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Wham!’s “Last Christmas” sleigh-rides from No. 18 to No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 (dated Dec. 14), as the 1984 classic by the British duo of Michael, who died in 2016, and Andrew Ridgeley hits a new high on the survey, surpassing its prior No. 4 peak.
The chestnut, written and produced by Michael (and serviced on Sony Music’s Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings), tallied 34.3 million official streams (up 57% week-over-week), 17.9 million in radio airplay audience (up 20%) and 2,000 sold (up 75%) in the United States Nov. 29-Dec. 5, according to Luminate.
‘I’m delighted that Wham!’s festive classic has reached its highest-ever chart placing in the U.S.A.,” Ridgeley tells Billboard via email. “It is a testament to the enduring appeal of one of George Michael’s songwriting masterstrokes that ‘Last Christmas’ seems to have become woven into the very fabric of Christmas. I’d like to thank Wham!’s U.S. fans, the American public at large, Sony Music, Netflix all the DSPs and media who continue to support Wham! and ‘Last Christmas.’ Thank you and Merry Christmas everyone!”
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“It seems barely credible that ‘Last Christmas’ was first released 40 years ago,” Michael’s estate shares in a statement. “It means so much to all of us that this quintessential Christmas song continues to resonate with so many people across the generations. Thank you to all Wham! fans across the United States who have made this incredible chart position possible. We should also thank Andrew Ridgeley for all he has done – it has been a privilege to work alongside him on all Wham! projects.
“We say this every time a new landmark is achieved, but we truly know just how proud and moved George would have been that his music continues to mean so much to so many people. Thank you all.”
To date, “Last Christmas” has drawn 3.66 billion in radio reach and 1.16 billion official on-demand streams and sold 1.1 million downloads in the U.S. The song reached No. 1 on the Official UK Singles chart in 2021 at last, while its pop culture impact has extended to the 2019 film of the same name.
Meanwhile, six of Wham!’s seven Hot 100 top 10s have now reached the top three, with the act having previously notched top-three placements in 1984-86 with “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” “Careless Whisper” (each No. 1 for three weeks), “Everything She Wants” (No. 1, two weeks), “Freedom” and “I’m Your Man” (each No. 3). The pair’s other top 10, “The Edge of Heaven,” hit No. 10 in 1986.
Upon the 40th anniversary of “Last Christmas” this Yuletide season, four physical versions – on CD and on black, “snowflake white” and zoetrope 12-inch vinyl – were put up for pre-order Oct. 24, and are set for release Friday (Dec. 13).
Since Taylor Swift kicked off The Eras Tour on March 17, 2023, the global trek has dominated the touring industry and given fans endless moments of joy, from surprise guests (from openers like Gracie Abrams to a certain NFL star named Travis Kelce) to rerelease announcements — Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) and 1989 (Taylor’s Version) — and so much more. As Swift said of the tour’s impending end during a June stop in Liverpool, England: “[It] feels so far away from now, but then again, it feels like we just played our first show on this tour because you have made this so much fun for us.”
And yet, on Dec. 8, 2024, the outing did indeed come to a close, after 149 shows that spanned five continents. While the night included no major surprises, she did, of course, sprinkle some special moments for fans throughout the set, especially during the acoustic surprise song “era” of the show.
For her final surprise song of the tour, Swift performed a mashup of “Long Live” and “New Year’s Day” with an added bit of “The Manuscript,” singing: “I re-read the manuscript, but the story isn’t mine anymore.”
And yet, it was a lyric from “Long Live” that mustered up the most emotion, as Swift sang: “It was the end of an era, but the start of an age,” cleverly changing the words from the recording, on which she says “end of a decade.”
And while there really was no way to sum up such an experience into words, Swift tried her best, saying earlier in the show while she introduced “All Too Well”: “The lasting legacy of this tour is that you’ve created such a space of joy and togetherness and love…. You’re why this is so special, and you supporting me for as long as you have is why I get to take these lovely walks down memory lane every single night — because you’ve cared about every era of my entire life that I’ve been making music.”
