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27 Nov 2023

Dolly Parton’s ‘Rockstar’ Roars In Atop Country, Rock & Alternative Album Charts

Dolly Parton’s 30-song set Rockstar, released Nov. 17, blasts in atop Billboard’s Top Country Albums and Top Rock & Alternative Albums charts (dated Dec. 2). The legend adds her ninth No. 1 on the former and her first on the latter.

The rock-influenced LP earned 128,000 equivalent album units, with 118,000 in album sales, in the week ending Nov. 23, according to Luminate.

The album opens at No. 3 on the all-genre Billboard 200, marking Parton’s third top 10 and highest career rank. She previously visited the tier with Blue Smoke (No. 6 in 2014) and Trio, a collaborative set with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris (No. 16 in 1987).

Rockstar additionally debuts at the summit on the all-genre Top Album Sales chart, becoming Parton’s first No. 1. Its first-week sales were bolstered by its availability at outlets including Barnes & Noble, Cracker Barrel, Dollar General and Target.

The set more than doubles Parton’s previous biggest sales week for an album, notched when Slow Dancing With the Moon sold 50,500 copies in its second chart week (March 20, 1993).

The star-studded Rockstar is being promoted as Parton’s first rock album, its recording initiated following her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. She initially declined the honor but after entering being enshrined went all-in with the release of Rockstar.

The collection mixes original songs and covers and boasts a long list of prominent credited guests, including Pat Benatar, Miley Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Mick Fleetwood, Peter Frampton, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Elton John, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, Chris Stapleton, Ringo Starr, Sting and Steven Tyler.

Parton first reached Top Country Albums with the aptly named Hello, I’m Dolly in November 1967. She scored the first of her 49 top 10s with Just Between You and Me, with Porter Wagoner (No. 8, March 1968), and her first No. 1 with her 34th entry, 1977’s New Harvest…First Gathering, which led for a week that May.

Rockstar is Parton’s first Top Country Albums No. 1 since A Holly Dolly Christmas in 2020. “I am so proud and humbled to have my album reach No. 1 on the Billboard country and holiday charts,” she beamed to Billboard that week. “Boy, what a great early Christmas present for me!”

Meanwhile, Parton leads Top Rock & Alternative Albums in her first appearance on the chart. (Rockstar also rules Top Rock Albums, likewise marking her first visit to the survey.)

The new album’s “World On Fire” debuted and peaked at No. 26 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs in May.

Plus, Parton’s cover of Prince and the Revolution’s “Purple Rain” enters the Rock Digital Song Sales chart at No. 14 (1,000 sold). It’s the sixth song from Rockstar to make the ranking, with three having hit the top 10 prior to the album’s release. “World On Fire” led for a week in May and her versions of The Beatles’ “Let It Be” (featuring McCartney and Starr) and Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” (featuring Cyrus) hit Nos. 2 and 6 in September and November, respectively.

27 Nov 2023

Jack Harlow Celebrates ‘Lovin on Me’ Becoming His Third Hot 100 No. 1 & He’s Just ‘Warming Up’

Jack Harlow is lovin’ being on top. The Kentucky rapper took to social media Monday (Nov. 27) to celebrate his latest single, “Lovin on Me,” reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Warming up. More coming,” he captioned his victorious Instagram carousel, which featured a text exchange between Harlow and one of the song’s producers, OZ, the latter of whom had sent over the “Whip Your Lovin Beat” and wrote “Heater” underneath it. “Woahhhhh,” reads the first part of Harlow’s response. “Don’t send that to a soul. I’m going in on that.”

After “Lovin on Me” debuted at No. 2 on the Hot 100 last week, it dethrones Taylor Swift‘s “Cruel Summer” this week (dated Dec. 2) following the song’s four-week reign on the all-genre songs tally.

The Cadillac Dale-sampling single is Harlow’s second solo Hot 100 No. 1 after “First Class,” the Fergie-sampling single from his sophomore album Come Home the Kids Miss You that spent three weeks at the top in April-May 2022, and third overall No. 1 after his “Industry Baby” collaboration with Lil Nas X, which spent one week at No. 1 in October 2021. Harlow is now one of only three artists to get at least one new Hot 100 No. 1 in each of the last three years, joining Drake and Swift (whose streaks both date to 2020).

The song is also spending a second week at No. 1 on both the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts.

