Music

20 Nov 2023

A$AP Rocky Can’t Concentrate During Interview When He Hears Rihanna’s Laugh

If true love is being able to hear your beloved’s signature laugh from across a crowded, noisy room, then A$AP Rocky is the love guru. During an interview over the weekend on the red carpet at the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix race, Rocky was preparing to answer a question when he heard a familiar chuckle from an undisclosed location that stopped him in his tracks.

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“I believe that…” Rocky began saying before his eyes got side and he glanced around with a look of pleasant surprise on his face. “What the f–k is that? What was that?” he asked with a smile.

The moment, of course, instantly bred a meme, with fans going hard on jokes about Rocky’s apparent delight in hearing the voice of the mother of their two children, RZA and Riot Rose. “Chile, ASAP heard Rihanna’s giggle and lost his train of thought tryna figure out who was making this woman laugh! Aww,” wrote one, while another paid tribute to Rocky’s Spidey sense.

While fans have been eagerly anticipating Rihanna’s follow-up to 201’s Anti album, according to People, during the race weekend A$AP said there is no reason for him to collaborate with Rih-Rih on a song because they’ve already made beautiful music together at home. “I think we do a real great job at collaborating [by] making children,” he said. “I think that’s our best creation so far! Nothing is better than [RZA and Riot] out there. I mean, we had a third designer come and help, a ghost designer named God, [who] shaped everything. And we had these beautiful angels, so that’s the best collaboration.”

The couple were among the bevy of stars who came out for Saturday’s first F1 race in Sin City, which included Brad Pitt, Anthony Mackie, Terry Crews, will.i.am, Steve Aoki, Rod Stewart, Shaquille O’Neal, Usain Bolt, Kylie Minogue, Lupita Nyong’o, Gordon Ramsey and many more.

Watch A$AP’s reaction and see some of the best memes below.

20 Nov 2023

8 Must-Hear New Country Songs: Ashley Monroe, Midland, Priscilla Block & More

This week’s new country round-up features Ashley Monroe’s ethereal, dreamy new song, while Midland offers up a rendition of one of Glen Campbell’s signature songs and Bill Anderson is part of an all-star Country Music Hall of Fame lineup.

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Ashley Monroe, “Over Everything”

Three-time Grammy nominee Monroe returns with her first new music since her 2021 project Rosegold and with it, further refines her place as one of the most engaging vocalists in the country music firmament. Written with Al Anderson and Scott Stepakoff, “Over Everything” offers her distinct, fluttering soprano over molten, muted percussion as she envisions escaping a town that brings days of monotony and continual emotional baggage for a life similar to the freedom she finds in her dreams. Airy, understated and clear-eyed, the song is lifted by the quiet assuredness in Monroe’s vocal.

Wyatt Flores, “Life Lessons”

Over the past few years, the runaway success of artists like Zach Bryan has also bolstered success for other genre-melding, country/Americana-influenced artists such as Oklahoma native Flores, who has seen such songs of his as “Please Don’t Go” and “Losing Sleep” gain major traction on streaming. On the rollicking, banjo-led title track to his new seven-track EP Life Lessons, Flores delves deep into his country and bluegrass influences. With a vocal both wide-eyed and wisened, Flores reflects that while neither of his grandparents graduated from high school, it’s in his blood that his lessons are learned best on the road rather than from a blackboard. Life Lessons also features his previous releases “West of Tulsa” and “Holes.”

Midland, “Wichita Lineman”

From their debut single “Drinkin’ Problem,” through more recent releases Let It Roll and “Cheatin’ Songs,” this harmony-based trio’s Mark Wystrach, Cameron Duddy and Jess Carson have long demonstrated the deep influence of over four decades of country music on their projects, which are spilling with vintage country references. Now, the band offers up an adept rendering of a country classic, this 1968 signature hit from the late Glen Campbell, a song they’ve regularly featured in their live shows, Sinewy guitar lines bring a languid pace to the song, accented by Wystrach’s silken lead vocal, before the song spaces out with a bluesy, rock-leaning guitar line.

