Music News

26 Apr 2023

Olivia Rodrigo Shows Off the Adorable ‘Stranger in My Bed’: See the Photo

Olivia Rodrigo is a Katy Cat who might have a new kitty cat. In an adorable Tuesday (April 25) Instagram post, the 20-year-old pop star showed off a little feline using Katy Perry lyrics from “Last Friday Night.”

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“there’s a stranger in my bed. there’s a pounding in my head,” the “Drivers License” singer captioned a photo of her under the covers. In this case, the “stranger” is a teeny tiny kitten dozing at Rodrigo’s side.

It’s not clear whether or not the feline belongs to Liv. Her close friends appear to confirm in the comments that the kitty’s name is Kumo — “Kumo hard launch,” wrote Courteney Cox’s daughter, Coco — and some fans theorized that Rodrigo shares the cat with longtime best friend and roommate Iris Apatow.

“Auntie liver,” Apatow commented, while one fan wrote, “liv & iris live together so maybe it’s both their cat.”

Because the people want answers, Billboard has reached out to Rodrigo’s rep for comment.

The singer has been keeping a low profile in recent months, aside from some appearances at the Grammys, the Vanity Fair Oscars party and the Billboard Women in Music event, where she presented Lana Del Rey with the night’s Visionary Award. In less than a month, it’ll be exactly two years since she dropped her blockbuster debut album Sour, which spawned two No. 1 hits, topped the Billboard 200 for five weeks and made the former Disney actress the first female artist to simultaneously chart 12 songs in the Hot 100 Top 30.

And while Rodrigo did possibly tease she’s working on a new project by posting a studio selfie in February, fans are getting super antsy for new music. “WE NEED AN ALBUM GIRL,” one impatient Livie commented on the star’s photo with Kumo.

“olivia hun i’m staving i need more music asap,” wrote another.

See Olivia’s adorable post with Kumo the kitten below:

26 Apr 2023

Jack Harlow’s ‘Jackman.’ Album Is Just Days Away

Jack Harlow‘s third full-length studio album, Jackman., will drop this Friday (April 28). The surprise announcement about the follow-up to last year’s Come Home the Kids Miss You came on Wednesday morning (April 26), with a spokesperson saying no additional information was available at press time about a lead single, track list or features.

The news was accompanied by what appears to be the Jackman. cover, a shot of a shirtless Harlow standing with his arms crossed in an alleyway next to some garbage cans. Harlow will be among the 2023 class of Hometown Heroes whose banners will go up around his stomping grounds next week, joining the likes of previous honorees Muhammad Ali and Colonel Harlan Sanders, alongside fellow 2023 honorees jazz musician Lionel Hampton, golfer Justin Thomas and NBA champ Wes Unseld.

After blasting onto the rap scene in 2020 with “What’s Poppin’” from his debut album, That’s What They All Say, Harlow did it again with Come Home, which featured the single “Nail Tech” and chart-topping smash “First Class.”

In addition to the new album and the hometown honor, Harlow will also star in the upcoming remake of White Men Can’t Jump, which will hit Hulu on May 19. The trailer for the MC’s film debut dropped last week and found the “Industry Baby” rapper portraying a self-care loving, goofily dressed rich kid who is surprisingly good at basketball, much to his rival’s (played by Sinqua Walls) shock.

“You assumed I couldn’t hoop because I’m white, which is incredibly outdated,” Harlow says to Walls’ character in the trailer, to which Walls replies, “No, I assumed you couldn’t hoop because you were dressed like a white girl at Whole Foods.”

Check out the album cover below.

26 Apr 2023

Here’s the Date of the 2023 BET Awards

The 2023 BET Awards will air live from Los Angeles on Sunday, June 25. It will be the latest awards show to celebrate five decades of hip-hop. The Grammys and the Juno Awards also gave hip-hop a 50th anniversary salute on their 2023 editions in February and March, respectively.

This will be the 23rd edition of the BET Awards, which calls itself “Culture’s Biggest Night.”

