Most awards shows nowadays tend to go with one host or perhaps two or three co-hosts. But it used to be fairly commonplace for an awards show to have four or even more co-hosts.
We took a deep dive into awards show history and found close to 20 times that shows had five or more co-hosts. In the event that a group or duo co-hosted an awards show, we counted each individual member as one host, because, well, they’re there, which pushed shows co-hosted by *NSYNC, Bee Gees, Alabama, The Judds, Oak Ridge Boys and The Statler Brothers onto this list. (The Statlers were frequent hosts of the Music City News Awards, a forerunner of the CMT Music Awards. We listed just one of their hosting gigs, so as not to clog the list with that one show.)
We also had to decide if we would count a very famous duck as a co-host. He waddled on stage and did his part. How can we not count him? (See the final entry.)
Many shows have gone host-less, especially in recent years. In April 1970, the 42nd annual Academy Awards didn’t have a host. Instead, 17 “Friends of Oscar” took turns introducing various segments. But they’re weren’t really co-hosts in the sense that we usually use that term. We focused here on cases where the hosts were clearly identified as such.
The shows with five or more individuals hosting are listed in reverse chronological order:
Taylor Swift stopped by The Graham Norton Show in the U.K. on Friday (Oct. 28) to talk about her new album Midnights and dished on the process of re-recording her first six albums.
“I just figured if I made them the first time, I can make them again,” she said after briefly explaining how her back catalog from 2006’s Taylor Swift to 2017’s reputation was controversially sold to Scooter Braun after she changed record labels from longtime home Big Machine to Republic.
When Norton asked if the strategy behind re-recording was working at radio, the superstar said, “Yes … one of the things I was most thankful for was there’s a company of many stations in America called iHeart, and they have sworn to only play my new versions. And they’ve said that they’ll switch it out for the old versions every time I put out a new version of a song.
“Which is just, like, it’s so heartwarming to me,” Tay continued. “Because this is something that I care about, but I don’t expect other people to care about it. It’s something that’s very personal to me and it’s a lot of work, but it’s really fun and rewarding for me and I can’t believe people have actually gotten behind it the way they have.”
During the talk show, Swift was joined on the couches by Bono, actor Eddie Redmayne and former professional U.K. soccer star Alex Scott, all of whom seemed visibly supportive along with Norton about the superstar’s re-recording plan. Redmayne and the singer also got to reminisce in the joint interview about the ill-fated screen test they did together as Marius and Eponine for the 2012 movie musical Les Misérables — though the latter role ultimately went to West end actress Samantha Barks.
Watch Swift open up about her re-recording process below.
Kim Kardashian is kicking off this year’s Halloweekend by dressing her four children up as popular musicians from the 1990s. The SKIMS founder took to Instagram on Friday (Oct. 28) to show off the looks, and the post has nearly four million likes.
In the series of snaps, her nine-year-old daughter North is dressed as Aaliyah in a full Tommy Hilfiger outfit, while four year old daughter Chicago rocks all denim, a long braid and hoops as Sade.
Meanwhile, Kardashian’s six-year-old son Saint has multiple braids and is wearing a flannel as Snoop Dogg, and three-year-old son Psalm is holding on to his Compton snapback as Eazy E.
“THE ICONS – AALIYAH, SADE, SNOOP, EAZY E,” the reality TV star captioned the photo set.
Earlier in the week, Kardashian shared a glimpse into her ooky spooky Halloween home decorations, which feature two massive trees made of skeleton bones that lead into a path with hands reaching out from the dirt. In fact, each of the hands were molded by her friends and family. By the front door, two creepy groups of stone cult members make a bonfire.
Kardashian has yet to reveal what she will dress as for Halloween this year, but in 2021, the star dressed as as a space-age cowgirl, rocking silver high-waisted briefs, with a matching Western bra adorned with a statement star in the center, thigh-high boots-turned-chaps, armbands and a sleek, clear cowboy hat. The entire costume was designed by Manfred Thierry Mugler, per her Instagram post.
