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Quavo has been honored as the ‘Humanitarian of the Year’ at the eighth annual Variety Hitmakers Brunch, held on Dec. 7 at Nya Studios in Hollywood.
The accolade recognized the GRAMMY-nominated rapper and philanthropist’s transformative advocacy against gun violence, a mission he embraced following the tragic 2022 loss of his nephew and fellow Migos member, Takeoff.
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The award was presented by Greg Jackson, Deputy Director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, who praised Quavo’s tireless efforts to combat the epidemic through his Rocket Foundation. Launched in November 2022 in Takeoff’s honor, the foundation supports community-based programs addressing gun violence and has grown into a powerful movement for change in just two years.
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Quavo’s work has impacted communities at both local and federal levels. In March, the Rocket Foundation introduced Sparks Grants, distributing $10,000 each to 10 Atlanta organizations dedicated to creating safer neighborhoods. Over the summer, Quavo partnered with the Offender Alumni Association to host a music education workshop for at-risk youth as part of the Rocket Camp initiative.
On the national stage, Quavo’s advocacy contributed to the establishment of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
He met with Vice President Kamala Harris during the Congressional Black Caucus legislative conference in September 2023 and hosted the inaugural Rocket Foundation Summit on Gun Violence Prevention in Atlanta earlier this year. Quavo also joined Harris at a rally to promote the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, one of the most comprehensive federal gun control laws in U.S. history.
The Rocket Foundation partners with organizations like the Offender Alumni Association, H.O.P.E. Hustlers, Community Justice Action Fund, and LIVE FREE to address gun violence through community-driven solutions.
Beyond his advocacy, Quavo remains a prominent figure in music and entertainment. As a key member of Migos, he achieved multiple No. 1 hits on the Billboard charts and collaborated with top-tier artists like Justin Bieber, Travis Scott, and Post Malone.
His recent solo ventures include tracks with Lana Del Rey, Peso Pluma, and Lenny Kravitz, showcasing his ability to blend genres while staying true to his Atlanta roots. Quavo’s versatility also extends to acting, with appearances in Atlanta, Black-ish, and films like Praise This.
Iron Maiden have announced their new touring drummer, fresh off the back of longtime percussionist Nicko McBrain‘s decision to stop performing live with the band.
News of McBrain’s departure was announced on Saturday, Dec. 7, with the 72-year-old musician announced that he is retiring from the road, making Saturday’s concert at Allianz Parque in São Paulo, Brazil his final show with the legendary rock band.
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“After much consideration, it is with both sorrow and joy, I announce my decision to take a step back from the grind of the extensive touring lifestyle,” McBrain shared in a statement on Iron Maiden’s website. “I wish the band much success moving forward.”
McBrain joined Iron Maiden in 1982, replacing Clive Burr, who had performed on the group’s first three albums. While McBrain had left the group Trust to take on the Iron Maiden role, Burr’s unceremonious exit saw him taking over McBrain’s newly-vacated role as drummer of Trust – effectively seeing the two musicians switching roles.
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Despite being in Iron Maiden since 1982, McBrain was the second most-recent addition to the lineup, save for guitarist Janick Gers who joined in 1990.
In a statement shared on Sunday, Dec. 8, Iron Maiden have now revealed that drummer Simon Dawson will take on the role of drummer for the band moving forward, having previously performed with co-founder Steve Harris on his British Lion project.
“As The Future Past Tour concludes after 81 shows to over 1.4 million fans, from Ljubljana to the Coachella Valley and from Western Australia to Sao Paulo, Iron Maiden are delighted to announce that stepping in behind the kit for 2025 is a name familiar to many of our fans – Simon Dawson, a former session drummer and Steve’s rhythm section partner of the past 12 years with British Lion,” the statement reads.
“A native of Suffolk, England, Simon first teamed up with Steve Harris back in 2012. He debuted on three tracks on the first British Lion album and all of the second critically acclaimed The Burning, plus the many subsequent tours in the US, UK, Europe, Australia, Japan, New Zealand &, most recently, both Mexico and South America.”
