Bob Dylan (pictured) finally gets a Billboard No. 1 hit, Drake shows off his extravagant mansion, and David Clayton Thomas is outspoken on a new album. Others in the headlines include The Weeknd, John Prine, Hal Willner, TikTok, Julian Taylor, Bryan Adams, Hellfest, and Lady Gaga.
By FYI Staff
The superstar goes home to build his eye-popping pleasure dome. Drake’s astonishing domicile certainly qualifies as extravagant. Dubbed The Embassy, the house takes its cues from traditional Beaux-Arts architecture, distilled and slightly abstracted to imbue the classic idiom with a more contemporary spirit. – Mayer Rus, Architectural Digest
While the rest of the city is self-quarantining under lockdown as a pandemic rages across the globe, Drake is giving fans a look inside his opulent Toronto mansion. Located on Park Lane Circle in the city’s ritzy Bridle Path area, the 50,000-square-foot home features a regulation-sized NBA court, indoor swimming pool, recording studio and more. – Mark Daniell, Canoe
On the afternoon of March 5, the artist known as The Weeknd is at a rehearsal for his appearance on what will be the last live episode of “Saturday Night Live” for the foreseeable future — although no one realizes it at the time. In this exclusive interview, he opens up about his new album and his ambitions in film. – Jem Aswad, Variety
At 78, Blood, Sweat and Tears’ most recognizable voice — Toronto resident David Clayton-Thomas — is still fighting for justice on his acclaimed new solo album, ‘Say Somethin.’” – Nick Krewen, Toronto Star
In 1983, Bryan Adams toured in support of Journey in action. Inspired by their hit “Faithfully,” Adams started work on a song of his own that followed a similar creative direction, and it became a breakthrough hit, Heaven. – Ultimate Classic Rock
To help cope with the precipitous job losses, the PM has announced the government is loosening eligibility criteria for the previously announced emergency wage subsidies as well as a retooled summer jobs program to help students find work (but specifics remain vague). – Global News
I lived in Hamilton, ON, for four years and loved it. Here, from setlist fm, is a snapshot of cool international artists who have played there. – Completely Ignored
Musically and lyrically, the Toronto songsmith’s new album brings to mind artists like Bruce Springsteen, Jason Isbell, and country-oriented troubadours like Joe Ely. The songs on The Ridge deal with themes that are especially poignant. – Glide
Announcing the support via a blog post today (April 9), President Alex Zhu writes that the company is donating to support front line medical workers, educators, and local communities deeply affected by the global crisis. – Murray Stassen, MBW
Music and entertainment consultancy MIDiA has published the latest in its COVID-19 report series: “The Self-Isolation Entertainment Boom. This post explores some of the key findings and data. – Celebrity Access
The Weeknd, Sam Hunt, Dua Lipa and Kenny Chesney are among the stars holding firm to album dates, but Lady Gaga, Sam Smith and others are choosing to move off the launch pad. – Chris Willman, Variety
In an angry broadside at Albingia, the promoter of the French metal festival says it paid €175,000 for an ultimately useless insurance policy. – IQ
For the first time in his storied career, Bob Dylan has a No. 1 song on a Billboard chart under his name. The 17-minute track about the assassination of JFK debuts atop Rock Digital Song Sales. – Kevin Rutherford, Billboard
John Prine, who died Tuesday of Covid-19, once claimed that his three main influences were Bob Dylan, Hank Williams and Roger Miller. Unlike Dylan, however, Prine didn’t write long, sprawling lines with the flamboyant metaphors employed by bohemians arguing philosophy late into the evening, Prine wrote compact, down-to-earth lines using the common-sense aphorisms traded by blue-collar workers on their lunch break. – Geoffrey Himes, Paste
Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash and Bruce Springsteen were in thrall to Prine’s imagination – his yarns between numbers could be as good as the songs themselves. – Alex Petridis, The Guardian
The famed record producer and events curator died of Covid-19 earlier this week. –The Los Angeles Times
“Now that you have no choice whether or not you fancy a quiet night in, may we draw your attention to these entertainments?” – Pitchfork
Sasha Geffen’s debut book reveals that the history of pop music is a history of gender rebellion. – Taliah Mancini, The Nation
European dates by the Australian star postponed due to coronavirus are now set for next spring. – Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork
Renditions of "Bird on the Wire" and "So Long Marianne" came during a livestream promoting Gilmour's wife's new book. – Lake Schatz, Consequence of Sound
His song ‘Soul Makossa’ won international audiences and he was key to introducing African music to UK listeners. – Garth Cartwright, The Independent
The singer had abruptly ended her interview last week, telling Fallon it’s a ‘really weird time.' – Ellie Harrison, The Independent
Deryck Whibley of Sum 41 perform on stage during Day 3 of Hurricane Festival 2024 at Eichenring on June 23, 2024 in Scheessel, Germany.
The band's second and third No. 1s have led over two decades after its first in 2001.
After earning its first No. 1 on Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart in over two decades earlier this year, Sum 41 scores another as “Dopamine” rises a spot to No. 1 on the Nov. 30-dated survey.
The song follows the two-week Alternative Airplay command for “Landmines” in March. The latter led 22 years, five months and three weeks after Sum 41’s first No. 1, “Fat Lip,” in August 2001, rewriting the record for the longest break between rulers for an act in the chart’s 36-year history. It shattered the previous best test of patience, held by The Killers, who waited 13 years and six months between the reigns of “When You Were Young” in 2006 and “Caution” in 2020.
Meanwhile, when “Dopamine” reached the top 10 of Alternative Airplay in September, Sum 41 notched two top 10s in a single year for the first time since 2001, when both “Fat Lip” and “In Too Deep” (No. 10) reached the region.
Concurrently, “Dopamine” ranks at No. 9 on the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay chart with 3.2 million audience impressions Nov. 15-21, according to Luminate. It hit a No. 6 high a week earlier.
“Dopamine” is the second single from Heaven :X: Hell, Sum 41’s eighth and to-be-final studio album, as the Deryck Whibley-fronted act is disbanding following the conclusion of its tour in January 2025. The set debuted at No. 23 on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart in April and has earned 41,000 equivalent album units to date.
All Billboard charts dated Nov. 30 will update on Billboard.com Tuesday, Nov. 26.
