Month: May 2023

Limited combinations of merchandise and physical albums will be counted on Billboard’s album charts starting this summer, but with new rules to prevent the issues that led to the elimination of such “bundles” three years ago. 

The new combinations of merch and albums, dubbed “fan packs,” will allow fans to support their favorite artists on the charts in a way that research suggests that many would like to. However, the packs will be restricted to just two options per album release — a sweatshirt with an LP and a t-shirt with a CD, for example — with the requirement that each individual item must also be sold separately in the same web store. Fan packs will include only merch — not tickets, meet-and-greet opportunities, virtual items or non-tangible benefits — and they must also contain a physical copy of an album: Combinations of digital downloads and merch will not count towards the charts. In addition, fan pack offerings must be approved in advance of their on-sale date by Luminate and Billboard.

“Fan Pack offerings are a way to recognize the dynamic artist-fan relationship,” said Silvio Pietroluongo, Billboard executive vp of charts and data partnerships. Forty-eight percent of Gen Z listeners wish artists provided more merch items so that fans could show their support for their favorite acts, as do 47% of all physical music-purchasing listeners, according to Luminate’s Music 360 report from spring 2023. In addition, Pietroluongo noted that fan packs “provide an efficient one-click step for consumers to purchase merchandise and music.”

Selling albums together with merchandise or concert tickets is a long-running industry practice known as “bundling.” In 2004, Prince famously bundled in-demand tickets to his live shows with his Musicology album, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, making it his highest charting release in 13 years. Policy was subsequently changed so that customers ”must be given an option to either add the CD to the ticket purchase or forgo the CD for a reduced ticket-only price,” with the CD price ”comparable to reasonable and customary retail pricing.” This was later changed to a redemption-based model where customers had to show intent — that they actually wanted the album that came bundled with their ticket. Only a percentage of albums that were offered with each ticket offer were redeemed.  

As streaming rose and album sales declined in the second half of the 2010s, bundles proliferated, with artists often linking numerous pieces of merch — in some cases, more like knickknacks — to a digital download of their album. In 2019, artists who landed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 thanks in part to a ticket bundle, merch bundle, or both included Celine Dion, Luke Combs, Kanye West, SuperM, Post Malone, Taylor Swift, Madonna, NF, Tyler, the Creator, Billie Eilish, Khalid, Jonas Brothers, Vampire Weekend, Ariana Grande, Thomas Rhett and Backstreet Boys.

While album bundling became a standard industry move, it also became controversial. Some executives argued that bundles distorted the charts, making them more about overall fandom than album popularity or music consumption. In addition, the bundles sometimes lacked the clarity that ensured that purchases were intentional — it wasn’t always apparent to fans that albums and merch were available separately, so fans might buy merch without knowing about, or even wanting, the accompanying album download that counted toward the chart.

Supporters of bundles, in contrast, contended that these packages allowed the charts to reflect the strength of an artist’s entire business as well as super-serve the super-fans who help drive conversation in the social media era. In addition, some argued that bundling promoted a more dynamic environment, allowing a wider variety of artists to scale the charts, especially the Billboard 200, during their debut week, since such packages often rewarded acts with a strong touring operation or branding and merchandise imprint that hadn’t necessarily translated to streaming.

At the end of 2019, Billboard changed the bundling rules to ensure that each component of a merchandise-album bundle was available for purchase individually on the same website and that the merch from the bundle was priced lower than the bundle with the album included. But concerns about chart distortion persisted, and merch and ticket bundles were subsequently removed from the charts in October 2020.

However, box sets still counted (as they had for decades), and these collections could be similar to merchandise/album bundles — except that all the merch items included had to fit inside a “finished goods box/package.” Once “loose bundles” were ruled ineligible for the charts, “everybody wanted to get in on” releasing boxed bundle collections, Dayton Hicks, CEO of the merch company Gnarlywood, told Billboard last year. 

“It’s not always about getting the No. 1,” added Brad Scoffern, founder of Ceremony of Roses, another music-merch company. “You could be No. 20 without box sets, and you execute a proper box-set campaign, and you could go to No. 8.”  

