Music News

*NSYNC Recruit Their Biggest Fans in Part 1 of ‘Better Place’ Music Video Documentary

*NSYNC is gearing up to unveil their music video for their reunion track “Better Place” — and they’re showing love for their fans in the process.

Part one of a two-part fan documentary was released on the boy band’s YouTube channel on Friday (Oct. 13), highlighting five of *NSYNC’s biggest fans, who know every word, every dance move and every harmony in the band’s discography. In the clip, the group of fans find out that they will be starring in the upcoming music video for “Better Place,” representing each member of *NSYNC — Justin TimberlakeJC ChasezChris KirkpatrickJoey Fatone and Lance Bass.

The upcoming second video is set to showcase these superfans standing in for the band members and becoming *NSYNC as they perform choreography from the movie Trolls Band Together, which hits theaters on Nov. 17.

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The song marks *NSYNC’s first musical release since 2002 (when the Neptunes remix of “Girlfriend,” featuring Nelly, arrived) and it comes just days after the group stepped onstage together at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards to present the award for best pop to Taylor Swift for “Anti-Hero.” The group last took the VMAs stage in 2013, for Timberlake’s Video Vanguard Award medley performance.

See below.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=_utQo5dQa80&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

Bad Bunny’s ‘Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana’: All 22 Tracks Ranked

In an ever-evolving musical landscape where artists are increasingly unveiling their album release dates with plenty of lead time — unlike the unexpected album drops of yesteryear — Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican pioneer of the unpredictable, gave fans only a few days’ notice, and revived the art of the surprise.

Today, he once again seizes the spotlight by dropping his fifth solo studio album, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana, on a superstitious Friday the 13th. The megastar has an unparalleled track record of delivering his music on unconventional dates (e.g. X100Pre on Christmas; YHLQMDLG on leap day; Las Que No Iban A Salir on Mother’s Day; El Último Tour del Mundo on Thanksgiving), turning album drops into cultural celebrations.

In contrast to Karol G’s album title, Mañana Será Bonito, which suggests optimism for the future, Bad Bunny’s Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana delves into the enigmatic uncertainties of what tomorrow may hold. This ambitious, 22-track release comes packed with hard-hitting trap beats, introspective rhymes and a back-to-origins style, with a promise “to revolutionize the music industry yet again” in an official press release — and we’re betting it will.

The album features a star-studded lineup of producers — including usual suspects MAG, Tainy and La Paciencia — with appearances by Arcángel, Bryant Myers, De La Ghetto, Eladio Carrión, Feid, Luar La L, Mora, Ñengo, Young Miko and YOVNGCHIMI. The album also offers a genre-bending experience that sets new standards for pop music, all while the Bunny continues to pay homage to his roots and his beloved Puerto Rico.

Billboard Latin and Billboard Español have combined for a preliminary ranking of all 22 tracks from worst to best, celebrating the artist who keeps us guessing what tomorrow will bring.

Friday Dance Music Guide: The Week’s Best New Tracks From Skrillex With Flowdan & Lil Baby, Fred again.., G Jones & More

The weekend’s in sight, and we’ve got the solace of the dancefloor on our minds. These are the best new dance tracks of the week.

Fred again.. & Jozzy, “ten”



The Label: Atlantic Records

The Spiel: Fred Gibson has established himself as a technician of music that’s simultaneously melancholy, peppy and entirely his own. The producer again flexes that ability on his latest, “ten.” Featuring shimmery vocals from Jozzy (a singer whose also got writing credits that include “Old Town Road”), the song is a tight, slightly somber affair about missing someone bad, with the percussion and tempo also imbuing it with a certain brightness, like that feeling of finally actually seeing them. The song — written by Fred, Jozzy and Jim Legxacy — comes in the midst of Fred’s three-night run at Forest Hills in New York this week, and ahead of a sold out eight-night residency at The Shrine in Los Angeles later this month.

