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Last week, supergroup Band Aid – organized by Sir Bob Geldof and Ultravox’s Midge Ure – announced that they would be releasing an “ultimate mix” of festive charity single “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” for its 40th anniversary. The new release will feature vocals from across the four recorded versions from 1984, 1989, 2004 and 2014, including takes from Bono, George Michael, Harry Styles (as part of One Direction) and more.
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Ed Sheeran, who performed on the 2014 edition of the single alongside Coldplay, Sam Smith, Rita Ora and more, has since said that his vocals are being used without his permission on the latest remix.
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Writing on his Instagram Stories, Sheeran said, “My approval wasn’t sought on this new Band Aid 40 release,” Sheeran said. “Had I had the choice I would have respectfully declined the use of my vocals.”
He added: “A decade on and my understanding of the narrative associated with this has changed, eloquently explained by @fuseodg. This is just my personal stance, I’m hoping it’s a forward-looking one. Love to all x.”
Sheeran was quoting a post by Ghanian-English afrobeats musician Fuse ODG, who says he declined to take part in the Band Aid 30 version back in 2014. “I refused to participate in Band Aid because I recognised the harm initiatives like it inflict on Africa,” he wrote.
“While they may generate sympathy and donations, they perpetuate damaging stereotypes that stifle Africa’s economic growth, tourism, and investment, ultimately costing the continent trillions and destroying its dignity, pride and identity.”
He continued, “By showcasing dehumanizing imagery, these initiatives fuel pity rather than partnership, discouraging meaningful engagement. My mission has been to reclaim the narrative, empowering Africans to tell their own stories, redefine their identity and position Africa as a thriving hub for investment and tourism.”
“Today, the diaspora drives the largest funds back into the continent, not Band Aid or foreign aid providing that Africa’s solutions and progress lies in its own hands.”
The song was first released in 1984 following a report by the BBC into famine in Ethiopia, but has since been criticized as an example of white-savior narrative towards issues in Africa. Moky Makura, executive director of non-profit organization Africa No Filter writing in The Guardian that “[Live Aid’s] portrayal of Africa triggered the birth of a patronizing industry whose mission it was to ‘save Africa.’”
Over the weekend, Geldof responded to a report by New Zealand’s 1 News. “This little pop song has kept hundreds of thousands if not millions of people alive,” he said.
“In fact, just today Band Aid has given hundreds of thousands of pounds to help those running from the mass slaughter in Sudan and enough cash to feed a further 8,000 children in the same affected areas of Ethiopia as 1984.
“Those exhausted women who weren’t raped and killed and their panicked children and any male over 10 who survived the massacres and those 8,000 Tigrayan children will sleep safer, warmer and cared for tonight because of that miraculous little record.
“We wish that it were other but it isn’t. ‘Colonial tropes’, my arse.”
Billboard has contacted Band Aid for comment.
The annual Governor’s Awards, where honorary awards are presented by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, are usually a celebration. This year’s 15th edition was a happy occasion too, but it was muted by the fact that one of the honorees, Quincy Jones, died on Nov. 3, just two weeks before the awards […]
Over the weekend, The Kid LAROI took the stage at Nova’s Red Room for an intimate performance at Selina’s Sydney, the legendary venue nestled within Sydney’s Coogee Bay Hotel.
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Known for its history of hosting iconic acts such as Midnight Oil, INXS, Nirvana, and Foo Fighters, Selina’s provided the perfect setting for an evening that showcased the Gadigal-born artist’s talent and connection with fans.
LAROI opened the night with his latest track, “Baby I’m Back,” setting the tone for a stripped-back set that reimagined his chart-topping hits. “This is a little bit of a different show,” LAROI told the crowd, describing the performance as an opportunity to “have some fun” in a more intimate atmosphere.
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The intimate audience of just 500 were treated to performances of songs including “Girls,” “Nights Like This,” “Heaven,” and the emotional “Where Does Your Spirit Go?” Between tracks, LAROI engaged candidly with fans, sharing anecdotes and even surprising a few lucky attendees with ‘friends and family’ tickets to his upcoming Sydney show.
One of the most memorable moments came when LAROI performed his global hit “Stay,” asking the crowd, “Are there any Justin Bieber fans here?” Cheers erupted as he reflected on the collaboration. “It was a pleasure to write the track with Justin. I still like the song after three or four years, which is surprising,” he shared.
