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This week in dance music: Charli XCX performed “Sympathy Is a Knife” and “360” on Saturday Night Live, Skrillex announced that his next project will be his last with Atlantic Records, Giorgio Moroder was named as the recipient of an upcoming lifetime achievement award from The Society of Composers & Lyricists, Ultra Music Festival added more than 50 artists to the lineup for its March festival in Miami, Coachella announced its 2025 lineup (a third of which is made up of electronic artists), Tomorrowland Winter dropped the bill for its March event in the French Alps, Troye Sivan was a big winner at the 2024 ARIA Awards, Pawsa announced a major show at London’s Gunnersbury Park this August and Charli XCX announced four dates for the North American Brat arena tour.
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And of course, there’s the fuel that makes it all run. These are the best new dance tracks of the week.
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Martin Garrix, “Told You So”
Dutch mainstay Martin Garrix links with New Jersey-born singer/songwriter Jex for the sugary dance pop single “Told You So.” As the duo tell it, the track — out on STMPD RCRDS/Eddie O Entertainment/Casablanca Records — has origins in TikTok, where Jex posted a video of her singing the song’s hook. Garrix then reached out to ask about doing the production, with the result being his eighth single of 2024. Of the track, Jex says that “from writing this hook alone in my apartment, to Martin finding it and bringing it to life, this entire thing has been a dream come true.” Garrix plays Omnia in Las Vegas tonight and Marquee in Las Vegas tomorrow.
Subtronics & Alison Wonderland, “No One Does It Like”
Bass leaders Subtronics and Alison Wonderland join forces together for their collaborative track “No One Does It Like,” with the result being as hard, sharp and heavy as you might hope. Out on Subtronics’ own Cyclops Recordings, the song is pure-riding-the-rail dubstep and follows the pair’s work on their remix of Creeds’ “Push Up.” Alison Wonderland performs this weekend in Las Vegas, while Subtronics will play the Apocalypse Festival in Long Beach, Calif. on Nov. 30.
Rusko, “Wassup”
The British bass pioneer returns with his first solo single in two and a half years, the frenetic “Wassup.” Out on Monstercat Uncaged, the track is deliciously unhinged jump up d’n’b and also the lead single from an EP set to drop next year. The producer says “Wassup” was started last year on tour in Australia “and ever since, has been a puzzle I couldn’t quite crack and get just right… but it’s always been stuck in my head. After adding ‘Wassup’ into my DJ sets, I had an earth-shattering break-through, and within the first couple of nights spinning the tune, it was finished!”
Above & Beyond, “Another Breakdown”
The gentlemen of Above & Beyond are having a big week, as the trio was listed on the Coachella 2025 posted that dropped Wednesday, the day before the group released “Another Breakdown.” The track’s celestial production has the same thoughtful quality that defines the entire Above & Beyond oeuvre, and is also infused with the soaring trance elements that are the trio’s signature. Another Breakdown comes from Above & Beyond’s forthcoming EP Tranquility Base Vol. 2, coming December 6 on their own Anjunabeats label.
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith & Joe Goddard, Neptunes EP
Los Angeles-based producer Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith & U.K. producer, DJ (and Hot Chip member) Joe Goddard get together for their gorgeous three-track collaborative EP, Neptunes. A no-skips situation, the EP (which also includes two remixes) has a stunner of an opening track, with the pair saying that “Neptunes” stems from Goddard’s wish to make a song reminiscent of Pharrell and Chad Hugo’s game-changing production work as Neptunes. “I loved what the rhythm made me feel when I first heard it,” Smith says of the track. “I actually thought he was tapping into Neptune as a planet, and the qualities I felt it possesses. So my side of things brought out more space-themed sounds as a result.” The project is out on Domino’s Smugglers Way imprint.
Dave Mackay, The Looking Chamber
The English pianist, keyboardist and composer takes a turn into electronic production, with affecting results. His 11-track debut album, The Looking Chamber, is smart and stylish experimental synth music, that emphasizes Mackay’s ability to make music that sounds like the machines employed in the production process are actually speaking. The album is out on Colorfield Records.
Ariana Grande is at the top of the mountain for Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 debuts, but she isn’t there alone.
