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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, Normani increases our Dopamine supply, PARTYNEXTDOOR elevates his game and Anitta provides Brazilian funk for summer. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Normani feat. Gunna, “1:59”
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The reason why anticipation remains high for Normani’s debut solo project, in spite of years of false starts and setbacks, is because the music that the former Fifth Harmony star has released over the past half-decade has been enticingly singular, a collection of R&B singles with pop and personality. At long last, Normani’s first album is on the calendar — Dopamine is slated for a June release — and new single “1:59” serves as another reminder of the project’s promise, with the singer waxing poetic about a steamy encounter in between Gunna’s animated crooning.
PARTYNEXTDOOR, PARTYNEXTDOOR 4
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Evolving from one of Drake’s most trusted studio companions into an ever-reliable R&B solo artist, PARTYNEXTDOOR has spent the past decade accruing a dedicated following — and now wants more, if PARTYNEXTDOOR 4, his first project in four years, is any indication. The new album carries a cohesion and stylistic ambition that previously was not prominent in PND’s oeuvre, as the Canadian singer-songwriter elevates his late-night musings and warbled vocals to more emotionally affecting territory, particularly on the album’s back half.
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Anitta, Funk Generation
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The opening song on Anitta’s new album is titled “Lose Ya Breath,” and that’s precisely what the veteran star aims to accomplish on this kinetic new project: Funk Generation rarely lets the BPM lag, and Anitta never stops showcasing the ferocity that powers a lot of these Brazilian funk heaters. Previously released singles “Funk Rave” and “Joga Pra Lua” sound at home on the track list, Sam Smith stops by to provide some feathery vocals to “Ahi,” but the sub-two-minute headbangers like “Savage Funk” and “Grip” might steal the whole show.
Justice, Hyperdrama
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Miguel, Thundercat, The Flints, Tame Impala: these are just a handful of the guest stars on Justice’s long-awaited new album Hyperdrama, with guest vocalists a rarity in the French electronic duo’s discography. And while some of those collaborations result in exciting new compounds — Kevin Parker’s voice stretches out and shimmers on the opener “Neverender,” for instance — they’re also a little besides the point, as the veteran dance kings provide plenty of movement on their own; the multi-part “Incognito” may be one of the biggest triumphs of their entire catalog, every gear shift producing another unexpected thrill.
Myke Towers feat. Bad Bunny, “Adivino”
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Two years after Bad Bunny ignited the summer with the surprise May 2022 release of his album Un Verano Sin Ti, the A-lister has joined forces with another Puerto Rican superstar, Myke Towers, on a track that sounds primed for beach playlists and sweaty club nights. “Adivino” may document a breakup, but the thumping beat and rapid hooks dispel any chance to dwell on the sorrow; meanwhile, Towers and Bad Bunny crackle side by side, trading off lines and oscillating between singing and rapping with an easy chemistry.
Editor’s Pick: Tems, “Love Me JeJe”
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Tems has been impacting the U.S. mainstream for such a long time that it seems impossible that she has yet to release a proper debut album, but after several hit collaborations (“Wait For U” with Future and Drake, “Essence” with Wizkid) and 2021’s If Orange Was a Place EP, the Nigerian superstar will finally unveil Born in the Wild next month. Lead single “Love Me JeJe” distills what has made Tems such a captivating presence since arriving on the scene, as she expresses unbridled passion above warm, uncluttered production courtesy of Spax and Guiltybeatz; the song never overreaches, simply tossing out heartfelt thoughts and a summertime beat.
For the past decade Zendaya‘s music career has seemed like a game-set-match. But on Friday (April 26), the Challengers star gave longtime fans a glimmer of hope that she could mount a return to the studio someday during a chat with Jennifer Hudson.
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But first, Hudson heaped praise on the 27-year-old multi-talented star, noting, “you’re so gifted, you’re musical, you write music, you sing… you dance! Oh my goodness. Where did the music come from?”