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/TAS23/Getty Images
Onstage with Ice Spice in East Rutherford, N.J., in May 2023.
Image Credit: Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images
A June 2024 concert at Wembley Stadium in London featured Gracie Abrams.
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/TAS24/Getty Images
In May 2024, while in Paris, Swift debuted the Tortured Poets Department section of the show.
Image Credit: John Shearer/TAS23/Getty Images
In May 2023, she announced the release of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) in Nashville.
Image Credit: Kevin Winter/TAS24/Getty Images
While performing in Inglewood, Calif., in August 2023, she announced 1989 (Taylor’s Version).
Image Credit: Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images
With Travis Kelce at Wembley Stadium in June 2024.
Image Credit: John Shearer/TAS23/Getty Images
Phoebe Bridgers joined her onstage in Nashville in May 2023.
Image Credit: Mat Hayward/TAS23/Getty Images
Swift rocked out with HAIM during a July 2023 Seattle date.
Image Credit: TAS24/Getty Images
In October 2024, Florence Welch guested during a show in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/TAS23/Getty Images
Jack Antonoff also shared the stage with Swift in East Rutherford in May 2023.
Image Credit: TAS Rights Management/Getty Images
In April 2023, Aaron Dessner handled the keys in Tampa, Fla.
Image Credit: Kevin Winter/TAS23/Getty Images
Swift contemplated “Champagne Problems” during an August 2023 Inglewood show.
Victoria Monét puts her own groovy spin on Christmas classics on her new holiday album, A Jaguar II Christmas: The Orchestral Arrangements, which she released on Wednesday (Dec. 11) via Lovett Music and RCA Records. The eight-track project reimagines her fan-favorite tracks such as the Grammy-nominated hits “On My Mama” and “How Does It Make […]
Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) has revealed the rising country music newcomers to be featured as part of the 2025 New Faces of Country Music showcase during next year’s Country Radio Seminar, slated for Feb. 19-21 at the Omni Hotel in downtown Nashville. Announced Wednesday (Dec. 11), the showcase will highlight Drew Baldridge (Lyric Ridge/BMG/Stoney Creek), […]
Selena Gomez is diving deep into her acting era.
As part of Variety‘s Actors on Actors series, the Emilia Pérez actress sat down with Saoirse Ronan, who starred in Blitz and The Outrun. During their wide-ranging conversation, Ronan points out Gomez’s musicianship, which makes an appearance in Emilia Pérez with a solo that Ronan calls “dirty and sexy and raw.”
In response, Gomez shared, “I love storytelling, and my music career is separate. However, I don’t see that being a forever thing.”
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She then elaborated that she’ll “always have music in my life,” as her boyfriend Benny Blanco is an award-winning songwriter, producer and musician. “I love having moments to do it for fun. It can be a little vulnerable when you’re putting yourself out there versus escaping into a character,” she added.
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Gomez concluded that she believes her “strong suit is probably acting,” adding that “one thing I’m proud of in music is being able to tell a story — my favorite songs are mostly ballads, and they’re very transparent and honest.”
Ultimately, the multi-hyphenate revealed that she thinks she “might be a little too old for the pop star life,” but is “genuinely so happy to just be in this new era of my life, because in a lot of ways, it’s just the beginning.”
Gomez has previously opened up about her desire to shift away from music and focus on acting. “I think I’ve done just as much as I wanted to do in music, but it’s exciting because I feel like I haven’t even started in film and TV,” she most recently told The Hollywood Reporter last month, adding that she’s “almost done” with her pop star career. “Music isn’t going away,” she said. “I just set it down for a second.”
The star hasn’t released a full-length album since her 2020 third studio project Rare, which debuted atop the Billboard 200 and spawned her first-ever No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Lose You to Love Me.”
