Music

03 May 2023

Who Should’ve Made the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023 But Didn’t? Vote!

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced its 2023 class of inductees on Wednesday morning (May 3) including Missy Elliott, Kate Bush, Willie Nelson and more.

Out of the pack of 14 nominees, only seven made the cut — spanning from the “Work It” rapper in her first year of eligibility and the “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” singer after her fourth nomination to Nelson, whose nomination arrives on the heels of his 90th birthday just last week. This year’s group of inductees is rounded out by Sheryl Crow, George Michael, Rage Against the Machine and The Spinners.

However, that leaves the seven other nominees waiting until next year to hopefully be voted into music’s Hall of Fame, and we want to know who you think should’ve been included in 2023. Should Cyndi Lauper‘s true colors have been highlighted this year? Or should The White Stripes have joined Elliott in the first year they were eligible for induction as well? (On this year’s ballot, each act’s debut single or album had to be released in the year 1998 or earlier.)

There’s also A Tribe Called Quest, Soundgarden and Iron Maiden, all of whom have now been nominated twice without clinching a spot in the Hall of Fame, as well as English rockers Joy Division/New Order and the late “Werewolves of London” singer Warren Zevon to consider.

The 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony is set to take place at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Nov. 3.

Vote for the artist you think deserved a spot in the Class of 2023, but didn’t get in.

03 May 2023

Harry Styles Drops ‘WALL-E’ Inspired ‘Satellite’ Music Video: Watch

Houston, we’ve got a new Harry Styles music video. The 29-year-old pop star dropped the adorable visual for “Satellite” Wednesday (May 3), making it the latest of his Harry’s House tracks to get the single treatment.

Directed by Styles’ go-to music video collaborator Aube Perrie, the project follows the perspective of a Wall-E-esque robot, who works as an automatic vacuum cleaner backstage at one of the musician’s concerts. We see him cleaning the floors of a green room as Styles leaves to perform, and again when he accidentally rolls onstage while the star is singing mid-show — just to be expelled from the concert by a security guard.

In search of adventure, the little vacuum exits the venue and explores the world outside, eventually reuniting with Styles at the end to go stargazing.

The video comes just two days after Styles confirmed that “Satellite” would be the fourth single off his May 2022 album Harry’s House, following 15-week Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “As It Was,” “Late Night Talking” and “Music For a Sushi Restaurant,” all three of which were turned into music videos of their own. On Monday (May 1), the Grammy winner’s affiliate social media accounts unveiled majestic posters teasing the new music video, featuring a Mars Rover-type robot looking at constellations and exploring rocky terrain.

The “Watermelon Sugar” singer is currently gearing up for the European leg of his ongoing Love on Tour, which has been running since September 2021, and is expected to conclude after nearly two years of shows this July. In late March, he wrapped up the trek’s Asian leg with two nights at Japan’s Ariaka Arena in Tokyo.

Watch Harry Styles’ new “Satellite” video above.

03 May 2023

Regional Mexican Music Isn’t Just Having a Moment — It’s Been a Movement 

Regional Mexican music didn’t just go global in the blink of an eye.

For starters, this legacy genre has been around for more than a century and a half. That endurance has allowed regional Mexican – an umbrella term comprising banda, corridos, norteño, sierreño, mariachi and more subgenres – to build a solid foundation and fervid fanbase on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border. Keeping in mind, the U.S. is home to the second-largest Mexican community in the world.

For many generations, regional Mexican artists have continued to build upon its foundations, solidifying its backbone in the Latin music industry. That’s why today, a new crop of regional hitmakers have been able to take the music to the next level. Fusing traditional corridos or banda with hip-hop, rap and reggaetón — in some cases — they’ve been able to appeal to a wider and younger, tech-savvy audience. Two years ago, Billboard was already reporting on regional Mexican music’s global reach ushered by artists such as Eslabon Armado, Natanael Cano and Grupo Firme. Which led to a discussion on why the genre needs a new name – one that reflected its international appeal.

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Now, as a testament to the genre’s recent surge, Mexican and Mexican-American artists are leading the Billboard Global 200 — taking the three top spots on the tally dated May 6, an unprecedented chart achievement. Grupo Frontera and Bad Bunny’s “un X100to” is No. 1, with Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma’s “Ella Baila Sola” — which became the first regional Mexican song to enter the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 – coming in second, and Yng Lvcas and Peso’s “La Bebe” at No. 3. And at the same time, for the first time ever, two Mexican music songs (“Ella Baila Sola” and “un X100to”) are simultaneously in the Hot 100’s top five.

Mexican music is making history, and it wouldn’t be fair to reduce it to a moment. Below, Griselda Flores (Billboard’s senior staff writer, Latin) and Isabela Raygoza (associate editor, Billboard Español) discuss all things Mexican music; from their personal feelings on the global spotlight to what will be key to continue fueling the genre’s success.

There has been a lot of buzz around regional Mexican music lately, with songs like “Ella Baila Sola” by Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma going global and Bad Bunny recording a hit song with Grupo Frontera. What were some first thoughts when you read headlines about Mexican music “finally” going global?

