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14 May 2025

Cage the Elephant’s Brad Shultz Starts Parallel Vision Label With Daniel Oakley, Darren Potuck in Joint Venture With Big Loud Rock

Industry executives Daniel Oakley, Darren Potuck and Cage the Elephant co-founder/guitarist Brad Shultz have partnered to form the new label Parallel Vision, it was revealed to Billboard on Wednesday (May 14). Additionally, the Nashville and Los Angeles-based label announced it has formed a joint venture with Big Loud Rock (the alternative/rock imprint of Big Loud Records) to sign its flagship artist, rock duo Girl Tones.

Composed of sisters Kenzie and Laila, Girl Tones has opened shows for Cage the Elephant in Europe and later joined The Velveteers and hey, nothing on those acts’ stateside shows. In July, the duo will join Silversun Pickups on a run of North American shows and is also slated to play festivals including Lollapalooza, Shaky Knees and Austin City Limits.

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To mark the signing, Girl Tones released its new single and video, “Blame,” on Wednesday. Described as “vintage-tinged,” the Casey Pierce-directed video was filmed at Nashville’s Dive Motel and plays up the trope of sibling rivalry.

“We’ve been friends for nearly two decades, each carving out different corners of the industry — artist, executive, creative, while also working and creating together throughout those years,” said Oakley in a statement. “Brad had spent the last several years developing and producing artists while Darren and I worked with major music and entertainment companies.”

Added Shlutz, “We were presented with a chance to have our own outlet to further develop and release the music. Parallel Vision is that avenue. It’s honestly a blessing the way it all came together. Girl Tones is the perfect first chapter. They’ve gone from local stages to global releases and touring internationally in under a year — and we’re just getting started.”

On the label’s partnership with Big Loud Rock, Potuck added, “At Parallel Vision, we’re driven by a desire to support artists who push boundaries. Partnering with Big Loud Rock gives us the infrastructure and momentum to take that vision to a much bigger audience — without compromising the art. We’re excited to build something that respects creativity while delivering at the highest level.”

Joey Moi, a Big Loud partner and president at Big Loud Rock, added, “Big Loud Rock is honored to be in partnership with the renowned team at Parallel Vision and their first signing Girl Tones. As part of our label’s mission to develop the next generation of alternative-rock artists, these strategic partnerships will be part of our core mission as we continue to build and take this company to new heights.”

Big Loud Rock is also home to artists including Blame My Youth, Bizzy and Sikarus.

14 May 2025

Foo Fighters Book First Show of 2025 at Singapore F1 Grand Prix

The Foo Fighters have booked their first gig of 2025. The veteran rockers announced on Tuesday night (May 13) that they will headline day two (October 4) of the Singapore F1 Grand Prix concerts as part of a three-day roster of all-star shows supporting the race. “Singapore. See you soon!!!” the band wrote in the announcement.

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The Foos will take to the Padang Stage with fellow headliner DJ/producer Alan Walker, at the event that will also feature South Korean rapper/singers CL and G-Dragon, Indonesian pop singer Putri Ariani and Singapore pop group Oakë on Oct. 3. Crowded House, Babymetal, English indie rockers The Lathums and U.K. singer Tom Grennan will perform on Oct. 4 and Elton John, the Smashing Pumpkins and Wombats headline on Oct. 5; check out the full lineup here.

The October appearance by the Foos will be their first full-length gig since August 2024 and is currently the only show on their roster this year. The full band has not appeared together on stage since Grohl announced in September that he’d fathered a daughter outside of his marriage to wife of 22 years Jordyn Blum. After the news, the Foos canceled their scheduled headlining spot at the Soundside Music Festival in Connecticut.

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And while the band has been off the radar, Grohl has kept busy, serving meals to L.A. wildfire victims on his 56th birthday in January and reuniting with his surviving Nirvana bandmates Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear at that month’s all-star FireAid LA benefit concert, where they played an unannounced set with HerVana, with St. Vincent, Kim Gordon, Joan Jett and Grohl’s 18-year-old daughter, Violet, taking lead vocals. The reunion got a different face in February when the legendary grunge group teamed up with Post Malone for a “Post Nirvana” set during the three-hour SNL50: The Homecoming Concert prime-time special.

Grohl also made a surprise appearance during weekend two of Coachella last month, when he hopped up with his guitar to perform orchestral versions of the FF songs “The Sky Is a Neighborhood” and “Everlong” with maestro Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

See the Foos F1 announcement below.

14 May 2025

Halle Bailey Says DDG Abused & Attacked Her, Gets Restraining Order

The 2025 Met Gala Celebrating

Source: Theo Wargo / Getty

Halle Bailey has levied explosive claims against the father of her son, DDG, alleging that the popular streamer and music artist abused and attacked her several times during their union. On Tuesday (May 13), Halle Bailey filed to obtain a court-ordered restraining order against DDG.

