Music News

01 Sep 2023

Why Oliver Anthony Likely Won’t Receive Any 2023 CMA Award Nominations

Country artist Oliver Anthony is dominating the charts and political discourse right now with his Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Rich Men North of Richmond,” but one place fans likely won’t find him is among the 2023 CMA Awards nominations when they are announced next Thursday (Sept. 7).

That’s because the Virginia singer-songwriter, who records as Oliver Anthony Music, and his music either aren’t eligible for inclusion or did not come into enough prominence to be on voters’ minds, as they were marking their ballots by the deadline. 

The CMA Awards eligibility period for the 2023 show, which airs live on ABC on Nov. 8, is July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023, meaning that, according to the CMA rules, “singles, albums, music videos and qualified music products for the annual show must have been released or reached peak national prominence during the eligibility period.” 

RadioWV put up Anthony’s live performance of “Rich Men North of Richmond” on YouTube Aug. 7, well after the eligibility cutoff. 

However, Anthony has been releasing videos on YouTube for nearly a year, so he technically is eligible for several other categories, including male artist and new artist of the year. Practically, though, few were aware of Anthony until after “Rich Men” went viral in mid-August, and the first round of ballots closed July 16. Though the second round, which narrows the initial round of nominees down to the five finalists for each category, ran Aug. 2-Aug. 16, it’s unlikely that Anthony made it onto the first round. Also, unlike the Grammy Awards where artists or their representatives can submit them for contention, the CMA Awards’ first round ballot is based on voters writing in their selections based on the criteria.

Anthony’s early material also would have not been eligible for single of the year even though it was released during the eligibility period. For consideration, the track must have reached the top 10 of Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, Hot Country Songs chart or Country Aircheck’s chart for the first time within the eligibility period. 

In addition to debuting at No. 1 on Billboard’s all-genre Hot 100 chart, “Rich Men” also bowed at the top of the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, but it was after the eligibility period closed. “Rich Men” is currently holding on top of both of those charts for a second week. “Rich Men” debuted at No. 45 on the Country Airplay chart last week.

In other words, though Anthony likely missed out for this year’s CMA Awards, he could be a big nominee for the 2024 show.

01 Sep 2023

Nicki Minaj Talks ‘Last Time I Saw You’ & New Drake Collaboration: ‘The World’s Going to Love the Song’

Nicki Minaj unveiled her new single, “Last Time I Saw You,” on Friday (Sept. 1), and its melancholy energy and plaintive lyrics make the track quite atypical for the woman behind Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits such as “Super Freaky Girl” and “Say So” (with Doja Cat).

“I knew for the album, of course, I would have to discuss certain things or whatever. I just didn’t intend on it being a single. A lot of times people forget that I do a lot of features, and so these are not my actual songs,” she told Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1‘s New Music Daily radio show. “These are not songs from my album. And so sometimes people forget the kind of music that I’m able to create because it’s been a long time since they heard an album, and most of the times they get those kind of cuts on the album.”

“I just wanted the next song that I put out to represent my growth,” she said. “Not just as an artist, but as a human being. I’ve experienced so many things that I hadn’t experienced five years ago, and that’s just the truth.”

“Last Time I Saw You” is the latest taste from Minaj’s forthcoming Pink Friday 2. The LP, which is due on Nov. 17, will serve as both the sequel to Minaj’s Billboard 200-topping debut studio album and the follow-up to 2018’s Queen, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and spawned singles including “Chun-Li” and “Good Form.”

“Me even having people anticipate an album … My first album came out in 2010. My first mixtape came out in 2007. So the fact that people even care is a blessing,” she gushed.

While details surrounding the new LP remain relatively scarce, Minaj stressed, “I could have been put this album out … I feel like as a leader in anything, you have to be willing to take those kind of risks that you know that you’re not guaranteed to win at, but it’s going to shift the motherf–king culture because if you ain’t going to do it, who will?”

In her conversation with Lowe, Minaj also touched on how she “definitely cracked the code to something that gives a person peace no matter what’s going on around them” since becoming a mother — a life-changing experience that occurred around the same time her father passed. “The last thing I thought I was going to have to do when I just gave birth to my first child was to start preparing for my father’s funeral,” she revealed.

Also on the horizon is Minaj’s upcoming collaboration with Drake on the Canadian rapper’s forthcoming For All the Dogs album. The collaboration will serve as the first song solely between Minaj and Drake since 2011’s “Make Me Proud,” which peaked at No. 9 on the Hot 100.

