Music

27 Mar 2024

310babii’s ‘Soak City’ Hits No. 1 on Rhythmic & Rap Airplay Charts

310babii’s “Soak City” douses the competition on two Billboard charts as it takes the throne on both Rhythmic Airplay and Rap Airplay. The new radio champ advances from the runner-up slot on both rankings to rule the lists dated March 30 and gives the rapper, who solely wrote the song, his first No. 1s on any Billboard charts.

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“Soak City” rises from No. 2 on Rhythmic Airplay after a 5% increase in plays that made it the most played song on U.S.-monitored rhythmic radio stations in the tracking week of March 15-21, according to Luminate. WHTP-FM, in Portland, Maine, led the way, with 140 plays, while three stations – WHZT-FM (Greenville, S.C.), KPHW-FM (Honolulu, Hawaii) and KHTN-FM (Modesto, Calif.) – shared second place after each registered 134 plays.

“Soak City” first caught viral attention through TikTok with the squabble dance, which soon became further popularized as multiple NFL players, including the Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce and Houston Texans’ C.J. Stroud, performed versions of it as an end-zone celebration. Thanks to the growth, the song reached a No. 17 peak on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart in November.

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The viral buzz fueled momentum for a radio campaign, and “Soak City” landed on Rhythmic Airplay in late November. In reaching the summit in its 19th week, it ties for the fourth-longest wait to the top spot in the chart’s 31-year history.

Here’s a review of the songs that required the most weeks to attain the No. 1 rank on Rhythmic Airplay:

Weeks to No. 1, Song Title, Artist, Date Reached No. 1

  • 24, “Waterfalls,” TLC, Aug. 5, 1995
  • 20, “Day ‘N’ Nite,” Kid Cudi, May 23, 2009
  • 20, “Sky Walker,” Miguel featuring Travis Scott, Feb. 3, 2018
  • 19, “Don’t Let Go (Love),” En Vogue, Feb. 15, 1997
  • 19, “Work Out,” J. Cole, Dec. 31, 2011
  • 19, “Soak City,” 310babii, March 30, 2024

On Rap Airplay, “Soak City” steps 2-1 following a 4% improvement in audience in the latest tracking week. As with its Rhythmic Airplay rise, patience was rewarded – “Soak City” leads in its 17th week, becoming the 14th of 217 No. 1s to need at least that much time to complete a chart-topping trek.

If the dual radio coronations weren’t enough, “Soak City” is already looking to expand to a third radio ranking soon. The track climbs 3-2 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, where it added 11% more plays in the most recent tracking window.

27 Mar 2024

Linkin Park Biography ‘It Starts With One’ On the Way From Billboard Executive Director of Music Jason Lipshutz

A biography of Linkin Park written by Billboard‘s Executive Director of Music Jason Lipshutz is coming out in October, Hachette Books announced Wednesday (March 27).

It Starts With One: The Legend and Legacy of Linkin Park is set to document the decades-long career of the iconic rock band and their impact on the modern music landscape, featuring new interviews, exclusive quotes and insights from Linkin Park’s inner circle and collaborators. The full list of collaborators and contemporaries who shared their stories will be announced at a later date.

IT STARTS WITH ONE: The Legend and Legacy of Linkin Park book cover

‘IT STARTS WITH ONE: The Legend and Legacy of Linkin Park’

Hachette Books

With 11 top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and six No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200, Linkin Park — comprised of Mike Shinoda, Dave Farrell, Joe Hahn, Rob Bourdon, Brad Delson and late singer Chester Bennington — have been a mainstay on Billboard‘s charts and in the entertainment industry with more than a dozen world tours, countless award wins, millions of records sold and more. It Starts With One will document everything from the band members’ early childhoods, how they met each other and the creation of their debut album Hybrid Theory to how their music has endured in the wake of frontman Bennington’s tragic death in 2017.

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In honor of Linkin Park’s ongoing commitment to destigmatizing mental health and promoting mental health care, a portion of the book’s proceeds will be donated to the National Alliance on Mental Health and Backline, a nonprofit organization that connects those in the music industry and their families with mental health and wellness resources.

