entertainment blog
Austin’s Moody Center Arena, The ‘Best Building in NCAA History,’ Opens With George Strait and Willie Nelson
“I’ll never forget that,” said George Strait after singing “Pancho and Lefty” with fellow Texan and country music icon Willie Nelson on Friday night (April 29), a rare collaboration coordinated to celebrate the grand opening of Austin’s new Moody Center arena — a venue that the Oak View Group, Live Nation and the University of Texas, who partnered to create it, are hoping will be similarly unforgettable. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The arena, situated on the southeastern corner of Texas’ main campus, technically opened April 20 with a John Mayer concert, and hosted several acts (including Bon Jovi and Justin Bieber) prior to last Friday. But the official grand opening came with last weekend’s sold-out two-night celebration — with Nelson, St...
Christian Guardino Rules Disney Night on ‘American Idol’ With This ‘Lion King’ Classic: Watch
Christian Guardino definitely became the king of everything the light touches on American Idol Sunday night (May 1). Taking the stage for the show’s Disney-themed showcase, the 21-year-old singer chose the perfect song to show off the lion’s-roar power in his vocals — Elton John‘s “Circle of Life,” aka the iconic Lion King song. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Joined by a choir of backup singers and silhouetted by a radiant yellow sun backdrop, Guardino pulled out all the stops to ensure that he secured a place in this season’s top seven contestants. Smoke billowed around him as he built suspense at the beginning of the performance, while fire cannons sparked once he weaved his way to the song’s high point with intricate,...
Ukrainian Pop Star Max Barshik Dedicates Song to Nation’s Fearless Warriors: ‘Don’t F–k With Ukraine’
Ukrainian pop star Max Barshik has a very simple message for anyone interested in taking on his nation’s armed forces: “Don’t F–k With Ukraine.” That’s the refrain of the “Bude Vesna (It Will Be Spring)” singer’s new single, a whisper rap club tune with the simple refrain: “We attack, we don’t play/ Don’t f–k with Ukraine.” The video for the song with the banging techno beat, a female choir singing one of the war’s most famous viral quotes (“Russian warship, go f–k yourself”) and Barshik’s guttural warning features footage of Ukrainian soldiers firing tanks and missiles in the field mingled with more peaceful shots of civilians dancing and celebrating. According to a statement accompanying the track, it is dedicated to the Ukrainian armed forces and the “people’s resistance” against Russia...
Houston Declares Megan Thee Stallion Day
Houston has declared that May 2 is Megan Thee Stallion Day. At a ceremony on Sunday, Houston mayor Sylvester Turner and the Houston City Council celebrated the rapper by awarding her with a key to the city and naming the honorary day, which falls on Megan’s mother’s and grandmother’s birthday. Megan was selected by the mayor for her philanthropic efforts benefiting Houston. “Megan Thee Stallion has an extraordinary entertainment career, but we wanted to honor her for what she does offstage to lift people’s lives in underserved communities,” Turner said, per ABC 13. “She assisted people after the 2021 winter storm, during the pandemic, and helped those struggling with homelessness. I look forward to watching her grow as an artist and humanitarian.” “I really can’t believe I got my own key t...
Moderat Is Finding Itself Again
As Berliners with techno running through their veins, Moderat is all about how music makes you feel. Now, the electronic masters – formed of Apparat’s Sascha Ring and Modeselektor’s Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary – invite you into its world with the all-new Apple Music 1 radio show Moderat FM and upcoming fifth album, MORE D4TA. Moderat has commandeered underground basements, pumped abandoned buildings with bass and melted the brains of Coachella and Alexandra Palace’s dancing crowds. Subsequently, it has built not just a catalog of post-minimalist techno, but a soundtrack of dark yet intricate melodies that have altered the electronic music scene. Originally, Moderat was techno in its most palpable form, but today its work has allowed the trio to eschew a fixed genre or sound, favori...
The Judds Inducted Into Country Music Hall of Fame a Day After Naomi Judd’s Death
The Judds and Ray Charles joined the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday (May 1) in a ceremony filled with tears, music and laughter, just a day after Naomi Judd died unexpectedly. The loss of Naomi Judd altered the normally celebratory ceremony, but the music played on, as the genre’s singers and musicians mourned Naomi Judd while also celebrating the four inductees: The Judds, Ray Charles, Eddie Bayers and Pete Drake. Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Vince Gill and many more performed their hit songs. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Naomi and Wynonna Judd were among the most popular duos of the 1980s, scoring 14 No. 1 hits during their nearly three-decade career. On the eve of her induction, the family said in a statement to The Associated Pre...
