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18 Dec 2023

Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ Jingles Back to No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100

Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” returns to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, as it adds a 13th total week at the chart’s highest bough.

The carol reigns in a record-extending fifth holiday season. It was originally released on Carey’s album Merry Christmas in November 1994 and, as streaming has grown and holiday music has become more prominent on streaming services’ playlists, it hit the Hot 100’s top 10 for the first time in December 2017 and the top five for the first time in the 2018 holiday season. It led at last, prior to this week, over the holidays in 2019 (for three weeks), 2020 (two), 2021 (three) and 2022 (four).

“When I wrote [it], I had absolutely no idea the impact the song would eventually have worldwide,” Carey marveled of “Christmas” in 2021. “I’m so full of gratitude that so many people enjoy it with me every year.”

The song tops the Hot 100 after Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” spent the last two weeks at No. 1, having led for the first time 65 years after its release.

Plus, two fellow holiday classics return to the Hot 100’s top 10: The Ronettes’ “Sleigh Ride” (14-8) and Dean Martin’s “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!” (12-10).

The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data, the lattermost metric reflecting purchases of physical singles and digital tracks from full-service digital music retailers; digital singles sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites are excluded from chart calculations. All charts (dated Dec. 23, 2023) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (Dec. 19). For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

Streams, airplay & sales: Carey’s “Christmas,” on Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings, rises 2-1 on the Hot 100. It drew 42.2 million streams (up 10%, boosted by the Dec. 8 premiere of its “Festive Lambs Edition” video, which features the song’s original audio) and 26.1 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 8%) and sold 8,000 downloads (up 68%, aided by the iTunes Store’s 69-cent sale-pricing, for multiple holiday titles) in the U.S. Dec. 8-14, according to Luminate.

Also during the tracking week, Carey continued her Merry Christmas One and All! tour, including her Dec. 9 show at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

The single holds at No. 2 on the Streaming Songs chart, following 18 weeks at No. 1; jumps 7-3 on Digital Song Sales, following four frames at the summit; and pushes 29-22 on Radio Songs, where it hit a No. 11 best last season.

Holiday hits atop the Hot 100: Now up to 13 weeks, Carey’s “Christmas” extends its mark as the holiday song with the most time tallied atop the Hot 100, among three such No. 1s. “The Chipmunk Song,” by The Chipmunks with David Seville, spent four weeks on top beginning in December 1958, followed by Lee’s two weeks on top with “Rockin’.”

Thanks to Carey’s and Lee’s No. 1s, two holiday songs have led the Hot 100 in the same holiday season for the first time.

No. 1 in a fifth season: Carey’s “Christmas” is the first song to top the Hot 100 in five distinct runs on the chart, its latest coronation following its commands in the 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 holiday seasons. (Just one other song has led in each of even two stays: Chubby Checker’s “The Twist,” in in 1960 and 1962.)

Plus, “Christmas” makes its record-breaking sixth nonconsecutive ascent to No. 1 on the Hot 100, having previously led for three straight weeks in the 2019 holiday season; two nonconsecutive weeks over the 2020 holidays; three weeks in a row during the 2021 holidays; and four straight weeks last season. With its sixth distinct rise to No. 1, it surpasses Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” and Harry Styles’ “As It Was,” both of which made five separate climbs to the top, this year and in 2022, respectively.

No. 1 in 63rd week: Carey’s “Christmas” rules the Hot 100 in its 63rd week on the chart. It ties Glass Animals’ seasonally-opposite “Heat Waves” for the latest, by total chart weeks, that a song has led the list. The latter completed a record 59-week trip to No. 1 in March 2022 and reigned for five consecutive weeks, through its 63rd frame; it went on to log a record 91 weeks on the chart.

Carey’s third No. 1 of 13 weeks or more: Carey ties Boyz II Men as the only artists with three songs that have topped the Hot 100 for 13 or more weeks each. Notably, Carey and the group teamed for one smash that contributes to the feat: “One Sweet Day.”