Lipshutz’s It Starts With One: The Legend and Legacy of Linkin Park is out Oct. 1, 2024, via Hachette Books. Pre-order the book here.

27 Mar 2024

Maeta’s ‘Through the Night’ Moves to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart

Nearly nine months since arriving on the Adult R&B Airplay chart, Maeta’s “Through the Night,” featuring Free Nationals, finally reaches No. 1 on the list dated March 30. By reaching the summit in its 35th week, it completes the second longest trek to the top in the chart’s 30-year history.

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“Through the Night,” released on Roc Nation, captures the flag after a 6% jump in plays that made it the most-played song on U.S. monitored adult R&B radio stations in the tracking week of March 15-21, according to Luminate.

Singer-songwriter Maeta achieves her first Adult R&B Airplay No. 1 through her third chart appearance. Her first, “Bitch Don’t Be Mad,” peaked at No. 14 in 2023, while 2023’s “(S)EX,” went one rank higher.

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Featured artist Free Nationals, who frequently perform as a backing band for Anderson .Paak, claim their initial Adult R&B Airplay leader with their first try.

With its 35-week journey to its coronation, “Through the Night” wraps the second longest trek, in terms of weeks on the chart, to reach No. 1. It trails Snoh Aalegra’s “I Want You Around,” which crowned the list in its 43rd chart week, in March 2020.

Here’s a look at the songs with the longest marches to reach No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay:

Weeks to No. 1, Song Title, Artist, Date Reached No. 1

  • 41, “I Want You Around,” Snoh Aalegra, March 14, 2020
  • 35, “Through the Night,” Maeta featuring Free Nationals, March 30, 2024
  • 34, “Step in the Name of Love,” R. Kelly, Nov. 1, 2003
  • 33, “Love Calls,” Kem, Sept. 13, 2003
  • 32, “Permission,” Ro James, Sept. 10, 2016
  • 31, “Please Don’t Go,” Tank, May 19, 2007
  • 31, “For the Rest of My Life,” Robin Thicke, Jan. 11, 2014
  • 31, “I’m Baby,” Ambre featuring Jvck James, May 6, 2023
  • 30, “Anything,” Jaheim featuring Next, June 22, 2002
  • 30, “Never Would Have Made It,” Marvin Sapp, July 26, 2008

Elsewhere, “Through the Night” slips from 21-22 from its peak on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, which ranks songs by combined audience from adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop radio stations. Despite the position drop, the single improved to 5.1 million in audience, a 6% gain over the prior week.

27 Mar 2024

Twenty One Pilots Are Going on a Massive World Tour & Dropped a New Song to Celebrate

Don’t get stressed out, heathens. Those hints of a potential Twenty One Pilots tour? They’re real. The duo of Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun announced on Wednesday (March 27), that the band is hitting the road for its 59-date The Clancy World Tour in support of their upcoming album, Clancy. As if that weren’t enough to appease fans, Twenty One Pilots also dropped new song “Next Semester” and its music video from the upcoming release.

The 59-date tour kicks off Aug. 15 at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colo., before making its way around North America, with stops in Seattle, Phoenix and New York City, as well as Los Angeles, Chicago and hometown Columbus, Ohio, with the latter three getting two shows each.

After wrapping up the North American dates with an Oct. 12 show at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn., Twenty One Pilots jet off for the international leg of the tour, starting with a stop in Auckland, New Zealand, on Nov. 17. The duo will also hit up Australia for shows the rest of the month. The tour picks up again in April in Germany, then hits Italy, Spain, France and more before wrapping up the lengthy tour with two shows at London’s 02 Arena on May 13 and 14.

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Presale tickets will be available beginning April 2 to fans in the U.S. and Canada; international presale begins the next day. General on sale kicks off April 5 at 10 a.m. local time. More information about the tour and tickets can be found on Twenty One Pilots’ website.

Also arriving with the news of the tour dates was “Next Semester,” the second single from Clancy. “The Next Semester music video is here. Cannot wait to sing this one with you,” the band shared on social media, along with a clip from the visual.

