Music News
Here’s Where the 2023 Grammys Categorized Genre-Blending Albums by Beyoncé, Demi Lovato & More
The walls that separate genres are coming down, which is a good thing in many ways. But it complicates things for the screening committees that decide where records should compete in the annual Grammy Awards process. Here are some albums that probably gave the screening committees pause – and where they are competing in the 65th annual Grammy Awards process. Demi Lovato’s Holy F*ck, Avril Lavigne’s Love Sux and Tears for Fears’ The Tipping Point are all on the line between pop and rock; all are competing for best rock album. Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres and 5 Seconds of Summer’s 5SOS5 are also somewhere on that line; they are competing for best pop vocal album. Florence + the Machine’s Dance Fever is vying for best alternative music album. Two previous albums by the English indie rock b...
The 5 Best Displays at the New Bruce Springsteen Live! Exhibit at the Grammy Museum
“Once Bruce walks out on stage, the only question in my mind is: is this going to be an absolutely great show, one of the greatest shows he’s ever done or the greatest show he’s ever done? That’s the range,” says Bruce Springsteen’s longtime manager Jon Landau in a video at the new Bruce Springsteen Live! Exhibit at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news While that may be a bit (but only a little) hyperbolic, The Boss is renowned for both the high caliber and marathon duration of his concerts, and the exhibit — which officially opens Saturday (Oct. 15) and runs through April 2 — gives fans a backstage pass to five decades of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band’s live shows, including rare memorabilia and c...
Here’s Why Nicki Minaj & Latto Are Beefing
Nicki Minaj‘s frustrations regarding her Grammy genre shuffle have resulted in the latest rap beef. During an Instagram Live on Thursday, Minaj voiced her concerns over “Super Freaky Girl” being moved from the rap category to pop on the 2023 Grammy ballet, deeming it unfair. Minaj — who despite countless hit singles and albums and 10 nominations over the years has yet to win a Grammy — is not the first artist to raise questions about the Recording Academy’s categorizing methods. In the video, she mentions Drake’s best rap song win with “Hotline Bling” at the 2017 Grammys (a point of contention for the Toronto rapper, who said the song was pop but only categorized as rap because of his race and past music) and Latto’s “Big Energy” being eligible to compete in this year’s rap field. “If ‘Sup...
Kelly Clarkson Slows It Down for Alec Benjamin ‘Kellyoke’ Cover: Watch
Kelly Clarkson kicked off the Friday (Oct. 14) episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show with a beautiful and mellow rendition of Alec Benjamin‘s2018 Billboard Hot 100 hit “Let Me Down Slowly,” featuring Alessia Cara, for “Kellyoke.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The American Idol winner looked stunning under blue lights, rocking a black T-shirt, cheetah-print skirt and black boots while singing her heart out with her piano player in the background. “Could you find a way to let me down slowly?” Clarkson sang. “A little sympathy, I hope you can show me/ If you wanna go, then I’ll be so lonely/ If you’re leavin’, baby, let me down slowly.” Clarkson earned a standing ovation from her impressed crowd for her powerhouse vocals on the cover. “Let ...
Taylor Swift Unveils 3 Curated Playlists: ‘Quill,’ ‘Fountain’ & ‘Glitter Gel’ Pen Songs
Taylor Swift revealed a detail about her writing process in September: She categorizes each of her songs as having “Fountain Pen,” “Quill Pen” or “Glitter Gel Pen” lyrics. And now, one week ahead of the release of her new album Midnights, the pop star has teamed up with Apple Music to unveil three playlists that reveal which of those uniquely specific groupings are home to a handful of her tracks — from songs on Fearless (Taylor’s Version) to Evermore. Announced Friday (Oct. 14), Apple’s playlists are titled after Swift’s three “Pen” groupings, something she opened up about while accepting the Songwriter-Artist of the Decade honor at the Nashville Songwriter Awards. “I came up with these categories based on what writing tool I imagine having in my hand when I scribbled it down, figurativel...
EMPIRE Announces ‘Where We Come From (Vol. 1)’ African Compilation Album Featuring Fireboy DML, Olamide, Wande Coal & More
EMPIRE announced its first-ever African compilation album, Where We Come From (Vol. 1), on Friday (Oct. 14). It will feature Fireboy DML, BNXN fka Buju, Olamide, Wande Coal, L.A.X. and more. Kizz Daniel dropped the first single “Cough (Odo)” from the LP, which aims to celebrate and amplify Africa’s rising stars and their music. “For this song, I wanted to highlight the feeling of new love,” he said in a statement. “The song itself is energetic, celebratory and really captures what it’s like to impress someone new.” Artists from the continent have grown more prominent in the global music scene over the last few years and gained more notoriety in the West with crossover hits such as Wizkid and Tems’ “Essence,” Fireboy’s “Peru” and Burna Boy’s “Last Last,” the latter of which recently earned ...
