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20 Oct 2023

Friday Dance Music Guide: The Week’s Best New Tracks From Barry Can’t Swim, ISOxo, Rêve & More

This week in dance music: Texas Eclipse Festival 2024 announced a heady, heavy lineup, Dutch festival DGTL announced that it’s making it’s U.S. debut this December, BMG acquired Martin Solveig’s catalog, Kenya Grace made history as the first artist to hit No. 1 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs with a track produced, written and sung exclusively by a woman, and we talked to her about the track, the Mayan Warrior team announced that it will bring a new car to Burning Man in 2024 after its original rig burned down this past April, we got exclusive CRSSD Fall 2024 sets from Basement Jaxx, Nikki Nair and Interplanetary Criminal and we spoke with III Points co-founder David Sinopoli ahead of the festival, which launches today (Oct. 20) in Miami with headliners including Black Coffee, Caroline Polacheck, Skrillex and Fred again..

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That’s a lot, and there’s more. These are the best new dance tracks of the week.

Barry Can’t Swim, When Will We Land

The Label: Ninja Tune

The Spiel: Barry Can’t Swim has released more than half his debut album, When Will We Land?, in singles over the last few months, but damn if it doesn’t all sound so good all together. The Scottish producer has a talent for lushness and groove, building the standout “Always Get Through To You” to an exultant place while bringing in Afrobeats, house, jazz and ambient influences throughout. Vocal snippets give the project a human, sometimes slightly melancholic, mood and depth. The Edinburgh native is on tour in the U.K. and Europe for the remainder of 2023.

The Artist Says: “I’m not really one for putting soppy s–t on socials,” the artist, born Joshua Mainnie, wrote on Instagram, “but it’s an incredibly moving thing to know there are people out there that actually want to listen to my music and hear this album. It’s been almost 2 years in the making and some of it was written when I was still working a full time job. Can’t believe it really.”

ISOxo, kidsgonemad!

The Label: 88Rising Records

The Spiel: San Diego’s ISOxo released his very-much-anticipated debut album today, and with it demonstrates why he’s simultaneously the future of bass-forward electronic music and one of the most exciting things currently happening within it. Pummeling with the same velocity of early Skrillex and containing the same kind of sleek, sharp edges of Justice, the album is raw, powerful, aggressive and inventive, with the artist balancing out walloping maximalism with more delicate moments like on the Spanish-guitar tinged “Moonspell.” The producer, born Julian Isorena, has four sold out shows at The Shrine in Los Angeles next month.

The Artist Says: “This album can be split into three parts. The first few tracks have a cocky, rebellious energy that builds to a breaking point with ‘pressure’. The second part is about trying to reconnect with the passion and feeling of making music with no restrictions or expectations (how2fly). And part three builds again into the high energy from part one and brings back those themes but from a more hopeful perspective. kidsgonemad! is the whole journey of growth and self-discovery from brash rebellion and angst to hopelessness, and finally acceptance and self-worth.”

Rêve, Saturn Return

The Label: Astrwalwerks

The Spiel: Montreal dance pop artist Rêve — a Billboard emerging dance artist to watch — is proving why with her debut album Saturn Return. Giving Future Nostalgia vibes, the album is sleek, fun, sophisticated, singable and extremely danceable, containing earlier hits including “Whitney” and “Breaking Up With Jesus” and new gems like the shimmering “Contemporary Love” and the power-lunged power anthem “Disco At The Strip Club.” The project was produced by Banx & Ranx, known for their work with Dua Lipa and Little Mix, and Grammy-nominated producer Carl Ryden, who is well-versed in the dance pop world through his work with Kylie Minogue.

The Artist Says: “The album was carefully crafted to make listeners feel sexy, vulnerable, empowered, euphoric, and free,” says the artist born Briannah Donolo. “My goal was to create a sonic dimension where everyone has a space to feel safe to experience and celebrate the full range of human emotion. I’m known for my dance vibes, which you’re getting plenty of with Saturn Return, but I also wanted people to see a more emotional and vulnerable side from me – because spilling my guts is my favorite thing to do.”

