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Record Store Day delivered another triumphant sales day to brick and mortar indie retailers with the hot sellers being Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams and Charli XCX titles, while the Oasis and Wicked releases were among the most in demand — if only more copies had been manufactured for the event.
While this year’s Record Store Day (RSD) represented the usual sales bonanzas for retailers, merchants in some of the stores visited by Billboard reporters said that even with one of the stronger release day schedules in recent years, it was difficult for them to top last year’s RSD, which at the time many retailers proclaimed as their best day ever.
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However, there were other mitigating factors beyond the strength of last year’s performance that were felt by stores. For instance, in the Northeast, RSD was a miserable, rain-drenched day, which put a damper on sales. But that’s not all. As Ilana Costa, who co-owns the 12-year old Vinyl Fantasy Records and Comic Books in Brooklyn with her husband Joe, puts it, “A mixture of the weather, the economy and the news about tariffs” impacted the sales at their store, which were down about one-third from the prior year. Moreover, she said the recent economic turmoil — a chaotic tariff strategy by the Trump administration and the stock and bond market meltdowns and upward swings — had been impacting the store’s performance in the weeks prior to RSD.
Vinyl Fantasy
Ed Christman
Likewise at Pancake Records in Astoria, Queens, co-owner AJ Pacheco said sales at the two-year-old store were down about eight percent from the prior RSD due to the economy, tariffs and the weather, though he thinks the early date for RSD was also a factor in the sales decline. RSD is typically held on the third Saturday of April, but this year it was on the second Saturday.
The weather in New York didn’t stop customers from standing in line at Rough Trade at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan or at Pancake Records. At the latter, about 100 customers were waiting in line when the store opened at 8 am on Saturday morning. In fact, the “line started forming last night, right about when I was closing [at about 9:30],” Pacheco reported on RSD to Retail Track. “I was worried about the customer [who lined up at 9:30] because he was young, it was pouring rain and our store is not in the center of the town,” he said. “But things worked out.”
In Manhattan, Rough Trade Records had a huge line of customers waiting to get into the store all day, which lasted until about 3 pm, after which the store let customers come in and browse as usual.
Amoeba Music in Los Angeles also had a long line waiting to get in the store when Retail Track visited at about 11:15, shortly after the store’s 11 am opening. In fact, customers began lining up two days before RSD, floor manager Rik Sanchez told Retail Track.
With that kind of anticipation, the store “did a little better than last year,” Sanchez reported, though he added that last year was also very strong. While sales were up, “it wasn’t substantially more than last year,” he elaborated.
Sanchez dismissed another factor — Coachella — that one might think would have a sales impact, at least at California stores. “No, it happens around this time every year,” Sanchez said. “[RSD] always lands on one of the Coachella or Stagecoach weekends. I remember thinking, many years ago when we first started this, ‘Oh man, Coachella is going to really have an impact on us,’ but it didn’t.”
Besides, he added, “we also get business from the people who are leaving Coachella, passing through here on Monday.”
Back in New York, Rough Trade reported that sales were up 30%, and that within that, RSD titles were up 20 percent over last year. But Rough Trade had the bonus of a newly-opened second store in the Rockefeller Center complex, this one in the below-ground retail center. That store, referred to as Rough Trade Below and measuring 8,000 square feet, tripled the company’s retail space in the complex as the Sixth Avenue store, now referred to as Rough Trade Above, has 4,000 square feet of space.
Rough Trade
Brenda Manzanedo
Rough Trade co-owner Stephen Godfroy reports that the company used the RSD titles to introduce customers to the new location, which only opened on April 8, four days before the event. Consequently, the line that stretched down the block was funneled to the downstairs store where all the RSD titles were stored.
A few years back, Swift helped change the dynamic of Record Store Day, which used to be dominated by releases of legacy titles in colored vinyl that appealed to older, mainly male, customers. When Swift was named Record Store Day Ambassador back in 2022 and released a 7-inch single of a Folklore bonus track, “The Lakes,” young fans flocked to stores. Once record labels saw that young fans would go, it led to a steady stream of RSD releases in subsequent years with titles from younger stars like Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, Noah Kahan, and this year, Abrams, among others.
Nowadays, Record Store Day’s main traffic driver is young female music fans, RSD co-founder Michael Kurtz says. In fact, store merchants report that the long lines waiting for record stores to open on RSD are largely made up of younger consumers, with the older customers showing up around midday. Along that line, Rough Trade’s Godfroy says two young ladies displaced longtime Rough Trade customer George West, who is usually at the front of the queue, as first in line for RSD this year, getting there the day before.
Retail Track’s View From Eight Indie Record Stores
Shoppers line up outside Rough Trade Below in Rockefeller Center.
Brenda Manzanedo
Rough Trade: Ponchos, Pastries and The Hives in RegaliaMidtown Manhattan
People who lined up early waiting for the Rough Trade store to open received free food and drinks from the different vendors who operate in the Rockefeller Center complex, Godfroy reported. “We look after people as much as we can,” he added. Along those lines, “We gave out 2,000 ponchos to those waiting in line in the rain.”
