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The Compton MC has created one of the best catalogs in rap history.
Though the studio surely hopes that many people appreciate Timothée Chalamet‘s deep dive into his role as a young Bob Dylan in the upcoming biopic about the folk bard in A Complete Unknown, the 28-year-old star said he has gotten the only thumbs up he needs. “Floored,” Chalamet tweeted on Thursday morning (Dec. 5) after […]
Flavor Flav did not have a holly jolly time at Wednesday night’s (Dec. 4) Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony. The legendary Public Enemy hype man was on hand for the annual holiday tradition and in a since-deleted tweet he said that he was inexplicably booted from the Backstreet Boys’ dressing room by NBC security.
“I feel weird … I was invited to the Rockefeller Tree Lighting tonite and I was escorted to see my boys … THE BACKSTREET BOYS … and we were backstage in their dressing room … security came up to me and says @nbc does not want me in this area and I need to leave,” he wrote.
The 65-year-old rapper said things got even weirder after that. “At the same time,,, their social media woman came up and asked to capture social content,” he wrote. “What did I ever do to NBC or anyone,,?? all I ever do is try to spread joy and love,,, and I think I did that for NBC at the Olympics.”
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That latter comment was especially pointed in light of how ubiquitous Flav was at this summer’s Olympic games in Paris, which were broadcast by NBC. The network gave the PE MC lots of airtime, covering his pledge of cash and gifts to the U.S. Women’s Water Polo team and pick up rent for discus thrower Veronica Fraley, as well as chronicling his hop around from venue-to-venue cheering on the U.S. teams; Flav said afterwards that he wanted to throw his clock in the ring to be an official torchbearer at the 2028 L.A. games.
At press time a spokesperson for NBC had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment and it did not appear as if the BSB had commented on the alleged incident.
Though he removed the initial post, a dejected Flav later returned to X to add, “I deleted the tweet … but my spirit is broken.” A fan replied that they were sorry that happened to him and said NBC was wrong in reportedly asking him to leave, adding that the BSB “should have spoken up” about the incident. Flav assured them that “they spoke up for me,,, they sure did.” The New York native also later shared a video in which he was seen having a good time at the tree lighting, counting down to the big moment, writing, “Christmas in the city … ain’t nothing like the Rockefeller tree lighting.”
See Flav’s tweets below.
I deleted the tweet,,, but my spirit is broken.— FLAVOR FLAV (@FlavorFlav) December 5, 2024
They spoke up for me,,, they sure did.— FLAVOR FLAV (@FlavorFlav) December 5, 2024
Dorset’s End of The Road Festival has announced its first lineup for 2025’s event, confirming that Father John Misty, Sharon Van Etten, Caribou and Self Esteem will headline.
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Next year’s edition will take place at Larmer Tree Gardens in the south of England on Aug 29-31, 2025. The festival premiered in 2006 and has been held every year since (except 2020 due to the COVID pandemic).
Joining them on the lineup will be: Mount Kimbie, Black Country New Road, GOAT, Geordie Greep, Tropical F–k Storm, Moonchild Sanelly, Ela Minus, Throwing Muses, Emma-Jean Thackray and more. See the full lineup below.
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Tickets for the event are on sale now from the festival’s official website. More announcements are set to be made about the lineup and across the festival’s literature and arts offerings. Previous headliners at the event have included IDLES, Future Islands, Fleet Foxes, St Vincent, Vampire Weekend and more.
Father John Misty recently released his sixth studio, Mahashmashana, which landed on the Billboard 200 at No. 161. Sharon Van Etten, meanwhile, has written and recorded her upcoming album with her touring band The Attachment Theory, and will release the self-titled debut Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory on February 7 via Jagjaguwar.
Self Esteem’s performance is the first show announced in 2025 for the British pop artist, who saw considerable success with her second LP, Prioritise Pleasure, and its ensuing live tour. Electronic producer Caribou released his sixth album, Honey, earlier this year, which included collaborations with generative AI across the vocal performances.
Sum 41 has canceled their entire Australian tour, including their co-headlining slot at the Good Things Festival, due to frontman Deryck Whibley’s battle with pneumonia.
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The band announced the decision on Dec. 5, citing medical advice from Australian doctors who deemed Whibley too unwell to perform.
“It is with deep sadness and regret that we announce our 2024 Australian tour is unable to proceed,” the band shared in a statement on social media. “We were beyond excited to deliver this tour from December 4 – December 12, and connect with our Aussie fans once more.”
