Month: October 2022

Elton John and Britney Spears hit more new highs on Billboard‘s radio airplay charts with the superstars’ team-up “Hold Me Closer.”

Marking its first coronation on a radio-based ranking, the song soars from No. 5 to No. 1 on the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart (dated Oct. 8). John adds his second leader on the list, after his Dua Lipa collab “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix)” ruled for 14 weeks beginning in October 2021.

Spears scores her fifth Dance/Mix Show Airplay No. 1 – and first since “I Wanna Go,” for a week in August 2011. Before that, she led with “Hold It Against Me” (three weeks, March 2011); “Gimme More” (six, beginning in October 2007); and “Toxic” (three, starting in February 2004).

“Hold Me Closer” is collecting core-dance airplay on Music Choice’s Dance/EDM channel, KMVQ-HD2 San Francisco and Channel Q, among others, in addition to top 40 mix show attention.

The collab also hits the top 10 on Adult Contemporary (12-9) and Pop Airplay (13-10). John claims his record-extending 42nd AC top 10, padding his lead over Neil Diamond (38), Barbra Streisand (35) and Elvis Presley (31). John’s run began 51 years and eight months ago with the first week in the tier (Feb. 6, 1971) for “Your Song” – a record-breaking span of top 10s, as he narrowly passes Johnny Mathis’ stretch of 51 years, two months and three weeks (1962-2013).

Spears notches her first AC top 10. In her two previous trips to the tally, she hit No. 11 with “Sometimes” (1999) and No. 29 with “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman” (2002).

On Pop Airplay, John posts his second top 10 this year, following “Cold Heart,” while Spears earns her 16th total and first since “Scream & Shout,” with will.i.am (No. 3, February 2013). Prior to that duet, “I Wanna Go” became her sixth Pop Airplay No. 1, a run that began with her debut smash “…Baby One More Time,” for five weeks starting in February 1999.

“Hold Me Closer” mashes up two John classics: the hook of “Tiny Dancer” and the verses of “The One.” (The originals hit Nos. 35 and 1, the latter for six weeks, on AC in 1972 and 1992, respectively.)

“Hold Me Closer” concurrently climbs 10-7 on Adult Pop Airplay, a week after it became Spears’ first top 10 on the tally. On the all-format Radio Songs chart, it jumps 27-20, up 14% to 25.1 million in audience, according to Luminate.

As previously reported, “Hold Me Closer” launched at its No. 6 best on the Sept. 10-dated all-genre, multi-metric Billboard Hot 100.

BTS‘ visit to the White House in May was a historic event not just for the band, but for K-pop as a whole. And now, ARMY is getting a behind-the-scenes look at what members Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook did to prepare for the momentous event in a new video shared on Wednesday (Oct. 5).

The clip kicks off with the K-pop idols arriving at the airport before their journey to Washington, D.C., begins. Due to scheduling, Jung Kook arrives at the airport before the rest of his bandmates, and briefly discussed “Left and Right,” his collaboration with Charlie Puth. “I’m filming an MV with Charlie. I took a look at the storyboard and I have no idea of what to expect. I’m kinda worried if I can pull it off,” the singer mused before jetting off to the United States with fanfare from ARMY.

The remaining six members of the group then followed suit and were later reunited with Jung Kook in a short break that saw them discussing the meaning for their White House visit and rehearsing possible talking points. After getting suited up for their visit the next day, the Bangtan Boys marveled at the building’s architecture and at having the chance to bring awareness about anti-Asian hate crimes.

“We’re here at the White House. We were lucky enough to even get to visit the White House. I’m proud and honored to be here right now,” J-Hope said in a solo moment. “We’re here for a good cause. I think the tour was meaningful in itself. We only have big things coming up, so we’ll be sure to wrap those things up smoothly.”

“Due to COVID-19, hate crimes against Asians and others has increased. We thought there could be something we can do to help, so we’re back in the states again all of a sudden. I’m very nervous, but we’ll do our due diligence,” RM added in his own aside, raising a fist in solidarity with the cause.

Despite being international pop stars, the BTS members were anxious and practiced their lines and member placements just before their press briefing, which went smoothly. While the video does not show BTS interacting with President Joe Biden, Jimin hilariously recalled his initial meeting with him. “When he was talking while seated he spoke slower so I could understand it a bit,” he shared. “So I was just listening to him, but during the handshake we were up close like this … he’s super tall as well.”

