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The Australian leg of the Eras Tour was just as memorable for Taylor Swift as it was for fans.
A couple days after closing out her final show in Sydney, the 34-year-old pop star showered the hundreds of thousands of Swifties she performed for at Accor Stadium with gratitude in a heartfelt Instagram post Wednesday (Feb. 28). “Sydney, Sydney, Sydney, Sydney…,” the star began, sharing a carousel of photos of her and her dancers performing onstage. “What a whirlwind of endless magical moments with you.”
“I’m so grateful that we got to be the first tour to play Accor Stadium 4 times,” she continued. “I’ll never forget singing with Sabrina, the chaotic acoustic mashups, and the crowds that were louder (singing AND screaming) than I thought humanly possible.”
Swift’s Feb. 23-26 string of shows was certainly full of surprises, from her announcing “The Albatross” version of The Tortured Poets Department to the “Anti-Hero” singer’s sweet “White Horse” duet with opener Sabrina Carpenter. And, as she pointed out, the musician’s batch of surprise songs at Accor was truly chaotic, with the 14-time Grammy winner melding tracks from her early albums with deep cuts from her more recent works almost every night.
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For instance, Swift mixed her Fearless fan-favorite “Forever & Always” with Midnights track “Maroon” on Feb. 26. (Some fans are convinced that her seemingly random selections are actually hints that the many bonus versions of Tortured Poets will represent the five stages of grief, a theory that emerged on social media during the musician’s time Down Under.)
“I want to thank all of the Aussie fans for being so positive and passionate, so funny and wild and FUN,” Swift added in her post. “Love you forever.”
Outside of her performances, Swift also took time to enjoy the city. She went to the Sydney Zoo twice, and was joined on her second visit by Travis Kelce, who later watched one of his superstar girlfriend’s shows alongside Katy Perry and Rita Ora. The tight end also accepted friendship bracelets from fans and passed out guitar picks to the crowd.
Swift’s four-night stint in Sydney followed the Eras Tour’s three shows in Melbourne. Next, the “Karma” artist will set up shop in Singapore for six shows beginning March 2 at National Stadium, where Carpenter will again serve as opener.
Charli XCX is prepping her next musical era. The singer and pop hit songwriter announced on Instagram on Wednesday morning (Feb. 28) that her sixth full-length studio album, Brat, is coming this summer. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Brat — this summer. 15 songs. 41:23 minutes […]
Beyoncé is already making history with her swerve into the country lane. But after scoring a surprise No. 1 hit with “Texas Hold ‘Em,” some of Queen Bey’s Canadian fans think her new two-step has a familiar ring to it.
A week after TikTok videos pointed out that the tune’s bouncy finger-picked intro bears a striking resemblance to the theme song from the late 1990s/early 2000s children’s cartoon Franklin, the musician behind that show’s iconic opening track, “Hey, It’s Franklin,” says he’s just fine with the comparisons.
According to TMZ, veteran Canadian rocker Bruce Cockburn, 78 — best known for his 1984 hit “If I Had a Rocket Launcher” — told the outlet that he is honored by the many side-by-side videos. “I think Beyoncé’s ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ is a good record. Unfortunately, I can’t claim to have any part in writing it,” he said.
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“The rhythmic feel is similar to my theme song for the Franklin TV series, but to my ears, that’s where the similarity stops. ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ is her song, and I wish her success with it!” Cockburn added.
It appears the resemblance was first pointed out by TikTok user Ashleigh Aedan on Feb. 18, when she played a bit of the Bey song and captioned her video, “Now go listen to the Franklin theme song and tell me these are the same”; that clip ha since racked up more than 3.5 million views. The post began making news in Canada soon after, with a radio DJ doing a mash-up that boosted the notion that the songs share a similar git-up.
A music expert told CBC News that the comparisons make sense since both use fingerstyle plucking, instead of strumming, with Beyoncé’s opening with a banjo played in the Clawhammer style. Musicologist Claire McLeish said the Franklin theme opens with a style called Travis picking, with a “strong Clawhammer influence.” McLeish also pointed out that both are played in the key of D, with the instruments tuned in a similar style, which is what McLeish said people are picking up on.
And while they sound similar, McLeish said “they don’t sound alike in a way that would cause any legal problems” because you cannot copyright an “idea,” and the Travis picking style is a common idea used in country and folk music all the time. In fact, McLeish compiled a playlist of songs in a similar style, including ones by Johnny Cash, Led Zeppelin and Cockburn, noting that since Beyoncé isn’t using the same melody or lyrics that are close to the Franklin theme it’s probably safe from any legal issues.
