News

19 Apr 2023

Suki Waterhouse Calls Herself a ‘Real Swiftie,’ Names Favorite Taylor Swift Songs

Showing her Swiftie card! Suki Waterhouse opened up in a new interview about her deep love for Taylor Swift‘s music.

“Right now I’m really in a ‘Karma’ moment,” the Daisy Jones & The Six star told E! News’ The Rundown when asked at Coachella’s Revolve Fest to choose her favorite song by the superstar. “‘Blank Space’ is an incredible song. Like, I was actually looking at her talking about it the other day, it was funny, she said it started as, like, a joke song about what someone would write about the perception of her, or something. And then that ended up being such a massive, amazing song.”

When it comes to albums, the actress/model couldn’t choose between a couple of Swift’s most recent bodies of work. “I love everything on Evermore, Folklore,” she stated of the 2020 twin albums with a sigh, adding, “I’m a real Swiftie.”

Most recently, Waterhouse starred in Prime Video’s small-screen adaptation of Daisy Jones & The Six. Based on Taylor Jenkins Reid’s hit novel of the same name, the series featured the Pop & Suki co-founder as the fictional Karen Sirko opposite Riley Keough, Sam Claflin, Camila Morrone, Timothy Olyphant and more.

Meanwhile, Swift is currently in the midst of her sold-out Eras Tour, which stops this weekend for three shows at Houston’s NRG Stadium with openers Beabadoobee and Gracie Abrams. In honor of the concerts, the local Humane Society is lowering fees for cat adoption to a Taylor-specific $13.

Watch Waterhouse rave about her favorite Taylor songs and albums below.

19 Apr 2023

Inside Snap’s Partner Summit: The Major Music Takeaways

As hundreds of creators, partners and press took their seats for the fifth annual Snap Partner Summit Keynote — delivered by a handful of Snap executives across different fields — a video began to play that called into question how basic the human eye really is.

“What if we could literally see more?” the narration asked. “With Snapchat, we don’t have to settle.” 

That idea underlines the many new developments unveiled by Snap on Wednesday (April 19) at Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, Calif., including CEO Evan Spiegel‘s concluding announcement that the company’s innovative chatbot, My AI — which was initially launched exclusively for Snapchat+ subscribers (who now number over 3 million, Spiegel announced) — is now available for free to all of the app’s 750 million monthly active users and can now send and receive its own Snapchats.

Music was on the agenda, too, of course. To kick things off, Snap head of talent development Brooke Berry discussed how musicians are growing their fanbases through the app while also shouting out the Snapchat Sounds Creator Fund, which helps musicians in the United States and India monetize their growth. 

While the creator fund was introduced in a Billboard cover story last summer, along with the announcement of Snap’s multi-year partnership with Live Nation, the Keynote also revealed that Snap is doubling down on augmented reality (AR) in music — and that the Live Nation partnership has grown immensely since it was first unveiled.

News on the music front was revealed by Snap head of global AR product strategy Carolina Arguelles Navas, who noted that 85% of Snapchatters already use the app to enhance the live music experience. Her first announcement was to reveal a new integration between Snap and Disguise, a leader in live event visualization and virtual production technology, which will help bring Snap’s AR technology to some of the largest venues around the world. At future shows, fans will be able to see AR visuals that interact and build upon the performer’s on-stage visuals by using the Snapchat camera via Disguise RenderStream. One major artist — Kygo — is already on board, teaming with Snap and Disguise to level up his summer concerts using the company’s experiential AR. 

Under the Live Nation partnership, Snap’s AR technology has already been utilized at a dozen festivals, including Electric Daisy Carnival and Lollapalooza, where last year Snapchat launched a handful of new AR features such as its AR Compass, which uses GPS wayfinding to show an interactive 3D map; Friend FindAR, which helps festival attendees find their crew; Festival Planner, which lets fans note must-see sets and share custom schedules; and Lollaland, where last year a virtual purple robot and hot dog could be seen through the Snapchat camera when a user was within the Chicagoland area during the weekend of the festival.

That brings us to Snap’s second major music announcement on Wednesday: Under the Live Nation partnership, the company will now bring the same AR experience to 16 additional festivals worldwide, including Lollapalooza Paris and the United Kingdom’s Reading and Leeds Festivals, with hopes to expand to even more festivals in the future.

