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Grammy Awards Shocker: Secret Nominating Committees Ending in Favor of Transparent Voting!

Roger Friedman
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Grammy Awards Shocker: Secret Nominating Committees Ending in Favor of Transparent Voting!

Harvey Mason, Jr. did it. He has ended the secret nominating Committees at the Grammy Awards. There will now be transparent voting in all categories. Pigs are flying. Hell has frozen over. This is a major accomplishment.

This is likely brought about after the disaster with The Weeknd this year, following decades of disasters, snubs, bizarre choices. The Grammys were like the Soviet Union. And now, it’s over. There should be a parade. It’s like the Berlin Wall has fallen. Kudos to Harvey and his team!

Two huge changes:

Elimination Of Nominations Review Committees In General And Genre Fields
Nominations in all of the GRAMMY Award general and genre fields will now be determined by a majority, peer-to-peer vote of voting members of the Recording Academy. Previously, many of the categories within these fields utilized 15-30 highly skilled music peers who represented and voted within their genre communities for the final selection of nominees. With this change, the results of GRAMMY nominations and winners are placed back in the hands of the entire voting membership body, giving further validation to the peer-recognized process. To further support this amendment, the Academy has confirmed that more than 90 percent of its members will have gone through the requalification process by the end of this year, ensuring that the voting body is actively engaged in music creation. Craft committees remain in place (see below for craft category realignment.)

Reduction In Number Of Categories Voter May Vote

To ensure music creators are voting in the categories in which they are most knowledgeable and qualified, the number of specific genre field categories in which GRAMMY Award Voters may vote has been reduced from 15 to 10. Additionally, those 10 categories must be within no more than three fields. All voters are permitted to vote in the four General Field categories (Record Of The Year, Album Of The Year, Song Of The Year, and Best New Artist). Proposed by a special voting Task Force who brought forth the recommendation, this change serves as an additional safeguard against bloc voting and helps to uphold the GRAMMY Award as a celebration of excellence in music, with specific genre field categories being voted on by the most qualified peers.

Harvey Mason Jr. says: “It’s been a year of unprecedented, transformational change for the Recording Academy, and I’m immensely proud to be able to continue our journey of growth with these latest updates to our Awards process. This is a new Academy, one that is driven to action and that has doubled down on the commitment to meeting the needs of the music community. While change and progress are key drivers of our actions, one thing will always remain — the GRAMMY Award is the only peer-driven and peer-voted recognition in music. We are honored to work alongside the music community year-round to further refine and protect the integrity of the Awards process.”

NBC Renews “Young Rock” and “Kenan” Despite No Actual Demonstrable Audience for Either

Roger Friedman
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NBC Renews “Young Rock” and “Kenan” Despite No Actual Demonstrable Audience for Either

Well, I was wrong.

NBC has renewed “Young Rock” and “Kenan” despite either show having any demonstrable audience.

Ratings for both shows are lower than the farm report, as they would say. Seriously, the daytime soaps do better. If these shows stay on the air then “Days of our Lives” should get a three year guarantee.

Here’s the executive quote:

“It has been a true joy to watch Dwayne Johnson & Kenan Thompson on NBC every week and see families connect with their relatable, entertaining and heartwarming stories,” said Lisa Katz, President, Scripted Programming, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “We’re thrilled to renew both of these shows for another season and can’t wait to see more from Dwayne, Kenan and the incredibly talented casts and producing teams behind each of them.”

Really? I guess they had nothing else in the hopper. Plus Kenan’s on “SNL” so they want to keep him happy, and The Rock is The Rock. But still. Really?

For Kenan, please change the writers and the concept. Let Kenan be Kenan. And Kenan, don’t give up your day job!

“Top Gun: Maverick” Has a Possible Oscar Theme Song: Lady Gaga Took Tom Cruise’s Breath Away in 2019

Roger Friedman
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“Top Gun: Maverick” Has a Possible Oscar Theme Song: Lady Gaga Took Tom Cruise’s Breath Away in 2019

EXCLUSIVE

Lady Gaga may be up for an Oscar again next February.

I’m told that Gaga, who won an Oscar for the song “Shallow” from “A Star is Born,” wrote and performed the title song for Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun Maverick” movie.

The hotly anticipated sequel to the original “Top Gun” will finally be released this fall by Paramount. It was supposed to come in June, and before that last year. But the pandemic put a crimp in everyone’s plans.

Cruise was spotted at a Lady Gaga show in December 2019 wearing a nice suit and tie and standing out like a sore thumb. Video came up on Instagram looking mesmerized by the sensational performer. He may leave his cult and join hers!

