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While K-pop artists tend to utilize a range of teaser photos and video clips to hype fans up for new music, the members of Stray Kids are heading to Apple Music’s radio waves to share more about the group’s upcoming ATE album.
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In the kickoff episode of All About Stray Kids Radio (which premieres today, July 8, on Apple Music 1), members Bang Chan and Felix share new details about the group’s forthcoming mini-album ATE (dropping July 19), reflect on their latest single, and discuss their latest playlist additions, favorite games of the moments and other insights about SKZ’s music.
Felix says ATE’s overall concept is “something we haven’t done.” Bang Chan agrees, adding that not only is the title track single fresh but “a lot of the other songs [are] as well, it’s all very different… what we recorded, it’s just showing a different side of Stray Kids.”
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In their charming Australian accents, the musical mates also discussed why the “Stray Kids Version” of their latest Billboard Hot 100 hit, the Charlie Puth–featuring “Lose My Breath,” was “a bit more special.” Plus, the duo shares the other songs on their current playlist, including Avril Lavigne’s “Complicated,” Linkin Park’s “New Divide,” King Gnu’s “Ichizu” and Avicii’s “Wake Me Up!”
STAYs can listen to the first episode of All About Stray Kids Radio coming July 8 at 10:00p.m. ET on Apple Music 1 at apple.co/_StrayKidsRadio. Subsequent episodes will be released every Tuesday, with All About Stray Kids Radio also available on-demand for Apple Music subscribers after airing on Apple Music 1. Each episode will also be available on Apple Podcasts one hour after broadcast. The show’s podcast trailer is here.
Ahead of the full episode tonight — sure to include even more reveals — check out these exclusive moments and show artwork Billboard can share ahead of the broadcast.
Courtesy of Apple Music
On What Fans Can Expect From ATE:
Felix: It’s been like nine months since we’ve done our comeback.
Bang Chan: Yeah, it’s been, like, what? Uh, eight months?
Felix: We did [“Lose My Breath”] so, like, you know, definitely fans can be like, “Oh, bro, like, what concept or what color are they going for this comeback album?” But definitely I reckon this is something we haven’t done in, like… this is our first time doing this kind of concept. And the music style is also very different. But then you can say, “Oh, wow, so this kinda song … it’s definitely Stray Kids’ style.” You know what I mean?
Bang Chan: It’s something that we haven’t done before — but, you know, not only with the title track… a lot of the other songs as well, it’s all very different. But, you know, in the end, it’s what we made. What we recorded. It’s just showing a different side of Stray Kids.
Felix: I think we fit it in the song pretty well.
Bang Chan: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everyone did a really good job.
Felix: It matches so well with our color.
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On “Lose My Breath (Stray Kids Version)”:
Bang Chan: With all eight of our voices coming out on the song, it’s, I feel like it’s a bit more special. You know what I mean? Also it’s a very different Stray Kids song.
Felix: Yeah, it’s not like a song we would always do. But, then again, because it’s us doing it, I feel like we did a good job recording and preparing for this song so.
Bang Chan: Most of the time, I’d be, you know, 3RACHA would be directing this song. But everyone did such a great job, so, um, big shout to all the members. And, um, also, you know, I feel like, ’cause, you know, the weather’s getting so hot these days…“Lose My Breath,” it kinda cools you down when you listen to the song in this hot weather.
Felix: Yeah. No matter how hot it is, like 35 degrees [Celsius], it’s still good to listen to, you know?
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Bang Chan and Felix’s Favorite Stray Kids Songs:
Felix: What’s your favorite Stray Kids song?
Bang Chan: Bro, that’s so hard! I can’t choose! [Laughs.] Do you have one?
Felix: I have … actually, [my favorite was] “DOMINO.”
Bang Chan: “DOMINO”? “DOMINO” is pretty good. “DOMINO” is my wake-up alarm.
Felix: Oh, really?!
Bang Chan: ‘Cause it’s so loud from the start. [Singing.] And it just wakes me up straight away. I’m like, “Ah!”
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Bang Chan and Felix Talk Hobbies:
Felix: Is there anything you’re interested in these days?
