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Billboard Japan’s Women in Music initiative began in 2022 to celebrate artists, producers and executives who have made significant contributions to music and inspired other women through their work. The WIM interview series has highlighted female players in the Japanese entertainment industry, with the first 30 conversations released in book form as a Billboard Japan Presents collection by writer Rio Hirai.
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As the project strives to shed light on the status quo of the Japanese entertainment industry and to explore ways the working environment can be improved for women and everyone involved, it welcomes views from people of diverse backgrounds. For the latest installment, Hirai interviewed Kiyoshi Matsuo, an award-winning music producer who began his career as a music writer from his university days and switched to producing in the late 1990s.
A prominent figure in the industry as one of the driving forces behind the R&B and soul music movements in J-pop, Matsuo has contributed to numerous hits including those by MISIA, Hikaru Utada, SPEED, and more. Also known for his opinions on politics and other topics often avoided by the majority in the business, the outspoken music producer and writer shared his views on some of the issues he sees in the Japanese entertainment industry while opening up about the journey of how he formed his current stance on the topics he feels strongly about.
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You speak out on various social issues inside and outside the entertainment industry while working as a music producer. When did you first become aware of such issues?
Until the late 1990s, I used to work mainly as a writer and journalist introducing Western music to Japan. I’d spend a third of the year in the U.S. and U.K. doing interviews and then bring the material I collected back to Japan to write articles. I used to incorporate almost all of what I covered in my writing, but it was hard to find media that would carry articles with political and social content.
When I was doing those interviews, the most exciting discussions I had with artists were about politics and social topics. For example, even when I made the appointment to talk about a new album, if the U.S. presidential election was coming up, the topic of conversation would be all about the election. The music I was fascinated with — R&B and soul — is the music of African Americans. For them, the matter of who would become the leader of the country was very important, and they probably always felt the connection between politics and society and their own lives.
Not being able to write about what those artists felt was important back in my own country was frustrating, but I gradually became busy with my career as a producer and stepped back from doing interviews. Ever since then until now, I’ve felt at various times that something was wrong with society, and now that I’m at this age, it’s like I finally feel it’s about time I said something about it.
You hail from the southern island of Kyushu, which is one of the regions in Japan that’s said to have a wide gender imbalance. Why did you become interested in gender gap issues even though you were born and raised as a privileged, healthy male in such an environment?
Vessels like the family you were born in or the company you work for aren’t the only things that nurture a person’s spirituality. Regardless of the environment you were raised in, I’m sure you encounter many people who bring you awareness even after you reach adulthood.
In my case, I got into soul music through jazz, which my father liked, and then encountered hip-hop, considered to be the newest music at the time, and became interested in African-American music in general. Eventually it became my job, and as I engaged in dialogue with people from various walks of life, I began to learn and think about the history and thoughts in people’s backgrounds. I’m a Japanese man living in Japan, married with children, and sometimes people say I’m living the life, but through music, I’ve always tried to imagine the views of the oppressed and those being controlled.
I see, so your perspective on society changed through music.
In my case, yes. But Japan today might not be too different from those days when I couldn’t write about artists’ political views as a journalist. Writer and philosophy scholar Ataru Sasaki tweeted on X the other day about how “after repeated calls to ‘not bring politics into music,’ we’ve brought the worst kind of politics into music.” Instances where Japanese acts come under fire for creating music videos using historical figures that instigated invasions and massacres are precisely the result of having eliminated social perspectives from music. I’m an optimist at heart, but I think the notion to “not bring politics into music” is probably connected to the country’s loss of international competitiveness.
From the late 1990s you shifted your focus to producing music, and it feels like the artists you helped launch their careers — SPEED, MISIA, Hikaru Utada, etc. — sang about themselves as self-reliant individuals, which was a clear departure from the trend of the “idol” singers that had been the mainstream up to that point.
Songs by idol singers at the time were mass products aimed to become mega-hits, so they reflected the largest common denominator of the public’s preference. So it could be said that those songs were heavily tinged with the thinking around gender roles in Japan at the time.
