Music

14 Dec 2023

Top 10 Highest Grossing Rap Tours of 2023

Last week, Billboard revealed its year-end Boxscore charts, ranking the top tours, venues, and promoters of 2023. That coverage included analysis of the new wave of genre diverse artists crashing stadium stages, and in turn, our charts. Here, we are breaking down the year’s biggest tours, genre by genre. Today, we continue with rap.

Hip-hop had a confusing year, celebrating all of the groundbreaking art and success that has come in its first 50 years, while also dealing with a drought of crossover hits. But major releases from Drake, Nicki Minaj and Travis Scott helped momentum in the second half of 2023, while a new class of headliners waits in the wings.

Rap has never scaled on stage in quite the same way that pop, rock and country have. Its share of the top 100 tour grosses slips from 3.4% in 2022 to 2.7% this year, having peaked at 5.2% in 2019. And even as Latin and K-pop acts increase their touring footprint with international stadium shows, hip-hop artists have yet to cross that threshold. The genre’s biggest names have mounted stadium tours alongside pop peers (Jay-Z with Beyoncé and Justin Timberlake; Eminem with Rihanna) but outside of one-off dates, there has yet to be a major stadium tour by a rapper on their own.

That’s not to say that rap hasn’t generated stars big enough to compete with pop stars such as Taylor Swift and Harry Styles. R&B/hip-hop was confirmed as the most popular genre in America in 2017 and has continued that reign into the new decade. Rap artists led Billboard’s year-end Top Artist ranking for four consecutive years (2018-21) and there are six in this year’s top 20 – more than any other genre. With Doja Cat, Lil Uzi Vert, Rod Wave and Travis Scott already touring into the 2024 reporting period, the genre’s prospects are looking up.

Keep reading to check out the top 10 highest grossing tours of 2023 by hip-hop artists, with such acts qualifying due to recent performance on Billboard’s Top Rap Albums and/or Hot Rap Songs charts. Rankings are determined according to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore. All reported shows worldwide between Nov. 1, 2022 – Sept. 30, 2023, are eligible.

14 Dec 2023

Billboard Arabia Launches Website and Flagship Charts — With Plans for More

It’s a big day for Billboard Arabia, a partnership between media giant SRMG and Billboard, with the launch of both a new website and the platform’s first two global charts tracking popular music from the Middle East/North Africa (MENA).

Billboard Arabia made its official debut in June, eyeing to be the premiere global destination for artists with Arab roots. Since then, the platform has built up a sizable audience across social media, and with its website (check it out here), now has a home for evergreen content and timely news on latest releases, plus video, reviews and interviews with top artists, as well as exclusive coverage of regional and global events.

The website will notably spotlight the region’s musical legends and emerging stars with digital cover stories, celebrating the diversity of the Arab music landscape.

Central to the Billboard Arabia site — and any other platform bearing the Billboard name — are the authoritative charts that will live there. Launching this week are two global flagship charts: the Billboard Arabia Hot 100 and the Billboard Arabia Artist 100. The Hot 100, showcasing the most streamed Arabic songs, kicks off with a brace from Sherine Abdel Wahab (“Kalam Eneih” at No. 1 and “El Watar Al Hassas” at No. 2). The chart’s inaugural top five is filled out by tracks from Al Shami, Ayed and ElGrandeToto. The Artist 100 highlights the most popular Arab artists, with Sherine Abdel Wahab at No. 1, followed by ElGrandeToto, Marwan Pablo, Amr Diab and Ahmed Saad rounding out the top five.

Billboard Arabia logo

Billboard Arabia

Utilizing data from top digital streaming platforms such as Spotify, Anghami, Apple Music, YouTube and others, covering 200-plus territories, the charts are designed to reflect Arab music listening globally and not just in the MENA region. Starting in early 2024, Billboard Arabia will introduce eight genre-specific charts to showcase the diversity of Arab music, including Khaleeji, Egyptian, Magharabi, Levant, Arabic HipHop, Arabic Indie, Shelat, and Mahraganat.

These weekly charts will be released on the Billboard Arabia website and social media platforms every Thursday.

Billboard Arabia will also introduce other Billboard franchises to the MENA market, the fastest-growing region according to IFPI, including a Billboard Arabia Music Awards and Arabic Music Week, among others.

“This marks an exciting new chapter in the region’s music infrastructure, establishing a centralized platform to spotlight the thriving Arab music scene,” said Rami M. Zeidan, managing director of Billboard Arabia. “By continuing to elevate fan engagement and commemorate the evolution of Arab music, Billboard Arabia is committed to providing both established and new Arab artists and genres access to the global music market. Already, we’ve seen an increasing number of collaborations between Arab stars like Mishaal Tamer, Nancy Arjam, and Myriam Fares with global icons like Marshmello, Nicki Minaj, and Maluma. Billboard Arabia aims to further enhance this with the launch of our website and charts.”

Billboard president Mike Van added: “Billboard Arabia symbolizes the beginning of a new era—one where Arab artists are heard around the world. Our commitment to ensuring artists have a platform to resonate and engage with music fans has always defined Billboard, and we look forward to bringing this same passion to Billboard Arabia.”

Billboard Arabia is now live on its website and across X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube — all at the @billboardarabia handle.

