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Gospel legend CeCe Winans is among the first round of performers set for the 2024 GMA Dove Awards. Other performers include Tauren Wells — who is also set to host the show — Crowder, Natalie Grant, Forrest Frank, Joseph Habedank and Maverick City Music with Naomi Raine.
The 55th annual GMA Dove Awards will be presented on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at the Allen Arena on the campus of Lipscomb University in Nashville. The show will be taped and will premiere on TBN and TBN+ on Friday, Oct. 4, at 8 p.m. ET and 10 p.m. ET. An audio simulcast will air on SiriusXM’s The Message (channel 65) and on the SiriusXM App.
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An encore presentation will air on TBN and TBN+ on Friday, Oct. 11, at 8 p.m. ET and 10 p.m. ET.
Tickets for the Nashville taping are sold out.
Performers were announced on Tuesday (Sept. 17) on SiriusXM The Message by host and nominee Wells, whose project Joy in the Morning (Horizon Edition) is nominated for pop/contemporary album of the year.
Prior to the 55th Annual GMA Dove Awards broadcast, Kristin Adams will host a red-carpet show on Friday, Oct. 4, on TBN+.
Brandon Lake is this year’s leading nominee, with 16 nods. Other top nominees include writer-producer Jeff Pardo (11 nominations), Chris Brown (10), Chandler Moore (10), writer-producer Jonathan Smith (10), Winans (five) and Raine (five).
The GMA Dove Awards have added a new category this year – Spanish language worship recorded song of the year.
See a list of GMA Dove Awards nominees in top categories here. For the full list of GMA Dove Awards nominees in all categories, visit doveawards.com.
The 55th Annual GMA Dove Awards are produced by the Gospel Music Association. Jackie Patillo and Justin Fratt serve as showrunners and executive producers, alongside Curtis Stoneberger and Paul Wright as producers. Russell E. Hall returns as director, Michael Nolan as scriptwriter, and Scott Moore and Go Live Productions as production manager.
The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is making a comeback, and it’s bringing one of music’s biggest living legends along for the ride. As announced Tuesday (Sept. 17), Cher will headline the brand’s first big runway showcase in six years — and she’ll be leading a lineup of all-women artists for the first time ever.
The iconic fashion house shared the news on Instagram with a video of the 78-year-old superstar singing her 1998 Billboard Hot 100-topping hit “Believe,” giving fans a taste of what she’ll bring to the VS runway this fall. “It’s a woman’s world, so it’s understood that you can’t have a fashion show without the mother of fashion herself—@Cher!” the caption reads.
“But she won’t be alone…stay tuned, more announcements are coming to round out our first-ever, all-women lineup,” the message continues.
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Scheduled for Oct. 15 in Brooklyn, New York, the 2024 fashion show marks a major comeback for Victoria’s Secret. The event used to be an annual prime-time TV spectacular featuring the world’s most recognizable models — Heidi Klum, Karlie Kloss and Gisele Bündchen, to name a few of the show’s “Angels” — walking the runway in lingerie and avant-garde angel wings.
Major musicians were also frequently tapped to provide a live soundtrack for the fashion show, performing on stage as the models walked. Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, Lady Gaga, Selena Gomez and more have all taken the gig at different points.
The last show of this kind, however, was in 2018, after which Victoria’s Secret canceled the program amid growing backlash to the brand’s lack of inclusivity and perpetuation of unrealistic beauty standards. In 2019, parent company L Brands stated its desire to “evolve the marketing of Victoria’s Secret” in the show’s absence.
Four years later, it made a mini-return of sorts with VS testing out a new approach: The Tour, a Prime Video special compiling footage of A-listers Adriana Lima, Gigi Hadid, Emily Ratajkowski and Hailey Bieber modeling the company’s apparel in cities all over the world. It also featured a performance from Doja Cat, then fresh off the release of her album Scarlet.
This year, Hadid will once again walk for VS alongside another seasoned Angel, Tyra Banks. And yes, the wings will also be making a grand return.
“We’ve read the comments and heard you,” the company wrote on Instagram in May. “The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is ✨ BACK ✨ and will reflect who we are today, plus everything you know and love—the glamour, runway, wings, musical entertainment, and more!”
