Music

11 Jan 2023

Jack Harlow Scores Two Song of the Year Nods for 2023 iHeart Radio Awards: Full Nominations List

Jack Harlow is the only artist with two nominations for song of the year at the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards. Harlow is nominated for his solo smash “First Class” and for “Industry Baby,” his smash collab with Lil Nas X.

Lizzo, who won the 2020 iHeart Award for song of the year for “Truth Hurts,” is nominated in that category again this year for “About Damn Time.” Taylor Swift, who won the 2015 iHeart in that category for “Shake It Off,” is also nominated for “Anti-Hero.” The other nominees in the category are Harry Styles’ “As It Was,” Latto’s “Big Energy,” Imagine Dragons’ “Enemy,” Justin Bieber’s “Ghost,” Glass Animals’ “Heat Waves” and Doja Cat’s “Woman.”

The iHearts are joining the growing trend of doing away with gendered categories. Instead of presenting female and male artist of the year, as they have since they began in 2014, this year the iHearts will present one gender-neutral top category – artist of the year. There are five female and five male nominees: Beyoncé, Doja Cat, Drake, Dua Lipa, Styles, Harlow, Bieber, Lizzo, Swift and The Weeknd.

Silk Sonic, who won best duo/group of the year last year, are back to defend their title. The other nominees are AJR, Black Eyed Peas, Blackpink, Glass Animals, Imagine Dragon, Måneskin, OneRepublic, Parmalee and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards will air live from Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Monday, March 27 (8-10 p.m. ET live / PT tape-delayed) on Fox. The event, now in its 10th year, also will be heard on iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio app.

“This is the one awards show that shares the hard-earned journeys to the top of the biggest artists and songs of the year with fans,” John Sykes, president of entertainment enterprises for iHeartMedia, said in a statement. “It’s not a competition, rather a celebration of “best in class” and viewers across America can watch it live on FOX.”

“It’s been a great year for music with so many inspiring hits, we can’t wait to celebrate these artists and songs at the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards,” Tom Poleman, president and chief programming officer for iHeartMedia said in a statement. “Our annual awards show is one of the best in the industry at celebrating the power of music. This year’s show will once again entertain fans with incredible performances and special collaborations, it will be the year’s must-see event.”

The 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards will again give iHeartRadio listeners the opportunity to decide winners in several categories. Fan voting will determine this year’s best lyrics, best music video, best fan army, the social star award, favorite tour photographer, tiktok bop of the year, favorite documentary, favorite tour style, favorite residency and favorite use of a sample.

Social voting begins Wednesday (Jan. 11) and will close March 20 at 11:59 p.m. PT for all categories. Fans can vote on Twitter using the appropriate category and nominee hashtags or by visiting iHeartRadio.com/awards.

Producer of the year and songwriter of the year nominees will be announced at a later date. Additional categories include label of the year and individual winners for album of the year in music’s biggest genres, including pop, country, alternative, rock, dance, hip-hop, R&B, Latin and regional Mexican formats.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Wednesday, Feb. 15, at noon ET on Ticketmaster.com. 

Executive producers for the iHeartRadio Music Awards are Joel Gallen, for Tenth Planet; and Sykes, Poleman and Bart Peters, for iHeartMedia.

Song of the year
“About Damn Time”- Lizzo
“Anti-Hero”- Taylor Swift
“As It Was”- Harry Styles
“Big Energy”- Latto
“Enemy (from the series Arcane League of Legends)”- Imagine Dragons
“First Class”- Jack Harlow
“Ghost”- Justin Bieber
“Heat Waves” – Glass Animals
“Industry Baby” – Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow
“Woman” – Doja Cat

Artist of the year
Beyoncé
Doja Cat
Drake
Dua Lipa
Harry Styles
Jack Harlow
Justin Bieber
Lizzo
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd

Best duo/group of the year
AJR
Black Eyed Peas
Blackpink
Glass Animals
Imagine Dragons
Måneskin
OneRepublic
Parmalee
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Silk Sonic

Best collaboration
“Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)”- Elle King & Miranda Lambert
“Cold Heart”- Elton John & Dua Lipa
“half of my hometown”- Kelsea Ballerini ft. Kenny Chesney
“I Like You (A Happier Song)” – Post Malone ft. Doja Cat
“Industry Baby” – Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow
“One Right Now”- Post Malone & The Weeknd
“Sweetest Pie” – Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa
“Unholy” – Sam Smith & Kim Petras
“Wait For U” – Future ft. Drake & Tems
“You Right” – Doja Cat ft. The Weeknd

Best new pop artist
Dove Cameron
Gayle
Jax
Nicky Youre
Steve Lacy

Country song of the year
“Buy Dirt” – Jordan Davis ft. Luke Bryan
“half of my hometown” – Kelsea Ballerini ft. Kenny Chesney
“She Had Me At Heads Carolina” – Cole Swindell
“The Kind of Love We Make” – Luke Combs
“Wasted On You” – Morgan Wallen

