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The Labubu craze isn’t stopping anytime soon, and now you can get the StockX-verified plushies on sale at Walmart.
That’s right. The stuffed collectible is currently on sale with prices starting at 27% off. The beloved plushie is a hot-ticket item, and makes an especially loveable gift for the holidays. If you want to get ahead of gift shopping for the blind-box lover in your life, you’ll want to take advantage of these deals while they last. They’re the ideal stocking stuffers or a surprise white elephant gift that’s sure to please everyone in your life, even the biggest Labubu haters. Clip them to handbags, keys and backpacks for a whimsical touch, or display them on a shelf along with your other collectibles.
Thanks to Walmart’s partnership with online marketplace StockX, the Labubus they have in stock are certified real, and they’re going fast. The trending plushie can be purchased within blind boxes, leaving your purchase up to chance, or solo on Walmart’s website. Created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, these little monsters made their first appearance back in 2015.
Pop Mart The Monsters (Labubu) Big Into Energy Vinyl Plush Blind Box V3
The figure’s viral moment didn’t happen until way later in April of 2024 when K-Pop star Lisa from the world-renouned girl group BLACKPINK was seen sporting the fluffy figure attached to her Louis Vuitton bag. Since Lisa’s introduction, we’ve seen stars like Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian, Rosé, David Beckham, Lizzo, Madonna, BTS, Cher and Lady Gaga toting their Labubus with pride, sometimes multiples at once, affixed to bags, keys and even made into birthday cakes.
Usually, you’ll be getting a plushie figure with colorful faux-fur and vinyl appendages. The Labubu is affixed to a keyring, so you’ll be able to accessorize your bags to your heart’s content. We’ve also found alternative Labubu styles, including phone charms and displayable figures sans the fluff. Pricing on these Labubu’s oftentimes depends on the demand and series they fall under.
To break it down even further, a “series” is a theme that the blind box is based on. Sweet treats like macarons are one of the themes, reflected in the Labubu’s coloring, while the “Big Into Energy” series is themed based on emotions and feelings like happiness, hope, luck and love, among others.
If you didn’t know, blind boxes are a global phenomenon that centers around cute figures and collectibles. These figures are packaged in a box, usually with images on it depicting all the figures you’re able to get from a specific series. You won’t know what you’ll get until you pop open the box. Upon purchasing your blind box, you’ll usually also have the opportunity to get a secret figure not found on the side of the box. The chances of pulling a secret are rare but not impossible. In fact, I’ve seen it happen with my own eyes. It’s pretty magical.
A Case of 10 Labubus from The Seated Coca Cola Series
The blind box world is borderline addicting, like a more fun and less detrimental version of gambling. It’s all about the heart-pounding thrill of not knowing what you’ll get out of a select few items. Labubus weren’t the first blind box items to go mega viral. You’ve also got Sonny Angel, cherub-like figures invented by Toru Soeya, along with little green figures called Smiski, also created by Soeya. Peach Riot, Calico Critters, CryBaby, Smoko, Hirono and Lulu the Piggy are just a few other hit blind box series you can find on the market right now.
Pop Mart also launched their The Monsters-Cheers! Series, which is a blind box that features a double-walled glass inside. You have the option to pull six different colorful cups featuring a Labubu motif, along with one secret. The innovation is one we haven’t seen from the blind box world until now.
Pop Mart Labubu The Monsters Coca Cola Series Vinyl Face Sealed Case (6 Blind Box)
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-12-12 22:20:322025-12-12 22:20:32Labubus are the Hottest Collectible of 2025 – Here’s Where to Find Them on Sale
This week in dance music: The king David Guetta became the first artist in history to clock 20 No. 1s on Dance/Mix Show Airplay, with “Gone, Gone Gone” (with Teddy Swims and Tones and I) earning Guetta the distinction — and also marking his fourth No. 1 of 2025 on the chart, a new single-year record.
Fred again.. played the penultimate show of his 10 songs/10 shows/10 cities run with a very hyphy set in San Francisco that came in tandem his new track “Solo”, a collab with South London rapper Blanco.. Electric Forest 2026 announced a lineup including Illenium, Kaskade, Sammy Virji, ISOxo and The String Cheese Incident for its annual woodsy bash in Michigan in June.
Patrick Moxey’s Payday Publishing ended its legal war with Sony and Ultra Records, settling a copyright lawsuit that was the last remaining element of its long legal entanglement with Sony. Mau P was announced as one of the three headliners for Billboard Presents THE STAGE at SXSW 2026, with the series happening March 13-15 and also featuring Don Toliver and Junior H.
Meanwhile, Empire of the Sun announced the lineup for its inaugural Chrysalis festival, with Disclosure, The Flaming Lips, Magdalena Bay and more on the bill for the fest this May in Mexico, and Movement announced the phase one lineup for its fest in Detroit over Memorial Day Weekend.
HAAi shared 100 minutes of bangers via the set she played at September’s Making Time festival, a performance she nearly missed due to a flight delay, and Fatboy Slim officially released his longstanding and much-loved mashup of The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” and his own “The Rockafeller Skank.”
We also caught up with melodic bass favorite Seven Lions on the occasion of his new album, Asleep in the Garden of Infernal Stars, out today via the artist’s own Ophelia Records.