Poolside, Blame It All On Love

The Label: Counter Records

The Spiel: A longtime arbiter, of funky, groovy, smooth as hell music you can dance to (or just clean the house to), Poolside is back with his fourth full length, Blame It All on Love. It is, as they say, a vibe. Swimming largely instrumental end of the pool, the album is a lush, slinky, sorta sexy affair that features work from Cut Copy’s Ben Browning (“Ride With You”), Panama (“Back To Life”), Ora The Molecule, Life on Planets, Slenderbodies, Munya and Mazy (“Each Night.”)

The Artist Says: “I’ve spent 15 years being like, ‘F–k your rules,’ and I finally feel like I’m not trying to prove anything or anyone wrong,” the artist born Jeffrey Paradise says. “It’s just pure, unfiltered expression, and that’s why I’m really excited about this record.”

Claude VonStroke, “The Creeps”


https://youtube.com/watch?v=dq03jzE6zpM&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

The Label: Dirtybird

The Spiel: The one and only Claude VonStroke is very aware of what season it is, giving spooky vibes on his latest, “The Creeps.” A simmering, ominous house beat is the foundation for vocalist Barry Drift to expound on the real terror of a bad trip, stating in a low growl, “Blood is everywhere, the drugs are so dramatic!”

The Artist Says: “A good horror film is very difficult to make because it has to be scary enough to make your skin crawl, but fun enough so you can enjoy grabbing your partner’s arm during a jump scare,” says CBS. “I decided to go for it and make a track just for Halloween based on the concept that a guy takes drugs and cannot figure out if he is in reality or a horror film. It’s a precarious balance between cheesy and creepy, but that’s the entire fun of Halloween, isn’t it?”

20 Oct 2023

Here’s Why P!nk Doesn’t Care About ‘Popularity’ in the Music Industry

P!nk doesn’t care what you think about her — but she does care that fans feel safe at her shows.

The star sat down with Cecilia Vega for this weekend’s episode of 60 Minutes, and in an exclusive clip shared with Billboard ahead of the full interview, the “What About Us” singer opened up about how she feels about “never winning the popularity contest” in the music industry.

“We sold 3 million tickets in the last six months, but you don’t really hear about it unless you went,” she says of her impressively sold-out tours. “So at the end of the day, do I give a sh– who talks about me?”

She continued, “As long as the mom and the daughter, or the dad who’s in the pink T-shirt, as well as his daughter and her three friends, had a fantastic time, or the gay couple that came together and felt super safe at my show because no one heckled them — that’s what really matters.”

According to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, P!nk’s recent Summer Carnival stadium tour has grossed an impressive $257.6 million and sold 1.8 million tickets across 41 shows. She played two shows at London’s Hyde Park on June 24-25, earning $20.9 million and selling 130,000 tickets. Just behind The Rolling Stones’ $22.4 million, it’s the biggest gross by an American act or by a soloist in the venue’s history. She just launched her Trustfall Tour this past weekend, but was forced to postpone four shows (two in Tacoma, Washington, and two in Vancouver, Canada) this week due to a respiratory infection.

The full 60 Minutes interview with P!nk will air this Sunday (Oct. 22) after NFL football at 7:30 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT on CBS and will also be available to stream on Paramount+. Watch Billboard‘s exclusive clip above.

20 Oct 2023

Blink-182, The Rolling Stones & More: Which Is Your Favorite Music Release of the Week? Vote!

The boys are back in town this week — literally, as this week’s new music Friday sees new album releases from the original Blink-182 lineup and The Rolling Stones, the latter of which marks the band’s first new music in nearly two decades.

Following a series of serious personal issues — namely Mark Hoppus’ 2021 cancer diagnosis, which he later overcame — Hoppus, Travis Barker and Tom DeLonge didn’t want to waste any more time separated and playing music without each other. The result is the group’s newest effort, One More Time..., which sees the trio taking a much needed look into their past and reflecting on how much they actually care about each other, now that they are mature enough to realize it. The sentimental moments on the record are cut between songs like early single, “Edging,” the album opener, “Anthem Part 3” and “Dance With Me,” showing that they still have the capability to make lightning strike in the same place twice.

