News

02 Nov 2023

J Balvin, Usher & DJ Khaled’s ‘Dientes’ Lands at No. 1 on Latin Airplay Chart

J Balvin adds a record-extending 36th No. 1 to his Billboard Latin Airplay account as his latest single “Dientes,” with Usher and DJ Khaled, climbs 9-1 on the Nov. 4-dated ranking. Usher and Khaled add their second leader.

“Dientes” becomes the Greatest Gainer of the week with 11 million audience impressions, up 51%, earned in the U.S. during the Oct. 20-26 tracking week, according to Luminate.

With “Dientes,” J Balvin tastes his first No. 1 on the overall Latin Airplay chart in 2023. His last effort, “Nivel de Perreo” with Ryan Castro, reached a No. 26 high last September. Prior, “Forever My Love” and “Sigue,” both collaborations with Ed Sheeran, took Balvin to the summit for one week each in April 2022.

Balvin first broke the No. 1 barrier with “AM” with Farruko in 2014, for one week in charge, and became a staple at the format with six more No. 1s from his next 10 chart visits. In total, Balvin has collected 36 champs, further distancing from the competition.

Here’s the rundown of artists with the most No. 1s on Latin Airplay since the chart began in 1994:

  • 36, J Balvin
  • 33, Ozuna
  • 32, Enrique Iglesias
  • 28, Daddy Yankee
  • 23, Maluma
  • 22, Bad Bunny
  • 22, Wisin

“Dientes” brings Usher to the lead after more than two decades, after his featured role in Romeo Santos’ ”Promise” ruled for 10 weeks between 2011-12. Between his two chart-topping singles, he landed a No. 35 high through his featured turn in David Guetta’s “Without You” in 2012.

DJ Khaled, meanwhile, scores his second No. 1 after Jennifer Lopez’s “Dinero” — where he is featured along with Cardi B — led for one week in 2018.

Back to the champ, in addition to securing all artists a new No. 1, “Dientes” gives UMLE its fourth ruler in 2023, after the label dominated with Karol G and Shakira’s TQG” (two weeks between May and July), Alejandro Fernandez’s “No Es Que Me Quiera Ir” and Feid and Sean Paul’s “Nina Bonita” (both for one week in Aug.)

02 Nov 2023

Sen. Marsha Blackburn Introduces Bill Seeking to Strengthen BOTS Act

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) is planning to roll out new legislation to beef up the BOTS ACT and combat the growing use of automated software to attack high-demand online ticket sales for major concert tours.

In November 2022, unknown individuals attacked Taylor Swift’s ticket sale for her Eras tour, using automated software to overwhelm the Ticketmaster platform and prevent some fans from accessing tickets.

The BOTS ACT, co-authored by Blackburn at the end of 2016 and signed into law by then-president Barack Obama, outlawed the use of bots to attack ticket sales and jump the line to buy tickets ahead of consumers, but the law has only been enforced once in the seven years it’s been on the books. Blackburn is hoping to change that with the adoption of the Mitigating Automated Internet Networks for (MAIN) Event Ticketing Act, a bill she co-authored with Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) that would create new reporting requirements for online ticket sellers attacked by Bots and enact new security requirements for sites like Ticketmaster.

“A fan should be able to buy tickets to live events without bots stealing them and hiking the price,” said Sen. Blackburn in a press release provided to Billboard.

Under the BOTS Act, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has exclusive power to file suit against bot users and work with FBI and DOJ officials to bring criminal charges. Individuals caught intentionally breaking the law can face civil fines of $10,000 per violation.

“We have given the FTC the tools they need to help reduce ticket costs and protect consumers and artists from scammers,” Blackburn adds. “Now we must ensure they are enforcing it. This bipartisan legislation builds upon my work to safeguard artists and their fans in the online ticket marketplace.”

The new legislation would create a new forum for online ticket sellers have to report successful bot attacks to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and create a complaint database so consumers can also share their experiences with the FTC, and various state attorneys general. The bill also includes evolving data security requirements for online ticket sellers and requires the sharing of information between the FTC and law enforcement; as well as an annual report from the FTC to Congress on BOTS enforcement.

“Live entertainment is one of America’s greatest pastimes, and all Americans should be able to enjoy it without the fear of being scammed,” said Senator Luján. “I’m proud to join Senator Blackburn in introducing legislation to expand the BOTS Act. This bill will allow the FTC to enforce safeguards and set requirements to protect consumers from online ticketing schemes.”

Officials from Live Nation-owned Ticketmaster told Billboard they supported the legislation, saying in a statement: “We commend Senators Blackburn and Lujan for introducing this update to the BOTS Act. Ticketmaster leads the industry in fighting bots, and we see first-hand that scalper bot armies are only getting larger and more sophisticated. Scalpers make billions each year, and until there are real consequences, they will continue to rob fans of tickets at the onsale which is why we’ve long supported much stronger enforcement.”

