Live Nation Hits Q3 Revenue Record as Concert Demand Surges, With No Signs of Slowing Down PDF Free Download
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100%
Live Nation’s revenue grew 11% year over year to a
third-quarter record of$8.5 billion, the company an-
nounced Tuesday (Nov. 4).
The world’s largest concert promoter and ticket-
ing company continued tobenefitfrom vigorous
consumer demand for live music since the touring
business came back from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adjusted operating income (AOI) of$1.03 billionwas
a 14% increase from the prior-year period. Impor-
tantly, event-related deferred revenue and Tick-
etmaster deferred revenue were up 37% and 30%,
respectively, suggesting Live Nation is well situated
for upcoming quarters.
“Strong fan demand drove another record quarter, as
we continue to attract more fans to more shows glob-
ally,” CEO Michael Rapino said in a statement. “With
these tailwinds, 2026 is o to a strong start with a
double-digit increase in our large venue show pipeline
and increased sell-through levels for these shows.”
Foreign exchange had a small impact on reported
results. In constant currency, revenue was up 9%
(compared to 11% as reported) and AOI was up 12%
(compared to 14% as reported).
Within the concerts division,record-high sta-
dium show attendance drove revenue up 11% to$7.3
billionand AOI up 8% to $514 million. Live Nation
hosted 51 million fans, and attendancewas upby dou-
ble-digitsin all major markets. International markets
were led by Europe and Mexico, where attendance
growth reached double-digits.
Fan demand has undergone explosive growth
since the COVID-19 pandemic. Live Nation’s third-
quarter revenue of$8.5 billionwas 38% greater than
the$6.15 billionit generated in the same quarter of
2022. That improvement is dwarfed by the 125%rev-
enuegrowththe company has experiencedsince
the third quarter of 2019, a time beforeLiveNa-
tionacquireda majority stake in Mexican promoter
OCESA in 2021.
Within the Venue Nation segment, Live Nation’s di-
vision that owns andoperatesvenuesworldwide,fan
spending through October rose 8% at amphitheaters
and 6% at major global festivals. Investments in reno-
Live Nation Hits Q3 Revenue Record
as Concert Demand Surges,
With No Signs of Slowing Down
BY GLENN PEOPLES
(continued)
YOUR DAILY ENTERTAINMENT NEWS UPDATE
Bulletin
NOVEMBER 5, 2025 Page 1 of 28
• Inside Live Nation’s
Q3 Earnings: More
Stadium Shows,
International
Growth, DOJ Case
Optimism
• Sphere
Entertainment
Revenue Rises on
‘The Wizard of Oz,’
Backstreet Boys
Residency
• Irving Azo Says
It’s Time to Stand
Up to YouTube’s
‘Bullying’ (Guest
Column)
• Spotify Sued Over
Discovery Mode:
‘A Modern Form of
Payola’
• Andrew Del Villar
to Replace Dad as
CEO of Del Records:
‘This New Era’ Will
Be Dierent
INSIDE
• BILLBOARD 200
CLICK HERE
Page 3 of 28
vations have helped some venues improve
fan spending. For example, onsite fan spend-
ing at Jones Beach in New York was up 35%
through October, while onsite spending at
Estadio GNP in Mexico City tripled in the
first ten months of theyear.
At Ticketmaster, Live Nation’sticket-
ing division,revenue climbed 15% to $798
million while its AOI jumped 21% to $286
million. The improvement came from
a combination of more ticket sales and
higher average ticket prices: In the quarter,
fee-bearing tickets rose 4% to 89 million,
while fee-bearing gross transactionval-
ue(GTV)rose 12%.
Throughthe firstnine monthsof
2025, Ticketmaster’s total fee-bearing
GTVrose7% due to a 16% increase in inter-
national markets. Primary fee-bearing GTV
improved 8% while secondary GTV declined
1% on lower sports activity.
Live Nation’ssponsorshipsdivision had
record revenue of $443 million, up 13% from
theprior-yearquarter. Withagross margin
percentage of 71%,the highest of the com-
pany’s three divisions,sponsorship’s AOI of
$313 million, up 14% year over year, bested
Ticketmaster on 44% less revenue.
The number of thesponsorshipsdivi-
sion’s strategic partners rose 14%. New
agreements include consumer brands Hol-
lister, KraftHeinzandPatrón. The division
added a multi-year deal with Trips.com in
Asia and expanded its partnership with
Mastercard toadditionalmarkets, including
Hong Kong,South Africaand the Middle
East.
Live Nation is on pace for a record-setting
2025. Through the first nine monthsof the
year, revenue is up 8% to$18.89 billionand
AOI is up 9% to$2.17 billion. The record-
setting third quarter is expected to flow into
a strong fourth quarter. Arena,theaterand
club shows will bring the company to full-
year attendance of approximately160 mil-
lion, which would be a 6% increase from the
151 million fansit saw in2024.Live Nation
expects to deliver double-digit AOI growth
for the full year.
Looking ahead to 2026, the company
expects continued growth. In addition
to growth in deferred revenue — money
received for future events — Live Nation ex-
pects a double-digit increase in large venue
shows in2026. Average grosses for 2026
concerts are up double-digits on strong sell-
through levels.
Inside Live
Nation’s Q3
Earnings: More
Stadium Shows,
International
Growth, DOJ
Case Optimism
BY GLENN PEOPLES
Live Nation reported an11%in-
creasein total revenue in the third
quarteron Tuesday (Nov. 4), the
result of continued fan demand
for live music and a shift to stadiums from
amphitheaters and arenas.
On a call with analysts and investors, CEO
Michael Rapino and COO Joe Berchtold
discussed the finer points oftheresults.
Althoughit’sonly November, all signs point
tomoregrowth in revenue, ticket sales,at-
tendanceand sponsorships in 2026. Fan
demandisn’tfalling back to earth any time
soon, and Live Nation has made investments
— renovations, newvenuesand acquisi-
tions — to capture as much of that demand
as possible.
IN BRIEF
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Here are some of the highlights from the
earnings call andTuesday’searnings release.
Stadiums Dominated 2025 and Will Be
Big Again in 2026
In the concert business, the venue mat-
ters. Live Nation’s owned and operated
amphitheatershistoricallygeneratebetter
margins than other venues, but in2025,
there have been more stadium shows. “A lot
of artists decidednot to play arenas and am-
phitheaters and goforstadiums,” said Rapi-
no. In fact, in the third quarter, Live Nation
had 250 fewer amphitheater shows and 120
more stadium shows, according to Berch-
told. ButbecauseLive Nationoperatessome
of those stadiums — such as Rogers Stadium
in Toronto and Estadio GNP in Mexico City
—those shows boostedthe quarter’s per-fan
profitability, Berchtold said.
With the FIFA World Cup taking place in
the U.S., Canada and Mexico in the summer
of 2026, there have been some concerns that
soccer matches would limit stadiums’ avail-
abilityand put a damper on North America
tours.But those fears “haven’t seemed to
come to life,” Rapino said,adding thatsta-
diums should have “a very strong year[in
2026].”
Fans Keep Spending
People may be suering through nag-
ging inflation and feeling economic jitters,
but music fans are proving to be a resilient
bunch, asper-fan spending atLive Na-
tion’s owned and operated venues rose 8%
through October. Part of the growth comes
down to oering the right products. Non-
alcoholic drink sales wereupby20%, and
ready-to-drink options were up, too.The
growth canalsobe attributed to renovations
at amphitheaters that created VIP areas
with premium food and beverage options.
Amidst the growing importance of VIP
options to Live Nation’s business,the com-
panysaidit’snot seeing any pullback from
lower income brackets. “No, we have not
seen any of that,” Rapino said when asked
by Citi analyst Jason Bazinet if there was
evidenceof “bimodal” consumer behavior.
Many shows for 2026 are already on sale,
Rapino noted, and the company saw “no
pull-back anywhere.”
More Gains into the Fourth Quarter
and 2026
The fourth quarterand2026 areexpected
to continue the trendsseenin the first
three quarters of2025. Deferred revenue
— money collected but not yet recognized
as revenue for accounting purposes — is
an important metric for assessing demand
for upcoming events. Live Nation’s de-
ferred revenue is up big from a year earlier:
Event-related deferred revenue of$3.5 bil-
lionwas up 37% from the prior-year period,
andTicketmaster’s deferred revenue of
$231 million was up 30%. In addition, Live
Nation says its large venue show pipeline for
2026 is upbydouble-digits, and ticket sales
for concerts in 2026 have already reached
26 million. Sponsorship commitments for
2026 are up double-digits, too, according to
the company.
An International Tipping Point is Com-
ing
Fans at international concerts are on track
to surpass U.S. fans, the company revealed
on Tuesday. In fact, international business is
driving Live Nation’s growth. Whereas total
fee-bearing gross transaction value (GTV)
was up 7%, it rose 16% in international
markets.And of the 26.5 million net new
tickets from Ticketmaster enterprise clients,
70% came fromoutside the U.S. Addition-
ally,more thanhalf of the 5 million fans
expected to attend concerts at Live Nation’s
large (over 3,000 capacity) venues in 2026
will come from international markets.
Confidence in the Federal Antitrust
Lawsuit
The U.S. Department of Justice’slawsuit
against Live Nation and Ticketmasteris set
to go to trial on March 6. While thecom-
pany’slatest quarterly SEC filingadmits
the case “could involve significant mon-
etary costs or penalties,” its executives are
publicly confidentthelawsuitwon’tlead to
a nuclearoption:namely,breaking up Live
Nation and Ticketmaster. Berchtold pointed
to theremedies decisionin Septemberin
the Department of Justice’s case against
Google,which aimed to restore competition
in the internet search and search advertising
markets. The court placed certain remedies
on Google — a ban on exclusive distribution
of Google Search and Chrome, for example
— butdidn’tbreak up the company. To Live
Nation, the decision “very much validated
our view that the claims in our case can’t
lead to a breakup of Live Nation and Ticket-
master even if the DOJ prevails on one claim
or another,” said Berchtold.
Sphere
Entertainment
Revenue Rises on
‘The Wizard of
Oz,’ Backstreet
Boys Residency
BY ELIZABETH DILTS MARSHALL
Sphere Entertainment Co. reported
on Tuesday (Nov. 4) that the suc-
cess of The Wizard of Oz and the
Backstreet Boys residency at its
state-of-the-art Las Vegas venue boosted
revenue and operating income — though
those gains couldn’t oset a nearly $130 mil-
lion operating loss in the third quarter.
Sphere Entertainment generated revenue
of $262.5 million, up 15% or $34.6 million,
for the quarter ending Sept. 30, compared to
the same period last year. Adjusted operat-
ing income, an indicator of how much of a
company’s revenue will eventually become
profit, rose to $36.4 million from negative
$10.2 million a year ago. The company also
reported an operating loss of $129.7 million,
up $12.1 million from a year ago.
Since opening in 2023, Sphere has become
a destination for artist residencies, hosting
acts including U2, Phish, the Eagles, elec-
tronic act Anyma and now the Backstreet
Boys, who recently extended their Into the
Millennium residency into February 2026.
Upcoming acts include the DJ/producer
Illenium, who’s slated for a residency in
March and April, and No Doubt, which will
play the venue beginning in May.
When Sphere isn’t occupied by a con-
cert, the mega-venue also shows movies,
including the U2 immersive concert film
recording of its U2:UV Achtung Baby Live
residency and The Wizard of Oz atSphere.
Page 5 of 28
IN BRIEF
YEAR IN
MUSIC
THE NO. 1s ISSUE
I S S U E DATE A D CLOSE 12/2
MATERIALS DUE 12/4
12/13 I
Billboard’s Year in Music: The No. 1s will wrap up 2025
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be year-end charts, interviews and analysis of the
year’s top artists, songs, albums and labels as well as
the top producers, songwriters and publishers.
The year-end Billboard Boxscore charts will shine a
light on the most successful tours and the top concert
venues and promoters in the world.
This highly anticipated issue serves as a compilation
of must-have information. It is referenced year-round
by everyone in the music business and touring indus-
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Advertise in this signature collector’s edition and
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CONTACT
East Coast/Midwest Joe Maimone | joe.maimone@billboard.com
Southeast Lee AnnPhotoglo | laphotoglo@gmail.com
Los Angeles Aki Kaneko | moishekaneko@gmail.com
Latin Marcia Olival | marciaolival29@gmail.com
Touring & West Coast Cynthia Mellow | cmellow615@gmail.com
International Ryan O’Donnell | rodonnell@pmc.com
The company’s executive chairman and
CEO, James Dolan, has said that record-
ing, licensing and adapting these films costs
significantly less than live performances and
presents meaningful upside revenue.
The Wizard of Oz atSphere— an immer-
sive adaptation of the classic 1939 movie
— has sold more than 1 million tickets and
generated more than $130 million in sales
since its Aug. 28 premiere, the company
reported late last month.
In a statement, Dolan called The Wizard
of Oz “the best example to-date of experien-
tial storytelling in this new medium.”
He added that the film “has been met with
strong consumer demand. Looking ahead,
we believe our Company is well positioned
for long-term growth as we continue to
execute on our global vision for Sphere.”
Quarterly revenue generated by the
company’s Sphere segment rose 37% overall
to $174.1 million in revenue over the same
period last year, boosted by $28.3 million
more in revenue coming from the venue’s
film screenings, collectively known as The
Sphere Experience.
The Sphere Experience posted higher
per-show revenue from its 220 showings (up
from 207 last year) of three movies: Postcard
from Earth, the immersive U2 concert film
and The Wizard of Oz at Sphere. An addi-
tional 16 concert residency shows compared
to the prior year quarter also helped boost
event-related revenue by $15 million, though
that was oset by “lower average per-con-
cert revenue due to the mix of concerts” and
the absence of big sporting and corporate
events in the quarter. Sponsorship and
advertising on the outside of Sphere, along
with suite licensing fees, rose $2.7 million
from a year ago.
But more movies and shows mean more
expenses, and those associated with The
Sphere Experience rose by about $10 mil-
lion. Meanwhile, event expenses primarily
from residency shows rose by nearly $4 mil-
lion, contributing to an overall 26% increase
in the Sphere segment’s operating expenses,
which totaled $78.7 million for the third
quarter.
Overall, the Sphere segment posted an
operating loss of $84.4 million — a $40.6
million improvement from last year — and
adjusted operating income of $17.1 million.
Elsewhere, MSG Networks revenue fell
12% to $88.4 million on a more than 13%
decline in subscribers and a $12.7 million
decrease in distribution revenue.
Irving Azo Says
It’s Time to Stand
Up to YouTube’s
‘Bullying’ (Guest
Column)
BY IRVING AZOFF
David Israelite’s guest column
on October 23, 2025 explained
how little music creators get
paid across dierent streaming
services. I just want to lay out the facts and
be clear: YouTube pays the least for music,
full stop. They always have and always will
unless someone stands up to them. They’ll
throw up smoke screens and tempt you to
look the other way, but let’s not be fooled.
YouTube recently touted that it paid
artists $8 billion over the past year. This
sounds impressive, but it’s not. During the
same period, Spotify generated roughly $18
billion in revenue and paid about $12 billion
to music rights holders — nearly 67% of its
revenue. By contrast, YouTube generated
$60 billion in revenue and paid only $8 bil-
lion to rights holders — about 13%. YouTube
will say they’re not just a music service. But
I would argue that YouTube never would
have become such a successful platform
without music, and even if only one-third
of their revenue comes from music (and it’s
likely higher), they certainly should be pay-
ing more than Spotify, not 50% less.
