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17 Nov 2023

Drake, André 3000, Tate McRae & More: Which Is Your Favorite Music Release of the Week? Vote!

Thanksgiving is around the corner, and there’s plenty of new music this Friday to be grateful for, thanks to new releases from Drake, André 3000, Tate McRae and more.

Despite releasing two albums already in the past year — last month’s For All the Dogs and 2022’s collaborative Her Loss album alongside 21 Savage — Drake had even more creative gas in the tank to pump out one more project before the end of 2023 with For All the Dogs Scary Hours Edition, the third installment of his Scary Hours extended play series. The rapper takes a stab at virality by name-checking both Taylor Swift and Ye on “Red Button,” boldly dabbles over soul beats on “You Broke My Heart,” and lets it be known on “Stories About My Brother” that a true break from the spotlight may never be in his cards (“We’ll get to the vacation later”).

When murmurs of an André 3000 album started swirling, fans of the OutKast member were eager for some new rhymes. While he didn’t deliver any bars on his latest album, New Blue Sun — on which he has a song titled “I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time” — the musician lets his flute playing shine. Lengthy tracks on the project push the boundaries of his artistry and shows what he can do instrumentally.

Tate McRae is cementing her place in the spotlight. Fresh off the success of her viral hit “greedy,” the budding star — the new Billboard cover star and a performer at Sunday’s 2023 Billboard Music Awards — released the new track “Exes,” in which she channels all the 2000s pop greats (Britney, Christina, Nelly, Gwen) while delivering a punchy kiss-off to the guys who ever dared to try living without her.

Sabrina Carpenter and Ozuna also returned with new projects, but which release is your favorite? Vote in our poll below.

17 Nov 2023

Green Day Rules Mainstream Rock Airplay With ‘The American Dream Is Killing Me’

Green Day hits No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart for the eighth time, as “The American Dream Is Killing Me” jumps 3-1 on the ranking dated Nov. 25.

It reigns in its fourth week on the list, making it the third song to reach No. 1 in four weeks or fewer in 2023, following Linkin Park’s “Lost” in March and Foo Fighters’ “Rescued” in May (both four frames).

“The American Dream Is Killing Me” is the first No. 1 on Mainstream Rock Airplay for Green Day since “Oh Yeah!,” which reigned for two weeks in April 2020. The band first ruled with 14-frame leader “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” beginning in January 2005. In between “Oh Yeah!” and its most recent ruler, the trio also appeared with “Pollyanna,” which peaked at No. 27 in August 2021.

Concurrently, “The American Dream Is Killing Me” bullets at its No. 2 high on Alternative Airplay and lifts 21-18 on Adult Alternative Airplay. It reigns for a second week on the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart with 9.5 million audience impressions Nov. 10-16, according to Luminate.

The song ranked at No. 26 on the most recently published multi-metric Hot Rock & Alternative Songs tally. In addition to its radio airplay, it earned 632,000 official U.S. streams in the Nov. 3-9 tracking week.

“The American Dream Is Killing Me” is the lead single from Saviors, Green Day’s 14th studio album, due Jan. 19, 2024. It’s the band’s first LP since 2020’s Father of All Motherfuckers, which debuted at No. 1 on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums ranking dated Feb. 22, 2020.

17 Nov 2023

2023 Billboard Music Awards: All the Performers & How to Watch

Fans who tune in to the 2023 Billboard Music Awards on Sunday will see performances by Morgan Wallen, Mariah Carey, Peso Pluma, Tate McRae, Bebe Rexha & David Guetta, Stray Kids, NewJeans and KAROL G. Performances and awards will roll out across BBMAs and Billboard social channels, as well as via BBMAs.watch, on Sunday (Nov. 19) beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

The performances will be tailored to each artist. Wallen will perform “98 Braves” from the Braves’ home field, Truist Park in Atlanta, while the country superstar is in the midst of his sold-out U.S. tour.

Carey will give a festive, Aspen-inspired performance of “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which will mark the first time the holiday perennial has ever been performed on an awards show. Legendary choreographer (and onetime R&B chart hitmaker) Debbie Allen will oversee creative direction of the sequence.

