A new and worrisome school year begins Tuesday in Uvalde. There is new high fencing around the Texas community’s public school campuses that still isn’t finished, a heavy police patrol … Click to Continue »
Yungblud tells us how he got Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne to make a cameo for his ‘Funeral’ music video and what it was like to work with them.
The 2023 Brit Awards are set for Saturday Feb. 11, 2023. That’s six days after the 2023 Grammy Awards, which will air on Sunday Feb. 5 from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The 2023 Brits will air live from The O2 Arena in London for the 13th year and will be broadcast exclusively on ITV and ITVX for the 30th year. This marks the first time that the Brits will be held on a Saturday.
Harry Styles is sure to be a top nominee at both the Brits and the Grammys. His Harry’s House has headed the Official U.K. Albums Chart for six nonconsecutive weeks, longer than any other album in 2023. His smash “As It Was” headed the Official U.K. Singles Chart for 10 consecutive weeks, also the record for 2022.
As such, Styles is a leading contender for both British album of the year and best British single. Adele won both awards last year with her album 30 and single “Easy on Me.” If Styles wins both awards this year, he’ll become the first male solo artist to double up on the top awards in the same year. This feat has previously been accomplished by three groups (Fairground Attraction, 1989; Blur, 1995; and Coldplay, 2006) and one female solo artist (Adele, who has done it twice, in 2016 and 2022).
Styles won British single of the year two years ago for his sensuous smash “Watermelon Sugar.” If he wins again in February, he’ll become the first artist to win twice in that marquee category in the space of three years since Take That won back-to-back awards in 2007 and 2008 with “Patience” and “Shine,” respectively.
Styles first won British single of the year in 2012 as a member of One Direction for their fizzy smash “What Makes You Beautiful.”
Styles won his first solo Brit award, British video of the year, for “Sign of the Times” in 2018.
The Brit Awards 2023 with Mastercard (the show’s official name) announced their show date on Monday (Sept. 5). They also announced that Damian Christian, managing director and president of promotions at Atlantic Records (part of Warner Music UK) will take over as chair of the Brit Committee for 2023.
Commenting on the new date, Christian said in a statement: “The Brits is the biggest night of the year for the U.K. music industry, and we want as many eyes on it as possible as we showcase the best and most diverse British talent. Moving the show to a Saturday will breathe new life into the iconic ceremony, while also introducing a new and more engaged audience.”
Comedian Mo Gilligan hosted the 2022 Brit Awards, which were held on Feb. 8 at The O2. Adele won the most awards (three).
Last year, the Brit Awards underwent a major overhaul. The BPI announced in November 2021 that the Brits would no longer use gendered categories; that it would introduce two marquee awards (artist of the year and songwriter of the year); and that it would revive four genre-specific categories — best alternative/rock act, best dance act, best hip hop/rap/grime act and best pop/R&B act.
Nominations were announced on Dec. 18, 2021. Adele, Dave, Little Simz and Ed Sheeran tied for the most nods (four).
LF System and Dave are also leading contenders for best British single at the upcoming awards. LF System, a British production duo from Scotland, topped The Official U.K. Singles Chart for eight weeks with “Afraid to Feel.” Dave, an English rapper, singer and actor, headed that chart for four weeks with “Starlight.”
Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God),” which topped the Official U.K. Singles Chart for three weeks earlier this summer, will presumably be ineligible for best British single because it was first released in 1985. In fact, it was nominated for British single of the year in 1986, but lost to Tears for Fears’ global hit “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” Bush has won one Brit Award – best British female in 1987.
It’s been two years since Billboard featured regional Mexican singer/songwriter Carín León as an Artist on the Rise with one hit on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart. Since then, León — the former lead vocalist of Grupo Arranke — has placed seven more entries on the chart, including two No. 1s.
That success, including “El Tóxico” with Grupo Firme, is a testament to León’s versatility; he can veer from banda to norteño to ballads with equal ease, aided by powerful, soulful vocals.
Onstage, León is even more impressive. So much so that on Sunday (Sept. 4), he played a near sold-out date to a euphoric crowd at Miami’s Hard Rock Live arena, extremely rare for a regional Mexican act in South Florida, where regional Mexican fans are scarce and major artists in the genre rarely play in venues in or near Miami. But there’s something about León. Here are five takeaways from his show.
1. When León puts on a show, he goes big. Throughout the two-hour performance, he was backed by a 20-piece band that included four clarinets and four trumpets. The very sophisticated musical arrangements are courtesy of tuba player Gilberto Meneses for banda tracks and the versatile guitarist/keyboardist Orlando Aispuro.
