Music
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15 years on from his death at the age of 74, actor Dennis Hopper will have his legacy further immortalized thanks to a new concept album from Scottish rock band The Waterboys.
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Fittingly-titled Life, Death and Dennis Hopper, the record is scheduled for April 4 release via the historic Sun label, and features a number of special guests, including Bruce Springsteen, Fiona Apple, Steve Earle, Taylor Goldsmith, and more. Apple is herself a noted fan of The Waterboys, having covered their signature song “The Whole of the Moon” for the series finale of Showtime’s The Affair in 2019.
Interestingly, The Waterboys have previously focused on Hopper for their work, with 2020’s Good Luck, Seeker featuring a track named after the late actor.
“The arc of his life was the story of our times,” said The Waterboys’ Mike Scott in a statement. “He was at the big bang of youth culture in Rebel Without a Cause with James Dean; and the beginnings of Pop Art with the young Andy Warhol. He was part of the counter-culture, hippie, civil rights, and psychedelic scenes of the ’60s.
“In the ’70s and ’80s, he went on a wild 10-year rip, almost died, came back, got straight and became a five-movies-a-year character actor without losing the sparkle in his eye or the sense of danger or unpredictability that always gathered around him.”
The album’s first single, “Hopper’s on Top (Genius)”, will arrive on Friday (Jan. 9), and will preview a record which also features the talents of artists such as Barny Fletcher, , Anana Kaye, Patti Palladin, and Kathy Valentine of The Go-Go’s.
“It begins in his childhood, ends the morning after his death, and I get to say a whole lot along the way,” added Scott. “Not just about Dennis, but about the whole strange adventure of being a human soul on planet Earth.”
The surviving members of Canadian progressive rock outfit Rush have reflected on their final tour, sharing their regrets that the tour didn’t extend to the likes of the U.K. and Europe.
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Close to ten years on from their final run of shows, Rush bassist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson spoke to Classic Rock magazine about the group’s last gigs, apologizing to the British and European fans who didn’t get a chance to see them perform live.
“I’d pushed really hard to get more gigs so that we could do those extra shows and I was unsuccessful,” Lee said of the band’s R40 Live Tour. “I really felt like I let our British and European fans down. It felt to me incorrect that we didn’t do it, but Neil [Peart] was adamant that he would only do thirty shows and that was it.
“That to him was a huge compromise because he didn’t want to do any shows. He didn’t want to do one show.”
Rush’s R40 Live Tour kicked off in Tulsa, OK in May 2015, and featured a total of 35 shows across the U.S. and the band’s native Canada, ending in August of that year. Ultimately, while Rush’s dedicated fanbase called out for more dates to be added, these would become the final performances from the veteran band. Despite releasing their final album, Clockwork Angels, in 2012, Rush’s dissolution wasn’t confirmed until the death of longtime drummer Neil Peart in January 2020.
While Lee would detail the band’s final tour in his 2023 memoir, My Effin’ Life, he admitted to being very cautious in regard to how he discussing Peart’s death, but strived to be as candid as he could so as to give Rush’s audience the closure they wanted about the band’s end.
“I just kind of felt I owed an explanation to them, the audience,” Lee explained. “It’s part of why I went into the detail I did about Neil’s passing in the book, was to let fans in on what went down. That it wasn’t a straight line.
“This is how complicated the whole world of Rush became since August 1 of 2015 until January 7th of 2020 when Neil passed. Those were very unusual, complicated, emotional times. Fans invested their whole being into our band and I thought they deserved a somewhat straight answer about what happened and how their favourite band came to end.”
Lifeson also expressed his disappointment about Rush being unable to tour some of their favourite markets as part of their final run, noting that while Peart’s scheduling demands and health issues made further shows impossible, an additional “dozen or so” dates may have made the surviving members “a bit more accepting”.
“There was a point where I think Neil was open to maybe extending the run and adding in a few more shows, but then he got this painful infection in one of his feet,” Lifeson added. “I mean, he could barely walk to the stage at one point. They got him a golf cart to drive him to the stage. And he played a three-hour show, at the intensity he played every single show.
