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05 Oct 2023

How African Music Performance Finally Made It Onto the Grammy Ballot

Last December, the Recording Academy convened a listening session of artists, label executives and stakeholders both in the United States and across Africa to discuss the rising influence of music coming from the continent. The meeting, which lasted several hours, was a key part of the process that led to the addition of a category that will be presented for the first time at the 66th Grammy Awards on Feb. 4: best African music performance.

“There’s a threshold that you like to see for a genre of music before it actually could make for a healthy category,” says academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., who led the meeting alongside global music genre manager Shawn Thwaites. “When you talk about music coming from Africa, you’re seeing Afrobeats grow, you’re seeing amapiano and other genres coming out of the continent over the last three to five years. That started the discussions around, ‘Is it the right time?’ ”

The new category reflects the exploding commercial and cultural appeal of music by African artists in the United States. Its growth over the past few years has been almost linear: Davido’s 2017 single “Fall” was the first Nigerian song to be certified gold in the United States by the RIAA in 2020; Wizkid and Tems’ “Essence” became the first Afropop song to reach the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 in 2021; Burna Boy’s Love, Damini debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard 200 in 2022, becoming the highest-charting Afro-fusion album in chart history; and in May, Rema and Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down” became the first song to ever top both the U.S. Afrobeats Songs and Pop Airplay charts and peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100. (“Calm Down” was released too early to be eligible.)

“I don’t think currently there’s better or more advanced music being made anywhere outside the continent,” says Seni Saraki, CEO and editor in chief of The NATIVE Networks, the Lagos, Nigeria-based media and content company that launched a joint venture with Def Jam in September 2022. “From what we call Afrobeats — which is, really, just popular music from Nigeria — through amapiano, the rap music, Afropop, I genuinely think this is some of the most exciting music in the world right now. And the academy is becoming cognizant of that.”

The new category is also an attempt to address some of the controversy that has arisen around the global music album award, renamed from best world music album in 2020 due to “connotations of colonialism,” but still seen as little more than a catchall for non-Western music. As the music industry has itself become more global, the academy recognized that the time had come to offer a home for music from the African continent. But it also goes beyond the popularity of Afrobeats, which itself is more of an umbrella term: The academy listed some 30 different genres that could qualify for the category, including alté, fuji and high life.

“People know about Afrobeats and they’re learning about amapiano, but they don’t realize there are so many other genres on the continent that are underserved, and they can’t just be put in a bulk category called ‘world music,’ ” says Tina Davis, president of EMPIRE, which has invested heavily in African music and artists. “And much respect to the Recording Academy because they actually took the time to want to find out. [Mason] went to the continent to just learn more about it.”

The industry has also taken notice. In the past few years, an explosion of new signings, joint ventures and licensing deals for African artists and labels from U.S.-based companies and distributors has brought a new generation of stars like Rema, Asake and Ayra Starr to join the continent’s established hit-makers. “There was a time a few years ago when I was at RCA and it seemed like we were the only ones on it,” says Def Jam chairman/CEO Tunji Balogun, who signed Tems and worked closely with Wizkid and Davido while an A&R executive at RCA and has since signed Adekunle Gold and Stonebwoy to Def Jam. “Now every week, there’s another label signing someone. The budgets are open.”

“I think you see more labels paying attention to it, you see the marketplace paying more attention to it; there’s a spotlight on it,” RCA co-president John Fleckenstein says. “The Grammys are the big leagues of awards, one of those artistic validations that many artists dream about. It’s a bit of an awakening that we are more global than we’ve ever been.”

There is, however, a little reticence around the new category; in the past, artists from genres like hip-hop, R&B and some of the Latin sectors have looked at the genre categories as boxes that merely nod to their music while gatekeeping them from the more prestigious general-field categories like song, record or album of the year. Further, a category called best African music performance, while welcome, is itself incredibly broad, covering a continent with 54 countries and 1.4 billion people.

“It’s a really important moment for the Grammys,” says Temi Adeniji, managing director of Warner Music Africa and senior vp of strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa. “But then the next step is, how do you actually roll this thing out? Even regionally — East Africa, Southern Africa, West Africa — it would be great to see a diversity of nominees, and that would reflect a real understanding from the Grammys of how large the continent is and how diverse the sounds are that are coming out.”

