Music
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With Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine quickly sprinting past $1B in box office grosses on its path to unseating Joker as the highest-grossing R-rated film in history, Marvel has given the film’s fans something else to cheer about.
After extensively featuring Madonna‘s 1989 hit “Like a Prayer” in the film’s official trailer as well as prominently in the Ryan Reynolds/Hugh Jackman buddy superhero flick, the studio released two new versions of the track over the weekend. The Like a Prayer EP features the original version, as well as film composer Rob Simonsen mixing the joyous song with even more choir voices, a stirring organ line and dramatic strings.
The “Choir Version,” which features the I”ll Take You There choir, leans even further into the the spiritual side, focusing on the uplifting gospel vocalists.
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Last month, director Shawn Levy described the process of securing the rights to license the song for the film, which included a personal plea to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame legend. “It did involve a personal visit to Madonna, where we showed Madonna the sequence where ‘Like a Prayer’ would be used,” Levy said.
“Also, let’s preface it with the fact that they don’t license — that Madonna doesn’t just license the song, particularly that song,” Reynolds chimed in. “It was a big deal to ask for it and certainly a bigger deal to use it. We went over and met with her and and sort of showed her how it was being used, and where, and why.”
And, Madonna being Madonna, star Reynolds said the singer had some thoughts on how they should use the song in the film. “She gave a great note,” Reynolds said. “She watched it, and I’m not kidding, [she said], ‘You need to do this.’ And damn it, if she wasn’t like spot on. We literally went into a new recording session within 48 hours to do this note. It made the sequence better.”
The synch in the summer’s biggest movie helped “Like a Prayer” make its debut on the global charts last week when the song came in at No. 181 on the Global 200 and No. 189 on Global Exlu. U.S.; the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks back in 1989.
Listen to the Deadpool & Wolverine Like a Prayer EP below.
This week’s batch of new country music includes Kelsea Ballerini‘s cathartic new track, collaborations from Callista Clark with Scotty McCreery, and from Jett Holden with Cassadee Pope, as well as new music from Randall King.
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Check out all of these and more in Billboard‘s roundup of the best country songs of the week below.
Kelsea Ballerini, “Sorry Mom”
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Crackling acoustic guitar introduces this mid-tempo, pop-tilted musing, which previews the Grammy-nominated Ballerini’s upcoming album Patterns. As always, Ballerini excels in crafting lyrics dripping with exquisite candor, as this reconciliatory song finds her cataloging the ways she may not have lived up to familial expectations, including drinking, dropping out of college, having premarital sex, and sometimes putting career before family too often. But she acknowledges that while the choices made in her younger years no doubt caused her mother moments of worry, the lessons learned along the way have forged a woman stronger, wiser, more confident and decisive.
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Randall King, “I Could Be That Rain”
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One of country music’s most towering new country neo-traditionalist voices, King piles up the romantic fervor for an ex-lover on his latest, wishing he could sing his ex a favorite song and generally regain her affections. The Texan with the rich, confident twang brings to the table a slightly more polished production here, but still squarely traditional enough to declare his talents on equal footing with many of today’s hitmakers such as labelmate Cody Johnson. “I Could Be That Rain,” written by Brian Fuller and Mason Thornley, marks King’s first single at country radio and is included on his sophomore album Into the Neon.
Jett Holden feat. Cassadee Pope, “Karma”
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Earlier this year, Jett Holden was announced as the first signing to Black Opry Records, with Holden’s debut album The Phoenix out Oct. 4. “It turns out loyalty is just as dead as chivalry,” Holden sings on “Karma,” one of the songs from the project, welcoming Cassadee Pope on this stinging, churning rebuff to a romantic traitor. Matched by seething rock guitars, Holden and Pope’s voices punch hard, standing their ground and swelling into a wounded-yet-defiant, rock-fueled declaration.
Kayley Green, “Shadow of a Cowboy”
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Kayley Green has been a longtime fixture in downtown Nashville’s music scene, performing at several downtown music venues, and at one point, joining Keith Urban onstage during his Bridgestone Arena show, before Green signed with Sony Music Nashville earlier this year. She follows previous release “Live Fast Die Pretty” with this polished kiss-off to a lover who can’t tame his rambling ways. Sinewy guitars and understated percussion underpin Green’s rafter-reaching soprano, before she taunts the ex-lover with, “You’re just a shadow of a cowboy/ A real one would stay.” Green wrote this track with Jon Nite, Ross Copperman, and Ben Williams.
