Music News

02 Apr 2023

Lil Yachty Performs ‘the BLACK seminole.’ & ‘drive ME crazy!’ With Diana Gordon in ‘SNL’ Debut: Watch

Lil Yachty took viewers on a trip during Saturday Night Live on April 1.

For his musical guest debut on the iconic sketch comedy show, the 25-year-old rapper — who appeared on Billboard‘s cover in March — performed a pair of tracks from his mind-bending psychedelic album, Let’s Start Here., which dropped earlier this year.

Yachty transformed the Studio 8H into a swamp-like atmosphere for his performances of “the BLACK seminole.” and “drive ME crazy!” The moody nighttime performances featured backing by singer-songwriter Diana Gordon and a full band.

Abbott Elementary creator Quinta Brunson served as host during the April 1 episode of SNL.

Let’s Start Here., Yachty’s foray into the rock world, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums and Top Alternative Albums in early February. The set peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard 200.

“I did what I really wanted to do, which was create a body of work that reflected me,” Yachty told Billboard of Let’s Start Here. “My idea was for this album to be a journey: Press play and fall into a void.”

Watch Lil Yachty’s SNL performances below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.

01 Apr 2023

Selena Gomez & Sister Dress Up as Taylor Swift Eras for Saturday Night’s Show in Texas

Selena Gomez and her sister Gracie were among the thousands of Swifties in attendance at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday night (April 1). The two were spotted in the crowd for Swift’s second night at the venue on the Eras Tour, dressed to support Gomez’s longtime friend.

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Gomez channeled Folklore with her hair pulled back and a white, flowing dress with cardigan, while her sister wore a purple gown reminiscent of Swift’s Speak Now era.

Fans at the concert captured Gomez having the time of her life singing and dancing along to Lover standout “Cruel Summer,” which Swift debuted live on this tour.

Swift’s Eras Tour has a three-night run at AT&T Stadium this weekend. On night one, she swapped in three new songs in her set list: “The 1,” “Sad Beautiful Tragic” and “Ours.” Read Billboard‘s full review of the March 31 concert here.

Get a glimpse at Selena and Gracie’s Swift-inspired outfits in the clips shared by concertgoers below, and check out a full list of celebs who’ve stopped by the Eras Tour so far.

01 Apr 2023

Rihanna Shares Sweet Video Holding Baby: ‘Look Who Don’t Want Mommy to Work Out’

Rihanna posted a new video of her 10-month-old baby adorably keeping the star from getting her workout in.

The singer, who’s pregnant with her second child with A$AP Rocky, shared the personal video with fans on her social media accounts on Saturday (April 1).

“Look who don’t want mommy to workout,” the singer captioned the cute clip, in which she’s busy cuddling her son — even though she looks ready to exercise in her black Savage X Fenty sports bra.

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Rihanna welcomed her first child in May 2022 and announced her second pregnancy by debuting her bump at her Super Bowl halftime show performance in February.

In March, she showed off her growing belly at the 2023 Academy Awards, where she performed best original song nominee “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Watch Rihanna’s latest video below.

01 Apr 2023

Maude Apatow Performed Through a Concussion at ‘Little Shop of Horrors’

Maude Apatow’s nerves on stage at the off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors resulted in a visit to the hospital.

The actress, who’s starring as Audrey opposite Tony winner Matt Doyle’s Seymour in the theatrical production at New York City’s Westside Theatre through April 30, says she suffered a concussion in the middle of a recent performance.

“I’m always really kind of in a panic the entire time, and I was running offstage, and I guess my eyes were kind of adjusting to the light, and I just ran full speed into the wall,” Apatow, who said she’s always had stage fright, explained during an appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers on Friday (March 31).

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“I got a concussion,” she said, but finished the show anyway. “It was insane. I don’t know what I was doing.”

Apatow added that the injury made her an extra emotional Audrey: “I swear I was just like almost crying the rest of the show … I was like, ‘OK, but get through it, get through it, get through it!’ And then yeah, after the show, I think the adrenaline wore off, and I was like, ‘I need to go to the hospital.’”

“But I’m all good now,” Apatow said. She told Meyers that playing Audrey is “extra special” because Little Shop was one of the first musicals she saw as a child.

Watch the interview below.

01 Apr 2023

Los Temerarios Bring Nostalgia-Packed Show to Chicago: ‘Thank You For All the Love’

The last time Los Temerarios performed in Chicago was in 2019 at the Rosemont Theater, which has a capacity of a little over 4,000. Since then, the Mexican grupero band hadn’t performed in the Midwest city due to the pandemic shutdown. But their return to the Chicago couldn’t be stronger, even more so than the 90 mph winds that threatened the area on Friday (March 31).

As part of their 2023 tour, Los Temerarios — led by brothers Gustavo and Adolfo Ángel — performed two back-to-back sold-out shows at Allstate Arena (capacity of 18,500), just a few miles from the Rosemont Theater where they last played.

