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Trending on Billboard Olivia Rodrigo‘s dreams came true this summer when Weezer joined her on stage during her headlining set at Lollapalooza in Chicago. She loved it so much that on Tuesday (Nov. 11) the singer surprise released a limited edition 7″ vinyl single commemorating the pop-rock summit. Explore See latest videos, charts and news […]
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AJ McLean is obsessed. The target of his obsession for the past few weeks is creator Lydia Getachew’s viral remix of Taylor Swift‘s “Elizabeth Taylor” and the Backstreet Boys‘ iconic 1997 hit “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back),” which, not for nothing, were both produced by pop savant producer Max Martin.
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Back on Oct. 10, Getachew posted her original video in which he vibes out to her perfectly perfect melding of the Swift song over the BSB beat, writing, “My brain immediately heard the drop in ‘Elizabeth Taylor’ and I was like wait the bass is giving a drop in BSB… lo&behold, Max Martin produced both songs!
A week later, McLean posted a video in which he rocked out to the remix, commenting, “Come on now you know one of us had to! @taylorswift!” Swift immediately jumped into the comments, responding, “OH HI AJ OH MY GOD.”
To date, the remix — which Getachew posted in full on Soundcloud a short time later — has been view more than one million times on TikTok and streamed more than 665,000 times on Soundcloud. And now McLean is hoping to recreate that magic on stage at the BSB’s Into the Millennium residency, which recently announced seven more shows for December and January.
TMZ caught up with McLean on Tuesday (Nov. 11) and asked who he’d like to see take the stage at the mind-bending Sphere after he, Kevin Richardson, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell and Nick Carter move on from Las Vegas’ favorite new high-tech venue. AJ’s wish list of potential next residencies included some big names — Coldplay, Lenny Kravitz, Red Hot Chili Peppers — but one stood out.
“I don’t know if she’d ever do it, but I think Taylor [Swift] would absolutely destroy it,” he predicted of a fantasy Swift Sphere stint. “She is a fan, and we’re a massive fan of hers. I mean, she’s the sweetest. She’s been so kind to my daughters anytime that we’ve had a chance to hang out and meet her at her shows. She’s just the best.”
Given how popular the mash-up is, McLean said it would “break the planet” if Swift did a pop-in to perform it live with his crew. “Fans are hoping she’ll do ‘Elizabeth Taylor’ while we do ‘Backstreet’s Back,’” he said. “Taylor, if you want, come see the show first, so you know what’s going on. And then you can figure out if you want to come up with up with us,” he said. “We’re not going to say no.”
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Merlin has appointed Charlie Lexton as its next CEO, effective Jan. 1, the indie licensing organization announced Wednesday (Nov. 12). Lexton will succeed Jeremy Sirota, who announced his exit in May after serving in the role since 2020.
Lexton has worked for Merlin since its 2007 founding and has served as the organization’s COO since April 2020. He has played a key role in a number of important developments at the agency — from negotiating licensing deals with streamers and social media platforms to forming a recently announced partnership with AI audio company ElevenLabs, through which Merlin members can opt in to train ElevenLabs’ AI music model. He was also involved in Merlin’s 2012 settlement of a copyright infringement lawsuit against LimeWire, the transfer of parts of Parlophone Label Group to the independent sector after Universal Music Group (UMG) acquired EMI and the sale of Merlin’s equity interest in Spotify, which Merlin says resulted in a $125 million payout to its members.
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Early in his career, Lexton co-founded London indie label Dorado Records after previously working as a DJ, songwriter and producer. As an attorney, he worked at UMG and EMI, where he led business affairs for EMEA (excluding the U.K.). Prior to helping launch Merlin, he ran the London indie label City Rockers as co-owner.
“I am delighted at the opportunity to lead this organisation,” said Lexton in a statement. “My focus is on our members — the most significant grouping of independent music companies in the world — and on the Merlin team, our incredibly hard working and dedicated staff. I can do nothing without the support of our team. And without our members, there is no Merlin.”
