Music

08 May 2023

Ted Nugent Lashes Out at ‘Liars & Haters’ After Alabama Venue Cancels His Concert

Ted Nugent has responded after a venue in Birmingham, Alabama, cancelled his upcoming show due to social media backlash.

It all started when it was announced that the guitarist — who is outwardly conservative and a longtime supporter of Donald Trump — would be performing at the Avondale Brewing Co. venue on July 18 as part of his Adios Mofo farewell tour. The post about the concert had thousands of comments protesting the show and Nugent’s right-wing political views, according to AL, which led to venue to cancel the show.

“We have heard the concerns of the Avondale community, which is so important to us, and in conjunction with our partners, have taken the necessary steps to to cancel the Ted Nugent concert scheduled for July 18,” the venue wrote.

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Nugent took to Twitter on Friday (May 5) to respond to a story about the situation, retweeting an article and writing, “liars & haters drunk on stupid incapable to debate me.”

The ringer has most recently come under fire recently for his transphobic tweets and remarks, most recently blasting Anheuser-Busch for working with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. “How can they possibly have a meeting around the table and come to the conclusion that they’re going to piss in the face of the people who pay their salaries?” he said on a recent episode of Newsmax’s Eric Bolling the Balance about the brand’s “core consumer demographic,” seemingly referring to conservatives. “This is the epitome of cultural deprivation in an ongoing tsunami of cultural deprivation.”

His history of disturbing remarks also includes saying that survivors of the Parkland school shooting are wrong to blame the NRA for mass shootings and that the Florida students calling for gun control have “no soul” and are “mushy brained children.”

He also tested positive for COVID-19 in 2021, months after he said the virus was “not a real pandemic,” and weighed in on the Ferguson decision in 2014 that let police officer Darren Wilson walk scot-free after shooting and killing unarmed civilian Michael Brown. “Here’s the lessons from Ferguson America- Don’t let your kids growup to be thugs who think they can steal, assault & attack cops as a way of life & badge of black (dis)honor. Don’t preach your racist bulls— ‘no justice no peace’ as blabbered by Obama’s racist Czar Al Not So Sharpton & their black klansmen,” he wrote in his deeply offensive post at the time.

08 May 2023

Rapper Young Lo Killed in Miami Nightclub Shooting at 37: ‘He Was Just Great Energy,’ Hitmaka Says

A day after the shooting death of Young Lo at a Miami Beach nightclub, the 37-year-old rapper/producer is being remembered by his longtime friend, creative collaborator and Grammy-nominated producer Christian “Hitmaka” Ward.

Along with Chrishan “Prince Chrishan” Dotson, Hitmaka is a co-founder of Makasound Records, where Lo worked in A&R. During his career, the late artist had also collaborated with other label executives and artists on various projects. Young Lo’s credits include collaborations with Drake, Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Ray J and Tyga.

“Lo has been a longtime friend of mine for like 15 years,” Hitmaka aka Yung Berg tells Billboard. “We go as far back to when Ray J and I were doing ‘Sexy Can I’ and all these different records. Lo was just a great people person who knew how to put the right people together and had the resources to where maybe a Chris Brown or such-and-such [artist] might be good for a project. Lo was always a great asset to me. He was just great energy. Everybody loved to have Lo around. He was also very selfless, putting a lot of people before himself.

“This is truly a tragedy,” Hitmaka continues. “I haven’t lost a close friend like that, so this has rocked my world. I’m just dealing with picking up the pieces, helping out his mother, his family and his son. I’m sending super condolences to his family and loved ones. And man, I want to preach to everybody to just stay safe. Tomorrow isn’t promised. Tell loved ones that you love them on a daily basis because you just never know.”

According to reports from the Miami Herald, CBS News and other outlets, Young Lo was among three people who were shot at the South Beach nightclub Gala early Sunday morning. Born Lowell Grissom, Young Lo later died at the hospital. Two women were hospitalized with gunshot wounds and are expected to recover. 

