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Michael Clifford, the lead guitarist of Australian pop-rock outfit 5 Seconds of Summer, has become the latest member of the band to embark on a solo career, with debut single “Cool” launching his new journey.
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The track follows in much the same vein as what fans of 5 Seconds of Summer may have expected from a Clifford solo venture, with “Cool” capturing the polished rock sound he’s become associated with and pairing it with more introspective songwriting.
“This song speaks for itself, and my hope is that when fans hear the lyrics, they’ll understand me and hopefully themselves a little better,” Clifford said in a statement. “I’ve been deliberating on this music long enough, so I can’t wait for everybody to hear it— and ‘cool’ is just the beginning of what’s to come.
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“I want this project to make people smile,” he added. “I’m just out here doing a bunch of sidequests. Now that I’m a dad, everything other than that feels like a sidequest!”
Released via the pop-punk label Hopeless Records, “Cool” is a taster of Clifford’s forthcoming debut album, SIDEQUEST, which will be detailed at length in the near future. The track was co-written by Clifford alongside his bandmate Calum Hood, and features co-production from acclaimed musicians JT Daly and Andrew Goldstein. It also comes accompanied by a Bobby Hanaford-directed music video.
5 Seconds of Summer first formed in Sydney, Australia in 2011 and released their self-titled debut album in 2014. All five of the band’s albums have peaked atop the Australia ARIA charts, while only 2020’s Calm and 2022’s 5SOS5 prevented the same feat on the Billboard 200, with the records reaching a very respectable peak of No. 2.
Members of the six-time ARIA Award-winning group began launching solo careers following the release of Calm, with drummer Ashton Irwin releasing his Superbloom album in 2020, with second album Blood on the Drums arriving in July 2024.
Vocalist and rhythm guitarist Luke Hemmings would follow suit in 2021 with his debut album When Facing the Things We Turn Away From, following it up with the Boy EP in April 2024. Currently, bassist Hood is the only member of the group to have not issued solo material, though he has been active in the fields of songwriting, composition, and production.
The Fulton County District Attorney’s Office has requested that Young Thug’s probation be revoked, according to a motion filed on Wednesday (April 3).
Thug (whose real name is Jeffery Williams) ended a lengthy criminal trial in October 2024 when he pleaded guilty to charges leveled against him. The case, built around Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) law, claimed that Thug and his alleged YSL gang had committed murders, carjackings, drug dealing and many other crimes.
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At the conclusion of the trial, Thug was sentenced to 40 years with five to be served in prison commuted to time served. As a result, he was given 15 years probation, with a further 20 to be commuted if successfully completed.
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However, a new motion has been filed in Fulton County Superior Court which has seen the State of Georgia request Whitaker revoke Thug’s probation, alleging that his “continued presence in the community under probationary supervision presents a clear and present danger to public safety and undermines the rule of law.”
Per Channel 2 Action News, the crux of the filing revolves around what prosecutors have labelled “escalating threats and witness intimidation.” They note that Fulton County Investigator Marissa Viverito is in the process of testifying in a “multi-defendant gang murder preliminary hearing” which has seen the Court order witnesses not to be shown on television while testifying. However, a user on social media posted an image of Viverito online with a caption stating, “She doesn’t want to be shown on screen? Well, here she is.”
On Tuesday (April 1), Thug is alleged to have shared a since-deleted repost the image, pairing it with a caption claiming “Marissa Viverito is the biggest liar in the DA’s office.” According to the filing, the post “quickly went viral,” resulting in over two million views, and resulting in “direct threats to Investigator Viverito and her family.”
The filing also claims that as a result of Thug sharing the post, the home addresses of Vivirito and her parents were distributed online, with one post reportedly sharing an image of Vivirito’s mother’s house and stating, “If the hate is really real then pull up on her mama crib.” Another post is alleged to have been shared later which threatened the assassination of District Attorney Fani Willis.
“The escalation from targeting a testifying witness to making a direct death threat against the elected District Attorney of Fulton County is a grave and unprecedented attack on the justice system,” the filing stated.
In response to the probation revocation request, Thug shared a statement on his X (formerly Twitter), writing, “I don’t make treats to people I’m a good person, I would never condone anyone threatening anyone or definitely participate in threatening anyone. I’m all about peace and love.”
