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Drake made an appearance on Canadian streamer xQc’s livestream on Sunday night (Nov. 24), and the 6 God didn’t hold back on a multitude of topics. At one point in the stream, Steve Lacy’s Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Bad Habit” was playing, and Drake seemingly shaded the artist. “This guy’s like a fragile […]
Lizzo is the latest star to weigh in on the always heated debate over the top MCs of all-time. In a post on Bluesky on Friday (Nov. 22) the “About Damn Time” singer offered up her top three rappers, in no particular order she said, and the first two on the list happen to be freshly at odds.
Lizzo’s trifecta includes Lil Wayne, Kendrick Lamar and Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott, a fine roster of world-class mic technicians by any account. The post came just hours after K-Dot shocked the world with the surprise release on Friday of his sixth studio album, GNX. The 12-song R&B-inflected lyrical barrage includes an opening track, “wacced out murals,” which takes on Wayne’s publicly aired frustration over being passed over to perform during the halftime show at next year’s 2025 Super Bowl in his home town of New Orleans.
“Used to bump Tha Carter III, I held my Rollie chain proud/ Irony, I think my hard work let Lil Wayne down,” Kendrick raps on the song in reference to Weezy posting a video about how hurt he was about not being tapped to pay the plumb gig at the Caesars Superdome in February.
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“Won the Super Bowl and Nas the only one congratulate me/ All these n—-s agitated, I’m just glad they showin’ they faces,” Lamar continued. Wayne did appear to take kindly to the shout-out, responding on Saturday morning, “Man wtf I do?! I just be chillin & dey still kome 4 my head,” he wrote. “Let’s not take kindness for weakness. Let this giant sleep. I beg u all. No one really wants destruction,not even me but I shall destroy if disturbed. On me. Love.”
Lizzo’s list is also interesting because it appears to continue the storyline of the explosive Drake/Kendrick feud, which was kicked off in 2023 with the Drizzy/J. Cole song “First Person Shooter,” on which Cole claimed the “big three” of modern hip-hop are himself, Drake and Lamar. That song set off a flurry of back-and-forth diss tracks between Drake and Lamar earlier this year that culminated with what most consider the final nail: K-Dot’s lacerating “Not Like Us.”
Comments on Lizzo’s Bluesky top three list included many fans rubber stamping the inclusion of Elliott, with one person writing, “Missy is Goated. Like golden statue goated. Like rename her childhood street goated” while another said, “I almost got into a fist fight with someone at a New Year’s Eve party when they said Missy Elliott wasn’t impactful to music.”
Two out of three of Lizzo’s picks made it into the mix for Billboard’s Best Pop Stars of the 21st Century, with Elliott gaining an honorable mention and Lil Wayne grabbing the 21st slot. For the record, Drake took the No. 4 spot while the top two pop icons have not yet been revealed.
Queen Latifah, who was a 2023 Kennedy Center Honors recipient, is set to host the 2024 ceremony, which will be taped on Sunday, Dec. 8, and will air on CBS two weeks later on Dec. 22. It is Latifah’s first time as host. She joins a short list of previous or future Kennedy Center Honorees […]
11/25/2024
Surprise the music fan in your life with a celeb-approved gift they’re sure to dance with excitement over.
11/25/2024
Universal Music Group (UMG) is firing back at a lawsuit from Limp Bizkit frontman Fred Durst claiming the label owes the band more than $200 million, calling the allegations “fiction” and demanding they be thrown out of court.
The blockbuster lawsuit, filed last month in Los Angeles federal court, claimed that Durst had “not seen a dime in royalties” over the decades — and that hundreds of other artists may have been treated similarly under “systemic” and “fraudulent” policies.
But in UMG’s first response on Friday, attorneys for the label said the lawsuit must be dismissed immediately because it is “based on a fallacy.”
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“Plaintiffs’ entire narrative that UMG tried to conceal royalties is a fiction,” writes Rollin A. Ransom, an attorney with the law firm Sidley Austin who represents UMG in the lawsuit. “Plaintiffs’ complaint fails as a matter of law and should be dismissed with prejudice.”
