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The iHeartRadio Music Festival lineup is heating up even more, with A$AP Rocky, Coldplay’s Chris Martin and The Weeknd joining the performers list, Billboard can exclusively reveal.
They join previously announced performers Big Sean, Camila Cabello, Doja Cat, Dua Lipa, Gwen Stefani, Halsey, Hozier, Keith Urban, New Kids on the Block, Paramore, Shaboozey, The Black Crowes, Thomas Rhett and Victoria Monét. Hosted by Ryan Seacrest, the festival will also include one-of-a-kind collaborations and surprise performances.
Ahead of his iHeart performance, The Weeknd will livestream a “one-night-only” concert from Sao Paolo, Brazil. Martin is currently on tour with Coldplay, with the band joining forces with Maggie Rogers this week during a stop in Vienna to cover Taylor Swift after the superstar was forced to cancel her Eras Tour shows in the Austrian capital due to an alleged terror plot. And current Billboard cover star A$AP Rocky says his Don’t Be Dumb album is finally coming out this fall, so the iHeart crowd could hear some brand-new music from the rapper.
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The event will take over Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on Sept. 20 and 21, with tickets available via AXS here. For those who can’t catch the action in person, the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Festival presented by Capital One will broadcast live for fans via iHeartMedia radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, Hulu will be the official streaming service for the festival, with performances broadcast live each night to all Hulu subscribers at no additional cost.
“The iHeartRadio Music Festival is the one time each year when the best-in-class superstar artists from all genres of music come together to share one stage for a weekend of live music,” said Tom Poleman, chief programming officer, and John Sykes, president of entertainment enterprises of iHeartMedia. “And with Hulu as the Official Streaming Destination, the festival will reach even more fans across the country.”
For more details about the iHeartRadio Music Festival visit iHeartRadio.com/festival.
Sabrina Carpenter contains multitudes. The former Disney Channel star showed off her child actress chops, and then some, on Thursday night (August 22) on The Tonight Show when she performed a jazzy version of her inescapable Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Please Please Please” after joining Jimmy Fallon and fellow guest Zoë Kravitz in the basement for the host’s very silly signature “EW!” bit.
Channeling Michelle Pfeiffer’s iconic sultry piano-top performance from 1989’s The Fabulous Baker Boys, Carpenter kicked-off her performance of the strong contender for song of the summer seated atop a white grand piano. Looking over her left shoulder while singing into a bejeweled microphone, the singer revamped the pop bop into a swoony torch song with the help of three back-up singers, as well as a string and horn section.
Barefoot in a glittering black gown with a daringly plunging neckline, Carpenter crawled, then stood on the piano while emoting her way through the song with the NSFW chorus that she thankfully amended for NBC censors. The performance came on the night Carpenter dropped the anticipated follow-up to 2022’s Emails I Can’t Send, Short n’ Sweet, which in addition to chart-topper “Please” also gave the singer her first top 10 hit in April, the equally inescapable “Espresso.”
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Carpenter also showed up earlier in the episode alongside actress and Blink Twice director Zoë Kravitz for a trip to the basement for Fallon’s long-running sketch “EW!” Joining brace-face Sara on the couch, Kravitz and Carpenter, as Lucy and Hailey, bounded down the steps in colorful outfits bursting with cute as Kravitz — chomping on a gigantic wad of gum like her life depended on it — lamented being “so not ready” for school to start.
The summer camp chums also showed off their friendship bracelets, which the pals noted were, ahem, “very mindful, very demure,” to shouts of approval from the studio audience who clearly are on board with the viral phrase’s creator, TikToker Jools Lebron. Kravitz’s read “nightowl” because she stayed up “sooooo late,” while Carpenter’s was “Sweetie Pie,” because she ate “soooo much candy” and Fallon’s read “Splash,” because, she shouted, “I’m like a mermaid!”
As usual, the guests could barely contain their laughter at Fallon’s over-the-top ridiculousness, especially when they jumped up to do their “Espresso” dance, only to be interrupted, ugh, by Sara’s super annoying, dorky step dad, Gary. He then ruined the fun by busting out the most cringey version of the only song of the summer he acknowledges, “Kumbaya.”
