Music

19 Mar 2024

Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Bailey Zimmerman & More Among First Round of 2024 CMT Music Awards Performers

The fan-voted CMT Music Awards, slated for April 7 at Moody Center in Austin, Texas, are getting even hotter.

Bailey Zimmerman, Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, Lainey Wilson and Sam Hunt are the first round of performers who will join previously announced performer (and CMT Music Awards host) Kelsea Ballerini on the CMT Music Awards stage, in the heart of the live music capital of the world.

Jelly Roll, Ballerini and Wilson are among the evening’s top nominees, alongside Cody Johnson and Megan Moroney, who each have three nominations apiece leading up to the show. The CMT Music Awards will air on CBS and stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

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Last year, Jelly Roll dominated the CMT Music Awards, taking home the most trophies that evening, with three career-surging wins. This year, he is again nominated for three accolades, including the coveted video of the year.

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Zimmerman, who is currently on a sold-out solo touring run, will offer a first-time performance of his current single, the top 20 Country Airplay hit “Where It Ends.” A three-time Billboard Country Airplay chart-topper, Zimmerman is also looking to earn his first CMT Music Awards win this year, in the male video of the year category.

Urban will make history when he takes the CMT Music Awards stage, for his 20th performance — marking the most in CMT Music Awards history. He’ll offer a rendition of “Straight Line,” the first single from his forthcoming 12th studio project.

Fresh off her inaugural Grammy win earlier this year, singer-songwriter-actress Wilson will perform her new song “Country’s Cool Again,” which is also the namesake for her upcoming headlining tour, launching in Nashville in May.

Hunt, who is currently on his arena-headlining Outskirts Tour, has earned nine CMT Music Awards nominations during his career, and previously won the breakthrough video of the year accolade. His current single “Outskirts” is in the top 20 on the Country Airplay chart, but Hunt will offer new music during his performance, debuting a new song during the CMT Music Awards broadcast.

The CMT Music Awards relocated to Texas last year, moving from its longtime home in Nashville. The awards show, originally known as the Music City News Awards, held its inaugural event in 1967; the awards celebration has been known as the CMT Music Awards since 2005.

Voting is currently open at vote.cmt.com, through April 1, while voting for the video of the year honor, presented by Hilton, will remain active into the show.

Additional performers and presenters for this year’s CMT Music Awards will be revealed at a later date.

19 Mar 2024

Megan Thee Stallion Had Cheeky Reaction to Her Bikini Tour Announcement Being Flagged By Instagram

Megan Thee Stallion definitely made some waves with the poster announcing the dates for her upcoming 2024 Hot Girl Summer tour. The poster for the outing featured a magazine cover-like image of the rapper laying on her stomach in a shallow pool while wearing a silver thong bikini.

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According to HipHopDX, the provocative image got flagged by Instagram, which reportedly suggested the pic was a bit too sexy for public consumption. “HOTTIESSS GET READY TO COME HAVE SOME FUN WITH ME AT THEE HOT GIRL SUMMER TOUR,” read the caption on the original post, which urged hotties to get their “outfits ready nowww!”

In a subsequent Insta Story, Meg posted a screenshot of a warning she reportedly got from Instagram informing her that the cheeky shot may have run afoul of the social media company’s guidelines, which could lead to limits on her account.

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“Nooooo it’s just a lil cheek lol,” Megan reportedly commented. At press time a spokesperson for Instagram could not be reached for comment.

At the time, Meg only announced the cities on the tour, with the venues and final dates slated for reveal on Wednesday (March 20). What we do know for now is that the tour is slated to kick off in Minneapolis and hit Chicago, Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Memphis, Atlanta, Raleigh, Hollywood and Tampa, FL, New Orleans, Dallas, Austin, Houston, Denver, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Las Vegas before hopping overseas for a run of European shows.

Meg’s tour will come on the heels of her scoring her first solo No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Hiss” in February. “Hiss” is still hanging around the chart, where it sits at No. 94 this week. Though at press time there was no announcement, fans have been hoping that the MC could drop a new album before hitting the road, which would mark her first LP since 2022’s Traumazine.