In 2021, she unveiled a Spanish-language EP, Revelación. Earlier this year, she dropped the single “Love On,” a follow-up to her 2023 single “Single Soon.”
The Contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week, for the upcoming Billboard 200 albums chart dated Dec. 21, 2024, we look at Taylor Swift’s recently resumed reign on the chart, and whether the solo bow of a K-pop star can challenge it.
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Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department (Republic): Since late August, Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department album has been stuck at 15 weeks at No. 1 – still the longest run of both Swift’s career and of any 2024 album. But now, its reign has resumed, thanks in large part to the physical release of the album’s 31-track Anthology edition – which had never been previously available for purchase besides in digital form – as a Target in-store exclusive on both CD and vinyl, with four additional bonus tracks (which had previously been released in other alternative versions of the album).
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The album sold 368,000 copies last tracking week (ending Dec. 5) – split nearly evenly between CD and vinyl purchases – and moved 405,000 units overall, according to Luminate. That was good not only for the biggest single-week number posted by an album since Poets itself moved 439,000 in its second week of release, but also a bigger number than any non-Swift artist has managed in 2024 outside of Beyoncé, whose Cowboy Carter debuted with 407,000 units in April.
That number probably won’t be as sizeable this week, but the drop off might not be as steep as some other albums that get big post-release bumps from physical drops. Swift also released Poets for order from Target.com shortly after the in-store release, with those copies impacting this current tracking week (and thus next week’s Billboard 200). So don’t be surprised if the album sells well into the six digits again this week – and perhaps gets Swift to a 17th week at No. 1 for Poets, moving it just two weeks shy of Morgan Wallen’s 2020s-best 19 weeks at No. 1 with 2023’s One Thing at a Time.
ROSÉ, Rosie (The Black Label/Atlantic): One of the year’s most-anticipated solo debuts comes from BLACKPINK breakout star ROSÉ, with her first official solo LP Rosie. The set obviously comes pre-blessed with a true breakout hit in the Bruno Mars collab “APT.,” which debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 – a higher peak than ROSÉ had previously reached, with or without her superstar group – and has also topped the Global 200 for seven weeks and counting.
Mars is the only featured artist on the album’s 12-song tracklist, but the writer and producer credits are littered with recognizable names: Amy Allen, Cirkuit, Rock City, Sarah Aarons, D’Mile, Omer Fedi, Emily Warren and Greg Kurstin all among them. Mars himself even shows up a second time, as a co-writer on “Number One Girl,” the album’s lead track and second single. Everything points to the album being a big priority for her Atlantic label, and a set likely to launch ROSÉ to true solo stardom.
A No. 1 bow on the Billboard 200 may be a tougher ask, however, with Swift’s blockbuster album still doing the kind of numbers it is. Nonetheless, ROSÉ is expected to stream well – helped in no small part by “APT.,” which is still in the top 20 of the Streaming Songs chart even following an avalanche of Christmas classics and new Kendrick Lamar songs taking over the listing – and sell in robust numbers, with more than 15 different physical variants of the album made available across CD and vinyl, all coming with collectibles, some of which are randomized. (There’s also a digital edition on her webstore with an exclusive live version of “Number One Girl.”)
Sabrina Carpenter, Fruitcake (Island): Have you watched A Nonsense Christmas With Sabrina Carpenter yet on Netflix? If so, and if you’re still in the (slightly naughty) festive spirit afterwards, you might do well to revisit Carpenter’s Fruitcake EP, released in late 2023 — which included a holiday-themed spin on her breakout hit “Nonsense” new originals like “Santa Doesn’t Know You Like I Do” and “Cindy Lou Who” and even a version of the Irving Berlin perennial “White Christmas” (cheekily stylized “White Xmas”).
