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Robert Taylor, former lead guitarist and backing vocalist with ARIA Hall of Fame-inducted rock band Dragon, has died aged 74.
Taylor’s passing was confirmed in a social post by ex-drummer Kerry Jacobson.
“I’m writing to share the unexpected and devastating news of the passing of my mentor, my partner in crime for some of the best times, my musical comrade through the hardest of times and my dear friend of decades…the irreplacable (sic) Robert Taylor,” he writes.
“Many admired his songwriting and his musical talent and, after all these years people would still speak to me with great reverence of his talent and contribution to Australian music.
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“I admired his loyalty, I treasured his mateship, I valued his consistency and I absolutely loved it when often the phone would ring and he was up for a chat.”
Born in Waipukarau, New Zealand, Taylor had a hand in some of the most enduring Australasian songs of a generation.
Dragon was formed in Auckland, NZ, and relocated to Sydney, Australia in the mid-70s. Led by the band’s flamboyant and self-destructive frontman Marc Hunter, Dragon pumped out the hits, initially in the back-end of the 1970s with “Are You Old Enough?,” “April Sun In Cuba” and “Still In Love With You”.
The ‘80s wasn’t kind to many bands from the previous decade, but Dragon orchestrated an impressive comeback with the 1983 album Body and the Beat, which spawned the hits “Rain,” “Cry,” and “Magic.” The first of those, “Rain,” poured down for a Billboard Hot 100 appearance in 1984, peaking at No. 88.
Taylor was there as Dragon spread its wings for two distinct heydays, performing in the band from 1974–1979, and again from 1982–1985.
Dragon continued to breathe chart fire through the ‘80s with “Speak No Evil,” “Dreams of Ordinary Men,” “Young Years” and a cover of Kool & The Gang’s “Celebration.”
Dragon was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2008, ten years after Hunter died with throat cancer, at the age of 44. Taylor joined his surviving Dragon bandmates for the special Hall of Fame presentation at Melbourne Town Hall.
Taylor “had a dry wit, was a keen observer and had a memory like a razor but mostly he was just one of the good ones,” writes Jacobson. “That’s what has stuck in my head today “he was one of the good ones” and I think that sums it up. I will miss him terribly. My love and condolences to Carol, Lesley and Alex.”
Today, Dragon continues to tour and record with a lineup featuring co-founder and bass player Todd Hunter — Marc’s brother — and Mark Williams on vocals.
Trending on Billboard Bizarrap announced his next “BZRP Music Sessions” is with Daddy Yankee. The surprising news was shared in a joint Instagram post between the Argentine hitmaker and reggaetón icon on Tuesday (Nov. 4), alongside a photo of the two artists posing in Biza’s popular studio. “BZRP Music Session #0/66,” reads the caption — […]
Trending on Billboard Following a statement published by Americana singer-songwriter Todd Snider’s team on Monday noting that Snider had to cancel his tour dates after he was the victim of an alleged assault prior to a show in Salt Lake City, Utah, it’s now been reported that the singer/songwriter was later arrested and booked for […]
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After an absence of seven years, Radiohead returned to the stage on Tuesday night (Nov. 4) for a career-spanning set at Madrid’s Movistar Arena.
The highly anticipated show was the first of a sold-out 20-date run, which will see the Oxford-formed band play across the U.K. and Europe – including a four-night residency at London’s O2 Arena – with shows in Madrid, Bologna, Copenhagen and Berlin through November and December.
This was the first time the band had performed together live onstage since summer 2018, when they performed at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Aug. 1. In a press statement released earlier this year, drummer Philip Selway explained what it meant for the five-piece to reunite.
“Last year, we got together to rehearse, just for the hell of it,” he said. “After a seven-year pause, it felt really good to play the songs again and reconnect with a musical identity that has become lodged deep inside all five of us.”
Radiohead called a hiatus after wrapping up an extensive world tour in support of their last full-length effort, 2016’s A Moon Shaped Pool. The record became their sixth No. 1 on the U.K.’s Official Album Charts and hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200, and landed them a Coachella headline slot in 2017.
