Music News

18 Jul 2023

Woman Who Miranda Lambert Called Out Over Las Vegas Selfie Says She Was ‘Appalled’ By Incident

The woman who was called out by Miranda Lambert for taking a selfie during the country star’s Las Vegas show on Saturday night said she was “appalled” by the reaction from the “We Should Be Friends” singer.

Vegas influencer Adela Calin told NBC News that she couldn’t believe it when Lambert paused in the middle of singing the ballad “Tin Man” after she eyed the woman and five or her friends posing for a mid-show selfie. “It was 30 seconds at most,” said Calin, 43. “We took the picture quickly and were going to sit back down.”

The moment was captured in a TikTok video in which Lambert had just started to perform her 2018 ACM song of the year winner during her Miranda Lambert: Velvet Rodeo Las Vegas residency show. “I’m gonna stop right here for a second, I’m sorry,” Lambert told the audience at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino at Zappos Theater. “These girls are worried about their selfie and not listening to the song.”

Lambert was clearly irked by the distraction, adding, “It’s pissing me off a bit. Sorry, I don’t like it. At all. We’re here to hear some country music tonight. I’m singing some country d–n music.” She then motioned for the women to put their phones away and asked the crowd, “Shall we start again?” before re-booting the song to the crowd’s cheers. A spokesperson for Lambert had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment on Calin’s interview at press time.

In the wake of a recent rash of incidents in which Latto, Lil Nas X, Bebe Rexha, Kelsea Ballerini, Harry Styles and Drake have been hit by objects thrown at them during recent concerts, Calin said she believes Lambert’s reaction may have had something to do with a heightened sensitivity around phones at show. And while she said she understood the concern for artist safety, Calin was disappointed by Lambert’s comments.

“It felt like I was back at school with the teacher scolding me for doing something wrong and telling me to sit down back in my place,” she said. “… I feel like she was determined to make us look like we were young, immature and vain. But we were just grown women in our 30s to 60s trying to take a picture.”

According to Calin, the group — who were seated close to the stage — tried to take a few shots before the show, but said the lighting was not good enough. She then asked a woman seated behind them to take a picture of her and her friends near the end of the set. “We just couldn’t get one good picture,” Calin said. “We were so excited because I think we had the best seats in the house in the whole theater.”

18 Jul 2023

Morgan Wallen’s ‘Last Night’ Tops Billboard’s Songs of the Summer Chart at July Midpoint

What will be the No. 1 song of the summer of 2023? We’re halfway to the answer, per Billboard’s Songs of the Summer chart.

The 20-position Songs of the Summer running tally tracks the most popular titles based on cumulative performance on the weekly streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Billboard Hot 100 chart from Memorial Day through Labor Day (this year encompassing charts dated June 10 through Sept. 9). At the end of the season, the top song of the summer will be revealed.

Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” ranks at No. 1 through the first half of this year’s Songs of the Summer tracking period, having led the list all seven weeks so far. Luke Combs’ “Fast Car” ranks at No. 2, followed by Rema and Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down” (No. 3), Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” (No. 4) and Lil Durk’s “All My Life,” featuring J. Cole (No. 5).

While all five hits above have appeared on Songs of the Summer each week this season, two titles not on the survey at summer’s start are currently climbing (on the chart dated July 22): SZA’s “Snooze,” up 14-13 in its fifth week, and Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer,” new at No. 16. The latter, introduced on Swift’s 2019 album Lover, has been gaining momentum in recent weeks, as Swift has been performing it on her current The Eras Tour, her first in which she’s been able to spotlight songs from the set, which was released shortly before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The song is now being promoted as a single by Republic Records.

(“Cruel Summer” is also the first song with “summer” in its title to reach the Songs of the Summer chart since Calvin Harris’ “Summer,” the season’s No. 8 hit for 2014.)

Conversely, one hit has endured enough to rank on this year’s Songs of the Summer chart after also making last year’s final tally: Wallen’s “You Proof,” at No. 19, after finishing at No. 17 for 2022.

Harry Styles’ “As It Was” wrapped at No. 1 on the 2022 Songs of the Summer chart, joining the lineage of BTS’ “Butter,” the leader for 2021; DaBaby’s “Rockstar” featuring Roddy Ricch (2020); Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus (2019); and Drake’s “In My Feelings” (2018).