2. Let’s please change paradigms about regional “Mexican music.” Seeing a sold-out Hard Rock arena – a venue that’s traditionally reserved for pop, rock and alternative acts — was proof enough that the music can go wide beyond its traditional stages, and that there’s a premium audience willing to pay to watch a good show. By the way, if you ever need incentive to buy a really beautiful cowboy hat, go to a León show.
3. León loves his audience. Every song comes with an intro and boy do we get a kick out of that. It’s like a big party, especially when León walks around with his drink in hand. Saludcita! (as he would say).
4. He’s a musician’s musician. Plays the guitar? Check. Sing a cappella? Check. Versatile? Just watch him navigate the bravura of banda and the tenderness of ballads. To top it all, the man knows how to swivel his hips.
5. Get ready to spill secrets. León loves to talk, giving fresh meaning to each song. We found out, for example, that he lost his virginity to “You’re the One I Love” (Sigues Siendo Tu in Spanish). Some of our favorite lines of the evening: “Having a toxic woman in the house is a blessing. It means she loves you even when you’re ugly”; and, “We men are shameless. We always promise things we can’t deliver.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has awarded Universal Music Group the Ukraine Peace Prize for its support of Ukraine during the country’s war with Russia.
At a ceremony on Monday (Sept. 5) at UMG’s Belgium headquarters in Brussels, Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration, presented the award to Frank Briegmann, UMG’s chairman and CEO of Central Europe.
UMG, which was among the first major labels to declare its support for economic sanctions against Russia after it invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, is the first music company to receive the award from Ukraine.
“Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Universal Music has proven that they are true friends of Ukraine,” Stefanishyna says.
The label says its efforts include support for NGOs, including World Central Kitchen, the International Red Cross, International Rescue Committee, CARE and the International Medical Corps.
UMG executive vp Michele Anthony also played a central role in Global Citizen’s “Stand Up for Ukraine” social media rally in April, which helped raise more than $10 billion for Ukrainian refugee relief through the European Union’s pledging summit. The event brought together hundreds of thousands of global citizens, including many UMG artists, as well as other musicians, athletes, actors, creators and activists.
The label also helped organize various charity concerts that generated millions of dollars for relief efforts. In July, UMG labels Decca Classics and Deutsche Grammophon partnered with New York’s Metropolitan Opera to release A Concert for Ukraine, an album recorded live at the Met on March 14 featuring a special concert in support of Ukrainians. Conducted by music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the album opens with the National Anthem of Ukraine, featuring Ukrainian bass-baritone and Lindemann Young artist Vladyslav Buialskyi. Proceeds from the sale of the album were donated to charities supporting relief efforts in Ukraine.
Numerous UMG artists also raised millions of euros at the Berlin charity concert “Sound of Peace,” including Sarah Connor, Rea Garvey and David Garrett. And a charity concert in Poland, arranged with a choir and orchestra of Polish and Ukrainian musicians, was broadcast in 50 countries, UMG says.
UMG artist Sting re-recorded his song “Russians,” pledging profits to the HelpUkraine.Center (www.helpukraine.center), a volunteer storage center established by Ukrainian business owners to receive humanitarian and medical aid from around the world.
“Throughout history, music has served as a beacon of inspiration and hope and healing – and helping to bring peace to those affected by violence,” Briegmann said in accepting the award. “The Russian military invasion in Ukraine affects millions with urgent humanitarian needs – from food and water to shelter and clothing. Universal Music and our employees and artists are proud to support groups that are on the ground providing lifesaving, humanitarian assistance to those most vulnerable.”
Other recipients of the Ukraine Peace Prize include Microsoft, Google and Amazon (for its Amazon Web Services, or AWS).
Volodymyr Zelenskyy makes a speech on evaluation the 22nd day of the Russia-Ukraine war during virtually addressing in Kyiv, Ukraine on March 17, 2022.
It took six weeks for Eliza Rose’s “B.O.T.A (Baddest Of Them All)” to reach No. 1 in the U.K. Don’t expect it to anywhere, anytime soon.
Based on early sales and streaming data, “B.O.T.A” looks set to sail to the top for another week, at the very least.
With its ascent last week, Rose became the first female DJ to lead the Official Singles Chart in over 20 years, since Sonique’s “It Feels So Good” led the chart back in June 2002.
“B.O.T.A” (with Interplanetary Criminal) spread its wings on TikTok before becoming the 1,400th U.K. No. 1 single, and, in doing so, ending LF System’s eight-week unbroken reign with “Afraid to Feel.”