As of this writing, no arrests have been made.

08 May 2023

ILLENIUM’s Self-Titled Set Debuts at No. 1 on Top Dance/Electronic Albums Chart

ILLENIUM bows at No. 1 on Billboard’s consumption-based Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart (dated May 13) with his self-titled set. ILLENIUM earned 17,000 equivalent album units, including 7,000 from traditional album sales, in the April 28-May 4 tracking week, according to Luminate.

It’s ILLENIUM’s second-best sales week yet, trailing only the debut frame of his first No. 1, Ascend (25,000 units; Aug. 31, 2019). ILLENIUM now owns three total No. 1s, as his new entry follows Fallen Embers (one week, 2021) and Ascend (eight weeks, 2019). All six of his chart entries have hit the top 10, a history that also includes Ascend (Remixes) (No. 5, 2020), Awake (No. 3, 2017) and Ashes (No. 6, 2016).

ILLENIUM’s start halts Beyoncé’s 24-week streak at No. 1, which began last November, with Renaissance (No. 2; 13,000 units, down 7%). Dating to the chart’s 2001 inception, no album has logged more consecutive weeks at No. 1 beginning with its debut week. Plus, 24 weeks in a row at No. 1 mark the most for any album, a feat also achieved only by Lady Gaga’s The Fame (December 2009-May 2010). The Fame leads all albums in total weeks at No. 1, with 175 since its 2008 release.

ILLENIUM yields nine new entries on the multi-metric Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, led by “Eyes Wide Shut,” with Avril Lavigne and Travis Barker (No. 9). With those, all 16 ILLENIUM tracks have hit the chart, as the other seven tracks on the album debuted previously.

“Eyes,” however, is ILLENIUM’s first top 10 from the LP and the eighth in his career. It’s also his 57th total charted title since the chart originated in January 2013, tying him with Marshmello for the third-most, after David Guetta (78) and Kygo (62). “Eyes” marks the first appearance on the chart for Lavigne and the third (and first top 10) for Barker.

“Eyes” earned 2.2 million official streams and sold 500 downloads in the United States in the tracking week, also good for starts on the Dance/Electronic Streaming Songs (No. 18) and Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales (No. 11) charts.

08 May 2023

The Weeknd Joins Bid for NHL’s Ottawa Senators: Report

The star-studded bidding war over the Ottawa Senators is heating up, as The Weeknd has reportedly thrown his hat into the ring to purchase the NHL team.

The “Blinding Lights” superstar joined a group led by Toronto billionaires Jeffrey and Michael Kimel of the Harlo Capital Group aiming to make the purchase, according to a report from Ottawa Sun. The publication added that the Toronto native (born Abel Tesfaye) is a longtime hockey fan and has personal ties to Ottawa, Canada. Billboard has also reached out to The Weeknd’s reps for more information.

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Snoop Dogg and another famous Canadian, Vancouver native Ryan Reynolds, have also previously joined separate groups bidding on the team, which hasn’t won a Stanley Cup since they joined the NHL in 1992. The bidding deadline is May 15. Reynolds and the Remington Group are reportedly preparing a $1 billion bid. According to Ottawa Sun, there are seven groups currently bidding for the purchase.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman revealed during a SiriusXM interview last week that having a celebrity as part of an ownership group in Ottawa could be beneficial for the team. “It can be a plus for the franchise going forward,” he shared. “But the bids are going to have to stand on their own merit.”

08 May 2023

This Ballad Is Ed Sheeran’s Favorite Song on His New Album ‘Subtract’

Ed Sheeran is fresh off the release of his vulnerable, 14-track new album Subtract, and the 32-year-old superstar sat down with Apple Music’s Matt Wilkinson along with his album collaborator, The National’s Aaron Dessner, to discuss their experience working on the project together.

