News

18 Jul 2023

Amazon Music Promotes Ryan Redington to General Manager

Amazon Music elevated Ryan Redington to general manager on Tuesday (July 18). The announcement was made by Steve Boom, who joined Amazon’s senior leadership team in December, where he now oversees not just Amazon Music but Audible, Wondery, Amp, Twitch and Amazon Games.

Redington has “played a number of critical leadership roles in Amazon Music’s journey to becoming one of the leading global streaming services today,” Boom wrote to staff in an email. “… He’s earned trust with the industry across dozens of artist partnerships, finding new ways to scale their new releases through global concerts and festival livestreams. Amazon Music already pays rightsholders billions annually, and under Ryan’s leadership we will continue to build a foundation to help artists scale and monetize their fanbases in new ways.” 

Redington is a 15-year veteran of Amazon, starting on the video team and then moving over to the physical sales side of the organization, focusing on CDs and vinyl. He subsequently shifted to digital and was part of the team that launched Amazon Music back in 2014. 

In his wide-ranging current role, he oversees artist and genre marketing, label and artist relations, playlisting and programming, livestreams and editorial content, physical merchandise, and artist analytics.

Last year, Amazon Music Unlimited raised its price for Prime subscribers and expanded its ad-free offering for Prime members from 2 million songs to more than 100 million songs. Prime members can only listen to all that music on shuffle, unless they upgrade to Amazon Music Unlimited. 

“We need to think about a streaming service as not just being a catalog of recorded music, but being a host of services that connect artists and fans together,” Boom told The Verge in November. “… When you get into areas like merch, there are unlimited amounts that people are willing to spend to connect with their favorite artist and to represent their fandom. Obviously, Amazon has a position as a pretty big global retailer that is good at e-commerce and logistics, and it is a brand that people really trust as a place to spend money. I think that sets us up really well for the future.”

In January, Amazon announced that it was upping prices again for U.S. and U.K. subscribers. Amazon Music Unlimited went from $9.99 to $10.99 for individual subscribers in the U.S. and increased from $4.99 to $5.99 for subscribers to the student plan.

18 Jul 2023

Lizzo Models T-Shirt With Boyfriend Myke Wright’s Face on It: ‘Im a Big Grrrl But He Can Take It’

Lizzo‘s fans know her well. In a recent TikTok, the 35-year-old hitmaker showed off a perfect custom gift from fans: a T-shirt with her boyfriend Myke Wright’s face on it.

Dancing along to Wright’s original song “Nights Like This,” Lizzo filmed herself modeling a black short-sleeve tee with the comedian/actor/musician’s face plastered in the center, framed in a heart. “I’m a big girl but he can take it,” the shirt reads, quoting a lyric from Lizzo’s Special track “Naked.”

The “About Damn Time” singer echoed the lyric in her caption, writing, “Im a big grrrl but he can take it.”

In a block of text at the top of the video, Lizzo revealed that the shirt was a gift from fans in Perth, Australia, where she played a show Friday (July 14) at the RAC Arena. “TO THE BANANA GRRRLS THAT MADE ME THIS SHIRT IN PERTH… THANK YOU,” she wrote.

The Yitty founder has been dating Wright since 2021, though they met back in 2016 while working on their MTV show Wonderland. She’s been open in interviews about their love story, telling Vanity Fair last year that “he’s the love of my life. We are life mates.”

A couple months ago, Lizzo even put an unofficial end to her public celebrity crush on Chris Evans, asking fans to stop bringing posters of the Captain America star’s face to shows, and to bring posters of Wright’s face instead. “Chris Evans is not my man,” she told her crowd at a show in May. “My man is [Myke Wright]. He fine as hell. I wanna see his fine a– face when I’m onstage.”

After the Grammy winner’s stop in Perth comes two back-to-back shows in Melbourne, the first of which was Monday (July 17). Fan videos from the night captured Lizzo tearing up while facing the crowd, an emotional moment the star later reacted to on Twitter, “I had a rough day… and y’all really made me feel loved. Thank you,” she wrote.

See Lizzo’s TikTok below:

18 Jul 2023

Hot 100 First-Timers: FendiDa Rappa Arrives With Cardi B Collab ‘Point Me 2’

Chicago-based drill rapper FendiDa Rappa is officially a Billboard Hot 100-charting artist as she scores her first appearance on the list with her new collaboration with Cardi B, “Point Me 2.”

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The song, released July 7 through Giant Music (which relaunched in 2022), debuts at No. 82 on the Hot 100 with 7.3 million official U.S. streams and 4,000 downloads sold through July 13, according to Luminate. It also enters at No. 14 on Hot Rap Songs and No. 20 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (which use the same multimetric methodology as the Hot 100). The track becomes Fendi’s first appearance on any Billboard charts.