Peso Pluma’s performance of “Rubicón” will include a special guest appearance by boxing legend Mike Tyson, who is a self-declared Pluma superfan. Over the summer, Tyson posted a video promoting Pluma’s album, Génesis, saying, “Ahhh, it’s my sh–!” when one of the songs started playing.

McRae will make her BBMAs debut by performing her hit “greedy,” which leaps from No. 22 to No. 11 on this week’s Billboard Hot 100. The performance was filmed at the new Moxy Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

Rexha and Guetta will perform their global hit “I’m Good (Blue)” and their follow-up “One in a Million.”

Stray Kids will make their BBMAs debut with an action-packed performance featuring two of their hit singles, “S-Class” and “LALALALA.” This will mark the first time “LALALALA” has been performed on an awards show.

NewJeans will perform “Super Shy” and “OMG,” two of their five songs that made the Hot 100 this year.

The lineup includes two K-pop acts (NewJeans and Stray Kids) and two Latin artists (Peso Pluma and Karol G), which says a lot about the increased diversification of the contemporary music scene.

Taylor Swift is the top finalist at the 2023 BBMAs with nods in 20 categories. Wallen and SZA are runners-up, with 17 entries each. They are followed by The Weeknd (16); Drake and Zach Bryan (14); Luke Combs (10); 21 Savage, Metro Boomin and Miley Cyrus (nine each); Beyoncé and Rema (seven each); Bad Bunny and Pluma (six each); and Ariana Grande, Guetta, Eslabon Armado, Karol G, NewJeans and Selena Gomez (five each).

The 2023 BBMAs will honor the year’s hottest names in music determined by year-end performance metrics on the Billboard charts. The program, produced by Dick Clark Productions, will deliver a reimagined award show concept that will entertain fans with music and exclusive content. Performances and award celebrations will take place in global locations, in the midst of sold-out tours, and in custom venues.

In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, the BBMAs and Spotify Fans First have teamed up to identify fans who have consumed the most hours of music over the past year and helped drive their favorite artists to the top spots on the Billboard charts. These fans received a “golden ticket” granting them access to attend a performance curated by their favorite artists, expressly for the 2023 BBMAs.

Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott’s travel program and marketplace, is presenting this year’s BBMAs. Other sponsors include Lexus, who surprised one lucky fan with VIP treatment with a private ride in a luxury Lexus vehicle to the one-of-a-kind performance.

Here’s the full list of 2023 Billboard Music Awards performers:

Mariah Carey

KAROL G

Tate McRae

NewJeans

Peso Pluma

Bebe Rexha & David Guetta

Stray Kids

Morgan Wallen

17 Nov 2023

How to Watch ACC Men’s Basketball on Sling TV

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ACC men’s basketball is in full swing, with matches taking place from now until the 71st annual ACC tournament in early March (and of course the March Madness NCAA men’s basketball tournament, for the teams lucky enough to make the cut).

Whether you’re currently in school or are an alum looking to continue supporting your college’s team, there are plenty of opportunities to watch the games live — especially if you aren’t able to travel to watch games in-person.

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Clear your schedule this weekend, as Friday (Nov. 17) will see a slew of ACC teams in the mix, Duke going up against Bucknell at 6 p.m. ET, NC State playing Charleston Southern at 7 p.m. ET, Wake Forest facing Towson at 7 p.m. ET, Pitt playing Jacksonville at 7 p.m. ET, Florida State facing in-state rival Florida at 7 p.m. ET, and North Carolina up against U.C. Riverside at 8 p.m. ET.

If that isn’t enough college basketball for you, then you can also catch the Massachusetts match-up of Boston College vs. Harvard on Saturday (Nov. 18) at 5 p.m. ET, while Sunday (Nov. 19) sees Clemson playing Boise State at 1 p.m. ET, Louisville facing Texas at 3:30 p.m. ET, and Virginia Tech versus Wottford at 5 p.m. ET.

Keep reading to learn how to take advantage of Sling TV’s affordable streaming options to watch ACC men’s college basketball.

