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Giovanny Ayala Captures First Billboard No. 1 With ‘No Estaba Hablando EnSerio’

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Giovanny Ayala captures his first No. 1 on a Billboard chart through “No Estaba Hablando En Serio” which flies to the top of the Regional Mexican Airplay chart (dated Nov. 1).

“No Estaba Hablando En Serio” soars from No. 9 to No. 1 after a 35% increase in audience impressions in the United States, to 6.4 million, during the tracking week of Nov. 17-23, according to Luminate. Released on June 26 under Colmena/Azteca, the song claims the top spot in its 16th week, following a four-week stint in the top 10.

Ayala’s latest single not only marks his first chart-topper, but also his first charting entry with Azteca Music Group’s COLMENA Music. Before the move, the singer achieved six Regional Mexican Airplay entries with the Gerencia360 label, including the No. 7-peaking “Quien Se Apunta,” with Luis R. Conriquez, in 2022.

Meanwhile, COLMENA secures its first No. 1 of 2025 and its second overall. The label previously reached the top spot with Los Ángeles de Charly’s “El Tonto” in 2024.

“No Estaba Hablando En Serio” also makes strides on the overall Latin Airplay chart, where it flies 20-4, after earning strong support from stations KSND (Portland, OR), KLNO (Dallas), and WOJO (Chicago) during the tracking period.

Bad Bunny’s 30th Win: Continuing his dominance on the overall Latin Airplay chart, Bad Bunny collects his 30th No. 1 with “Nuevayol.” The song climbs from No. 5 to No. 1 with the weekly Greatest Gainer honors, recognizing the track with the largest audience increase.

“Nuevayol” registered 7.8 million audience impressions during the tracking week, up 30% from the week prior. Its sends DY’s “Sonríele” to No. 10, after the latter falls by a 37%, to 5.7 million.

“Nuevayol” marks the fifth track from Benito’s album Debí Tirar Más Fotos to claim the No. 1 spot on the Latin Airplay chart. It follows previous chart-topping hits “El Clúb,” “Baile Inolvidable,” and “EOO,” which each dominated for two weeks in February, March, and August, respectively. Plus, “DTMF” delivered a one-week reign in May.

With a total of 30 No. 1s on Latin Airplay, Bad Bunny continues to climb the rankings among the artists with the most chart-topping hits since the list debuted in 1994. Here’s a look at the current leaderboard:

39, J Balvin
36, Ozuna
32, Enrique Iglesias
30, Bad Bunny
29, Daddy Yankee
25, Maluma
24, Shakira

50 Cent Trolls Lil Meech After ‘BMF’ Was Canceled By Starz

Patti LaBelle Partners With Primary Wave on Her Iconic Catalog

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Grammy-winning legend Patti LaBelle has brought her estimable music catalog to Primary Wave Music. The new partnership deal includes the singer-songwriter’s artist royalties across a catalog that encompasses 18 studio albums, three live albums, 14 compilation albums and 47 singles. To date, according to Primary Wave’s press announcement, LaBelle has sold more than 50 million records worldwide.

“We are so honored to be in business with a legend such as Ms. Labelle,” said Primary Wave partner Steven Greener in a statement. “She’s a true icon and trailblazer. We are looking forward to doing great things together.”

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Among LaBelle’s memorable hits are “Lady Marmalade,” “If Only You Knew,” “New Attitude” and “On My Own.” Recorded in 1974 by the group LaBelle, “Lady Marmalade” topped the Billboard Hot 100. The song then reclaimed that peak in 2001 for five weeks when it was covered by Christina Aguilera, Mya, Pink and Lil’ Kim — whose version appeared on the film soundtrack for Moulin Rouge. “Lady Marmalade” was later chosen for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress in 2021.

“On My Own,” another of LaBelle’s aforementioned career highlights, is the singer’s duet with Michael McDonald. Released in 1986, the song reached No. 1 on the Hot 100, where it reigned for three weeks. Written by Burt Bacharach, it also earned a Grammy nomination for best performance by a duo or group. In addition to her No. 1s on the Hot 100, LaBelle counts 42 singles that have appeared on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and she has charted 20 albums on the Billboard 200.

