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Lil Wayne might be one of Travis Kelce‘s favorite musicians, but the Kansas City Chiefs definitely aren’t topping any of the rapper’s lists right now — but the tight end is taking it in stride.
In a pair of posts on X Saturday (Jan. 18), Wayne accused the reigning Super Bowl champions — who that day bested the Houston Texans 23-14 — of cheating during games. “I hate the cheating azz chiefs,” the “Lollipop” musician wrote, followed by, “It’s not even impressive when u cheat and then clearly try to cheat … Just win baby.”
Four days later, Travis — who’s previously been open about his love for Lil Wayne and invited the hip-hop star to headline his Kelce Jam festival last year — reacted to the slight on his New Heights podcast. In the episode posted Wednesday (Jan. 22), the Grotesquerie star’s cohost and older brother, Jason Kelce, was the first to bring up the subject, saying, “I’m sure you saw some of this, but [people] were complaining about the refs again, Trav.”
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“Even Lil Wayne,” continued the former Philadelphia Eagles center before reading the rapper’s first tweet — which prompted Travis to burst out laughing.
“Shout out to Tunechi, man,” the Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity? host then said, a big smile on his face.
The rapper’s comments come about eight months after Wayne headlined Travis’ second Kelce Jam music festival in Kansas City, which celebrated the Chiefs’ second Super Bowl win in a row. In an interview with Billboard leading up to the event, the football player called the musician “one of my favorites since I was in high school.”
At one point during the festival, Travis joined Wayne on stage with co-headliner 2 Chainz and held up the Lombardi trophy. While at the event, the tight end also raved about Tunechi’s music to Billboard, gushing, “I’m a huge mixtape era guy. ‘Duffle Bag Boy’ is like one of my favorite songs of all time. I have it on my gameday playlists and everything.”
The Chiefs now have one game standing between them and a third Super Bowl in a row, with Kansas City preparing to face off against the Buffalo Bills at the AFC Championships Sunday (Jan. 26). Throughout the 2024-25 season, some NFL fans have accused referees of giving the Patrick Mahomes-led team special treatment, with one roughing the passer penalty on Houston at the Chiefs-Texans game in particular reigniting those claims Saturday.
Watch the latest episode of New Heights above, and see Wayne’s posts below.
I hate the cheating azz chiefs— Lil Wayne WEEZY F (@LilTunechi) January 18, 2025
It’s not even impressive when u cheat and then clearly try to cheat. Just win baby— Lil Wayne WEEZY F (@LilTunechi) January 18, 2025
2025 is only three weeks old and the rap world is in full-swing. Outside of the headlines, album and single releases are starting to pick up once again while the United States heads into a new era with Donald Trump back in the Oval Office.
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As Diddy remains behind bars awaiting the start of his trial, Hollywood has already started peeling back the layers on his downfall. Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy shook up Peacock with the documentary’s arrival last week.
LiAngelo Ball’s “Tweaker” gave hip-hop its first breakout hit of 2025 (debuting at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100) while Lil Baby’s WHAM album beat out Bad Bunny for the top slot on last week’s Billboard 200.
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All eyes will be on the Grammy Awards and Kendrick Lamar’s anticipated Super Bowl Halftime Show this February, as fans are particularly counting down the days until Lamar hits the stage in New Orleans.
With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from Joey Bada$$’s continued shots at the West Coast to Jorjiana’s spin on elevator trap. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.
Jorjiana, “Elevator Spaghetti”
Jorjiana is an acquired taste, but buy stock now before it’s too late. She carves out her own niche sub-genre of trap elevator music with the smooth “Elevator Spaghetti.” This is what we need playing in our office elevators going forward. The Indiana native’s flow has a Midwest drawl, but her style leans more toward elements of the DMV scene. While Jorjiana’s freestyles have caught fire on social media, her bars are still as direct as they come. “I’m bubbly as hell but I don’t drink pop,” she boasts over the samba jazz instrumental. As someone on YouTube crowned her, Atlanta Del Rey is here. – MICHAEL SAPONARA
Joey Bada$$, “Sorry Not Sorry”
Joey Bada$$ and Conductor Williams are 2/2 in 2025. The Brooklyn titan continues to represent for the East Coast while poking at the West. “N—-s Wit Attitude mad I’m bigging up my city, that’s something I had to do,” he spews. JB even delivers a possible swipe at J. Cole for exiting stage right from the Kendrick Lamar and Drake feud while he’s ready to stand 10 toes down with more heat on the way. ”Might Deletе Later, I know damn sure that Joey won’t,” Joey raps. He even compares himself to being a combination of Biggie and 2Pac. If “The Ruler’s Back” was a warning shot, the sequel should have the alarms blaring. — M.S.
