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21 Aug 2023

YouTube Launches AI Music Incubator With Help From UMG Artists

YouTube announced a new initiative with artists and producers from Universal Music Group on Monday (August 21): An “AI Music Incubator” that will include input from Anitta, Juanes, Ryan Tedder, Björn Ulvaeus from Abba, Rodney Jerkins, d4vd, Max Richter, and the estate of Frank Sinatra, among others.  

“This group will explore, experiment and offer feedback on the AI-related musical tools and products they are researching,” Universal CEO Lucian Grainge wrote in a blog post. “Once these tools are launched, the hope is that more artists who want to participate will benefit from and enjoy this creative suite.”

Grainge added that “our challenge and opportunity as an industry is to establish effective tools, incentives and rewards — as well as rules of the road — that enable us to limit AI’s potential downside while promoting its promising upside.”

In a statement, Ulvaeus said that “while some may find my decision controversial, I’ve joined this group with an open mind and purely out of curiosity about how an AI model works and what it could be capable of in a creative process. I believe that the more I understand, the better equipped I’ll be to advocate for and to help protect the rights of my fellow human creators.” 

Juanes noted in a statement of his own that “artists must play a central role in helping to shape the future of this technology” so “that it is used respectfully and ethically in ways that amplify human musical expression for generations to come.” 

This sentiment was echoed by Richter: “Unless artists are part of this process, there is no way to ensure that our interests will be taken into account,” the composer said in a statement. “We have to be in this conversation, or our voices won’t be heard.”

Neal Mohan, YouTube’s CEO, also published the company’s “AI music principles” on Monday. The company promised to “embrace” AI “responsibly together with our music partners” and noted that any AI initiatives “must include appropriate protections and unlock opportunities for music partners who decide to participate.”

YouTube’s “AI music principles” as posted:

  1. AI is here, and we will embrace it responsibly together with our music partners.
  2. AI is ushering in a new age of creative expression, but it must include appropriate protections and unlock opportunities for music partners who decide to participate.
  3. We’ve built an industry-leading trust and safety organization and content policies. We will scale those to meet the challenges of AI.

21 Aug 2023

Kid Rock Spotted Drinking Bud Light 4 Months After Shooting Cans: Twitter Reacts

It was less than four months ago that Kid Rock got so worked up about Bud Light teaming with transgender TikTok influencer Dylan Mulvaney for its Bud Light Easy Carry Contest during the NCAA’s March Madness that the “Don’t Tell Me How To Live” singer tried to destroy 12-packs of Bud Light with a semi-automatic rifle as he yelled, “F–k Bud Light and f–k Anheuser-Busch.”

What a difference a few months make.

In July, CNN reported that despite his apparent animus for the world’s largest beer company, Rock, 52 — who didn’t specifically mention Mulvaney (or the word “trans”) in his video, or call for a boycott of products from Bud Light parent company AB Inbev — was still selling Bud Light at his Nashville restaurant; Newsweek additionally reported at the time that Rock’s restaurant/bar was selling Bud Light during the June 9-12 Country Music Association Festival and that a Twitter user told the magazine that a waitress at the bar said “they actually stopped selling it for a week right after [Rock’s video], then started selling it again.”

And over the weekend the rapper-turned-country rocker was pictured enjoying a tall cool Bud Light at Colt Ford show in Nashville according to TMZ, which caused a torrent of comments on Twitter (now X) about the apparent hypocrisy from the “Devil Without a Cause” star. “Damn, never thought I’d have to give Kid Rock the Bud Light treatment but here we are,” wrote one commenter. “Just shot up all my Kid Rock vinyl and CDs. I loved Kid Rock, but I hope Kid Woke goes broke.”

Another, Fred Guttenberg — father of murdered Parkland High School student Jaime Guttenberg and gun control advocate — had equally harsh words for Rock, writing, “It’s just hard to keep a good beer down and I LOVE BUD LIGHT!!! Apparently, so does @KidRock. To all of you hypocritical lunatics who actually started this bulls–t attack on my favorite beer, cheers to you.”

