Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran

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Ed Sheeran, Mariah Carey & More Broke Big Music Records In 2018

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Find out which artists made massive waves with record-breaking numbers this year, including GRAMMY winner Sheeran, whose Divide Tour made the most money in a single year of any tour ever
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Dec 28, 2018 - 9:37 am

Before you can listen to all of your favorite songs from this year one more time, we'll be saying "Thank U, Next" to 2018 and ringing in the New Year. As we jump into 2019, let's take a look back at some of the biggest music records your favorite artists broke this year. From Ariana Grande's viral "Thank U, Next" earning the popstar her first No. 1 song while breaking YouTube and other streaming records to BTS earning the title of the first-ever Korean artist with a No. 1 album in the U.S. to Drake beating a record previously held by the Beatles, 2018 was a landmark year for music. Read on to learn more about the big achievements these artists, along with Mariah Carey, Ed Sheeran, Cardi B and Queen, hit this year.

GRAMMY nominee Grande really lived up to her name in 2018—in addition to releasing her currently-GRAMMY-nominated fourth studio album, Sweetener, and her third No. 1 album, she landed her first-ever No. 1 single on Billboard's Hot 100, "Thank U, Next." Following the release of the song's hotly anticipated, 2000s-nostaglia-inspired video, she earned the biggest ever streaming week for a female artist with 93.8 million U.S. streams. A testament to the video's viral success, it also holds the current record for YouTube's most-viewed video in the first 24-hours of its release with 55.4 million views in its first day on the platform, taking the place of BTS' "Idol," which racked up 45.9 million upon its release earlier in the year.

Speaking of the K-pop phenoms, BTS had a record-breaking year as well. They made news in May when their album Love Yourself: Tear debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, making them the first K-pop artist with a No. 1 album in the U.S. on the all-genre chart. As the songs are sung mostly in Korean, this was the first primarily foreign-language album to reach No. 1 in over 12 years. This follows their previous record as the first-ever K-pop group to break the top ten on the same chart when Love Yourself: Her hit No. 7 after its release in October 2017.

BTS On What They're Listening To Now & More

GRAMMY winner Drake also had a big year, thanks to the June release of his eighth studio album, Scorpion, which earned the rapper several more GRAMMY nominations for the upcoming 61st GRAMMY Awards. The double album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, earning his eighth in a row to do so, tying him with fellow GRAMMY winners the Beatles, Jay-Z and Kanye West, who all also have eight No. 1 albums.

In July Drake broke another record previously-held by the Beatles: having the most songs in the top 10 of the Hot 100 at the same time. Drake had seven top 10 songs (from Scorpion) at once, while the Beatles hit the previous record of five back in 1964. With four of the album's singles debuting in the top 10 in the same week, he became the first artist with that many top 10 songs in a week; the previous record was J. Cole's three top 10 debuts earlier in the year.

This year was a huge year for hip-hop, with GRAMMY nominee Cardi B also helping lead the charge for the genre. Her debut studio album, Invasion Of Privacy, also earned her several more GRAMMY nods and other big accolades, including the title of the first female artist to have an album with all of its songs certified gold or above by the RIAA. The LP itself was certified gold only hours after its release in April and ends the year with a double-platinum stamp in the organization's end of year count, tying it for No. 1 with Post Malone's Beerbongs & Bentleys and Migos’ Culture II.

It was a big year for music overall, with 2018 clocking in as the biggest-earning year to-date for live music. Global concert sales hit a record-setting high of $2 billion dollars in 2018, up from $1.8 million in 2017. Leading the charge was GRAMMY winner Ed Sheeran, who's Divide Tour made the most money in a single year of any tour ever, earning $432 million across 94 events in 53 cities.

It was also a good year for movies about music, with the Queen film, Bohemian Rhapsody, taking the place of highest-grossing music biopic of all time. As of Dec. 12, the movie had earned $608.7 million globally, surpassing 2015's Straight Outta Compton, the film about gangsta rap pioneers N.W.A.