While McBrain has announced he will be stepping away from touring, he notes that he will remain closely connected to the band. He confirmed that he’ll continue to be involved in “a variety of projects” with Iron Maiden, while also focusing on personal ventures and his existing businesses.
“I look into the future with much excitement and great hope! I’ll be seeing you soon, may God bless you all, and, of course, ‘Up the Irons!’” he wrote.
Iron Maiden will launch The Run For Your Lives tour in 2025, celebrating 50 years of the band. The tour will launch in Budapest on May 27, with 32 other dates currently scheduled for around Europe.
In the final week of November, Clockenflap 2024 transformed Hong Kong’s iconic Victoria Harbor into a gathering point for music lovers, blending the city’s history and cultural energy with a lineup that crossed genres and borders.
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More than 60,000 fans came together from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1 to witness headliners Jack White, Central Cee, and St. Vincent share the bill with AIR, Creepy Nuts, Glass Animals, as well as a mix of local and international acts. Since its start in 2008 as an indie gathering, Clockenflap has grown into a major international event, attracting world-class artists and fans from all corners of the globe.
Jack White’s closing performance on the Harborflap Stage was nothing short of spectacular as the rocker made his Hong Kong debut. Wasting no time, White dove headfirst into a set that spanned his illustrious career, pulling from his three No. 1 Billboard 200 albums – Blunderbuss, Lazaretto, and Boarding House Reach. Fans erupted as Jack White delivered a throwback with The Raconteurs’ “Steady, As She Goes,” a track penned by White and Brendan Benson that peaked at No. 54 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Alternative Airplay chart (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks) in 2006.
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However, the night undeniably belonged to “Seven Nation Army.” Its iconic riff, chanted in unison by thousands of fans long after White left the stage, echoed across Victoria Harbor, providing a powerful and unforgettable send-off for the festival.
The Hang Seng Stage on Friday night saw the highly-anticipated performance of Creepy Nuts, a Japanese hip-hop unit consisting of R-shitei (R-rated), the first MC in J-rap history to win the country’s top MC battle competition UMB Grand Championship three times consecutively, and DJ Matsunaga, who won the world’s largest DJ competition DMC World DJ Championships in 2019 and performed at the closing ceremony of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
The duo’s rapid-fire raps brought a fresh and frenzied energy that had the crowd on their feet. Their viral hit “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born,” featured in season two of the anime Mashle: Magic and Muscles, was an undeniable highlight.
The track’s success includes being ranked first on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 year-end chart for 2024. “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” extended its record to 14 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, and topped the Billboard Japan Streaming Songs, Hot Animation, and Download Songs charts for the year. Their latest single, “Otonoke,” added another high point, reaching number one on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 and World Digital Song Sales charts.
In stark musical contrast and framed by the twinkling lights of Hong Kong’s skyline, AIR’s ethereal soundscapes created an unforgettable atmosphere on the Harborflap Stage. The iconic French electronic duo’s set featured the hauntingly beautiful “Highschool Lover” from their acclaimed The Virgin Suicides score. Released in 2000, the soundtrack earned critical acclaim and reached No. 161 on the Billboard 200. The pair also performed fan favorites like the sultry track “Sexy Boy” and the lush “La femme d’argent” from their landmark 1998 debut, Moon Safari.
Central Cee, one of the U.K.’s hottest drill artists, brought the grittiness of tracks like “Doja” and “Sprinter,” turning the tropical night into his own lyrical playground. With peaks of No. 19 and No. 10 on the Billboard Global 200, respectively, he represented a new generation of global artists refusing to be confined by geographic boundaries.
Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” cascaded across the musical landscape and drew a crowd as they showcased their record-breaking Billboard Hot 100 performance. The track holds the record for the longest-charting song on the Billboard Hot 100, with an unprecedented 91-week run. Its journey to the top was equally remarkable, taking 59 weeks to reach No. 1, the longest climb to the summit in Hot 100 history.