Last fall, Luminate and Billboard hosted a day-long meeting with record labels to discuss a range of forward-looking data and chart-related topics. The topic of bundles was also discussed, according to one label executive who was present. “Everyone across the spectrum, majors and indies, was like, ‘please just let us sell bundles again,’” the executive says.

The new rules allowing fan packs will take effect during the tracking week that runs from June 30 to July 6, 2023, for charts dated July 15.

Anitta stopped by The Howard Stern Show on Wednesday (May 3) for a no-holds-barred chat about her bisexuality and, well, getting diarrhea before meeting Madonna.

Pressed by the host about whether dating women was “still on the table” for her, the “Envolver” singer responded with a hesitant yes, saying, “I haven’t been with a woman in a while. No, I don’t think I would fall in love with a woman. But I wouldn’t say never, I wouldn’t say never.”

One female artist Anitta certainly got nervous to meet was Her Madgesty — to the point that the encounter sent her running for the bathroom.

“I got there a little earlier than her,” the Brazilian star said of their session to record “Faz Gosoto” for 2019’s Madame X. “Thank god, ’cause then I had time to take a s–t. Crazy. I was feeling bad, like, you know when you’re too nervous and you just get [mimics grumbling sounds]? My stomach was just going crazy … She would know this probably now, but at the time she didn’t, which was great.”

Elsewhere during the chat, Anitta plugged her intimate perfume Puzzy. “This is a spray that you spray in your most intimate areas?” asked a curious Stern, to which she replied, “In your p—y, in your butt, in your d–k, in your balls — everything … [It’s for] men, women, everybody.”

Just days before the interview, the Latin superstar — who recently inked a new record deal with Republic Records after publicly parting ways with longtime label Warner Music Group — attended both the star-studded party to celebrate the grand re-opening of the Tiffany & Co. flagship store in New York City and the even grander 2023 Met Gala.

Watch Anitta hold nothing back on Howard Stern below.

Jung Kook is getting a little fed up with unsolicited attempts to feed him. In a Thursday (May 4) post on Weverse, the BTS star pleaded with fans to stop sending food to his house, noting he’ll take action if the deliveries don’t let up anytime soon.

“Don’t send home delivery food,” the 25-year-old K-pop star wrote in a message translated from Korean to English by the app. “I won’t eat it even if you give it to me. I’m thankful, but I eat well. You can buy it yourself.”

“I beg you,” Jung Kook continued. “If you send it one more time, I will check the receipt order number you sent and take action. So stop it.”

Following the “Left and Right” singer’s post, ARMY took to Twitter to back Jung Kook’s request — so much so, the phrase “respect his privacy” trended on the platform. “This is actually getting out of hand,” tweeted one fan. “sending him food delivery literally on his address u all have lost humanity he is literally begging at this point.”

“I wish jungkook would have really took some action already,” wrote another. “No need to be so kind to anyone who can’t even respect his privacy. He must feel so uneasy and maybe even scared. Some of you really need to stop overstepping your facking boundaries boundaries.”

According to fans, this isn’t the first time Jung Kook has had his personal boundaries invaded. Many are recirculating a video from a past Weverse livestream in which the musician — according to translated subtitles — asks ARMY not to show up and/or harass him while he works out.

“I’m a human too,” he reminds viewers, according to the subtitles.

See fan reactions to Jung Kook’s plea for privacy below:

This is actually getting out of hand in previous live jungkook told to respect his privacy and private time how he has to ask us to give him personal space now sending him food delivery literally on his address u all have lost humanity he is literally begging at this point

— Shru⁷ (@bangtinyboyys) May 4, 2023

the fact that this video has to be tweeted every two business months as reminder for everyone to know their place as a fan and to respect his privacy, is so disappointing pic.twitter.com/tl7WPKsmN3

— jungkook loops (@jeonjkloops) May 4, 2023

I wish jungkook would have really took some action already. No need to be so kind to anyone who can’t even respect his privacy. He must feel so uneasy and maybe even scared. Some of you really need to stop overstepping your facking boundaries boundaries.