The key problem with Durst’s claims? According to UMG’s attorneys, it’s that documents included in his own lawsuit “eviscerate” his allegations. They specifically cite emails in which a UMG exec appears to have reached out to get royalties flowing, but was rebuffed by the band’s own business manager.
“Over a year before plaintiffs’ ‘discovery’ of allegedly ‘concealed’ royalties, UMG affirmatively and unilaterally reached out to Limp Bizkit’s representative so that it could begin making royalty payments to the band, and was instead informed by him that all members of Limp Bizkit but one (including plaintiff Durst) had assigned their royalty shares to others, and were therefore not entitled to any royalty payments from UMG,” the company wrote in Friday’s filing.
Durst’s attorneys did not immediately return a request for comment on Monday. They will have a chance to file a formal response in court opposing UMG’s motion to end the case.
Durst and Limp Bizkit sued UMG in October, claiming the band had “never received any royalties from UMG,” despite its huge success over the years: “The band had still not been paid a single cent by UMG in any royalties until taking action.”
That claim was something of a stunner. How had one of the biggest bands of its era, which sold millions of records during the music industry’s MTV-fueled, turn-of-the-century glory days, still never have been paid any royalties nearly three decades later?
According to Durst, the answer was an “appalling and unsettling” scheme to conceal royalties from artists and “keep those profits for itself.” He claimed the company essentially kept Limp Bizkit in the red with shady bookkeeping, allowing it to falsely claim the band remained unrecouped — meaning its royalties still had not surpassed the amount the group had been paid in upfront advances.
But in Friday’s response, UMG said such claims of “concealment” were undercut by those emails. UMG says the message show a senior royalties director reaching out on his own initiative to Paul Ta, the band’s business manager, to “start making royalty payments,” but being rebuffed.
“Mr. Ta rejected that proposition, responding that all the Limp Bizkit members but one (including Plaintiff Durst) ‘have … sold/assigned their share [of the royalties] to various companies,’ such that no royalty payments were owing to any of those individuals (including Plaintiff Durst),” UMG wrote in Friday’s motion.
UMG says Ta later emailed back that his statements had been incorrect, at which point the label paid out roughly $3.4 million to the band and its companies – a fact that contradicts the lawsuit’s claims of “never received any royalties.”
“Plaintiffs concede thereafter receiving millions of dollars in payments from UMG,” the label wrote Friday. “Plaintiffs nevertheless brought this suit alleging breach of contract and fraud on their ‘suspicion’ that they are owed more royalties, and seeking rescission of the parties’ agreements.”
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Kendrick Lamar shifted all eyes and ears towards the West Coast after dropping his latest body of work, GNX, which caps the massive year he’s had in music. Now that fans have sat with GNX over the weekend, the reactions on social media, especially the X platform, have been hilarious.
Kendrick Lamar dropped GNX last Friday (November 22), much to the surprise of all Hip-Hop fans who were caught off guard. The project is essentially an extension of the sound K-Dot embodied in his blistering “Not Like Us” smash hit with heavy references to Los Angeles, Compton, and the entire West Coast to be exact.
One of the top moments of GNX went viral as Lamar yelling Mustard’s name on the beat switch of “tv off” has since gone viral online. This in turn sparked a lot of jokes at the expense of a frequent target on GNX in Drake, with some of Lamar’s compatriots seemingly joining in on the digs at the Canadian superstar.
Thematically, GNX is a departure from Kendrick Lamar’s usually reflective work but still has several flashes of his expert songwriting and ability to spark emotions in the listener. We’ll be reviewing the project this week on Hip-Hop Wired.
On X, we’ve seen some brilliant replies connected to the drop of GNX and we’ve got them listed below.
