R&B set the tone for 2024 as Usher took center stage at the Super Bowl — kicking the genre’s renaissance into full swing. So this year we decided R&B needed its own special celebration. On Sunday night (Sept. 8) in New York, we’re honoring five artists topping the R&B charts, pushing the genre forward and moving the culture.

Entertainer of the Year: Usher

“Good Good” became his sweet 16th No. 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, extending his record for the most among all singers.

Three decades into his career, Usher is still achieving new levels of success — and breaking records. His single “Good Good,” with Summer Walker and 21 Savage, topped the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart last November, giving the superstar his 16th No. 1. In addition to expanding his span of radio No. 1s to 26 years, dating to “You Make Me Wanna” in 1997, it further cemented his reign as the singer with the most leaders in the chart’s 32-year history.

As Usher reinforced his radio might, he also enjoyed a boost from his My Way residency in Las Vegas. Named after his 1997 breakthrough album, the show became one of the most buzzed-about residencies in town, sparking viral social media moments and celebrity attendees, all to the tune of $95.9 million (through its wrap in December 2023), according to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore.

The crown jewel of Usher’s past year, of course, was headlining the Super Bowl LVIII halftime show in February to a record-shattering 129.3 million viewers, according to Nielsen. The career-spanning energetic set closed with signature hit “Yeah!” Thanks to the record viewership and enduring love for the classic 2004 smash, “Yeah!” rocketed in streams and returned to the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 20 the following week.

Hitmaker: Victoria Monét

Her cross-format smash “On My Mama” was one of only two songs to top the Adult R&B Airplay, Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay charts in the last year.

While Victoria Monét had been no stranger to hits — putting her pen to work in co-writing chart-toppers such as Ariana Grande’s “Thank U Next” and “7 Rings” — her own performing career skyrocketed in the last year, led by the mighty success of her single “On My Mama.”

The track, which samples Chalie Boy’s 2009 Southern rap staple “I Look Good,” started as a fan-favorite on social media platforms, but found its best results on airwaves. “On My Mama” hit No. 1 on three radio charts — Adult R&B Airplay, Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay — and became only one of two songs in the past year to lead all three lists. Capturing the lattermost crown was perhaps the most impressive feat, as it interrupted a months-long domination for SZA’s “Snooze.” The “On My Mama” appeal expanded to other formats, with strong results on Rhythmic Airplay (No. 2) and Pop Airplay (No. 16).

Industry peers noticed the breakthrough and showered Monét with seven Grammy Award nominations, with a record of the year nod for “On My Mama” in the mix. At the ceremony in February, she converted three nods into wins, including a triumph for best new artist.

Global Force: Tyla

Her global smash “Water” sank the competition on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart, with 44 weeks at No. 1.

While Tyla first appeared on the Billboard charts in February 2023 with “Been Thinking,” it was her next single, the bouncy, suggestive “Water,” that carried her to chart-topping success and helped expand the richness of African musical tastes to stateside audiences.

Bubbling onto its first Billboard lists in September 2023, “Water” got hotter week after week, shooting to a No. 7 peak on the Hot 100 in early January. Reflecting its blend of genres, the song appealed to various audiences — topping the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Rhythmic Airplay charts and reaching No. 6 on Pop Airplay. The track also pushed to No. 17 on the Streaming Songs chart and saved its greatest feat for the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart, where it dominated for an astounding 44 weeks. The success story wasn’t lost on Tyla’s music industry peers, who awarded her the inaugural Grammy for best African music performance in February.

The next month, the 22-year-old released her self-titled debut album, which opened at No. 2 on the Top R&B Albums chart. The album’s “Truth or Dare,” “Art” and the Tems-assisted “No. 1” generated attention, while “Jump,” with Gunna and Skillibeng, is now in the top 15 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay.

Torchbearer: Lucky Daye

The Grammy winner earned his first No. 1 in a lead role on any Billboard chart when “That’s You” topped Adult R&B Airplay.

July 13 was Lucky Daye’s… well, lucky day, when he checked off a career milestone — his first No. 1 as a lead artist on any Billboard chart as “That’s You” crowned Adult R&B Airplay. The single, which Bruno Mars co-wrote and co-produced, continued Grammy Award winner Daye’s string of radio successes, including the dual-format hit “Over” and collaborations with Alicia Keys and Khalid (“Come for Me [Unlocked]”) and Earth, Wind & Fire (“You Want My Love”).