How to Watch ACC Men’s Basketball on Sling TV

ACC men’s basketball can be viewed on the ACC Network or through ESPN channels. If you have cable, then you can view the games for no additional cost — just check with your cable provider’s channel guide to find the exact channel.

Don’t have cable? Sling TV is offering a 50% off discount for the first month, which drops the price to only $20 (regularly $40). Click here or the button below to redeem the half-off offer.

The Orange plan includes ESPN as well as 31 additional channels, so you can watch the ACC men’s basketball games and more. Plus, you’ll have access to DVR storage to watch or rewatch matches later on. The Blue plan includes 40 channels (not including ESPN) and if you want the most content offerings, then you can combine the two plans for just $27.50 (regularly $55) for the first month and get all the channels, DVR storage and the ability to stream on more than one device.

Sling TV is also flexible, meaning there’s no annual contract and you can cancel at any time as well as personalize your plan to fit your needs.

17 Nov 2023

Oliver Anthony’s ‘Rich Men’ Has Cooled Compared to Other No. 1 Hits — But His DIY Approach Has Advantages, Too

For artists who choose not to sign with a record label, some may be independent and others will be do-it-yourself independent.

What’s the difference? Take Laufey, the Icelandic jazz artist whose latest album, Bewitched, reached No. 23 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in September. Laufey is signed to AWAL, the Sony Music-owned company that provides marketing and distribution services for independent artists. She hasn’t signed away the rights to her music, but AWAL helps promote her recordings at digital service providers and retail.

Oliver Anthony Music, on the other hand, is DIY independent. By all appearances, the “Rich Men North of Richmond” singer, whose real name is Christopher Anthony Lunsford, has left his recordings on autopilot without any kind of marketing behind them since he broke into the national consciousness in August and topped the Hot 100 for two straight weeks. Following the success of “Rich Men,” Lunsford has released more songs without the usual promotional muscle required to get new music noticed. As he told Billboard earlier this week, he manages himself and is avoiding record labels as he prepares to record an album.

He’s clearly getting some help. Lunsford has a basic but professional website and an e-commerce store that sells a handful of variations on Oliver Anthony Music hats, T-shirts, bumper stickers and beer koozies. For concerts, Anthony signed with UTA for representation and has a year of touring ahead of him, starting in February with dates in Europe and the Eastern half of the United States. He has an informal publicist who helps with media requests. And he told Billboard he has encountered “many artists,” such as country star Jamey Johnson, who have lent support and guidance.

Comparing “Rich Men” to other tracks to reach No. 1 on the Hot 100 this year, though, suggests being DIY creates some missed opportunities. Combined sales and streams of Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers,” Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero,” Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” and SZA’s “Kill Bill” dropped between 17% and 55% over the 10-week period after the last date those tracks were No. 1. “Rich Men,” in contrast, dropped 83.4%. It makes sense: A major label marketing machine is better than an independent artist’s system in helping a track get hot and maintain momentum over months and years.

With a little help, “Rich Men” could arguably have far more sales and streams. As a DIY artist, Lunsford uses social media activity to keep listeners engaged and depends on the continued interest of journalists to keep him in the public eye. As he told Billboard this week, becoming a full-time musician means “you’re essentially a business owner and an entrepreneur and a lot of other things, too. And those are things I’m not quite used to yet.”

But Lunsford has done extremely well taking the DIY route. Billboard estimates that “Rich Men” has grossed $2 million from recorded music and publishing royalties from U.S. sales and streams since its release in August. While his weekly download sales are down sharply from their peak in August, our estimates still put the track’s royalties at an impressive $60,000 per week. And because Oliver Anthony Music is a DIY independent artist who retains the rights to his master recording and publishing, he should be pocketing nearly all that money (less any fees for distribution and publishing administration).

Besides, Lunsford seems content being a DIY artist — even if that means leaving money and celebrity on the table. There’s something to be said about saying “no” to the usual impulses to staff up and scale a business as fast as possible. Lunsford can ease into stardom at a comfortable pace rather than jump headfirst into the music business’ shark-filled waters. Read through the YouTube comments to his videos and you sense that listeners put value in Lunsford not being an industry insider — it adds to his authenticity. At the end of the day, not being too much of a business is probably good for Lunsford’s business.

