Music News

Ed Sheeran Teases Potential Genre Switch, Gets ‘Perfect’ Fan Serenade on ‘Today Show’

From the release of – (Subtract), his sixth studio album, to his brand new song for the Ted Lasso series finale, Ed Sheeran has been omnipresent this year. On Tuesday morning (June 6), the “Shape of You” singer took over the Today Show plaza for a performance in support of his latest record.

While his set featured renditions of Subtract singles such as “Eyes Closed,” which peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100, the performance’s most memorable moment came by way of a cut from his 2017 ÷ (Divide) album.

After Sheeran concluded one of his songs, Today Show host Hoda Kotb came across another Ed in the audience. With the encouragement of Kotb, this Ed — a Sheeran fan named Ed Castillo from Clifton, N.J. — launched into an impromptu rendition of “Perfect” as the singer-songwriter himself joined him on guitar. Once the fan finished singing, Sheeran agreed that if he were a coach on The Voice, he would have turned his chair for Castillo. In 2017, “Perfect” became the star’s second career No. 1 single on the Hot 100, thanks, in part, to its Beyoncé-assisted duet version.

Sheeran’s Today Show stint also provided fans with some hints as to where the “Bad Habits” singer’s musical evolution will take him next. “I’ve known for the last 13 years what Mathematics would be, and now it’s, like, what to do next?” Sheeran said. “There’s lots of questions going around in my head.”

When prompted by host Carson Daly about a possible pivot to country music, Sheeran responded, “I lived in Nashville for a couple of years, and I kind of fell in love with [country music] there. That’s something I would love to do at some point.” The country music tease comes just a few weeks after Sheeran teamed up with country powerhouse Luke Combs for a new version of “Life Goes On” from – (Subtract).

Sheeran has nine top 10 hits on the Hot 100, two of which have reached the summit — “Shape of You” and “Perfect.” The Grammy-winning superstar has also topped the Billboard 200 with four albums dating back to 2014’s x (Multiply).

Emma Stone Gushes Over Taylor Swift’s ‘Insane Talent’: ‘She Blows My Mind’

Being besties with Taylor Swift definitely has its perks. According to Emma Stone, her pop star friend was able to hook her up with hard-to-come-by tickets to one of her Eras Tour shows in Glendale, Ariz. — about which the La La Land actress recently gushed about to Vanity Fair.

“The concert was pretty amazing,” Stone told the magazine at the Saturday (June 3) Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in Jersey City, N.J. “I was lucky ’cause we’ve been friends for a really long time.”

“I’ve known her since we were 17 and 18, so she hooked me up, which was very nice ’cause I know those tickets are impossible to get,” the Cruella star continued, alluding to the astronomically high demand for Eras tickets that crashed Ticketmaster last year. “She’s a wonderful friend. She blows my mind.”

“I mean, the amount of sheer stamina to do three and a half hours and perform 44 songs and to maintain the extreme energy of the audience — I’ve never seen anything like it.” 

Then, when asked whether she’d ever join her longtime pal on stage someday, Stone was blunt. “Oh, God, hell no!” she insisted. “I can’t sing, like, for a massive stadium. Let’s not even go down that road. She has insane talent — I could never do what she does.” 

Stone’s praise of Swift comes at an interesting time, some Swifties would argue. On Monday (June 5), the Grammy winner unveiled her list of previously unreleased vault tracks that will accompany the July 7 release of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), one of which is titled “When Emma Falls In Love.”

Knowing that Swift and Stone’s friendship dates back to the original Speak Now era (circa 2010), many fans are speculating that the song was written in honor of the Easy A actress — and possibly about her relationship with her Spider-Man costar Andrew Garfield. See some tweets about it below:

25 Best Revenge Songs: SZA, Taylor Swift & More

There can’t always be room for forgiveness. And when the time for revenge comes knocking at your door, Billboard‘s got your soundtrack covered.

There’s been a longstanding tradition in music of using songs to get even, whether by airing out private details in tell-all lyrics or fantasizing about everything from property damage to murder. In the ambiguous worlds of pop, hip-hop, rock n’ roll and country, keying cars, smashing windows and even homicide are fair game.

Just look at SZA‘s Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Kill Bill.” Based on its commercial success, it’s clear that millions agree there’s nothing more cathartic than daydreaming about murdering not just your former boyfriend, but his new girl, too. Or, there’s the Stevie Nicks method of penning a song so good, your ex — who just so happens to be your bandmate — has no choice but to perform it with you over and over as a constant reminder of everything he did wrong. Why move on when you can get the last laugh?

