Music News

27 Jun 2023

Ryan Seacrest Is the New Host of Wheel of Fortune 

Congratulations are in order for Ryan Seacrest, who has picked up yet another hosting gig — this time, taking on the role of hosting the iconic game show, Wheel of Fortune.

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The news comes just two weeks after the show’s beloved longtime host Pat Sajak revealed that he will be retiring after the upcoming 41st season, which begins in September. Seacrest, meanwhile, announced his exit from hosting Live With Kelly and Ryan after six years back in February.

Seacrest signed a “multi-year agreement” to host Wheel starting in 2024, and will also serve as a consulting producer, according to NBC News.

The staple in American radio and TV took to Instagram to celebrate his exciting new gig, sharing in a statement, “I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak. I can say, along with the rest of America, that it’s been a privilege and pure joy to watch Pat and Vanna [White] on our television screens for an unprecedented 40 years, making us smile every night and feel right at home with them.”

He continued, “Pat, I love the way you’ve always celebrated the contestants and made viewers at home feel at ease. I look forward to learning everything I can from you during this transition.”

Seacrest added that one of his first jobs was hosting a game show called Click 25 years ago, “so this is truly a full circle moment for me and I’m grateful to Sony for the opportunity.”

Wheel of Fortune was created back in 1975 by Merv Griffin, and the game has contestants attempting to solve hangman-style puzzles while spinning a big wheel and winning money.

See Seacrest’s full statement below.

27 Jun 2023

Lil Wayne to be Named a BMI Icon at 2023 BMI R&B/Hip-Hop Awards

Lil Wayne will receive the BMI icon award, the organization’s highest honor, at the 2023 R&B/Hip-Hop Awards on Sept. 6. Hosted by BMI president & CEO Mike O’Neill and BMI vice president, creative, Atlanta, Catherine Brewton, the private event will be held at LIV Nightclub in Miami Beach. The event will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.

“As a legend and superstar of hip-hop, Lil Wayne is synonymous with the genre,” Brewton said in a statement. “He’s been part of the BMI family since 2002, and we’re proud to name him a BMI Icon in keeping with his reputation as one of the most influential artists of all time. We’re also excited to pay tribute to the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with a celebration that reflects the genre’s legacy, which has infiltrated entertainment, fashion, sports and much more.”

Previous recipients of the BMI Icon award include Janet Jackson, Patti LaBelle, Nile Rodgers, Snoop Dogg, The Jacksons, LA Reid, Babyface, Al Green, Isaac Hayes, James Brown and Busta Rhymes.

BMI will also salute the songwriters, producers and music publishers of the past year’s 35 most-performed R&B/hip-hop songs in the U.S. from BMI’s repertoire. The BMI R&B/hip-hop song, songwriter, producer and publisher of the Year will also be named.

Lil Wayne has amassed five No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 – for the third, fourth and fifth installments in his Tha Carter franchise as well as I Am Not a Human Being (2010) and Funeral (2020). He has notched three No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 – “Lollipop” (featuring Static Major) and as a featured artist on Jay Sean’s “Down” and DJ Khaled’s “I’m the One.”

The rapper won four Grammys in 2009, including best rap album for Tha Carter III and best rap song for “Lollipop.” He won a fifth Grammy in 2017 – best rap performance as a featured artist on Chance the Rapper’s “No Problem.” In addition, he recently received the global impact award at The Recording Academy Honors Presented by The Black Music Collective.

Wayne has received 52 BMI Awards as well as being named R&B/hip-hop songwriter of the year in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2013. He also received college song of the year at the BMI London Awards in 2009 for “Down.” He has garnered 15 BET Hip-Hop Awards, 11 BET Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, four Soul Train Awards and two MTV Video Music Awards.

Wayne also owns and operates Young Money Entertainment, a company that has ignited the careers of such artists as Drake and Nicki Minaj. The philanthropist also founded The One Family Foundation – a charitable group focused on helping under-served youth.

