CHR Music News

Olivia Rodrigo scores bestselling album at this year's Record Store Day Black Friday event

Olivia Rodrigo topped the list of bestselling albums for this year's Record Store Day Black Friday event, which saw artists exclusively releasing limited-edition vinyl albums in independent record stores.

It's not surprising that Olivia topped the list, considering her release, GUTS: the secret tracks, pressed on deep purple vinyl, collected the four songs she'd added on to the different variations of the vinyl versions of GUTS: "Obsessed," "Scared of My Guitar," "Stranger" and "Girl I've Always Been." As soon as fans found out the songs existed, they began clamoring for them. 

The second biggest seller was Noah Kahan'Cape Elizabeth EP, which had never before been available on vinyl. Other acts whose Record Store Releases were among the top 10 bestsellers include Post Malone, with his Diamond Collection vinyl, and records by Linkin ParkThe Doors, U2 and the Grateful Dead.

Taylor Swift didn't have a specific Record Store Day release this year, but the vinyl version of 1989 (Taylor's Version) was #22 on the list of top-selling albums. Among all artists in general, Olivia was #1, followed by The Doors, Noah Kahan and Taylor.

In other Olivia Rodrigo news, she was named Storyteller of the Year at Variety's Hitmakers awards ceremony over the weekend. Presenting her with the award was friend and singer/songwriter St. Vincent, who co-wrote Olivia's song "Obsessed." In her speech, she called Olivia a “precious baby angel muffin… but if a precious baby angel muffin was tough as nails and cool as hell."

St. Vincent added, "She is shockingly talented, whip smart, and to me, the most important combination, curious and kind. These attributes make her great and will make her a great storyteller for years to come."

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Katy Perry wins animal advocacy award from PETA's youth division

ABC/Eric McCandless

Katy Perry has added another award to her shelf, this time from peta2, which is part of PETA's youth division.

Katy won a 2023 Libby Award, presented to people, brands and products that "go above and beyond for animals," for her shoe brand, Katy Perry Collections, which was named Favorite Celeb Vegan Brand for its animal-friendly styles.

Other winners included Millie Bobby Brown for her makeup line, Florence by Mills, which was named Favorite Celeb Cruelty-Free Beauty Brand, beating out Selena Gomez and Ariana Grande's beauty brands. Millie was also named Animal Adoption Advocate for adopting her own dog and encouraging her followers to adopt from shelters.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Ryan Reynolds pokes fun at Taylor Swift & wife Blake Lively's sultry London pic

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Last week, Taylor Swift attended the London premiere of Beyoncé's Renaissance concert film, and brought her pal Blake Lively with her.  Blake and Taylor each posted a photo of themselves cuddling in a banquette at the event in their glamorous evening wear -- which was a cue for Blake's husband Ryan Reynolds to poke fun at them.

On his Instagram Story, Ryan posted a hilarious photo that a fan created: It has his face Photoshopped onto Blake's in the London pic, while Travis Kelce's face is Photoshopped onto Taylor's. Travis looks quite fetching with a side-tucked bang and slinky silver dress, while Ryan looks great with long, flowing blond hair.

"I feel like I should remember this," he captioned the pic.

Meanwhile, the real Travis and Taylor were together December 3 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with Taylor in a VIP box cheering on Travis as his Chiefs took on the Packers. Taylor was joined in the VIP suite by Brittany Mahomes, wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Unfortunately, the Chiefs lost.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Billie Eilish addresses coming out: "Why can't we just exist?"

Frazer Harrison/Variety via Getty Images

At Variety’s Hitmakers event on Saturday, Billie Eilish was asked about coming out in Variety’s recent Power of Women cover story.

The singer, who previously told the publication she was “attracted to” women, said she didn’t intend for the cover story to be any kind of big reveal.