English EDM icon Jamie xx closed the Hang Seng Stage on Clockenflap’s final night with a vibrant set featuring tracks from his acclaimed album In Colour. The album, which debuted at No. 21 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Dance/Electronic Albums chart, sold 19,000 copies in its first week in the U.S. and spent an impressive 70 weeks on the Billboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart.
Jamie kicked off his crowd-pleasing set with “Wanna” and “Treat Each Other Right,” blending fan favorites with fresh material. Highlights included “Gosh,” which peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, and “Obvs,” alongside newer tracks like “Falling Together” and “All You Children.”
Deep cuts such as “Breather” and “Life” added depth to the performance, while “Loud Places,” which spent nine weeks on the Billboard Dance Singles chart and peaked at No. 17, delivered a euphoric moment for the audience. The set concluded with “Team Closing,” leaving the crowd on an undeniable high and wrapping up the weekend with an uplifting finale to remember.
Over on the Hang Seng Stage, Porter Robinson took the audience on a journey through sound. With “Shelter,” his collaboration with Madeon that peaked at No. 16 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, and the introspective “Blossom,” which reached No. 46 on the same chart, Robinson wove together emotion and euphoria. The hyperpop star, who was named as one of Billboard’s 21 Under 21 list in 2011, showcased his evolution as an artist, including tracks from his latest album Smile! 😀 which debuted at No. 10 on Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart this year.
St. Vincent again delivered a genre-defying performance that featured fan favorites like “Cheerleader” and “New York” alongside new tracks from her latest album All Born Screaming, such as “Flea” and “Big Time Nothing”. Her crowd dive was a highlight, embodying the energy and unpredictability that define her artistry. Her latest album, All Born Screaming, debuted at No. 86 on the Billboard 200 and No. 13 on the Independent Albums chart. The record has also nabbed four Grammy nominations, including one for Best Alternative Music Album.
Local and regional acts added even more flavor to the weekend. Japanese vocalist yama turned heads on the Park Stage by Martell where she performed “Haru wo Tsugeru,” a track that peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, her voice carrying across the harbor with soulful clarity.
Japanese girl group Sakurazaka46 lit up the Harborflap Stage with their synchronized choreography for “Nobody’s Fault,” a debut single that topped both the Oricon Singles Chart and the Billboard Japan Hot 100, selling over 408,000 copies in its first week.
Australian DJ Partiboi69, renowned for his unique mix of ghetto house, Miami bass, electro, Detroit techno, and ’90s rave sounds, delivered a party-starting set that kept the crowd moving late into the night. His energetic transitions and unexpected track choices had attendees on their feet, while local act Robot Presents Spider Gubbins added a playful twist to the festival’s evening, performing from an inflatable Bowser shell.
Whether it was Japan’s Creepy Nuts delivering sharp-edged hip-hop, the U.K.’s Central Cee infusing the event with gritty drill beats, and France’s AIR captivating the crowd with their ethereal electronic soundscapes, the festival was a showcase of how diverse musical traditions can intersect on a single stage, celebrating the shared language of music in the heart of Hong Kong.
Early bird tickets for Clockenflap 2025 are available here.
The culture-affecting Charli XCX has revealed her fondness for the culture-defining Velvet Underground, praising their 1967 debut at Variety’s Hitmakers Awards.
Appearing at the Awards on Saturday (Dec. 7), Charli XCX was on hand to receive the Hitmaker of the Year honor, predominantly thanks to the massive global success of her Brat album throughout 2024. However, in her own acceptance speech, Charli XCX explained that that the very definition of what is a “hit” is up for debate. To underline her point, she deferred to some remarks she had written about The Velvet Underground‘s iconic debut album.
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“In March 1967, The Velvet Underground released their album The Velvet Underground & Nico,” she began. “It debuted on the Billboard 200 at Number 199. And a few weeks later, it rose to its peak position of 195. But don’t worry, it dropped out, but then it re-entered the charts. And later in life, Lou Reed told Brian Eno that it had only sold around 30,000 copies over its first five years.”