Scotty McCreery and Callista Clark, “Gettin’ Old”
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Though Scotty McCreery possesses one of the most transcendent traditional voices in modern country, McCreery has been judicious in releasing collaborations with other vocalists, with many of his collabs being connected to his days as an American Idol contestant. But on this somber track, he teams mightily with Clark, his solid oak of a voice a foil for her sleek vocal, while they match each other heartache for heartache as they reach into their upper registers. Together, their voices embody the flickers of hope that still spark among the ashes as they sing of a couple who realize their relationship is growing stale, rather than stronger. Clark wrote this track with Averie Bielski and Karen Kasowski.
Will Moseley, “I Don’t Want to Fight No More”
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American Idol alum Moseley lends his thousand-watt vocal to this track penned by Alex Maxwell, Dawson Edwards and Kameron Marlowe. Southern rock leanings plus heartbreak and weary resignation converge on this track about a couple who realize their relationship’s frayed edges are at the breaking point, making this a perfect go-to track for anyone wading through emotional despair at a relational crossroads.
Snoop Dogg did it all while serving as a special NBC correspondent during the just-concluded Paris Summer Olympics. And just as the closing ceremonies were about to kick off and pass the torch to the next host city, Los Angeles, the Doggfather checked one more bucket list item off his list: rubbing shoulders with the […]
Sometimes celebrities really are just like us. Take, for example, the unmitigated joy Adele took over the weekend in watching the debut of the Summer Olympic’s latest sport: breaking. The anticipation for the first-ever breakdancing competition was feverish leading up to Friday’s debut of the women’s qualifying rounds.
And the athletes did not disappoint, with b-girls from around the globe proving that the American-born sport that judges scored on the dancer’s skills at elements such as toprocking, power moves, footwork and freezes was indeed worthy of inclusion. While dancers such as the Netherlands’ nimble India, fleet-footed bronze medal winner 671 and mind-blowing gold medalist Ami of Japan earned love from the judges, there was one b-girl who stood out among all the athletes.
“I’m not saying anything, I think it’s the best thing that’s happened in the Olympics the entire time,” Adele said during a break at one of her massive shows in Munich on Saturday about the thing she and her friends had been talking about non-stop since the night before. “Did anyone see the breakdancing lady?” she asked her audience to the sound of loud laughing.
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Adele explained that she wasn’t aware that breaking had been added for the first time at the Paris games — a situation she deemed “f–king fantastic.” She thensurveyed her band to see if any of them had watched, with the singer proclaiming that one of her musicians was “p—ing himself laughing” while thinking about 36-year-old Australian teacher Rachael Gunn, who won hearts and launched a million memes with her unique stylings under nom-de-break Raygun.
“I can’t work out if it was a joke, but either way, it has made me very, very happy and me and my friends have been s–ting ourself laughing for 24 hours,” Adele said of the dancer who scored zero points but who grabbed lots of attention for her floppy, unorthodox moves. “I just wanted to know if you’ve seen it. If you haven’t seen it, please leave the show and Google it because it is LOLZ!!! It is so f–king funny. Anyway, it’s my favorite thing that’s happened in Olympics this whole, whole time,” Adele said.
It wasn’t the first time Adele had stopped one of the shows at her bespoke German stadium to pay attention to the Paris games. Last week, she took a break to watch the anticipated Women’s 100M sprint final, broadcasting the 11-second race on the big screen for her 75,000 fans in the midst of her 10-night residency at custom-built Adele Arena.
While some mocked Raygun’s kangaroo hop moves and PE teacher-worthy outfit, the proud dancer who took up the sport at 20 and won the Oceania Breaking Championship crown last year told reporters after her wash-out that it was no joke.
“I was never going to beat these girls on what they do best, the dynamic and the power moves,” Gunn, who has a Ph.D. in cultural studies and studies breaking and hip-hop culture, told reporters afterwards according to NBC. “So I wanted to move differently, be artistic and creative because how many chances do you get that in a lifetime to do that on an international stage.”
Watch footage of Adele talking Raygun and check out some of the funniest Raygun memes below.
Trance fans rejoice, and prepare to open your wallets. On Monday (Aug. 12), 12-inch vinyl editions of more than 50 classic trance tracks and albums are going up for auction via Amplyfied, the online auction platforms that specializes in music collections and experiences and has previously hosted auctions for artists like Danny Tenaglia and events […]
At this point Lorde fans are looking for any crumb of a clue that the singer is gearing up to release a new album. And they appear to have gotten that sliver of daylight over the weekend when Lorde wiped her social media accounts clean.
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That’s right, if you one of the nearly 11 million people who follow Lorde and you dipped into her Instagram over the weekend you would have seen a “no posts yet” message in place of the series of teasers the “Green Light” vocalist had amassed over the past year. In their place was just the phrase that appears to be the prompt for the New Zealand star’s upcoming era: “THE THEMES ARE ALWAYS THE SAME— A RETURN TO INNOCENCE— THE MYSTERIES OF THE BLOOD— AN ITCH FOR THE TRANSCENDENTAL.”
