Music News
Suspect Charged With Murder of Jacqueline Avant, Wife of Clarence Avant
The man suspected of fatally shooting Jacqueline Avant in her Beverly Hills home on Dec. 1 has been charged with murder, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday. Aariel Maynor, 29, of Los Angeles is charged with one count each of murder, attempted murder and felon with a firearm — Maynor allegedly used an assault long barrel pistol during the crimes — as well as two counts of residential burglary with person present. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Maynor is charged with breaking into the home of the 81-year-old philanthropist and wife of legendary music executive Clarence Avant, where he fatally shot her, according to authorities. Maynor also is charged with shooting at a security guard at the location. The security ...
Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion and Jimmy Fallon Get us Warmed up for a ‘Masked Christmas’: Watch
Your 2021 Christmas playlist has a new entry. Jimmy Fallon teams up with Ariana Grande and Megan Thee Stallion on the holiday-themed, “It Was A… (Masked Christmas),” a fun new number that dropped at midnight. These here are pandemic times, and our trio won’t let us forget. “Masked Christmas” is a reminder that, yes, we can have fun these holidays with a mask on. On it, Jimmy and Ari sing: “It was a masked Christmas, we stayed in the house/ We covered our nose, and covered our mouth/ But it’s Christmas time/ We’ll be in line for a booster.” Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Megan delivers several raps, and doesn’t miss the opportunity to rhyme Fallon with Stallion. Grande, Fallon and Stallion are like one big happy musical family. Grande most rece...
Pink Helps Terminally Ill Fan Check Off Bucket-List Item With Sweet Zoom Chat
P!nk took time out of her busy schedule recently to connect with a terminally ill fan over Zoom. Sixty-three-year-old Diane Berberian is currently in hospice with terminal bone cancer, and she shared a portion of her chat with the pop star on social media. “THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO TRY AND MAKE CONNECTIONS… OUR DREAM CAME TRUE!!!!!” the triathlete and Ironman competitor captioned the post. “You have a kind of bravery I don’t understand,” P!nk says in the 13-minute clip to Berberian, who competed twice in the U.S. Paratriathalon National Championships. “You’re bringing comfort to other people while you’re walking through this.” Explore Explore P!nk See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The singer also treated Berberian to a cover of Queen’s ...
Michael Buble on His ‘Mind-Blowing’ New Album and Why He is Limiting His Las Vegas Residency: Exclusive
Michael Bublé will kick off his first — and only — Las Vegas residency April 27 at Resorts World Las Vegas for six shows. The residency will serve as a super-sized release party for Bublé’s new Warner Bros. album, which comes out early Spring. Bublé tells Billboard he is saluting the Las Vegas of old with an intimate show that recalls the Copa, the famed nightclub that played host to the Rat Pack, Judy Garland, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole and countless other timeless artists in its heyday. Concerts West/AEG Presents will produce the shows, which run April 27, 29-30 and May 4, 6 and 7. Tickets go on sale Dec. 10. Explore See latest videos, charts and news Before fans can see Bublé in Las Vegas, they can see him tonight on his NBC holiday special, Michael Bublé’s Christmas i...
Adele Snags U.K. Chart Double For Second Week
Adele is the undisputed queen of the U.K.’s charts, as “Easy On Me” (Columbia) and its parent album 30 complete another week at No. 1. “Easy On Me” enters a seventh consecutive week at the summit of the Official U.K. Singles Chart, extending its reign as Adele’s longest-serving leader. The hit single chalks up another 69,000 chart sales, including 8.4 million streams, over the seven-day chart cycle, ahead of three fast-rising singles: Teenage TikTok sensation Gayle’s “ABCDEFU” (up 14-2 via Atlantic), and holiday classics “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey (up 24-3 via Columbia) and “Last Christmas by Wham (up 28-4). Meanwhile, Adele’s 30 tracks “I Drive Wine” (down 4-5) and “Oh My God” (2-6) continue to impact the Top 10. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See ...
Ed Sheeran and Elton John’s ‘Merry Christmas’ Is Cruising to No. 1 In U.K.
In a year stacked with chart leaders, Ed Sheeran and Elton John could ring in Christmas with a joint No. 1. The British pop stars teamed up for to write a handful of holiday-themed songs, the first of which, “Merry Christmas,” dropped last Friday (Dec. 3). At the earliest phase in the chart cycle, “Merry Christmas” is riding high. According to the OCC, the song has accumulated more than double the chart sales of its closest competitor, Adele’s reigning champ, “Easy On Me.” Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news If it keeps its momentum, “Merry Christmas” will give Sheeran his 12th U.K. No. 1, and third this year, and Elton’s ninth leader, and second in 2021. “Merry Christmas” is one of three holiday songs the pair wrote together, Sheeran told&nbs...