The bill has also received the support of the National Independent Venue Association which issued a statement applauding Blackburn and Luján for “introducing the MAIN Event Ticketing Act to further crackdown on ticket-buying bots that rob fans of the opportunity to see their favorite artists. The Act builds on the BOTS Act of 2016, which put in place foundational guidelines to prevent ticket resellers from engaging in predatory ticketing practices. We believe in restoring trust in the ticketing experience for fans, and we stand ready to work with Senators Blackburn and Luján to ensure this legislation advances as part of critical comprehensive ticketing reform.”

02 Nov 2023

Jack Antonoff Says ‘Cruel Summer’ Has ‘Always’ Been His & Taylor Swift’s ‘Favorite Song’ on ‘Lover’

Taylor Swift‘s “Cruel Summer” just secured its second week atop the Billboard Hot 100, a feat that’s remarkable even without the knowledge that the song is over four years old. And then there’s the fact that the track, as its title suggests, was originally slated to be a song of the summer contender in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic altered its course — only for it to hit No. 1 days before November 2023.

“I’m loving where the music business has gone,” Jack Antonoff, who produced “Cruel Summer” and much of Swift’s 2019 album Lover, told Jimmy Fallon during his Tonight Show appearance Wednesday (Nov. 1). “Because it’s melted down into nothing but what people like. You can talk your crap about this or that, but the fans are God. What they say goes.”

“The idea of a single is just, what’s the song that if you could get your friends in the room, you’d play?” the Grammy-winning producer continued. “And what happened with ‘Cruel Summer’ is a testament to that. It was always our favorite song on the album. Then with nothing, no gas in the fire, with no one on the business side doing anything, just kids started playing it more and more.”

Antonoff’s sentiments echo the video message he and Swift posted shortly after news broke late October that “Cruel Summer” had gone No. 1. Excitedly talking over one another, the Bleachers frontman said that the Lover track had always been “the song that we said was the best song, but we thought, ‘Oh, you know what? This will be our secret best song.’”

“We just wanted to say thank you so much for making ‘Cruel Summer’ a Hot 100 No. 1, and it’s not even summer anymore,” Swift added in the video. “It’s deep fall, I’m wearing a sweater.”

Antonoff also recently spoke with Billboard about the “Cruel Summer” phenomenon, calling its delayed chart triumph “a huge thumbs-up from the universe.” “I take it all as a reminder to do what you believe in, make the songs you believe in,” he added. “You never want to do anything that you don’t believe in for the sake of success … With [‘Cruel Summer’], I loved that it existed, and didn’t need anything more from it. It’s just this bizarre icing on the cake.”

Watch Jack Antonoff open up about the belated success of “Cruel Summer” above, and the Bleacher’s Tonight Show performance below.

02 Nov 2023

Missy Elliott Says ‘Words Cannot Describe’ Being First Female Rapper Inducted Into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Missy Elliott still can’t quite believe that she will be the first female rap artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Friday night (Nov. 3). Speaking to Good Morning America‘s Robin Roberts on Thursday morning (Nov. 2), Elliott said she always dreamed of being a “superstar… I never wavered. I never changed. I said it every time,” but after three decades in the music business the 52-year-old Grammy-winning rapper said her latest accolade is unfathomable.

Elliott said “words cannot describe” how honored she is to take the stage tomorrow night alongside fellow 2023 inductees Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Rage Against the Machine and The Spinners. She told Roberts that as an artist from the hip-hop world, Rock Hall enshrinement seemed “so far out of reach.” Plus, with this being the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip-hop, Elliott said the Hall of Fame kudos is further proof that “no matter what people say the hip-hop world is something special and unique.”

Joking that as a kid her family once convinced her that she was related to another one of this year’s inductees, musical excellence honoree R&B legend Chaka Khan, Elliott said being ushered in alongside the likes of Nelson and Crow is indescribable. “To be even at a table with them is a blessing, past a blessing, there’s got to be a bigger word than that,” she said.

After tomorrow night, Elliott will be among just a handful of rappers whose plaques are on display at the RRHOF museum in Cleveland, joining such icons as Jay-Z, LL Cool J, The Notorious B.I.G., Tupac Shakur, N.W.A, Public Enemy, The Beastie Boys, Run-DMC and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. And though some critics might quibble at the elastic definition of rock and roll that has found artists who don’t play what is traditionally considered amplified, guitar-based rock music, Elliott said in her mind rock, like hip-hop, is a “gumbo of different styles of music.”