The Artist Says: “This song is about missing home, which I have this year more than ever,” says Fred. “Jozzy and Jim are both f—in g’s and great friends from different sides of the world which I kinda love because it feels like one voice is coming from L.A. and another from London. But yeh foreal I wanna thank them for making this song wit me and also jus for bein my mates. Cos I guess that’s the thing that makes being away from home better? Its always the people innit.”

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Skrillex, Flowdan & Lil Baby, “Pepper”



The Label: OWSLA/Atlantic

The Spiel: Skrillex brings the same tough-as-nails vibe that he started the year with into the close of 2023, with the producer again linking with Flowdan on “Pepper.” Their duo’s third collaboration of the year — after January’s scene-shaking “Rumble” and August’s similarly heavy “Badders” — “Pepper” is a glitchy, darkly stuttering and ironically cold-as-ice track that could very well be the close of a trinity of songs thematically focused on dominance, strength and winning over adversaries. This new one features Lil Baby, whose shimmery, melodic vocals counterbalance Flowdan’s sucker-punch delivery.

The Artist Says: “It’s inspired by being an underdog, not taking no for an answer, overcoming all odds, making sure you get that win,” Flowdan says.

G Jones, Paths



The Label: Illusory Recordings

The Spiel: The producer returns with his much-anticipated sophomore album Paths, the follow-up to 2018’s The Ineffable Truth. A experimental bass pioneer in his own right, the artist born Greg Jones has worked with legends including DJ Shadow, Amon Tobin and Eprom, and on Paths, he once again demonstrates why they’ve all sought him out. The album synthesizes sharp, sometimes challenging, often spare and occasionally explosive bass music that deftly maintains the celestial, cerebral and frequently ambient tone that’s part of his signature. Jones has developed a new live show for the album that he’s debuting at Red Rocks Amphitheatre this Sunday (Oct. 15).

The Artist Says: “I’ve been working on the Paths Live show all year, remixing and reformatting songs from Paths as well as the rest of my catalog for live performance, and also doing multi-day IRL work sessions with my team of visual collaborators, building this new show from scratch,” says Jones. “I can hardly contain my excitement about it all. I’ve been discovering so many new ways to perform my songs in a live context, and really believe that the audiovisual aspect of the show will be far beyond anything we’ve done before.”

REZZ & deadmau5, “Infraliminal”



The Label: mau5trap

The Spiel: REZZ and deadmau5 mark another milestone in their history as pals and collaborators with “Infraliminal,” an dual edit of deadmau5′ “Superliminal,” the opening track of his 2012 classic >album title goes here<. This new “REZZmau5” version maintains the same call-to-arms quality as the original while shaving off about two minutes, spending a little more time in the ambient section and adding more of REZZ’s signature bass crunch.

The Artist Says: “’Superliminal’ is my favorite deadmau5 track,” says REZZ. “That’s one of the key songs that stunned me and I immediately had to learn to produce music. I put my own lil spin on it, while Joel also did his own lil spin, and we combined it together for now called ‘Infraliminal.’” 

Azzecca, “Tell That Boy”



The Label: Higher Ground

The Spiel: Chicago producer Azzecca has released “Tell That Boy” via Diplo’s Higher Ground label, with the the house track encompassing moments of spareness, heaviness and general acid-ness over the course of three-and-a-half minutes, and further establishing why she’s one to watch. Azzecca plays in Amsterdam next week during ADE before returning to the States for sets at Phoenix’s Body Language Festival, Austin’s Seismic Dance Event and EDC Orlando.

The Artist Says: “Thank you all so much for the support on this cheeky little acidy thing,” Azzecca says.

New Music Latin: Listen to Releases From Sofia Reyes & Beéle, Pink Pablo & More

New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.

