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Katy Perry loves sharing her woman’s world with Lady Gaga. In the crowd at Mother Monster’s ¡Viva La Mayhem! concert in Mexico City Saturday (April 26), the “Firework” singer was one of tens of thousands of fans cheering on Gaga, whom she later praised in a sweet message on Instagram.
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In a clip posted to her Story two days after the show, Perry and a friend passionately sing along with Gaga as the latter performs Mayhem single “Abracadabra” on stage at GNP Seguros Stadium. The former American Idol judge — who arrived with her team to witness the locally dubbed “¡Viva la MAYHEM!” show — also shared a video of Gaga singing “Perfect Celebrity.”
“Show was MAGINIFCA!” Perry wrote. “The dress! The sand! Every moment was theee moment.”
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“So proud of you and grateful to grow up together @ladygaga,” the singer also gushed. “Love u.”
Gaga’s performance in Mexico’s capital came just three days after Perry kicked off her own Lifetimes Tour in the city, performing a mix of past hits and selections from 2024 album 143 at Arena CDMX Wednesday (April 23). Much of the show featured space-themed outfits and visuals, matching the “California Gurls” musician’s recent trip above the Earth’s atmosphere – about 62 miles up to the Kármán line, which is the internationally recognized boundary of space — on Blue Origin’s first all-woman space flight April 14.
At one point, Perry invited two fans dressed as astronauts to join her on stage. “You guys look so good,” she gasped at the time. “I want these gentlemen to come on stage, because they are dressed like my most current timeline.”
The Haus Labs founder first premiered her Mayhem live show at this year’s Coachella, headlining the festival April 11 and 18. She’ll next perform in Rio de Janeiro for a special Mayhem on the Beach performance May 3, after which she’ll set up shop for four nights in Singapore before embarking on her Mayhem Ball tour through North America, Europe and Australia.
“To all my beautiful little monsters who are here tonight, it is an honor for me to be here, in your beautiful country, performing for you,” Gaga told her fans in Mexico City Saturday. “It’s been 13 years since the last time I was here. I hope you see how hard I’ve worked on stage tonight to show you how much I admire and respect you. I sincerely thank you for choosing to spend the night with me.”
Mariah Carey tops the pop-forward line-up for Capital’s Summertime Ball with Barclaycard 2025 show slated to take place at Wembley Stadium on June 15. In addition to Carey, the show will also feature sets from Benson Boone, Lola Young and KSI. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The […]
Kim Thayil says that even before Chris Cornell‘s death in 2017, the members of Soundgarden would have conversations about the band being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
“Sometimes ideas have been tossed out — sometimes as a lark, just general chatter among buddies, and sometimes as a more serious, sincere thing,” the guitarist tells Billboard. “We would joke around like, ‘Hey, if we ever got in the Rock Hall, what special thing would we do? Who would we want to induct us?’ We’d throw out all sorts of things; some of it was bulls–t clowning around, some of it was serious.
“So we’ve given a little bit of thought to it.”
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Thayil and company are definitely thinking more seriously about it now that, after two previous nominations, Soundgarden has been named as part of the Rock Hall’s class of 2025, which will be inducted on Nov. 8 in Los Angeles. First and foremost, he’s happy the Seattle band’s time has finally come.
“I felt fairly confident that there was absolutely no reason why we wouldn’t qualify for induction — from how I appraised the work we did and from what I received over the years from our peers and the music industry,” Thayil says. “I’m much more appreciative now, especially when I saw the response people have given me when they learn about the nominations.”
Nevertheless, he acknowledges, his own enthusiasm for the Rock Hall honor took some time to evolve.“I kinda came from a subculture of rock that didn’t quite get what all the fuss is about,” Thayil tells Billboard. “Back in the ’80s, ’90s, when the Hall started, I probably was not alone in being part of a punk rock or indie metal scene that had an aversion to the idea. It was kind of hard to wrap my head around both a qualitative appraisal and a quantitative assessment.”
