From Olivia Rodrigo taking the stage with her latest GUTS singles to *NSYNC reuniting and Shakira performing a rollicking medley of tracks in honor of her receiving the Video Vanguard Award, the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards — which aired live from the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on Tuesday (Sept. 12) — contained a multitude of water-cooler moments ripe for social media discussion and beyond.
This ceremony marked the VMAs most global year to date, with debut performances from K-pop behemoths TOMORROW X TOGETHER and Stray Kids; Latin stars Anitta (who graced the stage at the 2022 ceremony), Karol G and Peso Pluma; and rockers Måneskin representing for their native Italy.
Stateside pop stars like Doja Cat, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion additionally rounded out the event, and the 50th anniversary of hip-hop was celebrated with an all-star team-up between Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, Doug E. Fresh, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, LL Cool J, Lil Wayne and the night’s emcee, Nicki Minaj.
While the most-talked-about moments from the show exploded on social media, Billboard saw all the best moments of the ceremony that didn’t happen onscreen, live and in person. Here are a few things at the 2023 VMAs you didn’t see on TV.
When it came time to make their MTV Video Music Awards debut on Tuesday night (Sept. 12), TOMORROW X TOGETHER made sure to deliver the goods.
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Taking to the stage late in the program, the K-pop superstars debuted their brand new single “Back for More” with a splash. Appearing onstage, all five members — Yeonjun, Soobin, Beomgyu, Taehyun and HueningKai — appeared in a bejeweled and fringed jackets, belting out the lyrics to their groovy, disco-tinged song while executing suave dance moves to accentuate their on stage swagger. “All I know is, if you walk away/ Tell me something,” Yeonjun and Soobin sang. “Tell me things you can’t replace.”
As they hit their second verse, the boys were joined onstage by Latin superstar Anitta, following her own performance earlier in the evening and a win for best Latin. Dressed in a fringed black bra and panty combo, she joined the group in the staccato choreography and lent her sultry vocal to the energetic track. With a few blasts of pyrotechnics and an army of backup dancers joining them onstage, TXT brought their excellent VMAs debut to a bombastic close.
The performance comes after the band teased their new track with a series of videos posted across their social media on Sept. 5, showing the group and Anitta dancing along to the groovy new single.
The K-pop quintet weren’t just at the VMAs for their performance, though; TXT was up for four nominations at Tuesday’s ceremony. Before the show even started, the group won its very first Moon Person trophy for push performance of the year for its song “Sugar Rush Ride.”
The final performance of the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards toasted hip-hop on its 50th anniversary, with a star-studded medley featuring Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, DMC, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and LL Cool J to honor five decades of the groundbreaking genre.
The tribute performance, which was the final act of the 2023 VMAs on Tuesday night (Sept. 12), brought an array of styles and flows to the stage of the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ: Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five kicked off the affair with the legendary “The Message,” and a few minutes later, Minaj was owning the stage with “Itty Bitty Piggy,” demonstrating the evolution of the art form within a single performance.
Meanwhile, Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick slung rhymes and unmatched beatboxing, and when Weezy hit the stage, he seemed to shadowbox with the “A Milli” beat, bouncing around the stage and making the Prudential Center finish his “Orville Redenbacher” punchline. LL Cool J, spitting furiously in a sparkly getup, brought the performance back to the old school with “I’m Bad” and “Mama Said Knock You Out,” and he stayed onstage as Darryl McDaniels to run through some Run-D.M.C. classics.
The medley ended with all of the performers onstage, rocking out to “Walk This Way” and embracing as the Newark crowd cheered.
Prior to the 50th anniversary performance, Nicki Minaj hosted the 2023 Video Music Awards, as well as performed her new top 40 hit “Last Time I Saw You” and an unreleased track from her upcoming Pink Friday 2 album. Lil Wayne also kicked off the VMAs with a performance of “Uproar” and “Kat Food.”
Taylor Swift entered the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards as the top nominee and she leaves as the show’s big winner, taking home four televised awards, including the top prize of video of the year.
She was also voted artist of the year and her Eras Tour won show of the summer, according to the full winners list sent by MTV, and her “Anti-Hero” video took home two technical prizes off-air (best cinematography and best visual effects).
Who else took home some new VMAs? Find all the winners below.
