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Taylor Swift‘s goodbye to The Eras Tour was a short and sweet one on social media following a trio of performances in Vancouver last weekend, the final three dates of a 149-show tour that grossed more than $2 billion in 2023-2024. The “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” hitmaker uploaded a series of […]
Ever since The Smiths ended their five-year career in 1987, speculation has been rife as to whether the group would ever reunite.
Highly regarded as one of the finest English bands of the ’80s, and one of the most critically-acclaimed indie bands ever, The Smiths’ legacy is as enduring as their career was brief. However, desire for history to repeat has been strong, and in the ensuring decades countless reports of rumored and potential reunions have bubbled to the surface.
Famously, vocalist Morrissey said he would rather break his vow of vegetarianism and “eat [his] own testicles than reform The Smiths”, and the short-lived VH1 show Bands Reunited even tried in vain to reunite the group.
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Reports of multi-million dollar offers also emerged, while guitarist Johnny Marr and bassist Andy Rourke would perform together on occasion, effectively giving fans the closest they could ever get to a fabled reunion. However, Rourke’s passing in 2023 seemed to shut the door on any prospect of such reformation ever taking the place.
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In August, Morrissey posted a note claiming that AEG Entertainment made a “lucrative offer” to both Morrissey and Marr to reunite for a Smiths world tour in 2025, to which he claimed he said yes while Marr “ignored the offer.” Marr later refuted to Morrissey’s version of events; “I didn’t ignore the offer,” he explained. “I said no.”
Now a rare interview with Morrissey, the singer has addressed the recent happenings within the band, specifically touching on why he had reportedly experienced such a change of heart and expressed a desire to again perform with Marr once more.
“I agreed because it felt like the last time such a thing would be possible. We’ve all begun to grow old,” he explained. I thought the tour that was offered would be a good way of saying thank you for those who have listened for what suddenly feels like a lifetime.
“It wasn’t because I had any emotional attachment to Marr. I have absolutely none.”
The two musicians have famously been at loggerheads for years, and recent months have also seen claims from Morrissey that Marr had not only blocked another greatest-hits album from The Smiths, but that he had also acquired the rights to the band’s name. This last point was of particular note, given that Morrissey claimed Marr could therefore replace the vocalist with another singer should he desire.
“He seems to me to be just as insecure and fearful as he was during the 1980s,” Morrissey said of Marr in his recent interview. “But he gains more press adoration by pretending to be the Smiths gatekeeper and custodian in isolation, and as long as he is sitting in a corner complaining about me he has a pedestal which would disappear in the event of a reunion.
“He claims to find me completely indigestible, but whenever he walks onto a stage he sings my lyrics, my vocal melodies and my song titles,” he added. “Is this hypocrisy or self-deception? He has forced people to choose between Morrissey and Marr, and I’ve had just about enough of his bitchslap comments. I’ve quietly put up with them for over thirty years.”
Elsewhere in his conversation, Morrissey also turned his attention once more to the apparent “war on free speech” that has left him unable to release his Bonfire of Teenagers record. “To be cancelled is the modern version of lynching, isn’t it?” he asked.
“Bonfire of Teenagers is the modern version of [The Smiths’ 1986 album] The Queen is Dead, but the fact that no label will release it is an indication of how childlike and frightened the music industry has become,” he later added.
Black Sabbath may rock together once more if Ozzy Osbourne has his way.
Officially, the pioneering heavy metal outfit have been inactive since 2017, when they completed their aptly-titled The End Tour. However, the band’s lineup at the time – which featured vocalist Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and session drummer Tommy Clufetos – did not include co-founding drummer Bill Ward.
Ward had initially declined to participate in Black Sabbath’s 2012 reunion tour, ultimately threatening to quit the band unless he was presented with a “signable contract that reflects some dignity and respect toward me as an original member of the band.” The band’s decision to continue without him was a source of regret for Osbourne, who said earlier this year that the “arc of the legend of Black Sabbath” was “unfinished” as a result.
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“If I wanted to do one more gig with Bill, I’d jump at the chance,” Osbourne said on The Madhouse Chronicles podcast in May. “You know what would be cool? If we just went to a club somewhere unannounced and just got up and did it out,” he added. “We started up in a club.”
Now, Butler has joined in the conversation, noting how Osbourne’s desire for a final Black Sabbath show is still as a prominent as ever.
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“Ozzy was talking to me about, when he does his farewell concert – which he still wants to do,” Butler told Lifeminute. “He’s dying to still get out there and play, and he suggested, at his very final concert, for the four of us to get up onstage and maybe do three or four songs together. And that would be it, finished.”
