Innholdsfortegnelse for May-31-14 i Billboard Magazine

Daniel Ek has reason to feel confident. The 31-year-old Swedish CEO of Spotify announced that his streaming music service now has 10 million paying subscribers globally, according to sources, and 3 million in the United States. That U.S. showing may help quell criticism that his company has been slow to catch fire in the largest music market in the world. For $9.99 a month, subscribers now have access to the work of 1.1 million artists and more than 20 million songs. The growth has been fueled in part by Spotify’s social strategy — it has been integrated into Facebook from the start — and its attention to mobile devices. “We’ve seen a big uptick in growth since we’ve launched our free mobile service in December. More than 80 percent of…

I In Listen Out Loud: A Life in Music, veteran manager Ron Weisner, 69, shares inside dirt about his handling some of the top music talent of his generation. His goal: “An honest story of my involvement with these remarkable artists and the play-by-play: the good, the bad and, sometimes, the very ugly,” he says. A sampler of some of his saltier memories in the book, out June 3 from Lyons Press/Globe Pequot Press: PHIL SPECTOR’S RANTS “Phil was, as advertised, completely out of his mind, and every day or two, we’d be treated to the sound of a woman screaming, and the sight of said woman being chased to the elevator by a gun-toting Spector. And I sure as hell can understand why those women screamed the way they…

About two weeks prior to the May 18 Billboard Music Awards (BBMAs), the company responsible for the virtual Michael Jackson performance had no show to deliver. “It wasn’t believable,” says Frank Patterson, co-founder/CEO of Pulse Evolution, the visual illusion company that launched in October and took on Jackson as its first project. “We were tasked with something no one had ever done before: create a virtual person that everyone in the world recognizes and is emotionally connected to, and make him believable.” Pulse Evolution’s team of 110 people, 35 of whom were strictly focused on Jackson, continued to tweak the artist’s appearance so that his performance of “Slave to the Rhythm” at the BBMAs would be as real as any performer’s. “The hardest thing to do is deploy the technology,…

Kidz Bop, the series of compilation albums of youngsters singing current pop hits that has become a commercial juggernaut, is on the block, according to sources. And The Walt Disney Co. is prominent among the possible suitors, these sources say. The brand released the 25th volume of its basic series on Jan. 14 this year; it has sold 273,000 copies so far, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Overall, Kidz Bop has racked up 14.6 million in U.S. album sales, as well as roughly 3.7 million in track download sales. But there’s more to the brand than just recordings: In the 13 years since it started, the franchise has expanded to include an annual Kidz Bop tour, a book series (seven volumes and counting), a radio show on SiriusXM and a video…

Commercial Latin music was once synonymous with romantic pop, from ballads to uptempo. Recently, however, the chart has been monopolized by Marc Anthony’s return to salsa, bachata stars Romeo Santos and Prince Royce, and urban vet Daddy Yankee. In the past 12 months, only one pop act has reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs: familiar face Enrique Iglesias, who added three songs to his record 22 chart-toppers. But he did so partly by masking his pop roots: “Loco” is a bachata duet featuring Santos; “El Perdedor,” which is No. 4, is a romantic cut with Marco Antonio Solis , but its rise was aided by a bachata version favored by tropical and urban stations. Iglesias’ cross-genre strategy highlights the struggles that Latin pop faces on U.S. Hispanic radio.…

1977 – 2014 A TALENT GONE TOO SOON LEGACY RECORDINGS SONY PICTURES CLASSICS LIGHT IN THE ATTIC RECORDS THE RODRIGUEZ FAMILY 05-16 Rapper Nicki Minaj’s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit by Terrence Davidson, her former wig designer, who claimed Minaj and Pink Personality LLC broke implied contracts, reneged on discussions to launch a reality TV show and a wig line, and misappropriated his designs. 05-16 David Nathan segued from his longtime post at Republic Records as senior vp promotion and artist development to Big Machine Label Group, where he will spearhead promotion efforts for Taylor Swift, Florida Georgia Line and The Band Perry. 05-16 Motown Records announced that Myisha Brooks will join as vp creative relations and marketing. She previously was vp publicity at Republic Records. 05-17…

