Music News
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On May 9, Beyoncé wrapped a historic run of five shows at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, 10 miles from downtown Los Angeles. According to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, the Cowboy Carter Tour kick-off grossed $55.7 million and sold 217,000 tickets.
Beyoncé’s $50 million-plus run in Los Angeles is the biggest reported single-venue engagement of 2025 so far, eclipsing multiple stops on Coldplay’s tour through Asia and Shakira’s seven-night stay in Mexico City. Further, it’s the fifth-highest grossing tour stop in Boxscore history, only behind two legs of U2’s Sphere residency in Las Vegas (2023-24), Harry Styles’ 15 shows at Madison Square Garden in New York (2022), and eight nights of Take That at Wembley Stadium in London (2011). Notably, it’s the highest-grossing reported single-venue engagement ever by a woman.
Cowboy Carter Tour launched on Monday, April 28, with successive performances on May 1, 4, 7, and 9. On average, Beyoncé grossed $11.1 million per night, playing to more than 43,000 fans at each show. In completing this week-long run, she has now played more shows at SoFi Stadium than any other artist in the venue’s history – eight, including three in 2023 – since its opening at the beginning of the decade.
The L.A.-area shows may not even remain the tour’s peak, as an upcoming five-night stay at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. (13 miles from New York) could challenge that $55 million take. Beyoncé will have her longest run at one venue in London with six nights at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, though ticket prices overseas often fall below the surging rates in the United States.
Using Cowboy Carter Tour figures in the Los Angeles area as a guide, with city-by-city comparisons to previous tours, it appears that Beyoncé’s 2025 run is barreling toward Billboard’s initial projections of $300 million. It will out-gross all of her previous tours with the lone exception of 2023’s Renaissance World Tour, which ran for 56 shows compared to Cowboy Carter Tour’s current routing of 32. According to Live Nation, total ticket sales will eclipse one million.
The initial reports for Cowboy Carter Tour push Beyoncé’s reported career Boxscore earnings past $1.4 billion, with 11.9 million tickets sold. Those totals will continue to rise until the trek closes on July 26 at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium.
To celebrate 30 years of steering the Korean entertainment sphere, SM Entertainment hit Los Angeles with its star-studded SMTOWN Live 2025 concert. Boasting 68 individual artists, representing 13 different groups, all on one sprawling stage at the Dignity Health Sports Park, the showcase brought out a range of K-pop talent that showcases SM’s expansive impact […]
05/12/2025
Twin Cities musical landmarks, concert venues, record stores, festivals and more.
05/12/2025
San Francisco’s Portola festival has announced the lineup for its fourth edition this fall. The bill is led by LCD Soundsystem, The Prodigy, Underworld, Dom Dolla, Peggy Gou, Mau P, Chris Lake and Chris Lorenzo performing under their Anti Up alias and, in the festival’s continued tradition of delivering a marquee pop moment, Christina Aguilera. […]
All Swiftie eyes will be turned toward the 2025 American Music Awards later this month, as fans are absolutely convinced that Taylor Swift is planning to announce something major at this year’s ceremony.
There are several reasons for the detective-like fanbase’s latest hunch. Two of the biggest ones tie back to the pop superstar’s online store, which fans noticed now covertly spells out “AMAs” via the first letters of each word in a prominent four-option menu: Apparel, Music, Accessories and Sale.
Additionally, Swift’s site currently has exactly 12 items up for sale at 26% off, which fans have pointed out as two significant numbers. First, the 14-time Grammy winner’s last album — the 17-week Billboard 200-topping Tortured Poets Department — was her 11th studio LP, meaning her next project would be her 12th. Second, the date of the 2025 AMAs is May 26.
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That, of course, isn’t all. Taylor Nation recently reshared a fan’s post on X about voting for Swift at this year’s AMAs (she’s nominated in six categories in 2025) and wrote, “And our town, it looks so sMall from wAy up here.”
“Screamed, ‘vote for the chairman’ at the night sky!” Swift’s team added in the May 6 post.
On the surface, those lines appear to be a simple play on a lyric from Swift’s track “thanK you aIMee.” But you also might notice the randomly capitalized letters in the sentence; put them together, and what do they spell? “AMAs.”
