Queen‘s Greatest Hits may have been released 1981, but the 40-year-old compilation was still among the best-selling albums in the U.S. for the first half of 2021.
According to music-sales info provider MRC Data, Queen’s Greatest Hits landed at #7 on the Top Physical Albums tally, charting total combined vinyl and CD sales.
The compilation also landed at #9 on the Top Vinyl Albums list. Other albums by veteran artists appearing on the top-10 of the vinyl-sales tally included Prince‘s Purple Rain at #5, Michael Jackson‘s Thriller at #6 and Fleetwood Mac‘s Rumours at #10.
Queen’s Greatest Hits also was #2 on the Top Rock Albums list, which is compiled using combined traditional album sales, individual track downloads and on-demand streams. Further down on the tally were Rumours at #3, Elton John‘s Diamonds compilation at #4 and Creedence Clearwater Revival‘s Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits at #5.
Looking at individual tunes, Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” was #3 on Top Rock Songs chart, which is ranked by combining digital song sales and on-demand streams.
As for the Top Radio Songs list, which is ranked by “audience impressions across all monitored formats of radio,” Journey‘s classic anthem “Don’t Stop Believin'” was #5.
(WASHINGTON) — The Biden administration will begin evacuation flights in late July for Afghans who have aided the U.S. military and diplomatic missions, according to a senior administration official.
President Joe Biden earlier this month said all U.S. combat forces will be out of Afghanistan by Aug. 31 and defended his decision to leave the country in the face of Taliban gains in the area.
The top U.S. general in Afghanistan, Scott Miller, returned from Afghanistan to Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday after he handed over his command at a ceremony in Kabul on Monday.
The evacuation effort, dubbed Operation Allies Refuge, will relocate Afghans who have applied for a U.S. Special Immigrant Visa and their families to a safe third country, but it is still unclear how many of these translators, guides and other contractors will be moved and to exactly where.
“Our objective is to get individuals who are eligible relocated, out of the country, in advance of the removal — of the withdrawal of troops at the end of August,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday.
The administration also has not specified when flights will depart, citing security concerns, but the senior administration official told ABC News that they will meet Biden’s commitment to begin flights by late July.
“Our message to those women and men is clear: There is a home for you in the United States if you so choose, and we will stand with you just as you stood with us,” Biden said in an address on Afghanistan on Thursday.
Earlier this month, a U.S. official told ABC News that Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan — Afghanistan’s neighbors to the north — have all been under consideration as third-country options, while a second official said the list includes the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, both of which are home to U.S. military facilities where Afghans could be brought.
Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby confirmed that the administration is also now considering using U.S. military installations in the continental U.S. “for short-term use,” as well as U.S. military installations in other countries that have “appropriate temporary residences and associated support infrastructure,” he said.
At this point in time, however, no final decision has been made yet, Kirby added.
This week, the president’s homeland security adviser Dr. Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall and Zalmay Khalilzad, the special representative for Afghanistan, are leading a delegation to Uzbekistan to discuss security and economic development opportunities for Afghanistan and other countries in the region, the White House announced Wednesday.
There are approximately 18,000 Afghans who have applied for Special Immigrant Visas, with many of them now fearing for their lives as the Taliban gain more districts in a summer offensive against the Afghan government. Within that group, 9,000 still have to complete their applications while the other half are having their cases adjudicated now, according to a State Department spokesperson.
At least 300 Afghan interpreters have been killed since 2014 because they worked for the U.S., according to the advocacy group No One Left Behind, although the Taliban have said in recent weeks that they will not harm them as they pursue power.
In April, Biden announced the withdrawal of all remaining U.S. forces from Afghanistan before the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks that brought them there — although last Thursday he bumped that deadline up to Aug. 31.
But as U.S. and NATO forces exit, the Taliban have seized dozens of districts in a summer offensive that has killed hundreds of Afghan service members or seen them surrender. The Pentagon said this week it seems apparent the militant group is intent on taking power by force, even as the State Department calls for them to return to negotiations with the Afghan government, hosted by Qatar in its capital Doha.
The Biden administration has tried to reinvigorate those talks, which have been all but dead since the two sides agreed on an agenda late last year.
The senior administration official said Wednesday that the U.S. “remains confident that Afghanistan’s Armed Forces have the tools and capability to defend their country and that the conflict will ultimately have to be resolved at the negotiating table.”
But advocates say that time is running out for these Afghan interpreters and other contractors, while analysts warn that the country could be headed for civil war. The United Nations refugee agency warned Tuesday that the country is facing “imminent humanitarian crisis,” calling for an urgent end to violence.
The White House’s announcement Wednesday is “a vital step forward in honoring the promise we made to Afghan allies who faithfully served our mission,” said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, one of the country’s largest refugee resettlement agencies.
