Music

17 Sep 2024

Cardi B Sweats Through First Post-Baby Workout, Shares Fitness Plan While Lamenting Pressure to ‘Snap Back After Birth’

After giving birth to her third child earlier this month, Cardi B says the public pressure on performers to quickly shed baby weight is both unrealistic and unfair. On Monday (Sept. 16), the “Bongos” rapper reacted to a fan who commented on Cardi’s post from the day before featuring footage of the MC’s first postpartum workout. “It’s barely been a week. Yoh, the pressure women in the industry are under? Insane,” the person wrote.

The comment came after Cardi shared a [since timed-out] video on Instagram Stories on Sunday in which she hit the gym for 30 minutes of hard late night cardio on a StairMaster, just two weeks after giving birth on Sept. 7 to her third baby, a girl, with estranged husband rapper Offset. “This is my third baby and postpartum is a little different from my first two… I’m not doing heaving lifting, no muscle straining, squatting none of that… just cardio,” Cardi wrote.

“Sometimes to avoid postpartum depression you gotta keep your mind busy and for me that’s work and staying active… but you know what’s funny?? Y’all dragged me down when I gained 15 pounds because I was 5 months pregnant but now yall fake concerned and wanna talk about pressure???” she added. “Y’all said I was pregnant to avoid working now that you see I’m still at it it’s something else?? So yeah I’m taking this personal but its FOR ME because either way y’all are gonna have something to say.”

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The fan quickly clarified that she didn’t “mean any harm” with her tweet and did not intend it as an indictment on Cardi, “but rather society’s expectations of women and ‘snap back’ culture. Cardi said it was all good, responding, “Totally babe!! And I do agree about society and pressure…I just was never the type to care about snap back after birth. I don’t know what it is about this time around but I have this burst of energy where I want to do EVERYTHING… It’s like I want to complete all my goals in one day.”

On Monday Cardi also posted some home movies from the hospital in which she and Offset spend quality time with their baby girl, whose name has not yet been revealed. In the TikTok clip we see Cardi breastfeeding and snuggling with her third bundle of joy, as well as Offset enjoying some skin-to-skin contact as their two other kids together, Kulture, 6 and Wave, 3, meet their new sibling.

Cardi, who filed for divorce from Offset for the second time earlier this summer, has been hard at work on her long-awaited follow-up to her 2018 debut studio album, Invasion of Privacy, whose release date has not yet been announced.

17 Sep 2024

Justin Timberlake Avoids Talk of DWI Plea, Hypes New Tour Dates, Christmas Song on ‘Tonight Show’

Justin Timberlake was back in comfortable confines on Monday night (Sept. 16) when he visited The Tonight Show to hang with his good pal and frequent sketch partner host Jimmy Fallon. After a lengthy, laudatory pre-interview wind-up running down the multi-hyphenate singer’s resumé, Timberlake took a seat as Fallon assured his friend “you’re well-liked here.”

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The visit was Timberlake’s first public appearance since pleading guilty to impaired driving in New York’s Sag Harbor Village Court on Friday, where he was sentenced to 25 hours of community service and hit with $760 in fines and court fees. “I did not live up to the standards that I try to hold for myself,” he told the court, before addressing the judge, “I should’ve had better judgment. I understand the seriousness of this.”

Timberlake did not address the plea deal or the DWI incident during the visit, which focused on the singer’s Forget Tomorrow world tour; on Tuesday morning (Sept. 17), JT announced a string of 10 new 2025 dates for the outing (see below).

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The friends mostly joked around, with Fallon demurring when Timberlake repeatedly suggested that the host would come out and do a mandatory warm-up set before Justin’s upcoming Barclays Center show in New York on Oct. 7. “I’m not doing anything,” Fallon assured him. “I’m going as a fan… screaming.”

“Shouldn’t Jimmy come out and do a 15-minute set?” JT baited Fallon as the studio audience howled at the idea.

Fallon also noted that he’s always giving Timberlake advice about touring, for example, suggesting he sit on a stool and play for 45 minutes. Instead, Timberlake plays for more than two hours and as Fallon noted, does a dramatic bit during “Mirrors” where he flies out over the crowd on a giant robotic arm that looks cool, but has led to some regrets from the singer.

“I’m going to say that was my idea… After 53-54 shows,” Timberlake said haltingly before standing up and getting into an arms wide open, leaning forward pose, “I was up there one time, just, like, suspended over everyone. I was like, ‘I could be on a stool right now.’”