Talks of additional categories around African music, as well as a possible African Grammys, could be part of a future that Mason says this category is just the start of. “We want to serve music people, regardless of where they are,” he says. “I don’t know what that means yet, but we will continue to try and make sure that we are reaching as many music people regardless of their geography.”

The Potential Nominees?

Five songs that are in strong contention for a nod for the inaugural best African music performance Grammy.

Wizkid feat. Ayra Starr, “2 Sugar” (Starboy/RCA)

Following the crossover success of his “Essence” (featuring Tems) was this breakout hit from the Nigerian superstar’s More Love, Less Ego album, featuring a powerful vocal from Starr, who is herself blossoming into a major force in African music.

Libianca, “People” (5K/RCA)

With an arresting, emotional vocal performance, the 22-year-old Cameroonian American singer — who previously appeared on season 21 of The Voice — has captivated fans and the industry alike. “People” spawned remixes by artists such as Ayra Starr, Omah Lay and Becky G on the way to a long-running No. 2 peak on the U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart.

Davido feat. Musa Keys, “Unavailable” (Davido Music Worldwide/RCA)

The lead single from one of the year’s best albums in any genre, “Unavailable” showcases Davido at his irresistible best, combining Magicsticks’ amapiano production with a slick verse from South Africa’s Musa Keys to craft one of 2023’s more enduring anthems.

Adekunle Gold feat. Zinoleesky, “Party No Dey Stop” (Def Jam)

Insistent, urgent and eminently catchy, Gold’s debut Def Jam single blends the street melodies of fellow Nigerian Zinoleesky with his own knack for songwriting for a club banger with substance. It’s aspirational yet relatable, much like the album on which it appears.

Asake feat. Olamide, “Amapiano” (YBNL/EMPIRE)

Asake’s meteoric rise over the past few years led to a headlining slot at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in September. This track, alongside label boss and Nigerian music legend Olamide, is among his best, celebrating his trademark amapiano vibe and orchestral backing vocals, yet elevating both artists.

This story will appear in the Oct. 7, 2023, issue of Billboard.

05 Oct 2023

Björk & Rosalia ‘Help Fight Fish Farming in Iceland’ With New Single: Listen to a Clip

Two of the most daring and imaginative minds in contemporary popular music have finally linked up on a song together — but not in the way you might expect. Critically acclaimed cross-genre artists Björk and Rosalía have collaborated on a new single to raise money for the fight against fish farming in Iceland. On YouTube, the upload is titled “Help Fight Fish Farming In Iceland.”

“I am offering a song me and Rosalía sang together. The profits will to help the fight against fish farming in Iceland. It will come out in October,” Björk said in a press release. “People at the fjord seyðisfjörður have stood up and protested against fish farming starting there. We would like to donate sales of the song to help with their legal fees, and, hopefully, it can be an exemplary case for others.”

“Iceland has the biggest untouched nature in Europe, and still today it has its sheep roaming free in the mountains in the summers, its fish has swum free in our lakes, rivers and fjords, so when icelandic and norwegian business men started buying fish farms in the majority of our fjords, it was a big shock and rose up as the main topic this summer,” she continued. “We don’t understand how they had been able to do this for a decade with almost no regulations stopping them. This has already had devastating effect on wildlife and the farmed fish are suffering in horrid health conditions and since a lot of them have escaped, they have started changing the DNA in the Icelandic salmon to the worse and could eventually lead to its extinction.”

In addition to releasing a clip of the song on YouTube, Björk also posted a video to her official Instagram page featuring what sounds to be the same snippet, with the press release overlayed on a picture of a fish just like the YouTube clip. Rosalía commented a simple white heart on the post and shared it to her Instagram Story.

Björk’s reps confirmed to Billboard that a full version of the song will be released this month, with an exact date yet to be confirmed. The song’s proper title will also be revealed at that time.

“There is still a chance to safe the last wild salmon of the North. Our group would like to dare these business men to retract their farms! We would also like to help invent and set strict regulations into Iceland’s legal system to guard nature,” Björk concluded in the press release. “The majority of the nation already agrees with us, so this protest is about putting the will of the people into our rule-systems.”

The new collaboration will be Björk’s first musical release of the year, and the latest in a string of singles from Rosalía. At the top of this year, before she and Rauw Alejandro called it quits, the pair released a joint EP titled RR. Two songs from the three-track project — “Beso” (No. 4) and “Vampiros” (No. 32) — hit the top 40 on Hot Latin Songs. The Grammy winner also released “Tuya” (No. 38) and “LLYLM” (No. 22), both of which also hit the top 40 on Hot Latin Songs.

