Music News

11 Aug 2023

Friday Dance Music Guide: The Week’s Best New Tracks From Anna Lunoe, Fred again.., HoneyLuv & More

This week in dance music: deadmau5 mourned the passing of his iconic cat Meowingtons, Transylvania festival UNTOLD collected thousands of pints of blood in exchange for free tickets and we talked to the author of a new academic study exploring why dancefloors foster such physical intimacy among strangers.

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And now, the week’s best new music to get intimate with your earholes.

Anna Lunoe, “Real Love”

The Label: NLV Records

The Spiel: Anna Lunoe’s first release of 2023 shifts gears seamlessly between house and garage, a foundation upon which the Australian fav layers up piano, siren-like synth stabs and — as the cherry on top — her own voice. These elements build to a tight three minutes of joyous fervor and fun that still demonstrate the depth suggested by the title.

The Vibe: 5 p.m. on a Friday bliss.

Fred again.. & Obongjayer, “adore u”

The Label: Warner Music

The Spiel: Our lowercase prince returns with some late summer sunshine in “adore u.” A collaboration with Obongjayer, “adore” samples a song the Nigeria-born, London-based singer wrote about his little brother (“I’m so proud, proud of all that you are,” he sings), with Fred’s take starting light before taking quick sharp turn into more percussive territory. The ever-prolific producer debuted the track during his set last weekend at Lollapalooza.

The Artist Says: “This is the first song of a whole new world to me,” says Fred. “One that I cant wait to show you more of. Very very much. Obongjayar made this song for his lil brother. I made it for my lil sister without knowing this. So to me it’s for siblings, in any way that manifests. Like, it doesn’t have to be blood brothers to me.”

The Vibe: Drunken dance party at your next family reunion.

HoneyLuv & Cakes da Killa, “Bring It Back”

The Label: Insomniac Records

The Spiel: “This thing is out of control,” New York City rapper Cakes da Killa declares on “Bring It Back” — and while the mood on HoneyLuv‘s latest certainly engenders a certain sort of dancefloor looseness, the producer herself keeps the production extremely tight. She layers in loads of percussion, smooth synths and Cakes’ rapidfire flow into a tech-forward heater that’s equally sophisticated and fun. Listen for it at HoneyLuv’s upcoming tour dates at Hï and Amnesia in Ibiza, Elements Music Festival, Life Is Beautiful in Las Vegas, EDC Orlando and many more.

The Vibe: Wild, but never messy.

FISHER & Kita Alexander “Atmosphere”

The Label: Catch & Release

The Spiel: FISHER once again demonstrates that he’s just got this thing figured out, delivering another undeniably infectious tech house anthem written in conjunction with the song’s vocalist, Australian singer/songwriter Kita Alexander. Together the pair deliver a song that swirls like its titular layers of gas themselves, creating an earworm tune both celestial and heavy like a black hole.

The Artist Says: “[This is] a song that I was really proud of because it sounded most like me”, says Alexander. “Luckily enough, Fisher agreed and loved the track. Turns out the fans also love it. I’m so excited to be featuring on a track with a friend and Aussie legend.”

The Vibe: Entering the orbit of someone you’re into.

Muzi, “EMTUNZINI”

The Label: Fool’s Gold Records

The Spiel: “Tell me, what’s the secret of looking so fly?” Muzi asks on his latest, “EMTUNZINI” –although the question feels largely rhetorical, given how insanely fly the South African producer/singer sounds on the track and looks in its corresponding video. A breezy four minutes of slick, effervescent house music, with a breezy melody sung in both English and Zulu, the song recounts the love story of Muzi’s parents and functions as the lead single from the artist’s forthcoming studio LP uMUZI, coming October 13th via Fool’s Gold Records.

The Vibe: May we all be even just slightly as fly.

COBRAH, “MANIC”

The Label: Atlantic

The Spiel: “I’m not dramatic; I just get a little manic,” Swedish experimental electronic artist COBRAH announces on her latest single. She nonetheless keeps the track at a low simmer, with an insistent kickdrum and waves of rumbling synth creating the foundation for COBRAH to deliver rapid-fire lyrics about “getting into the frantic” in her unmistakable baby voice, which juxtaposes the heaviness of the lyrics with the purr with which she delivers them. The pristinely shot and slightly NSFW video finds the artist relishing in the BDSM realm that’s a signature of her general aesthetic. The song comes from her forthcoming EP, SUCCUBUS, coming October 13.

