Music

12 Feb 2023

Fans Choose Mariah Carey’s ‘It’s a Wrap’ EP as This Week’s Favorite New Music

Mariah Carey‘s new EP, It’s a Wrap, has topped this week’s new music poll.

Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (Feb. 10) on Billboard, choosing the iconic singer-songwriter’s new four-track project as their favorite new music release of the past week.

Carey’s EP brough in 70% of the vote, beating out new music from Taylor Swift (“Lavender Haze (Felix Jaehn Remix)”), Paramore (This Is Why), Dove Cameron and Khalid (“We Go Down Together”), Lizzo featuring SZA (“Special (Remix)”), and others.

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It’s a Wrap contains the original album cut from 2009’s Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel and the Mary J. Blige-assisted remix originally included as a bonus track on 2014’s Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse, as well as a TikTok-friendly sped-up version and a new three-minute edit of the song.

The EP arrives on the heels of Mimi turning the fan favorite into a viral hit, thanks to the “It’s a Wrap” TikTok challenge she launched after the start of the new year. In addition to giving Carey a dose of post-holiday glee as she watched thousands of Lambs lip-synch to the song, the challenge also gave “It’s a Wrap” a massive streaming bump, earning more than 1 million weekly streams as of the start of February.

Trailing behind Carey on the fan-voted poll was a dance-heavy remix of Swift’s Midnights opener “Lavender Haze.” The remix by Felix Jaehn brought in nearly 15% of the vote.

See the final results of this week’s new music release poll below.

12 Feb 2023

SZA’s ‘SOS’ Jumps Back to No. 1 for Eighth Week Atop Billboard 200 Chart

SZA’s SOS jumps back to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Feb. 18), collecting an eighth nonconsecutive week atop the list. It earned 100,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Feb. 9 (up less than 1%), according to Luminate.

The last album by a woman with eight weeks at No. 1 was Taylor Swift’s Folklore, more than two years ago, as it notched its eighth and final week atop the list on the chart dated Oct. 31, 2020.

Also in the top 10 on the new Billboard 200, Shania Twain captures her sixth top 10-charting album, as her latest studio effort, Queen of Me, debuts at No. 10.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Feb. 18, 2023-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Tuesday (Feb. 14). For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

Of SOS’ 100,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Feb. 9, SEA units comprise 99,000 (up less than 1%, equaling 135.4 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks), album sales comprise 500 (up 2%) and TEA units comprise 500 (up 8%). SOS has yet to be released for sale on any configuration other than a digital download album.

The last R&B/hip-hop album with at least eight weeks atop the list was Drake’s Views, which 13 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 (May 21-Oct. 8, 2016). SOS has the most weeks at No. 1 for an R&B/hip-hop album by a woman, or an R&B album by a woman, since Mariah Carey’s Music Box spent eight nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 in late 1993 and early 1994. SOS has the most weeks at No. 1 for an R&B album by any act since Usher‘s Confessions ruled for nine nonconsecutive weeks in 2004.

R&B/hip-hop and R&B albums are defined as those that have hit or are eligible for Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top R&B Albums charts, respectively.

Four former No. 1s trail SZA, as Swift’s Midnights rises 3-2 (62,000 equivalent album units; down 9%), TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION falls 1-3 (48,000; down 70%), Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album climbs 6-4 (46,000; up 8%) and Metro Boomin’s Heroes & Villains dips 4-5 (nearly 46,000; down 3%).

The Weeknd’s The Highlights vaults 41-6 with 45,000 equivalent album units earned (up 207%). The best-of effort contains such hits as “Blinding Lights” and the resurgent “Die for You” (from The Weeknd’s studio albums After Hours and Starboy, respectively). On the new chart, the TEA and SEA units for those songs contribute to The Highlights, as a song’s activity is assigned to the artist’s album with the most traditional album sales in a week. (The Highlights sold nearly 1,000 copies in the latest tracking week, while After Hours and Starboy each sold under 1,000.) A week ago, the TEA and SEA for the songs were directed to After Hours and Starboy, respectively, as they outsold The Highlights that week.

Bad Bunny’s chart-topping Un Verano Sin Ti rises 8-7 with 45,000 equivalent album units earned (up 16%), while Drake and 21 Savage’s former leader Her Loss falls 5-8 with 43,000 (down 2%).

