Music

13 May 2024

Travis Barker Celebrates Kourtney Kardashian on Mother’s Day: ‘Our Children Are So Lucky’

Travis Barker is celebrating Kourtney Kardashian on their first Mother’s Day since welcoming their baby son, Rocky Thirteen, together in November.

“Happy Mother’s Day to my best friend and partner. Our children are so lucky to have you. Thank you for filling our home with love, laughter, and joy. I love you forever and ever my wife @kourtneykardash,” the Blink-182 drummer captioned a carousel of Instagram photos in which the Poosh founder is seen cradling and cuddling with their baby boy.

Kardashian is also mom to daughter Penelope and sons Mason and Reign with former partner Scott Disick. Barker is dad to daughter Alabama and son Landon, as well as stepdaughter Atiana with ex-wife Shanna Moakler. 

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The upcoming fifth season of The Kardashians has also been advertising showcasing the couple’s “new baby bliss” following the birth of their first child together, but it’ll also document the reality star’s scary experience with emergency fetal surgery leading up to the big day. The show won’t be the first time Kourtney has spoken about her emergency operation. She first revealed on Instagram in September that she’d underwent surgery, thanking her “incredible doctors for saving our baby’s life.”

At the time, Barker had dropped everything to return home from his world tour with Blink-182, which postponed three shows so that the drummer could be with Kourtney during the process. “I am eternally grateful to my husband who rushed to my side from tour to be with me in the hospital and take care of me afterwards, my rock,” she added in her post.

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13 May 2024

Justice, Gesaffelstein & Disclosure Are Bringing the Party to Portola 2024: See the Lineup

San Francisco’s Portola festival is coming in hot with its year three lineup. On Monday (May 13), the fest has released a bill lead by Justice and Gesaffelstein — both coming off buzzy Coachella 2024 appearances — along with fellow big font names Disclosure, M.I.A., Rüfüs du Sol, Fisher, Four Tet and Jamie xx.

The electronic music festival, a 21+ event, happens Sept. 28-29 at Pier 80 in San Francisco. Tickets go on sale this Friday May 17.

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The rest of the lineup is not short of heavyweights and buzzy rising artists, with the bill filled out by artists including hard techno star Sara Landry, Honey Dijon, Bicep performing their new Chroma show, U.K. d’n’b stars Chase & Status currently in the midst of a renaissance and Brazilian house phenom Mochakk. The weekend will also feature Jessie Ware, Floating Points, Peaches, Nia Archives, Boys Noize b2b VTTS, Shygirl, Soulwax and many more. See the complete lineup below.

Portola is produced by Goldenvoice and was conceived of by Danny Bell, the SVP Talent Buyer for Goldenvoice in San Francisco.

“The whole thing is that I want people to be treated like grown-ups,” Bell told Billboard last year of Portola’s design and curation. “I just felt like there wasn’t a festival to fulfill the desires of a 21-plus audience who’ve been electronic music and dance fans, but who also like other genres and who are interested in an event focused for the older fan.”

The festival’s site, Pier 80, Portola is a million square foot maritime shipping pier owned by the Port of San Francisco. As in years prior, Portola is expecting roughly 30,000 attendees per day.

Check out the full lineup for Portola 2024 below:

Portola

Portola

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13 May 2024

R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: Chief Keef, Andra Day, Rosehardt, Snow tha Procuct & More

Now that we’re solidly in May, it looks like the Great Rap War of 2024 finally has a victor. If TDE founder Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith’s X post is anything to go by, the battle is indeed over — even though Drake‘s “The Heart Part 6” effectively shifted public opinion to Kendrick Lamar’s side.

Outside of that beef — which is still unfurling outside of the music — the worlds of R&B and hip-hop have had much to ponder over the past week. On Monday (May 13) Childish Gambino released a polished version of 2020’s 3.15.20 titled Atavista and both Shaquille O’Neal and King Combs released diss tracks — against Shannon Sharpe and 50 Cent, respectively — further solidifying 2024 as the year of the hater and the year of beef. Thanks again, Katt Williams!

With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Rosehardt’s dirty-macking midtempo to RaealRichIzzo’s latest addition to the contemporary Midwest rap lexicon. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.

