News

04 Sep 2023

Universal Music Taps Timothy Xu to Lead Greater China Operations

Timothy Xu is the new chairman and CEO of Universal Music Greater China (UMGC).

With effect from Monday, Sept. 4, the veteran executive takes the reins of Universal Music Group’s Greater China division, which covers Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

As head of the biggest music company’s business in the world’s most populous market, Xu wields a resume stacked with major label and indie experience.

He joins UMGC from Taihe Music Group, the leading independent music company in China, where he served for the past five years as president and CEO.

Before that, he led Sony Music’ Greater China activities as chairman and CEO, from 2012-16. And earlier, he had roles with EMI Music, EMI Music Publishing China, and Warner Music China, having kicked off his career in 1992 with China National Publications Import & Export Corporation (CNPIEC).

Xu’s appointment follows the retirement of longstanding chairman Sunny Chang earlier in 2023.

“I am thrilled to welcome Timothy to lead our operations in Greater China,” comments Lucian Grainge, chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group in a statement.

“He’s a real music exec, given his deep experience generating creative and commercial success in the region. I’m confident Timothy be instrumental as we continue to drive growth in the exciting and vibrant Chinese music market.”

Adds Adam Granite, UMG’s executive VP, market development, “Having worked together in the past, Timothy’s unique and versatile experience across the sector will bring new opportunities to expand all areas of our business operations within Greater China, whilst also accelerating our focus on introducing Chinese music, culture, and artist talent to new markets and audiences around the world.”

In 2021, UMGC became the first major music company to establish multiple frontline label operations across China with the launch of Republic Records China, and re-launch of historical Chinese labels Polygram Records China and EMI China alongside Universal Music China.

Those moves would reinforce Universal Music’s “commitment to accelerating and introducing the next wave of Chinese music talent to the world across a variety of genres,” the company said in a press release at the time.

04 Sep 2023

Vanessa Amorosi Signs With Dave Stewart’s ‘Bay Street Records,’ Preps New Bluesy Chapter With ‘Memphis Love’

For her next project, Vanessa Amorosi will unleash some Hall of Fame vibes.

The Australian artist’s new full-length studio album Memphis Love is slated for release Nov. 17, her first through Bay Street Records, Dave Stewart’s independent music label.

With Memphis Love, the powerhouse singer goes eight albums deep into a recording career that exploded out the gates in the late 1990s with “Absolutely Everybody.” Amorosi was just a teen at the time. The world opened up all at once, as the song crashed the U.K. top 10, and she was invited to perform on the biggest stages of them all, including the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

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Amorosi has called Los Angeles home for the past 13 years. Now she calls Bay Street Records her label home, joining such artists as Joss Stone.

During her time Stateside, she has immersed herself in gospel music, soul, funk and blues, sounds that influence this forthcoming collection. “It’s very, very different to what people are used to hearing me do in Australia,” she tells Billboard. “I’m really excited for this chapter to begin.”

Memphis Love is co-produced with Stewart, was recorded at Willie Mitchell’s Royal Studios in Memphis, TN, and features the gorgeous tones of Tennessee Mass Choir.

Lead single “Wolf,” which Amorosi co-wrote with Stewart one afternoon in downtown L.A., is a confident, blues number. It rolls with the punches and gives out a few of its own. At the top, Amorosi flexes with a howl, the kind of swagger that comes with having been there, done it. That animal instinct “kind of lightened the mood in the studio,” she recounts.

Stewart is a good guy to have your corner. As one half of the Eurythmics, the legendary British synth pop act elevated last year into Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, Stewart is a creative force. He’s a real-deal multi-hyphenate, whose resume includes production across TV, stage, feature films, operating venues, and a thirst for technology. The Brit also owns Dave Stewart Entertainment (DSE), a full-service production and management company, involved in music, commercials, film, music videos, documentaries, independent productions and more.

“He is fearless,” she explains. “He understands technology. He’s always looking for ways for artists to be able to generate income to make more art. And he’s always very proactive on trying to keep an artist making art. I learned so much from him, and he’s just the most incredible human being.”

