Music

29 Aug 2023

Here’s Why Dolly Parton Turned Down Tea With Kate Middleton

Kate Middleton may be the Princess of Wales, but the Queen of Country runs on her own schedule. In an interview with BBC Radio 2‘s Claudia Winkleman, Dolly Parton revealed that she was recently invited to have tea with the royal, though she had to turn it down for album promotion reasons.

“This time, Lordy, I even got invited to have tea with Kate,” Parton told BBC Radio 2 after she was asked whether she planned on exploring London while in the city for her promotion cycle. “And I felt so bad … I couldn’t even go! [My team] had all this stuff set up.”

“But I thought that was very sweet and nice of her to invite me to tea,” the “Jolene” singer continued. “And one of these days I’m going to get to do that … That would be great!”

Parton, who’s currently gearing up for the November release her album Rockstar, went on to joke that the future queen “wasn’t going to promote my rock album, so I had to say no.” She added, “I hope she hears it though!”

Be that as it may, there are some English members of rock ‘n’ roll helping out with Parton’s new record. The Beatles’ Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, as well as Fleetwood Mac founder Mick Fleetwood, are featured on Parton’s cover of “Let It Be,” which she dropped on Aug. 18. Debuting at No. 2 on Rock Digital Song Sales, No. 15 on Country Digital Song Sales and No. 22 on the all-genre Digital Song Sales chart, the song marked the first featuring McCartney and Starr — or any of the four Beatles, including the late George Harrison and John Lennon — to be credited together on an entry on a Billboard songs chart outside the Beatles.

A handful of new original songs will be included on Parton’s first ever rock album, but much of it will be made up of covers featuring dozens of rock stars who’ve dominated the charts through the ages. Sting, Joan Jett, Stevie Nicks, Elton John and Debbie Harry are all on the billing, as are Miley Cyrus, Pink, Lizzo and Brandi Carlisle.

29 Aug 2023

5 Best Moments of The Equality Ball, Hosted by Human Rights Campaign & Beyoncé’s BeyGOOD

“We love y’all watching Pose and Legendary, but we also want y’all to come outside and support!” proclaimed Stephanie “Packrat” Whitfield, one of the executive producers of Sunday night’s powerful Equality Ball (Aug. 27).

The urgency of her words was the guiding principle of the night, as some of the most iconic names in ballroom convened for an unforgettable night — one that paid tribute to the progress of LGBTQIA+ rights and highlighted the many avenues through which people continue to push for queer liberation across American politics. Hosted by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest LGBTQIA+ civil rights organization, in association with Beeline Productions and the Shady Gang, with support from BeyGOOD Foundation, the Equality Ball brought authentic ballroom culture to KAOS Nightclub in Las Vegas, Nevada.

With Carlos Irizarry of the House of Basquiat, one of the choreographers and dancers on Beyoncé’s record-breaking Renaissance World Tour, as one of the figures spearheading this event, which was seven years in the making, Queen Bey’s influence loomed large over the night. For the night’s final category, the aptly titled “OTA Performance — Bring It Like Beyoncé,” participants recreated some of the singer’s instantly iconic tour ensembles and crafted custom pieces inspired by Renaissance tracks. From the “Cozy” robot arms to several renditions of her sparkly gold Loewe bodysuit, Beyoncé was omnipresent. Not to mention, several key Renaissance Tour figures were in attendance, including Honey Balenciaga, Les Twins, and some of the tour’s film crew.

Nevertheless, the Equality Ball was never dominated by Queen Bey. In fact, the ball was arguably a pitch-perfect example of how allies can assist marginalized groups in achieving their visions, while still allowing them to take center stage. From Kevin Jz Prodigy and Shannon Balenciaga to Dashaun Wesley and Precious Basquiat, the Equality Ball was spearheaded by pillars of the culture, people who live and breathe the freedom, catharsis, and resistance of ballroom.

In the wake of the harrowing, unjust murder of O’Shae Sibley, the Equality Ball stood not only as a celebration of the vitality of LGBTQIA+ life and culture, but also as a staunch reminder that this community will not be silenced or erased. “Ballroom culture is synonymous with the Black queer community — it creates a safe space for LGBTQ+ people at a time when being your authentic self was dangerous. But, let’s not get confused, it’s still dangerous for us — Black and Brown trans women are facing an epidemic of fatal violence,” says Human Rights Campaign President, Kelley Robinson. “The Equality Ball serves as another space for those who feel overlooked to take center stage and let the
world know that — as Beyoncé sings — you won’t break our souls.”

