Music News

Why YoungBoy NBA Releases So Much Music: ‘It’s a Disease’

YoungBoy Never Broke Again is  Billboard latest cover star, and he opened up about his music making process with reporter Meaghan Garvey.

 “It’s a disease,” he shares of his ability to put out as much music as possible. “Literally, I cannot help myself. I tell myself sometimes, ‘I’m not going to drop until months from now,’ but it’s addictive. I wish I knew when I was younger how unhealthy this was for me. Whatever type of energy I had inside me, I would’ve pushed it toward something else.”

He adds,“The music is therapy, but I can’t stop it when I want,” he goes on, sounding almost ashamed. “And the lifestyle is just a big distraction from your real purpose.”

The star is fresh off the release of his new album I Rest My Case, which arrived in early January. I Rest My Case marks the rapper’s first release since he signed to Motown Records in October. The Baton Rouge, Louisiana, native broke out in 2015 and signed to Atlantic two years later, going on to become one of music’s top acts. Since, he’s charted 24 albums on the Billboard 200 — 11 that were top 10, four of which hit No. 1.

He’s charted four top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 in 2022 — more top 10s than any other act this year — and has released four albums in the past two months: The Last SlimetoRealer 23800 Degrees and Ma I Got a Family.

In Other Tom Brady News, All-Star ‘80 for Brady’ Song Makes Billboard Chart Debut

Headlines about Tom Brady today are, understandably, focused on his announced retirement, but a song related to the football GOAT makes its own news with a Billboard chart debut.

“Gonna Be You,” by fellow legendary entertainers Dolly Parton, Belinda Carlisle, Cyndi Lauper, Gloria Estefan and Debbie Harry – and written by Diane Warren – enters Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart (dated Feb. 4) at No. 42 with 2,000 downloads sold from its Jan. 20 release through Jan. 26, according to Luminate.

(The number 42, thus, takes on a more positive tone regarding Brady, after Super Bowl XLII still makes New England Patriots fans wince.)

The song accompanies the movie 80 for Brady, which Brady co-produced and in which he acts. The comedy, whose Los Angeles premiere was held Tuesday, follows four friends – played by acting icons Sally Field, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno and Lily Tomlin – who travel from Massachusetts to Texas to see the quarterback, then playing for the Patriots, in Super Bowl LI in 2017. (The team’s 34-28 comeback in the game, from a 28-3 deficit, still makes Atlanta Falcons fans wince, although it makes Patriots fans smile.)

“Gonna Be You,” whose official video finds Parton, Carlisle, Lauper and Estefan all sporting Brady’s No. 12 Patriots uniform, marks the latest chart entry for each star. Parton first hit Billboard‘s rankings in 1967 (when “Dumb Blonde” debuted on the Hot Country Songs chart dated that Jan. 21 – six days after the first Super Bowl); Harry, as a member of Blondie, in 1978; Carlisle, with the Go-Go’s, in 1980; Lauper, in 1983; and Estefan, with Miami Sound Machine, in 1984.

Warren, meanwhile, has written nine Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s, among 32 top 10s. Among her catalog of Hot 100 entries are top 40 hits recorded by Carlisle (“I Get Weak,” a No. 2 hit in 1988) and Estefan (“Live for Loving You,” No. 22, 1991). (Warren is currently scaling Adult Contemporary with her first charted title as a credited artist, “Sweet,” with vocals by Jon Batiste and Pentatonix.)

Said Warren ahead of the release of “Gonna Be You,” “Since ’80’ was in the [movie’s] title, I got a crazy idea: Why not get some of the most iconic singers from the ’80s, who are still amazing and always will be, to all sing it?! Everyone I approached said yes and was just as excited as me!”

Blondie boasts four Hot 100 No. 1s, Estefan three, Parton and Lauper two each and Carlisle one, totaling, aptly for Brady, 12.

Brandon Lake, Tye Tribbett & MercyMe Add No. 1s on Faith-Based Charts

Singer-songwriter Brandon Lake scores his second No. 1, and first as a lead artist, on Billboard’s streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Christian Songs chart (dated Feb. 4) with “Gratitude.”

The single rebounds for a third week atop Christian Digital Song Sales, up 7% to 2,000 downloads sold Jan. 20-26, according to Luminate. It also drew 1.9 million official U.S streams. On Christian Airplay, the song pushes 13-11 for a new best (4.9 million audience impressions, up 24%).

