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Charli XCX has invited Troye Sivan to Sweat with her some more. The Brat star opened the door for a one-time re-boot of her 2024 sold-out Sweat tour with Sivan on Thursday (Dec. 19) when she invited the “Rush” singer to join her on stage again next year. “ok so i know it’s already been […]
Katy Perry left an early gift under Katy Cats’ trees on Friday morning (Dec. 2) when she dropped a surprise deluxe edition of her 143 album, re-dubbed 1432. Even better, if features the previously unreleased tune “OK,” a Dr. Luke-produced mid-tempo pop bubbler on which Perry promises to stick with you, no matter what. Explore […]
A new waxwork captures the Rocket Man, out in space and at his gravity-defying best.
The Madame Tussauds wax museum in London pulls the curtain back on what reps describe as its most structurally ambitious figure to date – the Rocket Man suspended in the air over a baby grand piano.
Unveiled today, Dec. 20, the new figure depicts a moment from Elton John’s high-flying early days, when America came calling and the artist was at the peak of his considerable powers.
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The Baker Street attraction is styled from Elton’s legendary 1975 Midsummer Music one-day festival at Wembley Stadium — hands on the key, bejewelled jumpsuit, flamboyant glasses, and platform-shoed feet in the air.
“Elton John is a true living legend and a dazzling personality to behold, so we knew we had to go above and beyond for this figure,” comments Steve Blackburn, general manager at Madame Tussauds London in a statement. “Capturing Elton’s phenomenal stage presence – and that iconic keyboard handstand – in figure form is quite the challenge, and the result is one of our most technically ambitious figures to date.”
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The Rock Hall-inducted singer has worked collaboratively with the the wax works’ artists since his measurement-taking sitting back in 1976 for his first figure.
At Madame Tussauds London, Elton’s model joins likenesses of pop and rock giants Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, Amy Winehouse, Freddie Mercury and David Bowie’s Ziggy Stardust.
The “I’m Still Standing” singer’s impressive contributions to music have been celebrated in every imaginable way, from a collection of postage stamps, countless awards, the Rocketman biopic, and more.
In 2023, Elton’s five-year farewell tour officially secured the highest-grossing tour of all time, with $939.1 million raked in across 330 shows. While on tour, John’s career earnings grew to about $2 billion, making him the highest-grossing solo artist of all time.
Ringo Starr joined his Beatles bandmate Paul McCartney on the final night of the latter’s global ‘Got Back’ tour at London’s The O2 arena yesterday evening (Dec. 19).
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The drummer got behind his kit during the show’s encore to perform “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)” and “Helter Skelter.” Watch footage of the moment below.
After honoring his late bandmate John Lennon during “I’ve Got A Feeling,” McCartney said to a giddy crowd, “We’ve got another surprise for you. Bring to the stage the mighty, the one and only Mr Ringo Starr.” The pair hugged on stage before McCartney quipped, “Should we rock? Get on your kit la” to Ringo before the two-song appearance.
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The Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood also appeared onstage during the show, playing guitar on “Got Back.” McCartney introduced the song by talking about his old bass guitar that was stolen over 50 years ago, and was eventually returned after a public appeal. Holding the Höfner onstage, McCartney revealed that it was the bass’ first stage appearance since it had gone missing: “I haven’t played it in 50 years.”
The “Got Back” tour kicked off in 2022 and has seen the 82-year-old perform all over the globe, and included a headline performance at England’s Glastonbury Festival in June of that year. He then continued the run in the United States and through Latin America, eventually concluding with a run in Europe and a number of shows in the U.K. over the past few weeks.
The evening was a star-studded event with big-names such as Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, Kate Moss, Dame Judi Dench, Greta Gerwig and more all spotted in the crowd.
There was also a festive surprise with a performance of his 1979 song “Wonderful Christmastime,” accompanied by the Capital Choir who provided backing vocals on the song as snow confetti filled the venue.
Elsewhere he performed a number of Beatles classics, including “Let It Be”, “Hey Jude” and “Something”, alongside Wings and solo material cuts like “Live and Let Die” and “Band On The Run”. He looked visibly emotional at the conclusion of “Now and Then,” the ‘final’ Beatles song released in 2023 which was completed through the use of assistive AI. McCartney has no more shows lined up in the near future, but promised the crowd at the conclusion that “we’ll see you again soon”.
Time to show off your wickedly good singing chops, as Wicked dropped a buzzed-about sing-along version of its film soundtrack on Friday (Dec. 20) via Universal Pictures / Republic Records / Verve Records. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Fans can channel their inner Ariana Grande as Glinda or […]
Julian Lennon has offered the public a timely reminder to undergo regular doctor visits following emergency surgery after a second skin cancer diagnosis.
