Music News

14 Feb 2025

‘SNL’s Bowen Yang and Sarah Sherman Are a Fake Heavy Metal Band With Real Dry Scalp Issues in Rocking Dandruff Ad

You know how it is when you’re lost in the riff, head banging so hard that you unleash a torrent of embarrassing white flakes. No, not that kind. That’s the dilemma facing Saturday Night Live cast mates Bowen Yang and Sarah Sherman in a new CeraVe shampoo ad in which they portray the lead singers of totally fake metal band Naumore Dandruf.

Totally rocking the suburbs from their parent’s garage, the pair — dressed in full studded black leather outfits, teased hair and goth-y makeup — try to shred only to realize their hair whipping is causing a very uncool side effect. “Metal is our life/ Gimme a b…reak/ My hair is metal, now watch me shake,” they bellow over a frantic drum solo.

They then unleash a blizzard of flakes that cause Yang’s Dingwag to complain that singer/guitarist Crema got dandruff all over his bass. “You’re getting ‘druff everywhere too, Dingwag,” Sherman’s Crema snaps back.

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“Ugh, we got a big gig coming up and we keep getting ‘druff on our stuff,” Dingwag grumbles. “We got a big gig, open for Buff at Gruffs and we keep getting ‘druff on our stuff?” Crema adds, continuing the snarling, Dr. Seuss-like homage to scalp snow. Things are a mess until typically silent drummer, The Doctor, surprisingly weighs in with, “Guys, enough! No need to get in a scruff about druff,” before plugging the anti-dandruff remedy.

Cue a torrent of more -uff jokes, before Dingwag is struck with inspiration for a new hair jam. “Ditch the itch and feel real cool/ Just use CeraVe’s anti-dandruff shampoo!” he sings.

Sherman and Yang will be on hand this weekend when SNL celebrates its 50th anniversary on Sunday (Feb. 16) during a three-hour live retrospective event, SNL50: The Anniversary Special, which will air on NBC at 8 p.m. ET and stream on Peacock.

Watch Naumore Dandruff ditch the itch below.

14 Feb 2025

Sabrina Carpenter and Dolly Parton Are Smiling Fugitives on the Run in Sweetly Sinister ‘Please Please Please’ Video: Watch

Sabrina Carpenter and Dolly Parton are a couple of smiling fugitives with a dark secret in the back of the truck in the charmingly felonious video for their collaboration on Sab’s 2024 Billboard Hot 100 hit “Please Please Please.”

In the new black and white video co-directed by Carpenter, 25, and Sean Price Williams that dropped on Friday morning (Feb. 14) as part of the expanded version of the pop singer’s Short n’ Sweet album, the women team up for a Thelma & Louise-style caper that involves kidnapping, at the very least.

The visual for the revamp of the song that adds some country twang and fiddle to the airy pop original that was Carpenter’s first Hot 100 chart-topper opens with the two women cruising down the road in a truck as Dolly, 79, reads the paper and Sabrina serves as her wheel woman. A flash of headlines hints at something sinister amid the grinning, cutting to banners announcing the killing of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid in blaze of bullets, as well as breaking news about outlaws Frank and Jesse James, fictional women-on-the-fun Thelma and Louise, French pop royalty Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg and 1950s serial killers Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate.

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Bolstered by banjos, acoustic guitars and brushed drums, the two women are in perfect harmony on the soaring chorus, though you knew Dolly wouldn’t go for the original NSFW refrain, replacing the “motherf–er” with the line, “I beg you don’t embarrass me/ Like the others.”

The two appear to be having a blast, blithely rolling down a dirt road as they sing to each other without a care as the camera pans out to reveal a truck bed filled with seemingly purloined cash and the writhing body of a man in a dirty white tank top and jeans with a burlap sack over his head.

