News
U.S. Vinyl Album Sales Rise for 17th Straight Year — But Growth Is Slowing
In 2022, for the second year in a row — and only the second year since Luminate began tracking music sales in 1991 — vinyl albums outsold CD albums in the U.S. Vinyl continues to be the leading format for album purchases for the second straight year, according to figures announced in the U.S. 2022 Luminate Year-End Music Report.
Vinyl was the dominant format for album purchases in the U.S. up until the early 1980s. After that, cassettes took hold until the early 1990s, when the CD format blossomed and remained king until 2021.
Further, vinyl album sales grew for a 17th consecutive year in the U.S., with Taylor Swift’s Midnights ruling as the top-selling vinyl LP in 2022. It sold 945,000 copies last year — the largest yearly sales total for a vinyl album since Luminate began tracking sales in 1991.
Growth for the format is slowing, though. Following a 51.4% year-over-year increase in vinyl album sales in 2021 and a 46.2% year-over-year increase in 2020, sales in 2022 rose just 4.2% over the year. Whether that’s due to slowing demand or supply issues that more pressing plants could help alleviate — it marks a significant deceleration following a pandemic-fueled period of rapid expansion.
17 YEARS OF VINYL GROWTH: 43.46 million vinyl albums were sold in 2022 (up 4.2% from 41.72 million in 2021). 2022 was the 17th consecutive year vinyl album sales grew in the U.S., and the largest year for vinyl album sales since Luminate began tracking data in 1991. Plus, vinyl LP sales posted their single-largest sales week of the Luminate era when 2.232 million vinyl albums were sold in the week ending Dec. 22.
43% OF ALL ALBUMS SOLD WERE VINYL LPS: Vinyl album sales comprised 43.4% of all album purchases in the U.S. in 2022 (43.46 million of 100.09 million total sales across all formats — both digital and physical). Vinyl LPs accounted for 54.4% of all physical albums sold last year (43.46 million of 79.89 million; physical albums include CDs, vinyl LPs, cassette tapes and other niche physical formats). Both sums are Luminate-era records for vinyl’s share of the album sales market in the U.S.
In 2022 there were a total of 88 albums that sold at least 50,000 copies on vinyl — up from 87 in 2021. To compare, only 56 albums in the CD format sold at least 50,000 copies in 2022 (down from 67 in 2021).
ONLY HALF OF U.S. VINYL BUYERS OWN A RECORD PLAYER: While vinyl album sales continue to gain each year in the U.S., only half of those fans buying records actually own a vinyl record player, according to a research survey commissioned by Luminate. Last September, the firm published the statistic as part of its U.S. Music 360 2022 – Wave 2 report. Of those respondents over the age of 13 who had purchased vinyl in the previous 12 months, there was a question asked about which devices they owned, and only 50% said they owned a record player. Total respondents for the Music 360 study: 3,992.
NEARLY HALF OF ALL VINYL ALBUMS WERE SOLD AT INDIE STORES: in 2022, 48% of all vinyl albums sold in the U.S. were purchased at independent record stores (20.92 million of 43.46 million). The second-largest seller of vinyl LPs in 2022 was Luminate’s category of Internet/mail order/venue, which accounted for 32.8% of the market (14.26 million of 43.46 million). Sales included in the Internet/mail order/venue category include those generated by mail-order websites like Amazon, Target.com and Walmart.com, official artist web stores and merchandise stands at concert venues. In third place was the mass merchant category, which includes in-store sales at stores like Target and Walmart. The segment had 13.6% of vinyl album sales in 2022 (5.90 million of 43.46 million).
ROCK RULES: Among Luminate’s core music genres measured, rock music accounted for a leading 51.83% of all vinyl albums sold in 2022 (22.52 million of 43.46 million). That’s essentially the same volume as in 2021 when rock accounted for 51.78% of all vinyl albums sold (21.60 million of 41.72 million). The second-biggest genre for vinyl album sales in 2022 — and in 2021 — was R&B/hip-hop, which accounted for 17.59% of the market last year (7.65 million of 43.46 million). In 2021, R&B/hip-hop held 17.38% (7.25 million of 41.72 million). R&B/hip-hop is an umbrella genre that includes most R&B and/or rap albums.
