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14 Sep 2023

Brothers Osborne Are Being ‘Completely Open With Who We Are’ on New, Self-Titled Set

“There’s a freedom to being in full light and not feeling like you have to hide anything,” says the Brothers Osborne’s John Osborne.

With that spirit of renewal and openness, it feels wholly appropriate that the reigning CMA duo of the year is using a tactic normally employed by acts on their debut album by self-titling their fourth album, Brothers Osborne, out Friday (Sept. 15), as means of introducing a truer version of themselves.

Since the Brothers Osborne’s last album, 2000’s Skeletons, TJ Osborne came out as gay and John revealed his mental health struggles with depression and anxiety. When they returned to the studio, they went back in with a fresh perspective, a new producer and a desire to reveal themselves musically and emotionally as they never had. 

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“It’s a new start in that we’re trying new things, trying new sounds — but it’s also a late start that between recording our last album, my brother and I have disclosed a lot of personal things,” John says. “I feel like it gave us the courage to lean further into ourselves and not play it safe.”

TJ wholeheartedly agrees. “We’re making this record, even though there’s not anything that speaks about it directly on the record, in a place where we can be completely ourselves, be open with who we are. Just creating any song and not feeling like we’ve got to steer the ship in a certain way was just incredibly freeing. I think the end result is our music ultimately being better. We just thought it’s time for us to embrace our differences.”

That including shifting from Jay Joyce, who had produced the previous three sets, to Mike Elizondo and letting him steer the project. “We said, ‘Hey Mike, here are the keys,’” John shares of working with Elizondo, who is known for producing a wide variety of major artists including Eminem, Fiona Apple, Carrie Underwood and Ed Sheeran. “We didn’t want to go in with too many preconceived notions. We wanted Mike to drive because we trust that he will take us somewhere we can’t predict.”

While the album undisputedly sounds like Brothers Osborne with their guitar-led country rock, they weren’t afraid to be sonically adventurous, adding strings to one song, recording their first piano ballad and occasionally stripping down to acoustic guitars instead of always relying on John’s striking electric guitar playing skills. 

“My brother and I early on decided maybe we should make an album that’s a bit more narrow focused, and we ended doing just the opposite,” John says. For example, “New Bad Habit,” is a guitar-centric rock song, “and we thought, ‘What the hell,’ and threw really bizarre Prince, Slash [guitars] on it and Parliament Funkadelic harmonies in the middle of it because ‘why the hell not?’”  

Since the release of their gold-certified EMI Nashville debut, 2016’s Pawn Shop, Brothers Osborne have been critical favorites and beloved by their peers—they have won vocal duo of the year at the CMA Awards five of the past seven years and are once again nominated for the Nov. 8 awards—but have struggled to gain a consistent foothold at radio. 

The album’s first single, uplifting, inclusive “Nobody’s Nobody” rose to No. 27 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, making it the duo’s highest charting single since 2020’s “All Night,” but dropped to No. 29 last week. The Brothers have scored 10 Top 40 hits, with their cuts usually rising into the 20s or 30s; 2015’s “Stay a Little Longer” reached No. 2, as their only Top 5 hit. 

“It’s not that we ever felt like we were trying to be rebellious against the radio format, it’s just that we’ve always done what we did and were ourselves come rain or shine,” John says, “but it feels like it’s starting to feel like all the pieces are finally coming together.”

Another album track, “Sun Ain’t Even Gone Down Yet,” is getting visibility through a Ram Truck commercial, the duo’s second association with the brand which also used them in an ad in 2018. Agreeing to license their music comes down to a few elements, TJ says. “Is it a product that we like and want to be involved with is always first. You want to steer clear of things that maybe you don’t align with, but it also comes down to it’s something we’ve worked really hard on, if you’re going to use this, what do we get out it?” In addition to a lucrative fee, Ram also identified the song and the artist in the commercial, giving the new track valuable exposure. 

The sole guest on Brothers Osborne is Miranda Lambert, who provides backing vocals on the atmospheric “We Ain’t Good at Breaking Up,” which she and Jesse Frasure co-wrote with the duo. The title and theme came from a response TJ would jokingly give when friends asked if he and his boyfriend, Abi Ventura, were still together. “There was a time early in our relationship where we felt like it didn’t make a lot of sense, we didn’t live near each other, we were both so busy and other different things, that we tried to call it off, but we would try to break up and we just wouldn’t,” TJ recalls.