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“In my humble opinion, this record is the definition of a hit. This record is arguably one of the most influential and groundbreaking records of our time,” she added. “This album is the apex of fine art and DIY culture colliding. It’s high and low, it’s poetry meets drugs, it’s earnest meets arrogance, and even if you’re never heard a single song from this album, you’ll undoubtedly recognize its cover, either from the walls of a modern art gallery or from the shop floor of an Urban Outfitters.”
“And let’s be real, what is a hit if you’re not conquering both of those places?” she asked. “My album cover has not yet appeared at the Guggenheim or the Whitney or the Tate. However, some of my merch is available to purchase right now in Urban Outfitters. So I guess that means that I’m halfway there.”
While Charli XCX is correct that The Velvet Underground & Nico peaked at No. 195 upon its initial release, it re-entered the charts later in 1967, ultimately peaking at No. 171. In 2013, the record would reach its highest peak to date with No. 129.
Likewise, the famous quote about the record only selling 30,000 copies in its first five years has been up for debate as well. Eno’s full quote adds that despite the sales figure, “everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band”. However, later investigations have seen more than 58,000 copies had been sold by February 1969, with as many as 200,000 copies being sold by 1971. For comparison, in June, Charli XCX’s Brat debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 with a total of 40,000 album sales.
Close to two months after suffering a debilitating stroke while on tour in Toronto, alt-rock singer-songwriter Matthew Sweet has given fans an update into his current condition.
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News of Sweet’s condition was confirmed longtime manager, Russell Carter, in a statement on Oct. 22, which noted that the musician faced “a long, difficult road to recovery” and weeks of around-the-clock care followed by months of rehabilitation.
“Matthew has always been intensely focused and tenacious in all of his endeavors, not only in his recording career, but in all of his artistic and intellectual pursuits,” Carter shared.
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“I am confident that his signature determination will serve him well as he focuses now on recovery to good health.”
In the wake of his stroke, a GoFundMe campaign was launched in order to cover Sweet’s medical expenses. Having initially set a goal of $250,000, more than 8,700 donations have seen a total of over $500,000 raised so far, with the goal having been updated to $750,000.
On Saturday, Dec. 7, Sweet himself shared an update via the GoFundMe page, recollecting the circumstances of his stroke and sharing his gratitude with all the donors thus far.
“I was colder than I’ve ever been and an icy sweat came from every pore,” Sweet recalled. “Then I heard a deafening white noise in both my ears growing, and growing and growing in volume, and my eyes started to scramble like eggs in a pan.
“’Call me an ambulance’ I called out to Evan who was just checking us in to the Toronto hotel after a ten hour drive from Baltimore. Then I was in an ambulance and I heard a man yell, ‘Sir you’ve had a stroke.’ I didn’t know what it meant. It seemed unreal as much of my life has.”
In his post, Sweet recalled having to spend ten days in Toronto before receiving clearance to fly back to the U.S. to continue his care. “The only way they would let me travel back to the states was with a medical crew, on an airplane and straight into a rehabilitation hospital,” he wrote. “The cost of all these things was already astronomical. What is mankind doing? To not make these things available as part of our culture everywhere.”
Furthering his care at the Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, Sweet says he was not only exposed to the importance of carers and those who work at facilities such as this, but that he was also given the Madonna Spirit Award upon his discharge in early December.
Most notably, Sweet also took the time to reflect upon his future as a creative individual, recognizing that his condition has seen him come to terms with many changes moving forward, but an enduring appetite to continue creating.
“I’ve lived through the day where I realized I may never play guitar again, I’ve lived through the day where I realized I may never draw a straight line again or enjoy the pasttime that developed over just the last year of my life, painting with fountain pens and coloring with dip pens and ink,” he explained.
“I understand now what it means to need to reinvent oneself, when the self you knew before is gone, you have no other choice, you either quit or you keep going and so I feel I must keep going, and I feel a great burden to do so with such incredible support that you, many of whom I do not know, have given me. I must just say thank you to you for giving me this help.
