After more than 35 years of making records, Black Crowes brothers Chris and Rich Robinson have honed the way they approach what’s next.
“I’m always looking at the angle of, ‘Look, we’ve made a lot of records. We’ve been doing this a long time. What can we do with this one?’” Chris explains via Zoom from his home near Los Angeles. And from his home in upstate New York, Rich adds, “It comes down to loving what you’re doing, and there’s joy in creation that we always get involved with and tap into…It forces you to be instinctual instead of thinking about it.
“It takes it directly from the heart instead of the brain, y’know?”
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That philosophy was amply applied during the making of A Pound of Feathers, the Black Crowes’ 10th studio album, out Friday, and the follow-up to 2024’s Grammy Award-nominated Happiness Bastards. That was the Crowes’ first new release in 14 years, and the first since the Robinsons reactivated the band in 2019 after a mostly acrimonious five-year hiatus.
The 11-song set was recorded during less than two weeks in Nashville with Happiness Bastards producer Jay Joyce, and with only Cully Symington, the band’s drummer since 2023, joining the Robinsons in the studio. And while its predecessor was created in a more conventional process, with songs prepared before the full band entered the studio, A Pound of Feathers was decidedly more extemporaneous.
“I think on Happiness Bastards we definitely colored in the lines, and this one it’s more like…whatever,” explains Chris, who also played drums during the writing process. “I told Rich, and he agreed…I was like, ‘Let’s much around with some stuff, but I’m not gonna write any lyrics or any real melodies. We’re gonna have the roughest of the rough sort of sketches.’ And we told Jay this as well; ‘We’re coming in with a lot of loose ends.’ It was really rough and raw, but I think we can keep some of that, the idea of it, keep it loose and funky.”
Rich, who played bass as well as his usual guitars, says that this time “we knew we wanted to use the studio as a tool. When Chris and I get on a thing we go pretty fast. Ideas come. It’s like, ‘OK, I have this. I think this is the verse, this is the chorus’ and Chris will say, ‘No, this is the verse’ and we’ll go through it and I’m normally right. (laughs) We would take stock at the end of each day and it’d be like, ‘Wow, that’s kind of done. We really like it. And by the end of the first week we had nine songs finished, done, to the point where all of us, even Jay, were like, ‘Don’t f–k around with these songs. We really like where it is.
“So we just said, ‘F— it, let’s just keep going,’ and four days later we’re finished with the whole record.”
A Pound of Feathers is another quintessential kind of Black Crowes record, weaving classic sources into the Robinsons’ particular stew of gritty, compact attacks, beefy guitar riffs, cocksure attitude, stomping rhythms and tribal energy. Chris declares in the opening line of “Profane Prophecy” that “my pedigree in debaucher is my claim to fame” while Rich digs into chords straight out of the defining Rolling Stones songbook. The octane stays high on tracks such as “Cruel Streak,” “Do the Parasite!,” “High and Lonesome” and “You Call This a Good Time,” while the Crowes dig into Americana restraint with “Pharmacy Chronicles” and “Queen of the B-Sides.”
Alongside those, the cascading “Blood Red Regrets,” the tempo-shifting “Eros Blues” and the darkly psychedelic “Doomsday Doggerel” burst out of the speakers or earbuds with epic sonic dynamics.
“The Black Crowes, to a fault, have always done thing by how they feel,” Chris maintains. “I’m a cerebral person, but the music is really caveman stuff. We’ve done a lot of spontaneous writing, and I work that way, but something like ‘Doomsday Doggerel,’ that’s a great example of one minute there wasn’t a song, and 30 minutes later there’s one of my favorite songs that we’ve ever written.”
On “It’s Like That,” meanwhile, Chris was working on lyrics in his rented house, “and there’s a tree frog out in front of the bedroom, and it’s making this noise, so I taped it on my phone and we get back the next day and I go, ‘Put up the solo section…and throw my frog in there,’ and it goes through the little guitar solo break. That’s my Nashville rasta frog.” Rich also credits his brother with the idea for adding violin to “Queen of the B-Sides.”
“There’s moments like that all over the record that I really appreciate,” Rich says. “I think a lot of that kinda jumps into this immediacy the record has, where you’re right there. You’re in it, and that’s it. That’s what I really love about it.”
The Black Crowes — recently nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for a second consecutive year — begin touring during April with shows in Australia and Tokyo before kicking off a North American run with Whiskey Myers and Southall on May 17 in Austin, Texas, bisected with a late June run to Europe. The Robinsons will be joined by Symington, keyboardist Erik Deutsch and guitarist Nico Bereciartua from the Happiness Bastards run, while Mark “Muddy” Dutton from the band Burning Tree replaces longtime bassist Sven Pipien for this outing.
