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Harry’s house? In 2022, it felt more like Harry’s world. Harry Styles has spent the past 12 months traveling across the planet touring (much of it in support of his new album, Harry’s House), attending film festivals and premieres to promote two movies he starred in alongside A-list actors, and headlining one of the biggest music events of the year.
With all his milestones, awards and honors, Styles’ star power has simply never been brighter. It seemed like his dark curls and big grin were in the news all throughout 2022, be it for his dazzling fashion statements, videos of notable onstage moments from his Love On Tour concerts, and his headline-grabbing relationship with Don’t Worry Darling director and actress Olivia Wilde.
And if you weren’t reading about him, chances are you were at least hearing him on your speakers. His smash hit single “As It Was” was on top of the Billboard Hot 100 for a whopping 15 weeks this year, becoming the fourth-longest running No. 1 in chart history.
Though his triumphs in 2022 mean he had pretty major year under his Gucci belt, it doesn’t seem like the former boyband star is slowing down any time soon. In August, he teased that he’ll keep climbing the ranks as an actor by returning as Eros in a future Marvel film (so far, he’s only made an end-credits cameo in Eternals), and shared that he’s already working on his fourth album.
“I’m always writing,” he told Rolling Stone. “I think all of us are so excited to get back to it, which feels insane because we’ve just put an album out.”
“Everything in my life has felt like a bonus since X Factor,” he added. “Get on TV and sing. I never expected and never thought that would happen.”
Keep reading to see all of Harry Styles’ biggest accomplishments in 2022.
The Jonas Brothers took to social media on Monday (Dec. 26) to close out 2022 with a look back at everything they accomplished this year.
“And with that The 2022 season comes to an end,” the band wrote on a video showing a rapid-fire compilation of memories including their halftime show at the Thanksgiving game between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys, their performance at the Global Citizen Festival in September, a behind-the-scenes look at Joe filming his Bridgerton-themed Tanqueray commercial and more. (Shakira and Liza Koshy also make blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearances in a clip taken by Nick on the set of NBC’s Dancing With Myself.)
However, the sibling act is also looking ahead to a packed year ahead, captioning the post, “Already can’t wait to see our 2023 recap! Thank you for all the love this year. Looking forward to making lots of new memories with you all next year!!”
After ringing in the new year, the JoBros are set to kick off the AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! concert series on Jan. 7 ahead of the 2023 college football playoffs. Then, in February, they will return to Las Vegas for another three dates of their ongoing residency at the Dolby Live at Park MGM over President’s Day weekend.
And while they have yet to share official details like a title or release date, Joe, Nick and Kevin Jonas have hinted repeatedly over the course of 2022 that they’re currently working on a full-length follow-up to 2019’s Happiness Begins, which will be released sometime next year.
Revisit the Jonas Brothers’ best moments of 2022 below.
Gwen Stefani honored the memory of one of No Doubt‘s founding members, John Spence, in a tribute posted 35 years after his death.
Spence was the original lead singer in the earliest days of the Anaheim, Calif., group, while Stefani provided backing vocals. The first version of No Doubt — with a name inspired by a phrase Spence often said — was formed in 1986. “For some reason there was automatically this built-in following,” Stefani said in a 1996 interview with Spin. “People loved the fact that it was a girl, that it was 2-Tone, that it was me and John up there.” A year later, Spence died by suicide at the age of 18.
“remembering John Spence today, and always,” Stefani wrote of the late singer and friend on Instagram Wednesday (Dec. 21).
The pop star and Voice coach shared six photos on her post, leading with a black-and-white image of the two of them together. Some of the other pictures included performance shots and what appears to be a school yearbook photo of Spence.
See her collection of personal photos with Spence on Instagram.
Billie Eilish turned 21 on Dec. 18, and some of music’s biggest stars showed out to help her celebrate. In photos shared by the “Happier Than Ever” pop star on Instagram early Thursday (Dec. 22), Justin Bieber, Hailey Bieber and The Neighbourhood‘s Jesse Rutherford — whom she’s currently dating — were all present at her birthday bash.