“I love music and it’s something that’s been special to me and being in the music industry… it didn’t kill the joy of music, but when you put music and business together it cannot feel so good,” Zendaya replied diplomatically. Hudson could totally relate, but wondered if one day Z might again share her music with fans if it felt right.
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“You know, I think if the right timing and it came… again, I like creating it for myself,” Zendaya said. “But if there was a moment maybe I would put out a little something. Don’t be crazy, we’ll see. But maybe… one day.”
The actress/singer, who has not released her own music in more than a decade, was most recently featured on Bobby Brackins’ 2015 single “My Jam” alongside Jeremih. She released her self-titled debut — and so far only full-length record — in 2013, an electro pop collection that featured the glitch pop single “Replay,” which topped out at Nov. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The Dune: Part Two star also talked about her surprise jump-up with Labrinth at Coachella last year, explaining that English rapper/songwriter is “so talented” and such a “wonderful person” that there was no way she could not say no, despite her initial fears. “He asked me if I wanted to come out and perform and immediately I was like ‘oh, absolutely not.’ I was like ‘I can’t do that,’” she said, noting that she has “bad memories” of performing as a kid and that stage fright was a serious concern.
“I was like, ‘I can’t! I can’t do it! It drives me crazy! I’m too nervous. I don’t wanna not do good and I don’t wanna let people down,’” she recalled thinking. “And then I went to myself, ‘Dude, you can’t run from this. You can’t hide from this forever. You’re gonna want to be on a stage and perform live once in your life at least.’ And what better place to do it than with someone that I admire and I respect and it’s his set, not mine, so I can just enjoy being with him, and so I said yes and was like, ‘Why the hell did I do this!?’”
But after joining Lab for the final two songs of his set, “I’m Tired” and “All For Us” — which they collaborated on for her HBO series Euphoria — Z said she was a bit disappointed in herself, feeling it was not her best effort because she couldn’t hear the music over the audience noise. “[So] I was like, ‘We’re just going to have fun. I’m just going to look like I’m having fun and we’re going to deal with this later. Who knows what this sounds like?,’” she told herself.
Reflecting later, though, Z realized there was no reason to beat herself up because the reason she couldn’t hear anything was that hyped crowd was singing along with her at the top of their lungs, screaming and excited. “I was like, ‘be grateful and be happy about it!’,” she said, later appreciating the love and support she’d received.
Watch Zendaya talk about a possible return to music and her Coachella surprise with Hudson below.
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We are just two weeks away from Taylor Swift hitting the road again for a summer swing of European Eras Tour shows. And, as you may have heard, since the last time she played an Eras show Swift has dropped her fastest-selling album of all-time, The Tortured Poets Department, a sprawling, 31-track collection that has been racking up record after record in its first week.
So, naturally, inquiring Swifties want to know if TTPD will be added to the Eras roster when the already jam-packed three-plus hour extravaganza revs up again on May 9 with the first of four shows at the Paris La Défense Arena in Paris? If you’ve been playing this game long enough you know there are always Easter eggs.
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While Swift has not commented, on Thursday night (April 25) Swift uploaded a 15-second YouTube Shorts clip in which it appeared that TTPD has, indeed, been slipped into rotation. Cued to the album’s first single, the Post Malone-featuring “Fortnight,” it finds Swift singing, dancing and playing piano in what look like Lover and Folklore set-ups, one quick-cut caught a lot of attention. In a brief shot, Swift is seen standing next to a silver railing that eagle-eyed fans quickly surmised was in the shape of the TTPD logo. There was no chill about this news.
“GUYS THE RAILING LITERALLY SAYS TTPD!?!;);$!; ITS THE TTPD LOGO WE’RE GETTING TTPD AT THE ERAS TOUR,” tweeted one Swiftie. Another pointed out that Swift appeared to be wearing the same shoes from the “Fortnight” video in the rehearsal clip and another proved that there is no one in the game better at the long game than Taylor.