And more good news for you there: Fruitcake was also finally given wide physical release on Friday, with the album being issued on CD, cassette and vinyl – with three different variants of the latter, including a Target exclusive. (Previously, the set was only available in one color of vinyl on her webstore.) The “Queen of Christmas” title may already be spoken for by the artist currently claiming the Hot 100’s top spot, but perhaps room can be made for a new Princess.
TWICE, STRATEGY (JYP Entertainment): Star K-pop nonet TWICE has already topped the Billboard 200 once this year with March’s With YOU-th – though it’ll be a tougher mountain to climb in this packed week for the group’s seven-track latest STRATEGY. Nonetheless, the set – which features a guest verse from U.S. rap superstar Megan Thee Stallion on its title-track opener — should sell very well, with help from 15 different physical variants of the album across CD and vinyl formats. There are also a number of digital album variants available with “voice memo” bonus tracks exclusive to the group’s webstore.
Cardi B was the victim of a prank in October when someone anonymously called Child Protective Services claiming that she and Offset were abusing their children.
CPS apparently continued their investigation into Cardi and her family, which the Grammy-winning rapper has deemed to be “harassing” amid what she says is “bogus” claims. Cardi, who previously denied all allegations of mistreating her kids, addressed CPS and the agency’s investigation during an explosive Instagram Live session on Tuesday (Dec. 10).
“You keep harassing me and there are actual kids about there that are being abused,” she said. “None of my kids have ever got touched. None of my kids ever got a little pow-pow, a little whooping, a little nothing. None of that.”
Cardi continued: “A month later, because I didn’t give them my kids’ information, now they want to fake come back to my house again, interview my kids, look at my kids. Why are you harassing me for my daughter’s information? What that has to do with anything? My daughter doesn’t even have a social security because I don’t want nobody knowing her name.”
The Bronx native says she’s willing to go to whatever lengths it takes to legally end the investigation even if that means exposing the CPS agent’s information or writing a five-figure check to her attorneys.
“Even after you check, you still want to harass,” she added. “No b—h, you’re being f–king annoying … You doing the most because I’m a f—–g celebrity. Mind you there’s parents that don’t even buy them a f–king coat because they f–king hate them… This f–king four-eyed b—-h keep pissing me the f–k off.”
Cardi went on to play a recorded phone call conversation between herself, Offset and a CPS agent. The agent revealed that anyone can make a call to CPS in the state of New Jersey and the agency would investigate the claims.
Billboard has reached out to Cardi B and New Jersey’s Department of Children and Families for comment.
About six weeks ago, Cardi revealed from a hospital bed that an anonymous person had called CPS on her in what was a horrible prank, alleging that she abused her 6-year-old daughter Kulture, 3-year-old son Wave and newborn baby.
“I swear to you I’m gonna get to the bottom of it. For you motherf–kers to do a little prank call with Child Protective Services to come to my gated mansion at 11 p.m. while my children are sleeping because there’s an anonymous call that my kids have been getting abused and beaten,” she said on Instagram Live at the time, during which she also denied the abuse allegations. “Are you f–king dumb? This is when the pranks start getting too far — when you a——s think it’s funny.”
The Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown is two weeks away from release, and Billboard is sharing an exclusive clip from the project. In the video, Timothée Chalamet portrays the icon alongside Edward Norton’s Pete Seeger. The duo sit down together at a gathering with their guitars to perform Dylan’s 1964 hit “When the Ship […]
As if the world needed any more proof of Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Rihanna‘s power, Forbes has listed all three superstars on the publication’s year-end most powerful women ranking. As unveiled Wednesday (Dec. 11), the “Anti-Hero” singer is the highest placing musician on the list, with the publication putting her at No. 23. Giving her […]
The nominees have been announced for the Country Music Association’s CMA Touring Awards, which honor behind-the-scenes industry members within country music’s touring industry in categories including crew of the year, coach/truck driver of the year, manager of the year, touring musician of the year, and many more.
