Music

22 Sep 2023

In 1988, Dan Seals’ Version of Cheryl Wheeler’s ‘Addicted’ Topped Hot Country Songs: Chart Rewind

On Sept. 24, 1988, Dan Seals’ “Addicted” hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. It became the eighth of his 11 career leaders on the list.

Cheryl Wheeler wrote the song following a conversation with her sister, who was deciding whether or not to stay in a relationship. “‘Addicted’ came really fast to me,” Wheeler has said. “I’d just hung up the phone with the person the song is about, after she’d said, ‘I feel like I’m addicted to a real bad thing.’ Chordally (is that a word?), it has a lot more going on than most of my stuff.”

Wheeler first released “Addicted” on her 1987 LP Half a Book. In addition to Seals, Blake Shelton also recorded the ballad, for the iTunes deluxe edition of his 2011 album Red River Blue. Wheeler added a second Hot Country Songs top 10 as a writer via Suzy Bogguss’ version of “Aces” (No. 9, 1992), while Garth Brooks reworked her song “If It Were Up to Me” in 1999.

Seals’ “Addicted” was released as the first of three singles from his LP Rage On, his third of three top 10s on the Top Country Albums chart. Second single “Big Wheels in the Moonlight” topped Hot Country Songs for a week and “They Rage On” hit No. 5.

“Addicted” became Seals’ eighth of nine straight No. 1 singles in 1985-89, a streak that started with his first leader, “Meet Me in Montana,” with Marie Osmond.

Born in McCamey, Texas, on Feb. 8, 1948, Seals was first known as half the duo England Dan & John Ford Coley. The pair notched four top 10s on the Billboard Hot 100, with 1976’s “I’d Really Love to See You Tonight” its strongest showing (No. 2). Meanwhile, Seals & Crofts, comprised of Seals’ older brother Jim Seals and Dash Crofts, tallied three Hot 100 top 10s, starting with “Summer Breeze” in 1972.

Dan Seals was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2008. Following treatments, including a stem cell transplant, he passed in 2009 at age 61.

22 Sep 2023

Friday Music Guide: New Music From Doja Cat, Zach Bryan, Shakira and More

Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond. 

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This week, Doja Cat turns into a hip-hop titan, Zach Bryan has more tricks up his sleeve and Shakira keeps piling up the wins. Check out all of this week’s picks below:

Doja Cat, Scarlet 

Not many music stars could release an album with five bonafide pop hits, follow that up by declaring a new rap-focused era, and find just as much artistic and commercial success — but that’s exactly what Doja Cat has achieved with Scarlet, a thrilling curveball that still complements her inherent skill set. Planet Her demonstrated that Doja could toss off fierce, funny rhymes in between pop hooks, and while Scarlet contains plenty of hummable melodies to follow the one on recent No. 1 single “Paint the Town Red,” the album’s primary triumph resides in Doja’s fully rendered verses, with boastful onomatopoeia (“Shutcho”), extended sex metaphors (“Gun”) whirlwind romance (“Agora Hills”) and deafening clapbacks (“F–k The Girls (FTG)”). Scarlet proves that Doja could reside among hip-hop’s elite for a long time — but that would presume she doesn’t create a whole new dazzling world on her next project.

Zach Bryan, Boys of Faith EP

For those surprised that Zach Bryan’s self-titled album was only 16 songs long following last year’s 34-track epic American Heartbreak, Boys of Faith, a surprise EP released less than a month after the country superstar’s first chart-topper, helps even the scales a bit, while also boasting some more intriguing sounds and collaborations to add to Bryan’s repertoire. The immediate focus will be on the back-to-back guest spots from Noah Kahan (on the rolling, wistful “Sarah’s Place”) and Bon Iver (on the wrenching, fuzzed-out title track), but opener “Nine Ball,” on which Bryan recounts his complex feelings toward his father as he helps him win a billiards bet, highlights this rewarding addendum to a breakthrough project.