And, in the final roundup of the year, these are the best new dance tracks of the week.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-12-12 22:15:302025-12-12 22:15:30Friday Dance Music Guide: The Week’s Best New Tracks From Shlømo & Sara Landry, Adriatuque & More
“Did you ever have Minute Maid frozen concentrate orange juice? It’s concentrate in a can. You have to add water… That’s what my stand-up special is. I sell you the can.”
Robby Hoffman is talking about her first Netflix stand-up comedy special, Wake Up — which, to build on her description, is a can of the funniest whoop-ass delivered onstage this year.
An ex-Hasidic lesbian, who was born seventh in a family of 10 children in Brooklyn — and who, after her parents divorced, grew up poor in her mother’s native Montreal — Hoffman’s star ascended quickly this year after joining the cast of the HBO Max series, Hacks, and killing during an appearance on Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney.
Her performance on Mulaney’s Netflix talk show got the attention of the streamer and its host — and Hoffman, in short order, was offered her own special, which Mulaney signed on to direct. The result, Wake Up, premieres on Dec. 14.
Onstage, Hoffman — in her trademark tight bun, wire-rim glasses and lupine smile — presents as feral as she mines her childhood and identity like Larry David’s little sister. “For me, to complain is to enjoy,” she says of the often dark, concentrated kvetching she delivers. In reality, she says, “I’m having a great time. I feel like I’m flying in that special. I feel like maybe somebody who’s done drugs — when they describe a trip or whatever they go on. I’m too nervous to go on it myself, but God bless.”
A self-taught comedian, who originally set out to become an accountant, Hoffman says that she did not grow up with comic heroes. “Had I been more aware of the history of comedy, I think I would have had too much of a rule book or an idea in my head as to what stand-up should be instead of just doing it,” she explains. Besides, she adds. “Nobody’s funnier than my sister Chaya or my brother Shmuel. No one.”
“I didn’t know about stand-up structurally. I had some ideas. I heard that you talk about stuff, and that’s what I did,” she explains. “All these older guys were on the scene, and they would say, ‘It takes 10 years to find your voice.’ But people were always telling me, ‘Your voice is refreshing.’ And I realized that it didn’t matter what I talked about. As soon as it came through the almost Instagram-like filter of Robby Hoffman, it came out fresh.”
On a Zoom call, Hoffman talked with Billboard about the fast-tracking of her special, her hard-knock youth, queer pronouns — and her wife, unscripted television personality Gabby Windey, who has appeared on The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and Dancing with the Stars and won the third season of Peacock’s The Traitors.
How long was Wake Up in development?
Not long at all. I was on Mulaney’s show in May, and after the show we had a little bit of a soiree. Nothing major. They had little treats on the tables — that sort of thing. I’m picking at the treats, and a guy comes up to me. I’m solo. He introduces himself and says, “I’m Ted.” I go, “Ted who?” He goes [Netflix CEO] Ted Sarandos.” I’m like, “If your name is Ted Sarandos, you can’t just go up to somebody in a corner. I’m not equipped!” I’m like, “Okay, well now I just have to stand here and talk to you.”
So, I was getting percolations, and they asked me, “Robby, do you have an hour?” I said, “I could do three. I’m always writing and always thinking. As long as I can see and hear the world around me, that’s all I need. They’re like my crayons.” And maybe Mulaney got wind of that and called me. People won’t believe that he came to me. But that is the story. He came to me and asked if he could direct it. I said, “That’s going to be a yes, dog.” He’s just a doll.
He just finished fourth on our “Best Comedians of the 21st Century So Far” list.
Okay, so you’re going to need an update if I’m not on that list. Mulaney and me. We’re kind of like giving the Eminem–Dido collab. It’s not anything anyone expected. People were like what? Dido and Eminem? But it f—king worked. In the comedy world, people wouldn’t put us together, but listen to the song, watch the special. It works!
The special was recorded in October. That didn’t give you a lot of time to prepare it for airing.
For somebody’s inaugural special, you’re not expecting to come in and own the place. Maybe they’ll release it next year. Maybe if they have a slow week, they’ll put it out. But after we shot the special, Robbie Praw, who runs comedy at Netflix, comes up to me and says he stayed for the whole thing, which I guess he doesn’t do often. It was nice of him to let me know that. I read between the lines! He said he stayed through the whole thing, and it’s going out for the holidays. I was like, “You’re giving me a holiday spot?” So that means we have weeks to get it ready.
How did learning that feel in the context of your career so far?
You know, I’ve been a very word-of-mouth. I’ve never been the overnight success. I’ve been slow and steady. I’m never selling gimmicks. I’m just selling good. It’s like, when I watch talk show hosts, and they’re reading the prompter the entire time… I’m like, you would think that what we would want from a talk show host is that they know how to talk. So, I want to do good stand-up, and in addition to feeling the swell of the people. Now I feel a bit of the industry and it’s not something I expected. But it’s been such a delight.
Just talking to you over these last minutes, your comedy persona seems very different from your offstage personality.
