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25 Oct 2023

Garth Brooks Announces 14th Studio Album ‘Time Traveler’: Here’s When It Arrives

Garth Brooks’ first studio album of new material since 2020’s Fun will come out in mid-November as part of a seven-disc boxed set available exclusively through Bass Pro Shops.

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Time Traveler, Brooks’ 14th studio album, will be housed in a limited series collection that include his three most recent studio sets since he came out of retirement — 2014’s Man Against Machine, 2016’s Gunslinger and Fun — as well as the three-disc Triple Live concert set. 

“There are a lot of different eras on this album, thus the name,” Brooks said in a statement. “ Country music’s core is sincerity. After that, you can dress it up a thousand different ways. I am so lucky to live under the flag of country music.”

The Limited Series will be available in Bass Pro Shops starting Nov. 7. Fans can pre-order The Limited Series now and orders purchased through Bass Pro Shops online store will ship mid-November. Purchase price is $29.95, but fans approved for a Bass Pro Shows Club credit card receive a $20 credit good toward purchase, knocking the price down to $9.95 for the entire bundle. There are 177 Bass Pro Shops in the U.S., including 82 Cabela’s.

Garth Brooks

This is not the first time that Brooks has released new material through a boxed set. Gunslinger was initially available only as part of a Target-exclusive 10-CD box set, The Ultimate Collection. In addition to the new album, the career-spanning box included nine discs of tunes from Brooks’ catalog. The title moved 134,000 copies in its first week, according to Brooks’ representatives. Gunslinger was then released as a standalone album a week later to all physical retailers, as well as available for streaming through Amazon. 

Fun was released the same day as three-disc live album Triple Live Deluxe, but both were available individually through Amazon, Walmart, Target and Talk Shop Live.

Unlike Gunslinger and Fun, a representative for Brooks says Time Traveler will not be released as an individual offering and will not be available for streaming on Amazon. No word on when a first single will be released from the Brooks-produced set, although the country star has been playing a new song, “Pleasure in the Pain,” during his two-year Las Vegas residency, which started earlier this year. 

November’s The Limited Series is the third and final release in Brooks’ The Limited Series offerings. The first The Limited Series came out 25 years ago in 1998, and was followed by a second The Limited Series with different content in 2005. The second edition was available exclusively through Walmart. 

The Limited Series will be available two weeks before Brooks plays a show to open his long-awaited Nashville bar, Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky Tonk, on Nov. 24. Fan can win tickets to the concert only via Brooks’ The Big 615 station on streaming platform TuneIn. The bar, on Lower Broadway, will open for that night and then will open for good in 2024.  

25 Oct 2023

12 Musicians Who Have Cheered on Their Athlete Partners From the Stands

When artists are not busy working on music, promoting new projects or taking their concert experiences on the road, one way for them to kick back and relax is through watching sporting events — basketball, football, soccer and everything in between — and some of them are doing it live and in person to support their significant others.

Taylor Swift is one such musician. The pop super star, who is dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce,  first started attending games in September 2023 and has frequented multiple matches at Arrowhead Stadium since.

Swift, however, isn’t the only pop star who has made supporting her partner courtside or from the stands a regular thing. Ciara is a fan of football as well, and has been spotted at NFL games cheering on her husband, Russell Wilson, quarterback for the Denver Broncos. Shakira, while she was still dating Spanish soccer star Gerard Piqué (the pair ended their relationship in early 2023), was often spotted in the stands, sometimes taking their sons Milan and Sasha to watch their dad play.

From Carrie Underwood to Enrique Iglesias and more, Billboard takes a look at musicians who have supported their athlete partners at sporting events.

25 Oct 2023

Victor Thompson, Ehis ‘D’ Greatest & Gunna Top Hot Gospel Songs With ‘This Year (Blessings)’

Nigerian-based Victor Thompson and his brother and duo partner, Ehis “D” Greatest, top Billboard’s streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Gospel Songs chart (dated Oct. 28) as “This Year (Blessings)” rises to No. 1 in its second week on the list.

The song, originally released in January, received a boost when rapper Gunna joined for a remix released Oct. 13. With a majority of the song’s consumption in the tracking week from the new version, Gunna is now also billed on the chart.

Sporting a 163% surge, “This Year (Blessings),” drew 3.1 million official U.S. streams Oct. 13-19, according to Luminate.

Concurrently, the track hits the top 10 on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs survey, jumping 11-3. It’s the first entry on each ranking for both the faith-based twosome and Gunna.

