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R&B star Ledisi performed on one of the biggest stages in her Grammy-winning career with a compelling live rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” during the pre-game festivities for Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. The occasion marked the fifth time that the song — also known as the Black national anthem — has been performed at the Super Bowl.
Dressed in a white pantsuit complemented by a floor-length long-sleeved coat, Ledisi was accompanied by a yellow-robed choir of 121 students from schools in the greater New Orleans area. Starting off slow and measured, the singer-songwriter-actress built up to a soaring crescendo that ended in her full-bodied voice sustaining the note on the last word in the song’s final verse: “Let us march on till victory is won.”
Earning hearty applause, her moving performance underscored the song’s message of hope, faith, resilience and unity amid the recent Los Angeles wildfires, last month’s act of terrorism on Bourbon Street in New Orleans and current challenges to such initiatives as DEI.
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While not a household name for some, New Orleans native Ledisi is heralded among fans for her potent vocals and colorful riffs integrated within a spirited fusion of R&B, soul, gospel and jazz. She counts legendary artist and civil rights activist Nina Simone as one of her major influences. Ledisi Sings Nina, released in 2021, was nominated for a Grammy for best traditional pop vocal album and an NAACP Image Award for outstanding jazz vocal album. Ledisi also portrayed another civil rights advocate, gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, in two projects: the 2022 biopic Remember Me: The Mahalia Jackson Story and in 2014’s Ava DuVernay-directed film Selma.
Ledisi recently released a new single “Love You Too.” A 2021 Grammy winner for best traditional R&B performance for “Anything for You,” Ledisi released 11th studio album, Good Life, last March.
In a statement prior to her pregame performance, Ledisi commented, “Performing at the Super Bowl is one of the most significant moments of my career. I’m honored to bring my voice and my story to such a monumental event, and I hope to inspire unity and pride with this performance.”
After partnering with Roc Nation in 2019, the NFL inaugurated its Super Bowl pre-game tradition of including “Lift Every Voice” in the wake of George Floyd’s murder. Alicia Keys first performed the song in a video that premiered for the NFL in September 2020 that was later re-aired ahead of Super Bowl LV in 2021. Since then, gospel duo Mary Mary, Sheryl Lee Ralph and, last year, Andra Day have delivered their own interpretations on the global sports stage.
The hymn originated as a poem written by NAACP leader James Weldon Johnson in 1900, with its verses paired with music composed by Johnson’s brother, John Rosamond Johnson. The song was later adopted by the NAACP as a clarion call during the civil rights movement of the ‘50s and ‘60s.
Preceding Kendrick Lamar’s highly anticipated Super Bowl LIX halftime performance, the pregame lineup also included performances by Lady Gaga (“Hold My Hand”), Lauren Daigle and Trombone Shortly (“America the Beautiful”) and Jon Batiste (“The Star-Spangled Banner”).
Super Bowl LIX opened with a bang. Before the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles hit the field at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday (Feb. 9), Lady Gaga performed her Top Gun tune “Hold My Hand” surrounded by rapt revelers on the city’s infamous Bourbon Street. Her performance honored victims of the […]
Lady Gaga cast a spell at the 2025 Grammys with “Abracadabra,” and for the 2025 Super Bowl, she showed up to bring audiences together with another rousing performance.
In a special segment ahead of Super Bowl LIX, Gaga appeared alongside sports legends Tom Brady, Michael Strahan, Terry Bradshaw and others in a pre-filmed segment on New Orleans’ iconic Bourbon Street to pay tribute to the victims of multiple disasters over the last year, including the New Orleans terror attack, Hurricane Helene and the Los Angeles wildfires.
“Here on Bourbon Street, always the heart and soul of New Orleans, this year began with a terror attack that tried to shatter its spirit,” Strahan said while walking down the iconic thoroughfare sporting a “NOLA Strong” shirt. Brady, wearing an L.A. Fire Department T-shirt, joined in, adding that New Orleans’ resilience is “matched by the resolve of our country. When tragedy strikes, we don’t break — we come together, we rise above and we never let evil win.”
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The camera then cut to Gaga — sporting a wide-brimmed white hat and long white lace dress — seated at a piano and surrounded by a crowd in the middle of Bourbon Street. The singer launched into a stripped down performance of her Top Gun: Maverick single “Hold My Hand.” With various police officers and firefighters looking on, Gaga drove home the song’s inspirational message: “So cry tonight/ But don’t you let go of my hand,” she sang. “You can cry every last tear/ I won’t leave ’til I understand/ Promise you’ll just hold my hand.”
The segment aired just before the Philadelphia Eagles squared off against the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2025 Super Bowl. Music fans around the world will be tuning into the program to watch as Kendrick Lamar takes center stage at Caesars Superdome for the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show, featuring special guest SZA.
