Category: Music

Pete Anderson, a veteran sales executive with a long history in the music industry, passed away after a stroke on Sunday (Dec. 11) in St. David, Pa. He was 72.

During his music industry career, Anderson worked for the distribution company of CBS Records/Sony Music, Epic Records, Atlantic Records and wholesaler Valley Media. He finished his career at Gotham Distributing/Collectables Records after marrying record label executive Melissa Greene of that company’s founding family.

While many label/distribution sales executives were known to play hardball or use economic incentives to accomplish goals for their records, Anderson was known for being honorable, respected, and, in the words of former Trans World Entertainment buyer Vinnie Birbiglia, a “pleasure to deal with.”

Born in Muskegon, Mich., Anderson’s early life and early career saw him anchored in the Midwest. As a child with his family, he lived in the Chicago area; while attending Bethel University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science, he resided in the Twin Cities, Minn.; and at the start of his music career, when he was a singles specialist for CBS Records (now Sony Music), he lived in Terre Haute, Ind. He soon moved up the chain at the distribution company, becoming a branch manager in the Sony system and eventually landing a job as senior vp of sales at Epic Records. Beginning in 1993, he held the same position at Atlantic Records.

While remembering Anderson for his business integrity, former Billboard charts leader Geoff Mayfield also fondly recalled his personality. “It started with a smile; when Peter Anderson saw a friend enter the room, he’d flash a smile that already made you feel the warmth of a hug,” Mayfield wrote in a Facebook post after learning of Anderson’s passing. “He was always insightful and honest as the day is long; his storyteller’s voice and quick wit were conversational bonuses.” 

Similarly, in his own post noting Anderson’s passing, former Epic Records executive Dan Beck remembered, “Pete and I had so much fun working together in our Epic days,” adding that Anderson “was always the calm, upbeat, spirit of positivity.”

During his career as a senior sales executive, Anderson helped promote the music of such artists as Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, Sade, Ozzy Osbourne, Hootie & the Blowfish, Missy Elliott, Matchbox Twenty, Collective Soul, Brandy and Bush.

Yet for all his professional accomplishments, Pete’s greatest pride was always his family, according to the obituary they provided, in which his children shared a tribute to their father: “Our father lived a life of love, determination, belief, and honor….He was a father not only to his own children, but to anyone who needed him, whether for a few seconds or for decades, always providing a safe environment and unconditional love to all who were blessed to be around him. As a husband, he always put our mother before himself. He taught by example and showed us what it truly means to be a devoted partner, husband, and leader of a household.”

As for his wife, Melissa Green Anderson, she would always say, “In Pete, I hit the lottery.”

Anderson was preceded in death by his parents, Gordon and Ethel Anderson, and his sister-in-law, Kathy Anderson. He is survived by his beloved wife Melissa; his children Kennedy, Grayson (fiancé Megan Eschenbacher) and Brandtson (partner Lyndsey Kerr); his siblings Joanne Pearson (husband John), Gordon Anderson Jr., JoNancy Warren (husband Jim) and Cynthia Frazier; his parents-in-law Jerry and Nina Greene; and many nieces, nephews, extended family members and cherished dogs.

There will be a celebration of Anderson’s life on Feb. 20 in Villanova, Pa. Friends interested in attending can reach out to Melissa@lostniteent.com for details.

Calvin Harris has secured a $13.5 million judgment in the first phase of a bitter legal feud with his longtime business manager Thomas St. John, whom the EDM star has accused of abusing their financial relationship to fund a real estate “boondoggle.”

Harris (real name Adam Wiles) initiated arbitration proceedings this summer, alleging that in 2023, St. John fraudulently funneled $22 million from the Scottish DJ’s accounts towards a Hollywood recording studio and office space development called CMNTY Culture Campus, which never broke ground and has since undergone foreclosure. St. John denies Harris’ claims as “categorically false” and maintains that the artist was a willing investor.

Harris funded CMNTY Culture in two tranches: a $10 million loan and a $12 million equity investment. Retired federal judge Michael R. Wilner, who’s refereeing the dispute in confidential arbitration, ruled in December that St. John undisputedly failed to repay the loan by its due date.  