Charli XCX took to Twitter on Friday (Oct. 28) to give fans some insight on what would have been an incredible Halloween costume this year.
“So, i thought about going as @lorde for halloween this year,” she tweeted, noting that she was also going to do a cover of the star’s breakthrough 2013 hit, “Royals.”
Even better, when Charli texted Lorde about her thoughts, the 25-year-old singer replied, “Ok, iconic. I’m going as charli xcx.” However, the plans ultimately fell through.
“We both cackled and then we were like, ok cute yeah but actually cba maybe next year,” Charli wrote. “So just so you guys know THE THOUGHT was there and we KNOW it’s legendary butttt we’re just lazy lol.”
so, i thought about going as @lorde for halloween this year
and then we both cackled and then we were like, ok cute yeah but actually cba maybe next year. so just so you guys know THE THOUGHT was there and we KNOW it’s legendary butttt we’re just lazy lol
Last year, Charli XCX brought some serious Halloween vibes to the Tonight ShowStarring Jimmy Fallon, where performed “Good Ones,” the lead single from her fifth studio album, Crash, released in March of this year. For the performance, Charli XCX came out of her own tombstone, which was sat in a graveyard covered in mist.
Upon the album’s release, Crash hit No. 1 on Australia’s Albums Chart, and the British artist produced the same result impressive result on the Official U.K. Albums Chart.
Machine Gun Kelly tried out a new look for the Time100 Next Gala on Wednesday night and his post about it on social media drove fiancée Megan Fox to say something wild in the comments.
“I came for the Targaryen BDSM party,” the pop-punk rocker wrote on Instagram alongside a few snaps of his platinum top-knot, full-length black latex gloves, see-through corset and matching pants at the gala. And while plenty of friends and fans loved the House of the Dragon reference, his fianceé took it a step further than everyone else by commenting, “Never has anyone with better bone structure walked this earth…Exquisitely, devastatingly handsome. And 6 foot 5? Kill me or get me pregnant. Those are the only options.”
Fox, of course, happened to be Kelly’s date for the evening in a copper gown that can be seen in two of the photos he posted. Her extreme comment had racked up nearly 5,000 likes and hundreds of replies in the hours since it was posted.
Kelly’s BDSM-inspired look and Fox’s subsequently eyebrow-raising reaction both came just one day before the trailer dropped for the couple’s next movie, Taurus. In the meta music industry drama, the “Twin Flame” singer will play a self-destructive rocker named Cole, while Fox appears in the role of Mae and can be seen in the teaser flirting with Kelly’s character in the recording studio. The twosome previously starred together in 2021’s Midnight in the Switchgrass.
Check out Kelly’s latex ensemble from the Time100 Next Gala below.
First Country is a compilation of the best new country songs, videos & albums that dropped this week.
Lainey Wilson, “Hold My Halo”
This Louisiana native’s career is on fire right now. In addition to her new album, Bell Bottom Country, which drops today (Friday, Oct. 28), Wilson is the leading nominee heading into this year’s CMA Awards, earning six nods during her very first year as a nominee. Wilson co-wrote all but one track on this project, including her newest release, the frisky “Hold My Halo,” which raises a drink to the virtues of a hard-working woman who deserves a night to “tell that angel inside of me to hide her wings and lay low.”
Keith Urban, “Street Called Main”
Urban’s new song, written by Chris LaCorte, Josh Miller and Scooter Carusoe, finds Urban returning to his musical homebase — melding drum loops, crisp electric guitar, and universally relatable lyrics. The song marks Urban’s latest release leading into an album he is prepping for next year.
Cheat Codes with Jimmie Allen, “Lose You”
Last year, dance trio Cheat Codes issued the country collaborations “Never Love You Again” with Little Big Town and Bryn Christopher, as well as “How Do You Love” with Lee Brice and Lindsay Ell. Earlier this year, they followed by announcing an upcoming country album and earning another country collab with Russell Dickerson on “I Remember.” Now, they team with genre-blurring country artist Jimmie Allen (himself known for a plethora of collaborations) for this romantic, slow-burn dance track.