Surprisingly, “Rich Men” has held up better than a couple of other No. 1s in 2023: Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town” and Jimin’s “Like Crazy.” Track sales and streams for “Try That” dropped 91.1% in the 10 weeks after it was No. 1. For “Like Crazy,” the first No. 1 for a solo member of superstar K-pop group BTS, track sales and streams dropped 92.9% over the same period. Although “Rich Men” has fallen far from its peak, its 83.4% drop in track sales and streams is considerably better than those other two hits.

There are obvious parallels between “Try That” and “Rich Men.” Both reached No. 1 because of widespread media attention. Both started conversations about social issues: race for Aldean, class for Lunsford. Both were celebrated as conservative anthems, although Anthony has distanced himself from political partisanship. Both are country tracks — Aldean’s a mainstream song built for maximum radio play, Lunsford’s a more old-fashioned slice of Appalachian roots music.

What’s more, both “Try That” and “Rich Men” did brisk business in track sales. As Billboard noted when “Rich Men” ascended the chart, artists popular with conservatives often have strong download numbers. In a typical week, the No. 1 track on the Hot 100 might sell 15,000 downloads, but when the culture wars stoke demand, the No. 1 will sell ten times that many. “Try That” sold 175,000 downloads in the week it was No. 1, while “Rich Men” averaged 132,000 weekly downloads in its two weeks atop the Hot 100.

Download buyers don’t offer the same consistency as streamers, though, and both “Rich Men” and “Try That” lost 99% of their track sales in the 10 weeks after they topped the chart. And because download sales were a big reason why those tracks reached No. 1, their total consumption (measured in both download sales and streams) dropped more than No. 1s that relied more on streaming. But heavy download sales were instrumental in getting each track to No. 1, and “Rich Men” still sells well, too: Last week, the track was the No. 41 most purchased track in the United States., according to Luminate.

Lunsford could easily ditch the DIY approach and assemble a team, but he’s in the rare position of not necessarily needing one. “Rich Men” succeeded without help from a marketing expert, social media guru or even a manager. Instead, Lunsford benefitted from an unprecedented groundswell of interest that gifted him an immense online following. His 1.15 million YouTube followers give him a similar audience as more established country musicians Kenny Chesney and Zac Brown Band, and twice as many as Grammy winner Kacey Musgraves. He has about as many Spotify followers as Bailey Zimmerman, a rising country star signed to Warner Music Nashville and Elektra Records.

When Lunsford eventually releases a new album, he won’t need many resources to instantly reach millions of fans — and he prefers it that way. “I think the most special thing about it being on the chart at all,” he told Billboard, “is that it made it to the chart without some big, corporate schmucky schmuck somewhere pumping a bunch of money into making it get there.”

17 Nov 2023

BiKN shibuya 2023 Highlights Sunset Rollercoaster, Silica Gel, ena mori & More Acts From Across Asia

On Nov. 3, six venues in Tokyo — Spotify O-EAST, Spotify O-WEST, Spotify O-nest, Shibuya duo MUSIC EXCHANGE, club asia, and Shibuya 7th FLOOR — hosted BiKN shibuya 2023, a multi-site event that brought together high-profile artists from across Asia.

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BiKN shibuya is a new event, held for the first time this year. It featured performances by the Taiwanese guitar-centered band Sunset Rollercoaster, which truly shined in this year’s Coachella and Summer Sonic, Korea’s Silica Gel, Malaysia’s babychair, ena mori from the Philippines, and more. Japanese artists included Ai Higuchi, DYGL, She Her Her Hers, The fin., and other artists who have already received effusive praise overseas. All in all, 35 artists performed at the event.

The opener at Shibuya duo MUSIC EXCHANGE was Japanese rock band DYGL. Vocalist and guitarist Akiyama kicked off the show with “Good morning. We’re DYGL!” and launched into “Waves.” The gentle, warm sound of the band immediately rang through the venue. DYGL had just finished its Asian tour in October, playing in Taiwan, China, and other locations, and this was the first time it had played in Japan since returning.