Naomi Judd Remembered at Emotional Country Music Hall of Fame Ceremony: ‘My Mama Loved You so Much’
Coming one day after Naomi Judd’s tragic death, the May 1 Country Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony confronted difficult emotions to usher in the Judds as one of four new members. Wynonna Judd, making her acceptance speech with sister Ashley Judd beside her, recalled kissing her mother and former singing partner’s forehead at 2:20 p.m. on April 30, then looked toward the future. “Though my heart’s broken,” she pledged, “I will continue to sing.” Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Ashley, rising above the family’s personal grief, congratulated the night’s other inductees – Ray Charles (“so iconic and archetypal”), steel guitarist Pete Drake and drummer Eddie Bayers – then addressed the dozen or so existing Hall of Fame members who attended the ...
Harry Styles Enters Week Four Atop U.K. Chart With ‘As It Was’
There’s no stopping Harry Styles from claiming the U.K. chart crown with “As It Was” (Columbia), which completes a full month in charge. As it rides to a fourth consecutive week at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, “As It Was” accumulates a market-leading 7.2 million streams, the OCC reports. It’s the first track from Styles’ forthcoming third studio album, Harry’s House, due out May 20, which he’ll support with his Love On Tour dates, kicking off June 11 in Glasgow, Scotland. With Styles staying put at the summit, Jack Harlow’s “First Class” (Atlantic) remains at No. 2 on the chart dated April 29, 2022, while Cat Burns’ viral hit “Go” (RCA/Since 93) is on the rise, lifting 5-3, for a new peak. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Meanwhile ...
Fontaines D.C. Blast to No. 1 In U.K. With ‘Skinty Fia’
Fontaines D.C. are flying high on the U.K. Albums Chart with Skinty Fia (via Partisan), the Dublin rockers’ first No. 1. Skinty Fia roars to the top of the Official U.K. Albums Chart by outselling its nearest rival by two-to-one, with physical sales accounting for 87% of its total, the OCC reports. The Irishmen — Carlos O’Connell, Conor Curley, Conor Deegan III, Grian Chatten and Tom Coll — have landed Top 10 slots for each of their three albums, with 2019’s Dogrel peaking at No. 9 and 2020 LP A Hero’s Death reaching No. 2. Little Mix’s career retrospective Between Us (RCA) rises 5-3, for a new peak, coinciding with the girl group’s Confetti Tour of the U.K. Between Us is said to be the band’s final releases before its remaining members, Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Perrie Edward...
Pusha T Lands First No. 1 Album With It’s Almost Dry
Pusha T has scored his first-ever No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart. It’s Almost Dry earned 55,000 equivalent album units in its first week, with 83% of that coming from streaming. It’s his third album to reach the top 10, with Daytona peaking at No. 3 and My Name Is My Name landing at No. 4. Billboard notes that, at 12 songs, the album is the second-shortest album to go No. 1 this year after Stray Kids’ Oddinary. Its 55,000 figure is the lowest for a No. 1-debuting album since NF’s Perception in 2017. It’s Almost Dry was produced by Kanye West and Pharrell Williams. It also includes contributions from Jay-Z, Kid Cudi (on what Cudi calls his “last song” made in collaboration with Kanye), Lil Uzi Vert, Don Toliver, Nigo, Labrinth, and Pusha T’s brother and Clipse partner No Malic...
Megan Thee Stallion Day Proclaimed in Houston
At a ceremony on Sunday, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and members of Houston City Council celebrated Megan Thee Stallion’s philanthropic endeavors. She was awarded the key to the city, and Turner proclaimed that May 2 is officially Megan Thee Stallion Day. The day also happens to be Megan’s mother and grandmother’s birthday. “Megan Thee Stallion has an extraordinary entertainment career, but we wanted to honor her for what she does offstage to lift people’s lives in underserved communities,” Turner said, according to ABC 11. “She assisted people after the 2021 winter storm, during the pandemic, and helped those struggling with homelessness. I look forward to watching her grow as an artist and humanitarian.” In video of the ceremony, Megan can be seen speaking through tears as she gave re...
Joe Biden Called Trump A Plague, Where Is The Lie?
HipHopWired Featured Video Source: SAUL LOEB / Getty President Joe Biden is doing his best to lead the United States through some tumultuous times, bur it doesn’t mean he can’t let off some joke. During Saturday night’s (April 30), White House Correspondents’ dinner, the VP turned POTUS aimed some hilarious bars at Donald Trump aka the guy who lost. Since Trump is a well-documented, thin-skinned chump (as well as cancellations due to COVID-19), Biden was the first President to address the dinner’s attendees in six years. Biden delivered some self-deprecating, tongue in cheek one-liners, but our fav was the one aimed at the 45th President who still refuses to accept that he took an L. Related Stories “We had a horrible plague followed by two years of Covid,” said Biden. “Just imagine if my ...
