It has been a crazy week for just about every genre, as countless big-name tours were announced, and several new songs and projects arrived from superstars — along with perhaps the biggest surprise of the week, a new album from Eminem.
Slim Shady took to social media to unveil his latest LP, Music to be Murdered By, shortly after midnight on Friday (Jan. 17). While Em's fans are certainly stoked, several other fan bases were gifted with full albums to dive into as well: Halsey's third album Manic, Mac Miller's posthumous set Circles, and Little Big Town's dreamy Nightfall.
As you spin all of this week's new music, check out all of the major happenings from the past several days below.
Roddy Ricch’s “The Box” became the first new Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 in 2020
Following a huge No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 with his first album, Please Excuse Me For Being Antisocial, Roddy Rich scored his first No. 1 on the Hot 100 with the set’s lead single, “The Box” — also the first new Hot 100 chart-topper in 2020. Rich’s LP stayed atop the all-albums chart as “The Box” took over the Hot 100, marking a rare achievement for rappers (Kanye West was the last rapper to top both simultaneously in 2005). Though “The Box” prevented Justin Bieber’s “Yummy” from the top Hot 100 spot, the Biebs still debuted at No. 2, and even the Biebs couldn’t help admitting Rich deserved the No. 1: “You had to go and make a banger smh!” Bieber tweeted on Monday (Jan. 13).
Pearl Jam, Monsta X and Tim McGraw announced tours
2020 suddenly has three more major tours to get amped for, as alternative rock icons Pearl Jam, mega K-pop boy band Monsta X and country superstar Tim McGraw will each be hitting the road this year. Pearl Jam step back into the spotlight after an eight-year hiatus with their upcoming studio album, Gigaton, that’ll take them all over Canada and the US this spring for the accompanying tour, while the South Korean juggernauts will take over the earlier part of the summer for their 17-date North American jaunt and McGraw will hold down the fort for the latter part of summer into September for his Here On Earth Tour.
Billie Eilish was named the next Bond theme song singer
As if Billie Eilish could get any bigger, she’s joining the likes of Paul McCartney, Adele, Madonna and Sam Smith as one of the lucky superstars who get to record a James Bond theme song. Eilish and her brother Finneas are collaborating on the track for the upcoming 25th installment of the Bond franchise, No Time To Die, which was announced Tuesday (Jan. 14) after Eilish sent fans into a frenzy over a 007 teaser the day before. “It feels crazy to be a part of this in every way… I’m still in shock,” Eilish said in a statement.
Nine Inch Nails, Whitney Houston & more were revealed as Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2020 were unveiled Wednesday morning (Jan. 15), and the six historic acts represent a diverse array of sub-genres. Synth-pop pioneers Depeche Mode, soul rockers The Doobie Brothers, glam rockers T. Rex, East Coast hip-hop icon The Notorious B.I.G., pop/R&B vocal goddess Whitney Houston and industrial rockers Nine Inch Nails will be honored in the May ceremony.
Taylor Swift revealed her Netflix documentary’s release date
Swift will be coming to a screen near you on Jan. 31, when her Netflix doc Miss Americana will be released on the streaming service and in select theaters. The film will analyze her “as a songwriter and performer — and as a woman harnessing the full power of her voice,” according to the movie’s bio page. Check out the official movie poster below.
Brooks & Dunn, Bon Jovi and Steely Dan also announced tours
Three more major tours were unveiled this week: After Brooks & Dunn plotted their first trek in 10 years on Tuesday, rock legends Bon Jovi and Steely Dan also announced respective summer tours with fellow genre vets. Bon Jovi will be hitting the road with “Summer of ’69” star Bryan Adams from June 10-July 28, and “Higher Love” singer Steve Winwood will be joining Steely Dan on their tour from June 2-July 11. Brooks & Dunn will also be performing throughout the summer, but their 18 tour dates are sprinkled throughout May, June, August and September.
Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and more were announced as Brit Award performers
The first round of performers for the 2020 Brit Awards were revealed on Wednesday, with Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and Lewis Capaldi — who is tied with British rapper Dave for the most nominations, with four — topping the bill. Also performing at the Feb. 18 show are UK stars Mabel and Stormzy, who are also nominees for this year’s awards.
Mariah Carey, The Neptunes & more were announced as Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees
The 2020 inductees were announced on CBS This Morning on Thursday (Jan. 16), and the network’s own Anthony Mason announced Carey first, heralding the “All I Want For Christmas is You” hitmaker for having 19 solo No. 1 Hot 100 hits and a “stunning five-octave range.” The Isley Brothers, Eurythmics (Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart), Rick Nowels, The Neptunes (Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo), William “Mickey” Stevenson and Steve Miller also made the list. Check out what hits these successful modern era songwriters were behind here.
Beyonce gifted her famous friends with Ivy Park x Adidas wardrobes
Santa Claus may have gotten the job done last month for Christmas, but when Beyoncé took over, she ditched the wrapping paper and sent larger-than-life orange Ivy Park x Adidas wardrobes to a chosen elite. The lucky few recipients, namely Reese Witherspoon, Janelle Monáe, Cardi B, Yara Shahidi, Zendaya and Hailey Bieber, were stocked with her latest collection of orange, burgundy and beige athleisurewear.
Demi Lovato revealed two huge performances
Before the end of 2019, Demi Lovato teased “The next time you hear from me, I’ll be singing….” This week, she made good on her promise: On Wednesday (Jan. 15), Lovato revealed that she will be performing at this year’s Grammy Awards, then the day after, she announced that she’ll be singing the national anthem at Super Bowl LIV. Though she didn’t disclose exactly what she will be singing at the Jan. 26 Grammys, it’s safe to say Demi is back.
Eminem surprise-dropped an album
January 17 unexpectedly became the best day ever for Eminem fans, as the rapper released a 20-track album just after midnight without any warning — just like he did with his 2018 full-length Kamikaze. Titled Music to be Murdered By, Em’s latest LP features guest assists from Ed Sheeran, Anderson .Paak, Young M.A., Skylar Grey and even a track with the late Juice WRLD. And though he’s spent the past several months spatting with Nick Cannon, fortunately Music to Be Murdered By is simply an album of what Em does best.
Jonas Brothers and their wives paid tribute to three classic films in "What a Man Gotta Do" video
The J-Sisters strike again! The Jonas Brothers kicked off their massive 2019 with a lavish video for their megahit “Sucker” that featured their wives, and it seems they’re looking for a similar trajectory in 2020. The sibling trio recruited their leading ladies for the nostalgic video for their new single, “What a Man Gotta Do,” which pays homage to Risky Business, Grease and Say Anything. The clip is as fun as the lively love song, and almost as Oscar-worthy as their Keeping Up With the Kardashians reenactment from earlier in the week.
Halsey, BTS, Mac Miller, The 1975 and (many) more released new music
Clearly it is a busy week of new music! In addition to Eminem and JoBros, several stars dropped new tunes and projects on Friday (Jan. 17). We knew Halsey’s highly anticipated album Manic was arriving today, but Mac Miller’s posthumous LP Circles (which his family just announced last week) was a surprise treat for his fans, and Little Big Town unveiled their latest set Nightfall. BTS dropped the first single from their already in-demand forthcoming LP Map of the Soul: 7 that arrives next month, and The 1975 also served up a track from their own forthcoming album, Notes on a Conditional Form, with the lighthearted “Me & You Together Song.” Plus, Shakira unveiled an Anuel AA collaboration that will get fans even more hyped for her Super Bowl Halftime Show performance with Jennifer Lopez in just a couple of weeks. Check out Billboard’s rundown of all of this week’s best new music here!
