Music News
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Playboi Carti’s Music album has been a staple on the charts since its arrival in March, and King Vamp returned Tuesday (April 8) to release a visualizer for “Fine Shit.” Set in Miami, Carti comes alive in the 305’s nighttime and throws a turned-up yacht party off the 305 coast with plenty of homies and […]
In just over one year, Ariana Grande released her seventh studio album Eternal Sunshine on March 8, 2024, then starred in the Oscar-winning movie musical Wicked that hit theaters in November, and has now returned with the Brighter Days Ahead deluxe reissue of that album on March 28. On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, […]
Little Brother have announced that they’ll be hitting the road one last time starting this spring. On Monday, the North Carolina duo comprised of Phonte and Big Pooh announced they’d be hanging up their mics for good, but not without seeing their fans one last time. The pair will embark on a 12-date “Curtain Call” […]
There’s no way of speeding up the time that’s still left before The Weeknd‘s Hurry Up Tomorrow premieres, but some lucky fans will get to see the film a little bit early.
As announced on his social media accounts Tuesday (April 8), the artist born Abel Tesfaye is planning a nationwide one-night-only early fan screening set for 6 p.m. local time May 14, two days before the movie — which serves as a companion project to the star’s album of the same name — officially premieres in theaters. Tickets go on sale April 17.
Those who scoop tickets will be among the first to see Hurry Up Tomorrow. They’ll also get to see exclusive never-before-screen bonus content after the film ends.
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Starring the “Blinding Lights” singer, Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan, Hurry Up Tomorrow tells the story of a fictionalized version of The Weeknd, who — “plagued by insomnia” — becomes wrapped up in an “odyssey with a stranger who begins to unravel the very core of his existence,” according to a description.
Tesfaye previously raved about his costars in a January interview with Variety, gushing, “Jenna brought so much depth to the character … there was a scene where Trey and I looked at each other like, ‘On paper, this is just ridiculous — how is it going to translate on screen?’ And she said, ‘I have an idea.’ She led that whole scene — none of it was rehearsed, and a lot of my reactions in it are not acting.”
“[Barry] was a friend of mine prior to all this, and he was always number one on my list for his role,” he continued at the time. “What makes him different from Jenna is that his talent is so raw, it just comes so naturally to him.”
The film also serves as a good-bye to Tesfaye’s The Weeknd alias, which he confirmed he’d be retiring in the Variety interview following his Hurry Up Tomorrow album era. Released in February, the LP debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and follows 2020’s After Hours and 2022’s Dawn FM in a now-complete album trilogy.
Shortly before the film hits theaters, Tesfaye will hit the road on his After Hours Til Dawn Tour kicking off May 9 in Phoenix.
See the fan screening event announcement below.
Legendary Seattle rock club The Crocodile is opening its new waterfront concert series with the spooky guitar sounds of Hermanos Gutiérrez. Oodalalee: Concerts at Pier 62 will take place at Seattle’s Waterfront Park, south of the famous Pike Place market and managed by the non-profit Friends of Waterfront Park. Oodalalee marks the first large-scale, ticketed […]
GEMA revenue rose 4% to €1.33 billion in 2024 ($1.44 billion, according to an average annual exchange rate), the German collecting society announced Tuesday (April 8). The organization also said it’s distributing €1.13 billion ($1.22 billion) to rightsholders, the third consecutive year in which that number has exceeded the billion-euro mark. It reduced its cost ratio modestly, from 15.2% to 14.9%.
Last year “was marked by geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, and disruptive technological developments,” GEMA CEO Tobias Holzmüller said in a statement released with the results. “In this environment, GEMA demonstrated stability — financially, organizationally, and culturally.”
The live concert business segment is growing especially fast, with revenue rising almost 17% to €194.9 million ($210.9 million). Public performance revenue as a whole — i.e., revenue from compositions played in public places, including concerts but also stores or restaurants — rose 13.1% to €502 million ($543.3 million). That’s GEMA’s biggest category of revenue, with growth fueled largely by Germany’s live concert boom.
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GEMA’s second biggest source of revenue was online, which came in at €310.1 million ($335.6 million), down very slightly from €310.3 million ($335.8 million). Online generally shows more growth, but the way collecting societies book revenue makes it hard to draw any conclusions from this. Revenue from the use of music on radio and TV increased 1.2% to €308.4 million ($333.8 million).
International revenue increased to €87.8 million ($95 million), up 6.9%. Revenue from statutory remuneration rights, which consists mostly of levies on blank media and computer memory, as well as legal settlements, fell to €58.6 million ($63.4 million) — down significantly from 2023, when retroactive remuneration claims were settled — or about the 2022 level. Mechanical royalties from physical media, such as CDs and vinyl records, should increase 2.2% to €45.7 million ($49.5 million).
For the past few years, since the pandemic, the major European collecting societies have experienced substantial growth — partly because they took in less during the pandemic and partly because of the subsequent boom in concert attendance. This year, growth is expected to return to normal, and that seems to be the case with GEMA’s results. It will be interesting to see if its rival societies fare better, or whether overall growth will return to a slow, gradual climb.
Kai Cenat takes pride in giving back to the community, and one recent clip found him covering the cost of a pizza order for two young fans and their father after the children recognized him. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The heartwarming gesture went viral on […]
Travis Scott’s first major break in music came thanks to Ye (formerly Kanye West). Thirteen years after appearing on Cruel Summer‘s “Sin City” and working on Yeezus, Scott still has an appreciation for West giving him a chance.
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La Flame’s Complex cover story, which was published on Tuesday (April 8), sees him tackle quite a few topics, including his stance when it comes to his relationship with Ye.
“S–t, man. That’s my kid’s uncle,” he said in the interview, which appears to have taken place in February. “That guy took me in when I was young, when I was like 19. He taught me a lot about music. And not even just ‘taught’ me, but he allowed me to experience the creation of music.”
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Scott continued to reflect. “To create music with him, it’s what helped me grow, making a lot of beats,” he shared. “Whether it’s writing and collabing on music and film or clothes or whatever the f–k it is, just constantly learning.”
While Ye was raising issues with many of his peers during a series of explosive X rants in March, he took aim at Scott during an interview with DJ Akademiks. West — who has been facing backlash since 2022 for his hate speech — explained that why he felt disrespected by the “Sicko Mode” rapper.
“Trav left me off his album,” he said. “Took four of my songs from the ranch in Wyoming. My choruses, my exact singing lines — replace me with him, or put Future, SZA on the joints. With no explanation, the s–t just comes out.”
In August 2023, following Utopia‘s arrival, Scott performed in Rome and brought out West and gave his idol his flowers. “There is no Utopia without Kanye West. There is no Travis Scott without Kanye West. There is no Rome without Kanye West. Make some noise for Ye,” Scott told the crowd.
As for Scott’s next move, he’ll be headlining Saturday night (April 12) at Coachella. He also provided some context into his upcoming projects with another Jackboys label compilation and his solo album on the way.
“And for this next album, I just want to have the most ultimate fun with being creative,” he told Complex. “The most ultimate fun, taking all the things I learned and packing it in the CD and making it enjoyable to go crazy in the stadium. That’s the idea.”
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Tyla is now the face of of Pandora. The “Push 2 Star” singer has been named Pandora’s newest ambassador and is […]
Dwayne Johnson helped a young fan named Kane’s wish come true shortly before his death. The Moana actor took to Instagram on Monday (April 7) to share a sweet Make-A-Wish America video call he had with the boy on March 11, and the star is seen chatting with Kane, who is laying in his hospital […]