Lake co-authored “Gratitude” with Dante Bowe and Benjamin Hastings, while Jacob Sooter produced it.

“Every song has a season, and season a song,” Lake tells Billboard. “’Gratitude’ couldn’t more accurately describe everything I want to express to God in this time. There are times where I feel like worshipping and there are times I often don’t, but what can shift any weary soul is a spirit of gratitude. I love that this song not only expresses a heartfelt ‘thank you,’ but commands your soul to wake up and worship. The journey of how this song came to be is a miracle in itself that I’m thankful for.”

Lake previously topped Hot Christian Songs as featured on Elevation Worship’s “Graves Into Gardens,” for two frames in February 2021. It also paced Christian Airplay for a week, awarding Lake his lone leader so far.

Concurrently, Lake charts two additional tracks on Hot Christian Songs. He’s featured on Ryan Ellis’ “Son of David,” at No. 25, and his duet with KB, “Graves,” at No. 44.

Tribbett’s ‘New’ No. 1

On Gospel Airplay, Tye Tribbett notches his fourth No. 1 and third in succession with “New,” which he wrote solely.

The song follows ‘’Anyhow,” which dominated for two weeks in June 2021, and “We Gon’ Be Alright,” which led for a week in September 2020. Tribbett, who hails from Camden, N.J., notched his first leader, among nine top 10s, with “Victory” (with backing group G.A.), which reigned for three weeks beginning in September 2006.

MercyMe Extends Record

MercyMe rolls up its record-padding 19th No. 1 on Billboard’s Christian AC Airplay survey with “Then Christ Came” (up 3% in plays).

The format cornerstone act last led with “Almost Home,” for three frames in April 2020. In between that song and “Then,” the group’s “Say I Won’t” reached No. 3 in May 2021 and “On Our Way,” featuring Sam Wesley, hit No. 9 in February 2022.

MercyMe widens its lead for the most No. 1s since Christian AC Airplay began in 2003 over Jeremy Camp and Casting Crowns, each with 13.

MercyMe banked its first leader with “Word of God Speak,” which dominated for 21 weeks starting in August 2003. It’s the longest-leading No. 1 in the chart’s history, followed by the band’s own “Even If,” which ruled for 19 weeks starting in May 2017.

Britney Spears Accuses Alyssa Milano of ‘Bullying’ After Actress Asked for Someone to ‘Check On’ Pop Star

Britney Spears took to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday night (Jan. 31) to defend herself against an old tweet from Alyssa Milano, who asked for someone to “please go check” on the pop star back in December.

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The “Piece of Me” singer shared the tweet to her IG Stories and wrote, “It saddens me to see things about me from people who don’t know me !!! This definitely feels like bullying !!!”

Spears concluded by urging women to support each other. “Ladies, we are supposed to be rooting for one another not pulling one another down,” she wrote.

Milano has reportedly sent Spears an apology in private, according to TMZ. Billboard has reached out to the Charmed actress’ reps for confirmation and more information.

Spears’ latest post comes just a week after she asked her fans to respect her privacy after an incident in which authorities were reportedly called to her house on Jan. 23 to perform a wellness check on her after she deleted her Instagram account.

“As everyone knows the police were called to my home based on some prank phone calls. I love and adore my fans but this time things went a little too far and my privacy was invaded,” she wrote in a text post. “The police never entered my home and when they came to my gate they quickly realized there was no issue and left immediately.”

Spear continued in her note, “This felt like I was being gaslit and bullied once the incident made it to the news and being portrayed once again in a poor and unfair light by the media. During this time in my life, I truly hope the public and my fans who I care so much about can respect my privacy moving forward. All the love, B.”

Priscilla Presley Is Trying to ‘Learn to Live Without’ Daughter Lisa Marie Presley: ‘Our Hearts Are Broken’

Priscilla Presley is continuing to grieve the loss of daughter Lisa Marie Presley, whom she shared with Elvis Presley. On what would have been the “Lights Out” singer’s 55th birthday on Wednesday (Feb. 1), actress Priscilla shared a statement on how she and the rest of the family are coping with Lisa Marie’s recent death.

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“Today would have been Lisa’s 55th birthday. My wish is to protect my three grandchildren and keep our family together,” the Naked Gun star said in a statement to Page Six. “From the first moment I held Lisa in my arms, I’ve protected, loved and guided her, as I have my son. Our hearts are broken, and I am having to learn to live without my only daughter.”

