Music News

22 Aug 2024

Lainey Wilson’s ‘Whirlwind’ Is Here: Stream It Now

Lainey Wilson, one of country music’s brightest stars, is back with her latest album, Whirlwind, released today (Aug. 23) via BBR Music Group/BMG.

The album follows her critically acclaimed 2022 project Bell Bottom Country, which took home the Grammy for Best Country Album.

Whirlwind features 14 tracks, including standout singles “4x4xU” and “Ring Finger,” showcasing Wilson’s signature blend of storytelling and Southern charm.

The album also includes a collaboration with Miranda Lambert on the track “Good Horses,” a track that reflects the pull between life on the road and the comforts of home that was written at Lambert’s farm.

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“Miranda said, ‘Come hang out and take a nap. Me and Brendan [McLoughlin, Lambert’s husband] will feed you and then maybe we can write a song.’ They made burgers and pasta, we had everything,” Wilson told Billboard in a recent interview.

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“I had this [song] idea for quite a while and a lot of people had passed us up on writing it. Looking back on it, I’m glad they did because it was supposed to be us who wrote it together. But I think the magic kind of came from me and her having a lot in common when it comes to that love of the road, having a gypsy soul.”

Fans can expect a mix of emotions and experiences throughout the album, as Wilson digs deep into her life, love, and career.

“For this, it had to be quality over quantity. I couldn’t write 200 songs to get to my 14 [songs on Whirlwind]. I had to map out what I want to share, where do I want to get vulnerable, and really figure out the message I want to bring,” about the writing process for Whirlwind.

Wilson has been on a roll lately, earning accolades such as CMA Entertainer of the Year, ACM Entertainer of the Year, and a recent induction into the Grand Ole Opry.

Stream Lainey Wilson’s Whirlwind in full below.

22 Aug 2024

Sabrina Carpenter Serves Up Her ‘Short n’ Sweet’ Album: Stream It Now

Sabrina Carpenter is keeping it Short n’ Sweet with her sixth studio album, which officially arrived on Friday (Aug. 23).

The album features previously released singles “Espresso” and her Billboard Hot 100 chart topper “Please Please Please.” Along with the album release, Carpenter also dropped the thriller-inspired music video for “Taste,” starring Wednesday actress Jenna Ortega.

Short n’ Sweet follows 2021’s Emails I Can’t Send, which features hits like “Nonsense,” “Feather” and “Because I Liked a Boy.” The album peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, marking Carpenter’s highest-charting effort on the tally.

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“I called it Short n’ Sweet for multiple reasons. It was not because I’m vertically challenged. It was really like I thought about some of these relationships and how some of them were the shortest I’ve ever had and they affected me the most,” she told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe of the project. “I think about the way that I respond to situations, and sometimes it is very nice and sometimes it’s not very nice. And again, the thing about albums, projects, writing songs, it’s all moments. So harder for other people to understand that when they’re listening to something that’s going to take them through maybe a lot of years, hopefully a lot of years, is that I’m not the same person that I was when I wrote that.”

Stream Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet in full below.

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22 Aug 2024

Four MLS Stars Reveal Their Apple Music ‘The Warm-Up’ Pre-Game Playlist Picks

The worlds of sports and music often collide, and the cultures have become synonymous with one another. Four MLS superstars have revealed what’s getting them in the zone before they hit the pitch to dominate.

On Thursday night (Aug. 22) Apple Music launched The Warm-Up playlists curated by FC Cincinnati’s Luciano “Lucho” Acosta, Nashville SC’s Hany Mukhtar, LAFC’s Denis Bouanga and Columbus Crew member Cucho Hernández.

“Music helps me to release tension and lets me focus,” Acosta told Apple Music. He blends the worlds of hip-hop and reggaeton for his pregame jams, with picks like Kendrick Lamar’s atomic Drake diss “Not Like Us,” as well as a mix of Bad Bunny, Nicky Jam, Anuel AA and Feid.

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Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” could motivate the laziest of individuals to run through a wall. Mukhtar brings that same intensity to Nashville SC as a rap savant with playlist selections including Drake, Cardi B, Lil Durk, Lil Baby, Travis Scott, Rick Ross, Meek Mill and more.

