Music News

21 Oct 2022

Ha*Ash Talk Their ‘Most Ambitious’ Tour Yet & Releasing an Album After Five Years

Sister duo Ha*Ash, composed of Hanna and Ashley, have a lot to celebrate. For starters, Ha*Ash has reached a milestone with 20 years in the industry, which they’re still wrapping their head around. “We can’t believe it’s been that long,” says Ashley during an Instagram Live with Billboard. Then there’s their four sold-out dates in Mexico City’s Auditorio Nacional, the first show is tonight (Oct. 21), which fall within their Mi Salida Contigo Tour in Mexico. The duo is also returning to the U.S. in 2023 with their trek that includes 22 dates, and there’s also their first album in five years, Haashtag, released in September.

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After launching their career in the early 2000s with their self-titled debut album, which included pop anthems “Odio Amarte” and “Estés En Donde Estés,” the Mexican-American sisters have proven chameleonic in the ever-changing landscaping of music. “It’s completely changed from when we started. Now, the type of music we make isn’t as popular as other genres, so the biggest challenge has been to stay innovative without compromising our essence [as pop artists].”

In their latest albums, they’ve embraced new styles fusing their core pop sound with urban, country and regional Mexican for a more contemporary approach to making music. But unlike most artists, they’ve placed all bets on recording solo, with very few collaborations done throughout their 20-year-career. For example, in Haashtag, there’s only one collab, which is “Mi Salida Contigo” with Kenia Os.

“We’re not actively going out looking for collaborations,” says Hanna. Adds Ashley, “Particularly with this album because we recorded it during the pandemic so we didn’t have contact with a lot of people. Whenever we do collaborate, which rare, it’s because we’re there in person with them and it just happens.”

As for the tour, which also kicked off in September in Mexico coinciding with the release of the new LP, Hanna describes it as their “most ambitious” tour that requires “a lot of production” since they’ll be performing in bigger venues they’re used to performing in Mexico and in the U.S. where they’ve booked a few arenas as opposed to just theaters.

When asked if they consider this moment their “comeback,” both disagree. “We never really left but this tour and the album do feel bigger than previous ones.” And fans can rest assure that during their tour, they will be singing the oldies. “We’re celebrating 20 years, we have to sing our songs from the first album,” says Ashley.

Below, check out Ha*Ash’s 2023 Mi Salida Contigo U.S. Tour dates, produced by Seitrack:

April 2 — San Juan, Puerto Rico — Coca Cola Music Hall
April 7 — Miami— James L Knight Center
April 8 — Orlando — House of Blues
April 9 — Atlanta— Coca Cola Roxy
April 12 — New York — Beacon Theatre
April 13 — Washington, D.C. — The Howard
April 15 — Chicago — The Rosemont
April 20 — Houston — Smart Financial Centre
April 21 — Dallas — The Pavilion @ Toyota Music Factory
April 22 — El Paso — Abraham Chavez Theatre
April 23 — Phoenix — Arizona Financial Theatre
May 11 — Seattle — The Moore
May 12 — Portland — Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall
May 14 — Denver — Paramount Theatre
May 18 — Austin — Moody Theatre
May 19 — Laredo, Texas — Sames Auto Arena
May 20 — McAllen, Texas — Payne Arena
May 21 — San Antonio, Texas — Majestic Theatre
May 25 — Las Vegas — Brooklyn Bowl
May 26 — Los Angeles — YouTube Theatre
May 27 —San Francisco — The Masonic
May 28— Stockton, Calif. — Bob Hope Theatre

21 Oct 2022

Taylor Swift Gets ‘LUV’ From Janet Jackson for ‘Snow on the Beach’ Shout-Out & She Feels Like She‘s ‘Dreaming’

Janet Jackson gave her stamp of approval to Taylor Swift name-dropping her 2001 single “All for You” on the Midnights album cut “Snow on the Beach.”

In a video posted to Jackson’s socials on Friday afternoon (Oct. 21), the pop legend is seen listening to the Lana Del Rey-assisted track, on which Swift and her collaborator can be heard singing, “Your eyes are flying saucers from another planet/ Now I’m all for you like Janet.”

Ms. Jackson (if you’re nasty!) nods her head along to the music and lets out an appreciative grin when she hears her name among Swift’s clever wordplay, and even hums along to the melody of the chorus before serenely declaring, “It’s nice…it’s nice” with another smile. “I LUV it @taylorswift,” she added in the caption, punctuating the thought with a trio of kissy-face emojis.

Swift responded to Jackson on Twitter, writing, “I feel like I’m dreaming. I have so much love and gratitude for you and all you’ve done to inspire female artists everywhere.”

Released as the lead single from her 2001 album of the same name, “All for You” earned Jackson her 10th career No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it eventually spent seven consecutive weeks at the top of the chart.

