Music

25 Jan 2024

Billboard Explains: Alicia Keys’ Fire on the Charts

She may have a hit song titled “Like You’ll Never See Me Again,” but the Billboard charts have been enjoying visits from Alicia Keys for 23 years and counting.

The 15-time Grammy-winner made her Billboard chart debut in 2001 with “Fallin’,” a jazz-inflected R&B classic that reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Fallin’” would soon give way to three more Hot 100 chart-toppers for Keys, including 2004’s “My Boo” (with Usher), 2007’s “No One” and 2009’s “Empire State of Mind” (with Jay-Z). In addition to those No. 1 hits, Keys has earned five other top 10 hits, including 2004’s “If I Ain’t Got You” (No. 4) and 2002’s “Gangsta Lovin’” (with Eve).

On the Billboard 200, Keys has racked up five No. 1 titles: 2001’s Songs in A Minor (three weeks), 2003’s The Diary of Alicia Keys (two weeks), 2005’s Unplugged (one week), 2007’s As I Am (four weeks) and 2012’s Girl on Fire (one week). She also reached the chart’s top 10 with 2010’s The Element of Freedom (No. 2), 2016’s HERE (No. 2) and 2020’s Alicia (No. 4).

Named Billboard‘s No. 1 R&B/Hip-Hop Artist of the 2000s, Keys has also scored a slew of records on those genre charts. On Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, she boasts 15 top 10 hits, eight of which have reached the chart’s summit. Those eight chart-toppers have spent 54 cumulative weeks atop the ranking, placing Keys as the woman with the third-most time spent atop the chart behind Aretha Franklin (65 weeks) and Rihanna (56 weeks). The “Un-Thinkable” singer also has the most No. 1 hits in Adult R&B Airplay history, with 14 chart-toppers, including 12-week No. 1 hit “Diary” (with Tony! Toni! Tone!).

Check out the full Billboard Explains video on Alicia Keys’ Billboard chart success.

After that video, catch up on more Billboard Explains videos and learn about Peso Pluma and the Mexican music boom, the role record labels play, origins of hip-hop, how Beyoncé arrived at Renaissance, the evolution of girl groups, BBMAs, NFTs, SXSW, the magic of boy bands, American Music Awards, the Billboard Latin Music Awards, the Hot 100 chart, how R&B/hip-hop became the biggest genre in the U.S., how festivals book their lineups, Billie Eilish’s formula for success, the history of rap battles, nonbinary awareness in music, the Billboard Music Awards, the Free Britney movement, rise of K-pop in the U.S., why Taylor Swift is re-recording her first six albums, the boom of hit all-female collaborations, how Grammy nominees and winners are chosen, why songwriters are selling their publishing catalogs, how the Super Bowl halftime show is booked and more.

25 Jan 2024

The Elovaters Are Quickly Selling Out Clubs & Building a New Name for Its Reggae-Influenced Sound

The Elovaters are one of those bands who don’t neatly fit into any one genre of music, but instantly invoke comparisons to some of the most popular bands in touring right now. What genre exactly is Sublime, or Slightly Stoopid or Pepper or Stick Figure?

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For most music fans, the simple answer would be that the Elovaters are a reggae music act, and that answer would not draw any protest from Jackson Wetherbee, frontman for the six-person group that is selling out clubs across North America. The West Coast leg of the band’s Endless Summer club tour has already sold more than 34,000 tickets with 13 dates on the West Coast run already sold out, including the 1,000-cap Neptune Theater in Seattle, 1,000-cap Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom in Berkeley and two sold-out nights at the 500-cap Cornerstone in Berkeley. Their success is due in part to the huge positive reception for their 2023 breakout album “Endless Summer” which ended the year at No. 14 on the Billboard Reggae albums chart and was the second highest rated album on the chart to be released in 2023.

Technically, Elovaters are not actually a reggae band, Wetherbee tells Billboard, although like Sublime and its more modern contemporaries, much of the band’s music does feature dancehall reggae-inspired propulsive drumming and rock steady, up-stroke guitar work that fans of the genre have used in music such as ska and ska-punk. Honoring reggae’s own distinctive roots in Jamaica as a potent political and religious movement, a number of bands have adopted the genre name Cali Roots or Cali Riddims. While the Elovaters have a large West Coast fan base, they hail from a small town near Cape Cod, Mass., less than an hour drive from Boston, and have adopted the larger genre title American Progressive Roots.