The filing alleges that the behavior is a “calculated campaign of intimidation, harassment, and misinformation designed to undermine the legal process,” and have requested the Court take “swift and decisive action by revoking the Defendant’s probation and remanding them into custody without delay.”
Currently, no hearing date has been set. Meanwhile, Thug is scheduled to give his first performance following his trial in June as part of Chicago’s Summer Smash Festival.
Fans of English punk icons the Sex Pistols should temper their expectations when it comes to dreams of a reunion with vocalist Johnny Rotten, the singer says.
News of a tour from the Sex Pistols emerged in 2024 when it was first announced that the band – featuring original members Steve Jones, Paul Cook, and Glen Matlock – were to reunite for a two-night affair to benefit West London’s Bush Hall.
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Instead of Rotten (whose real name is John Lydon) taking on the role of frontman, the group was to feature Frank Carter, who has previously performed as the singer of acts such as Gallows, Pure Love and Frank Carter And The Rattlesnakes. As a result, the current version of the band is officially being billed as the ‘Sex Pistols Featuring Frank Carter.’
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Lydon has not been shy in regard to his opinions of the current lineup, however. Previously, he labelled the reunion tantamount to “karaoke,” while being far more straightforward with his opinions in other interviews.
“When I first heard that the Sex Pistols were touring this year without me it pissed me off,” he told British publication The i Paper. “It annoyed me. I just thought, ‘they’re absolutely going to kill all that was good with the Pistols by eliminating the point and the purpose of it all.’”
Now, Lydon addressed the notion as to whether a reunion with him behind the microphone would be a possibility at some point. However, he told PA (via The Independent) that after his legal disagreements with his bandmates over the usage of songs in the 2022 FX/Disney+ series Pistol, such a dream will remain unrealized for fans.
“Never, not after what I consider their dirty deeds, let them wallow in Walt Disney woke expectations,” he explained. “They’ve killed the content, or done their best to, and turned the whole thing into a rubbish, childishness, and that’s unacceptable.
“Sorry, I’m not going to give a helping hand to this any longer, as far as I am concerned, I am the Pistols, and they’re not.”
In a recent interview, Jones explained that Lydon wasn’t involved in any discussions about the nascent version of the band, conceding there would be no point in attempting to get him to join the band given their recent disagreements.
“I literally haven’t spoken to John since that last tour in 2008,” Jones explained. “I want to be clear, I’ve got nothing bad to say about John. I think he’s great; I love him. We had a great past and I’m just moving on from that. That’s all. It was just no fun anymore.”
The current iteration of the band recently announced a run of North American tour dates, which will launch in Dallas, TX on Sept. 16 and wrap in Los Angeles, CA one month later on Oct. 16.
Sex Pistols Featuring Frank Carter – North American Tour 2025
Sept. 16 – Longhorn Ballroom, Dallas, TXSept. 23 – 9:30 Club, Washington, DCSept. 26 – Fillmore, Philadelphia, PASept. 27 – TBD, Brooklyn, NYSept. 30 – Mtelus, Montreal, QCOct. 1 – History, Toronto, ONOct. 3 – Agora Theatre, Cleveland, OHOct. 4 – Fillmore, Detroit, MIOct. 7 – Fillmore, Minneapolis, MNOct. 10 – Mission Ballroom, Denver, COOct. 13 – Showbox SoDo, Seattle, WAOct. 15 – Warfield, San Francisco, CAOct. 16 – Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA
Billboard Women in Music 2025 The Weeknd added yet another music video to YouTube‘s Billion Views Club, as the “Call Out My Name” visual surpassed the milestone. The achievement marks the star’s sixth music video to surpass one billion views. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In […]
Johnny Tillotson, the Grammy-nominated country and pop singer behind the iconic hit, “Poetry In Motion,” died on Tuesday (April 1). He was 86 years old.
The star’s wife, Nancy, announced the news of his passing via post on Facebook. “It is with a broken heart that I write to let you know that the sweetest, kindest man I ever met Johnny Tillotson, left earth for Heaven yesterday,” she wrote alongside a sweet photo of the duo laughing together. “He was my best beloved, Champion of my realm, Knight of my heart. Someone said that sometimes right in the middle of an ordinary life you get a fairy tale. The day I met him I got mine. He was funny, generous and kind. A gentleman through and through. He loved and was grateful to his fans, as he once said, they made every dream I ever had come true. Once again on his behalf I say thank you for that.”