Isabela Raygoza: It’s about perspective. If you ask a Mexican (or older fans of the genre), the regional style went global when Pedro Infante popularized mariachi via the golden age of Mexican cinema in the ’50s; or when Vicente Fernández became an international global ranchera star in the ’70s; or when Selena revamped the Tex-Mex sound in the ’90s, a genre influenced by branches of regional Mexican; or when Christian Nodal out-streamed some of the U.S.‘ biggest stars with the now 1.3 billion plays for his 2017 single “Adios Amor”; or when Los Tigres del Norte broke Cardi B’s all-time attendance record at Texas’ Houston Rodeo in 2019. Or even when Ariel Camacho’s music (and tragic death in 2015) inspired a cross-border movement of new sierreño musicians. I was raised in the border town of San Diego-Tijuana, so these styles have been near and dear to me since my infancy. So, when I see recent headlines about Mexican music “finally” going global, it isn’t wholly (annoyingly) accurate. Again, it depends on who you ask.

Griselda Flores: To be completely honest and transparent, for many years, I selfishly didn’t want regional Mexican music to go global. I guess my biggest fear was that to be accepted by a wider audience, the genre would have to sacrifice its core sound — powered by very distinctive instruments, like the tuba, trombones, clarinets, trumpets in banda, for example. (The instruments are key to that style’s unique sound, and which not many people find easy to digest). Going global meant allowing people into a very personal bubble. For many kids of Mexican immigrants who grew up in the U.S. — I grew up in Chicago — this music, with roots that date back more than 100 years, soundtracked your childhood. At least for me it did. My parents specifically played only Spanish music in our household — mostly regional Mexican music — and would blast Vicente Fernández, Antonio Aguilar, Lupillo Rivera, Banda Machos, Los Temerarios, which I want to believe just made them feel closer to home. I learned to love the music, the storytelling and the passionate delivery of the songs.

What I love about what we’re seeing today is that Mexican music has gone global without having to sacrifice anything. And, most importantly, it is Mexican and Mexican-American artists who are taking this genre, which already had a very solid foundation to begin with, to the next level.

What does “going global” really mean for this legacy genre and how can we truly measure the impact?

IR: To me, “going global” means going global in the larger picture! Going viral, topping the Billboard charts, headlining important and international festivals, winning Grammys and Latin Grammys, getting a platinum record, appearing on late night television, performing at the Super Bowl, and just making unprecedented moves. And beyond the U.S.! Just how Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma’s “Ella Baila Sola” and Grupo Frontera and Bad Bunny’s “Un x100to” became the first regional Mexican music songs to ever make the top 10 of the Hot 100 is one example of going global, and a great way to measure its impact.

GF: Some styles of Mexican music — mariachi is a prime example — were already popular outside of Mexico and the U.S. So, in some fashion, an international audience had already been exposed to one style under the umbrella term. But what is important in what we’re seeing today is that subgenres like sierreño, corridos and norteñas are getting that exposure on a global platform and so the diversity of this genre is really getting a spotlight. It also shows listeners how multi-layered and nuanced this genre can be. Another way I’d measure the impact is by seeing the fans who are consuming the music today. Just go on TikTok and see that it’s a lot of Gen Z-ers who are consuming it. This genre really is hitting multi-generational homes.

As regional Mexican music continues to gain prominence and influence within the broader music industry, how have regional Mexican artists adapted to incorporate non-regional Mexican artists into their music?

IR: When corridos tumbados trailblazer Natanael Cano, who makes corridos with a hip-hop flavor, invited Bad Bunny to share verses on “Soy El Diablo,” Natanael did not sacrifice anything about his style to accommodate the Bunny. If anything, Bad Bunny matched Natanael’s lyrical delivery.

In the case of Banda MS — who come from the more traditional banda Sinaloense — they have demonstrated their ability to update and transform classic banda for newer and unfamiliar audiences of the genre. When bandleader Sergio Lizárraga explained their Snoop Dogg team-up on their 2020 “Qué Maldición,” he said that composition was key. The musicians paid close attention to the rapper’s repertoire so they could embrace Snoop’s usual laidback delivery. They realized that their banda romántica tempo matched hip-hop’s usual pace, around 89 BPMs. Then they used the tuba for its bassline, where in hip-hop it’s usually sampled or played with the keys.

In essence, the Mexican musicians brilliantly found a sweet spot between banda and rap, without sacrificing the integrity of the traditional Mexican style, while being unafraid to think outside the box.

GF: They haven’t, and I think that’s the beauty of it. I think it’s non-regional Mexican artists who’ve had to adapt to score a collaboration with a Mexican music artist. In the last four years, we’ve seen Bad Bunny come to this side twice now, Farruko with T3r Elemento, Camilo with Los Dos Carnales, Maluma with Grupo Firme, Snoop Dogg with Banda MS, Jhayco with Eslabon Armado, to name just a few. Regional Mexican artists have had to adapt in other ways — for example, collaborating with each other to make the genre even stronger. I think that was a lesson they learned from urban acts, who proved that collaborating with each other was key to creating a movement in the early 2000s.