The Vibe: Yes, maybe slightly deranged — but also delicious.

11 Aug 2023

Remy Ma, Busta Rhymes, Fat Joe & Bia Celebrate 50 Years of Hip-Hop With Jam-Packed Performance

It was the 50th anniversary of hip-hop on Friday (Aug. 11), and Good Morning America celebrated the milestone during its Summer Concert Series.

Fat Joe and Remy Ma took the stage together to perform their smash hit “All the Way Up,” before Busta Rhymes took over to deliver a medley of fan-favorite tracks, including “I Know What You Want,” “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See” and “Look at Me Now” — as well as his new song “Beach Ball” featuring BIA.

The live broadcast in Central Park also featured a fashion show hosted by senior vice president of fashion for Bustle Digital Group Tiffany Reid and journalist and stylist Joe Zee. The two discussed looks worn by hip-hop tastemakers Missy Elliott, Run-DMC, Lil Kim and Busta Rhymes over the years that ultimately influenced fashion for years to come.

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Later in the evening, New York City will continue its celebration of the genre with Hip-Hop 50 Live, where a slew of the genre’s most decorated stars, including Run-D.M.C., Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, and Ice Cube, will take center stage inside the legendary Yankee Stadium to celebrate hip-hop’s origin. Emmy Award-winner, BASSic Black Entertainment CEO Adam Blackstone and producer and keyboardist Omar Edwards will be the concert’s creative music directors. 

Watch the Summer Concert Series performances below.

11 Aug 2023

Post Malone’s ‘Austin’ Arrives at No. 1 on Top Rock & Alternative Albums Chart

Post Malone’s alternative-leaning new album Austin becomes his first to reach No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Rock & Alternative Albums and Top Alternative Albums charts, debuting atop both lists dated Aug. 12.

Austin bows with 113,000 equivalent album units earned July 28-Aug. 3, according to Luminate. Of that sum, 34,000 units are via album sales, with the bulk from streaming equivalent units (78,000).

That 113,000-unit count is the fourth-biggest on Top Rock & Alternative Albums in 2023 (and the most for a solo male), behind, among all acts, only Metallica’s 72 Seasons (146,000, April 29), Melanie Martinez’s Portals (142,000, April 15) and Lana Del Rey’s Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd (115,000, April 8). It’s also the third-largest on Top Alternative Albums this year, trailing only the aforementioned Martinez and Del Rey LPs.

Post Malone makes his first appearance on both charts; although he has logged hits in a featured role on multiple rock- and alternative-focused song charts, none of his albums was classified fully as alternative before Austin.

Concurrently, Austin begins at No. 2 on the all-genre Billboard 200. It’s his second straight title to debut at No. 2, following Twelve Carat Toothache in 2022, and his fourth total within the top two (following Beerbongs & Bentleys in 2018 and Hollywood’s Bleeding in 2019, both No. 1s).

Ten songs from Austin appear on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs survey, paced by “Enough Is Enough,” which debuts at No. 5 with 9.9 million official U.S. streams, 80,000 airplay audience impressions and 2,000 downloads sold. The song also leads a collection of Austin tracks on Alternative Streaming Songs, bounding in at No. 3.

The album’s lead single, “Chemical,” peaked at No. 13 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 dated April 29 (and concurrently ranks at No. 35 on the latest list). It reached Nos. 6 and 8 on Pop Airplay and Adult Pop Airplay, respectively, in June, while also achieving highs of No. 16 on Adult Contemporary, No. 24 on Alternative Airplay and No. 25 on Rhythmic Airplay. Latest radio single “Mourning” this week places at No. 11 on Rhythmic Airplay, after hitting No. 8, and rises to No. 18 on Pop Airplay.

11 Aug 2023

Taylor & Tay Lautner Joke About Having ‘Post Taylor Swift Show Depression’ After Attending Eras Tour

The Taylor Lautners are in the same boat as millions of American Swifties: mourning the end of Taylor Swift‘s first U.S. Eras Tour leg.