LF System’s summer smash is set to lose more ground, as David Guetta and Bebe Rexha’s “I’m Good (Blue)” lifts to No. 2 on the chart blast, while OneRepublic’s “I Ain’t Worried” from Top Gun: Maverick could fly to No. 3, both peak positions.
Also driving up the chart blast is James Hype and Miggy Dela Rosa’s “Ferrari,” which finds the right gear for a boost 8-6.
Further down the First Look chart, Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl” continues to heat up, and appears ready to return into the Top 10 for a new peak of No. 7.
The highest-charting debut this week could belong to the 1975, with their new single “I’m In Love With You.” It’s set to arrive at No. 23 in the U.K., for the Matt Healy-lead Manchester band’s 11th top 40 appearance.
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Singles Chart is presented late Friday.
Adele is one step closer to becoming an EGOT after winning an Emmy this weekend. The star proudly posed for a pair of selfies with an Emmy statuette on Sunday (Sept. 4) following the 2022 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, where Adele: One Night Only was one of the night’s top winners.
“Bloody hell I’m pleased as punch! Thank you @mrbenwinston for dropping this round to me this afternoon!! Trust me to officially have an EGO,” she wrote on Instagram and Twitter Sunday night, tagging the producer of Adele: One Night Only and adding a laughing emoji to her message.
Adele won the Emmy for outstanding variety special (pre-recorded), and her CBS television special was the winner in four other categories.
Paul Dugdale, the director of Adele: One Night Only, won outstanding directing for a variety special, and the show took home the awards for outstanding sound mixing for a variety series or special, outstanding lighting design/lighting direction for a variety special, and outstanding technical direction, camerawork, video control for a special.
“Thank you so much @televisionacad, I’m so so honored to receive this. Big up to everyone involved. @griffithobservatory thank you for letting me sing up on your mountain and big love to all the other nominees x,” said Adele.
The singer had already won 15 Grammys and an Oscar, so she now only needs to take home a Tony to reach the status of EGOT — a winner of an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony, four of the major American entertainment awards.
Adele: One Night Only aired in November 2021 and featured 10 performances — including four songs from her latest album 30 — as well as a sit-down interview with Oprah Winfrey.
See her celebratory post below. Check out the full list of winners at the 2022 Creative Arts Emmy Awards here.
Lorde, the chart-topping, Grammy Award-winning Kiwi superstar, reigned supreme at the inaugural Rolling Stone New Zealand Awards, held last week in Auckland.
The singer and songwriter scooped the global award in her hometown, beating out a shortlist that included Benee, Six60, L.A.B, Broods and ARIA Hall of Famers Crowded House.
The global award is judged by Rolling Stone’s international editors, a panel that previously crowned winners in this category for the Australian edition of the awards, won by Tame Impala (2021) and The Kid LAROI (2022).
Until now, the RS Award was one of the few missing from Lorde’s trophy cabinet. Her collection includes a brace of Grammys for her Billboard Hot 100 leader “Royals,” taking out song of the year and best pop solo performance.
The first edition of the RS Awards was held Aug. 31 at the Glasshouse, following the domestic rollout of the masthead earlier this year.
Also during the awards event, best record went to local reggae act L.A.B for their chart-leading LP L.A.B V; stadium fillers Six60 took out best single for “Pepeha” and Maori soul singer Teeks snagged best new artist.
Performers on the night included Six60, Stan Walker & Hamo Dell, and Rob Ruha & Ka Hao, and The Edge afternoon hosts Sharyn & Jayden were emcees.
2022 Rolling Stone New Zealand Awards:
Winner: L.A.B – L.A.B V
Stan Walker – Te Arohanui
BENEE – Lychee
Ladyhawke – Time Flies
Yumi Zouma – Present Tense
Reb Fountain – IRIS
Aldous Harding – Warm Chris
Crowded House – Dreamers Are Waiting
BEST SINGLE:
Winner: Six60 – “Pepeha”
Gin Wigmore – “Hand Over Heart”
Teeks – “Younger”
Lorde – “Solar Power”
Rob Ruha & Ka Hao – “35”
Lilbubblegum – “Billie Eilish”
BROODS ft. Tove Lo – “I Keep”
Mitch James – “Be Somebody”
BEST NEW ARTIST:
Winner: Teeks
Goodwill
CHAII
TE KAAHU
There’s a Tuesday
Muroki
Rory Noble
Reuben Fleetwood
ROLLING STONE GLOBAL AWARD:
Winner: Lorde
BENEE
Six60
L.A.B
Crowded House
BROODS
First-time winners swept the music categories at the 2022 Creative Arts Emmys, which were presented over two nights on Saturday Sept. 3 and Sunday (Sept 4). The awards were presented at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
Cristobal Tapia de Veer won two awards for his work on The White Lotus — outstanding original main title theme music and outstanding music composition for a limited or anthology series, movie or special (original dramatic score).
