Music News

20 Sep 2023

Willy Williams Scores His Second Entry in YouTube’s Billion Views Club

Willy William is now a two-time member of YouTube’s Billion Views Club. The French singer’s music video for his 2015 track, “‘Ego,” has officially hit 1 billion views, the video streaming platform confirmed Wednesday (Sept. 20).

The sparse visual for the track — which only features the colors black, white and gray — sees William grappling with his inner-monologue and looking into the mirror to fight off a dark smoke that threatens to overtake his spirit. The video additionally features a ballet dancer, professional fire breather, drummer, gymnast and krump dancer.

The artist took to Instagram to share his excitement at the news, noting that it is just the third song released in French to reach the 1 billion view landmark. “1 BILLION VIEWS FOR A SONG 100% IN FRENCH, 3RD FRENCH SONG TO PASS A BILLION VIEWS, JUST AFTER @off.indila AND @stromae,” he wrote in all caps, referencing videos by Indila and Stromae. “Thank you all and thank you @seblafrite for the final push. 1 BILLION VIEWS FOR A FRENCH SONG. THANKS Y’ALL.”

The video marks the second video for William to reach the impressive milestone. Alongside J Balvin, the pair’s collaborative track “Mi Gente” — which later included a Beyoncé feature — also surpassed 1 billion views and now sits at 3.2 billion on the platform. The song, released in 2017, earned William his first and only hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 3 and spending a total of 30 weeks on the chart.

Revisit the music video for “Ego” above.

20 Sep 2023

‘Billions’ Rules Top TV Songs Chart With Styx Synch

Styx’s “Renegade” reigns on Billboard’s Top TV Songs chart, powered by Tunefind, for August 2023, after it was heard in the season premiere of Showtime’s Billions.

Rankings for the Top TV Songs chart are based on song and show data provided by Tunefind and ranked using a formula blending that data with sales and streaming information tracked by Luminate during the corresponding period of August 2023.

“Renegade,” a No. 16 hit for Styx on the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1979, lands at No. 1 following its synch in Billions’ Aug. 11 episode, which coronated the premiere of its seventh and final season.

In August 2023, “Renegade” earned 5.1 million official on-demand U.S. streams and 1,000 downloads, according to Luminate.

The song reigns over Massive Attack’s “Teardrop,” which bows at No. 2. It was heard in the series premiere of The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, a newcomer to Amazon Prime Video’s slate of programming that first aired Aug. 4.

“Teardrop,” which bubbled under the Hot 100 in 1998, garnered 1.5 million streams in August 2023.

Music from the continuation of the second season of Amazon’s The Summer I Turned Pretty dots much of the remainder of the Top TV Songs top 10. The July 2023 list featured Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child o’ Mine,” heard in the show’s fourth episode of its second season (July 21), at No. 1, and the final three episodes of season 2 aired in August.

“Exile,” by Taylor Swift and featuring Bon Iver, leads the pack of The Summer I Turned Pretty songs at No. 3 (15.6 million streams, 4,000 downloads), followed by Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the USA” at No. 4 (22.7 million streams, 3,000 downloads). In all, four of the chart’s 10 songs are from the Amazon series.

See the full top 10, also featuring music from Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Hard Knocks and What We Do in the Shadows, below.

Rank, Song, Artist, Show (Network)
1. “Renegade,” Styx, Billions (Showtime)
2. “Teardrop,” Massive Attack, The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart (Amazon Prime Video)
3. “Exile,” Taylor Swift feat. Bon Iver, The Summer I Turned Pretty (Amazon Prime Video)
4. “Party in the USA,” Miley Cyrus, The Summer I Turned Pretty (Amazon Prime Video)
5. “Dear Mr. Fantasy,” Traffic, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (HBO)
6. “I Can’t Stand the Rain,” Ann Peebles, Hard Knocks (HBO)
7. “Jump Around,” House of Pain, What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
8. “Free Fallin’,” Tom Petty, The Summer I Turned Pretty (Amazon Prime Video)
9. “All the Small Things,” Blink-182, The Summer I Turned Pretty (Amazon Prime Video)
10. “I Feel Love,” Donna Summer, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (HBO)

20 Sep 2023

Megan Thee Stallion Is ‘So Down’ to Release a Joint EP & Tour With Cardi B

When Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B hop on a track together, they make magic. The pair’s 2020 track “WAP” took the world by storm, spending four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and their latest team-up “Bongos” is off to a top 20 start on this week’s chart.