In a recent Instagram Story, podcaster Tay Lautner and her husband, Twilight actor Taylor Lautner, opened up about experiencing a very specific type of PTSD after attending the Eras Tour at SoFi Stadium, where the pop star recently closed out six straight shows signaling the end of her bestselling trek’s first U.S. leg.

“PTSD: post Taylor Swift show depression,” quipped Taylor, asking his wife, “Is that real?”

“Absolutely,” replied Tay, who captioned the video: “When one show isn’t enough…”

The couple posted a handful of photos and videos from their time in the audience, at one point slow-dancing together as Swift performed “Midnight Rain” toward the end of the show. They were previously invited as special guests to the Grammy winner’s July Kansas City show, where Mr. Lautner assisted Swift onstage in premiering her “I Can See You” music video, in which he stars alongside Joey King.

 “He was a very positive force in my life when I was making the ‘Speak Now’ album, and I want to say he did every single stunt that you saw in that music video,” Swift told the crowd that night of her friendship with Lautner, whom she dated briefly in 2009 and later penned the song “Back to December” about. “He and his wife have become some of my closest friends, and it’s very convenient because we all share the same first name.”

“Taylor, I respect you so much,” Lautner replied. “Not just for the singer you are, the songwriter, the performer, but for the human you are. You are gracious, humble, kind and I am honored to know you.”

See Mr. and Mrs. Lautner joke about having post T-Swift depression below:

11 Aug 2023

The Chainsmokers’ Artist-in-Residence Program Will Cover a Year of Rent for an Emerging Artist in NYC

Before they were rich and famous and dwelling in mansions, The Chainsmokers were just two dudes trying to make it as musicians in New York City.

Understanding how hard it can be to keep the lights on in the city while producing new music, the duo is now co-sponsoring a new artist-in-residence program in New York City that aims to help an emerging artist focus on music while eschewing the stress of paying rent.

Being launched in collaboration with The Blumenfeld Group, The Chainsmokers’ own JAJA Tequila and creative agency NOISE, this artist-in-residence program will provide the winner with a free apartment equipped with a music studio at apartment building The Smile. Located in Harlem, it was designed by architect Bjarke Ingels and is named for its curved design.

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The 794-square-foot apartment unit was designed by The Chainsmokers themselves, and features dining, working, sleeping and living room spaces.

“We started our careers in New York City and our experiences living in the city really shaped us into who we are today,” The Chainsmokers tell Billboard in a joint statement. “The city is fun and inspiring, but we also know all too well how expensive it can be to live there, especially as a new artist.”

“For the longest time we worked out of a shoebox-sized apartment making music every day,” the pair continue. “We’re so excited to offer a talented artist the chance to thrive by providing a free apartment with a music studio at The Smile for a year.” 

The program is currently accepting applications, which require would-be winners to submit some basic information along with a TikTok. You can apply for it here.

“At NOISE we love working with clients who are willing to think outside the box. Especially those who are not only willing to push boundaries in their respective industries but also are excited to create culture-forward and impactful campaigns –– David [Blumenfeld] and the entire team at BDG are one of those clients,” says Joe Laresca, founder and CEO of NOISE and creator of this campaign. “This is definitely out of the norm for a real estate company, and of course, partnering with The Chainsmokers is iconic, but being able to change an artist’s life and career trajectory is something we’re really proud of.”

11 Aug 2023

Jon Batiste Weighs in on Cardi B Mic-Throwing Incident: ‘We Should Be Able to Throw Things Back’

Jon Batiste has been lucky so far and avoided being pelted on stage by any sex toys, cell phones, bracelets or mixed drinks. But when the former Late Show bandleader and Grammy-winning solo star sat down with Andy Cohen on Thursday night (Aug. 10) on Watch What Happens Live for a round of rapid-fire “Spill the Music IndusTea!” questions, he had some pointed thoughts on the recent trend of fans throwing objects at performers when Cohen asked about Cardi B flinging her microphone at an audience member who doused her with a drink.

Batiste said that if concertgoers can throw things at the performers, “then us as the performers we should be able to throw things back… with less penalty.” Not without penalty he said, but maybe just “docked a few points.”

