Music

28 Mar 2024

Enrique Iglesias Drops ‘Final, Vol. 2’ Feat. Belinda, El Alfa & More: Stream It Now

Enrique Iglesias has released his new studio album Final, Vol. 2 (Sony Music Latin)—almost three years after dropping Final, Vol. 1, and which he assures will be the last musical set of his career.

Home to 10 tracks, the album finds Iglesias navigating from his signature electronic dance and Latin pop fusions to other genres including bachata (“Así Es La Vida” featuring Maria Becerra), dembow (“La Botella” featuring El Alfa), country (“Space in my Heart” featuring Miranda Lambert), and cumbia (“Llórame Un Río featuring Belinda). His collab with Lambert is also available in Spanish with only Iglesias performing it called “Espacio En Tu Corazón.”

In addition to “Space in my Heart,” two other songs on the set are in English: “Love and Pain” and “Be Together”—further stamping the Spanish crooner’s global connection to his fans.

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His sensual bachata with Becerra reached No. 1 on the Billboard Tropical Airplay chart for eight weeks, starting the Dec. 9, 2023-dated chart, and it reached a No. 12 high on Latin Airplay chart (Dec. 16).

Final, Vol. 2 follows Final, Vol. 1 (2021), his first album in seven years after Sex & Love and that includes hits such as the Nicky Jam-assisted “El Perdón,” “Duele el Corazón” with Wisin, “Súbeme la Radio” with Descemer Bueno and Zion y Lennox, and the Bad Bunny-assisted “El Baño.”

Final (Vol. 1) debuted and peaked at No. 12 on Top Latin Albums and at No. 2 on Latin Pop Albums (charts dated Oct. 10, 2021). Stream and listen to Final, Vol. 2, below:

28 Mar 2024

Beyoncé Welcomes the World to Her Rodeo With ‘Cowboy Carter’: Stream It Now

There’s a new sheriff in town, and her name is Cowboy Carter. On Friday (Mach 29), Beyoncé finally unleashed her eighth solo studio album in its entirety.

The Grammy winner first introduced her Cowboy Carter era with a pair of country singles — “16 Carriages” and Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Texas Hold ‘Em” — released during the 2024 Super Bowl. While both singles are undoubtedly country tracks, they were mere teases of the sonic odyssey Queen Bey embarks upon throughout her new LP. One thing is for certain: she wasn’t lying when she said, “This ain’t a country album. This is a Beyoncé album!”

With assists from a star-studded cast of collaborators — including Miley Cyrus, Post Malone, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Linda Martell, Tanner Adell, Willie Jones, Raphael Saadiq, The-Dream, Shaboozey and more — Beyoncé spends the 27-track record staking her claim across country, funk, hip-hop, rock and more. Formatted in the style of radio program, several spoken word interludes introduce the album’s different sequences, making for a well-balanced mixture of introspection, humor and fearless exploration.

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Cowboy Carter marks the second act of a “three-act project” Beyoncé recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic. The first installment, Renaissance, debuted atop the Billboard 200, helped Beyoncé become the artist with the most Grammy wins in history, housed a pair of Hot 100 top 10 hits in “Break My Soul” (No. 1) and “Cuff It” (No. 6) and spawned a record-breaking tour and accompanying box office-topping documentary concert film.

Although Beyoncé crafted Cowboy Carter as “a continuation of” Renaissance, she did note that the album was inspired by an unsavory event several years ago — likely her controversial performance of “Daddy Lessons” alongside The Chicks (fka The Dixie Chicks) at the 2016 CMA Awards.

Throw on your cowboy hat, secure your belt buckles and dig into Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter now.

28 Mar 2024

Lady Gaga Is Happy on Her Birthday, And She’s Writing Some of Her ‘Best Music’

It’s Lady Gaga’s birthday, and she’s giving out the presents — in the form of a glowing update on her new music.

The 38-year-old pop star shared a warm post on her big day, March 28, one that’s been full of joy and messages of kindness.

“Today has been so special,” she writes on Instagram. “I can’t remember a time I was so happy on my bday. I am in love with my best friend, my family and friends are loving and kind and healthy. I feel like my heart is bursting with gratitude for my own health and MUSIC.”

Gaga reflects on her busy work schedule, which includes the sequel to Todd Phillips’ Joker, for which she suits up as Harley Quinn alongside lead Joaquin Phoenix, and new music.

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“I am writing some of my best music in as long as I can remember,” she enthuses.

Seeing messages from her Little Monsters from “all over the world,” plus artists and “publications that love my work it means so much to me,” she continues. “Thank you for loving me the way you do and for having such a real love for my songs.”