Stewart feels the same way. “I’ve stood on stage next to Vanessa Amorosi on several occasions and I’m always immediately taken aback by the intensity and the power of her vocal delivery,” he says in a statement announcing the new LP. “In getting to know her as a friend and as a true artist, I’ve found that her vocal capabilities are just the tip of the iceberg.”

Memphis Love is the followup to Amorosi’s City Of Angels, which debuted at No. 7 on the ARIA Albums Chart in March 2022, for her fourth career top 10 appearance. Prior to that, her last top tier appearance on the national survey was with 2009’s Hazardous, also peaking at No. 7.

European dates are on the slate, and Amorosi is looking forward to a homecoming jaunt that includes the Grapevine Gathering festival tour, and a performance at the 2023 AWMA in Brisbane, on Sept. 27. Expect her to share some of that Memphis Love.

“It has all the soul and the feel and the groove,” she enthuses. “I’m really, really proud of this record. And I feel like it’s gonna make people feel good.”

Memphis Love tracklist
Wolf
How Long
Lift Us Up
Don’t Judge Me
Only So Much
Memphis Love
Shake
Too Much of a Heartache
Serious
What Do I Get

04 Sep 2023

Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion Announce ‘Bongos’: Here’s the Release Date

Get ready for Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion to team up again, this time for “Bongos.”

“Bongos” will be here Friday (Sept. 8), Cardi and Megan just announced. The new track can be pre-saved now via streaming services Spotify and Apple Music.

They unveiled “Bongos” artwork with the announcement. The colorful visual shows the two rappers in coordinating blue and purple one-pieces and high heels, with their hair styled in playful, multi-colored curls, and lollipops in hand.

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Cardi and Megan haven’t shared further details yet, but this is their second collab — so fans are already hyped. Their first song together — the NSFW smash hit “WAP,” released on Atlantic Records — spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2020.

“Y’all remember when the FCC almost sued me cuz I performed WAP at the Grammys? What about when all the republicans literally harassed me over it? On the news everyday… Y’all remember? Oooohhh cuz I do,” Cardi reminisced over the summer. Last week, Cardi B and Megan won a court ruling tossing out a lawsuit that accused them of stealing the lyrics to “WAP” and Meg’s “Thot Shit” from an earlier track called “Grab Em by the P—-.”

Also in August, Cardi gave an update on her sophomore album that interestingly turned out to be a decoy — or maybe “Bongos” just came to be very recently.

“I’m not going to release any more collaborations,” she said for her Vogue México y Latinoamérica cover story. “I’m going to put out my next solo single. Right now, I’m working on the cover art and ideas for the next record because it’s definitely coming up. Everyone always tells me I should put the record out now. They did when I released ‘WAP’ [with Megan Thee Stallion] and when I released ‘Up,’ but I always let them know I’m not going to wait long after all these singles. So stay tuned because it’s coming out very soon.”

See the pair’s “Bongos” announcement and artwork below.

04 Sep 2023

Burning Man Attendees Begin to Leave After Being Stranded in Muddy Nevada Desert

The scene at Burning Man 2023 has returned to relative normalcy, with its gate officially opened earlier on Monday (Sept. 4), allowing attendees to leave the event in the remote Nevada desert.

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The event’s roughly 73,000 attendees were previously confined to the site after the event’s ingress/egress gate was closed following several rain showers that turned roads into thick, sticky mud, making them largely impassible.

As of Monday afternoon, the sun was shining over Black Rock City, and attendees who remained were disassembling the hundreds of camps that make up the event. Cars began leaving earlier in the day when the gate road officially opened, although many cars, trucks and RVs made their way out via the gate and a service road over roughly the last 24 hours. Several cars that had gotten stuck in the mud before the roads fully dried were seen around Black Rock City, with tow trucks also on site.