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Ivan Cornejo, “Donde Estás” (Interscope Records)



After introducing himself to fans with his sad sierreño ballad “Está Dañada” in 2021, Ivan Cornejo has since evolved his sound, fusing it with alternative rock. The Mexican-American artist, who recently joined Interscope Records’ roster, delivers his new track “Donde Estas” while remaining very much rooted in acoustic and moody guitars, and placing all bets on deep, mature lyrics about love and heartbreak. Cornejo’s raspy vocal delivery only adds to the already sentimental song, which starts with a dreamy synth before soothing harmonies take over. “I even started therapy sessions, I went out with a few [girls] and none of them are like you, they’re not like you, you have me at your feet,” he sings, palpably hurt. Cornejo is currently on the road with his U.S. Terapia Tour, and is set to release a new album next year. — GRISELDA FLORES

Jasiel Nuñez & DannyLux, “Corazón Frío” (Doble P Records)



Brimming with teary-eyed brilliance, “Corazón Frío” is a poignant ballad by Jasiel Nuñez and DannyLux, resonating through its steely guitar strums and luminescent synth sounds. This emotionally charged breakup song dives into profound heartbreak, using melancholic melodies and introspective lyrics to encapsulate the pain of loss and longing. “I’ve tried everything to make you stay by my side/ And nothing has worked, your heart is colder than ice cream,” the Guadalajara and Palm Springs-raised artists croon in Spanish, as they paint an evocative image of a cold, unresponsive heart. Their laid-back delivery and emotional resonance exemplify the powerful impact of sad sierreños, making “Corazón Frío” a stunning showcase of the duo’s artistic prowess. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

Pink Pablo, “no es culpa mía” (Pink Pablo)



Puerto Rican musician Pink Pablo delivers an electrifying new single in “no es culpa mia,” an infectious track that fuses classic rock elements with DnB. The song, written and produced by the artist and sprinkled with humor and some English, talks about ignoring negative comments and staying true to yourself: “What does it matter to you what I stop doing? They don’t know anything about me, they don’t have anything to do… I was born this way, así fue que yo nací,” goes part of the lyrics. “There are always hostile people that offer backhanded comments and unfounded judgments against us for doing things differently,” Pink Pablo explains in a press release. “As tempting as it is to take things personal and get sidetracked by the noise, situations like this become my muse.” The breakout star, whose most recent releases include “La Vibra” and “Veo Luces,” is currently working on what will be his debut EP. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Sofia Reyes, Beéle, “Cobarde” (Warner Music Latina)



Instead of unleashing a dulcet pop song in one’s style or an infectious Afrobeat track in the other’s, in their first collaborative effort, Sofia Reyes and Beéle drop a sensual, urban-bachata fusion. In the heartfelt lyrics, the two artists sing about messing up in a relationship, learning from their mistakes and loving each other stronger than before. “I’m going to find you in every life/Like the ocean looks for the sand and salt/You were a coward who knew how to change/Because love is unconditional,” sings Reyes. “Hard to forget like a lunar eclipse/In its natural version it is something spectacular/I failed you so many times, I passed through every street/There I had to get lost to find myself,” responds Beéle. “Cobarde” is part of Reyes upcoming studio album, MILAMORES, expected to drop on Nov. 2. — JESSICA ROIZ

Musiko, Billy (Musiko Music)

Musiko has presented his most recent musical project, which bears his birth name, Billy. “The joy my heart feels is indescribable! After 3 years you will finally be able to hear what is definitely the best musical proposal I have created in my life!!” the Puerto Rican artist wrote on social media. The 11-song set, all collaborations, is a testament to his musical journey, from his life of faith to his collaborative spirit. On Billy, Musiko explores a wide range of musical genres –- from folk on “Si Puedes Creer” with Majo and Dan, to reggaeton dembow on “Malas Promesas” with Jinys, to ska on “Una Locura” with La Feria -– and imprints his characteristic urban style on all of them. He also features songs alongside Gabriel EMC, Omy Alka, CRYS, Kim Richards, Josh Gamez, Averly Morillo, Montesanto, and Funky. As a whole, Billy demonstrates Musiko’s versatility in adapting his voice and sound to different musical genres — and at the same time, it’s an open declaration of his love for God and the mark He has left on his life. — LUISA CALLE

Megan Thee Stallion Says She’s Not Signed to a Label: ‘We Are in My Pockets, Hotties’

Megan Thee Stallion is taking her music back into her own hands amid a grueling legal battle with her record label 1501 Certified Entertainment.