The Rolling Stones’ last album, A Bigger Bang, arrived in 2005, making a total of 18 years since they’ve released new material. Hackney Diamonds doesn’t disappoint, and sees Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood serving up rock steady grooves and collaborative delights (see guest appearances from fellow veterans Paul McCartney and Elton John, as well as Lady Gaga) — a solid effort from the revered musicians, particularly in light of the loss of their fallen bandmates, Charlie Watts.

This Friday’s music offerings isn’t just for the boys, either. Charli XCX and Sam Smith have finally collaborated on a track together, months after teasing a team up for Charli’s high octane video for “Speed Drive.” The pair’s collaborative effort, “In the City,” sees the star delivering another upbeat party anthem, with Smith chiming in for an assist on the second verse, speaking of feeling protected by a guardian angel.

The Kid LAROI, Jung Kook and Central Cee teamed up for “Too Much,” 21 Savage enlisted d4vd for “Call Me Revenge,” and Anitta is back with “Mil Veces,” but which release is your favorite? Vote in our poll below. 

20 Oct 2023

TikTok Can’t Stop Raving About This Baccarat Dupe — and It’s On Sale for Under $20

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Baccarat smells divine, but it might be a little too expensive for most shoppers. The cult-favorite Baccarat Rouge 540 offers up an intoxicating, lingering scent priced at $325 to more than $600 per bottle.

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The popular scent was designed by French perfumer Francis Kurkdjian. “A great perfume is a beautiful story. It’s a unique story,” Kurkdjian said in an interview with Vogue. “I have a long relationship with Baccarat. I set about condensing the Baccarat sprit into a small bottle. What is Baccarat? The answer was: Baccarat is red crystal. Making crystal is the real alchemy. This alchemy, between the mineral, the fire and the craftsmanship is what I really wanted to translate and transcribe in this perfume.”

Nordstrom

Baccarat Rouge is a warm, spicy scent with woody, ambery floral notes along with notes of jasmine, saffron, cedarwood and ambergris accord.

The fragrance takes its name from the process of heating a crystal until it changes form. “At the exact temperature of 540-degrees Celsius, crystal goes from transparent to this very particular red, which we call Baccarat red,” Kurkdjian explained.  

If Bacarrat Rouge is out of your budget, we’ve found an affordable dupe for less than $20. Lattaffa Perfumes makes a similarly entrancing, unisex scent called Ana Abiyedh Rouge. According to TikTok, Abiyedh Rouge is one of the best alternatives to Baccarat Rouge and certainly one of the most budget-friendly alternatives, it’s on sale at Amazon for under $20.

The tantalizing fragrance blends saffron, bitter almonds, cedar, jasmine, ambergris musk and more into a captivating, woodsy scent with just enough spice. It’s long-lasting and lingers when you walk by (I’ve tried it and can confirm that it smells great) but it might not the best Baccarat clone on the market as there are other alternatives.

Some of the better Baccarrat dupes that you’ll find on TikTok include Red Temptation by Zara, Armaf Club de Nuit Untold, Ariana Grande’s Cloud fragrance and Solo de Janiero’s Brazilian Crush Cheirosa ’68 Beija Flor Fragrance Mist.

Purchase below.

Amazon

Amazon

20 Oct 2023

Inside Green Day’s Las Vegas Club Gig Saluting 30 Years of ‘Dookie’: Best Moments

Green Day fans began to notice on Oct. 9 that something was up on the band’s Instagram. Longtime lovers of Easter eggs and secret tracks, the veteran rockers posted a photo of a concert bill depicting a zombie with two dates for Las Vegas’ When We Were Young Festival (Oct. 20 and 21) preceded by a third, crossed-out line.

A black-and-white video of a banner unfurling atop downtown Las Vegas’ Fremont Country Club dropped the following day. It read “Send out an S.O.S., it’s getting serious,” while the marquee of the venue teased “next show announcement Wednesday.”

