Music

24 Jan 2024

Tina Knowles Clarifies Alleged Janet Jackson Shade: ‘I Would Never Criticize Another Artist’

No need to ring the alarm — all is well in the House of Deréon, at least according to Ms. Tina Knowles. The businesswoman, fashion designer and mother to Beyoncé took to her official Instagram page on Tuesday night (Jan. 23) to address rumors that she shaded Janet Jackson by liking a post criticizing the star’s ticket prices for her upcoming tour.

“I just received a phone call that I’m trending for liking a post about ticket prices and an artist overcharging. First of all, being on the other side of that, I know better than anyone what a great production costs, and that it’s expensive,” Knowles said. “I would never criticize another artist, let alone Janet Jackson, who is the queen of production! And her family! I mean they’re the first family of music, always have been and always will be, and I love and respect them.

“Secondly, I stay away from negativity. If you follow me, then you know I am not involved in the mess. What I am guilty of, is liking posts when I’m in a big hurry and I don’t have time to really read, and liking things because I trust that these are people that I follow,” the matriarch continued. “That was a big mistake, I will never do that again. So, I just wanted you to hear it from my mouth that I would absolutely never do that.”

The drama stems from Knowles appearing in the likes section of an Instagram post shared by a disgruntled fan searching for tickets to Jackson’s Together Again tour. The post appears to be a screenshot from Ticketmaster that lists the prices of select VIP packages ranging from $839.95 to $2,399.95. “You want Beyoncé prices, have real production. Just disgusted,” read the caption. “I’m not the only one… oh the DMs I’m getting. Way to thank your fans for years of support.” The account that originally shared the post has since been made private.

Many social media users took Knowles’ appearance in the post’s likes as an endorsement of the caption’s sentiments and a jab at Janet Jackson. In the caption of her explanation video, Knowles emphasized that the like was unintentional, writing, “I do know that you can see people’s likes, so I would be pretty dumb to that.”

The Knowles family matriarch also took an opportunity to laud the impact Jackson has had on the lives and careers of her daughters. “I am saddened by this. Janet Jackson is an icon and I would never question another artist,” she wrote. “I took Destiny’s Child to see Janet when they were 15 years old . They always looked up to her and she opened doors for Beyoncé. Why would I hate on her?”

On Tuesday (Jan. 23), Jackson was announced as one of the headliners for the upcoming Lovers & Friends music Festival in Las Vegas on May 4. The music icon’s fellow headliners include Usher and Backstreet Boys. Jackson will follow up her appearance at the festival with the latest leg of her Together Again Tour with special guest Nelly. She’ll kick off the leg at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., on June 4 and conclude at Footprint Center in Phoenix on July 3.

Check out Tina Knowles’ post below:

24 Jan 2024

Did Taylor Swift Secretly Author ‘Argylle’ Book? The Movie’s Cast & Director React to Theories

Dear reader, if you’re looking for answers regarding the theories that Taylor Swift secretly penned the Argylle book under a pseudonym, you’re just going to have to keep reading between the lines. The cast of the book’s upcoming film adaptation has now responded to the rumors, and even they can’t say for sure.

“I mean, they were amazing,” said leading lady Bryce Dallas Howard of the theories in a Tuesday (Jan. 23) interview with Entertainment Tonight. “And I think in many ways, [the Swifties are] certainly not wrong about the inspiration of Taylor …”

“I mean, certainly – there are, you know – it’s unconsciously inspired by Taylor Swift,” added the Jurassic World star.

Headed for theaters Feb. 2, the spy flick starring Howard, Henry Cavill, Dua Lipa and more was inspired by the official debut novel Argylle by Elly Conway. The first-time author reportedly landed a $200 million movie deal with Apple for the fourth book in her reality-blurring secret agent series.

Conway also has zero social media presence, and almost nothing is known about her aside from her writings. That combined with the handful of Swiftian parallels in her works — namely the inclusion of a Scottish fold cat, of which Swift owns two — has led fans on a wild goose chase to prove that Argylle was penned by the 34-year-old pop star in secret.

“I mean it would be kind of cool,” noted Cavill, who plays the film’s titular character. “What if we double-bluffed and it actually was her?”

