Categoría: Billboard

Mark O’Connell, the longtime drummer of Long Island-based emo ensemble Taking Back Sunday, has announced his departure from the group after almost 25 years of membership. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news O’Connell detailed his exit from the group in a lengthy post shared on social media, telling his followers that “after nearly 25 years as the drummer of Taking Back Sunday, I want to confirm that I am no longer with the band”. Via his account (which still reads @markoconnelltbs), O’Connell reflected on his time within the band and thanked fans for being the “heartbeat” of Taking Back Sunday and “a huge part” of his life for almost a quarter of a century. “I owe it all to you,” he wrote. “My departure wasn’t an easy decision, and it wasn’t entirely my own,” he continued. “Over the past few years, l’ve focused on my family and personal growth, including committing to my sobriety. Unfortunately, during this time, I didn’t always feel the support I needed from those I thought of as brothers, and creative differences made it hard to move forward together.” News of O’Connell’s departure also coincides with the release of his first piece of solo music, with his “Brain Dead” single being released on Dec. 31. Per his statement, O’Connell will be releasing more music in the near future. “I’m excited to share that I’ll be releasing new music soon-both as a solo artist and with some old friends,” he explained. I’ve poured my heart into this project, and I can’t wait to share it with you. This is a new chapter for me-one of passion, creativity, and hope. I hope you’ll join me on this journey as we continue to be a part of each other’s stories. “That said, I’m grateful for the incredible memories with each of my bandmates-and all of you, as well as all the opportunities along the way,” he continued. “I’m choosing to focus on the good as l move into this next chapter. “Thank you again for everything. I’m proud of what we built together, and I’m even more excited about what lies ahead.” Taking Back Sunday formed in 1999, but experienced a number of lineup changes in its initial years, including the departure of future Brand New frontman Jesse Lacy in 2000. The following year, founding drummer Steven DeJoseph would leave due personal issues preventing widespread touring, with O’Connell taking his place. That same year would also see founding vocalist Antonio Longo replaced by Adam Lazzara. In 2018, founding guitarist Eddie Reyes announced he would be leaving the band, with a statement from the group citing “personal reasons” for his exit. Currently, only guitarist John Nolan (who left in 2003 to form Straylight Run before his 2010 return) remains from the band’s original lineup. Source link

As the Southern California wildfires continue to rage and the losses begin to be tallied, human accounts of the disaster are coming in thick and fast, with Paris Hilton one of the many affected to share their own accounts. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Hilton took to social media on Wednesday (Jan. 8) to reflect on the heartbreak of learning of the destruction of her home via news broadcasts of the event. “Heartbroken beyond words,” Hilton wrote. “Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our home in Malibu burn to the ground on live TV is something no one should ever have to experience. This home was where we built so many precious memories. It’s where Phoenix took his first steps and where we dreamed of building a lifetime of memories with London. “While the loss is overwhelming, I’m holding onto gratitude that my family and pets are safe. My heart and prayers are going out to every family affected by these fires. To all the people who have lost their homes, their memories, and their beloved pets. My heartaches for those still in harm’s way or mourning greater losses. The devastation is unimaginable. To know so many are waking up today without the place they called home is truly heartbreaking.” Continuing her post, Hilton explained that her 11:11 Media Impact team (the charitable division of her 11:11 Media company) have been contacting nonprofit organizations to find ways to support the communities that have been impacted by the devastation of the blaze. Hilton joins the likes of Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, The Weeknd, and more in sharing resources and information to aid those affected by the fires. “We’re committed to offering help as soon as possible and making a meaningful difference for those who need it most.” “To the brave firefighters and first responders risking their lives to protect us—you are true heroes,” she continued. “I am so grateful for your courage, dedication, and the incredible sacrifices you’re making to save lives and fight this unimaginable battle. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.” Closing her post, Hilton urged those within the vicinity to remain safe and to follow evacuation orders as necessary. “Let’s protect one another and hold onto hope that these fires will soon be contained,” she continued. “Sending so much love and strength to all of you. We’re in this together, LA. Hug your loved ones a little tighter tonight. You never know when everything could change.” Source link