In a new TikTok video shared by MTV UK Friday (Nov. 22), the 31-year-old pop star had a sweet reaction to finding out that she and Taylor Swift are tied for most songs to enter at the top of the U.S. chart among female artists, with seven each. “Really? I didn’t know that,” she said of the number with surprise while sitting next to Wicked costar Cynthia Erivo.
“That can’t be true,” Grande added.
When the interviewer mentioned that the “Cruel Summer” singer is the only other female artist with seven Hot 100 No. 1 debuts, the R.E.M. Beauty founder and Pinocchio actress started tapping their nails with reverent applause. “Good company!” Grande said of Swift, smiling as Erivo nodded in agreement.
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The 14-time Grammy winner tied the Victorious alum’s record this spring, when “Fortnight” featuring Post Malone entered at the apex of the Hot 100. Swift has previously debuted in the top spot with “Is It Over Now?,” “Anti-Hero,” “All Too Well (10 Minute Version),” “Willow,” “Cardigan” and “Shake It Off.”
Grande earned her seventh No. 1 debut in March, when Eternal Sunshine‘s “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)” claimed the reigning placement in its first week on the chart. Her past No. 1 debuts include “Yes, And?,” “Positions,” “Rain on Me” with Lady Gaga, “Stuck With U” with Justin Bieber, “7 Rings” and “Thank U, Next.”
The only other artist with more No. 1 debuts is Drake, with nine. In total, Grande has topped the Hot 100 nine times, while Swift has done so 12 times.
The MTV UK interview comes amid colossal career moments for both women. On Friday, Wicked starring Grande and Erivo premiered in theaters after three years in the making — and months of promotional build-up — while Swift is on the precipice of closing out her two-year Eras Tour in December.
Interactions between the two artists have been few and far between over the years, but they’ve maintained an outward respect for one another. In 2014, they co-headlined the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and snapped a photo together backstage — “Oh my God she couldn’t be cuter,” Swift wrote of Grande on Instagram at the time — and when the former included a drag performer channeling Ari in her “You Need to Calm Down” music video, the latter applauded the project on Instagram Stories in 2019.
“Ty for having me in your video I was amazing @taylorwift,” Grande joked at the time. “Taylor, Congrats on YNTCD. I f–king love it and the message soooooo much.”
Watch Grande react to her chart tie with Swift below.
Kendrick Lamar is ending 2024 with a bang.
The hip-hop heavyweight took fans by surprise when he unveiled his sixth studio album, GNX, without any warning on Friday (Nov. 22). The 12-track project features contributions from SZA — who appears on “Luther” and “Gloria” — Jack Antonoff, Kamasi Washington, Roddy Ricch and more.
GNX serves as Lamar’s official follow-up to Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers in 2022, which topped the Billboard 200 with 295,000 total units earned in the first week. In the spring, he contributed a guest verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s Hot 100 No. 1 single “Like That,” which launched a high-profile rap beef with Drake. The back and forth between the two ultimately culminated in Lamar’s anthemic “Not Like Us,” which not only served to end the feud but also became a longstanding hit, topping the Hot 100 for two nonconsecutive weeks.
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It’s gearing up to be an even more groundbreaking new year for Kenny, who will be taking the stage for the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show, set to take place on Feb. 9, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. “Rap music is still the most impactful genre to date,” he said at the time of announcement. “And I’ll be there to remind the world why. They got the right one.”
The 17-time Grammy winner is also up for seven awards at the 2025 ceremony. “Not Like Us” is up for record of the year, song of the year, best music video, best rap performance and best rap song. Meanwhile, “Like That” is nominated for best rap song and best rap performance.
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With the release of GNX, fans quickly flooded social media with overwhelmingly positive reactions to the project. “Look me dead in the eyes and tell me Kendrick Lamar isn’t the greatest ever,” one user wrote on X, for example, while another added, “Kendrick just opened his mouth, someone go hand him a Grammy right now.”
See below for more fan reactions to Kendrick Lamar’s GNX.
Kendrick is the best rapper alive. Period.— Ray Vaughn (@rayvaughn) November 22, 2024
look me dead in the eyes and tell me Kendrick Lamar isn’t the greatest ever— SK⚡️ (@raptalksk) November 22, 2024
Bomba Estéreo is heading to Mexico City to raise its voice against gender violence. The Colombian duo will give a free concert at the Zócalo on Nov. 30 as part of a campaign for 25N — or International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, which is recognized globally on Nov. 25 — announced the capital’s Ministry of Culture on X.