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“Now that we’re here though, and under the guidance and direction of multiple Australian doctors, it’s clear that Deryck is too unwell to perform. We understand and appreciate your disappointment – we’re gutted too.”
The statement continued: “The good news is Good Things Festival is still going ahead in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane this weekend with an incredible line-up of local and international acts. We can’t be there, but get along for us and have the best time.”
The tour was set to support Sum 41’s eighth and final album, Heaven :x: Hell, released in March. The dates were highly anticipated as part of the band’s farewell run, leading up to their final-ever show at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena in January 2025.
The cancellation follows the band’s earlier decision to call off their Dec. 4 sideshow at Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley Music Hall. At the time, the band stated, “Unfortunately, we have to make the difficult decision to cancel tonight’s show in Brisbane due to Deryck being diagnosed with pneumonia. He is receiving the best possible local care.”
This marks the second time Australian fans have missed out on seeing the Canadian rockers due to Whibley’s health. In 2011, the band canceled their appearance at the Soundwave Festival after Whibley was hospitalized with pneumonia.
For their final act, Sum 41 will be inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame during the 54th Annual JUNO Awards on March 30, 2025, in Vancouver.
Despite the setback, the Good Things Festival will proceed as planned, with Korn headlining the three-city event, alongside acts like Violent Femmes, Jet, Northlane, and Billy Corgan.
“Sum 41 are gutted they can’t perform, and we fully understand and appreciate fans’ disappointment,” the festival organizers said in a statement. “Deryck’s health and wellbeing is the focus and priority though, and we hope you will join us in sending him well wishes for his recovery.”
The festival kicks off in Melbourne on Dec. 6, followed by dates in Sydney and Brisbane. Ticket holders for Sum 41’s sideshows will receive refund information shortly.
After earning its first No. 1 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart in over two decades earlier this year, Sum 41 scored another as “Dopamine” hit No. 1 on the Nov. 30-dated survey.
The song follows the two-week Alternative Airplay command for “Landmines” in March. The latter led 22 years, five months, and three weeks after Sum 41’s first No. 1, “Fat Lip,” in August 2001, rewriting the record for the longest break between rulers for an act in the chart’s 36-year history.
It shattered the previous best, held by The Killers, who waited 13 years and six months between the reigns of “When You Were Young” in 2006 and “Caution” in 2020.
Whibley’s recently released memoir, Walking Disaster: My Life Through Heaven and Hell, also became a No. 1 bestseller on Amazon’s punk musician biographies chart following its October debut. In the deeply personal autobiography, the frontman reflects on his rise to fame with Sum 41, navigating the highs of international success and accolades like Grammy nominations and MTV Video Music Award.
Depeche Mode fans may need to enjoy the silence for some time, with vocalist Dave Gahan noting that new music isn’t a priority for the band at this time. Gahan’s comments were made in a recent interview with NME which saw him reflecting on the loss of musicians such as close friend and collaborator Mark […]
Sean Lennon has reflected on the impact that John Lennon‘s passing had upon his mother, Yoko Ono.
On Sunday (Dec. 8), Sean and the rest of his family will mark the 44th anniversary of father John’s death in New York City in 1980. Viewed by many as another example of ‘the day the music died’, Lennon’s untimely passing has had an impact on countless individuals throughout the world. No more have felt that impact, Sean says, than his mother.
Speaking to BBC Radio 6 Music about the recent Grammy-nominated expanded box set of John’s 1973 Mind Games album, Sean touched on his parents’ relationship around the record’s creation. At the time of Mind Games’ writing, John was in the midst of the 18-month ‘lost weekend’ period in which he was separated from Ono.
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“A lot of people said like, ‘Yoko wasn’t around for this record, why are they featuring her in the booklet’ or something,” Lennon began. “And I think there’s a lot of history, there’s a lot of assumptions made about that time period because they were sort of on their way towards that famous separation that people called The Lost Weekend.
“But the truth is, even when they were apart they were always talking, so I don’t think they ever really broke up, all his stuff was still in the apartment with my mum, it’s not like they had a real separation. And on top of it, all my dad was thinking about was her.
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“You look at the album cover, it’s a collage of my mum literally the size of a mountain, and he’s this little tiny thing sort of fading into the background” he continued. “And I think it’s clear what his view of my mum was in his life. She was monumental, obviously. And the whole album is about her.”