Mariah Carey:

  • 16 weeks, “One Sweet Day,” with Boyz II Men, 1995-96
  • 14 weeks, “We Belong Together,” 2005
  • 13 weeks (to-date), “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” 2019-23

Boyz II Men:

  • 16 weeks, “One Sweet Day,” with Carey, 1995-96
  • 14 weeks, “I’ll Make Love to You,” 1994
  • 13 weeks, “End of the Road,” 1992

Carey’s record 92nd week atop Hot 100: With “Christmas,” Carey adds her record-extending 92nd week at No. 1 on the Hot 100, dating to the chart’s Aug. 4, 1958, inception.

Most Weeks at No. 1 on Hot 100:

  • 92, Mariah Carey
  • 60, Rihanna
  • 59, The Beatles
  • 56, Drake
  • 50, Boyz II Men
  • 47, Usher
  • 43, Beyoncé
  • 37, Michael Jackson
  • 34, Adele
  • 34, Elton John
  • 34, Bruno Mars
  • 34, Taylor Swift

“Christmas” became Carey’s 19th Hot 100 No. 1, the most among soloists and one away from The Beatles’ overall record 20. It also made Carey the first artist to have ranked at No. 1 on the chart in four distinct decades, dating to her first week on top in August 1990 with her debut hit, “Vision of Love.”

No. 1 on Holiday 100: Carey’s “Christmas” concurrently rebounds to No. 1 on the multi-metric Holiday 100 chart, which uses the same methodology as the Hot 100, for a 59th week at the apex, of the chart’s 66 total weeks since the it originated in 2011. It also rules as the top title on the Greatest of All Time Holiday 100 Songs chart.

At No. 2 on the Hot 100, Lee’s “Rockin’ ” adds a fourth week atop Streaming Songs (42.4 million streams, up 3%).

Rounding out a fully festive top five on the Hot 100, Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock,” released in 1957, holds at its No. 3 high; Wham!’s “Last Christmas,” from 1984, keeps at its No. 4 best; and Burl Ives’ “A Holly Jolly Christmas,” from 1964, climbs 7-5, having hit No. 4.

Jack Harlow’s “Lovin On Me” dips 5-6 on the Hot 100, three weeks after it became his third No. 1. The chart’s top nonholiday title becomes Harlow’s fourth leader on Digital Song Sales (2-1; 8,000 sold) and notches a fifth week each atop the multi-metric Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts.

Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” from 1963, lifts 8-7 on the Hot 100, having reached No. 5. The late singer now sports a record span of 64 years, two months and two weeks from his first week in the top 10 with “Lonely Street” in October 1959 through his latest week in the region.

The Ronettes’ “Sleigh Ride” dashes 14-8 on the Hot 100, hitting a new high, led by 23.7 million streams (up 16%). Originally released in 1963, the same year that the act posted its lone other top 10 – the iconic No. 2-peaking “Be My Baby” – “Sleigh Ride” previously ranked in the top 10, at No. 10, for a week over the 2021 holidays (shortly before the passing of group co-founder Ronnie Spector). The Ronettes now boast a span of 60 years and three months in the Hot 100’s top 10 – the longest among groups. (Excluding holiday fare, The Beatles broke the record for the longest top 10 span among all acts last month: 59 years, nine months and three weeks, from “I Want To Hold Your Hand” in 1964 to the debut of their newly-released single “Now and Then.”)

Tate McRae’s “Greedy” rebounds 16-9 on the Hot 100, after reaching No. 7, as her new album Think Later debuts at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, marking her first top 10 set.

Wrapping the Hot 100’s top 10, Dean Martin’s “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!,” from 1959, rises 12-10 (22.3 million streams, up 5%). The song hit a No. 8 best in the 2020 holiday season, having become the fourth top 10 for the late legendary singer. He posted his first three top 10s in 1964-65: “Everybody Loves Somebody” (No. 1, one week), “The Door Is Still Open to My Heart” (No. 6) and “I Will” (No. 10).