Harry Styles’ former No. 1 Harry’s House returns to the top 10, climbing 13-9 (38,000; up 51%), following its win for album of the year at the Grammy Awards (Feb. 5). The set also took home the trophy for best pop vocal album, while Styles additionally performed on the show, singing the set’s single “As It Was.”

Twain closes out the top 10 of the new Billboard 200, as her latest studio album, Queen of Me, debuts at No. 10 with 38,000 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, album sales comprise 34,000; SEA units comprise 3,500 (equaling 4.92 million official on-demand streams of the set’s tracks) and TEA units comprise 500. Twain previously visited the top 10 with Now (No. 1 in 2017), Greatest Hits (No. 2; 2004), Up! (No. 1, 2002), Come On Over (No. 2, 1997) and The Woman In Me (No. 5, 1996).

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

12 Feb 2023

Megan Fox Sparks Machine Gun Kelly Breakup Rumors After Deleting Their Photos & Quoting Beyonce’s ‘Lemonade’

Are Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox calling it quits?

Rumors about a possible breakup between the pop-punk star and actress are swirling after Fox posted a cryptic message to social media on Sunday (Feb. 12) quoting lyrics from Beyonce‘s 2016 Lemonade song “Pray You Catch Me.”

“You can taste the dishonesty/ it’s all over your breath,” Fox captioned the Instagram post, which included photos of herself looking fierce and a video of a burning envelope.

Fox’s followers quickly took to the comments section of her post, with one fan suggesting that MGK cheated on the actress. “He probably got with Sophie,” the user wrote. Fox jokingly responded, “Maybe I got with Sophie,” alongside a fire emoji.

To further ignite the split rumors, Fox also deleted all photos and videos of herself with Kelly on Instagram, including their engagement announcement from January 2022. The actress also began following Eminem, who has a history of beef with MGK.

Kelly’s Instagram still featured photos of himself with Fox at press time. Billboard has reached out to the rapper-singer’s representatives for comment.

Kelly and Fox first met in spring 2020 while they were filming the movie Midnight in the Switchgrass in Puerto Rico. The pair began officially dating that summer and later got engaged in January 2022. Fox was previously married to actor Brian Austin Green, with whom she shares three young sons. Kelly has a teenage daughter.

See Fox’s post on Instagram below.

12 Feb 2023

Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss Remembered by Loved Ones at Celebration of Life Service

Loved ones of Stephen “tWitch” Boss gathered in Los Angeles on Saturday (Feb. 11) to pay tribute to him at a celebration of life service.

Allison Holker Boss, the wife of the beloved dancer, choreographer, actor and producer, and their three children were joined by friends and fellow artists to honor him and his legacy, Holker’s rep confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter. The news was first reported by People magazine.

Speakers at the service included Ellen DeGeneres, Loni Love and Wayne Brady. Derek Hough, Wade Robson, AJ McLean, Robin Antin, cast and crew members from So You Think You Can Dance and the entire crew from The Ellen DeGeneres Show were also in attendance.

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During the celebration of life, actress and dancer Debbie Allen introduced a tribute video, as well as producer Jeff Thacker. Country singer Mickey Guyton and “Honey, I’m Good” singer Andy Grammer also performed.

In December 2022, Boss died in a Los Angeles hotel room at the age of 40, per the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner. At the time, a rep confirmed to THR that he died by suicide.

Boss got his big break in 2008 on So You Think You Can Dance and was later a DJ-turned-executive producer for nine years on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Following his death, tributes poured in across social media from friends and fellow Hollywood figures remembering Boss.

Last month, Holker took to Instagram to share an emotional video, honoring her late husband. The video included photos of the couple and their life together with their three children.

“To my husband, best friend, babe, Chee-chalker, Superman and father of my children I LOVE YOU FOREVER and ALWAYS,” she wrote in the video’s caption, which was set to Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up.” “We will forever remember you as the true beacon of light that you were and we will continue to cast your light and love throughout the world. Thank you for our incredible memories and our beautiful life shared together.”

This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.

