Wednesday marked the 15th anniversary of Justin Timberlake‘s landmark sophomore album FutureSex/LoveSounds, which turned him from a rising solo artist into a global superstar. It’s no wonder he took to Instagram to pay special tribute to the multi-platinum project.
“15 years ago today, I released my 2nd album… FutureSex/LoveSounds. This album changed my life,” Justin wrote, posting snippets of the videos for the album’s many hits. “Every album is a different chapter and special to me but, this one??? I don’t even know if I have the words.”
“I’m often asked what my favorite song on the album is but they’re all my babies so I can’t pick,” Justin continued. “But I do know this: album STILL HITS.”
Released September 8, 2006, FutureSex/LoveSounds featured production by Timbaland. Justin also shared a snippet of an interview where the two men talk about their collaboration. Among the album’s hits: “My Love,” “What Goes Around…Comes Around,” “LoveStoned/I Think She Knows” and of course, “SexyBack.”
FutureSex/LoveSounds hit number one and was nominated for Album of the Year at the 2007 Grammys. While it didn’t win in that category, all the singles from the album won Grammys in their respective categories.
Echoing the feelings of many fans who posted that they suddenly felt very old, actress/director Olivia Wilde commented, “I’m sorry 15 YEARS?”
The worldwide 24-hour Global Citizen Live concert. taking place September 25. has announced its lineups for both LA and London.
The show in Los Angeles will take place at the Greek Theatre and feature Adam Lambert, Demi Lovato, OneRepublic, Chloe X Halle, H.E.R., The Lumineers, 5 Seconds of Summer and Ozuna, as well as music legend Stevie Wonder. Tickets are available now at GlobalCitizenLive.la.
In a statement, Wonder said, “It is again my pleasure and honor to join with all of the artists who are using their gift of song to celebrate the Global Citizens’ event by doing our part in working against global warming, starvation and singing for equality around the world…We Are The Village!!!”
The London lineup for the show will feature dance diva Kylie Minogue, disco legends Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Duran Duran, Rag’n’Bone Man and “Beggin'” band Måneskin.
As previously reported, the New York part of the show will include Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes, Alessia Cara, Jennifer Lopez, Billie Eilish, Coldplay and more. Ed Sheeran, Doja Cat, Black Eyed Peas, Charlie Puth and DJ Snake will perform from Paris, and Lorde, BTS, Usher, Ricky Martin, Green Day and Metallica will round out the broadcast.
ABC News Live will broadcast the full event starting at 12:30 p.m. ET on September 25, with a highlights show scheduled to air on ABC September 26 at 7 p.m. ET. Tickets for Paris, New York City, and Los Angeles can be earned by taking action at GlobalCitizenLive.org.
The goal of Global Citizen Live is to encourage people to call upon world leaders, philanthropists and politicians to prioritize vaccine equality, climate change and famine.
Meghan Trainor is the host of Peacock’s new Top Chef spinoff, Top Chef: Family Style, where talented kid chefs team up with a family member to compete. The show, whose first two episodes hit the streaming service today, features celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson as the judge, because, as Meghan admits, she knew nothing about food when she took the job.
“The first week, I would try to guess what Marcus would think. I would say, ‘Don’t tell me, don’t tell me! I’m going to try to guess,'” Meghan tells ABC Audio about offering comments on the contestants’ food. “And a lot of times I was right. So then I started trusting myself more and I would [give more] input, and Marcus would be so proud, because I was really learning!”
The Grammy-winner says by doing the show, she was introduced to many foods she’d never tasted before, like mole [MOE-lay] and sea urchin. “I learned about flavors, texture…every bite should be magical!” she explains. “I learned how to appreciate…I had no idea. I was just shovin’ it down!”
Meghan filmed the show when her baby son, Riley, was three months old, and he spent most of the time hanging out with her husband, Daryl Sabara. But Meghan reveals with a laugh, “Any time I had a break, I would tell the guest chefs, like, ‘Do you want to see a baby?’…[So Riley] had a lot of visitors.”
Between this program and her upcoming show Clash of the Cover Bands, some fans might feel that Meghan’s abandoned her music career — but don’t worry.
“I did those shows when I was recovering from the C-section and being a new mom,” she says. “And now I’m finally in my studio mode and I’m writing songs for my fourth album.”
Reigning Entertainer of the Year Eric Church is tied for the most nominations at the upcoming 55th Annual CMA Awards, alongside Chris Stapleton, who’ll compete for the night’s biggest honor as well. Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood round out this year’s contenders for Entertainer.
Female Vocalist nominee Gabby Barrett grabs four nods, while Brothers Osborne, Kane Brown, Luke Combs, Miranda, Ashley McBryde, Maren Morris and Chris Young all nabbed three.
Miranda also maintains her impressive streak as the most-nominated female artist in CMA history, with 58 total. That puts her neck-in-neck with Brad Paisley for the third-most all-time nods overall.
Perhaps the most interesting nomination of 2021 comes with the return of Morgan Wallen, who’s nominated for Album of the Year, for Dangerous: The Double Album, which happens to be music’s best-selling project in any genre this year.
Though Morgan has been widely dropped from country radio and awards shows since being caught using a racial slur earlier this year, the CMA opted not to exclude him, which would’ve taken his collaborators out of the running as well. Producers Dave Cohen, Matt Dragstrem, Jacob Durrett, Charlie Handsome and Joey Moi could therefore take home trophies as well.
The 55th Annual CMA Awards air Wednesday, November 10 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. So far, the Country Music Association hasn’t revealed who’ll host this year’s show.
The late Otis Redding was born 80 years ago today. The soul legend was just 26-years-old when he was killed in a plane crash on December 10, 1967.
Born in Dawson, Georgia, and raised in Macon, Redding sang gospel at an early age and was inspired by his love of Sam Cooke and Little Richard to become a soul singer.
Redding was signed to Stax Records in 1962. His first single for the famed Memphis, Tennessee, label was the original song “This Heart of Mine” that reached #20 on Billboard‘s R&B singles chart.
Over the next couple of years, Otis scored a series of big R&B hits.
Redding’s first hits on the Billboard Hot 100 came in 1965 with the ballad “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” and the soul rave-up “Respect,” which peaked at #21 and #35, respectively. The latter tune later became Aretha Franklin‘s signature song after she covered it in 1967.
Otis continued to enjoy crossover success in 1966 and ’67 with hits that included “Try a Little Tenderness.”
Also in 1967, two duets that Redding recorded with Carla Thomas, “Tramp” and “Knock on Wood,” reached the Hot 100’s top 30.
Otis’ dynamic performance at the 1967 Monterey Pop festival would bring him more acclaim and attention.
On December 7, 1967, three days before his death, Redding finished recording “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay,” a song he’d co-written with his guitarist and frequent collaborator, Steve Cropper.
In March ’68, “The Dock of the Bay” became the first posthumous song to hit #1 on the Hot 100.
Thursday morning, the Country Music Association revealed the nominees for the 55th Annual CMA Awards.
Chris Stapleton and Eric Church lead all nominees, with five nods each, including Entertainer of the Year. Gabby Barrett has the second-highest number of nominations, with four, including Female Vocalist of the Year and New Artist of the Year.
The CMA Awards will air Wednesday, November 10 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. Here’s a complete rundown of the contenders:
Entertainer of the Year
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Miranda Lambert
Chris Stapleton
Carrie Underwood
Single of the Year
“Famous Friends” — Chris Young with Kane Brown
“The Good Ones” — Gabby Barrett
“Hell of a View” — Eric Church
“One Night Standards” — Ashley McBryde
“Starting Over” — Chris Stapleton
Album of the Year 29 — Carly Pearce Dangerous: The Double Album — Morgan Wallen Heart — Eric Church Skeletons — Brothers Osborne Starting Over — Chris Stapleton
Song of the Year
“Forever After All” — Luke Combs, Drew Parker, Robert Williford
“The Good Ones” — Gabby Barrett, Zach Kale, Emily Landis, Jim McCormick
“Hell of a View” — Casey Beathard, Eric Church, Monty Criswell
“One Night Standards” — Nicolette Hayford, Shane McAnally, Ashley McBryde
“Starting Over” — Mike Henderson, Chris Stapleton
Female Vocalist of the Year
Gabby Barrett
Miranda Lambert
Ashley McBryde
Maren Morris
Carly Pearce
Male Vocalist of the Year
Dierks Bentley
Eric Church
Luke Combs
Thomas Rhett
Chris Stapleton
Vocal Group of the Year
Lady A
Little Big Town
Midland
Old Dominion
Zac Brown Band
Vocal Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae
Musical Event of the Year
“Buy Dirt” — Jordan Davis and Luke Bryan
“Chasing After You” — Ryan Hurd with Maren Morris
“Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” — Elle King & Miranda Lambert
“Famous Friends” — Chris Young with Kane Brown
“half of my hometown” — Kelsea Ballerini (featuring Kenny Chesney)
Music Video of the Year
“Chasing After You” — Ryan Hurd with Maren Morris
“Famous Friends” — Chris Young with Kane Brown
“Gone” — Dierks Bentley
“half of my hometown” — Kelsea Ballerini (featuring Kenny Chesney)
“Younger Me” — Brothers Osborne
New Artist of the Year
Jimmie Allen
Ingrid Andress
Gabby Barrett
Mickey Guyton
HARDY
As the final days of summer approach, Luke Bryan ends the season with his 27th #1, “Waves,” topping the chart for the second week in a row. Once again, it’s a song like “Roller Coaster” and “One Margarita” that’s perfect for warm weather.
“I always love to have a big summer song out there,” Luke reflects, “and ‘Waves’ certainly really checks a lot of those boxes, and talks about the love of summer and being at the beach.”
“But the main thing is vocally, I loved doing something different like that,” he adds. “And production-wise, I just thought it was a new sound for me.”
While Luke may love to stretch his wings, he warns that fans shouldn’t worry: he’s always coming back to his country roots.
“As long as I can kinda teeter back and forth between a song like ‘Waves,'” he explains, “and then have songs that have more country sounds, too…I mean, all these songs kinda, they move back and forth within a framework of what I try to do. And I think potentially my next single may be something pretty, pretty country,” he hints.
“Waves” is Luke’s fifth #1 from his Born Here Live Here Die Here album. So far, he hasn’t revealed whether his next release will be another track from that record.
Fifty years ago today, on September 9, 1971, the late John Lennon released his classic second solo album, Imagine, which featured his enduring peace anthem of the same name.
Imagine was Lennon’s first solo effort to top the Billboard 200 chart, and it’s gone on to sell more than 2 million copies in the U.S.
Imagine‘s centerpiece, of course, was the title track, which was the only single released from the album. It peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Imagine” includes lyrics urging people to envision a peaceful world without possessions, without countries that separate us and without religion. Before his death in 1980, Lennon credited his wife, Yoko Ono, with much of song’s lyrical ideas and content.
Other memorable songs featured on the album include “Jealous Guy,” “Gimme Some Truth,” “How Do You Sleep?” and “Oh Yoko!” Lennon wrote “How Do You Sleep?” as a vitriolic response to Paul McCartney‘s then-recent musical and media digs at John and Yoko.
Among the well-known musicians who contributed to Imagine were George Harrison; lauded session keyboardist Nicky Hopkins; bassist Klaus Voormann; drummers Alan White, Jim Keltner and Jim Gordon; and Badfinger members Tom Evans and Joey Molland. Lennon and Ono co-produced the record with Phil Spector.