In addition to her two Grammys and 13 nominations, LaBelle has received several other music industry accolades. Those include an American Music Award, four NAACP Image Awards and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Also an Emmy nominee, LaBelle has appeared in several films and TV programs (A Soldier’s Story, A Different World, The Masked Singer), written six books (most recently, the 20th anniversary edition of her best-selling cookbook, LaBelle Cuisine) and helms the successful food and lifestyle brand Patti’s Good Life.

Publishing company Primary Wave is home to a diverse roster of iconic singer-songwriters. Among its roster: Bob Marley, Prince, Stevie Nicks, The Doors, Whitney Houston and Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons.

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A$AP Rocky Talks Working With Denzel Washington & Spike Lee, Explains Why He Rarely Drops Music: ‘It’s About Who Did It the Best’

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A$AP Rocky spoke about working with Denzel Washington and Spike Lee on Highest 2 Lowest and said there’s a reason why he doesn’t drop music that often.

In a new interview with Perfect Magazine, Rocky explained how working with Washington and Lee on Highest 2 Lowest was a “dream come true.”

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“Their dynamic alone is just historical,” Rocky said. “So I’m honored to be an honorary member of their legacy.”

Rocky also explained how he helped Lee develop his Yung Felon character, adding that at first Rocky felt, “There were a few things the character needed to become more real.”

“[Spike Lee] let me develop my character full-throttle,” Rocky said. “They put me in the right environment that was familiar with a little nostalgia, and it allowed me to take the character to different places, and borrow stories from the people I was around growing up, and their circumstances. I appreciate that he [Lee] was receptive to all my changes for my personal character.”

Rocky also spoke briefly about Don’t Be Dumb and his music career as a whole, saying he’s not so eager to drop new music because he wants to make sure it all feels right for his legacy.

“It’s about who did it the best,” Rocky said. “Everything I do is based off building legacy. That’s why I’m not so eager to just drop, drop, drop. I don’t do things to just try and stay relevant, or keep my name in the conversation. I try to do natural things, creative, ambitious things that really satisfy me.”

The comments come as Rocky continues to tease his fourth studio album Don’t Be Dumb. In an interview with GQ back in February, he said it’s been so long, fans are likely tired of hearing about the album.

“I’m in the mixing and mastering realm of it,” he told the outlet. “But I think quite frankly, people are tired of hearing about updates about the album. They’re just ready to get this sh–, you know what I’m saying? I don’t think anybody wants to hear where I’m at with it, how far is it along and all that. They just want to hear some sh– just to see where I’m at, and I promise I got some new sh– in store. I’m challenging myself. It’s like anything, I approach it with a different tactic, degree, or finesse.”

YouTube’s Subscription Businesses Get a New Boss

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As part of a significant reorganization of its product teams, YouTube promoted Christian Oestlien, previously vp of product management, to lead a team responsible for subscription products across YouTube Music, YouTube TV and YouTube Premium. As vp of YouTube’s subscription products, Oestlien will also oversee podcasts, commerce and YouTube Primetime Channels.

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YouTube also created two other product organizations. Viewer Products, to be led by Johanna Voolich, will focus on the viewer experience through such products as the main YouTube app, living room and search. YouTube has not yet hired a lead for creator and community products, which will focus on supporting YouTube creators. Oestlien, Voolich, and the eventual creator and community projects lead will report directly to YouTube CEO Neal Mohan. News of the reorganization was first reported by Variety and was confirmed to Billboard by a YouTube representative.

While YouTube has made its name streaming ad-supported videos to billions of viewers globally, its subscription business has more than 125 million paying customers across both YouTube Premium and YouTube Music, the company announced in March. The combined free-paid platform generated $8 billion for the music business in the 12-month period ended June 30, YouTube global head of music Lyor Cohen announced at Billboard Latin Music Week on Oct. 22. 

The TV is an increasingly important screen for YouTube, which is best known for its origins on web browsers and proliferation on smartphone apps. YouTube had the largest share of TV viewing in the U.S. in July with a 13.4% share, according to Nielsen. Netflix was No. 2 at 8.8% and Disney was No. 3 with 4.7%. 

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Inside Fred again..’s 10 Shows in 10 Cities in 10 Weeks Run (Updating)

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Earlier this month Fred again.. kicked off his buzzy 10 shows in 10 weeks in 10 cities run, a peripatetic endeavor happening as part of the release of his USB002 project.