Added Sirota, “Charlie has been a great partner in evolving Merlin into what it is today. He consistently delivers — from his unwavering commitment to the Merlin team to pioneering the first significant AI deal with ElevenLabs to empowering our members via Merlin Insights. Next year, I’m proud he will champion Merlin Engage to empower the next generation of female leaders for independent music. I’m excited for Charlie and the team to write Merlin’s next chapter.”
Merlin chairperson and Secretly Group co-CEO Darius Van Arman said: “When we conducted our search for the new CEO, we met a number of extraordinary leaders, however one person stood out. Charlie Lexton has earned the trust of the Merlin membership by consistently delivering immense value throughout the organization’s history. I am extremely confident that under his stewardship and working closely with the exceptional Merlin team, Merlin will reach new heights and further enable the independence of the world’s leading music companies.”
Marie Clausen, Merlin management board member and MD of North America at Ninja Tune, added: “Charlie is a brilliant strategist and remarkable negotiator who has earned the respect of our membership, team, and partners. The industry is at a pivotal moment of change. With Charlie at the helm, Merlin is ideally positioned to turn that change into opportunity. Having worked with him over a decade, I am confident that under Charlie’s leadership Merlin is in the best hands.”
According to a press release, Merlin saw record-high revenue of $1.64 billion and a record-low administration fee of 1% in 2024.
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Dancing With The Stars celebrated its own, 20th Birthday Party on Tuesday night (Oct. 11), and Robert Irwin was handing out the gifts.
Party night featured two unique rounds of dance. The first saw couples complete routines set to the songs of freestyle routines from earlier DWTS seasons. Then, each celebrity performed with a former Mirrorball champion in the relay dance round, which pitted two couples, toe-to-toe.
Irwin, the Australian conservationist, and his dance partner Witney Carson completed the first perfect individual score of the season, nabbing 40 out of a possible 40. They did so to the tune of his elder sister, season 20 champ Bindi Irwin’s freestyle song as a tribute to their father, the late Steve “Crocodile Hunter” Irwin.
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In an embarrassment of riches, Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach; Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy; and Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas also scored perfect rounds.
For his Relay Jive, Irwin teamed up with Xochitl Gomez (season 33 champion), facing off against Alix Earle and Joey Graziadei, swinging their hips to Olly Murs’ “Dance with Me Tonight.” Dressed in baby blue, Irwin looked at home as he does in a lion’s den, as he completed floor slides, leaps and showed off his fancy footwork. Earle and Graziadei, wearing red, had the second use on the ballroom floor. Irwin and Gomez were deemed winners, collecting the two bonus points.
The party ended on a bum note for Andy Richter and Emma Slater, who notched the lowest number of points and were eliminated from the competition.
Next week is Prince Night, which also serve as the semi-finals, while the winner will be crowned Nov. 25 following ABC’s three-hour finale. Watch Irwin’s Relay Jive below.
20th Birthday Party Leaderboard Whitney Leavitt and Mark Ballas: 42Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach: 42Robert Irwin and Witney Carson: 42Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy: 40Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa: 39Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten: 36Andy Richter and Emma Slater: 29 (ELIMINATED)
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Cleto Escobedo III, the longtime bandleader and saxophonist for Jimmy Kimmel Live, co-creator of the late-night staple’s theme tune, and best friend of its host, has died at the age of 59.
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Kimmel broke the sad news on his social accounts, and gave a teary farewell to his good friend Tuesday night (Nov. 11) during his regular show. “Early this morning,” he writes on Instagram, “we lost a great friend, father, son, musician and man, my longtime bandleader Cleto Escobedo III. To say that we are heartbroken is an understatement. Cleto and I have been inseparable since I was nine years old. The fact that we got to work together every day is a dream neither of us could ever have imagined would come true. Cherish your friends and please keep Cleto’s wife, children and parents in your prayers.”
The cause of death has not been revealed, though Page 6 reports Escobedo was hospitalized last week, with Kimmel canceling his Thursday episode to be by his side.
Born Aug. 23, 1966 in Las Vegas, NV, Escobedo’s group, Cleto and the Cletones, has been the house band for Jimmy Kimmel Live! since the show’s inception in 2003.
