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Nearly 300 songs have peaked at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, and despite not hitting No. 1 or even the top 10, many remain memorable years or even decades later. In the 1960s, Rat Packers Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra each extended their iconic legacies with notable No. 25 Hot 100 hits: “You’re […]

New year, same Rihanna. Less than one day into 2025, the superstar has already punched in with one of her characteristic comebacks, shutting down a troll who demanded new music and called her a rude name on Instagram Wednesday (Jan. 1). 
The exchange went down on Ri’s latest post, a video she filmed of herself celebrating with friends as the clock ticked down to midnight on New Year’s Eve. “Y’all, I didn’t drink all year,” she excitedly tells the camera in the clip. 

“New Year, New Me,” the Fenty mogul captioned the post.  

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One person in the comments, however, seemed intent on raining on her parade. “We want an album forehead,” they wrote.  

But Rihanna being Rihanna, the “Umbrella” singer was quick to shut him down. “listen Lorenzo!” she replied. “You ain’t cute enough to be calling me by my black name you dizzy f–k!” 

The Barbadian musician hasn’t released an album since 2016’s Anti, which spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Since then, she’s appeared on a couple sparse remixes and contributed “Born Again” and “Lift Me Up” for the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack. The latter tune earned Ri a Grammy nomination for best song written for visual media as well as an Oscar nod for best original song. 

Rihanna has been hinting that a new LP has been in the works for years, but fans have had to get used to taking her updates with a grain of salt. In April, she told Interview that she had “a lot of visual ideas” for her next musical project, but not the songs to match. “Maybe the visual ideas are leading me to the songs that I need to make,” she added at the time. 

Two months later, Ri told Entertainment Tonight that she was “starting over” the album-making process. “I don’t want to neglect the songs that I have, so I actually want to go back and listen to stuff with new ears, with my new perspective and then see what applies and what I’m still in love with,” she told the outlet in June. “I have been working on the album for so long that I kinda put all that stuff aside, and now I’m prepared to go back in the studio. I’m gonna start — give me a second!” 

See Ri’s post below.

It has been more than six years since Lily Allen’s most recent studio LP — but that could be about to change. In a new update, the British pop star has said that she is “trying to manifest” releasing a new album by “the end of the year.”
Speaking on her Miss Me? podcast, a show she hosts with TV presenter and longtime friend Miquita Oliver, the 39-year-old musician discussed the potential follow-up to 2018’s No Shame, which landed at No. 8 on the U.K.’s Official Album Charts.

“Firstly, I’m going to go and get my head straight for a bit,” she said on the show’s latest episode, which was released Thursday (Jan. 2). “I’m doing a little bit of work on myself in this beginning period of the year, then I’m going to do some more writing, then I’m going to do my play [Allen will star in a new production of Hedda Gabler in Bath, England, in July], hopefully, maybe get an album out by the end of the year. That would be nice, wouldn’t it?”

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She continued, “It’s not real, I’m just trying to manifest it now.” Later, she added, “Listen, I’ve got this. We’re bringing Lily Allen back in 2025.”

Across her career, Allen has released four studio albums: 2006’s Alright Still, 2009’s It’s Not Me, It’s You, 2014’s Sheezus and 2018’s No Shame. Three of her singles have charted at No. 1 on the Official Singles Chart in the U.K. – “Smile” (2006), “The Fear” (2008) and a cover of Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know” (2013).

On a previous episode first released in April 2024, Allen revealed that she had been working on new music in Nashville. “I’m in Nashville, where everyone is really good. There’s so much legacy,” she told her co-host Oliver. “I have to say it’s quite intimidating being here. People are really talented.” Prior to that, she also said on X that she had written up to 50 songs for a new album.

In July 2024, Allen shared that she had begun selling pictures and videos of her feet on OnlyFans and that she was receiving more revenue from her pictures than from her music streams. “Imagine being and artist [sic] and having nearly 8 million monthly listeners on spotify but earning more money from having 1000 people subscribe to pictures of your feet,” she said on social media.

Listen to the episode below (music discussion begins at the 6:00 mark.)

Britney Spears‘ ex-husband Sam Asghari has gone Instagram official with his new girlfriend. The 30-year-old The Traitors actor posted a series of celebratory New Year’s pics on Wednesday (Jan. 1) in which he is seen getting up-close-and-personal with his blonde lady love.
In the first snap, the couple, both dressed in all white, are seen staring deep into each other’s eyes under a palm tree beneath a starry sky next to a caption reading “Happy New Year to All.”. According to US Magazine, Asghari’s new partner is realtor Brooke Irvine, whose social feeds are set to private.