How does YouTube pay less than their
competitors? They are a behemoth bully.
They have 2.7 billion monthly active us-
ers and more than $60 billion in annual
revenue. It’s the dominant video platform,
with more hours streamed than Netflix. It’s
the largest music service, with more users
than Spotify. And in the “traditional” TV
space, it’s on track to surpass Comcast as the
largest U.S. cable provider. This company
now owns audience and content delivery in
a way the world has never seen before.
Their tyranny isn’t just limited to music.
If you read the headlines, you will see a pat-
tern of coercion: YouTube vs. Televisa/Uni-
vision. YouTube vs. NBCUniversal. YouTube
vs. Fox. YouTube vs. Paramount. And now
YouTube vs. Disney. The playbook is always
the same: if you refuse to accept YouTube’s
below-market terms, YouTube threatens to
go dark until you capitulate. They then shift
the blame and spin the story — when in real-
ity, YouTube just wants to pay less.
And now they’re trying to dictate terms
to consumers too. If you’re a YouTube TV
subscriber, you received an email saying
“if Disney’s content is unavailable for an
extended period of time,” YouTube will give
you a paltry $20 credit. So, YouTube gets to
unilaterally decide for consumers how long
is too long and how much ESPN is worth to
them? They bully the people creating the
content and then they bully the consumers
who want access to it.
Disney understands that “content is
king,” but at YouTube, content is just a pawn
in their game. And the game at YouTube
is clearly about aggregating services and
market power (across Google and YouTube)
and using that market power to strong-arm
everyone in the ecosystem — rights hold-
ers, content creators, advertisers, everyone
— for their own financial gain. YouTube is
showing us what happens when unchecked
power and greed collide.
Thankfully, Disney is standing up to
YouTube, and we all need to support Disney
because enough is enough. As artists, con-
sumers, and companies, let’s voice our sup-
port for Disney in this battle with YouTube.
And in parallel, Washington needs to take a
good hard look at YouTube’s abuse of mar-
ket power and explore whether it’s time to
break up Google so that YouTube, YouTube
Music, and YouTube TV are separate busi-
nesses that finally have to compete on a level
playing field.
YouTube: without the artists, athletes, and
actors, there is no business.
Irving Azo holds the title of chairman and
CEO of The Azo Company and is the per-
Page 7 of 28
IN BRIEF
sonal manager of the legendary Eagles, Jon
Bon Jovi, U2, John Mayer, Van Halen, Gwen
Stefani, Steely Dan, Maroon 5, and many
others. The Azo Company is a privately held
media and entertainment company dedicated
to investing in positively disruptive busi-
nesses that put artists and fans first.Azo
was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame in 2020.
Spotify Sued Over
Discovery Mode:
‘A Modern Form of
Payola’
BY BILL DONAHUE
Spotify is facing a class action
lawsuit claiming its Discovery
Mode and editorial playlists are a
“modern form of payola” that allow
record labels and artists to secretly pay to
promote their music.
The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday (Nov. 5)
in New York, alleges that Spotify’s recom-
mendation tools are a “deceptive pay-
for-play” program, but that the streamer
misleads consumers into trusting that they
are neutral and based on personal musical
tastes.
“Spotify exploits that trust by marketing
itself as a platform that oers organic music
recommendations — whether through its
algorithmic or curated playlists — only to
secretly sell those recommendations to the
highest bidder,” reads the lawsuit, obtained
by Billboard.
The case was filed by a Spotify subscriber
named Genevieve Capolongo, who seeks
to represent “millions” of other users who
were allegedly misled by Spotify’s oerings.
Her lawyers say she used the platform’s
personalization features for years, but “kept
hearing the same major-label tracks” that
“bore little resemblance to her listening
habits.”
In a statement to Billboard, a spokesper-
son for Spotify called the accusations “non-
sense” and pointed to its detailed explana-
tion of the program.
“Not only do they misrepresent what Dis-
covery Mode is and how it works, but they
are riddled with misunderstandings and
inaccuracies,” the company said. “Discov-
ery Mode is a feature artists can use to flag
priority tracks for algorithmic consideration
in limited contexts: Radio, Autoplay, and
certain Mixes. It doesn’t buy plays, it doesn’t
aect editorial playlists, and it’s clearly dis-
closed in the app and on our website.”
The new case is the latest to claim that
major labels are buying placement on Spo-
tify to boost their artists. The high-profile
lawsuit filed by Drake over Kendrick
Lamar’s “Not Like Us” included accusations
that Universal Music Group used bots and
payments to juice the song’s popularity on
many platforms, including Spotify. Another
case, filed earlier this week, claims that
Spotify “turned a blind eye” to bots and
other forms of fraudulent streams designed
to inflate certain artists.
First unveiled in 2020, Discovery Mode
allows artists and labels to get boosted on
Spotify in return for accepting reduced
royalties. It was initially met with scrutiny,
including a Congressional investigation,
over its similarities to payola, or the practice
of secretly paying radio stations for airplay.
But it has become a popular industry
marketing tool around the release of new
music.
Much of Wednesday’s lawsuit is focused
on the extent to which Spotify discloses the
exact parameters of Discovery Mode to its
users. Though listeners are oered a link
to an “About Recommendations” explainer
when using it, Capolongo’s attorneys say
that isn’t enough.
“Telling users that ‘commercial consid-
erations may influence’ recommendations
does not reveal which songs are being
promoted commercially and which are be-
ing recommended organically,” her lawyers
write. “Without that specificity, users can-
not distinguish between genuine personal-
ization and covert advertising.”
The lawsuit also claims that Spotify’s
editorial playlists, like the hugely influential
Today’s Top Hits and RapCaviar, are also
subject to pay-for-play. But it fails to oer
any concrete examples of such payments,
citing only unnamed “industry insiders”
confirming that it happens and circumstan-
tial evidence about the “disproportionate”
rates of major-label music on such playlists.
In technical terms, the lawsuit claims Spo-
tify’s conduct violated New York state law
with deceptive practices and false advertis-
ing. It also claims Capolongo was fraudulent-
ly induced to subscribe and that Spotify was
unjustly enriched by its behavior.
In more straightforward language, Capo-
longo says she simply wouldn’t have paid for
Spotify if she had “known the truth” about
the service: “That Spotify’s playlists and rec-
ommendations are shaped by undisclosed
pay-for-play arrangements and hidden
commercial incentives, not by her listening
history alone.”
Andrew Del Villar
to Replace Dad
as CEO of Del
Records: ‘This
New Era’ Will Be
Dierent
BY GRISELDA FLORES
Andrew Del Villar is set to take
over as the new CEO of regional
Mexican music powerhouse Del
Records. The transition that he
and his dad, Ángel Del Villar, have been
“planning for years” will take eect Thurs-
day, Nov. 6.
The 26-year-old will step in amid his
dad’s legal battles as he faces a prison
sentence thatwill begin on Dec. 1. Over the
summer, Ángel was sentenced to four years
in prison following his conviction on felony
charges of doing business with a concert
promoter linked to Mexican drug cartels.
Now, the California-based indie record label
— founded by Ángel in 2008 and previously
home to música mexicana giants like Esla-
bon Armado, Ariel Camacho and Gerardo
Ortiz — is looking to enter a new era with a
Page 8 of 28
IN BRIEF
new leader in tow.
“While we never talked about when this
transition would actually happen, I’m ex-
cited because my dad and I had been plan-
ning this for years, it’s been a while and it’s
finally happening,” Andrew tells Billboard
over Zoom, just days before stepping into
his new role.
Previously Del Records’ COO, Andrew
began working for his dad’s company as a
teenager and mainly worked behind the
scenes, booking theater or arena shows
for the label’s roster and flagging artists on
social media that he thought his dad should
sign, including sierreño acts Eslabon Ar-
mado and T3R Elemento.
“I started getting involved like 7 or 8 years
ago and started from the bottom; collect-
ing tickets, charging when we were doing
the nightclubs, and booking U.S. shows in
theaters and arenas,” Andrew says. “Then,
I kinda of became A&R, sending my dad
artists I was finding on social media. I would
say, ‘Hey, what do you think about them?’
Just like my dad, I have a good ear and can
identify who has potential.”
While Andrew is open to branching out
to dierent genres, for now, Del Records
will continue to focus on signing música
mexicana acts. “[Regional Mexican] has
been our bread and butter,” he adds. “DEL
has done a lot over the years, and I want to
keep that legacy alive, and keep signing art-
ists and build them from the ground up,” he
explains. “But this new era will dierenti-
ate from my dad’s run because I will launch
new marketing and promotion strategies,
leaning heavily on social media. That’s the
biggest marketing you can invest in. There’s
more to just posting on social media, you
needa team dedicated to taking that post to
the next level.”
Andrew is revamping his dad’s “Canta
Con Del” initiative that launched 10 years
ago, inviting local California acts to sing at
the family’s restaurant for a shot at getting
signed by the label. Andrew will relaunch
that initiative but open it to artists from all
over the world who can submit their songs/
performances on social media. “There’s
talent everywhere and we want people to be
heard and get an opportunity,” he says.
Over the years, Andrew gained confidence
to make decisions, encouraged by his dad to
find his voice. “He would tell me, ‘Hey, mijo,
whatever you want to say, whatever you
want to do, let’s roll with it.’ He’s given me
that confidence to speak up.”
Andrew further adds, “My dad has
always been my role model, everything that
has been thrown at him is a lot, we’ve had
these talks for years and he’s always been
positive about everything. He’s told me to
never let things get to me because in our
genre, and the industry in general, people
don’t wish you well. But never let the nega-
tivity get to you.”
Del Records’ roster today includes Lenin
Ramírez, Yahir Saldívar, Sucesión M and Pan-
chito Arredondo, plus newly added acts Marco
Granillo, Andi Luan and Cobian Montana.
No Radio Without
Royalties: New
Rules for a
New Era (Guest
Column)
BY MICHAEL HUPPE
Here’s a story that captures
everything wrong with Wash-
ington: Billion-dollar corpora-
tion asks Congress to force car
manufacturers to install AM radio in every
vehicle — a government tech mandate worth
billions of dollars to its bottom line — while
refusing to pay the artists and rights owners
whose music is the very foundation of their
business.
Last Congress, lawmakers such as House
Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeries saw
through this scheme and stood firm. Radio
lobbyists went home empty-handed. Now
they’re back, asking for the same corporate
handout, and still refusing to pay artists a
dime.
Before you say, “But who listens to AM/
FM radio in 2025?”, ask yourself this
question: Why are corporate radio lobby-
ists fighting so hard for this government
mandate?Because keeping radio in cars is
worth almost $14 billion in advertising every
year.And why is it worth that much?Be-
cause hundreds of millions of Americans
still listen to AM/FM radio every week.
Big Radio spent over $13 million lobby-
ing Congress last year, which doesn’t even
include the millions they contributed to
political campaigns, to protect their golden
goose at the expense of artists.
Corporate radio lobbyists engage in a
cynical game of claiming something we all
know isn’t true. They claim artists should
be satisfied that “promotion” on radio is
good enough compensation. But the days
of Americans discovering music on AM/
FM radio are long gone. Social platforms
like YouTube and TikTok are where music
breaks now. Last year, 84% of Billboard
Global 200 songs went viral on TikTok first.
Radio adapted by abandoning discovery
and repeatedly playing popular songs radio
listeners already know — in a single day
recently, one iHeart station played songs by
six major artists 112 times. One station. In
a single day. Without paying a penny to the
performers.
That isn’t promotion. It’s exploitation.
That’s why the last Congress rejected ra-
dio lobbyists’ eorts to pass the AM in Every
Vehicle Act. And why they must again reject
it unless radio corporations agree to tie it
to the American Music Fairness Act that
ensures artists are paid fairly for radio plays.
Under the American Music Fairness Act,
small and community stations would only
have to pay between $10 and $500 a year to
play all the music they want. The bill also
gives radio corporations the opportunity
to tell the independent Copyright Royalty
Board what they think the performance roy-
alty rate should be. If radio conglomerates
believe their airplay has promotional value,
they can make their case.
For some reason, AM/FM radio compa-
nies think they are special and that the prin-
ciples of copyright shouldn’t apply to them.
Every other platform pays artists for the
work they do. Spotify. Pandora. SiriusXM.
Only AM/FM radio — the most established
music platform — claims it should be ex-
empt from this concept.
For years, corporate radio lobbyists
Page 9 of 28
IN BRIEF
engaged in cynical practices to block music
legislation. But now they are the ones who
want Congress to act. And that gives music
creators power — and they are speaking out
with one voice.
Over 300 artists – from Aerosmith to
Barbra Streisand to Jelly Roll to Mariah
Carey – wrote Congress earlier this year
calling for passage of the American Music
Fairness Act. This was an unprecedented
display of artist unity for fair pay.
And just this week, Boyz II Men, Gloria
Gaynor, Mike Love, Sammy Hagar,
Smokey Robinson and others called on
congressional leaders to pair the AM bill
with the American Music Fairness Act.
Their message was simple: “When you save
the radio industry by mandating its technol-
ogy remain in cars, we ask that you save the
musician too and allow us to be paid fairly
when our music is played.”
Artists have never been this fired up. Per-
haps that’s because, like the rest of America,
they are fed up with our workers being
taken advantage of. This is about priorities.
Big Radio corporations want Congress to
mandate that their product be installed in
every new car sold in America — govern-
ment intervention to protect corporate prof-
its. Meanwhile, musicians are simply asking
to be paid for their work.
The solution is simple: If radio corpora-
tions want billions in government-mandated
protection, they need to start paying the
workers whose labor generates their wealth.
No corporate handouts without worker
fairness. No radio without royalties.
Michael Huppe is the president and CEO
of SoundExchange, where he champions
creators and spearheads the use of technol-
ogy, data and advocacy to power the future of
music. To date, SoundExchange has distrib-
uted more than $12 billion in digital perfor-
mance royalties to a growing community of
more than 800,000 music creators. Michael
is also an adjunct professor at Georgetown
Law School, a published author, lecturer and
active community member. He is a member
of YPO, Forbes Business Council, and Fortune
Brainstorm Trust, with opinions published in
Variety, Rolling Stone, The Wall Street Jour-
nal, Music Business Worldwide, Billboard
and The Hill.
Will Albums by
Florence + The
Machine, Tyler,
The Creator or
Michael Jackson
Crack the Top 10
Next Week?
BY ANDREW UNTERBERGER
The Contendersis a midweek
column that looks at artists aiming
for the top of theBillboardcharts,
and the strategies behind their ef-
forts. This week, for the upcoming Billboard
200 dated Nov. 15, we look at the chances
ofa handful of albumsto reacha top 10 still
dominated by Taylor Swift andKPopDemon
Hunters.
Florence + The Machine,Everybody
Scream(Polydor): Thescreaminessof the
latest set from Florence Welch is less about
traditional spookyscariesthan the horrors
of the life-threatening ectopic pregnan-
cyWelchrecently suered, as well as the
indignities of being a veteran woman artist
in the music industry. Regardless, theHal-
loween-released setseems to beresonat-
ingfor its more adult terrors, drawingsome
of the best reviewsof the year for a major
release.