Shania Twain, “Last Day of Summer”
The queen of country-pop will release her upcoming album, Queen of Me, in February 2023 and she’s been steadily giving fans an intro to the new project, first with the lead single “Waking Up Dreaming,” followed by this equally sunny, but slightly organic-sounding track. Her husky vocals are slightly muddied in the verses, but the echoy production gives this pondering of and yearning for a long-gone love an intimate, hazy quality.
Reyna Roberts, “Pretty Little Devils”
“This ain’t the same ol’ hoedown throwdown,” Roberts makes clear as she leans hard into her R&B, rock and country trap proclivities on this new track, meshing them with bluesy guitars and lyrics about beer cans, boondocks, Megan Thee Stallion, southern accents — all while still showcasing her versatile vocals. A promising track that builds on her previous works, such as “Stomping Grounds.”
Runaway June, “Broken Hearts (Do Broken Things)”
On their latest, this trio retains their cheery pop-country vibe, but delves deep into the not-so rational decisions one makes when their heart is splintered after a breakup. This feisty track also highlights the trio’s new lineup, which is founding member Jennifer Wayne, in addition to Natalie Stovall and the newest member, Stevie Woodward.
Julie Roberts, Ain’t in No Hurry
Singer-songwriter Julie Roberts first broke through in 2004 with the ballad “Break Down Here.” Now, she returns with her first album in nearly a decade on Ain’t in No Hurry, this time working with Shooter Jennings (son of Waylon Jennings) and Erin Enderlin to craft the album. Known for her bluesy vocals, Julie also teams up with two top male country vocalists — she welcomes Jamey Johnson on the song “Music City is Killing Me,” a slight twist on Ray LaMontagne’s “New York City’s Killing Me,” while Randy Houser makes an appearance on “A Little Crazy’s Kinda Nice.”
Mae Estes, “Die in a Bar”
When it’s Mae Estes’ time to go, she wants to go out on her own terms — and as she sings here, that means flying away on a whiskey river, with a beer in her hand. This coolly country, retro-tinged track, which instantly brings to mind the Joe Diffie classic “Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die),” makes the most of Mae’s twangy voice, alongside twisted guitar lines and grooves ready for a sawdust floor.
Ariana Grande and Liz Gillies proved that they are still the ultimate dynamic duo when they took to Instagram on Friday (Oct. 28) to show off their Halloween costumes recreating some of the most iconic scenes from the 2000 mockumentary comedy film, Best in Show.
“Happy Halloween. We did this in May,” the former Victorious castmates captioned a series of photos and videos of themselves, in which Gillies portrays Jane Lynch’s character Christy Cummings and Grande takes on Jennifer Coolidge’s Sherri Ann Cabot. Later on in the series, the “7 Rings” singer transforms into Eugene Levy’s Gerry Fleck — eyebrows and all — while Gillies plays Catherine O’Hara’s curly haired Cookie Fleck.
“can this get nominated,” Katy Perry captioned the hilarious post, pointing out the duo’s impressive acting skills while recreating scenes from the movie.
Grande is no stranger to going all out for Halloween. Most notably, in 2019, she transformed herself into a pig-faced version of herself inspired by an episode of The Twilight Zone titled “Eye of the Beholder.”
She has also played dress-up for the spooky holiday with her ex-boyfriend, the late Mac Miller, a number of times. In 2016, they shared three Halloween looks, the first of which featured the couple dressed as Pokemon characters Pikachu (Miller) and Eevee (Grande). The former couple also dressed as the main characters from Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom, which they fully committed to by taking photos on rock formations while Miller sported a plastic rifle. And for their third look, they channeled The Matrix, posing in an empty venue.
Taylor Swift has always been explicit in her songs — delivering crystal-clear messages with uber-specific details. And in the last five years, she’s also been explicit in the “parental advisory” definition of the word — meaning she’s now comfortable dropping an F-bomb here and there.
When Swift released her sixth studio album, reputation, in 2017, her return to music after three years was a triumphant one, as she took control of her own narrative and cemented her transformation from America’s sweetheart to proudly feminist idol. And her declaration in the album cut “I Did Something Bad” that “If a man talks sh– then I owe him nothing” formally marked her dive into the world of curse words.