Elliott will be inducted by her friend of 20 years, Queen Latifah, who she praised as someone who, “come before me, open that door, left it open… And I owe so many flowers, bouquets. It’s not enough bouquets for those women that came before me. And she’s one of those women.” In addition, Elliott’s mother will be in the house at the 38th annual induction ceremony on Friday night (Nov. 3) at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Believe it or not, Elliott’s mom has never seen her perform live before. “She’s never been to a show because, you know, I had some little words I didn’t ever want her to hear,” Elliott told GMA. “And so she’s comin’ for the first time.”

Tomorrow night’s event will feature presenters and performers Olivia Rodrigo, Stevie Nicks, Adam Levine, Carrie Underwood, Elton John, Brandie Carlile, Chris Stapleton, Dave Matthews, H.E.R., New Edition, St. Vincent, Common, Ice-T, LL Cool J, Miguel, Latifah and Sia. Other inductees this year include DJ Kool Herc and Link Wrap for musical influence, Khan, Al Kooper and Elton John lyricist Bernie Taupin for musical excellence and Soul Train host Don Cornelius for the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

The induction ceremony will be broadcast live coast-to-coast on Disney+ on Friday at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT and will be available to stream following the ceremony. ABC will air a three-hour prime-time special, 2023 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, featuring performance highlights and standout moments on Jan. 1 (8-11 p.m. ET), available the next day on Hulu and Disney+.

Check out Elliott’s interview below.

02 Nov 2023

The Final Beatles Song Is Here: Stream It Now

Few musical acts can stand shoulder to shoulder with The Beatles. As the act with the most No. 1 singles in Billboard Hot 100 history (20), the iconic quartet’s sprawling catalog continues to serve as a soundtrack for each new generation. On Thursday (Nov. 2), 60 years after the release of their debut studio album, Please Please Me, the music legends have unveiled their final song: “Now and Then.”

The highly anticipated final Beatles song has been teased for quite some time. In June, Sir Paul McCartney explained how AI would be used to complete the song. “Can’t say too much at this stage but to be clear, nothing has been artificially or synthetically created,” the 18-time Grammy-winner wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “It’s all real and we all play on it. We cleaned up some existing recordings – a process which has gone on for years.”

The “Say Say Say” hitmaker wrote the message to clarify his comments from a June 13 interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today, in which he explained that AI would be used to separate vocal tracks from background noise and instruments and “extricate” late bandmate John Lennon‘s vocals from an old recording for use on the final master of “Now And Then.”

A lovelorn guitar-centric rock ballad, “Now And Then” was originally written and recorded by Lennon around 1977 as a solo piano track. After his death in 1980, the unfinished demo floated in limbo — at times being considered as a Beatles reunion single — and was ultimately shelved for almost three decades. Now, the song will find a home on the expanded reissue of 1973’s 1967-1970 compilation — currently slated for a Nov. 10 release — and have the distinction of being the final Beatles song.

Academy Award-winning The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King director Peter Jackson will make his music video directorial debut when the official visual for “Now And Then” arrives on Nov. 3.

Listen to “Now And Then,” the final Beatles song, below.

02 Nov 2023

Songs From ‘Barbie’ Pace 2023 Hollywood Music and Media Awards Nominations (Full List)

Two songs from Barbie were nominated for song – feature film at the 2023 Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA) Awards. Both “I’m Just Ken” (written by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt) and “What Was I Made For?” (written by Billie Eilish and Finneas) are competing in that category. The awards will be presented on Wednesday, Nov. 15, at 8 p.m. PT at The Avalon in Hollywood, Calif.

The other nominees for song – feature film are “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot; “High Life” from Flora and Son; “I Am” from Origin; “Road to Freedom” from Rustin, “This” from The Beanie Bubble and “Keep It Movin’” from The Color Purple.

The HMMAs are often seen as a bellwether for the Oscars. Past HMMA winners who have gone on to win Oscars include Eilish and Finneas for No Time to Die; Hans Zimmer for Dune; Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste for Soul; Hildur Guðnadóttir for Joker; Ludwig Göransson for Black Panther and Alexandre Desplat for The Shape of Water; plus songs from Judas & the Black Messiah, La La Land, A Star Is Born and others.

Unlike the Oscars, which have just one category each for songs and scores, the HMMAs have six categories for songs and seven for scores.

Robbie Robertson, who died in August at age 80, is nominated posthumously for score – feature film for his work on Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. It is the eleventh and final collaboration between Scorsese and Robertson; the film is dedicated to the Canadian rock music legend.

The other nominees in that category are American Fiction – Laura Karpman; Chevalier – Kris Bowers; Nyad – Desplat; Oppenheimer – Göransson; Rustin – Branford Marsalis; Saltburn – Anthony Willis; and The Killer – Reznor and Ross.

The most intriguing and inspired HMMA category is song – onscreen performance, which honors the performer who performed the song onscreen in the film. Halle Bailey has two nominees – “For the First Time” from The Little Mermaid and “Keep It Movin’” from The Color Purple (which she performed with Phylicia Pearl Mapsi).