“There’s a lot of bands out there that have their root in reggae music and everyone in the Elovaters grew up listening to more traditional reggae along with rock and hip-hop,” Wetherbee tells Billboard. “Those influences are what makes it progressive. We’re not following the traditional Jamaican style of reggae, but we are influenced by reggae. Instead of focusing on trying to fit into any one subcategory, we find our best music comes when we focus on a certain vibe or mood.”

The fact that he is even leading a rootsy beach band is a bit of a fluke, he tells Billboard. As a child, music was a means of overcoming a difficult speech impediment that came with a difficult stutter, Wetherbee’s mom Liz Elliott told Billboard in an email, noting, “I recall vividly one day asking him to sing a song about his day. He never stuttered when he sang. He started talking in a singsongy voice to get his verbal needs out,” after months of working together, the stutter was gone.

Wetherbee said years of singing in front of an audience, sometimes seven nights a week, helped solidify his confidence and ability to perform as a carefree frontman who exudes confidence and embraces the beach-side lifestyle.

“I’m always trying to piece together songs that just hit me in a certain way,” Wetherbee says. “My songs don’t always end up being the song that I first heard in my head, but as a band, we’ve found a way to hone in on who we are musically and create a sound and style that brings joy to our fans.

On Thursday (Jan. 25), the Elovaters released the video for their latest single, “M.I.A.,” from Endless Summer. Check out the video below and look for tickets to their Endless Summer West Coast tour at theelovaters.com.

25 Jan 2024

Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jelly Roll & Hardy to Headline 2024 Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival

The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jelly Roll and Hardy are cruising through Wisconsin this summer. The Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival confirmed that all three will serve as headliners at the 2024 lakeside event slated for July 25-28 at Veterans Park in Milwaukee.

Also on this year’s lineup are The Offspring, Warren Zeiders and Cypress Hill. Priscilla Block, Destroy Boys, OtoBoke Beaver, Hueston, Shaylen and IronTom will fill out the billing.

“We can’t keep this a secret any longer,” reads an announcement on Homecoming’s Instagram. “Come party with the @ChiliPeppers, @JellyRoll615, and @Hardy along with other musical acts and entertainment as we take over Milwaukee July 25-28 with another H-D Homecoming Festival ?​”

Described as a “celebration of music, moto-culture, and the H-D hometown of Milwaukee,” the festival will also offer food and beverages from local vendors, chances to ride Harley-Davidson vehicles and opportunities to take tours of the company’s museum and factory. Sales for both two-day and one-day passes, as well as General Admission, GA+ and VIP packages, opened Jan. 18 on the Homecoming website.

The 2024 showcase follows last year’s 120th anniversary celebrations, which featured Green Day and the Foo Fighters. Cody Jinks, Social Distortion, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, Phantogram, White Reaper and KennyHoopla were also all included on the 2023 billing.

And, as signified by the Harley-Davidson news, festival season is nearly upon us. This month has also already seen lineup announcements for Coachella, Governors Ball, BeachLife, Tomorrowland, Lovers & Friends, Bonnaroo and more.

See the 2024 Harley-Davidson Homecoming lineup announcement below:

25 Jan 2024

Ariana Grande Tops Streaming Songs Chart With ‘Yes, And?’

Ariana Grande earns her fifth No. 1 on Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart with “Yes, And?,” which starts atop the Jan. 27-dated tally.

In the Jan. 12-18 tracking week, “Yes, And?” earned 27.2 million official U.S. streams, according to Luminate.

It’s Grande’s first ruler since “Die for You,” her collaboration with The Weeknd, led for a week in March 2023. Her other Streaming Songs leaders include “Thank U, Next” (seven weeks, beginning in November 2018), “7 Rings” (eight weeks, beginning in February 2019) and “Positions” (two weeks in November 2020). All but “Die for You” debuted at No. 1.

With five No. 1s, Grande moves into a tie for the fourth-most rulers in the 11-year history of Streaming Songs, alongside Travis Scott. Drake leads all acts with 20 toppers.

Most No. 1s, Streaming Songs:

  • 20, Drake
  • 8, Taylor Swift
  • 6, Justin Bieber
  • 5, Ariana Grande
  • 5, Travis Scott
  • 4, Cardi B
  • 4, Lil Baby
  • 4, Miley Cyrus

Concurrently, as previously reported, “Yes, And?” debuts at No. 1 on the multimetric Billboard Hot 100, Grande’s seventh leader and sixth No. 1 debut. In addition to its streams, the song earned 24.8 million radio audience impressions and 41,000 digital downloads toward its Hot 100 premiere.

“Yes, And?” is the lead single from Eternal Sunshine, Grande’s seventh studio album. It’s expected March 8 via Republic Records, and will be her first full-length since 2020’s Positions. Positions led the Billboard 200 for two weeks and has earned 2.5 million equivalent album units to date.