On a more serious note, Jimin added, “Just with our ARMY, they all come from different cultures, races and countries, I think it’s the right thing to speak up on issues like this, so we’re here speaking on your behalf. I’m very thankful for that. We’ll be sure to further mature in the future so we can speak up on other places as well.”

Check out BTS’ White House visit above.

Khloe Kardashian has had enough. The reality personality publicly responded to Kanye West after the rapper once again called out her family for allegedly keeping his and Kim Kardashian‘s children from him.

“Ye, I love you,” the Good American co-founder began in the comments of the musician’s Wednesday (Oct. 5) Instagram post. “I don’t want to do this on social media but YOU keep bringing it here. You are the father of my nieces and nephews and I’m trying to be respectful but please STOP tearing Kimberly down and using our family when you want to deflect.”

The 21-time Grammy winner’s post that Kardashian was responding to had kicked off by slamming Gigi Hadid and DJ Venus X, who both criticized the “White Lives Matter” shirts in his Yeezy Paris Fashion Week show, before turning attention his attention to his former in-laws.

“SO WHY DID EVERYONE FEEL SO FREE TO ATTACK ME ABOUT MY T SHIRT BUT CANDACE OWENS WAS THE ONLY PUBLIC FIGURE TO SAY THAT IT WAS WRONG FOR THE KARDASHIANS TO KEEP ME FROM SEEING MY DAUGHTER,” he wrote. Ye publicly alleged in February that the SKIMS founder had tried to “kid nap” their daughter Chicago for the little girl’s 4th birthday, claiming that The Kardashians star hadn’t invited him to the birthday party and didn’t tell him where it was. The former pair also share daughter North and sons Saint and Psalm.

“Again with the birthday narrative,” Khloe continued in her response. “Enough already. We all know the truth and in my opinion, everyone’s tired of it.”

“You know exactly where your children are at all times and YOU wanted separate birthday parties,” Khloe countered, noting that she has seen all the proof in text messages, and that he was the one who had changed his mind and decided to attend Chicago’s party.

“Like you have pointed out yourself, she is the one taking care of your kids 80% of the time. Please Leave her and the family out of it so that the kids can be raised peacefully,” Khloe, who has previously called the rapper her “brother for life,” concluded with a prayer hands emoji. “I come from a place of love and I am happy to continue this conversation privately if you wish.”

Kim Kardashian filed for divorce in February 2021 after six years of marriage. She addressed his public criticisms of her parenting in February this year. “From the beginning I have wanted nothing but a healthy relationship because it is what is best for our children and it saddens me that Kanye continues to make it impossible every step of the way,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories at the time. “I wish to handle all matters regarding our children privately.”

See the Ye post that Khloe Kardashian responded to below:

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A post shared by Ye (@kanyewest)

If anything, Kanye West is demonstrably good at getting people to talk. After sparking outrage Monday (Oct. 3) by incorporating “White Lives Matter” shirts into his Paris Fashion Week show, the rapper has said that he met with Vogue fashion editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson — whom he publicly mocked via social media for her criticism of his show — to discuss their difference of opinion before slamming Gigi Hadid and Venus X for their condemnations of his recent behavior.

“GAB IS MY SISTER,” he wrote on Instagram Tuesday night (Oct. 4). “IM NOT LETTING PEOPLE GO TO BED THINKING I DIDN’T MEET WITH GABRIELLE [sic] AT 5 PM TODAY FOR 2 HOURS THEN WE WENT TO DINNER AT FERDIE.”

“IT FELT LIKE SHE WAS BEING USED LIKE TREVOR NOAH AND OTHER BLACK PEOPLE TO SPEAK ON MY EXPRESSION,” he continued, also claiming Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour had gotten director Baz Luhrmann to film his conversation with Karefa-Johnson.

“WE APOLOGIZED TO EACH OTHER FOR THE WAY WE MADE EACH OTHER FEEL WE ACTUALLY GOT ALONG AND HAVE BOTH EXPERIENCED THE FIGHT FOR ACCEPTANCE IN A WORLD THAT’S NOT OUR OWN.”

Prior to Ye’s most recent comments, both Karefa-Johnson and DJ Venus X had joined others in taking to social media to express their horror at his choice to dress models walking the runway for his latest Yeezy collection in shirts that had the racist phrase “White Lives Matter” printed on them. Karefa-Johnson called the display “indefensible behavior,” while Venus referred to it as violent propaganda.

