Apple Holiday Deals: AirPods Are On Sale for Just $99

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.

Holiday sales are still live, which means you can score tons of discounts on must-have products such as Apple AirPods, which are currently on sale for $99 at Amazon and retailers such as Walmart and Target ($99 at Best Buy).

Whether you’re shopping for a holiday gift or maybe you want to treat yourself, get a discount on Apple’s best-selling AirPods starting at just $99 — one of their lowest prices ever. Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pros are on sale for $199.

Right now, you can score more than 65% off millions of items at Amazon and Walmart. The holiday sale offers up some of the year’s deepest discounts on tech, electronics, gaming, fashion, movies, home goods and much more. If you’re order from Amazon, Prime members get free shipping on millions of items. (Click here to launch your free trial.)

When it comes to earbuds for music, there’s no denying the popularity of AirPods. Apple’s famous all-white earbuds are as much a status symbol as they are an essential go-to for recording artists, podcasters and music producers alike. But we recommend them for everyday use as well, whether you’re listening to music on your daily commute or need a pair of wireless earbuds for your next FaceTime call or Zoom.

While AirPods used to cost a pretty penny, they’re now available for less than $200. Apple products never go on sale on the company’s own site, but Amazon has them on sale for 23% off for a limited time. This deal won’t last, so you’ll have to move fast to get your AirPods at a deep discount for the holidays. (Click here to shop MacBook Air deals and here for iPad, Apple Watch and other Apple products.)

Best Apple Deals: AirPods Drop to $99 at Amazon, Walmart

Apple Airpods 2nd Gen. Wireless Ear Buds

$99.00 $129.00 23% off

Buy Now On Amazon

Buy Now at walmart

Apple’s second generation AirPods Pros are currently $189 at Amazon and Walmart (third-generation AirPods $149.99 at Amazon). Regularly $249, the AirPods deal gets you a 24% discount on the popular earbuds. Apple’s newest AirPods Pro are equipped with an H2 chip that “pushes advanced audio performance even further, resulting in smarter noise cancellation and more immersive sound,” according to the product description. The AirPods offer personalized spacial sound, quick access to Siri, up to two times more Active Noise Cancellation, up to six hours of listening time without the charging case and 30 hours with the case. The AirPods Pro also include four pairs of silicone tips (XS, S, M and L).

Apple’s, older second generation AirPods are marked down to $89 at Amazon and Walmart while, third gen. AirPods (with H2 chip) are $149.99 at Amazon and $149.99 at Best Buy.  

airpods pro

Apple Airpods Pro, 2nd Gen. Wireless Ear Buds

$199.99 $249.00 20% off

Buy Now On Amazon

Apple AirPods Max are usually $549 for a new pair, but you can find them on sale for $479.99 at Amazon. You can also purchase AirPods Max on sale at Walmart and Best Buy, although prices and availability may vary depending on the retailer.

The AirPods Pro are one of the newer wireless earbuds in the AirPods family, and musicians are snapping them up thanks to the superb audio quality (think: clear, crisp sound), and the buds’ Active Noise Cancellation feature, which blocks out exterior noise for a quieter, more focused listening session.

Traveling for the holidays? AirPods Pro are also great for travel, running and working out, with a sweat-resistant coating worth considering. (They’re not entirely waterproof like some earbuds, so you wouldn’t want to go swimming in them). Interchangeable silicone tips allow you to find the perfect seal for your ears, and everything fits into a tiny charging case, which now gets you up to 30 hours of battery life before you need to plug in. And don’t forget to keep them clean.

Apple is known for their high-tech and high-design products, and the AirPods Pro are not only a fan favorite, but an industry fave as well. Need further proof? According to a report from last year, AirPods Pro sales exceeded 90 million units during the 2021 holiday season.

Get the Apple AirPods Pro with H2 chip and double the noise cancellation for $259. Another deal: The 2nd gen. AirPods are even cheaper, discounted right now to just $99 at Amazon and Walmart. Note that the regular AirPods won’t have the Active Noise Cancellation technology, but all the other features are there. See full sale details here.

/by

Depeche Mode’s Crypto.com Arena Shows to Eliminate Single-Use Cups in Sustainability Pilot Test

Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles is pilot-testing a new waste diversion initiative at the arena’s upcoming two-night run for Depeche Mode on Dec. 15 and 17.