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Photo: Getty
On Nov. 20, P!nk played the last of 128 shows over the last year and a half. The run was sprawling, from the Summer Carnival Tour, which took place in stadiums, to the Trustfall Tour and P!nk Live, both of which brought her to arenas. Altogether, she earned $693.8 million and sold more than 4.8 million tickets, according to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore. One of her many box office achievements is recent: The nine shows she played in October make her the biggest touring act of the month.
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Across nine shows between Oct. 1-18, P!nk grossed $44.2 million and sold 254,000 tickets, putting her at No. 1 on Billboard’s monthly Top Tours chart. That haul includes four stadium dates, including an Oct. 3 show at MetLife Stadium ($9.1 million; 60,400 tickets), and three arena stops, including double-headers at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena and St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center.
Another nine shows in November make P!nk eligible for one last monthly chart in 2024, when the November report is published next month.
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When separated by tour, P!nk’s 2023-24 run breaks down to $584.7 million for the Summer Carnival Tour, $60.8 million for last year’s Trustfall Tour and $48.3 million for this fall’s Live 2024 run. Since launching last June, Luis Miguel is the only musician who has played more shows.
The Summer Carnival is the second-highest grossing tour in history among women, accounting for Billboard’s billion-dollar-plus estimate for Taylor Swift’s as-yet-unreported The Eras Tour. P!nk narrowly passes Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour, which grossed $579.8 million last year during a comparatively brief 56-show sweep. Madonna’s Sticky & Sweet Tour (2008-09) and P!nk’s own Beautiful Trauma World Tour (2018-19) follow next, hovering on opposite sides of the $400 million threshold.
Among all artists, and including estimates for Swift, The Summer Carnival Tour ranks eighth in revenue, and just outside the top 10 based on attendance.
The Summer Carnival Tour spanned five legs – each of which grossed at least $100 million – across three continents. The biggest was a 22-show run in North America, bringing in $150.7 million from July to October of 2023. Ultimately, the U.S. and Canada delivered $266 million, Europe accounted for about $214 million and 20 shows in Oceania added $104.3 million.
Travis Scott follows on October’s Top Tours chart, scoring the highest monthly rank for a rap artist since returning from the pandemic shutdown. He grossed $41.2 million and sold 352,000 tickets on the final dates of the Circus Maximus Tour.
Scott kicked off the month with an Oct. 9 show at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. (13 miles from New York City), bringing in $8.7 million from 61,700 tickets sold. That’s $400,000 less, but 1,300 more tickets than stats for P!nk’s October show at the same venue.
He then brought his world tour to three cities in Australia, plus a closing-night performance in Auckland, New Zealand. The Oceania leg grossed $32.5 million and sold 291,000 tickets, which is slightly more than half of the European leg (June-August), but more than double the Latin American run from September.
Usher is next at No. 3, with $36.6 million for Usher: Past Present Future. Since kicking off on Aug. 20, the tour has earned $90.6 million. With North American shows scheduled through mid-December and a European leg in the spring, it’s likely to close in on $150 million.
Future tourmates Post Malone and Jelly Roll round out the top 5 at Nos. 4 and 5, respectively. Last week, Post announced The Big Ass Stadium Tour with Jelly Roll as direct support, which will bring both acts to – you guessed it, stadiums – for the first time in their careers. Combined, they’ve brought in over $130 million this year, but they’ll head closer to $200 million in 2025.
And just outside the top five, Sabrina Carpenter makes her Top Tours debut at No. 6. The first handful of dates from the Short n’ Sweet Tour left her just outside the top 30 in September, but a full slate of shows lifts her into the top 10 for October, with a full gross of $27.8 million from 221,000 tickets sold. The first leg wrapped up on Nov. 18 at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif., and 14 shows are set for March throughout Europe.
Melbourne, Australia’s Marvel Stadium the month’s top-grossing concert venue, thanks to a trio of double-headers. On Oct. 5-6, The Weeknd sold 92,100 tickets and earned $12.5 million. A couple weeks later, Travis Scott played on Oct. 21-22, upping the ante to 115,000 tickets and $12.6 million. And on Oct. 30-31, Coldplay played the first two shows of a four-night run, bringing in $14.4 million from 115,000 tickets. All three are among the top five on Top Boxscores.
