Pop
Page: 448
Thursday’s announcement that AMC Theatres is partnering with Taylor Swift to present Taylor Swift / The Eras Tour Concert Film in thousands of North American cinemas starting Oct. 13 was a blockbuster — both in terms of cultural impact and ticket sales, which broke AMC’s record for single-day advance revenue with $26 million in the first 24 hours.
And according to a new report at Puck, the unorthodox deal that bypasses traditional studios and instead release the film directly in cinemas with AMC Theatres acting as distributor came about only after discussions with traditional distributors, including Universal Pictures, broke down.
The story claims that talks with AMC Theatres began more than three months ago — while Swift was already in the midst of her smash Eras Tour in the United States and before the concert film was shot at some of the Los Angeles shows in August — after AMC CEO Adam Aron received “a call from a friend who also happened to know [Swift’s father] Scott Swift” that Team Swift was interested in talking.
Citing sources, the report states that Aron personally negotiated the deal directly with Swift’s parents, Scott and Andrea Swift, over several weeks. Among the agreed-upon terms is that 43% of the gross will remain with theaters, while the remaining 57% will be shared (in an undetermined split) by the Swifts and AMC. (Variance Films, a small sub-distributor, was reportedly hired to book the film in Regal, Cinemark and other theaters on a fee-for-service basis.) Notably, standard tickets for the film will be priced at $19.89 (plus tax) for adults and $13.13 for children and seniors (plus tax).
All theaters playing the Sam Wrench-directed film will reportedly also take all concession revenue, including any commemorative Eras Tour items. The story claims that AMC and Cinemark have also ordered four million posters to give away to fans for free, while a “small offering” of paid merchandise is planned.
Other details in the report include that theaters playing the film (which reportedly came in at a budget of between $10 and $20 million) must agree to carry it for a minimum of four weeks and can play it for as many as 26 weeks without worrying that the terms of the deal will change. Additionally, after 13 weeks, the Swifts are free to put the film on streaming services (the streaming rights are still up for grabs).
At least one traditional film studio that had discussed distributing the film with the Swifts was reportedly under the impression that the film would be a 2025 release — after the completion of the tour’s global run — but according to the story, the Swifts decided to strike while fan demand for all things Taylor was at an all-time high.
Speculation that the unusual deal could lead to similar plays by AMC and other exhibitors to act as distributors for other major concert films has been rampant, and indeed, the Puck report notes that “AMC is already talking about what other major artists might want a Taylorstyle deal” — suggesting there may be more of these to come.
Representatives for Taylor Swift and AMC Theatres did not immediately return Billboard‘s requests for comment on this story.
Miley Cyrus unveiled part 20 of her TikTok series inspired by her new single, “Used to Be Young,” in which she reflects on pivotal moments in her life and career. In the newest video, posted on Friday (Sept. 1), the singer reacts to a photo of herself kissing ex-husband Liam Hemsworth when they starred together […]
It was the dance heard ’round the world. Except, as Miley Cyrus shares during the latest video in her “Used to Be Young” TikTok series, the pole she twirled around in her infamous 2009 Teen Choice Awards performance of “Party in the U.S.A.” was not of the stripper variety. The clip opens with presenters Shailene […]
Lady Gaga‘s “Born This Way” continues to be relevant, especially with politicians repeatedly threatening the rights of the LGBTQ community in 2023. And at the opening night of her Las Vegas residency Thursday night (Aug. 31), the pop star made sure to remind everyone that she stands with her transgender fans by dedicating her 2011 smash to trans rights.
Looking stunning in Old Hollywood glam, Gaga sat at her piano to play an acoustic, jazzy renditon of “Born This Way” for fans in attendance at the Dolby Live at Park MGM. But before launching into song, she prefaced it by noting, “I’ve got something to say about trans rights in this country.”
“You got something to say, you gotta speak up, right?” she added before launching into her song’s poignant lyrics: “There’s nothing wrong with loving who you are, ’cause He made you perfect babe … I’m beautiful in my way/ God makes no mistakes.”
“And you know, sometimes you hear people say things like, ‘I don’t always know what to say,’” Gaga went on to say while taking a quick pause from the song. “Just listen. Don’t say nothin’. Listen to the stories of real people’s lives.”
Released as the lead single of Gaga’s blockbuster Born This Way album, the title track spent six weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. The track features lyrics that directly show love to the LGBTQ community, which the 13-time Grammy winner sang extra passionately Thursday night: “No matter gay, straight, or bi, lesbian, transgender life/ I’m on the right track, baby, I was born to survive.”
