State Champ Radio Music
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With just days to go before this year’s induction ceremony, one of the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees has sent his regrets. Bad Company singer Paul Rodgers posted a note on the band’s socials on Monday (Nov. 3) revealing that his ill health will prevent him from participating.
Bad Company are slated to be inducted into the Rock Hall this weekend at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles alongside Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, OutKast, Soundgarden and The White Stripes in the Performer category and Salt-N-Pepa and Warren Zevon for Musical Influence.
But, just days after the other surviving original member of the English rock supergroup – fellow former Free member drummer Simon Kirke — revealed that the two planned to reunite to play two songs on Saturday, Rodgers said he cannot participate.
“My hope was to be at the Rock & Rock Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and to perform for the fans, but at this time I have to prioritize my health,” Rodgers, 75, said in a statement without providing any additional information on his condition. “I have no problem singing, it’s the stress of everything else. Thanks for understanding. Simon along with some outstanding musicians will be stepping in for me – guaranteed to rock.”
Rodgers, Kirke, late guitarist Mick Ralphs and late bassist Boz Burrell will be inducted this weekend for their roles in the 1970s rock juggernaut whose biggest hits include “Bad Company” and “Can’t Get Enough” (1974), “Feel Like Makin’ Love” and “Shooting Star” (1975) and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy” (1979) among others.
The group originally split in 1982 and have reunited several times over the years in a variety of configurations to tour and record albums, last performing together in 2019. But in 2023, Kirke said the band was likely done due to a variety of health issues suffered by Rodgers over the past few years, with the singer revealing to CBS Mornings that year that he’d suffered two major strokes — one in 2016 and another in 2019 — as well as 11 minor strokes.
This year’s RRHOF induction ceremony will stream live coast-to-coast on Disney+ Saturday (Nov. 8), at 8 p.m. ET, and will be available to stream following the ceremony. ABC will also air a primetime special with performance highlights and standout moments on Jan. 1, at 8 p.m. ET, available the next day on Hulu.
This year’s event will feature an impressive list of performers and presenters, including: Beck, Brandi Carlile, David Letterman, Doja Cat, Elton John, Flea, Iggy Pop, J.I.D, Killer Mike, Maxwell, Missy Elliott, Olivia Rodrigo, Questlove, RAYE, Sleepy Brown, Taylor Momsen, Teddy Swims and Twenty One Pilots.
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The Grateful Dead have paid tribute to longtime collaborator Donna Jean Godchaux, following news of her death at age 78.
“It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the loss of Donna Jean Godchaux,” the band shared in a statement posted to social media. “Her unmistakable voice and radiant spirit touched the lives of countless fans and immeasurably enriched the Grateful Dead family. Her contributions will forever remain part of the tapestry that continues to be woven.”
Godchaux passed away on Sunday (Nov. 2) at a hospice facility in Tennessee following a prolonged battle with cancer, according to her longtime publicist Dennis McNally. “She was a sweet and warmly beautiful spirit, and all those who knew her are united in loss,” McNally said. “In the words of Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, ‘May the four winds blow her safely home.’”
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Godchaux joined the Grateful Dead in 1971 alongside her husband, keyboardist Keith Godchaux, becoming a key part of the band’s 1970s sound during a transformative creative period. She sang on several of the group’s most enduring studio albums — including Europe ’72, Wake of the Flood, and Terrapin Station — and appeared on many now-iconic live recordings, including the legendary Cornell ’77 show and the Dead’s 1978 concerts at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
In addition to her work with the Dead, Godchaux had an accomplished background as a session vocalist, performing on classic hits such as Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds” and “In the Ghetto,” as well as Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman.” Her credits also included work with Cher, Neil Diamond, Boz Scaggs and Duane Allman.
After departing the Grateful Dead in 1979, the Godchauxs formed the Heart of Gold Band, which was cut short by Keith’s tragic death in a car accident the following year. Donna Jean Godchaux returned to music in the 1980s and continued recording and performing through the 2010s, including with the Donna Jean Godchaux Band and on her final album Back Around (2014).
Godchaux’s passing comes just over a year after the death of founding Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh in October 2024. The remaining members of the extended Dead universe — including Bob Weir and Mickey Hart — have continued to perform with Dead & Company, who celebrated the band’s 60th anniversary with a three-night run at San Francisco’s Oracle Park earlier this year.
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The Neighborhood will head to Australia and New Zealand in July 2026 as part of their upcoming Wourld Tour, in support of their new album, (((((ultraSOUND)))), arriving Nov. 14 via Warner Records.
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The run begins July 4 at Spark Arena in Auckland, followed by headline shows at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on July 7 and Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena on July 10. Presale begins Nov. 6 at 10 a.m. local time, with general onsale following Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. The Australian leg is presented by Handsome Tours.
