NEWS
Kim Thayil Reflects on Soundgarden’s Early Days, ‘Teary-Eyed’ Chris Cornell Benefit Show
Following Chris Cornell’s 2017 death, Soundgarden founding guitarist Kim Thayil has been the group’s most visible and voluble member, the key player in both interviews and live performance tributes. Thayil recently spoke to Kerrang! about the band’s early days, nothing that at first, Soundgarden was known as “the Asian band.” “What people don’t recall is that for the first half-year we were ‘the Asian band.’ It was Hiro [Yamamoto, bassist] and I – a Japanese dude and an Indian dude – and Chris was the drummer. Seattle didn’t have that overt segregation, but it didn’t need to. It was primarily white. There were a few African Americans and Asians, but not many.” As an early Seattle success story, Soundgarden was also an anomaly in terms of attitude when it came to dealing with...
The Mowgli’s, Eivør, and More Headline This Week on SPIN’s Untitled Twitch Stream
We’re getting back to our live music roots this week on SPIN’s Untitled Twitch Stream after doing everything from hosting a video game giveaway to interviewing Kah-Lo live on the stream last week — which is still available on Twitch for a bit longer and will eventually live permanently on YouTube. This week, we’ve got a Labor Day party with Zeke Thomas (who NBA fans might recognize as Isiah Thomas’ son), a live set from Eivør, a discussion with the Mowgli’s, and much more. As always, check out both Twitter and Instagram for any changes and don’t forget to subscribe to our Twitch with the free one you get with Amazon Prime to have the full experience. When the time comes, you can join us at twitch.tv/spinmag. For now, just take a peek a...
Metallica Rock Australia’s Albums Chart With ‘S&M2’
Metallica come out swinging on Australia’s albums chart as S&M2 (Virgin/Universal) bows at No. 1, while Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP” (Atlantic/Warner) enters a third straight week atop the national singles survey. More than 20 years after Metallica and the San Francisco Symphony led the ARIA Albums Chart with S&M, the unlikely partnership yields another leader. The live compilation, recorded last September at San Francisco’s Chase Center, gives Metallica their seventh No. 1 album Down Under following Metallica (August 1991), Load (June 1996), S&M (November 1999), St. Anger (June 2003), Death Magnetic (September 2008), Hardwired…To Self-Destruct (2016). New mom Katy Perry returns to the top tier of the albums chart with Smile (Capitol/EMI), new at No. 2. It’s th...
Patrick Donovan, Founding CEO of Music Victoria, Announces Departure
Patrick Donovan is stepping down as chief executive of Music Victoria, the trade association that he played a central role in launching a decade ago. “It’s been an exciting journey over the last ten years being at the helm of Music Victoria,” Donovan tells Billboard. “I remember when I went to SXSW in 2011 and I struggled to get people to meet with me because they had hardly heard of Melbourne. And now we’re recognized globally as a leading music city with best practice live music laws.” Prior to joining MV as its founding CEO, Donovan was The Age newspaper’s chief music writer, and he’s an adjunct professor of RMIT’s Bachelor of Arts (Music Business) Course. Donovan will leave the organization later this year having ticked-off a long list of accomplishments. During his tenure, MV pl...
Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s ‘WAP’ Takes Early Lead In U.K. Chart Race
Its rise to the summit took the best part of a month. Now “WAP” looks set to hang around at the top for a little while longer. Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s hit climbed to No. 1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart last Friday (Sept. 4), and it’s atop the leader board on the Official Chart: First Look, which crunches sales and streaming data from the first 48 hours of the chart week. The chart blast also sees Nathan Dawe and KSI’s “Lighter” gain one place to No. 2, while “Mood” by 24kGoldn featuring Iann Dior lifts 4-3. Joel Corry and MNEK “Head & Heart” enjoyed a six-week streak at No. 1, but that joyride appears to have come to its end. The summer dance track slips to No. 5 on the preliminary chart. The strongest performing new track so far this week is Sigala and James Arthur’s “L...
Katy Perry Gives Behind-the-Scenes Look at ‘Smile’ Album Cover Shoot in ‘Teary Eyes’ Video: Watch
Katy Perry is giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at the playful album cover photo shoot for her new album, Smile. On Friday (Sept. 4), the 35-year-old pop star shared the music video for her new song “Teary Eyes,” which features candid outtakes of the singer literally clowning around during the photo session for Smile‘s cover, shot by Christine Hahn. “Behind the Smile of the album cover shoot: before I even knew I was going to have an album, I wanted to do a photo shoot that encapsulated the journey to pure joy,” Perry captioned a teaser of the “Teary Eyes” video on Instagram. “Thank you @christinehahn for executing my vision.” In the three-minute “Teary Eyes” clip, Perry is seen dancing around on set in the same oversized...
Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder Shares How ‘Simple, Secure’ It Is to Vote by Mail
Eddie Vedder wants you to rock the vote this November. The Pearl Jam frontman, who recently joined Instagram, shared with his followers not only his thoughts on voting by mail, but also a lesson on how to do it. “Lest there by any confusion, here is how simple, secure and verifiable it is to Vote By Mail,” he wrote in the first of a series of posts on Sept. 2, with several showing him holding his ballot in July for the Washington State primary, which was held Aug. 4. “Piece of cake. In regards to something so huge as taking part in our democracy and putting your voices to great use, nothing could be easier. And at this intense time of a global pandemic, even more importantly, nothing could be SAFER.” Another post shows the rocker reading through the voters’ gu...
Cardi B Speaks Out About Harassment From Trump Supporters, Including One Who Tried to ‘Dox My Home’
Cardi B went live on Instagram to explain why she’ll continue to speak out against Donald Trump and why she will keep encouraging fans to vote in the upcoming election. “I’m not gonna show my face on this video. I look like shit, I feel like s—. I’m a little sick,” she began during the unplanned live session Sunday night (Sept. 6), prompted by a Twitter tussle with conservative activist and Trump supporter Candace Owens. “It’s not a secret that I use my platform for people to vote. I love politics. I endorse the Democratic party. Everybody knows I don’t f— with Trump like that,” Cardi said on Instagram Live. The rapper then opened up about dealing with harassment from Trump followers. “They be degrading me,” she ...
Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s ‘WAP’ Becomes First-Ever No. 1 Female Rap Collab In U.K.
It took four weeks to get there, but Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP” (Atlantic) is now the U.K.’s best-selling single. The U.S. hip-hop artists’ hit lifts 2-1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, to become the first-ever female rap collaboration to go to the summit in that territory. After two weeks at No. 2, the track snags 65,000 charts sales, including 8.5 million streams, to take the title, the Official Charts Company reports. It’s a person best for both artists. Cardi’s previous peak on the U.K. chart was No. 5 for 2018’s “Finesse,” her collab with Bruno Mars. Megan’s previous high point was a No. 3 for “Savage” in May of this year. “WAP” is just the second female-led single to hit the top this year, following Lady Gaga’s “Rain On Me” featuring Ariana Gr...
Sech, ASH & More Set For Billboard Live At-Home Sessions: See Schedule
It may be a shorter work week due to Labor Day Monday, but Billboard is still giving you a full slate of performances for our Live At-Home concert series, which streams live on Billboard‘s Facebook page. The week kicks off with not one but two performances on Tuesday (Sept. 8). Rockers ASH — known for their 1996 hit “Goldfinger” — will start off the day. Sech — who recently released a remix of his track “Relacion” featuring Daddy Yankee, J Balvin, Rosalia and Farruko — performs later in the day. On Wednesday, Rebelution takes the home stage, and singer-songwriter Jeremy Zucker wraps up the week’s performances on Thursday. See the full schedule below, and check back after the sets to revisit the performances. Tuesday (Sept. 8)ASH &...
Amanda Kloots Remembers Nick Cordero Ahead of His Public Memorial: ‘There Isn’t a Day I Haven’t Missed You’
Amanda Kloots is remembering her late husband, Broadway star Nick Cordero, on the two-month anniversary of his death. The 38-year-old fitness instructor took to Instagram on Saturday (Sept. 5) to share a touching message about Cordero, who died on July 5 from COVID-19 complications at age 41. “You’ve been gone two months today. There isn’t a day I haven’t missed you, cried for you and wished I could go back in time,” Kloots captioned a photo of herself with Cordero. On Sunday, the Broadway community will celebrate Cordero’s life in an exclusive memorial tribute that fans can partake in. Theater-focused streaming platform Broadway On Demand will air the free ceremony at 7 p.m. ET. Kloots encouraged her husband’s fans to participate in the public memorial. “Ther...
Taylor Swift Ties Whitney Houston for Most Weeks at No. 1 Among Women in Billboard 200’s History
‘Folklore’ leads for a sixth week. Plus, Metallica and Katy Perry debut in top 10. Taylor Swift’s Folklore collects its sixth week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, making it the album with the most weeks atop the list in nearly four years. The set earned 90,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Sept. 3 (down 8 percent), according to Nielsen Music/MRC Data. Folklore now has the most weeks at No. 1 since Drake’s Views ruled for 13 nonconsecutive weeks on the charts dated May 21-Oct. 8, 2016. Plus, Swift ties Whitney Houston for the most cumulative weeks at No. 1 among women — more on that in just a moment. The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent alb...