“That’s You” set the stage for the singer-songwriter’s new album, Algorithm. In addition to its hit lead single, the set’s “HERicane” also leapt onto the Hot R&B Songs chart in June. The next month, Lucky Daye embarked on the Algorithm tour, which wrapped Aug. 28. With fellow R&B rising star Fana Hues as the opening act, the 33-date nationwide trek visited landmark venues, including Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and New York’s Radio City Music Hall.

Icon: Luther Vandross

The late legend’s first six albums all reached No. 1 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, out of eight total career leaders.

A master of his craft, Vandross captivated audiences with a velvet, honeyed tone and technical precision that made him one of the most formidable performers to ever step up to a microphone. The connection was instant — debut single “Never Too Much” became an R&B No. 1 in 1981, as did its parent album of the same name. The top spot became a familiar destination, with Vandross’ next five albums also hitting No. 1. In all, the legend counted eight No. 1s on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, through 2003’s Grammy-winning Dance With My Father, and seven on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, including classics such as “Here and Now” and “Power of Love/Love Power.”

Let’s not forget his other contributions to the canon. The jubilant closing number to The Wiz, “Everybody Rejoice/A Brand New Day”? Vandross wrote it. Aretha Franklin’s Jump to It, a seven-week No. 1 R&B album for the Queen of Soul in 1982? He co-produced it. The full scope of his iconic career will reach audiences with the documentary Luther: Never Too Much, set to air on CNN, OWN and Max in 2025.

A version of this story appears in the Aug. 31, 2024, issue of Billboard.

Billboard Canada Women in Music was a star-studded celebration.

Rising stars, Canadian legends — and some of their parents — were on hand to honour the myriad achievements of women on stage and behind the scenes in the first-ever edition of Billboard Women in Music in Canada featuring guest of honor Alanis Morissette.

The packed, pink-tinted room at DPRTMNT in downtown Toronto was full of some of the Canadian industry’s biggest names, from Apple Music host and Billboard Canada Power Player George Stroumboulopoulos, to pop-punk star Fefe Dobson and R&B singer Keshia Chanté, to FACTOR Canada CEO Meg Symsyk and many many more. The evening brought Canadian women in music together to connect with each other, celebrate their accomplishments, and build community together.

Hosted by rapper and Polaris Music Prize winner Haviah Mighty, the evening saw moving performances and impactful speeches, and a moving speech from Alanis as she received the inaugural Billboard Canada Icon Award. Here are the best moments from Billboard Canada Women in Music.

Alanis Morissette Talks About What it Means to Be a Canadian Icon

The Billboard Canada Women in Music ceremony was graced by a true legend: Alanis Morissette received the Icon Award, honouring her as one of the country’s all-time greatest artists. Morissette celebrated femininity and emphasized its importance to people of all genders. “Matriarchy takes care of everybody,” she told the crowd, to a round of cheers.

She was introduced by two Canadian stars — broadcaster George Stroumboulopoulos and Woman of the Year Charlotte Cardin, both of whom spoke to her massive influence. Stroumboulopoulos suggested reframing the notion of an icon: instead of measuring it by numbers, he said, we can understand an icon as someone who changed the game entirely for everyone who came after her — whether the next generation knows it or not. He remembered hosting a late night radio show in the ’90s listened to primarily by 18-24 year old boys, who would call in to wax poetic about their favourite parts of the video for Morissette’s hit “Ironic.”

Taking the stage to accept the award, Morissette — who has sold over 60 million records, with her breakthrough album Jagged Little Pill widely ranked as one of the best albums ever made — had her own thoughts to share on what it means to be an icon. She joked that even cereal boxes are called iconic these days. For her, though, an icon is someone who serves as a symbol of the safety to explore. Morissette reflected on how icons can inspire fans and listeners to probe the unconscious and to express themselves in new ways.

She also considered what it means to be a Canadian icon, enumerating some Canadian qualities that have helped her to succeed: curiosity and humility. Fame can be an isolating experience, Morissette shared — especially in the ’90s, when there wasn’t a big girl-squad mindset, but fame has allowed her to also support and connect with people.

Charlotte Cardin Makes History as the First Canadian Billboard Woman of the Year

Charlotte Cardin had a year full of highlights, from crossing over into the U.S. charts to selling out arenas worldwide, but she has another big milestone to add to her resume: the first Billboard Woman of the Year in Canada.

Accepting the award from Billboard Canada national editor Richard Trapunski, the Montreal singer-songwriter acknowledged the importance of the occasion while sharing the credit. “This is such an incredible honor, but this award isn’t just mine,” she said. It was a team effort, reflecting many talented people around her — especially women.

