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LiAngelo Ball is officially a Billboard Hot 100-charting artist, as his breakthrough viral hit, “Tweaker,” debuts at No. 29 on the Jan. 18-dated chart.
The song debuts almost entirely from its streaming sum: 12.4 million official streams in the U.S. in the Jan. 3-9 tracking week, according to Luminate. It also sold 2,000 downloads. The song concurrently tips off at No. 7 on Hot Rap Songs and No. 9 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
Ball is one-third of the famed Ball brothers, the sons of Big Baller Brand co-founder Lavar Ball. Eldest son, Lonzo Ball, was the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft and is now the starting point guard for the Chicago Bulls. The youngest son, LaMelo Ball, was the third pick in the 2020 NBA draft and is now the starting point guard for the Charlotte Hornets — he was voted rookie of the year in 2021 and named an all-star in 2022. LiAngelo, the middle child, played basketball in Lithuania and Mexico, but hasn’t made the NBA. He is, however, the first of the siblings to score a Billboard chart hit.
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LiAngelo released “Tweaker” on Jan. 3 via Born to Ball Music Group, and it almost immediately went viral. The song has already soundtracked nearly 30,000 clips on TikTok. His upward momentum even earned him a slot to perform at Rolling Loud California 2025 in March. The song also helped him, reportedly, sign a deal with Def Jam/Universal Music Group.
LiAngelo isn’t the first basketball star to reach Billboard’s charts. Shaquille O’Neal charted five Hot 100 hits in the 1990s: “What’s Up Doc? (Can We Rock),” with Fu-Schnickens (No. 39 peak in 1993); “(I Know I Got) Skillz” (No. 35, 1993); “I’m Outstanding” (No. 47, 1994); “Biological Didn’t Bother” (No. 78, 1995); and “Men of Steel,” with Ice Cube, B-Real, Peter Gunz and KRS-One (No. 82, 1997). He has also charted four albums on the Billboard 200: Shaq Diesel (No. 25, 1993); Shaq-Fu: Da Return (No. 67, 1994); You Can’t Stop the Reign (No. 82, 1996); and Respect (No. 58, 1998).
Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard, who raps under the name Dame D.O.L.L.A., has also charted an album on the Billboard 200: The Letter O reached No. 119 in 2016. During a postgame interview on Jan. 8 with ESPN’s Michael Eaves, Lillard co-signed LiAngelo’s “Tweaker.”
“I rock with it, man,” he said. “I’ve been hearing it a lot, it gives me that 2003, 2004 vibe. … And as an artist, you gotta respect other people’s artistry, and when something is going, it’s going. … I’m happy for him, it’s a big record, you’re hearing it everywhere.”
Ringo Starr is heading down South while simultaneously giving a little help to his friends in the West. As announced Tuesday (Jan. 14), the former Beatle’s upcoming concert special at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium will air this spring on CBS and Paramount+, with some of the proceeds benefiting wildfire relief amid the ongoing crisis in the Los Angeles area.
Titled Ringo & Friends at the Ryman, the two-hour special will find Starr performing songs from his new country album, Look Up, which arrived Jan. 10. He’ll be joined by a star-studded list of friends on stage, including Billy Strings and Molly Tuttle — both of whom collaborated on the drummer’s new LP — as well as Sheryl Crow, Rodney Crowell, Mickey Guyton, Emmylou Harris, Sarah Jarosz, Jamey Johnson, Brenda Lee, Larkin Poe, The War and Treaty, and Jack White.
Beyond the selections from Look Up, Starr and his cohorts will also reimagine tracks such as “Boys,” “Act Naturally,” “With a Little Help From My Friends,” “Yellow Submarine,” “Don’t Pass Me By” and “It Don’t Come Easy” with a country twist. Plus, the rock icon will delve into his life and career as his guest stars reflect on their own personal memories of his influence in the special.
Proceeds from the show will go toward the American Red Cross supporting people affected by the fires devastating L.A. County. In the past week, numerous blazes have broken out in the area — starting in Pacific Palisades followed by Eaton and Hurst — displacing tens of thousands of residents from their homes and burning countless structures. At least 24 people have been reported dead, according to CNN.