“God is so amazing,” Thompson tells Billboard. “It’s so exciting to know that people get the message of this song. I’ve always wanted to live an impactful life and I’m truly happy about this.”

Singer-songwriter and worship leader Thompson was born in Lagos, Nigeria, where he is currently based. Israel Ehinomen Okosun is popularly known as Ehis “D” Greatest and is also based in Nigeria.

Thompson says that the pair is currently working on a studio album due this year. The act is planning on touring the U.S. starting in early 2024.

‘Room’ for Maverick City Music

“In the Room,” by Atlanta-based collective Maverick City Music with Chandler Moore and Naomi Raine and featuring Tasha Cobbs Leonard, blasts onto Hot Gospel Songs at No.2. It simultaneously enters Hot Christian Songs at No. 13.

Released Oct. 13, the song drew 1.3 million official first-week streams and sold 3,000 downloads.

Maverick City Music adds its 25th Hot Gospel Songs top 10. For Moore and Raine, who are members of the group, it’s their 11th and 17th top 10 under their own names, respectively. Cobbs Leonard sends her 15th song to the tier.

25 Oct 2023

Meet WENDY: The Teen Band Taking the Rock World Head-On

The rock band WENDY consists of four members, all of them men, with an average age of 19. Ranging from age 18 to 20, the teen band overflows with youth and vitality.

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Last year, they performed at SUMMER SONIC 2022, following up this year with a performance at METROCK 2023. They also performed a solo show at Shibuya CLUB QUATTRO in August of this year. Their shows are attended by listeners of all ages who keenly seek out new music, and they have a growing throng of fans who love the passion they pour into their live shows.

WENDY is establishing a big presence in the live scene, and everyone who hears them says the same thing: “I can’t believe they’re in their teens.” If you listen to their music, which is highly influenced by 1970s and 1980s roots music and hard rock, you’ll hear a fierceness and edge seldom found among Japanese artists, or even bands in other countries. Their melodies and lyrics are peppered with the essence of what it is to be a teenager, so they fit right into the 2020s. The band pairs its own unique originality with a sense of universality.

WENDY is made up of vocalist and guitarist Skye McKenzie, guitarist Paul, bassist Johnny Vincent, and drummer Sena. It was formed in Setagaya, Tokyo, in October 2020. Skye’s parents are British and Japanese, and Paul’s are Russian and Japanese. Skye is a native English speaker, so all of their song lyrics are in English. However, that’s not the only reason that their songs are in English.

The other reason for this choice is that every member of WENDY has their sights set on the world. From the very start, the members have shared a common dream: global success. But what does that entail? Winning a Grammy? Playing shows in huge overseas venues? We’d love to talk to the band and find out more.

In a previous interview, Skye has stated that he wants to play at London’s Wembley Stadium. There have been some recent new developments that are sure to put a smile on the faces of these ambitious musicians hoping to take on the world. The songs “SCREAM” and “Chasing a song,” which are featured on their first album, Don’t waste my YOUTH, released on August 23, 2023, have appeared in many Spotify playlists in countries such as the U.K., the U.S., and France, and the number of Spotify monthly listeners is soaring. Monthly listener numbers have grown more than ten-fold compared to before the album’s release. More and more of the comments on their socials are from overseas listeners, and they’re starting to draw steady attention from the global rock scene.

Despite being their debut album, Don’t waste my YOUTH was produced by Marc Whitmore, whose past production credits include Jon Batiste’s We Are, winner of the Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards, and The Black Keys’ album Let’s Rock. In the “RECORDING MAKING with Marc Whitmore” feature of the album’s limited edition DVD, Marc has high praise for their musical sensibilities, saying, “They truly understand what rock and roll is, and that’s why they have to play it.”

In September, they performed in W24&WENDY: Rock n Roll is Back, a two group event at the Rollinghall club in Seoul, South Korea, playing alongside the up-and-coming K-pop band W24. This was their first overseas show, at a venue with a capacity of 500 people. However, the played their hearts out, undaunted, and Skye engaged with the audience in English, taking full command of the show’s tone.

Each show they put on, not only does the band get better at performing, but they also get better at confidently MCing. At the Korean show, the audience shouted and applauded as Skye talked, spurring them on. Their performance was a roaring success. With this show, WENDY has started building up a track record of success in their overseas performances. They’ve taken one step closer to being a global band.

