Music News

25 Oct 2022

Taylor Swift Hits the Elusive Million Mark by Making ‘Midnights’ an Inescapable Event

The early numbers are in for Taylor Swift‘s Midnights, and while it was safe to assume her 10th studio album would be a hit, fans might not have predicted just how big it could be.

According to initial reports to Luminate on Monday, the album earned more than 1.2 million equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first three days alone. With that news, Midnights has the biggest week for an album, by units, since Swift’s own reputation in 2017 and is already the year’s top-selling album, year to date.

On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie & Keith discuss all the circumstances that allowed Swift to reach that elusive million mark again, from the curiosity surrounding the album and the awareness campaign that included a prominent Thursday Night Football teaser to the positive word-of-mouth from early listeners and dozens of collectible (and clock-building) variations.

Listen below to hear all about it:

Also on the show, we’ve got chart news on how Sam Smith and Kim Petras hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart with “Unholy” — the first chart-topper for both acts — and how Lil Baby captures his third No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with “It’s Only Me.” Plus, listen to the show for even more early numbers from Swift’s blockbuster album-release week.

The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard‘s senior director of charts Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)

25 Oct 2022

Kanye West Loses Billionaire Status After Adidas Cuts Ties Over His Antisemitic Comments

Kanye West is no longer a billionaire, according to Forbes. The publication reported Oct. 25 that the rapper lost his spot on its list of billionaires after being dropped by Adidas for his string of antisemitic rhetoric.

The athletic company had stated earlier this month that its collaboration with Ye was “under review” after he claimed on a now-removed episode of the Drink Champs podcast that “the thing about it being Adidas is, like, I can literally say antisemitic s–t and they can’t drop me … I can antisemitic things and Adidas can’t drop me. Now what?”

According to the financial magazine, Ye’s multi-year partnership with Adidas was valued at $1.5 billion and without it, he’s reportedly worth just $400 million. However, the controversy-courting star will likely dispute Forbes‘ valuation of his net worth much like he’s done in the past. “It’s not a billion,” he texted the outlet when he was first named to the list back in 2020. “It’s $3.3 billion since no one at Forbes knows how to count.”

What remains of Kanye’s financial empire in the wake of losing his Adidas deal stems from “real estate, cash, his music catalog, and a 5% stake in ex-wife Kim Kardashian’s shapewear firm, Skims,” per reporting by Forbes.

Other brands who’ve ceased working with Ye over his antisemitic diatribes include Balenciaga, production company MRC and Creative Artists Agency. Gap is also removing Yeezy products from shelves and production, and closed the rapper’s Yeezy Gap online store. Meanwhile, Kardashian and her sister Khloé Kardashian have both spoken out publicly in support of the Jewish community without naming Kanye or directly addressing his comments.

25 Oct 2022

Anitta, Burna Boy & More to Perform at Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty Show Vol. 4

Rihanna is gearing up for the fourth installment of her Savage x Fenty fashion show, and the star-studded lineup for the event was announced on Tuesday (Oct. 25).

The annual fashion experience airing on Nov. 9 via Prime Video will feature performances by Anitta, Burna Boy, Don Toliver and Maxwell. In addition, there will be special appearances by Ángela Aguilar, Avani Gregg, Bella Poarch, Cara Delevingne, Damson Idris, Irina Shayk, Joan Smalls, Kornbread, Lara Stone, Lilly Singh, Marsai Martin, Precious Lee, Rickey Thompson, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Simu Liu, Taraji P. Henson, Taylour Paige, Winston Duke, Zach Miko and more.

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RiRi also shared the official teaser for the show to her Instagram page.

The follow-up to the Emmy-winning Vol. 3 iteration of the fashion show will feature the latest Savage X Fenty styles from the music icon, and will stream exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories.

In addition to the show airing on Prime Video, the entire Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4 collection, which pays tribute to self-expression and personal empowerment, will also be available to shop in the Amazon store and at Savage X Fenty’s website. on November 9. 

Prime Video lets users access countless hours of content including action and adventure movies, dramas, comedies, documentaries, sci-fi, mysteries and thrillers, and kid-friendly programs. Not signed up for Amazon Prime? Join today under a free 30-day trial ($14.99 a month after the trial ends) and enjoy tons of great perks such as fast and free shipping, exclusive deals on millions of items and a free one-year subscription to GrubHub+.