That’s definitely the mindset of many women in country music, for whom songs about unleashing your inner crazy are basically rites of passage. Even Taylor Swift has continued this tradition — set by the likes of Reba McEntire, The Chicks, Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert — in her post-country pop music (but more on all of those ladies later).

The point is, no matter the genre of music, and no matter the method of justice, songs about sweet revenge always hit the spot — that is, if an axe isn’t an option. Keep reading to see Billboard‘s top 25 favorites below.

Fans Are Split Over Taylor Swift & Matty Healy’s Reported Breakup

Taylor Swift and Matty Healy are no more, according to multiple reports. And whether fans are absolutely heartbroken or have been waiting eagerly for this day since the romance rumors first swirled in May, they have a lot to say about it online.

Word of the apparent split first came Monday (June 5), with TMZ being first to report that the two stars had parted ways after less than two months of dating — although, their romance wasn’t ever officially confirmed beyond photos of the two looking very couple-y in public. The 1975 frontman, for instance, was spotted at multiple shows of Swift’s Eras tour, and the two were also seen last month holding hands while out to dinner with mutual friend Jack Antonoff.

Later, Healy and the “Anti-Hero” pop star were seen leaving Electric Lady Studios in New York City side by side.

From start to (apparent) finish, many of the artists’ fans were champions of the rumored romance and are now left saddened by the news. One person tweeted, “i’ll miss u forever matty n taylor

Others, however, are celebrating the separation loudly and proudly — likely because of Swift’s involvement with Healy despite his various controversies.

“TAYLOR AND MATTY BROKE UP EVERYBODY PARTY,” tweeted one Swiftie.

“speak now tv tracklist vs matty healy taylor breakup announcement fighting over what makes me happiest,” wrote another, referencing Swift’s recent Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) tracklist announcement (which also happened to come on June 5).

Check out what fans are saying about Taylor and Matty’s reported split below:

Astrud Gilberto, ‘The Girl From Ipanema’ Singer, Dies at 83

Astrud Gilberto, “The Girl From Ipanema” singer who would make bossa nova a sensation in the 1960s, died at 83 on Monday (June 5).

Paul Ricci, a friend and former collaborator of Gilberto’s, confirm the news of the Brazilian singer’s death on social media at the request of her son Marcelo. “She was an important part of ALL that is Brazilian music in the world and she changed many lives with her energy,” he said in statement via Facebook.

Gilberto’s “The Girl From Ipanema” came about in a serendipitous way. The track was originally recorded by her then-husband, João Gilberto, also known as the the father of bossa nova. In 1963, the couple traveled to New York City to record with Stan Getz and fellow Brazilian bossa nova star Antônio Carlos Jobim, and during one of the sessions, Astrud was asked to join in despite having no recording experience.

“While rehearsing with Stan in the song ‘The Girl From Ipanema,’ João casually asked me to join in and sing a chorus in English after he had just sung the first chorus in Portuguese,” the late singer shared in a 2002 interview with for her official website, according to The New York Times. “Stan was very receptive. I’ll never forget that while we were listening back to the just recorded version, Stan said to me, ‘This song is going to make you famous.’”

Getz was right — a solo version of “The Girl From Impanema” without João’s Portuguese lyrics and featuring only Astrud was released in 1964. In the United States, the track peaked at No. 5 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, and later won the Grammy Award for record of the year in 1964.

Though Gilberto would not have another major hit, later in her career she received the Latin Jazz USA Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1992 and was inducted into the International Latin Music Hall of Fame in 2002.

Revisit “The Girl From Ipanema” below.

Britney Spears Posts Pic of ‘First Love’ Son Sean Preston

Britney Spears paid tribute to her eldest son, Sean Preston, in a sweet Instagram post on Monday (June 5) in which she referred to her 17-year-old first born as “my first love!!!” In the snap, Sean is standing in a neutral-colored room and smiling slightly while wearing a white button-down shirt.

Kevin Federline Britney Spears

Britney Spears Will Let Her Sons Move to Hawaii With Kevin Federline

The post came just a few days after Spears shared a throwback pic of her younger son, Jayden James, 16, from when he was a toddler. In that picture, Spears is carrying the boy in her arms as they cross the street.

