Music News

01 Nov 2022

Taylor Swift Announces U.S. Dates For 2023 ‘Eras’ Tour

Taylor Swift is, at long last, headed back on the road. Following this week’s monumental chart debut of Midnights, her tenth studio album, Swift announced the U.S. leg of her 2023 “Eras” tour on Tuesday morning (Nov. 1), confirming her first official tour in nearly five years following months of rumors.

The 27-date U.S. leg of the tour presented by Capitol One and produced by Taylor Swift Touring and promoted by the Messina Touring Group will begin on March 18 with a show at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona Swift announced during an appearance on Good Morning America. “I wanted to tell you something that I’ve been so excited about for a really long time. I’ve been planning for ages and I finally get to tell you: I’m going back on tour,” Swift said on GMA. “The tour is called the ‘Eras’ tour and it’s a journey through all of the musical eras of my career.” Swift said after kicking off in the U.S. the tour will go on an international swing, with those dates to be announced soon.

Support on the tour will come via a rotating cast of opening acts including Paramore, beabadoobee, Phoebe Bridgers, girl in red, Muna, Haim, Gayle, Gracie Abrams and Owenn. The public on-sale date for the tour will be 10 a.m. local venue time on Nov. 18. Swift has partnered with Ticketmaster’s Verified Fan program, with fans able to register here for the TaylorSwiftTix presale now through Nov. 9 at 11:59 p.m. ET; registered fans will get a code with exclusive access to purchase tickets on Nov. 15 starting at 10 a.m. local venue time.

Previous Lover Fest Verified Fan purchasers will get preferred access to participate in the TaylorSwiftTix presale; make sure to register with the same Ticketmaster Account as your Lover Fest purchase. Capital One cardholders will have priority access to purchase tickets on Nov. 15 at 2 p.m. local venue time through Nov. 17 at 10 p.m. local venue time or until supplies last.

The tour will be Swift’s official follow-up to her Reputation stadium tour, which broke the record for the highest-grossing U.S. tour since Billboard Boxscore began tracking touring data in 1990 upon its conclusion in November 2018. The Reputation tour, in support of Swift’s 2017 album of the same name, grossed $266.1 million and sold over 2 million tickets in the 38 shows reported to Billboard Boxscore.

Swift’s planned follow-up to the Reputation tour, Lover Fest, was scheduled to take place in 2020 following the 2019 release of her Lover album, but was canceled due to the pandemic. Since the Reputation tour, Swift has released four original studio albums — Lover, 2020’s Folklore and Evermore, and Midnights — as well as two re-recorded albums, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version), both in 2021.

This week, Midnights blasted in atop the Billboard 200 albums chart with 1.578 million equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending Oct. 27, according to Luminate — the biggest week for any album in nearly seven years. Meanwhile, Swift made history on the Hot 100 by becoming the first artist to claim the chart’s entire top 10 in a single frame, with “Anti-Hero” debuting at No. 1 to become her ninth career chart-topper.

See the full list of “Eras” U.S. tour dates below:

March 18 — Glendale, AZ @ State Farm Stadium (Paramore, Gayle)

March 25 — Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium  (beeabadoobee, Gayle)

April 1 — Arlington, TX @ AT&T Stadium (beabadoobee, Gracie Abrams)

April 2 — Arlington, TX @ AT&T Stadium (beabadoobee, Gracie Abrams)

April 15 — Tampa, FL @ Raymond James Stadium (beabadoobee, Gracie Abrams)

April 22 — Houston, TX @ NRG Stadium (beabadoobee, Gracie Abrams)

April 28 — Atlanta, GA @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium (beabadoobee, Gracie Abrams)

April 29 — Atlanta, GA @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium (beabadoobee, Gracie Abrams)

May 6 — Nashville, TN @ Nissan Stadium (Phoebe Bridgers, Gayle)

May 12 — Philadelphia, PA @ Lincoln Financial Field (Phoebe Bridgers, Gayle)

May 19 — Foxborough, MA @ Gillette Stadium (Phoebe Bridgers, Gayle)

May 20 — Foxborough, MA @ Gillette Stadium (Phoebe Bridgers, Gayle)

May 26 — East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium (Phoebe Bridgers, Gayle)

May 27 — East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium (Phoebe Bridgers, Gracie Abrams)

June 2 — Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field (girl in red, Owenn)

June 3 — Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field (girl in red, Owenn)

June 10 — Detroit, MI @ Ford Field (girl in red, Owenn)

June 17 — Pittsburgh, PA @ Acrisure Stadium (girl in red, Owenn)

June 24 — Minneapolis, MN @ U.S. Bank Stadium (girl in red, Owenn)