“That was amazing, but I think that was the point where he decided that the tour was only going to go on until that final show in LA.”
Having formed in Toronto in 1968 by Lee, Lifeson, and original members John Rutsey and Jeff Jones, Rush began to find widespread fame throughout the ’70s, with Peart replacing Rutsey following the recording of their 1974 self-titled debut.
While much of Rush’s touring was confined to the U.S. and Canada, the U.K. was their next most popular market, with European countries such as Germany and the Netherlands following behind. Curiously, Rush rarely ventured beyond these territories, with countries such as Australia never hosting the band on their shores.
Will Smith sent Matrix fans into a frenzy on Monday morning (Jan. 6) when he shared an Instagram post that appeared to be teasing his role in the next installment of the popular film franchise.
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However, insiders tell The Hollywood Reporter that Smith will not be joining Warner Bros. and director Drew Goddard’s The Matrix 5, which was confirmed to be in development in early 2024.
In his post, Smith revealed how he passed on the starring role of Neo in the original 1999 sci-fi classic, directed by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski — complete with Matrix-inspired digital font over a black screen that reads: “In 1997, the Wachowskis offered Will Smith the role of Neo in ‘The Matrix.’ Smith turned it down,” his Instagram video, written in third-person, reads. “He chose ‘Wild Wild West,’ believing it was a better fit for him at the time. But the question remains: What would ‘The Matrix’ have been like with Will Smith as Neo?”
See the post here.
While Smith will not be taking on the role of Keanu Reeve’s leading character, there is a chance that the teaser post is music related. Smith has not released a studio album since 2005, but he’s been teasing a return to music, including dropping a new single, “Work of Art,” which features his son, Jaden Smith, as well as rapper Russ. In April, Smith made a surprise cameo during J. Balvin’s Coachella set, followed by the live debut of his gospel-tinged song “You Can Make It” at June’s BET Awards.
He also discussed an upcoming album — tentatively titled Dance in Your Darkest Moments — in a May 2024 interview, saying, “Over the past year and a half, I’ve been in the studio. I have a project that is the most personal and powerful music project I’ve ever done. The idea of the music is, ‘Dance in your darkest moments.’” In July, Smith signed to Slang Music Group, home to Big Sean, Mira Black, Niki Lynette, Savvy & Mandy and Syleena Johnson.
After BABYMONSTER spent 2024 solidifying their position as one the year’s standout K-pop rookie acts, the girl group is looking to extend their reach with fans worldwide during their first-ever world tour that the septet is preparing with a dynamic production to distinguish itself from other K-pop acts and showcase what truly makes them unique.
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Hot off the group’s Billboard 200 debut with their first full-length [Drip] splashed onto the charts in November, the stars tease a “vibrant setlist” featuring never-before-performed tracks from the LP alongside individual solo stages by members RUKA, PHARITA, ASA, AHYEON, RAMI, RORA, and CHIQUITA. Accompanied by a live band, the tour will rock major arenas like Los Angeles’ Kia Forum and the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, to help cement their reputation as rising live-performance powerhouses. So far, BABYMONSTER has already wowed live audiences with standout appearances at K-pop award shows (a highlight of the year for RORA) and as special guests during dates of 2NE1‘s highly anticipated reunion tour across Asia (which “felt like a dream,” according to youngest member CHIQUITA).
Billboard caught up with the monster rookies to learn about the creative process behind their tour, the group’s favorite moments and tracks from last year, and New Year’s greetings and messages for their loyal fans — adorably known as MONSTIEZ.
Congratulations on announcing your first-ever world tour! What does it mean to you as a group that your first U.S. shows will be at iconic arenas like the Kia Forum and Prudential Center?
RUKA: We are honored and thrilled to be able to hold our first U.S. shows at such iconic arenas. We promise to deliver amazing, unforgettable performances that you’ll cherish for a lifetime, so please look forward to them!
The name is really fun, how did you decide on the name for your world tour? Is there a message you wanted to convey?