27 Nov 2023

Taylor Swift’s Final Eras Tour Show of 2023, Beyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ Premiere & More | Billboard News

Tyla joins the Hot 100 top 10 for the first time as Jack Harlow’s “Lovin on Me” climbs to the top. Taylor Swift performed the final 2023 show of her Eras Tour and live-debuted the tracks “Say Don’t Go” & “It’s Time to Go” as surprise songs. Beyoncé stunned at the LA premiere of ‘Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé,’ set to premiere on December 1st. Billboard staffers have put together a list of items to snag this holiday season for the music lovers in your life — introducing The Shop 100. And more!

Kyle Denis: Taylor Swift surprises fans, Beyonce stuns with silver hair at her premiere, we check out who lands on top of the Hot 100. This week, Landon Barker schools us on his hometown slang and Billboard helps you with your holiday shopping.

What’s good, y’all? I’m Kyle Denis, staff writer here at Billboard, bringing you the news for Monday, November 27th. Let’s get right into these charts. Drake’s ‘For All The Dogs’ lands back on top of the Billboard 200 after ‘Scary Hours Deluxe’ and on the Hot 100, it looks like we have a new No. 1, check it out.

Alyssa Caverly:
This is the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 for the week dated December 2nd.

Tyla enters the top 10 for the first time at the No. 10 spot with “Water.” Taylor Swift drops four spots from No. 5 to No. 9.

“Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” from Brenda Lee re-enters the chart at No. 8 for the holiday season.

Tate McRae moves up to No. 7.

Zach and Kacey hold strong at No. 6. SZA’s “Snooze” drops one spot to No. 5.

Mariah and her “All I Want for Christmas Is You” re-enters at No. 4.

Doja Cat holds on to our third spot and Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” takes spot No. 2, making Jack Harlow grab the top spot with “Lovin’ on Me” as his third No. 1.

Taylor Swift wrapped up the South American leg of her Eras Tour and surprised fans at her final show of 2023. The Eras Tour is a gift that keeps on giving and Taylor just showed some love to one of her ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ fan favorites.

Watch the full video above!

27 Nov 2023

TOMORROW X TOGETHER Deliver Stripped-Back Performances of ‘Chasing That Feeling’ & More for Tiny Desk Korea: Watch

TOMORROW X TOGETHER is the latest K-pop group to perform on Tiny Desk Korea, taking to the intimate live concert program to perform a trio of songs.

In the video, released to NPR’s official YouTube page on Monday (Nov. 27), members Yeonjun, Soobin, Beomgyu, Taehyun and HueningKai sat next to each other in a blue room, complete with a small library and just enough space for the trio of backup singers, instrumentalists and some decoration to liven up the space.

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For the set, the K-pop group delivered performances from their recently released album, The Name Chapter: Temptation, which was released on Oct. 13 and hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The quartet kicked off their performance with a laid-back version of “Skipping Stones,” hitting the track’s high notes with ease and getting help with intricate harmonies from the backup singers.

“Hello, we are TOMORROW X TOGETHER. First of all, thank you for inviting us to Tiny Desk Korea. We are so grateful to be here,” the boys said in Korean, before introducing the members of their backing band and heading into the subsequent tracks. “This gives us the opportunity to present our music in a different light. We’re going to have so much fun.”

“Happily Ever After” was up next for the boys; whereas the original features bouncy, dance instrumentals and synth, the Tiny Desk version of the track was slightly jazzier while maintaining its upbeat nature, and featured the K-pop stars all joining in for the infectious “la la la la la” portion of the chorus. The set concluded with the second The Name Chapter: Temptation single “Chasing That Feeling” and giving the crowd, as well as their band, a heartfelt thank you.

Watch TXT’s full Tiny Desk concert in the video above.

27 Nov 2023

SZA, Usher Atop The Soul Train Awards 2023 Winners’ List

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Soul Train Awards 2023 - Show

Source: Paras Griffin / Getty

The 2023 Soul Train Awards were full of festive performances, featuring wins from SZA and Usher with honors given to Janelle Monae’ and T-Pain.

On Sunday (November 26), BET aired The 2023 Soul Train Awards from Hollywood, California with Emmy Award-winning actress and entrepreneur Keke Palmer as the host. The night was filled with top-notch performances from Coco Jones, BJ The Chicago Kid, Danté Bowe, Fridayy, Muni Long, and Jermaine Dupri along with SWV who appeared as special guests. The winners’ list was dominated by SZA, fueled by the success of her recent album, SOS. She would take home the Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and The Ashford and Simpson Songwriter’s Award. It’s the second time that SZA has won the Best R&B/Soul Female Artist Award, and the sixth straight time a woman has won the Album of The Year.