Also at Sunday’s show, Cinco Paul won outstanding original music and lyrics for writing a song for Schmigadoon!, Nora Felder took outstanding music supervision for Stranger Things, and David Shapiro won outstanding music composition for a series (original dramatic score) for Severance.
de Veer, 48, is a Chilean-born composer, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist based in Montreal.
Paul, 58, is primarily known as a screenwriter. He and his writing partner, Ken Daurio, specialize in screenplays for animated films, including Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, The Secret Life of Pets and all three Despicable Me films. Paul is also the creator, executive producer and songwriter for Schmigadoon!.
Two of the seven music categories were presented at the first Creative Arts Emmys ceremony on Saturday. Adam Blackstone won outstanding music direction for The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent. David Schwartz won outstanding music composition for a documentary series or special (original dramatic score) for Lucy and Desi.
A total of 48 categories were presented on Sunday, a few more than the 45 that were awarded on Saturday.
Nathan Lane won his first Emmy — outstanding guest actor in a comedy series for Only Murders in the Building. Lane is a three-time Tony winner.
Over the two nights of the Creative Arts Emmys combined, five shows won five awards each — Adele: One Night Only, Euphoria, Stranger Things, The Beatles: Get Back and The White Lotus.
Arcane and Squid Game are a beat behind with four wins each, followed by Barry, Love on the Spectrum U.S., Only Murders in the Building and The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar and 50 Cent, with three wins each.
Trailing with two wins each are A Black Lady Sketch Show, Hacks, How I Met Your Father, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, Love, Death + Robots, Lucy and Desi, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Severance and We’re Here.
Six individuals won two Emmys each over the course of the two nights combined: Will Files (re-recording mixer, co-supervising sound editor), Craig Henighan (re-recording mixer, co-supervising sound editor), Peter Jackson, (director, producer), Alberto Mielgo (character designer, writer/director), Cristobal Tapia de Veer (composer) and Ben Winston (executive producer).
An edited presentation of the awards presented on both nights of the Creative Arts Emmys will air Saturday, Sept. 10, at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on FXX and be available for streaming on Hulu Sept. 11-27.
The remaining 25 categories will be presented at the 74th annual Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday Sept. 12. The ceremony will also be held at Microsoft Theater. Kenan Thompson is set to host. Succession is the top nominee with 25 nods, trailed by Ted Lasso and The White Lotus with 20 each and Hacks and Only Murders in the Building with 17 each.
Here are the nominees, with winners in bold, in the five music categories that were presented on Sunday.
Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
The Flight Attendant • “The Reykjavík Ice Sculpture Festival Is Lovely This Time of Year” • HBO/HBO Max • HBO Max in association with Berlanti Productions, Yes, Norman Productions, and Warner Bros. Television; Blake Neely, composer
Loki • “Glorious Purpose” • Disney+ • Marvel Studios; Natalie Holt, composer
Only Murders in the Building • “The Boy From 6B” • Hulu • 20th Television; Siddhartha Khosla, composer
Schmigadoon! • “Schmigadoon!” • Apple TV+ • Broadway Video / Universal Television in association with Apple; Christopher Willis, composer
WINNER: Severance • “The We We Are” • Apple TV+ • Endeavor Content / Red Hour Productions in association with Apple; Theodore Shapiro, composer
Succession • “Chiantishire” • HBO/HBO Max • HBO in association with Project Zeus, HyperObject Industries, Gary Sanchez Productions; Nicholas Britell, composer
Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special (Original Dramatic Score)
1883 • “1883” • Paramount+ • Linson Entertainment, Bosque Ranch Productions, 101 Studios, MTV Entertainment Studios; Brian Tyler and Breton Vivian, composers
Moon Knight • “Asylum” • Disney+ • Marvel Studios; Hesham Nazih, composer
Station Eleven • “Unbroken Circle” • HBO/HBO Max • HBO Max presents a Paramount Television Studios production in association with Tractor Beam Productions, Shadowfox Productions, Stone Village Television, Inc., Pacesetter Productions, and Super Frog; Dan Romer, composer
A Very British Scandal • “Episode 1” • Prime Video • Blueprint Television, Ltd. and Amazon Studios; Nathan Barr, composer
