Category: Music

Freddie Gibbs made an appearance on The Butcher Block Podcast and talked about his experience working on the first installment of Vultures alongside Ye (formerly Kanye West). And while he’s said he was grateful for the opportunity and had a great time working with Ye, things didn’t quite pan out like he hoped they would.

The Gary, Indiana, rapper told a story about the time he sent Ye a Complex list highlighting the best verses of 2024 where the outlet ranked Freddie’s “Back to Me” at No. 12, expecting a positive reaction; but instead he claims the Chicago rapper was jealous that none of his verses made the cut.

“This n—a Kanye was mad about that sh–,” Gibbs said. “That n—a was telling n—as like, ‘Man, how the f— this n—a think his verse is the best on my album?’”

He added, “When I sent it to him, I sent it to him thinking that, with the premise, he’d be proud of me. ‘Cause I look up to you. So I would think that, I rapped on your album, and people talking about it like this, you would think that a n—a like you would be proud of me. I was expecting, ‘Man, you did good on that sh–. Let’s keep going.’”

Gibbs continued by saying his verse was better because he was helping Ye by ghostwriting his verses. “That pissed him off,” he said. “Like, ‘How the f— this n—a think he got better verses than me?’ Like, n—a, I’m writing your verses, of course I got better verses than you.”

Billboard has reached out to Ye’s team for comment.

Welcome to the Music Industry (Taylor’s Version). On Monday (Aug. 25), Rachel Platten announced that she’s taking a page out of Taylor Swift‘s book by re-recording some of her biggest hits — including 2015’s Billboard Hot 100 smash “Fight Song” — in an effort to reclaim her voice, just like the pop superstar did.

Sharing her new project’s black-and-white cover art with the title Fight Song (Rachel’s Version), the New York native revealed in her caption that she will release a collection of new takes on a handful of her older songs on Sept. 26. The LP will also feature some live recordings, plus a “surprise from the vault” — much like Swift’s Taylor’s Version releases, each of which included previously unreleased “Vault” songs that had been scrapped from their respective albums’ original tracklists.

“As we celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Fight Song, I had no idea when I wrote these songs in moments of vulnerability that they would go on to change my life,” Platten wrote in her caption. “For a decade, they’ve lived out in the world, carrying their own weight. They’ve been parts of your moments of strength, doubt, and connection.”

“I’ve gone back to some of my originals, not to change them, but to reclaim them,” she continued. “This is about more than just new versions of old songs; the new Rachel’s Versions are infused with the voice I have now, the wisdom I’ve gained, and the undeniable pride of owning my own masters. I’m grateful to @TaylorSwift for bringing this conversation to light and empowering artists to take back control over their work, their stories, and their futures.”

Released in 2015 via Columbia Records, “Fight Song” spent months climbing the charts before peaking at No. 6 on the Hot 100 that August. One person who was definitely a fan of the track just so happened to be Swift, who brought Platten out onstage with her to sing it for thousands of fans at a 1989 World Tour show in Philadelphia more than a decade ago.

“Fight Song” has since become one of the world’s best-known anthems for perseverance in the face of hardship, serving as Hillary Clinton’s campaign song the year after it was released. It would find a home in 2016 on Platten’s album Wildfire, which reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200.

And while Platten is just starting out on her journey to take back ownership of her life’s work, Swift recently reached the culmination of hers. In a move that wrapped up six-plus years of oftentimes tense negotiations between the 14-time Grammy winner, Scooter Braun and Shamrock Capital — during which time she re-recorded four of her first six albums, bringing discussions about artist rights and fair recording contracts into the general public’s consciousness — Swift was finally able to purchase the rights to her back catalog earlier this year.

“To say this is my greatest dream come true is actually being pretty reserved about it,” Swift wrote in a letter on her website announcing the deal in May. “I’m extremely heartened by the conversations this saga has reignited within my industry among artists and fans. Every time a new artist tells me they negotiated to own their master recordings in their record contract because of this fight, I’m reminded of how important it was for all of this to happen.”

See Platten’s post below.

In honor of the life and enduring legacy of the late Connie Francis, Republic/UMe is making much of her music available in a variety of formats. Francis, the top female artist of the late 1950s and early 1960s, died on July 16 at age 87.

Francis’ rediscovered gem “Pretty Little Baby” — which became a viral sensation on social media this spring — will be released on Aug. 29 as a limited-edition baby-pink 7-inch vinyl single. Her 1958 breakthrough hit “Who’s Sorry Now” will be on the flipside; the song reached No. 4 on a pre-Hot 100 pop chart in Billboard.

Christmas in My Heart, Francis’ 1959 holiday album, will be released on Oct. 17 as an expanded edition on CD with two bonus tracks, “Blue Winter” and “Happy New Year Baby,” along with two vinyl offerings: standard black vinyl or limited-edition “lipstick-red” color vinyl.

More than 100 songs, spanning singles and rarities released between 1955-60, are now available to stream for the first time ever on the compilations The Singles 1955-1957, The Singles 1958-1959, The Singles 1960-1961, Rarities 1957-1959 and Rarities 1960.

