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19 Feb 2025

Maverick City Music’s ‘Live’ Launches at No. 1 on Top Gospel Albums Chart

Maverick City Music lands its fifth No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Gospel Albums chart, and its eighth top 10 on Top Christian Albums (No. 2), with the debut of Live at Maverick City (on lists dated Feb. 22).

The 36-song set from the Atlanta-based Christian and gospel music collective earned 5,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its release week (Feb. 7-13), according to Luminate.

Maverick City Music, which was founded in 2018, recorded the bulk of the album in December at the Toyota Center in Houston. The LP features collaborations with acts including Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Chandler Moore, Jordin Sparks and Naomi Watts.

Maverick City Music earns its first Top Gospel Albums leader since The Maverick Way Complete: Complete Vol 02 (with Moore and Naomi Raine) began a career-best 18-week reign in November 2023. Live at Maverick City replaces that collection at No. 1.

Allen & Armstrong Lead

Nia Allen and Jor’Dan Armstrong ascend a spot to No. 1 on Gospel Airplay with “Sunshine.” The collaboration advanced by 18% in plays during the tracking week. Armstrong and Allen co-authored it with Kortez Harris, the latter two of whom also co-produced it.

The Dallas-based Allen banks her second Gospel Airplay ruler, following “Wait (2020),” which led for a week in May 2021. “I’m in Love (Live)” followed, becoming her second of three top 10s (No. 9 peak, April 2023).

Armstrong, who hails from Baton Rouge, La., adds his fourth Gospel Airplay No. 1, all earned in succession. It follows “You,” which dominated for two frames last April; “Call,” with Erica Campbell (three weeks, December 2022); and “My God” (two, beginning in December 2021).

19 Feb 2025

Here Are the Youngest Oscar Winners Ever in 10 Key Categories

Timothée Chalametcould become the youngest best actor winner at the March 2 ceremony.

Timothee Chalamet como Bob Dylan en A COMPLETE UNKNOWN'.

Timothee Chalamet como Bob Dylan en A COMPLETE UNKNOWN’.

Macall Polay /© Searchlight Pictures /Courtesy Everett Collection

Timothée Chalamet could make Oscar history on March 2, when the 97th annual Academy Awards are presented at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. His performance as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown could make him the youngest winner ever for best actor. Chalamet, who will be 29 years and 65 days on Oscar night, would seize the title from Adrien Brody, who was 29 years and 343 days in 2003 when he won for The Pianist.

Ironically, Chalamet’s top rival for this year’s Oscar is Brody, who is nominated for The Brutalist. While it’s not over till it’s over, as Lenny Kravitz memorably put it, Brody seems to have the inside track to win the Oscar. He edged out Chalamet at the Golden Globe Awards, Critics Choice Awards and BAFTA Film Awards. Their next big showdown is at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday Feb. 23.

This is Chalamet’s second Oscar nomination for best actor. He was previously nominated, at age 22 years and 27 days, for his role as a 17-year-old falling in love with a graduate student in Call Me By My Name.  That made him the third-youngest nominee ever in this category. The youngest-ever best actor nominee was Jackie Cooper, who was nine years and 20 days old when he was nominated for playing the title role in Skippy, based on a popular comic strip and novel. Runner-up is Mickey Rooney, who was 19 years and 142 days old when he was nominated for Babes in Arms, the second film in which he co-starred with Judy Garland.

This focus on ages made us wonder who the youngest winners in other key categories are. We also checked to see who the youngest winner of an honorary award from the Academy is. The recipient, the OG “America’s Sweetheart,” was not even seven when she won.

19 Feb 2025

Beyoncé Adds Fourth and Final Cowboy Carter Tour Show in Atlanta

Beyoncé has added a fourth and final date at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz stadium as part of her anticipated 2025 Cowboy Carter & the Rodeo Chitlin’ Circuit tour. The singer announced on Wednesday (Feb. 19) that the addition of the July 14 show — which will now serve as the final stop on the outing slated to kick off in Los Angeles on April 28 — has set a record for the most performances at 75,000-plus capacity home of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.

There will be a series of pre-sales for the new date ahead of the general on-sale, which will kick off on Friday (Feb. 21) at 12 p.m. local time here. A Beyhive pre-sale for the new date will begin on Wednesday at 12 p.m. ET through Thursday (Feb. 20) at 11 a.m. ET.