She thanked the women in her life, including her manager Laurie Chouinard. Accepting her own award for Manager of the Year earlier in the night, Chouinard pointed out that Cult Nation, the label and management company she works with, is made up of mostly women. Cardin said the women in her life also includes her fans. She even dropped some stats. “75% of my audience is female,” she said. “I’m grateful for you all.”

Later, she got to thank a specific influence, introducing Icon of the Year Alanis Morissette. The normally cool and collected Cardin got a chance to gush, speaking for the awestruck women in the room. She said she doesn’t know Alanis, but feels like she does from her music, and called her a champion of self-esteem and acceptance for entire generations.

Cardin had one of the final performances of the night, too, hushing the room with a dramatic solo piano version of the closer from her breakout 2023 album 99 Nights, “Next To You.” She ended by blowing the audience a kiss, putting a stamp on a big night deserving of a historic achievement.

Jully Black’s Powerful ‘Redemption Song’ Commands The Room

One of the first performances of the night was none other than Canada’s queen of R&B, Jully Black, who was also on hand to receive the Billboard Canada Impact Award. Black is a platinum-selling singer, but she opted to perform a moving cover of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” instead of one of her best-known hits like her top ten hit “Seven Day Fool.”

Accompanied by piano and guitar, Black had the chatty room in the palm of her hand, opening with a moment of silence that got everyone’s attention. “You’d think it would be obvious for me to come and do a ‘Seven Day Fool’,” she told the audience. “But where I’m at in my life, it’s about redemption.” She led a sing-a-long of “This Little Light” before going into the classic Marley song about bondage and freedom, changing some of the words. “How long will they kill our women?” Black sang, a resonant question during a truly impactful performance.

After her show-stopping performance, Jully Black returned to the stage to receive the Impact Award, honouring the massive mark she’s left on Canada’s music industry and beyond. A renaissance woman, Black has a multi-faceted career in music, acting, radio, fitness and much more, and she’s shaped national conversations about racism and colonialism.

Accepting the award, she reflected on a time before she was at the forefront of Canadian media, when her main focus was bringing her childhood cabbage patch doll to her grade two show and tell. The cabbage patch doll, she laughed, melted in the sun — so her teacher, Miss Simon, invited Black to sing, instead.

“So I’m saying her name,” Black shared, “Miss Simon — thank you.” She went on to name a long list of women integral to her journey, including Warner Chappell Music Canada’s Vivian Barclay, FACTOR’s Meg Symsyk, and former MuchMusic host Denise Donlon. It was a reminder that for every woman on stage at the event, there’s many more who helped her get there.

Jessie Reyez Celebrates Her Trailblazer Award — And Her Mom’s Birthday

Singer Jessie Reyez took home the inaugural Trailblazer Award, recognizing her commitment to artistry and the ways she’s used her platform to promote social causes throughout her career, from speaking out about sexist gatekeeping in the industry to shouting out Black Lives Matter from the CN Tower.

She thanked her parents as she received the award, highlighting her mom in particular, who was celebrating her birthday from the Billboard Canada Women in Music VIP Booth. Reyez reflected on how growing up, her mom always encouraged her to live her truth, whether or not it conformed to gender norms. “I was given an open canvas, and despite people judging her mothering style, she still let me be free,” she said.

She also offered a little advice for people who might be afraid about standing up for a cause: “I hope you f—ing do it anyway.”

Star Siblings Haviah and Omega Mighty Double the Fun

It’s no easy task to follow Alanis Morissette, but sisters Haviah and Omega Mighty rose to the occasion, closing out the evening after Morissette received her Icon Award. Haviah also served as the evening’s co-host alongside Billboard Canada CEO Amanda Dorenberg and CCO Elizabeth Crisante, bringing the energy throughout the night, but she had more than enough leftover for a medley with her sister Omega.

Haviah kicked off the set with her 2023 single “Trendsetter” before bringing up Omega for a rendition of their collab track “Zoom Zoom.” The two fed easily off of each other’s vibes, bouncing around the stage and getting the crowd dancing. “We’re gonna finish it up by maximizing the fun,” Haviah told the room, before launching into her brand new single “Double The Fun,” with a booming beat. The sisters are more than capable of getting serious when the moment calls for it — in our Spotlight Sessions, they share wisdom about their journeys in the industry — but they also know how to get the party started, and how to bring an event home.