Due to the wind-whipped fires that have spread across the Los Angeles area in the last 24 hours, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has extended the Oscar nominations voting window by two days and also delayed the announcement of the 97th annual Oscar nominations by two days. Academy CEO Bill Kramer wrote a letter to all Academy members on Wednesday (Jan. 8). “We want to offer our deepest condolences to those who have been impacted by the devastating fires across Southern California,” he began. “So many of our members and industry colleagues live and work in the Los Angeles area, and we are thinking of you. “Given the fire situation, we want to share some updates regarding an extension to the Oscars nominations voting window…Nominations voting for the 97th Oscars opened this morning at 9 am PT. We will be extending the voting window by two days to give members more time to cast their ballots. Voting will now close on Tuesday, January 14 at 5 pm PT. “As such, our Oscars Nominations Announcement will move from Friday, January 17 to Sunday, January 19.” Thank you for your understanding during this complex time. We hope everyone is safe.” The 97th Oscars, with Conan O’Brien hosting for the first time, will be held on Sunday, March 2, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide. The official live red-carpet show will air at 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT. Source link

Rod Wave‘s concert scheduled for Wednesday night (Jan. 8) at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, has been canceled due to the ongoing L.A. County wildfires, the rapper announced on social media. “Concert Tonight Cancelled By Gov. Officials,” reads a post on Rod Wave’s Instagram Story from Wednesday afternoon, over ABC News footage of fires raging across Los Angeles. “I Hope Everyone Stays Safe,” the rapper added with a prayer-hands emoji. Intuit Dome’s social accounts also shared the cancellation news, writing: “Tonight’s Rod Wave concert at Intuit Dome has been cancelled due to the wildfires in Los Angeles. The health and safety of our fans and employees will remain the top priority. Tickets will be refunded at the original point of purchase.” There’s no word yet whether the concert — part of Wave’s Last Lap Tour that kicked off in October — will be rescheduled for a later date. The concert was set to feature opening sets by Moneybagg Yo, Toosii, Lil Poppa, Dess Dior and Eelmatic. The next date on the tour is set for Monday at Denver’s Ball Arena. Wave’s tour is in support of his most recent album, Last Lap, which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart in October. The concert is part of a growing list of events being canceled or postponed in Los Angeles, including the premiere of the Robbie Williams musical biopic Better Man set for Wednesday night and the Oscar nominations reveal moving from Friday to Sunday. According to the Los Angeles Times, at least five people have reportedly died in the wildfires and more than 1,000 homes, businesses and other buildings have burned across the county. Firefighters are continuing to fight the blazes, which have recently arrived in the Hollywood Hills after burning in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena overnight. Source link

Lil Baby isn’t wasting any time in 2025. Following the arrival of his WHAM album, he’s not slowing down with plenty of heat in store for the rest of the year. The 4PF honcho gave Spotify’s RapCaviar access to “A Day in the Life With Lil Baby” where he revealed that he’s got a joint project with Future in the works. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “WHAM album, Dominique album, Can’t Be F—-d With tape — a compilation remember I was telling you I got that coming,” he teased of what’s to come. “Me and Future was working on a joint tape. We damn near got the joint tape done. Now [Young Thug] came home and he ain’t going for that. He like, ‘S–t.’ And it actually [was] Thug’s idea.” Baby continued: “He [was] like, ‘Ay, call Pluto. I want y’all to do a tape together.’ [It’s] Completely Thug’s idea. You and Pluto need to drop a tape together. He damn near named the tape. This before he got out. Now he got out, he like, ‘I’m on the tape.’ We might got something big in store on that. I don’t know exactly but it’s gonna be a lot in the works.” The Atlanta rapper explained that he’s got so many songs in the stash with Thugger since the YSL boss is a studio rat. In the two-plus months he’s been home, Baby claims they have 10 songs done. “We done made so many songs,” he continued. “Thug he a lab rat. All he do is God damn stay in the studio. He came home and we already made 10 songs together.” Young Thug was released on Oct. 31 after reaching a plea deal in the YSL RICO case. He spent over two years behind bars in what was the longest-running trial in Georgia’s state history. Thugger teamed up with Future back in 2017 for the Super Slimey joint project, so it could be a full-circle ATL moment if the duo joined forces with Baby and ran it back for another edition. Lil Baby released his WHAM project last week (Jan. 3) and it’s expected to make a lofty debut on the Billboard 200. The LP features Future, Young Thug, Travis Scott, Rod Wave and more. Watch the full video below. Talk of the joint project takes place shortly after the eight-minute mark. Source link