Speaking about his mother directly, Sean claimed that she “never has moved on from that relationship” since John’s passing, but agreed that the recent Mind Games release was something of a “love letter” to his parents.
“I’ve never put it that way but I would say it’s my best effort to try to be a good son,” Sean replied.
The fourth annual ASCAP Foundation Holiday Auction is back, with some of the biggest names in music contributing items to the sale.
Launching on Wednesday (Dec. 4), the annual auction is the latest to be launched by ASCAP, which aims to support music education and talent development programs throughout the U.S. This year, more than 70 exclusive items and experiences – the most in the auction’s history – have been donated by some of ASCAP’s top music creators.
Items in the auctions include a signed vinyl copy of Chappell Roan‘s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess album; a behind-the-scenes studio tour and dinner with producer Jermaine Dupri; a signed merch package from Olivia Rodrigo; and a package of two VIP concert tickets for Usher’s upcoming European tour, including a meet-and-greet and travel vouchers.
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Elsewhere, signed guitar from Jack Antonoff, Peter Frampton, and Steve Vai are on offer, along with a set of books signed by Patti Smith, and VIP concert tickets for artists such as Gracie Abrams, Deftones, Graham Nash, and more.
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Other artists involved in the auction include Tate McRae, Reneé Rapp, Bernie Taupin, Max Martin, Noah Kahan, Sara Bareilles, Chris Stapleton, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Coheed and Cambria, Huey Lewis and The News, and numerous others.
“It’s been an absolute joy to work with ASCAP’s top members to dream up unforgettable experiences and one-of-a-kind gifts to delight music fans this holiday season,” says the ASCAP Foundation Executive Director Nicole George-Middleton. “With over 70 items from music legends, chart-topping artists and more, this year’s auction is bigger and better than ever.
“We are unbelievably grateful to the ASCAP community for these incredible contributions that will help us raise the funds we need to continue supporting the next generation of music creators.”
ASCAP’s annual auction is live now via Charity Buzz, and runs through to December 18.
The holiday season hasn’t truly begun until the iconic Rockefeller Center tree has been lit, and NBC’s annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center telecast on Wednesday night (Dec. 4) brought together a list of all-star performers to celebrate. The Backstreet Boys took the stage to perform a heartwarming rendition of Nat King Cole’s holiday classic “The Christmas Song […]
Ariana Grande’s performance as Glinda in Wicked has been generating awards buzz since even before the film’s Nov. 22 release. Now, the Palm Springs International Film Awards has selected Grande as the winner of the Rising Star Award, an honor previously presented to such actors as Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow), Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air), Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation) and Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone).
The awards ceremony will be held at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Jan. 3. The festival will take place from Jan. 2-13.
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“In Wicked, Ariana Grande’s portrayal of Glinda elevates her to new heights with a powerful acting performance that beautifully combines her outstanding musical talent, brilliant characterization and impeccable comedic timing,” Festival chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi said in a statement. “Ariana is an iconic global performer, who has seamlessly transitioned to film in her first major starring role, proving herself to be a multifaceted and undeniable talent. This role is certain to be the beginning of the many accolades she will garner throughout her acting career. It is our great honor to recognize Ariana Grande with the Rising Star Award.”
Billboard’s Joe Lynch was similarly impressed with Grande’s performance. He allowed that he wasn’t sure she had the acting chops to play the role made famous on Broadway by Kristin Chenoweth. “No one with ears could question Grande’s pipes, but based on her acting credits, we simply didn’t know if she was capable of filling Chenoweth’s small but mighty heels. Well, having seen Wicked: Part 1 in theaters, I can say without exaggeration that Grande isn’t just a good witch – she’s sinceriously astonishing,” playing off Glinda’s penchant for amusing spoonerisms.
Lynch’s bottom-line: “Some pop stars turned actors acquit themselves competently on the big screen, but like Lady Gaga in A Star Is Born, this performance signals the arrival of a formidable cinematic talent with a lot more to show us.”
Fans, of course, have also rallied behind the film, which was directed by Jon M. Chu and which also stars Cynthia Erivo, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh and Jonathan Bailey. The film has grossed $275.8 million in the U.S. and Canada. Worldwide, it has grossed $372.9 million.
This year’s award winners also include Timothée Chalamet for the chairman’s award for his performance as a young Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown and Emilia Pérez actors Karla Sofia Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Edgar Ramírez and director Jacques Audiard for the vanguard award.