Have regional Mexican music collaborations with artists from other genres (such as hip-hop, urbano and Latin pop) had any sort of effect on the evolution and cultural significance of this genre? What can we expect from these cross-genre collaborations in the future?

IR: I don’t think collaborations influence the evolution of regional Mexican music, but I think it will become stronger with these kinds of collaborations. Think: Vicente Fernández’s fanbase was quite different from Tego Calderón’s, and they were pretty separated. But as both scenes begin to experience more success (via Latin festivals highlighting both styles like Chicago’s Sueños; more Latin acts entering YouTube’s Billions Club), the styles also begin to cross over to different audiences. It’s safe to expect more non-regional Mexican acts to embrace banda, norteñas, sierreño, etc. Becky G and Tekashi69, who come from urbano and rap, are now heading towards the regional Mexican route. The genres might even coalesce due to different production techniques and the artist’s connection with the genres.

For regional purists, a kind of fusion might not be a positive thing — but that’s history. Remember how irked the folk community got when Bob Dylan plugged in his electric guitar in the ’60s? Or when the flamenco community criticized Rosalía for experimenting with the Andalusía style beyond its traditional confines? Or just how dozens of Latin pop artists continue to experiment with Dominican bachata? I think cross-genre collaborations are very important, because it can give regional Mexican music more prominence beyond its foundation.

GF: I don’t think the collaborations have had any impact on evolution, but I do think that hip-hop and urban music in general have inspired the evolution of the genre. Just take Peso Pluma and Natanael Cano, with corridos tumbados or bélicos — that style evolved from the fusion of hip-hop, reggaetón and Mexican music. But even then, the core of the music is still very traditional to me given the instruments used in these songs. More than anything, it’s corridos with a twist.

And when it comes to cross-genre collaborations, they have a huge cultural significance. When you have the world’s biggest star, Bad Bunny, wanting to record a norteña, cumbia with a new act like Grupo Frontera, you know there’s something up. Of course, that’s not to say that Bad Bunny singing with Grupo Frontera is the only way to measure the impact, but it is very telling of the wider appeal. I think artists — or just people in the music industry in general — are now finally seeing the value and the strength of regional Mexican music and, of course, now want to be part of this global movement.

What would you say will be key to fueling Mexican music’s success?

IR: Regional Mexican music has been alive and well for over a century. But we now have new forms of technology and support to give the style wider visibility. Proliferation and quality releases are key on the mainstream level. I also think it’s great that mainstream pop, urbano and rap artists are interested in embracing the storied Mexican art form, one that’s rooted in Mexican culture and tradition. Cross-genre collaborations will continue to expand the genre to more audiences. However, it is important to differentiate between those trying to capitalize on a new trend, versus those who genuinely appreciate the style and want to participate in it from a point of respect.

GF: I think it’s clear that Mexican music is not having a moment. This isn’t something that will just go away one day. The new generation of Mexican music artists have understood that the power of the genre lies within each other. Joining forces does make it stronger. The first regional Mexican song to top the Billboard Global 200 was a team-up between Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma. This week, Grupo Frontera and Bad Bunny’s “un X100to” is No. 1, “Ella Baila Sola” is No. 2 and in third place is Yng Lvcas and Peso’s “La Bebé.” I think collaborations will continue to be key. I also think indie Mexican music labels will continue to play a pivotal role in expanding the genre. Their ability to identify and connect with the new generation of Mexican fans is unmatched.

03 May 2023

Missy Elliott, Kate Bush & More: Who Are You Most Excited to See Get Inducted Into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Vote!

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame unveiled its class of 2023 on Wednesday (May 3), and of the 14 artists nominated this year, seven made the cut and will attend the institution’s induction ceremony on Nov. 3.

While there were a series of snubs and surprises this year, a diverse bunch makes up the class of 2023: Kate Bush, who saw a major resurgence in 2022 due to her 1985 classic “Running Up That Hill” being featured in Stranger Things, Sheryl Crow, the late George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine, The Spinners and Missy Elliott, who was notably eligible for induction for the first time in 2023.

In addition to the performers, hip-hop founder DJ Kool Herc and inventor of the power chord Link Wray will receive the musical influence award. Chaka Khan, Bernie Taupin (songwriter for Elton John) and Al Kooper (player/producer for Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Blood, Sweat & Tears) were selected to receive the musical excellence award. Don Cornelius, Soul Train host from 1970 to 1993, was also inducted with the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

“This year’s incredible group of inductees reflects the diverse artists and sounds that define rock n’ roll,” John Sykes, chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said in a press statement. “We are honored that this November’s induction ceremony in New York will coincide with two milestones in music culture — the 90th birthday of Willie Nelson and the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip-hop.”

The class of 2023 will get inducted into the Rock Hall on Nov. 3 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Whose induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame are you most excited for? Vote in our poll bellow.