Born shortly before Christmas, it was only fitting that Eilish ring in her birthday wearing a red and white off-the-shoulder Santa-inspired dress, long gloves and candy cane earrings. She showed off her festive outfit in a carousel of Instagram photos from the occasion, which also included a snap of her and Rutherford, all smiles, locking eyes in front of a “Happy 21st Birthday” balloon arrangement.
In another photo, the “Bad Guy” singer, the Biebers and Rutherford squeeze into a photo booth. Justin rests his cheek on Hailey’s forehead, while Eilish kisses the 31-year-old “Sweater Weather” singer — whose face is mostly cut off in the carousel — on the cheek.
The seven-time Grammy winner simply captioned her post with a string of emojis: ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥🎁🎁
The celebration comes a few days after Eilish’s trio of end-of-year hometown shows at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum, at each of which she invited a handful of guest artists to share the spotlight with her. On night one (Dec. 13), she sang “I’ve Never Felt So Alone” from the Euphoria soundtrack with Labrinth; night two (Dec. 15) saw her perform a Taylor Hawkins tribute with Dave Grohl and duet with Phoebe Bridgers.
Finally, on night three (Dec. 16), she sang “Redbone” with Childish Gambino — who wished her a happy birthday onstage — and brought out Khalid to sing their 2018 smash hit duet “Lovely.”
Lana Del Rey is beloved by millions all around the world. But the new micro-targeted billboard promoting her upcoming Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd. album appears to pointedly have an audience of one.
According to screenshots from LDR’s private @honeymoon Instagram, the singer posted an ad for Tunnel in Oklahoma, explaining, “There’s only one and it’s in Tulsa,” adding in comments, “It’s personal.” Fans are speculating that the one-off promotion is aimed at her ex-boyfriend, a Tulsa cop she reportedly broke up with in 2020 who used to appear on the popular Live PD series. Fans also noticed that Del Rey made her album announcement and dropped the title track on Dec. 7, her ex’s birthday.
The singer-songwriter surprised fans earlier this month with the announcement of her upcoming ninth album, which shares its name with the title of her new song that was also unveiled. The collection, with featured artists including Jon Batiste, Jack Antonoff’s Bleachers, Father John Misty, Judah Smith, Tommy Genesis and SYML, will arrive on March 10.
Antonoff, who previously worked with Del Rey on 2021’s Chemtrails Over the Country Club, is also listed on the cover as a producer, as are Mike Hermosa, Drew Erickson and Zach Dawes, who worked on Blue Bannisters, also released in 2021. The title track finds the singer firmly in her element, her voice billowing out like smoke over somber piano and dark strings. “When’s it gonna be my turn?” she sings on the single. “Open me up, tell me you like it/ Love me until I love myself / There’s a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard.”
See a screenshot of the billboard below.
H&M has reportedly pulled a collection of Justin Bieber-inspired merchandise following the pop star’s claims that the products were not approved.
“Out of respect for the collaboration and Justin Bieber we have removed the garments from our stores and online,” the retail clothing company said in a statement, the BBC reported Wednesday (Dec. 21).
On Monday, Bieber wrote on his Instagram Story that H&M was selling unapproved items featuring his image and song lyrics. The products, which appeared on the company’s website, included a tote bag, a sweatshirt, a sweatshirt dress, and more.
“I DIDNT APPROVE ANY OF THE MERCH COLLECTION THAT THEY PUT UP AT H&M,” the 28-year-old singer wrote, adding that it was done “all without my permission and approval SMH I WOULDNT BUY IT IF I WERE YOU.”
“The H&M MERCH THEY MADE OF ME IS TRASH AND I DIDNT APPROVE IT DONT BUY IT,” Bieber emphasized in a second Instagram Story.
Billboard received a statement from H&M on Monday evening, noting that the company had received permission to sell the products.