Rich anticipates that “we’ll go through all of [the A Pound of Feathers songs], but not all in one night,” while he and Chris say they’ll blend some seldom-played rarities amidst the other favorites, and perhaps some covers. “We have a deepish well to draw from,” Rich notes. “The cool thing is how these new songs fit with the old songs; when we went out for Happiness Bastards I was like, ‘Oh, how’s this gonna work?,’ but when you get in a room and you set ’em right next to each other they make total sense. So it’s gonna be really cool.
“I’m always surprised. You can feel [fans’] enthusiasm, sort of along the same trip as what Chris and I do, from our living room to yours, whatever that vibration is people are resonating with, too. To go out after all that time broken up and to have people come out and support us again, that’s a gift. It’s just really cool to look out and see someone that I remember seeing when I was a kid, and they’re bringing their kids to the shows. There really is a sense of togetherness that we’ve all been on this trip together…and are still here.”
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.pngYveto2026-03-10 22:50:342026-03-10 22:50:34The Black Crowes Share Their Current Approach to Making Music With New ‘A Pound of Feathers’ Album: ‘F— It, Let’s Just Keep Going’
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.
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Jill Scott reclaims Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay chart crown after a nearly 13-year gap as “Pressha” tops the list dated March 14. The single, released on Blues Bebe/Human Re Sources, advances from No. 2 and was the most-played song on panel-contributing adult R&B radio stations in the tracking week of Feb. 27-March 5, according to Luminate.
“Pressha” ascends after a 6% improvement in plays for the tracking week compared with the previous period (Feb. 20-26). With its promotion, the new champ ousts Kehlani’s “Folded” after its two-week reign.
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As Scott achieves another No. 1, the veteran adds a fifth leader to her Adult R&B Airplay ledger. It joins these four:
“A Long Walk,” seven weeks at No. 1 in March-April 2001
“Whatever,” one week, February 2005
“So in Love,” feat. Anthony Hamilton; 18 weeks, July-October 2012
“Blessed,” one week, June 2012
“So In Love,” notably, holds the record as the song with the most weeks at No. 1 in the history of the Adult R&B Airplay chart, which launched in September 1993.
With “Blessed” to “Pressha,” Scott closes a gap of 13 years, 8 months and two weeks between No. 1s. The last artist to wait as long to lead again was Mariah Carey, whose “Type Dangerous” ruled in August 2025, nearly 19 years since “Fly Like a Bird” wrapped its six-week stay on top in September 2006.
“Pressha” introduced Scott’s newest album, To Whom This May Concern, her first full-length project since 2015’s Woman. The set, released on Feb. 13, opened at No. 10 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart to give the singer-songwriter her ninth project to reach the top 10.
Scott’s return proved to be highly anticipated at her best radio format. “Pressha” skips to the No. 1 spot in just its eighth week on the chart, the fastest among the singer’s five champs. “So In Love” held her previous personal best, needing 10 frames to complete its trip. Among all songs, “Pressha” holds the shortest mark since Rihanna’s “Lift Me Up” also took eight weeks to the summit.
Elsewhere, “Pressha” holds at No. 11 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, which ranks songs by combined audience totals on adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop radio stations. There, it improved to 7.3 million audience impressions for the week, up 6%.
Though she might love watching it, Kelly Clarkson will probably never be on TheTraitors.
The Traitors season 4 winner Rob Rausch joined host Clarkson and fellow guest Daniel Radcliffe on Tuesday’s (March 10) episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, and after watching a scene from the reality competition’s finale, Clarkson congratulated Rausch on a job well done before admitting that the moment where Rausch betrays runner-up Maura Higgins made her feel uneasy.
“The amount of uncomfortable the scene that we just showed made me,” Clarkson says. “I could never do this show.”
Radcliffe chimed in and agreed that he doesn’t think he would be successful on The Traitors either, but they both commend Rausch on a job well-done. Clarkson also made sure to check on the winner’s conscience. “Do you feel like a piece of sh– though?” Clarkson asked Rausch, who was a Traitor from the first episode of season 4. Over the course of the season, Rausch fooled Higgins and the other Faithfuls and ultimately took home the grand prize of nearly $221,000.
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Rausch admitted that it’s difficult to play the role of a Traitor but that it’s important to separate emotions from gameplay. “And I did feel like a piece of sh–,” he said.
Clarkson continued by telling Rausch that he’s a “really good actor” and asked if he’s ever considered pursuing a career in the field. Though Rausch has had previous TV experience as a contestant on Love Island USA, the reality TV star had not thought about going into acting. Now that he’s had a taste of what it’s like to play a role on The Traitors, he’s open to the idea.