25 Oct 2022

Adele’s ‘I Drink Wine’ Video Is Coming Very, Very Soon

Time to pop the corks, because Adele took to social media on Tuesday (Oct. 25) to reveal that her music video for “I Drink Wine” will be arriving on Wednesday.

“The I Drink Wine video was the first one I shot for this album. And it’s finally coming out tomorrow!!” she tweeted. “I’m excited for you to see it and I can’t wait to see some of you tonight!”

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The announcement featured an eight-second teaser clip, in which a pianist is seen playing atop a curved bridge amid a magical, sunset-hued river landscape, as the 34-year-old singer floats on a boat beneath the bridge.

“I Drink Wine” is a fan-favorite track off Adele’s Billboard 200-topping album, 30, which was released in November. Following the album’s release, the singer sent all 12 tracks from the standard edition of her new LP onto the Billboard Hot 100 songs dated Dec. 4. “I Drink Wine” debuted (and peaked) at No. 18, and it remained on the chart for two total weeks.

The star went on to perform the track at the 2022 Brit Awards in February, marking Adele’s first Brit Awards performance in six years. The English pop superstar last took the stage in 2016 when she performed “When We Were Young” from 25.

Adele took home the first award of the evening when “Easy on Me” won song of the year. The song spent 10 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and its parent project 30 spent six weeks reigning atop the Billboard 200.

25 Oct 2022

Scotty McCreery and Wife Gabi Welcome First Child: ‘We Have Begun a Grand New Adventure’

Scotty McCreery and his wife, Gabi, have welcomed their first child, son Merrick Avery McCreery, who was born Oct. 24 at 4:34 a.m. ET in Raleigh, N.C.

The couple’s son is named after Gabi’s father, Merrick (Tre) Dugal III, and will be called Avery.

“Next to his mother, he is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” North Carolina native McCreery said via a statement. “We have been waiting and preparing all year, and now we are so excited to have our little man here with us. We have begun a grand new adventure that will continue for the rest of our lives.”
 
“Gabi was a total rock star during Avery’s birth. I could not be more proud of her,” he added. “She has already taken to motherhood like a champ. Part of my joy as his Dad is watching Gabi already crush it as his Mom.”

Scotty McCreery

Scotty and Gabi McCreery announce the birth of their son Merrick Avery McCreery.

Courtesy of Scotty McCreery

McCreery is off the road until his next concert on Nov. 30 in Las Vegas at the Downtown Hoedown on Fremont Street. His current single, “It Matters to Her,” which McCreery co-wrote with Rhett Akins and Lee Thomas Miller, is at No. 48 on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart.

McCreery previously added a fifth chart-leader to his arsenal with the three-week Billboard Country Airplay No. 1, “Damn Strait.”

“My first country music concert was George Strait, and along with my love for Elvis [Presley], he inspired me to become a country music singer myself,” McCreery told Billboard when the song first went No. 1. “When I did American Idol, George called me and requested I sing his [1995] hit ‘Check Yes or No,’ and I still sing it from time to time in concert. Now, having my fifth straight No. 1 on a song that pays tribute to George, while at the same time being a classic country heartbreaker such as he might have sung, is such a full-circle moment that means the world to me. Trent Tomlinson and Jim Collins wrote a clever song that reaches beyond name-dropping Strait hits to tell a meaningful story.”

McCreery’s upcoming Same Truck: The Deluxe Album is set to release Nov. 18, featuring six additional new songs that were not included on his original Same Truck album, which released last year.
 
 

25 Oct 2022

You Have to See This Reporter‘s ‘Midnights’-Inspired Traffic Report

She’s a mastermind! A Philadelphia traffic reporter gave an on-air accounting of her city’s roadways on Monday (Oct. 24) with so many Midnights references, it would have made Taylor Swift proud.

“Lets start down the shore,” Sheila Watko of NBC Philadelphia began. “Right now there’s no ‘Snow on the Beach,’ also no traffic on the Garden State Parkway. So that’s the good news. Unfortunately, I do also have to bring you the bad news, that’s kind of ‘The Great War’ of working in the traffic center — I’m the traffic ‘Anti-Hero.’”

After telling viewers about potential delays due to construction on one major thoroughfare, she warned, “Make sure to give yourself a little extra time, you don’t want to be thinking, ‘Ugh, ‘Would’ve Could’ve, Should’ve’ left a little earlier and avoided getting stuck in this backup,” as one of the anchors off screen began laughing and clapping at her ingenuity.