The night closed on a high note with a powerful rendition of “Love Again,” a standout from his 2023 debut album The First Time. Fans sang along to every lyric, underscoring the deep connection between the artist and his audience.
This performance comes just days before The Kid LAROI’s highly anticipated appearance at the 2024 ARIA Awards, where he is nominated in four major categories, including Best Solo Artist and Song of the Year for “Nights Like This.” The awards, set to take place on Nov. 20 at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion, will feature performances by fellow Australian artists CYRIL, Jessica Mauboy, Amy Shark, and Hall of Fame inductee Missy Higgins.
LAROI’s rise to global stardom has been extraordinary, marked by major Billboard milestones. In 2021, his collaboration with Justin Bieber, “Stay,” soared to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making him the youngest Australian artist and the first Indigenous Australian to reach the top spot.
That same year, his mixtape F— Love debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making him the youngest artist to achieve this since Billie Eilish in 2019 and the first Australian male solo act since Keith Urban in 2013.
Live from the Short n’ Sweet Tour, it’s Domingo.
On Sunday night (Nov. 17) at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, Sabrina Carpenter brought out a very special guest straight from Miami for her tour segment where she arrests a crowd member for being “too hot” ahead of her frisky song “Juno.” This time, it was Domingo, the seductive Saturday Night Live character played by Marcello Hernandez who originated in a viral sketch last month to the tune of Carpenter’s smash hit “Espresso.”
“My name’s Domingo,” Hernandez said from the crowd to wild cheers, after catching Carpenter’s attention. When Carpenter asks where he’s from (“I’m from Miami, baby,” he growls), she replies, “I wish you were from my bedroom.”
Hernandez then riffs off Carpenter’s lyrics yet again by paraphrasing the words to the saucy Short n’ Sweet cut “Bed Chem”: “I’m the cute boy with the blue jacket and the thick accent.”
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“Is there anything you want to say before I arrest you, Domingo?” Carpenter asks, which sends him straight back to that original SNL sketch: “Came all this way had to explain direct from Domingo/ Sabrina’s a friend, she’s like my sis… but I would hook up though.”
Domingo’s first appearance on SNL came Oct. 12 and featured host Ariana Grande singing an uncharacteristically out-of-tune bridesmaid group song. Carpenter reacted to the bit last month, joking on her Instagram Story alongside a clip: “Very nice and on pitch.” Sharing the singer’s appraisal on her own Instagram Story, Grande replied, “tysm we tried.”
Hernandez’s tour appearance was especially timely since Domingo resurfaced on the latest episode of the long-running comedy series Saturday night, when host Charli XCX starred in a new sketch set to Chappell Roan’s “Hot to Go” (“D-O-M-I-N-G-O” was a perfect fit all along).
Previously on the tour, Carpenter “arrested” Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown at her Atlanta stop, saying, “I’m really distracted right now because I see this gorgeous girl,” as she interacted with the actress on the big screen.
Sunday’s show was one of three stops for Carpenter’s tour in the Los Angeles area, starting Friday night at Crypto.com Arena – where she brought out Christina Aguilera for “What a Girl Wants” and “Ain’t No Other Man” – and wrapping Monday night back at the Forum.
Watch Carpenter’s moment with Domingo below:
Queen Bey is coming home for the holidays—and she’s trading the Super Bowl stage for an NFL Christmas Gameday spectacular. Beyoncé will headline the halftime show during the Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens game on Dec. 25, streaming live on Netflix from NRG Stadium in her hometown of Houston. The event will mark Beyoncé’s first […]
Jin‘s Happy tops this week’s new music poll.
Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (Nov. 15) on Billboard, choosing the BTS member’s debut EP as their favorite new music release of the past week.
The poll featured a strong competition from all genres, but Jin’s new collection especially inspired fans to make their choice heard, bringing in almost 83% of the vote. Voters this week chose Happy over new music releases from talent including Gwen Stefani, Tate McRae, Linkin Park, Shawn Mendes, Rauw Alejandro, Shaboozey, Lil Nas X and more.
Happy, the long-awaited set from the BTS superstar, has just six tracks, but it’s the longest listening experience fans have gotten from him yet; on his own Jin’s previously released singles only, making him the seventh and final member of BTS to put out a multi-song solo project.
“Putting the album together has allowed me to pause and reflect on just how much ARMY means to me,” Jin recently told Billboard. “As I worked on each track, I thought about what I wanted to convey to them, how I want to bring joy and happiness to them, while also expressing how much I missed them during our time apart.”