I “I MEAN, THAT’S MY LEAST FAVORITE SPORT, to be honest,” says 23-year-old Tyler, The Creator, referring to the name of his clothing company, Golf Wang, a play on Wolf Gang, which is short for the hip-hop collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All. “I don’t know, the word just looks sick.” So he has blazed it across bold, brightly colored hats ($30-$40) and T-shirts ($30-$45) and — with a smirk — across jerseys for sports that are, well, not golf. The pop culture-influenced collection also includes such items as a kelly green camp hat embroidered with images of chicken and waffles, a T-shirt decorated in cherry blossoms like a bottle of Arizona green tea and a duff el bag that resembles a watermelon, inside and out. Tyler is…

TAYLOR SWIFT & DEF LEPPARD Nov. 7, 2008 The inspired matchup of a budding country star with classic rockers started when Crossroads executive producer John Hamlin saw a Def Leppard poster on Swift’s wall and joked that they’d make a good pairing. “Taylor said, ‘I’d love to do that,’ ” he recalls, so he got to work on it, then worried, “ ‘What have we gotten ourselves into here?’ This was opposite ends of the spectrum on so many levels. But it was one of the highest-rated ones ever. ” CARRIE UNDERWOOD & STEVEN TYLER Feb. 4, 2012 The highest-rated Crossroads since Kenny Rogers and Lionel Richie took the stage in 2005, when the American Idol winner and Aerosmith frontman drew an audience of 1.9 million to a live Super…

Summertime is concert time and, increasingly, the touring industry has a global audience to tap. As Billboard Boxscore statistics indicate, these are boom times for live music. In 2013, ticket sales soared to a record gross of $4.8 billion, up nearly 30 percent over 2012 and 9 percent over the market’s 2009 peak. And early returns point to an even better year in 2014. Live Nation, the world’s largest promoter, says ticket sales for its 2014 events are up 5 percent from May 2, 2013 to May 2, 2014, and CEO Michael Rapino tells Billboard that, for the same time period, the company already has sold half of all tickets it expects to sell this year. He adds, “Last year we sold 60 million concert tickets for the full year”…

After 43 years on the road, Alice Cooper is still going strong at age 66, and the elder statesman of rock credits his resilience to one main factor: “Early in your career, you have to do everything. Once you’ve established yourself on the level of, say, myself, Ozzy [Osbourne] or Aerosmith, you do it because you want it, and that takes a lot of the stress off. Stress kills.” Here are his top tips for a long career on the road. —Gary Graff 1. Pick The Right Addiction “I have an addictive personality, so I can’t have a beer because one beer leads to 24 beers. One glass of wine is a bottle of wine,” says the 30-yearssober rocker. “So I have to be very careful about my addictions. Golf…

Age 26 From Charlotte, N.C. Sounds like A young Scarface, gritty and sincere, with a penchant for menacing and hazily ambient beats. Best songs “Bow Down,” featuring Denzel Curry, a ferocious trap anthem that samples Al Pacino in The Devil’s Advocate; “The Calling,” a classic Farrar confessional: “I just had two babies with no money, is that tough luck?” Need to know Farrar first made noise on SoundCloud in 2012 with an affecting remix of a Grimes song and tunes with alt-hip-hop producers Ryan Hemsworth and Lunice. He calls his music “cult rap,” a genre he says is “based solely on substance — not flamboyant activity.” Hometown hustle Farrar, the fourth of six kids raised by a single mom, dropped out of school in ninth grade and cut his teeth…

RARELY DOES A RECORDING ARTIST arrive as fully formed as John Fullbright. Hailing from Bearden, Okla., Fullbright is an outstanding young folk-rock singer-songwriter who performs with grace and ease, inhabiting his songs with a wisdom beyond his years. On his second studio album, simply titled Songs, he transcends his Americana trappings with an introspective batch of love odes and down-to-earth stories. Eschewing the pickup-truck populism of contemporary country, Fullbright, 26, draws his strengths from the 1970s tradition of observational singer-songwriters, landing in a realm somewhere between Randy Newman and Leon Russell, or perhaps Harry Nilsson and Jimmy Webb. Since his Grammy -nominated 2012 debut, From the Ground Up, Fullbright became a hot live commodity, touring relentlessly and appearing with elder spirit guides like Kris Kristofferson and John Hiatt. Delving into…