He said the line to Frasure, who knew a winner when he heard it. “He said, ‘Oh my God, we’ve got to write that song next week in our [writing session] with Miranda,’” TJ says. Lambert’s vocals on the demo were such an enhancement, they decided to add her on the actual track. “It just really makes the song, sends it into a dreamy, almost Fleetwood Mac kind of thing,” TJ says. 

Brothers Osborne will begin rolling the new songs out on the road as they tour throughout the year — but as they have learned to put a premium on self-care, they have found ways to make the road grind manageable. “I spoke with our management (Q Prime South) and was candid about what I needed and wanted, and one of those things was to tour less,” John says. “Taking care of yourself off the road helps you to take care of yourself on the road and part of it is just honestly knowing when I am physically done and I just put my ass to bed. I’ve never struggled with drugs or alcohol, but I have a really bad workaholism.”

Though country music — and its makers — have shown signs of division both politically and culturally lately, John stresses that everyone is welcome to their concerts.

“Our shows are all about inclusion. We don’t care who you are, we don’t care your color, your creed, your sexual orientation, your religion, or anything,” he says. “The only thing you’re not allowed to be in our company is an a–hole. That’s it. That’s how we roll.”

14 Sep 2023

Suspect Arrested for Placing Banners Threatening Peso Pluma in Tijuana, Mexico

A man was arrested in Tijuana, Mexico, for placing several “narcomantas” (banners) threatening Mexican music singer Peso Pluma.

Edgar Mendoza, regional prosecutor in Tijuana, told local news outlets that a person was detained in Colonia Libertad, one of the three points where “narcomantas” were placed warning singer Peso Pluma not to perform in the border town.

“This is for you, Peso Pluma. Don’t show up on October 14 because it will be your last presentation. You are disrespectful and loose-tongued, you show up and we are going to beat the s–t out of you,” read the banners, which were placed in three places throughout the city and signed “CJNG.”

The initials correspond to the Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel, which is why the banner is considered a “narcomanta.” The arrest of the person, whose identity has not been revealed, was made at 3 a.m. on Wednesday (Sept. 13) by the Municipal Police who were carrying out surveillance tours in Colonia Libertad.

“He was at the time and place. When he saw the authorities, he ran away. He was then arrested and found with narcotics in the bag. It was almost three in the morning,” explained José Fernando Sánchez González, head of the Municipal Security and Citizen Protection Secretariat, according to Infobae.

On Tuesday (Sept. 12), the municipal president of Tijuana, Montserrat Caballero Ramírez, indicated to local media that the possibility of canceling the Peso Pluma concert scheduled for Oct. 14 at the Estadio Caliente would be evaluated.

“Singers like Peso Pluma glorifies crime, so there are certain groups that get upset and unfortunately those who suffer the consequences are the citizens who want to attend their concerts and then are put at risk,” she said. “In the next few days we will determine whether the concert goes ahead or not.”

Billboard Español has reached out to Peso Pluma’s camp for comment.



14 Sep 2023

Are Influencers Losing Influence? New iHeart Study Explores Marketer Biases

Consumers and the marketers who sell to them agree: They “hear from too many influencers — and not enough real people — in marketing.” That’s according to an iHeartMedia study the company unveiled Wednesday (Sept. 13) that explores the gap between marketers and their audiences and tries to identify biases and blind spots.

Though the wording is a little bit confusing — most influencers are still real people, with a few exceptions, i.e. Lil Miquela — this conclusion aligns with what many music marketers have been saying for over a year. In essence: Throwing bags of money at popular TikTok accounts and hoping this will magically lead to music discovery and drive streams is not an effective or efficient approach.

Marketing spends “started becoming less effective when people and brands were really looking at people’s influence based upon follower count,” says Coltrane Curtis, founder of the marketing agency Team Epiphany. Curtis has been an active proponent of the notion that “the pay-to-play model is ineffective, oversaturated and counterintuitive.” “Influence is about trust,” he adds. “When you start seeing everyone paying for it, you feel duped and taken advantage of.”

Last year, the music consulting agency ContraBrand analyzed TikTok’s top 200 from the first half of 2022. The company determined that “paid-for tactics, such as influencers and ads, accounted for success in under 12% of the platform’s viral tracks.” In 2020, as industry after industry awoke to TikTok’s power as an advertising tool and started pouring money into the platform, “you would literally have an influencer’s rate to post go from $500 to $1,500 in a day,” ContraBrand co-founders Sean Taylor and Jacorey Barkley told Billboard last year. “That was happening day in, day out. Influencer campaigns have become both less accessible and less effective.”

iHeart laid out its new study — and gently prodded marketers to think about spending more on podcast advertising (a sector in which the company is highly invested) — during a chat between Conal Byrne, CEO of the company’s digital audio group, and author and podcast host Malcolm Gladwell in Manhattan.