“Before Traitors, I would’ve said, ‘Hell no, I’m not doing that,’” Rausch said. “But I think I could do it.”
Rausch’s acting skills in the show truly shone through when he successfully convinced fellow contestant and K-pop star Eric Nam to switch sides from being a Faithful to a Traitor. Once Nam was where Rausch wanted him, he was able to banish the singer/songwriter from the game, leaving the win up in the air between Rausch and fellow Love Island alum Higgins.
Nam was able to eventually get his revenge on Rausch. On March 3, the singer dropped the video for his single “How the Fire Started,” in part inspired by Rausch’s betrayal on The Traitors. For the music video, Nam recruited his fellow betrayed Faithfuls to play vengeful characters on the hunt for none other than Rausch himself. In a recent episode of Billboard‘s video series Takes Us Out, Nam shared that while he was scared to ask the other contestants to join in on the video, they were all happy to do so and they had a great time.
“I think it was a way to just kind of wrap up the entire experience in a way that was fun and cheeky and still pulled the music in,” Nam says.
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.pngYveto2026-03-10 21:31:112026-03-10 21:31:11Kelly Clarkson Marvels at How Good Rob Rausch Was at Lying on ‘The Traitors’: ‘I Could Never Do This Show’
Carín León and Xavi’s “La Morrita” captures the crown on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart as the song jumps 3-1 on the March 14-dated chart. The achievement arrives two weeks after the song landed at No. 1 on the Regional Mexican Airplay chart (Feb. 28).
“Very excited and proud to see that this huapango is reaching the top of the charts,” León tells Billboard. “This proves that regional Mexican music is more alive than ever, and what better way to do it than with my buddy, Xavi, one of the young talents who is representing our music with great strength.”
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“La Morrita,” released Jan. 9 on Island/Socios Music, rises from No. 3 after a 22% week-over-week increase in audience impressions; that’s 8.6 million impressions earned across the 152 panel-contributing Latin radio stations in the United States for the tracking week of Feb. 27-March 5, according to Luminate. The song sends Romeo Santos and Prince Royce’s “Lokita Por Mí” to No. 2, after the latter three non-consecutive week run at No. 1.
With thew new champ, Xavi adds a fourth Latin Airplay No. 1 to his career chart account. He previously ruled through “No Capea,” with Grupo Frontera, for one week in February.
León, meanwhile, earns his sixth No. 1, after the singer-songwriter landed at the summit through pop and regional Mexican versions of Maná’s “Vivir Sin Aire” last September.
Beyond its Latin Airplay coronation, “La Morrita” adds a second week at No. 1 on Regional Mexican Airplay, becoming the third song to rule for two weeks -out of the eight champs on the ranking- in 2026 so far. Previously, La Arrolladora Banda El Limón and Juanes’ “Una Noche Contigo,” and Grupo Frontera’s “Monterrey” each pulled two-week dominations between Jan.-Feb.
Elsewhere, “La Morrita” also extends its No. 15 peak on the Hot Regional Mexican Songs thanks to its radio haul. The chart combines streaming data, radio airplay, and digital sales into its formula.
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.pngYveto2026-03-10 21:20:422026-03-10 21:20:42Carín León & Xavi’s ‘La Morrita’ Tops 2nd Billboard Chart: ‘What Better Way to Do It Than With My Buddy Xavi’
Fans are still recovering from the news that HEESEUNG has departed ENHYPEN — but a personal letter from the performer might assuage concerns ENGENE has over his exit.
Shortly after label BELIFT LAB revealed Tuesday (March 10) that the boy band would be trimming down to six members so that HEESEUNG could pursue solo projects — sparking a wave of mixed emotions from fans of the group — the 24-year-old performer uploaded a handwritten note to Weverse. In a translation of the letter shared by parent company HYBE with Billboard, he writes that he’s “aware of the concerns and many conversations surrounding” his choice, but that it was made “after thinking deeply about it for a long time.”
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“Those memories will remain some of the most shining and unforgettable moments of my life,” he adds of his time with bandmates JUNGWON, JAY, JAKE, SUNGHOON, SUNOO and NI-KI. “I will never forget them, and I want to continue supporting ENHYPEN as someone who will always cheer them on.”
ENHYPEN debuted in 2020, quickly becoming one of the top K-pop groups to watch. Just a couple of months before HEESEUNG’s departure, the then-septet dropped EP THE SIN : VANISH, debuting atop the Top Album Sales chart and reaching No. 1 on the Top Artists chart for the first time ever.
