Pop

The Weeknd Remembers ‘Candyman’ Actor Tony Todd: ‘A Trailblazer’

The Weeknd is paying tribute to late actor Tony Todd.

On Friday (Nov. 8), the superstar singer honored the iconic actor, known for his roles in horror franchises Candyman and Final Destination, with a heartfelt post on his Instagram Story.

“A trailblazer,” the Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, wrote alongside a photo of Todd as Daniel Robitaille/the Candyman. “Rest well Tony Todd.”

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Todd passed away on Wednesday (Nov. 6) following a long illness at his home in Marina del Rey, a neighborhood of Los Angeles. He was 69. The actor is best known for his portrayal of the sinister figure in Candyman (1992) and for his role in Final Destination (2000). He also appeared in the sequels of each movie.

Todd’s extensive filmography includes roles in Night of the Living Dead (1990), The Rock (1996), The Crow (1994), Hatchet (2006), The Man from Earth (2007), Frankenstein (2015), Hell Fest (2018), Requiem (2018), Hellblazers (2022), and The Bunker (2024), among others.

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He also appeared in multiple Star Trek series, portraying Kurn in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, as well as Alpha Hirogen in Star Trek: Voyager.

“The industry has lost a legend. We have lost a cherished friend. Rest in peace, Tony—Your Final Destination Family,” wrote New Line Cinema, the studio behind the Final Destination films, in a tribute shared on Instagram.

The Weeknd is no stranger to the horror genre himself. As previously reported, the singer’s upcoming psychological thriller Hurry Up Tomorrow will be distributed worldwide by Lionsgate. The film, directed by Trey Edward Shults, marks the Weeknd’s feature film debut and will also serve as an extension of his upcoming sixth studio album of the same name. Jenny Ortega and Barry Keoghan will also star in the movie.

Hurry Up Tomorrow is produced by The Weeknd’s production company, Manic Phase, along with his producing partner Reza Fahim (co-creator of The Idol) and the late Kevin Turen. Executive producers on the film include Ortega, Shults, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino, Ryan Kroft, The Weeknd’s manager Wassim “Sal” Slaiby, and Harrison Huffman.

See The Weeknd’s tribute to Tony Todd here.

David Guetta & IVE Collaborate for ‘Supernova Love,’ Get Shoutout From NASA

IVE continues to elevate their global appeal by unleashing a new collaboration with David Guetta.

“Supernova Love” marks the K-pop girl group’s second English-language release, following January’s “All Night” with Saweetie, which peaked at the No. 10 spot on Billboard‘s World Digital Song Sales chart.

The new single showcases a sophisticated disco-dance sound, seamlessly combining IVE’s sleek, emotionally resonant sound with Guetta’s signature high-energy and atmospheric dance music. Unlike “All Night,” which was a more straightforward, party-centric introduction for IVE to Western audiences, “Supernova Love” brings out more of the group’s core sound, reminiscent of the sweeping strings on their 2022 hit “After Like” — one of the best K-pop songs of that year.

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Adding to the song’s cosmic theme, NASA amplified the track’s release by posting an awe-inspiring image of a supernova remnant, tagging both Guetta and IVE in the photo, while quoting a key lyric first sung by Jang Wonyoung on the chorus: “A supernova glowing in the dark.” In an effort to appeal to fans of both pop music and outer space, NASA explained how supernovas form. Check out the post here.

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Looking ahead, IVE could bring “Supernova Love” to life on stage at the upcoming 2024 MAMA Awards when they perform in Japan on Nov. 22, where the sextet shares the stage alongside K-pop and J-pop acts like TOMORROW X TOGETHER, TREASURE, BOYNEXTDOOR, and ME:I. With IVE’s Show What I Have World Tour expansive world tour recently completed after playing arenas like the Kia Forum in Inglewood and Newark’s Prudential Center, and more across the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Australia, plus new music that captures their refined artistry, IVE continues to prove a growing global appeal.

Watch IVE and David Guetta in the “Supernova Love” music video below.

