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06 Apr 2023

Which Latin Artist Are You Most Excited to See at Coachella? Vote!

The first weekend of Coachella is just around the corner. As festival-goers make their own schedules of artists or sets they’d want to catch at the event, we want to know which Latin artist you are most excited to see this year.

There’s a handful of Latin, or Spanish-language, artists who will be performing at the 2023 edition, which is slated to run on two consecutive weekends, from April 14 to 16 and then again from April 21 to 23. Bad Bunny will make history as the first Latin artist to ever headline Coachella when he closes out the main stage on Friday, April 14.

Becky G, who last year joined Karol G on her set to perform their hit song “MAMIII,” will make her grand return to the desert delivering her own set this time around. Spanish star Rosalía — who performed at Coachella in 2019 — will take the stage on Saturday. The iconic Argentine rock band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs and Puerto Rican artist Eladio Carrión are also confirmed for that day. Meanwhile, Kali Uchis will perform on Sunday.

Emerging artists Conexión Divina and DannyLux will represent the face of a new generation of Mexican music. For DannyLux it’s a homecoming, since he grew up in the Coachella Valley area. He’ll be performing on Friday. “I’m both excited and nervous,” the 19-year-old singer-songwriter tells Billboard. “I’m literally from here. It’s so sick to think that I’ll be performing at the same place where so many other huge artists are performing.”

So, which Latin artist are you most excited to see this year at Coachella? Vote in the poll below:

06 Apr 2023

The Deals: Cutting Edge Acquires Film Music Catalog; Atlantic Strikes JV With Gabe Saporta’s Label

Financing and investment company Cutting Edge Media Music acquired the full music catalog of United Kingdom-based media company First Score Music. The acquisition gives Cutting Edge complete master and publishing rights to over 75 film scores, including original music rights to films from Andy Serkis and Jonathan Cavendish‘s Imaginarium Productions. This includes Imaginarium’s upcoming animated version of George Orwell’s Animal Farm as well as its Taika Waititi-directed film Next Goal Wins with a score by Michael Giacchino. The catalog also includes scores by composers such as Carter Burwell, Christophe Beck, Hildur Guðnadóttir, David Newman and Rachel Portman for films including Sicario: Day of the Soldado, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, Midway and Greenland.

Atlantic Records formed a joint venture with TAG Music, a new record label founded by artist-turned-executive Gabe Saporta (Cobra Starship, Midtown). The first releases under the deal include the singles “Nosebleed” from Los Angeles-based singer Sophie Powers (released March 31) and “Red Is My Favorite Color” from emo alt-rock artist Jules Is Dead in April.

China-based streaming service NetEase Cloud Music renewed its deal with independent Asian “Mandopop” label Rock Records to distribute both its back catalog and upcoming releases in China. Under the agreement, NetEase and Rock Records will continue collaborating to promote Rock Records artists and content; the new deal also “extends the strategic cooperation towards more in-depth initiatives on copyright cooperation between the two parties,” according to a press release, including the rights to sublicense Rock Records music for various uses including third-party applications, website background music and smart devices. Founded in 1980, Rock Records is home to popular artists including Tayu Lo, Jonathan Lee and Wakin Chau.

Symphonic announced a partnership with Boston-based music technology company Formless that will see Symphonic integrate Formless’ SHARE Protocol for blockchain technology. The protocol will roll out to a select group of Symphonic clients who express an interest in Web3. Artists using the technology will be able to control access terms to their music, including streaming price, and receive payments instantly while splitting royalties with collaborators and fans.

PayPal and Live Nation unveiled a multi-year partnership naming PayPal as the “preferred payments partner” of Ticketmaster, according to a press release. Under the deal, fans will be able to pay with PayPal, PayPal Pay Later products and Venmo across the Ticketmaster platform. PayPal Braintree will also become Ticketmaster’s primary global payment processor, speeding up the checkout process while giving fans access to event add-ons like merchandise and parking for purchase. The partnership also entails an “expanded global marketing program to drive broad engagement and fan loyalty through experiences and offers,” including by rewarding a limited number of fans who use PayPal and Venmo to pay for festivals like Bonnaroo, BottleRock and Lollapalooza with ticket discounts and “Cashless credits” to those events.