Billboard has not been able to confirm the veracity of the pictures of Rock drinking the Bud Light at press time and a spokesperson for the singer had not returned a request for comment.

At the time of CNN’s report, it was unclear if the band on Bud Light at Rock’s Music City establishment had been lifted, or if one had ever been put in place, but at the time of the Mulvaney controversy Rock appeared happy to jump on the bandwagon of ban-calling against Bud Light.

While country singer John Rich pledged at the time to pull Bud Light from his Nashville bar Redneck Riviera and Travis Tritt said he would remove the formerly best-selling brew in the nation from his tour rider in the midst of the transphobic backlash against the Mulvaney promotional stunt, Rock never specifically said he’d stop selling it at his Broadway district spot.

In the original Mulvaney clip from April, she revealed that the company helped her celebrate her “365th day of womanhood” with “possibly the best gift ever” — a commemorative can of Bud Light with Mulvaney’s face on the side that was not commercially available, but instead meant as a personalized one-off souvenir.

Check out some of the comments about Rock’s Bud Light moment.

21 Aug 2023

Watch Ryan Gosling Make ‘Barbie’ Director Greta Gerwig Lose it in Behind-the-Scenes ‘I’m Just Ken’ Video

If you were losing it in the theater watching Ryan Gosling turn the Kenergy up to 11 in the Barbie movie during his showstopper power balled “I’m Just Ken,” just wait until you see how director Greta Gerwig felt while watching her star ham it up on the beach.

In a behind-the-scenes video chronicling the “Just Ken” shoot that dropped on Monday morning (Aug. 21), fans of the billion-dollar summer blockbuster not only get some bonus, unreleased footage from the film featuring the Barbie cast, but they also get a look at film soundtrack producer Mark Ronson in the studio, along with “Just Ken” co-writer/co-producer Andrew Wyatt and Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash.

The best part, however, is watching Gerwig watch Gosling and absolutely lose it.

The nearly four-minute clip opens with a shirtless Gosling crooning his doll parts lament, “It doesn’t seen to matter what I do/ I’m always No. 2/ No one knows how hard I try,” over a plaintive piano. A montage then moves to a scene of dancers limbering up for their big musical number, Gerwig giving Gosling some direction and a look at the build for the paddle board beach assault scene.

As Gosling croons about “blonde fragility,” Gerwig can’t help but laugh out loud, with the camera repeatedly cutting to the director — wearing a pair of pink headphones around he neck, naturally — losing it as her star prances across the green screen sand in his full length fur coat.

Along the way we also see Slash in the studio cutting his solo and the song’s co-producers/co-writers Wyatt and Ronson laying down keyboard and guitar parts for the power ballad that also features rhythm guitar from Wolfgang Van Halen and drums from new Foo Fighter’s timekeeper Josh Freese.

Plus, you get an exclusive look at the rehearsals for the big beach blowout dance battle between Ken and his arch rival Ken 2 (Simu Liu).

Gosling scored his first Billboard Hot 100 charting song with “Just Ken” two weeks ago when the song debuted at No. 87 on the tally. To date the movie has grossed more than $567 million in the U.S. and over $1.2 billion worldwide.

Watch the “I’m Just Ken” behind-the-scenes video below.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=a-MVeaFwT5M&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

21 Aug 2023

Lana Del Rey Announces Limited Run of Fall 2023 U.S. Shows

After criss-crossing the nation this summer playing festival gigs, Lana Del Rey announced a run of fall amphitheater shows on Monday morning (Aug. 21). The 10 gigs are slated to kick off on Sept. 13 at the FirstBank Amphitheater in Franklin, TN before moving on to the Germania Insurance Amphitheater in Austin, TX.

The run will also include shows in Dallas, West Palm Beach, Tampa and Pittsburgh before winding down on Oct. 5 at the Charleston Coliseum in Charleston, WV. A general onsale for the shows will begin on Friday (Aug. 25) at 10 a.m. local time here.