Again, for all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on Billboard’s social accounts, and all charts (dated Dec. 23), including the Hot 100 in its entirety, will refresh on Billboard.com tomorrow (Dec. 19).

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.

18 Dec 2023

Rita Ora Gets Cheeky in Racy Bikini Pic: ‘You’re Welcome’

Rita Ora is relaxing ahead of the holiday season. On Sunday (Dec. 17), the “I Will Never Let You Down” singer shared a series of photos from her recent vacation to New Zealand on Instagram, one of which was a cheeky bikini photo posted on her Instagram Stories.

The first set of bikini pictures came through Ora’s carousel Instagram post, in which she showed off a simple black two-piece swimsuit that she accessorized with two sets of gold hoop earrings and a gold chain to match. The subsequent photos feature the 33-year-old enjoying the hilly landscape, a look at her daytime meal and moments spent in nature. Ora’s husband, Taika Waititi — a New Zealand native — also makes an appearance in one of the images.

“I can’t begin to explain the weekend I have had. Thank you for these memories @piwakawakapoint,” Ora captioned the series of images.

In the singer’s Stories, she gave fans a flash of what the backside of her bikini looked like, sharing an image of her cheeks that was simply captioned, “You’re welcome.”

Ora’s vacation puts a cap on an eventful 2023 for the star. She released her third studio album, You & I, filled in for Nicole Scherzinger as a judge for The Masked Singer back in September, and is gearing up to co-host Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2024 in New York City on Dec. 31.

See Ora’s latest Instagram post below, and her cheeky photo on her Instagram Story before it disappears.

18 Dec 2023

R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: Fantasia, Fivio Foreign and 41, Bas, A$AP Twelvyy & More

As per usual, it’s been a busy week in the world of hip-hop and R&B. With exactly one week to go before Christmas, the worlds of hip-hop and R&B extended their stay in Gag City. Nicki Minaj — who recently clinched her historic third Billboard 200 chart-topper — dropped off another version of Pink Friday 2, this time featuring collaborations with 50 Cent (“Beep Beep”) and Monica and Keyshia Cole (“Love Me Enough”).

The “Super Freaky Girl” rapper also dominated the news cycle with a pair of iHeartRadio Jingle Ball performances, a record-breaking stream with Kai Cenat, and her decision to brush off Kanye West‘s request to clear her beloved “New Body” verse for his and Ty Dolla $ign’s imminent Vultures album. Speaking of Vultures, that album never arrived. Nonetheless, we were treated to new LPs from Bas and YTB Fatt, as well as the highly-anticipated Color Purple soundtrack, which features new original songs by Halle Bailey, Fantasia, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Usher, Coco Jones, H.E.R., Megan Thee Stallion, Missy Elliott, Shenseea and more.

With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop. From A$AP Twelvyy’s heart-warming A$AP Mob reunion to Madison Ryann Ward’s gorgeous amalgamation of gospel and acoustic R&B, get into these six new picks and be sure to check out the rest of our recs in the Spotify playlist below.

Freshest Find: Fantasia, “Superpower (I)”

There was simply no way to bring The Color Purple from Broadway to the silver screen without a show-stopping new end-credits song. Leave it to Fantasia and The-Dream to deliver that and then some with their rousing “Superpower (I).” Anchored by ethereal strings and the driving melodies of Negro spirituals, Fantasia croons lyrics that beautifully capture the arc and triumph of both Celie and herself. “I pray you see past my scars/ And assumе all the joy inside/ We all got our own mountains to climb/ Wе’ll take our time goin’ down the sweeter side,” she sings. Known and beloved for her powerhouse vocals, Fantasia plays with her dynamics here, carefully oscillating between soft coos and levee-breaking belts that add new layers of intention and storytelling to The-Dream’s lyrics.