Shakira & Fuerza Regida, “El Jefe” 

“I feel like a cat with more than nine lives; whenever I think I can’t get any better, I suddenly get a second wind,” Shakira told Billboard during her recent cover story interview. Amidst a period of personal tumult and professional victories, Shakira sounds like she’s positioned herself to enjoy another smash with “El Jefe,” a collaboration with regional Mexican group Fuerza Regida that transports her unmistakable voice into their ever-expanding world while pushing the tempo as the guitar strums and bubbling horns gradually turn more urgent. “El Jefe” sounds like no other Shakira song before it, and turns truly exciting — that’s why she keeps getting better.

Blink-182, “One More Time” 

Blink-182’s 2023 reunion tour included plenty of arena and festival dates, even more scatological jokes from the stage and the jokey 2022 comeback single “Edging” joining the pop-punk vets’ collection of anthems; the live run also held some unexpected moments of reflection from the trio, who candidly spoke about Mark Hoppus’ 2021 cancer battle and how they were grateful to be back together. “One More Time” bottles that appreciation into a somber, genuinely moving three-and-a-half minute self-examination: as Hoppus and Tom DeLonge sing to each other, “I don’t want to act like there’s tomorrow / I don’t want to wait to do this one more time,” longtime fans will be wiping away tears, grateful that they didn’t.

Kylie Minogue, Tension 

Although “Padam Padam” represented a surprise comeback for Kylie Minogue — reaching international charts that the dance-pop veteran hadn’t graced in a decade, as well as becoming her first top 10 single in the 10-year history of the Billboard Dance/Electronic Songs chart in the U.S. — the reinvigoration of Minogue’s aesthetic that the hit single hinted at can now be heard in full on Tension, her most complete full-length since 2010’s Aphrodite. Minogue’s gift for airy, energetic pop music sounds more natural on songs like “Things We Do For Love,” “Green Light” and the title track than it has in years, as the Australian star mines simple pleasures in each track and then amplifies their impact.

Editor’s Pick: 070 Shake, “Black Dress” 

070 Shake is currently playing stadiums as an opening act on Coldplay’s current west coast run, and “Black Dress,” the daring hip-hop artist’s first single release of 2023, deserves an enormous venue: like 070 Shake herself, the song defies easy categorization — it combines a heavy guitar riff, swirling electronics and a “na-na-na” pop refrain — but the mixture rings out as massive. After 070 Shake enjoyed a surprise top 40 hit alongside Raye with “Escapism” earlier this year, let’s hope “Black Dress,” which precedes a forthcoming new album, receives a mainstream moment as well.

22 Sep 2023

How Edgar Barrera Became One of Latin Music’s Most In-Demand Producers

When Edgar Barrera first thought of bringing Bad Bunny and Grupo Frontera together for a collaboration, he thought to himself, “Wait, what am I even saying? That could never happen.” But like so many of the Mexican American songwriter-producer’s genre-bending ideas, this one didn’t just work out — it became a smash. The cumbia-norteña track “un x100to” peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May.

“To have the biggest artist, whom I had been wanting to work with, collaborate with a group from my hometown and record a cumbia, which is the music I grew up listening to with my dad, it was crazy and a full-circle moment in my career,” Barrera says today. “Sometimes I sound delusional, but the crazy thing is that the impossible happened.”

Ten years into Barrera’s career, his ability to effortlessly move across genres has made him one of the most sought-after songwriters in Latin music, with collaborators including Maluma (“Hawái”), Christian Nodal (“No Te Contaron Mal”), Grupo Firme (“Ya Supérame”), Camilo (“Vida de Rico”), Becky G (“Chanel”) and Marc Anthony (“De Vuelta Pa’ la Vuelta”), in addition to non-Latin stars such as Ariana Grande (“Boyfriend,” with Social House) and Shawn Mendes (his “KESI” remix with Camilo). In January 2021, he topped four genre charts — pop, rhythm, tropical and regional Mexican airplay — with four different songs, something no other Latin songwriter had done before. “That moment was really special,” says Barrera, 33, who also won the 2021 Latin Grammy for producer of the year. “I remember when I heard about it, I kept calling people in the industry asking, ‘Is this normal?’ ”