One fan wrote, “Lorde deleting all her insta… oh LORDETEMBER is coming,” while another responded to the wipe with a tinge of frustrated anticipation: “Lorde I love you but how long are you gonna TEASE this project.”
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Lorde, 27, has been slow-rolling the details on her follow-up to 2021’s Solar Power for almost a year now, and recently she posted exactly a few seconds of what sounded like new music. The two-second clip came along with a pic of Lorde in the studio, smiling as she rocked her head side-to-side as the instrumental beat with a techno-like vibe rocking in the background. The caption to the post read, “will be back in touch.”
In June, Lorde posted a number of cryptic pictures, writing “use the existing tools wherever possible” alongside a variety of images including a copyright symbol, three variations of the letter L, the number four in parentheses and a recycling logo. “If the tools do not exist you are spiritually obligated to create them,” she added along a another string of unexplained images, with more Ls, another 4, a run of stars, the number 27, what looked like a Tarot card, the infinity symbol, a shark, a rabbit and an Egyptian figure.
That post, along with a video in which she spit off a balcony and held a pill in her hand that read “spit” were among the Instagram posts that went missing when the feeds got wiped. To date Lorde has not provided any additional details on when her fourth album will be released.
She has popped up in a few other musician’s feeds lately though. Including in pics over the weekend with Marina (or Marina and the Diamonds) in which the pals are playing pool, as well as at Charli XCX’s 32nd birthday party in Los Angeles on August 3, where the pair danced on couches and sang along to their remix of Charli’s Brat single “Girl, so confusing.”
Chappell Roan is finally crowned on the U.K. chart. Almost a year since its release, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess (Island) lifts 4-1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, for its first stint at the top of the leaderboard. Roan’s ascent can be seen on charts around the globe, including the United States, Australia and now the U.K., where Midwest Princess completes its climb in its 17th week on the chart, published Friday, Aug. 9.Just last week, the Missouri artist broke the daytime attendance record for a performance at Lollapalooza Chicago. Also, her single “Good Luck, Babe” has become the highest-charting song in her career, entering the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Official U.K. Singles Chart, where it’s currently at No. 2. Originally dropping in September 2023, Midwest Princess enjoys a lift in the U.K. following its release on vinyl, with over half of its seven-day total made up of physical sales, the Official Charts Company reports.The “Popstar Edition” wax pressing leads this week’s Official Vinyl Albums Chart.Charli xcx’s BRAT summer continues to heat up, as her Mercury Prize-nominated Atlantic album returns to its previous peak, No. 2.Also new to the national tally is Vultures 2 (YZY) from Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, and Ty Dolla $ign. Vultures 2 swoops in at No. 7. It’s the followup to their first collaborative record, Vultures, which peaked at No. 2 in February. Finally, Jack White nabs his seventh solo U.K. top 40 appearance with No Name (Third Man). It’s new at No. 33. No Name enjoyed a conventional release after vinyl versions of the album were handed out at three of White’s Third Man Records outlets.
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As Disney fans flocked to the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. on Sunday evening (Aug. 11) for the Disney Legends Ceremony, one thing was clear: this was not the average award show. (Perhaps the biggest spoiler was the abundance of Mickey Mouse ears.) The star-studded evening served as the finale to D23, a three-day event […]
Donald Trump has another lawsuit on his hands, this time from the estate of Isaac Hayes.
Lawyers for Isaac Hayes Enterprises filed a notice of copyright infringement, stating that the late artist’s song “Hold On, I’m Coming” was used on “multiple occasions during various political rallies,” without authorization.
The paperwork, dated Monday, Aug. 11, identifies 134 counts copyright infringement at campaign rallies from 2022-2024.
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“We demand the cessation of use, removal of all related videos, a public disclaimer, and payment of $3 million in licensing fees by August 16, 2024. Failure to comply will result in further legal action,” reads a statement posted on Hayes’ son, Isaac Hayes III.
However, given no choice, the paperwork reads, that legal action could extend to “federal litigation.”
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We the family of @isaachayes Isaac Hayes Enterprises, represented by Walker & Associates, are suing @realDonaldTrump and his campaign for 134 counts copyright infringement for the unauthorized use of the song “Hold On I’m Coming” at campaign rallies from 2022-2024. We demand… pic.twitter.com/GOBLz7ejYL— Isaac Hayes III (@IsaacHayes3) August 11, 2024
Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, has been here before. Scores of top artists and songwriters have objected to his campaign’s use of their songs at political rallies since he first ran for president in 2015 — among them The Rolling Stones, Adele, Rihanna, Sinead O’Connor‘s estate and Aerosmith‘s Steven Tyler.