The music video — directed by Andrew Donoho — kicks off with the band rocking out in a tiny, packed club, and is interspersed with scenes of Joseph in the middle of a dark street as a vehicle races toward him.

Twenty One Pilots initially announced upcoming album Clancy on Feb. 29, and celebrated the news by dropping the first single “Overcompensate.” The track peaked and debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 64 on the chart dated March 16.

Watch the video for “Next Semester” and see the full tour dates below:

The Clancy World Tour dates:

  • August 15, 2024               Denver, CO                             Ball Arena
  • August 18, 2024               Salt Lake City, UT                  Delta Center
  • August 21, 2024               Portland, OR                           Moda Center
  • August 22, 2024               Seattle, WA                             Climate Pledge Arena
  • August 24, 2024               Oakland, CA                           Oakland Arena
  • August 25, 2024               Sacramento, CA                     Golden 1 Center
  • August 27, 2024               Los Angeles, CA                     Intuit Dome
  • August 28, 2024               Los Angeles, CA                     Intuit Dome
  • August 30, 2024               Phoenix, AZ                            Footprint Center
  • August 31, 2024               Las Vegas, NV                        MGM Grand Garden Arena
  • September 3, 2024                       Austin, TX                               Moody Center
  • September 4, 2024                       Houston, TX                            Toyota Center
  • September 6, 2024                       Dallas, TX                               American Airlines Center
  • September 10, 2024                     Duluth, GA                              Gas South Arena
  • September 11, 2024                     Orlando, FL                             Kia Center
  • September 13, 2024                     Raleigh, NC                            PNC Arena
  • September 14, 2024                     Philadelphia, PA                     Wells Fargo Center
  • September 15, 2024                     Baltimore, MD                         CFG Bank Arena
  • September 17, 2024                     Newark, NJ                             Prudential Center
  • September 18, 2024                     Brooklyn, NY                           Barclays Center
  • September 20, 2024                     Boston, MA                             TD Garden
  • September 25, 2024                     Montreal, QC                          Bell Centre
  • September 27, 2024                     Toronto, ON                            Scotiabank Arena
  • September 28, 2024                     Cleveland, OH                        Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse
  • September 29, 2024                     Detroit, MI                               Little Caesars Arena
  • October 1, 2024                Chicago, IL                             United Center
  • October 2, 2024                Chicago, IL                             United Center
  • October 4, 2024                Columbus, OH                        Nationwide Arena
  • October 5, 2024                Columbus, OH                        Nationwide Arena
  • October 8, 2024                Indianapolis, IN                       Gainbridge Fieldhouse
  • October 9, 2024                Nashville, TN                          Bridgestone Arena
  • October 10, 2024              St. Louis, MO                          Enterprise Center
  • October 12, 2024              Minneapolis, MN                     Target Center
  • November 17, 2024                      Auckland, NZ                          Spark Arena
  • November 19, 2024                      Melbourne, AU                        Rod Laver Arena
  • November 21, 2024                      Brisbane, AU                          Brisbane Entertainment Centre
  • November 24, 2024                      Sydney, AU                             Qudos Bank Arena
  • April 7, 2025                                 Hamburg, DE                          Barclays Arena
  • April 8, 2025                                 Berlin, DE                               Uber Arena
  • April 9, 2025                                 Lodz, PL                                  Atlas Arena
  • April 12, 2025                               Prague, CZ                             O2 Arena
  • April 13, 2025                               Vienna, AT                              Wiener Stadthalle
  • April 16, 2025                               Zurich, CH                              Hallenstadion
  • April 17, 2025                               Bologna, IT                             Unipol Arena
  • April 21, 2025                               Madrid, ES                              WiZink Center
  • April 22, 2025                               Barcelona, ES                         Palau San Jordi
  • April 24, 2025                               Lyon, FR                                 LDLC Arena
  • April 27, 2025                               Munich, DE                             Olympiahalle
  • April 28, 2025                               Milan, IT                                  Forum
  • April 30, 2025                               Amsterdam, NL                       Ziggo Dome
  • May 1, 2025                                  Cologne, DE                           Lanxess Arena
  • May 2, 2025                                  Paris, FR                                 Accor Arena
  • May 5, 2025                                  Glasgow, UK                           OVO Hydro Arena
  • May 6, 2025                                  Birmingham, UK                     Resorts World Arena
  • May 8, 2025                                  Belfast, UK                              SSE Arena Belfast
  • May 9, 2025                                  Dublin, IE                                3Arena
  • May 11, 2025                                Manchester, UK                      AO Arena
  • May 13, 2025                                London, UK                             The O2
  • May 14, 2025                                London, UK                             The O2