27 Jun 2023

Gracie Abrams Hits No. 1 on Emerging Artists Chart Thanks to ‘Good Riddance’ Vinyl Release

Gracie Abrams re-enters Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart (dated July 1) at No. 1, becoming the top emerging act in the U.S. for the first time thanks to her debut studio album, Good Riddance.

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The set, released Feb. 24 via Interscope/IGA, re-enters the Billboard 200 at No. 63 with 13,000 equivalent album units (up 773%) June 16-22, according to Luminate. Its re-entry can be attributed to the set’s vinyl release on June 16, as 10,000 of the album’s units total are from vinyl sales alone. The album debuts at No. 3 on the Vinyl Albums chart, and re-enters the overall Top Album Sales chart at No. 7, a new high.

Good Riddance debuted at its No. 52 best on the Billboard 200 in March.

The album’s single “I Know It Won’t Work” reached No. 20 on the Hot Alternative Songs chart and No. 28 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs in March. This week, it stands at No. 35 on Pop Airplay, after reaching No. 32 a week earlier — it’s Abrams’ first song to chart at the format.

Elsewhere on the Emerging Artists chart, French singer-songwriter Jain debuts at No. 12 thanks to her viral hit “Makeba.” The song, originally released in 2015 (and which is an ode to iconic South African artist Miriam Makeba), jumps 68-41 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart and 89-55 on the Billboard Global 200 (20.4 million streams, up 18%, worldwide). The track has recently gone viral on TikTok, where one portion of it has been used in more than 800,000 clips, and another has soundtracked over 700,000.

“Makeba” also sold 3,000 downloads (up 71%) in the latest tracking week, as it jumps 50-17 on the Digital Song Sales chart, and tallied 3 million U.S. streams (up 24%).

The Emerging Artists chart ranks the most popular developing artists of the week, using the same formula as the all-encompassing Billboard Artist 100, which measures artist activity across multiple Billboard charts, including the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard 200. (The Artist 100 lists the most popular acts, overall, each week.) However, the Emerging Artists chart excludes acts that have notched a top 25 entry on either the Hot 100 or Billboard 200, as well as artists that have achieved two or more top 10s on Billboard’s “Hot” song genre charts and/or consumption-based “Top” album genre rankings.

For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

27 Jun 2023

Usher, Miguel, GloRilla & More to Perform at iHeartRadio Living Black! 2023 Event

iHeartRadio is celebrating Black music and culture with the return of its Living Black! event. On Tuesday (June 27), iHeartMedia announced that Usher, Miguel, GloRilla, Coco Jones and NLE Choppa will be performing for the 2023 iteration.

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iHeartRadio Living Black! will take place on Aug. 2 at Market Street in Inglewood, Calif., a historic location for Black culture in the Los Angeles area. This year’s event largely draws inspiration from the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, as well as the history and innovation within the genre and Black culture. LL Cool J, Ty Dolla $ign, Roddy Ricch, Warren G, Chlöe, Lola Brooke, D Smoke, Kash Doll, SleazyWorld Go, DDG and more will also make special appearances at the annual celebration.

iHeartRadio Living Black! — which will be broadcast on iHeartRadio’s YouTube and Facebook, iHeartMedia Hip-Hop and R&B stations and the iHeartRadio app on Aug. 2 at 7 p.m. local time — will feature The Breakfast Club’s DJ Envy and Charlamagne Tha God, Angela Yee, Big Boy and Nyla Symone. The hour-long special is also an interactive block party with multiple themes, including artists reflecting on their journey in the music industry (In the Booth, Mic Drop) and iconic moments in hip-hop (Flip The Script: Big Boy’s Neighborhood) and mental health within the genre (FundaMENTAL).

“We’re thrilled to celebrate iHeartRadio Living Black! in its third year, bringing together fans and superstar artists to honor Black culture and continue to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop,” Doc Wynter, president of hip-hop and R&B programming for iHeartMedia, said in a press release. “Living Black! is a true testament to the power and lasting influence of Black artists and the community they reflect. We’re excited to once again partner with some of the very best talent and celebrate the impact that Black lives have on American culture.”

