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28 Nov 2022

Calvin Harris Clears Up ‘Myth’ About Rita Ora’s Scrapped Album

Calvin Harris is clearing up a rumor once and for all that he was involved in the delay of Rita Ora‘s sophomore album.

For years, it was reported and speculated that the 32-year-old singer songwriter’s second album was delayed over the use of the DJ’s tracks, as the two dated briefly in 2013. On Monday (Nov. 28), Harris responded to writer George Griffiths, who claimed that Ora would have been “one of the biggest pop stars in the world,” if the album wasn’t “torpedoed.”

“Entire thing is a myth, there is one unreleased song i worked on and it isn’t good,” Harris wrote of his involvement in response. Ora has yet to publicly address her ex-boyfriend’s tweet.

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Back in 2015, Ora addressed more drama between her and Harris, explaining in an interview with Marie Claire, “There was a reason why I split up with him. And there was a reason why I’m at this point in my life where I feel like I have so much musical freedom, and I don’t have to explain myself to anybody… It was more of a thing where I was in awe. I was at that point in my relationship where I felt he could do no wrong. I thought he had my back and that he’d never steer me wrong.”

She went on to reveal that after their collaboration “I Will Never Let You Down” came out, “everything started to go a bit weird. I don’t know if it was because business was mixed with personal or what.”

In August 2014, Ora’s scheduled performance of the song was Teen Choice Awards was shut down due to some behind-the-scenes drama between the two exes. Harris, who wrote and produced the track, did not approve the rights to use the song on the show.

28 Nov 2022

Billie Eilish Dishes on New Music & Boyfriend Jesse Rutherford in 6th Annual ‘Vanity Fair’ Interview

Another year has come and gone, but Billie Eilish is still answering the same questions. For the sixth year in a row, the pop sensation sat down for her annual interview with Vanity Fair.

This year, the black-haired 20-year-old superstar said her biggest accomplishments were that she “finally got to tour again,” including dual headlining sets at Coachella 2022 and Glastonbury, the completion of Happier Than Ever, The World Tour and, oh, you know, winning an Academy Award for her James Bond theme song “No Time to Die.”

“The most important thing to me now is being in touch with myself…and how I am actually, really feeling,” Eilish said after taking a beat to reflect. “And listening to my gut. Trusting my gut. My family being good and healthy and happy, and my relationship being really solid with them. That’s what’s important to me.”

When the topic of her older brother FINNEAS came up, the “TV” singer teased quite a major revelation, admitting, “We see each other all the time, and also now, we’re starting to make music again. We just started the process of making an album, which is really exciting…I’m hanging out with my brother a lot. He’s my buddy!”

In a bit of a twist, Eilish also turned part of the interview over to her fans via Instagram, answering questions about her least favorite song in her discography (2017’s “Watch”) and how many songs she’s working on (“one, currently”).

Thanks to one of the annual questions being about whether she has a boyfriend, the star also spilled a bit of tea about her relationship with The Neighbourhood’s Jesse Rutherford. “Yeah, I do,” she said with a shy grin. “And it’s really cool and I’m really excited and I’m really happy about it.

“I managed to get my life to a point where I not only was known by a person that I thought was the hottest f—ing f—er alive,” Eilish continued to gush about the frontman, “but pulled his ass. Are we kidding me? Can we just [claps] round of applause for me? Thank you! Jesse Rutherford, everyone.”

Watch more of Eilish’s sixth annual Vanity Fair interview below.

28 Nov 2022

Taylor Swift’s ‘Anti-Hero,’ Sam Smith & Kim Petras’ ‘Unholy’ Rule Billboard Global Charts

Taylor Swift‘s “Anti-Hero” notches for a fourth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart and Sam Smith and Kim Petras‘ “Unholy” holds for a seventh week atop the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart.

Plus, Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” sleigh rides from No. 27 to No. 5 on the Global 200; Jung Kook‘s “Dreamers (Music From the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022)” launches at No. 4 on the Global Excl. U.S. chart and No. 9 on the Global 200 – as he becomes the first member of BTS to have scored two solo top 10s on each tally; and Meghan Trainor‘s “Made You Look” lifts 16-10 on Global Excl. U.S.

The two global 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 Billboard Global 200 is inclusive of worldwide data and the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart comprises data from territories excluding the U.S.

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.

‘Anti-Hero’ Again Atop Global 200, Carey’s ‘Christmas’ Climbs

Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” holds for a fourth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, with 64.3 million streams (down 10%) and 17,000 downloads sold (down 13%) worldwide in the Nov. 18-24 tracking week.

Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy” keeps at No. 2 on the Global 200, following four weeks at No. 1 beginning in October; Drake and 21 Savage’s “Rich Flex” repeats at No. 3, two weeks after it debuted at No. 1; and David Guetta and Bebe Rexha’s “I’m Good (Blue)” is steady at No. 4, after reaching No. 2.

Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” dashes 27-5 on the Global 200, with 43.9 million streams (up 56%) and 5,000 sold (up 52%) globally. The 1994 modern holiday classic topped the chart for four weeks each in the 2020 and 2021 holiday seasons.

Also in the Global 200’s top 10, Jung Kook’s “Dreamers (Music From the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022)” debuts at No. 9, with 42.7 million streams and 48,000 downloads sold worldwide from its Nov. 20 release through Nov. 24. Jung Kook helped build the song’s profile with a performance of it during the soccer tournament’s opening ceremony Nov. 20, while the song’s official video premiered Nov. 22.

Jung Kook becomes the first member of BTS to have earned two solo Global 200 top 10s, as “Dreamers” follows his featured turn on Charlie Puth’s “Left and Right,” which hit No. 5 in July. Here’s a recap of BTS members’ top 10s as soloists – SUGA, Jung Kook and Jin – on the Global 200 (where BTS has logged 10 top 10s), with all four achieved since May:

“That That,” PSY feat. SUGA, No. 5, May 2022
“Left and Right,” Charlie Puth feat. Jung Kook, No. 5, July 2022
“The Astronaut,” Jin, No. 10 (to-date), November 2022
“Dreamers (Music From the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022),” Jung Kook, No. 9 (to-date), November 2022

Smith & Petras Continue at No. 1 on Global Excl. U.S., Jung Kook Top 5, Trainor Top 10

Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ “Unholy” adds a seventh nonconsecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart, with 52.6 million streams (down 5%) and 5,000 downloads sold (down 16%) in territories outside the U.S. Nov. 18-24.

Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” holds at No. 2 on Global Excl. U.S., after two weeks at No. 1, and David Guetta and Bebe Rexha’s “I’m Good (Blue)” is stationary at No. 3, after hitting No. 2.

Jung Kook’s “Dreamers (Music From the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022)” soars onto the Global Excl. U.S. chart at No. 4, with 40.2 million streams and 35,000 downloads sold outside the U.S.

As on the Global 200, Jung Kook becomes the first member of BTS to have earned two solo Global Excl. U.S. top 10s, as “Dreamers” follows his featured role on Charlie Puth’s “Left and Right” (No. 2, July). Here’s a recap of BTS members’ top 10s as soloists on the Global Excl. U.S. chart (where BTS has collected 10 top 10s):

“That That,” PSY feat. SUGA, No. 2, May 2022
“Left and Right,” Charlie Puth feat. Jung Kook, No. 2, July 2022
“The Astronaut,” Jin, No. 6, November 2022
“Dreamers (Music From the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022),” Jung Kook, No. 4 (to-date), November 2022

Rounding out the Global Excl. U.S. top five, Rema and Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down” dips to No. 5 from its No. 4 high.

Plus, Meghan Trainor’s “Made You Look” leaps 16-10 on Global Excl. U.S., with 30.2 million streams (up 18%) and 5,000 sold (up 9%) outside the U.S. The song’s profile has swelled thanks to its prominence on TikTok (with the platform not presently reporting directly to Billboard‘s charts). The single is from Trainor’s fifth LP, Takin’ It Back, released in October, and marks her first top 10 since the chart began. On the Global 200, the song surges 10-6.

The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts (dated Dec. 3, 2022) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (Nov. 29). 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 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.

28 Nov 2022

Winter Gear: Timberland Boots Are on Sale for Cyber Monday

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.

Cyber Monday is heating up! Because Black Friday spills over into the holiday weekend, bargain shoppers have more opportunities to find major savings. But for others, Cyber Monday could be the last chance to secure deep discounts on winter gear like Timberland boots.

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Right now, shoppers can save up to 40% off Timberland boots, hoodies, shirts, hats, gloves and slippers and other holiday exclusives starting at just $16.

Whether you’re Christmas shopping or treating yourself, it’s always great when you can find what you need on sale! To save you the time of surfing the Web, we dug through multiple Cyber Monday deals to find some of the best savings at Timberland.com, Macy’s, Zappos and other major retailers.

Keep reading for a list of Timberland boots that are on sale for Cyber Monday. Find additional sales on Timberland boots at Footlocker, Finish Line, DSW, Journeys and Shiekh, and be sure to read roundup of the best Cyber Monday deals for music lovers.