— alee⁷ D-DAY (@mimilostjams) May 4, 2023

jungkook is always so nice and polite and he always tried his best to not be rude about what he asks, but this is not a reason to pretend he doesn’t care. you’re not a fan if you can’t respect his privacy, and he shouldn’t have to ask for that. please respect him.

— ◡̈ (@agustdfms) May 4, 2023

i pray for jungkook to always be safe cause some people showed up at his workout place, now some feel like they have the right to know his address, violate his privacy and order food delivery for him. he’s a human being before he is your idol, please have some respect and empathy

— jungkook admirer (@dreamjeons) May 4, 2023

jungkook is one of the most loveliest people ever, please stop taking advantage of his kindness. please know your boundaries as a fan & learn to respect his privacy. i am always praying for jungkook’s safety & well-being. ):

— ✿ (@jjkgaIlery) May 4, 2023

During Howard Stern’s trip to Miami this week to help open SiriusXM’s new studios, he sat down with his old pal Jon Bon Jovi for some serious talk about rock and roll. In between his incessant complaining about being forced by his bosses to leave the house after working from home for the past three years, Stern took time to ask Bon Jovi singer Jon Bon Jovi to play one of his favorite games: who is the greatest guitarist of all time?

“Beck,” Bon Jovi said without hesitation during the surprise studio pop-in. “Jeff Beck,” he confirmed of the legendary guitarist who died in January at 78 as a surprised Stern rattled off the list of artists he expected the singer to mention, including Jimi Hendrix. “Jimi Hendrix, would of course be in the starting lineup, but you put me on the spot,” said Bon Jovi. Stern’s inquisition went on, with the host dropping names including Eddie Van Halen and Prince, with the latter seconded by Bon Jovi’s wife, Dorothea.

“Eddie, Prince… all different, but I was in the room with Jeff Beck when he took a guitar out of a cardboard box with a rented amplifier and no pedals and created that sound when we did the ‘Young Guns’ record and he was my guitar player,” Bon Jovi said of the solo Young Guns II soundtrack collab with Beck on the 1990 Billboard No. 1 hit “Blaze of Glory.”

“I sat there flabbergasted because Jeff Beck did things with his fingers, with his thumb that would blow your mind,” Bon Jovi recalled, then listing Hendrix, Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page and Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler as greats as well, noting that while all stellar, it really comes down to their songwriting ability as well.

The guitar talk came after Stern’s wife, Beth, arrived with her surprise guests in the spanking new studio, with the host welcoming the couple in, then promptly insisting on the lascivious details of how they celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary. Dorothea then admitted that Jon was always the cutest boy in high school while the rocker reminisced about his long friendship with fellow New Jersey icon Bruce Springsteen, including the first time they played together when Bon Jovi was just 17-years-old.

The old pals — Stern very reluctantly inducted Bon Jovi into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame in 2018 — also reminisced about the recent hourslong car ride they took at Jon’s insistence to get Stern out of the house after his extended COVID lockdown.

Check out Bon Jovi talking Beck, their three-hour dar ride and more below.

New releases from Taylor Swift, Pearl Jam, The Cure, Stevie Nicks and more were among the top sellers from Record Store Day 2023 in the United States, according to data tracking firm Luminate.

Swift’s vinyl debut of her acoustic live set Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions leads the best-sellers among the albums released for the annual indie record store celebration. The vinyl debut of Pearl Jam’s concert album Give Way, recorded on March 5, 1998, during its Yield Tour, was the second-biggest title. (See lists below, which are ranked by album sales generated in the week ending April 27.)

Dozens of unique and limited-edition albums and singles, mostly vinyl pressings, are released for Record Store Day. Often, these titles will be produced in relatively small quantities, though Swift’s Long Pond had an extraordinarily large number of albums available: 75,000 in the U.S. She sold through the entire pressing, and the album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart dated May 6. (Typically, a high-profile Record Store Day title might have a production run of 10,000 – 25,000.)

