You won’t be seeing Kanye West’s Donda 2 on the Billboard charts — and it’s not for lack of sales.
According to Billboard, Donda 2 is ineligible for the charts due to its release on Ye’s own branded “Stem Player,” which costs $200.
Since the Stem Player device can be used for other things — not just playing the album — it falls under Billboard’s latest merch bundle rules, where albums being sold with merchandise are not considered chart eligible.
On February 18, Ye reported that he had sold 39,500 Stem Players to date, bringing in a total of $8.6 million. Ye released four Donda 2 tracks on Stem Player on February 23, and dropped 12 more the next day.
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(WASHINGTON) — Red-hot prices at the pump are not only showing no signs of cooling down — but are instead set to soar even higher.
The national average price for a gallon of gas hit $4.06 on Monday, up a staggering 45 cents from a week ago, to reach its highest level since July 2008, according to AAA.
Analysts say consumers can expect new record high gas prices as soon as this week, as strong demand and supply disruptions, fueled by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, send crude oil prices soaring.
“A big price factor for the market is risk, and at the moment this entire escalation for the conflict appears very risky,” AAA spokesperson Devin Gladden told ABC News. “The market puts that risk premium back onto consumers.”
GasBuddy’s Patrick De Haan tweeted the national average for a gallon of gas has now increased at its fastest weekly pace since Hurricane Katrina, adding prices have already eclipsed their all-time highs, according to GasBuddy data.
Crude oil surging as geopolitical risk rises
Crude oil prices, which account for more than half of the cost of retail gasoline, have spiked roughly 30% in the nearly two weeks since the war began.
“The big question will be how high crude goes,” Gladden said.
Oil had already been edging higher at the start of the year, as consumer demand outpaced global supply. Major oil producers slashed supply during the pandemic – and it takes time to ramp up production again as more drivers hit the roads and travelers take flights, requiring more fuel.
“We were already in a relatively tight market,” John Kilduff, an energy expert and partner at Again Capital, told ABC News.
Traders fear the market will become even tighter if Russia’s oil supply to the rest of the world is cut off. Russia is the third-largest producer of crude oil in the world, accounting for about 12 percent of global crude exports, according to the Information Energy Agency.”The problem is it’s a global market,” Kilduff said.
Supply constraints
There are already signs of supply constraints from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Analysts at J.P. Morgan estimated last week about 66% of Russian oil is currently struggling to find buyers. A growing number of companies are pulling business from Russia, facing hurdles from new sanctions on the banking and payments system, and fearing global backlash from customers.
“The commercial entities involved in this market are shunning the supply,” Kilduff added. “We are already in the process of losing a chunk of Russian crude oil supplies.”
Import bans on Russian oil would further exacerbate supply shortages. While the U.S. only imports a fraction of its crude oil from Russia, analysts say a coordinated move between the U.S. and European allies would drastically alter supply to the critical European market.
The International Energy Agency reported European countries imported 34% of their oil from Russia in November 2021, the latest month official oil statistics are available.
Oil traders expect it will take time for other countries to ramp up production and fill the void if that supply is cut off. So as long as oil prices remain near multi-year highs in anticipation of further disruptions in the global market, consumers and businesses will feel the pinch.
“When the price of oil goes up, the cost of everything goes up because oil is used as a component in manufacturing and a range of products,” AAA’s Gladden said.
(WASHINGTON) — Calls mounted Monday for the U.S. to ban the import of Russian oil, but while President Joe Biden’s administration signaled a new openness to doing so, the president faced the tough decision of taking a step that would raise the price Americans pay at the gas pump.
Top Republicans and Democrats in Congress announced they had come to a deal on bipartisan legislation that would punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, by banning the import of Russian oil and other energy products — as well as suspending normal trade relations with Russia.
The White House said Biden had not yet decided whether to impose a ban. But an official with the White House’s National Security Council told ABC News that the Biden administration was considering doing so even if Europe did not also impose a ban — which would mark a departure from Biden’s strategy of imposing sanctions in lockstep with European nations.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that he had spoken with Biden and other Cabinet members the day before about a potential U.S. ban.
“We are now talking to our European partners and allies to look in a coordinated way at the prospect of banning the import of Russian oil, while making sure that there is a still an appropriate supply of oil on world markets,” he said during an interview with CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“That’s a very active discussion as we speak,” Blinken added.
In Congress, Democrats and Republicans in both houses have in recent days increasingly called for a ban. A bipartisan group of senators last week proposed legislation that would impose a ban, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, too, said she supported the move.
As the pressure to act mounts from both sides of the aisle, Biden faces a political quandary.
After nearly two weeks of placing crushing sanctions on Russia in concert with Western allies, not moving to ban Russian oil imports, too, could appear as it he is not doing all he can to inflict pain on Russia’s economy and its president, Vladimir Putin.
But around 7% to 10% of U.S. oil imports come from Russia, and a ban would raise energy prices, including the cost of gas, analysts say.