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“This great concert will be held as part of the 16 days of activism against gender violence, a campaign that begins on Nov. 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women,” the secretariat said in its message on Thursday (Nov. 21).
The band, led by vocalist Li Saumet, will join the list of Mexican and international acts who have performed in the country’s most important public square, and the second largest in the world after Tiananmen Square in China.
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The 16-day campaign of activism against gender violence was proposed as “a key opportunity to renew commitments and demand concrete measures and accountability from decision makers,” according to UN Women.
UN Women explains that this movement emerged as an initiative in the run-up to the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 2025, a visionary plan to achieve gender equality and advance the rights of women and girls worldwide.
The presentation of Bomba Estéreo will feature the participation of Mexican singer-songwriter Samantha Barrón as the opening act for the show, added the Ministry of Culture.
Bomba Estéreo formed in Bogotá in 2005 as an experimental project led by musician and audio-visual artist Simón Mejía y Saumet, and has been one of the strongest proposals in the alternative/Caribbean/dance music scene since their 2010 hit “Fuego.”
Bomba’s 2022 song with Bad Bunny, “Ojitos lindos,” reached No. 7 on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart and peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100. The duo has also received 10 Latin Grammy nominations and has shared the stage with artists such as Luis Fonsi and Will Smith.
Bomba Estéreo will return to Mexico after its successful participation in the Hera HSBC Festival, dedicated exclusively to artists and bands led by female singers, held Aug. 24 at the Curva 4 of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, home of F1 in the country.
Below, check out the announcement of the Secretary of Culture of Mexico City regarding the duo’s concert at the Zócalo.
¡BOMBA ESTÉREO EN EL ZÓCALO!El próximo 30 de noviembre a las 19 horas, el grupo colombiano Bomba Estéreo se presentará en el Zócalo. Este gran concierto se realizará como parte de los 16 días de activismo contra la violencia de género, campaña que inicia el 25 de noviembre,… pic.twitter.com/ztwdhd6e5Z— Secretaría de Cultura de la Ciudad de México (@CulturaCiudadMx) November 22, 2024
After earning its first No. 1 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart in over two decades earlier this year, Sum 41 scores another as “Dopamine” rises a spot to No. 1 on the Nov. 30-dated survey. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The song follows the two-week Alternative […]
TWICE has officially conquered the Amazon Music Live stage, with the nine-piece K-pop girl group performing “I Got You” after Thursday Night Football on Prime Video Thursday (Nov. 21). Divided up across three platforms on stage, Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu stood spread out in front of standing microphones, modeling […]
Gracie Abrams’ “That’s So True” has settled in for its third consecutive week at the summit of the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart. Once again fending off competition from Gigi Perez’s “Sailor Song” and ROSÉ and Bruno Mars collaboration “APT.”, Abrams’ “That’s So True” remains at No. 1, while another Abrams single, “I Love You, I’m […]
Redman couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw the first six-figure publishing check for hopping on Christina Aguilera’s “Dirrty” in 2002. The New Jersey rapper was blown away by the astonishing sum and revealed to Red Bull Spiral earlier this week that it was actually for more than $250,000, and it ended up being one […]
More than 100 million people around the world tuned in to the ultra-hyped boxing match between former heavyweight champ Mike Tyson and YouTuber Jake Paul on Nov. 15. Well, that many people reportedly tried to watch it, but due to the crush of interest and tune-ins, many reported experiencing buffering problems and glitches that interrupted what turned out to be a surprisingly banal slugfest.
That got some pundits wondering if Netflix is fully ready to provide reliable streams during its upcoming Christmas Day NFL double-header over the internet’s point-to-point communication system, which at the moment is not always as reliable as traditional broadcast TV’s multipoint infrastructure when millions, or tens of millions of people try to stream an event at the same time.
