Music

03 Mar 2023

Nicki Minaj, Morgan Wallen, J-Hope x J. Cole & More: What’s Your Favorite New Music Release of the Week? Vote!

The first new music Friday of the month is here, and it’s filled with music by Nicki Minaj, Morgan Wallen, a collaboration between BTS rapper J-Hope and J. Cole, and more.

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Following a successful 2022 that saw Minaj nab her first solo No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Super Freaky Girl” (which notably interpolated Rick James’ 1981 hit “Super Freak”), the rapper revived Lumidee’s “Never Leave You (Uh Oooh, Uh Oooh)” on new single “Red Ruby Da Sleeze.” Instead of using the song as a straight sample, Minaj uses the track as a percussion instrument, rapping over it with lyrics about her wannabes and imitators, even sneaking in cheeky references to Christopher Reeve and Karl Malone.

Country star Wallen’s new album, One Thing at a Time, sees him expanding his catalogue even more with a triple LP consisting of 36 songs, one-upping his previous double album release, Dangerous. On the new expansive project, he grapples with his fame, and even faces some of the divisive moments during his meteoric ascent to the top. “I was a bad reputation, with an attitude to match,” Wallen sings on “Dying Man,” the album’s closing track. “Hell, man, I’m goin’ nowhere/ And gettin’ there lightnin’ fast.”

J-Hope continues his momentum from 2022 with another “J” rapper — J. Cole. The pair teams up for “On the Street,” in which the BTS rapper expresses gratitude for his blessings and the dedicated fans who have helped make it happen. Cole effortlessly slides on the beat, charismatic and confident alongside the K-pop star as he speaks of his own unique come-up story.

Kali Uchis, Marshmello with Manuel Turizo, and Portugal. The Man also return this week. With so many great new options, we want to know what you have on repeat. Vote in our new music release poll below.

03 Mar 2023

Morgan Wallen Performs at His Former High School, Donates $35K to Its Sports & Performing Arts Programs

Morgan Wallen celebrated his new album, One Thing at a Time, by returning to his high school, Gibbs High School in Knoxville, Tenn.

On Thursday morning (March 2), he showed up unannounced and surprised the senior class with a special invitation to a concert that evening. The students gathered on the school’s baseball field and enjoyed a concert from Wallen, which featured several songs from his new album, including “Keith Whitley,” “Last Night,” “All Your Reasons” and many of his country radio hits, such as “Thought You Should Know,” “You Proof” and “More Than My Hometown.”

Courtesy of Spotify, the students also enjoyed several of the country star’s favorite concessions, as well as a photo booth that transformed snaps into exclusive baseball cards.

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Spotify and Morgan Wallen

Courtesy of Spotify

Wallen also presented the Gibbs High School principal with a check for $35,000 from the Morgan Wallen Foundation. The funds will go toward the school’s performing arts and sports programs, including the purchase of instruments for the choral and band department, as well as equipment for the sports department.

“I love this place, and am having so many different feelings that I didn’t know I was gonna feel,” Wallen, who played baseball on the field when he attended the high school, said via a statement. “At one point today, me and my dad and my son were out there on the field and it just kinda made sense and I’m really so proud to be from here.”

Spotify and Morgan Wallen

Courtesy of Spotify

Wallen isn’t the only notable country music alumnus from Gibbs: Kenny Chesney also attended the high school.

The 36-track One Thing at a Time album features collaborations with Eric Church (“Man Made a Bar”), HARDY (“In the Bible”), and ERNEST (“Cowgirls”).

03 Mar 2023

Adam Levine Talks About Being a Dad of 3 for the First Time: ‘I Love the Chaos’

Maroon 5? More like family of five. Adam Levine chatted about his growing family for the first time since his wife, Behati Prinsloo, gave birth to their third child in January, according to multiple reports.

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“It’s zoned defense, as they say. It’s awesome,” the musician told Ryan Seacrest after the former American Idol host congratulated him on his “trifecta” of children during an interview on On-Air With Ryan Seacrest on Friday (March 3). “I love the chaos. I embrace the chaos.”

