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First Stream: New Music From Kane Brown, NAV, Ari Lennox and More

Billboard’s First Stream serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.

This week, Kane Brown is back in the saddle, NAV throws a swanky party and Ari Lennox fully arrives. Check out all of this week’s First Stream picks below:

Kane Brown, Different Man 

Consistency has always been key for Kane Brown, a country music A-lister who, despite having not released a proper full-length since 2018’s chart-topping Experiment, has been a steady presence as a singles artist and collaborator since arriving on the scene six years ago. The 17-song new album Different Man goes down as smoothly as his most sumptuous past work, with a straight-ahead country bent following some genre detours, although some of the more gruff offerings here, like the rocking opener “Bury Me in Georgia,” nicely expand the scope of Brown’s appeal.

NAV, Demons Protected By Angels 

A glimpse at the guests on NAV’s new album — Future, Lil Uzi Vert, Travis Scott, Lil Baby, Don Toliver, Gunna, Lil Durk and more included — indicates just how high the warbling Canadian rapper how risen in the world of commercial hip-hop. Although NAV does a nice job accommodating his collaborators on Demons Protected By Angels, his viscous, upper-register flow also keeps up with theirs, giving the project the feel of a glamorous hip-hop summit that includes a nimble host.

Ari Lennox, age/sex/location

After Ari Lennox surprised fans with Away Message, a five-song preview of her new album age/sex/location, last Friday, listeners had one week to prepare themselves for one of the most anticipated R&B releases of the year. They may have needed a little more time: age/sex/location makes good on the promise of Lennox’s 2019 debut Shea Butter Baby by never holding back any thoughts or feelings (check out the wonderfully blunt standout “Waste My Time”), and pairing that vulnerability with some soulful team-ups with R&B’s new elite, including Summer Walker, Lucky Daye and Chlöe.

Lewis Capaldi, “Forget Me” 

Pop radio is not typically a stomping ground for heart-wrenching balladry (unless you’re Adele, of course), but Lewis Capaldi scored an unlikely breakthrough three years ago with the No. 1 smash “Someone You Loved,” before crashing back into the top 10 with “Before You Go.” New single “Forget Me” is decidedly not cut from the same sonic cloth — the tempo quicker, the piano-drums interplay sunnier — but Capaldi’s vocal performance is perhaps even more intense here, as he clings on to a relationship that is clearly dissolving: “’Cause I’m not ready / To find out you know how to forget me,” he crows with effective conviction.

Yeat, Lyfë 

When Yeat’s 2 Alivë album debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 earlier this year, the chart achievement clued in lots of casual hip-hop listeners to the size of the mysterious MC’s feverishly devoted fan base, which has only grown in the months since its release. Lyfë is a victory lap in some ways — “Flawlëss,” the opening track featuring Lil Uzi Vert, purposely places Yeat and an idol side-by-side in order to demonstrate his newfound stature — but bleary, blissed-out productions like “Talk” and “Holy 1” also feature more locked-in performances, as if his vocal skill set is evolving in real time.

Ozzy Osbourne, Patient Number 9

Good on Ozzy Osbourne, at the age of 73 and following some recent health issues, for not only continuing to release new music but for pushing himself to innovate his classic hard rock persona and sound. Following 2020’s sweeping Ordinary Man, Patient Number 9 pairs the legend with some of the biggest names in rock, from Jeff Beck to Eric Clapton to Zakk Wydle to the late Taylor Hawkins, the lattermost of whom appears on three song; there’s plenty of time for howling and soloing, but songs like “No Escape From Now” — the first time Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi appears on an Ozzy solo album — are satisfying in their ambition and urgency.

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Bad Bunny’s ‘AMORFODA’ Music Video Joins Billion Views Club

Bad Bunny is officially an eight-time member of the Billion Views Club. His 2018 music video for “AMORFODA” has surpassed one billion views on YouTube, marking the Latin music super star’s eighth total project to reach the milestone, according to YouTube.