“This hope I cannot feel whether I could have had on my own,” Sweet concluded. “I will try to make music. I will try to. I will try to make art. I will try to express myself, because that is all I have ever known and all that has ever brought me joy, throughout a life filled with more sadness than anyone could know what to do with, than any of us know what to do with, and that’s life. May you all today find a glimmer of hope and love and a future to strive toward the way you have helped me find it, every one of you.”
Eugenio Derbez is walking back his harsh comments about Selena Gomez‘s performance in the Netflix musical movie Emilia Pérez.
During a recent appearance on the Hablando de Cine podcast, the Mexican actor and comedian criticized Gomez’s attempt at speaking Spanish in the film, calling her performance “indefensible.”
Gomez, who plays Jessi del Monte in the Jacques Audiard-directed film, speaks Spanish in the movie but is not fluent in the language.
“Selena is indefensible,” Derbez said in a clip from the podcast, which was shared on TikTok. “I was there [watching the movie] with people, and every time a scene came [with her in it], we looked at each other and said, ‘Wow, what is this?’”
Derbez agreed with Hablando de Cine host Gaby Meza, who suggested that Gomez struggled to add nuance to her performance because Spanish isn’t her first language and she didn’t fully understand what she was saying.
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Gomez responded to the criticism in the comments section of the TikTok post. “I understand where you are coming from. I’m sorry I did the best I could with the time I was given,” the Only Murders in the Building actress wrote. “Doesn’t take away from how much work and heart I put into this movie.”
The Grammy-nominated singer and actress also addressed Derbez’s comments directly: “Also, do not ever say my fans are the problem standing up, as you say, for me.”
The CODA star later posted an apology to Gomez in a letter posted to TikTok. “I truly apologize for my careless comments — they are indefensible and go against everything I stand for,” Derbez wrote. “As Latinos, we should always support one another. There’s no excuse. I was wrong, and I deeply admire your career and your kind heart.”
Emilia Pérez tells the story of cartel boss Manitas del Monte (played by Sofía Gascón), who retires from the business to undergo gender reassignment surgery and become the titular character. The film’s plot is further defined by musical numbers that blend rock, pop and rap, all sung in Spanish, capturing the transformation of its central characters. The film also stars Zoe Saldaña.
Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department returns to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart for a 16th nonconsecutive week, as the set vaults 8-1 on the chart dated Dec. 14, following the first physical release of the album’s deluxe Anthology edition, exclusively at Target in the U.S. The set earned 405,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Dec. 5 — up 839% — according to Luminate, largely driven by physical album sales. It’s the biggest week for any album since Poets’ second week, when it tallied 439,000 units.
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TTPD was initially released on April 19 as a standard 16-song digital download album, as well as an in array of 17-song physical configurations. Two hours after the album dropped, Swift issued an expanded 31-song edition of the album, dubbed The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology, which added 15 additional songs. However, the Anthology edition was only available as a digital download and streaming set until Nov. 29, when its CD and vinyl editions became available for purchase exclusively through Target. The Target CD and vinyl additionally boasted four bonus acoustic tracks (which were previously released in other alternative versions of the album).
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The announcement of Poets’ return to No. 1 comes on the same day (Dec. 8) that Swift closes her globe-trotting, stadium-filling The Eras Tour in Vancouver, after 149 dates. The retrospective trek launched in March 2023 and visited 21 countries across five continents.
Also in the top 10 of the new Billboard 200, Juice WRLD’s The Party Never Ends debuts at No. 4, securing the late rapper his sixth top five-charting set. Plus, the top 10 is getting festive, as the region welcomes its first holiday titles this season: Michael Bublé’s former No. 1 Christmas jingles 12-7 and Bing Crosby’s new compilation Ultimate Christmas dashes 18-9. With the latter, Crosby claims his first top 10 album in nearly 64 years.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Dec. 14, 2024-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Tuesday (Dec. 10). For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Of The Tortured Poets Department’s 405,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Dec. 5, traditional album sales comprise 368,000 (up 4,377%; it surges 17-1 on Top Album Sales for a ninth nonconsecutive week on top), SEA units comprise 37,000 (up 6%; equaling 48.19 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs; it holds at No. 9 on Top Streaming Albums) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum (down 21%).