Neither Levine nor Prinsloo have publicly announced the baby’s arrival, and have not yet shared the sex or name. The couple’s new addition joins big sisters 6-year-old daughter Dusty Rose and 4-year-old Gio Grace.

The Maroon 5 frontman also told Seacrest that he wants a bigger, and not-as-cool vehicle to transport his family. “I pushed hard for the minivan, but that just got kiboshed,” he shared, noting why he believes a family-friendly form of transportation doesn’t have to be less fashionable. “I see a minivan as you just bought into a whole new thing. You can make your minivan whatever you want. It doesn’t have to be your mom’s Chrysler Town & Country. It could be like this spectacular spaceship of fun!”

Levine also shared how the band’s upcoming Las Vegas residency, which kicks off March 24 at the Park MGM, is a good fit for his home life too. “You got a family, wife and kids, this life that have at home you don’t want to it leave too often as life goes on,” he said of touring. “So it’s nice to go to Vegas, come home, go to Vegas, come home. We live very close to there.”

The Victoria’s Secret model shared the news that she and the “Moves Like Jagger” singer were expecting in September, when she posted a casual photo on Instagram showing off her baby bump. As her bump grew, Prinsloo continued sharing photos on social media, and earlier in January, posted a shot of her lying on her back in a bikini. “TICK tock…,” she wrote in anticipation of the baby’s arrival.

News that the couple was expecting was somewhat overshadowed by a texting scandal involving Levine, in which Instagram model Sumner Stroh shared alleged flirtatious messages exchanged between her and the Maroon 5 frontman. Stroh claimed she and Levine saw each other for a year and that in June, Levine asked if it would be OK to name his baby “Sumner” if it was a boy — just a few days after it was confirmed that Prinsloo was pregnant with the couple’s third child.

After the messages surfaced, Levine denied having an affair, but took responsibility for having “poor judgement in speaking with anyone other than my wife in ANY kind of flirtatious manner.”

“I did not have an affair, nevertheless, I crossed the line during a regrettable period in my life,” he said in a statement posted to his Instagram Story. “In certain instances it became inappropriate; I have addressed that and taken proactive steps to remedy this with my family. My wife and my family is all I care about in this world. To be this naive and stupid enough to risk the only thing that truly matters to me was the greatest mistake I could ever make. I will never make it again.”

Listen to Levine’s interview with Seacrest below:

03 Mar 2023

How to Watch Morgan Wallen’s Free Concert Via Livestream

Even Morgan Wallen fans who did not score tickets to Friday evening’s (March 3) free pop-up album release concert in Nashville — in support of his new album, One Thing at a Time — will be able to watch the show. Wallen’s team has announced the show will be livestreamed across several social media platforms.

His acoustic show will stream live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, beginning at 7:30 p.m. CT.

“Since there are no tickets left cause you guys got ‘em so quick yesterday I wanted to make sure all of you had a chance to watch,” Wallen told fans via social media.

The pop-up show was announced Thursday (March 2), and the only way to obtain free tickets was to line up outside Bridgestone Arena. Lines quickly formed, wrapping around the venue in downtown Nashville, and all tickets to the show were gone within hours.

For fans who did not obtain tickets, there are four ways to watch it via livestream:

Wallen’s 36-track One Thing at a Time album features a blend of his country, alternative and hip-hop influences, and includes collaborations with Eric Church on “Man Made a Bar,” HARDY on “In the Bible,” and ERNEST on “Cowgirls.”

“This record represents the last few years of my life, the highs and the lows,” Wallen said via a press release. “It also brings together the musical influences that have shaped me as an artist – country, alternative and hip-hop. There are 36 songs on this album because we just kept exploring with fresh lyrics, music and production ideas and these are the songs that felt right to me. It was a blast to create, and I was so grateful to be back in the studio to lay this out for my fans.”

