Ice Spice had a crazy 2023, and it could just be the beginning. In an interview with Billboard, her go-to producer, RiotUSA, revealed more is on the way. What is more? Ice Spice’s debut album.
“Fans should know I produce and record too, so look out for my music,” said RiotUSA. “Also look out for new classics with Ice in 2024. We’re working on her debut album as we speak.”
Ice Spice is officially a Grammy-nominated artist. The list of nominations was announced last month, with Ice Spice’s biggest nom in the category of Best New Artist.
Additional nominations for the “Munch” rapper were Best Rap Song and Best Song Written for Visual Media for “Barbie World,” and her collaboration with Taylor Swift, “Karma,” for Best Pop Duo or Group.
Hitting Instagram, Ice Spice shared the list of noms, writing “grATEful ^.^.”
The Kansas City Chiefs have been struggling offensively of late, at least relative to the sky-high expectations they’ve set for themselves with Patrick Mahomes under center.
This year, the Chiefs have had a middling offense and have struggled to both sustain and finish drives in the way we’re accustomed to seeing, largely because of an inconsistent passing attack. Drops have been a big issue for the Chiefs this year, as their receiving corps has been a disappointment, and even the tight ends, headlined by Travis Kelce, have had a tough last month-plus. However, a reprieve appeared to be coming Kansas City’s way on Sunday as they were in a prime “get right” spot against a woefully bad Patriots team.
While it took a bit to get going, the Chiefs eventually hit their stride to take a 27-10 lead in the second half. It could’ve been an even bigger lead, but a couple red zone possessions stalled out and resulted in field goals. One of those came in the early third quarter when a third down pass to Kelce in the back of the end zone fell incomplete, with the star tight end doing his best to flop and draw an interference penalty to get a first down. That was unsuccessful, but it did yield a new reaction meme in the form of Taylor Swift dropping an f-bomb trying to figure out where the flag was.
Travis Kelce flops in the back of the end zone and Taylor Swift reacts like he was shot in the leg pic.twitter.com/sPABH4aH37
Watching Taylor Swift morph into a rabid Chiefs fan has been at true delight to watch this season, as she’s gone from happily cheering for big Kelce plays when they first started publicly dating to now being a full-on irrational fan like the rest of us. The telltale sign of that transformation is dropping f-bombs at the refs for not throwing flags on pretty clear non-calls, and Taylor puts her whole chest into this one.
This is what three months of being locked in on football will do to someone and it’s just nice to get confirmation in real time that it’s inevitable for anyone.
Every Monday, Billboard unveils the top 10 songs on the latest Hot 100 chart. The most recent rankings, for the chart dated December 16, are out now, so let’s run down who had this week’s biggest hits.
10. Doja Cat — “Paint The Town Red”
The Hot 100 is certainly painted red (and green) this week, thanks to the holiday songs coming up next on this list. Doja’s hit is among the few non-holiday tunes hanging around this week’s top 10, though.
8. Andy Williams — “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year”
Williams’ Christmas classic has helped him make some history: As Billboard notes, “The late singer now sports a record span of 64 years, two months, and one week from his first week in the top 10 with ‘Lonely Street’ in October 1959 through his latest frame.”
7. Taylor Swift — “Cruel Summer”
Even through the holiday rush, Swift is unstoppable, as she remains in the top 10 with a song that was originally released in 2019 but has become a gigantic hit here in 2023.
6. Burl Ives — “A Holly Jolly Christmas”
Ives is one of the holiday regulars, as “A Holly Jolly Christmas” routinely returns to the charts. Its previous peak was at No. 4, so let’s see if it’s able to top that this year.
5. Jack Harlow — “Lovin On Me”
In terms of non-holiday songs, Harlow is No. 1 this week with “Lovin On Me,” which previously became the rapper’s third No. 1 single (Christmas classic or otherwise).
4. Wham! — “Last Christmas”
“Last Christmas” has so far peaked at No. 4 on the Hot 100 and the enduring 1984 favorite finds itself back at that personal-best summit this week.
