Music

25 Apr 2024

How ‘Oye Mi Canto’ Crossed Worlds & Revolutionized Reggaetón in America

This week, Billboard is publishing a series of lists and articles celebrating the music of 20 years ago. Our 2004 Week continues here with an oral history of one of the year’s most impactful hits: “Oye Mi Canto,” from an all-star cast led by New York rapper N.O.R.E., which crossed cultures and genres and brought reggaetón to new stateside heights.

At the beginning of 2004, the reggaetón and hip-hop scenes stood at the precipice of a musical revolution. Reggaetón, a genre now famously recognized for its roots in Puerto Rico, was about to explode into a transnational phenomenon.

N.O.R.E., the seasoned hip-hop luminary known for his raw lyricism, unapologetic demeanor and turn-of-the-century hits like “Superthug” and “Nothin,” found himself captivated by the infectious dembow-driven rhythm that was commanding the streets of the Island.

Trending on Billboard

Impelled by a yearning to bridge cultures and pay homage to his newfound infatuation, the New York rapper set out on an audacious quest to etch reggaetón into the heart of American hip-hop. Fueling his self-proclaimed obsession with Tego Calderón’s music, N.O.R.E. envisioned a collaboration that would pay homage to his newfound muse, as well as his own Puerto Rican roots.

Within the creative cauldron of The Hoodlab (N.O.R.E.’s studio in midtown Manhattan) — and alongside his Lefrak, Queens comrades, producer SPK and rapper Big Mato, as well as Astoria, Queens duo Nina Sky, made up of twin singers Natalie and Nicole Albino, and rapper Gemstar — he embarked upon a mission to create a track that would shatter conventions and cross musical borders. The result was “Oye Mi Canto,” released on Def Jam.

The impact was nothing short of revolutionary. “Oye Mi Canto” burst onto the American and Latin airwaves, dismantling linguistic and cultural barriers. “It’s the bilingual elements of the song,” explains producer SPK of the song’s groundbreaking nature. “From a legendary platinum hip-hop artist like N.O.R.E., who [risked] his credibility as one of the most hardcore NY hip-hop artists — when no hip-hop artist would dare to take the chance to do anything out of the genre of hip-hop — N.O.R.E. did that. He bridged the gap between American Radio stations and Latin music.”

The song soared on multiple multiple Billboard charts, including the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No. 12. It made impressive inroads on a wide variety of radio formats, including Pop Airplay (reaching No. 19), Latin Airplay (No. 22), Latin Pop Airplay (No. 25), Tropical Airplay (No. 2) and Rap Airplay (No. 8).

20 years later, the legacy of “Oye Mi Canto” stands as a testament to the unifying power of collaboration, while also having a tremendous impact on promoting bilingualism in hip-hop and American pop music, paving the way for cultural exchange and artistic innovation between different musical worlds. Even J Balvin will occasionally open up his live set with the song.

Below N.O.R.E., Nina Sky, Big Mato, and SPK share with Billboard Español in their own words about how “Oye Mi Canto” evolved into a hit, and how it became the first ever “American commercial reggaetón” crossover smash.

The Origins

N.O.R.E.: I kept having shows in Puerto Rico, and we kept hearing this music. I didn’t know what it was called, but I called it Spanish reggae. I kept seeing people dance to this music. What is this?! I would go back to New York, and I’d be like, “Yo, play that Spanish reggae stuff.” Nobody knew what the hell I was talking about. I would ask every Black DJ in New York to play it, they said no. I asked every white DJ, they said no. Then I asked the Latino DJs, and they said no too! I [approached] Latino DJs last, because I thought it was an easy win, but boy was I wrong.

One of the first records I fell in love with personally, besides, “Tu pum pum mami mami” [El General’s “Tu Pum Pum”] was Tego Calderón’s “Guasa Guasa.” I was just in love with this beat. It was like “tu tururururu” [hums the beat]. I was like “What the F–K?!” I was obsessed with his music. I asked the DJs to play that. “Play this guy right here, play Tego.” I remember them DJs still not playing it! They said, “You don’t want to jump on a little verse somewhere?” The fact that y’all [DJs] don’t want to play the Tegos, the Wisin & Yandels, the Zion & Lenoxs… So I jumped on “Guasa Guasa,” and gave it to a couple of DJs, just so they could play it to the American audiences to adapt to it, because it had an American artist on it.

That didn’t work. Then I said, “You know what, let’s do a full fledged song, a real song. It’s gonna be our version.” Almost like the American version of what’s happening in Puerto Rico. That’s how much I was sacrificing for reggaetón, and to be a part of that culture.

SPK: N.O.R.E. came up with the idea of making the song for the Puerto Rican Day Parade in NYC. Everything started with a verse from Tego Calderón, who recorded a verse for one of DJ Kool Kid’s mixtapes. DJ Kool Kid offered it to N.O.R.E., so that we could use it for the promotional mixtape to be given away for free at the Puerto Rican Day Parade. Once N.O.R.E. got the Tego a cappella, he then gave it to me and told me to take it home and make a reggaetón beat around Tego’s verse, and bring it back to him the next day. Took it home and made the beat that same night at my home studio.

Mind you, I did not consider myself a reggaetón producer at that time, and I also mentioned that to N.O.R.E. His reply to me was, “SP, I know you can do this.” He was so confident that I can pull this off with no problem. N.O.R.E. has that gift, in seeing the potential in people before they can realize it themselves.

Big Mato: I was already making music with SPK. He was doing hip-hop, and I was more into reggaetón. N.O.R.E. came back from Puerto Rico with that fever, and told us, “Listen, I wanna put something together.” We was already recording other [hip-hop] songs with N.O.R.E. in the studio. We first recorded “Toma Reggaetón,” and “Oye Mi Canto” was the continuation of that.

N.O.R.E.: What I was trying to do was mimic [the Puerto Rican] style, but still being us. It’s the reason why I didn’t want Ivy Queen [or La Sista] I wanted to get somebody from America, and then add an artist that’s up there culturally.

When [I thought of the verse] “Boricua, morena” I just knew it had to be Nina Sky. I had no one else in mind. I had to beg Jamal Landlord and Cipha Sounds, who was [Nina Sky’s] manager at the time. They were like, “Yo, they don’t speak Spanish. They know the culture, but they’re not of that culture.” I’m like, “We’re all of that culture. You Latino, you have it in you. Don’t worry, just let them come into the studio.”

Nina Sky (Natalie): We were at a show in Connecticut at the time. We had just gotten off stage. It was past midnight, and we got a call that N.O.R.E. wanted us to come to the studio to record this song. We hadn’t recorded anything in Spanish yet. So it felt like the right thing to do, like it was meant to be. We were really proud to be a part of it, representing for the Puerto Ricans, for the Boricuas in New York City. We’re all from Queens, and it just felt like a really big moment for all of us.

Nina Sky (Nicole): When we heard the song, we thought it was a really cool concept, remaking the Big Pun record [“Still Not a Player,” which has the “Boricua, morena” hook] into this reggaetón record. Also repping the culture and connecting with our roots was really cool. N.O.R.E.’s idea to create a reggaetón record as a hip-hop artist was really cool. it just felt like it was an incredible opportunity to be a part of it from all angles.

The Making of a Hit

Big Mato: That beat wasn’t done the same way as other reggaetón beats. It wasn’t done with Fruity Loops. It was a beat that was done so differently, and it was accepted.

SPK: I used Reason. I believe I was the first one to do a reggaetón beat on that software. I made the entire beat from scratch. Even though I wasn’t a reggaeton producer, I was a big fan of reggaetón, dancehall and reggae music. All that played a big part in inspiring me to fuse those sounds with the knowledge I already had as a hip-hop producer.

Other tools that contributed to my production was the first official reggaetón drums library that was given to me by the legendary DJ Blass, who was the creator of that library. Using Reason with original reggaetón drum kits and Reason stock instrument sounds gave it that unique sound. Very different from what you would hear coming out from the island of Puerto Rico.

N.O.R.E.: That was my instructions to SPK. It was, “We need to sound reggaetón, but from America.” To sound dembow, but we still hip-hop, we still we America. We want to honor [Puerto Rico] because it’s still reggaetón. But at the same token, we want to be who we are. That’s the reason why most of the artists on that record are from America, with the exception of one.

SPK: N.O.R.E. had a studio right on Madison Ave in midtown Manhattan. The name of the studio was The Hoodlab, it’s where most of the vocals for “Oye Mi Canto” were recorded, except for Daddy Yankee’s and Tego’s. I remember when [manager and producer] Cipha Sounds brought Nina Sky to The Hoodlab to record the hook, nothing but good vibes. N.O.R.E. quickly told them he wanted to pay homage to Big Pun and incorporate a line from “Still Not A Player.”

Nina Sky (Nicole): I remember how excited N.O.R.E. was to be recording this reggaetón song and putting this energy into the universe. If you’ve ever been around N.O.R.E., anything he does is dynamic and big. He’s really involved. Passion definitely filled the studio that night, and he knew that this was gonna be a hit song.

When we first got into the studio, Daddy Yankee wasn’t on the record. It was N.O.R.E., Big Mato, and Gemstar. There was a Tego Calderón verse. It was great collaborating with everyone. The original version only had the Big Pun part, “Boricua, morena…”

Big Mato: Recording wise, that was one of the greatest moments. When we would get together. Everybody would go in [the studio] and we were like superfriends. One recording, the other one is preparing his part writing, while the other one was probably making the dance to the song. It was like a real life situation. I was late and I almost didn’t come out on that song. I had just come out of work at the Marriott Hotel one block away from the World Trade Center, that’s why I believe I was the last one in the song.

N.O.R.E.: We realized, damn, in the Puerto Rican Day Parade, there are Colombians, Dominican, Mexicans. We can’t just leave it “Boricua, morena.” We went back in and added all the Latino countries [“Boricua, morena, Dominicano, Colombiano/ Boricua, morena, Cubano, Mexicano”].

SPK: Nina Sky laid the hook, and gave the record such a good vibe that when DJ Camilo came by and heard the record at The Hoodlab, his expression was priceless. He quickly told us we had a monster record, and that he couldn’t wait to break it on Hot 97. This was the Tego version DJ Camilo debuted, and the record quickly took off organically and was soon on regular rotation across radio stations in the U.S.

Now Def Jam gets behind the record — they tried to handle business with Tego’s team to clear his verse on the record, but they couldn’t reach an agreement, so we were forced to remove Tego from the record. N.O.R.E. asked us who would be the perfect artist to replace Tego’s spot. Me and Big Mato said Daddy Yankee. We reached out, and Daddy Yankee said yes, and the rest is history.

The Video

Nina Sky (Nicole): The music video was shot in Miami. I remember the energy. This song is all about that pride and that energy, and that existed all the way through. The shoot was fun, you had all the flags on the beach, all the dancers.

N.O.R.E.: That was our first encounter with Daddy Yankee. We had been speaking to each other. The flags, having the visual look tropical. That was all my idea to make it look tropical, beachy, sexy, island vibes. One of the illest moments of that video I can tell you… was Daddy Yankee’s performance. I hadn’t even seen him perform at that time, I had just talked to him, and that [shoot] was our first time seeing him perform. I was like, “Yo, this dude is explosive. He performs like Busta Rhymes, but his lyrics are like Jay Z’s, but his look was like Nas.” It was crazy to me. I was like, “Oh s–t.”

I knew he was a star, but from that moment on, when he just lifted his arm up, I was like, “He has got to be a superstar.” I think I made the right choice by having this guy on the record, and that was one of the most memorable [moments]. [Ed. Note: Daddy Yankee declined to be interviewed for this piece.]

Big Mato: I wish I could repeat the video again. It was one of the greatest moments of my life. If you see that video, you see that it starts at the beach with the flags. But then when my part comes in at the end, it turns into a party. That moment right there, I felt like I was bringing the party to everybody. Fat Joe was there, Pitbull was there; there were many artists there.

N.O.R.E.: It’s the first reggaetón record ever played on MTV and BET, that’s a fact, Google it. It’s the first reggaetón record ever added to our regular rotation on HOT 97 and Power 105.1, it’s a fact, Google it. I’m not talking about La Mega, or other [Spanish] radio. We busted iHeart Radio’s ass with that record… It bursts stars. I’m not saying I invented reggaetón, at all. I’m saying that in commercial American reggaetón, I am the head of that s–t.

The Impact

Big Mato: It impacted a lot. As soon as the song came out, you see Fabolous coming out, [saying] “I’m Dominican,” right away. We knew he was Dominican but he never mentioned it. It kind of opened people’s minds about being Latino and showing it. Even R. Kelly [recruited] Wisin y Yandel for “Burn It Up” [in 2005]. That was inspired by “Oye Mi Canto.” A lot of Americans started doing reggaetón, and we inspired that.

