Billboard

Kelly Clarkson made a passionate plea for action regarding gun control in the wake of the Texas school massacre this week, as she opened the 2018 Billboard Music Awards as host.

The 36 year old, who is a Texan native, forewent a moment of silence at the start of Sunday night’s awards to urge viewers to take a “moment of action” in an emotional speech reflecting on the brutal massacre at a school in Santa Fe on Friday, which claimed the lives of 10 children and resulted in 13 others being wounded.

“Tonight, they wanted me to say that obviously we want to pray for all the victims and pray for their families,” mother of four Clarkson said. “But they also wanted me to do a moment of silence. And I’m so sick of moments of silence. It’s not working. Obviously.”

Continue reading: Kelly Clarkson Makes Impassioned Plea For Gun Control Action At Billboard Music Awards

Indie pop duo Twenty One Pilots are celebrating their first ever US Number 1 album, after the group’s second major label record Blurryface entered at the top of the Billboard 200. It sold 146,000 copies in the week ending May 24th, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Of that figure, a solid 134,000 were direct album sales, a healthy indication of the recent resurgence in physical music purchasing. Blurryface is Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun’s fourth album in total, following their Fueled By Ramen debut Vessel back in 2013.

Twenty One Pilots score their first ever US Number 1 album

Continue reading: Twenty One Pilots Score First US Number 1 Album With 'Blurryface'

The nominations have been released for the annual Billboard Music Awards, and it’s Taylor Swift and Sam Smith who lead the field, with both artists in the running for five of the six biggest prizes.

Swift and Smith, whose respective albums 1989 and In The Lonely Hour are still in the Top 5 of the Billboard Albums Chart well over four months after their release, are both gunning for the Top Artist, Top 100 Songs, Top Billboard 200 Album, Top Billboard 200 Artist and Top Hot 100 Artists categories, while each is up for the Top Artist in their gender-specific prizes.

Taylor Swift scored the most BMA nominations with 14

Continue reading: Taylor Swift And Sam Smith Score Multiple Nominations For Billboard Music Awards

Madonna's 11th studio album – and her last with Warner Bros – will be named Licorice, stateside reports have said.

Former Billboard editor Larry Flick's OutQ radio show said the 13-track album would be released next April.

Two of the Queen of Pop's new tracks also got an airing; Candy Shop and the Kanye West-featuring The Beat Goes On.

According to fan websites, Justin Timberlake, Timbaland and Pharrell Williams all guest on the new CD.

OutQ also claimed that Licorice, understood to have been presented to Warner Bros bosses this week, will include a reworked version of The Devil Wouldn't Recognise You.

Licorice is set to be Madonna's last studio album with Warner Bros, not withstanding a new greatest hits collection, before she begins her ten-year contract with Artist Nation.

The groundbreaking deal encompasses the entire Madonna brand, from music and tours to DVDs and official merchandise.

Continue reading: Licorice: Madonna's New Album