Jagged Edge, “Just Might Get It”
It’s 2025 and Jagged Edge is still doing the damn thing. Before hitting the road in March to celebrate 25 years of the R&B legends’ 1999 J.E. Heartbreak album, the Atlanta crew sets the stage for their upcoming 11th studio LP with the soulful “Just Might Get It.” Penned by founding member Brandon Casey, the moral of the song is essentially saying to be careful what you ask for, because you “Just Might Get It.” While the sultry track showcases the group’s evolution and maturity, the single doesn’t stray far from their signature R&B sound. Fans can purchase Jagged Edge’s All Original Parts Vol. 1 directly on Jan. 31 before it heads to streaming services. – M.S.
NLE Choppa & Imagine Dragons, “Dare U”
Nobody has NLE Choppa and Imagine Dragons joining forces for an explosive collaboration on their 2025 bingo card. Well, LiAngelo Ball delivered rap’s first hit of the year, so it seems to be another unpredictable campaign. Choppa called teaming up with the band a “dream come true” as they pushed him to tap into another side of his artistry. “Who got the most heart? I’ma show something,” he promises before passing the baton back to Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds. – M.S.
4Fargo & Eric Bellinger, “Your Love Is Gold”
4Fargo kicks off 2025 with his new single “Your Love Is Gold,” a heartfelt collaboration with none other than R&B powerhouse Eric Bellinger. The track dives into themes of deep appreciation, commitment, and the priceless value of a genuine relationship. Comparing love to gold — a symbol of beauty and lasting worth — 4Fargo and Bellinger express their devotion and admiration for a love they see as rare and irreplaceable. Lines like “You’re the prize, you don’t need no contestants” and “She authentic, I don’t need to see no proof” highlight unwavering trust, while “I’ll put you up somewhere safe” conveys a desire to protect their bond from outside influences. With smooth vocals and heartfelt lyrics, “Your Love Is Gold” is a soulful celebration of love’s enduring value. – C.C.
Bryant Barnes, “Why Can’t You”
19-year-old rising singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Bryant Barnes is proving unstoppable with the release of his deeply personal track, “Why Can’t You.” The heartfelt song dives into themes of unrequited love, longing, and emotional vulnerability. Barnes explores the painful reality of loving someone who doesn’t feel the same, with the repeated plea “Why can’t you be in love?” echoing his frustration and confusion. The track touches on feelings of loneliness and the fear of a future without love, expressed in the line “I don’t wanna be alone for the rest of my life.” Balancing hope and heartbreak, “Why Can’t You” captures the universal struggle of holding on to a love that may never be returned. – C.C.
THEY., “Choosin’”
R&B duo THEY. seems to be having a hard time with love. The pair dives into the complexities of love and success in latest track “Choosin’.” The song delves into themes of superficial relationships, trust issues, and the fast-paced lifestyle that often comes with fame. Through lyrics like “She don’t really love me, she just want the money,” the duo captures the frustration of feeling desired for status rather than true connection. The recurring term “choosin’” reflects a culture of opportunism, where love is secondary to material gain. Despite recognizing the transactional nature of their relationships, the protagonist finds themselves caught in a cycle of luxury, nightlife, and fleeting romance — painted vividly through references to flashy cars, champagne and the allure of the fast life. – C.C.