It’s been almost four years since Lady Gaga dropped Chromatica, her sixth studio album, and a return to her dance-inspired roots on singles such as “Stupid Love,” the hit Ariana Grande collaboration “Rain on Me” and “Free Woman.” Chromatica debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in June 2020, for her sixth leader.

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Though little is known of the direction and style of her next musical era, Gaga has confirmed via social media that she’s “not making a rock album.”

In her latest post, Gaga, wearing a black leather jacket behind the wheel of a car, and sporting bleached-blonde long hair and eyebrows, hints at pop matters to come.

“I’ve been writing pop songs since I was a little girl I can’t believe I still get to do what I love,” she writes. “This year will be an important and meaningful year for us I know. Music changes people lives I’m so honored I get to be a part of that in this.”

Last year, Gaga appeared as a guest vocalist on the gospel-tinged Rolling Stones song “Sweet Sounds of Heaven,” from the legendary British rockers’ LP Hackney Diamonds.

Joker: Folie à Deux is due out in cinemas on Oct. 4. The first Joker, based on the D.C. Comics villain, became the first R-rated movie in history to accumulate $1 billion at the box office.

See Gaga’s post below.

28 Mar 2024

Iván Cornejo’s ‘Baby Please’ Makes Top 10 Debut on Hot Latin Songs

After “Está Dañada” earned Ivan Cornejo his first top 10 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs in 2021, the Mexican-American singer-songwriter is back in the upper region as “Baby Please” debuts at No. 8 on the list dated March 30.

“Baby Please” splashes into the top 10 on the multimetric Hot Latin Songs chart mainly on the strength of streaming activity. (The chart blends streams, airplay, and sales.) In the tracking week of March 15-21, the song registered 5.4 million official U.S. streams, according to Luminate. Thanks to that sum, the track bows at No. 5 on Latin Streaming Songs and gives Cornejo his third top 10 there.

It’s not odd for 19-year-old Cornejo to make a new chart visit largely from streaming activity. Out of his 14 chart entries on Hot Latin Songs, streams provide essentially most of his songs’ activity there. Only the No. 2-peaking “Dañada” (2021) and “Inseparables” (a top 20 hit in 2022) generated minimal digital download sales, while radio has not jumped on board yet.

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As “Baby Please” lands in the top 10 on Hot Latin Songs, Cornejo claims his second top 10, after “Dañada,” his first chart appearance, debuted at No. 7 in October 2021 and peaked at No. 2 a week later (chart dated Oct. 30, 2021). In between, the sad sierreño singer placed 12 other songs, with “Aquí Te Espero” nearly missing the top 10, as it debuted and peaked at No. 11 in Aug. 2023.

Plus, with the new song’s high debut, indie label Zaragoza picks up its first top 10 on Hot Latin Songs. Cornejo took the imprint to a No. 30 high through “Donde Estás” last December.

Elsewhere, “Baby Please” grants Cornejo his third chart visit on the overall Billboard Hot 100, as the song debuts at No. 95.

28 Mar 2024

50 Cent Denies Daphne Joy Sexual & Physical Abuse Allegations

50 Cent has denied allegations of sexual and physical abuse from his ex-girlfriend Daphne Joy.

“The disturbing allegations in the sworn pleadings recently filed in a court case related to Daphne Joy the mother of my twelve year old child, has required me to take all necessary legal actions to protect my son Sire,” the rapper said in a statement obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. “The most recent false and baseless accusations by Daphne Joy are clearly in response to my decision to seek sole custody of my son. My son Sire is my main priority and keeping him in a safe environment is my only focus at this time.”

The statement comes soon after Joy — who dated 50 in 2011 and shares son Sire with him — took to Instagram on Thursday (March 28) to claim that 50 Cent (real name Curtis Jackson) abused her and sexually assaulted her. Joy was also named in Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones’ lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs, alongside Diddy’s ex-girlfriend Yung Miami, who allegedly received money for sex work.

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“Curtis James Jackson. Everything is a joke to you until our safety is compromised, which is happening now. You are wreaking real havoc, frenzy and chaos onto people’s lives. How could u feel if Sire was the one in handcuffs? For nothing,” she wrote in her post. “We moved to New York to give you the opportunity to be a father to your son and you saw him 10 times out of the 2 years that we lived 1 mile away from you. I am tired of upholding and protecting an image to our son that you have never even earned.”

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Joy also denied the accusations from Jones’ lawsuit, writing on Instagram, “I am deeply hurt by the lies in Rodney Jones’ lawsuit. The claim that I am a sex worker is 100% false and character assassination. I am retaining an attorney to explore all legal remedies against both Rodney and his attorney.”