3. Bobby Helms — “Jingle Bell Rock”
The same is true for Helms in terms of re-achieving its previous peak. It’s also the oldest song of the holiday bunch, as it was originally released in 1957.
2. Mariah Carey — “All I Want For Christmas Is You”
Carey has gotten used to having the No. 1 Christmas song of the past few years, but so far during this holiday season, she hasn’t been able to reclaim the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100.
1. Brenda Lee — “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”
Google has released its annual results for the year’s most-searched everything in the United States, including movies (Barbie), meme (Kevin James), and songs. That list is led by three tracks that were embroiled in culture-war controversy: “Try That In A Small Town” by Jason Aldean, with its pro-guns message and edited music video; “Rich Men North Of Richmond” by Oliver Anthony, who was hailed by the right-wing for being a real American before they turned on him; and “Unholy” by Sam Smith and Kim Petras, which Texas senator Ted Cruz dubbed “evil” following a demonic Grammys performance.
2023’s 10 most-searched songs on Google in the United States
1. “Try That In A Small Town” by Jason Aldean
2. “Rich Men North Of Richmond” by Oliver Anthony
3. “Unholy” by Sam Smith and Kim Petras
4. “Ella Baila Sola” by Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma
5. “Boy’s A Liar Pt. 2” by Ice Spice and PinkPantheress
6. “Kill Bill” by SZA
7. “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift
8. “Margaritaville” by Jimmy Buffett
9. “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” by Shakira
10. “Vampire” by Olivia Rodrigo
2023’s 10 most-searched songs on Google globally
1. “アイドル” by Yoasobi
2. “Try That In A Small Town” by Jason Aldean
3. “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” by Shakira and Bizarrap
4. “Unholy” by Sam Smith and Kim Petras
5. “Cupid” by FIFTY FIFTY
6. “ERE” by Juan Karlos
7 .”Kill Bill” by SZA
8. “Rich Men North Of Richmond” by Oliver Anthony
9. “Pasilyo” by SunKissed Lola
10. “Seven” by Jungkook
You can find more from Google’s Year In Search here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Many musicians are coming to understand that when Jay-Z rapped, “I ain’t got a billion streams, but I got a billion dollars,” it wasn’t so much a flex but rather a dig at new-age music tech. As Spotify Wrapped continues to hold users’ timelines in a chokehold, fans are blown away by the sheer amount of listening time they racked up.
The mathematical sorcery of the payouts has folks questioning how much Spotify pays for one million streams. According to the late Nipsey Hussle, as an independent artist owning all his masters, for one million streams on Spotify in 2018, he would bring about $4,370, which a new royalties calculator developed by the legal and consulting firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips somewhat corroborates with a minor tweak.
According to the calculator, with one million streams on Spotify, the payout is estimated at $4,830. A total of $3,719 is awarded to the sound recording owners, whereas $598 is given to the mechanical rights holder, and the performance rights holder gets $513.
The streaming giant doesn’t list the momentary amount per stream on its royalties page. Instead, the company gives its overall calculation method. “We calculate streamshare by tallying the total number of streams in a given month and determining what proportion of those streams were people listening to music owned or controlled by a particular rightsholder,” reads the website.
In a recent interview with TIME Magazine, Taylor Swiftdelves into the ongoing fan rivalry between her and Beyoncé’sfanbase. As their respective successful tours and concert films spark comparisons, the pop star speaks up against the culture of “stan wars.”
‘The Only Ones Compared Were Me And Beyoncé’
The Beyhive and The Swifties have been continuously entangled in heated debates, meticulously comparing Beyoncé’sRenaissance World Tourto Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, as both of their tours were deemed the most influential of the summer, with theater releases to follow.
“There were so many stadium tours this summer, but the only ones that were compared were me and Beyoncé. Clearly, it’s very lucrative for the media and stan culture to pit two women against each other, even when those two artists in question refuse to participate in that discussion.”