Country artist of the year
Carrie Underwood
Jason Aldean
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Morgan Wallen

Best new country artist
Bailey Zimmerman
Cody Johnson
Elle King
Elvie Shane
Priscilla Block

Afrobeats artist of the year
Burna Boy
CKay
Fireboy DML
Tems
Wizkid

Hip-hop song of the year
“F.N.F. (Let’s Go)”- Hitkidd & GloRilla
“First Class” – Jack Harlow
“Girls Want Girls” – Drake ft. Lil Baby
“Super Gremlin”- Kodak Black
“Wait For U” – Future ft. Drake & Tems

Hip-hop artist of the year
Drake
Future
Kodak Black
Lil Baby
Moneybagg Yo

Best new hip-hop artist
B-Lovee
GloRilla
Latto
Nardo Wick
SleazyWorld Go

R&B song of the year
“Break My Soul” – Beyoncé
“Free Mind” – Tems
“Hrs And Hrs” – Muni Long
“I Hate U”- SZA
“Smokin Out The Window” – Silk Sonic

R&B artist of the year  
Blxst
Muni Long
Silk Sonic
SZA
Yung Bleu

Best new R&B artist 
Blast
Brent Faiyaz
Muni Long
Steve Lacy
Tems

Alternative song of the year
“Black Summer”- Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Edging”- Blink-182
“Enemy (from the series Arcane League of Legends)”- Imagine Dragons
“Heat Waves”- Glass Animals
“Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)”- Kate Bush

Alternative artist of the year
Imagine Dragons
Måneskin
Red Hot Chili Peppers
twenty one pilots
Weezer

Best new artist (alternative & rock)
Beach Weather
BoyWithUke
Giovannie and the Hired Guns
Turnstile
Wet Leg

Rock song of the year
“Black Summer”- Red Hot Chili Peppers
“Patient Number 9”- Ozzy Osbourne ft. Jeff Beck
“Planet Zero”- Shinedown
“So Called Life”- Three Days Grace
“Taking Me Back”- Jack White

Rock artist of the year
Ghost
Papa Roach
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Shinedown
Three Days Grace

Dance song of the year
“Cold Heart”- Elton John & Dua Lipa
“Escape”- KX5, Kaskade, Deadmau5 ft. Hayla
“Heaven Takes You Home”- Swedish House Mafia & Connie Constance
“Hot In It”- Tiësto & Charli XCX
“I’m Good (Blue)”- David Guetta & Bebe Rexha

Dance artist of the year
Anabel Englund
Joel Corry
Sofi Tukker
Swedish House Mafia
Tiësto

Latin pop/reggaeton song of the year 
“El Incomprendido” – Farruko/ Víctor Cárdenas/ DJ Adoni
“MAMIII”- Becky G & Karol G
“Me Porto Bonito”- Bad Bunny ft. Chencho Corleone
“Moscow Mule” – Bad Bunny
“Provenza”- Karol G

Latin pop/reggaeton artist of the year  
Bad Bunny
Daddy Yankee
Farruko
Karol G
Rauw Alejandro

Regional Mexican song of the year 
“Cada Quien”- Grupo Firme ft. Maluma
“Cómo Te Olvido” – La Arrolladora Banda El Limón de René Camacho
“Si Te Pudiera Mentir”- Calibre 50
“Ya Solo Eres Mi Ex” – La Adictiva
“Ya Supérame”- Grupo Firme

Regional Mexican artist of the year
Calibre 50
Christian Nodal
El Fantasma
Grupo Firme
La Adictiva

Best new Latin artist
Blessd
Kali Uchis
Quevedo
Ryan Castro
Venesti   

Best lyrics (socially voted category)
“About Damn Time” – Lizzo
“abcdefu” – Gayle
“Anti-Hero” – Taylor Swift
“Buy Dirt”- Jordan Davis ft. Luke Bryan
“Glimpse Of Us”- Joji
“Lift Me Up”- Rihanna 
“N95” – Kendrick Lamar
“pushin P” – Gunna ft. Future, Young Thug
“Super Freaky Girl” – Nicki Minaj 
“Wasted On You” – Morgan Wallen
“We Don’t Talk About Bruno”- Lin-Manuel Miranda performed by the Cast of Encanto

Best music video (socially voted category)
“Anti-Hero”- Taylor Swift 
“As It Was” – Harry Styles 
“Calm Down”- Rema & Selena Gomez
“Don’t Be Shy”- Tiësto & Karol G 
“Don’t You Worry”- Black Eyed Peas, Shakira, David Guetta
“Envovler” – Anitta 
“Left and Right”- Charlie Puth ft. Jung Kook of BTS
“Pink Venom”- BLACKPINK 
“Tití Me Preguntó” – Bad Bunny 
“Yet To Come” – BTS 