Brit shares the two boys with her ex, Kevin Federline, whose lawyer recently told People that the one-time Spears back-up dancer is moving the kids to Hawaii to live with him there. His attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, said that Spears has “consented” to allowing Sean and Jayden to live on the island with Federline. “It’s an opportunity for Kevin and his wife, and the boys are ready to get away from the L.A. microscope,” Kaplan reportedly said; Entertainment Tonight reported that in a May 31-dated letter Spears’ attorney wrote to Kaplan that Spears doesn’t plan to stand in the way of the move.

In addition to Jayden and Sean, Federline will reportedly move to Hawaii with wife Victoria Prince and their two children — Peyton, 8, and Jordan, 11. People reported that Prince has a new job opportunity at a Hawaiian university. Sean will graduate from high school just before the move, while Jayden is expected to finish out his final year of high school remotely.

See Spears’ post below.

Taylor Swift Scores Record-Extending 68th Week at No. 1 on Artist 100 Thanks to ‘Midnights’ Deluxe Releases

Taylor Swift furthers her record run as the top musical act in the United States, holding at No. 1 on the Artist 100 chart (dated June 10) for a 68th week, thanks to two new deluxe editions and a new color vinyl variant of her latest album, Midnights.

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The set returns to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, for a sixth total week on top, with 282,000 equivalent album units earned (up 389%) May 26-June 1, according to Luminate. The sum is the second biggest in a single week in 2023, after only the opening frame of Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time (501,000; it dips to No. 2 after spending its first 12 weeks on the chart at No. 1). Midnights earned 1.578 million units when it debuted in November 2022.

On May 26, Swift released a new deluxe edition of Midnights, dubbed The Til Dawn Edition. The 23-track set includes the original standard album’s 13 tracks, plus the seven bonus songs from the previously released The 3am Edition and three bonus tunes: “Hits Different,” which was previously available only on the Target-exclusive CD edition of the standard edition of Midnights; a new version of the standard album’s “Snow on the Beach” featuring Lana Del Rey; and a remix of “Karma” adding Ice Spice as a featured artist.

The same day, the set’s The Late Night Edition arrived. The 21-track release contains the original standard album’s 13 tracks, plus five of the seven bonus tracks from The 3am Edition and three bonus songs: as noted above, the new versions of “Snow on the Beach” and “Karma,” along with a previously unreleased track, “You’re Losing Me (From the Vault).”

Plus, the standard Midnights vinyl album was reissued in a new color vinyl variant May 26, in “Love Potion” purple.

In total, Swift places nine albums on the Billboard 200, all contributing to her Artist 100 chart standing: Midnights (No. 1), Lover (No. 6), 1989 (No. 11), Folklore (No. 13), Reputation (No. 18), Red (Taylor’s Version) (No. 20), Evermore (No. 35), Fearless (Taylor’s Version) (No. 39) and Speak Now (No. 45).

Swift also tallies five songs on the latest Billboard Hot 100: “Karma,” now featuring Ice Spice, vaults 27-2 (surpassing its previous No. 9 peak), former eight-week leader “Anti-Hero” rises 12-11, “Hits Different” debuts at No. 27, “Snow on the Beach” re-enters at No. 30 and her 2019 Lover track “Cruel Summer” pushes 49-45, after it re-entered a week earlier.

Elsewhere on the Artist 100, Lil Durk rockets 46-3, thanks to his new LP, Almost Healed. The set debuts at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 (125,000 units), while 15 of its tracks land on the Hot 100, led by “All My Life” featuring J. Cole at No. 4.

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.

Additional reporting by Keith Caulfield

Cardi B Says She Became a Cook for Her Kids, Reveals the Dish ‘Picky’ Daughter Kulture Loves

As a Grammy winner, Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper, rapper, songwriter and actress, Cardi B’s list of talents and accomplishments is already lengthy. Now, the “Bodak Yellow” rapper can add chef to that list.

In a new interview with People, Cardi revealed, “I usually am not a person that cooks, but I have been cooking because I got two kids now. So it’s like you really just don’t have a choice.” The Bronx rapper is a mother to two children with husband Offset — Kulture, 4 and Wave, 2. “It doesn’t matter if you’re rich or not or you’re famous or not. It’s like your kids, when they hungry, they going to be like, ‘I want it, and you got to cook it now.’”

In recent weeks, Cardi has headlined Hot 97 Summer Jam and teamed up with Latto for “Put It On the Floor Again,” but the star — who has a new collaboration with Knorr — is focusing on her skills in the kitchen and putting dishes together. Included on her menu is her own chicken recipe, which she says is a “quick” one. But more important than it being fast to put together, “My daughter loves [it],” Cardi told the magazine. “Because she is picky girl, she don’t like nothing.”