Extraordinary moments have defined the career of Billboard’s 2023 Latin Groundbreaker, who grew up near the border between Roma, Texas, and Ciudad Miguel Alemán in Tamaulipas, Mexico. At 6 years old, he created a rock band with his brother, cousins and a friend, who were all around his age. “I swear there are photos of me playing a guitar that was bigger than me,” he says with a laugh. “And I would write songs too. The first ones were really bad — they were about teddy bears — but come on, I was a little kid.”

It was around that time that he also started joining his father, a cumbia artist, at the studio or watching him rehearse with his band. Later, as a teen, Barrera handed out business cards and CDs with songs he had written to artists leaving local radio stations after their interviews. He still has one of those old business cards, which he proudly shows off. “I would go home and just keep hitting refresh on my Hotmail in case someone wrote, but no one ever did,” he says with a shrug.

Still, his hustle landed him an internship across the country in Miami with songwriter-producer Andrés Castro. “It was the best decision I could’ve ever made,” he says. “I started off as an engineer, [but] I remember when artists would come to the studio, I’d make sure to tell them, ‘Hey, I’m not really an engineer. I’m a songwriter and producer.’ And I’d show them my music. I got into a lot of problems because you’re not really supposed to talk to them directly. But I preferred to ask for forgiveness later than to ask for permission. And it worked: I got what I wanted.” Later, Castro would take Barrera to Sony Music Publishing Latin America, where he was signed by president/CEO Jorge Mejía.

Now, Barrera is laser focused on BorderKid Records, an imprint he launched in February 2022, with emerging acts Alex Luna and Neeus along with marquee client Grupo Frontera on his roster. When Barrera signed the six-piece last October, it was already a popular local band in McAllen, Texas, and had just landed its first big hit, “No Se Va,” which peaked at No. 3 on the Hot Latin Songs chart.

“We’re from the same place, so we all know each other, and one day, my compadre, who had hired them to perform at his tire shop opening, kept sending me videos telling me that they wanted to meet me,” Barrera explains. Their partnership began with a meet-up at a local Starbucks. “He believed in us from the start,” says vocalist-accordionist Juan Javier Cantú. “When we first met, he asked us where we saw the group going and we told him, but he told us that we were thinking too small and that we could go so much further. He pushed us to dream big.”

Edgar Barrera

Edgar Barrera photographed on September 6, 2023 in Miami.

Natalia Aguilera

And now, Grupo Frontera is the latest Barrera success story. In August, its debut album, El Comienzo, bowed and peaked at No. 3 on the Top Latin Albums chart, and in the past year alone, the group — a 15-time finalist at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards — has placed eight songs on the Hot 100.

“I promised myself that, from now on, I would work only on projects that I feel really passionate about and make me feel something,” Barrera says. “With BorderKid, it’s that. I want to be that bridge between new artists, songwriters and producers and their goals.”

Edgar Barrera will speak at Billboard Latin Music Week, taking place Oct. 2 – Oct. 6. To register, click here.

This story will appear in the Sept. 23, 2023, issue of Billboard.

22 Sep 2023

Lizzo Gives Emotional Speech at 2023 Black Music Action Coalition Gala: ‘It’s Easy to Do the Right Thing When Everybody’s Watching You’

In one of her first public appearances since a trio of former dancers filed a lawsuit accused her of turning a blind eye to toxic working conditions, Lizzo took the stage at Thursday night’s (Sept. 21) 2023 Black Music Action Coalition gala to receive the night’s final honor: the BMAC Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award.

