CNCO Performs New Track ‘No Apagues La Luz’ at 2022 Premios Tu Música Urbano

Dressed in white from head to toe, CNCO took the stage at Premios Tu Música Urbano on Thursday (June 23) to perform their brand-new single “No Apagues La Luz.” An R&B gem, the slowed-down track is a departure from the boys’ uptempo reggaeton anthems, and fans seemed to embrace the new sound.

Prior to jumping onstage, CNCO — composed of Erick, Christoper, Zabdiel and Richard — won top artist, duo or group. “We’ve been at it for six years and the support from our CNCOwners has always been loyal. And be on the lookout, great things to come,” they said during the acceptance speech.

“No Apagues La Luz” is CNCO’s third single released this year; it follows “La Equivocada” and “Party, Humo y Alcohol (PHA).”

Earlier this year, Billboard reported on Disney’s upcoming original fiction miniseries titled 4 Ever, where CNCO members will make their acting debut. The five-episodes miniseries, which is being produced by Tolmur and Bourke and directed by Nuno Gomes, will follow the story of four musicians who are on their way to becoming a popular band in Miami’s music scene.

According to an official description of the series’ synopsis, “The young musicians meet by chance at a restaurant, where they get involved in an unexpected situation: a valuable guitar has just disappeared. To recover the guitar and return it to its owner the boys must put together a band. Their mission, however, is not as simple as it seems, as they are quite different. However, their passion for music becomes their common language and brings them together despite their differences as they embark on a journey that involves the promise of success – and also failed opportunities.”

4 Ever is currently in production and is slated to premiere exclusively on Disney+ in Latin America later this year.

The third edition of Premios Tu Música Urbano, hosted by Omar Chaparro, Zuleyka Rivera and Carmen Villalobos, is going down at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico and was broadcast live for the first time on Telemundo, awarding artists in 34 categories.

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Victor Manuelle Performs ‘Vamo’ a Ver Si el Gas Pela,’ Wins Special Award at 2022 Premios Tu Música Urbano

“Puerto Rico,” Victor Manuelle greeted fans as he entered the Premios Tu Música Urbano stage on Thursday (June 23), where he performed “Vamo’ a Ver Si el Gas Pela,” honoring the legendary salsero Marvin Santiago. The stage came alive with Manuelle who, along with a troupe of dancers, gave a masterclass in salsa dancing. He was later joined onstage by Puerto Rican rapper Miky Woodz.

During the awards ceremony, the 51-year-old artist also took home the Contribución Award, which, according to Telemundo, is given to “artists of other music styles who weren’t afraid to try what the urban sounds had to offer, and they opened doors for them.”

Manuelle’s special award was presented to him by El Alfa. “First of all, thank you to all the urban artists whom I reached out to in the early 2000s. None of them said no to me, although people thought I was crazy. Thank you for contributing to this idea and vision that I had. [Urbano] is now the number one genre in the world. And thank you to this awards show for letting me sing a salsa and pay homage to Marvin Santiago. Puerto Rico, thanks for all the support.”

“Vamo’ a Ver Si el Gas Pela” is part of his latest 15-track set, Lado A Lado B. The high-energy collaboration, which also features salsa veteran Marvin Santiago, fuses salsa with urban beats and brings together two generations and two worlds. It’s as modern as it gets for Manuelle, who then switches gears to his more “traditional” roots for Side B of the album.

“Many think that because I am a sonero I have to make more traditional music. There is an audience that demands that and there is another that includes young people who have known me since I started collaborating with urban music artists,” Manuelle said in a statement when his album was released back in April. “So, at this stage, I wanted to please everyone and work on this concept album.”

The third edition of Premios Tu Música Urbano, hosted by Omar Chaparro, Zuleyka Rivera and Carmen Villalobos, is going down at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico and was broadcast live for the first time on Telemundo, awarding artists in 34 categories.

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Christian Nodal Rocks a Regional Urban Medley at 2022 Premios Tu Musica Urbano

Christian Nodal might not be considered a reggaeton or trap artist, but he surely surprised fans at the 2022 Premios Tu Musica Urbano with his regional urban medley Thursday night (June 23).

The now green-haired Nodal, who recently announced his Forajido U.S. Tour, took center stage at El Coliseo to perform his Gera MX-assisted Billboard Hot 100 hit “Botella Tras Botella,” before being joined onstage by up-and-coming 15-year-old singer VF7 for their collaboration of “Pensar en Ti,” a heartfelt corrido tumbado.