While Bouanga relocated to the West Coast to suit up for LAFC, the star winger still favors his French roots with rappers such as SDM, Maes and Niska. He’s still nuanced in American rap, with Pop Smoke, Drake, DMX, Travis Scott being some of his favorites.

“Music plays an essential role in the preparation of my match. It allows me to put myself in my bubble and not think of anything at all. Once the headphones are removed, motivation and determination is already present. I just have to go to the field and win,” he said to Apple Music of his picks. “They make me do the ‘butterfly effect,’ which means making me move my head and sing!”

With Cucho Hernández thousands of miles away from Colombia, the talented striker gets a taste of home with Colombian Vallenato across his pre-game playlist. He presses “play” on Anuel AA, Bad Bunny, Maluma, J Balvin and more before taking the field.

“Music cheers me up,” the 25-year-old shared with Apple Music. “Helps me focus before training, concentrates us in the locker room, helps me concentrate and boost my vibes.”

Fans can catch Hernández and Bouanga in action on Sunday (Aug. 25) when they match up as part of the Leagues Cup, which can be streamed exclusively on Apple TV.

Listen to the players’ playlists below:

Hany Mukhtar:

Luciano Acosta:

Denis Bouanga:

Cucho Hernández:

22 Aug 2024

P!nk Asks ‘What About Us’ in Moving 2024 DNC Performance With Daughter Willow

P!nk assembled her own powerful girl group at Thursday’s (Aug. 22) final night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention, joining daughter Willow Sage Hart, three backup singers and one acoustic guitar to perform an unplugged version of her top 20 Billboard Hot 100 hit “What About Us.”

The septet hit the stage at Chicago’s United Center to perform the 2017 Beautiful Trauma single, and it was particularly poignant for P!nk to be joined by her 13-year-old daughter for the performance after a string of parents and students spoke about the deathly realities of gun violence in America and how it’s impacting schools across the nation.

P!nk kicked off the song with the lyric “We are searchlights, we can see in the dark/ We are rockets, pointed up at the stars,” before Willow took over vocals to sing in her sweet soprano: “We are billions of beautiful hearts/ And you sold us down the river too far.”

Willow previously joined her pop-superstar mom on the 2021 duet “Cover Me in Sunshine,” which was recorded and released when she was just 9 years old.

Before P!nk took the stage Thursday night, The Chicks performed an a cappella rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner”; the country trio previously performed the national anthem at 2020’s virtual DNC. Other DNC performers this week included Jason Isbell and Mickey Guyton on Monday; Patti LaBelle and Common on Tuesday; and Maren Morris, Stevie Wonder and John Legend with Sheila E. on Wednesday.

Vice President Kamala Harris is set to close the final night of the DNC by accepting the Democratic nomination for president.

Watch P!nk’s performance below:

22 Aug 2024

The Chicks Bring Intricate Harmonies to the National Anthem at 2024 DNC

The Chicks hit the stage at the 2024 Democratic National Convention on Thursday night (Aug. 22) to play “The Star Spangled Banner,” on the fourth and final day of the DNC at Chicago’s United Center before a crowd fired up and waiting for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris to speak.

Introduced as the winners of 13 Grammy Awards and the “biggest-selling U.S. female group of all time,” the trio — Natalie Maines and sisters Emily Strayer and Martie Maguire — walked out, clad in muted gray and black outfits, and said not a word before delivered a stunning a cappella version of the anthem filled with intricate, layered harmonies. With beaming grins and waves, they left the stage.

The trio plugged their performance on their X account a few hours before, reminding followers to “Use your voice. Use your vote.”

This wasn’t The Chicks’ first DNC appearance: The country trio also performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” at 2020’s virtual Democratic National Convention in support of President Biden’s nomination. For that livestream performance, The Chicks could be seen in a three-way split screen, beautifully harmonizing on the national anthem.

It was more than 20 years ago, in 2003, when The Chicks — then known as the Dixie Chicks — were blasted by conservatives after Maines said from a London stage that the band was ashamed to be from the same state as then-President George W. Bush for his role in the U.S. war with Iraq. The backlash was fast and furious, with some radio stations pulling their music and the group retreating from the country music community. The group released the pointed “Not Ready to Make Nice” in 2006, with the song taking home the Grammy for song and record of the year in 2007. While they toured fairly regularly, the band did not release a new album until 2020’s Gaslighter.