Meg McRee, “History of Heartbreak”

“In the history of heartbreak/ This one’s in the hall of fame,” McRee sings pointedly over rippling, melancholy acoustic guitar. This Vanderbilt grad has steadily constructed a reputation as a potent songcrafter, writing songs for Grace Potter, Caylee Hammack and Elle King. She expands on that position with this raw and woeful track, written alongside Ashley Monroe and Bryan Simpson. The song also serves as the title track to McRee’s upcoming Dec. 8 full-length project.

Priscilla Block, “Hey, Jack”

She’s gussying up with cutoff jeans, press-on nails and boxed haircolor, looking to soothe a heartbreak with a night out on the town. Block is known for her witty feminist anthems and uproarious fare like “Off the Deep End” and “Thick Thighs.” On her latest, she notes, “I’m sorry, champagne, maybe some other day/ There ain’t nothin’ to celebrate.” Maybe so, but here, she proves even her songs about busted love have a swagger and verve. Block wrote the track with Randy Montana, Dave Cohen and Jeremy Stover.

Tanner Usrey and Ella Langley, “Beautiful Lies”

For his debut project Crossing Lines, Usrey refreshes his breakthrough song, “Beautiful Lies,” by teaming with “Excuse the Mess” singer-songwriter and Alabama native Ella Langley. Usrey trades in resignation rather than angst here, layered with Langley’s impassioned drawl, as they sing about a self-destructive relationship. “My first mistake was believing that you would stay/ When I know every good damn thing, it fades,” they sing. Their harmonies are pristine, soaring over understated guitar and softened percussion. A superb pairing of two earnest vocalists.

Bill Anderson, Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, Bobby Bare & Jimmy Fortune, “The Country I Grew Up With”

Five members of the Country Music Hall of Fame join forces here, spearheaded by Bill Anderson. The song begins with Gill’s warm tenor, building with the addition of Anderson, Bare, Nelson and Fortune as they trade off memories of a bygone era, meeting and spending time with their fellow country artists, including Loretta Lynn and Porter Wagoner, and discussing the warmth and generosity they felt from their close friends and artists.

As the song progresses, they mourn the loss of such friendships, and the term “country” shifts from country music to America, as they mourn a country tattered by anger and division. “There’s not enough love and too much hate,” they sing.

Anderson wrote the song with Lance Miller and Bobby Tomberlin, with production from Anderson and Thomas Jutz. An all-star cast of musicians aid the song, including drummer John Gardner, guitarist Jutz, bassist James Gordon Freeze, pianist Dirk Johnson, fiddler Tammy Rogers and pedal steel guitarist Scotty Sanders.

Renee Blair, “Hillbillies and Betties”

Renee Blair has found greater acclaim over the past year as a writer on the rock-tinged Lainey Wilson/HARDY collaboration “Wait in the Truck.” But in her own latest unabashedly country release, tender banjo and steel guitar are laced around the song’s notion of enduring small-town love stories that blossom around a shared cola, nights spent in a Chevy truck and saving up money in pursuit of two lovers’ shared dream. Blair wrote the song with Blake Pendergrass, Nick Bailey and Lenny Pey.

20 Nov 2023

Watch Every 2023 Billboard Music Awards Performance

The 2023 Billboard Music Awards took place Sunday (Nov. 19) and delivered a star-studded show with amazing sets from some of music’s biggest stars.

This year’s event — presented by Marriott Bonvoy and produced by Dick Clark Productions — offered a reimagined show that entertained fans with exclusive behind-the-scenes content and performances tailored to each artist, all of it streaming at BBMAs.watch and the Billboard and BBMAs’ social channels.

Karol G kicked off the evening with a wet and wild performance of two tracks from her hit album Manana Sera Bonito, and also surprised fans with a collaboration on Kali Uchis’ upcoming album. Other sets included Mariah Carey’s awards-show debut of her holiday classic “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Peso Pluma hitting the ring with boxing legend Mike Tyson for “Rubicon,” Stray Kids’ lighting up the stage with “S-Class” and “LALALALA,” and many more.

