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12 Feb 2023

Chris Stapleton Brings the Crowd to Tears With National Anthem Performance at Super Bowl 2023

When it came time to kickstart Super Bowl 2023 on Sunday (Feb. 12), country superstar Chris Stapleton was more than up to the task.

Following the presentation of the colors, Stapleton appeared on the field dressed in all black with his trusty guitar in hand to give a rousing rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner.” Joining him on the field was Academy Award winning actor Troy Kotsur, who took home best supporting actor for his role in CODA, to offer an ASL interpretation of the national anthem.

Stapleton kept his performance simple, letting his gruff voice convey all of the raw emotion necessary for the national anthem, while his restrained guitar performance offered a further sense of gravitas to the set. A number of players and coaching staff — including the Eagles’ head coach Nick Sirianni — were seen crying on the sidelines during the country star’s performance.

Stapleton was one of three performers to open up the show at the 2023 Super Bowl: Abbott Elementary star and Broadway legend Sheryl Lee Ralph gave an emotional rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” while super-producer Babyface joined the pre-game ceremony to deliver his take of “America the Beautiful.” Later on in the evening, Rihanna is set to take the stage as this year’s halftime show performer.

Stapleton made history in November at the 2022 CMA Awards, becoming the first six-time winner of the prestigious artist of the year award, surpassing Vince Gill, Blake Shelton and George Straight, who all were tied with Stapleton for the record with five wins each.

Watch Stapleton’s emotional performance of “The Star Spangled Banner” above.

12 Feb 2023

Babyface Goes Acoustic for ‘America the Beautiful’ Performance at the 2023 Super Bowl

Babyface appeared at the 2023 Super Bowl to perform a stunning rendition of the patriotic classic “America the Beautiful” ahead of the championship football game on Sunday (Feb. 12).

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The R&B singer appeared at the stadium solo, wearing an all-black suit — and his signature angular black sunglasses — with nothing but an acoustic guitar painted with American flag motifs to accompany him during the performance. The “When Can I See You” singer’s rendition of the track was a peaceful one, featuring him playing the guitar and singing the song’s lyrics with the occasional high note and vocal runs for added flair.

Babyface, whose real name is Kenneth Brian Edmonds, was accompanied by sign language interpreter Colin Denny, a deaf member of the Navajo Nation in Arizona. Denny signed “America the Beautiful” in both American Sign Language and North American Indian Sign Language. 

Babyface has 12 Grammy Awards and five top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. His performance of “America the Beautiful” is just one of many musical moments taking place during the 2023 Super Bowl. Before the singer-producer sang for the stadium of fans, Sheryl Lee Ralph dazzled with a choir-backed performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Chris Stapleton’s performance of the National Anthem followed Babyface’s “America the Beautiful” rendition.

Halfway through the game, Rihanna will be taking the stage for the Apple Music Halftime Show for what she described as a “jam-packed” 13-minute medley of hits that span her entire catalog.

12 Feb 2023

Sheryl Lee Ralph Makes History With ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ Performance at 2023 Super Bowl

Sheryl Lee Ralph performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing” at Super Bowl 2023 Sunday (Feb. 12) from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

She delivered a robust performance with the help of a backup choir and American Sign Language performer Justina Miles, taking everyone in the stadium — and the 100 million estimated television viewers at home — to church instead.

“Let our rejoicing rise/ High as the listening skies,” she bellowed of the uplifting lyrics. While wearing a magnificent off-the-shoulder red and black jumpsuit with matching puffy gloves, the Emmy award-winning Abbott Elementary actress looked like a winner hours before either the Philadelphia Eagles or Kansas City Chiefs would be declared the evening’s victors.

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“Lift Every Voice and Sing” is a hymn written by James Weldon Johnson that’s often referred to as the “Black national anthem” because the “lyrics eloquently captured the solemn yet hopeful appeal for the liberty of Black Americans” and was “prominently used as a rallying cry during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s,” according to the NAACP.

