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It’s been seven long years since the release of DJ Koze’s brilliant and beloved 2018 album Knock Knock, with his followup, Music Can Hear Us, released April 4 of the German wizard’s own Pampa Records label.
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The project’s 15 tracks are classic Koze — music that feels at once totally organic and deeply considered, weaving in acoustic guitar, hand drums and bird calls while occasionally veering into dancefloor territory, but altogether equally as well-suited to a soundbath.
Featuring collaborations with artists including Damon Albarn, Sofia Kourtesis, Marley Waters and Ada and Sophia Kennedy (the latter two both Pampa Records signees), the project extends and expands Koze’s reputation as a sort of sage of electronic music, an artist who exists within the genre, but doesn’t always necessarily seem of it. It comes ahead of DJ Koze sets at summer festivals including Barcelona’s Primavera Sound in June and San Francisco’s Outside Lands this August.
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Here, the artist born Stefan Kozalla engages in a characteristically existential conversation about the right setting in which to listen to Music Can Hear Us, the proudest moments of his career so far and more.
1. Where are you in the world right now, and what’s the setting like?
I am everywhere and nowhere, floating in the echo chamber of creation. The sun hums the rhythm, the moon sips the bassline.
2. What is the first album or piece of music you bought for yourself, and what was the medium?
The first music I did not buy, only receive. Sound is a gift from the universe, in my case from my mother, who sang me a lullaby while holding me against her chest.
3. What did your parents do for a living when you were a kid, and what do or did they think of what you’ve done and do now?
My father was an attorney, sharp with words and justice, while my mother was a midwife, bringing new life into the world. They saw me weaving rhythms out of thin air and said, “You’re an attorney of sound, defending truth with every beat, and a midwife to melody, helping music be born.“ I’m still Koze from da block.
4. What is the first non-gear thing you bought for yourself when you started making money as an artist?
The first thing I bought was a pair of shoes to walk a little further, a book to open my mind wider, and a Tascam 4 track to capture the thoughts that danced in my head.
5. If you had to recommend one album for someone looking to get into dance music, what would you give them?
Matthew Herbert’s Bodily Functions from 2001 is a truly unique album that blends house music with deep conceptual exploration.
6. What’s the last song you listened to?
“Remember to Remember” from Rick Holme.
7. If, as you say, Music Can Hear Us, what exactly does it hear?
Music hears everything — the heart, the soul, the past, the future. It hears thoughts before they are spoken.
8. Seriously though, please tell me the story behind or meaning of that album title?
Nothing to add.9. I know you remixed Gorillaz’s “Humility” in 2018. Did that lead to Damon Albarn being on your album? Or if not, how did he end up on “Pure Love“?
Yes, the reincarnation of the old song was the birth of the new song.
10. Please, tell the story behind the name of “The Talented Mr. Tripley.” Does the title in any way nod to the song’s inspiration?
Mr. Tripley is a man with three faces — one for truth, one for lies, one for the space in between. It’s what you don’t hear or tell in a song that’s important!
11. What does success for the new album look like for you?
Success is making hearts resonate, not numbers.
12. Do you feel like there’s an ideal setting for it to be played in? Do you have recommendations for listeners, in terms of an optimal experience?
Play it in the desert at sunrise, play it underwater so the fish can listen, play it in a dark room with only a candle and the spirit beside you.
13. Pampa Records signees Ada and Sophia Kennedy are on the album. What is the label’s prevailing philosophy and approach?
Pampa Records is like a spaceship flying through sound, piloted by the rhythm itself. No borders, no walls—only music in its purest form.
14. The album cover art is gorgeous. What’s the story behind it?
The album cover art is truly special. My girlfriend, Gepa Hinrichsen, loves to paint with oils. She is my favorite painter. I feel incredibly lucky that her beautiful creations help to visualize the music, weaving together sound and vision in a way that transcends the ordinary.
15. In the sprawling world of electronic music and DJ culture, what pocket do you feel most connected to and comfortable in?
A little sparrow, who comes and goes, never staying too long but always leaving a trace of light and freedom.