Sabrina Carpenter Knows What You’re Thinking About Her Best New Artist Grammy Nod: ‘I’m the Best Old Artist’

Sabrina Carpenter earned her first-ever Grammy nominations — six, actually — when the Recording Academy announced their picks for the 2025 ceremony on Friday morning (Nov. 8).

The “Please Please Please” singer took to Instagram to celebrate, sharing a series of videos of herself on her tour bus with her team finding out about the good news. A standout moment is when Carpenter found out she got a best new artist nod, despite having six studio albums and two EPs stretching back to 2014 under her belt.

“I don’t know how that’s possible. I’m the best old artist. S—, I’ve been here,” Carpenter joked in the clip.

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“us on the tour bus this morning take a shot every time we scream like fr headphone warning,” she captioned the post. “this is the first year I’ve watched the live stream where i heard my name! I’d be lying if i said i hadn’t dreamt about this day my whole life so i am filled with gratitude- Thank you @recordingacademy :’))”

See Carpenter’s post here.

In addition to best new artist, Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet is up for album of the year and best pop vocal album, while the album’s lead single “Espresso” is nominated for record of the year and best pop solo performance, while “Please Please Please” is up for song of the year.

Stream the Grammy-Nominated Kid Albums, Read a New Book About Taylor Swift and More Billboard Family Hits of the Week

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The Billboard Family Hits of the Week compiles what’s new and worth your family’s time in music, movies, TV, books, games and more. Forget the mind-numbing scrolling and searching “what to watch for family movie night” … again. The best in family entertainment each week is all in one place, in this handy guide. Isn’t it satisfying to cross something off your list?

WIth the election just behind us, you might be looking for distractions to get your mind off of politics when it comes to family time. Here’s some suggestions in entertainment for the week.

Get out the Nintendo Switch to play the latest Mario RPG (role-playing game). My childhood had Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars for Super Nintendo — I admit I used the physical game guidebook to help me out with that one — but now kids have a bunch of Mario RPGs to choose from, and the internet if they get stuck! The newest release is part of the Mario & Luigi series, Mario & Luigi: Brothership.

In music, we’ve got a roundup of all the just-announced Grammy-nominated albums for best children’s music all in one place, making it easy for you to listen together. One of them is a John Legend album that features his family, pictured above, as musical guests.

Plus, in new releases, Christmas songs are trickling in to remind you the season is upon us. Retired NFL player Jason Kelce has a holiday duet out with the iconic Stevie Nicks, and Charlie Puth has a festive new song, too. Weirdly, all three of those names link back to Taylor Swift — Swifties will know the connections.

Speaking of Swift, music journalist and longtime fan Rob Sheffield has a book coming out about her, and how she reinvented pop music, that I’ll be picking up for my family: Heartbreak Is the National Anthem.

Find out more about this week’s top picks in the Billboard Family Hits of the Week:

Ariana Grande Fans Are Not Happy With ‘Eternal Sunshine’ Grammys Snub

The nominations for the 2025 Grammy Awards were announced on Friday (Nov. 8), and while major pop stars including Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift made appearances in the Big Four categories, there were other A-listers with major releases this year that were notably absent.

Ariana Grande was one of those artists who was not listed under the record of the year, song of the year or album of the year categories. Grande didn’t earn anything in the Big Four despite producing two Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hits (“Yes, And?” and “We Can’t Be Friends”) from her Billboard 200-topping album Eternal Sunshine. She did, however, get three nods this year: for best dance pop recording for “Yes, And?,” best pop duo/group performance for her “The Boy Is Mine” remix with Brandy and Monica, and best pop vocal album for Eternal Sunshine.

At the time of publication, Grande has yet to react to her nominations.

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Over the course of her career, Grande has received 15 nominations and two wins (best pop duo/group performance for her Lady Gaga collab “Rain on Me” in 2021 and best pop vocal album for Sweetener in 2019). She was only nominated in the Big Four categories in 2020, when Thank U, Next was nominated for album of the year and “7 Rings” received a record of the year nod.

