Music News

03 Apr 2025

Future Pays Tribute to Young Scooter: ‘Life Will Never Be the Same’

Future posted a tribute to his recently deceased friend and collaborator Young Scooter on his Instagram Story.

“Life will never be the same without you my brother,” he wrote yesterday (Apr. 2) over a video of him and Scooter backstage somewhere. “I love you. This sh—t unreal.” He then posted a couple photos of the them hanging out together.

A few days after Scooter’s untimely passing, Future sent out a tweet seemingly referring to his friend, saying, “I can hear you loud and clear my brother(street)…we got you, kid.”

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Young Scooter passed over the weekend on his 39th birthday in what has turned out to be a confusing ordeal causing the Atlanta police department to have a press conference to combat social media rumors online that they had shot the rapper after responding to a call.

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The Fulton County Medical Examiner’s autopsy seemed to back up the APD’s statement by reporting that his cause of death was due to a cut to his thigh which cause substantial blood loss.

“Mr. Bailey sustained a penetrating injury of his right thigh that created marked blood loss,” the coroner told Rolling Stone. “This injury was not a gunshot wound. Mr. Bailey injured himself on organic (wooden) fencing material and/or woody debris after vaulting at least one fence.”

Scooter was one of the first artists singed to Future’s Freebandz label and the two worked on a bunch of records together over the years, most notably “Jet Lag” which also featured the late Juice Wrld off of his collab album with Future, Wrld on Drugs, “Doh Doh” from Beast Mode 2, and the single “Hard to Handle.”

03 Apr 2025

La T y La M’s ‘Amor De Vago,’ Feat. Malandro de América, Adds 12th Week Atop Billboard Argentina Hot 100

La T y La M extend their reign on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 to a 12th consecutive week as “Amor De Vago,” featuring Malandro de América, holds steady at No. 1 on the chart dated April 4.

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With this milestone, the track ties with Maluma and The Weeknd’s “Hawái” for the fifth-longest reign of the decade. Above it are two Karol G hits: the record-breaking 25-week leader “Tusa” with Nicki Minaj (2020) and “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” (2024–25). The latter ties at 16 weeks atop with Tiago PZK, Lit Killah, Nicki Nicole, and Maria Becerra’s “Entre Nosotros” (2021–22). Also ahead is Manuel Turizo’s “La Bachata,” which led for 15 weeks in 2022.

Cazzu takes the runner-up slot with her latest single, “Con Otra,” which starts at No. 2. In addition to being this week’s Hot Shot Debut, the song earns the Argentinian her highest entry among 18 career entries. Previously, “Animal,” with Maria Becerra, reached No. 5 high in 2021.

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Yami Safdie and Lasso’s “En Otra Vida” rebounds to the top 10, climbing 13-9, after the song peaked at No. 6 last December.

Emilia, TINI and Nicki Nicole add a new song to their extensive Billboard Argentina Hot 100 ledger with their first three-way collab “Blackout,” which arrives at No. 27.

Teddy Swims earns the Greatest Gainer honors of the week as “Lose Control” climbs 49 rankings, from No. 86 to No. 37. The singer-songwriter also adds a new song on the tally, “The Door” at No. 40.

Four other songs debut this week, starting with Q`Lokura and Los Herrera’s “Carita Triste” at No. 80, KHEA, DUKI and La Joaqui’s “Mi Señora” at No. 88, Elena Rose and Morat’s “Un Beso Menos” at No. 95, and Airbag’s “Cae El Sol” at No. 97.

03 Apr 2025

Warner Music Group, Josh Groban Honored at 2025 Harmony Program Gala Benefitting Music Education

Warner Music Group (WMG) and best-selling Warner Records artist Josh Groban were honored on Wednesday (April 2) at the Harmony Program’s annual gala held at The Altman Building in the Flatiron neighborhood of New York City.

The event raised nearly $800,000 to advance the Harmony Program’s mission to bring music education into underserved communities across New York City. Hosted by CBS Mornings Plus’ Adriana Diaz, the event included live performances by Groban and students from the Harmony Program.

Kevin Gore, WMG’s president of global catalog (and a Harmony Program board member) accepted the honor on behalf of WMG, saying, “The Harmony Program’s work isn’t just about expanding access to music education, it’s about harnessing the power of music to encourage collaboration and cultivate community. It’s more important than ever for all of us to ensure that artistic expression continues to flourish freely and that organizations like the Harmony Program continue to thrive, so that they can foster the next generation of leaders, dreamers, and music makers. It’s an honor to be recognized by such an essential and impactful organization in our community.”

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On stage, Groban said, “The work of the Harmony Program is vitally important because it’s changing the mindset of these young people. Arts education, in an ever-divided and cynical world, is what tells us about the beauty of our similarities, but more importantly, about the beauty of our differences. This honor is so special and it means the world to me.”

