Music News
Joe Jonas Becomes a Bridgerton In New Tanqueray Commercial: Watch
Look out Lady Whistledown, there’s a new Bridgerton in town. On Wednesday (March 16), Joe Jonas transformed himself into the latest member of the aristocratic Netflix family in a charming ad for Tanqueray Gin. “Welcome to ‘How to T-Time Like a Bridgerton.’ I’m Joseph Jonas the First,” the pop star says in the clip as he strides down a grand staircase in a Regency-era tailcoat, cravat and modern-day sneakers. “I know what you might be thinking, I’m a Jonas, not a Bridgerton. While that might be true, the internet has been kind enough to point out that I do look like one. And I feel like I’m getting the hang of it.” Explore Explore Joe Jonas See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news From there, the “Dancing Feet” singer gets a few lessons in how to be a proper nin...
Elements Festival Announces Headliners Kaskade, Rezz and Fisher – And a New Location
Elements Music and Arts Festival, the Northeast’s only car camping and dance music festival, will feature Kaskade, Nicole Moudaber, Shermanology and Gene Farris this year along with returning favorites Fisher, Zeds Dead, J. Worra, Liquid Stranger, Sofi Tukker, Rezz and TroyBoi The final lineup will feature more than 100 artists spanning every genre of dance music The self-sustaining August 19-22 festival is leaving Lake Como, Penn., for a new home this year at the Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Penn. The new site will provide built-in spaces for food, water, parking, car camping and safety infrastructure. Ben May, president of Pocono Raceway, said the event was “the perfect complement to our mission of providing exciting experiences and lifelong memories at a beautiful and sustain...
Ed Sheeran Remembers Getting Baked With The Game: ‘I Was Out’
Ed Sheeran is many things in the pop music world, a “super busker” (with some acting chops) who can fill stadiums around the world with little more than a mic, guitar, some effects pedals and a collection of original songs. One thing he’s not, is a pot head. Speaking with Fitzy & Wippa for Australia’s commercial radio network Nova, Sheeran recounted a slightly embarrassing moment back in the day, when he partied with The Game. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “I remember I was in the studio once in, like 2013. I was doing some records with The Game and he took me to Compton,” Sheeran says. “And we were in studio and we probably made like 13, 14 songs. And towards the end of the session his boys come in and they’re sort of like, it starts bei...
Gwen Stefani to Headline Hollywood Bowl Opening Night
Gwen Stefani has a date at the Hollywood Bowl on June 3, as the pop superstar is confirmed to headline the new season’s opening night festivities. Opening night — a benefit for Los Angeles Philharmonic’s learning and community programs — will also feature music and artistic director Gustavo Dudamel, the L.A. Phil’s Youth Orchestra Los Angeles and special performances from ballet dancer Roberto Bolle, saxophonist Branford Marsalis and dancing sisters Let It Happen. And in a surprising showing of unity, the program will feature rival marching bands from UCLA and USC. The night will close with an installment of the Bowl’s notable fireworks show. The L.A. Phil also announced today more details for the free two-day weekend festival known as 101 Fest, held at both the Bowl (June 11) and nearby v...
Billboard Explains: South by Southwest
South by Southwest takes over Austin, Texas, every year, intertwining film, music and interactive media — but how did it become one of the arts’ biggest festivals? The inaugural SXSW took place in 1987 as an extension of an already-existing New York City festival. When those plans fell through, Ronald Swenson of the Austin Chronicle — who is now the CEO of SXSW — decided to co-organize it as a local music festival. SXSW has 15 tracks of programming in various formats, including summits, keynotes, panels, workshops, podcasts and more. “It would be like if every creative person in the world went on spring break together in Austin, Texas,” Brian Hobbs, SXSW programming manager, tells Billboard‘s Tetris Kelly. With inspiring speakers, major film screenings and headline-making performances...
Kelly Clarkson Gets ‘Nostalgic’ With New Performance of an Old Song: Watch
Kellyoke is typically a place for Kelly Clarkson to pay tribute to other artists, but in the Tuesday (March 15) installment of The Kelly Clarkson Show‘s live music cover series, she dusted off one of her own songs. Throwing her audience back to 2015, the three-time Grammy winner took the stage with her band Y’all for a sentimental performance of her fittingly titled seven-year-old track “Nostalgic.” Though Clarkson usually adapts hit songs from all generations to fit her signature power vocals, singing an original track meant opportunities for belted riffs and sustained high notes were already built in — opportunities she took with a graceful power only Kelly Clarkson could deliver. Explore See latest videos, charts and news And though this was a rare instance of the “Stronger” s...
