Pop
Halsey Releases ‘If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power’ Album: Stream It Now
The If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power album artwork depicts the regal-looking “Castle” singer sitting on a Game of Thrones-like golden throne and holding a baby (not their newborn) on their lap while exposing their breast, serving as a nod to the Madonna-whore psychological complex of how women are perceived as either motherly figures whose bodies are vessels for childbearing or sexual beings. In the caption of the Instagram post, the 26-year-old artist explains how they believe both ideas “can co-exist peacefully and powerfully.” Halsey also described the album as being “a concept album about the joys and horrors of pregnancy and childbirth. It was very important to me that the cover art conveyed the sentiment of my journey over the past few ...
Kim Petras Kicks Off New Era with “Future Starts Now”: Stream
How does one say “Woo-ah!” in French? After weeks of hype, Kim Petras has shared her brand new single “Future Starts Now”. Stream it below on Apple Music and Spotify. The incandescent bop finds the rising German pop icon feeling more irrepressible than ever as she sings, “Ain’t nobody gonna stop me/ Don’t you let the music stop now/ You’re more than just anybody/ Don’t give up, the future starts now/ Worry ’bout it in the morning/ Take it to another level/ You’re more than just anybody/ Don’t give up, the future starts now” on the Euro house-inspired chorus. The trans singer first debuted the track live during her set during Day 1 of Lollapalooza, flanked by a quartet of back-up dancers as she lived out her full pop star fantasy wearing a high pony and an old school-style Britney mic. Adve...
Inside the Business of BTS — And the Challenges Ahead
When the seven members — Jin and Suga, 28; J-Hope, 27; RM, 26; V and Jimin, 25; and Jungkook, the mystery hallway singer, is 23 — sit down and begin answering questions, however, they look and sound like the veteran pop stars they are. Seated in foldaway chairs on a stage — where the white surfaces bear shoe prints and other marks from a recent livestreamed appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon — they speak politely, eloquently and with conviction, emanating the humble charisma that has charmed millions of fans into supporting them with an almost religious fervor. “We are not exceptional people — our plate is small,” says rapper Suga, the group’s bookworm, using the Korean expression for lack of ability or small-mindedness. “We’re these rice-bowl-size guys getting so much po...
Ed Sheeran Debuts New Swoony Love Songs ‘First Times’ and ‘Overpass Graffiti’ at Intimate Gig
Ed Sheeran gave another sneak peek at his upcoming fourth solo album, = (equals), on Wednesday night (August 25) during an intimate show at the 1,500-capacity HMV Empire in Coventry, England as part of the music chain’s 100th birthday. As first reported by NME, the hit-heavy set featured recent singles “Bad Habits” and “Visiting Hours,” as well as the live debuts of two love songs, “First Times” and “Overpass Graffiti.” Fan-shot video of “First Times” revealed it to be an emotional reverie about fresh experiences in Sheeran’s career and private life. It opened with the lines, “I thought I’d feel different playing Wembley/ 80,000 singing with me/ It’s what I’ve been chasing, cuz this is the dream...
Jennifer Hudson’s ‘Respect’ Soundtrack Debuts in Top 10 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales Chart
Also on Top Album Sales: Billie Eilish’s Happier Than Ever holds at No. 1 for a third straight week (23,000 sold; down 35%). It becomes the first album with three weeks in a row at No. 1 since Taylor Swift’s Folklore spent its first five weeks atop the list (Aug. 8-Sept. 5, 2020-dated charts). Meanwhile, new albums from The Killers, Dan + Shay, Ben Platt, Luke Hemmings and $uicideboy$ debut in the top 10. Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now MRC Data. Pure album sales were the measurement solely utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart thr...
Harry Styles Requiring Masks, Proof of Vaccination at All 2021 Tour Dates
Harry Styles is the latest artist to announce a coronavirus policy for his upcoming tour. According to a new statement from the artist, ticket holders must provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 48 hours prior to attending any of his shows. Additionally, fans will be required to wear a mask throughout the entire concert, too. “Requiring testing, or proof of vaccination, is the best way to protect the health and safety of our crew and fans, and is quickly becoming the new standard for concerts around the US,” reads a press release. “There will be no exceptions to these policies.” As such, all venue staff at each show will also be abiding by these same protocols. There are two dates that will require all attendees to be fully vaccinated, where ...