July 1 — Cincinnati, OH @ Paycor Stadium (Muna, Gracie Abrams)

July 8 — Kansas City, MO @ GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (Muna, Gracie Abrams)

July 15 — Denver, CO @ Empower Field at Mile High (Muna, Gracie Abrams)

July 22 — Seattle, WA @ Lumen Field (Haim, Gracie Abrams)

July 29 — Santa Clara, CA @ Levi’s® Stadium (Haim, Gracie Abrams)

August 4 — Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium (Haim, Owenn)

August 5 — Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium  (Haim, Gayle)

01 Nov 2022

Takeoff of Migos Dead After Shooting in Houston

Migos rapper Takeoff, 28, was shot and killed early Tuesday morning (Nov. 1) in Houston, Texas. According to a spokesperson for the Houston Police Department, the rapper (born Kirshnik Khari Ball) — who was one third of the Migos trio alongside his uncle, Quavo, and cousin, Offset — was at a private party at a bowling alley in downtown Houston with Quavo around 2:35 a.m. when investigators say shots rang out during an afterparty attended by around 40 people.

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KHOU reported that police said someone started shooting, sparking guests to flee the area with one victim, Takeoff, shot in the head or neck. Two other unidentified victims were reportedly transported to a local hospital in private vehicles.

At press time a spokesperson for Offset had not returned requests for comment on the incident and a Houston PD spokesperson said there was no additional information on the injured and no suspects in custody.

According to TMZ, Takeoff and Quavo were at 810 Billiards & Bowling Houston playing dice at the afterparty when someone opened fire, with the site posting stills and video of Quavo and others gathered around Takeoff as Quavo yells for someone to help them; Quavo was not injured in the incident and at press time did not appear to have posted about the shooting.

The shocking killing came just hours after Quavo and Offset, under their side project duo name Unc & Phew, released a new Halloween-themed video for their song “Messy.” Billboard will update this story as more information is available.

31 Oct 2022

Post Malone Helps Couple Have the Sweetest Gender Reveal at Concert

Post Malone is known for greeting his fans at concerts and signing autographs, but he took his fan interactions up a notch when he helped a couple reveal the gender of their baby on the way.

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In a clip shared to TikTok from the “Congratulations” star’s show in Tulsa, Okla., on Friday night (Oct. 28), Post is seen signing a poster that was handed to him by a couple, who begin asking him to open the envelope taped to the poster, and reveal the gender of the baby.

“You want me to just tell you?” Post asks them, before confirming, “You didn’t see it? Y’all didn’t see it?” He then opens the envelope, and immediately, his jaw drops. He excitedly holds up the piece of paper, which reads, “It’s a girl!”

“You’re going to be a girl dad!” the star sweetly tells the father-to-be.

Post Malone himself is also a girl dad, as he welcomed his first child — a daughter — with his longtime girlfriend earlier this year. In an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe before the baby’s birth, Post said he’s “pumped beyond belief” to be a father, something he’s been dreaming about since he was a kid who walked around with a baby doll all the time. “I thought that was the coolest thing,” he said of his doll. “I would take him around everywhere. And I don’t know how long that lasted. But my mom still has it. And I guess, Zane, I’m so pumped up. I’m going to be a hot dad.”

Watch the adorable gender reveal below.

31 Oct 2022

K-Pop Star AleXa Holds Minute of Silence for Itaewon Crowd Crush Victims at Los Angeles Tour Stop

As the world and the Korean entertainment industry react to the crowd-crush tragedy in Seoul’s Itaewon neighborhood in South Korea, AleXa took a moment of her tour to remember those lost.

At her concert Sunday at Los Angeles’ Avalon Hollywood, the final date in AleXa’s First Meet & Live Tour in U.S. tour, the star asked for a minute of silence to pay respect to the victims.

“I’m saddened and quite devastated to hear what happened in Itaewon recently in Korea,” the 25-year-old told the audience. “Many bright, young stars, many young lives were lost in this tragedy that will forever go down in history as one of the worst things to happen in modern times in Korea. It’s forever going to change the lives of people they knew, friends, family, and loved ones. I kindly ask that we altogether observe a minute of silence here together out of respect for all the victims and all the lives lost in the tragedy.”

The stage then went dark, minus a video screen with the phrase “Pray for Itaewon” glowing throughout the moment.

AleXa’s Korean record label ZB Label also announced on Sunday that they would temporarily postpone the planned promotional schedule for the singer’s forthcoming Girls Gone Vogue EP. Earlier this month, Billboard revealed that the new EP, along with the new single “Back in Vogue,” would be released on Nov. 10 as the first new music since the Oklahoma-raised star won the inaugural season of NBC’s American Song Contest. There’s no clear indication if the release date will change at press time, but ZB Label shared that “detailed schedule changes will be announced through a separate notice.” The company added, “our deepest condolences to the victims, bereaved families, and those affected by the heartbreaking tragedy.”