While everyone continued to lose their minds in the comments, the details of a Green Day gig began to spread like a game of telephone through the city’s industry insiders. On Wednesday, a post revealed that there would be a surprise set to warm up for the festival with Ultra Q — frontman Billie Joe Armstong’s son’s band — opening for the punk rock legends.

A ticket link popped up in the GD Instagram stories with a call to action encouraging zombie attire. That day, the banner on the club switched to read “Eat at Chef Wong’s One Night Only” — a reference to the Bad Year blimp’s messaging on the Dookie album cover — and the marquee switched to “Green Day October 19.”

Tickets went on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday for the same-day show, and within minutes, there were more than 10,000 people in the queue for the 850-capacity club. As attendees arrived at Fremont Country Club, a “Welcome to Paradise, Enjoy the Show” sign got its turn.

Those lucky enough to score entry began filing in around 7 p.m. to take in the opener, many in full zombie makeup and attire, while ushers and other staff also completed the look. Green Day took the stage right before 9:30 p.m. and carved through a 29-song set that quaked the rafters.

Billboard was inside Fremont Country Club for the throwback to the band’s sweaty-thrasher roots. With Armstrong in top form, along with Mike Dirt, Tré Cool and three touring musicians — and the crowd living for it — all the buildup culminated in these major moments.

20 Oct 2023

Watch Operation Ivy’s Tim Armstrong & Jesse Michaels Reunite to Perform ‘Take Warning’

Tim Armstrong of Rancid and Jesse Michaels reunited as Operation Saturday (Oct. 14) to perform “Take Warning” during Musacks’s all-star celebration in Los Angeles. It was the second Musack reunion for the East Bay punk group that broke up in 1989, with fans hoping that a full scale reunion might materialize in 2024.

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Musack is a 501c3 that supports kid’s music programs across North America, founded by TV writer Donick Cary, whose credits include The Simpsons, Parks and Recreation and Have a Good Trip. Musack raises money through private concerts and silent auctions, including Saturday’s event, which paid tribute to the late Terry Hall of The Specials.

Specials members Horace Panter, Lynval Golding, Hannah Hu, Nikolaj Torp Larsen and Kenrick Rowe joined Armstrong and Michaels for the all-star performance, which also included Jesse Wagner of The Aggrolites, Nate Albert with Mighty Mighty Bosstones, JG Goetchius with Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Eitan Avineri from Western Standard and Rob Verdugo from Western Standard Ska Orchestra. The video provided by Josh Rousho of AntiCurrent Productions.


Guests were treated to beer from Musack’s sponsor, Fall Brewing Company, including their limited edition Enjoy Yourself IPA.

Oct. 14 featured live performances, including sets from Bite Me Bambi and Fishbone before an all-star set with surprise guest artist Tom Morello, who performed “The Ghost of Tom Joad.” A rotating all-star backing band led by JG (Mighty Mighty Bosstones) featured songs from The Specials, Fun Boy Three, and The Colourfield as well as the surprise Operation Ivy song.

Surprise performances have become a Musack tradition. A surprise Operation Ivy reunion from the 2022 Musack Rock n’ Roll Carnival saw the band performing “Sound System.”

The Specials’ last U.S. performance was at Musack’s 2022 event. Video of “Gangsters” from that show can be found here. Learn more at Musack.org.

20 Oct 2023

Best Musician Halloween Costumes: Harry Styles, Taylor Swift, Rihanna & More

While countless fans take Halloween as an opportunity to dress up as their favorite musicians, the holiday is a chance for those same A-listers to be somebody else just for a night.

That might be why so many pop stars love going all out on October 31 every year (well, that and disposable income they can use to invest in the best makeup and costumes). Many musicians even stage full blown photoshoots to show off their spooky season looks, much to the delight of their followers.