Eagle-eyed fans noted that the new video appears to be a call-back to the original “Please Please Please” clip that starred Carpenter’s then-boyfriend Saltburn actor Barry Keoghan. In that one, the couple strike up a friendship after getting sprung from jail, before Keoghan goes back to his felonious ways and gets arrested again. Carpenter takes things into her own hands and handcuffs Keoghan — who is, ahem, wearing a white tank top and black jeans — to a chair at the end of that one, taping his mouth shut as he squirms.

By the end of the new video, Carpenter pulls over and shakes her head as the mystery man screams and bangs around in the back of the truck with police lights flashing in the distance. In an Instagram post promoting the new video, Carpenter gushed, “Dolly and me singing in a pickup truck!!!!!! I am so honored to have one of my biggest idols on a song that means so much to me.” Parton returned the sweet favor in a behind-the-scenes video featuring the two women joking about the “dirty words” in the original and how similar their voices sound, with Parton writing, “Turns out, two things can be short and sweet ?”

The expanded version of Carpenter’s album features the new version of “Please Please Please,” as well as the bonus tracks “15 Minutes,” “Couldn’t Make It Any Harder,” “Busy Woman” and “Bad Reviews.”

Check out the “Please Please Please” video below.

14 Feb 2025

Ed Sheeran Has Seemingly Revealed the Title of His Next Album

Ed Sheeran has seemingly just revealed the name of his upcoming LP in a social media comment. The Suffolk-based pop star has been teasing his return for 2025 and shared a few hints about what the record may sound like.

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Now, in a comment on an Instagram post, Sheeran appeared to reveal that the record would be called Play.

The “Shape of You” singer was responding to a post on the page of @memezar, which noted that Sheeran had changed his profile picture in anticipation of the return. “Ed Sheeran recently changed his profile picture guys! What math is he gonna do next?” a fan wrote. This referred to the Sheeran’s Mathematics album series, which included five studio records: + (2011), x (2014), ÷ (2017), = (2021) and – (2023).

In response, Sheeran wrote: “Irony is if you ask me anything maths related I would fail the question, I never finished high school.” He then signed off by appearing to reveal the title of his next LP. “Play coming soon though,” he added.

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In another comment to a fan who wrote theorised that the next series of records would be called “Play, Pause, Stop, Rewind, Skip,” Sheeran responded: “might skip Skip tbf.”

It’s not the first time he’s referred to the title. In 2023, Sheeran posted: “See you sometime next year when we press Play again on pop, and have a good holiday season x.” In 2022, he confirmed that he would be making “10 symbol records,” but said that “the next five won’t be maths.” Billboard U.K. has reached out to Sheeran’s representatives for comment.

His upcoming record would be Sheeran’s eighth studio LP, and would follow 2023’s Autumn Variations. In December, Sheeran teased that his new album would be a return to bigger sounds. “It feels like I’m getting back into big pop for the first time in a long time,” he told Variety. “It’s quite exciting.”

Earlier this week an impromptu performance by Sheeran was shut down by police in Bengaluru, India due to an alleged lack of permissions. In footage of the incident police can be seen interrupting Sheeran’s performance of “Shape of You” and unplugging his instruments. “We have permission to be here, but this policeman is shutting it down,” Sheeran can be heard telling the crowd. “See you later!”

Sheeran is in the midst of his Mathematics tour and will perform on Saturday (Feb. 15) in Delhi before a run of dates in China.

14 Feb 2025

Mariah Carey ‘So Grateful’ To Be Nominated for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame For 2nd Year in a Row: ‘This Means So Much’

Mariah Carey is hoping that the this time it’s for real. The singer celebrated her second nomination to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Thursday (Feb. 13), writing on Instagram that she was “so grateful” to be given a nod two years running; Carey has been eligible for induction into the HOF since 2016, but was not nominated until last year.

“It’s always an incredible honor to be recognized alongside so many legendary artists I admire. Thank you to the @rockhall and, of course, to my amazing fans— you are the heart of everything I do. This means so much! ❤️?,” Carey added alongside a vintage shot of herself and a second slide featuring the full list of this year’s other nominees.