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Jin was referring to the break he had from music while completing his mandatory military service.
“Before enlisting,” he said, “I was focused mainly on our group activities, so a solo album didn’t feel right at the time. But with all the members now taking turns serving, it felt like the right time to share something personal with ARMY who have supported us all along. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I’ve enjoyed making it.”
Among the new music trailing behind Happy on this week’s poll is Gwen Stefani’s Bouquet, which came in second place, and Tate McRae’s “2 Hands,” which came in third.
See the final results of this week’s poll below, or here.
Take Our Poll
Canadian post-rock collective Godspeed You! Black Emperor have announced the postponement of the remaining dates of their U.S. tour following illness within the camp.
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The group’s label, Constellation Records, confirmed the news on social media on Sunday (Nov. 17), confirming that information regarding rescheduled dates will be forthcoming. The label also made a point to assuage fans’ fears, concluding with the phrase “Everything will be okay”.
The affected shows include scheduled dates in Saxapahaw, NC; Washington, D.C.; Brooklyn, NY; Norwalk, CT; Boston, MA; and Philadelphia, PA from Nov. 17 to Nov. 24 inclusive. Currently, the band’s tour is set to recommence on Nov. 25 with a show in their hometown of Montréal.
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News of the postponement comes just days after the band were forced to cancel dates Nashville, TN; Knoxville, TN; and Atlanta, GA due to a “band health situation”.
The group did return to the stage on Saturday (Nov. 16) with a show in Charleston, SC, though fan reviews indicated the band played a somewhat truncated set. A statement from Constellation Records indicates the canceled dates will hopefully be rescheduled for 2025.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor have been touring globally since February in support of their recently-released eighth album, “NO TITLE AS OF 13 FEBRUARY 2024 28,340 DEAD”. The record is the fourth to be released since the band’s 2010 reunion, having initially split in 2003 after nine years together.
Their first album post-reunion, 2012’s ‘Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!, became their highest-charting record in the U.S., reaching No. 45 on the Billboard 200, and also saw the band win the 2013 Polaris Prize.
In a statement following their win, the group explained that it would donate the entirety of their $30,000 Prize money to found and fund a program which will provide musical instruments to prisoners in Quebec, “if they need them.” The band also used the statement to criticize the corporate sponsorship of the Prize, in addition to its very existence within the “horrifying malaise” of the world.
A long awaited album from late rapper Mac Miller appears to be on the way, according to a new trailer.
The teaser was aired at Tyler, the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw festival in Los Angeles over the weekend, appearing before The Alchemist & Friends’ set on Saturday (Nov. 16).
The two-and-a-half minute trailer featured a series of animations and songs, finishing with a message that simply read “soon”. The image that accompanied this message was a painting of Miller by artist Alim Smith. Just weeks before Miller’s 2018 passing, Smith had posted an image in a similar style which the late artist commented on, writing “need this”.
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The project in question is Miller’s long-lost album Balloonerism, which had been recorded over a decade ago and was reportedly planned for release ahead of his 2014 mixtape, Faces.
While some debate has taken place in regard to whether the recorded songs were ever compiled and sequenced for intended release, or if the project ever actively got past its development phase, many of the songs associated with the project have however leaked over the years.
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Two of those songs – including the SZA-featuring “The Song That Changed Everything”, and “5 Dollar Pony Rides” – accompanied the teaser trailer when it was aired on Saturday.
Miller passed away in September 2018 at the age of 26, leaving behind a legacy which included six studio albums, 12 mixtapes, numerous singles, and even more guest appearances on songs with other artists.
His final album, 2018’s Swimming, was released just a month prior to his passing. In 2020, Miller’s estate released the posthumous record Circles, which had reportedly been planned as a companion piece to Swimming. Both records received widespread critical acclaim, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 upon their respective releases.
In March 2023, Madlib confirmed he was in the process of finishing up an unreleased collaboration with Miller, while in March 2024, Miller’s song “The Quest” was released to streaming following its arrival on the Watching TV With the Sound Off 10-year anniversary vinyl the previous year.
The second day of the 2024 Corona Capital Festival on Saturday (Nov. 16) turned into a multi-generational party that pleased the younger crowd with the high energy of Shawn Mendes, and the contemporary adult audience with the post-punk and Britpop of New Order and Travis. Amidst this, American singer-songwriter St. Vincent settled an old debt […]