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Earlier this month, we here at Billboard began our staff countdown of the 25 Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century — the artists who, by our estimation, have best exemplified and influenced pop stardom over the course of the past 25 years. We’ve been rolling out two of them a week, and will continue […]
Who was that masked man? That’s what a lot of players were wondering on Thursday (August 29) before the identity of the mysterious Shadow Duelist Nocturne was unveiled during the Yu-Gi-Oh! Master Duel livestream.
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As it turns out, it was none other than Zayn Malik, 31, a lifelong fan of the free digital card game who didn’t play in the tournament, but whose reveal was teased earlier this month as a “celebrity in disguise,” along with previous hints that he mystery man was “cloaked in shadow and draped in melody” and was part of a “celebrated brotherhood of troubadours.” When the big moment came, Malik, wearing black leather gloves and a black suit, slowly pulled off the character’s gold and black voice changing helmet with glowing green eyes as the event’s hosts lost their minds.
Before the reveal, the hosts shared a the obvious penultimate clue, which read, “From dusk till dawn, Nocturne fills the air with Stardust and PILLOWTALK,” a triple-down on Zayn solo single hints.
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The winner of Thursday’s tournament not only earned bragging rights, but also a signed copy of the mask as part of their prize package. After a player called Fictinium emerged victorious, Malik removed his mask and talked about his love of the franchise that includes games, anime and playing cards.
“Yeah, I’m a big, big Yu-Gi-Oh! fan. I’ve been into Yu-Gi-Oh! for a long time, since I was a small kid, so it’s an honor to be here, to do this, and it was very exciting,” said Malik, who offered up game-play commentary on the final four alongside the night’s hosts, Steven Kangas and Billy Brake. “I’ve been looking forward to it for a few weeks.”
Zayn said he was excited to wear the cool mask because he loves dressing in costume, but also was way into watching everyone compete as he signed the inside of the mask for Fictinium. The singer also ran down his favorite battles, shared his packed childhood Yu-Gi-Oh! binder and revealed his favorite card while talking about his Yu-Gi origin story, which involved first playing the game when he was “really young” on his Gameboy Advance SP.
“What is my favorite card? Obviously, I have the Shooting Star Dragon — and, obviously, it’s one of my most powerful cards, that’s why I like it so much,” Zayn said, displaying his leather binder — with the game’s name hand-scrawled across the front in Sharpie — and some of his most treasured cards. “I have the Shooting Quasar Dragon, too.” And, for the record, if he was to record a theme song for the series, it would be something “high energy” with an “early 2000s rock” vibe.
The singer, who joked about calling his next album, Yami Yugi, displayed a deep knowledge of the Yu-Gi-Oh! universe, while also taking a moment to tease upcoming music. Saying he was “honored to be here,” Zayn also told viewers that he has “some interesting stuff coming out with my music pretty soon. Some pretty big announcements coming up, so if you’re interested in my music at all, I’ve got some cool news coming pretty soon.”
Zayn signed a new recording contract with Mercury Records last summer and released his fourth solo album, Room Under the Stairs, in May.
Watch Zayn’s reveal below.
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MTS is joining forces with BTS once again — yes, for real. After teasing on social media that she was teaming up with another artist to release a new collaboration, Megan Thee Stallion has confirmed that she’s working with the world’s biggest K-pop stars: Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V and Jung Kook.
The “Hiss” rapper first started hinting at a new duet on X Thursday (Aug. 29), when she simply tweeted a pointed string of emojis: “🐎X💜 👀”
The cryptic post got lots of fans fired up, with some immediately guessing that the purple heart signified BTS’ involvement. “HELLO?? PURPLE HEART?? BTS???” one person commented at the time, while another excited user wrote, “BTS COLLAB ?? NO ONE MOVE.”
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The following day, BTS’ account confirmed the news: “🐎X🦔(🐨),” the band wrote, retweeting Meg’s original post. “Coming Soon! 💜👀”
The news comes about two months after the “WAP” artist released her third studio album, Megan, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. BTS’ full-band activities have been on pause as the members fulfill their mandatory military obligations in South Korea, with some of the boys dropping solo projects in the meantime.