Like other merchants, Godfroy told Retail Track that the demand for the Oasis boxset and the double LP Wicked: The Soundtrack on green/pink glitter vinyl “was ridiculous.” But like most stores, Rough Trade only got one copy of each, and he wishes more were produced. “While I realize scarcity is what drives people to the stores on RSD,” it’s not fair to the customers waiting in long lines for those titles produced in meager numbers, he added.
Similar to bestseller reports from other retailers, Godfroy said that the store’s bestselling titles were Taylor Swift’s “Fortnight,” followed by Charlie XCX’s two RSD titles — “Number 1 Angel” and “Guess” — and Gracie Abrams’ Live From Radio City Music Hall.
In addition to RSD titles and the new store, Rough Trade had another big traffic driver — iNDIEPLAZA — which each year sees the store host seven live bands playing throughout the day from noon until 9:30 p.m., headlined this year by the Hives. While he was waiting on final figures, Godfroy noted that he didn’t expect attendance to equal last year’s, when 89,000 people walked through the indie festival area, due to the rain. But he said each band drew healthy crowds during their performances, topped by The Hives, which he said drew a crowd of several thousand people.
As an added bonus for store customers, at one point earlier in the day, The Hives’ lead singer dressed up as a king in full regalia and walked around the new store signing things and in general “lording it up,” Godfroy said.
Amoeba Music: Smooth Sailing Amid ScarcityLos Angeles
Even Amoeba Music, one of the largest independent stores in the U.S., had to deal with the difficulty of obtaining the desired number of copies for the big in-demand RSD titles. Two of the titles everyone was asking for were the Wicked release and the Oasis box set, “but we only got one of those,” reported Amoeba Music’s Sanchez, regarding the British band. Another thing that doesn’t make for smooth sailing: “During the course of the week people called us all the time asking, ‘Are you going to have this [title]?’ Or ‘Are you going to have that [title]?’ It’s always the case, but we can never because we’re literally getting stuff right up until the night before.”
But other than that, Amoeba can handle whatever RSD throws its way because by now, the store staff isn’t surprised by what happens. “We’ve been doing this for so long, we have it literally dialed in; it’s like a science for us,” Sanchez told Retail Track, noting it’s generally the store’s biggest sales day of the year.
Of course, it wasn’t a science in the early days of RSD, Sanchez recalled. “When we first started this, we actually experienced … 300 people running in here, climbing all over each other, trying to get at the stuff,” he said. The staff realized they needed to handle the RSD rush a different way because that way was “freaking dangerous,” he said. “The way we do it now is smooth and it’s fair.”
So how does the store handle crowd control on RSD? “All the people that are lined up out there before we open get a menu,” Sanchez explained. “They check off what it is that they’d like to get; and then we literally, as they come in, fill their order right up in front of the floor. We just burn right through it.”
What’s more, a lot of preparation goes into prepare for RSD. “We start prepping in January for this,” Sanchez said. “We build up an inventory just for this day because, again, experience has shown us over the years that come Monday, after the weekend [RSD] binge we [would have nothing left]” to restock shelves with, because even the non-RSD titles fly off the shelves over the RSD weekend. Come Monday, if there are any RSD titles left, Amoeba Music will put them up for sale at its online store. “We wait for the weekend to be over,” Sanchez said. “The people who make the trip out get the first pick.”
For The Record: Pre-Noon Sellouts But Plenty of CoffeeGreenpoint, Brooklyn
The Brooklyn contingent of the Retail Track force first stopped by For The Record in North Greenpoint, which has been open for just shy of three and a half years. Owner Lucas Deysine said customers started lining up around 4:30 a.m. — the first person in line brought a beach chair, which he then left on the street outside the store — and the shop, which doubles as a coffee shop and cafe, first pre-opened at 8 am to allow customers to come in from the cold and rain and have some coffee and pastries while receiving a number corresponding with their spot in line.
For The Record then officially opened for RSD at 9 am, with an in-store DJ spinning while customers browsed the RSD stock in the order that they had lined up earlier — a process, Deysine said, which ran much smoother than last year. And it seems to have paid off for the shop. Deysine — who has a background in the hospitality industry but had never really set foot in a record store before opening For The Record — said the store outsold what it did last year before noon, with the hottest titles being Swift’s “Fortnight” and records from Charli XCX and Abrams. (While Retail Track was speaking to Deysine, he took a call from a customer looking for the double-LP Abrams live album, which the store had sold out of already.)
In addition to its coffee, records and used books and tapes, For The Record also holds events and early listening sessions at the store, as well as live vinyl auctions on the site Whatnot, which got its start in the trading cards business but has gotten more into vinyl record auctions of late. While there, Retail Track bought an RSD title, Sly & the Family Stone’s The First Family: Live at Winchester Cathedral 1967, as well as a used copy of UTFO’s “Roxanne, Roxanne,” single.
Retail Track also walked past the not-yet-open Record Grouch — which, even though it was cited on the Record Store Day website as having signed the RSD Pledge, sported a sign in the window informing customers, “No Record Store Day, Just Music, 2pm.”