Escobedo and Kimmel, however, go way back. The pair hit it off as kids, when Kimmel’s family moved to Sin City back in 1977, directly across the street, two houses over from a young Escobedo.
Kimmel was unable to hold back the tears, and he told of his best friend’s passing at the very top of Tuesday night’s Live. “We’ve been on the air for almost 23 years and I’ve had to do some hard monologues along the way. But this one’s the hardest,” he remarked.
They weren’t just friends. They were 24/7 besties, enjoying countless sleepovers, crank calls, backyard ballgames, and “we definitely gave each other many concussions,” he recounted.
Across 22 minutes, Kimmel told hilarious tales of youthful pranks, parties, bad advice, and much more, the lived stuff that occurs only when two people live out of each other’s pockets.
“We loved all the same things. Baseball, fishing, boxing, [Muhammad] Ali, Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Woody Allen, Michael McDonald, Huey Lewis, Stevie Wonder, and most of all, we loved David Letterman,” he admitted. “We never missed David Letterman. And the first time I was on the [Late Show with David Letterman] was 1999. It was a really big deal for both of us. That afternoon before the show, I was so nervous. I was walking in New York City, just walking fast, trying to burn off the nervous energy, and I called him just so we could be amazed together that this was happening and it was an amazing thing.”
As a saxophone player, he was nothing short of “phenomenal,” Kimmel enthused. “He was a child prodigy who would get standing ovations in junior high school, if you can imagine that.” Escobedo was a chip off the old block; his dad, too was a sax player in a band, but he called time on touring to spend more time with his family. “When Cleto junior became a professional musician, Cleto senior was thrilled, he got to live vicariously through his son,” Kimmel said. They’d become bandmates, too.
Junior enjoyed an early breakthrough with Paula Abdul, initially performing with the pop star then joining her label’s roster. Later, Kimmel pitched the late-night show to ABC, with Escobedo and his father auditioning together for the gig. It was a winning formula.
“I’ve often said that the single best thing about doing this show was getting the opportunity to allow Cleto senior to pick up where he left off in 1966 and become a musician again with his son,” he remarked.
Cleto’s parents, who were watching on, were, for 47 years, like his own folks. Only they never yelled at Kimmel, he quipped.
“Cherish your friends, we’re not here forever,” Kimmel explained, through tears. Live will take a break for several days to allow its leader and team time to grieve. Watch Kimmel’s eulogy below.
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Mashd N Kutcher’s next tune is a banger for a good cause.
The APRA Award-winning electronic music act dishes up the official tune for 2025 McHappy Day this Saturday (Nov. 15), the biggest annual fundraiser for Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) in Australia.
The bouncing cut captures the voices of children and their families staying at Ronald McDonald House in South Brisbane, and works in the iconic “ba da ba ba ba” jingle over keys, drums, funky electric guitar and a soaring synth line.
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“This song means a lot to me. Visiting the team and families at Ronald McDonald House was truly inspiring – their positivity, resilience and the way they support each other is incredible,” comments Mashd N Kutcher lead Matt James.
“Seeing the kids light up while playing instruments, sharing laughs and even singing the Macca’s jingle was magic,” he adds. “It was a privilege to bring a little fun into their day, and I think that magic shines through in the track. I hope it makes people smile and inspires them to get involved and donate to McHappy Day this Saturday.”
The track is live on Mashd N Kutcher and McDonald’s Australia’s social channels and will play in the burger chain’s 1,000-plus restaurants nationwide on the big day. Stream it, and watch footage of MNK’s visit to Ronald McDonald House below.
James knows more than most about the healing powers of music. The classically-trained Brisbane artist was diagnosed in 2023 with cancer, Multiple Myeloma, which forms in blood cells inside the bone marrow. A year later, in 2024, James and MNK made a roaring musical return with the full-length album Legacy.
It’s not the first MNK tie-in with Maccas. The lads sizzled with 2022’s “Ultimate Mix,” the music treat to accompany McDonald’s McFlurry with Cadbury’s, celebrating what was the chocolate specialist’s 100th year as an Australian favorite.
Since launching in 1991, McHappy Day has raised over A$79 million ($51 million), helping more than 69,000 families every year through RMHC, by funding various programs.