Such road traffic has made many of the streets in Black Rock City deeply rutted, although others remain flat and easier to pass. A volunteer at Burning Man’s official information booth could not advise on how long it’s currently taking for those exiting the event to make it out of the gate, but did say the wait in line could be “extreme.” (Last year, it took many leaving the event upwards of 12 hours to depart.)

The Burning Man airport also resumed service on Monday, with flights currently only traveling to Reno. The Burner Busses that transport attendees to and from Burning Man from cities including Reno and San Francisco also resumed service.

Organizers have opened up WiFi networks so that people can communicate with the outside world, and camps are also sharing passwords to their own networks with others. WiFi coverage doesn’t extend to the entire city, but attendees can walk around and have a pretty good shot of finding it.

The event’s namesake Man will burn Monday night at 9 p.m. The burn was delayed from its traditional Saturday night scheduling due to general wetness and the fact that emergency vehicles like fire trucks could not make it out to the Man structure in the mud. Another large-scale tower structure is also scheduled to burn this evening at midnight, with Burning Man’s temple — where Burners leave mementos of the dead and other heartbreaks — set to burn Tuesday (Sept. 5) at 5 p.m.

Around the site on Monday, groups of campers were heard making plans for bringing their art cars out to watch the Man burn. Bikes, the standard mode of transportation on the typically flat and hard-packed desert playa, are once again in motion. While Burning Man has had a difficult time getting those with electric bikes to abide by the citywide five m.p.h. rule, those with these e-bikes were seen moving quite slowly through the city to avoid being thrown off by the bumpy surface.

The spirit of community that’s core to Burning Man was also witnessed throughout Black Rock City, with many camps sharing leftover provisions — popsicles, pork tenderloin, Gatorade, stuffed animals — with passersby. Some also seemed keen to continue the party, with one remarkably fresh-looking woman remarking, “Oh no, they took the orgy dome down” upon arriving to the site where this structure once stood.

One death was reported at Burning Man, but according to the Associated Press, organizers said the death of a man in his 40s was not related to weather conditions. An investigation is underway, said the sheriff of nearby Pershing County; the man’s name and cause of death has not been provided.

Billboard also heard a confirmed report of an isolated electrocution incident after cables in the ground got wet in the rain. It was reported that the man who experienced this electrocution is in well and stable condition following the accident.

As is normal with the disassembling of Burning Man, Burners will be there for days, likely longer, taking down the rest of their camps and doing their best to ensure that the event’s “leave no trace” ethos is abided by. Sun is predicted for the remainder of the week.

04 Sep 2023

Oliver Anthony Rolls Out ‘90 Some Chevy’ With Live Performance Video

Oliver Anthony Music is churning out the country tunes. His latest new video is a live performance of “90 Some Chevy,” a country love song that could be a classic.

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The singer-songwriter — who is from Farmville, Virginia, and whose stage name honors his grandfather — had previously uploaded a raw version of “90 Some Chevy.” The original was among the songs he’d only recorded on his cell phone, but it’s worth a listen in comparison to the updated, more polished “90 Some Chevy” that’s now on YouTube and available on music streaming services.

“90 Some Chevy” is one of Anthony’s lighter songs, with lyrics comparing his romantic interest — who is his Carter, while he’s her Cash — to a beloved Chevy.

He opens the song with a memorable hook: “That old darlin’ of mine is like a 90-some Chevy/ She rides just right when you turn her on/ The only thing sounds better than that old 350/ Is when she’s runnin’ up to kiss me when I get home.”

He later sings, “She’s hotter than hell, I’m higher than gas/ She’s sweeter than honey, I’m poor white trash/ She ain’t had a check that I couldn’t cash/ I guess if she’s my Carter, then I’m her Cash/ I’ve been sittin’ around and drinkin’ on it/ I guess I’m gonna have to get me a ring and get it on it.”

Since its upload two days ago, Anthony’s new “90 Some Chevy” video has accumulated 1.3 million views and counting.

“Thanks so much to everyone,” he captioned the performance. “Enjoy your Labor Day!”