28 Mar 2024

Little Big Town, Sugarland to Collaborate During CMT Music Awards

Little Big Town and Sugarland are the latest performers who are set to collaborate on a world-premiere performance during the upcoming CMT Music Awards, when the awards show airs from Moody Center in Austin, Texas, on April 7 on CBS. Little Big Town and Sugarland last shared the CMT Music Awards stage 15 years ago, when they were joined by Jake Owen for a rendition of “Life in a Northern Town.”

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The performance coincides with Little Big Town’s 25th anniversary as one of country music’s most successful groups. The group made their Grand Ole Opry debut in May 1999, and were inducted in October 2014. They released their debut, self-titled album in 2002; that same year, they issued their debut song “Don’t Waste My Time,” which reached No. 33 on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart (now Hot Country Songs). They earned their first No. 1 on that chart in 2012 with “Pontoon,” and have earned two more No. 1s on that chart: “Better Man” and “Girl Crush.”

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The performance will mark four-time CMT Music Awards winners Little Big Town’s 13th CMT Music Awards performance. Their previous performances have included “Macon” with Jamey Johnson in 2010 and premiering what would become a signature summertime anthem, the two-week Billboard Hot Country Songs No. 1 “Pontoon,” in 2012. The group teamed with Keith Urban in 2013 to cover Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain,” offered up “Day Drinking” in 2014 and teamed with Pharrell Williams in 2016 for “One Dance,” among other performances.

Additionally, the performance also marks Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush reuniting for their first CMT performance together since 2011. Since the release of Sugarland’s debut album (the outfit initially launched as a trio) in 2004 with Twice the Speed of Life, they have earned five Billboard Hot Country Songs chart No. 1s: “Want To,” “Settlin’,” “Already Gone,” “All I Want to Do: and “It Happens.”

Four-time CMT Music Awards winners Sugarland earned their first CMT Music Awards accolade in 2005, for breakthrough video of the year for “Baby Girl.” In 2011, they offered up a rendition of “Stand Up” to draw attention to American Red Cross Tornado Relief efforts, and honored victims of devastating tornadoes that struck earlier that year. Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, as a duo, offered up a rendition of their hit single “Babe” in 2018. Nettles has also been honored for her advocacy work and championing of women in the music industry, LGBTQ+ community and other unrepresented groups, and thus received the inaugural CMT Equal Play Award at the 2020 CMT Music Awards.

Little Big Town and Sugarland join previously-announced CMT Music Awards performers including Bailey Zimmerman, Cody Johnson, Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, performer and host Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Megan Moroney, Jordan Davis (who teams with group NEEDTOBREATHE), as well as Old Dominion, Sam Hunt and Trisha Yearwood.

As well as airing on CBS, the CMT Music Awards will also be available to stream live and on demand via Paramount+. As previously announced, CMT Storytellers: Little Big Town will premiere on Friday, April 5 at 8 p.m. ET as part of “CMT Awards Weekend.”

28 Mar 2024

Kelly Clarkson Says Not to ‘Sleep’ on Ariana Grande’s ‘Eternal Sunshine’

Kelly Clarkson is showering her fellow powerhouse vocalist, Ariana Grande, with love.

The “Since U Been Gone” singer took to X (previously Twitter) to gush over her fellow former The Voice coach’s recently released album, Eternal Sunshine. “Y’all don’t sleep on this album. It’s so good,” she wrote, before spotlighting three songs in particular in the hashtags: “Imperfect for You,” “We Can’t Be Friends” and lead single and Hot 100 chart-topper, “Yes, And?”

Eternal Sunshine is spending a second week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated March 30), after debuting atop the tally a week ago.

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Eternal Sunshine, which follows 2020’s Positions, houses 13 tracks, all penned by the two-time Grammy winner and co-produced with the legendary Max Martin. 

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Overall, Grande has earned eight No. 1 singles on the Hot 100, including “Thank U, Next” (seven weeks), “Save Your Tears” (with The Weeknd, two weeks) and the eight-week leader “7 Rings.” On the Billboard 200, the multi-hyphenate has sent multiple titles to the chart’s summit, including 2013’s Yours Truly, 2014’s My Everything, 2018’s Sweetener and 2020’s Positions.

28 Mar 2024

Ye Claims He ‘Washed’ Kendrick Lamar & Drake: ‘There Is Only One GOAT’

Ye — the artist formerly known as Kanye West — took to Instagram on Thursday (March 28) with an explosive post claiming he got the best of Kendrick Lamar on their The Life of Pablo collaboration “No More Parties in L.A.” And he had smoke for Drake too, saying he “washed” him during their 2021 Larry Hoover Benefit concert at Los Angeles’ Coliseum.

“Everyone knows I washed Kendrick on No More Parties in LA,” West started the post, mentioning the 2016 bar-filled collab. Though the single from the hip-hop titans is certified platinum, the Madlib-produced track never cracked the Billboard Hot 100. Ye roped Drake in next, writing, “Everyone knows I washed Drake at the Free Hoover Concert.”