14 Dec 2023

Double Feature: Beyoncé’s ‘My House’ Premieres in Top 10 on Rap & Dance Charts

Beyoncé earns her first lead entry on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart as “My House” debuts at No. 9 on the list dated Dec. 16. The standalone single, released on Dec. 1 via Parkwood/Columbia Records, accompanied the launch of Beyoncé’s concert film, Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, which arrived in theaters the same day. The house and rap-flavored track also starts at No. 2 on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart.

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For its debut week on both multimetric charts — which combine streaming, radio airplay and sales for its rankings — “My House” generated 9.7 million official U.S. streams in the tracking week of Dec. 1-7, according to Luminate and opens at No. 7 on the Rap Streaming Songs chart. The single sold 5,000 downloads in the same period, prompting its No. 2 entrance on the Rap Digital Song Sales ranking, and registered 1.8 million in total radio audience.

With “My House,” Beyoncé scores her sixth top 10 on Hot Rap Songs and first in a leading role. Here’s a look at the superstar’s six visits to the top tier:

Song Title, Artist, Peak Position, Peak Date

  • “’03 Bonnie & Clyde,” Jay-Z featuring Beyoncé Knowles, No. 2, Dec. 28, 2002
  • “Part II (On the Run),” Jay-Z featuring Beyoncé, No. 9, March 29, 2014
  • “Feeling Myself,” Nicki Minaj featuring Beyoncé, No. 6, June 6, 2015
  • “Walk on Water,” Eminem featuring Beyoncé, No. 6, Dec. 2, 2017
  • “Savage,” Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé, No. 1 (three weeks), May 16, 2020
  • “My House,” No. 9 (to date), Dec. 16, 2023

On the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, “My House” gives Beyoncé her fifth top 10 appearance. The previous four titles all come from the diva’s Renaissance album in 2022: the 11-week No. 1 “Break My Soul,” “Summer Renaissance” (No. 3), “Thique” (No. 4) and “Pure/Honey” (No. 6).

In addition to its top-10 premieres on the Hot Rap Songs and Hot Dance/Electronic charts, “My House” begins at No. 11 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and No. 57 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.

14 Dec 2023

Inside the Creation of ‘The Boy and The Heron’ Theme Song, Which Moved Miyazaki to Tears

Although The Boy and The Heron, the first film from beloved Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki in a decade, was released internationally in July, the breathtaking fantasy has caused quite a stir since its wide release in the U.S. on Dec. 8. The story of a troubled boy who enters a mysterious world following the death of his mother, The Boy and The Heron grossed nearly $13 million in its opening weekend to top the North American box office – the first Miyazaki film to do so.

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As more moviegoers discover the wonder of The Boy and The Heron, they’re also interacting with “Spinning Globe,” the moving end-credits song performed by longtime Japanese star Kenshi Yonezu. Years after Miyazaki first approached the artist about contributing a song to his long-awaited new film, “Spinning Globe,” a heartfelt ballad that blooms into a giant pop sing-along while incorporating element of Scottish folk music, has developed a following in its own right. The song earned 1.1 million official on-demand U.S. streams through Dec. 7, according to Luminate, and that number will surely rise following the film’s North American debut.

Prior to The Boy and The Heron hitting North American theaters, Kenshi Yonezu discussed the creation of “Spinning Globe,” and how the song yielded one of the most unforgettable moments of his career, in an email interview with Billboard.

What was your reaction when Hayao Miyazaki first approached you to write the theme to his next project?

I was simply flabbergasted, like, “What!?!”

Naturally, I thought, “Why me?,” you know. I heard some background stories of the approach and it turned out that Mr. Miyazaki had heard “Paprika” [a hit song Yonezu produced] on the radio. At a nursery school run by Ghibli, children were singing and dancing to the song; one day, Mr. Suzuki noticed Mr. Miyazaki singing along with them. He thought this could be some kind of destiny and brought up the idea, “How about asking the one who wrote this song to make the theme song of The Boy and the Heron?” and Mr. Miyazaki said, “That’s a good idea.”

Actually, I remember little of the first impression I had on their proposal. It could have had an impact on my memory, but I don’t even remember most of the scene either. I wonder why, and come to think of it, it was an honor, but at the same time, it was very much a scary thing. While it was the biggest honor in my life, chances were, it would put an end to my life as a music maker. That vague anxiety remained intact throughout the four years of making the song. So, to be honest, I don’t really remember how I felt at first.

How much pressure did you feel to create a song worthy of his genius?

For the past four years, this movie has always been in the corner of my head. No matter what I did – when I was writing a song that had nothing to do with it, or just living everyday life, a thin membrane that had the phrase The Boy and The Heron on it was always screening my view. It certainly put a heavy pressure on me, and there was always a sense of preparation for it.

Upon making the theme song of The Boy and The Heron, I thought once again, about what Ghibli movies were, and furthermore, what Mr. Hayao Miyazaki was to me. Then I realized that I have never had anyone to call my master. For instance, in neither music nor art, I experienced being taught something clearly by someone. I have never been into schoolwork and hardly experienced senior-junior or boss-subordinate relationships. I took a look back at my life and realized that I had very little experience of learning from older people and being greatly influenced by them as I shaped my personality. So perhaps I was looking for a master-like figure in Mr. Hayao Miyazaki, as a great master, or if I would say further, a father-like figure.