Starr’s taping is set for Tuesday and Wednesday (Jan. 15), marking just the latest of six total times the musician has performed at the famed Nashville venue. While speaking to Billboard about his new album and the special earlier this month, he said, “The Ryman means a lot to my soul, because most of the acts that I was following [growing up] were at the Ryman.”
“It is always a thrill to play the Ryman and this time we are going country!” Starr added in a release. “I’m excited to hear my songs done in a country vein and to play with this incredible group of musicians. It will be two nights of peace, love and country music.”
Billboard’s Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart (dated Jan. 18) premieres this week led by Tate McRae’s “It’s OK I’m OK” at No. 1.
As previously announced, the 15-position chart ranks the most popular current dance/pop titles, featuring titles with dance-centric vocals, melody and hooks by artists not rooted in the dance/electronic genre, ranked by streaming activity by online music sources tracked by Luminate; radio airplay audience impressions as measured by Mediabase and provided by Luminate; and sales data as compiled by Luminate.
“It’s OK I’m OK” tops the chart thanks to 22.3 million radio airplay audience impressions and 4.7 million official U.S. streams in the Jan. 3-9 tracking week.
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Charli XCX follows at Nos 2, 3, 4 and 6 with “Apple,” “360,” “Guess” (featuring Billie Eilish) and “Sympathy Is a Knife” (featuring Ariana Grande), respectively, all from her album Brat.
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Rounding out the top 10 of the inaugural Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart, The Weeknd and Anitta’s “Sao Paolo” ranks at No. 5, Betsy and Maria Yankovskaya’s viral “Sigma Boy” starts at No. 7, bbno$’s “Two” places at No. 8, Katy Perry’s “I’m Him, He’s Mine” (featuring Doechii) ranks at No. 9 and Kesha’s “Joyride” is No. 10.
Billboard’s revamped Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart also takes effect this week. The 25-position list ranks the most popular current dance/electronic songs, billed to DJs, producers and long-standing core artists in the dance/electronic genre, with an emphasis on electronic-based production.
Marshmello and Kane Brown’s “Miles On It” rules Hot Dance/Electronic Songs for a 35th week, with 16.7 million radio airplay audience impressions, 7.3 million U.S. streams and 1,000 sold. It’s the fourth longest-leading No. 1 in the chart’s 12-year history, after Marshmello and Bastille’s “Happier” (69 weeks at No. 1 in 2018-20); David Guetta and Bebe Rexha’s “I’m Good (Blue)” (55 weeks, 2022-23); and Elton John and Dua Lipa’s “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix)” (36 weeks, 2021-22).
Elsewhere in the top five: Guetta, Alphaville and Ava Max’s “Forever Young” (No. 2), Chrystal’s “The Days” (No. 3), Adam Port and Stryv’s “Move” (featuring Malachiii; No. 4) and Snow Strippers’ “Under Your Spell” (No. 5).
Meanwhile, on the Top Dance Albums chart (whose name switches from Top Dance/Electronic Albums as of this week), Charli XCX’s Brat spends a 31st week at No. 1 – encompassing its entire run on the ranking – with 20,000 equivalent album units.
Mary J. Blige enters a select club as just the fourth artist to earn at least 10 No. 1s on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart. The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul achieves the feat on the list dated Jan. 18, as “You Ain’t the Only One” rises 3-1 to become her 10th career leader on the […]
Tamer Ashour’s journey to becoming a celebrated singer was marked by twists of fate far beyond his expectations or plans. In the early stages of his career, Tamer was deeply focused on his goals as a composer. He poured determination and professionalism into crafting melodies for other artists and strived to deliver his best with each composition. Before the public even knew his name, his voice began to resonate through the streets of Cairo, his hometown, capturing hearts and attention.
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Two decades ago, as a composer, Tamer Ashour recorded demo versions of songs he had written for other artists. During a time when the Internet was gaining traction in the region, forums enabled users to download audio clips directly, and Bluetooth technology allowed songs to be shared across mobile phones. Amid this technological shift, Tamer was stunned to discover that some of his demos, featuring his own voice, had been leaked on forums and websites. Songs like “Zekrayat Kadaba” (“False Memories”),” Thania Wahda” (“One Second”), “Senin El Shoq” (“Years of Longing”) and “Albak Ya Hawl Allah” (“Your Heart, Oh God”) began circulating widely, gaining popularity even though the identity of the singer behind them remained a mystery.