03 May 2023

Gwyneth Paltrow Explains How Coldplay’s Chris Martin Was ‘Very Different’ From Her Other Exes

Though it’s been nearly 10 years since Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin decided to “consciously uncouple,” the Iron Man actress still has a lot of love for her rock star ex-husband. While dishing on her A-list roster of former flames during the Wednesday (May 3) episode of Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast, Paltrow revealed the sweet reason her relationship with the Coldplay frontman still feels different from any of her other romances to this day.

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“When I met him, there was a very deep thing there,” Paltrow recalled of first crossing paths with Martin, with whom she shares 18-year-old daughter Apple and 17-year-old son Moses. “And I couldn’t quite put my finger on it because it felt very different than my other relationships.”

“It’s not so much that the relationship itself turned out to be healthier than my other relationships,” the actress continued. “It’s just that I think I had this deep calling on some level. I knew he was going to be the father of my kids, maybe or something. It was a very strong feeling.”

Paltrow first met Martin in October 2002, two months after the release of Coldplay’s breakout album A Rush of Blood to the Head. They tied the knot in December 2003 and were together until 2014, when the pair announced via a joint statement that they’d decided to part ways after more than 10 years of marriage.

“It is with hearts full of sadness that we have decided to separate,” they wrote at the time. “We have been working hard for well over a year, some of it together, some of it separated, to see what might have been possible between us, and we have come to the conclusion that while we love each other very much we will remain separate. … We have always conducted our relationship privately, and we hope that as we consciously uncouple and coparent, we will be able to continue in the same manner.”

On Call Her Daddy, Paltrow also reminisced on how she and the “Yellow” singer were rumored to be dating before they’d even met, simply because she’d been spotted attending one of Coldplay’s concerts. The Shakespeare in Love star had already become a huge fan of Martin’s music, and when they did finally meet backstage at another show, Paltrow recalled that her future husband “was like Tigger the tiger bouncing around.”

“He was just so sweet,” she added. “I met him when he was, like, 25, and I had just turned 30.”

Paltrow, who’s now married to TV producer and writer Brad Falchuk, also played a game of “Brad or Ben,” for which the Goop founder had to compare the talents of her two movie star ex-boyfriends Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck. When asked about which “B” name was better in bed, Paltrow said, “Brad was like the sort of major chemistry love of your life, like at the time, and then Ben was, like, technically excellent.”

“God bless J. Lo and everything she is getting over there!” Cooper responded, referencing Affleck’s now wife.

Hear Gwyneth Paltrow revisit her marriage to Chris Martin on Call Her Daddy below:

03 May 2023

Kool & the Gang Celebrate 60th Anniversary With New Album ‘People Just Wanna Have Fun’

Kool & the Gang still knows how to party. In fact, the Grammy Award-winning group is preparing for its biggest party of all to date: its 60th anniversary in 2024. Following its April 13 performance on Good Morning America and the release of its latest single, “Let’s Party” featuring Sha Sha Jones, the R&B, soul and funk band is now announcing the arrival of its 34th studio album, People Just Wanna Have Fun.

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Helmed by the group’s founding namesake Robert “Kool” Bell and original member George “Funky” Brown,” Kool & the Gang recorded a lively 15-track album that will arrive July 14 through Astana Music Inc, distributed by BFD/The Orchard. The set features some of the last studio work from the group’s stellar founding horn players: Kool’s brother Ronald “Khalis” Bell and Dennis “D.T.” Thomas, who passed away in 2020 and 2021, respectively. In addition to Sha Sha Jones, lead vocals on the album include Shawn McQuiller, Lavell Evans, Dominique Karan, Rick Marcel and Walt Anderson, plus rappers Ami Miller & Ole’. 

People Just Wanna Have Fun is a fitting next chapter in the Kool & the Gang legacy. Founded in 1964, the band is behind a string of timeless hits that include “Celebration,” “Ladies Night,” “Get Down on It,” “Summer Magic” and “Hollywood Swinging.” A release announcing the new project also notes the group being “the most sampled R&B band of all time” by stars such as Madonna, Jay-Z, Beastie Boys, Janet Jackson, Cypress Hill and Diddy. Their music has also been featured on various film soundtracks including Rocky, Saturday Night Fever, Pulp Fiction and Wreck-It Ralph.

“You’ve got the funk, the jazzier tracks; we have a few ballads on there,” said Bell in the release about the new album. “Then there are songs that cross over to a pop sort of thing. We go from the ‘70s, the ‘80s, right into now. It’s old school, it’s new school — we kinda captured it all here. With all our music over the years, people have had fun. So I’d say this album just about sums it all up.” 

Kool & the Gang are also hitting the road this summer on the Kool and the Gang Rock the World Tour. Sponsored by Bell’s own Le Kool Champagne, the tour kicks off May 5-6 in Las Vegas, and wraps in Saratoga, Calif., on Sept. 24. Stops along the way include London (June 1), Cambridge, Great Britain (June 11), Plovdiv, Bulgaria (June 12) and Los Angeles (July 14-15). More tour information is available on the group’s website.