And, just like everyone else, famous musicians have different tastes in costumes. Some go for bold and sexy, some shoot for silly and punny, and some gravitate towards super scary over cute and sweet; some opt for simple and quick, and some think that the more detailed and elaborate, the better. The samples on this list alone range from hyperreal cartoon characters to politicians, horror movie figureheads to children’s book villains.

The best instances of musician-worn Halloween costumes, however, might just be the ones where celebrity singer-songwriters dress up as their own favorite artists, whether it’s a modern day peer or a legendary Hall of Famer. Ciara, for instance, has dressed up as everyone from Selena Quintanilla to Janet Jackson to Cardi B, while Harry Styles’ most iconic Halloween fit has to be his homage to Elton John’s Dodger Stadium look — but, more on both of them later.

Keep reading to see Billboard‘s favorite musician Halloween costumes from the past few years, featuring Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Rihanna and more.

20 Oct 2023

Maluma Teased His Girlfriend’s Pregnancy With ‘ADMV’ During Tiny Desk Concert

Maluma is the latest artist to take on the NPR Tiny Desk for a concert full of his hits and even a tease of his girlfriend’s recent pregnancy announcement.

The Colombian superstar performed songs ranging from “Hawái” and “COCO LOCO” to “Felices los 4” and “Según Quién.” Before “ADMV,” Maluma shared that he wrote the song for a cryptic “someone,” and immediately began tearing up.

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The Colombian artist revealed that he and his girlfriend, Susana Gomez, are expecting their first child together via a new music video on Friday (Oct. 20). Titled “Procura,” the song’s clip documents the couple’s relationship with never-before-seen clips, the heartfelt moment they found out they were going to be parents and the lavish sex reveal, when they found out they will be having a girl. The couple also revealed she will be named Paris. 

“Music is the only way I can talk to my fans and I wanted to let them know that I’m having a baby,” he said in an interview with NPR Music‘s Alt.Latino. “It’s perfect timing with all of the things that I’m living. I’m looking for more personal experiences too […] I also want to grow as a human being, not only as an artist. This makes me feel so human, but at the same time, the more human I feel, the more artist I get.”

Watch his full Tiny Desk Concert below.

20 Oct 2023

Morgan Wallen Scores His 10th Country Airplay No. 1 With ‘Thinkin’ Bout Me’

Morgan Wallen banks his 10th leader on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart as “Thinkin’ Bout Me” ascends from No. 2 to No. 1 on the ranking dated Oct. 28.

The single increased by 5% to 32.5 million audience impressions Oct. 13-19, according to Luminate.

The song was written by John Byron, Ashley Gorley, Taylor Phillips and Charlie Handsome, the lattermost of whom also produced the song with Joey Moi.

Wallen has another track inside the Country Airplay top 10: “Everything I Love,” which pushes 10-9 for a new high (18.8 million, up 1%).

The Sneedville, Tenn., native added his ninth Country Airplay chart-topper, the crossover smash “Last Night,” which reached the penthouse in May and dominated for eight frames. “Last Night” led the streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Country Songs survey for 25 weeks beginning in February, giving the singer-songwriter his seventh No. 1. It’s the fourth-longest-ruling hit since the chart launched in 1958 as an all-encompassing weekly genre recap.

Wallen earned the first of his 10 Country Airplay No. 1s, and 12 top 10s, with “Up Down” (featuring Florida Georgia Line), which led for one week in June 2018.

Rolling Ahead

Jelly Roll’s “Save Me” with Lainey Wilson hops 12-10 on Country Airplay (18.1 million, up 18%). Jelly Roll adds his third top 10, following two straight No. 1s: “Need a Favor” ruled for four weeks beginning Aug. 12, after his first format entry, “Son of a Sinner,” led for one week in January.

Wilson scores her sixth consecutive career-opening top 10. “Save Me” follows “Watermelon Moonshine,” which dips to No. 3 (27.1 million, down 13%). The latter awarded Wilson her third leader on Oct. 7, beginning a three-week command.

