Billboard Magazine

Written for music industry professionals and fans. Contents provide news, reviews and statistics for all genres of music, including radio play, music video, related internet activity and retail updates.

Wish Come True: Carey’s ‘Christmas’ Hits No. 1

BILLBOARD 200

Billboard

KINGTANA

Dude, Where’s My Music? • Problems at Direct Shot Distributing have made vinyl unavailable and CDs MIA. Indie distributors are helping, but the problem could drag on

MARKET WATCH

Tom Joyner • RADIO PIONEER SIGNS OFF AFTER 50-YEAR CAREER

The Fight For Their Rights • Netflix is asking film and TV composers to sign away rights to their music, and creators worry other services will follow

Dreams From Nightmares • Meek Mill’s criminal justice reform organization — backed by $50 million in funding from its founding partners — seeks to bring change to a broken system

Can Saudi Arabia Become The Middle East’s Live Music Superpower? • Offering large advances and 33 million potential music consumers, the kingdom’s new push into entertainment is overshadowing neighbors like Dubai and Abu Dhabi

GREGG NADEL AND MIKE EASTERLIN • Elektra Music Group Co-Presidents

BILLBOARD WOMEN IN MUSIC • LOS ANGELES, DEC. 12

CLASS OF 2019

SEAN COMBS’ 50TH BIRTHDAY • LOS ANGELES, DEC. 14

NEW SOLO PRO

THE YEAR IN MUSIC

Back By Popular Demand • In 2019 traditional pop roared back as more superstars worked at the “speed of streaming”

A BIG ’19 FOR ‘9 TO 5’

HEY NOW, YOU’RE A ROCK STAR • Why a wide range of radio formats finally embraced Post Malone with Hollywood’s Bleeding

SIN CITY’S JACKPOT YEAR • The musical landscape of the Las Vegas Strip underwent seismic changes in 2019, from Lady Gaga, Aerosmith, Cardi B, Janet Jackson and others launching residencies to Vegas icons like Céline Dion closing significant runs

Victoria Monét

CHURCH IN THE WILD • How Kanye West found God — and rebounded — in 2019

PARTY ROCK ANTHEMS • This year, some of dance music’s biggest names all gravitated toward remixing the same genre: rock, from punk to hardcore

We Are The Champions — Aren’t We? • This year’s biggest biopics and docuseries boosted their subjects’ streaming numbers, even as some complicated their legacies

CUT GEMS • These four 2019 Billboard cover profiles packed in so much that a few worthy anecdotes didn’t make the final story

GOING GAGA AT THE ACADEMY AWARDS • Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper’s “Shallow” duet went viral, and a No. 1 hit was born

LATIN’S FESTIVAL FRENZY • As Latin music has increasingly influenced global pop, artists like Rosalía, J Balvin and others secured major first-time slots at international events. Four stars reflect on their festival achievements in 2019

Kevin Abstract • HOUSE OF SUGAR (SANDY) ALEX G

‘ROAD’ TO RICHES • Last year Montero Lamar Hill purchased a Nine Inch Nails-sampling trap beat online for $30 and laid down some syrupy verses about a lonely cowboy. In December 2018 he released “Old Town Road” independently as Lil Nas X. And in the first three months of 2019, the song climbed the Billboard Hot 100 as he finalized a deal with Columbia Records. Yet it wasn’t until April — when Billy Ray Cyrus joined a remix of “Old Town Road” and the song began its record-breaking run at No. 1 — that Lil Nas X’s professional life become a one-of-a-kind, yeardefining whirlwind.

CLOCKING IN FOR A HIT • How video-sharing app TikTok ruled 2019 — and why it may or may not be able to hold steady in 2020

HOT GIRL MATH • Megan Thee Stallion rebranded the warmest season as #HotGirlSummer — and released a hit featuring Nicki Minaj and Ty Dolla $ign to soundtrack it

WAITING IN VAIN...