ON THE COVER
From left: ILoveMakonnen, Big Freedia, Tegan Quin, Hayley
Kiyoko and Adam Lambert photographed by David Needleman
on July 18 at Vista Studios in Los Angeles. To watch the full
roundtable conversation, go to billboard.com/videos.
TO OUR READERS
Billboard will publish its next
is s u e o n Au g . 24. F o r 24/ 7 mu s i c
coverage, go to billboard.com.
From left: ILoveMakonnen, Kiyoko,
Big Freedia, Quin and Lambert.
FEATURES
42 “The World Is Changing” A group of
trailblazing LGBTQ artists reflects
on how much the industry has
changed — and the work that still
needs to be done. Plus: Marketing
to the queer community now.
54 The Pride List 2019 For Billboard’s
inaugural Pride List, 40 music industry
executives who self-identify as LGBTQ
share their achievements, why
they’re optimistic in an era of
unprecedented cultural change
and their determination to see
doors open even wider.
BILLBOARD HOT 10 0
3 Lil Tecca’s “Ran$om” reaches the
top 10, as Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road”
rules for a record-extending 18th week.
TOPLINE
17 Katy Perry and her “Dark Horse”
co-writers must now pay millions
for copying the beat to a 2008
Christian rap single. What does this
mean for the future of pop music?
18 Ed Sheeran’s ÷ (Divide) tour is officially
the highest-grossing trek of all time,
claiming the record from U 2. Here’s
how he did it.
7 DAYS ON THE SCENE
26 Lollapalooza Chicago, Newport
Jazz Festival, OVO Fest
THE BEAT
33 Pop trio MUNA writes healing
queer anthems. But for the band’s
second album, the members
decided to inspire themselves.
38 Six songwriters spent over a year
helping Shawn Mendes and
Camila Cabello land a summer
smash with “Señorita.”
BACKSTAGE PASS
69 Trax Records president Rachael Cain
discusses leading the house music
revolution on the 35th anniversary
of the legendary Chicago label.
MY BILLBOARD MOMENT
88 Republic Records president, West
Coast creative Wendy Goldstein
reflects on the making of Ariana
Grande’s record-shattering
Thank U, Next album.
C o n t e n t s
8 BILLBOARD | AUGUST 10 , 2 019