The conclusions of the study echoed many of the think pieces written after Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election: Coastal cities are out of touch with large swathes of the country. In this case, the focus was on marketers themselves, who spend time in their own “bubbles,” never taking the time to notice that others might not share their passions and priorities. 

This point was driven home through a barrage of statistics. While all the marketers surveyed were familiar with NFTs, 40% of consumers had never heard of them. Marketers have the hots for artificial intelligence — 66% “are excited about the potential” the tech “will unlock for society” — but consumers are tepid about the robot-driven future, with only 39% excited. Marketers are apparently “motivated by fortune, fame and fear;” “consumers are motivated by friends and family.”

The study did not address itself to the music industry. But in her opening remarks, Gayle Troberman, iHeart’s chief marketing officer, sounded much like a major label executive. There is “more competition than ever before… for consumer attention,” she said. “We’ve never had more data, and yet, it’s never been harder to win.”

14 Sep 2023

How Docu-Film ‘Trap Jazz’ Bridges the Generation Gap to Prove Jazz Isn’t ‘Lame’

So what happens when three best friends from Atlanta — each packing their own estimable music credits — come together to pool their talents? A new genre tagged “trap jazz.”

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Trap Jazz is also the title of an insightful docu-film chronicling the origins of this creative undertaking by musicians Chris Moten, Devon “Stixx” Taylor and Cassius Jay, whose collective credits outside of that realm include working with marquee talents such as Cardi B, Justin Bieber, Questlove, Machine Gun Kelly, Future, Migos and Post Malone. Directed by Sadé Clacken Joseph and presented by Black multimedia platform Andscape and HULU, Trap Jazz premiered Aug. 23 on the streaming service.

Internationally, Trap Jazz will premiere on Star+ in Latin America on Oct. 6 and Disney+ in all other territories on Oct . 27. Beyond the film’s soundtrack, the trio is also working on another trap jazz album with their bass player Raschad Marshall.

As much as the docu-film is about trap jazz and its genre parents (“This is the next sh–” says veteran producer Jazze Pha at one point), its spotlight also shifts to other areas — like the spiritual connection between Moten, Taylor and Jay, the personal challenges they’ve experienced, how Atlanta’s stance as a music mecca helped shape their careers and, above all, why creative freedom is crucial.

How did the notion of trap jazz first come to mind?

Moten: It’s something that I started in 2015. I’d been playing with a lot of celebrity artists, traveling and working as their music director. Then I decided that it was finally time for me to do something of my own. Something that would be very catchy; that people wouldn’t have to work hard to understand what it was. After that, I knew I needed some help. So I called Cassius and kept bugging him every day until he gave me exactly what we needed: a book of songs with some beats and I put my little 2% on there. Then we called Devon and became a group of like minds. Quincy [Jones] got a chance to hear it, and that was dope.

What do you want people to realize after listening to trap jazz?

Taylor: Jazz music is a way to express anything that you’re going through emotionally. You just sit down and play whatever you want. A lot of kids right now think jazz is lame. But what we’re trying to do is bridge the gap to where they hear these beats, these cool beats. And then they can hear the melodic jazz lines, which are also cool. I don’t think jazz is ever going to die. Because if you really think about it, jazz riffs and chords are in R&B, hip-hop and gospel. It just depends on how you play it. You’re never going to get away from jazz. I don’t care what anybody says.

Moten: As long as we continue to let the kids hear the street sound, the R&B sound, the sounds being heard most today, and sprinkle in jazz, then it will never die. In that sense, if you really talk to some of these kids, they’re actually looking for something different than what they’ve been forced to listen to. So we’re never going to lose jazz because it’s going to continue to evolve. It may be called different things. But it’s still going to be a form of jazz. I like to call jazz structured chaos because it doesn’t have a destination. Jazz is so much about expression and improv that I think old school jazz players would say today, “Don’t try to micromanage the music. Let it breathe and be a complete expression.”

Jay: People have been accepting this music with open arms. Every day that you wake up, you’re creating your path, your destination. So that’s the way we process this music. Jazz is improvised. You’re creating your own runs, riffs, patterns, substitutions and chords. That’s how we create. There’s no format, no pattern. You can’t tell me this is what we’re about to create today in the studio because I’m going to create whatever the f**k I feel like creating because it’s ours. We’re three different personalities. You’re going to get jazz from Chris; the straight-head drums, banging and trap from Devon and straight ghetto from me [laughs]. That’s the whole creative vibe. That’s what you get when you get us. No structure; no right or wrong.