Each member has remained active and recording, most notablly frontman Thom Yorke and guitarist Jonny Greenwood, who formed The Smile with drummer Thom Skinner and released three studio LPs. Radiohead-related activity ramped up over the past year with a live reissue of 2003 album Hail to the Thief and reworked version of that LP appearing in a Manchester production of Hamlet.
Personal loss and emotional burnout contributed to the group’s decision to step back from the stage. In a recent interview, frontman Thom Yorke reflected on the touring activity for A Moon Shaped Pool. “I guess the wheels came off a bit, so we had to stop,” Yorke said. “The shows felt great but it was, like, let’s halt now before we walk off this cliff.”
He also discussed his personal grief following the death of his first wife, Dr. Rachel Owen, in late 2016, whom he had separated from a year earlier. “I needed to stop anyway, because I hadn’t really given myself time to grieve,” he said. “My grief was coming out in ways that made me think, I need to take this away.”
Having since given way to reflection, Radiohead appeared rejuvenated onstage in Madrid. The band played a 25-song set, encompassing some of the most taut and tender moments from their nine studio albums. The show was opened by “Let Down,” a song from 1997’s OK Computer that has become a streaming sensation in recent months, and the song debuted at No. 91 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August to give them their first appearance on the chart since 2008’s “Nude.”
The setlist – which is expected to vary night to night – featured a number of big hits (“Karma Police”) and fan favorites (“Weird Fishes/Arpeggi”), but omitted some of their most well-known songs, too, including “Creep” from 1994’s Pablo Honey.
Here’s a look at the setlist from Radiohead’s return to the stage at Madrid’s Movistar Arena.
“Let Down”
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Nathy Peluso may not have salsa music in her blood, but she shines with the force of a hurricane on her new traditional salsa EP, Malportada. The Argentine-Spanish artist — best known for her Latin urban, alternative music songs with hints of neo soul and R&B — discovered the tropical genre during her teenage years while buying vinyl records in Madrid. Since then, she says she’s been “hooked.”
“When I started going to vinyl markets, I began buying and researching,” Peluso tells Billboard Español, noting that the first album to make a strong impression on her was Rey Barretto’s Indestructible (1973). “From there, I discovered Fania [Records] and all of its stars.”
Released on Oct. 17 under Sony Music España, Malportada was primarily produced by Peluso, Manuel Lara, and Servando Primera, and has that old-school salsa music sound with contemporary elements. Through six songs, ranging from “A Caballo” and “Insensata” to “Ángel” and “Malportada” with Rawayana, the singer challenges the male-dominated narrative that has historically characterized the genre, showcasing her vocal skills. With her powerful voice and hypnotic interpretative quality, Peluso seems tailor-made for this.
“I feel like I am — it’s a genre that I really enjoy singing. It’s demanding, and I like feeling challenged by what I sing,” says the five-time Latin Grammy winner, noting that she’s also a fan of bolero and ballads. “I think I’ve spent my entire life preparing to sing this album. It wasn’t something I had to suddenly prepare for — it’s something I’ve been training and studying for my whole life, so when the time came to do it, it felt natural, not forced.”
Peluso, who also recently collaborated with Gloria Estefan on the remix of the tropical track “Chirriqui Chirri,” released in September, has been exposed to a variety of rhythms over the years — both Latin and non-Latin. Born in Luján, Argentina, she has said she grew up listening to artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, João Gilberto, and Atahualpa Yupanqui. She emigrated to Spain with her family at the age of 9, first settling in Alicante, a place she says “was full of immigrants at that time,” before moving to Barcelona.
“I was surrounded by so many Latin cultures: Peruvians, Colombians, Dominicans, Ecuadorians, and of course, Argentinians. So I think that’s where Latin music became very natural for me, because when you visit a friend’s house, that music was always playing,” she explains.
As for salsa, she says she’s “a big fan of traditional salsa, especially Puerto Rican salsa. I also love Colombian salsa. I just love salsa in general.” For Malportada, she wanted to explore the different styles of the genre she enjoys consuming, “which is like a more — how do I put it? — a more aggressive, more rap-like salsa, like Juanito Alimaña. That more barrio-style salsa.”