The program, held in conjunction with reusable cup manufacturer r.World, could help divert hundreds of thousands of single-use cups out of local landfills and eventually serve as a staple sustainability initiative at the AEG-owned facility, which is widely recognized as a leader in the live entertainment business’ efforts toward long-term sustainability.

Related

music events affected by climate change

Here Are All The Concerts Affected By Climate Change In 2023

As part of the program, Crypto.com Arena and its janitorial servicer, ABM, will work with r.World to receive and distribute 13,000 beer, cocktail and soft drink cups around the arena. On the nights of the Depeche Mode performances (the shows are promoted by Live Nation), the cups will be utilized by the arena’s bar, beverage and concessionaires to serve drinks to attendees, who will then dispose of the cups in specially marked bins staged around the arena. At the end of the first show, the cups will be collected by r.World staff and taken to a nearby cleaning facility where they will be washed and returned to the arena for the second night. The cups ultimately stay in the system for two years.

The program, explains Crypto.com Arena president Lee Zeidman, was inspired by Depeche Mode’s long-running commitment to environmental and sustainability initiatives. “Commencing with the electrifying Depeche Mode concerts, our aim is to ignite a wave of positive change and rally our audience and partners to actively participate in shaping a more eco-conscious future,” he tells Billboard.

Last year, a similar pilot program was launched by AEG-owned Goldenvoice with r.World to eliminate plastic cups from its Cali Vibes festival in Long Beach, Calif. Following the pilot, Crypto.com Arena will evaluate the data from the two concerts and, if the program is successful, will look to collaborate with current or future partners to make r.World a full-time option to guests and fans in the future. 

“We believe that there’s going to be less labor needed in terms of cleanup and the cleanup crew, and we believe we’re going to have lower waste disposal fees,” Zeidman says. “We also believe that people will embrace this opportunity to keep single plastic waste out of the stream and perhaps buy more beers or Cokes.”

In addition to Los Angeles, r.World boasts industrial “Wash Hub” facilities that also service Denver, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. To meet market demand for reuse, the company plans to expand the program to eight to 12 more cities in the next 24 months.

“We’re excited to work with Crypto.com Arena — as one of the busiest venues in the world, the positive environmental impact potential of reuse is massive,” said Michael Martin, r.World founder/CEO. “They’ve led the industry and operated in the most environmentally innovative ways since opening in 1999, and so it’s no surprise they’re launching the pilot reuse program in the LA market and ultimately, driving change across the live events industry.”

/by

High-speed chase on U.S. 1 involving an SUV and FHP ends with crash in the Florida Keys

The Florida Highway Patrol was in a high-speed chase Sunday morning with a driver of an SUV for at least 30 miles on U.S. 1 in the Florida Keys. It … Click to Continue »
/by

Kanye West teases new album at Wynwood restaurant after surprise Art Basel appearance

After a surprise appearance at Art Basel, Kanye West gave fans at a Wynwood restaurant a rare glimpse into his upcoming album. KANYE PLAYING THE NEW ALBUM! pic.twitter.com/M0zj752EI8— RH (@RihYe_) … Click to Continue »
/by

$6.5 million is waiting for 14,000 Florida employees who got shorted on pay, feds say

You might be one of over 14,000 Florida workers owed a part of more than $6.5 million in unclaimed wages. If you are, the U.S. Department of Labor would like … Click to Continue »
/by

Their stolen land in Orange County was given back. Now they’re ready to heal

As far back as 9,000 years ago, the Acjachemen and Tongva people hunted, fished and foraged for nuts and berries at Bolsa Chica Mesa. This is where they gathered herbs … Click to Continue »
/by

Tony Romo Calls Taylor Swift Travis Kelce’s ‘Wife’ as Singer Cheers On the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium

“All they keep asking me is if I’m gonna be your bride” might accurately describe Taylor Swift‘s night after Tony Romo accidentally referred to the superstar as Travis Kelce’s “wife” Sunday (Dec. 10).

Romo’s slip-up came when Kelce caught an amazing pass during the second quarter of Sunday night’s Kansas City Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills game at Arrowhead Stadium.

“As you see Kelce’s wife, Taylor Swift, in the audience…” said Romo, who was commenting on the play. With a nervous chuckle, he quickly corrected himself: “I’m sorry, girlfriend.”

On Sunday, Swift, wearing a vintage Chiefs sweatshirt, stood in a suite watching the game among friends.