His view changed first after Cornell inducted Seattle rock precursors Heart into the Rock Hall in 2013, and then later after friends from Nirvana and Pearl Jam (including Soundgarden drummer Matt Cameron) were inducted during 2014 and 2017, respectively.
“Chris lived the experience and said the enthusiasm of the fans was eye-opening for him, and understanding how important that was — and Matt seconded it,” Thayil explains. “In so many ways the fans got some kind of validation by having a band that was important to their heart and that they championed get (the honor). I know I felt that way about bands I believed in, whether the MC5 or the Ramones or Kiss.
“Chris explained that to me, and that kind of changed things. Plus I heard this from the Nirvana guys, the Pearl Jam guys, other friends and other bands. So it really changed my perspective.”
And Thayil is confident that Cornell — who died by suicide in May of 2017 following a concert in Detroit — would “definitely be stoked” about Soundgarden being inducted.
“He’s the one who convinced me how appreciative the fans and our peers and the Soundgarden community — that includes the people that we work with and work for us — would be about it,” Thayil says. “He realized how important that was, and he understood that would be important to us because it’s important to people who cared about us and helped us and supported us all along.
“That’s how I believe Chris would respond to this. I think he’d be very appreciative and thankful to all the people who have believed in him and believed in the work he did and the work that we all did, collectively.”
Thayil says Cameron and bassist Ben Shepherd are both “very happy” about the induction news, and the guitarist is also pleased that original bassist Hiro Yamamoto — who was with Soundgarden from 1984 to 1989 and played on its first two EPs and first two albums — is being included in the induction.
“It’s the classic lineup and the foundational lineup,” Thayil says. “[Yamamoto] was really enthused, too. You have to reflect upon our formation and all the hard work, just the weird things we went through — walking miles and stapling posters to telephone poles for a gig 40, 50 people will be at, the van tours — not just of the U.S. but in Europe — sleeping on floors in Motel 6. It’s a long way, and I enjoy sharing and seeing enthusiasm from my bandmates and our people in the Soundgarden community — management, crew, everybody. It’s great.”
During its 34-year run, Soundgarden released six studio albums, including the six-times platinum Superunknown in 1994, and won two Grammy Awards. The group was the first of the so-called Northwest grunge bands to sign with a major label (A&M Records in 1989) and spearheaded a movement out of Seattle. The late Cornell also released five studio albums and joined members of Rage Against the Machine in the band Audioslave during Soundgarden’s 1997-2010 hiatus. Its final release to date was King Animal in 2012.
Thayil, Cameron and Shepherd have played together only a handful of times since Cornell’s death, including at a charity tribute concert for him during January 2019 and as part of the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert in September of 2022, both at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif.
Soundgarden’s previous Rock Hall nominations came in 2020 and 2023, and Thayil says Cornell’s absence has always been top of mind when the honor has been broached.
“It’s a high bar, not just technically, but emotionally,” he acknowledges. “There has to be a reverence for the missing brother and founder, and there also has to be reverence for the legacy — both for Chris’ work and Chris’ creativity, as well as the regard and reverence we have for ourselves collectively and for each other. Some suggestions have come out; I’m not prepared to share that, but I’ll just say it’s a higher bar than the usual composite of guitarists and drummers or singers.”
Also lurking, of course, is the specter of seven unreleased Soundgarden recordings that were the subject of legalities between the band and Cornell’s widow, Vicki Cornell. The matters were settled during the spring of 2023, but there’s no word about plans to release that material. “Certainly the catalog will continue to be addressed,” Thayil promises. “It’s been kinda shelved for a few years, but it will be addressed.”
In the meantime, Cameron is currently on tour with Pearl Jam, and work with Thayil in the band 3rd Secret — which also Nirvana bassist Krist Novoselic and others — has so far released two albums. Thayil also guests on albums for a variety of other artists, which he’ll continue as Soundgarden prepares for November’s festivities.
“We always wanted to be the kind of band for our fans that we looked up to and inspired us — that’s always been a context in which Soundgarden understood its own work,” Thayil says. “We wanted to be that kind of band would make decisions with regard to that community that had supported us or that we had worked to build, and I think we did a great job of that.”