The new collab won’t be the first time MTS and BTS have worked together. In 2021, Meg jumped on the remix to the boy band’s Billboard Hot 100-topping single “Butter,” which they all performed together at BTS’ concert in Los Angeles that November.
“I love BTS, and I was telling my manager, ‘I really want to do a song with BTS, I don’t know what I can do or what we’re going to do,’” she recalled to Entertainment Tonight the following February. “Around that the same time, they wound up reaching out to me and asking me to do the ‘Butter’ remix. So, I was like, ‘Oh my God.’”
See Megan and BTS’ tweets below.
Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.
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This week, Big Sean puts in the work, A$AP Rocky has a gift for fans and Muni Long is back with more R&B gems. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Big Sean, Better Me Than You
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“Back to the basics, back to the work,” Big Sean raps in the opening minutes of his new album Better Me Than You — and the Detroit star’s first album since 2020 indeed carries a sense of head-down purpose, with guest artists like Gunna, Syd, Kodak Black and Bryson Tiller lending a hand as Sean carries the torch of no-frills hip-hop.
A$AP Rocky, “Tailor Swif”
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A previously leaked track that A$AP Rocky has properly released as a gift to fans, “Tailor Swif” finds the rapper quickly jumping between come-up stories and double-entendre boasting: “Even when I was po’, I was out here, eatin’ goats,” he spits, as the flute-laden production urges him to keep going.
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Muni Long, Revenge
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After waiting many years for her solo moment, then achieving it with the top 20 smash “Hrs & Hrs,” Muni Long has happily returned sooner than later with Revenge, which follows 2022’s Public Displays of Affection: The Album as another R&B songwriting showcase, highlighted by the electric recent hit “Made For Me.”
Tommy Richman, “Thought You Were the One”
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After “Million Dollar Baby” zoomed into the top 10 of the Hot 100 and “Devil is a Lie” continued his upward trajectory, Tommy Richman shows off his vulnerable side on “Thought You Were the One,” which molds his new jack swing riffing and falsetto croon into a more heartbroken pose.
Zedd, Telos
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When you revive Jeff Buckley’s “Dream Brother” for a dance remix, you know you are taking some big swings — and Zedd, the veteran EDM star who has scored hits by taking chances in the pop world, spends new album Telos pushing his style into intriguing new territories as a wide smattering of guests (Muse! Dora Jar! John Mayer!) swing by to help.
Noah Kahan, Live From Fenway Park
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At long last, Noah Kahan has left the road after spending multiple years gradually growing his fan base and venue size — but before wrapping up a tour that eventually made him a stadium headliner, the singer-songwriter recorded Live From Fenway Park, a live album that captures Kahan beaming through his catalog at the hometown gig.
Victoria Monét & Usher, “SOS (Sex on Sight)”
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Continuing a fruitful year in which Victoria Monét won the best new artist Grammy and Usher headlined the Super Bowl halftime show, “SOS (Sex on Sight)” allows both artists to warble about desire and showcase their abilities as master collaborators — some of their strongest respective work has been alongside other artists, and “SOS” is another winning team-up.
Editor’s Pick: Fireboy DML, Adedamola
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For casual fans who only know Nigerian singer-songwriter Fireboy DML’s global smash “Peru,” new album Adedamola is both a sumptuous listen and personal new entry into his discography, building upon his global success with anecdotes about his journey and engrossing relationship musings; this album simmers, and never loses your attention.
The 2025 Eurovision Song Contest is setting up roots in the northern Swiss town of Basel. Organizers announced the news on Friday (August 30), revealing that the 69th edition of the international singing competition will visit Switzerland for a third time next May 13, 15 and 17 when it sets up shop Basel’s 12,000-capacity St. Jackobshalle Arena; Eurovision previously took place in Lugano for the very first edition in 1956 and Lausanne in 1989.
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Switzerland took home the top prize in the inaugural year of Eurovision, when Lys Assia’s “Refrain” came out on top and then won again in 1988 when Celine Dion triumphed with “Ne partez pas sans moi.” Following last year’s win by Swiss singer Nemo, riverside town Basel, the third largest city in the country, was tapped to host this year after beating out Geneva for the honor.