Taylor Swift showcases the depth of her bond with Beyoncé, revealing the admiration she holds for the music icon. The “Blank Space” singer describes Beyoncé as “the most precious gem of a person,” where she continued:
“When I’m talking to her, she is so warm and open and funny. She’s such a great disruptor of music-industry norms. She taught every artist how to flip the table and challenge archaic business practices.”
More Than ‘Industry Acquaintances’
Fans rejoice at Swift’s candid comments and the revelation of the genuine camaraderie between the two artists. One fan, @arianaunext, expressed “I love that they both love and support each other, especially since 2009. Despite their fandoms always fighting like cat and dog.” Their friendship extends beyond being “industry acquaintances,” as Queen Bey attended the film premiere of Taylor’s The Eras Tour, amidst the “stan wars,” where Taylor Swift reciprocated the gesture by supporting the “CUFF IT” singer’s London film premiere for Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé.
Updated By: Yasmine Duhé (12/7/23 at 2:38 pm)
Mainstream Media’s Ongoing Comparison Of Taylor Swift To Beyoncé & Other Black Icons Spark Controversy
The ongoing debate surrounding Taylor Swift’s success has raised concerns about racial comparisons in the media, particularly when measuring her achievements against Black icons like Beyoncé. This debate extends to their respective fan bases, the Swifties and the Beyhive, and is further fueled by the recent releases of concert films from both artists.
Swifties Vs. Beyhive
An ongoing debate surrounding Taylor Swift and her success in the music industry has brought attention to mainstream media constantly comparing Swift’s achievements to those of Black icons instead of her white counterparts.
Media comparisons, like Yahoo Finance, tend to pit Queen Bey and the “Bad Blood” singer against each other, despite their unique contributions and accomplishments in the music industry. Furthermore, the comparison extends beyond the pop star’s success. Her fanbase, known as the “Swifties,” has been criticized for spreading racial hate towards Black icons, including Beyoncé.
The rivalry between both fanbases, the Swifties and the Beyhive has fueled the media’s comparison of the two artists, especially with both of them releasing concert films. When it comes to exposure, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are often pitted against each other, and the fact that both have recently debuted major concert films in theaters has only given more platforms for such comparisons.
However, it is crucial to recognize that both chart-topping artists have made their achievements in separate lanes, and comparing them disregards their artistry and contributions to the industry.
The history of Taylor Swift and Beyoncé’s relationship showcases their mutual support and respect. Despite the infamous incident at the 2009 VMAs, where Kanye West interrupted Swift’s acceptance speech, Beyoncé showed kindness by inviting Swift on stage to finish her speech during her award acceptance.
The two artists have always supported one another, especially with their recent appearance together at Taylor Swift’s movie premiere.
Fans have expressed their concern overTaylor Swift always being compared to Black artists and not her white counterparts. Swift recently released her concert film, The Eras Tour, on Friday, October 13 grossing $123,505,678 worldwide.
After her record was announced, multiple news outlets reported on Taylor Swift possibly surpassing the late legendary Michael Jackson’s 2009 This Is It documentary film. However, the pop legend’s nephew, Taj Jackson had words for the media outlets that spread the “misinformation,” emphasizing that MJ’s film doesn’t fall within the same category; it’s a documentary film and not a concert film like Swift’s.
Following Taj’s blasting of several media outlets, fans are questioning the media’s choice to constantly compare Swift to Black icons.
One fan wrote, “The media and music/entertainment publications never compare that white woman to legendary white artists. They always compare her to legendary Black artists like Michael Jackson, etc, and that says a lot. Legendary white artists can never be replaced, but our Black legendary artists can.” Another fan wrote, “Her PR team is obsessed with trying to humble black artists. It’s beyond weird at this point!”
What About Madonna, Britney Spears Or Justin Beiber?
They also argue that white artists like Madonna, also known as the Queen of Pop, Britney Spears, and Dua Lipa are rarely compared to Taylor Swift.
Even Justin Bieber, who once held the record for the highest-grossing concert film with Never Say Never in 2011, reaching a staggering $99,033,054 globally, is not as frequently compared to Swift.