Meanwhile, Anthony’s “Rich Men North of Richmond” remains a breakout hit: It launched at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, where it’s so far been sitting pretty for two weeks. He’s the first artist ever to launch atop the Hot 100 with no prior chart history in any form. 

Watch the ’90 Some Chevy’ video below.

04 Sep 2023

Here’s the Emotional New Song Taylor Swift Is Loving Right Now

Taylor Swift shared the song that she’s currently listening to on Monday afternoon (Sept. 4).

“damn griff i love this one,” Swift wrote in an Instagram Story.

She linked to Griff‘s new single “Vertigo,” potentially encouraging up to 271 million followers to click over to the track.

Griff responded excitedly to the co-sign: “What!! Is!! Happening!! I have no words,” she wrote, and then directed a whole lot of emojis Swift’s way. “Now everyone go do what the queen says and stream vertigo.”

Although Griff seemed surprised by the social media support from Swift, the two artists have connected before. They met and took photos together at the 2021 Brit Awards, where Swift was the recipient of the global icon award and Griff was named rising star. Swift has previously called Griff’s “Shade of Yellow” an “excellent” song.

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Griff recently told Dork that “Vertigo” is a “sad, heartbreak” sort of song.

“When someone leaves your life, you spend a lot of time asking if it was your fault. This song lists all those reasons why it could be, but it’s also about trying to reassure yourself that there was nothing you could have done to make it better. With the way it crescendos, I’ve always heard it as a bit of an emotional rollercoaster,” the singer-songwriter said of the new release.

“There’s a darkness to ‘Vertigo’ that maybe I haven’t tapped into as much before,” Griff continued. “It’s still major, but there’s something quite dark and moody about it too.”

Griff is working on her debut full-length album, which will be the follow-up to her 2021 mixtape, One Foot in Front of the Other.

“It’s the start of a new season for me, for sure,” she told Dork of the new music she’s been creating.

Check out Swift’s Instagram Story here, and see Griff’s “Vertigo” visualizer below.

04 Sep 2023

Accusers in Japanese Boy Band Producer’s Sex Scandal Hope for Apology, Compensation

A group of men who say they were sexually abused by a Japanese boy band producer expressed hope Monday (Sept. 4) that the company will provide financial compensation and introduce measures to prevent a recurrence.

They say producer Johnny Kitagawa sexually preyed on young dancers and singers for decades, having them stay at his luxury home, handing them cash and leveraging promises of potential fame. The company, Johnny & Associates, is a powerful force in Japan’s entertainment industry.

The men said at a news conference Monday that they have been ignored for decades by the company, Japanese society and mainstream media.

Company Chief Executive Julie Keiko Fujishima released a brief statement on YouTube in May about the accusations but has not appeared before reporters. The company has set a news conference for Thursday.

“We want Julie to apologize, as the chief executive and company owner,” said Shimon Ishimaru, one of nine men who have formed a group demanding an apology and compensation from the company. “For a company behind this big a crime to do nothing is unimaginable.”

Johnny’s, as the company is known, is family-run and not publicly listed. Kitagawa, Fujishima’s uncle, died in 2019 and was never charged.

A special team set up by the Tokyo-based company recently spoke to 23 accusers, but has said the total will likely balloon to at least several hundred people. The team also recommended Fujishima resign.

Junya Hiramoto, another member of Ishimaru’s group, said they hope to set an example for others who have suffered.

“Our wounds never fade,” Hiramoto said. “Do you think we aren’t still hurting? Do you think we can forget? Do you know what it’s like for us to come forward like this, filled with shame?”

Over the years, persistent allegations against Kitagawa have generally been dismissed as malicious rumors. Mainstream media stayed silent.

The U.N. Working Group on Business and Human Rights has urged the Japanese government to act to make sure that Johnny’s provides an apology and compensation and that government oversight of businesses be improved. The government has yet to take action.

Japan tends to be behind the West on issues of gender equality, children’s rights and awareness about sexuality.