The pop star, who was just named TIME‘s Person of the Year, confirmed to the public that she’s in a relationship with Kelce in her cover story interview published this week, in which she referred to herself and Kelce being a “couple.”

Related

Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift

A Timeline of Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce’s Relationship

“We actually had a significant amount of time that no one knew, which I’m grateful for, because we got to get to know each other. By the time I went to that first game, we were a couple,” said Swift, talking about her first appearance at a Chiefs game in September. “I think some people think that they saw our first date at that game? We would never be psychotic enough to hard launch a first date.”

“Tony Romo” trended on X (formerly Twitter) right after he referred to Swift as Kelce’s “wife.”

“They need to play lavender haze at half time,” read a text screenshot from one fan to another. On the Midnights track, Swift sings about people asking her when she’s getting married, and only seeing her “as a one night, or a wife.”

Other Swifties shared funny GIFs, or joked about how news headline writers and Swift’s publicist would react.

See the televised moment captured below, followed by some fan reactions.

/by

Olivia Rodrigo Makes Cameo in ‘Tiny Ass Bag’ Sketch on ‘SNL’

Tired of carrying around a big bag? Looking for something impractical to add to your Christmas list? SNL cast members Marcello Hernández and Ego Nwodim, host Adam Driver, and musical guest Olivia Rodrigo have got just the product for you: the Tiny Ass Bag.

Hernández and Nwodim led a sketch promoting various styles of the miniature accessory on Saturday night’s (Dec. 9) episode.

The most impressive item in the Tiny Ass Bag line might be the Tiny Ass Hiking Backpack, as modeled by Driver, or perhaps the Tiny Ass Luggage. As Kevin, aka Driver, says, “My bag is little, and my ass is fat. I’m the king of the world!”

Rodrigo co-stars as Georgina without a last name — “It’s Georgina, and das it” — who makes an appearance to show off another Tiny Ass product.

“This one is so small, it can only fit your secrets,” she says, modeling the Tiny Ass Carry On.

Related

Olivia Rodrigo on "SNL"

Olivia Rodrigo Stabs Cake and Smears It on Herself in Dramatic ‘All-American B—-‘ ‘SNL…

As musical guest, Rodrigo performed an emotional, understated “Vampire” and a theatrical “All-American Bitch” that had her shattering her glass at just the right moment, throwing herself across a table, stabbing a red cake and smearing it all over her face with a grateful smile.

Watch the “Tiny Ass Bag” sketch below. Check out her SNL performances here.

/by

SZA Reveals Six Variations of ‘Lana’ Cover Art, Celebrates 1-Year Anniversary of ‘SOS’

Lana is coming soon. SZA teased the upcoming deluxe version of her chart-topping 2022 album, SOS, with a cover art series posted on Instagram Sunday (Dec. 10).

Though she didn’t announce a release date, SZA revealed six different images with the caption “LANA.” The singer-songwriter, whose real name is Solána Rowe, confirmed that Lana is the title of a deluxe release in September.

“So the deluxe is like a whole ‘nother album, and it’s called Lana. It’s seven to 10 songs, and it’ll be out this fall,” SZA said at New York’s Brooklyn Navy Yard at an event on Sept. 8 (via a fan-captured video from the show).

Fans are speculating that the images feature a clue that Lana could arrive on Dec. 15. The singer is wearing a jersey with the number “15” in three of the photos.

On Sunday, SZA also looked back on SOS a year after its release.

“a day late but Happy 1 year anniversary to an album that is ACTIVELY CHANGING MY LIFE .. like rn currently changing my life,” she wrote on Instagram. “I haven’t processed this year AT ALL cause it’s still happening .. this is beyond my wildest dreams . I never imagined we’d accomplish a fraction of the accolades that came from this .. it often doesn’t feel real and it’s funny cause I swore I’d know what to do if it ever happened . turns out I I froze .. I know the perils of drinking the koolaid so I won’t dabble in that .. but I have to express the immense GRATITUDE I have for every person that made this possible . Every person that’s been apart of this journey. Thank you to GOD and to my incredible TEAM and My FAMILY . My ancestors . Thank you to every person that streamed this album ,came to a show , blasted it in traffic and connected w ANY part of me . To everyone that continues to believe in me and be patient w me as I figure it all out . your my driving force . I love you.”