Ralph made history on game day by becoming the first Black person to perform “Lift Every Voice and Sing” on the field before the Super Bowl. Two years ago, Alicia Keys became the first person to perform the anthem during the Super Bowl primetime telecast in a pre-recorded video. Last year, Mary Mary did the honors from outside Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium.

Watch Ralph’s performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” above.

12 Feb 2023

Cardi B & Offset Reveal What Makes Their Relationship So Strong (Despite Their Very Different McDonald’s Orders)

For Cardi B and Offset, quality time is the most important love language. With their busy schedules, they can enjoy a moment of peace at date night — particularly at McDonald’s.

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The powerhouse couple stars in the popular fast food restaurant’s new Super Bowl LVII commercial on Sunday (Feb. 12) dedicated to a true sign of love in a relationship, which, of course, is knowing each other’s McDonald’s order.

“I think we’ve been to McDonald’s 200 million times,” Cardi tells Billboard of why her and Offset’s partnership with the restaurant was such a natural fit, noting that the duo have “different taste palates,” with the “I Like It” rapper feeling a bit more adventurous when it comes to cuisine and the Migos rapper opting to keep it simple.

“That’s the thing about McDonald’s is that we both eat it,” Cardi shares with a laugh. “I might suggest a different restaurant and if we get to the restaurant and the menu’s a little weird and Offset doesn’t like the food, he just looks at me.”

Offset then chimes in, “I’m a Plain Jane type of guy. I don’t like to do too much. I’m also a texture type of guy. I don’t like slimy food like oysters and stuff like that. It’s all in my head and it just tastes nasty automatically.”

As a result, the duo have created their own Cardi B & Offset Meal at McD’s, which includes a blend of each of their go-to menu items plus their favorites to split on date night. The meal is perfect for sharing with your loved one, best friend or anyone who means a lot to you.

In Cardi B’s section of the meal, fans will get a classic McDonald’s cheeseburger, paired with tangy BBQ sauce and a large Coca-Cola. Offset’s meal, meanwhile, has a Quarter Pounder with cheese and a large Hi-C Orange Lavaburst juice. To top things off, the meal comes with a large order of french fries and a flakey apple pie to share. The meal will be available starting, fittingly, on Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) and will be served in cute packaging inspired by the season of love.

Cardi B, Offset

The Cardi B & Offset Meal

Courtesy of McDonald’s

And, yes, Cardi and Offset even weighed in on the age-old debate about whether or not they like to share their fries. “As a man, you got your girl, you better share them fries, boy,” Offset warns his fellow men out there.

Cardi, however, feels differently. “I’m not even going to lie to you. Offset is nice to share his fries, but I don’t like to share my fries with him. I don’t care!” she explains. “When I share my fries, it’s not like he takes two or three fries. He takes 10 fries at a time. That bothers me. I don’t care. I’mma say it. I’m not sharing my fries!”

Despite their differing opinions on the etiquette surrounding french fries, Cardi and Offset’s bond is as strong as ever, which they attribute to being honest and having open communication. “We’ve been through a lot with each other,” Offset shares. “Some people in Hollywood live through Hollywood, but we live through each other and keep our stuff at home good. We go through ups and downs at home but have a great support system. Everybody listens to each other and have each other’s back. At the end of the day, our mission is to be successful and take care of the family.”

He also makes sure that no matter what he has going on, he will always make time to hang out with his wife and the couple’s two kids, four-year-old daughter Kulture and one-year-old son Wave. “I got to be with my baby. I can’t go too long without her,” the rapper says of Cardi. “If I have to travel and jump on a jet just to get back home, I will. We got the kids at home. That’s why we’re always together. We have to make sure they’re good, because we don’t want to be the parents who are always missing from their kids. We work and come right back home, because it’s really important.”

Watch the duo in the new McDonald’s commercial below, and check out a behind-the-scenes Q&A, where Cardi B and Offset dish on their relationship here.