However, WENDY is taking on the world through rock, and if you’ve looked at the music charts, you’ve seen that the rock genre has been struggling, not only in Japan but globally, as well. This is sure to be putting pressure on the band as they take the road of playing the kind of music they truly want to play, but you don’t get even the slightest sense of worry from the band members or their music. Perhaps the secret is hidden in the chorus of “SCREAM.”

————-

Don’t waste your time

Think about what people think of u

I don’t wanna be

Just a kid that sits around

I’ll scream out loud

You get a strong sense of their commitment to doing what they want to do, regardless of what others might think. When you listen to the song, it’s clear where their bold stance, their energetic live shows, and their repertoire comes from. But it isn’t just their strong wills. Their fundamental love of music, rock, and live shows shines through to listeners, and it might be what’s behind the excitement of the audience at their Korean show and their positions on overseas playlists.

That’s not enough for WENDY, though. They understand that they’re only at the starting line of their efforts to take the world head-on with rock music. They’ll be refining their live performances and polishing the quality of their music, because the world they’re aiming for is a huge one.

It’s a great joy to be able to see WENDY take on the world with their brave, confident style, and hopes are high for their future success in the Japanese and global rock scenes.

25 Oct 2023

No, Daft Punk Is Not Performing at the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony

While the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics often bring out the biggest musical stars of the Games’ host country, Daft Punk will not be among the French artists performing at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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Yesterday, French outlet Le Parisien published a story saying that the duo had been contacted about getting involved in the Games’ opening ceremony, and that discussions with the pair had begun several months ago.

This story cites a France Inter conversation with Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. It in, Jolly said, “It would be very happy for them to be in this ceremony. We cannot not think of Daft Punk when we think at an international exhibition in France.” But later in the interview, he stated with a laugh that “I lied a little about Daft Punk.”

But in fact, a Daft Punk Olympics performance is not to be, as a representative for the duo confirmed to Billboard today (Oct. 25), that “this is just a rumor and not factual.”

Tres sad, to be sure, but there is new Daft Punk material on the horizon. On Nov. 17, the duo — who officially broke up in 2021 — will release a “drumless” edition of their 2013 album Random Access Memories as part of the album’s 10-year anniversary celebration. As the concept indicates, this new version will feature the original album, stripped of its percussion.

The 10-year anniversary has also included an interview series, Memory Tapes, with album collaborators including Julian Casablancas, Nile Rodgers and Pharrell.

The Paris Olympics, meanwhile, take place next summer, from July 26 to Aug. 11, 2024.

25 Oct 2023

Blink-182 vs. The Rolling Stones: Will It Be a Battle of the Bands Atop the Billboard 200? 

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. 4), new albums by rock greats Blink-182 and The Rolling Stones vie for the Billboard 200’s top spot, along with the last two albums to have topped the chart. 

Blink-182, One More Time… (Columbia): The latest album from pop-punk paragons Blink-182 is the 10th of the band’s career — counting 1994’s independently released Buddha, andfollowing 2019’s appropriately titled Nine. But it’s also the first since 2011’s California to feature guitarist and vocalist Tom DeLonge, who reconnected with the trio’s other two members after co-leader Mark Hoppus was diagnosed with cancer in 2021, undergoing successful treatment and recovery.  

Riding the excitement of the reunion of the group’s classic lineup, One More Time has already spawned a pair of Billboard Hot 100 hits in “Edging” and the title track, reaching Nos. 61 and 62 respectively – the group’s highest Hot 100 entries since 2004’s “I Miss You” (No. 42). The album is expected to sell well — helped by 11 different vinyl variants, standard CD and cassette editions, and a deluxe box set with a branded shirt and CD contained inside – and should get extra exposure from a recently announced 2024 U.S. tour, taking them to arenas and stadiums throughout next summer. (The trio also released a new digital edition of the album on their webstore on Wednesday, featuring two new bonus tracks.) 

The Rolling Stones, Hackney Diamonds (Geffen/Polydor): Though they’ve remained a consistent top-drawing live act and released the blues covers set Blue & Lonesome in 2016, this month’s Hackney Diamonds is the first album of originals from Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Rolling Stones since 2005’s A Bigger Bang. Produced by contemporary pop-rock hitmaker Andrew Watt, who’s previously worked with rock legends Elton John and Ozzy Osbourne, Diamonds has been hailed by critics and fans as one of the group’s best later-period works. (John also plays on two of Diamonds‘ 12 tracks, with other huge-name guests on the album including Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder and Sir Paul McCartney.)

