Music

12 Dec 2022

Maren Morris Defends Meghan Markle From ‘Profound Hatred‘ After ’Harry & Meghan’ Documentary

Maren Morris is weighing in. After seeing that Meghan Markle was getting quite a bit of vitriol online following the release of her and husband Prince Harry’s new Netflix documentary series, the 32-year-old country music star came to the Duchess of Sussex’s defense.

In a recent TikTok, Morris revealed that though she hasn’t yet watched Harry & Meghan, she has seen what she feels is a confusing amount of public disdain directed toward the former Suits star following the Dec. 8 release of the docuseries’ first three episodes.

“This profound hatred and annoyance at Meghan Markle specifically — mostly coming from women, I have to say — it’s unfathomable to me,” she said. “People are saying, ‘Oh a woman should never take a man away from his family.’ Have you seen this family?”

She went on to give examples of past royals whose relationship to the British monarchy became strained over romantic relationships, including former King Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne in 1936 so that he could marry American socialite and divorcée Wallis Simpson. “[Princess Margaret] did not leave the family, but I kind of wish she had,” Morris continued, referencing the princess’ forbidden love with Peter Townsend, a British Royal Air Force office.

“Apart from Diana, Princess Margaret’s story is one of the saddest,” she added. “And if we talk about Princess Di, she didn’t leave her children, but she left the family.”

Though the final three episodes of Harry & Meghan won’t be released until Dec. 15, the show’s first half has already drawn mounting criticism from viewers. Some were particularly bothered by a scene in which Markle reenacts a moment she awkwardly curtsied for Queen Elizabeth. And NPR London correspondent Frank Langfitt has attributed reviewers’ negative reactions to a perception that Harry & Meghan was “self-indulgent” of the Duke and Duchess to make.

Morris, however, clearly disagrees. “Now, I don’t know these people, and neither do you, but I do have a moderate fascination with the monarchy and the royals,” the 2023 Grammy nominee said, noting that she’d watched Netflix’s The Crown. “But I don’t understand this very specific hatred to Meghan herself. I just don’t — I never have.”

“This all feels very pointed at one woman, as it mostly always has in history,” she concluded.

Watch Maren Morris come to Meghan Markle’s defense below:

12 Dec 2022

Billboard’s Greatest Pop Stars of 2022: No. 10 — Nicki Minaj

For this year’s update of our ongoing Greatest Pop Star by Year project, Billboard is counting down our staff picks for the top 10 pop stars of 2022 all this week. At No. 10, we remember the year in Nicki Minaj — who topped the Hot 100, owned the VMAs, and generally reasserted her dominance in 2022.

The presence of women in hip-hop has surged over the last decade, but Nicki Minaj never lost her ‘Queen of Rap’ title. Throughout 2022, Billboard’s 2019 Game-Changer honoree skillfully demonstrated prestige in music, from occasional guest features to being lauded by MTV for her iconic evolution. Over a decade on from the release of her 2010 debut album Pink Friday, the 40-year-old remains a force to be reckoned with.

Four years after dropping her fourth LP Queen, 2022 kicked off the era of Minaj’s long-awaited comeback. Post-Queen, Minaj had spent the earlier part of the decade surprising her dedicated Barbz with standalone singles (“Megatron,” “Yikes”) and hit collaborations with Doja Cat, BIA, Ty Dolla $ign and others, while also re-releasing her fan favorite mixtape, 2009’s Beam Me Up Scotty, to DSPs. The Queens-raised artist – who continued her musical impact over the past three years without so much as a full-length solo project – powered into the new decade laser-focused on being a versatile rap mainstay.

In February of this year, Minaj and Atlanta rhymesayer Lil Baby teamed up for the ruthless trap anthem “Do We Have a Problem?” The track ruled Billboard‘s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while also debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. After the birth of her son in 2020, Minaj’s re-emergence was sealed as she followed that up a week later with second Lil Baby collaboration “Bussin,” also reaching the chart’s top 20.

The following month, Minaj went deep into her fashion bag, becoming the face of Marc Jacobs’ Spring 2022 “Heaven” collection, donning edgy couture and colorful wigs reminiscent of her early mainstream career. Also in March, Minaj passed the rap torch to Trendsetter artist Coi Leray, featuring on Leray’s fiery “Blick Blick,” which reached No. 10 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The “Blick Blick” rollout was slightly chaotic, as Leray’s father, rapper Benzino, prematurely revealed the collaboration on Clubhouse, sending Minaj to nearly pull her verse. 

Keeping her appearance on “Blick” – even popping up in the technicolor music video – Minaj went full steam ahead, tapping Fivio Foreign for the one-off single “We Go Up.” The five-minute braggadocious drill rap cut would eventually receive a gritty music video filmed in Foreign and Minaj’s NYC hometown, and exclusively appeared on Minaj’s greatest hits compilation Queen Radio: Volume 1. “We Go Up,” which landed at No. 15 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, would be the fourth collaborative single under Minaj’s belt in 2022. The momentum she built on features resembled her 2010s phase, where the rapper could make any song her own with a knockout verse, and would later help her explode on her first solo Hot 100 chart-topper. 

