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There are few careers in popular music more versatile than that of Gordon Lightfoot. The native Canadian has enjoyed success in the worlds of pop, adult contemporary, folk and country — with fans of all ages enchanted by the singer’s unforgettable vocal approach.
The Ontario-born singer/songwriter died at age 84 on Monday (May 1), his family announced via social media. “Gordon Lightfoot passed away this evening in a Toronto hospital at 7:30 p.m.,” a statement on Lightfoot’s Facebook page announced. He had been suffering health issues in recent days, forcing him to cancel planned tour dates in the U.S. and Canada earlier this month.
At the heart of Lightfoot’s career is his songwriting. It’s fair to say that the singer bleeds lyrically through his material. Songs such as “Sundown” and “If You Could Read My Mind” revealed a man who knew his relationships could be imperfect at times. He also has quite the way with a story song, taking one of the great American tragedies of the 1970s and crafting an unforgettable lyric about it.
In honor of six decades of music, here are 10 of Gordon Lightfoot’s finest moments.
Gordon Lightfoot, the late, legendary Canadian singer and songwriter, is being remembered for his contribution to his country’s folk songbook, and for inspiring generations of musicians and fans.
Lightfoot, who wrote the songs “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” “Sundown” and “If You Could Read My Mind,” and many other across a celebrated, decades long-career, died Monday (May 1) in a Toronto hospital at age 84.
Born in Ontario, Lightfoot’s six-decade career began in the early 1960s on the Toronto folk circuit and went worldwide in the 1970s thanks to a string of influential hits. He scored four top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in the ’70s, starting with “If You Could Read My Mind,” which peaked at No. 5 in 1971. Next up were “Sundown” — his lone No. 1 — and “Carefree Highway” (No. 10), both from 1974’s Sundown — also his only No. 1 album on the Billboard 200.
During his lifetime, he collected 13 Juno Awards in his native Canada, capped by his induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1986, and in 2012 was elevated into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2012.
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau led tributes. “We have lost one of our greatest singer-songwriters,” he states. Lightfoot “captured our country’s spirit in his music – and in doing so, he helped shape Canada’s soundscape. May his music continue to inspire future generations, and may his legacy live on forever. To his family, friends, and many fans across the country and around the world: I’m keeping you in my thoughts at this difficult time.”
As the sad news spread on social media, fans and fellow artists chimed in.
“This one is really hard to write,” reads a statement from countryman Bryan Adams. “Once in a blue moon you get to work and hang out with one of the people you admired when you were growing up. I was lucky enough to say Gordon was my friend and I’m gutted to know he’s gone. The world is a lesser place without him. I know I speak for all Canadians when I say: thank you for the songs Gordon Lightfoot. Bless your sweet songwriting heart, RIP dear friend.”
Brian Wilson, Belinda Carlisle, author Stephen King and many others weighed in on the passing of a great.
Just days before receiving the Agent of Change Award at the Billboard Latin Women in Music gala, taking place May 6 in Miami, Billboard set down with Goyo for a candid interview.
The fireside chat touched on Goyo’s efforts to raise awareness about societal issues and why women are still missing out on opportunities in Latin music. But before Billboard‘s Leila Cobo and Goyo got deep and candid in the conversation, the Colombian singer-songwriter expressed gratitude for being named Latin Women in Music’s Agent of Change. “I feel very excited to be honored with this award. It’s pure motivation to continue moving forward,” she says.
About the status of women in Latin music, Goyo says, “I think there is always a world of opportunities. There’s a lot of people working to make it happen. We’re increasingly more conscious about that. Without taking genre into consideration, everyone is more conscious about that and many things can be done without fear or taboos.”
Goyo’s music aims to uplift Afro-Latino/as, who for decades have been under- and misrepresented both in her native Colombia and the world. She’s known for lending her vocals to socially conscious hip-hop fusion collective ChocQuibTown. Now, as a solo artist, she continues to elevate Afro-Latin women.
“I always say, we have to admire our differences and identify what the sentiment is when I choose an artist or a musical style I choose to collaborate with,” Goyo tells Cobo. “What’s behind my choices. It shouldn’t be just to follow a trend but be intentional.”