Director Matthew Vaughn, however, has a more no-nonsense take on the matter. “The Taylor Swift [theory] came up on my radar ’cause my daughter told me off on not telling her. She said, ‘You’re not cool, dad. You’ve got to introduce me,’ and I said ‘I do not know Taylor,’” he told the publication.

“It is not true,” Vaughn added, but not without admitting there is definitely a strange “amount of odd connections” between Argylle and the 12-time Grammy winner.

24 Jan 2024

Will Green Day Be the Anointed ‘Saviors’ on the Billboard 200 This Week?

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 Hot 100 dated Jan. 27), Green Day look to score the second new No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2024 with the debut of their 14th LP, Saviors.  

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Green Day, Saviors (Reprise): Green Day’s 15-track latest set was released on Friday (Jan. 19) with hype billing it as their big attempt at a 2024 return-to-form – even featuring production by Rob Cavallo, knob-twiddler behind most of the band’s classic ‘90s and ‘00s LPs. The set has drawn mostly positive reviews, and kicks off what should be a very eventful year for the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, as they’re celebrating the respective 20th and 30th anniversaries of their epochal albums Dookie and American Idiot on their much-anticipated upcoming stadium tour (alongside fellow ‘90s alt hitmakers Smashing Pumpkins and Rancid), performing each album in its entirety.  

The album is expected to sell in strong numbers, helped by the large number of variants in which the LP is currently available. Along with the digital album    and standard CD, there’s also a signed CD sold through the band’s webstore, one cassette and at least 16 vinyl variants (mostly varying in color), including exclusives for Amazon, Barnes & Noble, indie record stores, Target, Walmart and more. There’s also two boxed sets for purchase, each with a branded T-shirt and a CD inside, as well as a Fan Pack offer with a T-shirt and a CD. 

If Saviors can reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200 – and it will be a challenge, given that Green Day has never performed particularly well in streaming – it would mark their third consecutive decade with a No. 1 album. They most recently topped the chart with Revolution Radio in 2016, and previously did it with both Idiot and its 2009 follow-up, 21st Century Breakdown. (Surprisingly, they never bested the chart in the ‘90s, with both Dookie and its 1995 follow-up Insomniac topping out at No. 2.)  

21 Savage, American Dream (Slaughter Gang/Epic): Green Day’s primary obstacle in the way of their fourth No. 1 album is the current reigning champ. This week, American Dream became the first new album to top the chart in 2024, moving an impressive 133,000 units – mostly in streaming – while also launching the biggest unaccompanied Billboard Hot 100 solo hit of 21 Savage’s career in the quickly viral, No. 5-debuting “Redrum.” The numbers were impressive enough to further confirm Savage’s superstar status, without some of the usual qualifications that have dogged his legacy in the past.  

The numbers for American Dream will likely dip considerably in its second week, but the album should still have a strong shot at staying atop the chart for a second week this frame, with its streaming performance remaining steady – the set continues to hold down seven of the top 20 spots on Apple Music’s real-time chart, including pole position for “Redrum.” If the race is particularly close, it also wouldn’t be shocking to see Savage’s team pull out a last-minute deluxe edition with a few new songs to boost the final streaming numbers, as has become increasingly common practice for big rap and pop albums in the past few years. 

IN THE MIX 

Eladio Carrión, Sol María (Rimas): The biggest release for the week in the Latin music world comes from Puerto Rican-American rapper Eladio Carrión. His 17-track new album Sol María features guest appearances from big names like Yandel, Rauw Alejandro, Arcángel and Sech, and is led by the Latin airplay hit “TQMQA.” The set follows 2023’s 3MEN2 KBRN, which became his first LP to hit the top 20 of the Billboard 200, debuting at No. 16 in April.  

Lil Dicky, Penith (The DAVE Soundtrack): With rapper-comedian-actor Lil Dicky’s acclaimed (and very loosely autobiographical) TV sitcom Dave having wrapped its third season last Spring, its star decided it was time for the show to release an official soundtrack. That finally arrived last Friday with Penith, a 22-track collection of music included throughout the series – some in fuller versions than featured on the show. Star producer Benny Blanco, a recurring guest star on the show, worked on most of the tracks, but West Coast rap fixture YG is the only big-name guest, appearing on “YG’s Interlude.”  