Sophie Grégoire Trudeau Quotes the Queens

Author, mental health advocate and political figure Sophie Grégoire Trudeau helped kick off the event by joking that her two kids don’t normally think of her as cool — but at an event like this, she definitely felt cool.

Grégoire Trudeau paid tribute to the event’s honourees by quoting some of their most inspiring lyrics, stitching together quotes from Alanis, Jully Black, Haviah Mighty and more into a free-form spoken word poem. This excerpt alone juxtaposes Tia Wood, LU KALA and Charlotte Cardin:

“We shed with the sea

Sun shining on our peace

What doesn’t kill you makes you hotter now

A little wilder when the lights go out

See the sun leading us

Hear the drum beating us

We will not live a meaningless life”

LU KALA’s Rising Star Shines Bright

Pop singer LU KALA has been making waves with her infectious charisma and empowering anthems like “Pretty Girl Era,” making her this year’s Billboard Canada Rising Star. To celebrate the award she performed a medley, showing off the chops that have helped bring her to international attention.

Earlier this summer, LU performed a more stripped-back set for the Billboard Canada and iHeartRadio Spotlight Session, but her Women in Music set was a full-on, high-energy affair. LU strutted on stage accompanied by keys, guitar and her very own back-up dancers.She sang a brief rendition of her upcoming single “Criminal” before segueing into the breakup bop “Hotter Now,” with her dancers fanning themselves and stomping the stage to emphasize key lyrics. It was an affirmation that this diva is ready for her spotlight.

Intimate Performances From Up-and-Comers and Longtime Favorites

The celebration also highlighted some of Canada’s most exciting up-and-coming artists, including Alberta country singer Hailey Benedict as well as soulful Plains Cree and Salish singer Tia Wood.

Benedict took the stage in a shining silver outfit with just her acoustic guitar, performing an unreleased song, “Things My Mama Says,” dedicated to her mom. Benedict, who won the SiriusXM 2023 Top of the Country competition and has built an impressive online following, also revealed the exciting announcement that she’s signed a record deal with Nashville’s Big Loud and their Canadian imprint, Local Hay.

Plains Cree and Coast Salish singer Tia Wood performed twice at the event, opening the evening and returning later with a delicate, dynamic rendition of her song “Dirt Roads.” Wood was vulnerable with the crowd as she spoke about moving to L.A. and feeling lonely, losing access to her culture and community. Wood has made a name for herself as an artist to watch, and she brought her precise vocal trills and ability for raw connection to the Billboard Canada Women in Music stage.

There was room for longtime favourites with new energy, too. Anjulie, who first charted in 2009, has made a new name for herself as an industry player in L.A., collaborating with everyone from Zedd to Nicki Minaj. At the celebratory event, she gave a short and sweet performance with two interpretative dancers behind her.

Moments of Community Building Across the Music Industry

Billboard Canada Women in Music was about more than just artists — it was about recognizing talent across sectors of the industry and building community across the whole music landscape. The list of talented women in the room was incredibly diverse — not just in terms of genre, but in ways they shape the industry.

Sonali Singh won Global Manager of the Year, flying in from India to accept. She’s one of the first female managers in India, she said, and acknowledged she couldn’t have done it without the “global artist of the decade” Diljit Dosanjh. Together, the two made history this year, putting on the biggest Punjabi concert outside of India in Vancouver and repeating it with a stadium show in Toronto.

Meg Symsyk, CEO of FACTOR, and Amy Eligh, Director of Publishing & Licensing of Arts & Crafts, both took the stage and recognized the importance of royalties and rights for songwriters. Lola Plaku, SVP, IGA Urban Marketing & Strategy at Interscope, Geffen and A&M and founder of Girl Connected, talked about the importance of mentorship. The powerful women in the room extended beyond music — Joanna Griffiths, CEO of underwear company Knix Wear, introduced Jully Black while remembering when she worked as Black’s publicist, helping Black to make her mark in the industry.

That just scratched the surface of the powerful and influential women at the event, who connected and celebrated each other throughout the night.

This story originally appeared in Billboard Canada.

The 2024 edition of the Oscars won outstanding variety special (live) on night one of the Creative Arts Emmys. It’s the first time the Oscars have won the top program Emmy in variety since 1991, when it won in a predecessor category, outstanding variety, music or comedy program. Before that, the Oscars won the top program award in 1979 and 1988.

In winning outstanding variety special (live), The Oscars prevailed over The Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show Starring Usher, The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady and the latest editions of the Grammys and the Tonys.