Ye — formerly known as Kanye West — is returning to womenswear. The rapper teased early samples of his YZY women’s clothing line with an explosive post to his Instagram Story on Tuesday (Jan. 21). Yeezy teased the first black bodysuit, which is quite revealing. West’s wife Bianca Censori was actually spotted rocking the YZY […]
It’s well known that SZA and Drake dated way back when — but is the Certified Lover Boy a good kisser? That’s what Keke Palmer set out to uncover on First We Feast’s latest episode of Hot Ones Versus posted Tuesday (Jan. 21). While taking on the spicy-wing challenge alongside Issa Rae, the Nope actress […]
Attendees at this weeks’ Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2025 runway show got an unexpected treat when LV men’s creative director Pharrell Williams debuted his new collaboration with K-pop superstars SEVENTEEN during Tuesday’s (Jan. 21) show. The mid-tempo track with a low-pitched, bassy bottom, “Bad Influence,” features group members S. Coups, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, The8, DK, Seungkwan, Vernon and Dino singing about having a good time while worrying about the consequences.
On the woozy chorus, Seungkwan, Hoshi, Coups and DK cronning: “Bad influence, you had to do it/ Oh every time yeah, enough of you/ Bad influence you had to do it/ You wanna have a good good night.”
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“We are happy and honored to collaborate with Pharrell Williams, whom we have deeply admired for a long time,” said the members of the 13-person group who worked on the track in a statement; members Mingyu, Joshua, Jun and Woozi are not listed as participants on the song. “We truly enjoyed the creative process which showcases a new side of ourselves. We hope to connect with more listeners worldwide through this collaboration.”
The track was written and composed by Williams for the Paris LV show — which also featured bits of Don Toliver and BTS member J-Hope’s new single, “LV Bag,” and Playboi Carti’s “Timeless” — and represents the group’s latest team-up with an A-list collaborator. It follows on the heels of their collabs with Charli XCX (“Beg For You”), Pink Sweat$ (“17”), New Kids on the Block (“Dirty Dancing”), DJ Khaled (“Love, Money, Fame”), Marshmello (“SOS”) and Anne-Marie (“World”), among others.
SEVENTEEN released their 21-track greatest hits collection, 17 Is Right Here, in 2024, spotlighting such beloved hits as “Maestro,” “Rock With You,” “HOT” and “Super.” They wound-down the year with the Spill the Feels EP, which included the Khaled track, which they performed at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards.
Watch video from the song’s premiere below.
Barbra Streisand’s My Name Is Barbra is in the running for audiobook of the year at the 2025 Audie Awards. Winners across 28 competitive categories will be revealed on March 4 in New York. The Audie Awards will be hosted by actress, comedian and author Amy Sedaris, who was a 2008 Audies finalist.
Streisand’s audiobook is also nominated in the autobiography/memoir category, where it is squaring off against a work by another certified music legend, Elton John. Unlike Streisand, John didn’t narrate his own memoir (Farewell Yellow Brick Road). It was instead narrated by Richard Armitage, Vikas Adam, Daniel Henning, Ray Porter, Jesse Einstein, Fred Berman, Edoardo Ballerini, Mark Boyett, Kevin T. Collins, Peter Ganim, Mike Cooper, John Lee and Oliver Wyman.
John became an EGOT last year. Streisand is not an official EGOT because she has yet to win a Tony in competition (though she did receive a special Tony Award as star of the decade in 1970). Despite that one lapse, Streisand has one of the most impressive awards resumes of any performer.
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Streisand’s audiobook, published by Penguin Random House Audio, is also a current Grammy nominee for best audio book, narration and storytelling recording. The award is expected to go to Jimmy Carter’s Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration. The former president died at age 100 on Dec. 29, near the end of the Grammy voting period. The Grammys will be presented on Feb. 2.
Common is nominated at the Audie Awards in the business/personal development category for And Then We Rise, which he both wrote and narrated.
Willow Smith is nominated in the fantasy category for Black Shield Maiden, which she co-wrote (with Jess Hendel) and narrated.
Riley Keough is nominated for multi-voiced performance for From Here to the Great Unknown, which she cowrote with her late mother Lisa Marie Presley and co-narrated with Oscar winner Julia Roberts.
