State Champ Radio News
Page: 148
Trending on Billboard
Imagine the distance between Las Vegas and Chicago. Now imagine a line of 20 million stacked plastic cups and single-use serveware items extending along the 1,700-mile route.
According to reuse company r.World, that’s the actual cumulative number of plastic cups and single-use serveware items it and its partners have kept out of landfills since r.World launched in 2017.
Related
R.World provides reusable cups and serveware to venues and events, which are then returned by fans and sent out for cleaning at nearby r.World wash stations. R.World products are now in and at venues and events including Crypto.com Arena, Peacock Theater, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Warped Tour and myriad Goldenvoice festivals. The company has also partnered with artists including Chappell Roan, Billie Eilish and Coldplay.
According to r.World, its work has thus far stopped more than 110 tons of plastic from being produced (netting out any plastic the company itself used), thereby eliminating 440 U.S. tons of CO2 emissions, saving 1,650,000 kWh of energy and conserving 5,000,000 gallons of water — amounts representing the creation and transport of these single-use items. Every cup or piece of serveware the company delivers that’s then returned is counted to ensure accurate environmental impact tracking and reporting.
“There is tremendous new growth in the world of reuse,” r.World founder Michael Martin tells Billboard. “When we launched the reuse movement back in 2017, no one was doing reuse. Now NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS, MLB and college stadiums are implementing reuse. As more and more venues realize the economic and environmental benefits of doing reuse, we are adding more clients every month.”
Martin says the company will be announcing a host of new partners in the coming weeks. Still, amid this growth, he says the biggest hurdle remains the fear of change and misinformation that exists in the marketplace, along with an “imagination gap” in terms of how reuse works. He notes that reuse can save venues money; that it’s a “vastly better” environmental solution than single-use aluminum cups, compostable cups, souvenir cups or plastic cups; that the reuse system is easy; and that guests and servers love it.
Related
“Reuse is common in most developed countries. The U.S. was behind,” Martin says. “As more and more U.S. venues are discovering the benefits of reuse, the demand is skyrocketing. The country’s leading venues are moving to reuse and away from single-use.”
Many scientists have noted that the world is currently in a “plastic crisis,” with these items contaminating natural spaces and waterways, harming wildlife and humans. Health Policy Watch reports that 98% of plastics are made from fossil fuels, with plastics “polluting human health through an array of pathways, including direct exposure to waste fills or chemical plants, environmental contamination, absorption through food packaging, microplastics, air and soil pollution, and burning of feedstock fossil fuels.”
R.World is one of several initiatives aimed at dramatically bringing down the use of single-use plastics in the music industry and beyond. In September, electronic producer Blond:ish announced Zero Plastic Club: NYC, a project that’s working to rid New York City dancefloors of single-use items like bottles, cups and wristbands.
“The movement toward reuse is a collective effort, built on partnerships and shared values, with contributions from venue managers, beverage companies, promoters, artists, and fans,” says Martin. “Every time a fan returns a reusable cup instead of throwing one away, they play a part in a larger transformation.”
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
Sphere Entertainment Co. reported on Tuesday (Nov. 4) that the success of The Wizard of Oz and the Backstreet Boys residency at its state-of-the-art Las Vegas venue boosted revenue and operating income — though those gains couldn’t offset a nearly $130 million operating loss in the third quarter.
Sphere Entertainment generated revenue of $262.5 million, up 15% or $34.6 million, for the quarter ending Sept. 30, compared to the same period last year. Adjusted operating income, an indicator of how much of a company’s revenue will eventually become profit, rose to $36.4 million from negative $10.2 million a year ago. The company also reported an operating loss of $129.7 million, up $12.1 million from a year ago.
Related
Since opening in 2023, Sphere has become a destination for artist residencies, hosting acts including U2, Phish, the Eagles, electronic act Anyma and now the Backstreet Boys, who recently extended their Into the Millennium residency into February 2026. Upcoming acts include the DJ/producer Illenium, who’s slated for a residency in March and April, and No Doubt, which will play the venue beginning in May.