Originally, it was solely Karefa-Johnson that Ye — who had himself worn a similar WLM shirt to his show — targeted online in response, posting photos of her to his Instagram the day after the show and ridiculing her appearance and fashion sense in his captions. Model Hadid came to the journalist’s defense on her own account, calling the rapper a “disgraceful man,” after which Vogue released a statement on Twitter supporting Karefa-Johnson.

“Vogue stands with Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, our global fashion editor at large,” read the statement. “She was personally targeted and bullied. It is unacceptable. Now more than ever, voices like hers are needed and in a private meeting with Ye today she once again spoke her truth in a way she felt best, on her terms.”

It was shortly after Vogue‘s post that Kanye shared on his account that he’d spoken with Karefa-Johnson — who hasn’t yet said anything with regards to the meeting. She did, however, post on her story that she was “exhausted,” but “so moved by and grateful for the outpouring of love I’ve received.”

“One thing about me: I will always speak my mind, and always try to honor my truth,” she wrote. “My thoughts are my own, and I stand by them.”

But while it seems for the moment that Ye has made peace with Karefa-Johnson, he still isn’t letting Hadid or Venus’ criticisms go unaddressed. Several hours after his post about meeting with Karefa-Johnson, he shared another message on Instagram calling out the model and DJ specifically.

“I WONDER WHAT GIGI AND VENUS’S PERSPECTIVES WERE WHEN I DIDN’T KNOW WHERE MY CHILD WAS ON HER BIRTHDAY,” Kanye wrote, referencing a February coparenting disagreement with ex-wife Kim Kardashian. “WHY DID EVERYONE FEEL SO FREE TO ATTACK ME ABOUT MY T SHIRT BUT CANDACE OWENS WAS THE ONLY PUBLIC FIGURE TO SAY THAT IT WAS WRONG FOR THE KARDASHIANS TO KEEP ME FROM SEEING MY DAUGHTER.”

“FOR ALL AUDIENCE SO OUTRAGED ABOUT MY SHIRT,” he continued, “WHERE WAS YOU WHEN I COULDN’T SEE MY KIDS.”

See Kanye’s recent Instagram posts and Vogue’s statement below.

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A post shared by Ye (@kanyewest)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ye (@kanyewest)

pic.twitter.com/qhedLksfl2

— Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) October 4, 2022

“Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this. Kelly Clarkson only had to wait a few weeks to go from unknown to American Idol. The ultimate confirmation of her idol status is her placing at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.”

In the Billboard issue dated Oct. 5, 2002, Fred Bronson chronicled Clarkson’s – and Idol‘s – first Hot 100 coronation in that week’s Chart Beat column.

Along with the initial leader on the list for an Idol contestant, after the show had premiered on Fox that June 11, “Moment” made history for vaulting from No. 52 to No. 1, then the largest weekly jump to the top. The ballad broke the record, Bronson noted, “that stood for 38 ½ years. In April 1964, The Beatles leapt 27-1 with ‘Can’t Buy Me Love.’ “

Clarkson still claims the mark, but with a different song: “My Life Would Suck Without You” blasted 97-1 on the Feb. 7, 2009, Hot 100, concurrent with its No. 1 launch on the Digital Song Sales chart.

“Moment” similarly soared to the Hot 100’s summit fueled by its first full week on sale, selling 236,000, the largest weekly total of the 2000s to that point.

The song was released Sept. 17, 2002, after Clarkson was crowned Idol‘s first winner that Sept. 4.

“Moment” began a run of Idol singles topping the Hot 100 for five consecutive years. The second-season runner-up, Clay Aiken, roared in at No. 1 on the June 28, 2003, tally with “This Is the Night,” followed by subsequent winners Fantasia with “I Believe” (July 10, 2004); Carrie Underwood with “Inside Your Heaven” (July 2, 2005); and Bo Bice with “Do I Make You Proud” (July 1, 2006).

Clarkson has since upped her total to three Hot 100 No. 1s, most recently leading for three weeks beginning in February 2012 with “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).” In March 2016, she added her 11th and most recent top 10, “Piece by Piece,” which debuted at its No. 8 high, sparked by her performance of the song on the Feb. 25 episode that year in Idol‘s 15th and final season on Fox. Since 2018, five seasons of the competition have aired on ABC.

Since September 2019, Idol‘s original champion has hosted her syndicated The Kelly Clarkson Show, for which she has won Daytime Emmy Awards for outstanding entertainment talk show host three years running since 2020.