With all of that in mind, Swifties are sure the “Fortnight” singer has something special planned for the 2025 awards. The repetition of the number 12 in her potential Easter eggs has a lot of people thinking that an announcement pertaining to her next proper album is in the cards, but some are holding out hope that she’ll actually reveal something about her long-anticipated Reputation or Taylor Swift re-records.
“Her store spelling out AMAS, 12 items on sale for 26% (the amas are on the 26th), TN capitalizing a caption to spell out AMAS…. guys… THESE ARE EASTER EGGS,” one fan wrote on X.
Another person added, “i think this enough reasonable clown material.”
If Swift does unveil something album-related at the AMAs, it would be far from the first time she’s used an award show for that purpose. It was at the 2022 VMAs that she announced Midnights, and while accepting best pop vocal album for that same LP at the 2024 Grammys, she announced Tortured Poets.
The Eras headliner also has a special history with the AMAs in particular. In 2019, she was declared the show’s second-ever artist of the decade, performing a medley of her biggest hits before accepting the honor on stage. She’s also the most-decorated artist in AMAs history, boasting 40 awards in her collection total.
Airing live on Memorial Day, or May 26, the AMAs will be available to stream on Paramount+ in the U.S. The upcoming show comes after Swift was recently spotted out and about with boyfriend Travis Kelce for the first time in months, dining at a Philadelphia restaurant on Mother’s Day (May 11) after mostly lying low following the conclusion of the Eras Tour in December.
See what Swifties are saying about the possibility of a big AMAs announcement below.
🚨| Taylor Swift’s official store currently features 12 items at 26% off in her store. —The site also spells “AMAs”, and the AMAs will take place on the 26th of this month. pic.twitter.com/qKxwDbXUnv— Taylor Swift Updates (@TSUpdating) May 12, 2025
the 12 stones in taylor’s earrings at the grammys, 12D’s in her instagram caption, her store spelling out AMAS, 12 items on sale for 26% (the amas are on the 26th), TN capitalizing a caption to spell out AMAS…. guys… THESE ARE EASTER EGGS— kaia! (@kaiamal13) May 12, 2025
first tayppearance in forever, website spells out “AMAS”, the taylor nation countdown, i think this enough reasonable clown material pic.twitter.com/GzTsQyRuqv— 𝙎𝙚𝙩𝙝⸆⸉ (@t4n00kl1ng) May 12, 2025
Taylor’s website spells out AMASAMAS are on 5/26 …5 + 2 + 6 =13 🤡what also happened on 5/26/23the karma mv…what if the 2 on the coffee cup meant 2 years from that date? which is also the AMAs…🤡🤡🤡 pic.twitter.com/sidWI9eo2M— g (taylor’s version) – heard idsb miami n2 🐍🖤 (@readyforittv13) May 12, 2025
Taylor Swift gave us three different Easter eggs for May 26th. Apparently we will have something at the 2025 AMAs. pic.twitter.com/s0yXLh35Zn— Taylor Swift Charts (@TChartSwift) May 12, 2025
i think i’m clowning for rep (taylor’s version) for the amas cause the first time she announced something at an award show was midnights and at metlife n1 we got rep and midnights surprise songs and the 1 part of the karma mv that was very rep coded— lily (taylor’s version) HEARD YOYOK (@lilys_garden13) May 12, 2025
Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” spends a second week at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200. A week earlier, the song became the singer-songwriter’s first leader on the chart.
Meanwhile, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile” scores a 17th week atop the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. survey. The ballad first hit No. 1 on the list last September.
The Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts, which began in September 2020, rank songs based on streaming and sales activity culled from more than 200 territories around the world, as compiled by Luminate. The Global 200 is inclusive of worldwide data and the Global Excl. U.S. chart comprises data from territories excluding the United States.
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Chart ranks are based on a weighted formula incorporating official-only streams on both subscription and ad-supported tiers of audio and video music services, as well as download sales, the latter of which reflect purchases from full-service digital music retailers from around the world, with sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites excluded from the charts’ calculations.
“Ordinary” leads the Global 200 with 65.9 million streams (essentially even week-over-week) and 11,000 sold (down 9%) worldwide May 2-8.
