International
Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo’s ‘Savage Love’ Dances Into Lead In U.K. Singles Chart Race
A teenage New Zealander could be the next U.K. singles chart champion. Jawsh 685 (real name Joshua Nanai), the 17-year-old producer from Auckland, leads the Official Chart First Look with “Savage Love (Laxed Beat – Siren)” (RCA), his viral hit with U.S. R&B star Jason Derulo. An instrumental cut of “Savage Love” exploded on TikTok and spawned the “Culture Dance” challenge, which invited users to celebrate their heritage in dance. The version featuring Derulo’s vocals flew 22-4 in its first two weeks on the Official U.K. Singles Chart and is the top performer after the weekend’s sales and streaming activity. It if holds its position when the weekly survey is published this Friday, it’ll give Derulo his fifth U.K. No. 1, and Jawsh 685 his first. It’ll be a white-knuckle ride for the pair...
U.K. Competition Regulator Launches ‘In-depth’ Investigation Into Viagogo StubHub Merger
Viagogo’s $4 billion acquisition of StubHub faces further scrutiny after the U.K.’s competition watchdog opened an “in-depth investigation” into the merger. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced on Thursday (June 25) that Viagogo has failed to address its concerns that the merger could result in a substantial lessening of competition, leading to music fans paying more for tickets. As a result, the regulator has launched a ‘Phase 2’ inquiry into the deal before deciding what, if any action, should be taken. Phase 2 investigations by the CMA are conducted by an independent panel and can last up to 24 weeks (extended by up to eight weeks in special circumstances). If the CMA rules that the merger of Viagogo and StubHub does substantially restrict competition in the U.K.’...
AKB48’s New Charity Single Offers Connection ‘Even When Apart’: Watch Video
J-pop girl group AKB48 shared the new music video accompanying its upcoming digital single “Hanareteitemo” (“Even When Apart”). The song is about being separated from friends, lovers and colleagues during the COVID-19 pandemic and hoping the day will come when we’ll be able to meet again like we used to. It’s a reminder that our hearts are still connected “even when we’re apart.” The music video is a mini-documentary that captures the post-COVID “new normal,” featuring the members wearing masks and maintaining social distance while going about their daily lives in the city. The video also focuses on the people who work in various businesses as they resume operation after the initial lockdown, intended as a statement of solid...
KinKi Kids Blasts in at No. 1 on Japan Hot 100 as Endrecheri Rules Albums Chart
J-pop duo KinKi Kids blast in at No. 1 on the latest Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated June 15 to 21, with their 42nd single, “KANZAI BOYA.” The veteran Johnny’s pair — Tsuyoshi Domoto and Koichi Domoto (no blood-relation) — have a huge loyal following, and their highly anticipated new release sold 192,326 copies in its first week. “KANZAI BOYA” outsold the group’s previous single and the one before it: “Hikari no kehai” sold 176,310 copies, and “Aitai, aitai, aenai” sold 187,143. The new single leads physical sales and Twitter mentions, while also coming in at No. 2 for look-ups and No. 22 for radio airplay. Tsuyoshi Domoto’s solo project, ENDRECHERI’s LOVE FADERS, is the No. 1 album of the week, and the rele...
Bob Dylan’s ‘Rough and Rowdy Ways’ Races to Lead on Midweek U.K. Chart
Bob Dylan should complete his comeback with a U.K. No. 1. The master songwriter’s new album Rough and Rowdy Ways (Columbia) leads the midweek U.K. chart by a handy margin. According to the Official Charts Company, Dylan’s 39th studio album is outselling the rest of the top 5 combined by a margin of three-to-one, and is the best-seller across CDs and downloads. Should Rough and Rowdy Ways hold its spot when the Official U.K. Albums Chart is published this Friday (June 26), it’ll give Dylan his ninth U.K. No. 1, and his first since 2015’s Shadows In The Night. Also, Rough and Rowdy Ways will become his landmark 40th top 10 in a chart career spanning 56 years, the OCC reports. The best-seller on vinyl belongs to another Hall of Famer, Neil Young, whose “holy grail” ’70s...
Ed Sheeran Named Most-Played Artist In The U.K. In 2019
Ed Sheeran had a laid-back year in 2019, by his standards. But his music continued to pump solidly across the U.K. The English singer and songwriter was the most played artist of 2019, according to new data published this week by Phonographic Performance Ltd. (PPL), with fellow Brits Calvin Harris and Sam Smith close behind. It’s the fourth time in five years Sheeran has taken the top honor. PPL’s Most Played Charts are based on music usage and airplay data supplied by the organization’s licensees, including music both on radio and TV and at all live locations including clubs, shops, pubs and other premises. Homegrown artists dominate the top 10, snagging eight spots. Just two internationals crack the top tier, with Pink at No. 5 and Maroon 5 at No. 10. It’s a similar story on PPL’s ...