The achievement comes a few months after his and Jhay Cortez’s “Dákiti” music video crossed into billions territory in January, which marked Bad Bunny’s seventh entry into the club. Before that, he’d earned billion-views status for his “Te Bote Remix,” “Mayores,” “No Me Conoce,” “I Like It,” “Mia” and “Tu No Vive Asi” music videos.

Released just one day after Valentine’s Day in February of 2018, “AMORFODA” (which loosely translates to “a f— love” or “a love f—ed”) marked a significant departure from Bad Bunny’s usual trap-infused musical style, with the two-time Grammy winner opting instead for minimalistic piano. The “AMORFODA” music video matches the song’s simplicity, and follows the musician with one continuous shot as he leaves his pleading ex-girlfriend behind on a sunset-lit beach.

“Everyone has been in love, at some point or another,” he told Billboard of the song, which peaked at No. 10 on the Hot Latin Songs chart, a few days after its release. “It’s honestly a song I’ve had written for quite some time now. In fact, it’s a song I had written way before the fame and success.”

“I’ve always loved this song because I wrote it with a lot of sentiment behind it,” he continued. “It’s the kind of record that reminds me of the longevity of really good songs. A good song never gets old. It was just a matter of time, and it was time to come out with something different.”

Join one billion others in watching Bad Bunny’s “AMORFODA” music video below:

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Recording Academy Welcomes ‘Nearly 2,000 Diverse’ New Members

The Recording Academy welcomed its new member class of “nearly 2,000 diverse music creators and professionals” at a town hall on Friday (Sept. 9) in which CEO Harvey Mason Jr. spoke and answered questions.

The Academy reports that 47% of this year’s new members are under the age of 40; 44% are from “traditionally underrepresented communities” (referred to elsewhere in the report as people of color); and 32% are women.

The new members had an option of “prefer not to disclose” on key demographic categories. That option was chosen most frequently on the question of ethnicity. 24% of new members checked “prefer not to disclose” on the ethnicity question. An additional 3% checked “prefer to self-describe.” By way of comparison, on the gender question, 16% checked “prefer not to disclose.” On the age question, 13% checked “prefer not to say.”

In terms of self-reported ethnicity, the new member class is 33% white/Caucasian; 25% Black/African American; 24% prefer not to disclose; 10% Hispanic/Latin; 4% AAPI [Asian American and Pacific Islander], 3% prefer to self describe; 1% Middle Eastern/North African; and less than 1% Indigenous/Alaskan native.

In terms of genre, the new member class most frequently cited pop as their area of focus, with 33% selecting that genre, followed by (in order) R&B (22%), jazz (19%), alternative (19%), rock (17%), American roots (16%), rap (15%), world music (15%), classical (15%), dance/electronic (13%), contemporary instrumental (13%), gospel/Christian (11%), other (10%), country (9%), Latin (9%), film/TV/media (9%), new age (7%), musical/show (6%), reggae (6%), children’s (4%) and spoken word (3%). Comedy was chosen by less than 1%. (Numbers don’t add up to 100% because members could choose more than one genre.)

The Recording Academy prepared an infographic that contains full details on the new member class in terms of gender, age and ethnicity.

The Academy had invited 2,700 members to join, of whom 2,000 accepted. The invitations were announced on June 30. The deadline to accept was July 12.

The 2022 class marks four years since the Academy transitioned to a community-driven and peer-reviewed annual cycle to create, in in its words, “a more diverse and engaged membership base representative of the evolving musical landscape.”

Since implementing the new model in 2019, the number of women members has increased by 19%, while membership among traditionally underrepresented communities has increased by 38%. Women now account for 31% of the Academy’s membership, while people from traditionally underrepresented communities account for 33%.

The Recording Academy has added 1,913 women to its voting membership since 2019 and is now 77% of the way to reaching its stated goal of adding 2,500 women voting members by 2025.

“After years of listening, learning and putting in the work, we’re beginning to see results of our efforts to diversify the Academy’s membership come to life,” Mason said. “Our members are the lifeblood of this organization, powering everything we do from the inside out. When we have diverse people representing all corners of the industry contributing unique perspectives, progress is achieved at a rapid pace. The journey is just beginning, and I can’t wait to work alongside our new and existing members to build on the Academy’s commitment to effecting real, meaningful change.”