“Hollywood LLC and TSJ are each jointly and severally liable to claimants for the principal sum of $13,438,666.55 with respect to respondents failure to pay claimants under the loan documents, which consists of: the loan principal ($10,000,000), the total interest payments ($2,666,666.56), the origination fee ($200,000), the exit fee ($200,000), and the late charge thereunder ($371,999.99),” reads Judge Wilner’s order, made public by Harris’ team in a Jan. 7 motion to confirm the arbitration award.

The retired judge has not yet made a decision about the status of Harris’ $12 million equity investment or the larger question of whether St. John engaged in fraud to procure the funding. Those issues will continue to be litigated in ongoing arbitration.

Reps for Harris and St. John did not immediately return requests for comment on Wednesday (Jan. 14).

A deep dive by Billboard last year reported that the CMNTY Culture project arose from the sale of songwriter Philip Lawrence’s catalog of Bruno Mars hits in 2020. Lawrence opted to park some of the proceeds from that deal in a real estate venture to take advantage of tax benefits and brought on St. John, his business manager, as a partner.

St. John eventually became the sole steward of CMNTY Culture after Lawrence exited due to financial issues. It was then that St. John turned to Harris for funding, also taking on other investors and a $35 million loan from real estate credit firm Parkview Financial.

St. John never built CMNTY Culture. Instead, the project stalled amid a downturn in the Los Angeles office space market, and CMNTY Culture announced plans last year to pivot to a residential real estate model instead. But it has now defaulted on the Parkview loan, which was secured with the Hollywood land as collateral.

Parkview foreclosed on CMNTY Culture in December and bought out the property for $25 million. The lender filed a lawsuit against St. John on Tuesday (Jan. 13), alleging he still owes another $16 million to satisfy the initial loan, plus interest.

Meanwhile, St. John’s future as a business manager looks uncertain. The U.S. arm of his eponymous management firm, Thomas St. John Group, declared bankruptcy last year and is currently trying to liquidate its assets. In addition to the Harris arbitration, fellow EDM star Eric Prydz sued St. John in November for allegedly taking $269,000 in unauthorized commissions. St. John denies those claims as “wholly fabricated.”

UPDATE: On Wednesday (Jan. 14), Bruno Mars added 30 more dates to his Romantic Tour. The new dates are bolded below. Tickets for newly added dates and remaining tickets for previously announced dates will be available during the general on sale beginning Thursday at noon local time at BrunoMars.com.

PREVIOUSLY: Bruno Mars is gearing up to bring a little romance to cities all around the world, and Anderson .Paak, RAYE and more big names are coming along with him.

The superstar revealed Thursday morning (Jan. 8) that his Romantic Tour will kick off in April following the release of his newly announced The Romantic album. Running through mid-October, the trek will find Mars playing stadiums across North America, Canada and Europe.

His Silk Sonic bandmate will be a featured guest at all of the shows, while “Where Is My Husband!” singer RAYE, Victoria Monét and Leon Thomas will take turns as supporting acts on different dates.

Fans can now sign up for a ticket presale, which starts Jan. 14 on Mars’ website. The general sale begins the day after.

Mars’ tour news comes on the heels of his announcement that, after 10 years, he’s finally coming back with his fourth solo album. The Romantic will drop Feb. 27, a full decade after his last LP, 2016’s 24K Magic.

But even though it’s been a while since he released a solo full-length, the 16-time Grammy winner has been anything but unproductive in recent years. With .Paak, he formed Silk Sonic in 2021, and the duo scored a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 that same year with “Leave the Door Open.” In 2025 alone, Mars closed out with two of the biggest hits of the year, with his Lady Gaga duet “Die With a Smile” finishing at No. 1 on Billboard‘s year-end Hot 100 chart and ROSÉ collaboration “APT.” coming in at No. 9.

See Mars’ tour announcement and full list of dates below.