Keyboardist and drummer George “Funky” Brown produced People Just Wanna Have Fun, recorded at his Alley Cat Studio in Woodland Hills, Calif. He also has a book coming, Too Hot: Kool & The Gang & Me (July 11), in which he shares “my memoirs and cautionary tales.” During a recent phone interview with Billboard, Brown talked about the genesis of the new album, the loss of revered bandmates and extending Kool & the Gang’s estimable legacy.

Getting the recording party started for the project: We started the project five years ago with Sha Sha Jones. Right away, it was like hand in glove and we came up with the “Let’s Party” track. All the original horns are on that track. So we put that away and started coming up with more original material like “We Are the Party,” once again with all the original members. So that’s very special. Also on the 15th track, “99 Miles to JC,” you hear Ronald Bell on a sax solo and [the group’s late trombonist] Clifford Adams; this one has a real jazzy feel. The album also has pop, neo-soul, funk. … It’s a compilation of all the things that we are as Kool & the Gang. We worked on quite a few songs before we got down to the point of naming the album. And People Just Wanna Have Fun is very apropos after the pandemic and with what’s happening in the world right now. In fact, the album has three different sections that we call romance, dance and heart and soul. There’s also a young groove on the album with tracks like “I Want It All” featuring Sha Sha and Shawn McQuiller. Another track, “That’s What I Love About You,” reminds me of Anthony Hamilton, whose work I love. We use a lot of different harmonies on this album too, more than you’ve ever heard from Kool & The Gang in the past. 

Kool & The Gang

Shooting the “Let’s Party” video: I have no one favorite song on the album whatsoever. I love them all. I also just love putting together a project that comes together nicely. And you can see that in the video for “Let’s Party.” Everybody’s having a great time in the video, which was shot at my home. But it wasn’t just shoot the video and go home. We had a free bar set up and a catered dinner. So you can genuinely see that everybody’s really grooving and getting into it. 

His mindset in the studio while putting the album together: My mindset was about broadening and extending the legacy of Kool & the Gang. We’re a great entity that has put a few rungs in the ladder of musical history. We went from being young jazz musicians to funk then to pop and of course soul. Our music fits in so many genres and that’s fairly rare. But by jumping into other niches, we got more fans. And It’s grown and grown. It worked for us but we didn’t do it purposely. We did it because it was something we wanted to write, something we could feel. It was nothing contrived; it’s about the raw sound philosophy that we have. Our music has truth and a lot of workmanship that we put into it. I’m floored by and happy about the musicianship that’s on this new record. I hope the public worldwide will feel the same. Also, what more can you ask for after a career that’s been so successful — and that’s still growing after all these years. Of course, there’s been plenty of sadness with the passing of group members. Sometimes you get a little weepy in the studio. But we’re keeping the legacy alive and pushing it forward. And when it’s all said and done, we’ve done our job well. 

03 May 2023

Sheryl Crow Joins the Short List of Grammy Best New Artist Winners in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Sheryl Crow’s selection for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 2023 class comes nearly 28 years after she won a Grammy as best new artist. She is just the fifth artist to take both of these honors.

The Grammys and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame once seemed to be operating in different worlds, with the Grammys, in their early years, favoring traditional pop and jazz, and the Rock Hall long favoring guitar-based rock. But both organizations have moved to the middle in recent years.

For many years, just three artists had achieved both of these feats – a Grammy win for best new artist and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — but in the last two years, two more artists have joined the list.

With the Rock Hall becoming more open to a wider range of sounds, it’s not hard to picture several more past best new artist Grammy winners one day being inducted. Bette Midler, Natalie Cole, Cyndi Lauper (who was nominated this year but didn’t get in) and Mariah Carey would all seem to have at least a reasonable chance, and in some cases, a very good chance of making the Rock Hall.

Artists first become eligible for the Rock Hall 25 years after releasing their first record. So over time the artists who won best new artist after 1998 will also become eligible for the Rock Hall. Over the next 10 years that could bring in Lauryn Hill, Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys, Maroon 5, John Legend, Carrie Underwood and Amy Winehouse.

While we wait to see which of them make it, here are the five artists who both won a Grammy for best new artist and are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Grammy years shown are the years of the ceremonies at which the awards were presented.

03 May 2023

Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton & More Stars in Both the Country Music and Rock & Roll Halls of Fame

With Willie Nelson’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this year, 30 years after he was selected for the Country Music Hall of Fame, 16 artists or executives have been chosen to join both Halls.

Nelson, 90, is one of only three of these double (Rock and Country) inductees who is still living. The others are Brenda Lee, 78, and Dolly Parton, 77. Three double inductees – Johnny Cash, The Everly Brothers and Sam Phillips — lived to see both of their inductions, though they have since died.

Nelson, Parton and the late Jerry Lee Lewis have joined the list of double inductees in the past year.

The roster of double honorees includes 13 male artists or executives (the exec being Sun Records founder Phillips); two female artists (Lee and Parton); and one duo (the Everly Brothers).

Bob Wills was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame as a solo artist but was inducted into the Rock Hall as the leader of Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys.