In its initial announcement that he would be leaving the group after six years together, BELIFT emphasized, like HEESEUNG did in his letter, that the split was in service of his future career as a soloist. “It became clear that Heeseung has his own distinct musical vision,” the company wrote, noting that the artist would remain signed to the label. “It’s difficult to relay the whole process through a short notice, but this decision comes after extensive deliberation. We understand that this news is a lot to process and may be received with mixed reactions.”
But ENGENE had mixed reactions indeed. Despite BELIFT’s assurances, many fans on social media have wondered whether there was more to the story, or if HEESEUNG hadn’t actually left ENHYPEN of his own volition. “clearly Heeseung’s departure was unplanned, how is it that this announcement was done on a whim?” one person wrote on X. “Is it really that urgent? The timing seems so off honestly.”
For now, though, all fans have to go off of is BELIFT’s announcement and HEESEUNG’s letter. Read his full message to ENGENE below.
Hello, this is HEESEUNG.
First of all, I know many ENGENEs must have been surprised to hear my news, and I imagine this sudden message may have left you with many questions. That’s why I wanted to speak to you directly.
The past six years have been filled with moments that are difficult to put into words — moments that were overwhelmingly meaningful and incredibly precious to me.Sharing so many emotions with the members and having ENGENEs always there to support us helped me move closer, step by step, to a dream that once felt out of reach.I truly believe none of this would have been possible without you.
Those memories will remain some of the most shining and unforgettable moments of my life. I will never forget them, and I want to continue supporting ENHYPEN as someone who will always cheer them on.
Over time, I shared the work I had been creating with the company, and we spent a long time discussing with many people how it might best be presented. After thinking deeply about it for a long time, I ultimately made a big decision in line with the direction that was discussed, in hopes of returning to you in a better way.
As many of you know, I have continued working on personal projects, dedicating a lot of time to them with the hope that one day I could share them with you. There were so many things I wanted to show you, but at the same time, I didn’t want my own ambitions to come before the team.
I’m aware of the concerns and many conversations surrounding this, and I’m working hard to prepare so I can meet you again soon. My sincere hope is to return to you with an even better version of myself.
ENGENEs have always shown endless love and support to someone who still has so much to learn, and because I know how surprising and worrying this news may feel, I also feel truly sorry. At the same time, I understand that these feelings come from how much you care about me.
I will carry the love ENGENEs have given me in my heart as I move forward.
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.pngYveto2026-03-10 21:05:452026-03-10 21:05:45Read HEESEUNG’s Full Letter to Fans About Leaving ENHYPEN: ‘I’m Aware of the Concerns’
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Nintendo is celebrating the 40th anniversary of all things Mario Tuesday (March 10) for Mario Day.
The plumber character in his namesake franchise is larger than. life, inspiring a multitude of iconic video games and even films such as 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie and the upcoming The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. The video game’s music is just as important to video game history as its story.
The game’s soundtrack was composed by Koji Kondo and remains recognizable to gamers — both casual and hardcore — to this day. Speaking of Mario music, the track “Peaches” from the The Super Mario Bros. Movie recorded by Jack Black peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 56 in April 2023. While the track wasn’t featured in the OG games, it proves just how popular and impactful Mario-related content, music or otherwise, can be even after 40 years.
With the mustachioed main character’s anniversary taking place, major names came to celebrate the occasion, including brands such as Lush, Lego and even Hot Wheels. These brands, and so many more, dropped new merchandise for Mario Day inspired by the Nintendo franchise and the upcoming film. ShopBillboard has picked out a few of our favorite pieces dropped for the big day, such as sparkling Luma bath bombs and Mario Kart-inspired Lego sets that you can shop below.
This Lush bath bomb is shaped like a yellow Luma seen in the Nintendo game Super Mario Galaxy. This bath bomb makes the water glittery and is scented like peach.
Lush didn’t come to play when it came to Mario Day. The brand dropped a bunch of inventive Mario-themed bath and body products (including its iconic bath bombs) that you can buy now on the brand’s website. Some of our favorites include the Yellow Luma bath bomb, retailing for $13. The star-shaped bath bomb is scented like peach and turns the water into a fizzy, glittering wonderland. Luma is a companion character featured in games such as Nintendo’s Super Mario Galaxy.
This is a shower gel inspired by the loveable plumber video game character Mario. The gel is scented like cola and lathers up to suds.
The collection also includes shower gels, including a $28 one inspired by Mario. The bottled gel is 8.4 oz and is scented like pomegranate juice and Persian lime oil that combine to create a cola scent. Like any other body wash, you’ll lather this gel up with warm water and wash yourself down. We find that Lush’s shower gels leave a lasting scent on your skin, which is great considering most scented washes wear off after an hour or so.