On the other hand, if the female R&B singers I helped as part of the team had one thing in common, you could say they all seemed to be walking on their own two feet. R&B itself is of course a genre that’s been around for a long time, and in the late 1990s when it was first gaining momentum in Japan, the top 10 songs on the U.S. pop charts were almost entirely dominated by R&B. Japanese artists were also looking up Janet Jackson, Lauryn Hill, and TLC in their heyday. And those new J-pop artists weren’t being made to sing songs that other people wrote, and that probably led to that sense of being self-reliant.
I wonder if one of the reasons why the gender imbalance in the Japanese entertainment industry continues to exist is that the public doesn’t seem to be very interested in mature female artists, meaning it’s a matter of capacity and literacy on the side of consumers.
People who grow up watching Japanese idol singers in their adolescent years, being taught that “this is how girls are supposed to be,” most likely aren’t going to start listening to mature female artists after they outgrow those idols. I feel that nowadays, people prefer songs that are easy to understand rather than those with a mature perspective. I like lyrics written by Rokusuke Ei (“Ue wo muite aruko,” aka “Sukiyaki” etc.) and Michio Yamagami (“Tsubasa wo kudasai” etc.), and they often depict profound emotions that make you feel like you’re watching a movie in a three-minute song. Sometimes I want to try that kind of approach, but don’t get the kind of reaction I’m hoping for when I do, perhaps because people aren’t looking for perspectives with depth and delicates gradation in new songs.
There’s also the long-standing reality of management positions in the Japanese music and entertainment industry being dominated by men. What do you think is necessary for women to thrive in the business?
I think it’d be better to institutionalize a system to guarantee a certain percentage of women, like the French Parité Law (that mandates the equal inclusion of men and women on lists of candidates). When I was interviewing artists in the U.S. in the ‘80s and ‘90s, I sometimes heard from African Americans in their 30s and 40s that they were the first among their relatives to be admitted to college through affirmative action, even though they came from families that had been forced into slave labor long ago. They told me passionately that their mission was to write songs about what they’d seen as someone living in such an era. Affirmative action means taking positive steps to eliminate discrimination, and in Japan where the gender gap index is so low, I think that’s necessary.
Yes. Like the way music opened your eyes to the distortions of society, it can be a very effective approach in changing people’s minds. That’s why the structure of the industry that produces it must change.
During the pandemic, we often heard the phrase “fuyou fukyuu” (unnecessary and non-urgent). It’s true that music and entertainment can be considered unnecessary and non-urgent. But if politics and economics are the major arteries, music gives flexibility to people, like capillaries. A society that lacks flexibility and openness is cramped and suffocating, don’t you think?
—This interview by Rio Hirai (SOW SWEET PUBLISHING) first appeared on Billboard Japan
While appearing on Nightcap with hosts Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson, Snoop Dogg gave a balanced take on the Kendrick Lamar and Lil Wayne Super Bowl Halftime Show controversy.
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Snoop, who himself performed along with Dr. Dre and friends during the Super Bowl 56 Halftime Show in LA in 2022, reminded viewers that rap being featured during one of the biggest nights of the year wasn’t the norm once upon a time. “I don’t really have no opinion, but what I do wanna say is that, just remember where the NFL was 15 years ago when it comes to Hip-Hop,” he answered. “How many Hip-Hop artists was able to grace that stage 15 years ago? So, I understand both sides of the coin and I understand how people feel.”
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Adding, “I have no answer, no opinion, because I had the opportunity to get up there via Dr. Dre. I didn’t do any Snoop Dogg songs. I was up there helping Dr. Dre and it became a great moment for all of us. So, any time anybody can get on that Super Bowl stage, remember this: it’s a 12-13-minute performance and you’re not getting paid. It’s more or less you have to spend money to upgrade your show to make it mass appealing for the audience that’s home watching.”
He then mentioned that he watched Wayne’s career unfold when he was signed to Master P’s No Limit during the late ’90s before highlighting that he has great relationships with the parties involved. “Lil Wayne is the GOAT of New Orleans rap,” he said. “Remember, I was at No Limit Records for three years and I watched his whole career come to life and then watched him get bigger than me and I was gigantic at the time and I loved seeing his growth.
