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Bob Marley Crowns Top Facebook Live Videos Chart Thanks to Ziggy Marley Tribute Set
Bob’s son performed a set on his father’s official Facebook page to help commemorate his 75th birthday year. A video of Ziggy Marley performing songs by his legendary father Bob on the latter’s Facebook page rules Billboard’s Top Facebook Live Videos chart for July 2020. The chart, the latest of which recaps July 2020 activity, is a monthly look at the widest-reaching and most-reacted-to videos posted by musicians on Facebook Live, as tracked by media analytics company Shareablee. Rankings are determined by a formula that blends reactions, comments, shares and first-seven-days views. Since removed from Bob Marley’s page, the hour-long upload, which was posted July 19, featured Ziggy Marley performing multiple songs, the latest in a series of tributes to Bob in 2020, during which he would h...
Napster Sold to Virtual Reality Concert App MelodyVR for $70 Million
Napster is on the move, again. London-based virtual reality concerts company MelodyVR announced on Tuesday that it is acquiring Rhapsody International, which operates as Napster, from its majority owner RealNetworks for the price tag of $70 million. MelodyVR, which operates an app specializing in live virtual reality music experiences, plans on combining with Napster to create the “first ever music entertainment platform which combines immersive visual content and music streaming,” said Anthony Matchett, MelodyVR’s CEO. The $70 million transaction is expected to close by year’s end and breaks down as $15 million in cash, $11 million in MelodyVR stock and the assumption of roughly $44 million in payments owed by Napster to various music industry entities. “For music&...
Bette Midler Lines-up the Gags as Republican Convention Gets Underway
Last week, the Democrats held their convention and had Twitter buzzing. Now it’s the Republicans’ turn. The first night of the Republican National Convention took place virtually across the U.S., with speeches from party officials former UN ambassador Nikki Haley. And early on, there was some official business as Republicans officially nominated President Donald Trump for re-election. While the Democrats leaned on star-power from the likes of Billie Eilish and John Legend, and a special shout out from Bruce Springsteen, big names from the music world are conspicuously absent from the Republican lineup. That hasn’t stopped artists and celebrities from stepping in and sharing their thoughts on the RNC, and the party’s message that a national “horror movie” would unfold should Trump lose in N...
Here’s How Lewis Capaldi Feels About No Longer Being a One-Hit Wonder
With “Before You Go” entering the top 10 of the Hot 100 chart, the Scottish singer-songwriter has embraced his fate as “the ballad guy.” “I’m still here, with no signs of leaving.” That’s how Lewis Capaldi confirms to Billboard that he remains under quarantine at his parents’ house in Bathgate, Scotland, as he’s been throughout the coronavirus pandemic. “And they are extremely sick of me.” The singer-songwriter’s father works in food distribution and his mother is a nurse; while Capaldi has been stuck at home with his 2020 touring plans scrapped, his parents have been out and about as essential workers. “They both spend long days at work and come home to their 23-year-old son, who’s essentially unemployed at this point, to see him in his underwear, cheesy Doritos all over his stomach,” he ...
iHeartRadio Music Awards Cancelled For 2020 — But Winners Will Still Be Announced
Eight months will have elapsed between the announcement of the nominees and the revelation of the winners. The 2020 iHeartRadio Music Awards, originally scheduled to take place March 29 at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, with Usher hosting, were officially cancelled on Monday (Aug. 24). But fear not, awards fans: The winners will still be announced over the Labor Day weekend (Sept. 4-7) on 840 iHeartRadio stations nationwide and via iHeart’s social platforms. The chain will even include acceptance speeches from the winners. This year’s nominations were announced on Jan. 8, which means eight months will have elapsed between the announcement of the nominees and the revelation of the winners. Billie Eilish and Shawn Mendes were this year’s top nominees, with seven nods each. Taylo...
Biffy Clyro Oust Taylor Swift From U.K. Albums Chart Summit
Move over Taylor Swift, Biffy Clyro is the new boss of the U.K. albums chart. The Scottish rockers open at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart with A Celebration Of Endings (Warner Records), for their third leader. The new LP blasts away with 26,000 chart sales, including 8,000 vinyl units, according to the OCC. A Celebration Of Endings is the trio’s ninth album, and their seventh Top 10. With its fast start, Celebration ends the three-week streak at No. 1 by Taylor Swift’s Folklore (EMI), which dips to No. 2. English indie-rock outfit Sea Girls enjoy a No. 3 start with their debut album Open Up Your Head (Polydor). Also new to the top tier of the chart this week is Manic Street Preacher James Dean Bradfield, whose Even In Exile (Montyray) bows at No. 6. It’...