The Audie Awards, now in their 30th year, are presented by Audio Publishers Association. “As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Audie Awards, we’re reflecting on three decades of honoring the incredible talent and innovation within the audiobook industry,” Sean McManus, the association’s president, said in a statement. “This year’s finalists represent the very best in storytelling, and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate their achievements.”
Here are the nominees in selected categories for the 2025 Audie Awards.
Audiobook of the Year
George Orwell’s 1984; By George Orwell, adapted by Joe White; Performed by Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, Tom Hardy, Chukwudi Iwuji, Romesh Ranganathan, Natasia Demetriou, Francesca Mills, Alex Lawther, and Katie Leung; Published by Audible Originals
My Name Is Barbra; Written and narrated by Barbra Streisand; Published by Penguin Random House Audio
Playground: A Novel; By Richard Powers; Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini, Robin Siegerman, Eunice Wong, Pun Bandhu, Krys Janae, and Kevin R Free; Published by Spotify Audiobooks
Poor Deer; By Claire Oshetsky; Narrated by Sophie Amoss; Published by HarperAudio
The Sing Sing Files; Written and narrated by Dan Slepian; Published by Macmillan Audio
Autobiography/Memoir
Farewell Yellow Brick Road; By Elton John, foreword by David Furnish; Narrated by Richard Armitage, Vikas Adam, Daniel Henning, Ray Porter, Jesse Einstein, Fred Berman, Edoardo Ballerini, Mark Boyett, Kevin T. Collins, Peter Ganim, Mike Cooper, John Lee, and Oliver Wyman; Published by Audible Studios
In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife; Written and narrated by Sebastian Junger; Published by Simon & Schuster Audio
Knife; Written and narrated by Salman Rushdie; Published by Penguin Random House Audio
My Name Is Barbra; Written and narrated by Barbra Streisand; Published by Penguin Random House Audio
The Third Gilmore Girl: A Memoir; Written and narrated by Kelly Bishop; Published by Simon & Schuster Audio
Audio Drama
Brokedown Prophets; By S.A. Cosby, Kevin Hart, Charlamagne Tha God, and SBH Productions;Performed by Jonathan Majors, Brian Tyree Henry, Dasha Polanco, Jeremy Jordan and a full castPublished by Audible Originals and SBH Productions
The Coldest Case: The Past Has a Long Memory; By James Patterson, Aaron Tracy, and Ryan Silbert; Performed by Aaron Paul, Krysten Ritter, Beau Bridges, Greta Lee, Kevin Pollak, Jordan Bridges, Terrence Terrell, Patton Oswalt, and a full cast; Published by Audible Originals
George Orwell’s 1984; By George Orwell, adapted by Joe White; Performed by Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Scott, Tom Hardy, Chukwudi Iwuji, Romesh Ranganathan, Natasia Demetriou, Francesca Mills, Alex Lawther, and Katie Leung; Published by Audible Originals
Journey’s End; By R.C. Sherriff; Performed by James Callis, Josh Cole, Jack Cutmore-Scott, Tobias Echeverria, Adam Godley, Ian Ogilvy, Darren Richardson, Simon Templeman, and Matthew Wolf; Published by L.A. Theatre Works
Wild with Happy; By Colman Domingo; Performed by Colman Domingo, Alex Newell, Sharon Washington, Tyler James Williams, and Oprah Winfrey; Published by Audible Originals
Business/Personal Development
And Then We Rise; Written and narrated by Common; Published by HarperAudio
Come Together; Written and narrated by Emily Nagoski, PhD; Published by Penguin Random House Audio
Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters; Written and narrated by Brian Klaas; Published by Simon & Schuster Audio
Humans Who Teach: A Guide for Centering Love, Justice, and Liberation in Schools; Written and narrated by Shamari Reid; Published by Heinemann
Women Money Power: The Rise and Fall of Economic Equality; Written and narrated by Josie Cox; Published by Recorded Books, Inc., a division of RBmedia
Fantasy