And what one life lesson do you want viewers to take away from the docu-film?”

Jay: Creative freedom. I want people to just fly when they hear trap music. And when they think about creating something, they can say, “I can do what I want to do. I can go where I want to go. There’s no limit.”

Taylor: God gave us creative freedom to do what we want to do. We also want the younger generation to take away that you don’t have to be out here gang banging or selling drugs. Many people think music and musicians are lame. You can still be cool doing music.

Moten: No matter what we go through in the Black community, there are a lot of complications, trials and tests that keep us from reaching our potential. No matter what you’ve gone through, you can still come out on top, accomplishing every goal that you’ve set. All it takes is to just stand up, believe and keep doing it [pushing forward] every day.

14 Sep 2023

Ciara Laughs Hysterically When Asked About Co-Parenting With Future

During an interview with The Shade Room earlier this week, Ciara showed fans what co-parenting looks like with her ex-beau Future. Instead of providing a direct answer, the “Goodies” singer chuckled when asked the question.

The 15-second giggle caused The Shade Room host Thembi Mawema to join Ciara in laughter as they hurried over to the next question. “Thembi, you’re awesome,” she said while laughing.

“I feel like that says it all,” the host responded.

The ex-couple are parents to 9-year-old son Future Zahir, and they reportedly share custody.

Ciara and Future called off their engagement in 2014, and the following year, she began dating NFL star Russell Wilson. Ciara and Wilson married in 2016 and have two children, Sierra and Win. Last month, the couple announced that their third child is on the way.

The relationship between Ciara and Future has been tumultuous, with the rapper taking digs at Wilson via interviews and in songs. In July, Future reportedly sent several shots in Wilson’s direction on Quavo’s “Turn Yo Clic Up,” rapping: “Big dawg status, bill hopper/ I ball in his mall for my brothers/ Goyard bag, tote the Corduroy/ I got it out the field, f— Russell.”

Last year, Ciara spoke to Women’s Health about the spiritual awakening she needed to move on from her relationship with Future. “I told myself I’ve got to figure out how to navigate in the next chapter of my life,” she said. “All the things I was aspiring to have at that time, even thinking about love, I was like, ‘It’s going to happen when it’s supposed to.’ But I can’t love anybody to the best of my ability if I’m not loving on myself. I can’t be the best mom if I’m not loving on myself. So I put more focus on me, taking care of me; it was the best thing I could have done.”

Watch the full interview with Ciara below. 

14 Sep 2023

Switchfoot’s Jon Foreman on ‘The Beautiful Letdown’ at 20 & The Exec Whose Insult Galvanized the Band

In the early 2000s, while the alt-rock band Switchfoot was working on their fourth album, The Beautiful Letdown, the group flew to New York to perform for its new label, Sony Music. Midway through one of the cuts from that record, “Dare You to Move,” a top Sony exec walked out of the performance — and frontman Jon Foreman could hear him muttering, “Why do you keep signing this expletive-expletive-expletive?”

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As the band prepares to release a deluxe version of The Beautiful Letdown, which has sold more than three million copies since its release 20 years ago, Foreman recalls the impact of that moment. “That is a pivotal point for us as a band,” he says. “We had a choice: “Do we listen to him, or do we say, ‘Forget him, we’re going to do what we think is right, and we believe in these songs? That’s where we came from. That’s what that album in 2003 represents — an album that almost didn’t exist at all.” (Sony declined to comment on Foreman’s recollections.)

By phone from the band’s San Diego studio, where Switchfoot is rehearsing for a tour on which they will play The Beautiful Letdown in its entirety, Foreman discusses the “Our Version” version of the album, which dropped in August — as well as covers of its tracks performed by the Jonas Brothers, Jon Bellion, Twenty One Pilots‘ Tyler Joseph and others, that fill out the deluxe edition due Sept. 15. 

As you rehearse for this tour, playing all those songs again from The Beautiful Letdown, what are you learning about the album?

We’ve grown up as a band, learned how to play our instruments, learned how to play together. It really has been enjoyable to step back in time and remember who we were and what we were singing about and how we were playing.

What were some of the technical challenges of recreating a record from 2003?