The English producer is releasing one song from USB002 in tandem with each week’s show, with UBS002 itself being an an evolution of USB001, which collected Fred hits including “Jungle,” “Baby Again” with Skrillex and Four Tet, “Lights Out” with Romy and Haai, “Rumble” with Skrillex and “Turn On The Lights Again..” with Swedish House Mafia and Future.

USB002 thus far promises to be as star-studded, with the first song of the project being a collab with Aussie rock band Amyl and the Sniffers and additional releases featuring Danny Brown, Beam and Skin On Skin. (The Amyl and the Sniffers release, “you’re a star,” this week debuted on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs at No. 7.)

Meanwhile, the show’s special guests have been equally high caliber, with the first three performances welcoming fellow producers including Haai, Yousuke Yukimatsu, a trio of local Belgian producers and Spanish artists Drea and Toccororo.

If you’re not seeing much internet footage from these performances it’s because this run of shows is effectively phone-free, with fans in each city having a sticker put over their phone cameras upon arrival to maximize presence and participation. For production, the run features an installation by Dutch artist and composer Boris Acket, who contributed one of his billowing, parachute type works to the shows.

See exclusive photos from each week’s show below, with this story updating after every performance.

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Billie Eilish Says She Almost Scrapped ‘Birds of a Feather’ as She Thought Song Was ‘Kind of Stupid’

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Since it dropped last year, “Birds of a Feather” has taken flight as one of Billie Eilish‘s most successful songs to date. But in a new interview, the pop star revealed that she almost scrapped it entirely, fearing it was too “stupid” to release.

While speaking to the Wall Street Journal for a profile published Wednesday (Oct. 29), Eilish opened up about spending nearly a full year wrestling with the track in the studio with Finneas, her brother and co-producer. When “Birds of a Feather” — which is far cheerier and uplifting than the singer’s usual brand of pop song — finally came together, Eilish still wasn’t sure if it would ever see the light of day.

“Multiple times I was like, “We should cut this,’” she told the publication. “Even when I played the whole album for the label, I was like, ‘Guys, this one is kind of stupid.’”

Luckily, “Birds of a Feather” made the cut on the tracklist of Eilish’s third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, which dropped in May of last year and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. The buoyant love song spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 and closed out 2024 as Spotify’s most-streamed song of the year with upwards of 1.781 billion streams. (It now boasts more than 3 billion on the platform.)

“Birds of a Feather” also serves as the closing number in Eilish’s tour setlist. After kicking off the trek supporting HMHAS in September 2024, the singer now has just a month or so left of shows before she closes out with a pair of shows in San Francisco in November.

Part of the reason why Eilish has been on tour for so long was so she’d have plenty of room for breaks along the way, she explained to WSJ. “It takes longer, and you make less money that way,” she told the publication. “But for me, it’s magical.”


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Fat Joe Says He Was ‘Depressed’ When Turning 40 Because of Anxiety Around His Career

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Fat Joe says he got depressed once he reached age 40 because he worried his hit-making days might be over.

On the latest episode of Joe and Jada on Tuesday (Oct. 28), Joe opened up about aging in a career that values partying and young people, and said it was hard for him to reimagine his career.

“I’ve been rapping, I’ve been in the game since I’m 19,” Joe explained. “So, when I’m about to turn 40, all I know is standing on couches and popping bottles. But that 40 hit you like a different, like… I was depressed.”

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He added that people had been telling him they’d “never [seen] a rapper hit one out the park after 40,” meaning it was hard to make a hit record once you hit middle age.

“So my man Dre [from] Cool & Dre came over on my birthday. I was straight depressed and he was like, ‘Yo, Joe, you know Tina Turner ain’t have her first hit till she was 47.’ So he start breaking all this down. Made me feel a lot better,” Joe said. “‘Cause I was scared of what the future was for what we’re doing…So what we’re doing is we’re selling this brand. We’re selling this and this and that. And then, for a guy like me, it felt like, Oh, they know I’m old now.”

Jada then joined in the conversation and said he’d actually planned on retiring from rap at age 30. “I remember saying, I don’t want to rap at 30,” Jada recalled. “When 30 came, that was out of the f—king question. Then when forty came, I’m like, ‘Yo, got to live a little.’ I felt like I had a lot of more work to do.”