In his annual member address, Mason also touted the five new Grammy categories that are being added this year, including songwriter of the year, non-classical; the new special merit award, best song for social change; and the Academy’s efforts on behalf of the Decriminalizing Artistic Expression Act in California and the RAP Act on the federal level that would restrict the use of rap lyrics and other creative works in court.

The Recording Academy is now accepting recommendations for best song for social change. On Friday (Sept. 9), it posted a page offering more information about the award, along with a submission form. The submission deadline is Oct. 7. The recipient will be chosen by what the Academy calls a “blue ribbon committee.”

Mason also mentioned that Sept. 9 is the deadline for Academy members to register for District Advocate Day, which takes place on Oct. 6.

Aside from submitting product for Grammy Awards consideration and voting in the Grammy Awards process, members may vote in chapter elections, propose amendments to Grammy Awards rules, and run for a Recording Academy board position or committee, and more.

Here’s a page from the Recording Academy’s site with more information on membership process and requirements.

The Recording Academy released quotes from 14 new members, including Gayle, who had a No. 3 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 earlier this year with “ABCDEFU,” and is thought to be a Grammy contender in key categories. “I’m so excited to have the opportunity to be a new member with such legendary and groundbreaking ironic creatives,” she said. “To join this community is an honor and I already feel so welcomed.”

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Celebrating Marciano Cantero With 7 Essential Los Enanitos Verdes Tracks: Editor’s Picks

Rock en español has lost a legend.

Marciano Cantero (real name Horacio Eduardo Cantero Hernández) — who led Los Enanitos Verdes as their frontman since 1979 when the band formed in Argentina — died on Thursday (Sept. 8) at 62 years old, leaving a remarkable legacy as a Latin rock pioneer and a vast catalog of songs that will live on forever.

Most will remember him for the anthemic heartbreak track “Lamento Boliviano,” a radio hit that played in households across Latin America from Argentina to Mexico. After being released in 1994, the song became an instant earworm (and a karaoke go-to) thanks in large part to its instrumental intro, powered by a zampoña (traditional Andean panpipe), which lures you in. Then, there’s the euphoric chorus that comes in mid-song — which has no lyrics, but rather a nostalgic cry, which goes somewhat like: “Uoh, io, io, io-uoh-oh, ye-eh-eh-eh, yeh-eh.”

Throughout their career, Los Enanitos Verdes — composed of Cantero, alongside Felipe Staiti and Daniel Piccolo — has scored three entries on Top Latin Albums, including Pescado Original (No. 37), Tic Tac (No. 55) and En Vivo (No. 75). On Hot Latin Songs, the group has two entries: “Mariposas” (No. 19) and cover song “Tu Carcel” (No. 44).

Below, Billboard remembers and celebrates Cantero’s legacy with seven essential tracks that are also some of our personal favorites.

“Luz de Día” 

Cantero was particularly great at tugging at your heartstrings and getting you in your feelings with rock ballads that he always interpreted with such pathos. His delivery of “Luz de Día” is no exception and to this day gives me goosebumps. A song about “a reencuentro de almas (a reunion of two souls)” as he puts in the video below, this slowed-down track is, without a doubt, a classic in Latin music and one of Enanitos’ most iconic songs. — GRISELDA FLORES

“Eterna Soledad”

Notably, one of Los Enanitos Verdes most emblematic tracks, released in 1996, “Eterna Soledad” didn’t get on my radar until my high school years (2001-2005) thanks to a group of Argentine friends. This soft-rock ballad has simplicity in its melodies and mightiness in its lyrics, bringing a message about “eternal loneliness” but also about taking risks, finding strength, and moving forward in life. Personally, it’s a song I will always return to when I’m having the toughest of days. Twenty-six years later, “Eterna Soledad” remains a staple in Latin music, especially at karaoke bars and among cover bands and artists. — JESSICA ROIZ