R Rock duo The Black Keys collect its first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 as Turn Blue debuts at No. 1, while Michael Jackson’s Xscape starts at No. 2. Turn Blue sold 164,000 copies in the week ending May 18, according to Nielsen SoundScan, while Xscape shifted 157,000. Both albums surpassed their industry forecast: On May 16, sources suggested they would sell between 150,000 and 155,000 each. Turn Blue is the eighth studio album from The Black Keys, and gives the act its third top 10. It follows the No. 2 debut of its last album, 2011’s El Camino (206,000 in its first week). Before that, the act’s previous top 10, 2010’s Brothers, debuted and peaked at No. 3. (Turn Blue also gives its label, Nonesuch, its first…

IN 1994, THE WORLD CAUGHT UP TO THE BEASTIE BOYS. The now iconic rap trio surprised the industry when its fourth album, Ill Communication, released 20 years ago on May 31, 1994, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, displacing Ace of Base’s global smash The Sign. The album has sold 2.3 million copies to date, according to Nielsen SoundScan. It’s not like the Beasties were unknown, of course. Their blockbuster debut, Licensed to Ill, became the first rap album to top the Billboard 200. But its follow-ups, 1989’s Paul’s Boutique and 1992’s Check Your Head, ditched the jokey frat-anthem sound that made the Beasties stars, and as a result found smaller success, peaking at Nos. 14 and 10 on the Billboard 200, respectively. By the time Ill Communication…

Macklemore has found himself in hot water. On May 16, when photos emerged of the 30-year-old Seattle rapper performing at the Experience Music Project Museum in a big fake nose and black wig and beard, many people took offense, accusing him of trafficking in anti-Semitic stereotypes. “First you trick people into thinking you’re a rapper,” tweeted actor Seth Rogen, “now you trick them into thinking you’re Jewish?” Macklemore issued a statement saying that he didn’t intend to offend anyone, and that he didn’t know the costume would be interpreted as it was. “If anything, I thought I looked like Humpty Hump with a bowl cut,” he said. “Fake witches nose, wig and beard = random costume. Not my idea of a stereotype of anybody,” he also tweeted. But this isn’t…

The ink has barely dried on the deal between Cumulus Media and Big Machine Label Group creating a new country music record label (Nash Icons) and live events business. Now comes the fun part. Big Machine president/CEO Scott Borchetta is searching for big stars to sign up — and Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson and Shania Twain are all said to be in his sights. “I would look for Scott to make an announcement in the next 30 days,” says Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey. The biggest fallout of this new project? The shake-up of the static world of country radio. The Nash Icons format will reach a demographic that has been underserved. “It’s not that 35- to 54-year-olds don’t like the hits,” says Dickey. “They just miss the biggest…

The Harry Fox Agency (HFA), which grants rights to reproduce recordings and collects the fees, is in play, according to sources — the target of a bid by Rizvi Traverse, private-equity parent to SESAC, which performs a similar function for U.S. public performance rights. The deal would give SESAC a unique ability to bundle performance and mechanical licenses — a one-stop shop that would affect streaming services like Spotify, which currently go to different organizations for each type. The National Music Publishers’ Association, which founded the agency, will hire an investment bank to explore its options, sources say. The NMPA confirmed it “has received interest and is always open to options.” SESAC, Rizvi Traverse and HFA either didn’t respond to a request for comment or declined to comment.…

I If Dave Grohl is gunning for the title of rock’s top overachiever, he is well on his way. Since forming Foo Fighters in 1995, he has churned out seven albums that have sold a combined 11.1 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan; he directed the 2013 documentary Sound City — about the fabled former Los Angeles recording studio of the same name — which boasts a 100 percent review score on Rotten Tomatoes; he crossed off “jam with Paul McCartney” on his bucket list; and, in April, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Nirvana. As he told a crowd at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Sound City, “Next, I’ll be flying your plane to Dulles.” What actually is next…