While his movies are full of celebrations, his books are full of poignant remarks. So, his words do deny me, but at the same time, tell me, “It’s okay for you to live.” I realized only recently, but somewhere in my mind, I might have been seeking that sort of fatherliness in him.

Ever since childhood, his movies have saved my life. And into adolescence, I just started considering him my mentor without asking. Personally speaking, he is probably my all-time number one master. And now I get to work with The Man. Here I am, face-to-face with him, who is seated at the other side of the table… I must take in his every single move, deed, and word. At first, I was trying so hard to look big, strained with tension.

“Spinning Globe” was inspired by the story of the film, but also your passion for Miyazaki’s work. How did you try to capture that passion in the music and lyrics?

At the first meeting I had with Mr. Miyazaki, he said that he would depict all the parts he had “hidden” in his past works, which were “the darkness and mess inside” of himself.

I thought the movie was entirely focused on them. And I had been fully aware since day one that it was simply impossible to make a song by summarizing the story itself. Then how should I do it? I came to the conclusion that the only way to make sense of this song was to focus on the relationship between the two axes: myself, who had grown up watching his movies, enjoying them, and gazing at his back creating them, and Hayao Miyazaki.

Therefore, although the (Japanese) title of the movie could be translated as “How do you live?,” my stance on making this song was more like, “I have lived my life this way,” or, “This is how I will keep going on with my life.” The only way for me to do this was to recapture Hayao Miyazaki in that sense and turn it into music. Therefore, the lyrics were written in that way as well. Having said that, this song is, of course, not on personal matters. I wrote this song for the movie; it projects the main character and what had swirled in the story. But at the same time, all sorts of things, such as Mr. Miyazaki himself and myself growing up watching Miyazaki movies, are also unraveled here while still in opacity. The lyrics go all the way back to one’s birth and into how to live life.

I wanted to start the lyrics from absolute celebration. Mr. Miyazaki has made movies to this day to tell children that “this world is worth living.” Taking that into consideration, I was pretty sure that the song should start from “You were brought into this world to be wanted,” otherwise it wouldn’t make sense.

How did “Spinning Globe” evolve over the years between Miyazaki first approaching you about the theme and its eventual release?

I received the storyboard in 2019, and spent the next four years reading it over and over again, and seeing the rushes of the movie.

At the beginning, it was the time to see if there was anything I could take in from the storyboard, or what to take in. When I received the storyboard, the movie did not have a release date yet; it was probably going to be quite far away in the future. So, I didn’t start working on the song immediately, but instead, spent a very long time figuring out what the movie was all about, and how I felt through looking at it with my own eyes. In fact, for about two years, I had the storyboard at the back of my head while working on other songs and living everyday life.

Then I found myself gradually becoming unable to see the storyboard in an objective way. Even the songs I had been working on at that time, I wondered if they were really okay. Maybe that was the time I had the deepest experience of such things. And when you take a long time working on a song, your appetite comes with eating… you might wonder if you should make it more gorgeous. So, I told myself not to forget the primal sensation of when I first thought it was okay. I created a demo first, and always went back to the feeling of the moment when I thought it was okay, and took a long time disciplining myself, “Adding will do no good… Adding will do no good…”.

Mr. Miyazaki said to me, “Be ambitious when you make a song.” I interpreted it my way, and making “Paprika 2” or something splashy with strings [is] something lazy for me. If asked if such things are ambitious, I don’t think so. As a music maker, I have always sought for something that was not there at that time. With each and every song, I have made it by taking in new elements, no matter how many. Personally speaking, that is what I call ambition.

This time, I made the song extremely simple and earthy. In a sense, it may make the song less pop, but I believe there are things and words that can only be depicted that way. Therefore, to me, this song – “Spinning Globe” – is a very ambitious piece of music.

One day, I had Mr. Miyazaki listen to the pre-recorded demo on the CD I had burned. I went to see him as if I had been on death row, thinking, “Do I have to be there?” We sat around a table, and while listening to this song coming from the speaker, Mr. Miyazaki shed tears in front of me. That is the most memorable moment in the past four years. I will carry it in my heart for the rest of my life.

The film focuses on profound loss, among other issues. Was it difficult to translate that theme into a pop format?

From day one, I already had the foundation of the song, which started with an idea of “creating a Scottish folk tune.” Why Scottish folk tune? It’s very hard to explain, but I have always felt something close to Scottish folk tunes to Mr. Miyazaki’s movies. And at the same time, I wanted to make something simple. Rather than layering different instruments to make it sound gorgeous, I wanted it to be really simple, with minimal instruments like the piano, and use my voice for the rest. I should make music that won’t age but not novel either. In other words, I should make something that is old from the start, in the format that you can listen to it for a long time. That idea has been my focus from the beginning.

I wanted to take an elaborate [creative] process for this song. As pre-production, I crafted the demo as I did the recording at the studio. However, although I did a proper recording, I was trying different instruments, and the mic setting was not really fixed yet. Then, even the creaking sound of the piano pedal made it in the demo. It was not intentional, but when I actually had it, I really liked the sound. I recorded the piano under proper recording circumstances, but the results were always not enough. I tried recording in many settings too.