Bang Chan: Ooh, interests … I don’t know … you know, I’ve been playing Genshin a lot these days.
Felix: Genshin a lot, yeah. Same here.
Bang Chan: Sometimes, when you bring your console out into schedule[s], we play Tekken together. Um, what else? I’ve been interested in soccer.
Felix: You’ve been playing soccer?
Bang Chan: Mm-hmm.
Felix: Oh yeah, you have. Bang Chan: Yeah. Futsal with the members, some other mates.
Felix: Oh yeah.
Bang Chan: Um, what else am I doing? I’ve been trying to work out a bit more frequently these days.
Felix: Oh. Ah, you have more hobbies then … You have, like, three hobbies then. Bang Chan: I guess so.
Felix: Like, working out, soccer, and then Genshin.
Bang Chan: To be honest, yeah. That does make sense. ‘Cause, I mean, you know me. I think a lot. And then I try to get out of mind — I try to, you know, find all these hobbies [Laughs.]
Felix: That’s good, man.
Warning: the following story contains discussions of eating disorders.
Kesha has a simple message for anyone out there who has something to say about her physique: go ahead and hate, it only makes her stronger. The singer who has been candid about her struggles with body image and recovery from an eating disorder appeared to respond to some unkind comments about her body on Sunday (July 7) in a pointed Instagram post.
“i didn’t think in 2024 people still body shamed but. i am so proud of my body. she’s been through a lot. she’s torn her acl on stage and finished the show. she’s held my f–king broken heart together,” Kesha, 37, wrote in the post that also featured an image of the singer laying on the beach in a black string bikini as well as modeling it while standing on a balcony while wearing a black baseball hat and white robe.
“to those who think you’re shaming me, you’re actually making me feel very powerful. so, to you, i hope you one day feel whole enough to not tear other women down. in the mean time, hate me harder bi–ch:),” she added, along with a muscle flex emoji.
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Back in 2017, Kesha posted about her struggle with eating disorders, writing, “I had an eating disorder that threatened my life, and was very afraid to confront it. I got sicker and the whole world kept telling me how much better I looked. That’s why I realized I wanted to be a part of the solution.” In addition, at the 2016 Billboard Women in Music event, Kesha discussed her past struggles with self-image. “I’ve decided to stay confident in my ever-changing, totally imperfect body,” she said at the time.
Around the same time, Kesha opened up in an essay in Teen Vogue, writing, “When I think about the kind of bullying I dealt with as a child and teen, it seems almost quaint compared with what goes on today. The amount of body-shaming and baseless slut-shaming online makes me sick. I know from personal experience how comments can mess up somebody’s self-confidence and sense of self-worth. I have felt so unlovable after reading cruel words written by strangers who don’t know a thing about me.”
She added, “It became a vicious cycle: When I compared myself to others, I would read more mean comments, which only fed my anxiety and depression. Seeing paparazzi photos of myself and the accompanying catty commentary fueled my eating disorder. The sick irony was that when I was at some of the lowest points in my life, I kept hearing how much better I looked. I knew I was destroying my body with my eating disorder, but the message I was getting was that I was doing great.”
More recently, the singer who just released her new single, “Joyride,” last week, told Self in 2023 that she after checking into an inpatient program to treat bulimia in 2014 she started working with therapists on a new routine to help manager her anxiety around eating.
According to organizers of NEDAwareness Week, some 30 million Americans will struggle at some point in their lives with an eating disorder, such as bulimia, binge-eating disorder and anorexia. For more information visit nedawareness.org.
See Kesha’s post below.
Back when she released the Spanish-language reggaeton Rauw Alejandro collaboration “Cambia El Paso” in 2021, Jennifer Lopez was coming out of a difficult time in her life. The song co-written by the two singers dropped just after Lopez split with longtime fiancé former MLB star Alex Rodriguez, and in a chat with Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe at the time Lopez said the track was about moving on, pointing out that the title translates into: “change the step.”