R&B superstar Usher followed behind her with three wins in the Certified Soul Award, Best R&B/Soul Male Artist as well as the Best Collaboration Award, which saw him win for “Good Good” which he did in conjunction with Summer Walker and 21 Savage. Victoria Monét would also walk away with two trophies for her hit single “On My Mama”, winning the Best Dance Performance and Video of The Year Awards. Keke Palmer would also perform her single “Ungorgeous” in addition to her hosting duties.

The crowd also witnessed Coco Jones take home the award for Best New Artist, and then get on stage with SWV as part of the iconic trio’s appearance later on in the show.



Janelle Monáe was honored with the Spirit of Soul Award, which was presented to her by the viral Hip-Hop duo Flyana Boss.



T-Pain was also honored with the Legend Award. The R&B singer and producer took the stage and delivered a moving speech to the crowd, before taking the stage to perform some of his major hits including “I’m In Luv”, “Good Life” and “Got Money”.



27 Nov 2023

Blue Ivy Fought For Her Spot in Beyonce’s Renaissance Tour

Blue Ivy has become a fan-favorite part of her mother Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour, taking the stage for “My Power” and “Black Parade” night after night, with her confidence evolving over the course of the tour. In Bey’s new Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé concert documentary, it became evident that the 11-year-old fought for her place onstage.

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According to the New York Times, Blue’s performance was only supposed to be a one-off. “She told me she was ready to perform, and I told her no,” Bey says in the film, noting that the child was devastated after reading comments criticizing her initial performance. However, the “Break My Soul” superstar said she was proud that her daughter, instead of quitting, chose to train harder for future dances.

When Blue first started joining her mother onstage, Bey also shared how proud she was of her eldest girl. “My beautiful first born ?? I’m so proud and thankful to be your mama. You bring us so much joy, my sweet angel,” she wrote in a May 29 post.

Blue’s grandmother, Tina Knowles-Lawson, told People of Blue back in July, “She’s having the time of her life, and I couldn’t be more proud of her because she really worked hard.” She added, “She is 11 years old, and she had one week to prepare, and she’s just getting better and better. So I’m the proud grandma, always.”

27 Nov 2023

Beyoncé Says Online Criticism Motivated Blue Ivy To Work Harder On Her Dance Skills

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Beyoncé RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR - Atlanta

Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty

Everyone knows that if you come for Beyoncé or her baby, Blue Ivy, the BeyHive will be on your a**! But that doesn’t mean that Blue Ivy isn’t aware of the negativity that comes with being in the spotlight, and apparently it actually pushes her to be better at what she does.

According to the New York Times, in her new film, Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, Beyoncé explained how she reacted to Blue’s request to join her on stage as a backup dancer (she said “no”) and the fallout that came after she relented and eventually let her be a part of her choreographed crew. As many know, Blue’s initial performance wasn’t exactly up to par with the rest of Beyoncé’s squad, and unfortunately, social media let her know as much.

While big momma Bey might’ve wanted to shield her daughter from the negativity, Blue ultimately learned of the online criticism she was getting. Instead of letting it get her down and dissuade her from continuing to perform, it only motivated her to put in the work and get better at the craft. Props!

Everything culminated to Blue Ivy’s stellar performance alongside her mother in Paris, which surprised fans who delighted in the visibly improved dance skills that Blue worked so hard to correct.



You gotta love it.

Even her grandmama, Ms. Tina Knowles, took to social media to praise her for doing her thing on stage and working hard to get better at her one-two step. “I am truly amazed by the courage that this brave, talented, beautiful 11 year old exhibited last night! There were almost 70,000 people in that audience. She danced with professional dancers, grown folks, she did complicated choreography and moves that they rehearsed for months ! She rehearsed and learned this in a little over a week,” Knowles said.

While we don’t know if this will lead to Blue pursuing a career in dancing, music or any other avenue of entertainment, at least we know she’ll put in that work to be the best she can be in that field. She’s a soldier, b.

Will you be checking out Beyoncé’s Renaissance film when it hits theaters this week? Let us know in the comments section below.

27 Nov 2023

‘Mr. Big Stuff’ Singer Jean Knight Dies at 80

Jean Knight, the R&B singer best known for her 1971 hit “Mr. Big Stuff” died at 80 on Wednesday (Nov. 22). “New Orleans and the music world mourns the loss of one its most treasure musical daughters, Jean Knight,” her family said in a statement shared with USA Today.

Rolling Stone also confirmed the singer’s passing with longtime friend Bernie Cyrus — who was the executive director of the Louisiana Music Commission for decades — who said, “She was always willing to get involved with good causes and help out.”

Cyrus said the bouncy soul-stirring song was “just so universal. People remember it. And look, so many people covered it. But nobody did it like Jean.”