“No, I didn’t,” she told Variety. “But I kind of thought, ‘Wasn’t it obvious?’ I didn’t realize people didn’t know. I just don’t really believe in [officially coming out]. I’m just like, ‘Why can’t we just exist?' I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I just didn’t talk about it. Whoops.”

She continued, “But I saw the article, and I was like, ‘Oh I guess I came out today.’ O.K., cool. It’s exciting to me because I guess people didn’t know, but it’s cool that they know.”

Billie admitted she’s still nervous to talk about it, but added, “I am for the girls.”

On Sunday night, however, Billie took to Instagram to express displeasure at Variety's line of questioning, writing, "thanks variety for my award and for also outing me on a red carpet at 11 am instead of talking about anything else that matters i like boys and girls leave me alone about it please literally who cares stream 'what was i made for.'"

In the November Variety story, Billie said she's always felt that other women don't like her, despite the fact that she likes them. "I’ve never really felt like I could relate to girls very well,” she said. “I love them so much. I love them as people. I’m attracted to them as people. I’m attracted to them for real.”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


From "Lil Boo Thang" to Lil Headlining Thang: Paul Russell ready to hit the stage

Nathalie Rodriguez

"Lil Boo Thang" singer Paul Russell will do his first headlining gigs December 4 and 5 in LA and New York. He says it's not the first time he's performed for an audience, but it's a "dream come true" to be able to create a true live experience to go with his music.

"I've, in the past, done shows, like, y'know, showcases in LA or opening for someone and that kind of thing," Paul tells ABC Audio. "When I first started out making music, before there was ever a thought of it being a career, I would play ukulele at coffee shops ... so I'm comfortable being in front of people."

But as Paul notes, his shows at El Cid Sunset in LA and Baby's All Right in New York are a whole 'nother level.

"It's cool now figuring out a live show because there's so much more that comes with that. It's like, OK, I'm not singing a couple of songs for five minutes. I'm building something that people are going to go and and pay [for]' ... it's a whole thing," he notes. "There's a production to it."

"So that's exciting to me, being able to, you know, think about what the physical, like, world is for my music and how it manifests in person," Paul says. "So it's a dream come true to be at the point where I have to think about those things."

Fans will also find out that Paul has many, many more songs than "Lil Boo Thang": He released albums in 2018 and 2019, and his previous single, "Ms. Poli Sci," has racked up more than 23 million streams.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Taylor Swift makes history with five albums in the 'Billboard' top 10 at once

Beth Garrabrant

It's not a big deal that Taylor Swift's latest rerecorded album, 1989 (Taylor's Version), has returned to the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 album chart. But it is a big deal that four of her other albums are now sharing space in the top 10 as well.

Billboard notes that Taylor is now the first living artist to have five albums in the top 10 at the same time since the modern Billboard 200 chart started began in August of 1963. In addition to 1989 (Taylor's Version) on top, Midnights is at #3, folklore is at #5, Lover is at #6 and Speak Now (Taylor's Version) is at #10.

As Billboard notes, all these albums, along with many others this week, scored sales bumps due to Black Friday and holiday promotions at retail.

In addition, Taylor's total weeks at number one on the Billboard 200, across all 13 of the albums that have reached #1 on that chart, now total 66. She's just one week away from tying Elvis Presley for the most weeks at #1 among solo artists: The late King of Rock & Roll spent 67 weeks at #1.

The only other artist overall ever to have at least five albums in the top 10 is Prince, following his death in 2016.  On the chart dated May 14, 2016, he had The Very Best of Prince, Purple Rain, The Hits/The B-Sides, Ultimate and 1999 all in the top 10.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Beyoncé's 'Renaissance' concert film tops the box office with $21 million opening weekend

Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood

Beyoncé's concert film Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, topped the domestic box office in its opening weekend, finishing slightly above expectations with an estimated $21 million. That marks one of the best debuts for a concert film, behind Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour with $92.9 million this past October, 2008's Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert with $31.1 million, Justin Bieber's 2011 outing Never Say Never with $29.5 million and Michael Jackson's This Is It with $23.2 million.

