Pop

30 Aug 2023

Kylie Minogue Ratchets Up the ‘Tension’ With New Single Announcement: ‘Are You Ready?’

She already taught you what your heart sounds like with “Padam Padam.” Now, Kylie Minogue is ready to put the pressure on with her new single.

In a post to her Instagram on Wednesday (Aug. 30), Minogue revealed the release date for her latest single, “Tension.” Due out on Thursday (Aug. 31), the clip played what appears to be a short instrumental snippet of the song, as a club-ready ’90s house piano plays a series of chunky chords.

“LOVERS!!! New music is coming!!” the Australian icon wrote in the caption of her Instagram post. “The single TENSION is yours 31st August. Are you ready??”

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The song, along with being her newest single, serves as the title track for her new album Tension, due out on Sept. 22. With her latest single “Padam Padam,” Minogue certainly drove interest in her new project. Yhe pounding club track earned the pop singer her very first top 10 hit on Billboard‘s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart after going viral throughout the summer.

Minogue also recently announced that once her new album is officially out, she’ll be heading to Las Vegas for what she promised would be “More Than Just a Residency,” according to its title. Kicking off on Nov. 3 at Venetian Resort Las Vegas’ Voltaire, tickets to the pop star’s first-ever residency have already sold out.

The “Locomotion” singer also recently announced her upcoming TV special, An Audience With Kylie, which will see the star look back through her greatest hits during a performance at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall. The special is set to film at the iconic venue on Dec. 1, and subsequently air on ITV in the U.K.

Check out Minogue’s official teaser for “Tension” below:

30 Aug 2023

Billie Eilish Supercharges Electric Ballroom Show in London With Surprise Guests Boygenius, Labrinth

What a difference a few days make. After rocking more than 170,000 during her headlining sets at the Reading and Leeds Festivals over the weekend, Billie Eilish took things way, way down on Tuesday night (Aug. 29) for an intimate club gig at the 1,500-capacity Electric Ballroom in London.

The lucky fans who snagged tickets to the show at the legendary venue in Camden that was formerly an Irish dance hall and roller disco — and which has hosted everyone from Prince to U2 and Paul McCartney over the years — got more than they bargained for when Billie brought out two very special guests.

Eilish invited the members of boygenius — Phoebe Bridgers, Julien Baker and Lucy Dacus — out to provide harmonies for “When the Party’s Over” almost a year after Bridgers joined Billie in Los Angeles for a run through Bridgers’ “Motion Sickness.” Eilish also invited Labrinth up for a run through their song “Never Felt So Alone,” which the singer/rapper/producer released earlier this year.

The guest spots capped a pretty epic week across the pond for the 21-year-old singer, who also lead a historic chart lineup in the U.K. when her Barbie soundtrack ballad, “What Was I Made For?” logged its first week at No. 1 on the singles chart. In a Barbie chart showdown, Eilish’s song beat out Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night” for the top spot, marking her second No. 1 on the English tally following 2020’s Grammy, Golden Globe and Oscar-winning James Bond theme song “No Time to Die.”

Check out fan footage of the boygenius and Labrinth collabs below.

30 Aug 2023

Harold Childs, ‘Consummate Record Man,’ Dead at 80 

Harold Childs, who broke through industry barriers in the ‘70s as a Black man overseeing pop music promotion at A&M Records, died of leukemia in Los Angeles on Sunday, Aug. 27. He was 80 years old. Childs’ death follows that of A&M co-founder Jerry Moss, who died Aug. 16.

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Known for his innate business savvy, vibrant personality and dapper style, Childs spent more than 50 years in a music career that included tenures with RCA Victor, Qwest Records and Warner Bros. Records.

“He was a consummate ‘Record Man,’” Direct Management co-founder Martin Kirkup tells Billboard of Childs, a longtime friend and fellow A&M alumnus. “I was vp of artist development from 1975-85 and worked with Harold for most of that decade. He was passionate about the wide range of music that A&M embraced, with great instincts for the tactics and strategy of breaking records. But what really made him special was his personal warmth, good humor and his endless interest in other people. That’s why people were so devoted to him.”

Ray Harris, founder and chairman emeritus of the Living Legends Foundation, worked with Childs at Warner Bros. where the former served as the label’s senior vp of Black music promotion. Sharing his memories of Childs with Billboard, Harris says, “They say your name and reputation will reach a stranger’s door before you do. It was such with Harold Childs. When I entered the music business in the ‘70s, Harold was one of the people I would constantly hear about. He worked at one of the hottest independent labels [A&M] as vp of promotion in charge of the pop department as well as other genres of music.