This lip scrub is a bright blue inspired by Princess Rosalina. The scrub is formulated to exfoliate and soothe dry lips.
Lush has also set out to protect people’s lips this Mario Day with a scrub inspired by Princess Rosalina, another iconic character from Super Mario Galaxy. This scrub is bright blue, like the royal’s dress, and is made with a mix of softening oils, hydrating butters and castor sugar that Lush says will hydrate and exfoliate your lips. We’d recommend this product, especially with the lingering chill in the air that can easily leave your lips cracking and begging for moisture.
This is a Mario lego set inspired by the Nintendo game Mario Kart. The detailed set sees Mario seated in his race car.
Mario Kart was a huge part of many kids’ gaming experience growing up. Lego has translated the magic of the beloved game into a multitude of sets that you can buy now. There’s a Mario set for $169.99 of the plumber sitting in his kart mid-race, along with a fearsome Piranha Plant Set for $59.99 that highlights the enemy in detail, down to his sharp teeth.
There’s also a Luigi set for $179.99 that is currently available for preorder on Lego’s website. The slightly taller character in green sits in a kart of his own in great detail. The new set will begin shipping on April 1, 2026. While all of these builds would look great displayed with your other Mario memorabilia, they also make amazing gifts to play and interact with too.
This set is inspired by the upcoming The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. The set includes a five-inch Bowser Jr. figure with his clown car and paintbrush. The set also comes with water-reveal stickers.
Like Lego, Walmart also had a huge drop of Mario-related goodies available that mainly draw inspo from the upcoming The Super Mario Galaxy Movie set to release on April 1. One of many favorites we have from this drop include the Bowser Jr. action figure accompanied by his little clown car with button-activated punching arms, spinning propeller and removable handle. The interactive set retails for $29.97 and also comes with water-reveal stickers that allow users to put Bowser Jr.’s accompanying paint brush to good use.
‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ – 9 inch Plush Figure of Mario
This is a plushie figure of Mario standing at 9 inches. These new plushies come in a trio with Peach and Luigi.
This plushie of Mario is another winner in our book. The $14.97 toy was launched alongside other similar plushies of Princess Peach and Luigi. The 9-inch figure is prepped for lots of use and cuddling because it has a squishy and durable body. The head of this Mario figure rotates, letting users articulate the plushie however they want.
Hot Wheels Mario RC Remote-Controlled Battery-Powered Vehicle
This is a Hot Wheels RC car inspired by Mario Kart. The car is controlled by an accompanying remote.
Hot Wheels is putting users in the driver’s seat with this Mario RC Remote-Controlled Battery-Powered Vehicle for $53.99. Now you can play Mario Kart in real life, racing this little Mario on a motorbike up and down sidewalks or on makeshift tracks. The RC car is controlled by an accompanying remote that is battery-powered. You can even pop wheelies with this car.
Amazon
‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ – 12″ Deluxe Three-Story Bowser Castle Playset
This is a playset made to look like fearsome villain Bowser’s castle. The castle set comes with accessories to decorate the Koopa’s castle.
Amazon seems to have a slew of unique playsets for Mario fans to check out. We really love this 12-inch set for $39.99, modeled after the ever-fearsome Bowser’s Castle. Users are encouraged to decorate the villainous Koopa’s castle with coordinating accessories like a bonsai tree and a working piano, along with a 3-inch figure of Bowser with three points of articulation to model him however you please. The set also comes with five heat reveal paintings, adding to the explorative fun.
‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ – 9-Inch Yoshi Egg Playset
This playset opens up to reveal a whole Yoshi world. The set comes with action figures that allow users to create their own scenarios.
Like the Bowser set, this Yoshi set seems like tons of fun, occupying your little ones for hours on end. Adults can obviously get in on the fun, too, adding this set to their ever-growing Mario collection. The egg-shaped playset opens up to reveal two scenes: one of a museum setting in New York and the other a Dry Outpost with a warp pipe, Pokey and ruins. The set comes with a figure of Mario’s sidekick Yoshi and an exclusive Fire Mario after taking a fire flower that can be displayed or played with on their own or placed in this playset so users can craft their own Mario World scenarios.
Samsung microSD Express Card – 256GB for Nintendo Switch™ 2
This Samsung microSD card is compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2. It is currently 35% off, an extremely low price for the card.
While this Samsung microSD card isn’t new, per se, the deal is. This product is 35% off, making it $39, the lowest price we’ve seen thus far. The SD card is compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2, significantly expanding the storage of your Switch 2 by enabling transferring and backing up photos, videos, apps and files all in one place. Plus, the card is Mario-themed. How cute!