27 Mar 2024

ATEEZ & xikers to Star in Grammy Museum’s First K-Pop ‘Pop-Up’ Exhibition

The heartbeat of Korean pop music will pulsate through the halls of the Grammy Museum as it embarks on a multi-year celebration of the global phenomenon by spotlighting two trailblazing acts.

To kick off the new initiative, Billboard can exclusively reveal that the Grammy Museum will present KQ ENT. (ATEEZ & xikers): A Grammy Museum Pop-Up for a limited time beginning next month.

Inside the museum’s third-floor red carpet gallery, the pop-up exhibit will feature boy bands ATEEZ and xikers, which are under the home of quickly rising K-pop agency and management label KQ Entertainment.

The exhibit promises an immersive experience for fans featuring outfits and props throughout both groups’ careers. One exhibition highlight includes props and the main outfits worn in ATEEZ’s “Crazy Form” music video, the lead single from their 2023 album THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in December and has earned 278,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. to date, according to Luminate.

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Also, xikers will feature the attire from the music for “We Don’t Stop,” the single from their latest EP, HOUSE OF TRICKY: Trial and Error which marked another chart triumphant for KQ Ent. when it debuted at No. 73 on the Billboard 200 earlier this month with 13,000 equivalent album units in its first week. Fans can also look forward to other props, outfits and mementos from different KQ projects including the look xikers member JUNGHOON wore for the band’s performance video of “TRICKY HOUSE” off their 2023 debut HOUSE OF TRICKY : Doorbell Ringing.

To date, ATEEZ has earned 1.49 million total equivalent album units in the U.S. to date since their October 2018 debut. Meanwhile, xikers has earned 70,000 total equivalent album units in the U.S. so far as they approach their one-year anniversary on March 30.

“It’s an honor to have pieces from our latest music release displayed at the Grammy Museum where so many wonderful artists have left a piece of their musical history,” ATEEZ says in a statement. “There are so many elements involved in the process of our music creation and we’re excited to be able to share some of it through our music video outfits and props.”

xikers adds, “We’re so grateful for the opportunity to have our pieces displayed alongside our labelmate and seniors ATEEZ, as well as so many amazing artists that we’ve grown up listening to. Though it’s only been a little over a year since our debut, we’re so happy to take part in this opportunity at the Grammy Museum and hope that everyone has fun looking at all the interesting outfits and props that have helped create the xikers world in the music video of our latest release.”

Kyu Wook Kim, CEO of KQ Entertainment, also made a rare public statement as part of the milestone.

“The global spread of K-pop is truly remarkable and it is a great honor to see ATEEZ and xikers represent K-pop music at the Grammy Museum,” the CEO and longtime K-pop executive shares. “Witnessing our artists’ hard work and dedication being recognized on such a large scale by the Grammy Museum is truly a privilege and fills us with so much pride. We aim to continue to do our best to work with our artists to break boundaries in music on the global stage with K-pop.”

The Grammy Museum also shared more insight into curating its two-year K-pop commitment.

“Korean pop music is one of the greatest phenomena in the history of recorded music and culture,” says Michael Sticka, President/CEO of the Grammy Museum. “The Grammy Museum plans to celebrate the world of K-pop, its much-deserved success, and worldwide chart-breaking artists by curating dedicated exhibits and programming over the next two years. We look forward to launching this series with exclusive outfits and props from xikers and ATEEZ.”

KQ ENT. (ATEEZ & xikers): A Grammy Museum Pop-Up is scheduled to open on April 10 and run until June 10, launching just ahead of ATEEZ’s debut at Coachella 2024 as the first K-pop boy band to perform at the Indio festival.

More information about ticket reservations and the event can be found at the Grammy Museum website.