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Carey is once again in good company among the 2025 roster of nominees, which also includes Bad Company, The Black Crowes, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Billy Idol, Joy Division/New Order, Cyndi Lauper, Maná, Oasis, Outkast, Phish, Soundgarden and The White Stripes.

Though she is the Christmas queen and a pop icon, Carey fell just short of the Rock Hall in 2024, when she was a first-time nominee alongside now Hall of Famers Cher, Jimmy Buffett, Mary J. Blige, Dave Matthews, Ozzy Osbourne, Peter Frampton, Dionne Warwick, Kool & the Gang, MC5, Foreigner and A Tribe Called Quest.

In the meantime, Carey will wrap her current run of The Celebration of Mimi residency shows at the Dolby Live at Park MGM with a pair of shows on Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) and Saturday (Feb. 15).

The Class of 2025 will be revealed in late April with an announcement typically details which artists are inducted as performers and which names are entering the Rock Hall in the musical influence or musical excellence categories. The 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place in Los Angeles this fall.

14 Feb 2025

Kendrick Lamar Scores ARIA Chart Double as ‘GNX’ and ‘Not Like Us’ Hit No. 1

Kendrick Lamar has officially dominated the ARIA Charts this week, reclaiming the No. 1 spot on both the Albums and Singles rankings.

Following his GRAMMY wins and a high-profile Super Bowl LIX performance, GNX vaults from No. 15 back to the top, while “Not Like Us” returns to No. 1 on the Singles Chart. This marks the first time Lamar has held both positions simultaneously in Australia.

The Compton rapper now boasts three No. 1 albums in the country, with To Pimp A Butterfly (2015) and Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers (2022) also reaching the top.

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Meanwhile, Taylor Swift makes her presence known with the debut of Lover – Live From Paris at No. 14. The concert recording, initially released as a Valentine’s Day vinyl exclusive in 2023, gets a fresh boost with its reissue on heart-shaped vinyl this month. With 18 albums making the ARIA Charts throughout her career, Swift has landed at No. 1 an impressive 13 times.

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On the Singles Chart, Australian DJ Dom Dolla scores a Top 40 debut at No. 33 with “Dreamin,” featuring Daya. The ARIA Award-winning producer last cracked the Top 10 with “Saving Up” in 2023. Daya, known for her breakout hit “Hide Away” (No. 6 in 2015) and The Chainsmokers collab “Don’t Let Me Down” (No. 3 in 2016), returns to the Australian charts after nearly a decade.

Bruno Mars continues to rewrite streaming records, becoming the first artist to hit 150 million monthly listeners on Spotify. His collaboration with Rosé, “APT.,” holds steady at No. 2, while his Lady Gaga-assisted track “Die With A Smile” lands at No. 6 this week.

Speaking of Lady Gaga, the pop icon makes magic as “Abracadabra” shoots from No. 50 to No. 12. The track is the latest preview of her upcoming album Mayhem, set to drop next month. If it reaches the Top 10, it will be Gaga’s 15th ARIA Top 10 single.

GRAMMY momentum continues to propel Chappell Roan, who now holds two Top 10 ARIA singles. “Pink Pony Club” gallops from No. 22 to No. 7, while “Good Luck, Babe!”—a former No. 4 hit—remains strong at No. 10.

13 Feb 2025

Tyla Taps Sean Paul for ‘Push 2 Start’ Remix: Stream It Now

Tyla tapped Sean Paul for the “Push 2 Start” remix that dropped Friday (Feb. 14).

“Everyone loves Sean Paul, there’s so many songs of his that I absolutely loved growing up,” she tells Billboard while singing the hook from his 2003 hit “I’m Still in Love With You.” “All those songs are so nostalgic and special and vibey. I really wanted that feeling on the song. And he’s been speaking to me about wanting to do something, so I felt like this would be the perfect thing.”

