Pop

22 Feb 2024

Madonna, the Weeknd & Playboi Carti Live the Lush Life in ‘Popular’ Video

Madonna, the Weeknd and Playboi Carti live the lush life in the new video for their collaboration “Popular.” The Cliqua-directed clip opens with a close-up for Madonna’s glittering grill, as she whispers, “I’ve seen the devil/ Down Sunset/ In every place/ In every face,” while the camera cuts to a shot of a lush hillside and the Weeknd (who now goes by his birth name, Abel Tesfaye) sings from inside a massive, art-dripping gilded mansion.

After flashing to Carti — wearing two Band-Aids on his cheeks a la rapper Nelly — spilling his red Solo cup drink near a luxury SUV, the scene cuts back to Madonna in a penthouse apartment, lolling on a couch and pointing the camera with a cane. The trio inhabit their own luxe spaces, but never intersect in the visual shot in New York and Atlanta.

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The song was originally released last June as part of the roll-out of music from Tesfaye’s ill-received HBO music drama The Idol.

The video’s debut came after Madonna posted a one-minute clip on Wednesday (Feb. 21) from a visual she shot for a Brazilian bank in which the pop icon asserts that her royal music status is not what you think. “The call me the Queen of Pop,” the singer says as she walks up the stairs of an ornate mansion in a flowing black coat, thigh-high leather boots and a black mini-dress and bustier combo. “I know it’s a compliment, but the monarchy is in the past.”

The 65-year-old singer then asserts, “I am not. I have no age. I’m all ages. It’s not about who I am, it’s about how many I am. Count my achievements, not the number of years I have lived on this planet.” Meanwhile, clips of some of her most iconic videos play over a symphonic, languorous version of her 1990 classic “Vogue.”

“I am always reinventing myself,” she says, staring directly into camera, her neck flooded with a cascade of pearls — some of which she later spits out of her mouth — while images of her many reboots and classic video looks flicker by. “So that I can keep being myself. I think the most controversial thing I have ever done is to stick around. I have seen many stars appear and disappear, like shooting stars. But my light will never fade.”

Check out the “Popular” video and the Itau Unibanco promo clip below.

22 Feb 2024

Gayle Reveals the Depths of Her Love for ‘Queen of Everything’ Taylor Swift

Like most Swifties, Gayle couldn’t help but gush about Taylor Swift several times during a recent conversation about music. 

While speaking to Interview in a Wednesday (Feb. 21) Q&A, the 19-year-old singer-songwriter – who opened for Swift during several Eras Tour stops in North America last year – shared that she thinks the “Anti-Hero” singer is the undeniable Queen of Pop. 

“Taylor Swift is the queen of everything,” Gayle told the publication, noting that the 14-time Grammy winner was her top artist of 2023. 

The “Abcdefu” musician also revealed that a song she wishes she wrote is the 34-year-old pop star’s 2014 hit “Wildest Dreams,” and opened up about the turmoil of choosing a favorite Swift era. “Reputation and Folklore are constantly fighting each other in my heart — but also, 1989,” she said. 

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Gayle is fresh off the Valentine’s Day release of her new single with Royal & the Serpent, “Kinda Smacks.” In addition to supporting Swift’s trek, the Nashville artist also opened for P!nk’s Summer Carnival run last year before embarking on her own Scared But Trying headlining tour. This summer, she’ll reunite with the “So What” singer for a string of shows in Europe. 

In December, Gayle opened up about how she signed on to the Eras Tour after meeting her idol for the first time. “[Swift] was like, ‘What are you doing next year?’ I was so nervous,” she recalled in an interview with NBC News Now. “I was like, ‘Yes, ma’am, I’m doing music next year.’” 

“And she’s like, ‘OK, do you tour?’ I was like, ‘Yes, ma’am, I tour,’” Gayle continued. “And then she was like, ‘Well, do you open up for people?’ And I don’t know why I said this, […] I was like, ‘I open up for people who ask me to open up for them.’” 

