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23 Oct 2023

Jess Glynne Plots a Big 2024 After Setting ‘A Foundation’ This Year

Jess Glynne can’t believe it’s already the five-year anniversary of her most recent album, 2018’s Always In Between. “It really is mad,” the British pop star tells Billboard of Always In Between, which turned 5 on Oct. 12. “So much has happened in my life, personally and in my career. … It was never the plan for that to be so long. But it’s just, life happens, right? And I think I’m now accepting of that.”

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Over that past half-decade, the 34-year-old singer-songwriter — best known in the U.S. for her smash Clean Bandit collaboration “Rather Be,” but with nine solo top 10 hits on the UK’s Official Charts — experienced profound personal loss as an inadvertent professional catalyst. In 2021, one of Glynne’s close friends passed away, causing the pop star to pause her career and “do a lot of self-work,” she says. Glynne re-emerged from mourning with reevaluated priorities and a revamped team, signing with Roc Nation for management last year and with Republic Records as her stateside label.

With that in mind, Glynne has treated 2023 as an opportunity to ramp up to her third studio album, due out next year. “This year has been a foundation for me to get myself back into the world of music and creativity,” she says. “It’s really been a journey, and it’s been experimental, [but] I feel like I have a really strong vision for this album.”

Last Friday (Oct. 20), Glynne further previewed that vision with “Friend of Mine,” an absorbing pop anthem with production that pulls from drum-n-bass and vocal runs that remind the world why Glynne is considered such a powerhouse. Written with Jin Jin, Ollie Green and DJ Sub Focus, “Friend of Mine” allows Glynne to ruminate on the changing contours of a relationship: “We said some things and we crossed the line, “ she sings, “but will you still be a friend of mine?”

Glynne says that the main hook of “Friend of Mine” came within a 20-minute period during a studio session. “When you break up with someone, you’re mourning the loss of something, but you still want to be able to have that person in your life, because they mean so much to you,” she explains.

“Friend of Mine” is Glynne’s third single of 2023, following the fuzzed-out clap-along “Silly Me” and the thumping dance offering “What Do You Do?,” which were released in April and July, respectively. Those three songs not only suggest a more reflective tone for Glynne’s upcoming album, but also a diversification of sound, with different slants on her soulful pop bedrock.

“With this album, I feel like this chapter has been quite exciting, and refreshing,” says Glynne. “I feel like I’m in a good space.”

23 Oct 2023

Bad Bunny Maintains Perfect Run of No. 1s on Top Latin Albums With ‘Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana’

Bad Bunny does it again. The Puerto Rican collects his eighth total and consecutive No. 1, in as many tries, on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart as Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana debuts at No. 1 on the Oct. 28-dated ranking. Benito’s fifth studio album concurrently debuts at No. 1 on the all-genre Billboard 200 –where it becomes the fourth all-Spanish-language set to lead the chart– and Latin Rhythm Albums charts.

A return to Bad Bunny’s trap origins, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana starts with 184,000 equivalent album units logged in the U.S. during the Oct.13-19 tracking week. That’s the second-largest opening sum, in terms of units, for a Latin album since the chart began measuring by units, after his own Un Verano Sin Ti (237,000 units in its first week, May 2022). The 22-track set dropped Oct. 13 via Rimas Entertainment.

Second-largest Streaming Week: In true Bad Bunny fashion, Nadie Sabe attributes its No. 1 start mostly to streaming activity. Streaming equivalent album units comprise 176,000, equating 239.56 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs. That sum yields the second-biggest debut streaming week for a Latin album ever, after Benito’s own Un Verano which launched with 356.55 million streams.

Sales too, contribute to Nadie Sabe’s high start, with 7,500 sold (available to purchase only as a digital download album), while the remainder 500 derive from track-equivalent units.