Tied for the third-biggest Record Store Day 2023 albums are The Cure’s picture disc release of the live album Show and Nicks’ Bella Donna: Live 1981. The former was recorded during The Cure’s 1992 Wish album tour, while the latter was recorded during Nicks’ White Winged Dove Tour on Dec. 13, 1981. (Thus, the top four Record Store Day albums were all live efforts.)

Top-Selling Record Store Day 2023 Exclusive Albums at Independent Record Stores in U.S.
Rank, Artist, Title

1. Taylor Swift, Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions (grey colored double vinyl)
2. Pearl Jam, Give Way (double vinyl)
3 (TIE). The Cure, Show (double vinyl picture disc)
3 (TIE). Stevie Nicks, Bella Donna: Live 1981 (double vinyl)
5 (TIE). Grateful Dead, Boston Garden, Boston, MA 5.7.77 (five vinyl LP box set)
5 (TIE). The Rolling Stones, Beggars Banquet (swirl-colored vinyl)
7. Tori Amos, Little Earthquakes: B-Sides (vinyl)
8. Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires, The Sound Emporium EP (vinyl)
9. Larry Lovestein & The Velvet Revival, You (gold-colored 10-inch vinyl)
10. The Ramones, Pleasant Dreams (vinyl)
11. Beach House, Become (crystal clear-colored vinyl)
12. Billy Joel, Live at the Great American Music Hall, 1975 (double vinyl)
13. The Allman Brothers Band, Syria Mosque Pittsburgh, PA January 17, 1971 (steel grey-colored double vinyl)
14. Van Halen, Live: Right Here, Right Now (four vinyl LP set)
15. Jerry Garcia Band, How Sweet It Is… (double vinyl)
16. Madonna, American Life: Mixshow Mix (Honoring Peter Rauhofer) (180 gram vinyl)
17. Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Return to the 36 Chambers (double vinyl picture disc)
18. Miles Davis, Turnaround: Rare Miles From the Complete On the Corner Sessions (sky blue-colored vinyl)
19. Dolly Parton, The Monument Singles Collection: 1964-1968 (vinyl)
20. Chet Baker, Chet (180 gram vinyl)
21 (TIE). The Black Keys, Live at Beachland Tavern March 31, 2002 (tangerine-colored vinyl)
22 (TIE). Paul McCartney and Wings, Red Rose Speedway (half-speed vinyl)
23. Blur, Blur Present the Special Collectors Edition (colored double vinyl)
24. Tom Tom Club, Tom Tom Club (Expanded Edition) (double vinyl)
25 (TIE). Sisters of Mercy, The Reptile House E.P. (smoky-colored vinyl)
25 (TIE). Various Artists, Jazz Dispensary: Hotel Jolie Dame (psych-sunset orange marble-colored vinyl)
25 (TIE). Wilco, Crosseyed Strangers: An Alternate Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (vinyl)

Top-Selling Record Store Day 2023 Exclusive Singles at Independent Record Stores in U.S.
Rank, Artist, Title

1. The Mars Volta, Frances the Mute / The Widow (12-inch vinyl)
2. U2, Two Hearts Beat as One / Sunday Bloody Sunday (180-gram 12-inch white-colored vinyl)
3. Motley Crue, Helter Skelter (12-inch picture disc vinyl)
4. Post Malone, Waiting for Never / Hateful (12-inch translucent red-colored vinyl)
5. Fleetwood Mac, Albatross / Jigsaw Puzzle Blues (12-inch vinyl)
6. Bjork, The Fossora Remixes (12-inch vinyl)
7 (TIE). Maya Hawke, To Love a Boy / Stay Open (7-inch vinyl)
7 (TIE). Sam Smith & Kim Petras, Unholy (colored 7-inch vinyl)
9. The Doors, Break on Through (3-inch vinyl)
10. The Doors, Love Her Madly (3-inch vinyl)

Source: Luminate, for the week ending April 27, 2023

Record Store Day once again spurred big sales of music on vinyl and at independent record stores in the United States, according to data tracking firm Luminate – resulting in some eye-popping numbers.