But before that, in May, Minaj appeared arm-in-arm with fashion designer and Burberry chief creative officer Ricardo Tisci at the 2022 MET Gala. After gracing the red carpet with a memorable all-black Burberry ensemble and body embellishments from British makeup artist Pat McGrath, Minaj would also embark on a new business deal that month, announcing her new role as creative director of Maxim. The venture would also place Minaj as MaximBet’s special advisor for licensed sports betting and iGaming. Burgeoning as a tastemaker in music and entrepreneurial moves, Minaj utilized 2022 as a year to flex her transcendent influence over the new generation of female rap.

By July, the summer music festival season saw a Minaj takeover, as the artist headlined New Orleans’ Essence Music Festival and London’s Wireless Festival. Her return to festivals since making a surprise guest appearance during Ariana Grande’s Coachella set in 2019, Minaj hit the New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome as a seasoned virtuoso. 75,000 fans clamored over Minaj’s extensive catalog during an hour-long set, rapping along to classics both of her own (“Beez In the Trap,” “Super Bass,” “Chun-Li”) and in a supporting role (Beyoncé’s “Flawless (Remix),” BIA’s “Whole Lotta Money (Remix)”, A$AP Ferg’s “Plain Jane (Remix)”).

Although Barbz were disappointed that Essence Fest opted not to livestream Minaj’s set at the last minute, more festival pandemonium ensued as the rapper went across the pond for Wireless Festival. Coordinating multiple outfit changes for the show at London’s Finsbury Park – which experienced a 30-minute delay. Minaj closed out her energetic Wireless Festival set as rap royalty. The Queen of Rap even attempted to hold a meet and greet with fans at Camden’s Cafe Koko following her Sunday performance, but police officials shut down the event as crowds flooded nearby roads.

In the weeks following Minaj’s festival sets, she promised a six-part docuseries and new music under a “Nick James” alter ego, teasing lustful single “Super Freaky Girl,” which sampled Rick James’ 1981 funk smash “Super Freak.” “Super Freaky Girl” played as a near-spinoff to Minaj’s 2014 “Baby Got Back- sampling hit “Anaconda,” which made the song a viral sensation on TikTok. In August, Minaj, Drake and Lil Wayne held a triumphant Young Money reunion during the first “October World Weekend” of Toronto’s OVO Fest, where Minaj debuted “Super Freaky Girl” on the Budweiser Stage. 

Contributing to the recent sample and interpolation trend in pop music, “Super Freaky Girl” made a massive debut atop the Billboard Hot 100 following its full August release , marking Minaj’s first No. 1 single as a solo artist. “Super Freaky Girl” was also just the second solo single by a female rap artist to top the chart since Ms. Lauryn Hill’s 1998 song “Doo Wop (That Thing).” Accompanied by a Barbie and Ken-inspired music video directed by Joseph Kahn, Minaj continued to support the chart-topper by reviving her zany alter ego Roman Zolanski on “Super Freaky Girl (Roman Remix).”

Minaj kept the heat scorching near summer’s end, releasing Queen Radio Volume 1 and delivering a career-spanning Video Vanguard Award performance at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards. The artist, who co-hosted the 2022 VMAs with fellow Queens native LL Cool J and Jack Harlow, made her telecast awards show comeback, offering a 10-minute set with self-referential easter egg nods for longtime Barbz. Minaj opened her set in a plastic box replica of her 2007 mixtape Playtime Is Over, while the Head Barb reimagined her dominatrix Roman Zolanski role in Kanye West’s 2010 “Monster” music video. The camera then panned out to reveal that Minaj was her own Barbie Dreamhouse, with one section resembling Queens nail salon Poly Nails, where Minaj filmed her 2007 music video for Playtime Is Over cut “Wuchoo Know.” Without missing a beat, Minaj ended her incandescent performance with “Super Freaky Girl” fun, turning the VMAs into a full-blown celebration of her legacy.

After accepting the Video Vanguard Award, Minaj was off to more “Super Freaky Girl” promotion, partnering with restaurant chain Chili’s in September for ‘Barbz Day’ and cranberry-flavored $5 Barbaritas. Minaj also curated a third “Super Freaky Girl” official remix, an all-star “Queen Mix” featuring JT of City Girls, BIA, Maliibu Miitch, Akbar V and Katie Got Bandz, where the femcees repped their respective cities. Also on the Queens Radio compilation was a remix to “Likkle Mix” by dancehall artist Skeng, and in late-September, Minaj would co-star in the song’s graffiti-music video. “Likkle Mix” would ultimately nab a “Fine Nine” remix to make the “Super Freaky Girl (Remix)” look modest by comparison. Minaj and Skeng recruited eight women from across dancehall and rap, including Spice, Lisa Mercedez, Lady Leshurr, London Hill, Patrice Roberts, Destra Garcia, Pamputtae, and Dovey Magnum.