This unexpected turn of events left Tamer, who had never intended to step into the spotlight as a singer, feeling conflicted. He recalls a time when he closely monitored the spread of his voice, allowing it to resonate with audiences before officially stepping into the spotlight to launch his career as a singer. Eventually, he connected his face to the voice that had already resonated with the public and released his debut album, Sa’b. Success followed with albums and hits like “Leya Nazra” (“I Have Insight”), “Esht Maak” (“I Lived with You”) and “Ayam” (“Days”). Alongside his singing career, Tamer thrived as a composer, collaborating with some of Arabic music’s most prominent artists to create melodies that became unforgettable. His compositions include “Ya Reatak Fahimny” (“I Wish you Understand Me”) and “Lawha Bahetah” (“Faded Canvas”) by Angham, “Min El Aasham” (“Out of Hope”) by Amr Diab and “Hikayti Maak” (“My Life with You”) and “Ana Sekketen” (“I Have Two Sides”) by Elissa.
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In our in-depth, half-hour conversation with Tamer Ashour, the star featured on the December cover of Billboard Arabia, he consistently speaks of his career as being shaped either by destiny or a series of fortunate coincidences. Yet, if you pay close attention to his words and perspective, you will quickly see that they reflect both humility and realism. This humility shines through as he speaks with great appreciation about his fellow stars, the artists he has worked with, and the young talents he hopes to support or collaborate with in the future. Even when discussing his own successes, such as his recent hit “Haygely Mawgow” (“You’ll Come to me Broken”), Tamer remains grounded.
After nearly two decades in the music industry, marked by steady and quiet successes, “Haygely Mawgow” emerged as a turning point in Tamer’s career. The song became his biggest hit to date, as demonstrated by its impressive streaming numbers across various platforms and the enthusiastic interaction at live performances. By the end of the year, just two weeks before our interview, the song had won the Song of the Year award at the 2024 Billboard Arabic Music Awards. It also claimed the Top Egyptian Song award, with Tamer leaving the ceremony with two prestigious trophies, a testament to the song’s immense success.
In addition to these awards, the creators behind the work were also recognized for their contributions. Aleem received the Best Lyricist award, while Amr El Shazly was named Best Composer. Tamer took pride in acknowledging their contributions during our conversation, also confirming that he would continue collaborating with these talented names, as well as other diverse collaborators, for his upcoming album, Yaah, slated for release in early 2025.
As his new album is set to be released independently, Tamer Ashour shared his recent experience with independent production, a trend we have seen grow over the years and discussed with many Arabic artists, including Angham, Elissa, Nassif Zeytoun and others. Ashour expressed a unique satisfaction in working outside of major production houses, as it gave him full control over his creative direction. This autonomy allowed him to take responsibility for his decisions and vision, and with that, the credit for his successes, which he feels are sometimes stifled by larger production houses. When talking about releasing independently, he says, “The production experience has been the best of my life in the last ten years. It means you are responsible for yourself, without anyone telling you that you failed or undermining your success. Production houses have always done that, and that was the assurance they offered.”
When discussing his songs and his most notable hits, Tamer Ashour refrained from labeling his songs as “sad” and instead preferred the term “drama,” a description he used frequently, as if it were an artistic genre in its own right. “The Arab audience generally gravitates toward songs with a sense of sadness. They do not necessarily have to be sad, but the songs that endure and make singers successful have always been dramatic – not cheerful or upbeat hits. What lingers in the listener’s mind is the emotion of sadness and drama, across all genres, even with popular singers,” he said. He goes on to explain: “Even popular artists during their peak success, like Mr. Hassan Al Asmar, for instance, had the world dancing to songs like ‘Kitab Hayati Ya Ain,’ a dramatic song. There are many examples from that era. The songs that helped them rise to fame and establish their names in the industry were all dramatic in nature, but they were crafted in ways that suited the style they were presenting.”