Impressively, singer, songwriter and guitarist Jimmie Rodgers was in the inaugural class in both Halls. He was one of the first three people inaugurated into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1961 and one of the 16 initial inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. Rodgers, nicknamed The Singing Brakeman, was just 35 when he died of a pulmonary hemorrhage brought on by tuberculosis in 1933. (He is unrelated to the recording and TV star also named Jimmie Rodgers who had a string of pop and country hits in the late ’50s.)

Floyd Cramer, a top session musician who recorded such crossover hits of his own as “Last Date” and “San Antonio Rose,” is the only person who was inducted into both the Country and Rock Halls of Fame in the same year (2003). Unfortunately, the pianist didn’t live to see this multi-genre appreciation; he died in 1997.

Like Cramer, Chet Atkins also had some hit recordings, but his main contributions were behind-the-scenes as a studio guitarist, producer and record executive (for RCA).

Here’s a list, in alphabetical order, of everyone who has been inducted into both of these Halls of Fame. We show the year each person was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame (CM HOF); the year each was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (R&R HOF); their highest-charting hit on what is now called Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart (which originated as Hot C&W Sides in October 1958); and, finally, the year of death for those who are no longer with us.

Note: Many of these acts had hits that pre-dated the introduction of Hot C&W Sides. The hit tallies shown here and the identification of the artists’ biggest hits are for the period starting in October 1958 only.

03 May 2023

10 First-Timers on Billboard’s Charts This Week: Corook, Olivia Barton, CHINCHILLA, Jasiel Nunez & More

Billboard has more than 200 different weekly charts on its roster, encompassing numerous genres and formats.

While established artists often compete for a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and Billboard 200 albums ranking, which track the most popular songs and albums of the week, respectively, up-and-coming talents typically start off on genre-specific lists.

Here’s a look at 10 acts who appear on surveys for the first time on the May 6-dated charts.

Corook & Olivia Barton

Both Nashville-based singer-songwriters and Berklee College of Music graduates make their first-ever Billboard chart appearances with their collaboration “If I Were a Fish” (billed as corook featuring Olivia Barton). The song, released April 21 via Atlantic Records after going viral on TikTok, debuts at No. 16 on Hot Alternative Songs, No. 19 on Hot Rock Songs and No. 22 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs with 1.9 million official U.S. streams and 3,000 downloads sold in the April 21-27 tracking week, according to Luminate. It also enters Alternative Digital Song Sales (No. 6), Rock Digital Song Sales (No. 7) and the all-genre Digital Song Sales chart (No. 36).

Plus, Corook debuts at No. 46 on Emerging Artists. Corook (real name Corinne Savage), who hails from Pittsburgh, released their debut EP achoo! in April 2022, also on Atlantic. They’ve previously opened in concert for JP Saxe, Jukebox the Ghost, K.Flay and X Ambassadors. Barton — from Orlando, Fla. — has self-released two LPs: I Could Have Smiled at You More in 2019, and This Is a Good Sign in 2022. She’s currently on the road supporting Lizzy McAlpine on her The End of the Movie tour.

CHINCHILLA

The British singer-songwriter starts on Billboard’s charts with her track “Little Girl Gone.” The song, which she released on her own CHINCHILLA label (distributed through Kartel Music Group) on April 21, soars in at No. 3 on Digital Song Sales with 11,000 downloads sold. She also becomes the first female soloist in the Emerging Artists chart’s six-year history to debut at No. 1. (This year, the only other acts to debut atop Emerging Artists are Daisy Jones & The Six and xikers.) CHINCHILLA (real name Daisy Matilda Bertenshaw) self-released her debut solo LP Awakening in 2020. In 2021, she released the EP Moon Maintenance for Dummies via Columbia Records (through Sony Music Entertainment Germany).

Jasiel Nuñez

The Guadalajara, Mexico, native earns his first chart placement thanks to his new collaboration with Peso Pluma, “Rosa Pastel.” The song, released April 20 via Peso Pluma’s Double P Records, debuts at No. 24 on Hot Latin Songs with 5.1 million U.S. streams. It also starts at No. 13 on Regional Mexican Digital Song Sales, No. 25 on Latin Digital Song Sales, No. 18 on Regional Mexican Streaming Songs and No. 25 on Latin Streaming Songs, as well as No. 163 on the Billboard Global 200. Nuñez also arrives at No. 42 on Emerging Artists. Nuñez was one of the first artists that Peso Pluma signed to Double P after launching the label, as CEO and head of A&R, in April.

Hypaton

The 24-year-old Italian producer reaches Billboard’s charts for the first time thanks to “Be My Lover (2023 Mix)” with David Guetta and featuring La Bouche. The song, which updates La Bouche’s dance-floor classic “Be My Lover,” debuts at No. 29 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs with 497,000 streams, as well as No. 17 on Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales. Hypaton (real name Giorgio Ortenzi) and Guetta released the track April 21 on What a DJ/MCI/NITRON/Arista Records. Notably, the song earns Guetta his 77th hit on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, extending his record for the most among all acts. La Bouche’s original “Be My Lover” recording reached No. 6 on the Hot 100 in 1996. HYPATON is slated to perform during Guetta’s run of F*** Me I’m Famous! shows, which begin in June at Ushuaïa Ibiza.