The Human Rights Campaign offered countless educational resources at the Equality Ball, including HIV testing, voter registration, and direct access to information about local LGBTQ+ programs and initiatives.

Here are the five best moments from the Equality Ball on Sunday:

29 Aug 2023

Miguel Posts Bloody T-Shirt Pic After Concert Body Suspension Stunt: ‘What Is Your Relationship to Pain?’

Miguel previewed songs from his upcoming fifth studio album, Viscera, on Friday in Los Angeles during an event dubbed the “Viscera Experience,” in which the singer warned the small crowd that the performance would include “boundary-pushing artistry including body manipulation [and] skin piercing.”

According to a description of the show posted by Vibe, after taking the stage at Sony Studios in a white tank, baggy black pants and black rubber boots, the “Sky Walker” singer was joined by two men who pushed metal hooks through the skin on his back, then attached them to wires that lifted him off the ground by the hooks. He then hung for nearly five minutes while singing an unreleased song — featuring the apropos lyrics “I’m hanging onto nothing/ I’m hanging from the ceiling” –before being lowered and having the hooks removed.

On Monday (Aug. 29), Miguel posted a series of pics on Instagram showing the aftermath of the S&M stunt, including the series of holes in his back as well as the white tank top, streaked and spotted with his blood alongside the caption, “What is your relationship to pain? What is your relationship to change?”

The type of suspension Miguel used in the performance is typically referred to as a “suicide suspension” and Miguel isn’t he only one who has employed it as type of body modification that dates back at least 5,000 years to India as part of a spiritual piercing rituals during Hindu festivals. Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro waxed poetic about the therapeutic aspects of putting large-gauge hooks through the skin of your back in a 2013 Guardian interview, saying, “To be honest, at first I just wanted to try it because it was interesting; I didn’t know that there was going to be an experience attached to it. I saw it as just a mind-over-matter thing until I got off the ground the first time. Then a lightbulb went off.”

He said while some people are horrified by the act — admitting that there is definitely pain, and blood, involved — he found it to be “a very intensely gratifying emotional release. Sometimes it’s just fun, but it can also be very meditative.”

Last month, Miguel pushed boundaries as part of Sony’s “For the Music” campaign, scaling a massive skyscraper and breaking through a glass window in a one minute visual that director Liam McRae said symbolized the singer’s next era and Sony’s commitment to supporting artists like him breaking through “creative barriers” and connecting directly with their fans.

Viscera, which does not yet have an official release date, is the follow-up to 2017’s War & Leisure; he released the single “Give It to Me” in April.

See Miguel’s posts below.

29 Aug 2023

Taylor Swift Extends Record Reign on Artist 100, J-Hope, Hozier & JIHYO Hit Top 10

Taylor Swift spends a record-extending 78th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Artist 100 chart (dated Sept. 2), thanks to 10 albums on the Billboard 200 and four songs on the Billboard Hot 100.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Leading her Billboard 200 saturation is Midnights at No. 5 with 53,000 equivalent album units earned in the Aug. 18-24 tracking week, according to Luminate. Her latest set, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), follows at No. 7.

Here’s a recap of Swift’s current Billboard 200-charting titles.

Rank, Title:

  • No. 5, Midnights
  • No. 7, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
  • No. 8, Lover
  • No. 13, Folklore
  • No. 17, 1989
  • No. 19, Reputation
  • No. 26, Red (Taylor’s Version)
  • No. 31, Evermore
  • No. 35, Fearless (Taylor’s Version)
  • No. 182, Taylor Swift

On the Hot 100, Swift charts four songs: “Cruel Summer” (at No. 4 after reaching No. 3), “Karma” featuring Ice Spice (14-15), “Anti-Hero” (20-18) and “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” (71-74).

Elsewhere on the Artist 100, BTS member J-Hope re-enters at No. 6, a new high (surpassing his prior No. 9 peak), thanks to the CD release of his album Jack in the Box. The set, released in July 2022, debuted at No. 17 last year and re-enters at a new No. 6 best (50,000 units).

Hozier re-enters the Artist 100 at No. 7, his highest rank since 2019, thanks to his new LP Unreal Unearth. The album debuts at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 (62,000 units), marking his third top 10, following Hozier (No. 2, 2014) and Wasteland, Baby! (No. 1, 2019).

Plus, TWICE member JIHYO debuts at No. 10, powered by her new solo EP Zone. The release enters the Billboard 200 at No. 14 (41,000 units), becoming her first solo entry on the chart. (TWICE has tallied four top 10 albums.)