25 Jan 2024

EDM Superstar Tiësto To Serve as Super Bowl’s First In-Game DJ

International EDM superstar DJ/producer Tiësto has been tapped as the first-ever in-game DJ for the Super Bowl. The Grammy-winning Dutch DJ will play a set before the Feb. 11 game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas during player warm-ups according to a release from his label on Thursday morning (Jan. 25).

Tiësto, 55, will then stay on as the in-game turntablist, spinning during game breaks, with portions of his performance to be featured during the Super Bowl LVIII broadcast on CBS and live streamed on Tiësto’s social channels. “I’m excited to be a part of the Super Bowl LVIII!” Tiësto said in a statement about his gig as the first DJ to perform throughout the game. “And it’s even more incredible that it’s in my favorite place – Las Vegas. Thank you to the NFL for having me. I cannot wait to party with you all at the big game!”

The NFL’s director of event presentation and content, Tim Tubito, added, “Each year, we look to elevate the in-stadium experience for our fans, and with our first Super Bowl in Las Vegas, it seems only fitting to embrace the legacy of iconic DJs in this city by having Tiësto bring his signature style to our biggest event. As one of the most influential DJ/producers who helped define the culture of Las Vegas and electronic music around the world, Tiësto is the perfect artist to help us create an unforgettable game day experience for our fans, players and viewers everywhere.”

In addition to Tiësto, this year’s game will feature Usher rocking the halftime show, as well as Reba McEntire singing the National Anthem during the pre-game, which will also host Post Malone doing “America The Beautiful” and Andra Day singing “Life Every Voice and Sing.” The NFL has featured a DJ set before the game since Super Bowl LIV in Miami in 2020, when DJ Khaled did the honors, with D-Nice taking over the next year in Tampa Bay, followed by Zedd in Los Angeles and DJ Snake in Phoenix in 2023.

25 Jan 2024

Ariana Grande Says She’s ‘Permanently Intertwined’ With ‘Wicked’ Cast

Ariana Grande has been changed for good. In an emotional post to her Instagram Story Thursday (Jan. 25), the 30-year-old pop star gushed about her time playing Glinda opposite Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba in Jon M. Chu’s upcoming Wicked films, the first of which arrives Nov. 27.

“i will never forget even a minute of my year(s) with [Glinda],” she wrote, resharing a post from Chu’s account. “Or you. or my Cyn. permanently and preferably intertwined.”

“i am so inexplicably thankful that we got to add so many soggy eyelashes to the collection,” she continued, tagging the film’s director. “there aren’t words quite yet. but. thank you, Jon, for leading the way with such compassion, openness, brilliance and kindness. i have never seen someone conduct a space the way you do. i love you so much.”

“have an incredibly beautiful last day tomorrow,” the “Positions” singer added, seemingly confirming that Wicked is finally wrapping up more than a year after filming commenced in the U.K. in 2022. The shoot was originally scheduled to conclude in July 2023, but was shut down 10 days before its original end date due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which respectively ended in September and November.

Aside from a couple “first look” photos shared in April, sneak peeks at the Wicked films have been minimal. Grande did, however, also share a snap of her shadow on Thursday, showing off the unmistakable silhouette of her pink Glinda gown.

“like a handprint on my heart,” she captioned the post, quoting lyrics from “For Good.”

And as Grande’s time as Glinda comes to a close, her new era is just beginning. This week, the Victorious alum scored her eighth No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 as her latest single “Yes, And?” debuted in the top spot on the chart, less than two months ahead of her March-slated album, Eternal Sunshine.

“it is overwhelming and so sincerely moving to see how many of you this song has resonated with,” she wrote on her Story Monday (Jan. 22). “it is such a gift to feel so seen and held by you! thank you for your positivity, for your support and for everything. you have no idea how much you mean to me! this is absolutely because of and entirely for you. thank you!”

25 Jan 2024

Megan Thee Stallion Puts Haters on Notice in New ‘Hiss’ Teaser: ‘I’m Finna Get This S–t Off My Chest’

The Black Regina George has something to say. Megan Thee Stallion is prepping a new single, and the latest teaser promises a scathing takedown of all of the detractors who have had something negative to say about her over the past few years.

The Grammy winner first teased her new single on Monday (Jan. 22) with a graphic revealing the track’s title, “Hiss.” On Wednesday (Jan. 24), she followed up that announcement with a voiceover that served as a warning to the intended subjects of her forthcoming single.