“I’ll just say I really love the song. I know my fans are going to love the song,” she teased. “I know the world’s going to love the song. And that’s all I will say about that.” Minaj also sicced her Barbz on Drake, saying, “Barbz, make sure y’all let Drizzy Drake know that Pink Friday 2 is coming out Nov. 17 as well. And we are waiting on his contribution.”

Just as the note on her official website suggests, Minaj is in a space of gratitude above all else. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you guys have done. And that’s why I’m putting quality,” she said.

01 Sep 2023

Miley Cyrus Says She Had ‘Undeniable’ Chemistry With Liam Hemsworth in ‘The Last Song’

Miley Cyrus unveiled part 20 of her TikTok series inspired by her new single, “Used to Be Young,” in which she reflects on pivotal moments in her life and career. In the newest video, posted on Friday (Sept. 1), the singer reacts to a photo of herself kissing ex-husband Liam Hemsworth when they starred together in 2010’s The Last Song.

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She explained that in 2008, she needed to do “another feature film for Disney,” but she wanted to do something outside of the Hannah Montana universe. “When the screenplay was written, it was time to audition all the guys that would play Will, my boyfriend in the movie,” she recalls. “We had gotten it down from thousands to the final three, and Liam was a part of that final three.”

Cyrus continued, “I think one of the elements that made that movie feel so special was it was watching two very young people fall in love with each other, which was happening in real time and real life. So, the chemistry was undeniable and that was the beginning of a long, 10-year relationship.”

The 30-year-old singer was briefly married to Hemsworth from December 2018 to August 2019. The former couple’s on-off relationship actually lasted much longer — for nearly a decade — outside the bonds of marriage.

Watch part 20 of Cyrus’ “Used to Be Young” series below.

01 Sep 2023

Nicki Minaj Promises ‘Pink Friday 2’ Will Be ‘the Best Album That’s Been Released In Years’

It’s been yet another banner year for Nicki Minaj, and the Grammy-nominated rapper is taking some time to express how grateful she is. On Friday (Sep. 1), coinciding with the release of her new single, “Last Time I Saw You,” Minaj shared a sweet message to fans via her official website.

“I can’t thank you enough for your love and continued support. I have not been excited about the release of a song to this extent for maybe… I don’t know I can’t even tell you, I don’t even remember when! I hope that it’s therapeutic for you,” she wrote. “I hope that even after, it makes you reflect and that if you are reflecting on a time, or a person that you wish you could go back in time and have a do over etc… I hope that you are still able to smile at the end of the song by realizing that you now have a chance to treat the people that you love, that are still in your life the way that expresses to them what they mean to you.”

“Last Time I Saw You” marks Minaj’s first unaccompanied release since “Red Ruby Da Sleeze,” which peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 earlier this year. Nonetheless, the Queens rapper has been remarkably present in music as she continues to prep Pink Friday 2. This year, she scored a pair of top 10 hits with Ice Spice — “Princess Diana” (No. 4) and the AQUA-assisted “Barbie World” (No. 7) — and appeared on songs from Kim Petras (“Alone,” No. 55), Sexyy Red (“Pound Town 2,” No. 66), Lil Uzi Vert (“Endless Fashion,” No. 20), YoungBoy Never Broke Again (“WTF,” No. 99), and Young Thug (“Money”).

Minaj closed her message by teasing her upcoming album. “In the meantime, please enjoy the song as much as I have enjoyed creating it, and just know that ‘Pink Friday 2’ is going to be the best album that’s been released in years!!! LOVE YOU. ? ✨” she wrote. Pink Friday 2, the sequel to Minaj’s Billboard 200-topping debut studio album, is slated for a Nov. 17 release. The album will serve as Minaj’s first LP since 2018’s Queen, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and spawned singles including “Chun-Li” and “Good Form.”

01 Sep 2023

Miley Cyrus Reveals Why She Had a ‘Stripper Pole’ in ‘Party in the U.S.A.’ 2009 Teen Choice Performance

It was the dance heard ’round the world. Except, as Miley Cyrus shares during the latest video in her “Used to Be Young” TikTok series, the pole she twirled around in her infamous 2009 Teen Choice Awards performance of “Party in the U.S.A.” was not of the stripper variety.

The clip opens with presenters Shailene Woodley and The Secret Life of the American Teenager star Daren Kagasoff introducing the live debut of Miley’s enduring good-time anthem from her 2009 The Time of Our Lives EP, which was written and produced by Dr. Luke (with additional songwriting by Jessie J and Claude Kelly).

