Month: July 2022

So, Beyoncé’s Renaissance leaked early. So what? That was the collective comeback from her swarm of fans, affectionately known as the BeyHive, when Bey’s seventh studio album spilled onto the Internet before its official release.

The set arrived two days early, on Wednesday (July 27), according to TMZ, which first reported the news, as songs from the album including “Alien Superstar,” “Church Girl” and “Cuff It” began circulating. 

Queen Bey’s fans rallied, held the line, and urged each other to wait for the big release party, which kicked off proper at the stroke of midnight.

The party-starter herself, Beyonce, has thanked her loyal supporters everywhere for their considerable patience.

“So, the album leaked and you all actually waited until the proper release time so you all can enjoy it together,” she writes on social media. “I’ve never seen anything like it. I can’t thank yall enough for your love and protection. I appreciate you for calling out anyone that was trying to sneak into the club early. It means the world to me.”

Her message continues, “Thank you for your unwavering support,” she continued. “Thank you for being patient. We are going to take out time and Enjoy the music. I will continue to give my all and do my best to bring you joy.”

Bey signs off, “I Love You Deep.”

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Renaissance is said to be “Act 1” of three, and was cut during a three-year period of the pandemic, with creative support from a star-studded cast of artists and producers.

“Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world,” she wrote in a post on her official website, ahead of release. “It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving. My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration.”

Spanning 16 songs, Renaissance is the followup to 2016’s Lemonade, her landmark album that debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, earning the superstar singer her sixth consecutive chart topper. To date, none of her studio albums have missed the No. 1 chart target.

Unlike Bey’s previous album releases, Renaissance doesn’t drop with an assortment of accompanying music videos, save for a 17-second teaser of YouTube eye-candy for “Pure/Honey,” which can be seen below.

One of Bebe Rexha‘s most personal songs is getting a new life thanks to a viral K-pop dance performance.

On June 10, ITZY members Yeji and Ryujin unleashed a mesmerizing dance performance to Rexha’s track “Break My Heart Myself,” the opening cut off her 2021 album Better Mistakes that details managing her mental health and experiences with bipolar disorder.

Filmed for the Korea-based dance channel Studio Choom, the intricately intense production instantly took off with K-pop fans, and beyond, earning more than 25 million views to date and gaining Bebe’s attention. The singer left a comment on the YouTube video, saying, “YOU GIRLS KILLED THIS!!!”

Bebe continued to show love for the cover on her social media and, by June 13, shared on Twitter that her “label is promoting [the] song in South Korea now” due to the cover, adding, “I’m so thankful for you guys.”

On June 14, Yeji and Ryujin thanked Rexha for the comments, adding, “It was a pleasure to perform with your marvelous song.” 

Days after their exchange, Bebe and ITZY revealed on their Twitter accounts that they had “exciting news,” and now fans have a new remix of “Break My Heart Myself” featuring the “Sneakers” singers.

Released on July 29, the rawness of Bebe’s original is fully intact with Yeji and Ryujin adding a new second verse where they share how “some days feeling like a misfit / Sometimes, I might make a mess/ But, OK, I’m doing my best,” coming out strong in the end to declare that “I’m gonna be OK.”

While their direct experiences may differ, there is no doubt that both Rexha and the ITZY members can all relate to the mental pressures and anguish exacerbated by superstardom, making this duet all the more powerful. The ongoing admiration the artists showed for each other only makes it that much stronger of a song.

Altogether, the new life the cover helped breathe into “Break My Heart Myself” (Rexha has shared ongoing streaming and Shazam updates for the track on her socials), and this new remix shows the exciting synergy that can come from K-pop co-sign.

Watch the official lyric — with both English and Korean lyrics — below:

BLACKPINK‘s official comeback is right around the corner, and to kick things off, the K-pop girl group has finally released the music video for their newly released track, “Ready for Love,” on Friday (July 29).

The pop stars first unveiled the song in their recent in-game concert for PUGB Mobile, titled “THE VIRTUAL,” which featured the group’s four members — Lisa, Jisoo, Jennie and Rosé — performing a medley of their hits through virtual versions of their human forms. Fans initially got a taste of “Ready to Love” in 2020 during BLACKPINK’s Light Up the Sky movie, as the four-piece recorded the track in a studio session.

“I’m ready for love/ Tell me when you ready, ’cause I’m already, ready (Ready, ready)/ Tell me when you ready, ’cause/ I’m ready for love,” Jennie and Rosé sing on the bubbly, effervescent pop track.

For Blinks that missed out on the concert, fear not — the event will run from July 29-30 in North and South America, and July 30-31 across the rest of the world. Players also have the opportunity to obtain the outfits BLACKPINK wore during the concert through Aug. 31.

“Ready For Love” arrives on the heels of BLACKPINK’s comeback this August. YG Entertainment previously released a statement on July 5 explaining that the girl group is in the “final stages of recording a new album.” Per the statement, new music from the K-pop stars will arrive sometime in August along with “a continuous large-scale project which will extend through the second half of the year.”