The set is not expected to stream in
exceptional numbers —Florence + The
Machine have never scored areal break-
out hitduring the streaming era, outside of
collaborations —but it should sell well, as
theoutfit’salbums traditionally have. Help-
ing will be a multitude ofoptionsavailable
for purchase: six vinyl variants and four CD
variants, including a signed copy in each
format, as well as deluxe digital and stream-
ing editions that include four “chamber
versions” bonus tracks, featuring stripped-
down arrangements of someScreamhigh-
lights.
With itsrelatively minimalpresence
on DSPs,it’sunlikely thatEverybody
Screamwill be able to challenge stream-
ing behemoths like Taylor Swift and
theKPopDemon Hunterssoundtrack at the
very top of the Billboard 200 next week.
Butthe set does appear on pace to debut in
the top 10 — which would mark Florence +
The Machine’s fifth consecutive album to
reach the region —and could alsohave a
shot atthe outfit’s first top five album since
2018’sHigh as Hope.
Tyler, the Creator,CHROMA-
KOPIA(Columbia):CHROMAKOPIAof
course already debuted atop the Billboard
200 last November, with career-bestfirst-
week numbers for Tyler,The Creator
despite arriving with an incomplete first
tracking week. But for the set’s one-year
anniversary, the rapper has reissued the set
asCHROMAKOPIA+, with the bonus track
“Mother”—featuring mid-song interjec-
tions and wisdom from his mom Bonita
Smith, and previously only available on the
album’s physical release — nowinserted into
itstrackliston DSPs.
In addition to the new song on stream-
ing — which was featured near the top of
Spotify’s New Music Friday and is streaming
solidly, albeit not as much as an ocial new
Tyler singlerwould — the “Plus” set has also
been reissued for physical purchase on CD
andvinyl.It’salso on sale in two boxed sets,
each of whichcontainsa branded merch
item in a branded box, along with a copy of
the CD.
TheoriginalCHROMAKOPIAhas still
yet to leave the Billboard 200, currently
ranking at No. 117 in its 53rd week on the
chart. But theadditionalsales and streaming
interestfrom the reissue should be enough
to give ita bigboost for next week,perhaps
allthe way back to the chart’s top 10.
Michael Jackson,Thriller(Epic): And of
course, the week after Oct. 31, youcan’tdis-
count the chart impact ofactualHalloween-
friendly music on the Billboard 200. As
is often the case in recent years, Michael
Jackson’sThrillerseems to be leading
the pack on streaming—thanks to clas-
sics like itsmidnight-movietitle track
andvaguelyspook-adjacent “Billie Jean”
—followed by fellow holiday perennials like
theNightmare Before Christmassoundtrack
Page 10 of 28
IN BRIEF
and Andrew Gold’sHalloween Howls: Fun &
Scary Music.
However, the timing of the tracking week
may be dissuasive towards any of these
albums makingtoobig a jump. With Hal-
loween falling on a Friday this year — the
first day of thenewtracking week —the
lead-up excitement for the holiday isall
contained to the previous tracking week
(henceThrilleralready climbing 46-30 on
this week’s Billboard 200), and interest
in such jams usually falls o quickly and
dramatically once the calendar turns to No-
vember.Butperhaps witha full weekend to
celebrate, interest will sustainjustenough
this year forThrillerto return to the top
10— or at least thetop 20.
Will Tame Impala’s
‘Dracula’ Become
a New Halloween
Perennial?
BY KYLE DENIS,
ANDREW UNTERBERGER
Welcome to Billboard
Pro’sTrending Upnews-
letter, where we take a clos-
er look at the songs, artists,
curiosities and trends that have caught the
music industry’s attention. Some have come
out of nowhere, others have taken months to
catch on, and all of them could become ubiq-
uitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.
This week: Kehlani eyes a big chart move
thanks to a new pack of remixes, a surreal vi-
ral trend helps put a rising singer-songwriter
on the streaming map, basketball’s greatest
soundtrack makes a comeback and more.
Tame Impala’s ‘Dracula’ Sinks Its
Teeth Into the Halloween Season
This year, Halloween fell on a weekend,
meaning the partying was perhaps even a
little more widespread than usual — and the
songs that provide the annual soundtrack
for such festivities exploded were even
more explosive on streaming. On DSPs, the
top-ranking songs were the usual peren-
nial favorites, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,”
Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters” and Bobby
“Boris” Pickett’s “Monster Mash” of course
among them. But a little lower on those
listings was another much-newer spooky-
season favorite: “Dracula,” the current
electro-pop breakout hit for psych-dance
vets Tame Impala.
“Dracula” has already proven a chart sen-
sation, debuting on the Billboard Hot 100 at
No. 55 in October and hitting a new peak of
No. 33 last month following the release of its
parent album Deadbeat – his first-ever entry
on the chart, since joined by two of its Dead-
beat tracklist mates. It may hit a new peak
on the Hot 100 on next week’s chart (dated
Nov. 15), after the (loosely) vampire-themed
and (vaguely) eerie-sounding track racked
up over 1.8 million ocial on-demand
U.S. streams on Oct. 31 — up 49% from the
previous Friday, according to Luminate, a
massive gain for a song already pulling daily
streams in the seven digits.
Will the song endure to become a Hallow-
een staple like those aforementioned proven
classics? Time will tell, but early signs are
encouraging for “Dracula” becoming a holi-
day immortal.
Toni Braxton Proves ‘Man Enough’
for a Streaming Boost, Thanks to Kayla
Nicole and an Upcoming Movie
A week after throwing Kehlani an assist
on“Folded,”Toni Braxton is experienc-
ing a mini-streaming revival for one of her
own hits. Thanks to a spicy Halloween
costume from Kayla Nicole,Travis Kelce’s
ex, and a flurry of motion from the Braxton
world,streams for2000’s “He Wasn’t Man
Enough”are way up.
According to Luminate, on Oct. 31, “Man
Enough” (which reached No. 2 on the Hot
100) earned 106,000 ocial on-demand U.S.
streams. After Nicoleshared her costume,
which tributesthetrack’ssultry music
video, on Halloween, the Grammy-winning
song jumped 87% to over 200,000 ocial
streams (Nov. 1). By Nov. 2,“Man Enough”
leapt a further 32% to over 265,000 ocial
streams, with the following day (Nov. 3) giv-
ing way to a 38% boost, resulting in 366,000
ocial streams.Over that four-day period,
streams for Braxton’s smash exploded over
242%.
To her credit, Braxton also kept her name
in the headlines all by her lonesome, which
only further propelled “Man Enough.”On
Oct. 28, New Edition confirmed it would
head out on a2026 touralongside Brax-
ton andBoyzII Men,by Oct. 30, all
threeactsperformed a medleyonGood
Morning America, with Braxton crooning
“Man Enough.”Furthermore, the lat-
est season ofTheBraxtons, a reality show
following Braxton and her famous family,
premiered on We TV on Oct. 10, with clips
quickly going viral across social media.Also
on Oct. 28, Lifetimesharedthe first look
atHeWasn’tMan Enough, an original TV
movie starring and executive produced by
Braxton based on her hit song.
During the first four days of the week
preceding Halloween (Oct. 24-27), “Man
Enough” logged over 313,000 ocial on-de-
mand U.S. streams, with that number jump-
ing just under 200% to over938,000 ocial
streams over the equivalent period the
following week (Oct. 31-Nov. 3).In addition
to its streaming boost, “Man Enough” also
returned to the iTunes U.S. top 30.—KYLE
DENIS
Drake and the Toronto Blue Jays: Still
Definitively ‘Not Like Us’
For the second straight autumn, the Los
Angeles Dodgers ended the baseball season
on top of the mountain. After defeating the
Toronto Blue Jays in a classic seven-game
World Series — with the seventh game (on
Saturday, Nov. 1) going to extra innings and
ending on a bases-loaded double play —the
Dodgers became the first team since the
New York Yankees of 25 years earlier (‘99-
’00) to repeat as MLB champions.
And just like it was last year, the most
frequent song of celebration for Los An-
gelenos was Kendrick Lamar’s forever-
triumphant, forever-sneering “Not Like Us.”
The Grammy-winning, Hot 100-topping
classic diss track from L.A.’s most esteemed
modern hip-hop representative rang out
across Southern California over the week-
end, pulling a combined 1.8 million ocial
on-demand streams across the two days
(Nov. 2-3) following the Dodgers’ clinching
victory — up 16% from the same period the
week before, according to Luminate.
And of course, helping to make the victory
Page 11 of 28
IN BRIEF
and its soundtrack extra sweet: The Blue
Jays’ most high-profile celebrity representa-
tive at the series was of course the 6 God
himself, Kendrick’s 2024 foe Drake. The
FOX network even tweeted a mocked-up
photo after the game of a trophy-donning
Lamar speeding away from Drake on the
baseball diamond, right next to the all-caps
caption, “THEY NOT LIKE US.” —A.U.
Catalog Licensing
Platform Launches
With Support
From Beggars
Group, Domino,
Partisan
BY SOPHIE WILLIAMS
A
coalition of top independent
labels has joined forces to launch
Catalog, a curated music licens-
ing marketplace designed to let
artists sync their music and receive real-
time compensation.
Beggars Group, Domino, Ninja Tune,
Warp, Partisan Records and Erased Tapes are
among the early supporters of the platform,
which launches Wednesday (Nov. 5) via mu-
sic supervision company Too Young Ltd.
Created by Frederic Schindler, AIM’s
music supervisor of the Year 2025, the
platform will debut with more than 30,000
sync-ready tracks from over 1,800 artists,
with the aim of serving as an antidote to the
royalty-free stock music economy.
Catalog arrives with the intention of help-
ing to put more money into artists’ pockets.
Creatives are able to set sync oers via its
Sync Smart Pricing technology, which ana-
lyzes data points on an artist and song histo-
ry to generate market-rate fees. The process
thus allows for approvals faster, bypassing
the traditional exchange of documents and
any subsequent red-lines by auto-generating
a final license once the terms have been
agreed upon between stakeholders.
While searching for music on Catalog,
creatives can use advanced filters such
as audio similarity, and audio-to-picture
auditioning, as well as being guided by a
human-led “editorial search” mode to find
relevant tracks. Artists signed up to the
platform include Kurt Vile, Yves Tumor, Ela
Minus, Marie Davidson and Icelandic multi-
instrumentalist Ólafur Arnalds.
By providing this technology, Catalog is
seeking to reduce the number of sync ex-
changes with “ghost artist libraries” – stock
music attributed to anonymous musicians,
presumably in an eort to reduce sync
payouts for advertisements, video content
and so forth.
“Catalog is the result of a deep collabora-
tion with the most forward-thinking rights
holders in the industry,” Schindler explained
to Billboard U.K. “This is what happens
when artists, labels, publishers, managers,
and supervisors come together to address a
problem. We’re not ‘disrupting’ them; we’re
building this new era together.”
Ahead of its launch, Catalog music direc-
tor Thierry Planelle worked with Vero-
nique Nichanian, creative director of Her-
mès, to replace a key track for the fashion
house’s Men’s Ready to Wear 2026 runway
prior to the show. The feat prompted an
endorsement from Christof Ellinghaus,
founder and CEO of revered indie City
Slang.
“This placement very quickly demonstrat-
ed Catalog’s ease of process and powerful
usability,” Ellinghaus said in a press release.
“We are excited about the prospects ahead
with this great new platform. And trust us,
we usually hate platforms!”
Membership applications for Catalog are
now open in the U.K., Europe, US, Canada
and Mexico. Further access information can
be found on its ocial website.
CMT’s Long-
Running ‘Hot 20
Countdown’ to
End in December
BY MELINDA NEWMAN
CMT’s flagship show, the Hot 20
Countdown, will conclude at the
end of the year, Billboard has
learned from sources.
The program, hosted by Cody Alan and
Carissa Culinar, has run on CMT since 2013.
The show counts down the 20 hottest coun-
try music videos and features appearances
by country artists.
The Hot 20 Countdown is the last original
regular music programming on the channel,
which has experienced continual cutbacks
in sta and programming over the past year
and a half. This spring, for the first time
since its debut in 2002, the CMT Awards
were paused as parent Paramount Global
merged with its new owner, Skydance Me-
dia. That deal closed in August.
Though non-music related, CMT does
still air one original series, with the Tay-
lor Sheridan-produced The Last Cowboy,
a horse-reining rider talent competition.
The sixth season premieres on Friday
(Nov. 7). Last week, it was announced that
Yellowstone creator Sheridan will leave
Paramount in 2028 for a new deal with
NBCUniversal.
As with the other Paramount-owned lin-
ear channels, there has been a massive tal-
ent drain at CMT over the past 18 months,
including Leslie Fram, senior vp of music
strategy and talent, who left last fall, as did
director of music and talent Stacy Cato, vp
of production; Quinn Brown, vp of produc-
tion; Ray Sells, senior director of produc-
tion and Darrell Hughes, senior producer
of Hot 20 Countdown, among others.
This fall, there have been more cuts and
buyouts, including Donna Duncan, vp of
CMT music and talent, who left in Sep-
tember. Last week, as around 1,000 people
were cut across Paramount, Margaret
Page 12 of 28
IN BRIEF
Comeaux,the highest-ranking executive
still at CMT, who serves as senior vp of
production, music & events, announced she
will leave the company in December after 24
years. (Comeaux also serves as an executive
producer on Hot 20 Countdown.) Melissa
Goldberg, who had been CMT’s vp of digi-
tal and social, left the company to join sports
and entertainment company Teton Ridge in
October.
Even before the merger, Paramount
Global had been chipping away at original
content on CMT and other websites. In
June 2024, Paramount stopped producing
original content for many of its cable chan-
nels’ websites, including CMT.com, which
had been a robust site for years, and began
directing visitors to content on Paramount+
and other sister outlets. The last new epi-
sode of Crossroads, CMT’s acclaimed series
that paired a country artist with an artist
from another genre, aired in December 2023
and featured Chris Janson and Poison’s Bret
Michaels. While CMT named a 2025 class
for its Next Women of Country franchise
that highlighted new female artists since
2013, with Hot 20 Countdown sunsetting,
one of the primary venues for exposure for
those women will be gone.
CMT’s daytime programming consists
primarily of classic sitcoms, including Reba,
Roseanne, Mama’s Family, King of Queens
and Golden Girls, as well as movies like Raid-
ers of the Lost Ark. Music videos run over-
night between 12 a.m. and 6 a.m. In addition
to new episodes premiering on Saturday
mornings, the Hot 20 Countdown repeats on
Sunday mornings.
In broader Paramount Skydance news,
the company announced today that George
Cheeks, chair of TV media, who oversees
CBS, will now also oversee the cable
networks. Laurel Weir, who reports to
Cheeks, will oversee programming for
Paramount TV Media, including CMT, MTV,
Comedy Central and Nickelodeon, among
others.
Billboard has reached out to Paramount
for comment.
Guns N’ Roses
Threatening to
Sue Ex-Manager
Over Memoir,
Lawsuit Says: ‘He
Wants To Tell His
Story’
BY BILL DONAHUE
A
former manager of Guns N’ Ros-
es claims in a new lawsuit that
the band has unfairly blocked the
release of his autobiography by
threatening to sue him and his publisher as
he tries to “tell his story.”
Alan Niven, who managed the iconic
rock band during its late 80s heyday, claims
that GNR has wrongfully invoked a con-
fidentiality clause in his 1991 termination
contract and made “repeated threats” of
legal action over the memoir, Sound N’ Fury:
Rock N’ Roll Stories.