11 Feb 2023

Roseanne Barr Tells A$AP Rocky to Call Her When He’s ‘Tired of Rihanna’

Roseanne Barr joked that she’s “shooting my shot” with A$AP Rocky.

The day before Rihanna graces TV screens everywhere as the star of the highly-anticipated Super Bowl halftime show, Roseanne apparently slid into A$AP Rocky’s DMs and simply wrote, “Call me when you get tired of Rihanna.”

Roseanne shared screenshots of her private message to the rapper on Instagram on Saturday (Feb. 11).

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The unexpected crush seemed to amuse her followers, who left comments like “Doesn’t hurt to try,” “I feel this, Roseanne” and “Reminds me when I shot my shot with my local weather man.”

Rihanna and A$AP Rocky, who turned their friendship to romance in 2020, welcomed their first child together in May 2022. Neither have publicly responded to Roseanne on social media.

Roseanne is launching a stand-up special, Roseanne Barr: Cancel This!, on Fox Nation this week.

“I’m so happy that this is the most offensive in my stand-up that I’ve ever had the balls to be,” she said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, in which she suggested she’s been held to a cancel culture double standard and slammed ABC for firing her in 2018 from her sitcom Roseanne (then rebranded The Conners), after a late-night racist tweet that had her comparing White House advisor Valerie Jarrett to the offspring of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Planet of the Apes movies. At the time, she apologized and said she didn’t realize Jarrett was Black, and that she was on Ambien when she tweeted.

See her DM to A$AP Rocky below.

11 Feb 2023

5 Uplifting Moments in Latin Music This Week (February 11)

From career milestones and new music releases to major announcements and more, Billboard editors highlight the latest news buzz in Latin music every week. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.

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Residente is writing his first film

Puerto Rican artist Residente is teaming up with Academy Award-winning screenwriter Alexander Dinelaris (Birdman & The Revenant) to co-write his new film Porto Rico. The film, a historical drama set in the 19th century, will be based on the life of Puerto Rican revolutionary, José Maldonado Román, known as Águila Blanca (White Eagle). Maldonado Román fought against colonialism by leading a gang of 17 ex-convicts to vindicate Puerto Rico as it sought its identity as a country.

Porto Rico will become the first film released by 1868 Studios, a joint venture between Residente and Sony Music Entertainment’s premium content division.

NEON16 teams up with University of Michigan

Music company NEON16 has collaborated with The Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, for a marketing course. According to a press release, the partnership will give students the opportunity to “experience marketing in a real work setting.” They’ve been assigned to develop a full marketing plan for the upcoming release of Tainy’s debut album, DATA. The plans will be reviewed by both professor Dr. Michael Metzger and NEON16 creatives and one strategy/plan will be chosen to execute the actual album release marketing strategy. 

“It’s a privilege to be able to share our views on business, culture and creativity at such a prestigious university like MICHIGAN / ROSS. This course allows students to expand their views on the importance of culture in business allowing them to develop marketing plans that are relevant and effective in today’s consumer market,” Lex Borrero, founder and CEO of NEON16, said.

NEON16

NEON16’s Founder and CEO, Lex Borrero, NEON16 Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Ivan Rodriguez, and NEON16 Head of Electronic Music, Jack Miller at the “Culture Change Makers” Panel at University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

Imagine It Media

The first ever Latin Women in Music is happening

Telemundo and Billboard announced the expansion of their partnership for 2023. Under the new agreement, the companies will collaborate to present the first-ever Latin Women in Music, a two-hour musical special, set to air on Telemundo in May, is a celebration of Latin female artists, executives and creatives who are proactively working for positive change, inclusion and gender parity in the music industry. Additionally, the annual Billboard Latin Music Awards, will take place Oct. 5.

Viña del Mar

The complete lineup for the 2023 Viña del Mar has been unveiled. After Maná announced they were canceling their performance due to the band’s Fher Olvera’s knee injury, the Chilean festival announced three additional artists to join the event: TINI, Emilia and Rels B. The 62nd edition of Viña will take place Feb. 19-24. Over the course of five days, the event features a mix of superstars, emerging singers and local artists competing for the Silver, Gold and Platinum “Gaviotas,” the name of its awards.