The other nominees in this category are Megan Thee Stallion for “Out Alpha the Alpha” from Dicks: The Musical, NSYNC for “Better Place” from Trolls Band Together; Ryan Gosling for “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie, Timothée Chalamet for “A World of Your Own” from Wonka, plus two collabs – Eve Hewson, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Orén Kinlan, Jack Reynor performing “High Life” from Flora and Son and Oil Factory feat. Chlöe, Jekalyn Carr, Loren Lott performing “Praise Nationals Finale” from Praise This.

In the HMMAs newest category, best song – sci-fi/fantasy, Olivia Rodrigo received a nod for co-writing “Can’t Catch Me Now” with Dan Nigro.

This year, the HMMAs will honor Marc Shaiman, a Grammy, Emmy and Tony winner, with an outstanding career achievement award.

Not all of the nominated films have been released yet. The HMMAs allow films to compete if the composers “submit up to 15 minutes of score to picture as it appears in the visual media project.” The HMMAs note that “Several films were only available to see in the context of the scenes provided.”

For those looking forward to that other award, Oscar shortlists of 15 top contenders for best original song and best original will be announced on Dec. 21. Oscar nominations will be announced on Jan. 23, 2024. The awards will be presented on March 10, 2024.

The HMMA presents awards for a wide range of visual media, including film, TV series and videogames. Here are the nominees in the film categories. For a complete list of nominees in all categories, visit the HMMA site.

Score – feature film

  • American Fiction – Laura Karpman
  • Chevalier – Kris Bowers
  • Killers of the Flower Moon – Robbie Robertson
  • Nyad – Alexandre Desplat
  • Oppenheimer – Ludwig Göransson
  • Rustin – Branford Marsalis
  • Saltburn – Anthony Willis, Music By
  • The Killer – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

Score – animated film

  • Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget – Harry Gregson-Williams
  • Elemental – Thomas Newman
  • Migration – John Powell
  • Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken – Stephanie Economou
  • Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Daniel Pemberton
  • The Super Mario Bros. Movie – Brian Tyler

Score – sci-fi / fantasy film

  • Asteroid City – Alexandre Desplat
  • Barbie – Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt
  • The Creator – Hans Zimmer
  • The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes – James Newton Howard
  • The Marvels – Laura Karpman
  • Transformers: Rise of the Beasts – Jongnic Bontemps

Score – horror/thriller film

  • A Haunting in Venice – Hildur Guđnadóttir
  • Deliver Us – Tóti Guðnason
  • Knock at the Cabin – Herdís Stefánsdóttir
  • M3gan – Anthony Willis
  • The Boogeyman – Patrick Jonsson
  • The Exorcist: Believer – David Wingo, Amman Abbasi

Score – documentary

  • Kangaroo Valley – H. Scott Salinas and Logan Stahley
  • Split at the Root – Lili Haydn
  • Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie – John Powell
  • The Deepest Breath – Nainita Desai
  • The Pigeon Tunnel – Philip Glass and Paul Leonard-Morgan

Score – independent film

  • Dalíland – Edmund Butt
  • Dream Scenario – Owen Pallett
  • Jules – Volker Bertelmann
  • Miranda’s Victim – Holly Amber Church
  • She Came to Me – Bryce Dessner
  • The Zone of Interest – Mica Levi

Score – independent film (foreign language)

  • Society of the Snow – Michael Giacchino
  • Control – Taisuke Kimura
  • Last Wishes – Carla F. Benedicto
  • Los Reyes Magos: La Verdad – Arturo Cardelús
  • Paradice – Sandrine Rudaz
  • The Promised Land – Dan Romer

Song – feature film

  • “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie. Written by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt. Performed by Ryan Gosling (featuring Slash and Wolfgang Van Halen)
  • “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie. Written by Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell. Performed by Billie Eilish.
  • “The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot. Written by Diane Warren. Performed by Becky G.
  • “High Life” From Flora and Son. Written by Gary Clark, John Carney, Eve Hewson. Performed by Eve Hewson, Orén Kinlan, Jack Reynor, Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
  • “I Am” From Origin. Written by Stan Walker, Michael Fatkin, Vince Harder, Te Kanapu Anasta. Performed by Stan Walker.
  • “Road to Freedom” from Rustin. Written and performed by Lenny Kravitz.
  • “This” From The Beanie Bubble. Written by Damian Kulash, Jr. and Timothy Nordwind. Performed by OK Go.
  • “Keep It Movin’” from The Color Purple. Written by Halle Bailey, Denisia Andrews, Brittany Coney, and Morten Ristorp. Performed by Halle Bailey and Phylicia Pearl Mpasi.

