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21 Jun 2023

Angel Reese, Patrick Mahomes & More Up for 2023 ESPY Awards Nominations

From an NCAA women’s national championship, to a Cardi B lyrical shout-out and Latto music video cameo, and now a 2023 ESPY Award nomination — LSU’s Angel Reese is having an unstoppable year.

Reese is among the newly announced 2023 nominees for ESPN’s ESPY Awards, nabbing a best breakthrough athlete nod for her starmaking turn leading the Louisiana State University women’s basketball team to the college title this past spring. And the championship was just the beginning: Reese recently made a cameo in Latto’s “Put It On Da Floor Again” music video, in which featured act Cardi B raps, “I been ballin’ so damn hard could’ve went to LSU.”

Reese will once again face off against Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark, her NCAA finals foe, in the best breakthrough athlete category, as well as the San Francisco 49ers’ Brock Purdy and the Seattle Mariners’ Julio Rodríguez. (In addition to the individual nom, Reese’s Louisiana State Tigers are also up for best team at the awards show.)

In the top two fields, Nikola Jokić of reigning NBA champs the Denver Nuggets will compete against New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and Argentinean soccer superstar Lionel Messi for the best athlete, men’s sports prize; while the best athlete, women’s sports category is between Olympic skier Mikaela Shiffrin, Portland Thorns soccer star Sophia Smith, Polish tennis champ Iga Świątek, and Las Vegas Aces WNBA player A’ja Wilson.

The 2023 ESPYs will broadcast live on Wednesday, July 12, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC from Los Angeles. Recipients of the ESPYs’ three pillar awards — the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage, the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, and the Pat Tillman Award for Service — will be announced next week.

BEST ATHLETE, MEN’S SPORTS
Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Lionel Messi, Argentina

BEST ATHLETE, WOMEN’S SPORTS
Mikaela Shiffrin, Ski
Sophia Smith, Portland Thorns
Iga Świątek, Tennis
A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE
Caitlin Clark, Iowa Women’s Basketball
Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Angel Reese, LSU Women’s Basketball
Julio Rodríguez, Seattle Mariners

BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE
–Novak Djokovic wins his 23rd Grand Slam title, defeating Casper Ruud in the French Open final. Breaking a tie with rival Rafael Nadal for the most major singles trophies in the history of men’s tennis, which dates to the 1800s
–LeBron James surpasses Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for NBA career scoring record
–Mikaela Shiffrin breaks the record for the most World Cup victories with her 87th win
–Max Verstappen wins the Mexican Grand Prix, breaking the record for most wins in a season

BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE
–Leon Edwards, UFC – defeats Kamaru Usman by 5th-round KO to win UFC welterweight title, handing Usman his first UFC loss
–Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets – 2023 NBA Finals MVP
–Lionel Messi, Argentina – 2022 World Cup Final – scored 2 goals and scored in the penalty shootout to win Man of the Match and he won the Golden Ball as FIFA’s best player of the tournament
–Rose Zhang, LPGA – defeated Jennifer Kupcho in a two-hole sudden death playoff, making history by winning by becoming the first woman in 72 years to win her first professional start.

BEST COMEBACK ATHLETE
–Jon Jones, UFC – Jones’ first fight in the UFC since 2020. He was last seen in action against Dominick Reyes, where he defended his light-heavyweight championship at UFC 247. While Jon Jones was plotting a move to the heavyweight division, he and the UFC president did not see eye-to-eye over fighter pay. Jones felt that he needed to be paid more for a move up to the heavyweight division, which resulted in him delaying his return.
–Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets – Murray missed the entirety of last season due to a torn ACL in his left knee. He suffered the injury in a game against the Golden State Warriors on April 12, 2021, and didn’t play in the 18 months since then.
–Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut Sun – 2022 WNBA Comeback Player of the Year. Thomas missed all but six games last season while recovering from a torn Achilles tendon. The eight-year veteran has started all 36 of Connecticut’s games in 2022, and was an All- Star earlier this season. She leads the team in assists (6.1), steals (1.7) and minutes played (32.1).
–Justin Verlander, Current New York Mets / Houston Astros – 2022 NL Comeback Player of the Year, after being limited to only six innings in 2020 and missing the entire ’21 season due to Tommy John surgery, the Astros’ ace returned this season to go 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA — the lowest by any AL pitcher since Pedro Martinez posted a 1.74 ERA in 2000.