Last week, Bey became the first Black woman to top the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, followed by the track topping the Billboard Hot 100, giving the singer her ninth leader on the list.
Listen below and see if you hear the similarities.
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As the five members of NewJeans file gracefully down the stairs at their Billboard photo shoot in Seoul, they greet me with bright smiles and genuine greetings of “Nice to meet you.” Just a few days prior, the exploding K-pop girl group won artist of the year and song of the year at both the […]
Forget Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket: Marriott Bonvoy is giving loyalty members a chance to win tickets to Taylor Swift’s tour dates, and soak-up a road trip.
From today (Feb. 27), eligible fans can enter the Marriott Bonvoy Sweepstakes for the chance to win one of the several prizes which unlock access to see shows, and score concert packages on both sides of the Atlantic
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The top prize – the so-called “Unforgettable Experience” — wraps-in three concerts in three international locations (the U.S., Canada and Europe) for the lucky winner and a guest. Each four-day, three-night trip for two includes air travel, hotel, two concert tickets, and a Marriott Bonvoy welcome gift.
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The Marriott Bonvoy Sweepstakes prize list include an all-inclusive four-day, three night trip to Vancouver, Canada for two; and the “Where Can We Take You?” concert packages, which offers the prize winner and friend the opportunity to catch TayTay’s blockbuster tour in select cities, including Stockholm, Madrid, Zurich, Milan, Hamburg, Vienna, Miami, New Orleans, Indianapolis, Toronto, and Vancouver.
“Fueled by a deep desire to experience her shows live, Taylor Swift fans have traveled near and far to be a part of this once-in-a lifetime experience, and now, Marriott Bonvoy is helping fans make their passion a reality,” comments Peggy Roe, executive VP and chief customer officer, Marriott International.
Participants in the Sweepstakes must be Marriott Bonvoy members and aged 18 or over. Winners will be selected at random.
“People today are craving community and connection through shared experiences. We designed Marriott Bonvoy to give members access to people, places and passions they love,” adds Roe, “and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be extending this unforgettable experience to new and existing members around the world.”
Marriott Bonvoy boasts 8,700 hotels and is sponsor of Swift’s The Eras Tour, which concluded its seven-date, two-city Australian leg on Monday (Feb. 26).
Next-up, a six-night stand at Singapore National Stadium, starting Saturday, March 2.
As part of its ongoing partnership, Marriott Bonvoy will roll out its “Moments” for The Eras Tour from March 13, and the chain will host pop-up events at various properties, including friendship bracelet-making stations.
In the 15 years since K-pop’s early international pioneers BoA and the Wonder Girls made their respective marks on the Billboard 200 and Billboard Hot 100 charts back in 2009, the Korean pop industry has made significant strides on the Billboard charts — and never has its crossover success been more apparent than now.
In 2023 alone, 35 different K-pop albums entered the Billboard 200, and five took the No. 1 spot. TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION hit the top spot in February, Stray Kids’ 5-STAR reigned for a week in June, NewJeans’ Get Up took over in August, Stray Kids scored a second No. 1 this year with ROCK-STAR in November, before ATEEZ snagged their first chart-topper with The World EP.Fin: Will in December.
Over on the Hot 100, Jimin of BTS opened a new chapter of K-pop history when he became the first South Korean solo artist to hit No. 1 on the chart with his solo single “Like Crazy.” His bandmate Jung Kook followed soon after when “Seven” (featuring Latto) debuted atop the Hot 100 and set the stage for the star to set a new record with three top five solo hits so far. Elsewhere, artists like BIGBANG’s Taeyang, NewJeans, FIFTY FIFTY, Stray Kids and Jennie of BLACKPINK all earned their first Hot 100 entries, while TWICE and BTS members J-Hope, Agust D and V all added additional entries to their Hot 100 collections.
Of course, many artists also spent time connecting with their global fans, thanks to massive tours across the globe. Acts like SEVENTEEN, ENHYPEN, NCT, TWICE, aespa, LE SSERAFIM, (G)I-DLE, ITZY, Agust D and more played the largest venues of their career, further displaying K-pop’s impact on the live market.
Ahead of the launch of Billboard Korea — with a kick-off event in Seoul set for May, where the artists on this list will be invited as the guests of honor, and the first issue, Billboard K Vol.1, scheduled for release in June — we’ve compiled the inaugural Billboard K-Pop Artist 100 list, with rankings based on activity on the Billboard 200 albums chart, Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and Billboard Boxscore (touring) data for the charts dated Jan. 7, 2023, through Dec. 30, 2023. (In most cases, group members are listed together, except for where notable solo activity separates the artists.)
