Pop

Billy Joel Revisits His Classic Eras in AI-Assisted Video For Comeback Single ‘Turn the Lights Back On’

Billy Joel is fully back in his pop mode in the new video for comeback single “Turn the Lights Back On.” In fact, thanks to generative AI, Joel is back in all his pop modes in the time-tripping visual directed by Warren Fu (Daft Punk, Dua Lipa), which uses technology from Deep Voodoo to portray the now 74-year-old piano man in all his different eras.

The clip opens with today’s Joel in a black suit at his trusty Steinway, playing the song’s elegiac instrumental intro, a cigarette burning in the ashtray, before jumping back to 1970s shaggy-haired Joel singing the track’s wistful opening lines, “Please, open the door/ Nothing is different, we’ve been here before/ Pacing these halls, trying to talk over the silence.”

After the camera pans to the rafters, it swings back to another past Joel, focusing on the song’s lyric sheet atop the piano before revealing a 1980s BJ in a leather jacket and sweatshirt. Another sweep reveals a slightly older sunglass-and-brown-blazer-wearing Joel tickling the ivories before a final montage shows Joel on stage, backstage, in the studio and with his kids throughout his half-century career.

Trending on Billboard

After performing his first new pop song in 17 years on the 2024 Grammy Awards, Joel was back on Billboard‘s Adult Contemporary chart dated Feb. 10 at No. 11, marking his first entry on the chart since 1998. The singer also returned to the Billboard Hot 100 on the chart dated Feb. 17, debuting at No. 62, marking his first entry on the chart since his cover of Bob Dylan’s “To Make You Feel My Love” hit No. 50.

Watch the “Turn the Lights Back on” video below.



Taylor Swift Donates $100K to GoFundMe For Family of Chiefs Victory Parade Victim DJ Lisa Lopez-Galvan

Taylor Swift donated $100,000 to a GoFundMe set up for the family of Lisa Lopez-Galvan, the Kansas City radio DJ who was killed in the mass shooting that broke out during the Kansas City Chiefs’ victory parade on Wednesday. Swift, who has become an honorary member of the Chiefs nation thanks to her relationship with the team’s star tight end Travis Kelce, instantly met and then exceeded the original $75,000 goal of the page set up to care for the family of the beloved 44-year-old married mother of two.

A spokesperson for Swift — who made the donations just before kicking off the Australian leg of her Eras Tour in Melbourne with the first of three shows in that city — confirmed to Billboard that Swift made two $50,000 donations to the cause early Friday morning (Feb. 16); at press time the GoFundMe had raised more than $177,000 from 1,400 donations.

Trending on Billboard

“She was an amazing mother, wife, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend to so many. We ask that you continue to keep her family in your prayers as we grieve the loss of her life. This fund will help provide vital financial support to her family as they process this unthinkable tragedy,” read a statement on the donations page, where the average donation ranged from $5-$100.

“Sending my deepest sympathies and condolences in the wake of your devastating loss. With love, Taylor Swift,” the singer wrote.

Lopez-Galvan was a private mobile DJ for more than 15 years and co-hosted “Taste of Tejano” for local station KKFI since March 2022. “It is with sincere sadness and an extremely heavy and broken heart that we let our community know that KKFI DJ Lisa Lopez, host of Taste of Tejano lost her life today in the shooting at the KC Chiefs’ rally. Our hearts and prayers are with her family,” read a statement from the station.

The DJ was among nearly one million Chiefs fans two attended the downtown rally celebrating the team’s third Super Bowl win in five years when gunfire erupted near the end of the parade. The burst of gunfire killed Lopez-Galvan and injured 22 others, with half the victims under the age of 16. According to USA Today, a personal dispute between several people spurred the shooting, with police detaining three juveniles in the incident; one of the unnamed suspects was later released. One of the people questioned by police was tackled by bystanders before being detained at the event that a massive police presence of more than 800 officers.

Kelce tweeted, “I am heartbroken over the tragedy that took place today. My heart is with all who came out to celebrate with us and have been affected. KC, you mean the world to me.”

KC Mayor Quinton Lucas said the mass shooting will not deter the city from hosting parades or mass celebrations in the future — including a St. Patrick’s Day parade next month — in a state that Democrat Sen. Steve Roberts said has “some of the loosest gun laws” in the country. “There is a gun violence challenge in this community and many others. And there certainly is a gun violence challenge as it relates to major events,” Lucas said on Thursday. “That, however, does not mean that Kansas City will stop having major events. We will do all we can to make sure people are safe.”