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SYDNEY, Australia — After a 17-year partnership, TEG makes it official by bringing Twenty3 Live into the fold.
TEG, the Sydney-based live entertainment, data and tech giant, snaps up Twenty3 Live, a leading marketing, media, sponsorship and activation agency.
The so-called “strategic acquisition” further enhances TEG’s in-house marketing and digital capability in its global touring portfolio, and is announced on the eve of AC/DC’s Australian POWER UP tour opener Wednesday night (Nov. 12) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, produced by TEG Van Egmond.
Through the new agreement, Twenty3 Live’s team of six music marketing professionals move across, led by long-standing marketing director Edwina Tarrant, who joined TEG’s Melbourne office in early October.
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Financial terms weren’t disclosed on the deal, which formalizes a relationship between TEG and Twenty3 Live, which, over nearly two decades, delivered marketing, media, and digital campaigns for many of Australia’s biggest concert tours, including TEG Dainty-produced treks for Bon Jovi, Eminem, George Michael, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and more.
TEG Dainty Entertainment Company president and CEO Paul Dainty, whose business was acquired by TEG in 2016, is a major shareholder and long-serving director in Twenty3.
Meanwhile, TEG launches Ovation amp, a full-service, data-led creative agency that is said to unite expertise across media, digital, strategy, and storytelling within the group.
The new agency is led by Larissa Best, general manager, live entertainment and head of Ovation amp, whose team is “dedicated to amplifying the connection between artists, fans, and partners,” a statement reads.
As it expands commercially, Ovation amp will be expected to collaborate with promoters, artists, and brands to deliver creative strategy, data-led marketing, and more.
“This milestone represents an exciting evolution for our agency,” comments Michael Leeds, managing director of Twenty3 Group. “We’re excited to see our colleagues continue their journey within one of Australia’s leading entertainment businesses, and the outstanding work of the Twenty3 Live team has been recognised by TEG as integral to their future growth.”
According to TEG, all current client campaigns and major tours managed by Twenty3 Live will continue throughout the transition, with existing leadership and relationships maintained.
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SYDNEY, Australia — Secretly Distribution has its sights set on APAC, with the launch of a new regional office.
Based in Sydney, Australia, the independent music group’s APAC activities are led by Max Thomas, who rises to head of APAC, after leading Secretly Group’s APAC marketing and strategy for the past four years.
In that time, Thomas led album campaigns for the likes of Mitski, Bon Iver, Bright Eyes, Faye Webster, Folk Bitch Trio, Khruangbin, Japanese Breakfast, Mustafa, Sharon Van Etten, Toro y Moi, Wednesday and more throughout Australia, New Zealand and Asia.
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With Thomas at the helm, Secretly Distribution will focus “on supporting artists and labels throughout the Asia-Pacific region,” reads a statement.
As the company expands its global footprint (Secretly has existing offices in New York, Los Angeles and London), Secretly Distribution promotes Chris Cannon to VP of international strategy, reward for guiding the business to 30% revenue growth overseas, across both digital and physical formats, in the past year.
“I am thrilled to be leading the charge as Secretly Distribution continues expanding our global footprint to incorporate our new APAC office,” says Cannon in a statement. “As our distributed label roster expands not only in size, but in genre, geography and customer profile, SD continues to adapt accordingly.”
The new structure, led by Thomas, means the business can “localize our service whilst adopting a proactive approach in response to the organic growth we can see in fast developing markets such as the Philippines, Indonesia and China.”
The opportunities for collaboration in these markets are “vast, and we have only begun to scratch the surface,” Cannon continues.
Based in London, England, Cannon has overseen the development of Secretly’s Latin American strategy, and launched Cargo Independent Distribution, which Cargo Records, Secretly Distribution and Beggars Group created as a means to maintain and promote an independent path to market for physical music in the U.K.
A new marketing and campaigns manager in Southeast Asia will be recruited shortly, and between them the APAC team will oversee priority releases across the SD roster, including those on Australia-based labels such as Chapter Music and Spinning Top, and New Zealand labels Lil’ Chief Records and Flying Nun.