The performance marks the first of many in store for Gaga’s Jazz & Piano residency, which will run in Sin City through Oct. 5. The singer-actress packed her set with covers of Great American Songbook standards as well as acoustic renderings of her own hits; sometimes, she’s joined by a big band, while other times she takes the stage alone. It serves as a continuation of the jazz/traditional pop direction she’s taken on in recent years, previously with late friend and collaborator Tony Bennett.
Watch Lady Gaga dedicate “Born This Way” to trans rights below:
Whether by coincidence, osmosis, common ancestry or, you know, theft, there are plenty of hit songs that sound strangely similar to pre-existing material… or do they? Enter the lawsuit. While some artists and songwriters shrug off similarities, others take it to court, demanding what they perceive is their due when it comes to alleged copyright infringement.
Of course, music history – especially when it comes to pre-recorded music – is rife with songs that were inspired by (or wholesale stolen from) previous material. Early rock n’ roll songs frequently lifted riffs, lyrics and chords from classic blues and country songs, which themselves were often based on folk tunes, African-American spirituals and work songs, nursery rhymes and even melodies from classical compositions. If you could time travel and track the authorship of songs as simple as “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad” or “Yankee Doodle,” the list of co-writers for each would probably run north of two dozen by modern standards of crediting songwriters for their contributions.
As recorded music became big business over the 20th century (and new technology made it easier to track song authorship and a writer’s exposure to previous material), copyright lawsuits became a regular occurrence in the music industry. But the litigation really took off in the 2010s, after a landmark lawsuit between the estate of Marvin Gaye and Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams over “Blurred Lines” made things a bit more muddled (or blurred, if you will).
In the aftermath of the “Blurred Lines” case, many songwriters opted to credit scribes whose copyrighted material bore even a passing resemblance to theirs, assuming it was easier to give credit than deal with a protracted, expensive lawsuit. But more recently, many artists have started to fight back, fearing that settling with accusers was leading to more unjustified lawsuits. Led Zeppelin, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all won high-profile victories in recent years, defeating copyright cases by arguing that basic musical building blocks must be free for everyone to use.
It’s worth mentioning that technically, plagiarism (taking someone else’s efforts and presenting it as your own original work) is not illegal in the United States. If a dispute over a song reaches the courts, it’s over copyright infringement, not plagiarism, so the arguments over these songs are about whether someone ran afoul of copyright law. (Although most people tsk-tsk plagiarists, too.)
The songs on this list share two things in common: They topped the Billboard Hot 100, and some people believe they lifted elements from a previously existing song. Inclusion on this list doesn’t imply wrongdoing. Several of these disagreements settled out of court; one was settled without any lawsuit being filed; and one artist handily won their case against the accuser.
Read on to see how the rest of the songs fared.
“Come Together”
There are a couple more new kids on the block, and you just might recognize them from a certain mega-famous K-pop boy band. As part of the upcoming anniversary edition of 2008’s The Block, the New Kids on the Block have teamed up with SEVENTEEN‘s Joshua, DK and Dino for a rejuvenated remix of NKOTB’S 1994 single “Dirty Dancing.”
Released Friday (Sept. 1), the reimagining was remixed by Dem Jointz and features extra vocals from the three SEVENTEEN bandmates, giving the throwback track a modern polish. The song was originally released as a single from NKOTB’s 2008 comeback album The Block, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and, at the time, marked Jonathan Knight, Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Woodfirst’s first record as a band in 14 years.
Fifteen years later, the group is celebrating that reunion with The Block Revisited, an upcoming anniversary edition announced alongside the “Dirty Dancing” remix release on Friday. The revisited LP will arrive Nov. 3 with bonus material packaged under its original star-studded tracklist that featured collaborations from Lady Gaga, Ne-Yo and The Pussycat Dolls.
“Coming Home” will be included in the anniversary set, making it the first time the song will be available to fans in any format.
“The Block album didn’t only mark the reunion of our band — it sparked the reunion of our band with our fans!” said Wahlberg in a statement. “I could never overestimate how much the songs and the spirit, of this album, mean to all of us.”
The “Dirty Dancing” remix comes on the heels of SEVENTEEN’s compilation album Always Yours, which dropped Aug. 23. A few months prior, Joshua, DK, Dino and bandmates S.Coups, Jeonghan, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, Mingyu, The8, Seungkwan and Vernon released their tenth EP FML, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.