“Then there’s the more romantic salsa, the more melodic Frankie [Ruiz]-style, which doesn’t tell the story of a character as much but rather conveys feelings,” she continues. “And then there’s perhaps the kind of salsa that’s more about lifting people up, more social, like [the track on the EP] ‘Que Lluevan Flores.’”
Nominated again for two Latin Grammys this year — best urban performance/urban fusion for “De Maravisha” with Tokischa, and best urban song for “Xq Eres Así” with Álvaro Díaz — Peluso might appear next year for the first time in tropical music categories with Malportada.
“I hope so,” she says about the idea. “Especially because that always means the music is reaching people. I always interpret it that way, as my peers valuing it, the music world recognizing it. I’d love it, honestly, because [this EP] was made with so much respect and also with the intention of helping and contributing my little grain of sand so that salsa reaches as far as possible.”
Peluso is among the artists confirmed to perform at the 26th edition of the Latin Grammys, which will air live on Thursday, Nov. 13, at 8 p.m. ET/PT from Las Vegas via TelevisaUnivision platforms.
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The breakthrough stories in pop the past month have been few and far between, as Taylor Swift continues to rule the charts with her Life of a Showgirl album and its singles, and most artists have seemed largely content to stay out of her way. One exception is an artist who has been enjoying her greatest stateside successes the past few weeks, just below Swift’s stratosphere: Olivia Dean.
The U.K. singer-songwriter and BRIT School alum currently boasts four hits on the Billboard Hot 100 — her first four career entries on the chart — led by the ebullient “Man I Need,” which cracks the Hot 100’s top five for the first time on this week’s chart (dated Nov. 8). Meanwhile, her sophomore album The Art of Loving debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 three weeks earlier, and has stayed in the top 10 each week since, holding at its No. 6 peak this week.
How has Dean managed this breakthrough? And what can she do for the rest of 2025 to ensure she makes the most of it? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.
1. Olivia Dean’s “Man I Need” cracks the Billboard Hot 100 top five this week, moving 8-5. Why do you think the song has become such a breakthrough hit for her?
Christopher Claxton: Olivia Dean has found a unique gap in music and filled it beautifully. Her sound has this timeless quality, it’s the kind of music you might imagine finding in your grandfather’s record collection, but she’s bringing it to a new generation, introducing Gen Z to classic, romantic sounds. She’s not chasing trends or virality; she’s carving out a legacy of her own. That freedom and authenticity is exactly when the magic happens. Her music feels both contemporary and timeless, which is why “Man I Need” has resonated so strongly and broken through to the top five. Kyle Denis: Outside of “Man I Need” being a really well-done and obviously catchy pop song, the song’s soulful foundation also allows it to benefit from the momentum R&B has seen on the Hot 100 in recent months. Of course, it also helps that the song’s TikTok teaser campaign ensured a voracious audience before its release, and her current opening slot on the final leg of Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet Tour certainly doesn’t hurt either.
Taylor Mims: Dean’s “Man I Need” has arrived just in time for cuffing season. The track has enough perky pop stylings to feel like we aren’t quite in winter yet, but Dean’s soulful voice is bringing us into a bundle-up Autumn when it is time to find a partner for the colder months. It is an earnest song about trying to find love and getting on the same page with a possible partner, timed perfectly for the season of commitment.
Michael Saponara: What a fun, playful bop to invade the top five before 2025 ends. A pop piano blended with an earworm of a chorus, you can’t help but sing along and move your shoulders to Dean’s soothing vocals. It’s been intoxicating and I keep coming back for more with every listen. There are themes of yearning for a certain type of lover that everyone can just about relate to at any point in life.
Andrew Unterberger: It just feels like it was the right song at the right time for Dean — I don’t think the song in itself is necessarily all that spectacular, but it’s charming in the ways she’s always charming, and clearly we were at a place where the public was ready to embrace her with open arms.