12 Feb 2023

Dave Jolicoeur, De La Soul’s Trugoy the Dove, Dies at 54

De La Soul‘s Trugoy the Dove, who also went by the name Dave, has died, a representative for the legendary New York hip-hop trio confirms to Billboard. His death was first reported on Sunday (Feb. 12).

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The death of Trugoy the Dove, born David Jolicoeur, comes just weeks before De La Soul’s classic catalog is set to finally arrive on streaming and digital platforms on March 3, following a 2021 deal with Reservoir Media.

Dave’s cause of death had not been made known as of press time.

“This one hurts,” Erick Sermon, former EPMD member and renowned producer, wrote on Instagram on Sunday. “From Long Island from one of the best rap groups in Hiphop #Delasoul #plug2 Dave has passed away you will be missed… RIP.”

With a career spanning more than three decades, De La Soul is known as one of hip-hop’s most innovative and eclectic groups. Formed in 1988 in the Amityville area of Long Island, Dave (Trugoy the Dove) and members Posdnuos and Maseo met in high school and went on to impress local producer Prince Paul, who circulated their demo tape. They landed a deal with Tommy Boy Records.

Their 1989 debut — the album 3 Feet High and Rising, peaking at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 24 on the Billboard 200 — featured the breakthrough single “Me Myself and I,” which topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, reached No. 34 on the Hot 100 and was nominated for a best rap performance Grammy. 3 Feet High and Rising is often cited as the start of what’s referred to as “alternative hip-hop.”

But music industry red tape and sample clearances prevented their back catalog from becoming available on digital marketplaces and streaming services, until the rights to Tommy Boy were acquired by the music rights firm Reservoir Media in 2021.

De La Soul secured a deal to retrieve their masters, allowing their first six albums to become available via their label AOI, distributed by Chrysalis Records. The trio’s first six albums are scheduled to arrive in full on streaming on March 3. 

In an interview with Billboard published in January, Dave reflected on De La Soul’s debut. “I think 3 Feet High and Rising, as much as people might claim it to be a hip-hop masterpiece – it’s a hip-hop masterpiece for the era in which it was released,” he said.

“I think the element of that time of what was taking place in music, hip-hop, and our culture, I think it welcomed that and opened up minds and spirits to see and try new different things,” Dave noted in the conversation with Billboard. “I think releasing 3 Feet High and Rising right now, even to maybe the age group that was listening back then, I think hip-hop as a whole just wouldn’t get it. I think hip-hop would possibly look at it as obnoxious, soft, that kind of thing. But I think it’s also because where we’re at in hip-hop right now, hip-hop is about what you got on, who you’re impressing, what can you do, how much you got, how much you’re spending, and how much is in that bag that you got around you? I don’t think the impact of what 3 Feet High and Rising and what it meant back then would mean anything now. I feel like there are people who will get it, but I don’t know if there’s that acclaim to it in this day and age if it was something we’d never heard before.”

Dave added, “I think the innocence that we had back then was brave, but we were in a time where innocence was so cool. Not sampling James Brown, but sampling Liberace; I think it was shocking [when] we came out [that] we sampled Liberace. I don’t know if it’d impact the same way [now].”

“But the magic happens with us three on the phone, in the same conversation, in the room together, in the studio, and hanging out on the tour bus,” said Dave. “That’s where the magic happens, so that’s why we’re still here. We don’t want to interrupt that magic.”

12 Feb 2023

Dave Jolicoeur AKA Trugoy The Dove Dead At 54

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De La Soul 2019

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Dave Jolicoeur, also known as Trugoy The Dove of De La Soul fame, has died. Details are still unknown to the masses but the news is jarring to most considering the veteran Hip-Hop collective was set to release its classic catalog of music to streaming services next month.

Dave Jolicoeur was one of the founding members of De La Soul, joining forces in Long Island, N.Y., and released eight studio albums over the course of three decades along with EPs, singles, compilations, and one solo live recording.

