Madonna partied with Post Malone during his concert at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night. While Malone was the star onstage, the “Material Girl” definitely stole the show backstage.
“Get f—ed up motherf—ers!” she shouts in a video posted to her Instagram before rocking out to Malone’s eight-week Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 song “Rockstar” with her crew.
The 64-year-old pop icon was appropriately dressed for the occasion in an all-black outfit with suspenders, a heap of silver jewelry, and bedazzled silver sunglasses. The superstar also sported bubblegum-pink hair, a departure from her usual blond tresses.
Madonna spent time with Malone backstage after his concert, posting a photo of herself with the “White Iverson” rapper backstage, a bottle of French wine between them. She embraced Malone before showing off her flexibility, swinging her legs in the air.
The pair also jokingly showed off their French skills, complete with an over-the-top French accent.
“Drinking this wine from Provence, and then later on we’re gonna have a croissant,” said Madonna, later adding, “Excusez moi?”
It seems Madonna and Malone now have a little French inside joke — she even captioned her post “Croissant” with a croissant emoji.
The concert is part of Post’s Twelve Carat Tour, and it comes just weeks after he was hospitalized for difficulty breathing following his fall through a hole onstage during his concert in St. Louis.
The list of 62 songwriters or songwriting teams that are vying for the newly created Grammy Award for songwriter of the year, non-classical includes such major names as Desmond Child, James Fauntleroy, Natalie Hemby, Hillary Lindsey, Shane McAnally, Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter.
It also includes some surprises. The-Dream, who had a pair of top five albums on the Billboard 200 in 2009-10, and Michael Wilson Hardy, who records as HARDY, are both eligible. This award was specifically designed to celebrate songwriters who primarily write for other artists, rather than songwriters who are also artists or producers.
So how did they make the list? The-Dream’s entered work this year focused on his work as a songwriter for Beyoncé, Brent Fayiaz and Pusha T. Hardy’s entries include songs for such artists as Blake Shelton and Brantley Gilbert featuring Jason Aldean. HARDY is featured as an artist on only one of his entries (Cole Swindell’s “Down to the Bar”).
One songwriting team is entered – Denisia “Blue June” Andrews and Brittany “Chi” Coney, who comprise the record production and songwriting duo Nova Wav. They submitted songs that they wrote for Mary J. Blige and Beyoncé.
The eligibility list includes nine Grammy winners – The-Dream (five awards), Fauntleroy (four), Jason Ingram (three), Lindsey (three), McAnally (three), Hemby (two), David Leonard (two), Jonathan Smith (two), and Edgar Barrera (one).
Most of the eligible songwriters submitted credits reflecting work with multiple artists, to show their range. But three of the writers show credits with just one artist — Steve Cooper (The Group Fire), Ed Miranti (Vischious Fishious), and Adam Garzilli (Adam King).
Four of Ryan Hurd’s submitted credits are for songs he wrote for his wife, Maren Morris, but he also has a credit for Jordan Davis. Most of Jozzy’s credits are for work with Latto, though the writer also has a credit for Beyoncé.
Lauren Christy is entered with songs she wrote for such artists as Korn and Jenn Bostic. Christy was nominated for producer of the year (non-classical) in 2003 as part of The Matrix (along with Graham Edwards and Scott Spock).
This new category is analogous to producer of the year, non-classical, which was introduced in 1974. Thom Bell, one of the architects of the Philadelphia soul sound, was the first winner in that category. The Recording Academy should be so lucky to have as esteemed a first winner in this category.
First-round voting in this and all Grammy categories began on Thursday (Oct. 13) and continues through Oct. 23. Nominees will be announced on Nov. 15. Final-round voting runs from Dec. 14 to Jan. 4, 2023. The winners will be revealed at the 65th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 5, 2023.
Here are the 62 songwriters who are in the running for songwriter of the year. They are listed in alphabetical order.
Sarah Aarons
Andy Albert
Amy Allen
Denisia “Blu June” Andrews and Brittany “Chi” Coney (of Nova Wav)
Edgar Barrera
Evan Kidd Bogart
Nija Charles
Desmond Child
Lauren Christy
Steve Cooper
Kat Dahlia
Sean Douglas
Tom Douglas
Ed Miranti
James Fauntleroy
Omer Fedi
Douglas Ford
James Aaron Foster
Edgar Galeano
Adam Garzilli
Natalie Nicole Gilbert
Andrew Goldstein
Ashley Gorley
Michael Wilson Hardy
Joyce V Harrison
Scott Harris
Natalie Hemby
Cory Henry
Jacob “Jkash” Hindlin
Sarah Hudson
Ethan Hulse
Ryan Hurd
Jason Ingram
Ink
Tobias Jesso Jr.
Steph Jones
Jozzy
David Leonard
Hillary Lindsey
Natalie Litza
Marcus Lomax
Madison Love
Shane McAnally
Chase McGill
Julia Michaels
Kayla Morrison
Michael Pollack
Elena Rose
Tia Scola
Shekinah Grace Moyes
Jonathan Smith
Skyler Stonestreet
Ali Tamposi
The-Dream
Theron Thomas
Jake Torrey
Justin Tranter
Laura Veltz
Billy Walsh
Besy Walter
Emily Warren
Victoria “Ryann” Zaro
Björk begins at No. 2 on Billboard‘s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart (dated Oct. 15) with Fossora. The set starts with 10,000 equivalent album units earned, including 9,000 in album sales, in the Sept. 30-Oct. 6 tracking week, according to Luminate.