“I’m super happy. I know people are always wondering. How are you? What’s going on? Are you OK? This is it. I’ve never been better,” she told Lowe. “And I want my people who care about me, because I care about them so much, to know that I’ve really gotten to a place in my life where I’m great on my own. And I think once you get to that place, then amazing things happen to you that you never imagine in your life happening again. And so that is where I’m at. And I love all the love that’s coming my way right now and all of the, the good wishes. And I just want everybody to know that it’s the best time. It’s the best time of my life.”
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The conversation came at a time when Lopez was spotted spending time with her former fiancé, actor Ben Affleck; after two decades apart, the two tied the knot in July 2022.
Now, the couple are reportedly going through a rough patch amid rumors of marital strife, though neither artist nor their reps have offered any public statements to date about the status of their marriage
Which is why fans were wondering about the timing of Lopez’s repost of a snippet of the “Cambia” video on Sunday. The singer titled the throwback “Happy Anniversary ‘Cambia El Paso,’” in celebration of the original July 5, 2021 release date. The brief clip features Lopez dancing and posing on the beach and city streets, rolling around in the sand in a silver bikini top and short jean shorts.
While the video only has Lopez, 54, singing the title in Spanish and lyrics about how “all she wanna do is dance, dance, dance dance,” other lines from the song have long been construed as having a not-so-subtle double-meaning. “Her life is better now without him/ He knows that his hips do not fail him/ You don’t need anyone to be well/ She doesn’t fail, she doesn’t fail,” Lopez sings on the track in Spanish in lyrics not included in the Instagram post. The homage initially featured a number of supportive comments from fans earlier in the day, but by noon on Monday (July 8) it appeared as if all comments had been removed.
Back on June 27, Lopez similarly paid tribute to another milestone in marking the 10th anniversary of her eighth studio album, A.K.A.
People noted that Sunday’s post came after Lopez appeared to spend the Fourth of July weekend in New York away from Affleck, 51, who was reportedly in Los Angeles. The last time Lopez appeared to feature Affleck in an Instagram post was on March 2 when she was promoting her documentary, The Greatest Love Story Never Told. The two were also spotted last month, reportedly arriving separately to celebrate the graduation ceremony for the actor’s 12-year-old son, Samuel.
In the Lowe interview from 2021, Lopez further explained that “Cambia” was about “change and it is about taking a step … when things don’t feel right… To me that represents joy, happiness, life… it just represents happiness to me, because I love dancing so much because it’s kind of my first love, it represents joy, happiness, a freedom… All she wants to do is be happy. All she wants to do is live.”
Check out Lopez’s post and watch the “Cambia El Paso” video below.
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Kesha is loving all the new music female artists are releasing this year, but especially Sabrina Carpenter‘s.
In a TikTok posted Sunday (July 7), the “Tik Tok” singer cited the 24-year-old rising star as an example of why she’s pumped to be part of the music industry as of late. “the ladies are holding it down with new music this summer,” she wrote over a clip of her vibing to Carpenter’s Billboard Hot 100-topping “Please Please Please,” modeling a spangly gold top.
“proud to be a woman in music,” Kesha added in her caption.
Indeed, this summer has already proven to be dominated by women musicians. Along with “Espresso,” Carpenter occupied two of the top five spots in the Hot 100 chart dated July 6, while six female artists charted in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 the same week for the first time this decade, thanks to projects from Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Ariana Grande and Charli XCX.
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Plus, Kesha recently entered the ring with her new single “Joyride,” which dropped on the Fourth of July in honor of the 37-year-old superstar’s newfound independence. The track marks her first release since fulfilling her contract with Kemosabe Records and settling her nearly decade-long defamation lawsuit with the label’s founder, Dr. Luke; in 2014, she alleged that he had drugged and raped her after a 2005 party. In announcing their settlement, the producer denied Kesha’s claims, saying in a joint press release, “I never drugged or assaulted her and would never do that to anyone. For the sake of my family, I have vigorously fought to clear my name for nearly 10 years.”
“Good news: I’m a free motherf–king woman,” Kesha said at New York City’s Planet Pride in June, where she debuted “Joyride” for her audience days ahead of its release. “And do you know what I want to do? I kinda wanna play my first song in almost 20 f–king years … as a free motherf–king woman.”
