Music
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Contrary to superstition, Friday the 13th (of December) was not an unlucky day for Morat. Instead, the Colombian pop-rock band scored one of its biggest feats by celebrating the first 13 years of their musical career with a resounding, sold-out show in Mexico City. With an attendance count of 65,000 people, according to figures from promoter Ocesa, it was the first of three consecutive nights at the GNP Seguros Stadium, where Morat is closing a series of stadium shows in a dozen countries.
Moreover, the band managed to get hundreds of their Mexican fans to accept the challenge of attending the concert dressed in pajamas, seeking to break a Guinness World Record. Multicolored sleepwear made of flannel, cotton and satin was the predominant attire among attendees to adorn the beginning of the end of Un Último Sueño, Gira Los Estadios (One Last Dream, The Stadiums Tour).
Thus, it became a double celebration, with sold-out tickets for three shows in the Mexican capital for a total of about 195,000 people, Camila Fernández as a special guest, and the recognition of being the most popular Colombian pop band of the moment.
“This show is important to us for several reasons: Today, Dec. 13th, we celebrate 13 years together. 13 years ago, the question arose, ‘What if we start a band?’” said lead vocalist and guitarist Juan Pablo Isaza to the audience. “Playing now for so many people is incredible. It looks just like we imagined it.”
Just as he and his fellow band members Juan Pablo Villamil (guitar), Simón Vargas (bass), and Martín Vargas (drums) imagined it 13 years ago, the evening was a dream come true. From the start, the Bogotá quartet enchanted the audience with crowd-pleasers such as their 2016 hit “Cómo Te Atreves,” which catapulted the group to fame outside their native country. The show transformed into a retrospective journey honoring love and heartbreak, while the audience — mostly comprised of young women, teenagers, and girls — sang along at deafening volumes.
Camila Fernández — daughter of Alejandro Fernández and granddaughter of the iconic ranchera music performer Vicente Fernández — served as the guest of honor on this special night. Accompanied by traditional mariachi, she performed a very Mexicanized version of “Debí Suponerlo,” unleashing applause and cheers from the audience.
In a night of celebration, the audience sang and dedicated to Morat the classic “Mañanitas,” and the group appeared surprised and grateful for the gesture.
Of course, the climax came with “No Se Va,” their 2019 single which three years later Grupo Frontera turned into a massive hit, becoming the fifth regional Mexican song in history to enter the Billboard Hot 100, where it spent 20 weeks and reached No. 57.
Un Último Sueño, Gira Los Estadios achieved the unimaginable for Morat: filling 25 stadiums, in 15 cities across 10 countries, with an attendance total of 800,000 people.
“It’s no coincidence that we decided to close the tour here. This has been an incredible night!” expressed Martín. Morat’s show this Saturday (Dec. 14) will be broadcast live via streaming for Disney+ subscribers in Latin America. For the Sunday (Dec. 15) show, the opening act will be Venezuelan singer-songwriter Joaquina.
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CRT FRSH, Hip-Hop Wired’s playlist where we attempt to showcase music we believe is “Certified Fresh,” is back again as the holiday season is in full swing. Now that we’re nearing the end of the year, we’re trimming down the CRT FRSH playlist and updating the concept with our latest drop which we hope you all enjoy.
Disclaimer:
The CRT FRSH playlist is a labor of love. We don’t take payments nor do we do favors. We only add joints to our playlist that fit the theme and vision we’re going for and don’t seek to waste the listener’s time. Further, we don’t stick to one lane of Hip-Hop. We believe that all aspects of the music should get some light, whether it’s young lions in the trenches or those hoping for that one shot to blow up to grizzled veterans puffing out their chests with lots more to say.
I want to explain how I approach curating the CRT FRSH playlist. Most importantly, I don’t segregate my Hip-Hop. Every form of music from the main cultural tree deserves a listen and a look. When I construct the playlist, I want to include all regions across the States and, when applicable, across the globe. I also want to entertain every fan of Hip-Hop, not just those who enjoy one segment of it. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get to it. — D.L. Chandler
Can you believe it’s already the middle of December? This year breezed by and we’ll soon be sharing our top Hip-Hop albums of the year but first, let’s check out our latest playlist.