Nemo thrilled the crowd last year in Malmö Arena in Sweden when the singer — who identifies as non-binary, representing the first Eurovision win by a non-binary act — performed their song about coming to terms with their identity.
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The annual Eurovision finals are one of the most-watched TV events of the year, with the 2024 edition drawing in more than 160 million viewers. According to a release announcing next year’s host, the two Swiss cities who were the final candidates were chosen according to criteria including hotel capacity, security, available venues, sustainability, transportation infrastructure and experience with large events.
“The EBU is thrilled that Basel has been selected as the Host City for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025,” said Eurovision executive supervisor Martin Österdahl in a statement. “The Contest was born in Switzerland in Lugano back in 1956 and it’s great to be bringing it back to its birthplace almost 70 years later. Basel’s strategic location at the crossroads of Europe makes it the ideal setting for an event that celebrates the power of music to connect people across borders.”
He continued, “With its unique blend of tradition and innovation, Basel reflects the spirit of the Eurovision Song Contest. The city’s exceptional St. Jakobshalle venue and outstanding hospitality will ensure a memorable experience for delegations, artists and fans alike. Following Contests in the Italian and French speaking parts of the country in 1956 and 1989 we’re also excited to bring the Eurovision Song Contest to German Switzerland for the very first time.”
Basel, a town of 177,000 situated on the River Rhine, is one of the country’s cultural capitals, home to dozens of museums and world-class architecture. Tickets for the nine 2025 shows, including dress rehearsals, are expected to go on sale in the next few months.
Check out the 2025 announcement below.
Sabrina Carpenter has been one busy woman. Just one week after dropping her sixth studio album, Short n’ Sweet, the 25-year-old pop star released a surprise bonus track — and Barry Keoghan was first in line to download. Sharing an outtake from her Short n’ Sweet cover shoot, Carpenter announced the new song on Instagram […]
There’s a moment in Adam Sandler’s new comedy special, Love You, when the comedian picks up an acoustic guitar and very intently and fluently plays “Malagueña,” the classical guitar instrumental by Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona, before he launches into “Mutterin’,” a comedic song about murmuring negative asides under his breath.
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In Sandler’s first Netflix special in six years, he finds humor in most things — whether it be a low-brow, scatological sketch about a wish-granting genie, or a clever riff on non-sensical word pronunciations as he toggles between spoken bits and songs. But one thing Sandler takes very seriously is his musicianship.
“When I was a kid, my dad had an acoustic guitar, and he would play ‘Malagueña.’ That song means a lot to me,” Sandler tells Billboard. One day, Sandler — who was already taking guitar lessons while growing up in Manchester, New Hampshire — came upon a Stratocaster in a store window. “I was in bands all through junior high and high school and I said, ‘Oh my God, I would do anything for that guitar.’ My dad said, ‘I’m not just going to get it for you, but if you learn “Malagueña” note for note, I’ll get that guitar for you.’ I practiced it for a year until my father was impressed enough he got it for me when I was 12. I think of that every time I pick up a guitar.”
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And he picks up the guitar a lot in Love You, which was directed by Josh Safdie, whom Sandler worked with to great acclaim on the 2019 drama Uncut Gems. Instead of the usual comedy special where the comedian walks out onto a brightly lit stage to applause, Love You opens with a decidedly more frantic, in-your-face tone. Sandler pulls up to the venue dealing with a shattered windshield, he’s then barraged by autograph seekers, he can’t find a clean hoodie to wear, his coffee order is wrong, and he’s running late. Once he gets on stage in the darkly lit small club — a deliberately disheveled Nocturne Theater in Glendale, California — things aren’t much better: there are technical glitches with the screens, and a stray dog even wanders onto the stage.
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When Safdie came to him with his slightly skewed vision for the special, Sandler says, “It definitely took me a little while to go ‘yes.’ I just thought we were going to shoot the show because I had been doing the show for a while and I had that down, so I was excited to do that, but Josh kept saying, ‘Let’s try to do something different.’” The special is a scaled-down version of the arena show Sandler took on the road last fall, which grossed $28.5 million in 27 shows, according to Billboard Boxscore.