The Artist 100 measures artist activity across key metrics of music consumption, blending album and track sales, radio airplay and streaming to provide a weekly multi-dimensional ranking of artist popularity.

29 Aug 2023

50 Cent Postpones Phoenix Show Due to Extreme Heat: ‘116 Degrees Is Dangerous For Everyone’

It’s getting “Too Hot” out there, even for 50 Cent. The MC who is in the middle of his 20th anniversary Get Rich or Die Tryin’ 20th anniversary tour had to hit pause on tonight’s (Aug. 29) show in Glendale, Arizona at the Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre due to an excessive heat warning.

“Due to extreme heat, the show tomorrow in Phoenix, AZ is being postponed,” 50 tweeted on Monday night. “For anyone who would like a refund, please go to point of purchase for instructions. I’ll be back in Arizona soon! 116 degrees is dangerous for everyone.”

Some of the comments praised Curtis for being proactive about his fans’ health, with one writing, “Hey at least 50 cent is thinking about his fans and is putting their health and safety before profits… other rappers should take note… having fans get injured or die at a concert is not worth it!!! Salute to 50.”

Phoenix has been roasting under brutal heat all summer this year, with temperatures soaring above 100 degrees for 66 days in a row from June 14-Aug. 18, the second-longest stretch of such high temps in recorded history; this year is also on track to be one of the hottest on record in the state, with 91 days above 100 so far.

Last week, 16 people were hospitalized for heat-related illnesses during a Snoop Dogg show in Houston where temperatures reached 104 degrees during the day in the midst of one of the hottest summers in the planet’s history due to what experts say is the effect of human-caused climate change. Those incidents added to the growing list of heat-related effects this summer, following an Ed Sheeran show in Pittsburgh on July 8 during which 17 people were hospitalized due to “heat-related” illnesses and Jason Aldean’s scotched kick-off of his Highway Desperado Tour on July 15 in Hartford, CT, which he had to exit early due to dehydration and heat exhaustion

50’s Final Lap tour, which also features Busta Rhymes and Jeremih, is slated to play the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Wednesday (Aug. 30).

Check out 50’s tweet below.

29 Aug 2023

Fan Who Adele Defended During Vegas Show Thanks Her For ‘Standing Up For Me’

One good turn deserves another. That’s the take-away from Adele pausing her Weekends with Adele show on Saturday night in Las Vegas during “Water Under the Bridge” to find out why venue security were so focused on a young man who was standing up during the show.

“What is going on with that young fan there who’s being bothered so much since I’ve been on for standing up. What’s going on with him?” she asked from the stage before demanding that the guards leave him alone. “They won’t bother you again, my darling. Enjoy the show,” she added.

On Monday, the fan who goes by @juanp_lastra on TikTok returned the favor by profusely thanking the singer for her kind gesture and for giving them the night of their lives. “Adele thank you so much for this breathtaking night and for standing up for me, so that I could live your concert as it should be,” read the caption to a clip of the viral moment. “I’m also sorry that I didnt respond back to anyrhing you asked me. you started talking to me and I literally stopped breathing,” Lastra wrote alongside a selfie video in which he is enthusiastically singing along with Adele as a venue staffer comes up behind him and says, “look behind you. Everybody’s upset. Everybody.”

Adele appears to spot the kerfuffle and tells Lastra, “you can stand up now darling. Stand up,” as he absolutely freaks out over the shout-out, leading to several other venue security staffers coming over to ask him to sit down, then saying he can continue standing if he wants, by order of Adele.

Lastra further explained why it meant to much in the caption. “I had been planning to come to this concert for over a year and I finally had the opportunity to come see most beautiful glorious woman this earth has gotten,” Lastra wrote. “I still can not wrap my head around the fact that I was in the same room as ADELE, sang every song with her, and she even stopped the show to defend me. I did not expected everyone in my section to be mad at me for having the time of my life and wanting to stand up and sing with her but I honestly did not care at all about what anyone was saying to me I just was in awe with the master piece I was watching with my own eyes. I did not have time for them haters.”

Adele will be back on stage at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace on Friday (Sept. 1).

29 Aug 2023

TWICE Set to Make History With Australian Stadium Show

TWICE carves out a slice of history with the announcement of a one-off stadium show in Australia later this year.

Produced by Live Nation, TWICE will bring their 5th World Tour ‘Ready To Be’ to Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 4.

With that show, TWICE will become the first female group to headline a stadium in Australia, and the first K-pop stadium concert to be held in the land Down Under.

