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Copyright Royalty Board Gears Up for Three Rate-Setting Proceedings, With Comments Due This Month

In the Dec. 31, 2025, issue of the U.S. Federal Register, the Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) officially announced the commencement of three proceedings that will determine rates and terms for various music industry sectors. Those proceedings are on the making and distributing of phonorecords, known as Phonorecords V; for satellite radio and pre-existing subscription services, known as SDARS IV; and for public broadcasting, known as PB V. The rates and terms to be determined by the three proceedings are for the five-year period beginning Jan. 1, 2028, and ending Dec. 31, 2032.

As part of the announcement, the CRB called for interested parties who want to participate in the proceedings to fill out petitions and file them, and pay a $150 fee, to the CRB website, no later than Jan. 30, 2026. For each proceeding, the notice mentioned that the petition has been simplified. The petitions are available on eCRB — the Copyright Royalty Board’s electronic filing and case management system.

According to the commencement notices, which were issued by Copyright Royalty Judge Steve Ruwe, under the Copyright Act, the Copyright Royalty Judges generally must commence proceedings every fifth year:

to determine rates and terms for making and distributing phonorecords pursuant to the statutory license as laid out in Section 115 of U.S. Copyright Law;

to determine reasonable rates and terms to license the digital transmission of sound recordings and the making of ephemeral recordings to facilitate those transmissions by preexisting subscription services and preexisting satellite digital audio radio services as laid out in Sections 112 and 114.

to determine rates and terms for the reproduction, distribution, performance or display of certain works by public broadcasting entities as defined in Section 118.

Only attorneys admitted to the bar in one or more states or in the District of Columbia are allowed to present interested parties in the proceedings, the notices state. However, individual interested parties may represent themselves and appear without legal counsel, according to the notice.

January 7, 2026/by Yveto

News

Danny Ocean Shares a Message of Hope With Fellow Venezuelans: ‘My Faith Is Too Strong’

The situation in Venezuela is sensitive following the capture of president Nicolás Maduro Jan. 3 in a U.S. military operation. But Danny Ocean sent a clear message of hope via X to his fellow Venezuelans on Wednesday (Jan. 7).

“My FAITH is too STRONG, and nobody or nothing is going to bring it down. Let them talk, let them debate; the real plan comes from the Universe,” his post began. “And you know what’s the most incredible thing? It was a WOMAN who revealed and exposed the truth to the world and the heavens. She knew we couldn’t fight stones against bullets, but a bullet against the truth stands no chance. From that moment, our hearts immediately felt that this time everything was different.”

“And do you know why?” he continued. “Because when we take away excuses from God and show Him we’ve done everything we could on our part, He knows it’s His turn. Just like life itself. One step at a time!”

The message came during a time of uncertainty and fear of retaliation in the South American country. On Monday, when Delcy Rodríguez assumed the role of interim president of Venezuela, authorities issued a decree granting broad powers to the presidency and ordered security forces to capture “any person involved in the promotion or support” of the incursion that took place early Saturday, according to CNN.

Ocean, who has always been vocal about the political situation in his country and recently performed in Oslo at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in honor of opposition leader María Corina Machado, shared his silence on X following Maduro’s capture.

On Saturday, hours after President Donald Trump confirmed the capture of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, and their transfer to New York City to face criminal charges related to narco-terrorism, Ocean simply shared on his Instagram Stories an image of the Venezuelan flag accompanied by Mathias Fritsche’s musical piece “Honor Him” from the movie Gladiator, followed by Machado’s statement of the day. “Today we are prepared to enforce our mandate and take power,” she wrote in a message titled “The Hour of Freedom Has Arrived.” “Let us remain vigilant, active, and organized until the democratic transition is achieved. A transition that needs all of us.”

Read Ocean’s full post, in Spanish, below.

Tengo la FE demasiada en ALTA, y nadie ni nada me la va a bajar. Que hablen, que debatan, el verdadero plan viene del Universo. Y saben que es lo mas arrecho? Fue una MUJER la que demostró y expuso la verdad al mundo y a los cielos. Ella sabia que no podíamos pelear piedras…

— Danny Ocean (@Dannocean) January 7, 2026

January 7, 2026/by Yveto

News

Luke Combs Announces New Album ‘The Way I Am’: ‘I’m Really Proud of This Record’

Luke Combs will return with a new album, The Way I Am, on March 20.