It’s all the happy accidents that are funny that are hard to recreate — but we leaned into that. At the beginning of one of the [original] tracks, “Ammunition,” my friend, Matt Beckley, a producer, happened to be in the room when we were tracking that. His laugh is the last thing you hear at the beginning of that track. We tried our best to imitate that, and I said, “Whoa, whoa, whoa,” and called Matt and said, “Can you send us a track of yourself laughing?” So it’s his laugh again. We tried to jump back exactly into the headspace that we were in when we had made the record the first time.

Why did you decide to re-record an “Our Version” of the album?

We all were kind of talking about the album and we thought, “What if we made the album, but this time, instead of for [the Sony exec], let’s record it for everyone who’s supported us the last 23 years — for everyone who’s sung along with these songs?”

Switchfoot

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So did you wind up making the album that Sony wanted, back in 2003, or did you release the one Switchfoot had planned to make all along?

The album that came out was entirely our dream — the dream that, with John Fields producing, we loved, and that certain unnamed executive at the top of Sony Records hated. We were relegated to [Sony-owned distributor] Red Ink. It was actually the best thing that could’ve happened to us, because not only did everyone at Red Ink believe in this album and fight for it, it galvanized why we do what we do, and the idea that we don’t play music for the people who don’t understand it. We’re not for everyone, we’re going to be for ourselves. Irrespective of whether people get it or not, we’re going to sing our songs.

Did you wind up working with that Sony executive again?

Fast forward maybe a year and a half, the album had sold 2 million copies, and the same guy comes back, all smiles and handshakes and pictures, with platinum albums and a lot of talk about how “I believed in you guys all along.”

How much did Taylor Swift‘s “Taylor’s Version” re-recordings over the past few years influence Switchfoot’s “Our Version”?

It didn’t have much to do with it. But Taylor has covered two songs from The Beautiful Letdown, one without us and one I got to sit in on. She’s been very supportive.

Tell me about sitting in with her.

We were playing a smaller arena in Arizona [in 2011], and she invited me to come over and play “Meant to Live.” Our friends Needtobreathe were opening the night, and I was struck by just how poised she was on and off stage. She was in complete control, not only onstage but offstage. Everything was accounted for. It’s really fun to see this [Eras] tour blowing up for her.

For the deluxe version, how much input did you have on the reimagined versions from the other artists?

We gave them completely no direction. Some said, “I want you to play the instruments,” and some, like OneRepublic, just wanted to do a more traditional duet. I loved all of it. Jonas Brothers wanted to work with John Fields, who produced the original version. I called Fields and he said, “Oh, is this the talk when you’re going to be the A&R guy and tell me what we’re supposed to do with the track?” And I was like, “Nope! I’m just calling to say hi. I could care less.”

What do you hope both parts of the new version accomplish?

It’s such an odd project, to be honest. Being a songwriter, writing new songs is my favorite thing in the world to do, but to look back and celebrate where we’ve been — that’s what this project is aiming for.

14 Sep 2023

Tory Lanez Denied Bail Pending Appeal in Megan Thee Stallion Shooting Case

Tory Lanez will remain in prison pending appeal after a Los Angeles court judge denied his motion for bond on Thursday (Sept. 14).

The ruling, reported by Meghann Cuniff who was in person at the hearing, was handed down by Judge David Herriford, who last month sentenced Lanez to 10 years in prison for shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the foot following three years of legal drama over the 2020 incident. Lanez had requested bail as he appeals his convictions on three felony counts over the shooting.

The 10-year sentence was more than the probation sought by Lanez’s lawyers but less than the 13 years sought by prosecutors.

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Following his sentencing, Lanez took to Instagram to maintain his innocence, stating that he wouldn’t “stop fighting till I come out victorious.” He added that while he took responsibility for “verbal and intimate moments that I shared with the parties involved,” he was innocent of the shooting itself. “In no way shape or form was I apologizing for the charges I’m being wrongfully convicted of. I remain on the stance that I refuse to apologize for something that I did not do.”

The shooting incident occurred on July 12, 2020, after Lanez, Megan and their friend Kelsey Harris left a party held at Kylie Jenner’s home. According to prosecutors, after Megan exited the car during an argument, Lanez shot at her feet while shouting, “Dance, bi—!” While Megan initially claimed she’d received the injury after stepping on broken glass, days later she admitted to being shot. Lanez was eventually charged in the shooting in October 2022.

An attorney for Lanez did not immediately respond to Billboard‘s request for comment.

14 Sep 2023

Sweeter Than ‘Sour’? Looking at Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Guts’ Debut-Week Performance

The Contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week (for the upcoming charts dated Sept. 23), the biggest new artist of the early decade returns with her second full-length album – but will it be a more or less impressive bow than her first? 