Check out the top 10 summer songs every year throughout the Hot 100’s history (from the chart’s start in 1958) and the latest Songs of the Summer chart in its entirety.

18 Jul 2023

Jason Aldean Reschedules Hartford Show Cut Short By Heat Exhaustion

Jason Aldean didn’t waste any time re-scheduling his scotched Hartford, Connecticut Highway Desperado Tour date. The second show on the singer’s summer tour on Saturday night was cut short due to Aldean’s reported bout of dehydration and exhaustion, but on Monday (July 17) Xfinity Theatre announced he’ll be back in the building later this month.

“JUST ANNOUNCED! In keeping with his long-standing dedication to his fans, @Jason_Aldean is returning to Hartford’s Xfinity Theatre on Sunday, July 30th. All tickets from the July 15 show will be honored for the rescheduled July 30 date,” the venue tweeted.

The Hartford date was the second show on the outing 31-city headlining tour featuring guests Mitchell Tenpenny, Corey Kent and Dee Jay Silver. Aldean posted a video message to fans on Sunday, telling them, “I’ve had a lot of people checking on me today after hearing about what happened last night at the show in Connecticut,” Aldean said.

He told fans that he was “doing fine. Just one of those things. It was hot, I was playing golf all day yesterday and then got to the show. There was a combination of dehydration and just heat exhaustion. I’m hearing a lot of stuff going around, ‘heat stroke,’ all this stuff. I don’t think it was quite that serious, but it was pretty intense last night at the show. Anybody that was at the show knows how hot it was.”

Aldean also described the moment he realized he had to leave the stage: “I knew it was coming. I was trying to get through as much of the show as I could, and eventually I knew it wasn’t going to happen and I was trying to just get off stage and figure out what was going on,” he said, noting that he was given IV fluids to treat his symptoms. Aldean performed his next scheduled show in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. on Sunday night.

18 Jul 2023

Otis Redding Foundation to Honor Jermaine Dupri at Second Annual King of Soul Music Festival

Grammy-winning songwriter/producer Jermaine Dupri is being honored by the Otis Redding Foundation. Dupri will be presented with the Otis & Zelma Redding Award of Respect at the foundation’s upcoming King of Soul Music Festival (Sept. 8-9) in Macon, Georgia.

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The second annual festival, a fundraiser for the Otis Redding Center for the Arts, will also double as a celebration of late icon Redding’s 82nd birthday (Sept. 9).

“We are thrilled to honor Jermaine Dupri at this year’s King of Soul Music Festival,” said Karla Redding-Andrews, vp/executive director of the Otis Redding Foundation, in a statement  announcing the news.

“Jermaine and his father Michael Mauldin have been connected to the Redding family since he was a young man visiting the Big ‘O’ Ranch with his dad. And we are so proud of his remarkable contributions to the music industry as a songwriter, producer, DJ, and entrepreneur. He was very close to my brother Otis III, who passed away in April, and credits him with teaching him to make beats. Jermaine aligns with Otis Redding’s spirit and the foundation’s mission to inspire and empower young artists.”

Dupri — who also founded pioneering label So So Def Records — said, “The Reddings and Otis III became my musical family before the world knew of Jermaine Dupri. While I understand the family is honoring me, in my mind I am also honoring them for all they have allowed me to do, see and be a part of at a time when they didn’t have to.”

Atlanta’s esteemed Orchestra Noir will get the festivities underway Sept. 8 with “An Evening of Respect” concert at the historic Macon City Auditorium. Founded in 2016, Orchestra Noir is known for paying tribute to the cultural legacies of African American music pioneers through vibrant performances encompassing classical, jazz, blues, R&B and hip-hop. The next evening will feature The Big “O” Homecoming Show & Dance at the Capitol Theatre. During both nights, renowned artists and musicians will salute Redding’s enduring musical legacy.