2. Meanwhile, three other songs are moving behind “Man” on the Hot 100: “So Easy (To Fall in Love)” (No. 43), “A Couple Minutes” (No. 87) and “Nice to Each Other” (No. 94). Do any of these songs feel like a second major hit for her? Christopher Claxton: In my view, the songs most likely to become her next major hits aren’t necessarily reflected by the current chart positions. I’d rank them: “Nice to Each Other,” “So Easy (To Fall in Love),” and “A Couple Minutes.”
“Nice to Each Other” explores the idea of wanting to keep a romantic partner at a distance, but instead of feeling sad, it comes across as freeing, a track you can dance to. “So Easy (To Fall in Love)” is another song that’s immediately infectious and makes you want to move. “A Couple Minutes” isn’t quite a dance track, though it could work for a slow dance with someone special.Overall, none of these songs reinvent the wheel, but they’re far from boring or predictable. Olivia Dean has a way of making familiar themes feel fresh, which is part of what makes her music so compelling.
Kyle Denis: “So Easy” feels like a natural follow-up, it’s already the second-highest charting song from the album and it’s not too much of pivot sonically or thematically.
Taylor Mims: “So Easy (To Fall in Love)” seems to be the natural follow up to “Man.” It seems to be gaining the most traction behind “Man” and has a similar enough sound to satisfy folks who are looking for a bit more. It is also upbeat and playful, so it can easily stand on its own to catch new listeners with lyrical content that still evokes cuffing season. The horn section also make the track feel a bit whimsical for a perfect holiday track.
Michael Saponara: “So Easy (To Fall in Love)” feels like a natural fit for Dean’s next jazzy-pop hit. It’s sitting just outside the top 40 and with more and more eyes on her stateside, I could see Gen Z wrapping their arms around the bossa nova track, which radiates a breeziness that would brighten anyone’s darkest day. Amy Allen gets another notch in her belt on the songwriting side.
Andrew Unterberger: “Nice to Each Other” feels like the logical song to me — and what a great music video — but it’s pretty clear that “So Easy” has the momentum at the moment. Still betting on the former, but hoping we have time and space for both to enjoy a nice moment in the sun. 3. While “Man I Need” breaks into the Hot 100’s top five this week, Dean’s The Art of Loving album remains one spot removed (No. 6) from doing the same on the Billboard 200. Do you think it’ll get there, or will it stay stuck just outside that region? Christopher Claxton: The Art of Loving weaves together piano, strings and drums to create a sound that’s unmistakably Olivia Dean’s, while nodding to her neo-soul and Motown roots. I think the album has room to climb higher, especially as “Man I Need” rises on the Hot 100 and new tracks like “A Couple Minutes” make their debut on the chart this week. Fans will keep streaming the album, and with three songs now making waves, new listeners are likely to discover the tracks and, in turn, explore the album as a whole. I wouldn’t be surprised if it eventually breaks into the top five on the Billboard 200.
Kyle Denis: I definitely think it will get there. The current success of “Man I Need” and other album tracks keep the album afloat, and Olivia’s adult contemporary branding will prime her for the kind of demographic that actually buys music during the holiday season. And, of course, if she pops out with a Grammy nomination on Friday ahead of her SNL debut next week, the sky really is the limit for The Art of Loving.
Taylor Mims: Based on Dean’s current trajectory, The Art of Loving will be in the top five in the coming weeks. Her other tracks are gaining traction, as is her jazzy, soulful sound. Plus, this Saturday she will be the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, which will undoubtedly draw plenty of new listeners and boost her numbers making her a shoe-in for the top five the week following.
Michael Saponara: The arrow is clearly pointing up for Olivia Dean, and I expect her surge to continue into the year’s end. While there are plenty of music’s titans in front of her taking up real estate, I do think there will be a week where she sneaks into the top five.
Andrew Unterberger: It’ll get there — possibly in the next couple weeks, possibly after the Christmas clear-out. But I can’t imagine this album is going away any time soon, so eventually the moment will be right for it to make that jump to the next tier.
4. At a time when few artists besides Taylor Swift are making major waves on the charts, Olivia Dean seems to have real things brewing. What do you think is the biggest factor behind her slow-building success?