Groban, 44, is a dedicated arts education philanthropist and advocate. In 2011, he established the Find Your Light Foundation, which helps enrich the lives of young people through arts, education and cultural awareness. He is also a celebrated performer, with five Grammy nominations, two Tony nods and two Primetime Emmy nods.

“Warner Music Group has been an invaluable partner to the Harmony Program and its students for over a decade,” said Anne Fitzgibbon, Harmony Program founder/executive director. “Beyond financial support, they have provided our students with career mentorship, industry internships, and unforgettable, collaborative performances with world-class artists like Joyce DiDonato, Chris Thile, and Josh Groban. They exemplify the power of corporate philanthropy to inspire young people, and by extension, their broader communities.”

The Harmony Program is a non-profit organization that provides children from underserved communities with free instruments, intensive music instruction, orchestral training and access to a variety of cultural experiences. The Harmony Program’s unique model also addresses a shortage of well-trained music teachers by preparing accomplished musicians to teach at public schools and community centers throughout New York City.

03 Apr 2025

Mark Ronson Injures Biceps Trying to Move Speakers at DJ Set: ‘They Weigh More Than I Thought’

DJing is more hazardous than it looks. Mark Ronson revealed that he seriously hurt himself playing a set after attempting to move heavier-than-it-looked audio equipment, sharing a photo of himself in a hospital bed via Instagram on Wednesday (April 2).

In the picture, a slightly wary — but still smirking — Ronson lies back in a hospital gown while giving the camera a thumbs-up. In his caption, he explained that the injury occurred when he tried to give his audience more volume by rotating his own monitor toward them — to disastrous results.

“That time the house PA was so bad that I tried to one-hand turn the stage monitor towards the crowd mid-mix to give them some extra juice,” the producer wrote.

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“Turns out they weigh more than I thought…,” he continued. “Two popped bicep tendons and one finished gig later, here we are, baby! #tornthisway”

His comment section was full of friends and fans wishing him a speedy recovery — except for Diplo, who instead poked fun at his friend by writing, “looks like you just gave birth.”

The nine-time Grammy winner didn’t specify when and where the unfortunate DJ set took place. A few days prior to the post, he shared on Instagram that he’d played a five-hour vinyl show — “just like I used to” — in New York to celebrate the announcement of his upcoming book, Night People, which arrives Sept. 16.

According to Ronson, Night People “chronicles three of my great loves: the art of DJing with all its emotional highs and lows, the electric energy of New York after dark, and the wild, wonderful clubland characters who became my second family.”

“This book is my love letter to a vanished era that shaped not just my career but my identity—a time when finding my craft put me on the path to finding myself,” he added on Instagram March 27.

03 Apr 2025

Olivia Rodrigo Plays Biggest Concert of Her Career in Mexico City: ‘My Eyes Can’t Believe It’

With her performance debut in Mexico, Olivia Rodrigo reached a new milestone by playing the largest solo concert of her career to date, as she revealed onstage. The Guts superstar packed the Estadio GNP Seguros on Wednesday night in a sold-out show. The venue in the capital city has a capacity of 65,000 people, according to information from the promoter OCESA.

“Do you guys know that this is the biggest show that I’ve ever played in my f—ing life?! I literally… My eyes can’t believe it. Oh my God! Thank you guys so much for being here,” Rodrigo said, visibly emotional, during her first of two nights at the iconic stadium (formerly known as Foro Sol).

The singer/songwriter surpassed the attendance of more than 50,000 people she had achieved last October in the Philippines, where her family is originally from.

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Her visit to Mexico is part of the Latin American leg of her Guts World Tour, with her first stadium shows in Brazil and Mexico. Prior to the Mexican capital, Rodrigo performed her first solo concert in the region in the Brazilian city of Curitiba.

In her first visit to Latin America, the 22-year-old star also participated in the Chilean, Argentine and Brazilian editions of the Lollapalooza festival late last month. In Colombia, she was part of the lineup for the Estéreo Picnic festival. This summer, she will also headline Lollapalooza on Aug. 1 at Grant Park in Chicago.

During her performance in Mexico City, Rodrigo told the audience that it was one of her favorite cities and that she had already tried some traditional tacos, visited the Museo Casa Azul of the iconic painter Frida Kahlo, and attended a lucha libre wrestling match.

Although there were mixed feelings because the show in Mexico, like in South America, did not feature the original production of the Guts World Tour, with the massive catwalk and giant hanging moon, and her setlist was shorter than usual, her thousands of fans, mostly young girls, gave the American singer a warm reception.