Right. It’s so funny, because people think I’m angry or whatever. Like I said, to complain is to enjoy. I could be on a yacht — God willing somebody invites me at some point — and I’d be, “It’s a little shaky. There’s a draft.” Nothing wrong. It just means I’m in the moment, I’m presently living and enjoying and feeling my surroundings. The special is me enjoying flying. Just going balls to the wall. And just – it’s so horrible.
What’s horrible?
But it’s also so amazing. Life. I never would have chosen this video game. You know when you open a driving video game. You can race through the city of Monaco, or you can go through Tokyo, or you can go through a park. If they showed me the world, I’d be like, “It seems distressful. Let’s go for the park.” It’s like we’re in the craziest level. Somebody clicked “Earth,” and we’re like here now and it’s super intense. So, how about we both enjoy an hour of just laughing.
You seem almost feral onstage.
Yeah, I grew up without a father. And my mother was there, but to the extent that one can be with 10 kids. I always read about that girl raised by wild dogs, and I felt like that. People go, “What were your early inspirations.? I felt like that girl. First of all, I saw a picture of her, and I’m like, “She kind of looks like me.” I feel in a way that I did grow up feral. And the good news about that is – well, it was very embarrassing for a long time to be poor and not put together and all that stuff. But I feel like that [experience] was able to be distilled into a precious metal that’s been made all the more shiny now that I’m here.
Like that Porsche you drive up in at the beginning of your special. Is that yours?
You better believe. That is my grail car — my dream car. It’s a Porsche 911, ‘96, black, tan interior. The first car I bought, and I tell people, please buy used everything. Everything I buy is typically preowned. That’s something I used to be very embarrassed, ashamed, when we were shopping at Salvation Army and Value Village. I never had new clothes, and it wasn’t cool then. And now I’ve embraced it. Now I’m like, “Why would you buy retail?”
Why is the 911 your grail car?
My father wasn’t in my life, but he always wanted a Porsche. And I always wanted a relationship with my father. The few times I saw him I thought he was so cool and funny, I have a lot of my father in me, even though I don’t get to have a relationship with him. As I grew up, I realized I do have a relationship with him in the ways that I am like him. He worked in sales and was able to buy an old Porsche. He had it momentarily before he had to sell it, and he took at picture of him sitting in it and sent it to my mother as if to lure her back. Like, she’s got 10 kids on welfare and instead of sending child support, you bought this $10,000 old car?
I respect the game. But every time I get in the car and look in the rearview, I see his eyes in mine. I enjoy the ride for us, with us. That is one of the few things left of my relationship with my father.
So, you don’t see him?
No, we have no relationship.
Did your upbringing lead to becoming a comedian?
Yeah. As soon as I heard of comedy I was like oh, okay. Life was so abysmal sometimes that it literally made me laugh. For breakfast every day, we had Cheerios or Rice Krispies. I have nine siblings, so you were either a Cheerios person or a Rice Krispies person. I was a Cheerios kid. I had Cheerios every morning. One day I’m eating my Cheerios, and I’m like, “Ma, they’re stale”. She’s like, “No they’re not.” I’m like, “They’re stale. I have these every day. I know what Cheerios taste like.”
She brings out the box. She’s like, “No. See. I bought Cheerios fresh.” And the box is all mangled. I’m like, “Ma, the box looks f–ked.” She says, “Okay, you got me.” She bought the cheaper store brand Oaty O’s and put them in the $6.99 Cheerios box. It was so sad and heartbreaking — and so funny. All of the time. Even my breakfast.
Before you got into comedy, you were going to becomean accountant?
Yes, I was in accounting school. It’s like, all I dreamt about was money. We didn’t have dreams. We weren’t encouraged. If anything, we were discouraged. My mother would say, “School is not for everyone.” She didn’t want to encourage anything pricy ever. She was onto it being a scam years ago. It doesn’t mean she didn’t believe in us. My mother thought we were super clever, but she was just like [college is] a scam. So, we didn’t dream in that sense, but I did dream of getting out.
So, when I got into school, I was like, “What’s the least amount of school for the most amount of payoff?” They said, “Well, in accounting they’ll give you a job this summer. You can work an internship.” I was like, “F–k, let’s go!”
Then KPMG gave me a laptop, and I was like, “For keeps? I’ll work for you forever.” Because every kid had a laptop at school except for me. I was printing out my slides at the library and writing next to them. Now I was in with the other kids. I felt like I was making it. When people ask me, “You’ve had such a year. Does it feel like you made it?” Getting my laptop was as big a deal as getting my Netflix special. I know it seems – but it’s relative.
I really thought accounting was my ticket. We had a supply room at the office where I could take whatever highlighters I wanted, and by the way, I took plenty. It’s just fun to have stationery. I don’t know if I needed it, but you know what, if the Wite-Out is free, I’m grabbing the Wite-Out. There’s a Wite-Out tape. It’s fun! I’m never going to spend on that but if it’s free, give me one. I want to use it. I’ll write just to use it.
One of the parts I love best about your special is your bit on pronouns.
Being in this community — they/them and the whole thing — not that I’m in the community. I was forced into it — you’ll hear in the special — whether I want to be or not. Being who I am, I was just disappointed that I was born into another very annoying community. I’m already Jewish. I was already born annoying. Now, I have to be part of the most annoying — at least a little annoying — people on the planet again? I’m not actually taking a stance. I’m just saying it’s annoying. They botched the rollout. They said it would be seamless. It’s obviously not seamless.