Last year, Björk unleashed Fossora, her 10th studio album, which peaked at No. 100 on the Billboard 200 and earned a Grammy nomination for best alternative music album. Earlier this year, in recognition of Record Story Day (Apr. 22), Björk released an expanded double LP edition of her 2010 joint EP with American indie rock band Dirty Projectors.

Listen to a clip of Björk and Rosalía’s passionate new duet above.

05 Oct 2023

CMT Music Awards Are Returning to Austin, Texas, in 2024: Here’s the Show Date

The CMT Music Awards are headed back to the Lone Star State. The 2024 CMT Music Awards will return to the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, April 7, 2024, airing on CBS Television Network, and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+ with Showtime. The awards show will air from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET.

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“We couldn’t be more excited to bring the CMT Music Awards on CBS back to Austin in 2024! From the electrifying, sold-out Moody Center crowd to fans packing the streets for our outdoor Congress stage, and Bevo himself walking the Red Carpet, our Texas-sized welcome proved to be one of our biggest and most unforgettable shows yet,” CMT Music Awards executive producers Margaret Comeaux, John Hamlin and Leslie Fram said in a statement. “We’re thankful to our incredible partners at Moody and the City of Austin and thrilled to bring CMT’s signature blend of world premieres, genre-blending surprises and once-in-a-lifetime collaborations back this April!”

Jeff Nickler, sr. vp, Oak View Group, added, “Oak View Group and Moody Center are honored to welcome CMT, CBS and Paramount back to Austin. We look forward to building upon the success of last year’s record-breaking event and to hosting another sold-out audience for Country Music’s biggest party.”

Jelly Roll was the big winner in 2023, taking home CMT Music Awards trophies for male video of the year (“Son of a Sinner”), breakthrough male video of the year (“Son of a Sinner”), and CMT digital-first performance of the year (“Son of a Sinner”).

Meanwhile, artists including Jelly Roll, Kelsea Ballerini, Wynonna Judd and Ashley McBryde provided some of the 2023 awards show’s most talked about moments. Performers and nominees for the 2024 CMT Music Awards will be revealed at a later date.

In 2022, the CMT Music Awards shifted from its longtime home on CMT to CBS, and in 2023, the CMT Music Awards earned its biggest audience yet. The 2023 show was the first to be held at the Moody Center.

05 Oct 2023

Hipgnosis Exec Kenny MacPherson Placed On Leave After Lawsuit Claims Sexual Assault, Harassment

Kenny MacPherson, a long-time music publishing executive, has been placed on a leave of absence from his job at Hipgnosis Songs Fund, the company tells Billboard, following the filing of a lawsuit that claims he sexually assaulted a staffer in 2005 while he ran another company.

In a complaint filed Wednesday in Los Angeles court, Sara Lewis alleges that she “endured an onslaught of unwanted sexual advances” from MacPherson while she worked as an A&R at Chrysalis Music during the mid-2000s, when he served as the company’s president.

Lewis claims the harassment eventually escalated into “a traumatic sexual assault” during a 2005 business trip, and that she was then “blacklisted” when she reported the abuse.

“The entertainment industry is rife with tales of the abuse of aspiring entrepreneurial women at the hands of older, powerful executives,” Lewis’ lawyers write. “Women have been historically punished for standing up for themselves, refuting sexual advances, or speaking out against their perpetrators. Sara is unwilling to perpetuate that stigma. This lawsuit is about reclaiming agency for survivors of sexual violence and bringing to justice those high powered perpetrators who have historically avoided culpability.”

In a statement to Billboard on Thursday (Oct. 5), Hipgnosis — which was not named in the lawsuit nor accused of any wrongdoing — said it had placed MacPherson from his role as the CEO of the company’s publishing unit pending an investigation.

“Hipgnosis Songs Fund has a policy of zero-tolerance to harassment or abuse,” a spokesperson for the company said. “While the company is not a defendant to these historic allegations which relate to a period 15 years before Hipgnosis was founded, Kenny MacPherson was placed on leave of absence from Hipgnosis Songs Group as soon as it became aware of the allegations. Our rigorous procedures for dealing with such matters have commenced.”

MacPherson did not immediately return a request for comment on Thursday.