Proposed to open in late 2024, the Otis Redding Center for the Arts will house the Otis Redding Foundation’s various music and arts programs for students. That slate includes the annual Otis Music Camp for students between the ages of 12-18, Camp DREAM for those aged 5-11, music education workshops, private and group lessons and the chance to perform on legendary stages such as Nashville’s Ryman Theatre. The foundation itself was established in 2007.

For more information about the festival, tickets, the Otis Redding Center for the Arts and the Otis Redding Foundation, visit otisreddingfoundation.org.

18 Jul 2023

Chayanne, Luis Figueroa, Ricardo Montaner & More Set for iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina

iHeartMedia announced Monday (July 18) that the 2023 iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina will return to Miami at Kaseya Center (formerly FTX Arena) on Saturday, Oct. 21.

The one-night event will feature a slate of performances featuring Chayanne, Ricardo Montaner, Fonseca, Servando y Florentino, Luis Figueroa, GALE and Menudo. Enrique Santos, president and chief creative officer of iHeartLatino and on-air talent for iHeartRadio, will host the 10th annual edition. “We’re honored to once again bring together incredible artists, electrifying music and a vibrant community,” Santos said in a statement. “Here’s to a decade of unforgettable moments, unity and the power of Latin music!”

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Besides performing, Chayanne will also receive the iHeartRadio Corazón Latino Award which, according to iHeartMedia, honors an individual who “exemplifies their big heart through their selfless work enhancing the lives of the Latin community and beyond.” The Puerto Rican icon — known for hits such as “Dejaría Todo” and “Torero” — has teamed up with and supported organizations such as Make-A-Wish Foundation, United Nations Human Rights for Climate Change, Women Refugees Commission and Heroes Por la Vida.

iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina will be broadcasted across iHeartRadio digital stations. Additionally, Hulu will serve as the official streaming destination of the iHeartRadio Fiesta Latina with performances live-streamed exclusively to Hulu subscribers.

The event launched in 2014 in Los Angeles but has since been taking place in Miami. Throughout the years, iHeartRadio Fiesta latina has featured headliners such as Jennifer Lopez, Daddy Yankee, Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull, Ricky Martin and Ozuna.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday (July 21) at 10 a.m. ET via Ticketmaster.com.

18 Jul 2023

JC Chasez Talks Joining a Cat Boy Band for Meow Mix & Reveals Why He’s the Least Active in the *NSYNC Group Chat

Besides being a beloved pop icon, JC Chasez is also a lifelong animal lover.

That’s why teaming up with Meow Mix was a natural fit for the *NSYNC superstar. In a new advertisement for the cat food brand, Chasez joined a different kind of boy band — full of cats. The group brings back all the 90s nostalgia by transforming Meow Mix’s original 1980 jingle into a perfectly harmonized, quintessential boy band pop hit.

In the commercial clip, the five-piece furry group (a.k.a. The Catty Five) performs sleek choreography while dressed in coordinating denim and all-white outfits. Chasez comes in halfway through the jingle to belt out some serious “meow, meow, meow” ad libs.

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“I was made to host The Catty Five,” Chasez tells Billboard with a laugh. “I grew up with cats — and dogs to be fair. I’m an animal lover in general. So, I loved the Meow Mix idea. Of course, there’s a lot of 90s Nostalgia going on right now, so putting a 90s spin on the longtime jingle was so fun.”

The star also gushed over how “cute” the final product is. “It’s so good. It’s the sound, right? You automatically go back to that era. They they nailed the sound of the era.”

“Thanks to the brilliant Meow ReMix creative from incredible agency and brand partners in Publicis, BBH, and JMS, BCL Entertainment knew that the talent had to be legendary,” Bettie Levy, talent producer of the campaign and founder and CEO of BCL Entertainment, said of the new collaboration in a press statement.  “Beyond JC being part of one of the most iconic boy bands of all time, his interest in engaging in and contributing to unique campaigns made this partnership so natural and authentic.”

“We couldn’t be more excited to release the latest installment of our Meow ReMix campaign” added Peter Defries, GCD of BBH USA. “When we were tasked with launching the wet-food range, there was only one genre that could really bring it to life – the rain-soaked boybands of the 90s. And when JC Chasez came on board, we knew we were sitting on another hit.”

