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21 Sep 2023

Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumours: Live’ Debuts in Top 10 on Album Sales Chart

Fleetwood Mac’s from-the-vaults release Rumours: Live debuts at No. 4 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart (dated Sept. 23). It’s the highest debut on the list for the band in more than 20 years, since the act’s last full-length studio album, Say You Will, opened at No. 2 in May 2003.

Comprised almost entirely of previously unreleased recordings, Rumours: Live captures the band’s Aug. 29, 1977, concert at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., during the act’s Rumours Tour. The trek was in support of its then-most-recent studio release Rumours, which had bowed earlier in 1977. That album would spend 31 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart – still the most weeks at No. 1 for an album by a group. The set launched four top 10-charting hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including the group’s lone chart-topper, “Dreams.”

Also in the top 10 of the new Top Album Sales chart, new releases from Olivia Rodrigo, V, Tyler Childers and BOYNEXTDOOR all arrive, while Lauren Daigle’s self-titled album re-enters the chart straight into the top 10 after a deluxe reissue.

Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

Rumours: Live sold a little over 10,000 copies in the U.S. in the week ending Sept. 14, according to Luminate. Among the songs featured on the album are such Hot 100 hits as “Dreams,” “Oh Well,” “Landslide,” “Over My Head,” “Rhiannon,” “You Make Loving Fun” and “Go Your Own Way.” Rumours: Live was available to purchase as a digital download album or in three physical iterations (a 180-gram double vinyl set, a crystal-clear colored double vinyl set sold via Walmart, and a two-CD package). Vinyl accounted for 44.5% of the album’s first-week sales.

At No. 1 on Top Album Sales, Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts debuts with 150,000 copies sold. Of that sum, physical sales comprise 138,000 (94,000 on vinyl, 43,000 on CD and 1,000 on cassette) and digital download sales comprise 12,000. Guts’ vinyl sales mark the seventh-largest week for a vinyl album since Luminate began electronically tracking sales in 1991.

Guts’ first-week sales were bolstered by its availability across 13 different vinyl variants. Among the variants: a signed edition and exclusive color vinyl and picture-disc editions sold through Amazon, independent record stores, Spotify, Target, Urban Outfitters, Walmart and Rodrigo’s webstore. Guts’ sales also got a boost from four CD editions (including a signed version), a cassette tape and four deluxe boxed sets sold through Rodrigo’s webstore (each containing a CD or vinyl LP along with branded merchandise).

BTS’ V sees his debut solo studio effort Layover enter at No. 2 on Top Album Sales with 88,000 copies sold. Of its first-week sales, physical sales comprise 79,000 (all on CD) and digital download sales comprise a little over 9,000. Layover’s debut was enhanced by its availability in collectible CD offerings – 13 in total.

The set was released in three standard iterations (dubbed Layover 1, Layover 2 and Layover 3, each containing branded paper goods and merchandise specific to the iteration like photobooks, lyric books, posters, postcards and photocards, as well as randomized stickers). Each iteration was also available in variants sold exclusively through Barnes & Noble, Walmart and the Weverse store (a total of nine; and each retailer had its own exclusive photocard enclosed in the three variants). Lastly, Target carried its own exclusive version of the album (with a Target-exclusive photocard), where one of the three iterations of the album (Layover 1, 2 or 3) were sold to the customer (with online buyers randomly shipped one of the three iterations).

Tyler Childers’ Rustin’ in the Rain bows at No. 3 on Top Album Sales with 25,000 copies sold. Of that sum, physical sales comprise 17,500 (with 15,000 on vinyl and 2,500 on CD) and digital album sales comprise 7,500. The album was sold in four different vinyl variants, as well as three deluxe boxed sets exclusive to his webstore (each containing a vinyl LP and branded merch).

Taylor Swift’s chart-topping Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is a non-mover at No. 5 on Top Album Sales with a little over 9,000 sold (down 3%), NewJeans’ former leader 2nd EP ‘Get Up’ falls 4-8 with nearly 9,000 (down 19%), Rodrigo’s former No. 1 Sour shoots 50-7 with a little over 8,000 (up 288%), and Swift’s former No. 1 Midnights dips 7-8 with nearly 8,000 (up 1%).