“tHIS is what she means when she says she plans easter eggs far in advance. AHHHHH!!!!,” they wrote, noting that another Swiftie spotted that Swift had seemingly teased this new era before the tour even began when she posted an image of a box containing all her different-colored Eras microphones, including a white one that “hasn’t had a place in the show… until now!!!” It was hard to tell if Swift was wielding this white mic in the video because the clip is in grayscale, but that didn’t stop the breathless speculation about what’s next on the singer’s stadium-packing outing.
Others also noted that the video appeared to feature new choreography and costumes that have not yet been rolled out, further proof that a new Era is potentially on the horizon. At press time a spokesperson for Swift had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment on whether TTPD will be included in the upcoming run of shows.
Check out the Shorts clip and the Easter egg hunt below.
🚨| The same shoes from the “Fortnight” music video and a desk on the table teased during “The Eras Tour” rehearsals for the European leg! pic.twitter.com/DhqmV2S1FU— The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) April 26, 2024
Madonna‘s Celebration Tour is a family business. And in a new Instagram post on Thursday (April 25), the pop icon thanked her son David and daughters Mercy, Stella and Estere for serving as both her support system and co-performers on the ongoing trek.
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“On the day before our 80th show of the Celebration Tour I need to acknowledge my incredibly talented children who carried me through this Journey,” she wrote, sharing a carousel of snaps with her children on and offstage. “Each of them bringing their own unique talent to the stage.”
Throughout Madge’s latest run, which kicked off in October, each of her adopted kids has gotten their own moment onstage. Mercy joins her mom on piano during “Bad Girl,” David duets with the seven-time Grammy winner on “Mother and Father” and twins Stella and Estere dance along to “Don’t Tell Me.”
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“Rehearsals began over a year ago with almost a 2 month break waiting for me recover from a near death experience,” she continued, referring to the shows she had to postpone due to her severe bacterial infection and subsequent hospitalization last year. “They never stopped practicing… they never stopped cheering me on and supporting me … They were also going to school and rehearsing every night. !! . am so very proud of all of them.”
Madonna is also mom to daughter Lourdes Leon, whom she shares with ex-boyfriend Carlos Leon, and son Rocco Ritchie, whom she shares with ex-husband Guy Ritchie. She and the director went on to adopt David shortly after the “Material Girl” singer founded her charity organization Raising Malawi in 2006. Later, she adopted Mercy, then Stella and Estere — all three of whom are also from Malawi — as a single mother.
The new post comes one day after Madonna opened up about touring with her kids in an interview with W Magazine. “When I go on tour, nothing brings me more happiness to know, we are all working on the same show creating the magic together,” she told the publication. “It would be boring if they were just traveling from hotel to hotel, and occasionally coming to watch the show.”
“Of course, I am also their mother so sometimes we get on each other’s nerves,” she added. “We are a family of artists but are also a family and that’s what happens.”
Denise Welch recently quipped she “wasn’t aware” of The Tortured Poets Department‘s release — which now makes two people in Matty Healy‘s family who haven’t heard Taylor Swift‘s new album. The British talk show star — mom to The 1975‘s frontman — talked about the pop star’s latest project with her co-hosts on the Thursday […]
The Pet Shop Boys are sharing their thoughts on Taylor Swift following the release of the superstar’s 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department.
In an interview with The Guardian, the group’s Neil Tennant shared, “I was looking at the chart earlier today … and it’s all Taylor Swift.”
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He continued, “I have listened to Taylor Swift’s album. Taylor Swift sort of fascinates me as a phenomenon because she’s so popular and I sort of quite like the whole thing. But then when I listen to the records, and we both have the same feeling actually, that for a phenomenon as big [as she is] … where are the famous songs? What is Taylor Swift’s ‘Billie Jean’?”
When someone suggested “Shake It Off” as an equivalent to the popularity of Michael Jackson’s enduring hit, Tennant responded, “Is it though? No, ’cause I actually even know that that’s the answer, but I listened to that the other day, and it’s not ‘Billie Jean.’ It’s not… Melodically — she’s got a great voice, by the way, and the production’s beautiful — but melodically … it’s all sung one or two notes going up and down… But, anyway, it’s a fascinating thing.”
