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Lil Boosie is looking for a pardon, and it doesn’t matter who the U.S. president will be in 2025. Over the weekend, he went on X to vent about a case he’s been fighting since May of last year. “My case got dismissed for a ruling that was made n the 9th circuit court .2 […]
Sabrina Carpenter’s new studio album, Short n’ Sweet, blasts in atop the Billboard 200 (dated Sept. 7), while all 12 songs from the set hit the Billboard Hot 100.
The set debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 362,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States its opening week (Aug. 23-29), according to Luminate. Carpenter earns her first career leader, which opens with the third-largest debut, by units, of 2024.
Concurrently, all 12 songs on Short n’ Sweet land on the Hot 100, including three in the top five and 11 in the top 40. Here’s a recap (with all songs debuts except where noted):
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No. 2, “Taste”
No. 3, “Please Please Please” (up from No. 9; spent one week at No. 1, becoming Carpenter’s first Hot 100 leader, in June)
No. 4, “Espresso” (up from No. 7; peaked at No. 3 in June)
No. 14, “Bed Chem”
No. 15, “Good Graces”
No. 21, “Sharpest Tool”
No. 22, “Juno”
No. 26, “Coincidence”
No. 27, “Slim Pickins”
No. 32, “Dumb & Poetic”
No. 35, “Don’t Smile”
No. 41, “Lie to Girls”
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Carpenter becomes just the third woman to chart at least three songs in the Hot 100’s top five simultaneously, after Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande. The only other acts to log at least three entries in the top five simultaneously are The Beatles, 50 Cent, Justin Bieber, Drake and 21 Savage.
As “Taste,” “Please Please Please” and “Espresso” mark Carpenter’s first three top five Hot 100 hits, she becomes only the second act to ever chart her first three top five hits in the region simultaneously. She joins only The Beatles, who first tripled up on the chart dated March 7, 1964, with “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” “She Loves You” and “Please Please Me” at Nos. 1, 2 and 4, respectively.
With 10 debuts, Carpenter ups her count to 15 career Hot 100 entries. Along with “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” she previously charted with “Feather” (No. 21 peak in April), “Nonsense” (No. 56, 2023) and “Skin” (No. 48, 2021).
Plus, with 13 Hot 100 entries in 2024, Carpenter ties Grande for the third-most among women, after Swift (36; the most among all acts) and Beyoncé (23).
Knocked Loose frontman Bryan Garris is an ordinary-looking dude who screams all his lyrics. “I just can’t sing,” Garris tells me matter-of-factly. “I wish all the time that I could, but I probably wouldn’t utilize it for Knocked Loose. We just want to be an intense band. There’s never, ever been a conversation of softening.”
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Even without toning down the mayhem, Garris and co. have scored one of 2024’s most commercially successful new rock albums from one of the genre’s most traditionally un-commercial corners. Knocked Loose play pummeling, metallic hardcore—the kind of stuff that’s forged in basements and DIY venues, fine-tuned for moshing and fan connection.
You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To is 28 minutes of pure carnage, free from any commercial concessions. After dropping on May 10 through Pure Noise Records, the band’s third studio album debuted at No. 1 on three Billboard charts: Independent Albums, Hard Rock Albums and Indie Store Album Sales. The album earned nearly 24,000 units (including an impressive 18,000 in pure sales) in its first week, good for a No. 23 debut on the Billboard 200 dated May 25. Some context: it debuted ahead of a new studio album from Kings of Leon, a major label band with significantly more industry clout. (And among fast-rising newcomers, Knocked Loose came in five spots above Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess during that particular chart week.)
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“People were excited to buy this record,” says James Vitalo, Knocked Loose’s manager for Gold Theory Artists. “They carry themselves so well and are so intentional with everything they do. People want to see them win.”
Historically, heavy rock bands tend to forge commercial inroads by making their sound more palatable: think Metallica serving ballads on The Black Album, or Bring Me the Horizon ditching their MySpace deathcore roots and singing big, shiny choruses on 2013’s Sempiternal. Instead, Knocked Loose dug their heels into the sound that made them.
The five-piece (which also includes guitarists Isaac Hale and Nicko Calderon, bassist Kevin Otten, and drummer Kevin “Pacsun” Kaine) formed in 2013 in Louisville, Kentucky. “We were thrown into the deep end of DIY touring,” Garris recalls of the early days. “You’re trapped in a basement, either fighting or getting beat up. Louisville was never very violent. Then [we were] going to bigger cities, seeing how hard people mosh.”
