Billboard News

Justine Skye is getting ready for the holidays and all she wants for Christmas is a little R&R.

“To be honest, I love the time off to get to relax and clear my mind to get ready for the new year,” she tells Billboard, adding that “my traditions revolve around enjoying moments of rest and connection with loved ones.”

It’s been a busy year for Skye, who released a new album, Darkside, in January, and wrapped the final season of Grown-ish in August (Skye appears in the show’s last two seasons playing Junior’s love interest, Annika). For the singer and actress, the holidays are all about decompressing from work and focusing instead on family and friends for a “time of relaxation and togetherness.”

“During the holidays, I intentionally take a break from work to immerse myself in the joy of the season,” she says. “I love spending quality time with family, where we come together to cook delicious meals and watch classic holiday movies, a tradition that brings both nostalgia and new memories.”

Of course, the holidays are also about gift-giving, and Skye has teamed up with Tommy Hilfiger this year to unveil some of her favorite pieces to wear — and give.

“My earliest memories of wearing Tommy is being in middle school remembering how much I wanted to give off that tomboy, edgy-yet-chic vibe that Aaliyah would give,” she explains, of why she wanted to work with the Tommy team. 

Skye’s go-to gifting picks from Tommy Hilfiger: a candle, a blanket, a nice traveling/duffle bag and a cozy sweater.

As for new music, Skye recently released “Whip It Up,” a beat-driven, staccato-style R&B track that’s expected to appear on an upcoming album. Skye reveals that she’s “currently working on a new project,” though no name or release date has been announced just yet. Still, the singer teases a “more upbeat [and] dance kind of vibes,” adding that she’s “excited to keep rolling out this new sound.”

“I want to encourage and be a part of the shift in music that gets people back on the dance floor,” she says. “Everyday I learn something new about life and myself and it all helps me grow and expand creatively.”

For now though, Skye is just focused on heading home for the holidays: “It’s all about spending time with friends and family and creating a new memory to close off the year.”

Skye’s latest single, “Whip It Up” is now streaming. You can also shop the singer’s holiday gifting picks from Tommy Hilfiger below:

Tommy Hilfiger Tartan Half-Zip

$83.30 $119.00 30% off

BUY: TOMMY HILFIGER TARTAN HALF-ZIP SWEATER

“I love the roomy and comfy fit of this Tommy sweater I wore,” Skye says, of the pull-over she sported to a Tommy Hilfiger dinner in November. Preppy and festive, this half-zip knit sweater features a traditional tartan pattern and a modern, relaxed fit.

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Tommy Hilfiger Prep Duffle Bag

$137.40 $229.00 40% off

BUY: TOMMY HILFIGER PREP DUFFLE BAG

Made from a durable and water-repellant material, this unisex duffle has plenty of room for a weekend getaway, or to take you from work to the gym as part of your daily commute. The bag comes with an adjustable and removable shoulder strap.

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Tommy Hilfiger Salty Fig Candle

$31.20 $52.00 40% off

BUY: TOMMY HILFIGER SALTY FIG CANDLE

Festive and inviting, this Tommy candle features notes of warm fig, fresh sandalwood and sea salt. Made from a soy wax blend, this candle has a burn time of up to 40 hours. 

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Tommy Hilfiger Stripe Throw Blanket

$40.80 $102.00 60% off

BUY: TOMMY HILFIGER THROW BLANKET

Measuring 50 x 70 inches, this luxurious cotton throw is great as a blanket in bed or as something to curl up in for a movie night at home. Super warm, soft and stylish, it makes a welcome holiday gift for all ages.

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Jack Harlow is loving life at the summit of the U.K. singles chart as “Lovin On Me” (via Atlantic) enters its third week at No. 1.

The Louisville rapper’s latest hit snares its biggest seven-day volume yet with 55,000 combined units, the Official Charts Company reports.

Meanwhile, Noah Kahan enjoys a new career high with “Stick Season” (Republic Records), up 4-2, while Casso, Raye and D-Block Europe’s “Prada” (Ministry of Sound) completes the podium, down 2-3.

Christmas isn’t yet here, but you wouldn’t know it by studying the Official U.K. Singles Chart, published Friday, Dec. 1.

All told, 16 festive tracks place in the top 40 this week, the OCC reports, including two top 10s. Wham’s enduring ‘80s classic “Last Christmas” (Epic) leads the charge, up 14-5, ahead of Mariah Carey’s All “I Want For Christmas Is You” (Columbia), up 16-6.

Following the death Thursday (Nov. 30) of the Pogues singer Shane MacGowan, aged 65, “Fairytale of New York” (Rhino) featuring Kirsty MacColl reenters the top 40 at No. 18. Now, with LadBaby official out of the race for the coveted U.K. Christmas No. 1, chart anoraks will keep a close eye on the ascent of the Pogues’ masterpiece.