In addition to MacPherson, the lawsuit also named as a defendant BMG Rights Management, which acquired Chrysalis in 2010. Lewis claims that BMG, as the legal successor to her employer, is “directly liable” for the company’s failure to stop abuse by its president. In a statement to Billboard on Thursday, BMG stressed that it did not acquire Chrysalis until “years after the alleged events had taken place.”

“BMG stands solidly against all forms of discrimination, harassment, and abuse and we are shocked and dismayed by the allegations made by Sara Lewis,” the company said.

In her complaint — which contains graphic details of alleged harassment and assault — Lewis claims she was hired by Chrysalis in 2002 to “what she thought was her dream job,” eventually moving into a role as an A&R by 2003. But she says the dream “became a literal nightmare” as she was subjected to “relentless” harassment and “grooming” by MacPherson, who then served as the president of Chrysalis.

“Each of the repeated advances were unwanted and unwelcome,” her lawyers write. “But Sara had nowhere to turn. As president of Chrysalis, MacPherson knew all and controlled all. As a professional and aspiring executive, Sara put her head down, endured the harassment, and continued to pursue her dream career in the music industry.”

Lewis claims the harassment escalated into outright assault during a 2005 trip to Chicago to visit a newly-signed artist. After “plying her with alcohol” during a concert, she says he then “insisted that he and Sara have another drink in Sara’s hotel room” and eventually “professed his love” to her. When she says she “reiterated that she did not share these feelings,” he then “forced himself” on her.

“MacPherson attempted to penetrate Sara, but was unable to maintain an erection,” her lawyers wrote in Wednesday’s complaint. “MacPherson then forcibly performed oral sex on Sara as she laid motionless, repeatedly crying and saying ‘no,’ and pleading for MacPherson to stop. Eventually, apparently frustrated with Sara’s lack of participation and his own inability to perform, MacPherson relented and stopped his sexual assault.”

Lewis says she eventually “mustered the courage to report MacPherson’s abuse,” but her efforts were met only with silence and retaliation. Her direct supervisor did nothing, she says, and MacPherson began to shut her out of important portions of her job. When she tried to look for other jobs, she says she learned she had been “blacklisted” by MacPherson and Chrysalis. Eventually, she says she was “forced to leave the music industry entirely.”

“MacPherson and Chrysalis created an environment wherein Sara was without recourse,” her lawyers wrote. “She either acquiesced to MacPherson’s relentless and unwanted sexual advances, or faced a career-ending fate. Sara will no longer remain silent and now brings this action to seek redress for the years of sexual harassment and abuse she suffered at the hands of MacPherson, which was enabled and covered up by Chrysalis.”

In technical terms, Lewis is accusing BMG and/or MacPherson of 12 different counts of civil wrongdoing, including sexual battery, gender violence, and a slew of violations of California labor and employment laws covering sexual harassment and wrongful termination.

Stories about sexual assault allegations can be traumatizing for survivors of sexual assault. If you or anyone you know needs support, you can reach out to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). The organization provides free, confidential support to sexual assault victims. Call RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE) or visit the anti-sexual violence organization’s website for more information.

Read the full legal documents here:

05 Oct 2023

Tomohisa Yamashita on ‘Sweet Vision’ Album & Taking On New Challenges Without Fear: Interview

Tomohisa Yamashita‘s latest album, Sweet Vision, is now available for streaming. Yamashita, who began his career in 1996, has achieved a fabulous level of stardom. He’s a household name in Japan and a famous musician and actor throughout Asia.

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He has appeared in shows streamed around the world, such as Netflix’s Alice in Borderland, Max’s TOKYO VICE, and Apple TV+’s Drops of God. Although he has recently focused on acting, he has taken a step in a new direction as a singer with the release of Sweet Vision. What kind of future does this album depict, and what kinds of hope does it convey?

In the early 2010s, you performed a lot of songs written by other famous Japanese artists. Your sound changed dramatically, though, with your last album, UNLEASHED, which you released in 2018. You wrote the lyrics for almost all of the songs on the new album, right?

Tomohisa Yamashita: By taking part myself, I was able to create songs that I felt more comfortable with, and the process was more enjoyable. I wanted listeners to get a bit of a sense of where I am now. When I’m filming TV series or movies, I don’t really have the time or energy to think about anything else, but with this album I was able to devote time to working on the music. I’m happy to have been able to focus on preparing the music to perform in future concerts. I really wanted to share the music and concerts as a single, combined set.

