Categoría: Billboard

BigXthaPlug is one of the leaders of hip-hop’s new school, and he’s looking to prove he’s more than a rapper with his country-trap pivot. Ever since the arrival of his slide guitar-tinged breakout hit “Texas” in 2022, country’s biggest stars began to tap in and show love to BigX, ranging from Morgan Wallen to Luke Combs and Post Malone. “Post Malone, Luke Combs, all those guys,” BigX told Billboard at the top of 2025. “They claim I’m their favorite rapper.” Fittingly enough, BigX credits a Billboard interview earlier this year with pushing him to actually put a country-themed project together, after speaking about having plans for the project, even though it didn’t exist at the time. “I go and do a Billboard interview and I straight up say, ‘I got a country project on the way,’” he told the New York Times’ Popcast. “And I never had a country project on the way… I wasn’t thinking properly, they had just made me cry in the middle of the interview… We come back and I’m kinda trying to change the narrative, ‘I got a country project on the way.’ After I was like, ‘Damn.’ He continued: “I said that and my team was like, ‘You know you gotta do it now, right?’ Days later, You got Jelly Roll saying [he wants in on the album] and we getting demo after demo from all these other artists.” Fast-forward about eight months, and it’s mission accomplished, as X returned with his I Hope You’re Happy album on Friday (Aug. 22). Exploring all the emotions surrounding a relationship that crashed and burned, BigX invites Jelly Roll, Luke Combs, Shaboozey, Ink, Tucker Wetmore, Thomas Rhett, Ella Langley, Bailey Zimmerman and Darius Rucker on the journey to complete the project, which took him longer to finish than any of his previous work. Throw on your cowboy hat and matching boots while delving into Billboard‘s ranking of all the tracks on I Hope You’re Happy (without the pair of interludes included). “24/7” (feat. Ink) BigX slows the pace down and takes a softer approach with his rhymes. He’s lost without his lover around and makes a plea to win her back. However, X’s verse seems to come to an abrupt stop, leaving listeners feeling confused and as if there could’ve been meat on the bone to take “24/7” to another level. “About You” (feat. Tucker Wetmore) We all know someone who makes things about them, even when it’s not the truth. BigX reflects on “Mrs. Right,” who thinks she does no wrong. One of the Dallas native’s strengths is his relatability factor, which allows fans to have a deeper connection to tracks like “About You” and belt along with BigX at his shows. Tucker Wetmore brings us across the finish line while hitting a bullseye when putting an ex’s flaws on blast. “I Hope You’re Happy” (feat. Darius Rucker) Darius Rucker sets the table, leaning into the blues with his opening chorus, feeling scorned by a love interest moving on over Charley Cooks’ electric guitar. BigXthaPlug makes his grand entrance with an extended solo verse, which finds him ruminating about the pain of a fresh break-up, as the rage inside him pours out like lava following the split. “You hurt my soul, I hope he heal yours/ You let me drown, I hope he swim for you/ I lost it all, you wasn’t here for me,” X raps in disgust about his ex. “Home” (feat. Shaboozey) BigX has said that Shaboozey is one of his closest friends in the music industry, and their bond shows with every collaboration. “Home” is the perfect top-down nighttime tune to go on a solo cruise and completely clear your mind. X feels a spark and is willing to give love another shot to make things right, as he heads back to his ex’s city. It’s surprising “Home” wasn’t more of a hit on the charts following the success of “All the Way.” “All the Way” (feat. Bailey Zimmerman) BigX set the bar extremely high out of the gate with “All the Way,” which earned a top-five debut on the Billboard Hot 100. A track that was originally supposed to feature Morgan Wallen instead of Bailey Zimmerman, which ended up a blessing in disguise, proving BigX’s star power, as he and Zimmerman uplifted one another with the perfect mix of country and trap. It fits into the grand scheme of the album as well, providing a turning point with BigX showing he’s getting ready to move on from his ex