AleXa joins the likes of PSY, ENHYPEN, Jessi and more K-pop stars who have shared their condolences with victims of the tragedy that’s left more than 150 dead and led to a weeklong national mourning period in South Korea. AleXa and ZB Label are also joining the dozens of artists and labels opting to hold or cancel promotional plans and new music in light of the tragedy.

31 Oct 2022

Nicki Minaj Dresses Up as Cheeky Cinderella for Halloween

She’s got a princess face, a killer body, samurai mind. Nicki Minaj showed off her Disney princess fantasy in a new social media post on Monday (Oct. 31).

For Halloween, the rapper decided to dress up as a high-fashion Cinderella… or Chunderella, according to her fairy tale rewrite of a caption. “And as she heard the whispers…Chunderella snickered,” she wrote. “The ugly/evil step sisters had EVERY RIGHT to bicker (through their blisters!) After all, deep down inside…they knew…they’d never fit the glass slippers… The END.”

In the slideshow, Minaj poses in a blond wig, tiara and an architectural take on Cinderella’s classic blue gown. However, the Harajuku Barbie proved once she turned around that her version of the princess is quite the “Super Freaky Girl,” complete with two rather NSFW cutouts carved out of the backside of the dress.

Earlier this month, Nicki linked up with NBA YoungBoy on their new collaboration “I Admit,” which is featured on the latter’s brand-new album Ma, I Got a Family.

Meanwhile, she’s also been bumping heads with the Recording Academy over “Super Freaky Girl” being moved from the rap category into the pop category for voting at the upcoming 2023 Grammy Awards — that is, when she hasn’t been busy feuding with Latto on Twitter over whether her own “Big Energy (Live)” should (or shouldn’t) be facing the same categorization at the awards show.

In other awards news, Minaj recently landed five nods at the MTV EMAs, including best artist, best song and best video (both for “Super Freaky Girl”), best hip-hop and biggest fans.

Get a look at Nicki as “Chunderella” below.

31 Oct 2022

Olivia Rodrigo Transforms Into Betty Boop for Halloween

Olivia Rodrigo went vintage for Halloween this year, opting to dress up as the iconic animated cartoon character, Betty Boop.

Stylists Chloe and Chenelle Delgadillo took to Instagram on Monday (Oct. 31) to share the “Good 4 U” singer’s fresh take on the classic costume. In the snap, Rodrigo is seen wearing a red mini dress with a red bow across the chest, complete with a red garter and black boots. Rodrigo’s hair and makeup, done by Clayton Hawkins and Lilly Keys, respectively, features a chic wavy black bob and long lashes, topped off with a sleek red lip, just like Betty Boop herself.

It’s been a big year in style and beauty for Rodrigo, who recently teamed up with Glossier to release her own gift set of her favorite products from the popular makeup brand. In April, she was announced as the company’s first celebrity ambassador.

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Rodrigo is working with Glossier on product development, social content and ad campaigns, according to Adage. Glossier is also working with Rodrigo on upcoming new products. “It’s our first-ever celebrity partnership,” Glossier CEO Emily Weiss said in an interview at the time. “Olivia really inspired us to push that forward. It’s a pretty natural extension.”

31 Oct 2022

Dan + Shay’s Shay Mooney Says He’s ‘Literally Never Felt Better’ After 50-Pound Weight Loss

Dan + Shay‘s Shay Mooney recently revealed he’s lost nearly 50 pounds, thanks to a focus on exercise and healthy eating habits.

He said via Instagram Stories (as reported by People), “Thank you guys so much for all your kind words about me lookin’ healthy. Really means a lot. Been a little over 5 months I believe and I’m down almost 50 lbs.”

He said that clean eating, avoiding alcohol and walking nearly 7 miles per day, along with some weight training, contributed to his weight loss.

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“I completely changed my lifestyle and I’ve literally never felt better physically, mentally and spiritually,” Mooney said via his Instagram Stories.

Fellow country artists including Morgan Wallen, Tyler Rich and Chris Lane shared their congratulations with the Dan + Shay singer. Lane simply left a fire emoji in the comments section, while Rich commented, “looking lean brother!” Meanwhile, Wallen wrote, “man done got skinny on em!!!”

Last year, Dan + Shay released their album Good Things and served as mentors on The Voice. Additionally, they earned a Grammy Award for best country duo/group performance for “10,000 Hours,” their collaboration with Justin Bieber.