“Lamento Boliviano”

Considered one of the most popular songs in the history of Latin American rock, Los Enanitos’ “Lamento Boliviano” was actually a cover of a song from the ’80s by the Argentine rock band Alcohol Etílico: “Soy Como Una Roca (Lamento Boliviano)”. But it was Marciano Cantero’s voice, along with the band’s inclusion of Andean instruments and an iconic guitar solo, that gave it international prominence. Since then, artists including Noel Schajris and Yandel have recorded their own versions. In 2019, J Balvin and Bad Bunny used parts of it in “Un Peso,” also featuring Cantero, which was included on the star duo’s joint set Oasis. — SIGAL RATNER ARIAS

“Mi Primer Día Sin Ti” 

I’m a sucker for melancholic Cantero. I do love the more uptempo songs such as “Por El Resto” and “Guitarras Blancas,” but there’s something about breakup tracks like “Mi Primer Día Sin Ti,” penned by the singer himself, that can really move the masses with its relatable lyrics. “I’m not used to this/ My first day without you. I still use ‘us’ when I’m thinking about you,” he simply puts it. The heartbreaking lyrics pair perfectly with equally nostalgic electric guitar tones that really give this song an edge, and make it a true gem. — G.F.

“Amores Lejanos”

It’s something about the guitar riffs in the first 15 seconds that will always transport me to 16-year-old Jess, listening to “Amores Lejanos” on her CD player while swinging on a hammock in her grandmother’s backyard in Nicaragua. But this romantic rock song, released in 2002, represents far more than just a tune that takes me back to my best summers in the motherland. It represents the first time I wholeheartedly fell hard for a boy, a 19-year-old small-town college student whom I met in Nicaragua, and who had a very short-lived, but memorable, long-distance relationship with. Think emails and MSN messenger, but with “Amores Lejanos” — a song precisely about far-away love — always connecting us. — J.R.

“Mejor No Hablemos de Amor” 

Written by the band’s guitarist, Felipe Staiti, this song (from Enanitos Verdes’s 1994 album Big Bang) is not only just fun to sing along to, but also a song that many adopted in the ’90s as an anthem. Titled “Mejor No Hablemos de Amor,” which loosely translates to “Let’s Just Not Talk About Love,” the song captures that free spirit most rockeros proudly defended: “I don’t know what happened, or how it started/ Let’s just not talk about love/ Why are you going to wait for something I can’t give you?” — G.F.

“Guitarras Blancas”

One of Los Enanitos Verdes’ earlier hits, “Guitarras Blancas” (1988) best encompassed the booming Rock en Español movement at the time, which also included acts such as Heroes del Silencio, Los Prisioneros, Soda Stereo, Caifanes, and many more. With easy lyrics to sing along to, “Guitarras” is rebellious and carefree, and delivered a very much-needed message during the “Dirty War” in Argentina. “Don’t talk about New York now/ To be in Rome or Disneyworld/ I just want them to let us dance here,” Marciano chanted in the up-tempo rock jam — which, right up to today, still gets every roquero jumping on their feet. — J.R.
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Kylie Jenner Reveals Her Son With Travis Scott Is Still Legally Named Wolf, But ‘We Don’t Call Him Wolf’

The name of Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott‘s son is still unknown to the public, seven months after his birth. During the Kylie Cosmetics founder’s appearance on The Late Late Show With James Corden on Thursday (Sept. 8), she revealed that her son’s name — which she announced was Wolf after giving birth in February — has not been changed in the eyes of the law.

“We haven’t officially, legally changed his name,” Jenner explained to the talk-show host. “His name is still Wolf, his passport’s Wolf, but that isn’t gonna be his name. We’re just waiting and simmering on it … We don’t call him Wolf.”

When Corden pressed her for a hint, Jenner added, “We’re just not ready to share yet. Travis … one day he’ll be like, ‘Oh, this name is kinda cool’ and change it again. So we’re probably not going to officially change it until … maybe …”

The youngest Jenner revealed that her and Scott’s son was named Wolf in an Instagram Story a week after his birth. But by March, Jenner announced that her son’s name changed after realizing it didn’t fit his personality anymore.