27 Jun 2023

Lil Uzi Vert’s New Album ‘The Pink Tape’ Is Dropping Soon: Watch the Trailer

Lil Uzi Vert‘s long-awaited album The Pink Tape is coming sooner than you think. On Monday (June 26), the Generation Now artist announced that his third album would arrive this Friday (June 30), after unveiling the artwork and trailer. 

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The artwork is semi-patriotic as Uzi stands before a U.S. flag draped in pink versus the traditional red, white, and blue. Uzi’s signature spiked hair also appears as he dons a jacket matching the flag. As for the trailer, it’s an animated clip helmed by Gibson Hazard.

The amine-style visual finds Uzi in combat with a demon creature who initially bests him in their contentious showdown. The creature rips off Uzi’s pink diamond from his forehead and steals his powers. Upon having his diamond pulled out, Uzi reverts to human form, and is transported to a mysterious world. Seeking vengeance, Uzi races to retrieve the diamond and ends up in more action-packed battles. Proving to be the ultimate samurai, Uzi wins his early bouts before entering a rematch with the demon creature for his diamond. This time, Uzi is sharper and evades any attacks issued against him and retrieves his prized possession. 

The Pink Tape is the follow-up to his 2020 album Eternal Atake, with wich he dodged the sophomore slump when he netted his second Billboard 200 No. 1 album with EA. The celebrated project sold 288,000 copies in its opening week, and had three songs debut in the Billboard Hot 100 top 10, led by “Baby Pluto” at No. 6. 

Check out Uzi’s trailer and artwork for The Pink Tape below. 

27 Jun 2023

Jennifer Lawrence Addresses Rumors Liam Hemsworth Cheated on Miley Cyrus With Her

Jennifer Lawrence may have had a short-lived romance with Liam Hemsworth in The Hunger Games, but offscreen, she wasn’t playing any games. In her Monday (June 26) appearance on Watch What Happens Live, the No Hard Feelings star finally addressed speculation that she and Hemsworth hooked up while the actor was still in a relationship with Miley Cyrus.

Playing a round of “Plead the Fifth” on the talk show, host Andy Cohen cut right to the chase by asking Lawrence whether there was any weight to rumors that Cyrus subtly shaded her earlier this year by sporting a figure-hugging gold dress, similar to one worn by the actress at a Hunger Games red carpet premiere in 2012, in the “Flowers” music video. Some fans took the look as Cyrus calling out Lawrence for having a fling with the singer’s now ex-husband.

Suffice to say, Lawrence did not plead the fifth, instead eagerly cutting off Cohen before he’d even finished the question to respond.

“Not true,” she said, according to Entertainment Tonight. “I would love to [respond], it’s not true. Total rumor.”

The Don’t Look Up alum previously insinuated that she and Hemsworth had locked lips behind the scenes, which some fans took at the time as “proof” the two costars had an affair. But on Monday night, Lawrence insisted to Cohen that there was no overlap between their kiss and Hemsworth’s on again, off again romance with Cyrus.

“I mean, we all know that me and Liam, like, kissed one time,” said Lawrence, who’s now married and shares a son with art gallery director Cooke Maroney. “But it was years after they broke up.”

“So I just assume that was like a coincidence,” she added of Cyrus’ gold dress.

But while the gold dress may have been just that — a gold dress — there is a pretty compelling case to be made that Cyrus was shading Hemsworth with “Flowers.” For instance, the Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper was released not so subtly on the Last Song star’s 33rd birthday.

Anyway, during her appearance on WWHL, Lawrence also spoke about another female pop star: her friend Adele. When asked by fans calling in to the show to rate how drunk she was when she and the “Easy on Me” vocalist famously went out together in 2019 to Pieces, a gay bar in New York City, she replied: “10 out of 10 hammered.”

Watch J. Law talk about her night out with Adele on Watch What Happens Live below:

27 Jun 2023

Shakira Says Gerard Piqué ‘Betrayed’ Her While Her Dad Was In the ICU: ‘My Home Was Falling Apart’

Shakira has been very open and honest about the demise of her relationship with former professional footballer Gerard Piqué, and the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer is continuing her showcase of vulnerability.

