State Champ Radio Music
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By now you’re surely aware that Kelly Clarkson can sing just about any song. The pop star and talk show host has run the gamut from pop and rock to country and soul during her beloved daily “Kellyoke” sessions that open each episode of her daytime chat series. Over the years, she’s taken on songs from Ariana Grande, theWhite Stripes, Dolly Parton, Lady Gaga, Coldplay, Heart and the Pixies, as well as fellow American Idol winner Carrie Underwood, My Chemical Romance and many more.
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So we know Clarkson has eclectic musical tastes, but what inquiring minds really want to find out is what are the singer’s top three albums of all time? Luckily, on Monday’s (Nov. 10) show, Clarkson spilled the beans on her royal trio. Taking viewers on a walk through the backstage of her series’ studio, pointing to some of the pictures of her biggest influences lining the walls, Clarkson set the stage for the big reveal.
Pointing to the framed cover of Lauryn Hill‘s Grammy-winning debut solo album, 1998’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, Clarkson said if you don’t like the Billboard 200 No. 1 smash “you’re an idiot,” adding that the LP is one of the reasons she became a songwriter. She also noted that Americana legend Patty Griffin is her all-time favorite singer-songwriter and also shouted out Alanis Morissette, the Toadies and Aretha Franklin, among others.
But when it come to her absolute favorites, there was no doubt, with Clarkson giving a jokey, no bones caveat: “I hope you like them. If you don’t, you’re dumb.”
First up with Griffin’s 2002 classic 1000 Kisses from the artist Clarkson loves so much that her fans have put together “secret” compilation albums of Griffin’s music that have never been officially released.
“I love her so much. Her storytelling, her voice, her tone, her musicianship… the timing. She just does everything so beautiful,” Clarkson said of the 61-year-old Maine native whose self-titled 2019 LP won the Grammy for best folk album. Clarkson recalled that former boyfriend musician Graham Colton introduced her to Griffin’s music. “He was a great dude, but I wills ay the best part of that relationship was honestly him showing me this artist. I cannot thank him enough, she’s changed my life,” Clarkson said.
Number two on Kelly’s list was U2‘s 1998 compilation, The Best Of 1980-1990. While there are other U2 albums she loves, Clarkson said this 14-song compilation featuring such indelible hits as “Pride (In the Name of Love),” “New Year’s Day,” “With or Without You,” “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “Desire,” “Angel of Harlem” and others is the bomb.
“I saw them at Madison Square Garden and it was the most insane show of my life and it was like a spiritual experience,” said Clarkson, who noted that she appreciates the band’s career-long struggle with the sacred and the profane. “Sometimes you’re like, ‘is he talking about a woman? Is he talking about a relationship with God? Is he just stoned and having a good time?’ I don’t know but I’m in and I want to know more,” she said.
The third pick might be a surprise given Clarkson’s pure pop roots, but holding up Hill’s Miseducation, the singer said she had the CD — which she bought with her own money — cued up in her Walkman and did not leave her home except to go to school for days in order to listen to the album on repeat. “I was like, ‘this is the coolest thing,’” she recalled thinking. “It wasn’t just the fact that she’s an incredible vocalist. It wasn’t even the fact that there’s incredible [background vocals] and how they interact with each other and intertwine. It was so clever, but not so processed and thought out. It was, like, organic.”
She also, of course, loved the “real, authentic” messages in the lyrics that, as a budding songwriter, taught her about the importance of writing with an authentic, believable voice. “This was a whole album story like something that will stand the test of time,” she said.
Watch Clarkson talk about her favorite albums below.
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There wouldn’t be a Chappell Roan without Cyndi Lauper, whom the “Good Luck, Babe!” singer helped induct into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Saturday (Nov. 8).
And in a Sunday (Nov. 9) post on Instagram after the event, Roan acknowledged the indelible impact the pop pioneer had on her own career while sharing photos from the red carpet in Los Angeles. “Sooo honored to have played a part in inducting THEE @cyndilauper into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Trending on Billboard Cardi B was in the owner’s luxury box suite for the New England Patriots game Nov. 2, and this Sunday (Nov. 9), she cheered on her NFL star wide receiver boo Stefon Diggs from her bedroom. Diggs and the Patriots traveled to Tampa Bay and came away with a hard-fought victory against […]
Trending on Billboard The first quarter of the 21st century featured 327 No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits seemingly covering every topic imaginable. Chart-toppers in that span ranged from “We Belong Together” to “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” From “Bootylicious” to “Way 2 Sexy,” “Angel” to “Vampire.” “Butterfly” and “Fireflies” both winged their […]
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Train are gearing up to celebrate a quarter-century of one of their most indelible hits next summer on the Drops of Jupiter: 25 years in the Atmosphere tour. The veteran band announced the dates for the summer 2026 headlining tour on Monday morning (Nov. 10), revealing that the career-spanning outing will feature support from the Barenaked Ladies and singer-songwriter Matt Nathanson.