I went to different studios and tried many pianos. Still, I couldn’t wipe away the feeling that nothing could beat the first piano with that creaking pedal…

I ended up recording with the piano that Yuta Bandoh, the co-arranger of the song, had at his parents’ place. It was an ordinary piano at a very general household. We set up a mic in the room he had lived since childhood, using this old piano his mother had played and passed onto him. The piano had not been maintained regularly, but the texture of its sound was the best to me.

What has the reaction to the song been like since its release, from both your fans and Miyazaki fans?

What kind of presence was the song “Spinning Globe” in The Boy and the Heron? Was it able to serve its role? I consciously try not to be a part of such discussions. I had four years of working face to face with this movie, and in the course of time, many forms were born and gone. It has been several months since the movie was out; I see four years’ worth of flashbacks come and go. But those should not be told anymore. The song “Spinning Globe” should be evaluated by the fans. Now I’m ready to face the next songwriting process.

14 Dec 2023

Grammy-Nominated Songwriters on ‘The Most Important Part of a Song’

When the Recording Academy announced the new songwriter of the year category in 2022, the move was widely praised — and considered a rare win for the songwriting community, which has faced major economic challenges in the streaming and TikTok era.

“With the visibility brought by this award comes power,” says Justin Tranter, one of the five nominees for the honor this year. “The more that people know we exist, the more we can make sure the next generation is taken care of.”

Along with the new category, the academy created a new Songwriters & Composers Wing, helmed by hit-maker and Seeker Music CEO Evan Bogart, to continue expanding its outreach to the songwriter community. “The underpinning of what we do as an academy is built on songs,” Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., said when announcing the new award and wing. “I started out as a songwriter myself, so the idea of honoring someone who is truly a professional songwriter and craftsperson is special.”

Though producers and artists often play a role in the songwriting process, the songwriter of the year award has specific rules to ensure that it honors the career songwriters who spend their days working primarily on melodies and lyrics, making it the rare space that formally honors the craft.

“As a songwriter, your job is to serve the artist,” the honor’s inaugural winner, Tobias Jesso Jr., told Grammy.com after his victory. “To have this symbol of ‘Hey, you can be creative as a songwriter and just be a songwriter who doesn’t sing and doesn’t produce, and you can get this prestigious symbol of your gifts that the world will now recognize’ — I think that’s a wonderful thing.”

When Billboard convenes this year’s nominees — a remarkably diverse sampling of today’s foremost hit-makers comprising Tranter, Jessie Jo Dillon, Shane McAnally, Edgar Barrera and Theron Thomas — the five songwriters express similar sentiments to Jesso’s and have an immediate camaraderie in conversation stemming from their shared vocation. “Songwriting is the most important part of a song,” Barrera says, “and it always will be.”

Every Billboard Hot 100 hit starts with the work of songwriters and producers. Though there has been a producer of the year, non-classical award at the Grammys since 1975, songwriters didn’t have their own category until last year. Why is it important that there’s a separate category to specifically honor songwriters?

Edgar Barrera: I do a lot of production, but I start my songs on guitar, and I produce after I have the song. Having a songwriter of the year award is super important because songwriting is the most important thing. Without a song there’s no touring, there’s no production, there’s no artists. There’s nothing.

Theron Thomas: I’ve never seen anybody sing along to a beat. I’m sorry. They don’t. They sing the words. Those lyrics touch people.

Justin Tranter: People say [of] awards that “Oh, it’s just an honor to be nominated.” Sometimes I think that’s bullsh-t, but with these four other nominees, I mean it. These are some of my favorite songwriters, period. To be in this company? Holy f–k!

Justin Tranter, Songwriters Roundtable

Justin Tranter, 43. Nominated for: “Gemini Moon” (Reneé Rapp), “Honey! (Are U Coming?)” (Måneskin), “I Want More” (Marisa Davila and the Cast of Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies), “Jersey” (Baby Tate), “A Little Bit Happy” (TALK), “Pretty Girls” (Reneé Rapp), “River” (Miley Cyrus)

Jenna Peffley

Have you all followed your fellow nominees’ work over the years? If so, is there anything you particularly admire?

Barrera: I’ve actually worked with Theron a lot. He’s the only one I’ve worked with from here. I wish I could work with everyone soon. I’ve been a fan of everyone here. Justin has been a huge inspiration to me, just hearing him talk about songwriters’ rights and everything. Hats off to you, Justin. You’re standing up for all of us. I wish we could all hang out. We all need to get together during Grammy week.

Thomas: Oh, we 100% have to. We got to write a song together.

Shane McAnally: That would be so amazing.

Barrera: That would be pretty interesting, having all the Grammy nominees write together. All different genres.

What moment made you feel like you had made it as a songwriter? Was this songwriter of the year nomination one of those career-defining moments?

McAnally: I don’t think I’ve had that “made it” moment. (Laughs.) I’m kidding. When I was 33, almost 20 years in at that point, I lost my house, lost my car. I was really done. Finally, I had a song recorded by Lee Ann Womack [2008’s “Last Call”], and it gave me this moment of like, “OK, I have a thread to hang on to.” But for me, I really exhaled for the first time when I won a Grammy with Kacey Musgraves [best country album and best country song for 2013’s Same Trailer Different Park and its single “Merry Go ’Round,” respectively]. I remember thinking, “How did this happen? It has fallen apart so many times.” I rode on that wave for a while, but this nomination? I mean, this is really special. This is a moment for me.