22 Feb 2024

Olivia Rodrigo & Noah Kahan to Release Live Lounge Covers of Each Other’s Songs for Record Store Day

The season of the sticks just keeps on giving. To celebrate this year’s Record Store Day, Noah Kahan and Olivia Rodrigo have announced a special vinyl package featuring both artists’ covers of each other’s songs — “Stick Season” and “Lacy,” respectively — on the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge.

The announcement comes five months after Rodrigo covered Kahan’s breakthrough hit while making her Live Lounge debut — the recording of which will be on Side A of the duo’s special edition vinyl. Side B will feature the “Dial Drunk” singer’s rendition of the former Disney star’s fan-favorite Guts deep cut, which he performed on BBC Radio 1 just a couple months after Rodrgio stopped through.

The 7-inch colored disc will be available at participating record stores April 20. On the cover is a photo of Kahan in white overalls, smiling as he wraps an arm around Rodrigo.

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With the 27-year-old folk-pop artist’s recent string of collaborations as part of his Stick Season (Forever) reissue, many fans have been hoping that Rodrigo will be his next duet partner. In January, the 21-year-old “Vampire” singer revealed she was open to working with Kahan “I think he’s so great and he’s very inspiring,” she told Variety in January. “One of these days.”

That said, the Record Store Day joint release is probably the next best thing. This year, the annual celebration of independent music stores will be led by Paramore, following past ambassadors such as Taylor Swift, St. Vincent, Metallica, Pearl Jam and Jack White.

Both Kahan and Rodrigo will spend much of 2024 touring, with the latter artist’s first-ever arena trek kicking off Friday (Feb. 23) at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, Calif. On the same day, Kahan will perform in Copenhagen.

Rodrigo’s sophomore album Guts arrived in September and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Kahan’s Stick Season, originally released in 2022, reached its current peak of No. 3 on the chart in June.

22 Feb 2024

Bobby Caldwell Rides Food Trend to No. 1 on TikTok Billboard Top 50

Bobby Caldwell’s classic “What You Won’t Do for Love” zooms in at No. 1 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart dated Feb. 24 following a new, largely food-based trend on the platform.

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The TikTok Billboard Top 50 is a weekly ranking of the most popular songs on TikTok in the United States based on creations, video views and user engagement. The latest chart reflects activity Feb. 12-18. Activity on TikTok is not included in Billboard charts except for the TikTok Billboard Top 50. As previously noted, titles that are part of Universal Music Group’s catalog are currently unavailable on TikTok.

“What You Won’t Do for Love,” Caldwell’s breakout hit and a No. 9-peaking track on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979, debuts atop the TikTok Billboard Top 50 thanks to a trend wherein users film food items they love set to the song’s horn riff.

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Other creators have taken the trend a step further, replacing footage of food with pets or significant others.

The latest Billboard chart tracking week (Feb. 9-15) saw “What You Won’t Do for Love” lift 8% in on-demand official U.S. streams to 1.3 million in all, according to Luminate.

Caldwell reigns over Cat Janice’s “Dance You Outta My Head,” the previous week’s No. 1, which falls to No. 2, one spot ahead of Usher’s “Yeah!” featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris.

“Yeah!,” which debuted at No. 30 on the previous survey (Feb. 17), vaults into the top three thanks in large part to renewed attention on the song – and Usher’s catalog as a whole – after his Super Bowl Halftime Show performance on Feb. 11. One of the top-performing uploads, from social media personality Katie Feeney, was a supercut of different celebrities who attended the Super Bowl. Other videos referenced the R&B star’s performance or the game as a whole, which was won by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Usher appears on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 dated Feb. 24 three times in all. Chris Brown’s “New Flame,” on which Usher is featured alongside Rick Ross, debuts at No. 20, while Usher’s own “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home),” featuring Plies, re-enters the ranking at No. 48.

Rounding out the chart’s top five, Rich Amiri’s “One Call” drops from No. 3 to No. 4, while He Is We’s “I Wouldn’t Mind” returns to the top five at No. 5, rising from No. 7.