For Leslie Fram, the highly respected former senior vp of music and talent for CMT, launching her own company that continues her work advocating and amplifying artists’ voices is a natural move.
Fram, Billboard’s 2021 Country Power Players executive of the year, has founded FEMco (Fram Entertainment & Music), a consulting company with divisions focused on artist development, talent booking and production, as well as a B2B arm that will connect outside businesses to Nashville companies.
“I’ve always wanted to start my own company, leveraging my three decades of accumulated experience and opportunities to intentionally design a purpose-driven business that aligns with my personal and professional aspirations,” Fram tells Billboard. “Through my time in radio and television, I’ve gained a wealth of knowledge, skills and insights from various roles, industries and projects that are not just a collection of past events but a foundation for future endeavors with FEMco. Starting my own company, doing what I enjoy most, was the best choice for me.”
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The new company will allow Fram to use her estimable mentoring, community-building and networking skills that she put into practice during her 13-year tenure at CMT, which she left in September. While there, Fram launched a number of programs, including CMT’s Next Women of Country, which gave a platform to nascent female country artists. She also created the Next Women of Country Tour, which paired Next Women of Country participants with established headlining acts. She was also a fierce advocate for equity, pushing CMT to institute its Equal Play initiative, with a commitment to 50/50 video airplay for female artists on the TV network and CMT Music channels.
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While at CMT, Fram executive-produced the annual CMT Music Awards, CMT Crossroads and Storytellers. In January, she served as talent producer on CBS Presents Ringo & Friends at the Ryman. Prior to CMT, she had an illustrious background in rock and alternative radio, serving as program director and on-air talent at influential Atlanta alternative rock station 99X before becoming program director and morning show co-host with Matt Pinfield at New York rock station WRXP. She moved to Nashville in 2011.
While FEMco’s other divisions focus on all genders, keeping with her groundbreaking work with female country artists at CMT, Fram has already launched FEMco Presents, “the company’s music-focused production arm that will create multiple opportunities for female artists to increase their visibility and reach via events, sponsorships and more,” Fram says. The first franchise under FEMco Presents is FEMcountry, which will work with women country artists as “a continuation of my work in creating programs like ‘Next Women of Country’ and my passion for elevating female voices in country,” she adds.
FEMcountry soft-launched in March with a singer-songwriter event at Reynolds Lake Oconee in Georgia. “Moving forward, FEMcountry will include writer’s rounds, showcases, listening events both in Nashville and nationwide, along with curating festivals,” Fram says. “The goal is to support female artists in all aspects of their career, finding a stage to play on and to get paid.”
Fram sees her new venture as a through-line in her decades-long work supporting artists. “FEMco will absolutely represent the work I did at CMT in elevating women in country music via FEMcountry,” she says. “A program like ‘Next Women of Country’ is still as relevant today as it was when I launched it over 10 years ago — women are still criminally underrepresented in the country music format.”
Fram also plans to launch FEMpop and FEMrock.
The B2B element will connect companies and brands looking to establish a presence in Nashville with the local music and entertainment market. “Through our extensive industry relationships, we are able to help navigate the city’s unique blend of creativity and commerce with relationships to build authenticity and visibility,” Fram says.
Through FEMco, Fram will also continue working with mtheory CEO Cameo Carlson on another former CMT program, Equal Access, which helps artists and management professionals break into the country music industry.
FEMco will work with artists and companies on an a la carte basis depending upon their individual needs, Fram says.
It’s a story as old as time: no matter who cool you think you are — even if you’re one of the biggest pop idols on the planet — there are plenty of times your kids are just not interested in what you have to offer. That’s why it was helpful that Rihanna shared the […]
Mike Van has been elevated to the role of CEO of Billboard — the first time anyone has held the role.
In this position, Van will oversee Billboard’s global brand footprint in 15 countries, along with all aspects of strategy, revenue, business operations, live experiences, international licensing and brand partnerships. Van will oversee both the business and editorial teams, with Billboard editor-in-chief Hannah Karp now reporting to him directly.