In particular, the Beyhive is buzzing about whether Beyoncé‘s planned halftime show during the streamer’s first-ever Christmas Day NFL two-fer might fall prey to similar buffering issues as the at-times pokey prizefight. But when TMZ caught up this week with Bey’s mom, Tina Knowles, to ask if she’s sweating the streamer’s technique in advance of her daughter’s performance during the game between the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens, Ms. Knowles said she’s confident the good lord will provide a strong, steady connection.
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“Everything’s going to be good. God is going to be there,” Knowles said of her expectations for the 4:30 p.m. ET game that will stream live on Netflix from NRG Stadium in Beyoncé’s hometown of Houston. The spot will be Bey’s first live performance of tracks from her lauded country-inspired Cowboy Carter album, which gave the singer her eighth consecutive No. 1 LP on the Billboard 200, as well as topping the Top Country Albums tally.
Earlier this week, Netflix dropped a dramatic preview video of the special event featuring Beyoncé in which the singer was draped in red, white and blue Western gear and a white cowboy hat while standing on top of a tricked out vintage car covered in red roses. With an a cappella version of the Cowboy Carter song “AMERICAN REQUIEM” playing the background, Bey casually catches a football in the brief clip hyping the game.
NPR reported that a spokesperson said that Netflix is confident it has the infrastructure needed to prepare for the two games and is working to “optimize its systems and add more capacity” to make improvements based on lessons learned from the Tyson-Paul fight, including working with internet service providers to grows its “interconnection capabilities.”
According to The Wrap, Nexflix was sued this week in a class action complaint over the “streaming glitches” in the Tyson-Paul fight. “Sixty million Americans were hyped to see ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson, ‘The Baddest Man on the Planet’ versus YouTuber-turned-prizefighter Jake Paul. What they saw was ‘The Baddest Streaming on the Planet,’” read the lawsuit filed on Monday in the 13th Judicial Circuit Court in Hillsborough County, Florida.
Though the massive tune-in was deemed a success by Netflix, in a statement the streamer said there was room to do better, according to Bloomberg. “This unprecedented scale created many technical challenges, which the launch team tackled brilliantly by prioritizing stability of the stream for the majority of viewers,” Netflix CFO Elizabeth Stone reportedly wrote in a note to employees about the event that the streamer said racked up 65 million live concurrent streams and 108 million total live viewers around the globe.
“I’m sure many of you have seen the chatter in the press and on social media about the quality issues,” she continued. “We don’t want to dismiss the poor experience of some members, and know we have room for improvement, but still consider this event a huge success.”
On Oct. 26 and 27, HYDE performed HYDE [INSIDE] LIVE 2024 -EXTRA- at Chiba’s Makuhari Messe.
These shows were an extension of HYDE [INSIDE] LIVE 2024, the music club tour he kicked off at Tokyo’s Zepp Haneda (TOKYO) on June 22. As is clear from its name, this tour was in support of HYDE [INSIDE], his first new album in five years. In 2024, HYDE also played in numerous festivals across Japan, such as the OGA NAMAHAGE ROCK FESTIVAL and the DEAD POP FESTiVAL. Although a respected figure, always on the frontlines of the rock world, he also has many rivals. His constantly evolving live performances have captured the hearts of a diverse fan base.
The show began with a count-up. At 17:06 (or 16:66), the sounds of the show’s opening music filled the club, and then the band kicked things off with “LET IT OUT.” HYDE also performed this as the first song in many of the shows on last year’s tour, HYDE LIVE 2023, but the band’s stage reveal took things up a notch this year. HYDE stood atop a towering platform, looking down on the audience. He wore a military cap adorned with Swarovski crystals, and his piercing stare gave a premonition of the excitement that was to come. In the next song, “AFTER LIGHT,” the volume of the audience singing along to the chorus almost rivaled HYDE’s. The crowd was already clearly warmed up. The band then played “I GOT 666,” which had first been revealed on HYDE’s previous tour before being released roughly a year later on HYDE [INSIDE]. As the song reached its shouted refrain of “I’m aware!” the crowd began head-banging. The audience had reached a fever pitch.