20 Oct 2023

8 Easy Taylor Swift Costume Ideas

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With the Eras Tour movie now in theaters, fans can relive some of her most iconic looks through the years — and use them as inspiration for unforgettable costumes, of course. Halloween is quickly approaching, which means it’s time to check out some of the most popular Halloween costumes, but for those who don’t want to show off a Barbie outfit, Taylor Swift has practically an endless amount of looks and styles to craft a show-stopping musician-inspired costume.

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To help get you started on crafting a look that’ll have you resembling the Midnights singer, we did the digging to come up with the best Swift costume ideas that are worthy of winning a costume contest.

No matter if you want to show off a Reputation outfit or Speak Now-inspired look, keep reading to discover some easy and fun costumes that’ll have you make “the whole place shimmer” whether you’re at the club, a Halloween party or are trick-or-treating.

model wearing black sequin shorts with black crop top

Amazon

SweatyRocks Sequin High-Waist Straight Leg Shorts

Get in the Red spirit with the iconic look that just screams “22” energy. You’ll want to get a pair of black sequined shorts to start off. This pair is high waisted and features an elastic waistband for added comfort.

black fedora hat

H&M

Felt Hat

Don’t forget to pick up her hat, which H&M has in a felt version for 25% off. Create a soft wave to your hair and add a red lip to really get into the Red era.

white t-shirt that reads

Amazon

Expression Tees “A Lot Going On at The Moment”

During the Eras tour, the singer-songwriter was spotted in a graphic T-shirt similar to the one above that you can get to tie the entire outfit together. And don’t forget a pair of red heart-shaped sunglasses!

white t-shirt that reads

Walmart

Junior Jewels T-Shirt

For a more comfy look, consider the “You Belong With Me” music video outfit that features the “Junior Jewels” white T-shirt. Get a little crafty with it and write your favorite songs, lyrics and Swiftie lingo on the shirt.

blue, pink and white flannel pants

Amazon

Amazon Essentials Poplin Sleep Pants

Top off the outfit with these flannel sleep pants that come with a drawstring waistband for added comfort. Plus, you’ll want to throw your hair into a ponytail and add these clear glasses to your look to really bring the Speak Now vibe.

model wearing mini gold tassel dress with white cowboy boots

Rodeo Nights Fringe Mini Dress

Show up looking Fearless in a gold fringe dress that’ll have you twirling all night long just to give people a peek at the mesmerizing fringe.

white cowboy boots

Target

Wild Fable Cowboy Boots

To really embrace the Fearless vibe, make sure you top off the costume with a pair of white cowboy boots similar to what the star wore during the era and in the movie.

model wearing orange and pink cutout dress

Amazon

Pink Queen Cutout Bodycon Midi Dress

While you may not have a Grammy on hand, you can still step out in this two-tone dress inspired by Swift’s iconic orange and pink two-set. The dress has a cutout center and ribbed design that you can rewear past Halloween.

purple halter dress

Amazon

1950s Halter Retro Cocktail Dress

This halter purple dress just screams Speak Now and all you need to do to complete the look is a ponytail and a red lip. So easy!

model wearing blue sleeveless fringe dress

Showpo

Siofra Mini Dress

Fans of “Delicate” won’t be able to resist throwing this blue fringe dress on to show off their very best look inspired from the music video. It comes with a tiered fringe design that’s perfect for hitting the dance floor in.

model wearing sparkly sleeveless dress

Amazon

Allegra K Sequin Dress

Look absolutely “Bejeweled” in this sequin dress for a Midnights-approved look that’ll have you shimmer and glimmering all night long.

model wearing purple fur coat

Walmart

OFOTL Autumn & Plush Coat

Not only will this faux fur jacket keep your arms covered during a Halloween bar crawl, but it boasts style similar to the one worn in the “Lavender Haze” music video.

black and red long sleeve unitard on model

Amazon

Sequin Stretch Lace Biketard

Go for a “big Reputation” moment in this one-piece unitard that is designed with red and black sequins and long sleeves that’ll help keep you warm during those cool fall nights.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the Best Taylor Swift Outfits, Eras Tour movie outfits and Eras Tour-inspired wardrobe looks.