I feel so outside of things. Country music is dominating right now, but it’s the artists I don’t work with — Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs and Zach Bryan — so for this nomination to come now is a big deal. There’s a gap in political views for me, with Morgan specifically, and they’re just from a different group. I don’t want to stereotype or lump everyone together, but sometimes you just feel outside while other people are killing it, and to be acknowledged this year, when [my work] wasn’t maybe as commercially obvious as some of my past years, feels amazing. I also feel really good about the integrity of this group of [nominees]. I think I’m really good at this, and I’ve worked my ass off, but it feels really nice to be acknowledged right now.

Tranter: I’m beautifully delusional, and at 15, I was like, “I am the best,” even though that didn’t mean my songs were good; at 15, they were actually quite ­unlistenable. (Laughs.) But I’ve always been ­delusionally positive.

There was a moment when my band [Semi Precious Weapons] was ending, and I was considering going back to work in retail. I was with Tricky Stewart, the legendary producer, and he was like, “You’re a really good songwriter. I don’t think you should give up on music just yet.” I was 33, and if you’re in the music business at 33 without any success, it’s starting to look like maybe it is time to pack it up. Having someone like Tricky say that to me was a turning point. I’ll never forget when my first hit, “Centuries” by Fall Out Boy, went No. 2 on iTunes in 2014. I was like, “That’s it. I’ve made it. If this is my life and this is all the success there was, then I am OK with that.”

This year, it has been really special because I intentionally worked on newer artists and wanted to push myself and work on projects where I could really shine lyrically, which is my favorite part of songs. To see that the bulk of my submissions for songwriter of the year are very new artists that the general population is not aware of yet is special.

Jessie Jo Dillon: My dad [Dean Dillon] is a songwriter. He’s in the Country Music Hall of Fame, so I always had a huge complex about him. I was massively insecure. In my first publishing deal, I wrote with Mark Nesler, who wrote many songs I grew up loving. We were leaving the write and he said, “Hey, I just want to tell you something. You’re supposed to be doing this. You just have to trust yourself and keep doing it.” I’ll never forget him saying that. Shane is also one of the first people that told me I was any good, too, and I loved so much of his writing. It has all been other writers that made me feel like I was going to make it.

Jessie Jo Dillon, Songwriters Roundtable

Jessie Jo Dillon, 36. Nominated for: “Buried” (Brandy Clark), “Girl in the Mirror” (Megan Moroney), “Halfway to Hell” (Jelly Roll), “I Just Killed a Man” (Catie Offerman), “Memory Lane” (Old Dominion), “Neon Cowgirl” (Dan + Shay), “screen” (HARDY), “The Town in Your Heart” (Lori McKenna), “Up Above the Clouds (Cecilia’s Song)” (Brandy Clark)

Noah Needleman

Jessie Jo, your father came up in a very different time in the music business than you. Have you ever talked about the differences in being a songwriter from his generation to yours?

Dillon: I honestly don’t know how to give advice to newer songwriters. It used to be that you’d show up to a publisher and say, “Hey, I’ve been writing these songs. What do you think?” It feels like such a different game to break into now. I worry all the time that true, blue-collar songwriters who are writing every day in Nashville are going away. My dad says the money was much better in, say, the ’90s. Now because of streaming and everything, it’s hard to make ends meet. Maybe I’m being dramatic…

Tranter: No, I think you’re completely right. For me, fighting for songwriters’ rights is so easy because it’s not about me. I’ve had songs that have hit the top five at pop radio, which means my life is fantastic. Because I’m the lucky one, I need to fight for the next generation of songwriters.

I know a few young songwriters who are so talented. Their catalogs have a couple billion streams cumulatively, but one of them is still driving Uber. One is doing OnlyFans. They are doing whatever it takes to survive. If a song doesn’t go to radio, you don’t have much of anything. I think it’s very fair to say that the middle class of songwriters is going to be decimated — and it already is.

Barrera: It is looking really bad. In Latin, there are managers who get songwriting credits [despite not contributing to the songwriting] like it’s normal. It’s disrespectful to us because we write songs as our only source of income, but managers have a lot of other sources. I know a lot of big writers are still struggling. I feel bad for the next generation. I’m 33 years old, and I’ve been looking at all of this transition. Getting a radio single is really one of the only ways to make real money.

Dillon: It makes me sad to think about the next Diane Warren or Bernie Taupin, moving to Los Angeles or Nashville or Miami or New York or wherever, and that they maybe wouldn’t even get a publishing deal or be able to sustain themselves. Sometimes it takes a writer years of development to reach their full potential.

Barrera: There should be a songwriter fee, like there is for a producer. It’s not fair that the producer is the only one to make money from day one.

Thomas: Us talking like we are right now and standing up for each other is so important. I do have some producer friends who stand up for me, too, which I appreciate. They are like, “Yo, make sure you take care of Theron.” Communicating with each other, sticking up for the next generation and setting the standard high for ourselves can make things better. I think [fear of missing out] on a big record is the reason why a lot of executives get away with giving songwriters almost nothing. A lot of us fear missing out on being in the writing room on a big song because we speak up.