03 Mar 2023

Lizzo Channels Young Selena Gomez With Blue Hair in a TikTok & Selena Approves: Watch

Lizzo‘s got some blue going on. And to show off her new hair color, she recreated an iconic TikTok meme starring a young Selena Gomez, who gave her seal of approval on the “About Damn Time” singer’s video Thursday (March 2).

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In her TikTok, Lizzo reveals a chic new hairstyle with streaks of blue highlights, and she’s lip-synching to a viral audio clip of Gomez chatting with reporters at an event in 2007. “I got some blue going on!” Lizzo mouths along to the Wizards of Waverly Place star saying in the clip. “I don’t know, I like a little edge, a little pop in my hair, so I wanted to add something different especially for the Teen Vogue party.”

Gomez left her stamp of approval on the TikTok, commenting with a simple blue heart emoji. The Yitty founder responded with an emoji of her own: a kissy face.

Later, Lizzo posted a video showing her new look in action, filming herself trying out a TikTok dance while onstage at a recent concert in Milan.

The “Truth Hurts” musician has been on fire recently when it comes to recreating beloved internet memes. She recently made her concert crowd burst into laughter by quoting Ariana DeBose’s viral BAFTAs rap in which she professed, “Angela Bassett did the thing!”

Meanwhile, Gomez just days ago announced she’d be taking a break from social media following rumored drama — fueled by some comments made by the Only Murders in the Building star — among herself, Kylie Jenner and Hailey Bieber. “This is a little silly,” she told her TikTok followers Feb. 23 as she announced her online hiatus. “I’m 30, I’m too old for this.”

Check out Lizzo’s new Selena Gomez-approved blue hair below:

03 Mar 2023

Attorney General Merrick Garland Proves He’s a Swiftie During Senate Hearing

When it comes to Taylor Swift, even Attorney General Merrick Garland is a bonafide fan. The head of the Department of Justice cleverly put his Swiftie status to the test when testifying before the Senate on Wednesday (March 1).

Speaking to the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding DOJ oversight, Garland told the committee that he’s “pretty familiar” with the superstar and her music, but according to reporting by The Wall Street Journal, the federal government’s chief law enforcement officer has almost all of Swift’s CDs on display in his office and even counts “Shake It Off” as his favorite song in her discography.

Apparently, Garland’s entry point into the Swiftian musical universe came courtesy of his two daughters, who would listen to 2006’s Taylor Swift and 2008’s Fearless on repeat as he drove them to school every morning. But even since then, he’s stayed on top of the singer’s discography. “My daughter sent me Midnights right away as a CD, which I appreciate is a little prehistoric at this point,” he quipped to the WSJ. “And then she told me the playlist order in which I should listen to the songs.”

During his testimony, the attorney general also couldn’t resist sneaking a lyrical reference into the proceedings. When pressed about Senator Amy Klobuchar — who counts Red single “I Knew You Were Trouble” as her favorite Taylor song — having anti-trust material regarding the 2010 merger between Ticketmaster and LiveNation in her possession, Garland cleverly responded, “I know that all too well.”

While the ticketing mess that prompted every politician and government figure to sneak her lyrics into the public record continues to play out in Congress, Swift herself is preparing to kick off The Eras Tour with back-to-back shows in Glendale, Ariz. on March 17 and 18.

03 Mar 2023

Vanessa Hudgens to Return as Co-Host of ‘Countdown to the Oscars’

Vanessa Hudgens is set to co-host Countdown to the Oscars, the official lead-in to The 95th Oscars, for the second year in a row. Her co-hosts this year are Ashley Graham and Lilly Singh. Countdown to the Oscars airs on Sunday, March 12, at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT on ABC.

The 90-minute special will highlight Oscar nominees, performers and presenters. Content creator Reece Feldman will be a backstage correspondent and Rocsi Diaz will be the correspondent for the Academy’s member viewing party in New York City. The show is executive produced by David Chamberlin and Michael Antinoro, alongside executive producers and showrunners Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner.

Hudgens’ co-hosts last year were Terrence J, Brandon Maxwell and Sofia Carson. Carson is set to perform on this year’s telecast. She and Diane Warren will perform Warren’s nominated song “Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman.