“My mom was like, ‘I think it would be really cool if she was in the trailer park, cuz that’s where we really do come from,’” Miley says in her best sassy Tish Cyrus voice in the TikTok clip while screening the throwback performance on an iPad. “So, apparently, me dancing on an ice cream cart with a stripper pole … but it wasn’t a stripper pole — it was actually just for stability!”

The star still seems confused about the reaction to the performance in which she emerged from a trailer wearing a fuzzy vest, black hot pants a tank top and high-heeled boots surrounded by four scantily clad female dancers. She then climbs up on the ice cream cart with the pole that, to be fair, she clings to as she gets pushed across the stage, with nary an adult dance move to be seen.

“I had a heel on! Guys, what did you want from me?” she wonders about the backlash that rained down on the then-16-year-old from people who thought it was a bad look for the Hannah Montana Disney Channel star with a young fanbase. “Was I really going to do my performance without dancing on top of an ice cream cart? That performance was amazing,” she says, with someone off camera adding, “it was sick.”

That said, she thought she was a bit pitchy and the bedazzled fedora “needed to go.” Miley then pulls up a tabloid headline from the time asking “Is Miley Turning Into the Next Britney?”

“Hopefully!” she says with a smile. “If God is good! Which we know She is!”

Watch Miley’s play-by-play below.

01 Sep 2023

What’s Your Favorite New Music Release of the Week? Vote!

Labor Day weekend is upon us, and what better way to celebrate the official end of summer than with a slew of star-studded new music releases?

On Friday (Sept. 1), Nicki Minaj released a long-awaited new banger, Doja Cat made friends with her “Demons,” and Timbaland gets the dream trio back together. 

Which track do you have on repeat going into the long weekend? Check out our Friday Music Guide here, and let us know your favorite new music release by voting in our poll below.

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01 Sep 2023

Noah Kahan Scores His First Airplay Chart No. 1 With ‘Dial Drunk’

Noah Kahan earns his first No. 1 on a Billboard airplay chart, as “Dial Drunk” rises to the top of the Adult Alternative Airplay list dated Sept. 9.

Kahan first reached Adult Alternative Airplay in 2018 with “False Confidence,” which hit No. 9 the following February. Prior to “Dial Drunk,” he logged his top peak with “Stick Season,” which reached No. 2 in November 2022. He boasts four top 10s on the tally, with, additionally, “Homesick” having hit No. 7 this May.

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Concurrently, “Dial Drunk” leaps 5-2 on Alternative Airplay. It’s Kahan’s highest charting song there, having eclipsed the No. 21 peak of “Stick Season.”

On the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, “Dial Drunk” bullets at its No. 3 high with 4.5 million audience impressions, up 3%, Aug. 25-31, according to Luminate.

The song is scoring success at other formats, too, as it holds at its No. 25 high on Pop Airplay and jumps 31-27 on Adult Pop Airplay. Boosting its airplay at those formats is its remix with Post Malone, released in July. (A DJ on SiriusXM’s Spectrum, which reports to the Adult Alternative Airplay chart, recently joked that the channel is playing the “pre-Malone” version.)

On the most recently published, Sept. 2-dated Hot Rock & Alternative Songs survey, “Dial Drunk” returned to its No. 3 best. In addition to its radio airplay, the song drew 9.6 million official streams (up 1%) and sold 2,000 downloads in the U.S. (up 2%).

“Dial Drunk” was first released, featuring Kahan only, on the deluxe version of his 2022 album Stick Season. After debuting at No. 5 on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums tally in October 2022, it rose to No. 1 on the June 24, 2023, sparked by the release of its deluxe edition. The set has earned 702,000 equivalent album units to date.

All charts dated Sept. 9 will update on Billboard.com Wednesday, Sept. 6 (a day later than usual due to the Labor Day holiday in the U.S. Monday, Sept. 4).

01 Sep 2023

Bad Omens Top Alternative Airplay Chart for the First Time

In their first appearance on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart, Bad Omens have a No. 1 song as “Just Pretend” ascends to the top of the Sept. 9-dated tally.

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Leading in the song’s 32nd week on the chart, Bad Omens ties for the fourth-longest rise to No. 1 in the Alternative Airplay chart’s 35-year history, alongside Foals’ “Mountain at My Gates” and Neon Trees’ “Animal.” The record belongs to Meg Myers, whose cover of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” took 42 weeks.