Ariana Grande is no stranger to the law of attraction, as she points out in her song “Just Like Magic” and as seen in a 2011 tweet in which she predicted she’d portray Glinda in Wicked one day. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Before Grande was honored at the National Board of Review Annual Awards Gala on Tuesday night (Jan. 7), she spoke to Entertainment Tonight on the carpet, where the reporter pointed out that her pink structured gown and ponytail and bangs combo are reminiscent of something Audrey Hepburn might wear. “I love the 50s, 60s glamour, that’s just kind of my favorite — Marilyn, Audrey, it’s just my favorite,” Grande replied. When she was asked if she’s in the process of “manifesting” a role as the late Breakfast at Tiffany’s icon, the “Yes, And?” singer seemed surprised. “That would have to be done so well and so perfectly,” she noted of a potential biopic role, and told the reporter that she’s “very kind” for making the comparison. While rumors about a biopic have been swirling for years, there has yet to be any significant movement in the project. Actress Rooney Mara was most recently lined up to portray Hepburn in a Luca Guadagnino-helmed production, though she shared earlier this year that the director is no longer part of the film. Lily Collins was also reportedly suggested for the role, due to her uncanny resemblance to the late film and fashion icon. Source link

You know who’s never performed at Rolling Loud? Drake. And it’s not for a lack of trying. Rolling Loud co-founder Tariq Cherif made an appearance on Big Boy’s Neighborhood recently and was asked which artist the festival hasn’t been able to book for whatever reason. Big Boy gave him an out by suggesting that he didn’t necessarily have to name the person in question, but Cherif didn’t hold back. “I’ll say it. I don’t care,” Cherif replied. “I feel like Drake’s ducking us.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Adding, “I got no beef with Drake. I like Drake. I think he’s a great artist… We’ve been trying to book him forever. We even offered Drake three nights of Drake once. They were like, ‘You need to make it special.’ Like, ‘All right, three nights of Drake.’ You’d be the headliner for three nights.” Cherif then revealed that he heard rumors that a European festival is working on “stealing” their idea, but didn’t name names like he did with the Toronto rapper. @real923la @Tariq Cherif thinks #Drake is ducking #RollingLoud 👀🤔 Would y’all wanna see Drake perform at @Rolling Loud⁉️ Listen to @bigboysneighborhood tomorrow morning at 7:30am for more with @tariqcherif 🔥 Tap in to @real923la from anywhere on the free iheartradioapp 📱 ♬ original sound – real923la During the month of February, Drake is embarking on an Australian tour where he’ll also be making a couple stops in New Zealand. The tour begins on the same day as the Super Bowl and will end on March 1. Rolling Loud California will be on March 15 and 16 at Hollywood Park next to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif. The festival, which started as a three-day affair in Miami back in 2015, will be switching to a two-day format and will be offering up carnival rides, brand activations, and art installations to compliment more than 75 performances. A$AP Rocky, Playboi Carti, and Mexican singer Peso Pluma will serve as headliners. Source link