“FYI OUR SONS NAME ISN’T WOLF ANYMORE. WE JUST REALLY DIDN’T FEEL LIKE IT WAS HIM,” she updated fans via Instagram on March 21. “JUST WANTED TO SHARE BECAUSE I KEEP SEEING WOLF EVERYWHERE.”

Jenner appeared on Corden alongside her mother Kris Jenner to play a game of Late Late Lie Detector, in which they asked the matriarch a series of questions regarding Kourtney Kardashian’s PDA with Travis Barker, whether she leaked Kim Kardashian’s sex tape, and who her favorite child is. The 66-year-old also revealed that she often reorganizes Kylie’s home when Jenner’s not there.

Watch Kylie and Kris Jenner’s appearance on Corden below.

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Pearl Jam Honor Passing of Queen Elizabeth II With Cover of Beatles’ Cheeky ‘Her Majesty’

Pearl Jam were not immune from feeling royally bummed out on Thursday night (Sept. 8) during their show at Toronto’s Scotiabank Center. Like so many of their musical peers, the Seattle-bred band took a moment to pay tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, whose death earlier in the day at age 96 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland unleashed waves of nostalgic love for the longest-reigning ruler in the nation’s history

“This is just a little one I’m gonna pull out from Paul McCartney,” singer Eddie Vedder told the crowd of “Her Majesty,” a McCartney-penned Beatles tune from 1969’s Abbey Road album. The ultra-brief finger-picked ditty — which lasts less than 30 seconds and was one of the first-ever “hidden tracks” on a rock album, sneaking out after the long fade of “The End” — features some cheeky lines in which Sir Paul mused about a mash-worthy monarch.

“Her Majesty is a pretty nice girl/ But she doesn’t have a lot to say/ Her Majesty is a pretty nice girl/ But she changes from day to day,” Vedder sang jauntily while strumming an acoustic guitar. “I wanna tell her that I love her a lot/ But I gotta get a belly full of wine/ Her Majesty is a pretty nice girl/ Someday I’m gonna make her mine, oh yeah/ Someday I’m gonna make her mine.”

The tribute then dove right into the Stone Gossard-penned PJ track “All Those Yesterdays” from 1998’s Yield, which asks the poignant question, “Don’t you think you’ve done enough?/ Oh don’t you think you’ve got enough well maybe/ You don’t think there’s time to stop/ There’s time enough for you to lay your head down tonight tonight.”

And while that song was clearly not monarchically motivated, the nods to rest, sleep, laying your head down and reminiscing about “all those yesterdays” certainly had resonance for the near-centenarian Queen who was served by 15 prime minsters and met 13 U.S. presidents during her unprecedentedly long reign.

The Queen’s death also drew tributes from a number of other musicians on Thursday, including Elton John, Harry Styles, Ozzy Osbourne, Duran Duran and many other royal subjects and admirers.

Watch fan footage of PJ playing “Her Majesty” and the show’s setlist below.

 

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Simon Cowell Insists Harry Styles ‘Definitely Wouldn’t’ Spit on Chris Pine: ‘That’s Not Harry’

Take it from Simon Cowell: Harry Styles would never spit on Chris Pine. In addition to talking about America’s Got Talent and the death of Queen Elizabeth II during his Thursday night (Sept. 8) appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the famously opinionated music mogul weighed in on a recent viral video in which the former One Direction star appears to spit on his Don’t Worry Darling castmate — which Cowell insists couldn’t have actually happened.

“That doesn’t sound like Harry,” he told Kimmel, who then wondered if Styles really had spit, but not on purpose.

“We all do that, you know when you gob on someone by accident,” Cowell continued. “He definitely, definitely wouldn’t do that — that’s not Harry.”

The incident in question happened three days prior to the 62-year-old TV host’s appearance on Kimmel, and took place during the world premiere of Styles’ upcoming movie, the Olivia Wilde-directed Don’t Worry Darling, at the Venice International Film Festival. The “As It Was” singer — who first rose to fame as a contestant on Cowell’s talent competition show The X-Factor — was captured on video seemingly “spitting” into Pine’s lap while taking his seat next to the Star Trek star.