See Victoria’s Secret’s announcement below.
The New Orleans Saints shocked the NFL community on Sunday (Sept. 15) with a dominant victory over the Dallas Cowboys 44-19 to keep their undefeated season going. With vibes through the roof after pulling off the upset inside Dallas’ AT&T Stadium, Saints head coach Dennis Allen quoted Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” during his postgame […]
From the very first notes of the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir’s rendition of Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon” at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House, a remarkable dialogue emerged. This unique blend of cultures unfolded within a single iconic melody, brought to life by the ornamentation of the ney – a traditional and widely cherished Arabic reed instrument. In harmony with the timeless lyrics, the Saudi choir members added a rich layer of depth, creating a captivating conversation that bridged musical geographies.
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Launched in 2021 under the patronage of Saudi’s Minister of Culture and Chairman of the Music Commission, Prince Badr, “The Marvels of the Saudi Orchestra and Choir” series has successfully iterated three global performances — Paris (2022), Mexico City (2023) and New York (2023) — each time collaborating with a renowned cultural institute from its host city. Now, in 2024, The Saudi Orchestra and Choir will travel to London for a performance on Sept. 28 at the iconic Central Hall Westminster in London, alongside the U.K.’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
In a press conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sept. 8, Paul Pacifico, CEO of the Music Commission, emphasized the orchestra’s capability to achieve multiple outcomes simultaneously, chief among them “to show the world how Saudi music can sit alongside any music from anywhere in the world on the grandest stages with the most renowned cultural institutions globally,” he says. In this way, Saudi can take its “place with pride” as it continues to pull from traditions and influences across the 13 regions in the Kingdom.
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He highlights music’s unique power to “transcend cultural and linguistic barriers”, enabling musicians to connect and audiences to experience diverse sounds. This ambition is evident in their global exchanges, including performances with the International Philharmonic Orchestra of Paris, the Carlos Chavez Orchestra in Mexico City and the Dizzy Gillespie All Stars in New York.
Through world premieres that reached far beyond the live audience, the orchestra has left an enduring mark on Saudi culture. While hundreds attended in person, more tuned in to livestreams, resulting in the comment sections of these broadcasts buzzing with pride and enthusiasm as Saudis celebrated their artists shining on historic stages.
Stage 1: Paris, France – Saudi Melodies Dazzle Amidst the “City of Lights”
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Their journey on the road commenced with a noteworthy performance in Paris on Oct. 7, 2022, titled the “Masterpieces of Saudi Music,” in part with the International Philharmonic Orchestra of Paris. This historic event saw the Saudi orchestra – featuring 22 musicians and 40 vocalists – embark on a classical musical dialogue celebrating the depth of Saudi folklore and modern heritage. In a reciprocal gesture, the International Philharmonic Orchestra of Paris premiered “Jeddah City,” composed by Antonio Bernardi. The exchange of performances unfolded as a compelling historical narrative, with each musical piece eloquently articulating its own chapter in the story.
Unlike Western orchestras, the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir integrates various traditional instruments that hold a notable place in the lineage of Saudi music, be it the ney, the oud or the rebab. Despite the challenge of integrating instruments like the rebab, which doesn’t have standard tuning, the orchestra is dedicated to pushing these “traditional instruments forward into a more contemporary setting,” says Pacifico. We see this play out in the exchange between the Saudi Orchestra and the French Philharmonic in their joint rendition of “Habanera,” from the famed opera Carmen.
Stage 2: Mexico City, Mexico – Ballet Folklórico de México and “Above the Clouds”
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In June 2023, barely a year after its debut, the orchestra and choir performed remarkably in Mexico City. This grand performance featured 33 musicians, 39 singers, and 40 performers from the performing arts troupe, all under the baton of maestro Riab Ahmed, who succeeded the late Mohammed Amin Qari. The concert was a vibrant celebration of Saudi musical heritage, featuring iconic compositions from revered artists such as Tariq Abdul-Hakim, Mohammed Abdu and Bashir Shanan. These classic works were delivered with a masterful blend of classical elegance and energetic rhythms, capturing the essence of traditional and popular Saudi art.
