State Champ Radio Music
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Trending on Billboard Kehlani, Kali Uchis and EJAE are the latest trailblazers to be honored by ASCAP’s Women Behind the Music. Newly minted 2026 Grammy nominees Kehlani and EJAE (part of the HUNTR/X trio behind the KPop Demon Hunters breakout hit “Golden”) along with Grammy winning-artist Uchis were recognized for their artistry, cultural impact and […]
Trending on Billboard Latin music stars dripped elegance on the red carpet of the Latin Grammy Awards 2025 on Thursday (Nov. 13), which took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Chilean singer-songwriter Mon Laferte was among the early arrivals, dressed from head to toe in a glamorous femme-fatale look, a nod […]
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The Country Music Association has revealed six individuals it is celebrating as the 2025 CMA International Awards winners, honoring their significant contributions to the global growth of country music.
The honorees will be celebrated during a special reception on Nov. 19 in downtown Nashville and will be recognized onstage that same evening during the pre-telecast ceremony for the 2025 CMA Awards.
Morgan Wallen is the recipient of the International Artist Achievement Award, which recognizes a U.S. artist who has made the most significant creative growth, development and promotion of the country music industry outside of the United States during the eligibility period. His fourth album, I’m the Problem, debuted at No. 1 in seven countries, while he continues to elevate country music on a global stage with sold-out stadium shows and a growing international fanbase.
Canadian artist Cameron Whitcomb is the recipient of the Jeff Walker Global Country Artist Award, for international artists. Whitcomb recently won breakthrough artist of the year and fans’ choice award honors at the CCMAs, while his Hundred Mile High Tour has spanned Canada, Australia and Europe.
Lynette Garbonola, vp of International at BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville, will be honored with the Jo Walker Meador International Award for leadership in expanding country music in areas including Europe, Australia, and Asia. The honor recognizes achievements in supporting country music’s marketing development in territories beyond the United States.
Shannon Saunders, agent and head of Nashville International at WME, will be honored with the Rob Potts International Live Music Advancement Award for impact on international touring. Saunders has spearheaded expanding the reach and revenue of WME’s global touring division, driving record-breaking tours for Luke Combs, Zach Bryan, Lainey Wilson, and Jordan Davis.
Justin Thomson, national content director for iHeartCountry Australia, is being celebrated with the Wesley Rose International Media Achievement Award for his role in promoting country music through global media. With over twenty years in media, Thomson produces original programming and travels more than 100,000 miles annually to broadcast from international events including CMA Fest, Canadian Country Music Association Awards (CCMAs), C2C and CMC Rocks.
Mattias Hansson of P4 Country on Sveriges Radio will be honored with the international country broadcaster award. As host and producer of P4 Country, Hansson has played a key role in growing country music’s audience in Scandinavia, hosting the region’s largest weekly country program.
“This year’s honorees embody the extraordinary ways Country Music continues to transcend borders,” Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement. “Whether through radio, touring, media, or artist development, each has helped share the genre with audiences around the world. Their work not only broadens Country Music’s reach, it deepens its impact, reminding us that this community truly is global.”
The 59th annual CMA Awards broadcasts live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 19, from 8 to 11 p.m. ET on ABC and next day on Hulu.
“I’m very aware of mysterious forces at play that I will never have any control of,” she says in the trailer.
11/13/2025
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The Weeknd has donated $350,000 from his XO Humanitarian Fund to relief efforts in Jamaica following the devastation of Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean.
The music titan’s donation will benefit the World Food Programme — The Weeknd is a WFP ambassador — as the WFP looks to scale its operation and assist in helping a target of 200,000 Jamaicans who were impacted by the Category 5 storm.
“We are grateful to The Weeknd for his generous support for WFP’s urgent relief efforts. His compassion will provide much-needed comfort and resilience to Jamaicans as they navigate this crisis,” said Barron Segar, World Food Program USA President and CEO, in a statement. “When it comes to humanitarian disasters, WFP is among the world’s first responders. But our work is only possible through the generosity of our private sector donors and global partners.”
The WFP has been working alongside the Jamaican government to bring aide to citizens and they’ve helped more than 9,000 people by sending in food kits. Between Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba, the WFP has assisted about 254,000 people with emergency food distribution as of press time.
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in late October and the strongest tropical storm of 2025 so far has impacted nearly six million Caribbean citizens.
The Weeknd is no stranger to humanitarian efforts as he’s donated more than $10 million to various causes since 2020. He pledged $1 million to relief efforts following the L.A. wildfires in January.
Jamaican legend Shaggy has also been a major part of relief efforts for his home country. He mobilized private flights for citizens in danger and sent food aid to those starving due to the storm earlier in November.
“People are homeless,” Shaggy told Rolling Stone of the precarious living situation. “There’s no running water, there’s no electricity, there’s no shelter. They were sleeping on the streets. We came in last night, we gave out water, we gave out food. There are actually bodies trapped in homes that people haven’t been able to clear.”