Van has served as the president of Billboard since 2022, driving double-digit revenue growth and expanding the brand’s global presence. Van has also driven Billboard‘s digital transformation and continued to develop cutting-edge live experiences, including Latin Music Week, the Billboard Latin Music Awards, THE STAGE at SXSW, the Billboard Music Awards and Billboard Women in Music.
Van will report to Jay Penske, chairman and CEO, Penske Media Corporation.
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“Mike is a one-of-a-kind leader, visionary and partner,” Penske said. “His passion for the Billboard brand and clear vision for its future has always set him apart. Mike has fostered a collaborative environment with a team committed to building a formidable global business – innovating and trailblazing at every level. It has been inspiring to watch Billboard’s seismic growth over the last several years and I look forward to seeing the brand continue to thrive under Mike’s leadership.”
“It is the honor of a lifetime to lead Billboard and the team,” Van said. “Together, we have cultivated a culture of excellence. What we’ve built over the last several years has been nothing short of extraordinary, particularly in a media landscape marked by contraction and consolidation. I am deeply proud to carry this legacy forward as we shape the next 125 years by continuing to celebrate artist and executive achievements through our charts, content, global IP expansion and evolving our signature live experiences, cementing our position as the definitive voice of music business and culture.”
Van’s career has spanned media, entertainment and business transformation. He has held leadership positions at Billboard for the last seven years before serving as president. In addition to his time with Billboard, Van brings more than 25 years of marketing and monetization experience, including leadership roles at Pandora, Electronic Arts and Complex.
A day before the kick-off of her anticipated Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin’ Circuit Tour, Beyoncé gave the Beyhive a preview of the outings massive set. In a dramatic 16-second greyscale video titled “SHE COMING” the camera slowly pans from the darkness inside the concourse of Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium into the light of […]
Noel and Liam Gallagher are just 67 days from kicking off their first tour in more than 16 years. And while the formerly battling brothers have kept a tight lid on what fans can expect from Oasis 2.0, according to reports from the U.K., they recently took the stage together for the first time in nearly two decades and, as you might expect, the neighbors complained about the noise.
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According to The Guardian, the Gallaghers were pictured arriving at the Mildmay club in North London on Thursday, where they were reportedly filming a promo video for their sold-out summer reunion tour. They reportedly spent an hour at the club and made such a racket that the neighbors lodged a noise complaint. At press time a spokesperson for the group had not returned Billboard‘s request for additional information on the shoot.
Though a London tabloid reported that the pair performed and/or rehearsed during their visit to the club, singer Liam Gallagher threw cold water on that when the Oasis Podcast Twitter feed wrote, “The S*n reporting Noel and Liam actually performed on Thursday and there were noise complaints from local residents … knowing them could be rubbish but very interesting to see what comes out of it even if it is just an Adidas advert!”
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In response, Liam wrote “there was no performance.” As usual, though, Liam also had some cheeky answers to fan questions in the wake of the reports, writing on Saturday, “It’s all good can’t wait to get rehearsing.” When another fan wrote, “Noel says you’re on tip top form. How would u say Noel is??,” Liam responded of his guitarist/songwriter and occasional singer older brother, “He’s the same we’re locked in.”
Oasis have booked 41 dates for their long-awaited reunion tour, which is slated to kick off on July 4 with the first of two dates at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, U.K. Following a run of shows in their hometown of Manchester, as well as London, Edinburgh and Dublin they will move on to North America with August shows in Toronto and Chicago and September gigs in East Rutherford, N.J., Los Angeles and Mexico City.
The rest of the year will have the group — whose other touring members have not yet been revealed — returning to London before wrapping things up in Japan, Australia, Argentina and Chile before winding down with two shows at Estadio MorumBIS in São Paulo, Brazil on Nov. 22 and 23.