Justin’s 2011 film even held the former record for the highest-grossing music concert film since 1984 in the United States. Additionally, Bieber also occupies number two for the highest-grossing concert film, with Taylor Swift claiming the top spot, surpassing over $100 million.
RAYE Faces Fan Backlash After Canceling Show
While white media’s obsession with comparing Taylor Swift to Black icons continues to be a source of controversy, it is essential to address the toxic environment that can emerge from fan culture. This issue extends beyond Swift’s fanbase, as many fandoms engage in toxic behavior and parasocial relationships. Recently, emerging U.K. artist RAYE faced fan backlash when she canceled a show to perform on Jimmy Fallon Tonight.
In her Time Person Of The Year profile, Swift discussed her feud with Kanye West — who famously interrupted her acceptance speech at the 2009 VMAs and later rapped that he “made that b*tch famous” — and his then-wife Kim Kardashian. The reality show star leaked footage of Swift appearing to give West permission for the “b*tch” line in “Famous,” but as Swift told Time, it was a “fully manufactured frame job, in an illegally recorded phone call, which Kim Kardashian edited and then put out to say to everyone that I was a liar.”
Kardashian reportedly still hasn’t apologized to Swift for the “character assassination” incident. According to TMZ, we’re told Taylor would actually accept an apology from Kim on this issue, even all these years later, but only under one specific condition… it would have to be done publicly.”
Until then, Swift’s fans are taking matters into their hands by spamming Kardashian’s Instagram posts with the snake emoji, which Swifties reclaimed after Kim posted a snake emoji-filled tweet that has not aged well. Like so:
instagram
The snake was also the prominent iconography of Swift’s Reputation era. Except to see it a lot until Reputation (Taylor’s Version) comes out — especially on Kardashian’s social media pages.
Looking back on 2023 as the year comes to an end, it’s obvious to anybody who’s been paying attention that two concert tours stood out above the rest: Taylor Swift’sThe Eras Tour and Beyoncé’sRenaissance World Tour. Given that those were the leaders in the space, the treks, and the artists behind them, were subject to months and months of comparisons. For her part, Swift didn’t love that.
Swift was named Time‘s 2023 Person Of The Year yesterday (December 6), and in the cover story, she shared her perspective on being compared to Beyoncé: “There were so many stadium tours this summer, but the only ones that were compared were me and Beyoncé. Clearly, it’s very lucrative for the media and stan culture to pit two women against each other, even when those two artists in question refuse to participate in that discussion.”
She also noted of Bey, “She’s the most precious gem of a person — warm and open and funny. And she’s such a great disruptor of music-industry norms. She taught every artist how to flip the table and challenge archaic business practices.”
Of course, the two have been clear when it comes to how they feel about each other: Beyoncé showed up to the premiere of Swift’s Eras Tour movie in October, and Swift returned the favor at Beyoncé’s own concert film premiere the next month.
This year’s Uproxx Gift Guides are brought to you by Sirius XM, check out their site to find all the holiday music and content you need to get into the gifting spirit.
Hanukkah starts on December 7, Christmas is on the 25th, and any other holidays you may be observing before 2023 comes to a close are probably kicking off soon, too. So, if you haven’t already gotten your holiday shopping done, time is running out. If you still have some music fans to buy for, we have you covered.
We’ve rounded up some of the best music-related gifts worth considering this year, and there’s a healthy mix of things that should appeal to just about everybody, whether they’re into audio, reading, hip-hop, rock, or whatever else. The items below come in at a range of price points, too, so no matter who you’re shopping for, get started by checking out the list below.
Powerbeats Pro Wireless High-Performance Earbuds
Beats
Price: $249.95
A quality pair of headphones can really let a song’s production and impact flourish, and Beats is one of the leading brands in the market. Their Powerbeats Pro earbuds are a solid pick, as they boast a 9-hour battery life, Siri functionality, and a bunch of other ease-of-use features.