Martin Talbot, CEO of the Official Charts, tips the song as a “genuine contender” for the Christmas crown.

“As usual, it was already heading back into the Official Singles Chart Top 40 this week and, while it is currently too early to give an indication of the scale of the streaming surge, we would very much expect it to rise back into the Top 20 over the coming days, perhaps even higher,” comments Martin Talbot, Chief Executive Officer, Official Charts. “It is a genuine contender for this year’s Christmas No. 1 – a chart position which this classic has never previously reached. What a fitting tribute to Shane that would be.”

“Fairytale of New York” has a U.K. chart best of No. 2, missing out when it was beaten to the Christmas No. 1 in 1987 by Pet Shop Boys’ “Always on My Mind.”

Further down the tally is Brenda Lee’s “Rockin Around The Christmas Tree” (No. 14 via MCA), Michael Bublé’s “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” (No. 16 via Reprise), Ed Sheeran and Elton John’s former chart-topper Merry Christmas (No. 17 via Atlantic/EMI) and other seasonal favorites.

Take That are crowned on the U.K. albums chart with This Life (EMI), which flexes its way to year-best sales for a British act.

The runaway leader at the midweek stage, This Life bows at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, published Friday, Dec. 1, with 116,000 chart sales from its first seven days. That eclipses the 95,000 first-week combined sales for Lewis Capaldi’s sophomore effort Broken By Desire to Be Heavenly Sent, until now the biggest-volume for a British artist album in 2023.

With their latest studio effort, the veteran pop group – now the trio of Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald – snags a ninth leader.

Previously, the record-busting group led the weekly tally with Everything Changes (1993), Nobody Else (1995), Greatest Hits (1996), Beautiful World (2006), The Circus (2008), Progress (2010), III (2014) and Odyssey (2018).

The lads will support the album in 2024 with an extensive tour of the U.K. and Europe.

Meanwhile, Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (via EMI) holds at No. 2, while the Rolling Stones’ former leader Hackney Diamonds (Polydor) lifts 4-3.

Not far behind is Michael Bublé’s Christmas (Reprise), which, like clockwork, makes its journey up the chart. Christmas improves 16-4, for its first stint in the top 5 this year, the OCC reportS.

The late, great Tina Turner, lands a posthumous top 40 appearance with Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll (Rhino), new at No. 16. It’s the legendary U.S. singer’s 16th top tier appearance in the U.K. The “Simply The Best” singer died in May of this year, aged 84.

Finally, Australia’s princess of pop Kylie Minogue returns to the top 40 with Kylie (BMG), the album that ignited her pop career. Kylie blasts to No. 30, thanks to a reissue to celebrate its 35th anniversary, including a neon pink version on wax. The set, which led the chart back in 1988, is the best-seller on vinyl during the latest cycle.

Welcome to Green Bay. Taylor Swift headed to Wisconsin all bundled up in a red Stella McCartney overcoat to support Travis Kelce as the Kansas City Chiefs took on the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field Sunday night (Dec. 3).

Like the NFL games Swift’s attended thus far this season, her Sunday arrival was well-documented by various clips that were quick to circulate on social media. Dressed in head-to-toe black — a Reputation (Taylor’s Version) nod? — and a chic coat in a shade of red quite appropriate for a Chiefs fan, she walked in with Brittany Mahomes by her side and headed to a suite.

In one video clip posted online, Swift is seen pulling out her own phone to take a video of herself amid a pre-game snow flurry.

In another, she’s clapping. “TAYLOR IS IN BEHIND ME I REPEAT TAYLOR IS BEHIND ME!!!! IM FREAKING OUT,” the fan who captured this moment at Lambeau Field wrote.

After the pop star supported Kelce at a handful of Chiefs games in recent months, the tight end was spotted showing love for Swift when her Eras Tour made its way to Buenos Aires, Argentina, last month. At her Nov. 11 concert, she cleverly called out her guy in a “Karma” lyric change: “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs coming straight home to me,” she sang during the Midnights section of her show toward Kelce, who was watching the stage from the VIP tent, next to Swift’s dad.

See clips of Swift, who is back atop the Billboard 200 with 1989 (Taylor’s Version) charting as the No. 1 album again, at Kelce’s latest game below.

ATEEZ‘s THE WORLD EP.FIN : WILL tops this week’s new music poll.

Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (Dec. 1) on Billboard, choosing the group’s EP as their favorite new music release of the past week.

THE WORLD EP.FIN : WILL brought in more than 49% of the vote, inching toward 50%, and beat out new music from fellow pop stars like Jung Kook and Usher, Beyoncé and more.