When Sphere isn’t occupied by a concert, the mega-venue also shows movies, including the U2 immersive concert film recording of its U2:UV Achtung Baby Live residency and The Wizard of Oz at Sphere. The company’s executive chairman and CEO, James Dolan, has said that recording, licensing and adapting these films costs significantly less than live performances and presents meaningful upside revenue.
The Wizard of Oz at Sphere — an immersive adaptation of the classic 1939 movie — has sold more than 1 million tickets and generated more than $130 million in sales since its Aug. 28 premiere, the company reported late last month.
Related
In a statement, Dolan called The Wizard of Oz “the best example to-date of experiential storytelling in this new medium.”
He added that the film “has been met with strong consumer demand. Looking ahead, we believe our Company is well positioned for long-term growth as we continue to execute on our global vision for Sphere.”
Quarterly revenue generated by the company’s Sphere segment rose 37% overall to $174.1 million in revenue over the same period last year, boosted by $28.3 million more in revenue coming from the venue’s film screenings, collectively known as The Sphere Experience.
The Sphere Experience posted higher per-show revenue from its 220 showings (up from 207 last year) of three movies: Postcard from Earth, the immersive U2 concert film and The Wizard of Oz at Sphere. An additional 16 concert residency shows compared to the prior year quarter also helped boost event-related revenue by $15 million, though that was offset by “lower average per-concert revenue due to the mix of concerts” and the absence of big sporting and corporate events in the quarter. Sponsorship and advertising on the outside of Sphere, along with suite licensing fees, rose $2.7 million from a year ago.
Related
But more movies and shows mean more expenses, and those associated with The Sphere Experience rose by about $10 million. Meanwhile, event expenses primarily from residency shows rose by nearly $4 million, contributing to an overall 26% increase in the Sphere segment’s operating expenses, which totaled $78.7 million for the third quarter.
Overall, the Sphere segment posted an operating loss of $84.4 million — a $40.6 million improvement from last year — and adjusted operating income of $17.1 million.
Elsewhere, MSG Networks revenue fell 12% to $88.4 million on a more than 13% decline in subscribers and a $12.7 million decrease in distribution revenue.
RBX, a rapper affiliated with Death Row Records and a relative of the legendary Snoop Dogg, filed a lawsuit against Spotify alleging that the service used bots to bolster his streaming records. In response, Spotify countered RBX’s assertion, stating that they have safeguards in place to counter the insidious practice.
Rolling Stone reported on the lawsuit on Monday (November 3). In their report, the outlet says that RBX’s lawsuit was filed in the California District Court over the weekend. While Drake is referenced in the complaint, the rapper’s target is Spotify, according to the filing.
“Every month, under Spotify’s watchful eye, billions of fraudulent streams are generated from fake, illegitimate, and/or illegal methods,” read a portion of the complaint.
“We cannot comment on pending litigation. However, Spotify in no way benefits from the industry-wide challenge of artificial streaming,” Spotify shared in a statment. “We heavily invest in always-improving, best-in-class systems to combat it and safeguard artist payouts with strong protections like removing fake streams, withholding royalties, and charging penalties.”
Spotify continued with, “Our systems are working: In a case from last year, one bad actor was indicted for stealing $10 million from streaming services, only $60,000 of which came from Spotify, proving how effective we are at limiting the impact of artificial streaming on our platform.”
It has yet to be reported what the court’s next maneuver will be regarding the complaint.
—
Photo: Getty
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Trending on Billboard
Doja Cat and Teyana Taylor just made Ray-Ban’s latest Meta glasses look ultra cool for the brand’s “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet” global campaign.