and come out better for it. “Long Nights” (feat. Thomas Rhett) BigX saves some of his best rapping for last on the project with the poignant closer. Taking a step back to appreciate his journey from inmate to millionaire, X gives God glory for leading him on the right path to stardom. “I thank God like every day cause s—t he helped me find my purpose/ I was hurt, s—t I went from hearing shots to hearing fans behind them curtains,” he raps. Rhett is a great complementary collaborator here, with his artistic repertoire injecting a potent blend of country, rap and rock into “Long Nights.” The 27-year-old rapper leaves the woman who inspired much of this project with a simple message: Thank you. However, it’s the fans who should also thank her for being the muse behind I Hope You’re Happy. “Hell at Night” (feat. Ella Langley) A petty break-up anthem. Ella Langley’s country twang sets a wrathful tone while BigX takes the baton and poetically spews all of the misfortunes he hopes his ex experiences in the future without him by her side. “I hope you leave your car runnin’ at the store and it get stolen,” he raps in vicious fashion. Damn, BigX! “Box Me Up” (feat. Jelly Roll) BigX has often said that Jelly Roll is the “country version of himself,” and after finally meeting at Stagecoach following plenty of phone calls and texts, it was only

Country’s favorite rapper BigXthaPlug released his highly-anticipated I Hope You’re Happy album on Friday (Aug. 21). The country-trap effort delves into all the emotions surrounding a recent relationship BigX was in that resulted in the couple going their separate ways. The Dallas native tapped a handful of country stars to join him on the effort, including Jelly Roll, Darius Rucker, Luke Combs, Bailey Zimmerman, Thomas Rhett, Tucker Wetmore, Shaboozey and Ella Langley. Explore See latest videos, charts and news BigX credited a Billboard interview at the top of the year with pushing him to complete a country project. During his chat with Billboard, he teased that he had the pillars of a project jumping into country ready, but the truth was that none of that was actually in motion at the time. “I go and do a Billboard interview and I straight up say, ‘I got a country project on the way,’” he told the New York Times’ Popcast. “And I never had a country project on the way… I wasn’t thinking properly, they had just made me cry in the middle of the interview… We come back and I’m kinda trying to change the narrative, ‘I got a country project on the way.’ After I was like, ‘Damn.’ He continued: “I said that and my team was like, ‘You know you gotta do it now, right?’ Days later, You got Jelly Roll saying [he wants in on the album] and we getting demo after demo from all these other artists.” I Hope You’re Happy, which BigX originally titled Not Just Country, serves as his first project since 2024’s Take Care, which debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200. Stream I Hope You’re Happy below. Source link

Kid Cudi has returned to release his 10th studio album, as Free hit streaming services on Friday (Aug. 22). The 13-track effort is free of features and includes previously-released singles such as “Neverland,” “Mr. Miracle” and “Grave.” It’s Cudder’s first LP since 2024’s Insano, which debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard 200. For the cover art, Cudi took inspiration from The Truman Show. Like Jim Carrey leaving Seahaven, Cudi steps through a doorway in the cloudy sky, Explore See latest videos, charts and news “I wanted something that really expressed freedom, so the concept of me leaping into the clouds made so much sense,” he wrote on IG when revealing the cover. “Inspired by The Truman Show. I cant WAIT for u guys to hear this album and really see the album art brought to life. You’re in for a beautiful ride. Promise.” August has been a busy month for Kid Cudi, who released his vulnerable memoir on Aug. 12. He opened up his world to GQ, who received an early excerpt from the book, which found Cudi recalling a near-drug overdose circa 2010. “I was at peace with dying,” Cudi wrote. “After doing more coke than I ever had in my life I was losing all sense of what was real. I’d been alone in my New York apartment, crying for hours, listening to the Lykke Li song ‘Time Flies’ on repeat. It was a love song, but the melodies and her voice filled me with despair.” He continued: “I was a role model, but I didn’t feel like one. People called me their savior. But who was going to save me? I was a lighthouse for others, but I couldn’t find my own way,” he added. “It was peace I was after. Here, crippled on the floor, minutes from overdosing, was the closest I’d ever come to finding it. ‘You made great music that people loved,’ I thought, ‘but this is the end.’” Stream Free below. Source link