Olivia Rodrigo, Guts (Geffen): At a time in the music industry when new pop stars have become significantly harder to develop and damn near impossible to simply manufacture, Olivia Rodrigo has stood out as the instant-phenomenon exception to nearly every rule. She debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100 with her first official single, “Drivers License,” in early 2021, and only grew in momentum from there – also scoring another No. 1 with follow-up single “Good 4 U,” and a Billboard 200-topping debut album with the acclaimed (and eventually Grammy-winning) Sour. 

On Friday, Rodrigo returned with Guts, her much-anticipated sophomore LP. The album was already led by two Hot 100 top 10 hits, including her third No. 1 with the unpredictable ballad “Vampire,” and this week also sees a third single being pushed in the frisky “Get Him Back!” — which Rodrigo not only released an eye-catching music video for on Tuesday, but also delivered its live debut on the MTV Video Music Awards.  

The album has dominated streaming services since its Friday release, with six of its 12 tracks still in the top 10 on Spotify’s Daily Top Songs USA chart and four in the daily iTunes Top 10 five days later. It’s also expected to sell well, with 13 vinyl variants available – including exclusives for her official store, Amazon, Target, indies and Walmart, and two boxed sets with a vinyl LP and a piece of branded merch inside the box – as well as four CD variants, including an exclusive for Target, a signed CD sold at indie retailers and two boxed sets with a CD and branded merch inside the box. 

It should all be enough to make the album the week’s top Billboard 200 debut, and very likely the No. 1 album – but will it be able to top Sour, which posted 295,000 equivalent album units in its first week? So far, its streaming numbers are very comparable to Rodrigo’s debut, and have held strong throughout the week – though with only 12 tracks and no deluxe edition yet to speak of, the volume will invariably be lower than some more juiced-up tracklists of recent blockbusters from the likes of Morgan Wallen and Travis Scott. It may come down to her physical sales numbers, and how well those maintain day-to-day, to see if Guts has the internal fortitude to rise above her 2021 LP.  

V, Layover (Big Hit): The latest BTS alum to contend on the Billboard 200 is the baritone V, who on Friday unleashed his debut EP Layover. Like essentially all BTS-related releases, the set should sell in large physical numbers, thanks to a wide variety of variants and packaging options – including 13 collectible CD variants, all with randomized branded merch elements contained inside, and exclusive variants sold at Target, Walmart, Barnes & Noble and via the Weverse store. The six-track effort was preceded by lead single “Love Me Again,” which became V’s second solo entry on the Hot 100, debuting at No. 96.  

Tyler Childers, Rustin’ in the Rain (Hickman Holler/RCA): The timing is certainly right for a Tyler Childers album: Not only because he just scored his first Hot 100 hit with the No. 43-debuting “In Your Love,” but because the mainstream presence for his sort of rootsy country and Americana has been majorly expanded by the recent crossover success of Zach Bryan and Oliver Anthony Music. Childers is also offering four vinyl variants and three boxed sets (with LP and branded merch) of the new seven-track set — which includes “Love,” as well as covers of the Kris Kristoffersen-penned country staple “Help Me Make It Through the Night” and contemporary singer-songwriter S.G. Goodman’s “Space and Time.”  

IN THE MIX 

Laufey, Bewitched (AWAL): Icelandic jazz-pop singer-songwriter Laufey, who appeared on her home country’s versions of both The Voice and America’s Got Talent as a teenager, scored a surprise TikTok hit earlier this year with the sweetly aching “From the Start,” which has racked up over 58 million on-demand U.S. streams since it came out in May. On Friday, she released her debut album, the 14-track Bewitched, which is for sale on CD, cassette and exclusive silver nugget vinyl on her webstore – as is the sheet music for the set, certainly something of a rarity for a 20-something artist in 2023.  

Olivia Rodrigo, Sour (Geffen): Don’t forget about Rodrigo’s debut, which has hardly become a stranger to the higher regions of the Billboard 200 since its May 2021 release. The album currently sits at No. 33 on the chart in its 120th week, and should be due for another sizeable jump in the week following its successor Guts’ debut: Billboard reported yesterday that Sour was up 21% in streams in the first four days of her sophomore album’s release.  

14 Sep 2023

HHW Gaming: ‘Mario vs. Donkey Kong,’ OG Lara Crofts Returns & More Nintendo Direct Announcements

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Nintendo Drops Plenty of Announcements During Nintendo Direct

Source: Nintendo / Mario vs. Donkey Kong

The PlayStation State of Play event is a couple of hours away, but Nintendo kicked things off this morning with many games coming to the Nintendo Switch.