‘MIDNIGHTS’ IS MASSIVE: The top-selling vinyl album of 2022 is Swift’s Midnights, with 945,000 copies sold across all of its vinyl variants and editions (see top 10 list, below). Midnights has the largest yearly sales total for a vinyl album since Luminate began tracking sales in 1991. The set also posted the single-largest sales week for a vinyl LP in Luminate history, when it launched with 575,000 copies in its first week.
TOP 10 SELLING VINYL ALBUMS OF 2022 IN U.S.
1. Taylor Swift, Midnights (945,000)
2. Harry Styles, Harry’s House (480,000)
3. Olivia Rodrigo, Sour (263,000)
4. Kendrick Lamar, good kid, m.A.A.d city (254,000)
5. Fleetwood Mac, Rumours (243,000)
6. Tyler, the Creator, Call Me If You Get Lost (211,000)
7. Taylor Swift, Folklore (174,000)
8. Tyler, the Creator, Igor (172,000)
9. Michael Jackson, Thriller (168,000)
10. The Beatles, Abbey Road (160,000)
Source: Luminate, for the tracking period Dec. 31, 2021, through Dec. 29, 2022.
Eight of the year-end top 10-selling vinyl albums saw their sales enhanced by their availability across multiple variants (including assorted color-vinyl editions). Among the top 10 vinyl sellers, only Tyler, the Creator’s Call Me If You Get Lost (No. 6) and Igor (No. 8) were available in one iteration each.
Midnights, for example, was available in four vinyl LP editions, each with a different cover and colored vinyl (dubbed Moonstone Blue Edition, Jade Green Edition, Mahogany Edition and Blood Moon Edition). Target stores also carried an exclusive colored-vinyl Lavender Edition. To further enhance sales, Swift’s official web store sold signed copies of the four standard vinyl LPs during a pre-order window before the album launched. As previously reported when the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, some superfans may have been motivated to purchase all four vinyl variants, as the back covers of the albums fit together like a puzzle to display a clock face (a literal reference to Midnights). Swift shared the news through her social media in mid-September, saying: “If you put all the back covers together, she’s a clock. It’s a clock… It makes a clock.” (Swift’s official web store previously sold hardware to hold the four CDs or the four vinyl LPs together as a wall clock.)
SWIFT IS QUEEN OF VINYL: Swift sold the most vinyl albums among all acts in 2022 in the U.S., with 1.695 million sold across her entire catalog of albums. (She sold more vinyl LPs last year than the next two biggest sellers on vinyl combined: Harry Styles with 719,000 and The Beatles with 553,000.) Swift loomed so large on vinyl in 2022 that one of every 25 vinyl LPs sold last year in the U.S. was a Swift album (1.695 million of 43.46 million).
Swift has six of the year’s top 40-selling vinyl albums — Midnights (No. 1; 945,000), Folklore (No. 7; 174,000), Red (Taylor’s Version) (No. 11; 153,000), Evermore (No. 14; 134,000), Fearless (Taylor’s Version) (No. 30; 97,000) and Lover (No. 36; 91,000). Styles and Kendrick Lamar have the second-most titles among the year’s top 40-selling vinyl LPs, with three each.
Luminate began tracking music sales in 1991 when the company was known as SoundScan. Luminate’s sales, streaming and airplay data is used to compile Billboard’s weekly charts. Luminate’s 2022 tracking year ran from Dec. 31, 2021, through Dec. 29, 2022. Luminate is an independently operated company owned by PME TopCo, a PMC subsidiary and joint venture between Penske Media Corporation and Eldridge. Billboard is an independently operated company owned by PME Holdings, a subsidiary of PME TopCo.