Best fan army (socially voted category)
“Barbz”- Nicki Minaj 
“Beliebers”- Justin Bieber 
“BeyHive” – Beyoncé
“Blinks”- Blackpink 
“BTSArmy”- BTS 
“Harries” – Harry Styles 
“Hotties”- Megan Thee Stallion 
“Louies”- Louis Tomlinson 
“RihannaNavy”- Rihanna 
“Rushers”- Big Time Rush 
“Selenators” – Selena Gomez 
“Swifties”- Taylor Swift 

Social star award (socially voted category)
Bailey Zimmerman
Charli D’Amelio
Em Beihold
Gayle
GloRilla
JVKE
Lauren Spencer-Smith
Yung Gravy

Favorite tour photographer (socially voted category)
Bad Bunny – Siempreric
Demi Lovato – Angelo Kritikos
Dua Lipa – Elizabeth Miranda
Halsey – Yasi
Harry Styles – Lloyd Wakefield
Louis Tomlinson – Joshua Halling
Luke Combs – David Bergman
Machine Gun Kelly – Sam Cahill
Olivia Rodrigo – Donslens
Post Malone – Adam DeGross
twenty one pilots – Ashley Osborn
YUNGBLUD – Tom Pallant

TikTok bop of the year (socially voted category)
“About Damn Time”- Lizzo 
“As It Was” – Harry Styles
“Bad Habit” – Steve Lacy 
“Bejeweled”- Taylor Swift 
“Big Energy”- Latto 
“Cuff It”- Beyoncé
“Envolver”- Anitta 
“Just Wanna Rock” – Lil Uzi Vert 
“Made You Look”- Meghan Trainor 
“Super Freaky Girl” – Nicki Minaj 
“Unholy”- Sam Smith & Kim Petras 
“World’s Smallest Violin”- AJR 

Favorite documentary (socially voted category)
Halftime – Jennifer Lopez 
Life in Pink – Machine Gun Kelly 
Love, Lizzo– Lizzo 
Niall Horan’s Homecoming: The Road to Mullingar With Lewis Capaldi – Niall Horan + Lewis Capaldi 
Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me – Selena Gomez 
Shania Twain: Not Just a Girl – Shania Twain 
Sheryl – Sheryl Crow 
Untrapped: The Story of Lil Baby – Lil Baby 

Favorite tour style (socially voted category)
Bad Bunny
Carrie Underwood
Dua Lipa
Elton John
Harry Styles
Lady Gaga
Lil Nas X
Lizzo
Machine Gun Kelly
Olivia Rodrigo
Rosalía
The Weeknd

Favorite residency (socially voted category)
“An Evening with Silk Sonic” – Silk Sonic
“Enigma + Jazz & Piano” – Lady Gaga 
“Let’s Go!” – Shania Twain 
“Love In Las Vegas”- John Legend 
“Love On Tour” – Harry Styles 
“Play”- Katy Perry 
“Reflection: The Las Vegas Residency” – Carrie Underwood
“Usher: My Way – The Las Vegas Residency” – Usher
“Weekends with Adele” – Adele

Favorite use of a sample (socially voted category)
Beyoncé’s “Summer Renaissance” – sampled Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love”
Blackpink’s “Pink Venom” – sampled 50 Cent’s “P.I.M.P,” Rihanna’s “Pon de Replay,” and
Biggie’s “Kick In The Door”
Chlöe’s “Treat Me” – sampled Bubba Sparxxx & Ying Yang Twins’ “Ms. New Booty”
David Guetta & Bebe Rexha’s “I’m Good (Blue)” – sampled Eiffel 65’s “Blue (Da Ba Dee)”
DJ Khaled & Drake’s “Staying Alive” – sampled The Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive”
Doja Cat’s “Vegas” – sampled Shonka Dukureh’s “Hound Dog”
Jack Harlow’s “First Class” – sampled Fergie’s “Glamorous”
Latto’s “Big Energy” – sampled Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy”
Lizzo’s “Break Up Twice” – sampled Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing)”
Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl” – sampled Rick James’ “Super Freak”
Taylor Swift’s “Question…?” – sampled Taylor Swift’s “Out of The Woods”
Yung Gravy’s “Betty (Get Money)” – sampled Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up”

For a full list of categories, visit iHeartRadio.com/awards.

11 Jan 2023

How to Watch the 2023 Brit Awards’ Nominations Livestream

Want to be among the first to know just how many Brit Awards nominations Harry Styles receives for his hit album Harry’s House and his global smash “As It Was”? You can tune into a livestream on Thursday (Jan. 12) at 11 a.m. ET during which the nominations will be announced.