RAMI: was chosen with the idea of our first meeting with our fans in mind and the very first greeting we will share when we meet in person. We would like to extend a heartfelt first greeting through our music and performances. First meetings are always so exciting, which is why we are especially looking forward to the upcoming shows! This tour will be a chance for us to share our story with all of you and create special, unforgettable moments that will be cherished for years to come.
CHIQUITA: For the first time ever, we’re unveiling performances from our first full-length album, [DRIP], including solo stages and a vibrant setlist. We can’t wait to showcase not only the unique charms of our seven members but also the incredible synergy we share together.
The tour begins in Seoul in late January. What songs are you looking forward to performing for the most? And what should U.S. fans expect from your shows?
PHARITA: I’m so excited to perform songs we’ve never shared with our fans before! However, the song I always enjoy performing the most on stage is “BATTER UP (Remix)!”
ASA: Our U.S. fans will get to experience our vibrant performances and high-energy stages. We hope to create special moments with music and performances that showcase our unique style. Additionally, we look forward to connecting more closely with MONSTIEZ and sharing unforgettable moments together!
BABYMONSTER gained a lot of attention for the live “band” performances of your songs like “SHEESH” and “FOREVER.” I hope that means you’ll be touring with a live band in the U.S.?
AHYEON: We believe that a live band is the best way to capture the energy and atmosphere of the moment, so we’ve decided to perform every song with one! The rearrangements in each track will bring a fresh, new vibe while adding elements we hope you’ll find exciting and enjoyable.
Beyond the concerts, what are you looking forward to doing or experiencing in the LA or NY areas?
RAMI: I want to stroll, shop, and enjoy delicious food at my leisure while soaking up the sun on the streets of LA. In NY, I definitely want to visit Times Square!
Taking a step back, 2024 has been a monumental year for the group; what stands out as most memorable?
RORA: It’s definitely hard to choose just one, as there have been so many memorable moments! However, the most unforgettable moment for me was performing at the year-end annual music festival. It is both the most recent and the most memorable. It was my first time performing on such a big stage, and everything — from the newly arranged songs and choreography, to the stage and outfits — was perfect, making it such a fun performance.
One of my personal highlights was seeing BABYMONSTER perform as guests on 2NE1’s comeback concerts. What was your experience alongside such icons?
CHIQUITA: It was such an honor and felt like a dream to perform on stage at the 2NE1 concerts — seniors I’ve admired since I was young! Watching their amazing performances inspired me to improve and strive to do even better on our own stages in the future.
BABYMONSTER won several new-artist awards this year and was named K-Pop Rookie of the Month at Billboard. What do these titles mean to you and what more would you like to show moving forward?
RUKA: As we’ve been given the “Monster Rookie” title, we’ll continue to work hard, strive to show our growth, and always present new and different sides of ourselves.
The start of the year is often a time for goal setting. What dreams do you have for 2025, whether as a group or as individuals?
PHARITA: 2024 was filled with amazing opportunities and achievements. I’m so proud of all our members and I hope we continue to grow and stay healthy throughout our 2025 tour.
ASA: As a group, we hope to connect with more fans and share our music and performances with a wider audience on stages around the world. We also aim to continue challenging ourselves with new music styles and to showcase our growth. In 2025, we’ll work even harder to ensure we can share amazing moments together.
Billboard always shares its staff picks for the best songs of the year. What were each of your favorite songs from 2024?
RUKA: “Die With a Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars
PHARITA: “Good Graces” by Sabrina Carpenter
ASA: “POWER” by G-DRAGON
AHYEON: “Soft Spot” by keshi
RAMI: It would have to be “toxic till the end” by ROSÉ! It’s one of the songs I listen to every single day because I love the melody and style so much!
RORA: “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” by Billie Eilish
CHIQUITA: “BILLIONAIRE” by BABYMONSTER
Any other messages you’d like to share with international fans and Billboard readers?
AHYEON: I hope everyone stays healthy and happy in the new year. We’ll work hard to make sure 2025 is a year where we can take another step forward and show even better versions of ourselves. Thank you, and wishing you all a happy new year.