Choosing a “Maverick” song is a big deal. The theme song for “Top Gun” was Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away.” It became an international hit and a classic that still plays over and over like it or not.

What else for Lady Gaga? Probably a mid summer release for her second duets album with Tony Bennett. He celebrates his 95th birthday on August 3rd. The album of Cole Porter collaborations should hit around then.

PS That would make three possible Best Song nominees already including Billie Eilish’s “No Time to Die” and Reba McIntire’s “Somehow You Do” — written by Diane Warren, of course.

 

Oprah and Prince Harry Still Have Mental Health Documentary Waiting to Drop: Bigger Problem Than Harry-Meghan Interview?

Roger Friedman
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Oprah and Prince Harry Still Have Mental Health Documentary Waiting to Drop: Bigger Problem Than Harry-Meghan Interview?

Oprah Winfrey is on the Drew Barrymore Show this morning. Oprah released a new book this week that shot straight to number 1. Instead of promoting “What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing” on the number 1 show, “Live with Kelly and Ryan,” Winfrey is on the low-rated “Drew” because it’s on CBS stations and produced by CBS syndication. Back in 1999, Oprah became a major shareholder in CBS when the company bought her syndicator, King World.

That’s how Oprah appears on “60 Minutes,” and “CBS This Morning” with her bff Gayle King, and how the Oprah-Prince Harry-Meghan Markle special happened. Her company was paid $7 million for that interview, but Oprah reaps much more money than that from her CBS affiliation.

On “Drew,” Oprah reminded us that she has a big documentary coming in May on Apple TV about mental health, produced by her and Prince Harry. It’s been in the works since 2019. She and Harry will most certainly be in this three part doc, talking about themselves. That would be the value of it for Apple TV. Will there be more revelations about Prince Harry and his family in the series? Should the Palace be more worried about this show than the one that Harry and Oprah already used to blow up the Royal Family?

Oprah’s appearance on “Drew” is interesting because the show commonly has about 500,000 viewers each day. “Kelly and Ryan” has about 1.8 million and airs at the same time. But Winfrey’s CBS overrides all that. And she’s so rich, who cares? The book is already number 1, Oprah has many mansions, and deals with not only CBS, but Discovery, her OWN channel, and Apple. She remains the very quiet Queen of All Media.

Oprah’s next big media plug is on Clive Davis’s pre-Grammy show Zoom gala on May 15th where she will discuss her friendship with Tina Turner.

PS Congrats so Oprah’s lit agent Suzanne Gluck, who sold this book. I met Suzanne 25 years ago at least, when she represented Spalding Gray and introduced us (I was honored to edit him and work with him and miss him very much). Suzanne was a star then and she was only about 21! Since Oprah is famous for cancelling books before they’re published, “What Happened to You?” is a real achievement. Bravo!

 

“Young Rock” Will Be Cancelled Soon as Ratings Hit Rock Bottom, Dwayne Johnson Rescues Show’s Star for Movie

Roger Friedman
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“Young Rock” Will Be Cancelled Soon as Ratings Hit Rock Bottom, Dwayne Johnson Rescues Show’s Star for Movie

On Tuesday night, “Young Rock,” the series about Dwayne The Rock Johnson’s younger years, hit rock bottom in the ratings. The show fell to its season low, just 2.4 million viewers. That was a 9.35% drop from last week.

Johnson obviously knows the show will be cancelled. He’s rescued the star of “Young Rock” for a new movie. Deadline is reporting that Johnson has cast Uli Latukefu, the actor who plays him during his college years, for “Black Adam,” coming from DC/New Line Pictures. He can’t star in that movie and in a new season of “Young Rock.”

But sadly, “Young Rock” has rolled. They’ve lost 50% of their audience from the first week of the run. Moss is growing on this rock. It’s time to say goodbye, but not to Uli, who has a long career ahead of him playing Johnson.

The “Young Rock” failure was a blow to Kenan Thompson’s “Kenan,” which also fell to its lowest numbers on Tuesday, just 1.8 million. Thompson must be disappointed that this wasn’t his ticket out of “Saturday Night Live.” I am, too. But he needs a variety show and not to be strapped into inane sitcom jokes. Or just get better writers.

Exclusive: Justin Bieber Tour Set to Begin in June, Postponed from Last Year, Will Move to Early Spring 2022

Roger Friedman
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Exclusive: Justin Bieber Tour Set to Begin in June, Postponed from Last Year, Will Move to Early Spring 2022

It’s no surprise, but Justin Bieber’s “CHanges” tour, which then became his “Justice” tour, is moving again.