Nina Sky (Nicole): There were a lot of different reasons for us that it felt extra special. One being that we’re from Queens, N.O.R.E. is from Queens, and we grew up listening to Capone-N-Noreaga. So to be in the studio, creating this record about being proud of our heritage was amazing. To be here 20 years later performing that record still feels as amazing. It’s really cool that an artist, who up until that point, was not necessarily known for creating in that genre, was able to have such an impactful record. The reason that I feel like that is it’s because N.O.R.E. is an authentic, passionate, and talented artist, and he really believed in presenting that. That will always transcend time in music. That’s why today, we still hear the song — because it came from that place of authenticity and passion.

Nina Sky (Natalie): In a way, it opened up the doors for others to feel more comfortable collaborating and also experimenting; Drake and Bad Bunny, or “Despacito,” the more obvious one. There are just so many more collaborations in that style now. It opened the door for other people to collaborate. He was definitely an innovator.

SPK: The hook is contagious with the beautiful voices of Nina Sky, us paying homage to Big Pun on the hook, and N.O.R.E. adding different Latin nationalities to it played a big part in its popularity. The melodies made it more appealing to any generation from any nationality. Also, the voices of super legends like N.O.R.E., Daddy Yankee and Tego Calderon helped it go even further. But at the end of the day, none of that would have been possible without the mastermind behind it all N.O.R.E. P. Diddy said we created a never-die anthem.

N.O.R.E.: My close friends Fat Joe and [DJ] EFN both pulled me to the side [in 2004] and told me I shouldn’t be doing reggaetón. They weren’t saying that to try to hurt you. They said it to try to help you. They thought it was a phase. I had to look at my friends in their faces and say, “Nah, man, I believe in this genre of music. I’m gonna go against your advice and blessings.” I had to do this for my heart. And I stuck to what I know. To this day, whenever Fat Joe sees me and we bring up reggaetón, he says, “Look, I was wrong.” Whenever [EFN and I] bring up reggaetón on or off the show [Drink Champs], EFN says he was wrong.

Nina Sky (Natalie): In the song, there’s a line where N.O.R.E. says “No matter your race, because today you Latino.” And I think that line resonates because anyone who hears the song, anyone who sees the video, you feel that sense of pride. You sing along — you don’t have to be Latino, Boricua, Dominican or whatever. You feel that pride and you sing along because it doesn’t matter where you’re from.

N.O.R.E.: When I see young artists coming from Washington Heights, Hialeah, or East Los Angeles [doing American reggaetón], it’s like, damn, okay, we’re sharing this shit. It’s the same way hip-hop had to share with the West Coast, or drill music over there in London. Reggaetón happened to share with America. Then we realized that this is the reggaetón [Americans] needed to hear in order for y’all to get into what the essence of reggaetón is. The birthplace is Panama, the mother of reggaetón lives in Puerto Rico, but its children can now live all over the world, no matter where, and that is a beautiful thing.

25 Apr 2024

How 88rising Took a Music Industry Hub for Asian Artists From ‘Far-Off Dream’ to Singular Reality

As a student at the University of California, San Diego, Ollie Zhang oversaw the campus’ annual music festival and dozens of concerts throughout the year. Post-graduation, he co-founded the dance music brand Space Yacht in 2015. But he aspired to have a bigger, different kind of impact on the music business. “This idea of finding a place within the music industry for Asian artists to thrive always felt like a faraway concept to me,” he says. “A lot of the folks that I worked with and came up with in the music industry were Asian Americans. We all had this far-off dream that this is something that could be possible one day.”

So when Zhang (now 33) met Sean Miyashiro (now 42) in 2015, he says it was “serendipity” because Miyashiro was developing the very idea Zhang had imagined: carving out space for Asian and Asian American artistry to flourish. At the time, Miyashiro was helping VICE launch its dance music site, THUMP, but he soon realized, “If we created something to celebrate [our creative community], it would be better than anything else that exists.”

Trending on Billboard

Together, he and Zhang grew their shared vision into the company that became 88rising, the first and only hub for Asian artists in the music industry. 88rising launched with a small roster of clients Miyashiro was independently managing at the time, including choreographer-singer Brian Puspos, rappers Keith Ape and Dumbfoundead and dance artist josh pan. Zhang was at first, he believes, creative manager, then became chief of staff and is now head of artist development. (He also manages two of 88rising’s key signings, singer-songwriter NIKI and elusive indie-alternative star Joji.) And while the company initially focused on hip-hop, Miyashiro immediately made clear that it was never intended to be for any one type of creative — or even be any one thing at all.

Today, 88rising is a label, management firm and global brand — with Miyashiro, who alongside Zhang spoke to Billboard during weekend one of Coachella at a private residence in Indio, Calif., teasing that yet another new division is on the way. The company’s wide-ranging label roster includes NIKI, Joji and rappers Rich Brian and Jackson Wang. Meanwhile, the 88rising brand has grown into a behemoth. In 2018, it held its inaugural Head in the Clouds festival at Los Angeles State Historic Park, and the event has since expanded to New York; Jakarta, Indonesia; Manila, the Philippines; and Guangzhou, China. In 2020, 88rising launched North America’s first 24/7 radio channel dedicated to Asian artists, on SiriusXM; in 2021, the company curated the soundtrack to the Marvel blockbuster Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings; in 2022, it became the first label to score its own billing on Coachella’s lineup (returning in 2024); and, last year, it struck a global distribution deal with Sony’s The Orchard.

“Sean creating 88rising from just an idea in his head to what it has become today is incredible,” Wang says. “The thing I immediately knew about Sean is his vibe was so real from day one. He cares about art deeply before anything else, which is so rare in this music game or entertainment industry. I knew I could trust him, and he immediately began guiding me into decisions not only about my music, but how I see myself as an artist and human being.”

But regardless of exactly what 88rising does, Zhang attests that the why has never, and will never, change. “The mission statement remains the same to this day: uplifting Asian youth culture around the world,” he says. “Everything that we’ve done is a manifestation of that same intent. Obviously, the stakes have gotten higher, but where we’re at now is not even what we could have necessarily dreamed of.”

Tell us about operating as a label and as a brand.

Sean Miyashiro: It never was intended to be a label. I didn’t know anything about what it was to distribute a record or whatever. And I probably still don’t, frankly speaking. Like, I still don’t know how royalties break down and all this stuff. The intention of 88rising was to be a celebratory platform, and just by nature of what we were putting out, which was really based on the distinct taste of the people that were working here, that became the brand. That became the beating heartbeat of what 88rising was. And then all these artists started hitting us up, just being like, “We like this energy. Let’s do something.” Being a label was a happy accident… And we have a great opportunity to continually do more, so we have to take responsibility in that opportunity because nobody has really come after us.

88rising, Sean Miyashiro, Billboard Feature — Sean Miyashiro photographed on April 17, 2024 in Los Angeles.

Yuri Hasegawa

How does operating as a global brand entice artists, beyond only offering label services?

Ollie Zhang: There’s that little percentage of value that comes with [being] a brand, and I think that’s the intention. We do our best to make it incredibly clear that being here for an artist is advantageous and that you will be supported. Seeing [Japanese girl group] Atarashii Gakko!, for instance, use every single Head in the Clouds festival over the last couple of years, moving them slowly up and up the lineup and introducing them to different markets around the world — that is something that people definitely notice. And especially for an act like [them], the experience of being at that show instantly converts you into a fan. So how do we create as many opportunities for people to experience that as possible? That’s the advantage of being the platform that we are.

Miyashiro: When we’re in Asia, it’s crazy. I went to Indonesia with my family, and I was in one of those things that scale a mountain, and the operator is like, “You’re Sean.” When we go to Japan, when we go to China, it’s the same type of feeling — people know what we’re trying to do. And it’s by way of trying to be as consistent as possible. We have to push ourselves to stay ahead of this. I have anxiety; I never ever feel that we’re sitting pretty. It’s the complete opposite.

Many of 88rising’s wins are industrywide firsts, like the label’s now-annual Coachella billing. Why is the company able to pull off such feats?

Zhang: I think that’s a big credit to Sean and daring to believe that that’s possible. And obviously, a credit to the team that’s here and has been here over the last eight years to help execute that. And we couldn’t have done that as well without earning the trust and belief of artists that we look after, artists within the community, artists across the world. And it has all been iterative, right? It’s not necessarily a straight path, but it has always been moving in that direction.

Miyashiro: I love being able to [work with Japanese group] Number_i and new things because K-pop is already fully [established globally], times a thousand, and that’s amazing. [It’s] incredible what the whole industry there has built. But I want to showcase somebody from Cambodia or Vietnam. We love being first; it’s fun. Who wants to be second?

The 88rising Coachella set always features a variety of talent across countries and genres, including Japanese acts like Number_i this year. Considering that the label launched as a predominately hip-hop platform, what is now drawing a wider range of artists to the company?

Miyashiro: Fundamentally, we’re not business-driven or very good at business. Business is something that we have to learn by nature of, like, being able to make payroll. We’re inherently artist- and creative-driven. That’s what fuels everything. But the thing is, we’re so lucky to have built a relationship and a friendship and a bond with [our roster]. That’s what it really is. And that’s why nobody leaves, to be honest. We say this all the time: It needs to be so painfully obvious to the artist that [being on 88rising] is a benefit to them.

Zhang: It’s [about] aiding the artists on their own journey to find out what they want to communicate to the world or what kind of artists or musicians they want to be. NIKI is a great example of that. In the pandemic, she really started feeling like the kind of artist she wanted to be was going back to the singer-songwriter lane where she was making music in her bedroom in Jakarta. That’s why when she brought that original idea for [her second studio album] Nicole, it was a no-brainer in terms of wanting to embrace that and bring her creative partners that make sense.

88rising, Billboard Feature, Jackson Wang — 88rising artist Jackson Wang, who says of Miyashiro: “The thing I immediately knew about Sean is his vibe was so real from day one.”

Connor Gaskey

88rising, Billboard Feature, NIKI — NIKI performs at HITC on May 21, 2023 in New York.

Lindsey Blane

What up-and-comers are you putting muscle behind this year?

Zhang: A big part of the 88rising set [at Coachella] was an eye toward great Japanese talent with Number_i, Atarashii Gakko! and Yoasobi. I don’t know if it was intentional, but that’s what we’ve rallied around in this specific moment.

Miyashiro: A lot of people have been like, “Oh, dude, there’s a lot of Japanese artists,” but it wasn’t a planned thing. It’s always by nature of who we might be talking to about something as small as making a song. And then it’s like, “Yo, come on over.” These are invaluable opportunities for artists. Just in culture, [the fact that] Number_i played Coachella is like, “What, where did that come from?” Because it’s like, how else would they get here? We love being able to deliver these things with ease … It’s like, “Yo, Paul [Tollett, president of Coachella promoter Goldenvoice], give us some real estate here. We’ll figure it out.” Literally, I was like, “Just make sure that we’re on the flyer.” I had no idea what we were going to do, but it’s organic. It’s like putting together a block party.

How do you see 88rising’s Coachella billing evolving?

Miyashiro: We’re going to do it again next year. We’re going to start earlier, and I have an idea … We’ve been doing a celebration, [offering] a glimpse of all these artists going back-to-back-to-back. I think that, in the future, we want to do something a bit more orchestrated and seamless with a theme. Kind of like a musical. Tell a light story in 75 minutes. We’re actually starting that process.

What else are you working on?

Miyashiro: Right now, there are so many aspiring artists, young people, deciding to make music. And with all the infrastructure that we built and the know-how, we have the opportunity to help a lot of them. We are going to create something called FAM, Future of Asian Music. It’s a distribution ecosystem for independent Asian artists.

There’s a lot of distribution mechanisms that somebody can use, but we’re going to be [creating] a really nice ecosystem of curation and recommendation through artists of influence. [There will be] a lot of live stuff within this, and it’s all around the ethos of DIY, independent, next-generation Asian music from all over Asia. We’re doing a ton of content around this from live programming, like our version of COLORS [the German music platform known for simple live recordings from up-and-comers around the world]. It’s like [a] from-your-bedroom-to-stardom-type of thing. We want to be a part of that conversation and journey every step of the way. This is a fire starter … and pretty soon, there’s hopefully a thousand artists distributed through us. I think that we will reach that.

Zhang: It’s fully realizing the original intent of 88rising. And more important for an artist nowadays is not the sheer process of getting your music on a platform, it’s how do you create content to put you in context with all the other artists that are uploading music every day? FAM is a vehicle to express that.

88rising, Billboard Feature, Coachella — Artists who performed at the 88rising Futures showcase at Coachella on April 15. Standing, from left: BIBI, Atarashii Gakko!’s SUZUKA and MIZYU, JP the Wavy, U-Lee, Jackson Wang and Number_i’s Yuta Jinguji, Yuta Kishi and Sho Hirano. Seated: XIN LIU, Tiger JK, Yoonmirae, Atarashii Gakko!’s KANON, Awich, NENE, MaRI and LANA. Kneeling: Atarashii Gakko!’s RIN. Right: Rich Brian.

Lindsey Blane

88rising, Billboard Feature, Rich Brian — Rich Brian performs at HITC on May 21, 2023 in New York.

Deanie Chen

What subgenres do you think are shaping the future of Asian music?