“We are thrilled to be back in L.A. for BET Awards 2023 and to celebrate a huge cultural milestone – the 50th anniversary of hip-hop,” Connie Orlando, EVP specials, music programming and music strategy at BET, said in a statement. “For five decades, hip-hop has not only influenced American culture, but has become a global phenomenon and one of the most influential musical genres of our lifetime. From music to fashion, art, and entertainment, we are honored to have always provided a platform for hip-hop to thrive. We look forward to paying tribute to the pioneers and innovators as we amplify the new generation of hip-hop artists like only BET can.”

This year’s venue hasn’t yet been finalized. The show has been held at the Microsoft Theater every year since 2013, except the 2020 show, which was a virtual production due to the pandemic.

Taraji P. Henson hosted the 2021 and 2022 BET Awards, becoming the show’s first repeat host since Black-ish stars Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross co-hosted in 2015-16. Other hosts since the show moved from the Shrine Auditorium to the Microsoft Theater have been Chris Tucker, Chris Rock, Leslie Jones, Jamie Foxx and Regina Hall. (Amanda Seales hosted the 2020 show.)

Orlando will executive produce this year’s show, with Jamal Noisette, VP, specials, music programming & music strategy to co-executive produce for BET. Jesse Collins Entertainment is the production company for the show, with Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon, and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay also serving as executive producers.

The BET Awards has been the top-rated cable award show among all adults 18-49 the past two years, and has been the No. 1 cable award show among Black adults 18-49 for the past 21 years.

26 Apr 2023

Paris Hilton Is Coming to You Live in Concert for a First-Ever Performance This Summer

There may be “Nothing in This World” that Paris Hilton fans want more than an official live performance from the Simple Life star. Now, it looks like they’re finally getting their wish.

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On Wednesday (April 26), the socialite-turned-singer announced Paris Hilton: Live in Concert, an upcoming event that will see Hilton take to the stage at L.A.’s Fonda Theater to perform some of her biggest songs. While Hilton has become known in recent years for her career as a DJ, her new show will mark her first full concert as a vocalist. The event is also set to feature “a variety of popular artists and musical guests” who have yet to be revealed, according to a press release.

Taking place on June 7, the show will also give back to the LGBTQ community as Pride Month kicks off — a portion of all ticket sales will go to GLAAD. Hilton is also teaming up with Absolut as the event’s “exclusive cocktail partner” for the evening, noting the company’s “40+ years of LGBTQ allyship” in a press release.

In a post to her Instagram, Hilton excitedly shared the news of her upcoming performance, telling fans that tickets would be available to purchase starting on May 5. “What songs would you like me to perform?” she asked.

Along with kicking off the “Stars Are Blind” singer’s “Summer of Sliving,” the concert will also serve as the official debut for the new music division of Hilton’s 11:11 Media. “My media company continues to expand, and I am so excited about the launch of 11:11 Media’s music division,” Hilton said in a statement.

The star added that fans of her music career won’t have to wait much longer to hear her first new album since 2006’s Paris. “I’ve been in the studio working on a brand new album, which will usher in a new era in my music career,” she said. “I am very excited for fans to experience my first concert as a vocal performer and the guest performances will be legendary!”

Tickets to Paris Hilton: Live in Concert go on sale at AXS starting Friday, May 5, at 1 p.m. ET. Click here to get your tickets then, and check out Paris’ official announcement on Instagram below:

26 Apr 2023

Katy Perry Is ‘Excited’ to Stay at Windsor Castle for King Charles’ Coronation Performance: ‘This Is Wild’

Katy Perry is one of the few American musicians who is slated to perform at King Charles III’s coronation on May 6 at London’s Westminster Abbey. Leading up to the event, she revealed that being invited to sing at the ceremony is an “honor,” she told Extra in a Monday (April 24) interview.