So it’s no surprise that Thee Hot Girl Coach wouldn’t mind collaborating with Cardi, she revealed in a new interview with Complex.

“I literally think that’s the route that we’re going,” she said. “So I’ve done two songs for her. And now I feel like I’m in a space where I know exactly what songs I want her to do for me. So we’re really building a little EP already. We’re gonna have enough music that we need to go on tour together. Me and [Cardi] going out on together will be so amazing. We are already so cool. And I feel like we got similar fans. So if she wanted to do a little EP, I would definitely be so down to do that, but we are making enough music to already have that.”

In Megan’s recent interview with Billboard, she shared that Cardi is easy to work with because “she literally just let me do me. This is the second time she’s sent me a song, and I’ll be like, ‘Friend, can I do whatever I want to do on the beat? I’m finna put two verses on here, all right?’ She always let me do whatever I want to do creatively. I just appreciate that so much because sometimes people try to give you a direction and they want you to do what they want you to do.”

As for solo music from Megan, the Hotties need not worry about if her next album on the horizon. “It’s definitely coming very soon,” she promised.

“Bongos” arrived on Sept. 8, marking Megan’s first song to be released in 2023. The track debuts on the Sept. 23-dated Hot 100 at No. 14.

20 Sep 2023

‘The View’ Co-Host Claims Taylor Swift Is ‘Doing More for the Economy’ Than Joe Biden & Whoopi Goldberg Has Thoughts

We’re still more than a year out from the 2024 U.S. presidential election, but one particularly unlikely name seems to have The View co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin’s vote.

During a heated Wednesday morning (Sept. 20) roundtable discussion about the imminent government shutdown, Griffin controversially claimed that Taylor Swift is doing more for the economy than President Joe Biden.

The remark came after co-host Joy Behar expressed her admiration for the breadth of Swift’s audience. “I want to give a shout-out to Taylor Swift, because Taylor Swift is really rallying the young people,” she said. “That girl appeals to I think 100 million people — that’s one-third of the United States population.”

Griffin then added, “[Taylor’s] doing more for the economy than Joe Biden’s agenda, but that’s neither here nor there.”

A visibly stunned Whoopi Goldberg clapped back with, “I’m sorry, untrue, but that’s OK.”

While Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour is poised for a potentially historic gross — and the tour’s impact on local economies has been well-documented — Goldberg took issue with the statement that she’s doing more for the overall U.S. economy than the president himself.

Swift has an easy enough time staying in the political conversation without Griffin’s help. On Tuesday — which was also National Voter Registration Day — Swift posted a message encouraging fans to harness the full extent of their political power. “I’ve heard you raise your voices, and I know how powerful they are. Make sure you’re ready to use them in our elections this year!” she said. “Register to vote in less than 2 minutes at vote.org/nvrd.” Earlier in the summer (Jul. 17), the “Anti-Hero” singer shared an Instagram Story reminding her Nashville fans to participate in early voting for their local elections.

Also on Wednesday, Swift announced the five new vault tracks slated to appear on 1989 (Taylor’s Version), which is set for an Oct. 27 release: “Is It Over Now?,” “Now That We Don’t Talk,” “Say Don’t Go,” “Suburban Legends” and “SLUT!”

20 Sep 2023

3 Stray Kids Members Involved in Minor Car Accident, Upcoming Concert Schedule Adjusted

Stray Kids‘ upcoming schedule has been modified after three members of the group were involved in a minor car accident.

JYP Entertainment revealed the news on Wednesday (Sept. 20) in a statement noting that on their way back home the night prior, Lee Know, Hyunjin and Seungmin were involved in a “minor car collision” and were taken to the hospital and “received a thorough medical examination.” Thankfully, according to a translation of the Korean statement, “none of the members and accompanying staff in the vehicle were seriously injured.

The note continues, “As they have sustained mild muscle pain and bruises, medical professionals have advised that they receive conservative treatment for the time being.”