“That was unique,” adds Harris, “because Harold was an African American male navigating through a pop world normally carved out for our white counterparts. There was very few African Americans moving in that world during that period. Childs not only moved in it, he was a dominant part of that company’s success. I got to know Harold and found him to be classy, fashion-forward, professional and a nice guy. Sleep well my friend, you’ve made your mark.”

Born May 8, 1943 in Philadelphia, Childs was a student at the city’s Dobbins High School when he began working in the stock room at Marnel Record Distributors. He later segued to RCA Victor as regional promotion manager where he worked with artists such as Peter Nero and Henry Mancini. Then in 1969 he joined A&M as national sales and promotion director for its CTI (Creed Taylor International) imprint, based in New York.

Relocating to Los Angeles in 1971, Childs retained his same role for A&M solely after CTI became independent. During his subsequent appointments as vp of promotion in 1974 and senior vp of promotion and sales in 1978, Childs played an integral role in A&M’s evolution as one of the industry’s leading independent labels in the ‘70s and ‘80s. He and his team broke projects from the Carpenters, Cat Stevens, Captain & Tennille, Peter Frampton, Supertramp, the Brothers Johnson, Styx, Joe Jackson, the Police, the Human League and George Harrison’s A&M-distributed Dark Horse label.

Leaving A&M in 1984, Childs joined PolyGram as senior vp and then served as president of Quincy Jones’ Qwest Records at the latter’s request. During a later stint at Warner Bros. Records, Childs headed the label’s jazz promotion department, working with a roster that included Al Jarreau, David Sanborn and George Benson, who began his career at CTI.

Ed Eckstein, former president of Mercury Records, described being mentored by Childs as “a godsend and a blessing to say the least. I got to see firsthand — during my years working with Quincy Jones — [Childs’] unique field general, fearless-leader style of leadership; the level of respect he received from his troops and associates, coupled with the results he accrued, was awe inspiring. Harold was smart, incisive, sharp, demanding, funny, fair and the Essence of Sartorial Splendor at all times.”

Childs’ resumé includes serving as senior consultant for Soundboard Marketing. The Los Angeles-based company has collaborated with brands such as Paul Mitchell Salons as well as Timothy B. Schmidt of the Eagles, Ray Parker Jr. and producer Patrick Leonard. Childs was also a consultant for Japanese-based Alpha Records, working as its U.S. liaison in a sales and promotion capacity. The Living Legends Foundation presented Childs with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000.

Donations in memory of Harold Childs may be made to The United Negro College Fund.

29 Aug 2023

1 Day, 3 Divas: Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus & Ariana Grande All Return With New Music

This past Friday, we got new music from three of the biggest child TV stars-turned-pop superstars ever: Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande.

Gomez put out the carefree pop song “Single Soon,” Cyrus released the reflective ballad “Used to Be Young,” and Grande put out a 10th-anniversary digital deluxe edition of her debut album Yours Truly. On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie & Keith are breaking down the trio of releases — and reflecting on just how impressive their transitions from kids’ TV to the top of the pop charts have been.

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Listen below:

Also on the show, we’ve got chart news on how Travis Scott’s Utopia makes it a month at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. Plus, Hozier debuts in the top 10 with his latest release Unreal Unearth, while J-Hope’s Jack in the Box hits the top 10 for the first time — a year after its original release. Meanwhile, over on the Billboard Hot 100, Oliver Anthony Music’s viral hit “Rich Men North of Richmond” holds at No. 1, while Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red” rushes into the top 10 for the first time.

The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard’s managing director, charts and data operations, Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)

29 Aug 2023

8 Times Artists Got Petty With Music Video Casting: Usher, Nicki Minaj & More

For years, musicians pretty much had just one artistic outlet for dissing their enemies: through song. That would all change for good circa 1981, however, when the modern music video was born — bringing with it a whole new way for singers and rappers to creatively dunk on their haters, exes, backstabbers, copycats and everyone else in between.

One of the best things about the format is that you can be as subtle or as obvious as you want. On one side of the spectrum, for instance, there’s the Taylor Swift method of hiding cryptic Easter eggs seemingly directed at her nemeses (see: “The Man,” “Look What You Made Me Do,” etc.). But on the other hand, there’s just full-blown pettiness, achieved through nail-on-the-head creative choices such as, say, casting people that you know are going to get a reaction out of someone special (or not so special).

It’s on the latter side of the spectrum where the artists on this list — Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Drake, Justin Timberlake, Usher and more — like to dabble. These artists know no fear when it comes to assembling music video casts that are sure to send fans and social media into a tailspin, whether it’s through recruiting an enemy’s enemy or an adversary’s doppelgänger for four-ish minutes of onscreen shade set to music.

Without further ado, here are eight times artists used casting choices to take digs at someone else through their music videos. Bring along a flashlight, though — it’s about to get shady.