Minaj continued to hop from one genre to the next, featuring on Yung Bleu’s “Love in the Way” and 2022 FIFA World Cup anthem “Tukoh Taka” with Colombian vocalist Maluma and Lebanese singer Myriam Fares. The rapper didn’t ease up on dominating festival stages, headlining New York’s Powerhouse and Rolling Loud New York at Queens stadium Citi Field. Minaj would also rack up additional awards, from MTV Europe Music Awards’ best hip hop artist and best song and the American Music Awards’ favorite female artist – rap/hip-hop. She would also later get into an all-out Twitter spat with Atlanta rapper Latto over the 2023 Grammy nominations – Minaj was upset that her own crossover hit was moved from the rap categories to the pop ones while Latto’s was allowed to stay. But it would be Latto’s Hot 100 top five hit “Big Energy” that scored a best melodic rap performance nomination, while “Super Freaky Girl” received none.

“Say So” collaborator Doja Cat protested the Grammy slight, but let 2022 show that Minaj can’t be phased. In separate features with Interview and i-D – conducted by actress Jada Pinkett Smith and City Girls’ JT, respectively – the year’s digital songs best-selling rap artist talked up her fifth solo album, teasing that her best work has yet to come. With her eyes on the future, Minaj’s year as a hip-hop luminary has positioned the artist back at the top of her game.

12 Dec 2022

Shaquille O’Neal Unveils ‘Shaq-tacular Spectacular’ New Year’s Eve VR Experience

Shaq is throwing an appropriately large New Year’s Eve event in the VR world.  

Retired NBA great Shaquille O’Neal will host “The Shaq-tacular Spectacular,” an immersive VR countdown special featuring guest spots from Cardi B, Killer Mike, Ludacris, Lil Yachty, Rob Gronkowski and Camille Kostek.

“This year we’re ringing in 2023 with new experiences and connections. I’m excited to celebrate with some of my favorite artists and athletes in a way that you can enjoy with friends and family in VR across the world,” the basketball superstar, broacaster and DJ says in a statement.

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“From music, laughs and much more, we’re celebrating New Year’s Eve and welcoming 2023 with a spectacular party you won’t want to miss.”

The 19-year pro, who won four titles in the NBA and is regarded as one of the most dominant big men of all time, will spin tunes for a virtual DJ Diesel set, filling it up on a main stage that’s said to be “filled with a marching band, cheerleaders, pro roller skaters, basketball players” and more.

As the clock counts down to 2023, the one-hour special will premiere in VR in Meta Horizon Worlds and on Meta Quest TV, as well as on O’Neal’s Facebook and Instagram pages and Messenger’s Watch Together.

It is being produced by Westbrook Media, Media.Monks and Shaquille O’Neal’s Jersey Legends Productions, with the action tipping off from 6:30pm ET on Saturday, Dec. 31. Shaq has thrown his considerable frame behind several music ventures, including Shaq’s Fun House festival — a part festival, part carnival brand.

As DJ Diesel, he’s partial to massive, heavy-hitting bass music, a genre he says saved him and gave him purpose after retiring from the NBA in 2011. “The whole genre is energy,” O’Neal told Billboard earlier this year. “I missed that once retiring. Bass music was the vice I was missing and desperately needed.”

Since launching the DJ Diesel project, O’Neal hasn’t sat on the bench. He’s played many prestige clubs and festivals including Electric Zoo, Lollapalooza and Tomorrowland.

12 Dec 2022

Priscilla Block, Jelly Roll & Jackson Dean Among CRS New Faces of Country Music Show Performers

Every year, country radio personnel vote on the artists who are most likely to become future country radio mainstays. The top five vote-getters perform during the New Faces of Country Music Show, which serves as the culmination of the annual Country Radio Seminar, putting the newcomers in front of numerous influential country radio industry members.

This year’s includes UMG Nashville singer-songwriter Priscilla Block, who broke through with “Just About Over You,” as well as Big Machine Label Group artist Jackson Dean, who earned a hit with “Don’t Come Lookin’,” and Sony Music Nashville newcomer Nate Smith, who is surging with “Whiskey on You.”

They join BBR Music Group artist and “Country’d Look Good on You” singer Frank Ray, as well as BMG’s Jelly Roll, who has a Billboard top 10 Country Airplay chart hit with “Son of a Sinner” and played a triumphant sold-out hometown arena show in Nashville on Dec. 9.

The 2023 New Faces of Country Music Show will take place March 15, concluding the 2023 Country Radio Seminar slated for March 13-15 at Omni Nashville Hotel.

CRB New Faces Committee Chairman Chuck Aly said via a statement, “The radio and streaming partner constituencies of CRS have spoken and, word is, the future of country music is bright. This year’s New Faces class comprises artists with admirable creative depth and burgeoning commercial impact. Translation: Don’t miss it!”

The first New Faces of Country Music show was held in 1970 and featured Jack Barlow, Jamie Kaye, Karen Kelly, Wayne Kemp, Lynda K. Lance, LaWanda Lindsey, Dee Mullins and Norro Wilson. Since then, a who’s who of country artists have performed on the show early in their careers, including Lefty Frizzell, Eddie Rabbitt, Vern Gosdin and Gene Watson. Reba McEntire, Alabama and Sylvia were among those on the 1980 lineup, while George Strait, Rodney Crowell and Ricky Skaggs performed at the event in 1982. Randy Travis and Marty Stuart were among the 1986 lineup, while Keith Whitley, Dwight Yoakam, Holly Dunn and Lyle Lovett were on the bill a year later.