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The CMA Touring Awards ceremony will be held Monday, March 3, in Nashville, with final-round voting opening Monday, Jan. 6, and closing Thursday, Jan. 16. All balloting is tabulated by the professional services organization Deloitte.
Keith Urban will return for a third year as host of the ceremony. Longtime country music concert promoter Ben Farrell will be posthumously celebrated with the CMA touring lifetime achievement award, which is given to an individual who has positively impacted and contributed to the growth of touring throughout the years.
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“Taking the time to honor the outstanding work of our touring community is one of our most proud nights of the year,” Sarah Trahern, CMA chief executive officer, said in a statement. “Our road warriors are the ones who take the soul of Nashville on the road and share it with the rest of the world in creative and exciting ways. Country music’s growth simply would not be possible without each and every one of our nominees and we are so excited to celebrate them this coming March.”
The CMA Touring Awards were originally known as the SRO (Standing Room Only) Awards and were launched by the CMA’s board of directors in 1990 to honor professional achievement within the touring industry. The first awards were presented at a black-tie gala hosted by K.T. Oslin and Roger Miller during CMA’s Entertainment Expo, also known as the Talent Buyers Entertainment Marketplace. Ten awards were presented at the first gala, and the number has grown over the years to its current 20 categories. The SRO Awards were renamed the CMA Touring Awards in 2016.
See the full list of nominees below:
Crew of the year
The Beautifully Broken Tour Crew – Jelly RollCountry’s Cool Again Tour Crew – Lainey WilsonGravel & Gold Tour Crew – Dierks BentleyGrowin’ Up And Gettin’ Old Tour Crew – Luke CombsNo Bad Vibes Tour Crew – Old DominionOne Night At a Time Tour Crew – Morgan WallenQuit!! Tour Crew – HardySun Goes Down Tour Crew – Kenny Chesney
Backline technician of the yearDerek Benitez – Chris StapletonDalton Brown – Lainey WilsonWilliam Coats – Eric ChurchAllen Cothran – Jason AldeanTerry Fox – Kenny ChesneyDave Graef – Tim McGrawHunter Lamb – HardyBrian Love – Luke Combs
Business manager of the year
Stephanie Alderman – Farris, Self & Moore, LLCRenee Allen – Arnie Barn, Inc.Julie Boos – Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.Kris Wiatr – Wiatr & Associates, LLCDwight Wiles – Wiles + Taylor & Co., PC
Coach/truck driver of the year
Chad Allison – HardyJosh Easter – Morgan WallenToby Eaton – Old DominionRhett Evens – Thomas RhettTerry Ford – Kenny ChesneyCaleb Garrett – Luke BryanWendy Holt – Lainey WilsonChris Sims – Jelly Roll
FOH (front of house) engineer of the year
Ryan Dell – Lainey WilsonRon Gardner – Jelly RollTodd Lewis – Luke CombsDavid Loy – Kane BrownEvan Owen – HardyJeff Parsons – Blake SheltonRobert Scovill – Kenny ChesneyIan Zorbaugh – Old Dominion
Lighting director of the year
Zac Coren – Morgan WallenTrevor Drawdy – HardyPhilip Ealy – Kenny ChesneyAndy Knighton – Jason AldeanMitch Mueller – Lainey WilsonKevin Northrup – Luke CombsChris Reade – Dierks BentleyAlec Takahashi – Thomas Rhett
Manager of the year