April 10 — Las Vegas, NV — Allegiant Stadium
April 11 — Las Vegas, NV — Allegiant Stadium – NEW DATE
April 14 — Glendale, AZ — State Farm Stadium
April 15 — Glendale, AZ — State Farm Stadium – NEW DATE
April 18 — Arlington, TX — Globe Life Field
April 19 — Arlington, TX — Globe Life Field – NEW DATE
April 22 — Houston, TX — NRG Stadium Sat
April 25 — Atlanta, GA — Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field
April 26 — Atlanta, GA — Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field – NEW DATE
April 29 — Charlotte, NC — Bank of America Stadium
May 2 — Landover, MD — Northwest Stadium
May 3 — Landover, MD — Northwest Stadium – NEW DATE
May 6 — Nashville, TN — Nissan Stadium
May 9 — Detroit, MI — Ford Field
May 10 — Detroit, MI — Ford Field – NEW DATE
May 13 — Minneapolis, MN — U.S. Bank Stadium
May 16 — Chicago, IL — Soldier Field
May 17 — Chicago, IL — Soldier Field – NEW DATE
May 20 — Columbus, OH — Ohio Stadium
May 23 — Toronto, ON — Rogers Stadium
May 24 — Toronto, ON — Rogers Stadium
May 27 — Toronto, ON — Rogers Stadium – NEW DATE
May 28 — Toronto, ON — Rogers Stadium – NEW DATE
June 18 — Paris, FR — Stade de France – NEW DATE
June 20 — Paris, FR — Stade de France
June 21 — Paris, FR — Stade de France
June 26 — Berlin, DE — Olympiastadion
June 28 — Berlin, DE — Olympiastadion – NEW DATE
July 2 — Amsterdam, NL — Johan Cruijff ArenA – NEW DATE
July 4 — Amsterdam, NL — Johan Cruijff ArenA
July 5 — Amsterdam, NL — Johan Cruijff ArenA
July 7 — Amsterdam, NL — Johan Cruijff ArenA – NEW DATE
July 10 — Madrid, ES — Riyadh Air Metropolitano
July 10 — Madrid, ES — Riyadh Air Metropolitano – NEW DATE
July 14 — Milan, IT — Stadio San Siro
July 15 — Milan, IT — Stadio San Siro – NEW DATE
July 18 — London, UK — Wembley Stadium Connected by EE
July 19 — London, UK — Wembley Stadium Connected by EE
July 22 — London, UK — Wembley Stadium Connected by EE – NEW DATE
July 24 — London, UK — Wembley Stadium Connected by EE – NEW DATE
July 25— London, UK — Wembley Stadium Connected by EE – NEW DATE
July 28 — London, UK — Wembley Stadium Connected by EE – NEW DATE
Aug. 21 — East Rutherford, NJ — MetLife Stadium
Aug. 22 — East Rutherford, NJ — MetLife Stadium
Aug. 25 — East Rutherford, NJ — MetLife Stadium – NEW DATE
Aug. 26 — East Rutherford, NJ — MetLife Stadium – NEW DATE
Aug. 29 — Pittsburgh, PA — Acrisure Stadium
Sept. 1 — Philadelphia, PA — Lincoln Financial Field
Sept. 2 — Philadelphia, PA — Lincoln Financial Field – NEW DATE
Sept. 5 — Foxborough, MA — Gillette Stadium
Sept. 6 — Foxborough, MA — Gillette Stadium – NEW DATE
Sept. 9 — Indianapolis, IN — Lucas Oil Stadium
Sept. 12 — Tampa, FL — Raymond James Stadium
Sept. 13 — Tampa, FL — Raymond James Stadium – NEW DATE
Sept. 16 — New Orleans, LA — Caesars Superdome
Sept. 19 — Miami, FL — Hard Rock Stadium
Sept. 20 — Miami, FL — Hard Rock Stadium – NEW DATE
Sept. 23 — San Antonio, TX — Alamodome
Sept. 26 — Air Force Academy, CO — Falcon Stadium at the United States Air Force Academy
Sept. 27 — Air Force Academy, CO — Falcon Stadium at the United States Air Force Academy – NEW DATE
Oct. 2 — Inglewood, CA — SoFi Stadium
Oct. 3 — Inglewood, CA — SoFi Stadium
Oct. 6 — Inglewood, CA — SoFi Stadium – NEW DATE
Oct. 7 — Inglewood, CA — SoFi Stadium – NEW DATE
Oct. 10 — Santa Clara, CA — Levi’s Stadium
Oct. 11 — Santa Clara, CA — Levi’s Stadium – NEW DATE
Oct. 14 — Vancouver, BC — BC Place
Oct. 16 — Vancouver, BC — BC Place – NEW DATE
Oct. 17 — Vancouver, BC — BC Place – NEW DATE

The wait for A$AP Rocky’s DON’T BE DUMB album is finally over, as the rapper revealed the project’s tracklist on Wednesday (Jan. 14).