“Due to GNR’s threats, Sound N’ Fury lan-
guishes in a warehouse,” Niven’s attorneys
write in the lawsuit, which was obtained by
Billboard. “Thousands of copies of Sound
N’ Fury have been printed and continue to
incur storage expenses.”
Niven says his book “includes stories
involving the members” of the band like
Axl Rose and Slash, but that the contract
is clearly unenforceable. He says that GNR
members have also repeatedly discussed
his role in the band’s history – meaning he’s
allowed to speak about it too as a matter of
free speech.
“These public disclosures by defen-
dant’s members and agents have collec-
tively placed the relevant facts of the band’s
relationship with plainti into the public
domain and made them matters of public in-
terest,” Niven’s lawyers write. “Enforcement
of the confidentiality provision would be
illegal and in violation of the Constitutional
protection of free expression.”
A rep for Guns N’ Roses did not imme-
diately return a request for comment on
Wednesday.
Niven started managing Guns N’ Roses
in 1985, shortly after the band solidified
its best-known lineup: Rose, Slash, Izzy
Stradlin, Du McKagan and Steven Adler.
And he was there for GNR’s rise to stardom
with the chart-topping Appetite for Destruc-
tion, which featured smash hit singles like
“Welcome to the Jungle,” “Paradise City,”
and “Sweet Child o’ Mine.” Niven was fired
in 1991 by Rose, who reportedly refused to
release the band’s next album until Niven
was gone.
As Niven tells it in his lawsuit, he was
instrumental in the band’s success: “Niven’s
work with GNR is the stu of legends, as
he took them from nowhere to headlining
Wembley Stadium in less than six years.”
After he was “betrayed” and fired by the
band, Niven admits that he signed a “buy
out” agreement covering the terms of his
exit. He says it contained a “privacy/con-
fidentiality” provision that required both
sides to avoid sharing information about the
other learned during their long partnership.
But Niven says that in the years since,
GNR members have made “many refer-
ences” to him, including “inflammatory or
even defamatory” ones. He specifically cites
several examples, including a 2008 maga-
zine interview in which Rose suggested that
Niven was “always tryin’ to convince some-
one they should fire me” and was seeking a
“a personal pay day” from their record label.
“Members of GNR have mentioned Niven,
sometimes in a derogatory [way], starting
at least as far back 1991,” his lawyers write.
“Niven’s comments about the band are thus
justified by the agreement, which allows
him to comment on matters raised by the
band first.”
He also claims the agreement is void
for an even simpler reason: That Hudson,
McKagan and Stradlin signed the deal, but
that Axl himself never did so: “It is unclear
who is attempting to enforce the agreement
now, and whether they have standing to do
so,” his attorneys say. “Rose did not sign the
agreement, and one signatory (Stradlin) has
remained silent.”
In technical terms, Niven is seeking a “de-
Page 13 of 28
IN BRIEF
claratory judgment” that the 1991 contract is
unenforceable, or that he is not violating the
terms of it by releasing his book. He is also
suing the band for damages over accusa-
tions that it “intimidated” his publisher into
delaying the books release.
“Defendants’ interference has resulted in
damages to Niven from lost sales and lost
reputation in the market for his book and
life story, only a fraction of which has any-
thing to do with Defendants’ rock group,” he
says. “Individual advance orders have been
cancelled. The books have incurred storage
fees. Niven’s momentum in the press has
been destroyed.”
The 8 Singles
Most Likely to
Receive Grammy
Nods for Record
of the Year
BY PAUL GREIN
We’re just days away from
the announcement of the
nominations for the 68th
annual Grammy Awards.
The big reveal is set for Friday Nov. 7 at
11 a.m. ET/ 8 a.m. PT. In recent days, we’ve
predicted the eight most likely nominees
for best new artist and album of the year.
Today, we turn our attention to record of
the year, where we could see some history-
making nominations.
HUNTR/X and ROSÉ could become the
first K-pop artists to receive record of the
year nods. HUNTR/X is competing with
“Golden,” the globe-conquering hit from
KPop Demon Hunters; ROSÉ with “APT.,”
her smash collab with Bruno Mars.
Kendrick Lamar and SZA are vying to
become the first occasional duet partners to
receive two record of the year nominations.
They were nominated seven years ago for
“All the Stars” and are strong contenders
this year for “Luther.”
Doechii’s “Anxiety” could become the
first single that prominentlysamples a
previous record of the year winner to be
nominated in the category. Doechii’s hit
samples“Somebody That I Used to Know”
byGotyefeaturingKimbra, which won the
prize in 2013.
Leon Thomas’ “Mutt (Live From NPR’s
Tiny Desk)” could become the first alterna-
tive version of a hit that was released in a
previous eligibility year to receive a record
of the year nomination.
To be sure, all of these things are not
likely to happen. Some voters will dock
“Anxiety” for leaning so heavily on a very
well-known hit from the recent past.
And voters tend to bypass alternative ver-
sions of songs in this category. If the studio
version of “Mutt” had been eligible, it would
almost certainly be nominated. Silk Sonic’s
“Leave the Door Open” won in this category
(as well as song of the year) in 2022, show-
ing the love many Grammy voters have for
hits that evoke the glory of 1970s R&B. But
many voters probably haven’t heard the live
version of “Mutt,” and they may be reluctant
to vote for something for record of the year
that they haven’t even heard.
A few alternative versions have won
awards in performance categories, includ-
ing Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain (Live)” and
Pharrell Williams’ “Happy (Live),” both of
which won for best pop solo performance,
and Muni Long’s “Made for Me (Live on
BET),” which won earlier this year for best
R&B performance. But to date no alternative
version has been nominated for record of
the year as a way of getting around the origi-
nal version being ineligible. (Sam Smith’s
“Stay With Me (Darkchild Version),” which
won record of the year in 2015, was entered
instead of the original version, which was
released that same year.)
(Lola Young’s “Messy” and Gigi Perez’s
“Sailor Song” were also released in the
previous eligibility year, yet those original
studio versions are entered for record of the
year.)
Billie Eilish may very well return to the
finals with “Wildflower.” It would be her
sixth nod in this category in the past seven
years. Like Eilish’s previous single, “Birds
of a Feather,” “Wildflower” was a fixture on
the Hot100 for more than a year. But “Wild-
flower” had a hard time emerging from the
shadow of “Birds of a Feather,” which was
nominated for record and song of the year
and which Eilish and her brother/collabora-
tor FINNEAS performed on the Grammys in
February.
sombr is entered with “Back to Friends.”
The 20-year-old is the sole writer and pro-
ducer on this song, one of two concurrent
hits from his debut album, I Barely Know
Her. Such pros as Taylor Swift and Ryan
Tedder have proclaimed that they are sombr
fans.
Tyla’s “Push 2 Start” is entered for both
record of the year and best African music
performance, a category she in which the
South African singer won two years ago
with “Water.”
All eight likely album of the year nomi-
nees will get a close look in this category.
Sabrina Carpenter, Lady Gaga and Lamar
(with SZA) are also expected to be nominat-
ed for record of the year. The other five like-
ly album of the year nominees may fall short
in record of the year – Elton John & Brandi
Carlile for “Who Believes in Angels?,” Tyler
the Creator for “Sticky” (featuring GloRilla,
Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne); Clipse, Pusha
T, Malice for “Birds Don’t Sing” (featur-
ing John Legend and Voices of Fire); The
Weeknd for “Timeless” (featuring Playboi
Carti); and Bad Bunny for either “Baile
Inolvidable” or “DtMF.” (The fact that two
Bunny records are entered for record of the
year may mean Bunny will split his votes
here. C’mon, Team Bunny, that’s Grammy
101 – Don’t Compete With Yourself.)
Other singles, not already mentioned, that
are strong record of the year contenders
include Gracie Abrams’ “That’s So True,”
Chappell Roan’s “The Subway,” Alex War-
ren’s “Ordinary,” Tate McRae’s “Sports Car,”
Justin Bieber’s “Daisies,” Ariana Grande’s
“twilight zone,” Conan Gray’s “Vodka Cran-
berry,” Laufey’s “Lover Girl,” Jessie Murph’s
“Blue Strips,” Shaboozey’s “Good News” and
Teddy Swims’ “Bad Dreams.”
Here are the eight singles most likely to
be nominated for record of the year. They
are listed in alphabetical order by artist,
as they will appear on the ocial Grammy
nominations list. We show you how many
record of the year nominations the artist
Page 14 of 28
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Page 15 of 28
has previously received and how high this
record placed on the Billboard Hot 100.
Signed: Rita Ora
Inks With UTA;
Danny Gokey
Rides Down Red
Street
BY CHRIS EGGERTSEN
The sheer number of artist sign-
ings announced on a weekly basis
makes it dicult to keep up, no
matter how closely you pay atten-
tion to the industry news cycle. That’s why
every other Tuesday, Billboard compiles the
latest signings to labels, distributors, agen-
cies, management companies and more, in
an eort to provide a snapshot of the latest
moves in the artist space, from household
names to indie stars to emerging acts.
British singer-songwriter, actress and
entrepreneur Rita Ora tops the roundup
this week after signing with United Talent
Agency (UTA), which will represent the
multi-hyphenate talent in all areas globally.
“Rita is a bona fide superstar who has
shown, time and again, why she is beloved
by fans worldwide,” said Samantha Kirby-
Yoh and David Zedeck, UTA partners and
co-heads of global music, in a statement.
“We’re looking forward to joining her team
for this next exciting chapter.”
According to a press release, Ora has
racked up more than 10 billion streams
across platforms and holds the record for
the most top 10 singles for a British female
artist in U.K. history with 13, including four
No. 1s. In the U.S., Ora has charted four
singles on the Billboard Hot 100, including
“Black Widow,” the 2014 Iggy Azalea track
on which she was featured, which peaked
at No. 3.
“Rita is a brilliant multi-hyphenate whose
talent and influence extend far beyond the
stage and screen” added UTA partner and
co-head of talent Jay Gassner. “UTA is
thrilled to partner with her to build on her
remarkable career and expand her horizons
across media.”
Ora is managed by Melissa Ruderman,
Dave Bugliari and Michael Cooper at
Range Media Partners.
Check out the rest of the latest signings
below:
Danny Gokey (Red Street Records):
Three-time Grammy nominee Danny
Gokey has signed with Red Street Records
and is gearing up for his first release under
the partnership, with the holiday song
“The Moment the Whole World Changed”
releasing on Friday (Nov. 7). Rascal Flatts
member Jay DeMarcus launched Red
Street Records in 2018; the roster currently
includes Jason Crabb, Cade Thompson and
Iveth Luna. —Jessica Nicholson
Kaitlin Butts (Republic Records): Sing-
er-songwriter Kaitlin Butts inked a label
deal with Republic Records. The signing
follows her viral hit, “You Ain’t Gotta Die
(To Be Dead to Me).” The label will release
her new EP, Yeehaw Sessions, on Nov. 14.
—Jessica Nicholson
New Constellations (Nettwerk): Port-
land, Oreg.-based duo New Constellations
(“Hot Blooded”), composed of Harlee Case
and Josh Smith, signed with Nettwerk and
released the single “Believe Again.” The
group, which is currently on a U.S. tour, is
slated to release a new album next year.
Maesic (WME): French producer/
DJ Maesic (“Life Is Simple (Move Your
Body)”), who was named Billboard’s Dance
Rookie of the Month in June, signed with
WME in all areas. His team at the agency
will be led by veteran booker Steve Hogan,
alongside Laura Ruiz in London and Ian
Wilkerson in Los Angeles. Maesic is man-
aged by Timothy Sheldon at Tronjour
Management, signed to Helix Records and
published by Bison Publishing and Warner
Chappell Music.
Chelsea Jordan (Arista Records):
Singer-songwriter Chelsea Jordan (“THE
GOOD PARTS”) signed to Arista Records,
which is set to release her major label debut
single, “level out,” on Wednesday (Nov. 5).
Jordan released the EP BETTER WHEN
LONELY late last year.
Penelope Road (Make Wake Artists):
Make Wake Artists signed Atlanta-based
band Penelope Road to a management deal.
The five-piece will be co-managed by Make
Wake founder and CFO Chris Kappy and
Eric Berger. Signed to Warner Records,
Penelope Road released its third EP, Chance
Encounter, on Friday (Oct. 31). The band has
several tour dates lined up through the end
of the year.
How Chef
Shaw-naé Dixon
Went From Hip-
Hop Caterer to
Opening Up One
of New York City’s
Most Exciting
New Restaurants
BY MACKENZIE CUMMINGS-GRADY
On a balmy September evening in
Staten Island, Chef Shaw-naé
Dixon is getting ready for her
house to be packed. In just a
few hours, her quaint and homey soul food
staple, Shaw-naé’s House, will be bustling
with guests.
Tonight, Al Roker and his Weather Hunt-
er team will be in attendance, anticipating
a bevy of soulful classics, including oxtail,
ribs, fries, mac and cheese and jerk chicken.
I am also supposed to stop by, not only to
witness Shaw-naé in her element — The
New York Times celebrated her personable
cooking approach, noting how she often
spends her evenings out chatting and bond-
ing with each guest — but to also treat my
wife to some of her hearty cuisine. Unfor-
tunately, my wife is sick, so I text Shaw-naé
to tell her I’ll be missing her service to be of
service to my lady instead.
“Have her boil pineapple skins with sour-
sop leaves and ginger and sip throughout
the day,” she texts back. “Mullein extract
IN BRIEF
Page 16 of 28
can also be ordered on Amazon. This knocks
that s—t out like LL COOL J. TALK SOON.
I LOVE YOU.”
Thankfully, I had already been able to
visit Shaw-naé’s House on my own a few
days before, where she greeted me with a
warm, intentional hug and a quick kiss on
the cheek.
“I think a bird just took a s—t on me,”
Shaw-naé told me before our embrace. I
noted that usually implies good luck. “I
don’t need any more luck,” she quipped with
a full belly laugh.
Listening to Shaw-naé’s life story, that
sentiment could very well be true. Both of
these interactions are indicative of her ap-
proach to cuisine and hospitality as a whole.
She’s a caretaker first, cook second. For
Shaw-naé, food is a means of community, a
way of expressing love, dating all the way
back to her grandparents. As a Staten Island
native, Shaw-naé’s father and mother were
both born on the island, with her grand-
parents living out in South Jersey, “sort of
doin’ the Jeersons ‘Movin’ on Up’ thing,”
as Shaw-naé tells it. Her grandmother went
to Pratt and became a nutritionist, so good
food and intentional cooking became a pri-
ority in Shaw-naé’s family early on. She has
no formal training, but her family taught her
everything there is to know about food.
“She used to call her house the, ‘Do Drop
In,’” Shaw-naé says. “She always felt like she
had to have something prepared for people
to eat. She always cooked massive amounts,
like for a marching band. When my hus-
band and I met, he asked me, ‘Why do you
cook so much food?’ I said, ‘I can’t help it.
My grandmother taught me when someone
walks in, you have to have food prepared.’”
Shaw-naé’s rich family history has be-
come an instrumental part of her approach
to food. While sitting in the “living room” of
her petite restaurant, which is stued with
Wu-Tang memorabilia and other eclectic
knick-knacks, she tells me that her ancestors
were the first Black settlers to ever reside on
the island. Her first ancestor, Captain John
Jackson, came over in 1799 and became
the first Black purchaser of land on Staten
Island. An oysterman and farmer, Jackson
“created the farms and created the busi-
nesses behind oystering.”
