Music

As Taylor Swift‘s battle to regain control of her old masters rages on, she took a moment to congratulate Anita Baker, who’s emerged victorious in her own legal battle.

Baker reclaimed her masters over the weekend after a nasty years-long war with her record label, which culminated in her telling fans to stop streaming her music.

Taking to Twitter, the “Sweet Love” singer shared a cozy photo of her first five albums — The Songstress, Rapture, Giving You the Best That I Got, Compositions and Rhythm of Love — placed by a warm fire.

“All My Children Are Coming Home, Catalog,” Baker tweeted. “Impossible Things Happen… Every. Single. Day. Gratefully.”  She also gave fans her blessing to stream her music now that she owns her masters.

Details of how she bested her record label are currently under wraps, but that hasn’t stopped the congratulatory remarks from pouring in — including well wishes from Taylor.

“What a beautiful moment, CONGRATULATIONS ANITA!!,” she exclaimed on Saturday, and included several applause and crying and smiling emojis.

The 63-year-old singer was touched by Swift’s words and wrote back, “Thank You, for Your *Fire & Support!! It Inspires us all, to move Mountains.”

Taylor’s music catalogue was sold to Scooter Braun in 2019 when the mega producer acquired her old label, Big Machine Records. A year later, it was revealed that Shamrock Capital purchased her masters from Braun for a cushy price of $300 million.

While she works on acquiring the master of every single track from her 2006 debut album to 2017’s Reputation, Taylor is currently re-recording her old hits. She’s so far released her version of Fearless and will release Red (Taylor’s Version) on November 19.

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Halsey performed a hat trick on Monday when her album If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power claimed the number one spot on Billboard‘s Top Album Sales chart — her third consecutive chart-topper.

Prior to her latest effort, she previously wore the crown after releasing 2020’s Manic and 2017’s Hopeless Fountain Kingdom.

Some 70,500 physical copies of Halsey’s latest effort flew off the shelves, making it the best-selling album of the week and eclipsing Kanye West‘s Donda, which debuted at number two after selling 37,000 copies. However, it should be noted that Ye’s album is only being sold digitally at this time.

Further breaking down the album’s sale numbers, Halsey sold an impressive 25,300  If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power copies on vinyl and 27,200 on CD.  Digital sales were comprised of 18,000 units.

It should be noted that the “Graveyard” singer also tops Billboard‘s Vinyl Albums chart this week, thanks to her robust sales numbers.

And while Halsey can boast about having this week’s best-selling album, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power did not bow atop the Billboard 200, debuting instead at number two, behind Donda.

Streaming is where Halsey was unable to catch up with Ye. Her studio effort clocked 34.76 million on-demand streams, compared to Donda‘s historical 357.39 million listens.

Ha;sey’s Manic also peaked at number two when it was released last year, and also was bested by a surprise release when Eminem dropped Music to Be Murdered By with zero warning.

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Kanye West is 10 for 10 now that his latest album, Donda, bowed atop the Billboard 200.

Donda, Ye’s 10th studio effort, is the biggest release of 2021 after moving a jaw-dropping 309,000 units in its first week.  The previous record holder was Olivia Rodrigo‘s SOUR, with 295,000 units. Ye’s album also was streamed 357.39 million times, the largest number of any album this year, and sold 37,000 physical copies.

With the “Stronger” rapper celebrating his 10th number one, he’s now among an elite class of only seven artists who’ve accomplished the feat, tied with Elvis Presley and Eminem, both of whom have 10 number-one albums.  Ahead of him are Barbra Streisand and Bruce Springsteen, with 11, Jay-Z with 14, and The Beatles, who have 19 chart-toppers.

Ye’s current rival, Drake, stands to tie with him should Certified Lover Boy bow atop the chart next week.

Also, Kanye ties with Eminem for having 10 consecutive number-one albums.  Only the pair’s debut efforts, The College Dropout and The Slim Shady collection, missed the milestone after both peaked at #2 in 2004 and 1999, respectively.

Donda, which boasts 27 tracks, was released late last month after numerous delays. The album is named after Ye’s late mother, Donda West, who died in 2007.

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Kelsea Ballerini‘s current single, “Half of My Hometown,” a duet with Kenny Chesney, is currently in the Top 30, and quickly climbing the charts. The song was written by Kelsea, along with Jimmy Robbins, Ross Copperman, Shane McAnally and Nicolle Galyon, while they were all on a writing retreat in Florida.

“Kelsea rented a house, and we all flew down there to just hangout for a couple of days and write songs,” Jimmy recalls to CMT. “This was one of those songs that wouldn’t have happened anywhere else. We went to dinner the night before, and somebody just said it. The line came out. Wine was involved in dinner, which was helpful, and with the whole trip, really.”

The next day, while they were relaxing, the song quickly came out.

“We were actually sitting in the pool,” Jimmy says. “Nicolle got video of it; we were sitting in the pool and I’m playing guitar. We wrote the whole song in the pool.”

Once the writers started working on “Half of My Hometown,” it didn’t take long to have a finished product. 