The set, his sixth release for Sony Music Nashville, will include new track “Sleepless in a Hotel Room,” which was released Wednesday (Jan. 7) with the album announcement.

“It’s been a long process getting this thing going, but I’m really proud of this record,” Combs said in a statement. “I’ve loved the song ‘Sleepless in a Hotel Room’ for a long time, and it’s been awesome to see how excited the fans are for that one as well.”

The album is Combs’ first full length set since 2024’s reflective Fathers & Sons, which peaked at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, continuing a streak of all five of his studio albums reaching No. 1 or 2 on the tally.

Combs produced the album with longtime collaborators Chip Matthews and Jonathan Singleton. He has already released a number of tracks from the 22-song set, including “My Kinda Saturday Night,” “Days Like These,” “15 Minutes,” “Giving Her Away” and “Back in the Saddle,” which reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart dated Nov. 1. It marked Combs’ 19^th No. 1 on the chart.

The album release coincides with a U.S. stadium tour for Combs that kicks off March 21 at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium, and runs through May 16 at Green Bay’s Lambeau Field in Wisconsin before heading to Canada and then Europe before concluding with three nights at London’s Wembley Stadium.

It’s shaping up for another big year for Combs, with the singer and his wife expecting their third child this winter.

See Combs’ album announcement and listen to the new song below:

View this post on Instagram

January 7, 2026/by Yveto

News

Tina Knowles Recalls How Beyoncé Threw Up Between Songs While Secretly Pregnant at a Show

At her 2011 A Night With Beyoncé concert special taping, Bey was two months pregnant with Blue Ivy and suffering from severe nausea as a result — not that anyone in the crowd was any the wiser.

That’s because the Destiny’s Child alum powered through the performance like a true pro, according to her mom, Tina Knowles, who posted a throwback clip of Bey singing “Best Thing I Never Had” at the show on Instagram. “This just came across my feed! It took me down memory lane,” the businesswoman wrote on Tuesday (Jan. 6).

“This is one of the hardest shows we’ve ever done,” Knowles recalled. “Beyonce was about two months pregnant with Blue and as nauseated as she could be. In between songs, she would run back and throw up and come out and do the next song.”

“This is when I knew without a doubt how strong and resilient of a performer she was,” Knowles continued of her daughter. “We couldn’t tell anyone about the pregnancy … As sick as she was, she got through the show and killed her performances. All the band and crew knew was she [was] sick.”

The ITV concert special aired in December 2011, according to IMDb. In August of that year, Bey formally announced that she was expecting her first child with Jay-Z by debuting her baby bump at the VMAs, famously opening her jacket for the big reveal after performing “Love On Top” during the ceremony.

She would go on to welcome twins Rumi and Sir with Jay in 2017.

Knowles often looks back on high points in her daughter’s career on Instagram, and delved more deeply into her experience watching Bey navigate superstardom in the 2025 memoir Matriarch. Published in April, the book would go on to top The New York Times‘ hardcover nonfiction and combined print & E-book nonfiction bestsellers lists.

Also in Matriarch, the designer shared her side of the story of how the public called Bey’s first pregnancy into question after an optical illusion during a TV interview convinced many that it was fake. “The worst thing is that people had no idea how hard it was for Beyoncé to go through multiple miscarriages, and then when finally blessed to carry a baby to term, the world starts heckling you as you both try to make it to the finish line,” she wrote.

“This child was prayed for and prayed over — a wanted, cherished, real baby, and people were making a living off saying she was a lie.”

January 7, 2026/by Yveto

News

Mike Jones Still Has His Famous ‘Back Then’ Phone Number: ‘Thanks to All Yall Who Believed, Who Still Call’

For those raised on 2000s hip-hop, the phone number 281-330-8004 is stained in their memory for good. Of course, that’s Mike Jones’ number that he famously raps about on his 2005 anthem “Back Then.”

The Houston native revealed he still has the number to this day, and his phone is blowing up with calls from fans hitting him up on the low.

The 44-year-old posted an Instagram photo of his upgrade to a new iPhone 17 on Tuesday (Jan. 6) with his phone number in tow, and Jones thanked the fans for all the support over the last two decades.

“The # was ringing back to back before it came out the BOX!! This # is connected with me for Life lmao , thanks to all yall who believed , who still call to this day,” he wrote. “Some call just to say what’s up and some call JUST to say thank u! Some call for shows & features, but I may go live and just answer calls from fans live!! So yall can see n feel the organic love that comes thru this phone!!! #Who 281-330-8004.”