Breaks No. 1 record among Latin Rhythm acts: With Nadie Sabe launching at No. 1, Bad Bunny maintains his perfect run of eight No. 1s on Top Latin Albums among eight chart appearances, dating back to the arrival of X 100pre in 2019, the most for any urban act since the tally launched in 1994. Among all acts, Marco Antonio Solis continues to hold the record with 12 leaders. Here’s a recap of all of Benito’s No. 1s on the list:

Peak, Title, Weeks at No. 1
Jan. 5, 2019, X 100pre, 46
July 13, 2019, Oasis, with J Balvin, eight
March 14, 2020, YHLQMDLG, 70
May 23, 2020, Las Que No Iban A Salir, one
Dec. 12, 2020, El Último Tour Del Mundo, 27
Jan. 15, 2022, Anniversary Trilogy, one
May 21, 2022, Un Verano Sin Ti, 53
Oct 28, 2023, Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va A Pasar Mañana

Beyond his Top Latin Albums coronation, Bad Bunny captures his seventh leader on Latin Rhythm Albums, tying with Don Omar and Wisin & Yandel for the second-most No. 1s, trailing only Daddy Yankee’s eight rulers.

Hot Latin Songs Takeover, Replaces himself at No. 1: In the songs’ realm, Benito monopolizes the Hot Latin Songs chart as Nadie Sabe arrives. With 19 new debuts plus two other tracks previously on the multi-metric ranking, 21 songs from the new album fill the chart. Further, Bad Bunny posts 23 simultaneous tracks this week, the third-most in the history of the 67-year-old tally, after Peso Pluma’s 25 career-record (July 8-dated list) and his own 24 concurrent songs (May 21, 2022).

“Mónaco” leads the new recruits, as the title debuts at No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs with 26 million streams, enough for a No. 2 start on the overall Streaming Songs and a No. 1 on Latin Streaming Songs. Sales, meanwhile, comprise 1,000 downloads in its first week which yields a No 1 start on Latin Digital Song Sales.

As “Mónaco” debuts at the summit, Bad Bunny replaces himself at No. 1. The song sends Drake’s “Gently,” where he is featured, to No. 12; down 58% in streams, to 10.3 million. That drop creates space for nine other songs from Nadie Sabe to dominate the ranking’s top 10. Here’s the list of the new top 10s:

No. 1, “Monaco” (debut)
No. 2, “Fina,” with Young Miko (debut)
No. 3, “Perro Negro,” with Feid (debut)
No. 4, “Nadie Sabe” (debut)
No. 5, “Hibiki,” with Mora (debut)
No. 6, “Mr. October” (debut)
No. 7, “Cybertruck” (debut)
No. 8, “Teléfono Nuevo,” with Luar La L (debut)
No. 9, “Baby Nueva” (debut)
No. 10, “Seda,” with Bryant Meyers (debut)

Benito’s new monster week achievements follow two noteworthy events: the announcement of his Most Wanted Tour 2024, plus his appearance on Saturday Night Live on Oct. 21, where he hosted and performed two Nadie Sabe cuts, the No. 1 hit “Mónaco” and “Preview.”

For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram and all charts (dated Oct. 28), will refresh on Billboard.com tomorrow (Oct. 24).

23 Oct 2023

Just Blaze Shares 2 Songs From Unreleased Slaughterhouse Album: ’45 King Didn’t Die for Us to Hold on to a Bunch of Music’

Just Blaze opened the vault Monday (Oct. 23) and unearthed two songs from a never-released Slaughterhouse album as a way to pay tribute to The 45 King.

Blaze had previously discussed the unreleased album on Snoop Dogg‘s GGN show back in November 2015, nearly eight years ago. “Now that I’m back off the road for a bit, I’m wrapping up the new Slaughterhouse album,” he told Snoop at the time. “So, we’re in the last phases of that now. We’re mixing. We got about another week’s worth of mixing left. And then hopefully that’ll be out to the world by the end of the year.” The album never came out.

But on Monday, he shared on X (formerly known as Twitter) that he had “just found the slaugherhouse album” and “might do the lords work.” He delivered on his promise an hour later by uploading an 11-minute video containing two unreleased songs onto his YouTube account. And it sounds like fans could hear even more of the LP later on. “45 king didn’t die for us to hold on to a bunch of Music. More to come eventually,” Just Blaze wrote in a follow-up message.

The 45 King (real name Mark Howard James) — who’s well known for his work on Eminem‘s “Stan,” Jay-Z‘s “Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)” and Queen Latifah‘s breakout album All Hail the Queen — recently died at age 62.

“There is no way to summarize the impact and importance of DJ Mark the 45 King in one tweet, thinkpiece or story. He gave us so much, yet asked for so little, but deserved everything,” Just Blaze tweeted Oct. 21. “This man would text me every month ‘Just checking in! Good luck on your upcoming projects!’ Every few weeks without fail. I don’t even know how he got my number and I didn’t care. The fact that one of my godfathers knew my name and cared what I was doing was enough for me.”