They botched the rollout!
They botched the rollout. They went with the plural. I understand that they/them can be used singularly. If somebody is in front of you at the 7-Eleven, you go, “They were here first.” But generally, it isn’t seamless, and it continues to not be easy. And we need to own that.
You won an Emmy for your work on Odd Squad. I’m trying to square your comedy with writing for a kids’ series.
I know. It’s giving, like, Bob Saget [vibes]. Bob Saget was on Full House, but he was also a really dark comedian. Again, I know it sounds crazy to have a standard of “good,” but that is where it’s at. I don’t really care what I do as long as it’s good. When this kids’ show approached me, they had a writer’s assistant job open, When I read the scripts, they were good. There was no sexual innuendo, and there was no profanity, but the storytelling was good. It was PBS, which is HBO for kids without money, and the storytelling was full of art and it was fat free.
It was also a chance for me to be in a writers’ room and learn how to structurally write for TV. We did 80 11-minute episodes a season. I learned, “Get rid of that, get rid of that — don’t be precious about stuff.” I learned how to be on a set, and I was promoted at every level to get to write and make lines on the fly with the actors. Yes, it was kids, but it was good story. Good is good.
Since it’s the holidays, what’s your take?
I’m really festive since marrying Gabby. I’ll be doing my third Christmas, and I’ve leaned in. I am done with Hanukkah. What a scam that was. We’re into Christmas, and I’m big-time about it. If I’m at a Goodwill or the Salvation Army, I’ll buy a little fucking light-up globe. I love my light up globe. I fuck with all of it. I even watched that movie A Christmas Story. Gabby bought me a BB gun.
Oh yeah, the kid wants a Red Ryder.
I saw the movie and I’m like, “I’ve got to get a BB gun.” I love that BB gun. I also get melancholic at Christmas time. When I think of Christmas music I feel the more subversive — you know, John Lennon, “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).” When you’re young and you hear that song, you think it’s happy. And then it’s like, “No, what have we done? We’re at war.” We’re killing people. There’s also something melancholic about the recap of the year. It’s cozy, it’s sexy, it’s romantic and it’s also devastating and heartbreaking. It’s all of that.
I’m a very optimistic and positive person. Not the most uplifting. It’s like in the special, I say, “I’m funny, I’m not fun.”
Gabby was great on Traitors. Did you help her strategize at all?
No, I was just pep talk. I was like, “Babe, I don’t give a f–k what it is — you’ve got this. F–k that bitch. F–k that bitch.” I’m so gung ho. I’m a hundred percent Gabby. So if she’s calling me and she’s crying because she was cold, and they made her do this or this, I said, “F—k that. They suck.” I’m team Gab beyond.
Since this is Billboard what other music do you like to listen to?
I can tell you what I’m listening to now. I like Ethel Cain a lot right now. And I’m all deep in the new Bieber — Swag, Swag II. It’s phenomenal. I’m just bopping to this music. By the way, I also listen still to Eminem, Linkin Park — and The Cranberries have always been [a favorite]. They’re on the soundtrack to my special. The Cranberries were one of the first bands my family ever heard, because we grew up religious, so music was kind of touch and go in the early years. Years later, I read an interview that said she has five brothers. And I’m like, “I have five brothers.” And I remember thinking, “What if she’s seventh born?” I’m seventh born of ten.
Then I find out that Dolores O’Riordan — that line [from “Zombie”] “in your head” has been in my head all this time — has an older sister. She’s the seventh child. Bro, we do totally different things, but I saw myself in her.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-12-12 22:00:362025-12-12 22:00:36Rising Comedy Star Robby Hoffman on Her New John Mulaney-Directed Netflix Special
If you’re borrowing money against a catalog of music in the coming years, you may be able to get more cash. That’s according to music valuation firm Red Brick Advisors, which wrote in a newsletter this week that music finance insiders expect to see an increase in something called the loan-to-value ratio (LTV).
LTV is the amount a borrower can get from a lender when using a music catalog as collateral. A decade ago, Red Brick noted, bank lenders’ upper bound on the LTV for music catalogs was 50% — meaning a lender will give a borrower up to 55% of the value of the catalog. The market was different back then: There were about five lenders that regularly financed music intellectual property, and lenders accepted as collateral seasoned music publishing catalogs. These days, a 55% LTV is typically the upper bound.
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That could change. According to Red Brick, music finance insiders believe that the upper bound of bank lenders’ LTV has room to expand to 60% in the coming years — at least for an institutional borrower with a diversified catalog, not every type of catalog or asset.
Shifts in the lending marketplace are changing the LTV. Today, Red Brick believes there are upwards of 20 providers of bank financing willing to regularly finance music IP — four times the number of lenders roughly 15 years ago. Some names, such as City National Bank, Truist (formerly SunTrust) and JP Morgan, are well established in the space. So are well-known global brands like Barclays, Goldman Sachs, Bank of America and RBC. There are regional banks, too: Fifth Third, First Horizon, Pinnacle, Regions Bank, California Bank & Trust and Texas Capital Bank. A few other names on the list are less familiar: Citizens Bank, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and Flagstar.