BEST PLAY
Michael Block Hole-in-One! GOLF
Justin Jefferson with the Catch of the Century NFL
Ally Lemos with the perfect corner to tie the National Championship game NCAA
Trinity Thomas Perfect 10 Tying the All-Time NCAA Record NCAA

BEST TEAM
Denver Nuggets, NBA
Georgia Bulldogs, NCAA Football
Kansas City Chiefs, NFL
Las Vegas Aces, WNBA
Louisiana State Tigers, NCAA Women’s Basketball
Oklahoma Sooners, NCAA Softball
Vegas Golden Knights, NHL

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE, MEN’S SPORTS
Zach Edey, Purdue Men’s Basketball
Duncan McGuire, Creighton Soccer
Brennan O’Neill, Duke Lacrosse
Caleb Williams, USC Football

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE, WOMEN’S SPORTS
Jordy Bahl, Oklahoma Softball
Caitlin Clark, Iowa Women’s Basketball
Izzy Scane, Northwestern Lacrosse
Trinity Thomas, Florida Gators Gymnastics

BEST ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY
Erica McKee, Sled Hockey Team
Zach Miller, Snowboarding
Aaron Pike, Wheelchair Racing & Cross-Country Skiing
Susannah Scaroni, Wheelchair Racing

BEST NFL PLAYER
Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers
Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

BEST MLB PLAYER
Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
Justin Verlander, Houston Astros

BEST NHL PLAYER
Jonathan Marchessault, Vegas Golden Knights
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
David Pastrňák, Boston Bruins
Linus Ullmark, Boston Bruins

BEST NBA PLAYER
Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

BEST WNBA PLAYER
Skylar Diggins-Smith, Phoenix Mercury
Candace Parker, Chicago Sky (Current Las Vegas Aces)
Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm (Current New York Liberty)
A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

BEST DRIVER
Brittany Force, NHRA
Kyle Larson, NASCAR
Josef Newgarden, IndyCar
Max Verstappen, F1

BEST UFC FIGHTER
Leon Edwards
Jon Jones
Islam Makhachev
Amanda Nunes

BEST BOXER
Gervonta Davis
Devin Haney
Claressa Shields
Shakur Stevenson

BEST SOCCER PLAYER
Aitana Bonmatí, Spain/Barcelona
Erling Haaland, Norway/Manchester City
Lionel Messi, Argentina/PSG
Sophia Smith, USWNT/Portland Thorns

BEST GOLFER
Wyndham Clark
Nelly Korda
Jon Rahm
Scottie Scheffler

BEST TENNIS PLAYER
Carlos Alcaraz
Novak Djokovic
Aryna Sabalenka
Iga Świątek

21 Jun 2023

‘High School Musical: The Musical: The Series’ Announces Premiere Date for Final Season

Time to say goodbye to East High. Disney Branded Television and Disney+ revealed the teaser trailer on Wednesday (June 21) for the fourth and final season of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.

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The fourth season will see a bunch of OG Wildcats returning to East High, where they’ll shoot a long-awaited High School Musical 4: The Reunion movie on location at their beloved high school. Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman, Lucas Grabeel, Bart Johnson, Alyson Reed and Kaycee Stroh will play themselves in the upcoming season, resurrecting their HSM roles as Chad Danforth, Taylor McKessie, Ryan Evans, Coach Bolton, Ms. Darbus and Martha Cox, respectively.

The upcoming final season also stars HSMTMTS favorites Joshua Bassett, Sofia Wylie, Dara Reneé, Julia Lester, Frankie Rodriguez, Kate Reinders and Liamani Segura. 

“After four years at East High, it’s time to graduate. This will be our final, endgame season.” series creator and executive producer Tim Federle shared on social media. “This show brought the most extraordinary cast – and crew, and collaborators – to my life. To the fans, who embraced our super-meta series: we “don’t not love you.” We can’t wait to share this epic 4th act with you all.”

