Culture
Lizzo to Replace Yeah Yeah Yeahs as Final ‘Saturday Night Live’ Musical Guest of 2022
NBC announced Saturday (Dec. 10) that Lizzo will step in for previously announced performers Yeah Yeah Yeahs on next weekend’s Saturday Night Live as the final musical guest of 2022. When she joins host Austin Butler on the Dec. 17 episode, it will mark the third time the pop-rap star has performed on the show. Yeah Yeah Yeahs announced on their socials that they had to cancel because guitarist Nick Zinner is still recovering after contracting pneumonia last month. In addition to SNL, the band also pulled out of KROQ’s Almost Acoustic Christmas festival in Los Angeles on Saturday. “As many of our fans know Nick has had pneumonia over the past month and it’s been an up and down recovery process,” the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ statement reads. “The band’s top priority is supporting Nick through a ful...
Steve Martin & Martin Short Joined by Selena Gomez for ‘SNL’ Opening Monologue
Steve Martin and Martin Short brought their A-game to their joint Saturday Night Live opening monologue, reading each other eulogies and surprising viewers with an appearance from their Only Murders in the Building co-star Selena Gomez. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Before diving into each other’s eulogies, the comedians took a second to reminisce about their past SNL hosting gigs, with the Dec. 10 episode being Martin’s 16th time hosting the show and Short’s third. “You see, we are like Harry and Meghan,” Short said, referring to Netflix’s new docuseries from the couple. “No one’s rooting for us, but you’ll tune in to watch anyway.” Martin then went on to joke about how working with Short for him is like watching the World Cup: He ju...
Here Are the Lyrics to Andy Williams’ ‘It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year’
Follow along with the lyrics to Andy William’ 1963 holiday hit. Andy Williams’ 1963 holiday hit “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” returns to the Billboard Hot 100 chart once again at No. 9. The popular track has been covered by artists such as Johnny Mathis, Garth Brooks, Patti LaBelle, Harry Connick Jr. and Pentatonix. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The popular holiday song begins with an energetic intro and features lyrics about warm and cozy winter events including “Parties for hosting/ Marshmallows for toasting/ And caroling out in the snow.” Since its 1963 release, the lovable track has continued to put listeners into a joyful spirit leading up to the holidays. Check out the lyrics below. It’s the most wonderful...
Here Are the Lyrics to Nat King Cole’s ‘The Christmas Song’
The Nat King Cole Trio recorded “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)” back in 1946 and turned it into a Christmas classic, one year after it was written by Bob Well and Mel Torme. The song is also commonly subtitled as “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire,” due to its opening lyrics. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Multiple arrangements of the song have been recorded throughout the years, but the most notable version has to be Cole’s, which includes the warm sounds of a small string section. The lyrics are filled with warm Christmas feelings and sweet holiday imagery, including: “Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe/ Help to make the season bright…Yuletide carols being sung by a choir/ And folks dressed up like Eskimos.” T...
Will Smith Is Offering 2 Free Months of Apple TV+ So You Can Watch ‘Emancipation’ & More
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Will Smith wants to ensure that anyone with Internet access can stream his passion project, Emancipation, for free on Apple TV+. The Antoine Fuqua-directed film, chronicling the harrowing freedom journey of a Black man who escaped slavery in Louisiana, premiered on the streaming platform on Friday (Dec. 9). “I’ve been reading a lot of the comments and I see a lot of people saying they don’t have Apple TV+,” Smith said in an Instagram video posted Thursday. “That’s unacceptable to me.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, char...
Here Are the Lyrics to Brenda Lee’s ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’
Brenda Lee recorded her hit “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” in 1958 when she was only 13 years old. The song didn’t gain traction until Lee rose to fame in 1960, allowing the track to peak at the No. 14 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during that holiday season. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news This year, the song returned to the Hot 100, hitting No. 3 on the all-genre chart dated Dec. 10. Notable artists have recorded their own versions of the song, including Cyndi Lauper, LeAnn Rimes, Toby Keith and, this year, Ingrid Michaelson and Pentatonix for their Christmas albums. The bluesy rock song includes a walking bass line, its famous saxophone solo and, of course, Lee’s raspy yet melodic voice singing the famous lines, “Rockin’ arou...