“He also brought Harriet Tubman in mul-
tiple times with groups of slaves and freed
them here in the community,” Shaw-naé
says. “So I have this whole historical legacy
attachment to my lineage. I was supposed
to be an entrepreneur. I was supposed to be
somebody in the community that was doing
all this stu, not just with food, but with
empowering my people.”
This historic settlement founded by Jack-
son in 1828 would be called Sandy Ground
and go down in history as the oldest con-
tinuously inhabited free Black settlement in
the United States. As a successful oyster-
gathering and farming village, farmers har-
vested blueberries, sweet potatoes, aspara-
gus and, most importantly, strawberries.
“Strawberries were the biggest, and that’s
because when our counterparts came here
and poisoned the water so we could no lon-
ger oyster,” Shaw-naé says, “they found out
our businesses were staying up because of
the farms. So they came and burnt the farm
down. But when they burnt the farm down,
they burnt the land, and the strawberries
grew out of the sand. So they named the
community Sandy Ground because when
the ground became sandy, the strawberries
flourished.”
As we move to the kitchen, Shaw-naé
rearms to me that this powerful history
is the backbone of her business and her
success. It’s why she’s able to stand over her
stove, sauté some collard greens, and lather
up her ribs in some of the best BBQ sauce
the city has to oer. I’d go into further detail
about what I saw, but scribed in chalk on a
pillar right outside the kitchen reads, “NDA
required beyond this point. Deadass.”
While Shaw-naé has worn many hats over
the years — social worker, teacher — she
got her ocial culinary start catering in the
entertainment industry, more specifically
in radio and hip-hop circles. After quitting
her job in 2014, she began selling food di-
rectly out of her home, spreading the word
via handmade flyers. Very soon after, she
found herself chasing down 50 Cent’s car
outside the Javits Center to give him a few
of said flyers. She recalled banging on his
car window, crying out to him that she had
previously worked with Power star Michael
Rainey, who is from Staten Island.
“I’m like, ‘Open the window!’ 50 Cent
looks at his driver and is like, ‘Yeah, open
the window!’” Shaw-naé recalls. After hand-
ing the rap mogul a few flyers, she asked
to cater for the set of Power. He allegedly
agreed but never called. (50 Cent could not
be reached for comment for this story.)
“I figured it was because I was bein’
crazy,” Shaw-naé says with a laugh. She
refined her approach but kept her hustler
spirit going, and eventually, after “harass-
ing the receptionist for two weeks on the
phone,” landed a gig catering The Breakfast
Club and iHeart Radio. She didn’t receive
any payment for the work at first, because
she said all she wanted to do was feed the
team and showcase her food.
“I didn’t work for them; I got the oppor-
tunity to feed them,” she says. She says she
eventually persuaded Charlamagne to actu-
ally hire her to cater a special Valentine’s
Day meal at his home in February of 2016,
and more work transpired from there.
Shaw-naé and I exit the kitchen, and
she hands me a plate overflowing with
food. While I’m trying to be respectful,
every instinct in me wants to gorge on this
unbelievable meal. Shaw-naé explains how
then-mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani
is dying to speak with her, how the Venmo
CEO invited her to some fancy app meeting,
all while Al Roker is buzzing on her phone
to give an update on Friday’s upcoming din-
ner service.
Shaw-naé’s catering business continued to
pick up considerable steam until March of
2020, where she said she cooked meals for
everyone from Cardi B to DJ Clue. The way
Shaw-naé tells it, heading into the pandemic
became a shifting point for her. She said she
began experiencing spiritual visions, noting
one in particular of faceless people ascend-
ing up an escalator as a numbered chart in
the corner spiraled up into the millions.
Then things came to a head in March of
2020 when Shaw-naé and her husband flew
to Las Vegas for a business trip. When they
arrived, reports of COVID-19 had begun to
spread across the media landscape. It was
only a few days before Shaw-naé said it was
time to go.
“I told [my husband], I think I saw this
already,” Shaw-naé says. “I go to Whole
IN BRIEF
Page 17 of 28
Foods and I buy $400 worth of vitamins
and extracts. I give my husband all these
vitamins. I bought two scarves, I bought
sanitary napkins, and I made masks. We get
on the airplane and I tell my husband, ‘Don’t
take that o! Leave it on!’ My husband was
like, ‘She’s nuts, but I’m listening.’”
When they arrived home, Shaw-naé says
she told her husband to stop bringing the
kids to school. Her husband, Jason, dis-
regarded this, but a day later, school was
canceled. As COVID-19 began to spread,
Shaw-naé says she felt a spiritual call to take
up meditation. She began meditating every
day and started studying healthier eating
habits and holistic food. As March turned
into April and May, Shaw-naé started to
rapidly lose weight.
“I felt my body start to breathe without
me,” she says. “Like from my feet to my
head, it felt like my skin was breathing. I felt
something was not right.”
She booked a telemedicine appointment,
but the doctor allegedly disregarded Shaw-
naé’s concerns and told her she was glowing
and looked healthier than ever. Shaw-naé
pushed for an in-person appointment, and
the doctor obliged. When she went in per-
son, she was allegedly given the all-clear, ex-
cept the doctor reportedly told her she was
“severely anemic,” and they recommended
a uterine ablation: an extremely common,
low-risk procedure meant to aid in reducing
iron loss during menstrual cycles, accord-
ing to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Shaw-naé
agreed and they booked the procedure for
September.
“I don’t remember going into the doctor
for that procedure,” Shaw-naé says. “My
husband said [afterward] he literally hoisted
me over his shoulder to carry me home.”
Shaw-naé said she was couch-bound and
slept heavily for two days. On September
11, 2020, her family said Shaw-naé was
lucid and cognizant and “sat on the couch,
ate chips,” but Shaw-naé says she doesn’t
remember any of that day either. The fol-
lowing day, Jason started a bath for Shaw-
naé because he said she was “moaning and
somehow in pain.” He ran the bath and left
to go to the gym. Shaw-naé got into the bath
fully clothed and left the water running.
Her 13-year-old son found her submerged in
the tub unresponsive. When EMS arrived,
they pronounced her dead on the scene, but
brought her to the hospital and ended up re-
suscitating her. They then put her in a medi-
cally induced coma. She awoke to her family
crying and hugging her four days later.
“The doctors told my husband, ‘She’s
fighting so hard to die,’” Shaw-naé tells
me as I pull apart her BBQ ribs with my
teeth. “They said, ‘We don’t know what the
outcome is gonna be, but most likely she’s
not gonna be able to talk, walk, or get herself
dressed.’”
None of that ended up being true, and
Shaw-naé made a full recovery. The chef
says the doctors diagnosed the situation as
a Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation,
a rare, but serious blood clotting episode.
Regardless, Shaw-naé says she experienced
a spiritual calling while she was in the coma,
noting that God told her to feed and provide
for as many people as she could.
“For me, to emerge post-Pandemic and
open up this soul food restaurant, it was
like, ‘Why is she opening up this soul food
restaurant? Who the hell is she?” Shaw-naé
recalled. “When I pulled up in front of this
building on Van Duzer street. I didn’t know
what was in here, I didn’t know what it was.
All I heard was a voice say: “That’s your
building.”
Shaw-naé’s House opened in June of 2021,
and it’s been a whirlwind ever since. The
New York Times gave her a rave two and a
half out of five stars. She’s been oered book
and film deals for her incredibly unique
story, and she’s is currently in talks to host
her own cooking shows. Not to mention her
House continues to be a hot spot for local
and national celebrities. Shockingly, despite
Wu-Tang inspired memorabilia decorat-
ing her space, the legendary rap group has
yet to enter her home. Shaw-naé notes that
it’ll happen when it’s meant to, and in the
meantime, she’s devoted to her diners, her
community, and her spiritual mission to
help people through her unbelievable food.
“I believe that every single person com-
ing into this restaurant is coming here
intentionally,” Shaw-naé says as I finish my
plate. “It’s not just the food, they’re com-
ing here for a specific type of experience.
Everybody’s not the same, but everyone
here is treated the same. I believe that heals
people.”
She then looks at my plate, and looks up at
me and smiles. “Let’s get you some leftovers
for your wife.”
LAMC Announces
2026 Conference
Dates: ‘What
Was Once
Alternative is Now
Mainstream’
BY JESSICA ROIZ
The Latin Alternative Music Con-
ference (LAMC) has announced
its 2026 dates, Billboard can exclu-
sively announce today (Nov. 5).
Following its star-studded 2025 edition
that included the participation of artists
such as Camilo, Morat, Yami Safdie, Ela
Taubert, and Leo Rizzo, among others, the
LAMC will return from July 28 to Aug. 1,
2026 to the International New York Times
Square in New York City.
As tradition holds, the five-day event—
which will be celebrating its 27th an-
niversary next year—will include panels,
workshops, showcases, and networking
opportunities with key industry leaders and
like-minded music lovers.
“Every year we see familiar names from
our industry, but also a lot of new faces,”
LAMC founder Tomas Cookman said in a
press statement. “It’s where indies, majors
and the kaleidoscope of genres and artists
that form what is Latin music today meet.
We initially started with a focus on what
was once called, ‘alternative’, but what was
alternative is now the mainstream. The
LAMC helps provide opportunities for the
next generation of the industry to meet and
learn from those that have come before
them.”
Additionally, the LAMC is expected to an-
nounce its Wonder Women of Latin Music
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Page 18 of 28
Class of 2026 honorees, recognizing the
women making an impact in the Latin music
industry. Billboard’s Leila Cobo, Griselda
Flores, Sigal Ratner-Arias, Isabela Raygoza,
and Jessica Roiz are among the over 120
professionals already recognized.
Earlier registration for the 2026 Latin
Alternative Music Conference is now avail-
able starting at $99. For more information,
visit the ocial LAMC website here.
As Oasis Storms
Australia, Band’s
Management
Praises Anti-
Scalping Law
BY SOPHIE WILLIAMS
The Oasis Live ‘25 Tour kicked o
its Australian leg last week (Oct.
31), and it continues to dominate
music headlines as the shows roll
along.
In a landmark move for Australia’s live
music sector, Victoria’s government shut
down bulk ticket scalping for Oasis’ recent
Melbourne shows (Oct. 31, Nov. 1-4) at the
Marvel Stadium by designating them under
the Major Events Act 2009. The act allows
the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major
Events to formally declare events that then
become subject to anti-scalping protections.
Under this special declaration, it became
illegal to advertise or resell tickets on
platforms such as Viagogo and StubHub for
more than 10% above the original face value;
if they flouted these restrictions, scalpers
could be fined between $908 and $545,000
(AUD). A subsequent report from the Herald
Sun states that 180,000 tickets for the sold-
out shows went to fans as a result of the gov-
ernment eectively shutting out scalpers.
Oasis’ management applauded the news,
saying it could set a new benchmark for
fairness in the live music market. “It’s great
to see Victoria’s Major Events Declaration
doing exactly what it’s meant to — Viagogo
can’t list our Melbourne shows — and that’s
a huge win for real fans,” they told the Her-
ald Sun.
“When the government and the live
industry work together, we can stop large-
scale scalping in its tracks,” they added.
“We’d love to see other states follow Victo-
ria’s lead so fans everywhere get a fair go.”
Before last week, Oasis had not per-
formed in Australia in nearly two decades.
After tonight’s (Nov. 4) final Melbourne
gig, they’ll head to Sydney (Nov. 7 and 8),
before performing across Argentina, Chile
and Brazil, wrapping up proceedings in São
Paulo on Nov. 23.
Earlier this month in the U.K., the coun-
try’s culture minister, Ian Murray, con-
firmed that the current Labour government
will press ahead with plans for a price cap
on resale tickets.
An industry consultation that took place
in January invited views from venues,
promoters, fans and other parties on the
proposed price, which ranged from no profit
being permitted on any ticket to a mark-up
of up to 30% of face value.
Writing in the Daily Record last month
(Oct. 5), Murray said: “We asked a direct
question — should the UK follow countries
like Ireland, where resale profiteering is
capped in law? The response from fans
could not have been a clearer — ‘yes.’”
“So let me tell you what we’re doing,”
Murray continued. “First, we will cap resale
prices. No more outrageous mark-ups of
500% or 1,000%. We are examining a range
of options, from face value to a reasonable
uplift.”
UK Finance, which represents 300
financial services outfits including Lloyds,
NatWest, HSBC and Barclay, has lobbied
against the decision for fear of customers
losing out in an unregulated market. Adam
Webb of the Fan Fair Alliance, however, dis-
puted these claims in an interview with The
Times. “I would advise UK Finance actually
speak to experts in those countries, rather
than rely on the self-interested research of
unregulated oshore websites who promote
industrial-scale ticket touting and exploit
British audiences,” he said.
Taylor Swift Fans
Want Her to Sue
Donald Trump
Over ‘The Fate of
Ophelia’ TikTok.
Can She?
BY RACHEL SCHARF
Some Taylor Swift fans are up in
arms over a video on the ocial
White House TikTok account set
to “The Fate of Ophelia” — and
many of them are encouraging the pop su-
perstar to take legal action against President
Donald Trump.
The Monday (Nov. 3) TikTok video pairs
Swift’s The Life of the Showgirl lead single
— currently in its fourth week at No. 1
on the Billboard Hot 100 — with images of
Trump and his associates. One frame shows
Trump’s mug shot while Swift sings, “Don’t
care where the hell you’ve been.” The video
ends with a photo of the president scooping
McDonald’s French fries under a slightly
altered lyric reading, “The fate of America.”
Swift has not commented on the post,
but it’s unlikely that she’s happy about it.
Historically, the star has not pledged her
allegiance to Trump’s team; she’s only en-
dorsed Democrats, including Kamala Har-
ris in the 2024 election, and Trump, in turn,
has insulted Swift repeatedly, including by
posting “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT” after the
Harris endorsement.
In the TikTok comments, some Swifties
are putting on their lawyer hats. “TAYLOR
SWIFT SUE THEM FOR USING YOUR
SONG!” wrote one. “I would absolutely
LOVE if Tay found a way to sue them for
this,” wrote another. “One freaking huge
lawsuit on the horizon,” another prediction
read.
Is the White House’s use of “The Fate of
Ophelia” legal? Probably not. While indi-
vidual TikTok users can soundtrack their
videos with pre-cleared songs, commercial
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Page 19 of 28
entities are required to obtain so-called
sync licenses from copyright owners. The
White House did not return an inquiry on
Tuesday (Nov. 4) as to whether they got a
sync license for the post, but given Swift’s
public rebukes of Trump, and the fact that
the singer is famously protective of her
catalog, it’s unlikely that she greenlit such a
license.
As Billboard previously reported during
Zach Bryan’s public scue with the Trump
administration over its use of his track
“Revival” in an X post, there are a number
of legal avenues for artists to take when
their songs are used on social media without
licenses. Swift’s lawyers could send a cease-
and-desist letter to the White House, or
they might lodge a formal takedown notice
directly with TikTok under the Digital Mil-
lennium Copyright Act.
If these administrative procedures are
unsuccessful, Swift could indeed bring a
formal lawsuit against the federal govern-
ment for copyright infringement. She’s no
stranger to intellectual property litigation,
having both faced copyright claims herself
and gone on the legal oense over the
years.