“Yes! I told you that!” Fallon said enthusiastically, requesting that when he comes to the show he would like to not be able to see Timberlake that well. Clarifying, Jimmy said he doesn’t want such good seats next time, getting up from his desk and standing within a foot of JT to demonstrate his usual VIP status.

“I don’t know what to do with myself,” Fallon admitted of being so up-close-and-personal. “I don’t dance… and so I just stand there and I bore your wife (actress Jessica Biel), so she leaves me [and] I’m by myself. It’s too much pressure for me.”

“Do you not want to come to the show?” Timberlake wondered. Amid the giggles and the inside jokes, Fallon teased a new holiday song the pair recorded for the host’s upcoming Christmas album, tracked at New York’s Electric Lady studio. “You’ll Be There,” described as a a “holiday bromance” tune, mixes sleigh bells and ukulele for a chilled-out island vibe, with JT singing, “The only thing on my wish list/ Is that you’ll be home for Christmas.”

The pair also played a round of “Playlist Playoff,” in which Fallon and Timberlake competed to pick the perfect song for different scenarios, including a pre-workout jam and the track they’d want on repeat if stuck in an elevator together, which prompted Justin to pay tribute to recently deceased R&B icon Maze frontman Frankie Beverly.

Check out Timberlake on The Tonight Show below.



Timberlake’s new 2025 North American Forget Tomorrow world tour dates:

Jan. 13 – Portland, OR @ Moda Center 

Jan. 15 – Sacramento, CA @ Golden 1 Center 

Jan. 18 – Anaheim, CA @ Honda Center 

Jan. 20 – Palm Springs, CA @ Acrisure Arena  

Jan. 23 – Phoenix, AZ @ Footprint Center  

Jan. 25 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Delta Center 

Jan. 28 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena 

Feb. 3 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center 

17 Sep 2024

SOPHIE Honored With Google Doodle on Her Birthday

Hyperpop pioneer SOPHIE has been honored with a Google Doodle on what would have been her 38th birthday (September 17).

The Google Doodle is accompanied by a short clip soundtracked by “Immaterial” from Oil Of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides, her sole studio album released in 2019, and is inspired by her most iconic look and an Elektron Monomachine which was used for her inimitable vocal style. Watch the clip below.

SOPHIE – real name Sophie Xeon – died in January 2021 following an accidental fall from a three-storey building in Athens, Greece. She was 34.

In the caption for the video, Google wrote: “This video Doodle celebrates the birthday of Scottish musician, producer, and DJ Sophie Xeon, who is remembered for her acclaimed experimental pop and electronic music.” Previous recipients of a Doodle on the search engine include Luther Vandross, Tito Puente and more.

Next week (September 27), a posthumous album SOPHIE is due to be released on Transgressive and Future Classic. Work was almost completed on the record prior to her death, and has been finished by close collaborators including Benny Long, who has mastering, mixing and producing credits to his name on previous SOPHIE releases.

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There have been four singles released from the record so far, most recently “Exhilarate” featuring Bibi Bourelly and “Reason Why” starring Kim Petras BC Kingdom.

Upon her death, tributes were paid from all over the music world, including Rihanna, Vince Staples, Sam Smith and more. Earlier this year, Charli xcx’s Brat features the song “So I”, written in response to the grief felt by Charli following her death. The pair worked closely on some of Charli’s earlier material including Vroom Vroom EP and 2017 mixtapes Pop 1 and Pop 2.

Elsewhere, SOPHIE had production credits with Madonna, Shygirl and MØ during her career.

17 Sep 2024

Coldplay Extend Record-Breaking Tour With New U.K. Stadium Dates in 2025

Earlier this year, Coldplay’s Music Of The Spheres tour was named as the biggest rock tour of all time, according to figures accumulated by Billboard Boxscore.

That run will continue with a set of new U.K. dates in August 2025 in London and Hull, Yorkshire. It’ll be their first shows in the region following their headline set at Glastonbury in June 2024, their fifth headlining appearance.

The 8 shows, which will take place at London’s Wembley Stadium and Craven Park in Hull, will take place in August 2025 and be the only European cities next year. Tickets for the shows go on sale at 9am on September 27. See the full run of dates below.

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They join Oasis in Wembley Stadium’s schedule in July and August, who are set for 7 nights at the venue. Dua Lipa, meanwhile, has booked a pair of shows for next June.

The band will release their new album Moon Music on Oct. 4 and have shared two singles so far: “feelslikemfallinginlove” and the star-studded “We Pray”, featuring turns from Burna Boy, Little Simz, Elyanna and Tini.