Timberland

Timberland Men’s Premium 6-Inch Waterproof Boot

$168

$210

20% off% OFF

Kicking things off with a classic, the men’s premium 6-inch waterproof boot — available in wheat, black and rust – are marked down to $168 at Timberland, Zappos, and Macy’s (the waterproof basic boot is on sale for $144).

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Timberland Limited-Edition Men’s Dark Brown Full Grain 6-Inch Waterproof Boot

$179.99

$210

14% off% OFF

Looking for a limited edition? This Timberland boot offers up the signature waterproof performance and instantly recognizable work-boot styling made with premium Hazel Highway waterproof leather (available only in dark brown full grain).

Timberland

Timberland Men’s 6 inch Premium Waterproof Boot, Wheat Nubuck, 8

$124.95

$198.00

37% OFF

Amazon has an even deeper deal on Timberland’s signature boots. The pair pictured above are marked down $125 but the sale actually starts at $114.38 for the 6-inch boot in wheat nubuck.

Timberland

Timberland Men’s White Ledge Mid Waterproof Hiking Boot

$69.99

$115

39% off% OFF

If you’ve been looking for an affordable hiking boots, the Timberland Men’s White Ledge Mid Waterproof Hiking Boot is on sale for $69.99 and comes highly recommended from hundreds of customers. Available in wheat, brown and black, the hiking boot features recycled fabric lining with a seam-sealed waterproof construction to keep feet dry in any weather, waterproof leather uppers for comfort and durability, rubber outsoles with multi-directional lugs for traction on varied terrain, and EVA footbeds and midsoles.

Macy’s

Timberland Men’s Davis Chukka Sneaker

$63

$90

30% off% OFF

Timberland’s Chukka sneaker is a leather/canvas sneaker that wipes clean. The shoe (available in wheat, black, navy, and gray) features a lightweight footbed to help comfort your feet. Find them on sale in select colors at Macy’s and at Timberland.com.

Zappos

Timberland 6-Inch Field Boot in Grape Leaf

$129.50

$185

30% off% OFF

One of the keys to finding the best deal on a hot shoe, is searching different retailers. Zappos, for example, has a massive shoe collection and a mountain of Cyber Monday sales. These men’s basic 6-inch boot in grape leaf are on sale at Zappos for less $130.

Timberland

Timberland Men’s Redwood Chelsea Boot

$120 (extra 30% off in cart)

Going out? The men’s Redwood Falls Chelsea Boot is sturdy, stylish and comfy. Made with eco-friendly lining, the pull-on boot — available in black, full grain and rust (sizes 7.5-15) — is constructed with Timberland’s trademarked Gripstick rubber and multi-directional technology offering superior traction.

Timberland

Timberland Men’s Euro Hiker Shell-Toe Boot

$109.99

$140

21% off% OFF

The Euro Shell Toe is a rugged boot that can take on different terrain. Designed for the outdoors, the shell toe boots feature a molded rubber toe to help protect your feet and lightweight footbeds to keep them comfortable.

28 Nov 2022

Will Smith ‘Completely Understands’ People Who Think His Comeback Is Too Soon After Oscars Slap

Will Smith realizes that some people might not be ready for his return to film due to his actions at the Oscars earlier this year.

On Monday (Nov. 28), the actor did press surrounding his upcoming movie Emancipation — directed by Antoine Fuqua — and also addressed him slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars earlier this year.

“I completely understand — if someone is not ready, I would absolutely respect that and allow them their space to not be ready,” Smith told journalist Kevin McCarthy, who asked him what he would say to people skeptical of his comeback. “My deepest concern is my team – Antoine has done what I think is the greatest work of his entire career. The people on this team have done some of the best work of their entire careers, and my deepest hope is that my actions don’t penalize my team. At this point, that’s what I’m working for.”

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He added, “I’m hoping that the material — the power of the film, the timeliness of the story — I’m hoping that the good that can be done would open people’s hearts at a minimum to see and recognize and support the incredible artists in and around this film.”

Following the incident, Smith resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and was later given a 10-year ban from attending the Oscars in light of his actions at the March 27 ceremony.

Emancipation will be released in theaters Dec. 9. Watch Smith’s interview below.

28 Nov 2022

Blake Shelton Teams With Rock Veterans to Cover Tom Petty’s ‘I Won’t Back Down’

Blake Shelton has teamed up with a few rock ‘n’ roll veterans for a cover of the Tom Petty classic “I Won’t Back Down” — and it’s all for a good cause.

