Pop

Kesha Signs With Crush Management

Kesha has signed with Crush Management, the company confirmed with Billboard. She will be co-managed by Charlie Adelman, Jonathan Daniel and Bob Mclynn.

In December, the pop icon parted ways with longtime manager Jack Rovner and Vector Management.

“Jack Rovner confirms, after 16 years, Kesha and Vector Management have agreed amicably to part ways, with much love and respect,” read a statement shared with Billboard at the time.

The split came on the heels of a busy year for Kesha, who released her fifth album, Gag Order, last May. One month later, in June, Kesha and producer Dr. Luke reached a settlement ending the latter’s years-long lawsuit in which he accused the pop star of defaming him by accusing him of rape. The settlement came one week after a New York court issued a key ruling that would have made it harder for Dr. Luke to win the case.

Gag Order peaked at No. 11 on Billboard‘s Top Album Sales chart. The project was produced by Rick Rubin and featured more experimental “post-pop” production, as defined by Kesha in a previous interview. Most notably, the album fulfilled her contract with Kemosabe — as reported by Variety at the time — which was founded by Dr. Luke and is distributed by RCA Records.

Already this year, Kesha has been teasing new music via clips on Instagram that show the singer back in the studio. She and Lil Nas X have also been teasing a forthcoming collaboration.

At Crush, Kesha joins a star-studded roster that includes Miley Cyrus, Lorde and Green Day.

Kylie Minogue Wants to Collaborate With This Male Pop Star: ‘Wouldn’t That Be Good?’

Though Kylie Minogue is clearly doing just fine on her own — the Australian dance pop star just took home her second Grammy on Sunday — there is a certain someone she wouldn’t mind teaming up with.

While on the red carpet at MusiCares’ recent Person of the Year gala honoring Jon Bon Jovi, Minogue told E! that there’s one former boy bander on her list of dream collaborations. “Harry Styles or something would be good,” she said. “Wouldn’t that be good?”

The “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” singer also admitted there’s “a long list” of artists she’d like to duet with — but along with Styles, Madonna is at the top. “We would both love it,” she said when asked about a potential future team-up with the Queen of Pop. “I know I would, she’s mentioned it before. So hey, maybe.”

Just days after the Person of the Year event, Minogue would win her second career Grammy, taking home best pop dance recording for her 2023 single “Padam Padam” at the Sunday awards. She previously won best dance recording at the 2004 ceremony for “Come Into My World.”

“Padam Padam” arrived ahead of Minogue’s October album Tension, which peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Dance/Electronic Songs chart.The 55-year-old superstar told Billboard at the MusiCares event that, for her, “There’s pre-‘Padam’ and post-‘Padam’ … two different parts of my life.”

“Who knew?” she said of the Grammy recognition. “We didn’t know it would become a viral sensation, and it reconnects me with a lot of people, but also a different generation, so they’ve put ‘Padam’ with ‘Can’t Get You Out of My Head,’ 20 years apart but [they] kind of live together.”

Next month, Minogue will be honored at Billboard‘s annual Women in Music event with this year’s icon Award. Ice Spice, Victoria Monét, Maren Morris, Charli XCX and more will also be celebrated at the Tracee Ellis Ross-hosted ceremony.

Watch Ariana Grande Get Emotional While Reflecting on Her 14 Songs in Spotify’s Billions Club: ‘So Thankful’

As she gears up to release her latest album, Ariana Grande is taking a trip down memory lane. In the latest episode of Spotify‘s Billions Club on Tuesday (Feb. 6), the 30-year-old pop star reflected on the stories behind all 14 of her hits that earned a billion streams on the platform — the most of any female artist in history — and got emotional about the years of work she’s put in to get to the place she is now.

To celebrate the singer’s historic accomplishment, Spotify arranged for plaques representing each of Grande’s billions-streamed songs to be set up in her recording space at Jungle City Studios. While sorting through the plaques, the “Yes, And?” vocalist joked about her “Bang Bang” collaboration with Jessie J and Nicki Minaj — “Bang bang into the room, profound lyricism” — and praised her past duet partners, Lady Gaga and The Weeknd, for their respective roles in the streaming prowesses of “Rain On Me” and “Save Your Tears.”