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Video of the year
Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records
Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
WINNER: Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records
Artist of the year
Beyoncé – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
Doja Cat – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Karol G – Interscope Records
Nicki Minaj – Republic Records
Shakira – Sony Music US Latin
WINNER: Taylor Swift – Republic Records
Song of the year
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records
Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records
Steve Lacy – “Bad Habit” – L-M Records / RCA Records
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records Records
WINNER: Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records
Best new artist
GloRilla – CMG / Interscope Records
WINNER: Ice Spice – 10K Projects / Capitol Records
Kaliii – Atlantic Records
Peso Pluma – Double P Records
PinkPantheress – 300 Entertainment
Reneé Rapp – Interscope Records
Best collaboration
David Guetta & Bebe Rexha – “I’m Good (Blue)” – Warner Records
Post Malone, Doja Cat – “I Like You (aHappier Song)” – Mercury Records / Republic Records
Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On” – Motown Records
WINNER: Karol G, Shakira – “TQG” – Universal Music Latino
Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)” – Boominati / Republic Records
Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records
Best pop
Demi Lovato – “Swine” – Island Records
Dua Lipa – “Dance the Night (From Barbie the Album)” – Atlantic Records
Ed Sheeran – “Eyes Closed” – Atlantic Records
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records
P!nk – “Trustfall” – RCA Records
WINNER: Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records
Best hip-hop
Diddy ft. Bryson Tiller, Ashanti, Yung Miami – “Gotta Move On” – Motown Records
DJ Khaled ft. Drake & Lil Baby – “Staying Alive” – We the Best / Epic Records
GloRilla & Cardi B – “Tomorrow 2” – CMG / Interscope Records
Lil Uzi Vert – “Just Wanna Rock” – Atlantic Records / Generation Now
Lil Wayne ft. Swizz Beatz & DMX – “Kant Nobody” – Young Money Records
Metro Boomin ft Future – “Superhero (Heroes and Villains)” – Boominati / Republic Records
WINNER: Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records
Best R&B
Alicia Keys ft. Lucky Daye – “Stay” – RCA Records
Chlöe ft. Chris Brown – “How Does It Feel” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia
Metro Boomin with The Weeknd, 21 Savage, and Diddy – “Creepin’ (Remix)” – Boominati / Republic Records
WINNER: SZA – “Shirt” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
Toosii – “Favorite Song” – South Coast Music Group / Capitol Records
Yung Bleu & Nicki Minaj – “Love in the Way” – Empire Distribution
Best alternative
blink-182 – “Edging” – Columbia Records
boygenius – “the film” – Interscope Records
Fall Out Boy – “Hold Me Like a Grudge” – Fueled By Ramen
WINNER: Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – “Candy Necklace” – Interscope Records
Paramore – “This Is Why” – Atlantic Records
Thirty Seconds to Mars – “Stuck” – Concord Records
Best rock
Foo Fighters – “The Teacher” – RCA Records
Linkin Park – “Lost (Original Version)” – Warner Records
Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Tippa My Tongue” – Warner Records
WINNER: Måneskin – “The Loneliest” – Arista Records
Metallica – “Lux Æterna” – Blackened Recordings
Muse – “You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween” – Warner Records
Best Latin
WINNER: Anitta – “Funk Rave” – Republic Records
Bad Bunny – “Where She Goes” – Rimas Entertainment
Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma – “Ella Baila Sola” – DEL Records, Inc. / Prajin Parlay, Inc. Grupo Frontera Bad Bunny – “un x100to” – Rimas Entertainment
Karol G, Shakira – “TQG” – Universal Music Latino
Rosalia – “Despecha,” – Columbia Records
Shakira – “Acróstico” – Sony Music US Latin
Best K-pop
aespa – “Girls” – SM ENTERTAINMENT Co., Ltd.
BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records
Fifty Fifty – “Cupid” – ATTRAKT / Warner Records
Seventeen – “Super” – HYBE / Geffen Records
WINNER: Stray Kids – “S-Class” – JYP / Republic
TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Sugar Rush Ride” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Republic Records
Best Afrobeats
Ayra Starr – “Rush” – Mavin Global Holdings
Burna Boy – “It’s Plenty” – Atlantic Records / Spaceship Entertainment Ltd
Davido ft. Musa Keys – “Unavailable” – Sony Music U.K. / RCA Records
Fireboy DML & Asake – ”Bandana” – Empire Distribution
Libianca – “People” – Sony Music U.K. / RCA Records
WINNER: Rema & Selena Gomez – “Calm Down” – Mavin Global Holdings Ltd / Jonzing World Entertainment / SMG Music / Interscope Records
Wizkid ft Ayra Starr– “2 Sugar” – Starboy / RCA Records
Video for good
Alicia Keys – “If I Ain’t Got You (Orchestral)” – Netflix
Bad Bunny – “El Apagón – Aquí Vive Gente” – Rimas Entertainment
Demi Lovato – “Swine” – Island Records
WINNER: Dove Cameron – “Breakfast” – Columbia Records
Imagine Dragons – “Crushed” – KIDinaKORNER / Interscope Records
Maluma – “La Reina” – Sony Music US Latin
Push performance of the year
August 2022: Saucy Santana – “Booty” – Arena Records / RCA Records
September 2022: Stephen Sanchez – “Until I Found You” – Mercury Records / Republic Records
October 2022: JVKE – “golden hour” – AWAL
November 2022: Flo Milli – “Conceited” – ’94 Sounds / RCA Records
December 2022: Reneé Rapp – “Colorado” – Interscope Records
January 2023: Sam Ryder – “All the Way Over” – Elektra Entertainment
February 2023: Armani White – “Goated” – Def Jam
March 2023: Fletcher – “Becky’s So Hot” – Capitol Records
WINNER: April 2023: TOMORROW X TOGETHER – “Sugar Rush Ride” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Republic Records
May 2023: Ice Spice – “Princess Diana” – Heavy on It / 10K Projects / Capitol Records
June 2023: FLO – “Losing You” – Uptown/Republic Records
July 2023: Lauren Spencer Smith – “That Part” – Island Records
Best direction
Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records – Directed by Tanu Muiño
Drake – “Falling Back” – OVO/Republic Records – Director X (Julien Christian Lutz)
Kendrick Lamar – “Count Me Out” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Directed by Dave Free & Kendrick Lamar
Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Directed by Colin Tilley
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Directed by Floria Sigismondi
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Directed by Christian Breslauer
WINNER: Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Directed by Taylor Swift
Best cinematography
Adele – “I Drink Wine” – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra
Ed Sheeran – “Eyes Closed” – Atlantic Records – Cinematography by Natasha Baier
Janelle Monae – “Lipstick Lover” – Atlantic Records – Cinematography by Allison Anderson
Kendrick Lamar – “Count Me Out” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records 0 Cinematography by Adam Newport-Berra
Miley Cyrus – “Flowers” – Columbia Records – Cinematography by Marcell Rev
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records – Cinematography by Russ Fraser
WINNER: Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Cinematography by Rina Yang
Best visual effects
Fall Out Boy – “Love From the Other Side” – Fueled By Ramen – Visual Effects by Thomas Bailey and Josh Shaffner
Harry Styles – “Music for a Sushi Restaurant” – Columbia Records – Visual Effects by Chelsea Delfino and Black Kite Studios
Melanie Martinez – “VOID” – Atlantic Records – Visual Effects by Carbon
Nicki Minaj – “Super Freaky Girl” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Max Colt and Sergio Mashevskyi
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Visual Effects by Max Colt / FRENDER
WINNER: Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Visual Effects by Parliament
Best choreography
WINNER: BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Choreography by Kiel Tutin, Sienna Lalau, Lee Jung (YGX), Taryn Cheng (YGX)
Dua Lipa – “Dance the Night (From Barbie the Album)” – Atlantic Records – Choreography by Charm LaDonna
Jonas Brothers – “Waffle House” – Republic Records – Choreography by Jerry Reece
Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Choreography by Sean Bankhead
Panic! At The Disco – “Middle of a Breakup” – Fueled By Ramen – Choreography by Monika Felice Smith
Sam Smith, Kim Petras – “Unholy” – Capitol Records – Choreography by (LA)HORDE – Marine Brutti, Jonathan Debrouwer, Arthur Harel
Best art direction
boygenius – “the film” – Interscope Records – Art Direction by Jen Dunlap
BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Art Direction by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT)
WINNER: Doja Cat – “Attention” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records – Art Direction by Spencer Graves
Lana Del Rey ft. Jon Batiste – “Candy Necklace” – Interscope Records – Art Direction by Brandon Mendez
Megan Thee Stallion – “Her” – 300 Entertainment – Art Direction by Niko Philipides
SZA – “Shirt” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Art Direction by Kate Bunch
Best editing
BLACKPINK – “Pink Venom” – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records – Editing by Seo Hyun Seung (GIGANT)
Kendrick Lamar – “Rich Spirit” – pgLang / Top Dawg Entertainment / Aftermath / Interscope Records – Edited by Grason Caldwell
Miley Cyrus – “River” – Columbia Records – Edited by Brandan Walter
WINNER: Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records – Edited by Sofia Kerpan and David Checel
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records – Edited by Luis Caraza Peimbert
Taylor Swift – “Anti-Hero” – Republic Records – Edited by Chancler Haynes
Beyoncé – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
BLACKPINK – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records
Show of the Summer
Drake – OVO / Republic Records
Ed Sheeran – Atlantic Records
Karol G – Interscope Records
WINNER: Taylor Swift – Republic Records
Group of the Year
WINNER: BLACKPINK – YG Entertainment / Interscope Records
FIFTY FIFTY – ATTRAKT / Warner Records
FLO – Uptown Records/Republic Records
Jonas Brothers – Republic Records
Måneskin – Arista Records
NewJeans – ADOR/Geffen Records
SEVENTEEN – HYBE / Geffen Records
TOMORROW x TOGETHER – BIGHIT MUSIC / Republic Records
Song of the Summer
Beyoncé – “Cuff It” – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
Billie Eilish – “What Was I Made For? (From The Motion Picture ‘Barbie’)” – Darkroom / Interscope Records
Doja Cat – “Paint the Town Red” – Kemosabe Records / RCA Records
Doechii ft. Kodak Black – “What It Is (Block Boy)” – Top Dawg Entertainment / Capitol Records
Dua Lipa – “Dance the Night (From the Barbie Album)” – Atlantic Records / Warner Records
FIFTY FIFTY – “Cupid” – ATTRAKT / Warner Records
Gunna – “fukumean” – Young Stoner Life Records / 300 Entertainment
WINNER: Jung Kook ft. Latto – “Seven” – BIGHIT MUSIC / Geffen Records
Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice– “Barbie World (with Aqua) [From Barbie The Album]” – 10k Projects / Capitol Records / Dolo Entertainment / Atlantic Records
Olivia Rodrigo – “vampire” – Geffen Records
SZA – “Kill Bill” – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
Taylor Swift ft. Ice Spice – “Karma” – Republic Records
TOMORROW X TOGETHER and Jonas Brothers – “Do It Like That” – BIGHIT MUSIC / IMPERIAL / Republic Records
Luke Combs – “Fast Car” – Columbia Nashville
Troye Sivan – “Rush” – Capitol Records
Yng Lvcas & Peso Pluma – “La Bebe (Remix)” – Warner Music Latina
Album of the Year
Beyoncé – Renaissance – Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia Records
Drake & 21 Savage – Her Loss – OVO / Republic Records
Metro Boomin – Heroes & Villains – Boominati / Republic Records
Miley Cyrus – Endless Summer Vacation – Columbia Records
SZA – SOS – Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA Records
WINNER: Taylor Swift – Midnights – Republic Records
Italian rockers Måneskin took the Prudential Center stage in New Jersey for Tuesday night’s (Sept. 12) VMAs, performing their recently released rave-up “Honey (Are U Coming?)”
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Introduced by Chloe x Halle as “provocative performers and unapologetically themselves” who are “the embodiment of global rock stars,” the band started their performance with lead singer Damiano David walking through the crowd shirtless, while holding a video camera that beamed his perspective on screen. Once on stage, David put down the camera, and the band ripped through a tight performance of the new single, with David huddling with guitarist Thomas Raggi and bassist Victoria de Angelis at center stage for proper rock pose-striking.
Måneskin are two-time nominees at this year’s VMAs, winning best rock for their 2022 single “The Loneliest” and also nominated for best group. It’s their second year in a row both winning and performing at the VMAs, having taken best alternative in 2022 for their “I Wanna Be Your Slave,” and also playing “Supermodel” at that same year’s ceremonies — a performance that infamously included a wardrobe malfunction that required MTV to cut away from much of the performance.