Elsewhere at the Keynote, Snap announced it will bring its new augmented reality (AR) Mirrors to retailers, allowing consumers to virtually try on outfits and determine their best fit — which attendees were later invited to try for themselves while being fit for custom MadHappy tees and sweatshirts and yellow Snap-themed Nikes. Additionally, Snapchat filters can now be applied directly to fans’ faces at live sporting events via jumbotrons, creating communal moments of laughter — à la what the so-called “kiss cam” has done for years. 

19 Apr 2023

Which Taylor Swift Song Is the Most Heartbreaking After Joe Alwyn Breakup? Vote!

Taylor Swift has been a love song pro her whole career, capturing every stage of a relationship — from the innocent crush to the falling in love to the devastating heartbreak. But the cuts feel a little deeper now, after reports emerged that Swift and her longtime boyfriend Joe Alwyn have split after six years of dating.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“The relationship had just run its course. It’s why [Alwyn] hasn’t been spotted at any shows,” a source told ET earlier this month. Billboard has since reached out to representatives for Swift and Alwyn, but had not received a response. The couple has yet to publicly reveal the status of their relationship.

We are equally as heartbroken as the Swifties here at Billboard, which is why we compiled 13 of the most heartbreaking Taylor Swift songs to revisit post-Alwyn.

We want to know which song from this list tugs at your heartstrings a little extra given recent news. Let us know by voting below.

19 Apr 2023

Otis Redding III, Who Followed Father Into Music, Dies at 59

Singer and guitarist Otis Redding III, the son and namesake of the legendary 1960s soul singer, has died from cancer at age 59, his family said Wednesday.

Redding was just 3 years old when his father, Otis Redding, perished along with several band members in a plane crash on Dec. 10, 1967. More than a decade later, the younger Redding and his brother, Dexter, formed the funk band The Reddings, which recorded six albums in the 1980s.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“It is with heavy hearts that the family of Otis Redding III confirms that he lost his battle with cancer last evening,” said his sister, Karla Redding-Andrews, in a statement posted on the Facebook page of the Otis Redding Foundation, the family’s charity in Macon.

Though singles “Remote Control” and “Call The Law” by The Reddings made appearances on the Billboard music charts, the Redding brothers never matched their father’s success. Redding continued playing and performing after the band recorded its final album in 1988.

He was once hired for a European tour as guitarist for soul singer Eddie Floyd, under whose guidance the younger Redding became comfortable performing “(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay” and other songs of his famous father.

“He said, `You can play guitar with me, but you’re going to have to sing a few of your dad’s songs,‘” Redding recalled in a 2018 interview with WCSH-TV in Portland, Maine. “I was like, `Huh? I don’t sing,’ you know. And he was like, `Well, you’re going to sing “Dock of the Bay” with me tonight.’”

Redding worked with his family’s foundation to organize summer camps that teach children to play music, and served as board president for the local chapter of Meals on Wheels.

He continued to perform his father’s songs for audiences large and small, according to his website, from appearing onstage at Carnegie Hall for a 2018 Otis Redding tribute concert to singing at weddings and private parties. Redding said he was grateful for the enduring legacy even if it overshadowed efforts to make music of his own.

“No matter how hard I try to do my own thing, you know, it’s like … ‘sing one of your daddy’s songs,’” he told the Maine TV station. “So I go ahead and do what people want, and I live with it. But I’m not under any pressure and I don’t put myself mentally under any pressure to go begging for record deals.”

19 Apr 2023

Kid Cudi Tapped to Star in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ Spin-Off Series ‘Knuckles’: ‘It’s Lit’

Kid Cudi is adding more animated projects to his résumé, as Deadline announced he is set to star in Knuckles, the Paramount+ spin-off series of Sonic the Hedgehog.

The “Day ‘n’ Nite” rapper excitedly shared the news to his Instagram feed. “When life has more dreams for you to fulfill,” the artist captioned the post, adding, “its lit #knuckles @paramountplus.”

Over on Twitter, Cudi treated followers to a photo of his cat Sweets, who adorably cuddled up to a tiny Knuckles plushie, eyes half-open. “Sweets is happy and excited about the Knuckles show,” the 39-year-old wrote.