Nintendo Switch owners have a lot of games to look forward to playing well into 2024 as they continue to patiently wait for Nintendo to confirm the existence of the Nintendo Switch 2.

Until that day comes, there are some very exciting titles Switch owners should be excited to get their hands on this winter and in 2024.

So, in case you were still sleeping while it was going on, don’t worry. HHW Gaming has got you covered.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong



The iconic rivalry between Mario and Donkey Kong comes to the Nintendo Switch. Mario vs. Donkey Kong is described as a puzzle-platforming game that will see the legendary plumber on a mission to regain a bunch of stolen Mario toys taken by Donkey Kong.

The game features local co-op play and comes to the Nintendo Switch on February 16, 2024.

Princess Peach: Showtime



Princess Peach doesn’t need to be saved this time. In Princess Peach Showtime !, the titular character teams up with her companion, The Sparkle Theater’s guardian Stella, to stop Grape and the Sour Bunch, who have taken it over.

The trailer showcases Princess Peach’s ability to take multiple forms: Detective Peach, Kung Fu Peach, and Swordfighter Peach. The game launches on the Nintendo Switch on March 22, 2024

F-ZERO 99



We’re finally getting a new F-ZERO game, but it’s not exactly what fans of the iconic racer that first arrived on the Super Nintendo were asking for.

F-ZERO 99 is a battle royale race that will see up to 99 players hit the track and duke it to finish at the top. The game has new gameplay features, allowing players to customize their favorite F-ZERO racer vehicles.

The game is available right now to Nintendo Switch Online subscribers.

Tomb Raider 1-3 Remastered Starring Lara Croft



OG Lara Croft is back! Crystal Dynamics and Aspyr are bringing the first three Tomb Raider video games and slapping them with a fresh coat of HD paint. For the retro purists, you can play using the original graphics.

We are curious to see how well this game has aged and how it will feel when it arrives on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and GOG on February 14, 2024.

Contra: Operation Guluga



Contra is a classic, so it put a smile on our faces to see Konami and developer WayForward’s complete remaster of the iconic Nintendo shooter.

Contra: Operation Galuga brings the shooter to the Nintendo Switch with a new look and feel, and we honestly can’t wait to play this one when it launches on the Switch sometime in early 2024.

For the rest of today’s Nintendo Direct announcements, hit the gallery below.

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Photo: Nintendo / Mario vs. Donkey Kong

1. Trombone Champ – Launch Trailer – Nintendo Switch

Trombone Champ is available today on Nintendo Switch: https://www.nintendo.com/store/produc…

Honk, blow, and toot your way through over 45 songs! Up to 4 players can play together in local multiplayer! The Nintendo Switch version supports multiple control modes: Tilt, IR Motion Camera and Tilt-Motion. Try your best to get higher scores, and compete with your friends on the online leaderboards! Collect all 50 unique Tromboner Cards, meet mysterious characters, and uncover the mysteries of the Trombiverse. Do you have what it takes to become the Trombone Champ?

2. Unicorn Overlord – Announcement Trailer – Nintendo Switch

Unicorn Overlord is releasing for Nintendo Switch on March 8, 2024! Wishlist today: https://www.nintendo.com/store/produc…

From the creators of 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim and Odin Sphere, Unicorn Overlord shines in combining overworld exploration and an innovative battle system in the iconic Vanillaware style. Traverse the vibrant world, cultivate a grand army with over 60 uniquely designed characters, and grow your renown throughout the five nations in this unique epic fantasy experience!

3. SaGa Emerald Beyond

SaGa Emerald Beyond is coming to Nintendo Switch in 2024! Wishlist today: https://www.nintendo.com/store/produc…

The latest standalone entry in the SaGa franchise, SaGa Emerald Beyond, brings together the very best elements of the beloved series to offer each player their own unique gameplay experience.

As players venture across 17 mysterious worlds, they will forge their own unique branching stories that unfold based on their very own choices and actions. With multiple endings and countless scenes to discover, players will experience a unique tale upon each playthrough!

4. SPYxANYA: Operation Memories

SPYxANYA: Operation Memories is coming to Nintendo Switch next year! Wishlist today: https://www.nintendo.com/store/produc…

Complete a photo diary for homework by living your daily life as Anya in the world of SPYxFAMILY! You will surely find treasured memories in the ordinary daily life.

Not only the family members, Loid and Yor, but also Anya’s friends, Damian and Becky, and even Yuri and Fiona will appear in the game.