“Point Me 2” is a remix to Fendi’s 2022 breakout track “Point Me to the Slut’s” (both versions are combined into one listing on Billboard‘s charts).

Prior to that, Fendi released her debut 15-track album, Str8 From Da Raq, in 2021.

As for Cardi B, the song becomes her 44th career charted hit on the Hot 100, and second this year, after her featured turn on Latto’s “Put It on Da Floor Again,” which debuted and peaked No. 13 in June and ranks at No. 54 this week.

18 Jul 2023

NewJeans Hit No. 1 on Emerging Artists Chart Thanks to ‘Super Shy’

NewJeans jump from No. 6 to No. 1 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart (dated July 22), as the South Korean pop group becomes the top emerging act in the U.S. for the first time, powered by its new single “Super Shy.”

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The song, released July 7 via ADOR/Geffen/Interscope Records, debuts at No. 66 on the Billboard Hot 100 with 9.2 million official U.S. streams and 2,000 downloads sold through July 13, according to Luminate. It also opens at No. 2 on World Digital Song Sales and No. 45 on the all-genre Digital Song Sales chart.

Internationally, the song debuts at No. 2 on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts. It’s the act’s third top 10 and highest-charting entry on each survey.

“Super Shy” is NewJeans’ third and highest charting title on the Hot 100 after “OMG” and “Ditto,” which reached Nos. 74 and 82, respectively, in February.

In the Emerging Artists chart’s six-year history, NewJeans are the 10th K-pop group to hit No. 1, following NCT, BLACKPINK, NCT 127 (all in 2018), TOMORROW X TOGETHER, NCT DREAM (both 2019), ATEEZ (2021), xikers, (G)I-DLE and P1Harmony (all this year).

NewJeans formed in 2022 and is comprised of members Danielle, Haerin, Hanni, Hyein and Minji.

Among other moves on Emerging Artists, FendiDa Rappa debuts at No. 9, thanks to her new collaboration with Cardi B, “Point Me 2.” The song starts at No. 82 on the Hot 100, as well as No. 14 on Hot Rap Songs and No. 20 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, becoming her first-ever Billboard chart appearances.

The Emerging Artists chart ranks the most popular developing artists of the week, using the same formula as the all-encompassing Billboard Artist 100, which measures artist activity across multiple Billboard charts, including the Hot 100 and Billboard 200. (The Artist 100 lists the most popular acts, overall, each week.) However, the Emerging Artists chart excludes acts that have notched a top 25 entry on either the Hot 100 or Billboard 200, as well as artists that have achieved two or more top 10s on Billboard’s “Hot” song genre charts and/or consumption-based “Top” album genre rankings.

18 Jul 2023

Travis Scott’s ‘Utopia’ Egypt Concert Reportedly Canceled by Authorities Due to ‘Safety & Protection of the Audience’

The road to Utopia has gotten bumpier for Travis Scott after Egyptian government officials canceled his July 28 concert at the Pyramids of Giza on Tuesday (July 18), according to multiple reports. 

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The news comes after The Egyptian Syndicate of Musical Professions reportedly cited myriad issues about Scott’s forthcoming performance. The Syndicate, which ultimately approves concert permits, is said to have concerns about ensuring “the safety and protection of the audience.”

Dr. Mohamed Abdullah, in a statement on behalf of the Musicians Syndicate obtained by Egypt Today said: “Regarding the concert scheduled to be held on 28th July at the Pyramids area in Giza by American rapper Travis Scott, the Musicians Syndicate, as the entity responsible for issuing licenses for music and singing concerts in Egypt, in coordination with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture represented by the Censorship Authority for Artistic Works and the Ministry of Labor, emphasizes the necessity of considering security aspects and obtaining approvals from the relevant authorities as a top priority when organizing concerts. This is to ensure the safety and protection of the audience.”

The statement also cites Abdullah as saying that the group welcomes various art forms, “it has set conditions and regulations to safeguard the customs and traditions inherited by the Egyptian people.”

In addition, Egypt Today quotes Abdullah as saying that social media played a part in the decision to cancel the concert’s license. “After examining social media opinions and feedback, as well as the news circulating on search engines and social media platforms, which included authenticated images and information about peculiar rituals performed by the star during his performance, contradicting our authentic societal values and traditions, the Syndicate’s president and board of directors have decided to cancel the license issued for hosting this type of concert, which goes against the cultural identity of the Egyptian people,” he reportedly said in his statement.

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

In 2021, 10 people died and many more were injured at Scott’s Astroworld Festival due to a crowd crush. After 19 months of police investigation, a grand jury ultimately decided that no one should be criminally charged for the disastrous event. In a statement to Billboard, Scott’s attorney Kent Schaffer said the grand jury’s decision proved that “Travis Scott is not responsible for the Astroworld tragedy.”