As expected, following the nominations announcement, Grande’s fans took to social media to express shock and frustration over her absence in the Big Four. See some of their reactions via X (formerly Twitter) below.

Friday Music Guide: New Music From Karol G, Zach Bryan, XG and More

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, Karol G leads a Colombia all-star team, Zach Bryan stays prolific and XG take a step forward. Check out all of this week’s picks below:

Karol G feat. Feid, DFZM, Ovy on the Drums, J Balvin, Maluma, Blessd & Ryan Castro, “+57” 

The first words uttered on “+57” are “Colombia gang,” and they are apt: this all-star collaboration, headlined by Karol G but making room for notable names across the Latin music community, honors the music of Colombia through sheer strength in numbers, as well as a hypnotic beat that never wears out its welcome across nearly 5 minutes.

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Zach Bryan, “High Road” & “This World’s a Giant” 

Following the July release of The Great American Bar Scene, Zach Bryan is back this week with a pair of singles, “High Road” and “This World’s a Giant,” both of which present somber reflections of a man wrestling with demons and not ready to step outside amidst mournful strums and stately country production.

XG, AWE 

If the breathless single “Something Ain’t Right” hinted at the promise of XG’s next era earlier this year, then its host project, AWE, fully realizes the Japanese group’s potential: AWE only run 23 minutes but features a slew of giddy pop moments and a sharp mix of the members’ respective personalities.

Ferg, Darold 

Titled after his birth name, Ferg offers an intimate portrait of the A$AP Mob mainstay and the family members who helped shape his worldview, while also bringing in top-notch guests like Future, Coco Jones, Denzel Curry and Mary J. Blige, with the lattermost featured on back-half highlights “Casting Spells” and “Chosen.”

Charlie Puth, “December 25th” 

As Charlie Puth is gearing up for a new album release next year, he’s unveiled a stocking stuffer to tide over fans before the calendar flips, with “December 25th” translating his wide vocal range, melodic gifts and penchant for classic pop nostalgia into a jingly, slightly melancholic holiday single.

Editor’s Pick: Griff, “Last Night’s Mascara” 

“Would you look at me now?” Griff asks multiple times within the chorus of new single “Last Night’s Mascara,” the remnants of the pop singer’s tears still evident the next morning as she literally prays for resolution; like all of Griff’s best tracks, the emotional resonance of her voice guides the thematic construction and provides weight to every hook.

Saoirse Ronan Says Chappell Roan Told Her That They Are Like Twins: ‘I Became Obsessed With Her Over the Summer, Just Like Everyone Else’

Everyone gets a little nervous meeting super famous people, even if they’re equally famous. Oscar-nominated actress Saoirse Ronan stopped by The Tonight Show on Thursday (Nov. 7) and revealed that when she finally met her celebrity doppelgänger this summer she was totally star-struck.

Fallon held up a picture of a post in which someone online noted that Ronan and singer Chappell Roan look very similar, adding that even Roan posted a video on TikTok in which the American-born Irish actress’ face morphs into the “Pink Pony Club” singer’s eerily similar visage.

“I do [see the resemblance] and the person who made me aware of it was Chappell,” Ronan told Fallon. The Blitz actress said she became “obsessed” with Roan over the summer, “just like everyone else” — along with fangirling over Charli XCX — and that at a Roan show she had a chance to meet the singer. The star was backstage with fellow actress Brie Larson, whose friend announced that they were going to go over and talk to Roan’s parents.

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“And we were like, ‘No! You’ve got to play it cool,’” Ronan recalled telling the friend. “‘We can’t, like, let her know we love her as much as we do. We have to be aloof and cool.’” The person went over anyway, only to find out that he was from the same town as the singer’s family. Eventually, Ronan got called over to chat by Roan, who told her, “oh, everyone says that we’re the same.”

Fallon then held up a photo from the superstar summit, “proving that you guys are different people.” Ronan said she gets it, assuring viewers at home, “We’re in the same room. We both exist. But she’s just incredible and I love how she’s spoken out about the insane treatment that famous people get.”