29 Aug 2023

Tony Bennett in Billboard’s Back Pages: From ‘Bobby-Sox Crowd’ Favorite to Elder Statesman

When Tony Bennett died July 21 in his hometown of New York at the age of 96, the world lost one of the last great interpreters of the American Songbook. Billboard has 32 years on Tony — although we can only wish we had such unflagging class and charisma — and we have to admit that we greeted the crooner with a “Cold, Cold Heart” when he debuted in 1951. But we quickly came to appreciate the way he flew us to the moon.

‘Cry’-ing Shame

When 24-year-old Anthony Dominick Benedetto rebranded himself as Tony Bennett and debuted on Columbia Records, Billboard didn’t exactly bet on the “Rags to Riches” singer. The May 12, 1951, issue called “I Won’t Cry Anymore” a “competent etching” and dismissed “Because of You” as an “adequate” song “with nothing special to offer.” By the time the latter track topped Billboard’s pre-Hot 100 pop chart, Bennett’s performances routinely “bowled over the bobby-sox crowd,” according to the Sept. 29, 1951, issue. Hey, we’re a trade publication — not Nostradamus.

Golden Gate, Golden Pipes

Over the next decade, as Bennett delivered a series of era-defining hits, Billboard was full steam ahead on the Tony train. “Ol’ pro Tony leaves ’em gasping,” raved a Dec. 8, 1962, review of a Carnegie Hall concert. “Tony, like a crafty veteran pitcher in baseball, grew stronger as the night grew longer.”

Saving Face

An in-depth interview in the Nov. 30, 1968, issue found the crooner getting candid: “The trend in the music business was moving away from me,” he said. “I held out and finally I found [‘I Left My Heart in San Francisco’] and had my first hit record after a long dry spell.” Bennett also said he had stuck to his guns when Hollywood called, revealing that one studio floated a “contract that called for remodeling his nose.” His reply? “I liked my nose then, and I like it today.” His praises were also sung by a chorus of all-star supporters, including Duke Ellington, Bob Hope and even jazz pioneer Louis Armstrong. “If Tony Bennett who swing sings wonderfully can’t send you,” Armstrong said, “there’s a psychiatrist right up the street from you. DIG him.”

Plugged In to the Next Generation

“Bennett continues his reign as the crooning choice of Generation X,” reported the July 2, 1994, Billboard in the wake of his hit MTV Unplugged album, asking, “What will Grandma do to rebel? Start buying White Zombie CDs?” Bennett’s cross-generational appeal didn’t wane over the next two decades. “Tony Bennett achieves his first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with Duets II, making the 85-year-old the oldest living artist to reach No. 1,” reported the Oct. 8, 2011, issue. Three years later, Bennett beat his own record when he returned to No. 1 on the Oct. 11, 2014, chart at age 88 with Cheek to Cheek, his album with Lady Gaga. The record still stands.

The Good Life

“I feel on top of the world,” Bennett told Billboard in an Aug. 11, 2016, interview. “I’m singing well. The audience loves what I’m doing. All I can tell you is I have a blessed life.”

This article originally appeared in the Aug. 26, 2023 issue of Billboard.

29 Aug 2023

Taylor Swift Becomes First Female Artist to Reach 100 Million Monthly Listeners on Spotify

The year of Taylor Swift is continuing strong. The superstar broke another record on Spotify on Tuesday (Aug. 29), becoming the first female artist in the streaming platform’s history to reach 100 million monthly listeners.

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Spotify announced the news on social media, fittingly calling the accomplishment “Queen behavior.”

Meanwhile, over on the Billboard charts, Swift spends a record-extending 78th week at No. 1 on the Billboard Artist 100 chart (dated Sept. 2), thanks to 10 albums on the Billboard 200 and four songs on the Billboard Hot 100. On the Hot 100, Swift charts four songs: “Cruel Summer” (at No. 4 after reaching No. 3), “Karma” featuring Ice Spice (14-15), “Anti-Hero” (20-18) and “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” (71-74).

The superstar played four shows last week at the Foro Sol in Mexico City, Mexico, to kick off her Eras Tour’s international dates. “After years of wanting to play in Mexico City, just got to play 4 of the most unforgettable shows for the most beautiful and generous fans,” she captioned an Instagram carousel featuring multiple photos of herself performing on stage posted Monday (Aug. 28). “Feeling so grateful for the memories we’re making together on this tour … TE AMO.”

29 Aug 2023

TOMORROW X TOGETHER Announce New Album ‘The Name Chapter: FREEFALL’

TOMORROW X TOGETHER is already ready for a new chapter. On Tuesday (Aug. 29), the five-piece boyband announced that its next album, The Name Chapter: FREEFALL is set to arrive this fall — just three months after the K-pop sensations dropped their last album, Sweet.