A$AP Twelvyy feat. A$AP ANT, A$AP Rocky & A$AP Ferg, “Yams Day”

For this loving tribute to A$AP Yams — the late New York rapper who formed A$AP Mob — four of the collective’s brightest stars team up for three minutes of tender nostalgia. Built around a sample of DJ Zirk’s “Ana 4 Ya Hoez,” “Yams Day” draws from the same Southern hip-hop influences that inform Rocky’s sound. The track is the first of five new tracks on the deluxe version of Twelvyy’s Kid$ Gotta Eat and it aptly functions as both a memorial and a victory lap. Between Rocky’s refrain and Ferg’s hook — not to mention the strong verses from Ant and Twelvyy — “Yams Day” captures the beautiful synergy of A$AP Mob, one that feels renewed after some time to heal from Yams’ passing.

Fivio Foreign & 41, “Get Deady”

Brooklyn rap trio 41 has enjoyed a breakout year in 2023, and they’ve capped off their run with a new Fivio Foriegn collaboration. Steeped in both acts’ Brooklyn drill sound, each rapper delivers a high-octane, punchline-ridden verse over a skittering beat courtesy of AyoAA, Lawyered Beats & Verbxse. “Like, okay, who tryna cyph’?/ Who tryna smoke on a body tonight?” Kyle Richh quips. The chemistry among 41’s members remains palpable (just check out the gusto that namedropping TaTa brings to the end of Jenn’s verse), but their ability to showcase their idiosyncrasies while holding space for Fivio’s dynamism is what really makes this track such a winner.

X4, “Call My Bluff”

For his latest release of the year, LA rapper X4 opts for ominous synths and laid-back finger snaps to provide the foundation for “X4,” a brooding invitation for his opps to, well, call his bluff. The texture of X4’s voice is what elevates the track, equal parts whispery and hoarse, his tone is a stark contrast to gruff growling that’s currently dominating hip-hop on the other side of the country. He sounds unfazed on “Call My Bluff,” almost purposely monotone. In a way, his delivery underscores the mundanity of the scenes he raps about, and who are we to call his bluff?

Madison Ryann Ward, “Calling My Name”

With a delicate timbre that recalls Yebba’s, Madison Ryann Ward unleashes an unbelievably tender amalgam of acoustic R&B, gospel, and pop. Her saccharine melodies immediately lodge themselves in your ear, but it’s her fluttery harmonies — ones that find her warping her malleable head voice — that add some intricacies to the melody’s broad strokes. Of course, there are also the lyrics: heartfelt couplets that exalt God and thank Him for being a constant presence in her life. The chorus interpolates portions of “Amazing Grace,” which pairs nicely with the apprehension and self-doubt that courses through her verses: “Help me with my unbelief/ This gonna preach, say I’m forgiven and free/ This is another degree, who, me?/ You really talkin’ to me?” she croons.

Bas feat. Blxckie & A$AP Ferg, “U-Turn”

The late-night driving crowd is a silent but mighty segment of music listeners, and Bas may have just gifted them their newest anthem. Assisted by South African rapper Blxckie and A$AP Ferg in his second appearance in this week’s column, Bas coasts over ​mOma+Guy’s luscious production with inimitable sensual swagger. The smooth Afrobeats-inflected beat soundtracks his ode to spinning the block on a lover that you just can’t get out of your head and heart. While he’s present throughout the track, Bas doesn’t have a verse of his own, making “U-Turn” not just an enjoyable song, but also a deft showcase of his curatorial abilities.

18 Dec 2023

Retiring IFPI CEO Frances Moore Looks Back on Biggest Wins, Challenges During Her Transformative Run

When Frances Moore started in the Brussels office of The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) in 1994 as regional director for Europe, the trade organization represented six major labels that made most of their money selling CDs – and mostly in Europe and the U.S. When she retires at the end of this year, she will leave a business with three majors that’s truly global and focused on streaming. In between, Moore scored some of the key policy wins that made that happen, especially since ascending to the top job in 2010. She also transformed IFPI into a global force and served longer as CEO than any of her predecessors. 