Madison Square Garden returns to the summit among indoor venues, grossing $23.4 million from 13 shows in October. That includes a Halloween show by Duran Duran, a farewell performance from Cyndi Lauper (Oct. 30), and a get-out-the-vote concert from Stevie Wonder (Sept. 10).
MSG’s banner month pushes its Las Vegas sister-venue Sphere back to No. 2, supported by just four shows of Eagles’ residency. Those dates grossed $18.9 million, adding to the $23.2 million in September.
A quartet of American venues top the smaller-capacity rankings. Austin’s Moody Center is tops among rooms with a cap of 10,001-15k, Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colo., Is No. 1 on the 5,001-10k chart, Atlanta’s Fox Theatre rules the 2,501-5k tally, and Grand Rapids, Mich., wins gold on the 2,500-or-less survey via DeVos Performance Hall.
Award-winning songwriter Rhett Akins has signed with Jonas Group Publishing (JGP). Additionally, Jonas Catalog Holdings will acquire songs from Akins’s extensive catalog, while Warner Chappell Music will continue its long relationship with Akins and administer the copyrights.
Akins, who is a two-time BMI songwriter of the year winner, eight-time CMA triple play winner, Academy of Country Music songwriter of the decade recipient and a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, has had songs recorded by Jason Aldean, Brooks & Dunn, Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton and more.
Jonas Catalog Holdings has also acquired songs from his Little Brocephus Music,Ritten by Rhettro Catalogs. The acquisition includes songs such as “Love You, Miss You, Mean It” (Luke Bryan), “What’s Your Country Song” (Thomas Rhett), “To Be Loved By You” (Parker McCollum), “Half Of Me” (Thomas Rhett/Riley Green), “It Matters To Her” (Scotty McCreery), and “Red” (HARDY/Morgan Wallen).
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Jonas Group Publishing launched in 2020 and is a division of Jonas Group Entertainment, founded by Kevin Jonas Sr. in 2005. Jonas Group Publishing is led by JGP president Leslie T. DiPiero and is home to songwriters including Akins, Justin Ebach, Terri Jo Box, Franklin Jonas, Bailee Madison, Amy Stroup and the catalog of Julia Michaels.
“Rhett is an extraordinary songwriter,” DiPiero said in a statement. “Personally, I have admired his work since I first came to town. He is a master of everything that is great about country music. It is an honor to represent his catalog of excellence, and our entire team is looking forward to contributing to his continued growth and success.”
“I’ve seen Leslie’s dedication to songwriters for many years,” Akins said. “She is a friend of and advocate for creators. The impact the Jonas family has made on the music world is remarkable, and it is obvious their love for music and family is their driving force. You put all that together, and I think you have a pretty unstoppable squad that leads with their values. I am very excited to join Kevin, Leslie, and the whole Jonas Group Publishing team.”
“We are honored to welcome Rhett to our roster, along with his incredible catalog,” Jonas of Jonas Group Entertainment stated. “Rhett is an immensely talented songwriter whose contributions have shaped the landscape of country music and beyond. His catalog reflects not only his incredible talent but also his ability to create songs that resonate with audiences around the world.
“We are thrilled to bring Rhett’s body of work into the Jonas Group Publishing family, which would not have been possible without the support and expertise of our trusted financial partner, Corrum Capital Management. We must also thank Access Media Advisory and Teresa Miles Walsh, Dave and Ruscell Pavlin, Matthew Beckett, and Milom Crow Kelley Beckett Shehan PLC for providing valuable assistance throughout the purchase of the catalog. All of us at JGP look forward to celebrating and amplifying Rhett’s extraordinary artistry.”
In this week’s crop of new music, Randy Houser and Miranda Lambert team for a solidly country tune about time and desire, while Kane Brown and Katelyn Brown reunite for a steamy pop-country track. Elsewhere, LANCO teams with Cory Asbury on a tender song about parenthood, Hudson Westbrook issues his self-titled EP, Kashus Culpepper dips his commanding voice into ultra-soulful territory, and Kameron Marlowe offers his own spin on a previous hit for singer-songwriter Cam.