RORA: First of all, kudos to everyone for all the hard work and dedication you’ve shown throughout 2024 — you’ve all been amazing! 2024 has been especially meaningful for BABYMONSTER, as it marked the beginning of our journey. We’ve worked incredibly hard, given it our all, and gained so many valuable experiences. I’m truly grateful to everyone who has supported us, and as the years go by, we promise to become stronger and even more incredible artists. Last but not least, we’d like to express our deepest gratitude to all the Billboard readers who love and support BABYMONSTER. Thank you so much!
The 2025 Golden Globe Awards on CBS on Sunday (Jan. 5) averaged 10.1 million viewers, based on VideoAmp overnight data, despite strong competition on NBC – an NFL game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions. The Golden Globes, hosted for the first time by Nikki Glaser, were held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.
The live-streaming audience was up 9% from last year on Paramount+ and the CBS App, according to CBS.
The 2025 Golden Globes was the most social Golden Globes show ever, up +124% year-over-year according to Social Content Ratings and Quid Monitor. The program drove 40 million social interactions on show night.
This was the show’s second year on CBS, with streaming on Paramount+. The show aired on NBC for all but two years from 1996 to 2023. The show didn’t air in 2008 due to a strike by the Writers Guild of America or in 2022, when the organization was regrouping following heavy criticism of its voting body and ethics.
Emilia Pérez was the biggest winner on the film side, with four awards: best motion picture, musical or comedy; best motion picture – non-English language; best original song – motion picture for “El Mal” (co-written by Clément Ducol, Camille and Jacques Audiard); and best performance by a female actor in a supporting role in any motion picture for Zoe Saldaña.
Shōgun was the biggest winner on the TV side, with four awards: best television series – drama, plus acting awards for Anna Sawai, Hiroyuki Sanada and Tadanobu Asano.
Anora was the night’s biggest shutout on the film side; it went 0-5 for the night. Only Murders in the Building was the biggest shutout on the TV side; it went 0-4 for the night.
Wicked won the Golden Globe for cinematic and box office achievement.
All of the winners were present to receive their awards except Jeremy Allen White, the star of The Bear, who won for best performance by a male actor in a television series – musical or comedy.
At a ceremony on Friday, EGOT recipient Viola Davis received the Cecil B. DeMille Award, a career honor for film work. Ted Danson won the Carol Burnett Award, the equivalent award for work in television. The awards were briefly mentioned on the telecast, but were not given the extended airtime they were afforded in the past.
Multi-Emmy-winning producing duo Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner of White Cherry Entertainment served as executive producers and showrunners for the 82nd Golden Globes.
The Golden Globes are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Corporation. PMC is also the parent company of Billboard.
Selena Gomez and Martin Short shared a sweet moment at the 2025 Golden Globes, with the singer/actress adorably showing off her brand-new engagement ring from fiancé Benny Blanco to her Only Murders in the Building co-star. In a clip captured by E! News at the Sunday awards show, Gomez and Short sit next to each […]
Ricky Gervais was feeling a little FOMO ahead of the 2025 Golden Globes, so he went ahead and shared some of the jokes he would’ve told had he hosted the ceremony — and unsurprisingly, he didn’t mince words when it came to roasting the likes of Sean “Diddy” Combs and Justin Timberlake.
The famously crass comedian shared a goofy selfie from his bathtub and wrote on X, “Wondering about what I would say if I were hosting The Golden Globes on Sunday,” noting, “It’s been a pretty good year for material.”
The After Life star went on to let it rip with a few digs at two of the biggest stories in the entertainment industry this past year: the *NSYNC alum’s June DWI arrest and the Bad Boy Records founder’s ongoing legal battle surrounding allegations of sexual misconduct and racketeering. Starting with Timberlake, Gervais wrote, “If he’d have gone to jail he’d have heard the words ‘Sexy Back’ a lot more often,” referencing the musician’s 2006 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit.
Timberlake was pulled over in the Hamptons and arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated June 17, 2024. He pleaded guilty to impaired driving in September and was sentenced to a $500 fine with a $260 surcharge, 25 hours of community service at a nonprofit of his choosing and the requirement to make a public safety announcement.