Black Shield Maiden; By Willow Smith and Jess Hendel; Narrated by Willow Smith; Published by Penguin Random House Audio
Bookshops & Bonedust; Written and narrated by Travis Baldree; Published by Macmillan Audio
The Bright Sword; By Lev Grossman; Narrated by Nicholas Guy Smith and Lev Grossman; Published by Penguin Random House Audio
Goddess of the River; By Vaishnavi Patel; Narrated by Sneha Mathan; Published by Hachette Audio
Someone You Can Build a Nest In; By John Wiswell; Narrated by Carmen Rose; Published by Tantor Audio, a division of RBMedia
Humor
Erasure: A Novel; By Percival Everett; Narrated by Sean Crisden; Published by Tantor Audio, a division of RBMedia
Glory Days; By Simon Rich; Narrated by John Mulaney; Published by Hachette Audio
Joyful Recollections of Trauma; Written and narrated by Paul Scheer; Published by HarperAudio
The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science; By Kate McKinnonl; Narrated by Kate McKinnon and Emily Lynne; Published by Hachette Audio
Wilder Widows Walk on the Wilder Side; By Katherine Hastings; Narrated Pamela Dillman; Published by Flyte Publishing
Multi-Voiced Performance
Anita de Monte Laughs Last; By Xochitl Gonzalez; Narrated by Stacy Gonzalez, Jonathan Gregg, and Jessica Pimentel; Published by Macmillan Audio
Butcher; By Joyce Carol Oates; Narrated by Amy Shiels, Edoardo Ballerini, Cassandra Campbell, Robert Fass, Tavia Gilbert, Jeremy Carlisle Parker, Danny Campbell, and Max Meyers; Published by Penguin Random House Audio
Five Broken Blades; By Mai Corland; Narrated by Greg Chun, Zion Jang, Roger Yeh, Donald Chang, Jaine Ye, and Sophie Oda; Published by Recorded Books, Inc., a division of RBmedia
From Here to the Great Unknown; By Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough; Narrated by Julia Roberts and Riley Keough; Published by Penguin Random House Audio
Snake Oil; By Kelsey Rae Dimberg; Narrated by Kristen Sieh, Andi Arndt, and Renata Friedman; Published by HarperAudio
When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day; By Garrett M. Graff; Narrated by Edoardo Ballerini and Garrett M. Graff, with a full cast; Published by Simon & Schuster Audio
Narration by the Author(s)
The 23rd Hero; Written and narrated by Rebecca Anne Nguyen; Published by Castle Bridge Media
Bits and Pieces; Written and narrated by Whoopi Goldberg; Published by Blackstone Publishing
Bookshops & Bonedust; Written and narrated by Travis Baldree; Published by Macmillan Audio
Knife; Written and narrated by Salman Rushdie; Published by Penguin Random House Audio
Sorry for the Inconvenience; Written and narrated by Farah Naz Rishi; Published by Brilliance Publishing
Original Work
The Boar’s Nest; By Rachel Bonds, Holly Gleason and Dub Cornett; Narrated by Mandy Moore, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, W. Earl Brown, Stephen Louis Grush, John Hoogenakker, TJ Osborne, and a full cast; Published by Audible Originals
Casanova LLC; By Julia Whelan; Performed by Sebastian York, Julia Whelan, Edoardo Ballerini, and Johnathan McClain; Published by Audiobrary
Earthlight; By J. Michael Straczynski; Narrated by Erik Braa, Pete Bradbury, Jonathan Davis, William DeMeritt, Robert Fass, Jeff Gurner, Ryan Haugen, David Lee Huynh, Mars Lipowski, Saskia Maarleveld, Kathleen McInerney, Brandon McInnis, Sean Kenin Elias Reyes, Stefan Rudnicki, Salli Saffioti, Kristen Sieh, Christopher Smith, Marc Thompson, and Will Watt; Published by Penguin Random House Audio
Hellboy and the BPRD: The Goddess of Manhattan [Dramatized Adaptation]; By Christopher Golden and Thomas E. Sniegoski; Performed by Tim Carlin, Rob McFadyen, Nora Achrati, Scott McCormick, Eric Messner, Lydia Kraniotis, Ken Yatta Rogers, Michael John Casey, Amanda Forstrom, Marni Penning, Steven Carpenter, and a full cast; Published by GraphicAudio, a division of RBmedia
Two Can Play; By Ali Hazelwood; Narrated by Kelsey Navarro Foster; Published by Spotify Audiobooks