Tim McGraw met his wife, fellow country singer Faith Hill, during the 1994 New Faces of Country Music Show; that year’s lineup also included Toby Keith, Lari White, Clay Walker and John Berry. Keith Urban and Brad Paisley shared the 2000 lineup, while Miranda Lambert and Eric Church were on the 2007 bill, and Taylor Swift and Luke Bryan were on the same bill in 2008.

12 Dec 2022

From ‘Dos Corazones’ to ‘El Ultimo Beso,’ Here Are All of Vicente Fernandez’s Biggest Billboard Hits

It’s been one years since the death of Mexican legend Vicente Fernández, who passed away on Dec. 12 in his native Guadalajara at 81 years old. With family, fans and fellow musicians remembering and honoring his legacy today, Billboard is remembering the ranchera titan with his biggest Hot Latin Songs hits. 

On the Billboard charts, the iconic singer and actor placed 40 entries on Top Latin Albums, including 25 top 10s and six No. 1s. On Hot Latin Songs, he logged a total of 61 entries, from 1987 to 2013, including 20 top 10s and one No. 1.

Fernández holds the record for the most entries on Hot Latin Songs for a regional Mexican solo act, with 61, the record for the most entries on Regional Mexican Albums, with a total of 52, and the record for the most No. 1s for a regional Mexican solo act on Regional Mexican Albums, with a total of 17.

His career totals in the U.S., according to MRC Data (which began in 1991), stand at 23.4 billion in cumulative radio audience for all his songs; 5.5 billion on-demand streams; and 9.2 million albums sold.

Fernández’s cause of death was due to complications following surgery for a cervical spine injury after a serious fall last August. The ranchera singer had remained hospitalized since then in stable but serious condition but in the last 24 hours, his condition deteriorated.

“It was an honor and a great pride to share with everyone a great musical career and to give everything for his audience,” reads a statement on his official Instagram account. “Thank you for continuing to applaud, thank you for continuing to sing.”

Below, see all of Chente’s greatest hits to enter the Top 10 on Hot Latin Songs.

“Dos Corazones” peaked No. 10 on chart dated Feb. 6, 1988

“Aunque Mal Paguen Ellas” peaked at No. 4 on chart dated Aug. 26, 1989

“Por Tu Maldito Amor” peaked at No. 10 on chart dated Dec. 2, 1989

“Que Sepan Todos” peaked at No. 6 on chart dated June 1, 1991

“Yo Quiero” peaked at No. 9 on chart dated July 25, 1992

“Aca Entre Nos” peaked at No. 8 on chart dated Oct. 31, 1992

“La Fiesta” peaked at No. 8 on chart dated Feb. 20, 1993

“Lastima Que Seas Ajena” peaked at No. 3 on chart dated Sept. 25, 1993

“Miseria” peaked at No. 6 on chart dated Sept. 24, 1994

“No, No y No” peaked at No. 8 on chart dated Dec. 17, 1994

“Aunque Me Duela El Alma” peaked at No. 2 on chart dated June 24, 1995

“No Te Vayas” peaked at No. 5 on chart dated July 6, 1996

“Nos Estorbo La Ropa” peaked at No. 4 on chart dated Nov. 1, 1997

“Me Voy a Quitar De En Medio” peaked at No. 4 on chart dated March 27, 1999

“Borracho te Recuerdo” peaked at No. 8 on chart dated Jan. 13, 2001

“El Ayudante” peaked at No. 9 on chart dated Sept. 29, 2001

“Estos Celos” peaked at No. 3 on chart dated Oct. 20, 2007

“La Derrota” peaked at No. 7 on chart dated June 14, 2008

“Para Siempre” peaked at No. 2 on chart dated Aug. 16, 2009

“El Ultimo Beso” peaked at No. 1 on chart dated Feb. 21, 2009

12 Dec 2022

Selena Gomez Subtly Responds to a TikTok About Her Weight When She Dated Justin Bieber

Selena Gomez‘s 2019 breakup ballad “Lose You to Love Me” may now have a new layer of meaning for some fans. The 30-year-old pop star on Sunday (Dec. 11) responded to a TikToker’s claim that she was “always skinny” when she dated on-again, off-again ex-boyfriend Justin Bieber, who fans already believe her hit song is about.

The TikTok, posted Nov. 29, features a reel of throwback photographs of Gomez, several of them showing her in athletic wear, appearing to have just hit the gym. It ends with a screenshot of what is allegedly an old Instagram comment left by the Only Murders in the Building actress in response to a fan who’d said “Jelena forever” and “love you both.”

“No love,” the comment allegedly left by Gomez reads. “He’s rather models. I’m just too normal.”

In addition to thousands of fans, Gomez chimed in on the TikTok, leaving a simple downcast, sad face emoji.

The “Rare” singer and Bieber dated on and off for most of the 2010s, beginning in 2011 and ending their romance for good in 2018. Just a couple months after that final breakup, Bieber got engaged to Hailey Bieber. By the end of September that year, he and the model were married.

Showing that there is no bad blood, Selena and Hailey were recently photographed embracing each other at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Gala in October. And in the Wizards of Waverly Place star’s November documentary My Mind & Me, she said that her split from the “Peaches” singer was “the best thing that ever happened to me.”