Celia Cruz’s face on a U.S. quarter

The face of the legendary Celia Cruz will be depicted on a U.S. quarter, according to the United States Mint. Widely known as the Queen of Salsa, the late Cuban singer was chosen along with four other exemplary women from history to be featured on the U.S. quarter as part of the American Women Quarters Program in 2024. She will also make history as the first Afro-Latina to appear on the coin.

The other honorees include Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first women of color to serve in Congress; Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, women’s rights advocate and Civil War era surgeon; poet, activist, and lawyer Pauli Murray; and Native American writer, composer, educator Zitkala-Ša. The four-year program “celebrates the accomplishments and contributions made by women of the United States,” states the official website. 

11 Feb 2023

Skrillex Announces New Album ‘Quest for Fire’

A new Skrillex album is arriving in a matter of days.

Quest for Fire is scheduled to drop this Friday, Feb. 17, on OWSLA/Atlantic Records.

The DJ and producer first revealed the news to fans on Instagram Saturday night (Feb. 11).

“My new album QUEST FOR FIRE out 2/17. You can hear tracks from QFF in my basement set live on YouTube now,” he wrote.

In the caption for the YouTube video, he rounded up what seems to be a 13-song track list: “Rumble” feat. Fred Again.. & Flowdan x Hamdi – Skanka, “Xena” feat. Nai Barghouti, “Inhale Exhale” feat. Aluna, “A Street I Know” feat. Eli Keszler, “Tears” feat. Joker & Sleepnet, “Warped Tour ’05” feat. Pete Wentz, “Good Space” feat. Starrah, “Too Bizarre (juked)” feat. Swae Lee, Siiickbrain & Posij x Constantine & Squadooble – Bust Down, “Supersonic (My Existence) VIP” feat. Noisia, Josh Pan & Dylan Brady, “Leave Me Like This” feat. Bobby Raps x BABY AGAIN feat. Four Tet & Fred Again.., “Butterflies” feat. Starrah & Four Tet, “Ratata” feat. Missy Elliott & Mr. Oizo, and “Still Here (With the Ones That I Came With)” feat. Porter Robinson & Bibi Bourelly.

“Rumble” was released as a single in January.

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Though he’s kept busy with singles and collaborations, the new full-length album comes nearly nine years after his last full-length, 2014’s Recess, which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200.

Watch Skrillex preview his new album tracks below. Quest for Fire can be pre-saved here.

11 Feb 2023

Harry Styles Performs ‘As It Was’ Without a Hitch at 2023 Brit Awards

Brit Award winner Harry Styles brought “As It Was” to the O2 Arena on Saturday night (Feb. 11).

Styles, who won all four awards for which he was nominated, followed up last weekend’s Grammys performance of the Harry’s House hit — which Styles’ dancers said had a technical malfunction, with its rotating stage unexpectedly turning in the wrong direction — with a fresh take at the 2023 Brit Awards ceremony. “As It Was” opened the show.

The star, wearing an open red sequin jacket and showing his chest tattoos, fronted a live band and focused on audience engagement at the Brit Awards. He let the crowd take over on the first chorus, mouthing the lyrics “you know it’s not the same as it was” along with them, and reached down to touch their hands.

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His clean sweep at the Brit Awards included the honors for artist of the year, Mastercard album of the year, song of the year and the fan-voted pop/R&B act. A full list of winners can be seen here.

Check out a clip of Styles’ “As It Was” performance below.

11 Feb 2023

Harry Styles, Wet Leg, Beyoncé and More Record-Setters at 2023 Brit Awards

Harry Styles achieved a clean sweep at the 2023 Brit Awards, which were held at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday (Feb. 11). Styles won all four awards for which he was nominated — artist of the year, Mastercard album of the year, song of the year and the fan-voted pop/R&B act. This is even better than Adele’s strong showing last year. She won three of those awards, but lost pop/R&B act to Dua Lipa.

Harry’s House is the fourth album to win the top album award at both the Brits and the Grammys since 1985, when the Brits began presenting an award in that category on a consistent basis. It follows Phil Collins’ No Jacket Required and a pair of Adele albums, 21 and 25.

This is Styles’ second win in three years for song of the year at the Brits. “Watermelon Sugar” took the award two years ago. Styles first won in the category 11 years ago as a member of One Direction for the fizzy “What Makes You Beautiful.”