In a new interview with People en Espanol published Monday (June 26), Shakira shared the extenuating circumstances that made the split even more devastating for her. “Everything was happening all at once, my home was falling apart,” she said. “I was finding out in the press that I had been betrayed while my father was in the ICU. I thought I wouldn’t survive so much.”

The former pair announced their split in June 2022 through a joint statement. “We regret to confirm that we are separating. For the well-being of our children, who are our highest priority, we ask that you respect our privacy,” the statement read. Shakira and Piqué were together for 11 years and have two children together: Milan, 9, and Sasha, 7.

Over the past year, many rumors around the end of the pair’s relationship have made the rounds — from cheating allegations to a jar of strawberry jam. For Shakira — who in April was named Billboard‘s Woman of the Year at the first Latin Women in Music — her father’s condition intensified the pain of the split. “The man that has loved me the most, my father, wasn’t by my side when I most needed him,” she told People en Espanol. “I couldn’t speak to him or receive the advice from my best friend that I so needed.”

Despite the drama of the breakup, Shakira has been pushing forward with a steady stream of new music releases. This year, she has already scored two top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: the Bizarrap-produced “BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 53” (No. 9), in which she takes aim at her former partner; and the Karol G duet “TQG” (No. 7).

The Colombian music icon is looking to her father as “the biggest example of resilience.” Speaking of her parents’ relationship, the “Waka Waka” singer mused to the publication, “They have both been a reflection of that dream that didn’t come true for me. But I hope they are role models for my kids of love, of patience in relationships, of absolute devotion and zest for life.”

27 Jun 2023

Taylor Swift Adds 9 More Eras Tour Shows: See the New Dates

Taylor Swift still isn’t done adding shows to her ever-expanding Eras Tour stops. Just days after announcing that she’d be bringing her U.S. and Latin America trek to Europe, Asia and Australia, the 33-year-old pop star has now unveiled an additional nine dates — one in Los Angeles, and eight across Europe.

The news comes in the form of an official announcement from Taylor Nation Tuesday (June 27), revealing via updated Eras Tour posters that Los Angeles, Paris, Stockholm, Zürich, Hamburg, Munich, Warsaw, Vienna and London would each be getting bonus shows added to Swift’s previously announced runs in each city. “Another 9 #TSTheErasTour shows go up in lights like diamonds in the sky,” the announcement read, a reference to Swift’s Red (Taylor’s Version) track “The Lucky One.”

The announcement also prompted Swifties to visit the “Anti-Hero” singer’s website for more information on how to secure tickets.

Swift currently has six more U.S. cities — including Los Angeles — to visit before the Eras Tour’s U.S. leg comes to a close mid-August. Later that month, she and supporting act Sabrina Carpenter will embark on a Latin America leg running through November.

In February of 2024, Swift will pick up again with a string of shows in Japan before jet-setting around Australia, Europe and more parts of Asia. These global dates, which are set to run through August of next year, were announced just one week prior to Tuesday’s nine-show addition. Before that, the Latin America leg was announced at the top of this month.

See the announcement and full list of new upcoming Eras Tour dates below:

27 Jun 2023

Taylor Swift Becomes First Artist to Spend 70 Weeks at No. 1 on Artist 100 Chart

Taylor Swift spends a record-extending 70th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Artist 100 chart (dated July 1) thanks to nine albums on the latest Billboard 200 and three songs on the Billboard Hot 100.

On the Billboard 200, Swift’s 2022 LP Midnights ranks at No. 4 with 60,000 equivalent album units, according to Luminate, after spending six weeks at No. 1.

Here’s a recap of her current Billboard 200-charting titles:

Rank, Title:

  • No. 4, Midnights
  • No. 10, Lover
  • No. 14, Folklore
  • No. 18, 1989
  • No. 23, Reputation
  • No. 25, Red (Taylor’s Version)
  • No. 38, Fearless (Taylor’s Version)
  • No. 39, Speak Now
  • No. 40, Evermore

Swift scores nine titles in the Billboard 200’s top 40 for a fourth time, after achieving the feat on charts dated May 20 and 27 and June 3. No other artist has earned the honor (dating to August 1963 when the survey became a combined stereo and mono album listing.)