The Victorious alum also shared a funny memory about the music video for her flagship Christmas song, 2014’s “Santa Tell Me.” “It was a backup video,” she revealed, laughing. “In the original video, I was in weird Christmas lingerie and I was hitting Santa with a cane pole. I was like, ‘That is the right vibe for this song, believe you me.’ And the label was like, ‘Hey, honey … I don’t think we can use this.’”

The “Positions” singer will next release music on March 8 with Eternal Sunshine, her highly anticipated seventh album. She’s already dropped its lead single, “Yes, And?,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, but has since confirmed she will not share any other songs from the album ahead of the LP’s arrival.

“I’m excited ’cause I also feel like I haven’t even really started,” Grande concluded in the Spotify clip. “I’m so, so grateful and I can’t wait for you to hear what’s next. I must go finish it now.”

Sharing the Billions Club video on Instagram, the Grammy winner wrote that “filming this little episode was such a sweet little commemoration and gratitude meltdown, if you will.” She went on, saying that she didn’t anticipate getting emotional during filming, “but it really, truly hit me! so much of my life has been spent doing this, with and for you all. so many little pieces of my life are stowed away all snug in these little, silly songs forever…”

“you aren’t just listeners but you are people that i feel so held by and appreciate deeply,” she added, addressing her fans. “the most special part of all is experiencing so much beautiful human connection (this is a lot / too much / sorry).. i’m so thankful for the memories we have made over the years and the goodness and sense of home we have found in each other! i remind myself of this when i need it most.”

Watch Grande’s Billions Club episode with Spotify below.

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton Rock Retro Denim-On-Denim Look in ‘Purple Irises’ Duet Announcement

Gwen Stefani and husband Blake Shelton rock their snappiest Canadian tuxedos in an Instagram post promoting their upcoming duet, “Purple Irises.” The retro-looking snap posted on Monday night (Feb. 5) has Stefani lounging on a 1970s stripey couch in a denim jumpsuit, chunky-heeled shoes and a bra, while Shelton sits on a chair in jeans and a denim shirt with leather epaulets while strumming a guitar.

The stand-alone single is due out on Friday (Feb. 9), but at press time neither artist had offered any additional information on the track. The announcement of the latest duet from the lovebirds comes just days after Shelton dropped his 6-track Love Language EP, featuring the previous Stefani collabs “Nobody But You” and “Happy Anywhere,” as well as “God Gave Me You,” “Sangria,” “Honey Bee” and “A Guy With a Girl.”

Back on Jan. 29, Stefani appeared to being the long tease for the song with an Instagram post featuring a bunch of irises next to a picture of the couple and the words, “never knew a love like this [heart],” followed a few days later by another shot of a bouquet of irises in a vase near a window with the card “To: Pretty Girl, Love Blake.”

Stefani also posted a snippet of the 1970s AM radio country pop ballad on her TikTok on Monday in which they sing, “But if someone comes along and tries to love you like I love you/ Don’t know what I’d do/ Don’t want to lose you/ If someone comes along and tries to take you tries to make you/ Don’t let ’em change your mind/ Wonder why you took a risk/ On a broken heart you cannot fix/ No I never knew a love like this/ Now we’re pickin’ purple irises.” She followed up with a video of the two recording the song in a studio.

It will be a busy 2024 for both singers, with Stefani slated to reunite with her band No Doubt for their first concert in nine years at April’s Coachella Festival and Shelton gearing up to launch his Back to the Honky Tonk North American tour with Dustin Lynch and Emily Ann Roberts on Feb. 22 at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA.

Check out the “Purple Irises” song announce below.

Everything We Know About Taylor Swift’s New Album ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ So Far

Taylor Swift gave fans a lot more than they bargained for at the 2024 Grammys, dropping the bombshell news mid-acceptance speech that her new album, The Tortured Poets Department, is arriving this year.

