Music News

10 Nov 2022

Jay-Z Reminds Fans of His Legacy as He Poses With Dozens of Grammys in New Photo

Jay-Z made a mark on the hip-hop scene with his 1996 debut album Reasonable Doubt and has gone on to create a musical legacy worth remembering in the decades since. This week, the 52-year-old MC reminded fans of his longevity in the game with an Instagram pic posted by his longtime engineer Young Guru.

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The Roc Nation founder can be seen posing at the edge of a couch with his extensive Grammy collection, surrounded by bowls of snacks. Jay appears to be drinking from one of the trophies — an ode to the famous pic of him drinking his D’USSÉ cognac out of a Grammy at the 2013 ceremony.

“It’s crazy how one 5 minute convo with HOV can refocus your entire life,” Young Guru captioned the post. “I appreciate you, Big Homie. My anchor is strong. For motivational purpose only. But this is my real life!”

While Jay-Z has earned 24 Grammys over the years, we count 21 visible in the pic — though it’s likely the last trio of trophies could be right behind him in the photo.

The post has garnered more than 31,000 likes so far.

The Jiggaman is tiedwith his frequent collaborator Kanye West for the most Grammys for any hip-hop artist. Jay began racking up Grammys in 1999 when his third project, Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life, won best rap album.

In 2004, he took home best R&B song and best rap/sung collaboration for his “Crazy In Love” duet with wife Beyoncé, and in 2013, he and West won three awards for their Watch the Throne tracks “N—as in Paris” (best rap song, best rap performance) and “No Church in the Wild” (best rap/sung collaboration).

Despite his staggering Grammy success — including 83 nominations overall, more than anyone else in history — Jay-Z hasn’t always had a great relationship with the Recording Academy. In 1999, he boycotted the ceremony after two projects by DMX — It’s Dark and Hell Is Hot and Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood — were both snubbed in the best rap album category. Jay talked about boycotting the Grammys on LeBron James’ The Shop last year. “I won that year for rap album, so my first Grammy win, I wasn’t there. I boycotted it for him,” he said of the rapper, who died in 2021 at age 50. “There was a competitive thing, but it was big love.”

Jay-Z has made a few jabs at the Grammys over the years, like when he rapped on his track “APESH–” with Beyoncé in 2018, “Tell the Grammys f– that 0-for-8 sh–,” in reference to not winning any awards at the ceremony earlier that year when he went in as the leading nominee with eight nods.

While Jay-Z is the all-time nominations leader, he may lose that status next week, when the 65th annual Grammy nominations are announced. But he probably won’t mind too much: He could lose it to his wife, Beyoncé, who currently has 79 career nominations and is expected to be nominated in numerous categories. (Jay stands to also pick up at least two nominations for his involvement on Beyoncé’s Renaissance album.)

Grammy nominations for the 2023 ceremony are set to be announced on Tuesday. The awards show will be held at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 5.

09 Nov 2022

Godsmack Continues No. 1 Streak on Mainstream Rock Airplay Chart With ‘Surrender’

Godsmack scores its 12th No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart – and its fifth in a row – as “Surrender” lifts to the top of the Nov. 12-dated survey.

The Sully Erna-fronted band’s streak of five No. 1s dates to “Bulletproof” in 2018. The group followed with “When Legends Rise” (2018), “Under Your Scars” (2019) and “Unforgettable” (2020) prior to its latest leader.

Godsmack breaks out of a three-way tie for the sixth-most No. 1s in the tally’s 41-year history. Shinedown leads all acts with 18.

Most No. 1s, Mainstream Rock Airplay
18, Shinedown
17, Three Days Grace
13, Five Finger Death Punch
13, Van Halen
12, Godsmack
11, Disturbed
11, Foo Fighters
10, Metallica
10, Tom Petty (solo and with the Heartbreakers)
10, Volbeat

Godsmack first appeared on Mainstream Rock Airplay with “Whatever,” which reached No. 7 in 1999. The band achieved its first No. 1 with “Awake” in 2001.