Longest Rise to No. 1, Alternative Airplay

  • 42 weeks, “Running Up That Hill,” Meg Myers (reached No. 1 Feb. 1, 2020)
  • 33, “Novocaine,” The Unlikely Candidates (March 14, 2020)
  • 33, “Out of My League,” Fitz and the Tantrums (Oct. 12, 2013)
  • 32, “Just Pretend,” Bad Omens (Sept. 9, 2023)
  • 32, “Mountain at My Gates,” Foals (March 19, 2016)
  • 32, “Animal,” Neon Trees (Oct. 2, 201)
  • 31, “Toxic,” BoyWithUke (July 2, 2022)
  • 31, “1901,” Phoenix (Feb. 20, 2010)
  • 30, “Dissolve,” Absofacto (Jan. 18, 2020)

Bad Omens is the third act in a row to snag a first No. 1 on Alternative Airplay, following Dirty Heads with “Rescue Me” and Pierce the Veil with “Emergency Contact.” That’s after no acts had led for the first time over the first seven months of 2023. Not that any of those groups are brand new; Bad Omens formed in 2015, Pierce the Veil in the mid-2000s and Dirty Heads in the mid-1990s.

Bad Omens marks the first act to lead Alternative Airplay in a first chart appearance since Beach Weather, whose “Sex, Drugs, Etc.” spent a week at No. 1 in October 2022.

“Just Pretend” previously topped Mainstream Rock Airplay for a week this March. That was also Bad Omens’ first ruler on that survey, although the band charted three entries there prior to “Just Pretend.” Follow-up single “The Death of Peace of Mind” lifts 5-4 on Mainstream Rock Airplay.

The Death of Peace of Mind, which houses “Just Pretend,” debuted at its No. 11 peak on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart in March 2022 and has earned 317,000 equivalent album units to date, according to Luminate.

All charts dated Sept. 9 will update on Billboard.com Wednesday, Sept. 6 (a day later than usual due to the Labor Day holiday in the U.S. Monday, Sept. 4).

01 Sep 2023

Talking Heads’ ‘Stop Making Sense’ Hits Top 10 on Album Sales Chart After Reissue

Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense surges into the top 10 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart (dated Sept. 2) for the first time, debuting at No. 9 following the soundtrack’s expanded 40th anniversary reissue on Aug. 18. The album is the companion piece to the concert film of the same name directed by Jonathan Demme. Both the album and film were released in 1984, and the concert itself was filmed over three shows in December 1983 at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles. Among the songs performed on the album and in the film are such Billboard Hot 100 hits as “Psycho Killer,” the band’s cover “Take Me to the River” and Talking Heads’ only top 10 Hot 100 hit, “Burning Down the House.”

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The reissue of Stop Making Sense includes the complete concert for the first time, including two previously unreleased songs from the Pantages’ shows.

The expanded album was issued via digital download and vinyl LP. All versions of the album, old and new, are combined for tracking and charting purposes. In total in the week ending Aug. 24, Stop Making Sense sold 12,000 copies (up from a negligible sum the previous week) in the U.S. – the act’s best sales week for an album since Luminate began tracking music sales in 1991.

Of the album’s sales for the week, 95% came from vinyl sales – about 11,000 copies. That, too, is the band’s best sales week on vinyl in the Luminate era. On the Vinyl Albums chart, Stop Making Sense debuts at No. 4.

The album reissue is timed to the concert film’s return to movie theaters beginning on Sept. 11 with a TIFF World Premiere and Global IMAX Live event. Then, beginning on Sept. 22, the movie will play a one-week exclusive engagement in IMAX theaters, and then goes into wide release on Sept. 29.

Stop Making Sense is Talking Heads’ longest-charting album on the Billboard 200 — of a dozen charting titles — having now spent a total 119 weeks on the list. (It re-enters the latest chart at No. 73, its first week on the tally since 1986. The album peaked at No. 41 in 1984.)

Elsewhere in the top 10 of the new the Top Album Sales chart, the latest albums from Hozier, JIHYO, Russ, NCT Dream and Renee Rapp all debut in the region, while J-Hope’s 2022 release Jack In the Box returns to the top 10 (re-entering at No. 2) after its arrival on the CD format.

Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

At No. 1 on Top Album Sales is Travis Scott’s Utopia, which spends a fourth consecutive week in the lead (92,000 sold; down 7%).