“I think probably within an hour the song was written, and then an hour later we had the demo,” Jimmy shares.

“Half of My Hometown” is on Kelsea’s eponymous 2020 album.

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Shortly after appearing on ABC’s Good Morning America last Thursday, Carly Pearce traveled to her hometown of Taylor Mill, Kentucky, to accept a rare honor: a road sign recognizing her success in country music, as well as the key to the city.

With #1 songs, CMA and ACM Awards, and Grand Ole Opry membership already to her credit, the “Next Girl” hitmaker points out that this new latest accolade is particularly close to her heart.

“Taylor Mill means so much to me on so many levels,” she tells ABC Audio. “So the fact that they want to give me a sign that says ‘Home of Carly Pearce’ is kind of like every little childhood dream that I had, playing at talent shows in the town…Actually, where they’re presenting this with me is where I played so many shows when I first started out.”

Carly adds, “So I’ve always been told to never forget where you came from. And I think [my upcoming] album [29: Written in Stone] in particular has really brought me home, musically.”

The hometown honor is one Carly was able to share with her parents, who supported her decision to leave school at 16 so she could go perform at Dollywood.

“All of these things that are happening to me were a dream that my parents helped bring to fruition for me,” she reflects. “So it’s definitely like a trifecta of emotions through the three of us because they were there every step of the way. And they were there when it wasn’t working, and when I thought about giving up.”  

29: Written in Stone arrives on September 17.

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TLC kicked off their CrazySexyCool Celebration tour over the Labor Day weekend, showcasing many songs from their landmark 1994 album, CrazySexyCool.

Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas says that she and T-Boz did most of the work on the iconic album, with limited input from Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, who was in rehab after burning down the house of her boyfriend, Atlanta Falcons football star Andre Rison.

“It’s so crazy because Lisa could come to the studio to record, but had to go back to the facility and she was on probation for five years,” Chili tells USA Today. “Looking back, when you’re in your 20s, you don’t even think about how serious something like that really was.”

Despite Left Eye’s limited participation, CrazySexyCool became a massive hit, going on to sell over 12 million copies — making it the best-selling album ever by a girl group. It also earned the trio two Grammys: Best R&B Album, and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for “Creep.”

Chilli recalls that before the album was released, she knew it would make history.

“We had a listening party in New York and I remember one of the guys at Arista Records was being so sweet and saying, ‘This is really good — it might sell five million copies,’ and I was like, ‘Nuh-uh, we’re going to surpass that!'” she says. “When I heard [the album], I knew it was special, that the entire album was going to show people that we’re here to stay.”

In addition to “Creep,” CrazySexyCool included the hits “Red Light Special,” “Diggin’ On You,” and their signature song, “Waterfalls.” Sadly, Left Eye died in a 2002 car crash.

TLC’s CrazySexyCool Celebration tour, which features 18 shows, winds down October 10 in Concord, California.

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As documented by paparazzi, Katy Perry‘s summer vacation this year involved frolicking in Italy. But she says her seemingly decadent holiday was her last chance to let it all hang out before she returns to the stage later this year for her first-ever Las Vegas residency.

“I have free time for one last hurrah before I start getting ready for Vegas — i.e., stop thinking about eating pasta all the time so I can get back into tour shape again,” Katy told LuisViaRoma magazine while she was in Italy living la dolce vita.

Her Vegas show, Play, starts in December at Resorts World, which coincidentally, Katy says, “sits on the same ground” as the old Stardust Hotel. That’s where, she says, “my aunt was a topless showgirl and my grandmother was a seamstress for the show…so Vegas is very much in my blood.” 

But don’t expect any topless shenanigans during Play.  “I’m aiming for my audience to be the family — eight to 80 years old,” Katy tells LVR. “I do everything with a wink. Even if it’s a sexual connotation, it’s subtle.” 

Katy reveals that the merchandise for the new show will include NFTs, but she’s also working on making her vast archives of props and costumes available for fans to purchase.  “My fans love the tangible,” she says.

Of course, Katy’s one-year-old daughter, Daisy, will be with her in Las Vegas.  “She is everything I was ever looking for,” gushes Katy.  “She is adaptable and happy; her schedule fluctuates. In the beginning, I worried about a schedule, but decided I won’t be that mom. All that matters is that everyone is happy.”

But that doesn’t mean Katy’s a pushover. “You have to be smart and exercise the word ‘no,” she notes.

 

 

 

 

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Cardi B and Offset have welcomed their second child together.

The “WAP” rapper shared a photo of herself cradling the new baby while her husband gazes down at him.

“9/4/21,” she captioned it, along with three emojis including a blue heart and a teddy bear.

“We are so overjoyed to finally meet our son,” the couple told People. “He is already loved so much by family and friends and we can’t wait to introduce him to his other siblings.”

Cardi B, 28, and Offset, 29, quietly married in 2017; their daughter, Kulture, was born the next year. Cardi B, born Belcalis Almánzar, announced her second pregnancy in June 2021.

Offset, born Kiari Cephus, also has three children from previous relationships.

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