Adele‘s “Easy on Me” was mighty, but Mariah Carey had Christmas magic behind her in the battle for number one. The holidays now reign supreme on the BillboardHot 100, with Mariah’s RIAA Diamond-certified hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You” topping the chart for a third year in a row.
Mariah’s song is now the first in history to be number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in three separate years. The track was previously tied with Chubby Checker‘s classic, “The Twist,” which hit number one in 1960 and again in 1962.
“All I Want for Christmas,” which wasn’t eligible to chart when it first came out in 1994, first hit the top 10 in 2017. It finally went ascended to number one 2019, where it led the chart for three weeks. It then rose to number one again in 2020 for two weeks before performing this year’s hat trick.
The song’s latest ascension to the top means that Mariah has now racked up 85 weeks in total at number one over her career — the most of any other artist. Rihanna is in second place with 60 weeks.
Mariah aside, the holidays have taken over the Hot 100’s top five, with Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” jumping into second place while Bobby Helms‘ “Jingle Bell Rock” rises to fourth. Burl Ives‘ “A Holly Jolly Christmas” rounds out the top five.
As for Adele, her single “Easy on Me” hit now sits at number three.
Stevie Wonder’s House Full of Toys benefit concert returned Saturday night in Los Angeles, featuring surprise performances by Johnny Gill and Ledisi.
“A lot has happened in the world, my world and your own worlds,” the 25-time Grammy winner told the crowd at the Microsoft Theater, according to Billboard. “The blessing is that we are all here to give to those less fortunate,”
The 23rd annual concert benefited Wonder’s nonprofit We Are You Foundation, which assists children, people with disabilities, and families in need.
Ledisi performed “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” then segued into the song that earned her first Grammy earlier this year, “Anything for You.” “Wow!,” she commented on Instagram. “What a way to end an amazing year of song and for a great cause.”
Gill, who sang his 1990 number-one hit, “My, My, My,” was full of praise for the Motown icon. “The higher power put Steve Wonder here to be a messenger and leader. We should celebrate him. So get up on your feet and give him the respect he deserves,” the New Edition member told the crowd
During the two-and-a-half hour concert, Stevie performed many of his classics, including “Master Blaster (Jammin’),” “Higher Ground,” and “Don’t You Worry ’bout a Thing.” The show became a family affair as he brought his two youngest children onstage — daughters Nia, 7, and Zaiah, 8 — who sang “What Christmas Means to Me” with their father.
The emotional highlight of the evening occurred as Wonder remembered Jacqueline Avant, the late wife of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member Clarence Avant, who was killed on December 1. Halfway through “My Cheri Amour,” he said, “As I think about their 54 years married, I dedicate this song to Jacqueline and anyone who loses their life to violence.”
George Harrison, Bob Dylan and Leon Russell at The Concert for Bangladesh; Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the release of The Concert for Bangladesh, the three-LP set that featured highlights from two star-studded benefit shows headlined by George Harrison at New York’s Madison Square Garden on August 1, 1971.
The show and album also included performances by Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Leon Russell, Ravi Shakar and many other musicians.
The shows were organized by Harrison and his friend and musical mentor Shankar to raise awareness about, and funds for, refugees from the Pakistani region of East Pakistan during the brutal war that led to the creation of the nation of Bangladesh.
The concerts marked the first time Harrison had performed a full concert since The Beatles stopped touring in 1966.
The shows began with classical Indian music performance by Shankar and his group. Harrison then took the stage with a huge collective of musicians that included Clapton, Russell, Preston, Starr, drummer Jim Keltner, bassist Klauss Voormann, the members of Badfinger, a horn section and various backing singers.
Harrison played select songs from his 1970 album All Things Must Pass and several Beatles tunes, including a version of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” that featured a guitar duel with Clapton.
Russell sang a medley of The Rolling Stones‘ “Jumping Jack Flash” and The Coasters‘ “Youngblood,” while Ringo performed his solo hit “It Don’t Come Easy.”
Dylan played a short set showcasing several of his classic songs.
The concerts ended with a performance of the new Harrison song “Bangla Desh,” which he’d released as a charity single in July 1971.
The album reached #2 on the Billboard 200, and topped the U.K. chart. Between the shows, the album and a 1972 concert film, millions of dollars were raised.
Here’s the full track list for The Concert for Bangladesh:
Side One
“George Harrison/Ravi Shankar Introduction”
“Bangla Dhun” — Ravi Shankar
Side Two
“Wah-Wah” — George Harrison
“My Sweet Lord” — George Harrison
“Awaiting on You All” — George Harrison
“That’s the Way God Planned It” — Billy Preston
Side Three
“It Don’t Come Easy” — Ringo Starr
“Beware of Darkness” — George Harrison, Leon Russell
“Band Introduction” — George Harrison
“While My Guitar Gently Weeps” — George Harrison
Side Four
“Medley: Jumpin’ Jack Flash/Young Blood” — Leon Russell
“Here Comes the Sun” — George Harrison
Side Five
“A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” — Bob Dylan
“It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry” — Bob Dylan
“Blowin’ in the Wind” — Bob Dylan
“Mr. Tambourine Man” — Bob Dylan
“Just Like a Woman” — Bob Dylan
Side Six
“Something” — George Harrison
“Bangla Desh” — George Harrison
In an interview with Empire magazine, director and writer Matt Reeves explains how the late Nirvana frontman helped inspire his characterization of the Dark Knight in the upcoming film, The Batman.
“When I write, I listen to music, and as I was writing the first act, I put on Nirvana’s “Something in the Way,'” Reeves shares. “That’s when it came to me that, rather than make Bruce Wayne the playboy version we’ve seen before, there’s another version who had gone through a great tragedy and become a recluse.”
