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25 Sep 2023

Amazon Is Giving Away 7 Video Games for Free Throughout September: Here’s How to Get Them

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From free two-day shipping (sometimes even one-day free shipping) to access to premium movies and TV shows, getting an Amazon Prime membership has plenty of perks. But did you know that you can also get free video games just for being a member?

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Every Thursday throughout every month, Prime members can get a handful of free games to download and play via Prime Gaming — as part of the subscription service. A new set of free games come out week after week, so you can pick and choose which games you want to play and keep. Meanwhile, the gaming service also has free level-up picks for loot, unlockable characters, skins, boosts and more.

Not a member? You can sign up for a free 30-day trial to take advantage of this deal and everything that Amazon Prime has to offer. 

The Prime Gaming app is available to play on PC, Android smartphones and tablets, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One, and other platforms. 

Check out all the free games available during the month of September, below.

Football Manager 2023 (available now)

Football Manager 2023 for Prime Gaming.

Amazon

In Football Manager 2023, which retails for $59.99 on Steam, you can build your own roster, outsmart your competition, manage your own soccer club, and more in the UEFA Champions League. You start from humble beginnings and then win your way to victory and glory.

Football Manager 2023

Ozymandias: Bronze Age Empire Sim (available now)

Ozymandias: Bronze Age Empire Sim for Prime Gaming

Amazon

Usually priced at $14.99 on Steam, Ozymandias: Bronze Age Empire Sim is a turn-based role-playing and a real-time strategy game where you build an empire that takes place in ancient Eurasia. You build and move your borders, raise arms, protect your home and invade your enemy’s land, and more.

Ozymandias: Bronze Age Empire Sim

Absolute Tactics: Daughters of Mercy (available now)

Absolute Tactics: Daughters of Mercy for Prime Gaming

Amazon

Absolute Tactics: Daughters of Mercy lets you customize your characters, attacks and abilities, while you try to defeat the evil Father Eldritch and his bloodthirsty armies throughout dozens of maps and battlegrounds. It’s a turn-based tactical RPG that normally priced at $24.99 at Steam, but you can get it for free via Prime Gaming.

Absolute Tactics: Daughters of Mercy

Dexter Stardust: Adventures in Outer Space (available now)

Dexter Stardust: Adventures in Outer Space for Prime Gaming

Amazon

Retailing for $9.99 on Steam, Dexter Stardust : Adventures in Outer Space is a point-and-click sci-fi adventure game that follows Dexter Stardust and his companion Aurora trying to save the world by discovering and defeating the mysterious Robot from Planet X.

Dexter Stardust: Adventures in Outer Space

Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate (available now)

Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate for Prime Gaming

Amazon

It’s like chess, but with a shotgun. Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate — which goes typically goes for $9.99 on Steam — is a turn-based strategy game where you play as the Black King. All of your subjects have left your kingdom to join the opposing white pieces, so now you have to reclaim your black pieces with your trusty shotgun.

Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate

Unsolved Case: Murderous Script Collector’s Edition (coming September 28)

Unsolved Case: Murderous Script Collector's Edition for Prime Gaming

Amazon

Priced at $7.99 on Steam, Unsolved Case: Murderous Script is a first-person point-and-click game where you’re tasked with solving the mysterious murder of a museum director. You’re joined by your virtual partner Scott, as you try to find clues, uncover shady dealings, find missing persons and more. This is the collector’s edition of the game, which comes with extras, such as bonus chapters, a behind-the-scenes look, concept art, and more.

Unsolved Case: Murderous Script Collector’s Edition

Hundred Days: Winemaking Simulator (coming September 28)

Hundred Days: Winemaking Simulator for Prime Gaming

Amazon

Have you ever wanted to make your own wine? In Hundred Days: Winemaking Simulator — which retails for $24.99 on Steam — you can make your own wine, grow grapes from a rich plot of land that you pick, bottle and sell it, as you run a winery business from the ground up.

Hundred Days: Winemaking Simulator

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best over-ear headphones, wifi extenders and laptop deals.

25 Sep 2023

Vic Mensa Reveals Celebrity Crush, Biggest Dating Pet Peeve & More on Speed Dating | Billboard News

Rapper, singer and actor Vic Mensa tells Billboard about his childhood celebrity crush, dating pet peeve, favorite movie and more on this episode on Speed Dating.

Tetris Kelly:
All right. If you want to get to know my man, Vic Mensa … well, we’re gonna go into Speed Date! where are you from? What’s your sign?