A lot of rappers — including Lil Wayne and Raekwon — have had plenty of success in their 40s and beyond. However, André 3000 admitted in 2023 that his age was a big factor when it came to him hanging up the microphone.

“I’m 48 years old. And not to say that age is a thing that dictates what you rap about, but in a way it does,” André told GQ. “And things that happen in my life, like, what are you talking about? ‘I got to go get a colonoscopy.’ What are you rapping about? ‘My eyesight is going bad.’ You can find cool ways to say it, but….”

Check out the full episode of Joe and Jada below.

10 Stylish Nameplate Necklaces to Personalize (and Elevate) Your Looks Year-Round

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.

Jewelry can take your outfits to another level, adding some sparkle that you can personalize to fit your mood and activity. Trends like toe rings and belly chains come and go, and typically it’s the basic chains or pearls that are always considered fashionable, but there are some statement pieces that never go out of style — including nameplate necklaces.

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The classic jewelry trend has maintained its spot within the fashion realm for decades now and has no plans of fading anytime soon. Celebrities have long been fans of the nameplate necklace, proving that the look still dominates accessories today. Just look at Ice Spice’s iconic princess necklace, seen throughout her Instagram feed and even in a partnership with Dunkin Donuts.

Shows like Sex and the City also spotlight the necklace, which can be seen on Sarah Jessica Parker’s character, Carrie.

Other stars including Jennifer Lopez, Halsey, Beyonce, Rihanna, Adele and Madonna (just to name a few), have also been spotted sporting a nameplate necklace, proving that time has no meaning when it comes to the trend.

What Are the Best Nameplate Necklaces?

From simple designs to more bold and glimmering rhinestone styles, the best nameplate necklaces span multiple styles and materials. What’s even better is you can completely customize most styles to say whatever you want, whether it’s your name, a nickname or someone close to you’s name. Nameplate necklaces also make thoughtful gifts to surprise everyone from new moms to your best friend.

To help inspire you, Billboard Shopping went through and found the most-loved and highly-reviewed nameplate necklaces, to help you hop on the trend no matter your budget or aesthetic. All of the our top picks below let you customize the necklace with the initials or letters of your choice.

most colorful

Rainbow Color Enamel Name Necklace

$24

$30

20% off

A colorful nameplate necklace.

This Rainbow Enamel Name Necklace from Etsy is one of the more affordable options that we’ve seen. It’s also extremely colorful, making it a standout on our list. Retailing for $24, this necklace can be customized down to the size of the chain you’d like. You have the option to pick between Rose Gold, Gold and Silver chains. You’ll also be able to pick out the colors you’d like to use for the letter charms. While we think going full-on rainbow is awesome, you can also color coordinate or keep it monochrome. The letter charms are in a funky bubble style, giving the jewelry a maximalist vibe. If you’re looking for a statement necklace that you can tailor to your specifications, then this Etsy option is for you.

editor’s pick

Build Your Own Beaded Charm Necklace

A funky nameplate necklace.

This is one of the most unique options we’ve seen for nameplate or nameplate adjacent styles. This Build Your Own Beaded Charm Necklace from Brook & York retails for $110 and is a more maximalist option than the rest. When shopping the style, you can customize the charms and how many you’d like on your necklace (you can have up to five). You’ll also be able to change the chain the charms sit on with options like a Snake, Curb and Tennis. If you don’t want your full name on a chain for all to see, this nameplate option gives folks the opportunity to stick to initials.

dainty option

Caitlyn Minimalist Safety Pin Name Necklace

$29.63

$39.50

25% off

A dainty nameplate necklace.

Nameplates can kind of be on the nose. If you’re looking for a less-traditional name-forward nameplate, Caitlyn Minimalist has a version accompanied by a cute safety pin motif. The dainty style retails for $29.63 and comes in three finishes: Rose Gold, 18K Gold and Sterling Silver. Just beneath the necklace is where your chosen name lies, a subtle touch. We’d pick up the delicate style to use as a layering piece to make your go-to necklace stack a little fuller.

Oak & Luna

classic pick

Belle Custom Name Necklace

A custom nameplate necklace.

For under $100, you can snag this dainty name necklace from Oak & Luna. It comes in a variety of shades including silver, gold, rose gold and more. The design has racked up a 4.7 star rating with more than 3,000 reviews praising how “beautiful” and “sturdy” the design is.