24 Jan 2024

Movement 2024 Phase One Lineup: Fatboy Slim, Goldie, Kevin Saunderson, Idris Elba & More

Detroit’s Movement festival is back for 2024 with a sprawling phase lineup. Released Wednesday (Jan. 24), the festival will feature sets from U.K. legends Fatboy Slim and Goldie, the latter of whom will play with a live band, a DJ set from James Blake, British experimental producer Floating Points, Detroit techno pioneer Kevin Saunderson playing b2b with actor/producer Idris Elba, Bosnian-German techno favorite Solomun and house icon Honey Dijon.

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The lineup also includes Gorgon City, LP Giobbi, Sama’ Abdulhadi, Indira Paganatto, Skream, Mount Kimbie, DJ Minx, Boys Noize b2b VTSS and many more. See the complete phase one lineup below, with additional names to be added in the coming months.

Movement 2024 will happen in the festival’s longstanding home in Detroit’s Hart Plaza on May 25-27. Tickets are on sale now and start at $289.

Movement is produced by Detroit-based Paxahau, which launched in 1998 as an underground party promoter. The dance-focused company has produced Movement for the past 18 years, helping it gain global renown as one of the world’s premiere techno festivals. Paxahau is run by a team of 15 year-round, full-time employees across four departments: marketing and communications, production, talent and creative. During Movement, they bring in an event staff of 350 to help bring the event to life. 

“This is a labor of love that all of us clustered around since we were young,” Paxahau Founder Jason Huvaere told Billboard in 2023. “Detroit techno culture is what we committed to years ago, it’s second nature.”

24 Jan 2024

RAYE Leads 2024 Brit Awards Nominations: Full List

RAYE leads the nominations for the 2024 Brit Awards with seven nods – artist of the year, best new artist, pop act, R&B act, Mastercard album of the year for My 21st Century Blues and two nods for song of the year for “Escapism.,” a collab with 070 Shake, and “Prada,” a collab with cassö and D-Block Europe.

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This makes RAYE the most nominated artist in a single year since the Brits began in 1977. She eclipses the record of six nods jointly held by Gorillaz (2002), Craig David (2001) and Robbie Williams (1999).

“I am completely floored to be recognized seven times this year,” RAYE said in a statement. “I was a BRIT school student and I remember how deeply I dreamed of one day being recognized at the BRITs. I am currently a mess of overwhelming emotions and confusion as to how this even happened, to be honest.”

“From the moment RAYE joined the Human Re Sources roster, we believed that she had the music and vision of a generational talent,” Julius Erving III, the label’s founder and CEO said in a statement. “It’s exciting to see the voters and fans respond with such acclaim to the music and art RAYE has been creating and sharing.”

RAYE, 26, achieved global success with “Escapism.” The collab reached No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100. Her album My 21st Century Blues reached No. 58 on the Billboard 200.

Central Cee and J Hus each received four nods. Dua Lipa received three – artist of the year, pop act and song of the year with Mastercard. In addition, Lipa, who has won six Brits, is the first artist confirmed to perform on the Brits on March 2. The superstar last performed on the show in 2021. Lipa was also one of the first three artists confirmed to perform on the Grammys on Feb. 4.

2024 also sees the first Brit nomination for The Rolling Stones in more than a decade. The legendary band is nominated for alternative/rock act. The Stones were nominated four times previously in 1977, 1995, 1996 and 2013. 

For 2024, The Brits increased the number of nominees for both artist of the year and international artist of the year from five to 10, a change aimed at improving representation and inclusion. More than half (55%) of the 2024 Brits nominations feature women – either as a solo artist or as part of an all-woman group. This figure rises to 57% when including women in mixed-gender groups.

The British pop/R&B act category was split in two this year — British pop act and British R&B act. Winners in both categories, as well as the three other genre categories – alternative/rock, dance and hip-hop/grime/rap – will be decided by a public vote via Instagram. (Nominees were decided by the Brits’ “voting academy.”) Voting will open on Thursday, Feb. 1, at noon, and close on Thursday, Feb. 15, at 6 p.m.

The Brits have a whopping 15 nominations in two categories – song of the year and international song of the years, which surpasses even the Oscars (10 nominees for best picture) and the Grammys (eight nominees in each of their Big Four categories – album, record and song of the year plus best new artist).