Season four hits Disney+ on August 9. See the new teaser trailer below.

21 Jun 2023

Sphere Entertainment Co. to Sell Portion of Stake in MSG Entertainment

Sphere Entertainment Co., the company behind an expensive, state-of-the-art venue opening this fall in Las Vegas, is selling about a quarter of its stake in MSG Entertainment — 5.25 million shares of Class A common stock — in a secondary offering, the company announced Wednesday. That amount could grow by 787,500 shares if the offering’s underwriters exercise a 30-day option to purchase additional shares at the offering price. 

At MSGE’s $34.83 closing price on Wednesday (June 21), 5.25 million shares would give Sphere Entertainment Co. proceeds of about $183 million, not including underwriting fees. News of the offering caused MSG Entertainment’s share price to fall 12.1% on Wednesday. 

MSG Entertainment is the live events-focused company that spun off from Sphere Entertainment Co. on April 21. It owns and operates such venues as Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall and The Chicago Theatre. Sphere Entertainment Co. includes the $2.3 billion Sphere venue in Las Vegas, regional sports television network MSG Networks. Sphere Entertainment Co. retained approximately 33% of MSG Entertainment’s Class A common stock following the spin-off. After the offering, Sphere Entertainment Co. is expected to retain 25.1% of MSG Entertainment’s Class A common stock. 

Sphere Entertainment is “a highly leveraged business” that “continues to have significant cash needs including continued expenditures on its Sphere initiative,” according to MSG Entertainment’s S-1 registration statement filed Wednesday. In April, MSG Entertainment agreed to loan Sphere Entertainment $65 million in delay draw term loans that are subordinate to the “approximately $1.2 billion of debt of Sphere Entertainment’s subsidiaries.” At $2.3 billion, the Sphere venue in Las Vegas has cost more than $1 billion more than originally projected when the the venue was announced in 2018. In 2019, a more realistic estimate put the cost at $1.7 billion. In the last four years, the Sphere’s price tag was inflated by the COVID-19 pandemic and what the company called “overall complexity” of the one-of-a-kind project.   

Separately, MSG Entertainment will purchase $25 million worth of shares from Sphere Entertainment Co. in a private transaction under its existing $250 million share repurchase program. Thomas Dolan, one of the company’s directors, “has indicated an interest” in purchasing about $10 million of stock at the public offering price, according to the registration statement. The company will fund the purchase with cash on hand and pay the same price the underwriters will pay to purchase shares. The closing of the $25 million repurchase is subject to the closing of the secondary offering. The closing of the offering is not subject to the closing of the repurchase. 

21 Jun 2023

Usher’s ‘GLU’ Hits No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart

Usher acquires his seventh No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart as “GLU” advances from the runner-up spot to lead the list dated June 24. The sensual single checks into the penthouse after a 16% boost in plays that made it the most-played song on U.S. monitored adult R&B radio stations in the week ending June 15, according to Luminate.

“GLU” unseats Alicia Keys’ “Come for Me (Unlocked),” featuring Khalid and Lucky Daye, after the latter’s two weeks in command. The prior champ slips to No. 3 due to a 13% decline in plays.

With his seventh champ, Usher becomes the seventh male artist with at least as many No. 1s on Adult R&B Airplay since the list began in 1993. Charlie Wilson and his nine No. 1s pace that race, with Bruno Mars, Kem, Maxwell and Tank each claiming eight leaders, while R. Kelly also owns seven.

As the R&B legend sticks “GLU” onto his roster, here’s a look at Usher’s seven Adult R&B Airplay No. 1s:

“Here I Stand,” seven weeks at No. 1, beginning Dec. 6, 2008
“Papers,” three, Jan. 2, 2010
“There Goes My Baby,” one, July 31, 2010
“Climax,” one, July 7, 2012
“Don’t Waste My Time,” featuring Ella Mai, two, June 13, 2020
“Bad Habits,” one, Dec. 5, 2020
“GLU,” one (to date), June 24, 2023

The new No. 1 also continues the successful partnership between Usher and two of his noteworthy collaborators – Sean Garrett and Lil Jon, who share co-writing and co-production credits on “GLU.” For the former, it brings the hitmaker his second Adult R&B Airplay No. 1 with Usher, after “Papers.” Both Garrett and Lil Jon are also part of the team behind one of Usher’s most iconic hits, the smash “Yeah!,” featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris, which ruled the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 weeks in 2004. In addition to that pair, The Avila Brothers also share co-writing and co-production credits, while Usher himself also nabs a co-write claim.

