Music News

06 Jan 2023

Machine Gun Kelly Shows Off the ‘Newest Gang Members’ in His Family of Kittens

New year, new kittens! Machine Gun Kelly continues to be a cat lover in 2023, and to prove it, he showed off two felines who have been added to his cat family in recent weeks via Instagram on Friday (Jan. 6).

The “Tickets to My Downfall” singer took to the social media app to share a series of photos and videos of his furry friends.

“New gang members: Tickets & Na’avi,” the rockstar captioned the posts, which showed the kittens — one very young with curly fur, the other slightly older with eye-catching bengal-patterned fur — interacting with his other cats, sometimes cuddling, sometimes hissing or playing as they grow accustomed to their new surroundings.

MGK last shared an update on his cat family last February after adding Whiskey to the cat pack, a move that sparked PETA to call him and fiancée Megan Fox out for owning a designer pet. The animal rights group plastered posters all over West Hollywood, Calif., depicting a cat in a cage with the caption “Megan Fox & Machine Gun Kelly: Why do you hate me?”

In a press release about the posters, PETA celebrity relations manager Matt Kilbourne wrote in a letter to the couple: “Congratulations on the engagement of twin flames and two halves of the same soul. But really, didn’t even half of the soul consider homeless cats, who number in the tens of thousands at animal shelters in L.A., before purchasing a purebred one? In addition to having Whiskey neutered, if you decide to add to your family again, can we please ask that you get a friend for him at one of L.A.’s shelters so that you can help ease the overpopulation problem rather than exacerbate it?” (MGK did not respond to PETA’s comments.)

See Machine Gun Kelly’s new pets below.

06 Jan 2023

Hailey Bieber Proudly Owns ‘Nepo Baby’ Label with Cheeky T-Shirt

The term “nepo baby” has been all the rage in Hollywood over the past few weeks, and it appears Hailey Bieber is choosing to wear it with pride.

On Friday (Jan. 6), the model and Rhode skincare founder was snapped by paparazzi wearing a simple cropped white tee with “Nepo Baby” emblazoned across her chest in small black lettering. She paired the midriff-baring top with baggy, light-wash jeans, a small black purse and a sparkly studded belt while her auburn locks were worn loose and parted down the middle.

Of course, most fans know Hailey today as the wife of superstar Justin Bieber, but her maiden name was equally famous throughout Hollywood, considering her dad is actor Stephen Baldwin. (Her equally famous uncles include Alec Baldwin and Billy Baldwin, and the lesser-known Daniel Baldwin.)

Back in November, Bieber shut down rumors she was pregnant on social media by revealing she had an ovarian cyst roughly the size of an apple. “It’s painful and achey and makes me feel nauseous and bloated and crampy and emotional,” she wrote at the time on her Instagram Stories. “Anyways… I’m sure a lot of you can overly relate and understand. We got this.”

Earlier in 2022, the model also laid out the timeline of her early relationship with Bieber, confirming once and for all that she never dated the pop singer while he was involved with Selena Gomez. To make the point crystal clear, she and Gomez even posed for a selfie together at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures 2nd Annual Gala.

Check out Bieber’s winking “nepo baby” statement above.

06 Jan 2023

Jessie J Is Pregnant: ‘I Am So Happy & Terrified’

Congratulations are in order for Jessie J, who revealed on Friday (Jan. 6) that she’s pregnant.

The star took to Instagram to share a sweet, emotional video to the tune of her song, “Sunflower.” The clip begins with a positive pregnancy test, and continues with a montage of ultrasound and baby bump videos — all featuring Jessie with a huge smile on her face.

“I am so happy and terrified to finally share this… Please be gentle with me,” the “Bang Bang” singer wrote in the caption. “Honestly, ya girl just wants to ugly cry in public in a catsuit eating a chocolate covered pickle with no questions asked.”

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The exciting news comes more than a year since the British pop singer revealed she suffered a pregnancy loss in November 2021, after deciding to move forward with getting pregnant on her own. At the time, she shared she’d been informed by doctors that her baby had no heartbeat following her third checkup. “I feel like I have no control of my emotions,” she wrote. “I may regret posting this. I may not. I actually don’t know.”

After posting her initial message, Jessie J also thanked fans for their support in a separate Instagram Story. “Your overwhelming instant outpour of love is felt, received and appreciated beyond measure. And has got me out of bed this morning. Thank you.”