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“It’s totally different to any way that I’ve worked before,” Sheeran explained of collaborating with Dessner. “He comes with a finished product and goes, ‘Write what you feel.’ And there’s no like, ‘Oh, that line sounds a bit weird,’ or this. You write brain to page and the song’s done. And then you go in and you basically form it. And if anything, we strip back more from the recordings that he sent.”

Dessner noted that the duo immediately “clicked,” adding, “There was like a little wildfire. When we got together, we thought we’d try a few things, and we ended up with 36 songs or something.”

With a slew of songs showcasing his masterful songwriting, it’s hard to imagine that Sheeran has a favorite song on Subtract. However, he has a special connection to the songwriting process of “No Strings,” which details an unconditional type of love. “It just came from Aaron being on piano and me singing. And then we put it down and it’s as if the song didn’t matter. And then coming back to it’s now my favorite song on the record,” he shared.

Listen to the full Apple Music interview with Sheeran and Dessner here.

08 May 2023

NewJeans Break Guinness World Record for Fastest K-Pop Act to Hit 1 Billion Spotify Streams

NewJeans and their Bunnies fanbase have a major achievement to celebrate.

Guinness World Records confirmed that the K-pop group — which consists of members Minji, Danielle, Hanni, Hyein and Haerin — has officially become the K-pop act (solo male, solo female or group) to hit 1 billion streams the fastest on Spotify, after just 219 days.

The feat comes less than a year after NewJeans made its formal debut in July 2022. The K-pop stars have a total of six songs on Spotify: “Attention,” “Hurt,” “Hype Boy,” “Cookie,” “Zero, “”Ditto” and “OMG,” with the last two charting at Nos. 82 and 74 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, respectively. “OMG” is currently the girl group’s most-streamed song on the platform, clocking over 320 million plays.

According to Guinness World Records, NewJeans has claimed the throne from BLACKPINK‘s Lisa, who previously held the title among all K-pop acts with a record of 411 days, starting from Oct. 26, 2022. (BTS‘ Jung Kook broke the solo artist record in 409 days on March 27.)

In addition to a performance at Lollapalooza this summer — which will make the quintet the first K-pop group to perform at the music festival, following BTS member J-Hope’s solo performance at last year’s fest — NewJeans are gearing up for a comeback this summer, which means new music for fans to devour.

“It was actually yesterday that they finished recording for the new album that is scheduled to be released this summer,” Min Hee Jin, executive producer/CEO of NewJeans’ label ADOR, told Billboard in early April. “I wanted to break the stereotype that only certain styles of music would be able to succeed in the so-called mainstream industry. In the albums going forward, NewJeans will continue to strive to present something new and unique to exceed the expectations of their fans. NewJeans members keep growing and growing, and we can’t wait to surprise the world again.”

08 May 2023

Chris Brown Responds to Video of Backstage Scuffle at Lovers & Friends Festival: ‘Keep Ya Narrative’

After making headlines over an allegedly heated altercation backstage at the Lovers & Friends festival in Las Vegas, Chris Brown took to the comments section to tell his side of the story.

“Yall been geeked all weekend, y’all dragging it now,” the R&B singer commented on a post showing fan-captured footage from the festival. “It was mad people backstage and security was trying to clear everyone off the stage. People started pushing back.. I INTERVENED To let them know MY CHILD WAS BACK THERE. So y’all can keep ya narrative.”

In the video, Brown can be seen shouting at multiple men who appear to be security guards as members of his entourage attempt to hold him back and de-escalate the situation. While he didn’t specify which child was with his at the festival, the star shares three kids with three different women: 8-year-old daughter Royalty, 3-year-old son Aeko Catori and 1-year-old daughter Lovely Symphani.