With Rocky’s fourth LP set to arrive on Friday (Jan. 16), the Mob frontman posted the track list to the album, which boasts 15 tracks in total and one listed skit. Previously released singles “Helicopter” and “Punk Rocky” are also on the album.

Unfortunately, there aren’t any featured artists listed, so the surprises will wait for special guests until release day. “DONTBEDUMB OFFICIAL TRACKLIST!!! EXCLUSIVE @ONEQUINCE SHIRTHEADS VINYL AVAILABLE NOW,” Rocky wrote when revealing the track list with various posters and vinyl editions.

Per a press release, the Harlem native has already sold over 130,000 units ahead of the project landing on DSPs.

Pusha T, Three 6 Mafia and Hit-Boy showed Rocky love in his comment section. “FLAMES,” King Push chimed in. “FIRE ROLL OUT MANE,” Three 6 wrote.

“Punk Rocky” arrived earlier in January, accompanied by a chaotic music video starring Winona Ryder, which was followed by “Helicopter.” According to a press release, Rocky showcases six alter-egos across the album.

It’s Rocky’s first album since 2018’s TESTING, which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. It’s unclear if he plans to tour the album, but Rocky’s booked to headline Governors Ball 2026 in New York City on June 7.

DON’T BE DUMB track list

J. Cole is back.

The North Carolina rapper followed up announcing the the long-awaited release date for his upcoming album The Fall-Off with what is looking like the project’s lead single. And while he didn’t provide a title for the song, he did hint at The Fall-Off being a double disc by naming the track “Disc 2 Track 2,” so it’s safe to assume the tracklist will be revealed in due time.

The video, directed by Ryan Doubiago, starts off with a disclaimer before taking us through an Inception-like labyrinth of Cole’s life in reverse as the rapper narrates his story in the same fashion almost reminiscent of Nas‘ “Rewind.”

The disclaimer reads: “For the past 10 years, this album has been hand crafted with one intention: a personal challenge to myself to create my best work. To do on my last what I was unable to do on my first. I had no way of knowing how much time, focus and energy it would eventually take to achieve this, but despite the countless challenges along the way, I knew in my heart I would one day get to the finish line. I owed it first and foremost to myself. And secondly, I owed it to hip-hop.”

As far as the production goes, there hasn’t been a producer credited yet, but fans have pointed out that he’s rapping over a leaked beat from the scrapped Drake and Ye collab album Wolves.

The Fall-Off will be J. Cole’s first full-length solo album since 2021’s The Off-Season, and his first project post-Big 3 battle when he released the mixtape Might Delete Later and walked back the Kendrick Lamar diss song “7 Minute Drill.”

Still shaken by the sudden loss of Yeison Jiménez, one of the biggest stars in Colombian “música popular,” thousands of fans (14,000, as announced onstage) gathered at the Movistar Arena in Bogotá on Wednesday (Jan. 14) to pay tribute to the artist.

Jiménez, known for hits like “Aventurero” and “Destino Final” with Luis Alfonso, died Saturday in a plane crash in Paipa (Boyacá) after the aircraft failed to gain enough altitude and crashed. Five other people, including Jefferson Osorio, the artist’s manager; Oscar Marín, his personal assistant; and Weismann Mora, a photographer, also lost their lives.

For the artist’s farewell, entrance to the Movistar Arena was divided into two sessions: the first from noon to 4 p.m. (local time) and the second from 6 to 10 p.m. In both time slots, entry was allowed until the venue reached full capacity. Admission was free, and organizers emphasized the importance of not bringing candles, food or drinks. Fans began arriving as early as Tuesday night, and by morning, thousands were already outside the venue.