“I just wanna kick this s–t off by saying, ‘F–k y’all!” she proclaimed. “I ain’t gotta clear my name on a motherf–kin’ thang. [Every time] I get mentioned, one of y’all b—h a– n—as get 24 hours of attention. I’m finna get this s–t off my chest and lay it to rest, let’s go!”

“Hiss” serves as Thee Stallion’s first solo single of 2024, and its title teases a continuation of the snake-centric imagery of her last solo release, 2023’s “Cobra.” A rollicking rock-rap hybrid, “Cobra” served as her first independent single since departing from her former record label, 1501 Certified Entertainment. The song peaked at No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 10 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

While “Hiss” is Meg’s first solo release of the year, she’s been musically active through collaborations. In December, she teamed up with Mean Girls movie musical star Reneé Rapp for “Not My Fault,” the lead single from the film’s soundtrack. The saccharine pop bop has since peaked at No. 22 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100, with greater gains expected following the film’s box office-topping opening weekend and the pair’s viral Saturday Night Live performance.

“Hiss” is slated to hit streaming platforms on Friday, Jan. 26. Check out the ominous teaser below

25 Jan 2024

Trans-Siberian Orchestra Rules December Boxscore Report — Again

Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) once again rules Billboard’s monthly Top Tours chart in December, with the act now ringing the No. 1 bell for the final month of the year in 2023, 2022, 2021 and 2019. (Of note, there was no chart in 2020 due to COVID-19’s impact on touring.) Over 73 shows between Dec. 1-30, the classical holiday collective grossed $51.5 million and sold 657,000 tickets according to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore.

With ensembles on both the East and West Coasts, TSO was able to play at least two shows per day — and used the additional bandwidth to its advantage, squeezing the most performances into this December than it has in any year since 2016. Despite a 6% dip in attendance compared with last year, revenue increased by 1%, marking the highest grossing month for TSO in its illustrious 25-year touring history.

Overall, TSO grossed $68.2 million and sold 873,000 tickets on its 2023 tour. The group saw consistent increases in its annual grosses through the end of the 2010s, up 10%, 13%, and 18% in 2017, 2018 and 2019, respectively.

The 2021 season, flanked by the first wave of COVID-19’s Omicron, dipped back by 18%, while last year’s tour came within half a percentage point of the 2019 peak. Finally, with the effect of COVID in the rearview mirror, this year’s revue establishes a new high dating back to the collective’s 1999 touring debut.

TSO hit 21 markets in November and another 42 in December. As always, major markets prime for double-headers are saved for mid-to-late December when seasonal hype reaches its apex. The average gross per city in November was $835,000, while December’s pace rose to $1.2 million.

Cleveland and Tampa were standout markets, and the first to ever generate more than $2 million in TSO history. Two shows at the former’s Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse grossed $2.02 million from 26,000 tickets, and a double-header at the latter’s Amalie Arena earned $2.08 million from 25,600 tickets.

Including its Y2K launch (Dec. 10, 1999, to be exact), TSO has grossed a reported $802.4 million and sold 15 million tickets from 1,893 shows. While that situates it just outside the top 20 grossing acts in Boxscore history, its rank based on attendance makes it one of the top 10 artists since Boxscore’s late-‘80s start.

TSO’s fourth month at No. 1 ties Bad Bunny and Beyoncé. Only Elton John has spent more time on top, having reigned for seven months, spread between 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023. While its annual touring window is limited to holiday months, its dominance is reliable, likely to be repeated in Decembers to come.

Given the sheer abundance of shows in TSO’s calendar throughout all of December — compared with most tours wrapping up halfway through the month — the group’s victory this time of year can feel inevitable. Still, the No. 1 spot was claimed by just a 3% margin, narrowly fending off U2’s eight-show run at Las Vegas’ Sphere.

U2 earned just over $50 million and sold 133,000 tickets during the Dec. 1-16 leg of its residency at Sphere, claiming the No. 1 spot on Top Boxscores. Combined with the first leg, which stretched from late September to early November, the rock legends have earned $159.8 million at the groundbreaking Vegas arena. Beginning this weekend, Bono & Co. are slated for 15 more shows through March 2.

U2 isn’t the only Vegas residency act to impact the December recap. Bruno Mars is No. 4 on Top Boxscores with a five-show return to MGM’s Dolby Live. The pop-R&B chart-topper grossed $10.3 million toward the end of the month, including a New Year’s Eve performance. At the same venue, Usher is No. 30 with the final two shows of a 12-date leg that began in early November. At Resorts World Theatre, Carrie Underwood pops up at No. 22, with $4.1 million from eight of nine shows that kicked off on Nov. 30.