The sad face emoji may just be Gomez’s way of expressing general disapproval for the TikTok and its discussion of her figure. She’s been open in the past about how her weight fluctuates as a result of her Lupus, as well as how body-shaming comments aimed at her have affected her mental health over the years.

12 Dec 2022

How Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Bad Bunny All Found Space to Thrive In 2022

When the 2023 Grammy Award nominations were announced in mid-November, the Big Four categories included a slew of household names: Beyoncé, Adele, Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, Bad Bunny, Doja Cat, Lizzo. None of them were surprises. The Grammy noms were star-studded to reflect the past year in popular music: Following a pandemic-stricken period in which pop’s upper tier mostly held off on releasing new projects, 2022 was dominated by the A-listers, many of whom made good on the commercial promise of their returns and added new hits to their impressive résumés.

“We’ve had almost every global superstar release music within a 12- to 18-month span,” says Joe Hadley, Spotify global head of artist partnerships and audience. Some of that overabundance of big names can surely be chalked up to coincidence: Artists like Adele, Beyoncé and Lamar had been dormant as recording artists for over five years before finally having new albums ready within an eight-month span, for instance. Yet their respective returns were combined with prolific artists like Swift, Drake, Doja Cat and Jack Harlow releasing new material this year after an active 2021; bankable names like Styles, Bad Bunny, BTS, Lady Gaga and The Weeknd headlining a crowded touring field; and reliable hit-makers like Lizzo, Post Malone, Sam Smith and Nicki Minaj collecting more top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits, making 2022 feel like a nonstop star parade.

“Anytime we have superstars putting out music, it’s good for the fans, for radio, for streaming,” says Mark Medina, program director for WHTZ (Z100) New York. (Indeed, recorded-music revenue in the United States grew 9% in the first half of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021, according to the RIAA.) Most of the major projects were spaced out across the calendar year, from Adele’s 30 last November to Styles’ Harry’s House in May to Swift’s Midnights in October, which gave each artist ample room to dominate listener attention and the cultural conversation. Even when their hits competed on the Billboard charts, streaming playlists and radio, as Medina says, “The more the merrier. You could never have too much good music from megastars, and we’ll always find a way to make that work.”

Part of the reason why pop music was so top-heavy this year is simple: The biggest artists delivered hits that matched their statures. Adele is no stranger to the peak of the Hot 100, but by spending 10 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1, “Easy on Me” matched the longest chart reign of her career. Later, Beyoncé scored her first solo Hot 100 chart-topper in 14 years when “Break My Soul” powered to No. 1 upon the July release of Renaissance. And after folk-leaning singles like “Cardigan” and “Willow” summited the Hot 100 in 2020, Swift returned with the ultra-catchy “Anti-Hero,” which has spent its first six weeks at No. 1 and, Medina says, has “big, big mass appeal” at pop radio.

Meanwhile, Styles and Bad Bunny scored the biggest years of their respective careers thanks to chart-topping albums, multiple top 10 hits and mega-selling tours. For Styles, whose 2019 album, Fine Line, unlocked his potential at pop radio, “As It Was” spending a whopping 15 weeks at No. 1 — the longest leader by a solo artist in Hot 100 history — demonstrated just how inescapable the former One Direction member has become on his own. “With Harry, it all rolled out together: He had this career growth from album to album, a great pop record, streaming and research [numbers], celebrity,” says Medina. “Everything was there.”

And just as Styles’ studio output fueled 15-night residencies at venues like New York’s Madison Square Garden and Inglewood, Calif.’s Kia Forum, Bad Bunny’s massive Un Verano Sin Ti album — which has spent 12 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 this year, the most of any project — helped the Puerto Rican star graduate from arenas to stadiums. He finished 2022 as the year’s top touring act, crushing his own record for highest-grossing Latin tour in Billboard Boxscore history as his World’s Hottest Tour grossed $373.5 million from 1.8 million tickets across 65 shows. “Bad Bunny absolutely leveled up on the road in a way that was pretty unique,” says Jesse Lawrence, founder and president of TicketIQ.

The end of 2022 doesn’t necessarily mean that pop’s biggest superstars are about to go into hibernation, though: With stadium tours from Swift, Bruce Springsteen, P!nk and Ed Sheeran on the books for next year, Lawrence believes that 2023 will be more significant for top-level tours than 2022 has been. “This time last year, there was still uncertainty about the pandemic dragging on into 2022, and there was too much risk for some of the megatours, which we’ll see in 2023,” says Lawrence. Plus, there’s one superstar whom Medina is “most interested in watching, as a fan and as a programmer,” for a potentially massive 2023: Rihanna, who will headline the Super Bowl halftime show in February and hopefully follow up the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever No. 2 single “Lift Me Up” with more new music.

Even if 2023 isn’t quite as jam-packed with new releases from A-listers, Hadley believes that some of the budding stars who broke through in 2022, including Steve Lacy and Zach Bryan — both of whom also recently scored Grammy noms — are poised to join that upper-class conversation. “I’m [always] thinking about superstar releases,” he says, “but I also think it’s a really exciting time for the next generation of superstars.” 

This story originally appeared in the Dec. 10, 2022, issue of Billboard.