We open up this update with “Xmas Time” from GloRilla and Kehlani, a timely track for all the gift-giving that’s set to happen next week. We follow that up with “Knock It Off” from The Alchemist and Roc Marciano’s newest collaborative effort, The Skeleton Key. Lil Baby is gearing up for his upcoming WHAM: Who Hard As Me album and “Insecurities” is a song from November we missed then but are loving right now.
Boldy James, who is always dropping quality music, collaborated with Harry Fraud for their The Bricktionary album, and “Rabies” is a cinematic track with a blistering verse from Black Soprano Family boss, Benny The Butcher. Bossman DLow had a busy year with two albums, and we’re featuring “Mo Chicken” alongside French Montana from his Dlow Curry album. From there, the talented Azizi Gibson teams up with the equally dope duo The Underachievers for the haunting “Street Lament.”
A major shoutout to the rest of the artists on the playlist, including Kendrick Lamar, Freddie Gibbs, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Kota The Friend, SALIMATA, Future, Cordae, Skyzoo, Crimeapple, and more.
This will be the last playlist update for the year so we hope you rock with this for a bit until we come back fresh, no pun intended, at the top of the year.
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Photo: Getty
Beginning in January, Billboard will roll out updates to some of its weekly album charts.
Commencing with the Billboard charts dated Jan. 18, 2025 (reflecting the Luminate tracking week ending Jan. 9), six longstanding album genre charts will transition from sales-only rankings to consumption-based tallies, and expand their depths. Plus, three album genre charts that were already consumption-based will also increase their depths.
Consumption-based album charts rank the most popular titles of the week by equivalent album units earned, as compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.
The first Billboard album chart to transition from a traditional album sales-based ranking to a consumption-based tally was the overall all-genre Billboard 200 in December 2014. The bulk of Billboard’s album genre charts migrated to a consumption-based ranking in January 2017. (With the January 2025 updates, essentially all of Billboard‘s genre album charts will have migrated to consumption-based ranking.)
Lastly, the Heatseekers Albums chart, which ranks the week’s most popular albums by new and developing acts, will be retired, beginning with the Jan. 18, 2025-dated list. Billboard will continue to chart new and developing acts on its weekly Emerging Artists chart, which launched in 2017. The Emerging Artists chart ranks the most popular developing artists of the week, using the same formula as the all-encompassing Billboard Artist 100, which measures artist activity across multiple Billboard charts, including the Hot 100 and Billboard 200. (The Artist 100 lists the most popular acts, overall, each week.) However, the Emerging Artists chart excludes acts that have notched a top 25 entry on either the Hot 100 or Billboard 200, as well as artists that have achieved two or more top 10s on Billboard’s “Hot” song genre charts and/or consumption-based “Top” album genre rankings.
Here’s a recap of the changes to Billboard’s album genre charts beginning with the charts dated Jan. 18, 2025:
Bluegrass Albums – Transitions from a 10-position album sales-only chart to a 15-position consumption-based chart, ranking albums by equivalent album units.
Blues Albums – Transitions from a 10-position album sales-only chart to a 15-position consumption-based chart, ranking albums by equivalent album units.
Cast Albums – Transitions from a 10-position album sales-only chart to a 15-position consumption-based chart, ranking albums by equivalent album units.
Classical Crossover Albums – Transitions from a 10-position album sales-only chart to a 15-position consumption-based chart, ranking albums by equivalent album units.
Traditional Classical Albums – Transitions from a 10-position album sales-only chart to a 15-position consumption-based chart, ranking albums by equivalent album units.
Kid Albums – Transitions from a 15-position album sales-only chart to a 25-position consumption-based chart, ranking albums by equivalent album units.
New Age Albums – Expands from 10 to 15 positions, remains a consumption-based chart, ranking albums by equivalent album units.
Tropical Albums – Expands from 20 to 25 positions; remains a consumption-based chart, ranking albums by equivalent album units.
World Albums – Expands from 15 to 25 positions; remains a consumption-based chart, ranking albums by equivalent album units.
As with all genre consumption album charts, the rankings for the above album genre charts will be inclusive of both current and catalog titles.
On Thursday (Dec. 12), Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) hosted its annual charity concert and toy drive in Watts, California, marking the 11th year of this heartwarming tradition at the Nickerson Gardens Public Housing Projects.