Clarkson, who has also won two Grammy Awards, has matched her No. 1 Hot 100 haul with three leaders on the Billboard 200 albums chart, among eight top 10s: her debut set Thankful (2003), All I Ever Wanted (2009) and Piece by Piece (2015). She most recently reached the top 10 with Meaning of Life in 2017.

To date, Clarkson has sold 14.8 million albums in the U.S., while her songs have drawn 63.7 billion in radio airplay audience and 5.4 billion official streams (on-demand and programmed) domestically, according to Luminate.

Among those lofty sums, “Moment” has tallied 2.9 billion in radio reach and 84.4 million official streams in the U.S.

On Sept. 19, Clarkson’s legacy was further reinforced when she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, surrounded by original Idol judges Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson.

“I never thought that would happen. Then it happened,” Clarkson marveled to Billboard in 2017 of winning the inaugural Idol season and ascending to the top of the Hot 100 for the first time. “Then you’re like, ‘Wow, I’m that person in the story …’ It sounds cheesy, but that night [winning Idol] changed my life.”

The top nominees for the 56th annual Country Music Association Awards highlight both rising stars and veterans, including the most nominated female in CMA Awards history and a newcomer who captivated fans and voters with her first No. 1 hit. 

Lainey Wilson is the top nominee across all categories with six nods, while Ashley McBryde, Carly Pearce, Chris Stapleton and Shane McAnally follow closely behind with five nominations. Solo acts dominate the contenders, with Midland the only group to receive more than two nods. 

Following are 2022’s leading nominees for the ceremony, hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning, that will air Nov. 9 on ABC at 8 p.m. ET. 

LAINEY WILSON

Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’

Six nominations, including album, song and female vocalist of the year

Not only is Lainey Wilson the only artist to earn six nominations this year, including album and new artist, she becomes only the fourth artist in CMA history to receive at least six nods in their first year on the ballot. She follows Glen Campbell (1968), Brad Paisley (2000) and Kacey Musgraves (2013). Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’ includes song of the year nominee “Things a Man Oughta Know,” Wilson’s first Billboard Country Airplay chart-topper and song of the year winner at the 2022 ACM Awards in March. She followed up with a feature on Cole Swindell’s “Never Say Never,” which reached the top spot as well, and for which she is also nominated for musical event and music video of the year. 

ASHLEY McBRYDE

“Never Wanted To Be That Girl”

Five nominations, including song, single and female vocalist of the year

Ashley McBryde’s duet with Carly Pearce on infidelity ballad “Never Wanted To Be That Girl” earns the former four of her five nominations, including song, single, music event and music video. McBryde also garners her third consecutive female vocalist of the year nomination. Overall, McBryde, who co-wrote “Girl” with Pearce and Shane McAnally, has received 12 career nominations and won new artist of the year in 2019. 

CARLY PEARCE

“Never Wanted To Be That Girl”

Five nominations, including song, single and female vocalist of the year

Carly Pearce, the CMA’s reigning female vocalist, shares the same five nominations with Ashley McBryde, most of which come from the tremendous success of “Never Wanted To Be That Girl,” which appeared on Pearce’s album, 29: Written in Stone. “Girl,” which reached No. 1 on Country Airplay in May, is the second all-female collaboration to be nominated for single of the year, following Reba McEntire and Linda Davis’ “Does He Love You” in 1994. Like McBryde, she is also nominated for music event and music video of the year.

CHRIS STAPLETON

“You Should Probably Leave”

Five nominations, including entertainer, single and song of the year

Chris Stapleton has amassed 19 CMA Award wins since 2015, but a victory in this coveted category would be his first after five nominations. He last won single and song of the year in 2021 for “Starting Over.” “You Should Probably Leave,” which Stapleton co-wrote with Ashley Gorley and Chris DuBois, reached No. 1 on Country Airplay and snagged a Grammy earlier this year for best country solo performance. Stapleton is also up for male vocalist and music video of the year for his feature on Taylor Swift’s “I Bet You Think About Me” (Taylor’s Version).”

SHANE McANALLY

“Never Wanted To Be That Girl”

Five nominations, including album, single and song of the year

With “Never Wanted To Be That Girl,” producer-songwriter Shane McAnally receives his 10thsong of the year nomination. That ties him with Alan Jackson for most CMA Awards song of the year nods. Jackson earned his nominations between 1990 and 2008, while McAnally’s noms span 2013 to 2022, and include a win in 2014 for co-writing Kacey Musgraves’ “Follow Your Arrow.” In addition to his three nominations for “Girl,” McAnally received one for album of the year for co-producing Old Dominion’s Time, Tequila & Therapy and musical event of the year for co-producing “Longneck Way To Go” by Midland featuring Jon Pardi.