“As with all other licensed products and partnerships, H&M followed proper approval procedures,” an H&M representative wrote.
Billboard has reached out to reps for Bieber and H&M for further comment.
Throughout 2022, the Billboard staff offered up 10 Cool New Pop Songs To Get You Through the Week, rounding up the best and brightest new tracks to highlight your Mondays and power you through the work week. We’ll keep wrangling cool new pop songs next year… but until then, let’s look back on some of our favorite tracks from 2022, the soaring ballads and propulsive bangers that may have missed your playlist but deserve to be on repeat well into ’23.
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Check out the Cool Pop team’s picks for the 20 pop songs you have missed in 2022 but absolutely should not miss out on anymore; these picks and write-ups were previously featured in our weekly roundup, but we’re bringing them back once more for some year-end shine. And check the bottom of this post for a handy playlist of all 20 tracks!
Phoebe AXA, “Panic”
Phoebe AXA (stylized as Phoebe ∆X∆) is a self-taught, self-produced singer-songwriter out of East London whose technical skill soars on a song like “Panic,” a savory bit of pop-rock that stomps, squeals and glides in equal measures. The best part of “Panic”? Listening back to its multiple movements and uncovering delicious new details upon each play. – Jason Lipshutz
Patrick Wolf, “Enter The Day”
“Enter The Day” marks British pop virtuoso Patrick Wolf’s first new music in 10 years, and also coincides with the 20th anniversary of his recording debut. While Wolf’s multi-faceted skill set and fascination with genre were on display throughout the first decade of his career, his new single also serves as a reminder that he can simply sit down at the piano and bang out a wonderful pop song. Wolf’s voice, always his greatest power, sounds as warm and remarkable as ever on “Enter The Day,” which stretches out across multiple verses but hammers down on the emotional heft during the chorus. – J. Lipshutz
Spacemoth, “Pipe and Pistol”
As Spacemoth, Bay Area-based artist Maryam Qudus has crafted a song as fascinating as its backstory: focusing on her parents’ immigration from Afghanistan to America in the late 1970s, “Pipe and Pistol” utilizes a warped drum loop and thundering post-punk arrangement to a depict a process of confusion and adjustment. Add the rest of Spacemoth’s excellent 2022 album, No Past No Future, onto your must-hear list after absorbing this one. – J. Lipshutz
Moss Kena, “Primadonna”
British pop artist Moss Kena has lent assists to dance-adjacent artists like Purple Disco Machine and The Knocks in the past, but “Primadonna” moves him center stage with a starry-eyed thumper that serves as an ode to an untouchable woman (“Give her the world, but oh my God / She’s gonna drop it, gonna drop it,” he sings). “Primadonna” sounds like the start of something grander for Kena, who officially has our attention. — J. Lipshutz
Sorry, “Key to the City”
Sorry’s sophomore album Anywhere but Here, released in October, showcased the North London alt-pop group’s ability to mix sardonic gloom with slick, enticing melodies. “Key to the City” basks in pre-breakup bitterness, with Asha Lorenz’s voice echoing and fading as the contours of the song abruptly change, like a lot of Sorry’s best work. – J. Lipshutz
Sky Ferreira, “Don’t Forget”
After a nine-year wait for the follow-up to Sky Ferreira’s critically acclaimed 2013 debut, Night Time, My Time, the pop singer came back in 2022 to give fans a glimmer of hope for a new LP with the release of comeback single, “Don’t Forget.” Picking up where previous singles “Everything Is Embarrassing” and “I Blame Myself” left off, Ferreira returned with stadium-ready pop dripping with ’80s-inspired synths and lyrics that prove her bark is just as ferocious — and not to mention, infectious — as her bite (“keep it in mind / nobody here’s a friend of mine”). – Starr Bowenbank
100 Gecs feat. Skrillex, “Torture Me”
Following the releasing of April’s “Doritos and Fritos,” 100 Gecs — the duo of Laura Les and Dylan Brady — ended their period of silence when they enlisted Skrillex on December’s “Torture Me,” an amalgamation of nightcore, emo, hyperpop and rap. Les and Brady’s delivery of the song’s many questions — “Do you wanna see me bleed?/ Do you wanna torture me?/ Do you wanna see me cry?” — complements the anguish well, and allows the experimental instrumentation to shine. – S.B.