06 Apr 2023

Motley Crue Guitarist Sues Band, Claiming He Was Fired After Disclosing ‘Debilitating’ Disability

Mötley Crüe co-founder Mick Mars is suing his former bandmates, demanding access to the band’s books after he says he was unceremoniously terminated when he disclosed a chronic illness.

In a petition filed Thursday in Los Angeles court, attorneys for Mars say he’s a 25% shareholder in the Crüe’s corporate entities, but that the band tried to cut him out entirely after he said he could no longer tour due to an arthritic condition called ankylosing spondylitis.

“How did Mars’s brothers of 41 years respond to Mars’s tragic announcement?” his lawyers wrote. “They [held] an emergency shareholders’ meeting for the band’s main corporate entity in order to throw Mars out of the band, to fire him as a director of the corporation, to fire him as an officer of the corporation, and to take away his shares of the corporation.”

Mars stepped away as a touring member of Crüe last year, but his lawyers say he clearly still wanted to record with the band and play residencies — and that he certainly wasn’t handing away his lucrative shares in the band’s corporate entities.

But in Thursday’s petition, Mars’ attorneys say that the group moved to fire him under a clause in the band’s operating agreement that allows for removal of a member for “legal cause.” Mars cited an alleged email in which the band’s attorney said Mars was no longer able “to perform as a full-fledged band member,” claiming he had repeatedly made mistakes on stage.

Rather than the 25 percent he’s allegedly owed, Mars says Crüe co-founder Nikki Sixx and the rest of the band offered him just 5 percent to walk away – and said they were only doing so “as a courtesy.”

“Sixx made it clear to Mars that he believed that the offer was a generous one, and that Mars, after 41 consecutive years with the band, did not deserve anything going forward,” lawyers for Mars wrote in Thursday’s filing. “Sixx further ‘gaslighted’ Mars by severely criticizing his performances on the U.S. tour, and exclaimed that there is no way that the band could tour with Mars anymore.”

After he pushed back on the moves to remove him, attorneys for Mars say the band stopped responding and instead filed an arbitration case against him in February — “essentially suing him” to prove that they had the right to kick him out of the band.

“They clearly commenced an arbitration, rather than a public lawsuit, so that the public would not be aware of the deplorable manner in which they treated their ‘brother’ of 41 years,” lawyers for Mars wrote in the petition.

In technical terms, Wednesday’s filing was a petition asking a judge to rule that Mars can access the band’s financial records, operating agreements and other key information amid the dispute. While it included many details about his firing and his disability, Mars is not directly suing the band over his termination.

A rep for Mötley Crüe did not return a request for comment.

06 Apr 2023

Randy Rainbow Cannot Believe We’re All Talking About Trump Again: ‘It Never Ends’

After Donald Trump made headlines once again last week, people online were shocked that beleaguered former President was still making waves three years after losing the 2020 election. Chief amongst those left surprised was viral internet sensation Randy Rainbow.

In a new interview with The Los Angeles Times, published on Wednesday (April 5), Rainbow talked about his latest parody video “Grumpy Trumpy Felon From Jamaica In Queens,” where the singer roasted Trump to the tune of the Andrews Sisters’ “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” after the former president’s indictment by a Manhattan grand jury. As Rainbow tells it, he was torn between surprise and resignation when it came time for him to once again make fun of Trump.

“To some extent it’s bizarre and to some extent it makes complete sense,” he said. “As long as there are stories and this kind of circus, they’re going to keep putting him in the news. Because people like keeping up with this ridiculous saga … this might not be popular to say out loud, but this is entertaining as [expletive] hell. We want to see how it will end, and it never ends!”

As for the song parody itself, Rainbow said that he found himself struggling with nailing the classic jazz track for his parody. “Musically, the song is trickier than I thought. It’s not just all about the politics,” he said. “It was a bit of a vocal lesson figuring out how to sing it. It took me half a day to find right the key.”