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Rosehardt, “Headass”

One of the classic elements of male R&B is dirty macking — and Rosehardt kicks off “Headass” with a whole lot of it. “What does he have? What does he do?/ He must be bad, he must be cool too/ I’m just the past, he’s something new/ But I bet he don’t love you, like I do,” his distorted vocals croon in the intro. Betweent he chugging production, sultry yet understated bass, and a vocal performance that balances tender hoensty (“I’m just a man who believes in love”) with a sinister undertone of trying to convince a love interest who has already clocked his shortcomings as a partner. Taken from his new The World Gets Smaller Each Day It Seems to Shrink LP, “Headass” finds Rosehardt (aka Drama League Award-nominated actor Caleb Eberhardt) fully immersing himself in the role of imperfect bachelor without necessarily relishing that position.

Snow tha Product, “So What”

With this bouncy, snap-laden ode to the comforts of ambivalence, Snow tha Product embraces the unknown. Although she sings of using the classic “so what?” question to keep her “feelings detached,” she, in fact, cycles through the myriad emotions of a tumultuous relationship, in which she’s always one step away from walking out. “So what / If you tell me its over/ Guess Imma have to chill to your back,” she sing-raps with a smug wink and smirk. She’s in control here, making for an intricate mind-game that finds a sly, unassuming soundtrack in the buoyant beat.

Chief Keef feat. Tierra Whack, “Banded Up”

Sosa finally delivered his highly-anticipated Almighty So 2 project on Friday (May 10). One of the early standouts from the drill pioneer’s LP came courtesy of Tierra Whack’s explosive assist on “Banded Up,” which gives the Philly MC an immediate guest verse of the year candidate. Whack posted voice messages from Chief Keef in disbelief asking her, “Why would you do me like that on my song?” T-Whack blacks out over Sosa’s thumping production with a mini-uzi flow that sounds as if she was recorded in 5x speed. “These rappers are food and that’s why I be cooking/ You can’t pull no strings and I just keep it pushin’/ B-I-G, but I was not born in Brooklyn,” she snarls. The 28-year-old turned Sosa’s playground into Whack World. 

4Fargo & Honey Bxby, “Ex for a Reason”

4Fargo and his tender croon are looking to leave their mark on the current landscape of R&B. The Georgia-bred singer unleashed his major label debut project Express&B last week via Republic Records. Heartbreak has long been the engine behind the genre and 4Fargo is no different in flipping his pain and anguish into cathartic art. The infectious “Ex for a Reason” is pretty self-explanatory with the father of two listing off why a toxic love has moved to his rear-view mirror. Misery loves company and Honey Bxby joins the party while showing off her vocal range. “Leavin’ you sounds like a lullaby/ Blockin’ all your numbers, don’t ask why/ Poppin’ all that shit know it’s a lie/ I’ma show you why you’re mine,” she powerfully sings. Give the charismatic 4Fargo a follow on Instagram for a look into his endearing personality, you won’t regret it. 

RealRichIzzo, “Free Key”

Kicking off with an iPhone FaceTime call that immediately situates “Free Key” in media res, “Free Key” is one of the more potent storytelling moments of his new Welcome to Inkster album. In his ode to his guys, RealRichIzzo offers a peek into his high-octane life that brings him from place to place with just a moment’s notice. “Yeah, drop the lo’/ Ain’t no spots inside the rental, we gon’ stash ’em in the floor/
B—h, the striker on the way, mask up, we finna go/ Lil’ bro just called back, blow the light, it’s fo’ sure,” he rap-chants in the magnetic chorus, which simultaneously reads as play-by-play of him and his boys hitting a lick and functions as an irresistible hook. With Inkster, Michigan on his back, RealRichIzzo is staking a claim for himself at the forefront of the current Midwestern rap boom.

Andra Day, “Bottom of the Bottle”

On this bluesy reflection on the swirling depths of memory only accessed by surrendering to the throes of alcohol, acclaimed multi-hyphenate Andra Day focuses on restraints over the room-shaking belts that shot her to fame. “I only see you when it’s last call/ I only see you when the house lights come on/ And you’re not only to blame, no/ Dazed and consumed by the wild flames/ Though we know it’s combustible,” she muses over plucky piano and steady percussion courtesy of an all-star team of producers, including Nando Raio, Shay Godwin, Dave Wood, Charles Jones, Caleb Morris and Spencer Guerra. With a deliciously nasal drawl in the spirit of Amy Winehouse, Day delivers an introspective midtempo that allows her to show off how effortlessly she freewheels between the different parts of her voice.