Renaissance -- written, directed and produced by Queen Bey -- was the first film in a couple of decades to open with more than $20 million on the typically slow weekend after Thanksgiving, according to distributor AMC Theatres.

Renaissance fell short of expectations overseas with an estimated $6.4 million, for a total of $27.4 million worldwide.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes dropped to second place in its third week of release, delivering an estimated $14.3 million. To date, the Hunger Games prequel has grossed $343.9 million in North America and $243.9 globally.

Third place went to another major debut, Godzilla Minus One, gobbling up an estimated $11 million. The foreign language sci-fi movie has already earned $23 million in Japan.

The animated threequel Trolls Band Together took fourth place, earning an estimated $7.4 million, for a three-week North American tally of $74.2 million $160.6 million worldwide.

Disney's Wish rounded out the top five with an estimated $7.4 million. To date, the animated feature has collected $42 million in North America and $81.6 million globally.

The Marvels ended its box office run as the lowest-grossing film in MCU history, with a total of $80 million in North America and $197 million worldwide.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Britney Spears' mother and brother attend her 42nd birthday party

Britney Spears' relationship with her family has been strained over the years, but at least two of her closest relatives attended her 42nd birthday party in LA on Friday night, according to People.

Britney's formerly estranged mom Lynne Spears and brother Bryan Spears, neither of whom were invited to her 2022 wedding to Sam Asghari, were at the party, and a source tells People, "Being together and celebrating her birthday was a really nice moment for the family."

Lynne's presence at the party came after Britney pronounced herself "blessed" that she and her mom were "able to try to make things RIGHT" by having coffee together "after 14 years" back in May. However, Britney and her mom seemed at odds last month over the question of whether or not Lynne disposed of Britney's childhood possessions.

As for Bryan, last year, Britney seemed angry at him after her wedding, but on November 28 of this year, she described him as "My big brother who’s like a dad and my best friend !!"

The same night as her party, though, Britney revealed that she had to rush her dog Snow to the emergency vet. She later shared on Instagram that the dog was "fine."  TMZ reported that Snow had hurt her foot and it just needed to be checked out.

Meanwhile, Britney's longtime friend Paris Hilton saluted the singer in a sweet Instagram post on Saturday, writing, "Happy Birthday @BritneySpears. So many fun memories together! Love you so much. Sending you lots of love on your special day! Keep shining sis."  She also posted a carousel of photos of the two having fun together back in the day.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Judge rules Kelly Clarkson's ex-husband owes her $2.6 million for "unlawfully" negotiating deals for her

Kelly Clarkson and Brandon Blackstock in early 2020; David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Kelly Clarkson has scored a legal victory over her ex-husband, Brandon Blackstock, who is also her ex-manager.

According to court documents obtained by ABC News, Brandon unlawfully procured business deals for Kelly while serving as her manager, including deals for Kelly to, among other things, coach on The Voice, host the Billboard Music Awards, and promote Wayfair and Norwegian Cruise Line. 

These deals were judged to be unlawful because, according to the California labor commission, they should have been handled by Kelly's agent, not her manager. Therefore, the commissions that Brandon received from Kelly for the deals were also obtained unlawfully and must be paid back — to the tune of more than $2.6 million.

Of that amount, nearly $2 million represents the commission from The Voice deal.

The ruling notes, "A manager, like any person without a talent agency license, cannot procure or attempt to procure employment for artists."

Brandon's legal team is appealing the ruling.

Kelly and Brandon split in 2020 after nearly seven years of marriage. They share two children: daughter River Rose and son Remington Alexander.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Music notes: Ariana Grande, Olivia Rodrigo and more

Bowen Yang has nothing but nice words to say about Ariana Grande. The Saturday Night Live cast member co-stars alongside Ari in the upcoming Wicked film, and he told People he adores everything about her. “She's an incredibly empathetic, beautiful, feeling person, and that comes through in her music very clearly.” He also explained what about her would make her an ideal partner. “I just think the fact that she's hilarious, full-out funny. I think that she's the perfect person for anybody to be around,” Bowen said.