“Me and Wayne is family to this day, me and Kendrick is family to this day, and me and Jay-Z, and me and Roger Goodell. I don’t know who is the decision maker, all I know is that I’ll be at home watching the Super Bowl and when the halftime show comes on, I’ll be watching that as well.”
Much has been made about the NFL’s decision to have Lamar headline the the Super Bowl 59 Halftime Show this upcoming February. The Compton rapper hasn’t acknowledged the chatter, instead choosing to release an untitled song on his Instagram. Wayne, however, posted a video expressing his disappointment, saying not being chosen to perform at the Super Bowl in his hometown “broke” him. While some speculated that it may’ve been Jay-Z who made the call, it was recently revealed by Super Bowl Halftime Show executive producer Jesse Collins the the rapper and mogul does have the final say.
You can watch the full interview here.
Alejandro Fernández and Anitta team-up atop Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart as “La Tóxica” climbs 6-1 to rule the ranking dated Sept. 21.
With her first appearance and No. 1 on the 40-deep ranking, Anitta enters a class of her own, becoming the first Brazilian artist to rule any Billboard Regional Mexican chart (Billboard has Regional Mexican Airplay and Regional Mexican Albums charts).
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Since appearing on Regional Mexican Airplay in July, “La Tóxica” has been rising on radio airplay. During the Sept. 6-12 tracking week, the corrido norteño racks up 6.3 million in audience impressions in the U.S. That’s a 37% gain from the week prior across monitored regional Mexican radio stations, according to Luminate. Plus, the song achieves the Greatest Gainer honor of the week (awarded weekly to the song with the largest gain in audience).
Fernández’s collaboration with Anitta follows a series of attractive partnerships with female artists who predominantly sing in another language. The hitmaker took Beyoncé to a No. 23 high on Latin Pop Airplay through “Amor Gitano,” in March 2007. Meanwhile, “Hoy Tengo Ganas De Ti,” with Christina Aguilera, reached No. 13 on Latin Pop Airplay in 2013.
In the proceeding years, other fruitful pair-ups arose through Latin artists Morat and Alfredo Oilvas, who earned their highest-charting entries on two different charts. “Sé Que Te Duele” drove pop band Morat to their second and last entry on Latin Pop Airplay (No. 23 high, 2017). Meanwhile, “Cobijas Ajenas” propelled Olivas to his first No. 1 on the overall Latin Airplay chart (one week atop, June 8, 2024).
As “La Tóxica” lands at the summit, Fernández ups his career count to 10 No. 1s, extending his third-most rulers mark among soloists since the chart launched in 1994, where Christian Nodal continues at the helm with 17 No. 1s, while Gerardo Ortiz follows with 13 champs.
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Anitta, meanwhile, celebrates her first No. 1 on a Billboard airplay chart in over six years, when “Machika,” with J Balvin and Jeon, ruled both the overall Latin Airplay and Latin Rhythm Airplay rankings for one week in March 2018. Plus, she builds on “La Tóxica’s” success with career-bests numbers.
First Brazilian to Rule a Regional Mexican Chart: As Anitta made an entrance on regional Mexican ground in July, the pop singer became a strong beneficiary. Not only did she become the first Brazilian artist to visit any of Billboard’s regional Mexican charts, but with “La Tóxica’s” coronation, she also becomes the first Brazilian act to score a No. 1 on any regional Mexican ranking.
10th Female Soloist to Hit No. 1: Further, Anitta becomes just the 10th female soloist to land at the summit on Regional Mexican Airplay. She follows the lates Selena and Jenni Rivera, who reigned in 1994-95, and 2006, respectively, plus, Pilar Montenegro, who ruled in 2002, Alicia Villarreal (2004), Graciela Beltran (2007) Ángela Aguilar (2021, 2022, 2024), and Shakira, Becky G, and Emilia, all who scored a No. 1 in 2024.