This event takes place in the very neighborhood where TDE founder Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith and other label members, including Grammy-winning artist Jay Rock, grew up. The evening brought together some of TDE’s biggest stars, like Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Doechii, and more, for a celebration of music, community, and giving back. With the event taking place in the heart of Watts, it also highlighted TDE’s ongoing commitment to its roots and the neighborhood that helped shape its success.
The buzz around the event was heightened by the recent success of Kendrick Lamar’s album GNX, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. As a result, this year’s concert drew thousands of fans from across Los Angeles, many of whom lined the block with unwrapped toys and donations in hand to gain admission. These contributions were collected to support families in need within the Nickerson Gardens and surrounding areas, cementing the event’s importance as a charitable staple for the local community.
With his GNX album continuing to dominate the charts, Lamar’s involvement in this year’s concert felt even more special, as it marked a moment of connection and giving back to the community.
However, the giving doesn’t stop on day one. Day two of the event, held on Friday, (Dec. 13), shifts focus to TDE’s annual Community Giveback. This part of the event includes a toy giveaway, raffles, youth sports programming, barbering services, and a family holiday photo opportunity — all free to attendees.
Here are the 7 best moments from the 11th annual TDE Christmas concert.
SiR Performs “John Redcorn” During Sunset
Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre’s anticipated Missionary album was released on Friday (Dec. 13) and the West Coast icons delivered an accompanying short film to live alongside the joint LP. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The cinematic mini-movie is bookended by a pair of explosive visuals for […]
Larry Mullen Jr. may have spent his career drumming, but that doesn’t mean it all comes easily to him. In a new interview with Times Radio published Thursday (Dec. 12), the U2 percussionist revealed that he has long struggled with dyscalculia — a learning disorder related to mathematics — that sometimes interferes with his ability to play.
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While speaking to the publication about his work on the soundtrack for Anna Toomey’s Left Behind documentary, which tells the story of five mothers working to establish New York’s first school for dyslexics, Mullen Jr. said that he’s “always known that there’s something not particularly right with the way that I deal with numbers.”
“I’m numerically challenged,” he continued. “And I realized recently that I have dyscalculia, which is a sub-version of dyslexia. So I can’t count [and] I can’t add.”
According to Cleveland Clinic, dyscalculia interrupts the areas in the brain that process skills related to numerical comprehension, similar to how dyslexia complicates the brain’s ability to read. For Mullen Jr., the disorder makes it difficult for him to count through measures of music while he’s playing alongside bandmates Bono, the Edge and Adam Clayton.
“When people watch me play sometimes, they say, ‘You look pained,’” he told Times Radio. “I am pained, because I’m trying to count the bars. I had to find ways of doing this — and counting bars is like climbing Everest.”
Featuring music written and produced by Mullen Jr., Left Behind first premiered at Woodstock Film Festival in October. The documentary’s story hit close to home for the U2 band member in more ways than one, he says, as one of his sons also struggles with a learning disability.
“Making the music through the eyes of my dyslexic son felt personal and visceral,” shared Mullen Jr.
The interview comes just a couple weeks after the Nov. 22 arrival of U2’s How to Re-assemble an Atomic Bomb, a special release celebrating the 20-year anniversary of How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb that features previously unreleased tracks from the 2004 album’s recording sessions. In September, the rock band premiered V-U2 An Immersive Concert Film at Sphere Las Vegas, an onscreen playback of the group’s historic residency at Las Vegas’ The Sphere.
U2’s most recent album was Songs of Surrender, which arrived in March 2023. The project reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200.
The first-ever Billboard Arabia Music Awards (BBAMAs) lit up the stage on Wednesday (Dec. 11) at the King Fahad Cultural Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This landmark event celebrated the incredible talent shaping Arabic music, honoring artists who dominated Billboard Arabia’s charts throughout the year, alongside several honorary awards, including Icon of the Year, Lifetime Achievement and the Cultural Impact Award.
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This event underscores the growing significance of Arabic music on the global sound map, as it joins K-pop, Latin and African music among the fastest-growing music markets worldwide. Arabic music is echoing across the globe through a surge in international concerts, cross-cultural collaborations and a celebration of its rich and diverse sounds—all under the trusted Billboard umbrella.