Will it be enough to score the band their 10th No. 1 album on the Billboard 200? The Stones will certainly be giving fans plenty of options for purchase, with a whopping 30+ vinyl variants, as well as two deluxe box sets (with either a branded shirt or a hat, plus a CD), a digipack CD and a CD/Blu-ray box set. The band is fighting against their recent history a little, however, as they haven’t topped the chart since the classic Tattoo You in 1981. (Blink’s most recent No. 1 came in 2016 with California.) If the album hits the Billboard 200’s top 10, it will extend the band’s already-record-setting number of top 10 entries on the chart to 38.

Drake, For All the Dogs (OVO/Republic) & Bad Bunny, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana (Rimas): The previous two No. 1s on the Billboard 200 (for the charts dated Oct. 21 & 28, respectively) are still putting up big streaming numbers on a daily basis, currently responsible for a combined 14 of the top 20 spots on the realtime Apple Music chart. Despite being the older release, Drake‘s For All the Dogs probably has the advantage between the two sets, with both a stronger across-the-board showing for its 24 tracks and the current No. 1 song on both the Apple Music chart and the Spotify U.S. Daily Top Songs listing, with the Yeat-featuring “IDGAF.” Dogs earned 164,000 equivalent album units in its second week, so it’s likely that Blink or the Stones will have to post a first-week number comfortably in the six digits to pass it in its third frame.  

IN THE MIX 

Tyler, the Creator, Wolf (Odd Future): The beloved rapper’s second album, 2013’s Wolf, received a 10th anniversary vinyl reissue pressing earlier this month. Given Tyler’s strong presence in the vinyl market – which helped return his Call Me If You Get Lost to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in April 2022, nine months after its initial debut, following its belated vinyl release – it should result in Wolf making a strong return to next week’s chart. The album initially debuted and peaked at No. 3 in April 2013.  

Fuerza Regida, Pa Las Baby’s Y Belikeada (Sony Music Latin/Street Mob/Rancho Humilde): One of the biggest names from the recent boom in regional Mexican music just released one of its biggest albums: Fuerza Regida’s new Pa Las Baby’s set is a whopping 30 tracks, featuring guest appearances from fellow música Mexicana hitmakers Chino Pacas, Gabito Ballesteros and Manuel Torizo, as well as American EDM star producer Marshmello. The set’s chart performance will come almost entirely through its streaming numbers, as the album does not yet have a physical release.  

Cher, Cher Christmas (Warner): Cher’s first-ever Christmas album includes covers of holiday standards like “Santa Baby” and “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” as well as the set-leading original “DJ Play a Christmas Song,” and guest appearances from fellow stars Michael Bublé, Cyndi Lauper, Stevie Wonder and (of course) Tyga. The album is currently available through four CD variants (each with different covers), though its vinyl issue isn’t expected until later this year. If the album reaches the top 40 – possible for either next week or following its vinyl release – it would give the pop icon a seventh straight decade of charting at least one solo album in the Billboard 200’s top 40, dating back to the 1960s.   

25 Oct 2023

Alex Rodriguez Jokes He ‘Certainly Can’t’ Give Travis Kelce Advice on Dating Taylor Swift

Alex Rodriguez knows a thing or two about dating a major star, but that doesn’t mean he has advice on the matter.

The former New York Yankees athlete sat down with People this week, when he was asked if he has anything to share with Travis Kelce amid his budding romance with Taylor Swift — as A-Rod was previously engaged to a fellow superstar, Jennifer Lopez. “I certainly can’t give anyone advice about that,” Rodriguez joked of dating in the limelight.

“For me, of all the things that I’ve been able to experience in my life, there’s nothing [else] besides the birth of both of my girls,” A-Rod told People of his current priorities.

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Rodriguez and Lopez first began dating in 2017 and revealed their engagement in 2019. They spent the first part of the pandemic at home with their blended family, made up of the “On the Floor” singer’s twins Maximilian “Max” David and Emme Maribel — whom she shares with ex-husband Marc Anthony — and Rodriguez’s daughters Ella and Natasha with ex-wife Cynthia Scurtis. In 2021, the couple announced that they’d broken off their engagement, issuing a joint statement to Today, noting that they “realized we are better as friends and look forward to remaining so.” 