The tour was supposed to begin at the Gila Arena in Arizona on June 5th, but sources tell me that  by next week the whole thing should be rescheduled to March 2022.

This was a tour that was supposed to start a year ago and was cancelled before the pandemic because tickets simply were not selling. Then the pandemic gave promoter AEGLive an excuse to scuttle the whole thing.

Even before the 2020 cancellation, many dates had been downsized to smaller venues. But the tickets still didn’t move.

Tickets for this 2021 version also were not selling despite Bieber having hits on the radio, on iTunes, and a whole new album, “Justice.” But as I reported earlier, “Justice” hasn’t sold very well at all. Bieber has had a big hit off it called “Peaches” that depended on two other artists — Giveon and Daniel Caesar. It’s almost like Justin is a guest on his own record.

But while the “Peaches” were sweet, there was no Justice. A source tells me that Bieber’s management has done nothing to promote the 2021 dates. And so, the whole thing will move again.

Usually a tour is tied to an album release and in this case, there was one each time a tour was announced. Can Bieber possibly have a new album next winter? (And would anyone want to hear more of his monotonous singing?) Beats me.

Fans will get an announcement next week, I’m told. But they must have a clue. So far there’s been no talk of rehearsals or any sign of a tour coming together that launches in five weeks.

Billboard Music Awards Give The Weeknd 16 Nominations, And Put Justin Bieber in R&B Category (LOL)

Roger Friedman
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Billboard Music Awards Give The Weeknd 16 Nominations, And Put Justin Bieber in R&B Category (LOL)

The Billboard Music Awards have a sense of humor at least. They repudiated the Grammys by giving The Weeknd 16 nominations, the most for any artist. So I guess he wins. Good work by his publicist.

The awards mostly ignored Justin Bieber’s new album but put him in the R&B category for his single “Intentions,” with Quavo. R&B? Rude and Bitchy? That’s right. His fellow nominees for Best Male R&B are Chris Brown and The Weeknd, each of whom must be LOL and ROF at this news.

Oh well. These aren’t real awards. They are bought and paid for. But still, good laughs always make things better.

THE “2021 BILLBOARD MUSIC AWARDS” FINALISTS:
FINALISTS BY CATEGORY

ARTIST AWARDS

Top Artist
Drake
Juice WRLD
Pop Smoke
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd

Top New Artist
Gabby Barrett
Doja Cat
Jack Harlow
Pop Smoke
Rod Wave

Top Male Artist
Drake
Juice WRLD
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke
The Weeknd

Top Female Artist
Billie Eilish
Ariana Grande
Dua Lipa
Megan Thee Stallion
Taylor Swift

Top Duo/Group
AC/DC
AJR
BTS
Dan + Shay
Maroon 5

Top Billboard 200 Artist
Drake
Juice WRLD
Pop Smoke
Post Malone
Taylor Swift

Top Hot 100 Artist
DaBaby
Drake
Dua Lipa
Pop Smoke
The Weeknd

Top Streaming Songs Artist
DaBaby
Drake
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke
The Weeknd

Top Song Sales Artist
Justin Bieber
BTS
Megan Thee Stallion
*Morgan Wallen
The Weeknd

Top Radio Songs Artist
Justin Bieber
Lewis Capaldi
Dua Lipa
Harry Styles
The Weeknd

Top Social Artist (Fan Voted)
BLACKPINK
BTS
Ariana Grande
SB19
Seventeen

Top R&B Artist
Jhené Aiko
Justin Bieber
Chris Brown
Doja Cat
The Weeknd

Top R&B Male Artist
Justin Bieber
Chris Brown
The Weeknd

Top R&B Female Artist
Jhené Aiko
Doja Cat
SZA

Top Rap Artist
DaBaby
Drake
Juice WRLD
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke

Top Rap Male Artist
Juice WRLD
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke

Top Rap Female Artist
Cardi B
Megan Thee Stallion
Saweetie

Top Country Artist
Gabby Barrett
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
*Morgan Wallen

Top Country Male Artist
Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
*Morgan Wallen

Top Country Female Artist
Gabby Barrett
Maren Morris
Carrie Underwood

Top Country Duo/Group
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae

Top Rock Artist
AC/DC
AJR
Five Finger Death Punch
Machine Gun Kelly
twenty one pilots