Of course, hundreds of artists have recorded and performed “Imagine” over the years. Just a few examples: The song was performed as part of the closing ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, and at the opening ceremonies of the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea, and this year’s 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
Visit JohnLennon.com to find out about the various events planned to commemorate the anniversary.
Meanwhile, in the lead-up to the milestone anniversary, a few famous artists discussed their admiration for Imagine and its title track:
John Fogerty: “[Lennon] stated a philosophy in ‘Imagine’ that’s one of those wonderful times where…it’s a really great song, but it’s also got a really great message, you know…The concept of having no borders and everybody is one and that there are many dreamers. And just a completely compelling melody…Yeah, that was a wonderful record, certainly.”
Heart‘s Ann Wilson: “‘Imagine’ [turned] out to be one of the most beloved standards of our culture…I mean, it’s just been done and redone and believed in. What an amazing mantra. And actually, it turns out that…those were Yoko’s words…I think that song probably was the real fruit of [John and Yoko’s] union, creatively.”
Heart’s Nancy Wilson: “The Imagine album was so intimate, more intimate than any Beatles album…would have been able to be, ’cause you would have had a George song, and maybe Ringo song, and Paul and John trading and…doing their Paul and John thing together. But, I think John…was going through a catharsis, like as a human, having been let out of the Beatle pen…and being able to do his own thing with the new love of his life.”
Pop-country great B.J. Thomas sadly passed away in May at age 78 after a battle with lung cancer. Now some of the “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” singer’s belongings are available via an online memorabilia sale overseen by his estate.
The items currently available for purchase include Rolex watches, guitars, apparel, signed baseballs, gold- and platinum-record awards, personal letters, firearms and various other collectibles. You can check out all of the items at Rockology-Estates.com.
Among the collectibles with the highest price tags are a Rolex watch, and a baseball signed by Babe Ruth, both priced at $10,900, a Gretsch guitar selling for $4,995, and a tour-used Ovation guitar with $4,975 asking price.
“The hardest thing for me was losing the love of my life, B.J., my honeyman,” says Thomas’ widow, Gloria. “Now, working with a team of people, we are placing items of B.J.’s in museums and are working to keep his legacy and memory alive. Doing this sale will also allow many of his loyal fans the chance to have a piece of history and memorabilia that normally wouldn’t be available to them.”
More of Thomas’ memorabilia will be made available in the coming weeks.
Thomas scored a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1969 with “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” which was penned by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. The tune, which appeared in the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, won an Oscar for Best Original Song.
B.J. also topped the Hot 100 in 1975 with “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song,” and scored a #5 hit in 1968 with “Hooked on a Feeling.”
Ben Gibson/Courtesy of Rocket Entertainment; David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
A brief video clip from what appears to be an ad for UberEats starring Elton John and popular singer/rapper Lil Nas X — which apparently is going to arrive in full tomorrow — has been posted on Elton’s Twitter account.
In the clip, Elton is sitting behind a white piano, while dressed in a pink cowboy outfit similar to something Lil Nas X would’ve worn in 2019 when he was promoting his record-setting number-one hit “Old Town Road.”
Then Lil Nas X walks into the frame wearing one of Elton’s most over-the-top outfits: He’s dressed head to toe in multicolored feathers, with sparkly silver sunglasses and a mirrored leather headpiece. Elton famously wore that outfit while appearing on The Muppet Show in 1978.
As the clip proceeds, Elton looks up from the piano, sees Lil Nas X and says, “B**** stole my look!” Nas starts laughing, and says, “That wasn’t it!,” meaning that Elton delivered the wrong line. But as both he, Elton and the crew off camera crack up, Nas adds, “You know what? Let’s keep it!”
Elton and Lil Nas X have teamed up on a song called “One of Me” that will appear on both Nas’ debut album, Montero, due out September 17, and Elton’s forthcoming collaborative album The Lockdown Sessions, which will be released on October 22.