Elsewhere, “GLU” repeats at No. 6 on the plays-based Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, despite a 1% drop in plays in the latest tracking week. Thanks to top 10 showings at both Adult R&B Airplay and Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, the song retains its No. 4 best, to date, on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, which ranks songs by combined audience totals from adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop stations. There, “GLU” rose to 14.6 million in audience in the latest tracking week, up 6% from the previous frame.

Anchored by its radio strength across the R&B/hip-hop sector, “GLU” climbs 40-38 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart, where it registered 17.3 million in total audience. Airplay gains, in turn, spark the song’s 15-13 ascent on the Hot R&B Songs chart, which blends radio airplay data with streaming and sales for its rankings.

21 Jun 2023

On the Radar Latin: Damian, Joaquina, Yadam, & More Emerging Artists to Discover

Every month, Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors feature a small group of new, or relatively unknown, artists whose music we love. Think “diamantes en bruto,” or “diamonds in the rough.” These are newcomers who have yet to impact the mainstream — but whose music excites us, and who we believe our readers should make a point to discover.

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Our latest edition of On the Radar Latin includes a half-dozen emerging artists, who we might’ve found anywhere from a Spotify playlist to a music showcase. See our recommendations below.

Artist: Damian

Country: Colombia

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: I saw Damian live for the first time last year during a “Noche Vallenata” night at a local restaurant in Miami, where he always performs. Navigating all the vallenato, salsa, and merengue classics, the Colombian artist’s stage presence, accompanied by his live band, set the vibe for a high-energetic fiesta. His sweet vocal ranges bring to life all Colombian Caribbean flavors by fusing cumbia, reggae, champeta, and vallenato. Earlier this year, the Barranquilla-born artist released “El Amor No Es Amor,” the first single from his upcoming studio album. If this single is any indication, his music is not only feel-good but a reflection of a grateful lifestyle. — INGRID FAJARDO

Song For Your Playlist: “El Amor No Es Amor”

Artist: Joaquina

Country: Venezuela

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Exactly a year ago, singer/songwriter Joaquina was part of the first “graduating” class at producer Julio Reyes Copello’s Art House Academy. Last week, the Venezuelan-born, Miami-raised 18-year-old opened Fonseca’s arena show at Kaseya Center in Miami. Many eyes are on Joaquina, who writes her own material and talks about teenage angst in her indie pop/rock in Spanish. With an assertive on-stage presence, 275,000 Instagram followers, and at least three singles that have over one million streams each on Spotify, Joaquina already snagged a recording deal with Universal Music Latin. — LEILA COBO

Song For Your Playlist: “Los Mejores Años”

Artist: Juan Wauters 

Country: Uruguay  

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Juan Wauters has a modest way of making three-minute joyous folk ditties that observe the simple beauties of existence. That’s what the bilingual Wandering Rebel is: a free-spirited journey with a huge South American heart. Propelled by acoustic guitar strumming, “Milanesa al Pan,” featuring Córdoba singer Zoe Gotusso, is a kitsch romantic duet about enjoying an Argentinian sandwich together. Portland-based Y La Bamba’s voice never sounded sweeter than as a guest in “Nube Negra,” where listeners hear the Queens, New York-based, Uruguay-born singer dreaming of sweeping the black clouds in his mind away. His 12-track album is a dolce, melancholic jaunt with idiosyncratic moments that might too inspire one to reflect on the ordinary pleasures of life. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