But “there are still far too many questions left unanswered, including who exactly and how many people are eligible for evacuation,” she added. “With partners estimating that 49% of those at risk reside outside of Kabul, how will those outside the capital access safety?”
It seems like everything ’90s is back — so why not All-4-One? The chart-topping vocal group is back with a remake of their number-one 1994 hit “I Swear,” which is now promoting Xbox.
Retitled “It’s All There,” the song now promotes Xbox All Access, which features a new Xbox console and 24 months’ worth of Game Pass Ultimate, “all for one” monthly price. In the two-minute long viral ad, the group passionately sings the song while an oblivious female gamer is completely absorbed in the entertainment she’s getting from her new Xbox All Access.
“It’s all there/next-gen console, games, friends, for one price,” the foursome croons. “Series X or an S/Game Pass Ultimate/All in one place/I can’t believe it/it’s all there!”
The original “I Swear,” a remake of a number-one country hit by John Michael Montgomery, topped the pop charts for 11 weeks. All-4-One’s other hits include “I Can Love You Like That,” “So Much In Love” and “Someday,” from Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
This summer, All-4-One will be part of the I Love the ’90s Tour, which kicks off August 12 in South Bend, IN. Other acts on the bill include Vanilla Ice,Sir Mix-A-Lot, C+C Music Factory featuring Freedom Williams, Naughty by Nature, Coolio, Young MC, Tone Loc and more. Tickets are on sale now at ilovethe90stour.com.
As part of the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry‘s deal with Netflix, the streamer announced today that it’s bringing to life an animated project with the working title Pearl.
According to Netflix, the show will be a “family series that centers on the adventures of a 12-year-old girl, who is inspired by a variety of influential women from history.”
The project will be created under the runaway royals’ Archewell Productions banner, named after their first child, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, and co-produced by David Furnish, Elton John‘s husband; the celebrity couple are pals with Harry and Meghan Markle.
“Like many girls her age, our heroine Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome life’s daily challenges,” Markle says in a statement. “David…and I have been eager to bring this special series to light, and I am delighted we are able to announce it today.”
The series will be co-produced by Sherlock Gnomes and Tangled vet Carolyn Soper and Emmy Award-winning filmmakers Liz Garbus, Dan Cogan and Amanda Rynda.
Tom Hiddleston can add a new accolade to his expansive resume. On Tuesday, the British actor became a Billboard-charting artist.
Hiddleston can credit his Billboarddebut to the song he belts out in Loki‘s third episode, in which he stars as the titular Norse god of mischief.
The Golden Globe winner sings the Asgardian drinking song “Very Full” almost entirely in Norwegian in the episode titled “Lamentis.” The track is now available on the recently released Loki: Volume 1 soundtrack.
“Very Full” — or “Jeg Saler Min Ganger” — debuted in the top 10 on the World Digital Song Sales after selling over 500 downloads. The particular chart tracks non-English and non-Spanish singles.
Hiddleston performs “Very Full” twice in the third episode of Loki, the first time when he drinks too much and leads a train full of affluent individuals into a rowdy singalong as Sylvie, played by Sophia Di Martino, stares on in horror. The second time is during during the end credits.
Loki‘s final episode premieres today on Disney+, though a second season is forthcoming.
This isn’t the only song originating in a Disney+ series to shake up the Billboard and streaming charts. Previously, Kathryn Hahn‘s WandaVision earworm “Agatha All Along” went to number one on the iTunes soundtrack chart.
Marvel is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News.
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for evian
Jessie J is giving an update on her mysterious throat issue that has made it painful for her to sing or even talk for extended periods of time.
The singer, who first opened up about her throat pain last month on Instagram, tells Billboard that her doctors still don’t know what’s causing it.
“It just hasn’t got any better — it’s gotten worse and worse,” she says.
She tells Billboard the problems began last year when she was diagnosed with Ménière’s disease, an inner ear disorder, and was put on steroids to treat it. She then started to experience a burning in her throat that she initially thought was acid reflux, but it wouldn’t go away.
“[I’ve] done everything you can imagine, from eating [the same] three things for two months, to acupuncture, massage, medication,” she says. “I’ve had procedures done. I’ve had everything done.”
Thankfully, though the area around her vocal cords is inflamed, she’s been told that there’s no danger of them being significantly damaged.
Still, Jessie says it’s a frustrating experience, especially with a new album coming out soon.
“I just want to do what I love — and obviously, before this whole shebang, we had a year where we couldn’t [due to the pandemic],” she says. “So I’m just trying to stay in good spirits, stay working out, make a diary of everything I’m eating. But I really don’t know when it will be great.”