Concurrently, “Surrender” leaps 11-5 on the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart with 3.3 million audience impressions, according to Luminate. “Surrender” ties the band’s highest rank on the list, which began in 2009, alongside “Love-Hate-Sex-Pain” in 2010 and “Unforgettable” in 2020.

“Surrender” also pushes 13-11 on the multimetric Hot Hard Rock Songs chart. In addition to its radio airplay, the song earned 484,000 official U.S. streams in the tracking week ending Nov. 3.

Lighting Up the Sky, Godsmack’s eighth studio album, is expected in February 2023. It’s the follow-up to 2018’s When Legends Rise, which debuted at No. 1 on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart that May and has earned 650,000 equivalent album units to date.

09 Nov 2022

How Did Taylor Swift Arrive at ‘Midnights’? Billboard Explains

When Taylor Swift asked her devoted fans to meet her at midnight, Swifties showed up in droves to support her. But how did Swift arrive at her 10th studio album Midnights? And, more importantly, how did her previous nine LPs prime her to have the biggest album of her career?

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It all started with Swift’s self-titled album, which she released in 2006 at age 16. The album peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart, and keeping up that momentum, the then-rising star returned in 2008 with her sophomore album Fearless, which spent 11 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The accolades didn’t stop there: The project earned four Grammy Awards, including the coveted album of the year award, making her the youngest artist at the time to receive the honor.

The year 2010 saw the release of Swift’s Speak Now. In addition to once again hitting No. 1 on the Billboard 200, the record additionally sold 1 million units in its debut week. Red, her 2012 follow-up, saw Swift headed in a new direction musically, combining the best of her country roots with pure pop. The record resulted in her first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” Though Red was commercially successful, it failed to pick up any Grammys, leading her to focus on creating a more cohesive body of work with 1989, and her concentrated efforts paid off — it was her second album of the year winner and included three Hot 100 No. 1s: “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space” and “Bad Blood.”

The latter half of Swift’s discography spans Reputation, Lover, Folklore and Evermore — in addition to her re-recorded Taylor’s versions of Red and Fearless. Learn more about these projects in the latest installment of Billboard Explains in the video above.

After the video, catch up on more Billboard Explains videos and learn about 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.

09 Nov 2022

Taylor Swift Is ‘Hyped’ Over New Roosevelt Remix of ‘Anti-Hero’

Taylor Swift is continuing to treat fans when it comes to Midnights lead single “Anti-Hero,” and the star unveiled a new version of the track, a remix by Roosevelt, on Wednesday (Nov. 9).

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“The anti hero (Roosevelt remix) makes me feel hyped enough for an imaginary funeral brawl,” Swift wrote on Twitter, along with a clip from her “Anti-Hero” music video, in which her future children and daughter-in-law battle it out while laying the Grammy winning superstar to rest.

The song is currently only available as a digital single for purchase on Swift’s website. However, the previously released Bleachers collaborative version of the track was made available on streaming services the day after release.

“Anti-Hero” spends a second week this week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. A week earlier, it debuted at the summit, as Swift made history as the first artist to claim the survey’s entire top 10 in a single frame.

The single also posts a second week atop the Streaming Songs chart; jumps 9-4 on Digital Song Sales; and dips 13-14 on Radio Songs. (As previously reported, this week’s Billboard airplay charts are the first using Mediabase-monitored data; this week’s Radio Songs chart incorporates data from former monitoring service BDS for Oct. 28-30 and from Mediabase for Oct. 31-Nov. 3, with Mediabase data to power the survey going forward).

09 Nov 2022

Abby De La Rosa Hints That Nick Cannon Is the Father of Her Third Baby

Is Nick Cannon about to be a dad to a dozen? That’s what some fans think based on a cryptic social media post by one of the mothers of his children.