Earlier this month, Jackson shocked friends and fans by making a surprise appearance at the 25th-anniversary reissue party in London for her 1997 album The Velvet Rope.

Watch Jackson react to her shout-out in “Snow on the Beach” below.

21 Oct 2022

Taylor Swift Marvels at ‘Midnights’ Already Breaking Spotify Record for Most-Streamed Album in a Single Day: ‘What Even Just Happened??!?!’

Taylor Swift‘s Midnights has been out for less than 24 hours, and it has already broken a major record.

Spotify announced on Friday (Oct. 21) that Swift’s 10th studio LP is officially the most-streamed album in a single day in Spotify history. The “Lavender Haze” singer re-shared the news, writing, “How did I get this lucky, having you guys out here doing something this mind blowing?! Like what even just happened??!?!”

Swift’s 13-track album was accompanied by a 3am Edition that was released just a few hours later, making a total of 20 songs.

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“We lie awake in love and fear, in turmoil and in tears,” she wrote about the record in two paragraphs displayed across a promotional photo posted to social media. “We stare at walls and drink until they speak back. We twist in our self-made cages and pray that we aren’t – right this minute – about to make some fateful life-altering mistake.”

“This is a collection of music written in the middle of the night, a journey through terrors and sweet dreams,” she continued. “The floors we pace and the demons we face. For all of us who have tossed and turned and decided to keep the lanterns lit and go searching – hoping that just maybe, when the clock strikes twelve… we’ll meet ourselves.”

Swifties can tune into NBC on Monday for Swift’s previously confirmed appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Then on Tuesday, Oct. 25, a second, unnamed Midnights music video will drop. And next Friday, Oct. 28, Swift will stop by the BBC for The Graham Norton Show in the U.K.

21 Oct 2022

Elton John & Britney Spears Drop Purple Disco Machine Remix of ‘Hold Me Closer’

Elton John and Britney Spears unveiled a new remix of their single “Hold Me Closer” by Purple Disco Machine on Friday (Oct. 21).

The remix comes complete with an animated visualizer that depicts a couple dancing and embracing against an appropriately purple background as the two superstars croon, “I saw you dancin’ out the ocean/ Runnin’ fast along the sand/ A spirit born of earth and water/ Fire flyin’ from your hands/ Hold me closer, tiny dancer/ Count the headlights on the highway/ Lay me down in sheets of linen/ You had a busy day today.”

Interestingly, Spears’ vocals, in particular, take a much more prominent role in Purple Disco Machine’s version of the song than in the original mix, with the pop princess even treating fans to new ad libs throughout the bouncing track.

Purple Disco Machine’s reimagining of “Hold Me Closer” is actually the second remix treatment the song has received following English DJ and producer Joel Corry putting his own spin on the hit earlier this month.

Upon its August release, “Hold Me Closer” bowed at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Spears her highest entry on the chart since “Scream and Shout,” her 2012 collaboration with will.i.am, a full decade ago. Since then, the pop star has openly reveled in the song’s success, publicly thanking Sir Elton for giving her the confidence to get back in the studio for the first time in years.

Meanwhile, John’s ongoing farewell tour has officially become the third-biggest in history, grossing $661 million and counting.

Watch the music video for “Hold Me Closer (Purple Disco Machine Remix)” below.

21 Oct 2022

Here Are All the Celebs Swifties Think Taylor Swift References in ‘Midnights’

Taylor Swift‘s Midnights arrived at last on Friday (Oct. 21), and fans know that the pop superstar is not afraid of some subtle, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shade in her music.

The 13 tracks of the singer’s 10th studio album tell “the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout my life,” according to Swift, which immediately had fans analyzing the lyrics to figure out what (and who) keeps Taylor up at night.

And while some of the swoon-worthy love songs like “Lavender Haze” and “Sweet Nothing” are clearly about her boyfriend Joe Alwyn, who wrote the latter with her, many of the songs are less obvious. As a result, Swifties flooded Twitter with their thoughts.

See below for some of the most popular unconfirmed fan theories about which celebrities Swift is calling out on Midnights, from John Mayer to Kanye West.

21 Oct 2022

Glass Animals‘ Dave Bayley Is ’A Little Bit Speechless‘ Over ‘Heat Waves’ Hot 100 Record

Glass Animals set a new record on the Billboard Hot 100 this week thanks to their smash single “Heat Waves,” and lead singer Dave Bayley gave Billboard his exclusive reaction via social media.

“I just found out some amazing news, that ‘Heat Waves’ has broken the record for the longest-running Hot 100 single of all time, and I’m a little bit speechless,” the frontman said in a video posted to Billboard‘s Instagram. “But I wanted to make a little video just to say thank you so, so much for making that happen.