The global Wourld Tour kicks off March 28 in Austin, Texas, and will hit major venues across North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania, including Madison Square Garden in New York and London’s O2 Arena. The tour will wrap with a hometown performance at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Oct. 9.
ultraSOUND marks the band’s first studio album since 2018 and is described as a stripped-back return to form. The LP was recorded between Conway Studios in Los Angeles and The Beehive in Van Nuys, with longtime collaborator Justyn Pilbrow and Jono Dorr. The band has previewed the project with singles “Private,” “OMG” and “Lovebomb,” the former of which received a new video on Nov. 4 directed by Ramez Silyan (Post Malone, The Kid LAROI).
Notably, the Wourld Tour also marks the return of drummer Brandon Fried, who was previously dismissed from the band in 2022 following allegations of inappropriate conduct. Fried publicly apologised at the time and entered treatment for substance abuse. His quiet return was first observed in early ultraSOUND sessions and confirmed with the release of “Private.” The band has not made a formal statement about his reinstatement, but fans noted his appearance in recent promotional material and tour visuals.
The Neighbourhood recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of their sophomore album Wiped Out! with an expanded edition featuring 11 previously unreleased demos and remixes.
The Neighbourhood Australia & New Zealand Tour 2026Presented by Handsome ToursJuly 4 – Spark Arena, Auckland, NZJuly 7 – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, NSWJuly 10 – Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne, VIC
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Halsey is on the mend after spending the night in the emergency room following her Nov. 2 show in Boston.
The singer-songwriter, who had a two-night stop in Boston for her international Back to Badlands tour, took to Instagram Stories on Sunday (Nov. 3) to share that she experienced a “minor medical emergency” after her concert at MGM Music Hall. Despite the overnight ER stay, she confirmed she would be returning to the stage for her second Boston performance as scheduled.
“Boston I’m gonna be honest with ya, after the show last night I was in the ER till 6 this morning,” Halsey wrote. “Minor medical emergency but I am A-Okay now and ready to rock tonight! But if I’m pacing myself, that’s why!” She added a thank you to the hospital staff, calling them “the absolute best team I’ve ever met.”
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The 31-year-old artist has been open about her ongoing health journey. In 2022, Halsey revealed she had been diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and a rare T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder, conditions that she says are now being managed or are in remission. “Both of which I will likely have for the duration of my life,” she wrote in a June 2024 Instagram post. She also lives with endometriosis and previously shared she suffered a miscarriage while on tour at age 20.
This latest health scare comes amid a particularly prolific era for the genre-blurring star. The Great Impersonator, released in October 2024 via Capitol Records, debuted at No. 2 on both the all-genre Billboard 200 and Top Album Sales charts. It also debuted atop Billboard’s Top Rock & Alternative Albums and Top Alternative Albums charts. The set earned 93,000 equivalent album units in the United States in the week ending Oct. 31, according to Luminate.
Halsey previously ruled Top Alternative Albums for a week each with If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power in 2021 and Badlands in 2015.
Halsey has charted 20 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, including two No. 1 hits: her 2016 Closer collaboration with The Chainsmokers, which topped the chart for 12 weeks, and 2019’s “Without Me,” her first solo No. 1. She’s also earned multiple top 10 albums on the Billboard 200, including Badlands (No. 2), Hopeless Fountain Kingdom (No. 1), Manic (No. 2), and If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power (No. 2).
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Winnie Harlow has responded to criticism of her Whitney Houston Halloween costume, saying she never meant to insult the late singer.
Harlow recreated Houston’s appearance at the 2001 BET Awards, and posted a subsequent video of her reenacting the icon’s famous Lifetime Achievement Award speech. After some blowback, Harlow addressed the situation on her Instagram Story.
“My video wasn’t mocking Whitney. That clip has always been one of my favorite of hers,” Harlow wrote, via People. “She was radiant, funny, confident and captivating. She was being awarded. The way she moved across that stage with flair and swag? Iconic.”
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She continued, “People are more than headlines. A woman who could command a room, make you laugh & carry herself like royalty. If all you see when you see Whitney are her struggles, you’re missing her charisma, humor, talent, personality & wit. She was hilarious & magnetic. THAT is and what should always be highlighted. The light that made us all love her. Attention to positivity.”
Celebrities had mostly praised Harlow’s costume in her Instagram comments, with Naomi Campbell, Halle Berry, Ciara, Tracee Ellis Ross, Rita Ora and Law Roach showering Harlow in praise.