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She added, “Johnny will be missed every single day for the rest of my life. He was simply the best. With all the love I have in my heart for a wonderful man gone too soon from this world.”
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Tillotson was born in 1939 in Jacksonville, Florida, and was a talented singer since his childhood. He signed to Cadence Records, and issued his first single, “Dreamy Eyes” / “Well I’m Your Man” in September 1958 at just 19 years old.
After releasing a string of singles, Tillotson quickly became a teen idol. His biggest hit came just two years later in the form of 1960’s “Poetry in Motion,” which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.
Tillotson’s first Grammy nomination was for his 1962 track, “It Keeps Right on A-Hurtin’,” which was inspired by the terminal illness of his father. The song was nominated for best country and Western recording, and has since been covered by several other artists including Elvis Presley, Margaret Whiting, Slim Whitman and Wanda Jackson. The track peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 and No. 4 on the Hot Country Songs chart.
His second Grammy nomination was for his 1965 track, “Heartaches by the Number,” which received a nod for best vocal performance. The song peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and No. 35 on the Hot 100.
Overall, Tillotson was a mainstay on the Billboard charts. He achieved 25 entries and four top 10s on the Hot 100; five hits on Hot Country Songs; two hits on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and nine entries on Adult Contemporary.
Per Nancy’s Facebook post, Tillotson is survived by his wife, his brother Dan, his son John and stepdaughter Genevieve as well as his grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Billboard Women in Music 2025 Rubi Rose sat down with Bobbi Althoff’s The Really Good Podcast and made a shocking revelation. Rose — who models and sometimes raps — claimed that she makes around $400,000 in a “horrible month” on OnlyFans, and she does it by doing whatever her subscribers want her do, whether that […]
Billboard Women in Music 2025
Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.
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This week: An Amazon Prime season finale makes a 2020s streaming hit out of a 2010s alt-rock anthem, while Randy Travis’ eternal love song keeps on burning and Snoh Aalegra scores a long-overdue viral breakout.
‘Shine’ Bright: Mondo Cozmo Soars With ‘Reacher’ Synch
“Everything will be alright/ If you let it go,” Josh Ostrander, the singer-songwriter who records under the name Mondo Cozmo, sings on the chorus to his alt-folk anthem “Shine.” Released on his 2017 album Plastic Soul, “Shine” was a minor hit for Mondo Cozmo, climbing to the top of the Adult Alternative Songs airplay chart eight years ago; now, the track has resurfaced in a major way, after it was featured in the season 3 finale of the Amazon Prime Video smash Reacher, which was unveiled on Thursday (Mar. 27).
“Shine” earned 116,000 official on-demand U.S. streams in the first four days that the season finale was available(Mar. 27-30) — more than 1000% the total of the same four-day period during the previous week (9,900 streams from Mar. 23-26), according to Luminate. Meanwhile, “Shine” went from a negligible amount of sales during the previous the week to 2,400 downloads from Mar. 27-30, and nearly a week after the finale was released, the single remains the most-Shazamed song in the country. Even if “Shine” doesn’t receive a revival on the scale of Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill,” if the song’s streaming and sales total keeps pushing upward, Mondo Cozmo could make a return to the Billboard charts. – JASON LIPSHUTZ
“Forever and Ever,” Again – Randy Travis Country Classic Becomes Streaming-Era Hit
First released in 1987, “Forever and Ever, Amen” became not only a Country Songs-topping smash for Randy Travis, but an enduring standard and a signature song. While the song has never remained far from pop culture (and the country world in particular), in the past month it has taken on new life, both as the title of Travis’ recently announced upcoming biopic, and as the source of an emotional Carrie Underwood cover – both of which were revealed at the Grand Ole Opry last month, to very positive reception.
These new boosts, combined with the song’s lingering virality, have resulted in “Forever and Ever Amen” growing into a sizable streaming hit over the course of March. While the song was already racking up 1.8 million official on-demand U.S. streams for the final tracking week of February (ending Feb. 27), in the four weeks since that number has nearly doubled, as “Forever” amassed 3.5 million for the week ending March 27 – while the song’s digital sales have also exploded 565% for the same time period, to over 1,200.