Theron Thomas, Songwriters Roundtable

Theron Thomas, 41. Nominated for: “All My Life” (Lil Durk featuring J. Cole), “I’ve Been Thinking” (Tyla), “Cheat- back” (Chlöe and Future), “How We Roll” (Ci- ara and Chris Brown), “Make Up Your Mind” (Cordae), “Pretty Girls Walk” (Big Boss Vette), “Seven” (Jung Kook and Latto), “Told Ya” (Chlöe and Missy Elliott), “You and I” (Sekou)

Christopher Ayme

Edgar, what moment made you feel like you had made it as a songwriter?

Barrera: Getting nominated for this Grammy. For me, that’s huge coming from the Latin market. Just getting to make it with Spanish songs. I was like, “What’s going on?” That’s when I realized that music almost has no language, no barriers. We’re a minority part of the music business, and we are changing the game for the Latin community. That’s why it was such an important moment.

Regional Mexican music had an especially big year in 2023, and you played a role in propelling its success. What is it like to be nominated during this pivotal year for the genre in particular, Edgar?

Barrera: I’ve worked with a lot of big names in Latin music, and this year was different because I decided to go back to my hometown [of McAllen, Texas] and support a local act, Grupo Frontera. We grew up together. Where we are from, on the border of Mexico and the U.S., being a songwriter and producer is not even a thing to be in life, you know? Getting the opportunity to support local acts and having them on a song with Bad Bunny, it just doesn’t happen every day. They’re so humble and for me, that’s what I enjoyed the most.

Before this, [Grupo Frontera’s] singer was making fences in McAllen, Texas. The accordion player was selling cows. The percussion player was selling cars. I met all those guys when they performed at a local tire shop for 20 people. Nobody was paying attention to them. They said, “We love what you write. Can you help us out?” And I said, “Of course, why not?” It has been life-changing. This is what is truly important — being part of a movement for regional Mexican with people I grew up with. It’s so full circle.

Edgar Barrera, Songwriters Roundtable

Edgar Barrera, 33. Nominated for: “Cuestion de Tiempo” (Don Omar), “Falsa Alar- ma (En Vivo)” (Grupo Firme), “Gucci los Paños” (Karol G), “La Despedida” (Christian Nodal), “Mi Ex Tenía Razón” (Karol G), “Que Vuelvas” (Carín León and Grupo Frontera), “Un Cum- bión Dolido” (Christian Nodal), “un x100to” (Grupo Frontera and Bad Bunny), “yo pr1mero” (Rels B)

Natalia Aguilera

Theron, what moment made you feel like you had made it as a songwriter?

Thomas: I moved here with $35 from St. Thomas [in the U.S. Virgin Islands]. I went to Miami, slept on the floor, moved to Atlanta. I [have] never felt like I made it because I always feel like I’m one hit away from having to tell my wife and kids, “It’s over. We’re going back to our first apartment with three kids and two bedrooms.” I am doing really well and money is no issue, but you know what I mean? I don’t want to lie and make something up. I don’t know if I’ve necessarily had [that moment]. I’m just minding my business and continuously working every day.

A couple of you mentioned what an honor it is to be nominated based on true passion projects. How do you balance taking on sessions with big names with great chances at commercial success — but that may not be as creatively fulfilling — and sessions with smaller artists that bring you creativity and joy but likely won’t result in a commercial hit?

McAnally: I’ve done the years of trying to get in every commercial room, and now I really like going with something I’m passionate about. Nobody has any idea what’s going to happen with songs nowadays. New artists can go viral in seconds. Old songs can, too. You just never know.

I have always had the most fun and the most success with things that I saw through from the beginning. I was there right when Kacey Musgraves came to Nashville. I was there when Sam Hunt came to Nashville. I was so enamored with what we were making because it was new, and we didn’t know if they were ever going to have success. I’m trying to get back to that.

Tranter: I was just looking at the Instagram account @indiesleaze, which is all photos from the era my band came up in. It was punk as f–k and gay as f–k. And I thought to myself, “25-year-old me would be so embarrassed [by] half of my catalog,” but hey, I got to make music the whole world has heard and my parents got to retire. I could not be more grateful for the songs that 25-year-old me would be talking sh-t about.

I am in a place now where I want to get back to “Do I f–king love this song?” And listen, I have my hits that I am so proud of, but now I want every single song that comes out from here on out to be something 43-year-old me is proud of and 25-year-old me is proud of, too.

Barrera: I’ve always been involved with artists that are up and coming. Working with big names is enjoyable, too, but for me, giving another song to a big-name artist is not that life-changing. I try to be involved from the beginning. For example, I met Maluma way before he was famous. We started off together. I helped him mold his music. I’ve done that with Christian Nodal and Camilo. I’ve always been involved from the very beginning because I feel like I can experiment a lot more with up-and-coming artists.

Shane McAnally, Songwriters Roundtable

Shane McAnally, 49. Nominated for: “Come Back to Me” (Brandy Clark), “Good With Me” (Walker Hayes), “He’s Never Gunna Change” (Lauren Daigle), “I Should Have Married You” (Old Dominion), “Independently Owned” (Alex Newell and Original Broadway Cast of Shucked), “Never Grow Up” (Niall Horan), “Start Somewhere” (Sam Hunt), “Walmart” (Sam Hunt), “We Don’t Fight Anymore” (Carly Pearce and Chris Stapleton)

Robby Klein

You’re an extremely diverse group, hailing from different genres, nationalities, races, genders and sexual orientations. Why is writers’ room diversity important?