Growth and stability in music revenues in the last decade have created more interest in the financial world. Music has turned out to be a reliable asset class that churns out royalties — even through economic downturns. Not only are there more lenders, but they’re willing to take more types of collateral. Today, deals involve frontline catalogs, passive revenue streams such as producer royalties, single artists and operating companies.
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Two factors underpin the possible increase of bank lending LTV to 60%. First, the influx of new lenders eager to capture market share results in easing their lending standards. If established banks won’t go beyond 55%, a new entrant could gain attention by adopting a 60% LTV.
In addition, bank lenders are losing business to the asset-backed securities market, which has allowed music companies to raise many billions of dollars in recent years. ABS deals have an LTV up to 65%. Kobalt’s 2024-1 ABS, for example, had a 65% LTV, as did Hipgnosis Music Assets, Hi-Fi Music IP Issuer and Crescendo, according to KBRA. Banks would still have a lower LTV than ABS deals, but an ABS is more complicated and costly.
ABS deals rose in popularity as interest rates increased and catalog owners sought financing to fuel more acquisitions. This year, ABS deals accounted for three of the biggest music transactions: Concord did a $1.75 billion ABS, HarbourView Equity Partners did its second $500 million ABS and Recognition Group (formerly Hipgnosis Songs Management) raised $327 million through an ABS.
There’s more to the story than the size of the loan. A rising LTV means higher catalog valuations, too. According to Red Brick, every 1% increase in LTV will result in a reduction in the discount rate of approximately 0.14 basis points and a valuation increase of 1.3%. If the LTV rises to 60% from 55%, valuations will increase by 6.9%.
“In a valuation, the discount rate incorporates the expected LTV for that particular catalog and the cost of debt,” Red Brick’s Sachin Saggar tells Billboard. “The LTV is based on what the valuer thinks the market will bear considering the specific risks for that catalog. So, for a specific catalog, an increase in LTV means the discount rate will fall, as the cost of debt is always lower than the cost of equity.”
A higher LTV could cause problems in the future. Although the music sector has not encountered any “notable” loan issues, Red Brick warns that “no asset class is immune to challenges.” Any issues wouldn’t be a drag on music catalogs, though, and the sector would “reassess processes and determine appropriate financing levels for different types of music rights,” they wrote. “In our view, this is a natural part of the maturation process for any emerging asset class.”
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-12-12 21:40:332025-12-12 21:40:33Why Banks Could Start Lending More Money for Music Catalogs
Riley Green and Ella Langley expand their entwined chart history, earning a second No. 1 together on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart as “Don’t Mind If I Do” lifts two spots to the top of the Dec. 20-dated list. The song gained by 14% to 29.7 million in audience Dec. 5-11, according to Luminate.
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The collaboration is Green’s fourth Country Airplay No. 1 and Langley’s second — and the pair’s second joint leader, following last year’s “You Look Like You Love Me.” They become just the second tandem since the list launched in January 1990 to have earned multiple collaborative No. 1s, after Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani led in 2020 with “Nobody but You” and “Happy Anywhere.”
The new chart-topper also delivers a rare songwriting feat for Green. Increasingly recognized for his writing, he becomes the first artist since Taylor Swift to land back-to-back Country Airplay No. 1s with songs composed entirely on his or her own. “Don’t Mind If I Do” follows his solo-penned “Worst Way,” which led the chart for two weeks in June. Swift last accomplished the back-to-back mark with “Sparks Fly” in 2011 and “Ours” in 2012.
New Top 10s
Jason Aldean’s “How Far Does a Goodbye Go” and Ella Langley’s latest solo single, “Choosin’ Texas,” break into the Country Airplay top 10. The former becomes his 41st top 10, jumping 13-8 with 17.5 million in audience (up 16%). It has maintained steady visibility since its September release, bolstered in part by an eight-week spotlight through Cumulus’ Your Music Plus campaign that ran into mid-November. It’s official video, which leans into a 1970s-styled visual theme that Aldean previewed across social platforms, has also added to the song’s digital presence, helping keep engagement around the single active with the release of parent album Songs About Us set for April 2026.
“Texas,” meanwhile, surges 16-10 (16.7 million, up 31%), becoming Langley’s fourth Country Airplay top 10.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-12-12 21:40:322025-12-12 21:40:32Riley Green & Ella Langley Join Blake Shelton & Gwen Stefani for History Atop Country Airplay Chart
Country music continued to thrive in 2025 thanks in part to Morgan Wallen’s continued domination of not just the genre, but music in general.
But Wallen wasn’t the only success in the genre — not by a long shot. This was a year that saw a number of newer artists — including Megan Moroney, Zach Top, Ella Langley, Bailey Zimmerman and Tucker Wetmore — reach new heights, while Riley Green, who had his first hit in 2018, became a bona fide star (and was named People’s Sexiest Country Star Alive) and Lainey Wilson headed toward superstar status.
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Country artists also continued to thrive in the streaming world, with Wallen coming in at No. 3, behind only Taylor Swift and Drake, on Spotify Wrapped’s year-end list of the most-streamed artists in the U.S. Zach Bryan also made the top 10, landing at No. 8.