Additionally, both volumes of Francis’ The Italian Collection (Italian Favorites and More Italian Favorites, both of which made the top 10 on the Billboard 200 in 1960-61) will return to streaming soon after many years as one compilation.

Over the next few months, more of Francis’ albums will find their way to streaming for the first time, starting Sept. 12 with A New Kind of Connie (which made the Billboard 200 in 1964), along with newly expanded editions of Jealous Heart (1966), My Heart Cries for You (1967), and The Wedding Cake (1969).

Francis made a great deal of history on the Billboard Hot 100. In June 1960, she became the first female solo artist to land a No. 1 hit with “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool.” Three months later, when “My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own” reached the top spot, she became the first female solo artist to land two No. 1 hits. In March 1962, when “Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You” went all the way, she became the first female solo artist to land three No. 1 hits. She held that record all by herself until March 1974, when Cher tied the record by hitting No. 1 for the third time as a solo artist with “Dark Lady.”

“Pretty Little Baby,” which was never a hit for Francis or even released as a single, introduced millions of young listeners around the globe to Francis’ joyful artistry this spring when the song went viral thanks to its use on TikTok. At its peak, “Pretty Little Baby” averaged 600K+ daily creates on TikTok alone, including posts from celebs and influencers alike, including Kim Kardashian & North West, Kylie Jenner and others.

The song broke into Spotify’s Global and U.S. charts for the first time the week of May 10. It peaked at No. 13 on Billboard’s Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart that same month.

Originally released in 1959, Christmas in My Heart found Francis teaming with Geoff Love’s orchestra to capture two distinct sides of the holidays. Side A features secular favorites while Side B focuses on reverent material. The album charted on Billboard’s Top Christmas/Holiday Albums chart in both 1963 and 1964. The album was reissued in 1966 as Connie’s Christmas.

The new expanded edition includes four songs that weren’t on the original 1959 release: “Baby’s First Christmas,” “I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter,” “Blue Winter” and “Happy New Year Baby.” Francis’ recordings of the first three of these songs made the top 30 on the Hot 100. “I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter” was revived in 2015 when Kylie Minogue covered it on her album, Kylie Christmas, which charted on the Billboard 200.

Here’s the complete track listing for the expanded edition of Christmas in My Heart.

Christmas in My Heart – Expanded Edition CD

“White Christmas”
“Winter Wonderland”
“The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)”
“I’ll Be Home for Christmas”
“The Twelve Days of Christmas”
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
“Adeste Fidelis”
“The Lord’s Prayer”
“Silent Night”
“O Little Town of Bethlehem”
“The First Noel”
“Ave Maria”
“Baby’s First Christmas”
“I’m Gonna Be Warm This Winter”
“Blue Winter”
“Happy New Year Baby”

Missy Elliott has reached a settlement with a music producer who claimed to have co-written several of her songs from the 1990s, ending a long-running legal dispute just as a jury trial was about to begin.

The agreement, struck Friday (Aug. 22) in a Philadelphia federal courtroom, will end a lawsuit filed by Terry Williams, who claims he and Elliott collaborated on numerous songs in the 1990s but that she refused to credit him as a co-writer.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed in court filings, but Elliott’s attorney Mike Trauben shared details with Billboard. “No money was paid in connection with any of Terry Williams’ claims, the last remnants of which were dismissed,” Trauben said in an email.

Trauben said a “small sum” had been paid to purchase beats created by Williams that were used in songs otherwise created and owned by Elliott. “Missy’s writings in her notebooks were returned back to her,” Trauben said, “along with all her music that he had in storage.”

Williams did not return a request for comment on Friday.

The lawsuit, which has been making its way through the court system since 2018, centers on the R&B girl group SISTA, where Elliott got her start before breaking out as a solo artist in the late 1990s. 

Williams, a music producer who once owned a Philadelphia recording studio, claimed that he and Elliott co-wrote four songs off Sista’s 1994 album 4 All the Sistas Around da World. He alleged that Elliott unfairly left him off the songwriting credits, and was seeking through the lawsuit to get back royalties stretching to the 1994 album release. 

Elliott, meanwhile, maintained throughout the case that Williams “did not write a single lyric or in any manner contribute to any of the songs” off 4 All the Sistas Around da World. Elliott said she did not even meet Williams until after she’d delivered the album to Elektra Records.

Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro ruled last year that due to these conflicting narratives, the lawsuit could only be resolved by a jury weighing the evidence and deciding who to believe. But the judge threw out an additional claim from Williams that alleged he and Elliott also co-wrote the 1996 Aaliyah song “Heartbroken,” saying this part of the case was barred by the statute of limitations.

Williams’ lawsuit also targeted Timbaland, who produced 4 All the Sistas Around da World, as well as Elektra, Atlantic Records, Warner Music Group and Reservoir Media. Those claims were all paused until the outcome of the Elliott trial, and they still remain pending.