Nodal, who’s also set to perform “Pa’ Olvidarme de Ella” with Piso 21 at the ceremony, won top artist regional Mexican urban earlier in the broadcast and has a nomination for top song regional Mexican urban for “Botella Tras Botella.”

In March, Nodal earned his highest debut on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart as a solo act with “Ya No Somos Ni Seremos.” Earlier this month, he scored his fourth straight top 10 on the Regional Mexican Albums chart with his six-track EP Forajido debuting at No. 6. This week, Maná’s “Te Lloré Un Río” with Nodal made top 10 on the Latin Airplay chart, returning the Mexican rock group to the chart’s upper tier for the first time in over five years.

The third edition of Premios Tu Musica Urbano, hosted by Omar Chaparro, Zuleyka Rivera, and Carmen Villalobos, is going down at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico and broadcasting live for the first time on Telemundo, awarding artists in 34 categories.

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Dua Lipa Sued (Again) for Posting Paparazzi Photos of Herself to Instagram

Dua Lipa is being sued for posting paparazzi photos of herself to Instagram for the second time in a year, according to court documents filed in U.S. District Court in California. This time, a New York-based photographer named Robert Barbera is claiming the singer committed copyright infringement after posting photos he took of her in July 2018 to the social media platform.

“Without permission or authorization from Plaintiff, Defendant volitionally selected, copied, stored and displayed each of Plaintiff’s copyright protected Photographs,” the complaint, written by attorney Craig Sanders, reads. The photos in question, which were also taken in July 2018 and attached as an exhibit to the suit, show Lipa wearing a black sweater bearing the word “HEROES” in large capital letters.

As in the prior suit, which was brought by a company called Integral Images, Barbera claims that because Lipa uses her Instagram account to advertise her music and brand and promote her business interests, she financially benefitted from posting his copyrighted photos there and harmed the “potential market” for them.

“Upon information and belief, the Infringements increased traffic to the Account and, in turn, caused Defendant to realize an increase in the revenues generated via Defendant’s promotional events and the sale of Defendant’s musical works,” the complaint reads.

Barbera further alleges that after discovering the photos on Lipa’s Instagram account in June 2019, he attempted to resolve the matter outside the courts but that “communication slowed and eventually stopped” after she was provided with a draft copy of the complaint. The images were subsequently removed from her account.

Barbera is requesting actual damages and a disgorgement of all profits attributable to the infringing activity, an order enjoining Lipa from infringing any of his other works, costs of the suit and pre-judgment interest.

Representatives for Lipa and Barbera did not immediately respond to Billboard‘s requests for comment.

Barbera has a history of bringing suit against celebrities for posting his photos to their social accounts. In May 2019, he sued Ariana Grande for posting photos he took of her to Instagram, and followed up with a second, similar lawsuit against the singer in January 2020; both cases were later dismissed. In October 2019, he sued Justin Bieber for the same reason in a case that was quickly settled out of court.

The Integral Images lawsuit against Dua Lipa was dismissed with prejudice – meaning the claim cannot be refiled – in October.

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Elton John’s ‘Madman Across the Water’ Reissue Hits Top 10 on Top Album Sales

Elton John’s 50th-anniversary reissue of Madman Across the Water makes a splash on Billboard’s album charts (dated June 25), as the set debuts in the top 10 on both Top Album Sales and Vinyl Albums. The set also arrives on Top Rock Albums and Catalog Albums, and it charts on the Billboard 200 for the first time in nearly 50 years.

Madman Across the Water was first released in 1972 and peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200 in February of that year. The set contained the hit singles “Levon” and “Tiny Dancer.”

Also in the top 10 on Top Album Sales: new releases from BTS, Motionless In White and Carrie Underwood debut, while Seatbelts’ Cowboy Bebop soundtrack hits the top 10 for the first time after a vinyl reissue.

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 Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units.

For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

Madman Across the Water was reissued on June 10 in five new configurations – a deluxe digital album, a two-CD set, a four LP vinyl box set, a super deluxe three-CD/one-blu-ray box set and a single-LP colored vinyl pressing. All but the latter includes an array of bonus tracks. All versions of the album, old and new, are combined for tracking and charting purposes.

On the 31-year-old Top Album Sales chart, Madman debuts at No. 8 with 7,000 copies sold in the U.S. in the week ending June 16, according to Luminate. Of that sum, vinyl sales comprise 3,000 – enabling its debut at No. 9 on the Vinyl Albums chart. The latter list ranks the week’s top-selling vinyl albums.