Christopher Claxton: I think the biggest factor behind Olivia Dean’s slow-building success is her ability to blend genres seamlessly. Neo-soul is in her blood, her mom introduced her to Lauryn Hill’s music, and Olivia’s middle name, Lauren, is actually a tribute to Hill. Beyond her influences, she tells a story with her music: from the first spark of a crush, to the anxiety and excitement of love, to heartbreak and reflection. Dean’s songs are highly relatable, yet they’re delivered through a sound that feels fresh and distinctive, which has helped her steadily gain traction on the charts. Kyle Denis: What fascinates me most about Olivia’s rise is how it both reflects and responds to shifts in the culture. 2024 felt like a year moving away from the cultural domination of pussy rap in the late ‘10s and early ‘20s and general sex positivity. Even if Sabrina got away with most of Short n’ Sweet, for example, her Man’s Best Friend album cover garnered a level of controversy that honestly felt overblown. While Dean is simply making the music she feels called to create, it doesn’t exist in a vacuum. When I read social media moment praising her “class” and “tastefulness,” often while disparaging more sex-forward performers, I can’t help but think about how the overall rise in American conservatism is explicitly and covertly shifting what we consume at the mainstream level.
Taylor Mims: It sounds cheesy, but talent. In a time when we are seeing a lot of quick viral success off a song or two, Dean has been “brewing” for a while. The Art of Loving may be the breakthrough album, but she is on her second full-length album following 2023’s Messy, and has been slowly gaining traction for years rather than finding success overnight. A good opening slot on a major tour can do incredible things for a growing artist and Dean opened for U.K. star Sam Fender (and debuted on single “Rein Me In” with him) earlier this year, bringing her to the attention of a huge audience. Her talent did the work from there.
Michael Saponara: Artist development. Dean boasts a great lineage coming from the prestigious BRIT School that produced music deities like Adele and Amy Winehouse. At 26, she’s lived a little more life than some college-aged artists thrust into the spotlight. Dean’s clearly defined her lithe sound, which comes packaged with a distinct vision for her artistry. There’s more under the hood when it comes to the depths of her creativity, compared to some hitmakers, that appeals to different generations of listeners. It’s one thing to have a pink Instagram profile, compile likes on social media and hit the charts, and it’s another to pass the in-person test with flying colors. With the British singer opening for Sabrina Carpenter on the final leg of her U.S. Short n’ Sweet Tour, the sold-out crowds have made sure to be in their seats early (over an hour before Carpenter takes the stage) and truly engage with Dean’s performance, rather than scroll on their phones and treat an opening act like background noise.
Andrew Unterberger: Her readiness. She reminds me of Sabrina Carpenter — who she’s even opened for on recent tour dates — in that everything she’s done since her breakout started earlier this year reflects someone who seems in all ways prepared for a moment like this: musically, professionally, personally. She looks comfortable in the spotlight, and so it’s not surprising that every release and appearance of hers appears to be drawing more fans into her world.
5. If you were part of Olivia Dean’s team, what would you advise her to do — if anything — in the year’s last couple months to take advantage of the momentum she’s currently building?
Christopher Claxton: I’d advise Olivia to capitalize on this momentum by doing as many interviews and social media connections as possible to keep engaging both new and existing fans. On top of that, dropping a 3-4 song Christmas EP featuring her signature, unique sound could be a smart move, something seasonal but unmistakably Olivia Dean, which could introduce her to even more listeners before the year ends. Kyle Denis: I think they’re doing everything perfectly. If anything, I’d start booking her for some holiday and year-end TV specials to help audiences continue to put a face to Olivia’s name. And start fielding names for a potential “Man I Need” remix!
Taylor Mims: Saturday Night Live is a great next move. Following that, there should be wind in her sails and it is about keeping her top of mind as folks begin to retreat indoors. “So Easy (To Fall in Love)” is a logical next single to push, but “A Couple Minutes” feels like a smart turn. The track is already moving on the charts and resonating with fans, and has both dramatic and cinematic qualities to slow folks down during the hectic holiday months.