The welcome news came as the pop star was accepting best pop vocal for her 2022 record Midnights — aka, the last album she announced without warning during an awards show acceptance speech. “This is my 13th Grammy – which is my lucky number, I don’t know if I’ve ever told you that,” she teased the crowd from the stage at Crypto.com Arena Sunday (Feb. 4). “I want to say thank you to the fans by telling you a secret that I’ve been keeping from you for the last two years …”

Swift went on to reveal the pending arrival of The Tortured Poets Department before posting the album’s sultry cover almost immediately after she left the stage. “All’s fair in love and poetry…,” she captioned the artwork. “New album THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT.”

Later that night, the 34-year-old singer-songwriter took home a historic fourth album of the year for Midnights, but Swifties were probably more excited for the new LP announcement, especially because most were expecting that the musician would announce her long-awaited Reputation (Taylor’s Version) at the ceremony instead — so much so that “Rep TV” was trending ahead of the Grammys. Swift has been steadily releasing re-recorded versions of her first six albums since 2021. Following Fearless, Red, Speak Now and 1989, she only has her self-titled debut and Rep left to go — but clearly, fans will just have to wait a little longer as the Tortured Poets era takes hold.

From the release date to the song titles, see everything Billboard knows about Swift’s 11th album The Tortured Poets Department below.

Post Malone Is Your New Best Friend in Bud Light Genie Super Bowl Ad

If only it was that easy to summon Post Malone to one of your bar bashes. In a just-revealed Super Bowl LVIII ad, Bud Light has roped Posty, as well as former NFL QB Peyton Manning and UFC CEO Dana White into a funny spot slated to run in the third quarter of Sunday’s (Feb. 11) game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.

In the 60-second video, a Broncos fan in a Manning jersey reaches for a cold bottle of Bud Light in his fridge and accidentally summons the “Bud Light Genie,” a cheeseball in a track suit who is more than happy to offer up some of his signature wishes. The trio waste their initial wishes on 80s metal hair, a desire to be “filthy rich,” another to be invisible and to have giant biceps (which turns into just one hulking arm, strangely).

Additional wishes come in the form of a sweet ride, aka a stretch Delorean limo, as well as Bud Lights for everyone in the bar and the Manning’s fan wish that the “The Sheriff” would be his best friend. Cue Manning popping up at their table in the ad cued to Steppenwolf’s 1968 classic “Magic Carpet Ride.”

Halfway through, a wish for Malone to join the party results in the bearded singer and avowed Bud Light superfan materializing with beer in hand to cheers from the late night crowd. One of the pals even shows off her custom diamond grill in a selfie in which Posty flashes his glittering fronts. The spot ends with the the one-armed bandit wishing he could be at a UFC fight, where White informs him that he will definitely need another bicep to enter the octagon.

After Manning calls for a house party, Malone raises a bottle of BL to a raucous crowd while standing on a balcony cradling an electric guitar and shouting “let’s go!!” as his wish comes true: a T-Rex crashing the party.

The silly ad is the follow-up to last year’s big game spot featuring actor Miles Teller and wife Keleigh dancing. The once world-beating Anheuser-Busch brand took a major hit in 2023 after sending a promotional can to trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney, which sparked a backlash from conservative media outlets and artists including Kid Rock, Travis Tritt and John Rich.

Check out the Bud Light Genie ad below.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=Cl–5P79iRs&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

Justin Timberlake Scores His Highest Hot 100 Debut in Six Years With ‘Selfish’

Justin Timberlake notches his highest Billboard Hot 100 debut in six years as his new single “Selfish” debuts at No. 19 on the Feb. 10-dated chart.

Released Jan. 25, the song tallied 22.4 million in all-format radio airplay audience, 11.5 million official streams and 10,000 downloads sold in the U.S. in its first full week of activity (Jan. 26-Feb. 1), according to Luminate.

“Selfish” is taking off across multiple radio formats: It jumps 20-13 on Adult Pop Airplay and 33-17 on Pop Airplay and debuts at No. 14 on Adult Contemporary and No. 33 on Rhythmic Airplay. On the all-format Radio Songs chart, it starts at No. 33.