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HYDE and Hiro
Hiroaki Ishikaw/Billboard Japan
HYDE then spoke to the audience for the first time: “Welcome to HYDE [INSIDE]! Let’s enjoy reality!” From the start, the show drew in the audience with powerful songs like “BLEEDING,” in which HYDE looked straight into the camera lens, a panoply of expressions crossing his face, and “ON MY OWN,” during which he sang while holding aloft a flag that waved in the wind. Then he smoothly shifted gears, with a mournful keyboard arpeggio naturally segueing into “THE ABYSS.” HYDE also performed a solo arrangement of “TOKOSHIE,” a song he wrote together with MY FIRST STORY as the ending theme song for the Hashira training arc of the TV anime Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. The ever-changing drums were a perfect match for HYDE’s singing style, reminiscent of storytelling. The two blended their talents to open up the song and share its vision. It was a moment that made you keenly aware of HYDE’s expressive range.
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Towards the middle of the show, HYDE again spoke to the audience, saying “I’ve done a lot of shows here in Makuhari. I want today’s to be the most chaotic of them all!” In “6or9,” he had the audience take a seat, calling out “Sit down! We’re all going to join together.” He gazed at the audience, looking for the perfect timing, and then the band started playing and the audience leapt into the air as one. During the next song, “MAD QUALIA,” HYDE jumped into the crowd, one man facing off against 10,000. Strings of lights hung down from the four corners of the stage, like a circus tent, and against the back curtain was an electric signboard, brightly emblazoned with the name “HYDE.” It was as if HYDE was the ringmaster of the circus, and he had tamed the audience before him. Or, looked at another way, the audience was taking in the spectacle of a monster (HYDE) in a circus ring. HYDE showed the audience the pinnacle of entertainment, and he himself also abounded with excitement, telling the audience, “You’re on fire today! I can feel the heat coming off you!”
The deeply metal-infused “SOCIAL VIRUS,” the core of HYDE [INSIDE], featured one of the highlights of the show. As the bass boomed out during the long, heavy bridge, HYDE split the audience down the middle, separating it into left and right sides. Then, as he sang “I’ve gotta find a way, to see the light of day,” the audience slammed back together in a wall of death, combining with HYDE’s guttural growl and the band’s breakdown to create a chaotic spectacle. The final song of the set was the ballad “LAST SONG.” HYDE, face covered in blood, sang in the midst of a blizzard of red confetti, baring his heart and revealing the emotions deep inside.
HYDE
Hiroaki Ishikaw/Billboard Japan
The curtains fell, but then after some time, the guitarist took to the stage, playing a guitar solo. The movable drum set then appeared in the crowd, atop a stage erected in the middle of the dance floor. The audience called out “HYDE-!” and HYDE sprang from a massive Pandora’s box to perform the song “PANDORA.” The joy was evident on his face as he shouted “We’ve truly all come together!” He went on, “You need to live your life the way you want. I don’t want to worry about what others think, I want to do what I want. If you want to join me, be my guest!” The audience erupted in applause. “This world is just full of pain, isn’t it! It makes you want to wrap yourself up in an aura of joy!” he continued, and then called on a surprise guest: Hiro (vocalist for MY FIRST STORY), who had just announced his marriage a few days earlier. HYDE asked Hiro to hype the audience up, so Hiro spoke out to the audience, saying, “You guys are bright, so I’m sure you’ve already figured this out. If I’m up here on stage, that must mean…” and with that the band launched into “MUGEN,” the opening theme of the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira training arc. HYDE put on the ultimate performance, not just in the way he and Hiro played off each other and harmonized, but also in the shouted part of the song, when he grabbed and held Hiro by the lapels.
“Thank you for your love of this insane art!”
HYDE kicked into high gear with “BELIEVING IN MYSELF” and “GLAMOROUS SKY” as the show drew closer to its end. He told the audience how many songs were left, and the crowd went wild, focusing intently on each song. This excitement was heightened by the last song, “SEX BLOOD ROCK N’ ROLL.” “Show me what you’ve got!” HYDE shouted, voice hoarse, joined by the shouts of the crowd. “We tore things up! Don’t forget it! And we’ll do it again! Just wait and see!” he shouted as he smashed the drum set and then left the stage.
The message that ran throughout the show was of the importance of the moment. It seems clear that this ties into [INSIDE], a reference to what lies in HYDE’s heart, but I’ll leave further interpretation up to the readers. HYDE is now in the middle of a world tour, so who knows what else he might have in store before the year is out.