Kesha isn’t the only star who’s lauded Carpenter for her wildly successful summer recently. Last week, Taylor Swift commented on one of the “Feather” singer’s posts — in which Carpenter celebrated selling out her first-ever arena tour — and wrote, “SUMMER OF SABRINA AND MAY IT CONTINUE FOREVER 😇.”
See Kesha’s post praising Sabrina Carpenter below.
Ice Spice keeps her side of the street clean, especially when Taylor Swift is involved. When fans at the rapper’s Rolling Loud Europe set started booing her “Karma” collaborator’s song Sunday (July 7), the former had the best reaction: blowing kisses to the haters and keeping things moving.
The moment came when Swift’s part of the duo’s “Karma” remix — which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 after Ice hopped on the track last year — started playing over the speakers during the 24-year-old Bronx native’s festival set in Austria. “Swifties, make some noise!” Ice cheered, to which a group of fans started booing loudly, waving thumbs-down symbols.
Ice, however, was unbothered. Instead of directly acknowledging the negativity, she simply blew a kiss and gave a stony expression, seemingly in the haters’ direction, before moving right along.
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The “In Ha Mood” artist was one of several musicians to take the stage at this year’s European edition of Rolling Loud, where she also performed tracks such as “Gimmie a Light” and new single “Phat Butt.” Nicki Minaj, Playboi Carti and Travis Scott served as headliners, while Gunna, Sexyy Red, Don Toliver, Offset and more were billed on the 2024 program as well.
And if some festivalgoers were expecting Ice not stand by Swift, they were sorely mistaken. Both artists have been vocal in their support for one another since coming together on “Karma,” with the pop star asserting on more than one occasion that the rapper is the “one to watch.”
Ice has also said that Swift often acts as a guiding light for her when it comes to her career. “When I was in the studio with Taylor, like, I’ll never forget that,” the rapper shared with Billboard in the March 2024 issue. “She told me, ‘No matter what, just keep making music and everything’s going to be fine.’”
The younger musician is currently gearing up to release her debut album, Y2K!, on July 26. After teasing that the project features more than one A-list collaboration, many fans have speculated that Swift may make an appearance for a “Karma” sequel — but Ice isn’t giving anything away just yet.
“I don’t know,” she said at the BET Awards in June when asked about the rumors, giving a coy smile. “Let’s see, let’s see, let’s see.”
See the moment Ice Spice blew kisses at her crowd while “Karma” played at her Rolling Loud Europe set.
From NCT DREAM and TWICE mini-albums to the latest full-length from BTS’ RM, this year’s Korean pop scene is delivering a range of excellence.
Taylor Swift had more than a few tricks up her sleeve during her The Eras Tour stop at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam, the Netherlands on Saturday (July 6).
The pop superstar treated the sold-out crowd to the first live performance of “Mary’s Song” in 16 years, seamlessly blending the 2006 deep cut into a mashup with “So High School” and “Everything Has Changed.”
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Eagle-eyed Swifties were quick to pick up on the updated meaning behind the song’s closing lyrics: “I’ll be 87, you’ll be 89 / I’ll still look at you like the stars that shine / In the sky, oh my my my.”
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The lyrical Easter egg was a sweet nod to Swift’s boyfriend, NFL star Travis Kelce, who dons the number 87 jersey for the Kansas City Chiefs. Kelce was spotted in the audience grinning from ear to ear during the performance.
Kelce has been making many appearances at Swift’s shows as she makes her way through Europe.
Last weekend, he was in Dublin for some performances and the weekend before he attended all three of her shows in London’s Wembley Stadium. On the third night in London, Kelce arrived with Swift’s parents, Scott and Andrea.
He then made a surprise appearance on stage during the concert, dressed in a full tuxedo and top hat as part of her transition skit for “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart.”
On a new episode of the New Heights podcast, Kelce talked about his big debut and having to carry his girlfriend off stage.
“I was up there with three professionals. You can do no wrong with Taylor on stage. [I kept telling myself], ‘Do not drop the baby. Hold onto the baby,’” he said. “She found the perfect part of the show to put me in. It was, like, the safest option.”