Moore started just as the major labels and other media companies began pushing for laws to protect digital content – an effort that ultimately resulted in the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act in the U.S., and the 2001 Copyright and Information Society Directive in the European Union. One of her major achievements was IFPI’s passage of the 2019 copyright directive that addressed some of its shortcomings by tightening up some of the safe harbor rules that created a “value gap” between what rightsholders made from licensed services like Spotify and what they got from user-upload-fueled services like YouTube. In between, she led IFPI efforts to extend the term of copyright protection for recordings in Europe and establish a public performance right for recordings in China, plus strengthened IFPI’s operations in markets that barely existed when she started at the organization three decades ago.  

You announced in July that you would retire at the end of the year, but some executives can’t quite picture that – you have a reputation for working extremely hard. What are your plans? 

I can’t really picture me retiring, either! Come the first of January, I’ll tell you the answer. I’ll take a rest at the beginning and see what happens afterwards.  

You’re leaving an organization that’s much more international than the one you joined in 1994. 

When I joined, the two big markets were Europe and the U.S., and the bulk of the industry’s revenues came from those two places – the other territories were much smaller. But IFPI was always an international organization: There was already an office in Hong Kong and two small offices in China, so it was more a question of how you brought everyone together.  

You started in Brussels and played a major role in building up the organization there.  

There was a Brussels representation [when I started] but they didn’t really have U.S. [style] lobbying and that’s what I brought to build a campaign for the [2001] copyright directive. Back in the ‘90s, Europe had a lot to learn about lobbying. I remember suggesting to one of the major national groups that they bring in a lobbyist and they were shocked. It was as if I had suggested bringing in a lady of the night. Lobbying wasn’t seen then as a clean profession. 

You started at IFPI right before the first copyright directive and one of your big accomplishments as CEO was to get the 2019 copyright directive passed. That was supposed to address some of the issues with the first one, but the implementation of it in different EU countries has varied. How do you see that? 

For the first copyright directive, we built something at the European level that we never had before – we had 32 organizations working together from books, film, music, you name it. In implementing the WIPO treaty, we had a good, strong directive that let companies go online with confidence. When it came to the second one, the issue was what we called ‘the value gap’ [the difference between what it cost companies to license content and how little some of them were paying to use it]. Companies were doing deals with one hand tied behind their back. That was a hard campaign to fight, not because of the arguments – people could see that – but because we had huge opponents. Now some of these companies we work with and they’re a part of the success of the music industry. But as far as EU Parliament, they said this was the hardest-fought campaign they ever had to deal with. Luckily, they came through in the end. 

In theory, you got what you needed. But the directive was implemented quite poorly in some countries, especially Germany.  

There are 27 countries and there’s one that hasn’t implemented it yet – Poland. But Donald Tusk [who became Polish Prime Minister on December 13], will make sure it’s implemented. In most countries, it has been done faithfully. In Germany and in Belgium, we had problems and we’re taking it to court. But it was a signal more than anything else. To some degree, once it was adopted, the tech companies realized that they had to do what it was asking for. 

What do you consider your biggest accomplishment? 

I think my biggest accomplishment was putting together an A-level team. I don’t like the cult of personality – everything we do, we do as a team.  

Your job is like herding cats – there are the national recording business organizations and the major labels – now small, medium, and large. It’s a very tough act to follow. 

The job isn’t to be an expert in legal policy – the job is to hold the ball tight and keep running forward. There’s a global search [for a successor] and I think we’ll be able to announce the person shortly, and I wish that person all the best. The most important thing is that the companies speak with one voice – then everything else becomes easier.  