How U.K. duo Disclosure’s “Latch,” featuring singer Sam Smith, finally cracked the top 40 of the Hot 100, 18 months after its initial release. OCT. 8, 2012 “Latch” hits British digital retailers via PMR Records; the video arrives a day later. OCT. 20, 2012 “Latch” debuts on the Official U.K. Singles chart, eventually peaking at No. 11. MARCH 10, 2013 “Latch” gets its first U.S. radio spin from dance station KNHC Seattle, according to Nielsen BDS. JUNE 4, 2013 Four days after its No. 1 U.K. debut, Disclosure’s Settle hits stateside on Interscope, bowing at No. 38 on the Billboard 200. JUNE 29, 2013 “Latch” makes its Billboard chart debut at No. 34 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs. JAN. 20, 2014 Disclosure and Smith make their U.S. TV debut, playing “Latch”…

“I’M SHOCKED, I’M STUNNED, I’M REALLY SURPRISED,” said Justin Timberlake during his acceptance speech for top Billboard 200 album at this year’s Billboard Music Awards, hosted by Ludacris, and featuring resident DJ Tiesto, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Produced by Dick Clark Productions, the evening feted the year’s top charting A-listers, with Timberlake taking home seven awards and Imagine Dragons picking up five. Icon Award winner (and first female recipient) Jennifer Lopez, along with Pitbull, debuted their World Cup anthem “We Are One (Ole Ola),” while Shakira sizzled with a soaring performance of “Empire.”Kendall Jenner flubbed the intro to 5 Seconds of Summer’s U.S. TV debut, nearly identifying the U.K. boy band as One Direction, but that didn’t stop the foursome from rocking a performance of their hit “She…

2000 The members of Odd Future meet growing up in Los Angeles. They upload videos like “Normal Day” and “N—a Get Off My Lawn” — mischief skate skits — to YouTube. Their first release, a self-titled mixtape, appears in April 2008. 2009 Tyler, The Creator releases a self-produced debut mixtape, Bastard. The crew launches a Tumblr with the cryptic message “They Are Them. We Are Us. Kill Them. All. OFWGKTA.” 2010 In response to posts from Fader magazine, Pitchfork and Mishka: “Hopefully This New Found Coolness Of OF Wont F— Up The Nature Of Us Making Shit Normally. Thanks Guys, We’re Just Some Kids Doing What We Love.” 2011 The world is introduced to Odd Future on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. The group partners with Sony/RED Distribution to form…

W WHEN KATY PERRY BEGAN PLOTTING THE Prismatic tour — her worldwide jaunt in support of her Prism album and the follow-up outing to 2011’s candycoated California Dreams tour — one thing was clear: “We went into this tour knowing the costumes had to be bigger and better than the last,” says Perry’s stylist Johnny Wujek, who commissioned a gigantic yin-and-yang hoopskirt for the show. After the set list and segment themes were finalized, the two enlisted an all-star cast of couture-house heads and master tailors to bring their vibrant, outlandish ideas to life. “It’s surreal to think she’s flying through the air all over the world on a swing, singing to millions of people in something we designed,” Nadia Napreychikov and Cami James from Aussie label Discount Universe wrote…

BOSTON CALLING Boston, May 23-25, Sept. 5-7 LINEUP The National, Lorde, The Replacements, Nas with The Roots (September). William Morris Endeavor booking agent Kirk Sommer says the fest, now in its second year, might have “a lot of chefs in that kitchen, but they have been highly successful in putting together some compelling, timely lineups.” FREE PRESS SUMMER FESTIVAL Houston, May 31-June 1 LINEUP Jack White, Vampire Weekend, Wu-Tang Clan, Lauryn Hill, Zedd. This 6-yearold festival sold out for the first time last year and a repeat looks likely. “It’s run by people with entrepreneurial spirit and good taste,” says the Windish Agency’s Tom Windish. “It’s going to be a rite of passage for people in Houston.” NORTHSIDE Brooklyn, June 12-19 LINEUP Chvrches, Beirut, Sharon Van Etten, The War on…

PRODUCED BY JENNY SARGENT AND REG GONZALES Lorde The New Zealand native was the darling of the May 18 event at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, debuting “Tennis Court” on TV and winning two awards. She came prepared. “This is really kind of embarrassing, but I’ve written what I want to say on my phone because I don’t want to screw it up,” she said sheepishly, during her top new artist acceptance speech. Imagine Dragons The band could have easily added another award to its five BBMA wins: shortest commute. “Just a straight shot down the 215,” marveled frontman — and Vegas native — Dan Reynolds. Rich and Tone Talauega The ceremony was a triumphant night for the brothers, who developed the dance moves for the muchdiscussed Michael Jackson performance…