Timberlake’s last song to debut higher on the Hot 100 was “Say Something” featuring Chris Stapleton (No. 9, February 2018). Only three other Timberlake songs have debuted higher than “Selfish”: “Can’t Stop the Feeling!,” which launched at No. 1 in 2016; “Holy Grail,” with Jay-Z (No. 8 debut, before reaching No. 4, in 2013); and “Filthy” (No. 9 debut and peak, 2018).

“Selfish” earns Timberlake his 39th career solo entry on the Hot 100, and his 29th to reach the top 40. His first solo song to reach the chart was “Like I Love You” in 2002 (No. 11 peak). He has earned five solo No. 1s: “SexyBack” (for seven weeks in 2006); “My Love,” featuring T.I. (three, 2006); “What Goes Around…Comes Around” (one week, 2007); “Give It to Me” (by Timbaland featuring Nelly Furtado and Timberlake; two, 2007); and “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” (one, 2016).

Outside of his solo work, *NSYNC has charted 13 songs with Timberlake as a member, including the group’s recent reunion single “Better Place,” which reached No. 25 in October. The group reigned with “It’s Gonna Be Me” (two, 2000).

Last week, Timberlake hinted on The Kelly Clarkson Show that the band may be working on more new music. “We’ve been in the studio,” he said. “So there may be a little something in the future.”

Justin Timberlake Announces Initial Dates For Second Leg of 2024 North American Forget Tomorrow World Tour

Justin Timberlake has expanded his upcoming 2024 Forget Tomorrow World tour once again. After announcing the initial dates for the North American run and then adding second nights in a number of cities, on Tuesday (Feb. 6), JT rolled out the first eight show on the second leg of the tour.

The new fall shows will kick off with an Oct. 7 gig at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, followed by an Oct. 8 show at the Prudential Center in Newark (NJ), a trip to Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. and gigs in Toronto, Buffalo, Columbus and Chicago before hitting State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Nov. 16.

According to a statement, the previously announced 30 shows sold more than 350,000 tickets, with 21 sold out shows on the roster so far and second shows added in Los Angeles, Seattle, Austin, Chicago, New York, Boston, San Jose and Las Vegas.

After several years off the musical radar, Timberlake has stormed back over the past two weeks with underplay shows in his hometown of Memphis and another in New York last week, as well as a musical guest spot on Saturday Night Live and a visit to The Tonight Show. So far, Timberlake has released the yearning single “Selfish” from his upcoming sixth studio album, Everything I Thought It Was (out May 15), as well as previewing the new gospel-tinged song “Sanctified” with Tobe Nwigwe on SNL.

Tickets for the newly announced North American dates will be available via Verizon and Citi presales beginning today through Thursday (Feb. 8), with a general onsale kicking off Friday (Feb. 9) at 10 a.m. local time here.

Check out the full list of Timberlake’s 2024 North American Forget Tomorrow World Tour dates below (new dates in bold).