Head’s up, it’s Laufey time. The Icelandic-Chinese talent returns with A Matter of Time (via Vingolf Recordings / AWAL), the followup to her 2023 collection Bewitched, winner of the Grammy Award for best traditional pop vocal album and a top 20 hit on the Billboard 200. For A Matter of Time, Laufey (pronounced lay-vay) tapped a pair of co-producers. Returning to the fold was Spencer Stewart, who worked with Laufey on her first two albums, while Aaron Dessner (Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran) collaborated with the contemporary jazz star for the first time. Explore See latest videos, charts and news Led by the singles “Silver Lining” and “Tough Luck,” A Matter of Time is a dreamy meditation, hugged with Laufey’s jazz hands. “I’m constantly thinking about classical and jazz, how to properly preserve them and pay homage. For this album,” she explains, “I just wanted to let my heart wander.” A Matter of Time, like 2022’s Everything I Know About Love and Bewitched is “for me is a blank book of stories to write,” she explains. In support of the new collection, Laufey took over the Grammy Museum’s Ray Charles Terrace in downtown Los Angeles this week for Drop: Laufey – A Benefit Program, a presentation that blended new music, candid storytelling, and a touch of star power, as Selena Gomez watched on. Laufey Land, as she calls it, captured the imagination of the music business. Sources told Billboard that she sparked a multimillion-dollar bidding war in 2023 among record labels that have rarely seen so much commercial potential in a jazz-adjacent act. She went on to sign a global label deal with AWAL that allowed her to retain ownership of her work. Raised between Iceland and the Washington, D.C., area, Laufey (full name Laufey Lín Jónsdóttir) grew up surrounded by classical musicians, and counts Chopin, Liszt, Baker, Fitzgerald, and Holiday among her influences. As her story grew, Laufey was named in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list, was one of TIME’s 2025 Women of the Year, she has sold out the Hollywood Bowl, Radio City Music Hall, and London’s Royal Albert Hall; performed backed by the LA Phil, the National Symphony Orchestra, and the China Philharmonic Orchestra and is behind The Laufey Foundation, which has the primary mission of supporting young musicians with the resources they need, especially through youth orchestras, to reach their full potential. Stream A Matter of Time below. Source link

Offset has plenty to get off his chest, and the Atlanta rapper has returned with his KIARI solo album, which hit streaming services on Friday (Aug. 22). Boasting 18 tracks in total, Offset invites a plethora of stars into the fold, including YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Gunna, YFN Lucci, Ty Dolla $ign, John Legend and Key Glock. Explore See latest videos, charts and news KIARI serves as Set’s third solo album and first since 2023’s Set It Off. Both of the Atlanta rapper’s first two albums debuted in the Billboard 200′s top five. During an interview with the Associated Press, Offset provided context surrounding the album closer “Move On,” which delves into Set moving past his relationship with estranged wife Cardi B. “It’s about moving on, like, peacefully. That’s what the message is supposed to be,” he said. “It’s all love and peace. I just ended the album with that, just to end that chapter because it’s time to move on, it’s over and done with.” Offset continued: “It was great while it lasted. That shouldn’t be the topic for either one of us no more. It’s a book that’s closed.” While the focus remains on KIARI, Offset spoke to Ebro Darden on Apple Music about reconciling with his group mate Quavo, and revealed that a joint album paying tribute to the late TakeOff is on the table in the future. “It’s possible,” he said. “No conversations about that, though, but it’s possible. First, we’re just checking in with each other and see each other’s worlds: ‘You good?’” Stream KIARI below. Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox Sign Up Source link