It was only after a BBC documentary about Kitagawa aired this year that the scandal again became a topic of scrutiny.

Another accuser, Kauan Okamoto, spoke at the Foreign Correspondents Club in April, saying he trusted foreign media more than Japanese media. Okamoto, like many others who have come forward, was part of a backup boys’ group called Johnny’s Jr.

The Associated Press does not usually identify people who say they were sexually assaulted, but Kitagawa’s recent accusers decided to be named publicly in news accounts.

04 Sep 2023

Smash Mouth’s History on Billboard’s Charts: ‘Walkin’ on the Sun,’ ‘All Star’ & More

As alternative went mainstream in the 1990s, Smash Mouth contributed some of the biggest songs of the decade, and continued to chart hit singles into the 2000s.

As previously reported, the band’s former lead singer, Steve Harwell died Monday (Sept. 4), a representative for the band confirmed to Billboard. Harwell, who performed as lead vocalist for the group until announcing his retirement in 2021, passed away at his home in Boise, Idaho, after being in hospice care. He was 56.

“Steve Harwell was a true American original,” reads a statement provided by Smash Mouth manager Robert Hayes. “A larger than life character who shot up into the sky like a Roman candle. Steve should be remembered for his unwavering focus and impassioned determination to reach the heights of pop stardom. And the fact that he achieved this near-impossible goal with very limited musical experience makes his accomplishments all the more remarkable.”

Harwell shared the news that he was leaving Smash Mouth due to his health issues in October 2021. In a statement he wrote, “Ever since I was a kid, I dreamed of being a rock star performing in front of sold-out arenas and have been so fortunate to live out that dream. To my bandmates, it’s been an honor performing with you all these years and I can’t think of anyone else I would have rather gone on this wild journey with.”

Below, browse a recap of Smash Mouth’s history on five key Billboard charts, starting with the group’s breakthrough with “Walkin’ on the Sun” in 1997 and continuing with such enduring fellow hits as “All Star” in 1999 and its cover of The Monkees’ Neil Diamond-penned “I’m a Believer” in 2001.

04 Sep 2023

The Rolling Stones Tease New Album ‘Hackney Diamonds,’ Share Livestream Announcement Details

The Rolling Stones are gearing up for the release of brand new music.

On Monday (Sept. 4), the legendary rock band announced the upcoming release of Hackney Diamonds, their first album of original music since 2005’s A Bigger Bang.

Full details will be shared during an event in the Hackney district of East London on Wednesday (Sept. 6), where the Stones’ Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ron Wood will be interviewed by Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon. The event will be exclusively streamed on the Rolling Stones’ YouTube channel here.

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“Hackney may be at the heart of Hackney Diamonds, but this is a truly global moment we want to share with fans around the world via YouTube,” the Rolling Stones said in a statement.

A minute-long teaser clip finds Fallon lounging on a couch listening to the Stones on vinyl when he receives a special call from the “Stones phone,” featuring the group’s iconic logo. A mumbled voice from one of the band members can be heard through the receiver, informing the Tonight Show host about the act’s upcoming livestream event.

The Rolling Stones recently teased a new track believe to be titled “Don’t Get Angry With Me” (or “Angry”) through the website dontgetangrywithme.com, which purposely results in an error message when attempting to load the song. The Stones have comically responded to frustrated users on social media with the message, “Sorry, don’t be angry with me..” Some fans have managed to get past the “500 Error” page and access the 15-second snippet.

Hackney Diamonds marks the first new Rolling Stones album of original music since the release of 2005’s A Bigger Bang, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart. The band’s A Bigger Bang Tour ranks seventh on Billboard‘s top 10 tours of all-time, having grossed $558 million from 111 concerts that drew 3.5 million fans, according to Billboard Boxscore.