As for Combs, Gervais suggested a joke poking fun at the music mogul’s so-called “freak-offs” — sexually charged parties Diddy allegedly hosted that have spawned multiple accusations of abuse carried out by the producer. “Kevin Hart said that being at one of Diddy’s parties was uncomfortable, as he wouldn’t leave him alone,” Gervais tweeted. “Eventually he had to shout ‘Imma Midget, not a child.’”
Gervais hosted the Globes for three years back-to-back in 2010 and 2012, and then again in 2016 and 2020. This year, Nikki Glaser led the program; and while the U.K. Office star wasn’t there to make a crack at Combs, the Someday You’ll Die stand-up did the job herself. Shouting out Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers, Glaser quipped, “That movie was more sexually charged than Diddy’s credit card.”
“The afterparty isn’t going to be as good this year, but we have to move on,” she’d continued, joking that Italian-American actor Stanley Tucci would be hosting instead. “No baby oil this year; just lots of olive oil.”
Combs is currently being held in prison — having been denied bail multiple times — while he awaits trial for alleged crimes that federal prosecutors have described as a “pervasive pattern of abuse toward women.” The musician has repeatedly denied all accusations against him.
Glaser’s joke about the disgraced hip-hop titan was met with some backlash. Ariel Mitchell, an attorney representing several people accusing Diddy of sexual assault, told TMZ after the ceremony that she “hopes Nikki herself has never been sexually assaulted or mocked for it,” and that “making light of this ugly situation is exactly why so many sexual assault victims never come forward and report their abuse.”
See Gervais’ tweets below.
Kevin Hart said that being at one of Diddy’s parties was uncomfortable, as he wouldn’t leave him alone.Eventually he had to shout “Imma Midget, not a child.” https://t.co/SwFijcB4EW— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) January 3, 2025
A recent hunting trip led to the emergency room for country singer/songwriter Riley Green.
“At the emergency room ’cause I stepped on a nail,” Alabama native Green said in a video posted to his Instagram Stories, which showed Green and a friend sitting in a hospital room. The camera panned down to show that one of Green’s boots had been removed. “Impaled my foot, and when I took my boot off, corn fell all over the floor,” Green said in the video, before laughing.
“The lady came in here wanting to know where all the corn came from. It’s from my boot. You don’t want me to take this other one off, either,” he said, laughing again and adding, “It’s real-world problems.”
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He posted other photos and videos to his IG Stories chronicling his emergency room visit; one photo depicted Green’s bootless foot (the photo was captioned “Hospital vibes”). In another video, Green’s friend gets to the important matter: asking when Green can resume hunting.
“Just hit us with it straight, doc,” Green said, before the doctor replied that Green could resume hunting immediately.
Indeed, Green wasn’t off his feet for long. On Monday afternoon (Jan. 6), he posted another video to his Instagram Stories, which depicted Green back out in the snowy woods, ready to put in another round of hunting.
“Somethin’ might be wrong with me at this point,” he captioned the video.
Beyond hunting, Green has been gearing up for his headlining Damn Country Music Tour, which launches in March. The tour will feature his “You Look Like You Love Me” collaborator Ella Langley on all tour dates, while Drake White, Vincent Mason, Lauren Watkins, Jake Worthington, Preston Cooper, Erik Dylan, Wyatt McCubbin, and Channing Wilson will open various shows throughout the tour.
Green recently earned the Billboard Country Airplay chart-topper “You Look Like You Love Me” in collaboration with Langley. The tour follows Green’s most recent album, Don’t Mind If I Do, which also includes another Langley collaboration on the title track, and features the fan-favorite favorite track “Jesus Saves.”
With a booming wave of salsa artists including Luis Figueroa and Christian Alicea, there’s no doubt that the tropical genre is catching the attention of the new generation. More so, reggaetón artists are also dipping their toes into salsa music, introducing it to their younger and/or non-Latino fans. Salsa music has its origins Cuba and […]
Benny Blanco was the biggest winner of the night at the 2025 Golden Globes! The producer was in attendance at the Jan. 5 ceremony, where his fiancée Selena Gomez was nominated for best supporting actress motion picture for Emilia Pérez and best actress in a television series for Only Murders in the Building. After the […]