Watch the video for “Ready For Love” below.

“New To You” indeed. The freshest single from Calvin Harris is the thus titled R&B-oriented jam, featuring a trio of stars in collaborators Tinashe, Normani and Offset.

Together, the foursome deliver a track that’s combines classy orchestral arrangements with glittery disco vibes.

“New to You” is the fourth single from Harris’ forthcoming Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 2, which drops Aug. 5 via Sony and is the followup to Harris’ 2017 hit Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1. (Offset also featured on that album as part of Migos on the smash single “Slide,” which also featured Frank Ocean.)

“New To You” is the fourth album single, coming on the heels of “Stay With Me,” a collab with Justin Timberlake, Halsey and Pharrell that debuted earlier this month. That track followed the 21 Savage team-up “New Money” (also released in July) and May’s “Potion,” with Dua Lipa and Young Thug.

In a reveal of the tracklist earlier this week, Harris revealed that Vol. 1 will also include “Stay With Me (Part 2)” which will again feature Halsey, Timberlake and Pharrell. Additionally, Stefflon Don, Chlöe and Coi Leray will feature together on “Woman Of The Year,” Charlie Puth and Shenseea will feature on “Obsessed,” Busta Rhymes will feature on “Ready Or Not,” Jorja Smith and Lil Durk will feature on “Somebody Else,” 6lack and Donae’o will beature on “Nothing More to Say,” Snoop Dogg and Latto will do their first ever collab with “Live My Best Life,” Swae Lee will feature on “Lean On Me,” and Pharrell will return for the Pusha T collab “Day One.”

Hear the song below.

Beyoncé returns with Renaissance, her highly anticipated seventh studio album that she released on Friday (July 29) via Columbia Records and Parkwood Entertainment.

The pop superstar released “Act 1” of Renaissance with 16 tracks, including guest appearances from BEAM on “Energy” as well as Grace Jones and Tems on “Move.” More superstars are enlisted on the writing and producing credits, such as her husband Jay-Z, Drake, Skrillex, The-Dream, Syd, Lucky Daye, Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, Nile Rodgers, Nija Charles, 070 Shake and more.

She dropped fans a note about Renaissance on her official website hours before Act 1 dropped Friday night. “This three act project was recorded over three years during the pandemic. A time to be still, but also a time I found to be the most creative,” she started. “Creating this album allowed me a place to dream and to find escape during a scary time for the world. It allowed me to feel free and adventurous in a time when little else was moving. My intention was to create a safe place, a place without judgment. A place to be free of perfectionism and overthinking. A place to scream, release, feel freedom. It was a beautiful journey of exploration.”

The project also includes lead single “Break My Soul,” which samples Robin S.’s 1993 house classic “Show Me Love” and Big Freedia‘s 2014 track “Explode” that highlights her signature bounce music. “Break My Soul” peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking Bey’s 20th solo top 10 hit on the chart. Renaissance also marks her first solo album since 2016’s Lemonade, which went No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

Queen Bey ended the note on her site with this statement: “To all of my fans: I hope you find joy in this music. I hope it inspires you to release the wiggle. Ha! And to feel as unique, strong, and sexy as you are. Love y’all deep, B.”

Listen to Renaissance below.

Sam Hunt‘s brand new “Water Under the Bridge” music video had a pleasantly surprising outcome — besides quickly becoming a new, fan-favorite hit.

Thanks to his vintage-inspired “Save The Ridley” t-shirt that he’s rocking in the video, the 37-year-old country star boosted support and interest in endangered sea turtles. According to South Texan sea turtle rescue and rehab facility, Sea Turtle, Inc., they’ve received so much outreach and excitement about the shirt, that they decided to bring it back into production for a limited time.

The “Save the Ridley” t-shirt is now available to purchase here, and all the money goes to the nonprofit, which aims to rescue, rehabilitate and release injured sea turtles, educate the public and assist with conservation efforts.

Hunt earned his most recent Billboard Country Airplay chart-topper with “23.” In June, he announced that he and wife Hannah Lee Fowler have welcomed their first child together, daughter Lucy.

“I think being out here, and in the music business and being out on the road, has sort of hardened my heart,” he told the crowd during an appearance at the Stars for Second Harvest charity concert at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. “My heart’s definitely a lot harder in a lotta ways since I left that small town. It’s amazing how that little girl melted that all away overnight a couple of weeks ago. I’ve been filled with a lot of gratitude these past couple of weeks. I just want to say up here on the Ryman stage how grateful I am to have been a part of country music for the last 10 years.”

Breakups are tough, but a proper heartbreak playlist always makes it better — or at least gives you a soundtrack to cry to.

Whether you’re angry, sad, moving on or feeling independent following your romantic split, Billboard compiled 50 of our favorite breakup songs to ease you through the aftermath — from Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo and Alanis Morissette to The Beatles and Carly Simon.

Read through our list here, and then come back and let us know which breakup song is your favorite by voting in our poll below.