Hudgens has had a pair of top 30 albums on the Billboard 200, V and Identified. She also had a pair of top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 as a member of the High School Musical and High School Musical 2 casts.

Leading into the official pre-show, ABC News will air On the Red Carpet Live: Countdown to Oscars 95 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. PT. The pre-show coverage will also stream on ABC News Live starting at 1:30 p.m. ET/10:30 a.m. PT throughout the day until the start of the 95th Academy Awards.

Linsey Davis and Whit Johnson will host the red-carpet special at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre, featuring interviews with Oscar nominees. They will be joined by ABC News correspondent Chris Connelly, ESPN’s Andscape senior entertainment reporter and ABC News contributor Kelley Carter and insiders including Variety’s Elizabeth Wagmeister and Clayton Davis and celebrity stylist Joe Zee.

On the Red Carpet Live: Countdown to Oscars 95 is produced by Catherine McKenzie and John Green.

The 95th Oscars will be held Sunday, March 12 at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide.

03 Mar 2023

Dierks Bentley Sets 2023 Gravel & Gold North American Tour: See the Dates

Dierks Bentley is gearing up to kick up some “Gravel & Gold” on his upcoming tour, a 28-city trek set to launch in June, he announced on Friday (March 3).

Bentley will welcome Jordan Davis as direct support, with additional openers on shows throughout the tour: Elle King, Tracy Lawrence, Tyler Braden, Caylee Hammack, Hot Country Knights, Kameron Marlowe, The Cadillac Three, The Red Clay Strays, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Shane Smith & the Saints, Caitlyn Smith and Hailey Whitters.

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“I’ve been waiting as patiently as possible for the time when we could tell our fans about this tour and I’m happy the moment has arrived,” Bentley said via a press release. “With new music, a whole new set and vibe along with incredible musicians and singers to share the stage with.…I can honestly say I think this will be our best tour ever. Jordan Davis and I have been talking about touring for a long time and he’s just killing. Not to mention the list of artists that we will be touring with is so exciting for me as a fan of all their music. I will be side stage every night taking it all in alongside the fans on this GRAVEL & GOLD TOUR.”

The tour takes its name from Bentley’s 10th studio album Gravel & Gold, which released Feb 24. Bentley previously told Billboard of the project, “I really wanted to make an album that has great country songwriting that packs a whole lot of emotion, feeling and story into three minutes.”

Fanclub presale tickets will go on sale for the tour beginning March 7 at 10 a.m., while Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets starting March 8 at 10 a.m. local time through Citi Entertainment. General public ticket sales will begin March 10 at 10 a.m. local time on dierks.com.

See the full list of Gravel & Gold tour dates below.

DIERKS BENTLEY 2023 GRAVEL & GOLD TOUR DATES

  • 6/01 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
  • 6/02 – Detroit, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
  • 6/03 – Cleveland, OH – Blossom Music Center
  • 6/04 – Madison, IL – NASCAR Cup Series Race
  • 6/16 – Raleigh, NC – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
  • 6/17 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
  • 6/22 – Gilford, NH – Bank of NH Pavilion
  • 6/24 – Pittsburgh, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
  • 7/08 – Chicago, IL – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
  • 7/09 – Indianapolis, IN – Ruoff Music Center
  • 7/13 – Jacksonville, FL – Daily’s Place
  • 7/14 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
  • 7/15 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
  • 7/21 – Camdenton, MO – Ozarks Amphitheater
  • 7/27 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center
  • 7/28 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
  • 7/29 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
  • 8/03 – Corning, CA – Rolling Hills Casino
  • 8/04 – Lake Tahoe, NV – Harveys Lake Tahoe Outdoor Arena
  • 8/10 – Boise, ID – Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater
  • 8/11 – Salt Lake City, UT – USANA Amphitheatre
  • 8/12 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
  • 8/17 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
  • 8/18 – San Diego, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
  • 8/19 – Palm Springs, CA – Acrisure Arena
  • 8/24 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater
  • 8/25 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater
  • 8/26 – Auburn, WA – White River Amphitheatre

03 Mar 2023

New Around the World: Grupo Frontera Adds ‘Di Que Si’ to Global Charts

No song debuts in the top 50 of the March 4-dated Billboard Global 200 or Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t significant new entries. Grupo Frontera, the regional Mexican group with a fast-growing roster of global hits, arrives on both rankings with “Di Que Si,” alongside Grupo Marca Registrada.

