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Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile” secures a third total and consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.
The ballad became Gaga’s sixth Hot 100 leader and Mars’ ninth. Gaga ties her second-longest command, as her debut smash “Just Dance,” featuring Colby O’Donis, ruled for three weeks in January 2009. She dominated for six weeks in February-April 2011 with “Born This Way.”
Mars runs up his fifth Hot 100 reign of three or more weeks, following his featured turn on Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk!” (14 weeks at No. 1, in 2015) and his own “Locked Out of Heaven” (six, 2012-13), “Grenade” (four, 2011) and “Just the Way You Are” (four, 2010).
Bad Bunny blasts to the Hot 100’s top 10 with three songs, all from his new album, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, which surges to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart: “DtMF” (38-2), “BAILE INoLVIDABLE” (28-3) and “NUEVAYoL” (27-8). He ups his count to 15 career top 10s – extending his mark for the most all-time among acts who record primarily Latin music. He also now boasts 13 top 10 hits recorded in Spanish, the most non-English-language top 10s among all artists. “DtMF” concurrently becomes his second No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart.
Plus, ROSÉ and Bruno Mars’ “APT.” holds at its No. 5 Hot 100 high and ascends to No. 1 on the Digital Song Sales chart, where it becomes their first and 11th leader, respectively.
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 Jan. 25, 2025) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (Jan. 22, a day later than usual due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday Jan. 20). For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
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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Jhené Aiko is the latest star offering support in the midst of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. Over the weekend, the “Sunshine” singer announced that she and her wellness brand, Jhenetics, are sponsoring free massages for the first responders from the L.A. Fire Department.
“Thank you to our first responders, those who have spent days away from their families, working tirelessly to protect us. We hope this small gesture of gratitude makes a difference during these long shifts,” Aiko wrote in an Instagram post featuring a series of slides of the Jhenetics team working on first responders.
The post also shouted out LAFD Foundation and the other massage therapists who contributed to the effort from Manly Handz mobile spa.
Aiko is one of the thousands of Angelenos who’ve lost their homes in the midst of the two-week spate of deadly wildfires that have killed 27 so far and destroyed more than 12,000 homes and other structures while burning more than 40,000 acres to date. On Jan. 9, Aiko revealed that her home “burned to the ground with all of our things inside. She confirmed that her two children she shares with Big Sean — 16-year-old daughter Namiko and two-year-old son Noah — were both safe.
“Lord have mercy 🙏 Thankful we still have eachother 💙 starting from scratch. My heart is so heavy 💔,” she wrote at the time, adding, “praying for everyone this morning. those who lost their home, those who lost their life’s work, those who lost their life. praying for my city. praying for the wild life and lost pets. praying for the world 💙.”
The L.A. area continued to be under a red flag warning for the potential spread of fires due through Tuesday morning (Jan. 21), with officials warning that the destructive Santa Ana winds could whip up again as more than 41,000 residents remain under an evacuation order.
In addition to Aiko, others who’ve talked about losing their homes include Paris Hilton, Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt, Mandy Moore, Diane Warren, Miles Teller and many more.
Among the many charitable contributions and relief efforts launched to date is the upcoming all-star FireAid Benefit Concert at the Kia Forum in L.A. on Jan. 30 that will include appearances by Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, a reunited No Doubt, Katy Perry, Jelly Roll, Sting, Stevie Nicks, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Matthews, Green Day and many more.
01/21/2025
The judges tasked the queens with showcasing their “Monopulence” with a sewing challenge. See which queens raked in the Monopoly money, and which ones went directly to jail.
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A lawyer is claiming that Wendy Williams has “good and bad days” but states that her recent call to The Breakfast Club isn’t a sign she’s free from dementia.
Media personality Wendy Williams’ call-in appearance on The Breakfast Club on Thursday (Jan. 16) was a welcomed listen for all of her fans, but an attorney representing the person overseeing her estate states that it is not a sign that she is altogether well. Williams, the former daytime talk show host, is currently in an unnamed care facility. “I am not cognitively impaired,” she said on the show. “But I feel like I am in prison.” She also complained about not having access to a phone or computer at the facility during the call. Williams’ niece, Alex Finnie, also joined the interview, expressing that she and other family members want her freed from the guardianship. “I’m not asking for a whole lot,” Finnie said. “All I’m saying is just treat the woman with dignity and give her the freedoms that she deserves.”
Roberta Kaplan, who represents Sabrina E. Morrisey, the woman mandated to oversee Williams in the guardianship, released a statement after the interview. “Unfortunately, because of her diagnosis, Wendy’s condition will only get worse with time and she will require care for the rest of her life,” Kaplan said. “But as anyone who has had a family member with dementia knows, Wendy has both good days and bad days. It is truly a shame that there is so much voyeuristic attention to this right now since it only leads to the same kinds of exploitation that we saw in the so-called documentary, as alleged in our complaint.”
Court papers showed Morrisey testifying that Williams was diagnosed in 2023 with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia. The guardianship was initiated by Wells Fargo, who handled Williams’ finances, citing that it had “documented a pattern of unusual and disturbing events” leading them to seek the court order. Court documents do not fully explain the specifics of Morrisey’s powers.
Kaplan’s statement referred to the two-part documentary entitled Where Is Wendy Williams?, which aired on Lifetime last year. The documentary gave fans a look at Williams’ life since undergoing a series of public moments that evoked concern from her fans. Morrisey had attempted to block the network from airing the film but was unsuccessful. She is currently suing A&E Networks, the parent company of Lifetime.
Gusi and Elder Dayán’s “Acabaste Conmigo” has topped the latest new music Latin poll. In a poll published on Friday (Jan. 17) — in support of the weekly New Music Latin roundup and playlist, curated by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — music fans voted for the Colombian artists’ new track as their favorite music release of the week. This song — which masterfully preserves […]
Manuela Ferradas has joined SiriusXM in a senior management role, Billboard can confirm. Based out of the company’s Miami Beach studios, Ferradas will oversee the Latin artist and industry relations team for SiriusXM and Pandora. According to a press release, Ferradas will “secure talent and deliver marketing plans to external partners for various SiriusXM and Pandora opportunities […]
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Stefon Diggs is out here having fun and showing love to rapper Sexyy Red’s music. While he and his brother Trevon were doing a photoshoot, Sexyy Red’s song “Get It Sexyy” came on, and they just started vibing to it. Stefon was dancing, and while the photographer flicked him up. Of course, the internet trolls had something to say, calling Stefon’s moves “sassy,” but honestly, who cares? Dude was just living in the moment.
This isn’t the first time Stefon has shown love to Sexyy Red’s tracks. He’s already shouted out her song “SkeeYee” after scoring a touchdown. So clearly, he’s a fan of her music.
Whether he’s dancing during a photoshoot or celebrating a TD, Stefon is just being himself and having a good time. People can talk all they want, but Stefon doesn’t care. He’s just vibing, and we’re here for it.
It’s been a rough season for Stefon Diggs. After tearing his ACL in that tough game against the Colts, he’s had to watch from the sidelines. The Texans also got knocked out by the Chiefs in the Divisional Round. But Texans fans aren’t giving up on him. They’ve been showing love, wishing him a fast recovery, and hoping he comes back next season. Everyone’s ready to see Diggs back on the field, stronger than ever, and ready to help lead the team to bigger wins. The city’s got his back and can’t wait for his return.
In the meantime, Stefon is keeping himself busy dancing to Sexyy’s anthem. Check out some of the reactions to Stefon Diggs dance moves below.
Jason Aldean is mashing the pedal this year, announcing the dates for his 2025 Full Throttle North American tour on Tuesday (Jan. 21). The Live Nation-produced outing is slated to kick off on May 23 at the Blossom Music Center in Cuyahoga Falls, OH and take the “Try That in a Small Town” singer across the country to a mix of arena, amphitheater and stadium shows as he winds his way through an Oct. 4 gig at the iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, FL.