What kind of message did you set out to share when you made the album?

Tomohisa Yamashita: I always wanted to convey a message of hope, and in creating the new album I wanted to make music that provides people with a brighter vision of the future. If you don’t have a clear vision in your mind, you can’t make that vision a reality. I’ve turned my own visions into reality. I believe that what’s important is how clearly and powerfully you can conceptualize, and I hope through the new album to provide an opportunity for people to create their own wonderful visions. If I didn’t want to put on a concert, or if there weren’t people who wanted me to put on a concert, these shows would also never become realities. There’s a lot that I can’t achieve all on my own, but I’ve done what I could to turn my ideas into reality, and all kinds of miracles have occurred to help make that possible.

The lead single from the album, “Sweet Vision,” includes the lyric “People cannot stay free of blemish.” What do you mean by that?

Tomohisa Yamashita: If you’re 100% unsullied, you won’t even notice that you’re pure. When you get hurt — when you get scuffed and scratched — you get stronger. It’s better to be hurt, because it strengthens you. I think that taking on new challenge after new challenge, without seeing failure or pain as negatives, ultimately leads to love.

You’ve talked about failing multiple auditions. Honestly speaking, wouldn’t you rather make it through life free of damage?

Tomohisa Yamashita: You get used to being hurt. You lose your fear of pain and of failure, and when you lose that fear, your likelihood of succeeding improves. I’m a voracious learner, and I feel like taking a proactive stance also makes me better on an emotional level. It provides me with greater depth as a person, and I think it’s important to keep going forward, without fear.

Are there any rules that you apply to your own activities? 

Tomohisa Yamashita: I always try to stay honest to myself. Also, over the years, I’ve really come to feel that maintaining this level of activity is no easy feat, so I’m constantly trying to take on challenges so that I don’t give up on myself.

On the Amazon Prime show SEE HEAR LOVE, you played a blind character. Considering that role and your own life experiences that have been in the album, “vision” is really a word for what you’re talking about.

Tomohisa Yamashita: The album has a lot of different elements and a lot of different influences. It’s a collection of all kinds of things I find pleasant at this point in my life. It also has an element of serendipity, and it flows naturally.

The first song, “Anima,” felt like it was announcing that the album was going to provide a window into you. What were you trying to convey by making this the first song?

Tomohisa Yamashita: I thought it would be a good opening number for live shows. I also thought it would be perfect for expressing the atmosphere and concept of the album. The song’s title is Latin for “soul,” and in my recent work, that word, “soul,” has come to have a special significance for me. I need to do things that bring my soul joy, and this song is the best song for expressing where I am now, and my desire to love again from the bottom of my heart. Everything is so convenient in the digital society of modern Japan. I feel like people’s souls — their passion and their excitement — are getting weaker. When I deal with people overseas, I feel their passion for life — their soul. It feels like they’re living with every fiber of their being, and that’s given me energy and stimulated me. It’s also made me recognize that I’ve been getting weaker. When I wrote the song, I felt this spirit of, “Okay, here we go!!”

In July, you travelled to various countries in Asia to promote SEE HEAR LOVE. What were the reactions from local fans and media like?

Tomohisa Yamashita: I was welcomed really warmly. I felt grateful and also felt a strong desire to visit even more places. The whole atmosphere of the shows I appeared on during the promotional tour — the tempo, the language, the structure, the background music — felt different than Japan. It was a good experience. I hope to be able to visit countries in Asia again and to really bond with my fans there.

So Sweet Vision is your first step to becoming a border-spanning musician.

Tomohisa Yamashita: It (going global) will take a lot of energy and time, but I’ve got the determination, so I’ll keep sharing what I have with the world, led by this powerful ambition.

Going forward, what kinds of projects would you like to take on as an actor?

Tomohisa Yamashita: I’d like to maintain a good balance of sweeter works and more evocative works. If all you do is make sweet works, it just becomes sugary. You need to add a little spice. I’d love to be able to work on all kinds of projects in all kinds of locations with all kinds of directors.

–This interview by Mariko Ikitake first appeared on Billboard Japan

05 Oct 2023

RBD Open Up About Their Loyal Fan Connection at 2023 Latin Music Week

Matching in edgy blazers, RBD group members Maite Perroni, Christian Chávez, and Christopher von Uckermann arrived at the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week for the “Reviving RBD” panel presented by AT&T. 