Frances Moore and Taylor Swift

Frances Moore and Taylor Swift

Dave J Hogan/Getty Images

You’ve had support on policy issues over the years from some very famous artists. Did you ever get starstruck?  

I’m a Scottish rationalist – I don’t do starstruck. We have this program, Friends of Music, when artists come to the Parliament and they perform, and it moves you. I remember Jamie Cullum was performing in Strausberg [Germany] and at one point he stopped playing on the keys of his piano and just strummed on the wood. It was pure music. I don’t get starstruck but I get impressed beyond belief with talent. 

You are leaving an organization that’s much more diverse than the one you joined in 1994. For example, you have women regional directors in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Latin America. Was that a priority for you? 

That was the state of the world [in 1994] – it wasn’t just the recording industry. In my case, there was never a point of saying I’m going to recruit a woman – you can only put together an A-level team if you choose the best candidates. We have six regional teams, and three are led by men and three are led by women. That’s balanced but not deliberately balanced – it just worked out that way. 

What’s going to be the most important priority for your successor?  

AI, because if you don’t get it right, it could decimate the industry. That’s the big one. There are some technology companies saying that there are text and data mining exceptions and we fit in there, so we don’t have to respect copyright. Wrong. 

18 Dec 2023

Watch Maren Morris Sing Tammy Wynette’s Classic Divorce Anthem Amid Split From Ryan Hurd

Maren Morris had the perfect response to a recent viral video of a groom making inappropriate comments about his bride in the middle of his wedding ceremony — and the country singer may have even hinted at an update about her divorce from Ryan Hurd.

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The video of the disrespectful groom has been making its rounds on social media over the past few days, with viewers generally appalled by the man in question’s comments. In a snippet of the video shared by Morris on TikTok, he tells his soon-to-be wife mid-wedding vows, “I will smack that a– every chance I get.”

The “The Middle” artist stitched the video with a clip of herself, strumming a guitar while belting out the hook of Tammy Wynette’s iconic anthem “D-I-V-O-R-C-E.” “Our D-I-V-O-R-C-E becomes final today,” Morris sings in the TikTok.

Billboard has reached out to both Morris’ and Hurd’s reps for comment.

The Grammy winner’s take on the 1968 classic — which reached No. 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Hot Country Songs chart — feels especially poignant amid her recent split from Hurd, with the Billboard Pride cover star filing for divorce after five years of marriage earlier this year. The pair shares a 3-year-old son.

Last week, Morris told Howard Stern that her divorce was “ongoing,” noting that she was waiting for the breakup to “wrap up” before she even considers dating again. “I think this year has — for a lot of people, not just me — a lot of people that are close to me have gone through it,” she added. “I’ve known so many people that have gone through breakups or divorces.”

Watch Morris’ TikTok below:

18 Dec 2023

Trump Can’t Save You This Time: Kodak Black In Federal Custody For Violating Probation

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Kodak Black In Federal Custody For Violating Probation

Source: Paras Griffin / Getty / Kodak Black

Habitual prison visitor/rapper Kodak Black found himself back behind bars after violating the terms of his probation.

Local news affiliate NBC South Florida 6 reports Kodak Black, born Bill Kapri, is currently being held at a Miami Federal Detention Center after bonding out of jail after being pinched for cocaine possession and other charges.

The “No Flockin’” rapper was found in his vehicle, passed out with booger sugar, aka cocaine, in his mouth and a baggie in his pocket.

The rapper pleaded not guilty to the charges and claimed he did not have cocaine despite the visible strong evidence against him.

Per NBC South Florida 6:

The Dec. 7 arrest happened in Plantation after an officer spotted a black Bentley SUV parked in the roadway in the 600 block of Northwest 47th Terrace, an arrest report said.

The officer approached the SUV and found the rapper asleep in the driver’s seat, noting that “a strong odor of burnt cannabis” was coming from the vehicle, the report said.

The officer opened the SUV’s door and shut it off. Inside was a cup in the door that smelled of alcohol, along with “cannabis wrapping paper and suspect cannabis residue” in the center console, the report said.