Of TTPD’s 368,000 album sales for the week, vinyl sales comprise 191,000 (up 3,284%) and CD sales comprise 177,000 (up 7,738%), largely driven by sales from the exclusive editions sold at Target. (Digital download and cassette sales comprise a negligible sum for the week.)
Poets spent its first 12 weeks on the Billboard 200 at No. 1 (charts dated May 4-July 20), fell to No. 4 for two weeks, returned to No. 1 for three more weeks (Aug. 10-Aug. 24 charts) and then departed the top slot until the latest chart.
With a 16th week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, The Tortured Poets Department now solely has the third-most weeks at No. 1 among albums by women (since the list began publishing on a regular, weekly basis in March 1956). It steps past Carole King’s Tapestry, which registered 15 weeks at No. 1 in 1971. Only Adele’s 21 (24 weeks in 2011-12) and the Whitney Houston-led soundtrack to The Bodyguard (20 weeks in 1992-93) have more weeks at No. 1 among women.
The last album to spend at least 16 weeks at No. 1 was Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time, which logged 19 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 between March 2023 and this March. The last album by a woman to spend at least 16 weeks at No. 1 was Adele’s 21, which earned 24 nonconsecutive weeks on top in 2011-12.
With Poets — Swift’s longest-leading album on the Billboard 200 — she adds her 85th career week at No. 1 on the chart, extending her record among soloists. (Elvis Presley has the second-most among soloists, with 67.) The total encompasses her 14 No. 1 albums. (She’s tied with Jay-Z for the most No. 1s among soloists.)
Kendrick Lamar’s GNX falls 1-2 on the Billboard 200 in its second week with 165,000 equivalent album units earned (down 48%). The Wicked film soundtrack dips 2-3 in its second frame, with 108,000 units earned (down 22%).
The late Juice WRLD collects his sixth top five (and top 10) charting effort — the entirety of his charting releases — as The Party Never Ends debuts at No. 4. The set bows with 86,000 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, SEA units comprise 84,000 (equaling 123.43 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks; it debuts at No. 2 on Top Streaming Albums), album sales comprise 2,000 and TEA units comprise a negligible sum.
The new album was preceded by the Billboard Hot 100 chart hit “AGATS2 (Insecure)” (with Nicki Minaj), which reached No. 68 on the Nov. 30-dated chart. On the Hot Rap Songs chart, it debuted and peaked at No. 11.
The Party Never Ends is the third posthumously released charting effort for Juice WRLD, who died on Dec. 8, 2019. Since his passing, he’s notched Billboard 200 entries with Legends Never Die (two weeks at No. 1 in 2020), Fighting Demons (No. 2 in 2021) and now The Party Never Ends.
Sabrina Carpenter’s chart-topping Short n’ Sweet falls 3-5 on the Billboard 200 with 68,000 equivalent album units earned (down 1%), while Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft slips 5-6 with 59,000 units (though up 18%).
Bublé’s chart-topping Christmas returns to the Billboard 200’s top 10, jumping 12-7 with 56,000 equivalent album units earned (up 53%). The set, first released in 2011, spent five weeks at No. 1 in December 2011 and early January 2012 and has returned to the top 10 in every following holiday season. In the latest tracking week, of its 56,000 units, SEA units comprise 48,000 (up 59%; equaling 63.79 million on-demand official streams of its songs; it climbs 13-5 on Top Streaming Albums), album sales comprise 8,000 (up 23%; it falls 27-30 on Top Album Sales) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum.
Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess rises 10-8 on the Billboard 200 with 52,000 equivalent album units earned (up 23%).