Lauren Daigle’s self-titled album re-enters Top Album Sales at No. 9 (nearly 8,000 sold; up 1,255%), prompted by its deluxe reissue on Sept. 8 with additional tracks. The set initially debuted and peaked at No. 3 on the May 27-dated chart. The deluxe edition of the album was released in four vinyl variants (including exclusives for Barnes & Noble and the artist’s webstore), four CD variants (including a Target-exclusive cover variant, a zine/CD package, a signed CD and a lenticular cover version), and was available in two Fan Pack offerings (where a piece of branded merchandise was sold alongside a physical copy of the album).

Rounding out the top 10 of Top Album Sales is BOYNEXTDOOR’s debut album Why.., which starts at No. 10 with nearly 8,000 sold. The K-pop effort was available in eight collectible CD editions (including exclusive iterations sold through Barnes & Noble, Target and the Weverse store), each with a standard set of branded paper goods and merchandise items (photobooks, film photos, posters, stickers, and the like) and randomized items (including photocards and post cards).

The album was initially released to purchase as a digital download album on Sept. 4, followed by its CD release on Sept. 8. In the week ending Sept. 14, CD sales comprised 99.8% of the album’s sales, with digital downloads comprising the remaining 0.2%.

In the week ending Sept. 14, there were 1.766 million albums sold in the U.S. (up 8.3% compared to the previous week). Of that sum, physical albums (CDs, vinyl LPs, cassettes, etc.) comprised 1.437 million (up 11.6%) and digital albums comprised 328,000 (down 4.1%).

There were 649,000 CD albums sold in the week ending Sept. 14 (up 19.4% week-over-week) and 779,000 vinyl albums sold (up 6.1%). Year-to-date CD album sales stand at 24.475 million (up 1.5% compared to the same time frame a year ago) and year-to-date vinyl album sales total 32.66 million (up 20.1%).

Overall year-to-date album sales total 70.597 million (up 6.7% compared to the same year-to-date time frame a year ago). Year-to-date physical album sales stand at 57.512 million (up 11.3%) and digital album sales total 13.085 million (down 9.9%).

21 Sep 2023

Pop Culture Rewind: Mariah Carey Receives the 2019 Billboard Icon Award | Billboard News

In this episode of Pop Culture Rewind, we take a look back at the moment Mariah Carey received the Billboard Icon Award in 2019.

Evan Burke:
We love Mariah Carey, and as a record breaker and the queen of the Billboard charts, what a moment it was when she received the Icon Award of the 2019 Billboard Music Awards. We take you to that moment in this week’s Pop Culture Rewind.

Nothing belongs together like Mariah Carey and the Billboard charts.

Mariah Carey:
Thank you, Billboard, for letting me grow up on the charts with you.

Evan Burke:
The legendary vocalist has amassed a record 19 No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, the most of any solo artist, which is why at the 2019 VMAs, she received the iconic award.

Mariah Carey:
To anybody who doesn’t allow themselves to be broken and keeps getting up and keeps holding on and keeps standing tall, keeps on believing and keeps rising, I celebrate you tonight.

Evan Burke:
The humble queen gave the crowd a true lesson in self-love after going through a medley of her biggest hits like “Emotions” and “Hero.” But we all know Mariah is just as known for her lovable diva personality as her high notes. Queue this viral moment … I just want to know who caught the tissue.

Mariah Carey:
There’s been a few memes …

Evan Burke:
We are all Taylor Swift in Mimi’s presence. We’ll have another huge moment for you next week in our Pop Culture Rewind.

Watch the full video above!

21 Sep 2023

The 12 Spiciest Musician ‘Hot Ones’ Episodes, From *NSYNC to Dave Grohl

If you’re a pop culture fan, there’s no doubt that you’ve heard of “the show with hot questions and even hotter wings,” also known as Hot Ones, which is hosted and was co-created by popular YouTube personality Sean Evans.

For those who aren’t familiar with the First We Feast and Complex Media series, in each episode, Evans and a celebrity guest eat ten chicken wings or vegan substitutes, with each wing prepared with a progressively hotter hot sauce. Meanwhile, the celebrity will answer thoughtful and well-researched questions from Evans while trying to keep it cool amid the heat.