The Amsterdam shows marked a long-awaited return for Swift, who hadn’t performed in the Netherlands since her 1989 World Tour in 2015. The “Karma” singer made the most of her three-night run at the Johan Cruyff Arena, delivering a career-spanning jam-packed set.
On Friday (July 5), Swift surprised fans with the live debut of “imgonnagetyouback,” intertwining the track with Reputation highlight “Dress.” Fans were also treated to an emotional medley of “You Are In Love” and “Cowboy Like Me.”
Next up, Swift will take her show to Zürich, Switzerland for two nights before concluding the European leg with five highly anticipated dates in London.
Sabrina Carpenter is brewing up a storm in the U.K. music scene, becoming the first female artist in Official U.K. Chart history to simultaneously hold the top two spots for three consecutive weeks.
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Her latest hit, “Please Please Please,” has maintained its position at No. 1, while her previous chart-topper “Espresso” continues to percolate at No. 2 for the third week running.
This week, “Espresso” is also the most-streamed track, logging 7.1 million combined streams, while “Please Please Please” follows closely with 7 million streams.
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The major achievement places Carpenter in elite company, matching The Beatles, who managed this feat twice—in 1963 with “I Want To Hold Your Hand” and “She Loves You,” and again in 1967 with “Hello Goodbye” and “Magical Mystery Tour EP.”
Only Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran have surpassed this record, with Bieber achieving four weeks at the top two spots in 2015, and Sheeran holding the positions for five weeks on two separate occasions in 2017.
Beyond the U.K. charts, Carpenter recently also became the first artist this year to have two No. 1 hits on the Pop Airplay chart, thanks to “Espresso.” Additionally, both “Please Please Please” and “Espresso” have topped several Billboard Global charts.
In other chart news, Chappell Roan celebrates her first-ever Official Top 5 single this week with “Good Luck, Babe!” rising three spots to No. 4. The track also tops the Official Vinyl Singles Chart, proving the most popular song on that format. Roan’s success continues with “HOT TO GO!” jumping seven spots to No. 26 and “Red Wine Supernova” holding steady at No. 40.
Central Cee and Lil Baby’s “BAND4BAND” rebounds to No. 10, while Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” climbs three spots to No. 11 following the release of its headline-grabbing music video. Mark Ambor’s “Belong Together” moves up two places to No. 14, and Benson Boone’s “Slow It Down” returns to its previous peak at No. 15, with “Beautiful Things” rising one spot to No. 18.
Coldplay’s “feelslikeimfallinginlove” jumps nine places to a new peak at No. 16 after their Glastonbury performance.
Jordan Adetunji’s “KEHLANI” reaches a career-best at No. 24, climbing five places. Dua Lipa’s “Illusion” rebounds nine spots to No. 25, and “Houdini” returns to the Top 40 at No. 38.
The Kid LAROI’s “NIGHTS LIKE THIS” surges 17 places to No. 30, fueled by viral social media success. Finally, BL3SS, CamrinWatsin, bbyclose, and Evan McGee enter the U.K. Top 40 for the first time with “Kisses,” climbing nine spots to No. 35.
Lady Gaga bid a tearful farewell to her landmark Jazz & Piano concerts at Las Vegas’ Dolby Live Theater inside Park MGM on Saturday, July 6. Throughout the two-hour performance, Gaga hinted at an eventual return to the Strip, gave a shout-out to her dad and boyfriend in attendance, and praised her jazz mentor, Tony Bennett.
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During the finale, she poked the audience with a cheeky, “I can’t believe this is the last time we are going to do this. No, it’s not, we’ll do it again …” Throughout this run of Jazz & Piano, which began on June 19, Gaga teased a potential new residency, telling audiences, “… when we come back, we hope you’ll come back, we’ll have a brand-new show for you.” At another time, she confirmed it would be “pop.”This first Las Vegas residency turn from Gaga began as two shows: the progressive pop Enigma, which opened on Dec. 28, 2018, followed by Jazz & Piano on Jan. 20, 2019. Dual residencies with entirely different types of music was a groundbreaking notion; no artist had previously attempted it in Las Vegas.Lady Gaga Jazz & Piano drew inspiration from the Great American Songbook. Also, it featured jazz rearrangements of Gaga’s most popular work, including “Paparazzi,” “Born This Way,” and “Bad Romance,” which accentuate the lyrics in ways that the pop versions don’t. These additions allowed an audience that might be best familiar with her from her work with Tony Bennett on their collaborative albums Cheek to Cheek (2014) and Love for Sale (2021) to get to know her as a lyricist.