Announced Wednesday and led by Sean Paul, Shaggy and Kes, a Jamaica Strong benefit concert will take place Dec. 12 at UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York. Additional confirmed performers include Chronic Law, T.O.K, Tessane Chin, Aidonia, Inner Circle, Ky-Mani Marley, Teejay, Richie Stephens, Gramps Morgan, and Mikey Spice, with more artists yet to be announced.
Trending on Billboard Wale says he remembers one time that J. Cole got furious while on Jay-Z‘s Blueprint 3 tour. In an interview with Uproxx’s Sound Check, Wale was asked to share a memory from The Blueprint 3 tour that went down back in 2009. Wale recalled that while J. Cole is all peaceful now, […]
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Whatever has been ailing Dolly Parton is nothing that a bestselling book can’t fix. The superstar, dressed in a black leather top and pants adorned with glittery silver and gold stars, was out and about this week touting her new book, Star of the Show: My Life on Stage.
Parton made the rounds in Nashville following the book’s Tuesday release, posting on Instagram her stops at Barnes & Noble, Sam’s Club, Walmart, Costco and Target, where she was making sure her newest release was front and center. She even tried some tasty treats at Costco, and then at Target jokingly used the book as a weight, hoisting it up in the air a few times, jokingly declaring, “This is heavy. This is how I built up my chest.”
Written with Billboard Country Update editor Tom Roland, the book celebrates Parton’s nearly 60-year career as an entertainer. It is the third in a trilogy, following Songteller, which focused on her lyrics, and Behind the Seams, which highlighted her fashion. Star of the Show features more than 500 photos, stories about her decades of touring and a list of all her performances.
Parton made news in September when she postponed her December dates at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas to September 2026, telling fans, “As many of you know, I have been dealing with some health challenges, and my doctors tell me that I must have a few procedures. As I joked with them, it must be time for my 100,000-mile check-up, although it’s not the usual trip to see my plastic surgeon!”
Concern for Parton hit overdrive in October after her sister Freida posted on social media that she had been “up all night praying for my sister, Dolly,” adding “Godspeed, my sissy Dolly.” The next day Parton posted a video suggesting her health issues were of no great import. “I know lately, everybody thinks that I am sicker than I am … do I look sick to you?! I’m workin’ hard here,” she said, dressed to the nines in a red top and black pants. She stressed she wanted to put “everyone’s mind at ease… I’m OK. I’ve got some problems that I mentioned,” adding that she didn’t take care of herself while she was tending to her sick husband, Carl, who died in March. She added she was having “a few treatments here and there” at Vanderbilt’s Medical Center but stressed “I am okay…. I don’t think God is through with me and I ain’t done working.”
This Sunday, Parton will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Oscars’ annual Governors Awards in Los Angeles. The award is given “to an individual in the motion picture arts and sciences whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry by promoting human welfare and contributing to rectifying inequities,” according to the the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The award recognizes Parton for her decades-long humanitarian efforts, including the Dollywood Foundation, which inspires the children of East Tennessee — her home state — to achieve educational success, as well as her Imagination Library, which provides pre-school children with a book a month.
Trending on Billboard As Liam Payne pursued a solo music career after his One Direction days, Taylor Swift was there cheering him on behind the scenes. That much is evident in a handwritten note the pop star sent him eight years ago, which is now being auctioned off. As announced by Omega Auctions on Wednesday […]
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Earlier this July, Mrs. GREEN APPLE surpassed 10 billion cumulative domestic streams across their entire catalog, becoming the first artist in J-pop history to reach the milestone. To commemorate the achievement, Billboard Japan presented the band with a special plaque, and the trio shared words of appreciation to everyone who has listened to their music.
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The band has released a long list of hits that have accumulated 100 million domestic streams each, including “Ao to Natsu” (their most-streamed track with over 900 million streams), “Tenbyo no Uta (feat. Sonoko Inoue),” “Dancehall,” “Que Sera Sera,” and “Lilac.” As of November 2025, they hold a record-setting 31 songs that have surpassed this milestone — the most of any artist on record (according to Billboard Japan). This year alone, new releases such as “Darling,” “KUSUSHIKI,” “Heaven,” and “breakfast” have all passed the 100-million mark.
2025 marks the group’s 10th anniversary, and under the banner of “MGA MAGICAL 10 YEARS,” they’ve been celebrating alongside their fanbase (JAM’S) and listeners nationwide. They’ve made a strong impact this year, with their anniversary concert, MGA MAGICAL 10 YEARS ANNIVERSARY LIVE ～FJORD～, drawing a total of 100,000 attendees in two days, and a range of initiatives launched nationwide to highlight their anniversary best-of album 10. Meanwhile, each member has also expanded into individual activities such as acting and hosting work, earning wide support that extends from music to variety entertainment.