Song – animated film

  • “Steal the Show” from Elemental. Written by Ari Leff, Michael Matosic, Thomas Newman. Performed by Lauv.
  • “Down Like That” from Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie. Written by Bryson Tiller, Chantry Johnson, Michelle Zarlenga, and Charlie Heath. Performed by Bryson Tiller.
  • “Am I Dreaming” from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Written by Mike Dean, Peter Lee Johnson, Rakim Mayers, Roisee, Landon Wayne and Leland Wayne. Performed by A$AP Rocky, Metro Boomin and Roisee.
  • “Better Place” from Trolls Band Together. Written by Shellback, Justin Timberlake, Amy Allen. Performed by NSYNC.
  • “Peaches” from The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Written by Jack Black, John Spiker, Eric Osmond, Michael Jelenic, Aaron Horvath. Performed by Jack Black.
  • “This Wish” from Wish. Written by Julia Michaels, Benjamin Rice, and JP Saxe. Performed by Ariana DeBose.

Song – sci-fi / fantasy

  • “A World of Your Own” from Wonka. Music written by Neil Hannon, Lyrics by Neil Hannon, Simon Farnaby, Paul King. Performed by Timothée Chalamet
  • “Can’t Catch Me Now” from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Written by Dan Nigro and Olivia Rodrigo. Performed by Olivia Rodrigo.
  • “For The First Time” from The Little Mermaid. Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Performed by Halle Bailey
  • “Wild Uncharted Waters” from The Little Mermaid. Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Performed by Jonah Hauer-King
  • “You’ve Never Had Chocolate Like This” from Wonka. Written by Neil Hannon, Simon Farnaby, Paul King. Performed by Timothée Chalamet & Cast.

Song – independent film

  • “Stardust” from A Good Person. Written by Cary Brothers & Scott Effman. Performed By Cary Brothers.
  • “I Got You” from Holiday Twist. Written by Michael Jay and Alan Demoss. Performed by Jake Miller
  • “Space and Time” from Master Gardener. Written by S.G. Goodman, Performed by Mereba
  • “Quiet Eyes” from Past Lives. Written by Sharon Van Etten and Zachary Dawes. Performed by Sharon Van Etten.
  • “El Saber” from Radical. Written and performed by Gaby Moreno.
  • “Don’t Forget Me When I’m Gone” from Sons 2 The Grave. Written by Sean Jones, Michael Shand, Miku Graham. Performed by Sean Jones.

Song – onscreen performance

  • Eve Hewson, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Orén Kinlan, Jack Reynor – “High Life” from Flora and Son
  • Halle Bailey – “For the First Time” from The Little Mermaid
  • Halle Bailey and Phylicia Pearl Mapsi – “Keep It Movin’” from The Color Purple
  • Megan Thee Stallion – “Out Alpha The Alpha” from Dicks: The Musical
  • NSYNC – “Better Place” from Trolls Band Together
  • Oil Factory feat. Chlöe, Jekalyn Carr, Loren Lott – “Praise Nationals Finale” from Praise This
  • Ryan Gosling – “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie
  • Timothée Chalamet – “A World of Your Own” from Wonka

Song – documentary film

  • “It’s Gonna Be Fine” from Bobi Wine: The People’s President. Written and performed by Bobi Wine
  • “Forty Foot Man” from Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming With Dave Letterman. Written and performed by Bono and The Edge.
  • “Speechless” from Louder Than Rock. Written by Israel Houghton and Adam Ranney. Performed by Caleb Quaye and Judith Hill.
  • “Dream Your Little Dream” from The Jewel Thief. Written by Dan Braun and Josh Braun. Performed by The Braun Brothers.
  • “Todo Fue Por Amor” from With This Light. Written by Carla Morrison, Carla Patricia Morrison Flores, Juan Alejandro Jimenez Perez, Mario Demian Jimenez Perez. Performed by Carla Morrison.

Music themed film, biopic or musical

  • Carmen – Produced by Rosemary Blight, Dimitri Rassam and Mimi Valdes. Directed by Benjamin Millepied.
  • The Little Mermaid – Produced by John Deluca, Rob Marshall, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Marc Platt. Directed by Rob Marshall.
  • Theater Camp – Produced by Jessica Elbaum, Erik Feig, Will Ferrell and Noah Galvin. Directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman.
  • Trolls Band Together – Produced by Gina Shay. Directed by Walt Dohrn and Tim Heitz.
  • Wonka – Produced by Alexandra Derbyshire, David Heyman and Luke Kelly. Directed by Paul King.