“Our latest campaign honors Meow Mix’s storied heritage while also bringing new cultural relevancy to the brand,” said Gail Hollander, chief marketing officer of JM Smucker’s. 

The Meox Mix boy band-themed spot comes amid a particularly fun renaissance for boy bands in the music industry, with K-pop groups like BTS and SEVENTEEN dominating the pop landscape. “I want more!” Chasez says.

Besides the emergence of new boy bands, classic groups like Chasez’s own *NSYNC have been getting a second life on TikTok. In particular, a page called @justice4jc has been going viral on the platform, spotlighting the 46-year-old’s impressive vocal range and giving him the “credit & recognition he deserves,” per the user’s bio.

When asked if he’s seen the Justice for JC movement, Chasez admits that he hasn’t personally been following it, but has been told about it by some of his friends. In fact, he hasn’t had much time to scroll on TikTok, as he’s been immersing himself in writing musical theater. “There are similarities [between writing a pop hit and musical theater songs] and there are some some very big differences,” he explains. “When you’re writing a single for something, you’re just looking to write about what you’re feeling in the moment. When you’re working on a musical, there’s alwaysa bigger picture and the story is always the driving force. I would say, in pop music, you can live in the moment and not be worried about what you’re singing about in terms of it not working with another piece.”

He continued, “What really attracted me to it lately is that there’s such a human experience in live theater. There’s no hiding. There’s no AI up there. There’s no dirty tricks. It’s people up there giving you everything in that moment. So that’s what’s really been fun about.”

So far, Chasez has written two plays — a coming-of-age-story and one that’s a “bit more serious” and “beautiful” look at humanity. “It’s kind of like the last thing that I haven’t really dabbled in,” he says of theater. “I started in television, then I moved into music and I made a couple of films. Now it feels like this is the last untapped thing. It’s nice to experience all sides of it.”

Lastly, the singer gave his official response to fellow *NSYNC member Chris Kirkpatrick’s claim that he’s the least active in the boy band’s group chat. “I don’t have an official response, because it’s true!” Chasez says. “They go off on tangents, man. It happens in waves, like, the chat will be quiet for a couple of weeks and then somebody chimes in with something and then everyone’s riffing on that. I get my piece in there, but they get they get chatty.”

Watch the new Meow Mix commercial here.

18 Jul 2023

Wiz Khalifa Threw Out First Pitch at Pirates Game While ‘High AF’ on Mushrooms

For a huge stoner, Wiz Khalifa is a model of consistency. Morning? High. Afternoon? High. Evening? High. On stage? High. Tossing out the first pitch at a game by his hometown MLB team the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday?

“Stoned AF.”

That’s what Khalifa, 35, promised before landing one over the plate to kick off the game between the Pirates and the Cleveland Guardians at PNC Park. You were warned. He previewed his self-proclaimed high-balling in a tweet that read, “Finna get stoned AF and throw this first pitch at the Pirates game.”

A minute before that the “Love to Smoke” rapper posted a pic of what appeared to be his pre-game prep program, which consisted of two mason jars full of weed and a package of magic mushrooms. The MLB posted a video of the first pitch, in which the lanky MC waved to the crowd and casually tossed some heat with his right hand.

The MC who launched his aptly named High School Reunion Tour on July 7, later shared a snap of his work space for the day: a private box at PNC, as well as his perfect stoner snack break for the day, a bag of Cracker Jack.

And while only Khalifa knows exactly how high he was, he certainly isn’t the first pitcher to take the mound in an altered state. In fact, he’s not even the first Pittsburgh hurler to do it. Legendarily lysergic Pirates pitcher Dock Ellis famously threw a no-hitter while high on acid in 1970.

Khalifa later summed up his trippy experience by writing, “Shroomed out throwin’ a baseball is crazy.”

See the pitch and Khalifa’s tweets below.

18 Jul 2023

Jennifer Lopez Teases Another Romantic Ode to Ben Affleck With Anniversary-Themed ‘Midnight Trip to Vegas’

She loves him, she really loves him. Jennifer Lopez teased her latest homage to husband Ben Affleck on Monday (July 17) when the singer/actress dropped a 20-second preview of her ode to the couple’s Sin City wedding, “Midnight in Vegas.” The first listen to the sweet ballad came a day after the first anniversary of their wedding at the Little White Chapel in Las Vegas.