16. What are the proudest moments of your career thus far?
The proudest moments of my career are when I see my work resonate with others. When someone tells me my music has sparked something in them or helped them navigate a difficult moment, I know I’m doing something meaningful. It’s those genuine connections that make it all worthwhile.
17. And what are you currently finding most challenging?
Maintaining a positive mindset amidst the cacophony of malicious men’s voices around us.
18. What’s the best business decision you’ve ever made?
To work together with my lovely problem solver, my manager Patric.
19. Who’s been your greatest mentor and what’s the best advice they ever gave you?
My dear wife: always s–t on the same pile please, but the s–t itself can always be different.
20. What’s one piece of advice you’d give your younger self?
Don’t fear the fire — become it.
While Ye (formerly Kanye West) has continued to badger J. Cole and his music, the North Carolina rapper took the high road during his set at Dreamville Festival 2025 on Sunday night (April 6). Cole saluted the embattled rapper ahead of performing “Work Out,” which samples Yeezy’s “The New Workout Plan” off his acclaimed The […]
Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile” scores a 15th week atop the Billboard Global 200 chart. The song also rebounds for a 12th week atop the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. survey. The ballad first led both lists last September.
Plus, Ariana Grande’s “Twilight Zone” debuts in the top 10 of both rankings.
The Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts, which began in September 2020, rank songs based on streaming and sales activity culled from more than 200 territories around the world, as compiled by Luminate. The Global 200 is inclusive of worldwide data and the Global Excl. U.S. chart comprises data from territories excluding the United States.
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Chart ranks are based on a weighted formula incorporating official-only streams on both subscription and ad-supported tiers of audio and video music services, as well as download sales, the latter of which reflect purchases from full-service digital music retailers from around the world, with sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites excluded from the charts’ calculations.
“Die With a Smile” continues atop the Global 200 with 95.1 million streams (down 1% week-over-week) and 6,000 sold (essentially even) worldwide March 28-April 3. At 15 weeks, the song ties for the second-longest No. 1 run since the chart began:
19 weeks at No. 1, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey (2020-25)
15 weeks, “Die With a Smile,” Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars (2024-25)
15 weeks, “As It Was,” Harry Styles (2022)
14 weeks, “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus (2023)
12 weeks, “APT.,” ROSÉ & Bruno Mars (2024-25)
11 weeks, “Stay,” The Kid LAROI & Justin Bieber (2021)
“APT.” holds at No. 2 on the Global 200; Alex Warren’s first top 10 on the chart, “Ordinary,” climbs 5-3 for a new high; Doechii’s “Anxiety” dips to No. 4 from its No. 3 best; and Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather” rises 6-5 following three weeks at No. 1 last August.
Ariana Grande’s “Twilight Zone” journeys into a wondrous land known as the Global 200’s top 10 – signpost up ahead: No. 7. It starts with 43.2 million streams and 6,000 sold worldwide. Her seventh top 10 on the survey was newly released on the Brighter Days Ahead reissue of her 2024 album Eternal Sunshine, which blasts back to No. 1 on the U.S.-based Billboard 200.
“Die With a Smile” rebounds a spot for a 12th week at No. 1 on Global Excl. U.S. with 76.7 million streams (down 1%) and 3,000 sold (on par with a week earlier) outside the U.S.
“APT.” slips to No. 2 after a record 19 weeks atop Global Excl. U.S., beginning last September; “Ordinary” jumps 6-3 for a new best, after becoming Warren’s first top 10; JENNIE’s “like JENNIE” drops to No. 4 from its No. 3 high; and “Anxiety” falls 4-5 after reaching No. 3.
Plus, “Twilight Zone” debuts at No. 8 on Global Excl. U.S. with 27.3 million streams and 2,000 sold outside the U.S., becoming Grande’s seventh top 10.
The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts (dated April 12, 2025) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, April 8. For both charts, the top 100 titles are available to all readers on Billboard.com, while the complete 200-title rankings are visible on Billboard Pro, Billboard’s subscription-based service. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.
Three months after dropping his prideful and tropical-leaning set DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, Bad Bunny visited the NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C., for his Tiny Desk debut.