Sure, there are a few instances of a pre-reputation Taylor letting out some of the less offensive expletives. If you listen closely, you’ll even find one in her debut album: “You never did give a damn thing, honey,” she sings in the bridge of the emotional ballad “Cold as You.” But the death of “OId Taylor” is when the swear words really began to soar.
With Lover in 2019 came the line “I’d be a bi—, not a baller” from “The Man.” But Swift’s first explicitly explicit tracks did not arrive until her pandemic-era 2020 sister albums folklore and evermore. Opening the former with the line “I’m doing good, I’m on some new sh–” was just the start; iconic lyrics like “’What a shame she’s f—ed in the head,’ they said” followed shortly after.
On her 10th studio set Midnights, the lyrics have become more colorful than ever. The 13-track project includes six explicit songs, with the curse words ranging from “hell” to “f—in’” to one we surely did not have on our bingo card: “di–head.”
As the pop superstar continues to embrace her honest lyricism, keep reading for 20 times Taylor Swift has cursed in her songs.
First Stream Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums and videos recommended by the Billboard Latin editors. Check out this week’s picks below.
Julieta Venegas, “La Nostalgia” (Altafonte)
The beloved Mexican artist knows her way around a perfect tune, the kind that instantly sticks and peeks into your soul. But above all, Julieta Venegas knows just how to capture those moments, the special ones, in just three minutes. “La Nostalgia” quintessentially embodies that feeling. In fact, the song came to fruition as she reminisced about her native bordertown, Tijuana — she’s now based in Argentina. Whether it’s her serene voice and whimsical wordplay (“I see you singing an old melody, the one you sang in another life,” she coos in Spanish), or the dusty acoustic guitar strums in the background, the single, off her upcoming album Tu Historia (due Nov. 10th), harkens back to another time. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Paula Arenas, “Un Día A La Vez” (Do Re Millions LLC)
This week, Colombian singer-songwriter Paula Arenas releases “Un Día A La Vez” (One Day At A Time), an introspective pop song that is the result of a period of reflection and internal struggle with depression and anxiety. “If I turn off the lights I know/ That I am only soul, bone and skin/ And what judges me/ I wish I didn’t care later/ One day at a time, one day at a time,” sings the Latin Grammy-nominated artist in the chorus of the mid-tempo tune, which she co-wrote with Valentina Rico. The music video, directed by her husband Beto Pérez Fleta, offers a glimpse into Paula’s thoughts and feelings while writing the song. “Un Día A La Vez” is the third single from Arena’s next studio, album after “Volando Bajito” and “Puro Sentimiento,” featuring Manuel Medrano. The album, still untitled, should be out in the first quarter of 2023. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Don Omar & Akon, “Good Girl” (Unisono/Saban Music Group)
In the past year, Don Omar has made a remarkable comeback, collaborating with artists such as Residente, Nio Garcia, Wisin, Gente de Zona, Lil’ Jon, and most recently, Akon. In “Good Girl,” the reggaetón veteran joins forces with the renowned Senegalese-American hitmaker for a certified club banger that starts off with a reggae beat and transitions into an electronic mambo. Produced by Don’s longtime producer Alcover and co-written by Don and Akon, “Good Girl” addresses the titular female, whose looks are deceiving. A music video directed by Carlos Perez in Miami features both artists singing to a model at a strip club. — JESSICA ROIZ
Rauw Alejandro, “Dime Quien???” (Sony Music Latin)
Amid the TikTok success he’s been having with “Punto 40,” Rauw Alejandro takes a full leap into the synth-pop sounds of the ’80s, following along a similar formula to the one that worked for his global smash hit “Todo De Ti.” “Dime Quién???” is Rauw’s third single of his upcoming album Saturno, which drops on Nov. 11. The electro-pop track tells the story of when you lose someone and your ex has already found a new love. “Tell me, who is that? The one who now makes love to you in the car? The last one who speaks to you at night?” he pleads in the chorus. — INGRID FAJARDO
Lupita Infante, “Las Flores del Camposanto” (Sony Music)
On her mariachi rendition of “Las Flores del Camposanto,” Lupita Infante revitalizes the storied, impassioned ballad about comparing withering flower fields to heartbreak and despair. Originally written by poet Luis Rosado Vega in the early 1900s, and sung by the Mexican troubadour Óscar Chávez, the young traditionalist recorded the song to honor a bygone era for Day of the Dead and resurrect it for a newer generation. With twinkling harp strokes, sweeping violins, and an invigorating brass section, Infante’s rousing voice is simply astounding. “Las flores de camposanto” is also a lyric to the classic “La Llorona,” famously sung by Chavela Vargas. — I.R.