The big winner of the night was Morgan Wallen, who took home 11 wins and performed “’98 Braves” from the home of the Atlanta Braves — Truist Park. Taylor Swift was close behind with 10 wins, with those victories putting her in a tie with Drake for the all-time winningest artists at the BBMAs, with 39 each. Though the pop superstar didn’t perform on the show — she’s currently in South America for her Eras Tour — she did share her excitement over her BBMAs victories in a video acceptance speech.

“I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have you in my corner and caring about the music that I make,” she gushed in appreciation of her fans. “So thank you — thank you, thank you, thank you 10 million times — for this.”

Watch — or rewatch! — all of the 2023 Billboard Music Awards performances below.

20 Nov 2023

Women Swept the Top Awards at the 2023 Latin Grammys: Here Are 6 Times This Happened at the Grammys

You’ve probably heard that women swept the Big Four awards at the 2023 Latin Grammys for the first time in the show’s 24-year history. The show was held on Nov. 16 in Seville, Spain.

Colombian singer Karol G won album of the year for Mañana Será Bonito, which made history as the first all-Spanish language album by a woman to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Mexican singer Natalia Lafourcade won record of the year for “De Todas las Flores.” Colombian superstar Shakira won song of the year for “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” which was a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. (Shakira co-wrote the song with a male collaborator, Bizarrap.) Venezuelan singer Joaquina, just 19, took best new artist.

Women artists – counting either solo artists or group members — have swept each of the Big Four Awards at the Grammy Awards six times. We’ll take a closer look at those six occasions, but first we’ll discuss one situation that came close, but didn’t quite measure up to the others.

In 2008, Amy Winehouse won record and song of the year for “Rehab,” a top 10 hit on the Hot 100. She also won best new artist. Album of the year went to Herbie Hancock’s River: The Joni Letters. Five women – Norah Jones, Joni Mitchell, Corinne Bailey Rae, Luciana Souza and Tina Turner – won Grammys as featured artists on that album, but Hancock was the principal artist.

Here are the six times women artists – either solo artists or full-fledged group members – have swept each of the Big Four Awards at the Grammy Awards.

20 Nov 2023

Snoop Dogg Isn’t Really Giving Up Smoking: Here’s What He’s Actually Doing

Snoop Dogg giving up the smoke is like Slick Rick hanging up his signature neck-breaking chains: ain’t gonna happen, ever. But, last week the Doggfather momentarily pulled a fast one on all of us when he seemingly declared with a straight face that he was giving up his lifelong weed habit. “I’ve decided to give up smoke,” Snoop said in a statement on his socials.

It seemed unlikely that the MC who has rarely been seen without his trusty blunt for the past three decades would so suddenly and inexplicably give up the habit that has made him the world’s most beloved stoner. So, it should also come as no surprise that there was more than met the (bloodshot) eye to his announcement.

He cleared the air on Monday morning (Nov. 20), revealing that the “smoke” part of his statement was the key in unveiling his latest endorsement deal. “Go smokeless with Snoop Dogg,” read the headline on the website for the Solo Stove firepit company. The release noted that the brand’s limited-edition collab with Snoop includes a $350 “Snoop Stove” featuring the rapper’s logo, signature and a pair of dog paws emblazoned on the side, as well as a bucket hat and sticker pack.

In an accompanying video, a solemn Snoop intoned, “I have an announcement. I’m givin’ up smoke,” as he sat among chirping crickets in the woods by himself. “I know what you’re thinkin’, ‘Snoop, smoke is kinda your whole thing!’ But I’m done with it. Done with the coughing and my clothes smelling all sticky icky. I’m going smokeless,” he added as the camera panned back to frame the rapper sitting in front of a Solo firepit. The limited edition Snoop Dogg Solo stove is on sale now here.

In a statement, Snoop said, “I love a good fire outside but the smoke was too much. Solo Stove fixed fire and took out the smoke. They changed the game and now I’m excited to spread the love and stay warm with my friends and family.”