Del Rey has been on the road supporting her ninth studio album, Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd., which came out in March. Over the weekend, the singer was spotted at producer Jack Antonoff‘s wedding to actress Margaret Qualley in New Jersey. Del Rey joined a list of fellow A-listers at the ceremony, which was also attended by Channing Tatum, Zoë Kravitz, Cara Delevingne and the bride’s mother, Andie MacDowell, according to People.

Check out the dates for Del Rey’s fall tour below.

Sept. 14 – Franklin, TN @ FirstBank Amphitheater

Sept. 17 – Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater

Sept. 19 – Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion

Sept. 21 – Huntsville, AL @ Orion Amphitheater

Sept. 23 – West Palm Beach, FL @ iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre

Sept. 25 – Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre

Sept. 27 – Brandon, MS @ Brandon Amphitheater

Sept. 29 – Charlotte, NC @ PNC Music Pavilion

Oct. 3 – Pittsburgh, PA @ The Pavilion at Star Lake 

Oct. 5 – Charleston, WV @ Charleston Coliseum

21 Aug 2023

Young Capone Reported Dead At 35 After Going Missing

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Young Capone, a rapper with connections to Jermaine Dupri, has died after he was reported missing earlier this summer. Young Capone was reported missing in Chicago back in July but details of his death are still largely unknown.

The news regarding the passing of Young Capone, real name Rodriguez Smith, was delivered by his publicist, Aleesha Carter, on August 16.

From Carter’s IG:

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This is with a heavy heavy heart that I’m even posting this. We made magic when we strategically put out projects, always. Young Capone aka Dopeboy Ra aka Rara was one of my first Hip Hop/ Rap clients, and I can’t believe the news I just got of his unexpected passing! A friend…a client and just huge in East Atlanta. This is not the easiest post at all. Rest easy, RIP.

As reported by Billboard, Young Capone signed with Dupri’s So So Def imprint after making moves on the East Atlanta Hip-Hop scene in the early 2000s. Over the years, the rapper changed his name to Dopeboy Ra and worked alongside T.I. and the Hustle Gang crew on the 2017 album, We Want Smoke.

Carter also shared details of a candlelight vigil in honor of Young Capone to be held this Friday (August 25) in Decatur, Ga.

Dupri also posted an image of his former signee, sharing the track they performed together “I’m Hot” with Daz Dillinger in the background.

Young Capone was 35.

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Photo: Getty

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21 Aug 2023

Queen’s ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’ Missing From New ‘Greatest Hits’ Release

Fat bottomed girls might make the rockin’ world go round, but Queen‘s racy song is nowhere to be found on a new release of Greatest Hits.

Recognized as the U.K.’s all-time best-selling album, Queen’s early career compilation is now available on kids’ audio platform Yoto, where listeners can “rock out to” 16 classic tracks, reads a statement.

“Fat Bottomed Girls,” one of the Rock And Roll Hall of Famers’ naughtier songs, is missing from the published tracklist.

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The blurb accompanying the album points out that “the lyrics in some of these songs contain adult themes, including occasional references to violence and drugs.” The songs are the original and unedited recordings, and that “parental discretion is advised” when playing the songs around younger children.

Released in 1978, “Fat Bottomed Girls” was a double-a side with “Bicycle Race,” a relatively harmless song that includes a cheeky reference to those bike-riding “fat bottomed girls,” and appears in the Yoto version of Queen’s Greatest Hits.

The song doesn’t make the cut on Yoto, most likely due its lyrical content. On it, the late Freddie Mercury sings, “Left alone with big fat Fanny/ She was such a naughty nanny/ Big woman, you made a bad boy out of me.”

“Fat Bottomed Girls” has helped Queen‘s Greatest Hits to ride on for several major chart records.

Released in 1981, the set last year passed 1,000 weeks on the Official Albums Chart Top 100, becoming just the third album to do so, and the first by a British act or a rock band; and became the first album to shift seven million chart sales in the U.K. The hits compilation crossed the six million threshold back in 2014.

21 Aug 2023

Ray Hildebrand, Singer and Songwriter With Paul & Paula, Dies at 82

Ray Hildebrand, the “Paul” in ‘60s pop duo Paul & Paula, died Friday (Aug. 18) in Kansas City, Missouri, at the age of 82.