“Honey (Are U Coming?)” debuts at No. 37 on Billboard‘s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart this week (dated Sept. 16) — their seventh career hit on the chart, with their Four Seasons cover “Beggin’” hitting No. 2 on the listing in 2021. The band is about to kick off a world tour in support of their 2023 album Rush!, kicking off Sept. 21 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Luke Bryan is set to host and executive-produce an upcoming, six-episode Hulu docuseries titled It’s All Country, which will examine “the iconic songs and artists that changed the face of country music forever,” according to a release. A release date for the docuseries has not yet been revealed.
Executive-producing the series alongside Bryan will be NFL legend Peyton Manning, who will also return with Bryan this year to co-host the CMA Awards for a second year. It’s All Country will be produced by Manning’s Omaha Productions as well as NFL Films and Walt Disney Television Alternative.
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The release goes on to say that the series “highlights the cultural impact and memorable performers and performances that make country music an American and growing global sensation.”
Bryan is a two-time CMA entertainer of the year winner who has notched 26 No. 1 hits on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart and has seen four of his albums top the Billboard 200. He’s also known for his ongoing role as a judge on American Idol, a position he has held since 2018. Meanwhile, Manning was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021 and has won two Super Bowls. After retiring from the NFL, Manning formed Omaha Productions, which has created projects for film and television, among other platforms.
It’s All Country is the latest documentary from Hulu, which has also recently issued Brooke Shields’ Emmy Award-nominated Pretty Baby, as well as God Forbid: The Sex Scandal That Brought Down a Dynasty, Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence and Victoria’s Secret: Angels and Demons.
Before kicking off the fall leg of his solo acoustic tour, John Mayer announced Tuesday (Sept. 12) that he’ll play a one-off show at The Wiltern in Los Angeles next week with 100% of the proceeds going to his Heart and Armor Foundation for veterans.
Tickets — which start at $99 — will go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. PT on Ticketmaster ahead of the concert on Tuesday, Sept. 19. Fans have to register through the Verified Fan program to receive a code before buying tickets, and all tickets will be mobile-only and non-transferable. Fans who buy tickets and can’t attend can list their tickets on Ticketmaster’s Face Value Ticket Exchange.
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Charity Auctions Today is currently auctioning off two pairs of pit tickets that will come with an autographed poster of the concert’s lineup and early access to the venue.
Mayer’s solo acoustic tour kicked off earlier this year, and he announced in March that he would be extending the run starting Oct. 3 in New York and wrapping Nov. 10 back in Los Angeles — but he’ll be playing the much larger Kia Forum for that date (17,000-plus capacity) versus the intimate Wiltern venue next Tuesday (around 2,000 capacity).
When he played the Kia Forum in April on the original run of dates, Mayer announced to the crowd: “This tour changed everything.”
“I thought this was a neat little thing,” Mayer said of the tour. “I was like, ‘Let’s go on tour and play acoustic, that’ll be fun!’ And then everything clicked. And because of you, you reminded me what these songs are to me, what they are to you and focused me right up.”
Mayer established the Heart and Armor Foundation in 2019 to support the health of veterans of war.
Gunna scores his first non-collaborative No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart as “Fukumean” crowns the list dated Sept. 16. The new champ jumps from No. 3 after a 11% surge in plays that made it the most-played song on U.S. monitored mainstream R&B/hip-hop radio stations in the week ending Sept. 7, according to Luminate. Thanks to the swell in weekly plays, “Fukumean” grabs the Greatest Gainer tag, awarded each week to the title with the largest play increase.
While “Fukumean” is Gunna’s first time atop Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay without any other acts, it’s the rapper’s second No. 1 in total – “Drip Too Hard,” with Lil Baby, reigned for four weeks in 2019. Prior to “Fukumean,” Gunna’s best solo showing was the No. 17 high for “Banking on Me” in July 2022.
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In addition to the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay victory, “Fukumean” also tops the Rap Airplay chart. The single climbs from No. 2 through an 12% boost in weekly audience and likewise captures the Greatest Gainer prize. Gunna nabs his second career champ there, following the two-week rule of “Drip Too Hard.”
Elsewhere, “Fukumean” steps 6-4 on Rhythmic Airplay with a 6% gain in plays and pushes 3-2 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, which combines audience totals from adult R&B and mainstream R&B/hip-hop stations. There, the track rallies to 17.3 million in audience, up 19% from the previous frame, and again, enough to seize the chart’s Greatest Gainer prize. Fueled by those formats, “Fukumean” rises 21-18 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart with 28.6 million in total audience, a 13% week-over-week improvement.