This year’s edition of the indie record store celebration, held on April 22, helped sell 1.809 million vinyl albums in total across all retailers and sellers (not just indie stores) in the U.S. in the week ending April 27, according to Luminate. That sum marks a record number of vinyl albums sold in a Record Store Day (RSD) week (including Black Friday-related RSD celebrations), and the fourth-largest week for vinyl album sales since Luminate began tracking music sales in 1991.

RSD 2023 also drove a modern-era record of 1.426 million vinyl albums sold in the U.S. at independent record stores April 21-27. That is the largest week ever for the format at the indie sector in Luminate history, since the company began tracking sales in 1991. It surpasses the previous Luminate-era high for weekly vinyl album sales at indies, with 1.012 million sold in the week ending April 28, 2022 (during RSD 2022). (Vinyl was so big at indies – 79% of all vinyl albums sold that week, industry-wide, were sold through indie record stores.)

Further, independent record stores sold 1.673 million albums in total across all formats (vinyl, CD, cassette, etc.) in the week ending April 27 – marking the biggest album sales week at indie stores since at least before January 2008, when Luminate began archiving data specific to this sector. Fifty-seven percent of all albums sold in the U.S. (across all formats, both physical and digital) in the week ending April 27 were sold via independent record stores.

Traditionally, Record Store Day is held on one Saturday in the springtime, when hundreds of albums (and many singles) are released specifically for the event, and available only at participating independent record stores. (In 2020 and 2021, RSD celebrations were heavily altered and spread across multiple events [dubbed “Drops”] due to COVID-19, while the event was mostly back to its pre-pandemic self for the 2022 edition, and it was business as usual for the 2023 installment.)

Among the unique titles that hit shelves for Record Store Day 2023: the vinyl debut of Taylor Swift’s acoustic live set Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions (pressed on grey-colored double vinyl, in a massive 75,000-production run in the U.S. – an unusually high quantity for a RSD title), the vinyl and CD debut of Pearl Jam’s 1998 concert recording Give Way, the vinyl premiere of Stevie Nicks’ Bella Donna: Live 1981 concert recording, Tori Amos’ Little Earthquakes: B-Sides on vinyl and a reissue of The Rolling Stones’ Beggars Banquet on grey, blue, black and white swirl-colored vinyl. All five releases are among the top-selling RSD-exclusive titles for the week (see lists, below).

The husband-and-wife team of Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires (Record Store Day Ambassadors for 2023) gifted RSD with two releases: a four-track EP from the duo (The Sound Emporium EP) and a four-track EP from Shires (Live at Columbia Studio A) that includes a guest appearance from Isbell.

Here are some facts on Record Store Day 2023’s impact, plus a look at the top-selling Record Store Day-exclusive albums and singles:

(All data is according to Luminate, for the week ending April 27, 2023, in the U.S, unless otherwise indicated. Luminate began tracking music sales in 1991. References to the Luminate era mean from 1991-onwards.)

Industry-wide total album sales in U.S. across all formats (physical [including CD, vinyl, cassettes, etc.] and digital downloads): 2.923 million – up 44.4% compared to the previous week (2.02 million). It’s the largest album sales week in 2023.

The last larger week was the week ending Dec. 22, 2022, when 3.897 million albums were sold. (Outside of the holiday shopping season – from the week containing Thanksgiving through the end of the year – the last larger week was the frame ending April 26, 2018, during RSD 2018, when 3.267 million albums were sold.)

Industry-wide total physical album sales in U.S. (CD, vinyl, cassette, etc.): 2.583 million – up 54.3% compared to the previous week (1.675 million). It’s the largest sales week for physical album sales in 2023.

The last bigger week was the week ending Dec. 22, 2022, when 3.526 million physical albums were sold. (Outside of the holiday shopping season – from the week containing Thanksgiving through the end of the year – the last larger week was the frame ending Feb. 18, 2016, when 2.710 million physical albums were sold.)

