All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Mattel is honoring The Beatles with a one-of-a-kind, construction set celebrating the 60th anniversary of the band’s first performance on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Feb. 9 marks six decades since the legendary band played The Ed Sullivan Show for the very first time. The performance, which aired Feb. 9, 1964, became one of the most-watched moments in television history, garnering a record-breaking 73 million viewers.

Now, Beatles fans can build their own piece of “rock ‘n’ roll history” with this collectable building set celebrating the 60th anniversary of The Beatles’ first U.S. performance on the variety show.

Walmart

MEGA’s “Ladies and Gentlemen, The Beatles!” set ($79.99) is available in select Walmart stores, online at Walmart.com and on The Beatles’ official website.

The 681-piece set from MEGA, a Canadian toy company owned by Mattel, replicates the “arrows” stage that was specially made for the broadcast and includes four 2-inch posable micro-figures of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, complete with swappable instruments.

The Beatles’ performance on The Ed Sullivan Show launched the “British invasion” and birthed Beatlemania Stateside as the show received more than 50,000 ticket requests for the 728-seat studio. By comparison, Elvis Presley drove more than 7,000 ticket requests for his Ed Sullivan Show debut in 1957.

The Beatles appeared on the show three times in 1964 and several other times over the next four years but stopped performing live on the show in 1966, opting instead for pre-taped performances. The band’s final performance on The Ed Sullivan Show was on March 1, 1970.

For more collectibles, check out the best gifts for Beatles fans.

After two decades as a band, Paramore won their first two Grammys on Sunday, taking home the awards for best rock album and best alternative music performance for This Is Why and its title track, respectively. To celebrate, the trio took to Instagram to thank fans for listening to their music.

Related

“First off, infinite thanks to our fans, our team and the voting academy for making This Is Why such a moment for us, 20 years into our career. Our band won two Grammys last night, sitting together in Zac’s living room, dressed in our regular clothes (yes, we saw the empty red carpet meme),” they began their message. “Turns out, our win for best rock album was a historic feat as we are the first female-fronted band to every take home a trophy for this category. Ridiculous yet true! It’s an honor for Paramore to be a small but constant reminder for people to keep pushing these rock and alternative spaces to be more inclusive.”

They added, “Some of you will know that This Is Why was our last album for our deal with Atlantic Records. To finish anything well is something to be proud of. Thank you to anyone who supported the ethos of Paramore as much as the music.”

In the caption, the band shared all of the credits for the album. See the post here.

Paramore released their sixth studio album, This Is Why, in February of last year, scoring their highest-charting album in nearly a decade with a No. 2 debut on the Billboard 200. The album was the band’s first since After Laughter was released in May 2017; it debuted and peaked at No. 6. The group’s last album to go higher was its self-titled 2013 release, which debuted at No. 1 on the April 27, 2013-dated list.

A brief argument between Killer Mike and Grammy Awards security personnel over access credentials led to the Atlanta rapper’s arrest Sunday night, a source close to the situation tells Billboard.

The incident took place outside the Peacock Theater where many of the awards were announced and handed out Sunday, before the main televised ceremony took place inside of Crypto.com arena.

Approximately one hour after Killer Mike – whose real name is Michael Render – won three Grammy Awards for rap song of the year and rap performance of the year for “Scientists & Engineers” and rap album of the year for Michael, Render exited a secure area at the Peacock Theater, and then attempted to return with several individuals, according to the source. Render was stopped by security as he attempted to reenter the secure area, the source says, and venue personnel demanded to see his access credentials. Render then shoved a female private security official blocking him from returning to the Peacock Theater, the source says. Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to the incident and placed Render in handcuffs after learning that the security official wanted to press charges against Render.

“The suspect was placed under arrest and was transported to LAPD Central Division,” explained a statement provided to Billboard at the time. Render was charged with one count of misdemeanor battery and was released without bail.

At press time, neither reps for the rapper nor the Recording Academy had responded to requests for comment.

On Monday morning (Feb. 5), Render downplayed the incident while appearing on V103’s Big Tigger Morning Show. When host Tigger asked “what happened” on Sunday night, Render referred to it as a “speed bump” in an otherwise monumental night.

“I won a Grammy,” Render said. “We party all night. Shout out to my record label. Ain’t nothing had happened, man. But we winners. That’s it.”

‘
Despite furious fan speculation that Taylor Swift would soon be announcing the release date for Reputation (Taylor’s Version) – the second to last re-recording in her series of Taylor’s Version albums – the three-time Grammy album of the year winner surprised the world yet again.