The entire Global 200’s top five holds in place from a week earlier: “Die With a Smile” at No. 2, after 18 weeks at No. 1 beginning last September (second only to the 19 weeks at No. 1 for Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” since the chart began); ROSÉ and Bruno Mars’ “APT.” at No. 3, after 12 weeks at No. 1 starting in November; Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather” at No. 4, following three weeks at No. 1 last August; and Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” at No. 5, after it logged seven weeks on top in February-April 2024.
“Die With a Smile” adds a 17th week at No. 1 on Global Excl. U.S., with 64.8 million streams (down 3%) and 3,000 sold (down 5%) outside the U.S. The song holds the second-longest rule in the chart’s archives:
19 weeks at No. 1, “APT.,” ROSÉ & Bruno Mars (2024-25)
17 weeks, “Die With a Smile,” Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars (2024-25)
14 weeks, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey (2021-25)
13 weeks, “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus (2023)
13 weeks, “As It Was,” Harry Styles (2022)
“Ordinary” rises 3-2 for a new Global Excl. U.S. best; “APT.” drops 2-3; JENNIE’s “like JENNIE” keeps at No. 4, after hitting No. 3; and “Birds of a Feather” repeats at No. 5, following three weeks at No. 1 last August.
The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts (dated May 17, 2025) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, May 13. For both charts, the top 100 titles are available to all readers on Billboard.com, while the complete 200-title rankings are visible on Billboard Pro, Billboard’s subscription-based service. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
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.
Madonna fans have been waiting for years to see the Queen of Pop get her very own biopic — and according to a new report, they may finally get to see one. According to a report from Deadline on Monday (May 12), Madonna has teamed up with Deadpool & Wolverine producer Shawn Levy to develop […]
Say your prayers: Christian music is making a serious comeback.
On the Billboard Hot 100, dated May 10, two Christian songs are making waves: Brandon Lake’s “Hard Fought Hallelujah” ranks at No. 44 in its 11th week on the chart (after reaching No. 40 last week) and Forrest Frank’s “Your Way’s Better” jumps from No. 72 to No. 62 in its second week.
Lake and Frank have both emerged as breakout stars in the Christian music world, thanks in part to their growing popularity across social media platforms like TikTok.
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Lake has charted 42 songs on the Hot Christian Songs chart, all since 2019. Nine of those reached the top 10 and six hit No. 1. Three of those hits, including “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” spent 20-plus weeks on top.
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Frank, meanwhile, first broke onto Billboard’s charts in 2020 as half of the pop duo Surfaces (alongside Colin Padalecki), thanks to their viral hit “Sunday Best.” The TikTok-friendly song climbed to No. 19 on the Hot 100 and even found success at radio, reaching the top 10 of Pop Airplay. Since then, Frank has pivoted to Christian music and quickly became a force in the genre. He’s logged 34 entries on the Hot Christian Songs chart, including six top 10s: “Good Day” (No. 2 peak in 2024); “Up!,” with Connor Price (No. 8, 2024); “Never Get Used to This,” with JVKE (No. 6, 2024); “The Present” (No. 9, January); “Nothing Else,” with Thomas Rhett (No. 4, March); and “Your Way’s Better.” No other artist has charted more songs on the ranking since the beginning of 2022. He also finished 2024 as Billboard’s No. 1 top new Christian artist.
Frank’s album Child of God has also dominated the Top Christian Albums chart, spending 34 weeks and counting at No. 1, making it the fifth-longest-leading No. 1 album this century. He released the set’s follow-up, Child of God II, Friday (May 9).
Christian music has historically had a limited presence on the Hot 100. Dating to when Billboard’s Hot Christian Songs chart adopted its current multimetric methodology on Dec. 7, 2013 — blending U.S. streams, radio airplay and sales — 52 Christian songs have charted on both the Hot 100 and Hot Christian Songs. But there are some important caveats.
Of those 52 songs, 34 were by Kanye West from his albums Jesus Is King or Donda and one was by DJ Khaled featuring West and Eminem (“Use This Gospel [Remix]”) — both were, of course, already long-established hip-hop acts with a core fanbase outside of Christian music. Another six were religious-themed holiday songs (Carrie Underwood’s “Silent Night,” for example).