PinkPantheress feat. Willow, “Where You Are”
2022 saw Willow decorate her musical resume with a series features — which included Machine Gun Kelly’s “Emo Girl” and Camila Cabello’s “Psychofreak” — but her best of the year was an assist on Pinkpantheress’ “Where You Are.” Though PinkPantheress’ bubbly and borderline saccharine vocals seem like they wouldn’t mesh well with Willow’s full-bodied tone, the juxtaposition is exactly why it works. The garage track, which samples the Paramore deep cut “Never Let This Go,” finds the singers taking unexpected spots in the song’s lush and layered harmonies in between moments of angst and loneliness, making for the perfect 2000s-inspired cocktail. — S.B.
Phoenix, “Alpha Zulu”
Phoenix’s “Alpha Zulu” served as the formal introduction to the band’s album of the same name, while simultaneously serving as a departure from the French indie pop quartet’s often sleek and stylish signature sound — which received the most refinement in previous albums Ti Amo and Bankrupt! Darker synth instrumentals reminiscent of Pet Shop Boys’ heyday (see their 1987 hit “Shopping”) provide tension as singer Thomas Mars sings of humanity’s impending judgement day. — S.B.
Hunny, “Speed Dial”
2000s pop-rock nostalgia is at the core of Hunny’s infectious track “Speed Dial,” which recalls classics like Fountain of Wayne’s “Stacy’s Mom” and Relient K’s “Sadie Hawkins Dance.” Frontman Jason Yager embraces the feels that come from knowing the lady of his affections keeps him at the top of her mind — or rather, her cell. – S.B.
Alfie Templeman, “Colour Me Blue”
If you’re feeling blue, “Colour Me Blue” from English singer-songwriter Alfie Templeman is a surefire pick-me-up. With jangling guitars, a syncopated beat and a winning rapid-fire vocal hook, “Blue” is three minutes of distilled indie-pop sunshine from the 19-year-old talent whose debut album, Mellow Moon, dropped earlier this year. – Joe Lynch
Mykki Blanco ft. ANOHNI and Kelsey Lu, “French Lessons”
Stay Close to Music is the title of Mykki Blanco’s latest album, but it’s also solid advice during these tumultuous times. On “French Lessons,” Blanco teams up with ANOHNI – an artist who knows how to make beautiful sounds in the face of painful realities – and singer/cellist Kelsey Lu for a gentle, synth-y meditation on new romance and that feeling of “drifting away” into bliss. – J. Lynch
Honey Dijon ft. Josh Caffe, “La Femme Fantasique”
Opening with spacious, eerie echoes, “La Femme Fantasique” quickly shifts into chilly electro territory with a relentless throb. It’s a highlight from Honey Dijon’s knockout 2022 LP Black Girl Magic, and while the title might be French, this collab between the London-based Josh Caffe and Dijon (who splits her time between NYC and Berlin) is fit for any dance floor around the world still bumping past closing time. – J. Lynch
CupcakKe, “H2hoe”
With plinky synths and a Middle Eastern flavor, the latest single from CupcakKe, “H2hoe,” is another winner that’s as clever as it is NSFW. For someone who’s been sharing eyebrow-raising couplets for more than half a decade, Chicago’s filthiest pâtissier has yet to get stale: Sample new lyric “make a p–sy stretch like minimum wage” on this motor-mouthed morsel as proof. – J. Lynch
Chappell Roan, “My Kink Is Karma”
While it kicks off with a thumping, ominous beat that seems culled from the realm of Reznor, Chappell Roan’s “My Kink Is Karma” quickly morphs into a synth-pop power ballad. With Roan’s knack for deliciously vindictive breakup lyrics (“Wishing you the best in the worst way / Using your distress as foreplay”), it’s no surprise that there’s a Swiftian cadence to her delivery. – J. Lynch
Jim-E Stack feat. Lucky Daye, “Next to Me”
Producer-artist Jim-E Stack’s “Next To Me” features velvety vocals courtesy of singer-songwriter Lucky Daye over a rippled and bass-heavy beat. The contrasting sonic elements result in an intriguing track that’s equal parts calm, collected and frenzied all at once — and perfectly captures the whirlwind of emotions that come with seeking a partner while knowing you need to work on yourself first. — Lyndsey Havens
Reneé Rapp, “Tattoos”
The debut single from actor-artist Reneé Rapp (The Sex Lives Of College Girls, Mean Girls on Broadway) is a complete knockout as she pairs poignant songwriting with soaring vocals — resulting in an affecting pop ballad. Perhaps what helps it cut through the most is how sparse the production is, a clever move when the bones are this sturdy. — L.H.