Over its 48 performances, Jazz & Piano experienced a rollercoaster of highs and lows, including a 21-month pause, Bennett’s passing and an Oscar win for best song for A Star is Born.Opening night saw Gaga and Bennett take the stage together. “You know this guy right here: When everyone was calling me a tramp, he was calling me a lady. We love you, Tony,” Gaga said when introducing her then 92-year-old duet partner. They lovingly belted through “Lady is a Tramp” and “Cheek to Cheek.”The final run, the eighth iteration of Jazz & Piano, carried on many of the residency’s traditions while adding new surprises that her little monsters love.The show started with a black and white video of Gaga and her bandmates backstage warming up to Nat King Cole’s “Orange Colored Sky” broadcast on the side-stage screens. The band, with conductor Michael Bearden, trumpeter and bandleader Brian Newman, pianist and organist Alex Smith, saxophonist Steve Kortyka, drummer Donald Barrett, and bassist Daniel Foose backed by a full orchestra, took the stage and kicked off the evening with the classic Vegas anthem “Luck Be A Lady,” as they have 47 other times.As he did on opening night back in 2019 when he appeared in person, Bennett, who passed away last July, at age 96, introduced the star via voiceover: “Ladies and gentlemen, the incredible Lady Gaga.” Even after his death, Bennett remained an omnipresent part of the show.Every note sang and played on closing night felt like a long, raspy, soulful goodbye love letter delivered in the “wisegal” showroom banter for which her jazz persona “the “Lady” has become known.“Las Vegas, you are in for a treat … it is Saturday, and you are going to feel like shit on Monday and in the morning, too,” Gaga promised. “This is the last show of this residency in Las Vegas, which means tonight we will make you sick. You will be so sick, but the best is yet to come.”This statement introduced Sinatra’s tune of the same name. Modifying the lyrics of “The Best is Yet to Come” to “Las Vegas, I’m gonna teach you to fly.”A visibly emotional Gaga gave every song its send-off, her band matching the energy with blow-out instrumentation and the sell-out crowd gushing with adoration through multiple standing ovations.There were special guests in the audience. Four songs in, Gaga shouted out her father, Joe Germanotta. After downing a glass of whiskey in one gulp, she said, “My daddy taught me how to do that—my daddy is in the audience tonight, thanks, dad—call me irresponsible …”In the lead-up to “Do I Love You,” Gaga called out boyfriend Michael Polansky. “I don’t know if you brought anybody you love tonight, but I brought somebody with me that I love, Mr. Michael Polansky. I can’t bring you up on stage, but you are always in my heart, honey,” she said.The costumes have changed throughout the years with sparkling new additions, and for this stretch of dates, the wardrobe received a complete revamp. Gaga’s second look of the evening, with its ornate bejeweled necklace and headpiece, felt as if it came from Elizabeth Taylor’s 1963 turn as Cleopatra. Gaga sat at her piano in the gown and said, “‘Born This Way’ is everything I stand for.”