With Hollywood writers and actors on a strike that has now stretched into unprecedented territory, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Batiste also had a sharp observation on one of the major sticking points in the negotiations with studios: AI. “Well, if you can’t play an instrument, it poses a big threat,” he said. “If you play an instrument, I don’t think anything’s gonna replace that one.”

As for his pick for song of the summer, Batiste went with Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul,” explaining that he was on a three-hour helicopter ride earlier this year and he needed some “emotional comfort” due to his fear of chopper flights. “Looking around, you can’t see anything but the ocean, and I’m not a great swimmer,” he said. “And I don’t like helicopters. I put on the headphones, I listened to ‘Break My Soul’ probably 56-57 times on repeat [singing the hook] it was like a mantra.”

Batiste also described what it was like to tour with late rock icon Prince in 2010, while spilling the best piece of advice he got from the Purple One. “He told me one piece of advice and he said it in one word,” Batiste revealed of the sage words he got when he was a 19-year-old player on the come-up. “Privacy. That was the musical advice and life advice.”

Watch Batiste on WWHL below, where he also talks about how it felt to have former Pres. Barack Obama include his song “Freedom” on his 2021 favorite songs playlist and the mind-blowing note he got from No. 44.





11 Aug 2023

Nicki Minaj Teases She’s Written Her ‘Greatest Song’: ‘The World Needs This’

Nicki Minaj is 100 percent in album mode right now — and she’s excited about one track in particular. On Thursday (Aug. 10), the “Barbie World” rapper tweeted reveal that she’s made what she considers to be her magnum opus song.

“The greatest song I’ve ever written. My goodness. Opened the vault & played it last night & the reaction,” Minaj shared. “My babies have to have this. The world needs this. Trees will grow. Y’all I’m in love. I’m not kidding y’all.”

The 40-year-old gave a few hints in fan interactions with her beloved Barbz. One fan asked if Minaj was “talking about the first song on #PinkFriday2,” to which she replied, “No babe. This won’t be the first song on the tracklist.”

Another excited fan expressed joy at Minaj’s revelation, commenting, “you got some hits in there ik it.” The “Super Freaky Girl” emcee confirmed, and then some in her response: “Oh baby this is beyond just having ‘hits’. This is the word that stands above ALL OTHER words. This is a C-L-A-S-S-I-C.”

Minaj further doubled down when a fan recalled, “The way us Barbz gonna remember when you said this after hearing the song in November gonna be LEGENDARY cause you never LIE!!!.”

The rap icon replied, “And you can bet me all the money in the world on this one boo. I’m being so serious right now yo wow. This is what TF my babies fkng deserve. And y’all know I don’t throw out certain terms loosely. But ‘classic’ is the word. Hits galore. But ‘classic’ is the word.”

Minaj’s upcoming fifth album, Pink Friday 2 — the sequel to her record-breaking debut album Pink Friday — is scheduled to arrive on Nov. 17, after originally being slated for an October release.

See Minaj’s tweets below.

11 Aug 2023

Justin Bieber’s ‘Baby’ Music Video With Ludacris Hits 3 Billion Views on YouTube

Oh, baby! Justin Bieber and Ludacris‘ music video for the former tween star’s breakout single “Baby” has hit 3 billion views on YouTube.

The “Baby” video came out in 2010 and effectively introduced the world to the young heartthrob with a skater haircut, high-pitched voice and smooth dance moves who would go on to help define pop music for the next decade. The visual features a 15-year-old Bieber wooing a girl with an epic dance-off at a bowling alley, joined by Ludacris, whose rap verse about a teen romance remains wholly iconic.

The year it was released, “Baby” became the most-watched video in YouTube history at the time, surpassing Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” with 246 million views. It was also the most-disliked video on the platform until 2018, when that year’s YouTube Rewind amassed more dislikes than “Baby” in just one week.

In 2020, Bieber celebrated the 10-year anniversary of his career breakthrough with a nostalgic Instagram post, sharing a throwback to the decade-old cover art of his multiplatinum single. The song served as the lead single of his debut album, My World 2.0 and debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, trumping the successes of his earlier singles such as “One Time” and “One Less Lonely Girl.”