Short Stories/Collections
Glory Days; By Simon Rich; Narrated by John Mulaney; Published by Hachette Audio
The History of Sound; By Ben Shattuck; Narrated by Ben Shattuck, Zachary Chastain, Paul Mescal, Dion Graham, Ellen Adair, Steven Jay Cohen, Jim Seybert, Dawn Harvey, Chris Cooper, Rebecca Lowman, Jenny Slate, Ed Helms, and Nick Offerman; Published by Penguin Random House Audio
Letters from Klara; By Tove Jansson and Thomas Teal – Übersetzer; Narrated by Indira Varma; Published by Saga Egmont
What If We Get It Right?; Written and narrated by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson; Published by Penguin Random House Audio
You Like It Darker: Stories; By Stephen King; Narrated by Will Patton with Stephen King; Published by Simon & Schuster Audio
Taylor Swift, Karol G and Benson Boone are the top names of 2024 in music in Spain, according to the most recent annual report from PROMUSICAE (short for Productores de Música de España).
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The report, based on an exhaustive analysis of data collected weekly throughout the year, reveals that Spanish-language music reaffirmed its dominance in the country with 94 of the 100 most popular songs performed in this language, and 46 of them belonging to Spanish artists. It takes into account figures from 90% of physical points of sale in Spain, data from digital stores and audio streaming platforms. Since 2022, it also considers views of music content on YouTube, reflecting a broader picture of current music consumption in the country.
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Karol G’s “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” (Universal Music) led the Top 100 Canciones (songs) chart, followed by Feid and ATL Jacob’s “Luna” (Universal) and “La Bachata” by Manuel Turizo (Sony Music). Other top tracks included Myke Towers’ “La Falda” (One World Music) and “Santa” by Rvssian, Rauw Alejandro and Ayra Starr (Sony Music). In addition, for 27 weeks of 2024, Spanish artists topped the charts with albums such as El Último de la Fila’s Desbarajuste Piramidal (Warner Music Spain), Chanel’s ¡Agua! (Sony Music) and David Bisbal’s Todo es Posible en Navidad (Universal Music Spain), which closed the year.
Swift dominated the Spanish charts with her album The Tortured Poets Department (Universal Music), the bestselling album of 2024 and leader of the Top 100 Vinilos (vinyl) chart. The album spent 36 weeks on the Top 100 Álbumes (albums) chart and went Platinum. Meanwhile, Boone became the undisputed star of Spanish radio with his ballad “Beautiful Things” (Warner Music), being the most played song of the year on the radio.
The report also underscores the weight of Latin artists in the Top 100 Álbumes, with several names dominating the charts week after week. Karol G cemented her global impact with two albums in the top spots — Mañana Será Bonito reached No. 2 and Mañana Será Bonito (Bichota Season) reached No. 10 — highlighting her leadership in Latin music during 2024. Bad Bunny secured No. 5 with Un Verano Sin Ti and No. 6 with Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana. Quevedo ranked No. 3 with Donde Quiero Estar, followed by Saiko’s Sakura (Saikoneta) at No. 4.
Other artists who ranked No. 1 in individual weeks include Duki, Rauw Alejandro, Jhayco, Omar Courtz, Dei V and Eladio Carrion. Shakira closed the year with Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran at No. 14, while Dei V’s Quién Es Dei V? reached No. 16.
For the president of PROMUSICAE, Antonio Guisasola, these figures “confirm the robust health of recorded music and the public’s ongoing interest in it, supported by the increasing number of paid streaming subscriptions as well as the continued purchase of physical formats like vinyl, which shows the public’s commitment to engaging with their favorite artists’ work,” he said in a press release.