CHRISTINA PERRI IS POP MUSIC’S QUEEN OF ROMANCE. Her seething 2010 breakout single “Jar of Hearts,” which hit No. 17 on the Hot 100, dove into love’s bitter lows. “A Thousand Years,” which has sold 3.6 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan, after being featured in the Twilight Saga films, touched on its dramatic highs. But on “Human,” the lead single from her sophomore LP Head or Heart, released April 1, she sings of a different kind of relationship: with herself. “It’s about selfforgiveness,” says Perri, 27, perched on a stool at Nashville’s Cannery Ballroom a few hours before a show. It’s something she had to practice during the grueling creation of Head or Heart — even with the help of A-list c ollaborators like fun.’s Jack Antonoff and producers…

“Break a Mirrored Leg” (Young Turks) may be an unusual choice for a musical introduction, but British electronic producer Joshua Quirke (who goes by his last name) is clearly guided by his own left-field compass. The track, the first taste of his forthcoming debut EP, Acid Beth, is a fidgety, finicky wash of clicking percussion and washed-out synths, morphing back and forth from drifting, textural drones to propulsive thuds. The entire first minute consists of murky sampled atmospheres before unexpectedly blasting into swirls of oceanic noise. The dust settles once more around the two-minute mark, as static synths pulse over clockwork percussion — all before exploding again into another frenetic electro swirl. Intimate and indecipherably manic all at once, “Break a Mirrored Leg” is an intriguing tease from a brand-new…

Hot100 LEGEND Bullets indicate titles with greatest weekly gains. Album Charts Recording Industry Assn. of America (RIAA) certification for physical shipments & digital downloads of 500,000 albums (Gold). RIAA certification for physical shipments & digital downloads of 1 million units (Platinum). Numeral noted with Platinum symbol indicates album’s multiplatinum level. RIAA certification for physical shipments & digital downloads of 10 million units (Diamond). Numeral noted with Diamond symbol indicates album’s multiplatinum level. Latin albums certification for physical shipments & digital downloads of 50,000 units (Oro). Latin albums certification for physical shipments & digital downloads of 100,000 units (Platino). Numeral noted with Platinum symbol indicates album’s multiplatinum level. Digital Songs Charts RIAA certification for 500,000 paid downloads (Gold). RIAA certification for 1 million paid downloads (Platinum). Numeral noted with platinum symbol…

Influential Internet station East Village Radio closed its doors on May 23, blaming rising rents and the congressional Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998, which mandates that Web broadcasters pay a performance royalty for every listener. One of the station’s best-known DJs, hitmaking producer-artistMark Ronson,38, talks about what the station meant to him, the music industry and New York. EVR was special. Its closing is sad for me, sad for the other DJs, sad for people who love music. It’s sad for downtown New York. The first time I discovered EVR, I walked past the storefront with a friend, and Harper Simon was doing a show. I was like, “What is this? This is so cool.” Someone I knew from fourth grade, Echo [Danon], happened to be the station manager…

8:58 Katy Perry sings “Birthday” 57,284 TWEETS 9:57 Lorde performs “Tennis Court” 39,999 TWEETS I’m so amazed by technology. The Michael Jackson hologram looks so real @LGMONSTERFACTS 3,417 RETWEETS 8:35 Shakira performs “Empire” 38,299 TWEETS @5SOS killing it at the @OfficialBBMAs ...they’re all so handsome. And sleeveless. @HARRY_STYLES 91,516 RETWEETS 9:30 Ricky Martin sings World Cup song “Vida” 29,078 TWEETS THANKYOU FOR INTRODUCING ME @NICKIMINAJ I AM COMPLETELY HONOURED @LORDE MUSIC 5, 695 RETWEETS Chart sources Minute-by-minute TV audience estimates provided by Nielsen. Twitter TV audience is an analysis of Nielsen Twitter TV ratings provided by Twitter. AGE 87 percent of tweeters were under 25. But 34 percent of those reading tweets were over 25. GENDER 68 percent of tweeters were female; 52 percent of those reading tweets were also…