Raj Kapoor, Molly McNearney and Katy Mullan served as executive producers of the Oscars. Jimmy Kimmel hosted for the fourth time.

The Creative Arts Emmys are being presented over two consecutive nights at the Peacock Theater at LA Live in in downtown Los Angeles. The first ceremony on Saturday (Sept. 7) focused on unscripted and documentary programs. Sunday’s ceremony will focus on scripted programs.

Rickey Minor won outstanding music direction for his work on the Oscars. It’s his third win in the category, following wins for Taking the Stage: African American Music and Stories That Changed America (2017) and the Kennedy Center Honors (2020).This year’s win was a particular achievement because Minor was competing with himself. He was also nominated for his work on The 46th Kennedy Center Honors.

The Oscars won two other Creative Arts Emmys – outstanding direction for Hamish Hamilton and outstanding production design for a variety special. These four awards bring the total number of Emmy Awards won by the Oscars to 63. (The show was known as the Academy Awards through 2012, when the show formally changed the name to the more fan-friendly Oscars.)

Saturday Night Live was the big winner on night one of the Creative Arts Emmys with six wins. This brings the show’s tally of Primetime Emmy wins to 97, the record for a series. The show is set to launch its 50th season this fall.

The show’s wins were all in technical craft categories – directing; lighting design/lighting direction; technical direction and camerawork; production design; hairstyling; and makeup.

Blue Eye Samurai, Jim Henson Idea Man and The Oscars each won four awards on Saturday. Billy Joel – The 100th Live at Madison Square Garden and Welcome to Wrexham each won three. Girls State and Love on the Spectrum each won two.

The Billy Joel special won three technical awards – sound mixing; lighting design/lighting direction; and technical direction and camerawork. But it lost the top award in its field, outstanding variety special (pre-recorded) to Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic. This is the second year in a row that award went to a show celebrating a TV legend in his or her 90s. Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love won last year.

As the executive producer/performer of the MSG special, Joel would have won his first Primetime Emmy if the program had won. He has won five Grammys and a Tony.

Jim Henson: Idea Man, a Disney + program about the genius creator of the Muppets, won outstanding documentary or non-fiction special, where it beat The Greatest Night in Pop, about the recording session that produced “We Are the World,” as well as separate docs about comedians Steve Martin and Albert Brooks and the Girl’s State event.

David Fleming won outstanding music composition for a documentary series or special (original dramatic score) for his work on Jim Henson Idea Man. It’s his first Primetime Emmy. The show’s other awards were outstanding sound editing for a non-fiction or reality program and outstanding picture editing for a nonfiction program.

Henson, who died in 1990 at age 53, won five Grammys and three Primetime Emmys. In addition, he was inducted into the TV Academy Hall of Fame in 1987.

The Beach Boys on Disney + won for outstanding sound mixing for a nonfiction program.

The Voice won outstanding picture editing for a structured reality or competition program.

Maya Rudolph won outstanding character voice-over performance for her role as Connie the Hormone Monstress on Netflix’s Big Mouth. This is her sixth Primetime Emmy; her fourth in this category. Rudolph’s mother, the late Minnie Riperton, topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975 with “Lovin’ You” and received two Grammy nominations.

Alan Cumming, host of The Traitors, won outstanding host for a reality/competition program, beating Ru Paul Charles, host of RuPaul’s Drag Race, who had won the last eight years running. Cumming won a Tony for best actor in a musical in 1998 for his role as the Emcee in a reboot of Cabaret. He picked up a second Tony in 2022 as one of platoon of producers of A Strange Loop.

Jeopardy! won outstanding game show for the second year in a row, but Ken Jennings, the show’s host (and contestant with the longest winning streak), lost outstanding game show host to Pat Sajak, who recently concluded a 40-year run as the host of that show.

Shark Tank won outstanding structured reality show for the fifth total time. It beat Queer Eye, which had won the last six years in a row. These two shows are the top winners in the history of the category.

An edited presentation of the awards from both nights of the Creative Arts Emmys will air Saturday, Sept. 14, at 8:00 p.m. PT on FXX. Subsequently, the program will be available for streaming on Hulu from Sunday, Sept. 15 through Wednesday, Oct. 9.

The 76th Emmy Awards will be broadcast live from the Peacock Theatre on Sunday, Sept. 15, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET/5 p.m. to 8 p.m. PT on ABC. The broadcast will be available for streaming the next day on Hulu.