Knocked Loose became one of the hottest names in hardcore thanks to their 2014 EP, Pop Culture. They signed to Pure Noise Records, a young indie label best known for breaking pop-punk bands like State Champs and The Story So Far. The pairing was an immediate win for both sides: Pure Noise boosted its cred with a buzzy band outside its typical purview, and Knocked Loose got a label with strong independent distribution (the Orchard distributed You Won’t Go).
Their 2016 debut album Laugh Tracks solidified their national following, particularly with the minute-long tune “Counting Worms.” Its earthquaking breakdown — punctuated by Garris barking, “ARF ARF” — was memed across the alt-kid internet, and gave Knocked Loose an early signature song. Three years later, they’d built such a strong following that 2019 sophomore album A Different Shade of Blue debuted at No. 26 on the Billboard 200, more than 100 spots higher than Laugh Tracks, which started at No. 163 in 2016.
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As Knocked Loose planned its third LP, 2023 brought them an unexpected invite: Coachella. “We immediately said yes,” says Garris. Then the anxious waiting set in: “What’s this going to be? It could be bad, and that would be fine. It’s Coachella. It’s not our normal stage.”
April 16, as their 8:10 p.m. set time approached, the setting looked surprisingly… familiar. “We pull up, go to our stage, and there’s no barricade. This has to be a mistake, they’re probably still setting up. Then our stage manager comes over, he’s wearing a punk shirt, and immediately introduces himself: ‘We’re really excited to have you guys, we know what you’re about, blah, blah, blah.’ I was like, ‘Are you keeping the barricade down?’ He says yeah. I’m thinking, This is insane.”
It was. Seriously, watch this. This was at Coachella:
New eyeballs were on Garris. “Someone said Tom DeLonge [was sidestage], someone said Ethel Cain, which was a big one for me, personally. Then the video came out of Billie Eilish watching us play. I was just like, This doesn’t feel real.”
As Knocked Loose garnered new fans (including some famous ones), Vitalo sensed new interest in Knocked Loose’s scene from various factions of the music industry. “I’ve been working with metal and hardcore bands for 10 years, and over the last two, there’s been a lot of people coming into a space that’s been neglected,” he says. “A lot of record labels, booking agents, and managers are paying attention to something they haven’t paid attention to before. I’m not saying it’s a good or a bad thing, but it’s noticeable. Not letting that go to their heads proves Knocked Loose’s character.”
Knocked Loose capitalized on the Coachella momentum. Three weeks later, they unleashed Upon Loss Singles, a two-song collection featuring their first work with Grammy-nominated producer Drew Fulk (Lil Peep, A Day to Remember). This new strain of Knocked Loose — widescreen and hi-fi, while somehow even more brutal—would become fully realized on You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To. Take the ominous little coda of “Moss Covers All” that segues seamlessly into the beatdown opening of “Take Me Home,” or the guest appearance from goth-pop artist Poppy, who screams with Garris while Kaine drums a reggaeton rhythm on “Suffocate.” The lattermost track hit the top 10 on Spotify’s Viral 50 chart in May alongside the album drop, and became Knocked Loose’s first entry on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart, reaching No. 46 in May.
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Knocked Loose christened the new album at L.A.’s Shrine Auditorium in May with over 6,000 fans, their largest headlining show yet. Bands that get bigger by getting heavier are rare – but starting in August, Knocked Loose began touring with one of them.
“Knocked Loose slams so hard, they’re gonna have bone problems later in life,” says Slipknot percussionist Shawn “Clown” Crahan, recounting a conversation from the previous night’s gig. “When people say these things out loud, you know they’re doing it.”
Strong words, coming from the guy who’s been slamming kegs and custom drum kits with metal bats in a clown mask for the past three decades. Slipknot is touring behind the 25th anniversary of its self-titled 1999 debut, and Knocked Loose was hand-picked to open the entire trek. “A tour of this scale comes with its own new set of benefits for a band like us,” Garris says. “This is all uncharted territory.”
On Aug. 12, the tour came to New York’s Madison Square Garden. The place was sold out, and this was clearly the headliner’s crowd: parents rocking decades-old Slipknot gear, kids in youth-size tees and replica coveralls. Still, the seats were nearly full in time for Knocked Loose’s opening set, and as Knocked Loose raged, the crowd responded. Fans in the nosebleeds looked up from their nachos. The mosh pit didn’t get as big as it would for Slipknot, but it was livelier.
“You see people who get there early and go straight to the barricade, saving their spot for Slipknot,” Garris tells me. “At the start of our set, they couldn’t care less. Slowly but surely, they start to bob their head, put their hands up. Watching that firsthand is super rewarding.”