Hildebrand passed away “peacefully,” and was surrounded by his family, according to a statement from his publicist.

Born December 21, 1940, in Joshua, Texas, Hildebrand met his singing partner Jill Jackson (Paula) while attending Howard Payne College (now called Howard Payne University) in Brownwood the Lone Star State.

Though never romantically involved, Paul & Paula landed a string of songs on Billboard’s charts, including “Young Lovers,” “First Quarrel,” “First Day Back at School,” and “Something Old, Something New,” and their best-known hit, the multi-million-seller from 1963 “Hey Paula,” which Hildebrand penned. The single logged three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

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Mercury Records chief Shelby Singleton signed the pair, and reissued “Hey Paula” on its Phillips subsidiary. It was also Singleton who renamed the pair as Paul & Paula, apparently concerned that an act named Ray and Jill singing about “hey, hey Paula” and “hey, hey Paul” was a bridge too far.

Paul & Paula released two albums and a Christmas-themed set, before disbanding in 1965, Hildebrand keen to complete his college education and pursue a different musical direction.

The pair would remain friends, and occasionally reunited for special gigs.

A devout Christian, Hildebrand’s post- Paul & Paula solo recordings were largely a reflection of his faith. “Say I Do” is said to be a trailblazing record of the contemporary Christian genre. Later, he would team up with Paul Land, performing Christian music under the name of Land & Hildebrand.

Hildebrand traveled the country sharing his music and faith, and worked with The Fellowship of Christian Athletes, reps say.

The late singer and songwriter is preceded in death by his wife, Judy Hendricks, and survived by his daughter, Heidi Sterling, and son Mike Hildebrand, both of Kansas City.

21 Aug 2023

Girl Power Rules On U.K. Singles Chart as Billie Eilish, Others Create ‘Major Record’

Billie Eilish leads an historic chart in the U.K. as “What Was I Made For?” (via Interscope) logs its first week at No. 1.

In a battle of theBarbie tunes, “What Was I Made For?” beats Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night” (Atlantic Records) to the tape, for Eilish’s second leader after 2020’s “No Time To Die,” the theme song for the James Bond film of the same name.

In doing so, the U.S. pop phenomenon ends the 10-week unbroken reign of Dave and Central Cee’s “Sprinter” (Live Yours/Neighbourhood), which tumbles 1-10.

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A closer look at the chart’s upper ranks reveals a “major record,” in the words of the Official Charts Company, as female solo artists account for the entire top 6 — a feat never seen before in the chart’s 70-year history.

Those history-makers include Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire” (up 4-3 via Geffen), Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” (up 7-4 via EMI), Peggy Gou’s “(It Goes Like) Nanana” (up 6-5 via XL Recordings) and Rodrigo’s “Bad Idea Right” (No. 6), which gives the U.S. pop star her sixth top 10 appearance and the week’s highest debut.

Indeed, the top 8 on the latest Official U.K. Singles Chart, published Aug. 18, is led by female artists, with “Barbie World” (Atlantic) by Nicki Minaj, Ice Spice and Aqua, down 5-7, and “Disconnect” (Polydor) by Becky Hill and Chase & Status lifting 9-8, for a new peak.

Of the top 40 on the latest chart, 24 feature, or are led by, female artists, the OCC reports.

“It’s great to see solo women artists make up the top six positions on the U.K. Official Singles Chart for the first time,” comments Dr Jo Twist OBE, chief executive of the BPI. “This increased representation is something we hope becomes commonplace rather than exceptional. For now it’s a milestone that we should celebrate, reflecting a year when the market has been dominated by women artists from the U.K. and globally representing multiple genres.”

The OCC has flicked through the history books to identify several Girl Power milestones. The Official Singles Chart of Nov. 9 1986 marked the first time female vocalists featured on each of the Top 5 singles: Berlin (No. 1), Kim Wilde (No. 2), The Bangles (No. 3), Mel & Kim (No. 4) and Swing Out Sister (No. 5).