Houston struggled with drug addiction throughout most of her adult life. She died from an accidental drowning in 2012, with an investigation concluding that heart disease and cocaine were contributing factors. The report also found that the singer had marijuana, Xanax, Benadryl and other meds in her system.
Whitney Houston’s impact on the Billboard charts is both historic and unmatched. With 11 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, she stands among the top 10 most successful solo artists in U.S. chart history. From 1985 to 1988, she made history as the only artist ever to land seven consecutive No. 1 singles, a record that still stands in 2025.
Her signature ballad “I Will Always Love You” spent 14 weeks at No. 1, setting a then-record for the longest-running No. 1 by a solo female artist and topping multiple Billboard charts simultaneously. She earned 16 Billboard Music Awards, including a record-breaking 11 wins in a single year (1993), and remains the most awarded female artist in history.
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Shakira received the inaugural Billboard Global Touring Icon Award in honor of her historic Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour, and as part of the 2025 Billboard Live Music Summit held Monday (Nov. 3) in West Hollywood, California.
“As your longtime tour manager, I am so proud and truly honored to present the first annual Billboard global icon tour award to you,” said tour director Marty Hom, who’s also worked for Fleetwood Mac, Barbra Streisand and The Rolling Stones, among others. “We get to witness every day how hard you work to do the best show possible for all your fans.”
Shakira, who received the news backstage during the rehearsals of her recent show in Cali, Colombia, dedicated the award to her entire team, including dancers, band and crew, for “working as hard as I do,” she noted.
The Live Nation-produced tour’s first 64 dates (of 82) grossed $327.4 million and sold 2.5 million tickets, according to Billboard Boxscore, converting Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran into the highest grossing Latin tour ever by a woman and the second highest grossing Latin tour ever (behind only Luis Miguel’s 2023-24 outing, which grossed $409.5 million).
Additionally, the Colombian artist sold 65,000 tickets per night during her historic 12-concert run at Mexico City’s Estadio GNP Seguros (formerly known as Foro Sol), according to promoter OCESA, for a total of 780,000 tickets sold.
“It’s encouraging and inspiring,” Shakira said to Hom. “I never thought, not even in my wildest dreams, that I would fill every stadium. It’s incredible and motivating at the same time, I feel like I’m just starting my career, and it’s crazy because it’s been 30 years … This has been the best tour of my life, it’s been just as we dreamt it. We worked so hard, overcoming every obstacle, it hasn’t been easy, we worked many, many long hours to make everything as good as people deserve it.”
Backstage at her show in Cali — where she performed for the first time in 20 years — Shakira also discussed her personal life: “I’m completely dedicated to my boys and my career. That’s all I need, my boys, my fans and my music, and creating, it’s fulfilling a big part of my life right now.”
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What’s the future of the kiss cam at concerts? Nick Groff, manager of German electronic producer Bunt., offered some insight when he took the stage at the Billboard Live Music Summit on Monday (Nov. 3) in West Hollywood, California.
Speaking with Billboard editor-in-chief Hannah Karp, Groff discussed giving fans control of the cameras capturing crowd footage at shows, an initiative that sparked a viral moment at an Oct. 18 Bunt. show at The Shrine Los Angeles when one of the phones was used by a couple to show themselves kissing.
“We didn’t plant that kiss,” said Groff. “We gave that phone out to fans.”
For Bunt. and his team, giving fans the ability to film themselves for the big screens at shows is a way to incorporate fans into the performances, especially as Bunt.’s concerts have grown bigger and the team has had to put barricades around the producer for crowd control.
“We had this really awkward problem where we got to this place by celebrating the fan, but how do we bring the fan into a larger show?” Groff said during the Summit.
To address the issue, the Bunt. team linked with a technology company, who reported that they’d created a system that allows specially prepared iPhones to be linked with venue systems, so that footage captured on these phones can be broadcast on the venue’s big screen. At the Oct. 18 Shrine show, these phones were given to longtime Bunt. fans that the artist and his team had a pre-existing relationship with.
The goal with the initiative, Groff said, is “celebrating the fan by capturing them in their moment.”
The Summit discussion referenced the now-infamous viral moment that happened at an August Coldplay concert, where a couple engaged in an affair were captured on a kiss cam. “Although the novelty of that moment, which was scandalous, happened, the reality is that the kiss cam was a novelty idea at live events because it actually celebrated this simple, pure, human emotion of love,” said Groff.
Groff pointed out that this method could also help solve an issue that’s particularly problematic in dance music, where fans stick their phones in the faces of DJs while they’re playing, interrupting the show and affecting the overall mood. This system being employed by the Bunt. team makes it so that phones are now turned back around on audience members, rather than being pointed at artists.