The Television Academy announced a rule change for the Primetime Emmy Awards in the category of outstanding original main title theme music, which takes effect in 2026. “A main title theme must appear in 50% or more of eligible episodes submitted for the 2026 Emmy competition,” the new rule states. “The main title theme has been further defined as a musical fingerprint and calling card that is identifiable and unique to a show, thereby drawing an audience in by setting the show’s tone and what is to come.” The last five winners in this category are Hollywood by Nathan Barr (2020), The Flight Attendant by Blake Neely (2021), The White Lotus by Cristobal Tapia de Veer (2022), Wednesday by Danny Elfman (2023) and Palm Royale by Jeff Toyne (2024). The TV Academy also announced two changes that will take effect with the 77th Emmy Awards competition later this year. Guest Performer eligibility: If a performer has been nominated or has won in a lead or supporting performer category, the performer will not be eligible to submit in a guest performer category in a subsequent Emmy year for playing the same character role in the same series. They may, however, continue to enter in a lead or supporting category. This smart move will open up more spots for actors who are truly guests on a show, not actors who are playing recurring characters. Mel Brooks won three consecutive Emmys (1997-99) for outstanding guest actor in a comedy series for playing Uncle Phil on Mad About You. Seven actors won two guest actor Emmys for playing the same character on the same series. They were Jay Thomas for playing Jerry Gold on Murphy Brown, Cloris Leachman for playing Grandma Ida on Malcolm in the Middle, Colleen Dewhurst for playing Avery Brown on Murphy Brown, Kathryn Joosten for playing Karen McCluskey on Desperate Housewives, Ron Cephas Jones for playing William Hill on This Is Us, Patricia Clarkson for playing Sarah O’Connor on Six Feet Under, and Margo Martindale for playing Claudia on The Americans. Directing: An eligible individual director or the identical directing team may now enter multiple achievements per category if the achievements are for different programs. Previously, directors were allowed to submit only one entry per category. This change will allow the director to submit an episode from each of the programs they directed. Source link

Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news This week: Timothée Chalamet helps get Bob Dylan rolling on streaming, one of basketball’s Ball brothers goes supernova on social media, a late dance great sees streaming gains from a new documentary and more. The Streams, They Are a-Boomin’: Bob Dylan’s Catalog Soars Thanks to ‘A Complete Unknown’ A Complete Unknown, James Mangold’s new Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothée Chalamet, has spent the past few weeks scoring raves from critics, posting top 10 box office receipts and earning Oscar buzz, with Chalamet zooming into the Best Actor race  thanks to his portrayal of the music icon during the first half of the 1960s. With the film going into wide release on Dec. 25, Unknown has helped Dylan’s storied catalog receive a huge spike on streaming services since Christmas Day, with listeners putting away their holiday playlists and picking up Highway 61 Revisited. During the week ending Dec. 26, Dylan’s catalog earned 11.6 million U.S. on-demand streams, according to Luminate; that number leapt to 20.2 million streams the following week (ending Jan. 2), in the first full tracking week since the film’s wide release. Compared to Dylan’s streaming numbers from one month earlier, in which his catalog earned 8.1 million streams in the week ending Dec. 5, A Complete Unknown has helped the legend’s weekly streaming numbers grow by roughly 150%. Meanwhile, some of Dylan’s early classic songs (which Chalamet sings himself in the film) have gotten replayed since its release, with listeners wanting to either revisit or discover the original versions. “Like a Rolling Stone” earned 1.64 million streams in the week ending Jan. 2, a 232% increase from its streaming total five weeks ago (494,000 during the week ending Nov. 28). Meanwhile, “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “The Times They Are a-Changin’” posted streaming jumps of 215% and 174%, respectively, from their weekly totals during the last full tracking week of November. With the Academy Awards nominations being announced next Friday (Jan. 17) and the Oscars scheduled for Mar. 2, these streaming numbers may stay boosted — or keep climbing — for a few more months. – JASON LIPSHUTZ G3 Gelo (aka LiAngelo Ball) Scores 2025’s First Viral Smash  There’s hitting the ground running, and then there’s scoring the first viral track of the year just three days in. G3 Gelo, aka LiAngelo Ball, knows a thing or two about the latter.  After a snippet of “Tweaker” went viral in late December, Gelo – the second of basketball’s three Ball Brothers, along with guards Lonzo and LaMelo of the Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Hornets, respectively — uploaded the full thing to WorldStarHipHop’s YouTube channel, with DSP uploads following soon after.  The early ’00s hip-hop-indebted track has increased in streams every day since its official release on Jan. 3. By its fourth day of release, streaming activity for “Tweaker” jumped a jaw-dropping 871% from where it was upon its debut. The song earned over 1.83 million official on-demand U.S. streams on Jan.  6 versus 188,000 streams on Jan. 3.  Already given the stamp of approval by sports teams across the country, a few hip-hop heavyweights are also co-signing G3 Gelo’s breakout hit; both Boosie Badazz and Moneybagg Yo have asked Gelo to send them an open verse. What’s more? A newscaster has already referenced “Tweaker” live on the air! With so much momentum and little competition from 2025 hip-hop releases at the moment, the coast is clear for “Tweaker” to reign in the coming weeks. – KYLE DENIS Avicii’s Catalog Surges in Streams After New Documentary The Avicii catalog experienced a significant streaming surge following the release of a new documentary about the late artist. In the wake of the Dec. 31 release of I’m Tim on Netflix, global on-demand streams of the Swedish producer’s catalog increased by 63.9%, according to Luminate. The artist’s catalog had a total of 26.4 streams in the four days preceding the film’s release, Dec. 27-30, with this number rising to 43.3 million from Dec. 31-Jan. 3.  The streaming surge has been especially pronounced for three of Avicii’s biggest songs: 2013’s “Wake Me Up” (featuring Aloe Blacc) has experienced a 47.1% increase in global on-demand streams; 2015’s “The Nights” has seen a 27.6% increase; and 2011’s “Levels” has had a 68.2% increase. – KATIE BAIN Read more about the I’m Tim documentary and Avicii’s related streaming gains here.  ‘Mufasa’ Soundtrack Roars Into the New Year with Multiple Streaming Hits  After losing out to Sonic 3 in its debut week at the domestic box office, Mufasa – the Barry Jenkins-helmed prequel to 2019’s Oscar-nominated photorealistic remake of the 1994 classic – climbed to the summit, becoming America’s first No. 1 movie of 2025. Helping Mufasa sustain its box office pull: the stunning streaming success of its soundtrack, led by Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr., who are in the midst of a viral press tour.  According to Luminate, the Mufasa soundtrack pulled 1.02 million official on-demand U.S. streams in its first week of release (ending Dec. 19). That figure jumped 224% the following week (Dec. 20-26) to over 3.33 million streams. By its third week of release – the same week the film topped the domestic box office – Mufasa’s streams jumped a further 137% to 7.92 million streams.  The breakout hit of the Lin-Manuel Miranda-penned soundtrack is the adorably protective “I Always Wanted a Brother,” performed by Pierre, Harrison, Jr., Theo Somolu and Braelyn Rankins. The Mufasa-Scar duet has consistently been the most-streamed song from the album, logging over 3.17 million streams last week (Dec. 27-Jan. 2). From family-centric TikTok trends to NOLA bounce “trip out” remixes

As dangerous wildfires continue to rapidly spread across Los Angeles County, a number of famous residents are among the thousands of people whose homes were affected by the tragedy. Songwriter Diane Warren took to Instagram on Wednesday (Jan. 8) to reveal that her beach home was one of the properties that was burned down. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Warren took to Instagram to share a photo of the rock on the beach behind her home that reminds her of her late friend, Leah. “This is the last pic I took of Leah’s rock from my beach house. I’ve had this house for almost 30 years. It looks like it was lost in the fire last nite,” she wrote. “There’s a rainbow shining on it which I’m taking as a sign of hope for all creatures who have been affected by this tragedy. The animals and the rescue ranch are OK tho which is the most important thing. Stay safe everyone.” See her post here. The west-side Palisades Fire has cause 30,000 people to evacuate as it has burned at least 5,000 acres so far, fanned by strong winds, per The Washington Post. Meanwhile, the east-side Eaton Fire has doubled in size over the past day, currently burning 10,6000 acres near Pasadena. As a result, more than 52,000 residents evacuated in the Altadena, La Cañada Flintridge and Glendale neighborhoods. For health alerts, evacuation updates and shelter information, check out LA County’s emergency website here. Source link