The Music Of The Spheres tour has been a blockbuster run for the British band. The tour began in March 2022, taking the same name as their ninth studio album released in 2021. The show has since taken in 160 shows across the globe including Europe, Asia, Latin America and North America. The shows at Wembley will be powered by 100 per cent solar, wind and kinetic energy – and delivered by a specially-designed electric battery system, the band shared in their announcement.

In August, Billboard Boxscore announced that the Music Of The Spheres world tour had crossed the $1 billion (USD) mark in tour revenue and sold 9.3 million tickets so far. Next month, the band are slated for 11 shows in Australia and New Zealand.

The band have also announced a collaboration with the Music Venue Trust (MVT) in the U.K., a charity that seeks to champion and improve grassroots music venues. 10% of all revenue generated from the tour will be used to support “small U.K. venues and upcoming acts”.

“Coldplay are the perfect example of a UK band who came through the grassroots circuit on their way to worldwide stadium-filling success,” MVT CEO Mark Davyd said in a statement to NME. “It’s fantastic to see them celebrating their own pathway to Wembley by giving back to the grassroots music venues that supported them and recognising the artists and promoters that are struggling more than ever to build their own careers.”

Coldplay 2025 U.K. Tour Dates:

August 18 – Hull, Craven Park Stadium
August 19 – Hull, Craven Park Stadium
August 22 – London, Wembley Stadium
August 23 – London, Wembley Stadium
August 26 – London, Wembley Stadium
August 27 – London, Wembley Stadium
August 30 – London, Wembley Stadium
August 31 – London, Wembley Stadium

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit Coldplay’s official website.

17 Sep 2024

Police Confirm Tito Jackson Suffered Medical Emergency in New Mexico Prior to Death

As the world grieves the loss of Tito Jackson, a founding member of the Jackson 5, authorities have confirmed that he passed away following a medical episode in Gallup, New Mexico, on the evening of Sept. 15.

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A statement released on Sept. 16 by the Gallup Police Department details the events leading up to Jackson’s death. According to their statement, at approximately 6:17 p.m., an officer was flagged down near the American Heritage Plaza after someone alerted them to an individual requiring immediate medical attention.

Jackson was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The police’s preliminary investigation is ongoing.

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The full statement posted to Gallup Police Department‘s social media account reads:

“On September 15, 2024, at 6:17 p.m., an officer from the Gallup Police Department was flagged down near the American Heritage Plaza located at 702 US Highway 491. The officer was alerted to an individual requiring medical attention and promptly requested an ambulance.

The individual was subsequently transported to a local hospital in Gallup, NM, where he was pronounced dead. Following this, the hospital requested the presence of detectives and the Office of the Medical Investigator. The deceased has been identified as 70-year-old Toriano ‘Tito’ Jackson from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

This information is derived from a preliminary investigation that is still ongoing. Investigators are actively interviewing witnesses and examining both physical and electronic records. The Department’s understanding of the facts and circumstances may evolve as additional evidence is gathered and analyzed.”

While an official cause of death is yet to be revealed, according to initial reports from Entertainment Tonight, Steve Manning, a longtime Jackson family friend an former manager, revealed that Tito is believed to have suffered a heart attack while driving from New Mexico to Oklahoma. 

As the Jackson family grieves this monumental loss, Tito’s sons—TJ, Taj, and Taryll—paid a heartfelt tribute to their father on Instagram, expressing their profound sorrow. They shared:

“It’s with heavy hearts that we announce that our beloved father, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Tito Jackson, is no longer with us. We are shocked, saddened, and heartbroken. Our father was an incredible man who cared about everyone and their well-being.”

The statement continued, “Some of you may know him as Tito Jackson from the legendary Jackson 5, some may know him as ‘Coach Tito,’ or some know him as ‘Poppa T.’ Nevertheless, he will be missed tremendously. It will forever be ‘Tito Time’ for us. Please remember to do what our father always preached, and that is ‘Love One Another.’ We love you Pops.”

The statement concluded with a personal note signed by his three sons:
“Your boys, Taj, Taryll, and TJ.”

Tito was an integral part of the Jackson family’s musical dynasty. He, along with his brothers Michael, Jermaine, Marlon, and Jackie, formed The Jackson 5 in the 1960s. Their debut single, “I Want You Back,” became an instant sensation, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, as did their subsequent hits “ABC” and “I’ll Be There.”

Beyond his work with The Jackson 5, Tito pursued a solo career, releasing his debut album Tito Time in 2016. His single “Get It Baby” reached No. 19 on the Billboard Adult R&B Airplay chart.