The 30-minute livestream, titled “Bring on The Brits With Mastercard: The 2023 Nominations,” will stream on the official Brits channels on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. In the livestream, viewers will see reactions from artists as they learn the happy news and get the latest updates on the 2023 Brit Awards. The show is set for Saturday, Feb. 11, at the O2 arena in London, with comedian Mo Gilligan hosting for the second year in a row.

Broadcaster Vick Hope will host the livestream. He will be joined by radio broadcaster Jack Saunders as well as various celebrities who will reveal the nominations across their own social media channels. They include Olympian Tom Daley, YouTube’s Yung Filly, World Cup winner Jill Scott and Gogglebox’s Joe and George Baggs.

Styles has won two Brit Awards as a solo artist – British single of the year two years ago for “Watermelon Sugar” and British video of the year five years ago for “Sign of the Times.” At the upcoming Grammy Awards, Styles is nominated for six awards – including album, record and song of the year.

Adele is nominated for seven Grammys – including album, record and song of the year – but don’t look for her in the marquee categories at the Brits. She won last year for British album of the year, British artist of the year and best British single. (The Brits and the Grammys have different eligibility periods.)

Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres, which is also Grammy-nominated for album of the year, will likewise not be a factor in the Brit nods. It was released in October 2021, a month before Adele’s album. Coldplay was nominated for Brits last year for best British group and best rock/alternative artist.

But British indie rock band Wet Leg, which is Grammy-nominated for best new artist, may well get some attention from the Brits. Their eponymous debut album was released in April 2022. The band is set to open for Styles when he plays four nights at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles later this month.

The Brits announced their first winner last month. R&B girl group FLO is the winner of the 2023 Rising Star award.

Saunders will open this year’s TikTok voting for the four genre awards later this month. Those awards, introduced last year, are best pop/R&B act, best dance act, best rock/alternative act and best hip-hop/grime/rap act.

This will mark the first time the Brit Awards, which will broadcast live on ITV1 and ITVX, will be held on a Saturday. This year marks the Brits’ 30th year years with ITV as its broadcast partner; its 25th year with Mastercard as its headline sponsor; and its 13th year at The O2 arena.

A year ago, the Brits’ nominations special was titled The Brits Are Coming. Hosted by Maya Jama and Clara Amfo, the show aired on Dec. 18, 2021.

11 Jan 2023

‘Stranger Things’ Star Finn Wolfhard Drops Urgent Slacker Anthem ‘Pieces of Gold’ From Upcoming Film

Finn Wolfhard goes full method on his latest single. The Stranger Things star and frontman of indie band The Aubreys dropped the Pavement-like slacker anthem “Pieces of Gold” on Tuesday (Jan. 10), a strummy track credited to Ziggy Katz, his character in the upcoming A24 film When You Finish Saving the World.

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The woozy ballad opens with gently plucked bass over a hypnotic, repeating keyboard riff and acoustic guitars as Wolfhard/Katz urgently sings, “Piece of gold, straddling paper/ Owing to nothing and turning to vapor/ The air is thin, the locks are set/ You lift your chin, she feigns regret/ Two high-speed trains on parallel tracks/ Running out of steam not turning back.”

The Jesse Eisenberg written and directed films co-stars Julianne Moore as Ziggy’s uptight mom, and in a description we learn that the high schooler performs his original folks songs for an adoring online fan base from the comfort of his bedroom home studio. “This concept mystifies his formal and uptight mother, Evelyn, who runs a shelter for survivors of domestic abuse,” it reads.

“While Ziggy is busy trying to impress his socially engaged classmate Lila (Alisha Boe) by making his music less bubblegum and more political, Evelyn meets Angie (Eleonore Hendricks) and her teen son, Kyle (Billy Bryk), when they seek refuge at her facility. She observes a bond between the two that she’s missing with her own son, and decides to take Kyle under her wing against her better instincts.”

Eisenberg’s directorial debut (due in theaters on Jan. 20) was adapted from his audio project of the same name and the trailer portrays the sometimes awkward Ziggy getting interrupted by his mom while he livestreams and struggling to maintain a connection to her as she put her focus on Kyle.

A Spotify bio for Katz offers some insight into the singer’s influences, beginning with Elvis, John Lennon and Bob Dylan. “Streaming live from his bedroom in the midwest, Ziggy Katz is a global sensation. Katz burst onto the scene with his hit single, ‘Particles of You,’ a song Pitchfork said, ‘sounded improvised’ and Rolling Stone called, ‘lengthy.’”

The lighthearted origin story adds that Katz followed that first hit up with “Mouth of a Liar” and “Meredith’s Weekend,” a pair of songs that “confirmed Katz’s status as someone who sings and plays guitar all the time.”

Listen to “Pieces of Gold” below.