The one-off show follows four sold-out Australian arena dates in May.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“Australian fans have fallen head over feels for their signature high energy performance and stellar setlist of chart-topping hits,” reads a statement from LN.

General tickets go on sale from Wednesday, Sept. 6, with the Live Nation presale starting earlier, from Monday, Sept. 4.

The nine-member South Korean pop act was formed by JYP Entertainment in 2015, when Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu were selected from from Sixteen, a one-season talent show.

Earlier this year, TWICE claimed their third No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart (dated March 25) as Ready to Be: 12th Mini Album debuted atop the list with the act’s best sales week ever.

The EP peaked at No. 2 on the all-genre Billboard 200 and is one of the group’s four top 10 appearanced on that chart.

TWICE recently completed the North American swing of their 5th World Tour ‘Ready To Be,’ playing 13 sold-out performances at nine stadiums and arenas, according to LN. The second leg of the tour will run from September through December, with the group playing venues across Europe and Asia.

In March of this year, the performers were honored with the Breakthrough Award at Billboard’s 2023 Women in Music, which Sabrina Carpenter presented.

Also on the night, TWICE dazzled with a rendition of Ready to Be cut “Moonlight Sunrise,” the artists’ second English-language single, following “The Feels,” which dropped in October 2021.

28 Aug 2023

Doja Cat on Track For First U.K. No. 1 With ‘Paint The Town Red’

Doja Cat has one paw on the U.K. chart title.

The U.S. rapper, singer and songwriter leads the chart blast with “Paint The Town Red” (via RCA), which, if it holds its position, would mark her first U.K. chart crown.

Currently, according to the Official Charts Company, Doja Cat leads by a whisker. Less than 1,000 chart units separate “Paint The Town Red” from her all-female top 5 rivals, which include Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire” (No. 2 via Interscope), Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” (No. 3 via EMI), Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” (No. 4 via Interscope/Atlantic) and Peggy Gou’s “It Goes Like (Nanana)” (No. 5 via XL Recordings).

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

In her career to date, Doja Cat has a U.K. chart best of No. 2 for 2020’s “Say So” and a No. 3 for 2021’s “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA.

“Paint The Town Red,” the current leader in Australia, contains a sample of the Dionne Warwick classic from 1963 “Walk On By.” When the Official U.K. Singles Chart was published last Friday, Aug. 25, “Paint The Town Red” lifted 15-4 for a new peak, betting the best of Warwick’s original.

Based on early sales and streaming activity reported by the OCC, Dua Lipa’s stint at the chart summit is likely to end at one week, as her Barbie cut “Dance The Night” (Warner Records) looks set to tumble out the top 10.

There are, however, other dance tunes looking to rise in the top tier. Calvin Harris and Sam Smith’s “Desire” (Columbia) could hit a new peak of No. 6, while Chase & Status, Bou and Flowdan’s “Baddadan” (EMI) is predicted to enter the top 10 for the first time at No. 8.

Miley Cyrus’ new single “Used To Be Young” (Columbia) could bag the week’s highest debut at No. 9, for what would give the U.S. pop singer her ninth U.K. top 10 and 24th top 40 appearance.

Finally, Selena Gomez is eyeing a 20th U.K. top 40 with “Single Soon” (Interscope), which, based on the chart blast, could enter at No. 17. Afrobeats star Burna Boy’s collaboration with London rapper Dave, “Cheat On Me” (Atlantic), could land at No. 20.

All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Singles Chart is published late Friday, Sept. 1.

28 Aug 2023

Meet the 20 Finalists for HYBE x Geffen ‘Dream Academy’ Global Girl Group Contest

Class is finally in session for The Debut: Dream Academy.

HYBE and Geffen Records revealed Monday evening (Aug. 28) the 20 talented contestants from around the world who will be competing for a spot in the first-ever HYBE x Geffen Records global girl group.

The diverse group of young women were selected from more than 120,000 submissions after HYBE and Geffen announced the joint venture — HYBE x Geffen Global Girl Group Audition — in November 2021. The lengthy process of creating the group will be documented in an upcoming Nadia Hallgren-directed Netflix series, which will delve into the journey to global stardom while including insight into the extensive training and development program from HYBE and Geffen Records. The currently untitled series is set to premiere in 2024.

In the meantime, the 20 contestants will participate in The Debut: Dream Academy audition program, which fans can follow along with on YouTube and Japan’s ABEMA beginning Sept. 1 at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT. After 12 weeks, the final members of the group will be selected and the name of the group will be revealed at the live finale on Nov. 17. Fans will play a crucial role throughout the entire competition via fan voting on Weverse and TikTok.