The bit ended with the obligatory EW! speed round. In short: mullets (EW!), PopSockets (EW!), Hokas (EW!), Love Island (EW!), Stanley Tucci (cute) and pink drink (love!).
Watch Carpenter on The Tonight Show below.
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During a chilly week on the cusp of autumn (Aug. 19-22), history was made in Chicago, IL. On Thursday (Aug. 22), the final night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention, Vice President Kamala Harris officially became the first Black woman and first Indian-American to accept a major party presidential nomination.
Throughout the week, the Democratic party’s biggest and rising stars joined forces with a few members of Hollywood’s A-List to help Vice President Harris along her path to the Oval Office. Emmy winner Kerry Washington and SAG Award nominee Tony Goldwyn — who famously played ruthless fixer Olivia Pope and fictional U.S. President Fitzgerald Grant on Shonda Rhimes’ hit ABC political drama Scandal — were two notable actors who served as emcee, as were Tony winner Mindy Kaling, Emmy winner Kenan Thompson, comedian-actor Hughley, and Emmy nominee Eva Longoria. Of course, the star power wasn’t limited to entertainers, with a host of Democratic Party titans delivering rousing speeches, including former President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, and Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz.
Each night featured several musical performers that showcased the breadth of America’s musical history, from country and hip-hop to soul and Americana. On Monday night (Aug. 19), Grammy-nominated country star Mickey Guyton delivered a gorgeous rendition of her unity anthem “All American,” while Jason Isbell performed the moving “Something More Than Free,” the title track from his 2015 LP. Night two (Aug. 20) saw Patti LaBelle belt her way through “You Are My Friend” to soundtrack the in memoriam segment, and Common thrilled the packed arena with “Fortunate,” a cut from his recently released joint album with Pete Rock. For the convention’s third night (Aug. 21), Maren Morris performed “Better Than We Found It,” the great Stevie Wonder gave a lengthy speech before launching into a groovy rendition of his 1973 Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit “Higher Ground” (No. 4), and John Legend and Sheila E. joined forces for “Let’s Go Crazy” in tribute to Prince, who shares a home state with Walz in Minnesota. To close out the convention (Aug. 22), The Chicks opened the primetime portion with the National Anthem and P!nk wailed a heart-wrenching version of “What About Us” alongside her talented daughter, Willow Sage.
Led by Harris’ adoption of Charli XCX‘s brat aesthetic in the earliest moments of her presidential campaign, the 2024 election cycle has become incredibly intertwined with pop music. That trend continued at the DNC, with the campaign’s official anthem — Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar‘s 2016 duet “Freedom”– blaring through the speakers what felt like every five minutes. Jon Batiste’s “Freedom” — a cut from 2021’s We Are, which made him the first Black artist in 14 years to win the album of the year Grammy — also played before and after every campaign ad aired as an interlude between speakers. From the delightfully zany roll call to the “surprise appearance” that never happened, the DNC was a large-scale demonstration of how music and pop celebrity can be wielded by politics that placate at best and pedal platitudes and paltry promises at worst.
Here are the five best moments of the 2024 Democratic National Convention.
Common Puts On For Chi-Town
Cold Chisel carves out another leader on Australia’s albums chart, as the homegrown rock legends blast to No. 1 with 50 Years – The Best (via Cold Chisel/Universal Music Australia).
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The career retrospective is Chisel’s sixth chart-topper and 18th top 10 appearance on the albums tally.
Formed in Adelaide, South Australia back in 1973, Chisel is the prototype Aussie rock band, both a household name and a national treasure. The band was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 1993, and frontman Jimmy Barnes was inducted as a solo artist in 2005.
With this latest chart champ, Barnes extends his lead as the artist with the all-time collection of ARIA No. 1s at 21, a tally that includes 15 solo best-sellers.