Captured Record Shop: No Oasis, No ProblemGreenpoint, Brooklyn
After that, Retail Track moved on to Captured Record Shop — the Greenpoint store that was called Captured Tracks until recently, changing its name after the owner got tired of being confused for the independent record label of the same name — and it was still buzzing at 1:30 p.m. The store opened at noon and had a big line well before 11:30 a.m., which remained out the door until around 1 p.m. as collectors came looking for Charli XCX, Taylor Swift and Oasis (though Captured, despite ordering five copies, didn’t stock the latter).
Store buyer Nyerah Thornton told Retail Track that last year’s line was longer, but that the store was selling more this year, with Wicked, Swift and Charli XCX having the hottest records and headlining a collection that was awash in great inventory. (Retail Track bought a live recording of The Meters from 1975). The first customer of the day zeroed in on the Grateful Dead box set, undeterred by its $120 sticker price.
Earwax: Jazz Gems and Hardcore CollectorsWilliamsburg, Brooklyn
By 2 p.m., Earwax in Williamsburg only had a small crate of RSD exclusives left given the rush that had occurred before Retail Track’s arrival. The store only got one copy of the Wicked soundtrack, but it was the first record to go, snapped up alongside the Oasis record by the first person in line outside the store, who had been there for a couple of hours before opening. Sales were slower and there were fewer customers this year than last, with store owner Fabio Roberti attributing much of that to the miserable weather — though the hardcore collectors, he noted, were largely undeterred.
Those RSD exclusives can be as expensive for stores as they are for fans, which is why the shop only had one or two copies of the most high-profile titles; though the shop’s staff was more excited about records by Pharaoh Sanders, Sun Ra and Charles Mingus anyway, wryly hoping that no one would buy those during the day so that they could buy them themselves later. Retail Track bought the RSD title from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Peel Sessions 1979-1983, at Earwax.
Pancake Records: Sweet Sales, No TearsAstoria, Queens
Pancake Records
Ed Christman
Pancake Records co-owner Tanya Gorbunoca said she was “surprised” that the Wicked album was such a hot title this year because multiple versions of that album from the musical film have been released in the last year. Meanwhile, Pacheco, Gorbunoca’s partner in the store, said that besides Abrams and Swift, the store also received plenty of requests for Rage Against The Machine‘s Live On Tour 1993 and Post Malone‘s Tribute To Nirvana cover album, most of which couldn’t be fulfilled. “We never get enough” of the sought-after titles, Pacheco said. That particularly is hurtful when dealing with the younger customers, especially the ones who “come up with their list and we have to say, ‘Sorry, we are all sold out,’ on those titles; and then they get sad.” On the other hand, he added that this year, at least “there were no tears.”
More importantly, there were enough RSD titles this year so that everyone could get something. In looking at inventory after the weekend, Pacheco reported, “We didn’t have a lot of RSD records left over, which is different than last year. That tells me we did a good job of owning the right thing, and that we got the right amount.”
Before moving on to the next store, Retail Track bought two vinyl albums: a used copy of the Vibrations‘ Shout! album and Betty Davis’ Crashin’ From Passion.
Black Star Vinyl: Coffee and CurtisBed-Stuy, Brooklyn
At Black Star Vinyl, Retail Track found a small store that served coffee, had novelty knickknacks, what appeared to be self-printed books of various titles and a decent selection of used records, but no RSD titles. Nevertheless, Retail Track scored two Curtis Mayfield vinyl albums there: Honestly and Back To The World.
Vinyl Fantasy Record and Comic Books: No Line, No ProblemBushwick, Brooklyn
Vinyl Fantasy
Ed Christman
At Vinyl Fantasy, which caters to customers who are fans of punk, metal, experimental drone, industrial and electronica, the best sellers were Kelela‘s In The Blue Light and Earth’s Hex. Costa said that due to how the store’s inventory is slanted to the above genres, it got practically all the copies of the RSD titles it requested. When Retail Track stopped by at the store at 11:15 am, there was only one other customer, and, when asked if there was a line when she opened, Costa said no. The only other customer besides Retail Track piped in that according to Google, the store wasn’t scheduled to open for almost another hour; while Costa said she opened early just to throw a curve ball at customers.
The next day, Costa later reported, “We had a ton of new people coming into the store, and there were a surprising amount of people asking for Taylor Swift and Charli XCX, but we usually don’t do a lot of pop [sales].” The customers were disappointed that the store didn’t have music from either artist, leading Retail Track to suggest that maybe Vinyl Fantasy could explore getting more pop titles for next year’s RSD. But Costa was unconvinced. “I don’t think so,” she responded. “That’s not our jam.”
This story was prepared by Retail Track, otherwise known as Ed Christman, who deputized other Billboard staffers to take on the mantle of Retail Track for Record Store Day: Joe Lynch, Kristin Robinson and Dan Rys.
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Collin County Republican Party / Judge Angela Tucker
A Black judge has become the subject of harassment after some decisions made in a now high-profile teen stabbing case that is captivating the nation.
Judge Angela Tucker has received threats and had her private information released to the public after lowering Karmelo Anthony’s bond from $1 million to $250,000.
TMZ Sports reports that the Collin County Sheriff’s Office beefed up Tucker’s security following her decision on Monday.