Vic Mensa:
Gemini.

Tetris Kelly:
OK, so now you gotta tell me … do you feel like you get a bad reputation? I’m a Gemini too.

Vic Mensa:
I feel like Gemini is the dopest sign.

Tetris Kelly:
But you never had any problems with the ladies because of it?

Vic Mensa:
No, they run away.

Tetris Kelly:
OK, I was about to say. You got to be honest with me. People run in a different direction.

OK, what’s a dating pet peeve for you? Like, what’s something that will make you completely stop?

Vic Mensa:
Thirstiness.

Tetris Kelly:
I mean, thirstiness can be viewed as a positive thing, but you said they too thirsty …

Vic Mensa:
Who said being thirsty was a positive? Nobody ever got told, “You thirsty.” And they’re like, “Thank you!”

Tetris Kelly:
I guess if we put it that way.

What was your dream job as a kid?

Vic Mensa:
To be a rapper.

Tetris Kelly:
Celebrity crush?

Vic Mensa:
No comment.

Tetris Kelly:
Oh, come on! There’s a comment.

Vic Mensa:
Halle Berry.

Tetris Kelly:
What’s your favorite movie?

Vic Mensa:
Halle Berry. Swordfish.

Tetris Kelly:
Of course, that’s your answer. Man, thank you so much.

Watch the full video above!

25 Sep 2023

Canelo Alvarez vs. Jermell Charlo: How to Watch & Stream the PPV Boxing Match from Anywhere

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Canelo Alvarez and Jermell Charlo will meet in the ring on Saturday (Sept. 30), for a highly-anticipated boxing match live from T-Mobile arena in Las Vegas.

Alvarez, the super middleweight world title holder, will attempt to defend his undisputed title against undisputed middleweight world champion Charlo.

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Read on for ticketing information and other details.

Wher to Get Tickets to Canelo vs. Charlo

Canelo vs. Charlo fight is expected to be one of the hottest tickets in Sin City. The cheapest tickets that we’ve found online are priced at $265 and up. Tickets are available at Vivid Seat, StubHub, Ticketmaster and TicketSmarter. Click below to purchase tickets.

Canelo vs. Charlo Tickets

Keep reading for ways to watch and stream the boxing match from anywhere.

Best Ways to Watch Canelo vs. Charlo Online

The marquee fight between Charlo and Alvarez is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Where can you watch the fight online? The PPV bout will be available on Showtime PPV for $84.99 — no subscription necessary to purchase the fight. However, if you’ve been interested in Paramount+ with Showtime, subscribe today and enjoy a free trial for the first week ($11.99/month after the free trial ends). The subscription lets you stream a huge selection of movies, TV, sporting events and more for one low price. You can also stream Showtime boxing matches and tons of boxing movies on Prime Video.

You have the option of watching the fight on TV or streaming on your computer, phone and other compatible devices.

Where else can you watch Charlo vs. Canelo? The fight will be available on PPV.com, DirecTV, Dish, Sling, Xfinity, Spectrum, Verizon Fios, Frontier, U-Verse and Mediacom.

Canelo vs. Charlo on PPV.com

DirecTV offers free access to Showtime, Max and other channels when you subscribe to the Premier package. You’ll also get a free trial at sign up regardless of the streaming package that you choose.

Canelo vs. Charlo on DirecTV

Additionally, customers who subscribe to DirecTV under a 24/month agreement will receive up to $450 in gift cards (current DirecTV customers can add Showtime for 50% off). The special offer ends Oct. 2. Click above to launch your free trial.  Use ExpressVPN and NordVPN to access streaming platforms, live channels and more internationally.

Who else is featured on the Canelo vs. Charlo fight card? The undercard will feature Jesus “Mono” Ramos Jr. vs. Erickson “Hammer” Lubin, Yordenis Ugas vs.  Mario “El Azteca” Barrios and Elijah Garcia vs. Armando Reséndiz.

For more boxing content, check out the special episode of Showtime Boxing’s All Access featuring Alvarez and Charlo.

25 Sep 2023

Ed Sheeran’s ‘Let’s Get It On’ Accusers Drop Appeal, Officially Ending the Case

The yearslong legal battle over Ed Sheeran‘s “Thinking Out Loud” has officially drawn to a close.

The heirs of Ed Townsend, co-writer on Marvin Gaye‘s “Let’s Get It On”, who sued Sheeran in 2016 for allegedly infringing the classic song in his smash 2014 single, have officially dropped their appeal in the long-running case, according to court documents filed last Wednesday (Sept. 20). The appeal was withdrawn with prejudice, meaning the Townsend heirs cannot refile the case at a later date; the filing does not provide a reasoning for their decision.