Styles opened this year’s telecast with a terrific performance of his global smash “As It Was.” This made up for a performance of the song on the Grammys that was hindered by technical issues. “This night has been really special to me and I’ll never forget it,” he said on winning Mastercard album of the year. “I’m so proud to be a British artist out in the world.”

Wet Leg and Beyoncé each won two awards on the night. Wet Leg became the third female-fronted group in a row to take group of the year. Wolf Alice won last year. Two years ago, the award went to an all-female group, Little Mix, for the first time. Wet Leg also won best new artist. The five-member band is the first group to win in that category since Catfish and the Bottlemen seven years ago.

Beyoncé won international artist of the year, beating three other American acts (Kendrick Lamar, Lizzo and Taylor Swift) and Nigerian superstar Burna Boy. Beyoncé had previously won female international artist of the year twice, back when the Brits had gendered categories. Beyoncé also won international song of the year for “Break My Soul,” beating Lizzo’s “About Damn Time” and Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero,” among other songs.

Styles, Wet Leg and Beyoncé all won in multiple categories at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 5. Styles took album of the year and best pop vocal album for Harry’s House. Wet Leg won best alternative music album for their eponymous debut album and best alternative music performance for “Chaise Longue.” Bey won four Grammys, enabling her to set a new record as the most awarded artist in the show’s history.

Fontaines D.C. became the third Irish group to win international group of the year. They follow U2, which won in that category a record five times between 1988 and 2001, and The Corrs (1999).

Kid Harpoon, who co-wrote all but one song on Harry’s House, won the 2023 songwriter of the year award.

David Guetta won as producer of the year. This marks the first time someone from continental Europe (Guetta is French) has won the award. Accepting the award, Guetta said, “I’ve been making records for 22 years. To have longevity is such a miracle in what we do.” Guetta has yet to receive a Grammy nomination for producer of the year, non-classical.

Becky Hill won the fan-voted award for dance act for the second year in a row. She was the only one of the 2022 winners in the four fan-voted genre award categories to win again this year.

The 1975 won the fan-voted award for alternative/rock act, beating Wet Leg, among others.

Aitch won the fan-voted award for hip hop, grime, rap act. He beat last year’s winner in the category, Dave, among others.

The awards were hosted by British comedian Mo Gilligan for the second year in a row. Styles, Wet Leg and Smith & Petras performed on the show, as did Cat Burns, Lewis Capaldi, Lizzo, Stormzy and the team of David Guetta & Becky Hill & Ella Henderson. The show also included an encore airing of an Adele performance clip, “I Drink Wine,” from last year’s show. Since Adele didn’t perform on this year’s Grammy telecast, it was good to see her in action again.

The show was not glitch-free. Gilligan introduced Lewis Capaldi as “Sam Capaldi.” The Scottish singer didn’t let it throw his performance of his hit “Forget Me.” Gilligan later apologized for his gaffe on-air, adding: “It just goes to show how strong the drinks are at the Brits.”

11 Feb 2023

2023 Brit Awards Host Apologizes for Introducing Lewis Capaldi as ‘Sam Capaldi’

Lewis Capaldi took the 2023 Brit Awards stage to perform “Forget Me,” and host Mo Gilligan apparently did just that.

The comedian mistakenly introduced Lewis — whose “Forget Me” was nominated for song of the year at this year’s ceremony — as “Sam Capaldi,” which viewers were quick to comment on Saturday night (Feb. 11) on Twitter.

“I do apologize. I just called him Sam,” Gilligan said post-performance, blaming his error on the drinks served at the show.

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“Guys you know LEWIS CAPALDI gonna make some viral tweet and tiktok out of that sam capaldi thing ahahahahahahahahahah,” one fan predicted on Twitter, while others made memes of Lewis Capaldi’s head on Sam Smith‘s body on the Brits red carpet — which Capaldi immediately shared.

“Sam capaldi x,” Lewis tweeted.

“Forget Me” is the first single from Capaldi’s upcoming sophomore album, Broken by Desire to Be Heavenly Sent. It was first released in September and peaked at No. 58 on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart, but blasted to No. 1 in the U.K.

Catch the moment in the quick clip below. See the full list of 2023 Brit Award winners here.