In the years since Trump left office, Rainbow has largely turned his sights onto other members of the GOP, including Marjorie Taylor Green, George Santos, Kevin McCarthy, Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham, while only occasionally doubling back to jab at Trump. “Even for the nine minutes that he was not in the headlines, there was no shortage of nonsense coming out of D.C.,” Rainbow explained. “I had plenty of material to choose from … all these ‘Dick Tracy’ villains that Trump unleashed.”

Rainbow’s parody video came just after Trump was officially indicted on Thursday, March 30, becoming the first former president to face criminal charges. The full indictment, released to the public on Tuesday (April 4) showed that Trump was facing 34 felony charges of falsifying business records in the first degree, specifically related to the former Apprentice host’s alleged hush-money payments made to Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.

With the 2024 presidential election looming large, and Trump still vying for the Republican nomination, Rainbow made it clear that while he remains skeptical that the former president will face serious repercussions for his actions, he doesn’t think he will ever be president again. “I never quite believe that anything will really catch up with him,” he said. “But I can’t imagine him back in White House at this point.”

Read Rainbow’s full interview here, and watch his latest parody video below.

06 Apr 2023

Stüssy Is Launching A Gang Starr Inspired Capsule Collection

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STUSSY X GANGSTARR CAPSULE COLLECTION

Source: Christopher Currence / Christopher Currence

One of Hip-Hop’s most iconic duos is about to celebrated in fashion form. Stüssy is launching a Gang Starr inspired collection.

STUSSY X GANGSTARR CAPSULE COLLECTION

Source: Christopher Currence / Christopher Currence

As spotted on Hype Beast the producer and DJ will be gracing an upcoming series of wearables curated by Stüssy in honor of the culture’s 50th anniversary. This week the brand took to social media to make the reveal. “Stüssy has collaborated with the legendary Brooklyn-bred duo Gangstarr. DJ Premier and Guru together released seven full-length LPs that cleverly combined New York Jazz and hip hop. The collaborative t-shirt features lyrics from “Take It Personal” and from “Daily Operation” which was released in 1992,” said Stussy of their drop.

Based on the teaser shared it seems the forthcoming drop will also include pieces with some iconic photography of the dynamic duo during their early emerging years. The Stüssy X Gangstarr collection will be available worldwide at select chapter stores, select Dover Street Market locations, and stussy.com on Friday, April 7th at 10AM.

Guru aka Keith Elam of Gang Starr [Editor’s Note: It’s Gang Starr, two words.—ab] passed away in 2010. The duo dropped several classic albums including Daily Operation (1992) and Hard to Earn (1994).

Photo: Christopher Currence/Stussy

06 Apr 2023

‘He Told Me I Sounded Like Bob Dylan’: Ice-T Remembers Seymour Stein

Until gangster rap pioneer Ice-T signed with Sire Records in 1987, he was strictly DIY — “recording for small indie labels, mostly selling records out of mom-and-pop stores,” as he wrote in his 2012 memoir Ice: A Memoir of Gangster Life and Redemption, from South Central to Hollywood. By signing Ice-T to Sire, founder Seymour Stein, who died on April 2 at age 80, delivered hip-hop to a label mostly known for pop (Madonna), punk (The Ramones) and new wave (Talking Heads). The rapper produced three classic albums in a row for Sire: Rhyme Pays, Power and The Iceberg/Freedom of Speech … Just Watch What You Say, and went on to induct Stein at the A&R legend’s 2005 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction. Following a day of filming his longtime role as Sergeant Tutuola on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in New York City, Ice-T remembered the late Stein in this as-told-to phone interview.

I was introduced to Seymour by a guy named Ralph Cooper, who presented Seymour with a compilation album, and Seymour picked me out of the compilation and said, “I just want to sign Ice-T.”

Me and [DJ-producer] Afrika Islam went up to his office and he was in his socks and dancing around. He told me he wanted to get involved. At that time, hip-hop was so new. First, he told me I sounded like Bob Dylan. I took that as a compliment because I knew Bob Dylan: “Subterranean Homesick Blues,” all that. I said, “OK, I get it.” Then he started talking to me about calypso music: “Do you know what they’re singing about in this song?” and “This is from Trinidad.” And I was like, “No.” Then he said one of the most genius things I’ve ever heard: “Just because you don’t understand it doesn’t make it any less valid. It just means you don’t understand it. I may not understand rap and hip-hop, but it doesn’t take any validity away from it. It just means I don’t understand it. But I know you’re singing to people that will understand it, so I want to give you a record deal.”