Music documentary – special program

  • Dear Mama: “Panther Power” – Directed by Allen Hughes. Produced by Joshua Garcia, Loren Gomez, Quincy Jones III, Stef Smith.
  • Immediate Family – Directed by Denny Tedesco. Produced by Greg Richling, Jack Piatt, Jonathan Sheldon.
  • Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop – Directed by Hannah Beachler, Dream Hampton, Raeshem Nijhon. Produced by Shawna Carroll, Syreeta Gates, Cherice Hunt, Janice James, Princess A. Hairston.
  • Little Richard: I Am Everything – Directed by Lisa Cortés. Produced by Robert Friedman, Lisa Cortés, Liz Yale Marsh, Caryn Capotosto.
  • San Francisco Sounds: A Place in Time – Directed by Alison Ellwood & Anoosh Tertzakian. Produced by Michael Wright, Jill Burkhart, Mark Pinkus, Charlie Cohen, Tom Mackay, Richard Story, Jeff Jampol, Aly Parker, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Stacey Offman, Richard Perello, Jeff Pollack, Frank Marshall, Alison Ellwood.
  • Wynonna Judd: Between Hell and Hallelujah – Directed by Patty Ivins Specht. Produced by Reese Witherspoon, Sara Rea, Wynonna Judd, Cactus Moser, Jason Owen, Bruce Gillmer, Margaret Comeaux, Leslie Fram, Patty Ivins Specht; Producer: Cassie Lambert Scalettar.

02 Nov 2023

SZA, Teyana Taylor, Brandy & More to Be Honored at Femme It Forward’s Give Her Flowhers Gala

Femme It Forward is celebrating its second annual Give Her Flowhers Awards Gala this year, and on Thursday (Nov. 2), the woman-focused entertainment company announced the trailblazing women who will be honored at this year’s event.

SZA will receive the Big Femme Energy award, which honors a woman who is making a “tremendous impact in music for this generation.” Teyana Taylor will be honored with the Visionary award, given to a multi-dimensional creative who is changing the game for the future of women in music.

Brandy will receive the Muse award, celebrating a legend whose “legacy, impact, and timeless music inspires past, current, and future generations.” Flo Milli is this year’s Bloom award recipient, which spotlights a breakthrough artist. Jordyn Woods and Jodie Woods, who define the spirit of sisterhood, will receive the My Sister’s Keeper award. Nova Wav will be honored with the Pen It Forward award, given to a “a trailblazing hitmaker who is known for their ‘pen game’ and creating some of music’s biggest hits.” Last but not least, Monaleo will receive the Self-Love award, celebrating an inspirational mom and artist who embodies self love.

The awards ceremony, which will take place Nov. 10 in Beverly Hills, Calif., will also feature musical performances from Ambré, Jane Handcock, LAYA and Maeta.

“After experiencing the powerful joy, inspiration, and genuine love of our inaugural event, we’re thrilled to bring together more trailblazing women and honor their impact at the 2nd annual Give Her FlowHERS Awards Gala,” Heather Lowery, CEO and founder of Femme It Forward, said in a press statement. “This awards gala goes beyond giving the extraordinary women who have impacted culture their flowers, as we look to plant more seeds of change for the future.”

Femme It Forward will also recognize the women who have made an impact as members of the organization’s mentorship program, Next Gem Femme, which aims to help improve equity in the workplace and accelerate career opportunities and trajectories for young women of color.

Find more information on the second annual Give Her FlowHERS Gala, presented by Live Nation and supported by Spotify and Google Pixel, here.

Femme It Forward

02 Nov 2023

The War and Treaty Sign With UTA for Booking Representation

UTA has signed The War And Treaty for booking representation, with exclusive worldwide representation in all areas. Founded in 2014 by the husband-and-wife duo Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter, The War And Treaty has quickly become one of the most exciting new musical acts.

They recently teamed with Zach Bryan for the song “Hey Driver,” which reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100. The War And Treaty is nominated for vocal duo of the year at the upcoming CMA Awards in Nashville and will also perform during the ceremony.

“I was immediately drawn to The War And Treaty for their commanding vocals and stunning harmonies,” said UTA agent Buster Phillips in a statement. “We’re thrilled to welcome them to the UTA family and excited to continue creating amazing moments together.”

“I am incredibly excited about our new partnership with UTA and to reunite with our long-term agent and friend, Buster Phillips,” said Tanya Trotter. “Buster and everyone at UTA are committed to helping us achieve our goals of not only growing The War And Treaty touring, but continuing our expansion into film, tv, and theater.”

“The UTA team has embraced us like family,” added Michael Trotter Jr. “Buster would kick doors down for us – both figuratively and even physically if he had to! UTA feels right for us, and we couldn’t be more excited for the future with them on our side.”

The War And Treaty signed to UMG Nashville in 2022. Their latest album, Lover’s Game, was released in March 2023 and includ the songs “That’s How Love is Made” and “Ain’t No Harmin’ Me.” The duo has performed onstage at the ACM Honors and 2023 National Memorial Day Concert and performed alongside Dierks Bentley at the 2021 ACM Awards, offering a rendition of U2’s “Pride (In the Name of Love).” They also joined Brothers Osborne on the 2022 CMA Awards stage for a rendition of “It’s Only Rock n’ Roll (But I Like It).”