WINNER: The White Lotus • “Mysterious Monkeys” • HBO/HBO Max • HBO in association with Rip Cord, The District and Hallogram; Cristobal Tapia de Veer, composer
Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics
Euphoria • “All My Life, My Heart Has Yearned For a Thing I Cannot Name” / Song Title: “Elliot’s Song” • HBO/HBO Max • HBO in association with ADD Content Agency | HOT | TCDY Productions, Dreamcrew, Tiny Goat, A24 and The Reasonable Bunch; Labrinth, music & lyrics; Muzhda Zemar-McKenzie and Zendaya, lyrics
Euphoria • “You Who Cannot See, Think of Those Who Can” / Song Title: “I’m Tired” • HBO/HBO Max • HBO in association with ADD Content Agency | HOT | TCDY Productions, Dreamcrew, Tiny Goat, A24 and The Reasonable Bunch; Labrinth, music & lyrics; Zendaya and Sam Levinson, lyrics
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel • “How to Chew Quietly and Influence People” / Song Title: “Maybe Monica” • Prime Video • Amazon Studios; Thomas Mizer and Curtis Moore, music & lyrics
WINNER: Schmigadoon! • “Schmigadoon!” / Song Title: “Corn Puddin’” • Apple TV+ • Broadway Video / Universal Television in association with Apple; Cinco Paul, music & lyrics
This Is Us • “Day of the Wedding” / Song Title: The Forever Now • NBC • 20th Television; Siddhartha Khosla, music; Taylor Goldsmith, lyrics
Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
Loki • Disney+ • Marvel Studios; Natalie Holt, composer
Only Murders in the Building • Hulu • 20th Television; Siddhartha Khosla, composer
Severance • Apple TV+ • Endeavor Content / Red Hour Productions in association with Apple; Theodore Shapiro, composer
Squid Game • Netflix • Siren Pictures for Netflix; Jung Jae-il, composer
WINNER: The White Lotus • HBO/HBO Max • HBO in association with Rip Cord, The District and Hallogram; Cristobal Tapia de Veer, composer
Outstanding Music Supervision
Better Call Saul • “Black and Blue” • AMC • High Bridge, Crystal Diner, Gran Via Productions and Sony Pictures Television; Thomas Golubić, music supervisor
Euphoria • “Trying to Get to Heaven Before They Close the Door” • HBO/HBO Max • HBO in association with ADD Content Agency | HOT | TCDY Productions, Dreamcrew, Tiny Goat, A24 and The Reasonable Bunch; Jen Malone and Adam Leber, music supervisors
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel • “How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall?” • Prime Video • Amazon Studios; Robin Urdang, music supervisor
Ozark • “The Cousin of Death” • Netflix • MRC for Netflix; Gabe Hilfer, music supervisor
WINNER: Stranger Things • “Chapter Four: Dear Billy” • Netflix • Monkey Massacre Productions & 21 Laps Entertainment for Netflix; Nora Felder, music supervisor
The White Lotus • “Departures” • HBO/HBO Max • HBO in association with Rip Cord, The District and Hallogram; Janet Lopez, music supervisor
Romeo Santos‘ latest album, Fórmula Vol. 3, has topped this week’s new music poll.
Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (Sept. 2) on Billboard, choosing the Latin music star’s new highly anticipated release as their favorite new music release of the past week.
Fórmula Vol. 3 beat out new music by Charlie Puth (“Smells Like Me”), Ari Lennox (Away Message), Lil Baby (“Detox”), Yungblud (Yungblud), and others.
The all-bachata album, Santos’ first full-length since 2014’s Vol. 2, features fusions and hints of pop, merengue, regional Mexican and hip-hop. The set also includes star-studded collaborations with artists like Rosalía, Justin Timberlake and Christian Nodal.
The self-described King of Bachata had been working on Vol. 3 since pre-pandemic times. The 21-track set was led by the previously released single “Sus Huellas,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Latin Airplay chart (dated Feb. 26).
“I’ve taken this ‘King of Bachata’ title very personally,” Santos told Billboard in his recent cover story. “It’s a huge responsibility. It was very risky, very descarado to say, ‘We’re the kings of bachata!’ But you can say anything you want as long as you back it up, and I take pride in that. I want to make sure that all my albums, whether people like them or not, they can listen to and realize there was some production, there was work put in. I’m very meticulous when it comes to my music. When I do anything, even a salsa, it sounds like Romeo Santos.”
Trailing behind Fórmula Vol. 3 on the fan-voted poll is Puth’s post-breakup tune “Smells Like Me” with nearly 4% of the vote, and Lennox’s new EP Away Message with 2% of the vote.
See the final results of this week’s new music release poll below.