The Saudi National Orchestra and Choir were joined by the Mexican Carlos Chávez Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Roberto Renteria Yrene, and the Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández. This collaboration resulted in a musical experience that bridged the two cultures and languages, instead proposing a collective narrative through song and performance. They concluded the evening with a heartfelt rendition of “Above the Clouds,” with lyrics by poet Badr Bin Abdul Muhsin and music by Mohammed Abdu. The song, imbued with a deep affection for Saudi Arabia since the late 1980s, has transcended time and geography to be performed by new generations on the other side of the world in this historic moment.
Stage 3: New York, N.Y. – “Fly Me to the Moon” and the Dizzy Gillespie All Stars
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On Sept. 17, 2023, the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City hosted the orchestra and choir, a performance that achieved a remarkable level of sophistication in a remarkably short time. The show featured a grand ensemble of 80 musicians from the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir, complemented by 60 performers from the Theater and Performing Arts Commission. Viewers enjoyed engaging representations of various art forms, including Liwa, Dana, Khatwa, Majrour, Samri, Rabash and Yanbuawi.
The presentation included a keen display of local costumes, reflecting the region’s rich geographical and historical aesthetics. Notable moments included the performers rhythmically interacting with a green barrel, which carried political and economic symbolism, and the concluding presentation of the song “al-Mujded,” which celebrated the visionary who brought Saudi creativity to the international stage.
The orchestra embraced the opportunity to honor New York City’s unique charm and rich history by presenting a memorable performance to the Metropolitan Opera audience. Collaborating with the legendary American jazz ensemble the Dizzy Gillespie All Stars, they delivered an integrated jazz segment infused with Saudi instrumental ornamentations and expressions. The standout of the evening was the exceptional young Saudi soprano Reemaz Oqbi, with her multilingual performances of iconic arias in English, French and Italian. The concert concluded with a medley celebrating contemporary Saudi music trailblazers such as Mohammed Abdu and Etab, highlighting their significant contributions that have shaped the country’s music landscape over the decades.
Stage 4: London, England – A New Stage and Fresh Horizons
This year, marking the 95th Saudi National Day, the orchestra and choir will embark on their fourth international iteration, taking the stage at Central Hall, Westminster, in the heart of London. This version, which includes 98 Saudi musicians, aims to showcase additional layers of the Kingdom’s diverse musical heritage. The concert will continue to offer a compelling blend of classical and contemporary interpretations of Saudi Arabia’s musical traditions. Notably, this performance will feature a collaboration with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the world-renowned opera singer Dame Sarah Connolly, adding an anticipated cultural dimension to the evening.
On Sept. 28, the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir will continue exploring new symphonic directions, discovering its unique voice and the confidence to spark conversations rooted in harmony. As the orchestra and choir showcase their latest work, all eyes are on London this month in anticipation of the vibrant melodies that will usher in a captivating new chapter of the “Marvels of Saudi Music.” This celebration of creativity and collaboration promises to inspire while connecting audiences through the universal language of music.
The first year of the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart featured an array of music that reached the fledgling ranking’s upper reaches, with 21 songs topping the weekly ranking from its inception as of the Billboard charts dated Sept. 16, 2023.
Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby,” however, was a leg above the rest.
From its coronation at No. 1 on the May 18 survey (after debuting at No. 2 the previous week) to its to-date final week atop the ranking (July 20), Richman’s summer hit crowned the TikTok Billboard Top 50 for 10 uninterrupted weeks. What’s more: as of this writing, “Million Dollar Baby” has never fallen below No. 6. In fact, the latest weekly chart (Sept. 14) finds it up one spot to No. 5.
But “Million Dollar Baby” is a fitting longest-running No. 1 for the chart’s inaugural year. To recap the story you’ve probably already been told: on April 13, Richman uploaded a 14-second clip of the song to his TikTok. It exploded immediately, having racked up nearly 14 million plays as of mid-September. Two days later, he was posting more clips featuring different music, but the demand in the comments was clear: “Drop million dollar baby rn,” one read. He released the song “Selfish” a few days later on April 19, and yet the pleas persisted: “More million dollar baby clips.”