Tranter: I just think it’s the right thing to do for humanity, but the way to really understand how important diversity in the writers’ room is [is] to show that it’s great for business. We are trying to make music that the whole world loves. The more diverse your writing room is, the more diverse the audience is going to be that enjoys that music.

I have a rule that I don’t write songs for women without a woman writer in the room. This is not because I’m trying to be a great person; it’s because I know it’s going to be a better song when a woman is writing, capturing her real lived experiences in the world.

How will you be celebrating on Grammy night?

Barrera: I’m going, and I want to see all these guys there. It is not a matter of winning or not. That night, for me, is to meet Shane, Justin, Jessie Jo and hang out with Theron. I’m just here for fun. I think we all deserve a night of fun… or a week, maybe. (Laughs.)

McAnally: I’ll be there this year to celebrate. I bought a suit for the Tonys that wasn’t ready in time, and now I have the perfect place to wear it.

Tranter: I am going for sure. We worked so hard to get nominated. I will be there with my mom and dad. I will look unbelievable. I’m going to have a f–king blast.

Thomas: I’m definitely going. Last year, I won record of the year with Lizzo for “About Damn Time,” [but] they [had] put me in the nosebleeds. I couldn’t go up onstage. When we won, I just cried. Not because I couldn’t go up there, but because I wanted to win so badly. I was so happy, but this year? We’re going to have better seats in that thing! Don’t tell on me, but I might need to sneak a little drink in there, too.

McAnally: I mean, I hope they get us better seats.

Thomas: Honestly, I’m just looking forward to meeting everyone. Last year was the first year they had this award, and I remember saying to myself that I wanted to be in the songwriter of the year category someday. Here I am this year — I’m in it, and I’m in it with you guys. Words can’t really express how this moment feels as a songwriter. To be celebrated on one of the most important nights in music, chosen by our peers. I’m excited about that, period.

Grammy Voter Guide

This story will appear in the Dec. 16, 2023, issue of Billboard.

14 Dec 2023

Madonna Jokes About Rumored Boyfriend, Plays Surprise Song During First NYC Celebration Tour Date

Madonna’s Celebration Tour rolled into Barclays Center on Wednesday (Dec. 13) for the first of several New York City dates. Two months after opening in London’s O2 Arena on Oct. 14 (with five of her children in attendance), The Celebration Tour is going strong. Billboard Boxscore recently reported that the tour tally so far is approaching $100 million in grosses, with the trek likely to net $225 million worldwide when all is said and done.

Despite a late start, the high-energy show featured a setlist surprise as well as an on-stage appearance by her rumored boyfriend, boxing coach Josh Popper, a reality TV veteran who runs a gym in New York City called Bredwinners.

The tour is a vocally impressive showing for the reigning Queen of Pop, especially given that a health scare forced her to postpone its start by a few months. And the setlist is a dream, encompassing essential Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s, deep-cut fan favorites and a few tracks she hasn’t trotted out in years. “It’s a tour which is essentially biopic in style, documentary in style,” Stuart Price – the tour’s music producer – told Billboard shortly after the Celebration Tour opened in London. The beating, bleeding heart of the show remains “Live to Tell,” which pairs the melancholy ballad with images of lives lost to HIV/AIDS (many of them being friends of Madonna’s). The most transcendent moment, however, is “Ray of Light,” which finds Madonna soaring above the crowd in an airborne window of sorts, belting out the sublime chorus while bubbling swaths of acid house roll around the crowd (which, naturally, loses its collective mind).

Madonna returns to Barclays Center on Thursday (Dec. 14) and Saturday (Dec. 16). The Celebration Tour swings back through NYC next year, hitting Madison Square Garden on Jan. 22, 23 and 29.

Check out the best moments from her first NYC date on The Celebration Tour below.

14 Dec 2023

Quavo Prepares to Enter His André 3000 Era in Tokyo With the Purchase of a Flute

André 3000 has been breaking records with his flute-forward solo album New Blue Sun. And while the no rapping, finger-snapping ambient jazz collection has disappointed some OutKast fans who were hoping for the first fresh bars from 3 Stacks in more than 20 years, it has clearly had a huge impact of fellow A-town MC, Quavo.

The Migos member has been chronicling his whirlwind visit to Japan on his Instagram over the past two weeks, and in one of his latest videos he appears open to following in André’s footsteps. Watching a street vendor show off his flute skills, Quavo asks someone off camera, “can you give me one? I want one. I want a flute,” he says as the man calmly trills behind him.

In the same post, Quavo is seen rapping on a monitor in what appears to be footage from a new music video for an unnamed song. Earlier in the week, Huncho posted a series of pics in which he chilled near a classic car with a tall stack of cash, as well as a shot of him eating sushi off the body of a naked woman, rocking a black kimono — which appears to be part of a costume for the same video — and breaking a board with his fist in a dojo. And, in the latest tribute to his late Migos bandmate, TakeOff, Quavo also appeared in a video with a shirtless Japanese fans who, literally, gave Huncho the TakeOff shirt off his back as a present, with the rapper dubbing his new favorite city “Tokyo-off.”

Quavo recently released his new Huncho Farms Cookbook, just in time for Thanksgiving, while providing meals for those in need.