JOSH OSBORNE

“Sand in My Boots” 

Four nominations, including single and song of the year

Songwriter-producer Josh Osborne earns his fifth nomination in the category for his work on Morgan Wallen’s “Sand in My Boots.” Osborne has previously been tipped in this category for “Body Like a Back Road” and “Merry Go Round,” among others. He also picks up his first two nods for musical event of the year for his production work on Midland’s “Longneck Way To Go” and the Carly Pearce/Ashley McBryde collaboration “Never Wanted To Be That Girl.” The latter track also earns Osborne his second single of the year nomination as co-producer.

CODY JOHNSON

“‘Til You Can’t”

Four nominations, including male and single of the year

Texan Cody Johnson spun a song with a profound message into a two-week Country Airplay chart leader with “ ’Til You Can’t.” The song earns him his first CMA nominations in the male vocalist, single and music video of the year categories. The nominated video for “ ’Til You Can’t” was directed by Dustin Haney. Johnson also earns his second nomination for new artist of the year. (He was previously nominated in the category in 2019.) 

LUKE COMBS

Growin’ Up

Three nominations, including entertainer, album and male vocalist of the year

Luke Combs, the reigning entertainer of the year, will compete for his second album of the year win after What You See Is What You Get triumphed in 2020. Combs has also won male vocalist twice before, in 2019 and 2020. Growin’ Up, which Combs released in June, debuted at No. 1 on Top Country Albums and includes “Doin’ This,” which hit No. 1 on Country Airplay and “The Kind of Love We Make,” which topped Country Songs.

MIDLAND

“Longneck Way To Go,” with Jon Pardi

Three nominations, including vocal group of the year

Despite 10 career nominations, Midland — the Dripping Springs, Texas, trio known for its throwback, mid-’80s country sound — has yet to win a CMA Award. This year, it earns its fifth consecutive nomination for vocal group of the year, following the release of its album The Last Resort: Greetings From. After teaming up with fellow country neo-traditionalist Jon Pardi on the stomping barroom-ready track “Longneck Way To Go,” the collaboration earned Midland its first nominations in two categories, music video and musical event of the year.

HARDY

“Beers On Me,” with Dierks Bentley and BRELAND

Three nominations, including song of the year

HARDY has proven his mettle as one of Nashville’s most reliable hit-crafters, co-writing songs including Blake Shelton’s “God’s Country,” Morgan Wallen’s “More Than My Hometown” and his own Country Airplay No. 1,“One Beer,” featuring Lauren Alaina and Devin Dawson. This year, he earns his second song of the year nomination for his work on Wallen’s No. 1 Country Airplay hit “Sand in My Boots,” co-written with Osborne and Ashley Gorley. Swiftly garnering acclaim as both an artist and a writer, HARDY also earns his second new artist of the year nomination and his first for musical event of the year for his work with Dierks Bentley and BRELAND on the Country Airplay chart leader “Beers On Me.” 

MIRANDA LAMBERT

Palomino

Three nominations, including entertainer, album and female vocalist of the year

With a staggering 61 total career CMA nominations to her credit, Miranda Lambert remains the most nominated female artist in CMA Awards history. She is now the third-most nominated artist overall, bested only by George Strait (with 83 career nods) and Alan Jackson (81 career nods). She has a sixth shot at winning the coveted entertainer of the year prize and lengthens her tally of the longest streak of nominations for female vocalist, having appeared 16 times among the finalists since 2007. (She has won seven times.) She also earns her sixth nomination for album of the year (for Palomino), an honor she previously won in 2010 and 2014.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD

“If I Didn’t Love You”

Three nominations, including entertainer  and female vocalist of the year

After a year that has included the release of her album Denim & Rhinestones, the launch of her Las Vegas residency Reflection at Resorts World Las Vegas in December 2021 and her high-flying performance at this year’s CMT Music Awards, entertainment polymath Carrie Underwood picks up her fifth nomination in the coveted entertainer of the year category. She is also primed to add a sixth CMA female vocalist of the year trophy to her mantel (with 16 career nods in the category) and earns her fourth career nom for musical event of the year, this time for her collaboration with Jason Aldean, “If I Didn’t Love You.”