Tito’s passing follows the deaths of his younger brother Michael Jackson in 2009 and their father Joe Jackson, the family patriarch and early manager of The Jackson 5, who passed away in 2018 at the age of 89.

17 Sep 2024

Sweet as Ever: Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Taste’ Aims For Fourth Week at U.K. No. 1

There’s just no stopping Sabrina Carpenter, who is on course to savor a fourth consecutive week at No. 1 on the U.K. Singles Chart this Friday (Sept. 20) with her latest banger “Taste.”

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According to the latest chart blast, the impressive run sees the pop star maintaining her dominant streak, and if Carpenter secures another week at the top, it will mark her 16th cumulative week at No. 1 in the U.K in 2024.

The rest of the Top 5 remains a Carpenter stronghold as well. “Espresso” continues to brew success and is predicted to hold steady at No. 2, while “Please Please Please” won’t have to beg to hold its spot at No. 4. Sabrina’s Short n’ Sweet era has taken over the U.K. charts, with multiple singles continuing to perform strongly.

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Meanwhile, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars are climbing the chart with their lounge-pop duet “Die With A Smile,” which could break into the Top 5 for the first time at No. 5.

Fresh entries also shake things up this week, as The Weeknd’s euphoric new track “Dancing In The Flames” is poised to debut at No. 9, making it the highest new entry of the week.

Tate McRae is also gaining ground with her pop hit “It’s Ok, I’m Ok,” expected to debut just outside the Top 10 at No. 11, while Playboi Carti’s “All Red” is eyeing a No. 13 debut, potentially marking his first solo Top 20 entry in the U.K.

Elsewhere, U.S. soul singer Teddy Swims is set for another chart success with his single “Bad Dreams,” aiming for No. 15, which would be his third Top 20 hit in the U.K.

Meanwhile, Charli XCX looks to make a comeback with a remix of her track “Talk Talk” featuring Troye Sivan, which could re-enter the chart at No. 20.

With only a few days until the official rankings, it looks like Sabrina Carpenter’s latest single still holds its flavor and will likely continue to reign supreme when the U.K. Singles Chart is updated on Friday (Sept. 20).

16 Sep 2024

Snow Patrol on Track to Secure First U.K. No. 1 Album in 18 Years

Snow Patrol are making a strong comeback, as their latest album, The Forest Is The Path, is on track to secure the U.K. No. 1 spot, according to the U.K Official Charts midweek blast.

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If the album holds its lead, it would mark the band’s third U.K. No. 1 overall and their first since 2006. Their previous chart-topping albums in the U.K. include Eyes Open (2006) and Final Straw (2003).

The Forest Is The Path is the first album from Snow Patrol – which consists of Gary Lightbody, Johnny McDaid and Nathan Connolly – since their 2018 release Wildness, which peaked at No. 2 on the U.K. Official Albums Chart. This comeback record, their eighth studio album, signals a return to the top after nearly two decades.

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Close behind in the race for No. 1 in the latest chart blast is London Grammar’s The Greatest Love, currently holding at No. 2. The album is poised to become the trio’s fourth Top 10 U.K. album, with two previous No. 1s, Truth is a Beautiful Thing (2017) and Californian Soil (2021).

Meanwhile, Eminem’s The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce) is making a significant rebound, moving up to No. 3 in the midweek chart following its Expanded Mourner’s Edition release. The record, which spent three weeks at No. 1 earlier this summer, is heading for its sixth week inside the Top 10.

Welsh rock band Catfish and the Bottlemen are celebrating 10 years of their debut album The Balcony, and its anniversary reissue is set to push the record to its highest-ever peak of No. 9, potentially surpassing its original 2014 peak of No. 10.

Finally, Nilüfer Yanya’s My Method Actor is on track to become her first-ever Top 40 album, currently sitting at No. 17, marking a major breakout moment for the London-based indie-rock artist.

With a few days left until the final U.K. Official Albums Chart results are revealed on Friday, all eyes are on Snow Patrol as they eye off the top spot for the first time in 18 years.

16 Sep 2024

Will Taylor Swift’s Kamala Harris Endorsement Impact Voters? Here’s What a New Poll Says

Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris has not affected voter’s opinion on the 2024 presidential election, a new poll says.

Per a new ABC News/Ipsos poll posted by The Hill, 81 percent of voters surveyed said Swift’s support for Vice President Harris will not influence how they vote. Only six percent said they are more likely to vote for Harris since Swift’s post, and 13 percent said it makes them less likely to do so.