I was excited and we took the deal and I was never A&R’ed or anything. It was just like, “Turn the album in.”

They just let us go. There was no one there who was capable of input in what we were doing. They had nobody else who understood hip-hop, so they just had to go with it. The records were selling, so if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?

By the time we got to Body Count, I was working mostly with Howie Klein [president of another Warner-owned label, Reprise Records]. Seymour was always having battles with health. Whenever you got to see Seymour, it was a great moment, but he was kind of off-deck. The whole time I was on Sire, there was never any conflict. People hate record labels, but I had a great experience. I didn’t have any problem — until after “Cop Killer,” when Warner got nervous. And I understand that. They let me go, no problem, no strings attached.

The last time I saw Seymour was at his [2005] Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. I always knew he was proud of us — he was proud of me, and what I did and what I stood for. Because that’s his character. He liked to make music that meant something and moved people. Even though they say he understood pop, and how to get involved with pop, he was more punk than pop.

He was as far from a record executive as you could imagine. A lot of record executives want to look like artists. They want to hang out in the studio and dress like the artist and be cool. Seymour looked more like a scientist or some shit! Nothing about him said “record exec.”

I don’t really know if a Seymour Stein can be reproduced, when you look at the catalog he had, from Ramones to Ministry to The Smiths. That’s the hallmark of a real A&R guy. He found them in the raw. Nowadays, you have to get a billion followers and a billion views before a record label would even look at you. All of us were basically nobodies when he picked us up. Big difference. Big difference.

When he signed Talking Heads, they were opening for the Ramones at CBGBs. They were the opening act. He was like, “Fuck that, I want them, too.” I mean, who does that!

06 Apr 2023

Snoop Dogg Resigns From FaZe Clan’s Board of Directors

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Slightly Stoopid And Snoop Dog In Concert - George, Washington

Source: Dana Nalbandian / Getty

Over the years Snoop Dogg has proven to be a prominent business man in the game and when he sees some problems on the horizon he knows to get the heck out of dodge while he can.

Variety is reporting that esports organization and lifestyle brand, FaZe Clan has announced that Tha Doggfather has resigned from his position on their board of directors “effective immediately” following the news that their stock had taken a hit when it went public. Though no specific reason was given for Snoop’s sudden departure, FaZe Clan says their relationship with the Hip-Hop icon remains on the up and up and will continue their alliance with Snoop in future endeavors.

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“Mr. Broadus’s resignation was not the result of any disagreement with the Company or any of its subsidiaries,” the statement noted. In a statement shared with Variety, FaZe Clan adds, “Our relationship with Snoop remains positive as we will continue a multi-year collaboration agreement between Snoop and FaZe. The FaZe Holdings Inc. Board of Directors will continue with 9 members. Please visit our website at investors.fazeclan.com for more information.”

You have to wonder why Snoop would suddenly walk away from his gig on the board of directors just months into his newfound gig. Back in December of 2022 it was reported that FaZe Clan had wooed Snoop into that position with $1.9 million in stock and $248,000 worth of stock for his son along with companies controlled by his spouse and his manager. That’s a helluva come up. But since going public stock for FaZe Clan began to tumble before falling beneath $1 this past January.

But that’s not keeping the company from continuing to mush forward as it plans to keep it’s brand growing and rolling until the wheels fall off.

Still, FaZe Clan has made several promotions across the company over the past few months, and before this year, had announced a three-year plan for its TV content, including a “Saturday Night Live”-style series for its Gen Z audience, which they detailed in an in-depth interview with Variety last April.

Looks like they’ll have to be doing so without the guidance of Tha Doggfather.

What do y’all think of Snoop bailing on FaZe Clan? Let us know in the comments section below.

06 Apr 2023

20 Questions With Amtrac: Ahead of His Tour, The Producer Talks Copycat Artists (‘Lazy’), Cooking (‘A Passion’) & You (‘You’re Cool’)

This weekend an album made in the forced seclusion of lockdown sees the light of day — and the darkness of the dancefloor — as Amtrac hits the road for the 17-date run behind his Extra Time LP.