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The result is a welcome tonic for Barnes, who is recovering following another trip to the operating theater, and a cause for celebration for the Australian music industry. 50 Years – The Best is the fourth consecutive No. 1 on the ARIA Chart by an Australian act, following new releases from Lime Cordiale, Tones & I, and Amy Shark.
The latest ARIA chart, published Friday, Aug, 23, marks the longest run for local acts at No. 1 since late 2020, when Midnight Oil, Kylie Minogue and AC/DC reigned for a combined six weeks, ARIA notes.
You’d have to go back almost a decade, to 2015, for the last time when four or more different Aussie acts consecutively ruled the chart. On that occasion, Parkway Drive, triple j Like A Version 11, Boy & Bear, Hillsong and 5 Seconds Of Summer did so, for a five-week stretch.
“It’s a big day for chart numbers,” comments ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd. “Huge congratulations to Cold Chisel for a phenomenal sixth No. 1 and 18th top 10 album. It’s an extremely exclusive club of artists who can rival the band’s storied legacy and impact on Australian music over 50 years. Congratulations again to the band, their team and everyone who has contributed to such a triumph.”
Chisel will dish out the hits on a 50th anniversary national tour later in the year, The Big Five-0, which sold over 200,000 tickets sold in a matter of hours, reps say.
Coming in at No. 2 is Post Malone with his first collaboration-stacked country album, F-1 Trillion (Universal).
It’s Posty’s seventh top 10 in Australia, after Stoney (No. 5 in 2016), Beerbongs & Bentleys (No. 1 in 2018), Hollywood’s Bleeding (No. 1 in 2019), Twelve Carat Toothache (No. 2 in 2022), Austin (No. 2 in 2022) and The Diamond Collection (No. 3 in 2023).
Completing the top three is Billie Eilish’s former leader Hit Me Hard Hit Me Soft (Interscope/Universal), down 2-3.
Also new to the chart is Falling In Reverse with U.S. rock band’s fifth studio album Popular Monster (Epitaph Records/RKT). It arrives at No. 8, their career equal-best chart position (Just Like You also peaked at No. 8 in 2015).
Meanwhile, Eilish’s hit “Birds Of A Feather” holds at No. 1 on the ARIA Singles Chart, ahead of Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” (unchanged at No. 2 via Empire) and Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen’s “I Had Some Help” (Universal), up 5-3.
Finally, the top new release on the ARIA Singles Chart — indeed, the only new release in the top 50 — belongs to Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, as their duet “Die With A Smile” debuts at No. 10.
R&B icon Usher finally launched his Past Present Future tour with two sold-out performances at Washington D.C.’s Capital One Arena on Aug. 20 and 21.
The tour’s launch followed a brief delay caused by a neck injury Usher sustained during rehearsals, which led to the postponement of the initial three shows in Atlanta that were originally scheduled for mid-August.
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The multiaward-winning artist performed a two-hour set on both nights, mixing hits from his 30-year career with tracks from his latest album, Coming Home. The setlist included “Yeah!,” “Confessions,” “U Remind Me,” and “U Don’t Have to Call,” alongside new songs “Good Good” and “Risk It All.”
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On night two, Usher brought out D.C. artists as special guests. Rapper Wale performed “The Matrimony” and “No Hands,” R&B singer Raheem DeVaughn sang “You,” and E.U.’s Sugar Bear led the crowd through the go-go hit “Da’ Butt.”
The Past Present Future tour continues with two shows at Baltimore’s CFG Bank Arena on Aug. 23 and 24 before heading to major cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. The tour will circle back to Atlanta in December for the rescheduled performances on Dec. 9, 10, and 12 at State Farm Arena, giving fans another opportunity to see Usher live.
Following the U.S. leg, Usher will take the tour to Europe, starting with an eight-night residency at London’s O2 Arena on Mar. 29, 2025. The European leg includes performances in Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin.
The tour follows Usher’s standout performance at the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show in February, where he was joined by artists like Alicia Keys, H.E.R., and Ludacris.