In the pre-show, meanwhile, in addition to Gaga, performers included Ledisi, Harry Connick Jr., Lauren Daigle and Jon Batiste to deliver annual renditions of the national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” and “America the Beautiful.”
Watch Gaga’s performance of “Hold My Hand” above.
Lauren Daigle was joined by her fellow Louisiana native Trombone Shorty for a New Orleans-flavored take on “America the Beautiful” ahead of the 2025 Super Bowl. Trombone Shorty kicked things off with a wailing trombone line before Daigle began singing the patriotic standard. After the first verse, we got one more trombone solo before Daigle […]
LISA‘s “Born Again,” featuring Doja Cat and Raye, has claimed the top spot in this week’s new music poll, showcasing a diverse mix of artists across various genres.
Music fans cast their votes in a poll published on Friday (Feb. 7) on Billboard, selecting the trio’s sultry new single as their favorite release of the past week.
“Born Again” earned a commanding 86% of the vote, securing a notable edge ahead of other major new releases, including Anitta’s “Romeo,” Pardison Fontaine and Cardi B’s “Toot It Up,” Rema’s “Baby (Is It a Crime),” Dom Dolla and Daya’s “Dreamin’,” and more.
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The 27-year-old BLACKPINK member joined forces with Doja Cat and Raye for this disco-infused pop track, which previews her highly anticipated debut solo album, Alter Ego. The two guest artists bring their A-game — the “Paint the Town Red” rapper and “Escapism” singer complement LISA’s commanding lead vocals as she exudes luxurious confidence: “I would’ve made you a believer/ Would’ve showed you what it’s like,” she sings.
The glamorous music video features all three women performing the lyrics in a chic black-and-white mansion, lounging in a sleek living room. Throughout February, LISA has teased her collaboration, including the reveal of the Neo-Noir cover art earlier in the week. In the image, the trio are dressed in elegant black gowns, framed centrally in a striking composition.
Alter Ego will be released in full on Feb. 28. The album follows a series of singles in 2024, starting with “Rockstar,” which reached No. 70 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and continuing with “New Woman,” featuring Rosalía and “Moonlit Floor (Kiss Me).”
In her Billboard cover story, LISA opened up about her perfectionist approach to the upcoming project. “I’m trying to figure it out, the tracklist and everything, what I can change in there,” she explained. “Everything’s there. I think they’re going to be shocked at how capable I am [at] doing so many things.”
Trailing behind “Born Again” in this week’s poll is Anitta’s “Romeo,” which garnered nearly 5% of the vote.
Check out the full results of this week’s poll below, and head over to Billboard’s Friday Music Guide for more must-hear releases.
Cardi B was in full party mode ahead of Super Bowl LIX, twerking her way through a night of festivities.
In the hours leading up to the highly anticipated matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome, the 32-year-old rapper celebrated at local clubs.
On Saturday (Feb. 8), Cardi shared a series of videos on her Instagram Story, showing off her moves in a form-fitting beige dress. In the clips, she’s seen bent over, delivering an epic twerk at a mystery spot in the Big Easy.
In another video, Cardi is seen in what looks like a hotel room, preparing to head to her next club destination with a group of friends. “I’m so sleepy and here comes miss meanie P,” she captioned the clip, featuring a friend who impatiently urged, “OK, let’s go!”
The fun didn’t stop there. The next video shows Cardi back at the club, grooving to the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army” with a mischievous look. “The thoughts in my head be soo bad,” she wrote over the video.
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Switching up her look, Cardi dons a shiny dark gray dress as she gives fans a peek into her night at Beacher’s Madhouse at Republic NOLA. In the video, she showcases a Michael Jackson impersonator and sprays the crowd with a fog cannon. It looks like the rapper had a late night, with one video timestamped at approximately 4:30 a.m.
Her fun night comes after the release of her highly anticipated new track “Toot It Up,” a collaboration with Pardison Fontaine that dropped on Friday.
The two last teamed up on 2018’s “Backin’ It Up,” which they performed together at the 2018 BET Hip Hop Awards. The song reached No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and cracked the top 20 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (No. 18) and Rhythmic Airplay (No. 11).
Pardi has also co-written several of Cardi’s biggest hits, including “Bodak Yellow,” “I Like It” with Bad Bunny and J Balvin, “WAP” with Megan Thee Stallion, and “Up,” as well as much of her Grammy-winning debut album, Invasion of Privacy.
“Toot It Up” is just one of the new tracks Cardi has on the horizon. Earlier this week, a trailer for the upcoming Smurfs movie teased a new track “Higher Love” by Desi Trill, featuring DJ Khaled, Cardi B, Natania and Subhi.