The country and Americana genres was well-represented throughout the week, with Mickey Guyton and Jason Isbell both performing on Monday night’s day 1 and Maren Morris playing on Wednesday’s day 3.

22 Aug 2024

Coldplay Unveils ‘We Pray’ With Little Simz, Burna Boy, Elyanna & TINI

Coldplay is less than two months away from releasing a new LP, and the band dropped a new single on Thursday (Aug. 22), “We Pray,” featuring Little Simz, Burna Boy, Elyanna and TINI.

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“I know somewhere that heaven is waitin’/ And so we pray/ I know somewhere there’s something amazin’/ And so we pray/ I know somewhere we’ll feel no pain/ Until we make it to the end of the day,” the uplifting chorus delcares.

Coldplay is currently in the midst of their massive Music of the Spheres World Tour. According to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, the run has grossed $945.7 million and sold 8.8 million tickets since launching in March 2022. That makes it both the highest-grossing and best-selling trek among rock acts in the almost-40 years that Boxscore has been tracking concert data.

The group is gearing up to release their 10th studio album, Moon Music, which is set to drop on Oct. 4 and and is led by LP’s first single, “feelslikeimfallinginlove.” In line with the foursome’s long-standing eco-ethics, Coldplay has “gone to great lengths” to make the physical release of Moon Music “as sustainable as possible,” according to a statement.

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Each 140g LP will contain some nine recycled PET-plastic bottles recovered from post-consumer waste, and the CD version are said be the “world’s first” to be released on EcoCD, created from 90% recycled polycarbonate, also sourced from post-consumer waste.

Listen to “We Pray” below.

22 Aug 2024

Big Sean Apparently Responds to Baby Keem Biting Allegations: ‘Must Not Be Familiar’

Big Sean took to X last night and addressed biting accusations brought forth by some rap fans.

The Detroit rapper dropped the video for his month-old single “Yes” a couple of days ago and some immediately accused him of using Baby Keem‘s flow, leading to both rappers trending on X. “We really live in a world where baby keem has 40 year old sons,” one X user said, while another tweeted, “Kendrick and Baby Keem bout to send Big Sean a cease and desist.”

Later that night, Sean tweeted, “Must not be familiar wit my game,” seemingly in reference to the chatter online.

Fans tried to bring up Big Sean and Kendrick Lamar‘s (Keem’s older cousin) history of beef, but Sean recently told Charlamagne Tha God that they’ve settled things. “We already talked about it. I already got an apology for it,” he said in regards to a version of Lamar’s song “Element” that leaked in 2019. “I ain’t really had too much communication with him since then and you know, I represent a lot of people from my city from where I come from, fans of mine who think I didn’t stand on my sh—t and that’s not the case.”

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In that version, Lamar rapped, “Big Sean keep sneak dissin,’ I let it slide/ I think his false confidence got him inspired/ I can’t make them respect you, baby, it’s not my job/ You finally famous for who you date, not how you rhyme/ Cute ass raps, get your puberty up/ Then make you a classic album before you come at us/ Drake and Meek Mill beef might got you gassed up/ But I’m a whole ‘nother beast, I really f— you up.”

Big Sean’s sixth solo album Better Me Than You was originally expected Aug. 9, but he decided to push the release back and has yet to announce another date.

22 Aug 2024

Bratz Re-Creates Doja Cat & Joseph Quinn’s Romantic Stroll in Doll Form

Bratz is paying tribute to one of the juiciest moments currently unfolding in pop culture: Doja Cat and Joseph Quinn’s rumored romance.

In a photo posted Wednesday, the “Paint the Town Red” artist and Stranger Things actor appear in doll form — Doja’s complete with Bratz’s signature pout — wearing re-creations of the outfits their real-life counterparts wore on a recent romantic stroll in London, their plastic hands touching. The Grammy winner models a mesh crop top and leathery knee-length skirt, while Quinn sports a blue button-down and slacks.