New COVID-19 Rules Mean That the Party Is Over for Ibiza Super-Clubs This Season
Sweeping new rules designed to curb “alcohol abuse” on the island also outlaw party boats, pub crawls and balcony jumping. The verdict is in, and the party is over for Ibiza super-clubs this summer. On Sunday (June 21), the Balearic government announced new rules pertaining to nightclubs and outdoor venues for the dance mecca of Ibiza in the context of COVID-19. These regulations ensure that the island’s biggest clubs and other mid-sized venues will stay closed for the 2020 season. For indoor spaces, the rules state that only venues with a stated capacity of 300 or less are allowed to open for the season and will only be allowed to open at one-third capacity. This means there can only be up to 100 people at a time inside a club, that they must be seated and that there can...
‘AGT’ Stars Ndlovu Youth Choir Adapt to COVID-19 by Making New Music
The dusty streets of rural South Africa are a far cry from the bright lights of “America’s Got Talent,” but that’s where the members of the Ndlovu Youth Choir find themselves coping with the coronavirus pandemic. With an electrifying mix of vocals and dance moves, the group made the finals of the U.S. television show last year. Sold-out performances across the U.S. and Europe followed, as well as a recording contract. But COVID-19 halted their international tour and landed them back where they began, Moutse Valley in South Africa’s Limpopo province, one of the country’s poorest regions. “We were supposed to go to Germany for a performance, but it got canceled. We are used to touring the world, doing shows everywhere, and during this corona time it’s been very difficult and frustrating,” sa...
DaBaby’s ‘Rockstar’ Blasts to Early Lead In U.K. Chart Race
DaBaby’s “Rockstar” featuring Roddy Ricch is on track for a sixth week atop the U.K. singles chart, while Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo’s “Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)” (RCA) could be the week’s big chart surprise. Based on weekend sales and streams activity, “Rockstar” (Interscope) has a lead of 1,000 chart sales as it rules the Official Chart: First Look, ahead of Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande’s “Rain on Me” (Interscope) and Topic’s “Breaking Me” featuring A7S, respectively. Teenage Polynesian artist Jawsh 685 (real name Joshua Nanai) is converting TikTok buzz into a chart burst as “Savage Love” flies 22-4. The fastest debut on the sales blast belongs to M Huncho and Dutchavelli, whose “Burning” opens at No. 15. If the track holds its p...
DaBaby Rocks Australia’s Singles Chart For Fifth Week
DaBaby’s “Rockstar” (Interscope/Universal) is still rocking Australia’s singles chart, while there’s an all-new, all-Australian top three on the national albums survey. “Rockstar” enters a fifth week at No. 1 on the ARIA Singles Chart. The viral hit, featuring Roddy Ricch, holds onto the chart crown following the release of the “BLM” (Black Lives Matter) remix, which references his experiences with the police and the ongoing protests after George Floyd’s death. Meanwhile, Topic’s “Breaking Me” featuring A7S rises 5-4, a new peak, while Harry Styles scores a fourth solo top 10 as “Watermelon Sugar” (Columbia/Sony) climbs 12-6, a new high. It’s the former One Direction star’s third top 10 from the chart-topping album Fine Line, following “Lights Up” and “Adore You”, both of which...
Newcastle to spend €135 million on Italian striker
Newcastle United are working on becoming one of the biggest club’s in England and are ready to spend €135m in total to snap up Italian international, Ciro Immobile, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. The Magpies are close to selling the club to a Saudi investor and the Public Investment Fund willing to make a statement signing. Immobile has scored 27 goals in 26 Serie A matches this term and leads more establish goalscorers like Cristiano Ronaldo and Edin Dzeko. Interestingly, Immobile’s contract with Lazio expires in June 2023 but Italian media have claimed that the club is looking at offering him a new bumper new deal at the Olimpico that will scare away potential buyers. Lazio President Claudio Lotito wants the forward’s contract to be extended until 2025 and is prepared to offer €4m...
Universal Music UK Reboots EMI Records With Rebecca Allen at the Helm
Universal Music Group is relaunching EMI Records, the iconic British record label which UMG acquired for $1.9 billion in 2012. As part of the relaunch, UMG’s Virgin EMI is renamed EMI Records, effective immediately. The Virgin Records imprint will continue under the new EMI Records banner. At the helm is newly-appointed EMI president Rebecca Allen, a 20-year UMG veteran and former Billboard Women In Music honoree. Closely associated with the British pop movement of the 1960s, EMI’s star-studded roster in the UK in the ’60s and ’70s included The Beatles, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Jackson Five, The Temptations and Smokey Robinson. EMI continued to be home to the UK’s top music stars in the 1990s, when it signed acts l...