During an Instagram Live on Thursday (Oct. 12), the rapper revealed that she’s not signed to a label and will be funding her own music projects moving forward, as seen in screen recordings shared by fans on social media. “This part of my album is very much so funded by Megan Thee Stallion because we’re trying to get off… Y’all know what’s the tea. But I have no label right now,” she explained. “We’re doing everything funded straight out of Megan Thee Stallion’s pockets. So, the budget is coming from me. Motherf—ing Hot Girl Productions! The next s— y’all about to see is all straight from Megan Thee Stallion’s brain and Megan Thee Stallion’s wallet. We are in my pockets, hotties, so let’s do our big one.”

Meg added that she’s “excited” to be releasing music on her own. “It’s really just me this go around until we sign to a new label. But I don’t want to sign to a new label right now because I just want to do it myself,” she shared.

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Billboard has reached out to Megan’s team for more information.

The star rapper has been fighting with 1501 for more than two years, claiming the company duped a young artist into signing an “unconscionable” record deal in 2018 that was below industry standards. She filed the current case in February 2022, claiming 1501 had wrongly classified her Something For Thee Hotties less than an “album” — a significant distinction, as she owes a certain number of albums under her deal. Megan Thee Stallion filed a new complaint in August 2022 seeking more than $1 million in damages over claims that 1501 had “systematically failed” to pay enough royalties. 1501 then fired back with new accusations of its own, claiming it’s actually Megan Thee Stallion who owes “millions of dollars.”

Joe Hisaishi’s ‘Symphonic Celebration’ Sets Modern-Era U.S. Vinyl Sales Record for a Classical Album

Joe Hisaishi and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s A Symphonic Celebration: Music From the Studio Ghibli Films of Hayao Miyazaki makes a splash on Billboard’s album charts, and sets a modern-era single-week U.S. sales record for a classical album on vinyl.

First released on June 30 via digital download, CD and through streaming services, the album was issued on vinyl on Sept. 29. In the week ending Oct. 5, the album sold a total of 12,500 copies in the U.S. according to data tracking firm Luminate, with 12,000 of that sum on vinyl. The latter figure marks the single biggest sales week for a classical album on vinyl since Luminate began electronically tracking music sales in 1991.

The Symphonic album’s vinyl sales were bolstered by its availability across five different vinyl variants. All were double-LP sets – a standard black vinyl, a picture disc set, and three color variants: clear, yellow and sky blue.

In total in the week ending Oct. 5, Symphonic earned 13,000 in equivalent album units*, of which 12,500 were in traditional album sales. That marks the second-largest week for a classical album released in 2023, in both units earned and pure album sales, following the debut frame of Def Leppard’s Drastic Symphonies (16,000 units; of which 15,000 were in album sales; June 3-dated charts).

The new Symphonic Celebration album surveys composer Hisaishi’s work with film director Hayao Miyazaki and his many animated films for Studio Ghibli. Hisaishi teamed with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to present symphonic arrangements of familiar music he created for such films as Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle and Princess Mononoke.  

A Symphonic Celebration returns for a second week at No. 1 on Billboard’s Classical Albums chart (jumping 11-1, with 13,000 equivalent album units earned; up 1,418%) after it debuted atop the list dated July 15 (following its initial digital download, CD and streaming release). On Traditional Classical Albums, it also bumps back to No. 1 for a second week (rising 2-1), after debuting at No. 1 (July 15). The two charts rank the week’s most popular overall classical albums (by equivalent album units) and traditional classical albums (by pure album sales), respectively.