The news comes via social media posts on both the band and BigHit Music’s accounts, simply sharing the upcoming album’s title and a mysterious video teaser. In the 24-second clip, TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s signature “X” symbol fittingly freefalls through an abyss of animated streaks of color, ending with a sprinkling of eery piano notes.

According to a Weverse statement from BigHit, the record will drop Oct. 13. Pre-orders will be available starting Wednesday (Aug. 30), with more details about the album still to come in a separate notice on TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s Weverse.

The Name Chapter: FREEFALL will mark Yeonjun, Soobin, Beomgyu, Taehyun and HueningKai’s fifth studio album, following 2019’s The Dream Chapter: Magic, 2021’s Still Dreaming and The Chaos Chapter: FREEZE and this year’s Sweet, their most recent full-length project. Both Still Dreaming and Sweet are Japanese-language albums, with the latter debuting at No. 3 on the World Albums chart earlier this summer.

The guys of TXT are also fresh off their headlining performance at this year’s Lollapalooza, as well as the release of their joint single with the Jonas Brothers, “Do It Like That,” which dropped July 7 and charted for one week on the Billboard Global 200. The South Korean stars opened up about the collaboration in an interview with Billboard last month, during which Taehyun noted that the JoBros “were even cooler in person.”

“Their friendliness helped us work together in a chill environment,” he continued, with Beomgyu adding, “Jonas Brothers were incredibly welcoming from the moment we met. They were just as enthusiastic as we were about shooting content, which we really appreciated.”

See the announcement for The Name Chapter: Freefall below:

29 Aug 2023

NMIXX Reflects on Baby Being Placed Onstage During Concert: ‘It Looked So Dangerous’

NMIXX traveled stateside once more to perform at this year’s KCON LA, which took place at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Aug. 18-20. Backstage at the festivities, the girl group — which consists of members Lily, Haewon, Sullyoon, Bae, Jiwoo and Kyujin — caught up with Billboard News to talk about the event, as well as a recent viral incident during which a fan placed a baby onstage during their Seattle showcase concert.

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“It looked so dangerous, so I gave the baby back to its mom,” Kyujin recalled of the May incident. Lily elaborated and said that the girls “never had that happen before. It was quite surprising, so we were kinda just likem ‘What should we do?’ But I think Kyujin handled it well.”

NMIXX’s KCON appearance marked their second time performing at the event. “Originally, we went to KCON for the first time last year, and also recently we went to L.A. for our showcase tour and so this is our third time in L.A.,” Lily said on behalf of Jiwoo, who spoke in Korean. “She said that she’s very happy.”

Billboard‘s Tetris Kelly noted how unique it is that NMIXX sings in their filmed dance practices. While it isn’t commonplace, Lily stated there’s a reason for that. “On stage, we’re always with our mics, we always sing live, so I think it’s important for us to also sing offstage just even if we’re practicing dance to do the vocals as well. That way, we can actually do better on stage,” she explained.

As for what’s next for NMIXX, the girls feel the only way they can go is up. “I can feel we’re growing, so I’m looking forward to our future!” Kyujin said.

Watch Billboard‘s full interview with NMIXX in the video above.

29 Aug 2023

Kelly Rowland Is ‘Very Proud’ of Blue Ivy Carter’s Work Ethic on Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour

Kelly Rowland couldn’t be happier that Blue Ivy Carter is growing up to be an independent woman, just like her mom. In a recent interview, the Destiny’s Child member gushed over Beyoncé‘s oldest daughter, praising the 11-year-old for the work ethic she’s displayed while assisting her mom on the Renaissance World Tour.

“I’m very proud,” Rowland told E! News. “She works very freaking hard, period. But how could she not, you know? She sees her mother in action and she sees her father in action and how they apply everything, hard work to everything that they do.”

Blue Ivy first graced the Renaissance Tour stage in May, joining Bey and her fleet of dancers for a round of high-energy choreography in the middle of “My Power.” Ever since, the “Break My Soul” singer’s firstborn — whom she shares with husband Jay-Z, along with 6-year-old twins Rumi and Sir — has joined the show on and off throughout the tour’s six-month run, which is expected to wrap in early October.

Rowland got to see her former bandmate in action in June, when she caught a Renaissance show in London. While performing “Break My Soul,” Bey gave an extra special shoutout to her longtime friend from the stage.

The “Motivation” singer has been in Blue Ivy’s life since before she was even born; in fact, it was Rowland who accidentally revealed to the world that Bey and Jay were expecting a baby girl back in 2011, a moment she recently reflected on as “the worst [interview] moment ever.”

“It was bad because it was no one’s business,” she recalled in July of spoiling it for the couple. “I felt terrible because it’s not my news. It was honestly the worst. It wasn’t my news to share, and I didn’t mean it like that. The ‘she’ just kind of slipped out.”