Fans enjoyed a heavy dose of nostalgia with the blast from the past courtesy of Mike Jones. “I put your number down as my Reference and my Emergency Contact,” one fan wrote in his comments section.

Another added: “I used to call every other day in 3rd grade off random ppls phones!”

While one more fan replied: “Can’t even remember my old home phone # but I definitely got this one memorized!”

“Back Then” arrived in February 2005 as Mike Jones’ “Still Tippin” follow-up heading into his Who Is Mike Jones? debut album. The Salih Williams-produced hit reached No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Through the song itself and self-promoting merch, 281-330-8004 and “Back Then” have remained cultural staples for Jones while standing the test of time two decades later.

See Mike Jones’ post about his phone number below:

View this post on Instagram

January 7, 2026/by Yveto

News

Parmalee’s ‘Cowgirl’ Hits 4 Weeks Atop Country Airplay Chart: How Rare Is That Among Groups?

Parmalee claims a fourth week at No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart as “Cowgirl” saddles up atop the ranking dated Jan. 10. The single surged 21% to 32.2 million audience impressions in the Dec. 26-Jan. 1 tracking week, according to Luminate (with all songs on the chart up at least 10% as holiday music departed stations’ playlists).

Extended No. 1 runs at radio by country groups are uncommon and “Cowgirl” now stands among the upper echelon of them. The song is the longest-running No. 1 by a group of three or more members in nearly 14 years, since Zac Brown Band’s “Keep Me in Mind” (four weeks, 2011-12). Prior to that, Lady A led for five weeks with “Need You Now” in 2009.

Since Country Airplay launched in 1990, “Cowgirl” ties for the fifth-longest No. 1 run among groups. Here’s a closer look at the longest-leading hits by groups in lead roles:

“Amazed,” Lonestar, 1999, eight weeks
“I’m Already There,” Lonestar, 2001, six weeks
“Need You Now,” Lady A, 2009, five weeks
“Bless the Broken Road,” Rascal Flatts, 2005, five weeks
“Cowgirl,” Parmalee, 2025-26, four weeks
“Keep Me in Mind,” Zac Brown Band, 2011-12, four weeks
“What Hurts the Most,” Rascal Flatts, 2006, four weeks
“What About Now,” Lonestar, 2000, four weeks
“Wide Open Spaces,” 1998, four weeks
“Jukebox in My Mind,” Alabama, 1990, four weeks

(Including featured billings, Sons of the Desert join the list, via Lee Ann Womack’s five-week No. 1 “I Hope You Dance” in 2000.)

Meanwhile, Brooks & Dunn continue to set the bar among duos. Of the 11 multiweek Country Airplay leaders by pairs, the act accounts for eight. Florida Georgia Line adds two titles, while Big & Rich contribute the remaining entry:

“Ain’t Nothing ’Bout You,” Brooks & Dunn, 2001, six weeks
“Stay,” Florida Georgia Line, 2014, four weeks
“Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” Brooks & Dunn, 1992, four weeks
“Cruise,” Florida Georgia Line, 2012, three weeks
“How Long Gone,” Brooks & Dunn, 1998, three weeks
“My Maria,” Brooks & Dunn, 1996, three weeks
“Lost in This Moment,” Big & Rich, 2007, two weeks
“If You See Him/If You See Her,” Brooks & Dunn, with Reba McEntire, 1998, two weeks
“Neon Moon,” Brooks & Dunn, 1992, two weeks
“My Next Broken Heart,” Brooks & Dunn, 1991, two weeks
“Brand New Man,” Brooks & Dunn, 1991, two weeks

Among all the Country Airplay chart’s 979 No. 1s historically, Nate Smith’s “World on Fire” (2023-24) and Morgan Wallen’s “You Proof” (2022-23) lead with 10 weeks each in charge.

Taken together, the rankings underscore how rare sustained radio dominance remains for country groups and duos alike, and how Parmalee’s latest now stands firmly among the format’s most durable modern hits.

January 7, 2026/by Yveto

News

Foo Fighters Guitarist Pat Smear Sitting Out Upcoming Shows After Breaking Foot in ‘Bizarre Gardening Accident’

Pat Smear’s megawatt smile and enthusiastic strumming have been a fan-favorite staple of Foo Fighters shows since the Dave Grohl-led band’s debut in 1994. Unfortunately for longtime fans, though, that light will go dim for the group’s upcoming run of three January shows due to a gnarly foot injury Smear, 66, sustained over the New Year’s holiday.