The officer approached and noticed Black’s mouth was “full of white powder,” the report said.

The substance later tested positive for cocaine, the report said. Black also had a clear plastic baggie in his pocket that also was tested, the report said.

Kodak’s History of Arrests

This latest arrest joins the list of his previous interactions with the law. Black was arrested in 2022 on a trespassing charge. 

He also served a three-year federal prison sentence for falsifying documents to buy firearms at a Miami gun store.

In a stranger turn of events, aka pandering on another level, the orange menace and the worst president in United States history, not name James Buchanan, Donald Trump, commuted his sentence on the final day of his failed presidency.

Welp.

Trump isn’t here to save Kodak Black this time, and Joe Biden has bigger things to worry about than pardoning this knucklehead rapper.

Photo: Paras Griffin / Getty

18 Dec 2023

Travis Scott’s Custom Pair Of Air Jordan 1’s Set To Hit The Auction Block

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Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1

Source: Nike / Sneaker News

Travis Scott’s Air Jordan collaborations tend to fetch a pretty penny on the resale market as is, but imagine what a pair of custom made “Cactus Jack” Air Jordans made for the man could go for on the secondary market.

According to TMZ the price is roughly around $10,000 as the pair of Air Jordan 1’s that Travis Scott gifted a fan at a Rolling Loud performance in Germany this past summer is set to hit the auction block. The “game-worn” sneakers that Travis blessed a man with are the “Olive” colorway version of the Air Jordan 1 Lows that released earlier this year except that this particular pair bares the “Utopia” logo for Travis’ last album. Indeed, a one-of-a-kind pair.

TMZ reports:

The kicks are up for sale through Goldin Auctions’ December Pop Culture Auction … and the bidding runs through Dec. 20 … so they could make for a cool Christmas gift. The auction house estimates that they could go for around $10k.

Auction owner, Ken Goldin, tells TMZ … “In an iconic moment in pop culture history, we’re excited to see these sneakers hit the auction block. As a sneakerhead myself, it’s great to offer a rare opportunity for other collectors to own a custom pair of Air Jordans.”

Don’t be surprised if Fat Joe or DJ Khaled end up purchasing this pair as they have an appetite for ultra-exclusive sneakers like these. Heck, even P.J. Tucker might get in on the action.

Would you buy this pair if you had the money? Would you rock ’em or stock ’em? Let us know in the comment section below.

18 Dec 2023

Tyler, the Creator’s Golf Le Fleur Cozies Up With GoldToe for New Collaboration: Shop It Here

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Tyler, the Creator is all about getting cozy this winter season in his latest drop through his fashion label, Golf le Fleur. The luxury fashion brand teamed up with sock company GoldToe to create a trio of knit socks that fuse together the style and boldness of the rapper’s fashion with the comfort and quality of GoldToe, resulting in the perfect stocking stuffer or update to your sock collection.

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Each trio comes with three colors: black, white and the fashion brand’s signature baby blue to pair with everything from your sneakers and Mary Janes to platform boots. The collaboration is already selling out of styles, which means you won’t want to wait too long if you’re thinking about picking up a pack for yourself or for a fan of the “Earfquake” rapper in your life.

If you’ve been cycling through the same five pairs of socks — or have a number of pairs filled with holes — this is your sign to treat your feet to some new styles for winter and beyond. Unlike most sock brands, GoldToe prides itself on crafting durable yet comfy looks that’ll “stand the test of time,” according to the brand. By partnering with Golf le Fleur, the brand received a contemporary twist that fuses both luxury with quality, and is topped off with the iconic Fleur logo.

Keep reading to shop the new drop before it sells out.

three pack of blue, black and white socks

Golf le Fleur

Cable-Knit Socks

Stock up on these cable-knit socks that’ll give your feet a comfy yet stylish escape from the cold. Each pair comes with a cable-knit design that’s made from a soft viscose-blend material, and arrives in a box decorated with the classic Fleur logo, which you may just want to keep on display.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best shoes for travel, Ugg slipper dupes and celebrity sneaker collaborations.