Cairo Knife Fight

The Christchurch, New Zealand-based band makes its first chart visit as “Churn” debuts at No. 39 on Mainstream Rock Airplay. The song, which the duo self-released Feb. 14, enters with a 23% gain in plays. The act comprises Nick Gaffaney (vocals, drums, keyboard bass) and George Pajon Jr. (guitar). Pajon has contributed to several other Billboard chart hits prior to “Churn.” He’s credited as a songwriter on four Hot 100-charting songs, all by the Black Eyed Peas: “Request Line” (No. 63, 2001), “Where Is the Love?” (No. 8, 2003), “Let’s Get It Started” (No. 21, 2004) and “Don’t Phunk With My Heart” (No. 3, 2005). (“Started” and “Phunk” won Grammy Awards for best rap performance, duo/group, in 2005 and 2006, respectively.) He also co-wrote Will.i.am’s promotional song for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, “Yes We Can.” Cairo Knife Fight has opened in concert for bands including Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age.

Anna Lapwood

The 27-year-old organist lands on Billboard’s charts for the first time, as her new EP Midnight Sessions at the Royal Albert Hall debuts at No. 9 on Classical Crossover Albums. Lapwood released the set April 21 via Music Productions Limited/Sony Classical/Sony Masterworks. She also serves as the director of music at Cambridge’s Pembroke College. She graduated from Magdalen College in Oxford, England, and became the first woman in the school’s 560-year history to be awarded the Organ Scholarship.

Caleb & John

The Nashville-based duo charts for the first time, as “Hallelujah Feeling” debuts at No. 50 on Christian Airplay (92,000 in radio audience). The pair released the song March 17 via Fair Trade Services — and subsequently celebrated hearing it on the radio for the first time. “The message we want to communicate is hope,” John recently said. “There is hope for you. If God can change somebody like me, He can change somebody like you.”

Myah Marie

Myah Marie notches her first chart appearance as a recording artist thanks to her featured credit on RuPaul’s “Adrenaline.” The song, released in 2014 on RuPaul’s Born Naked album via RuCo Records, debuts at No. 9 on Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales. Myah Marie has forged an accomplished career as a songwriter, as she’s written or co-written songs for acts including Aaron Carter, Lil Wayne and Britney Spears.

Bruce Katz Band

The group’s LP Connections opens at No. 15 on the Blues Albums chart. The ban — which is comprised of Bruce Katz (piano/organ), Aaron Lieberman (guitar/vocals) and Liviu Pop (drums) — released the set April 21 through Dancing Rooster Records. Katz is a blues veteran, having released his first album as a bandleader, Crescent Crawl, in 1992.

Eric Carr

The late, former drummer of rock legends Kiss (from 1980-91), achieves his first solo chart entry as Rockology debuts at No. 57 on Top Album Sales (4,000 sold). The set was issued as a Record Story Day vinyl and CDexclusive on April 22. Kiss charted 11 songs on the Hot 100 with Carr as a member (following 13 by the group in 1974-79), including the No. 8-peaking ballad “Forever” in 1990. Carr, who took up the persona of “The Fox” in Kiss, died from heart cancer in 1991.

03 May 2023

John Sykes on the Rock Hall’s Expanded Definition of Rock and Roll: ‘I Really Didn’t Change the Rules. I Went Back and Followed Them.’

Some will cheer the diversity, in every sense of the word, of the new class of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, one that includes Willie Nelson, Missy Elliott, Rage Against the Machine and The Spinners. Others will see that it as a sign that the Hall has lost its way and its focus.

John Sykes, who has been chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation since Jan. 1, 2020, has an answer to the naysayers: “I really didn’t change the rules. I went back and followed them.”

It all comes down to the meaning of the term rock and roll. Sykes contends that that term represents the amalgam of rhythm & blues, country and gospel that transformed popular music in the 1950s. He says that many confuse that term with the narrower “rock,” which he sees as just one element, albeit an important one, in “rock and roll.”

So, while some will say the Rock Hall should mostly be reserved for the likes of The White Stripes, Soundgarden, Warren Zevon and Iron Maiden, all of whom came up short in this year’s balloting, and will see this year’s class as a hodgepodge, Sykes sees it as an exciting return to the true meaning of rock and roll. The news announcement for this year’s Rock Hall inductees includes this definition of rock and roll which you can bet Sykes helped draft – “rock & roll is a spirit that is inclusive and ever-changing.”

Sykes addresses this topic with the deep knowledge of a musicologist and the fervor of a man on a mission. This conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

When you became the chairman did you look at it and say, ‘This has to evolve or the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is going to become a relic’?