12 Dec 2022

Selena Gomez, Zendaya & More Nominated for 2023 Golden Globes: Complete List of Nominees

Selena Gomez, Zendaya, Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino), Amanda Seyfried and Sheryl Lee Ralph are among the stars with ties to the music world who are nominated for 2023 Golden Globes.

Gomez is nominated for best actress in a television series – musical or comedy for Only Murders in the Building; Zendaya for best actress in a television series – drama for Euphoria; Glover for best actor in a television series – musical or comedy for Atlanta; Seyfried for best actress in a limited series, anthology series or a motion picture made for television for The Dropout; and Ralph for best supporting actress in a television series for Abbott Elementary.

In addition, Elvis, the hit biopic about Elvis Presley, is nominated for best motion picture drama, while its star Austin Butler is up for best drama actor. And Pam & Tommy, the limited series about Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee Jones of Motley Crue, is up for best television limited series, anthology series or motion picture made for television. Its stars Lily James and Sebastian Stan are nominated for actress and actor, respectively, in a TV movie or limited series.

George and Tammy, the limited series about country royalty George Jones and Tammy Wynette, was passed over for a nod for best television limited series, anthology series or motion picture made for television, but Jessica Chastain was nominated for her performance as Wynette. Chastain won an Oscar in March for playing another famous singing personality, Tammy Faye Bakker.

The Banshees of Inisherin was this year’s most-nominated film with eight nods, followed by Everything Everywhere All at Once with six nods; Babylon and The Fabelmans earned five each.

Abbott Elementary was the most-nominated TV show with five nods, followed by five shows with four nods each – The Crown, Dahmer – Monster; The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Only Murders in the Building, Pam & Tommy and The White Lotus.

Three of music’s hottest female stars – Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift – are among the nominees for best song. Meanwhile, four of the five nominees for best score are past winners in the category, including the venerable John Williams, who has won a record-tying four times.

Steve Martin is nominated for best television actor in a musical or comedy series for his role in Only Murders in the Building. This is his seventh Globe nomination. Surprisingly, he has yet to win. The Globes point out that Martin, 77, is the oldest man to be nominated in this category.

The Globes also note that Niecy Nash, nominated for her performance in Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, could become the first Black actress to win a Golden Globe for a limited series; that Henry Winkler, a two-time Globe winner for Happy Days who is nominated this year for Barry, could become the first actor to win in both lead and support categories on comedy series; and that father-and-son Brendan Gleeson and Domhnall Gleeson are both nominated.

Jerrod Carmichael is set to host the 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards. The three-hour telecast will air live coast-to-coast on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT from The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif., on NBC and Peacock.

The show will be produced by dick clark productions and Jesse Collins Entertainment in association with the HFPA. Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment, is set to executive produce the show the show with Dionne Harmon, a top executive in his company.

See the full list of nominees below.

MOTION PICTURES

Best Motion Picture, Drama

  • Avatar: The Way of Water (20th Century Studios) 
  • Elvis (Warner Bros.) 
  • The Fabelmans (Universal Pictures) 
  • Tár (Focus Features) 
  • Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount Pictures)

Best Picture, Musical or Comedy

  • Babylon (Paramount Pictures) 
  • The Banshees of Inisherin (Searchlight Pictures) 
  • Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24) 
  • Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Netflix) 
  • Triangle of Sadness (Neon) 

Best Director, Motion Picture

  • James Cameron (Avatar: The Way of Water) 
  • Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert (Everything Everywhere All at Once) 
  • Baz Luhrmann (Elvis) 
  • Martin McDonagh (The Banshees of Inisherin) 
  • Steven Spielberg (The Fabelmans)

Best Screenplay, Motion Picture

  • Tár (Focus Features) — Todd Field 
  • Everything Everywhere All at Once (A24) — Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert 
  • The Banshees of Inisherin (Searchlight Pictures) — Martin McDonagh 
  • Women Talking (MGM/United Artists Releasing) — Sarah Polley 
  • The Fabelmans (Universal Pictures) — Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushne

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama

  • Austin Butler (Elvis) 
  • Brendan Fraser (The Whale) 
  • Hugh Jackman (The Son)
  • Bill Nighy (Living) 
  • Jeremy Pope (The Inspection) 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama

  • Cate Blanchett (Tár) 
  • Olivia Colman (Empire of Light) 
  • Viola Davis (The Woman King) 
  • Ana de Armas (Blonde) 
  • Michelle Williams (The Fabelmans)  

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

  • Lesley Manville (Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris) 
  • Margot Robbie (Babylon) 
  • Anya Taylor-Joy (The Menu) 
  • Emma Thompson (Good Luck to You, Leo Grande) 
  • Michelle Yeoh (Everything Everywhere All at Once) 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

  • Diego Calva (Babylon) 
  • Daniel Craig (Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery)
  • Adam Driver (White Noise) 
  • Colin Farrell (The Banshees of Inisherin) 
  • Ralph Fiennes (The Menu) 

Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture

  • Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin) 
  • Barry Keoghan (The Banshees of Inisherin) 
  • Brad Pitt (Babylon)
  • Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once) 
  • Eddie Redmayne (The Good Nurse)

Best Supporting Actress, Motion Picture

  • Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) 
  • Kerry Condon (The Banshees of Inisherin) 
  • Jamie Lee Curtis (Everything Everywhere All at Once) 
  • Dolly De Leon (Triangle of Sadness)
  • Carey Mulligan (She Said)