The three-time Grammy winner’s setlist included hits such as “Obsessed,” “Vampire,” “Love Is Embarrassing,” “Lacy,” “So American” and, one of the most anticipated songs of the night, “Good 4 U.”

St. Vincent

St. Vincent performs at the Estadio GNP Seguros (formerly known as Foro Sol) in Mexico City.

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The opening act for Rodrigo’s shows was Texas indie rocker St. Vincent, who released an album entirely in Spanish, Todos Nacen Gritando, late last year — a version of her Grammy-winning album All Born Screaming (2024). In her return to Mexico City, following her appearance at the previous edition of the Corona Capital festival, Annie Clark (her real name) was joined by Nine Inch Nails drummer Ilan Rubin as part of her band.

On Thursday night (April 3), Rodrigo will perform her second concert at the Estadio GNP Seguros before traveling to the northern city of Monterrey to participate in the Tecate Pa’l Norte festival over the weekend.

03 Apr 2025

Little Feat Announce Their First-Ever Feat Fest Will Take Place This Summer

Little Feat, the archetypal ’70s band originally formed by Lowell George — a guitar virtuoso fired from the Mothers of Invention by Frank Zappa — has survived years of breakups, drug problems and even George’s untimely death in 1979. Now, the band is ready to reintroduce itself in a new format.

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On Thursday (April 3), the current members of the beloved band announced the launch of Feat Fest 2025, a three-day festival taking place from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1 at the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, New York A portion of the live shows will be recorded for an upcoming album.

“The town of Woodstock, NY, like most iconic spots on the American musical map, has become more than a place, it’s a feeling. The same could be said for the sound of Little Feat,” said Scott Sharrad, the group’s current frontman and lead guitarist, in a statement. “The connection of the band to this location goes all the way back to the 1960s and 70s … now it’s Little Feats’ turn to decamp, hang out a while and infuse the mountain air with some Feat Boogie.”

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Little Feat also announced the release of its new single “Midnight Flight” from their forthcoming new album Strike Up The Band, dropping May 9 via Hot Tomato. “I wrote this song in the winter of 2020,” Sharrad said. “It’s got that boogie feel that gets people up.”

Little Feat built a cult following in the late ’60s and ’70s as your favorite rock band’s favorite rock band, combining a sound that was part New Orleans rhythm-and-blues, part southern-rock with a healthy dose of country, funk, and jazz. The band has been cited as an important influence on everyone from Bonnie Raitt and the Rolling Stones to the 1975’s Matt Healy. Some of their most popular songs include “Willing,” “Dixie Chicken,” “Spanish Moon” and more. They have released a total of 16 studio albums and 10 live albums to date.

The current lineup of Little Feat includes founding member Bill Payne on keys, alongside Fred Tackett on guitars/vocals, Kenny Gradney on bass and Sam Clayton on percussion/vocals. Recently enlisted younger members include Sharrard and Tony Leone on drums, who both joined the group in 2020.

Tickets for Feat Fest go on sale Friday, April 4. Visit the band’s website for more information, and check out the official video for their new song “Midnight Flight” below:

03 Apr 2025

Kesha Wants Her Upcoming Album to Be a ‘Safe Space,’ Amid Government’s ‘Terrifying’ Attacks on Trans People

Kesha is standing up for the transgender community.

The superstar sat down with Bob the Drag Queen for Paper this week, where they opened up about messages they want to share with their U.S. fans as the current presidential administration continues to put measures into place to dismantle the rights of trans people.

“I would love to be able to stand in front of my fans and be like, ‘Everything’s fantastic and don’t you worry,’” Bob shared. “But I don’t think that’s real. Sometimes things get worse before they get better. Sometimes things get worse and they don’t get better. But you have to remember the resilience of queer people, of Black people, of women, of any marginalized person to exist despite it all. To exist no matter what.”

Kesha agreed, adding, “Trans visibility day has me thinking about what a huge support the trans community has been. The queer community has been my community and has always been there for me. That’s where I belong. And beyond that, to any marginalized person, like you were just saying, I want everyone out there to know that they have an ally, someone that is a warrior. I will not lay down, I will not be quiet about basic human rights. And as someone who’s had her freedoms taken away from her and fought like hell to get them back, I’m going to echo that throughout my work until the day that I die.”

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Transgender Day of Visibility started back in 2010 when trans activist Rachel Crandall created the holiday to celebrate “the lives of transgender people” as a whole rather than just the discrimination against the community, according to GLAAD.

Kesha, who is gearing up to release her sixth album, . (Period), revealed that she wants the upcoming project to be a “safe space for people to feel fully embodied and liberated.” She continued, “If you want to find your community and find a safe space for you to fully embody exactly who you are and be celebrated, I invite you to come join us. I would like to start a revolution of love. I want to create a traveling summer of love, a community of love. I want to give all of us a place to come and be ourselves.”