“These are not real, though.” —KANYE WEST The hitmaker, tefling an autograph-seeking fan the Air Yeezy sneakers he wanted signed were fake. “Guys, I’m the worst reader!” —KENDALL JENNER The reality star, in the midst of botching her introduction of 5 Seconds of Summer’sperformanceatthe Billboard Music Awards. “If I have one drink, the docs say I will die.” —DERYCK WHIBLEY The Sum 41 frontman.sharing newsthathe had been hospitalized after getting “so sick from all the hard boozing I’ve been doing over the years.” “It would be a wonderful day.” —LYOR COHEN The music industry vet and 300 honcho, on reports that Twitter is explori ng the possibility of acquiring music streaming site SoundCloud. “I want to thank everybody on Earth except Donald Sterling.” —JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE The 20/20 Experienceentertainer, accepting the…

A famous 1970s rock opera with a cast of actual rock and pop stars could be the litmus test for a new niche market in theatrical arena shows. On June 9, Jesus Christ Superstar Arena Spectacular begins a 51-city tour at New Orleans’ Lakefront Arena, the first date of an outing presented by musical co-writer Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Group and event producer S2BN Entertainment, which is run by veteran Rolling Stones promoter Michael Cohl. This high-tech restaging of the musical stars Incubus singer Brandon Boyd (Judas Iscariot ), former Destiny’s Child member Michelle Williams (Mary Magdalene), ’N Sync’s JC Chasez (Pontius Pilate), former Sex Pistol Johnny “Rotten” Lydon (King Herod) and actor-singer Ben Forster (Jesus). After considering different cast mixes, including one, says Cohl, with “lead Hollywood film…

ST. PAUL’S ‘CALL’ CONNECTS ”Call Me,” the debut chart single for Thirty Tigers signees St. Paul & The Broken Bones, jumps 15-11 as the Greatest Gainer on Billboard’s Triple A airplay chart. The Birmingham, Ala., sextet’s frontman, Paul Janeway, uses the St. Paul handle in honor of his musical background. He grew up with gospel, which the group blends with retro soul and rock sounds. ‘BELLO’ BEGINS Dominican urban artist El Mayor Clasico is bubbling under Latin Rhythm Airplay with “Bello” (Gran Velero), featuring Sensato. WSKQ New York has been one of the song’s biggest boosters, first playing it on May 13, according to Nielsen BDS. An unofficial video uploaded to Sensato’s YouTube channel in January has more than 1 million views. X FACTOR ALUM ‘CAN’T WAIT’ Singer-songwriter Ben Rue,…

The 21st annual Sonar (June 12-14) is Barcelona’s emblematic electronic music festival. This year’s day-to-night lineup includes Massive Attack, Royksopp, Chic and a slew of the global DJs who have made Sonar a springtime must. But those traveling to the second-largest city in Spain will find more to do than just the fest. DRINK Sangria symbolizes Spain abroad, but locals thirst for a gin and tonic at cocktail hour, which at hot spot Bobby Gin (1), Carrer de Francisco Giner 47, lasts until 3 a.m. on weekends. And nestled inconspicuously above the popular Bar Mut (2), Calle Pau Claris 192, in a converted apartment is Mutis, an invitation-only speakeasy. EAT Traditional seafood tapas are exquisitely updated at Bar Canete (3), Carrer de la Unio 17. At Quimet y Quimet (4),…

The pop princess and the country newbie are from different music worlds, but as they’re proving on a new TV special and on tour this summer, they’re both “think-for-yourself type of women KATY PERRY IS PRACTICALLY NAKED. Dress rehearsal for Crossroads, the June 13 CMT special that pairs the pop star with country newcomer Kacey Musgraves, is an hour away, but all Perry can think about is getting undressed. Recently arrived at her trailer on-site at Sony’s Culver City lot, she slips out of her Jeremy Scott tube-sock dress and into a white bathrobe and flip-flops, clearly unconcerned about who might be watching. “I’ve seen her naked,” says Perry, 29, motioning to Musgraves. “A couple of times,” Musgraves, 25, confirms. “And it won’t be the last.” Further occasions for dressing-room…