Surrounded by music in her hometown of New Orleans, Knight — who was born Jean Caliste on Jan. 26, 1943 — began singing around town after graduating from high school and recorded her first single, a cover of Jackie Wilson’s “Stop Doggin’ Me Around” in 1965, which got her a recording contract with the Jet Star/Tribe record label.

Her climb to fame began when she met producer Wardell Quezerque; he took her to Jackson, Miss., where she recorded “Mr. Big Stuff,” which became her first single and the title track from her debut studio album on Stax Records. The song earned a Grammy nomination for best female R&B vocal performance, and in July 1971, it reached the top of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where it remained for five weeks; the song peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 the following month. The album itself reached a high of No. 60 on the Billboard 200 in September 1971.

“Jean Knight’s legacy is not just a musical one; it is a testament to the enduring love between an artist, her hometown, and the fans who adored her,” the family’s statement to USA Today noted. “As we bid farewell to this iconic soulstress, New Orleans and her global fan base join together in gratitude for the indelible mark she left on the world.”

27 Nov 2023

12 Best Cyber Monday Deals Under $20: Beauty, Tech, Fashion & More

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.

Cyber Monday marks one of the last days ahead of the holiday season when you can take advantage of major savings on gifts for everyone on your list. With so many discounts, it can be overwhelming trying to find some of the cheapest yet most quality items to save on. Thankfully, brands like Amazon, Walmart, Sephora, Madewell and more are putting on huge savings events — including sales offering up to 60% off.

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If you don’t want to spend a lot this shopping season, there are plenty of opportunities to save your money, only spend $20 and under and still cross all your most-wanted or needed items off your list. No matter if you’re hunting for celebrity fragrances, band T-shirts or Bluetooth earbuds to upgrade your listening experience, there are plenty of Cyber Monday deals under $20 ripe for the taking.

Rather than aimlessly wander the Internet finding these sales your self, Billboard Shopping did the work for you and put together our list of the best Cyber Monday deals under $20, with products ranging from tech, to beauty, to fashion and more. You won’t want to sleep on it — all of these sales will be ending at midnight tonight.

Keep reading to shop our favorites.

Best Cyber Monday Tech Deals Under $20

black portable speaker with rainbow lights

Walmart

Hoey Portable Party Bluetooth 5.0 Speaker

$18.99

$39.99

53% off

Hoey’s Bluetooth speaker takes relying on your phone or smart device’s built-in speaker to blast your tunes. Instead, you’ll get clear audio in a sleek and compact device that’s both water- and dust-proof.

black remote next to black adapter

Amazon

Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite

$15.99

$29.99

47% off

Amazon’s Fire TV Stick Lite is not only 47% off, but brings all your streaming to one spot. The slim adapter simply plugs into your TV, then you can customize your home with apps from the Amazon store. Play music, watch TV and movies on streamers like Hulu, Paramount+, Prime Video and more.

black case with wireless earbuds charging

Amazon

TOZO T10 Bluetooth 5.3 Wireless Earbuds

$18.99

$39.99

53% off

Rather than drop hundreds of dollars on designer wireless earbuds, these Bluetooth earbuds give you high-quality performance and at 53% off. A single charge will provide you with up to 10 hours of nonstop listening without the case and up to 45 hours when you take the fully charged case with you.

Best Cyber Monday Fashion Deals Under $20

model wearing white cropped turtleneck with black silk skirt

Madewell

Madewell Cropped Turtleneck

$16.80

$42

60% off

Madewell’s Cyber Monday deals are giving you 60% off styles including this cropped turtleneck. The versatile design makes it easy to pair with skirts, jeans, trousers and more — and you can also wear it alone or layer it with a vest or jacket.

dark wash denim purse

Urban Outfitters

BDG Serena Mini Tote Bag

$11.40

$29

61% off

Bags are an essential accessory to pair with almost every outfits. BDG’s Serena Mini Tote combines style with functionality using a denim material with two handles and a crossbody strap to personalize to fit your needs. The main interior pocket is large enough to fit your phone, wallet, concealer and more.

model wearing black high-rise joggers with matching crop top

Gap

Gap High-Rise Boyfriend Joggers

$19

$49.95

62% off

For the days you just want to dress comfy, Gap’s high-rise joggers can bring coziness without sacrificing trendiness. The fabric is made from a cotton and polyester mix for extra softness while the elastic waist aims to stretch and rest on your hips — so you can avoid constantly stopping to pull your pants up.