Madman also debuts at Top Rock Albums (No. 16), Catalog Albums (No. 43) and re-enters the Billboard 200 (No. 115) with 9,000 equivalent album units earned. Madman was last on the Billboard 200 dated Nov. 11, 1972. (Top Rock Albums and Catalog Albums rank the week’s most popular rock releases, and catalog [older] albums of the week, respectively, by units.)

Elton John

At No. 1 on Top Album Sales, BTS’ Proof scores the year’s second-largest sales week, arriving with 266,000 copies sold. Harry Styles’ former No. 1 Harry’s House is a non-mover at No. 2 with 26,000 sold (down 22%).

Rock band Motionless In White sees its new studio album Scoring the End of the World debut at No. 3 – the band’s highest-charting set yet on Top Album Sales. The effort launches with the group’s second-largest sales week ever: 23,000 sold. At No. 4, Carrie Underwood’s latest studio release, Denim & Rhinestones, starts with 22,000 sold.

SEVENTEEN’s 4th Album: Face the Sun falls from No. 1 to No. 5 in its second week with 17,000 sold (down 59%). TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s chart-topping Minisode 2: Thursday’s Child is steady at No. 6 with 13,000 (up 17%) and Olivia Rodrigo’s former leader Sour dips 5-7 with 10,000 (down 29%).

Seatbelts’ soundtrack to Cowboy Bebop hits the top 10 for the first time as the set re-enters the chart at No. 9 with 7,000 sold (up 10,694%). The album had previously topped out at No. 25 on the Feb. 6, 2021-dated list. The soundtrack surges back onto the chart following a double-LP colored vinyl reissue. Effectively all of the album’s sales for the week were from vinyl formats, and the set re-enters the Vinyl Albums chart at new high of No. 3.

Closing out the top 10 on Top Album Sales is Post Malone’s Twelve Carat Toothache, which falls 3-10 in its second week with nearly 7,000 sold (down 69%).

In the week ending June 16, there were 1.961 million albums sold in the U.S. (up 16% compared to the previous week). Of that sum, physical albums (CDs, vinyl LPs, cassettes, etc.) comprised 1.589 million (up 21.3%) and digital albums comprised 372,000 (down 2.4%).

There were 909,000 CD albums sold in the week ending June 16 (up 41.3% week-over-week) and 670,000 vinyl albums sold (up 2%). Year-to-date CD album sales stand at 15.501 million (down 10.9% compared to the same time frame a year ago) and year-to-date vinyl album sales total 17.638 million (down 0.2%).

Overall year-to-date album sales total 42.989 million (down 9% compared to the same year-to-date time frame a year ago). Year-to-date physical album sales stand at 33.372 million (down 5.3%) and digital album sales total 9.617 million (down 19.7%).

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SiriusXM’s Senior Director, Country Programming JR Schumann to Exit

JR Schumann, senior director of country programming at SiriusXM, will exit his role July 15, the company has announced. SiriusXM’s vp, programming, Darrin Smith, will then oversee those channels on an interim basis.

“After almost seven years, I’ve decided to leave SiriusXM and pursue other opportunities and adventures,” Schumann said in a statement. “I’m beyond proud of everything my team and I have accomplished and wish everyone at SiriusXM nothing but continued success.”

Schumann joined SiriusXM in December 2015, and his role included overseeing SiriusXM’s country and Christian programming, as well as the Elvis Radio channel.

Prior to his role at SiriusXM, Schumann served as operations manager for Cumulus Media’s Dallas stations, as well as program director duties for country stations KSCS and KPLX. Prior to joining Cumulus in 2014, Schumann held programming roles including time at WWKA Orlando, Fla.; KYKX Tyler, Texas; and KIXB El Dorado, Ark. He has also worked in on-air positions at WZZK Birmingham, Ala., and KIXX Victoria, Texas.

Over the past few years, SiriusXM has made larger commitments to the country music format, including the launch of Women of Country as a full-time streaming channel on the SXM app after limited runs in 2020 and 2021. This month, they also launched the limited engagement channel Country Pride.

Other channel launches on the SXM app include Highway Top Hits, Prime Country ’80s Hits, Prime Country Deep Cuts, Highway on the Horizon, Prime Country Party, Highway Just Music, ’90s to Now Country Hits, Prime Country Top 100, Country Classic Mix, Today’s Country BBQ and Country & Pop Party.

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