John Shearer/Getty Images for the Country Music Association
Garth Brooks + Trisha Yearwood were among the many stars who honored former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, in honor of their recent 75th wedding anniversary.
As People reports, Garth and Trisha were on the guest list for an anniversary party the couple had planned last weekend. But before the festivities began, the two country superstars met privately with the Carters to offer them a jaw-dropping gift with a sweet personal meaning.
According to Jill Stuckey, a close friend of the Carters who spoke to People about the anniversary celebration, Garth and Trisha presented the couple with a red convertible car built in 1946 — the year they wed
Delivering a car to someone’s house in advance without ruining the surprise of the gift is no small feat, but Garth and Trisha managed to pull it off with help from the Secret Service, who stored it in an area of the couple’s Plains, Georgia compound where they wouldn’t see it until the moment arrived.
“Bright eyes, big smiles,” Stuckey says of the Carters’ “very excited” reaction to their gift. “But there was so much special [about the day] because [of] the people that were here from all aspects of their lives.”
Celebrities, politicians, church friends and more flocked to the Carters’ party to celebrate the couple: Billy and Hillary Clinton were in attendance, as was Nancy Pelosi and more.
The latest video in Ariana Grande’s VEVO Official Live Performance series has arrived.
This time, Ari is singing “my hair,” from her latest album Positions. She sings the jazzy, sexy R&B tune while seated on a stool wearing a two-piece black outfit and tall boots. She’s surrounded by her band, on the same garden-like set she used for her previous VEVO clips.
At about two minutes in, she unleashes some very Mariah Carey-like whistle tones as she sings, “Come run your hands through my hair/baby, ’cause that’s why it’s there/come run your hands through my hair/don’t you be scared.”
“the biggest possible thank you to my incredible band,” Ariana wrote on Instagram about the performance, and offered a special thanks to Rashawn Ross “for joining us for this one.” Ross plays trumpet for the Dave Matthews Band, and has worked with everyone from Stevie Wonder to The Fugees.
“thank you guys for your brilliance, kindness and for sharing your gifts, ears and time with me,” she adds. “i feel sooooooo blessed to sing with you fellas!”
(NEW YORK) — Olympian Danielle Lawrie’s 7-year-old daughter Madison learned the hard way that training for the Olympics is no joke.
Lawrie, 34, is a mother of two and a member of the Canadian softball team that will compete in the Tokyo games later this month. While training at home, Lawrie said Madison always wants to join in but then quickly realizes she’s made a mistake.
“She realizes she’s over her head within 3 minutes in every single time,” Lawrie says. “She starts breathing super heavy, and the tears start to come out, and she starts to say she can’t do it. That’s where I come in and completely change the way she’s supposed to think about it. You can do it, it’s hard but we can finish, we do not give up.”
“I love that a video like this is gaining some momentum because to me raising strong kids is the best way,” Lawrie said. “The world is already tough, so why not make our kids even tougher to be able to handle whatever is to come? Pushing through adversity and not allowing your children to give up is pushing them to believe in themselves even when they didn’t think it was possible.”
Lawrie says even though there are often tears, she knows Madison will never stop being her workout buddy.
“Maddie will 100% work out with me again in the future. It will be our thing,” Lawrie said. “She’s so proud when she’s done. …She loves me telling her how proud I am of her, and I make it a priority to always make her feel like the most badass chick in the room.”
This will be Lawrie’s second Olympic Games with team Canada and her first as a mother. After competing in the 2008 games and retiring, she decided to start training again in 2017 to see if she could get to one more games.
“I’m so proud that she’s gotten to see me grind the way I have because it’s opened that door for her,” Lawrie said. “If momma can do it… you surely can.”
R&B vocalist Kiana Ledé has announced her upcoming collaboration with It Was Good Until It Wasn’tsinger Kehlani.
“The moment we’ve been waiting for,” Ledé wrote in an Instagram post Wednesday along with a winking face emoji. “My dream collab is coming to life, and if you know me, you know how special this is for me. Be sure to pre-save my new single ‘Ur Best Friend’ feat. @Kehlani NOW!”
According to the comments, everyone, including Ant Clemons, Sinead Harnett and Melanie Fiona, is excited about Kehlani and Kiana’s soft vocals on the same track.
“We got one,” wrote Grammy-nominated producer OG Parker, who produced “Ur Best Friend,” alongside SmashDavid, Mike Woods and songwriter Tenroc.
“Ur Best Friend,” which likely will arrive this Friday, follows Kiana Ledé’s “Cut Em Off” from the female compilation albumBig Femme Energy Volume 1. This marks Kehlani’s fifth collaboration this year and follows her previous releases with T-Pain, Pink Sweat$,Ant Clemons and emerging producer Amorphous.