In a report from TMZ, it was shared that Halle Bailey, 25, detailed the abuse she suffered at the hands of DDG, 27, adding that the issues dated back to the top of this year.  The pair have not been an item since October of last year, but were still in contact as co-parents for their young son.

During a January visit to his son, DDG reportedly became angry with Bailey as she tried to get their son in a car seat, allegedly calling the singer the b-word and demanding she leave his vehicle. From there, Bailey says that the two began to scuffle, with the streamer allegedly slamming Bailey’s head against a steering wheel.

Adding to this, Bailey claimed that back in March, DDG showed up at her house and let himself in without asking, then went to her bedroom to take a photo of her empty bed. He then allegedly sent an image of the text with the caption, “now I know what u been on lol,” which Bailey presumed was charging her with having sex with other people.

Days later, the menacing allegedly continued with DDG appearing at Bailey’s home asking to see their son, but she didn’t want the boy to leave as she told the father that Mom and baby were feeling ill. DDG was allegedly angered by this and smashed Bailey’s Ring camera and took her phone.On X, the reactions to the news have fans of Halle Bailey angry and ready to ride against DDG, who feigned shock at the news during a stream with Adin Ross. We’ve got those reactions below.–Photo: Getty

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14 May 2025

Co-op Live, Abbey Road Studios and Adidas Launch New Recording Studio in Manchester

LONDON — Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena has teamed up with Adidas and Abbey Road Studios for the launch of a new recording studio inside its premises.

The Adidas Originals Recording Studio is situated inside the U.K.’s largest music arena and has been designed as “a vibrant hub for emerging musical talent and young creative communities.” The studio has been engineered by Abbey Road’s technicians and sound engineers.

The studio in Manchester, England will be available to local musicians from August onwards. The initiative is launched in conjunction with a number of existing schemes, including Abbey Road’s Amplify and Equalise programmes, which hosts a number of panels, workshops and recording opportunities at the iconic London studios each year.

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Factory’s International’s Factory Sounds initiative, which provides financial support and mentorship to underrepresented groups in the Greater Manchester area, is also involved with the project. Courteeners frontman Liam Fray, who was born and raised in Middleton, Manchester, opened the studio with an acoustic live performance and praised the space and the opportunities it may provide: “To have something of this level up here that is a focal point in Manchester opens up the industry and takes it to a wider audience.”

Despite a rocky, delayed opening, the Co-op Live Arena has become a key venue on the U.K.’s touring circuit, with a number of huge acts set to perform there this summer, including Bruce Springsteen, Olivia Rodrigo, Tyler, the Creator, Massive Attack and more.

Sally Davies, managing director of Abbey Road Studios, said in a statement: “The launch of the adidas Originals Recording Studio is a world-first collaboration creating a new, Abbey Road-engineered recording space beyond the walls of our home in London.”

“We are enormously proud to partner with Adidas, Co-op Live and Factory International to create a new platform for talent in Manchester and the North-West, expanding our mission to enable and empower the global community of music makers and creators, and shape the future of music making.”

14 May 2025

Snoop Dogg Hosting Two-Hour New Year’s Eve Variety Special For NBC and Peacock

Snoop Dogg has yet another gig. As part of his expansive partnership with NBCUniversal, the rapper will host a two-hour musical variety special from Miami titled Snoop Dogg’s New Year’s Eve. According to Variety, the show will air on NBC on Dec. 31 from 10:30 p.m. ET to 12:30 a.m. ET in the latest extension of the rapper’s deal with NBCUniversal, which also includes his spot as a coach on The Voice and his correspondent gig at last year’s Summer Olympic Games in Paris.

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“Snoop Dogg’s energy, influence and ability to bring people together promises an unforgettable night,” said Jen Neal, executive VP of Live Events and Specials for NBCUniversal Entertainment. “We’re thrilled to partner with Snoop and bring this epic event to audiences across the country once again live from Miami.”

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The New Year’s Eve show will be produced by Den of Thieves (MTV VMAs, People’s Choice Awards) and Snoop’s Death Row Pictures. It is the latest attempt to freshen up the New Year’s space from NBC, which hosted Miley Cyrus variety shows in 2022 and 2023 and a two-hour prime time special called “A Toast to 2024!” with Today Show co-hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager.

Snoop’s overall deal with NBCUniversal will also see him branching out into films, television, sports and streaming projects in conjunction with his Death Row Pictures shingle. The rapper made his coaching debut on The Voice in its 26th season in 2024. He’s also developing a biopic about his acquisition of Death Row Records with Universal.