The company said that Snoop will partner with the company on “smokeless product innovation and contribute toward designing a new signature line of Snoop Dogg x Solo Stove products.”

Solo Brands CEO John Merris added in a statement, “We’re stoked to have a product so good, it even inspired Snoop to go smokeless. As the most popular smokeless fire pit in the world, Solo Stove is all about bringing people together and creating a vibe that encourages you to sit back, relax, and enjoy your time with friends and family. Snoop, like Solo, is about good moments, and we’re looking forward to welcoming even more people to the Solo Stove family.”

Watch Snoop’s smokescreen announcement below.

20 Nov 2023

Cardi B Slams N.Y. Mayor Over Budget Cuts to Education: ‘What’s Going to Happen to My Cousins, Aunts and My Friends?’

As Americans gear up for the next year of election madness, Cardi B got a head start on endorsing a candidate for president on Sunday (Nov. 19) when she revealed who she’s planning to back in the expected second smackdown between Pres. Biden and former one-term president Donald Trump.

“I don’t give a f–k… I’m not endorsing no f–king presidents no more,” Cardi said in a heated 10-minute-long Instagram livestream rant in which she stridently expressed her views on New York Mayor Eric Adams’ announced budget cuts while slamming Biden’s support for funding the wars in Ukraine and Israel. “Joe Biden’s talking about, ‘Yeah, we can fund two wars. We can fund two wars.’ Motherf–kers talkin’ about ‘we don’t got it, but we got it. We’re the greatest nation.’ No the f–k we’re not! We’re going through some s–t right now.”

Cardi made news during the 2020 election when she interviewed then-candidate Joe Biden for Elle magazine, telling him “I just want Trump out” and endorsing the former two-time veep for president over the twice-impeached real estate mogul currently facing four indictments on 91 felony charges in cases tied to his alleged alleged election interference, retention of classified documents and financial misdeeds by his titular company.

But now as Biden tries to convince recalcitrant Republicans in the House to support his call for robust military aid for the wars in Ukraine and Israel, Cardi sounds like she’s basically done with politics and politicians.

“I’m an angry b–ch… I need y’all to spread this video, and if something happens to me, it’s because I’m speaking truth. So God forbid something happens to me, or my family or some s–t, it’s because n—as is after me because I’m speaking the truth,” Cardi said in the new clip in which she’s dressed down in a fluffy grey robe and purple hair bonnet.

“In New York, there is a $120 million budget cut that’s going to affect schools, public libraries, and the police department — y’all know I don’t give a f–k about the cops, but it is what it is,” she added. “There’s gonna be a $120 million budget cuts, with schools, with libraries and the cops… And a $5 million budget cut in sanitation. B–ch, we are gonna be drowning in f–king rats,” the Bronx-bred MC said.

Last week, embattled mayor Adams unveiled harsh budget cuts for the city’s police department and schools, with CBS News reporting that 653 schools — or 43% of the school system — will be impacted by mid-year budget cuts totaling more than $120 million. The announcement from Adams came after the mayor’s budget director said that the belt-tightening was necessary due to a $7 billion budget gap caused in part by the need to shelter asylum seekers and a reduction in federal COVID-19 relief funds.

“Where these kids gonna go. Like, I’m lucky. I’m blessed,” Cardi said. “I’m whatever the f–k, but what’s going to happen to my nieces? What’s going to happen to nephews? What’s going to happen to my cousins, my aunts, my friends that’s livin’ in the hood?… B–ch New York is already f–king super dirty.”

In addition to being incensed about the sanitation, safety and school cuts, Cardi seemed especially upset about Biden’s financial support of Israel’s retaliatory war against the terrorist Hamas group, which invaded the country and killed more than 1,200 and kidnapped over 240 citizens in its murderous Oct. 7 attack. She’s also seemingly mad about the administration’s continued financial and military aid to Ukraine’s war against invading forces from Russia.