Speaking with the outlet, the American Idol judge added, “I’m an ambassador to one of his foundations for the British Asian trust, which primarily focuses on ending child trafficking, which is a huge issue of our time that people don’t talk enough about, and it just aligned with all my values. … He asked me to sing and it all aligned.”

The “Firework” singer also recalled getting the invitation to perform in the mail, stating that it “was very regal. It was like a cursive I have never seen [before] … I loved it.”

Perry revealed that the royal family is also kind enough to let her stay at the Windsor Castle, which is currently inhabited by Prince William and Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales. “I’m really excited,” the pop star shared, later hinting that fans may want to keep an eye on her social media content in the coming weeks. “I might be posting a lot because I’m gonna be in a castle, for real. This is wild.”

In addition to Perry, her fellow Idol judge Lionel Richie — who was named the first global ambassador of the Prince’s Trust, a charity founded by King Charles III — will also sing at the coronation. Other performers include Take That (Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen), Andrea Bocelli and Sir Bryn Terfel (performing as a duo), and Freya Ridings, who will sing accompanied by classical-soul composer Alexis Ffrench.

Perry also talked to Extra about having multiple of her videos hit a billion views on YouTube. “I always dreamt really big and I never put limits on my dreams, but it’s wild when you don’t put bowling bumpers on your dreams how big they can actually go,” she said. “I really believe in making it happen and putting that hard work behind it and really swinging until you get that lucky moment.”

Watch Katy Perry’s interview in the video above.

26 Apr 2023

Bloody Crazy Town Fight Between Singer, Guitarist Throws ‘Nu-Metal Madness’ Tour Into Chaos

The latest edition of the Nu-Metal Madness 2 tour featuring Crazy Town and (hed)p.e. was thrown into chaos this week after Crazy Town singer Seth “Shifty Shellshock” Binzer and guitarist/singer Bobby Reeves came to blows following a show in Myrtle Beach, CA over the weekend. As seen in a viral video, the band members who were touring as Crazy Town X, got into a bloody brawl after their show at The Boathouse on Saturday night.

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The fight was reportedly sparked by Binzer not coming out until the final song of the “Butterfly” group’s set. A YouTube video (warning: clip contains threats of sexual and physical violence) of the purported scuffle shows Binzer punching and kicking Reeves as the guitarist lays on the ground attempting to shield his face as an agitated Binzer shouts, “who has it, who has it?… you’ll give me my money or you’re never gonna f–king… you’re gonna steal my money? You robbed me!”

Reeves, his face bloodied, attempts to tell Binzer that he doesn’t have his money and at one point Binzer extends his hand to the guitarist to help him up as the two men square off face-to-face and Reeves makes a series of escalating violent threats against Binzer’s family. The guitarist then punches Binzer in the face as the pair exchange kicks and blows while Binzer repeatedly tells Reeves he loves him while demanding his guarantee for the gig.

While a spokesperson for the band could not be reached at press time, Reeves posted an Instagram Story on Tuesday (April 24) from Houston in which he sported cuts and bruising on his face and said, “me and Shifty got in a little scuffle, but it’s all good, we’re brothers,” lifting up his dark glasses to reveal two swollen black eyes. “No big deal,” he adds. “Love you Shifty too.”

The Myrtle Beach Sun-News reported that Boathouse management declined to comment on the altercation. But (hed)p.e. singer Jared Gomes released a video statement on Tuesday in which he said Crazy Town had been booted off the tour following the incident. “[We] Had to kick Crazy Town off the tour. We’re not saints, by any means, and (hed)p.e. has done some crazy s–t,” he said. “I’m not passing judgement on Crazy Town or Seth or anything like that. But whatever has gone on with us, we’ve always tried to come with a good rock show.”

Gomes added, “Because of what’s going on with Seth and Crazy Town right now — Seth needs help. We can’t just sit by while he’s on the road, battling demons to the death. He needs to get off the road and deal with that s–t. You’ve seen the video. If it was just a fistfight between band members, maybe I could be the first one to mediate some s–t like that. But this is a lot deeper.”