The tech meets fashion style both musicians donned is a second generation product for the brand, utilizing Meta capabilities to bring audiences something straight out of the future. It only makes sense that both Doja and Taylor were tapped for this occasion. Both parties are exceedingly fashionable, with their proverbial fingers always on the pulse of what’s hot and trending.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
Stylishness aside, the collaboration is rather timely for both artists, with Doja just dropping her latest album Vie and Taylor dropping Escape Room, her fourth studio album after a five-year hiatus. The glasses worn by both stars in the campaign can be purchased right now on Ray-Ban’s website and retail for $379.
Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarer Gen 2
A second-gen Meta-powered glasses.
If you haven’t already gotten yourself a pair of Ray-Ban Meta glasses, the accessory is what is classified as “smart glasses.” The eyewear is a blend of Ray-Ban’s classic and ultra-chic style with technology, allowing users to do all sorts of things, from take photos and videos, listen to music, make calls and interact with AI assistant features all hands-free.
The Gen 2 style now comes in new colorways and silhouettes that can be applied to the glasses on Ray Ban‘s website. The new model also features major improvements from the OG including a longer battery life, a 3K Ultra-Wide 12MP camera for UHD video capture and advanced Meta AI tools including Hyperlapse, which allows users to capture sped-up, smooth time-lapse videos hands-free, Slow Motion, which captures video with a slower frame rate and Live Translation, which gives users real-time audio translation with AI voice cloning.
As we get closer to the holiday season, we’d like to think that these glasses would make a great gift, especially for the tech wiz in your life. They’re practical, given they’re glasses, and functional thanks to the Meta AI tools. Ray-Ban frames are also extremely stylish and of great quality, made to last for years to come. The quality and attention to craftsmanship explain the price tag. It’s more of an investment piece rather than a standard accessory. Think of it like buying a super fancy iPhone or laptop, but for your face. It has all the same bells and whistles, all built into a portable package. Don’t just take it from us. If they’re a favorite of Doja and Taylor, they’re probably a great fit for your loved ones, too.
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 […]
Trending on Billboard
Some Taylor Swift fans are up in arms over a video on the official White House TikTok account set to “The Fate of Ophelia” — and many of them are encouraging the pop superstar to take legal action against President Donald Trump.
The Monday (Nov. 3) TikTok video pairs Swift’s The Life of the Showgirl lead single — currently in its fourth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 — with images of Trump and his associates. One frame shows Trump’s mug shot while Swift sings, “Don’t care where the hell you’ve been.” The video ends with a photo of the president scooping McDonald’s French fries under a slightly altered lyric reading, “The fate of America.”
Related
Swift has not commented on the post, but it’s unlikely that she’s happy about it. Historically, the star has not pledged her allegiance to Trump’s team; she’s only endorsed Democrats, including Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, and Trump, in turn, has insulted Swift repeatedly, including by posting “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT” after the Harris endorsement.
In the TikTok comments, some Swifties are putting on their lawyer hats. “TAYLOR SWIFT SUE THEM FOR USING YOUR SONG!” wrote one. “I would absolutely LOVE if Tay found a way to sue them for this,” wrote another. “One freaking huge lawsuit on the horizon,” another prediction read.
Is the White House’s use of “The Fate of Ophelia” legal? Probably not. While individual TikTok users can soundtrack their videos with pre-cleared songs, commercial entities are required to obtain so-called sync licenses from copyright owners. The White House did not return an inquiry on Tuesday (Nov. 4) as to whether they got a sync license for the post, but given Swift’s public rebukes of Trump, and the fact that the singer is famously protective of her catalog, it’s unlikely that she greenlit such a license.
Related
As Billboard previously reported during Zach Bryan’s public scuffle with the Trump administration over its use of his track “Revival” in an X post, there are a number of legal avenues for artists to take when their songs are used on social media without licenses. Swift’s lawyers could send a cease-and-desist letter to the White House, or they might lodge a formal takedown notice directly with TikTok under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
If these administrative procedures are unsuccessful, Swift could indeed bring a formal lawsuit against the federal government for copyright infringement. She’s no stranger to intellectual property litigation, having both faced copyright claims herself and gone on the legal offense over the years.