As they gear up to get back on the road, Oasis is also prepping a return to the charts in England, with their single “Some Might Say” expected to be back on the singles tally 30 years after its initial April 1995 release. According to NME, the song that earned the band their first U.K. No. 1 from their second album, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? looks to climb to No. 2 on the U.K. Official Singles Chart after the release last week of a 30th anniversary vinyl re-release of the single.
Paul Rodgers, Simon Kirke and Mick Ralphs are looking forward to being in good company in November when their band Bad Company is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
“It is pretty amazing and very cool to be part of an iconic American institution that celebrates music, musicians and sometimes unsung heroes behind the scenes,” frontman Rodgers tells Billboard. “I know that our fans, friends and some media have wanted this for a long time, so they will be pleased at last. I am looking forward to seeing some old friends, reconnecting with (fellow inductee) Chubby Checker — maybe do the twist?”
Kirke, Bad Company’s drummer, adds that he too is “very happy. It’s been a long time coming… I’m not taking anything away from the (Rock Hall) committee; they had their reasons, but it’s a welcome addition if you will.”
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Via email from England, Ralphs — who suffered a debilitating stroke in 2016 — notes that, “I am elated and think that Bad Company’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is fantastic!” Both Rodgers and Kirke say they’re happiest that the guitarist was able to know the band would finally be inducted, though he’ll be unable to attend the Nov. 8 ceremony in Los Angeles.
“To be honest, every year we were not nominated it was another blow, not necessarily for me but we wanted Mick to be able to see this,” Kirke says. “So that’s been rectified, and we’ll give him a shout from the podium in November.”
Bad Company has been eligible for induction since 1999 and received its first nomination this year. It also finished second on the fan ballot with more than 279,000 votes.
It formed as a rock ‘n’ roll supergroup during 1973 in England. Rodgers and Kirke hailed from Free, Ralphs had left Mott the Hoople, and bassist Boz Burrell, who passed away in 2006 at the age of 60, was fresh out of King Crimson. The group was managed by the legendary Peter Grant and signed to Led Zeppelin’s Swan Song label. Its self-titled 1974 debut hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 in the U.K., selling five-times platinum and launching enduring rock radio hits such as “Can’t Get Enough,” Movin’ On” and the song “Bad Company.”
Four of the band’s other 11 studio albums went platinum or better, as did the 1985 compilation 10 from 6. All told Bad Company sold more than 40 million records worldwide, with a cadre of other hits including “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” “Young Blood” and “Shooting Star.”
“Bad company struck deep chords” with audiences around the world, Rodgers says. “At the time we didn’t really fully understand it, and even now it is difficult to quantify or analyze. Suffice to say we resonated with music fans, or you could say we were in the right places at the right times. Sometimes the best plans are no plans, just rely on feel.
“When we put the band together it was because it felt right and as songwriters there was a natural flow, an unspoken understanding and connection between us that still exists to this day. My mission was to go in whole-hearted and deliver our music from the heart and soul to the heart and soul and let… the fans decided if they liked it or not.”
Kirke maintains that Bad Company’s muscular, spartan brand of hard rock was the sound of four musicians liberated from circumstances that had become stifling and were subsequently free to find new and more pleasing path.
“There was this air of ‘we’re free of the bonds of our three bands and free to do whatever we wanted,’” he explains. “We were all seasoned. (The success) didn’t take us completely by surprise… although maybe not to the extent we had right from the start. I think from the get-go Paul’s voice coupled with Mick’s songs — ‘Can’t Get Enough,’ ‘Movin’ On,’ “Ready For Love’ — made them come alive. And hooking up with Peter Grant and Led Zeppelin was the icing on the cake. (Grant’s) credo was, ‘I never tell anyone what to do in our bands except the lead singer. I said to (Robert Plant) and I’m saying the same thing to you, Paul — just wear something right and jump up and down a bit.”
Bad Company’s lineup splintered in 1982 and regrouped in 1998 to tour and record sporadically through 2019. Kirke and Ralphs, meanwhile, continued the band between 1986-1998 with the late Brian Howe and Robert Hart as frontmen. The group notched two more gold and another platinum album and scored more hits with “Holy Water,” “If You Needed Somebody,” “No Smoke” Without Fire,” “How About That” and “Shake It Up.”