This wouldn’t be the first time the South African singer collaborated with a Jamaican artist. She recorded “Jump” with dancehall star Skillibeng and Gunna on the original version of Tyla.

“Push 2 Start” was originally released in October as one of three new tracks on the deluxe edition of Tyla’s self-titled debut album. It became her second entry on the Billboard Hot 100 following her top 10 smash “Water,” peaking at No. 88, and spent eight weeks atop U.S. Afrobeats Songs.

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The 23-year-old artist performed “Push 2 Start” for the first time at the 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show as well as the MTV Europe Music Awards, where she won best Afrobeats, best R&B and best African act, and the Billboard Music Awards, where she won top Afrobeats act and top Afrobeats song.

Tyla will receive the Impact award at Billboard‘s annual Women in Music event, which will take place Saturday, March 29, at YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif.

Listen to the “Push 2 Start” remix below.

13 Feb 2025

Sabrina Carpenter Drops Expanded ‘Short n’ Sweet’ Album Featuring Dolly Parton Collab & More: Stream It Now

Sabrina Carpenter‘s Short n’ Sweet era just got even sweeter. The 25-year-old pop star unveiled the deluxe edition of her Billboard 200 chart-topping album on Friday (Feb. 14) as the ultimate Valentine’s Day gift to her fans.

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She announced the expanded version of the project earlier this month, just two days after winning her first-ever Grammys. Short n’ Sweet deluxe features a new version of “Please Please Please” featuring Dolly Parton, plus bonus tracks like “15 Minutes,” “Couldn’t Make It Any Harder,” “Busy Woman” and “Bad Reviews.”

“Yes that does say featuring Miss Dolly Parton…. ???she wouldn’t want me to swear but holy s–t!!!!!” Carpenter wrote alongside the social media announcement. Her original LP arrived in August and spent two weeks atop the Billboard 200, marking Carpenter’s first-ever No. 1 album.

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“Please Please Please” became Carpenter’s first chart-topper on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and earned the star a Grammy nod for song of the year at the 2025 awards, though she ultimately lost to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” However, she didn’t go home empty handed. Of her six nominations at this year’s ceremony, her Short n’ Sweet lead single “Espresso” won best pop solo performance, while the album won best pop vocal album.

Carpenter wrapped the North American leg of her Short n’ Sweet tour in the fall, and is gearing up to take the trek to the United Kingdom and Europe, kicking off on March 3 in Dublin, Ireland.

Listen to Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet deluxe version in full below.

13 Feb 2025

Blue Note Jazz Club’s London Expansion at Risk Over Fears of Rising Crime

Plans for New York City’s iconic Blue Note Jazz Club to expand to the U.K. could be at risk, with London’s Metropolitan Police Service expressing fears of a potential “uptick in crime”.

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According to The Standard, plans are in place for a 350-seat venue to be established in the basement of the St Martins Lane hotel in Covent Garden. If the application is approved, the venue would be open until 1am, seven days a week.

However, a Licensing Sub-Committee Report from the City of Westminster has outlined a number of objections from the local police enforcement, who have objected to the venue’s construction on the grounds it would undermine the licensing objective of “prevention of crime and disorder”.

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Airing their fears at a hearing with the Council on Thursday (Feb. 13), officers claimed that granting the application for the venue would “expose more people to crime and disorder in the immediate area and further afield”. The report issued by the City of Westminster also included diagrams outlining antisocial behavior, robbery, theft, and violence in the immediate area, with the Metropolitan Police Service stating their belief that the addition of the new venue “could add to crime, disorder and public nuisance within the immediate area”.

“Police are concerned that if the LSC grant this application within the CIZ [the West End Cumulative Impact Zone], there would be an increase in demand on an already overstretched police service and other emergency services,” the report added, noting that despite their objections, police have however met with the applicant to discuss matters.