However, it’s hard to imagine Swift taking
the drastic step of suing the White House.
The courts are public by nature, and Swift
has a carefully maintained image. This is
especially true in the political arena, where
the singer’s statements have always been
measured (“The choice is yours to make,”
she told fans in her post endorsing Harris
last year).
Swift, therefore, may not want to become
publicly embroiled in what would almost
certainly be viewed as a partisan legal battle.
Nothing is certain, though, and only time
will tell.
Swift’s reps did not return a request for
comment on the matter.
‘Folded’ Becomes
Kehlani’s First No.
1 on Hot R&B/Hip-
Hop Songs Chart
BY TREVOR ANDERSON
Kehlani bags her first No. 1 on
Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop
Songs chart as “Folded” snags
the summit on the list dated
Nov. 8. The single advances after five weeks
in the runner-up spot and likewise captures
the crown on the Hot R&B Songs list.
“Folded,” released on Atlantic Records,
traces its coronation week on the multi-
metric Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart to
a combination of 13 million streams, 32.9
million in airplay audience and 3,000 sold
in the United States for the tracking week of
Oct. 24-30, according to Luminate, gains of
35%, 11% and 74%, respectively.
Streaming and sales improvements were
aided by the release of the six-song “Hom-
age Pack,” which remixed “Folded” with dif-
ferent R&B singers. The collection features
individual remixes for the song with Brandy,
Toni Braxton, JoJo, Mario, Ne-Yo and Tank,
respectively. The first five versions all
combine with the original “Folded” entry
for charting and data purposes; the Tank
edition, which recasts Kehlani’s vocals in a
less-prominent way, is tracked separately.
As the original “Folded” contributes most of
the chart activity, no featured artists were
added to the song’s billing.
Kehlani claims their first No. 1 on Hot
R&B/Hip-Hop Songs with their 18th career
appearance, stretching back to 2016’s “Gang-
sta,” which debuted at No. 20 in August 2016
and peaked at No. 13 the following month.
That rank remained Kehlani’s best result
until this year; in addition to the “Folded”
rise, they came close to the top slot via a
feature on Cardi B’s “Safe,” which peaked at
No. 3 last month.
Elsewhere, as “Folded” tops Hot R&B/
Hip-Hop Songs, it repeats its rise from
runner-up to top dog on the Hot R&B Songs
chart, dethroning Leon Thomas’ “Mutt” on
both rankings. It likewise is the Kehlani’s
first No. 1 entry there; the singer-songwriter
previously reached a No. 4 best via the Ty
Dolla $ign-featuring “Nights Like This” in
2019 and the Tory Lanez-assisted “Can I”
the next year.
In addition to its new crowns, “Folded”
continues to unwrap new career milestones
across other charts. This week, it becomes
Kehlani’s first top 10 hit on the all-genre
Billboard Hot 100, where it darts 14-7, and
marks their first top 10 visit on both the
Streaming Songs (28-10) and Radio Songs
(11-8) charts.
Chris Brown
Banks Top Two
Spots on R&B/
Hip-Hop Airplay
Chart As ‘It
Depends’ Hits
No. 1
BY TREVOR ANDERSON
Chris Brown doubles up on Bill-
board’s R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay
chart by occupying the top two
spots of the radio ranking dated
Nov. 8. The singer’s “It Depends,” featur-
ing Bryson Tiller, rises 2-1, while former
champ “Residuals” rebounds 3-2. With the
pair, Brown pulls the double play for the
third time in his career, and first instance
since 2014.
“It Depends,” released on Brown’s CBE
imprint and RCA Records, becomes Brown’s
12th No. 1 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, tying
Lil Wayne’s count for the third-most among
all acts. Tiller, meanwhile, nabs his third
champ after his two-week No. 1 “Don’t”
in 2016 and via he and Rihanna’s featured
spots on DJ Khaled’s “Wild Thoughts,” a
five-week leader the following year.
“It Depends” ascends from the runner-up
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Page 20 of 28
spot to rule R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, which
ranks songs by combined audience totals
from panel-contributing adult R&B and
mainstream R&B/hip-hop radio stations.
There, the single jumped to 22.4 million au-
dience impressions in the United States for
the week of Oct. 24-30, according to Lumi-
nate, up 15% from the prior week’s total of
19.4 million. The nearly 3 million audience
upsurge secures “It Depends” the Greatest
Gainer award, given weekly to the song with
the largest increase in audience.
Plus, Brown’s nine-week leader “Residu-
als,” which ruled at various times between
February and August, rallies 3-2. In its 65th
week on the chart, the single improved 6%
to 20 million in audience for the tracking
week.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/
Kjof9tYTqD0?si=d21qyv-qYd8F48rE
With “It Depends” and “Residuals,”
Brown links a fifth occasion of appearing
on the Nos. 1 and 2 songs on R&B/Hip-Hop
Airplay. It’s the first time, however, he is the
lead act on both tracks. He previously was
on the top two titles simultaneously:
On the Nov. 25, 2006, chart with his own
No. 1 “Say Goodbye,” and he and Johnta Aus-
tin’s features on the runner-up, Bow Wow’s
“Shortie Like Mine.”
For three weeks of Nov. 15 – Nov. 29, 2014
charts via he, August Alsina, Future and Jer-
emih’s featured appearances on DJ Khaled’s
No. 1 “Hold You Down” and his own No. 2,
“New Flame,” featuring Usher and Rick Ross
Moreover, “It Depends” is Brown’s 12th
No. 1 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, tying Lil
Wayne for the third-most among all artists
since the chart began in April 1992. The pair
trail only Drake (29) and Usher (16) on the
leaderboard. As Brown makes it to a dozen
leaders, here’s a review of the chart-topping
collection:
“Say Goodbye,” six weeks at No. 1, begin-
ning Oct. 14, 2006
“Deuces,” feat. Tyga and Kevin McCall;
nine, Sept. 11, 2010
“Look at Me Now,” feat. Lil Wayne and
Busta Rhymes; eight, April 2, 2011
“Loyal,” feat. Lil Wayne and French
Montana or Too $hort or Tyga; eight, June
7, 2014
“New Flame,” feat. Usher and Rick Ross;
four, Oct. 25, 2014
“Hold You Down,” DJ Khaled feat. Chris
Brown, August Alsina, Future and Jeremih;
five, Nov. 15, 2014
“All Eyes on You,” Meek Mill feat. Chris
Brown and Nicki Minaj; one, Sept. 26, 2015
“No Guidance,” feat. Drake; 27, Aug. 24,
2019
“Go Crazy,” with Young Thug; 29, Aug. 22,
2020
“Under the Influence,” two, March 25,
2023
“Residuals,” nine, Feb. 15, 2025
“It Depends,” feat. Bryson Tiller; one (to
date), Nov. 8, 2025
Elsewhere, “It Depends” lands a fifth
week at No. 1 on the plays-based Main-
stream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart,
where it improved 5% in plays for the week
and repeats, at its No. 8 high, on Adult R&B
Airplay (up 14% in plays). After three weeks
atop the Rhythmic Airplay chart, the song
surrenders the summit to Cardi B’s “Safe,”
feat. Kehlani, and slides to No. 2 with a 5%
decrease in plays.
Combined strength across formats is
enough to advance “It Depends” 8-7 on the
all-genre Radio Songs chart, where it added
10% in audience to reach 35.9 million in
listenership for the tracking week.
Robert Taylor,
Ex-Guitarist With
Dragon, Dies at 74
BY LARS BRANDLE
Robert Taylor, former lead guitar-
ist and backing vocalist with
ARIA Hall of Fame-inducted rock
band Dragon, has died aged 74.
Taylor’s passing was confirmed in a social
post by ex-drummer Kerry Jacobson.
“I’m writing to share the unexpected
and devastating news of the passing of my
mentor, my partner in crime for some of the
best times, my musical comrade through the
hardest of times and my dear friend of de-
cades…the irreplacable (sic) Robert Taylor,”
he writes.
“Many admired his songwriting and his
musical talent and, after all these years
people would still speak to me with great
reverence of his talent and contribution to
Australian music.
“I admired his loyalty, I treasured his
mateship, I valued his consistency and I
absolutely loved it when often the phone
would ring and he was up for a chat.”
Born in Waipukarau, New Zealand, Taylor
had a hand in some of the most enduring
Australasian songs of a generation.
Dragon was formed in Auckland, NZ,
and relocated to Sydney, Australia in the
mid-70s. Led by the band’s flamboyant and
self-destructive frontman Marc Hunter,
Dragon pumped out the hits, initially in the
back-end of the 1970s with “Are You Old
Enough?,” “April Sun In Cuba” and “Still In
Love With You”.
The ‘80s wasn’t kind to many bands from
the previous decade, but Dragon orchestrat-
ed an impressive comeback with the 1983
album Body and the Beat, which spawned
the hits “Rain,” “Cry,” and “Magic.” The first
of those, “Rain,” poured down for a Bill-
board Hot 100 appearance in 1984, peaking
at No. 88.
Taylor was there as Dragon spread its
wings for two distinct heydays, performing
in the band from 1974–1979, and again from
1982–1985.
Dragon continued to breathe chart fire
through the ‘80s with “Speak No Evil,”
“Dreams of Ordinary Men,” “Young Years”
and a cover of Kool & The Gang’s “Celebra-
tion.”
Dragon was inducted into the ARIA Hall
of Fame in 2008, ten years after Hunter died
with throat cancer, at the age of 44. Taylor
joined his surviving Dragon bandmates for
the special Hall of Fame presentation at
Melbourne Town Hall.
Taylor “had a dry wit, was a keen observer
and had a memory like a razor but mostly
he was just one of the good ones,” writes
Jacobson. “That’s what has stuck in my
head today “he was one of the good ones”
and I think that sums it up. I will miss him
terribly. My love and condolences to Carol,
Lesley and Alex.”
Today, Dragon continues to tour and re-
cord with a lineup featuring co-founder and
IN BRIEF
Page 21 of 28
bass player Todd Hunter — Marc’s brother
— and Mark Williams on vocals.
How Much Single-
Use Plastic Has
r.World Kept Out
of Landlls? The
Answer Is 1,700
Miles Long
BY KATIE BAIN
Imagine the distance between Las Ve-
gas and Chicago. Now imagine a line
of 20 million stacked plastic cups and
single-use serveware items extending
along the 1,700-mile route.
According to reuse company r.World,
that’s the actual cumulative number of
plastic cups and single-use serveware items
it and its partners have kept out of landfills
since r.World launched in 2017.
R.World provides reusable cups and
serveware to venues and events, which are
then returned by fans and sent out for clean-
ing at nearby r.World wash stations. R.World
products are now in and at venues and
events including Crypto.com Arena, Peacock
Theater, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Warped
Tour and myriad Goldenvoice festivals. The
company has also partnered with artists
including Chappell Roan, Billie Eilish and
Coldplay.
According to r.World, its work has thus
far stopped more than 110 tons of plastic
from being produced (netting out any plastic
the company itself used), thereby eliminat-
ing 440 U.S. tons of CO2 emissions, saving
1,650,000 kWh of energy and conserving
5,000,000 gallons of water — amounts
representing the creation and transport of
these single-use items. Every cup or piece of
serveware the company delivers that’s then
returned is counted to ensure accurate envi-
ronmental impact tracking and reporting.
“There is tremendous new growth in the
world of reuse,” r.World founder Michael
Martin tells Billboard. “When we launched
the reuse movement back in 2017, no one
was doing reuse. Now NFL, NBA, NHL,
MLS, MLB and college stadiums are imple-
menting reuse. As more and more venues
realize the economic and environmental
benefits of doing reuse, we are adding more
clients every month.”
Martin says the company will be an-
nouncing a host of new partners in the
coming weeks. Still, amid this growth, he
says the biggest hurdle remains the fear of
change and misinformation that exists in
the marketplace, along with an “imagination
gap” in terms of how reuse works. He notes
that reuse can save venues money; that it’s a
“vastly better” environmental solution than
single-use aluminum cups, compostable
cups, souvenir cups or plastic cups; that the
reuse system is easy; and that guests and
servers love it.
“Reuse is common in most developed
countries. The U.S. was behind,” Martin
says. “As more and more U.S. venues are dis-
covering the benefits of reuse, the demand is
skyrocketing. The country’s leading venues
are moving to reuse and away from single-
use.”
Many scientists have noted that the world
is currently in a “plastic crisis,” with these
items contaminating natural spaces and
waterways, harming wildlife and humans.
Health Policy Watch reports that 98% of
plastics are made from fossil fuels, with
plastics “polluting human health through an
array of pathways, including direct exposure
to waste fills or chemical plants, environ-
mental contamination, absorption through
food packaging, microplastics, air and soil
pollution, and burning of feedstock fossil
fuels.”
R.World is one of several initiatives aimed
at dramatically bringing down the use of
single-use plastics in the music industry and
beyond. In September, electronic producer
Blond:ish announced Zero Plastic Club:
NYC, a project that’s working to rid New
York City dancefloors of single-use items
like bottles, cups and wristbands.
“The movement toward reuse is a collec-
tive eort, built on partnerships and shared
values, with contributions from venue
managers, beverage companies, promoters,
artists, and fans,” says Martin. “Every time a
fan returns a reusable cup instead of throw-
ing one away, they play a part in a larger
transformation.”
Anuel AA &
Blessd’s ‘Pórtate
Bonito’ Skyrockets
to No. 1 on Latin
Airplay Chart
BY PAMELA BUSTIOS
Anuel AA returns to the No. 1 spot
on Billboard’s Latin Airplay
chart with “Pórtate Bonito,”
his first team-up with Blessd.
The track flies 9-1 on the Nov. 8-dated list,
Anuel’s first champ in over three years.
Released August 21 on Real Hasta La
Muerte, “Pórtate Bonito” was initially an-
nounced on Anuel’s Instagram account on
August 6, alongside news that Blessd would
join him on his RHLM 2 tour.
The collab, produced by Ovy on The
Drums, surges 9-1 in its seventh week on
the chart with the Greatest Gainer weekly
honors, after a 32% boost in audience im-
pressions, to 7.6 million, logged during the
Oct. 24-30 tracking week, as reported by
Luminate.
The new win marks Anuel’s first No. 1
in over three years, since “Ley Seca,” with
Jhayco, ruled for one week in February
2022. In sum, he’s placed 11 rulers, here’s
a recap of those since “Ella Quiere Beber,”
with Romeo Santos, in 2019:
Title, Artist, Peak, Weeks at No. 1
“Ella Quiere Beber,” with Santos, Feb. 2,
2019, one
“Secreto,” with Karol G, May 4, 2019, one
“Baila Baila Baila,” with Ozuna, Daddy Yan-
kee, J Balvin & Farruko, May 11, 2019, one
“Otro Trago,” with Sech, Darell, Nicky Jam,
& Ozuna, Aug. 31, 2019, one
“China,” with Daddy Yankee, Karol G,
Ozuna & J Balvin, Sept. 21, 2019, two
“Aventura,” with Lunay & Ozuna, Nov. 9,
IN BRIEF
Page 22 of 28
2019, one
“Keii,” May 2, 2020, one
“Fútbol & Rumba,” with Enrique Iglesias,
Aug. 8, 2020, one
“Location,” with Karol G & J Balvin, April
10, 2021, one
“Ley Seca,” with Jhay Cortez, Feb. 5, 2022,
one
“Pórtate Bonito”” with Blessd, Nov. 8, 2025,
one
Colombian star Blessd adds his third No. 1
on the overall Latin radio ranking. “Medal-
lo,” with Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavarez,
and “Si Sabe Ferxxo,” with Feid, each led for
one week in 2022 and 2024, respectively.