The Live Nation-promoted tour in support of Bey’s Grammy-winning Cowboy Carter album will play multiple dates across the U.S. and Europe this summer, kicking off with five dates at L.A.’s SoFi Stadium, followed by a three-night stand at Chicago’s Soldier Field and five gigs at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

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The production will then jump to London for six shows at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium between June 5-June 16, a three-night stand at Stade de France in Paris and the back to the U.S. for a pair of hometown shows at NRG Stadium in Houston. The tour will wind-down with a pair of gigs at Northwest Stadium in Washington, D.C. and the four shows in Atlanta on July 10, 11, 13 and 14.

Check out the updated list of dates for the tour below (new show in bold):

April 28 – Inglewood, CA @ SoFi Stadium

May 1 – Inglewood, CA @ SoFi Stadium

May 4 – Inglewood, CA @ SoFi Stadium

May 7 – Inglewood, CA @ SoFi Stadium

May 9 – Inglewood, CA – SoFi Stadium

May 15 – Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field

May 17 – Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field

May 18 – Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field

May 22 – East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium

May 24 – East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium

May 25 – East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium

May 28 – East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium

May 29 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium

June 5 – London, UK @ Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

June 7 – London, UK @ Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

June 10 – London, UK @ Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

June 12 – London, UK @ Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

June 14 – London, UK @ Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

June 16 – London, UK @ Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

June 19 – Paris, France @ Stade de France

June 21 – Paris, France @ Stade de France

June 22 – Paris, France @ Stade de France

June 28 – Houston, TX @ NRG Stadium

June 29 – Houston, TX @ NRG Stadium

July 4 – Washington, D.C. @ Northwest Stadium

July 7 – Washington, D.C. @ Northwest Stadium

July 10 – Atlanta, GA @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium

July 11 – Atlanta, GA @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium

July 13 – Atlanta, GA @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium

July 14 – Atlanta, GA @ Mercedes-Benz Stadium

19 Feb 2025

Tupac Shakur Murder Trial Pushed a Year for Further Investigation

A Nevada judge on Tuesday postponed the murder trial of the only suspect ever charged in the 1996 killing of rap icon Tupac Shakur for nearly a year, saying she had little choice given new developments presented by his defense attorneys and the need to ensure a fair trial.

The trial of Duane “Keffe D” Davis, previously set for next month in Las Vegas, has been rescheduled for Feb. 9, 2026. The judge ordered prosecutors and the defense to return to court over the summer for a status hearing.

“It looks like there are quite a few things that are left to be done to get this case prepared so that Mr. Davis can have effective assistance of counsel,” Clark County District Court Judge Carli Kierny said during a short hearing.

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When asked by the judge if he was OK with moving the trial that far out, Davis agreed.

Davis’ defense team filed a motion Friday seeking more time, saying critical investigative work had to be done and witnesses needed to be interviewed to ensure he gets a fair trial. The lawyers said a private investigator identified witnesses who can testify that Davis was not at the scene of the shooting.

Attorney Carl Arnold, who is leading the defense, said the case involves decades-old allegations and critical facts have yet to be fully examined.

On the night of Sept. 7, 1996, Shakur was in a BMW being driven by Death Row Records founder Marion “Suge” Knight. They were waiting at a red light when a white Cadillac pulled up next to them and gunfire erupted.

Davis, an ex-gang leader who is accused of orchestrating Shakur’s killing near the Las Vegas Strip, has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and has been jailed since his September 2023 arrest.

Davis has acknowledged in interviews and in his tell-all memoir that he provided the gun used in the drive-by shooting and that he was in the car. But his court filings say his descriptions in recent years of orchestrating the shooting were “done for entertainment purposes and to make money.”

Arnold has argued that Davis never should have been charged because of immunity agreements that Davis says he reached years ago with federal and local prosecutors while living in California.

Prosecutors disagree, saying they have strong evidence against Davis and any immunity agreement was limited.

Defense attorneys also are raising questions about the manner of Shakur’s death, saying they have witness information indicating that he was in stable condition after the shooting and died suddenly after being hospitalized for a week. They want to consult medical and forensic experts to evaluate potential alternative causes of death.

This article was originally published by The Associated Press.