They then played their newest song, “Acervation,” which was released on October 11, and followed it with four new songs in a row, “New Song,” “Evil,” “Ain’t Nothing,” and “Shadow,” captivating the audience in both mind and body. “We’re so glad to be able to play here in BiKN today,” said the singer before belting out the closing song, “All I Want.” The band was a great top batter, leaving the whole audience feeling satisfied as they left the stage.

At 2:20 p.m., Japanese artist Cody Lee took the stage at Spotify O-EAST. Their set began with the beautiful but wistful arpeggio of “Dancing Lights.” The entire audience, from venue wall to venue wall, swayed to the cozy soundscape. The band then played the danceable “Tootles” and the funky “Aliens and Sweltering Nights.” The crowd continued to heat up. Their diverse set kept going with “Sayonara,” a heartrending song with a retro feel, and the powerful “Wo Ai Ni” and “Mong Mong.” They mentioned the band Sorry Youth, who their set overlapped with, and talked about their love for Taiwan before launching into “See You at Night Market,” a song they wrote in a Taiwanese night market. The slow pace of the song, which had a particularly Chinese feel, was exquisite. 

Vocalist and guitarist Takahashi talked again about how unfortunate the overlapping timetable was, and then the band began playing a cover of the Sorry Youth song “Sorry No Youth.” Towards the end of the song, members of Sorry Youth, who had finished their own set, joined Cody Lee on stage as guests in a special collaboration, bringing to song to an exciting climax. The last song of the set was the punk-inspired “When I was cityboy.” The band showed the primal urgency behind their music as they brought the genre-spanning set to its end.

In the middle stretch of the event, ena mori, an artist with Filipino and Japanese roots, was joined by keyboardist Tim and drummer Cairo in club asia. This Japanese performance was ena mori’s first set with a full band. She started with “VIVID,” an energetic, danceable tune, to the cheers and applause of the audience. From the very start, there was power in her voice, which she occasionally accompanied with tambourine. Her cute pop performance immediately captivated everyone in the crowd. As the audience grew larger and larger, she performed killer tunes like the party anthems “KING OF THE NIGHT” and “TALK TALK.” As the band ratcheted the excitement up with its powerful grooves, the voltage in the air of club asia reached its peak. 

She then performed “A HIGHER PLACE,” a song about how her experiences kept from getting up her expectations, and then “SOS,” which brought out rounds of applause. During the show, ena mori talked about how playing live in Japan had been something she had dreamed about since her teens, having lived in the Philippines since first going there at the age of 15 as an exchange student. She performed “Ichigo Milk,” a collaboration with Tomggg, and “WHITE ROOM,” before finishing off with “RUNAWAY HOLIDAY!” It was an unparalleled performance, like the physical embodiment of music itself. She left the audience enthralled as she exited the stage.

At 7:10 p.m., Korea’s Silica Gel took to the stage as the finishing act at duo MUSIC EXCHANGE. It was the band’s first time to play in Japan in five years. The set began with “Sister,” which painted a fantastic soundscape with its synth highlights and rough undertones. Most of the set’s songs were from Machine Boy, which the band released earlier this year. The intro to “NO PAIN” brought out huge cheers from the audience, and then “Budland” showed off the band members’ emotional playing and staging. The heavy groove of “Realize” pumped the venue full of energy. In “Tik Tak Tok,” a funky, danceable rhythm intertwined with sharp guitar lines. The ensemble reached a fever pitch, creating an overwhelming spectacle. 

The band spoke to the audience in Japanese and English, sharing their joy at playing in Japan for the first time in such a long while, a sentiment which was palpable to the audience. The next block showed off the band’s cooler side, with “Mercurial” and “Desert Eagle.” “We’ll be coming back to Japan, so make sure to come see us again!” With that, the show reached its grand finale as the band began its last song, the up-tempo “Everybody Does,” which was one of the band’s first numbers. The audience could not contain its excitement, though, so the band immediately returned to the stage for an encore. They played the bittersweet “9,” an unplanned addition to the set, as their true final song, bringing an end to their first Japanese performance in years.