After a five-year recording hiatus, Teyana Taylor is heralding her return with Escape Room. The singer-songwriter, dancer-choreographer and actress-director’s anticipated fourth studio album (out Aug. 22) is being released via Taylormade Enterprises, Inc./Def Jam Recordings. And in further celebration of her next musical chapter, Taylor has partnered with Amazon Music for an exclusive livestream of her new short film, also titled Escape Room, on the album’s release date (8 p.m. PT). Explore See latest videos, charts and news Prefaced by the previously issued singles “Long Time” and “Bed of Roses,” the 22-track Escape Room finds Taylor expressing the raw emotions she experienced in finding her escape route from life’s turmoils to a stronger sense of self and healing. Underscoring that journey are empowering narratives from a diverse female chorus featuring Taraji P. Henson, Sarah Paulson, La La Anthony, Niecy Nash and Kerry Washington, among others. In addition to the aforementioned singles, other notable tracks include “Pum Pum” featuring Jill Scott and Tyla, “Hard Part” featuring Lucky Daye and “Open Invite” with Kaytranada. Taylor’s daughters Junie Shumpert and Rue Rose Shumpert appear on the album’s moving closing track “Always.” While speaking with Billboard about ending her musical retirement, Taylor — who recently underwent emergency vocal cord surgery — described herself as a “Glade plug-in: I’m going to plug in wherever I see a socket, wherever I see an outlet … Coming back to music and being able to do it on my terms was a big turn-on for me.” One of those creative outlets was the opportunity to write, direct, produce and star in the album’s accompanying, same-titled short film. Done under the banner of her all-female production company, The Aunties, this visual representation also features key songs from the project. Following the livestream on both Amazon Music’s app and Twitch channel, actress-producer Lena Waithe will moderate a Q&A with Taylor. Viewers can watch post-livestream on Prime Video here. A trailer is also available now. In the press release announcing Amazon Music’s livestream, Taylor says, “Escape Room isn’t just a film or an album; it’s a world I built to live in, bleed in and heal in. I poured my heart into every layer, from the story to the sound, to capture that journey we all take through the shadows of heartbreak, whether that’s love lost, friendships broken, dreams deferred and guide you toward the lightness of healing. It’s the visual representation of my scars, the picture of my healing and a mirror for anyone ready to face their own truth. This is more than a story… it’s a place to break free.” Listen to Escape Room below. Source link

Deftones‘ Private Music is private music no longer, with the rock band dropping its 10th studio album on Friday (Aug. 21) for all the world to hear after more than a month of buildup. Led by singles “My Mind Is a Mountain” and “Milk of the Madonna,” Private Music features 11 tracks total. The rest of the tracklist features “Locked Club,” “Ecdysis,” “Infinite Source,” “Souvenir” “Cxz,” “I Think About You All the Time,” “Cut Hands,” “~Metal Dream” and “Departing the Body.” Recorded and produced in part in Malibu and Joshua Tree in California, the project marks the bandmates’ first full-length since 2020’s Ohms. Peaking at No. 5, the latter became Deftones’ sixth top 10 hit on the Billboard 200. The release of Private Music comes about six weeks after the rockers first announced the album, sharing its simplistic cover art — an albino snake curled up on a bright green surface — on social media and writing simply, “private music | out august 22.” That same day, Deftones dropped “My Mind Is a Mountain,” with “Milk of Madonna” arriving about one month later. The band has since been getting fans ready for the long-awaited new record by hosting a string of private listening parties leading up to Private Music‘s release. The sessions took place Aug. 19-21 in Amsterdam, Mexico City, Los Angeles, London, Melbourne, New York City, Sydney, Toronto, Vancouver,Berlin, Paris and, of course, Deftones’ home city of Sacramento. Before that, the band kicked off a North American headline tour that has already included shows at NYC’s famed Madison Square Garden and the Kia Forum in L.A. Next up, Deftones will play a string of dates in Canada — starting with a performance in Vancouver on Friday — followed by more shows in the U.S. Listen to Deftones’ new album Private Music below. Source link