The indefatigable MC recently released a gospel record for Death Row called Altar Call in April and Tuesday (May 13) he announced his next studio album, Iz It a Crime?, which is due out on Friday (May 16) and features collabs with Wiz Khalifa, Sexxy Red, Charlie Bereal, Akeem Ali, Jane Handcock and LaRussell, among others; Snoop’s 21st studio album is also the soundtrack to a short film of the same name.

14 May 2025

London’s Music Scene Gets New Tube Map Heralding Grassroots Venues

LONDON — A new Tube map showcasing the breadth of London’s artists and music venues has been published as part of a campaign championing the capital’s grassroots scene.

The map highlights record shops, nightclubs and historic locations across the city, as well as venues such as XOYO and Electrowerkz to institutions such as the Barbican. London-raised artists including Dua Lipa, Dave and recent Billboard U.K. cover star Loyle Carner also feature.

Each Underground line has been reimagined as a different aspect of the city’s music scene, with the Jubilee line displaying London-made albums, the Metropolitan line showing independent record labels, and the District line listing “25 artists to see in 2025.” The iconic map was designed by Harry Beck and first came into use in 1933.

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London mayor Sir Sadiq Khan and Transport for London (TfL) joined forces with media leaders to devise the map as part of the London Creates campaign. Over the next month, it will be displayed at digital exhibition space Outernet London in Tottenham Court Road.

In a statement, Khan said: “London’s grassroots music scene is renowned around the world. From providing opportunities for talented aspiring artists to develop their trade, to giving Londoners a great night out, our venues are an essential part of our life at night and provide a huge boost to our economy.

“However, they have faced huge challenges in recent years, which is why we’re joining with partners across the capital to champion all parts of London’s grassroots music scene. This special edition Tube map is a great way to highlight what a huge impact the scene has on our capital, as we continue to do all we can to support venues and build a more prosperous London for everyone.”

Mark Davyd, founder and CEO of Music Venue Trust, added: “London is one of the world’s great music cities, constantly reinventing itself with new sounds, new genres, and incredible new artists. The network of grassroots music venues in London are an essential part of what makes the capital’s music thrive, delivering an extraordinary range of music, community and life changing experiences at affordable prices.”

According to City Hall, London is home to 179 grassroots music venues, which in the last year have welcomed more than 4.2m audience members, hosted performances by more than 328,000 artists, employed nearly 7,000 people and contributed £313m ($417m) to the economy.

The map was formally published in the Metro newspaper yesterday (May 13). Further information about the campaign can be found at the newspaper’s official website.

14 May 2025

Live Nation Announces $30 Summer Concert Ticket Program at North American Amphitheaters

Live Nation has announced the launch of a $30 concert ticket initiative for summer 2025, through which fans will be able to access more than 1,000 shows at select amphitheaters across the U.S. and Canada throughout the season.

Live music fans can catch concerts from The Offspring, Halsey, Nelly, Pierce the Veil, Avril Lavigne, Kesha, HARDY, Dierks Bentley, Cyndi Lauper, Kidz Bop Kids, Rod Stewart and many more for just $30 — an all-inclusive price with no additional fees outside of local taxes.

Additional artists under the $30 ticket options include Willie Nelson, Simple Plan, The Black Keys, Weird Al Yankovic, Little Big Town, James Taylor, Leon Bridges, Goo Goo Dolls, Luke Bryan, Barenaked Ladies, Billy Idol, Cody Jinks, Keith Urban, Big Time Rush, Volbeat, Slightly Stoopid and more.

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More shows will be added throughout the summer, giving fans multiple chances to score $30 tickets all season long.

Starting May 21 in the U.S. and Canada, fans can go to Live Nation’s Ticket to Summer site to see the full list of participating events and add the ticket type “$30 Ticket to Summer” to their cart for the deal. T-Mobile and Rakuten members will get early access on May 20. All ticket sales will begin at 10 a.m. ET on the given day.

The $30 Tickets to Summer initiative follows Live Nation’s similar summer offering, Live Nation Concert Week. Live Nation Concert Week, which hit its 10-year anniversary last year, only lasted seven days. Notably, the promoter recently discontinued its popular Lawn Pass program, through which music fans paid a flat fee for a lawn ticket to every summer concert at participating amphitheaters. At the time of that announcement, the company said it would replace the six-year-old program with something different. The $30 Ticket to Summer will be the promotion giant’s only summer offering for the 2025 season.

Tickets for this year’s $30 Tickets to Summer are available for select Live Nation shows while inventory lasts.  

14 May 2025

Jennifer Lopez Shows Off Busted Nose Suffered During AMAs Rehearsals: ‘So This Happened…’

Jennifer Lopez is known for giving her all. But it looks like she might have given too much during rehearsals for her upcoming gig hosting the 2025 American Music Awards. On Tuesday (May 13), the singer/actress posted a series of pictures on her Instagram Story chronicling a nasty workplace injury she suffered during walk-throughs for the show.