Following A Bigger Bang, the rock legends recorded 2016’s Blue & Lonesome, an all-covers album of blues classics and deep cuts. Produced by Don Was and The Glimmer Twins (the longtime pseudonym used by Jagger and Richards for their production work), the 12-song set featured music by Jimmy Reed, Willie Dixon, Eddie Taylor, Little Walter and Howlin’ Wolf.

Hackney Diamonds will also be the first Stones release since the 2021 death of founding member Charlie Watts, who performed on nearly every recorded song since the group formed in 1962. Since Watts’ passing, the band has been touring with new drummer Steve Jordan.

See The Rolling Stones’ Hackney Diamonds announcement on X below.

04 Sep 2023

Rema, Burna Boy Top 2023 Headies Awards: Full Winners List

Rema and Burna Boy each received three awards at the 2023 Headies Awards. The show, which celebrates Pan-African and Afrobeats talent, was held on Sunday (Sept. 3) at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in Atlanta.

Rema won best male artist, digital artiste of the year and African artiste of the year. In addition, Selena Gomez, who teamed with Rema on the global hit “Calm Down,” won international artiste of the year, while Director K, who directed the music video for the “Calm Down” remix, won best music video.

Burna Boy took Afrobeats single of the year and song of the year, both for “Last Last” as well as best R&B single for “For My Hand,” featuring Ed Sheeran.

Three artists won two awards each — Odumodublvck, Asake, Victony & Tempoe.

The eligibility period for the awards was January 2022 to March 2023.

Actor and host Terrence J. Nigerian and actress Osas Ighodaro hosted the show, which was streamed live on YouTube (U.S.) and HipTV (Africa) Network.

Bayanni, Khaid, Guchi, Bloody Civilian, Odumodublvck and Eltee Skhillz competed for rookie of the year. The winner, Odumodublvck, will receive not only glory, but also also a solar-powered, two-bedroom, fully furnished house.

Sean “Love” Combs was previously announced as the recipient of the international artiste recognition award. He was not present at the show, but organizers say his plaque will be delivered.

The Headies Awards, originally called the Hip Hop World Awards, were established in 2006 by the Hip Hop World Magazine of Nigeria to recognize outstanding achievements in the Nigerian music industry.

This marked the show’s second year at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. It was held in Lagos or Nigeria every year from 2006 to 2021 (except 2017 and 2020, when there was no ceremony).

In the past year, three major, all-genre music awards shows have introduced Afrobeats or African music categories. The American Music Awards were the first major music awards show to add such a category. They added favorite Afrobeats artist at the show that aired Nov. 20, 2022. Wizkid was the inaugural winner, beating Burna Boy, CKay, Fireboy DML and Tems.

The MTV Video Music Awards added a new category this year — best Afrobeats. The front-runner is Rema & Gomez’s “Calm Down,” which is nominated in two other categories, best song and best collaboration.

The Grammys added a similar category, best African music performance, this year (for the awards that will be presented on Feb. 4, 2024). Grammy nominations will be announced on Nov. 10.

Here is the full list of winners for the 2023 Headies Awards. For more details, visit theheadies.com.

­Hall of Fame

WINNER: Youssou N’dour

Special Recognition

WINNER: Sound Sultan

International Artiste Recognition Award

WINNER: Sean “Love” Combs

International Artist of the Year

Drake

Future

WINNER: Selena Gomez

Don Toliver

Ed Sheeran

Album of the Year

Love, Damini – Burna Boy

WINNER: Mr Money With the Vibe – Asake

Rave And Roses – Rema

Boy Alone – Omah Lay

Outlaw – Victony

Timeless – Davido

Song of the Year

“Calm Down” – Rema

WINNER: “Last Last” – Burna Boy

“Ku Lo Sa” – Oxlade

“Buga” – Kizz Daniel & Tekno

“Finesse” – Pheelz Ft. Bnxn

“Sungba Remix” – Asake Ft. Burna Boy

Best Female Artiste

Tems

Simi

WINNER: Ayra Starr

Tiwa Savage

Best Male Artiste

Asake

WINNER: Rema

Kizz Daniel

Ruger

Omah Lay

Burna Boy

Rookie of the Year

Bayanni

Khaid

Guchi

Bloody Civilian

WINNER: Odumodublvck

Eltee Skhillz

Best Recording of the Year

“Alone” – Burna Boy

WINNER: “Soweto” – Victony & Tempoe

“I’m A Mess” – Omah Lay

“Ku Lo Sa” – Oxlade

“Stand Strong” – Davido Ft. Sunday Service Choir

“No Woman, No Cry” – Tems

Producer of the Year

Magicsticks – “Sungba Remix” (Asake)