06 Jan 2023

Millie Bobby Brown Gushes Over ‘Partner for Life’ Jake Bongiovi

Millie Bobby Brown is celebrating the good things in her life as she enters 2023.

The Stranger Things star took to Instagram to give fans a series of snapshots from the past year and in many of the photos, she’s seen cuddling with her boyfriend Jake Bongiovi, the 20-year-old son of Jon Bon Jovi.

“Endlessly in love with the year I’ve had! Grateful for my friends, family, donkey (bernard), my doggies, my puppies teeth, and my partner for life,” the 18-year-old actress wrote of her boyfriend. “Here’s to another year with you and the wonderful people and animals around us. Let’s do it again but better!”

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In response, Bongiovi left the sweetest comment on Brown’s post: “Your year babe love you so much.”

The loved-up duo were first romantically linked in the summer of 2021, when they were photographed holding hands in New York City. The couple went on to make their red carpet debut at the 2022 BAFTA Awards in March. Since then, Brown and Bongiovi have shared a number of adorable photos together on Instagram and have walked a number of red carpets, including for the Stranger Things season four premiere and the Enola Holmes 2 premiere.

06 Jan 2023

Kelly Clarkson Channels Duran Duran for Anything But ‘Ordinary’ Kellyoke Cover

Kelly Clarkson opened the Friday (Jan. 6) episode of her talk show with a cover of Duran Duran‘s “Ordinary World.”

Wearing a simple black dress and matching tights, the host extraordinaire sang, “Came in from a rainy Thursday on the avenue/ Thought I heard you talking softly/ I turned on the lights, the TV, and the radio/ Still I can’t escape the ghost of you/ What has happened to it all?/ Crazy, some’d say/ Where is the life that I recognize?/ Gone away” before launching into the track’s high-flying chorus.

Originally released as the lead single from 1993’s Duran Duran (The Wedding Album), the soft rock ballad shot to No. 1 on the Pop Airplay chart and also landed at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band’s biggest hit since their 1985 James Bond theme “A View to a Kill.”

Coincidentally, fellow American Idol alum Adam Lambert also recently unveiled his rendition of “Ordinary World,” from his upcoming album of covers, High Drama, set for release this February.

During the show, Clarkson also welcomed Alison Williams to discuss her leading role in the new Blumhouse Productions horror flick M3GAN and introduced her audience to Bob Hearts Abishola star Folake Olowofoyeku’s very first music video for the song “Ehen Ehen Okay Okay.”

Other recent “Kellyoke” covers picked by Clarkson to kick off the new year include Ronnie Milsap’s “Lost in the Fifties Tonight,” Blake Shelton’s “Honey Bee” and Katy Perry’s “The One That Got Away.”

Watch Clarkson power through Duran Duran’s ’90s-era soft rock hit below.

06 Jan 2023

Abraham Mateo, Mike Bahía & More: What’s Your Favorite New Latin Music Release? Vote!

This week, our First Stream Latin roundup — which is a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums, and videos recommended by the Billboard Latin editors each week — is powered by new music from Abraham Mateo, Mike Bahía and Alejandro Fernández, to name a few.

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The list includes Abraham Mateo’s “La Idea,” an upbeat punk rock song with heart-rending lyrics about a guy who can’t fathom the fact that he’s no longer dating the girl of his dreams. “Because the idea was not never separate/ The idea was that you’d be the mother of my kids/ Because the idea was for you and me to be a team/ And now this love is done, and even though that was not the idea/ I know it’s better this way,” he passionately belts.

You can also find Bahía’s new track “De Qué Manera,” where he steps into a new musical genre: salsa. Written and produced by the Colombian artist alongside Keityn and La Créme team, the track pays tribute to the tropical style that Bahía grew up listening to in his hometown, Cali, Colombia. “Many people think that I’m from some other city in Colombia, but I come from Cali — the salsa capital of the world, where salsa is lived and breathed everywhere you go,” he expresses in a statement.

Additionally, Fernández dropped “Inexperto En Olvidarte,” the first single off his forthcoming album due this year. The song is a signature Alejandro Fernández heartbreak ballad powered by a mariachi and an accordion. Also in the poll are new releases by Yahritza y Su Esencia and Ovy on the Drums and Ozuna‘s new collaboration”CHAO BEBE,” a reggaeton track fused with electronica.