50 Cent Apologizes to Megan Thee Stallion for Trey Songz Shooting Meme: ‘Now I Know What Happened’
50 Cent is walking back his words about Megan Thee Stallion.
In a radio interview with Big Boy, published Wednesday (Jan. 11), the “In da Club” rapper shared that he now feels compelled to apologize to Megan for believing she lied about having an intimate relationship with Tory Lanez, now that the trial has revealed more details regarding the 2020 shooting.
“I’m gonna apologize to Megan Thee Stallion,” 50 told Big Boy (at the 7:50 mark of the interview above). “I said some things, and it was because… On social media I posted things that — when she was with Gayle [King] — she said, ‘Were you intimate with Tory Lanez?’ And she said, ‘What?’ and it was like, ‘No.’ And I was like, ‘Ah, she lying.’ At that point I knew she was lying, it wouldn’t be no reason for them to be around each other. From that, it felt like she was lying, to me.”
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The Power actor added that he “should apologize to her, because when I heard the [jail] phone conversation [between Lanez and Meg’s former best friend Kelsey Harris] … That made me feel like, ‘Oh sh–, now I know what happened.’ I’m sure that was probably what swayed people in court too.”
50 Cent’s apology comes after he shared a meme to Instagram in December comparing Megan to Jussie Smollett, the former Empire actor who lied about being physically attacked in a 2019 hate crime that included both racist and homophobic slurs. “Damn I’m confused all this sh– going around I don’t know what to think LOL,” he wrote at the time.
A verdict was reached in Megan and Lanez’s trial on Dec. 23: Lanez was found guilty of assault with a semiautomatic firearm; carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle; and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. He faces up to 22 years in prison, with his sentencing taking place Jan. 27.
Watch 50 Cent’s interview in the video above.
Lunar New Year: 23 Gifts to Celebrate the Year of the Rabbit
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Happy Lunar New Year! If you’re not familiar with Lunar New Year, which starts Jan. 22, the annual celebration — also known as Chinese New Year — follows the lunar calendar. It contains 354 days, versus the 365-day Gregorian calendar that you might be more familiar with.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
2023 marks the Year of the Rabbit, an animal that symbolizes patience, longevity, peace and luck. The Chinese zodiac is separated into 12 astrological signs that are governed by different animals like the tiger, rat, snake, horse, ox and monkey. The astrological calendar repeats itself every 12 years, which means that there are a lot of people who were born in years that correspond with the rabbit. (Of course, you don’t have to be born during a rabbit year to get a gift.) In China, where Lunar New Year celebrations can last up to 16 days, the color red represents happiness, success, vitality, beauty and good luck, which is why most Lunar New Year products feature red coloring.
Below, find a curated list of Lunar New Year gifts.
LEGO
LEGO Lunar New Year Display Set
The LEGO Lunar New Year Display set makes a great gift and a fun family activity. The 872-piece set includes two separate structures that can be displayed together or separately and feature traditional, festive symbols including koi fish for good luck, buildable golden ingots in the traditional Yuan Bao design, red pockets symbolizing good wishes and fortune, the “Zhao Cai Jin Bao” greeting that welcomes fortune and treasures into the home, peony flowers (representing wealth and prosperity) and the greeting “Hua Kai Fu Gui,” meaning blooming prosperity and happiness. The Lunar New Year Display is available at Lego.com, Target and Walmart.
Kate Spade
Kate Spade Year of the Rabbit Mini Pendant
New year, new jewelry! This Year of the Rabbit Mini Pendant from Kate Spade is made from plated gold and cubic zerconia with a lobster closure (the chain measures 16 inches with a 3-inch extender). Kate Spade’s Lunar New Year collection includes a Year of the Rabbit Studs ($48) and matching cocktail ring ($128), a Lunar New Year Bunny Ring Stand ($38), Fluff Embellished Faux Fur Small Bucket Bag ($448). Shop the full collection here.
shopDisney
Disney Year of the Rabbit Lunar New Year Mini Backpack
If you love Disney, this mini backpack will help you bounce into the new year with style! The Loungefly Mini Backpack for Lunar New Year 2023 boasts a square design, golden trims with an envelope-style front and features Judy Hopps from Zootopia and the White Rabbit and it matches perfectly with this $36 White Rabbit shirt. Shop Disney’s 2023 Lunar New Year Collection here.
Fossil
Fossil Lunar New Year Townsman Stainless Steel Watch
Looking for a new watch? Fossil’s Lunar New Year Townsman Automatic Stainless Steel Watch is designed with a rabbit-shaped window cutout and it comes in a specially designed tin box. Click here to shop men’s and women’s watches and other items in the collection.
Redbubble
Celebrating the Year of the Rabbit iPhone Case
This iPhone case is a subtle way to welcome in the Lunar New Year. The Year of the Rabbit case from Redbubble features two adorable bunnies bundles up in winter gear.
Amazon
BEXOA New Year Kawaii Rabbit Keychain
This bunny keychain is to cute not to buy! The keychain is available in multiple colors including green, yellow, black, red and pink.
Amazon
JHkim 2023 Chinese New Year Rabbit Mascot Zodiac Bunny Plush
Another cute gift idea from Amazon, this stuffed plushy doubles as a decorative piece. The 8-inch rabbit is made with a blend of cotton and short plush.
Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren Lunar New Year Wool Cashmere Sweater
The Ralph Lauren Lunar New Year collection includes cashmere sweaters, polo shirts, sweatpants and more in vibrant red, black and white. The classic, cable knit sweater above is available in sizes XS-XXL and accented with the brand’s signature embroidered Pony. Click here to shop the full collection.
The North Dace
The North Face Men’s Lunar New Year Pullover Hoodie
Channel the Year of the Rabbit in this pullover hoodie from The North Face. The hoodie is available in red or black in sizes ranging from XS-XXL.
New Balance
New Balance Lunar New Year 574 Sneakers
There are a bunch of Lunar New Year sneaker drops to shop for the Year of the Rabbit, like Nike’s Lunar New Year editions of the Air Dunks and Air Jordans coming soon. In the meantime, New Balance dropped a new collection that includes the Lunar New Year 574 sneakers — an all-time classic sneaker with a rich pigskin and mesh material construction and available in crimson red and mindful grey.
Our Place
Our Place Rice Bowl Set
For the foodies! Our Place launched a deliciously festive Lunar New Year Collection on Jan. 11, which includes Year of the Rabbit-inspired rice bowls designed and hand-glazed by artist Vanilla Chi, bamboo chopsticks with stoneware chopstick rests and the best-selling Always Pan ($145) and Perfect Pot ($165) in firecracker red.
Pandora
Pandora Shining Rabbit Charm
Give the gift of a Pandora’s Shining Rabbit Charm for Lunar New Year! This particular design commemorates the year of the rabbit, but you can get the charms in any of the signs in the Chinese zodiac. Each charm is finished in 14k gold plating with brilliant-cut, clear cubic zirconia eyes.
NARS
NARS Lunar New Year Makeup Brushes
This Lunar New Year Brush Set from NARS features four, full-sized brushes with specially designed “New Year red” handles.
Pat McGrath Labs
Pat McGrath Labs Lunar New Year Venus in Fleurs Luxe Quad: Voyeuristic Vixen Eyeshadow Palette
Inspired by “the joy” of 2023, the Pat McGrath Lunar Lab’s New Year Everything Kit ($115) includes limited editions of Matta Trance Lipstick in Rouge 8 red, the Venus in Fleurs Luxe Quad: Voyeuristic Vixen eyeshadow palette featured above and blurring powder. The Lunar New Year collection is sold separately and as a set. See the full collection here.
Neiman Marcus
Sugarfina Lunar New Year 2-Piece Bento Box
Start the year off on a sweet note! You can’t go wrong with Sugarfina’s Lunar New Year 2-Piece Bento Box.
Williams Sonoma
Williams Sonoma Lunar New Year Tea Set
A gift for tea drinkers. This intricately designed, porcelain tea set from Williams Sonoma includes fours cups and saucers and a tea pot. Williams-Sonoma’s collection includes dinnerware, flatware, table runners and more inspired by Lunar New Year. Click here to shop the collection, and here for a more affordable tea set.
Coach
Coach Lunar New Year Mini Wallet With Chain
Coach is another brand with an extensive selection of Lunar New Year items, such as this adorable mini wallet covered with pink bunnies. The mini wallet has a detachable chain and it’s on sale for just $60 at the Coach Outlet. Click here for more items from the Lunar New Year Collection.
Estee Lauder
Estee Lauder Limited Edition Lunar New Year Lipstick
Speaking of makeup, Estée Lauder’s Lunar New Year Lipstick is a nice gift option to spruce up any beauty collection.
Marc Jacovs
Marc Jacobs Year of the Rabbit Faux Fur Tote
Make a fashion statement with this Marc Jacobs Year of the Rabbit Tote Bag. This faux fur bag features leather trim, an interior zip pocket, a slip pocket and top zip closure along with a removable and adjustable webbing strap. See more items from the collection here.
Tory Burch
Tory Burch Rabbit Bubble Jelly
The weather is cold in most place but at least you’ll be prepared for the cooler weather with these Rabbit Bubble Jellies from the Tory Burch Lunar New Year collection. Shop the full collection here.
Roots
Roots Lunar New Year Socks
These Lunar New Year-inspired socks are a great gift option for less than $20. The socks are made from a blend of soft cotton yarn with a terry cushioned sole and ribbed leg for added comfort.
Rastaclat
Rastaclat Men’s Lunar New Year Bracelet
Rastaclat bracelets are inspired by music, action sports and street culture. The brand carries a 12-piece Lunar New Year Collection of bracelets featuring red braided styling, gold lourex with a gold circular ball and all 12 animals of the zodiac. Each bracelet represents a different animal and comes packaged in an exclusive box outfitted with the entire zodiac calendar.
Reserve Bar
Johnnie Walker Blue Label: Year of the Rabbit Limited Edition Whisky
Alcohol is synonymous with New Year celebrations, but this beautifully designed Johnnie Walker Blue Label Year of the Rabbit limited-edition whisky is the kind of bottle that you’ll want to keep on display rather than drink. The special Lunar New Year Blue label bottle was illustrated by Chinese artist Angel Chen.
Dr. Dre Selling Music Assets to Universal Music and Shamrock
Dr. Dre is selling a bundle of music income streams and some owned music assets in a deal that was seeking $250 million when it came to market, according to sources. Those assets, which generate almost $10 million in annual income, are being acquired, apparently in two separate deals, by Shamrock Holdings and Universal Music Group. Both deals are said to be close to completion and were shopped by Peter Paterno, name partner in King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano, sources say.
The assets include mainly passive income streams, according to those sources, such as artist royalties from two of his solo albums and his share of N.W.A. artist royalties; his producer royalties; and the writer’s share of his song catalog where he doesn’t own publishing, which may include the writer’s share of songs on his The Chronic album, which is published by Sony Music Publishing. Sources say that portion of the bundle comprises 75% to 90% of the package’s revenue and is most likely being acquired by Shamrock, which owns some Taylor Swift master recordings, among other past acquisitions. The remaining 10% to 25% of income in the package is generated by owned assets and is probably being acquired by Universal Music Group.
The latter Dre-owned assets that are said to be headed to UMG include the ownership of the master recording of his first solo album, The Chronic, which is scheduled to revert from Death Row Entertainment to Dre in August of this year; his share of an Aftermath/Interscope joint venture with the Top Dawg label for Kendrick Lamar releases through that deal; and maybe some publishing, though it’s unclear exactly which portion of his song catalogs is included. The bundle of offered assets doesn’t, however, include his ownership stake in the Aftermath label, which he co-owns with UMG’s Interscope.
The way the assets are being divided in the sale process fits with each buyer’s strategic profile. Shamrock, as a financial player, is much more interested in income streams and hopefully incremental valuations down the line. UMG, as an industry strategic player, is more interested in owning music assets than in buying passive income streams controlled through ownership or administration by competitors. Plus, ownership of Dr. Dre assets would give UMG the added bonus of enjoying a closer relationship with the rapper/producer, who — along with his co-ownership in Aftermath — has been on Interscope Records for most of his solo career.
While the sellers were seeking $250 million, sources suggest that the combined payments likely fell short but will collectively bring in upwards of $200 million, which would imply a 20-times multiple. But not all of the pieces of the bundle individually carry that type of multiple. Some of the Dre assets could be trading hands at a lower multiple.
UMG declined to comment while representatives from Dr. Dre’s camp and Shamrock Holdings could not be reached for comment.
Dr. Dre is one of the pre-eminent producers of his generation, as well as a rapper and songwriter who has worked with some of the most iconic R&B and hip-hop artists of all time, including Snoop Dogg, Eminem, 2Pac, Mary J. Blige, Busta Rhymes, 50 Cent and Lamar. He initially rose to fame as a co-founder of seminal gangsta rap group N.W.A in the 1980s, before releasing his first solo album, The Chronic, in 1992, which is widely regarded as one of the best hip-hop albums of all time and ushered in the West Coast G-Funk movement that helped to popularize the sampling of 1970s and 1980s funk music by the likes of Parliament, Funkadelic and Ohio Players. That album was released under Death Row Entertainment, the pioneering hip-hop label Dre co-founded with Suge Knight that would rise to fame with releases by Dre, Snoop Dogg, Tha Dogg Pound and 2Pac, who became the label’s marquee artist.
Dre would later found Aftermath Entertainment, his own imprint through Interscope, through which he would sign Eminem, 50 Cent, Lamar and Anderson .Paak, among others. In 1999 he released the followup to The Chronic, titled 2001, which was similarly celebrated, with star turns from Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Nate Dogg, Kurupt, Xzibit and others. In 2015, the famously perfectionist Dre would release his third album, Compton, a companion to the N.W.A biopic Straight Outta Compton, which was also released that year. As a solo artist, his three studio albums have amassed close to 20 million album consumption units, with 2001 at 11 million units and The Chronic at 6.6 million units. On an annual basis, those albums have averaged about 600,000 units over the last three years.
Dre also co-founded Beats Electronics alongside Interscope co-founder Jimmy Iovine in 2006, initially as a headphone brand. In 2014, the company morphed into a streaming service, Beats Audio, as well. The company was subsequently purchased by Apple later that year for north of $3 billion, turning Dre into a billionaire, while the Beats Audio streaming service became the backbone of what became the Apple Music streaming service, which was officially introduced in 2015. In subsequent years, Dre and Iovine donated $70 million to the University of Southern California, endowing a program that became the USC Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation. Lately, his production has appeared on releases by Anderson .Paak, Eminem and DJ Khaled.
With Dre coming to market and having found a buyer, the deal marks an acceleration of a run on hip-hop/rap assets kicked off by the acquisition of music assets owned by Future and production songwriter duo Andre Harris and Vidal Davis, better known as Dre & Vidal, in groundbreaking deals that finally brought private equity into the R&B/hip-hop/rap world. Future’s assets were acquired by Influence Media Partners, while the latter duo’s assets were purchased by HarbourView Equity Partners. Up until those deals, private equity had been primarily interested in classic rock, country or current mainstream pop music.
Dr. Dre has been in the news lately after his lawyers called out Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green for using his song “Still D.R.E.” in a video posted to social media without permission. A cease and desist letter signed by Howard King of King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano LLP informs the Congresswoman that Dre “ will never grant [Taylor Greene] permission to broadcast or disseminate any of his music.” While Dre appears to be selling a large portion of his music rights, that doesn’t mean that the Congresswoman may eventually be able to license his music from some other owner. When such deals are being done, an artist or songwriter might want to retain some control over song use approval rights, though that could result in a discount to a deal’s valuation.
Dan Rys provided assistance in preparing this story.
Kyle Richards Defends Gwen Stefani Over ‘I’m Japanese’ Comment
Gwen Stefani found an unexpected supporter in Kyle Richards on Wednesday (Jan. 11) in the wake of her controversial statements about being Japanese.
One day prior, Stefani made headlines by defending her long-documented love of Harajuku culture in a profile for Allure. “My God, I’m Japanese and I didn’t know it,” she said in the piece. (For the record, the Anaheim, Calif., native is of Italian and Irish descent.)
The comments have attracted all kinds of reactions — from ire and confusion to accusations of appropriation — from fans on social media, but the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills OG didn’t seem to see what the big problem was. “Everyone can’t wait to be offended by something,” she commented an Instagram post by E! News about Stefani’s quote from the interview.
Thus far, Stefani herself has stayed mum amid the online backlash; the pop star’s most recent Instagram post, shared one day before the interview went live, featured her promoting her GXVE cosmetics line. (According to Allure, she turned down a request to clarify or add additional context to her statements prior to publication.)
Surely, Stefani’s controversial statement isn’t the only music-related story Richards has her mind on these days either. Just before New Year’s, her famous niece Paris Hilton dropped a new version of the socialite’s cult classic 2006 single “Stars Are Blind.” The DJ and heiress, whose mom Kathy Hilton has appeared on the last two seasons of RHOBH with Richards as a friend of the Housewives, also gave a surprise performance of the track alongside Miley Cyrus and Sia during NBC’s Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party on Dec. 31.
Marjorie Taylor Greene Promises ‘No Further Use’ of Dr. Dre’s Music After He Threatens to Sue
A lawyer for Marjorie Taylor Greene responded Wednesday to a cease and desist letter from Dr. Dre over her unlicensed use of the rapper’s 1999 smash hit “Still D.R.E.,” promising that the conservative lawmaker would make “no further use” of the song.
Two days after attorneys for Dre threatened to sue the Republican congresswoman for posting a video featuring the song to “promote your divisive and hateful political agenda,” Greene waved the white flag in a brief response.
“We are in receipt of your correspondence of January 9, 2023,” Greene’s lawyer wrote in a copy of the letter obtained by Billboard. “On behalf of Congresswoman Greene, please be advised that no further use of Mr. Young’s copyright will be made by a political committee or via social media outlet she controls.”
Notably, the response letter was signed by Stefan Passantino, a former Trump administration lawyer who briefly made headlines last month over his work representing White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson, a key witness for the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
The video in question — posted Monday morning (Jan. 9) on Greene’s social media accounts — featured the Republican representative strutting through the halls of Congress in slow motion, grinning at the camera as Dre’s infamous piano riff from “Still D.R.E.” repeats on a loop. By Monday evening, the video had already been disabled by Twitter.
After the video was posted, Dre quickly released a public statement, saying he would never license his music to someone as “divisive and hateful” as Greene. In a letter later that day, his attorney Howard King threatened to sue for copyright infringement — warning Greene that a federal lawmaker “should be making laws not breaking laws.”
“One might expect that, as a member of Congress, you would have a passing familiarity with the laws of our country,” King wrote. “It’s possible, though, that laws governing intellectual property are a little too arcane and insufficiently populist for you to really have spent much time on.”
Wednesday’s response from Greene was exactly what was requested of her by Dre and King, who demanded that she respond with confirmation that the video had been removed by 5 p.m. ET on Wednesday. But it would not prevent the star from still choosing to sue her over the republication of his song, however briefly it existed online.
Perhaps hinting at that possibility, Greene and Passantino’s letter stressed that it should not be read as “an admission of any fact or waiver of any rights or defenses.” Dre’s lawyer King did not immediately return a request for comment on whether he would pursue additional action against Greene.
The response is a notable change of tone for Greene, who on Monday responded to Dre’s threats with a sharply-worded statement to TMZ: “While I appreciate the creative chord progression, I would never play your words of violence against women and police officers, and your glorification of the thug life and drugs.”
Donald Glover Admits That He’s ‘Making Music Right Now’
No, Donald Glover has not retired his beloved musical alter ego, Childish Gambino.