19 Feb 2025

Selena Gomez, Ben Stiller, Joe Alwyn & More to Present at 2025 Oscars

Selena Gomez, one of the stars of Emilia Pérez; second-generation comedy star Ben Stiller; and Joe Alwyn, one of the stars of The Brutalist (though probably still best-known by many as Taylor Swift’s ex) have been added to the list of presenters for the 2025 Oscars. The show will air live on ABC and stream live on Hulu on Sunday, March 2, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

Other newly announced presenters are Sterling K. Brown, Willem Dafoe, Ana de Armas, Lily-Rose Depp, Goldie Hawn, Connie Nielsen and Oprah Winfrey.

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Previously announced presenters are Halle Berry, Penélope Cruz, Elle Fanning, Whoopi Goldberg, Scarlett Johansson, John Lithgow, Amy Poehler, June Squibb and Bowen Yang – as well as last year’s four acting winners: Cillian Murphy, Emma Stone, Robert Downey Jr. and Da’Vine Joy Randolph.

Hawn, Berry, Goldberg and Cruz are also past Oscar winners. In 2001, for her role in Monster’s Ball, Berry became the first Black actress to win best actress. These other stars won for best supporting actress – Hawn for Cactus Flower in 1970, Goldberg for Ghost in 1991 and Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona in 2009.

In 2011, Winfrey received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

Alwyn has had numerous film credits leading up to The Brutalist. He also appeared in The Favourite (2018), Boy Erased (2018), Mary Queen of Scots (2018) and Harriet (2019), among others.

Nick Offerman will serve as the announcer for this year’s Oscar telecast. Conan O’Brien will host for the first time.

The 97th Oscars will be held at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will air live on ABC and stream live on Hulu. The official live red-carpet show will air at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT.

Raj Kapoor and Katy Mullan are executive producers of the 2025 Oscars. Kapoor is also showrunner. He was also one of three executive producers for the Grammy Awards on Feb. 2, along with Ben Winston and Jesse Collins.

19 Feb 2025

Jason Kelce Has Seen ‘Staggering’ Change in Brother Travis Kelce Since He Began Dating Taylor Swift

Before he began dating Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce was a typical bro, bro. At least according to former NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who sat down with Trav’s big brother, fellow retired NFL great Jason Kelce, on this week’s Fitz & Whit podcast to talk beer pong and the tremendous growth they’ve seen in Travis since he began dating Swift a year and a half ago.

“It’s been staggering, honestly,” Jason said of the changes he’s seen in Travis over the period. “He legitimately had a basketball hoop in his living room,” Fitzpatrick recalled of the Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs tight end’s interior design vibe before he teamed up with the world’s biggest pop star. “And a pool table, I don’t think he had any couches,” Fitz added.

“One of the things I love so much about Travis is that he never grew up,” Jason said. “He was like Peter Pan [and] the Lost Boys.” Asked if Trav has grown up now, Jason added, “For sure. It’s changing. I think sometimes you get people in your life that maybe get that out of you and that’s a good thing,” seemingly referencing Swift, without directly naming her.

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“Trav, he is growing up,” Jason said. “He’s still got, though, that youthful enthusiasm. I think he’ll always have that. It’s just part of his personality… Anyone that’s ever met Trav, you can’t help but just love the guy. He’s a free spirit in the best possible way.”

Swift and Kelce, 35, both have some down-time ahead of them following Taylor wrapping her record-setting Eras Tour in December and Travis ending his 12th season with a 40-22 Super Bowl LIX loss to the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this month.

Watch Jason talk Travis’ growth below.

19 Feb 2025

Pepe Aguilar, With His Kids Leonardo & Ángela, to Pay Tribute to Paquita la del Barrio at Premio Lo Nuestro 2025

Paquita la del Barrio will be honored at Premio Lo Nuestro 2025 with an emotional performance by Pepe Aguilar and his children Leonardo y Ángela Aguilar, Billboard can exclusively announce Wednesday (Feb. 19).

The iconic Mexican ranchera singer, known for denouncing macho culture and attitudes in songs like “Tres Veces Te Engañé,” “Rata de Dos Patas” and “Las Rodilleras,” died this week at her home in Veracruz, Mexico, at age 77.

“Honoring the legacy of Paquita la del Barrio for me is a great responsibility and a true privilege. Her voice was an echo in the soul of our people, and her courage in telling stories paved the way for many generations,” Pepe Aguilar said in a statement, adding that he hopes “that this tribute is as significant with the depth of her spirit.”