Check out the tour announcement below.

19 Mar 2024

TOMORROW X TOGETHER Announce 2024 U.S. Tour

K-pop boy band TOMORROW X TOGETHER announced the dates for their upcoming 2024 U.S. tour, which will hit eight cities across 11 shows. The outing is slated to kick off in Tacoma, WA at the Tacoma Dome on May 15, followed by gigs in Oakland, two nights at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and shows in Atlanta, two gigs at Madison Square Garden in New York and a double-down at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, IL before a final gig at Capitol One Arena in Washington, D.C. on June 8

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The tour will be in support of the band’s upcoming mini-album, minsode 3: TOMORROW, which is due out on April 1.

The band — Yeonjun, Beomgyu, Choi Soo-bin, Huening Kai and Taehyun — has been priming fans for their next era this week with a series of concept photos to tease the upcoming sixth mini album. The soft-lit series of “Light” photos feature each member in glowing orange light in a field of wheat, as well as a short video of Soo-bin sitting contemplatively in the field, lounging and staring longingly over a soothing bed of sound; the other members also get their own solo video teases featuring a series of random props. The photo carousel also features a fun behind-the-scenes clip in which the men pop up out of the wheat and wave to the camera.

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Tickets for the tour will go on sale to the general public beginning Thursday (March 21) via Ticketmaster.

Check out the full list of dates on the tour poster below.

19 Mar 2024

Benson Boone Set to End Beyonce’s Reign On U.K. Chart

A beautiful week looms for Benson Boone, whose “Beautiful Things” (via Warner Records) leads the U.K. chart race.

“Beautiful Things” has topped the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. surveys but, in eight weeks on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, has never gone higher than No. 2.

That could be about to change. Based on midweek sales and streaming data published by the OCC, the Washington-born singer-songwriter’s breakout hit takes pole position, lifting 2-1.

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Meanwhile, after four weeks at the summit – for her longest U.K. reign – Beyonce’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” (Columbia/Parkwood Ent) finally loses its grip. It’s down 1-2 on the midweek tally.

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Closing out the top three on the chart blast is Ariana Grande’s “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait For Your Love),” up 6-3. The track is housed on Grande’s current U.K. No. 1 album, Eternal Sunshine (Republic Records), her fifth leader.

The top new release at the midway mark belongs to Mark Knopfler, whose charity fundraising single “Going Home” (BMG) is set for a top 10 start.

The former Dire Straits frontman assembled a starry cast of guitar heroes for the 9-minute recording, a remake of the theme from the 1983 feature film Local Hero. The likes of David Gilmour, Ronnie Wood, Slash, Eric Clapton, Sting, Joan Armatrading, Bruce Springsteen, Joan Jett, Pete Townshend and the late Jeff Beck are among the scores of performers on the recording, which raises funds for Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America.

“Going Home” had briefly led the U.K. chart race, but slips to No. 6 midweek. The original cut, an instrumental, spent three weeks on the chart in 1983 with a peak of No. 56. The Northern Englishman recently sold 120 guitars and amplifiers, with charities the British Red Cross, Tusk, Brave Hearts of the North East and Teenage Cancer Trust among the beneficiaries.

Also eyeing a top 10 berth is BTS member V (real name: Kim Tae-hyung), whose “FRI(END)S” (BigHit Entertainment) is predicted to open at No. 7. That would mark V’s first solo U.K. top tier appearance. If “FRI(END)S” holds its course, V would join bandmates Jimin (“Like Crazy” at No. 8) and Jung Kook (“Too Much” with The Kid Laroi and Central Cee at No. 10, “3D” with Jack Harlow at No. 5, “Standing Next To You” at No. 5, and “Seven” with Latto at No.3) as the BTS members with U.K. solo top 10 notches on their belts.

All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Singles Chart is published Friday, March 22.