Fifth Woman Outside of the Genre to Secure a No. 1: Anitta likewise becomes the fifth female solo singer, outside of the regional Mexican genre –or who predominantly records pop songs– to secure a No. 1 on Regional Mexican Airplay. Here’s that list of winners:
Artist, Title, Date, Weeks at No. 1Pilar Montenegro, “Quítame Ese Hombre,” March 23, 2002, nineShakira, with Grupo Frontera, “(Entre Paréntesis),” May 18, oneBecky G, with Leonardo & Ángela Aguilar, “Por El Contrario,” March 9, oneEmilia, with Los Ángeles Azules, “Perdonarte, Para Qué?,” July 20, oneBecky G, with Oscar Maydon, “Mercedes,” Aug. 3, oneAnitta, with Alejandro Fernández, “La Tóxica,” Sept. 21
“La Tóxica” is the fourth single from Fernández’s album, Te Llevo En La Sangre, to crown Regional Mexican Airplay. It trails “No Es Que Me Quiera Ir,” “Difícil Tu Caso”, and “Cobijas Ajenas”, with Olivas, all which ruled for one week between 2023-’24.
The song’s radio coronation builds upon a win streak for Fernández, who just received his 2024 Latin Grammy nomination for best Ranchera/Mariachi album for Te Llevo En La Sangre.
The 2025 Brit Awards will be held on Saturday, March 1. This will mark the third year in a row the show has been held on a Saturday, and the second year in a row it has aired in March. The show will be held at The O2 arena in London and will be broadcast […]
Bowen Yang and Travis Kelce are still buds, nearly a year after they bonded on the set of Saturday Night Live. The comedian revealed that he has stayed in touch with the Kansas City Chiefs tight end over the past year. “He is my straight male friend for life,” he said during an interview with […]
Druski and Rubi Rose made waves earlier this spring when they revealed they had been dating. While some fans were skeptical, the social media star and the rapper continued to post content of themselves together as if they were indeed in a relationship.
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Well, on Tuesday (Sept. 17), Rubi Rose took to X and blew a lid off this conspiracy in a series of since-deleted tweets. First, she denied sleeping with Druski and that he paid her “for PR,” tweeting, “And for the record i never slept with that man, n—a paid for PR. Not the p—y.” She then made sure to compliment him, saying, “He is funny and nice tho,” before adding, “I only give it up if I’m in love, ion care how much money a n—a got. I’m rich asf lol.”
Rubi Rose reveals that her relationship with Druski was fake just for marketing that he paid for”And for the record i never slept with that man, n*gga paid for PR. Not the p*ssy ✌🏾… he is funny and nice tho!… I only give up if I’m in love, ion care how much money a n*gga… pic.twitter.com/6RNVZ4O3Hf— SOUND (@itsavibe) September 17, 2024
Druski hasn’t said anything, but he did post a meme of himself as Nick Cannon in Love Don’t Cost a Thing on his Instagram Story.
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During Paris Fashion Week back in June, Rubi was stopped in the street by U.K. social media personality Rambo and said she was single after being asked what her favorite love song was. “F— love. Okay, I’m single, guys,” she answered before walking away.
Druski seemed to confirm fumbling a baddie while visiting The Big Tigger Morning Show With Jazzy McBee on V-103 in Atlanta. “God blesses you sometimes with situations. It’s a learning situation and that’s what it’s all about,” he said after McBee asked him why his relationship with Rose ended. “It wasn’t nothing bad that happened. She’s a beautiful girl, she’s doing great in life, she’s making money, I’m doing the same.“
Adding, “When you have a beautiful woman of that caliber, it comes with a lot, and I don’t know if I was prepared yet. But I learned a lot from it, so I think I’m coming out of that, you better have them pockets ready. I ain’t saying that’s what happened… You just gotta be ready because you don’t know when you’re gonna have to be pulling that wallet out.”
We’re not sure what prompted Rubi’s tweets, but we’ll have more as this story develops.
GloRilla has much to celebrate this week as her single “TGIF” tops Billboard’s Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart. The track rises from No. 2 to crown the list dated Sept. 21 and was the most-played song on U.S. monitored mainstream R&B/hip-hop radio stations in the tracking week of Sept. 6-12, according to Luminate.
The song’s coronation comes after a 15% gain in plays for the tracking week, compared with the previous frame. Thanks to the surge, “TGIF” wins the Greatest Gainer award, given to the song with the week’s largest increase in play count.