The music and arts platform GoodNoise.io has premiered the all-star cover song, which features Shelton on lead vocals, as well as Joe Walsh and Timothy B. Schmit (Eagles) on guitar and bass and Matt Sorum (Guns N’ Roses/Velvet Revolver) on drums.

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Sorum launched GoodNoise.io as an NFT label under the umbrella company Sthrom, which he co-founded to bridge the gap between artists and fans and to benefit various good causes.

“When you join Team GoodNoise, you’ll receive updates on drops and other important initiatives,” Sorum said in a press release. “We’d like to have a million members down the road to take on causes that impact us all.”

The recording spotlights the work of Miraculous Love Kids, a nonprofit music school that has protected and educated hundreds of young Afghan women who have faced violence and discrimination. After the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, members of this group left their homeland, undertaking journeys to find safety in neighboring Pakistan. Proceeds from the song’s release will help the school in its goal of educating and empowering your people living in conflict zones and in poverty-stricken areas around the world.

“In ‘I Won’t Back Down,’ Tom Petty so powerfully wrote, ‘You can stand me up at the gates of hell, but I won’t back down.’ The girls and I are honored to have Blake, Joe, Timothy and Matt join us in spreading this message far and wide,” said Miraculous Love Kids founder Lanny Cordola via a statement.

Listen to “I Won’t Back Down” at GoodNoise.io.

28 Nov 2022

Which Latin Song or Album Should Be Added to the National Recording Registry in 2023? Vote!

Latin songs have long been part of the American songbook for more than half a century — when in 1957, a 17-year-old teenager named Ritchie Valens decided to fuse American rock with the Mexican music he grew up with; or in 1969 at Woodstock, when Carlos Santana redefined Mexican-American rock with his guitar; or in the late 1960s in New York, when a fiery pack of salseros known as the Fania All-Stars created riveting Caribbean-driven dance music for the ages.

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As Latin music becomes increasingly part of the mainstream Stateside, a bevy of genres from Latin America, the Caribbean and Spain continue to increase in relevance and popularity. At the same time, the presence of Latin music has been growing in the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry, which includes songs and albums that are “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States.”  

In 2015, Santana’s Abraxas entered the audio history library, and in 2017, Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine’s “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” joined the list. The following year, Valens’ timeless hit “La Bamba” entered the registry, while Selena Quintanilla’s Ven Conmigo joined in 2019. Earlier this year, Linda Ronstadt’s mariachi-led Canciones De Mi Padre, Ricky Martin’s party banger “Livin’ La Vida Loca” and Buena Vista Social Club’s debut album were also added, showcasing the diversity of Latin music.

Last week, Texas Democratic congressman Joaquin Castro tweeted a call to action: “Latino artists have long contributed to the soundtrack of our lives. The @librarycongress needs recommendations for songs/albums (+10 years old) by your favorite Latino artists or groups to preserve in the National Recording Registry.”

This sparked a whole Twitter debate about which Latin song or album is worthy of making the registry. We’ve compiled those suggestions and a few other classics into a poll. Now all you have to do is choose which one you think should enter the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry in 2023.

Vote below! (And if you want, suggest another one — but remember, it must be at least 10 years old).

28 Nov 2022

Adele ‘Self Combusted’ When She Found Out Shania Twain Attended Her Las Vegas Residency

Adele is in the midst of her long-awaited Las Vegas residency, and the audience has been jam-packed with some special celebrity guests.

Most recently, Shania Twain attended one of the Colosseum at Caesars Palace performances, which the “Easy on Me” singer didn’t know until after. Adele took to her Instagram Story over the weekend to share a candid photo of herself performing, with the “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” star watching her from the crowd, wearing a wide-brimmed cowboy hat. “Thank god you had a hat on… I would have self combusted had I seen it was you!! I adore you, I can’t believe you came to my show,” Adele captioned the snap.

In response, Twain reshared the Story and wrote, “Thank god we didn’t make eye contact, all I can think of is the reaction of all those fans to @adele combusting halfway through the show [laughing emoji].”

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During that same performance, Adele had the best reaction to a camera filter while taking a selfie with a fan. In the video, the Grammy winning superstar is visibly confused when she noticed that the filter altered how she looks. “Oh my God, what have you done to my face? Woah, girl, get that filter off my face,” she tells the fan. “We don’t look like that darling.”

The interaction was followed by a sweet moment, as the superfan burst into tears upon talking to Adele. “Don’t cry! You don’t want JLo to see you cry,” Adele says before hugging the fan.

See the videos below.