At the Sunday (Feb. 4) night Grammy Awards in Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena, Swift won the Grammy for best pop vocal album and took the stage to accept the award.

“This is my 13th Grammy – which is my lucky number, I don’t know if I’ve ever told you that,” Swift joked (any card-carrying Swiftie knows this by heart). “I want to say thank you to the members of the Recording Academy for voting this way. I know the way the Recording Academy voted is a direct reflection of the passion of the fans. So I want to say thank you to the fans by telling you a secret that I’ve been keeping from you for the last two years, which is that my brand new album comes out April 19. It’s called The Tortured Poets Department. I’m gonna go and post the cover right now backstage. Thank you, I love you.”

Immediately after that, Swift did as promised and shared the cover art for The Tortured Poets Department, which is a black and white photo of Swift lying down in a bed. “All’s fair in love and poetry,” reads the caption. Swift recently topped Billboard’s annual Power 100 list of the most powerful music industry players.

The album pre-order is already live on her site.

The 2024 Grammys took place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and was hosted by comedian Trevor Noah for a fourth consecutive year. For Music’s Biggest Night, the stars were out in force and dressed to the nines.

Taylor Swift – in a gorgeous white Schiaparelli gown and long black gloves that evoked Hollywood glam (and her Reputation era!) – stunned on the red carpet before strolling into the venue and making her way to her seat during Noah’s monologue, which led to the comedian joking about her improving the “local economies” as she made her way past.

Related

The show also included stunning performances, including Dua Lipa, who opened the ceremony by debuting her new single “Training Season” as well as lead single “Houdini” off her upcoming album, a duet of “Fast Car” by Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs, SZA offering up “Kill Bill” and “Snooze,” Billie Eilish and brother Finneas delivering Barbie hit “What Was I Made For?” and earning a standing ovation, and more.

Miley Cyrus also took the stage for  the live performance debut of her hit “Flowers,” which also won the gramophone for best pop solo performance. The victory was Cyrus’ first-ever Grammy win. Other winners during the primetime included Karol G – who also won her first Grammy – for best musica urbana album for Manana Sera Bonita, SZA for best R&B song with “Snooze,” and Swift for best pop vocal album for Midnights. While accepting her 13th Grammy, the pop superstar also announced her upcoming album, The Tortured Poets Department, which arrives in April.

Keep scrolling for some of the best photos from the show, including presenters, performances and acceptance speeches.

 

 

Kylie Minogue caught up with Billboard’s Rania Aniftos at the 2024 GRAMMYs.

Olivia Rodrigo brought a new level of intensity to her performance of her Grammy-nominated ballad-rocker “Vampire” at the 2024 Grammys in Los Angeles on Sunday night (Feb. 4).

Rodrigo’s delivery of “Vampire” started out normally enough, as she sang the Billboard Hot 100-topping smash in a crimson satin slip dress in front of a abstract rendering of flowers. The performance was straightforward but powerful, as Taylor Swift was even seen dutifully singing along in the audience.

Then, as the song amped up in volume and guitar-driven intensity, Rodrigo’s hands and face suddenly became bloody — with shades of Lady Gaga’s classic “Paparazzi” performance at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Behind her, the flowers on the stage painting also started bleeding, as the song reached its riotous conclusion.

Rodrigo is nominated for six years at this year’s awards, including song and record of the year for “Vampire,” and album of the year for the single’s parent album, her acclaimed sophomore effort Guts. She was also nominated in two pop categories, best pop vocal album and best pop solo performance, but lost in both categories — to Taylor Swift (Midnights) and Miley Cyrus (“Flowers”) respectively.

Rodrigo is set to head out on a world tour in support of Guts later this month — her first headlining trek playing arenas. She currently has three songs on the Hot 100 — “Vampire” (No. 38), as well as fellow Guts single “Get Him Back!” (No. 54) and the Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes soundtrack contribution “Can’t Catch Me Now” (No. 91), while Guts is hanging at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.

Peso Pluma caught up with Billboard’s Tetris Kelly at the 2024 GRAMMYs.

When Life Time Miami Marathon director Frankie Ruiz woke up at 6 a.m. Monday, the thermometer registered 55 degrees — perfect for running 26.2 miles. Exactly 24 hours earlier, before … Click to Continue »
Another former Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy has been accused of falsely attaining funds from a government loan program meant to help those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Just last year, … Click to Continue »