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With “TGIF,” GloRilla grabs her fourth No. 1 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay. The Memphis-raised rapper first led the chart with her breakthrough hit, “F.N.F. (Let’s Go),” with producer HitKidd, which reigned for one week in 2022. The 10-week juggernaut “Tomorrow 2,” with Cardi B, followed in 2022-2023, while her third visit to the summit came via “Yeah Glo!,” a two-week champ earlier this year.
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“TGIF” evicts Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” from the penthouse after the latter ruled for the last nine weeks, of 11 total in charge. By taking the throne from Lamar’s culture-shaping hit, GloRilla enjoys a bit of revenge. Her previous single, the Megan Thee Stallion collaboration “Wanna Be,” parked in the runner-up spot for five weeks in August – September, blocked from the No. 1 spot by “Not Like Us.”
A standalone single, “TGIF” scored viral popularity, with plenty of Internet posts playing off several lyrics, including the track’s “it’s 7 pm Friday / it’s 95 degrees” opening lines. Rihanna also elevated the track’s popularity soon after its release, with a TikTok post of her rapping alongside the song having just over 157 million views on the social platform.
Elsewhere, “TGIF” repeats at its No. 2 high on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, which ranks songs by combined audience totals from adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop stations. Despite remaining in second place, “TGIF” improved to 15.8 million in weekly audience, up 13% from the previous week and enough to capture the Greatest Gainer honor. It also advances 3-2 on Rap Airplay (up 14% in audience) and 16-12 on Rhythmic Airplay (a 19% increase in plays).
Continued ascent across the radio formats help “TGIF” soar 30-22 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart, where it jumps to 22.7 million in total audience, a 14% weekly gain. The airplay strength, in turn, pushes “TGIF” to new heights on the multi-metric Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, which blends radio airplay with streaming and sales data for its ranks. There, “TGIF” steps 7-6 to a new peak, in its 12th week on the list.
America’s Got Talent is paying tribute to former contestant Emily Gold, who died at just 17 years old by suicide.
“The AGT Family sends out our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and team members of Emily Gold. She was a bright young soul and will be deeply missed,” the show’s official X account shared, alongside a photo of the teen smiling and holding up an AGT sign.
The AGT Family sends out our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and team members of Emily Gold. She was a bright young soul and will be deeply missed. pic.twitter.com/j3tv3mAhU2— America’s Got Talent (@AGT) September 17, 2024
The dancer’s parents, Steven Gold and Brandy Gold, also shared a heartbreaking message about their late daughter on Instagram. “With sadness beyond measure we must tell you all that we lost our beautiful Emily on September 13th,” they captioned a photo of Emily in her cheer uniform. “Our hearts have a hole the size of the universe right now.”
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The statement continued, “The outpouring of love and support we are receiving shows us how many lives that angel touched and lifted up, and it is what will help us through the most difficult time of our lives. Thank you all so much for your love and support.”
Gold was found dead at 11:52 p.m. on Friday (Sept. 13), the San Bernardino Coroner told People. Per the California Highway Patrol Public Information Office, “officers from the California Highway Patrol Rancho Cucamonga area responded to a pedestrian down in lanes.”
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The statement continued, “When the officers arrived, they located a female, 17 year old, who was struck by at least one other vehicle in the carpool lane on eastbound 210. The female did succumb to her injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.”
Last month, Gold and the Los Osos High School dance team were eliminated in the America’s Got Talent quarterfinals. However, the team received a standing ovation from judge Simon Cowell. “It was absolutely brilliant,” he said at the time. “What I loved about this was first of all the energy. I think what I just saw is everything a great school should be doing, which is encouraging talent and friendship. “
Gold’s community has since organized a GoFundMe to raise money for her family. See it here.
If you or anyone you know is in crisis, call 988 or visit the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s website for free, confidential emotional support and resources 24/7.