13 May 2024

ZICO Reacts to Earning His First Billboard No. 1 With ‘Spot!’ Featuring BLACKPINK’s Jennie

In the increasingly global K-pop industry, ZICO epitomizes the concept of a multi-hyphen musician after establishing himself as a rapper, singer, songwriter, producer, boy-band leader, television host and label CEO. But the 31-year-old can now add Billboard chart-topper to his resume thanks to his latest single, “Spot!” featuring Jennie of BLACKPINK.

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Released on April 26 to mark the HYBE artist’s first time dropping a song among the globally focused New Music Friday releases, “Spot!” unleashes ZICO’s latest offering as a hook-heavy, feel-good pop/hip-hop hybrid. Similar to his singles such as viral smash “Any Song” or “Summer Hate” alongside K-pop legend Rain, the playfully buoyant “Spot!” lets the duo bounce through bars to shout out the many meanings that “hit the spot” can conjure.

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The collab caught on quickly Stateside, with “Spot!” debuting at No. 1 on Billboard‘s World Digital Song Sales chart, marking ZICO’s first-ever No. 1 on a U.S. Billboard sales chart. It’s Jennie’s second time ruling the chart after her debut “Solo” single did so back in 2018.

“Spot!” sold 1,000 copies in U.S. in its initial April 26-May 2 tracking week, according to Luminate. It also registered 2.5 million official U.S. streams in the same period.

But the impact of “Spot!” was not confined to the U.S. The collab debuted at No. 24 on the Billboard Global 200 chart with 47 million streams and 5,000 downloads, and also earned a No. 8 debut on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. with 44.5 million official global streams (excluding U.S. activity) in the tracking week, and 4,000 downloads (excluding U.S. sales).

Sharing his reaction to the good chart news with Billboard, ZICO expressed his gratitude, saying, “I feel like a new chapter has opened up for me as a musician.” 

Read on for more from ZICO about working with Jennie, how he approaches collaborating for his new music variety show and what’s next.

Congratulations on the success of “Spot!” It’s your first No. 1 on a U.S. Billboard sales chart. What was your reaction to the chart news?

I feel like a new chapter has opened up for me as a musician. The song’s reach to Billboard, beyond Korea, fills me with immense gratitude. I’m eager to share this joy with everyone who contributed to making this project a reality.

You’ve collaborated extensively in the K-pop world. Is there something particularly charming about Jennie that impresses you?

Everything about her is charming. From vocals and visuals to acting, as well as her sense of professionalism in bringing the song to fruition — it’s all these things combined. But personally, I think it was her professionalism.

How was it filming the music video? It looked like you two were having a blast.

It was our first time getting dressed up and seeing each other in front of a camera [like that]. At first, it felt a bit awkward and funny, so we had a hard time holding back our laughter, but it was these candid moments that were captured on camera for a natural result.

Do you have a favorite Jennie or BLACKPINK song?

I had the chance to peek at Jennie’s to-be-released solo track demos — there were so many good ones.

I understand you have a lot of respect for the artistic process. You host a new music variety show, The Seasons: Artist With ZICO. How do you approach spotlighting other artists’ work?

I believe my role is to assist the larger audience in comprehending the unique charm of each artist with the most fun and fresh perspective, so I dedicate a lot of effort to this aspect. But most importantly, it’s not solely about music. Rather, it’s about the chemistry, like the candidness and wit, that can come from any moment — I want these moments to be enjoyable little experiences for many people so I really strive to focus on every small second.

It sounds like you’re an observer. Are you seeing or feeling a larger impact with your new song?

I’ve noticed a shift in which more covers, reactions, and challenges [for “Spot!”] are coming from overseas compared to Korea, which differs from my past songs.

Have any new ideas or plans emerged as a result of the achievements or chart success?

Today, after thinking about these questions, I’m starting a kick-off meeting for my next project!

13 May 2024

David Sanborn, Renowned Jazz Saxophonist, Dead at 78

David Sanborn, beloved jazz saxophonist who is credited on songs for Stevie Wonder, David Bowie and many more, died on Sunday (May 12). He was 78 years old.

A message posted to the musician’s social media page confirmed the news, noting that Sanborn had been battling prostate cancer for the past few years. “Mr. Sanborn had been dealing with prostate cancer since 2018, but had been able to maintain his normal schedule of concerts until just recently. Indeed he already had concerts scheduled into 2025,” the message reads. “David Sanborn was a seminal figure in contemporary pop and jazz music. It has been said that he ‘put the saxophone back into Rock ’n Roll.’”