Zhang: I think that Isoknock — [comprising dance/electronic artists] ISOxo and Knock2 — are leading the charge on a major resurgence in electronic dance music here and around the world. They are just pure rock stars. And I think that they are actively revitalizing a scene that has been dormant. Both Sean and I come from the dance world, grew up in electronic music — so has a lot of our staff — so that’s something where once we saw how special it was, just from the ground floor, we wanted to jump on it. For them to be two Asian American kids from San Diego and for dance music being a big part of Asian American culture over the last couple of decades, that really means something that they’re at the forefront.

How do you view the impact of 88rising so far?

Miyashiro: It’s funny because when we started, some haters were like, “Oh, dude, you think you’re the only person that can do this?” I hear people in investment meetings saying, “We’re going to be the next 88rising for African music,” and that’s dope. I love hearing that. But in the Asian space, it hasn’t happened yet. I’m sure it will in some way, shape or form. And we love that. That was the point. If we cease to exist tomorrow, we can look back and have some peace and be like, “We really did something here.”

This story will appear in the April 27, 2024, issue of Billboard.

25 Apr 2024

Lay Bankz’s ‘Tell Ur Girlfriend’ Rises to No. 1 on TikTok Billboard Top 50

Lay Bankz’s “Tell Ur Girlfriend” is a No. 1 song on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart, vaulting from No. 11 to the top of the ranking dated April 27.

The TikTok Billboard Top 50 is a weekly ranking of the most popular songs on TikTok in the United States based on creations, video views and user engagement. The latest chart reflects activity April 15-21. Activity on TikTok is not included in Billboard charts except for the TikTok Billboard Top 50. As previously noted, titles that are part of Universal Music Group’s catalog are currently unavailable on TikTok.

See latest videos, charts and news

“Tell Ur Girlfriend” rules after debuting at No. 11 on the April 20 tally. It unseats Alek Olsen’s “Someday I’ll Get It,” which had reigned for four straight weeks.

Trending on Billboard

The Lay Bankz song, which was released in February, has mainly benefited from a dance trend highlighting the chorus, with influencer Charli D’Amelio one of the high-profile creators getting in on the craze in recent days.

Concurrently, “Tell Ur Girlfriend” debuts at No. 58 on the multimetric Billboard Hot 100, Bankz’s first appearance on the ranking. It accrued 8.8 million chart-eligible U.S. streams April 12-18, a boost of 56%, according to Luminate.

Artemas’ “I Like the Way You Kiss Me,” meanwhile, rises to a new peak of No. 2 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50. Despite continuing to ascend the chart, the song still lacks a major throughline trend, with uploads using the tune ranging from memes to general-interest clips. The song takes another step toward the top 10 of the Hot 100, shooting 16-12 on the latest survey, paced by 19.8 million streams, up 5%.

G-Eazy’s “Lady Killers II” remains at No. 3 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50, while Bakar’s Summer Walker-assisted “Hell N Back” and FloyyMenor and Cris Mj’s “Gata Only” round out the top five at Nos. 4 and 5, respectively. Both songs were covered in the previous chart article; “Hell N Back” remains centered around a relationship- or friendship-based trend using Walker’s “I was over love, I had enough, then I found you” lyric, while “Gata Only” stems from a dance trend.

Aside from “Tell Ur Girlfriend,” the other tune that’s a newcomer to the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s top 10 is a classic in Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love,” which vaults to No. 8. The ‘70s tune has been a mainstay on user-generated content platforms since its synch in the 2014 movie Guardians of the Galaxy, and its latest resurgence is based on both dancing and lip-synching clips.

“Come and Get Your Love,” which reached No. 5 on the Hot 100 in 1974, accumulated 3.2 million streams April 12-18, a 26% leap.

The week’s top debut on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 is Daren Barenboim and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s performance of “Verdi: Messa da Requiem: II. Dies Irae,” which bows at No. 14. Its premiere is thanks to a meme trend on TikTok soundtracking a painting of a courtroom scene, usually with the caption “She won’t stop saying it” or something similar.

And Taylor Swift? She’s on the latest chart as well, with “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” and “Fortnight,” the latter featuring Post Malone, debuting at Nos. 25 and 50, respectively, via three days of data after the April 19 premiere of Swift’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department. More entries – as well as rises for both songs – are possible on the May 4-dated TikTok Billboard Top 50, which will cover metrics accumulated April 22-28.

See the full TikTok Billboard Top 50 here. You can also tune in each Friday to SiriusXM’s TikTok Radio (channel 4) to hear the premiere of the chart’s top 10 countdown at 3 p.m. ET, with reruns heard throughout the week.

25 Apr 2024

20 Questions With Sean Paul: Dancehall Legend Discusses Greatest Tour, Clashing & Crossover Collaborations

Back in 2002, Sean Paul’s “Gimme the Light” reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, kicking off one of the most prolific crossover careers in dancehall history. Two decades later, Ice Spice, one of the hottest names in contemporary hip-hop, announced her own “Gimme the Light”-sampling single during her 2024 Coachella performance — just one example of how seminal Sean Paul’s contributions to the fabric of American pop culture have become.

On May 2, Paul willl launch a 22-date U.S. trek – crowned the Greatest Tour – at House of Blues in Orlando, Florida, marking his longest Stateside tour in over 10 years. The production will visit major U.S. cities such as Las Vegas, Brooklyn and New Orleans, before concluding at the Fillmore in Charlotte, North Carolina, on June 16.

Trending on Billboard

“I feel that the people are ready for me again,” Paul recently told the Associated Press. And he’s correct: His last two studio albums – 2021’s Live n Livin (No. 9) and 2022’s Grammy-nominated Scorcha (No. 6) — both reached the top 10 on Top Reggae Albums, becoming his seventh and eighth consecutive titles to hit that region.

With timeless classics like “Get Busy,” “Temperature,” “We Be Burnin” and the Beyoncé-assisted “Baby Boy” to his name, Sean Paul is armed with an arsenal of smash hits that few can rival – and he intends to re-explore his sprawling catalog on his new tour. Far from a mere nostalgia grab, the Greatest Tour also grants Paul the opportunity to bring his recent Latin music collaborations to life across the U.S. So far in the 2020s, the dancehall legend has already joined forces with major Latin stars such as Wisin & Yandel (“No Sales de Mi Cabeza”), Manuel Turizo (“Dem Time Deh”), Feid (“Niña Bonita”) and Billboard 200 chart-topper Karol G (“Kármika”).

“I’ve been doing a lot of different types of genres, stepping into the Latin world and stuff like that,” he says. “I’m just ready to connect back with everybody who loves dancehall, and the people who are being drawn to the new music that I’ve been doing lately in the States.”

Between the promising crossover success of recent dancehall hits like Teejay’s “Drift” and the box-office-busting success of Bob Marley: One Love, the worlds of reggae and dancehall are gearing up for another wave of global attention, and Sean Paul is here to help guide those genres once again – both as a mentor and as a performer.

In an entertaining conversation with Billboard, Sean Paul details his new tour, explains his controversial stance on the Jada Kingdom-Stefflon Don clash, ponders the dynamic between dancehall, afrobeats, and reggaeton, and recalls his earliest musical memories.

1. Where are you in the world right now? How’s the day treating you?

Sean Paul: I’m good! I’m in my studio Downstairs in my house and I just put my kids to watch [the 2024 Netflix docuseries] Moses — because I’ve been reading them Moses, so I’m trying to get them interested more.

2. In just over a month, you’re kicking off your Greatest Tour. What are you most excited about for this specific tour?

I’ve been touring the world for a long time… it’s been quite a long time [since I’ve hit] the States in terms of a long tour. I’ve done [one-off] dates here and there, but the last time I did a long tour like this [was] probably 10 years ago. I’m very excited about connecting back with people.

3. What are your three favorite songs to perform live and why?

That would definitely be “Temperature,” “Get Busy,” and probably “Gimme the Light” — because it didn’t hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts, but it was the [biggest] video that I had back in the day for a minute. “Get Busy” was my first [Hot 100] No. 1 and “Temperature” was my second No. 1. It’s always fun to perform those.

4. Which cities are your favorite to perform in? Are there any cities or venues that surprised you with how hype they were?

Usually, New York’s really dope, Miami as well, and I would say most of the East Coast. But L.A. has come up! Traditionally, L.A. would be a more reggae area. On the West Coast, it’s a lot more reggae-oriented — but L.A. kind of surprised me in terms of the love they have for my music, and for dancehall especially. It has grown over the years.

But I haven’t been to Chicago or Atlanta in a long time. I’m looking forward to [being] back in those states because I used to have fun there. I have friends that I’ve seen in a minute, so it’s good to connect. I don’t think I’ve been [in Atlanta] since COVID, so that’s gonna be a good vibe.

5. What’s the first concert or tour you remember attending?

Young MC! [He] came to Jamaica and he was in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most words in a rap song, and that night Papa San was also there and he was in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most words in a song. So, we all thought they was gonna clash, because [Jamaica] had a thing – we still do – with clashing, and I thought that was gonna happen. We was like, “Yo, what’s going down?” I remember the girls shouting, “Marvin! Marvin!” because Young MC’s name was Marvin. They didn’t clash, but I had a great time. It was in National Arena in Jamaica.

The next one I went to was a group called 2 in a Room. [Sings “Wiggle it, just a little bit.”] My aunt had a sound system, so she was a person that was chaperoning them around, and all of her equipment was being used at the show. So those two first come to mind in terms of big concerts that I’ve been to.

6. Who are your biggest influences in terms of live performance and crafting your stage show?

One of my biggest influences from my genre is Capleton. He’s a very enigmatic. He’s full of energy all the time, no matter how old or how much time passes, the dude is amazing to me and I think he should be revered much more than he is. [He’s] someone with a message, but he also keeps the crowd very entertained.

Of course, Bob Marley is someone who we all look up to. He’s like a national hero to me. When he performed, you felt his soul. You feel the content of his lyrics, it hits you that it means that much to him. Most of the time, he performed [with] his eyes closed, so you can tell it’s coming from a deep place. Of course, Super Cat and Shabba Ranks. I do have influences from hip-hop, like LL Cool J [and] Rakim — all these influences come together to make me the dynamic performer that I am.

7. You’ve done a lot of crossover collaborations for the Latin market recently and you even picked up a crossover artist of the year nomination at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards. What drew you to that market and those sounds?

Reggaetón is very close to what dancehall has been for years. I like to say that reggae is the father of the music, and hip-hop and dancehall are brothers. It’s a vibe.

8. Why do you think cross-genre collaborations are important?

The music is here to connect people. It’s just another form of reaching out to another side that’s maybe not familiar with your music or wants to see more of you.

I always learn from my collabs, man. There’s no time that I don’t learn. I might go and collab and I’m doing what I do, and then all of a sudden, the producer or the artist himself might step in and be like, “Yo, do a harmony right here!” And I’m like, “Oh, I didn’t ever think of doing something like that.” It may be influenced from their style of music, maybe R&B, maybe hip hop, maybe reggaetón, even Afrobeats. I learn something every time and I take that with me, so it helps my songwriting.

9. We’ve been seeing a lot of Afrobeats and dancehall crossovers recently. What do you think is the potential of that musical dynamic and is there anything you think that two genres and industries can learn from one another?

Jamaican dancehall music, to me, back in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, was the most Afrocentric genre coming out of the Western world, so to speak. We didn’t, at that time, connect with African artists — but we spoke up [against] apartheid in Africa. The sentiment was always there that we are closer than we think, and that we can learn from each other. Sly Dunbar is a great producer and someone I learned from; the style of drums and how we played was very Afrocentric and reminded me of our African roots here.

Then, years pass by, and I’m an artist and I go to Africa, and they are so appreciative of what we brought to the table. It’s been a symbiotic relationship back and forth over the years. We’re using drums from the sound that’s been Afro music, people like Fela Kuti and all of these great musicians, and we’re producing it the way we hear it [and] feel it. In Afrobeats [now], they have taken the hint from how we produce and done their own thing with it.

It goes to show you, no matter how far away you are, there are still things about the culture that are important, that are upheld and that continue through life. The connection of blood, the connection of family through culture has been an important thing — and it lives in the music and it affects us symbiotically.

10. In 2022, you dropped Scorcha, which earned you your 10^th Grammy nomination. Where do you personally rank that album in your discography?

I think albums define artists in a certain time period, so I don’t judge my own work in the respect of how well they do for sales or how well they do [in terms of] impact on the on the community. I judge it as, me then, right? So we had just been in COVID [with] the lockdowns and I did two albums that year. I feel very proud of the work. Live n Livin [released on March 12, 20221] was a collaborative effort of me and about 19 other Jamaican artists, which I was very proud of. I hadn’t seen anybody in my genre do so much collabs, with each other, which I think has been needed.

For Scorcha, it was definitely a statement of me still feeling myself. It’s still fun music, it’s music that people can vibe to and forget about their problems. I don’t call it escapism, but it does give you that space and time that you can feel like life ain’t so monotonous and hard and difficult to deal with. It gives you a little bit of light — that’s no pun intended, but that’s what my music is for.