Conor Oberst did not hold back when sharing his opinions on Elon Musk and Grimes in a recent interview. While speaking to NME in an interview published Tuesday (Sept. 17), the singer/guitarist voluntarily offered up his opinions on the Tesla tech founder and “Oblivion” musician — who share three children — in response to a […]
Two weeks ago, Linkin Park fans had no clue if they would ever hear totally new music from the band again. This week, not only is the band back playing arena shows, but they also have a brand-new single — and it’s their highest-peaking Billboard Hot 100 hit in 15 years.
“The Emptiness Machine” is the first release from the legendary nu-metal band with their new lineup — including new lead singer Emily Armstrong, who replaces the late great Chester Bennington, and new drummer Colin Brittain, who takes the sticks from Rob Bourdon after two decades as the band’s timekeeper. The new song debuts at No. 21 on this week’s Hot 100 (dated Sept. 21), LP’s highest placement on the chart since Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen soundtrack single “New Divide” reached No. 6 in 2009.
Why has the song achieved such quick success? And how much does it feel like classic Linkin Park? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.
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1. “The Emptiness Machine” debuts at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week. Is that higher, lower, or about where you would’ve expected it to land in its first week?
Anna Chan: No. 21 feels about right. Curiosity about new singer Emily Armstrong was bound to generate a bunch of streams anyway, whether from longtime fans of the band, or younger listeners who have grown up with the more recent batch of strong female hard rock vocalists.
Kyle Denis: Honestly, higher. It’s not like hard rock songs are proving to be first-week Hot 100 smashes in this era and there’s always going to be some skepticism when a band announces a new lead singer, especially one who has to fill the massive shoes of the late Chester Bennington. I’d say that a No. 21 is a massive win for Linkin Park.
Josh Glicksman: It’s generally in line with what I expected. Had “Lost” not debuted at No. 38 last year, I may have guessed Linkin Park coming in a bit lower with “The Emptiness Machine,” but given the precedent — combined with the large amount of buzz surrounding the mysterious countdown clock on the band’s official website in the days leading to its release — a nice bump up from the former track makes sense. And with the new single arriving Thursday night, some of the initial plays fell into the prior tracking week, likely costing it a few slots higher on the chart.
Jason Lipshutz: Higher. Although “Lost” debuted in the top 40 of the Hot 100 last year, the excavated Meteora track came from one of their most commercially successful eras; the fact that “The Emptiness Machine” debuted even higher, with a new co-vocalist helping lead the way and at a time when hard rock songs seldom make the upper reaches of the chart, is a pretty startling development, and speaks to the fan enthusiasm around the return of Linkin Park. The band likely believed in the song’s potential as a rock and alternative chart mainstay, but scoring a No. 21 debut on the Hot 100 is a dream scenario for their comeback.
Andrew Unterberger: Unquestionably higher. It’s really, really hard for a legacy rock band to even crack the Hot 100 these days, let alone land in the top 25 the week’s top debut. It helps that Linkin Park is a little younger (and still sounds significantly more contemporary) than fellow veteran rock radio mainstays like Green Day, Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Peppers, but even still, a No. 21 debut for a new song — with a new lead singer who a lot of LP fans probably didn’t even know existed two weeks ago, no less — is very, very impressive.
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2. Between “Machine” and 2023’s rediscovered Meteora-era cut “Lost,” it’s two top 40 hits now for Linkin Park this decade — already matching their total for the entire 2010s. Why do you think Linkin Park have managed to maintain such high levels of interest when most other popular rock bands who have been around for 20-plus years struggle to land such chart placements?
Anna Chan: “Lost” had the benefit of featuring the late, great Chester Bennington’s vocals, something that, as co-frontperson Mike Shinoda himself told our very own Jason Lipshutz, fans had been asking the band for “for years.” Give, and ye shall receive the streams. Then a mere year after the track’s arrival and seven after Bennington’s death, a woman steps in as co-lead singer for the rocker who was No. 34 on Billboard‘s Best Rock Singers list with a new song, and people were going to tune in, whether to rejoice at the return of the band, the aforementioned curiosity, or simply to find something to complain about, whether rightfully so or not. That’s a lot of drama — let’s not even get into the Scientology of it all — that can’t be duplicated. (And please don’t get any ideas, Soundgarden.)