Best Cyber Monday Beauty Deals Under $20

black tube of red lipstick

Sephora

Saie Lip Blur Soft-Matte Hydrating Lipstick

$12

$24

50% off

Saie infused the nourishment of chapstick with the tint of a lipstick in this Lip Blur Soft-Matte Hydrating Lipstick. Each tube is compact enough to take with you on the go and is formulated with hyaluronic acid that’s buildable and aims to leave behind a matte finish.

silver tube of mascara

Saks Fifth Ave

Benefit Cosmetics They’re Real! Lengthening & Volumizing Mascara

$12.75

$15

15% off

Billboard has tested out this Benefit mascara and loves its lifting abilities and long-lasting formula. The bristles are small enough to separate each lash to avoid a clumpy appearance and you most likely won’t have to reach for an eyelash curler as it does the heavy lifting for you.

red detangling hairbrush front and side-view

Nordstrom

Tangle Teezer Thick & Curly Detangling Hair Brush

$11.89

$13.99

15% off

Anyone with thick and/or curly hair will be praising this Tangle Teezer brush‘s ability to help detangle and smooth strands. It’s designed with FirmFlex technology to help reduce frizz right from the root and down to the ends — and without brushing out any curl.

Best Cyber Monday Home Deals Under $20

gray set of sheets

Amazon

BELADOR Silky Sheet Set

$16.14

$59.99

73% off

Refresh your bedding with a six-piece set of sheets for 73% off. Each set comes with up to four pillowcases, a fitted sheet and a flat sheet made from a soft double-brushed microfiber. The 16-inch deep pockets will also help prevent your fitted sheet from coming undone.

white candle with gold top

Anthropologie

Capri Blue Volcano Capiz Jar Candle​

$11.20

$16

30% off

Add some coziness to your home with a Capri Blue candle from Anthropologie. It’s not only display-worthy thanks to the smooth white scallop design, but has become a cult favorite for its notes of sugared oranges, lemons and limes mixed with light mountain greens.

4-pack of ribbed white towels

Target

Threshold Quick Dry Ribbed Bath Towel Set

$8.20

$12

32% off

Complete your bathroom with a fresh set of towels for less than $10. Threshold’s four-pack towel set comes in a variety of shades from neutral to statement colors as well as two hand towels and two wash cloths made from 100% terry cotton.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best TV deals, Everlane sales and Ulta Beauty sales.

27 Nov 2023

Young Thug’s YSL Trial Kicks Off With Quote From ‘The Jungle Book’ – And Messy Delays

Atlanta prosecutors accused chart-topping rapper Young Thug of running a criminal street gang that operated like a “pack” of wolves during opening statements of the artist’s high-profile racketeering trial on Monday (Nov. 27).

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Kicking off a complex trial that is expected to last as long as a year, Fulton County Chief Deputy District Attorney Adriane Love read a passage from Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book about wolf packs — and said that Thug’s gang had similarly “operated as a pack.”

“For ten years and counting, the group calling itself ‘Young Slime Life’ dominated the Cleveland Avenue community,” Love told the jury. “They created a crater … that sucked in the youth and innocence and even the lives of some its youngest members.”

Love repeatedly referred to Thug as “King Slime” and portrayed him as the clear leader of the gang: “The evidence will show that the members of YSL knew who their leader was, and they knew the repercussions of not obeying him.”

In an indictment unveiled last year, Fulton County prosecutors alleged that Thug (Jeffery Williams) and his “YSL” were not really a popular music collective called “Young Stoner Life,” but a violent Atlanta gang called “Young Slime Life” that committed murders, carjackings, drug dealing and other crimes over the course of a decade.

Along with other charges, Thug is accused of violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, a law based on the more famous federal RICO statute that’s been used to target the mafia, drug cartels and other forms of organized crime. If convicted on all eight of his counts, Thug faces decades in prison.

Go read an explainer of the YSL case here, including a full breakdown of the legal charges and a deep-dive into the background of the accusations.

After months of slow-moving jury selection, Monday morning was set to finally mark the start of the trial for Thug and five remaining alleged members of his gang. But the start of the hearing was delayed for an hour over a missing juror; then, just minutes into Love’s statements, the case was bogged down in objections, forcing Judge Ural Glanville to clear the jury from the courtroom.

Defense attorneys first claimed that Love was “burden shifting” in her explanation of the case to jurors – meaning she was wrongly making it appear that the defendants would need to prove that they were innocent. Thug’s lawyer, Brian Steel, then moved for a mistrial after he claimed that Love had shown jurors evidence that had already been explicitly banned from the case. Glanville later denied that request but admonished the state for how it had prepared its opening statements.

Eventually, after a lunch break and extended disputes among counsel for both sides, jurors returned to the courtroom for opening statements to continue throughout the afternoon.

This is a developing story and will be updated later today with more information from Monday’s hearing.