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The interviewer then added that Swifties enjoy having a collective experience, and Tennant agreed. “I like that, I even sort of appreciate that, and I like the fact that it brings all these people together, even multigenerational, but I just think that the one disappointing thing is the music. Not even the lyrics, the music,” he said.
Watch the full interview via a fan account here.
On Friday (April 19), what was originally slated to be a standard 16-track album turned into a 31-song anthology when Swift surprised fans just hours after release with an additional second half of the project. “It’s a 2am surprise: The Tortured Poets Department is a secret DOUBLE album,” she wrote on Instagram. “I’d written so much tortured poetry in the past 2 years and wanted to share it all with you, so here’s the second installment of TTPD: The Anthology. 15 extra songs. And now the story isn’t mine anymore… it’s all yours.”
Following its release, The Tortured Poets Department sold 1.4 million copies in traditional album sales on its first day, according to initial reports to data tracking firm Luminate. That marks Swift’s biggest sales week ever for any album in the U.S. (Luminate’s sales, streaming and airplay data powers Billboard’s charts. All numbers in this story are for the U.S. only.)
More than 250 artists including Billie Eilish, Lorde, Fall Out Boy, Diplo, Becky G, Green Day, Sia and many more signed an open letter on Thursday (April 25) to the Senate Committee on Commerce urging Congress to pass the Fans First Act. The artists argue that the bill advocating for consumer protections against bots and more transparency in ticket sales is vital to the survival of the live music business.
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“As artists and members of the music community, we rely on touring for our livelihood, and we value music fans above all else,” the letter opens. “We are joining together to say that the current system is broken: predatory resellers and secondary platforms engage in deceptive ticketing practices to inflate ticket prices and deprive fans of the chance to see their favorite artists at a fair price. Predatory resellers have gone unregulated while siphoning money from the live entertainment ecosystem for their sole benefit.”
The letter says that these predatory sellers use illegal bots, speculative ticket listings and deceitful advertising that causes real harm to consumers. “The relationship between artist and fan, which forms the backbone of the entire music industry, is severed,” the letter warns. “No one cares more about fans than the artists. When predatory resellers scoop up face value tickets ahead of fans in order to resell at inflated prices on the secondary market, artists lose the ability to connect with their fans who cannot afford to attend.”
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The Fix the Tix letter argues that fans are lured in by deceptive URLs and ads that “disguise resale and trick consumers into playing up to 20x face value” when face value tickets are still available from the venue, as well “predatory” resellers listing tickets for shows before they go on sale — before they even have tickets in hand — which often result in fans showing up to venues without a valid ticket.
“Predatory resellers do not invest in creating a great live experience or fostering the live musicecosystem – they simply profit off of the hard work of artists, venues and the crew,” it reads. “In fact, resellers and secondary ticketing platforms often profit more from the artist’s work than the artists themselves.”
The signees advocate for the bipartisan Fans First Act — introduced in December by Senators John Cornyn, Amy Klobuchar, Marsha Blackburn, Peter Welch, Roger Wicker and Ben Ray Lujan — which would ban fake tickets and deceptive marketing tactics, as well as requiring ticket sellers to show the full, itemized price of a ticket from the moment the transaction begins, with clear penalties and enforcement to back the bill up.
“We, as artists, as music lovers, and as concert attendees ourselves, urge you to support the Fans First Act to combat predatory resellers’ deceptive ticketing practices and the secondary platforms, which also profit from these practices,” the letter concludes. “Predatory resellers should not be more profitable than the people dedicating their lives to their art.” The letter was addressed to Sen. Maria Cantwell, the chair of the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee and the panel’s ranking member, Texas’ Ted Cruz, with Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer, minority leader Mitch McConnell, Cornyn and Klobuchar cc’d as well.