Listen to the “Dirty Dancing” remix, featuring SEVENTEEN’s Joshua, DK and Dino, and see NKOTB’s The Block Revisited announcement below:
[embedded content]
Miley Cyrus has nothing but love for Beyoncé and Rihanna. In a recent installment of her “Used to Be Young” TikTok series, the “Flowers” singer recalled how kind the two pop icons were to her when she was just 15, working on their 2008 group performance for Stand Up to Cancer.
Looking at video footage of her younger self standing between Bey and Ri on stage — alongside Mariah Carey, Fergie, Carrie Underwood, Nicole Scherzinger, Mary J. Blige, Leona Lewis and more fellow female stars — Cyrus smiled proudly. “What I remember most from doing this performance is I was standing in between two of the big legends and icons that I was looking up to at the time, and they treated me like a little sister the entire time,” she gushed. “They were being really sweet.”
And even though it was half her lifetime ago, singing as a teenager next to two of the most famous musicians in the world still comes with bragging rights. “I got brackets on the back of my teeth, and I’m singing with Beyoncé,” Cyrus flexed.
The former Disney star also recalled how a certain “Umbrella” singer hooked her up with a dance move to use during the performance, which was hosted by Fashion Rocks on live TV to raise money for cancer research. The group of women sang a song titled “Just Stand Up,” with Cyrus and Ri in charge of singing each pre-chorus as a duet.
“Rihanna gave me this choreo,” Cyrus said, pointing out a moment where the two ladies mime brushing off their shoulders on cue to the lyric “If you fall, dust it off.”
Cyrus has been reflecting on her past in a confessional TikTok series she put together to celebrate her new single “Used to Be Young,” looking back at old videos and mementos from her near lifetime of stardom. In past installments, she’s opened up about her brutal Hannah Montana era work schedule, the surprise success of her first Meet Miley Cyrus single “See You Again,” the controversy over her topless Vanity Fair cover and that hilarious photo of her wearing sweats while standing next to Emily Osment, Taylor Swift and Demi Lovato, the three of whom are in full glam.
“If you guys didn’t know I was bisexual from this damn picture, I don’t know what’s wrong with you,” she joked of the photograph.
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.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
This week, Nicki Minaj releases a contemplative banger, Doja Cat exorcises her “Demons,” and Timbaland gets the dream team back together. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Nicki Minaj, “Last Time I Saw You”
[embedded content]
One of the reasons why Nicki Minaj has endured as one of the most successful rappers of the past decade following her 2010 arrival is her range — throughout her entire career, the superstar has refused to be pigeonholed into one sound or style. That skill set is on full display on “Last Time I Saw You,” a new single from the upcoming Pink Friday 2 that recalls the original Pink Friday’s “Moment 4 Life,” with a gentle pop production providing the foundation for an impassioned sing-rap performance in which Minaj reflects on drifting apart from someone special. “Last Time I Saw You” requires Minaj to sing gently, belt effectively, rap hurriedly and provoke an emotional response in three-and-a-half minutes, and she makes it all look easy.
Doja Cat, “Demons”
[embedded content]
“Living well is the best revenge” is sure to be a recurring theme on Doja Cat’s upcoming album Scarlett, based on the advanced singles that the superstar has unveiled: after “Paint the Town Red” said what it said and blasted into the top 10 of the Hot 100, “Demons” continues the clapback, as Doja dismisses her haters with some expert wordplay and a wall-rattling hook. “I’m a puppet, I’m a sheep, I’m a cash cow / I’m the fastest-growing bitch on all your apps now,” she declares, both quickly nodding to her viral beginnings with “Mooo!” and reminding the world that nobody’s trajectory to the top resembles her own.
Timbaland feat. Nelly Furtado & Justin Timberlake, “Keep Going Up”
[embedded content]
In the mid 2000s, no pop triumvirate was as mighty as Timbaland, Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake: as Tim helmed Furtado’s enormous album Loose and Timberlake’s FutureSex/LoveSounds, the veteran producer helped both artists rack up hit after hit while scoring some of his own (including the 2007 Hot 100 chart-topper “Give it To Me,” featuring both artists). Sixteen years later, the trio have joined forces once again for “Keep Going Up,” a rhythmic vocal showcase from consummate professionals out to prove that they’re aging like fine wine; fortunately, the process of hearing these three voices reflect off one another again is both a nostalgia rush and an absorbing new pop experience.