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Released in February via the Los Angeles-based producer’s own Openers label, the album is a warm voyage of synth and feeling, with the smart productions spanning moods from melancholy to longing to joy and catharsis with lush sophistication.

Audiences can partake in these many vibes starting tomorrow at Toronto club The Velvet Underground, with the tour then working its way across the U.S. through early June.

Ahead of this affair, one entirely out of reach during the making of the album behind it, the artist born Caleb Cornett offers the backstory on the album, his hobbies and sampling the legends of Motown.

1. Where are you in the world right now, and what’s the setting like?

Currently on a flight back from Miami Music Week; the setting is tranquil.

2. What is the first album or piece of music you bought for yourself, and what was the medium?

Pretty sure it was a cassette single of The Prodigy’s “Firestarter.” Also I remember the first CD I ever bought was the soundtrack for [1997 comic book adaptation] Spawn.

3. What did your parents do for a living when you were a kid, and what do or did they think of what you do for a living now?

My mom has always worked at a bookstore, and my dad works for the food distributor Sysco.

4. What’s the first non-gear thing you bought for yourself when you started making money as an artist?

I cant recall; it’s honestly almost always gear.

5. If you had to recommend one album for someone looking to get into dance/electronic music, what would you give them?

Tough question, how about two: Moderat’s [self-titled 2009] first album and Clark’s Body Riddle.

6. What’s the last song you listened to?

XTC, “Making Plans For Nigel.”

7. You wrote on Instagram that you made Extra Time to “cope with times of uncertainty.” How does this body of work help you cope in that way?

I made the majority of the record locked inside during lockdown; it was my outlet for what I was feeling. One of the few things that kept me sane, my way of coping.

8. Everybody’s so damn busy all the time. Are you able to find actual extra time in your life?

Luckily yes, I spend just as much time cooking as I do making music — that’s slowly but surely becoming more of a passion.

9. Tell me about getting the Four Tops sample on the album via “Nobody Else.” What did the inspiration strike to use it, and what was the clearing process like?

I’ve been sampling Motown records for a while now, usually just as place holders for inspiration. “Nobody Else” just felt right — I wanted to see if we could get the sample cleared. Luckily Motown was into the record and we made it all work. My tracks “Those Days” and “Hold On” also included some cleared Motown samples from Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye.

10. How did you celebrate finishing the LP?

I went out for some nice szechuan cuisine.

11. This album has the distinction of having a beer made in its honor. Fun. How did that happen?

My lifelong friends opened a brewery in my hometown in Morehead, Kentucky a few years back. I approached them with the idea and magic happened. It was such a blast. I have little to no knowledge when it comes to brewing beer, so it was a great learning experience as well; I loved helping with the whole process.

12. What’s the best city in the world for dance music currently? Why?

I would say Los Angeles is pretty great when it comes to diversity. I’ve seen all walks of electronic over the past few years here.

13. You’re about to embark on a major tour. Have you done anything special to get mentally and physically prepared for this run? 

Mainly just trying to be a as healthy as I can prior, eating my greens and working up a sweat in the gym.

14. The most exciting thing happening in dance music currently is _____?

I would have to say the parties, especially the underground — It’s constantly evolving and theres always new crews popping up. Los Angeles has some great things going on with Lights Down Low, Rhonda, Cyclone & IYKYK to name a few.

15. The most annoying thing happening in dance music currently is _____?

Copycats. There are tons of producers out there trying to sound like someone else. You can see right though it; it’s just lazy to me. Don’t be afraid to take risks, venture into the unknown.

16. Do you have guilty pleasure music?

I probably play OMC’s “How Bizarre” too much. 

17. The proudest moment of your career thus far?

Being able to put out music myself, setting up my own label.

18. What’s the best business decision you’ve ever made?

Also, starting my own label, 100%.

19. Who was your greatest mentor, and what was the best advice they gave you?

I would have to say my managers, they’ve been with me for over a decade now and started working with me when I hadn’t really released any music. They were the first people who saw a bigger picture with what I was doing, just the mere fact they believed in me changed my outlook, having a team has made the world of difference.