Top Latin Artist
Anuel AA
Bad Bunny
J Balvin
Maluma
Ozuna

Top Latin Male Artist
Bad Bunny
J Balvin
Ozuna

Top Latin Female Artist
Becky G
Karol G
Rosalía

Top Latin Duo/Group
Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga
Eslabón Armado
Los Dos Carnales

Top Dance/Electronic Artist
The Chainsmokers
Kygo
Lady Gaga
Marshmello
Surf Mesa

Top Christian Artist
Casting Crowns
Elevation Worship
for KING & COUNTRY
Carrie Underwood
Zach Williams

Top Gospel Artist
Kirk Franklin
Koryn Hawthorne
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Maverick City Music
Kanye West

ALBUM AWARDS

Top Billboard 200 Album
Juice WRLD “Legends Never Die”
Lil Baby “My Turn”
Pop Smoke “Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon”
Taylor Swift “folklore”
The Weeknd “After Hours”

Top R&B Album
Jhené Aiko “Chilombo”
Chris Brown & Young Thug “Slime & B”
Doja Cat “Hot Pink”
Kehlani “It Was Good Until It Wasn’t”
The Weeknd “After Hours”

Top Rap Album
DaBaby “BLAME IT ON BABY”
Juice WRLD “Legends Never Die”
Lil Baby “My Turn”
Lil Uzi Vert “Eternal Atake”
Pop Smoke “Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon”

Top Country Album
Gabby Barrett “Goldmine”
Sam Hunt “SOUTHSIDE”
Chris Stapleton “Starting Over”
Carrie Underwood “My Gift”
*Morgan Wallen “Dangerous: The Double Album”

Top Rock Album
AC/DC “Power Up”
Miley Cyrus “Plastic Hearts”
Glass Animals “Dreamland”
Machine Gun Kelly “Tickets to My Downfall”
Bruce Springsteen “Letter to You”

Top Latin Album
Anuel AA “Emmanuel”
Bad Bunny “El Último Tour Del Mundo”
Bad Bunny “Las que no iban a salir”
Bad Bunny “YHLQMDLG”
J Balvin “Colores”

Top Dance/Electronic Album
DJ Snake “Carte Blanche”
Gryffin “Gravity”
Kygo “Golden Hour”
Lady Gaga “Chromatica”
Kylie Minogue “Disco”

Top Christian Album
Bethel Music “Peace”
Elevation Worship “Grave Into Gardens”
Carrie Underwood “My Gift”
We The Kingdom “Holy Water”
Zach Williams “Rescue Story”

Top Gospel Album
Koryn Hawthorne “I AM”
Tasha Cobbs Leonard “Royalty: Live at the Ryman”
Maverick City Music “Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 1”
Maverick City Music “Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 2”
Kierra Sheard “Kierra”

SONG AWARDS

Top Hot 100 Song Presented by Rockstar
24kGoldn ft. iann dior “Mood”
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth “I Hope”
Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch “ROCKSTAR”
The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”

Top Streaming Song
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch “ROCKSTAR”
Future ft. Drake “Life Is Good”
Jack Harlow ft. DaBaby, Tory Lanez, & Lil Wayne “WHATS POPPIN”
The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”

Top Selling Song
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth “I Hope”
BTS “Dynamite”
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”
Megan Thee Stallion “Savage”
The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”

Top Radio Song
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth “I Hope”
Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
Dua Lipa “Don’t Start Now”
Harry Styles “Adore You”
The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”

Top Collaboration (Fan Voted)
24kGoldn ft. iann dior “Mood”
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth “I Hope”
Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch “ROCKSTAR”
Jack Harlow ft. DaBaby, Tory Lanez, & Lil Wayne “WHATS POPPIN”

Top R&B Song
Jhené Aiko ft. H.E.R. “B.S.”
Justin Bieber ft. Quavo “Intentions”
Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”
Doja Cat “Say So”
The Weeknd “Blinding Lights”

Top Rap Song
24kGoldn ft. iann dior “Mood”
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion “WAP”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch “ROCKSTAR”
Jack Harlow ft. DaBaby, Tory Lanez, & Lil Wayne “WHATS POPPIN”
Megan Thee Stallion “Savage”

Top Country Song
Jason Aldean “Got What I Got”
Gabby Barrett “I Hope”
Lee Brice “One of Them Girls”
*Morgan Wallen “Chasin’ You”
*Morgan Wallen “More Than My Hometown”

