “Body Like a Back Road” singer flashes a huge grin while holding the couple’s first child, 18-month-old daughter Lucy. He’s seen standing alongside Fowler, who cradles their newborn in her arms.

The new baby’s name, sex or birthdate have not yet been revealed.

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Earlier this year, Hunt revealed that he and Fowler were expecting their second child during a concert at Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas. Baby No. 2 joins sibling Lucy, who was born in May 2022. The singer-songwriter also announced the birth of their first child during an appearance at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium in June 2022.

Hunt and Fowler married in April 2017. The pair weathered tumultuous times, and Fowler had filed for divorce from Hunt in February 2022, reportedly citing “inappropriate marital conduct.” She withdrew the filing hours later and soon filed again in a different county, then called off the divorce.

See Hunt’s post on Instagram below.