A Symphonic Celebration also debuts in the top 10 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales (No. 4), Vinyl Albums (No. 2) and Tastemaker Albums (No. 9), and re-enters at No. 4 on Top Current Album Sales (a new peak). The four charts rank, respectively, the week’s top-selling albums overall, the top-selling vinyl releases, the top-selling albums at independent and small chain record stores, and the top-selling current albums (not catalog, or older titles).

Finally, on the overall, all-genre Billboard 200 chart, A Symphonic Celebration bows at No. 74. The Billboard 200 ranks the week’s most popular albums, overall, across all genres, by equivalent album units.

*Equivalent album 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.

Britney Spears Jokes She Had ‘No Idea’ Who J Balvin & Maluma Were

Oops, she did it again. After getting together with two of the biggest stars in Latin music, Britney Spears took to Instagram to joke that she actually had no clue who they were.

Included in a video of her recent trip to New York City, the 41-year-old pop star shared a photo of her seated at a table with two so-called strangers. “Quick trip to NY… I had no idea who these boys were at this restaurant,” she captioned the since-deleted post Friday (Oct. 13).

But wait, who was she with? None other than J Balvin and Maluma, both of whom Spears tagged in the post.

The surprising trio seemed to have a ball Thursday night (Oct. 12), grabbing drinks and posing for a picture shared to Instagram by Maluma. “Who like me in love?” the “Hawái” musician captioned the snap in Spanish.

Balvin, who hugs Spears in the photo, responded in the comments: “Oh God hahahahahahahaha I can’t get over it.”

The “Toxic” singer is just days away from releasing her hotly anticipated memoir The Woman in Me on Oct. 24, which she made sure to promote in her post with Balvin and Maluma by adding the hashtag, “#TheWomanInMe.” According to a press release from publisher Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, the book is a “brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope.”

Brit’s night out with the boys comes amid her split from husband Sam Asghari, who filed for divorce in August citing “irreconcilable differences.” The two were married for a year and a half before calling it quits, something Spears opened up about on social media.

“As everyone knows, Hesam and I are no longer together … 6 years is a long time to be with someone so, I’m a little shocked but … I’m not here to explain why because its honestly nobody’s business !!!” she wrote in an Aug. 18 Instagram post. “But, I couldn’t take the pain anymore honestly !!!”

See Maluma’s photo with Britney Spears and J Balvin here.

Blink-182 Notches Second Straight Alternative Airplay No. 1 With ‘One More Time’

Blink-182 scores two consecutive No. 1s on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart for the first time as “One More Time” rises to the top of the Oct. 21-dated survey.

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The song reigns in its fourth week on the tally, marking the quickest rise to No. 1 in 2023 and the fastest since Blink-182’s own “Edging” took three frames in November 2022, starting a 13-week domination.

“One More Time” is the trio’s fifth No. 1 on Alternative Airplay, the three before “Edging” and “One More Time” not leading in succession. The band first ruled with “All the Small Things” beginning in December 1999 (eight weeks at No. 1), followed by “I Miss You” in April 2004 (two) and “Bored to Death” beginning in July 2016 (five).

Of those five No. 1s, four feature Blink-182’s most famous lineup of Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker. “Bored to Death” led during DeLonge’s absence from the band, with Matt Skiba replacing him on guitar and co-lead vocals.

Concurrently, “One More Time” shoots 16-11 on Mainstream Rock Airplay as the list’s Greatest Gainer. On the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, the song repeats at its No. 2 high with 7.6 million audience impressions, up 10%, according to Luminate.

On the most recently published multimetric Hot Rock & Alternative Songs survey (dated Oct. 14, reflecting the tracking week of Sept. 29-Oct. 5), “One More Time” ranked at No. 19. In addition to its radio airplay, the song earned 3.2 million official U.S. streams and sold 2,000 downloads.

“One More Time” is the second single from Blink-182’s upcoming album of the same name, its ninth studio set, due Oct. 20.