Djo’s “End of Beginning” is the second-biggest debut of the week after “What You Won’t Do for Love,” bowing at No. 11. A snippet of the song, originally released in 2022, has gone viral on TikTok after creators began using the track’s “And when I’m back in Chicago, I feel it” line to soundtrack footage of Chicago or other posts about the Windy City.

@djo_time

♬ End of Beginning – Djo

Djo himself – real name Joe Keery, best known as an actor whose credits include Stranger Things, Fargo and more – got in on the action with an upload of him riding the subway while referencing the song’s sudden surge in popularity.

Concurrently, “End of Beginning” debuts at No. 28 on Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart via 2.9 million official U.S. streams, a boost of 191%.

Beyonce’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” boasts the third-biggest TikTok Billboard Top 50 debut, starting at No. 13. Released during the Super Bowl on Feb. 11, the country tune has already inspired a variety of dance clips on TikTok, as well as users reacting to Beyonce’s country turn (she released a second song in the genre, “16 Carriages,” the same day).

“Texas Hold ‘Em” debuts at No. 2 on the Hot 100 (and No. 1 on Hot Country Songs) while “16 Carriages” starts at No. 38 (and No. 9), as previously reported.

See the full TikTok Billboard Top 50 here. You can also tune in each Friday to SiriusXM’s TikTok Radio (channel 4) to hear the premiere of the chart’s top 10 countdown at 3 p.m. ET, with reruns heard throughout the week.

22 Feb 2024

Matty Healy Says The 1975 Is ‘Working on a New Record,’ Previews Unreleased Song During Concert

The 1975 will be taking a break at the end of its Still at Their Very Best Tour, but fans needn’t worry – the band won’t be gone for long. While performing at Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, England, Wednesday (Feb. 21), Matty Healy said that new music was just around the corner – and to prove it, he played a snippet of an unreleased song for the crowd. 

Speaking about the approaching end of his and his bandmates’ European tour, Healy said, “The truth is, everyone’s kind of afraid that we’re going to go away for ages.” 

“We’re working on a new record now,” he continued, sitting behind a piano onstage. “I just need to stop for, like, a minute.” 

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The “Somebody Else” singer went on to spontaneously pull out his phone and hold its speaker up to his microphone, then played a few seconds of a vibrant, up-tempo track that began with a countdown. He went on to seemingly share a lyric that related back to his need to take a break after tour, telling fans, “It’s a line actually, what is it … ‘I take a minute when I think I won’t die from stopping.’” 

“And that’s really how I’ve felt for a long time,” Healy added. “We really appreciate you guys and thank you so much. We’re going to go away and hopefully make you a good new album. I just don’t know what to do in the meantime, really.” 

Billboard has reached out to the band’s reps for more information. 

The Manchester band’s stop in Birmingham marked its last show in the U.K. this tour. Healy, guitarist Adam Hann, bassist Ross MacDonald and drummer George Daniel will continue performing through Europe for the next month – with dates planned in Portugal, France, Germany, Italy and more – before closing out the Still at Their Very Best trek March 24 with a concert in Amsterdam. 

The 1975 has been touring since late 2022 in support of its fifth studio album, Being Funny in a Foreign Language, which debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. The group started with a nine-month run dubbed the At Their Very Best Tour, which lasted through mid-August 2023, before immediately embarking on another sweep of North America and Europe for the Still at Their Very Best Tour.  

Watch Healy discuss new music and play part of an unreleased song below. 

22 Feb 2024

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Visit Sydney Zoo After Tight End’s Global Trek to Australia

Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift didn’t waste any time doing some classic couple stuff ahead of the singer’s upcoming run of Eras Tour shows in Sydney, Australia. According to News.com.au, after the Kansas City Chiefs tight end landed down under on Wednesday, he and Swift took a trip to the Sydney Zoo on Thursday (Feb. 22).

The news outlet dubbed it Swift’s “favourite hotspot,” reporting that it was the second day in a row that the “Karma” singer had visited the animal park. The couple reportedly got a private tour and fed kangaroos during their visit, taking selfies along the way as they held hands and walked around the zoo arm-in-arm.