“This is consistent with investigative reporting by numerous media outlets and federal and state government reports that have squarely placed the onus for event safety crises on organizers, operators and contractors — not performers,” Schaffer said. “While waiting patiently for the District Attorney’s decision to not file charges, Travis Scott has been inaccurately and wrongly singled out, despite stopping the show three separate times and being unaware of the events as they were unfolding. Now that this chapter is closed, we hope for the government efforts to focus on what is most important — stopping future heartbreaking tragedies like Astroworld from ever occurring again.”

Utopia marks Travis Scott’s fourth studio album and drops July 28.

18 Jul 2023

Drake Drops Visuals For Young Thug’s “Oh U Went”

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Lil Baby & Friends Birthday Celebration Concert

Source: Prince Williams / Getty

As Young Thug continues to await his day in court from behind bars, the man is keeping his music legacy out on these streets going and with the release of his latest LP, Business is Business, Thugga proves that he isn’t letting a little thing like prison slow up his rap career.

Today, the incarcerated rapper got a big assist from his homie from up north, Drake, as Drizzy took it upon himself to make a new visuals for Young Thug’s Drake assisted “Oh U Went,” in which Drizzy traveled to the South to shoot the clip. Using his own personal family reunion as the backdrop for the video, Drake has multiple people spit Thugga’s verse before he himself takes center stage at the reunion and gets in on the bar dropping bonanza in front of his friends and family.

Everyone must’ve been excited to be a part of the video, especially the kids. Just sayin’.

Check out the visuals to “Oh U Went,” and let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.



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18 Jul 2023

Carlee Russell’s Boyfriend Reveals She Fought “For Her Life” For 2 Days

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Carlee Russell

Source: Hoover Police Department / Hoover PD

As Carlee Russell recovers after going missing last week and being found in Alabama, her boyfriend expressed how she spent two days fighting for her life.

The country was riveted as word spread of the disappearance of Alabama nursing student Carlee Russell after she made an emergency call to help a toddler on the side of a highway. Many social media users, eager to help find the missing young Black woman, helped to spur the search for her afterward until late Saturday night when Russell arrived back at her home. Her boyfriend, Thomar Latrell Simmons, wrote a Facebook post shortly after expressing his relief and also shedding some light on the ordeal.

“She was literally fighting for her life for 48 hours, so until she’s physically & mentally stable again she is not able to give any updates or whereabouts on her kidnapper at this very moment,” he wrote.

The post created Sunday (July 16) contains pictures of Simmons and Russell together. He continued: “I have been going nonstop since I received the call that she was missing on Thursday night. I know she would’ve done the same for me, so I wasn’t going to give up until I saw her face again!”

Simmons expressed his thanks to all of those concerned including family and friends who helped with the search and even addressed those skeptical of Russell’s disappearance or speculating he had a hand in it. “I was straight tunnel vision, even when I would get on social media on my downtime & see some of the false allegations & assumptions about me having something to do with her abduction would have me discouraged at times I didn’t give up & kept my faith!” he wrote.

Carlee Russell was taken to UAB Hospital from her home in Hoover after she arrived for a medical examination. Authorities say that the investigation will be a “tedious process,” and Russell’s parents have declined to talk about where she was for those 48 hours. Talitha Russell, Carlee’s mother, did express annoyance over those skeptical of her daughter’s disappearance and return in an interview with the Today show. “I just didn’t know people could be so evil,” she said. “She’s having to deal with the trauma of people making completely false allegations about her.”

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18 Jul 2023

A Timeline of Anuel AA, Yailin La Mas Viral and 6ix9ine’s Feud

There was much buzz about Anuel AA and Yailin La Más Viral’s relationship, which they made Instagram official in January 2022 and married six months after, tying the knot in June of that same year. Five months later, the Puerto Rican artist and Dominican newcomer announced they were expecting a baby.

But the fairytale-like story quickly took a turn — and, in a twist of events, Anuel confirmed during an Instagram Live in February that he and the Dominican rapper had called it quits. Since, it’s been a whirlwind for the two artists — who are not only going through the divorce, but are in the middle of controversies surrounding their own relationship and Anuel’s past relationship with Colombian superstar Karol G. While on his Las Leyendas Nunca Mueren tour, Anuel tried to win Karol back by making direct comments about missing her, flaunting her merch, and releasing songs dedicated to her.

How does 6ix9ine come into play in all of this? The New York-born rapper, who’s been collaborating with Latin acts such as Grupo Firme and Lanier, has become Yailin’s defacto spokesperson taking her side against Anuel AA, whom he’s bashed on since-deleted social media posts. It’s worth noting the two were friendly at one point: In 2018, the pair released “Bebe,” which peaked at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart, and “Mala.”