Afterward, Pine’s rep told Billboard that the video was simply the result of an odd visual illusion, and said that “there is nothing but respect between these two men.” Styles also addressed the video at his Wednesday night Madison Square Garden concert, jokingly telling the crowd, “I just popped very quickly to Venice to spit on Chris Pine.”

But just in case there’s still any lingering suspicions that Spitgate (a term coined by internet spectators) actually did happen, allow Cowell to put them to rest. “Harry’s very polite and charming,” he assured Kimmel. “I would tell you. He’s a very, very nice guy.”

The former American Idol judge also opened up about the one time he met Queen Elizabeth, who passed away at 96 the day of the interview. “She didn’t talk to me, she had no idea who I was actually!” he admitted. He also opened up about the impressive pool of talent he and fellow judges Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara, and Howie Mandel have found on this season of America’s Got Talent.

“I promise you, the final on Tuesday, I think it’s the best contestants we’ve ever had,” Cowell said of his show’s season 17 finale, airing Sept. 13.

Watch Simon Cowell talk about Spitgate, Queen Elizabeth, AGT and more on Jimmy Kimmel Live! below:

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Coming Soon: New Off-Road Park in Branson Area

A new off-roading park is coming to the Branson area.

A Texas company is developing 15-hundred acres six miles South of Hollister into an outdoor adventure park.

The park will have 15 to 20 trails for bikers, four wheelers and Jeeps. The main trail will take 3 and a half hours to drive.

Texplex hopes to open trails in January.

This article is provided by Ozarks News – 93.3 KWTO
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Ozark’s 9/11 Ceremonies Sunday

Ceremonies will be held across the Ozarks on Sunday to mark 21 years since the 9/11 attacks on our nation.

One of those events is in Marshfield, where leaders are hosting a memorial to honor those lives in the attacks.

The memorial includes placing 2.996 flags in a field, each representing a life lost on 9/11.

Patriot Park is open to the public from 8 AM – 8 PM Sunday, with the service starting at 8 PM that evening.

This article is provided by Ozarks News – 93.3 KWTO
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Britney Spears Declares She’s ‘Not Scared Anymore’ While Dancing to Noga Erez’s ‘Nails’

Britney Spears was back in her happy place on Thursday (Sept. 8), dancing off her worries to one of her favorite songs and sharing an update on how she’s feeling these days. “Just being the home girl people all know me to be!!!,” she wrote alongside a should-shrug emoji as part of a post in which she ripped off some body rolls, spins and hair-flip choreo to Noga Erez’s fierce anthem “Nails.”

“No sitting in chairs for 10 hours a day 7 days a week !!!” she added. “Y’all I am not scared anymore and you know what ??? I’m not dangerous or crazy at all … classy people !!! Keep smiling y’all … keep smiling !!!”

While Spears did not provide any context for the statement about her state of mind, it came after a rough week in which the singer engaged in some long-distance back-and-forth with her teenage sons after her youngest, son Jayden, 15, spoke out in an ITV interview about his mom’s parenting and not attending her recent celb-studded wedding to longtime beau Sam Asghari.

The singer appears to be trying to move on, as evidenced by several other posts this week, including one in which she posed with Asghari, noting that Monday (Sept. 12) is the one year anniversary of the couple’s engagement. In another post from Thursday, though, Spears was a bit self-conscious, sticking her tongue out at the camera and writing, “Me trying to be sexy and s–t feeling myself on gram … but damn it actually helps with my confidence … but here’s me not on instagram !!!!! [eye-roll emoji] I’m so weird sorry [winky-face emoji] !!!”

A pair of follow-up posts included a nod to good old “Suzie Lou from Arkansas” accompanied by a fashion spread featuring five outfits and another in which she hits the dance studio to boogie to Naika’s “Sauce,” which appears to be one of her current favorite jams.

Check out Spears’ posts below.