Stars joined the farewell to Jiménez

The first to appear was little Thaliana, the artist’s daughter, who was carried on shoulders through much of the arena to greet her father’s fans — as if she felt it was now her responsibility to make them feel welcome.

Pipe Bueno was the first star of “música popular” to take the stage, visibly moved as he performed “Tengo Ganas,” a song by Jiménez on which he collaborated. Before leaving, the Cali-born singer, now based in Mexico City, noted: “Sometimes in our rush, we forget that we’re already rich, very rich, but in things that aren’t material.”

Next was Alzate, who performed “Sin Decir Adiós” and “Mi Venganza,” the latter recorded as a duet with Jiménez. The two were not only colleagues but also friends; Alzate contributed to some of Jiménez’s hits, such as “Hasta La Madre.” “Thank you for singing my lyrics; you made me great too,” he said before leaving the stage.

Jiménez’s “Ya No Mi Amor” was the next song in the lineup, this time performed by Jessi Uribe and Paola Jara, whose rendition set the stage for the arrival of Jiménez’s mother and young daughter, Thaliana. “Whether it’s a lot or a little, I don’t know, but I’ll always be here to take care of your children, your wife, and those who might be weaker than you. As long as God gives me life and health,” said Lucy, the artist’s mother, who also dedicated the song “Confieso” by Kany García to her late son.

Francy and Arelys Henao, who alongside Jara form the leading trio of women in Colombian popular music, also paid their respects. Francy performed her song “El Adiós,” while Henao gave an emotional rendition of “Nadie Es Eterno” by Darío Gómez, an icon of Colombian music with whom Jiménez had collaborated on Pipe Bueno’s “Guaro Remix”.

Sebastián Ayala, another artist in the “Colombian regional” genre (a term Jiménez often used), captivated the audience with “Qué Tonto Soy,” which he originally recorded as a duet with Jiménez. Ayala mentioned that the two had plans to record together again in 2026. John Alex Castaño performed “Amanecí Contento” and recalled the moment he first met Jiménez, saying the latter had visited him wearing shorts and carrying a notebook filled with writings.

Among the attendees were Pasabordo, the duo of Jhonatan and Gabo, who had collaborated with Jiménez on “Hasta La Madre,” which they performed during the event. The duo has also written several hits for Colombian regional artists, such as “Cuánto Vale” by Luis Alfonso and “La Llamada” by Jiménez.

As the first session of the day neared its end, Ciro Quiñonez took the stage to perform the remix version of “El Embustero.” This song has a touching backstory, as its writer, a young empanada vendor named Yeison Majé, went viral with it, leading to a collaboration with Jiménez and Luis Alfonso. It was the first time the three had performed it together. Quiñonez also performed his biggest hit, “Regalada Sales Cara,” alongside Alfonso, Uribe, and Bueno — one of the genre’s most popular remixes in recent years. Jessi Uribe’s “Dulce Pecado” was also sung by the four artists.

For the thousands of fans shedding tears inside and outside the Movistar Arena (many also following the event via social media), the night couldn’t conclude without Luis Alfonso performing “Destino Final.” “Even though his body is gone today, his legacy, his music, and his spirit will always be with us […] It’s no secret that we’re not mourning saints today; we’re mourning crazy, entrepreneurial, joyful people,” he said, apologizing to Jiménez’s family for his candid and bold farewell to his dear friend.

To conclude the event, Jhonny Rivera and Andy Rivera also took the stage. Jhonny sang “Siga Bebiendo,” his collaboration with Jiménez, while his son Andy — who had also collaborated with Jiménez— performed “Borracho Te Busco.” Several of the musicians then joined on stage to sing “El Mejor (Remix),” a song the beloved artist recorded just over a year ago with Mexican singer Chayín Rubio. “Sing it loud; this is Yeison Jiménez’s fourth sold-out show at the Movistar Arena,” someone suddenly exclaimed, referencing the three shows the artist had given at a the venue in late 2024.

—This story was originally published by Billboard Colombia