Kyle Denis: Outside of them being one of the best popular rock bands on their era, I think Linkin Park has maintained such high levels of interest because they’ve sort of naturally let different pockets of music intersect with the band’s music without sacrificing or compromising their foundational sound. They have timeless crossover smashes (“In the End,” “Numb”) and projects that brought them further into the hip-hop space (their underrated 2004 Collision Course EP with Jay-Z), but it never felt like the ethos of the band had shifted in relentless pursuit of mainstream commercial wins. In that vein, their commitment to rock continues to feed audiences who may not satisfied by how pop-facing popular rock bands of the 2010s are/have become.
Josh Glicksman: It’s not easily quantifiable, but Linkin Park has married its following of the deeply devoted fanbase it created in the first decade of the 2000s with Gen Z listeners curating their own tastes in music. Some of that may have to do with the band having larger-scale, longer-lasting hits than its counterparts; it could be helped by Mike Shinoda leaning into working with artists of the next generation; and it certainly could be fueled by fans wanting to preserve and honor the legacy of Chester Bennington. Whatever it is, clearly the appetite for Linkin Park is as strong as ever.
Jason Lipshutz: To me, the chart success of “Lost” last year and “The Emptiness Machine” this month can be chalked up to a combination of the quality of the songs, enduring interest from a huge fan base, and a historical re-assessment of Linkin Park. While “Lost” is classic Linkin Park, an electro-rock anthem buoyed by Chester Bennington’s singular voice, “The Emptiness Machine” kicks off a new era with passion and personality; they both speak to different factions of the same fan base, who have remained loyal to the band for the seven years between Bennington’s tragic death and the recent reformation. And the band’s sonic evolution across their discography has produced an enviable supply of hits and signature moments; I don’t doubt that a lot of listeners who weren’t paying attention during Linkin Park’s heyday (or were too young to do so) streamed “Lost” and “The Emptiness Machine,” and helped turn each into a top 40 hit.
Andrew Unterberger: Linkin Park just still make a little more sense in the streaming era than most of those bands, a virtue of its hybrid (yes, yes) sound and heavy production. That, combined with both the songs being very solid — and with the devastating and cruel way in which the band’s original run came to an abrupt end in 2017 — means that perhaps we were silly to underestimate the commercial potential for these tastes of new LP in the first place.
3. While “Lost” ended up being a majorly enduring rock radio hit, it only spent two weeks total on the Hot 100. Do you think the run for “Machine” on the chart will be similarly short-lived, or will it have greater legs?
Anna Chan: Let me shake my Magic 8 Ball, because I have no idea due to the confusing combo of nostalgia (yay!) and criticism (boo!). But since you asked, my guess is the chart run will be short-lived because the curiosity around Armstrong will fade. And while fans may have been elated about the band’s return after a lengthy hiatus, the quick backlash to having a singer with ties to convicted rapist Danny Masterson may hurt their overall momentum. (For the record, Armstrong has since addressed the issue, saying that she shouldn’t have supported Masterson at a court appearance — noting, “I misjudged him” — and that she hasn’t spoken to him since, and doesn’t condone any abuse or violence against women.)
Kyle Denis: I think off the basis of “Machine” being the lead single for a new album, it should have more juice behind it, and thus score a few more weeks on the Hot 100 than “Lost.”
Josh Glicksman: I don’t expect it to hang around too much longer than “Lost” on the Hot 100, though it may eke out another few weeks. That said, I fully expect the song to similarly dominate rock radio for many months to come, with the single soaring to No. 1 on the Rock & Alternative Airplay chart following its first full tracking week. “Lost” spent 20 weeks atop that chart; I’d guess that “The Emptiness Machine” will at least match that total.
Jason Lipshutz: “The Emptiness Machine” sounded like a straightforward rocker built around the dueling voices of Mike Shinoda and Emily Armstrong to me upon first listen, but the single has grown on me rapidly — I love how its momentum snowballs over the first two verses and choruses, pulls back during the harmonized bridge, then goes for the jugular on the final hook. Although I don’t think it will maintain its Hot 100 peak for long, I do believe its run on the chart will surpass that of “Lost,” as streaming audiences help bolster the early adoption from rock radio. The No. 21 debut defied the odds, and I think the breadth of its Hot 100 run will do the same.