If the song keeps growing, it could become a chart hit all over again – proving that the song really is as eternal as its title implies. – ANDREW UNTEREBRGER
Snoh Aalegra’s Has Her “Eyes” on TikTok Four Years After Song’s Release
Snoh Aalegra has been an R&B darling for years now, but “In Your Eyes” could land her a legitimate hit single. The groovy Neptunes-produced single is a deep cut from the Swedish singer’s 2021 Temporary Highs in the Violet Skies LP, which earned a best R&B album Grammy nod and peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard 200.
According to Luminate, streaming activity for “Eyes” has exploded nearly 540% over the next four weeks. Across the first few months of the year, the song naturally gained traction simply because users were discovering and vibing with it. On March 9, user @ruscowski11 posted a dance clip to “Eyes,” quickly kicking off a dance trend that spread to several different corners of the app. During the week of March 7-13, “Eyes” pulled 607,000 official on-demand U.S. streams, posting a 72% increase from the week prior, according to Luminate. In the first full week post-dance video (March 14-20), streams jumped a further 73%, topping out at 1.05 million streams. Last week (March 21-27), “Eyes” leapt another 51%, earning 1.59 million streams. The official “In Your Eyes” TikTok sound currently boasts over 62,000 clips on the platform.
Between Ravyn Lenae and Janet Jackson scoring viral TikTok hits in recent weeks, it looks like Snoh Aalegra is the latest to ride the app’s R&B wave. – KYLE DENIS
New Lingo, New Viral Track: Rob49 Scores Big With “WTHelly”
When Rob49 dropped “WTHelly” on March 21, the song earned 339,000 official on-demand U.S. streams in its first weekend of release (March 21-24). The following weekend (March 28-31), streaming activity for the song catapulted 373% to over 1.6 million streams.
The impetus? TikTok of course! Over the past week, Ro49’s new single has completely taken over the app, with users sharing their shock and amusement at the song’s outro. “What the helly?/ What the hellyanté?/ What the helly on?/ What the helly, Berry?/ What the helly, Burton?/ What the helly, ‘Bron James?/ What the helly Cyrus?” he spits, making a seemingly everlasting pun out of the phrase “what the helly,” a NOLA-steeped take on the more universal “What the Hell.” On TikTok, the song’s official sound has already earned a whopping 87,5000 clips, including several posts like Wiz Khalifa and Love Island star Leah Kateb.
With hits like “Wassam Baby” and “Trippin on a Yacht” already in the tuck, Rob49 is an eyeing another one with “WTHelly” — which has recently earned a Justin Bieber co-sign. – KD
Billboard Women in Music 2025
At this year’s Billboard Women in Music event, the Impact Award was presented by Bose, with music star Tyla as the recipient. The South African singer and songwriter was honored for her profound influence on the music industry, particularly for her role in spreading amapiano to global audiences.
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The “Water” singer’s recognition at the event followed the footsteps of previous Impact Award honorees such as Solange Knowles, Alicia Keys, Jessie Reyez, H.E.R., Becky G and Young Miko.
When accepting the award, she said, “In life, we all have a chance to pour into one another, whether it be something you say, a performance, a dance move — literally anything. We all have that chance, and you never know what might ignite in somebody and what that person will pass on to another.”
During the ceremony, Tyla also wowed the crowd with a live performance of her hit single “Push 2 Start.” The track has seen massive success, having topped the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart for an impressive 14 weeks. It also reached No. 2 on the World Digital Song Sales chart, further solidifying her position as one of the most exciting emerging artists in the international music scene.
In addition to Tyla’s celebration, the event also saw singer-songwriter Griff catch the attention of attendees as she wore a custom pair of Bose Ultra Open Earbuds designed by renowned jeweler Maggi Simpkins. Last year, Simpkins crafted a similar pair for Kenzie Ziegler, and this year, Griff’s earbuds were created with 14k solid yellow gold and a mix of natural and lab-grown diamonds totaling 2.18 carats. These pieces reflected the unique artistry of both Simpkins and Bose’s commitment to blending technology with style.
Griff took a moment on the red carpet to speak with Billboard News’ Rania Aniftos and social media personality Jazzy about her music and the custom earbuds, shedding light on her career and the creative process behind her sound.
As Tyla and Griff continue to make their mark on the industry, this year’s Billboard Women in Music ceremony highlighted the ever-growing influence of young female artists, the continued rise of amapiano, and the way music continues to serve as a vehicle for change and connection across the globe.
Billboard Women in Music 2025
Kid Capri is claiming he was never compensated for his alleged contribution to the Martin theme song, which he says uses his voice as a sample.