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The Live Nation-produced tour is slated to kick off on July 6 at the iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Fla., followed by 38 stops in Georgia, North Carolina, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Ohio, Tennessee, Ontario, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Texas, Arizona, California, Nevada and Oregon before winding down with an Aug. 30 gig at White River Amphitheatre in Auburn, Wash.
The “Hey, Soul Sister” band also revealed that acclaimed songwriter/producer and frequent collaborator Butch Walker (P!nk, Green Day) has officially joined the band, adding guitar and vocals to the lineup led by singer Pat Monahan that also features bassist Hector Maldonado, keyboardist Jerry Becker and drummer Matt Musty. Train announced the tour with a funny 90-second video featuring George Lopez in which Monahan has his tarot cards read by the wig-wearing veteran comedian, who conjures all the details of the outing in his crystal ball.
Fans can sign up now for an artist pre-sale for most of the dates beginning on Tuesday (Nov. 11) at 12 p.m. local time here. More pre-sales will run throughout the week ahead of a general on-sale beginning on Friday (Nov. 14) at 10 a.m. local time. Citi cardmembers will also have access to a pre-sale beginning on Tuesday at 10 a.m. local time through Thursday (Nov. 13) at 10 p.m. local time here.
2001’s Drops of Jupiter album spun off the title track single, which ran up to No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in March of that year, staying on the chart for a total of 53 weeks. In addition to the tour dates, Train is gearing up to release new music in the spring, according to a release announcing the shows. Train’s most recent full-length album was 2022’s AM Gold.
Check out the Drops of Jupiter: 25 Years in the Atmosphere 2026 North American summer tour dates below:
July 8: West Palm Beach, Fla. @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
July 10: Tampa, Fla. @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
July 11: Alpharetta, Ga. @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
July 12: Orange Beach, Ala. @ The Wharf Amphitheater
July 14: Charlotte, N.C. @ PNC Music Pavilion
July 16: Raleigh, N.C. @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
July 17: Columbia, Md. @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
July 18: Wantagh, N.Y. @ Northwell at Jones Beach Theater
July 20: Gilford, N.H. @ BankNH Pavilion
July 22: Saratoga Springs, N.Y. @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center
July 24: Holmdel, N.J. @ PNC Bank Arts Center
July 25: Mansfield, Mass. @ Xfinity Center
July 26: Camden, N.J. @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
July 28: Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio @ Blossom Music Center
July 29: Cincinnati, Ohio @ Riverbend Music Center
July 31: Nashville, Tenn. @ Ascend Amphitheater
Aug. 1: Noblesville, Ind. @ Ruoff Music Center
Aug. 4: Toronto, ON @ RBC Amphitheatre (*Co-headline with Barenaked Ladies)
Aug. 5: Clarkston, Mich. @ Pine Knob Music Theatre
Aug. 7: Tinley Park, Ill. @ Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
Aug. 8: Madison, Wisc. @ Breese Stevens Field
Aug. 9: Shakopee, Minn. @ Mystic Lake Amphitheater
Aug. 11: St. Louis, Mo. @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Aug. 12: Riverside, Mo. @ Morton Amphitheater
Aug. 14: The Woodlands, Texas @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Aug. 15: Dallas, Texas @ Dos Equis Pavilion
Aug. 17: Morrison, Colo. @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Aug. 19: West Valley City, Utah @ Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
Aug. 21: Phoenix, Ariz. @ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
Aug. 22: Santa Barbara, Calif. @ Santa Barbara Bowl +
Aug. 24: Los Angeles, Calif. @ Greek Theatre
Aug. 25: Lake Tahoe, Nev. @ Lake Tahoe Amphitheatre at Caesars Republic
Aug. 26: Mountain View, Calif. @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
Aug. 28: Bend, Ore. @ Hayden Homes Amphitheater
Aug. 29: Ridgefield, Wash. @ Cascades Amphitheater
Aug. 30: Auburn, Wash. @ White River Amphitheatre
+ General on-sale begins Nov. 21
Metro’s run continues through spooky season.
11/10/2025
50 Cent is sick and tired of airports in the United States being outta control. In recent posts on Instagram, the rapper shared his frustration with major delays and flight cancelations happening across the country due to the government shutdown.
His first post on Sunday (Nov. 9) was of a news montage of clips filmed at airports overrun with frustrated travelers, helplessly packing in like sardines. A headline attached to the video reads, “More Than 700 Flights Cancelled Across the Nation Due to Shutdown.”
“Man the airport is f–ked up, for get about traveling right now!” 50 wrote in his caption.
The G-Unit icon then followed up with a video showing his own POV on the situation, filmed as he deplanes a private jet that wasn’t allowed to take off — possibly due to the lack of air traffic controllers showing up for work as a result of President Donald Trump’s shutdown-mandated cuts to U.S. air travel. “It’s a wrap, man,” says 50, wearing a furry jacket and New York Yankees cap. “Can’t even take off in jets no more, they just said they’re not even letting the jets go.”
“Im headed back to Shreveport this ain’t it,” he captioned the clip. “Bad Travel day!”