Butler insisted, however, the show would be a one-off, and that the there would be “definitely no more tours” from Black Sabbath.
Though it would be unclear if Ward would take place in such a potential reunion, it likewise remains to be seen when Osbourne’s final performances would take place.
Currently, Osbourne hasn’t performed live since 2022, having cancelled performances due to his ailing health, though wife Sharon confirmed to The Mirror this year he was “planning on doing two more shows to say goodbye”. No further details have been announced as yet.
Does Jimmy Fallon have some new competition for his Tonight Show gig? On Wednesday night’s (Dec. 11) episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, ROSÉ will make her solo in-studio performance debut, playing a mash-up of “APT.” and “Toxic Till the End,” both from her just-released Rosie album. In photos from the performance exclusive […]
Disney Animation’s Tangled is about to get a live-action adaptation, Deadline first reported on Wednesday (Dec. 11). The screenplay is generally expected to follow the one Disney fans already know and love, Deadline says, though plot specifics remain confidential at press time. Casting details also haven’t been shared, but The Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey […]
The NFL appears to be backing Jay-Z and moving forward with their relationship amid a civil lawsuit filed earlier in December claiming that the Roc Nation CEO raped a 13-year-old girl. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news During a Wednesday (Dec. 11) presser ahead of the Christmas […]
Shawn Mendes is the latest guest on John Mayer‘s new SiriusXM show, How’s Life, and in the upcoming Dec. 12 episode, the “In My Blood” singer has seemingly addressed unconfirmed theories about a love triangle between himself, Camila Cabello and Sabrina Carpenter following the release of the “Espresso” singer’s sixth studio album, Short n’ Sweet.
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“I’m with someone. Two days before going to hang with my ex, [I] express I’m going to hang with my ex because I have unresolved feelings,” Mendes told Mayer in a preview clip released on Wednesday (Dec. 11). “Maybe instead of two days it could have been two weeks.”
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He continued, “The biggest lesson I’ve heard is no one gets out of this life without getting hurt, and no one gets out of this life without hurting someone.”
The star’s comments are seemingly in reference to the time Carpenter and Mendes were spotted hanging out in February 2023, a year after the “In My Blood” singer split from Cabello in November 2021. Just two months later, Cabello and Mendes were spotted rekindling their romance at Coachella.
Songs on Carpenter’s album, including “Coincidence,” “Sharpest Tool” and “Taste” all seem to follow a storyline about a love interest rekindling his romance with his ex-girlfriend. The corresponding “Taste” visual stars Jenna Ortega, who fans think was casted to represent Cabello in the clip.
Cabello also seemingly added fuel to the flame, by recently sharing a TikTok singing along to her own track, “June Gloom,” which features the lyrics: “She’s cool, I heard/ Won’t act surprised, I saw the pictures/ […] If she’s so amazing, why are you on this side of town? / If you like her so much, what are you here trying to find out?”
While no party involved confirmed the theories, Mendes previously spoke out in defense of Cabello in October. When a fan commented on X, “they don’t play about each other” about the duo, Mendes retweeted the comment and agreed, “no we don’t.”
A couple hours after that, he clarified why he engaged with the comment in the first place. “i guess to be honest it came from a place of being a little annoyed with all the projection over the last few months about us,” Mendes wrote, referring to Cabello. “I’m usually pretty good at just watching all the ‘noise’ go by but lately it’s been kinda bugging me 🤷🏻♂️ feeling human i guess.”
Kendrick Lamar punches his ticket into a select club on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart by replacing himself at No. 1. The rapper’s “TV Off,” featuring Lefty Gunplay, advances 2-1 to lead the list dated Dec. 14 and in the process, evicts Lamar’s “Squabble Up” from the summit to No. 3. Both songs are from Lamar’s new album, GNX, which posts a second week at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
“TV Off” ascends to No. 1 on the multi-metric Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs thanks to a combination of 34.6 million official U.S. streams, 2,000 purchased digital downloads and 6.6 million in radio airplay audience in the tracking week of Nov. 29 – Dec. 5, according to Luminate. Although the song drops 26% in streams (from 46.9 million last week), it is the week’s most-streamed R&B/hip-hop title and climbs 2-1 to lead the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs chart. It repeats at No. 2 on R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales (behind “Squabble Up”) and is the week’s top debut, at No. 25, on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay.
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While “Squabble Up” was the main GNX focus for the surprise album’s first week, “TV Off” emerged as a fan favorite, with Lamar’s extended shout of producer Mustard’s name becoming a viral meme. In addition to its Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs coronation, “TV Off” likewise takes the top spot from “Squabble Up” on Hot Rap Songs and slides 2-3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite the drop, it’s the highest non-holiday hit on the flagship chart, as Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” vault to Nos. 1 and 2, respectively.