19 Mar 2024

Pink’s ‘Summer Carnival’ Tour of Australia Smashes Records

Pink’s Summer Carnival tour of Australia and New Zealand is yet to wrap, but it’s already logged in the history books.

With just three dates left on the itinerary, Live Nation, producer of her latest epic trek Down Under, reveals nearly one million tickets have changed hands – a volume that’s by far the biggest for any female headliner to have toured ANZ.

That’s “almost the highest ever tour sales in this market,” reads a statement from LN, issued Tuesday (Feb. 19) on the eve of her final date at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium.

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Only two other tours are in the same ballpark: Dire Straits’ Brothers In Arms visit of 1986 and Ed Sheeran’s Divide jaunt in 2018.

When Pink finishes her last lap this Saturday (March 23) at Townsville’s Country Bank Stadium, her 20 stadium shows will represent the most ever performed by any artist in Australia and NZ on a single tour.

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And along the way, Pink has broken the attendance records at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium and at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium.

“Pink is one of the most amazing live performers to ever walk onto the stage,” comments Michael Coppel, chairman of Live Nation Australasia and Pink’s long-standing promoter in Australia. “I’ve been very privileged to share in her epic 20-year journey in Australia and New Zealand, where she has played more than 200 shows.”

In Australia, Pink’s punches in the heavyweight class in every statistical category.

When Summer Carnival wraps, her total ticket sales in this territory will lift to more than 3.1 million across six tours, the largest career ticket sales ever accumulated by an international performer in ANZ, according to LN.

That career tally includes more than 658,000 tickets sold on her 2009 Funhouse tour, which spanned 58 arena shows; and her 2013 The Truth About Love trek, which played 46 arena shows and shifted more than 600,000 tickets.

According to Billboard Boxscore, Pink is the highest-grossing act of the 2010s in Oceania with about $135 million. She even has her own ladies’ toilet block at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, where she has eliminated old attendance marks.

On the recording side, her ninth and most recent studio album, Trustfall, opened at No. 1 on the ARIA Chart in February 2023, for her seventh leader.

Earlier this week, Coppel, Pink’s manager Roger Davies and staff from Sony Music Australia and Live Nation presented the Philadelphia pop superstar with a special award, a memento of her latest recording-busting efforts.

“There is a palpable mutual love affair between the Australasian audience that love seeing her perform live,” adds Coppel, “and an artist who clearly loves being here. Congratulations, Alecia, on yet another stunning record-breaking tour and on an incredible career, with even greater success surely to come.”

18 Mar 2024

Ariana Grande Leads Kacey Musgraves In U.K. Albums Chart Race

Ariana Grande is on track for another week atop the U.K. chart with Eternal Sunshine (via Republic Records). Though she has competition.

Based on midweek sales and streaming data captured by the Official Charts Company, Eternal Sunshine has a slim edge and should clinch a second week at No. 1. Eternal Sunshine became Grande’s fifth U.K. leader when it debuted at the zenith of the national chart last Friday, March 15.

As it stands, less than 1,000 chart units separate Grande’s seventh studio album with U.S. country artist Kacey Musgraves’ sixth LP, Deeper Well (Interscope).

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Deeper Well is predicted to bow at No. 2, giving Musgraves a third U.K. top 10 after 2018’s Golden Hour (No. 6 peak) and 2021’s Star-Crossed (No. 10).

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There’s another challenger in this race: Caity Baser and her 13-track mixtape Still Learning (EMI). The collection is just 1,500 behind the leader in third place on the OCC‘s chart blast. Baser was shortlisted for the BRITs Rising Star 2024 award, won by The Last Dinner Party.

Meanwhile, Justin Timberlake’s solo comeback album Everything I Thought I Was (RCA) should yield the U.S. pop star a sixth U.K. top 10. It’s new at No. 4 on the Official Chart Update.

U.S. rock veterans the Black Crowes could nab a third U.K. top 10 album, and first in 30 years, with Happiness Bastards (Silver Arrow), set to open at No. 7.