The next stop on the tour is slated to take place tonight (April 26) at The Vixen in McHenry, IL.

See Gomes’ statement below.

26 Apr 2023

Watch Jimmy Fallon Mock Tucker Carlson’s Firing With a Taylor Swift Song

Jimmy Fallon doesn’t think Tucker Carlson is ever returning to Fox News, like ever. During his Tuesday night (April 26) opening monologue, the Tonight Show host employed the perfect breakup song to describe the conservative media personality’s messy split from the news network: Taylor Swift‘s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.”

Fallon started the bit by noting Fox News’ decision to let Carlson go following a couple of lawsuits, one of which exposed him for disparaging his colleagues. Another, filed in March by his ex-employee Abby Grossberg, accused him of sexism on Tucker Carlson Tonight.

“When asked about the split, Tucker had some very interesting things to say,” Fallon joked before cutting away to a highly edited video piecing together clips from episodes of Carlson’s show. Complete with background music, the final product shows him “singing” the chorus of Swift’s 2012 smash.

“We are never ever getting back together / You go talk to your friends talk to my friends talk to me,” Carlson mechanically says in the Mod Podge of clips.

“There you go,” Fallon shrugged after the video finished rolling. “Thanks for clearing that up.”

Up until Monday (April 24), Carlson had been a top-rated host at Fox News since 2016. He has not yet commented on his departure, while Fox has only released a brief statement thanking him “for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor.”

Watch Jimmy Fallon’s hilarious take on Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” above.

26 Apr 2023

PBS to Air ‘Still Playin’ Possum’ George Jones Tribute Special Featuring Jelly Roll, Brad Paisley & Tanya Tucker

April 26 marks a decade since Country Music Hall of Fame member George Jones died in 2013 at age 81. PBS stations are gearing up to honor the life and career of the iconic country music vocalist with the upcoming television special Still Playin’ Possum: Music & Memories of George Jones to premiere on PBS’ Great Performances, Billboard can reveal.

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On Tuesday (April 25), artists including Dierks Bentley, Brad Paisley, Wynonna, Travis Tritt, Jelly Roll and Tanya Tucker gathered before an audience at the Propst Arena at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Ala., to honor the late Jones with renditions of his hits, including “The Grand Tour,” “Tennessee Whiskey,” “White Lightnin’” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” Fans who couldn’t make it to the show will get a chance to see the special evening when it is turned into this new PBS television special. A release date for the PBS special has not been set.

“Thank you to the fans and artists who traveled from all over to be in Huntsville, Ala., for this incredible tribute to George,” said Jones’ widow, Nancy Jones, who is an executive producer on the television special. “Everyone from the producers to the performers created an evening we will never forget and for those who couldn’t be there in person, this is your chance to have your own front-row seat. I hope everyone that attended or gets to see it on television will enjoy it and remember their favorite George song.”

Other artists on the lineup are Trace Adkins, Sara Evans, Justin Moore, Jamey Johnson, Joe Nichols (who performed with Jones on the Grand Ole Opry in 2007), Aaron Lewis (who released the song “Country Boy” in 2010, featuring Jones, Charlie Daniels and Chris Young), Michael Ray, Uncle Kracker, Lorrie Morgan (who had a hit with a cover of Jones’ “A Picture of Me (Without You)” in 1991), Tracy Byrd, Tracy Lawrence, The Isaacs, Dillon Carmichael, T. Graham Brown, Gretchen Wilson, Sam Moore, Janie Fricke and Charlie Starr of Blackberry Smoke. Randy Travis, who collaborated with Jones on the track “A Few Ole Country Boys” in 1990, will also make a special appearance. T. Graham Brown and Tritt previously appeared as part of the all-star group of artists who sang in the chorus with Jones on his 1992 release “I Don’t Need Your Rockin’ Chair.”