“I have wanted to form an international group based on K-pop methodology for a while,” HYBE Chairman Bang Si-Hyuk shared at a press event in Los Angeles on Monday night. “To do this, I believed we needed a capable partner. When I met [Interscope Geffen A&M Records CEO] John [Janick], from the first moment, we both felt instantly that we had a connection, musically and creatively. I am very proud of the rich history we have made and the tremendous talent we have found. I am proud of the opportunities we have created within the K-pop universe.”

For his part, Janick added: “Since we began our partnership two years ago, Bang and I have often spoken about our shared beliefs in artist development, music and creativity. To develop a global group with Bang, with the best of K-pop methodology, and our Geffen team, is truly special and will bring to life a first-of-its kind experience in music. Each candidate is incredibly talented, dedicated, and driven, making this an exciting moment for music fans around the world.”

Geffen President Tom March added: “Watching these incredible candidates work so hard to fulfill their potential creatively has been hugely inspiring to me and everyone at Geffen. People are going to be blown away when they see what each of these candidates has been able to achieve so far.”

Below, in alphabetical order, find the names, ages and home countries of the 20 gifted contestants competing to be in the international girl group.

28 Aug 2023

Paul McCartney & Ringo Starr Achieve a Beatles Chart First, Thanks to Dolly Parton

Thanks to Dolly Parton, The Beatles’ legendary chart history has added a first.

Parton’s version of The Beatles’ classic “Let It Be” – featuring Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr – arrives at No. 2 on Rock Digital Song Sales, No. 15 on Country Digital Song Sales and No. 22 on the all-genre Digital Song Sales chart (all dated Sept. 2), with 3,000 downloads sold Aug. 18-24, according to Luminate. A week earlier, it debuted at No. 3 on the Hot Trending Songs chart, powered by X.

The Fab Three’s song is set to be on Parton’s 30-song album Rockstar, due Nov. 17. The Beatles’ original led the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks in 1970.

Notably, the remake is the first song on which McCartney and Starr – or any of the four Beatles, including the late George Harrison and John Lennon – have shared credited billing with one another on an entry on a Billboard songs chart outside the group.

The closest such occurrence previously: McCartney and Starr both received credit on Give My Regards to Broad Street, which hit No. 17 on Top Videocassettes Sales and No. 30 on Top Videocassettes Rentals in 1985. (Both charts were shuttered in 2010.) The film stars McCartney and Starr, among others, depicting a fictional day in McCartney’s life. The soundtrack, credited solely to McCartney, and on which Starr plays drums on multiple songs, hit No. 21 on the Billboard 200.

While “Let It Be” is the first hit crediting two Beatles by name on a Billboard songs chart, the members have collaborated on prior projects outside the group, which disbanded in 1970 (with Harrison, McCartney and Starr having updated archived tracks by the late Lennon for The Beatles’ Anthology series in 1995-96, with its three editions all hitting No. 1 on the Billboard 200).

Starr played drums on several tracks on Harrison’s solo album All Things Must Pass, which ruled the Billboard 200 for seven weeks in 1971. Musicians in that era often contributed their skills without seeking official credit (and both subsequently stated in interviews that they didn’t recall who played on which tracks on the set).

Starr also worked with Harrison on the latter’s album Cloud Nine, including on “Got My Mind Set on You,” which led the Hot 100 in 1988, marking the most recent No. 1 by a solo Beatle.

Starr and McCartney have also appeared on each other’s LPs through the years, beyond Broad Street. Starr played drums on McCartney’s “Take It Away,” which reached No. 10 on the Hot 100 in 1982, while McCartney joined Starr as recently as 2021, on Starr’s song “Here’s to the Nights,” from his EP Zoom In.

Both McCartney, 81, and Starr, 83, have busy schedules. Starr resumes touring with his All Starr Band Sept. 15 in Lake Tahoe, Nev., and will release the four-song EP Rewind Forward on Oct. 13. McCartney’s Got Back Tour heads to Australia on Oct. 18.

Plus, McCartney has revealed a forthcoming Beatles track. “Can’t say too much at this stage but to be clear, nothing has been artificially or synthetically created,” he teased in June. “It’s all real and we all play on it. We cleaned up some existing recordings – a process which has gone on for years.”

Making for even more star power on the new “Let It Be” cover, Mick Fleetwood, of Fleetwood Mac, provides percussion and Peter Frampton plays guitar.