However, it’s hard to imagine Swift taking the drastic step of suing the White House. The courts are public by nature, and Swift has a carefully maintained image. This is especially true in the political arena, where the singer’s statements have always been measured (“The choice is yours to make,” she told fans in her post endorsing Harris last year).
Related
Swift, therefore, may not want to become publicly embroiled in what would almost certainly be viewed as a partisan legal battle. Nothing is certain, though, and only time will tell.
Swift’s reps did not return a request for comment on the matter.
Trending on Billboard
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”
Trending on Billboard
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.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Love & Hip Hop: Miami is back — this time, for its seventh and final season.
We’re waving goodbye to the star-studded cast of the reality show, a cast that we’ve seen through some major drama and epic music moments since 2018. Season 7 is slated to premiere Tuesday (Nov. 4) at 8 p.m. ET and will air on BET. Subsequent episodes will air every Tuesday on BET.
The final season is sure to be a trip based on a brief look at the season’s first episode, titled “The Last Laugh.” In the episode, Ghanaian actor and certified goofball Michael Blackson gets ready for a big move to Miami, while hiding a big secret from his pregnant fiancée Rada. And we see Amara clock Miami Tip for starting drama with the wife of her children’s father. We also see trouble in Miami’s blue waters emerge when women from rapper Trick Daddy’s past re-emerge, further stirring the pot.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
If you’ve cut the cord on cable, but you’re looking to catch up on all the drama this last season has to offer, we’ve got you covered. Below, we’ll show you how to watch tonight’s episode and all the juicy episodes to come.
How to Stream Love & Hip Hop: Miami
Looking for a way to watch the highly anticipated final season without cable? The hit BET series is currently available on a plethora of streaming services. Our pick? We choose Philo. The show is free to watch with a seven-day free trial. A subscription to Philo gives you access to BET for just $33 a month. For our musically-inclined readers, Philo also includes networks like AXS TV, Fandor, CMT, MTV, MTV Classic, VH1 and more. With a subscription, you’ll have access to watch more than 70 cable networks including AMC, A&E, Animal Planet, BBC America, Cartoon Network, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel, EarthX, Food Network, Game Show Network, Hallmark Channel, HGTV and so much more.
DIRECTV is another great option for those looking to stream the BET show. A standard subscription to DIRECTV, which gives you access to watch the Love & Hip Hop franchise, will run you just $59.99 a month under the service’s CHOICE plan. You’ll gets you access to live TV, local networks such as NBC, ABC and PBS, and you can also watch many cable networks, including FS1, Lifetime, FX, AMC, A&E, Bravo, BET, MTV, Paramount Network, Cartoon Network, VH1, Fuse, CNN, Food Network, CNBC and many others (Some local channel not available in select markets.). That’s over 125 plus channels that you can tap into, once you’re done watching Love & Hip Hop, of course.
Another option for our readers is a Hulu + Live TV subscription, given that BET is included in the live TV channel lineup. A subscription to the service (with ads) will cost approximately $82.99 per month, while the plan without ads goes for $95.99 per month. This subscription gives you access to the wide plethora of titles in Hulu’s library, along with live TV programs 24/7. This is one of the more pricy plans on our list, however, the bundle is well worth the price because of the added Hulu titles.
Finally, we’ve got Sling TV which is another live TV streaming option giving users the ability to access cable channels and on-demand content over the internet, making a cable subscription obsolete. To access Love & Hip Hop: Miami, you’ll need a Sling Orange subscription which is $45.99 a month. Depending on your needs, you can purchase temporary passes for a day ($4.99), weekend ($9.99), or week ($14.99) to watch the show and test out the service for a limited time. Sling Orange includes over 30 live channels including ESPN, Disney Channel and CNN, plus a free on-demand library.
More About Love & Hip Hop: Miami
Love & Hip Hop: Miami first aired back in 2018, added to the growing franchise that was Love & Hip Hop, beginning in New York. The Miami edition revolves around the personal and professional struggles of several rappers, singers and socialites in Miami’s music scene.