P.Prime, Tmxo & Pheelz – “Electricty” (Pheelz Ft Davido)

Andre Vibez & London – “Calm Down” (Rema)

Tempoe – “Soweto” (Victony & Tempoe)

Kel-P – “Kpe Paso” (Wande Coal & Olamide)

WINNER: Rexxie – “Abracadabra” (Rexxie, Naira Marley, Skiibii & Wizkid)

Songwriter of the Year

WINNER: Simi Kosoko, Godsfavour Chidozie, Kosoko Adekunle, Marcel Akunwata – “Loyal” (Simi)

Stanley Didia, Adebajo Adebanjo – “I’m A Mess” (Omah Lay)

Tems, Ludwig Goransson, Robyn Rihanna Fenty, Ryan Coogler – “Lift Me Up” (Rihanna)

Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, Austin Jnr Iornongu Iwar, Peace Oredope, Ludwig Goransson – “Alone” (Burna Boy)

Daniel Benson “In My Mind” (Bnxn)

Fuayefika Maxwell – Earth Song (Wizard Chan)

Best R&B Single

WINNER: “For My Hand” – Burna Boy Ft. Ed Sheeran

“Mmadu” – Ckay

“Just 4 U” – Dami Oniru

“Red Wine” – Preye

“Hard To Find” – Chike – Ft. Flavour

“Loyal” – Simi Ft. Fave

Best Rap Single

“Hustle” – Reminisce

“Big Energy” – Ladipoe

“Back In Uni” – Blaqbonez

“Bando Diaries” – Psychoyp

WINNER: “Declan Rice” – Odumodublvck

“My Bro” – Jeriq Ft. Phyno

Best Alternative Song

WINNER: “Earth Song” – Wizard Chan

“Final Champion” – Cruel Santino

“The Traveller” – Basketmouth Ft The Cavemen

“In A Loop” – Boj Ft Moliy & Mellissa

“Game Changer” (Dike) – Flavour

“Tinko Tinko” – Obongjayar

Best Vocal Performance (Female)

Niniola – “Memories”

Simi –  “Loyal”

WINNER: Waje – “In Between“

Liya – “Adua Remix”

Preye – “Red Wine”

Dami Oniru – “Just 4 U”

Best Vocal Performance (Male)

Oxlade – “Ku Lo Sa”

Ric Hassani – “My Only Baby”

Magixx – “Love Don’t Cost A Dime”

Chike – “Spell Remix”

Praiz – “Reckless”

WINNER: Wande Coal – “Kpe Paso”

Best Music Video

Blaqbonez & Perliks – “Back In Uni” (Blaqbonez)

Tg Omori – “Pbuy” (Asake)

Director Pink– “Spell Remix” (Chike & Oxlade)

Tg Omori – “Bandana” (Fireboy & Asake)

Director K – “Common Person” (Burna Boy)

WINNER: Director K – “Calm Down” (Rema)

Best Collaboration

Asake Ft. Burna Boy – “Sungba Remix”

Bnxn Ft. Kizz Daniel & Seyi Vibez – “Gwagwalada”

Pheelz Ft. Bnxn – “Finesse”

WINNER: Spyro Ft. Tiwa Savage – “Who’s Your Guy Remix”

Pheelz Ft. Davido – “Electricity”

Wande Coal Ft. Olamide – “Kpe Paso”

Best Street-Hop Artiste

Rexxie Ft. Naira Marley & Skiibii – “Abracadabra”