20. One piece of advice you’d give to your younger self?

Don’t let anyone else tell you what’s cool, decide for yourself. Also, you’re cool.

06 Apr 2023

Sire Records’ Top 50 Hot 100 Hits: Madonna, Pretenders, Depeche Mode, Talking Heads, Erasure & More

Sire Records, which Seymour Stein co-founded with Richard Gottehrer in 1967 as an independent label before it joined with Warner Bros. in 1976, has generated some of the biggest hits in Billboard Hot 100 history.

As reported April 2, Stein died at age 80. His legendary career began as an intern in Billboard’s New York offices, where, after school, he helped found the Hot 100. “The industry was looking for was a hotter, quicker way of getting chart information,” he recalled to Billboard in 2015. “I was just 16. From the time I was 9 years old, I knew I wanted to be in the music business.”

In honor of Stein’s legacy, Billboard has compiled Sire’s top 50 Hot 100 hits all-time, below.

Madonna is the queen of the recap, with 29 of the 50 songs, including nine of the top 10 and 20 of the top 25.

Of bringing Madonna to Sire, Stein said, “I signed her because I believed in Mark Kamins, who I thought was the greatest DJ, and he wanted to be a producer. So, I gave him some money to bring me an artist, and the third or fourth thing he brought me was Madonna. I was very involved in the beginning. Then I realized, ‘This woman is smarter than all of us. Just get out of her way.’”

“Seymour Stein Has Left Us! I need to catch my breath. He Was one of the most influential Men in my Life!! He changed and Shaped my world,” Madonna wrote in an Instagram post April 3, featuring a screenshot from her 1992 “Deeper and Deeper” video, in which Stein made a cameo.

“Not only did Seymour hear me but he Saw me and my Potential! For this I will be eternally grateful!,” she shared. “I am weeping as I write this down. Words cannot describe how I felt at this moment after years of grinding and being broke and getting every door slammed in my face. Anyone who knew Seymour knew about his passion for music and his impeccable taste. He had an Ear like no other!”

Among other acts on the retrospective below: Pretenders, Depeche Mode, Talking Heads, Erasure, Seal and the late Tommy Page, the latter of whom also worked at Billboard, as publisher in the early 2010s, and presented Stein with the first Billboard Industry Icon Award in 2012. (Wrote Stein in tribute in 2017, “One thing nearly everyone who knew him said about Tommy was that he made them feel special, that they were the only person in the room, and that’s just one reason why so many people adored him.”)

“We are so sorry to hear about the passing of legendary US music guru Seymour Stein, who was such a huge part of Erasure’s US success,” Erasure posted on its social media accounts April 3.

“Talking Heads are deeply saddened to learn that Seymour Stein has died,” the band wrote on Instagram April 3. “He was our champion. He fought bravely for us and he remained loyal to us until the end. Some people can spot a diamond in the rough and Seymour was one of them. He offered us a record deal after seeing us only one time at CBGB, before even we felt we were ready. He waited impatiently for eighteen months until we finally said yes to his offer.

“To hear him sing one of our own songs to us while barreling down Broadway in a Checker cab was one of our life’s great delights. We say this with respect to his beautiful daughter Mandy and to all of the Sire Records family. He was a mensch that we and the music business will never forget.”

Sire Records’ Top 50 Hot 100 Hits:

Rank, Title, Artist, Label Listing / Peak Pos., Date:

1, “Like a Virgin,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 1 (six weeks), 12/22/1984
2, “Vogue,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 1 (three weeks), 5/19/1990
3, “Take a Bow,” Madonna, Maverick/Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 1 (seven weeks), 2/25/1995
4, “Kiss From a Rose,” Seal, ZTT/Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 1 (one week), 8/26/1995
5, “Justify My Love,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 1 (two weeks), 1/5/1991
6, “Like a Prayer,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 1 (three weeks), 4/22/1989
7, “Papa Don’t Preach,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 1 (two weeks), 8/16/1986
8, “Live To Tell,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 1 (one week), 6/7/1986
9, “Pop Muzik,” M, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 1 (one week), 11/3/1979
10, “Open Your Heart,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 1 (one week), 2/7/1987