Notably, Speak Now rises 42-39 ahead of its new re-recorded Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), due July 7.

On the Hot 100, Swift charts with current Midnights single “Karma,” featuring Ice Spice (up 9-7), former eight-week leader “Anti-Hero” (holding at No. 12), and Lover cut, and new promoted single, “Cruel Summer” (39-18). “Cruel Summer” surpasses its original No. 29 peak in 2019 and becomes Swift’s 69th career top 20 hit, the second-most in the chart’s history, after Drake’s 116.

“Cruel Summer” is the Hot 100’s top Sales Gainer, as it bounds 32-10 on Digital Song Sales (3,000 sold, up 71%), to become Swift’s record-extending 84th top 10.

ATEEZ re-enters the Artist 100 at No. 3, a new high, thanks to the act’s new set The World EP.2 : Outlaw. The project debuts at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 (105,000 units), becoming the group’s highest charting album, and No. 1 on Top Album Sales.

Gunna re-enters the Artist 100 at No. 5, as his new LP — A Gift & A Curse — arrives at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 (85,000 units), becoming his fifth top 10. Eleven songs from the album land on the latest Hot 100, led by “Fukumean” and “Back to the Moon” at Nos. 16 and 29, respectively.

Plus, Queens of the Stone Age re-enter the Artist 100 at No. 7, returning to the chart for the first time since 2017, thanks to the group’s new LP In Times New Roman… The album debuts at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 (40,000 units), becoming the band’s fourth top 10.

The Artist 100 measures artist activity across key metrics of music consumption, blending album and track sales, radio airplay and streaming to provide a weekly multi-dimensional ranking of artist popularity.

27 Jun 2023

Watch Pharrell & Jay-Z Rock the Stage at Louis Vuitton 2024 Men’s Fashion Show

In a career full of iconic moments, Pharrell Williams has added yet another achievement to his extensive list of accomplishments. This time, he brought along his friend, collaborator and 24-time Grammy winner Jay-Z to help celebrate with a performance at his recent Louis Vuitton’s 2024 Men’s Spring-Summer Fashion Show, where he debuted his first collection for the famed fashion house’s menswear line.

To celebrate Pharrell’s new collection, Jay-Z joined the “Happy” singer on stage for a performance on the Pont Neuf in Paris. In addition to performing some of his own tracks — including the RIAA Diamond-certified “N—-s In Paris” and “F–kwithmeyouknowigotit” — Jay-Z and Pharrell delivered a medley of two of their biggest collaborations: “I Just Wanna Love You (Give It 2 Me)” and “Frontin.’” (In 2003, “Frontin’” climbed to a peak of No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Three years prior, “I Just Wanna Love You (Give It 2 Me)” peaked at No. 11.)

“Ladies and gentlemen, the creative director of LV in this building!” Jay-Z proclaims as he introduces Pharrell in the video Louis Vuitton shared to its YouTube page on Sunday (June 25).

In February, Louis Vuitton announced that Pharrell would succeed Virgil Abloh as the fashion house’s new men’s creative director following the beloved designer’s death in 2021. On June 20, the Academy Award-nominated multi-hyphenate officially debuted his stunning new collection. Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton debut drew some of Hollywood’s biggest stars including Beyoncé, Zendaya, Rihanna, A$AP Rocky and Jay-Z. Rihanna has also modeled the line in a series of campaign photos.

Pharrell has earned four Hot 100 chart-toppers over the course of his career, including “Money Maker” with Ludacris, and the 12-week leader “Blurred Lines” with Robin Thicke & T.I. Both of his solo studio albums — 2006’s In My Mind (No. 3) and 2014’s G I R L (No. 2) — have reached the top five of the Billboard 200. Although Jay-Z hasn’t released a solo studio album since 2017’s chart-topping 4:44, he rapped over a Pharrell production just last year thanks to his featured turn on Pusha T’s “Neck & Wrist.”

Watch Louis Vuitton’s video of Pharrell and Jay-Z’s performance above.