Jolicoeur battled health problems in recent years including sharing news of his struggles with congestive heart failure in 2018. The trio also remained an active touring act for much of their career before Jolicoeur’s health slowed the group’s output. Still, there were recent whispers that new music would be on the horizon along with the release of their back catalog.

The group’s music has largely been missing from streaming services and after a long legal battle, De La Soul obtained the rights to the album’s releases via Tommy Boy Records and are slated to drop on DSPs on March 3.

Our hearts are with the family and friends of Dave Jolicoeur as they mourn this tremendous loss.

Dave Jolicoeur was 54.

h/t: AllHipHop

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Photo Getty

12 Feb 2023

Fans Choose Mariah Carey’s ‘It’s a Wrap’ EP as This Week’s Favorite New Music

Mariah Carey‘s new EP, It’s a Wrap, has topped this week’s new music poll.

Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (Feb. 10) on Billboard, choosing the iconic singer-songwriter’s new four-track project as their favorite new music release of the past week.

Carey’s EP brough in 70% of the vote, beating out new music from Taylor Swift (“Lavender Haze (Felix Jaehn Remix)”), Paramore (This Is Why), Dove Cameron and Khalid (“We Go Down Together”), Lizzo featuring SZA (“Special (Remix)”), and others.

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It’s a Wrap contains the original album cut from 2009’s Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel and the Mary J. Blige-assisted remix originally included as a bonus track on 2014’s Me. I Am Mariah… The Elusive Chanteuse, as well as a TikTok-friendly sped-up version and a new three-minute edit of the song.

The EP arrives on the heels of Mimi turning the fan favorite into a viral hit, thanks to the “It’s a Wrap” TikTok challenge she launched after the start of the new year. In addition to giving Carey a dose of post-holiday glee as she watched thousands of Lambs lip-synch to the song, the challenge also gave “It’s a Wrap” a massive streaming bump, earning more than 1 million weekly streams as of the start of February.

Trailing behind Carey on the fan-voted poll was a dance-heavy remix of Swift’s Midnights opener “Lavender Haze.” The remix by Felix Jaehn brought in nearly 15% of the vote.

See the final results of this week’s new music release poll below.

12 Feb 2023

SZA’s ‘SOS’ Jumps Back to No. 1 for Eighth Week Atop Billboard 200 Chart

SZA’s SOS jumps back to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Feb. 18), collecting an eighth nonconsecutive week atop the list. It earned 100,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Feb. 9 (up less than 1%), according to Luminate.

The last album by a woman with eight weeks at No. 1 was Taylor Swift’s Folklore, more than two years ago, as it notched its eighth and final week atop the list on the chart dated Oct. 31, 2020.

Also in the top 10 on the new Billboard 200, Shania Twain captures her sixth top 10-charting album, as her latest studio effort, Queen of Me, debuts at No. 10.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Feb. 18, 2023-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Tuesday (Feb. 14). For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

Of SOS’ 100,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Feb. 9, SEA units comprise 99,000 (up less than 1%, equaling 135.4 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks), album sales comprise 500 (up 2%) and TEA units comprise 500 (up 8%). SOS has yet to be released for sale on any configuration other than a digital download album.

The last R&B/hip-hop album with at least eight weeks atop the list was Drake’s Views, which 13 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 (May 21-Oct. 8, 2016). SOS has the most weeks at No. 1 for an R&B/hip-hop album by a woman, or an R&B album by a woman, since Mariah Carey’s Music Box spent eight nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 in late 1993 and early 1994. SOS has the most weeks at No. 1 for an R&B album by any act since Usher‘s Confessions ruled for nine nonconsecutive weeks in 2004.

R&B/hip-hop and R&B albums are defined as those that have hit or are eligible for Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and Top R&B Albums charts, respectively.

Four former No. 1s trail SZA, as Swift’s Midnights rises 3-2 (62,000 equivalent album units; down 9%), TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION falls 1-3 (48,000; down 70%), Morgan Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album climbs 6-4 (46,000; up 8%) and Metro Boomin’s Heroes & Villains dips 4-5 (nearly 46,000; down 3%).