11, “Who’s That Girl,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 1 (one week), 8/22/1987
12, “Material Girl,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 2, 3/23/1985
13, “I’ll Be Your Everything,” Tommy Page, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 1 (one week), 4/14/1990
14, “I’ll Remember,” Madonna, Maverick/Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 2, 5/28/1994
15, “Causing a Commotion,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 2, 10/24/1987
16, “Express Yourself,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 2, 7/15/1989
17, “True Blue,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 3, 11/15/1986
18, “Cherish,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 2, 10/7/1989
19, “La Isla Bonita,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 4, 5/2/1987
20, “Secret,” Madonna, Maverick/Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 3, 11/5/1994

21, “Couldn’t Get It Right,” Climax Blues Band, Sire/ABC / No. 3, 5/21/1977
22, “Back on the Chain Gang,” Pretenders, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 5, 3/19/1983
23, “Angel,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 5, 6/29/1985
24, “This Used To Be My Playground,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 1 (one week), 8/8/1992
25, “Dress You Up,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 5, 10/5/1985
26, “Lucky Star,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 4, 10/20/1984
27, “Enjoy the Silence,” Depeche Mode, Sire/Reprise / No. 8, 7/14/1990
28, “Tainted Love,” Soft Cell, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 8, 7/17/1982
29, “Crazy,” Seal, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 7, 9/7/1991
30, “Hocus Pocus,” Focus, Sire/Famous / No. 9, 6/2/1973

31, “Don’t Get Me Wrong,” Pretenders, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 10, 12/27/1986
32, “Borderline,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 10, 6/16/1984
33, “Keep It Together,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 8, 3/31/1990
34, “Deeper and Deeper,” Madonna, Maverick/Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 7, 1/30/1993
35, “Burning Down the House,” Talking Heads, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 9, 10/22/1983
36, “People Are People,” Depeche Mode, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 13, 8/3/1985
37, “Erotica,” Madonna, Maverick/Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 3, 10/24/1992
38, “Chains of Love,” Erasure, Sire/Reprise / No. 12, 10/29/1988
39, “Brass in Pocket (I’m Special),” Pretenders, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 14, 5/31/1980
40, “I’ll Stand by You,” Pretenders, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 16, 12/3/1994

41, “A Little Respect,” Erasure, Sire/Reprise / No. 14, 3/4/1989
42, “Policy of Truth,” Depeche Mode, Sire/Reprise / No. 15, 10/20/1990
43, “Rescue Me,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 9, 3/23/1991
44, “Hanky Panky,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 10, 7/28/1990
45, “Holiday,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 16, 1/28/1984
46, “Get Over Yourself,” Eden’s Crush, 143/London-Sire / No. 8, 3/31/2001
47, “Wild Wild Life,” Talking Heads, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 25, 12/6/1986
48, “Oh Father,” Madonna, Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 20, 1/6/1990
49, “Middle of the Road,” Pretenders, Sire/London-Sire / No. 19, 2/11/1984
50, “Far Behind,” Candlebox, Maverick/Sire/Warner Bros. / No. 18, 10/1/1994

Sire Records’ Top 50 Hot 100 Hits recap is based on actual performance on the weekly Billboard Hot 100 chart. Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at No. 100 earning the least. To ensure equitable representation of the biggest hits from each era, certain time frames were weighted to account for the difference between turnover rates from those years.

06 Apr 2023

J. Ivy Talks Being the Grammy-Winning ‘Poet Who Sat by the Door’

“I’ve always known that I was supposed to make history,” says poet-author J. Ivy. His natural ability to convey myriad emotions through written and spoken word is why the Chicago native continues to captivate audiences after 30 years. Known to many as a pioneer of hip-hop poetry, he has shared the stage with icons such as Prince and Lauryn Hill and performed at special events for Michael Jordan and Deepak Chopra. 

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But perhaps Ivy’s biggest milestone occurred just two months ago at the 65th annual Grammy Awards. That’s when his sixth album, The Poet Who Sat by the Door, won the inaugural gramophone for best spoken word poetry album. Prior to that, poets and spoken word artists were grouped in the same category with audiobooks, storytelling and narration — including Dr. Maya Angelou, who had been the only Grammy-winning poet. However, thanks to Ivy’s lead and a petition supported by 100+ poets, the Recording Academy announced the addition of the best spoken word poetry album category last June.