Carl Banks show off New Orleans inspired and NFL themed Starter jackets for Super Bowl weekend. Carl BanksHi it’s Carl Banks, two time Super Bowl champion and I am here with Billboard. The interesting thing about my relationship with Starter, is I was one of the first athletes to wear the brand when they introduced […]
The Weeknd lands his fifth No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart with the debut of Hurry Up Tomorrow atop the tally (dated Feb. 15). The set earned 490,500 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Feb. 6, according to Luminate. That marks the largest week for any album since Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department debuted at No. 1 on the May 4, 2024-dated chart with 2.61 million. Hurry Up Tomorrow logs the biggest week for an R&B/hip-hop album since Travis Scott’s Utopia debuted at No. 1 on the Aug. 12, 2023, chart with 496,000.
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The Weeknd previously topped the chart with After Hours (2020), My Dear Melancholy (2018), Starboy (2016) and Beauty Behind the Madness (2015).
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Also in the latest top 10, Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess surges 14-6 following her best new artist win at the Grammy Awards (Feb. 2), while Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft (10-5) also climbs in the wake of Grammy exposure.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric 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. The new Feb. 15, 2025-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Feb. 11. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Of Hurry Up Tomorrow’s 490,500 first-week equivalent album units, album sales comprise 359,000 (it debuts at No. 1 on Top Album Sales), SEA units comprise 130,500 (equaling 171.5 million on-demand official streams of the songs on the streaming edition of the album; it debuts at No. 1 on Top Streaming Albums) and TEA units comprise 1,000.
Hurry Up Tomorrow’s launch of 490,500 units marks The Weeknd’s biggest week by units earned (since the chart began measuring in units in December 2014). The set’s sales of 359,000 claim The Weeknd’s largest sales week ever.
The set was released as a nine-song standard album, widely available through digital download retailers. It was alternatively available as an 11-song edition across all of its physical formats (CD, vinyl and cassette) and a 22-track digital download and streaming edition. It was also available in two further digital download editions, both exclusively sold via The Weeknd’s HurryUpTomorrow.Club site. Each sold for $4.99, boasted alternative cover art and had the 22 tracks available on the deluxe digital/streaming edition, but each had at least one additional track. One included “Closing Night,” with Swedish House Mafia. The other included “Runaway” and “Society,” which were also included on all of the physical formats, but not any of the other digital or streaming editions.
In total, the album generated 183,000 in digital album sales; 99,000 in CD sales; 77,000 in vinyl sales (The Weeknd’s best week on vinyl) and 1,000 in cassette sales.
Hurry Up Tomorrow’s first-week sales were aided by its availability across eight vinyl variants (including a signed edition), eight CD variants (including multiple signed editions), a cassette tape, and nine deluxe boxed sets containing a branded piece of clothing and a CD.
The album was preceded by the Billboard Hot 100-charting songs “Timeless” (with Playboi Carti, No. 3 peak last October) and “Sao Paulo” (with Anitta, No. 77 last November).
Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos falls 1-2 on the Billboard 200 with 94,000 equivalent album units earned (down 20%). SZA’s chart-topping SOS slips 2-3 with 82,000 (down 6%), Kendrick Lamar’s GNX dips 3-4 with 65,000 (though up 9%) and Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft jumps 10-5 with 53,000 (up 47%).
Eilish was the first performer on the Feb. 2 Grammy Awards broadcast (on CBS), singing the album’s “Birds of a Feather.” Also on the show: The Weeknd performed (singing his new album’s “Cry for Me” and “Timeless,” with Playboi Carti), while SZA presented the best pop duo/group performance, and Lamar won two on-air trophies (for record of the year, and song of the year, both for “Not Like Us”).
Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess surges 14-6 with a 56% gain — to 49,000 equivalent album units earned. The album vaults up the tally following Roan’s win for best new artist at the Grammys, along with her performance of the album’s “Pink Pony Club” on the show (and her buzzy acceptance speech which generated headlines).
Sabrina Carpenter’s former No. 1 Short n’ Sweet gaind 20% (up to 48,000 equivalent album units) but is pushed down a spot to No. 7. On the Grammy Awards, Carpenter won the best pop vocal album award, while also performing a medley of the album’s “Espresso” and “Please Please Please.” (She also won best pop solo performance for “Espresso,” but that category was presented before the television broadcast began.)
Morgan Wallen’s chart-topping One Thing at a Time drops 5-8 on the Billboard 200, despite an 11% gain (to 45,000 equivalent album units). Taylor Swift’s former No. 1 The Tortured Poets Department ascends 11-9 with 38,000 equivalent album units (up 8%) — also likely basking in some glow from the Grammy Awards, where the album and its “Fortnight” single were up for six awards (though did not win). Swift was a visible presence throughout the ceremony, cheering on winners and performers, and presented the best country album trophy to Beyoncé (for Cowboy Carter).
Rounding out the latest top 10 on the Billboard 200 is Gracie Abrams’ The Secret of Us, falling 8-10 with 36,000 equivalent album units earned (down 5%).