Per TMZ Sports:
The CCSO said “court staff and concerned citizens” reported the menacing remarks made against the official … and now, its team of investigators, as well as the FBI are probing the matter.
Additionally, the CCSO told us it’s on the hunt for any party who has released private and personal information about the judge to the public.
“If the individual responsible is identified,” the CCSO said, “potential charges could include Unlawful Disclosure of a Residence Address or Telephone Number and Obstruction or Retaliation.”
The celebrity gossip site also notes that Tucker made her X page private following Monday’s hearing.
Her decision came after the 17-year-old’s attorney successfully argued that his $1 million bond was unnecessary because he does not have a criminal history.
Prosecutors argued for the $1 million to stay in place, claiming it was the standard for murder cases in Collin County.
Tucker also ordered Anthony to wear an ankle monitor and remain confined to his home.
The case has become a polarizing one after Anthony allegedly stabbed Austin Metcalf in a dispute over a seat on April 2.
There has been plenty of discourse surrounding the case, specifically the argument around Anthony’s inability to use the argument of self-defense when people like Kyle Rittenhouse could.
We expect this case to cause plenty of division as it plays out in the court.
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.
Although it was released in theaters back in February, Captain America: Brave New World is now streamable online.
The fourth Captain America movie starring Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford is available to buy or rent on premium video on-demand platforms, even though you can still watch it in theaters. Save the trip to the movies and watch it at home.
Where to Stream ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Online
At the moment, Captain America: Brave New World is available to rent for $24.99, or buy digitally for $29.99 on Prime Video, Apple TV and other digital marketplaces.
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In addition, if you’re looking for an alternative way to stream, you can watch Captain America: Brave New World through Apple TV, which doesn’t require an Apple TV+ subscription to watch the movie. After buying, the movie automatically downloads into your video library, so you can stream it at your convenience.
However, rentals for both services are accessible for 30 days after purchase, and for 48 hours once you begin watching the movie.
As for a physical media release, Captain America: Brave New World will be available on DVD for $34.99, Blu-ray for $40.99 and 4K Ultra HD Steelbook for $44.99 on Amazon. Both formats drop on Tuesday, May 13, but you can pre-order now.
Marvel Studios
Pre-Order
‘Captain America: Brave New World’
Release date: May 13
Meanwhile, Captain America: Brave New World also has a new film score by Laura Karpman, who composed scores for American Fiction, The Marvels, Set It Up and other movies.
Captain America: Brave New World follows Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), the new Captain America, caught in the middle of an international incident, as he tries to discover the leader behind a terrorist organization in control of Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford), the new President of the United States.
The superhero movie also stars Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Xosha Roquemore, Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, Tim Blake Nelson and others.
Stream Captain America: Brave New World in 4K Ultra HD on Prime Video and Apple TV starting at $24.99. In the meantime, watch the trailer below.
Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
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Source: iOne / Chilli From TLC Co-Signs Christian R&B Artist Jor’Dan Armstrong
Chilli, one-third of the iconic ’90s girl group TLC, has always been a trendsetter in music, fashion, and culture.
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Written By Tron Snow
As part of TLC alongside T-Boz and the late Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, Chilli helped shape the sound of an era with hits like “No Scrubs,” “Waterfalls,” and “Creep.” The group is one of the best-selling girl groups of all time, known for blending R&B, hip-hop, and pop with powerful messages about love, independence, and self-worth. Beyond her musical success, Chilli has remained active in entertainment and continues to influence a new generation of artists.
While visiting the Hip-Hop Wired offices, Chilli was introduced to Christian R&B artist Jor’Dan Armstrong’s music and heard his track “My God.” The TLC star was immediately impressed by what she heard. “You know what I like so much about it? I’m all about lyrical content,” Chilli said with a smile. “The fact you can take any beat, the lyrics are catchy, and you wanna talk about the Lord? That’s a win-win.”
Jor’Dan Armstrong, known for seamlessly blending R&B vibes with faith-based lyrics, has been carving a unique lane within Christian music. Chilli’s co-sign adds a major boost to his growing platform, signaling that his music resonates far beyond the traditional gospel audience. Coming from a legend like Chilli, who has helped define generations of music, this endorsement speaks volumes. It’s a true full-circle moment when icons acknowledge the next wave of game-changers.
Tennis great Serena Williams had the honor of being named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2025 and was asked about her viral cameo during Kendrick Lamar‘s Super Bowl halftime show.
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She told Time that she and fellow Compton native Lamar have been “trying to do something together for ages,” but when he first reached out to ask if she would crip walk during his performance of “Not Like Us,” just as she did after winning Wimbledon for the fifth time in 2012, Williams admitted to being a bit confused.
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“I’m like, ‘Wait, what, you’re asking me?’” she admitted. “I’m not Taylor Swift, let’s be honest. I would have a better chance to be quarterback at the Super Bowl than dance.”
However, she didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to represent for their shared hometown, even if it meant dancing while a diss aimed at her ex-boyfriend Drake was playing. “Who would have thought that a tennis player from Compton would be regarded as one of the best tennis players of all time?” she asked. “It was just putting an exclamation on it.”