Doja Cat will play arenas in Australia and New Zealand for the first time when her Ma Vie World Tour stops by later this year. The Grammy Award-winning singer will kick-off her jaunt Nov. 18 at Auckland’s Spark Arena, then heads west for shows at Perth’s RAC Arena (Nov. 22), Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena (Nov. 25), Brisbane Entertainment Centre (Nov. 29) and wraps up Dec. 1 at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena, the biggest arena in the country. Australian audiences should lap up Doja Cat tickets. The U.S. artist took out the No. 1 spot in triple j’s record-breaking hottest 100 countdown of 2023 with “Paint The Town Red,” which spent 10 weeks at the top of the ARIA Chart. Explore See latest videos, charts and news When her name was called out, she became the first female rapper and first woman of color to lead triple j’s poll, the 31st edition. “Paint The Town Red” also logged three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and four consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard Global 200 leaderboard. In Australia, Doja’s last two albums, 2023’s Scarlet (No. 5) and 2021’s Planet Her (No. 2), both cracked the top 10 on the ARIA Chart. Doja is readying the release of her fifth studio album, Vie (via Kemosabe Records/ RCA Records), due out Sept. 26. She previously told V Magazine that her upcoming LP is a “pop-driven” project. “I do want to be self-aware enough to admit the fact that this is a pop-driven project,” she remarked. “I know that I can make pop music, and pop is just that it’s popular. It starts to become a bit of a thing that’s viewed as a sport by people who are just bystanders to it, who enjoy it, but maybe also don’t respect it or what it is, which is just music … They see it as if this is some kind of football for girls and gays.” Doja has shared another cut from it, “Jealous Type,” produced by Jack Antonoff and Y2K, with the music video directed by Boni Mata and filmed in Los Angeles. Live Nation is producing the Ma Vie World Tour of ANZ. The General onsale gets underway Thursday Aug. 28 at 11am AEST at dojacat.com/tour. Ma Vie World Tour 2025 Dates For New Zealand And Australia Nov. 18 — Spark Arena, AucklandNov. 22 — RAC Arena, PerthNov. 25 — Rod Laver Arena, MelbourneNov. 29 — Brisbane Entertainment CentreDec. 1 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney Source link

Is the beef between Gavin Adcock and Charley Crockett over? It appears so. Adcock posted a video to Instagram on Thursday (Aug. 21), noting that Crockett is attempting to bury the hatchet. The video clip shows Adcock sitting in a backstage area and holding a large bouquet of roses and a copy of Crockett’s new album Dollar a Day. Adcock poked fun at Crockett while accepting flowers and vinyl. “Apparently last night Charley Crockett was supposed to play the venue that we’re playing tonight, but he didn’t sell enough tickets, so he had to move to a smaller venue down the street — but before he left he sent me 60 roses and a $3 vinyl, so shout-out to Charley Crockett,” Adcock says with a smile. “I appreciate ya, buddy.” Adcock’s tour schedule has him slated to perform at WAVE in Wichita, Kansas, on Thursday night, while Crockett performed at Wichita’s The Cotillion on Wednesday. Crockett had previously been scheduled to perform at WAVE back in May, but the show was postponed and moved to The Cotillion. In June, Adcock had some thoughts to share about Beyoncé’s Grammy-winning Cowboy Carter album during one of his concerts. Adcock blasted Bey’s project, which was keeping his own album out of the top three on Apple Music’s country albums chart at the