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In all, “TV Off” is Lamar’s sixth No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and notably, his first to not debut at the summit. Here’s a review of his chart-topping collection:
“HUMBLE.,” two weeks at No. 1, beginning May 22, 2017“Mona Lisa,” Lil Wayne featuring Kendrick Lamar, one, Oct. 13, 2018“Like That,” with Future and Metro Boomin, five, April 6, 2024“Not Like Us,” 21, May 1, 2024“Squabble Up,” one, Dec. 7, 2024“TV Off,” featuring Lefty Gunplay, one, Dec. 14, 2014
Featured artist Lefty Gunplay, meanwhile, lands his first No. 1 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, a week after the premiere of “TV Off” gave the West Coast rapper his first Billboard chart appearances.
With “TV Off” succeeding “Squabble Up,” Lamar becomes the 17th artist to complete a self-replacement atop Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. He enters the list just a month after Tyler, The Creator, whose Daniel Caesar-featured “St. Chroma” yielded to “Sticky,” featuring GloRilla, Sexyy Red and Lil Wayne.
Lamar nearly joined the club earlier this year, missing it only by a single week. After a five-week stint at the top, “Like That,” Lamar’s collaboration with Future and Metro Boomin, fell to Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby.” The singer’s breakout hit enjoyed one week in the lead before Lamar’s “Not Like Us” stormed onto the list, the start of a record-tying 21-week domination.
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Music’s big night is finally here. Hosted by Michelle Buteau, the 2024 Billboard Music Awards are airing live Thursday (Dec. 12) at 8 p.m. ET/PT on FOX and Fire TV Channels.
Zach Bryan, Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen and Sabrina Carpenter are the leading finalists for the BBMAs, with Bryan sitting atop the pack with 18 nods. Swift follows with 16, Wallen is close behind with 15, and first-time finalist Carpenter has nine. Other first-time finalists to keep an eye on include Tyla and Teddy Swims tied at eight nods, Benson Boone and Shaboozey locked in at six each, and Chappell Roan with two. See the full list of finalists here.
Don’t want to miss a moment? We’ve compiled everything you need to know to watch the BBMAs on TV and online from the comfort of your home. Check out all the streaming options available below.
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How to Watch & Stream the 2024 Billboard Awards
The awards show presented by Marriott Bonvoy will broadcast live on FOX and Fire TV channels on Thursday, Dec. 12, at 8 p.m. ET/PT and on-demand on Paramount+, with performances also rolling out across Billboard.com and via @BBMAs and @Billboard social channels.
No cable? No problem. You can stream the Billboard Music Awards live on DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV or Fubo TV, all of which offer a live feed of FOX. DirecTV is currently running a five-day free trial, as well as a limited-time $15 discount on your first two months. Use it to livestream the Billboard Music Awards online for free. You can cancel before your free trial is up to avoid being charged.
Hulu + Live TV streaming plans start at $82.99/month for access to 90+ live channels, plus Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+.
Another great way to watch the awards show online for free is through Fubo. The service is offering a seven-day free trial here that you can use to stream the 2024 BBMAs online free through your phone, laptop, tablet or smart TV.
Paramount+ streaming plans start at $7.99/month after a one-week free trial. To stream with with no ads, upgrade to Paramount+ with Showtime for access to CBS live, Showtime original programming, and download features to watch your favorite shows and movies offline.
2024 Billboard Music Awards Performers
The 2024 BBMAs will feature many must-see acts, including Tyla bringing the party to a London pub, an electric showing from Linkin Park, and a special Shaboozey performance from W Hollywood.
Other performances include rock band Coldplay; country stars Jelly Roll and Megan Moroney; K-pop stars SEVENTEEN and Stray Kids; blue-eyed soul singer Teddy Swims; and regional Mexican band Fuerza Regida.
Swift and Drake are leading candidates in many categories, and there’s one historic record that either could break during the 2024 show. The artists are currently tied for the most wins in BBMAs history with 39 each. With a combined 24 nods at the 2024 show, including the Top Artist award, their tie could be broken this year.
Watch the 2024 Billboard Music Awards live online for free with a free trial to DirecTV Stream here.
Billie Eilish’s ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’ solidified her at No. 6 for Billboard’s Top 10 Artists of 2024. Keep watching to see how her newest album dominated the Hot 100 and Billboard 200! Make sure to tune in on December 12th for the Billboard Music Awards airing at 8:00 PM ET/PT on FOX and […]