The Weeknd’s The Highlights vaults 41-6 with 45,000 equivalent album units earned (up 207%). The best-of effort contains such hits as “Blinding Lights” and the resurgent “Die for You” (from The Weeknd’s studio albums After Hours and Starboy, respectively). On the new chart, the TEA and SEA units for those songs contribute to The Highlights, as a song’s activity is assigned to the artist’s album with the most traditional album sales in a week. (The Highlights sold nearly 1,000 copies in the latest tracking week, while After Hours and Starboy each sold under 1,000.) A week ago, the TEA and SEA for the songs were directed to After Hours and Starboy, respectively, as they outsold The Highlights that week.

Bad Bunny’s chart-topping Un Verano Sin Ti rises 8-7 with 45,000 equivalent album units earned (up 16%), while Drake and 21 Savage’s former leader Her Loss falls 5-8 with 43,000 (down 2%).

Harry Styles’ former No. 1 Harry’s House returns to the top 10, climbing 13-9 (38,000; up 51%), following its win for album of the year at the Grammy Awards (Feb. 5). The set also took home the trophy for best pop vocal album, while Styles additionally performed on the show, singing the set’s single “As It Was.”

Twain closes out the top 10 of the new Billboard 200, as her latest studio album, Queen of Me, debuts at No. 10 with 38,000 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, album sales comprise 34,000; SEA units comprise 3,500 (equaling 4.92 million official on-demand streams of the set’s tracks) and TEA units comprise 500. Twain previously visited the top 10 with Now (No. 1 in 2017), Greatest Hits (No. 2; 2004), Up! (No. 1, 2002), Come On Over (No. 2, 1997) and The Woman In Me (No. 5, 1996).

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

12 Feb 2023

Megan Fox Sparks Machine Gun Kelly Breakup Rumors After Deleting Their Photos & Quoting Beyonce’s ‘Lemonade’

Are Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox calling it quits?

Rumors about a possible breakup between the pop-punk star and actress are swirling after Fox posted a cryptic message to social media on Sunday (Feb. 12) quoting lyrics from Beyonce‘s 2016 Lemonade song “Pray You Catch Me.”

“You can taste the dishonesty/ it’s all over your breath,” Fox captioned the Instagram post, which included photos of herself looking fierce and a video of a burning envelope.

Fox’s followers quickly took to the comments section of her post, with one fan suggesting that MGK cheated on the actress. “He probably got with Sophie,” the user wrote. Fox jokingly responded, “Maybe I got with Sophie,” alongside a fire emoji.

To further ignite the split rumors, Fox also deleted all photos and videos of herself with Kelly on Instagram, including their engagement announcement from January 2022. The actress also began following Eminem, who has a history of beef with MGK.

Kelly’s Instagram still featured photos of himself with Fox at press time. Billboard has reached out to the rapper-singer’s representatives for comment.

Kelly and Fox first met in spring 2020 while they were filming the movie Midnight in the Switchgrass in Puerto Rico. The pair began officially dating that summer and later got engaged in January 2022. Fox was previously married to actor Brian Austin Green, with whom she shares three young sons. Kelly has a teenage daughter.

See Fox’s post on Instagram below.

12 Feb 2023

Super Bowl Synch Report: Sony Leads Publishers as Marketers Tap Feel-Good Tracks, ’90s Nostalgia

Uber Eats’ commercial featuring Diddy, Montell Jordan, “The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?),” the guy who sings “What Is Love,” an oddly-timed haircut and two pineapples may be the first clue that Super Bowl ads are going lighter in 2023 — a pattern reflected in the music synchs for the big game.

After three years of the pandemic, Jordan’s 1995 smash “This Is How We Do It” and Kelis’ 2003 hit “Milkshake,” both Universal Music Publishing Group synchs used in the Uber Eats spot, represent a shift from apocalyptic and inspirational Super Bowl commercials and soundtracks starring old-timey crooners and string sections to familiar, upbeat hits and plentiful comedy.