Check out the two songs Just Blaze shared on YouTube:


https://youtube.com/watch?v=maCcHwwilos&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

23 Oct 2023

Soundcore Takes $40 Off New Portable Speaker When You Preorder: Buy It Here

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Listening to your favorite artists doesn’t have to be done only through your Bluetooth earbuds, and Soundcore wants to make it easier with its upcoming release. The Motion X500 Portable Speaker is the latest accessory to join the tech brand’s collection of headphones, speakers and more — and right now, you can take advantage of $40 off the device.

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Soundcore is rewarding shoppers with an Early Bird Discount, knocking off $40 from the Motion X500 speaker when you preorder it. To get access to the savings, you just have to pay $1, then you’ll receive a special promo code on Nov. 9 that’ll give you $40 off the device. Plus, the promo code will be eligible to use on Soundcore or Amazon.

pink, black and indigo portable speakers

Soundcore

Soundcore’s upcoming wireless speaker not only comes in three sleek shades — black, pink and purple — but features spatial audio for a more immersive listening experience. The model aims to provide triple the amount of detail when listening to audio due to use of the latest LADAC codec. One full charge can also provide you with up to 12 hours of battery life so that you can host a game night without having to find an outlet.

When you’re on the go, you can use the built-in handle for easier portability to bring it from place to place or another room. Plus, the top comes with an ambient light to help customize each listening experience. If you splash some water on the device, don’t worry — it’s made with a waterproof material including a 3D aluminum grille.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best earbuds under $50, charging stations and karaoke microphones.

23 Oct 2023

Rihanna’s Super Bowl Jumpsuit Is Available Online – Here’s How to Buy It

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Loewe, the luxury fashion brand behind Rihanna’s Super Bowl outfit has announced that it would be releasing replicas of her red jumpsuit online and in stores. The jumper was released in black and poppy red, like the custom-made jumper that RiRi rocked for the Halftime Show in February.

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“A special edition release inspired by the iconic Super Bowl look worn by Rihanna is now available online and in selected stores,” the company announced via social media on Oct. 19. “The cargo jumpsuit and trousers feature a range of utility details drawing upon flight gear and the halftime show’s dynamic scenography.”

In addition to Rihanna’s Super Bowl look, Loewe has also created looks for Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour.

According to the description, Lowe’s Cargo Jumpsuit is made from medium-weight cotton canvas and features relaxed fit, zipper jet pockets in the front, zipper detailing on the ankle cuffs, removable D-ring straps at the knees and an elasticated belt.

Loewe

The jumper retails for $2,900 – and it sold out in poppy red in 24 hours, according to People. Click the buy button above to get notified if (or when) the red jumper gets restocked. And if you don’t want to wait, the Loewe’s Cargo Jumpsuit is also available in black.

Want to channel the look for a cheaper price? You can find similar red jumpsuits online such as Free People’s We the Free Jayde Flare Jumper ($158), the Juicy by Juicy Couture Long Sleeve Jumpsuit ($86) and Dickie’s Coveralls ($38.49).

Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime show in February became the most watched of all time, nabbing 121 million viewers. For the Halftime Show, the Fenty Beauty CEO ran through multiple hits, including “We Found Love,” “Umbrella,” “Only Girl in the World,” “Where Have You Been,” “Run This Town” and “Pour It Up.”

The Halftime Show doubled as a pregnancy reveal for the Grammy-winning singer, who debuted her baby bump during the set. The star welcomed, Riot Rose — her second son with A$AP Rocky — in August. The newborn joins older brother, RZA, born in May 2022.

23 Oct 2023

Taylor Swift Attends Kansas City Chiefs Game in Trendy Platform Loafers: Shop Similar Styles

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Taylor Swift has entered her sports-fan era: The pop star was spotted at yet another Kansas City Chiefs football game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday (Oct. 22). Most Swifties may be on the lookout for her attendance at the stadium, but the singer-songwriter has made sure to make an unforgettable entrance by showing up in some high-fashion looks.

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It’s not uncommon for some of her best outfits to immediately sell out once she’s spotted wearing them — like the Chiefs windbreaker that sold out almost immediately when it was released. This time, we couldn’t help but notice the preppy loafers from Reformation she paired with her vintage Chiefs pullover and a pleated skirt, and guess what? They’re still in stock!