The new duet hits the Global 200 at No. 152 and the Global Excl. U.S. chart at No. 190. At first look, a Spanish-language title with primary impact on Billboard’s regional Mexican charts might be expected to debut higher on the Global Excl. U.S. ranking than on the Global 200. But all four of Grupo Frontera’s currently charting global hits are higher on the Global 200. “Bebe Dame,” with Fuerza Regida, is No. 28 on the latter chart and No. 34 on the former. “Que Vuelvas,” with Carin León, is Nos. 40 and 48, respectively. And “No Se Va” stands at Nos. 101 and 111.

While Grupo Frontera makes regional Mexican music, its members hail from McAllen, Texas, as second-or-third-generation Mexican-American immigrants. The band’s success is one example of many in the genre finding major success in America, specifically through Texas and other western states. Eslabon Armando, Gerardo Ortiz and Grupo Firme are some of the other U.S.-based acts topping the regional Mexican charts.

“Di Que Si” arrives with 14.5 million streams in the week ending Feb. 23, according to Luminate. That breaks down to 4.6 million in the U.S. and 9.9 million outside, or 32% and 68%, respectively. That is slightly above the band’s other chart hits, all between 26-30% of domestic streams. The group’s new debut climbs to No. 11 on the Mexico Songs chart, while its three other charting hits land at Nos. 3, 5 and 13 on the survey

Grupo Frontera’s growing global presence kicked off with the debut of “No Se Va” hitting both charts in October. “Que Vuelvas” and “Bebe Dame” arrived in January, ahead of “Di Que Si.” These songs are part of a larger profile of regional Mexican acts populating both lists, with Natanael Cano, Peso Pluma and Chino Pacas, among others, also scoring recent debuts.

On the March 4-dated global charts, 10 regional Mexican tracks appear on both rankings, marking a 5% share of all titles. Six months ago, on the Sept. 3, 2022-dated Global 200, there were five. A year ago (March 5), there was one.

03 Mar 2023

Justin Timberlake Wishes ‘Bad-ss’ Wife Jessica Biel a Happy Birthday: See His Sweet Message

Jessica Biel turned 41 on Friday (March 3), and Justin Timberlake is celebrating the occasion with an adorable Instagram tribute in his wife’s honor.

Sharing a carousel of photos of sweet photos of the actress, Timberlake wrote: “Let me tell y’all about this human… she is the most badass, most graceful, most gorgeous DREAM of a partner I could have ever wished for.”

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“And today is her bday!” the “SexyBack” singer continued. “I’m so glad you were born, my love. And, I’m so lucky that you are choosing to do this thing called life with me.”

“Aging like a FINE?!!!!” he added. “I love you to the moon and back. —Huz.”

In one photo, Biel looks effortlessly gorgeous as she snips a cluster of grapes growing at a vineyard. In others, she and Timberlake are all smiles while hiking and hitting the golf course together.

Many of the couple’s famous friends chimed in via the comments section, with Lily Collins writing, “”Ahhh happy birthday @jessicabiel !! ?????.” Tom Brady simply wrote, “Awww,” leaving a heart emoji.

Just a few weeks prior, it was Biel’s turn to wish the “Rock Your Body” hitmaker a happy birthday when he turned 42 on Jan. 31. “Happy birthday to the person who challenges and inspires me every day,” she wrote on Instagram at the time, sharing a pair of cute boat day photos with her husband, whom she married in 2012.

“The person who keeps me laughing and creating and risking it all,” she’d added. “The person who makes the ordinary extraordinary. You know who you are. I love you.”

See Justin Timberlake’s sweet birthday tribute to Jessica Biel below: