It’s January, but Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer” is still on top

January 3, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Buda Mendes/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

It may be January, but Taylor Swift‘s “Cruel Summer” is still on top of several Billboard charts.

Now that the crush of Christmas songs has stopped, “Cruel Summer” is back on top of Billboard‘s Radio Songs airplay chart for a 10th nonconsecutive week. The song, originally released on Taylor’s 2019 album Lover, was released as a single back in June after Taylor played it during the Eras Tour.

“Cruel Summer” has also notched a 17th week at #1 on Billboard‘s Adult Pop Airplay chart. That ties Miley Cyrus‘ “Flowers” record for longest run on top by a female artist since that chart was invented in 1996.

Of course, “Cruel Summer” never paid much attention to the calendar: It became Taylor’s 10th #1 hit on the Hot 100 in October. At the time, Taylor thanked fans for making the song #1 “and it’s not even the summer anymore.”

“It’s deep fall; I’m wearing a sweater,” she added.

Kevin Hart says he “lied to” Chris Rock to make their comedy special happen

January 3, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Kevin Hart says he had to work a little hard to get Chris Rock on board with filming their Netflix comedy special.

“I had to hoodwink Chris into understanding that it would be cool to film it,” he told Extra.

He added, “Chris is a little stubborn, so he wouldn’t have jumped at the opportunity out of the gate. So I lied to him.”

Their documentary, Kevin Hart & Chris Rock: Headliners Only, which is currently available for streaming on the platform, follows the duo’s Only Headliners Allowed July 2022 tour. By delving into in-depth conversation through the film, the comedians “offer an unparalleled, behind-the-scenes look at their friendship and careers.”

Hart often refers to Rock as his mentor; during the Madison Square Garden show on the tour, Hart presented the Head of State star a real-life goat as a symbol of the comedian’s greatness — or one of Hart’s G.O.A.T.s.

During the 2016 premiere of Hart’s What Now?, he told CNN, “Chris Rock [is my mentor], one hundred percent.”

He noted, “Rock’s advice is always great. It’s always spot-on.”

Weezer teases “some very cool releases”for 2024

January 2, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Along with celebrating the 30th anniversary of their debut album in 2024, Weezer has new material in the works.

In a Facebook post reflecting on the past year, which included their Indie Rock Roadtrip tour, Rivers Cuomo and company write, “2023 was really just amazing for us, and 2024 (the 30th Anniversary of The Blue Album!) is looking to be another great year!”

“No time to slow down!” they add. “Stay tuned for some very cool releases!”

Said cool releases will mark the first new music from Weezer to follow their 2022 SZNZ EP project.

As previously reported, Cuomo told Collider that Weezer planned to mark the Blue Album anniversary in 2024 with a “really amazing deluxe package” and “some kind of epic tour.” The 1994 record, which is technically self-titled, would launch a tradition of color-themed Weezer albums, including the songs “Buddy Holly,” “Say It Ain’t So,” “My Name Is Jonas” and “Undone — The Sweater Song.”

Ace Frehley on his KISS replacement, Tommy Thayer: “It’s back to the breadline for him”

January 2, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley continues to diss his former band, and his latest victim is Tommy Thayer, the guitarist who took his place in the group from 2002 to 2023.

During an interview with Guitar World, Frehley was asked if his own guitar playing is based on instinct; he used his response to call out Thayer.

“It is. I’ve never had a guitar lesson. I was born with a certain technique that many people, namely Tommy Thayer, can’t duplicate,” he replied, noting that now that KISS is no longer touring, “It’s back to the breadline for him.”

Frehley recently released the title track off his upcoming solo album, 10,000 Volts, which drops February 23. He believes fans are more interested in his song than they are his former band.

“I was on YouTube last night and I noticed that the music video for ‘10,000 Volts’ is creeping up on half a million views,” Frehley says. “Then I checked on a video of one of KISS’ final live shows, and they didn’t have close to that.”

But even with those digs, Frehley insists he doesn’t take things as far as his former bandmates, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons.

“I’ve always been the kind of guy to let the music do the talking, you know? The less I say … I think that sometimes, that’s the best route to go,” he says. “Paul and Gene always like to elaborate and put people down. … Maybe it makes them feel better, or perhaps it’s because they’re just insecure. I don’t know the reason.”

Elvis Presley returns to the Hot 100 top 20 for the first time since 1977

January 2, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Elvis Presley is back in the top 20 for the first time in over 45 years.

The King of Rock & Roll’s holiday classic “Blue Christmas” lands at #18 on the Billboard Hot 100 this week, his 49th top 20 single, and the first time he’s appeared in the top 20 since 1977, when “Way Down” peaked at #18.

Elvis released his version of “Blue Christmas” in 1957 as part of Elvis’ Christmas Album. The song, written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson, was originally recorded by Doye O’Dell in 1948 and has since been covered by a whole host of artists. In addition to Elvis, two other versions have hit the Hot 100, The Browns‘ 1960 recording and country star Kane Brown‘s 2022 version.

Meanwhile, thanks to the Christmas holiday, Brenda Lee’s classic “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” returns to #1 on the Hot 100 this week, the song’s third nonconsecutive week on top.

Music notes: Rod Stewart, Mariah Carey and more

January 2, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Rod Stewart has released another track from Swing Fever, his upcoming collaborative album with Jools Holland. Rod debuted the song — a version of the 1929 composition “Ain’t Misbehavin'” — on December 31 during Jools’ annual BBC New Year’s Eve special, Jools’ Annual Hootenanny. Swing Fever is out February 23.

Brenda Lee is hanging on to the last remnants of the Christmas season. Her classic holiday tune, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart again this week. The song first topped the list four weeks ago, 65 years after its release, and topped it a second time a week later.

Madonna rang in the new year surrounded by family. The singer shared a series of photos of her celebrating with her six children: Lourdes, 27, Rocco, 23, David, 18, Mercy, 17, and 11-year-old twins Stella and Estere. “Let Me Take You to a Place I know you want to Go— It’s A Good Life……….Happy 2024 !!” she captioned the post.

Mariah Carey is showing off a new side to herself in the new year. She posted a photo of her so-called “bad side” on Instagram, captioning it, “New year, new beginnings..taking a picture from my ‘bad side!'” She also posted a video of some of her holiday highlights, including taking a dip in the hot tub while fully dressed in a fancy red gown.

Nashville notes: Sam Hunt’s family photos + Jelly Roll’s medley

January 2, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Sam Hunt recently shared heartwarming family photos from 2023. You can check them out now on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Jelly Roll performed not one but three songs on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. Delivered as a medley, the country hitmaker sang the chart-topping “Need a Favor,” the Jessie Murph-assisted “Wild Ones” and his new single, “Halfway to Hell.” In case you missed it, you can check out the full performance now on YouTube.

Dustin Lynch checked off a bucket list item as co-host of CBS’ New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash. Now, he’s giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at that milestone moment and what went on behind the camera. Check it out on Dustin’s Instagram.

Music notes: Mariah Carey, Lil Nas X and more

January 2, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Lil Nas X is continuing to tease new music. On Instagram Tuesday, he posted black-and-white artwork featuring him holding a gun while wearing an angelic ruffled outfit. The next slide shows an animation of his new logo as rain pours down in a field. “i know it’s been 2 years but….yall ready for a show?” he captioned the post.

Sophie Turner may have split from husband Joe Jonas in 2023, but she had her girls there to support her. The actress posted a slideshow from the past year featuring Taylor Swift and her other gal pals. “2023 was the year of the girlies. 2024s forecast is looking fairly consistent,” Sophie declared in the caption.

Could there ever be another Ozzfest tour?

January 2, 2024 by WDNY Radio

Since Ozzfest first began in the ’90s, festival culture has exploded. So could there ever be another Ozzfest tour?

That’s the question Ozzy Osbourne posed to his wife and Ozzfest founder Sharon Osbourne during the latest episode of The Osbournes Podcast.

“Yeah, sure,” Sharon replied. “Of course.”

The last full-scale Ozzfest tour took place in 2007. Since then, there have been pared-down tours and one- or two-day events, the last of which took place in Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve 2018.

Among the issues that would face the resurrection of Ozzfest, Sharon said, are the financials.

“Why is it when it comes to us that everybody thinks that we are trillionaires?” Sharon asked. “Every manager who wants their band on our festival wants one of the f****** trillions they think we’ve got.”

Speaking about the broader festival landscape nowadays, Sharon is proud to see how much of it has been shaped by Ozzfest.

“It’s great, that’s what we wanted, everybody to do spinoffs and do their own festivals,” Sharon said. “It’s great for fans, it’s brilliant.”

“We started something,” she added. “People have taken it, and it’s still great for the genre.”

Should an Ozzfest tour ever come back, though, you probably shouldn’t expect to see Ozzy play all the dates. The Prince of Darkness announced in 2023 that he’d retired from touring due to health issues, though he still hopes to play one-off shows in the future.

More on why Nicki Minaj doesn’t like her song “Starships”

January 2, 2024 by WDNY Radio

When Nicki Minaj appeared at club E11EVEN in Miami on New Year’s Eve, she almost performed her 2012 hit “Starships.”

But it was no more than a few seconds after the DJ started playing the track that she demanded he stop and revealed to the crowd that the song is one of her least favorite records she’s done.

“Hold on. Psych, psych, psych, psych,” Minaj is seen saying in fan-shared footage.

She revealed to the audience that she doesn’t perform the song anymore simply because “I don’t like it.”

“What y’all want me to do?” she added, calling it a “stupid song.”

In a 2020 interview, she opened up about how much she dislikes “Starships” and how she cringes at the sound of it.

“I hate ‘Starships,’ I mean ew, ‘Starships’? I’m like, ‘Why did I do that?’ I really think that every time I hear it.”

The hit song, which placed high on music charts and earned numerous awards, isn’t the only track in her discography Nicki no longer cares for.

“I wish I never recorded ‘Anaconda,'” she said. “I like the video but ugh. My first ever solo song on Billboard was ‘Your Love.’ To this day I like the video but I hate the song. I could go on and on.”

Fans on the internet didn’t seem too shocked by the revelation about some of her past pop music, with some pointing to the hardcore hip-hop/rap vibe of her latest album, Pink Friday 2.

“Cause that’s not her nomore , it doesn’t fit her ‘ Drill rapper ‘ image,” one user commented on Instagram.

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