In December, The Brits announced The Last Dinner Party as the winner of the 2024 Rising Star award.

The winners of songwriter of the year and producer of the year will be revealed over the coming weeks.

The awards are scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 2, at The 02 Arena in London. This will mark the second year in a row that the show has been held on a weekend. The show will be broadcast live on ITV1 and ITVX.

Here’s the complete list of 2024 Brit Awards nominees.

Brits rising star

Caity Baser, EMI / Universal Music UK

Sekou, Island / Universal Music UK

WINNER: The Last Dinner Party, Island / Universal Music UK

Mastercard album of the year

 Blur, The Ballad of Darren, Parlophone/Warner Music

J Hus, Beautiful and Brutal Yard, Black Butter/Sony Music

Little Simz, NO THANK YOU, Forever Living Originals/AWAL

RAYE, My 21st Century Blues, Human Re Sources/The Orchard

Young Fathers, Heavy Heavy, Ninja Tune

Artist of the year

Arlo Parks, Transgressive

Central Cee, Columbia Records/Sony Music

Dave, Neighbourhood/Live Yours

Dua Lipa, Warner Records/Warner Music

Fred Again.., Atlantic/Warner Music

J Hus, Black Butter/Sony Music

Jessie Ware, EMI / Universal Music UK

Little Simz, Forever Living Originals/AWAL

Olivia Dean, EMI/Universal Music UK

RAYE, Human Re Sources/The Orchard

Group of the year

Blur, Parlophone/Warner Music

Chase & Status, EMI/Universal Music UK

Headie One & K-Trap, One Records & Thousand8/The Orchard

Jungle, Caiola/AWAL

Young Fathers, Ninja Tune

Best new artist

Mahalia, Asylum/Atlantic Records/Warner Music

Olivia Dean, EMI/Universal Music UK

PinkPantheress, Warner Records/Warner Music

RAYE, Human Re Sources/The Orchard

Yussef Dayes, Brownswood Records/ADA/Warner Music

Song of the year

“Miracle,” Calvin Harris/Ellie Goulding, Sony Music/Universal Music UK

“Prada,” cassö/RAYE/D-Block Europe, Ministry Of Sound/Sony Music

“Let Go,” Central Cee, Columbia Records/Sony Music

“Sprinter,” Dave & Central Cee, Neighbourhood/Live Yours

“Dance the Night,” Dua Lipa, Atlantic Records/Warner Music

“Eyes Closed,” Ed Sheeran, Asylum/Atlantic Records/Warner Music

“Who Told You,” J Hus Ft Drake, Sony Music/Universal Music

“Strangers,” Kenya Grace, Warner Music

“Wish You the Best,” Lewis Capaldi, EMI/Universal Music Group

“Boy’s a Liar,” PinkPantheress, Warner Records/Warner Music

“Escapism.,” RAYE ft 070 Shake, Human Re Sources/The Orchard

“Dancing Is Healing,” Rudimental/Charlotte Plank/Vibe Chemistry, Columbia/Sony Music

“Firebabe,” Stormzy Ft Debbie, #Merky Records/0207 Records/Universal Music UK

“REACT,” Switch Disco & Ella Henderson, Relentless Records/Sony Music

“Messy in Heaven,” Venbee & Goddard, Room 2/Columbia Records/Sony Music

International artist of the year

Asake, YBNL Nation/Pri.me

Burna Boy, Spaceship/Bad Habit/Atlantic Records

Caroline Polachek, Perpetual Novice/The Orchard

CMAT, CMATBABY/AWAL

Kylie Minogue, BMG Records

Lana Del Rey, Polydor/Universal Music UK

Miley Cyrus, Columbia/Sony Music

Olivia Rodrigo, Polydor/Geffen/Universal Music Group

SZA, RCA/Sony Music

Taylor Swift, EMI/Republic/Universal Music Group

International group of the year

Blink-182, Columbia/Sony Music

Boygenius, Polydor/Interscope/Universal Music Group

Foo Fighters, Columbia/Sony Music

Gabriels, Parlophone/Warner Music

Paramore, Atlantic/Warner Music

International song of the year

“What Was I Made For?,” Billie Eilish, Darkroom/Interscope/Polydor/Universal Music Group