The next week, it happened. After a few more videos promoting its impending release (including one from April 23 that has even more views – over 18 million – than the original), Richman dropped “Million Dollar Baby” on April 26, and the song immediately shot to the top of the TikTok Billboard Top 50, as well as charts worldwide. On the multimetric Billboard Hot 100 (which does not include any TikTok activity), it both debuted and peaked at No. 2 on the May 11 tally and spent the next nearly four months in the top 10.
Pent-up demand for the song helped drive initial numbers, but in the months since, “Million Dollar Baby” has had its own dance trend that’s dominated the conversation. By the end of the summer, TikTok crowned the tune its song of the summer.
Read on for more highlights of the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s chart’s first year. You can see the latest TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart here, and you can also tune in each Friday to SiriusXM’s TikTok Radio (channel 4) to hear the premiere of the chart’s top 10 countdown at 3 p.m. ET, with reruns heard throughout the week.
‘Love’ for Mitski
Tito Jackson, 70, one of the five founding members of the beloved Motown group the Jackson 5, died on Sunday (Sept. 15) of a suspected heart attack in Gallup, NM. Billboard contributor Fred Bronson interviewed Tito over three days in 2016 for his book, The Jacksons Legacy. Check out a few excerpts from their many hours together, including Tito talking about his brothers, signing to Motown, his missed chance to pursue a career in baseball and what he believed his legacy would be.
Before there was a Jackson 5, it was just you, Jackie and Jermaine. Did you play ang gigs as a trio?
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No, we weren’t doing any gigs. It was just us singing around the house, Jackie, Jermaine and me. Then we heard Michael sing at a school function, an elementary school play, and that’s when we put him in the band. Marlon said, “me too!” Both of them has been asking. We had been telling them they were too young. It was for big boys.
Did any of your sisters ask to be a part of your group?
No, the girls hung out with each other. They were around mama all the time. The five of us worked out our harmonies, and with Michael singing songs, it started sounding even better. Father would tell us to be quiet, and our mother told him, “Joe, you need to listen to them. I think they really can sing. I think they have talent.” He would say, “Those boys don’t have any talent. Those boys can’t sing.” [She said] “No, Joe, I really think you should listen to them. They sound pretty good.” So one day, we sang for him and he was blown away. The next day when he got his paycheck, he bought all kinds of equipment. He rehearsed us every day. After school, we’d drop our books. He had the mics already set up, the amps on standby. The guitars were out already.
What do you remember about being signed to Motown?
We had heard that Motown wasn’t going to sign us because Stevie Wonder was on the label and there were a lot of laws about minors working. You could only work so long and then you had to take a break. If you are there longer than six hours, your day is over. You’ve got to go to school for an hour now. Producers hate it. With Stevie they only had one minor. There were five of us.
But that didn’t stop from Motown signing you.
We did the audition for Berry, and he was there. Suzanne de Passe was there. [Motown artist] Bobby Taylor was there and Berry was in the corner, checking it out and listening, trying to not like it. But he really enjoyed it. He wanted us to sing at Diana Ross’s party that he was giving. He told us our first four or five records were going to go to No. 1.
That party for Diana Ross was at Berry’s home in Detroit. I understand he offered you a hundred dollars to make a hole-in-one in his back yard.
He gave us the wrong iron. Some putter or something. We tore the yard up trying to do that.
Is that the first time you met Diana Ross?
Yes. That was the first time we met any of the stars. Marvin Gaye was there and Tammi Terrell. Some of the Four Tops and some of the Temptations. It was like a family. The Motown staff was very kind to us. They treated us like children. That’s what we were. Everybody was our father and mother. They were just very nice to us. We did our performance, singing their songs to them and watching their reactions, and they seemed to really like it. They told us, “You guys are great, but remember, don’t get a big head.” They would give us little tips like that, and we looked up to them, of course. I remember going back to Indiana, bragging to all of our friends that we signed to Motown and our friends were very supportive.
Tell me about your relationships with your brothers.