Best Original Song, Motion Picture

  • “Carolina” from Where the Crawdads Sing (Sony Pictures) — Taylor Swift 
  • “Ciao Papa” from Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix) — Roeben Katz, Guillermo del Toro 
  • “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount Pictures) — Lady Gaga, BloodPop 
  • “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (Marvel Studios) — Tems, Ludwig Göransson, Rihanna, Ryan Coogler 
  • “Naatu Naatu” from RRR (Variance Films) — Kala Bhairava, M. M. Keeravani, Rahul Sipligunj 

Best Original Score, Motion Picture

  • The Banshees of Inisherin (Searchlight Pictures) — Carter Burwell
  • Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix) — Alexandre Desplat 
  • Women Talking (MGM/United Artists Releasing) — Hildur Guðnadóttir 
  • Babylon (Paramount Pictures) — Justin Hurwitz 
  • The Fabelmans (Universal Pictures) — John Williams  

Best Picture, Non-English Language

  • All Quiet on the Western Front (Germany) 
  • Argentina, 1985 (Argentina) 
  • Close (Belgium) 
  • Decision to Leave (South Korea) 
  • RRR (India) 

Best Motion Picture, Animated

  • Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Netflix) 
  • Inu-Oh (GKIDS) 
  • Marcel the Shell With Shoes On (A24) 
  • Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (DreamWorks Animation) 
  • Turning Red (Pixar) 

TELEVISION

Best Television Series, Drama

  • Better Call Saul (AMC) 
  • The Crown (Netflix) 
  • House of the Dragon (HBO) 
  • Ozark (Netflix) 
  • Severance (Apple TV+) 

Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy

  • Abbott Elementary (ABC) 
  • The Bear (FX)
  • Hacks (HBO Max)
  • Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) 
  • Wednesday (Netflix) 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Drama

  • Jeff Bridges (The Old Man) 
  • Kevin Costner (Yellowstone)
  • Diego Luna (Andor)
  • Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul)
  • Adam Scott (Severance)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama

  • Emma D’Arcy (House of the Dragon) 
  • Laura Linney (Ozark) 
  • Imelda Staunton (The Crown)
  • Hilary Swank (Alaska Daily)
  • Zendaya (Euphoria)

Best Actress in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy

  • Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) 
  • Kaley Cuoco (The Flight Attendant) 
  • Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building) 
  • Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) 
  • Jean Smart (Hacks) 

Best Actor in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy

  • Donald Glover (Atlanta) 
  • Bill Hader (Barry) 
  • Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building) 
  • Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building) 
  • Jeremy Allen White (The Bear) 

Best Supporting Actor, Television

  • John Lithgow (The Old Man) 
  • Jonathan Pryce (The Crown) 
  • John Turturro (Severance) 
  • Tyler James Williams (Abbott Elementary) 
  • Henry Winkler (Barry)

Best Supporting Actress, Television

  • Elizabeth Debicki (The Crown) 
  • Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) 
  • Julia Garner (Ozark) 
  • Janelle James (Abbott Elementary) 
  • Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary) 

Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

  • Black Bird (Apple TV+) 
  • Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix) 
  • The Dropout (Hulu) 
  • Pam & Tommy (Hulu) 
  • The White Lotus (HBO) 

Best Performance by an Actor, Limited Series, Anthology Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

  • Taron Egerton (Black Bird) 
  • Colin Firth (The Staircase) 
  • Andrew Garfield (Under the Banner of Heaven) 
  • Evan Peters (Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story) 
  • Sebastian Stan (Pam & Tommy) 

Best Performance by an Actress, Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

  • Jessica Chastain (George and Tammy) 
  • Julia Garner (Inventing Anna) 
  • Lily James (Pam & Tommy) 
  • Julia Roberts (Gaslit) 
  • Amanda Seyfried (The Dropout) 

Best Performance by an Actress in Supporting Role, Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

  • Jennifer Coolidge (The White Lotus) 
  • Claire Danes (Fleishman Is in Trouble) 
  • Daisy Edgar-Jones (Under the Banner of Heaven) 
  • Niecy Nash-Betts (Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story) 
  • Aubrey Plaza (The White Lotus) 

Best Performance by an Actor in Supporting Role, Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television

  • F. Murray Abraham (The White Lotus) 
  • Domhnall Gleeson (The Patient) 
  • Paul Walter Hauser (Black Bird) 
  • Richard Jenkins (Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story) 
  • Seth Rogen (Pam & Tommy) 

12 Dec 2022

Taylor Swift to Release Additional Eras Tour Tickets for Verified Fans

Taylor Swift gave some Swifties an early Christmas present on Monday morning (Dec. 12) when some fans who signed up for the Verified Fan presale for her Eras Tour last month who were unable to land tickets were notified that they were getting a second chance. An unknown number of fans who signed up for the Ticketmaster Verified Fan pre-sale who were locked out when shows went on sale last month due to a crush of demand were notified that they will have an opportunity to participate in an upcoming sale.