Here Are the Lyrics to Bobby Helms’ ‘Jingle Bell Rock’
The opening electric guitar riff followed by the steady beat of jingle bells marks the opening of Bobby Helms’ classic hit “Jingle Bell Rock.” The 1957 track makes reference to other similar-sounding songs, including “Rock Around the Clock” and the original “Jingle Bells.” Helms’ tune made it to the Billboard Hot 100 in 2016, where it peaked at No. 29. It then peaked at No. 3 in 2020. The song, which has a country swing to it, has been covered by many artists in Nashville throughout the years, including George Strait, Rascal Flatts, Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton. Check out the lyrics and stream the song below to get into the jingle bell rock groove. Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell rockJingle bells swing and jingle bells ringSnowin’ and blowin’ up bushels of funNow the jingl...
Andrea Bocelli & Family to Meet the Simpsons in Upcoming Holiday Special
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Disney+ is bringing together two beloved families for the holidays. The streaming service announced on Wednesday (Dec. 7) that their upcoming shot, The Simpsons Meet the Bocellis in “Feliz Navidad” will launch exclusively on the platform on December 15. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In the short, Homer Simpson surprises his wife Marge with the ultimate gift, a performance from Andrea Bocelli, his 25-year-old son Matteo and 10-year-old daughter Virginia. ‘The Simpsons Meet The Bocelli...
‘Wicked’ Has Begun Filming, ‘SpongeBob’ Star Ethan Slater Joins Cast
The filming for the highly anticipated Wicked films is officially underway, according to Instagram Stories from director Jon M. Chu as well as Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, who are set to play Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba the Wicked Witch, respectively. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “What a day today has been,” Erivo captioned a blank screen on her Stories on Wednesday (Dec. 7), tagging Grande and Chu. The director, meanwhile, shared an adorable Wicked-themed drawing made by his daughter “to commemorate the first day of shooting.” Grande reposted it, writing, “My heart.” That’s not all the news going down in the land of Oz this week: Variety revealed that actor Ethan Slater has been cast as Boq, the love interest of Elphaba’s ...
Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat Roasts Kanye West at Kennedy Center Honors: ‘He’s Too Antisemitic Even For Us’
There is nothing funny about Kanye West‘s repeated amplification of antisemitic tropes and hate speech over the past month. In a series of interviews and media appearances, the artist who now goes by Ye has made a series of comments denigrating the Jewish people, culminating last week with an appearance on conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ show in which Ye stated “I like Hitler.” But if there is one person who has the unique ability to transform hate into hilarity, it is Sacha Baron Cohen. The acclaimed comedian — who is Jewish — appeared at this weekend’s Kennedy Center Honors in the guise of his belovedly profane, offensive-to-everyone dopey journalist character Borat Sagdiyev to pay tribute to honorees U2. Kazakhstan’s least reliable source of news took the stage and expressed genuine con...
How to Watch Liam Gallagher’s ‘Knebworth 22’ Concert Documentary for Free
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Liam Gallagher’s Knebworth 22 documentary will premiere on Paramount+ on Tuesday (Dec. 6). The film chronicles Gallagher’s return to England’s Knebworth Park more than two decades after Oasis played the venue in 1996. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In June, the former Oasis frontman performed back-to-back, sold-out shows in front of 170,000 fans at Knebworth Park. The concert film was initially released in theaters on Nov. 17 before making its way to Paramount+. “I’m still in shock that I got to pla...
Kenan and Kel Reunite Alongside Keke Palmer on ‘SNL’ for Dramatized Sitcom Reimagining ‘Kenan and Kelly’
Kenan Thompson, Kel Mitchell and orange soda reunited for the most recent episode of Saturday Night Live in a sketch that sees Keke Palmer and the two comedians caught in a soapy love triangle storyline with a pregnancy twist. Thompson and Mitchell, who became teen stars thanks to their work on All That and later their beloved titular roles in the 1996 Nickelodeon sitcom Kenan and Kel, appeared on the Dec. 3 episode as part of a sketch reimaging the show decades after it went off the air. Dubbed Kenan and Kelly, SNL host Keke Palmer is the one who pitched the faux series, which offers an aged-up dramatic spin on the comedic shenanigans the original kids show was known for. The sketch opens with Palmer selling Thompson on the reboo...