While Vegas leads the way, half of the 30-position Top Boxscores chart took place outside of the mainland U.S., ranging from Latin America (RBD) and Europe (Madonna) to Asia (SEVENTEEN) and Australia (50 Cent). Paul McCartney takes up the most real estate with four appearances, all of which were in Brazil. Shows in Sao Paulo, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro and Curitiba rank at Nos. 3, 12-13 and 18, respectively. Three shows at Allianz Parque lead the pack with a $16.2 million gross and 149,000 attendance count over three shows.

And while Sphere enjoys a commanding lead over the Top Venues (15,001+ capacity) chart, it’s a New York theater that reigns over all concert halls in December. Radio City Music Hall crowns the Top Venues (5,001-10,000 capacity) list with $80.6 million and 133 shows. Even more efficient than TSO, The Radio City Rockettes headlined this year’s annual Christmas Spectacular, earning a gargantuan $116.7 million over 193 shows between Nov. 17 and Jan. 4.

25 Jan 2024

Mary J. Blige Says Inclusion on Lovers & Friends Lineup Was an ‘Error’

Mary J. Blige says she appreciates all the kind words from fans after her name was included on the stacked lineup for this year’s Lovers & Friends festival in Las Vegas on May 4. Unfortunately, the singer said in an Instagram Story on Thursday (Jan. 25) that was a mistake.

“I am beyond humbled by the response from all of you about the announcement of me on Lovers & Friends Festival,” she wrote. “Unfortunately my inclusion was an error as I will be busy in preparation for my Strength of a Woman Summit just one week later! I have the greatest fans in the world and can’t wait to see you in New York in a few short months!”

Blige dropped the sizzle reel for this year’s Strength of a Woman Summit last week, though the exact dates and lineup for this year’s event have not yet been announced.

At press time a spokesperson for Lovers & Friends had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment on Blige’s statement. Source close to Blige tell Billboard that her representatives have demanded the removal of their client’s name from the poster multiple times in the past 24 hours to no avail.

The lineup for the third edition of the massive show slated to take place on May 24 at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds features Janet Jackson, Usher (performing Confessions), Backstreet Boys, Lil Wayne (performing Tha Carter III), Snoop Dogg, Gwen Stefani, Alicia Keys, Nelly Furtado, Nas, Ludacris, Ciara, Nelly and many more.

Last year’s second annual Strength of a Woman Festival and Summit in Atlanta featured Ms. Lauryn Hill, Summer Walker, Lucky Daye, Coco Jones and Muni Long as part of a two-night concert event at State Farm Arena, as well as a celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with Jodeci, Busta Rhymes, Jeezy, Jadakiss, Method Man and DJ Drama.

Blige’s agent is Jim Osborne at IAG and her lawyer is Dina LaPolt.

25 Jan 2024

Tomorrowland Drops 2024 Lineup With More Than 400 Artists, Including Swedish House Mafia & REZZMAU5

The world’s biggest electronic music festival, Tomorrowland, has released its 2024 lineup. As always, the festival will gather many of the world’s biggest dance music artists for the event, happening in Boom, Belgium, July 19-21 and 26-28.

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You’ll need a magnifying glass to read the lineup poster, which features artists including Swedish House Mafia, Tale of Us, Alesso, Amelie Lens, Bonobo, Dom Dolla, The Blessed Madonna, REZZ and Deadmau5 performing as REZZMAU5, David Guetta, Solomun b2b Four Tet, Eliza Rose and hundreds of other artists representing techno, hard techno, house, bass, EDM and most other varieties of electronic music.

Special events include Italian duo Tale of Us curating their own lineup at the Freedom stage on July 21 and July 28 — where performers will include Anyma, Argy, Chris Avantgarde, Kevin de Vries, MRAK, Olympe and more — and playing a mainstage show on July 27. Tale of Us’ Matteo Milleri will also perform o the mainstage for the first time on July 20 under with his Anyma project.

Amelie Lens’s EXHALE label will also curate a stage, with Lens also taking her style of techno to the festival mainstage.

Tomorrowland typically hosts 400,000 people over its two weekends, with organizers reporting that attendees come from 200 countries. The festival features 16 stages, along with expansive experiential areas, a sprawling campsite and other whimsical fun including a “Symphony of Unity” that fuses electronic and classical music and is composed especially for Tomorrowland.

The festival was founded by brothers Michiel and Many Beers in 2005.

See the Tomorrowland 2024 lineup below:

Tomorrowland 2024

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