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift Fans Sue Ticketmaster Over Tour Presale Debacle: ‘Massive Disaster’

“Congratulations, you have been selected to participate in a limited-time opportunity to request to purchase 2 tickets to Taylor Swift The Eras Tour,’ read the note. “You were selected for this opportunity because you have been identified as a fan who received a boost during the Verified Fan presale but did not purchase tickets,” the note continued. “We apologized for the difficulties you may have experienced, and have been asked by Taylor’s team to create this additional opportunity for you to purchase tickets.”

The note says that the ticket purchasing window will begin sometime before Dec. 23, with invitations issued on a staggered basis by tour date in each city. Fans will get additional information and instructions on how to submit their request at an as-yet-unannounced future date.

Last month, Ticketmaster issued a formal apology to Swifties after the chaotic sales process for her 2023 Eras Tour left many on the outside looking in. “We want to apologize to Taylor and all of her fans — especially those who had a terrible experience trying to purchase tickets,” Ticketmaster tweeted on Nov. 18. “We feel we owe it to everyone to share some information to help explain what happened.”

The debacle stemmed from the crush of fans trying to enter Swift’s presale for her 52-date Eras Tour, which initially caused the system to crash shortly after launch as 14 million fans and billions of bots flooded the site, causing service disruptions. Ticketmaster noted that more than 3.5 million fans pre-registered for Swift’s Verified Fan program, with 90% of the ticket inventory vanishing in the first two days of the pre-sale. The botched sale has since sparked interest from a number of lawmakers in Washington and across the country interested in probing whether Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation have abused their huge market share in the live music industry.

A spokesperson for Ticketmaster had not returned Billboard‘s request for additional information on the Verified Fan ticket release at press time; a spokesperson for Swift had not official comment.

12 Dec 2022

Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift & More Vie for Best Song at 2023 Golden Globes: Here’s Who Earned Nominations for Song and Score

Three of music’s hottest female stars – Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift – are among the nominees for best song at the 2023 Golden Globes. Meanwhile, four of the five nominees for best score are past winners in the category, including the venerable John Williams, who has won a record-tying four times.

The nominations for the 80th Golden Globes were announced on Monday (Dec. 12).

Best Song

Rihanna is nominated for “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Rihanna co-wrote the ballad, which entered the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 2., with Ryan Coogler, who directed and co-wrote the film; Ludwig Göransson, who scored the film; and Tems. “All the Stars,” from the original Black Panther, was nominated in this category four years ago.

Gaga, who won in the category four years ago for co-writing “Shallow” from A Star Is Born, is nominated for co-writing “Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick. Bloodpop was her co-writer on the song, which peaked at a lower-than-expected No. 49 on the Hot 100.

Swift was nominated for “Carolina” from Where the Crawdads Sing. This is Swift’s fourth nomination in the category, following Safe & Sound from The Hunger Games (2012), “Sweeter Than Fiction” from One Chance (2013) and “Beautiful Ghosts” from Cats (2019). Swift worked with different collaborators on each of those songs (The Civil Wars, Jack Antonoff and Andrew Lloyd Webber, respectively). She wrote the new song by herself.

Here’s a full list of the nominees for best song:

  • “Carolina,” Taylor Swift (Where the Crawdads Sing)
  • “Ciao Papa,” Guillermo del Toro & Roeban Katz (Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio)
  • “Hold My Hand,” Lady Gaga and Bloodpop (Top Gun: Maverick)
  • “Lift Me Up,” Tems, Ludwig Göransson, Rihanna and Ryan Coogler (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)
  • “Naatu Naatu,” Kala Bhairava, M. M. Keeravani, Rahul Sipligunj (RRR)

Among the songs that were passed over for nominations: “Til You’re Home” from A Man Called Otto, Rita Wilson; “Applause” from Tell It Like a Woman,  Diane Warren; “This Is a Life” from Everything Everywhere All at Once, David Byrne, Ryan Lott; Mitski; “Nobody Like U” from Turning Red, Billie Eilish and Finneas; “Do a Little Good” from Spirited, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul.

Best Score

Four of the five nominees for best score are past winners in the category.

John Williams, nominated for The Fabelmans, has won four times for Jaws (1975), Star Wars (1977), E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) and Memoirs of a Geisha (2005). He is tied with Dimitri Tiomkin and Maurice Jarre for the most wins in the history of the category; this could be the tie-breaker. This is his record-extending 25th nomination in the category.

Alexandre Desplat nominated for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, has won twice, for The Painted Veil (2006) and The Shape of Water (2017).

Justin Hurwitz, nominated for Babylon, has won twice, for La La Land (2016) and First Man (2018).

Hildur Guðnadóttir, nominated for Women Talking, won three years ago for Joker. If she wins again, she’ll become the first woman to win multiple Globes for scores.

This year’s only nominee who has yet to win in the category is Carter Burwell, nominated for The Banshees of Inisherin.

Here’s a full list of the nominees for best score:.

  • Alexandre Desplat, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
  • Hildur Guðnadóttir, Women Talking
  • Justin Hurwitz, Babylon
  • John Williams, The Fabelmans
  • Carter Burwell, The Banshees of Inisherin

Among the scores that were passed over for nominations: Terence Blanchard, The Woman King; Chanda Dancy, Devotion; Michael Giacchino, The Batman; Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Empire of Light; LudwigGöransson, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; Marcelo Zarvos, Emancipation