Michael and Tanya have already established themselves in the Americana space, winning the Americana Music Honors & Awards’ emerging artist of the year accolade in 2019, and Folk Alliance International’s artist of the year in 2020. They’ve also won the Americana Music Honors & Awards’ duo/group of the year honor twice.

02 Nov 2023

Will Taylor Swift’s ‘1989’ Have an Even Bigger Debut the Second Time Around?

The Contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week (for the upcoming charts dated Nov. 11), Taylor Swift’s latest Taylor’s Version is already her biggest-debuting yet – but will it pass the original album’s bow was nine years earlier? 

Taylor Swift, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (Republic): This was the one fans had perhaps most been waiting for: Taylor Swift’s re-recording of her 2014 blockbuster 1989, the album that confirmed her as a full-on, no-qualifiers-needed pop superstar, and the set many most associate with her today. Even in a pop culture autumn already totally jam-packed with Swift – including a No. 1 movie at the box office (with her concert film Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour) and a No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 (with her revived Lover deep cut “Cruel Summer” — 1989 (Taylor’s Version)‘s Oct. 28 debut was always going to make a seismic chart impact.  

The album – which features new recordings of the 13 tracks originally on 1989, as well as of three bonus tracks from the album’s deluxe editions, and five songs from that period seeing release for the first time – unsurprisingly dominated streaming services upon its release. Spotify announced that Swift had set the record not only for the best single-day performance for an album on the DSP, but for any single artist – breaking her own record, natch, previously set with the release day of last October’s Midnights. On the most recent Spotify Daily Top Songs USA chart (for Nov. 1), Swift still all of the top five spots, led by the Taylor’s Versions of new-old songs “Is It Over Now” and “Now That We Don’t Talk.” 

Sales for the set have of course been massive. Billboard reported on Wednesday that in its first five days of release, the set had already posted a million in sales – making it her sixth album to pass the seven-digit mark in its first week. The album is available in 15 different physical variants, including five different-colored vinyl options (with a Target Exclusive version that also includes a bonus track re-recording of soundtrack song “Sweeter Than Fiction”), eight CD options (several with folded posters included), a multi-colored cassette, and a digital edition with a bonus track new version of 1989 single “Bad Blood,” featuring a re-recorded guest verse by rap superstar Kendrick Lamar.  

1989 is already easily the best-performing Taylor’s Version for its debut week – sailing past the previous first-week high in units set by her re-recorded Speak Now (716,000) earlier this year. Will it also pass the first-week number set by the original 1989 back in 2014? That album also breezed by the million mark in its first week, ultimately posting 1.287 million in first-week sales. The new 1989 should certainly at least be in range of that, with the set already over a million in sales alone through the first five days of the tracking week, with two days’ worth of consumption still left to be accounted for.  

If it can pass the original 1989, then Swift will have just one more of her own albums to pass for her best first-week performance ever: Midnights, which debuted with a staggering 1.578 million total units moved in November 2022 — of which 1.14 million were in straight sales. 

IN THE MIX

SEVENTEEN, SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN (Pledis): Everyone is likely just competing for second on the Billboard 200 this week behind Taylor Swift, but South Korean boy band SEVENTEEN – who reached No. 2 on the chart in April with their FML EP — should have one of the week’s best-sellers with new EP SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN. As is common with major K-pop releases, the set’s sales will be bolstered by 16 collectible CD editions of the album, including exclusive versions sold via Barnes & Noble, Target and Walmart, all with branded merchandise items inside (like stickers and photo cards). 

Brent Faiyaz, Larger Than Life (ISO Supremacy/UnitedMasters): If fortune favors the bold, hopefully R&B star Brent Faiyaz will be rewarded for surprise-releasing his new Larger Than Life set in the shadow cast by a Taylor Swift release week. The 14-track effort is currently only available in physical form as a pre-order for Nov. 20, but should perform fairly well on streaming – with guest appearances by Missy Elliott, Coco Jones, A$AP Rocky and other big names – and benefit from the momentum of 2022’s well-received Wasteland, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 last July.  

Various Artists, The Nightmare Before Christmas: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Disney) / Michael Jackson, Thriller (Epic): ‘Tis the season, and with Halloween officially passing on Tuesday, you can bet a number of holiday favorites will see big gains on the charts. Those will most likely be led by the Danny Elfman-composed soundtrack to the Tim Burton-produced perennial favorite The Nightmare Before Christmas (celebrating its 30th anniversary this year) and Michael Jackson’s Thriller, one of the most decorated albums in the chart’s history. If enough folks get in the holiday spirit this year, then Nightmare — which has spent 24 weeks on the Billboard 200 and sits at No. 54 on this week’s chart (dated Nov. 4) — may have a shot of passing its prior No. 22 peak, set around this time last year.  