11 Jan 2023

Eric Church Sets ‘The Outsiders Revival Tour’ for Summer

Eric Church is set to bring his electrifying headlining show to a slate of outdoor venues this summer when he launches his 27-date The Outsiders Revival Tour. The trek launches June 22 in Milwaukee, Wis. Church first revealed the tour to members of his Church Choir fan club on Wednesday morning (Jan. 11).

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Church is going all in on the summer vibes by welcoming more than a dozen of his fellow artists to join him on various show dates, with opening acts Whiskey Myers, Cody Jinks, Jelly Roll, Ashley McBryde, Koe Wetzel, Lainey Wilson, Midland, Parker McCollum, Travis Tritt, Elle King and Paul Cauthen, plus Jackson Dean, Morgan Wade, Muscadine Bloodline, Shane Smith & The Saints, Hailey Whitters, Ray Wylie Hubbard and The Red Clay Straws.

“When I approach touring, I’m always inspired by a new experience, a new way to gather, to express ourselves sonically and visually. Whether it’s solo, in the round, double down; being able to bring a different perspective has always brought out our best creatively,” Church said in a statement. “Well, we have never done an outdoor summer tour. Never headlined amphitheaters. Never brought a summer experience to your town that featured artists we want to share the summer with. Until now. See you in the season of sunshine with some fellow outsiders that shine brightest when the sun goes down.”

Tickets to all dates go on sale Jan. 20 at 10 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster.com, with presale access available to Church Choir members starting Tuesday at 10 a.m. local time.

Church previously teased the tour by blacking out his social media accounts and then posting a brief video clip that incorporated snippets of his own music as well as that of some of the tour’s openers.

See the full list of upcoming shows below (* signifies festival dates)

April 14* – Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / Fort Lauderdale Beach Park Tortuga Music Festival
June 17* – Santa Rosa, Calif. / Sonoma County Fairgrounds Country Summer Music Festival
June 22 – Milwaukee, Wisc. / American Family Insurance Amphitheater – Elle King
June 23 – Detroit, Mich. / Pine Knob Music Theatre – Ashley McBryde, The Red Clay Strays
June 24 – Cleveland, Ohio / Blossom Music Center – Ashley McBryde, The Red Clay Strays
June 30 – Charleston, S.C. / Credit One Stadium – Parker McCollum, Morgan Wade
July 1 – Virginia Beach, Va. / Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater – Parker McCollum, Morgan Wade
July 7 – Toronto, Ontario / Budweiser Stage – Koe Wetzel, Shane Smith & The Saints
July 8 – Pittsburgh, Pa. / The Pavilion at Star Lake – Koe Wetzel, Shane Smith & The Saints
July 14 – Cincinnati, Ohio / Riverbend Music Center – Travis Tritt, Muscadine Bloodline
July 15 – St. Louis, Mo. / Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Travis Tritt, Muscadine Bloodline
July 28 – Dallas, Texas / Dos Equis Pavilion – Midland, Ray Wylie Hubbard
July 29 – Austin, Texas / Germania Insurance Amphitheater – Midland, Ray Wylie Hubbard
Aug. 4 – Raleigh, N.C. / Coastal Credit Union Music Park – Cody Jinks
Aug. 5 – Bristow, Va. / Jiffy Lube Live – Cody Jinks
Aug. 11 – Indianapolis, Ind. / Ruoff Music Center – Cody Jinks
Aug. 12 – Chicago, Ill. / Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Cody Jinks
Aug. 13* – Des Moines, Iowa / Iowa State Fairgrounds Iowa State Fair
Aug. 18 – Orange Beach, Ala. / The Wharf Amphitheater – Lainey Wilson, Jackson Dean
Aug. 19 – Orange Beach, Ala. / The Wharf Amphitheater – Lainey Wilson, Jackson Dean
Aug. 25 – Holmdel, N.J. / PNC Bank Arts Center – Whiskey Myers
Aug. 26 – Philadelphia, Pa. / Freedom Mortgage Pavilion – Whiskey Myers
Sept. 8 – Portland, Ore. / RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater – Jelly Roll, Hailey Whitters
Sept. 9 – George, Wash. / Gorge Amphitheatre – Jelly Roll, Hailey Whitters
Sept. 15 – Albuquerque, N.M. / Isleta Amphitheater – Paul Cauthen, Hailey Whitters
Sept. 16 – Phoenix, Ariz. / Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre – Jelly Roll, Paul Cauthen
Sept. 22 – Atlanta, Ga. / Ameris Bank Amphitheatre -Whiskey Myers
Sept. 23 – Charlotte, N.C. / PNC Music Pavilion -Whiskey Myers
Sept. 29 – West Palm Beach, Fla. / iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre – Whiskey Myers
Sept. 30 – Tampa, Fla. / MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre – Whiskey Myers
Oct. 7* – Bristol, Tenn. / Bristol Motor Speedway Country Thunder Bristol

11 Jan 2023

U2 to Revisit 40 Classic Tracks on ‘Songs of Surrender’ Collection

U2 will release a compilation entitled Songs of Surender in March containing 40 reworked version of tracks from throughout their 40-plus year career. The collection, a seeming companion to singer Bono’s recent memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story, is slated to drop on March 17.