“Fukumean” appears on Gunna’s latest studio album, A Gift & a Curse, which was released June 16. The track was the album’s highest debut on the Billboard Hot 100, and as streams increased in the following weeks, the single became Gunna’s first No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and reached a No. 4 best on the Hot 100.
Oliver Anthony is standing firm on affordable ticket prices.
The singer had a disagreement with a Knoxville, Tenn., music bar called Cotton Eyed Joe, where he was scheduled to perform later this month, leading to the show getting canceled and the the venue expressing some choice words on social media.
Ticket prices were listed at $99, and a meet and greet costed $199, which upset Anthony, who recorded a video posted to Instagram to deter fans from paying that price. “I had to pull off on the side of the road and make this video. My adrenaline’s pumping, man,” he says in the clip. He continued in the caption, “Don’t buy $90 Cotton Eyed Joe tickets or $200 for a meet and greet. That’s not acceptable. Just saw the Facebook post and lost my s—. Miscommunication with my friend booking shows and I. My shows should never cost more than $40, ideally no more than $25. Hell, out of the 4 shows we have currently done, 2 of them have been completely free. This will get straightened out tonight. Hold off on buying tickets for now.”
However, Cotton Eyed Joe took to Facebook to explain that Anthony had agreed to play a 60-minute set at the Knoxville bar for $120,000, which would allow the bar to “break even and bring our customers a show we thought would be fun.” The bar then added a bit of shade by referencing Anthony’s Hot 100 chart topper, concluding their message: “To our talent agency and promotor friends that follow us… be careful booking the North Man of Richmond.”
“I am not pointing fingers at Cotton Eyed Joe, I don’t know where the miscommunication took place. I’m just upset seeing those prices,” Anthony responded on Facebook, adding that he’ll be more involved in upcoming bookings.
The 31-year-old’s breakout viral hit “Rich Men North of Richmond” unexpectedly debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. Among other chart achievements for the singer-songwriter, he’s the first artist ever to launch atop the list with no prior chart history in any form. His success story began when a now-viral video of Anthony, posted by radiowv, began circulating around the Internet, showing the singer offering an acoustic performance of “Rich Men North of Richmond,” vocalizing the pain and angst of the working class at the hands of greedy rich men. The song takes on high taxes, abuse of welfare and selfish politicians.
Congratulations are in order for Grammy-winning country star Hank Williams Jr. On Monday, via his official Facebook page, the singer-songwriter announced that he tied the knot.
“Please congratulate Mr. And Mrs. Hank Williams Jr!” the post reads. “Hank and Brandi were married on Sept 9, 2023 at Enon Baptist Church in Banks, Alabama in front of a small group of family and friends. A reception followed at Kendall Hall in Troy, Alabama. They had gotten engaged earlier this year on Mothers Day. The bride and groom have known each other and been friends since 2003.”
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This is the fourth marriage for Williams. He was married to Gwen Yeargain from 1971-1977 and to Becky White from 1977-1983. In March 2022, Mary Jane Thomas, Williams’ third wife, unexpectedly died. According to People, the autopsy listed Thomas’ cause of death as “pneumothorax due to perforated parietal pleura during liposuction with autologous fat reinjection procedure.”
“38 wonderful years she gave me. Her kind spirit and beautiful and endearing love carries on in the hearts of our son, Sam, grandsons Beau and Tennyson, and granddaughter Audrey Jane,” Williams wrote on Instagram weeks after her death. “Of course, she will be missed and loved by so many forever.”
On Tuesday (Sept. 12), Williams posted a wedding picture of Brandi and himself with the caption “Mr. and Mrs. Hank Williams Jr.” He limited the comments on both his Instagram and Facebook posts.
Last year, Williams Jr. released Rich White Honky Blues, a Dan Auerbach-produced album of blues covers and original tracks.
Hank Williams Jr. has earned three entries on the Billboard Hot 100: 1964’s “Long Gone Lonesome Blues” (No. 67) and “Endless Sleep” (No. 90), as well as 2000’s “A Country Boy Can Survive” (No. 75, with Chad Brock & George Jones). On the Billboard 200, he has notched 39 career entries, reaching as high as No. 12 with 2012’s Old School New Rules. He’s the son of Hank Williams, one of the most celebrated country singer-songwriters in American history.
Click here to see Hank Williams Jr.’s wedding pictures and check out his big announcement here:
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