The White House has cited that cost to Americans as a reason Biden has not taken that step. It has been looking for alternative
White House officials also say the impact on Russia, which sent just 1% of its oil exports to the U.S. in 2020, would not be great — especially when its oil and gas sector is already under “de facto sanctioned” because of harsh restrictions on Russian banks.
But in an NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll last week, 69% of Americans said they supported economic sanctions on Russia even if they resulted in higher energy prices in the U.S.
Biden has also said a priority of his is to keep the West united in imposing penalties on Russia for its invasion.
There is less appetite in Europe for a ban on Russian oil and gas imports, since European nations rely heavily on Russia for their energy needs — nearly half of Russian oil exports go to Europe, according to U.S. government figures – and a ban would raise Europe’s energy prices significantly, according to analysts.
The Democratic chairmen of the Senate and House tax-writing committees and the most senior Republicans on those committees said Tuesday that they had come to an agreement on legislation that would not just ban the import of Russian energy products but that would also suspend normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus, which has aided Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.
The legislation would also provide Biden with the authority to increase tariffs on products from Russia and Belarus and aim to suspend Russia’s participation with the World Trade Organization.
The House could vote on the legislation as soon as Tuesday or Wednesday.
Just days after teasing fans that she’s still got some surprises up her sleeve, Pamela Anderson will be making her Broadway debut.
The former Baywatch icon will play Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago for an eight-week run starting April 12 at New York City’s Ambassador Theatre.
In a statement, Anderson said, “I have always been a huge fan of [choreographer and writer] Bob Fosse‘s & Gwen Verdon‘s work. Ann Reinking, too.” Fosse choreographed the original Broadway performance, in which Verdon starred a Roxie Hart. Frequent Fosse collaborator Reinking later starred as Hart in the 1996 Broadway revival.
“Playing Roxie Hart is a dream fulfilled,’ Anderson went on. “Performing Fosse, you don’t have time to get in your head. You can’t dance, sing and think at the same time. There is a freedom, a unique joy in knowing it’s all about the work. Playing Roxie Hart is a sweet escape for me.”
Chicago debuted on Broadway in in 1975 and closed in 1997. The current revival production last year celebrated its 25th anniversary on the Great White Way.
In other news, Anderson recently announced she’s given Netflix unprecedented access to her and her archives for a documentary about her life, as the Hulu series Pam & Tommy, based on her relationship with former husband Tommy Lee and their infamous sex tape airs its final episode Wednesday.
The latter project was undertaken without input from Pamela.
Thomas Rhett is the reigning ACM Male Artist of the Year, and he’s nominated again this year, but he’s not expecting to hang onto the title.
“It would be shocking,” the singer admits. “I’m always very thrilled to be nominated, but man, when you’re in these categories with these other people, you’re just like, ‘Man, these people are amazing.'”
To win again this year, Thomas would have to beat out Luke Combs, Jimmie Allen, Chris Stapleton and Morgan Wallen — some tough competition. TR’s been working hard to win his spot in the nominees list, though, he explains. Specifically, he’s always working on honing his vocal skills.
“I’ve worked on it a bunch,” he reveals. “I think I was naturally an OK singer, but I would say over the last few years I’ve worked really hard, just with a coach…learning how to get my range a little bit more up and down, and learning how to use different parts of my voice. And I think it’s translated a little bit.”
Fans can see his hard work in action tonight when he performs at the ACM Awards. The show starts at 8 p.m. ET, and will stream live from Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium on Amazon Prime Video. Dolly Parton, Jimmie Allen and Gabby Barrett will co-host the show.
Motionless in White is about to get in motion again.
The Pennsylvania metallers have announced the release of a new single called “Cyberhex,” which will arrive this Friday, March 11. You can pre-save the track now.
Motionless in White shared the news alongside a sci-fi teaser video starring frontman Chris “Motionless” Cerulli as the leader of a resistance group called “Cyberhex.” As for what they’re actually resisting, we guess we’ll find out on Friday.
“Cyberhex” follows Motionless in White’s most recent album, 2019’s Disguise. The track will drop just a few days before MiW joins Black Veil Brides and Ice Nine Kills on the Trinity of Terror tour, kicking off March 17 in Mesa, Arizona.
Glass Animals finally topped the BillboardHot 100 for the first time. After spending nearly 60 weeks on the chart — 59 to be precise — “Heat Waves” is finally the number-one song, and now claims the title of having the longest climb to the top.
This shatters the previous record holder, Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which spent 35 weeks ascending to the top. “Heat Waves” is also just the 23rd song in all of Billboard history to spend 59 or more weeks on the chart, regardless of placement.
Glass Animals made all sorts of history with their latest achievement. “Heat Waves” is the first song written and produced by just the band to top the Hot 100 in over 35 years — the last being Boston‘s 1986 hit “Amanda.”
Not only that, “Heat Waves” is now the 11th song in Billboard history to go to number one after bowing at the bottom of the chart. The last single to debut at number 100 before going all the way to the top was Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth‘s 2015 collab “See You Again.”