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

As a result of the incident, two of the group’s upcoming appearances have been canceled, including Milan Fashion Week and Seungmin’s Birthday YouTube Live. The band’s upcoming performance at Global Citizen Festival on Saturday (Sept. 23) will now feature Bang Chan, Changbin and HAN performing as 3RACHA.

See the full statement, as well as Global Citizen Festival’s announcement below.

20 Sep 2023

*NSYNC Tease the Aftermath of Their ‘Hot Ones’ Episode: ‘Tearin’ Up My Heartburn 2024 Tour’

*NSYNC are keeping things spicy as their buzzy reunion marches on, teasing their upcoming appearance Thursday on the YouTube series Hot Ones.

In a new clip, Chris Kirkpatrick, JC Chasez, Justin Timberlake, Lance Bass and Joey Fatone show the aftermath of eating unbearably hot chicken wings, resulting in them taking various antacids to keep the heat at bay. Timberlake gives the camera a deadpan expression while preparing to chug Pepto Bismol, while Bass and Chasez take turns sharing Tums tablets.

The spiciness of the wings brings Kirkpatrick to tears, which he dabs away with a red napkin. Fatone, perhaps the least fazed, quickly downs a tall glass of water. “Preheating,” Timberlake captioned the video, shared to his personal Instagram. (The “SexyBack” singer appeared on Hot Ones solo back in 2020.)

Bass kept it real in the comments section, writing: “Tearin’ Up My Heartburn 2024 tour: sponsored by Pepto, Tums and Milk.”

*NSYNC fans have a lot to be excited about in the coming weeks. After the group’s appearance at the 2023 MTV VMAs — which took place last week on Sept. 12 and saw the quintet present Taylor Swift the best pop award — rumors of a tour or new music together started to swirl. The music part is true: The boy band will drop the Trolls Band Together song “Better Place,” their first single since 2002, on Sept. 29. The single was announced in a new trailer for the movie that arrived the day after the VMAs. Timberlake voices Branch in the animated movie series.

*NSYNC’s Hot Ones episode will premiere on on Thursday (Sept. 21) at 11 a.m. ET. See the teaser video below.

20 Sep 2023

Polo G Surprised ‘Barely Holdin On’ Music Video Cast by Gifting Them $10,000 

Polo G is spreading the love.

The rapper gifted each cast member of his emotional “Barely Holdin’ On” music video with $10,000, according to People. “It was an emotional roller coaster for many,” said director Arrad in a press statement. “Nobody was expecting to get the cash at the end. It was a huge surprise and everyone was in complete denial!”

He added, “Polo was very generous and wanted to make sure he could thank each and every person — he expressed his gratitude multiple times and gave them all the cash at the end. It was extremely nice and heartwarming of him.”

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The poignant “Barely Holdin’ On” music video, released last month, features an array of real people opening up about struggles ranging from single parenthood and medical troubles to gun violence and addiction. “This life gets scary as it goes on / Burdens while we carry on / I ain’t perfect, spare me if I’m wrong / Hope my secrets get buried when I’m gone,” Polo G muses in the chorus.

The track peaked at No. 23 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart. Watch the full “Barely Holdin’ On” music video below.



20 Sep 2023

BE:FIRST’s ‘Mainstream’ Bows at No. 1 on Japan Hot 100

BE:FIRST’s “Mainstream” debuts at No. 1 on the latest Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated Sept. 20, tracking the week ending Sept. 17.

The fourth single by the seven-member boy band sold 169,197 CDs in its first week, which is 12,890 more than their previous single “Smile Again” that launched with 156,307 copies. “Mainstream” hits No. 2 for physical sales, while being campaign-propelled to No. 1 for downloads (54,835 units), radio, and video views. The track also hits No. 5 for streaming with 7,550,928 weekly streams, also powered by a campaign offering stickers and other goodies to winners. The popular BMSG group is set to perform live for the first time on Music Station’s three-hour special next week (Sept. 29), and will be premiering the song’s performance on the long-running music program. 