The award was presented by the Big Grrrls from Lizzo’s Emmy-winning reality show, Watch Out For the Big Grrrls, just hours after the singer was hit with the latest lawsuit from a former employee, this one alleging sexual and racial harassment, disability discrimination and illegal retaliatory termination; the suit from Special Tour clothing designer Asha Daniels filed in L.A. Superior Court named Lizzo, along with tour manager Carlina Gugliotta and the Big Grrrl Touring company as defendants. It’s the second such lawsuit in two months, alleging sexual and racial harassment.

Before Lizzo came onstage, one of the cast members spoke about her being the “first person to ever believe in us, show us love and believe in our talent and our craft.” Another said, “When we found out Lizzo was being honored, we knew that we had to be here. This has always been somebody that gives back. She cares deeply. She loves with her whole heart … she put in the work to get to this moment.”

Stepping onstage to accept the statuette, an emotional Lizzo said, “BMAC thank you because I needed this right now. God’s timing is always on time! I’ve been blessed to receive a lot of incredible awards. But this one truly hits different because humanitarianism is selfless. And to be kind to someone isn’t a talent. Everyone can do it. It’s a gift that you give. In all my years of activism and outreach, I have witnessed at the core of every organization, every movement, every march is just people helping people. And they do it every damn day. I get to come in, help and go back to my life as a musician. These people are still helping people because they’ve dedicated their lives to service. And they don’t get awards; they don’t get a round of applause. Because of that, I’ve dedicated my life and decided to share my platform to shine a light on those people. Because I so badly want to live in a world where we award goodness with our attention.”

Lizzo further shared that she donated a quarter of a million dollars in June to several Black-led organizations dedicated to helping Black youth, Black women, the Black queer/Black trans communities. To applause and shouts, she went on to name the organizations, which included the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, Black Girls Smile, Sphinx Organization, Save Our Sisters and a scholarship partnership with the University of Houston.

“It’s easy to do the right thing when everybody’s watching you,” Lizzo continued in the speech that did not directly address any of the allegations. “But it’s what you do in those moments where nobody’s watching that defines who you are. I’m going to continue to be who I am, no matter who’s watching. I’m going to continue to amplify the voices of marginalized people because I have a microphone and I know how to use it. And I’m going to continue to put on, represent and create safe spaces for Black fat women because that’s what the f–k I do! My family’s here, Nice Life is here … the Big Grrrls. This support right now means the world to me.”

Lizzo responded to the first suit alleging sexual harassment and weight-shaming in August, calling them “false allegations” and “sensationalized stories.”

“I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be these last few days,” Lizzo wrote in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter). “I am very open with my sexuality and expressing myself but I cannot accept or allow people to use that openness to make me out to be something I am not.”

At press time it did not appear that Lizzo had responded to the allegations in the latest lawsuit. Daniels is being represented by attorney Ron Zambrano, who is also representing former dancers Ariana Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez, who claimed in their suit that they were subjected to sexual harassment and a hostile work environment, including being pressured to touch nude dancers during a live sex show.

22 Sep 2023

Lizzo, Sylvia Rhone, Jermaine Dupri & More Honored by Black Music Action Coalition

The Black Music Action Coalition’s (BMAC) third annual awards gala was an evening brimming with surprises, emotion, insights and inspiration. Held on Thursday night (Sept. 21) at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, the artists and executives being honored all shared a singular trait: activists working to affect positive change and improve equity within the industry and their communities.

It was fitting, then, that the evening began with a special tribute to Clarence Avant, lovingly referred to as “The Black Godfather.” A member of BMAC’s advisory board — along with Quincy Jones and Irving Azoff — Avant passed away on Aug. 13. His legacy as a staunch advocate for diversity and equity was referenced throughout the event by presenters and honorees.

“He’s the essence of why we’re gathered here today,” said BMAC co-founder/chair Willie “Prophet” Stiggers of Avant before introducing a musical tribute to the trailblazer. Backed by the 1500 or Nothin’ band, BJ the Chicago Kid, Chanté Moore and Luke James performed Bill Withers’ (signed to Avant’s Sussex Records) “Grandma’s Hands,” “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Lovely Day,” respectively. Then James and Moore teamed up on Alexander O’Neal & Cherrelle’s “Saturday Love” and O’Neal’s “Fake” (both released on Avant’s Tabu Records).