April 29 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena

May 2 – Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena

May 3 – Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena 

May 6 – San Jose, CA @ SAP Center at San Jose

May 7 – San Jose, CA @ SAP Center at San Jose 

May 10 – Las Vegas, NV @ T-Mobile Arena*

May 11 – Las Vegas, NV @ T-Mobile Arena*

May 14 – San Diego, CA @ Pechanga Arena San Diego

May 17 – Inglewood, CA @ Kia Forum

May 18 – Inglewood, CA @ Kia Forum

May 21 – Phoenix, AZ @ Footprint Center

May 29 – San Antonio, TX @ Frost Bank Center 

May 31 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center 

June 1 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center 

June 4 – Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena

June 6 – Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center

June 10 – Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena

June 12 – Raleigh, NC @ PNC Arena

June 14 – Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena

June 15 – Miami, FL @ Kaseya Center 

June 21 – Chicago, IL @ United Center

June 22 – Chicago, IL @ United Center

June 25 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden

June 26 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden

June 29 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden

June 30 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden

July 3 – Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena

July 4 – Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium 

July 7 – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse

July 9 – Lexington, KY @ Rupp Arena

Oct. 7 – Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center

Oct. 8 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center

Oct. 13 – Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena

Oct. 17 – Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena

Oct. 21 – Buffalo, NY @ KeyBank Center

Oct. 23 – Columbus, OH @ Nationwide Arena

Oct. 27 – Chicago, IL @ United Center

Nov. 16 – Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena

*Verizon Up Presale Not Applicable 

Adele Adds Two Final Shows to Munich Summer Run

Adele has turned a few overseas dates into a mini stay-put run. After initially announcing four exclusive dates in Munich at a bespoke 80,000-capacity venue on August. 2, 3, 9 and 10, the singer quickly doubled that commitment to include shows on August 14, 16, 23 and 24.

And, on Tuesday (Feb. 6), due to “unprecedented demand,” Adele added what she said were the “final” shows at Munich Messe, slated to take place on August 30 and 31. The dates at the stadium described as an “open-air environment that has been exclusively created for these special shows,” mark Adele’s first shows on the Continent since 2016.

Adele is on the backside of her first-ever concert residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, which kicked off on Nov. 2022 and is slated to wind down on June 15.

“So a few months ago I got a call about a summer run of shows. I’ve been content as anything with my shows in London’s Hyde Park and my residency in Vegas, so I hadn’t had any other plans,” Adele wrote on Instagram when she announced the first Munich shows. “However, I was too curious to not follow up and indulge in this idea – a one off, bespoke pop-up stadium designed around whatever show I want to put on.”

Though she has shied away from mounting global tours since her 2016-2017 global trek in support of her 25 album, in a recent video posted by fans she hinted that she may be hitting the road again at some point. “I just don’t think I’m gonna write an album for quite some time,” Adele said. “But next time I do,” she continued, “I’ll come to wherever it is you live.”

See Adele’s announcement below.

Mariah Carey Returns to Las Vegas With ‘The Celebration of Mimi’

Mariah Carey will show Las Vegas where she belongs — for a third time — with the debut of The Celebration of Mimi, April 12 through April 27 at Dolby Live in Park MGM. The “exclusive engagement” (April 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 24, 26 and 27) toasts the 19th anniversary of The Emancipation of Mimi (released on April 12, 2005).

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A statement shared with Billboard states that “the Las Vegas shows will feature fan favorites from that album as well as other hits from her unparalleled illustrious career.”

The Emancipation of Mimi, with hits such as “We Belong Together” and “Shake It Off,” was one of the top-selling albums of its year and is known within her catalog as the “comeback album.”

Making another comeback — this time on the Strip — The Celebration of Mimi engagement, backed by Live Nation and MGM Resorts, follows Carey’s first two residencies at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, #1 to Infinity (2015-2017) and The Butterfly Returns (2018-2020). Infinity was a chronological performance of her 18 No. 1 hits, starting with 1990’s “Vision of Love” and ending with 2008’s “Touch My Body.” While that show focused on Carey the entertainer, “Butterfly” capitalized on Carey the singer with a powerful 23-song set list of big hits, surprises and her own personal favorites. Since 2020, Carey has mostly performed and toured with her holiday music.

Carey got her break in 1990 with the smash hit “Vision of Love” and since sold more than 200 million albums with 19 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles. Just days ago the five-octave-range singer accepted the Global Impact Award during the Recording Academy Honors presented by the Black Music Collective.

Tickets will go on sale to the public Saturday, Feb. 10 for April 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 24, 26 and 27.

Limited to only eight dates, it seems as if Carey is taking a page from Kelly Clarkson’s Las Vegas strategy book. Last year, Clarkson announced a 10-date run of Chemistry. All shows sold-out. Since then, she has picked select weekends to return including New Years and Super Bowl. With this being the third chapter in her Las Vegas legacy, the chances of more dates coming down the line seem probable.

Carey’s announcement follows last week’s news that Mexican group Los Bukis will perform the Strip’s first-ever full Latin and Spanish-language residency, launching May 3 at Dolby Live at Park MGM. The theater is also home to Bruno Mars, Maroon 5 and Lady Gaga.