Ending the year on a festive note, Mariah Carey's holiday classic "All I Want For Christmas" ended 2018 with another record broken. On Dec. 24, the 1994 song broke Spotify's one-day streaming record, racking up 10.8 million streams on Christmas Eve.

Which music records will be shattered in 2019? We'll have to wait for the next viral hits and game-changing albums to find out…

Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas" Breaks Streaming Record

Lorde

Lorde

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Lorde, Amy Winehouse, Lana Del Rey & More Named Most Influential Women Musicians Of This Century

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NPR listeners voted for the most inspiring female artists, what do you think of the list?
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Nov 21, 2018 - 10:41 am

Three weeks ago NPR asked its listeners who they think are the most influential female musicians currently making waves of change. The question inspired over a thousand fans to participate in the poll and on Nov. 20, they shared the top 25 artists from the responses, which put GRAMMY winners Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Taylor Swift in the top five, along with more current-day sheroes, among them fellow GRAMMY winners Lorde, Amy Winehouse and St. Vincent and GRAMMY nominees Janelle Monáe, Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande.

Watch Camila Cabello Speak Up For Dreamers

The list also includes GRAMMY winners P!nk, Alicia Keys and Adele and GRAMMY nominees Florence + the Machine, Sia, Halsey, Cardi B, Kesha, Kehlani, Demi Lovato, Lana Del Rey and Katy Perry.

NPR highlighted that while most of these talented artists fall under the umbrella of popstars, their style and influence is far from cookie-cutter, with authenticity playing a prominent role in responders' answers. In NPR's words: "While the majority of the artists you picked are pop singers, your comments show that this commonality doesn't mean they all exert influence in the same way. You remarked on artists' command of their instruments…their inventiveness around genre; their ability to be honest and authentic in their songwriting."

Others on the list include M.I.A., whose hit "Paper Planes" took over the airwaves in 2008, along with Camila Cabello, whose debut single as a solo artist took over the airwaves in 2017, as well as rising star Hayley Kiyoko, who sits at No. 4 on their list, although she only released her debut album, Expectations, earlier this year.

Hayley Kiyoko On 'Expectations' & "What I Need"

The poll also solicited comments from voters. "[Kiyoko] has influenced an entire new generation of youth to be comfortable with their own sexualities and does this with dreamy pop music that lifts spirits," Manpreet told NPR.

Another response pointed to the importance of Beyoncé, who took first place on the list, as a role model for young black girls. "Her mere presence is enough to encourage young black girls to strive for greatness," fan Niharika Palakodety said. "She doesn't shy away from saying things as they are, and her focus on every detail of her music makes it that much more important." 

The superstar herself seems deeply aware of this, which she reflected on during her acceptance speech for Best Urban Contemporary Album for her groundbreaking Lemonade at the 59th GRAMMY Awards. A then-pregnant, glowing-goddess Beyoncé shared during the show:

Beyoncé wins Best Urban Contemporary Album GRAMMY

"It's important to me to show images to my children that reflect their beauty, so they can grow up in a world where they look in the mirror, first through their own families, as well as the news, the Super Bowl, the Olympics, the White House and the GRAMMYs, and see themselves and have no doubt that they're beautiful, intelligent and capable. This is something I want for every child of every race."

Rosalía Shouts-Out Lauryn Hill, Kate Bush And More Women During Latin GRAMMY Speech

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift

Photo: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

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Cardi B, Shawn Mendes, Taylor Swift Top 2018 Teen Choice Noms

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Voting is open now that the popular nominations have been announced
Philip Merrill
GRAMMYs
Jun 13, 2018 - 4:04 pm

The 2018 Teen Choice Awards announced many of their nominees on June 13, putting an array of America's most beloved entertainers up for popular voting that is now open and sure to be extremely viral.

For some quick tastes from the top categories, Choice Female Artist nominees are Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa, Demi Lovato, and Taylor Swift. This year's Choice Male Artists include Drake, Niall Horan, Bruno Mars, Shawn Mendes, Ed Sheeran, and Louis Tomlinson. Those are great selections to choose from.