Beyond its Latin Airplay coronation,
“Pórtate Bonito” ascends 3-1 on the Latin
Rhythm Airplay chart. Plus, it gains trac-
tion on the Hot Latin Rhythm Songs chart,
where it narrowly misses the top 10 with an
18-11 leap.
Fuerza Regida’s
‘Marlboro Rojo’
Claims Top Spot
on Regional
Mexican Airplay
Chart
BY PAMELA BUSTIOS
Fuerza Regida secures its fourth
stint at No. 1 in 2025, as “Marlboro
Rojo” surges from No. 6 to the top
of Billboard’s Regional Mexican
Airplay chart (dated Nov. 8). The group
banks its seventh champ total.
“Marlboro Rojo” becomes the second
chart-topper from the group’s ninth studio
album, 111XPANTIA. Just four months ago,
“Por Esos Ojos” led the list for one week in
July.
As the sole writer of “Marlboro Rojo,”
Miguel Armando Armenta, better known as
Armenta, secures his sixth No. 1 on Re-
gional Mexican Airplay chart as a writer. He
previously penned five other chart-topping
hits, contributing to the success of songs by
Fuerza Regida and Gabito Ballesteros.
“Marlboro” takes the lead with 6.9 mil-
lion audience impressions, earned in the
United States in the week ending Oct. 30,
according to Luminate. That’s a 31% boost
from the previous week. As the track lands
at the summit, Fuerza collects its seventh
ruler dating to 2023 when “Bebe Dame,”
with Grupo Frontera, earned the group its
longest-leading No. 1 with three weeks in
charge. Here’s a look at those champs:
Title, Artist, Peak, Weeks at No. 1
“Bebe Dame,” with Grupo Frontera, March
18, 2023, three
“Mentira No Es,” with Banda MS, July 29,
2023, one
“Harley Quinn,” with Marshmello, Feb. 3,
2024, one
“Tu Boda,” with Oscar Maydon, Feb. 1, 2025,
one
“Me Jalo,” with Grupo Frontera, April 5,
2025, one
“Por Esos Ojos,” July 19, 2025, one
“Marlboro Rojo,” Nov. 8, 2025, one
“Marlboro” shoots up the overall Latin
Airplay chart, climbing from No. 15 to No. 3
and giving Fuerza its eighth top 10.
Todd Snider
Arrested in Salt
Lake City After
Alleged Assault
BY JESSICA NICHOLSON
Following a statement published by
Americana singer-songwriter Todd
Snider’s team on Monday noting
that Snider had to cancel his tour
dates after he was the victim of an alleged
assault prior to a show in Salt Lake City,
Utah, it’s now been reported that the singer/
songwriter was later arrested and booked
for “disorderly conduct, trespassing and
making threats of violence.”
According to Utah news site KSL.com,
Snider arrived at Holy Cross Hospital and
alleged that he was the victim of an at-
tack outside his hotel. When he was later
discharged from the hospital, he reportedly
refused to leave. The outlet reports that
though he did eventually leave the hospital,
he later returned and began making verbal
threats to hospital sta.
In a statement to Billboard, the Salt Lake
City Police Department noted that Snider
was arrested on Sunday in front of Holy
Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City after he
had been discharged. According to the
statement, after being discharged, Snider
returned to the hospital and “threatened
hospital sta at that time.” The statement
went on to say that Snider was “booked into
jail for disorderly conduct, trespassing and
making threats of violence.”
A post on Snider’s ocial social media
on Monday stated, “We are heartbroken
to announce the cancellation of the High,
Lonesome and Then Some 2025 Tour dates.
Ahead of Todd Snider’s show in Salt Lake
City, Todd sustained severe injuries as the
victim of a violent assault outside of his
hotel. Todd will be unable to perform for an
undetermined amount of time. We deeply
apologize for the cancellation and any in-
convenience it causes.”
The statement continued: “We appreciate
your understanding as Todd receives needed
medical treatment. We hope to have more
information on new dates soon.”
Representatives for Snider have not re-
sponded to Billboard’s request for comment
regarding Snider’s arrest.
Snider’s High, Lonesome and Then Some
Tour initially kicked o Thursday in Engle-
wood, Colorado, and had been slated to
support Snider’sHigh, Lonesome and Then
Some album, which released in October via
Aimless Records/Thirty Tigers.
IN BRIEF
Page 23 of 28
Cardi B & Kehlani’s
‘Safe’ Locks Up
No. 1 Spot on
Rhythmic Airplay
Chart
BY TREVOR ANDERSON
Cardi B punches her ticket into
the double-digit No. 1 club on
Billboard’s Rhythmic Airplay
chart as “Safe,” featuring Kehlani,
becomes her 10th leader. The track climbs
from the runner-up spot to rule the list
dated Nov. 8. Thanks to its victory, “Safe”
outdoes the peak of Cardi B and Kehlani’s
previous collaboration, “Ring,” which
achieved a No. 2 best in November 2018.
“Safe,” released on Atlantic Records,
was the most-played song on panel-
contributing rhythmic radio stations in
the United States for the tracking week
of Oct. 24-30, according to Luminate, and
improved 17% in plays compared with the
prior week. Due to its surge, the collabo-
ration wins the Greatest Gainer honor,
awarded weekly to the song with the larg-
est increase in plays.
With the new champ, Cardi B adds her
10th No. 1 on Rhythmic Airplay and is the
13th artist to reach the milestone since the
radio ranking’s launch in October 1992.
Drake leads all acts, with 43 champs, while
Rihanna, at 17, places second overall and
claims the best total among women.
Here’s a recap of the Cardi’s B No. 1s on
Rhythmic Airplay:
Song Title, Artist (if other than Cardi B),
Weeks at No. 1, Date Reached No. 1
“Bodak Yellow (Money Moves),” four, Oct.
7, 2017
“No Limit,” G-Eazy feat. A$AP Rocky &
Cardi B, two, Dec. 16, 2017
“Finesse,” with Bruno Mars, two, Feb. 17,
2018
“Be Careful,” one, July 7, 2018
“I Like It,” with Bad Bunny and J Balvin,
four, July 14, 2018
“Please Me,” with Bruno Mars, one, April 13,
2019
“WAP,” feat. Megan Thee Stallion, one, Sept.
26, 2020
“Up,” three, March 20, 2021
“Outside,” one, Aug. 16, 2025
“Safe,” feat. Kehlani, one (to date), Nov. 8,
2025
Featured artist Kehlani captures a second
Rhythmic Airplay No. 1, just a month after
“Folded” topped the chart for one week.
“Folded” continues to break personal mile-
stones, becoming the singer-songwriter’s
first No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
chart and top 10 entry on the Billboard Hot
100 this week.
Elsewhere, “Safe” wins a third term atop
the Rap Airplay chart, where it improved
19% in week-over-week audience and pushes
8-6 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart
through a 22% gain to 13.5 million in audi-
ence at the format for the tracking week.
Gains from various sectors help the single
rise 22-21 on the Radio Songs chart, reaching
24.2 million (up 20%) across all radio formats
during the latest tracking week.
Daniel Caesar
Clinches His First
No. 1 on Top R&B/
Hip-Hop Albums
Chart
BY TREVOR ANDERSON
Daniel Caesar attains his first No.
1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-
Hop Albums chart as Son of
Spergy begins atop the list dated
Nov. 8. The set, released on Oct. 24 through
Hollace/Republic Records, opens with
43,000 equivalent album units earned in the
United States in the week of Oct. 24-30, ac-
cording to Luminate.
Of its starting sum, Son of Spergy gener-
ated 26,000 units from streaming activity,
equaling 34.1 million ocial audio and video
streams of the album’s tracks. 17,000 units
derive from traditional album sales, with
minimal activity from the third contribut-
ing metric, track-equivalent units from song
sales. Thanks to its activity in the relevant
metrics, Son of Spergy arrives at No. 4 on the
Top Album Sales chart and No. 11 on the
Top Streaming Albums ranking.
Son of Spergy — the title is a nod to the
nickname of Caesar’s father, gospel singer
Norwill Simmonds — is the fourth album by
the singer-songwriter. It follows his break-
through, 2017’s Freudian, which peaked at
No. 16 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
chart, 2019’s Case Study 01 (No. 10), and
2023’s Never Enough (No. 6).
In addition to its triumph on Top R&B/
Hip-Hop Albums, Son of Spergy likewise
starts at No. 1 on the Top R&B Albums
chart and is Caesar’s first leader there.
Breakthroughs continue with its No. 4
launch on the all-genre Billboard 200,
where the singer scores his first top 10 visit.
Ten of the album’s tracks reach the
50-position Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
chart, led by the No. 23 debut of “Who
Knows.” The entrance gives Caesar his best
result as a lead artist. He previously scored
two No. 1s in featured capacities: on Justin
Bieber’s seven-week champ “Peaches,” also
featuring Giveon, in 2021, and by support-
ing Tyler, The Creator on last year’s “St.
Chroma,” which ruled for one week. He
likewise assisted Tyler, The Creator on the
No. 16-peaking “Take Your Mask O,” also
featuring Latoiya Williams.
Two previous releases, “Have a Baby
(With Me)” and “Call on Me” return for
their second weeks on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop
Songs. The former reaches a new peak of
No. 31 after it debuted at No. 36 in August,
while the latter matches its No. 40 high.
Plus, Caesar notches his first No. 1 on the
Hot Gospel Songs chart, as “Rain Down,”
featuring Sampha, blasts in at the top. The
track owes its start to 3 million U.S. streams,
with negligible amounts of radio airplay or
sales.
Here’s a rundown of Daniel Caesar’s Son
of Spergy tracks on this week’s Hot R&B/
Hip-Hop Songs chart:
No. 23, “Who Knows”
No. 28, “Root of All Evil”
No. 31, “Have a Baby (With Me)”
IN BRIEF
Page 24 of 28
No. 37, “Baby Blue,” feat. Norwill Sim-
monds
No. 38, “Rain Down,” feat. Sampha
No. 39, “Emily’s Song”
No. 40, “Call on Me”
No. 41, “Moon,” feat. Bon Iver
No. 46, “Touching God,” feat. Yebba &
Blood Orange
No. 49, “Sign of the Times”
We Are Moving
the Needle
Sets Date for
2026 Resonator
Awards: ‘Music
Should Sound
Like the World
We Live In’
BY PAUL GREIN
We Are Moving the Needle,
a nonprofit dedicated to
closing the gender gap in
the music industry, has an-
nounced the return of the Resonator Awards
on Jan. 27 at Henson Studios in Los Angeles.
The inaugural edition of the event was
held in 2024, but the planned 2025 edition
was not held due to the Los Angeles-area
wildfires.
A kicko to Grammy week, the 2026
Resonator Awards will showcase the contri-
butions of women producers, engineers, and
creators behind-the-board and will include
an awards ceremony and live performances.
Funds raised from the event will go to We
Are Moving The Needle, a nonprofit found-
ed by Grammy-winning mastering engineer
Emily Lazar. The organization seeks to
empower women and non-binary producers,
engineers, and creators to succeed through
scholarships and grants, mentorship, re-
search, advocacy, and community events.
“When I founded We Are Moving The
Needle, it was born from a simple belief:
music should sound like the world we live
in,” Lazar said in a statement. “Every voice,
every story, every sound. The Resonator
Awards honor the ones who’ve kicked that
door down and challenge us all to keep it
open.”
Lazar made history in 2019 as the first
female mastering engineer to win a Grammy
for best engineered album, non-classical
for Beck’s Colors. Two years later, she made
history again as the first mastering engineer
to land three album of the year nomina-
tions in the same year for her contribu-
tions to HAIM’s Women in Music, Vol. III,
Coldplay’s Everyday Life and Jacob Collier’s
Djesse Vol. 3. She has also received Grammy
nods over the years for work with Foo Fight-
ers, Vampire Weekend, Sia and The Bird
and the Bee, as well as on Collier’s follow-up
album, Djesse Vol. 4.
Lazar founded We Are Moving The
Needle in 2021. The organization has award-
ed more than $875,000 in scholarships to
creators to attend audio education programs
globally and supports more than 20 chapters
on college campuses. Every scholarship
recipient receives tools, gear, guidance, and
mentorship from their soundboard, a com-
munity of top artists, producers, engineers
and industry leaders, including HAIM,
Brittany Howard, Leslie Ann Jones, Brandi
Carlile, Shirley Halperin, Jenna Andrews
and Molly Neuman.
Jenny Eliscu hosted the inaugural
Resonator Awards, which were held during
Grammy Week 2024. Honorees in atten-
dance included Alanis Morissette, Corinne
Bailey Rae, Caroline Polachek, Catherine
Marks, Laura Sisk, Jennifer Decilveo,
Michael Goldstone and Christine Thomas.
Inaugural Hall of Fame inductees included
Alicia Keys and Linda Perry.
The Argo in
Milwaukee Sets
Opening Date
With 40-Show
Concert Calendar
BY DAVE BROOKS
Milwaukee’s newest live enter-
tainment hub, The Argo, will
ocially open its doors next
month inside the historic Fox
Bay Theater in Whitefish Bay, anchoring a
full-scale renovation of the 1949 Art Deco
building and marking the debut of a new
mid-size venue for the region’s touring
circuit.
The 700-capacity space — which includes
a full bar and restaurant, ballroom, and
flexible event areas for private rentals, wed-
dings, and community programming — will
host its first public concert on Dec. 5 with
performances by local artists Chris Haise
Band and Zach Pietrini alongside Nashville
alt-pop trio VEAUX. The event doubles as
a fundraiser benefiting Milwaukee music
education programs.
The following night (Dec. 6), Milwaukee
rock favorites Goran and Morgan of The
Gufs will headline The Argo’s grand-open-
ing celebration, marking the 30th anniver-
sary of their 1995 album Collide.
More than 40 concerts are booked
between December and spring 2026, with
a mix of touring acts, regional artists and
thematic dance parties. Highlights include
Grateful Dead tribute act Another One,
bluegrass veterans NewFound Road, Minne-
sota rock band Remo Drive, punk mainstays
The Casualties and bluegrass singer Dan
Tyminski. A rotating Wednesday swing-jazz
residency will feature groups including The
Flood, The Sazerac 5, Micro Brew Swing
Band and Old Sam & The Teardrops.
The Argo’s ownership group — Andrew
J. Coate, Adam Powers and Josh Bryant
— completed the venue build-out in under
five months after receiving revitalization
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Page 25 of 28
approval earlier this year. The team has
instituted a permanent give-back model,
pledging $1 from every ticket sold to support
music-industry wellness, with an emphasis
on mental health, sustainability and career
longevity.
“We’ve lived every angle of this industry
— we’ve seen the best of it, we’ve felt the
burnout,” Coate says. “The Argo is our way
of tipping the scales back toward the good
— for our peers, for our city, and for the next
generation coming up behind us.”
Talent buying for the venue will be
handled exclusively by Knitting Factory En-
tertainment’s live division, Knitting Factory
Presents, led by SVP James Irvine. “This
is just the start for The Argo,” Irvine says.
“The space is built the right way — produc-
tion, hospitality, artist amenities — and it
has the backbone to become a real destina-
tion for touring artists.”