Lil Wayne, “Kat Food”
[embedded content]
Lil Wayne remains a magician: who else is dropping singles that are nearly five minutes long, rife with not-so-subtle cat double entendres, rhyming “subpoena” with “Purina,” and having the whole thing actually work? “Kat Food” finds Weezy busting out the thesaurus and breaking down a sample of Missy Elliott’s “Work It” with his trademark giddy energy, continuing a whirlwind year in which the rap veteran sounds as vital as ever and offering one last floor-filler before summer’s end.
Speedy Ortiz, Rabbit Rabbit
[embedded content]
Speedy Ortiz’s past records have always compelled thanks to the blistering guitar work, intricate song structures and mastermind Sadie Dupuis’ searingly smart songwriting, but with the band’s most fully formed songs to date and new level of lyrical vulnerability, Rabbit Rabbit is the quartet’s strongest album to date. As Dupuis prods at a complex past and present sensitivities, tracks like “Cry Cry Cry,” “Ghostwriter” and “Ballad of Y & S” boast immediate hooks amidst the ornate arrangements — these are songs that you can hum while they hit you in the gut.
Editor’s Pick: Jhayco & Peso Pluma, “Ex-Special”
[embedded content]
Jhayco is no stranger to smash collaborations — a pair of them with Bad Bunny have earned over 1 billion Spotify streams — but “Ex-Special,” a team-up with quick-rising star Peso Pluma, stands out as a highly successful summit of respective styles that wouldn’t necessarily fit together seamlessly. Yet Jhayco’s reggaeton mastery crackles against Pluma’s prolonged crooning here, as the artists weave around each other’s voices while waxing poetic about an ex that’s still haunting their thoughts; hopefully, “Ex-Special” expands each artist’s fan base by reaching across the aisle to another.
After smashing records from coast-to-coast with her Eras Tour this summer, Taylor Swift has done it again with her Eras Tour movie. According to a press release from AMC Theatres on Friday morning (Sept. 1), Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour has broken all existing records for single-day advance ticket sales revenue at the chain with $26 million in the first 24 hours of on-sale.
The largest theatrical exhibitor in the U.S. and the world — which is also acting as the theatrical distributor of the 2 hour and 45 minute concert film due out on Oct. 13 — said the eye-popping figure is marks the highest advance sales revenue day in the 103-year-old chain’s history. The $26 million figure also crushes the previous record for one-day sales for a single title, blowing by 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, which racked up $16.9 million in its first 24 hours; according to AMC, The Eras Tour movie bested the the Spider-Man numbers in its first three hours of on-sale on Thursday.
To accommodate the demand, every U.S. AMC Theatre will run the Eras movie at least four times per day on Thursdays, Friday, Saturdays and Sunday, with AMC already adding additional auditoriums to play the film at its theaters across the country. In a nod to Swift’s favorite numbers, tickets for the film are priced at $19.89 plus tax for adults and $13.13 for children and seniors plus tax (except for AMC’s branded premium large-format screens.) The film will be available in AMC theaters in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with tickets on sale now here and here.
The movie will also screen in IMAX and Dolby Cinema at AMC, as well as in other premium large formats for the standard up-charge fees, which varies by format and theatre. AMC anticipated the rush of interest in the film from Swifties, upgrading its website and ticketing engines to handle what was expected to be five times more than the largest volume they’d ever experienced before. Even so, the AMC app reportedly crashed on Thursday, with fans encouraged to visit their local AMC in person due to the high volume of traffic that made online reservations unavailable at points.
“AMC is also aware that no ticketing system in history seems to have been able to accommodate the soaring demand from Taylor Swift fans when tickets are first placed on sale. Guests wanting to be the first to buy their tickets online may experience delays, longer-than-usual ticket- purchase waiting-room times and possible outages. AMC is committed to ensuring any delays or outages are addressed as quickly as possible,” the company told The Hollywood Reporter earlier in the day on Thursday. In addition to setting records, the spectre of Taylormania at theater was enough to scare Exorcist: Believer to move its release date up one week.
In addition to hosting and distributing the film, AMC has also teamed with several other movie operators in the U.S., Canada and Mexico for screenings, including with Cinemark (U.S.), Cineplex (Canada) and Cinepolis (Mexico).
Watch the trailer below.
[embedded content]
Christina Ricci knows a thing or two about spooking people thanks to her iconic role as Wednesday Addams in a pair of Addams Family movies. But the actress has the tables turned on her in the video for Doja Cat‘s single “Demons,” which dropped on Friday (Sept. 1). In the terrifying visual for the latest […]