11. Do you still buy albums yourself? What’s the first album you remember buying and falling in love with?

Oh man, I’m streaming now! [Laughs.] I’m in the modern day! It’s weird to me, because I liked owning the vinyl. I liked being able to just look at one picture all day long and imagine everything about Donna Summer that I could ever imagine. There was a lot to the imagination at that time and it was very magical. Nowadays, [with] streaming, I don’t own the album, but I stream songs for sure.

Of course, my parents’ collection was there, so I mentioned Donna Summer, I can mention The Beatles, Neil Diamond — this is my mom’s music and influences on me — Paul Simon and Garfunkel. But the first one I bought was [Breakin’], to tell you the truth. Hip-hop was just becoming the “in thing” in my generation. It was around from before and we heard songs, but now, I was identifying stars and the break dancing was kicking off, so [Breakin’] was something that I wanted to own.

It’s funny what happens when you’re coming up as a young kid, [buying] an album like that and then [learning] something from it. I didn’t know of Chaka Khan before that album. And then I found out more about Chaka Khan, and I was like, “Yo!” I got an introduction to her music through that album.

My mom did buy me Steel Pulse[’s Earth Crisis] that same year as well — she’s someone who liked their music because it was kind of reggae, with a little difference. It had different melodies and harmonies, and what they spoke about, she was really into that.

12. Who from the younger generation do you think is leading dancehall right now or charting a new path forward for the genre?

Definitely Masicka. I’ve been supporting his career for a long time. He just reminds me of freshness. Every time that you hear a song from him, you could tell that he really put a lot into the wordplay, that’s very commendable as a younger artist. I like Skeng, I think his voice is awesome. I would like to hear some different topics from him, but still love the voice, love the vibe, it’s the right energy.

I know I wasn’t around when rock’n’roll started, but the raw energy that I feel when I listened to the early rock’n’roll — Chuck Berry and all of that – it’s the same feeling I get [with these younger dancehall artists]. It’s not overproduced at all. Big up to the younger dancehall artists. Skillibeng doing his thing. Big up to Popcaan, he’s a little older generation than them, but [he’s] somebody who still is making music that is making an impact here for me.

13. You had some controversial thoughts on the Jada Kingdom and Stefflon Don clash from earlier this year. Some people noted how global audiences really tuned in and paid attention to that clash, which brought more eyes to the contemporary dance hall scene. What purpose do you think clashes can serve in this particular era of dancehall?

I’m against the clashing right now. I’ve been for quite some time — reason being, I’ve seen negative impacts in the community when it comes to people being childish about supporting their artists. Clashing does bring about attention, but does it bring important lessons? [That’s] what I think music is supposed to be.

When I look [at] Marley’s career, people like Jimmy Cliff, Third World, Black Guru — this is where our music comes from. We are like hip-hop in a way, but we also have that root of the Burning Spear and all these people who spoke culture to us and fought Apartheid, as I said before. I just don’t want to see my people feel the need to clash talents. In that respect, I think our talents can be used more towards a greater upliftment of everybody.

I have spoken about being against the clash with all types of artists — male artists from a long time ago, when Mavado and [Vybz] Kartel was clashing. Kids would ask me, “Gully or Gaza?” And I’d say, “Nah, mi seh Jamaican flag.” Even though my little utterances didn’t make a difference then, people still clash, people still enjoyed the clash, it showed them their technical skills. I didn’t feel the need as an artist to show my skills against another artist when I know exactly how hard it is to break in this industry, and how much I feel we should collab together more.

When I spoke up about Jada and Steff, it’s because I know those two people. I also believe that women’s energy should reflect a different type of energy than a man. Yes, you can be a strong woman, you can be a leader, you can be someone that rebels against something that’s wrong. But the energy, and where they’re putting it, I just don’t find it attractive for women to be to be doing that to me.

[There was] a lot of backlash. I got a lot of people saying, “Oh, so men can do it and women can’t do it?” And I’ve always said in my genre, the mandem shouldn’t be clashing. I was answering back everybody I could [on Instagram]. I’m not the type of vocal artist like that all the time, but when I do believe in something, I’m gonna say it.

I just believe that those two women especially have a lot more talent and a far way to go in the business than to cement themselves to be known more as a clash artist. I’ve seen that happen with some of the males too. Some of the dudes come out, they’re clashing, and then you’re just known as a clash artist. I haven’t heard anything else from them. Not a song to entertain, not a song to educate, not a song to uplift, just a song to be derogatory about the other artists. I think we do that too much in this genre, also in hip-hop.

I’m tired of it. I’m tired of childish behavior. I just think that we could spend our time doing way better things as a genre, especially coming from the root of reggae and what that’s been in the climate of music in the world.

14. What do you love most about where dancehall is right now, and what do you wish was different?

I wish clashing wasn’t as prominent, I’ll just say that first. [Laughs.] What I do love about our genre is that it’s been so infectious that other people have gravitated towards doing their own music that sounds [like] the same type of backbeat or feeling in the songs.

For me, it’s a spirit. It’s an ancient spirit that comes through the music. When Sly Dunbar was making the music in the late 80s [and] early 90s, I felt this Afrocentric feeling. It felt third world, [like] this is my identity, and it still has that feeling and it’s giving that feeling to other genres as well.

I’m proud of the fact that there are more producers and more artists. One thing that’s uneasy to see is that there’s a lot of people who just come up and they don’t go through a gauntlet like I did or artists before me, where you have to stay [in the studio] all day long sitting down, waiting for your turn to be recorded. It’s all on your phone right now or your laptop [with FruityLoops] and everything’s a lot easier. Sometimes when you don’t go through the fire, you don’t get to the point where you’re diamond.

15. What made it a fire or a gauntlet?

Back in the day, having to wait in those lines, having to take the criticism from the producer himself — because nowadays the kid could just do his own thing and put his song out. Soulja Boy broke from that scenario. But the discipline ain’t there to me, and that discipline is a deepness that can help you to have more longevity, which I think I’ve had, and so I give thanks to everybody who, behind the scenes, criticized me, pointed the finger at me and told me, “Go do better.”

It’s happening not just with my genre, but with many other genres. Yes, there can be prolific artists like Prince, who will play everything on his album, but that’s a one in a million or one in a billion. You do need the guidance as a younger artist, and I think that’s missing from most genres, but especially this one.

16. What business advice would you give younger artists who are striving to have a career with as much longevity as yours?

I’ve never been [a good businessman] — I just feel what my crowd needs from me. I feel what works and what doesn’t. I don’t produce a hit song every day! For every one song you hear, I may have 25 songs that you will never hear. It’s about the work ethic, keeping your ears to the ground where the genre is concerned, but also keeping in tune with your crowd.

A lot of ladies gave me the ideas to be like, “Yo, they like hearing this from me!” It’s a lot of gangsterism in music and hardcore stuff. While I don’t think I’m a soft artist, I do think that I give some form of romance to the ladies, and some form of closeness that you know that that they need from the music.

You may be an artist that doesn’t connect in that way. I’m not saying everybody has to do that type of music, but connect to whatever it is from you that people are connecting with. Pay attention to that.

17. How do you think mentorship can be most effective in dancehall right now?

I think what I’m doing has been helping a few artists. I help to mentor people like Chi Ching Ching and a young cat Quan-Dajai [Henriques], who [was] in the Bob Marley movie. I produced their music right now. I think it’s important because just by being in the studio one day and telling them a story about something I’ve seen in the business or some crazy stuff that happened behind the scenes with the red tape, the lawyers and other producers — they learn from me.

It’s important because it’s a slippery slope that we have as an artist. We create, we sit in the in the in the studio — we’re away from real life, but we’re talking about real life. It can be a very hard road, at times, for people, especially if you’re not being heard. To have someone to help you navigate through those times is an important thing. I feel that I’ve been helping to do that with quite a few artists.

18. What’s the last song you listened to?

Some music that I just did in LA last week. One’s called “Ginger,” nice vibe. It’s kind of like a blend of Afrobeat and dancehall music. It’s an Afrobeat producer and artist I worked with, so I’m really feeling that one. It sounds like now. I listen to a lot of my music because I have a lot that hasn’t even come out yet.

I have listened to the verse that Kendrick [Lamar] spit. I’m more hearing the verse than the full song, but he did step on some toes there! So, some clashing a gwan again. [Laughs.] For me, all those artists have proven themselves to be great. I don’t need [a clash] to know that they are great. I might revere Kendrick’s lyrics more than Drake’s, but I still think Drake is a talented person to be where he is at this point.

19. For you, what makes the perfect dancehall song?

It definitely has to do with the beat a lot. A lot. you could have a very great reggae song that’s an acoustic – there have been acoustic dancehall songs, for sure — but the main driving force of our music is the riddim. It’s the drum and the bass. That’s what’s changed a lot with the younger [producers] nowadays, who don’t have that gauntlet to [and] don’t have the guidance of other people. It’s a lot more chord-oriented and keyboard-oriented, and it don’t have the crazy bass. I miss that. There’s a few songs that that still reflect that now, and those are the ones I enjoy more.

I think that that’s the important thing that makes a dancehall beat. For me, Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” is a dancehall beat. I’ll beat you. The drums and the bass reflect that. When the radio people say, “Dancehall ain’t playing in the States no more on the radio, sorry!” I’m like, “F—k you, because you’re playing Ed Sheeran and to me, that’s dancehall.” Good songs are good songs, but the backbeat — the drum and the bass — is definitely what helps to make our genre the infectious thing that it’s become and that it is.

20. What’s your all-time Carnival anthem?

When I was a kid, you know, soca music comes from Trinidad and that’s the carnival music here. As a kid, I didn’t love it as much. I have five aunties, my father’s sisters, they loved it and I didn’t like it.

But I’ve grown up now and I have a wife, so she’s immersed in Carnival. She makes costumes, so she’s giving me good insight as to what music is great. I think that one of my favorite anthems is a song from 2005, [sings Shurwayne Winchester’s “Dead or Alive”]. Also, “Like a Boss” by Machel Montano was probably just the baddest song. He’s like challenging me to party more! Those two songs for me are Carnival anthems.

25 Apr 2024

Mike Pinder, Moody Blues Founding Keyboardist Dead At 82

Mike Pinder, the last surviving original member of psychedelic rock of 1960s/70s prog rock band the Moody Blues has died at 82. The pioneering keyboardist/singer credited with helping to introduce the mellotron into the rock arena passed away on Wednesday (April 24) at his home in Northern California of undisclosed causes.

Moody bassist John Lodge shared a statement from Pinder’s family on Facebook, in which they wrote, “Michael Thomas Pinder died on Wednesday, April 24th, 2024 at his home in Northern California, surrounded by his devoted family. Michael’s family would like to share with his trusted friends and caring fans that he passed peacefully. His final days were filled with music, encircled by the love of his family. Michael lived his life with a childlike wonder, walking a deeply introspective path which fused the mind and the heart.”

It continued, “He created his music and the message he shared with the world from this spiritually grounded place; as he always said, ‘Keep your head above the clouds, but keep your feet on the ground.’ His authentic essence lifted up everyone who came into contact with him. His lyrics, philosophy, and vision of humanity and our place in the cosmos will touch generations to come.”

Trending on Billboard

Born in Erdington, Birmingham England on Dec. 27, 1941, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Pinder co-founded the group in May 1964 with multi-instrumentalist/singer Ray Thomas, singer/guitarist Denny Laine, drummer Graeme Edge and bassist/singer Clint Warwick; Laine and Warwick left the band in 1966 after the release of 1965’s debut album, The Magnificent Moodies, and were replaced by guitarist Justin Hayward and bassist Lodge. Pinder and Laine co-wrote all the original songs on Moodies, which included the band’s wistful, R&B influenced breakthrough single, “Go Now.”

The new lineup released one of the landmark early prog rock albums, Days of Future Passed, in 1967, on which Pinder made his recorded debut playing the mellotron, a keyboard that used prerecorded three-track tapes to reproduced a variety of orchestral instrumental sounds and special effects. “The Mellotron enabled me to create my own variations of string movements. I could play any instrument that I wanted to hear in the music. If I heard strings, I could play them with the Mellotron. If I heard cello, brass, trumpets or piano, I could play them,” Pinder told Rolling Stone in an oral history of the album’s enduring hit single, “Nights in White Satin.”

Pinder took lead vocals on the majestic, symphonic opening instrumental, “The Day Begins,” and is credited with writing “Dawn: Dawn Is a Feeling” and the “Sunset” portion of the trippy “Evening” suite. The album also featured what would become the group’s signature mind-trip single, “Nights in White Satin,” which ran up to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 when it was re-released in 1972.

Pinder’s experimentation with the then-new keyboard helped it become a staple of prog and psychedelic recordings by groups including Yes, Genesis and King Crimson. His explorations continued on the Moody’s 1968 album In Search of the Lost Chord, another concept LP which explored the concepts of inner exploration and discovery. He contributed vocals to the propulsive single “Ride My See-Saw” and is the credited songwriter on the mind-tripping psychedelic journey through the universe “The Best Way to Travel,” featuring the acid-tinged lyrics, “Speeding through the universe/ Thinking is the best way to travel/ And you can fly, high as a kite if you want to.” He also wrote the Indian-influenced album ender “Om,” which incorporates Pinder’s mellotron, as well as sitar, tambura, tabla and cello.