Fans replied to Brown’s Instagram comment in support of the “Under the Influence” singer’s reaction, with one writing, “You shouldn’t even have to explain! But you said your peace. Let them have it. They are literally trying anything [at this point]. Y’all really need to let him live his life! He’s not what y’all are continually trying to make him out to be! The real ones know the changes he’s made.” Another commented, “I don’t even see what was so ‘crazy’ about your behavior,” followed by a couple of shrugging emojis, while a third added, “It actually looks as if he is the one de-escalating the situation.”

Others, however, saw the footage in a different light, with one commenter pointing to Brown’s 2009 assault of then-girlfriend Rihanna: “Chris Brown has anger management issues and until he gets it under control he’s going to continue to be violent. We should know this from when he beat up Rihanna.”

Watch the footage and read Brown’s response in the post below.

08 May 2023

R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: JELEEL!, Kirby, BLK ODYSSY & More

Happy Monday! We’ve got ten fresh new tracks to get you pumped for (and help you survive) the new week ahead. From steamy singles by Phabo, BLK ODYSSY and Taylor Belle to uptempo anthems from JELEEL! and tobi lou, this week’s column has everything you need and more.

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And of course, don’t forget to share the wealth with our Spotify playlist, linked below.

Freshest Find: JELEEL!, “COME HERE!”

JELEEL!’s energy is undeniable. The Rhode Island rapper has a knack for stage diving and doing back flips at his shows. His hyper attitude is also reflected in his music, as he’s found a pocket rapping over glitchy, chaotic beats to get his bars off. “COME HERE!” is one of the more cohesive tracks from his recent debut album REAL RAW!, where he spits about attracting women and his fast and furious cars.

Phabo, “Casamigos”

Phabo is on a mission when he’s in the sheets. His steamy, neo-soul new single is inspired by the freaky activities that often follow indulging in the titular popular tequila brand. The San Diego-born singer even practices his Spanish on the track, singing “Casamigos reposado/ Nos tiene comportando salvajemente (got us behaving wildly).”

BLK ODYSSY, “ODEE”

BLK ODYSSY oozes confidence on his spacey new single “ODEE.” The Austin-based artist sings about his extravagant lifestyle to impress women, saying his wrist and drip are “odee.”

OhGeesy feat. Bino Rideaux & 03 Greedo, “Games”

OhGeesy and his boo are “connected like a Bluetooth.” The L.A. rapper teams up with Bino Rideaux and 03 Greedo to rap about not playing games in a relationship and wanting to be held down by their shorties. Laced with spaced-out 808s, L.A. bounce sounds and bed creaks, “Games” is a mix of trap R&B with a West Coast flare.

Danielle Ponder, “Roll the Credits”

Emotion is at the forefront of Danielle Ponder’s new single “Roll the Credits.” “[The] song [is] about spirituality in all of its forms and our ability to find God in all things if we are paying attention,” writes Ponder in a press release. The singer takes to San Juan, Puerto Rico for the song’s video, where she channels nature’s spirits, letting her old-school, bluesy vocals ring in the forest and city streets alike.

Latir, “To My Dear Anxiety (Acoustic Demo)”

In the most stripped-back and vulnerable moment of his EP Daydreams & Desires, Latir writes to his own anxiety. Thickly layered reverb surrounds the poetic singer’s voice and guitar, as he unfolds sweet falsettos and belts filled with desperation. The deep cut presents his raw talent, invoking emotion throughout its three minutes.

Taylor Belle, “SAY MY NAME”

On “Say My Name,” Taylor Belle taps into nostalgia, with a camcorder-style visual and Destiny’s Child song title. But there’s nothing dated about the singer’s flow and production, presenting a sensual single that feels both current and classic.

tobi lou, “Sorry I’m Late”

Nigeria-born, Chicago-raised artist tobi lou has garnered significant buzz thanks to his hyperactive sound and playful energy. “Sorry I’m Late” is no exception, as the rapper delivers a single that’s perfectly chaotic for all of our summer shenanigans.