Industry-wide CD album sales in U.S.: 760,000 – up 9.6% compared to the previous week (693,000).

Industry-wide vinyl album sales in U.S.: 1.809 million – up 878.5% compared to the previous week (965,000).

That 1.809 million sum translates to a record number of vinyl albums sold in any Record Store Day-related week (including Black Friday-related RSD festivities) and the fourth-largest week for vinyl album sales since Luminate began tracking data in 1991. It’s also the biggest week outside of the holiday shopping season for vinyl album sales, in the Luminate era.

The largest week for vinyl album sales in the Luminate era occurred in the week ending Dec. 22, 2022, when 2.232 million vinyl albums were sold. The Nos. 2-5 largest weeks are: week ending Dec. 23, 2021 (2.115 million); Dec. 24, 2020 (1.842 million); April 27, 2023 (1.809 million; includes RSD 2023) and Dec. 29, 2022 (1.57 million).

62% of all albums sold in the U.S. in the week ending April 27 were vinyl albums (1.809 million of 2.922 million). For context, year-to-date, vinyl albums comprise 48% of all album sales (16.296 million of 33.707 million).

70% of all physical albums sold in the U.S. in the week ending April 27 were vinyl albums (1.809 million of 2.583 million). Year-to-date, vinyl albums represent 59% of all physical album sales (16.296 million of 27.699 million).

Independent store album sales in U.S.: 1.673 million – up 112% compared to the previous week (789,000). That marks the biggest album sales week at indie stores since at least before January 2008, when Luminate began archiving data specific to this sector.

Independent store CD album sales in U.S.: 238,000 – up 11% compared to the previous week (216,000). It’s the largest sales week for CD album sales at indie stores in 2023. The last bigger week was the week ending Dec. 22, 2022, when 268,000 CD albums were sold at indies. (Outside of the holiday shopping season, the last bigger week for CD album sales at indies was in the frame ending March 12, 2020, when 239,000 CD albums were sold in the indie sector.)

Independent store vinyl album sales in U.S.: 1.426 million – up 152% compared to the previous week (566,000). That marks the largest week ever for the format at the indie sector since Luminate began tracking music sales in 1991. It surpasses the previous Luminate-era high for weekly vinyl album sales at indies, with 1.012 sold in the week ending April 28, 2022 (during the week of Record Store Day 2022).

57% of all albums sold in the U.S. in the week ending April 27 were sold via independent record stores (1.672 million of 2.922 million). For context, year-to-date, indie store album sales comprise 37% of all album sales (12.459 million of 33.707 million).

65% of all physical albums sold in the U.S. in the week ending April 27 were sold via independent record stores (1.672 million of 2.583 million). Year-to-date, 45% of all physical albums sold in the U.S. were sold via indie stores (12.459 million of 27.699 million).

79% of all vinyl albums sold in the U.S. in the week ending April 27 were sold via independent record stores (1.426 million of 1.809 million). Year-to-date, 57% of all vinyl albums were sold via indie record stores (9.317 million of 16.296 million).

49% of all albums sold in the U.S. in the week ending April 27 were vinyl albums sold via independent record stores (1.426 million of 2.922 million). Year-to-date, 28% of all albums sold in the U.S. have been vinyl albums via indie record stores (9.317 million of 33.707 million).

55% of all physical albums sold in the U.S. in the week ending April 27 were vinyl albums sold via independent record stores (1.426 million of 2.583 million). Year-to-date, 34% of all physical albums sold in the U.S. have been vinyl albums sold via indie record stores (9.317 million of 27.699 million).

57% of vinyl albums sold via independent record stores in the U.S. in the week ending April 27 were of the rock genre (814,723 of 1.426 million). Fifty-six percent of all vinyl albums sold industry wide in the U.S. were rock titles (1,013,297 of 1,809,301 million). Year-to-date, the rock genre comprises 57% of vinyl albums sold through indie record stores (5,353,048 million of 9.317 million). While rock holds 54% of all vinyl albums sold industry wide (8.722 million of 16.296 million).