On Tuesday, Abby De La Rosa shared a quippy Instagram post on her Story which reads, “1 night with a Libra can turn into 3-4 years…be careful.” Beneath the amusing quote, the DJ added her own thoughts, writing, “Damn! lol 1 night turned into 4 years and 3 kids real quick…I see no lies here smh. y’all be safe out there,” bookended by a pair of laughing emojis.

Without naming any names, the post seems to point to Cannon, who, yes, just so happens to be a Libra. (De La Rosa herself is a Scorpio, born just two days past the Oct. 23 cutoff for Libras on the calendar.) However, the glaring discrepancy in the pregnant De La Rosa’s post? She shares twins Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir but has yet to publicly confirm whether Cannon is the father of her soon-to-be born third child.

If The Masked Singer host is, indeed, the father, De La Rosa’s bundle of joy would be his fifth child either born or announced in as many months. Legendary Love was born in July to Bre Tiesi; Onyx Ice and Rise Messiah were born in September to, respectively, Lanisha Cole and Brittany Bell; and Alyssa Scott announced she was pregnant with Cannon’s 11th baby in October following the tragic December 2021 death of their 5-month-old son Zen.

Check out De La Rosa’s mysterious Instagram Story before it expires here.

09 Nov 2022

What Fútbol Means to Me: Diego Boneta on Wearing ‘La Verde’ for Mexico During 2022 World Cup

In honor of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which kicks off Nov. 20, Billboard has reached out to Latin artists who are big fútbol fans to ask what the sport means to them. For our first installment, we spoke to Mexican actor and singer Diego Boneta (Luis Miguel: The Series) who is a self-declared soccer aficionado and is ready to support La Selección Mexicana — of course proudly wearing “la verde” (Mexico’s jersey) — during the tournament. Below, Boneta’s “What Fútbol Means to Me,” as told to Billboard.

My earliest memories of fútbol go back to when I was a kid, definitely. I’d play at recess with my friends. I even got signed up for fútbol classes when I was younger. I wasn’t amazing, but I was good and I really enjoyed playing. I grew up watching La Selección Mexican games. Fútbol matches were and are to this day a big deal for my family. Whenever La Selección is playing, nos ponemos la verde, and we watch the game at home, we’ll have friends and family over, we’ll have micheladas and root for them. I’m the type that will be on the edge of my seat the whole time and just start screaming at the television. I’m a screamer for sure.

The one World Cup song that has truly stuck with me is Ricky Martin’s “Cup of Life.” To this day, I love that song so much and it brings back many memories. Music is a big part of the World Cup and fútbol. Especially after personally having sung at some big stadiums, like Maracanã [in Brazil] back in the day, I feel like music goes hand in hand, that’s why having a great World Cup song is so important. It makes the event much more memorable.  

The game that, as Mexicans, we’re probably all waiting for during this World Cup is the Mexico vs. Argentina game. That is the match to watch. I’ll be at home, watching with my family and friends, having some tequila, of course it all depends on what time they’re playing … But hopefully we’ll be celebrating afterwards and eating all the botanas you can think of, like guacamole, some tacos, cacahuates japoneses, papitas preparadas. Fútbol is really about us coming together, celebrating our country and roots. It’s about unity, culture, food, having fun. It’s very powerful, if you think about it.

My prediction for the México-Argentina game? 2-1, Mexico wins. Viva México!  

09 Nov 2022

Gal Costa, Iconic Brazilian Singer, Dead at 77

Singer Gal Costa, an icon in the Tropicalia and Brazilian popular music movements who enjoyed a nearly six-decade career, died on Wednesday. She was 77.

Her death was confirmed by a press representative, who provided no further information.

The soprano with wild curls of dark hair was best known for lending her unique voice to compositions such as Ary Barroso’s “Aquarela do Brasil” (Watercolor of Brazil), Tom Jobim’s “Dindi,” Jorge Ben Jor’s “Que Pena” (What a Shame) and Caetano Veloso’s “Baby.”