“It’s a complicated night,” an emotional Gustavo, the band’s lead singer, said at the beginning of the show. “I was backstage and was hearing about all these alerts of winds, so we’re really thankful to all of you for being here despite all that. Chicago is special to us. It’s the second city we ever visited in the U.S. when we started working over here back in like 1985. Imagine what we feel to see this place packed. Thank you for all the love you’ve given our music throughout all these years.”

Adolfo, the group’s keyboardist and co-founder along with his brother, was less talkative throughout the set but got equally emotional thanking fans for embracing their music for so many years.

“Chicago brings back so many memories, and we’ve missed you all so much,” he added.

The band went on to serenade a sea of fans who sang along throughout the entire show, during which they performed all the oldies but goodies in the form of ballads, cumbias and pop songs. The setlist included “Enamorado de Ti,” “Tu Infame Engaño,” “Como Te Recuerdo,” “Tu Última Canción,” “Dímelo,” “Ven Porque Te Necesito” and “Te Hice Mal.”

During the more than two-hour set (they kept coming back after the crowd requested an encore three times), Los Temerarios proved their endurance with a high-energy and dynamic performance that had Gustavo working the crowd with jokes and quirky dance moves. But more than anything, they shined with timeless songs that showcase Gustavo’s high, expressive tenor. And, of course, Adolfo’s knack for writing lyrics on love and heartbreak that will live on forever thanks to fans who continue to take solace in these anthems.

Los Temerarios’ return to the live scene coincides with the band’s 40 years in music, which will be marked by a special edition vinyl La Colección (out in April) and will include 10 brand new songs. Overall, the romantic group, known for their wistful keyboard-heavy ballads, has notched 41 entries on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, 17 of which are top 10 hits, including four No. 1s.

“Staying relevant in this industry is not easy so we have nothing but gratitude for our fans, we feel very fortunate,” Adolfo previously told Billboard. “We’ve always had a great respect for this career that has given us so much that’s why we always give our best when it comes to our albums, our live shows, we make sure our production is top quality across everything we do. Our brother and I also have a mutual respect and admiration for each other, that’s been fundamental for us to keep going for so many years.”

Los Temerarios continue their tour — which launched in February in San Jose, Calif., in states such as Nebraska, North Carolina and Georgia before wrapping up April 22 in Missouri.

01 Apr 2023

1 Dead, Dozens Injured After Storm Causes Roof Collapse at Morbid Angel Concert in Illinois

One person is dead and dozens more were injured after a severe storm caused the roof to collapse during a heavy metal concert at the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere, Ill., on Friday night (March 31).

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About 260 music fans were in attendance for a concert featuring Morbid Angel and other bands when 90 mph winds blew through the area and caused the historic venue’s roof to cave in. One person was killed and 28 others were injured, five of them severely, according to the Associated Press.

“Tonights show is Canceled due to a Tornado that hit the Venue, and caused the roof, over the area in-front of the stage, and marquee to collapse,” Morbid Angel wrote in a Facebook post on Friday.

“We ask anyone who is still traveling to the venue to please seek shelter and stay safe. We are currently sheltering in place, and want to extend our support and hope that everyone at the show tonight is safe. Right now our focus is on making sure everyone in the venue tonight is ok and gets home.”

Concert-goers in attendance at the 1,500-capacity venue reportedly rushed to lift the collapsed part of the ceiling and help others out of the wreckage.

“They dragged someone out from the rubble, and I sat with him and I held his hand and I was (telling him) ‘It’s going to be OK.’ I didn’t really know much else what to do,” Gabrielle Lewellyn, who was in attendance, told WTVO-TV.

Belvidere police chief Shane Woody described the scene at Apollo Theatre as “absolute chaos.”

“When officers are first on the scene, when the fire department and first responders get here, they do the best they can to control the chaos as much as possible,” Woody said, CBS Chicago reports. “But ultimately, we go in, and ultimately try and find people, and save as many people as we possibly can — and bring them to safety as best as we can.”

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also tweeted on Friday, “My administration is closely monitoring the roof collapse at the Apollo Theatre in Belvidere tonight. I’ve been in touch with officials for updates and to direct any available resources we can.”

01 Apr 2023

Taylor Swift Adds ‘The 1’ to Setlist, Plus More New Moments as Eras Tour Arrives in Texas

Taylor Swift continued her history-making Eras Tour on Friday night (March 31), kicking off three shows through Sunday in Arlington, Texas.

Though fans and media who caught the tour at its first stop in Glendale, Ariz., and subsequent shows in Las Vegas have already revealed key details about the extensive 3 hour and 15 minute set list, elaborate costumes, and more, Friday’s concert held some special surprise moments for Swifties.

Leading up to the night, local news outlets made a slew of announcements that urged citizens to beware of Eras Tour-induced traffic jams and parking issues in Arlington, which sits right in between Dallas and Fort Worth and boasts most of the metroplex’s major amusements, including Globe Life Field, Six Flags Over Texas and the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium — where Swift performed — but many concertgoers seemingly avoided the regular rush by arriving early, planting themselves in line for merchandise and entrance to the concert.