Top-Selling Record Store Day 2023 Exclusive Albums at Independent Record Stores in U.S.
Rank, Artist, Title

1. Taylor Swift, Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions (grey colored double vinyl)
2. Pearl Jam, Give Way (double vinyl)
3 (TIE). The Cure, Show (double vinyl picture disc)
3 (TIE). Stevie Nicks, Bella Donna: Live 1981 (double vinyl)
5 (TIE). Grateful Dead, Boston Garden, Boston, MA 5.7.77 (five vinyl LP box set)
5 (TIE). The Rolling Stones, Beggars Banquet (swirl-colored vinyl)
7. Tori Amos, Little Earthquakes: B-Sides (vinyl)
8. Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires, The Sound Emporium EP (vinyl)
9. Larry Lovestein & The Velvet Revival, You (gold-colored 10-inch vinyl)
10. The Ramones, Pleasant Dreams (vinyl)
11. Beach House, Become (crystal clear-colored vinyl)
12. Billy Joel, Live at the Great American Music Hall, 1975 (double vinyl)
13. The Allman Brothers Band, Syria Mosque Pittsburgh, PA January 17, 1971 (steel grey-colored double vinyl)
14. Van Halen, Live: Right Here, Right Now (four vinyl LP set)
15. Jerry Garcia Band, How Sweet It Is… (double vinyl)
16. Madonna, American Life: Mixshow Mix (Honoring Peter Rauhofer) (180 gram vinyl)
17. Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Return to the 36 Chambers (double vinyl picture disc)
18. Miles Davis, Turnaround: Rare Miles From the Complete On the Corner Sessions (sky blue-colored vinyl)
19. Dolly Parton, The Monument Singles Collection: 1964-1968 (vinyl)
20. Chet Baker, Chet (180 gram vinyl)
21 (TIE). The Black Keys, Live at Beachland Tavern March 31, 2002 (tangerine-colored vinyl)
22 (TIE). Paul McCartney and Wings, Red Rose Speedway (half-speed vinyl)
23. Blur, Blur Present the Special Collectors Edition (colored double vinyl)
24. Tom Tom Club, Tom Tom Club (Expanded Edition) (double vinyl)
25 (TIE). Sisters of Mercy, The Reptile House E.P. (smoky-colored vinyl)
25 (TIE). Various Artists, Jazz Dispensary: Hotel Jolie Dame (psych-sunset orange marble-colored vinyl)
25 (TIE). Wilco, Crosseyed Strangers: An Alternate Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (vinyl)

Top-Selling Record Store Day 2023 Exclusive Singles at Independent Record Stores in U.S.
Rank, Artist, Title
1. The Mars Volta, Frances the Mute / The Widow (12-inch vinyl)
2. U2, Two Hearts Beat as One / Sunday Bloody Sunday (180-gram 12-inch white-colored vinyl)
3. Motley Crue, Helter Skelter (12-inch picture disc vinyl)
4. Post Malone, Waiting for Never / Hateful (12-inch translucent red-colored vinyl)
5. Fleetwood Mac, Albatross / Jigsaw Puzzle Blues (12-inch vinyl)
6. Bjork, The Fossora Remixes (12-inch vinyl)
7 (TIE). Maya Hawke, To Love a Boy / Stay Open (7-inch vinyl)
7 (TIE). Sam Smith & Kim Petras, Unholy (colored 7-inch vinyl)
9. The Doors, Break on Through (3-inch vinyl)
10. The Doors, Love Her Madly (3-inch vinyl)

Source: Luminate, for the week ending April 27, 2023

UPDATE (May 4): The Ivors 2023 will feature live performances by Sting, RAYE and Matilda Mann – the first live performances on the show in years. Sting’s performance coincides with his becoming a Fellow of the Ivors Academy, the highest honor the Academy bestows. Ivors partner Amazon Music will also host the first-ever livestream from the event, featuring live coverage from the red carpet, the performances, and backstage interviews with the winners. Fans can tune into the livestream on the Amazon Music UK channel on Twitch from 6:30 a.m. ET on May 18. Exclusive Amazon Original tracks have also been announced from Mann, Henry Moodie and Kurt Vile.