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Each run introduced setlist modifications. In 2021, in promotion of a second album with Bennett, Love for Sale, Gaga added “Love for Sale,” “Let’s Do It,” “Do I Love You,” and “You’re the Top,” in addition to “Rags to Riches” and “Mambo Italiano.” In 2023, the revised setlist included “The Best Is Yet to Come,” “Sway,” “Steppin’ Out with My Baby,” “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing),” and her own “Stupid Love.” “Americano” came on board in 2024.Closing night put a spotlight on extended solos from the band. Newman unforgettably glided through “The Best is Yet to Come” and “Paparazzi,” demonstrating the extent of what a true master can do with a trumpet. Barrett pounded through drum solos and Smith’s work on the keys completely reinvented the sounds a piano can produce.The final set before the encore commenced with “La Vie En Rose.” Gaga’s version stands up to the original, unlike any other attempt. She performed the Edith Piaf classic in shadow, a lead into the whispering haunt of “Bad Romance,” with the articulation of every word a dalliance between vice grip and petal soft.As Jazz & Piano ended with its last two tunes, Gaga promised the crowd, “I’m not going to stop singing jazz … this one’s for you, Tone.”The second-to-last song, Bennett’s “Fly Me to the Moon,” began with Gaga dropping her mic and belting unamplified to the 5,200-seat theater.Ending with “I’m super emotional, but there’s no crying in baseball and thanking the audience for helping us preserve the legacy of jazz. … I am going to die an old lady singing this music on this stage.” Gaga then made her way around and shook the hands of each orchestra member.Throughout the five-and-a-half-year residency, various pop-up experiences helped to create an entire Gaga universe in Las Vegas.In May 2019, the Haus of Gaga mini museum opened alongside the theater. It showcased clothing and accessories from the singer’s archive, including the infamous “meat dress.” Donations benefitted the Born This Way Foundation, a nonprofit that Gaga and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, co-founded.Brian Newman’s “After Dark” late-night lounge gig debuted at NoMad’s The Library in June 2019. Gaga frequently popped in to join her bandleader on stage in the intimate setting. Newman produced the soundtrack version of “La Vie En Rose” for A Star Is Born and was her bandleader and trumpeter for “Cheek to Cheek.” Both Gaga and Newman have the same Miles Davis trumpet tattoo on their right arms, based on a sketch by Bennett.While final numbers won’t be available for a few months, Jazz & Piano is estimated to have earned more than $100 million, placing it in the top 10 Las Vegas residencies. This fall, Lady Gaga will star as Harley Quinn in Joker: Folie à Deux and has teased a forthcoming seventh studio album.
Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department hits an 11th consecutive and total week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (dated July 13) — tying 1989 and Fearless as her longest-leading No. 1 albums. The last album by a woman to spend 11 weeks at No. 1 was 1989, which notched 11 nonconsecutive weeks atop the list in 2014-15. If Poets reaches a 12th week at No. 1, it will be the first album by a woman with at least 12 weeks at No. 1 since Adele’s 21 rang up 24 nonconsecutive weeks on top in 2011-12.
The Tortured Poets Department earned 114,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending July 4 (down 1%), according to Luminate. The album debuted atop the chart dated May 4 and has yet to yield the No. 1 slot.
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The Tortured Poets Department is the first album by a woman to spend 11 weeks in a row at No. 1 since the Whitney Houston-led soundtrack to The Bodyguard strung together 13 straight weeks at No. 1 (of its total 20 nonconsecutive weeks atop the list) from December 1992 to March 1993.
Also in the top 10 of the latest Billboard 200 chart, Megan Thee Stallion collects her sixth top 10 as Megan bows at No. 3, while Beyoncé’s chart-topping Cowboy Carter gallops 50-10 following the release of a deluxe vinyl edition.
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new July 13, 2024-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on July 9. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Of The Tortured Poets Department’s 114,000 equivalent album units earned, SEA units comprise 78,000 (down 10% — it’s No. 1 on Top Streaming Albums for an 11th week; its SEA units equal 102.09 million on-demand official streams of the deluxe edition’s 31 songs), album sales comprise 35,000 (up 27%; it’s No. 1 on Top Album Sales for a fifth nonconsecutive week) and TEA units comprise less than 1,000 (down 22%). The album’s sales grew 27% in the tracking week thanks largely to two new CD variants of the set that shipped to customers. The two CDs, which were sold exclusively in Swift’s webstore, were briefly available to pre-order in early June for $7.99 each. Both CDs contain the standard album’s 16 songs and an acoustic bonus track (one includes “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone, and one includes “Fresh Out the Slammer”).