“I think a lot of you probably know that when I wrote this song, I was writing about someone who I loved very much and miss very much, and it’s particularly beautiful for that reason.” he continued. “To see the song spread so much love and connection around the world, and you all made that happen. So thank you. And thank you to everyone who’s helped the song reach so many people. It really has meant so much over the last couple of years, I can’t even begin to explain it.”

Before signing off with “lots of love, bye-bye for now,” Bayley also teased that he’s just about ready to start working on new music to finally follow the band’s 2020 album Dreamland.

With its historic chart accomplishment at 91 weeks and counting, “Heat Waves” surpassed The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights,” which had previously spent 90 weeks on the Hot 100. Other long-running singles have included Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive” (87 weeks), AWOLNATION’s “Sail” (79 weeks), Dua Lipa’s “Levitating” (77 weeks) and more.

Watch Bayley express his disbelief and gratitude at the continuing success of “Heat Waves” below.

21 Oct 2022

Here Are the Top 5 Moments from Mary J. Blige’s Good Morning Gorgeous Tour in New York City 

What’s the 411? The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul, better known as Mary J. Blige, rocked the Barclays Center stage in Brooklyn on Thursday night (Oct. 20) for her Good Morning Gorgeous Tour, playing classics such as “Real Love,” “MVP,” “Just Fine,” “Good Morning Gorgeous,” and “Enough Cryin.” The New York native, who has six top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, was joined by newer R&B talents Queen Naija and Ella Mai as the opening acts. The two ladies warmed the crowd up for Blige with their own hit records, leaving fans wanting more.

The headlining Blige made the crowd swoon with her soulful vocals and iconic dance moves in four acts, with guest appearances from Jadakiss, Fivio Foreign, Fabolous, and more. Blige also brought out some of New York’s finest celebrities to her sold-out hometown show, including Fat Joe, Jim Jones, Papoose, and Remy Ma.

Billboard compiled a list of the top five best moments from Queen Mary’s show. Check it out below!

1.Ella Mai Brings Out Babyface

After Queen Naija performed, the London singer-songwriter took the stage to perform hits such as “Trippin” and the smash record that put her on the map, “Boo’d Up.” Ella Mai had the crowd singing to every song, but the moment that took her performance up a notch was when she welcomed Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds on the stage. Babyface, who has written for Whitney Houston, SWV, Toni Braxton, and countless other legendary acts, rocked the stage in an all-black ensemble to perform his recent collaboration with Ella Mai, “Keeps On Fallin.” The performance of these two sent the crowd into a frenzy, making it one of the most unforgettable moments of the night.

2. Diddy Bops

“Give me all your love and don’t stop” — Brother Love, that is! Diddy made a grand entrance during Blige’s performance of “All Night Long.” Blige, dressed in a yellow Louis Vuitton set from head to toe, and Diddy dressed in all black, did the “Mary Dance” across the stage, as the beat for the song continued. Diddy and Blige go way back, so it’s no surprise that the superstar paid a visit to his dear friend in their home state to two-step together once again.

3. Jadakiss Rocks the Mic

You can’t mention New York hip-hop without mentioning Jadakiss. For her performance of “Rent Money,” Blige brought out the rapper to spit his verse. “C’mon Jada!” Blige introduced him. The crowd applauded the collaboration, confirming that New York was definitely in the house on Thursday night.

4. Mary Shouts Out GloRilla

In the show’s 2nd act, Blige performed “Not Gon Cry,” actually leading to the singer crying real tears. She hit impressive high notes and even sung the record a cappella with a passion that made the singer look as though she caught the Holy Ghost. “If you ever see me crying, these are happy tears because I’m free,” Blige said to the crowd. She then broke out into rapping rising star GloRilla’s “F.N.F,” which the crowd joined Blige in chanting. Looks like GloRilla got a stamp of approval from another major celeb.

5. MJB is Da Real MVP

During the last act of the night, Blige changed into a sequence set with matching leather silver boots. She then went into her classic bag and performed her 2007 classic. The crowd jumped to their feet, dancing and singing while Blige hit some of her signature old school-dance moves. A shower of sparks flowed behind the R&B legend as she prepared to perform her last record of the night, “MVP.” “Thank my fans all around this building!” Blige raved. “I can call myself the MVP.”

21 Oct 2022

Vitamin String Quartet Just Released a Whole Album of BTS Covers

BTS‘ music is the gift that keeps on giving. Though the K-pop group is currently in between albums and its members are focusing on solo projects and preparing for mandatory military service, the group’s catalogue has inspired new interpretations of several of its hits songs. Such is the case for Vitamin String Quartet, whose new album Vitamin String Quartet Performs BTS — released on Friday (Oct. 21) — sees the group tapping into BTS tracks such as “Idol,” “On,” “Black Swan” and more.

“It’s been thrilling to put together VSQ Performs BTS. BTS’ music is built for performance; it’s something that serenades as much as it moves. That sensational combination of song and dance is at the heart of what we’ve accomplished with the album and all its content,” James Curtiss, director of A&R and creative director of CMH Label Group, said in a statement.