Lennon took to social media this week to reveal his recent health scare, explaining that he had been on the way to New York for a Good Morning America appearance and press junket in support of his latest book, Life’s Fragile Moments, when he received word from Dr. Tess Mauricio that melanoma had been discovered on his skin.
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“So instead of going home to put my Christmas tree up and happily finish the year off, relaxing at home, I flew directly back to Los Angeles, after all my work in New York was done, and went directly from LAX airport, to surgery, with a surgeon recommended by Dr Tess, [Dr. Tim Neavin] – who spent several hours cleaning up and operating on me, with large margins, in the hope that we have, at the end of the day – clear margins, which would mean being free from cancer,” Lennon wrote.
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“The operation was a success, but we have yet to have the results of the biopsy, which we may not receive before Christmas.”
As he continued his post, he shared his gratitude for his medical team for their fast work at coordinating such rapid surgery and for “hopefully saving my life”.
“One can never be too confident in circumstances like this, but we all believe that Dr Tim has saved the day. So fingers crossed for now,” he wrote.
“Obviously good news, would be the best Christmas present ever… Which I’m hopeful for… But I just want to say, this is also a timely reminder to all, to please get yourself checked out by your doctor,” he added. “It only takes a short while to do so, and you may just be saving your own life, at the end of the day… so please, for the sake of yourself, your family and friends just go to your Dr and do what must be done… I love life and I want to live for a very long time and this is one way, and a choice, that could determine your future.”
Lennon’s fittingly-titled latest book, Life’s Fragile Moments, was released in September as is his first photography collection, and features stills taken over two decades, including landscapes, urban scenes, and intimate portraits.
TWICE scores its sixth top 10 in a row on the Top Album Sales chart as STRATEGY debuts at No. 2 on the Dec. 21-dated list. The set sold 81,000 copies in the U.S. in the week ending Dec. 18, according to Luminate. Also shaking up the top 10: ROSÉ’s solo debut rosie enters at No. 3, Sabrina Carpenter’s year-old Fruitcake debt at No. 4, J. Cole’s 2014 Forest Hills Drive reenters at No. 5 following a 10th anniversary reissue and Vince Guaraldi Trio’s A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack jumps 17-10.
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Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units.
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Of STRATEGY’s first-week sales of 81,000, CD sales comprise 72,000, with the remaining sales comprising vinyl and digital download albums. The album’s first-week sales were aided by its availability across more than 15 CD and vinyl editions, all inclusive of collectible paper ephemera (some randomized).
At No. 1 on Top Album Sales, Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department nets a 10th nonconsecutive week on top, with 201,000 copies sold (down 45%), as it continues to profit from the Target-exclusive release of the CD and vinyl editions of the Anthology version of the album.
ROSÉ’s solo debut set rosie arrives at No. 3 on Top Album Sales with 70,000 copies sold. Pop group BLACKPINK, of which she is a member, has logged three top 10s, including two No. 1s: THE ALBUM in 2020 and BORN PINK in 2022. Of rosie’s first-week sales of 70,000, CD sales comprise 30,000, vinyl sales comprise 29,000 and the remaining sales are comprised of digital download album purchases and cassettes. The set’s first-week sales were bolstered by its availability across more than 15 physical variants of the album across CD and vinyl editions, many including collectible ephemera (some randomized).
Sabrina Carpenter’s 2023 holiday effort Fruitcake debuts at No. 4 on Top Album Sales (39,000 sold) following its wide release on CD, vinyl (in three variants) and cassette on Dec. 6. The set scores the biggest sales week for a holiday album in four years, and the largest sales week in the modern era for a holiday album on vinyl.
J. Cole’s chart-topping 2014 Forest Hills Drive returns to the top 10, reentering at No. 5 (33,000; up 2,648%), following its 10th anniversary reissue on CD, vinyl and digital download – with some versions including bonus tracks. The Wicked film soundtrack, a former No. 1, falls 2-6 with 30,000 (down 41%); Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet slips 5-7 with 28,000 (though, up 25%); Chappell Roan’s former leader The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess falls 3-8 (nearly 21,000; down 16%) and Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft falls 4-9 (18,000; down 21%).
Closing out the top 10 is Vince Guaraldi Trio’s A Charlie Brown Christmas TV soundtrack, jumping 17-10 with nearly 14,000 copies sold (up 13%). The set, which peaked at No. 2 in Dec. 2022, returns to the top 10 for the first time since the Jan. 7, 2023-dated list when it ranked at No. 8.
Martin Short and Hozier have celebrated both the holiday season and their respective returns to Saturday Night Live in the latest promo clips released for this weekend’s episode. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The episode, which airs on Saturday (Dec. 21) will be the first musical appearance […]
Several more players in the independent music community have called on regulators to block the acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings by Universal Music Group (UMG) announced this week, arguing the deal “would seriously distort the global music market” and “reduce competition and the independents’ bargaining power.”