Kirby feat. Rapsody, “Eve Gene”

“Black woman/ Unprotected in this world/ Is she loved, is she treasured, is she hurt?” On “Eve Gene,” Memphis singer-songwriter Kirby eloquently unravels the power and pain of her identity, adding on social media that the track helped her heal, and she hopes it does the same for her listeners. “I hope my non poc friends & family listen to this song and are reminded to hold space for the black women in their lives,” she adds. Featuring neo-soul production elements and a raw verse from revered MC Rapsody, the cut carries a vital message and is essential listening for the week and beyond.

kwes. feat. Sampha & Tirzah, “Open Up”

The critically acclaimed U.K. film Rye Lane not only boasted a captivating storyline, but an equally striking soundtrack. On “Open Up,” musical savants Sampha and Tirzah team up, their complimentary tones and lyrics intertwining to capture the heartwarming humanity of the Raine Allen Miller-directed film.

08 May 2023

10 Cool New Pop Songs to Get You Through The Week: aespa, Alison Goldfrapp, GAYLE & More

Looking for some motivation to help power you through the start of another work week? We feel you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.

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These 10 tracks from artists including aespa, Alison Goldfrapp, GAYLE and more will get you energized to take on the week. Pop any of these gems into your personal playlists — or scroll to the end of the post for a custom playlist of all 10.

Q, “Incapable Heart” 

Mononymous singer Q dropped his debut album, Soul, PRESENT, last Friday, and the sparkling 10-song effort is brimming over with ethereal, romantic delights that draw on synth-pop, ‘80s funk, Quiet Storm and more. The smooth “Incapable Heart” even throws in a bit of reggae skank for good measure as Q (the son of dancehall legend Steven “Lenky” Marsden) delivers a sound both familiar and forward-thinking – not unlike those first The Weeknd mixtapes that set the Internet on fire in the early 2010s. — JOE LYNCH

MisterWives, “Nosebleeds” 

After a detour to Fueled by Ramen, MisterWives reteamed with original label Photo Finish to create their own imprint, Resilient Little Records, which will house their upcoming LP. New single “Nosebleeds” — with its woozy synths, chugging guitars and a relentless backbeat – is anything but little in its sonics, but it certainly captures the resilience that propelled the NYC-based rockers forward over the last near decade. – J. Lynch  

Amaarae, “Co-Star”

Ahead of her new album Fountain Baby out June 9, Afropop star Amaarae has shared the project’s second single, “Co-Star.” The astrological track is both bouncy and twinkling, aligning with the singer’s goal of crafting “something cute and flirty for the summer.” As Amaarae said in a statement: “Astrology is such a huge part of our youth culture, it felt like a missed opportunity to not lean into that and give the girls an anthem that reads and celebrates them all at once!” — LYNDSEY HAVENS

Kiss Facility, “In My Room”

The quietly enticing “In My Room” is just as intriguing as its creator, newcomer Kiss Facility. Coated in nuanced nonchalance, “In My Room” sounds just as intimate as the title suggests, with the as-of-yet unknown artist captioning the cover art on Instagram, “It’s a very personal song that I put all my emotions into.” — L.H.

GAYLE, “Don’t Call Me Pretty”

“Don’t Call Me Pretty” is the first song GAYLE has debuted since joining Taylor Swift on her Eras tour, and ahead of hopping aboard P!nk’s upcoming stadium run; the “abcdefu” singer-songwriter clearly has shout-along anthems on the mind, and her latest contains plenty of opportunities for crowds of thousands to embrace her words. The chorus spirals up and the post-hook “ooo-ooo-ooo” crooning is effective, but most importantly, GAYLE sounds downright soulful on “Don’t Call Me Pretty,” with a heft that gives her message even more power.— JASON LIPSHUTZ

Alison Goldfrapp, “Love Invention”