What’s your favorite new Latin music release this week? Vote below!

06 Jan 2023

Jelly Roll Tops Country Airplay Chart: ‘There Is No Greater Reward Than to Have the No. 1 Song on Country Radio’

Jelly Roll (aka Jason DeFord) achieves his first No. 1 on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart (dated Jan. 14) with his first entry, “Son of a Sinner.”

In the tracking week ending Jan. 5, the song, released on Bailee & Buddy/BMG/Stoney Creek, increased by 18% to 26.4 million audience impressions, according to Luminate.

“There is no greater reward for a singer and songwriter in Nashville, Tenn., than to have the No. 1 song on country radio,” Jelly Roll, 38, says. “Now imagine that happening to a guy that grew up in this town … a guy that at every turn for the first 25 years of his life made the wrong decision. Imagine everyone telling that guy he had no chance at country radio. If you can imagine that, then you can understand why I’m so filled with gratitude as tears stream down my face while I type this … I currently have the No. 1 song on country radio. Thank you to Jon Loba [president BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville], BMG and every single person that helped make this dream come true.”

Jelly Roll, who grew up in the Nashville suburb of Antioch, co-authored “Sinner” with Ernest K. Smith and David Ray Stevens. It’s from his 2021 album Ballads of the Broken.

While “Sinner” is Jelly Roll’s launch Country Airplay appearance, he’s had success in other genres. Last May, “Dead Man Walking” led Mainstream Rock Airplay for a week. His highest charting set on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, No Filter, with Lil Wyte, reached No. 33 in 2013.

As “Sinner” reaches the Country Airplay pinnacle, it dethrones Morgan Wallen’s “You Proof,” which rang up a record 10 nonconsecutive frames at No. 1. “Proof” declines 1-2 on the Jan. 14 dated list (25.6 million, up 12%).

Also, before “Sinner,” the last rookie entry to lead Country Airplay was Bailey Zimmerman’s “Fall in Love” (Dec. 7).

06 Jan 2023

Lizzo Slams Body Shamers: ‘I Wish That Comments Costed Y’all Money’

Lizzo has no time for the comments on people’s bodies — especially her own.

The “About Damn Time” superstar took to TikTok on Friday (Jan. 6) to share a video, in which she’s seen glowing in a bikini and a high ponytail. “The discourse around bodies is officially tired,” she shouts at the camera. “I’ve seen comments go from, ‘Oh my gosh, I liked you when you were thick. Why did you lose weight?’ ‘Oh my gosh, why did you get a BBL? I liked your body before.’ ‘Oh my gosh, you’re so big. You need to lose weight but for your health’ to ‘Oh my gosh, you’re so little. You need to get a– or titties or something.’ ‘Oh my gosh, why did she get all that work done? It’s too much work.’”

She continued, “Are we OK? Do you see the delusion? Do you realize that artists are not here to fit into your beauty standards? Artists are here to make art. And this body is art. I’mma do whatever I want with this body. I wish that comments costed y’all money so we could see how much time we are f—ing wasting on the wrong thing. Can we leave that s— back there please?”

Lizzo has been a longtime advocate for body positivity and self love. However, in a Vanity Fair cover story back in October, the Grammy winner revealed just how hurtful some of the racist and fatphobic comments she receives on a daily basis can be.

“I lead a very healthy lifestyle — mentally, spiritually, I try to keep everything I put in my body super clean,” she continued. “Health is something I prioritize, wherever that leads me physically. Like veganism, people were like, ‘You’re a vegan? What, are you deep frying the lettuce?’ I’m not a vegan to lose weight, I just feel better when I eat plants.”

“It sucks that we associate weight gain with the negative thing that causes it,” she added. “It’s mixing this beautiful thing that’s food — and nourishing ourselves with it, but it’s the stress that’s the bad thing, not the 20 pounds.

“I feel very lucky because I don’t feel that weight gain is bad anymore. Nor is weight loss — it’s neutral.”

06 Jan 2023

YoungBoy Never Broke Again Ties E-40 for Third Most Top 10s on Rap Albums Chart

The prolific YoungBoy Never Broke Again already captures his first top 10 album of 2023 as Lost Files debuts at No. 7 on Billboard’s Top Rap Albums chart dated Jan. 7, 2023. The set’s entrance gives him a seventh straight calendar year with at least one top 10 project and comes on the heels of having logged six top 10 entries in 2022 alone.