In a tabloid-style Instagram post that plays on an iconic dead drummer gag from the first Spinal Tap movie, the band announced on Wednesday morning (Jan. 7) that Smear will have to sit out a run of January shows due to the accident.

“In the classic tradition of rockstars having bizarre gardening accidents, Pat Smear has apparently rung in the new year by smashing the s–t out of his left foot,” the band wrote alongside a fake Weekly World News-like newspaper cover featuring a smiling Smear flipping the middle finger as he’s transported on a gurney under the headline “Pat Smear Bizarre Gardening Accident!” along with a banner announcing “Aliens spotted warming up for spring training!”

“This means he’ll unfortunately be missing a few shows while the multiple broken bones in his foot heal,” the announcement continued. “We’ll miss our beloved Pat as much as you will, but we want him fully healed and back on his feet as soon as possible.” In the meantime, veteran Beck/St. Vincent guitarist Jason Falkner will be filling in for Smear at the Foos’ upcoming shows at the Feria Estatal De Leon in Guanajuato, Mexico on Saturday (Jan. 10), as well as a Kia Forum show in Los Angeles on Jan. 14 and a Jan. 24 gig at Utas Stadium in on the Australian island state of Launceston, Tasmania.

January 7, 2026/by Yveto

News

Pink Floyd’s ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ Nears 1,000 Weeks on Billboard 200

Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon — which continues to be the record-holder as the album with the most weeks on the Billboard 200 chart — is nearing a milestone 1,000th week on the tally. On the chart dated Jan. 10, the set nabs its 996th nonconsecutive week on the list, as it falls from No. 114 to No. 167.

Those 996 nonconsecutive weeks would be the equivalent of more than 229 months, or more than 19 years, in total.

The Billboard 200 began publishing on a regular weekly basis in March of 1956. The Dark Side of the Moon became the longest-charted album in the history of the list in 1983 and has held the title ever since.

The Dark Side of the Moon was released in 1973, hit No. 1 for one week that April, and contains the band’s first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, “Money,” which reached No. 13. Dark Side became the longest-charted album on the Billboard 200 on the chart dated Oct. 29, 1983. That week, it captured its 491st week on the list, surpassing Johnny Mathis’ long-standing record of 490 weeks with Johnny’s Greatest Hits.

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).

The Dark Side of the Moon had a near-constant presence on the Billboard 200 from its debut on the chart on March 17, 1973, through the Oct. 8, 1988, chart. During that 813-week span, the album spent 741 weeks on the list. After the Oct. 8, 1988, chart, the album would depart the ranking until it returned on the Dec. 12, 2009-dated chart, when rules were updated to allow older albums (termed “catalog”) to chart again. From 1991 through the end of 2009, catalog albums were largely disallowed from charting, and the survey included only then-current and recently-released albums.

The albums with the second-and-third-most weeks on the Billboard 200 are Bob Marley and The Wailers’ Legend: The Best of Bob Marley and The Wailers (920 weeks) and Journey’s Greatest Hits (890 weeks). Legend was released in 1984 and spent 113 weeks on the chart in 1984-91, before returning in 2009 after rules changed to allow catalog albums to chart again. Journey’s Greatest Hits was released in 1988 and spent 92 weeks on the chart in 1988-90, returning in 2009. Both have been on the chart almost constantly since their return at the end of 2009.

Because of how the Billboard 200 chart is now compiled, with streaming activity blended with album sales and track sales, albums tend to spend a longer time on the list than before thanks to continued streaming activity — especially those albums loaded with popular songs (like best-of collections such as Legend and Journey’s Greatest Hits). The Billboard 200 began utilizing streaming information in its methodology in December 2014. Before, the chart was based solely on traditional album sales.

Additional reporting by Paul Grein.

January 7, 2026/by Yveto

News

Ludacris & The Chainsmokers to Headline ‘Sports Illustrated’ Super Bowl Party

With the first round of the NFL playoffs kicking off on Saturday (Jan. 10), it’s definitely not too early to get your party plans in order for this year’s Super Bowl weekend. One of the events coming up is the return of Sports Illustrated‘s SI The Party, and Billboard can exclusively announce the headliners.

