Music

IHeartmedia announced that Beata Murphy has been named program director for KIIS-FM in Los Angeles. Murphy’s promotion comes on the heels of former PD John Ivey’s promotion to president of CHR and programming strategy for iHeartmedia’s National Programming Group. Speaking of his successor — whose new duties will include overseeing iHeart live music events, including

For Olivia Rodrigo, songwriting is more than a craft — it’s the method by which the Gen Z teenager is able to process heartbreak. “I always write songs when I’m in the thick of whatever emotion I’m feeling,” says the 18-year-old, who is being recognized as Variety’s Hitmakers Songwriter of the Year. “It’s like my

A suspect has been arrested in the killing of Jacqueline Avant, the Beverly Hills Police Department announced in a press conference Thursday. Police arrested Aariel Maynor, 29, who allegedly shot and killed Avant after breaking into her Beverly Hills home early Wednesday morning. Avant was the wife of music industry legend Clarence Avant, the mother

Some artists launch themselves into the world with a cautious toe in the water; some make a huge splash. Lana Del Rey’s “Video Games,” which may have been one of the first songs to “go viral,” was more than just a song — it was a statement of intent and a blueprint for everything she’s

How do you follow an all-conquering, Grammy-nominated hit like BTS’ “Dynamite”? By strategically crafting an even bigger one. That was the goal a group of songwriters and producers set for “Butter.” And, remarkably, they achieved it. The K-pop group’s second English-language single, Variety’s Hitmakers Record of the Year, broke YouTube and Spotify marks during its

A musical trailblazer with a sixth sense of marketing and memes, Lil Nas X helped create the soundtrack of 2021 with the ubiquitous “Montero (Call Me by Your Name)” and “Industry Baby.” When it comes to courting virality, the internet-savvy hitmaker is peerless — particularly in the visual medium. By gleefully pushing buttons in the

It’s a frigid Friday night in Chicago, and the place to be for Gen Z is Jack Harlow’s concert at the Aragon Ballroom, a meticulously renovated, hilariously ornate 95-year-old theater that looks like the setting for a Rudolph Valentino movie. About 5,000 young people (approximately 60% female) are packed under the ballroom’s Moorish archways, mosaics

MUSIC VIDEO After a cameo at Wednesday night’s “La Casa de Papel: El Legado” global fan event streamed from Madrid, Becky G has dropped the full-length video of her reggaeton cover of “Bella Ciao,” an Italian anti-fascist protest song co-opted by the “Money Heist” gang as a resistance anthem of their own. “I have always

The Black Music Action Coalition (BMAC) and hip-hop festival Rolling Loud, whose California edition is scheduled for Dec. 10 to 12 at NOS Events Center in San Bernardino, have announced a partnership to promote awareness of social justice issues. The organization will prioritize activism and community through a series of panel discussions, fundraising efforts and

Three members of K-pop group BTS have sold some of their shareholdings in Hybe Corporation, the management company that launched them, netting them a combined $8.4 million. All seven idols are expected to miss the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMAs) awards show in Seoul, following the reintroduction of health restrictions in South Korea due to

Carlos Santana has canceled several of his upcoming Las Vegas concerts to recover from a successful unscheduled heart procedure. No other specifics have been given on the nature of the operation. Santana made the announcement through a video posted to his official Twitter on Wednesday afternoon. “Last Saturday, I had an incident where my wife

SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched “The Masked Singer” Season 6, Episode 11, “Group A Finale,” which aired December 2 on Fox. “The Masked Singer” has gotta have Faith. Singer Faith Evans was unmasked as the Skunk on the eleventh episode of Season 6, “Group A Finale.” She didn’t stink

Interpolations — which incorporate elements of familiar songs into new ones — are a phenomenon that’s here to stay in many genres. Like using gonzo remakes of classic tracks in trailers, it’s a way of catching the ear of older listeners, and as long as the mashup still works for younger music fans who don’t

Now more than ever, representation matters in the hyper-competitive world of music-making as firms have set their sights on synch, streaming and other avenues of monetization for their clients. Ricky Reed, Murda Beatz, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins and Ian Kirkpatrick are just a few of the songwriters and producers represented by the managers below. Larry WadeDecible

“billy12” is the name that is typed out at the bottom of William Orbit’s Zoom square as he appears on screen from his home in London, England. It’s an unassuming way for Orbit, who is practically a mythical figure in music, to refer to himself. The longstanding producer and artist has materialized over and over