Lost Files, released on Dec. 23 through NeverBrokeAgain/Atlantic Records, starts with 17,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Dec. 29, according to Luminate. Ninety-eight percent of the album’s units came from streaming — equaling 24.9 million official U.S. on-demand streams of the album’s songs. The remaining balance derived from negligible amounts of both album sales and track-equivalent units. (One unit equals the following levels of consumption: one album sale, 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams for a song on the album.)

With Lost Files, YoungBoy Never Broke Again acquires his 18th top 10 on the Top Rap Albums chart. His latest visit to the top tier moves him into a tie with E-40 for third place for the most top 10s on the chart since its 2004 launch. The pair trail only overall leader Gucci Mane (25) and Tech N9ne (19) in second place.

Here’s a recap of YoungBoy Never Broke Again’s top 10 collection:

Album Title, Peak Position, Peak Date

  • Fed Baby’s, with Moneybagg Yo, No. 7, Dec. 9, 2017
  • Until Death Call My Name, No. 4, May 12, 2018
  • 4Respect 4Freedom 4Loyalty 4WhatImportant, No. 9, Sept. 29, 2018
  • Realer, No. 9, Jan. 5, 2019
  • AI Youngboy 2, No. 1 (one week), Oct. 26, 2019
  • Still Flexin, Still Steppin, No. 1 (one week), March 7, 2020
  • 38 Baby 2, No. 1 (one week), May 9, 2020
  • Top, No. 1 (one week), Sept. 26, 2020
  • Until I Return, No. 5, Nov. 28, 2020
  • Sincerely, Kentrell, No. 1 (one week), Oct. 9, 2021
  • From the Bayou, with Birdman, No. 4, Dec. 25, 2021
  • Colors, No. 1 (one week), Feb. 5, 2022
  • Better Than You, with DaBaby, No. 5, March 19, 2022
  • The Last Slimeto, No. 1 (one week), Aug. 20, 2022
  • Realer 2, No. 2, Sept. 24, 2022
  • 3800 Degrees, No. 4, Oct. 22, 2022
  • Ma’ I Got A Family (A Gangsta Grillz Special Edition Hosted by DJ Drama), No. 2, Nov. 5, 2022
  • Lost Files, No. 7, Jan. 7, 2023

Elsewhere, Lost Files debuts at No. 16 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and at No. 45 on the all-genre Billboard 200.

YoungBoy’s count will very likely increase in just a matter of days. His new album, I Rest My Case, was released Friday, Jan. 6, and marks his first effort with the Motown record label after more than five years on the Atlantic Records roster.

06 Jan 2023

YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Popcaan x Drake & More: What’s You Favorite Release of the Week? Vote!

It’s the first New Music Friday of 2023, and a batch of new music spanning hip-hop, country, dance and more. But which of the new year’s release is your favorite?

YoungBoy Never Broke Again isn’t using 2023 as an opportunity to rest. The rapper kept himself incredibly busy last year and dropped a whopping four mixtapes, one album and a compilation album, most of which reached the top 10 of the Billboard 200, and he’s coming back for more with the release of I Rest My Case. The Baton Rouge native continues to get more ferocious in his lyrics, as seen in tracks “Black,” “Louie V” and “Swag on Point,” but also offers up vulnerability and narration on the song “Hey Pops.”

Popcaan is also starting off the new year strong with “We Caa Done.” Drake puts on his best accent for an assist on the track, as Popcaan offers up classic Jamaican braggadocio (“Yeah, short but mi heavy/ Chain ’round mi neck can buy a couple Chevy/ Hmm, jiggle up yuh body fi mi baby”) that further cements him as a heavyweight in dancehall and reggae.

Country icon Shania Twain is also offering up a new song with “Giddy Up!,” the lead single from her forthcoming album Queen of Me. Like many classic Twain songs, this new one has the capacity to get the party started with fun call-and-response moments, and lyrics perfect for leaving all your troubles at the door.

Skrillex, Yahritza Y Su Esencia and Ice Spice also return with fresh music to spin, but which new release is your favorite this week? Vote in our poll below.