“Y’all need to sit the f–k down with these people and find agreement. No we cannot fund these f–king wars!” Cardi said. “The world is in f–king shambles… we can’t fund these wars. We can barely f–king fund this country. Finish it! Y’all need to finish it! Stop frontin’ like you got the f–kin’ money! You don’t got no money. You don’t got no sugar for your honeys.”

Cardi warned that these kind of extreme cuts are coming to everyone’s states and that crimes will go up “through the roof,” kids won’t have places to read and streets will be filled with “rats and squirrels and raccoons” if the budget reductions go through.

Though the message from Cardi was full of dark foreboding about the future, it ended with something that sounded positive. “I’m gonna finish recording this motherf–in’ song… and I’m gonna go to bed. We don’t sleep over here, b–ch… I’m on a very tight schedule with this album. I’m almost finished, it’s almost there,” she said of her eagerly anticipated follow-up to full-length studio debut, 2018’s Invasion of Privacy.

Check out a capture of Cardi’s video below.

20 Nov 2023

Watch Taylor Swift’s Emotional Performance of ‘Bigger Than the Whole Sky’ Following Death of Fan in Brazil

Taylor Swift gave her mournful Midnights bonus track “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” its live debut Sunday (Nov. 19), seemingly paying tribute to a fan who died after attending an Eras Tour show two nights prior in Brazil.

The 33-year-old pop star started her acoustic set by playing Reputation‘s “Dancing With Our Hands Tied” on guitar before transitioning over to her piano, looking visibly emotional. As she sang the first few grief-stricken lines of the track, fans in the crowd at Rio de Janeiro’s Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos erupted with knowing cheers.

“Did some bird flap its wings over in Asia?/ Did some force take you because I didn’t pray?” Swift sang, remaining stoic throughout the song. “Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye/ You were bigger than the whole sky.”

Sunday night marks the first time the 12-time Grammy winner has performed “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” as a surprise song or otherwise. It came two nights after 23-year-old Ana Clara Benevides Machado passed away after attending Swift’s Friday concert in Rio, where many fans reported feeling ill due to extreme heat in the stadium. According to organizer Time4Fun’s Instagram post, paramedics took Machado to a first-aid center, then to a hospital, where she died an hour later. Saturday’s show was postponed to Monday.

Swift didn’t address the incident during Sunday’s show, although she’d previously warned fans that she would be unable to speak about Machado’s death onstage as she felt “overwhelmed by grief when I even try to talk about it.” “I can’t even tell you how devastated I am by this,” she also wrote in a statement on Instagram Stories at the time. “There’s very little information I have other than the fact that she was so incredibly beautiful and far too young.”

“I want to say now I feel this loss deeply and my broken heart goes out to her family and friends,” she’d added. “This is the last thing I ever thought would happen when we decided to bring this tour to Brazil.”

Watch Swift’s emotional performance below:

20 Nov 2023

Dolly Parton Can’t Stop Rocking, Drops Deluxe ‘Rockstar’ Edition With Maneskin-Fueled ‘Jolene’ Cover

If you thought Dolly Parton was done rocking, you were sorely mistaken. Just days after the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer dropped her first rock album, Rockstar, the country icon dropped an expanded exclusive download version with two bonus tracks.

In addition to her take on Eddie Money’s 1977 burner “Two Tickets to Paradise,” the expanded Rockstar adds an urgent run through Dolly’s iconic “Jolene” aided by Italian rockers Måneskin. “Surprise! Did you all think I was done? I’m giving you not one but TWO more ‘Rockstar’ bonus tracks,” Parton, 77, wrote on Instagram of the tracks that are available exclusively on her official site.

The fresh tracks join the impressive roster of rock luminaries who joined Parton on her first foray into rock after more than six decades ruling the country charts. In addition to nine originals, Parton partners up on the 21 other songs with a number of their original performers, including Sting (“Every Breath You Take”), Heart’s Ann Wilson (“Magic Man”), John Fogerty (“Long As I Can See the Light”), Peter Frampton (“Baby, I Love Your Way”), Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (“I Hate Myself For Loving You”), goddaughter Miley Cyrus (“Wrecking Ball”) and Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr (“Let It Be”).