27 Mar 2024

Australia’s Splendour in the Grass 2024 Festival Is Canceled

The 2024 edition of Splendour in the Grass won’t go ahead.

“With a heavy heart,” reads a statement from organizers, issued late Wednesday (March 27), “we’re announcing the cancellation of Splendour in the Grass 2024, originally scheduled from Friday 19 July to Sunday 21 July in Ngarindjin / North Byron Parklands.”

The surprise announcement comes less than a week after tickets to the three-day camping fest went on sale to the general public.

As previously reported, Splendour had booked a healthy lineup featuring Kylie Minogue, Future and Arcade Fire as headliners. Also on the bill for the now-scrapped 2024 edition was Girl In Red, Yeat, Turnstile, G Flip, The Last Dinner Party, Tash Sultana, Fontaines D.C. and many more.

“We know there were many fans excited for this year’s line-up and all the great artists planning to join us, but due to unexpected events we’ll be taking the year off,” the statement continues.

Established in 2001 and held each year in Byron Bay, a picturesque beach town on the most easterly tip of Australia, Splendour is a destination event, and the most popular mid-winter camping fest in these parts.

Splendour, once the hottest ticket on the festivals calendar, has endured a particularly tough run, first with the pandemic, which saw the announced, then shelved several times during the pandemic. Then, in 2022, extreme weather conditions wrecked the first day of Splendour 2022, contributing to softer-than-usual ticket sales for the 2023 edition.

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“We’re heartbroken to be missing a year especially after more than two decades in operation,” reads a joint statement from Jessica Ducrou and Paul Piticco, co-CEOs of Secret Sounds and founders of Splendour. “This festival has always been a huge community effort, and we’d like to thank everyone for their support and overall faith. We hope to be back in the future.”

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Tickets for Splendour 2024 went on sale from Thursday, March 21 via moshtix.com.au, with the SITG members pre-sale opening March 14. Single day tickets are priced at A$179 (plus fees), three-day tickets are $399 (plus fees), camping tickets cost $159 (plus fees) and the premium “VIP Village VIP” three-day ticket is A$599 (plus fees). 

Ticket holders will be refunded automatically.

Despite the setback, Splendour will return, according to Secret Sounds, an affiliate of Live Nation, which produces the annual event. “We thank you for your understanding,” reads the statement, “and will be working hard to be back in future years.”

26 Mar 2024

Shakira Takes Over Times Square With Free Pop-Up Show to Celebrate New Album

The countdown reached Times Square nine months early on Tuesday night (March 26), where thousands of people gathered at the iconic tourist destination, not to watch the famous New Year’s Eve ball drop but the Colombian superstar Shakira.

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The artist surprised her followers with a “pop-up” concert announced just hours earlier on her social media, and about 40,000 fans, according to figures provided by the organizers, responded to her call to celebrate her first LP in seven years, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, released last Friday.

A huge electronic billboard that covered part of a skyscraper announced the free show with a clock counting down to its start. At around 7:30 p.m. ET, the crowd enthusiastically chanted from ten to zero and two large doors hidden in the jumbotron opened to reveal the TSX Stage, and Shakira opening with her No. 1 Hot 100 hit “Hips Don’t Lie.”

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“Hola New York! Oh my God, this is amazing, absolutely insane,” she said immediately after in Spanglish. It’s so awesome to see you again, to sing for you… Nothing compares to this. Thank you so much for all the love that you’ve been giving me this week during the release of my new album Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran. And thank you, thank you, thank you for showing up.”  

Dressed in black pants and top with silver embellishments, the self-proclaimed She-Wolf delighted the crowd by singing live — along with a band and a group of dancers — songs such as “Te Felicito”, “TQM”, “Cómo Dónde y Cuándo” and “Puntería”, before closing with the mega hit “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53.”

“I’m happy to be here surrounded by my Latin people,” said the 14-times Latin Grammy and three-times Grammy winner. “Thank you New York. Until next time. I love you very much.”