J-Hope’s Jack In the Box re-enters at No. 2 with 47,000 (up from a few hundred sold the previous week) after its release on CD. The album was originally released on July 15, 2022, and debuted and first peaked at No. 5 on the July 30, 2022, chart. It was reissued with additional bonus tracks — and on CD for the first time — on Aug. 19, 2023. The set initially was released only as a digital download album and through streaming services. The CD edition of the album was available in four collectible editions, including exclusive versions for Target and Walmart, all containing assorted branded merchandise (some of which was randomized).

Hozier’s new studio set Unreal Unearth starts at No. 3 on Top Album Sales with 39,000 copies sold — with 23,000 of that sum from vinyl LP sales. The album was released in five different vinyl iterations, including exclusive color variants for Amazon, independent record stores and Hozier’s official webstore.

TWICE’s JIHYO bows at No. 4 on Top Album Sales with her debut solo album Zone, selling 37,000 copies sold. Of that sum 36,000 were from CD sales. Similar to Jack In the Box, there are multiple collectible CD iterations of Zone – 13 in all – including exclusive editions sold via Target and Walmart.

Russ’ new studio release Santiago starts at No. 5 with 32,000 copies sold — with 17,000 of that sum from vinyl LP sales. NCT Dream’s ISTJ: The 3rd Album, launches at No. 6 with 25,000 sold. Like JIHYO’s album, the NCT Dream set was also issued in 13 collectible CD packages. NewJeans’ former No. 1 2nd EP ‘Get Up’ falls 3-7 with 16,000 sold (down 21%) and Taylor’s Swift’s chart-topping Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) tumbles 2-8 with 16,000 (down 31%).

Rounding out the top 10 is Renee Rapp’s new album Snow Angel, which debuts at No. 10 with 12,000 sold.

In the week ending Aug. 24, there were 1.907 million albums sold in the U.S. (up 7.7% compared to the previous week). Of that sum, physical albums (CDs, vinyl LPs, cassettes, etc.) comprised 1.573 million (up 9.1%) and digital albums comprised 333,000 (up 1.3%).

There were 680,000 CD albums sold in the week ending Aug. 24 (up 16% week-over-week) and 885,000 vinyl albums sold (up 4.5%). Year-to-date CD album sales stand at 22.728 million (up 2.4% compared to the same time frame a year ago) and year-to-date vinyl album sales total 30.365 million (up 20.7%).

Overall year-to-date album sales total 65.522 million (up 7.2% compared to the same year-to-date time frame a year ago). Year-to-date physical album sales stand at 53.442 million (up 12%) and digital album sales total 12.080 million (down 10%).

01 Sep 2023

Lady Gaga Dedicates ‘Born This Way’ to Trans Rights During Las Vegas Residency Opening Night

Lady Gaga‘s “Born This Way” continues to be relevant, especially with politicians repeatedly threatening the rights of the LGBTQ community in 2023. And at the opening night of her Las Vegas residency Thursday night (Aug. 31), the pop star made sure to remind everyone that she stands with her transgender fans by dedicating her 2011 smash to trans rights.

Looking stunning in Old Hollywood glam, Gaga sat at her piano to play an acoustic, jazzy renditon of “Born This Way” for fans in attendance at the Dolby Live at Park MGM. But before launching into song, she prefaced it by noting, “I’ve got something to say about trans rights in this country.”

“You got something to say, you gotta speak up, right?” she added before launching into her song’s poignant lyrics: “There’s nothing wrong with loving who you are, ’cause He made you perfect babe … I’m beautiful in my way/ God makes no mistakes.”

“And you know, sometimes you hear people say things like, ‘I don’t always know what to say,’” Gaga went on to say while taking a quick pause from the song. “Just listen. Don’t say nothin’. Listen to the stories of real people’s lives.”

Released as the lead single of Gaga’s blockbuster Born This Way album, the title track spent six weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. The track features lyrics that directly show love to the LGBTQ community, which the 13-time Grammy winner sang extra passionately Thursday night: “No matter gay, straight, or bi, lesbian, transgender life/ I’m on the right track, baby, I was born to survive.”

The performance marks the first of many in store for Gaga’s Jazz & Piano residency, which will run in Sin City through Oct. 5. The singer-actress packed her set with covers of Great American Songbook standards as well as acoustic renderings of her own hits; sometimes, she’s joined by a big band, while other times she takes the stage alone. It serves as a continuation of the jazz/traditional pop direction she’s taken on in recent years, previously with late friend and collaborator Tony Bennett.

Watch Lady Gaga dedicate “Born This Way” to trans rights below: