State Champ Radio News
Page: 516
Zach Bryan has re-upped with Warner Records, Billboard has confirmed.
The extremely prolific singer-songwriter has released three studio albums on the label since first signing with it in 2021: 2022’s American Heartbreak, 2023’s self-titled set and 2024’s The Great American Bar Scene. He’s also put out three EPS and two live sets. The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news, adding that the new deal is for at least two albums.
Bryan’s rise has been meteoric. Billboard named him its top new artist of 2023, and he has dominated at both country and rock since then. “I Remember Everything,” his duet with Kacey Musgraves, and “Something in the Orange” were the top two songs on Billboard’s 2024 year-end Rock Streaming Songs chart. That same year, he ranked third on Billboard’s Top Artists of 2024 and No. 1 on the Top Rock & Alternative Artist chart. His self-titled set became his first album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and all three of his full-length Warner Records sets have bowed atop Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart.
Bryan has also been a critical favorite, earning four Grammy nominations, with “I Remember Everything” winning best country duo/group performance at the 65th annual Grammy Awards in 2024.
Trending on Billboard
He’s also a crowd favorite. After headlining the opening night of Stagecoach last month, Bryan is headed to Dublin for three shows in June and then will play BST Hyde Park in London on June 28-29. He will then return stateside for seven stadium shows, including three nights at Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Bryan helped usher in a new wave of country-oriented acts signing with coastal labels, as Billboard reported in September. Bryan wasn’t the first country-leaning act signed by a major coastal label, but his massive success has proven that an act no longer necessarily needs the usual Nashville methods, including country radio, to break through.
Prior to the pandemic, Nashville labels generally had a lane to themselves when it came to signing country artists, with their relationships at country radio giving them almost exclusive access within the genre. But once COVID hit and touring slammed to a halt, labels became laser-focused on data and analytics as the only available metrics to gauge an act’s success. The coastal labels saw tremendous opportunity and jumped in, with New York and Los Angeles labels signing country-leaning acts with strong streaming numbers and a high TikTok engagement rate, including Warren Zeiders (Warner Records), Koe Wetzel (Columbia), Dasha (Warner Records) and Ella Langley (Columbia); or jointly with a Nashville partner, such as Megan Moroney, who is signed to both Columbia and Sony Nashville.
Warner Records declined to comment on the news.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: @deadpoolmovie / Marvel
Just when it seemed like the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s popularity was dead in the water, Ryan Reynolds threw Marvel a much needed lifeline with his cult classic Deadpool & Wolverine and single-handedly resurrected interest in the struggling MCU.
Now that fans are once again on the Marvel bandwagon following the announcement of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, many have been wondering what the future holds for Deadpool and Wolverine going forward, and it seems like we might have finally gotten some answers.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ryan Reynolds is quietly plotting his return in Marvel’s upcoming Mutant Saga (which is rumored to be the focus over the next 10 years at Marvel Studios) and his next Deadpool film may feature more X-Men along with Wolverine. There has been rumors being thrown around for some time now that Deadpool may introduce X-Force in his next film as Marvel Studios continues to round out the cast for their upcoming X-Men film. Though there’s no word on which mutant characters would make an appearance in Deadpool 3, it seems like decisions will be made sooner than later as the project is already in the beginning stages of being written.
Per The Hollywood Reporter:
Reynolds is exploring ideas for a Deadpool movie that would feature X-Men characters, as well as continuing to script the Paramount comedy Boy Band after making writing a priority for much of this year before tackling other obligations, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter.
The multi-hyphenate is working on various treatments for an ensemble film featuring three or four X-Men characters. Deadpool would of course appear, but perhaps only as a supporting player. Reynolds is said to believe that keeping his f-bomb wielding anti-hero more on the sidelines could allow for the X-Men characters to be used in unexpected ways. Reynolds has been open about every Deadpool movie needing a strong reason to exist, and it’s possible this could provide the avenue he needs.
Truth be told we’ll have to wait to see how the everything pans out in the Marvel universe following the events of Doomsday and Secret Wars, which Deadpool and Wolverine are said to be a part of even though they haven’t been confirmed characters in the film as of yet.
As for Deadpool playing a supporting actor in his third installment, he’ll have to have some pretty popular mutant characters lead the film if that was to be the case. Either way we just want to see Deadpool standing alongside the Avengers or X-Men at some point, but even Reynolds admits that such a scenario may have some unexpected consequences.
At the time, Reynolds also told THR that he believed Deadpool could appear opposite the X-Men and the Avengers, but that the character joining those teams would have unintended consequences. “His ultimate dream is to be accepted and appreciated. But he can’t be accepted. His coping mechanism of deflecting shame through humor works only when used to pave over his many inadequacies. If and when he does become an Avenger or X-Man, we’re at the end of his journey.”
Nah, fans don’t want to see Deadpool’s journey come to an end anytime soon.
What do y’all want to see in a third Deadpool film? Let us know in the comments section below.
Billie Eilish fans in Amsterdam are feeling so f–king special after witnessing the star cover Radiohead‘s “Creep” at Ziggo Dome on Sunday night (May 4).
In videos posted by concertgoers, Eilish departs from her regularly scheduled setlist to deliver a stunning rendition of the rock band’s signature hit, joined on stage by two backup vocalists and an electric guitar player. Taking the main melody, the nine-time Grammy winner’s piercing voice soars over lush harmonies provided by the other singers, with Eilish adding her own tasteful riffs throughout.
“But I’m a creep, I’m a weirdo,” she sings, closing her eyes to the music. “What the hell am I doin’ here?/ I don’t belong here.”
Trending on Billboard
At one point toward the end of the performance, the musician spots something in the distance that makes her crack up, and is unable to stop laughing. Even as she raises her microphone to start singing again, she bursts into another fit of chuckles, eventually composing herself enough to deliver the song’s final haunting bars.
Released in 1992 as Radiohead’s debut single, “Creep” eventually entered the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1993 before peaking at No. 34 the following September. It’s featured on the band’s first album, Pablo Honey, which reached No. 32 on the Billboard 200.
Eilish’s performance of the track comes midway through her Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour, which kicked off in September in support of her 2024 album of the same name. After touring North America through late December, the “Lunch” singer has spent the past couple of months traveling around Australia and Europe, with her trek set to conclude in Ireland in late July.
One venue at which she’ll set up shop for six nights on the road later is the O2 Arena in London, where she previously performed in 2019. While she was there, none other than Radiohead’s Thom Yorke caught her performance, after which he told British newspaper The Times, “I like Billie Eilish.”
“She’s doing her own thing,” he added at the time. “Nobody’s telling her what to do.”
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Source: Anna Moneymaker / Getty
President Donald Trump’s “I don’t know” answers concerning upholding the U.S. Constitution alarmed many on social media.
In nearly four months of the second presidential administration of Donald Trump, many of his executive orders have run afoul of what is outlawed by the U.S. Constitution. And in a recent interview with NBC’s Kristin Welker, Trump pointedly avoided
answering questions about upholding the Constitution – which a president is sworn to do.
In the interview on Meet The Press which aired Sunday (May 4), Welker asked President Trump about the recent cases of deportation including that of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man who was sent to a prison in El Salvador along with others without due process. That move is in violation of the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution. “Do you agree that everyone who is here deserves due process? Citizens and noncitizens?”, Welker asked, to which Trump replied, “I don’t know. I’m not a lawyer.”
“The 5th amendment says as much.. Don’t you need to uphold the constitution?”, Welker responded. “I don’t know,” Trump said, adding: “It might say that, but if you’re talking about that, then we’d have to have a million, or two million, or three million trials. We have thousands of people that are some murderers, and some drug dealers, and some of the worst people on earth…I was elected to get them the hell out of here, and the courts are holding me from doing it.”
He contiued: “I have to respond by saying, again, I have brilliant lawyers that work for me, and they are going to obviously follow what the Supreme Court said. What you said is not what I heard the Supreme Court said. They have a different interpretation.”
Welker asked if he listened to concerns that he’s steering the nation into an authoritarian regime, Trump brushed it aside. “Those people are going to be very happy,” he said. “They’re going to have to see some results.”
His responses regarding the Constitution were met on social media with anger and calls for him to be impeached or removed, citing the 25th Amendment. One user named Jay in a post on X, formerly Twitter, wrote: “I’m 1000% sure Trump has never read the constitution. And if he did he’s too stupid to understand it.”
The vibes were both mellow and musical at the 2025 BeachLife Festival, which took over the sand for three days in Redondo Beach, California, this past weekend, from Friday through Sunday.Lenny Kravitz headlined on Friday, bringing the first night to a close with massive hits including “Are You Gonna Go My Way?” and “Fly Away.” Saturday night’s lineup was led by Sublime, fronted by late singer Bradley Nowell’s son Jakob Nowell, who deftly took the reins of his dad’s SoCal band for “What I Got,” “Santeria” and more hits tailor-made for the oceanside fest. And the weekend came to a close with Sunday night headliner Alanis Morissette, whose set was jam-packed with her biggest hits, including Jagged Little Pill standouts like “You Oughta Know,” “Hand in My Pocket” and “Ironic.”
Other Friday highlights included Train starting their set with “Calling All Angels” and wrapping in epic fashion with the top five Billboard Hot 100 smash “Drops of Jupiter,” plus O.A.R. Aloe Blacc, The Struts and Digable Planets.
Saturday included Pretenders, with Chrissie Hynde wailing on “Back on the Chain Gang,” “Don’t Get Me Wrong” and more rock classics, as well as Cake closing their set with the one-two-three punch of “Never There,” “Short Skirt/Long Jacket” and “The Distance,” with frontman John McCrae’s between-song commentary keeping the crowd on their toes. Also on day 2: Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles, Skip Marley, Sugar Ray, Alo and the Sublime spin-off Long Beach Dub Allstars.
Finally, Sunday included a set from The Beach Boys, with longtime friend and collaborator John Stamos joining the Mike Love-led group just down the road from their Hawthorne, California, beginnings, as well as Jackson Browne, Mt. Joy, Marcus King and Big Head Todd and the Monsters.
To get a glimpse at the three-day festival, find some of the best photos from the weekend below.
Lenny Kravitz
Image Credit: Courtesy of BeachLife Festival
Lenny Kravitz performs on day 1 of BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach, California, on Friday, May 2, 2025.
The Beach Boys
Image Credit: Courtesy of BeachLife Festival
The Beach Boys with John Stamos on day 3 of BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach, California, on Sunday, May 4, 2025.
Aloe Blacc
Image Credit: Courtesy of BeachLife Festival
Aloe Blacc performs at day 1 of BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach, California, on Friday, May 2, 2025.
The Beach Boys
Image Credit: Courtesy of BeachLife Festival
The Beach Boys’ Mike Love on day 3 of BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach, California, on Sunday, May 4, 2025.
Jackson Browne
Image Credit: Courtesy of BeachLife Festival
Jackson Browne performs on day 3 of BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach, California, on Sunday, May 4, 2025.
Sublime
Image Credit: Courtesy of BeachLife Festival
Sublime’s Jakob Nowell performs on day 2 of BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach, California, on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Susanna Hoffs
Image Credit: Courtesy of BeachLife Festival
Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles on day 2 of BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach, California, on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Sugar Ray
Image Credit: Courtesy of BeachLife Festival
Sugar Ray’s Mark McGrath performs on day 2 of BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach, California, on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Skip Marley
Image Credit: Courtesy of BeachLife Festival
Skip Marley performs on day 2 of BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach, California, on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Pretenders
Image Credit: Courtesy of BeachLife Festival
Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde performs on day 2 of BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach, California, on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
Cake
Image Credit: Courtesy of BeachLife Festival
Cake’s John McCrae performs on day 2 of BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach, California, on Saturday, May 3, 2025.
O.A.R.
Image Credit: Courtesy of BeachLife Festival
O.A.R.’s Marc Roberge performs on day 1 of BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach, California, on Friday, May 2, 2025.
Digable Planets
Image Credit: Courtesy of BeachLife Festival
Digable Planets’ Ishmael “Butterfly” Butler performs on day 1 of BeachLife Festival in Redondo Beach, California, on Friday, May 2, 2025.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty
In a recent interview, Dipset rapper Jim Jones reaffirmed his belief that Drake is the greatest rapper of all time.
Jones originally made the claim during a March 2023 conversation with Complex, and when asked again nearly a year later, he stood by it without hesitation. Breaking into a playful rendition of Drake’s “Babygirl” line from “Nokia,” Jones emphasized the significant impact Drake has had on hip-hop over the last decade.
Jones argued that Drake has transformed the way audiences engage with music and has played a pivotal role in boosting the careers of countless artists. “What you gonna say to Drake? What you really gonna do with him, man?” he asked, pointing to Drake’s unmatched versatility and influence. He credited the Canadian rapper with helping evolve the sound of modern Hip-Hop and offering a platform to both rising and established names—through collaborations and touring opportunities.
“He’s done more for our culture than most of these people,” Jones said, stressing that Drake’s contributions go far beyond his own success. While the interviewer noted that much has happened since Jones’s original statement—likely referring to Drake’s public feud with Kendrick Lamar—Jones remained unfazed. He focused instead on Drake’s broader legacy and lasting influence.
His comments fuel the ongoing debate over Hip-Hop’s GOAT, placing Drake at the forefront not just for his chart-topping hits, but for his cultural imprint and the widespread impact he’s had on the genre and its community.
Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” ascends a spot to No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200. The song marks the singer-songwriter’s first leader on the chart.
Meanwhile, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile” scores a 16th week atop the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. survey. The ballad first hit No. 1 on the list last September.
Elsewhere, WizTheMC earns his first top 10 on both tallies with “Show Me Love.”
Trending on Billboard
The Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts, which began in September 2020, rank songs based on streaming and sales activity culled from more than 200 territories around the world, as compiled by Luminate. The Global 200 is inclusive of worldwide data and the Global Excl. U.S. chart comprises data from territories excluding the United States.
Chart ranks are based on a weighted formula incorporating official-only streams on both subscription and ad-supported tiers of audio and video music services, as well as download sales, the latter of which reflect purchases from full-service digital music retailers from around the world, with sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites excluded from the charts’ calculations.
“Ordinary” crowns the Global 200 with 82.5 million streams and 6,000 sold worldwide April 25-May 1. The song by the Carlsbad, Calif., native became a viral hit, boosted by his performance of it in March on Netflix’s Love Is Blind. It has since topped 11 charts in Billboard’s Hits of the World menu, spent seven weeks and counting atop the Official UK Singles chart and hit No. 2, as of this week, on the U.S.-based Billboard Hot 100.
“Die With a Smile” drops to No. 2 after 18 weeks atop the Global 200 beginning last September (second only to the 19 weeks at No. 1 for Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” since the chart began). The rest of the ranking’s top five holds in place: ROSÉ and Bruno Mars’ “APT.” at No. 3, after 12 weeks at No. 1 starting in November; Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather” at No. 4, following three weeks at No. 1 last August; and Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” at No. 5, after it logged seven weeks on top in February-April 2024.
WizTheMC’s “Show Me Love” soars 19-10 on the Global 200 with 37 million streams (up 22%) and 1,000 sold (up 13%) worldwide. The track by the South African-German multihyphenate, based in Toronto, became his first Billboard chart entry in March. It concurrently bounds 11-6 on Global Excl. U.S.
“Die With a Smile” collects a 16th week at No. 1 on Global Excl. U.S., with 66.9 million streams (down 1%) and 3,000 sold (down 2%) outside the U.S. The song boasts the second-longest rule in the chart’s archives:
19 weeks at No. 1, “APT.,” ROSÉ & Bruno Mars (2024-25)
16 weeks, “Die With a Smile,” Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars (2024-25)
14 weeks, “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey (2021-25)
13 weeks, “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus (2023)
13 weeks, “As It Was,” Harry Styles (2022)
The rest of the Global Excl. U.S. is also steady week-over-week: “APT.” at No. 2; “Ordinary” at its No. 3 best; JENNIE’s “like JENNIE” at No. 4, after hitting No. 3; and “Birds of a Feather” at No. 5, following three weeks at No. 1 last August.
The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts (dated May 10, 2025) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, May 6. For both charts, the top 100 titles are available to all readers on Billboard.com, while the complete 200-title rankings are visible on Billboard Pro, Billboard’s subscription-based service. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
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.
HipHopWired Featured Video
CLOSE
Source: The Coalition / Xbox Game Studios / Gears of War: Reloaded
Gears of War has been long-rumored to be one of many Xbox exclusive video game franchises to make its way onto the PlayStation, and that day has finally come.
Just like how Emergence Day took citizens of Sera by surprise, Xbox hit us with the shocking announcement out of nowhere that its popular video game franchise from The Coalition, Gears of War, will land on the PS5 this summer.
According to the announcement on Xbox News Wire, Gears of War: Reloaded will be a “faithful remaster” of the first game in the franchise that will be “optimized for more platforms than ever before.”
When it arrives on August 26, Gears of War: Reloaded will feature 4K resolution, 120 FPS support, and a new multiplayer experience that will introduce cross-progression and cross-play across all platforms, making this the definitive way to play the game.
Other features include
High Dynamic Range (HDR)
Dolby Vision & 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos
7.1.4 3D Spatial Audio
Variable Refresh Rate (VRR)
4K assets and remastered textures
Enhanced post-processing visual effects
Improved shadows and reflections
Super resolution with improved anti-aliasing
Zero loading screens during Campaign
“As we approach the 20th anniversary of Gears of War in 2026, we’re reflecting on what this franchise means. It’s about the stories we’ve told, the friendships we’ve built, and the unforgettable moments we’ve shared together. With Gears of War: Reloaded, we’re opening that door to more players than ever,” the post on Xbox News Wire read.
Gears of War: Reloaded Will Be A Free Upgrade For Ultimate Edition Owners
The game’s announcement of the remaster of the game that first blew our minds back in 2006 on the Xbox 360 console comes as The Coalition is set to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Gears of War franchise.
The Coalition is developing Gears of War: Reloaded in partnership with Sumo Interactive and Disbelief. It will cost $39.99 when it arrives on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, PlayStation 5, and Steam.
GOW: Reloaded will be a free upgrade for players who purchased the digital version of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition.
It will feature “the most complete version of the game,” including all post-launch downloadable content at no additional cost, like the bonus Campaign act, all multiplayer maps and modes, and a full roster of classic characters and cosmetics unlockable through progression.
2. Yes indeed
Natanael Cano, leader and creator of the corridos tumbados genre, defied the ban imposed by authorities in the Mexican state of Aguascalientes against narcocorridos on Saturday (May 3). During his performance at the Feria Nacional de San Marcos, he played a couple of songs with explicit references to figures of drug trafficking and glorification of crime. In response, the event organizers lowered the audio volume and turned off the lights, bringing the show to an end.
Videos on social media show the moment Cano responds to the request of some attendees at his concert during the Feria Nacional de San Marcos, who insisted on hearing “Cuerno Azulado,” a controversial song in which the musician talks about organized crime and its alleged ties to Mexican authorities.
Trending on Billboard
“‘Cuerno (Azulado)’ isn’t something you need to ask me for, my friend. ‘Cuerno’ is something you need to ask your government for. If you want it so badly, do something about it,” the singer responded to the crowd. “With all due respect, we came here to Aguascalientes to sing for you, my friend, and with all due respect to the people who are prohibiting us from singing and showcasing our art, we don’t give a damn. Do something about it yourselves, don’t come asking me for it here”
Natanael Cano’s performance, announced as one of the star acts of the legendary fair that has been held for 197 years, began with a series of corridos and ballads that adhered to the list previously approved by local authorities. However, after midnight, the setlist included “Pacas de Billetes,” a song referencing Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, the notorious drug lord who is currently serving a life sentence in the United States following his conviction in 2019.
The musician continued with “El de la Codeína,” a song that references substance trafficking, which led the organizers to lower the sound volume in the venue. In response, the artist’s technical team activated its own audio system so Cano could keep performing. However, after finishing the song, the organizers turned off the lights, and the singer abruptly left the stage without the concert officially concluding.
Billboard Español has reached out to Natanael Cano’s representatives as well as festival organizers and the government of Aguascalientes for comment on what happened Sunday, but has not heard back as of press time.
The incident with Cano comes three weeks after the concert by corridos superstar Luis R. Conriquez at the Feria de Texcoco in the State of Mexico on April 11 ended in chaos when he refused to perform narcocorridos, complying with restrictions imposed by local authorities on expressions that glorify crime in public spaces.
Conriquez revealed in an exclusive interview with Billboard that local authorities had warned him not to perform narcocorridos during his show at the Feria de Texcoco. “They said that if I sang a corrido, they would cut off the sound.”
The local Congress of Aguascalientes on April 16 approved legislation to penalize “the dissemination of content, images and artistic or musical expressions that promote activities related to organized crime.” State authorities have not commented on what happened during Cano’s show.
Aguascalientes is one of 10 states (out of 32) in Mexico that have banned or restricted the dissemination of narcocorridos or expressions that glorify crime. Without a federal law, local governments enforce penalties ranging from hefty fines to up to a year in prison for those who perform music that promotes violence.
Grupo Firme, another of the superstar regional Mexican acts that performed at this year’s Feria de San Marcos, declined to play corridos during its concerts on April 19 and 20, as previously announced by vocalist Eduin Caz in a social media message saying the band was complying with the new restrictions.
Junior H, another leading figure in the corridos tumbados genre, is scheduled to perform at the palenque of the mentioned fair Wednesday (May 7).
The new bans implemented in Mexico have expanded to the United States. In an unprecedented move, the U.S. State Department announced on April 1 the revocation of work and tourist visas for the Mexican corridos group Los Alegres del Barranco after it displayed images of the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as “El Mencho,” during a concert on March 29 at an auditorium at the University of Guadalajara.
After speculation that Bad Bunny would announce a global tour, the Puerto Rican star officially unveiled dates for Latin America, Europe, Australia and Japan. Set to kick off in November in the Dominican Republic, Bad Bunny will tour the world in support of his latest album Debí Tirar Más Fotos. He will wrap this year’s […]