“Heat Waves” is also the first song by a band to first rule the Alternative Airplay chart before taking over the Hot 100 since 2012 — the last being fun.‘s “We Are Young.” In addition, this marks the first time in nearly 50 years that a band with “Glass” in its name topped the Hot 100 — the last being when “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” by Looking Glass hit number one in 1972.
This also marks the first time since 2007 that a song with “heat” or “hot” in the title went to number one — the last being Mims‘ “This Is Why I’m Hot.”
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(TALLAHASSEE, Fla.) — Despite widespread support for pediatric COVID-19 vaccinations from the nation’s top health officials, Florida will become the first state in the country to advise against vaccinating healthy children for COVID-19, the state’s Surgeon General, Dr. Joseph A. Ladapo, announced on Monday.
“The Florida Department of Health is going to be the first state to officially recommend against the COVID-19 vaccines for healthy children,” Ladapo said at the end of a 90-minute roundtable discussion in West Palm Beach, Florida, hosted by Gov. Ron DeSantis, aimed to close the curtain on the “COVID theater once and for all.”
Just prior to the announcement, Ladapo, alongside a group of physicians, made the case that the COVID-19 vaccines may not be necessary in children.
Ladapo pointed to a study released last week out of New York, suggesting that new data showed that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine protection waned relatively quickly in children between the ages of 5 and 11 years old, as compared to older children.
“Already the rates were low. So, we’re kind of scraping at the bottom of the barrel particularly with healthy kids, in terms of actually being able to quantify with any accuracy and any confidence, the infinite potential of benefit,” Ladapo said Monday.
Although the study, which has not been peer-reviewed, suggested immunity waned faster in young children relative to older children, researchers said the vaccine still dramatically reduced the risk of hospitalization.
Scientists also said it might be important to study “alternative” vaccine dosing for young children to bolster efficacy.
Following the announcement, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that Florida’s decision was “absolutely not” a good policy.
“Let me just note that we know the science. We know the data and what works and what is the most, what the most effective steps are protecting people of a range of ages from hospitalization and even death,” Psaki said during a press briefing on Monday.
“It’s deeply disturbing that there are politicians peddling conspiracy theories out there and casting doubt on vaccinations, when it is our best tool against the virus and the best tool to prevent even teenagers from being hospitalized,” she added.
Many health experts across the country have also vehemently pushed back on claims that vaccines may not be necessary for children, urging the importance of vaccines for all eligible children to protect against severe illness.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have also been vocal in their support of pediatric COVID-19 vaccinations, stressing to parents that real-world data has demonstrated that vaccines are safe and effective at protecting children against severe disease, as well as against potential long-term consequences from the virus.
“Vaccines are safe and effective in protecting individuals and populations against infectious diseases,” physicians from the AAP wrote in a policy statement last month.
DeSantis also questioned whether children should be getting the shots, touting the state’s recent efforts to ban vaccine mandates in schools.
“We have this issue in terms of COVID-19 vaccinations with respect to children. And in Florida, we prohibited mandating COVID vaccines for children, so they can go to school and it’s a parent’s decision,” DeSantis said. “A lot of parents have come up to me, and they’re just like, ‘yeah, thanks for not mandating, we want to make the decision,’ but they have mixed feelings about whether they should do that even if it is their choice.”
Since the onset of the pandemic, more than 12.6 million American children have tested positive for COVID-19, according to data collected by the AAP and Children’s Hospital Association. In addition, federal data shows that nationwide, more than 115,000 COVID-19 positive children have been admitted hospitals, while more than 1,500 children have lost their lives to the virus.
Alongside the Governor, Ladapo has been vocal about his stance to end COVID-19 mitigation measures in an effort to promote personal freedom.
Last month, the duo announced that the state would advise against the use of face coverings to protect against COVID-19.
ABC News’ Sony Salzman, Armando Garcia, and Isabella Murray contributed to this report.
Recently, we reported that both Kevin Hart and Chris Rock were launching respective stand-up tours, but now it’s been announced that the longtime friends are teaming up for a trek.
Live Nation reports that Hart and Rock will take the stage together in July with their joint Rock Hart: Only Headliners Allowed tour.
The exclusive arena run kicks off on July 21 at Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater on Long Island, New York, and also will stop at the Prudential Center and PNC Bank Arts Center in New Jersey and at New York City’s historic Madison Square Garden, before wrapping up at Brooklyn, New York’s Barclays Center on July 25.
Tickets go on sale Friday, March 11, at 10 a.m. ET at Ticketmaster.com.
In a statement, Hart said, “When Chris and I realized we were both going to be on tour this year we immediately knew we needed to do something special. We have been friends and mentors to each other for 20 years, but we have never shared a headlining stage together — until now!!!”
He added, “I cannot think of a better way to celebrate the return of live comedy than to co-headline a show with my brother Chris Rock. This is a major moment in comedy and one for the history books.”