“Body so [tea] she’s dating a Brit! @dojacat @josephquinn,” Bratz captioned the post.

The rendering perfectly matches a photo taken of Doja and the A Quiet Place: Day One star on Aug. 17, looking very much like a couple a full two years after the rapper first confessed to liking Quinn in private messages sent to Noah Schnapp, who then got on her bad side by posting screenshots of the exchange to social media. “Noah can u tell Joseph to hmu,” she’d written at the time. “Wait no. Does he have a gf?”

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After Schnapp posted the DMs, Doja called him out on Instagram Live for being “so unbelievably, like, socially unaware and wack,” adding, “That’s like borderline snake s–t.” The child star quickly apologized, however, and both have since moved on.

Flash forward a couple years, and fans are now commending Doja on “manifesting” her seeming romance with Quinn. One day after the photos of them walking together were taken, a video surfaced of them once again walking through London on a different outing, this time showing the English actor rubbing the “Woman” artist’s back and touching her hip.

See Bratz’s take on Doja and Quinn’s London stroll below.

22 Aug 2024

A$AP Rocky Explains Why He’s Delaying His ‘Don’t Be Dumb’ Album: ‘IM SORRY FOR THE WAIT’

A$AP Rocky‘s forthcoming fourth album Don’t Be Dumb was slated to arrive on Aug. 30, but in his new Billboard cover story that came out Thursday (Aug. 22), he revealed that he’s pushing the project to the fall.

“LEAKS & SAMPLE CLEARANCES ARE DISRUPTING THE ALBUM. ITS BEEN 6 YEARS & I WANNA MAKE THE BEST ALBUM EVER. IM SORRY FOR THE WAIT,” he wrote on X in response to NFR Podcast sharing Billboard‘s reporting about Rocky’s delayed album release.

The Harlem rapper (real name Rakim Mayers) told Billboard that Don’t Be Dumb will feature frequent collaborator and friend Tyler, The Creator and Morrissey and an all-star roster of producers, including Pharrell Williams, Mike Dean, Hitkidd, Madlib, Metro Boomin and The Alchemist. “I sat and I played the album for Tim Burton, and he was f—ing with it heavy,” he said, adding that the Beetlejuice director was “rocking his head” while listening to it. “He’s like, ‘Wow! I didn’t know you made that kind of music!’”

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Don’t Be Dumb will arrive six years after Testing, which was released on May 25, 2018, via ASAP Worldwide, Polo Grounds Music and RCA Records. The 15-track project featured collaborations with Moby, T.I. and Kid Cudi (“A$AP Forever REMIX”), FKA twigs (“Fukk Sleep”), Skepta (“Praise The Lord (Da Shine)”), Kodak Black (“CALLDROPS”), Juicy J (“Gunz N Better”), French Montana (“Brotha Man”) and Frank Ocean (“Purity”). It reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and No. 3 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.

22 Aug 2024

Lady Gaga Thanks Fans for ‘Die With a Smile’ Love: ‘The Power of Music Is Real’

Lady Gaga took to Instagram on Thursday (Aug. 22) to celebrate the love she and Bruno Mars have received for their swoon-worthy new collaboration, “Die With a Smile.”

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“Watching fans from all over the world celebrate this music has meant so much to me, to see the words of the song touch your heart and the video provoke this huge wave of dancing and fun is beautiful to watch and I’m so grateful,” she wrote alongside a series of photos, in which Gaga is seen in her retro-style attire from the track’s accompanying music video. “Thank you thank you thank you for loving our song i love you for real and i hope the message of love we shared will continue to create special moments for you all in your lives—I know it does in mine every day. The power of music is big and your love of this song reminded me of that.”

See the post here.

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Shortly after the project dropped last week, the Joker star and “Uptown Funk!” hitmaker gave “Die With a Smile” its live debut at Mars’ Thursday night (Aug. 15) concert at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. For the show, he wore a cowboy hat, while Gaga again sported bee-hive hair akin to her look in the music video, maintaining the song’s retro feel.

Following the drop, Gaga took to TikTok to share a video in which she’s seen singing along to her freshly released collab, rocking a bright blue eye makeup look as she sweetly cradles a tiny French Bulldog.