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Moderated by Griselda Flores, senior writer at Billboard Latin, the three Mexican artists were joined by manager Guillermo Rosas to talk about their extraordinary comeback story and the connection they have with their fans. 

“The force of pop still exists no matter the generation,” said Perroni. “RBD has surpassed music and it became a heart to heart connection.” 

“It’s a 20-year story,” Rosas added. “The mark they have achieved for Latin pop throughout the planet is impressive.”

The ultra-successful Mexican pop group, which also counts with members Anahí and Dulce Maria, disbanded in 2008 after conquering the world in the early 2000s with hits such as “Sálvame,” “Rebelde,” “Nuestro Amor and “Sólo Quédate en Silencio.” Earlier this year, the group announced their highly-anticipated reunion tour, the band’s return to the stage in 15 years.

“RBD is our audience, it’s music, it’s the moment,” Chávez noted. “It’s  therapy not only for our fans but for us too because we’re returning to the past. It connects with something far beyond.” 

Celebrated for more than 30 years, the 2023 edition of Latin Music Week includes a Superstar Q&A with Shakira; the Legends on Legends chat with Chencho Corleone and Vico C; Making the Hit Live! with Carin León and Pedro Capó; a panel with RBD’s Christian Chávez, Christopher von Uckermann, and Maite Perroni; Superstar Songwriter discussion with Edgar Barrera and Keityn, among many other panels, Q&As and workshops. This year’s Latin Music Week also included showcases by Peso Pluma, Mike Bahía and Greeicy, DannyLux and Fonseca, to name a few. 

Official partners of the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week include AT&T, Cheetos, CN Bank, Delta Air Lines, Lexus, Netflix, Michelob ULTRA and Smirnoff.

Latin Music Week coincides with the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards ceremony, which will broadcast live from the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla., on Thursday (Oct. 5) and will air on Telemundo. It will also broadcast simultaneously on Universo, Peacock, the Telemundo App, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.

05 Oct 2023

Cardi B Shares Video of Wardrobe Malfunction & Genius Hack to Fix It: ‘Teamwork Make the Dream Work!’

Take it from Cardi B: This wardrobe hack is hot s—. The 30-year-old rapper recently shared how she and her team haphazardly fixed a dress that was way too big for her while confined to what looks to be an airplane bathroom, using a trick she apparently learned on TikTok.

In a video posted by the “WAP” rapper on Twitter, she covers up her bare chest with her arms while another woman works on the back of Cardi’s oversized silver gown. Afterward, the Grammy winner slips the top half of the dress back on and shows the camera that it now fits tightly against her figure.

How did they do it? By gathering up some of the fabric on the inside of the dress and using a ponytail holder — or possibly a rubber band — bunch it together like a makeshift seam.

“So my stylist wasn’t on the plane with me so Patience and my makeup artist did this TikTok hack to take my dress in… would you try this???” Cardi captioned the video. “Teamwork make the dream work!!!”

The hack definitely seems like it’s worth a try, given how impressed Cardi seems in the video. “Wow!” she exclaims, looking at herself in the mirror before twerking for the camera.

The Grammy winner is fresh of the release of her new single “Bongos” with Megan Thee Stallion, which the pair performed live for the first time at this year’s VMAs. And on the personal front, she recently celebrated her six-year wedding anniversary with Offset, with whom she shares daughter Kulture and son Wave.

“I love so many things about you,” Cardi wrote to her hubby in a Sept. 20 Instagram post. “I love the fact that I’m with a grown ass man that’s going to provide , protect and help both of us GROW and can handle my mouth ,my attitude,my confidence my weakness and all this ASS!!?… Happy anniversary to US.”

See Cardi B’s dress hack below.

05 Oct 2023

X, Formerly Known As Twitter No Longer Sharing Headlines From Articles Because Elon Musk Thinks They Are Ugly

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X No Longer Sharing Headlines From Articles On The Platform

Source: Anadolu Agency / Getty / X / Twitter

Elon Musk continues to give people all the reasons to take their business and mess to Threads or any other social platform.

X, formerly known as Twitter, continues its quick descent into social media platform obscurity thanks primarily to Elon Musk’s dumb a** decisions.

Delivering on a promise, X is no longer showing headlines from articles when shared on the platform. The reasoning, of course, is as stupid as ever. Musk believes it will “enhance the esthetics” on the platform he boneheadedly renamed to X.