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.pngYveto2026-03-10 20:30:502026-03-10 20:30:50From ‘Super Mario’ Bath Bombs to Toad-Themed Lego Sets, These Are the Best Mario Day 2026 Finds
For a decade and a half now, Bruno Mars has been perhaps the most consistently successful artist in popular music, and he’s certainly not about to start flopping with his latest set, The Romantic.
The album — Mars’ first solo effort since 2016’s 24k Magic, and his first LP of any sort since 2021’s Anderson .Paak teamup An Evening With Silk Sonic — debuts atop the Billboard 200 (dated Mar. 14), with 186,000 first-week units. The album’s lead single “I Just Might” also returns to No. 1 for its third total week on top, while second single “Risk It All” bows just three spots below it at No. 4.
How should Mars feel about this latest debut week? And is he trying anything particularly new with this album, or more going with what’s proven to work for him? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.
1. Bruno Mars’ The Romantic debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 186,000 units. On a scale from 1-10, how pleased do you think he and his team should be with that first-week performance?
Eric Renner Brown: 9. While The Romantic actually fell short of Mars’ last solo effort, 2016’s 24K Magic, by 45,000 units, it accomplished something neither that album nor Mars’ most recent project, his collaborative 2021 album with Anderson .Paak as Silk Sonic, did: a No. 1 chart placement on the Billboard 200. In doing so, Mars topped the chart for the first time in 13 years, notching the longest such gap for a living solo male artist since Paul McCartney summitted it in 2018 after a 36-year gap. Beyond demonstrating his cultural relevance at the moment, this No. 1 also indicates Mars’ overall longevity as a star.
Kyle Denis: About an 8. Considering the general decline of pure album sales, short tracklist and a lead single that didn’t quite take over the world, The Romantic’s opening week total is nothing to scoff at. And how can you be mad at your first No. 1-debuting album!
Lyndsey Havens: 10 — you can’t debut higher than No. 1. Plus, the fact that this is his first chart-topping album since his 2012 second album Unorthodox Jukebox and his first album to ever debut at the top spot is about as good as it can get, especially for an artist who is more than 15 years into their career.
Michael Saponara: 7.5. Bruno hasn’t been a massive first-week numbers guy in his career when you think about him as a pop supernova, but 186,000 is a solid week, and ruling the top slot on the Billboard 200 and Hot 100 is an impressive feat nonetheless. I think you also have to factor in that this wasn’t a bloated project loaded up with 20-something songs, as Bruno kept it tight with just nine tracks on DSPs.
Andrew Unterberger: I’d say a 7.5. It’s not the most exciting debut performance of the year, but Bruno Mars has never really been about eye-popping first weeks — he’s been about consistency, and another No. 1 album with another No. 1 hit (and already a second top five hit) means he’s just as big as he was five years ago, and 10 years ago, and 15 years ago, and probably five years from now. Hard to find reason to be upset with that.
2. “I Just Might” returns to No. 1 for a third week on top the Hot 100. Does this feel like an important/defining No. 1 hit for Bruno Mars at this point, or is it mostly still coasting off the momentum of his pair of 2024-25 global smashes (“Die With a Smile” with Lady Gaga and “APT.” with ROSÉ)?
Eric Renner Brown: “I Just Might” doesn’t feel particularly remarkable. “Die With a Smile” and especially “APT.” were both far more distinctive, and not just because they were collaborations with other A-list artists. It’s easy to see the big debut of “I Just Might” as indicative of broader pent-up demand for new Bruno Mars. Any decently executed single – and for Mars, musical proficiency is a given – from him would likely have performed similarly, and that’s exactly what “I Just Might” is: a well-produced Mars single that conjures his classic singles without reinventing the wheel.
Kyle Denis: I feel pretty comfortable saying that “I Just Might” won’t even rank in the top five of Bruno’s most important/defining No. 1 hits when all is said and done. A lot of this still feels like residual 2024-25 momentum, combined with a relatively less competitive chart period.
Lyndsey Havens: Considering how wildly different “Die With a Smile” and “APT.” are from one another — and from the rest of Bruno’s hits-filled catalog — I don’t consider The Romantic or “I Just Might” to be riding the momentum at all (I also think it’s why he’s able to have such a string of successes without ever reaching oversaturation). Especially because Bruno isn’t trying to build off either sound for his solo return. Instead, he returned to the tried and true form of Bruno Mars. I think that’s why “I Just Might” feels like a defining hit on its own, because it’s classic Bruno — and the fact that he can still release something that feels so distinctly him that also can resonate so strongly in 2026 is proof that he’s always known exactly what he’s doing.