Song For Your Playlist: “Nube Negra” feat. Y La Bamba  

Artist: Kendar

Country: The Dominican Republic

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Kendar caught my attention at a showcase I attended earlier this month. Off the bat, he’s a young-but-old-souled Dominican artist, whose stage presence and potent vocal range ooze passion and maturity. As he grows his social media following, Kendar has stepped into the spotlight with his romantic pop covers, including Ricardo Arjona’s “Hongos,” Sebastian Yatra’s “Como Mirarte,” and Vicente García’s “Dulcito e Coco,” to name a few. The jazz-infused salsa “Se Llevó Mi Alma” is his first original single, which you can enjoy below: — JESSICA ROIZ

Song For Your Playlist: “Se Llevó Mi Alma”

Artist: Lion Dr

Country: The Dominican Republic

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Puerto Rico has Jay Wheeler, but over in The Dominican Republic, they have their very own “romantic voice” dubbed Lion Dr. His debut single arrived in 2021 called “La Nena,” a sultry trap song, followed by his infectious reggaetón single “La Nave” in 2022. But the aspiring artist didn’t stop there: He then brought his somewhat sugary, raspy vocals and flirtatious lyrics to a five-track EP called En Un Viaje, where he delivers some soulful acoustic and R&B tracks as well. — J.R.

Song For Your Playlist: “La Nave”

Artist: Lowis Ye

Country: The Dominican Republic

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: With his purple dreadlocks-meet-fade haircut, laidback fashion style, and charming personality, Lowis Ye is bringing a fresh personality to the Latin music industry. The up-and-coming artist got on my radar after he personally introduced himself to me after a Billboard Mujeres panel at the 2023 Premios Heat conferences this month. His voice later captivated me on the award show’s red carpet, where he sang to me in a cappella. Lowis, like Kendar, Lion DR, and Scarlet Evan, are winners of the La Nueva Cepa initiative, which discovers and develops emerging artists across Latin America. With singles such as “Tu Carita,” “KDAV,” and “Un Rato,” Lowis delivers feel-good Afrobeats and urban-pop fusions backed by sweet love lyrics. — J.R.

Song For Your Playlist: “Un Rato”

Artist: Scarlet Evang

Country: The Dominican Republic

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: While many rising Dominican female artists, such as Tokischa and Yailin La Mas Viral, are dropping dembow or bachata bangers, Scarlet Evan is opting for an R&B vibe. The newcomer, who was a promising contestant on The Voice Domincana, will lure you in with her soulful and powerful vocals and elegant aura. In her latest single, “Game Over,” her musical qualities shine in a bilingual track where she chants about discovering her self-worth and moving away from a failed relationship. — J.R.

Song For Your Playlist: “Game Over”

Artist: YADAM

Country: Venezuela

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: There are countless emails that come through my inbox suggesting I should “listen to artist’s new song now,” and while it’s hard to actually listen to ALL that come through, I’m happy I clicked on YADAM’s new song “Beso.” Part of the Venezuelan singer-songwriter’s new EP titled after its focus track, “Beso” is a palate-cleanser with its energetic 80s-inspired vibe where he sings about taking control over his strong emotions ignited by a beso (kiss). Add “Beso” to your playlist but also check out the EP’s other songs, which he’d previously released, such as “Ojalá,” a stripped-down ballad, and the pop, flamenco-tinged “Otras Mujeres,” to really appreciate the artist’s versatility and his ability to blend styles. Up next? The Paris-based artist is set to release his debut album in September. — GRISELDA FLORES

Song For Your Playlist: “Beso”

Artist: Yeisy Rojas

Country: Cuba

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Yeisy Rojas came onto my radar just a few weeks ago, when she introduced herself in an Instagram DM ahead of the release of her song “Mama Ines” — the first single of her upcoming debut album, produced by Gastón Joya (Chucho Valdés’ former bass player) and featuring Julito Padrón. A jazz violinist, singer and composer classically trained in her native Cuba, Rojas played with the National Opera orchestra in Havana before moving to Norway in 2016 to get her master’s degree in jazz violin. Now, as a newcomer performer, she beautifully blends Cuban music, Latin jazz, and some funk while speaking up against racism in her country.