The legendary Crosby is back in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 for the first time in nearly 64 years, as his new holiday compilation Ultimate Christmas climbs 18-9. The set earned 50,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Dec. 5 (up 59%). Of that sum, SEA units comprise 46,000 (up 62%; equaling 61.37 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks; it jumps 16-6 on Top Streaming Albums).
Crosby, who died in 1977, was last in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 with his classic Merry Christmas album, which ranked at No. 9 on the Dec. 31, 1960-dated chart. It had previously spent a week at No. 1 on Jan. 6, 1958-dated chart.
Merry Christmas became the second holiday album to top the Billboard 200, following its launch as a regularly published weekly chart in March 1956. Elvis Presley’s Elvis Christmas Album was the first chart-topping holiday set, as it topped the chart for three weeks in December 1957, moved aside for Crosby for a week and then returned to No. 1 for one more week in January 1958.
Ultimate Christmas is available as 14-song standard album, an expanded 28-song edition, and a deluxe 58-song version. All versions of the album contain such classic Holiday 100-charting tunes from Crosby as “White Christmas” (featuring The Ken Darby Singers and John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra), “It’s Beginning To Look a Lot Like Christmas,” “Do You Hear What I Hear?,” “Mele Kalikimaka” (with The Andrews Sisters) and “Silent Night” (featuring John Scott Trotter and His Orchestra and Max Terr’s Mixed Chorus).
Rounding out the top 10 of the latest Billboard 200 is Tyler, The Creator’s chart-topping CHROMAKOPIA, falling 4-10 with 49,000 equivalent album units earned (down 19%).
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.
BTS‘ V and the late Bing Crosby‘s duet version of “White Christmas” has topped this week’s new music poll, which highlights releases from artists across a variety of genres.
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Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (Dec. 6) on Billboard, naming the new rendition of the holiday classic their favorite new music release of the past week.
“White Christmas” secured nearly 51% of the vote, outpacing new releases from ROSÉ (rosie), TWICE (Strategy), Bad Bunny (“EL CLÚB”), Khalid and Normani (“Personal”), and more.
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In the festive collaboration, V and Crosby trade lines, harmonizing on the iconic lyrics: “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas/ With every Christmas card I write/ May your days be merry and bright/ And may all your Christmases be white.”
“I’m so grateful to have had the chance to be featured in a song with my all-time favorite jazz artist, Bing Crosby,” V previously said of the track in a statement. “I grew up listening to his song ‘It’s Been a Long, Long Time’ countless times a day, and I feel incredibly fortunate and honored to have sung along on ‘White Christmas’ with the voice of someone I consider an idol.”
“Being a huge fan of his, I sang with the utmost sincerity and admiration for him,” continued the superstar, who previously covered “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.” “I hope many people enjoy it as much as I enjoyed singing it. Lastly, I wish a lovely holiday season to everyone listening to the song.”
Crosby passed away in 1977. His daughter, Mary Crosby, expressed her excitement about her father’s new posthumous collaboration, saying, “As a family, we are thrilled to have V and Dad singing together on this ultimate Christmas song. Their voices blend beautifully, capturing the holiday spirit in the best possible way.”
The Christmas classic, written by Irving Berlin in just 18 minutes, remains the best-selling song of all time, with over 50 million copies sold worldwide, according to Guinness World Records. “White Christmas” also won the Oscar for best original song in the 1942 musical Holiday Inn and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1974.
Trailing closely behind V and Crosby in this week’s poll is BLACKPINK’s ROSÉ, whose debut solo album, rosie, garnered almost 48% of the vote. The 12 tracks on the set include the hit single “APT.” with Bruno Mars, which has held the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Global 200 for six consecutive weeks, as well as “Number One Girl.”
Check out the full results of this week’s poll below and head to Billboard‘s Friday Music Guide for more must-hear releases.
Saturday Night Live is taking a playful jab at Timothée Chalamet at the premiere of his upcoming film A Complete Unknown.