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Knocked Loose has a way of winning over the unconverted. Maybe it’s in Garris’ voice. The stereotypical hardcore frontman is some big dude with a deep, guttural scream who sounds like he’s looking for an excuse to beat you up. When Garris screams, he’s high-pitched and a bit unhinged. He sounds like he’s been through some real s–t, not simply here to play the punisher.
“I just got done telling Bryan and those guys about understanding that you’re in the zone,” Clown says. “You need a good team. A family around you, checking for isolation, substance abuse, depression, ego. You can’t just go rock out. Sharon Osborne checked in on me. I had Deftones bass player Chi [Cheng], who’s passed. He would check on me, because we were both family men. I’m checking in on [Knocked Loose] because I understand the realities.”
Music this physical is not easy to play night after night. The rigors of the road affect any popular artist, but Knocked Loose are regularly at risk of hockey-style injuries– and the kind of maladies you can’t see. “I’m definitely not a teenager anymore,” says Garris, who will turn 31 on Sept. 6. “I’m listening to myself and taking care of myself. I can’t do this if I’m not mentally healthy.”
There’s a lot more ahead. After the Slipknot tour wraps Sept. 21, Knocked Loose will embark on a 22-date U.S. headlining tour Oct. 4. It’s a mix of large theaters, amphitheaters, and even arenas. There will be several chances to break that attendance record they set four months ago.
Knocked Loose’s success feels intensely singular, nearly impossible to duplicate. They’ve been fighting the good fight for over a decade, a top-tier band in a genre known for loyal, highly-engaged fans. Many probably see a bit of themselves in Garris. The band’s support team is well-connected. Can Knocked Loose get even bigger?
If another legendary metal band takes them on tour, that wouldn’t hurt. The Grammys have nominated fresh blood like Turnstile, Code Orange, and Deafheaven in the best metal performance category in recent years, if that’s an item Knocked Loose is looking to cross off their list. But really, the core to all this is pushing the envelope with each release, then going out and slaying shows. It’s not that complicated.
“Every time we headline,” muses Garris, “it’s like, Where can we take it now? What’s the next step?”
Jeff Goldblum is a Taylor Swift fan! In a new TikTok shared by Netflix this week, the Emmy winner shared his love for the “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” singer. “Yes, I am a Swiftie,” he revealed. “My wife Emily and I met her at the SNL 40th anniversary, as it happens, […]
Future’s third project of the year is on the way. The Atlanta superstar announced plans for his Mixtape Pluto project back in May, but its arrival appears to be on the horizon. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news A snipped to a blistering track titled “Lil Demon” […]
Lady Gaga‘s got a packed schedule right now, between promoting her new single and preparing for the premiere of her new film. But Mother Monster still made sure there was enough time to keep her fans fed. In a post to her X account on Tuesday (Sept. 3), Gaga shared a glimpse at her itinerary […]
With the first quarter of the 21st century coming to an end, Billboard has been looking back on the 25 Greatest Pop Stars of the Past 25 Years. Below, we take a deeper look into the solo career of Louis Tomlinson — one of the members of our No. 22 pop stars, One Direction — and how his songwriting, originally honed in 1D, has helped him develop into one of the group’s strongest breakout artists.
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When One Direction officially went on hiatus in 2015, Zayn Malik dropped Mind of Mine in 2016, Harry Styles’ eponymous LP dropped in 2017, Niall Horan followed with Flicker later that year and Liam Payne’s First Time EP arrived in 2018. Louis Tomlinson, however, took his time with releasing a full project – and entered an era of healing and self-discovery that saw him realizing his potential as one of 1D’s most self-actualized artists, even if not necessarily the starriest.
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Even before going solo, Tomlinson showed he was meant for breakthrough success while in One Direction. Longtime Directioners know that Tomlinson wrote more songs in One Direction than any other member, penning long standing hits including “Perfect,” “History” and “Fool’s Gold” and proving his fortitude as a songwriter who understands lyrical cleverness and crafting the indescribably catchy refrains necessary to produce arena-ready hits. Beyond his musical abilities, Tomlinson’s sense of humor and friendship with fellow 1D members also ensured fans had a soft spot for him.
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However, when he did go solo, the road was slippery at first. He teamed up with Steve Aoki for his first solo release “Just Hold On” in December 2016, and just three days before its release, Tomlinson’s mother died of leukemia. He still took the stage to perform the song on The X Factor, the first public testament to the star’s strength and dedication to his musical craft.
Tomlinson’s resilience amid adversity continued as he navigated the music industry. The star signed with Epic Records in 2017 and released a few singles – including “Miss You” and the Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals-assisted “Back to You.” While the infectious hooks to both tracks could have easily solidified Tomlinson as a pop mainstay, the two singles didn’t perform as well as expected on the charts: “Just Hold On” peaked at No. 52 on the Billboard Hot 100 and “Back to You” hit No. 40, while “Miss You” missed the chart altogether. Ultimately, a full-length album never materialized with Epic Records.