Williams is still not sure if she regrets it, though, telling the outlet, “I don’t know if I regret it or not. I don’t know the answer to that.” She also doesn’t feel like she was dissing the Toronto rapper. “Absolutely not. I would never do that,” the 23-time singles champ asserted. “And that was sad, that anyone would ever think that. I respect how they could. Obviously, I can see how someone would think that. But absolutely not.”
She added: “I have never had negative feelings towards him. We’ve known him for so many years.”
Back in 2022, on the song “Middle of the Ocean” from his joint album Her Loss with 21 Savage, Drake called Williams’ husband, Reddit co-founder Alex Ohanian, “a groupie,” which prompted Ohanian to respond on X. “The reason I stay winning is because I’m relentless about being the absolute best at whatever I do — including being the best groupie for my wife & daughter,” Ohanian wrote at the time.
Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.
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This week: Lady Gaga, Green Day and more Coachella acts see streaming gains after weekend one, Jack Black is on his way to his second super-viral (and super-short) film soundtrack hit, a dancehall legend takes a victory lap in Brooklyn and more.
Coachella Streaming Bumps: Which Headliner (Or ‘Should Be Headliner’) Enjoyed the Greatest Gains?
The first weekend of Coachella 2025 is in the books, and along with the surprise guests, song debuts and celebrity sightings that take place in the deserts of Indio, Calif. each year, we also had a mini-controversy surrounding the Saturday night headliner. Green Day topped the Saturday bill (although Travis Scott closed out the main stage that night), while Charli XCX played ahead of the pop-punk veterans; over the weekend, however, Charli was spotted wearing a sash that read “Miss Should Be Headliner,” and whether that sash was worn in earnest or as a tongue-in-cheek statement, the social-media discourse was fast and furious.
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Yet Charli defenders can rejoice: the chatter, along with the British pop star’s actual performance (which featured guest stars Lorde and Billie Eilish), resulted in one of the biggest streaming upticks across the major Coachella acts, with Charli’s catalog earning 12.7 million official on-demand U.S. streams from Saturday (Apr. 12) through Monday (Apr. 14) — a 27% increase compared to the same period during the previous week, according to Luminate. Green Day, in turn, scored a 17% jump thanks to their headlining set, with their catalog up to 10 million streams from Apr. 12-14.
While Sunday headliner Post Malone scored a 5% bump from Saturday to Monday (albeit with a much larger catalog total of 30.3 million streams), Friday headliner Lady Gaga earned an almost identical streaming bump to Charli XCX — up 27%, from 20.6 million between Apr. 5-7 to 26.3 million between Apr. 12-14. In particular, Little Monsters were putting their paws up to Mayhem single “Abracadabra” (up 34% in streams) and Born This Way throwback “Judas” (up 66%), with an ultra-cool transition between the two songs in Gaga’s Coachella set list. – JASON LIPSHUTZ
Jack Black’s ‘Lava Chicken’ Song for ‘Minecraft’ Movie Erupting on Streaming
Remember “Peaches” from The Super Mario Bros. Movie – the 95-second piano ballad that film voice actor Jack Black sung in the blockbuster as the villainous Bowser, which became an improbable Billboard Hot 100 hit in 2023? That song may have been abbreviated, but it’s basically “Bohemian Rhapsody” compared to the Jack Black song now taking off from the similarly successful A Minecraft Movie: “Steve’s Lava Chicken.”
Co-penned with film director Jared Hess, the one-verse, no-chorus song finds the actor-rocker’s Steve character singing about his delicious lava chicken for its :34 second runtime. Though the would-be jingle’s lack of catchiness is immediately pointed out by Jason Mamoa’s protagonist character Garrett in the movie, the song is apparently sticking pretty firmly in the heads of those who’ve seen it – $283.9 million’s worth of viewers and counting. The song racked up 2.5 million official on-demand U.S. streams for the tracking week ending Apr. 10, according to Luminate – up 1,973% from the week before, prior to the film’s release.
It’s not alone on the soundtrack, either – Jack Black’s “I Feel Alive,” penned by hitmaker Andrew Wyatt and released as the set’s official lead single, was also up 261% to 584,000 streams, while the total soundtrack rose 838% to just over 5 million total streams. But it’s “Steve’s Lava Chicken” – which has continued to rise so far this week – which is currently threatening to give Jack Black his second sub-two-minute Hot 100 hit of the 2020s. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER
Vybz Kartel’s Stateside Comeback Sparks Strong Streaming Gains
Last weekend (April 11-12), King of Dancehall Vybz Kartel played his first U.S. headlining shows in over 20 years with two sold-out nights at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. The Jamaican icon played over two hours of hits, including “Benz Punany,” “Fever,” “Clarks,” “Summertime” and “Brooklyn Anthem,” with special guests like Busta Rhymes and Spice surprising the rowdy crowd.