Having done musical bits on the Tonight Show, Fallon asked Ronan if she’d ever sing a duet with her music twin. “No, I wouldn’t. I’m not good enough to sing with Chappell,” Ronan assured him. “I would, like, play a tambourine for her.”

Watch Ronan talk Roan below.

Chappell Roan Confirms That ‘Chappell Is a Character’ And That Rapid Rise to Fame ‘Rocked My System’

Chappell Roan is over-the-top. The “Hot To Go” singer who has established a reputation for elaborate costumes and aesthetics inspired by drag queens can often seem like a character from a camp movie. And, as it turns out, there’s a good reason for that.

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During a conversation at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles moderated by Brandi Carlile on Thursday night (Nov. 7), Roan talked about making her breakthrough album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, and how the woman born Kayleigh Rose Amstutz transformed into megawatt pop star Chappell Roan.

“Chappell is a character,” Roan, 26, told Carlile, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “I just can’t be here all the time. It’s just too much.”

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Roan explained that it took “a lot of years” to convince people that her debut album was worth releasing. Recorded with producer Dan Nigro (Olivia Rodrigo), the LP which has logged 32 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart was released in 2023 after five years of work. “I had no money. I had no numbers backing me up,” she said. “I had an EP [2017’s School Nights] that did not do well by the music standards. I had toured, but no headlines. There was nothing backing me up.”

The star said that one of the early songs she worked on with Nigro, signature banger “Pink Pony Club” — which she performed during her Saturday Night Live musical debut last weekend — was released at the “worst time” for a club anthem, April 2020, during the early peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was, however, the track that helped her pull off a “complete 180” from how she dressed and performed at the time, which consisted of wearing “only black on stage. It was very serious.” But, she noted, as soon as she stopped taking herself so seriously “things started working.”

Roan has been open about how her rocket ride to fame has been disorienting. In addition to recently being being diagnosed with severe depression amid her Midwest Princess tour, she was previously diagnosed with bipolar II disorder. The singer canceled two shows on her tour in September just days before they were set to take place after saying she needed a break after feeling overwhelmed.

Asked by Carlile to describe her mental health routine, Roan said it is evolving in the wake of her sudden success this year. “My life is completely different now. Everything is out of whack right now,” she said. “This type of year does something to people. Every big thing that happens in someone’s career happened in five months for me. It’s so crazy that things I never thought would happen happened times 10. I think that that just really rocked my system. I don’t know what a good mental health routine looks like for me right now.”

Roan debuted a new song, the country pop tune “The Giver,” on SNL, just weeks after appearing to tease her next music era in an Instagram post in which she shared selfies and hinted at the follow-up to her debut breakthrough LP. “Album kinda popped off imo but it is time to welcome a hot new bombshell into the villa,” she captioned the pics, in a reference to the Love Island catchphrase welcoming new contestants, which led fans to speculate that she’s working on her second LP. In addition, Nigro has teased that Roan’s next album will be a “new version” of her.

Liam Payne Final Autopsy Results Reveal Singer’s Condition Before Death

A press release from the National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s office No. 14 in Argentina has revealed the final results of toxicology tests taken in the wake of Liam Payne‘s death. According to a translated copy of the report, in the 72 hours before the former One Direction singer and solo star died after falling from a three-story hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he had “alcohol, cocaine and prescription antidepressants” in his system.

The report said that the toxicology report findings have already been shared with Payne’s family, and that they found that he had “only traces of polydrug use” based on “the complete toxicology tests on urine, blood and vitreous humour, carried out in a very short time.”

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The officials who carried out the autopsy concluded that the 31-year-old star’s death was caused by “‘multiple trauma’ and ‘internal and external hemorrhage,’ the result of the fall the musician suffered from the balcony of the third-floor room of the hotel in the Palermo neighborhood where he was staying.”

Three additional reports on requested by a prosecutor also confirmed that the injures Payne sustained were caused by a fall at the Casa Sur Palermo Hotel from a height and that “self-harm of any kind and/or physical intervention by third parties were ruled out.” In addition, authorities reported that Payne did not adopt a “reflex posture” to protect himself from the fall, which led to the conclusion that he “may have fallen in a state of semi- or total unconsciousness.”