The Dallas actress also took a moment in her statement to thank those who have supported her family during such a difficult time. “We truly love all of you, and we feel your prayers,” she concluded. “Thank you so much for caring so deeply for our family.”

Priscilla’s thank you echoes a similar sentiment to one she shared on Jan. 26 to her Twitter followers. She wrote at the time, “I’m truly overwhelmed with your words, your prayers, your love and your support. Thank you from the bottom of my heart in trying to help me get through this loss. Every parent who has lost a daughter or son knows what a dark painstaking journey it is,” along with a broken heart emoji.

Lisa Marie died on Jan. 12 at 54 after being hospitalized for cardiac arrest. Her official cause of death has been deferred pending additional tests. A memorial service took place on Jan. 22 at Graceland, Elvis’ Memphis estate, and featured speeches and performances from Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose, Billy Corgan and Alanis Morissette.

Funko Announces New Cyndi Lauper Pop Vinyl: Here’s Where You Can Pre-Order It Online  

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Funko is honoring Cyndi Lauper with a new Pop! vinyl inspired by her quintessential ’80s style. The vinyl figure was unveiled Wednesday (Feb. 1) and is available for pre-order exclusively at Entertainment Earth while supplies last.

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This Funko figurine wants to fill your Pop! Rocks collection with favorite memories of vivid colors, energy, hit songs and, of course, style. Relive Lauper’s hits like “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and “True Colors” and revisit one of music’s most colorful decades with the collectible vinyl from the Funko Pop! Rocks collection.

Cyndi Lauper Funko Pop

Courtesy of Funko

The must-have Pop! vinyl re-creates Lauper’s wardrobe — a printed dress and spiked, leather belt with orange hair — from an outfit worn by Lauper during a 1983 press shoot in London. The Pop! vinyl figurine measures approximately 4.42 inches tall and comes packaged in a plastic protective case. Click here for more display case options if you prefer something sturdier than the standard case. Funko released a Funko Pop! Album: Cyndi Lauper figurine paying homage to her 1983 debut album, She’s So Unusual, which spawned two of Lauper’s biggest hits: “Time After Time” and “Girls Just Want to Have Fun.”

Lauper, who won the Grammy for best new artist in 1985, was nominated for the 2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Wednesday. Other nominees include Willie Nelson, Missy Elliott, The Spinners, A Tribe Called Quest, Rage Against the Machine, Kate Bush, George Michael and Sheryl Crow.

This latest Funko is one of several Pop! vinyls that have been announced during this year’s Funko Pop Fair, which takes place over the course of three weeks and ends today.

The three-date, virtual event kicked off Jan. 18, while week two was held on Jan. 25. Funko announced a slew of new Pop! vinyls and other collectibles available for pre-order, including DMX and Freddie Mercury Pop! vinyls along with new figurines of Mickey Mouse, Dungeons and Dragons, Demon Slayer and Dragon Ball Super SSGSS Goku.

Lauren Alaina Warms Up Her Vocals With Miley Cyrus’ ‘Flowers’: Watch

After seeing viral success in the two weeks of its release, Miley Cyrus‘ “Flowers” has received the country treatment. On Monday (Jan. 30), Lauren Alaina gave the song a spin while performing a vocal warm-up backstage before a concert and shared it to her Instagram.

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“We’re backstage at the Ryman [Auditorium], and Tico and I thought we would warm up by singing a little Miley Cyrus,” the country singer says with a wink before launching into a powerful, twang-filled rendition of the Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping track. “Why acoustic when you can acousTICO?!” Alaina playfully captioned the post.

“I can buy myself flowers/ Write my name in the sand/ Talk to myself for hours/ Say things you don’t understand/ I can take myself dancing/ And I can hold my own hand/ Yeah, I can love me better than you can,” Alaina belts during her warm-up.

Released on Jan. 12, Cyrus’ “Flowers” debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100, and is currently holding the spot in its second week on the chart. The track marks Cyrus’ first track to ever debut at No. 1 over her 15-year career, and her second track to crown the Hot 100 behind 2013’s “Wrecking Ball.”

The pop star took to social media to thank fans for the song’s success in the first two weeks of its release. “Celebrating ‘Flowers’ being #1 around the world again this week,” she tweeted. “I love that this record is connecting in such a positive way & it’s a pleasure to continue creating music for you. These milestones are only made possible by the listeners & my incredible fans. Endlessly thankful.”