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Surrounded by seven musicians — cuatros and congas in the mix — the Puerto Rican artist kicked off the nearly 35-minute set with his holiday-themed “Pitorro de Coco.” “I swear I didn’t know there were going to be so many people here … and even a few Puerto Ricans. The next song is so that — I don’t know how many people travel to Puerto Rico – I can take you there,” the artist said before performing a saucy plena version of his hard-hitting perreo “Voy A Llevarte Pa PR.”
Sipping coffee, vibing with the musicians and connecting with the intimate crowd, the artist born Benito Martínez Ocasio performed a bolero-version of “Kloufrens” before joking about the school desk he was sitting on. “I don’t know whose idea it was to give me this desk. It was mine, and I’m starting to regret it,” he laughed.
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He then performed the somber “Lo Que Le Paso A Hawaii,” telling the audience that he wrote this song after dreaming about it. “The song didn’t let me go back to sleep, so I wrote it completely and that’s when I fell asleep,” he shared. After the tune, he admitted to having rehearsed the song outside of the White House before the Tiny Desk concert.
“The next song is not a song, it’s not a movie, it’s true … I think my story comes from the same place that many of ours come from. We’re proud to bring our music and culture to the whole world,” he said before delivering the salsa-heavy “La Mudanza,” during which each of his musicians flaunted their vibrant solos.
After telling heartfelt and witty anecdotes, Bunny and his colleagues proudly chanted the song’s popular line “yo soy de P f–king R!” before an impromptu and quick grand finale of the album’s title track, “DTMF.”
The 17-track set, released on Día de Reyes (Three Kings Day) on Jan. 5, hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Currently, the album is in its 12th week at No. 1 on the Top Latin Albums chart. Meanwhile, the title track, “DTMF,” is No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs and Latin Streaming Songs; and “Baile Inolvidable” tops the Tropical Airplay chart.
Watch his full Tiny Desk concert below:
Benny Blanco is just as confused as others are about having been mixed up with Bad Bunny at the 2025 Oscars.
About a month after a photo of himself and his superstar fiancée walking the red carpet at this year’s awards was mistakenly captioned “Selena Gomez and Bad Bunny” on The Academy’s official X account, the producer swung by The Jennifer Hudson Show Monday (April 7) and revealed that he had no idea the snafu occurred — but he isn’t complaining.
“They did?” he replied incredulously when Jennifer Hudson informed him that he’d been confused for the Puerto Rican superstar. (The post was quickly edited to correctly state Blanco’s name, though screenshots and replies immortalize the hilarious oopsie.)
“I like that,” the “Eastside” musician continued, laughing. “What do you mean? He’s so hot! I’ll take it, I’ll take it. What do you mean?”
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“Look at how pretty he is — are you kidding?” Blanco added, looking at a photo of the “Titi Me Pregunto” displayed behind him. “Yeah, I’m Bad Bunny now.”
The producer’s visit to the talk show comes just a couple weeks after the March 21 release of his and Gomez’s joint album, I Said I Love You First, which recently debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The couple attended the 2025 Oscars together earlier that month in honor of Emilia Pérez, in which the Only Murders in the Building actress starred. The film had received 13 nominations, including best picture, which ultimately went to Anora.
Of attending the ceremony, Blanco told Hudson, “Every woman deserves a Purple Heart for going — you guys gotta get ready, it’s so much, it’s so long.”
“That dress weighed 35 pounds!” the hitmaker added, pointing to a phot of himself and Gomez on the red carpet. “And when we were traveling there, she couldn’t sit down — she had to stand up in the car, and a man is sewing her in!”
Speaking of fancy occasions, Blanco also shared the special celebration he planned for his 37th birthday last month. “Selena had never been to a prom before, so I thought I’d throw us a prom for my birthday,” he said, smiling. “She didn’t even know. She was like, ‘What am I supposed to wear? What am I supposed to do?’ It was like she was really going to prom. I got her a little corsage.”
Watch a clip of Blanco’s Jennifer Hudson Show interview above.