The rock group that fully embraced the flower power Woodstock vibe of the late 1960s further explored the deepest recesses of their consciousness on 1969’s On the Threshold of a Dream, which again featured Pinder’s vocal contributions and songwriting on four tracks, the incense-spiced blues raga “So Deep Within You,” as well as floaty “Have You Heard (Part 1)” (and “Part 2”) and the roiling instrumental “The Voyage.”

The keyboardist would continue to be a key creative force in the band on 1969’s moon landing-inspired To Our Children’s Children’s Children album, 1970’s more straight-ahead rocking A Question of Balance — which featured the quickstep Billboard Hot 100 No. 21 hit “Question” — and 1971’s similarly concept-free Every Good Boy Deserves Favour.

The group’s 1972 LP, Seventh Sojourn, found Pinder blazing a trail with another new instrument, the Chamberlin, another electro-mechanical keyboard that also used a tape-like device that would later be featured on recordings by Stevie Wonder, James Taylor and Edgar Winter.

After a long break, the Moodys returned in 1978 with their ninth album, Octave, on which Pinder traded his mellotron and Chamberlin for synthesizers on what would be his final studio recording with the band. It featured just one track credited to Pinder, the meditative ballad “One Step Into the Light,” on which he also provides lead vocals.

Before his passing, Pinder the was the last living member of the original lineup following the death of bassist Warwick in 2004, singer/flautist Thomas in 2018, drummer Edge in 2021 and guitarist Laine in 2023. “Mike your music will last forever. Rest in peace on your travels to heaven,” Lodge wrote on Twitter. The band, including Pinder, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.

Pinder released his debut solo album, The Promise, on the band’s label, Threshold, in 1976, followed by a second one, Among the Stars, in 1994 and 1995’s A Planet With One Mind.

See the statement from Pinder’s family and listen to some of his contributions to the band below.

25 Apr 2024

Barbra Streisand’s New Single ‘Love Will Survive’ for ‘Tattooist of Auschwitz’ Is Here: Stream It Now

Barbra Streisand is back with her first new song in six years, releasing “Love Will Survive” for Hulu’s The Tattooist of Auschwitz Thursday (April 25).

The emotional track finds the eight-time Grammy winner adding her famous vibrato to poetic lyrics penned by Charlie Midnight, crooning over cinematic piano and strings. “Until I’m near you, somehow I’ll hear you,” she sings. “Your voice will echo inside me forever.”

Trending on Billboard

“Love Will Survive” marks Streisand’s first proper release since 2018’s Walls, which debuted at No. 12 on the Billboard 200. Since then, she’s also dropped a handful of compilation, anniversary edition and live albums, including Evergreens and Release Me 2.

“Because of the rise in antisemitism around the world today,” Streisand said in a statement, “I wanted to sing ‘Love Will Survive’ in the context of this series as a way of remembering the six-million souls who were lost less than 80 years ago. And also to say that even in the darkest of times, the power of love can triumph and endure.”

Streisand’s first-ever recording for a TV series, “Love Will Survive” serves as the end title for The Tattooist of Auschwitz, which premieres on Hulu May 2. The ballad was composed by Hans Zimmer, Kara Talve and Walter Afanasieff.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz tells the story of a Slovakian Jewish man named Lali, played by Jonah Hauer-King. After being deported to the deadly concentration camp Auschwitz, he’s forced to tattoo identification numbers on incoming prisoners’ arms.

Listen to Barbra’s new single below.

25 Apr 2024

BTS’ RM Announces Second Solo Album ‘Right Place, Wrong Person’

Here’s some dynamite news for ARMY: BTS‘ RM has announced that his second solo album is on the way!

Right Place, Wrong Person is set to arrive on May 24, and will feature 11 tracks “infused with alternative music and rich sounds,” according to the press release. The K-pop superstar also helped write the “frank, honest lyrics” for each song.

According to the announcement on Weverse, Right Place, Wrong Person captures feelings that most people are familiar with, including “the feeling of being an outsider who doesn’t fit in.”

“Right Place, Wrong Person embodies facets of RM as a solo artist, distinct from albums released under BTS,” label Big Hit said in a statement, noting that the LP “delves into RM’s authentic essence.”

RM’s first solo set, Indigo, arrived in December 2022, and peaked at No. 3 on the all-genre Billboard 200. The album featured multiple artists, including Anderson .Paak, Erykah Badu and others. Lead single “Wild Flower,” which featured youjeen, debuted and peaked at No. 83 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Trending on Billboard

Big Hit also teased that ahead of the release of the BTS rapper’s second solo LP, RM “will unveil a diverse array of content, offering a further glimpse into the new album.”

The members of BTS have been completing their mandatory military services in South Korea. RM began his enlistment in December, as did V, Jimin and Jung Kook. Jin was the first member of the septet to perform his required service, with J-Hope and SUGA following. South Korea requires all of its able-bodied men to enlist by age 28 for 18 to 21 months of service.

See Big Hit’s announcement of RM’s upcoming solo album below:

25 Apr 2024

The 40 Best Deep Cuts of 2004: Staff Picks

04/25/2024

The buried gems worth unearthing from our favorite albums of 20 years ago.

By&nbsp

Katie Atkinson, Eric Renner Brown, Kyle Denis, Thom Duffy, Jason Lipshutz, Rebecca Milzoff, Isabela Raygoza, Dan Rys, Michael Saponara, Damien Scott, Andrew Unterberger, Christine Werthman

04/25/2024

Deep Cuts

Designed by Christopher Elsemore

This week, Billboard is publishing a series of lists and articles celebrating the music of 20 years ago. Our 2004 Week continues here with our list of the year’s best deep cuts — our staff’s favorite ’04 album tracks that were never released as official U.S. singles.

For a long time, it seemed like 2004 was going to be the final year to have an RIAA diamond-certified album. Usher’s Confessions, released that February, sold 1.1 million copies in its first week, spawned four Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles (which collectively spent more than half the year atop the chart), and ultimately shipped well over 10 million copies — the last album released to do so until Adele’s titanic 2011 LP 21. It was in many ways the final true blockbuster of the CD era, the last time an album that existed primarily in physical form would dominate the culture to that level. It was also dope as hell, even beyond its many hit singles, with several of its album cuts becoming bigger and more enduring cultural staples than most of 2004’s proper radio hits.

And even though it was by far the biggest album of the year, Confessions was far from the only release to have that kind of whole-LP impact in 2004. On the rock side, veteran punks Green Day’s dropped a Who-worthy full-length narrative with world-building deep cuts, while new bands Franz Ferdinand and The Killers arrived fully formed with first albums that played like greatest hits sets. On the pop side, Kelly Clarkson and a newly solo Gwen Stefani proved their superstar bonafides with albums that spawned five major hits each — and still had plenty more potential smashes leftover that never got tabbed for single release. And in hip-hop, Ye announced his presence to the world with an album that would forever change the course of the genre — while deeper underground, rapper MF Doom and producer Madlib would team up for an equally stunning (and in its own culty way, just as celebrated) debut.

You’ll find tracks from all these albums in our list below, along with plenty more gems that were never officially released as singles, from artists ranging from Ghostface to Gretchen Wilson. Read on, and find out all about the riches that 2004 had to offer beyond the big hits.

Nelly, “Heart of a Champion” (Sweat)

Image Credit: Courtesy Photo

On the first part of his 2004 double-release Sweat/Suit, Nelly provided a motivational anthem filling gym-goers’ playlists across the country. Sports fans recognized the triumphant production behind “Heart of a Champion,” which samples John Teck’s “Roundball Rock” – more popularly known as the fan-favorite NBA on NBC theme song. The Sweat opener is an incredible snapshot of the 2000s sports landscape, with professional athletes name-dropped by Nelly like Michael Redd, Julius Peppers and Ray Lewis. Looking back, it aligns with Nelly at the time, who was then filming for his role as the Mean Machine’s star inmate running back, playing Earl Megget in the following year’s The Longest Yard remake. — MICHAEL SAPONARA
The Streets, “Wouldn’t Have It Any Other Way” (A Grand Don’t Come for Free)

The second album from The Streets, the musical project of U.K. rapper/producer Mike Skinner, tells the story of a guy who lost a stack and tries to get it back without completely disrupting his life. The concept album is at turns hilarious and touching, with songs about heartbreak, strife and the crushing mundanity of everyday life. “Wouldn’t Have It Any Other Way,” one of A Grand Don’t Come for Free‘s most unsung songs, manages to combine all three: a ditty about how much he should appreciate the woman in his life, the love song features a comically corny reggae chorus sung by British singer/actor Leo the Lion. But, hey, it works with the bright piano riff, stuttering drums, and overall vibe of the song. Grand works best when consumed all together but track five stands strong on its own. — DAMIEN SCOTT
Marc Broussard, “Gavin’s Song” (Carencro)

Songs about parenthood are always tear-jerkers, but Marc Broussard’s “Gavin’s Song” is particularly harrowing. Built around little more than forlorn acoustic guitar and a bluesy voice wrapped in a rasp that yanks the heartstrings, “Gavin’s Song” find Broussard penning a letter to his young song, lamenting over his inability to be around as often as he’d like. “I wish you nights of stars/ That beckon you to sleep/ I wish you heartache/ That leaves you more of a man/ I wish I could be there/ But I can’t,” he muses in the first verse. Anyone else’s eyes a bit wet? — KYLE DENIS
Ludacris feat. DJ Quik & Kimmi J, “Spur of the Moment” (The Red Light District)

Atlanta rep Ludacris took a spontaneous trip to the West Coast to team up with DJ Quik for this classic Compton-inspired cut from The Red Light District. Just like Quik’s most care-free hits from the early ’90s, this song revels in having nowhere to be – so why not throw a party? (Bonus points to our sister PMC publication for this priceless shout-out: “Feel good as we flippin’ through the Robb Report/ My baby momma ain’t trippin’ on child support.”) – KATIE ATKINSON
Taking Back Sunday, “Set Phasers to Stun” (Where You Wanna Be, 2024)

For the second time in two LPs, Taking Back Sunday pulled their new album’s name from a chorus lyric to one of its obvious highlights — and for the second straight album, they still failed to choose that song as one of its official singles. At least the Tell All Your Friends-titling “Cute Without the ‘E’” got a Fight Club-inspired music video; this one’s “Set Phasers to Stun” had to settle for being the album opener, where its tense riffing and cathartic chorus set the perfect tone for the set that would ultimately prove the band’s mainstream breakthrough, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. “It’s where you wanna be,” indeed. — ANDREW UNTERBERGER
Annie, “Me Plus One” (Anniemal)

Image Credit: Courtesy Photo

Reports have it that the “wannabe señorita” who flies too close to the sun in a private jet in acclaimed pop not-quite-star Annie’s “Me Plus One” is actually Gerri Haliwell — to whom producer and co-writer Richard X was supposed to give the song “Some Girls,” before it ended up a huge ’04 U.K. hit for Rachel Stevens. It’s a lot of behind-the-scenes drama that’s thoroughly unnecessary for enjoyment of “Me Plus One,” a slinky nu-disco strutter whose high-life tales of its misguided protagonist are intoxicating enough that you’re right there with her in her delusions, begging to be put on the list with them. — A.U.
N.E.R.D. feat. Joel & Benji Madden, “Jump” (Fly or Die)

N.E.R.D. stretched the limits of rap-rock on their 2001 debut album In Search Of…, and on follow-up Fly or Die, they leaned even further into rock, enlisting the Madden brothers of Good Charlotte for this giddy, Warped Tour-ready track that (as the title hints) demands that you catch some air. The lyrics are from the perspective of a rebellious runaway getting as far from home as possible, with Pharrell looking to a brighter future somewhere in the cosmos (“Don’t let NASA teach you that we are by ourselves/ ’Cause trust me there’s something else”). – K.A.
Eminem feat. 50 Cent & Nate Dogg, “Never Enough” (Encore)

“Never Enough” serves as one of the rare collaborations on Eminem’s Encore, as Slim Shady enlists a couple of his good friends in 50 Cent and the late Nate Dogg, who shines with a smooth chorus bragging about Aftermath’s wins in recent battles over Murder Inc. and Benzino. Even two decades ago, Em was satisfied with his legacy in hip-hop and voiced his belief that if he passed away, that he deserved to be properly buried in rap’s pantheon (“When I hit the heavenly gates I’ll be cool beside Jay-Z.”) — M.S.
Rilo Kiley, “More Adventurous” (More Adventurous)