Adding to the Usher-mania, his concert film, USHER: RENDEZVOUS IN PARIS, is also set to be screened in about 2,000 theaters worldwide from Sept. 12 to 15, offering fans an immersive look at the “U Got It Bad” singer’s recent work.
Earlier this month, Usher issued a statement to social media apologizing to fans for delaying the tour.
“My hope was that with physical therapy and medical treatment, I would be able to overcome the injury and be ready for opening night,” he explained in his Aug. 15 statement. “Unfortunately, the injury has not healed yet, and my doctors have instructed me not to perform any shows this week.”
He continued, “You’re still going to get a bit of the past, some of the present and a unique look into the future on the rescheduled date but you’ll also be getting 100% of me. The last thing I want to ever do is disappoint you, the fans who have been eagerly waiting for this tour to start.”
“However, I wouldn’t be the entertainer that I am if I can’t physically give you my best. My team will be sharing news of the rescheduled date soon. I can’t wait to celebrate this legacy with you.”
Annie Clark, known to the world as St. Vincent, has never been one to play it safe, and her seventh studio album All Born Screaming is no exception.
While All Born Screaming is unmistakably a St. Vincent album, Clark’s keen ear for talent has brought some serious star power into her orbit.
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At the top of the list? None other than drum legend and Foo Fighters frontman, Dave Grohl, whose thunderous beats grace two tracks on the album, “Broken Man” and “Flea.”
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“Dave Grohl is a buddy, and he’s, well, Dave Grohl,” Clark told Rolling Stone AU/NZ as she prepares to head Down Under for ALWAYS LIVE 2024. “I thought, ‘What if fucking Dave Grohl played on this song?’ Then I remembered, oh, I can hit him up, you know? He was totally down, so generous and cool, and just came over to my studio and killed it.”
For the multitalented artist, Grohl’s contribution wasn’t just an exciting feature—it was a full-circle moment that bridged her past and present.
“He’s the best. I mean, he’s everything you want him to be,” St. Vincent enthused. “I wouldn’t be playing if it wasn’t for the music of Dave Grohl and Nirvana, so it’s really full circle.”
But the drumming deity isn’t the only notable name to make an appearance on All Born Screaming. She also welcomed contributions from a host of talented musicians, including Rachel Eckroth, Josh Freese, and Justin Meldal-Johnsen.
St. Vincent also spoke highly of the creative synergy she shared with singer-songwriter Cate Le Bon on the album’s title track.
“Cate’s one of my best friends and, honestly, my favorite modern songwriter,” she revealed.
“I was really at a point in making the record where I was close to being done but just burnt out. I brought Cate in to play bass on some songs and sing and just get her take on it. She was so helpful.”
As the mastermind behind All Born Screaming, Clark also took on the role of producer for the first time, navigating the challenges of wearing multiple hats. “It’s not for the faint of heart,” she confesses. “You wrestle with ego, you wrestle with self-doubt, you wrestle with all kinds of things.”
St. Vincent has consistently made her mark on the Billboard 200 with several of her albums. Her 2009 album Actor reached No. 90, followed by Strange Mercy in 2011, which climbed to No. 19. In 2012, her collaboration with David Byrne, Love This Giant, peaked at No. 23. Her self-titled album St. Vincent in 2014 reached No. 12, and Masseduction in 2017 peaked at No. 10.
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For a year that has featured a mind-boggling number of major album releases, from Taylor Swift to Beyoncé to Billie Eilish to Ariana Grande, pop music in 2024 has, surprisingly enough, been more clearly defined by smaller artists rising to meet their respective moments. We’ve seen it play out with Charli xcx over the course of Brat Summer, Chappell Roan as her audiences have ballooned to watch her seize festival stages, and Tinashe while “match my freak” has become common parlance.
And now, after Sabrina Carpenter joined pop’s A-list thanks to the back-to-back explosions of “Espresso” and “Please Please Please,” new album Short n’ Sweet is a moment that’s perfectly timed, highly anticipated, and entrusted with lofty expectations.