Then, on Feb. 14, 1988, the top 3 was led by solo female artists for the first time — Kylie Minogue’s “I Should Be So Lucky,” Tiffany’s “I Think We’re Alone Now” and Taylor Dayne’s “Tell It To My Heart,” respectively.

A decade later, in 1998, saw the first all-female top 5, led by B*Witched’s “To You I Belong”.

Further reinforcing the year of Girl Power on the U.K. charts, the top 5 singles for 2023 is dominated by women, according to the charts compiler, a joint venture of the labels body BPI and retail association ERA. Miley Cyrus’s “Flowers,” which led the chart for 10 weeks between January and March, is the U.K.’s biggest single of the year so far.

20 Aug 2023

Liam Gallagher Crowned on U.K. Albums Chart With ‘Knebworth 22’

Liam Gallagher is king of the U.K. Albums Chart with Knebworth 22 (via Warner Records).

Recorded live last year at the scene of one of Oasis’s most iconic events, Knebworth 22 keeps the streak alive for Gallagher, who now boasts five solo chart leaders, including As You Were (2017), Why Me? Why Not (2019), MTV Unplugged (2020) and C’mon You Know (2022).

As a member of Oasis, Gallagher claimed eight No. 1s, including all seven of the Britpop legends’ studio albums. Gallagher’s post-Oasis project Beady Eye released two albums, 2011’s Different Gear, Still Speeding (peaking at No. 3) and 2013’s BE (No. 2).

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By securing top spot on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, published Aug. 18, Liam goes one better than his brother Noel Gallagher, whose own post-Oasis career has yielded four No. 1s and a narrow miss with Council Skies, which came in at No. 2 on the national chart earlier in the year behind Foo Fighters’ But Here We Are.

The leader at the halfway mark, Knebworth 22 is the biggest selling album of the week on vinyl and downloads, according to the Official Charts Company.

Coming in at No. 2 on the national chart is the Hives’ sixth album The Death of Randy Fitzsimmons (Disques Hives). That’s the Swedish rockers’ highest charting LP in the U.K., besting the No. 7 for their 2002 collection Your New Favourite Band, released through Alan McGee’s Poptones label, and its followup from 2004, Tyrannosaurus Hives (Polydor).

Completing an all-new top three is Jungle’s Volcano (Caiola), which erupts at No. 3. All four of the British electronic music pair’s albums have cracked the U.K. top 10.

Also new to the top 10 is London rapper Fredo with Unfinished Business (PG Records) arriving at No. 9, for his fifth top tier appearance, while new releases from Lucy Spraggan (Balance at No. 24 via CTRL) and John Lydon’s Public Image Ltd (End of World at No. 33 via PIL Official) impact the U.K. top 40.

Finally, Taylor Swift makes her presence felt on the top 40 with eight titles, including three in the top 10. Leading the way is 1989 at No. 5, which reenters the top 5 for the first time since 2015, the OCC notes, powered by the announcement that her re-recorded 1989 (Taylor’s Version) will arrive Oct. 27.

20 Aug 2023

Jonas Brothers Dedicate ‘Little Bird’ to Valentina, a Fan’s Late Child, in Toronto

“Little Bird” was performed in honor of Valentina, one fan’s “angel in heaven,” at the Jonas Brothers‘ concert in Toronto Saturday night (Aug. 19).

The song is featured on the Jonas Brothers’ latest album, The Album, which reached No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in May.

Joe Jonas noticed a sign that read “Dedicate Little Bird for My Angel in Heaven” at the group’s Rogers Centre show. He brought the emotional mother holding the sign toward the stage to speak with her.

“I got choked up as I read the sign,” he told the fan, who said her name was Magda.

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“What is your little bird’s name?” Joe asked, to which Magda replied: “Valentina.”

Joe gave her a big hug and said, “This one’s for Valentina, OK? She’s here with us tonight, for sure.”

Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas are all parents, and hearing Magda talk about her “Little Bird” Valentina particularly affected Kevin, who has a daughter named Valentina. In May, Kevin shared a sweet TikTok video of his own little Valentina saying that “Little Bird” is her favorite song from The Album “because it’s about us.”

See this weekend’s emotional concert moment below.