Noah Kahan is teasing fellow musician and friend Olivia Rodrigo ahead of his Saturday Night Live debut performance on December 2. Olivia is making her second appearance on the sketch comedy show the following Saturday. "@oliviarodrigo I promise not to destroy the green room before you get here," Noah wrote on SNL's Instagram Story during his takeover of the account on Friday.

Taylor Swift shared a carousel of photos from the London premiere of Beyoncé's concert movie, Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé. Taylor posed with Beyoncé on the red carpet, and even shared a snap with her BFF Blake Lively. "Got invited to London by The Queen," Taylor wrote on Instagram. "Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé is in theaters now!!" 

Ryan Cabrera is a dad! The "On the Way Down" singer welcomed his first child with wife and WWE star Alexa Bliss on November 27. The new parents announced the news on Instagram Thursday. "Weighing in at 6 pounds, 9 ounces," Ryan said in a video, "She is 21 inches of fury."

Greedy for more from Tate McRae? You're in luck. She's revealed the track list for her upcoming album, Think Later. The 14-song album arrives Friday, December 8, and includes hits like "greedy" and "exes."

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


"Doja who?" was Dionne Warwick's reaction to her song being sampled in "Paint the Town Red"

Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal

Doja Cat's "Paint the Town Red" became her second number one a few months ago, no doubt in part due to the catchy sample of Dionne Warwick's 1964 classic "Walk On By" that goes through the entire track. But while appearing on The Kelly Clarkson Show on Friday, Dionne admitted her first reaction to finding out about the sample was, well, confusion.

"It's amazing, I didn't know it had been recorded by her," the legendary singer told Kelly. "My granddaughter called me and said, 'Grammy, do you know you're on a record with Doja Cat?' And I said, 'Doja who?'"

"She said, 'She's a rapper,' and she's explaining all this to me," Dionne continued. "And I said, 'OK, what song are we talking about?' And she said, '"Walk On By," you're completely through the entire song.' Well, apparently it's a major hit for her."

It certainly is: When "Paint the Town Red" topped the Billboard Hot 100 in September, it became the first rap song to hit #1 on that chart in more than a year.

"I hope 'Walk On By' is as good for her as it has been for me," said Dionne. "They’re great songs, and finally [young people] are being exposed to some good music.”

Dionne seemed somewhat put out that Doja didn't get her permission to sample the song, but since she didn't write it — Hal David and Burt Bacharach did — she likely didn't have a say in the matter anyway.

(Doja Cat video contains uncensored profanity.)

 

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


New Music Friday: Beyoncé, Tyla, Jung Kook and more

In honor of opening weekend of Beyoncé's Renaissance concert film, the singer has released new music. She dropped off a new song titled "My House," following the Los Angeles and London premieres of Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé, which chronicles her Renaissance World Tour. "A gift from the queen for the opening weekend of the Renaissance film," reads the caption on Apple Music's Instagram announcement. "Listen now to @beyonce's new track 'MY HOUSE.'"

Following the success of her viral hit "Water," Tyla has announced her self-titled debut album will be released on March 1. Three new tracks are also available now: "Truth or Dare," "Butterflies" and "On and On."

Jung Kook has released a new version of his song "Standing Next to You" featuring Usher. "This remix adds a velvety touch to the energetic vibe of the original version, showcasing the synergy between the two artists in full force," a statement from Big Hit Music reads.

Lana Del Rey has shared a cover of the John Denver song "Take Me Home, Country Roads." The "Summertime Sadness" artist reimagines the folksy 1971 tribute to West Virginia in her signature melancholic style. You can listen to the cover now via digital outlets.