The news was announced on Tuesday (Jan. 10) in a minute-long trailer (which featured the word “new” slashed out and replaced with “re-imagined” to describe the album) set to an unplugged, intimate version of the band’s soaring 2000 anthem “Beautiful Day.” The video features a Sgt. Pepper‘s-like animated montage of pictures from throughout the group’s career. At press time the band had not shared the track list for the album.

Sone lucky fans said they got a physical letter (in numbered envelopes) from guitarist The Edge that explained the inspiration behind the album, with some posting what is purported to be a personal message tied to the hashtag #U2SOS40.

“When a song becomes well known, it’s always associated with a particular voice,” The Edge’s handwritten letter begins. “I can’t think of ‘Tangled Up in Blue’ without the reedy timbre of Bob Dylan or ‘All the Time in the World’ without the unique voice of Louis Armstrong. So what happens when a voice develops and experience and maturity give it additional resonance? U2 have been around long enough to know what that is like. It’s true for us all, but it’s particularly true for Bono.”

It goes on to note that most of U2’s songs were written and recorded when the quartet were a bunch of “very young men,” and that they mean something different to the now 61- and 62-year-old members. “Some have grown with us. Some we have outgrown. But we have not lost sight of what propelled us to write those songs in the first place,” he wrote. “The essence of those songs is still in us, but how to reconnect with that essence when we have moved on, and grown so much? Music allows you to time travel and so we started to imagine what it would be like to bring these songs back with us to the present day and give them the benefit or otherwise, of a 21st century re-imagining. What started as an experiment quickly became a personal obsession as so many early U2 songs yielded to a new interpretation.”

The guitarist known for his epic, echoing riffs said the post-punk urgency of the originals has been replaced with intimacy, with new keys, new chords, new tempos and even some new lyrics. “It turns out that great song is kind of indestructible,” he said. “Once we surrendered our reverence for the original version each song started to open up to a new authentic voice of this time, of the people we are, and particularly the singer Bono has become. I hope you like our new direction.”

Bono has been on a cross-country press tour for his memoir in 40 songs, with RS noting that at the end of the book released in Nov. the singer noted that the Surrender sessions happened during the COVID-19 lockdown. He said that the project gave him a chance to “live inside those songs again as I wrote this memoir,” as well as revisit some lyrics that have been “nagging me for some time. The lyrics on a few songs that I’ve always felt were never quite written. They are now. (I think).”

U2’s most recent album was 2017’s Songs of Experience.

See the Songs of Surrender trailer and one of the letters below.

11 Jan 2023

SZA’s Unleashes Brutal ‘Kill Bill’ Music Video: Watch

It’s fair to say SZA’s “Kill Bill” has been killing it.

Lifted from the R&B star’s long-awaited sophomore album SOS, “Kill Bill” this week soars to No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart.

The fictitious murder-confession song marks her first leader on the list, and completes a rare chart double; SOS has lorded over the Billboard 200 for the past four weeks.

On the other side of the Atlantic, “Kill Bill” is a top 5 hit.

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As “Kill Bill” takes out the opposition on sales charts, a bloody new music video should give it extra firepower.

Directed by Christian Breslauer, the cinematic clip pays homage to Quentin Tarantino’s revenge film of the same name, and features a cameo from Vivica A. Fox, who played the kick-ass character Vernita Green opposite Uma Thurman’s Bride.

The result is a high-octane, high-caliber action fest — with splashes of anime, fantasy and flesh.

The New Jersey–born singer-songwriter is fan of Tarantino and his blood-and-guts work.

“I love Vivica A. Fox’s character. I love Lucy Liu’s character. I even love Bill because he’s super complex,” she tells EW of the original 2000s films.

“I feel like he doesn’t understand why he did what he did. He’s void of emotion, but he loved The Bride so much that he couldn’t stand her to be with anyone else. That was really complex and cool to me. It’s a love story. I just watched it again for inspiration for the music video that we’re gonna shoot for ‘Kill Bill.’”

Watch the music video below.

10 Jan 2023

Austin Butler, Steven Spielberg, Justin Hurwitz & More Record-Setters at 2023 Golden Globes

The Oscar music races remain very much in flux following the 2023 Golden Globes, which were presented at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Tuesday (Jan. 10).

“Naatu Naatu” from RRR won best original song, beating songs by three of the hottest female music stars on the planet – Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, as well as a song from Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio.