As Billboard noted in the Friday Music Guide, “every inch of the album is filled with percussive breakdowns, rap verses springing into melodic hooks and cleanly delivered interplay between the various group members.”

The eight-piece K-pop group saw success on the Billboard charts with their previous album, THE WORLD EP.2 : OUTLAW, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

Trailing right behind THE WORLD EP.FIN : WILL on this week’s poll is Jung Kook feat. Usher’s “Standing Next to You” remix, which came very close to the top with 47% of the vote.

See the final results of the poll below.

Nicki Minaj told fans that she had an announcement to make on Sunday (Dec. 3). “Hope it doesn’t make you sad,” she said on X (formerly Twitter).

“I won’t be able to perform tmrw in #Chicago for Jingle Ball,” wrote Minaj the day before she was scheduled to headline the Dec. 4 stop of iHeartRadio’s Jingle Ball Tour. “I was so excited to see you guys. Pls accept my sincerest apologies. I’ll make it up to you on the Chicago stops of my tour early next year. Details to come.”

She then presented the backup plan: “HOWEVER!!!!! My beloved brother/boss stepped up for me so that I wouldn’t have to push my album back. His name is Lil Wayne AKA the GOAT. He will perform tmrw @ the Chicago show,” she revealed.

The official concert listing on Ticketmaster confirms Wayne has replaced Minaj on the lineup at Allstate Arena. The “More Info” tab on the event’s page includes updated details about the show.

The Dec. 4 lineup is currently set to include Wayne, Jelly Roll, Big Time Rush, Doechii, (G)I-DLE and Kaliii.

“I am STILL performing @ the #Atlanta Jingle Ball on the 14th and now I’ll ALSO be performing at the #Miami Jingle Ball on the 16th. Album STILL dropping this FRIDAY,” Minaj told her Barbz on Sunday.

The rapper’s Pink Friday 2 album is scheduled for release on Dec. 8, her birthday, after its original release date of Nov. 17 was pushed back. Pink Friday 2 is the follow-up to Minaj’s 2018 album, Queen, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

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Minaj recently tweeted, “This album is just beyond anything I could have imagined.”

“If you on my $h!t list, you will never EVER recover. The. Fkng. End,” she teased.

See Minaj’s post about Jingle Ball below.

Taylor Swift towers over the top 10 on the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Dec. 9), as she holds a whopping five titles in the region. She is the first living act to have five albums concurrently in the top 10 since the Billboard 200 was combined from its previously separate mono and stereo album charts into one all-encompassing list in August of 1963.

Swift stands tall in the top 10 with her most recent release, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) (returning to the top rising 2-1), and four former chart-toppers: Midnights (6-3), Folklore (9-5), Lover (8-6) and Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) (17-10).

1989 (Taylor’s Version) was released in October; Midnights, in 2022; Folklore, in 2020; Lover in 2019, and Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) in July 2023.

The only other act to hold at least five of the top 10 at the same time was Prince, on the May 14, 2016-dated list, following his death. That week in the top 10, he had The Very Best of Prince (falling 1-2), the Purple Rain soundtrack (with The Revolution, 2-3), The Hits/The B-Sides (6-4), Ultimate (61-6) and 1999 (31-7).

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Dec. 9, 2023-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Dec. 5. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) returns to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Dec. 9), as the set rises 2-1 for its third total week atop the tally. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Nov. 11-dated chart and spent its second week in the lead, before dipping to No. 2 for the next two weeks and bouncing back to the top on the new chart. The set earned 141,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Nov. 30 (up 3%), according to Luminate.

Swift has a stranglehold on the new Billboard 200’s top 10, as she has five titles concurrently in the region. After 1989 (Taylor’s Version), four more former No. 1s follow: Midnights (rising 6-3), Folklore (9-5), Lover (8-6) and Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) (17-10). Swift’s titles, like many on the entire chart, see sales gains gleaned partially from retail promotions associated with Black Friday and holiday campaigns.

With five titles in the top 10, Swift is the first living act to have five albums concurrently in the top 10 since the Billboard 200 was combined from its previously separate mono and stereo album charts into one all-encompassing list in August of 1963. The only other act to hold at least five of the top 10 at the same time was Prince, on the May 14, 2016-dated list, following his death. That week in the top 10, he had The Very Best of Prince (falling 1-2), the Purple Rain soundtrack (with The Revolution; 2-3), The Hits/The B-Sides (6-4), Ultimate (61-6) and 1999 (31-7).

Also in the top 10 of the new Billboard 200, Michael Bublé’s chart-topping Christmas returns, vaulting 24-9. The set, first released in 2011, spent five weeks at No. 1 in December 2011 and early January 2012 and has returned to the top 10 in every following holiday season.