time. Earlier this week, Crockett issued a lengthy Instagram post that seemingly called out Adcock and other country stars who have spoken out against Cowboy Carter, and also defended Beyoncé. Crockett didn’t mention Adcock by name, but in his message he wrote, “I don’t need to put down a Black woman to advance my music. That’s just embarrassing to the idea of America and I got no respect for it.” Adcock quickly fired back at Crockett on social media. He also didn’t mention Crockett by name, but wrote, “Somebody needs to tell the ‘act’ that has let out (the cover) of James town ferry 6 times he should just work on letting out quality original music. I got more cowsh– under my pinky then you have seen your whole f—in’ life. Hank sr called and asked about the cosplay cowboy.” “Jamestown Ferry,” which Tanya Tucker first recorded in 1972, was included on Crockett’s 2017 album Lil G.L.’s Honky Tonk Jubilee and then on 2023’s Live From The Ryman, as well as a remixed version of the song on 2025’s Lonesome Drifter. A spokesperson for Crockett had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment by press time to confirm whether the flowers and album came from him. Source link

The band’s Los Angeles shows may still be weeks away, but Oasis fever has already reached Los Angeles, with the Wednesday (Aug. 20) opening of the Oasis Live ’25 Fan Store on Hollywood Boulevard. The first Fan Store to open in North America amid the band’s current world tour comes ahead of their two-night takeover at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on. Sept. 6-7. Located in the heart of Hollywood, the store was properly buzzing on opening day, with a line of fans snaked around the corner and the group’s greatest hits blasting through the speakers inside as Oasis fans young and old shopped. The space is populated with merchandise specific to the band’s current reunion tour — its first run since splitting in 2009 — along with more general Oasis swag, including T-shirts, jackets, hoodies, stickers, coffee mugs, tote bags, a selection of children’s clothing and, naturally, several varieties of bucket hats. The store’s offerings also include the band’s official collaboration with Adidas, a collection that includes track suits, soccer jerseys and more and which was moving off shelves and over to the cash registers at a brisk pace. But even those without funds to spend can walk away with some memorabilia, as the store includes an installation emulating the cover of the group’s 1994 debut album, Definitely Maybe, where fans can take photos and show off their best Liam-lying-down pose. The store’s Los Angeles location is the first of several North American Oasis Live ’25 Fan Stores. The Toronto shop opened Thursday (Aug. 21); the New York location opens on Aug. 23; and the Chicago store launches Aug. 26. These shops are opening ahead of the band’s dates in each of these cities, with the Toronto performances up first on Aug. 24-25, Chicago on Aug. 28, the New York City-adjacent shows in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Aug. 31-Sept. 1, Los Angeles on Sept. 6-7, and Mexico City on Sept. 12-13. See photos from opening at the Los Angeles shop below. Oasis Live ’25 Fan Store in LA Image Credit: Vivien Killilea Oasis Live ’25 Fan Store in Los Angeles, California on August 20, 2025. Oasis Live ’25 Fan Store in LA Image Credit: Vivien Killilea Oasis Live ’25 Fan Store in Los Angeles, California on August 20, 2025. Oasis Live ’25 Fan Store in LA Image Credit: Vivien Killilea Oasis Live ’25 Fan Store in Los Angeles, California on August 20, 2025. Oasis Live ’25 Fan Store in LA Image Credit: Vivien Killilea Oasis Live ’25 Fan Store in Los Angeles, California on August 20, 2025. Oasis Live ’25 Fan Store in LA Image Credit: Vivien Killilea Oasis Live ’25 Fan Store in Los Angeles, California on August 20, 2025. Oasis Live ’25 Fan Store in LA Image Credit: Vivien Killilea Oasis Live ’25 Fan Store in Los Angeles, California on August 20, 2025. Oasis Live ’25 Fan Store in LA Image Credit: Vivien Killilea Oasis Live ’25 Fan Store in Los Angeles, California on August 20, 2025. Oasis Live ’25 Fan Store in LA Image Credit: Vivien Killilea Oasis Live ’25 Fan Store in Los Angeles, California on August 20, 2025. Source link