In another picture, Irvine lays her head on Asghari’s stomach as the couple recline on the trunk of a palm tree. The reel also features a snap of the pair in all-black at what looks like a party, followed by another cuddly image of them sitting on a carnival-like ride and a final pic of Asghari with his arm around Irvine’s neck, standing behind her as they take a mirror selfie while dressed in all-white again.

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In December, Spears celebrated her 43rd birthday on the same day a California court declared her officially single. The declaration came seven months after her divorce from Asghari was finalized in Los Angeles. Spears and Asghari separated in July 2023, 13 months after their wedding and six years after they first started dating. Asghari filed for divorce in August 2023, citing irreconcilable differences.

Two months earlier, Spears announced that she’d “married” herself in a throwback video that appeared similar to one from 2022, in which she wrote, “The day I married myself … Bringing it back because it might seem embarrassing or stupid, but I think it’s the most brilliant thing I’ve ever done !!!

The divorce from Asghari was the third for spears, who was also briefly married to childhood friend Jason Alexander in 2004 before tying the knot with dancer Kevin Federline that same year; she and Federline had two sons, Sean Preston, 19 and Jayden James, 18, before splitting in 2007.

While Asghari spent the new year with his new love, Spears revealed over the Christmas holiday that she’d reunited with Jayden, calling their reconciliation the “best Christmas of my life!!! I haven’t seen my boys in 2 years!!!”

Justin Bieber rang in the new year by rededicating himself to wife Hailey Bieber. After the model posted a spicy NYE pic in which she wore a pink bikini under a fur coat, Justin hopped into the conversation in his Instagram Stories on Wednesday (Jan. 1) by commenting “Goin anywhere with u bb,” according to […]

Stormzy has been banned from driving in the U.K. for nine months after an off-duty police officer caught the rapper using a mobile phone behind the wheel of his Rolls-Royce vehicle in London. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The 31-year-old born Michael Ebenazer Owuo Junior pleaded […]

Elton John and Brandi Carlile, who are among the co-writers of the Oscar-shortlisted song “Never Too Late” from Elton John: Never Too Late, are among the presenters for the 2025 Golden Globes, which is set to air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ on Sunday, Jan. 5 at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET.
“Never Too Late” wasn’t nominated for a Globe, but being booked as presenters on the Globes could help the song’s chances in the Oscar balloting. Oscar nominations will be announced on Jan. 17.

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The Golden Globes have a long and colorful history, and a reputation as “Hollywood’s Party of the Year,” but an undeniable part of its appeal is its place on the awards calendar. This year’s Globes will air less than three days before nominations-round voting begins for the Oscars (on Wednesday Jan. 8 at 9 am PT). Nominations-round voting for this year’s Oscars ends on Sunday, Jan. 12 at 5 p.m. PT.

Ariana DeBose, who has hosted the last three Tony Awards telecasts, is also set to present on the Globes, as are Viola Davis, who is set to receive the Globes’ Cecil B. DeMille Award; actress Kate Hudson, who last year released her first album, Glorious; Auliʻi Cravalho, who voiced the title character in the Disney animated film Moana and its 2024 sequel; and actress Margaret Qualley, a Globe nominee for best supporting actress – motion picture for The Substance (and wife of top producer Jack Antonoff).

The show will be hosted by Nikki Glaser, who is the first woman to solo host the Globes. It will be held in its usual home, the Grand Ballroom of the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.

Glaser is nominated for a Globe for best performance in stand-up comedy on television for her HBO/Max special Nikki Glaser: Someday You’ll Die. Glaser was nominated for a Primetime Emmy for outstanding variety special (pre-recorded) for her work on that special and is a current Grammy nominee for best comedy album, also for that special.

The Golden Globes is the world’s largest awards show to celebrate both film and television. Emmy Award-winning producing duo Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner of White Cherry Entertainment will return as executive producing showrunners for the show. Dick Clark Productions will plan, host and produce the 82nd Annual Golden Globes.

Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service, as well as on demand. Paramount+ Essential subscribers will not have the option to stream live but will have access to on-demand the day after the special airs.