From Atlanta to New York City, there are many different cultures represented in Cardi and Offset’s household. Nonetheless, Cardi tends to prioritize what’s easiest for her. “My husband loves soul food, but my daughter, she don’t really care for that. She just likes the simple things. So she loves chicken pasta,” she says of the dish she calls the “Marry Me Pasta.”

“I like to cook tacos,” she added. “I like to cook everything that’s easy. That’s what I like to do. I hate doing hard stuff.”

Now that Cardi, 30, has a family of her own, she can reflect on her own cooking journey. “You know what’s so crazy?” she mused. “I wish that things were a little bit easier when I was 18 and I got kicked out and I started learning how to cook. Because now you could just literally go to YouTube and learn how to cook everything.”

DC Young Fly Thanks Fans For Well Wishes Following Shock Death of Partner Jacky Oh

DC Young Fly broke his silence about the shocking death of his partner and the mother of the couple’s three children, Jacky Oh, last week at the age of 32. The former Wild ‘N Out cast member (born Jacklyn Smith), reportedly died in Miami on May 31 of as-yet-unannounced causes.

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“We thank everyone for their well wishes and ask for privacy during this difficult time,” read a statement from Young Fly (born John Whitfield) and his family in a statement to People.

BET confirmed Oh’s passing in an Instagram post last week, which read, “We, the BET family, extend our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Jacky Oh and DC Young Fly. We are deeply saddened by the passing of Jacklyn Smith, known to the world as Jacky Oh, a talented Wild N’ Out family member whose impact will be forever treasured and missed. Jacky Oh was a loving friend and beloved colleague of the Wild N’ Out cast throughout five seasons.”

TMZ was first to report the news on Thursday, revealing that Smith died in Miami and the Young Fly was in Atlanta shooting new episodes of the show when he heard the news of her death. Oh was one of the “Wild ‘N Out girls” on the Nick Cannon-created MTV series, where she met Young Fly, with whom she shared daughters Nova and Nala and son Prince, who was born in 2022.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. — who People reported is believed to have met Oh through his partner, Lauren Wood — shared the family’s statement on his socials with the additional message “Rest Easy Angel.” On Twitter, the footballer added “Don’t take life for granted, we’re here for the blink of an eye. Y’all plz love on your loved ones while they’re still here.”

Susan Boyle Reveals She Had a Stroke During Return to ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ Stage

More than 14 years after her legendary crowning on Britain’s Got Talent, Susan Boyle was back on the stage for Sunday night’s season 16 finale to sing the song that helped launch her into improbable global stardom. But this time she was joined by the West End cast of Les Misérables for a performance of the song that helped her become a superstar, “I Dreamed a Dream,” and at the end she made a startling revelation about overcoming a serious health issue.

“It feels great,” Boyle said after the rousing song when asked what it felt like to be back on the BGT stage for a reprise of her 2009 crowning achievement during the show’s third season. “It’s extra special for me actually because last April there, I suffered a minor stroke. And I fought like crazy to be back on stage and I have done it.”

BGT creator and judge Simon Cowell loved seeing Boyle back in the mix, saying it was “unbelievable” that she’s been able to return to her signature vocal strength. “Susan, we owe you so much and I knew you weren’t well, but if anyone was going to come back you were going to come back because we wouldn’t be the same without you. You are amazing.”

The shy Scottish singer who blew minds during her initial BGT run expounded on her recovery in an Instagram post celebrating Sunday’s performance, writing, “Tonight I had the privilege of returning to @bgt and performing with the wonderful cast of @lesmizofficial,” she wrote. “This evening was even more special for me as in April of 2022 I had a stroke. For the past year I have worked so hard to get my speech and singing back, with the sole aim of being able to sing on stage again & tonight my hard work & perseverance paid off, singing the song that started it all, ‘I Dreamed A Dream’.”

After her BGT triumph back in the day, Boyle released her smash debut album, I Dreamed a Dream — which at the time became the best-selling debut album in U.K. chart history — spawning the title track hit as well as a cover of the Rolling Stones’ “Wild Horses.” She followed up with 2010’s The Gift album, which topped both U.S. and U.K. charts, then 2011’s Someone to Watch Over me, Standing Ovation: The Greatest Songs From the Stage (2012), Home For Christmas (2013), Hope (2014), A Wonderful World (2016) and Ten (2019).

Watch Boyle’s performance and the discussion of her stroke and see her post below.