Per Deadline, Knuckles will take place between the events of the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 movies and will follow the titular animated character on “a hilarious and action-packed journey of self-discovery as he agrees to train Wade as his protégé and teach him the ways of the Echidna warrior.” The series is scheduled to premiere on Paramount+ on Dec. 20, 2024.

While Cudi’s role in the show is still under wraps, Idris Elba — who previously voiced Knuckles in the Sonic movies — will reprise the role of the titular character. Tika Sumpter and Adam Pally will return as Maddie and Walt Whipple, respectively. Edi Patterson, Julian Barratt and Ellie Taylor flesh out the cast. Knuckles marks Cudi’s second animated credit, coming off Entergalactic, his 2022 animated special developed with Netflix.

See Cudi’s posts below.

19 Apr 2023

Frank Ocean Drops Out of Coachella Weekend 2

Frank Ocean will no longer be performing at Coachella’s second weekend. The singer was scheduled to take the stage for the headlining slot on Sunday (April 23), but will reportedly be replaced by Blink-182, who reunited as their original trio during Weekend 1 of the festival, according to Variety.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Billboard has reached out to Blink-182’s reps for confirmation.

In a statement provided to Billboard, Ocean’s reps shared, “After suffering an injury to his leg on festival grounds in the week leading up to weekend 1, Frank Ocean was unable to perform the intended show but was still intent on performing, and in 72 hours, the show was reworked out of necessity. On doctor’s advice, Frank is not able to perform weekend 2 due to two fractures and a sprain in his left leg.”

The elusive singer himself also added in the statement, “It was chaotic. There is some beauty in chaos. It isn’t what I intended to show but I did enjoy being out there and I’ll see you soon.”

As previously reported, Ocean’s ankle injury led to last-minute production changes during Sunday night’s (April 16) performance, including the use of an ice rink, which was built specifically for the set.

When the 35-year-old star appeared onstage nearly an hour later than scheduled, he performed 20 songs total, including completely reworked versions of some of his hit tracks like “Pink + White,” “Solo,” “Chanel,” “Wiseman” and more. Ocean closed out his much-awaited set with his cover of Aaliyah‘s 1994 track “At Your Best (You Are Love)” that was featured on his 2016 visual album Endless. See Billboard‘s full recap here.

19 Apr 2023

Aaron Carter’s Ex-Fiancée Says Autopsy Results Are ‘Not Closure’ for Her

Aaron Carter‘s ex-fiancée spoke out Wednesday (April 19) after details of the late star’s autopsy report were made public for the first time.

“The results of the autopsy are not closure for me,” Melanie Martin said in a statement to TMZ. “It claims death is by drowning but also adds he was wearing a t-shirt and necklace in the bathtub which doesn’t make sense, why would he be in a bathtub with clothes on? I am still in shock and still miss Aaron every day. I don’t understand the chain of events and this report only has us asking more questions.”

Released by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner, Carter’s autopsy stated that he died as a result of accidental drowning after ingesting a lethal combination of difluoroethane, the gas typically used in cans of compressed air and alprazolam, the generic form of Xanax. According to the report, huffing the gas mixed with taking the pills resulted in the “Aaron’s Party (Come Get It)” rapper falling unconscious; his body was later found in the bathtub at his Lancaster, Calif., home.

Martin and Carter shared son Prince, who was just weeks away from turning one year old at the time of his dad’s passing. On the baby’s birthday, Martin paid tribute to Carter’s memory with an emotional social media post, writing, “Happy birthday to my baby boy Prince Lyric Carter. Today is going to be a tough one for me but I know your daddy is playing birthday songs for you up in heaven I love you baby boy!!!”

19 Apr 2023

They Still Did This?: Netflix Is Finally Shutting Down Its DVD-By-Mail Business

HipHopWired Featured Video

Possible End To Saturday Postal Service Threatens Netflix

Source: Justin Sullivan / Getty / Netflix

Remember when Netflix sent out DVDs? If you do, say goodbye to the feature cause it is going away.

Before Netflix became the streaming giant it is now, the company used to send customers DVDs through the mail. Yes, they really used to do that.

But no more. Netflix is officially shutting down its DVD-by-mail business. The company made the announcement on Tuesday ahead of its first-quarter 2023 earnings report, Variety reports. 

According to Netflix, it has sent out more than 5 billion DVD and Blu-ray rentals through the mail across the United States.