On the title track to Rilo Kiley’s third album, Jenny Lewis considers all of life’s heavy-hitters — heartbreak, marriage, kids, love, death — in her deliciously sad, pristine vocal. “I read with every broken heart/We should become more adventurous,” she sings, sounding wounded but hopeful. The indie rock band often toyed with the contrast of heavy words and upbeat sounds, and here, Blake Sennett’s sprightly acoustic guitar strumming drives the feelings forward, while sliding pedal steel from producer Mike Mogis keeps things relaxed and easy. Lewis even jumps in with her harmonica, sounding as breezy as her collaborators, which reinforces the idea that despite the thematic weight, there’s optimism running through this song. — C.W.
T.I. feat. Mannie Fresh, “The Greatest” (Urban Legend)

From “ASAP to “Bring ‘Em Out,” T.I.’s follow-up to his pioneering sophomore album has no shortage of hits. Urban Legend has hard-edged trap anthems, braggadocios pop cuts and slick sex odes in equal measure, so picking the singles was likely a tough process. But it’s utterly bizarre that “The Greatest” didn’t get a proper push: After all, it was produced by a still-in-his-prime Mannie Fresh, around the same time he was helping Lil Wayne launch the second act of his career with Tha Carter. Over Mannie’s bouncing bass and tinkling keys, Tip runs down all the trappings of his success and everything he’s willing to do to protect it. Mannie and Tip would go on to have a hit single on T.I.’s next album with “Top Back,” but this should have been their first smash together. — D.S.
A.C. Newman, “Miracle Drug” (The Slow Wonder)

Image Credit: Courtesy Photo

In the year between two acclaimed New Pornographers albums (2003’s Electric Version and 2005’s Twin Cinema), Newman — the power-pop supergroup’s cerebral, melodically-gifted main songwriter and vocalist — released his solo debut, The Slow Wonder. This standout track perfectly encapsulates Newman’s significant talent both as an arranger (that insistent ’60s drum beat plus jolt of an electric guitar line plus….maybe a beeping alarm clock?) and intriguingly oblique lyricist: the narrative of a man “tied to a bed with a miracle drug in one hand” is as literal as Newman gets, yet within just over three minutes, still triggers a litany of questions around what it’s ultimately about. — REBECCA MILZOFF
Daddy Yankee, “Dale Caliente” (Barrio Fino)

Right from the get-go, Daddy Yankee’s “Dale Caliente” wastes no time setting the scene ablaze with its maximalist electronic-driven dembow and explosive energy. After all, its title, loosely translating to “give it hot,” says it all. With the song’s infectious beat over machine-gun-like drills, coupled with the King of Reggaetón’s unrivaled flow, this deep cut packs a punch that’s impossible to forget — keeping Barrio Fino‘s fire burning bright and earning its place as a fan favorite. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Ashlee Simpson, “Autobiography” (Autobiography)

It’s hard to classify this one as a deep cut, since it also served as the theme song for The Ashlee Simpson Show, the MTV reality series that introduced the world to Jessica’s little sis. But it was somehow never a single, even though – much like the show itself – the title track from her debut album pretty perfectly encapsulates Ashlee’s music: It was a little rock, a little grimy (girl, wash your T-shirt), and it fit right into the identity-crisis moment between bubblegum pop and emo’s mainstream moment. This was Ashlee Simpson’s sweet spot. – K.A.
TV on the Radio, “Ambulance” (Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes)

Brooklyn’s TV on the Radio found success synthesizing everything from ‘50s doo wop, ‘60s soul, ‘70s prog rock, and ‘80s indie rock into a comfortable sound that they used to deal with very uncomfortable topics. That was the appeal of their excellent full-length debut Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes. On an album full of rich, textured examinations, perhaps none were as devastatingly great as “Ambulance.” The haunting vocal harmonies that take the place of instrumentation create the perfect bed for singer Tunde Adebimpe to pull and push his vocals as he tells his love that he would be their “ambulance if you will be my accident, and I will be your screech and crash if you will be my crutch and cast.” Despite their influences being laid bare, we’d never heard anything quite like this before — or since, really. — D.S.
Lloyd Banks, “Warrior” (The Hunger for More)

The Hunger for More allowed Lloyd Banks to spread his wings outside of the G-Unit umbrella with the PLK’s debut keeping 50 Cent’s scorching collective’s winning streak alive. “Warrior” was overshadowed on Hunger by hits like “I’m So Fly” and “On Fire,” but this on-point deep cut could’ve easily traded places with either as a big single. One bar gives a funny peek into the early-’00s streetwear fashion staple that had everyone rocking varsity jackets emblazoned with logos from all 29 NBA teams: “If that’s your man, warn him/ ‘Cause there’s enough bullets in here to hit every NBA patch on him,” Banks raps. — M.S.
Xiu Xiu, “I Luv the Valley OH!” (Fabulous Muscles)

Image Credit: Courtesy Photo

While art-rock group Xiu Xiu’s winding career has often been defined by gonzo experimentation, “I Luv the Valley OH!” — though never officially released as a single — will forever stand as their chaotic version of a pop anthem. Jamie Stewart may screech out his accusations and defiance over crushed-in drum squelches, but the guitar line sounds beamed in from alternative radio, and his repeated phrases turn his urgent words into refrains. And the howl Stewart unleashes near the end (“Je t’aime the valley, OHHHH!”) fully awoke the indie world to a bold new voice. — JASON LIPSHUTZ
Lil Wayne feat. Mannie Fresh, “This Is the Carter” (Tha Carter)

It was Mannie Fresh who had the foresight to predict that Tha Carter series would “define” rap and carry Cash Money Records for years to come. While “Go DJ” was the radio hit dominating the Billboard charts, “This Is the Carter” was the more authentic look into the first installment of what became an iconic series. Fresh delivers a slick chorus in addition to his Southern bounce on the production side, which sets Wayne up for a trio of sharp verses filled with typical witty bars from the rap phenom. Two decades later, nobody could’ve predicted the massive commercial heights Weezy’s legendary Tha Carter series would reach, but he was off to a hell of a start alraedy. — M.S.
Arcade Fire, “Haiti” (Funeral)

Régine Chassagne takes the lead on this hummable tune — dusted with bright synthesizers upheld by a comforting, repetitive bass line — that belies a darker meaning. Singing half in French and half in English, Chassagne takes listeners into the Haiti her parents fled in the 1960s, a violent era overseen by then-president François Duvalier. “Mes cousins, jamais nés/ Hantent les nuits de Duvalier,” she sings, calling out her unborn cousins who haunt the dictator’s nights. Though Chassagne’s delivery remains calm and cool, a repeated synth note hammers away for a full minute around the third verse, ratcheting up the tension as she sings of Haitians being hunted by soldiers in the forest. — C.W.
Brandy, “Focus” (Afrodisiac)

Taken from her Gold-certified Afrodisiac LP, “Focus” is a prime example of that record’s soulful, ambient aesthetic. Lyrically, Brandy struggles with the cyclical nature of bad habits (“Don’t wanna lose my focus/ But it’s bound to leave”), while the mixture of skittering synths and electric guitar inject the track with an unexpected, but welcome, contrast to the murky whirlpool she crafts with her endless layers of background harmonies. — K.D.
Wilco, “Handshake Drugs” (A Ghost Is Born)

After the commercial and critical breakthrough of Wilco’s prior album, 2002’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, the group had found its lane, smashed somewhere between its early country-fied acoustic rock and the experimental weirdness of Television and the later period Beatles. “Handshake Drugs” epitomizes that, with its breezy beginning (“I was chewing gum, for somethin’ to do”) and its steady guitar eventually giving way to a fizzed-out breakdown echoing the internalized panic attacks that lace the entirety of A Ghost Is Born. It’s not weirdness for weirdness’ sake — it’s weirdness for a purpose, and it makes the song all the more compelling. — DAN RYS
Drive-By Truckers, “The Day John Henry Died” (The Dirty South)

Image Credit: Courtesy Photo

On The Dirty South, the band’s second concept album about the mythology of the American South, Jason Isbell (who had not yet launched his solo career) wrote this tough rocking track to re-imagine the tale of folk hero John Henry. In the sound mix, Isbell’s voice fights to be heard above barroom guitars as he tells of the legendary laborer who “knew the perfect way to hold a hammer/ Was the way the railroad baron held the deed.” John Henry competes in vain with the steam-powered machinery that would take away his job — and his life. — THOM DUFFY
Juanes, “Dámelo” (Mi Sangre)

Juanes’ “Dámelo” bursts onto the scene like a ray of Colombian sunshine, infusing his trademark rock-encrusted sound with irresistible energy. Translating to “give it to me,” the title alone sets the flirtatious tone for this gem. “What do I have to do to have/ On my lips those beautiful little lips of yours?,” he playfully yearns. With its funky rhythms, a riveting guitar solo and Juanes’ magnetic delivery, this deep cut is simply electric, showcasing the Medellín musician’s undeniable charm and keeping his breakthrough album Mi Sangre ablaze with its fiery spirit. — I.R.
Junior Boys, “Teach Me How to Fight” (Last Exit)

One of the defining hallmarks Junior Boys’ electro-pop masterpiece Last Exit is its relative stillness, the way it infuses R&B melodies and delivery into its synth-heavy soundscapes but very rarely the genre’s sense of emotional urgency. That is, until album climax “Teach Me How to Fight,” where over increasingly yearning keys, the duo asks for the internal strength and passion to take a stand: “Can you teach me how to fight?/ Show me what it’s like to give back pain.” It’s a spellbinding and conspicuously bloody moment, particularly for how purposefully placid the album had been till that point. — A.U.
Gretchen Wilson, “What Happened” (Here for the Party)

From Wilson’s debut album Here for the Party, which went to No. 1 on Top Country Albums and reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200, this bittersweet, understated, love-gone-wrong ballad is beautifully crafted: “If we hadn’t been so happy baby/ it wouldn’t hurt this bad.” With Wilson’s sorrowful vocals, the song resonates — even if you don’t know it was composed by a supergroup of songwriters: Al Anderson, longtime member of NRBQ; Bekka Bramlett, daughter of Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett; Bob DiPiero, a BMI Icon honoree; and Tim Nichols, co-writer of Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying.” — T.D.
My Chemical Romance, “Give ‘Em Hell, Kid” (Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge)

“Took a train outta New Orleans/ And they shot me full of ephedrine,” Gerard Way sings to start “Give ‘Em Hell, Kid.” And following the grandiosity of Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge opener “Helena,” the track hits like an aural ephedrine shot to the brain – 138 seconds of thrashing guitars, pummeling bass, and Way’s sing-like-his-life-depends-on-it vocals. It’s among the most thrilling moments on an album full of them; no wonder Gerard and his brother Mikey have said it’s their favorite song to play live, with the former likening it to “riding a cruise missile.” — ERIC RENNER BROWN
Joanna Newsom, “Sadie” (The Milk-Eyed Mender)

Image Credit: Courtesy Photo

In some ways, the subtle centerpiece from Joanna Newsom’s majestic 2004 debut The Milk-Eyed Mender foreshadowed the future of her recording career: its six-minute run time hinted at the gargantuan track lengths of Ys two years later, and the interplay between existentialism and everyday life (Sadie was the name of Newsom’s childhood dog) would prominently factor into all of her following projects. When taken on its own merits, however, “Sadie” remains a hypnotic listen, as Newsom’s vocal scratch soars upward with each new movement before spiraling back down. — J.L.
Ratatat, “Cherry” (Ratatat)

The trance-inducing “Cherry” closes out Ratatat’s self-titled, predominantly instrumental album, which has its chill moments over 11 tracks but mostly centers around the 3-2-1-blast-off sounds of electric guitarist Mike Stroud and producer Evan Mast. A hat-tip to the duo’s original name, “Cherry” slowly adds layers of synthesizers, ticks and tocks that supply the rhythm and a stretched-out guitar burst that feels like a sunrise or a rainbow or maybe a rainbow at sunrise. It reaches its peak at the halfway point, but it’s so gradual that you don’t notice the build until it all drops away. After a 30-second reprieve, the layers return in full glory, shining brightly before fading away once more, in a perfect album ending. — C.W.
Cam’Ron, “Dip-Set Forever” (Purple Haze)

Thanks largely to Roc-A-Fella Records, soul samples returned to the forefront of hip-hop in the early 2000s. The label’s stable of producers, which included Bink!, Kanye West, and Just Blaze, found ways to flip old records and make them sound luxurious instead of dusty. Few on the label used them to greater effect than Cam’ron, the Harlem provocateur who linked with the Roc for an exceptional, if not hectic three-album run. One of the standouts came towards the end of his Purple Haze project, where West did his best Heatmakerz impersonation, chopping and speeding up a perfect Chuck Cissel sample, for “Dip-Set Forever.” Cam and Roc-A-Fella’s relationship soured soon after this album, but the Diplomats’ core group stayed together — because, as the song predicted, Dipset is forever. — D.S.
Destiny’s Child, “If” (Destiny Fulfilled)

Destiny’s Child’s final album is a career-closer that most acts dream of, and “If” is one of its several crown jewels. This Rockwilder-produced ode to classic R&B features the trio’s characteristically tight harmonies and dizzying vocal acrobatics. Here, they infuse their take ‘00s R&B with a healthy dose of gospel, particularly in the pitch-perfect pacing of the bridge, which gives way to Kelly Rowland delivering her own heartbreak-conquering testimony. If ever there was track that so beautifully captured the maturation of one of pop’s greatest girl groups, it’s “If.” — K.D.
Modest Mouse, “Bury Me With It” (Good News for People Who Love Bad News)