Our relationships were always good because we did everything together. We hung out together. We stayed together. When we went on the road, we shared rooms. If we were going to the movies, we all went to the movies together. We made our own fun and had our little basketball team, the five of us. We also played a lot of baseball and softball.
Were you good at baseball?
That was my whole thing. I enjoyed playing the game, and I played about two years in Little League before the music took off. I could’ve done something with it if I had kept playing, but I stopped playing at a young age. I guess the music looked better to our father. Jackie was really good at baseball. But I learned when I got older that I was probably just as good, if not better. Especially if I had kept playing, because I was always trying to keep up with my oldest brother.
After three bubblegum pop songs – “I Want You Back,” “ABC” and “The Love You Save,” your fourth single was very different. Tell me about “I’ll Be There.”
I think it was a good move to show the versatility in the group, that we weren’t just about up-tempo young songs. We could deliver love songs and “I’ll Be There” was perfect. It was an adult lyric, but it sounded good for the young voice of Michael with us doing the backgrounds. We didn’t know it was going to be a single. We just recorded the songs that they gave us and we would finish an album and the company chose the songs that it felt strongly about.
What does it mean to you to have been a part of the Jackson 5?
A person comes into this world and it’s what you leave behind, I don’t know if I left enough behind, because what I have left behind is music and if you can bring happiness to some people, that’s more than most people have brought. So I look at it in that context, but it’s not everything that I can leave behind. I’m always trying to do something that’s going to help myself or help society and make myself a better person. But to be a part of the Jacksons, to have that and bring smiles to people’s faces who enjoy the music, who enjoy the image or to name a kid after one of our family members is a good feeling. It means a lot. It means that you’ve done something with your life, other than just lived a life. At the end of the day, when we get called, it’s all about what we did with our time. I still have a lot to give as do the brothers, because the music just flows through our family. I think I was put here to do music.
Surf Curse has been steadily releasing music for more than a decade and now, for the first time, the surf rockers debut on the Billboard Hot 100 with their five-year-old song “Disco.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Released in June 2019 via Danger Collective and more […]
A decade ago, Midland’s Mark Wystrach, Jess Carson and Cameron Duddy holed up at the iconic Sonic Ranch studios in Tornillo, Texas, and made their initial recordings as a trio. They refined their simultaneously modern and retro sound, fused by their contrapuntal harmonies, in a process that was later highlighted with the release of their 2021 project The Sonic Ranch (and its corresponding documentary). That same year, Sturgill Simpson released his seminal, Dave Cobb-produced album Metamodern Sounds in Country Music.
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“We were referencing a lot of stuff from the ‘70s and ‘80s,” Midland’s lead singer/guitarist Wystrach tells Billboard. “When we heard [Simpson’s] album, we felt like it was exactly, in so many ways, like what we were trying to capture to pay homage to the music we love, but in a modern and contemporary way.”
From that point, Cobb, also known for his work with Chris Stapleton and Jason Isbell, became an aspirational producer for the trio. They realize that ambition with their new, eight-song project Barely Blue, out Sept. 20 on Big Machine Records.
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Though the two projects were recorded approximately 1,600 miles apart (Barely Blue was recorded Cobb’s Georgia Mae Studios in Savannah, Ga.) and are separated by 10 years of touring and recording, two top 5 Billboard Country Airplay chart hits in “Drinkin’ Problem” and “Burn Out,” and an ACM Award win for new vocal duo/group of the year, there are distinct similarities between the two projects.
“It completes a full circle back to our first album, where it was a fully immersive, experiential recording process, as opposed to going in with a set list of songs that we had to cut,” Wystrach says, adding, “I think he was probably the most fun we’ve ever had in the studio. Getting to work with Dave was one of the best musical experiences, I think collectively, of our lives.”
As much as Midland’s top-flight musicianship itself, the aura of Savannah is baked into the grooves of Barely Blue.
“It’s important for Dave to get you into the spirit and set the table,” bassist/vocalist Duddy says. “Because we were in his hometown, the first thing he did was we got in the car, and he drove us around the neighborhood. He’s very proud of Savannah and the culture. He was a great tour guide and historian for the city, so you feel like you’re part of the surroundings.”