“Daylight,” David Kushner, Miserable Music/Virgin Music Group/Universal Music Group

“Paint the Town Red,” Doja Cat, RCA/Sony Music

“Giving Me,” Jazzy, CHAOS/Polydor/Universal Music UK

“People,” Libianca,5k Records/Sony Music

“Made You Look,” Meghan Trainor, Epic Records/Sony Music

“Flowers,” Miley Cyrus, Columbia Records/Sony Music

“Stick Season,” Noah Kahan, Mercury Records/Republic Records/Island UK/Universal Music Group

“Miss You,” Oliver Tree & Robin Schulz, Atlantic Records / Warner Music

“vampire,” Olivia Rodrigo, Polydor/Geffen/Universal Music Group

“(It Goes Like) Nanana,” Peggy Gou, XL Recordings

“Calm Down,” Rema, Mavin Records/Jonzing World/Virgin Music Group/Universal Music Group

“Kill Bill,” SZA, RCA/Sony Music

“greedy,” Tate McRae, RCA/Sony Music

“Water,” Tyla, Epic Records/Sony Music

Alternative/rock act

Promoted by Radio X

Blur, Parlophone/Warner Music

Bring Me The Horizon, RCA/Sony Music

The Rolling Stones, Polydor/Universal Music UK

Young Fathers, Ninja Tune

Yussef Dayes, Brownswood Records/ADA/Warner Music

Hip-hop/grime/rap act

Promoted by KISS Fresh

CASISDEAD, XL Recordings

Central Cee, Columbia Records/Sony Music

Dave, Neighbourhood/Live Yours

J Hus, Black Butter/Sony Music

Little Simz, Forever Living Originals/AWAL

Dance act

Promoted by Capital Dance

Barry Can’t Swim, Ninja Tune

Becky Hill, Polydor/Universal Music UK

Calvin Harris, Columbia/Sony Music

Fred again.., Atlantic/Warner

Romy, Young Recordings

Pop act

Promoted by HITS Radio

Calvin Harris, Columbia/Sony Music

Charli XCX, Atlantic/Warner Music

Dua Lipa, Warner Records/Warner Music

Olivia Dean, EMI / Universal Music UK

RAYE, Human Re Sources/The Orchard

R&B act

Promoted by Capital XTRA

Cleo Sol, Forever Living Originals

Jorja Smith, FAMM/The Orchard

Mahalia, Atlantic/Warner Music

RAYE, Human Re Sources/The Orchard

SAULT, Forever Living Originals

24 Jan 2024

2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards to Honor Ice Spice, NewJeans, Victoria Monét, Kylie Minogue & More

The honorees for the 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards demonstrate the degree to which music has become a global enterprise. There are honorees from Australia (Kylie Minogue), England (Charli XCX), South Korea (NewJeans), Nigeria (Tems), Brazil (Luisa Sonza), Puerto Rico (Young Miko) as well as the continental U.S. (Maren Morris, Ice Spice and Victoria Monét).

Tracee Ellis Ross will host the 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards, which will be held Wednesday, March 6, at YouTube Theater at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif. – just outside of Los Angeles — and will stream on March 7. The annual event features musical performances and honors women powerhouses who are shaping the music landscape.

Presenters, performers and additional honorees, including the identity of the 2024 Billboard Woman of the Year, will be announced in the coming weeks.

“We could not be more excited to celebrate these inspiring and dynamic artists from around the world, as they move our culture forward and inspire women everywhere to push boundaries and pursue their own dreams,” Billboard’s editorial director, Hannah Karp, said in a statement. “With the talented Tracee Ellis Ross as our host, this year’s Billboard Women in Music Awards will be an unforgettable evening.”

Tracee Ellis Ross

Tracee Ellis Ross

Billboard Women In Music

Four of this year’s honorees – Monét, Ice Spice, Minogue and Tems – are also nominated for Grammy Awards on Feb. 4.

NewJeans landed their first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 last year. Charli XCX and Ice Spice both had tracks on Barbie: The Album, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 – in addition to soundtracking the Greta Gerwig film that became the biggest box-office hit of 2023.