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Check out all of these and more in Billboard‘s roundup of the best country releases of the week below.
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Randy Houser feat. Miranda Lambert, “Still That Cowboy”
Randy Houser welcomes Miranda Lambert for this duet, featuring on Houser’s upcoming Note to Self Deluxe album, out in January. Mississippi-born Houser’s rugged voice crackles with power, enough to make most male country vocalists envious, and he smartly teams with Lambert, possessor of one of the genre’s most distinctively country voices. Written by Houser with Josh Hoge and Matt Rogers, this sultry slow-jam finds Houser singing about the hope that time, age, and new life phases haven’t dampened his lover’s desire. Lambert’s smooth twang adds a reassuring harmony that further elevates this top-shelf track.
Kashus Culpepper, “Pour Me Out”
This Navy veteran and Big Loud Records artist decamped to Muscle Shoals, Alabama to record this righteously bluesy outing, where the angst in his gravelly voice is heightened by the song’s poetic simplicity in relating bitter romantic realization on lyrics such as “If you don’t wanna drink me baby, Don’t sip me baby/ Just pour me out.” As with his previous releases including “After Me?,” Culpepper’s masterful vocal is undeniable. He wrote “Pour Me Out” with Ben Burgess and Diego Urias.
Hudson Westbrook, Hudson Westbrook
Texan singer-songwriter Westbrook has surged into country music’s modern-day mainstream thanks to songs including “5 to 9.” His seven-song, self-titled EP is a succinct but solid collection, featuring the smoldering heartbreaker “House Again,” and the fiddle-laden, romantic throwback “5 to 9,” while he willingly trades the mellowing effects of alcohol for the thrilling feel of being with his new love in “Dopamine.” Westbrook’s voice is a blend of grit, twang and Lone Star State confidence, and he’s a co-writer on many of his songs. This is a very promising start for Westbrook.
Kane Brown & Katelyn Brown, “Body Talk”
This married couple previously earned a No. 1 Billboard Country Airplay hit in 2023 with the swirling, pop-inflected and gratitude-filled “Thank God.” They return with another pop-heavy groove on this sensuous, dance-worthy track that further evinces that Katelyn’s airy, velvety vocal is a standout, and when paired with Kane’s vocal, brings out the grittier, sultrier notes in his voice. This song leans decidedly more pop than country, but brings out the best in both vocalists. “Body Talk” will be featured on Kane Brown’s upcoming album The High Road.
LANCO and Cory Asbury, “We Grew Up Together”
Country group LANCO teams with Contemporary Christian artist Cory Asbury for this tender, self-reflective pondering on how both parents and children undergo seasons of growth over the years. “You ain’t the only one who’s gonna make mistakes,” LANCO’s Brandon Lancaster sings, offering the perspective of a father singing to a child. The song was written by Asbury along with LANCO’s Brandon Lancaster, Chandler Baldwin, Tripp Howell, and Jared Hampton. “We Grew Up Together” is from LANCO’s upcoming album We’re Gonna Make It, set for January.
Kameron Marlowe, “Burning House”
Kameron Marlowe puts his own sultry spin here on Cam’s near-decade old hit “Burning House.” The pared-back production and understated, polished instrumentation provide a lush vessel for Marlowe’s pain-filled, octave-leaping voice. Marlowe’s earned a smattering of chart placements with songs such “Burn ‘Em All” and the Ella Langley duet “Strangers,” but this dynamic ballad places his captivating voice front and center.
Gracie Abrams has had the adventure of a lifetime opening for Taylor Swift on the singer’s Eras Tour over the past year. But with the end of the global outing just two weeks away, Abrams took some time on Sunday (Nov. 24) to reflect on the latest chapter in her wild ride. “Torontoooooo ❤️💔 I […]