“Gal Costa was among the world’s best singers, among our principal artists to carry the name and sounds of Brazil to the whole planet,” President-elect Luiz Inácio da Silva wrote on Twitter alongside a photo of him hugging her. “Her talent, technique and courage enriched and renewed our culture, cradled and marked the lives of millions of Brazilians.”

Costa was born Maria da Graça Penna Burgos in the northeastern state of Bahia and came onto the scene alongside future legends Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and Maria Bethânia.

All were already successful solo artists when they formed the band Doces Bárbaros. Their joint side project became an important counterculture reference during Brazil’s two-decade military dictatorship, inspiring a record, tour and documentary.

In 2011, Costa was awarded a Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

She remained an active performer until nearly the end, having recently suspended shows to undergo a surgery on one of her nostrils. Her next concert had been scheduled for Dec. 17, in Sao Paulo.

09 Nov 2022

Ben Fuller Notches First Christian Airplay No. 1 With ‘Who I Am’

Ben Fuller achieves his first leader on Billboard’s Christian Airplay survey as “Who I Am” lifts to the top of the chart dated Nov. 12.

In the tracking week ending Nov. 6, the single drew 6.7 million audience impressions, according to Luminate.

The 35-year-old singer-songwriter co-wrote the song with Krystal Polychronis and David Spencer, the latter of whom co-produced it with Bryan Fowler. The track is slated to be on Fuller’s forthcoming debut LP.

Fuller, who hails from southern Vermont, grew up working on his family’s dairy farm and has been public about overcoming his battles with cocaine and alcohol addiction.

“Who I Am” topped Christian AC Airplay for two weeks in October.

“Three years ago this fall marks the time that I accepted Jesus into my heart,” Fuller told Billboard when ‘Who I Am’ first crowned Christian AC Airplay. “There’s nothing God can’t do, because with Him, anything is possible.”

Fuller claims the first No. 1 for an act in its initial visit to Christian Airplay since Katy Nichole’s “In Jesus Name (God of Possible)” began a nine-week rule in April. Fuller is the first male to achieve the feat since Cory Asbury’s “Reckless Love” controlled the survey for 13 frames starting in April 2018.

09 Nov 2022

Inside the CMA Awards Tribute to Loretta Lynn

The 56th annual CMA Awards, slated to air on ABC on Wednesday (Nov. 9), will include a celebration of the life and career of the indomitable singer-songwriter Loretta Lynn, who died Oct. 4 at age 90.

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A trio of powerhouse vocalists — Miranda Lambert, Reba McEntire and Carrie Underwood — will be among those taking the stage to honor Lynn, and Billboard was inside rehearsals at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena for their performance.

The tribute began with video footage of Lynn at the Ryman Auditorium in 1972, accepting her CMA entertainer of the year trophy; she was the first woman to take home the Country Music Association’s highest honor. This year marks the 50th anniversary of that milestone, when Lynn was victorious over category competitors Merle Haggard, Freddie Hart, Charley Pride and Jerry Reed. Lynn won a total of eight CMA Awards during her career, including three female vocalist of the year honors and four vocal duo of the year honors, alongside Conway Twitty. Kentucky native Lynn went on to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988.

Underwood, backed by a full band, began the tribute with a solo performance of Lynn’s 1966 song “You Ain’t Woman Enough (to Take My Man),” as a collage of Lynn’s press photos along with images with her frequent collaborator Twitty flashed on the screen. Underwood was quickly joined by Lambert and later McEntire, offering renditions of songs including Lynn’s 1971 release “You’re Lookin’ at Country.” McEntire’s own distinct Oklahoma drawl was particularly well suited for the song, as she slightly changed the final lyric to “If your eyes were on Loretta/ You’re looking at country.”

Photos of Lynn with a variety of artists, including Dolly Parton, Lambert, Sheryl Crow and Willie Nelson continued flashing across the screen as the three female artists concluded the tribute by trading off verses on Lynn’s signature song, 1970’s “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” before melding harmonies on the final line, “‘Cept the memories of a coal miner’s daughter.”