The report and hearing also included statements from unnamed local residents who shared their concerns and suggestions for the potential venue. These included recommendations that the venue’s operating hours be limited to 11pm in order to limit the “potential for crime and exploitation of vulnerable jazz lovers“

“It is suggested that it is extremely likely that some of the dispersing jazz lovers may be inebriated to a greater [or] lesser extent [or] perhaps slightly disorientated by their emergence in to the cool night air,” one resident wrote. “They will be immediately vulnerable to the gangs of criminals who already prey on similar groups of people in the Soho area. The 1:00 am exit could become a crime hot spot.”

The applicant has however responded to these concerns in the report, noting that a 1am closing time is “integral to the music scheduling in the basement and the viability of the cultural use” of the venue.

If the application for the venue is approved, it would become the latest iteration of the Blue Note Jazz Club to open around the world, and the first in the U.K.. Founded in New York City in 1981, the club has since expanded to other locations throughout the U.S. (including venues in California and Hawaii), and internationally (including Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Milan, Beijing, and Shanghai).

13 Feb 2025

Drake & PartyNextDoor Return With ‘$ome $exy $ongs 4 U’ Album: Stream It Now

The long-awaited joint album from Drake and PartyNextDoor is finally here. The years-in-the-making project, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U hit streaming services on Friday (Feb. 14) to spice up Valentine’s Day for the lovers and hopeless romantics out there.

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$ome $exy $ongs 4 U is loaded with 21 tracks and 74 minutes of runtime. The effort is Drake’s first full-length project since 2023’s For All The Dogs (outside of the 100 Gigs EP drop) and PartyNextDoor’s P4, which dropped in 2024.

Drake brought out PND earlier this week during a concert in Melbourne as his OVO signee surprised the Australian crowd on his Anita Max Wynn Tour.

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“I got an album coming out on Feb. 14 with my brother PartyNextDoor. It’s called $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, but it’s some turned-up songs for you on there, too, and there’s some personal feelings on there for you,” Drake told the crowd during a show. “Hopefully, whoever you’re with on Valentine’s Day, hopefully y’all can share that experience together.”

The 6 God will have plenty of new music to perform when he hits the stage this weekend in Sydney where he’ll hit the stage for a handful of shows before heading to Brisbane.

Drake also revealed the cover art for $$$4U earlier this week, which finds Drizzy and PND rocking fur coats in front of the Marilyn Monroe Towers in Canada.

The duo has shown off their potent chemistry in the past on tracks such as “Come and See Me,” “Recognize,” “Members Only,” “Loyal,” “Preach, “Since Way Back” and more.

Stream $$$4U below.

13 Feb 2025

JISOO’s Debut Solo Mini-Album ‘AMORTAGE’ Is Here: Stream It Now

It’s JISOO’s time to shine. The star, who recently celebrated her 30th birthday, unveiled her highly anticipated debut solo mini-album, AMORTAGE, fittingly on Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14).

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The four-song mini-album includes the tracks “Earthquake,” “Your Love,” “Tears” and “Hugs & Kisses.” Blissoo and The Wavys produced all the songs, while JISOO co-wrote all four tracks alongside Jordan Roman and a series of collaborators. The K-pop superstar previously revealed that the project’s unique title is a mash-up representing “a montage of love.”

JISOO made her solo debut in 2023 with the singles “FLOWER” and “All Eyes on Me,” but AMORTAGE will represent her first full project outside of BLACKPINK, following on the heels of solo efforts from members LISA, JENNIE and ROSÉ. As part of BLACKPINK, she’s notched nine songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and became the third South Korean act ever to top the Billboard 200 with sophomore album, Born Pink. In 2023, the group made history as the first Korean act to headline Coachella.

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AMORTAGE also marks JISOO’s first project since she signed a global label deal with Warner Records for her solo output in January. “I’m excited about this new era and the continuation of my musical journey,” she said at the time of the announcement. “I feel like I’m just getting started and I’d like to thank the BLINKs for all of their love and support. This is just the beginning and I’m thrilled to kick off this seismic moment with Warner Records.”

Listen to JISOO’s AMORTAGE in full below.