Yet as recently as July 31, in Harrisburg, Pa., Trump has been using “Hold On, I’m Comin’” to close his rallies — prompting this legal action.
“It is most unfortunate that these artists have publicly posted on their social media and asked Team Trump and other candidates not to use their music — and yet their candidates keep using their music,” James L. Walker Jr., an attorney for Hayes Enterprises, previously stated.
The Rolling Stones, Adele, Rihanna, Sinead O’Connor‘s estate and Aerosmith‘s Steven Tyler are among the artists who’ve objected to use of their songs at political rallies since Trump first ran for president in 2015.
Hayes died Aug. 10, 2008, at the age of 65. For the “Theme from Shaft,” he was awarded the Oscar for best original song in 1972, making him just the third Black person, after Hattie McDaniel and Sidney Poitier, to win an Academy Award in any competitive field.
Hayes and David Porter wrote “Hold On, I’m Coming,” which was recorded by soul duo Sam & Dave and issued on the Stax label in 1966, peaking at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.
On Sunday night (Aug. 11), the 2024 Disney Legends Ceremony took place in Anaheim, Calif. and welcomed 14 new members into the prestigious group — including the youngest yet, Miley Cyrus.
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Host Ryan Seacrest noted that Cyrus entered the Disney family when she was just 13 years old (she is currently 31) and quickly took the network — and the world — by storm. A highlight reel of Cyrus’ history-making career then played, which included clips from her 2023 Disney+ special Miley Cyrus – Endless Summer Vacation (Backyard Sessions), memorable scenes from Hannah Montana, early interviews and more.
As the reel wrapped, a band glided onto the stage fronted by country superstar Lainey Wilson. “Miley, you might not know this but I am truly one of your biggest fans. My very first job was taking my portable sound system and a wig…and impersonating Hannah Montana,” she recalled. (Wilson talked about the experience in her Billboard cover story). “You inspired me to believe in myself. That I, too, could be an ordinary girl living in an extraordinary world. So on behalf of Hannah Montana fans everywhere, I’d like to dedicate this song to you.”
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Wilson then ripped into a passionate cover of the Hannah Montana theme song “The Best of Both Worlds.” She even added a bit of her own present-day observations on lines like, “You go to movie premiers,” swapping out “is that Orlando Bloom?” for “is that Glen Powell?”
After the performance (which Wilson called “a dream come true”), she thanked Cyrus for “never being afraid to step outside the box, always staying true to yourself and most of all for kicking butt, no matter what, girl.”
Cyrus — who was seated alongside her mom Tish in the front row, next to other honorees such as Jamie Lee Curtis, Angela Bassett, Harrison Ford and more — then walked on stage and pulled Wilson into a warm hug. As Cyrus stepped up to the mic, she told the crowd of nearly 20,000 fans, “I am definitely going to cry,” which only warranted an even longer and louder and standing ovation.
“Before we get started,” she continued, “I’m going to let everybody in on a little Disney Legends’ secret — I’m the one that tells you what you’re not supposed to know. And what I want to say is that legends get scared too. I’m scared right now…It’s legendary to be afraid and do it anyway. There’s no such thing as failure when you try.”
Cyrus then unveiled two different speeches she prepared: “One long, if I’m the badass I’m supposed to be. And one short, if I get scared.” (Her speech spanned just over five minutes; needless to say, she chose the badass route.)
“In 2005, Disney was on a mission to rebuild and reimagine the company — that’s why they hired [Disney CEO] Bob Iger and me,” she said with a chuckle, earning a big laugh from the audience. She then recalled the “buzz” in the Burbank office where she auditioned for the role of Hannah Montana many years ago — the same office where, as she joked, “it’s rumored they create all of us Disney kids…I definitely wasn’t created in a lab, but if I was, there must’ve been a bug in the system which caused me to malfunction somewhere between the years of 2013-16.”
Joking aside, Cyrus then detailed a much earlier era in her storied life when she moved from Nashville to Los Angeles to start her career. After sharing how she got the part of Hannah Montana, she recalled her first performance as the fictional star, which took place for free at the Glendale Galleria. “The first song I opened with was titled ‘This Is The Life,’” she said. “Which of course, no one knew. Because in reality I was a little girl in a blonde wig at the mall with a big dream. But in my heart, I was Hannah Montana. And I was so proud to be her.”
“A little bit of everything has changed since that day, but at the same time, nothing has changed at all. I stand here still proud to have been Hannah Montana. Because she made Miley in so many ways. This award is dedicated to Hannah and all of her amazing, loyal fans and to everyone who has made my dream a reality. To quote the legend herself: ‘This is the life.’”