Natalia Lafourcade, De Todas las Flores (Sony Music México)
In a prosperous career that spans alternative rock, indie pop, and Latin American folk, Natalia Lafourcade returns to the scene with De Todas las Flores, after seven years of unreleased original music. This time, the esteemed singer-songwriter turns her attention to careful orchestration and grand symphonic arrangements. Produced by Adanowsky and recorded on analog tape, her pandemic-era 10th studio album sees Lafourcade in lockdown from her beloved Veracruz. However, she draws from a world inspired by her native landscapes, beaches and hummingbirds. For instance, “Llévame Viento” impressively recreates the whooshing and blowing of a furious ocean sea, but songs like “Canta la Arena” echo the carefree, feel-good lifestyle of life by the coast. — I.R.
Morat & Feid, “Salir Con Vida” (Universal Music Spain)
Morat recruits Feid for their new single, titled “Salir Con Vida.” The track unites the pop band with their fellow Colombian urban singer to reach the ultimate fusion of vocals, blending both worlds into one romantic combination. Produced by Andres Torres, Mauricio Rengifo and Juan Pablo Isaza, this new single is part of Morat’s new album slated to release on Nov. 4, which will portray a more mature image and sound. “Never leave, I want to get out alive/ And even if I tried to forget you, my mouth would not do it/ Don’t hurt me, I want to get out alive,” they sing in the chorus. — I.F.
El Fantasma & Yeison Jiménez, “Un Loco Enamorado” (AfinArte Music)
After teasing it on social media, regional Mexican and Colombian “Musica Popular” once again come together to gift fans a new collaboration between El Fantasma and Yeison Jiménez. Penned by renowned singer-songwriter Eden Muñoz and El Fantasma, this main banda rhythm track tells the story of a “crazy lover” who could fall in love with a woman by simply seeing her smile. The romanticism of both singers makes the song even more special. “A madman in love with her … just a quick smile excites him, and wants to give her his heart,” they sing. — I.F.
Rihanna made her long-awaited return to music with the heartfelt ballad, “Lift Me Up,” and on Friday (Oct. 28), she followed up the release with an equally beautiful music video.
In the Autumn Durald Arkapaw-directed clip, RiRi is seen in an ivory-colored, satin maxi dress and a beige puffer jacket, with her natural curls blowing in the seaside breeze as she strolls along the beach at sunset. “Lift me up / Hold me down / Keep me close / Safe and sound,” she sings in the soothing chorus.
“Lift Me Up” is set to be featured on the soundtrack of the upcoming Marvel sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and was written as a tribute to the late Panther star Chadwick Boseman, who died from colon cancer in 2020 at age 43. Tems, Oscar winner Ludwig Göransson, Rihanna and Black Panther director Ryan Coogler all have writing credits on the track.
While the “Love on the Brain” singer has yet to reveal any plans for a ninth studio album, Rihanna’s break from live shows is slated to end on Feb. 12, 2023, when she takes the stage to headline the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show. The star will also be unveiling her Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4 collection via a star-studded Prime Video fashion show with performances by Anitta, Burna Boy, Don Toliver and Maxwell.
The Wakanda Forever soundtrack — produced by Coogler, Göransson, Archie Davis and Dave Jordan — will be out next Friday (Nov. 4). Watch the “Lift Me Up” music video below.
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