02 Nov 2023

Green Day Announce Dates For Massive The Saviors 2024 Stadium Tour

Green Day announced the dates for their five-month The Saviors stadium tour on Thursday (Nov. 2), which is slated to kick off its North American leg at Nationals Park in Washington, DC on July 29. As previously announced, the U.S. and Canadian dates will feature support from Smashing Pumpkins, Rancid and the Linda Lindas, while European fans will get warmed up by Nothing But Thieves, The Hives, Donots, The Interrupters and Maid of Ace.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“We’ve never been more excited to unleash new music than with Saviors, a record that’s meant to be rocked live, together. So let’s thrash. We’ve got some amazing friends who are coming along for the ride!,” the band said in a statement about hitting the road to promote their “raw and emotional” 14th studio album during the outing that will also celebrate the 30th anniversary of their breakthrough 1994 diamond-certified album Dookie and the 20th anniversary of 2004’s American Idiot.

The dates will kick off on May 30 with a festival show at the O Son do Camino in Monte de Gozo, Spain, before going to to gigs in Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, the Netherlands, and the UK, winding down on June 29 with a show at London’s Wembley Stadium.

The North American run will include shows at New York’s Citi Field, Boston’s Fenway Park, Chicago’s Wrigley Field, Pittsburgh’s PNC Park, Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium and a final scheduled concert at Petco Park in San Diego on Sept. 28. The North American on-sale begins on Nov. 10 at 10 a.m. local time and the UK/EU general onsale begins on Nov. 10 at 9:30 a.m. GMT.

The band dropped the video for the pop-punk rager “Look Ma, No Brains!” on Thursday, a track they debuted live at a surprise Las Vegas club show last month along with the strident “The American Dream Is Killing Me.” Saviors is due out on Jan. 19 on Reprise/Warner Records.

Watch the “Look Ma” video and see the tour dates below.

Saviors Tour North American dates:

July 29 – Washington, DC @ Nationals Park 

August 1 – Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre 

August 3 – Montreal, QC @ Osheaga Music and Arts Festival* 

August 5 – New York, NY @ Citi Field

August 7 – Boston, MA @ Fenway Park

August 9 – Philadelphia, PA @ Citizens Bank Park

August 10 – Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium 

August 13 – Chicago, IL @ Wrigley Field 

August 15 – St. Louis, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre !

August 17 – Minneapolis, MN @ Target Field 

August 20 – Kansas City, KS @ Azura Amphitheatre !

August 22 – Cincinnati, OH @ Great American Ballpark 

August 24 – Milwaukee, WI @ American Family Field 

August 26 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion !

August 28 – Atlanta, GA @ Truist Park

August 30 – Nashville, TN @ Geodis Park 

Sept. 1 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PNC Park

Sept. 4 – Detroit, MI @ Comerica Park

Sept. 7 – Denver, CO @ Coors Field

Sept. 10 – Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater !

Sept. 11 – Arlington, TX @ Globe Life Field   

Sept. 14 – Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium 

Sept. 18 – Phoenix, AZ @ Chase Field

Sept. 20 – San Francisco, CA @ Oracle Park 

Sept. 23 – Seattle, WA @ T-Mobile Park

Sept. 25 – Portland, OR @ Providence Park

Sept. 28 – San Diego, CA @ Petco Park

*Festival Date

!With Support from Rancid and The Linda Lindas only

Saviors UK/EU dates:

May 30 – Monte do Gozo, Spain @ O Son do Camino*

June 1 – Madrid Spain @ Road to Rio Babel*

June 5 – Lyon Decines @ LDLC Arena – with The Interrupters

June 7 – Nurnberg Germany @ Rock im Park*

June 8 – Nurburgring Germany @ Rock am Ring*

June 10 – Berlin Germany @ Waldbühne – with Donots

June 11 – Hamburg Germany @ Trabrennbahn Bahrenfeld – with Donots

June 15 – Interlaken Switzerland @ Greenfield Festival*

June 16 – Milan Italy I Days @ Hippodrome La Maura*

June 18 – Paris France @ Accor Arena – with The Interrupters

June 19 – Arnhem Netherlands @ GelreDome – with The Hives & The Interrupters

June 21 – Manchester UK @ Emirates Old Trafford – with Nothing But Thieves & Maid of Ace

June 23 – Isle of Wight UK @ Isle of Wight Festival*

June 25 – Glasgow UK @ Bellahouston Park – with Nothing But Thieves & Maid of Ace

June 27 – Dublin Ireland @ Marlay Park – with Nothing But Thieves & Maid of Ace

June 29 London UK @ Wembley Stadium – with Nothing But Thieves & Maid of Ace

*Festival Date