That leaves us with just 11 Christian songs that are not tied to the holidays or crossover rap acts:
Artist, Title, Peak Year on the Hot 100:
Carrie Underwood, “Something in the Water,” 2014Craig Wayne Boyd, “The Old Rugged Cross,” 2014Hillsong UNITED, “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail),” 2014Jordan Smith, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness,” 2015NEEDTOBREATHE feat. Gavin DeGraw, “Brother,” 2015Jordan Smith, “Mary Did You Know,” 2016Avril Lavigne, “Head Above Water,” 2018NF, “Let You Down,” 2018Lauren Daigle, “You Say,” 2019Brandon Lake, “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” 2025Forrest Frank, “Your Way’s Better,” 2025
And there may be more on the way. Two additional Christian tracks are climbing Billboard’s Bubbling Under Hot 100 ranking — which lists the 25 songs just below the Hot 100 that haven’t yet debuted: Elevation Worship’s “Praise,” featuring Brandon Lake, Chris Brown and Chandler Moore (No. 20; currently No. 3 on Hot Christian Songs) and Forrest Frank’s “Good Day” (No. 23; peaked at No. 2 on Hot Christian Songs last year).
What makes this specific chart week extra notable for Christian music, though, is that it’s just the second time (since 2013) that two Christian songs are charting simultaneously. It only happened once before on Dec. 27, 2014, when Underwood’s “Something in the Water” and Boyd’s “The Old Rugged Cross” charted together. The latter song, however, spent a week on the chart before dropping off. Unlike that week, Lake’s hit has significant longevity and Frank’s is still on the rise.
For Provident Label Group, which finished 2024 as Billboard‘s No. 1 Top Christian Label and whose roster included Lake and genre powerhouse Elevation Worship, pivoting their marketing efforts to younger demographics has been key to their success.
“Over the past few years, we’ve focused on investing in the future of the genre instead of just seeking to repeat past successes,” said marketing & brand strategy vp Mat Anderson. “For Christian music to thrive in the next 5-10 years, we must attract younger audiences seeking sonically diverse music that authentically reflects their faith and life experiences. We’ve partnered with young artists who offer unique perspectives, enabling them to shape the genre’s future rather than molding them to fit its past. This approach by Provident and others has been highly successful, as the genre’s rapid growth over the past three years demonstrates that Christian music is resonating with new audiences and reengaging previous ones.”
Christian music has, in fact, been rising — and it’s part of a broader trend. According to Luminate’s 2024 year-end report, Christian/Gospel is one of the fastest-growing genres among young audiences in the U.S., with the average listener is spending 19% more time with Christian/Gospel music than in 2022.
Lil Tecca’s journey from Queens kid to chart-climbing artist has always been rooted in authenticity—and now, his signature self-expression is taking shape in a new way. Teaming up with Foot Locker and adidas for their “Stay in Rotation” campaign, Tecca joins a movement designed to spotlight Gen Z’s bold style and sense of community. And for Tecca, the opportunity hit close to home.
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“I was ecstatic,” he says, remembering the moment he got the call. “It’s honestly an honor, ’cause I grew up going to Foot Locker with my parents and shopping with adidas. So it’s nothing but a blessing.”
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The “Stay in Rotation” campaign leans into the ever-evolving connection between music, fashion, sports, and individuality—something Tecca knows well. With his effortless, genre-fluid sound and a closet full of sneaker heat, the 22-year-old embodies the freedom the campaign promotes. It’s only right he’s helping to spotlight one of adidas’ most buzzworthy silhouettes: the Handball Spezial.
“It’s a real casual shoe with a sleek fit,” he says. “I don’t have to think too much about what I’m putting together with it, ’cause it kind of finishes the fit regardless.”
Lil Tecca X Foot Locker
Foot Locker
He’s also bringing that visual energy to the “Stay in Rotation” campaign, which champions individual style and nontraditional self-expression. For Tecca, that means sometimes wearing shoes a size too small— “just because the shoe’s so fire I have to wear it.” Style, for him, is all about taking risks to bring a vision to life.
That carefree versatility mirrors Tecca’s creative process — especially these days. His latest single, “Dark Thoughts,” recently climbed to No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 and struck a chord with fans with its introspective tone. But Tecca says the song wasn’t born from a specific moment — it came from routine, from discipline, from sharpening the blade.