Tamer Ashour
Mazen Abusrour/Billboard Arabia
Tamer speaks extensively about the concept of the dramatic song and how it has become deeply intertwined with his artistic identity, shaping the path he follows. While he releases emotional and romantic songs, he understands the expectations his audience has of him. He also emphasizes that crafting a dramatic song is not something that happens effortlessly; it requires a solid foundation, with careful attention to the lyrics, melodies and performance style. When we jokingly ask if his success in this genre means he has discovered the secret to the perfect formula, he responds: “It is not the secret to the mix. This is from Allah. There are no specific things I do to make the song come out the way you hear it. People just love my voice in dramatic songs.”
Tamer Ashour
Mazen Abusrour/Billboard Arabia
Janet Jackson: Las Vegas will be extending its stay at Resorts World Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas, Billboard can exclusive report. The announcement of the residency’s six-show extension comes after the five-time Grammy Award winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee’s sold-out debut at the theatre during New Year’s week. Explore Explore […]
Singer-songwriter Jason Isbell is returning with a new album before the winter officially is over. The Alabama native revealed on Instagram Tuesday (Jan. 14) that the upcoming project, titled Foxes in the Snow, will release March 7 on Southeastern Records. The 11-song album will follow 2023’s Weathervanes. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news […]
Bad Bunny makes history on Billboard’s latest charts (dated Jan. 18), thanks to the arrival of his new studio album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos.
The album launches at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 122,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in its opening week, according to Luminate. The set arrived Sunday. Jan. 5, so its opening week figure is from just five days of activity (with Billboard’s chart tracking week running each Friday through Thursday).
Despite its mid-week release, all 17 songs from the album chart on the Billboard Hot 100, led by the set’s opening track “Nuevayol” at No. 27. Below is a recap (all are debuts except where noted).
Rank, Title:
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No. 27, “Nuavayol”
No. 28, “Baile Inolvidable”
No. 36, “Voy a Llevarte Pa’ PR”
No. 37, “El Clúb” (up from No. 89; new peak)
No. 38, “DtMF”
No. 43, “Veldá,” with Omar Courtz & Dei V
No. 45, “Perfumito Nuevo,” with RaiNao
No. 52, “Weltita,” with Chuwi
No. 54, “EoO”
No. 59, “Ketu Tecré”
No. 60, “Pitorro de Coco” (up from No. 91; new peak)
No. 66, “Kloufrens”
No. 69, “Bokete”
No. 77, “Turista”
No. 83, “Café con Ron,” with Los Pleneros de la Cresta
No. 94, “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii”
No. 95, “La Mudanza”
(Bad Bunny has an 18th song on the latest Hot 100: “Qué Pasaría…,” with Rauw Alejandro, ranks at No. 72.)
With 15 debuts, Bad Bunny ups his career total from 98 to 113 career Hot 100-charted songs. He becomes the 20th artist to join the 100 Hot 100 hits club, and the first who primarily records Latin music.
Here’s a look at every artist with 100 or more Hot 100 hits, through the chart dated Jan. 18.
Total Hot 100 Entries, Artist:
338, Drake
264, Taylor Swift
218, Future
207, Glee cast
187, Lil Wayne
161, Kanye West
155, Lil Baby
149, Nicki Minaj
119, Travis Scott
118, Chris Brown
113, Bad Bunny
112, Eminem
111, Lil Uzi Vert
109, Elvis Presley (whose career predates the Hot 100’s August 1958 start)
106, Beyoncé
105, 21 Savage
105, Jay-Z
105, Justin Bieber
104, The Weeknd
104, YoungBoy Never Broke Again
Of Bad Bunny’s 113 Hot 100 hits, 41 have reached the top 40; 12 have hit the top 10; and one rose to No. 1: “I Like It,” with Cardi B and J Balvin, in 2018.
Bad Bunny also pushes his total to a record-extending 189 career Hot Latin Songs chart entries.
While it’s rare for artists to chart a triple-digit total of Hot 100 appearance, it has become a more regular occurrence since the chart began including streaming data in 2007. As such, some artists have been able to chart a high number of songs after releasing high-profile albums. The model contrasts with prior decades, when acts generally promoted one single at a time in the physical-only marketplace and on radio. That shift in consumption helps explain why artists have been able to log many songs over short spans in recent years.