Catch Goyo and other honorees, such as Shakira, Thalía and Ana Gabriel, at the first-ever Billboard Latin Women in Music gala taking place Saturday, at the Watsco Center in Miami. The two-hour show will air exclusively on Telemundo Sunday, May 7 at 9pm ET.
A first of its kind for Latin music, Mujeres Latinas en la Música celebrates Latin women artists, executives and creatives who are proactively working for positive change, inclusion and gender parity in the music industry
Tickets to Billboard’s Latin Women In Music can be purchased here.
It remains tight at the top of the U.K. singles chart race, as Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding‘s “Miracle” (Columbia) holds a slim advantage over David Kushner’s “Daylight” (Miserable Music).
“Miracle,” the throwback trance tune, edged out “Daylight” last week for a third non-consecutive week atop of the Official U.K. Singles Chart.
When the sales and streams were tallied, just 267 combined units separated the two best-sellers at week’s end.
It’s a similar story this time, with less than 2,000 combined units splitting the pair in the early part of the latest chart cycle, the Official Charts Company reports.
Libianca’s Afrobeats hit “People” (5K) completes the podium on the chart blast, up 4-3.
London rapper Nines is poised to make a splash on the singles survey, thanks to the release of his fourth album, Crop Circle 2. Three tracks from it — the maximum allowed under the OCC’s rules — are set to enter the top 40, led by “Tony Soprano 2” (No. 9), “Calendar” (No. 17) and “Highly Blessed” featuring Skrapz and Wretch-32 (No. 25), all via Warner Records. “Calendar” is poised to be the best-placed debut and the only new release in the top 20.
K-pop’s latest girl group to grab the limelight, Fifty Fifty, is on the rise with “Cupid” (ATTRAKT). After improving 26-18 last week, the tune is closing-in on a top 10 appearance, lifting to No. 13 on the chart blast.
Also on the way up is David Guetta, Anne-Marie and Coi Leray’s “Baby Don’t Hurt Me” (Parlophone), which interpolates Haddaway’s ‘90s club classic. After climbing 23-19 last week, it’s set to go even higher, to No. 15.
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Singles Chart is published late Friday (May 5).
Olivia Rodrigo brought Old Hollywood glamour to the 2023 Met Gala on Monday night (May 1), rocking a Thom Browne black-and-white gown that looks like it was made entirely out of string, held together by stunning florals at the bust.
To complete the look, the “Good 4 U” singer rocked a sleek bun with Audrey Hepburn-esque micro-bangs, as well as a simple winged eyeliner and berry-colored lipstick à la the Breakfast at Tiffany’s icon.
This year’s theme, “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,” will showcase more than 150 original looks designed by Lagerfeld, who died at 85 years old in 2019, delving into the former Chanel creative director’s expansive seven-decade career. Many of his original sketches are also set to appear alongside the objects on display.
Rodrigo has now attended three Met Gala red carpets, rocking one of the top looks of the night during 2022’s Gilded Glamour-themed event, where she opted for a sparkling lavender Versace gown, paired with mesh lilac gloves, loose wavy hair with butterfly clips and a purple smokey eye.
See Olivia Rodrigo’s 2023 Met Gala look below.
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For the 21st time, the long-running talent competition series American Idol has revealed the season’s top 10. Ranging in age from 17 to 25 and representing different genres, the top 10 finalists of season 21 sat down with Billboard for the first in-depth interviews of their Idol run.
One by one, the hopefuls filed into an office at Red Studios in Hollywood to be grilled about their lives, their hopes and dreams and their Idol journeys to date. Although each contestant was interviewed privately, they named many of the same series alumni as their favorite Idols of all time.
Season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson – who currently hosts a hit daytime TV series on NBC — received the most mentions, with Fantasia (season 3 winner) and EGOT winner Jennifer Hudson (who finished seventh in season 3) right behind her.
“If you come on the show, you’re part of the American Idol alumni. You are part of our history. This show has changed lives in so many different ways,” executive producer and showrunner Megan Michaels Wolflick recently told Billboard. “I think American Idol is now like the NFL, where people train their [whole] lives to come on the show. It’s now bigger than a TV show. It’s something you can aspire to be a part of — young singers are born every day.”
With the revelation of who made the current top 10 announced on the air on Sunday (April 30) on ABC, here are the Billboard interviews with the top 10 finalists of season 21.