Tickets to attend the Women in Music Awards are available to the public. American Express card members get early access to tickets from Wednesday, Jan. 24, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT through Friday, Jan. 26, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT (terms apply), before the public on-sale Saturday, Jan. 27, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT, at ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices range from $89-$279. Fans can watch the show one day later, on Thursday, March 7, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on billboardwomeninmusic.com; more details about the stream will be announced soon.

Marriott Bonvoy is the presenting sponsor of Billboard’s Women in Music Awards. Marriott Bonvoy members will have the chance to gain exclusive access to the show through Marriott Bonvoy Moments, the company’s experiences platform. Using Marriott Bonvoy points accumulated from travel and other everyday activities, members will be able to bid on an exclusive red carpet fan experience plus tickets inside the show itself.

Additional sponsors for the 2024 Women in Music Awards include American Express, presenter of the Impact Award; Honda, presenter of the Rising Star Award; Bose; and Coke Studio.

Here’s a list of the 2024 honorees that have been announced so far.

24 Jan 2024

Jack Antonoff Calls Kanye West a ‘Little Cry Baby B—h’ Ahead of ‘Vultures’ Release 

Jack Antonoff came out swinging after discovering that Kanye West has an album release planned for the same day as him. 

In a Wednesday (Jan. 24) tweet, the Bleachers frontman did not mince his words. “kanye on bleachers release date is hilarious little,” he wrote, adding that West is a “cry baby b—h.” 

For context, Bleachers’ self-titled album is set to arrive March 8, the same date the second installment of Ye’s planned Vultures trilogy with Ty Dolla $ign is scheduled for release. The first act of the rapper’s much-delayed project is slated for Feb. 9, while the third is expected to drop April 5. (Vultures was originally supposed to be released in October, but continued to get pushed back — first to December, and now into February.) 

Why is this a big deal? Antonoff has been vocal in the past about his distaste for Ye, particularly after the “Donda” rapper’s many antisemitic remarks that got him dropped from almost every one of his business partnerships in 2022. The producer, who is Jewish, simply tweeted in October of that year: “Kanye a little b—h.” 

It’s also worth noting that Ye has a yearslong feud with Taylor Swift, one of Antonoff’s closest friends and collaborators.  

While the Bleachers’ fourth studio album hasn’t yet arrived, Antonoff has dropped a number of singles leading up to its release. In September, he  unveiled “Modern Girl,” followed by “Alma Mater” in November and “Tiny Moves” last week. He also shared a music video for the latter single, starring and directed by his wife, actress Margaret Qualley. 

Meanwhile, Ye released the single “Vultures” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, Lil Durk and Bump J in November and on Tuesday (Jan. 23) posted a spooky album teaser revealing the release dates for the now trilogy. 

See Antonoff’s tweet below: 

24 Jan 2024

Madonna’s Celebration Tour Hits Madison Square Garden: The 5 Best Moments

A little more than three months since it kicked off at the O2 Arena in London, Madonna’s Celebration Tour arrived at Madison Square Garden this week. While the Celebration Tour previously hit New York City in December for three dates, those were all at the Barclays Center – a venue that opened in Brooklyn 12 years ago. Madonna and Madison Square Garden, however, have an extensive history, reaching back to when her debut concert tour, The Virgin Tour, wrapped there in 1985.

So for The Celebration Tour — which is a career-spanning look back on her hits, personal struggles, pop culture impact and enduring influence — it only made sense that the Queen of Pop had to hit MSG despite playing NYC just a month earlier. And sure enough, her Tuesday night (Jan. 23) show (the second of three MSG dates, with her final one slated for Monday, Jan. 29) felt a bit more special than her Barclays gig.

First off, the sound was better. Madonna shaded Barclays as an “echo bowl” when she played it last month, and it’s likely her dissatisfaction with the sound was what caused her to (now infamously) begin one of those shows so late that some disaffected fans filed a class-action lawsuit against her, which she’s fighting. (Their frustration is understandable, although thinking a rock star will hit the stage on time is a bit like expecting a cat will do what you tell it to do – both do what they want when they want to, and that’s why we love ‘em.)

Secondly, and more importantly, the shared history between Madonna and MSG made this already spectacular tour feel elevated. So much of her legend – arriving in NYC at 19 with $35 in her pocket; struggling to make ends meet while getting her career off the ground; making those initial musical waves at iconic NYC venues such as the Danceteria – is wrapped up in the fabric of New York City. No wonder she cops to still feeling “butterflies” when she plays in Manhattan.