Meanwhile, Republican Sen. and gubernatorial candidate Bill Eigel tweeted, “To the liberal gun grabbers already trying to use this KC tragedy to push your radical gun control agenda, hear me now: NOT IN MISSOURI. One good guy with a gun could have stopped the evil criminals who opened fire on the crowd immediately. Guns don’t kill people. Thugs and criminals kill people.”

Ariana Grande & Mariah Carey Deliver A Diva’s Dream With New ‘Yes, And?’ Remix: Stream It Now

With less than a month to go before Eternal Sunshine takes over the world (Mar. 8), Ariana Grande is keeping her attention on “Yes, And?” — and she’s tapped a certifiable legend to breathe new life into the song. Marking their second official collaboration, Ariana Grande and Mariah Carey have teamed up for a new “Yes, And?” remix.

Released to digital streaming platforms on Friday (Feb. 16), the new version of Grande’s latest Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper arrives after a few days of teasing via her official Instagram page, Carey’s official Instagram page, and the @sweetener account Grande has been relaying album-related news on since 2018.

After teasing a special announcement via her Instagram Story earlier this week (Feb. 13), Grande confirmed Carey’s appearance on the “Yes, And?” remix with a Feb. 14 post captioned, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this dream come true and for sprinkling your brilliance and magic on my little song @mariahcarey. [It] means more to me than [I] could ever possibly articulate and [I] cannot wait for everyone to hear this! [I] love you eternally!!!!!!!”

Trending on Billboard

Mariah returned the love in Grande’s comment section, writing, “Darling angel, I am so effing excited to be joining you on the yes, and? remix!! This is such a magical moment!! Love you ❤️ MC.”

The two vocal powerhouses first team up for a track back in 2020. Alongside EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson, Carey and Grande updated “Oh Santa!” — a single from Carey’s Merry Christmas II You (2010). That track, which delighted fans in its union of two artists (Carey and Grande) than have been unfairly pit against each other in the past, came complete with a glitzy music video. The three divas delivered the first joint live performance at the song last month (Dec. 9) at Madison Square Garden during the New York stop on Carey’s Merry Christmas One & All! tour.

In January (chart dated Jan. 27), “Yes, And?” debuted atop the Hot 100, marking Grande’s eighth career No. 1 single. The house-indebted bop serves as the lead single from Eternal Sunshine, her forthcoming seventh solo studio album, which serves as her first LP since 2020’s Billboard 200-topping Positions.

Stream Ariana Grande and Mariah Carey’s “Yes, And?” remix now!



Jennifer Lopez Unveils ‘This Is Me… Now’: Stream It Now

Jennifer Lopez is reflecting on her growth. The multi-hyphenate superstar unveiled her ninth studio album, This Is Me… Now, on Friday (Feb. 16).

This Is Me…Now is the sister album to 2002’s This Is Me…Then, which was dedicated to her partner at the time, Ben Affleck. Lopez and Affleck have since rekindled their romance, and the couple married in 2022. It’s also Lopez’s first full-length solo release in nearly a decade. Her last album, 2014’s A.K.A., reached No. 8 on the Billboard 200.

This Is Me…Then was something that I wrote at that point in time that wound up capturing a moment where I fell deeply in love for the first time in that way, and I didn’t know that I would look back and I think. ‘What a kind of poetic thing to say,’” Lopez told Billboard in a recent interview.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

She continued, “Then to have this kind of crazy, strange, magical, surrealistic plot twist where I wound up back with that person, it was insane and it was also very inspiring. So I went back in the studio, and in the way that This Is Me… Then captured that first moment in time, I wanted to capture this moment in time. It’s even more beautiful and inspiring than the first time. I have something to say about love now that I’ve been looking for which is — I’m sure people wonder because I did — does true love exist? Is that type of love real? Does anything last forever? When I felt like I had the answers to that, I wanted to share that with all the people who’ve been on this journey with me, who watched me get up and fall down, in and out of relationships. It may not be a straight road, but the love is there.”

Trending on Billboard

Listen to This Is Me… Now in full below.

Madonna Announces Collaboration With The Weeknd & Playboi Carti

Madonna has another collaboration up her sleeves, this time with The Weeknd and Playboi Carti.

The Queen of Pop took to Instagram on Thursday (Feb. 15) to share a preview of the “Popular” music video, featuring the trio trading lines and singing the chorus in unison. “I did song with @theweeknd and @playboicarti -called – Popular Duh !” she captioned the post, which you can see here.