Tuesday’s show was co-produced by TSX Entertainment, with presenting partners ViX, Vinfast and Sony Music Latin. It took place the day after Shakira’s appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where she performed “Puntería” and spoke candidly about her former relationship with soccer star Gerard Piqué, and why it took her so long to release a new LP since 2017’s El Dorado. “Now I’m husband-less,” the She-Wolf declared. (Shakira and Piqué — who announced their split in 2022 — never married during their 11-year relationship, but share two sons.) “The husband was dragging me down. Now I’m free. Now I can actually work.”

Watch part of Shakira’s performance in Times Square below:

26 Mar 2024

Tones And I, Crowded House Among Winners at 2024 Rolling Stone Australia Awards

Tones And I, Dom Dolla, Peach PRC and the Teskey Brothers were among the winners Tuesday night (March 26) at the 2024 Shure Rolling Stone Australia Awards, while Crowded House snagged the second-ever “icon” honor.

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Formed out of the embers of New Zealand alternative-rock favorites Split Enz, Crowded House are members of the ARIA Hall of Fame, inducted back in 2016 in recognition of a career which has yielded more than 15 million album sales, 13 ARIA Awards, a BRIT Award, and an MTV VMA.

Frontman Neil Finn was on hand to collect the RS award and perform an acoustic mini set. “Thank you Rolling Stone for making us into an icon,” he told the 800 guests gathered at The Ivy in central Sydney. “I’m not sure what that truly means, but I think it means you need to go to Mecca and buy some makeup, so I’ve done that. I’d like to thank all the band members of Crowded House, so I’m representing for them, they send their love. For everybody, thank you so much for honoring us in this fashion.”

The Kiwi bandleader gave the industry audience a taste of things to come when he slung the guitar for a preview of Gravity Stairs, the eighth and latest Crowded House album, due out May 31 through BMG.

Tones And I can’t stop winning. The one-time busker recently notched three billion streams on Spotify for “Dance Monkey,” becoming the first solo female artist to hit that milestone, and she opened for Pink on the record-smashing 20-stadium Summer Carnival tour of Australia, a jaunt that shifted more than 900,000 tickets, according to Live Nation.

On Tuesday, Tones beat out the likes of Tame Impala, Kylie Minogue and Troye Sivan to score the global award, a category voted on by Rolling Stone’s international editorial teams.

“Wow,” enthused Tones (real name Toni Watson), “this is an incredible award to win, up against such an icon in Kylie Minogue who helped pave the way for women in pop music on a global scale.”

Adelaide singer-songwriter Peach PRC won best single with “Perfect For You,” Rolling Stone Australia cover stars the Teskey Brothers took home best record with their ARIA Chart No. 1 The Winding Way, and EDM star Dom Dolla snagged best new artist.

Performers on the night included Angus & Julia Stone, who are readying the release of their sixth studio album Cape Forestier on May 10, through BMG.

Rolling Stone AU/NZ is published by The Brag Media, part of The Vinyl Group. “We are continually inspired by Australian artists, their stories, and their music, and we are so proud to support them with such a special night dedicated to celebrating their art,” comments editor-in-chief Poppy Reid.

The fourth annual awards welcomed multiple new and returning sponsors this year, with headline partner Shure back for 2024, alongside American Apparel, JMC Academy and Largo Brewing.

2024 Shure Rolling Stone Australia Awards Winners:

Rolling Stone Icon Award

Crowded House (WINNER)

Best Single

Peach PRC – “Perfect For You” (WINNER)
Dom Dolla ft. MK – “Rhyme Dust”
Budjerah – “Therapy”
Amy Shark – “Can I Shower At Yours”
Fisher ft Kita Alexander – “Atmosphere”
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers – “I Used to be Fun”
Lime Cordiale – “Colin”
Tkay Maidza ft. Flume – “Silent Assassin”

Best New Artist

Dom Dolla – (WINNER)
Royel Otis
Oliver Cronin
The Rions
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers
Grentperez
Blusher
Old Mervs

Best Record

The Teskey Brothers – The Winding Way (WINNER)
Teenage Dads – Midnight Driving
G Flip – DRUMMER
The Amity Affliction – Not Without My Ghosts
Troye Sivan – Something to Give Each Other
Brad Cox – Acres
Dope Lemon – Kimosabè
Peach PRC – Manic Dream Pixie