Hot Ones has been putting celebrities’ taste buds to the test since 2015, and with more than a hundred interviews on the First We Feast YouTube channel, it’s hard to know where to start. To make things easier, we at Billboard have compiled our 12 favorite Hot Ones episodes featuring musicians, from DJ Khaled’s surrender after just three wings to Dave Grohl’s tipsy journey through wings and whiskey.

See them below.

21 Sep 2023

Listen to the Ultimate 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week Playlist

The 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week — the longest running and biggest Latin music industry gathering in the world — is making way to Miami from Oct. 2 to 6, featuring star-studded panels, Q&A conversations, workshops and the En Vivo concert series.

Confirmed acts for this year’s weeklong conference and showcases include Shakira, Arcángel, RBD’s Christian Chávez, Christopher von Uckermann, and Maite Perroni, Beatriz Luengo, Carin León, Chencho Corleone, DannyLux, DJ Alex Sensation, DJ Nelson, Edgar Barrera, Eladio Carrión, Feid, Fonseca, GALE, Gonza, Greeicy, Grupo Frontera, Hyde, Ivy Queen, Fuerza Regida’s Jesús Ortiz Paz “JOP,” Keityn, Lasso, Luny Tunes, Maffio, Manuel Turizo, Maria Becerra, Mike Bahía, Myke Towers, Nacho, Natanael Cano, Nathy Peluso, Nicki Nicole, Pedro Capó, Peso Pluma, Santa Fe Klan, Sebastián Yatra, Thalía, Venesti, Vico C, Wisin, Yng Lvcas and Young Miko.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, which coincides with Latin Music Week, we curated the ultimate playlist featuring the hits of yesterday and today of all the artists set to speak at the conference.

Songs in the more than three-hour long playlist include Shakira and Fuerza Regida’s latest corrido “El Jefe,” Grupo Frontera and Peso Pluma’s “Tulum,” Manuel Turizo’s “La Bachata” and Myke Towers’ “Lala,” to name a few bangers.

Celebrated for more than 30 years, Billboard Latin Music Week also coincides with the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards, which will be broadcast live on Telemundo on Thursday, Oct. 5, from the Watsco Center in Miami.

Registration for the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week is now open at BillboardLatinMusicWeek.com.

21 Sep 2023

Blink-182 Reflects on Its Music Videos & Rocky History in ‘One More Time’: Watch

The rollout for Blink-182‘s first studio album in 12 years — with the original lineup of Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker — continues, this time, with the release of not one, but two new singles on Thursday (Sept. 21).

The trio released a music video to accompany its heart-wrenching new track “One More Time,” also the title of Blink’s new album. The moody visual sees Barker, DeLonge and Hoppus performing the song together in a room, which features scenes from the group’s most well known and beloved music videos and performances switching on a green screen, from hit singles “What’s My Age Again?” and “I Miss You,” to their stage sets at Warped Tour in 1999, MTV’s Spring Break at Daytona Beach in 2000 and more.

Hoppus and DeLonge take turns singing the verses, reflecting on times when they should have supported each other, instead of only coming together after major life-altering moments such as Barker’s plane crash or Hoppus’ cancer diagnosis. “I miss you, took time but I admit/ It still hurts even after all these years/ And I know that next time ain’t always gonna happen/ I gotta say I love you while we’re here,” the pair sings.

Blink-182’s second new track “More Than You Know” continues the group’s vulnerability, but does so with high-energy guitar riffs in the group’s signature sound. “I don’t feel pain/ But I feel more than you’d ever know/ I don’t feel shame/ I don’t have highs but I’ve got some lows,” DeLonge sings on the chorus. The track arrived with a lyric video, also on Thursday.

Both tracks hail from Blink-182’s forthcoming studio album, One More Time. The set is slated to be released on Oct. 20 via Columbia Records.

Watch the video for “One More Time” above, and the lyric video for “More Than You Know” below.

21 Sep 2023

Gene Simmons & Gibson Debut a Limited-Edition Guitar You Can ‘Rock and Roll All Nite’ With: Shop It Here

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Ever dream of rocking out just like Kiss? Well, Gene Simmons and Gibson are making that dream a reality with the launch of their latest collaboration. The two teamed up again for a second iteration of a signature bass guitar approved by the Kiss co-founder.