The Marry Me star has since rekindled an old romance and tied the knot with Ben Affleck, while Rodriguez is currently dating Canadian fitness instructor Jaclyn Cordeiro.

25 Oct 2023

Sakurazaka46’s ‘Shoninyokkyu’ Rises to No. 1 on Japan Hot 100

Sakurazaka46’s “Shoninyokkyu” hits No. 1 on this week’s Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated Oct. 25, ending Ado’s consecutive reign atop the list at four weeks.

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The girl group’s seventh single — the title means “esteem needs” —  features second-gen member Hikaru Morita in center position of the choreography, and is the last song including first-gen member Mizuho Habu, who is set to leave the group in November.

The song launched with 545,944 CDs, surpassing the group’s own record set by the previous single (“Start Over!,” 523,606 first-week copies) to rule physical sales. Streaming for the new single also surpassed its predecessor by 25 percent, racking up 7,882,683 streams to hit No. 5 for the metric. The track is at No. 13 for downloads (3,343 units) and No. 51 for radio.

Ado’s “Show” slips to No. 2 after holding at No. 1 for four straight weeks. But the song racked up 14,227,857 weekly streams (up approximately 1.17 percent from the previous week) to hold at No. 1 for the metric, while also continuing to rule downloads and video views. It also rises 18-14 for karaoke. Ado collaborated with Universal Studios Japan for its Halloween event “Halloween Horror Nights” for this track, featured as the theme for the event’s dance show “Zombie de Dance” continuing through Nov. 5. With Halloween less than a week away, the song still could return to the top spot on the Japan Hot 100.

MAZZEL’s “Carnival” debuts at No. 4. The rising boy band’s second single hits No. 2 for sales with 52,448 copies sold, surpassing its debut single “Vivid,” which launched with 43,340 copies. The eight-member group also hits No. 4 for downloads with 9,289 first-week units — also performing much better than its predecessor (2,682 units) — and is at No. 3 for radio.

Fujii Kaze’s “Hana” rises 11-7 this week, breaking into the top 10 on the Japan Hot 100. The theme of the new TV series Ichiban Sukina Hana that premiered Oct. 12 moved 55-12 for streaming after points for the track increased by about 111 percent from the previous week. Points for video also jumped 77-21 with a 71 percent increase.

The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.

See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from Oct. 16 to 22, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.

25 Oct 2023

10 First-Timers on Billboard’s Charts This Week: Marc Rebillet, Aliyah’s Interlude, Brigitte Calls Me Baby & More

Billboard has more than 200 different weekly charts in its menu, encompassing numerous genres and formats.

While established artists often compete for a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and Billboard 200 albums ranking, which track the most popular songs and albums of the week, respectively, up-and-coming talents typically start off on genre-specific lists.

Here’s a look at 10 artists who appear on surveys via first entries on the Oct. 28-dated charts.

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Marc Rebillet

The electronic musician and YouTuber is officially a Billboard-charting artist, thanks to his viral hit “Your New Morning Alarm.” Rebillet first released the 57-second song on April 1, 2021, on his YouTube, Instagram and TikTok accounts, but released an official version on streaming and digital retail services Oct. 13, via Bored Certified Records. The song debuts at No. 1 on the Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart with 1,000 downloads sold, according to Luminate. It also garnered 124,000 U.S. streams. The original YouTube video has raked in over 32 million views – his most-viewed clip on the platform – since its 2021 posting.

Rebillet, whose nickname “Loop Daddy” is a nod to his improvised electronic and funk live-looping technique, has been churning out music for nearly a decade. He released his debut six-track EP Loop Daddy in 2018, and has since dropped its sequel, Loop Daddy II, in 2019, as well as three studio albums: Marc Rebillet (2018), Europe (2019) and Loop Daddy III (2020).

Rebillet is from Dallas and now based in New York City. He often performs pop-up concerts on street corners around New York, livestreaming the events on YouTube and Twitch for his “We Outside” series.

In June 2020, Billboard reported about Rebillet’s string of sold-out drive-in concerts around the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 12-concert run, which ranged from 350 to 600 cars (or about 1,000 fans) per show, earned over a half-million dollars. Before those shows, he expanded his audience that spring with livestreamed performances from his apartment wearing, simply, a bathrobe and boxer shorts.

Aliyah’s Interlude

The Atlanta-based influencer, model and artist (real name: Aliyah Bah) debuts at No. 36 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart, marking her first chart appearance, thanks to her breakout viral song, and only official release, “It Girl.” Released Sept. 30 on Interlude Records, along with a sped-up version, it tallied a combined 3.3 million U.S. streams in the tracking week (up 60%).