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Plenty of signs existed that Carpenter, a Disney Channel veteran who released four studio albums on Disney-owned Hollywood Records, was a special talent prior to “Espresso” becoming her first top 10 hit in April. Her 2022 album Emails I Can’t Send demonstrated a natural understanding of pop songwriting and vocal nuance, and was one of that year’s strongest pop projects. Yet Short n’ Sweet comfortably surpasses its predecessor by simultaneously expanding Carpenter’s sound and drilling down on the qualities that make her such a singular top 40 talent.
Carpenter tosses out shimmery hooks that stick in your brain and cheeky phrases that you’ll want to share with your friends — get ready for “bed chem” and “Juno” to turn into slang — but as her sexuality has become a bigger part of her musical identity, her romantic subjects have also become more fleshed-out, and her self-examinations more poignant. Meanwhile, the bubblegum riffs on Emails have deepened into explorations of country, rock, folk and R&B in ways that speak to an inherent curiosity yet never stray too far away from what Carpenter does best.
She has more radio-ready darts to throw, with the dazzling “Taste” appearing to be next up — but the finger-picked woe of “Slim Pickins” and the rhythmic bounce of “Good Graces” push Carpenter into bold new territory, and make for a more comprehensive full-length. Working with studio vets like Jack Antonoff, Amy Allen, Julia Michaels and Julian Bunetta, Carpenter has assembled a team of confidantes that know how to navigate an unfamiliar shade and maximize a refrain — and at 12 songs, Short n’ Sweet breezes by, a well-oiled machine without a uneven track in the bunch.
We shall see how many more hits Carpenter scores off of Short n’ Sweet, after already collecting two off of its track list. Regardless of which songs go viral or cross over to radio, though, the singer has unveiled one of the most accomplished pop albums of the year, making good on years of potential with a definitive statement. Consider the moment met.
We’re still digging into the Short n’ Sweet track list, but here is a breakdown and preliminary ranking of all 12 songs on Sabrina Carpenter’s latest:
“Slim Pickins”
Travis Scott re-released his second mixtape Days Before Rodeo for its 10th anniversary on Friday (Aug. 23). Days Before Rodeo was originally released on Aug. 18, 2014, via Grand Hustle Records. The 12-track project includes the singles “Don’t Play” featuring The 1975 and Big Sean, and “Mamacita” featuring Rich Homie Quan and Young Thug. Thug […]
08/23/2024
See how we broke down every track from Wilson’s new album.
08/23/2024
Lainey Wilson, one of country music’s brightest stars, is back with her latest album, Whirlwind, released today (Aug. 23) via BBR Music Group/BMG.
The album follows her critically acclaimed 2022 project Bell Bottom Country, which took home the Grammy for Best Country Album.
Whirlwind features 14 tracks, including standout singles “4x4xU” and “Ring Finger,” showcasing Wilson’s signature blend of storytelling and Southern charm.
The album also includes a collaboration with Miranda Lambert on the track “Good Horses,” a track that reflects the pull between life on the road and the comforts of home that was written at Lambert’s farm.
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“Miranda said, ‘Come hang out and take a nap. Me and Brendan [McLoughlin, Lambert’s husband] will feed you and then maybe we can write a song.’ They made burgers and pasta, we had everything,” Wilson told Billboard in a recent interview.
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“I had this [song] idea for quite a while and a lot of people had passed us up on writing it. Looking back on it, I’m glad they did because it was supposed to be us who wrote it together. But I think the magic kind of came from me and her having a lot in common when it comes to that love of the road, having a gypsy soul.”
Fans can expect a mix of emotions and experiences throughout the album, as Wilson digs deep into her life, love, and career.
“For this, it had to be quality over quantity. I couldn’t write 200 songs to get to my 14 [songs on Whirlwind]. I had to map out what I want to share, where do I want to get vulnerable, and really figure out the message I want to bring,” about the writing process for Whirlwind.
Wilson has been on a roll lately, earning accolades such as CMA Entertainer of the Year, ACM Entertainer of the Year, and a recent induction into the Grand Ole Opry.
Stream Lainey Wilson’s Whirlwind in full below.