Variety’s “On the Carpet” pre-show from its fifth annual Hitmakers event, presented by Peacock and “Girls5eva,” will be streamed exclusively on Variety.com and on Amazon Music’s Twitch page starting at 11:30 a.m. PT on Saturday.   Variety senior entertainment writer Angelique Jackson and senior culture and events editor Marc Malkin host the red-carpet event live,

HBO released a teaser for comedy series “Somebody Somewhere,” which debuts Jan. 16, 2022 at 10:30 p.m. and will also be available to stream on HBO Max. The seven-episode series follows a Kansan, Sam (Bridget Everett), who struggles to fit into the hometown mold but finds singing to be her saving grace, the outlet of

The most coveted collaboration in music in 2021 isn’t a track from Kenny Beats or a guest verse from Justin Bieber. It’s an artist-branded meal or menu item with a national fast-food chain, thanks to a trend kick-started by Travis Scott and McDonald’s in September 2020. The fast-food chain’s first-ever Famous Order with a musician,

Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder and his new solo band The Earthlings will embark on their first tour in early 2022, beginning with Feb. 3-4 shows at New York’s Beacon Theatre. The eight-show trek, Vedder’s first solo jaunt in the U.S. since 2012, comes in support of his upcoming solo album, “Earthling,” due Feb. 11

Jacqueline Avant, the 81-year-old wife of music industry legend Clarence Avant and mother of Nicole Avant, has been killed in a home invasion robbery. The Beverly Hills Police Department told Variety that a shooting at that location resulted in a death early Wednesday, without reporting the name of the victim. Netflix confirmed to Variety that

In this week’s installment of Strictly Business, Variety’s weekly podcast featuring conversations with industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment, TaP Music’s Ed Millet and Wendy Ong go deep about the rewards and challenges of managing such prominent and pioneering artists as Lana Del Rey, Dua Lipa, Ellie Goulding, Caroline Polacheck, Noah Cyrus

When Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams prophetically titled their song “Blurred Lines,” no one could have predicted, sampled or interpolated the tidal wave of internet-hatched accusations of theft directed at industry hitmakers, or the onslaught of frivolous and dubious claims that this deeply flawed verdict would bring to light. Relying heavily on emotional testimony and

After hosting the 2021 ceremony, comedian and “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah is back to host the 2022 Grammy Awards. Noah made the announcement on CBS Wednesday morning with Gayle King. “It was fun, it was really, really fun. It was a great team. I was just lucky to be a part of it. We

BandLab Technologies, a Singapore-based venture capital fund that owns historic music media title NME, will reorganize itself under the new name Caldecott Music Group. Headed by Kuok Meng Ru, scion of one of Singapore’s most famous business families, the company will operate under three divisions: tech, media, and retail. The BandLab Technologies name will be

Megan Thee Stallion has canceled her upcoming concert in her hometown of Houston, Tex. “out of respect” for the victims of Travis Scott’s Astroworld music festival. Megan’s concert was originally set to take place on Friday. In early November, Astroworld turned tragic during Scott’s set when the crowd of 50,000 people surged, resulting in a

Splice, the music creation and collaboration platform, has announced the recipients of its second annual Splice Awards, with top honors going to Hit-Boy for producer of the year and Jenna Andrews (pictured above) for vocal producer of the year. One of the most famous producers of all time, Quincy Jones, also figured into Splice’s mix,

A great British institution enjoying a post-COVID recovery is the Brit School. The performing arts and technology college – located in Croydon, South London and funded by the government and the U.K. record industry – is 30 this year, ironically a number also being celebrated by its most famous former student, Adele. The school has

Josephine Baker, the trailblazing American-born entertainer and civil rights activist, is the first Black woman to be laid to rest at France’s Pantheon. The Parisian monument is dedicated to iconic figures that have left a decisive imprint on French history, including the writers Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Victor Hugo and Emile Zola, resistance hero Jean Moulin

After months of negotiations, BMG has acquired the entire recorded-music catalog of Mötley Crüe in a deal sources say is valued at approximately $150 million, although other sources cited a significantly lower number. The agreement includes the iconic band’s entire recorded output spanning their 40-year career totaling nine studio albums from their 1981 debut, “Too

Diversify the Stage, an organization formed to promote inclusivity in the touring industry, is rolling out an “Inclusion Initiative” today that the group hopes to have companies and individuals throughout the live entertainment business sign onto. Among the industry leaders that have already put their names to the pledge at its launch are such promoters