Just last month, Yailin and 6ix9ine released their first-ever collab together: “Pa Ti,” which peaked at No. 37 on the Hot Latin Songs chart. It marked Yailin’s third entry on the tally. The other two are the Anuel-assisted “Si Tú Me Busca” and “La Máquina” with Jowell & Randy and De La Ghetto.

Below is a timeline of Anuel AA, Yailin and 6ix9ine’s feud, from the beginning to the latest clap backs.

18 Jul 2023

Woman Who Miranda Lambert Called Out Over Las Vegas Selfie Says She Was ‘Appalled’ By Incident

The woman who was called out by Miranda Lambert for taking a selfie during the country star’s Las Vegas show on Saturday night said she was “appalled” by the reaction from the “We Should Be Friends” singer.

Vegas influencer Adela Calin told NBC News that she couldn’t believe it when Lambert paused in the middle of singing the ballad “Tin Man” after she eyed the woman and five or her friends posing for a mid-show selfie. “It was 30 seconds at most,” said Calin, 43. “We took the picture quickly and were going to sit back down.”

The moment was captured in a TikTok video in which Lambert had just started to perform her 2018 ACM song of the year winner during her Miranda Lambert: Velvet Rodeo Las Vegas residency show. “I’m gonna stop right here for a second, I’m sorry,” Lambert told the audience at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino at Zappos Theater. “These girls are worried about their selfie and not listening to the song.”

Lambert was clearly irked by the distraction, adding, “It’s pissing me off a bit. Sorry, I don’t like it. At all. We’re here to hear some country music tonight. I’m singing some country d–n music.” She then motioned for the women to put their phones away and asked the crowd, “Shall we start again?” before re-booting the song to the crowd’s cheers. A spokesperson for Lambert had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment on Calin’s interview at press time.

In the wake of a recent rash of incidents in which Latto, Lil Nas X, Bebe Rexha, Kelsea Ballerini, Harry Styles and Drake have been hit by objects thrown at them during recent concerts, Calin said she believes Lambert’s reaction may have had something to do with a heightened sensitivity around phones at show. And while she said she understood the concern for artist safety, Calin was disappointed by Lambert’s comments.

“It felt like I was back at school with the teacher scolding me for doing something wrong and telling me to sit down back in my place,” she said. “… I feel like she was determined to make us look like we were young, immature and vain. But we were just grown women in our 30s to 60s trying to take a picture.”

According to Calin, the group — who were seated close to the stage — tried to take a few shots before the show, but said the lighting was not good enough. She then asked a woman seated behind them to take a picture of her and her friends near the end of the set. “We just couldn’t get one good picture,” Calin said. “We were so excited because I think we had the best seats in the house in the whole theater.”

18 Jul 2023

Warner Music and TikTok Ink Major Licensing Agreement

Warner Music Group and TikTok struck a multi-year licensing deal allowing creators on the short-form video app to use WMG music on Tuesday, marking the first publicly announced deal between a major music company since the popular social media platform since licensing renegotiations began about 18 months ago.

The companies said in a joint statement that the multi-platform agreement licenses the full repertoire of Warner Recorded Music and Warner Chappell Music to TikTok, TikTok Music, CapCut, and TikTok’s Commercial Music Library.

It is the first sizeable deal struck since WMG’s Chief Executive Officer Robert Kyncl took over in January, and it marks the cooling of what has at times been tough negotiations between TikTok and the music industry establishment.

Kyncl and TikTok’s chief execurtive Shou Chew said the agreement would benefit artists.

“We are very excited to partner with Warner Music Group to create a shared vision for the future in which artists, songwriters, music fans and the industry can all benefit from the power of discovery on TikTok platforms,” Chew said.

While terms of the deal were not disclosed, Kyncl described the deal as an “expanded and significantly improved partnership for both companies. We can jointly deliver greater value to WMG’s artists and songwriters and TikTok’s users.”

TikTok has been engaged in ongoing negotiations for roughly the last year over remuneration to the 100-plus rights holders through whom it must license music played on its app. Billboard reported that TikTok had struck short-term licensing deals in 2020 with most major music companies–shorter than the 18-24-month licenses common between the music and tech industries–to use 30-second clips of songs.

But negotiations to reach more permanent agreements had been fraught, with the music industry pushing for greater incentives for rights holders and TikTok exploring what music was really worth on its platform.

Kyncl’s WMG being the first to announce it struck an agreement with TikTok comes after he signaled a friendlier tone during comments he made at a banking conference in March. Kyncl expressed empathy for executives at TikTok at the Morgan Stanley conference, who he said are at “a company that’s kind of embattled today with lots of different institutions around the world.”

“That’s all I look for, fair setup on both sides and to grow a business together,” Kyncl said in March.