Motown Founder Berry Gordy, Bette Midler and Joni Mitchell Receive Kennedy Center Honors
Music was in the air, the sitting President was back in the balcony and the Kennedy Center Honors were once again a lavish in-person affair at the opera house complete with proof of vaccinations, negative PCRs and masks for all in attendance Sunday night. Motown visionary Berry Gordy, Bette Midler, Joni Mitchell, renowned bass/baritone singer Justino Diaz and Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels were celebrated at the 44th incarnation of the event honoring lifetime artistic achievement. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news To mark the celebrations, Stevie Wonder gave a mini concert of Motown hits including “You Are the Sunshine of My Life,” “Superstition” and a custom “I Just Called To Say I Love You.” Brandi Carlile delivered a mesmerizing ve...
Lizzo Makes Triumphant Return to Stage in Miami, With Shout-Outs to Chris Evans and Drake
Lizzo made a splashy return to the stage Saturday (Dec. 4) as the singer helped close out the last night of Art Basel Miami with a special performance for American Express cardholders. Lizzo’s American Express UNSTAGED concert took place right on the beach, just steps from the Miami Beach EDITION hotel, with the singer performing for a few hundred Amex card members in person and thousands of fans who were able to stream the concert via the live streaming site LIVENow. Explore Explore Lizzo See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Kicking the show off with her latest single, “Rumors” (song partner Cardi B was coincidentally just a few blocks away, launching her vodka-infused “Whipshots” at the Goodtime Hotel), Lizzo’s Miami performance was just the second time t...
BTS Will Take an ‘Extended Period of Rest’
BTS is taking a well-earned break. The K-pop phenomenon will enjoy a hiatus at the completion of their scheduled upcoming events, which include the BTS Permission To Dance On Stage shows and the Jingle Ball Tour, reads a statement from the septet’s music company, Big Hit. It’s a pause, but not the end of days, insist the Seoul-based business. Explore Explore BTS See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The members of BTS had scheduled a several-week break in late 2019, and returned with all-guns blazing. They’ll need another “extended period of rest” to enable the group to get “re-inspired and recharge with creative energy,” the statement reads. Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook pump the brakes when they’re at the front of the pack. They’re the year...
Fans Choose Ariana Grande & Kid Cudi’s ‘Just Look Up’ as This Week’s Favorite New Music
Ariana Grande and Kid Cudi‘s new collaboration “Just Look Up” has topped this week’s new music poll. Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (Dec. 3) on Billboard, choosing the soaring pop track as their favorite new music release of the past week. “Just Look Up,” which appears in Adam McKay’s upcoming sci-fi black comedy Don’t Look Up, brought in 35% of the vote, beating out new music by Juice WRLD and Justin Bieber (“Wandered to LA”), Shawn Mendes (“It’ll Be Okay”), SZA (“I Hate U”), Ed Sheeran and Elton John (“Merry Christmas”), and others. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Just Look Up” finds Grande steering some romantic balladry with a gorgeous tone and open heart, while Cudi takes a few seconds to fully deploy his croon but sounds com...
Tom Petty Receives Posthumous Ph.D. for Music at University of Florida
Nearly two decades after earning a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and more than four years after his death, rock icon Tom Petty has been awarded an honorary Ph.D. from the University of Florida. The school’s board of trustees unanimously voted to award Thomas Earl Petty a posthumous doctoral degree in music during a Friday (Dec. 3) meeting. Born and raised in Gainesville, Petty once worked as a groundskeeper at UF as he tried to make it in the music industry, but he was never enrolled. Explore Explore Tom Petty See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Petty passed away from an accidental drug overdose in October 2017. Days later during a UF home football game, the song “I Won’t Back Down” was played at the stadium as a memorial to Petty. The song has s...
Stonewall Jackson, Longtime Grand Ole Opry Member, Dies at 89
Stonewall Jackson, a Grand Ole Opry member who had a longtime career in country music, has died. He was 89. Jackson passed away on Saturday (Dec. 4) following a battle with vascular dementia, the Grand Ole Opry confirmed. Born in Tabor City, North Carolina, Jackson was then raised in Georgia before heading to Nashville. Jackson was known for his classic country singles that charted on the Hot Country Songs chart, including the country No. 1s “Waterloo” (1959) and “B.J. the D.J.” (1963), as well as songs like “Life to Go” (1958) and “Don’t Be Angry” (1964). Explore See latest videos, charts and news In an interview with Music Charts Magazine, Jackson recalled the excitement of being offered a five-year contract with the Grand Ole Opry on his first invitation to play there in 1956, after Wes...