Related

SZA

1 Year of ‘SOS’: 8 Records & Achievements for SZA’s Blockbuster Album

SOS debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in December 2022, and the album had a non-consecutive 10-week run atop the chart. SZA is the leader in nominations for the 2024 Grammys, with nine nods — including each of the “Big Three” categories: album for SOS, and record and song of the year for her Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Kill Bill.”

See her new Lana posts below.

/by

ATEEZ Claims First No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart With ‘THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL’

ATEEZ’s THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL bows at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Dec. 16), marking the first chart-topper for the Korean pop group. The set earned 152,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Dec. 7, according to Luminate, nearly entirely from traditional album sales — 146,000. Both figures mark career-high milestones for the act. Sales of the album were bolstered by its availability across more than 30 collectible editions.

THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL is the fourth top 10-charting effort from the act, all posted consecutively. The group previously charted as high as No. 2 with its last entry, THE WORLD EP.2: OUTLAW, in July.

ATEEZ’s success on the Billboard 200 (six charting titles, including four top 10s) has been achieved without charting a song on any U.S. Billboard airplay or streaming chart, the Billboard Hot 100, or the Billboard Global 200 or Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts. (The latter two rank songs based on streaming and sales activity culled from more than 200 territories around the world, as compiled by Luminate. The Global 200 is inclusive of worldwide data and the Global Excl. U.S. chart comprises data from territories excluding the United States.)

Also in the top 10 of the new Billboard 200, Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song returns to the region for a sixth consecutive holiday season, as the set rises 16-10.

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 album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Dec. 16, 2023-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Dec. 12. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

Of THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL’s 152,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending Dec. 7, album sales comprise 146,000 (with 99% of that sum driven by physical album sales and 1% via digital album downloads), SEA units comprise 5,500 (equaling 7.59 million on-demand official streams of the set’s 12 tracks) and TEA units comprise 500 units.

As is typical for major K-pop releases, THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL was issued in multiple collectible physical configurations, 33 in total. All have the same 12-song tracklist, but have alternative packaging and contain different branded paper merchandise (some randomized, including photocards). Of the 33 editions, 26 are CDs and seven are vinyl. Among the variants are retail-exclusives sold through the likes of Barnes & Noble, Target and Walmart.

Each variant of the physical album in the U.S. was sold with a minimum of two random photocards, but could contain up to five depending on where the customer bought the album. K-pop photocards are similar to sports trading cards, in that each card typically has a photo of a member of the group. Each random photocard is from a set of eight total cards (one for each member). In total, there were a dozen sets of eight photocards, with assorted sets assigned to the retail-exclusive versions of the album.

As THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL album is mostly in the Korean language, it is the 23rd mostly non-English language album to hit No. 1, and the seventh of 2023 (and of those seven, the fifth in mostly Korean). The other six are: Stray Kids’ ROCK-STAR, Bad Bunny’s Spanish-language Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana, NewJeans’ 2nd EP ‘Get Up,’ Stray Kids’ 5-STAR, Karol G’s Spanish Mañana Será Bonito and TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s The Name Chapter: Temptation.

THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL is the only debut in the top 10 of the new Billboard 200. The rest of the top seven comprises former No. 1s, with Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) falling 1-2 (101,000 equivalent album units; down 28%), Drake’s For All the Dogs dipping 2-3 (76,000; down 10%), Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time stationary at No. 4 (65,000; up 3%), Michael Bublé’s Christmas jingling 9-5 (60,000; up 28%), Swift’s Midnights dropping 3-6 (55,000; down 15%) and SZA’s SOS steady at No. 7 (51,000; up 7%).

Noah Kahan’s Stick Season rises 13-8 for its highest rank since its deluxe reissue pushed it 100-3 (its peak) on the June 24-dated chart. The album earned 48,000 equivalent album units in the tracking week – up 26%. The set’s gain follows Kahan’s performances on NBC’s Saturday Night Live on Dec. 2.

Taylor Swift’s former No. 1 Folklore descends 5-9 with 46,000 equivalent album units earned (down 22%).

Rounding out the top 10 is Nat King Cole’s holiday album The Christmas Song, climbing 16-10. It visits the top 10 for a sixth consecutive holiday season (having reached a high of No. 5 in January). It earned 44,000 equivalent album units in the tracking week – up 21%. The album boasts Cole’s classic title track, along with Billboard Holiday 100-charting favorites including “Deck the Halls,” “O Come All Ye Faithful,” “Joy to the World” and “Caroling, Caroling.”

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

/by