PREVOUSLY (April 18): Harry Styles and Kid Harpoon are each nominated for three 2023 Ivors, as are Cleopatra Nikolic and Dean “Inflo” Josiah Cover, making them this year’s most honored songwriters.

The Ivors Academy announced the nominations for The Ivors 2023 with Amazon Music on Tuesday (April 18). The awards recognize outstanding British and Irish songwriters and composers across nine categories.

Styles and Harpoon are nominated for songwriter of the year with Amazon Music. They are also nominated in two categories for co-writing Styles’ global smash “As It Was” with Tyler Johnson – best song musically and lyrically and PRS for music most performed work.

Styles indirectly factors into a fourth nomination this year. He starred in the film Don’t Worry Darling, which netted a nomination for best original film score for composer John Powell.

“Inflo” and Nikolic are competing with “As It Was” for best song musically and lyrically as the co-writers of SAULT’s hit “Stronger.” They are also nominated twice for best album, for their work on Little Simz’s No Thank You alongside Little Simz and SAULT’s 11 alongside Jamar McNaughton and Jack Peñate.

In the PRS for music most performed work category, Ed Sheeran makes history as “Bad Habits” is nominated again after winning the award last year. He is the first artist to achieve this feat in this category. Sheeran’s follow-up hit “Shivers” is also nominated in the category this year.

Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” is nominated in that same category 37 years after the track was nominated for best contemporary song. The song experienced a global resurgence after being featured in the hit TV series Stranger Things.

A total of 72 individual songwriters and composers received Ivor Novello nominations this year, with 54% of those being nominated for the first time.

The songwriter of the year with Amazon Music category recognizes British or Irish songwriters or songwriting teams for outstanding bodies of commercially successful songs released in 2022. This year’s nominees are Florence Welch (Florence + the Machine), the only individual songwriter nominated in the category this year; Styles & Harpoon; Rhian Teasdale & Hester Chambers (Wet Leg); George Daniel & Matty Healy (The 1975); and Central Cee & Young Chencs.

Knucks receives two nominations for best contemporary song, for his track “Leon the Professional” with co-writers Venna and Toshifumi Hinata and for his feature on Kojey Radical’s “Payback,” which also credits Swindle.

British duo The Flight (consisting of Joe Henson and Alexis Smith) received two nominations for best original video game score. They are nominated for composing the Batman-inspired Gotham Knights and for co-composing the critically acclaimed Horizon Forbidden West, alongside Joris de Man and Oleksa Lozowchuk.

Since its inception in 2020, the rising star award with Amazon Music has championed Britain and Ireland’s most promising songwriting talents. This year’s nominees are Cat Burns, Ines Dunn, tendai, venbee and Victoria Canal. Previous winners are Mysie, Willow Kayne and Naomi Kimpenu.

Tom Gray, chair of The Ivors Academy, said in a statement, “The music nominated for an Ivor Novello this year is testament to the power and range of British and Irish songwriting and screen composing. It’s a superlative list and on behalf of The Ivors Academy, I’m delighted to congratulate every writer nominated for their craft and achievements.”

Winners will be revealed at The Ivors with Amazon Music at Grosvenor House in London on Thursday May 18.

As previously announced, Sting will become a Fellow of the Ivors Academy, the highest honor the Academy bestows. Ivor Novello Awards will also be presented for the outstanding song collection, special international award, visionary award with Amazon Music and PRS for music icon award.

Here’s a complete list of The Ivors 2023 nominations:

Songwriter of the year with Amazon Music

Best contemporary song

Best song musically and lyrically

PRS for music most performed work

Best album

Best original film score

Best television soundtrack

Best original video game score

Rising star award with Amazon Music