Still, the widespread adoption of this system may be a ways off, as Groff said putting it together was expensive and is technically “really complicated right now.” While the overall system is “still in its infancy in terms of being able to build out,” the team is planning to use it at some of Bunt.’s bigger upcoming dates, including a Nov. 13 set in Munich.
Trending on Billboard Americana singer/songwriter Todd Snider has been forced to cancel his High, Lonesome and Then Some 2025 tour dates, after he was the victim of an assault prior to a show in Salt Lake City, Utah. According to a post from Aimless Inc. on Snider’s Instagram, prior to his concert at The Commonwealth […]
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For the back-to-back Billboard Hot 100 charts this year dated Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, no rap songs appeared in the top 40 — marking the first times since the Feb. 3, 1990 chart that the genre was totally absent from that region. That two-week drought comes to an end this week, thanks to Megan Thee Stallion.
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Megan’s new love song “Lover Girl” debuts at No. 38 on the Nov. 8 Hot 100, marking the first rap song (defined by Billboard as a song deemed eligible for ranking on our Hot Rap Songs listing) to reach the chart’s top 40 since Kendrick and SZA’s “Luther” spent its 44th (and to date, final) week on the listing dated Oct. 18. Following that chart, the song fell into recurrent status in the chart, as a result of recently introduced rules updating and speeding up the Hot 100’s recurrent policy.
“Lover Girl” bows with 8.5 million official U.S. streams, 1.5 million in radio airplay audience and 5,000 sold in the week ending Oct. 30, according to Luminate.
Billboard’s reporting last week about the top 40 being rap song-less for the first time in over 35 years set off major waves of discussion within the hip-hop and pop communities about rap’s current place in the popular music ecosystem. Such public figures as rapper-podcaster Joe Budden and producer The Alchemist weighed in with their feelings about the circumstances and meaning behind the temporary absence.
“Lover Girl” marks Megan Thee Stallion’s 21st song to reach the Hot 100’s top 40. Most recently, she visited the region on the chart dated Sept. 21, 2024 with two tracks: her RM team up “Neva Play,” which debuted at No. 36, and “Wanna Be,” with GloRilla, at No. 40 after reaching No. 11. Three of Megan’s songs have topped the chart: the Beyoncé-featuring “Savage” and the Cardi B-led “WAP” in 2020, and her unaccompanied “Hiss” in 2024.
While “Lover Girl” ends the top 40’s rap songs relative dry spell for the week, it might not yet be the start of another years-long streak for rap in the region. As is typical of much-anticipated songs following their second week of release, “Lover Girl” is likely to fall on the next Hot 100 — and there are no rap songs currently behind it on the chart that are zooming in to take its place.
Indeed, the next two highest-charting rap songs on the Hot 100 both fall from their previous week’s position: YoungBoy Never Broke Again’s “Shot Callin” (43-48) and BigXthaPlug’s Ella Langley-featuring “Hell at Night” (50-52). However, below that, Gunna’s Burna Boy-featuring “wgft” does have some forward momentum, rising 59-55, as does Cardi B’s “Safe,” featuring Kehlani, up 57-56 and gaining in airplay after debuting at its No. 26 peak last month.
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Diplo got the short end of the stick in his “love triangle” with Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau — something he joked about in a hilarious recent Instagram post.
On Monday (Nov. 3), the DJ shared a selfie he once snapped at a crowded event with the former Canadian prime minister on Instagram. In the picture, Diplo makes a silly face while Trudeau stares straight into the camera.
“the one that got away,” the musician wrote in his caption, playfully referencing Perry’s 2011 hit of the same name.
The humorous post comes a few weeks after Diplo addressed his past fling with the pop star — who is now linked to Trudeau — on Nayeema Raza’s Smart Girls Dumb Questions podcast. At the time, the host had started to say that she knew “so many people” who’d dated the politician, but before she could finish, Diplo had interjected, “… who’ve dated Katy Perry? Like me?”
Indeed, the producer and Perry were briefly romantically involved circa 2014. Three years later, the singer would rank Diplo last on her list of best and worst ex-partners in the bedroom, after which he would write on X that he’d “won the bronze in sex Olympics.”
“Now, Katy Perry’s dating Justin Trudeau,” Diplo continued on Raza’s show. “Pretty fire.”
He went on to joke that he’d “dated Trudeau, too,” but ultimately determined, “That was a weird one, though. I’m just not into politicians. He is kinda hot.”
Diplo’s remarks come shortly after Perry and Trudeau made their debut with their first public outing as a couple, stepping out together in Paris. Before that, the Ottawa native had attended one of the musician’s concerts in Montreal before packing on the PDA with Perry on a boat.
See Diplo’s selfie with Trudeau below, and check out his appearance on Smart Girls Dumb Questions above.