“Then you whispered in my ear/ Said, ‘let’s get out of here’/ We can disappear tonight/ What about a midnight trip to Vegas?/ Just me and you, baby/ Throw the kids in the back of the pink Cadillac/ And us in the bathroom changing,” she sang in a selfie lip synch video posted to her On the JLo page.

The song opens with the lines, “I always dreamed that I’d find somebody like you/ We’re drowning/ In orchid arrangements/ Dresses and pastries/ What if it’s raining, yeah?/ Is this what we’ve been dreaming of?/ It’s crowded with families and agents/ Room reservations/ Which destination/ Paps helicopters/ Event of the ages/ Caught in the matrix.”

“One year since our Midnight Trip To Vegas … ?♠️❤️ Go to On The JLo for a special surprise… #ThisIsMeNow,” she wrote on Instagram along with two glam shots of herself in a glittery dress. The preview of the song is the first listen we’ve had so far of This Is Me… Now, JLo’s sequel to her 2002 Affleck-inspired album This Is Me… Then. It is also at least the third song she’s written to honor Affleck, following up on the earlier album’s “Dear Ben”; “Dear Ben Pt. II” is slated to appear on Now, whose release date has not yet been announced.

Lopez and Affleck first began dating in July 2002 and were engaged in November of that year. The couple postponed their wedding in Sept. 2003 just a few days before the wedding was slated to take place and broke up before reuniting in 2021.

18 Jul 2023

Ghetto House Pioneer DJ Deeon Has Died

Chicago-based ghetto house pioneer DJ Deeon has died.

An update posted to the artist’s Facebook page on Tuesday (July 18) by an administrator states that “I am sorry to announce the legendary Artist, Producer, DJ, Label owner, and my friend Deeon ‘DJ Deeon’ Boyd gained his wings today. The family thanks you for your support and will announce arrangements in the coming days. Thank you for your understanding.”

No cause of death was provided, although the producer has suffered myriad health issues including cancer, multiple strokes, diabetes, quadruple bypass surgery and a leg amputation. The producer recapped his list of health challenges in a 2020 fundraiser to cover his medical bills. Last week, he posted a photo of himself in the hospital with the caption “pray for me.”

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DJ Deeon was a pioneer of ghetto house, a house subgenre developed in Chicago in the early 1990s that was driven by 808 and 909 drum machines and sexually explicit lyrics. The producer was namechecked in Daft Punk’s 1997 track “Teachers” for his contributions to the genre, including the classics “Bomb 96,” “Wicked,” “Back 2 Skool” and “House-o-matic.”

The producer is being mourned by the dance music community, with Defected Records — who released the Lee Walker and DJ Deeon collab “Freak Like Me” in 2016 — writing that “his music and productions transcended genres and were loved by the whole dance music community. His impact on our scene is huge. Sending our thoughts and love to his family and friends.”

Fellow Chicagoan The Blessed Madonna posted a tribute noting that “It would be hard to overstate his importance to Chicago and all of dance music. He was also an extremely sweet guy who will be missed terribly. Damn.”

Listen to “Freak Like Me” below.

17 Jul 2023

Nearly 1 in 4 Albums Sold Last Week Were Taylor Swift’s Re-Recorded ‘Speak Now’

Taylor Swift’s third re-recorded album, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), was a hot seller in its first week of a release in the U.S., according to the data tracking firm Luminate. In the week ending July 13, the set sold 507,000 copies across all of its physical and digital retail formats (CD, vinyl, cassette and digital download album). That sum represents nearly a quarter of all album sales in the U.S. that week (2.131 million).

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Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)’s share of the album sales market is similar to when she dominated the landscape during the debut week of Midnights in 2022. That album sold 1.14 million copies in the week ending Oct. 27, 2022 – accounting for 41% of all albums sold in the U.S. that week (2.79 million).

Swift can capture a large chunk of the album sales market in a given week because she remains a solid seller at a time when yearly album sales have declined in 10 of the last 11 years, as more music fan adopt streaming services as their primary means of consuming music. Thus, Swift’s outsized album sales dwarf the rest of the industry.