As AC/DC celebrates 50 years rocking, the legendary Australian band releases its full set of albums on vinyl. The first nine reissues in the “AC/DC 50” collection dropped March 15, powering several classics up the midweek chart. Among them, the rockers’ 1980 blockbuster Back in Black (Epic), their first U.K. No. 1, which rebounds to No. 10 on the midweek chart, while 1979’s Highway to Hell drives to No. 22, against an historic peak of No. 8.

Finally, new releases from electronic music producer Four Tet (Three at No. 25 via Text), teenage Manchester rapper Nemzzz (Do Not Disturb at No. 31 via Nemzzz), and Hastings, England punk outfit Kid Kapichi (There Goes The Neighbourhood at No. 36 via Spinefarm) are on track for top 40 debuts.

All will be revealed when the Official Albums Chart is published Friday, March 22.

18 Mar 2024

MGM Grand Says Bruno Mars Does Not Have $50 Million Gambling Debt

MGM Resorts International has denied reports that Bruno Mars is in debt with the entertainment company.

A previous report by NewsNation indicated that the “24K Magic” singer racked up a debt of more than $50 million at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas since signing a long-term residency contract with the company in 2016.

In a statement sent to Billboard, MGM said: “We’re proud of our relationship with Bruno Mars, one of the world’s most thrilling and dynamic performers. From his shows at Dolby Live at Park MGM to the new Pinky Ring lounge at Bellagio, Bruno’s brand of entertainment attracts visitors from around the globe. MGM and Bruno’s partnership is longstanding and rooted in mutual respect.”

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The message continued, “Any speculation otherwise is completely false; he has no debt with MGM. Together, we are excited to continue creating unforgettable experiences for our guests.”

Mars’ last solo project was 2016’s 24K Magic, which included hits like the title track, “That’s What I Like” and “Versace on the Floor.” “That’s What I Like” topped the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, while the album as a whole peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in December 2016.

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Since them, Mars teamed up with Anderson .Paak for their successful group endeavor, Silk Sonic, and the duo released their album An Evening With Silk Sonic in 2021. The album’s standout track, “Leave the Door Open,” won four Grammy awards: song of the year, record of the year, best R&B song and best R&B performance.

18 Mar 2024

Ariana Grande Charts 12 Songs on Hot 100 From New Album ‘Eternal Sunshine’

Ariana Grande is back with another big week on Billboard’s charts (dated March 23), thanks to her new album, Eternal Sunshine.

The set soars in at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, marking her sixth career leader, with 227,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in its opening week (March 8-14), according to Luminate – the biggest one-week sum of 2024.

All 12 chart-eligible songs from the album also land on the Billboard Hot 100, led by “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love),” which launches at No. 1, marking her ninth career leader.

Here’s a recap of Grande’s Hot 100 entries on the latest chart (all songs are debuts except for lead single “Yes, And?,” released before Eternal Sunshine).

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Rank, Title:
No. 1, “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)”
No. 10, “Yes, And?” (up from No. 31; debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated Jan. 27)
No. 16, “The Boy Is Mine”
No. 17, “Supernatural”
No. 23, “Eternal Sunshine”
No. 25, “Bye”
No. 28, “Don’t Wanna Break Up Again”
No. 30, “True Story”
No. 37, “Imperfect for You”
No. 38, “Intro (End of the World)”
No. 39, “I Wish I Hated You”
No. 55, “Ordinary Things,” feat. Nonna

“We Can’t Be Friends” earns Grande her ninth Hot 100 No. 1, and second from Eternal Sunshine, following “Yes, And?”

With 11 debuts, Grande ups her total to 85 career Hot 100 entries. She ties Beyoncé for the third-most among solo women in the chart’s history, after only Taylor Swift (232) and Nicki Minaj (148). Grande first hit the Hot 100 with her debut hit, and first of 22 top 10s, “The Way,” featuring Mac Miller, in April 2013.

Notably, Grande’s grandmother, Marjorie Grande, scores her first career Hot 100 entry thanks to her featured billing – as Nonna – on “Ordinary Things.” At 98 years old, she makes history as the oldest living person to have appeared on the chart.