Unlike the Oscars, the Globes doesn’t book musical performances, but it has a star-studded line-up of presenters. Here’s a complete list of presenters, as of presstime:

Andrew Garfield

Anthony Mackie

Anthony Ramos

Anya Taylor-Joy

Ariana DeBose

Aubrey Plaza

Auliʻi Cravalho

Awkwafina

Brandi Carlile

Catherine O’Hara

Colin Farrell

Colman Domingo

Demi Moore

Dwayne Johnson

Édgar Ramírez

Elton John

Gal Gadot

Glenn Close

Jeff Goldblum

Jennifer Coolidge

Kaley Cuoco

Kate Hudson

Kathy Bates

Ke Huy Quan

Kerry Washington

Margaret Qualley

Melissa McCarthy

Michael Keaton

Michelle Yeoh

Miles Teller

Mindy Kaling

Morris Chestnut

Nate Bargatze

Nicolas Cage

Rachel Brosnahan

Rob McElhenney

Salma Hayek Pinault

Sarah Paulson

Seth Rogen

Sharon Stone

Vin Diesel

Viola Davis

Zoë Kravitz

The Golden Globes are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Corporation. PMC is also the parent company of Billboard. 

Billy Joel rung in the new year in style, joining forces with Jason Bonham for a rendition of Led Zeppelin‘s “Whole Lotta Love”.
Performing at Long Island’s UBS Arena on Tuesday (Dec. 31), Joel’s end-of-year spectacular was a special for one for numerous reasons. Not only was the night preceded by Jason Bonham’s Led Zepellin Evening as the opener, but the lengthy set saw the veteran musician roll out plenty of fan favorites for the night, along with a few rarer tracks from his extensive into his back catalog.

While the seldom-heard 1982’s “A Room of Our Own” got a look-in, rarer still was a performance of 1974’s “Souvenir”, which received only its 13th showing from across the past 40 years.

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However, one of the most notable songs from the evening was one that wasn’t Joel’s own. Just over a third of the way through the set, Joel switched his focus to welcome Bonham and his band to the stage for a rendition of 1969’s “Whole Lotta Love”.

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“We’re going to bring a guest onstage and do this next song,” Joel said to the crowd. “We have fun playing this, especially with this guy. Please welcome Jason Bonham. You all know this song. It’s not a piano song.”

With Bonham performing drums on the song his father helped make famous more than five decades ago, Joel’s longtime guitarist and vocalist Mike DelGuidice sang lead on the track, relagting Joel to the background somewhat.

Hearing Joel perform “Whole Lotta Love” isn’t a rarity (in fact, he also performed it at his previous New Year’s Eve celebration at the same venue), and it seamlessly fit in amongst the rest of the set, which also featured renditions of The Rolling Stones’ “Start Me Up”, and Derek and the Dominos’ “Layla”, which was used to fill time ahead of the midnight countdown.

The show also wrapped up a big year for Joel, who not only concluded his record-breaking ten-year Madison Square Garden residency (earning $266.7 million from 1.9 million ticket sales to 104 shows), but also released “Turn the Lights Back On” – his first new lyrical single in nearly 20 years.

London’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display was, apparently, brat. The celebration took pace on the River Thames as Big Ben struck midnight and 2024 shifted to 2025.
Charli XCX‘s big year made it into the city’s annual fireworks display airing on BBC and ITV; her influence on the fireworks show is immediately recognizable as Brat green lights the sky, as captured in the photo above.

The night’s Brat-inspired moment can be seen in full here, via a clip Charli’s fans shared on X (formerly Twitter). Along with that familiar shade of green, album track “Apple” plays and “london” appears typewritten in the style of Charli’s album art.

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Elsewhere on New Year’s Eve, Charli shared reflections on Brat‘s massive success over the past year on Instagram.

“So many highs in 2024 and i cba to post them all but here’s some of my fav memories and fav people. love you all so much and thank you for everything. sorry i’m a lot sometimes xx,” she wrote on Dec. 31.

The caption went along with a photo carousel looking back at the year of Brat, with snapshots with friends and from the rollout of the album — and its companion release, Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat. Some highlights included pictures with her fiancé (The 1975’s George Daniel) and a behind-the-scenes cue card shot from her SNL hosting gig.

Brat arrived in June, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. It also led the Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart for 29 weeks.

Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat, a variation of the original album featuring collaborations with Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, The 1975, Lorde, Robyn, Troye Sivan, Bon Iver, Julian Casablancas, Caroline Polachek and more, followed in October.

Charli’s fall Sweat Tour with Sivan earned $28 million, with 297,000 tickets sold over the course of 22 shows in the U.S. and Canada, according to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore. 

Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco are starting off 2025 on a sweet note. The singer-actress shared a series of photos on New Year’s Eve that offer a glimpse at the engaged couple enjoying each other’s company. “Happy new years,” Gomez captioned the Dec. 31 post, which includes eight pictures, most of them being cute selfies […]