In 2022, Swift was the top-selling act for the year in terms of total album sales, with 2.93 million copies sold across her entire catalog – about 3% of total album sales across all albums from all artists (100.09 million). She also had the year’s top-selling album, with Midnights selling 1.818 million copies (more than twice the sum of the year’s second biggest seller, Harry Styles’ Harry’s House, with 757,000).

In 2023 so far, through July 13, Swift’s total album sales across all of her releases stands at 2.096 million – 3.8% of all album sales this year, by all artists (54.519 million).

Swift’s selling power is further evidenced on Billboard’s latest 100-position Top Album Sales chart (dated July 22, reflecting the sales week ending July 13), where Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) debuts at No. 1 with 507,000 copies sold, the Nos. 2-100 titles – combined – sold just 381,000.

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. The new July 22, 2023-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on July 18. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is a re-recorded version of Swift’s 2010 studio album Speak Now, which topped both the Billboard 200 and Top Album Sales chart. The 22-track re-recorded edition includes new recordings of the original album’s 14 standard tracks, along with bonus cuts and previously unreleased “From the Vault” recordings. Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) follows Swift’s re-recorded Red and Fearless albums, released in 2021.

Of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)’s 507,000 copies sold, physical sales comprise 410,000 (268,000 on vinyl; 134,000 on CD and 8,000 on cassette) while digital album download purchases comprise 97,000. The album’s vinyl sales mark the second-largest week for a vinyl album since Luminate began tracking data in 1991 – only the debut week of Midnights posted a bigger vinyl week (575,000).

Swift announced the release of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) on May 5, the same day she began taking pre-orders for the album via her official webstore. The set sold as a digital download album, double-CD, double-cassette and in three color vinyl LP variants (orchid marbled, violet marbled and a Target-exclusive lilac marbled color). The iTunes Store also carried an exclusive edition of the album with a short video clip as a bonus feature. On the final day (July 13) of the album’s debut tracking week, Swift released a deluxe digital album download of the set exclusively sold through her official webstore, which added two bonus live tracks recorded during her ongoing The Eras Tour (“Dear John” and “Last Kiss,” both of which were originally released in their studio form on the Speak Now album in 2010).

All told, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is the 12th No. 1 on Top Album Sales for Swift.

Elsewhere on the latest Top Album Sales chart, Swift has five more titles in the top 10, as her former No. 1s Midnights (a non-mover at No. 3 with 18,000; up 49%), Folklore (8-6 with 13,000; up 45%), Lover (10-7 with 12,000; up 50%), Fearless (Taylor’s Version) (14-9 with 11,000; up 81%) and Red (Taylor’s Version) (19-10 with 10,000; up 89%). It’s the second time Swift has placed at least six titles in the top 10 concurrently. She did it previously on the July 22-dated list. No other act has charted six or more albums in the top 10 at the same time.  

As for the non-Swift titles in the top 10: Stray Kids’ former No. 1 5-STAR is a non-mover at No. 2 (27,000; up 70% after the release of a new CD edition), aespa’s MY WORLD falls 1-4 in its second week (14,000; down 65%), Lana Del Rey’s Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. jumps 33-5 (13,000; up 265% after a new vinyl edition of the album was released) and King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard’s PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation debuts at No. 8 (11,000).

In the week ending July 13, there were 2.131 million albums sold in the U.S. (up 22% compared to the previous week). Of that sum, physical albums (CDs, vinyl LPs, cassettes, etc.) comprised 1.729 million (up 21.8%) and digital albums comprised 402,000 (up 23.2%).

There were 705,000 CD albums sold in the week ending July 13 (up 8% week-over-week) and 1.008 million vinyl albums sold (up 33.4%). Year-to-date CD album sales stand at 18.893 million (up 4.1% compared to the same time frame a year ago) and year-to-date vinyl album sales total 25.371 million (up 21.7%).

Overall year-to-date album sales total 54.519 million (up 8.1% compared to the same year-to-date time frame a year ago). Year-to-date physical album sales stand at 44.556 million (up 13.4%) and digital album sales total 9.962 million (down 10.5%).