Jessica Simpson and her husband of 10 years, former NFL tight end Eric Johnson are splitting up. According to People, Simpson, 44, told the magazine that the pair have separated and are living apart.
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“Eric and I have been living separately navigating a painful situation in our marriage,” Simpson said in a statement. “Our children come first, and we are focusing on what is best for them. We are grateful for all of the love and support that has been coming our way, and appreciate privacy right now as we work through this as a family.”
After dating for four years, the couple got married on July 5, 2014 and have three children together: daughters Maxwell Drew, 12, and Birdie Mae, 5 and son Ace Knute, 11. At press time a spokesperson for Simpson had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment and it did not appear that the singer had made any further statement on the pair’s break-up.
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Last week, she posted a sunny selfie with the message, “Life is short. SMILE while you still have teeth.” People also reported that Johnson was spotted without his wedding ring in November, which was around the time that Simpson teased a musical comeback in a chat with Footwear News.
“It’s like a retreat for me,” she said about temporarily moving her family from Los Angeles to Nashville last summer to work on her first new album in more than 13 years. “I get to just crawl up inside my head and embrace my heart. I feel so enlightened there. Writing music has become a beautiful therapeutic thing for me that I didn’t know was so natural, but it’s because I haven’t done it in so long. It’s just nice to know that I’m meeting myself back in this place, as a woman, and after going through everything that I’ve been through in my life. There’s a sense of freedom and empowerment.”
Around that time Simpson also posted a series of glam shots on Instagram from what she said were interviews in her “Nashville music room where I unearthed my singular magic.” She described her musical comeback back then as being “personal, it’s an apology to myself for putting up with everything I did not deserve.”
Though the singer has not discussed specific plans to divorce, if the couple do unwind their marriage it would be the second divorce for Simpson, who was married to 98 Degrees singer and Perfect Match host Nick Lachey from 2002-2005; the couple famously starred in MTV reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica. Johnson was previously married to stylist Keri Johnson, whom he divorced in 2010.
At press time no addition information was available on Simpson’s new album, which would be her first since 2010’s Happy Christmas; her last non-holiday release was 2008’s Do You Know, which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. She also released “Particles” as a one-off single in 2021. Simpson’s debut album, Sweet Kisses, came out on Columbia Records in 1999 and included her highest-charting single to date, “I Wanna Love You Forever,” which topped out at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Tyler, the Creator, Olivia Rodrigo, Hozier and more are headed for New York City this summer. The Governors Ball announced its 2025 lineup Tuesday (Jan. 14), revealing that the three stars will headline, with dozens of other musicians filling out the rest of three-day showcase.
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The festival will take place Friday, June 6, through Sunday, June 8. The “Sticky” rapper will lead the first day alongside Benson Boone, while Mk.gee, T-Pain, Tyla, Role Model, the Backseat Lovers, JPegMafia and more acts will also take the stage in Flushing Meadows Corona Park on the festival’s kickoff.
Saturday will see the “Vampire” singer take over the main stage, while Feid, Conan Gray, Young Miko, Wallows, Marina, Mariah the Scientist, Car Seat Headrest, Artemas, Wave to Earth and several more are also slated for Day 2. On Sunday, Hozier will close out the festival on a day packed with outings from Mt. Joy, Clairo, Raye, Royel Otis, The Japanese House, Amaarae, Key Glock, Berlioz, Montell Fish and more.
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Those interested in attending can sign up for a ticket presale now on Gov Ball’s website. The hour-long presale will begin Thursday (Jan. 16) at 10 a.m. ET, after which public on-sale will begin with increased prices.
This year’s iteration of the NYC festival comes more than a decade after Gov Ball first originated in 2011. Starting as a one-day music event, the annual showcase now features multiple stages, numerous food and drink options and pop-up stops from different brands for festivalgoers to visit.
Last year’s lineup featured Post Malone, The Killers and SZA as headliners, along with memorable performances from Rauw Alejandro, 21 Savage, Peso Pluma, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan and more. Check out Billboard‘s roundup of Gov Ball 2024 for more best moments.
See the full Gov Ball 2025 lineup below.