It’s the Icelandic songstress’ sixth top 10 dating to the chart’s 2001 inception, a run that began with Vespertine (three weeks at No. 1, 2001). Björk’s other top 10s are Greatest Hits (No. 2, 2002), Family Tree (No. 6, 2002), Volta (nine weeks at No. 1, 2007) and Biophilia (No. 1, 2011).
Björk landed five earlier titles on the Billboard 200, led by Homogenic (No. 28, 1997). Volta brought Björk her highest rank, and lone top 10 to date, on the chart (No. 9).
Concurrently, Fossora arrives on Top Album Sales (No. 7), Vinyl Albums (No. 7; 5,000 vinyl copies), Top Alternative Albums (No. 9), Independent Albums (No. 15) and the Billboard 200 (No. 100), among other tallies.
Additionally on Top Dance/Electronic Albums, Shygirl (aka Blane Muise) starts at No. 7 with Nymph (3,000 units). The U.K.-based DJ/singer has scored two hits on the multi-metric Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart: “Sour Candy (Mura Masa Remix),” with Lady Gaga and BLACKPINK (No. 24, September 2021), and as featured on FKA Twigs’ “Papi Bones” (No. 32, this January).
Speaking of Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, Farruko flies20-12 with “Nazareno,” earning top Streaming Gainer honors following the Sept. 29 drop of a remix and video with Ankhal. The track, which reached No. 7 in June, earned 1.2 million U.S. streams, up 102%, in addition to gathering 2.6 million in all-format radio airplay audience impressions.
Shifting to the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart, MK collects his fourth top 10 and BURNS earns its first with “Better,” featuring Teddy Swims, who adds his second (13-10). The song is drawing core-dance airplay on Music Choice’s Dance/EDM channel, iHeartRadio’s Evolution and KMVQ-HD2 San Francisco, among other outlets. (The Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart measures radio airplay on a select group of full-time dance stations, along with plays during mix shows on around 70 top 40-formatted reporters.)
The Voice contestant Nolan Neal died due to a fatal overdose involving fentanyl, according to a spokesperson from the Davidson County Medical Examiner’s office.
The late singer, who was vocal about his struggle with substance abuse, was pronounced dead at age 41 after being found in his apartment on July 18.
A spokesperson told Page Six that the singer suffered “acute combined drug toxicity.” In addition to fentanyl, morphine, methamphetamine and acetyl fentanyl were also present in Neal’s bloodstream, according to his autopsy report.
The member of the rock band Hinder shared that he relapsed after joining, citing his own internal pressures to fit in with the members. The singer also revealed he was battling substance abuse during his time on The Voice in an interview with WBIR in 2020. “I remember I got clean in 2010; May 15, went to rehab. Stayed clean,” Neal told WBIR in July 2020. “I joined the rock band Hinder, they were all about drinking and partying.”
Nolan also gained popularity on America’s Got Talent, appearing on season 15 and wooing audiences with his live performance of single “Send Me a Butterfly.”
Both The Voice and America’s Got Talent expressed their condolences to Neal’s family on social media. “We are heartbroken by the passing of Nolan Neal,” the shows’ statement read. “His incredible talent will always be remembered. Our sincerest sympathy goes out to his family and friends during this time.”
America’s Got Talent judge Simon Cowell also expressed his condolences in an interview with People. “Unfortunately, it happens too much over the years. I was thinking about this the other day. People [who] passed too soon,” said Cowell. “Every time it happens, because you’ve gotten to know them, it’s horrible.”
In the new book The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story of the Epic Hit Series, the show’s creators and producers discuss the Hollywood heavy-hitters who could have been on the cast — including Selena Gomez.
Big Bang Theory executive producer Steve Molaro revealed that the producers approached the Only Murders in the Building star several times. Before it was established that Amy (Mayim Bialik)’s parents were still together, Molaro had “kicked around an idea that Amy had been complaining about her awful stepsister,” who would be played by Gomez and be “beautiful and great and everyone loves her.” However, things never worked out due to scheduling conflicts.
It’s no secret that Gomez, 30, is a fan of the show, as revealed in a 2016 Instagram post. Gomez appears to be in her dressing room watching her computer screen with a mug in one hand. “The one thing that gets me going before anything. Sheldon Cooper – Big Bang Theory,” she captioned the post, garnering more than 2 million likes.
Also revealed in the book: Before Johnny Galecki earned the role of Leonard Hofstadter, the producers pursued Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin. “There’s a special ethereal quality to that actor that I thought might be great,” co-creator Chuck Lorre said in the book, with fellow co-creator Bill Prady adding: “We had a terrific meeting with Macaulay … and then we heard that he had decided he wasn’t interested.”
The book says Sandra Bullock was the “first go-to” to accompany Raj Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar) to Sheldon and Amy’s Nobel Prize ceremony before they cast Sarah Michelle Gellar to play herself. Why Bullock? Koothrappali has a “long love of her,” exec producer Steve Holland said. “We were excited about it, but we got a polite decline because she was shooting a movie and wasn’t available. But we were very excited Sarah was available to come on.”