In an interview with the Bag Fuel podcast on Tuesday (April 1), Capri said the popular sitcom’s theme song, which was composed by Steve Keitt, used a sample of Capri’s voice from his time on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam. Capri said that his signature “Martin!” catchphrase was pulled without his permission.
“They took my voice from Def Comedy Jam, sampled it, put it on the Martin show,” Capri explained. “Never got no permission from me, never asked for my rights, nothing. This show been on eight different networks for 30 years. Now if it was a money thing for me, I would been like, ‘Yo where’s my bread?’ I ain’t never did that.”
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He went on to say that before the show’s reunion, Tisha Campbell, who played Martin Lawrence’s wife Gina Waters-Payne, went on Fox Soul and inquired about whether that was Kid Capri‘s voice heard on the iconic intro. But Martin himself denied that was Kid’s voice during his own appearance on the show.
“First of all, that was the dumbest s—t to say, everybody know it’s me,” Capri continued. “Number two, I got videos of this. Number three, all you had to say was, ‘Yo Kid, we used your s—t, is it aight? Here’s a bag.’ Or not.”
Capri added he hasn’t spoken to Martin about the matter, and that he has no plans to talk to the Bad Boys actor.
Regardless of whether the audio was lifted from Def Comedy Jam, it’s unclear whether Capri would have even needed to give legal permission in the first place, as HBO or one of the production companies behind Def Comedy Jam are likely the owner of the copyrights to the material that was sampled.
Billboard has reached out to Steve Keitt and Martin Lawrence’s team for comment.
The claim comes after Kid Capri made headlines last summer for criticizing Travis Scott over his interaction with a fan who wanted a photo. In a video of the incident, Scott appeared to push the fan’s arm out of the way, while saying, “Don’t touch me.”
“Ayo, Travis Scott, when did we start being disrespectful to kids, bruh?” Capri said after the video went viral. “Little kid asked you for an autograph, [you] pushed his hand away, looked at him like he was the devil and just walked away from him. At one time, you would’ve wanted somebody to ask you for an autograph or ask you for a picture or whatever it is he asked you for.”
Watch the full interview below.
Billboard Women in Music 2025
The calendar has turned to April. With quarter 1 of 2025 officially in the rear view, which was a busy three months in the hip-hop world, Billboard Unfiltered is back with a new episode on Wednesday (April 2).
The trio is joined by Hot 97 and proud Duke University hater Peter Rosenberg for the discussion, which touches on Drake’s “NOKIA” video and what it means for Kendrick Lamar, Mustard’s comeback, Ye’s interview with DJ Akademiks and more.
Directed by Theo Skudra and shot in IMAX, “Nokia” arrived on Monday in black-and-white, and some fans perceived certain scenes to be jabs at Lamar.
“I saw connections people were drawing, and it felt like a reach,” Rosenberg said. “It wasn’t enough to warrant major conversation to me.”
Rosenberg thinks Drake should continue to dish out the hits and shy away from the Kendrick Lamar snipes. “If I’m Drake, I’m probably staying away from the Kendrick stuff,” he said. “And focusing on this. No matter what people say about this man, the hits are coming. Drake is fully back on the Hot 100.”
The Hot 97 radio host called Mustard’s hot streak one of the “greatest comebacks” in music history after the producer helmed “Not Like Us” and then hit the stage at the Grammy Awards, as well as Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show.
“That comeback to producer of the year to onstage at the Grammys to at the Super Bowl,” he said. “That may be one of the greatest music comebacks of all time. And It’s not really being talked about.”
Ye sat down with DJ Akademiks for an explosive interview last week, which saw him double-down on his hate for Jay-Z following his flagrant tweet about Jay’s twins, Sir and Rumi.
“There’s so no coming back from where he’s going,” Rosenberg said. “There’s no response at this point to Ye that I would think is inappropriate.”
Hot 97’s Summer Jam is back in 2025 with A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Gunna, GloRilla and more performing. While the event has moved indoors to Prudential Center, Rosenberg reflects on how the festival has transformed from its heyday in the ’90s to now.
“What I’m not gonna do is get up here and say, ‘Summer Jam’s the same as its ever been.’ It’s definitely not the same and it’s not coming back,” he added. “But I’m not gonna get up here and say it’s not a good time. … It’s not 2001, it’s not Michael Jackson with Jay-Z.”
Watch the full episode below.