Co-CEO Ted Sarandos said the final Netflix DVDs will be sent out to customers still using the service on Sept. 29, 2023.

As the company pushed customers towards streaming, the revenue for Netflix’s DVD-by-mail steadily was on the decline. According to the streaming giant, the DVD business brought in $145.7 million, accounting for 0.5% of Netflix’s total revenue.

“From the beginning, our members loved the choice and control that direct-to-consumer entertainment offered: the wide variety of the titles and the ability to binge-watch entire series,” Sarandos said in a statement on the company’s blog.

He continues, “We feel so privileged to have been able to share movie nights with our DVD members for so long, so proud of what our employees achieved, and excited to continue pleasing entertainment fans for many more decades to come. To everyone who ever added a DVD to their queue or waited by the mailbox for a red envelope to arrive: thank you.”

Netflix’s video streaming service launched in 2007, and it was part of its DVD-by-mail subscription plans.

It’s an end of an era.

—

Photo: Justin Sullivan / Getty

19 Apr 2023

A Supreme x Coogi Collaboration Is Rumored To Be In The Works

HipHopWired Featured Video

American skateboarding shop and clothing brand Supreme logo...

Source: SOPA Images / Getty

It seems that two of the most beloved fashion brands might be partnering up. Supreme and Coogi are rumored to be collaborating on a forthcoming drop.

As spotted on Hype Beast the speculation is swirling around the streetwear community that the culture might be in store for a co-branded effort from the New York City headquartered company and the Australian fashion house. Earlier this week Supreme insider @dropsgg reported that the two brands are currently working on a capsule collection.

“Supreme x Coogi is set to release a collaboration together in the coming weeks! Who’s hyped?” the caption read. The accompanying visual is the iconic picture of The Notorious B.I.G. from a Vibe Magazine shoot of him wearing their signature jacquard sweater while counting money. While neither brand has yet to confirm or deny the rumor the mere thought of a collaboration has already got the internets talking. “coogi print box logos would b insane” one commenter posted. While another user responded “I been waiting for this all my life”.

Coogi was founded in 1969 in Toorak, Australia. Hip-Hop culture adopted the kaleidoscopic-patterned sweaters back in the mid 1990’s. Today the original knitwear pieces are highly coveted on the resale market; fetching upwards to $5,000.00 for never-worn pieces. Most recently Coogi has collaborated with Burton Snowboards, Rag & Bone, Android Homme, and Puma.

—

Photo: SOPA Images

19 Apr 2023

Houston Animal Shelter Honors Taylor Swift Eras Tour Stop by Reducing Cat Adoption Fee to $13

Taylor Swift‘s The Eras Tour is touching down in Houston this weekend, and to celebrate, one animal shelter in the city has reduced the fees for cat adoption all week to a Taylor-specific $13.

The Houston Humane Society announced a weeklong “Lucky $13” event in honor of Swift’s trio of concerts at the NRG Stadium, reducing the fee for people seeking to adopt a cat that has lived in the shelter for 30 days or more.

“Adopt your new LOVER this weekend, and know ALL TOO WELL how much joy & happiness they’ll bring to your life! HHS is BEJEWELED to announce our Lucky $13 Cat Adoption event to HONOR The Eras Tour Houston dates this weekend!” the organization wrote in its announcement. “April 17th-April 23rd cats that have been in our shelter for 30+ days will be available for adoption with a $13 adoption fee!”

Swift is a documented cat lover — she owns two Scottish folds named Meredith Grey and Olivia Benson and a Ragdoll named Benjamin Button. In 2019, the pop star assumed the role of Bombalurina in the movie adaptation of the Cats musical, and more recently, she shouted out the feline species in the Midnights track “Karma,” in which she sings, “Karma is a cat/ Purring in my lap ’cause it loves me/ Flexing like a goddamn acrobat/ Me and karma vibe like that.”

Swift’s lucky number is also the famously unlucky 13, explaining in an interview: “I was born on the 13th, I turned 13 on Friday the 13th, my first album went gold in 13 weeks.”

The Eras Tour will hit Houston from April 21-23. Beabadoobee and Gracie Abrams will be opening for Swift during the shows.

Fans looking to adopt a cat for $13 can do so at the Houston Humane Society now through April 23. The organization is located at 14700 Almeda Road in Houston.