Setting off the parade of surprises, emotional moments and multiple standing ovations was the first award presentation to Epic Records chairwoman and CEO Sylvia Rhone. The surprise presenter of Rhone’s honor, the BMAC Clarence Avant Trailblazer Award, was her daughter, Quinn. 

“Nobody surprises me like this,” said an astonished Rhone as she simultaneously accepted the award and hugged her daughter. “This is so special to be in a room of people I’ve worked with for years. We came up together. I have great gratitude for BMAC and this award, named after my friend and inspiration, the legendary Clarence Avant. I’ve been up , down and I’ve survived. You’re only as good as the people you work with. At Epic, 56.6% of the team are women and 57.1% of the team are people of color. I don’t play around with that; it’s a constant for me. Creativity and inclusion are the lifeblood of culture and this business.”

Also receiving the Clarence Avant award — from his longtime creative collaborators Johntá Austin and Bryan-Michael Cox, was songwriter/producer and So So Def CEO Jermaine Dupri, who is celebrating the label’s 30thanniversary this year. Noting that he’d been with ASCAP at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. the night before, Dupri prefaced his acceptance speech with his thoughts about AI. 

“I don’t f–k with AI; it will take the emotion out of music if we allow that to happen,” Dupri said to hearty applause. “And when people can take our words and voices and do what they want without getting our consent … I need everybody to stand up and make sure that doesn’t happen.” He then noted, “It don’t matter how you dress. It don’t matter how you talk … if people decide to f–k with you, they’ll f–k with you. That’s what Clarence represents. And I hope you all understand that that’s me. All I’ve ever been trying to do is help people.”

The gala’s final award presentation was a stirring one: Lizzo receiving the BMAC Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award by the Big Grrrls from her Emmy-winning reality show, Watch Out For the Big Grrrls. Just hours before, the “About Damn Time” singer was hit with the latest lawsuit accusing the Grammy-winner of creating a hostile workplace by turning a blind eye to toxic and abusive behavior by several members of her touring team. It’s the second such lawsuit in two months, alleging sexual and racial harassment.

Before Lizzo came onstage, one of the cast members spoke about her being the “first person to ever believe in us, show us love and believe in our talent and our craft.” Another said, “When we found out Lizzo was being honored, we knew that we had to be here. This has always been somebody that gives back. She cares deeply. She loves with her whole heart … she put in the work to get to this moment.”

After stepping onstage to accept the statuette, an emotional Lizzo said, “BMAC thank you because I needed this right now. God’s timing is always on time! I’ve been blessed to receive a lot of incredible awards. But this one truly hits different because humanitarianism is selfless. And to be kind to someone isn’t a talent. Everyone can do it. It’s a gift that you give. In all my years of activism and outreach, I have witnessed at the core of every organization, every movement, every march is just people helping people. And they do it every damn day. I get to come in, help and go back to my life as a musician. These people are still helping people because they’ve dedicated their lives to service. And they don’t get awards; they don’t get a round of applause. Because of that, I’ve dedicated my life and decided to share my platform to shine a light on those people. Because I so badly want to live in a world where we award goodness with our attention.”

Lizzo further shared that she donated a quarter of a million dollars in June to several Black-led organizations dedicated to helping Black youth, Black women, the Black queer/Black trans communities. To applause and shouts, she went on to name the organizations, which included the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, Black Girls Smile, Sphinx Organization, Save Our Sisters and a scholarship partnership with the University of Houston.

“It’s easy to do the right thing when everybody’s watching you,” Lizzo continued. “But it’s what you do in those moments where nobody’s watching that defines who you are. I’m going to continue to be who I am, no matter who’s watching. I’m going to continue to amplify the voices of marginalized people because I have a microphone and I know how to use it. And I’m going to continue to put on, represent and create safe spaces for Black fat women because that’s what the f–k I do! My family’s here, Nice Life is here … the Big Grrrls. This support right now means the world to me.”