The “August” singer has been stepping out in some of the most trendy fall pieces, such as her Aupen shoulder purse and Vince houndstooth coat. These Reformation platform loafers, though, might just make our list of top favorites. (And did we mention they’re less than $350?)

black platform loafers

Reformation

The Platform Loafers take a more elevated approach to the shoes, using a design that involves a heel rather than a raised sole that makes the entire shoe level. It also features a square toe and block heel for added stability. The material is made from a calf leather that will soften over time, and should be spot cleaned.

Looking for more budget-friendly options? We rounded up a few under $100 picks that’ll have you sporting the “Cruel Summer” singer’s style.

black platform loafer heels

H&M

These heeled platform loafers from H&M come with a smooth patent leather look that features a square-toe front and a satin lining inside. The top is also decorated with a front tab for increased style.

black platform loafers with gold accents

Walmart

For a less than $50 pick, you can’t go wrong with these Ramona Platform Loafers that boast style and affordability. It’s has a block heel with a gold chain on the upper and a small gold decal on the heel.

black lug sole platform loafers

Amazon

Take your outfits to new heights in a pair of Madden Girl loafers that feature a lug sole and chunky heel. The style is also eligible for Prime Try Before You Buy, which means Prime members can test out the shoes for up to seven days before buying them. Not subscribed? Click here to start your 30-day free trial.

black patent leather loafer heels with gold accents

Circus NY

Take advantage of this deal on Circus NY’s platform loafers that come with a shiny black patent leather material and gold accents for added trendiness. The interior also comes with a gingham design to help provide more style and support.

black patent leather loafer heel

Nordstrom

Nordstrom has a pair of heeled loafers for less than $100 that feature a patent leather material and a gold chain accent on the upper. The design infuses the elegance of a pump with the preppiness of a loafer to give you perfect work-to-night shoe.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Eras Tour movie outfits, Swift recommended books and easy Swift Halloween costumes.

23 Oct 2023

Watch ‘American Idol’ Winner Iam Tongi Deliver a Laid-Back Cover of a Morgan Wallen ‘Dangerous’ Hit

Iam Tongi, season 21 winner of American Idol, has been hard at work since being crowned the show’s champion in May. The 18-year-old Hawaii native has been releasing solo music and posting covers of his favorite songs, the latest of which includes a cover of Morgan Wallen‘s “Sand in My Boots.”

The singer’s acoustic take of the song arrives alongside a video, which features him playing the guitar arrangement, with the help of another musician working to flesh out the country track’s twangier sections.

“Yeah, but now I’m dodging potholes in my sunburnt Silverado/ Like a heart-broke Desperado, headed right back to my roots/ Somethin’ bout the way she kissed me tells me she’d love Eastern Tennessee/ Yeah, but all I brought back with me was some sand in my boots,” Tongi languidly sings on the chorus, injecting his own flair into the song.

In a press release for the cover, Tongi shared, “I have immense respect for Morgan Wallen, and ‘Sand in My Boots’ is a song that truly touches my heart. The raw emotion in the lyrics and the soulful melody resonate with me on a profound level.”

“Sand in My Boots” served as the third single from Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album. The track peaked at No. 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent a total of 41 weeks on the all-genre tally.

Up next for Tongi is small tour of North America that’s set to kick off on Oct. 25 at the Gramercy Theatre in New York City. The trek will make stops in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, D.C. and North Carolina before concluding on Dec. 13 at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center in Kahului, Hawaii.

Watch Tongi cover Wallen’s “Sand in my Boots” in the video above.

23 Oct 2023

Here’s How Travis Kelce Reacted to Being Called Taylor Swift’s ‘Boyfriend’

Is Travis Kelce officially Taylor Swift‘s boyfriend? Fans seem to think so after seeing a now-viral TikTok of the Kansas City Chiefs tight end reacting to the label.

In a video shared by user @jeffjulian, Kelce is buttoning his shirt after his football game on Sunday (Oct. 22), when a fan shouts, “Let’s go, Taylor’s boyfriend!” In response, the football star raises his hand in a fist above his head, as one does when they’ve won something. See the TikTok video here.