Winners of the BBAMAs were determined based on their performance on Billboard Arabia’s diverse charts: the Hot 100, Artist 100, dialect-specific charts (Khaleeji, Egyptian, Levantine and Magharebi) and genre-specific charts such as Arabic Hip-Hop, Arabic Indie, Shelat and Mahraganat. These categories reflect Billboard’s signature approach to celebrating music that resonates globally.
Sherine’s music and voice continue to leave an undeniable mark on the Arabic music landscape, as she swept five awards, reflecting her continued ability to resonate with fans across the region. Not far behind was Al Shami, who claimed four awards, and ElGrande Toto, who took home three trophies, while Abdul Majeed Abdullah was given the Lifetime Achievement Award, in addition to Artist of the Year – Khaleeji Dialect and Top Male Artist – Khaleeji Dialect. Meanwhile, the Cultural Impact Award was posthumously presented to the late and iconic singer Etab by Paul Pacifico, CEO of the Saudi Music Commission, honoring her enduring legacy and profound influence on Arabic music.
The evening was marked by electrifying performances from regional and global superstars. Elissa delivered an unforgettable medley of some of her greatest hits against a cinematic, visually stunning set design, proving why she took home the coveted Icon Award. Tamer Ashour performed his chart-topping anthem “Haygeely Mawgoa,” which earned Song of the Year, while Elyanna dazzled the audience with a vibrant medley, including her hit “Ganeni.” Elyanna’s remarkable year was further celebrated as she took home Top New Artist and Top Arabic Indie Female Artist.
The coveted Top Dueto of the Year went to Ahmed Saad and Assala for their heartfelt collaboration “Sab Farhety.” Saad also set the stage ablaze with performances of his fan-favorite hits, including “Wasa Wasa” and “El Youm El Helw Dah.” The Khaleeji medley was another highlight, featuring breathtaking performances from Hams Fekry, Ayed and Oumaima Taleb. Ayed’s standout track earned him Top Khaleeji Song, while Oumaima was crowned Top Female Artist – Khaleeji Dialect.
Adding to the night’s significance, the BBAMAs coincided with Saudi Arabia’s historic announcement of winning the bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. In a special segment, Ayed, Ghada Sherri and Fahd Bin Fasla debuted the first official songs for the World Cup, making the awards’ debut ceremony truly unforgettable.
Who else made their mark at the inaugural Billboard Arabia Music Awards? Check out the full list of winners below to see who’s shaping the future of Arabic music.
Billboard Arabia
Song of the Year
“Haygely Mawgow” by Tamer Ashour
Artist of the Year
Sherine Abdel Wahab
Top Male Artist
Amr Diab
Top Female Artist
Sherine Abdel Wahab
Top Band
Cairokee
Top New Artist
Elyanna
Highest Gainer
TUL8TE
Top Arabic Dueto of the Year
Assala Nasri and Ahmed Saad – “Sabb Farhety”
Top Khaleeji Song
Ayed – “Lammah”
Artist of the Year – Khaleeji Dialect
Abdul Majeed Abdullah
Top Male Artist – Khaleeji Dialect
Abdul Majeed Abdullah
Top Female Artist – Khaleeji Dialect
Oumaima Taleb
Top Egyptian Song
Tamer Ashour – “Haygely Mawgow”
Artist of the Year – Egyptian Dialect
Sherine Abdel Wahab
Top Male Artist – Egyptian Dialect
Amr Diab
Top Female Artist – Egyptian Dialect
Sherine Abdel Wahab
Top Levantine Song
Al Shami – “Sabra”
Artist of the Year – Levantine Dialect
Al Shami
Top Male Artist – Levantine Dialect
Al Shami
Top Female Artist – Levantine Dialect
Nancy Ajram
Top Magharebi Song
Saad Lamjarred, Shreya Ghoshal and Rajat Nagpal – “Guli Mata”
Artist of the Year – Magharebi
Dystinct
Top Male Artist – Magharebi Dialect
Dystinct
Top Female Artist – Magharebi Dialect
Manal
Top Arabic Hip-Hop Song
ElGrandeToto – “Blue Love”
Artist of the Year – Arabic Hip-Hop
ElGrandeToto
Top Arabic Hip-Hop Male Artist
ElGrandeToto
Top Arabic Hip-Hop Female Artist
Khtek
Top Indie Song
Al Shami – “Sabra”
Artist of the Year – Arabic Indie
Cairokee
Top Arabic Indie Male Artist
Muslim
Top Arabic Indie Female Artist
Elyanna
Top Mahraganat Song
Eslam Kabonga – “Aywa Ya Habibty Wahashtiny”
Artist of the Year – Mahraganat
Essam Sasa
Top Male Mahraganat Artist
Essam Sasa
Top Shelat Song
Abdullah Al Farwan – “Jamalek Gheer”
Artist of the Year – Shelat
Mohammed Bin Garman
Top Male Artist of the Year – Shelat
Mohammed Bin Garman
Best Composer
Amro El-Shazly & Mehdi Mzayen
Best Songwriter
Aleem
Best Music Producer
Tareq Hjeily
12/13/2024
The Saltburn soundtrack, Kylie Minogue’s dance pop Grammy and electronic music at the Paris Olympics make up some of the biggest dance stories of the year.