According to Luminate, Kartel’s three-decade-spanning catalog — which is still in the process of being properly tagged and organized on DSPs — earned over 1.43 million official on-demand U.S. streams during the weekend preceding his Reggae Fest-presented concert (April 5-7). During the weekend immediately following the shows (April 12-14), however, streaming activity for Kartel’s discography leapt 62%, to over 2.32 million official on-demand streams, according to Luminate
Earlier this year, the Billboard cover star earned his ninth top 10 entry on the Reggae Albums chart with Viking: 10 Year Anniversary, an expanded edition of 2015’s Viking (Vybz Is King), which previously reached No. 3. With more new music and additional performances – including a forthcoming Wireless set in London – on the way, Kartel’s comeback just keeps on giving. – KYLE DENIS
Moliy’s ‘Shake It to the Max’ Slowly Plots Worldwide Takeover
In late 2024 (Dec. 3), after weeks of teasing the track on social media, Ghanaian-American singer Moliy unleashed her team-up with Jamaican producer Silent Addy: an infectious afro-dancehall track called “Shake It to the Max.” Two months later (Feb. 21), Moliy — who previously reached the Hot 100 as a feature on Amaarae’s “Sad Gurlz Luv Money” (No. 80) — tapped Jamaican dancehall superstars Shenseea and Skillibeng for the remix, further boosting the track’s virality and easing its crossover into Caribbean and Caribbean-American markets. If the track’s steady streaming increases are anything to go by, Moliy has been handling her rising hit perfectly.
During the period of Feb. 28 to March 6, “Shake” earned just over 385,000 official on-demand U.S. streams. Five weeks later, that figure rose 212% to over 1.2 million official streams logged during the week of April 4-10, according to Luminate. The song has risen steadily each of those five weeks, aided in large part by a trending, hip-rolling dance that’s been performed by the likes of Davido, Shenseea and Victoria Monét, Tiwa Savage and Afro B. The official “Shake” TikTok sound currently boasts over 666,000 posts, while the official “Shake (Remix)” sound plays in an additional 195,000 clips.
On the World Digital Song Sales chart dated April 19, “Shake” reached No. 3, a new peak that could soar even higher as more fans get acquainted with the song. And during Vybz Kartel’s aforementioned sold-out April 12 Brooklyn Show, he brought out Moliy, Shenseea, Silent Addy and Skillibeng for a “Shake” performance that should only further amplify the song in the States. – KD
Mexico‘s President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed questions from Billboard Español this Wednesday (April 16) regarding the controversy surrounding the idea of the federal government potentially banning or regulating the public dissemination of music that glorifies criminal activities, specifically so-called narcocorridos. This is a measure that some state and municipal governments have already begun implementing.
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Joining the list of regions that have turned down the volume on corridos tumbados and narcocorridos — a genre popularized by artists like Natanael Cano, Peso Pluma, and Junior H — are Mexico City and Michoacán, which recently announced measures to regulate such expressions. Last Friday (April 11), chaos broke out during a concert by singer Luis R. Conriquez at the Feria del Caballo in the State of Mexico when the artist refused to perform corridos glorifying drug trafficking, citing compliance with the entity’s new rules. This decision angered some in the audience.
The debate in Mexico over tightening regulations on songs that glorify drug trafficking has intensified in several parts of the country. But it’s also making waves across the border in the United States, where Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau confirmed on April 1, via a post on X, that he revoked the work and tourist visas of the members of the group Los Alegres del Barranco. The decision came after the band projected images of a criminal leader during their March 29 concert at an auditorium at the University of Guadalajara in Jalisco. “I’m a firm believer in freedom of expression, but that doesn’t mean that expression should be free of consequences,” Landau wrote in his post.
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Here are President Claudia Sheinbaum’s responses to Billboard Español during her morning press conference on Wednesday (April 16) in Mexico City.
Narcocorridos have become a polarizing topic in Mexico and across the border. On Monday, you mentioned that your government does not ban any music genre. Do you think regulating, rather than banning, this type of expression is a viable option?
I’m not really a fan of banning things in this case. There are other things I believe are more important, like the issue of sweets in schools, which are no longer allowed because it’s a public health matter. In this case, of course, the way these lyrics are crafted within certain types of music and genres is a phenomenon that happens. I think that if it’s banned — even though what they’re banning is its promotion in public spaces, not that people can’t listen to it at home — that’s a decision some municipalities have chosen to make.
From my point of view, education and awareness are better approaches, allowing society itself to gradually move away from these kinds of musical content, rather than outright bans. Of course, there are extremes that cross into criminal territory, right? Like what happened at an event where a video of a drug trafficker was shown as if it were something positive. Everything has its pros and cons.
We’ve asked some musicians for their thoughts on the binational contest México Canta, including Natalia Lafourcade just yesterday — an artist who has elevated Mexico’s name to great heights without relying on trends or narratives that glorify anything controversial…
Yes, there are Mexican women — singer-songwriters, true artists in every sense of the word — with incredible talent and creativity. Natalia Lafourcade is one of them. Julieta Venegas, Ximena Sariñana — these are young women with immense creativity. And of course, Lila Downs as well. It’s truly a generation of men and women, but especially women, with remarkable creativity who elevate Mexico’s name without resorting to glorifying violence. On the contrary, they create highly creative musical content, along with their own unique music.