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The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Dec. 9, 2023-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Dec. 5. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

With three weeks at No. 1, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) has the most weeks atop the chart of Swift’s four re-recorded projects. The Taylor’s Version releases of Fearless, Red and Speak Now ruled for two, one and two weeks, respectively. Further, Swift’s total weeks at No. 1 – across all 13 of her chart-topping releases – climbs to 66 weeks, just one week from the most for a soloist. Elvis Presley has the most weeks at No. 1 among soloists, with 67, while only The Beatles have more than Swift and Presley, with 132 weeks.

Drake’s chart-topping For All the Dogs falls to No. 2 on the new Billboard 200 with 85,000 equivalent album units earned (down 42%), after its rush back to No. 1 a week ago in the wake of its deluxe reissue with six bonus tracks. Swift’s Midnights rises 6-3 with 65,000 units (up 16%), Morgan Wallen’s former leader One Thing at a Time climbs 5-4 with 63,000 units (down 7%) and Swift’s Folklore flies 9-5 with 60,000 units (up 33%).

Swift’s Lover bumps 8-6 with 53,000 equivalent album units earned (up 4%), SZA’s chart-topping SOS ascends 10-7 with 48,000 units (up 8%), Olivia Rodrigo’s former No. 1 Guts bolts 14-8 with 47,000 units (up 20%), Bublé’s Christmas climbs 24-9 with 46,000 units (up 56%) and Swift’s Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) flies 17-10 with nearly 46,000 units (up 23%).

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

Kiss will live on as digital avatars following its final concert at Madison Square Garden in New York.

During the encore of their last show on Saturday (Dec. 2), the legendary rockers — co-founders founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons as well as guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer — made a surprise announcement that they will continue on as digitized versions of themselves going forward.

“Kiss Army, your love, your power, has made us immortal!” vocalist/guitarist Stanley said in a video revealing the digital characters as the virtual band launched into a performance of “God Gave Rock and Roll to You.” “The new Kiss era stars now!”

After the concert, part of the Kiss’ End of the Road farewell tour, the quartet shared a two-minute video on YouTube teasing their next chapter.

“The future is so exciting,” Simmons says amid behind-the-scenes snippets of the band wearing motion capture suits to develop their high-tech avatars. Stanley adds, “We can live on eternally.”

Kiss’ avatars were created by George Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic, in partnership with Sweden’s Pophouse Entertainment Group, according to the Associated Press. The companies recently collaborated on the ABBA Voyage show in London, a virtual concert performed by the Swedish pop group.

“Kiss could have a concert in three cities in the same night across three different continents. That’s what you could do with this,” Pophouse CEO told the AP.

In a roundtable interview, Stanley noted that Kiss “deserves to live on because the band is bigger than we are,” adding, “It’s exciting for us to go the next step and see Kiss immortalized.”

Simmons pointed out that the forthcoming digital band will be able accomplish things the original members couldn’t dream of doing.

“We can be forever young and forever iconic by taking us to places we’ve never dreamed of before,” the bassist said. “The technology is going to make Paul jump higher than he’s ever done before.”

Watch Kiss’ “New Era” promo video below.

Ryan Reynolds always knows how to get a laugh.

The Deadpool star took to social media on Sunday (Dec. 3) to share a hilarious edit of his and Travis Kelce’s faces photoshopped onto an image of Taylor Swift and Blake Lively cozying up at the London premiere of Beyonce’s Renaissance concert film on Nov. 30.

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“I feel like I should remember this,” Reynolds wrote alongside the photo on his Instagram Story, giving a shout-out to its original creator @karthiknjartist.

The actor’s wife, Gossip Girl alum Lively, shared the unaltered photo on her own Instagram account following the London showing of Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé earlier in the week. In the image, Lively and her pop superstar pal are seen flashing lovely smiles and donning sparkly outfits as they embrace on a couch.

Reynolds’ comical rendition of the photo is, of course, a reference to Swift’s ongoing romance with the Kansas City Chiefs tight end. The 12-time Grammy winner has become a frequent guest at Kelce’s games since the pair started dating earlier this year, and she’s often spotted cheering him on in a box suite next to the Ohio native’s mom and Brittany Mahomes, who is married to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

In October, the “Cruel Summer” singer appeared at an away game against the Jets in New York City, arriving to MetLife Stadium with a fleet of celebrity friends including Lively, Reynolds, Sophie Turner and Hugh Jackman.

Swift and Lively are longtime friends whose paths have also crossed professionally. Swift used the names of Lively and Reynolds’ children (James, Inez and Betty) in her 2020 song “Betty” after featuring James on the introducing her 2017 track “Gorgeous.” Lively also directed the singer’s “I Bet You Think About Me” music video from 2021.

See Reynolds’ post on his Instagram Story here.