The venue’s bar and kitchen will be
helmed by chef Dan Jacobs — a five-time
James Beard semifinalist, 2024 nominee and
co-owner of Milwaukee restaurants EsterEv
and DanDan. The restaurant will soft-open
Dec. 5 with a limited menu and will operate
independently from ticketed events, allow-
ing locals to dine without attending a show.
Additional partners include exclusive
ticketing provider Eventbrite, developer
New Land Enterprises and design-build
firm Three Sixty Design, whose past work
includes Café Centraal and the Milwaukee
Athletic Club.
“After months perfecting this venue
and the customer experience, we’re finally
ready to show our faces to Milwaukee and
the world,” Coate adds. “We’re looking to
become a must-stop for local artists, promi-
nent touring acts and fans of almost every
kind of music.”
A calendar of upcoming dates at Argo
is below:
Dec 05 Public Soft Opening ft. VEAUX w/
Zach Pietrini, Chris Haise Band
Dec 06 Public Grand Opening ft. Goran &
Morgan of The Gufs Celebrating 30th An-
niversary ofCollide
Dec 10 Swing Jazz Wednesday featuring Old
Sam & The Teardrops
Dec 12 The First Wave (80’s New Wave
Tribute)
Dec 13 Birth-Tay (Taylor Swift Dancy Party)
Dec 17 Swing Jazz Wednesday featuring.
The Flood
Dec 19 Another One(Grateful Dead Tribute)
Dec 20 Second Hand News (Fleetwood Mac
Tribute)
Dec 24 Free Holiday Film Screening
Dec 26 Free Holiday Film Screening
Dec 27 Free Holiday Film Screening
Dec 28 Free Holiday Film Screening
Dec 31 Steve Beguhn Presents “New YearS’
teve”
January 2026
Jan 07 Swing Jazz Wednesday featuring The
Sazerac 5
Jan 09 An Evening with Field Report
Jan 10 Gabriel Harris
Jan 11 School of Rock Shorewood
Jan 17 Violet Wilder
Jan 14 Swing Jazz Wednesday featuring Old
Sam & The Teardrops
Jan 23 The Midnight Purchase
Jan 24 Pat McCurdy
Jan 28 Swing Jazz Wednesday featuring
Micro Brew Swing Band
Jan 30 Fool House (90s Dance Party)
Jan 31 Hot In Herre (00’s Dance Party)
February 2026
Feb 04 Swing Jazz Wednesday featuring
The Sazerac 5
Feb 11 Swing Jazz Wednesday featuring Old
Sam & The Teardrops
Feb 12 NewFound Road
Feb 15 Whitefish Bay High School Music
Club
Feb 18 Swing Jazz Wednesday featuring The
Flood
Feb 20 Remo Drive
Feb 25 Swing Jazz Wednesday featuring
Micro Brew Swing Band
Feb 28 Jump (Van Halen Tribute)
March 2026
Mar 04 Swing Jazz Wednesday featuring
The Sazerac 5
Mar 07 Scythian
Mar 11 Swing Jazz Wednesday featuring Old
Sam & The Teardrops
Mar 18 Swing Jazz Wednesday featuring
Micro Brew Swing Band
Mar 25 Swing Jazz Wednesday featuring
Micro Brew Swing Band
Mar 28 Bangers Before Bed
Coming Soon
Apr 03 Not Quite Brothers (Classic Rock
Tribute)
Apr 10 Smells Like Nirvana
May 16 The Casualties
May 29 Dan Tyminski
Jun 18 Thurston Howell (Yacht Rock Trib-
ute)
Aug 8 The Pork Tornadoes
Kenshi Yonezu’s
‘IRIS OUT’ Leads
Japan Hot 100 for
Seventh Week
BY BILLBOARD JAPAN
Kenshi Yonezu’s “IRIS OUT”
continues to dominate the Bill-
board Japan Hot 100 for the
seventh consecutive week, on
the chart released Nov. 5.
While overall chart points for the
Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc theme
dipped slightly compared to last week,
karaoke performance increased to 116%. The
track sits at No. 1 for streaming, video views,
and karaoke, while hitting No. 3 for down-
loads, No. 9 for CD sales, and No. 13 for radio
airplay, extending the hitmaker’s longest-
running stay atop the Japan Hot 100.
At No. 2 is Sakurazaka46’s “Unhappy
birthday Koubun,” which jumps from No.
15. The girl group’s 13th single sold 614,231
copies to take No. 1 for sales, and comes in
at No. 10 for downloads, No. 9 for streaming,
No. 70 for radio, and No. 61 for video.
Three songs debut in the top 10 this week.
LE SSERAFIM’s “SPAGHETTI (feat. j-hope
of BTS)” sold 92,621 copies to arrive at No.
3, BE:FIRST’s “I Want You Back” rules radio
to bow at No. 4, and Travis Japan’s “Disco
Baby” lands at No. 7 after topping down-
loads.
In other chart moves, several songs by
veteran band back number see renewed
momentum. “Blue Amber” rises 35-32,
“Takaneno Hanakosan” 72-56, “Suiheisen”
79-77, while “Koi” returns at No. 87.
The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines
IN BRIEF
Page 26 of 28
physical and digital sales, audio streams,
radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.
See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100
chart, tallying the week from Oct. 27 to Nov.
2, here. For more on Japanese music and
charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X
account.
Ed Sheeran’s
Push for Music
Education Reform
Pays O With
Major U.K. Policy
Shift
BY THOMAS SMITH
Ed Sheeran has celebrated a major
victory for his music education
campaign as the U.K. government
confirmed on Wednesday (Nov.
5) that music lessons will be taught more
widely in schools.
Earlier today a major review of the
National Curriculum – which dictates what
subjects and topics are taught in non-fee-
paying state schools – was published by the
Labour government. The changes are the
first in over a decade, and will see a number
of modern topics (such as artificial intelli-
gence) enter the classroom.
The report says that arts subjects will also
be “revitalised” and will see the scrapping
of the English baccalaureate (EBacc), which
critics – including Sheeran – said limited
subject choice for students at a GCSE level
(ages 14-16). Under the program, introduced
in 2010 by then-education secretary Mica-
hel Gove, pupils were required to study a
minimum of seven GCSEs, including maths
and a language, but the options did not
include any arts subjects.
In March, Sheeran called on U.K. prime
minister Sir Keir Starmer to scrap the
Ebacc, deliver £250 million in spending
towards music in a classroom environment
and enlist more teachers for music subjects.
His letter was backed by over 600 signato-
ries, including Sir Elton John, Harry Styles,
Coldplay and more. He also launched the
Ed Sheeran Foundation in January to help
support careers in music.
“We are at a critical point: a future of no
music in state schools, no music teachers to
teach, broken instruments and no grassroots
venues,” he wrote in his letter. “As a young
music student and aspiring artist, I benefit-
ed from opportunities in and out of school
to learn and grow. Unfortunately, after
decades of defunding and de-prioritising,
music is no longer a right for all children -
it’s a luxury for only a few.”
Sheeran’s eorts have now been rec-
ognized both by Starmer and Bridget
Phillippson, secretary for education. The
former sent a direct response to Sheeran
saying that his “voice had been heard”. Dur-
ing her speech in parliament on Wednesday,
Philippson credited Sheeran for speaking
“so powerfully” on the subject. The final
curriculum will be published in spring 2027,
and schools will begin teaching it from
September 2028.
Sheeran has responded to the news and
the success of his letter, writing “With the
help of the letter and everyone who signed
it, I’m happy to say that some of the key
points we raised have been recognized by
the government today, marking the first
change to the music curriculum in over 10
years. This involves diversifying the music
genres taught in schools and removing out-
dated systems that stop kids from studying
music and the arts as part of their school
day. These changes give young people hope
and the opportunity to study music.” See his
full statement below.
The topic of music education was raised
by a number of British artists at the BRIT
Awards 2025, when winners Myles Smith
and Ezra Collective called on action to help
foster creativity among young people in
education.
Ed Sheeran’s full statement
I set up the Ed Sheeran Foundation because
every child deserves to have access to a
meaningful music education, and the chance
to experience the joy and confidence that
musical expression can bring.
Shortly after setting up my foundation, I
wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister
about the critical state of music education in
the UK and the fact it was slipping through
the cracks. The letter was backed by so many
incredible people across the music industry
and education who all said the same thing:
music education matters. The Prime Min-
ister replied, recognising the challenges and
expressing his commitment to change.
With the help of the letter and everyone
who signed it, I’m happy to say that some of
the key points we raised have been recognised
by the government today, marking the first
change to the music curriculum in over 10
years. This involves diversifying the mu-
sic genres taught in schools and removing
outdated systems that stop kids from studying
music and the arts as part of their school day.
These changes give young people hope and the
opportunity to study music.
Without the encouragement I received in
school, especially from my music teacher, I
wouldn’t be a musician today, and I know so
many of my peers feel the same. My music
education went beyond learning and playing.
It helped me find confidence in myself, and
music itself was - and still is - so important
for my mental health.
There’s a lot more to do to support music
education, especially our music teachers, but
this is a step in the right direction.
Thank you so much to everyone who signed
and supported the letter.
Today is a good day.
Ed x
IN BRIEF
Page 27 of 28
‘Incredible First
Step’: Australian
Gov’t Approves
Content Quotas
For Streaming
Video Platforms
BY LARS BRANDLE
SYDNEY, Australia — More than
three-and-a-half years after the
siren sounded, the Australian gov-
ernment is activating local content
quotas for popular streaming video on-de-
mand platforms operating on these shores.
Confirmed Tuesday, Nov. 4, the new obli-
gation will require those services with over
1 million domestic subscribers to invest 10%
of total program expenditure here, or 7.5%
of their total Australian revenue, to support-
ing local storytelling.
Netflix, Disney, Amazon and other SVOD
services will be compelled to comply by
the legislation, which will be introduced to
Parliament this week, the ABC reports.
Those quotas must pass that bar set by the
Australian Content and Children’s Televi-
sion Standard (ACCTS), meeting or exceed-
ing the same requirements currently applied
to commercial and subscription television
services.
“We have Australian content require-
ments on free-to-air television and pay
television, but until now, there has been no
guarantee that we could see our own stories
on streaming services,” minister for the arts
Tony Burke remarked.
“Since their introduction in Australia,
streaming services have created some
extraordinary shows. This obligation will
ensure that those stories — our stories —
continue to be made.”
APRA AMCOS celebrated the announce-
ment as an “incredible first step for Austra-
lia.” Whether the next step is a long-mooted
content quotas for streaming music plat-
forms, time will tell.
The Australian-made regulation, says
Dean Ormston, CEO of APRA AMCOS, is a
critical mechanism “within a global content
market where extraordinary local stories
and local music can be drowned out by con-
tent from major overseas markets.”
Critically, he adds, “the obligation
includes requirements to spend on post-
production in Australia, opening the door
for Australian screen composers and local
music to play a central role in telling our
stories. This represents a significant new
opportunity for Australia’s music creators.”
The Albanese government’s announce-
ment follows the presentation last week
of APRA AMCOS’s 2025 Screen Music
Awards, and delivers on Canberra’s com-
mitment in its national cultural policy, the
five-year action plan dubbed Revive.
With its presentation in January 2023, the
federal government mapped out a timeline
for legislation that would enforce local
content quotas on streaming platforms. “For
video streaming,” federal minister of the arts
Tony Burke said at the time, “the timeline is
locked in.”
The new rules should’ve been implement-
ed in 2024 but were delayed over concerns
on how they might create a stumbling block
for Australia’s trade agreement with the
United States.
The champagne corks aren’t exactly fly-
ing, but the Australian creative community
has cause to celebrate. The government’s
commitment to investing in Australian sto-
rytelling comes on the heels of last week’s
decision that there would be no exception
for big tech in Australia’s copyright regime
to allow for text and data mining.
“This announcement marks a landmark
day for the Australian screen industry,”
enthuses Screen Producers Australia CEO
Matthew Deaner. “For too long, our local
production sector has operated in an uneven
environment where global streaming ser-
vices could reap the benefits of doing busi-
ness in Australia without contributing fairly
to the creation of Australian stories.”
The commitment is “the result of years
of advocacy,” he continues. “It recognizes
that Australian stories matter, and that
they deserve to be seen and heard on every
platform.”
David Banner,
Shirley Caesar
to Receive 2025
HBCU Honors
Celebrating Black
Excellence &
Legacy
BY GAIL MITCHELL
Artist David Banner, Pastor Shir-
ley Caesar and business entre-
preneur Janice Bryant Howroyd
will be saluted at the 2025 HBCU
Honors. BET returns as presenting partner
of the third annual celebration, which will
premiere Thanksgiving weekend on BET
and BET Her (Nov. 30, 8 p.m. ET/PT).
Grammy-nominated rapper-producer-
activist Banner, an alumnus of Southern
University, will be presented with the
Cultural Impact Award. Also an actor (BET’s
The Family Business), Banner is being rec-
ognized for his multi-faceted pursuits as an
artist, founder/CEO of full-service music
and production agency A Banner Vision, and
humanitarian, stemming from his organizing
of relief eorts during Hurricane Katrina.
Shirley “The First Lady of Gospel” Caesar,
senior pastor of Mount Calvary Word of
Faith Church in Durham, North Carolina,
will receive the Lifetime Achievement
Award. The Shaw University graduate’s
six-decade career encompasses more than
40 albums, 11 Grammy Awards and the
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. The
Visionary Founder Award will go to How-
royd, founder/CEO of The ActOne Group,
a global enterprise that provides employ-
ment, workforce management and other
services to a diverse range of industries and
businesses. Howroyd is an alumna of North
Carolina A&T State University.
Being taped at a new location — the Duke
Ellington School of the ArtsinWashington,
D.C. — HBCU Honors is also implementing
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Page 28 of 28
two new initiatives this year focused on dis-
covering and developing next-gen creative
talent. The HBCU Honors Rising Star
National Talent Search is open to HBCU
students who will be vying for the chance
to perform live on the HBCU Honors stage.
Judging the competition will be Tony
Award–winning actor and Bowie State Uni-
versityalumMyles Frost;American Idolfi-
nalistGabby Samone; GRAMMY-nominated
artistRaheem Devaughn, who attended
Coppin State University; and HBCU Honors
music directorShawn Williams.
The second initiative, HBCU Honors Me-
dia Futures Fellowship, was created by The
HBCU Honors Foundation as a workforce
development and mentorship program. The
2025 participating cohort includes students
fromJohnson C. Smith University,Lincoln
University of Missouri, andSpelman College.
Emmy-nominated actress, comedian and
podcaster Kym Whitley is returning as host.
About her return engagement, the Fisk
University alumna commented in the press
announcement, “Hosting HBCU Honors
again feels like coming home. This show is
a joyful reminder of everything our schools
represent — faith, excellence, community
and legacy.”
HBCU Honors was established by Mi-
chelle M. Bailey. Doubling as an executive
producer of the event, Bailey said in a state-
ment, “We’re in a defining moment where
the legacy of HBCUs deserves not only to be
preserved but amplified. Our return to BET
celebrates the unity, pride and progress that
define HBCU excellence — the same excel-
lence that nurtured me at my beloved alma
mater, Spelman College. Thanksgiving week-
end is the perfect time to honor the institu-
tions that continue to educate, empower and
shape generations of trailblazers.”
IN BRIEF