“My message is specifically for my land Cuba, where I hope there will be more equality and rights for our Afro community,” she wrote me about “Mama Ines,” in which Rojas musicalizes a poem from 1930 by the late Nicolás Guillén that is still relevant today: “Ayer Me Dijeron Negro” (“Yesterday I was called a negro”). I am looking forward to hearing the rest of her songs. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Song For Your Playlist: “Mama Ines” feat. Julito Padrón

21 Jun 2023

Cardi B Has Thoughts About Missing Titan Sub Billionaire’s Stepson Attending Blink-182 Concert

Amid the ongoing search to locate and rescue five people aboard the Titanic submersible that went missing earlier this week, one of the crewmember’s stepson came under fire for attending a Blink-182 concert in San Diego.

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Cardi B was among those who took to social media to share her thoughts on British billionaire Hamish Harding’s stepson Brian Szasz, posting a video to her Instagram Story on Tuesday (June 20) and telling the camera, “People is like, ‘Well what is he supposed to do? Be sad at the house? Is he supposed to go look for himself?’ Yes.”

She continued, “You supposed to be at the house sad. You supposed to be crying for me. You supposed to be right next to the phone waiting to hear any updates about me. You’re supposed to be consoling your mom and s—.”

The “WAP” rapper concluded by noting, “Isn’t it sad that you a whole f–king billionaire and nobody gives a f— about you? […] That’s crazy. I’d rather be broke. I’d rather be broke and poor, but knowing that I’m loved.”

See her Story before it disappears here.

Szasz himself saw Cardi’s post and went on social media to fire back. “Try to show class for once in your life,” the 37-year-old captioned an Instagram screenshot of a TMZ article reporting on Cardi’s Story.

He continued over on Twitter, tagging the rapper and writing, “What a pos trashy celeb. Cardi B trying to get clout off me and my families suffering. I went to a Blink 182 concert for coping rather than sitting at home and watching the news. Shame on you Cardi get some class!”

Szasz continued, “Cardi B We know all your latest releases are trash but is your career this desperate for attention now??”

Cardi has yet to reply to Szasz’s responses, which you can check out below.

21 Jun 2023

After Bebe Rexha’s Phone-in-the-Face Incident, Should Concerts Ban Phones?

After a fan struck Bebe Rexha in the face with a cellphone during a June 18 show in New York, should the music industry consider banning mobile devices at concerts? For years, touring stars such as Bob Dylan, Jack White and Dave Chappelle have said video-recording on phones have detracted from the live experience — and that was before the airborne cellphone assault went viral on social media. But, experts say, change won’t happen immediately.

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While celebrities and musicians including Demi Lovato, John Stamos, Hayley Kiyoko and Lauren Jauregui all expressed concern for Rexha after she was rushed to a hospital and shared a photo of a black eye after the incident, Steven Adelman, vice president of the Event Safety Alliance, says, “This is not going to change anything — yet.”

“But,” he adds, “it’s the first crack in a wall that eventually is going to fall.”

Whether cellphones take away from the concert-going experience is not a new debate — but Rexha’s attack is the first major case of the devices being used for a violent act. Just last year, Silk Sonic‘s Bruno Mars griped, “With the cameras, you’re like, ‘I don’t know if I want to try out this dance move tonight.’”

“I’ve always thought, at some point, there would be a ban on cellphones because it violates an important piece of intellectual property for the artist — their live performance,” Adelman says. The challenge, he continues, is fans carry mobile tickets on phones and pay for merch and concessions via online-billing apps such as Apple Pay: “There are obviously very strong competing interests here.”

The Rexha concert incident at The Rooftop at Pier 17 is unlikely to spread, though: The alleged assailant, Nicolas Malvagna, said in a criminal complaint that he thought “it would be funny” to throw the phone. He was arraigned June 19 on harassment and assault charges, both misdemeanors. “The key here is that person was arrested and will be prosecuted, and that sends a great message: ‘You can’t do this,’” says David Yorio, who co-owns Citadel Security Agency, which works with concerts and festivals in New York. “There’s no impunity from this.” (The man who slapped Ava Max during a concert Tuesday night in Los Angeles, in contrast, was hauled away but has not been criminally charged.)

Promoters can continue to ban phones at certain events, “just another layer” of security and logistics, Yorio adds, but for larger events, like festivals, “Logistically, it’s a nightmare.”

