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.

DaBaby & Roddy Ricch’s ‘Rockstar’ Rolls To No. 1

BILLBOARD 200

Billboard

WMG + IPO = OMG! • Warner’s stock offering previews a hot new sound for the industry: Cha-ching!?

MARKET WATCH

‘A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR CHANGE’ • UMG SOCIAL JUSTICE TASK FORCE CO-CHAIRS ETHIOPIA HABTEMARIAM AND JEFF HARLESTON TALK ABOUT HOW THE INDUSTRY CAN TAKE ON RACISM

Dear White Music Executives • We’ve seen all the texts and posts asking, “Dear black friends, what can we do?” Well, this would be a start

BEN MAWSON & ED MILLETT • Co-Founders/Co-CEOs, TaP Music

THE REVOLUTION WILL BE LIVE • THE MAVERICKS BEHIND #THESHOWMUSTBEPAUSED CALLED FOR A DAY OF RECKONING — AND THE INDUSTRY LISTENED. HERE’S HOW MUSIC’S FEARLESS NEW LEADERS PLAN TO FLEX THEIR POWER NEXT — AND PUSH THE BUSINESS FORWARD

MEET THE QUARAN-QUEENS • In celebration of Billboard’s third annual Pride Issue, several of the most influential drag queens in the industry share selfies of original looks from self-isolation, loosely inspired by Andy Warhol portraits from the 1970s and ’80s. With their photos, the queens not only show how they’ve adapted to crafting powerful looks from home, but also offer messages of hope and calls to action amid nationwide protests over police brutality and racial inequality.

GOLDEN BOY • Why classic country artist Orville Peck might just be the unconventional best new artist nominee the academy needs

COMING UP NEXT… • THE EXPANSION OF THE BEST NEW ARTIST CATEGORY FROM FIVE NOMINEES TO EIGHT IN 2018 HAS ALLOWED FOR LESS-PREDICTABLE PICKS TO SNEAK IN. LAST YEAR, CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED AND NOT EASILY RADIO-FORMATTED ACTS LIKE BLACK PUMAS, TANK & THE BANGAS AND YOLA SCORED A NOD, AND THIS DECEMBER, THESE FIVE LEFT-FIELD CANDIDATES COULD, TOO

PANDEMIC-PROOFING THE GRAMMY AWARDS • The 2021 ceremony will indeed take place — but what exactly will it look like?

THE EARLY BIG FOUR BUZZ • When the nominations for the 63rd annual Grammy Awards — slated for Jan. 31, 2021 — are announced later this year, Post Malone, The Weeknd, Harry Styles, Dua Lipa, Roddy Ricch and Maren Morris all have a good chance of appearing in both of the highest-profile categories: album and record of the year. Now, with less than three months left in the eligibility period (which began Sept. 1, 2019, and will end Aug. 31), Billboard takes a look at the potential Big Four nominees, listed in descending order of their likelihood

LIGHTS, CAMERA, TODRICK • HE HAS APPEARED ON BROADWAY, GONE VIRAL WITH DAZZLING MUSIC VIDEOS AND SASHAYED ALL OVER REALITY COMPETITION SHOWS. BUT TODRICK HALL IS STILL FIGHTING FOR HIS PLACE IN THE INDUSTRY, WHERE HE SAYS RACISM AND HOMOPHOBIA LINGER — WHILE OWNING UP TO HIS PAST “MISTAKES”

THE 2020 PRIDE LIST • For Billboard’s second Pride List, 40 executives from across the music business share their biggest victories — and the actions they’re taking to cope with the pandemic and reaffirm the Black Lives Matter movement

DANCEHALL • SHUZZR, a publicist and founder of Shuzzr PR, on getting death threats and rethinking his business after coming out

ASK A GAY ICON! • How can you better support LGBTQ people in the industry? Easy: Share your networks and make introductions — so Billboard is pairing young queer artists with allies they admire to ask for career advice

METAL • Judas Priest frontman ROB HALFORD on “hiding” among hard rockers and the homophobia behind the anti-disco movement

CLASSICAL • MAGGIE HESKIN — senior director of editorial at Boosey & Hawkes — on finding a community among LGBTQ...