Michael Saponara: “I Just Might” will define the Romantic era from a charts perspective for Bruno, but doesn’t enter the short list of his No. 1 hits of the past, which, admittedly, is going to be tough to crack at this point in his career. With the lasting impact of “Die With a Smile and “APT.,” the roads for “I Just Might” standing alone are muddied.
Andrew Unterberger: Hard to know before wedding season, where we’ll see whether it’s already joined “Treasure,” “Uptown Funk” and “24k Magic” in the most important Bruno Mars canon of all. I have to imagine it’ll get there, though: There’s something about that breezy groove with the “doo-doo-doo” vocal hook that screams all-ages dance party, at a pitch that seemingly no other pop star of the past 20 years can quite hit. Certainly wouldn’t bet against it.
3. “Risk It All” is the highest-debuting of the album’s new songs, bowing at No. 4 this week. Do you think it’ll be another long-lasting smash for Mars, or will it recede more quickly following its entrance?
Eric Renner Brown: Is that just… because it’s the first song on the album…? That’s the vibe I’m getting. The song is fine, but doesn’t stand out relative to other songs on the album, to me at least. I’m guessing a non-zero number of people pressed play and didn’t stick around for the rest of the album. To play devil’s advocate, the Latin flavor on “Risk It All” might buoy it on the charts in the weeks ahead. But I expect it to recede sooner rather than later.
Kyle Denis: I think this will probably perform on par with, if not better than, “Versace on the Floor.” Meaning that I’m expecting the third Romantic single to follow a trajectory closer to “Finesse.” There’s a chance a pretty ballad like this gets stunted as we reach for faster tempos to celebrate the arrival of spring and summer, but between its cross-cultural music video and wedding-ready status, “Risk It All” should go down as a solid hit single.
Lyndsey Havens: I think “I Just Might” will be the defining hit off The Romantic, but I do think that “Risk It All” has room to grow. Granted, we already have its music video, but Bruno is heading out on tour and that surely could help the song sustain or even give it a second (even higher-charting) boost.
Michael Saponara: It was cool to see Bruno lean into bolero with “Risk It All” to open the album, but I don’t see it remaining as a top-five staple for the long haul. The video was a standout moment alongside the romantic ballad, though, as Bruno picked up the guitar and delivered on the Latin love story with a mock wedding — and pulled on the heartstrings with a relationship that just about everyone would sign up to grow old for.
Andrew Unterberger: I think it’s another smash, yeah. You don’t really think of Bruno Mars as being a balladeer first and foremost — especially a relatively straight-faced one, like he’s playing on “Risk It All” — but when you look back at his catalog, he’s got more big slow songs than you think. I see “Risk” likely ending up the “When I Was Your Man” to the “Locked Out of Heaven” of “I Just Might”: Not as exciting a hit in the moment, but another huge chart winner that ends up being just as enduring, if not more so, than its predecessor.
4. Does anything else on The Romantic’s tracklist feel particularly new or exciting to you, or is it mostly just Bruno Mars playing the hits?
Eric Renner Brown: The Romantic is the type of album Mars could make in his sleep, which is both a compliment and a criticism. Among contemporary music stars, Mars has perhaps the highest floor: At minimum, his music is always immaculately produced and performed. But there’s a certain je ne sais quoi missing on The Romantic. Outside of the Latin flavors scattered across the album, it’s mostly just Mars in his comfort zone – which isn’t particularly exciting, but is still solid.
Kyle Denis: “Something Serious” really stuck out to me. I enjoyed hearing Bruno step into his Santana bag.
Lyndsey Havens: I mean, the fact that he’s exploring the genre of bolero definitely feels new for him and exciting for fans. And I think the best part is that while it may momentarily feel out of left field, the lasting impression is that it actually makes perfect sense for Mars, and showcases a sound he can so seamlessly pull off. I think that’s the underrated genius of The Romantic; even when trying something new, Mars’ signature stamp helps the instrumentation feel pre-worn and — to use this word again — timeless. Nothing about a solo Bruno Mars song will ever feel timestamped to the year it came out, which can be both a blessing and a curse (and fuel for the haters). But I think the fact that Bruno can balance what sounds like a classic hit in “I Just Might” alongside a fresher-sounding single like “Risk It All” and make both feel entirely him speaks for itself.
Michael Saponara: I think Bruno played it safe with much of The Romantic. He’s still performing at a high level, but with the standard I hold him to, the bar is already at the ceiling, so he’d have to take a risk creatively and push the envelope with some innovation that would make me feel he’s delving into a completely new realm.
Andrew Unterberger: “Something Serious,” with Mars’ spin on Santana’s version of “Oye Como Va,” was the most fun of the album’s handful of new explorations to me — though I kinda wish that when talking about The Romantic, we weren’t able to describe so many of the more interesting new songs as “the one where he puts his spin on [beloved artist]’s [classic hit].”