‘Masked Singer Australia’ Production Halted Following COVID Outbreak
The Masked Singer Australia has entered into lockdown mode after several crew members were diagnosed with COVID-19. The production team, which numbers 180 and includes the masked celebrities, host Osher Gunsberg and its judging panel, are now in self-isolation. With just one episode to go in the current season, production is now immediately suspended, as “the health and safety of the community, and our staff and production partners is our number one priority,” explains a statement issued Sunday. The series is filmed in Melbourne, which currently holds the unwanted status as Australia’s coronavirus hotspot, and airs on the commercial Network 10. The show will go on. All episodes are in the can, with the exception of the grand final, which means fans can tune in on Monday an...
Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s ‘WAP’ Hits No. 1 In Australia
Cardi B has her first No. 1 in the land Down Under as “WAP” (Atlantic/Warner), featuring Megan Thee Stallion, rises 2-1 on the ARIA Singles Chart, while Taylor Swift’s Folklore (Republic/Universal) enters a fourth consecutive week atop the national albums survey. “WAP” is just the third female-led hip-hop song to rule Australia’s singles chart, and the first in almost three decades, ARIA reports. The only others are Dimples D’s “Sucker DJ” (March 1991) and Salt-N-Pepa’s “Let’s Talk About Sex” (January 1992). With Cardi B’s Billboard Hot 100 leader now on top in Australia, Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo’s “Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)” (Columbia/Sony) slips to No. 2, while Drake has the week’s highest debut, as “Laugh Now Cry Later” (Republic/Universal) featuring Lil Durk starts at No...
How to Watch the Stellar Awards, Featuring CeCe Winans, Marvin Sapp & More
This will be the second year in a row that BET has aired the show. Gospel fans, rejoice! The Stellar Gospel Music Awards are set to air on BET Networks Sunday night (Aug. 23). Kirk Franklin, Jonathan McReynolds and Koryn Hawthorne are set to co-host the two-hour virtual special, which will air at 6:00 p.m. ET, with an encore airing at 9:00 p.m. ET. McReynolds and Hawthorne are also set to perform on the show. Other confirmed performers include CeCe Winans, J.J. Hairston & Youthful Praise, Travis Greene, Marvin Sapp, Tye Tribbett, Tauren Wells, Pastor Mike Jr., Anthony Brown, James Fortune, Kierra Sheard, Zacardi Cortez, DOE and Rich Tolbert Jr. This will be the second year in a row that BET has aired the show. This year’s special will also be simulcast on BET Her. The Stellar Awa...
Pharrell Williams and Jay-Z Drop Inspirational ‘Entrepreneur’: ‘Your Black Vision of the Future’
Pharrell Williams and Jay-Z are flexing their entrepreneurial spirit. At the stroke of midnight, the hip-hop stars dropped the music video for the inspirational “Entrepreneur”, in conjunction with a Time magazine cover package on “The New American Revolution.” “Thank you to Jay, and to every Black queen, king and entrepreneur who made this all happen! This is for you…and your Black vision of the future,” reads a message Pharrell posted on social media. The veteran artist and producer also praised Grammy-winning director Calmatic for “creating such a beautiful video.” The video is loaded with information and case studies, all of which reinforces the underlying message: the game is rigged against so many men and women of color, but the game is winnable. Speaking ahead of the rele...
BTS Blow It Up With ‘Dynamite’ Music Video: Watch
Boom! BTS are back with the explosive new release, “Dynamite,” their very first English language track. Big Hit Entertainment lit a long fuse on the tune earlier in the week. At midnight, it blew up with an official music video. The new tune has a disco vibe running through it, and the music video has a kitsch, throwback Los Angeles look as the lads show us all their best moves. In July, BTS mentioned an upcoming new single. “We are preparing an album for the second half of this year, but decided to first release a single because we wanted to reach our fans as soon as possible,” they revealed on the Korean broadcasting app V Live. “Due to COVID-19, people around the world have been going through tough times and we wanted to share some positive energy with our fans.”...
Jennifer Hudson Performs Powerful ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’ at the 2020 DNC
Jennifer Hudson closed out night three of the 2020 DNC with a moving rendition of “A Change Is Gonna Come.” Accompanied by two pianists and a saxophonist, Hudson belted out the Sam Cooke song from the Chicago Cultural Central, her powerful voice echoing through the empty space. Hudson’s performance followed Sen. Kamala Harris’ acceptance of the vice presidential nomination. “It’s not about Joe or me,” she said, referring to presidential nominee Joe Biden, “it’s about us.” The third night of the Democratic National Convention also included performances by Billie Eilish and Prince Royce. Eilish urged viewers to “vote like our lives depend on it.” Royce, speaking to Billboard after his appearance, said that “we need...