Voting is open either online via TeenChoice.com or by Twitter hashtag, one per Tweet by pairing a name with #ChoiceMaleArtist or #ChoiceFemaleArtist. The limit on enthusiasm is 10 votes per day, per category, for each platform user ID, a wrinkle some multiplatform fans are likely to use effectively. Among other things, for the musical artists, this really is a chance for their fan bases to show their love.

The competition in each category is interesting, for example Choice Latin Artist nominated J Balvin, Becky G, CNCO, Daddy Yankee, Luis Fonsi, and Maluma. J Balvin is super fresh, Becky G has many teens who identify with her, and Daddy Yankee and Luis Fonsi had last summer's biggest hit.

So the viral chase is on for fans to vote their Teen Choice Awards favorites up the ranks. On August 12 the winners will be announced live on Fox.

Catching Up On Music News Powered By The Recording Academy Just Got Easier. Have A Google Home Device? "Talk To GRAMMYs"

GRAMMYs

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Your Favorite Artists React To Their 2019 GRAMMY Nominations

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Share in the excitement as this year's nominees take to social media to react to the good news
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Dec 8, 2018 - 9:05 am

The past 24 hours have been filled with celebration, gratitude and even some tears of joy, after the nominees for the 2019 GRAMMY Awards were announced bright and early on Dec. 7.

Nominated artists took to social media to share their reactions with fans, fellow artists and the Recording Academy, leaving everyone feeling the positive glow as the excitement for the 61st GRAMMYs continues to build.

Read on to see the reactions from some of your favorite artists, including first-time nominees Camila Cabello, Dua Lipa, Ella Mai, Greta Van Fleet and H.E.R., return nominees like Cardi B and Pusha-T and past GRAMMY winners such as Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Pharrell Williams and Zedd.

But first, let's check in with the 2019 Best New Artist contenders: Bebe Rexha, Chloe X Halle, Dua Lipa, Greta Van Fleet, H.E.R., Jorja Smith and Margo Price all took to Twitter to celebrate, with sisters Chloe and Halle sharing a video of them holding each other and crying, while Rexha shared a teary clip as well. Lipa shared several posts, including one that summed it up well: "TWO NOMINATIONS TWO GRAMMY NOMINATIONS IM SO HAPPY BUT I CANT STOP CRYING I CANT BELIEVE IT!!!!"

Bebe Rexha

Chloe X Halle

Dua Lipa

Greta Van Fleet

H.E.R.

Jorja Smith

Margo Price

In addition to Best New Artist nominees, there were quite a few more first-time GRAMMY nominees this year, and their joy about the news was equally palpable. Cabello, like Lipa, shared several posts on Twitter, one of which reading: "I usually can't shut up but right now I’m speechless. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU."

Camila Cabello

Ella Mai

Florida Georgia Line

Missy Mazolli

Shawn Mendes

Next up, let's take a look at a few artists who have been nominated in the past: Pusha-T, who is nominated for Best Rap Album for Daytona, shared this message with his fans: "12/7/18: From this day forward it's, 'The GRAMMY Nominated' Pusha-T. Thank you for your cooperation... #Daytona."

Meanwhile, Cardi learned about her nominations in an unconventional way, but she was excited about her second round, nonetheless.

Cardi B

Pusha-T

6LACK

Finally, we looked to some of your favorite past GRAMMY winners who are up for additional awards this year: Zedd has added three more nominations to his tally for the hit single "The Middle" featuring Maren Morris and Grey, including Record Of The Year, posting "holy f*** I just woke up to 3 (!) GRAMMY nominations."

Multi-hyphenate Pharrell may already have quite a few wins under his belt, but is still stoked to be nominated for Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical, sharing: "THANK YOU @RecordingAcad. Truly honored."

Kacey Musgraves

Lady Gaga

Mark Ronson

Pharrell Williams

Zedd

Congratulations to all of the nominees! Come back to grammy.com for more 61st GRAMMY Awards content with your favorite artists and tune in to Music's Biggest Night on Feb. 10 for even more excitement as we find out who the winners are.