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The tour will feature opening acts Nate Smith, RaeLynn and Dee Jay Silver, and a previously announced co-headlining stadium show with Brooks & Dunn at Fenway Park in Boston on May 30. Tickets for the tour will go on sale first with an artist presale beginning on Wednesday (Jan. 22), with additional presales slated to run throughout the week ahead of the general onsale slated for Friday (Jan. 24) at 10 a.m. local time.
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According to the release announcing the tour, Aldean is currently in the studio working on new music. A recent interview with Hook & Barrel magazine revealed that the as-yet-untitled LP will feature 10 new songs, “one of which he promises will be another iconic” one of his anthems.
“We got a new one on the album, it’s just a powerful type of song that people are going to relate to,” he teased, adding, “and it has nothing to do with politics or any of those things.” The latter appeared to be a response to the controversy surrounding the video for “Small Town,” which was yanked by CMT in July 2023 after just a few days of airing. The clip features Aldean performing in front of a courthouse festooned with an American flag; the performance footage is interspersed with images of burning flags and protesters clashing with police and robbing a convenience store.
Some critics labeled the song and video as pro-gun and pro-violence, and akin to a “modern lynching song,” noting that it was filmed in front of the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, TN, the site of the 1927 lynching and hanging of 18-year-old Henry Choate over allegations that he sexually assaulted a white girl, as well as the spot of a 1946 race riot in which two Black men were killed.
Speaking to the magazine, Aldean re-iterated that the song was not meant to stir a national discussion, but was a reflection of what he felt as going on in America at the time. “I don’t think that song came about because we were trying to step out there and do something that really moved the needle,” he said. “It was never intended to go in and specifically write something that was gonna stir the pot. It just came from a place of, this is on our mind. I’m 47 years old now, things change.”
Check out the dates for Aldean’s 2025 Full Throttle tour below.
May 23 — Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center &May 24 — Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage &May 25 — Saratoga Springs, NY @ Broadview Stage at SPAC &May 30 — Boston, MA @ Fenway Park #July 17 — Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center &July 18 — Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP &July 19 — St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre ^July 24 — Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheater &July 25 — Denver, CO @ Ball Arena ^July 26 — Salt Lake City, UT @ Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre ^Aug 7 — Nashville, TN @ Bridgestone Arena &Aug 8 — Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center ^Aug 9 — Pittsburgh, PA @ The Pavilion at Star Lake &Aug 14 — Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion &Aug 15 — Houston, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman @Aug 16 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center ^Aug 21 — Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park ^Aug 22 — Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion ^Aug 23 — Alpharetta, GA @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre ^Sept 4 — Grand Rapids, MI @ Van Andel Arena ^Sept 5 — Green Bay, WI @ Resch Center &Sept 11 — Detroit, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre &Sept 13 — Tinley Park, IL @ Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre ^Sept 18 — Lincoln, NE @ Pinnacle Bank Arena &Sept 19 — Des Moines, IA @ Wells Fargo Arena &Sept 20 — Sioux Falls, SD @ Denny Sanford PREMIER Center &Sept 25 — Lafayette, LA @ CAJUNDOME &Sept 26 — Birmingham, AL @ Coca-Cola Amphitheater &Sept 27 — Charleston, SC @ Credit One Stadium &Oct 3 — Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre &Oct 4 — West Palm Beach, FL @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre @
( #) co-headline with Brooks & Dunn
(%) already on-sale
(&) on-sale Jan. 24
(^) on-sale Jan. 31
(@) on-sale Feb. 21
Lady Gaga has been teasing her next era for more nearly a year. And while Little Monsters are well aware that LG7 (as they’ve been referring to her as-yet-untitled seventh studio album) is due out next month, at press time no additional information was available on the LP’s specific release date or track listing.
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The good news is that some news appears to be on the horizon. Over the weekend, Gaga launched a countdown clock on her official website that is slated to run out at 11 a.m. ET on Monday (Jan. 27). While the site update didn’t reveal any actual details, eagle-eyed Monsters noticed that when you swiped the blue crystals on the screen with your mouse they revealed the phrase “LG1” in the signature font from Gaga’s early career The Fame era; in addition, the crystals also called back to the oversized, bejeweled glasses she wore on the cover of her 2008 debut album.