To date, Dan + Shay have earned eight No. 1 hits on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart and 16 total entries on the chart, including the four-week Country Airplay No. 1 “Speechless” and the two-week No. 1 hits “Tequila” and “10,000 Hours.” They have also picked up three consecutive best country duo/group performance Grammy wins, for “10,000 Hours,” “Speechless” and “Tequila.” In August 2021, they recorded a collaboration with Carrie Underwood on the song “Only Us” from the film Dear Evan Hansen.

31 Oct 2022

What’s Your Favorite Taylor Swift Hot 100 No. 1? Vote!

For the first time in Billboard Hot 100 song chart’s 64-plus-year history, all spots in the chart’s top 10 belong to just one lead artist: Taylor Swift, thanks to the release of her 10th studio album, Midnights.

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The top 10 is led by this week’s No. 1 Hot 100 hit, “Anti-Hero,” but its hardly the first time Swift has had a chart topper on the all-genre songs tally. Starting back with her Red hit, “We Are Never Getting Back Together,” the superstar has nine total No. 1s, with “Anti-Hero” and “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)” hitting the summit most recently.

We want to know which of Swift’s Hot 100 No. 1s is your favorite. Let us know by voting below.

31 Oct 2022

Taylor Swift Is ‘IN SHAMBLES’ Over ‘Midnights’ Dominating the Hot 100 Top 10

She laid the groundwork and then, just like clockwork, the dominoes cascaded in a line. Taylor Swift took to social media on Monday (Oct. 31) to react to her record-setting domination of this week’s top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“10 out of 10 of the Hot 100??? On my 10th album??? I AM IN SHAMBLES,” the superstar tweeted along with the Billboard story breaking the historic news of her being the first artist to ever occupy every single spot in the top 10.

While Midnights‘ first single “Anti-Hero” rocketed to the top of the chart as Tay’s ninth career No. 1, the rest of the top 10 also contains, in order, “Lavender Haze,” “Maroon,” the Lana Del Rey-assisted “Snow on the Beach,” “Midnight Rain,” “Bejeweled,” “Question…?,” “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” “Karma” and “Vigilante Shit.”

But that’s not all: A bit further down the all-genre tally, Swift, in fact, charted all 20 tracks on Midnights (3am Edition) on the Hot 100, including standard album closer “Mastermind,” “Labyrinth” and “Sweet Nothing” at Nos. 13, 14 and 15.

Of the seven bonus tracks, fan-favorite highlight “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” landed highest at No. 20. The other six placements included “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” at No. 21, “The Great War” at No. 26, “Paris” at No. 32, “High Infidelity” at No. 33, “Glitch” at No. 41 and closing ballad “Dear Reader” rounding out the set at No. 45.

Midnights set plenty of other high-water marks for the icon’s already illustrious career, including being the first album to cross the million mark in its first week since her own reputation in 2017 and delivering the biggest first-week sales of any album in the seven years since Adele’s 25 was released in 2015.

Check out Taylor’s emotional reaction to making Billboard history below.

31 Oct 2022

Lizzo Is All About the WAP — ‘Wet A– Piggy’ — In Her Miss Piggy Halloween Costume

Excuse moi? Lizzo unveiled her epic Halloween costume as Miss Piggy via social media on Monday (Oct. 31).

“HAPPY HALLOWEEN from this W. A. P.iggy,” she captioned the first of several posts on Instagram, referencing Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion‘s No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit from 2020. In the accompanying video, the singer added her own ad libs over the track in her imitation of The Muppets icon’s unforgettable voice.

For the second photo, Lizzo re-created one of Miss Piggy’s rather scandalous editorial spreads — which was itself a re-creation of a famous photo shoot styled by Polly Mellon for Vogue featuring a nude model and a boa constrictor. “A tribute to my forever icon, MISS PIGGY,” she wrote. “The epitome of grace, style, confidence and a warrior for love. @realmisspiggy i love you.”

The Grammy winner’s skin-baring homage to Miss Piggy isn’t even her only costume this year; in fact, she’s been getting into the Halloween spirit all weekend long. Two days earlier, she painted herself yellow for a Marge Simpson getup that was perfectly on point, from the giant blue bouffant to the neon nails.

While she’s gearing up for the premiere of her HBO documentary Love, Lizzo on Nov. 24, the “About Damn Time” songstress is currently in the middle of The Special Tour with opener Latto. “Tonight is a very special night ’cause we are home, bitch!” she declared on the trek’s hometown show in her native Detroit earlier this month. “The feeling that I have is indescribable…It’s emotional being in the place where you were born. It’s emotional being back where your roots began.”

See Lizzo all dressed up as Miss Piggy below.