Now in the midst of the largest tour of their career, the five-dome run entitled DOME TOUR 2025 “BABEL no TOH,” the three members — Motoki Omori (vocals and guitar), Hiloto Wakai (guitar), and Ryoka Fujisawa (keyboards) — made time between an exceptionally packed schedule to chat with Billboard Japan, to express their gratitude to reach 10 billion streams.
You’ve become the first act to surpass 10 billion domestic streams in Japan. Congratulations!
Motoki Omori: The number is so massive that it still doesn’t quite feel real, but knowing that so many people are listening truly motivates us in what we do. We’re genuinely grateful.
Ryoka Fujisawa: None of us have ever even seen a number like 10 billion. There’s still a part of me that can’t fully grasp it, but we’ve been hearing from so many listeners across different generations who are enjoying Mrs. GREEN APPLE right now. That means everything. Thank you so much.
Hiloto Wakai: I feel the same as the other two — the number 10 billion is overwhelming. But more than anything, the fact that our music is truly reaching each and every person who listens makes me incredibly happy.
This year, you celebrated your 10th anniversary with events across Japan and a series of six consecutive monthly releases. There was so much excitement on the charts and across social media. What kinds of messages have you heard from listeners?
Fujisawa: We approached everything with the hope that people could enjoy our 10th anniversary in many different ways, so we put out a lot of things and organized various projects. We heard from families, from friends who went together, and from people who came alone — so many different kinds of listeners were able to enjoy it. Receiving those messages made us really happy.
Your dome tour “BABEL no TOH” has only just begun, but how does it feel so far?
Wakai: For us, this tour is a real challenge, so we were honestly a bit nervous (before it started). But seeing how much everyone is enjoying it has put us at ease, and it feels like we’re on a tour that’s incredibly rewarding.
In November, you’ll become the first Japanese act to release two films simultaneously along with an IMAX® screening of your concert film. And in December, the 10th-anniversary exhibition MGA MAGICAL 10 YEARS EXHIBITION Wonder Museum is coming up as well. What would you like visitors to take away from these projects?
Omori: In the past few years, a lot of people have discovered us for the first time. So both for those who have supported us from the beginning and those who just recently started listening, this is a chance to share the essential part of what Mrs. GREEN APPLE values. Whether it’s the concert film, the documentary, or the exhibition, each one is entertainment — but they’re also things made from who we are at our core, something genuinely alive. So more than anything, we just want as many people as possible to see them.
The announcement that Phase 2 will conclude within the year came as a big surprise to many. With the time remaining, what do you hope to continue expressing through the end of this phase?
Fujisawa: Phase 2 has really been driven by the desire to meet as many people as possible and to bring Mrs. GREEN APPLE to many listeners. So through the end of the year, we want to continue delivering a bright, energetic Mrs. GREEN APPLE — both in who we are and in our music.
Wakai: We still have the tour ahead, so I hope everyone continues to enjoy Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s Phase 2 in different forms.
Omori: In the new year, we’ll shift into Phase 3 — but that doesn’t mean some drastic change is coming. It’s simply one of our own markers, a way of organizing our direction. So just like always, we’ll keep making music in a way that people can enjoy. And we hope to spend the rest of our 10th anniversary expressing our gratitude to as many people as possible.
–This interview by Mariko Ikitake first appeared on Billboard Japan
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Charli xcx is back with another taste of her album of music written for Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights, the full trailer for which arrived Thursday (Nov. 13) featuring a new song from the pop star titled “Chains of Love.”
The preview opens with Emily Brontë’s famous fictional lovebirds, Heathcliff and Catherine — played by Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie, respectively — sitting together in the moors as the former imagines what he would do if he were rich. The latter is startled when he indicates he’d “take a wife,” setting off a montage of the couple’s tragic gothic love story.
“Why did you leave me?” Robbie says at one point as Elordi chases after her in a downpour, asking her in response, “Why did you betray your own heart?”
All the while, Charli’s anthemic, synth-powered track plays. “I know the chains of love won’t break,” she repeats in a soaring soprano melody.
The full song is now available for streaming, dropping on the same day as the trailer. It follows on the heels of “House,” which the British singer-songwriter worked on with John Cale of the Velvet Underground for her Wuthering Heights concept album. The new LP is set to drop on Feb. 13 — one day before the film premieres in theaters.
In her first-ever post on Substack, Charli recently shared how the upcoming concept LP came to be. “I called Emerald and asked her what she was hoping for from my read of the script,” she wrote in a post on Nov. 12. “She coyly suggested ‘A song?’ and I suggested ‘An album?’ because why not? I wanted to dive into persona, into a world that felt undeniably raw, wild, sexual, gothic, British, tortured and full of actual real sentences, punctuation and grammar. Without a cigarette or a pair of sunglasses in sight, it was all totally other from the life I was currently living.”
“This collection of songs is an album, and sure, my name’s on the credits, but is it a Charli xcx album?” she added in the post. “I don’t even know. Nor do I really care to find out.”
Watch the new trailer for Wuthering Heights featuring “Chains of Love” above, and listen to the full song below.