The song’s music video will be debuting exclusively in Fortnite Festival, to wrap up The Weeknd’s takeover of the event’s Season 1. According to Fortnite’s official website, fans can watch the clip in a new dedicated viewing area in Jam Stage, where the “Popular” video will repeat from February 15 at 7 p.m. ET until February 18 at 7 p.m. ET. The “Popular” Jam Track will also be available in the Fortnite Shop starting February 15 at 7 p.m. ET.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Earlier this week, The Weeknd teased that he’s back in the studio on Instagram. His teaser comes a month after he posted the album covers from his 2020 album After Hours and 2022’s Dawn FM, and a third, black slide with a white question mark in the middle and a parental advisory warning label. “3,” he wrote as the caption, indicating that a third installment of the album trilogy is on the way.

Dua Lipa’s ‘Training Season’ Is in Session: Stream It Now

Dua Lipa doesn’t have time for anything below her standards for a partner. The pop superstar unveiled her new single, “Training Season,” on Thursday (Feb. 15).

Lipa announced the single last month in a clip posted to her TikTok, declaring that she’s very tired of mediocre men. “I need someone to hold me close, deeper than I’ve ever known/ Whose love feels like a rodeo, knows just how to take control,” she sings over a pounding beat.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The singer also shared a statement, revealing that the song was inspired by a series of unimpressive dates. “The last one was the final straw,” she wrote. “The next morning I arrived to the studio to Caroline [Ailin] and Tobias [Jesso Jr.] asking me how it all went and I immediately declared ‘TRAINING SEASON IS OVER,’ and like the best ‘day after’ debriefs with your mates, we had a lot of laughs and it all quickly came together from there.” 

Trending on Billboard

She continued, “While it is obviously about that feeling when you are just absolutely done telling people … men specifically in this case, how to date you right; it is also about my training season being over and me growing with every experience,” she wrote. “I have never felt more confident, clear or empowered. And while it may be that training season is never over for any of us, you start to see the beauty in finding that person to experience it with.”

She went on to premiere the single at the 2024 Grammy Awards earlier this month.

Lipa’s last album was 2020’s Future Nostalgia, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. The nostalgic pop and disco set was nominated for album of the year and won best pop vocal album at the 2021 Grammy Awards. Its lead single “Don’t Start Now” was nominated for record and song of the year as well as best pop solo performance.

Listen to “Training Season” below.

Benson Boone Reaches No. 1 on Streaming Songs Chart With ‘Beautiful Things’

Benson Boone reaches No. 1 for the first time on Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart, as “Beautiful Things” lifts 5-1 on the Feb. 17-dated ranking.

In the Feb. 2-8 tracking week, “Beautiful Things” earned 22.8 million official U.S. streams, according to Luminate. That’s up 23% from the previous frame (Jan. 26-Feb. 1), when the song accumulated 18.5 million streams.

The song premiered at No. 5 on the Feb. 3-dated survey via 15.7 million streams, meaning the song has gained by at least 18% in streams in every week since its release so far (it debuted on streaming platforms on Jan. 18 following a multi-week tease on TikTok).

Boone’s No. 1 on Streaming Songs makes him the first act to snag their first ruler on the chart as a lead artist since Doja Cat, whose “Paint the Town Red” reigned in October 2023.

As Doja Cat had a multi-song history on Streaming Songs prior to her first No. 1, unlike Boone, Boone becomes the first to top the list in their first appearance as a lead act since Oliver Anthony Music, with “Rich Men North of Richmond,” in September 2023.

The other claim to fame for Boone is that “Beautiful Things” is the first song of 2024 to rise to No. 1 for its first reign on Streaming Songs rather than debuting there. The last song to do that was Jack Harlow’s “Lovin on Me,” which reached the top in its second week (Dec. 2, 2023) after debuting at No. 2 the week before.

Concurrently, as previously reported, “Beautiful Things” jumps 8-3 on the multi-metric Billboard Hot 100. In addition to its streams, the song earned 3.4 million radio audience impressions, (up 321%) and 9,000 downloads (up 15%). Early airplay success has been courtesy of the Adult Pop Airplay (No. 28) and Pop Airplay (No. 32) charts.

The tune also tops the Global 200 for the first time.

“Beautiful Things” is currently a standalone single for Boone, who’s released two EPs, Walk Me Home… (2022) and Pulse (2023).

Taylor Swift Inspires ‘London Boy’ Tour of the City Geared Toward Swifties: See Details

Taylor Swift has inspired Ivy League college courses, football game snack menus and, now, a comprehensive tour of one of her favorite locales: London.

The Tours by Locals website is offering a guided journey through the city dubbed the “London Boy” tour, after Swift’s Lover track of the same name. Its description promises that tourists will visit all of the major sites mentioned in the 34-year-old pop star’s lyrics, including Hampstead Heath, Camden Market, Shoreditch and the West End.

