Music News
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Ed Sheeran has officially pressed play on his next era, dropping new single “Azizam” Friday (April 4). On the breezy midtempo dance track, the British pop star sings, “And if love’s just a game, come and play/Azizam / Meet me on the floor tonight/ Show me how to move like the water/ In between the […]
Mötley Crüe have been forced to cancel an upcoming festival appearance as frontman Vince Neil continues to recover from an undisclosed medical procedure. The Hollywood rock veterans announced on Thursday (April 3) that they would no longer be performing at the Boardwalk Rock festival in Ocean City, MD on May 17 as previously planned. The […]
A Fulton County judge has declined to revoke Young Thug‘s probation after Atlanta prosecutors pushed for his imprisonment over a social media post the rapper made calling a government investigator “the biggest liar,” according to court documents filed on Thursday (April 3). Though Judge Paige Reese Whitaker decided in the rapper’s favor, in a footnote […]
Jack Black is hosting Saturday Night Live for the fourth time this weekend (April 5), and you’d think he’d be a pro by now. However, in a new promo for the show, the School of Rock star gets a little confused as to what “hosting” means.
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In the minute-long clip, cast members Ego Nwodim and Ashley Padilla discuss Black’s odd behavior on set. “I think he thinks hosting SNL is, like, literal hosting,” Nwodim explains. “Like, he’s having people over at his house or something.”
The scene then cuts to various moments in which Black treats studio 8H like his home, demanding that cast member Michael Longfellow take his shoes off before heading to the stage. “Sorry, I’m a stickler,” the comedian says.
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He then repeatedly tells Jane Wickline where the restroom is, offers some more cast members some of his roast for tasting, and makes a call for more ingredients due to the attendance of “more people than I was expecting.”
The clip then cuts back to Nwodim and Padilla, before Black appears behind them, holding a cooking tray. “Oh, great, the asparagus is soggy,” he says before angrily throwing the vegetables in the air. “I am blowing it!”
Black’s last time hosting was 20 years ago, in December 2005. Joining him in this weekend’s episode are Elton John and Brandi Carlile, who will be appearing as the musical guests.
Watch the promo with John and Carlile below, and catch the full Saturday Night Live episode on April 5 at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC, before it begins streaming on Peacock.
President Donald Trump’s so-called “Liberation Day,” which marked the imposition of tariffs on all U.S. trading partners on Wednesday (April 2), was followed by a bloodbath on Wall Street on Thursday (April 3).
The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 6.0% while the S&P 500 dropped 4.8% — the largest single-day decline since 2020 for both. The Russell 2000, an index of small-cap companies, dropped 6.6% and entered bear market territory, having lost more than 20% of its value since reaching its all-time high in November.
All music stocks except three K-pop companies suffered losses Thursday, with a handful losing 13% or more of their value and most dropping by mid-single digits. Music is largely a service that operates seamlessly across borders and is mostly immune from the tariffs applied to manufactured goods. But investors clearly expect U.S. consumers to face higher prices and an uncertain labor market, which in turn causes people to reduce their spending on everything from everyday household items to more expensive items such as concert tickets and travel.
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The severity of stock declines varied by industry segment. Companies with high exposure to the U.S. advertising market were hit particularly hard, a reflection of brands’ tendency to reduce their ad spending in times of economic uncertainty. In the radio segment, iHeartMedia shares fell 13.1%, Cumulus Media dropped 10.1% and Townsquare Media sank 6.3%. Satellite radio company SiriusXM lost 5.4%. Music streamer LiveOne, which has both subscription and ad-supported offerings, fell 12.9%. PodcastOne, a podcast company majority owned by LiveOne, dipped 10.3%.
Companies involved in live music also fared poorly. Sphere Entertainment Co. fell 13.9% while sister company MSG Entertainment fell 6.8%. Live Nation dropped 6.4%. Secondary ticket marketplace Vivid Seats fell 9.6% and ticketing company Eventbrite sank 4.7%. Sphere Entertainment’s decline was mirrored in other companies that also rely on travel to Las Vegas: Las Vegas Sands Corp. lost 6.7%, MGM Grand International dipped 9.3%, Caesars Entertainment fell 9.5% and Wynn Resorts dropped 10.6%.
Multi-sector music companies — a combination of mainly recorded music and music publishing — fared relatively well. Universal Music Group lost 1.5%. Warner Music Group dropped just 0.7%. Reservoir Media was down 3.5%.
There was also a clear divide between companies that derive the majority of their income within the U.S. and companies that do not. Live music and ticketing companies based in the U.S. fell an average of 8.3% while German concert promoter CTS Eventim fell just 2.4%. Radio companies and LiveOne, which are more subject to the health of the U.S. advertising market, fared worse than Spotify, which fell just 1.2% despite offering an ad-supported tier in the U.S.
The most valuable American companies suffered huge losses as investors gauged the tariffs’ impact on foreign-manufactured goods. Apple shares dropped 9.3%, wiping out more than $300 billion of market value. Amazon, which does brisk business on items manufactured in Asian countries facing large tariffs, fell 9.0%. Meta, which relies on advertising for nearly all of its revenue, also dropped 9.0%.
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 […]
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.
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.
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 […]
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 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.