In the first one, a smiling Lopez, 55, is holding an ice pack to the right side of her face with the caption reading, “So this happened…” The next image reveals the extent of the damage, with Lopez sitting in her car with a small cut clearly visible on the bridge of her puffy nose and the explanation, “During @amas rehearsals.”

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The third slide featured a patched-up JLo standing next to Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Jason B. Diamond, with her nose looking no worse for the wear. “Thank you for stitching me up Dr. Diamond,” she wrote. “A week later and a whole lotta ice, I’m good as new.” At press time Lopez had not revealed how she she suffered the injury.

Lopez will host the 2025 AMAs from the Fountainbleau Las Vegas on Memorial Day (May 26). In her second go-round hosting the event — she first hosted in 2015 — Lopez will also perform on this year’s show; she is just the fourth music artist to solo-host the AMAs twice, following Lionel Richie (1984-85), Diana Ross (1986-87) and Pitbull (2013-14).

Tickets are available now on Ticketmaster, with fan voting open via VoteAMAs.com and the @AMAs Instagram profile in all award categories. Voting closes on Thursday (May 15), at 11:59 p.m. PT, with the exception of collaboration of the year and social song of the year, which will remain open through the first 30 minutes of the AMAs broadcast.

The 51st AMAs will air live coast-to-coast at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS and stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.

14 May 2025

Pershing Square Founder Bill Ackman Resigns From UMG’s Board

Bill Ackman, whose hedge fund Pershing Square Capital has been among Universal Music Group’s largest investors, said he will resign from his seat on UMG’s board of directors effective Wednesday “due to new executive and board obligations arising from his recent investments,” according to a company statement.

In a brief announcement posted Wednesday hours ahead of the start of UMG’s annual shareholder meeting, UMG said Ackman notified the board of his intention to resign starting today (May 14), and that the board is “very grateful” for his contributions. Ackman, 58, has served as an independent non-executive director on UMG’s board for three years. His term was set to expire in 2026.

Pershing Square has been invested in UMG since 2021, holding as much as 10.25% of the company’s stock by the end of 2023. However, its stake was reduced to 4.9% this year following a planned distribution to limited partners in January and the sale of approximately 50 million shares in March. Despite the reduction, UMG remains Pershing Square’s largest single holding, representing 17% of the firm’s total capital across its funds.

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The sale came ahead of Pershing Square’s plan to register its UMG shares in the United States in September. Ackman has advocated for the company to move its primary listing from the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange to a U.S.-based exchange, saying it would add value for the company.

Earlier this year, Pershing increased its holding of the real estate company Howard Hughs to 46.9% from 37.6%. Ackman was previously the executive chairman of the Texas-based company’s board from 2010 until his 2024 resignation.

14 May 2025

Adam David Delivers Teddy Swims’ ‘Lose Control’ on ‘The Voice’ as Finalists Are Set

The Voice Season 27 is officially down to five finalists, but not before one of its most emotionally charged moments yet, a last-chance performance from Team Bublé’s Adam David, who took on Teddy Swims’ chart-topping hit “Lose Control” during Monday night’s (May 13) Instant Save round.

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Originally released in June 2023, “Lose Control” marked Swims’ breakthrough moment, becoming his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100. The single debuted at No. 99 and made a historic 32-week climb to No. 1 in March 2024, the longest consecutive rise to the top in the chart’s history. It went on to spend a record-breaking 60 non-consecutive weeks in the Hot 100’s top 10 and was named the No. 1 song on Billboard’s Year-End Hot 100 Songs chart for 2024.

Covering such a chart-dominating hit wasn’t a small feat, but David delivered. His rendition showcased vulnerability and vocal control and secured him the final spot in next week’s finale.

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The Voice Season 27 finale lineup is officially set, with the Top 5 finalists including RENZO (Team Legend), Lucia Flores-Wiseman (Team Adam), Jadyn Cree (Team Bublé), Jaelen Johnston (Team Kelsea), and Adam David (Team Bublé), who clinched the final spot via Instant Save.

The remaining contestants were eliminated following the live vote and Instant Save round: Conor James (Team Adam), Alanna Lynise (Team Kelsea), Kolby Kordell (Team Adam), Kaiya Hamilton (Team Bublé), Olivia Kuper Harris (Team Legend), Iris Herrera (Team Kelsea), and Bryson Battle (Team Legend).

It was an emotional night for all four coaches as they said goodbye to team members, including John Legend, who lost standout vocalist Bryson Battle in the Instant Save round.

“I find it difficult to even talk about this because I did not think you would be in this position today,” Legend told him. “You have given us performances that said you should be in the finale of this show. You gave us one yesterday, you gave us one just now on this stage, and you continue to be the epitome of what this show is all about.”

The Voice Season 27 live finale airs Monday, May 20 on NBC.