Specifically, “the lack of defense or self-preservation reflex in the fall, together with other relevant data from his consumption, allow us to conclude that Liam Payne was not fully conscious or was experiencing a state of noticeable decrease or loss of consciousness at the time of the fall.” The prosecution said that, as such, they were able to rule out the “possibility of a conscious or voluntary act on the part of the victim, since, in the state he was in, he did not know what he was doing nor could he understand it.”

A frantic 911 call placed by staff shortly before Payne’s death included a description of a guest who was “overwhelmed with drugs and alcohol” and “destroying [their] entire room.” By the time police arrived, Payne had already fallen and died at the scene due to his injuries

Prior to the release of the results, investigators reportedly found a number of illicit substances in Payne’s body at the time of death, including a recreational drug called “pink cocaine,” a mixture of substances that often contains ketamine combined with MDMA, methamphetamine, cocaine, opioids and/or psychoactive substances.

Payne had been candid in the past about his struggles with addiction. In May 2023, he celebrated 100 days of sobriety, saying at the time, “I feel really, really good, and support from the fans and everything has been really, really good. So, I’m super happy.” In 2021, Payne also discussed his substance use issues on the podcast Diary of a CEO podcast, detailing a struggle with depression and substances during the chaotic 1D years.

Police raided the hotel last month and reportedly seized a number of items, including computer hard drives and CCTV footage from hotel cameras.

In addition to the news on the autopsy results, the Thursday press release revealed that three people have been arrested and charged in Argentina in connection with Payne’s death after “illicit conduct was discovered,” leading to the charges of abandonment of a person followed by death, supply and facilitation of narcotics.”

The three were described — but not named — as a person who “accompanied the artist on a daily basis during his stay in the city of Buenos Aires,” who was charged with abandonment of a person followed by death, which carries a potential sentence of 5 to 15 years in prison. A second person was described as a hotel employee who “must answer for two proven supplies of cocaine to Liam Payne during the period he was at the hotel” while a third, also a “drug supplier,” has also been charged with supplying narcotics.

The probe into Payne’s death included the analysis of more than 800 hours of video footage from security cameras in the hotel and on adjacent public roads, as well as a forensic extraction and analysis of the contents of the singer’s cellphone, including calls, messages, chats and social network data. Investigators also looked over a record of Payne’s orders at the hotel bar/restaurant to determine who had visited him and their food/drink “consumption habits.”

Police also extracted several gigabytes of data from cell phones belonging to hotel reception and other witnesses who voluntarily offered to corroborate their statements.

Charlie Puth Rings in the Holiday Season With ‘December 25th’: Stream It Now

Charlie Puth is in the festive mood, and to celebrate, he dropped a new holiday song, “December 25th,” on Thursday (Nov. 7).

“December 25th is the day I always miss you the most/ ‘Cause the music and the lights, it reminds me of a night/ That you told me you had to go/ December 25th is the day that always hits me the most/ Still got no goodbye/ So I’d rather stay inside/ Spending Christmas here alone,” he sings on the melancholy, 80s-inspired track.

“I wrote and recorded December 25 completely on a whim a few weeks ago in my studio while working on my new album,” the Grammy-nominated artist shared in a press statement, “and though it sounds absolutely nothing like anything on the album, I figured why not share it for the holidays. So here you go.”  

Despite the heartbreaking song, Puth has a lot of joy in his life this holiday season — and he’s certainly not spending it alone. The 32-year-old star tied the knot with Brooke Sansone on Sept. 7 at Puth’s family home in Montecito, Calif.. The couple have been dating since June 2022, though they both grew up in New Jersey — a fact they paid tribute to by using Bruce Springsteen’s “Jersey Girl” as their first-dance song, according to Vogue. After a year and three months together, Puth flew from Los Angeles to New York City and proposed to Sansone at 11:11 p.m. on Sept. 5, 2023.

Listen to Charlie Puth’s “December 25th” below.

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