Though Sandler knew some of the curveballs that were going to come his way at the Nocturne, Safdie’s plan kept Sandler on his toes, and gives the special a jagged edge. “That made it more exciting the days we were shooting,” Sandler says. “I definitely never knew when something was going to come at me and throw the rhythm off, and I had to try to react and keep the show going as smoothly as we could. It made it more of an electric vibe.”
As if there wasn’t enough disruption, an unplanned kerfuffle breaks out between some audience members. “It was kind of early on in the show, and then all of a sudden you felt some hostility in the crowd,” says Sandler, who quickly diffused the situation. “When you’re on the road, it’s going to happen. Things get out of control in the audience and you got to react to it and try to calm things down.”
Just as his 2018 special, 100% Fresh, ended with a sentimental, sweet musical tribute to the late Chris Farley, his friend and former Saturday Night Live castmate, Love You similarly concludes with “Here Comes the Comedy,” a warm salute to the healing power of comedy, as footage of the dozens of comedians who have influenced and delighted Sandler since his youth appear on the finally operational monitors. In the six-minute number, written by Sandler and his longtime musical partner Dan Bulla, Sandler plays the Stratocaster his father gave him when he was 12.
Sandler apologizes that he has to cut the interview short because he’s in the middle of pre-production on Happy Gilmore 2, his sequel to his 1996 comedy classic. The movie will start shooting in New Jersey next year and Sandler’s already teased that the new version will include a number of cameos, just as the original did, including Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who sported a Happy Gilmore cap at this April’s Coachella. “He’s gonna come by. He’s a very nice guy,” Sandler said on The Tonight Show on Aug. 20. “You guys would love him in real life. What a big, handsome guy. Funny and cool as hell. He’s a stud and he’s so funny.”
There’s no word on whether Kelce’s girlfriend, superstar Taylor Swift, will also make a cameo, but Sandler is an unabashed Swiftie. He and his family attended a Los Angeles show on the Eras tour in August 2023, as well as the Los Angeles premiere of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film. When asked his favorite Swift song, Sandler struggles to pick just one, but it’s clear he has plenty riffling through his head from years of being the ultimate girl dad.
“Everything [my two daughters] throw on I love, but one of the first ones they threw on when they were young was ‘The Best Day,’” he says of Swift’s sentimental track about her mom from 2008’s Fearless. “We connected with that when the kids were young. Every album, we listen the first day it comes out. There’s not a song they don’t know every word to.”
Like Swift, Sandler is no stranger to the Billboard charts. Between tunes like “The Chanukah Song,” The Wedding Singer’s “Grow Old with You” and “The Thanksgiving Song,” as well as his Grammy-nominated comedy albums, Sandler’s landed on 10 different charts, including topping the Comedy Albums chart in 2019 with his 100% Fresh album. It’s something he’s kept an eye on since his early days.
“When I was young and my albums came out, I worked with Brooks Arthur,” he says, referencing the renowned late music producer whom he collaborated with for nearly 30 years. “He used to talk to me about his charts and I’d ask him, ‘How are we doing on Billboard?’ I always wanted to know.”
It would not be an understatement to say that Emma Roberts has been training to play Britney Spears for more than half her life. In an interview with Cosmopolitan magazine, 33-year-old Space Cadet star was asked about recent headlines in which Spears’ longtime assistant, Felicia Culotta, pitched Roberts as the perfect actress to portray the […]
LE SSERAFIM is back! The group dropped a vibrant new music video for their single “CRAZY,” and as expected, it features some great outfits and even better dance moves. The song is featured on the group’s freshly released mini-album of the same name, Crazy. The project contains five tracks: the title track, “Chasing Lightning,” “Pierrot,” […]
Chappell Roan is just as much of a Sabrina Carpenter fan as everyone else! On a recent livestream, the “Red Wine Supernova” singer shared her favorite songs off of Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet album, including “Taste” and “Juno.” ”I love her,” Roan said of Carpenter. “I just love her whole — her whole project is […]