In addition to outings, play unique mini-games to get cute costumes, and add color to your memories by dressing up characters in your style!

5. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass Wave 6

The final wave of the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – Booster Course Pass arrives this holiday! Learn more: https://mariokart8.nintendo.com/boost…

Wave 6 includes Daisy Circuit plus 7 more courses, along with 4 returning playable characters: – Diddy Kong – Funky Kong – Pauline – Peachette

6. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door from the Nintendo GameCube system will return with enhanced graphics for Nintendo Switch in 2024!

7. Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass – Side Order DLC

The Splatoon 3: Expansion Pass – Side Order DLC is releasing spring 2024! Learn more: https://www.nintendo.com/store/produc…

Featuring a brand-new story, the single-player Side Order DLC will challenge you to ascend the Spire of Order in an experience that’s designed to be replayed over and over!

8. Super Mario RPG

Super Mario RPG is releasing for Nintendo Switch on November 17, 2023! Pre-order today: https://www.nintendo.com/store/produc…

Mario and his teammates are tougher than ever in Super Mario RPG! Use the updated Action Commands to unleash the all-new Triple Moves, where Mario and his party members team up to unleash a unique group attack.

9. Another Code: Recollection

Another Code: Recollection is releasing for Nintendo Switch on January 19, 2024! Pre-order today: https://www.nintendo.com/store/produc…

The Nintendo DS game, Trace Memory, and its sequel, previously unreleased in North America, return fully enhanced for the Nintendo Switch system as Another Code: Recollection.

10. Detective Pikachu Returns

Detective Pikachu Returns launches for Nintendo Switch on October 6, 2023. Pre-order today: https://www.nintendo.com/store/produc…

Unravel a series of mysteries across Ryme City with a tough-talking, coffee-loving Pikachu and his human partner, Tim Goodman. When a jewel theft occurs, the case sets this great detective duo down a path filled with mystery. Why did Tim’s father, Harry, go missing? What is causing the Pokémon-related incidents around Ryme City? Answer these questions and more by searching for clues, investigating scenes, and using your case notebook to make deductions.

11. Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD

Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD is releasing for Nintendo Switch summer 2024.

Welcome to Evershade Valley, a place that’s screaming and teeming with the supernatural. Luigi and his vacuum-like device, the Poltergust, ensue mansion mayhem, and Luigi must face his courage to save the day! Up to 4 players can play together locally and online across different multiplayer modes.

12. Prince of Persia The Lost Crown

Prince of Persia The Lost Crown is coming to Nintendo Switch on January 18, 2024! Pre-order today: https://www.nintendo.com/store/produc…

Prince of Persia The Lost Crown is an action-adventure platformer game set in a mythological Persian world, bringing new characters & lore, engaging narrative, and exciting gameplay mechanics to a legendary franchise.

13.

WarioWare: Move It! is releasing for Nintendo Switch on November 3, 2023! Pre-order today: https://www.nintendo.com/store/produc…

Strike a pose with a multitude of motion-based microgames in a brand-new entry in the WarioWare series! You can laugh out loud with over 200 lightning-fast microgames, and multiplayer modes aplenty!

14. Horizon Chase 2 – Gameplay Trailer

Horizon Chase 2 is available today on Nintendo Switch: https://www.nintendo.com/store/produc…

Get your crew together and embark on this new trip around the World with the classic signature high-speed arcade gameplay within a dynamic environment, unique art style, thrilling soundtrack and online gameplay!

14 Sep 2023

Offset Announces New Album ‘Set It Off’: Here’s When It Arrives

Offset is back. The rapper announced on Thursday (Sept. 14) that his upcoming album, Set It Off, is arriving on October 13.

He shared the announcement on Twitter alongside the album’s cover art, which features the star falling from an upside down city engulfed in flames. Set It Off will serve as a follow-up to his solo 2019 album, Father of 4, which arrived in 2019 and peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. He also released an EP in 2021, Culture III (Offset’s Way). As a member of Migos, he released four studio albums.

Last month, Offset ended his legal battle with Quality Control Music, the label that helped launch Migos’ career. In August 2022, the rapper  — whose real name is Kiari Cephus — filed paperwork in Los Angeles seeking a declaratory judgement “that Quality Control has no rights, title, or interest in or to Offset’s recordings” since he bought out his deal with the company early last year. He alleged that despite buying the rights to his solo works, QC continued to claim ownership over his recordings.

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Offset is currently signed to Motown Records, under which Set It Off will be released. See the announcement and the corresponding cover art below.