“Naatu Naatu,” an Indian Telugu-language song, is the second song not performed in English to win the Globe for best original song. Remarkably, both of these songs have won in the last three years. The first was “Io sì (Seen)” an Italian-language song co-written by Diane Warren, Laura Pausini and Niccolò Agliardi for the soundtrack of the 2020 film The Life Ahead. M. M. Keeravani composed “Naatu Naatu,” with lyrics by Chandrabose. Keeravani is the cousin of S.S. Rajamouli, who directed RRR.  

Justin Hurwitz won best original score – motion picture for Babylon – beating such highly touted scores as Alexandre Desplat’s Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio and John Williams’ The Fabelmans.

It’s Hurwitz’s third win in the category, following La La Land (2017) and First Man (2019). Hurwitz is one of only six composers to win three or more scoring awards in Golden Globes history. John Williams, Dimitri Tiomkin and Maurice Jarre lead with four wins each. Hurwitz is tied with Alan Menken and Hans Zimmer with three wins each.

Remarkably, all three of the films for which Hurwitz has won Globes were directed by Damien Chazelle. It’s the first time in Globes history that a composer has won three scoring awards for films helmed by one director.

Austin Butler won best performance by an actor in a motion picture – drama for playing Elvis Presley in Elvis. This marks the fourth time in the past five years that an actor or actress has won a lead acting award in a drama (rather than musical or comedy) for playing a music icon. Rami Malek won four years ago for playing Queen’s Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody; Renee Zellweger won three years ago for portraying Judy Garland in Judy; and Andra Day won two years ago for playing Billie Holiday in The United States vs. Billie Holiday.

Butler gave a charming acceptance speech. He thanked the Presley family, singling out Lisa Marie Presley and Priscilla Presley, for their belief. “I love you forever,” he said. When they started playing him off, he mock-complained “you could at least play ‘Suspicious Minds’ or something.” He concluded his remarks by thanking Elvis Presley. “You were an icon and a rebel and I love you so much.”

The Fabelmans won best motion picture, drama. It’s the fourth film directed by Steven Spielberg to win in that category, following E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan. Spielberg is the first director to have helmed four winners in this category. He pulls ahead of two directors who each helmed three winners in the category – Elia Kazan (Gentleman’s Agreement, On the Waterfront and East of Eden) and David Lean (The Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago).

Last year, Spielberg’s West Side Story won for best motion picture, musical or comedy. Spielberg thus has directed a record five films that won the top prize in one or the other of the Globes’ two film categories. He pulls ahead of Billy Wilder, who has directed four Globe winners – two dramas (The Lost Weekend and Sunset Boulevard) and two musicals or comedies (Some Like It Hot and The Apartment).

In addition, Spielberg won best director, motion picture, for The Fabelmans. It’s Spielberg’s third win in the category, following wins for Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan. Spielberg is the seventh director to win three or more awards in this category. Elia Kazan won four awards, more than anyone else. Spielberg is tied with Clint Eastwood, Miloš Forman, David Lean, Martin Scorsese and Oliver Stone with three wins each.

Martin McDonagh’s The Banshees of Inisherin won best motion picture – musical or comedy, five years after his film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri took best motion picture – drama. The Banshees of Inisherin was the night’s top film, with three awards, followed by Everything, Everywhere All at Once and The Fabelmans, with two awards each.

Abbott Elementary was the night’s top TV show, with three awards, followed by The White Lotus with two.

Angela Bassett won best performance by an actress in a supporting role in a motion picture for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. It’s her second Golden Globe. She won her first 29 years ago for portraying Tina Turner in What’s Love Got to Do With It.

Zendaya won best performance by an actress in a television series, drama for her role in Euphoria. Zendaya has won two Primetime Emmys for her performance in the show. She wasn’t present to accept her first Golden Globe.

Amanda Seyfried won best performance by an actress in a limited series, anthology series or a motion picture made for television for The Dropout. She won a Primetime Emmy as lead actress in a limited or anthology series or movie for this project. She received an Oscar nomination last year for best supporting actress for her role in Mank. Like Zendaya, she wasn’t present to accept her first Golden Globe.

Jerrod Carmichael hosted the 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards. The show was produced by dick clark productions and Jesse Collins Entertainment in association with the HFPA. Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment, executive produced the show with Dionne Harmon, a top executive in his company.

10 Jan 2023

Jerrod Carmichael Jokes That Spielberg’s Movie ‘Changed Kanye West’s Mind’ During Golden Globes

After jesting about Rihanna’s long-awaited album and the controversy that kept the Golden Globes off broadcast TV last year, 2023 Globes host Jerrod Carmichael took a moment to make a swipe at Kanye West.