WINNER: Seyi Vibez – “Chance (Na Ham)”

Asake – “Joha”

Zlatan Ft. Young Jonn – “Astalavista”

Poco Lee & Hotkid – “Otilo”

Mohbad – “Peace”

Afrobeats Single of the Year

WINNER: “Last Last” – Burna Boy

“Rush” – Ayra Starr

“Buga” – Kizz Daniel & Tekno

“Finesse” – Pheelz Ft Bnxn

“Who’s Your Guy?” – Spyro

“Asiwaju” – Ruger

Headies’ Viewers’ Choice

Ruger – “Asiwaju”

WINNER: Victony & Tempoe – “Soweto”

Fireboy Dml & Asake – “Bandana”

Ayra Star – “Rush”

Asake – “Terminator”

Mavins – “Overloading (Overdose)”

Crayon – “Ijo (Laba Laba)”

Oxlade – “Ku Lo Sa”

Kizz Daniel & Tekno – “Buga”

Pheelz & Davido – “Electricity”

Best West African Artiste of the Year

­Gyakie (Ghana)

WINNER: Black Sherif (Ghana)

The Therapist (Liberia)

Camidoh (Ghana)

Best East African Artiste of the Year

Zuchu

WINNER: Diamond Platinumz

Rayvanny

Eddy Kenzo

Hewan Gebreworld

Best North African Artiste of the Year

Marwa Loud – Morocco

Wegz – Egypt

WINNER: El Grande Toto – Morocco

Soolking – Algeria

Best Southern African Artiste of the Year

Aka (South Africa)

Nasty C – South Africa

Costa Titch – South Africa

Uncle Waffles – South Africa

WINNER: Focalistic – South Africa

Dj Tarico – Mozambique

Best Central African Artiste of the Year

Fally Ipupa – Democratic Republic of Congo

Gaz Mawete – Democratic Republic of Congo

Matias Damasio – Angola

Emma’a – Gabon

WINNER: Libianca – Cameroon

Best R&B Album

Home – Johnny Drille

WINNER: The Brother’s Keeper – Chike

Reckless – Praiz

Waje 2.0 – Waje

Matter of Time – Dami Oniru

To Be Honest (Tbh) – Simi

Best Alternative Album

Horoscopes – Basketmouth

WINNER: Gbagada Express – BOJ

Some Nights I Dream of Doors – Obongjayar

Subaru Boys: Final Heaven – Cruel Santino

Heart of the Heavenly Undeniable – Somadina

Native World – Native Sound System

Best Rap Album

Fly Talk Only – Payper Corleone

Palmwine Music Vol 3 – Show Dem Camp

WINNER: Young Preacher – Blaqbonez

Ypszn3 – Psychoyp

Teslim: The Energy Still Lives in Me – Vector

Billion Dollar Dream – Jeriq

Next Rated

Young Jonn

Seyi Vibez

WINNER: Asake

Victony

Spyro

African Artiste of the Year

WINNER: Rema (Nigeria)

Burna Boy (Nigeria)

Marwa Loud (Morocco)

Black Sherif (Ghana)

Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania)

Lyricist on the Roll

Ladipoe – “Clowns”

Vector – “Clowns”

WINNER: Payper Corleone – “Fly Talk Only”

Alpha Ojini – “Vigilante Bop”

A-Q – “Family First”

Tec (Sdc) – “Live Life”

Best Inspirational Single

“Stand Strong” – Davido Ft Sunday Service Choir

“Jireh (My Provider)” – Limoblaze, Lecrae & Happi Music

“This Year” – Victor Thompson & Ehis ‘D’ Greatest

WINNER: “Eze Ebube” – Neon Adejo

“Tobechukwu” – Nathaniel Bassey And Mercy Chinwo

“I Get Backing” – Victoria Orenze

Digital Artiste of the Year

Burna Boy

Ayra Starr

WINNER: Rema

Omah Lay

Kizz Daniel

Asake