Music

Jameson Rodgers has his sights set on a debut album.

The Mississippi native will release Bet You’re from a Small Town on September 17. The 15-track collection features his chart-topping debut single, “Some Girls,” and his “Cold Beer Calling My Name” collaboration with Luke Combs that’s currently inside the top 10 on country radio. Fan favorites including “Good Dogs,” “Missing One” and “Girls that Smoke” are also on the album. 

“Being from a small town in Mississippi, I’m well aware that not everyone gets to do music for a living. I’ve been waiting to announce and release my debut album ever since I moved to Nashville 11 years ago,” Jameson shares in a statement. “I’m extremely grateful for this day to be here and I can’t wait to see and hear how people react to these songs and this album.”

The singer continues on his Cold Beer Calling My Name Tour through a December 16-17 stand in Nashville at Exit/In.

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“Stay,” by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber, is spending a second week at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 — but Olivia Rodrigo is making the most news in the number-two spot, with “Good 4 U.”

While “Good 4 U” isn’t currently at number one on the Hot 100, it just rose to number one on Billboard‘s Radio Songs chart, which means it’s the most-heard song on U.S. radio. But more interestingly, its now spent 11 weeks at number two, tying with Whitney Houston‘s “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” as the song that’s spent the longest time in the runner-up spot in Hot 100 history.

Like the Whitney hit, “Good 4 U” debuted at number one before slipping to number two.  It’s been there ever since, shut out from the top by BTS‘ “Butter” and “Permission to Dance” and, now, “Stay.”  “Exhale” never actually got to number one again; it remains to be seen whether “Good 4 U” will.

Meanwhile, Ed Sheeran‘s “Bad Habits,” which debuted at number five more than a month ago, now rises to a new high of number three.  In the U.K., it’s been number one for seven weeks.

Finally, The Weeknd‘s new single “Take My Breath” debuts at number six. It’s the Canadian star’s 13th top-10 hit.

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 Barack Obama’s star-studded 60th birthday party a week ago in Martha’s Vineyard was the place to be, with nearly 200 guests enjoying a weekend of activities, including a boy’s night, a Sunday brunch, and golf. It was so much fun, Erykah Badu forgot the rules and now is apologizing to the 44th president.

The celebration at Obama’s sprawling estate was attended by a who’s who of entertainment including Beyoncé, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, Oprah Winfrey, Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade, according to the Washingtonian.

Erykah posted photos and video of the big, private bash, but then then quickly deleted them, then tweeted an apology to Barack and his wife, Michelle.

“Mr. and Mrs. Obama, Please forgive me 4 being the ‘terrible guest’ at such a sacred event for your family. I was so inconsiderate. Thank you for all your love. What an example of “how NOT’ to be….. erica.”

One fan commented, “They made you take down the video and apologize publicly.”

The four-time Grammy winner replied, ‘Naw sis. It’s just the right thing to do.”

Mr. And Mrs. Obama , Please forgive me 4 being the “terrible guest “ at such a sacred event for your family. I was so inconsiderate, Thank you for all your love. What an example of ‘how NOT ‘ to be …… erica

— ErykahBadoula (@fatbellybella) August 12, 2021

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The Voice just got a whole lot of country star power: Dierks Bentley and Jason Aldean have been selected as Battle Round advisors for season 21.

Dierks will advise Blake Shelton‘s team while Jason will mentor the contestants on Kelly Clarkson‘s team. 

“Everybody is really different, and really great in their own way,” Jason remarks to Entertainment Tonight about the powerhouse singer’s team members. “I think as young artists, it’s one of those things where there’s a lot of stuff they’re doing for the first time, there’s a lot of things that they are not sure of,” he says.  “You can have all the talent in the world, but having that confidence and things like that to go out and know how to use that talent, I think is the tricky part.”

This isn’t the first time Jason and Kelly have worked together. The two teamed up for the hit duet “Don’t You Wanna Stay” that topped the country charts and was named Musical Event of the Year at the 2011 CMA Awards.

Longtime friends and colleagues, Dierks describes Blake as a “great mentor.” “He’s been doing it for a while and I learned a lot from how to help people get better,” he said during an interview with Access. 

“Dierks knows when to hold them and I know when to fold them,” quipped Blake. 

Camila Cabello and Kristin Chenoweth also join as Battle Round advisors for coaches John Legendand Ariana Grande, respectively. 

The new season of The Voice premieres on September 20 on NBC.

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New York City and its arts scene, including Broadway and concerts, are back, and a number of well-known singers are paying tribute to the Big Apple’s resiliency by praising it in song…one of Billy Joel‘s songs.

More than a dozen singers and musicians have come together to record a video featuring themselves singing Billy’s iconic track “New York State of Mind” in locations all over New York City, from Times Square and Brooklyn to Queens, the Upper West Side, the Lower East Side and Coney Island.

Sara Bareilles and Idina Menzel are a huge part of the video, but you’ll also see and hear Billy’s daughter Alexa Ray Joel, Stephen Colbert, singers Joan Osborne and Suzanne Vega, Andy Cohen, actor/singer Brian Stokes Mitchell, Broadway stars Kelli O’Hara and LaChanze, Billy Joel band members Mark Rivera and David Rosenthal, drag queen Peppermint, Mario Cantone and more.