Swift took to social media last week to voice her support for the Harris campaign. Swift expressed her admiration for Harris, calling her a “steady-handed, gifted leader” and a “warrior” for causes including LGBTQ+ rights and women’s reproductive freedoms. She also called out Donald Trump for posting fake AI images that had falsely suggested she supported him.

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“It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation,” she said about the doctored images. “It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth.”

Swift signed her Instagram post as “Childless Cat Lady,” aimed at Trump’s VP candidate JD Vance, who used that description to demean Democratic leaders without children. 

16 Sep 2024

Batman to Become First Superhero With a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Batman has been an iconic character in comic books, TV and film for 85 years. On Thursday, Sept. 26, he’ll make history as the first superhero with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His star will be at 6764 Hollywood Boulevard in front of The Hollywood Guinness World Records Museum. Michael Empric, an official Guiness World Records adjudicator, will be on hand to certify Batman’s history-making achievement.

“The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce is proud to honor our first superhero on the Hollywood Walk of Fame! The one, the only, Batman!” stated Ana Martinez, producer of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “Fans from around the world will be thrilled to know that Batman will have his star dedicated next to the stars of television’s Batman, Adam West, and the co-creator of Batman, Bob Kane.”

Jim Lee, DC Comics’ president, publisher, and chief creative officer, and Anne DePies, SVP & general manager, will be there, as will Steve Nissen, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce president & CEO, who will emcee the event.

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Created for DC Comics by Bob Kane with Bill Finger, Batman first appeared in 1939’s Detective Comics #27. The Batman TV series, starring West and Burt Ward as Robin, debuted on ABC in January 1966. Neal Hefti’s memorable theme song to the series won a Grammy for best instrumental theme and sparked a cover battle on the Billboard Hot 100. Hefti’s original version reached No. 35, but a cover version by the sur-rock instrumental band The Marketts made No. 17.

With the help of director Tim Burton and actor Michael Keaton, Batman would usher in the age of the comic book movie in 1989. Danny Elfman composed and produced the score album, which reached No. 30 on the Billboard 200. Elfman’s “The Batman Theme” won a Grammy for best instrumental composition.

Prince composed and produced an album of songs “inspired by and featured in” that 1989 film, which did even better than the score album. This ushered in the era of pop soundtracks which were distinct from (and often more successful than) score albums. Prince’s album topped the Billboard 200 for six consecutive weeks and spawned a No. 1 single on the Hot 100, “Batdance.”

The soundtrack to Batman Forever in 1995 reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and spawned a No. 1 smash, Seal’s “Kiss From a Rose,” which won Grammys for both record and song of the year. Seal didn’t write the song for the film, so it wasn’t Oscar-eligible. The soundtrack also featured U2’s “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me,” which reached No. 16 on the Hot 100, as well as genre hits by Method Man and Offspring.

The soundtrack to Batman & Robin in 1997 also reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and featured hits by such diverse acts as Smashing Pumpkins, Jewel, R. Kelly, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Eric Benet.

Hans Zimmer composed and conducted the scores to The Dark Knight (2008) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012), both of which reached the top 20 on the Billboard 200. Zimmer also composed and conducted the score to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which reached No. 25.

The Batman film franchise has grossed more than $6.8 billion at the global box office, making it the 10th highest-grossing film franchise of all time.

The star unveiling ceremony will be streamed live at www.walkoffame.com.

16 Sep 2024

’America’s Got Talent’ Favorite Emily Gold Dies By Suicide Shortly After Earning Standing Ovation

America’s Got Talent contestant and Los Osos High School dancer and cheerleader, Emily Gold, has died. She was 17 years old.

Gold was found dead by suicide at 11:52 pm on Friday (Sept. 13), the San Bernardino Coroner told People. Per the California Highway Patrol Public Information Office, “officers from the California Highway Patrol Rancho Cucamonga area responded to a pedestrian down in lanes.”

The statement continued, “When the officers arrived, they located a female, 17 year old, who was struck by at least one other vehicle in the carpool lane on eastbound 210. The female did succumb to her injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.”

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Last month, Gold and the Los Osos High School dance team were eliminated in the America’s Got Talent quarterfinals. However, the team received a standing ovation from judge Simon Cowell.

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“It was absolutely brilliant,” Cowell said. “What I loved about this was first of all the energy. I think what I just saw is everything a great school should be doing, which is encouraging talent and friendship. “

He continued, “It reminded me of seeing the High School Musical movie and thinking every kid should go to a school like that.”

Gold’s community have since organized a GoFundMe to raise money for her family. See it here.

If you or anyone you know is in crisis, call 988 or visit the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s website for free, confidential emotional support and resources 24/7.