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Throughout his career, Sanborn played alongside some of rock’s most iconic figures, both in the studio and onstage. Most notably, he toured with Wonder and played on his 1972 album, Talking Book. He also performed on Bowie’s classic, “Young Americans,” and toured with the late star.

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However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg of Sanborn’s illustrious career. Throughout his life, he’s recorded with musicians including B.B. King, Paul Simon, Cat Stevens, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Chaka Khan, Ron Carter, George Benson, Kenny Loggins, The Eagles, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel, Roger Water, Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger and more.

Outside of recording music, Sanborn hosted a syndicated radio program, The Jazz Show, as well as a podcast called As We Speak. He also worked on a YouTube series called Sanborn Sessions with his nephew and brother-in-law.

13 May 2024

Mustard Celebrates Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ Topping the Hot 100: ‘Summer Started Last Week According to Me’

Mustard on the beat, ho! The hitmaker behind Kendrick Lamar‘s scorching Drake diss track “Not Like Us” is celebrating the song’s No. 1 debut on the Billboard Hot 100 Monday (May 13).

“Sometimes you really gotta pop out and show n—as!!!! To think . . . They really fronted on me and acted like I’m not who I am ! I’m thankful but not surprised; I never lost sight and stayed down,” he wrote on Instagram while sharing a graphic of this week’s Hot 100 top 10 (chart dated May 18). “With my back against the wall is where I thrive. Summer started last week according to me!! See ya sooner than you think! cc: @kendricklamar city back up !!!”

“Not Like Us” marks Lamar’s fourth Hot 100 chart-topping hit, following “Like That” with Future and Metro Boomin — which spent its first three weeks at No. 1 following its debut atop the April 6-dated chart — “Humble.” and “Bad Blood” by Taylor Swift. “Like That” is at No. 6 on this week’s Hot 100, while Lamar’s other diss track “Euphoria” jumps 11-3 in its second week.

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The contentious rap battle between him and Drake has led to the production of several diss tracks aimed at one another, and Drake’s “Family Matters” is another Hot 100 top hit to come out of it. The song debuted at No. 7 on the all-genre songs tally, becoming the rapper’s historic 78th Hot 100 top 10 hit. “Not Like Us” also earns Lamar his fifth No. 1 on Streaming Songs, with 70.9 million official streams. It surpasses the 67.3 million streams that Drake’s “Way 2 Sexy,” featuring Future and Young Thug, drew in its first week back in September 2021.

See Mustard’s celebratory post below.

13 May 2024

Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘Espresso,’ Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ Lead Billboard Global Charts

Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” buzzes to No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart and Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” launches atop the Billboard Global 200. The songs mark each act’s first leader on the respective rankings.

The Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts, which began in September 2020, rank songs based on streaming and sales activity culled from more than 200 territories around the world, as compiled by Luminate. The Global 200 is inclusive of worldwide data and the Global Excl. U.S. chart comprises data from territories excluding the United States.

Chart ranks are based on a weighted formula incorporating official-only streams on both subscription and ad-supported tiers of audio and video music services, as well as download sales, the latter of which reflect purchases from full-service digital music retailers from around the world, with sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites excluded from the charts’ calculations.

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Carpenter’s “Espresso” shoots 3-1 on the Global Excl. U.S. chart, with 59.6 million streams (up 7%) and sold 3,000 (up 15%) outside the U.S. May 3-9. The track previously became the first top 10 on the list for the Pennsylvania-born singer-songwriter and actress.

As previously reported, “Espresso” adds a second week atop the Official UK Singles Chart, where it also became Carpenter’s first No. 1.

Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” rises 5-2 on the Global Excl. U.S. chart, after eight nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 starting in February; Artemas’ “I Like the Way You Kiss Me” slips 2-3, after a frame at No. 1 three weeks earlier; FloyyMenor and Cris Mj’s “Gata Only” holds at No. 4, after reaching No. 3; and Taylor Swift’s “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone, falls to No. 5 after spending its first two weeks on the chart at No. 1.

Concurrently, Lamar’s “Not Like Us” bounds onto the Global 200 at No. 1 with 108 million streams and 17,000 sold worldwide following its release late Sunday, May 5 (after the May 3 start of the latest charts’ tracking week). The song is one of multiple diss tracks volleyed between Lamar and Drake amid, as previously analyzed, a battle that heightened with the release of Future, Metro Boomin and Lamar’s track “Like That,” which topped the Global 200 upon its debut in early April.