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Johnny Mercer grew up right there and wrote [the lyrics to] ‘Moon River’ about that area,” adds lead guitarist/vocalist Carson. “It’s so storybook and picturesque, I think it comes through on the album, too.”
Far removed from the daily workhorse vibe of Nashville, the trio found a free-flowing creative spirit at Cobb’s studio. There, a process marked by recording time, followed by dinner, wine, relaxed conversations and more recording late into the evening, sparked what Duddy describes as “freedom to experiment, because there’s no ticking clock.”
The trio entered the studio with nearly 20 songs they were considering for the project, eventually trimming the slate to Barely Blue’s succinct set, constructing and deconstructing each song until it fit with the album’s overall vibe.
“It’s a way we’ve always wanted to record because when we read stories of how some of our favorite albums were made, like the Rolling Stones in France making Exile [on Main St.], they’re in this sort of live-in space and they have time on their hands to tinker with things. ‘Lucky Sometimes’ is a song that we recorded, listened back to, and went back and tore down to the studs. The original version of it had drums and it was just a very different-sounding song.”
“Dave was pretty opinionated when it came to the songs that he felt worked together,” Duddy recalls. “There’s a dark art to picking songs that work together, and sometimes you’re too close to the material to know what’s best for it. Dave was very instrumental in finding and threading those songs together.”
The members of the group contributed writing to seven of the album’s eight songs, including the slow-rolling romance of “Baby It’s You,” the tumbling harmonies of “Old Fashioned Feeling,” the languid swagger of “Lucky Sometimes” and the Carson solo write “Halfway to Heaven.”
The lone outside cut is “Vegas,” written by Ryan Beaver, Jeff Hyde, Jeremy Spillman and Ryan Tyndell. The song is the first the trio has recorded from outside writers, other than recording occasional cover songs.
“The work tape we had [for “Vegas,”] we really blew that up and made it something that felt like it fit into this puzzle we were constructing,” Wystrach says of the song that hinges on revamping the long-standing phrase “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” “You can almost smell the heartbreak on that song, and the longing and nostalgia to it. It does really sound like a firsthand experience, and I think all of us have collectively kind of lived the story of that song — and it’s such a classic turn of a phrase that’s been part of the pop culture vernacular for so long.”
Wystrach, Duddy and Carson were joined in the studio by Cobb, keyboardist Philip Towns, percussionist Chris Powell, and multi-instrumentalist Leroy Powell for a recorded effort they feel captures the energy of their live shows for the first time in a long time, while still sounding radio ready.
“I think the three of us collectively feel the last three albums didn’t really reflect what we sound like live. I think all of our favorite albums sound kind of like the live show, and that’s something we wanted to pursue and incorporate in this album,” Wystrach said. “What people are hearing is a live-tracked album that is imperfect, human, it’s got a rawness to it.”
The UTA-booked group will take the new songs on the road when their The Get Lucky Tour launches Sept. 19 including stops at Red Rocks Amphitheater and at ACL Live. They’ll also return to Indio, California’s Stagecoach Festival in 2025.
In a world that is filled with over-saturation in so many facets, Midland adheres to the ethos of “keep people wanting more.”
“We certainly did that when it came to building our live show,” Duddy says. “We never tried to jump ahead and play into a venue that might’ve been bigger. We specifically tailored our live show to where it’s going to sell out. Not everybody can just walk up at the door and there might be some empty seats.
“That’s kind of way this album is — we wanted to really be able to spotlight each of those songs because we believed in them,” he continues. “We do feel like those eight songs are able to tell such a story and have such a landscape both through us and Dave.”
Over the past decade-plus, Illinois native Brett Eldredge has earned five No. 1 Billboard Country Airplay hits (including the two-week chart-toppers “Don’t Ya” and “Wanna Be That Song”) and has seen two of his albums rise into the top 3 on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart.
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Thanks to his velvety, timeless vocal delivery, his annual holiday-themed Glow concerts and two albums comprised of primarily classic holiday songs (2016’s Glow and 2021’s Mr. Christmas), he’s also earned a reputation as an essential artist to help usher in the spirit of the holiday season.