Listen to Alaina sing “Flowers” below.

Skream, Tiga & DJ Minx Lead Desert Hearts 2023 Lineup

Desert Hearts returns with a strong beat for 2023, dropping the lineup for its May bacchanal on Wednesday (Feb. 1).

The stacked lineup of mostly house and techno features heavyweights includes legends such as Skream, Tiga, DJ Minx, DJ Seinfeld, Claude VonStroke, Derrick Carter going b2b with Mark Farina, along with up-and-comers including DJ Holographic, Prospa and Mary Droppinz along with core Desert Hearts crew Mikey Lion, Porky, Marbs, Lee Reynolds, Rinzen and Lubelski.

The extremely vibey indie festival happens May 5-8 in Lake Parris, Calif. Tickets for the lakeside camping festival go on sale Thursday (Feb. 2.) Fans can text 619-586-6779 to register for tickets and will receive a direct link to purchase at 10 a.m. PT.

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Since launching in 2012, Desert Hearts has carved out a place as one of the loosest and grooviest events for true house and technoheads, bringing in many of the global greats to grace lineups over the years. (Hear exclusive sets Desert Hearts 2022 sets from Rinzen, Carl Craig, Juan Maclean and Heidi Lawden here.)

As live events were put on pause during the pandemic, the Desert Hearts crew also created a significant online space, with their Twitch channel generating revenue that was key to Desert Hearts maintaining financial solvency after canceling its 2020 and 2021 shows. During the pandemic, Desert Hearts made roughly as much profit via donations and Twitch subscriptions (of which they hit a peak of 4,000) as they typically do from their IRL events. This revenue made it possible for Desert Hearts to keep the company funded, retain its four full-time employees and come back strong post pandemic.

See the Desert Hearts 2023 lineup below:

desert hearts

Slipknot, Limp Bizkit & Pantera to Headline Inkcarceration Festival

The annual music and tattoo festival, Inkcarceration Festival, unveiled its jam-packed 2023 lineup on Wednesday (Feb. 1), with Limp Bizkit, Pantera and Slipknot leading the group as headliners.

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Volbeat, Highly Suspect, Coal Chamber, Hatebreed, Lamb of God, In This Moment, Motionless in White, Underoath, Megadeth, Bush, Flyleaf with Lady Sturm and Asking Alexandria are among the many artists also scheduled to take the stage at the three-day festival at the historic Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio, which was made famous by the film The Shawshank Redemption

In addition to three days of music and haunted attractions, the 2023 festival will host a tattoo convention with dozens of shops and tattoo artists. Fans can book appointments with visiting artists, and Inkcarceration will host tattoo competitions hosted by Jennifer “Jenncity” Arroyo and judged by Caleb Neff, Brian Adamson and Mat Helton.

Single day, weekend general admission and VIP passes for Inkcarceration are on sale now, in addition to camping and hotel packages. See more information on the festival’s official website here.

Check out Inkcarceration’s full lineup below.

BLACKPINK Extends Born Pink World Tour With Australia & Mexico Dates

Mexico and Australia, BLACKPINK is coming to your area! On Wednesday (Feb. 1), the K-pop group announced an extension of its Born Pink World Tour that now includes extra dates on different sides of the hemisphere.

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The quartet shared the news with tour posters that featured Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa and Rosé’s silhouettes, with the new dates for each country in pink text below. The Born Pink World Tour will hit Mexico City’s Foro Sol on April 26. Australia will get four dates: June 10-11 at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena and June 16-17 at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena.

In addition to announcing the dates, BLACKPINK also shared details about how fans can register for the official Blink fanclub presale. BLINKs will need to join the Blink Membership on Weverse, register for the fanclub presale on Weverse within the registration period, and check for details on Weverse of YG’s official website for updates.

BLINK membership presale registration is available now through Sunday, Feb. 5, at 10 p.m. CT for the Mexico City dates, with the presale commencing on Feb. 7 at 11 a.m. CT. The Australian presale registration is available now through Sunday, Feb. 5, at 10 p.m. AEDT. Presale tickets for the Australian shows will also go on sale on Feb. 7: Syndey BLINKs can purchase starting at 11 a.m. AEDT, while Melbourne BLINKs can purchase at 1 p.m. AEDT. General onsale for all shows starts on Feb. 9.

See BLACKPINK’s Mexico and Australia tour announcements below.