Jones, who was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992 and was a Kennedy Center Honors recipient for lifetime achievement in 2008, was known for his unique baritone and catalog of hits that included “She Thinks I Still Care,” “Walk Through This World With Me,” “A Good Year for the Roses,” “The Race is On” and “Tender Years.” The Texas native earned his first top 10 with the Starday-released single “Why Baby Why,” in 1955, and recorded over 160 charting singles. His first chart-topper on Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart came in 1959 with the five-week No. 1 “White Lightnin,’” which he released via Mercury Records. He then joined United Artists and later Musicor, adding “She Thinks I Still Care,” “The Race is On” and more to his catalog of hits.

He inked a deal with Epic Records in 1971, working with producer Billy Sherrill to record songs including “The Grand Tour” and “Bartenders Blues,” as well as duets between Jones and his then-wife, fellow country artist Tammy Wynette. Their electrifying, vulnerable vocal entwinement led to numerous hits in the 1970s including “We’re Gonna Hold On” and “Golden Ring.” Jones and Wynette divorced in 1975, and Jones’ music career hit a rough patch until he returned with the 1980 hit “He Stopped Loving Her Today,” which earned a CMA Awards honor for single of the year, and earned Jones CMA male vocalist of the year wins in 1980 and 1981. His recording of “He Stopped Loving Her Today” also earned Jones a Grammy for best country vocal performance, male, in 1981.

During his career, Jones would earn 13 No. 1 Billboard Hot Country Songs hits. His final top 20 hit on the chart came with his guest vocal on Patty Loveless’ “You Don’t Seem to Miss Me,” which won a CMA Award for vocal event of the year in 1998.

26 Apr 2023

10 First-Timers on Billboard’s Charts This Week: Abraham Alexander, Poppy Baskcomb, Diamond Pynk & More

Billboard has more than 200 different charts on its roster, encompassing numerous genres and formats.

While A-list artists often compete for a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and Billboard 200 albums ranking, which track the most popular songs and albums of the week, respectively, up-and-coming talents typically start off on genre-specific lists.

Here’s a look at 10 acts who appear on surveys for the first time on the April 29-dated charts.

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Abraham Alexander

The Nigerian R&B/soul/rock singer-songwriter, based in Fort Worth, Texas, via Athens, Greece, arrives on Billboard’s charts with his new LP, SEA/SONS. The set, released April 14 on Dualtone Music Group, debuts at No. 42 on Top Current Album Sales and No. 83 on Top Album Sales with 2,000 copies sold through April 20, according to Luminate. The collection includes features from Gary Clark Jr. and Mavis Staples and sparks Alexander’s No. 23 debut on the Emerging Artists chart. Although this is his first solo chart entry, he contributed to one prior charted album: his cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s classic “Bridge Over Troubled Water” is on the Truth to Power Project, whose proceeds benefit multiple non-profits empowering Black communities. The set reached No. 20 on Billboard’s Compilation Albums chart in 2021. Alexander opened for Leon Bridges on the latter’s Gold-Diggers Sound Tour in 2021 and is currently on the road supporting Wilder Woods.

Poppy Baskcomb

The Londoner scores her first chart appearance, as her featured credit on Meduza’s “Upside Down” debuts at No. 26 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs. The track, released April 14 on AETERNA Records, arrives with 526,000 official U.S. streams in its first week. Baskcomb previously collaborated with acts including Jess Bays, Joel Corry, Dimension and Tiësto. Baskcomb is credited as a songwriter on Corry and Mable’s “I Wish,” which reached No. 22 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs in 2021 and No. 17 on the Official U.K. Singles chart in 2022.

Diamond Pynk

The Houston native and Berklee College of Music student achieves her first appearance on Billboard’s charts with her new track “Stuck” with singer-songwriter Gene Noble. The collab, released March 3 via Chicago Creed Music Group, debuts at No. 30 on Adult R&B Airplay, up 28% in weekly plays.