2019 GRAMMY Awards: Complete Nominations List

Usher

Usher

Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Global Citizen Festival

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Usher, Chris Martin & More Honor Nelson Mandela At Global Citizen Festival

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A stellar lineup of GRAMMY-winning artists went all out at the special event honoring the late South African leader's legacy
Ana Monroy Yglesias
GRAMMYs
Dec 3, 2018 - 4:26 pm

With a lineup including GRAMMY-winners Usher, Pharrell, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Ed Sheeran, Chris Martin, Kacey Musgraves and Eddie Vedder, one could only expect to be wowed. That was definitely the case for Global Citizen Festival: Mandela 100, held Dec. 2 in South Africa to honor the late iconic activist Nelson Mandela's legacy 100 years after his birth. The celebratory event was hosted by South African comedian Trevor Noah and featured powerful speeches from the likes of Oprah Winfrey plus plenty of breathtaking performances from the aforementioned big-name musicians as well as several rising African artists, including South African DJ/producer—and underground house music favorite—Black Coffee and Nigerian singer and producer—and recent Drake collaborator—Wizkid.

If you missed the event's livestream on YouTube yesterday, you're in luck. The majority of the event (although only a small part of Jay-Z and Beyoncé's epic closing) is available online, along with several clips of the speeches and performances, including Usher's mashup of his "Without You," a 2011 collab from GRAMMY-winning DJ/producer David Guetta, with Black Coffee's 2001 dance-club jam "We Dance Again," joined on-stage by Black Coffee himself. As reported by Billboard, Usher, alongside the South African Indigenous Dance Academy, performed a traditional South African style of dance, the Gwara Gwara. Other stars such as Childish Gambino and Rihanna have showcased this dance over past year, the latter star showing off her moves on none other than the 60th GRAMMY Awards stage, during her performance of "Wild Thoughts."

Usher talked to the significance of the collaboration with Black Coffee, IDA and Global Citizen:

"In the process of working on music in L.A., we started talking about what we could do at the festival to celebrate the culture, to make everyone there feel like they saw something special. So we developed this and we reached out to IDA to come onstage and perform with us." Usher told Billboard. "You see how artists can fulfill their duty to give back. The celebrity aspect is a treat for their time, for people who are advocating for these goals."

The R&B megastar also pointed to the exciting prospect of releasing material with Black Coffee: "We're working on music for the future. The song we worked on so far is incredible." 

The 10-hour event also included an above-and-beyond almost-90-minute concert from the ultimate power couple Beyoncé and Jay-Z similar to their global stadium-filling On the Run II Tour, complete with a closing act of their tear-jerking duet rendition of "Young Forever." Their set also brought some of the evenings other special guests onstage, including Ed Sheeran and Pharrell.

"I can feel so much light and beauty in here," said Beyoncé during their performance.

In addition to joining the Carters onstage, Pharrell also had Coldplay frontman Chris Martin join him to perform their new song "E-Lo." The song was recently released as part of the four-song Global Citizen Ep 1, under Coldplay's apparent new pseudonym, or perhaps side-project, Los Unidades. Usher and Martin also joined Pharrell to back him as he sang his joyful GRAMMY-winning hit "Happy."

Other standout performances included Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder singing his group's classic "Better Man" backed by South Africa's powerful GRAMMY-winning Soweto Gospel Choir. Nigerian singer and producer Wizkid, who has collaborated with Drake on several tracks including "Come Closer," also performed several songs, including a mashup with the Choir.

Global Citizen reports the event led to 5.6 million social media actions by online participants around the world. Participants with enough points were entered in a lottery to win tickets to the event. In all, the event helped raise over $7 billion including commitments from organizations such as the World Bank, all towards helping "fulfill Mandela's vision of ending extreme poverty."

Vampire Weekend, The Lumineers, GRiZ & More Make Stacked Hangout Music Fest Lineup