On Sept. 27, Eldredge will extend that reputation with his third holiday album, Merry Christmas (Welcome to the Family), an eight-song collection of original holiday songs. Eldredge, who is managed by Q Prime South, is also turning a new page professionally, as the album will be the first released on Eldredge’s own independent label, Warm and Cozy Records. Eldredge previously parted ways with his longtime label home, Warner Music Nashville.
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“The run we had together at Warner was very special and it ended with respect and love,” Eldredge tells Billboard via email. “I am so grateful for the wonderful team of humans at Warner and the work and belief they always had for me. At the end of the day, I missed the feeling of betting on myself. That feeling when you first get to town, knocking on doors and playing anywhere they would let me in the doors with my guitar and an eager voice that wanted to be heard…I have that hunger to bet on myself and starting my own label felt like the perfect way to do that.”According to Q Prime South’s Randi Tolbert, ADA will handle distribution for the label, with Q Prime South and Q Prime New York label services handling duties including marketing, press, radio and digital.
Asked if there are plans to sign additional artists to his Warm and Cozy label, Eldredge notes that at the moment, his sights are set on releasing his own music, and he’s immersed in “making music that I love by cutting out expectations or outside pressures and anything that would influence my creative spirit. I love the freedom of it all so far…I am going to focus on that for now, but who knows what the future holds!”
Among the original songs on the new album is “Sweet December,” a duet with Kelly Clarkson (the two previously collaborated on “Under the Mistletoe,” featured on Clarkson’s 2021 holiday album, When Christmas Comes Around).
“After singing ‘Under the Mistletoe’ together, I knew there was no one else in the world I wanted to sing this song with,” Eldredge says in a statement. “Kelly’s voice has this soulful retro feeling. I’ve never done a Christmas song in this style, and I really love it.”
Clarkson adds in a statement, “I’ve been fortunate enough to record songs with Brett, go see him live, and have him on my show! He has one of my favorite voices and I will sing with him anytime, anywhere! I hope people dig ‘Sweet December’ as much as we do!”
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The vinyl edition of the upcoming album will be released Oct. 25, bolstered by Welcome to the Family: The Game, an exclusive board game printed onto the vinyl edition’s gatefold.
For Eldredge, seeing the growing success of his holiday-centered music is a fulfillment of the dreams and ideas he had as a young vocalist, inspired by the sounds of timeless holiday songs each season.
“I think the success of this Christmas business or any business is to dig into what sparked it before it mattered to anyone else but yourself,” he tells Billboard. “That’s how I feel about this whole Christmas dream that has blown up to a level I only used to dream about as a kid, sitting by the tree singing along to Nat King Cole and Bing Crosby. That whole feeling of, ‘What if one day I could make music classic and cool like this, with my own holiday original songs? What if I could make people feel the way I do right now just listening and dreaming?’ When it all gets overwhelming, which indeed any type of success or ‘business’ does, I like to imagine taking a seat next to that 12-year-old me and saying, ‘Can you believe we are doing this?’”
Eldredge also notes to Billboard that fans can likely expect to hear a variety of sounds from him in the future as he explores musical avenues.
“I love so many types of music and I am inspired that we now live in an era where there can be a home on different playlists for different styles,” he says. “It honestly makes the live shows more fun and expansive too. I have a lot of different styles and sounds in my bag of magic tricks that I can’t wait to get out to the world!”See the tracklist for Merry Christmas (Welcome to the Family) below:
1 “Merry Christmas (Welcome to the Family)”
2 “It Must Be Christmas”
3 “Sweet December” (featuring Kelly Clarkson)
4 “Warm and Cozy”
5 “The Night St. Nick Got Sick”
6 “Season of Lights and Wonder”
7 “Who Will You Be Kissing on New Year’s Eve?” (featuring Idarose)
8 “Welcome to the Family” (Reprise)
After more than 50 years of rocking, REO Speedwagon will permanently park the tour bus at the end of the year. The long-running soft rock band known for such 1980s hits as “Keep on Loving You,” “Take It On the Run” and “Can’t Fight This Feeling” announced on Monday (Sept. 16) that their upcoming U.S. dates will be their last due to intractable conflicts between the two longest-tenured members.