The development comes nearly five months after Sheeran won a jury verdict that his song did not infringe Gaye’s, and nearly four months after his accusers launched their appeal. In their original lawsuit, Kathryn Townsend Griffin and other Townsend heirs alleged that Sheeran had “knowingly and intentionally infringed” the 1973 hit and, in their words, stole the “heart” from the track, one of the most “instantly recognizable songs in R&B history.”

One key piece of evidence in the case was a video of a 2014 concert given by Sheeran, during which the singer effectively acknowledged that the two songs were similar by toggling between them on stage. But his lawyers contended that the tunes merely share commonplace musical building blocks that, in their words, cannot be “monopolized” under copyright law.

Following a dragged-out legal process, in April the case finally made it to trial, when lawyers for the Townsends played the concert clip in question and called it a “smoking gun.” At one point, Sheeran himself took the stand and put on a brief guitar performance to bolster his case by demonstrating how his song was written.

Jurors ultimately sided with Sheeran in a verdict handed down May 4, finding that he and his co-writer, Amy Wadge, had independently written “Thinking Out Loud.” Had the Townsends prevailed, Sheeran faced paying potentially millions of dollars in damages. Such a verdict would also have had broader implications for the music industry, potentially causing music creators to become more cautious about creating songs that sounded similar to older music.

25 Sep 2023

All the Stars Who’ve Performed at Super Bowl Halftime More Than Once

When Usher plays the Super Bowl halftime show in 2024, it will mark his first time headlining, but it won’t be his first time on the halftime stage.

Back in 2011, Usher crashed the Black Eyed Peas halftime show to perform his Billboard Hot 100-topping song “OMG” alongside will.i.am, who produced the 2010 hit. For his 2011 appearance, the R&B superstar descended from the rafters of Cowboys Stadium in an all-white outfit and sunglasses to put on a master class in robotic choreography. He even wrapped up the song by jumping over will.i.am, down a flight of stairs, and landing in the splits. (If this one-song moment is any indication, we’re in for a show.)

The 2022 Super Bowl halftime show also featured a repeat performer: Mary J. Blige — who teamed up with Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar at the then-brand-new SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., for the first full-fledged hip-hop halftime show — took the stage with a different crew back in 2001. More than 20 years prior, Blige had joined Aerosmith, *NSYNC, Britney Spears and Nelly, with whom she performed a grand-finale performance of “Walk This Way.”

Usher and Blige are hardly the first performers to return to the halftime stage. In fact, two have even played the big game three times at this point.

Below, find all the artists who have performed at the halftime show more than once. (Note: We’re considering halftime shows in the modern era, since New Kids on the Block first took the show in a pop direction in 1991. Sorry to the Grambling State University Marching Band and Up With People.)

25 Sep 2023

Adele Calls Herself Rich Paul’s ‘Wife’ at Las Vegas Residency Show

Adele is continuing to fuel rumors that she tied the knot with boyfriend Rich Paul.

The star referred to herself as the sports agent’s “wife” on Saturday (Sept. 23) during her Weekends with Adele residency show at The Colosseum in Las Vegas while chatting about sports. She admitted that she’s “not the greatest wife” to Paul since it’s taken her a while to understand American football, as it’s nonexistent in her home country of England. “I have spent a lot of my time trying to understand and also enjoy American football, ’cause I love sports. I actually love watching sports,” she said in a video circulating social media. “I just don’t understand the game, and it’s so annoying because I’m actually quite a clever person. Why does the whistle always get blown? Why is it four yards? Why are there inches? Why does it stop when it gets f—ing exciting?”

She then made the comment referring to herself as “not the greatest wife, really, when it comes to football — even though my partner absolutely loves it.”

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The marriage hint comes less than two weeks after Adele called Paul her “husband” at another Vegas show earlier this month. In 2021, Adele started dating sports agent Rich Paul, her first publicly confirmed long-term relationship following her divorce from charity entrepreneur Simon Konecki, which was finalized three years after the “Someone Like You” first filed the petition in 2019.

Billboard has reached out to Adele’s reps for comment.

25 Sep 2023

Stevie Nicks Announces 2024 North American Headlining Tour: See the Dates

Stand back — Stevie Nicks is hitting the road again in 2024.