One other member of the Grande family has also reached Billboard’s charts: Frankie Grande, Ariana’s brother (and, thus, Nonna’s grandson), spent a week at No. 35 on the since-shuttered Billboard Twitter Top Tracks survey in July 2017 with “Queen.”

18 Mar 2024

Cola Boyy, ‘Penny Girl’ Singer & Disability Rights Activist, Dead at 34

Musician Matthew Urango, best known as his artist name Cola Boyy, has died. He was 34 years old.

The Oxnard, Calif., native’s manager, Jack Sills, announced the news on Instagram on Monday (March 18). “Rest in peace to my brother @colaboyy . Anyone who knew Matthew knows he had a larger than life personality,” he wrote alongside a photo of Urango holding up peace signs. “He was always the life of the party and could chop it up with anyone. He was also one of the most talented and down to earth people I’ve ever met. His humor and natural charisma endeared him to whoever he met. Matthew cared enormously for his family, friends and community which he often expressed through his music. He had just finished his next album and was excited to start releasing new music this summer. I will continue to work with his family and @recordmakers to make sure this happens. Love you homie. Cola Boyy Forever!”

See the post here.

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His label, Record Makers, added in a statement: “He was quite a soul, a man with no age, a childlike spirit with the musicality of an old legend. His lyrics, his melodies, the sound of his voice: every side of his music was unique and timeless… We loved him at Record Makers. We are sending all possible love to Matthew’s family and to his numerous friends. His music and power will remain.”

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Urango, a disability rights activist, was born with spina bifida, scoliosis and kyphosis. He played bass for the Sea Lions before he began releasing his own music in 2018. His debut EP, Black Boogie Neon, featured the singles “Penny Girl” and “Buggy Tip.” Cola Boyy’s debut album Prosthetic Boombox came out in 2021, including features from the Avalanches, MGMT’s Andrew VanWyngarden, Godin, John Carroll Kirby, and more.

18 Mar 2024

Nicki Minaj Postpones Pink Friday Tour Stop in New Orleans Due to Illness

Nicki Minaj reportedly won’t be taking the stage in New Orleans for her Pink Friday 2 World Tour stop in the Big Easy on Monday night (March 18).

Hours before showtime, the Smoothie King Center released a statement claiming that due to an illness, Minaj had been forced to postpone the show to a later date on doctor’s orders.

“Due to doctor’s orders, Nicki Minaj must reschedule her NOLA show tonight. As Nicki is still sick, our team does not want to run the risk of getting others sick, and Nicki would not be able to give NOLA the show they deserve,” the venue wrote to Instagram.

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A new date has yet to be announced but the Smoothie King Center’s staff is “working diligently to find a new date” with Minaj’s team. “Please hold onto your tickets, and we will inform you all soon,” they added.

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Billboard has reached out to Live Nation for comment.

Nicki will have an additional off day on Tuesday (March 19) to recuperate before she’s slated for three consecutive shows later this week. The “Anaconda” rapper is scheduled to perform a pair of Atlanta concerts back-to-back before heading to Orlando on Friday night (March 22).

Doors to the Smoothie King Center were supposed to open at 7 p.m. ET before Minaj took the stage after Monica around 9 p.m. ET.

The Queens rap legend headlined Friday night (March 15) at Rolling Loud California but informed fans in the hours after the show that she was not feeling well. Minaj revealed on X that she “woke up feeling like” she had COVID-19, but fortunately tested negative.

“Barbz pls send me healing energy. woke up feeling like I had Covid. Thank God I don’t,” Nicki wrote early March 16. “You guys are just everything. I appreciate you. I love you so much.”

Nicki Minaj is currently on the North American leg of her Pink Friday 2 World Tour in support of her Pink Friday 2 album, which arrived in December. The sequel topped the Billboard 200 with 228,000 album-equivalent units sold in the first week to close out 2023.

Find the post from the Smoothie King Center regarding the postponement below.