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Tomlinson shortly got back on his feet, as he always does, and signed with Arista Records in 2019 – where he honed his talent as a songwriter, this time feeling comfortable enough to tackle more vulnerable topics in his music. His first release under the label was “Two of Us,” a heart-wrenching tribute to his late mother. “I know you’ll be looking down/ Swear I’m gonna make you proud/ I’ll be living one life for the two of us,” he sings in the chorus, giving a glimpse into what would soon become a musical career full of honesty and vulnerability.
Unfortunately, shortly after its release, another hardship struck Tomlinson’s life when his 18-year-old sister Fizzy died of an accidental overdose. Both the release of “Two of Us” and the tragedy that followed showed just how close Tomlinson’s community of fans is, as they showered him with online love and support in the months that followed.
After taking some much-deserved time to heal, he announced in August of that year that his debut solo album was on its way – and shortly after, he released a follow-up single, the rock-leaning, drumline-driven “Kill My Mind.” Tomlinson admitted that he finally found his stride. “I’m actually really proud and relieved to finally find my place, find my lane musically,” he told Hits Radio Breakfast at the time, indicating a moment of relief amid his turbulent few years.
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Tomlinson’s debut solo album, Walls, arrived in January 2020 and while it hit the Billboard 200‘s top 10, it was met with mixed reviews from critics, who suggested that the heart he wanted to portray wasn’t quite there. His growth outside of commercial success proved otherwise, as he had been spending the past few years building a solid identity not only as an artist, but also as a person. While some of the other One Direction alums are still finding their footing with their solo sounds to this day, Tomlinson grew strongly into an instrumentation-focused pop-rock artist whose lyrics go beyond the cookie cutter sentiments you might expect from a former boy band member.
And soon, all the hard work – both personally and musically – finally paid off. Faith in the Future, his 2022 sophomore solo album, debuted at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart. In the United States, Faith In The Future debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart, and at No. 5 on the all-genre Billboard 200, his highest-charting set yet on both tallies. The album’s success, as well his sold-out live shows on its accompanying tour, not only showed the still-standing Directioner devotion to Tomlinson, but also made it clear that he picked up a slew of new fans along the way.
Tomlinson’s self-awareness was evident on the album’s lead single, “Bigger Than Me.” “When somebody told me I would change/ I was afraid, I don’t know why/ ‘Cause so does the world outside, I’ve realized/ It’s bigger than me,” he sings – indicating that the key for solo success all along was being himself, and letting go of the pressure that fame brings.
While Tomlinson has still yet to score the major chart hits stateside that his 1D bandmates essentially achieved right away – and has been more focused on his 28 clothing line the past couple years – he’s proven that he doesn’t need traditional pop crossover success to have a bright future ahead of him. With another couple albums and tours that continue to establish his identity and expand his artistry, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him making the jump to arenas in the not-distant future. Louis’ solo career may not have gotten off to the perfect start, but it just might end up being perfect for him in the long-term anyway.
“1994 to 2024 it’s a dream. Thank y’all for getting me here,” Nas told the Encore Theater crowd on Saturday night (Aug. 31) for the second of three sold-out shows at Wynn Las Vegas as part of his Labor Day Weekend residency with the Las Vegas Philharmonic and AEG Presents, who provided accommodations for Billboard to be on-site.
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Most of the 1,400-plus on hand – including special guest Ceelo Green – for the intimate Sin City show basked in the nostalgia as couples and groups of friends took a time machine back to the first time pressing play on Esco’s Illmatic debut in 1994 as teenagers.
Nas stepped to the stage shortly after 8:30 p.m. PT in front of the 25-piece live orchestra. Rocking a slick black tux, God’s Son looked as timeless as his legendary debut. He hasn’t aged as much as a day in the 30 years since Illmatic shook up the East Coast and landscape of hip-hop.
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Esco sported his signature fade with braids tied into a bun without a speckle of gray hair and a hairline that hasn’t flinched an inch. Just weeks shy of his 50th birthday, Nas’ raspy and resonant vocals translated live with a stage presence that runs laps around rappers half his age. No backtrack here, kids.
New York was definitely in the building as plenty of NYers made the cross-country trip to support the hometown hero and the album that changed the way hip-hop records were made. West Coasters and a contingent of native Las Vegas residents also rounded out the rest of the predominantly Generation X/Millennial audience.