Michelle, “Fool 4 You”
New York-based collective Michelle released its second album After Dinner We Talk Dreams in March; Soon after, the sextet fed fans another round with its two-pack After Dinner We Talk Dreams: Side Dishes, which included “Fool 4 U” and “Sea Shanty.” The former that stands out most for its visceral storytelling (“Waking up to your familiar smell / covered in the blankets that you made last night”) and delicately delivered vocals. While much of the song plays on in a beautiful and almost too-polite hush, the last few seconds break that mold, as if in an instant the singer no longer cares whether they wake the person sleeping next to them or not. — L.H.
Hailee Steinfeld and Anderson .Paak, “Coast”
The first taste of new music in two years from pop star Hailee Steinfeld is intriguingly less shiny than previous hits, instead opting for laid-back, breezy production. Perfect for the end of summer as the days begin to cool down, she and first-time collaborator Anderson .Paak bottle up the feeling of a relationship’s casual beginnings on “Coast,” with her singing, “Relax and let the riptide pull you close,” as if wanting to absorb all the season has to offer before it comes to an end. — L.H.
Abby Sage, “Backwards Directions”
From the moment the fuzzy looped guitar of “Backwards Directions” begins, its familiar yet quirky beat sets the stage for alt-pop newcomer Abby Sage to have some fun. Her soft vocals grow as the beat picks up, and suddenly she’s delivering a Wet Leg-esque hook no one saw coming. — L.H.
The best thing about bein’ a woman is the prerogative to have confidence in your body, no matter what stage of life you’re in. That’s exactly how Shania Twain feels, anyway.
In a recent interview with People, the 57-year-old country-pop star opened up about why she chose to pose topless for the cover artwork of her September single “Waking Up Dreaming,” set to appear on her February album Queen of Me. “This is me expressing my truth,” she shared. “I’m comfortable in my own skin, and this is the way I am sharing that confidence.”
“I think the best fashion is confidence, and whatever you wear — if you’re wearing it with that, it’s fashionable,” she continued. “I am a woman in my late 50s, and I don’t need to hide behind the clothes. I can’t even tell you how good it felt to do nude shooting. I was just so unashamed of my new body, you know, as a woman that is well into my menopause. I’m not even emotional about it; I just feel OK about it. It’s really liberating.”
Though she has had her struggles with self-image, according to People, Twain has projected confidence in her body since the beginning of her career. In the music video for her 1993 single “What Made You Say That,” for example, she went braless. But now, she’s learning to carry that confidence into her late 50s.
“From the very beginning — the very first video — I was ditching the bra,” she told the publication. “But, I was a lot firmer then, so as I grew older, I started feeling a different pressure of, ‘Well, your breasts are not as plump as they used to be. Your skin is not as tight as it used to be. Maybe you should start covering it up a little bit more.’”
