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Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly has become his first release to top the Billboard 200 despite dropping a tad earlier than expected. The album went on to sell 363,000 equivalent copies, including single downloads and streams-breaking Spotify records in the process- on its way to the top. That was also the second largest debut of the year—behind Drake—giving hip-hop the two biggest albums of the year so far. -
Summerfest Lineup: Kendrick Lamar, Zac Brown Band, Kings of Leon to Headline Giant Milwaukee Festival
One of the biggest music festival's in the United States, Summerfest has announced its 2015 lineup. Kendrick Lamar and Schoolboy Q will perform together at the Marcus Amphitheater along with Zac Brown Band, Linkin Park and Kings of Leon. More artists will be announced for the festival, which takes place June 24 to 28 and June 30 to July 5 in Milwaukee. -
Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars 'Uptown Funk' Owns Hot 100 for 11th Week as Sam Smith & Fetty Wap Debut in Top 10
It's yet ANOTHER funky week atop the Billboard charts. Yes, for the 11th week in a row, Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson own the Hot 100 with their Uptown Special hit "Uptown Funk." Despite the stagnant No. 1 seed, the charts actually got a bit of a shakeup this week as Maroon 5 make a play for the top and two new songs from Sam Smith and Fetty Wap break into the top 10. -
Madonna and 'Rebel Heart' Trump 'Empire' Soundtrack on Albums Chart, Luke Bryan Debuts New 'Spring Break' Chapter
Yesterday we reported that the Empire Season One Soundtrack had topped Madonna's Rebel Heart on the Billboard 200, thanks to the number of additional downloads and streams that it got, allowing it to take advantage of Billboard's new metrics and top the iconic chart. However pure album sales tell a different story. While Empire edged Rebel Heart by around 9,000 copies on the 200, the opposite was true on the Albums Chart, where Rebel Heart placed no. 1 with 116,500 copies sold and Empire took no. 2 with 107,000 copies moved. -
'Empire' Edges Madonna for Billboard 200 Top Spot, but Did New Metrics Steal a Landmark Accomplishment from Pop Star?
This week's Billboard 200 was topped by the Empire Soundtrack: Season 1, but it touches off an interesting battle between it and Madonna's Rebel Heart, which finished no. 2. The current Billboard metrics place Empire at no. 1 with 130,000 "equivalent" albums sold—a count that includes total single downloads and album streams as well. Madge's album only sold 121,000 "equivalent" albums but unofficial tracking of pure album sales—or what the Billboard 200 used to be based on—suggest that Rebel Heart actually sold more albums than Empire did as a whole. -
Ed Sheeran Teases 'Bloodstream' Video with Rudimental & A Possible Depressing Future for YouTube Music Awards 2015
Ed Sheeran is just one of many artists set to be honored at the 2015 YouTube Music Awards, and he's celebrating by getting pumping up his fans' "Bloodstream." As his single "Thinking Out Loud" site comfortably at the top of the charts, today (March 18), Sheeran teased his next video for his Rudimental version of the x track "Bloodstream." -
Ed Sheeran & Ellie Goulding Defend Bullied New Zealand 'X Factor' Contestant on Twitter
After Joe Irvine, a contestant on New Zealand's 'X Factor,' was bullied onstage, Ed Sheeran and Ellie Goulding took to Twitter to show Irvine support. -
John Legend, Ed Sheeran & More Help Make 'The World's Happiest Playlist' for U.N.'s International Day of Happiness [LISTEN]
John Legend, Ed Sheeran, James Blunt, David Guetta and more musicians are helping the United Nations put together "the world's happiest playlist" to draw awareness to "International Day Of Happiness" this Friday. -
Spotify Suggests Austin Not as Weird as It Claims, Music Wise; Texas Capital Does Promote Local Music However
Austin, TX is one of the hottest cities in music thanks to hosting the South by Southwest and Austin City Limits music festivals, among hosting a lively live scene all year round. Spotify's Insights blog was interested in the city's unofficial slogan, "Keep Austin Weird," and whether that rang true. Does the capital of Texas divert much from the national norm in terms of the music it listens to? -
Kelly Clarkson Gets Cushion for 'Piece By Piece' on Albums Chart, Brandi Carlile Cracks Top 5 with 'Firewatcher's Daughter'
Kelly Clarkson found a bit more breathing room on the Official Albums Chart this week, as her new album 'Piece By Piece' gets a nicer cushion over the 'Fifty Shades of Grey Soundtrack' on the Billboard 200. Thanks to the removal of individual streams and downloads for Beyoncé and Ellie Goulding's singles from the latter, Clarkson won the pure albums race with 80,500 copies sold, compared to 57,000 copies of 'Fifty Shades.' -
Kelly Clarkson Barely Beats 'Fifty Shades of Grey' Soundtrack with 'Piece by Piece,' Tops Billboard 200
Kelly Clarkson was the big winner on the Billboard 200 this week with the debut of her album Piece by Piece, which sold 97,000 equivalent copies and held off the competition. The effort helped the pop star get even with Carrie Underwood for the title of most no. 1 albums by an American Idol alumni...the country star and Clarkson both have three to their names. This was an especially nice peak for the latter as it was her first no. 1 since 2009, with two other releases in between. -
Ed Sheeran Donated His Grammy Awards Wardrobe to Charity
"Thinking Out Loud" singer Ed Sheeran recently donated his Grammy Awards wardrobe to charity. Sheeran is not only booming in popularity musically -- many are impressed with his generous nature.
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