Virgin Music Group, which is owned by UMG, announced Monday (Dec. 16) that it had agreed to buy Downtown Music Holdings for $775 million in a deal that would beef up the music giant’s market share by absorbing Downtown’s stable of indie distributors, publishing and rights administrators including FUGA, CB Baby, AdRev and Songtrust. The deal came just two months after UMG acquired the remaining shares of indie label group [PIAS], including its services division, Integral — an agreement that was similarly criticized by indie trade groups, who have asked regulators to launch an investigation into the pact.
In a joint release Thursday (Dec. 19), several indie music leaders said the deal, if allowed to go through, would result “in fewer options for smaller companies to negotiate fair terms and compete on equal footing, leading to higher costs and less choice.”
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“We are the global independent music community,” said Noemí Planas, CEO of Worldwide Independent Network (WIN), in a statement. “UMG trying to present this as an investment in the independent ecosystem is fooling no one. This is wealth extraction from the independents, another step in UMG’s relentless path to dominance and stifling competition. Independent music is the lifeblood of cultural innovation and market consolidation threatens the diversity that makes music so rich and compelling around the world. We call on regulatory bodies to block the deal.”
Also speaking out against the acquisition was A2IM CEO Richard James Burgess, who stated: “Universal Music Group’s acquisition of Downtown Music’s assets continues a troubling trend of consolidating independent music infrastructure, following acquisitions of InGrooves, MTheory, and PIAS. This increasing level of market concentration chips away at the competitive landscape, making it increasingly difficult for truly independent artists and companies to operate freely and equitably. These acquisitions risk silencing the independent voices that drive innovation and creativity in the music industry.”
Added Darius Van Arman, CEO of Secretly Distribution and co-founder of Secretly Group, “When near-monopolist Universal acquires Downtown, one of the largest independent music ecosystems, and does so in the name of independence, it cheapens what the word means. Market consolidation at this scale is not only anti-competitive, it is a fundamental threat to true independence.”
Virgin’s purchase of Downtown is just the latest in a string of similar acquisitions by major labels over the last several years. In 2024 alone, UMG acquired Outdustry, a label services and rights management firm that works across China, India, and other Asian markets; Thailand-based recorded music catalog RS Group; Nigerian record label Mavin Global; and a minority stake in U.S.-based Chord Music Partners, among others. Two years ago, Sony Music made a splash when it acquired AWAL and Kobalt Neighbouring Rights from Kobalt Music Group, followed by the more recent acquisitions of companies like Spanish label and distributor Altafonte and Greek independent label Cobalt Music. And Warner Music Group has snapped up minority stakes in European indie labels of late, including Dancing Bear Music (Croatia), NIKA (Slovenia) and Mascom (Serbia); it also fully acquired the Dutch label Cloud 9 Recordings in October.
“Whilst we are in favour of free enterprise, monopolies dominate market forces and remove the ability to compete,” said Maria Amato, CEO of Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR), in a statement on the Downtown deal. “There must be regulation to ensure that Universal who is already the largest music business in the world with a large stake in Spotify does not dictate prices and the ability for artists and labels to negotiate fair and equitable terms.”
“The recent acquisition by large corporations of companies that until recently were independent is a red alert for the entire global independent music community,” added Felippe Llerena, president of Brazilian trade association ABMI. “The Orchard, AWAL, Som Livre, Proper Music, Altafonte and now Downtown Music are examples of how multinational capital is reshaping the sector. ABMI believes that it is our duty to protect and promote an independent ecosystem, where artists, labels and companies can create freely and sustainably. Our fight is for the appreciation of music as art, culture and expression, not as a simple market product.”
In her own statement, Cecilia Crespo, GM of the association of Argentinian record labels ASIAr, said: “Concentration not only has a negative impact in the way platforms distribute royalties to artists and rights holders (based on market share), but also due to the unregulated use of data and intelligence from the analysis of the data and the behavior of all actors involved (artists, audiences, and users).”
On Tuesday (Dec. 17), several other indie music players came out in opposition to the Downtown acquisition, including indie labels trade body IMPALA, the U.K.-based Association of Independent Music (AIM) and global indie music publishers trade body IMPF.
UMG didn’t immediately respond to Billboard‘s request for comment on the latest statements of opposition.
There’s been a bunch of Lil Baby headlines on Thursday (Dec. 19) as he rolls out his upcoming album WHAM: Who Hard As Me. He recently sat down with Charlamagne Tha God, where he talked about his relationship with Gunna and getting name-dropped in Kendrick Lamar‘s Drake diss track “Not Like Us,” in which the […]