Among the evening’s other salutes, the BMAC Social Impact Award was shared by three honorees: actress/singer-songwriter Keke Palmer, Dr. Menna Demessie, senior vp at Universal Music Group and executive director of its Task Force for Meaningful Change, and Emmy-winning producer Jesse Collins. The BMAC Change Agent Award was given to Jason Flom, co-founder and CEO of Lava for Good, and rapper/activist Trae tha Truth. Rolling Loud co-founders Tariq Cherif and Matt Zingler were honored with the BMAC 365 Award.

Kenny Burns served as the gala’s host. Among the celebrities spotted in the ballroom were LL Cool J, Public Enemy’s Flavor Flav, rapper/singer Doechii and Muhammad Ali’s daughter, Khaliah Ali. Ali presented the award to Flom, her fellow advocate for people wrongfully imprisoned and their significant others.

The 2023 BMAC Gala was presented by Live Nation and produced by Primary Wave and Jesse Collins Entertainment. In addition to Stiggers, BMAC’s board members include Caron Veazey, Ashaunna Ayars, Naima Cochrane, Jamil Davis, Shawn Holiday, Damien Smith and Courtney Stewart.

22 Sep 2023

Nipsey Hussle Murder Subject of ‘Behind the Crime’ Series

The 2019 murder of rapper Nipsey Hussle is the subject of a just-launched limited true series entitled Behind the Crime. The show, which premiered this week on Fox’s Tubi network on Wednesday, is a collaboration with Dan Abrams’ Law&Crime network and it follows the killing of Hussle, as well as the murder trial of Eric Holder Jr., who was found guilty of first-degree murder in the March 2019 killing in July 2022.

The show “dives deep into the inner workings of the justice system with gripping cases that give viewers unfiltered access with real case footage,” with the Hussle episode, “Behind the Crime: The Nipsey Hussle Murder,” telling the story of the brazen daytime shooting following an altercation outside of Hussle’s The Marathon clothing store in South Central Los Angeles.

The episode uses accounts from the people who were involved as well as actual street camera footage from the shooting, its aftermath and the funeral of the beloved MC. Holder Jr., 33, was sentenced to 60 years to life in prison by an L.A. judge in February, eight months after his conviction in the case.

The two men had reportedly known each other for year and prosecutors said Holder, who was allegedly angry over accusations that he was a “snitch,” came back after an earlier altercation outside of the Marathon with two handguns, shooting Hussle more than 10 times.

In addition to the first-degree murder conviction, jurors also found Holder guilty of two counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter over two other men who were hit with gunfire during the shooting. Prosecutors had sought the more serious charge of attempted murder over those two shootings, but the jurors did not agree to convict on those counts.

Future episodes of the series will focus on a headline-grabbing 2020 case of Zachariah Anderson — convicted of murdering his ex-lover’s new boyfriend — and former NFL player Travis Rudolph’s employment of Florida’s stand-your-ground law after he fired nearly 40 shots at an SUV filled with men who confronted him after an alleged domestic violence incident.

Check out the trailer below.

22 Sep 2023

Olivia Rodrigo ‘Guts’ Enters Second Week at No. 1 In Australia

Australians just love Olivia Rodrigo‘s Guts.

The U.S. pop phenomenon’s sophomore album starts a second consecutive week at No. 1 on the ARIA Chart, holding off LPs by The Weeknd (The Highlights unchanged at No. 2 via Universal) and Taylor Swift (1989 up 9-3 via Big Machine/Universal).

Rodrigo just misses out on a chart double, again, as Guts (via Geffen/Universal) track “Vampire” holds at No. 2 on the ARIA Singles Chart, behind Doja Cat’s “Paint The Town Red.”