Notably, the sum of 108 million global streams for “Not Like Us” marks the top weekly total among rap titles (defined as those that have hit or are eligible for Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart) since the Global 200 began. It surpasses the 96.9 million that Drake’s “Way 2 Sexy,” featuring Future and Young Thug, drew in its first week, as reflected on rankings dated Sept. 18, 2021.

“Not Like Us” also opens at No. 9 on the Global Excl. U.S. chart, marking Lamar’s third top 10, with 37.5 million streams and 2,000 sold outside the U.S.

Tommy Richman’s first Global 200 hit, “Million Dollar Baby,” surges 10-2 in its second week on the chart, with 93.8 million streams (up 86%) and 7,000 sold (up 63%) worldwide. It also becomes his first top 10 on Global Excl. U.S., soaring 75-8 fueled by 35.8 million streams (up 184%) outside the U.S.

Carpenter’s “Espresso” backtracks to No. 3 from its No. 2 Global 200 high; Lamar’s “Euphoria,” released April 30, soars 18-4, with 81.5 million streams (up 120%) and 9,000 sold (up 22%) worldwide, as, thanks to that track and “Not Like Us,” he now boasts six career top 10s on the chart; and Shaboozey scores his first top five hit as “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” hops 6-5.

The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts (dated May 18, 2024) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, May 14. For both charts, the top 100 titles are available to all readers on Billboard.com, while the complete 200-title rankings are visible on Billboard Pro, Billboard’s subscription-based service. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

13 May 2024

21 Savage Says Drake & Metro Boomin Will ‘Figure That Sh–t Out’

Whatever you do, don’t ask 21 Savage about the ongoing rap beef.

The Atlanta rapper — who has been quiet on this subject — was on Instagram Live on Sunday (May 12) while listening to General TK’s “I Spy,” when fans in the comments asked his thoughts about Drake vs. everybody. Tired of fans always askin him with this question whenever he goes live on Instagram, he finally broke his silence.

“Don’t keep coming on my motherf—in’ Live talkin’ about no motherf—kin’ beef,” he said. “Metro my brother and Drake my brother. They gonna figure that s–t out eventually.”

Hopefully that ends all talk about what 21 thinks about rap’s civil war. He’s chosen to remain Switzerland and Sweden to the nonsense, leaving it up to the parties involved to squash things. 21 Savage has worked with both acts extensively. Most recently he co-starred on Drake’s 2022 album Her Loss and he’s done three projects alongside Metro Boomin: 2016’s Savage Mode EP, 2017’s Without Warning featuring Offset, and 2020’s Savage Mode II. Also Metro produced the songs “Mr. Right Now” and “Knife Talk,” both featuring Drake and 21 Savage.

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Fans were perhaps asking his thoughts because on the diss track “Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar brought up Drake’s relationship with 21 and the city of Atlanta, rapping: “You run to Atlanta when you need a check balance/ Let me break it down for you, this the real n—a challenge/ You called Future when you didn’t see the club/ Lil Baby helped you get your lingo up/ 21 gave you false street cred/ Thug made you feel like you a slime in your head/ Quavo said you can be from Northside/ 2 Chainz say you good, but he lied.”

21 seems to be minding his business and lettings things settle themselves.

13 May 2024

Toby Keith’s Daughter Krystal Accepts His Honorary Degree From University of Oklahoma

The late Toby Keith was honored during the University of Oklahoma’s commencement ceremony on Saturday (May 11), as his daughter Krystal Keith accepted his honorary degree on his behalf.

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Keith, who is set to be posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame later this year, died on Feb. 5, 2024, at age 62, following a battle with stomach cancer.

According to a post on Toby Keith’s Instagram page, the singer knew he would be honored by the University of Oklahoma prior to his death. “Toby learned he would be receiving an honorary degree from @uofoklahoma last fall, and yesterday, @krystalkeith accepted it on his behalf at the commencement ceremony,” his account captioned a photo of Krystal at the ceremony. “Congratulations to all of the OU graduates!”

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Additionally, University of Oklahoma president Joseph Harroz, Jr. posted on X, “So incredibly grateful to Tricia and Krystal Keith for joining us Saturday to celebrate the impact and legacy of @tobykeith with an honorary degree from @uofoklahoma. Miss you each and every day, TK.”

In February, Krystal posted on Instagram, sharing how she and her sister and brother each studied at the University of Oklahoma, and offered a sweet story of her father’s own lifelong support of the university’s sports teams.