“Baby” isn’t the first of Bieber’s music videos to join the exclusive 3 billions club, with 2015’s “Sorry” currently approaching 3.7 billion. In 2016, the “Yummy” singer became the first artist to crack 10 billion combined views on Vevo.

Watch the “Baby” music video above.

11 Aug 2023

Kevin Costner Declares He’s ‘Officially a Swiftie’ After Seeing The Eras Tour With His Daughter

No one is immune to the Swiftie spell, not even two-time Academy Award winner Kevin Costner.

After seeing Taylor Swift perform at one of her SoFi Stadium shows in Inglewood, Calif., with his daughter, Costner took to Instagram to declare that he’s officially fallen into the Eras Tour concertgoer to certified Swiftie pipeline. “My videos are blurry, but I had an amazing time with my daughter at the @taylorswift show,” the actor wrote, captioning a trio of photos and videos of Swift onstage.

“I was absolutely blown away watching her art bring so many people together,” he continued. “I had a great view of her band and had a blast watching them, too. An inspiring night. I’m officially a Swiftie!”

The Bodyguard star was close to the side of the main stage, where he snapped videos of Swift singing “22” and “Don’t Blame Me.” In one picture he shared, thousands of fans in the audience could be seen with their light-up bracelets, glowing in tandem with the stage effects.

Costner — who is also the frontman for country rock band Kevin Costner & Modern West — isn’t the first star to attend an Eras Tour concert and come out of it a diehard fan of the “Anti-Hero” singer. Diplo shared that he’s a “motherf—ing Swiftie now” after catching a concert in Las Vegas, and former Arizona Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt raved about Swift after seeing her opening night in Glendale. “So much respect @taylorswift,” he wrote. “When your fans pay for a ticket, they are getting their money’s worth and some.”

The Yellowstone actor was one of dozens of celebrities to show face at one of Swift’s six concerts at SoFi, including Lupita Nyong’o, Meghan Markle, Brie Larson, Charlize Theron, Selena Gomez, Austin Butler, Mariska Hargitay, Jeff Goldblum and more. Stars such as Halsey, Sadie Sink, Anya Taylor-Joy and Karlie Kloss were at the pop star’s Wednesday (Aug. 9) finale show — which marked the end of the Eras Tour’s first U.S. leg — where they joined thousands of fans in witnessing Swift’s announcement that 1989 (Taylor’s Version) will arrive Oct. 27.

See Kevin Costner’s post about the Eras Tour below:

11 Aug 2023

LL Cool J Reveals He Has an Unreleased Collaborative Album With 50 Cent: ‘It Didn’t Work’

Hip-hop has been a collaborative culture since its inception, and from Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch the Throne to Drake and 21 Savage’s Her Loss, collaborative albums have become their own phenomenon within rap music. And LL Cool J almost added one to the collection. The rapper revealed on the Wednesday (Aug. 9) episode of The Breakfast Club that he once wrote a collaborative album with 50 Cent.

“I tried to do a more collaborative writing album. I did a whole album with 50 Cent. And we were writing together on this album,” LL Cool J recounted. “And when it was done, I listened to it. I’m like, ‘It sounds good. I like the music, it sounds cool, but it ain’t me.’ So, I ain’t put it out.”

“It was nothing against 50, I love 50,” he clarified. “I just wanted to try something different. Maybe we collaborate, write together … It didn’t work.”

When one of the radio show’s co-hosts brought up “Paradise,” LL’s 2002 Billboard Hot 100 top 40 hit (No. 36), the Grammy-winner explained, “50 wrote the chorus on ‘Paradise’ for Amerie, which she sung. He didn’t write my rhymes … when that happened, I didn’t even know 50 was involved. That was The Trackmasters, they got that done.”

As one of the most celebrated and decorated rappers of his era, LL’s artistry has always been as important to him as his persona. “The collaborative thing, when it comes to my verses, that doesn’t work for me,” he said.

The “Mama Said Knock You Out” rapper also mused about the apprehension that comes with continuing to rap while aging, and said that he “loves” to be underestimated because “it makes the jabs that much stiffer.”

Watch his interview with The Breakfast Club above.