TikTok has been a contributing factor in the song’s growing profile, as a portion of the sped-up mix has been used in over 515,000 clips on the platform to date. Plus, a piece of the original version has soundtracked over 20,000 videos. (Activity on TikTok is not included in Billboard’s charts except for the newly-launched TikTok Billboard Top 50.) The original version has also been used in over 40,000 Instagram Reels.

Aliyah initially rose to prominence on social media in 2020 after posting videos of her outfits. Earlier this year, the New York Times reported on her fashion aesthetic, which fans have shared online using the hashtag #AliyahCore.

Brigitte Calls Me Baby

The Chicago-based band arrives on Billboard’s charts for the first time with its breakout single “Impressively Average.” The song, released Oct. 3 on ATO Records, debuts at No. 40 on Adult Alternative Airplay (up 107% in plays Oct. 13-19). The song was produced by Dave Cobb, the nine-time Grammy Award-winning producer/songwriter/engineer behind hits by Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton and others.

Outside of “Impressively Average,” the group has released the song “Eddie My Love,” in January. Both tracks are set to appear on the act’s five-song debut EP, This House Is Made of Corners, due Nov. 3. The band comprises Wes Leavins (vocals), Jack Fluegel (guitar), Trevor Lynch (guitar), Devin Wessels (bass) and Jeremy Benshish (drums).

Brake

The singer-songwriter, recognizable by his long, bright orange hair, scores his first Billboard chart hit, thanks to his new single “Cigarettes & Black Lipstick.” The song, released Oct. 13 on Bananabeat Records, debuts at No. 3 on Alternative Digital Song Sales and No. 6 on Rock Digital Song Sales with 1,500 downloads sold in its first week. The track also sparks his No. 42 debut on the Emerging Artists chart.

The song was produced by Cisco Adler, the musician/producer behind Shwayze’s two Hot 100-charting songs, “Buzzin’ ” (on which he’s also featured) and the top 25 hit “Corona and Lime,” in 2008.

Brake (real name: Blake Bidigare) has released 10 additional songs on streaming services, dating to “Mine” and “Halloween in Summertime” in 2020.

Ren

The Welsh musician, from the Isle of Anglesey, lands on Billboard’s charts for the first time with his new studio album, Sick Boi. The set, released Oct. 13 via The Other Songs, debuts at No. 137 on the Billboard 200 with 9,000 equivalent album units earned in its opening week. It also starts at No. 2 on Heatseekers Albums, No. 11 on Top Current Album Sales and No. 13 on Top Album Sales. The set also helps him reach No. 4 on the Emerging Artists chart.

Ren (full name: Ren Gill) initially rose to popularity as a member of the groups The Big Push and Trick the Fox before going solo. Prior to Sick Boi, he released his debut LP Freckled Angels in 2016 and the EPs Demos (Do Not Share) Volumes 1 & 2 in 2020.

Haley Heynderickx

The singer-songwriter, from Portland, Ore., debuts at No. 25 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart, thanks to the vinyl re-issues of her 2018 debut studio album and sole chart entry, I Need to Start a Garden. The set, released via Mama Bird Recording Co., sold 2,000 copies in the latest tracking week, all on vinyl. (After its initial release, the album ranked among the top 25-selling Americana/folk albums.)

Outside of Garden, Heynderickx has released three EPs: Fish Eyes (2016), Unpeeled (Banana Stand) (2017) and Among the Horses III (2018).

Kaylee Bell

The singer-songwriter, from Canterbury, New Zealand, is a Billboard-charting act, thanks to her breakthrough tribute to Keith Urban, “Keith.” Her first charted track ranks at No. 12 on Country Digital Song Sales with 2,000 downloads sold (up 92% after debuting last week). Bell sang the song as a contestant on The Voice Australia last year – when Urban was a judge – and the subsequent performance went viral. Bell initially self-released the song in February 2019. The single also helps her debut at No. 41 on Emerging Artists.

Bell reminisced about performing the song in front of Urban in an Oct. 9 clip she shared on TikTok. “Still pinch myself that i got to share this moment with you,” she said in the clip’s caption.

Bell has been recording music for over a decade and has released two studio LPs: Heartfirst (2013) and Silver Linings (2021). She has also supported Ed Sheeran, Brad Paisley and Morgan Evans on tour.