Seth Parker Woods

The Grammy-nominated cellist notches his first chart entry, thanks to his new album Difficult Grace. The set, released April 14 on Cedille Records, debuts at No. 9 on Classical Crossover Albums. Woods is a member of the music ensemble Wild Up, whose recording “Stay on It,” on Julius Eastman Vol. 2: Joy Boy, earned a 2023 Grammy nomination for best orchestral performance. He’s also on the faculty of USC Thornton School of Music, as an assistant professor of practice, string chamber music and cello. He previously served on the faculties of the University of Buffalo, University of Chicago, Dartmouth College and the Chicago Academy of Arts. He also contributed to the soundtrack to the 2022 PBS documentary, The U.S. and the Holocaust, by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein.

Scottie, Sunny Laurent & Andez Santana

All three artists attain their first chart hit thanks to “Comeria Besos.” The collaboration, released via Digital Dior, debuts at No. 6 on Latin Pop Digital Song Sales, No. 7 on Latin Rhythm Digital Song Sales and No. 19 on the all-Latin-encompassing Latin Digital Song Sales charts. Digital Dior is an independent label founded by Sunny Laurent in South Florida. Scottie provides vocals on “Comeria Besos,” while Andez Santana produced the track.

Lola Indigo

The Spanish singer-songwriter has already charted several songs in Spain and Argentina, but she claims her first on an official Billboard chart as “El Tonto,” with Quevedo, debuts at No. 138 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart with 11.7 million streams worldwide. The song, released April 14 on Universal Music Spain, appears on her third studio album, El Dragon.

Artimus Wolz

The musician-filmmaker-comedian arrives on Billboard’s charts thanks to his breakout track “Saddy Daddy-O.” The song, released through SOMNITECT, debuts on the Alternative Digital Song Sales chart at No. 17 (600 sold).

Creeds

The DJ’s “Push Up” opens at No. 45 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs. Released on Rave Alert/B1/Ministry of Sound/Arista Records, it tallied 416,000 U.S. streams in the tracking week.

DeeBaby

The rapper’s new album Junkie Mode begins at No. 13 on Heatseekers Albums (4,000 units). He released the LP via Black Diamond Entertainment/Create Music Group.

Odetari

The DJ enters Billboard’s charts thanks to his viral hit “Narcissistic Personality Disorder.” The song, which he self-released, debuts at No. 11 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs with 2.3 million U.S. streams.

26 Apr 2023

Ed Sheeran ‘Subtract Experience’ Pop-Ups Coming to NY, Dallas, LA, Chicago & Boston

Ed Sheeran is hitting the road. Sure, the singer is not, technically, slated to play shows in North America until the June 29 kick-off of his 48-date tour at the Sprint Center in Kansas City. But before that Sheerios can get their Ed fill via the “Subtract Experience Pop-Up,” which will hit New York, Dallas, Los Angeles, Chicago and Boston in May.

The American Express-sponsored event is described in a release as a chance for fans to “dive deep into the visuals of his new album, – (Subtract) and experience more #withAmex including limited edition merchandise, official signed CDs, immersive installations and a dedicated in-store shopping experience.”

The pop-ups will be open in all five cities from May 5-7; click here for the addresses and hours.

The last installment of Sheeran’s maths-focused series of albums, Subtract is due out on May 5. The singer released the collection’s opening track, “Boat,” last week and explained the inspiration for the accompanying video that brings home the tune’s lyrical metaphor for depression.

‘Boat’ is the first song I wrote and finished for Subtract, it’s where it all began, and a good way to kick off the album,” Sheeran wrote on Instagram last week. The ballad is the follow-up to the lead single, “Eyes Closed,” from the album Sheeran said he’s been working on for a decade.

“Trying to sculpt the perfect acoustic album, writing and recording hundreds of songs with a clear vision of what I thought it should be,” he previously said about the thematic lines that run through the LP. “Then at the start of 2022, a series of events changed my life, my mental health, and ultimately the way I viewed music and art.”

The four-part documentary Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All will start streaming on Disney+ starting May 3, featuring never-before-seen personal archive clips, interviews and performances.

Check out a tweet about the “Experience” below.