5. Mars is taking The Romantic on a stadium tour shortly. Is there anything he could do with these songs to make this era pop a little more for him, or will they quickly just mix into his larger setlist and reinforce the strength of his overall catalog?
Eric Renner Brown: Mars had a very successful Las Vegas residency, and his first stadium tour as a spiritual extension of that. Most Mars fans will be interested primarily in him performing his deep catalog of hits; these songs sound well-suited to slot in amongst his more classic material, but unlikely to become draws of their own. But like a lot of veteran artists who take to the stadium circuit, the new material isn’t really the point.
Kyle Denis: I could definitely see him making “Risk It All” a tour moment by officiating marriages onstage, or maybe he brings out a special guest/fan for “Cha Cha Cha” à la Role Model’s “Sally” trend. More likely than not, however, The Romantic will simply add more material to a catalog already primed for a memorable live show.
Lyndsey Havens: I’d love to see Bruno bring the vibe of his “Risk It All” music video to the stage, even if briefly. But overall, I think he could have toured stadiums even without dropping The Romantic. His catalog really is that strong — as is his stage presence — but the fact that fans do have new material to enjoy is just one big romantic cherry on top.
Michael Saponara: Bruno’s going to have to add a wrinkle or two to make The Romantic-specific tracks pop on tour. It’s a tall task with as robust a catalog as he boasts, but it’s possible. I’m looking at Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance for inspiration here. Bruno could give tracks a fresh coat of paint at different spots — think the Lady Gaga-assisted salsa rendition of “Die With a Smile” — or bring out couples on stage for viral engagement moments or a wedding ceremony and first dance, as we saw in Santa Clara in February.
Andrew Unterberger: I’d definitely like to see him jam out some of the grooves of this album a little — maybe taking “On My Soul” from “Move on Up” (Single Version) to “Move on Up” (Album Version) territory — and be a little more playful with them in general. Nothing wrong with a tight nine-track album, but there are moments where The Romantic could definitely stand to feel a little looser. Hopefully the live show will help with that.
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With the start of his stadium tour this spring, which starts at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Friday, April 10, CMA Award-winning singer-songwriter Morgan Wallen is one of the hottest voices in country music — especially nearly a year after the release of his hit album, I’m the Problem.
Whether you’ve been there from the very beginning or you just found the country singer’s music, Billboard has rounded up the best Morgan Wallen merch and apparel to show off your love for the singer on Amazon. In fact, Morgan Wallen has an official store from the retail giant that features T-shirts, logo apparel, hoodies, water bottles, phone cases and other items. There are even handy Morgan Wallen PopSockets for smartphones going for $15.99.
And if you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can order now and any one of these merch and apparel items will be delivered to your home in less than two days, thanks to Prime Delivery.
Not a member? Sign up for a 30-day free trial to take advantage of all that Amazon Prime has to offer, including access to Amazon Music for online music streaming, Prime Video and Prime Gaming; fast free shipping in less than two days with Prime Delivery; in-store discounts at Whole Foods Market; access to exclusive shopping events — such as Prime Day in July and Black Friday in November — and much more. Learn more about Amazon Prime and its benefits here.
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Goldenvoice will produce a one time only dance megafest, Head Trip, Oct. 10-11 at the Coachella grounds in Indio, Calif.
Head Trip follows the tradition of 2016’s Desert Trip and 2023’s Power Trip, which each put on eye-popping lineups of classic rock and classic heavy metal, respectively.
Per this framework, Head Trip will feature two days of dance music greats, with Saturday’s bill featuring Calvin Harris, Chris Lake and Fisher performing as Under Construction, Peggy Gou playing b2b with Four Tet and Ben Sterling playing b2b with Seth Troxler. Sunday will feature Swedish House Mafia, Skrillex, Dom Dolla b2b Kettama, The Blessed Madonna and DJ Harvey.
Additionally, Floating Points will put on an installation called Sunflower Sound System that will operate all weekend long. Housed inside a domed tent, Sunflower Sound System will feature paneling made from mycelium and decorated with tapestries and original artwork by DJ and artist Josephine Chime. The space will be DJ’d by Floating Points and special guests.
Beyond this, Head Trip will feature all performances on the same stage, with no overlapping sets. Producers will appear in the order they appear on the lineup poster below. The main stage production will be designed by Romain Pissenem,the founder and director of creative production company High Scream.
Hotel packages for the 18+ festival start at $2,150 for a two night stay and GA tickets for two people. These packages are available now, with all packages including a festival ticket.
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