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“Bruce has intended to be Back On the Road Again by now. If it were up to just him, he’d be back on tour… but it’s not up to just him,” read a statement from the group in reference to bassist Bruce Hall, who has been off the road recuperating from back surgery while the band was touring with Train this summer.
“The consensus opinion was that he had not recovered sufficiently to be able to perform at the level the fans have come to expect,” they continued. “Bruce respected that opinion and is grateful that [replacement bassist] Matt [Bissonette] has been around to keep the Wagon rolling through the summer tour. Bruce never had any intention of retiring or walking away from the band, fans, and crew he has loved for almost 50 years.”
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The message also noted that singer Kevin Cronin also “never had any intention” of leaving the band, but that things came to a head over unexplained stressors, leading to the difficult decision to call it a road day.
“Due to this complex situation, irreconcilable differences arose between Bruce and Kevin. So, it is with great sadness that we announce REO Speedwagon will cease touring effective January 1, 2025,” they announced. “[Keyboardist] Neal [Doughty], Kevin, and Bruce thank their fans for all their years of loyal support and for giving back to the band such wonderful memories that will remain with each of them forever.”
Writing on Facebook, Hall wrote his own goodbye, telling fans, “Never ever thought it would end like this and I’m heartbroken. Please know Neal and I did everything in our power to try and keep the Wagon rolling. I am so appreciative of ALL the amazing love & support. You guys have been very vocal and clear in your wishes for me to return to the stage. Trust me…that’s all I wanted too. We all deserved a farewell tour.” He noted that he wanted to the band to continue touring as it was prior to his successful, planned back surgery.
Last week, the band had to cancel shows in Chula Vista, CA and Phoenix, AZ after Cronin was felled by an undisclosed illness. Train and REO Speedwagon launched their 44-date co-headlining Summer Road trip on July 8 and wrapped it up on Sept. 11; only Train peformed at the latter show in Phoenix due to Cronin’s illness. The group has a final round of headlining dates slated to kick off on Sept. 27 at the Agua Caliente Casino in Rancho Mirage, CA before playing what will now be their swan song on Nov. 23 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY.
After missing the final two shows, Cronin wrote a note from his hospital bed on FB over the weekend in which he reminisced about the great time on the road with Train this summer and his own future. “Lying here tethered to various beeping machines, makes a guy think. I have had plenty of free time this past week to appreciate the love in the eyes of my wife and kids, as they have gathered around me here every single day. I have so much more life to live, and have re-examined what I want to do with the rest of my time here, and who I want to be surrounded by while I do it,” he said.
“I need to be lifted by those around me, and in return, to lift them. I feel excited at the prospect of creating and playing the best music I have in me, with the best artists, musicians, and people who will have me. And I promise to continue giving my best, and appreciating the gift of music which has allowed me this life.”
REO Speedwagon formed in Champaign, IL in 1967 with an initial lineup featuring lead singer Terry Luttrell and a rotating roster of guitarists, releasing three albums with as many lead vocalists before Cronin joined in time for 1972’s R.E.O./T.W.O. LP; Cronin split before 1973’s Ridin’ the Storm Out album. After sitting out three additional studio albums, Cronin returned for 1976’s R.E.O., which set the stage for their breakthrough with 1978’s punny You Can Tune a Piano but You Can’t Tuna Fish.
The double platinum LP — the first to feature Hall on bass — finally broke them on radio and on the charts, hitting No. 29 on the Billboard 200 album tally and landing their first hit singles with “Time For Me to Fly” (No. 56 on the Billboard Hot 100) and “Roll With the Changes” (No. 58). But it was 1980’s High Infidelity that cemented their reputation as AOR radio soft rock gods thanks to Hot 100 charting hits “Keep On Loving You” (No. 1), “Take It on the Run” (No. 5), “In Your Letter” (No. 20) and “Don’t Let Him Go” (No. 24). The band released six more albums, including their final original studio effort, 2007’s Find Your Way Home; the holiday album Not So Silent Night… Christmas with REO Speedwagon was released in 2009.
See the band’s statement below.