The Tortured Poets Department matches Whitney Houston’s 1987 album Whitney as the only two albums by women to spend their first 11 weeks at No. 1. All 11 of the latter’s total weeks at No. 1 were from its debut atop the chart.
Just two other albums have spent at least their first 11 weeks at No. 1: Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time (first 12 weeks at No. 1, of its total 19 weeks at No. 1 in 2023-24) and Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life (first 13 weeks at No. 1, of its total 14 weeks at No. 1 in 1976). (For context, today it’s common for albums to debut at No. 1. However, before 1991, when the Billboard 200 began utilizing Luminate’s electronically monitored tracking information, only six albums debuted at No. 1, including Whitney and Songs in the Key of Life.)
Swift is only the third act with three or more albums to spend 11 or more weeks at No. 1, following Whitney Houston (her self-titled album with 14 weeks in 1986, Whitney with 11 in 1987 and The Bodyguard soundtrack with 20 in 1992-93) and The Beatles (Meet the Beatles! with 11 in 1964, A Hard Day’s Night soundtrack with 14 in 1964, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band with 15 in 1967 and Abbey Road with 11 in 1969-70).
Swift adds her 80th career week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, extending her record among soloists. (Elvis Presley has the second-most among soloists, with 67.) The total encompasses her 14 No. 1 albums. (She’s tied with Jay-Z for the most No. 1s among soloists.)
At No. 2 on the latest Billboard 200, Morgan Wallen’s chart-topping One Thing at a Time rises 3-2 with 74,000 equivalent album units (up 1%). It’s also the last album to spend at least 11 weeks at No. 1, prior to Poets. Wallen’s album logged 19 total weeks at No. 1 in 2023-24 (spending its first 12 in the top slot).
Megan Thee Stallion scores her sixth top 10-charting effort on the Billboard 200 as Megan enters at No. 3 with 64,000 equivalent album units earned. That marks the biggest debut, by units, for any rap album released by a woman in 2024. It’s also the first top 10-charting rap set by a woman released this year.
Of the album’s 64,000 units earned in its first week, SEA units comprise 47,000 (equaling 62.67 million on-demand official streams of the set’s 18 songs), album sales comprise 16,000 and TEA units comprise 1,000. The album was announced on June 2 and was preceded by a trio of charting songs on the Billboard Hot 100: “Cobra” (peaking at No. 32 last November), “Hiss” (No. 1, February) and “Boa” (No. 39, May). The set’s sales were aided by its availability across three CD variants (all with the same audio content, just different covers; all exclusively sold in the artist’s webstore) and five digital download album variants (a standard widely available edition; one exclusive to Amazon, with a bonus track; two with alternate covers; and one with a printed digital signature on its cover from Megan Thee Stallion. The latter three were exclusive to the artist’s webstore.)
Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft is a non-mover at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 (63,000 equivalent album units earned; down 10%) and Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess reaches the top five for the first time, rising 6-5 (60,000; down 2%). With Swift, Megan Thee Stallion, Eilish and Chappell Roan at Nos. 1, 3, 4 and 5, there are four albums by women, or women-led acts, in the top five for the first time in over a year. It last happened on the March 25, 2023-dated list, when the all-women group TWICE was No. 2 with Ready to Be, followed by Miley Cyrus’ Endless Summer Vacation (No. 3), SZA’s SOS (No. 4) and Karol G’s Mañana Será Bonito at No. 5. (Wallen’s One Thing at a Time was No. 1 that week.)
Wallen’s former leader Dangerous: The Double Album rises 7-6 on the new Billboard 200 (44,000 equivalent album units; up 1%), Peso Pluma’s Éxodo falls 5-7 (just over 40,000; down 37%), Shaboozey’s Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going climbs 10-8 (40,000; down 1%) and Noah Kahan’s Stick Season rises 11-9 (39,000; up less than 1%).
Beyoncé’s former No. 1 Cowboy Carter charges back into the top 10 (50-10) after a deluxe edition of the album was released on vinyl. The set surges with 39,000 equivalent album units earned (up 133%), with 24,000 of that sum in traditional album sales (up 1,673%). Vinyl sales comprise a little over 23,000 of that figure (up 3,551%).
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.