The question of what to wear when opening for pop sensation Katy Perry is not to be entered into lightly. “Her looks will be totally different [from Perry’s], because Kacey has such a strong personality and a style of her own — a little bit of country western mixed with high fashion,” says stylist Hayley Atkin. Though Musgraves and Atkin aren’t completely set on costume choices yet, cues can be taken from previous performance looks, like the leg-baring tasseled minidress and the twinkle-light cowboy boots Musgraves flashed at the Grammys. Atkin, a celebrity stylist based in Los Angeles, first met Musgraves on a photo shoot, and the two bonded over a shared love of vintage. “Old Western influences and kitschy cowgirl themes from back in the ’30s, ’40s and ’50s…

T They began steamrolling their way through arenas four decades ago, creating the live business as it is known today. And they’ve never stopped. More than a dozen of the most in-demand headlining tours this summer testify to a refusal to burn out or fade away, including The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Fleetwood Mac, Kiss/Def Leppard, Journey/Steve Miller Band, Billy Joel, Tom Petty, Elton John, The Eagles, Aerosmith, Motley Crue/Alice Cooper, Cher and Prince. For nearly 25 years, acts that first broke in the 1970s or early ’80s have dominated the Billboard Boxscore year-end charts. The list of the 25 highest-grossing touring artists from 1990 through 2014 (see chart) includes just three acts that released their first albums in the ’90s — Dave Matthews Band and Toby Keith (both of…

Christina Perri: “I express myself in three ways: I talk a lot, I write songs, and I get tattoos.” Robyn and Royksopp join forces for “accidental pop” gem: “It was an outlet for not having to live up to anything.” Coldplay’s new album: “Conscious uncoupling” never sounded this good. John Fullbright goes full Kristofferson for excellent second album. Deniro Farrar: The next Scarface? THE HOT NEW RELEASES NOW E EVERY TIME ROBYN AND PRODUCTION DUO ROYKSOPP get together, they stumble onto something new, weird and great. Five days after traversing Mexico City while filming a music video for their collaborative single “Do It Again,” Robyn is still excited to see the resulting cellphone selfies. “Are you going to mail me the photos that I took with your phone?” the 34-year-old,…

With Chris Martin’s divorce in the background, Coldplay dials back the pomp for its best album in years. C COLDPLAY’S SIXTH STUDIO ALBUM WILL forever be tied to frontman Chris Martin’s announcement that he and wife Gwyneth Paltrow were separating, nearly two months before the full-length’s release. The marital split and its timing hover over Ghost Stories, a short album full of straightforward meditations on heartbreak and helplessness. Every inch of the album is bruised. On some songs, Martin wallows in the solitude; on others, he searches desperately for buoys of hope in his ocean of depression. Instead of hinting at the split and letting listeners spit out theories about the real-life drama that inspired the album, the 37-year-old has presented his gaping wound for the world to see, in…

A ANDRES CASTRO GOT THE CALL DURING THE summer of 2012. Colombian pop/vallenato star Carlos Vives — his friend, mentor and writing partner of 18 years — was ready to record his first solo album in nearly a decade. And he wanted Castro beside him. Castro flew to Santa Marta, Vives’ hometown on Colombia’s Atlantic coast, and together they fell into the joint writing routine that had yielded so many hits in the past. The first song was “Volvi a Nacer” (“I Was Reborn”), one of those glorious, uplifting tunes that sticks with one listen. But Castro thought it was missing something. “It was pretty. It had feeling. But it didn’t truly explode,” recalls Castro, 39. “We started to toss ideas around, until Carlos came back with another chorus. It…

MAY 16 | LING LING LOUNGE AT HAKKASAN NIGHTCLUB, LAS VEGAS 1 Billboard editor-in-chief Tony Gervino (left) and Billboard/The Hollywood Reporter president John Amato launched the cocktail reception with opening remarks. 2 Samsung Galaxy GS 5 Photomatic activation. 3 Pitbull’s manager, Charles Chavez (left), and publicist, Tom Muzquiz, at the Billboard & Samsung Galaxy cocktail party(Photo No. 5). 4 Jordin Sparks shows her man Jason Derulo some love by writing his name on the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2. 6 SONGS president/head of A&R Ron Perry; Tim Youngson, who manages Lorde; and Republic Records publicist Joseph Carozza (from left) pose for a photo.…