In a sketch during the Dec. 7 episode, hosted by Paul Mescal, SNL cast member Heidi Gardner plays a fictional BuzzFeed reporter on the red carpet for the debut of the new Bob Dylan biopic, which stars Chalamet as the legendary folk musician. The sketch opens with Chalamet (played by Chloe Fineman) admitting he had a “Brat summer,” a reference to the Charli XCX-inspired trend.
“Oh, man, it was crazy. Nuts,” Fineman’s Chalamet says.
As the two continue their conversation, Dylan (portrayed by SNL’s James Austin Johnson) strolls up and is asked if he too had a Brat summer. “What?” the iconic musician replies. “A Brat summer,” Gardner’s reporter repeats. “Did you have a Brat summer?” Dylan, clearly thinking about food, mistakes the question, thinking he’s being asked about bratwurst.
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“All this sausage talk has awoken my hunger,” Johnson’s Dylan says, in the artist’s signature gravelly voice. “I hear there’s a hot bar at the end of this, so if you’ll excuse me.”
The red carpet conversation continues as Bruce Springsteen (played by Andrew Dismukes) joins the group. “Baby, I was born to watch this movie,” the Boss declares. When Dylan asks if Springsteen hit the hot bar, Dismukes’ Springsteen responds, “Sure did, Bob. The vibes might be small but the flavor’s big.”
Next up, U2 frontman Bono (played by Gladiator II star Paul Mescal) steps in. When asked about his own Brat summer, Bono answers, “I didn’t have a Brat summer. Could not possibly. Because of the sweltering heat brought on by climate change. We must act now.” Mescal’s Bono continues, “I just saw a documentary about the devastating effects of global warming. It was called Hot Frosty,” referencing a new holiday Netflix movie.
A Complete Unknown, which hits theaters on Christmas Day, also stars Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro and Edward Norton. The biographical drama is inspired by Elijah Wald’s 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric. Director James Mangold has revealed that Dylan himself gave feedback on the script.
Fans first spotted Chalamet filming in New York earlier this year. Mangold confirmed that Chalamet will do his own singing in the film, and to prepare, the actor sifted through 12 hours of unreleased Dylan tracks sent to him by the musician’s longtime manager and producer Jeff Rosen.
The SNL episode also featured breakout country star Shaboozey, who made his debut as musical guest on the long-running sketch comedy show, performing his 19-week Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” alongside his new ballad “Good News.”
Watch SNL‘s “A Complete Unknown Red Carpet” sketch below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.
Shaboozey brought his massive hit to Studio 8H during his Saturday Night Live debut on Dec. 7.
The 29-year-old breakout country star took the stage as musical guest on the Paul Mescal-hosted episode, performing his 19-week Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” alongside his new ballad “Good News.”
Introduced by Gladiator II star Mescal, the Virginia native opened with “Good News,” his first new single since the release of his third album, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going, which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 in May.
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The song’s wistful lyrics — “I need some good news/ Sittin’ here, sippin’ on cold truth/ Nobody knows what I’m goin’ through/ Bet the devil wouldn’t walk in my shoes” — were underscored by gentle acoustic guitar, plaintive fiddle and a healthy dose of pedal steel.
Later in the show, Shaboozey returned to perform his inescapable hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” Dressed in a shiny brown jacket and matching pants, the country star delivered the track in a dimly lit, bar-like setting, surrounded by his backing band.
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The SNL appearance marks another milestone in a whirlwind year for Shaboozey. On Thanksgiving, he performed at the halftime of the Detroit Lions vs. Chicago Bears game at Ford Field, singing “Last of My Kind,” “Highway” and “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” Just weeks earlier, he received five Grammy nominations, including nods for best country song and song of the year.
SNL is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary season, which launched in September and will culminate in a special live primetime event on Feb. 16. Next week, Gracie Abrams will make her SNL debut on the Chris Rock-hosted episode, followed by Hozier’s return with Martin Short as host.
Watch Shaboozey’s SNL performances below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.