Jacob Lusk

The singer-songwriter, and member of gospel/R&B trio Gabriels, earns his first solo appearance on Billboard’s charts, thanks to his featured appearance on The Blessed Madonna’s “Mercy.” The song, released in June on Margeverse/Warner Records, debuts at No. 8 on the Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart.

Lusk, from Compton, Calif., competed in the 10th season of American Idol in 2011, alongside fellow Billboard-charting acts Scotty McCreery (who won that season), Lauren Alaina, Haley Reinhart and James Durbin. Lusk finished in fifth place.

Gabriels have sent one song onto Billboard’s charts: “Love and Hate in a Different Time” reached No. 38 on Adult Alternative Airplay in 2021.

Billy Gillies

The DJ and electronic producer, from Northern Ireland, notches his first entry on Billboard’s charts with “DNA,” featuring Hannah Boleyn. The track, released in July on Big Beat/Atlantic Records, debuts at No. 37 on Dance/Mix Show Airplay (up 17% in plays). Billy Gillies has previously collaborated with Aly & Fila, Armin van Buuren and Andrew Rayel, among others.

Kenai

The Puerto Rican singer (real name: Joel A. Lopez) claims his first Billboard chart hit, thanks to “Ultimo Capitulo.” The song, released Aug. 23 via YO SOY LA VOZ INC, debuts at No. 6 on the Latin Digital Song Sales chart. Kenai has released two solo LPs so far: Mi Antesala in 2014 and Icono in 2017.

25 Oct 2023

The Skechers Basketball Sneakers Era Kicks Off With Julius Randle & Terance Mann

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It’s official, Skechers is in the basketball game. And with a growing roster featuring the likes of Terance Mann, Julius Randle and possibly Joel Embiid (we’re still surprised by that one), they’re looking to make a big splash upon their arrival.

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Source: Skechers / Skechers

Tonight (Oct. 25), both Julius Randle of the New York Knicks and Terance Mann of the Los Angeles Clippers will take to the court in Skechers new basketball sneakers, the SKX Resagrip™ and SKX FLOAT™, and in doing so will kick off the era of Skechers basketball sneakers that no one really saw coming.

On Tuesday (Oct. 25), Skechers announced their excitement over their latest venture of branching into the sport while promoting the technology they’re using in their new silhouettes, which was designed to help their athletes perform at the top of their game.

Per Skechers:

The perfect hybrid of form and function, the SKX Resagrip™ is designed for players who move at top speed with next-level cushioning and responsiveness to accommodate quick and explosive movements. It features Goodyear® Resagrip Technology with a unique outsole configuration so you can play hard and focus on your game.

For players in search of game-changing stability, the SKX FLOAT™ offers strategically-placed TPU to help lock the foot in place, while a lightweight Swirl Tech™ design provides flexibility for an exceptional court feel with a Goodyear® outsole for enhanced traction. Both styles include Skechers Hyper Burst® cushioning in the midsole plus a Hyper Burst Pro™ sockliner for added comfort.

Julius Randle and Terance Mann seem more than happy with their new home and the support they’re getting from the Skechers basketball division.

“It’s an incredible experience working with Skechers. They’re new to the sport, so we have the opportunity to do exciting things outside the box in a positive and impactful way,” said Julius Randle in a statement. He continued: “Skechers is a great fit for me because I’m a competitive player and they have this same approach when it comes to their mission to make the best shoe on the court. This is the next stage in a journey for Skechers and for my career, so we’re trailblazing together with these amazing shoes. I love that.”

“From the first moment I stepped onto the court in Skechers, I knew these shoes were the real deal—they’re so comfortable and also represent my style,” said Terance Mann in a statement. “I love that Skechers is an L.A.-based brand. I can meet in person at any time to talk about the shoes and really partner with them. They’re giving me everything that I need, and I’m looking forward to competing in Skechers.”

We lowkey wanna try on a pair to see what all the hype is about.

Still no confirmation from Joel Embiid’s camp on whether or not the NBA MVP will become the official face of the Skechers basketball division, but if and when he does, that’ll certainly help give them a boost in popularity, especially if he can go a whole season without getting injured (just sayin’).

What do y’all think of the new Skechers basketball sneakers? Given their reputation of making some of the most comfortable sneakers for moms and golfers, would y’all wanna give them a try? Let us know in the comments section below.

Skechers basketball

Source: Skechers / Skechers