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“Paquita la del Barrio taught us that a woman’s voice should never be silenced — she always sang what she felt, without fear and without excuses,” added Ángela Aguilar. “I had the incredible honor of opening her concerts when I was younger, witnessing firsthand the magic she created on stage. Having her as part of [my family’s show] Jaripeo Sin Fronteras was just as special — a true testament to the impact she has had on generations of artists.”

Meanwhile, Leonardo Aguilar expressed: “All my life I have been surrounded by powerful women — whose strength, resilience and passion have shaped who I am. Paquita la del Barrio personified that strength, breaking barriers and giving a voice to those who needed it most.”

With a career spanning over five decades, Paquita la del Barrio was an idol in popular music. In 2011, she received the Billboard Regional Mexican Music Award “La Voz,” and 10 years later, in 2021, she was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Billboard Latin Music Awards for her exceptional career.

Born in Veracruz, Mexico, Francisca Viveros Barradas (her real name) discovered her powerful voice as a child while singing at school festivals. In the 1970s, she formed the duo Las Golondrinas with her sister Viola, and in 1984, she released her debut album, El Barrio de los Faroles, as Paquita la del Barrio. Since then, she recorded over 30 albums, which sold more than 30 million copies, with hits that also include “Las Mujeres Mandan,” “La Última Parada,” “Me Saludas a la Tuya,” “Soltero Maduro, Chiquito” and “Hombres Malvados,” among others.

In its 37th edition, the Premio Lo Nuestro ceremony will be broadcast live on Thursday (Feb. 20) starting at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT on Univision, UNIMÁS and ViX. Co-hosted by Laura Pausini, Thalia, and Alejandro Espinoza, it will feature performances by Becky G and Carín León, who lead this year’s list of nominees, as well as Shakira, Grupo Frontera, Marc Anthony, Will Smith and many more.

19 Feb 2025

Rihanna Gives Thanks Following A$AP Rocky Not Guilty Verdict: ‘The Glory Belongs to God and God Alone’

A$AP Rocky jumped into Rihanna‘s arms after a jury acquitted him on both counts in the shooting case involving his former friend A$AP Relli (Terrell Ephron). A short time later, it was RihRih who was jumping for joy while celebrating the verdict, writing in her Instagram Story, “THE GLORY BELONGS TO GOD AND GOD ALONE! THANKFUL, HUMBLED BY HIS MERCY!”

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She ended the post with a prayer hands emoji.

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The singer, 36, was on hand for the final days of the four-week trial in which Rocky (born Rakim Mayers) was facing significant prison time tied to an incident that took place in November 2021 in which he was accused of firing a handgun twice at Relli near a Hollywood hotel. The 36-year-old rapper was arrested in Los Angeles in April 2022 and hit with two felony counts of assault with a firearm and was facing a maximum of 24 years in prison.

After deliberating for around three hours, the jury returned its not guilty verdict on Tuesday afternoon (Feb. 18), prompting Rocky to jump over the railing into the arms of an ecstatic Rihanna, with whom he shares two young children, RZA, 2 and Riot, 1. Rocky also took to his socials to celebrate the end of the long-running case, writing on X “DON’T BE DUMB,” a seeming reference to his delayed fourth album of the same name that was slated to drop last August.

At the time, Rocky said posted on X that “LEAKS & SAMPLE CLEARANCES ARE DISRUPTING THE ALBUM. ITS BEEN 6 YEARS & I WANNA MAKE THE BEST ALBUM EVER. IM SORRY FOR THE WAIT,” explaining the delay in releasing his follow-up to 2018’s Testing album. In a Billboard cover story last summer, Rocky said the delayed album was slated to feature frequent collaborator and friend Tyler, The Creator and former Smiths singer Morrissey, as well as an A-list roster of producers, including Pharrell Williams, Mike Dean, Hitkidd, Madlib, Metro Boomin and The Alchemist. “I sat and I played the album for Tim Burton, and he was f—ing with it heavy,” he said, adding that the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice director was “rocking his head” while listening. “He’s like, ‘Wow! I didn’t know you made that kind of music!’”

Though the official track list has not been revealed yet, Don’t Be Dumb has been preceded by a number of singles, including “Highjack,” “Tailor Swif” and “Ruby Rosary.”