Modest Mouse purists have long lamented 2004’s Good News for People Who Love Bad News, the band’s major-label debut after its sterling indie run in the late ’90s and early ’00s, and an album where detractors suggest the Washington rockers sanded off their rough edges – and lost some potency. But cuts like “Bury Me With It” – where bassist Eric Judy delivers another of his slinky bass riffs as Isaac Brock menacing yelps “I just don’t need none of that Mad Max bulls–t!” – prove that even as they entered their most commercial period, Modest Mouse’s feral intensity was still perfectly intact. — E.R.B.
John Legend, “Let’s Get Lifted” (Get Lifted)

Image Credit: Courtesy Photo

For the first full-length track of his debut studio album, soon-to-be R&B fixture John Legend opts for a swaggering amalgam of neo-soul and hip-hop. Twinkling piano, pounding drums and a throaty hook help the set the scene for the album’s soundscape, making for a groovy energy that’s worlds away from the piano ballads that would grant him greater Hot 100 success down the line. “I know you’re getting tired of the same old thing / But I’m gon’ break the rules, gonna change the game,” croons in a rhythmic cadence in the song’s first verse. Whether or not Legend changed the game is up for debate, but the quality of “Let’s Get Lifted” surely isn’t. — K.D.
Ghostface, “Beat the Clock” (The Pretty Toney Album)

Image Credit: Courtesy Photo

Ghostface Killah spends the entirety of 2004’s The Pretty Toney Album radiating lovable weirdo energy, staging fake press conferences, demanding a banana Nutrament, making a red-hot Missy Elliott say the word “tush” a lot on the song “Tush.” “Beat the Clock” may be the album’s single goofiest idea — Ghostface is challenged to speed-rap by another version of Ghostface, and to reach the imaginary finish line at the arbitrary time of two minutes and 37 seconds — but that unhinged setup crystallizes why Ghostface is such a beloved rap eccentric. And he really does go berserk on “Beat the Clock,” finishing up his breathless wordplay with an O.J. Simpson reference, a self-comparison to Ibuprofen and a lyric about an “iced-out” condom; congrats on beating the clock, and never change, Pretty Toney. — J.L.
Kelly Clarkson, “Gone” (Breakaway)

Image Credit: Courtesy Photo

This one had the tough distinction of being the other song with “Gone” in the title from Clarkson’s second album, but even though “Since U Been Gone” was the project’s, well, breakaway hit, fans have a soft spot for the lesser-known rocker. Co-written by Kara DioGuardi (eventual American Idol judge writing for the original Idol champ!) and John Shanks, the song’s talk-sung bridge stands out among the fuzzy guitars (“There is nothing you can say/ Sorry doesn’t cut it, babe/ Take the hit and walk away, ’cause I’m gone”). – K.A.
Franz Ferdinand, “Jacqueline” (Franz Ferdinand)

Image Credit: Courtesy Domino Records

In less than than two minutes, “Jacqueline” establishes everything that made alt-art-rockers Franz Ferdinand’s self-titled debut thrilling. After the album opener’s delicate, acoustic first section, interlocking, Strokes-like guitar melodies fire up, before singer Alex Kapronos delivers the track’s memorable chorus over a funky riff: “It’s always better on holiday/ That’s why we only work when we need the money.” Two decades later, it’s still one the Scottish band’s most exhilarating tracks. — E.R.B.
Madvillain, “Accordion” (Madvillainy)

Image Credit: Courtesy Photo

Almost pointless to isolate highlights from the singular 22-track, 46-minute display of mastery that is MF Doom and Madlib’s sole full-length collaboration as Madvillain — it all sounds better in context, and why wouldn’t you just listen to the whole thing anyway? But if only had two minutes to convince the unconverted, you could do no better than “Accordion,” with its wheezing title-instrument hook and knocking drums providing the perfect backdrop for a dazzling single verse of Doom couplets, including “Chase it with more beer, taste it like truth or dare/ When he have the mic, it’s like the place get like: ‘Aw, yeah!,’” “In living, the true gods/ Giving y’all nothing but the lick like two broads,” and of course the all-time kicker, “Slip like Freudian/ Your first and last step to playing yourself like accordion.” — A.U.
Green Day, “Give Me Novacaine” (American Idiot)

Image Credit: Courtesy Photo

The singles were all smashes, but the deep cuts were even better: American Idiot‘s true charms lie in genre and period exercises like the ’80s arena-rocking “Are We the Waiting,” the ’60s British-Invading “Extraordinary Girl” and the gently ’70s glammy “Give Me Novacaine. Following a drum intro reminiscent of David Bowie’s “Soul Love,” Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong delivers his pleas for numbness with disarming sweetness, putting on a barely-convincing smile as he tries to convince the doc to give him the good stuff. By the chorus, his tone stiffens into something more like a rallying cry: “Drain the pressure from the swelling/ THIS SENSATION’S OVERWHELMING!” — A.U.
Gwen Stefani, “Serious” (Love. Angel. Music. Baby.)

Image Credit: Courtesy Photo

It’s a wonder that “Serious” wasn’t one of the six singles released from L.A.M.B., given its glossy, ’80s-indebted production (courtesy in part to her No Doubt bandmate and the song’s co-writer Tony Kanal) and sing-along chorus (“You get me seriously out of my mind”). Honestly, if someone said this was a bonus track from either Madonna’s True Blue in 1986 or Lady Gaga’s The Fame, which came out a full four years later, it would be believable. Stefani, per usual, was at once classic and ahead of her time. – K.A.
Ye, “We Don’t Care” (The College Dropout)

Image Credit: Courtesy Photo

If you were still unconvinced about the artist formerly known as Kanye West being the game-changer that everyone — no one more than the man himself — was hyping him as in 2004, it probably didn’t take you more than a track into debut LP The College Dropout to come around. “We Don’t Care” was simply a stunner: funny, compassionate and genuinely kinda inspiring; built around a swirling sample from the Jimmy Castor Bunch’s cover of Gino Vannelli’s “I Just Wanna stop” and punctuated by resounding horn blasts, it was the extremely rare song that actually earns its kids singalong on the chorus. Helps, of course, that the message Ye is instructing them to sing with was so heart-rending and hopeful, in a way that’s sadly impossible to imagine from the man 20 years later: “We wasn’t supposed to make it past 25, joke’s on you, we still alive.” — A.U.
The Killers, “Jenny Was a Friend of Mine” (Hot Fuss)

Image Credit: Courtesy Photo

The four singles from The Killers’ debut Hot Fuss – the classics “Mr. Brightside,” “Smile Like You Mean It,” “Somebody Told Me” and “All These Things That I’ve Done” – are sequenced from tracks two to five on the album. The fact that opener “Jenny Was a Friend of Mine” holds its own against them (and, depending on who you ask, might even top a couple of those singles) is testament to its greatness. Unsettling synths and helicopter sound effects play before bassist Mark Stoermer’s indelible bassline enters and provides a backdrop for singer Brandon Flowers’ uneasy murder mystery lyrics. — E.R.B.
Usher, “Bad Girl” (Confessions)

Image Credit: Courtesy Photo

There are countless songs about the chase, but few capture the arousing allure of pursuit as effortlessly and as sharply as Usher’s “Bad Girl.” Housed on an album that already contains some of the most defining hits of the mid-’00s, “Bad Girl” could have just been a passable album track. Instead, an all-star team of collaborators – including Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, The Avila Brothers, Destro Music, Wil Guice and Usher himself – built smooth and sexy track out of one of the slinkiest guitar licks of the 21^st century. Every component of the song is top-notch, but, like most of his records, Usher’s vocal performance is the key ingredient. When he sings, “Ooh, work me, baby/ Shaking it the way I like/ I’m ready to be bad I need a bad girl,” he genuinely sounds as if he really does need this bad girl.

Just short of desperate yet unafraid to show how badly he wants a taste of this bad girl, Usher expertly toes the lines of ladies’ man and lothario. It’s a balancing act that he’s maintained his entire career, adding in different nuances with each new record. Nonetheless, “Bad Girl” is the pinnacle – no other Usher record (and no other 2004 record) so seamlessly blends the reckless thrill of a night on the prowl with a winking nod to how quickly he can flip between his dominant and submissive sides while still remaining in control. — K.D.

25 Apr 2024

Twenty One Pilots Drummer Josh Dun Steps Behind the Camera For ‘Backslide’ Video

Twenty One Pilots drummer Josh Dun makes his directorial debut in the just-released clip for the Columbus duo’s latest preview of their Clancy album, “Backslide.” The visual for the mid-tempo tune debuted on Thursday morning (April 25) and it finds singer Tyler Joseph tooling around town on his red and black BMX bike in what appears to be a Groundhog Day-type scenario.

When we join our hero — dressed casually in black pants a bomber jacket and t-shirt, with the now-ubiquitous Clancy-era rune-covered belt visible underneath — he is pulling up to a convenience store, where he dumps an empty plastic bag into a garbage can before going in and buying another bag of hamburger buns. Given the deep and sometimes confounding world-building the pair embark on for their album cycles you can be sure there are some important Easter eggs scattered all about, from the name of the quick-e-mart (Food Petrol Etc aka FPE), to the bun brand (Ned’s) and the colors of the bicycle.

The video mostly consists of Joseph riding down a suburban street with the buns hanging from his right hand as he rap/sings, “Rat race, place to place, adding weight/ Tendencies on repeat, innit?/ Benefit from a shoe with no lace/ Take the seat with the crease in it.” Joseph digs into the bag at one point, biting into the bland bread before tossing it aside as the song’s chorus comes around: “I don’t wanna backslide to where I started from/ There’s no chance I will shake this again/ ‘Cause I feel the pull, water’s over my head/ Strength enough for one more time.”

Trending on Billboard

Not much else happens, other than a Stranger Things-style segment where Joseph appears to be transported to an alternate, dark universe where he rides his bike in a black void amid swirling leaves as well as a quick stop a child’s lemonade stand where the seemingly possessed grade schooler chants lyrics back to the singer.

The bike trip ends with Joseph pulling up to Dun’s house as the drummer flips burgers on a grill, only to realize he’s out of buns and has to return to FPE to get another bag as the visual swallows its own tail and goes back to the beginning.

In a video message to fans earlier this week, Joseph revealed that Clancy, originally scheduled for May 17, will be delayed a week to May 24 to allow the group to film videos for each of the collection’s 13 songs. “It’s because I love these songs and I believe in them enough to pretend to sing in front of a camera to each one,” he said. To date, 21P have released the singles “Overcompensate” and “Next Semester.”

Watch the “Backslide” video below.

25 Apr 2024

How Phish Mastered Sphere With Its Weird, Wonderful Four-Show Residency

It wasn’t the technicolor morphing cars, or the giant robot shooting lights from its eyes into the crowd. It wasn’t the lava-lamp-like oozes, or the stories-tall geometric patterns, or the hyper-detailed videography of misty mountain ranges and sun-drenched clouds.

See latest videos, charts and news

No, the trippiest part of Phish‘s Sphere visuals was the “You Enjoy Myself” car wash – and what immediately followed.

One of Phish’s oldest and most commonly played songs – and a frequent launchpad for improvisation throughout the revered Vermont jam band’s four-decade career – “You Enjoy Myself” is strange enough in its audio-only form. An intricately composed instrumental passage builds to an all-out scream (which audiences usually join in on) before the tension gives way to famously inscrutable lyrics (a consensus best guess for the song’s repeated line: “Wash Uffizi drive me to Firenze”) and a jam section. During an instrumental breakdown, roadies produce trampolines for singer-guitarist Trey Anastasio and bassist Mike Gordon to jump on in tandem; the song often concludes with each member of the quartet participating in an a cappella “vocal jam” – described by fan site Phish.net as “featuring spontaneous vocal improvisation, from the merely strange to the auricularly traumatic.”

Phish, Sphere, Las Vegas — Phish perform “You Enjoy Myself” at Sphere on April 19, 2024 in Las Vegas.

Alive Coverage

During its four-night residency at the cutting-edge Las Vegas venue, however, Phish paired most of “You Enjoy Myself” with an animated visual on the venue’s 160,000-square-foot LED screen that simulated going through a massive car wash – in a vehicle alongside the band and nearly 20,000 friends. The top of a steering wheel occupied the screen’s lower left corner; suds and water streaked the screen as Phish methodically progressed through the song’s stages. And as the car exited the wash and Anastasio, Gordon, keyboardist Page McConnell and drummer Jon Fishman finally arrived at the vocal jam – one of the strangest parts of its repertoire – footage of an enormous black dog appeared on the screen.

Trending on Billboard

With the audience positioned as if it was inside the camera itself, the canine started licking the lens. For several minutes, the crowd laughed hysterically as the moment’s absurdity deepened. It was a perspective-shifting piece of immersive art that was funny, weird, and totally unique.