“Humor remains the dominant theme this year,” says Tom Eaton, senior vp of music for advertising for UMPG, which represents the Jordan and Kelis tracks and suggested them to the brand’s music supervisors. “There have been a few sentimental commercials, but the vast majority have trended towards humor — and music can be such an important aspect of creating that mood.”

“I haven’t seen that heightened seriousness, which I think is a good thing,” adds Keith D’Arcy, senior vp of sync and creative services for Warner Chappell Music, whose synchs at this year’s Super Bowl include DMX‘s “What’s My Name,” for a Downy spot starring Danny McBride. “The country is in a good place where we’re more inclined to want to laugh and celebrate.”

That means lots of feel-good tracks, many of which were released in the ‘90s – from “What’s My Name” and “This is How We Do It” to a Clueless throwback ad for Rakuten starring Alicia Silverstone and Supergrass‘ 1995 U.K. hit “Alright.” The ’90s trend may have begun last year with Doja Cat‘s cover of Hole‘s “Celebrity Skin” for Taco Bell, says Rob Christensen, executive vp and head of global synch for Kobalt, whose lone synch this year is soul singer Lee Fields’ “Forever” for pet-food brand The Farmer’s Dog. “The ’90s are back,” he says. “That seems to be around pop culture everywhere right now.”

“It’s cyclical,” adds Scott Cresto, executive vp of synchronization and marketing for Reservoir Media, which has three synchs, including a Pringles spot with Meghan Trainor singing Tina Turner‘s “The Best.” “Most folks’ favorite music is from [ages] 13 to 30. They’re down the line in their careers and making the decisions and picking their favorite songs.”

Although not all final synch tallies for nationally televised spots were available at press time — publishing execs say permissions and requests for songs were unusually late this year, including a rush job that came in from an agency this past Monday — Sony Music Publishing (SMP) scored the most with 15, UMPG had seven, Warner Chappell Music had six or seven, BMG landed five, Primary Wave and Reservoir had three apiece and Kobalt had one. 

Despite inflation, layoffs, high interest rates and sporadic recession talk, synch rates were stable this year, according to publishers. “It’s in line with past Super Bowl campaigns,” says Marty Silverstone, partner/senior vp creative/head of synch for Primary Wave, whose synchs include Missy Elliott‘s “We Run This” for Google Pixel. Adds Dan Rosenbaum, vp of licensing and advertising, for BMG, whose synchs include Supergrass’ “Alright” and co-writes for Turner’s “The Best” and Elliott’s “We Run This”: “Recognizability is so important in commercial usage. If that song is going to work for them, they’ll pay the price.” 

Super Bowl LVII is the first since Kate Bush‘s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” landed on Stranger Things in May 2022, became a No. 1 hit and unexpectedly dominated the synch business. Do publishers believe the big game, for which 30-second ads cost a reported $7 million, will have a similar impact for their songs? Yes and no.

“That Kate Bush song wasn’t well-known and the show blew it up. On the Super Bowl, they play it a little more safe by using more tried-and-true hits,” says Brian Monaco, president/global chief marketing officer for SMP, which represents Len‘s “Steal My Sunshine” (for a Sam Adams spot), Sarah McLachlan‘s “Angel” (Busch) and Olivia Rodrigo‘s “Good 4 U” (Pepsi). “On a TV show, it’s a little easier, because the fees are lower. If it doesn’t work, you’re on to the next one.”

Despite SMP’s success at landing Super Bowl synchs this year, Monaco’s staff was unable to successfully pitch one key artist: Bruce Springsteen, who sold his music rights to the company for a reported $550 million in 2021. “It just didn’t fit,” he says, while noting that even for a superstar like Springsteen, getting a Super Bowl synch is a coveted career highlight: “Everyone’s hope — every writer, every artist — is the Super Bowl platform. We need more big events like this to get more music played.”