2024 was a record year for digital music consumption in Spain. Streaming platforms registered 98.5 billion plays, 13% more than the previous year. In addition, more than 1,180 artists surpassed 10 million listens, and 70 of them exceeded 100 million. For the first time, weeks 49 and 51 reached 2 billion streams in a single week, a historic achievement driven by the Christmas campaign.
Another noteworthy fact is that amid the digital boom, vinyl maintained its relevance with a 9% growth in sales during 2024. More than 50% of the records in Top 100 Vinilos were by Spanish artists. Among them, Arde Bogotá’s Cowboys de la A3 (Sony Music) reached No. 2 on the annual list, after spending five weeks in the top spot. Dani Martín’s El Último Día de Nuestras Vidas (Sony Music) took fourth position with just four weeks of sales, while Rosalía’s Motomami (Sony Music), a hit since 2022, closed the year in sixth place.
Gracie Abrams and Demi Lovato are calling out Instagram parent company Meta for seemingly hindering their efforts to unfollow President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance on the app after Inauguration Day.
Sharing a close-up selfie on her Story Tuesday (Jan. 21) — one day after the politicians were sworn into office — the “That’s So True” singer wrote that she “had to unfollow @vp and @potus three (3) separate times today because @meta kept automatically refollowing the accounts.”
“How curious!” she continued. “Had to block them in order to make sure I am nowhere near that. Sharing in case this is happening to your account as well.”
The Camp Rock alum also spoke out Tuesday. Posting a screenshot of Vance’s profile onto her own Story, Lovato wrote, “I have unfollowed this guy twice today.”
“Shady f–king business meta,” they added.
In a statement posted by Meta’s Andy Stone on Threads Wednesday and shared with Billboard, the company denied that anyone was “made to automatically follow any of the official Facebook or Instagram accounts for the President, Vice President or First Lady.”
“Those accounts are managed by the White House so with a new administration, the content on those Pages changes,” the communications director explained. “This is the same procedure we followed during the last presidential transition. It may take some time for follow and unfollow requests to go through as these accounts change hands.”
Trump and Vance’s administration assumed control over Instagram’s @potus and @vp handles following their swearing-in ceremony Monday (Jan. 20), which marked the start of the twice-impeached billionaire’s second White House term. For the past four years, the accounts were run by the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris administration, which Abrams and Lovato both openly supported.
The two singers had also endorsed Harris‘ 2024 presidential bid, with the former Eras Tour opener performing at one of the former prosecutor’s October rallies in Madison, Wis. After Harris lost the election to Trump on Nov. 5, Lovato shared a message of hope on X, writing, “This was OUR election and WE WON TOGETHER. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but today we will celebrate each other.”
Nearly two months later, Trump is about 48 hours into his second presidency – and he’s hit the ground running. Following a weekend of inauguration festivities – featuring technical-difficulty-ridden performances from Carrie Underwood and Billy Ray Cyrus – the politician has already signed multiple executive actions targeting immigration, delaying the national TikTok ban and pardoning people charged with crimes related to the Jan. 6 attacks on the U.S. Capitol. He’s also reversed dozens of Biden-era orders protecting against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Trump – who was previously banned from Meta’s platforms for two years following the Jan. 6 insurrection – and his team have also been putting his reclaimed @potus account to use. He’s posted on Instagram eight times in the past two days and on Tuesday shared a video of himself signing orders in the Oval Office captioned, “Who’s ready for Day Two? The momentum is unstoppable!”
Post Malone revealed his latest superstar collaboration on Wednesday (Jan. 22) – only it’s not with another artist. Instead, Posty has teamed up with Oreo for his own special and limited edition creation.
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“Who wouldn’t want to make their own Oreo cookie?” he says. “I’ve been a big fan of these cookies my whole life so when the opportunity came up I couldn’t believe it.”
Naturally, Post believes he dreamed up “the best Oreo ever,” which features a first for the cookie: a twisted creme center, combining salted caramel and shortbread flavors. The filling is sandwiched between a chocolate and golden cookie for, as Oreo says in a release, “a delicious duet of flavors in every bite.”
As Post tells Billboard, “I really wanted to create a flavor that shows off my different sides – that was important to me.”