Seeing a live performance is perhaps the best way to hear music, but it’s also one of the loudest and potentially most harmful ways. Hearing protection is important, and Vibes’ hi-fidelity earplugs lower sound without sacrificing quality, making them a must-use for the next show you attend.
Another hearing protection option worth looking into is EARPIECE’s collaboration with the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. They have standard and pro options, and if you’re unsure which one to get, the EARPIECE website has a quick rundown that should help you decide which set is right for you.
The rise of concert films of Taylor Swift and Beyoncé doesn’t just mean people going to the theater for a concert experience, it also means that soon, people could be experiencing them in their home. But, to optimize that, you need a good sound system for your television. You can’t go wrong with the TCL Q Class Premium 3.1 Channel Sound Bar, a simple two-piece setup that offers high-end home audio at an affordable price point.
Do you know somebody who’s trying to throw a party in the woods? A rave in a cave? Some other sort of gathering with music, far away from an outlet? That calls for Soundboks, a huge, portable, battery-powered speaker that lets you crank it up to 126 decibels. The specs are impressive: It can go for up to 40 hours on a single charge (6 hours at full volume), it has an effective frequency range of 40 Hz to 20 kHz, and it’s splash proof.
Between his time in Nirvana, Foo Fighters, and the many other endeavors he’s been involved in, Dave Grohl has seen some stuff, which means his memoir ought to be pretty darn interesting. If you want a taste of what to expect before committing to the buy, here’s an excerpt he shared previously, about the time he met Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.
Speaking of McCartney: He put out a book of his own in 2021 and it would be a perfect gift for the Beatles fan in your life who has happened to have missed it. A new paperback edition was released recently and it comes with seven new song commentaries, on ’Bluebird,” “Day Tripper,” “English Tea,” “Every Night,” “Hello, Goodbye,” “Magical Mystery Tour,” and “Step Inside Love.”
TMNT is back in the spotlight right now after Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem was one of this summer’s biggest movies. Now, they’ve teamed up with headphone favorites Skullcandy for a new wireless gaming headset that’s a striking “ooze” color and comes with interchangeable headbands.
Like Skullcandy but want it less turtle-y for some reason (or just prefer earbuds to a gaming headset)? The Rail ANC True Wireless Earbuds are worth a look: They boast a 38-hour battery life, they have 4-microphone active noise canceling, and if you forget where you put them, they even have Tile finding technology.
Shortly after Funko announced their new Blackpink collaboration in October, pre-orders sold out. A number of items, like group member keychains, are still available as of this post, though. They’re cheap, too, making them perfect stocking-stuffers for any Blinks on your gift list.
Not enough Blackpink for you? Well, their Funko collab goes deeper: The group teamed with Funko’s Loungefly brand for a line of gorgeous accessories. Specifically, there’s a backpack, crossbody bag, and zip wallet, all of which come in a matching black and pink color scheme that’s perfectly executed.
We don’t really have to explain that Meta Quest 2 is one of the best ways to experience the world of VR entertainment. From a music perspective, though: Meta has the Music Valley Concert Series coming up, and the VR performance lineup includes The Kid Laroi, Jung Kook, Jorja Smith, and Alec Benjamin.
In addition to Ray-Ban being one of the most trusted glasses brands, they pack some impressive tech into their new smart glasses thanks to a Meta partnership. You can livestream with them, you can take pictures, and you can even listen to music thanks to the built-in “discreet open-ear speakers let you enjoy rich audio quality, music and calls, while keeping you connected to the world around you.”
Getting into guitar can be tough, so if you know somebody on your shopping list is getting an axe of their own, a Fender Play subsciption could be a good complementary gift. The service offers guitar lessons to sharpen your skills, bite-size tutorials to learn songs in a flash, and a community where aspiring players can support each other.
A lot of high-end home audio setups can be bulky, but Sonos Era 100 sounds great and comes in a compact form factor. Aside from its minimal footprint and simple-but-elegant aesthetic, it should work with whatever you’re trying to play your music from, whether it’s a Bluetooth-compatible device or an older piece of hardware that can connect via line in.
Rhymesayers Entertainment and MF DOOM’s estate are commemorating the late rapper with a new DOOMSDAY drop. This capsule includes a bunch of limited merch items with a ton of variety, meaning there should be something for everybody. Options include embroidered hoodies, T-shirts, sweatpants, socks, slides with custom printed shoeboxes, skate decks, pins, and more.
It doesn’t matter what your favorite Tyler The Creator album/era is: Spotify’s new merch capsule collection has you covered. You can browse the collection album-by-album and cover yourself head-to-toe in hoodies, socks, hats, and other pieces you can incorporate into your everyday look.
You don’t even have to know what music your giftee is into for this present to work: A Ticketmaster gift card gives the gift of live music (or live sports of theater or anything, really) in all its forms. They’re flexible, too, as you can get a gift card in any amount from $25 to $500.
Eilish has been building herself a nice perfume line for a little while now. She’s up to three different Eau de Parfum scents at the moment, including the recently released Eilish No. 3. That one’s actually sold out as of the writing of this post, but maybe it’ll be back in stock by the time you read this. If not, you can still grab the two previous award-winning scents right now.
Megan Thee Stallion has become a pop culture favorite in recent years, and she has a killer merch line, too, featuring everything from shirts, to bikinis to pet collars. You don’t even have to be a Meg fan to get into her merch, really, as a lot of people could get down with a “Bad b*tches have bad days too!” hoodie.
Taylor Swift is also a merch queen, and while vinyl might be the first thing you think of when it comes to her offerings, she has a bunch of different coals on the fire. We actually wrote a whole Swift-specific gift guide, so that’s a good place to start looking. Then there’s her online shop, which has everything from hoodies to pajamas to a clock.
We put together a Drake gift guide, too, and one of the items worth highlighting here is Titles Ruin Everything, his and Kendra Samir’s poetry book. You’ve seen DJ Khaled reading it, and now you can, too.
First there was the Ice Spice Munchkins Drink from Dunkin, and now Ice Spice is continuing her crusade of perfect branding opportunities with a new Chia Pet. Chia Pets are one of the all-time fun novelty gifts, and getting Ice Spice as the model for one is an absolutely perfect use of the format.
In a 2016 phone call heard ’round the world, Taylor Swift seemingly permitted Kanye West to use her name in his song “Famous” from his album The Life Of Pablo. When the song was officially released, Swift noted that she had not permitted West to refer to her as “that b*tch,” a lyric that also was not mentioned in the phone call.
When Kim Kardashian first leaked footage of the 2016 phone call via her Snapchat Story, Swift and West fans were left divided, with some saying that West was transparent and Swift was purposely trying to play the victim in the situation. Others deemed West a misogynist and called Kardashian out for bullying Swift.
Following the leak of the phone call in 2016, Swift went into hiding for the remainder of the year, and for much of 2017, until the rollout for her sixth studio album Reputation began. In her interview for her Time Person Of The Year 2023 profile, Swift revealed what she was doing during that time. But in Swift nature, she remained fairly secretive about her exact whereabouts.
“You have a fully manufactured frame job, in an illegally recorded phone call, which Kim Kardashian edited and then put out to say to everyone that I was a liar,” Swift said. “That took me down psychologically to a place I’ve never been before. I moved to a foreign country. I didn’t leave a rental house for a year. I was afraid to get on phone calls. I pushed away most people in my life because I didn’t trust anyone anymore. I went down really, really hard.”
Elsewhere in the interview she teased Reputation (Taylor’s Version) — specifically its vault tracks, which she said will be “fire.” She also described her album re-recording process as a mythic quest, similar to that in fantasy and superhero franchises.
“I’m collecting horcruxes,” Swift said. “I’m collecting infinity stones. Gandalf’s voice is in my head every time I put out a new one. For me, it is a movie now.”
You can learn how to buy Swift’s Time Person Of The Year 2023 issue here.
(@BenBrownPL) 