At Spotify O-EAST, the headliner of the entire BiKN shibuya 2023 event was Sunset Rollercoaster. This guitar-centered band from Taiwan also played at this year’s Coachella and SUMMER SONIC. For the assembled crowd, packing the entire venue from the stage to the back, the band chose to open with “Burgundy Red.” The languid, nostalgic song, evocative of 70s pop, had the audience swaying to and fro. Somewhat surrealistic visuals played on the screen, complementing the song. 

After speaking to the audience for a moment, the band played four songs in a row: “Summum Bonum,” “New Drug,” “Teahouse,” and “Vanilla.” After each song ended, the venue rang with applause and cheers. The urban, mellow sound was perfectly balanced, with its winding bass line and superb sax and synths, which was beautiful, groovy, and simply amazing. Then the band started heating up its performance with timeless, polished pop like the anthems “My Jinji” and “Greedy,” before finishing with “Candlelight.” The venue filled with warm applause, and the band encored with “I Know You Know I Love You.” Vocalist and guitarist Tseng Kuo-Hung beamed at the audience, exclaiming with gratitude, “I love you, Tokyo! Thank you so much!” The band members lined up at the front of the stage and bowed, and the curtains closed to deafening applause.

—This article by Haruki Saito and Rumi Miyamoto first appeared on Billboard Japan

17 Nov 2023

Nicki Nicole, Arcangel & More: Which Is Your Favorite New Latin Music Release? Vote!

This week, Billboard’s New Music Latin roundup and playlist — a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums and videos recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — are powered by new music from Ozuna, Daddy Yankee, a first collaborative effort between Nicki Nicole and Bad Gyal, and more.

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After releasing a seven-track EP called Afro at the beginning of the year, Ozuna unleashed his sixth studio album Cosmo, home to 15 tracks. As ever, the Puerto Rican artist delivers a new dimension of sounds, where Latin urban music meets innovative rhythms, and croons fans with his feel-good and romantic lyrics backed by his sugary vocals. On his new album, Ozuna experiments with world music such as in the opening track “Made in Qatar” that’s fused with traditional Arabian music. He also teamed up with French DJ David Guetta for the EDM-heavy focus track “Vocation,” which they premiered during the 2023 Latin Grammys on Thursday (Nov. 16). 

But an Ozuna album is not an Ozuna album without its hard-hitting perreos as heard in “El Plan,” “Brabus,” and “100 Squats,” and without having his friends onboard—Cosmo includes collaborations with De La Ghetto, Chencho Corleone, Anuel AA, Jhayco, Maldy and more. According to a press statement, the album “is the cosmic experience, where the vibrant essence of reggaeton prevails.” 

Moreover, two female collaborations stood out this week. The first is Nicki Nicole and Bad Gyal’s “Enamórate,” an electro-dancehall that perfectly meshes their sultry vibes. The second is BIBI and Becky G’s “Amigos,” a groovy reggaetón lacing lyrics in Spanish, English, and Korean.   

Additionally, Daddy Yankee, Arcangel, Yng Lvcas, and many more acts dropped new music. In last week’s New Music Latin fan-related poll, Banda MS  and Gloria Trevi’s “Y Que Soporten” won with over 91 percent of the votes. What’s your favorite new Latin music release of the week? Vote below!

17 Nov 2023

Diddy Is Not Under Criminal Investigation, Says NYPD In Corrected Statement

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Business mogul and entertainer Sean Combs, widely known as Diddy, is facing a mountain of a lawsuit connected to alleged abuse and other accusations. A report went wide that the Bad Boy honcho was under criminal investigation but the NYPD shot down those claims.

TMZ initially reported that Diddy was the target of an investigation, which came on the heels of the mogul facing a lawsuit from his ex-girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, who claims that Combs allegedly raped her and engaged in human trafficking among other charges. It was reported as a “locked” investigation involving Sean Combs but it appears that was not the case.

The outlet returned to the report with an update that can be read in full below:

The full NYPD statement reads … “Yesterday, a member of the NYPD’s public information office erroneously told a reporter about the apparent existence of an active case file containing the name ‘Sean Combs.’ There is no such investigation, at present. Further, the release of such information is not consistent with the internal policies of the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Public Information. The NYPD always treats allegations of sexual assault and rape extremely seriously, and urges anyone who has been a victim to file a police report so that support and services can be offered to survivors and a comprehensive investigation can be conducted.”