“To stand in the footsteps of the great Dr. Maya Angelou is something that I’m still processing,” Ivy shares — as April, National Poetry Month, gets underway. “I would say I’ve dropped an ocean of tears. I have the opportunity and the responsibility to represent. To stand in this space and be able to make history … I understand what it is.”

The title of Ivy’s Grammy-winning album was inspired both by his role in establishing the new category and by the 1969 novel/1973 film The Spook Who Sat by the Door. The novel revolves around the exploits of fictional character Dan Freeman, the first Black CIA officer. “I was gathering information and giving it back to the poetry community,” Ivy recalls of creating and recording the album. “I kept cracking this joke, ‘I’m like the poet who sat by the door.’”

Produced primarily by R&B/hip-hop artist Sir the Baptist, Ivy’s latest opus features cogent lyrics about defiance, endurance, love, passion, oppression, faith, healing and redemption. Ivy called on “an amazing cast of creatives” to perform, including John Legend, Ledisi, PJ Morton, BJ The Chicago Kid and Ivy’s singer-songwriter wife Tarry Torae. As the first Black poet from Chicago to appear on Russell Simmons Presents HBO Def Poetry, Ivy remains true to showcasing the value of his craft.

“A lot of times poetry is the butt of the joke — and we’ve never been a joke,” he explains. “Poetry is the seed of every song ever written. Also every movie, every script, every commercial, every literature comes from poetry. It educates, documents history, entertains, changes and shifts lives in a positive way.”

Born James Ivy Richardson II, the artist credits his high school English teacher Paula Argue for pushing him to perform his poetry at the school’s Black History Month talent show. “What I learned is you’re not gon’ argue with somebody named Ms. Argue,” he says. After a surprise standing ovation, his destiny was set.

Ivy also shouts out Beyoncé for another early career milestone. “A very credible source,” he recalls, “told me that she was the one who told Kanye [West] to keep me on ‘Never Let Me Down.’” Ivy was featured along with Jay-Z on the track from 2004’s The College Dropout. 

“The same night I recorded ‘Never …’ is the same night I met John Stephens,” Ivy continues. “His music sounded like music my folks used to listen to back in the day. So I was like, ‘You sound like one of the legends.’ Everybody else [in the studio] is shouting him out like ‘John Stephens in the house.’ I was like, ‘John Legend.’ Everybody looked at me and back at him. Then Kanye said, ‘Man, you John Legend from now on.’”

In addition to his Grammy win, Ivy performed on and executive produced The Urban Hymnal by the Tennessee State University marching band. Also known as the Aristocrat of Bands, the group also made Grammy history this year as the first marching band to win the award for best gospel roots album.

“I’m just super grateful to be doing what I love,” says Ivy — who was also the lead writer, voice director and cast member on the 2022 Netflix docuseries, jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy. “It’s opened up a lot of doors.” 

Having recently celebrated J. Ivy Day in Chicago on March 3, his 47th birthday, Ivy has also been tapped as the new spokesperson for Bulleit Bourbon. Future plans include expanding beyond previous roles as writer and narrator of short films and documentaries to full-fledged movie actor. Between acting classes, Ivy will soon release the short film/music video for “Running.” It’s the first single from The Poet Who Sat by the Door and features Legend, Slick Rick and Verse. The video is directed by Ivy’s longtime friends and collaborators Coodie and Chike of jeen-yuhs fame. 

“It’s probably the only record in history with Slick Rick doing a poem,” notes Ivy.

Right now, the busy Ivy is on the road with his City Winery tour, named after the album and in celebration of the Grammy win. The multi-city tour kicked off in New York City on March 24. Upcoming dates include Boston (April 11) and Atlanta (4/23), with more to come. Performing poetry from his current album as well as popular pieces from past works, he’s accompanied by his band and Tarrey Torae on vocals.

“People are going to see me just pouring out all my gratitude,” declares Ivy. “I want to give the world an experience that they haven’t quite had with poetry. Poetry has saved my life; it’s carried me through the years. I just want to give all that back onstage.”