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Quieting the crowd after a commercial break, the comedian spoke directly to legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg. “I want to take out a second to shout out Steven Spielberg, who is here,” he said. “It’s an honor sir. Congrats on The Fabelmans. I actually saw it with Kanye and it changed everything for him,” he continued as the audience exploded with laughter. “That’s how good you are. You changed Kanye West’s mind.”

Spielberg, for his part, laughed and raised his hands in prayer and looked up to the sky, as if to say, “if only.” The Fabelmans is the director’s semi-autobiographical 2022 film about a young boy born to Jewish parents in New Jersey who falls in love with cinema (Spielberg himself is Jewish). West, as nearly everyone is aware at this point, has been on a months-long diatribe* spouting antisemitic tropes and hate speech.

*Editor’s Note: After an Oct. 8, 2022 tweet in which he announced he was going “death con [sic] 3 on Jewish people,” Kanye West (Ye) has repeatedly doubled down on antisemitic hate speech, even going so far as to praise Hitler, a man responsible for the systematic murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust. This arrives at a troubling time when antisemitism is on the rise, with the Anti-Defamation League noting a 34% year-over-year increase in antisemitic incidents (assault, harassment and vandalism) in America in 2021. Many companies have cut business ties with the rapper/fashion designer, while numerous musicians, friends and politicians have condemned his comments.

10 Jan 2023

Austin Butler Requests an Elvis Tune for His Play-Off Music as He Accepts His Golden Globe

If he can dream it, he can win it. Austin Butler took home the 2023 Golden Globe in the best actor in a drama category on Tuesday (Jan. 10) for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis.

“Oh man, all my words are leaving me! I’m just so grateful right now,” the 31-year-old actor exclaimed as he accepted the trophy. “I owe this to a bold, visionary filmmaker who allowed me to experience, to take risks, and I always knew I would be supported — Baz Luhrmann, I love you.”

The actor also thanked Priscilla Presley and Lisa Marie Presley, who were in the audience. “Thank you, guys, thank you for opening your hearts, your memories, your home to me. Lisa Marie, Priscilla, I love you forever,” he told the pair as piano music played louder and louder to urge him to wrap up his speech.

And that’s when Butler offered up a suggestion for the person behind the ceremony’s play-off music. “You could at least play ‘Suspicious Minds’ or something!” he joked, referencing The King’s 1969 Billboard Hot 100 hit.

The actor wrapped up his speech by giving the late artist a shout-out. “You were an icon and a rebel, and I love you so much,” he said of the three-time Grammy winner.

Austin beat out Brendan Fraser (The Whale), Hugh Jackman (The Son), Billy Nighy (Living) and Jeremy Pope (The Inspection) for the best drama actor trophy.

The 80th annual Golden Globes were hosted by comedian Jerrod Carmichael, and held at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. The ceremony aired on NBC and streamed on Peacock.

10 Jan 2023

Rihanna’s Presence at the Golden Globes Was Too Tempting for Niecy Nash & Jerrod Carmichael to Not Joke About

Rihanna graced the 2023 Golden Globes with her sparkling presence during the Tuesday (Jan. 10) awards show. And while she didn’t walk away with a Globe, she did give three high-profile fans a chance to shoot their shot at having a moment with the superstar.

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While presenting at the 80th annual Golden Globes, Niecy Nash took a moment to let Rihanna know she was her muse for spooky season. And it just happened to be the exact moment she had all eyes and ears in the room laser-focused on her.

As the presenter for the award for actress in a television series – musical or comedy, Nash waited until all the nominees – which included Selena Gomez for her starring role in Only Murders in the Building – were listed off to make a joke, keeping the nominees on edge as she basked in the glow of Bad Gal RiRi.

“Rihanna, I love you and I dressed up as you for Halloween. I just had to say that,” Nash said before revealing that Quinta Brunson was the winner for Abbott Elementary. “Had to take my moment.”

Later in the show, presenter Billy Porter piggybacked off Nash’s moment, saying, “If I believed in Halloween, I would have dressed up as Rihanna as well.”

Following a commercial break, Carmichael followed Nash’s lead too, not letting his chance for a moment with Rihanna go to waste. “Only because I see Rihanna is here, I’m going to say something very controversial I will actually get in trouble for,” the Globes host stated. “Rihanna – you take all the time you want on that album, girl. Don’t let these fools on the internet pressure you into nothing.”

As fans of the nine-time Grammy winner joke about relentlessly online, Rihanna has not released a studio set since the Billboard 200-topping ANTI in January 2016. More recently, however, she released the single “Lift Me Up” as part of her involvement in the soundtrack to 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. “Lift Me Up” was nominated for best original song, motion picture, but lost to “Naatu Naatu” from the action film RRR.

For her part, Rihanna laughed good-naturedly at the jests.

And she’s hardly been idle. Rihanna will headline the Super Bowl halftime show on Feb. 12, less than a year after giving birth to her first child with A$AP Rocky in May 2022.