Ventura filed her lawsuit in New York at the federal court level. A statement from Combs has yet to surface.

—

Photo:

17 Nov 2023

Kenshi Yonezu on ‘KICK BACK’ Becoming First Japanese-Language Song Certified Gold by RIAA: Interview

Kenshi Yonezu‘s “KICK BACK” was recently certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. It’s the first song with Japanese lyrics to reach this milestone.

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Released on Oct. 12, 2022, “KICK BACK” was written as the theme song to the anime series Chainsaw Man. The series enjoys popularity in North America; many listeners probably discovered the song through the anime.

Gold status means the song has achieved over 500,000 units in the U.S. Billboard Japan spoke with the multi-hyphenate about his latest global hit that became the first-ever J-pop song to achieve this feat in the American market.

How did you feel when you heard about being certified gold in the U.S.?

Really happy. It’s all thanks to Chainsaw Man. It’s still kind of hard to believe, but in any case, it made me happy.

This is a certification within the U.S. market. What are your thoughts on the American music scene and listeners there?

I’ve been listening to American pop music since I was a kid, so it’s really gratifying to have been accepted there. I want to know what kind of people are enjoying my music, so I sometimes wonder what it’d be like to sit down with them and ask directly. I’ve never been to the U.S. before but it’d be great if I could go do a show there someday.

The 32-year-old creative wrote the music and lyrics for “KICK BACK” and enlisted Daiki Tsuneta of King Gnu and millennium parade to work on the arrangement with him. Yonezu has been a fan of Chainsaw Man since the serialization of the original manga began, and being tapped to work on the opening theme for the anime version was a meaningful experience to him.

The song also drew attention for sampling J-pop girl group Morning Musume.’s “Souda! We’re ALIVE.” With drum and bass as its foundation, the track is unique with frequent key changes and full of outlandish developments. The “Lemon” hitmaker looked back on the creation of this single.

You mentioned you have been a fan of the Chainsaw Man manga that the anime is based on. How do you feel about the work now that you have written the opening theme for the anime?

The manga Chainsaw Man is still being serialized and I always catch it when it comes out every week. It’s always gripping and I think it’s a truly exceptional manga. It’s a great honor for me as a pop songwriter to be involved in such an amazing work, and that feeling seems to grow more and more each day.

Could you share the songwriting process with us? Looking back, what kind of song were you aiming for?

First, I remember feeling that I couldn’t do this assignment half-heartedly and that I didn’t want to ruin the manga by being involved in it because It’s such a great work. I had a lot of fun working on the song. It was also more like hanging out with a friend than work because Daiki Tsuneta and I communicated about the arrangement. Looking back, I strongly feel that it was a really enjoyable time. When we were making “KICK BACK,” the vibe was full of this sense of messing around, like, “Let’s go nuts with this,” or something like that. I’d love to do this kind of thing again. 

The lyrics of “KICK BACK” are in Japanese. The “Lemon” hitmaker’s observations about his commitment to writing songs in Japanese and about the way the appeal of a piece of music can be conveyed without depending on words were also noteworthy.

“KICK BACK” is the first song with Japanese lyrics to be certified gold by the RIAA. What are your thoughts on Japanese-language songs making their way across borders to be heard in other countries?

I’ve lived as a Japanese person for 32 years, and am someone who has truly surrendered my identity to the Japanese language. When I write songs, I really get the sense that things like my methodology, what I want to do, and the joy I feel when singing and performing are largely tied to the Japanese language. It’s what feels most comfortable to me. To go even further, that special power won’t reside (in the song) otherwise. So, I hope to continue doing what I do while facing myself in this way.

But to be honest, I’m not sure at all how my songs are being interpreted by people outside of Japan, and especially people in the U.S., as in this case. I’d love to actually meet with people who like this song and hear what they have to say.

The emotion and energy of a song can come across even if we don’t understand the meaning of the words. What are your thoughts on this particular work?