The 39-year-old Atlanta actor joined Laverne Cox for E! News on the Golden Globes red carpet on Tuesday (Jan. 10), where he revealed that music is on its way. “I’m making music right now. I love it,” he shared. “I’m in the studio, bringing people in, secret people, working on little things. I’ve just been making it for fun right now but soon something will happen, I promise.”
“I thought I heard you were retiring Childish Gambino,” Cox said, before Glover replied, “No, that was out in the ether. You don’t have to worry about that. He will be back.”
The star, who was nominated for best actor in a musical/comedy series, also chatted with Billboard at the official Golden Globes afterparty, where he revealed his plans for 2023. “I cannot wait for this year,” he shared. “I think this year is the year of positivity. I think people are actually going to be — and I don’t mean, like, bulls— YouTube inspirational videos. I mean actual happiness.”
Glover’s last release as Childish Gambino was his fourth studio album, 3.15.20, which arrived back in March 2020. Watch Billboard‘s full interview below.
Jeff Beck, Master Rock Guitarist, Dead at 78
Jeff Beck, member of The Yardbirds, founder of the Jeff Beck Group and one of the most influential rock guitarists of all time, died on Tuesday (Jan. 10). He was 78 years old.
The news of his death was confirmed in a statement released by his family on Wednesday (Jan. 11). “It is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of Jeff Beck’s passing,” the statement reads. “After suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, he peacefully passed away yesterday. His family ask for privacy while they process this tremendous loss.”
The British rocker brought his adventurous and powerful guitar style to The Yardbirds in 1965, when he joined the British band to replace Eric Clapton on the recommendation of fellow session musician Jimmy Page. He spent 20 months in the band, working on the 1966 album Roger the Engineer.
After being fired from The Yardbirds, Beck recorded a number of solo singles produced by Mickie Most, including “Hi Ho Silver Lining” and “Tallyman.” He went on to form his own band, the Jeff Beck Group, featuring vocalist Rod Stewart, bassist Ronnie Wood and drummer Nicky Hopkins, and the group released two albums together, 1968’s Truth and 1969’s Beck-Ola.
In the ’70s, Beck briefly formed a trio with bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice of Vanilla Fudge and Cactus.
He won eight Grammys and was nominated 17 times throughout his career, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice — as a member of the Yardbirds in 1992 and as a solo performer in 2009. Beck recently wrapped up a tour in support of 18, his joint album with Johnny Depp.
See the family’s statement below:
Kelly Clarkson Lets Out Her Inner-Punk With Blink-182 Cover: Watch
Kelly Clarkson is letting her rock and roll side shine. For the Wednesday (Jan. 11) installment of her fan-favorite Kellyoke segment, the Grammy-winning singer tried her hand at a Blink-182 cover and went for the band’s classic track “All the Small Things.”
Accompanied by her band Y’all, the “Since U Been Gone” singer donned clothing fit for the occasion, appearing onstage in an oversize gray dress and grunge-inspired flannel shirt for her rendition of the track.
“All the small things/ True care, truth brings/ I’ll take one lift/ Your ride, best trip/ Always, I know/ You’ll be at my show/ Watching, waiting/ Commiserating/ Say it ain’t so, I will not go/ Turn the lights off, carry me home,” Clarkson sang, powering through a shortened version of the track with her signature full-bodied tone and vocal runs.
“All the Small Things” was released on Sept. 28, 1999, as the second single from Blink-182’s third album, Enema of the State. The track served as a crossover hit for the band, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in February 2000. The track additionally reached the summit of Billboard‘s Alternative Airplay chart and is widely considered to be one of the pop-punk group’s signature songs.
Clarkson’s cover comes at a fitting time — Blink-182 recently restored its original lineup consisting of Tom DeLonge, Travis Barker and Mark Hoppus and is gearing up to go on a world tour starting in March; the first dates of the tour will take place in Latin America with stops in Buenos Aires, Bogotá, Mexico City and more.
Watch Clarkson’s cover of “All the Small Things” in the video above.