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Cameras spotted Kelce getting off a private jet the day before, marking the second time the three-time Super Bowl champ has hopped on a plane to go see Swift on her globe-hopping Eras Tour. Swift is slated to play four dates at Sydney’s Accor Stadium beginning on Friday (Feb. 23) through Monday (Feb. 26), with Sabrina Carpenter slated to open the gigs.

According to the Australian news site’s report, Swift visited the city’s Olympic stadium on Wednesday for a sound check ahead of Friday’s kick-off gig, which may be marred by some predicted foul weather. The site said that “heavy hail” is in the forecast for Friday night, with showers and storms predicted amid “scorching hot weather” in the city over the weekend.

The global trip by Kelce is the mirror image of one Swift took two weeks ago when she flew from Tokyo to Las Vegas to support her boyfriend when the Chiefs played the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11. In a testament to the massive frequent flier miles the long distance couple are likely to wrack up over the next year, in November, Kelce flew to Buenos Aires, Argentina to take in one of Swift’s Eras Tour gigs.

21 Feb 2024

Fans Rejoice After Normani’s ‘Dopamine’ Album Announcement: ‘The Drought Is Finally Over’

Few fanbases have had to be more patient for an album announcement than Normani Nation these past six years. But on Wednesday (Feb. 21), an end finally came to more than a half-decade of waiting, with the former Fifth Harmony member at last announcing that Dopamine, her debut solo album, is officially on its way.

Normani broke the news to fans by posting the project’s cover on social media, writing, “cryingg typing this rn. DOPAMINE THE ALBUM.” The artwork features the “Motivation” singer wearing a leathery bikini and straddling a jet-black rocket, plus a parental advisory warning sticker in the bottom left corner.

The announcement closes out exactly five years, seven months and 22 days since Normani first wrote in a now-viral tweet: “I have my album title y’all” — a post that has resurfaced numerous times over the years as more and more time progressed without an album announcement. Since launching her solo career in 2018, the musician has released only seven singles as a lead artist, including top 20 Billboard Hot 100 hits such as the Sam Smith-assisted “Dancing With a Stranger” (No. 7), the Khalid duet “Love Lies” (No. 9) and “Wild Side” featuring Cardi B (No. 14).

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The only thing fans need to wait for now — aside from the actual album, of course — is a release date, which Normani has not yet unveiled. The X Factor alum did, however, make it clear on her website that Dopamine will arrive at some point this year — to the utter delight of her fans.

“I can’t believe we made it yall,” one person posted on X, where Normani’s name was trending throughout the day on Wednesday, shortly after the Dopamine announcement dropped. “the drought is finally over. NORMANI IS COMING.”

“from voting for normani on x-factor to finally witnessing her debut album era commence… I AM EMOTIONAL,” wrote another proud fan, while a third person added, “The grass is greeener, the air is fresher, life is GREAT rn.”

Keep reading to see the best reactions to Normani’s Dopamine album announcement below.

21 Feb 2024

Selena Gomez Shrugs Off Being Single in French Teaser for New Single ‘Love On’: Watch

Selena Gomez has shared a teaser video for her new single “Love On,” and it’s filled with PDA — for everyone except her.

Posted to Instagram on Wednesday (Feb. 21), one day ahead of the song’s release, the trailer finds the singer/actress looking unbothered as she stands at the top of a staircase, holding an adorable puppy in her arms. Meanwhile, several couples lining the steps below her get hot and heavy, which she politely ignores.

In French, a voice-over says, “Qu’est-ce que je vais te nommer? Je vais te nommer. L’amour … L’amour tendre.” Gomez previously shared the phrase — which translates to, “What shall I name you? I’m gonna name you the love … the tender love” — alongside two promotional photos for “Love On” via Instagram.

The new teaser comes six days after the Only Murders in the Building star first announced “Love On,” which arrives Thursday. Last week, she posted the single’s ocean-view cover art and hinted at one of its lyrics: “Wait ‘til I turn my love on.”