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.
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Remember when you had to watch the Super Bowl just to see the actual Super Bowl commercials? Not anymore.
Being that brands are paying millions for their spots during the Big Game, many have said “later” for any anticipation and have been touting their commercials before players have even stepped on the field for practice.
The spots have plenty of range, too. For example, you have Meg Ryan and Billie Crystal reuniting to make magic based on a movie that dropped 35 years ago, and then you have Lil Wayne basically announcing his new album via a commercial for lotion. One throughline we do appreciate, when done well, is the use of Hip-Hop music (see Pfize with LL Cool J and Michelob Ultra with Rick Ross).
We’ll keep tabs on any commercials that actually debut during the Super Bowl and will add here accordingly. But for the right now, here are all the best Super Bowl 25 commercials. And some “meh,” too—for archival purposes.
1. Pfizer
Props for the usage of LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out.” F*ck cancer, infinitely.
2. Michelob ULTRA – The ULTRA Hustle
Rick Ross is getting a check, and Willem Dafoe and Catherine O’Hara are basically scammers—watch out for Sabrina Ionescu, Randy Moss, and Ryan Crouser.
3. Bud Light – Big Men on Cul-de-Sac
Feauturing Shane Gillis, Post Malone, and Peyton Manning, we respect it due to the clutch use of Huey Lewis & The News music.
4. Google Pixel – Dream Job
Love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.
5. Hellmann’s – When Harry Met Sally Reunion
The fact that Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal reunited to push Hellmann’s mayonnaise in homage to When Harry Met Sally is textbook example of the jokes write themselves.
6. Häagen-Dazs – Not So Fast, Not So Furious
Apparently Häagen-Daz has a budget for Ludacris, Michelle Rodriguez and Vin Diesel to parody The Fast & The Furious. What a time.
7. Cetaphil – We’re all a Lil Sensitive
You gotta give Lil Wayne props for being able to laugh at himself after the whole Why Kendrick and not met at the Super Bowl brouhaha. And he managed to sneak in a Carter VI announcement.
8. STōK Cold Brew Coffee | Hollywood Magic
Channing Tatum getting his dance on to C+C Music Factory for cold brew coffee, and to inspire soccer celebration, wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card.
Charli XCX and Noah Kahan are joining Chappell Roan in supporting artists facing healthcare challenges.
On Saturday (Feb. 8), the 32-year-old British pop star shared on her Instagram Story that, like Kahan, she is matching Roan’s pledge to donate $25,000 to help artists who are struggling to afford healthcare after being dropped by their record labels.
“hey @chappellroan i am going to match your 25k to support artists’ access to healthcare. i saw @noahkahanmusic say that he would do the same and so i thought i’d follow suit,” Charli wrote, alongside a photo of the word “money” with an arrow pointing to her mouth. “your speech at the grammys was inspiring and thoughtful and from a genuine place of care. happy to help get the ball rolling too. money where mouth is xx.”
Charli’s donation was inspired by Kahan, who also shared on his Instagram Story that he would match the financial donation. “Hey @chappellroan, I’m going to match your 25K to support artist’s access to healthcare,” the “Stick Season” singer wrote. “I’m inspired by you. Happy to help get the ball rolling. Money where mouth is!”
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During her best new artist acceptance speech at the 2025 Grammy Awards on Feb. 2, Roan called out record labels for failing to provide livable wages or healthcare coverage to their artists, citing her own experience after being dropped by Atlantic Records in 2020.
“If my label would have prioritized artists’ health, I could have been provided care by a company I was giving everything to,” she told the audience.
In the days that followed, Roan’s comments sparked criticism from former A&R executive Jeff Rabhan, who wrote a guest column for The Hollywood Reporter, calling her speech “wildly misinformed.”
Roan responded to Rabhan on social media, challenging him to contribute to the cause. “@jeffrabhan wanna match me $25K to donate to struggling dropped artists?” she wrote on her Instagram Story. “My publicist is @biz3publicity let’s talk.”
The 26-year-old pop star assured her fans that she would keep them “updated on the much awaited @jeffrabhan response,” sharing receipts of any donations, and even directing a final message to the former executive: “Mr. Rabhan, I love how in the article you said ‘put your money where your mouth is,’” Roan wrote. “Genius !!! Let’s link and build together and see if you can do the same.”
Some industry executives and advocates responded positively to Roan’s speech at the Grammys. In an interview with Billboard, the Music Healthcare Alliance’s founder and CEO, Tatum Allsep, said he was “jumping on my couch” when he heard her remarks.
“I was like, ‘Gosh, thank you for bringing this up.’ The conversation was started,” Allsep said. “What’s really important to know for all the young artists who are listening is you don’t have to go without if you are making a living within our industry.”