MAX has released a new song in honor of his daughter's third birthday. The track is named after her — "Edie Celine" — and is accompanied by a music video featuring home videos of Edie's first few years. "A few hours after my daughter was born I was curled up with her in my arms in the hospital room rocking chair," MAX says in a statement. "I was overwhelmed with emotion and this song started flowing out of me. A small time capsule to a moment that I’ll treasure in my heart forever. Enjoy ‘EDIE CELINE’.”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Apple Music launching Taylor Swift Eras experience in NYC next week as pals salute her in new video

Buda Mendes/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

Taylor Swift super fans can register now for a chance to attend a special in-person event arranged by Apple Music  in New York City.

Apple Music's Taylor Swift Eras: The Experience will launch in lower Manhattan on December 8 and run through December 9. While the streaming platform is careful to say that Taylor will not be in attendance, it doesn't detail exactly what fans can expect from the event. 

Apple has also celebrated Taylor being its Artist of the Year by putting together a montage that includes a large number of her opening acts, past and present, plus her BFF Selena Gomez, all talking about why they love Tay and naming their favorite Era.

“I think it’s pretty obvious why Taylor is the artist of the year,” Selena says. "She has done so much for her community and fans.”

Camila Cabello, who opened for Taylor on the Reputation stadium tour, adds, "She really has been the soundtrack for me and my friends' lives. Those albums are poetry." Eras tour opener Gracie Abrams notes, "She's made magic. Kinda end of story." 

Fellow Eras tour opener Sabrina Carpenter says of Taylor, "She struggles to do anything that isn't iconic." We also hear from Eras Tour openers MUNA and Girl in Red in the video; Girl in Red raves, "My favorite Era is wherever she is and wherever she takes us."

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Dua Lipa's "Extended Edit" of "Houdini" has a whole new verse

Warner Records

Dua Lipa's newly released "Extended Edit" of her hit "Houdini" doesn't just feature a bunch of long instrumentals: It actually has a whole new verse.

The new verse pops up after the second verse, which ends with "If you got it, baby, give it to me." Then, the melody changes a bit, and Dua sings, "Weave the ceilin' from tomorrow/free the people from daylight/all the plans go out the window/when we're out this late at night."

"When I was in the studio working on ‘Houdini’ with my collaborators, we always had this dream of releasing a clubby, house mix of the record,” Dua explains in a statement. "The song was already the perfect soundtrack to a sweaty night out, but the new third verse just takes it to a whole new level."

"We’re putting it out into the world a little earlier than expected, but the fans just couldn’t wait!" she adds. "Think of it as an early holiday gift from me to you.”

On Instagram, she describes the track as "5 mins and 54 seconds of pure filth!!!!!!"

"Houdini" is the first release from Dua's much-anticipated new album, which is due out early next year.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Worth it: Watch Ally Brooke and Dinah Jane reunite in video for "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

Social Color Club / Noah Taher

Ally Brooke and Dinah Jane have now released the video for their festive duet "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," which reunites them for the first time since Fifth Harmony went on an indefinite hiatus in 2018.

In the playful clip, Ally and Dinah dance around in silk pajamas, decorate a tree, take selfies and load up plates of food.

“I’m beyond thrilled to be back together with my former Fifth Harmony mate Dinah! There are no words to explain how it feels to be reunited with our collaboration!" says Ally in a statement. "We hope to bring lots of happiness to our fans and the world with our reunion!”

“There’s a special type of joyous spirit that Christmas brings us all. This holiday season, I’m grateful for this healing union that has brought my good ole sister Ally Brooke and I together through music,” Dinah adds. “May this song encourage you to embrace love, forgiveness, and bring comfort to all."

Ally was already in the holiday mood, having released a four-track holiday EP, Under the Tree, last month.

It remains to be seen if Ally and Dinah's reunion will lead to more music from the two, or whether they'll be able to encourage any other former Fifth Harmony members to join in on the fun.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


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