Andrew Unterberger: Its greater debut and more interesting backstory might grant it another few weeks, but I don’t really see this being a much-longer-lasting Hot 100 hit, no. Its sales and streams already seem to be tapering off — though to be fair, not as quickly as with some other splashy-debuting new releases — and it’s unlikely pop radio is coming to swoop in with this song anytime soon.
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4. Do you think “Machine” captures the spirit of classic Linkin Park? Does Emily Armstrong seem like a logical fit as the band’s new frontwoman so far?
Anna Chan: It’s too early to judge based on just one song whether or not she’s a good fit. However, this rock-leaning music fan is eager to hear more from Armstrong. Her first verse in “The Emptiness Machine” didn’t grab me, but when she gets to the chorus and lets her raw, guttural vocals come out? Wooo! I’m letting Linkin Park cut me open just to jam more music into my ears.
Kyle Denis: For me, Chester’s voice is such a quintessential part of the band’s sound, that it still feels odd not hearing him. Nonetheless, I like hearing Emily on the record, it’s fun hearing her push her voice further than you’d expect before giving into a growl or a scream. She’s able to balance vulnerability and high-octane vocal thrills pretty effortlessly, which makes her an effective new frontwoman.
Josh Glicksman: Yes! It feels refreshed and modern, but perfectly at home in the canon of everything that has endeared the band to fans for the past 25 years. Armstrong feels like a logical fit as the band’s new frontwoman — and, importantly, she’s both honoring its legacy while giving the music her own touch, as she discussed in her Billboard cover story: “Going into these [older] songs, by a singular voice that’s beloved by so many people — it’s like, ‘How do I be myself in this, but also carry on the emotion and what he brought in this band?’ … There is a passion to it that I’m hoping I can fill.”
Jason Lipshutz: What I love about this new iteration of Linkin Park is that songs like “The Emptiness Machine” exist in the same universe as the band’s biggest hits, but expand it into new terrain instead of trying recapture any past magic. That’s why Armstrong works so well as a new co-vocalist: she can sing the hits in a live setting, but instead of functioning as a Chester Bennington impersonator, she helps the band grow in a different direction and balance out Shinoda in striking, unexpected ways. As someone who has heard more of From Zero than just “The Emptiness Machine,” I can say that I was impressed with the balancing act that the band pulls off — honoring their past without re-creating it, harkening back to earlier eras while making something new.
Andrew Unterberger: Ironically, the least classic Linkin Park-seeming part of this song is Mike Shinoda singing (not rapping) on the first verse — when Armstrong comes in on the second verse (and especially when she kicks in with the chorus), it feels almost like a correction to the natural order of things. Maybe that was the plan all along; if so it seems to have worked!
5. With Linkin Park and Oasis reuniting in 2024, who’s another long-dormant rock band who you’d love to see get back together in the not too distant future?
Anna Chan: What’s your definition of “long-dormant”? Because for greedy ol’ me, Nine Inch Nails has been too busy with the movie scores as of late, and I need them to get back in the recording studio and on the road. (And no, that 2022 tour that hit only 10 U.S. cities doesn’t count in my book, while the Cold and Black and Infinite tour was six long years ago.) I’d also appreciate if Rage Against the Machine would reunite and finish up the tour they cut short in 2022 (this political climate is begging for them) — or if The Cure (who might be teasing new music?) would do another trek so I can have a shot at tickets next time around.
Kyle Denis: Wishful thinking, but The White Stripes!
Josh Glicksman: Talking Heads. Sure, they’ve notably rebuffed a reunion several times in recent months, but give the people what they want! Even just a small handful of new singles will suffice.
Jason Lipshutz: As of this July, Jack White has released exactly as many studio albums under his own name as he did alongside Meg White as The White Stripes. It is time to tip the scales once again — we simply need the duo back, and the first White Stripes album since 2007.
Andrew Unterberger: There have whispers about Radiohead reassembling of late — still pretty quiet ones, but loud enough to remind me how it’s been eight years since their last album and six since their last tour. (And how they’re, y’know, one of the best bands ever.)