Gaga’s upcoming album will be her first full-length solo LP since 2020’s Chromatica. To date, she’s released several versions of the album’s first single, “Disease,” as well as her Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 smash duet with Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile,” which will be included in the new album’s tracklist. In a recent interview, the singer called LG7 a life-spanning project that she promised is “full of [her] love of music,” with “so many different genres, so many different styles, so many different dreams.”
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She also said the collection “leaps around genre in a way that’s almost corrupt. And it ends with love. That’s the answer to all the chaos in my life is that I find peace with love. Every song that I wrote, I just kept getting kind of swept away in these different dreams I was having about the past — almost like a recollection of all these bad decisions that I made in my life.”
The album will drop just before Gaga headlines this year’s Coachella Festival on April 11 and 18.
Gaga will take the stage alongside Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, a reunited No Doubt, Katy Perry, Jelly Roll, Sting, Stevie Nicks, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Matthews, Green Day and many more at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles fore the FireAid Benefit Concert on Jan. 30 to support victims of the ongoing wildfire crisis that has devastated the L.A. area over the past two weeks.
BERLIN — In June, the three major labels sued the generative AI music companies Udio and Suno for training their software on copyrighted music without a license. Now, GEMA, the German PRO, is also taking legal action against Suno, in a case filed today (Jan. 21) in the Munich Regional Court.
In an announcement, GEMA said that it documented that the Suno system outputs content that “largely corresponds to world-famous works whose authors GEMA represents,” including “Forever Young” by Alphaville, “Mambo No. 5” by Lou Bega and “Daddy Cool” by Milli Vanilli creator Frank Farian, among others.
“AI providers such as Suno Inc. use our members’ works without their consent and profit financially from them,” said GEMA CEO Tobias Holzmüller in the announcement. “GEMA is endeavoring to find solutions in partnership with the AI companies. But this will not work without adhering to the necessary basic rules of fair cooperation and, above all, it will not work without the acquisition of licenses.”
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This case is very different from the litigation Suno faces in the U.S., which is spearheaded by the RIAA and involves recorded music owned by the major labels. Assuming that Suno has indeed trained its software on copyrighted recordings, as seems likely, that case will involve a determination of whether this would qualify as “fair use” – the legal doctrine that allows the unlicensed use of copyrighted works in some situations, including quotation and criticism. That can be notoriously complicated and it involves both specific facts and case law. It can also involve a great deal of money, since statutory damages for willful copyright infringement can reach $150,000 per work.
GEMA’s case involves the copyrights to songs, which it represents as a PRO, rather than those of recordings. The relevant legislation would be the European Union’s AI and Copyright directives, which allow copyright owners to “opt out” of having their works scanned in order to train AI software, and require “fair remuneration” if they are used. This is one of the first big cases involving this issue in Europe, as well as the first against a big generative music company. Any damages would almost certainly be more modest than they would in the U.S., but the case could establish whether AI companies need to license copyrighted works for software training purposes. Whatever the result, it is easy to imagine it being appealed to higher courts in Germany.
In November, GEMA also sued OpenAI for using lyrics of songs to which GEMA has rights in order to train its AI software. That case, also filed with the Munich Regional Court, only involves lyrics.
In its announcement, GEMA said Suno “outputs content that obviously infringes copyrights.” However, the issue in this case is not this output, but rather the music Suno has scanned during the process of training its software. If Suno has indeed scanned music for training purposes, it would presumably be infringing the rights in the songs as well as the recordings. Although a U.S. court could determine that this is fair use, that doctrine is a feature of Anglo-American law – the UK and British Commonwealth countries have “fair dealing,” which is similar but more limited – European laws are more strict. The EU Copyright Directive lays out “exceptions and limitations” to copyright, but it also provides authors and rightsholders the ability to opt-out of having their work scanned – or, as is more likely, to opt out until a license agreement is reached.
“The lawsuit against Suno Inc. is part of an overall concept of measures taken by GEMA,” said GEMA general counsel Kai Welp in the announcement of the case, “at the end of which there will be fair treatment of authors and their remuneration.”