‘The Voice’ Standouts Bodie & Jaeden Luke Are in Perfect Harmony for Their Justin Bieber Battle
The best battles on The Voice are more like well-orchestrated duets than knock-down, drag-out fights, and in the face-off between bodie and Jaeden Luke — premiering exclusively on Billboard below before airing in full Monday night — the duo are in perfect harmony. The battle reimagines Justin Bieber‘s decade-old song “As Long as You Love Me,” featuring Big Sean, as an acoustic, lovelorn duet, leaving the 2012 Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit’s synth and hip-hop elements behind. Both bodie and Luke are on Team Blake, and this battle will determine who moves forward in the competition. But there is a world where both men could advance, if one of the other three coaches (Camila Cabello, Gwen Stefani or John Legend) decide to steal a singer for their team. It looks like the guys’ best chance will ...
Adam Levine Is Releasing on a Spanish-Language Song With Maluma & The Rudeboyz
Adam Levine is getting ready to tap into the Spanish market. On Thursday (Oct. 13), the Maroon 5 frontman shared a snippet of a forthcoming track — in which he sings in full Spanish for the first time — titled “Ojalà,” a collaboration with Maluma and The Rudeboyz. The 43-year-old singer teased a 20-second clip of the upbeat track on his TikTok page, captioning the post, “#Ojala @RUDEBOYZ @Juan Luis.” Maluma shared the snippet to his Instagram Stories and as a post, writing on one Story, “What do you think about this?” The Rudeboyz — a duo consisting of Chan El Genio (real name Bryan Snaider Lezcano Chaverra) and Kevin ADG (real name Kevin Mauricio Jiménez Londoño) — shared their excitement, and revealed the single’s release date on Instagram. “#OJALA OCTOBER 20,” the duo ca...
Taylor Swift Set for ‘Tonight Show’ Appearance Following ‘Midnights’ Release
Taylor Swift‘s highly anticipated Midnights album is just around the corner, and the 11-time Grammy winner is set for her first late-night interview since last year when she joins The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday (Oct. 24). Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The appearance comes just a few days after Swift’s tenth studio album arrives on Oct. 21. Meghan Trainor will appear on the late night show that same night, closing out the episode with a special performance. The rest of the week on The Tonight Show is equally as star-studded, with Sigourney Weaver appearing as a guest and musical duo Zedd and Maren Morris performing on Tuesday (Oct. 25). One Wednesday (Oct. 26), Selena Gomez will take the late-night stag...
Louis Tomlinson Unveils ‘Out of My System’: Listen
Louis Tomlinson is continuing the rollout for his highly anticipated new album, Faith in the Future, with a brand new single, “Out of My System,” which arrived on Friday (Oct. 14). Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Out of My System” is the second track from the former One Direction member’s forthcoming LP. The album’s lead track, “Bigger Than Me,” arrived Sept. 1 and peaked at No. 35 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart. The track also found success on Billboard‘s Hot Trending Songs chart, where it debuted at No. 14 on the chart dated Sept. 17. In an interview with SiriusXM’s The Morning Mash Up last month, Tomlinson described infusing the album with both an emphasis on live sound and multidi...
Selena Gomez Was Pursued for a Role on ‘Big Bang Theory,’ New Book Reveals
In the new book The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series, the show’s creators and producers discuss the Hollywood heavy-hitters who could have been on the cast — including Selena Gomez. Big Bang Theory executive producer Steve Molaro revealed that the producers approached the Only Murders in the Building star several times. Before it was established that Amy (Mayim Bialik)’s parents were still together, Molaro had “kicked around an idea that Amy had been complaining about her awful stepsister,” who would be played by Gomez and be “beautiful and great and everyone loves her.” However, things never worked out due to scheduling conflicts. Selena Gomez Gets Vulnerable in First Trailer for ‘Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me’: ‘I’m Grateful to Be… 10/13/2022 It’s no ...
Bjork Bows at No. 2 on Top Dance/Electronic Albums Chart With ‘Fossora’
Björk begins at No. 2 on Billboard‘s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart (dated Oct. 15) with Fossora. The set starts with 10,000 equivalent album units earned, including 9,000 in album sales, in the Sept. 30-Oct. 6 tracking week, according to Luminate. It’s the Icelandic songstress’ sixth top 10 dating to the chart’s 2001 inception, a run that began with Vespertine (three weeks at No. 1, 2001). Björk’s other top 10s are Greatest Hits (No. 2, 2002), Family Tree (No. 6, 2002), Volta (nine weeks at No. 1, 2007) and Biophilia (No. 1, 2011). Björk landed five earlier titles on the Billboard 200, led by Homogenic (No. 28, 1997). Volta brought Björk her highest rank, and lone top 10 to date, on the chart (No. 9). Concurrently, Fossora arrives on Top Album Sales (No. 7), Vinyl Albums (No. 7; 5...