Upon the album’s release, Parton wrote a thank you note to her fans for following her down her latest creative path. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of the Rockstar album and I can’t tell you how happy I am that it’s finally here to be released!” she said on Instagram. “I really had a wonderful time working with all these iconic artists on the record and all these iconic musicians. Not to mention all these great iconic songs that I think everybody will love hearing again. I just hope you enjoy my version of them!”

Listen to Parton’s new version of “Jolene” below.

20 Nov 2023

Drake Got New Face Ink Featuring a Common Hometown Arabic Slang Phrase

Drake added some more ink to his face recently, as seen in pictures over the weekend in which some Arabic script was spotted above the rapper’s right eyebrow. As spotted by HipHopDX, on Saturday (Nov. 18), photographer Brent Kore posted an image of Drizzy’s new face art on his Instagram Stories, capturing the phrase “miskeen” in an arch over Drake’s eye.

The phrase is commonly used in the large Somali community in Drake’s Toronto home town and comes from the Arabic word “miskin,” which is commonly defined as “misfortunate” or “poor”; the University of Toronto magazine gave the translation as “a pathetic person or situation.” Check out an image of the tattoo here. At press time it did not appear that Drake had posted an image of his latest ink or explained its significance.

It joins another homage on his face that the 6 God got last summer, his mother’s initials, SG (for Sandra Gale), under his left eye.

Drake’s all-time Billboard Music Awards record of 12 trophies in one night (2019) was almost broken on Sunday (Nov. 19) when Morgan Wallen pulled in 11 awards at the 2023 show. With 10 wins on Sunday, Taylor swift pulled into a tie with Drake for all-time BBMA wins at 39 each. Drake took home top rap artist for a record-extending fifth time, top rap tour for the second time, and top rap album (Her Loss) and top rap song (“Rich Flex”) for his successful collaboration with 21 Savage.

On Friday, Drake released the Scary Hours 3 EP, a six-song collection of freshly-recorded tracks tacked on to the new edition of his recent For All the Dogs album.

20 Nov 2023

Jack Harlow Eyes Second Week at No. 1 In U.K. With ‘Lovin On Me’

Brits are still lovin on Jack Harlow.

The Louisville rapper landed his first U.K. No. 1 and fourth top 10 last Friday, Nov. 17, when “Lovin On Me” (via Atlantic) debuted at the top spot.

Based on sales and streaming data captured by the Official Charts Company from the first 48 hours of the chart cycle, “Lovin On Me” should stay put when the next chart is published.

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The track, which samples Cadillac Dale’s 1995 R&B track “Whatever,” leads the First Look survey ahead of The Beatles’ “Now And Then,” which is set to rebound to No. 2. The Beatles’ final song, “Now And Then” recently became the Fab Four’s 18th U.K. No. 1 and dipped 1-6 on the most recent, weekly chart.

Casso, Raye and D-Block Europe’s club cut “Prada” (Ministry of Sound) completes the top three at this early stage in the chart week.

Meanwhile, Tate McRae has her sights set on a fourth U.K. top 10 with “Exes” (RCA), which looks set to enter at No. 10, for the week’s highest new entry. The Canadian artist’s latest hit “Greedy” is still flying high on the U.K. chart, and sits at No. 4 on the latest update – just one spot below its highest chart position.

There’s Christmas cheer in the top tier of the chart blast, as Wham’s “Last Christmas” (Epic) is poised to lift 26-13, and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Columbia) could rise 28-15. Both holiday classics are former No. 1s, and, earlier this month, set a new record for the earliest seasonal appearance of a Christmas song on the tally.

Finally, the Official Charts Company notes, Zara Larsson and David Guetta’s latest collaboration “On My Love” (Black Butter/Parlophone) is on the cusp of its first appearance in the top 20, lifting to 21-18 on the chart blast.

All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Singles Chart is published late Friday, Nov. 24.