Certain artists’ anti-phone sentiment is so robust that a startup, Yondr, has spent the last nine years providing pouches for fans to store their phones before attending concerts. Adelman is sympathetic to this approach because artists make most of their money off touring these days, and exclusive concert footage shouldn’t have to turn into free social media content against their will. “People who can just raise their cellphone and hit record are essentially violating a contract with the artist, which is [to] be part of the show-going experience,” he says.

But he adds: “People should not throw phones. And you can quote me on that.”

21 Jun 2023

Celebrities at the Louis Vuitton Spring 2024 Menswear Collection Runway Show

Pharrell Williams made his runway debut as Louis Vuitton’s new creative director of menswear on Tuesday (June 20), when the luxury fashion house unveiled its spring/summer 2024 collection during Paris Fashion Week.

The star-studded event took place at Paris’ Pont Neuf and featured a choir and an orchestra, as the models showed off the colorful new designs on the gold-toned runway. Williams told the New York Times that the theme of his debut collection is “lovers,” as the publication noted that the showcase was full of “printed leather jerseys and rugbys, quilted denim, Mao-neck blazers and ghillie camo with LV logo cutouts.”

The artist was named creative director of Louis Vuitton back in February, taking over the position previously held by Virgil Abloh who passed away in 2021 following a battle with cancer. “Louis Vuitton is delighted to welcome Pharrell as its new men’s creative director. His first collection for Louis Vuitton will be revealed next June during men’s fashion week in Paris,” LMVH, Louis Vuitton’s parent company shared in a statement at the time posted to the brand’s Twitter and Instagram accounts.

To celebrate his first collection under his prestigious new position, today’s biggest stars gathered to watch the runway show. Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, Kim Kardashian and Jared Leto were all spotted front row, while Megan Thee Stallion, Jaden and Willow Smith, Kelly Rowland, Coi Leray, Lenny Kravitz, Maluma and Tyler, the Creator were also among those in attendance.

See below for our gallery of photos showcasing the celebrities in attendance at the Louis Vuitton Spring 2024 Menswear Collection runway show.

21 Jun 2023

Shaggy Talks Developing Signature Vocals, Upcoming Music Festival | Growing Up

In the newest episode of Billboard’s Growing Up, Shaggy reflects on his whirlwind career, including how he developed his signature singing voice and the creation of his smash hit, “It Wasn’t Me.” See the industry titan take a trip down memory lane and tease his upcoming One Fine Day: Sting & Shaggy music festival, which is for September 9, 2023 in Philadelphia.

21 Jun 2023

EXO, Olivia Rodrigo Pace Hot Trending Songs Chart

EXO’s “Let Me In” lands the boy band its first No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Trending Songs chart debuting atop the June 24-dated tally.

Billboard’s Hot Trending charts, powered by Twitter, track global music-related trends and conversations in real-time across Twitter, viewable over either the last 24 hours or past seven days. A weekly, 20-position version of the chart, covering activity from Friday through Thursday of each week, posts alongside Billboard’s other weekly charts on Billboard.com each Tuesday, with the latest tracking period running June 9-15.

“Let Me In” is the first song released from Exist, EXO’s to-be-released seventh studio album. The track was released June 12.

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Concurrently, the song begins at No. 5 on the World Digital Song Sales chart with 1,000 downloads, according to Luminate.

“Let Me In” isn’t the only EXO song to reach the latest Hot Trending Songs survey, as “Hear Me Out” appears at No. 4. The song was announced as part of Exist, but will not be released until June 30.

Exist is scheduled for release July 10.

“Let Me In” reigns over Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire,” which bows at No. 2. “Vampire,” which was announced June 13, will be released on June 30 as the first taste of new music from the singer since her breakthrough debut album Sour, a five-week No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2021.

Doja Cat’s “Attention,” teased during the June 9-15 tracking period but released June 16, starts at No. 3, while MISAMO’s “Marshmallow,” which came out June 15, debuts at No. 5.

Keep visiting Billboard.com for the constantly evolving Hot Trending Songs rankings, and check in each Tuesday for the latest weekly chart.