Rolling Stone Global Award

Tones And I – (WINNER)
Kylie Minogue
Troye Sivan
The Teskey Brothers
Dom Dolla
DMA’S
Fisher
Vacations
Tame Impala

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26 Mar 2024

Lila Iké is Redefining Reggae with a Global Vision

In the vibrant world of music, there are those who follow trends, and then there are those who carve their own path. Lila Iké belongs firmly to the latter category. Born and raised in Jamaica, her journey into music began at a young age, influenced by the soul-stirring melodies that filled her childhood home. “My mom, she’s a huge fan of music,” Iké recalls. “Growing up, my house always had music playing, different genres. It started from me just trying to connect with my mother.”

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As she grew older, her passion for music deepened, fueled by a desire to express herself authentically. Moving to Kingston provided her with the freedom to explore her musical identity further. “The breakthrough moment for me was probably moving to Kingston and doing it out of just the freedom that I had,” she reflects. “When I got to Kingston, I realized that it was just an open space… The more I did it, the more people were like, ‘Yo, this is really cool.’”

Ike’s music reflects her Jamaican roots, infused with a modern flair that sets her apart. “I try to be myself and say exactly how I feel,” she explains. “I have favorite singers and rappers… But I try not to over emulate anybody. So, for me, it’s just being yourself and honing my sound as I go along.”

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Her songs carry empowering messages, addressing social issues, and resonating deeply with listeners. “Music for my household was a huge, comforting thing,” Iké shares. “I watched her [my mother] come alive when she listened to music… For me, it was very important… that if it’s not having people react like this, then it doesn’t make any sense.”

In her creative process, the roots singer prioritizes authenticity and sincerity. “I try to not force myself to create,” she says. “Sometimes being an artist… so much is expected of you… But for me, it’s about ensuring that I really have something that, in my heart, I’m doing this because I want someone else to hear this.”

Collaborations have become an integral part of her emerging journey, allowing her to expand her horizons and connect with artists from diverse backgrounds. “Collaborations open up your sound to different markets and different people,” she emphasizes. “It’s networking.”

One of the most exciting collaborations in Lila’s career is her recent partnership with Afrobeat sensation Davido. “This is my very first time doing anything in the Afrobeat market,” she enthuses. “It’s something that I’ve actually been working towards getting into… Africa is so big, and their market is so beautiful… It’s doors opening everywhere.”

As she looks ahead to the future, the exciting singer envisions a year filled with music, growth, and new experiences. “2024 is a blessed year,” she declares with confidence. With her unwavering dedication to authenticity and her willingness to embrace new challenges, there’s no doubt that Lila Iké’s star will continue to rise, illuminating the world with her unique blend of reggae and soul.

26 Mar 2024

Kehlani Shares Dance-Worthy Snippet of Upcoming ‘After Hours’ Single

New snippet alert! Kehlani teased their upcoming single “After Hours” Monday (March 25), and it sounds like the perfect vibe for being outside.

She reshared a TikTok video on Instagram of the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter getting amped in the gym but getting her knees ready for the club. “We don’t gotta take it slow/ I’mma hit the gas if you’re ready to go/ I wanna speed it, breathe into your clothes/ The way you touch my neck got me ready to fold,” she sings over what sounds like a sample of Nina Sky‘s 2004 Billboard Hot 100 No. 4 single “Move Ya Body,” featuring Jabba. Kehlani has yet to reveal when “After Hours” will be released.

They haven’t released new solo music since their 2022 album Blue Water Road, which featured collaborations with Justin Bieber, Jessie Reyez, Syd, Blxst, Thundercat and Ambré. The 13-track LP peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard 200 and No. 8 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Kehlani also embarked on the Blue Water Road Trip following the album’s release, marking her first tour in five years since the SweetSexySavage World Tour.

Kehlani signed with Wasserman Music for global representation last September, with agents Brent Smith and Eli Gelernter serving as her representatives at the company. They are managed by David Ali at Above Ground Management and signed to Atlantic Records.

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Listen to a snippet of “After Hours” below.