Britney Spears Thanks Boyfriend Sam Asghari for His Support Through the ‘Hardest Years of My Life’
Britney Spears might be going through “the hardest years” of her life, but it sounds like she has a pretty good partner to lean on. On Wednesday (Aug. 25), Spears took to Instagram to praise her boyfriend of five years Sam Asghari — while also jokingly calling him a “cute a–hole.” “Not only has this cute a–hole been with me through the hardest years of my life but he happens to be an extremely good cook!” she wrote in the caption. “Fast & Furious franchise, don’t miss out on your next star!!!!” Asghari was in on the joke, responding in the comments with a cry-laughing emoji: “Yes … F that a–hole.” You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a da...
Billie Eilish Says She ‘Owed Los Angeles Some Love’ With ‘Happier Than Ever’ Concert Special
Billie Eilish stopped by Good Morning America on Wednesday (Aug. 25) to talk about her upcoming Happier Than Ever concert special and why her Los Angeles base is so special to her. The 19-year-old pop superstar performs her sophomore album Happier Than Ever, which is spending its third week atop the Billboard 200, top to bottom at the iconic Hollywood Bowl for her Disney+ concert special Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles, which premieres Sept. 3. “It tells a story,” she tells GMA‘s Will Reeve. Eilish says she dedicated the love letter to her Los Angeles hometown because “it formed me, it made me who I am and gave me the opportunities that I got. I don’t think I’d have any of the same anything if it wasn’t for my ho...
They’re ‘Worth It’: Fifth Harmony Scores a Second Music Video With 2 Billion YouTube Views
5H described the success of “Worth It” to Billboard at the 2015 Billboard Music Awards as “honestly unbelievable,” with Ally Brooke adding, “To think of how far we’ve come … it’s so incredible. We have the best fans in the world. They support us. [There’s] so much passion and love, so thank you, guys.” Only one other video from the girl group has achieved this milestone: The 2016 clip for unintentional COVID anthem “Work From Home,” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, currently boasts 2.4 billion YouTube views. Since it was worth 2 billion fans’ time to watch the video, give them even more views below: You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It...
With If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, Halsey Crafts Her Own Mythology
When Halsey shared the artwork for her fourth studio album, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power, the inspiration was clear: seated on a throne, confidently exposed with a child in her arms, she is the regal image of the Madonna. Halsey (who goes by the pronouns “she/they”) has always seemed fascinated by the stories that make up humanity, from the mythic to the biblical and fantastical. If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power is the next chapter in her own tale. This marks the fourth studio album for Halsey, who is on the cusp of turning 27 — her debut LP, Badlands, shot the singer into the spotlight when she was just 20 years old. Her bracing honesty and electronic production helped her cultivate a dedicated following of young adults, many of whom have grown with her in the years since that deb...
Lorde Brings the Beach to Corden for “California” Performance: Watch
Lorde is taking over the Late Late Show with James Corden this week (call it The Lorde Lorde Show), all in celebration of her new LP, Solar Power. On Tuesday night’s episode, the New Zealand phenom not only performed the album track “California,” but sat down with Corden for a chat about her career. After recounting how she was signed to her first record contract after performing in a school talent show, Lorde discussed her recent “cleansing” of social media. If you hadn’t noticed, the pop singer isn’t doing much on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook these days, and it’s entirely intentional. “I did it because I felt like my brain wasn’t working very well anymore,” she said. “It was horribly difficult, hardest thing I’ve ever done.” She compared it to cutting out sugar, where she fe...
10 Great K-Pop Songs Released in 2021 That You Might Not Have Heard Yet
Even with most touring plans still on hold, 2021 has been another major year for K-pop. Once considered more of a niche industry, K-pop’s explosion in recent years has transformed the genre into a force to be reckoned with. The gateway for many listeners, particularly internationally, comes in the form of world-dominating groups like BTS or Blackpink, but there are plenty of exciting artists emerging, such as Aespa and CIX. K-pop releases in 2021 have included R&B, punk rock, tropical and electronic influences. With the intent of highlighting all of those sounds, we’ve included recent picks from several promising rookies, as well as fresh cuts from more veteran acts like TWICE. Advertisement Related Video Whether you’re looking to discover a new favorite act or just brush up on release...