Amazon

budget-friendly pick

UMagicBox Name Necklace

Affordable nameplate necklace.

You don’t have to break the bank to hop on the nameplate necklace trend and thanks to UMagicBox’s necklace, you can flaunt a stylish piece for only $11. You can also choose from a variety of chains from colored beads to chainlink styles depending on your aesthetic.

Jewlr

SPLURGE-WORTHY PICK

Personalized Birthstone Name Necklace

$120

$184

35% off

Birthstone nameplate necklace.

Level up your personalization game with not just your name, but your birthstone as well with this necklace from Jewlr. They offer customizations on various metals depending on your preference, and a choice between genuine and simulated stones as well, so your pick can be perfectly curated within your budget and style.

Brook & York

UNIQUE PICK

Sofia Name Necklace

A unique nameplate necklace.

A different take on the nameplate design- this one from Brook & York offers a more spaced out aesthetic for a more unique look. It comes in three different 18K metals and made from recycled materials.

Rellery

GIFTABLE PICK

Double Heart Necklace

Heart-shaped nameplate necklace.

This dainty necklace still makes a statement with its stylish double-heart design. One of Rellery’s best-selling pieces, this jewelry makes a great gift because not only is it customizable with letters and symbols, it’s also water & tarnish resistant and hypoallergenic- a great pick under $100.

Amazon

layering pick

MeMoShe Layered Name Necklace

Layered nameplate necklace.

Snag two necklaces for less than $20 with MeMoShe’s nameplate necklace deal. You’ll receive a choker style with a heart charm along with a nameplate design that you can personalize before adding to your cart.

Amazon

two-tone pick

BlingSparkle Double Plate Personalized Name Necklace

Double-plated nameplate necklace.

BlingSparkle offers an under-$50 name necklace decked out in silver and gold shades that’ll help you embrace the metal mixing trend. You can personalize it with names up to 10 letters and choose from 24 styles.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best belt bags, keychain plushies and festival accessories.

Steve Martin Earns Seventh No. 1 on Bluegrass Albums Chart with Alison Brown Collaboration

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Steve Martin extends his prolific creative legacy with his and frequent collaborator Alison Brown’s new album, Safe, Sensible and Sane. The project debuts at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Bluegrass Albums chart (dated Nov. 1) with 2,000 equivalent album units earned in the United States Oct. 17–23, according to Luminate.

The set, on Compass Records, marks Martin’s seventh leader on the list in as many visits, five of which have opened at No. 1. Featuring collaborations with Jackson Browne, Vince Gill and Jason Mraz, among others, the album is Brown’s second to top the chart.

Once viewed as a sideline to his film and comedy career, Martin’s music has instead become a defining pillar. Since his 2009 debut, The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo — itself a 31-week No. 1 — the creative polymath has logged 84 weeks at the summit of Bluegrass Albums, the most among male soloists. Four of those leaders reached the top 10 on Americana/Folk Albums, while five have made appearances on the all-genre Billboard 200.

But chart success is nothing new for Martin. Long before his banjo ever hit the charts, his comedy albums were already fixtures, helping define a golden era of recorded stand-up. Between 1977 and 1981, he placed four comedy albums on the Billboard 200, including two top 10s, highlighted by A Wild and Crazy Guy, which reached No. 2 in 1978. Selections from those albums, “King Tut,” “Grandmother’s Song” and “Cruel Shoes,” even cracked the Billboard Hot 100, with “King Tut” dancing to No. 17.

Martin’s momentum only grew when the stage gave way to the screen. At the height of the home-video rental boom, he logged 22 top 10s, including five No. 1s, between 1984 and 2009 on Billboard’s since-discontinued Video Rentals chart. Among those titles: enduring favorites such as Roxanne, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Father of the Bride, movies that helped cement his reputation as one of entertainment’s most versatile storytellers.

After all these years, Martin seems to be enjoying the spotlight as much as ever. He’s still out on the road on a comedy tour with Martin Short — his co-star, along with Selena Gomez, among others, on Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building (which he co-created) — and recently co-hosted the 2025 IBMA Awards in Chattanooga, Tenn., with Brown.

Safe, Sensible and Sane adds another win to a career built on timing, curiosity and the kind of joy that keeps audiences coming back, no matter the stage.