The icon announced Monday (Sept. 25) that she would embark on her new Live in Concert headlining North American tour. Launching Feb. 10 in Atlantic City, N.J., the eight show run will make stops in New York, South Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, Nebraska and Arkansas, before closing in Arlington, Texas, on March 9, featuring support from Billy Joel. See the complete list of dates below.

All but one of the new shows is being produced by Live Nation. Tickets for the first seven shows on the run go on sale this Friday, Sept. 29, with tickets for the Arlington show going on sale at a later date.

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These just-announced shows come on the tail of Nicks’ current North American headlining tour, which will feature 15 shows across the United States from now until mid-December.

This past July, Nicks released Complete Studio Albums & Rarities, a 10-CD set combining each of Nicks’ solo studio albums with a new compilation of hard-to-find tracks. Four of Nicks’ albums — Rock a Little (1985), The Other Side of the Mirror (1989), Street Angel (1994), and Trouble in Shangri-La (2001) — were newly remastered from their analog masters for this new release.

Stevie Nicks Live in Concert 2024 North American Tour Dates

Sat. Feb. 10: Atlantic City, N.J. — Mark G Etess Arena

Wed. Feb. 14: Belmont Park, N.Y. — UBS Arena

Wed. Feb. 21: Greenville, S.C. — Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Sat. Feb. 24: Hollywood, Fla. — Hard Rock Live

Wed. Feb. 28: New Orleans, La. — Smoothie King Center

Sun. Mar. 3: Omaha, Neb. — CHI Health Center

Wed. Mar. 6: North Little Rock, Ark. — Simmons Bank Arena

Sat. Mar. 9: Arlington, Texas — AT&T Stadium

Stevie Nicks

Stevie Nicks

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25 Sep 2023

10 Movies to Stream on Prime Video for Hispanic Heritage Month

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Hispanic Heritage Month may be from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, but that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate and honor the culture all year round. One of the best ways to show your support isn’t just by shopping at small Hispanic-owned businesses, but by educating yourself on the culture and history.

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Some easy ways to do so can be through indulging in Latin music by Billboard Hot 100 chart toppers such as Bad Bunny, or watching movies that spotlight talented Hispanic actors and actresses.

Not sure where to start? Prime Video has hundreds of options to choose from, including movies about Hispanic legends and inspiring stories. The streamer dropped the film A Million Miles Away, which arrived on the streaming platform Sept. 15, and stars Michael Peña as José Moreno Hernández, a migrant from Mexico who works his way into becoming a crew member on Space Shuttle mission STS-128.

Prime members and Prime Video subscribers can watch the film for no additional cost — just sign into your account and find it in the Prime Video library under “new releases.” Not a current subscriber? Amazon has a 30 day free trial for new members, which means you can watch A Million Miles Away and more for free when you sign up. Once your free trial is over, you’ll be charged the regular $14.99/month subscription price (or $139 annually).

Prime Video

$14.99/month after 30 days free

Looking for additional ways to save? Students can take advantage of the student membership plan, which cuts the cost in half and provides a six month free trial. There’s also an EBT/Medicaid plan for 50% off that includes a 30 day free trial when you sign up.

With a membership you’ll have access to the entire Prime Video library as well as free one-day shipping, grocery delivery, Amazon Music Unlimited, Prime Try Before You Buy and many more perks.

Check below to discover more of the best movies to watch during Hispanic Heritage Month on Prime Video.

A Million Miles Away

Follow the inspiring true story of Hernández and his decades-long journey with his family from the rural village of Michoacán, Mexico, to California’s San Joaquin Valley as he uses his determination and perseverance to become a NASA flight engineer.



Cassandro

Based on a true story, Gael García Bernal plays Saúl Armendáriz, a gay amateur wrestler who creates the persona of Cassandro and eventually upends the world of macho wrestling, paving the way for a new future.

Sayen

Fans of action-packed movies will enjoy Sayen, which spotlights one Mapuche woman’s journey to take down the people who killed her grandmother and save her family’s legacy.

Culpa Mia

If you like forbidden romance, then dive into Culpa Mia, which shows what happens when one girl leaves her friends and boyfriend to live in her mother’s new husband’s mansion. Now, she’s constantly at odds with her stepbrother until the two realize their chemistry is undeniable.

Los Iniciados

For an edge-of-your-seat adventure, tune into Los Iniciados for all the thrills and suspense. The movie takes place in the near future, when water is at a shortage, and a journalist must investigate a gruesome murder. What he doesn’t expect is to discover a mysterious city where nothing is as it seems.