“This is coming from me directly. Will greatly improve the esthetics,” Musk said on his personal X account back in August.

The decision to remove headlines could also result from Musk’s disdain for links driving people from the service while revealing that his platform’s content algorithm deprioritizes links.

Musk was not shy in sharing that information in response to a user who shared data revealing the drastic decline in referrals from X and Facebook to websites that deliver news over the last two years.

“Our algorithm tries to optimize time spent on X, so links don’t get as much attention, because there is less time spent if people click away.” Musk said, adding, “Best thing is to post content in long form on this platform.”

WHAT?

X Users Point Out How Dumb This Latest Change Is

As you can imagine, no one wants to read an entire news story in an X post, and this will also not help Musk and his X platform beat those allegations of aiding in the spread of misinformation.

“Along with pushing misinformation, removing the headline posts from articles makes it seem like someone is just making a caption with a photo and not an actual link to a story, which will cause less engagement for certain journalists/news orgs,” one X user wrote. 

Matt Eason pointed out on the doomed platform that removing headlines from link previews has “completely broken” accessibility to the stories and could further deter users from clicking on the stories.

We’re just going to continue to pour one out for our former favorite social media platform cause the casket continues to lower into the ground.

—

Photos: Anadolu Agency / Getty

05 Oct 2023

Country Outsiders Zach Bryan and Oliver Anthony Could Bring the Genre Major Grammy Attention

Country music is having a major mainstream moment.

Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” spent 16 nonconsecutive weeks from March to August at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, claiming the undisputed song of the summer crown — and is one of four country songs to top both the Hot 100 and Hot Country Songs charts in 2023, the most in a year since 1975.

And Wallen’s success story is far from the genre’s only recent standout. Thanks to artists like Luke Combs, whose cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” spent eight weeks at No. 2 on the Hot 100, and Zach Bryan, whose breakthrough single, “Something in the Orange,” reached the top 10 of the Hot 100 while his album American Heartbreak reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200, country music consumption surged in the United States for the first half of 2023. According to Luminate, it was up 20.3% compared with 2.5% growth during the same period in 2022 — and that was before Jason Aldean’s polarizing track, “Try That in a Small Town,” hit No. 1 on the Hot 100; before Appalachian breakout Oliver Anthony Music dominated headlines with his viral populist anthem, “Rich Men North of Richmond”; and before Bryan topped both the Hot 100 and Billboard 200.

Whether that commercial surge will translate to Grammy nominations on Nov. 10 — and in particular to a long overdue showing for country artists in the general-field categories — could prove one of the more compelling narratives this awards season, particularly with country outliers Anthony and Bryan potentially leading the way.

“Country music [is at] peak awareness right now, and the industry people that vote have an opportunity to recognize that or not,” says Joey Moi, Big Loud partner/president of A&R, as well as Wallen’s producer. “You’re looking at two or three artists [from the country format] that are hanging up there with the big kids.”

Country has often been neglected when it comes to Grammy nominations in the general-field categories — album, record and song of the year and best new artist, for which all 13,000 Recording Academy members can vote. (Starting with the 2024 Grammys, the so-called Big Four becomes the Big Six, with the addition of songwriter of the year, non-classical and producer of the year, non-classical moving into the general field.)

Five Grammy Award cycles have occurred since nominations in the Big Four categories were increased from five to eight and then to 10 contenders, and there have been 196 total Big Four nominations in that time — yet only six have gone to mainstream country artists or projects, with just one victory: Kacey Musgraves’ album of the year trophy for Golden Hour in 2019. (The nominees will revert to eight per category for the 2024 awards.)

But recognition of many of these songs beyond only country audiences could shift the dynamic this year. Anthony went from obscurity to instant household name with “Rich Men North of Richmond,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in August. “Rich Men” was submitted for record and song of the year, though not in any country categories, nor was Anthony entered into consideration for best new artist. (His manager did not respond to a request for comment on the submissions.)

Should “Rich Men” receive a song or record of the year nod — or even a win — it would not be the first time voters have marked their ballots for a song with a message. At the 2019 ceremony, Childish Gambino’s commentary on institutional racism, “This Is America,” won song and record of the year. Two years later, “I Can’t Breathe,” H.E.R.’s poignant take on George Floyd’s murder, won song of the year.