This year’s edition will feature returning 2024 headliners The Chainsmokers, who will be joined by Ludacris, Miami Heat house turntablist DJ Irie and rising DJ/producer Xandra. All will take the stage on the Saturday (Feb. 7) before the game at San Francisco’s Cow Palace.

“As someone who grew up loving Sports Illustrated, I’m looking forward to being a part of this weekend where sports and entertainment meet at the highest level,” Ludacris tells Billboard. “Sports Illustrated is known for longevity and excellence, so I plan on matching that energy, delivering a show that people will be talking about long after it’s over. This is going to be one for the record books!”

“We’re pumped to return to the Sports Illustrated Super Bowl party after an incredible event last year,” Chainsmokers members Alex Pall and Drew Taggart tell Billboard. “This year we’re going all out and can’t wait to bring something even bigger for Super Bowl weekend.”

In addition to the headliners, the release promises the addition of “special guests” and some “surprise moments” throughout the night, as well as branded activations from partners and a Lexus LX VIP Lounge for VIP ticketholders.

SI The Party, presented by DraftKings and produced by Authentic Live and Medium Rare, is a wind-up to the big game, often drawing a mix of fans, league owners, franchise execs, athletes and stars. Past A-list attendees have included Alex Rodriguez, Shaquille O’Neal, Justin and Hailey Bieber, Kim Kardashian, Miles Teller, Machine Gun Kelly, Kevin Hart, Leonardo DiCaprio and others.

Premium all-inclusive tickets, VIP access and VIP tables will go on sale Thursday (Jan. 8) at 10 a.m. PT via the event’s website.

“Across Big Game Weekend and other tentpole moments on the world’s biggest sporting stages, our vision with SI The Party has always been to deliver hospitality that feels intimate and insider, even at the largest events in the world, creating the most unforgettable night of Big Game Weekend where the energy and star power of sports truly comes to life off the field,” said Matt Goldstein, EVP of Entertainment and Special Projects at Authentic and head of Authentic Live, the live events division of Authentic and coproducer of the event, in a statement.

Last year’s event at Mardi Gras World in New Orleans was headlined by Diplo and Dom Dolla, with The Chainsmokers, Bebe Rexha and Kygo headlining the 2024 edition at the Wynn Las Vegas’ XS Nightclub. The Chainsmokers also co-headlined the 2023 show alongside Machine Gun Kelly.

Super Bowl LX will take place on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

See the poster for SI The Party below:

Sports Illustrated The Party 2026 flyer — Sports Illustrated The Party 2026

Courtesy of SI The Party

January 7, 2026/by Yveto

News

6ix9ine Turns Himself in, Starts 3-Month Jail Sentence for Probation Violation

6ix9ine (real name Daniel Hernandez, and formerly known as Tekashi 6ix9ine) turned himself in on Tuesday afternoon (Jan. 6) to begin a three-month sentence for violating the terms of his supervised release tied to his racketeering case.

Adin Ross livestreamed the final hours of Tekashi’s freedom as they traveled to Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center, where the “Gummo” rapper will serve his time alongside other famous inmates including Luigi Mangione and Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

6ix9ine, Ross and other members of their crew arrived in a sprinter van with Akon’s “Locked Up” hilariously playing in the background as Tekashi was escorted by federal corrections officers inside the jail.

“That’s actually so f—ked sad. I don’t give a f—k, bro. That’s horrible,” Ross stated as his rap friend entered the MDC.

6ix9ine was sentenced to three months behind bars on Dec. 5 for violating his probation. The Brooklyn native was found with cocaine and MDMA and also admitted to assaulting a man who taunted him about snitching during a recent trip to a Florida mall.

Back in 2018, 6ix9ine was arrested on weapons, drugs and racketeering charges for his involvement in the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods. After pleading guilty to nine charges, he agreed to cooperate with authorities and testify against his former associates as part of the Nine Trey RICO case in 2019.

Tekashi received a lighter sentence of two years behind bars following his cooperation, and was released in 2020 due to his risk of COVID-19 during the pandemic. He was sentenced to five years of supervised release.

This isn’t his first time being imprisoned on probation violations. The 29-year-old violated his supervised release in 2024 after being caught with methamphetamine, failing to appear for drug tests and taking an unapproved trip to Las Vegas.

For those, Judge Engelmayer sentenced him to 45 days behind bars and another year of supervised release, which saw him released once again in December 2024.

January 7, 2026/by Yveto

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