19 Feb 2025

Sabrina Carpenter Announces Second Night at London’s BST Hyde Park

Sabrina Carpenter will headline a second night at London’s BST Hyde Park. The Short n’ Sweet singer will now perform another huge outdoor show on July 6, 2025 following her previously sold-out show on July 5.

Carpenter was first announced for BST Hyde Park back in December and joined Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), Noah Kahan, Olivia Rodrigo and Zach Bryan as headlining artists. Actor Hugh Jackman was slated to perform a number of musical theater numbers on July 6, but the show was pulled last month due to a reported “unforeseen conflict” in Jackman’s calendar.

Tickets for Carpenter’s new date will go on sale at 10 a.m. (GMT) on Feb. 24 from the festival’s official website. She will be supported by Clairo and British star Olivia Dean on the day, with a full lineup announced in due course.

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The singer’s Short n’ Sweet world tour will hit U.K. and Ireland’s arenas in March, with dates in Dublin, London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester as well as a wider European tour. In June, she will also headline Barcelona’s Primavera Sound Festival alongside Charli XCX, Chappell Roan and Central Cee.

On March 1, Carpenter will collect the honorary Global Success prize at the BRIT Awards at London’s O2 Arena and will perform live during the ceremony. She’s nominated for a further two awards in the international artist and international song of the year categories, the latter for her U.K. chart-topper “Espresso.”

Over the weekend, Carpenter helped open the proceedings at the SNL50 Anniversary Special with a duet with Paul Simon. The pair performed Simon’s 1966 song “Homeward Bound,” which he initially duetted with on the show in 1976 with late Beatle George Harrison. Watch the performance below.

18 Feb 2025

Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus Is Auctioning Off His Rare Banksy Artwork

Blink-182 co-founder Mark Hoppus is setting his sights on the art world, with the musician set to auction off his rare Banksy artwork.

The artwork, titled Crude Oil (Vettriano), was hand-painted by the anonymous English street artist in 2005 and will go under the hammer at Sotheby’s in London on March 4. The painting is valued rather highly, attracting a sales estimate of up to £5 million, or $6.3 million.

Originally created for Banksy’s 2005 exhibit Crude Oils, the painting is itself a recreation of the 1992 artwork The Singing Butler by Scottish artist Jack Vettriano. Hoppus would later acquire the piece in 2011.

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As part of the exhibition (which was described as “A Gallery of Re-Mixed Master-Pieces, Vandalism, and Vermin” and featured works based off artists such as Andy Warhol and Edward Hopper), the original was altered to include a “sinking oil liner and two men in hazmat suits wheeling a barrel of toxic waste”. 

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“We loved this painting since the moment we saw it,” said Hoppus in a statement. “Unmistakably Banksy, but different. We bought it because we loved it. It’s borne witness to our family over these past dozen years. It hung over the table in London where we ate breakfast and our son did his homework. It hung in our living room in Los Angeles. It’s seen laughter and tears and parties and arguments.”

“This isn’t just an iconic Banksy, it is a Banksy that has been treasured by music legend, Mark Hoppus, who fell for this work for its rebellious spirit, raw edge and unfiltered expression—the fundamentals that also shaped Mark’s world: Punk culture,” Sotheby’s Europe chairman Oliver Barker said in a statement. 

“Street art and Punk Rock share the same vocabulary—they speak to the outsider, the rebel and the overlooked. Both movements were born from the margins. They challenge authority and rewrite the rules, a fundamental trait shared by Mark and Banksy. Now, by sharing Crude Oil (Vettriano) with the world, Mark will open others’ eyes to the true power art can have; to spark conversation and challenge the way we see the world around us.”

Remaining anonymous over his three decades of activity, Banksy’s artwork has become as iconic as it is divisive, with his creations adorning the walls of art galleries and album covers in equal measure. In 2021, his Love is in the Bin artwork sold for a record £18,582,000 (valued at $23,442,885 today), with the work itself having gained notoriety for its self-destruction upon its initial sale in 2018. 

Hoppus says a portion of the funds raised by the sale will go towards charities and funds aiding those affected by the Los Angeles wildfires, including the California Fire Foundation, the Child Life Program at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and Cedars Sinai Hematology Oncology Research.

Crude Oil (Vettriano) is currently on display at Sotheby’s in New York until Thursday (Feb. 20), and will then be on display in London from Feb. 26 until March 4.