But though “Rich Men” has enjoyed a kind of flashpoint notoriety — the song was even referenced at the Republican presidential debate in August — that may not translate to Grammy votes.

“Artists who have huge moments still have to consider who’s voting,” one Grammy consultant says, noting that voters aren’t the fans who propelled “Rich Men” to No. 1 but creatives who make music. And while the timing of Anthony’s breakthrough means he is fresh in voters’ minds as they mark their ballots, that could also work against him. “I don’t know if the industry is going to wait and hold off to see if [he] has legs or it’s a flash in the pan,” one Grammy voter says. “If this happened in March or April and maintained through the year, we’d have a much clearer story. [He’s] kind of starting the race about five minutes later than everybody else.”

Bryan — who, unlike Anthony, is entered in several country categories as well as album, song and record of the year — may have a different experience. Unlike the self-released Anthony, he is signed to Warner Records, which has the infrastructure to run a campaign for him. His success has built steadily over the past 18 months and extends beyond one song and one format, or as the Grammy voter puts it: “He has had a career that has grown and gathered some roots.” Bryan and past Grammy favorite Musgraves debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100 with their duet, “I Remember Everything,” from his self-titled album that entered the Billboard 200 and Top Country Albums at No. 1. And when it comes to the general-field categories, he could draw from a particularly broad base of voters: His self-titled set, which arrived Aug. 25, also launched atop the Top Rock Albums, Top Rock & Alternative Albums and Americana/Folk Albums charts.

By creating their own nontraditional paths, Anthony and Bryan could, ironically, achieve recognition that some of country’s most respected artists have not: None of Miranda Lambert’s 27 career Grammy nods have been in the general-field categories, while only one of Chris Stapleton’s 17 nominations has been. Whether they also end up distracting from the work of their more conventional country peers in the general categories remains to be seen. Adds the Grammy voter: “I don’t know if people are aware of a lot of the other great country records that may have been out there over the year — they’ve taken up so much air in the room.”

Additional reporting by Jessica Nicholson.

This story will appear in the Oct. 7, 2023, issue of Billboard.

05 Oct 2023

Blink-182 Channel Punk Godfathers The Ramones in ‘Dance With Me’ Video

Blink-182 go full method in the video for their One More Time… (Oct. 20) single “Dance With Me” that dropped on Thursday (Oct. 5). The latest single from the pop-punk trio’s reunion album finds Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker dressing up in their finest Ramones cosplay outfits to channel the spirit of the punk godfathers in a clip directed by the Malloys that mostly recreates the brudders’ classic visual for their song “I Wanna Be Sedated.”

“The video serves as a love letter to the Ramones and finds the guys paying homage to one of their favorite iconic bands that came before them,” reads a description of the visual that opens with a clueless interviewer introducing the band and then asking, “what the hell is punk? And is it punk that I said hell?”

Channeling the Forest Hills, Queens-bred eff you attitude of their favorite band — while wearing Ramones-appropriate shag wigs, sunglasses and leather jackets — the guys offer sincerely annoyed answers before busting into a Ramones cosplay in which they recreate the band’s chaotic “Sedated” video.

As in the Ramones clip, the “Dance With Me” video finds the trio sitting glumly at a kitchen table as a whirlwind of crazy action swirls around them, with dozens of random dancers, brides, construction workers, doctors, cheerleaders, little kids and random weirdos running in and out of frame.

“Ole, ole, ole, ole, yeah we’re doin’ in it all night long/ Ole, ole, ole, ole, yeah we’re doing it all night long,” they sing on the raucous pop-punk tune’s chorus. The second set-up re-creates the legendarily grimy interior of the Ramones’ musical mecca, New York’s late lamented CBGB punk club, with drummer Travis Barker smashing his kit in front of a wall of graffiti and band posters while wearing a “Disco Sucks” t-shirt.

Guitarist/singer Tom DeLonge plays the hybrid part of lanky singer Joey Ramone and guitarist Johnny, while Mark Hoppus performs a more sedate take on bombastic bassist Dee Dee as a crowd of bespoke punks dance along to the galloping track. The trio also recreate the iconic low-budge brick wall album cover photo from the Ramones’ 1976 self-titled debut in the video.

Blink’s first album by the core trio in 11 years is due out on Oct. 20. The 17-song effort, produced by Barker, has already been advanced by the singles “Edging,” “More Than You Know” and the wistful title track ballad.

Watch the “Dance With Me” video below.