YOASOBI’s “Idol” rises 4-2 on this week’s chart after being crowned the first No. 1 song on Billboard Japan’s inaugural Global Japan Songs Excl. Japan chart unveiled Sept. 14, which ranks popular Japanese songs outside of Japan. The record-breaking mega-hit that sat atop the Japan Hot 100 for 21 weeks returns to No. 1 for streaming with 10,676,391 streams, while coming in at No. 6 for downloads (6,411 units), No. 45 for radio, and No. 4 for video views.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Ado’s “Show” jumps 8-3 after dropping digitally Sept. 6. While downloads slipped 2-3 with 11,222 units, streaming rose significantly from No. 15 to No. 3 with 8,691,618 streams. The latest track by the “New Genesis” singer is collecting points in a balanced way, coming in at No. 2 for video and No. 6 for radio.

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 Sept. 11 to 17, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.

20 Sep 2023

Taylor Swift’s Full ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ Track List Is Here With No Features & One More ‘Vault’ Track

Swifties are just a month and a half away from the release of 1989 (Taylor’s Version), and Taylor Swift took to Instagram on Wednesday (Sept. 20) to reveal the back covers and the full track list for her upcoming re-recorded album.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“It’s a new soundtrack,” she captioned the series of whimsical beach photos. “Here are the back covers and vault track titles for 1989 (my version) I can’t wait for this one to be out, seriously. Thank you for playing along, sleuthing, puzzling and making these reveals so much chaotic fun (which is the best kind of fun, after all ?).”

The track list features all 16 original and bonus tracks from the 2014 album, plus the previously revealed “Vault” tracks including “Is It Over Now?,” “Now That We Don’t Talk,” “Say Don’t Go” and “Suburban Legends.” In her post, Swift revealed one more “From the Vault” track titled “‘Slut!’”

Surprisingly, there are no features on the current track list, shutting down rumors of a potential collaboration with Nicki Minaj or even Harry Styles.

The reveal comes following a Google pop-up animation to honor 1989‘s upcoming release. The 89 puzzles fans were encouraged to solve to unlock the “Taylor’s Vault” tracks resulted in so much Googling that the search engine admitted it was more than the world’s leading search destination could even handle. “Swifties, the vault is jammed! But don’t worry, there are not blank spaces inside,” it tweeted Tuesday evening. “We’re in our fix-it era and will be out of the woods soon.”

Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is arriving on October 27. See the back covers and track list on Instagram here.

20 Sep 2023

John Mayer & Ed Sheeran Duet on ‘Free Fallin” as Ed Repays the Favor by Opening LA Charity Show

When Ed Sheeran was a teenager in England, his dream was to one day open for John Mayer. On Tuesday night, that dream came true.

Mayer played a one-off solo show at LA’s Wiltern theater to benefit his Heart and Armor Foundation, and on Tuesday morning, Mayer’s named was joined by Sheeran’s on the Wiltern marquee as a special guest. It was Sheeran’s opportunity to repay the favor after Mayer filled in for opening act Khalid when the R&B singer got in a car accident ahead of a July stop at Gillette Stadium outside Boston.

Sheeran kicked off the night with a seven-song set, including a medley of his = (Equals) hits “Bad Habits” and “Shivers” and a ’90s-hip-hop-infused version of his 2014 Billboard Hot 100 top 10 “Don’t” that included snippets of “No Diggity,” “California Love” and “The Next Episode.”

And that wasn’t the last time the crowd would see Sheeran: The British singer/songwriter re-emerged during Mayer’s 16-song set, duetting on the Continuum fan favorite “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room” — with Sheeran singing the 2006 song’s wailing guitar solo — and on a cover of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’,” which has become a staple of Mayer’s live shows.

The two hugged following the duets, with Sheeran telling the crowd with a laugh, “I just said to John: I feel like I’m going to watch that on YouTube for the rest of my life. That was so special.”

Watch the “Free Fallin’” duet below:

Mayer helped establish the Heart and Armor Foundation in 2019 to support the health of veterans of war, and 100% of the proceeds from Tuesday night’s show — including two auctioned-off pairs of tickets that raised more than $16,000 — went to the charity.

Next up, Mayer returns to his solo acoustic tour starting Oct. 3 in New York and wrapping Nov. 10 back in Los Angeles. On Thursday, Sheeran will kick off season 2 of Amazon Music Live by playing after the Thursday Night Football game.