Watch Quavo’s search for a magic flute below (video appears in fourth slide).

14 Dec 2023

Watch Ed Sheeran and Elton John Adorably Exchange Ugly Soccer-Themed Christmas Sweaters

Celebrities, they’re just like us. Look no further than mega-selling pop pals Elton John and Ed Sheeran, who posted a sweet video on Wednesday (Dec. 13) of their annual gift exchange. The 82-second clip opens with Sheeran in a dark blue puffer jacket preparing to go watch a soccer match between Ipswich Town and Watford with John.

“And I’ve brought him some Christmas presents,” Sheeran says. As he arrives at the stadium, Sheeran reveals that he’s gotten John a classic holiday gift: an ugly sweater (or “jumper” as they call them in England.) Asked by his companion if he thinks the famously stylish John will wear it, Sheeran laughs, “I doubt it.”

Cut to the two exchanging packages, Merry Christmases, a hug and “I love you”s before Sheeran shows off his truly terrible Christmas-themed Watford sweater and John proudly holds up his snowflake-decked Ipswich Town top; Sheeran is famously an Ipswich supporter. “Just what I wanted… A Watford jumper!” Sheeran enthuses as John busts out the Ipswich nickname, “come on you Tractor Boys!”

The two then hit the stands, where they perform an impromptu bit of John’s “Your Song” — and Sheeran steals John’s famous spectacles as a prank — before Ed raises his first in victory after his team bested Watford 2-1. An annoyed John, who bought the Watford team in the 1970s and served as its chairman and president for more than 25 years, shakes his head in resignation at the result.

The friends share one more hug and Sheeran sings a bit of their hit new holiday classic, “Merry Christmas,” which went straight to No. 1 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in 2021.

Watch the video below.

14 Dec 2023

Lady Gaga Children’s Picture Book Coming From ‘My Two Dads and Me’ Author

The life and times of Lady Gaga are the subject of a new children’s picture book titled Lady Gaga: A Little Golden Book Biography. The latest in the series of board books for actual Little Monsters — which has previously included the stories of Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, among others — is a 24-page dive into all aspects of Gaga’s rise to stardom.

Due out on Jan. 2, a description of the project promises to, “help your little one dream big with a Little Golden Book biography about pop music icon, actress, and philanthropist Lady Gaga. Little Golden Book biographies are the perfect introduction to nonfiction for young readers — as well as fans of all ages!”

It was written by best-selling children’s book author Michael Joosten (My Two Dads and Me) and illustrated by Laura Catrinella (Stupendously Sampson: Princess Auroras Horse) and is available for pre-order here now; though it’s not out yet, the books is already No. 27 on Amazon’s list of best-selling children’s books thanks to pre-orders.

According to Rolling Stone, the book tells the story of Gaga’s rise from aspiring singer Stefani Germanotta to “playing open mic nights, to appearing on stage at the Grammys and Oscars.” It also chronicles how the singer got her famous Queen-inspired stage name and became both a music and acting superstar, including a section on her Oscar-winning work in A Star Is Born.

Gaga has kept a relatively low profile lately, but she came out on Tuesday night to support her Star co-star, Bradley Cooper, at the Los Angeles premiere of his latest musical adventure, the Leonard Bernstein biopic Maestro. The pair met up on the red carpet, with Cooper rocking a three-piece black suit and Gaga matching his energy with her own tailored black suit with silver bead accents.

13 Dec 2023

Trevor Noah to Host 2024 Grammy Awards, Where He Is Also a Nominee: Only 4 Other Grammy Hosts Have Done That

Trevor Noah will host the 2024 Grammy Awards, which are set for Feb. 4. The comedian made the announcement on his Spotify podcast What Now? With Trevor Noah early on Thursday (Dec. 14).

“I’m hosting the Grammys. I’m excited about that, yeah,” he said on the podcast. “It’s a lot of fun. I enjoy the Grammys because I get to watch the show in person and then experience and comment on it in person while it’s happening.”

This will be the fourth consecutive Grammy telecast that Noah has hosted. As we learned when the nominations were announced on Nov. 10, Noah is also a current Grammy nominee for best comedy album for I Wish You Would. Noah is only the fifth Grammy host who was nominated that same year. And he could become just the second Grammy host to win a Grammy during a show he or she hosted. The first was Kenny Rogers, who won best country vocal performance, male for “The Gambler” on the 1980 telecast.

Noah received his first Grammy nod four years ago for his album Son of Patricia, which was a finalist for best comedy album. But he didn’t host that year; he took over the following year. (Alicia Keys hosted the show where he was a winner.)

Noah will also serve as a producer of the 66th annual Grammy Awards, which will be produced by Fulwell 73 Productions for the Recording Academy for the fourth consecutive year. Ben Winston, Raj Kapoor and Jesse Collins are executive producers.The show will be broadcast live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on CBS from 8-11:30 p.m. ET/5-8:30 p.m. PT and will be available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+.

Noah, 40, is best known for hosting Comedy Central’s The Daily Show from 2015-22. He won a Primetime Emmy in 2017 for a hosting a spin-off show, The Daily Show – Behind the Scenes, which was voted outstanding short form variety series.

Here are all the hosts of the live Grammy telecast (which began in 1971) who were nominees that same year.