Over the past few days, thousands of flights have been canceled across some of the biggest metropolitan airports in America. CNN reports that more than 1,000 departures were canceled on Friday (Nov. 7) alone, while 4,500 others were delayed.
The disarray comes amid the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, which began on Oct. 1. One of the many effects of this pause has been a 4% reduction in trips flying to and from the 40 busiest airports in America, as required by the Federal Aviation Administration.
With his travel plans on hold, it sounds like 50 is going to spend more quality time in Shreveport, La., where he opened his G-Unit Studios in April 2024. A New York native, the hip-hop legend also recently criticized another governmental change, taking issue with the election of Zohran Mamdani as mayor of the city earlier in November.
“I think his intentions are good,” 50 wrote on Instagram of the politician, sharing and deleting memes indicating his disappointment with the election results. “But his Tax plan is gonna run the big money out of the city and if he defunds the police they are gonna purge. @50centaction All Roads lead to SHREVEPORT !”
See 50 Cent’s video from his recent negative experience with air travel below.
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Iceland Airwaves managing director Ísleifur Thorhallsson, beaming in a festival-branded baseball cap, radiates enthusiasm as you enter NASA, a postcard-pretty conference hall in downtown Reykjavík, Iceland. “You can already feel the energy everywhere in the city,” he says on the eve of the festival’s 2025 edition. “This festival is built purely off passion.”
For four bustling days (Nov. 5-8), that sentiment rings true across nearly every corner of the city. Step inside the lobby of Center Hotels Laugavegur – where dozens of international industry figures congregate for the week – and you’re greeted by a 4K TV screen, playing music videos from Icelandic artists on loop. Festival posters transform Nordic-style buildings with bold splashes of colour. “Reykjavík Music City” tote bags swing on the shoulders of conference attendees, who exchange ideas over black coffee and thick slabs of hjónabandssaela – or “happy marriage cake,” a traditional rhubarb jam tart.
Launching in 1999 as a one-off weekender in an airplane hangar, Iceland Airwaves is now recognised as a premier event in the European festival calendar. Its guiding philosophy stems from how Reykjavík makes a lot of noise on the global stage, despite having a population of only 139,000; it’s a city that, through government grants and a cluster of marketing agencies focused on promoting music abroad, invests deeply in culture and empowers its artists.
Over the years, Iceland Airwaves has played host to acts that have gone on to become global stars, including Fontaines D.C. and Florence + The Machine, while also consistently showcasing a wide array of Icelandic talent. As with any new music festival, the trick is to come with an open mind and get ready to uncover acts ready to make a name for themselves.
Homegrown success stories that have come up through the festival in recent years include jazz-pop maestro Laufey, who played two sold-out nights at Madison Square Garden in October, and Grammy-nominated pianist Ólafur Arnalds. The international profile of Iceland’s music shows that locals already know that a prominent slot can be a key next step for a local artist’s success, but as has become the norm with this festival, delegates from across the U.K., US and Europe were invited to listen in and watch the magic unfold, too.
To that end, Iceland Airwaves holds its place as a tastemaker event, platforming breakthrough acts from both sides of the Atlantic as well as giving a boost to the future stars of its country. These were the biggest takeaways from 2025’s edition.
Gen Z Is Redefining the Festival Experience…
Trending on Billboard Travis Scott has been shut out at the Grammy Awards for his 10 nominations throughout his career, but he’s not going to give up the chance to hoist a Grammy trophy on stage anytime soon. Explore See latest videos, charts and news The Houston native responded to a Nov. 7 post on […]
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Fifty years ago on Nov. 10, 1975, massive freighter the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior, amid 50-foot waves and 100-mile-an-hour winds. All 29 men aboard the ship died.
The loss was commemorated in folk-rocker Gordon Lightfoot’s “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” which hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 a little more than a year later, on the chart dated Nov. 20, 1976.
The haunting ballad reenters Billboard’s Nov. 15-dated Rock Digital Song Sales chart at No. 5 and Country Digital Song Sales at No. 7, up 160% to 1,000 sold Oct. 31-Nov. 6, according to Luminate.
The song also gained by 77% to 1.4 million on-demand U.S. streams in the tracking week.
In 2015, Lightfoot discussed the origins of the single, which he solely wrote, in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “The story of the sinking of the Fitzgerald stayed with me in a funny kind of a way, all by itself,” he shared at the time. “I wasn’t forgetting about it. I knew everyone had forgotten about it, but I knew I hadn’t forgotten it.”
Lightfoot, who died in May 2023 in his native Ontario, recalled that he “had some chords and a melody I had been thinking about and didn’t know where to direct it.
“It is a very good piece of work, I do believe,” he said of the track, which also went top 10 on Adult Contemporary. “It’s one of those songs that just stands the test of time and it’s about something that, of course, would be forgotten very shortly thereafter, which is one of the reasons I wrote the song in the first place. I didn’t want it to be forgotten.”
Lightfoot went on to befriend family members of victims of the ship’s sinking, remaining aware that the song was at its core a tribute to an actual tragedy.
Of it, he said, “There is a responsibility.”