Netflix appears to have its first No. 1 box-office title in the streaming company’s 18-year history thanks to the sensation of KPop Demon Hunters.

Rival studios on Sunday (Aug. 24) estimated KPop Demon Hunters led all films over the weekend with $16-18 million in ticket sales. Distribution executives from three studios shared their estimates for the Netflix phenomenon on condition of anonymity because the streaming company has a policy of not reporting ticket sales.

Following a dominating few weeks as one of the most popular Netflix releases ever, the streamer put the film into 1,750 theaters for sing-along screenings Saturday and Sunday. Studios are able to accurately estimate ticket sales for all releases on Sunday morning, though the uncommon nature of the KPop Demon Hunters release means a wider variance. Some estimates were as high as $20 million.

It amounted to a victory lap for KPop Demon Hunters, arguably the biggest hit of Hollywood’s summer, and an ironic success for Netflix, whose emphasis on streaming, not theatrical release, upended the movie industry. Another sore spot for Hollywood: The film was developed and produced by Sony Pictures, which sold it to Netflix.

Not all exhibitors went along. AMC, the largest theater chain in North America, declined to show the movie. But that didn’t stop Netflix from claiming the box-office title its more traditional competitors typically own.

David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm FranchiseRe, called it “a completely unique two-day musical event.”

“It may turn out to be higher,” said Gross. “Theater owners are quick on their feet and can add capacity according to demand.”

The theatrical release, though limited, is out of the ordinary for the streaming giant, which has long stressed a commitment to subscriber releases. The movie debuted on the platform in late June and is currently Netflix’s most-watched animated original film.

The film centers on HUNTR/X, a K-pop superstar trio doubling as demon hunters. The members, Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong) and Zooey (Ji-young Yoo), must protect their fans and face their biggest enemy yet: a rival boy band made up of demons in disguise.

Zach Cregger’s horror hit Weapons maintained strength in the box office during its third weekend, bringing in $15.6 million domestically. The buzzy horror movie has proved its staying power, raking in over $100 million globally since its release.

Disney’s Freakier Friday landed behind the horror movie once again, earning $9.2 million in North American theaters.

The two films are “real bright spots” as the box office heads into a “rather quiet finish” for the summer, said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for the data firm Comscore. Both films, which premiered simultaneously earlier this month, had a minimal 36% drop from last weekend.

“I think we have to look at the currency of the goodwill generated by people having these great summer moviegoing experiences,” Dergarabedian said. “We have to look at that as a more important metric than just the bottom-line dollars and cents.”

The Fantastic Four: First Steps earned $5.9 million domestically during its fifth weekend. The movie enjoyed a strong $118 million debut but has experienced a steady decline.

Newcomer Honey Don’t! opened in 1,317 North American theaters with a weekend gross estimate of $3 million, in line with expectations. The movie made it to the top 10, right above The Naked Gun.

The dark comedy stars Margaret Qualley as Honey O’Donahue, a small-town private investigator who investigates a slew of strange deaths tied to a church in Bakersfield, California.

Top 10 movies by domestic box office

With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:

1. Weapons, $15.6 million
2. Freakier Friday, $9.2 million
3. The Fantastic Four: First Steps, $5.9 million
4. The Bad Guys 2, $5.1 million
5. Nobody 2, $3.7 million
6. Superman, $3.4 million
7. Honey Don’t!, $3 million
8. The Naked Gun, $3 million
9. Jurassic World Rebirth, $2.1 million
10. Relay, $2 million

KARMA, the new album from Stray Kids, tops this week’s fan-voted music poll.

Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (Aug. 22) on Billboard, choosing the K-pop group’s fresh LP as their favorite new release of the past week.

KARMA topped the ranking in a week that also saw new releases streaming in from Doja Cat, Laufey and more. In a narrow victory KARMA was the crowd’s top pick, with the set bringing in more than 50% of the vote — sliding just ahead of Doja Cat’s new single.

Stray Kids’ fresh full-length LP is a collection of 11 tracks — including the single “Ceremony” feat. STAY — all produced by 3RACHA.

KARMA tells a story about destiny from the unique perspective of Stray Kids, according to a press release that announced the album. “Destiny is shaped by a tangled web of choices and consequences,” it said. “KARMA begins with this very idea — an attempt to interpret Stray Kids’ fate. Despite countless external judgments and inner conflicts, they have continued to forge their own path with unwavering resolve. Through their music, Stray Kids represent a story of growth.”

The boy band wrapped their largest world tour to date, Stray Kids World Tour <dominATE>, at the end of July after putting on 54 shows across five continents.

Among the new releases trailing behind KARMA on this week’s poll are Doja Cat’s “Jealous Type,” coming in with 47% of the vote. Laufey’s A Matter of Time, Sombr’s I Barely Know Her, Deftones’ Private Music, Offset’s KIARI, Kid Cudi’s Free and BigXThaPlug’s I Hope You’re Happy follow.

See the final results of this week’s poll below.