“The @uofoklahoma is a HUGE part of our life,” she wrote. “I love that he is being honored by Sooner Nation. My dad started selling cokes at 12 or 13 yrs old in the stadium so he could see the games live. We have traveled as a family with the teams to bowl games and championships as long as I can remember. Planning weddings, vacations and big life events around team schedules.”

13 May 2024

They’re Ba-a-ck! ACM Welcomes New Group and Duo Nominees After a Lengthy Absence

Welcome back.

Neon Union, Restless Road and Tigirlily Gold are all nominated for the first time in the 59th annual Academy of Country Music Awards. But their arrival on the final ballot marks a return of the new vocal group or duo of the year trophy for the first time in five years.

LANCO took home the hardware when it was last presented in 2019, but it’s been a veritable desert for qualifying acts since then. The ACM requires a minimum of three eligible nominees to field each of its three new artist categories — new male, new female and new group or duo — and while there were duos and groups in circulation during the interim years, they didn’t quite meet the criteria. The key data point was the ACM’s requirement that an artist needed to hit the top 40 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart or in Mediabase. The only act that met that goal was now-defunct Gone West, who reached the top 30 in 2020, but since member Colbie Caillat was already an established artist, the group was not eligible.

For this year’s ballot, the ACM expanded the criteria to top 50 and — voilà! — three artists made the grade as finalists for the May 16 ceremony.

“That was a really big topic of discussion with our awards voting and membership committee,” says ACM chief of staff/vp of artist and industry relations, board administration and governance Tommy Moore. “At the Academy, we really try to pride ourselves on being on the forefront of inclusivity for new artists and really want to give them the opportunity to shine.”

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Not surprisingly, the nominees in the category appreciate that opportunity.

“We had heard through the grapevine that they were bringing back the new duo or group of the year category, but we still thought it would be a long shot to get nominated,” Neon Union’s Andrew Millsaps notes.

The lack of new duo or group options is a glaring reality. The prospects have been so glum during the last four years that even if the ACM had loosened the chart requirement to the top 50 during that window, the industry still would not have mustered three qualifying entries.

Part of that dearth is the nature of the beast. Particularly in the digital era, it’s much easier for a solo artist to make simple videos and post them on YouTube or TikTok and start building a following. The effort required to form a band or duo, schedule rehearsals and plan marketing schemes is far more challenging for an ensemble. And handling relationships — both inside the act and with a larger ring of family and associates — creates more tension, making it harder during the hungry years when meager earnings are split.

“Being a group or duo is such a delicate dynamic,” Tigirlily Gold’s Krista Slaubaugh says. “You can’t just slap two people together and call them a duo. You have to stick it out through the hard years because it’s not always going to be easy.”

Even filling out the new group/duo field is challenging. To get three nominees this year, the ACM allowed Restless Road into the category, even though it did not have a top 50 single in 2023. It had reached that level in 2022, and the group is currently charting with “Last Rodeo” (No. 58, Country Airplay).

“There’s been a slower rollout of bands, but I’m definitely starting to notice a lot more,” says Restless Road’s Zach Beeken. He cites Flatland Cavalry, which secured its first ACM vocal group nomination this year.

Notably, The Red Clay Strays could have been considered for new group or duo on the strength of “Wondering Why,” which hit No. 18 on the Hot Country Songs chart dated Dec. 30, 2023. But, Moore says, no one submitted them for consideration.

The ACM’s three new artist categories differ from the Country Music Association, which has a single new artist of the year field. And it’s advantageous, since it means more artists get their first major nomination from the ACM. All of 2024’s new group or duo finalists are first-time nominees, and they’ll always associate that with the ACM.

“We try to get them into the fold early on,” Moore says, “and we find that the more we can educate them on the Academy and the charitable aspect of ACM Lifting Lives, the more inclined they are to stick with us throughout the years.”

Despite their first-time-nominee status, the three new group or duo contenders should feel a bit at home. They all attended 2023’s ACMs in Frisco, Texas, and they will return to the same venue this year, trodding familiar turf as they perform at the ACM Kickoff Concerts and walk the same red carpet. But they’ll be doing it as finalists, which presents its own uncertainties. The winner will perform at the show, though they won’t know who that is until two days before the event. All the acts have musicians on hold in case they’re needed. They’ll also discover, perhaps for the first time, what it’s like performing a truncated version of a song for their peers.

“Obviously, I’d be focusing so much on doing a good job,” Slaubaugh says, “but then you look at, like, Chris Stapleton in the crowd? I guess we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.”

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