The coastal labels’ move into country music that began a few years ago continued, with Columbia having great success with Langley and Moroney (who is signed to both Columbia and Sony Nashville) and Warner Records’ ongoing achievements with Bryan and Warren Zeiders. This year, Interscope revived Lost Highway and Atlantic Music Group debuted Atlantic Outpost.
After years of stability, the Nashville record label executive turntable spun at a high speed in 2025. Taylor Lindsey officially took over as chairman/CEO of Sony Music Nashville in January, following the announcement of her elevation in November 2024 (covered in 2024’s top stories), while the other majors also saw changes.
The year ended with the death of Raul Malo, beloved lead singer of The Mavericks, as he joined other major losses in 2025, including Grand Ole Opry doyenne and trailblazer Jeannie Seely, Hispanic country star Johnny Rodriguez and noted songwriter Todd Snider.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-12-12 21:35:332025-12-12 21:35:33The 10 Biggest Country Music Stories of 2025: Label Upheaval, Lainey Wilson, Morgan Wallen & More
For the second year in a row, Shaboozey‘s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” was the most-played song on TouchTunes jukeboxes.
The track, which tied for the mark of the longest-running No. 1 in Billboard Hot 100 history in 2024 alongside its distinction as the most-listened-to song on TouchTunes that year, retains the mark in 2025, its first full year of tracking after being released in April 2024.
That’s after a year in which “A Bar Song” has stayed atop TouchTunes’ quarterly Frontline Chart for each iteration; both the Frontline and Catalog rankings, along with the TouchTunes Artists Chart, are presented in partnership with Billboard on Billboard.com; see the most recent rankings for the third quarter of 2025 here.
It reigns over Chris Stapleton‘s “Tennessee Whiskey,” which was the platform’s top-played song in 2023 and reigned on the Catalog tally for the whole year. Stay tuned in 2026, as “A Bar Song” will graduate to the Catalog ranking after surpassing 18 months of release, pitting the two songs against each other on the same quarterly chart (while also making way for a new Frontline No. 1).
Chappell Roan‘s “Pink Pony Club” is the top non-country song of the year, ranking at No. 3, while the most-played song released in 2025, Morgan Wallen‘s “I’m the Problem,” appears at No. 6.
Speaking of Wallen, he was also TouchTunes’ most-played artist in 2025, a distinction he also earned in 2024. In April (reflecting the first quarter of 2025), Billboard and TouchTunes began publishing the TouchTunes Artists Chart, and Wallen has reigned for every quarter since.
Stapleton is also the bridesmaid on that survey at No. 2, with Toby Keith, Shaboozey and AC/DC rounding out the top five.
Rock was once again TouchTunes’ dominant genre for the year, accounting for 38% of the overall plays on the platform, followed by country at 23%. But while rock also dominated among catalog tracks (41%), it’s country that nabbed the same percentage of frontline songs, far and away the leader among newer songs, while rock managed 11%.
See the most-played songs and artists on TouchTunes in 2025 below, and click here for more of TouchTunes’ year-end data.
TouchTunes’ Most-Played Songs of 2025
1. “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Shaboozey 2. “Tennessee Whiskey,” Chris Stapleton 3. “Pink Pony Club,” Chappell Roan 4. “Lose Control,” Teddy Swims 5. “I Love This Bar,” Toby Keith 6. “I’m the Problem,” Morgan Wallen 7. “I Had Some Help,” Post Malone feat. Morgan Wallen 8. “I Never Lie,” Zach Top 9. “You Look Like You Love Me,” Ella Langley feat. Riley Green 10. “Friends in Low Places,” Garth Brooks 11. “Neon Moon,” Brooks & Dunn 12. “Drinkin’ Problem,” Midland 13. “Not Like Us,” Kendrick Lamar 14. “Simple Man,” Lynyrd Skynyrd 15. “Fat Bottomed Girls,” Queen 16. “Whiskey Glasses,” Morgan Wallen 17. “Cowgirls,” Morgan Wallen feat. ERNEST 18. “Rockstar,” Nickelback 19. “Brown Eyed Girl,” Van Morrison 20. “Higher,” Creed 21. “Love Somebody,” Morgan Wallen 22. “Sweet Child o’ Mine,” Guns N’ Roses 23. “Don’t Stop Believin’,” Journey 24. “Copperhead Road,” Steve Earle 25. “Something in the Orange,” Zach Bryan 26. “One Last Breath,” Creed 27. “Family Tradition,” Hank Williams Jr. 28. “Last Night,” Morgan Wallen 29. “Thunderstruck,” AC/DC 30. “Beautiful Things,” Benson Boone 31. “Mr. Brightside,” The Killers 32. “Blue Strips,” Jessie Murph 33. “The Joker,” The Steve Miller Band 34. “Oklahoma Smokeshow,” Zach Bryan 35. “Dreams,” Fleetwood Mac 36. “Bartender Song,” Rehab 37. “Feathered Indians,” Tyler Childers 38. “Fast Car,” Luke Combs 39. “Bartender,” T-Pain feat. Akon 40. “Mama, I’m Coming Home,” Ozzy Osbourne 41. “In the Air Tonight,” Phil Collins 42. “White Horse,” Chris Stapleton 43. “Son of a Sinner,” Jelly Roll 44. “Hippies and Cowboys,” Cody Jinks 45. “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” Def Leppard 46. “Too Sweet,” Hozier 47. “Hotel California,” Eagles 48. “Save Me,” Jelly Roll with Lainey Wilson 49. “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” Toby Keith 50. “Kryptonite,” 3 Doors Down
TouchTunes’ Most-Played Artists of 2025
1. Morgan Wallen 2. Chris Stapleton 3. Toby Keith 4. Shaboozey 5. AC/DC 6. Lynyrd Skynyrd 7. Zach Bryan 8. Luke Combs 9. George Strait 10. Jelly Roll 11. Hank Williams Jr. 12. Drake 13. Kendrick Lamar 14. Kid Rock 15. Post Malone 16. The Rolling Stones 17. Fleetwood Mac 18. Teddy Swims 19. Eagles 20. Nickelback 21. Creedence Clearwater Revival 22. Metallica 23. Led Zeppelin 24. Brooks & Dunn 25. Bob Seger
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-12-12 21:30:322025-12-12 21:30:32Shaboozey’s ‘A Bar Song (Tipsy)’ Is TouchTunes’ Most-Played Song for the Second Straight Year
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With the NFL playoff race getting tighter going into Week 15, the Lions are looking to get into the post-season with a wildcard berth in the NFC North, as the Rams are sitting pretty at the top of the NFC West. The battle of the NFC is still active and alive with four more weeks in the 2025-26 NFL season.