So, this contest (México Canta) has that goal: to inspire young people to participate with different kinds of content, and for the music that emerges throughout the contest to start resonating within society. Some say the main issue is ending violence and reducing organized crime in Mexico, and that’s true — we’re working on that as well. But I think building a culture of peace is also a task for the government, using creative methods like this that involve young people, and I believe it will be very positive.
And what’s really great about this contest, México Canta, is that many producers got involved and joined in. It wasn’t something they organized, but rather an initiative that emerged, and they decided to participate—music producers who will be part of this process. I think it’s a great initiative, and we’ll be sharing some of the pieces that come out of this process on Fridays.
Just like former President López Obrador had his playlist without “corridos tumbados,” is there a chance you’ll have your own playlist?
Yes, of course. We’ll share it soon.
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.
When looking for new home theater gear, it can be difficult to find the best digital projector that delivers amazing picture and audio quality. However, we found a top-rated smart home theater projector — and it’s very affordable.
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Available at Walmart, the RCA HD Roku Smart Home Theater Projector is priced at just $88, while it has a 4.5 out of 5-star rating from the retailer’s shoppers. It features Roku inside for video streaming movies and TV shows from popular apps, including Netflix, Apple TV+, Hulu, Sling TV, Max, Paramount+, Peacock, BET+, Prime Video, Disney+ and others. You can even stream your favorite music and podcasts with Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal and more.
And since the RCA HD Roku Smart Home Theater Projector is from Walmart, you’ll get it shipped to you for free if you’re a Walmart+ member. Otherwise, your cart has to be more than $35 to get free shipping.
If you’re not a member, then you’re in luck: You can sign up for a 30-day free trial to take advantage of everything the retailer’s rewards program has to offer with perks such as free, fast delivery; fuel discounts; streaming access to Paramount+ to watch hit originals; additional savings with early access deals and much more.
In addition, Walmart+ comes with access to SiriusXM for all sorts of talk radio and music — including popular channels like “The Coffee House” for stripped-down songs from Noah Kahan, Kacey Musgraves, The Lumineers, Phoebe Bridgers and others. Learn more about what Walmart+ can offer you here.
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RCA HD Roku Smart Home Theater Projector
Meanwhile, the smart home projector has 150 lumens of brightness for clear and sharp HD picture quality with a projection size up to 180 inches. That’s up to 15 feet in height! It also has Bluetooth built-in to connect your smartphone or tablet for even more streaming options. You can connect extra speakers for immersive surround sound when you’re watching movies.
Priced at just $88, the RCA HD Roku Smart Home Theater Projector at Walmart.
Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
420 will land on Sunday this coming weekend, and while that’s also another important day for some, it certainly is a holiday for proponents of cannabis culture. As we’ve been doing around here at Hip-Hop Wired, we’ve put together a nice 420 cannabis gift guide to help shoppers decide on what products to procure to aid in their celebration.I’ve written extensively about how 420 got its start as a “holidaze” back in the 1970s in California, and I won’t bore you again with those details. However, check out this excellent History Channel article about the holiday and its origin.One thing I need to be clear about every time that I do a cannabis roundup is to make certain to stress that we all please take heed to our state and local laws in regards to cannabis usage. These products are meant for those over the age of 21.I also do not endorse high driving just as much as I shoot down drunk driving, and despite all of its wonderful therapeutic benefits, cannabis isn’t for everyone. While I use CBD and THC products in droves, I try to do so with the aim of aiding me in my daily life, not to just get high.Now that I’ve got that out of the way, I’m really excited to roll out this guide. I’ve included a handful of CBD products because I believe they should be part of the mix. I want to thank all of the publicists and their clients for assisting me in getting some eyes on your wares.NOTE: I will be updating this post until 4/17 COB.
1. 2Rise by herbOrder
Source:2Rise
2Rise is a CBD wellness brand produced by herbOrder as part of its innovative line of products that cover pain relief, workout recovery, and restful relaxation. I’ve been using the products for a couple of weeks now, especially the Sleep drops. This is a product I’d feel good about suggesting to anyone.
Learn more here.
2. Acreage’s The Botanist
Source:Acreage
Acreage’s The Botanist is a cannabis brand that covers all aspects of how the medicine can be delivered, including flower, tincture, vape, and concentrate options. Only available in IL, MA, NJ, NY, OH, and PA for now, with plans to expand to other states.
Learn more here.
3. A Golden State
Source:A Golden State
A Golden State takes the process of providing the best flower possible with unique strains meant for all manner of activities. The brand also specializes in solventless live rosin vaporizers, adding to their whole plant approach to cannabis. Currently only available in California.
Learn more here.
4. Betty’s Eddies Caramelt Away
Source:MariMed
Betty’s Eddies is one of the best-tasting edible products on the market. Check out this piece about their Caramelt Away product here.
Learn more about Betty’s Eddies and their other offerings here.
5. Blazy Susan High Roller Set
Source:Blazy Susan
Blazy Susan should be familiar to those who check out our roundups, and the Denver-based brand always has something cooking up for cannabis fans out there. From their High Roller Kit, to their variety of rolling papers, and their dazzling rolling trays among other accessories, tokers and dabbers alike will find something they’ll need with Blazy Susan.
Learn more here.