Among the other signees to the letter include: Aimee Mann, Finneas, Evanescence’s Amy Lee, Nile Rodgers, OK GO, Halestorm, Becky G, Graham Nash, Goose, Pixies, Particle Kid, Ben Folds, Rickie Lee Jones, Jason Mraz, the members of Duran Duran, Bright Eyes, Julia Michaels, Cyndi Lauper, Sylvan Esso, Major Lazer, MGMT, Yes and many more.
Here’s some dynamite news for ARMY: BTS‘ RM has announced that his second solo album is on the way!
Right Place, Wrong Person is set to arrive on May 24, and will feature 11 tracks “infused with alternative music and rich sounds,” according to the press release. The K-pop superstar also helped write the “frank, honest lyrics” for each song.
According to the announcement on Weverse, Right Place, Wrong Person captures feelings that most people are familiar with, including “the feeling of being an outsider who doesn’t fit in.”
“Right Place, Wrong Person embodies facets of RM as a solo artist, distinct from albums released under BTS,” label Big Hit said in a statement, noting that the LP “delves into RM’s authentic essence.”
RM’s first solo set, Indigo, arrived in December 2022, and peaked at No. 3 on the all-genre Billboard 200. The album featured multiple artists, including Anderson .Paak, Erykah Badu and others. Lead single “Wild Flower,” which featured youjeen, debuted and peaked at No. 83 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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Big Hit also teased that ahead of the release of the BTS rapper’s second solo LP, RM “will unveil a diverse array of content, offering a further glimpse into the new album.”
The members of BTS have been completing their mandatory military services in South Korea. RM began his enlistment in December, as did V, Jimin and Jung Kook. Jin was the first member of the septet to perform his required service, with J-Hope and SUGA following. South Korea requires all of its able-bodied men to enlist by age 28 for 18 to 21 months of service.
See Big Hit’s announcement of RM’s upcoming solo album below:
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The third annual Gold Gala event will take place at the Music Center in downtown Los Angeles on May 11 and feature appearances from Saweetie, Lucy Liu, Cynthia Erivo, Padma Lakshmi and the cast of Beef.
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The definitive annual gathering of top Asian Pacific and multicultural leaders will bring together more than 600 guests to celebrate the 2024 A100 list — which will be announced on May 1 — which counts down the 100 most impactful Asian Pacific changemakers in culture and society over the past year.
With 2024’s theme of A Gold New World, the event will imagine “a tomorrow for all, built by all,” according to a release announcing the event’s details, with award-winning fashion designer Prabal Gurung bringing the theme to life as the event’s first-ever creative director. Guests will dine on a Michelin-level three-course dinner from OpenTable, with a menu designed by Lakshmi and Gold Gala executive chief Vijay Kumar and his team from the Michelin-starred New York restaurant Semma.
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The night will close out with a performance from 2023 A100 honoree Saweetie, who will receive the first-ever Billboard Gold Music Honor recognizing her boundary-pushing musical accomplishments at the event. In addition, the cast and creators of Emmy-winning Beef will receive the Gold Icon Honor for their groundbreaking representation of the Asian American experience, while Wicked star Erivo will be given the Gold Ally Honor for her work to advance inclusive representation in front of and behind the camera.
“Gold House and Gold Gala have become a beacon for the Asian Pacific community to unite, invest in, and celebrate our inventiveness and impact. This year, I’ve focused on making Gold Gala look truly global while feeling local, balancing the breadth of our expansive diaspora with its bold, unified heart,” said Gurung in a statement. “From the organic and towering arboreal growths to our centerpiece spheres that shape us — the sun, the moon, our Earth — we envisage a new, more holistic, more centered world that enables all of us to bloom.”
HYBE founder and chairman bang Si-Hyuk will be bestowed with the lifetime achievement Gold Legend Honor and Hello Kitty’s 50th anniversary will be celebrated with the Gold Generation Award.
The Gold Gala will be followed by the inaugural Billboard x Gold House Founders Party, which will feature a headlining set from producer/DJ Steve Aoki, as well as a special performance from RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16 winner Nymphia Wind, a karaoke room presented by Rakuten Viki and an additional set from DJ Hu Dat.