Everything pre-release from The Love Invention has shown promise for Alison Goldfrapp’s debut solo outing after seven albums as the leader of Goldfrapp, but the title track possesses a little extra electro-pop oomph that suggests a summertime dance floor heater. Goldfrapp’s ethereal voice dips in and out of sounding hyper-processed (“Is this real or not?,” she sings), but the production never flags, all cascading synths and percussion that keeps pushing forward. — J. Lipshutz

Bruno Major, “We Were Never Really Friends”

“This doesn’t have to be the end,” Bruno Major pleads on “We Were Never Really Friends,” a classic spoil-the-friendship jam that masquerades as a piano ballad before blooming into a lighters-up rock sing-along, complete with a stringy guitar solo. Major’s patience stands out here: the British singer-songwriter never presses too hard in any direction on the song, letting the full instrumentation and the slight quiver in his voice carry home his first new music since 2020. — J. Lipshutz

Coach Party, “All I Wanna Do is Hate”

Isle of Wright quartet Coach Party opened up for Wet Leg last fall and will support Queens of the Stone Age on tour later this year, but great new single “All I Wanna Do is Hate” sounds closer to bands like Elastica and Metric — sharp-elbowed pop-rock with readily deployed chiming guitars and synth riffs. The song walks a fine line between lyrical aggression and zipped-up production, resulting in a song that’s fully realized and invites plenty of fist-pumps. — J. Lipshutz

aespa, “Thirsty”

Aespa’s new mini album, Welcome to My World, sees the girl group — which consists of Giselle, Karina, NingNing and Winter — dabbling into the many facets of its sound, which includes everything from simmering bangers to lush pop ballad showing off the members’ vocal range. But album cut “Thirsty” really shows off the K-pop stars’ strength in R&B. The infectious chorus combines subtle trap-inspired beats with soft vocals, and gives a subtle wink to the object of the girls’ affections, as Giselle teases: “So tell me what you wanna, wanna do, boy?” — STARR BOWENBANK

Cosmo Pyke, “What Can I Do?”

A collective sigh of relief can be heard from Cosmo Pyke’s fans, as the British artist has delivered the new EP Curser’s Lament. “What Can I Do?” from the set shows off Pyke’s talent with jazz melodies, while catering to fans of his more introductory, alternative and indie-leaning work featured on 2017’s Just Cosmo. The musician cleverly splits the song into three separate parts, first drawing in the listener with drum heavy instrumentation, leading in with up tempo guitar licks before a soulful finish. — S.B.

08 May 2023

Lizzo Reveals She’s Battling Strep Throat: ‘Still Hurts to Speak, But It Really Hurts to Cancel’

Lizzo hopped on social media Monday (May 7) to let fans know that she’s in the midst of battling a nasty case of strep throat.

“Hello Hartford, it is me,” the pop star said in an audibly croaky voice while cozied up in a fleece hoodie and silk sleeping cap. “As you know, I canceled my Montreal show ’cause I was experiencing extreme flu-like symptoms. I tested for COVID and it’s negative. However, I did test positive for strep throat. Though I’m feeling stronger, my body, my throat is still extremely raw and swollen. My lymph nodes are swollen, and the doctors say that it would not be wise to sing while my throat is like this.

“In the past, I have pushed myself because I always want to bring you guys an incredible show. And I want to bring you guys the best of me,” she admitted. “And I’m realizing as I mature that this is not the best of me. I need to heal so that I can be the artist that you guys deserve and maintain my body. Still hurts to swallow, still hurts to speak, but it really hurts to cancel.”

Lizzo reiterated in her caption that all tickets for her planned show at Hartford, Conn.’s XL Center will be honored for a rescheduled date, adding, “I’m sorry Hartford…I’ll be back stronger and better, I hope you can be there too.”

Before she came down with strep, the singer wowed the A-list crowd as the entertainment for the 2023 Met Gala, and even got the chance to duet on the flute with her longtime idol James Galway.

Watch Lizzo painfully deliver the news of her strep throat below.