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The top new entry on the albums tally belongs to Teddy Swims (real name: Jaten Dimsdale), whose debut I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1) (via Warner) bows at No. 4. The Atlanta, GA vocalist completed a national headline tour last month, produced by Frontier Touring.

The current ARIA top five is completed by Travis Scott’s former leader Utopia (Epic/Sony), down 3-5.

Also new to the top frame is Jared Leto’s Thirty Seconds To Mars with It’s The End Of The World But It’s A Beautiful Day (Concord/Universal), new at No. 9. The U.S. alternative rock outfit’s career-best chart position in Australia is a No. 4 peak for 2013’s Love, Lust, Faith And Dreams.

Further down the list, Mitski lands her second title on the ARIA Chart with The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We (Dead Oceans/Inertia), new at No. 13. The Japanese-American artist previously cracked the top 10 with 2022’s Laurel Hell, peaking at No. 7.

U.S. rapper Sleepy Hallow, meanwhile, bags his first appearance on the ARIA Chart with Boy Meets World (RCA/Sony), his second studio LP. It’s new at No. 32.

Over on the national singles tally, published Friday, Sept. 22, Doja Cat’s “Paint The Town Red” (via RCA/Sony) enters a fifth week at the summit. “Paint The Town Red” is lifted from the U.S. artist and producer’s fourth solo studio album Scarlet, which arrived earlier today.

The top five is completed by Swift’s “Cruel Summer” (up 4-3), Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” (up 5-4 via Republic/Universal) and Tate McRae’s “Greedy” (RCA/Sony), new at No. 5 for the week’s top debut. That’s a career high for the Canadian artist, whose previous best was No. 7 in 2020 for “You Broke Me First.”

Kenya Grace’s “Strangers” (Warner) is making a strong connection with Australian audiences. The South Africa-born, U.K.-based artist’s major label debut bounces 30-6 in its third week on the survey.

Finally, Drake and SZA’s “Slime You Out” (Universal) slides to No. 12 on debut.

22 Sep 2023

Take That Sets New Album ‘This Life To Be,’ Shares First Cut ‘Windows’: Listen

Take That mark their return with This Life To Be, the superstar British boyband’s ninth studio album and first collection of new material in over five years.

The pop outfit’s latest campaign opens with “Windows,” arriving early Friday (Sept. 22).

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Expect the new set to capture Take That’s signature “beautiful melodies, soaring choruses,” and “sophisticated harmonies beautifully blending the trio’s voices,” reads a statement announcing This Life To Be, slated to drop Nov. 24.

“It’s been a wonderful experience being back in the studio together making this record. It has that feeling of spreading your wings, letting out the old and bringing in the new,” reads a comment from the band.

Formed in 1989 as a five-piece — Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Mark Owen, Jason Orange and Robbie Williams — Take That was one of the most popular acts of its generation, certainly in the U.K.

Now performing and recording as the trio of Barlow, Donald and Owen, the group can boast 12 U.K. No. 1 singles, and eight U.K. No. 1 albums, and a lengthy list of career highlights, including a performance at the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics. The lads had only one top 10 hit in the U.S., 1995’s “Back for Good,” which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Take That has been gearing up for the new release with a raft of performances in 2023, including an “intimate” spot at KOKO in support of War Child, a headline slot at British Summer Time in Hyde Park, the King’s Coronation concert, and the rollout of Greatest Days, the big-screen adaptation of their musical The Band.

This Life To Be is the followup to 2017’s Wonderland, which peaked at No. 2 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart. Next up, the release of career retrospective Odyssey, which, in December 2018, spent one week at No. 1 with 106,000 first-week combined sales, making it the year’s fastest-selling album.

Sessions for This Life To Be were recorded in such historic music spaces as New York’s Electric Lady Studios and Nashville’s Historic RCA Studio A.

“We’re incredibly proud of the new album, there’s a sense of togetherness, whether that’s us coming back together as a band or people wanting connection in their own lives,” continues the message from Take That. “We’re excited for this new chapter.”