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“We tried like 50 different combinations,” he continues. “I’ve been really into salted caramel lately, so I knew that had to be part of it. The shortbread balanced out the flavor and made the perfect twist. The twist is by far my favorite part. It’s the first time Oreo has ever done this. When I couldn’t decide between classic chocolate and the golden cookie, we said, ‘Why not do both?’ That was a fun day of work.”
Each cookie will feature a special embossment – out of nine options – that Posty picked himself, including everything from a sunflower (inspired by his hit of the same name with Swae Lee) to a pick up truck inspired by the album art for Austin and F-1 Trillion. Post says deciding on the embossments “took forever, but in the end we went with some of the most memorable imagery from the past 10 years. Every single detail was designed with the fans in mind.”
Inspired by Post, Oreo is now inviting fans to create their own twisted flavors with its Taste Twist Digital Experience, part of an ongoing sweepstakes that runs from early February through March 31. After entering favorite musical preferences, Oreo’s algorithm will reveal an individualized flavor combo. Those who participate could win a package of their own creation, a signed Post Malone poster and more.
Post’s limited edition Oreo will be available for presale on Jan. 27 and available to purchase on Feb. 3.
After delaying the announcement of their planned 2025 tour due to the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, Nine Inch Nails revealed the dates for the Peel It Back Tour 2025 on Wednesday morning (Jan. 21). The band’s first live run since 2022 is slated to kick off at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland on June 15 and criss-cross Europe through mid-July before jumping to the U.S. beginning August 3 for a show at Oakland Arena in Oakland, CA.
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The Live Nation-produced tour — whose title is inspired by a line from the 1994 song “March of the Pigs” — will also feature stops at a number of European festivals, including Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel, Belgium, Open’er in Gdynia, Poland, and Mad Cool in Madrid, Spain, among others. The North American dates will including shows in Seattle, Denver, Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, Philadelphia, Boston, Brooklyn, Nashville, Tampa, Houston and Phoenix before winding down on Sept. 18 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles.
Tickets for the tour will go on sale on Jan. 29 beginning at noon local time here.
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Earlier this month, the Trent Reznor-fronted group confirmed rumors of a planned world tour before pulling back in light of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires that have killed 27 and destroyed more than 12,000 homes and other buildings so far. “Since some dates and information about our world tour have leaked we are confirming that yes we will be touring and will provide more details soon,” they wrote at the time. “We are all watching the devastation that is unfolding in California and have paused our announcement while people try to deal with all that is happening.”
Check out the dates for the 2025 Peel It Back world tour below:
June 15 – Dublin, Ireland @ 3Arena
June 17 – Manchester, UK @ Co-op Live
June 18 – London, UK @ The O2
June 20 – Cologne, Germany @ Lanxess Arena
June 21 – Dessel, Belgium @ Graspop Metal Meeting^
June 24 – Milan, Italy @ Parco della Musica Novegro
Thu Jun 26 – Zurich, Switzerland – Hallenstadion
June 27 – Vienna, Austria @ Wiener Stadthalle
June 29 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Ziggo Dome
July 1 – Berlin, Germany @ Uber Arena
July 3 – Gdynia, Poland @ Open’er^
July 7 – Paris, France @ Accor Arena
July 10 – Madrid, Spain @ Mad Cool^
July 12 – Oeiras, Portugal @ NOS Alive^
August 6 – Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
August 8 – Portland, OR @ Moda Center
August 10 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
August 12 – Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
August 14 – West Valley City, UT @ Maverik Center
August 15 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
August 17 – Saint Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center
August 19 – Chicago, IL @ United Center
August 22 – Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
August 23 – Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
August 26 – Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena
August 27 – Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
August 29 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden
August 31 – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
Sept. 2 – Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center
Sept. 5 – Raleigh, NC @ Lenovo Center
Sept. 6 – Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena
Sept. 9 – Duluth, GA @ Gas South Arena
Sept. 10 – Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena
Sept. 12 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
Sept. 13 – Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena
Sept. 16 – Phoenix, AZ @ Footprint Center
Sept. 18 – Los Angeles, CA @ Kia Forum
^Festival Date