On Sunday, Dec. 14, the Detroit Lions (8-5) take on the Los Angeles Rams (10-3) at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.
Watch Detroit Lions vs. L.A. Rams, at a Glance:
Date & Time: Sunday, Dec. 7, at 4:25 p.m. ET/1:25 p.m. PT
When Does the Detroit Lions vs. L.A. Rams Game Start?
The game will be broadcast live, with kickoff at 4:25 p.m. ET/1:25 p.m. PT.
Where to Watch Detroit Lions vs. L.A. Rams Online
The game will be broadcast on FOX, while it will livestream on Sling Blue, too. Keep reading for more details on how cord-cutters can watch the Lions-Rams game online with Sling TV.
How to Watch Detroit Lions vs. L.A. Rams WithSling TV
A subscription to Sling Blue starts at $50.99 per month, and allows you to stream on up to three devices and comes with FOX. It gets you access to live TV, local and cable channels.
You can watch local networks such as ABC and NBC (in select markets), while you can also watch many cable networks, including Bravo, Cartoon Network, Discovery Channel, E!, Fox Sports, FX, Fox News, MS NOW, National Geographic, SYFY, TLC, USA Network, A&E, AMC, BBC America, BET, CNN, Comedy Central, Food Network, Fuse, HGTV, History Channel, IFC, Lifetime, Nick Jr., QVC, TBS, TNT, Travel Channel and Vice.
Please note: Prices and channel availability depends on your local TV market. You can learn more about Sling TV here.
Which Celebrities Are Making Appearances During Lions vs. Rams?
It’s likely there will be a number of celebrities and recording artists in attendance during the game too — such as Detroit Lions fans Eminem, Jack White, Keegan-Michael Key, Chad Smith and others; as well as L.A. Rams fans Terry Crews, LeBron James, Kendrick Lamar and others. Tune in to Sling TV to find out who’s at the NFL game.
Starting at 4:25 p.m. ET/1:25 p.m. PT, the Detroit Lions vs. L.A. Rams game broadcasts on FOX, while it’s also available to livestream on Sling TV on Sunday, Dec. 14.
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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.
Ahead of the College Football Playoff National Championship, you can watch one of college football‘s oldest and most heated rivalries. The rivals go head-to-head for bragging rights and glory this weekend.
The Army West Point Black Knights (6-5) take on the Navy Midshipmen (9-2) at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland on Saturday, Dec. 13.
The Army vs. Navy game broadcasts live, with kickoff at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT. The game airs on CBS.
Where to Watch Army vs. Navy for Free
For cord-cutters, there are a few ways to watch Army Black Knights vs. Navy Midshipmen, if you don’t have cable — especially if you want to watch for free. And since the game broadcasts on CBS, it’s also livestreaming on Paramount+, which offers a seven-day free trial to watch for free.
Paramount+ is one of the best ways to watch the Army-Navy game, while the Paramount+ Essential plan is ad-supported and goes for $7.99 per month. It grants you access to everything the streamer has to offer, including and catalog titles — from hubs such as CBS, CBS Sports, CBS News, BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon and The Smithsonian Channel — but with limited commercial breaks throughout movies, TV shows and live TV.
A subscription to DirecTV — which comes with CBS for Army vs. Navy — gets you access to live TV, local and cable channels, starting at $84.99 for the first month of service ($94.99 per month afterwards). The service even offers a five-day free trial to watch for free, if you sign up now.
You can watch local networks such as NBC, ABC, Fox, and PBS, while you can also watch many cable networks, including ESPN, FS1, Lifetime, FX, AMC, A&E, Bravo, BET, MTV, Paramount Network, Cartoon Network, VH1, Fuse, CNN, Food Network, CNBC and many others.