Lin-Manuel Miranda Channels Rafael Nadal When he’s Writing Songs: Watch
Lin-Manuel Miranda has a superpower. He collects awards like no-one else. The multi-hyphenate musicals master has two Emmys, three Grammys, three Tonys, and a Pulitzer Prize. With his recent Academy Award nomination for Encanto, he could attain EGOT status, all at age 42. On Monday night (March 14), Miranda stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live for a chat and to poke fun at his own good fortune. The animated Disney film’s “Dos Oruguitas,” for which which Miranda composed the music and lyrics, is nominated for best original song at the 2022 Oscars. Explore See latest videos, charts and news How much does he want that EGOT? Surely he’d kill for a shot at glory, Kimmel pressed at the top of their spot. “It’s like stats,” Miranda explains. “When (Spanish tennis champion) Rafa Nadal broke the reco...
Taraji P. Henson Calls to ‘Free’ Jussie Smollett: ‘The Punishment Does Not Fit the Crime’
Jussie Smollett’s fellow Empire star Taraji P. Henson is coming to his defense after the actor was sentenced on Thursday (Mar. 10) to 150 days in jail for lying to police about a racist and homophobic attack that he orchestrated himself. Henson took to Instagram on Monday (Mar. 14) to post a black screen with the hashtag #FreeJussie written in white. In the caption, the actress and comedian called for Smollett’s release. “I am not here to debate you on his innocence but we can agree that the punishment does not fit the crime,” she wrote, comparing the situation to Emmett Till, who was lynched in Mississippi in 1955, after being falsely accused of making advances toward a white woman in her family’s grocery store. “Emmett Till was brutally beat and ultimately murdered because of ...
SXSW: Lizzo Calls Texas’ Anti-Abortion, Anti-Trans Laws ‘Atrocious’
Lizzo declared she was strongly against Texas’ laws targeting abortions and trans rights, calling the laws “atrocious” during a keynote session at this year’s SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. “The abortion ban is atrocious,” the artist said on Sunday (March 13) to a packed room in the Austin Convention Center. “Mind your business. Stay out of my body.” Explore Explore Lizzo See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Last year, Texas signed into a law one of the most restrictive abortion measures in the country, effectively criminalizing abortions occurring as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. Though abortions rights advocates have fought against the legislation, a decision from Texas’s Supreme Court on March 11 essentially shut down a federal law...
Fans Choose Megan Thee Stallion & Dua Lipa’s ‘Sweetest Pie’ as This Week’s Favorite New Music
Megan Thee Stallion and Dua Lipa‘s “Sweetest Pie” tops this week’s new music poll. Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (March 11) on Billboard, choosing the pair’s collaborative track as their favorite new music release of the past week. “Sweetest Pie,” which arrived this week alongside a trippy music video from the superstar duo, brought in more than 67% of the vote. “Oh, it’s the ride of your life/ Hold on ’cause I might just give you a bite/ Of the sweetest pie,” Lipa sings in the chorus. Lil Durk‘s latest project, his new 7220 album, came in second on the poll, with more than 17% of the vote. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news See the final results of this week’s new music release poll below. [embedded content] [flexi-common-toolb...
Barack Obama Tests Positive for COVID-19
Former President Barack Obama said on Sunday (March 13) that he had tested positive for COVID-19, though he’s feeling relatively healthy and his wife, Michelle, tested negative. “I’ve had a scratchy throat for a couple days, but am feeling fine otherwise,” Obama said on Twitter. “Michelle and I are grateful to be vaccinated and boosted.” Explore See latest videos, charts and news Obama encouraged more Americans to get vaccinated against the coronavirus, despite the declining infection rate in the U.S. There were roughly 35,000 infections on average over the past week, down sharply from mid-January when that average was closer to 800,000. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that 75.2% of U.S. adults are fully vaccinated and 47.7% of the fully vaccinated have received a boo...
Traci Braxton, Singer and ‘Braxton Family Values’ Star, Dies at 50
Traci Braxton, a singer, actor and television personality who was the sister of Toni and Tamar Braxton, has died. She was 50. Traci passed away on Saturday morning (March 12) following a battle with esophageal cancer, her husband Kevin Surratt told TMZ. “We have come to a time where we must inform the public that after a year of privately undergoing a series of treatment for esophageal cancer our beloved Traci Braxton has gone on to glory,” Surratt said. Explore See latest videos, charts and news Traci’s older sister, R&B singer Toni, took to social media on Saturday to share a heartfelt tribute on behalf of the Braxton family. “It is with the utmost regret that we inform you of the passing of our sister, Traci,” Toni wrote alongside a black-and-white photo of the Braxton family on Ins...