Michael Saponara: Keep doing what they’re doing. Opening for Sabrina has been a great look as she continues to check boxes in her ascension to stardom across the pond. Having Dean on popular platforms that will only add to her visibility and further ingratiate her with the pop music scene is a more general suggestion I’d have. I love that she’s going to be performing on SNL in a couple of weeks. Whatever’s ahead in the next few months, you hope Dean’s rise is capped off by holding the Grammy trophy for best new artist on Feb. 1, and then the sky is the limit.
Andrew Unterberger: Some artists do well to keep a low profile on the media front and build mystique through their inaccessibility. That is not Dean: She should be out there doing as many performances and making as many high-profile appearances as she feels comfortable with, making sure she has the chance to win over as many potential converts as she possibly can. Give her enough opportunities and she just might grab ’em all.
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Hija De Tu Madre fashion designer Patty Delgado and Walmart teamed up on the exclusive Nueva Vida collection, and Latin pop star Corina Smith helped bring the line to life during Billboard Latin Music Week.
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During Smith’s preparation for her En Vivo performance at Club M2 Miami, Billboard was on-site with the Venezuelan star in the hours leading up to her set, as she sifted through the Latina-founded apparel collection to select wardrobe pieces for herself and her backup dancers. The 14-piece unisex collab includes everything from jackets to matching pants and vests, serving as a tribute to Patty’s first-generation identity and her parents’ journey from Mexico.
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“As soon as I saw the collection, there were so many things that I immediately thought I could wear onstage, but also offstage,” the star told Billboard of the line. “I’m also glad people who see our performance can shop these pieces at Walmart.”
Scroll below to see more of Smith and Nueva Vida by Hija De Tu Madre collection, available exclusively at Walmart.
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Trending on Billboard Lauren Daigle and Jordan Davis are set to host the upcoming 16th annual CMA Country Christmas holiday television special, which brings music and holiday spirit to viewers to help ring in the festive season. In addition to hosting, Daigle and Davis will both perform during the event, while the special will also […]
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Fuerza Regida secures its fourth stint at No. 1 in 2025, as “Marlboro Rojo” surges from No. 6 to the top of Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart (dated Nov. 8). The group banks its seventh champ total.
“Marlboro Rojo” becomes the second chart-topper from the group’s ninth studio album, 111XPANTIA. Just four months ago, “Por Esos Ojos” led the list for one week in July.
As the sole writer of “Marlboro Rojo,” Miguel Armando Armenta, better known as Armenta, secures his sixth No. 1 on Regional Mexican Airplay chart as a writer. He previously penned five other chart-topping hits, contributing to the success of songs by Fuerza Regida and Gabito Ballesteros.
“Marlboro” takes the lead with 6.9 million audience impressions, earned in the United States in the week ending Oct. 30, according to Luminate. That’s a 31% boost from the previous week. As the track lands at the summit, Fuerza collects its seventh ruler dating to 2023 when “Bebe Dame,” with Grupo Frontera, earned the group its longest-leading No. 1 with three weeks in charge. Here’s a look at those champs:
Title, Artist, Peak, Weeks at No. 1“Bebe Dame,” with Grupo Frontera, March 18, 2023, three“Mentira No Es,” with Banda MS, July 29, 2023, one“Harley Quinn,” with Marshmello, Feb. 3, 2024, one“Tu Boda,” with Oscar Maydon, Feb. 1, 2025, one“Me Jalo,” with Grupo Frontera, April 5, 2025, one“Por Esos Ojos,” July 19, 2025, one“Marlboro Rojo,” Nov. 8, 2025, one
“Marlboro” shoots up the overall Latin Airplay chart, climbing from No. 15 to No. 3 and giving Fuerza its eighth top 10.
Trending on Billboard PinkPantheress was shocked after a fan gifted her a rotisserie chicken during a recent show in Chicago. The singer performed at Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom over the weekend, and during the show, she took a moment when she noticed a fan was carrying a full-blown rotisserie chicken. “Is that roast f—ing chicken […]