From there, Watko stepped it up a notch, dropping track names in rapid-fire succession. “This is not a ‘Glitch,’ Lucy,” she said. “Looking great out there, ‘Sweet Nothing’ in both directions. This is our ‘Karma’ for dealing with that earlier construction … for dealing with an earlier vehicle fire. And if we take a wide look at the area, you’re gonna see that most of our map is actually ‘Bejeweled‘ with these green roads.

“But this map is very fickle,” the traffic reporter continued. “After six o’clock, we’re gonna get a lot of ‘High Infidelity,’ gonna see a lot more red on this map … Right now, a camera shot like this, looking clear, that just ‘Hits Different.’ It looks great. But give this about 20 minutes, delays are gonna be ‘Bigger Than the [Whole] Sky.’ This map is gonna be looking so red, it’ll almost be ‘Maroon.’”

Turning her attention to South Philly, where a Smashing Pumpkins concert was taking place at the Wells Fargo Center, Watko then rattled off references to “Labyrinth,” “You’re on Your Own, Kid,” “Dear Reader” and “Vigilante Shit” before ending with her own shoutout to Swift, saying, “There’s no ‘Question…?’ that it’s red October. However, I am in a ‘Lavender Haze’ today because the ‘Mastermind’ Taylor Swift, she released Midnights!”

Watch Watko’s full Swiftian traffic report below.

25 Oct 2022

Hailey Bieber Condemns Antisemitism In Wake of Kanye West’s Hateful Rants

Hailey Bieber is the latest celeb to condemn antisemitism in the wake of Kanye West‘s recent string of hateful rhetoric. The model took to Instagram Stories on Tuesday (Oct. 25) to voice her opinion — without specifically naming West (who now goes by Ye) — writing, “You cannot believe in God and be anti-Semitic.”

Bieber added, “You cannot love God and support or condone hate speech. To love God is to love people. ALL people.” Hailey’s husband, Justin Bieber, has appeared at Kanye’s Sunday Service gospel events in the past and while her statement didn’t specifically mention West, it came as the Jesus is King MC is embroiled in controversy over his promotion of a “White Lives Matter” shirt and a series of recent interviews in which he has repeatedly amplified hateful rhetoric against Jews.

Those appearances resulted in The Gap announcing on Tuesday that it was taking “immediate steps” to remove all Yeezygap product from its shelves and shut down the Yeezygap online store. “In September, Gap announced ending its Yeezy Gap partnership,” the company wrote in a statement. “Our former partner’s recent remarks and behavior further underscore why. We are taking immediate steps to remove Yeezy Gap product from our stores and we have shut down Yeezygap.com.”

The move comes as Ye’s once-thriving business empire has begun to wither due to his repetition of hateful conspiracy theories and antisemitic tropes. “Antisemitism, racism and hate in any form are inexcusable and not tolerated in accordance with our values,” the Gap continued in its statement. “On behalf of our customers, employees and shareholders, we are partnering with organizations that combat hate and discrimination.”

In addition to The Gap, another former Ye fashion partner, Adidas, has cut ties with him over his offensive comments, while his statements led to talent agency CAA dropping him and MRC studio announcing on Monday that it is shelving a complete documentary about the rapper.

In addition, Women’s Wear Daily reported that fashion house Balenciaga cut ties with West last week, and his bank, JPMorganChase said they’ve ended their business relationship with Ye; the company said its move came weeks before Ye’s recent barrage of antisemitic slurs. Ye’s former wife, Kim Kardashian — and sister Khloe — have also condemned his hurtful rhetoric.

25 Oct 2022

Gap Taking ‘Immediate Steps’ to Remove Yeezy Product Over Kanye West’s Antisemitic Remarks

A month after Kanye West said he was splitting with The Gap after claiming that the retailer “just ignored” his planned Yeezy roll-out, the company said it is taking immediate action to remove all West-related product from shelves due to the rapper’s recent string of antisemitic remarks.

“In September, Gap announced ending its Yeezy Gap partnership,” the company wrote in a statement on Tuesday (Oct. 25). “Our former partner’s recent remarks and behavior further underscore why. We are taking immediate steps to remove Yeezy Gap product from our stores and we have shut down Yeezygap.com.”

The move comes as Ye (as the rapper is now known) has seen his once-thriving business empire begin to wither in the wake of the fallout from his barrage of hateful rhetoric amplifying anti-Jewish tropes and conspiracy theories. “Antisemitism, racism and hate in any form are inexcusable and not tolerated in accordance with our values,” the Gap continued in its statement. “On behalf of our customers, employees and shareholders, we are partnering with organizations that combat hate and discrimination.”