The Army Black Knights vs. Navy Midshipmen game on CBS is available to watch with Hulu + Live TV too. Prices for the cable alternative start at $89.99 per month, while each plan comes with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited at no additional cost.
Hulu + Live TV might be best for those who want all of these streaming services together in one bundle. It also features many other networks, including ESPN, ABC, Hallmark Channel, BET, CMT, Disney Channel, NBC, Fox Sports and more.
To watch Army vs. Navy on CBS, Fubo starts at $48.99 for the first month, $73.99 per month afterwards (the streamer’s current deal) with more than 200 channels — including local and cable — that are streamable on smart TVs, smartphones, tablets and on web browsers.
The service even gets you live access to local broadcast networks including NBC, Fox and ABC, while it also has dozens of cable networks, such as ESPN, Bravo, CMT, ID, TV Land, VH1, TLC, E!, FS1, MTV, FX, Ion, OWN, Paramount Network and much more.
Who Is Performing During Army vs. Navy Halftime Show
Since it’s a college football game, the West Point Band is likely set to perform at halftime of the Army vs. Navy game.
How to Buy Army vs. Navy Tickets Online
Want to attend the Army-Navy game in person? There are still last-minute tickets to the rivalry game available via Vivid Seats (get $20 off purchases of $200 and over with code BB30), SeatGeek (your first purchases can get $10 off ticket order $250 and with code BILLBOARD10), StubHub and GameTime (score $20 off ticket orders of $150 and over with code SAVE20). Prices vary depending on the city and seats available.
Starting at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT, Navy Midshipmen vs. Army West Point Black Knights broadcast on CBS, while it’s also available to livestream on DirecTV on Saturday, Dec. 13.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-12-12 21:05:322025-12-12 21:05:32How to Watch the Army vs. Navy Game Live Online Without Cable for Free
Country music singer-songwriter Jake Owen is reassuring fans that he is ok and still working toward healing.
Earlier this week, Owen, who recently released the album Dreams to Dream, had members of his community concerned after he had posted a social media video in which he seemed as if he had been crying, said that he had given his ex a check to get his engagement ring back and also shared his doubts and regrets about being part of the music industry. Owen deleted the video soon after it posted.
The clip seemed atypical for Owen, leading some fans to speculate whether he’d broken his sobriety after four years.
On Thursday (Dec. 11), Owen posted a video on TikTok reassuring fans that he is OK. Owen opened the video by saying, “What’s up, y’all? Jake here, again, back in a better frame of mind. I really feel responsible and owe it to you all to hop on here, unscripted, after thinking about some things that happened the other day when I popped on here and was just like, overly emotional and kind of let myself break down in front of the world. You know, my world consists of my little girls. I’m a father, I’m a son, I’m a brother, and I’m a friend, to so many people, and I worried I scared a lot of people. And I’m regretful for that because I don’t want to worry anybody.”
He continued, “I am OK. I’m fine. Seeing that myself made me realize that we all do have things that we have to work on. I just broke down, 44-year-old guy that showed his emotion and I’m supposed to be strong, you know? I’m supposed to be a dad that’s the strong one. I’m supposed to be a band leader. I’m supposed to be the guy that has everything figured out. I wanted to tell you all that no matter who you are out there, watching this, that I for sure don’t have it figured out and I’m working on that.”
He added that many people had reached out with messages of love and support. “My phone has been blowing up from people checking in on me,” he shared. “I want you to know how much I appreciate you calling and texting me.”
Addressing those who speculated that Owen may have been intoxicated during that original video, Owen noted that the first clip had been filmed at 10 a.m. after leaving his business manager’s office.
“I was completely sober. I have been sober for four years,” Owen said. “I’ll never forget that night, Sept. 17, 2021, the morning I woke and was like, ‘Oh my god … I don’t ever want to do that again,’ and I quit drinking and I’ve never felt that way again. I’ve felt so good every day up until yesterday. Waking up and realizing I had that feeling again of letting people down and letting them see a side of me that was broken … I realized I still have healing to do.”
He added, “I still have things I need to fix. I’m not fixed yet, and I’m grateful for those people out there who have reached out to me to tell me that you’d be there for me. I love you for that, I’m grateful for that.”
Owen also clarified that his comment in the original video “has nothing to do with country music.”
“Yesterday, I said, ‘I don’t want to do this anymore.’ I said ‘I hate … the music business sucks.’ The music business does not suck. All these people that I’m talking about are friends I’ve made because of the music business. All the people who are calling me are in the music business. I think I was just in an emotional place where I felt like my dreams that I followed, I fulfilled, but it’s also deteriorating my family life and lot of that is due to my own decisions and choices that I have to be accountable for. I just want you guys to know that. I’m not on drugs, I’m not intoxicated. I’m just a guy that’s in a place in his life where I’m just trying to figure out how to be a better man and I’m on my way.”
In February, Owen will perform his entire Dreams to Dream album on a 12-date tour, which launches Feb. 26 in Washington, D.C.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-12-12 21:05:322025-12-12 21:05:32Jake Owen Reassures Fans He’s OK After Issuing Emotional Video: ‘I Still Have Things I Need to Fix’