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Whether you’re taking online guitar lessons or have mastered the art, you can jam out with your own Simmons-inspired bass guitar, which takes inspiration for the rock star’s heavily modified 1959 EB-0. Fans may recognize the style as it was based on the “Hard Luck Woman” singer’s 1970 model featuring a sleek all-black shade that’s also the first 30.5” scale bass from the Gibson Custom Shop.

Only 100 of these limited-edition instruments were made, which means you don’t want to debate too long over whether or not to add it to your Kiss merch collection.

If you have tickets to Kiss’ final tour, you most likely won’t be able to bring the guitar into the venue with you, but you can channel your inner Simmons on stage at a local bar or from the comfort of your home.

This isn’t the first time the two have teamed up. Previously, Simmons released a Thunderbird Bass with the iconic Kiss colorings — and it’s still in stock! Plus, if you’re looking for a more wallet-friendly style, it’s currently being offered at half the price of the new model. Click here to snag the deal and see the style up close.

Keep reading to shop the new Gibson Custom Gene Simmons EB-0 Bass below.

black and brown guitar with white accents

Gibson

Gibson Custom Gene Simmons EB-0 Bass

$6,999

The star made a few modifications to the Gene Simmons EB-0 Bass model, such as reshaping the neck to a custom profile, replacing the pickup and moving it closer to the bridge, adding a custom pick guard, incorporating binding, and switching the original tuners to Grovers. The bridge is more versatile and can be replaced with a high-mass model a-body or as a top-loaded bridge. You’ll also receive a custom hardshell case.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Grateful Dead posters, earplugs for concerts and celebrity headphones.

21 Sep 2023

We Would Like To See It: Megan Thee Stallion Hints At Possible EP & Tour With Cardi B

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Megan Thee Stallion Teases Joint Album & Tour With Cardi B

Source: Doug Peters – PA Images / Getty / Megan Thee Stallion / Cardi B

A Megan Thee Stallion/Cardi B tour and joint album? It could happen.

Spotted on Complex, the head of Flamin’ Hot University teased the idea of a collaboration album and tour with her “WAP” collaborator following the success of their newest joint effort, “Bongos.”

In the interview, the Houston rapper said that she and her buddy Cardi are slowly building an EP together as they continue to deliver bops for the ladies to shake their booties to.

Per Complex:

“I literally think that’s the route that we’re going. So I’ve done two songs for her. And now I feel like I’m in a space where I know exactly what songs I want her to do for me. So we’re really building a little EP already. We’re gonna have enough music that we need to go on tour together. Me and [Cardi] going out together will be so amazing. We are already so cool. And I feel like we got similar fans. So if she wanted to do a little EP, I would definitely be so down to do that, but we are making enough music to already have that.”

Megan Thee Stallion Is Working On New Solo Music

In the same breath, the “Big Ole Freak” crafter also revealed that she is working on new music for a forthcoming album, telling the website she is “getting to the meat” of her next solo project.

She also seems to be in a much better space mentally, adding, “I’m making music that I really, really love,” and that she is “making music that I’m not about to have to fight with anybody about.”

Thee Stallion could be alluding to her ugly public battles with her label 1501 Certified Entertainment, which are ongoing.

The rapper is also coming off a massive legal victory after Tory Lanez was convicted of shooting her three years ago. He is currently beginning his 10-year prison stint, and his struggle mugshot is making its rounds on social media.

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Photo: Doug Peters – PA Images / Getty

21 Sep 2023

Former Trump Aide Claims Rudy Giuliani Groped Her On Jan. 6

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Source: BRYAN R. SMITH / Getty

Rudy Giuliani has been accused of groping by an aide to former President Donald Trump during the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection.

According to reports, former Trump White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson alleges in her upcoming book, Enough, that the incident occurred as she and the former mayor of New York stood backstage as Trump spoke to supporters at the Ellipse on the day of the attack on the U.S. Capitol. She writes that she felt Giuliani inch closer to her: “‘By the way,’ he says, fingering the fabric, ‘I’m loving this leather jacket on you.’ His hand slips under my blazer, then my skirt.”

Hutchinson was the former aide to then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, and her memoir describes her path as a supporter of Donald Trump to working in the administration and her disillusionment afterward. The allegation is one of the book’s bombshell moments, taking place on a day that would see Trump supporters storm the Capitol building, fueled by his false claims about the 2020 presidential election.