Elisabeth Ashley – Borman EntertainmentEnzo DeVincenzo – 377 ManagementMartha Earls – Neon CoastKerri Edwards – KP EntertainmentClint Higham – Morris Higham ManagementTroy “Tracker” Johnson – Big Loud Mountain ManagementChris Kappy – Make Wake Artists
Monitor engineer of the year
Beau Alexander – Morgan WallenBrad Baisley – Blake SheltonCory Benson – Tyler ChildersSamuel Ferry – HardyLogan Hanna – Brothers OsborneJimmy Nicholson – Thomas RhettDean Studebaker – Old DominionMichael Zuehsow – Luke Combs
Production manager of the year
Chris Alderman – Blake SheltonJeff Greeninger – Jon PardiChad Guy – Morgan WallenMeesha Koscioleck – Eric ChurchEarl Neal – Jason AldeanJerry Slone – Luke CombsEmily Waller – Lainey WilsonEd Wannebo – Kenny Chesney
Publicist of the year
Janet Buck – Essential Broadcast MediaCarla Sacks – Sacks & Co.Jessie Schmidt – Schmidt RelationsJensen Sussman – Sweet Talk PublicityWes Vause – Press On PublicityJennifer Vessio – 1220 Entertainment Publicity
Stage manager of the year
Sam “Sambo” Coats – Eric ChurchDonnie Floyd – Morgan WallenMatt Hornbeck – Luke CombsJosh “Dude” Marcus – Jason AldeanTom Nisun – Kenny ChesneyAllison Noah – Carly PearceRichard Rossey – Old DominionFred Yanda – Dan + Shay
Support services company of the year
Bandit LitesDega CateringMaster Tour By EventricMoo TVPioneer CoachRichards & SouthernRising Star TravelSpectrum Sound
Talent agent of the year
Mike Betterton – Wasserman MusicRod Essig – CAABecky Gardenhire – WMEMeredith Jones – CAAAustin Neal – The Neal AgencyBraeden Rountree – WMEAdi Sharma – The Neal AgencyElisa Vazzana – UTA
Talent buyer/promoter of the year
Todd Boltin – Variety AttractionsBrad Garrett – Police ProductionsBradley Jordan – Peachtree EntertainmentBrian O’Connell – Live Nation NashvilleAaron Spalding – Live Nation NashvilleEd Warm – Joe’s BarAdam Weiser – AEG Presents
Tour manager of the yearMatt Anderson – Old DominionDavid Farmer – Kenny ChesneyJeff Gossett – Morgan WallenJason Hecht – Chris StapletonMike McGrath – Tim McGrawEthan Strunk – Luke CombsTaylor Watson – Hardy
Touring musician of the year
Kurt Allison (Guitar) – Jason AldeanNick Buda (Drums) – Kenny ChesneyJerry Flowers (Bass Guitar) – Keith UrbanAslan Freeman (Guitar) – Lainey WilsonKurt Ozan (Guitar) – Luke CombsMickey Raphael (Harmonica) – Chris StapletonTyler Tomlinson (Guitar) – Morgan WallenCharlie Worsham (Guitar) – Dierks Bentley
Tour videographer/photographer of the year
Mason Allen – Old DominionAlex Alvga – Kane BrownAndy Barron – Chris StapletonBecky Fluke – Little Big TownTanner Gallagher – HardyJeff Johnson – Carrie UnderwoodDavid Lehr – Morgan WallenJill Trunnell – Kenny Chesney
Tour video director of the year
Josh Clark – Miranda LambertJay Cooper – Kenny ChesneyHouston Creswell – Dierks BentleyRon Etters – Chris StapletonTyler Hutcheson – Luke CombsJordan Karow – HardyMike Tinsley – Tim McGrawJake Zobrist – Cody Johnson
Venue of the year
Ascend Amphitheater – NashvilleBankNH Pavilion – Gilford, N.H.Billy Bob’s Texas – Fort Worth, TexasBridgestone Arena – NashvilleGrand Ole Opry House – NashvilleJoe’s on Weed St. – ChicagoRyman Auditorium – Nashville
Unsung hero of the year
Holly Atherton – Chris StapletonKayla Carter Greear – Luke BryanMindy Grabowski – Live Nation EntertainmentJeff “Bean” Griffin – HardyLolo Kinser – Tim McGrawRobin Majors – Kenny ChesneyMel Murphy – Live Nation NashvilleKatie Wilkinson – Chris Stapleton