All Oct. 21-dated Billboard charts will update on Billboard.com on Tuesday, Oct. 17.

Kelly Clarkson Teases ‘Kelly Clarkson Show’ Season 5 Music Video Featuring Special Guests in NYC

The wait for The Kelly Clarkson Show‘s new season is almost over. And to celebrate the fast-approaching return of her daytime Emmy-winning series, Kelly Clarkson shared behind-the-scenes clips of an upcoming music video that will kick off season five on Monday (Oct. 16).

The BTS footage finds Clarkson strutting through the halls of 30 Rock — the new home of her previously California-based show — in a boss-like black pantsuit with cameras trailing her the entire way. At one point, the multi-hyphenate walks around outside through the streets of New York City, where a bunch of nearby fans can be heard cheering for the singer.

Clarkson isn’t the only star of the project, though. Also featured in the music video will be a handful of her new neighbors at 30 Rock, including Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager, Al Roker, Lester Holt and more. “I Won’t Give Up,” a song from the American Idol alum’s new deluxe edition of her June-released album Chemistry, will soundtrack the video.

“From season one, everything has happened,” Clarkson explains in the behind-the-scenes video. “We’ve not had one normal season. I love the fact that we’re singing ‘I Won’t Give Up.’”

“We pivot well,” she added, laughing.

The program’s new season comes after an extended break due the WGA writer’s strike, which resolved after months of picketing with a tentative agreement with Hollywood studios in September. In May, Rolling Stone reported alleged toxic work conditions at the talk show that Clarkson herself was largely unaware of.

“In my 20 years in the entertainment industry, I’ve always led with my heart and what I believed to be right,” Clarkson said in response to the accusations in a statement at the time. “I love my team at The Kelly Clarkson Show, and to find out that anyone is feeling unheard and or disrespected on this show is unacceptable.”

The first week of season five is slated to feature a number of famous faces, including Seth Meyers, Alanis Morissette, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sesame Street‘s Elmo and Oscar the Grouch, Billy Porter, Bowen Yang and more. And yes, Kellyoke will be coming back too, with Clarkson set to perform Patti LaBelle’s “New Attitude,” Joan Jett & The Blackhearts’ “Crimson and Clover,” Bowling for Soup’s “1985” and her own hit, “Stronger.”

Watch the teaser for Clarkson’s season five kickoff music video above.

BLACKPINK’s Jennie Takes BLINKs Behind the Scenes of ‘You & Me’ Performance & Live Video: Watch

BLACKPINK‘s Jennie is the latest member of the group to release solo material. The rapper dropped her highly anticipated solo single “You & Me” on Oct. 6, and later followed the track — which first made its debut during the K-pop group’s Born Pink World Tour — with a live jazz version earlier this week, and a performance video the week prior. Jennie followed up both clips on Friday (Oct. 13) with a behind-the-scenes video documenting the filming process for the recent visuals.

“This is the shooting site for my ‘You & Me’ performance video. As we wrapped our world tour, I wanted to gift ‘You & ME’ to our BLINKs. So I’m finishing this as soon as I finished the concert,” Jennie — who was wearing the red and ruffled outfit from the performance video — told the camera.

Scenes of the K-pop star performing alongside backup dancers, as well as the glittering moon backdrop, play in slow motion before the video switches to the scene of her and a male dancer performing their duet together. “The set is so pretty, right? There’s still one more set left, so please enjoy,” she said, before clips of her singing the “You & Me” jazz version played. “We shot the live video and performance video in one day,” she revealed.

Concluding the video, Jennie reflected on the experience and noted that she wanted to make something special for BLACKPINK fans. “For BLINKs, I put everything in the box and even sprinkled it with sparkles on top!” she added. “Everyone worked so hard and it was such an exciting shoot.”

“You & Me” marks Jennie’s second solo track after her 2018 release, “Solo.” She is the only member of BLACKPINK who hasn’t yet released a solo EP or album.

Watch the behind-the-scenes video for “You & Me” above.