Along with the arrival of the classical group’s album was the debut for its “Black Swan” video, which features a male dancer performing ballet to the tune.

“Against a clean, stark palette and backdrop of black, white, and industrial grays, we are telling the story of a ballerina who pushes himself to the breaking point of performance, transforming from a delicate, gentle danseur into a vivacious, rapturous soloist,” Curtiss noted of the inspirations behind the “Black Swan” visual. “That is contrasted with the performance of the quartet on camera, the music he hears in his head, pushing him to the next level. It’s a visual revelry that encapsulates all that both VSQ and BTS bring into listeners’ lives.”

Vitamin String Quartet Performs BTS arrives just before BTS member Jin is set to debut his solo single “The Astronaut” alongside Coldplay in Buenos Aires on Oct. 28. The BTS member will be the first of the septet to perform military service in South Korea.

“Jin will initiate the process as soon as his schedule for his solo release is concluded at the end of October. He will then follow the enlistment procedure of the Korean government,” BTS’ label BigHit Music said in a statement. “Other members of the group plan to carry out their military service based on their own individual plans.”

Listen to Vitamin String Quartet Performs BTS, and watch the video for “Black Swan” below.

21 Oct 2022

Charlamagne Tha God Says Kanye West Screamed About Pete Davidson‘s ’10-Inch Penis’ During an Argument

Charlamagne the God appeared on The Brilliant Idiots podcast this week, where he shared an interesting, NSFW conversation he had with Kanye West.

It all started when Charlamagne brought up Ye’s controversial interview with the Drink Champs podcast — which has since been taken down — where the rapper said that the radio host was telling people that Kim Kardashian was dating comedian Pete Davidson because “he has a bigger d—.”

Charlamagne tha God explained that Ye’s comments originated from a phone call between the two last year, when the Yeezy founder’s ex-wife began dating the former SNL comedian. Charlamagne said that Ye tried to “get me on board to s— on someone he knows is my friend, Pete Davidson.”

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“My wife is out here f—ing a white boy with a 10-inch penis! And you won’t help me!” Charlamagne recalled Ye shouting on the phone call. “You’re telling me that’s your friend? When you’re supposed to be culture?” 

Ye repeatedly shared attacks on Davidson — whom he called “Skete” — throughout the actor’s nine-month relationship with Kardashian. West wrote that Davidson “will get my kids mom hooked on drugs He’s in rehab every 2 months” and asked SNL writer Dave Sirus to “please help write some more culturally irrelevant jokes for SKETE” while referencing Davidson’s tattoo of Hillary Clinton, which Ye had posted with the caption, “Tramp Stamp. Pete the tramp. Here’s the stamp.”

West also shared two music videos for “Eazy,” in which Davidson is depicted being buried alive and beaten violently. In January, Charlamagne called out “Eazy” for being “corny” with the lyric, “God saved me from that crash/Just so I can beat Pete Davidson’s a–.”

21 Oct 2022

From Taylor Swift to Carly Rae Jepsen, What’s Your Favorite New Music of the Week? Vote!

Like clockwork, we’ve reached the end of yet another week, and with the arrival of Friday (Oct. 21) comes a new slate of albums and songs to dive into, including long-awaited releases from Taylor Swift, Carly Rae Jepsen and Arctic Monkeys. And as always, Billboard wants to know which new release you’re enjoying the most.

It was a sleepless night for many Swifties, as their queen dropped her 10th studio album, Midnights. And as if the 13-song tracklist including instant faves such as “Anti-Hero,” “Lavender Haze” and “Vigilante Shit” wasn’t enough, the superstar gave fans seven more bonus cuts in the middle of the night, including “The Great War,” “Bigger Than the Whole Sky,” and “Paris.”

The pop cornucopia didn’t stop there, with Jepsen releasing her sixth album The Loneliest Time. Led by “Western Wind,” the sparkling record features a guest assist from Rufus Wainwright on its title track, and serves as a follow-up to the Canadian pop chanteuse’s 2020 full-length of B-sides, Dedicated Side B.

Meghan Trainor is back, as well, returning to the ’60s-style doo-wop roots of her 2015 debut on fifth LP Takin’ It Back. Meanwhile, Tegan and Sara unveiled Crybaby, their first album in three years, as well as their first on new label Mom + Pop.

On the rock front, Arctic Monkeys take The Car for a joyride with singles such as “There’d Better Be a Mirrorball,” “Body Paint” and “I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am.” And if you’re in the mood for just a song rather than a full-length, there’s Shakira‘s new collaboration with Ozuna — “Monotonía” — plus Roddy Ricch‘s “Aston Martin Truck,” and more.

Vote for your favorite new release of the week in Billboard‘s latest poll below!