McEntire, Underwood and Lambert were each close to Lynn, with Underwood and McEntire collaborating with Lynn on the title track of her album Still Woman Enough, which was released in March 2021. Lambert joined Crow and Lynn to record a version of “Coal Miner’s Daughter” for the 2010 album Coal Miner’s Daughter: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn. That release also includes Underwood’s rendition of “You’re Lookin’ at Country,” and McEntire collaborating on Lynn’s “If You’re Not Gone Too Long” with The Time Jumpers.

Following Lynn’s passing in October, Underwood shared a personal story about the late artist. “The first time I met Loretta Lynn was at the Grand Ole Opry at the beginning of my career. I was chatting in the corner with another artist and someone walked behind me and smacked me on the rear end! I turned around and there she was…in a big sparkly dress…laughing as she continued to walk down the hall at what she had just done,” she recalled on social media. “This is one of my most favorite stories to tell. I think it sums up her personality pretty well. She was a cantankerous little pistol…friendly and sweet…never afraid to be herself and speak her mind…I am truly grateful to have known such an amazing woman and artist. Thank you, Loretta, for showing us how it’s done. May you Rest In Peace in the arms of Jesus and add your heavenly voice to the angel choir.”

Lambert said via Twitter at the time, “I’m so heartbroken to hear about Loretta’s passing. She was so kind to me and she blazed so many trails for all of us girls in country music. Thank you for all the songs. Miss You. Fly high.”

McEntire wrote on her Instagram account, “I always did and I always will love Loretta. She was always so nice to me. I sure appreciate her paving the rough and rocky road for all us girl singers.”

Lambert and Underwood are both nominees heading into Wednesday evening’s CMA Awards, and each is once again poised to follow in both Lynn’s and McEntire’s entertainer of the year-winning footsteps (McEntire won the accolade in 1986), as they are set to face off in the category this year against Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen and Chris Stapleton. This marks the third consecutive year that Lambert and Underwood have been nominated in the category, and the first time two female artists have been nominated in the entertainer of the year category for three consecutive years since 1986-1988, when McEntire and The Judds were nominated.

09 Nov 2022

Kelly Clarkson Delivers Chill-Inducing Cover of The Mamas & The Papas‘ ’California Dreamin‘’

Kelly Clarkson brought all the cozy, haunting fall vibes to her latest Kellyoke performance on Wednesday (Nov. 9), this time opting for a cover of The Mamas & the Papas‘ 1965 track, “California Dreamin’.”

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“All the leaves are brown and the sky is gray / I’ve been for a walk on a winter’s day / I’d be safe and warm if I was in L.A.,” she opens the track, a perfect fit for a November afternoon. Dressed in a flowing blue dress complete with a red lip, Clarkson was backed by her bandmates Jaco Caraco on guitar and Jason Halbert on piano for the poignant melody.

The song was originally written by John Phillips and Michelle Phillips and first recorded by Barry McGuire, but was popularized by The Mamas & The Papas in 1965. Their version of “California Dreamin’” spent 17 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, peaking at No. 4 in 1966. Nearly 50 years later, in 2016, German DJ Freischwimmer (real name: Sebastian Bernhardt) hit No. 1 on the Dance Club Songs chart with a house cover of the hit.

Three other versions of the song went on to hit the Hot 100: by Bobby Womack (No. 43, 1969), America (No. 56, 1979) and the Beach Boys (No. 57, 1986). Meanwhile, Diana Krall and Sia are among other acts that have taken their versions of “California” to other Billboard tallies. 

Other recent Kellyoke picks by Clarkson for her daytime show have included Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle,” Alec Benjamin’s “Let Me Down Slowly” Monica’s “Angel of Mine,” Faith Hill’s “Breathe,” Solomon Burke’s “Cry to Me,” Joni Mitchell’s Christmastime classic “River,” John Legend’s “In My Mind,” “Heartbreak Anthem” by David Guetta, Galantis and Little Mix and more.

Check out Kelly Clarkson’s cover of The Mamas & The Papas’ “California Dreamin’” below.