Book of Love

Romance fans will want to indulge in Book of Love as it follows an unsuccessful author named Henry (Sam Claflin) who, after learning of his book’s sudden success in Mexico, decides to fly there and promote it. Upon his arrival, he learns the true reason behind the story’s success is because the translator has turned it into a steamy erotic novel.

Argentina, 1985

Based on a true story, watch as Julio Strassera, Luis Moreno Ocampo and a young prosecution team dare to challenge Argentina’s military dictatorship while bringing justice to the victims of the Military Junta.

Being the Ricardos

Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem take on the roles of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in Being the Ricardos. In the span of one week, watch as the couple faces a series of personal and professional troubles that threaten the show, their careers and marriage.



The Book of Life

This family-friendly option features the character Manolo (Diego Luna), a bullfighter who is stuck choosing between following his family’s expectations or following his heart. What ensues is an epic adventure across dangerous lands.

Selena

Jennifer Lopez star in Selena, which captures the tragic story of the famous singer’s legacy and her rise to stardom.

25 Sep 2023

Busta Rhymes, Fat Joe, Rick Ross & More Fight for Affordable Healthcare in New PSA: Watch

Busta Rhymes, Fat Joe, Method Man, Rick Ross, Chuck D, and French Montana participated in a PSA that launched Sept. 22, advocating for more transparency in the healthcare system. 

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“Today, we confront a health care system that has been rigged against all of us,” they collectively said in the minute-long video. “Hospitals force patients to sign contracts for services without ever showing us actual prices, stifling competition, overcharging without accountability. And if we can’t pay, these same contracts allow them to take everything we own.”

Partnering with Power to the Patients, they labeled the current healthcare system as an “American healthcare crisis,” and rallied for more honest, affordable and equitable healthcare nationwide. The video also came ahead of the congressional voting on healthcare transparency bills in Washington, D.C. 

“Stifling competition. Overcharging without accountability and we can’t pay. These same contracts allow them to take everything we own,” they continue. “Creating so much fear that millions and millions of Americans refuse to enter a hospital. Our health and our lives at stake. This is an American humanitarian crisis. We demand prices and transparency in healthcare.”

Earlier this year, Power to the Patients, Fat Joe, City Council Members and various union groups in New York City joined forces to advocate for transparency efforts. That resulted in Mayor Eric Adams signing the Healthcare Accountability and Consumer Protection Act in June 2023. The Act launched the nation’s first Office of Health Care Accountability to allow New Yorkers to compare hospital costs for the same services.

Watch the clip above.

25 Sep 2023

Who Should Usher Bring Out to Perform With Him at the 2024 Super Bowl? Vote!

It’s official! Usher is set to headline next year’s Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show, he announced on Sunday (Sept. 24).

“It’s an honor of a lifetime to finally check a Super Bowl performance off my bucket list. I can’t wait to bring the world a show unlike anything else they’ve seen from me before,” the hitmaker said in a statement. “Thank you to the fans and everyone who made this opportunity happen. I’ll see you real soon.”

With more than 50 Billboard Hot 100 chart entries, Usher’s catalog will lend well to his Super Bowl performance, which is scheduled to take place at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Feb. 11, 2024. And his many collabs over the years offer plenty of opportunities for surprising guest performances during his game-day set.

Fans may be hoping for Lil Jon and Ludacris to join Usher for their 2004 smash “Yeah!” It’s no wonder why: The single stands as Usher’s most successful to date on the Hot 100, peaking at No. 1 and maintaining the top position for 12 of its 45 charting weeks on the tally.

The R&B crooner has the chance to dazzle the crowd with more club bangers, either with “OMG” with Black Eyed Peas’ Will.i.am, or “DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love” featuring Pitbull. Both tracks, released in 2010, earned him solid placements on the Hot 100, peaking at Nos. 1 and 4 respectively, and spending over 30 weeks on the all-genre chart.

Surprises may also be coming for the eight-time Grammy winner’s Super Bowl set if he decides to slow it down with a romantic throwback (“My Boo” with Alicia Keys), add more rap moments (“Lil Freak” or “She Came to Give It to You” featuring Nicki Minaj), or even shine light on his former protégé (Justin Bieber). Other huge collabs to potentially hope for? Beyonce and Lil Wayne, who featured on “Love in This Club Part 2,” and of course, Jay-Z, who appeared on “Hot Tottie.”

Who are you hoping Usher will bring out during his performance at the 2024 Super Bowl Halftime Show? Vote in our poll below.