Only the original lineup is being inducted, however, which Kirke — the only constant of Bad Company — feels is proper.
“(Howe and Hart) extended the band’s life and popularity,” the drummer acknowledges, “but I think the die-hard Bad Company fans will recognize the original lineup as being the quintessential Bad Company. The six albums we put together with the original lineup are the ones most people remember and hold dear to their hearts. The others kind of belong to another generation.”
As to what Burrell would make of the induction, Rodgers guesses “possibly cooly chuffed,” while Kirke notes with a laugh that, “He would’ve been his usual, bitter self — I mean that in a fond way. Boz was that sort of little bit of a curmudgeon. I loved him to death, but I think he would probably get slightly tipsy and God knows what he would’ve said on the podium — leave it at that.”
Rodgers and Kirke, who recently had dinner together with their wives in Palm Springs, both say they intend to perform at the induction ceremony, though details “will come a little closer to the time” according to Rodgers. Both also voiced a desire to see Free be inducted in the future.
Both remain busy making new music; Rodgers released a solo album, Midnight Rose, in 2023, while Kirke has written a stage musical about addiction that’s currently being shopped and is also planning his fourth solo album during the spring. Both are also involved in a Can’t Get Enough: A Tribute to Bad Company being put together by Primary Wave Music, which co-owns the group’s catalog, for release later this year. The Struts’ rendition of “Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy” was released for Record Store Day, and Rodgers and Kirke will play on the album — which will also include a rendition of Free’s “All Right Now.”
“It has been very interesting listening to other musicians interpret your songs. I found myself smiling a lot,” says Rodgers, who’s also about eight months into writing of a memoir for publication next year. “The timing just seemed right at this point to open up and share my story. How interesting looking back at old photographs and the memories they evoke, reminding me that I am just a lad from Middlesbrough who got lucky — very lucky.”
Kylie Minogue will be honored with the prestigious Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music at this year’s APRA Music Awards, set to take place at Melbourne Town Hall on April 30.
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The honor, awarded annually by APRA AMCOS, recognizes outstanding contributions to the Australian music industry. Minogue joins a distinguished list of previous recipients, including Paul Kelly, Midnight Oil, and The Seekers.
To celebrate Minogue’s latest accolade, several leading artists and industry peers shared tributes to her career and influence. Longtime collaborator, Neighbours co-star Jason Donovan, praised her “dedication and focus to her craft,” describing her as “a hardworking and authentic Melbourne girl who is proud of her Australian heritage.”
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Fellow Australian songwriter Kylie Sackley declared, “Kylie Minogue walked so the rest of us Australian music makers could run,” hailing her as “an innovator and an inspiration.”
Ben Lee reflected on Minogue’s lasting cultural impact, calling her a “mirror” through which audiences see themselves, and Gretta Ray credited Minogue with making the path toward pop stardom less daunting for emerging Australian artists. “She has inspired me to be courageous in my creativity,” Ray said.
Missy Higgins noted Minogue’s remarkable longevity: “She continues to tour consistently and remain exciting and relevant,” while The Wiggles, who once collaborated with Minogue when she portrayed the honorary “Pink Wiggle,” applauded her “unstoppable artistry” and “special Kylie-magic.”
Minogue’s career, spanning over four decades, has earned her international acclaim. She has amassed 10 ARIA No. 1 albums, including her most recent project Tension, which debuted atop the Australian Albums Chart in September 2023. Minogue made history on the Billboard charts when “Padam Padam,” the lead single from Tension, became her first solo track to reach the top 10 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart in 2023.
Minogue’s influence on generations of artists remains unmatched. Julian Hamilton of The Presets, who curated a special performance for the APRA Awards night, said, “With so many hits to her name, it hasn’t been the easiest of tasks.”
Tim Nelson of Cub Sport summed it up best, calling Kylie “a true global icon who has filled countless lives with joy, expression and a sense of belonging for decades.”