So what made Swift’s first Arlington show stand out from the previous Eras shows? Read below for some brand-new moments from the Friday night concert.

31 Mar 2023

Here Are All the Celebrities Who Have Attended Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour

It’s nice to have a friend, and Taylor Swift has plenty of famous pals that have been supporting her on her massive The Eras tour, which kicked off on March 17 in Glendale, Ariz.

Besides friends like HAIM, Laura Dern, Emma Stone and Shania Twain watching from the crowd and singing along to every word, Swift also surprised fans with onstage appearances. Despite telling fans during night one at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium that “we don’t have guests at this show,” the pop superstar invited the Mumford & Sons frontman for her debut live performance of “Cowboy Like Me,” from Swift’s chart-topping 2020 album, Evermore.

See below for all the celebrities who have made appearances at Swift’s The Eras tour stops, either in the audience or on stage, which we’ll be updating as the 12-time Grammy winner makes her way across the continent.

31 Mar 2023

Tom Parker’s Wife Kelsey Honors The Wanted Singer on Anniversary of His Death: ‘Forever My Soul Mate’

It’s been one year since the devastating death of The Wanted‘s Tom Parker, who lost a long battle with brain cancer at age 33.

On the anniversary of his passing, the star’s wife Kelsey Hardwick Parker took to Instagram to pay tribute to her late husband. “One year without you [red heart emoji] forever my soul mate,” she captioned a sweet photo of the duo smiling at each other, face-to-face. She shares two children with the musician, Aurelia Rose Parker and Bodhi Thomas Paris Parker.

Parker publicly shared his battle with brain cancer and revealed in October 2020 that he was diagnosed with the illness. On Nov. 4, Parker updated his Instagram followers on his condition and reported that his latest brain scan came back as stable.

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Hardwick confirmed his death in 2022 with a black and white photo of the singer. “It is with the heaviest of hearts that we confirm Tom passed away peacefully earlier today with all of his family by his side,” she captioned the photo. “Our hearts are broken, Tom was the centre of our world and we can’t imagine life without his infectious smile and energetic presence. We are truly thankful for the outpouring of love and support and ask that we all unite to ensure Tom’s light continues to shine for his beautiful children. Thank you to everyone who has supported in his care throughout, he fought until the very end. I’m forever proud of you.”

As a member of The Wanted, Parker and bandmates Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness and Nathan Sykes found mainstream success in 2012 with singles “Glad You Came” and “Chasing the Sun,” which peaked at No. 3 and No. 50 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively.

31 Mar 2023

Billboard Explains: What Role Do Record Labels Play?

Record labels have been around for decades and, for a long time, being signed to one meant that an artist made it in the music industry. But what does a label actually do, how do they make a profit and how are they evolving? The latest episode of Billboard Explains answers all those questions.

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There are two types of labels: major labels, which are organized into umbrella companies called label groups, and independent labels. The three major labels in today’s industry are Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group — with each having their own subsidiaries. Independent labels differ from major labels, as they operate on their own funding. They can also outsource distribution and publishing, while majors do that themselves.

“When you think about a record label now, it’s really important to focus on the fact that they have massive marketing and publicity muscle,” says Dan Rys, Billboard‘s senior writer. “They are the ones who are able to put a billboard up in Los Angeles. They’re the ones who can get you placement on streaming services.”

Labels typically make money on songs’ master recordings one of three ways: through music sales, downloads and streaming of an artist; brand partnerships where an artist endorses a product; and master licensing, using the exact recording of a song for a commercial, movie or TV show. Labels can also make money on touring, merch and other opportunities based on deals signed with artists.

Thanks to social media, the way labels recruit artists has changed drastically. “There was a time when record labels were the only way that anyone could actually get their music out to the public,” says Keith Caulfield, Billboard‘s managing director of charts and data operations. “They controlled all the marketing and distribution of getting your music into stores. Today, that’s greatly different because you have the Internet.”

Watch the latest Billboard Explains above. After the video, catch up on more Billboard Explains videos and learn about the origins of hip-hop, how Beyoncé arrived at Renaissance, the evolution of girl groups, BBMAs, NFTs, SXSW, the magic of boy bands, American Music Awards, the Billboard Latin Music Awards, the Hot 100 chart, how R&B/hip-hop became the biggest genre in the U.S., how festivals book their lineups, Billie Eilish’s formula for success, the history of rap battles, nonbinary awareness in music, the Billboard Music Awards, the Free Britney movement, rise of K-pop in the U.S., why Taylor Swift is re-recording her first six albums, the boom of hit all-female collaborations, how Grammy nominees and winners are chosen, why songwriters are selling their publishing catalogs, how the Super Bowl halftime show is booked and why Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” was able to shoot to No. 1 on the Hot 100.