Find our full 2024 list below:
Yuna (ITZY)
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Adele took to Instagram on Tuesday (Feb. 27) to announce that due to an unspecified illness, she will be postponing the March dates of her popular Las Vegas residency. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Sadly I have to take a beat and pause my Vegas residency,” […]
Dolly has spoken! Last week, Dolly Parton posted a message to social media congratulating Beyoncé for her first Hot Country Songs chart-topper with “Texas Hold ‘Em,” writing, “I’m a big fan of Beyoncé and very excited that she’s done a country album. So congratulations on your Billboard Hot Country number one single. Can’t wait to […]
Will Ariana Grande go on tour in support of her fast-approaching new album Eternal Sunshine? Even she doesn’t know for sure.
When asked during a Monday episode of The Zach Sang Show whether she plans to hit the road in support of her March 8-slated record, the 30-year-old pop star said her decision was “TBD.” “I would love to do shows, I miss being onstage,” she continued. “I miss my fans so much, that’s the honest-to-god truth.”
Grande hasn’t released an LP since 2020’s Positions, and her last trek was even longer ago: In 2019, she launched the Sweetener World Tour, which supported 2018’s Sweetener and 2019’s Thank U, Next albums. The four-month international run was documented in the “POV” singer’s Netflix film Excuse Me, I Love You.
This time around, Grande said her schedule is tied up with press commitments for the Wicked live-action films, in which she stars as Glinda opposite Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba. The Jon M. Chu-directed pair of films wrapped shooting earlier this year, and the first installment will arrive in theaters this Thanksgiving. (Check out the project’s first trailer, which aired during the 2024 Super Bowl broadcast, here.)
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“I had a really hard time emotionally on my last tour, but I think that’s because of where I was at,” Grande told Sang. “I’m excited to redefine my relationship to shows, when I’m ready. I do have a very busy year with this and with Wicked.
“[The tour] would obviously be shorter,” she added. “If anything, it would be a littler something. But I definitely do have the itch. I’m not ready to announce any sort of thing or get people too excited because I don’t want to disappoint.”
The Victorious alum covered a lot of ground during her 40-minute interview with Sang, which will soon be followed by a part 2. Not only did Grande call out the “thieves” who leaked her unreleased music on TikTok last year — “I’ll see you in jail, literally” she said at one point — but the vocalist also touched on her “frustration” with last year’s persistent tabloid rumors regarding her relationship with Wicked co-star Ethan Slater.
“We selectively remember that this is what the tabloids do to people, especially women, based upon if we like the person,” she said. “We don’t need to go into any specifics, but of course there’s an insatiable frustration, an inexplicable hellish feeling with watching people misunderstand the people you love, and you.”
Watch Grande on The Zach Sang Show above.
Jennifer Lopez’s action-packed This Is Me … Now: A Love Story features a star-studded cast that includes Fat Joe, Post Malone, Keke Palmer, Trevor Noah, Kim Petras, Jane Fonda, Post Malone, Sofia Vergara, Jenifer Lewis, Jay Shetty, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Derek Hough, Paul Raci, Trevor Jackson, Ben Affleck and more. However, there were a few stars that didn’t join the team.
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In The Greatest Love Story Never Told, a behind-the-scenes documentary of the film streaming on Prime Video, fans get a look at some of the other names that were considered, according to Entertainment Weekly. Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Lizzo, Jason Momoa, Jennifer Coolidge and Snoop Dogg were all among the celebrities that either declined to take part or were unavailable. Vanessa Hudgens was also pitched to play one of Lopez’s friends in the movie, though she was not cast, and Khloe Kardashian was also set to make a cameo.
“The casting director and the other producers came in and they were like, ‘How about this person? This person’s not available.’ And they started saying all these people,” Lopez explained to EW. “If you see me sitting there, that’s not what I want. What I want is people who represent a certain thing, who could understand what I’m trying to do here. And that’s what it took, because they needed to trust me, and at the end of the day. I think it was a big leap of faith for some of them.”
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Lopez teamed with director Dave Myers for the film, which arrived alongside the release her ninth studio album, This Is Me … Now. The movie is described by Amazon as a “narrative-driven cinematic odyssey, steeped in mythological storytelling and personal healing.”
This Is Me … Now: A Love Story dropped on Prime Video earlier this month, and Prime Members can stream it for free.