The new team will also guide relationships with long-time APAC distribution partners such as Leaplay (Korea), Rocket (Australia), Rhythm Method (New Zealand), Southbound (New Zealand) and Ultra-Vybe (Japan), plus key local retail partners with which Secretly Distribution works closely.
Formed more than 25 years ago, Secretly Distribution is part of the Secretly Group, which is headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana and which is parent to the likes of Secretly Canadian, Jagjaguwar, Dead Oceans, and Merge Records, through a 50% stake acquired earlier this year.
The distribution specialist recently struck a global partnership with high-quality vinyl leader Org Music; renewed its deal with Asthmatic Kitty Records; signed a global deal with Geoff Barrow and Redg Weeks’ Invada Records; scored a nomination for Distributor of The Year at the 2025 Libera Awards; and announced a global deal with Third Man Records.
The latest ARIA Albums Chart features, for the first time, an entry from Frankston, Victoria indie rock band the Belair Lip Bombs, the first Australian act signed to Third Man Records. The Belair Lip Bombs’ sophomore set Again opened at No. 25 on the national tally.
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It’s rare that the original Broadway cast recording of Hamilton: An American Musical is not No. 1 on Billboard’s weekly Cast Albums chart. (After all, it’s been No. 1 for 454 weeks out of the 528 it has been on the chart since its debut in 2015.) So when Hamilton is not No. 1 — as is the case this week — it’s notable.
But the title that bumps Hamilton down to No. 2 this week is actually another album related to the show. A 10-song highlights edition, Hamilton: 10 Shots, arrives at No. 1 on the Nov. 15-dated chart, with 17,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States in the week ending Nov. 6, according to Luminate.
The original Hamilton debuted at No. 1 on the Cast Albums chart dated Oct. 17, 2015, and has never left the chart.
Hamilton: 10 Shots was issued as a streaming set, digital download, CD and on an array of vinyl variants. It also debuts on a number of other Billboard charts: No. 3 on Vinyl Albums, No. 5 on Indie Store Album Sales, No. 6 on Top Album Sales, No. 6 on Top Current Album Sales and No. 28 on the overall Billboard 200.
Meanwhile, as for the original Broadway cast recording of Hamilton, it is No. 69 on the latest Billboard 200, spending its 528th consecutive week on the chart. It extends its record for the most weeks on the chart ever for a cast recording. It peaked at No. 2 in 2020, marking the highest-charting cast recording since Hair hit No. 1 in 1969.
The Billboard 200 and Cast Albums charts rank the most popular overall albums, and cast recordings, respectively, of the week in the U.S. based on multimetric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.
As Donald Trump and his chaotic administration continue to unleash ICE agents to terrorize Black and Brown communities in the Windy City. The everyday struggle in the hood is still very much an issue, and G Herbo calls on a music legend to help him address it for his latest offering.
Linking up with Wyclef Jean for his visuals to “Emergency,” G Herbo and Clef show us how easy things can go left out on the streets of Chiraq even when police are called onto the scene of a tragedy as it’s every man for himself when survival and/or money is involved and residents are trying to make it through the day one way or another. Dope to see Wyclef back out on the rap scene in 2025.
From Chicago to New York, Dave East seems to be enjoying the life he’s created for himself, and in his clip to “Pablo,” the Harlem representative rolls out into the city in a big boy truck while breaking bread with his day-ones and flaunting the big-faced Benjis that he’s been earning ever since he stepped into the booth.
Check out the rest of today’s drops, including work from Thelonious featuring Conway The Machine, Cassie Veggies, and more.
G HERBO FT. WYCLEF JEAN & TURBO THE GREAT – “EMERGENCY”
DAVE EAST – “PABLO”
THELONIOUS FT. CONWAY THE MACHINE – “PRIMEMAGIC”
CASSIE VEGGIES – “BACK AGAIN”
IAMCOMPTON FT. ERIC BELLINGER – “NICE TO MEET YOU”
YUNG BREDDA – “INCH BY INCH”
LIL DANN – “JOHN GOTTI”
POPCAAN – “IMMORTAL LIFE”
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Photo: Getty