Drake made Justin Bieber’s hotline bling, but there was no reply. The 6 God is claiming that Biebs didn’t respond to his message regarding a potential collaboration on Instagram over the weekend. Drizzy dropped a comment in Bieber’s Instagram post on Sunday (April 6), which saw the “Baby” singer asking his peers to shoot him […]
SXSW London announced the initial batch of showcasing performers for the first-ever U.K. edition of the iconic music festival on Monday morning (April 7). Taking place from June 2-7 in Shoredictch, U.K., the event will feature sets from Mabel, Alice Glass, Sasha Keable, Miraa May and NAO, who will take the stage at more than a dozen venues, including Shoreditch Town Hall, Notion, Soul Surge, The Blues Project, Village Underground, Strongroom Bar, 93 Feet East, XOYO, Brick Lane Tap House, Colours, Juju’s and Jaguar Shoes, among others.
Among the other 100 Afrobeats, dancehall, blues, drill, drum & bass, dub, electronic, folk, funk, grime, hip-hip, jazz, metal, rock and soul acts from around the world slated to perform are: Aja Ireland, Ace Clvrk, Anthonia, Balter, Bemz, Benefits, Bison Rogue, Caleb Kunle, Cheb Mimo, Clara Serra Lopez, Coco & Breezy, Demae, Emmeline, Freddie Lewis, Gender Crisis, Gia Ford, Heartworms, Hiba, Hot Face, Hunnid22, Joejas, Kanis, Last Nubian, Lostchild, Mace the Great, Myylo, Nicole Blakk Sola Akingbola, The Deep, TwstXav and Zems, among many others.
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In addition to the traditional mix of music from all over the world offered at the annual fest in Austin, TX, the first-ever U.K. edition will feature conference programming covering the intersection of AI technology and human creativity and the crafting of branded product experiences, as well as the SXSW London Screen Festival, with appearances from actress Gillian Anderson and screenings of upcoming films and TV series.
Among the other musical acts slated to perform at the event that will feature such themes as “Diasporic Electronica,” “Independent Spirit” and “Future Sounds” are: Blasé, Cooper T, Deca Ota, El Combo De London, Gbrl Prkfv Ensemble, Ivy Lab, Jaz Elise, Korda Korder, Lewis G Burton, Majur, Mayelli, Micromoon, Montanera, Polldarier, Ras-I, Sarah Angel, Sean Focus, Tatyana, SophieGrey and Werkha, among others.
“One of the things I love most about London is that you can step out of any tube station and find yourself in a distinct community,” said SXSW London head of music Adem Holness in a statement. “That’s exactly how I want our festival to feel — each of our music venues will be a gateway into a different international new music scene. We’re collaborating with the most exciting pioneers in underground music movements to present the future of music from their unique perspectives, and I’m beyond excited by the artists they’ve chosen to platform.”
Three-day passes are available now here, with music wristbands slated to go on sale on April 14.
Billboard’s parent company PMC is the largest shareholder of SXSW and its brands are official media partners of SXSW.
“I’m working late, ’cause I’m a singer,” Sabrina Carpenter croons on “Espresso.” And with an avatar of the pop star coming to Fortnite Festival, fans can now experience what that’s like, too. As announced Monday (April 7), Carpenter is the game’s icon for season eight — which starts April 8 — meaning players can virtually […]
Jennifer Lopez is hitting the road this year, making her first official stop in Spain. Jenny from the Block announced dates to her Up All Night Live in 2025 stint on Monday (April 7), teasing an electrifying show during which she’ll be performing some of the biggest hits of her career. “To all my international […]
Founding Blondie drummer Clem Burke died on Sunday (April 6) at age 70. The group announced the passing of their longtime bandmate on Monday morning (April 7), writing, “it is with profound sadness that we relay the news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Clem Burke following a private battle with cancer.”
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The statement continued: “Clem was not just a drummer; he was the heartbeat of Blondie. His talent, energy, and passion for music was unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable. Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off the stage. His vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.”
Burke (born Clement Anthony Bozewski in Bayonne, N.J. on Nov. 24, 1954) joined punk/new wave pioneers Blondie in 1975, not long after the group was formed by singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein.