I often find myself hearing a song in a language I don’t understand and thinking, “That’s good.” I’ve been feeling really strongly lately that I want to value that sense of “I don’t understand it, but It’s good.” Looking at social media, I get the feeling that if people start flocking to a single place all the time by seeking value and meaning in a song, that fundamental aspect of music will become increasingly obscure. So if people who don’t understand Japanese hear this song and think “that’s good,” then I’m glad I made it. If that’s how people are interpreting it, I feel grateful.

The music video accompanying “KICK BACK,” directed by photographer/video director Yoshiyuki Okuyama, also made a splash. Featuring Yonezu and Tsuneta working out at the gym, the situation gradually escalates in an over-the-top way as Yonezu tries to one-up his music collaborator who maintains his cool. The experience of shooting the mind-boggling visuals — make sure to watch until the credits — was apparently an emotional one for Yonezu.

You have received comments from many countries on the music video for this song. The video left quite an impact. How do you feel looking back on it?

That was amazing. That was the skill of the director, Mr. Okuyama, and I feel so fortunate to have ended up with such a great music video. For the past few years, I had been in this mode where I try to incorporate humor and funny elements into my songs and music videos to sort of remake myself by observing from a bird’s eye view. When the visuals for “KICK BACK” were done, I felt that there was nothing more I could do. It was such an epoch-making event for me. I feel like I’ve done everything I could.

Yonezu continues to have a busy and fulfilling 2023, releasing three new songs: “LADY” on Mar. 21, “Moongazing” on June 26, and “Spinning Globe” on July 17.

“Moongazing” was written as the theme for the video game Final Fantasy XVI. “Spinning Globe” is the theme for Hayao Miyazaki’s latest animated film The Boy and the Heron, set for release in U.S. theaters Dec. 8. Both songs are reaching audiences around the world.

The prolific singer-songwriter reflected upon the position of “KICK BACK” at this point in his career and shared his outlook for the future.

How do you consider “KICK BACK” to be positioned in your career?

As I said earlier, it’s a song that ended a mode in my life, and I think it’s also a song that disrupted my public image. I also reconfirmed a lot of things by writing this song. I realized people wanted something like this, and it also occurred to me that I like this kind of thing. All in all, it’s become very important to me.

What do you have in mind for your future endeavors?

I recently traveled abroad and it was a great experience. Not for my career or anything like that, but in the sense of spending time in cities built by people who grew up in a completely different culture, where the language is different from my own. I’m more interested in that kind of thing and… I’m not sure how to put it, but I just want to make good stuff. If I can do that, then that’s enough. And I also kind of feel that if my senses don’t change in a gradual way like that, I won’t be able to make good stuff anymore. I hope to have fun doing what I do. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen.

This interview by Tomonori Shiba first appeared on Billboard Japan.

By: Billboard Japan / Photo: Courtesy Photo

17 Nov 2023

Ariana Grande Supports Ethan Slater at ‘Spamalot’ Broadway Opening

Ariana Grande is all about Ethan Slater‘s latest Broadway gig.

The pop superstar was in the crowd at the St. James Theatre in New York City on Thursday night (Nov. 16) to support her rumored boyfriend Slater performing in Broadway’s Spamalot revival. For the occasion, Grande wore a classic red lip with her blonde hair slicked back into a ponytail. She paired the look with a long, black strapless dress with pearl earrings.

Last month, Grande attended the first preview performance of the show. In an Instagram video shared by user Jim Glaub, who was in the audience, Grande is seen smiling and cheering from the audience.

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Reports surfaced back in July that Grande is dating her 31-year-old Wicked costar following her recently reported split from husband Dalton Gomez. Both TMZ and People reported that he and Grande started dating after both of their relationships were over. Slater was previously married to singer Lilly Jay, and the two celebrated their four-year wedding anniversary in November 2022. 

Grande plays Glinda opposite Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba in Jon M. Chu’s upcoming live-action film adaptation of the Broadway show Wicked, which will be split into two parts. The movie was initially meant to hit theaters on Christmas Day of next year (Dec. 25, 2024). Wicked Part 1 is now set to be released next Thanksgiving (Nov. 27, 2024). In the film, Slater is playing Boq, a munchkin boy who, fittingly, has a crush on Glinda.