Reeves adds he was reminded of the 2005 Gus Van Sant film Last Days, a fictional film that’s loosely based on Cobain’s death.
“I started making this connection to Gus Van Sant’s Last Days, and the idea of this fictionalized version of Kurt Cobain being in this kind of decaying manor,” Reeves says.
The Cobain connection to The Batman is already clear in the film’s trailer, which is soundtracked by “Something in the Way.” The movie, which stars Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader, hits theaters March 4, 2022.
By the way, The Batman isn’t the first superhero film to use Nirvana’s music. “Come as You Are” is featured in Captain Marvel, while Black Widow opens with a choir version of “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
Miley Cyrus and Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson will be ringing in the New Year with style — and plenty of good company. On Monday, NBC unveiled the a star-studded list of guest stars who will bid farewell to 2021 on Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party.
Joining the fun in Miami, Florida, will be “Mood” singer 24kGldn, Green Day vocalist Billie Joe Armstrong, “Industry Baby” collaborator Jack Harlow, Brandi Carlile, rapper Saweetie, Brazilian singer Anitta, Kitty Ca$h and many more surprises that have yet to be announced.
The special airs Friday, December 31, starting at 10:30 p.m. ET on NBC and will be streamed live on the Peacock streaming service.
Meek Mill made the holiday season brighter for needy families in his native Philadelphia by giving away $500,000 worth of gifts Sunday.
In partnership with Philadelphia 76ers co-owner Michael Rubin, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and Roc Nation, the “Sharing Locations” rapper brought smiles to hundreds of people with free MacBook Air laptops, Amazon Fire HD tablets, video game gift cards, board games, bikes and helmets, winter coats, dolls, play sets, and more at the Grand Yesha Ballroom in South Philly, according to ABC Philadelphia affiliate WPVI-TV.
“I feel like if you can help, help. We’ve been doing it for a while now in our community,” Meek said as he was joined at the event by Mayor Jim Kenney and Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw. The 34-year-old entertainer and criminal justice advocate posted several photos of the event on Instagram and commented, “Took them blessings and put on for my peoples in a major way.”
Mill is also donating $30,000 to the Philadelphia chapter of Twelve Days of Christmas, a volunteer organization that assists families in need during the holiday season.
Last Wednesday, the Grammy nominee treated 26 local kids to the 76ers home game against the Miami Heat, which included a visit with 76ers head coach Doc Rivers.
Five years after his death on Christmas Day 2016 at age 53, George Michael‘s grave is now officially marked.
The British tabloid The Sun reports that the superstar’s headstone has finally been unveiled in London’s Highgate Ceremony. It’s inscribed with his birth name, Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou, and reads “Beloved Son, Brother, Friend.”
George lies next to his mother Lesley, who died in 1997 and his sister Melanie, who died at age 59 in 2019, three years to the day after George died.
As for why it took five years for the grave to be marked, a source tells The Sun there were “fears it would become a morbid tourist attraction.”
In other George Michael news, during his lifetime, the singer anonymously funded the annual Christmas lights display in the Highgate neighborhood of London, and it’s now been revealed that his estate still contributes to the annual display, according to the local paper.
“George Michael was our secret benefactor form many years and he loved the Christmas Lights,” a local realtor told the paper. “Luckily, his estate also know how much he loved the lights and continue to support us even after his death.”
Finally, a tribute show called The Life and Music of George Michael is scheduled to begin a U.S. tour on January 19 in California.
The child abuse charge against Alabama Shakes drummer Steven William Johnson has been dismissed, ABC affiliate WAAY reports.
Johnson was arrested this past March and indicted for willful abuse of a child. In a statement to AL.com at the time, Johnson’s lawyers denied the allegations.
“We do not believe, and have been presented no evidence, that Mr. Johnson has willfully abused or tortured any child, and he maintains his innocence,” the statement read, adding that the charge stems from an alleged “spanking incident.”
Johnson is a founding member of Alabama Shakes, and played on both of the band’s albums: 2012’s Boys & Girls and 2015’s Grammy-winning Sound & Color. The band’s been on hiatus since 2018; frontwoman Brittany Howard released her debut solo album, Jaime, in 2019.
Luke Combs recently wrapped his What You See Is What You Get Tour, and he’s looking ahead to his new album.
On Sunday, the superstar shared a reflective Instagram post about the massive arena tour that saw him headline such prestigious venues as Madison Square Garden. The tour was originally scheduled to take place in 2020 but was delayed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“Well, we made it. The ‘What You See Is What You Get’ tour is finally completed after 2+ years of setbacks,” Luke writes in a lengthy caption, accompanied by a gallery of photos from the tour. “This was the funnest, scariest, most rewarding, most stressful musical experience of my life and I’d do it all over again tomorrow.”
Luke then proceeds to profusely thank his loyal fans who waited patiently for tickets and allowed him to sell out many of the arenas. “You are the reason we get to do things like this and I hope we came close to putting on the show you deserve,” he declares.
Luke also praises his team, including the band, crew, management, bus drivers, venue staff and more, along with his wife Nicole and friends and family. “I love you all tremendously,” Luke writes.
The hitmaker also acknowledges that the tour brings to a close “the long strange chapter of my last album” that the tour is named after, allowing him to focus on his upcoming third studio album.
“I’m taking a few weeks off and then we’re putting the finishing touches on LC3. Until then, hope y’all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. See y’all soon!” he concludes.
What You See Is What You Get has been certified three times Platinum by the RIAA and spawned seven consecutive number-one singles.
The Pumpkins were originally on the 2020 Beale Street lineup before the festival was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 festival was scrapped, as well.