When I came in, I was seeing that some people were mistaking rock and roll for rock. Rock is a part of rock and roll, but rock and roll was never one sound. It was an amalgam of R&B, gospel and country. So, I saw an opportunity to really look back to the original genesis of rock and roll and trace it to the present, which is where hip-hop and R&B and the music that’s moving culture today all came from. I really didn’t change the rules. I went back and followed them.

Six of the first 10 [performer] inductees [in 1986] were Black, and the following year Hank Williams was inducted and then Johnny Cash [1992] and then Brenda Lee [2002]. Really, all roads lead back to 1955 and the creation and explosion of rock and roll. All I did was go back to the original definition and then trace it today – finding the artists that are moving culture and moving young America.

If you look at rock and roll, it’s not one sound, it’s a spirit that moved teenagers in ’55. It basically drove adults crazy, drove the government crazy, drove the church crazy and that’s exactly what hopefully the music that’s moving culture today is doing [chuckles].

Some will say that the Rock Hall is struggling to find its new identity and purpose.

It’s kind of a mixed bag. This class of inductees is a perfect case for really the diverse sounds that make up rock and roll. I wouldn’t say we’re struggling. I would say we’re diversifying. We’re seeing that all these sounds can live together. It’s not like rock is no longer getting in. Foo Fighters got in two years ago. This year, Rage Against the Machine is right next to the first female hip-hop artist who has ever been inducted, Missy Elliott. I’m excited and proud of this diverse collection of artists.

Summarize the voting process.

What happens is the nominating committee’s list of nominees goes out to the general voting body of 1,200 people, which is made up of past inductees. We are constantly updating every year to make sure we evolve with the music because we need voters in their 30s and 40s who were 15 years old when hip-hop began to really explode in the early ‘90s in America.

Do you know who the seven performer inductees will be before you settle on the honorees in the other three categories [musical influence award, musical excellence award and Ahmet Ertegun Award]?

We do it side-to-side. We monitor the performers vote and we do watch to see if there’s anything we need to balance.

Chaka Khan had been on the ballot in the performer category seven times – counting four times as the lead singer of Rufus and Chaka Khan – without being voted in. This year she gets in through the musical excellence award.

Sometimes, not often, an artist just doesn’t connect with the general voting body for whatever reason. That was the case with Chaka, and before that with LL Cool J and Judas Priest. So, the musical excellence award gives us a chance to [rectify that]. It’s the same sized plaque on the wall. To us as a Hall, each has contributed to the growth and relevance of rock and roll.   

How many people are on those committees in the other categories?

Seven. I’m the tie-breaker, but I’ve never had to break a tie. 80%-90% of the time it’s unanimous. This year, it was unanimous.

When I took over the job four years ago, I built the committee with the sole purpose of having a diverse group of voters who are aware not only of where music has been but where music is going. The key factor is to make sure we’ve got the right people who understand the music and artists that are up for induction.

[Since artists become eligible 25 years after their first recording], this year if your first record was in 1998, you’re eligible. That’s not 1967 or 1955. 1998 feels like yesterday. We have to have a committee that understands not only the artists of the past – because we’ll never turn our backs on the artist of the past – but also the artists who are eligible today.

Willie Nelson has been eligible since at least 1987, but this was his first time on the ballot and he got in.

He had one of the highest vote totals in the history of the Hall of Fame. He scored a huge number. It reflects too how the voting understands that rock and roll is not a single sound. It’s an attitude and if anyone has attitude, it’s Willie Nelson.

Even before you took over four years ago, just as a member of the nominating committee for 28 years, had you been thinking that the Rock Hall really has to evolve?

Yes, I definitely thought that way and I think others on the nominating committee did too, especially Jon Landau, who ran the committee for 30 years. Before I even started, he began looking at hip-hop and the importance of that genre as being one of the corner posts of rock and roll. I can’t take all the credit myself.

Rock and roll started out being very diverse and I think what happened in the ’70s and ’80s, it somehow became a little bit more focused on rock, which is an integral part of rock and roll, but not the only one. We’ve expanded in the last eight years on the nominating committee.

When I came in, I really focused on that and also focused on women, who have had such an impact. Prior to 2019, about 14%-15% of the inductees were women. In the last five years, it has been almost 25%. We’re not there yet, but we’re seeing the inductees class evolve not only in sound but genre.

That’s the spirit of rock and roll: Rock and roll is constantly changing and evolving. For me, one of the greatest moments of my time at the Hall of Fame is [two years ago] when Jay-Z, one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time, held up his award and said, ‘Now that’s rock and roll.’ He understands that rock and roll was dangerous and rebellious in 1955 and that’s exactly what hip-hop has been and is today. It’s breaking the rules. It upsets parents. It upsets the establishment. Those are all reasons why hip-hop is a welcome member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

I take this job seriously and I’m doing my best to keep it evolving so we can keep it relevant.

What kind of reaction do you think this year’s inductees will get?

We always get a lot of different feedback because these decisions are very subjective. There will be people who say that was great or that was horrible. [That feedback] goes with the job. I think we’re doing the right thing. Every single one of those artists on that list deserves to be in the Hall and that’s all that matters to me.