As for the current government, Kesha said, “I have never seen a less embodied group of individuals waving around their chainsaws. It’s terrifying. In the midst of all this chaos, the most political thing we could do is love ourselves and love one another and create a space where we can come together and spread as much love as possible. So that’s my objective for the summer.”

Kesha’s . (Period), arrives via Kesha Records on July 4.

03 Apr 2025

Beware of Cryptocurrency Scam Using Billboard Trademark

It has come to our attention that individuals are fraudulently using the Billboard name and trademark to run what seems to be a cryptocurrency scam operation. This is not legitimate and not in any way affiliated with Billboard.

If you have fallen victim to such a scam operation, it is suggested that you contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) on its website.

As always, Billboard does not solicit any sort of compensation for music or artist promotion. Websites and social media accounts promising coverage in exchange for profit share paid via cryptocurrency are not affiliated with us in any way. Confirmed examples of such scam pages include musicpromobillboard.com/login and musicpromobillboard.com/register.

Similarly, any “company” identifying itself as Billboard or Billboard International, LLC that invites you to register for paid coverage online or in print is an imposter. Please do not send them payment of any kind. It’s possible they will reach out to you via a false email such as info@billboard.technology.

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Unfortunately, this issue is not the first of its kind. Scammers on social media have been posing as Billboard contributors for years, ripping photos and biographical information from real writers’ profiles and reaching out to private individuals and/or musicians — often targeting smaller artists — to offer coverage in exchange for money. If this happens to you, block the user and report them to the social media platform on which you were contacted.

It’s also important to note that Billboard does not have the power to directly ban or freeze social media accounts purporting to be contributors. This is why it is particularly important for individuals to be vigilant about not falling for scams.

Authentic Billboard contact information is available on our website.

03 Apr 2025

The Alchemist Confirms He Made the Beat for a Leaked Song With Playboi Carti & A$AP Nast

On Wednesday night (Apr. 2), Fake Shore Drive‘s Andrew Barber tweeted out a leaked song titled “Take the Soul” and claimed that the track was “Playboi Carti and A$AP Nast over Alchemist production.”

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Naturally, fans went into a frenzy on X, with many of them excited to finally hear Carti over an Alchemist beat. When one fan replied to an old tweet suggesting that the West Coast legend would never work with the likes of the King Vamp himself with the leaked track, the producer quote-tweeted and said, “Imagine if i didn’t make this beat.” When a fan followed-up and asked if he actually made the beat, the producer simply wrote, “Yes.”

Billboard has reached out to reps for Playboi Carti, A$AP Nast and The Alchemist for comment.

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Back in December, after details of Young Thug‘s took a plea deal in the YSL RICO case, fans joked that The Alchemist should do an introspective jazz album with Thugger. Alchemist replied, asking for someone to send him the Atlanta rapper’s number.

Then in March, The Alchemist said he wanted to work with Future when a fan asked him who was an artist that he wanted to work with that he hadn’t already. Frequent Pluto collaborator Southside caught wind of his tweet and reached out asking the him to send some beats over as he and Wheezy put the finishing touches on Future’s upcoming album.

The leaked track posted by Barber is only about two minutes long with Carti handling hook duties as A$AP Nast delivers a verse. Check out The Alchemist’s tweets below:

03 Apr 2025

CBS Will Present MTV Video Music Awards for the First Time in 2025

CBS is set to present the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) for the first time this year. The three-hour broadcast will also simulcast on MTV, which launched the show in 1984. A one-hour live pre-show will air across Paramount Media Networks.

This year’s show is set to air live on Sunday, Sept. 7 starting at 8 p.m. ET, and streaming on Paramount+. Last year’s show, hosted by Megan Thee Stallion, aired on Wednesday (Sept. 11). The show will broadcast from UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. for the second year in a row. Nominations, performers and additional details will be announced closer to the show.

The 2025 VMAs are also set to be executive produced by Bruce Gillmer and Jesse Ignjatovic. Additionally, Barb Bialkowski will serve as co-executive producer for the show, Alicia Portugal and Jackie Barba as executives in charge of production, Wendy Plaut was announced as the executive in charge of celebrity talent and Lisa Lauricella as music talent executive.

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The news comes after the 2024 VMAs hosted the largest multi-network audience since 2020, while also receiving more social media interactions than any other VMAs with 66.7 million social interactions across platforms.

At last year’s show, Taylor Swift won video of the year for the third consecutive year with “Fortnight” (featuring Post Malone). She won in that category the previous two years for “All Too Well: The Short Film” and “Anti-Hero.” Swift directed all three videos. Swift also won artist of the year at last year’s VMAs. Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” won song of the year. Chappell Roan won best new artist.