While Swift and Kelce have not publicly confirmed the status of their budding romance, the “Anti-Hero” singer and the athlete were seen interlocking fingers once again as they left Sunday’s Chiefs vs. Chargers game. Earlier in the day, Kelce assisted the Chiefs in defeating Los Angeles 31-17 at Arrowhead Stadium, which Swift watched from a private box suite with Brittany Mahomes, wife of KC quarterback Patrick Mahomes, all while wearing a No. 87 friendship bracelet. Sunday’s game marks the fourth Chiefs match attended by the 12-time Grammy winner this season.

Swift was also spotted giving Kelce a kiss on the cheek in an Instagram photo posted by wide receiver Mecole Hardman’s girlfriend Chiarah Gordon on Monday (Oct. 23), adding fuel to the fire of relationship rumors between the two superstars.

It’s been an exciting week for Swift, whose “Cruel Summer” hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 songs chart dated Oct. 28, 2023. The song, which previously peaked at No. 3, was originally released on Swift’s 2019 Republic Records album Lover.

23 Oct 2023

Ariana Grande Jokingly Teases ‘AG7’ Title as ‘Goat Mother’

Ariana Grande hasn’t forgotten about AG7. In a recent Instagram post, the 30-year-old pop star joked that her seventh album will be called “goat mother,” sharing photos and videos on Instagram with dozens of goats on an idyllic farm.

The “Positions” singer shared a carousel of photos with friends and family Monday (Oct. 23), several of which showed the vocalist and her mom interacting with animals. “ag7: goat mother,” she teased in her caption.

The R.E.M. Beauty founder also shared a snap with her longtime collaborator Max Martin, the Swedish producer who’s worked on Grande hits such as “Problem,” “Break Free” and “Bang Bang” with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj. Grande and Max attended Norbert Leo Butz’s show at 54 Below this month, marking the second time Grande has shared a photo of Martin amid rumors that she is working on her next LP with the pop-music mastermind in New York City. Earlier this month, she posted a selfie with the &Juliet composer.

“Thanks @arianagrande for coming to see me at @54below I met this incredible lady when she was (gulp) 11 years old backstage at @wicked_musical,” Butz wrote on Instagram Monday, sharing a selfie with Grande. “She is a dream. What an honor to have a moment to talk ? with the one and only #maxmartin.”

Grande also shared the snap of Martin and and Butz in her Instagram Stories, writing, “my two favorite worlds colliding,” and tagging the Broadway star.

Fans are eager for a new Grande album, especially as it’s been three years since her most recent album, Positions, came out in 2020. However, the singer has admittedly been more focused on filming the Wicked live adaptations and working on her beauty brand as of late.

In her post, Grande also included photos of her seated inside an open guitar case and posing with Cynthia Erivo, the Elphaba to her Glinda. She captioned the photo of herself with Erivo in a corresponding Instagram Stories, “@cynthiaerivo forever and ever my favorite image. i love you so much.”

23 Oct 2023

Taylor Swift Kisses Travis Kelce in New Photo

Taylor Swift’s got that red lip, classic thing that Travis Kelce likes — and that’s why she planted a kiss on the Kansas City Chiefs tight end’s cheek.

In a new Instagram photo posted by wide receiver Mecole Hardman’s girlfriend Chiarah Gordon on Monday (Oct. 23), the couple is seen smiling and posing with Swift and Kelce. However, in the second photo of the carousel, the “Lavender Haze” singer is seen planting a kiss on the tight end’s cheek. See the photos here.

While this is the first kiss we’ve seen between the rumored couple, the duo have been seen holding hands frequently over the past few weeks, most recently after the Chiefs vs. Los Angeles Chargers game on Sunday night (Oct. 22). Swift and Kelce were interlocking fingers as they left Arrowhead Stadium, marking the fourth Chiefs match attended by the 12-time Grammy winner this season. For the occasion, she rocked a Chiefs sweater and represented Kelce with a a No. 87 friendship bracelet.

Last weekend, Swift and Kelce held hands in New York City on their way to the Oct. 14 Saturday Night Live after party, shortly after the two made surprise cameos on the show’s season 49 premiere. The next day, they grabbed dinner at a restaurant in the West Village, hand-in-hand again.

It’s been an exciting week for Swift, whose “Cruel Summer” hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 songs chart dated Oct. 28, 2023. The song, which previously peaked at No. 3, was originally released on Swift’s 2019 Republic Records album Lover.