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Ye didn’t stop there, as he boasted about bringing Adidas back to cultural relevance and then taking them out since the apparel giant severed ties with him in 2022. “Everyone knows I brought Adidas into this culture and I took them out,” he wrote.

After claiming he invented every genre of music over the past two decades, Kanye reminded fans about his contributions along with his comeback to reach the mountaintop of the charts following his series of controversies and antisemitic remarks that caused many companies to split from the polarizing Chicago-bred mogul.

“I made Yeezus Dark Fantasy Pablo Graduation Throne 808s Throne,” he wrote. “I made ‘Runaway’ ‘Devil in a New Dress’ ‘Father Stretch.’ I am the only person to come back number one after cancellation. There is only one GOAT. I stand with me. My friends call me Ye :).”

It could be album-rollout time once again for Ye, with Vultures 2 rumored to be holding a release date of May 3. The first Vultures installment with Ty Dolla $ign topped the Billboard 200 with 148,000 album-equivalent units in February, while the album’s “Carnival” climbed to No. 1 on the Hot 100.

Ye is calling out Lamar and Drake a week after the release of Future & Metro Boomin’s “Like That,” which features an incendiary Lamar verse that seemingly takes lyrical shots at his “First Person Shooter” co-stars Drake and J. Cole. Now Ye appears to be taking sides in the Kendrick vs. Drake feud, and he’s choosing himself.

Find Ye’s post below.

28 Mar 2024

Michael Jackson’s 3 Children Make Rare Appearance Together at ‘MJ: The Musical’ Red Carpet

A family outing! Michael Jackson’s three children — Paris Jackson, Prince Jackson and Bigi Jackson — attended a preview night in London on Wednesday night (March 27) for MJ: The Musical.

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The sibling trio posed together for photos before walking into the Prince Edward Theatre in London’s West End to watch the Tony Award-winning musical based on their father’s life.

In 2022, Paris and Prince attended the Tony Awards together to present the MJ: The Musical cast’s performance of “Smooth Criminal.”

“A lot of people seem to think our dad Michael Jackson changed popular music forever. And who are we to disagree?” Prince said at the time. “He loved musicals, on film and on the stage.”

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Bigi rarely makes public appearances, but the 22-year-old asked a Los Angeles judge earlier this month to stop his grandmother from using money from the his late father’s estate to fund her ongoing legal battles against the estate’s executors over their recent $600 million deal with Sony.

Michael Jackson’s life and career will be the subject of an upcoming biopic, titled Michael, which will be produced by King (Bohemian Rhapsody) and John Branca and John McClain, who are the co-executors of the Michael Jackson estate. The film will be directed by Fuqua, the filmmaker behind 2001’s Oscar-winning Training Day and 2022’s Will Smith-starring Emancipation.

Jaafar Jackson will portray his late uncle Michael in the film and nine-year-old actor Juliano Krue Valdi will act as the King of Pop during his formative years in the Jackson 5.

The film is set for release in April 2025.

28 Mar 2024

Djo’s ‘End of Beginning’ Rises to No. 1 on Hot Alternative Songs Chart

Djo’s “End of Beginning” reaches top of Billboard’s Hot Alternative Songs chart dated March 30, rising from No. 2 to No. 1 in its sixth week on the list.

“End of Beginning” drew 18.5 million official U.S. streams (up 11%) and 3.1 million radio audience impressions (up 69%) and sold 2,000 downloads (up 46%) March 15-21, according to Luminate.

The move marks Djo’s first No. 1 on a multimetric Billboard chart. Concurrently, the song ranks at No. 2 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and Hot Rock Songs, sporting top Streaming Gainer honors on the former. On the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, it vaults 21-11.

The track also tallies a second week at No. 1 on Alternative Streaming Songs and jumps 12-6 on the all-genre Streaming Songs chart, and it lifts 4-2 on Alternative Digital Song Sales.

“End of Beginning” is additionally a rising multi-format radio hit. It has reached No. 22 on Alternative Airplay and debuts at No. 35 on Pop Airplay. On the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, it places at No. 20 via 1.4 million audience impressions.

Released in 2022 on Djo’s sophomore album Decide, “End of Beginning” has taken off in 2024 due in large part to usage on TikTok; it has crowned the TikTok Billboard Top 50 for two weeks (March 2 and 23) and ranks at No. 2 on the latest list.

Djo – real name Joe Keery – has already solidified himself under his birth name as an actor during his run as Steve Harrington in Netflix’s Stranger Things, among other roles. He has been releasing music for nearly a decade; he was a member of Chicago band Post Animal in 2015-18 and launched his solo career as Djo in 2019.