Top Rock Song
AJR “Bang!”
All Time Low ft. blackbear “Monsters”
Glass Animals “Heat Waves”
Machine Gun Kelly ft. blackbear “my ex’s best friend”
twenty one pilots “Level of Concern”

Top Latin Song
Bad Bunny “Yo Perreo Sola”
Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez “Dákiti”
Black Eyed Peas & J Balvin “RITMO (Bad Boys For Life)”
Maluma & The Weeknd “Hawái”
Ozuna x Karol G x Myke Towers “Caramelo”

Top Dance/Electronic Song
Lady Gaga “Stupid Love”
Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande “Rain on Me”
SAINt JHN “Roses (Imanbek Remix)”
Surf Mesa ft. Emilee “ily (i love you baby)”
Topic & A7S “Breaking Me”

Top Christian Song
Elevation Worship ft. Brandon Lake “Graves Into Gardens”
for KING & COUNTRY, Kirk Franklin & Tori Kelly “TOGETHER”
Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes, & Elevation Worship “The Blessing (Live)”
Tauren Wells ft. Jenn Johnson “Famous For (I Believe)”
Zach Williams & Dolly Parton “There Was Jesus”

Top Gospel Song
Koryn Hawthorne “Speak To Me”
Jonathan McReynolds & Mali Music “Movin’ On”
Marvin Sapp “Thank You For It All”
Tye Tribbett “We Gon’ Be Alright”
Kanye West ft. Travis Scott “Wash Us In The Blood”

Billie Eilish and Brother Finneas, “The Emo Carpenters,” Drop New Single “(Try Not to Abuse) Your Power”

Roger Friedman
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Billie Eilish and Brother Finneas, “The Emo Carpenters,” Drop New Single “(Try Not to Abuse) Your Power”

Billie Eilish has dropped a new single “Your Power” from her July album called “Happier than Ever.” Songs are by Billie and mostly brother Finneas, the “Emo Carpenters.” I love them, actually. Billie looks great as a platinum blonde.

Will they include the James Bond song, “No Time to Die”? The song won a Grammy this year, and will be up for an Oscar next year. That is, if that damned movie ever gets released!

Nice to see Universal letting Lana Del Rey come out first this summer– July 4th– before Billie on the 30th.

 

Controversial Director Roman Polanski, 87, Will Make a New Movie for Italian Film Company: Will Mia Farrow Star in It?

Roger Friedman
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Controversial Director Roman Polanski, 87, Will Make a New Movie for Italian Film Company: Will Mia Farrow Star in It?

Roman Polanski is certainly indefatigable.

The 87 year old director cannot be stopped from making new films even with all the controversy surrounding him.

Now there are reports he will direct “The Palace,” with an ensemble cast set in a Swiss hotel. The movie will have to shoot in France, and it’s being funded by Italian company RAI.

No  doubt the cast will include his wife, actress Emmanuelle Seigner. But it could also include Mia Farrow, who flew to the UK and defended him in a libel suit back in 2005.

Farrow didn’t care about Polanski’s checkered history and charges of statutory rape. He directed her in “Rosemary’s Baby” in the Sixties, so all that nasty legal stuff didn’t count.

We’ve never seen “An Officer and A Spy,” Polanski’s last movie, because no American distributor would take it. It’s in French and stars Jean DuJardin. I wish someone would release it here with subtitles! It was also produced by RAI.

It will be interesting to see which actors do star in “The Palace.” Polanski is a great filmmaker despite all the other trouble.

That was Fast: Scooter Braun Adding BTS to Justin Bieber Album to Boost Lagging Sales After Companies Merge

Roger Friedman
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0
That was Fast: Scooter Braun Adding BTS to Justin Bieber Album to Boost Lagging Sales After Companies Merge

Justin Bieber’s new album, “Justice,” has sold just under 50,000 copies in CDs and paid downloads. His tour, which is supposed to launch in June, still seems iffy. (The album project, including streaming of singles including the hit “Peaches,” is at around half a million.)

So what to do? Why not add BTS to the album and re-issue it for a third time?

Manager Scooter Braun can do that since his company the one that owns BTS, Hybe, merged last month. Scooter is genius at mixing and matching his acts. He’s put Bieber with Ariana Grande, and Bieber with Shawn Mendes. The sales aren’t that great, and the records aren’t memorable, but it’s all about Hype– or Hybe.

So we will next get Bieber plus BTS, and no doubt some kind of exclusive video that Bieber can play at his concerts if the tour takes off as planned.

And they’ll all be wearing Crocs. Laugh as I do, Crocs is a hot stock right now, and Bieber has a deal with them.

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