Trending on Billboard

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

One version of the trek lasts about eight hours each day and is available for $495 for up to six people.

“London Boy” is one of many songs on Swift’s seventh studio album believed to be about Joe Alwyn, the musician’s now ex-boyfriend of six years. The actor was raised in North London, and the pair spent a lot of time in the U.K. together during their relationship.

“You know I love a London boy/ I enjoy walking Camden Market in the afternoon,” Swift sings on the 2019 deep cut. “Took me back to Highgate, met all of his best mates/ So I guess all the rumors are true/ You know I love a London boy.”

Ironically, one of the songs on Swift’s April-slated eleventh studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, is titled “So Long, London.” So, while hordes of Swifties may soon become more acquainted with the city via the “London Boy” tour, it seems like the 14-time Grammy winner — who is now in a relationship with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce — might have put a pin in her love for the English capital.

The “Anti-Hero” singer announced her latest LP while accepting the best pop vocal award for Midnights at the 2024 Grammys earlier this month. Soon afterward, she posted the Tortured Poets track list on Instagram, revealing that the project has a total of 17 songs. See the full tracklist here.

Selena Gomez Announces New Song ‘Love On’: Here’s When It Arrives

The wait is over, Selenators. On Thursday (Feb. 15), Selena Gomez finally announced her first musical project of 2024: a new single titled “Love On,” boasting an apt title to share the day after Valentine’s Day.

The 31-year-old pop star unveiled the news in an Instagram post, telling followers that the track will drop Thursday, Feb. 22. “Wait ‘til I turn my love on,” she captioned the announcement, seemingly quoting one of the song’s lyrics. “Presave my new song ‘Love On’ out 2.22.”

The singer-actress also shared the track’s cover art, which features Gomez in a white bathrobe, sunglasses and a hair towel as she leans against a luxurious window frame. Outside, a crystal blue ocean stretches for miles behind her.

Trending on Billboard

The title of the song is written in loopy red lettering, giving the photo a retro feel.

“Love On” will mark Gomez’s first release since “Single Soon,” her Benny Blanco-produced comeback single that dropped in August. The track debuted at its current peak of No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Both “Single Soon” and “Love On” will likely appear on the Only Murders in the Building star’s upcoming third album, which is expected to arrive sometime this year. Gomez has previously confirmed that her next LP is in the works, although it might be her last. In January, she hinted that she may retire from music in the near future, noting, “I do feel like I have one more album in me, but I would probably choose acting.”

Gomez’s most recent album, Rare, debuted atop the Billboard 200 in January 2020 and spawned the Wizards of Waverly Place alum’s first-ever No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100, “Lose You to Love Me.”

See Gomez’s “Love On” announcement below.

Lady Gaga Posts Pics From the Studio, Clarifies That She’s ‘Not’ Making a Rock Album

It’s been almost four years since Lady Gaga dropped her Chromatica album. And while her Little Monsters have waited patiently while the singer played her Las Vegas residency and suited up to play Harley Quinn in the upcoming Joker: Folie à Deux sequel alongside Joaquin Phoenix, on Wednesday (Feb. 14) she gave them hope that new music is on the horizon.

In a series of Instagram posts from the studio Gaga appears to be hard at work on new music, though she explicitly notes in the caption to one of the snaps, “No I’m not making a rock album.” That caveat accompanied a picture of Gaga sitting on a day bed in front of a window strumming an electric guitar, a vocal mic positioned in front of her.

In another, she is posted up at a piano, eyes closed, hands on the keys, accompanied by a black heart emoji. The series also features a snap of Gaga staring out the window to something unseen in the distance — with the cryptic caption “there’s a rat in the studio” — and a brief video of the singer in the vocal booth listening to some unintelligible instructions from an unseen voice.

Trending on Billboard

The latest peek at her studio time follows up on some pics Gaga posted last week in which she was hard at work playing a keyboard in the studio, as well as ones from January of her recording vocals, which may have sparked the fan speculation that she is working on a more rock-oriented project.

To date Gaga has not provided any concrete information on the title or scheduled release date for the follow-up to her sixth studio album, Chromatica, on which she went back to her dance-inspired roots on singles such as “Stupid Love,” the Ariana Grande collab “Rain on Me” and “Free Woman.” Last year, Gaga appeared as a guest vocalist on the gospel-tinged Rolling Stones song “Sweet Sounds of Heaven.” Joker: Folie à Deux is due out on Oct. 4.

Check out Gaga’s studio pics below.