“I made that song fresh off the wake-up,” he says. “I wasn’t trying to make something specific; I was just practicing my craft.”
Still, that practice is paying off. Tecca is more focused than ever, building toward the release of his next studio album Dopamine. He describes this new era as “more intentional, more organized,” and filled with a desire to create something great for the people who’ve stuck with him.
And while the music remains central, Tecca’s ambitions stretch far beyond the studio. He’s diving into film, cinematography, and fashion — anything that can add to the full picture of who Lil Tecca is. “Everything around the music that can make it sort of the Valhalla of what people want,” he explains. “I want to show more of what the songs look like.”
One key part of that vision? Sneakers. “They’ve been a passion throughout my whole life,” he says. “Now, they’re definitely a statement silhouette when it comes to picking an outfit. They’re just as important to me as any other part of the look.”
It’s why campaigns like “Stay in Rotation” make sense for Tecca — he’s lived the culture his whole life. Whether it’s classics like the adidas Superstar or standout pairs from Jeremy Scott, kicks have always helped him tell his story. Sometimes he starts a fit from the sneakers, sometimes the top — but whatever the formula, the shoes are non-negotiable.
When asked which of his tracks would best pair with the Handball Spezial, he picks “Show Me Up.” “It’s one of my calmer songs. I see myself on a nighttime walk with those. No one’s seeing me, it’s just me and the world — just trying to do something calm.”
That balance of calm and ambition defines where Lil Tecca is headed next. He’s still the kid who didn’t let himself dream too far beyond what was possible, but now, with the world watching, he’s dreaming bigger than ever—and still staying grounded.
Advice for a younger version of himself? Tecca flips it.
“I’ll give advice for older Tecca: Keep your head down, stay humble, and you still know nothing. That’s the only thing you know.”
Wise words from an artist who’s still evolving — but always in rotation.
Tory Lanez (real name Daystar Peterson) was the victim of a prison stabbing on Monday morning (May 12). According to TMZ, Lanez was rushed to a nearby hospital in Bakersfield, Calif., to treat his injuries.
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The Canadian singer was reportedly in the prison yard of California Correctional Institution when he was the victim of a brutal attack. Details of the stabbing or the motivation behind the attack remain unclear.
On Friday (May 9), Lanez posted a prison photo with fellow inmates from behind bars and revealed his plans for a Slutty Bass album this summer. “UPDATE : 2025,” he captioned the post. “IYKYK LESS IMPORTANT UPDATE : 2ND ALBUM 100 % RECORDED, MIXED & MASTERED NEW ALBUM. NEW GENRE: SLUTTY BASS SUMMER 2025.”
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Lanez continued to detail the genre’s origins: “ALONE AT PROM + MIAMI BASS + ALVIN AND THE MONK$ + SLUTTY DARK RNB VIBES = SLUTTY BASS COMING THIS SUMMER.”
The 32-year-old also dropped his “Lotta Money Ave (Lost Tapes 2017)” single onto streaming services as a gift for fans on Friday.
Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in prison in August 2023 after being convicted on three felony counts related to him shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the feet during a heated dispute outside a Hollywood Hills party in July 2020.
According to prosecutors, Megan got out of a car during the argument and was walking away when Lanez shouted, “Dance, bitch!”, and shot at her feet. The singer was eventually charged in October 2022.
Megan was eventually granted a five-year restraining order against Lanez in January. “I want my restraining order because I haven’t been at peace since I [was] shot,” she said during her emotional testimony on video. “I feel like maybe he’ll shoot me again, and maybe this time I won’t make it.”
In April, Thee Stallion’s attorneys filed for Lanez to be held in contempt of court over “disruptive” and “inflammatory” behavior during a civil case deposition, which reportedly went so bad that it had to be cut short.
“Mr. Peterson made a mockery of the proceedings,” Megan’s attorneys wrote. “Nothing short of a contempt finding and meaningful sanctions will deter Mr. Peterson from continuing to abuse the process.”
The civil case was filed by Megan Thee Stallion in late 2024 against social media personality Milagro Gramz (Milagro Cooper). Megan claimed that Gramz and Lanez conspired in a “coordinated campaign” to “defame and delegitimize” her in the wake of the 2020 shooting and subsequent trial.
Billboard has reached out to Tory Lanez’s attorney for comment.