A 2024 tour of the British Isles will kick off April 13 at Sheffield Utilita Arena, with support from Olly Murs.

Stream “Windows” below.

22 Sep 2023

Spotify House Checks In at SXSW Sydney

SYDNEY, Australia — Spotify will be in the House for next month’s inaugural edition of South by Southwest (SXSW) in Sydney.

Guests at SXSW Sydney 2023 can check into Spotify House, which, for four days from Oct. 18-21, will transform iconic local venue The Lansdowne Hotel into a seat of knowledge and showcases.

According to reps, Spotify’s own space will feature a night program showcasing the region’s “best up-and-coming artists,” plus “future-focused music minds” speaking on a range of daytime panels, workshops and fireside chats.

Guest speakers for the daytime program include Spotify’s global head of editorial and former Billboard executive of the week Sulinna Ong; Xavier Jernigan (aka “X,” the voice of Spotify DJ); Jungjoo Park, head of music at Spotify Korea; Live Nation Australasia promoter Wenona Lok; and Virgin Music label manager Claire Tate.

Sulinna Ong

Sulinna Ong

Courtesy Spotify*

Those sessions will cover “everything from music discovery to what’s next for K-Pop and how we continue to strive for gender equity,” reads a statement, with some spots open to SXSW Sydney badge holders, and others listed as exclusive invite-only events.

When the sun goes down, the Spotify House will host hot acts from across the Asian Pacific region, with a focus on Australian and South Korean artists.

“We’re excited to bring Spotify House to SXSW Sydney in October, along with some of Asia Pacific’s best and brightest talent and the sharpest minds in music,” comments Gautam Talwar, general manager, Asia Pacific at Spotify. “It’ll be an action-packed four days and a celebration of some of the region’s most vibrant music cultures that bring the world together.”

The full lineup of speakers and performers will be revealed in the weeks ahead.

SXSW Sydney is a collaboration with Australia-based ticketing, technology and live entertainment giant TEG, the New South Wales (NSW) government and its events agency Destination NSW.

Spread across seven days and nights from Oct. 15-22, 2023, the new edition will bring together the industries of music, gaming, film, television, technology and innovation much like the Austin, Texas version that launched back in 1987.

Penske Media Corporation, Billboard‘s parent company, is an investor in SXSW.

Visit SXSWsydney.com for more.

21 Sep 2023

Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Chemistry (Deluxe)’ Has Arrived: Stream It Now

The wait is officially over: The newly-expanded deluxe version of Kelly Clarkson‘s 10th studio album, Chemistry, is now available to stream as of today (Friday, Sept. 22).

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The deluxe version of the album contains five brand new tracks — “I Won’t Give Up,” “Did You Know,” “You Don’t Make Me Cry” featuring her daughter River Rose, “Goodbye” and “Roses” — in addition remixes of the album singles “Mine” and “Favorite Kind of High” by David Guetta and Ty Sunderland respectively. There’s also a live version of “Mine” live from The Belasco.

Chemistry was initially released on June 23 via Atlantic Records. The set — Clarkson’s first non-holiday and non-covers album since she and ex-husband Brandon Blackstock finalized their divorce — debuted at No. 6 on the July 8-dated Billboard 200, and spent a total of three weeks on the chart following its release.

With its top 10 bow, the album became the American Idol alumn’s ninth album to hit the top tier of the chart. Elsewhere on the Billboard charts, the album hit No. 1 on Top Current Album Sales, marking her fourth leader on the tally.

Later in the album’s release day, Clarkson will be engaging with fans to talk about the deluxe edition of Chemistry across her official social media accounts. The star will kick things off with a TikTok Live starting at 10:15-10:30 am, a IG Live at 10:30-10:45 am, a Facebook Live at 10:45-11:00 am and will conclude the festivities with a Twitter Spaces chat at 11:00-11:15 am, all at Eastern standard time.

Stream Chemistry (Deluxe) below.