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Burke performed on all of Blondie’s albums, from their 1976 self-titled debut, to their breakthrough 1978 LP Parallel Lines (which featured their Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Heart of Glass”), 1979’s Eat to the Beat and 1980’s Autoamerican. He was behind the kit during a pivotal, world-changing time in mid-1970s New York when Blondie, along with The Ramones, Patti Smith, Talking Heads and Television, were regularly playing in such legendary bars as CBGB and Max’s Kansas City, setting the stage for the punk revolution in America, and across the world.
Following their string of hit albums, the band announced their split in late 1982 before getting the original members back together for a brief 1997 tour and then a world jaunt the next year and a new album, No Exit, in 1999. The group’s eighth studio album, The Curse of Blondie, dropped in 2003, followed by more touring and 2014’s Ghosts of Download album and their final known recorded set with Burke, 2017’s Pollinator LP.
With an exuberant, high-energy style influenced by the Who’s Keith Moon and Beatles’ Ringo Starr — he played left-handed on a right-handed kit just like Ringo — Burke told Tidal in 2022 that he never thought of his day job as work. “Especially when I do things with my friends and my little side projects that I have with various bands,” he said. “With drumming, you kind of have to keep doing it. You don’t really wanna lose your chops. You wanna be prepared to play when you have to play. So it works both ways. I help people out by playing with them, and they help me to keep my abilities together.”
He also noted in that interview that the thing that initially attracted him to Stein and Harry was that he was on a quest to find his David Bowie, Jim Morrison or Mick Jagger. “I was emphatic about that. I needed to work with people that I felt had that sort of charisma and creativity,” he said. “Debbie was amazing. You could sense that immediately. And I’m not talking about just her beauty. I’m just talking about her whole essence as a human being, as a person. I would put her on the same level as Bowie, as far as the things that she comes up with creatively.”
After Blondie’s split in 1982, Burke stayed very busy performing and recording with a wide variety of bands, including the Romantics, Pete Townshend, Iggy Pop, Plimsouls, Bob Dylan, the Eurythmics, Joan Jett, Wanda Jackson, Dramarama, Nancy Sinatra and Johnny Thunders. He even briefly filled in for a couple of gigs in 1987 for his pals in the Ramones under the stage name Elvis Ramone. During his eight-year (1980-1988) run with the Eurythmics, Burke performed on three albums with the group, including on their 1986 Grammy winning single “Missionary Man.”
He also teamed up in 1983 with another ’80s punk icon, former (and again) Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, to form the group Chequered Past with vocalist Michael Des Barres and bassist Tony Sales and former Blondie bassist Nigel Harrison. In keeping with his indefatigable work ethic and affection for fellow punk-era players, Burke formed another all-star group in 2011, the International Swingers, which featured another Sex Pistols refugee, bassist Glen Matlock, as well as Generation X guitarist James Stevenson and Supernaut singer Gary Twinn.
Burke is featured on all of the Blondie’s No. 1 hits, which also included “Call Me,” “The Tide Is High” and “Rapture,” providing whatever the songs needed, from funky disco-leaning rhythms to reggae, funk and pop beats. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006 alongside bandmates Harry, Stein, founding keyboardist Jimmy Destri and bassist Gary Valentine and guitarist Frank Infante.
In their tribute to their lost friend, Blondie honored Burke’s many side gigs, writing, “Clem’s influence extended far beyond Blondie. A self proclaimed ‘Rock & Roll survivalist,’ he played and collaborated with numerous iconic artists, including Eurythmics, Ramones, Bob Dylan, Bob Geldof, Iggy Pop, Joan Jett, Chequered Past, The Fleshtones, The Romantics, Dramarama, The Adult Net, The Split Squad, The International Swingers, L.A.M.F., Empty Hearts, Slinky Vagabond, and even the Go-Go’s. His influence and contributions have spanned decades and genres, leaving an indelible mark on every project he was a part of.”
The message ended with condolences for Burke’s family, friends and fans across the world. “His legacy will live on through the tremendous amount of music he created and the countless lives he touched,” Blondie said.
See Blondie’s post here and check out some of the classic tunes Burke played on below.
https://bsky.app/profile/blondieband.bsky.social/post/3lm7zdctjts2x