Before Phish’s Sphere shows, which took place April 18-21, Abigail Rosen Holmes, a longtime collaborator of the band and co-creative director of the run, told Billboard of one of the creative team’s guiding principles: “If you would do this for one of the other artists you work with, it’s probably not unique enough to be for Phish.” And while not every visual treatment across the band’s four shows felt quite that unique, many did. Phish, alongside Holmes, multimedia studio Moment Factory and the rest of its team, approached its Sphere gigs with comprehensive, detail-oriented creativity. The result: a superb four-show run that continued Phish’s career-long live inventiveness – and set the bar high for each artist preparing to play the Las Vegas venue going forward.

Across four nights and eight sets of music – featuring 68 different songs, with nary a repeat – Phish cycled through a staggering range of immersive visuals that spanned trippy abstractions to real-life footage to playful illustrations. In a SiriusXM interview during the run, Anastasio called Phish’s Sphere shows “a slight step forward in the psychedelic live jam music experience,” and naturally, many of the band’s visuals were vibrantly colored splotches, squiggles, and lines that supported its music.

But the weekend’s most memorable visuals took the medium’s possibilities a step further. On the first night, Phish speckled Sphere’s screen with a multitude of dots to score “Sand,” and iterated that visual motif to great effect during other shows, for songs like “What’s The Use?” and “Chalk Dust Torture.” For the first night’s encore, vivid video of a barn by night in a forest, aurora borealis overhead, soundtracked the rustic “Farmhouse”; on the run’s final night, the crisply composed “Divided Sky” was paired with footage of billowing clouds, cast in the orangish-purple glow of the late afternoon sun – and, to accompany a mid-song change in tone, the image switched to grayscale.

Some of the visuals were just plain fun. For “Bathtub Gin,” hundreds of miniature swimmers rotated back and forth on floaties on an ocean’s surface. “Twist” began with a wall of dark-red loops that were quickly interspersed with an alphabet soup of letters; when the song’s “Woo!” interjection arrived, characters spelling the word shot up from the bottom of the screen. During the final night’s “Ghost,” a robot-like figure peered up above the band from the screen’s bottom – and spotlights shot from its eyes into the audience.

And while Anastasio remarked to the Washington Post prior to the Sphere shows that we was skeptical about his own image being “800 feet high on the wall,” like Bono and The Edge during U2’s concerts at the venue, several Phish visuals were framed around the band – they just eschewed straight-ahead imagery in favor of designs that obscured, warped or refracted the musicians. During “Maze,” a tower of live video of the band split into tiny geometric shapes that repeatedly dispersed and reformed. “My Friend, My Friend” began with Sphere’s screen entirely off and a slowly rotating spotlight casting the band in silhouette against it; as the song intensified, the silhouette multiplied across the screen as the venue was drenched in eerie red lighting.

In the same way the “My Friend, My Friend” visual proved that Sphere visuals can be striking even in simplicity – especially when contrasted with other, more elaborate animations and designs – a new rig conceived by the band’s esteemed designer Chris Kuroda in tandem with Moment Factory subtly added to the sensory effect. Kuroda has worked with the band since 1989, and has used his increasingly complex lighting rigs to “jam” with the band.

At Sphere, his lighting setup was scaled back – relatively speaking – to six vertical beams and four horizontal strips running behind the band onstage. The lights assumed more of a supporting role than at normal Phish shows, but still accentuated the sensory experience – and were integral parts of it on songs like “A Wave of Hope” and “2001.”

Still, as Holmes explained, the Sphere run was designed to “use all of the opportunities of the building – the audio, the visuals – and do it while supporting Phish truly playing music the way Phish plays music.” Phish’s run was revelatory in terms of production, but those bells and whistles only enhanced the music itself – which, as is often the case on Phish runs, deepened in scope and ambition with each show.

Musically, the band was at its exploratory best during the second sets of the final two shows. Phish appropriately made “Fuego,” off the 2014 album of the same name, a centerpiece of its 4/20 show, quickly abandoning the song’s Zeppelin-y riff for soaring art-rock, contemplative ambience and, eventually, heavy funk across jam’s 29-minute runtime. Later in the set, on reliable classic “Chalk Dust Torture,” Phish demonstrated the mature efficiency it has developed over the years, compellingly cycling through more musical ideas than its 16-minute duration might suggest.

The final night was even better. Sequenced in the same second-set two slot as “Fuego” the previous night, “Down With Disease,” a beloved Phish jam vehicle that has cracked 20 minutes more than 40 times since its 1995 debut, received a record-long rendition, clocking in at 34 minutes. Colorful ridges shapeshifted behind Phish as Anastasio and McConnell’s instruments panned across Sphere’s speakers. (Sphere Immersive Sound allows for the targeted movement of audio; used throughout Phish’s shows, some panning instances were additive, others disorienting.) As the jam unfolded, the quartet increasingly locked in, masterfully riding through peaks and grooves; after arriving in a krautrock-esque pocket, the band perfectly timed its return to the melodic reprise that ends the song. Inspired playing on “2001,” “Light” and “Piper” followed.

Periodic issues with panning and mix – which were more common at the start of the run, as Phish’s team learned Sphere’s acoustic intricacies – notwithstanding, Sphere’s audio significantly elevated even the slightest of songs. The high-end audio helped Gordon’s propulsive bass lines shine throughout the run, especially on songs like “Sand” and “Tube”; each member of the band was distinguishable at nearly every point during the shows – far from a given at many of the arenas and amphitheaters Phish regularly frequents.

And for all the focus on visual surprises – and how Phish would navigate a show where, inherently, their jamming inclinations and setlist were more tethered to a plan than usual – the band still offered up plenty of unexpected selections. After forgoing the interstitial “I Am Hydrogen” (and replacing it with “Lifeboy”) that typically sits between “Mike’s Song” and “Weekapaug Groove” on Thursday, the band played it Saturday – the first time that’s happened without its usual bookends since 1987 and, freed from its normal structure, a worthy lead-in to that show’s late highlight, “Chalk Dust Torture.”

Meanwhile, Phish played four unreleased songs that debuted in 2023 – which will ostensibly appear on their upcoming album Evolve, due this July – along with “Evolve” and four other songs from Anastasio’s pandemic-era solo albums which, like “Evolve,” may be reworked for Phish’s new set. The band’s treatment of this material was striking: “Pillow Jets” was visually paired with a trip through a forest where multicolored bursts shot up trees like fireworks; chatter for the rest of the run was that it was the single best animation the band played in front of. “Mercy” served a critical tonal link on Friday between “Axilla (Part II)” and “Bathtub Gin,” and “Hey Stranger” and “Oblivion” both received sterling readings on Sunday that lived up to the opportunity cost of other classics that went unplayed. (Conspicuously, at Sphere, Phish steered clear entirely of all the tracks comprising Gamehendge, the fantasy song cycle it revisited in full this past New Year’s Eve.)

The new music wasn’t limited to Phish’s Sphere performances proper. In the venue’s lobby – adorned with suspended red donuts in keeping with the band’s iconography – gentle guitar music played, composed of loops and layers that Anastasio recorded specially for the occasion. In a sentiment shared by many Phish fans, one X user posted, “Can’t wait for Trey to release ‘Music For Lobbies.’”

That thoughtful ethos – carefully considering every aspect of the run to deliver a quality experience for dedicated fans – extended to the overarching creative vision of the shows. In the wee hours of the morning of April 18, Sphere posted a video with Phish tagged and the message “It’s only a matter of time…” Ahead of the Sphere run, Holmes had hinted the shows would have loose themes, and as the concerts took place, a matter-based nightly theme – progressing from solid to liquid to gas to plasma – became evident.

The most cohesive and effective was liquid, on the run’s second night. The band played several liquid-related songs across its two sets as visuals took fans from the water’s surface (on “Mercy” and “Bathtub Gin”) to the deep sea (on “Theme From The Bottom,” where unnerving schools of humans – not fish – darted across the screen).

The sequence was not only effective for the visuals, but for the playing… which despite setlist constraints, still breathed. When Phish’s crew hoisted two large jellyfish mobiles during “A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing,” it felt monumental: Phish had married visuals on the screen, physical adornments, and outstanding jamming, and harnessed Sphere’s potential in the process.

The band had to sacrifice a degree of spontaneity to hit its marks, which surely frustrated some fans – but the magical payoff was worth it. Besides, the other night’s themes were less pronounced; while Phish seemed a little boxed-in by its setlist choices – and opening night jitters – during the run’s first show, it rarely felt musically constrained as its Sphere run progressed.

At times, the shows felt like Phish’s own miniature Eras Tour – an ambitious, career-spanning concert experience that recontextualized, and pushed forward, old material while capably integrating newer songs. Phish didn’t dwell on the past, but tastefully nodded to it with the visuals for two songs that date back to the mid-’90s.

For its Friday encore of the tear-jerker “Wading In The Velvet Sea” (this was liquid night, after all), Phish programmed a slew of photos from throughout its history, which by the song’s climax coalesced into a sprawling collage. On Saturday, longtime Phish artist Jim Pollock’s etched illustrations for the first 20 volumes of the LivePhish series (released from 2001 to 2003) were brought to life as concentric rotating bronze bands that stretched to Sphere’s apex – amid so much artistic innovation, a savvy way of nodding to the creative whose visual style is most strongly associated with the band.

And the run’s bookends tied it all together. As tentative fans settled into the seats at the new-to-most venue on Thursday, Phish launched into “Everything’s Right” as geometric beams sprouted from the floor and ceiling behind them. For the closing song of its Sunday encore, the beams – now slightly rounded and colorized – reappeared for “Slave To The Traffic Light.” Gordon’s loping bass line assumed a victory-lap quality: Phish had mastered Sphere in its own distinct way.

1 … 1,564 1,565 1,566 1,567 1,568 1,569 1,570 … 3,260

Tour

Aug

MONTGOMERY, AL

THE KING'S CANVAS

FREE EVENT

Aug

SELMA, AL

RIVERFRONT PARK

FREE EVENT

Aug

MONTGOMERY, AL

SONS Of Kia Montgomery

FREE EVENT

Music

Trending on Billboard

The Origins

The Making of a Hit

The Video

The Impact

Trending on Billboard

Explore

Trending on Billboard

Trending on Billboard

Trending on Billboard

Trending on Billboard

Trending on Billboard

Nelly, “Heart of a Champion” (Sweat)

The Streets, “Wouldn’t Have It Any Other Way” (A Grand Don’t Come for Free)

Marc Broussard, “Gavin’s Song” (Carencro)

Ludacris feat. DJ Quik & Kimmi J, “Spur of the Moment” (The Red Light District)

Taking Back Sunday, “Set Phasers to Stun” (Where You Wanna Be, 2024)

Annie, “Me Plus One” (Anniemal)

N.E.R.D. feat. Joel & Benji Madden, “Jump” (Fly or Die)

Eminem feat. 50 Cent & Nate Dogg, “Never Enough” (Encore)

Rilo Kiley, “More Adventurous” (More Adventurous)

T.I. feat. Mannie Fresh, “The Greatest” (Urban Legend)

A.C. Newman, “Miracle Drug” (The Slow Wonder)

Daddy Yankee, “Dale Caliente” (Barrio Fino)

Ashlee Simpson, “Autobiography” (Autobiography)

TV on the Radio, “Ambulance” (Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes)

Lloyd Banks, “Warrior” (The Hunger for More)

Xiu Xiu, “I Luv the Valley OH!” (Fabulous Muscles)

Lil Wayne feat. Mannie Fresh, “This Is the Carter” (Tha Carter)

Arcade Fire, “Haiti” (Funeral)

Brandy, “Focus” (Afrodisiac)

Wilco, “Handshake Drugs” (A Ghost Is Born)

Drive-By Truckers, “The Day John Henry Died” (The Dirty South)

Juanes, “Dámelo” (Mi Sangre)

Junior Boys, “Teach Me How to Fight” (Last Exit)

Gretchen Wilson, “What Happened” (Here for the Party)

My Chemical Romance, “Give ‘Em Hell, Kid” (Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge)

Joanna Newsom, “Sadie” (The Milk-Eyed Mender)

Ratatat, “Cherry” (Ratatat)

Cam’Ron, “Dip-Set Forever” (Purple Haze)

Destiny’s Child, “If” (Destiny Fulfilled)

Modest Mouse, “Bury Me With It” (Good News for People Who Love Bad News)

John Legend, “Let’s Get Lifted” (Get Lifted)

Ghostface, “Beat the Clock” (The Pretty Toney Album)

Kelly Clarkson, “Gone” (Breakaway)

Franz Ferdinand, “Jacqueline” (Franz Ferdinand)

Madvillain, “Accordion” (Madvillainy)

Green Day, “Give Me Novacaine” (American Idiot)

Gwen Stefani, “Serious” (Love. Angel. Music. Baby.)

Ye, “We Don’t Care” (The College Dropout)

The Killers, “Jenny Was a Friend of Mine” (Hot Fuss)

Usher, “Bad Girl” (Confessions)

Trending on Billboard

Explore

Trending on Billboard

Thank you