6. Bubby’s Baked
Source:Bubby’s Baked
Bubby’s Baked is all about transforming sweet baked bites into an infused experience you won’t soon forget. Full disclosure here: I tried out one of their high-dose cookies last week, and I slept like a sweet newborn. Check the store locator to see if Bubby’s Baked is sold near you.
Learn more here.
7. ButACake
Source:@ButACake
ButACake is a Black and woman-owned edible cannabis brand founded by trained pastry chef, Matha Figaro. We haven’t tried out the product, but considering Ms. Figaro’s story and what we’re all about at Urban One, we had to feature them. Hopefully, we can get our hands on some product soon.
Learn more here.
8. Cantrip
Source:Cantrip
Cantrip takes classic soda flavors and bumps up the excitement by adding hemp-derived Delta-9 THC to the can for a sweet, social buzz. They also offer THC seltzers in a selection of flavors. The cream soda? Very fire.
Learn more here.
9. Co2lors
Source:Co2lors
Co2lors focuses on vaporizer 510 thread cartridges and disposable all-in-ones that feature hash oil ramped up with tasty flavors like Pecan Pie, Blueberry Cobbler, Lemonade, and more.
Learn more here.
10. DaySavers NY Pre-Rolled Cones
Source:DaySavers
DaySavers is all about rolling papers and pre-rolled cones. Adding to their innovative lineup, the NY Pre-Rolled Cones are out now and would be a perfect gift for any New York-loving fan. They also have these dope “Filla-A-Blunt” pre-roll cones that should spark memories for those of us of a certain age.
Learn more here.
11. DaVinci IQ3
Source:Davinci
I’m still learning all there is to know about dry herb vaporizers, but one I found incredibly easy to use right away was the DaVinci IQ3 device. It does boast a rather large chamber, so if you’re looking to conserve flower, there might be choices out there that fit one’s needs. For me, I like big flavor, and the conduction heating brings everything to the front.
Learn more here.
12. Evermore Tall Seltzer
Source:Union Craft Brewing
Evermore Cannabis Company is an innovative cannabis brand based in Baltimore, and they partnered with fellow local brewery Union Craft Brewing for the THC-infused Tall Seltzer. I haven’t tried it out but since Maryland is a recreational state, I’ll be making a visit to grab a can.
Learn more here.
13. Fable
Source:Fable
Fable adds its name to the hat of the growing category of THC-infused canned cocktails, and we’ve featured the brand in previous times. Founders Kristin and Benjamin Kennedy created Fable in 2016 after experimenting with booze-free, botanical-boosted mocktails, but decided some hemp-derived Delta-9 was the final missing ingredient. Fresh tasting and effective, Fable deserves more light in the industry.
Learn more here.
14. FLORA+BAST THCA Flower
Source:FLORA+BAST
FLORA+BAST is a cannabis brand that takes the medicinal approach of using the plant properly very seriously. Combining overall wellness with cannabis isn’t a new concept, but FLORA+BAST is pushing the envelope in this arena. The brand’s THCA flower jars is their newest offering, along with their other standout products.
Learn more here.
15. Flower Union Artisan Gummies
Source:Flower Union
Flower Union Artisan Gummies focused on using the whole plant inside their edible product to produce true-to-flower effects. The brand employs Azuca’s TiME INFUSION® technology to bring about the desired effects in 5-15 minutes.
Learn more here.
16. Golden State Canna
Source:Golden State Canna:
Golden State Canna bills itself as California’s top cannabis delivery service, and the brand’s CBN Groovy Chews are made for those looking to ease into their evenings.
Learn more here.
17. G Pen
Source:G Pen
G Pen has been good to me as a brand overall, and their wide range of collaborations with Berner’s Cookies, B-Real’s Dr. Greenthumbs, and Mike Tyson’s Tyso 2.0 brands legitimizes them in my eyes. I’ve been sticking with my G Pen Dash+ pen, an easy-to-use dry herb vaporizer that’s clutch for short sessions. G Pen also has THCA flower for sale and I’m interested in trying them out.
Learn more here.
18. Grön
Source:Grön
Grön, founded by architect Christine Apple, is one of the fastest-rising edible cannabis brands around. The brand focuses on strain-specific needs such as sleep and relaxation, along with blends for energy and focus.
Learn more here.
19. Hometown Hero
Source:Hometown Hero
Hometown Hero and their hemp-derived Delta-9 products are part of a larger movement to keep the products federally legal despite the various roadblocks that tend to crop up. Founded by Lukas Gilkey and Lewis Hamer, Hometown Hero’s measured approach to providing quality, along with potent edible treats and vapes, is a delight to witness. They also have some of the tastiest edibles around, too.
Learn more here.
20. llicit Gardens Live Sauce
Source:Illicit Gardens
Illicit Gardens is all about the extracts game, and their Live Sauce is a high-terpene, densely-packed concentrate meant to deliver the biggest and best effects for those who dab.
Learn more here.
Coldplay already did “We Pray” once, and now, the band is doing the song TWICE. As announced Wednesday (April 16) following the K-pop septet’s first show opening for the rock group on tour — during which the two acts performed together on stage — a second version of the Moon Music track featuring Nayeon, Jeongyeon, […]