The Queensbridge rap prodigy kicked things off with Illmatic opener “The Genesis,” and then a classical rendition of “N.Y. State of Mind.” Nas took a moment to thank DJ Premier for working with him on the album. It might seem obvious now, but at the time, beat maestros like Preemo and Q-Tip took a chance on the neophyte MC. “I was lucky to get these producers on the album as a nobody,” he said, while showing his appreciation.
Looking back, It’s still amazing that Nas boasted this kind of profound perspective as just a teenager, while detailing the “bullet holes in the backboards” of the unforgiving environment that raised him. “I just tried to see if I was good enough. Talk about the society that I was living in,” Nas reflected. “It came out raw – the language is raw – you gotta be that way. That’s what rap is. You gotta say the things that people could relate to.”
The album’s lone feature appearance was made by AZ, who popped out in a dapper silver metallic tux during the show to join his The Firm running mate for their “Life’s a Bitch” collaboration, which brought the crowd to its feet again. Nas’ father Olu Dara’s cleansing trumpet outro was done justice by the Philharmonic.
Pete Rock’s “The World Is Yours” drums were traded out for a jazzier soundscape from the Philharmonic, as Nas ran through more Illmatic cuts, like the vivid storytelling of “Memory Lane” and the poignant letters penned to incarcerated homies from the Q-Tip-assisted “One Love.”
Ahead of album closer “It Ain’t Hard to Tell,” Nas shouted out Michael Jackson for clearing the sample for his use of his 1983 hit “Human Nature.” “I was happy and grateful he cleared the sample,” he said. “That’s what really put me on the map, because I think MTV played it.”
While the curtain came down on the Philharmonic, that didn’t mean the show was over — as burlesque dancers briefly hit the stage. “This has been a dream; life is good,” Nas said while taking in the moment. “I didn’t know I’d still be making records to this day.”
Nas and DJ Green Lantern then took fans on a subway ride through the decorated MC’s catalog with plenty of hits over the years, including “Made You Look,” “Street Dreams” and “If I Ruled the World.” Finally, they wrapped the 70-minute set up with Stillmatic anthem “One Mic.”
The celebration of Illmatic’s 30th anniversary might not be over in Las Vegas, which Billboard‘s staff ranked as our No. 1 greatest rap album of all-time. Nas continued to tease keeping the Sin City residency alive. “I could get used to doing this Vegas thing,” he admitted. “I might extend it.”
GloRilla just unlocked a new career high. As part of Memphis’ 901 Day celebrations this year, the rapper received a key to the city she was born and raised in Sunday (Sept. 1) — an honor she now shares with Drake and Yo Gotti. In photos shared by Glo on Instagram, she smiles from ear […]
Next Summer’s Lollapalooza Chile, Lollapalooza Argentina and Lollapalooza Brasil will feature headlining sets from Justin Timberlake, Olivia Rodrigo and Shawn Mendes. The festivals announced the full lineups for their 2025 editions, which will also all include headliners Alanis Morissette, Tool and Rüfüs Du Sol.
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Lollapalooza Chile will set up from March 21-23 at Parque Bicentenario de Cerrillos and also feature sets from Benson Boone, Foster the People, Tate McRae, Zedd, Charlotte De Witte, Parcels, Rawayana, Teddy Swims, James Hype, Los Tres, Mon Laferte, Fontaines D.C., Girl in Red, Inhaler, Sepultura and more; ticket information is here.
Lolla Argentina will take place on the same weekend in the Hippodromo de San Isidro in Buenos Aires with a similar lineup that will also include sets from Tan Bionica, Wos, La K’onga, Los Angeles Azules, Nathy Peluso, Ca7riel & Paco Amoroso, Caribou, Jpegmafia, San Holo and more; ticket information can be found here.
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Lolla Brazil will hit stages from March 28-30 in the Autódromo de Interlagos in São Paulo also with a similar lineup including Wave to Earth, Michael Kiwanuka, Barry Can’t Swim, Neil Frances, Zerb, Disco Lines, Kasablanca, Artemas, Nessa Barrett, DJ GBR, Ashibah, Marina Lima and many more; click here for ticket information.
The shows will represent the debut South American performances by Olivia Rodrigo and veteran hard rockers Tool and Timberlake’s first shows in Chile and Argentina. JT is in the midst of his Forget Tomorrow World Tour, which is kicking off a European leg on Wednesday (Sept. 4) before returning to North America in October and staying on the road across the country through a Dec. 20 gig at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, MO. Rodrigo wrapped her GUTS world tour on August 21 with the second of two shows at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, CA. Mendes will play Rock in Rio in September followed by a series of U.S. theater shows in October.
Check out the full lineups for all three festivals below.