“I hit this wall and was like, ‘Whoa, my confidence is regressing,’” she added. “‘My courage is dulling. Why am I allowing this? Frig that.’ I am not regressing. I am embracing my body as it changes, as I should have from my childhood to my teens, as I should be from my taut 20s and 30-year-old self, to my menopausal body. I’m not going to be shy about it. I want to be courageous about it, and I want to share that courage in the artwork that I am directing.”
See Shania’s “Waking Up Dreaming” cover art below:
When she grows up, she wannabe famous, wannabe a star, wannabe … Taylor Swift‘s next collaborator. Nicole Scherzinger shared with followers in a Tuesday (Dec. 20) TikTok that the door is definitely open if a certain 11-time Grammy-winning pop star ever wants to get into the studio together.
In the TikTok, the former Pussycat Dolls star stands in a recording booth, dressed in a black dress. Singing into a microphone, she jams out to a mashup of Swift’s latest No. 1 single, “Anti-Hero,” and “Buttons,” one of Scherzinger’s own hits.
“I’d be down for a collab @Taylor Swift 😏🖤,” she captioned the video.
Scherzinger posted the TikTok in response to one fan who thought she had been teasing a Swift collab in a previous video, in which she’d worn another all-black outfit and dark nail polish.
“Is the black nails a Reputation Easter egg?” the fan had asked, as black was Swift’s staple color throughout the Reputation era. (Reputation is one of Swift’s first six albums that she’ll eventually rerecord and rerelease.) “You and Taylor working together?”
So far, the “All Too Well” singer has dropped two of her six planned rerecorded albums: Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version). Both of them included several previously unreleased songs, which she invited artists such as Maren Morris, Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban, Ed Sheeran and Phoebe Bridgers to record with her.
Fans have no idea which of Swift’s remaining four earlier albums — her self-titled debut, Speak Now, 1989 or Reputation — will be next, though the inclusion of additional collaborations on the next rerelease seem like a given considering the two already-released Taylor’s Versions. And whether or not the Masked Singer judge actually ends up on Reputation (Taylor’s Version), fans in her comments are just as ready for a Taylor team-up as Scherzinger is.
“THAT WOULD BE EVERYTHING!” wrote one. “I’m tagging @Taylor Swift so maybe she sees your post.”
“NS x TS?? I’M SO DOWN!!!!” commented another, to which Scherzinger replied with a heart emoji.
See Nicole Scherzinger’s TikTok and collab invitation to Taylor Swift below:
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The Bangtan Boys dropped a new collaboration for beauty-loving members of the BTS Army!
BTS and the South Korean beauty giant Laneige teamed up for a special edition of the brand’s lip sleeping mask set. The Laneige BTS x Amorepacific Lip Sleeping Mask Lip & Pop Edition Set features three delicious scents inspired by the BTS singles “Butter,” “Permission to Dance” and “Dynamite.”
Available at Sephora.com and Laneige.com, the $35 set includes an exclusive “Butter” flavor (that smells like buttered popcorn) along with a couple of fan-favorite scents: Peach Iced Tea and Sweet Candy.
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Fans will also find other nods to BTS in the packaging, which features a mini turntable and colorful mini-jars inspired by the group’s album art.
BigHit Music & Hybe x Amorepacific
Laneige BTS x Amorepacific Lip Sleeping Mask Lip & Pop Edition Set
$35
Laneige lip masks are rich in antioxidants and hydrating ingredients such as shea butter, coconut oil, murumuru butter and vitamin C. Some of the brand’s top sellers and newly released products include the Lip Glowy Balm ($17), the Water Sleeping Mask ($24) and the Besties Kit ($35).
This latest partnership between BTS and Amorepacific, the South Korean beauty and cosmetics company behind more than 30 brands including Laneige, Mamonde, Etude and Innisfree, follows a successful limited-edition release last year.
BTS is currently on hiatus to fulfill their military duties, but the BTS Army will get to see the group take the big screen in BTS Yet to Come in Cinema. The concert film will hit more than 110 theaters worldwide on Feb. 1, 2023.
Shopping for more BTS gear? Click here for the best gifts for BTS fans.