West’s recent media tour has found the rapper/fashion designer repeatedly making disparaging comments about Jews, including claiming in a new interview with MIT research scientist Lex Fridman that “Jewish doctors” conspired to medicate him in the wake of a mental health diagnosis.

West’s recent run of controversial interviews, as well as his promotion of his “White Lives Matter” T-shirt, has led to the crumbling of his business empire. Adidas is the latest former corporate partner to cut ties with Ye over his offensive comments, saying in a statement on Tuesday (Oct. 25): “Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech. Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.”

Ye was also suspended from Twitter and Instagram this month over antisemitic posts that the social networks said violated their policies. His most recent controversial statements have led to talent agency, CAA dropping him, and MRC studio announcing on Monday that it is shelving a complete documentary about the rapper.

In addition, Women’s Wear Daily reported that fashion house Balenciaga cut ties with West last week, and his bank, JPMorganChase said they’ve ended their business relationship with Ye. The company said its move came weeks before Ye’s recent barrage of antisemitic slurs. Ye’s former wife, Kim Kardashian — and sister Khloe — have also condemned his hurtful rhetoric.

25 Oct 2022

Here‘s Why Swifties Think Taylor Swift Is Teasing ‘Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)’

Taylor Swift unveiled the whimsical music video for “Bejeweled” on Tuesday (Oct. 25), and Swifties are convinced the visual hints at Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) being the next album in the superstar’s lineup of re-recordings.

The Easter eggs start even before the Midnights track kicks in, with an instrumental version of Speak Now album cut “Enchanted” playing on the violin. (It should be noted that Swift also chose to release her new visual at the stroke of midnight on the 12th anniversary of the 2010 album’s original release.)

However, the biggest hint came when Taylor-as-Cinderella enters the elevator to go to the prince’s ball and presses the purple button for the third floor.

“EACH BUTTON REPRESENTS AN ALBUM AND NUMBER 13 IS PURPLE. SPEAK NOW TAYLOR’S VERSION IS NEXT,” one fan wrote, pointing to the colors of each of the buttons — which happen to represent the aesthetic of each of Tay’s corresponding eras. (For example, both “2” and “10” are the same color yellow for 2008’s Fearless and its 2021 re-recording; “4” and “11” are both red for 2012’s Red and its (Taylor’s Version) counterpart and so on.)

But that’s not all. Later in the video, Swift steps out onto the parapet of the castle she now owns, and the balcony just so happens to be an exact replica of the flying rig she used during the Speak Now World Tour in 2011 to fly across arenas as she performed “Love Story.”

Then, the camera pans out to reveal the castle under siege by a trio of dragons — a lyrical reference to fan favorite “Long Live” (“I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you,” anyone?) — just in time for a stately instrumental version of the Speak Now closer to play over the video’s end credits.

Check out more Swiftie theories about the litany of Speak Now Easter eggs in the “Bejeweled” video below.

25 Oct 2022

Piso 21, Kyle, TOKiMONSTA, Chesca & More Added to LA3C Festival Lineup

Penske Media Corporation revealed even more performers for its inaugural two-day culture and creativity festival LA3C. Piso 21, Kyle and Chesca were added to the star-studded lineup on Tuesday (Oct. 25).

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In addition, Grammy-nominated producer TOKiMONSTA was announced as the Sunday headliner for the Hot Import Nights Stage, which will also include performance sets by Accia, Cuco and Rosegold. Additionally, VIBE, the leading entertainment and lifestyle brand in celebrating Black culture, will host a special 30th anniversary set featuring LA native producer and DJ Linafornia.

See here for the full lineup for the two-day event, featuring headliners Maluma and Megan Thee Stallion. Food, fine artists and on-site experiences for the event will be announced in the coming weeks.

Penske Media’s first-ever culture and creativity festival will take over the Los Angeles State Historic Park on Dec. 10 and 11, 2022. LA3C stands for Los Angeles the Capital of Culture & Creativity and aims to connect communities through the city’s music, food and art. Additionally, LA3C will support the next generations of creative talent in Los Angeles through partnerships with nonprofit arts organizations Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) and Film Independent.

The festival and performance sets are slated to run from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. PT on the first day and 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. PT on day two. All attendees must be over 21 years of age.

Tickets for LA3C are now available to purchase here. For up-to-date news on LA3C, be sure to follow the festival on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Penske Media Corporation is the parent company of Billboard.