18 Dec 2023

Ryan Tedder Promises New OneRepublic Music Is Right Around the Corner: ‘Quietly Gathering Loads of Songs’

Add new music from OneRepublic to things you can look forward to next year. The group’s Grammy-winning singer and songwriter, Ryan Tedder, broke the good news to fans on Sunday (Dec. 17), tweeting that he is “working on New @OneRepublic,” tracks and noting that he’s been “quietly gathering loads of songs for 2024.”

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Even better, the prolific producer/writer added, “think we have the next single picked ? (praying hands, raising hands and heart emoji).”

Tedder has written and produced hits for everyone from Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran, Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga to Taylor Swift, Lil Nas X, Adele, Paul McCartney and, most recently, Tate McRae (“Greedy). He has also been the mastermind behind his own band’s Billboard Hot 100 No. 2 hits “Counting Stars” and “Apologize.” The group that also includes guitarist Zach Filkins, multi-instrumentalist Drew Brown, drummer Eddie Fisher, keyboardist Brent Kutzle and keyboardist Brian Willett released their most recent album, Human, in 2021; the LP topped out at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 albums charts.

In the period since, OneRepublic released the single “I Ain’t Worried” from the Top Gun: Maverick soundtrack in May 2022, followed by this May’s “Runaway” single and September’s “Mirage” from the Assassin’s Creed Mirage video game.

OneRepublic was one of the headliners for this summer’s inaugural Bud Light Backyard Tour summer concert series, a four-city tour that also included sets from Midland, Dashboard Confessional, Bush and Lindsay Ell. In September, OneRepublic released a majestic, re-recorded version of their breakthrough hit, “Counting Stars,” the song that Tedder said in an Instagram post “changed the trajectory of our band.”

See Tedder’s tweet about the new music for 2024 below.

18 Dec 2023

Harry Styles’ 8th Madame Tussauds Wax Figure This Year Has Arrived

Human Harry Styles will continue to age with time, but his new wax figure will stay the same as it was forever.

The Madame Tussauds location in Orlando, Fla., unveiled its model of the 29-year-old pop star Monday (Dec. 18), with the life-size duplicate featuring detailed replications of everything from Styles’ dark curls and freckles to the tattoos inked on his chest. Wax Harry sports a replica of the cream suit jacket, brown pants and sparkly top Real Harry wore to the 2023 Grammys, where the former boyband star took home album of the year for his 2022 record, Harry’s House.

“Harry Styles is one of the most impactful and celebrated artists in the world, so it’s only fitting that fans in Orlando now have the opportunity to meet his newest wax figure up close and personally,” said Paul Gould, general manager of Madame Tussauds Orlando, in a statement. “We’re honored to welcome Harry’s fans and music fans alike to come sing and dance with his figure at our attraction.”

Orlando’s take on the “Late Night Talking” singer is far from Styles’ first wax figure. Earlier this year, seven wax versions of him were unveiled in Madame Tussauds museums across London, New York, Hollywood, Amsterdam, Berlin, Singapore and Sydney. Prior to that, his likeness was built into an installment at Madame Tussauds London alongside his One Direction bandmates Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne — which became a popular mourning site for Directioners following Malik’s departure from the boy band in 2015.

See photos of the new Harry Styles figure, now available to visit at Madame Tussauds Orlando, below:

Madame Tussauds Orlando, Harry Styles

Harry Styles Takes Over Madame Tussauds Orlando With Latest Wax Figure Reveal.

Madame Tussauds Orlando

Madame Tussauds Orlando, Harry Styles

Harry Styles Takes Over Madame Tussauds Orlando With Latest Wax Figure Reveal.

Madame Tussauds Orlando