“I feel his frozen fingers trail up my thigh,” she continues. “He tilts his chin up. The whites of his eyes look jaundiced. My eyes dart to [Trump adviser] John Eastman, who flashes a leering grin. I fight against the tension in my muscles and recoil from Rudy’s grip … filled with rage, I storm through the tent, on yet another quest for Mark.”

The 27-year-old would eventually testify as a key witness for the House Select Committee investigating the events of Jan. 6, providing damning evidence on the behavior of Trump, Giuliani and Eastman among others. Enough is scheduled to be available to the public next week. The excerpt comes from The Guardian, which obtained an advance copy.

Ted Goodman, a representative for Rudy Giuliani, said in a statement: “This is a disgusting lie against Mayor Rudy Giuliani—a man whose distinguished career in public service includes taking down the Mafia, cleaning up New York City, and comforting the nation following September 11th.”

The accusation comes as the former Trump lawyer faces a slew of legal challenges. He is one of 18 co-defendants indicted with Trump in Georgia for attempts to interfere with the 2020 election there, in addition to being sued by a law firm that once represented him and a former assistant alleging that he sexually assaulted her.

21 Sep 2023

Becky G Gives Back to Community: ‘I Want the Same for Others’

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21 Sep 2023

Cher’s ‘Believe’ Is Getting a Deluxe Edition for Its 25th Anniversary: Here’s When It Arrives

Cher‘s Believe is celebrating a major milestone. In honor of its 25th anniversary, the singer is releasing a deluxe edition of the album that will include 13 remastered remixes in triple LP, double CD and digital download formats, as well as streaming.

The deluxe version will contain all of the original songs, with remixes including the previously unreleased Tee’s Radio One Instrumental and Ray Roc’s Latin Soul Instrumental of single “Dov’e l’Amore” for the first time. The albums other singles — the title track, “Strong Enough” and “All or Nothing” — will also receive the remix treatment.

The vinyl version of the album will feature leopard-print packaging, and will contain sea blue, light blue and clear discs, in addition to a numbered lithograph of Cher. Following the news of Believe‘s deluxe release, a remastered HD version of Cher’s “Strong Enough” video was made available on YouTube.

Originally released in 1998, Believe served as Cher’s 22nd studio album. The set is one of her most successful to date, peaking at No. 3 on the all-genre Billboard 200 and spending a total of 76 weeks on the tally, the most out of her entire album catalog. Title track “Believe” is also Cher’s best performing song on the Billboard Hot 100, hitting No. 1 and spending a total of 31 weeks of the chart (four of them at the top). “Strong Enough” peaked at No. 57 on the Hot 100 and spent 12 weeks on the chart.

Outside of its Billboard chart success, Believe is also hailed for its use of a vocoder machine, producing what we now know as Auto-Tune. Known as the “Cher effect,” several musicians afterwards used it on their own recordings, such as T-Pain, Kanye West and more.

Believe (Deluxe Edition) will be released on Nov. 3 via Warner Records. Here’s the full tracklist:

1. Believe
2.  The Power
3. Runaway
4. All Or Nothing
5. Strong Enough
6. Dov’e l’amore
7. Takin’ Back My Heart
8. Taxi Taxi
9. Love Is The Groove
10. We All Sleep Alone
11. Believe (Almighty Definitive Mix)
12. Believe (Club 69 Future Anthem Mix)
13. Believe (Phat ‘n’ Funky Club Mix)
14. Strong Enough (Club 69 Phunk Mix)
15. Strong Enough (Male Version)
16. Strong Enough (Pumpin’ Dolls Radio Edit)
17. All Or Nothing (Almighty Radio Edit)
18. All Or Nothing (Austrian Version Metro Mix)
19. All Or Nothing (Danny Tenaglias Inchermental)
20. Dov’e L’amore (Emilio Estefan Jr. Extended Mix)
21.  Dov’e L’amore (Tony Moran’s Anthem 7” Mix)
22. Dov’e L’amore (Tee’s Radio One Instrumental) *
23. Dov’e L’amore (Ray Roc’s Latin Soul Instrumental) *

* previously unreleased