In a statement, Bareilles says, “To sing Billy Joel’s iconic song alongside my community members at a time when the city needs us all was so meaningful to me. I’m so grateful this project came to life in such a big way.”

The project, the brainchild of the NYCNext organization, will be shown all over New York, including in taxi cabs and at this weekend’s New York City Homecoming Concert in Central Park, featuring Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Rob Thomas, Babyface, Jennifer Hudson, Journey and many more.

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The surviving members of Soundgarden made a surprise appearance during Americana musician Brandi Carlile‘s show at Washington State’s famed Gorge Amphitheatre over the weekend.

Carlile invited Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd on stage to perform the Soundgarden songs “Black Hole Sun” and “Searching with My Good Eye Closed.” The trio had previously joined Carlile to record studio versions of both tracks for a Record Store Day single last fall.

“Welcome back to the Gorge, my friends in Soundgarden!” Carlile said in introducing the grunge legends. “Are you ready to sing and scream for one of the best rock ‘n’ roll bands in the world?”

Carlile previously sang “Black Hole Sun” at the 2019 Chris Cornell tribute concert. She also performed that night with Temple of the Dog and Audioslave.

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Ally Brooke‘s next musical move will be en español.

Billboard reports that the “Low Key” singer has signed a new record deal and is recording her first Spanish-language album, which will feature collaborations with both Latin and pop artists.  One of the partners in her record deal is entertainment attorney Simran A. Singh, whom Ally met through her friend Suzette Quintanilla, the sister of Ally’s idol, the late singing superstar Selena.

Singh, who also works with Latin superstars Daddy Yankee, Ozuna and Anuel, tells Billboard, “We began working [together] and I said, ‘What do you think about doing a Spanish album?’ She said she’d love to and we instantly clicked.”

The former Fifth Harmony member will debut her new music during Billboard Latin Music Week in Miami the week of September 20.  She’ll release a new single after that.

Speaking to Hola! magazine about the project, Ally says, “My album’s going to be very diverse. So there are songs that are: get ready to dance, get ready to have a good time, and kind of just have fun. Really fun, uplifting songs, very female empowered anthems, and also there are some vibey songs.”

“I feel like maybe my audience won’t expect that, but being able to be in this new chapter in my life where I have a new team now, I’m working with the new system, it’s just given me such vibrant energy in life and inspiration,” she adds. “And it’s unlocked a part of me that I’ve never been able to unlock before.”

Last year, Ally released her first book, Finding Your Harmony.

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The Judds, Ray Charles, Eddie Bayers and Pete Drake will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame’s class of 2021.  

Charles, whose 1962 album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music reached #1 on the Billboard 200 and sent his collaboration with Willie Nelson on “Seven Spanish Angels” to the top of the country charts, represents the Veterans Era Artist category.

With 14 #1 hits including “Mama He’s Crazy,” “Rockin’ with the Rhythm of the Rain” and many more, The Judds are in the Modern Era Artist category. Both Bayers, a drummer for the likes of George Strait, Kenny Chesney and Dolly Parton, and pedal steel guitar player Drake, who performed on Tammy Wynette’s “Stand by Your Man” and “He Stopped Loving Her Today” by George Jones, tied for the Recording and/or Touring Musician category. 

The announcement was made on Monday morning on YouTube by Country Music Hall of Fame member Reba McEntire. The induction ceremony for the class of 2021 will take place at the CMHOF in 2022.

Delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the induction ceremony for the CMHOF class of 2020 — including Dean Dillon, Marty Stuart and Hank Williams Jr. — will occur in November.

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Lizzo opened up in a tearful video Sunday about the abuse she’s received following the release of “Rumors,” her latest single that features Cardi B.

Talking to fans via a 13-minute Instagram Live, which is now on YouTube, the Grammy winner battled tears as she detailed the racist and sexist attacks that made her “hurt so hard.”

The “Juice” singer said, while she does her best to spread love and positivity, “Sometimes, I feel like the world just don’t love me back.”

“People saying s*** about me that just doesn’t even make sense,” said Lizzo. “It’s fat-phobic, and it’s racist and it’s hurtful. If you don’t like my music, cool. If you don’t like ‘Rumors’ the song, cool.”

Lizzo said she is “overwhelmed” and has “been in shock since the song came out” because of the abuse hurled at her. She vowed to prioritize her mental health, which means she will only “focus on positive comments from here on out.”

Following her post, celebrities like Cardi B, Missy Elliott and Jameela Jamil have rallied to her defense.

In support of her “Rumors” collaborator, Cardi tweeted Sunday, “When you stand up for yourself they claim your [sic] problematic & sensitive.  When you don’t they tear you apart until you crying like this. Whether you skinny, big, plastic, they going to always try to put their insecurities on you. Remember these are nerds looking at the popular table.”

Jamil called the attacks on Lizzo “deranged” in a lengthy Instagram post and declared, “Only sick people spend time going after innocent artists and not actual oppressors/abusers/criminals online.”

As for Missy, she sent several bouquets of flowers to Lizzo and urged her to “continue to shine and be blessed through your next journey,” which Lizzo shared via Instagram story.

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