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“Love On” will mark Gomez’s first release of the year, following her August 2023 single “Single Soon.” The latter track reached No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 and will likely serve as the lead single off the “Calm Down” singer’s yet-to-be-announced third album.

And while Gomez has nobody to kiss in her “Love On” sneak peek, the same certainly can’t be said for her real life. The Rare Beauty founder is happily in a relationship with Benny Blanco and frequently shares photos of the producer on Instagram. On Valentine’s Day, for instance, she marked the occasion with a couple’s selfie on her Story and the caption, “I love you.”

See Gomez’s new teaser for “Love On” below.

21 Feb 2024

Billie Eilish’s New Album Is Officially ‘Mastered’

Billie Eilish is back!

The superstar took to Instagram on Wednesday (Feb.11) to share a series of photos in which she’s seen rocking a star-printed ski mask and a windbreaker jacket.

“My album is mastered,” she captioned the post. While Eilish did not indicate any more details about the album and its release, a new project would mark her followup to 2021’s Happier Than Ever.

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Released July 30, 2021, Happier Than Ever marked the 22-year-old’s second studio album and hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200, just as her debut When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go? did back in 2019.

Eilish has since released a number of singles, including the Barbie soundtrack hit, “What Was I Made For?” The song won best song written for visual media and song of the year at the 2024 Grammy Awards. It also earned nominations for record of the year, best pop solo performance and best music video. Eilish first won song of the year in 2020 for “Bad Guy” and she was nominated for song of the year in 2021 for “Everything I Wanted” and in 2022 for “Happier Than Ever.” All three of those songs have also been nominated for record of the year, with “Bad Guy” and “Everything I Wanted” taking home the trophy. 

21 Feb 2024

Billboard Explains: NewJeans’ Fast Rise on the Charts

With honorees from the across the globe, the 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards are a true international affair. Repping Seoul, South Korea, is NewJeans, a chart-topping K-pop girl group comprised of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein.

Earning this year’s Group of the Year award, NewJeans spent 2023 lighting up the Billboard charts and proving that they were the correct choice for the honor. The quintet debuted back in 2022, and their Jersey club-inflected sound has helped them become one of the hottest new acts across radio and streaming around the world.

In 2023, the group scored five entries on the Billboard Hot 100, led by “Super Shy” at No. 48. Their other entries include “OMG” (No. 74), “ETA” (No. 81), “Ditto” (No. 82) and “Cool With You” (No. 93). Over on the Billboard Global 200, “Super Shy” (No. 2), “Ditto” (No. 8) and “OMG” (No. 10) all reached the top 10. “Super Shy,” one of the group’s biggest singles, also made appearances on Pop Airplay (No. 37), Streaming Songs (No. 32) and Digital Song Sales (No. 45). On World Digital Song Sales, NewJeans boasts six consecutive top five hits.

NewJeans’ success is not limited to the singles chart. In 2023, Get Up — the group’s sophomore EP — debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (chart dated Aug. 5, 2023), edging out the star-studded Barbie soundtrack by just 500 units. Get Up also hit No. 1 on Top Album Sales, Tastemaker Albums and World Albums (10 weeks).

Proving their dominance across both albums and singles, NewJeans’ fast rise up the Billboard charts made them a clear choice for the Group of the Year honor at the 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards.

After the video, catch up on more Billboard Explains videos and learn about how Beyoncé arrived at Renaissance, the evolution of girl groups, BBMAs, NFTs, SXSW, the magic of boy bands, American Music Awards, the Billboard Latin Music Awards, the Hot 100 chart, how R&B/hip-hop became the biggest genre in the U.S., how festivals book their lineups, Billie Eilish’s formula for success, the history of rap battles, nonbinary awareness in music, the Billboard Music Awards, the Free Britney movement, rise of K-pop in the U.S., why Taylor Swift is re-recording her first six albums, the boom of hit all-female collaborations, how Grammy nominees and winners are chosen, why songwriters are selling their publishing catalogs, how the Super Bowl halftime show is booked and why Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” was able to shoot to No. 1 on the Hot 100.