From a tribute to two nurses who bucked the stigma of AIDS/HIV in the ‘80s to her “Vogue” guest star, these were the best moments of her Tuesday night show.

24 Jan 2024

The Black Keys, Lime Cordiale, Bootsy Collins Set For SXSW 2024

The Black Keys aren’t just coming to Texas for a talk.

Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney, founding members of the six-times Grammy Award winning blues-rock outfit, are already locked-in as keynote speakers for the 2024 edition of South by Southwest. When the annual live music bonanza rolls around this March, the dynamite duo will also join the lineup of performers.

Organizers today (Jan. 24) announce the third wave round of showcasing artists for the 38th annual edition of the SXSW Music Festival, set for March 11-16 in Austin, TX.

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As previously reported, Auerbach, the band’s singer and guitarist, and Carney, the Black Keys’ drummer, will lend their support to the new documentary, This is a Film About The Black Keys, which enjoys its world premiere at the SXSW Film & TV Festival.

The Black Keys lead a list that’s predictably stacked with heavyweights and hot newcomers from around the globe.

Among the highlights are U.S. funk legend Bootsy Collins; ARIA Award-winning, chart-topping indie Sydney act Lime Cordiale; and Finland’s Eurovision Song Contest 2021 reps Blind Channel.

Other performers in the latest wave include include Angélica Garcia (El Monte, CA), The Black Keys (Akron OH), Boza (Panama), Chase Shakur (Atlanta, GA), Fabiana Palladino (London, U.K.), Flyana Boss (Los Angeles CA), and GOKUMON (UchikubiGokumonDoukoukai) (Tokyo Japan).

They following a first round that included British indie band Dry Cleaning, New York punk rockers Bodega, and Swedish alternative act Waterbaby, and a second announcement with Glasser, SPRINTS, GRÓA, Gruff Rhys, Ho99o9, Holly Macve and many others.

Founded in 1987 in Austin, TX, SXSW has grown to encompass tech, film and TV, music, education and culture. The entirety of the 2024 conference and festival will run from March 8-16.

In April 2021, it was announced that SXSW signed a “lifeline” deal with P-MRC, a joint venture between Penske Media Corporation and MRC, making P-MRC a stakeholder and long-term partner with the Austin festival. P-MRC is the parent company of Billboard.

SXSW 2024 is sponsored by Porsche, C4 Energy, Delta, and The Austin Chronicle.

Visit SXSW.com for more.

24 Jan 2024

Rock Hall of Fame Ceremony’s Debut on Broadcast TV a Hit for ABC

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame‘s primetime airing on ABC was a hit on New Year’s Day, drawing 13 million total viewers and a 0.38 rating among people people aged 18 to 49, according to Nielsen data.

The Jan. 1 airing, which was the ceremony’s first time on a broadcast network after decades on HBO, was the top choice among 18-49ers across primetime, topping NBC’s America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League (0.31), as well as Fox’s M*A*S*H: The Comedy That Changed Television special (0.20). The ABC special, which was edited down to three hours, followed the Nov. 3 live-streaming of the all-star event on Disney+, its new digital home following a deal struck last September. That four hour-plus version has been available to re-watch ever since for Disney+ subscribers.

“Moving to our new home at Disney has taken The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to a new level of awareness and engagement with music audiences around the world,” said John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. “They have a true understanding of music and the ability to deliver record viewership.”

The Rock Hall was founded in 1983 and inducted its first honoree — Chuck Berry — three years later. This year’s induction ceremony was held Nov. 3 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, Missy Elliott, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine and The Spinners were all inducted, along with DJ Kool Herc and Link Wray for musical influence; Chaka Khan, Al Kooper and Bernie Taupin for musical excellence; and Don Cornelius for the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

Highlights of the ceremony included Crow’s fist-pumping duet with Olivia Rodrigo, a tribute to Michael featuring Carrie Underwood, Miguel and Adam Levine, Big Boi’s stumping for Bush, a surprise pop-in by Jimmy Page and Elliott’s raucous closing medley, among other choice moments.