12/13/2024
Myles Smith’s “Stargazing” caps a triumphant 27-week trip to No. 1 on Billboard’s Rock & Alternative Airplay chart, rising a spot on the tally dated Dec. 21.
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“Stargazing” reigns with 4.7 million audience impressions, up 15%, on alternative, adult alternative and mainstream rock reporting stations in the week ending Dec. 12, according to Luminate.
The song wraps the lengthiest rise to No. 1 by a solo male, and ties for the fifth-longest overall, since Rock & Alternative Airplay began in June 2009.
Longest Rises to No. 1, Rock & Alternative Airplay:33 weeks, “Out of My League,” Fitz and the Tantrums (reached No. 1 in 2013)30, “First, “Cold War Kids (2015)29, “Running Up That Hill,” Meg Myers (2020)29, “Trampoline,” SHAED (2019)27, “Stargazing,” Myles Smith (2024)27, “All My Favorite Songs,” Weezer (2021)26, “Way Down We Go,” KALEO (2016)24, “Broken,” lovelytheband (2018)24, “Tighten Up,” The Black Keys (2010)
“Stargazing” is Smith’s first Rock & Alternative Airplay ruler, earned with the British singer-songwriter’s first entry on the ranking. He’s the third act to score an initial leader on the chart this year, following The Offspring (“Make It All Right”), Hozier (“Too Sweet”) and Pearl Jam (“Dark Matter”). He’s the first to achieve the feat with a maiden hit since Giovannie & the Hired Guns, with “Ramon Ayala,” in 2022. Before Smith, Alice Merton last achieved the feat among soloists as a lead act, with “No Roots” in 2018.
Along the way to its Rock & Alternative Airplay coronation, “Stargazing” led the Alternative Airplay chart in September. (It ranks at No. 5 on the latest tally.) It also leads Adult Pop Airplay for a second week, following a week atop Pop Airplay. It becomes just the eighth song to have hit No. 1 on Rock & Alternative Airplay, Alternative Airplay, Adult Pop Airplay and Pop Airplay, joining Hozier’s “Too Sweet” earlier in 2024, Panic! at the Disco’s “High Hopes” (2018-19), Portugal. The Man’s “Feel It Still” (2017), Twenty One Pilots’ “Stressed Out” (2015-16), Lorde’s “Royals” (2013), fun.’s “We Are Young,” featuring Janelle Monáe (2012) and Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used To Know,” featuring Kimbra (2012).
“Stargazing,” which also reached No. 4 on Adult Alternative Airplay, ranked at No. 3 on the most recently published Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart (dated Dec. 14, reflecting the Nov. 29-Dec. 5 tracking week), with 53.4 million audience impressions across all radio formats, 6.3 million official U.S. streams and 1,000 sold.
“Stargazing” is on Smith’s EP A Minute…, which debuted at its No. 25 high on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart dated Nov. 23.
All Billboard charts dated Dec. 21 will update on Billboard.com Tuesday, Dec. 17.
Will Smith is fed up with the jokes. The rapper turned actor was performing in San Diego this week, addressing the crowd as he tried to distance himself from the embattled Sean “Diddy” Combs by referencing alleged social media memes that he’s seen since the mogul was arrested for sex trafficking charges in September. “Some […]