Latest news with #TobyKeith
Forbes
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Toby Keith's Music Surges On The Billboard Charts
Toby Keith's 35 Biggest Hits climbs again on Billboard charts, jumping to No. 12 on Top Country ... More Albums and No. 54 on the Billboard 200. NORMAN, OK - JULY 06: Musician Toby Keith performs during the Oklahoma Twister Relief Concert to benefit United Way of Central Oklahoma May Tornadoes Relief Fund at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium on July 6, 2013 in Norman, Oklahoma. To donate go to or text REBUILD to 52000. (Photo byfor Shock Ink) In the nearly year and a half since Toby Keith passed away, the country superstar has maintained a steady presence on the Billboard charts. He lives on through his work, with countless fans across the United States continuing to buy and stream the music he left behind. Much of that attention has centered around one compilation that gathers many of his most popular tunes, 35 Biggest Hits. That project is once again climbing the rankings in the country superstar's home nation. This frame, 35 Biggest Hits appears on two charts in the U.S., and it surges on both as consumption grows. On the Top Country Albums chart, the compilation nearly reenters the top 10, jumping from No. 21 to No. 12. At the same time, 35 Biggest Hits nearly halves its position on the Billboard 200 — which takes into account all genres — soaring from No. 103 to No. 54. According to Luminate, in the past tracking period across America, 35 Biggest Hits shifted just over 14,500 equivalent album units, between sales and streaming activity. That's up more than 21% from the previous frame, when it moved just 12,000. A gain of nearly 2,500 units – even when spread between actual purchases and streaming activity – for any title is notable, and especially so when it's a set that's already been out in the world for well over a decade. The compilation, which features dozens of Keith's most beloved tracks, has already reached No. 1 on both Billboard rankings it currently inhabits. It only climbed to the top spot on the Billboard 200 following Keith's passing, as Americans rushed to revisit his music and celebrate his legacy. In doing so, fans made Keith one of a select few artists to earn a posthumous chart-topper on that tally. Several recent events have reignited interest in Keith's catalog. Country musician Riley Green's cover of 'Should've Been a Cowboy" has gone slightly viral, and it continues to rack up views, reminding people of how much they love Keith's song. A horse once owned by Keith also raced in this year's Kentucky Derby, and it made headlines only due to the musician's popularity. Blake Shelton recently revealed while promoting his new album that he originally recorded 'I Wanna Talk About Me' but never released it. Ultimately, the tune became a smash for the late country great.
Forbes
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Toby Keith Reaches A Milestone For The First Time, A Year After His Passing
Toby Keith's 35 Biggest Hits reaches 200 weeks on the Billboard 200 and rises to No. 21 on Top ... More Country Albums, more than a year after the country icon's passing. AUSTIN, TEXAS - OCTOBER 30: Toby Keith performs onstage during the 2021 iHeartCountry Festival Presented By Capital One at The Frank Erwin Center on October 30, 2021 in Austin, Texas. Editorial Use Only. (Photo byfor iHeartMedia) Since Toby Keith passed away in early 2024, he has been remembered not just as a country hitmaker or a successful musician, but as a true legend. His fanbase has continued to turn out in huge numbers week after week to honor his legacy, and he remains on the Billboard charts every frame, with one special compilation built around his most successful tunes. People across the U.S. continue to buy and stream the work he left behind, and that support has helped one of Keith's most popular collections reach a notable milestone — one he never got to witness during his lifetime. 35 Biggest Hits is still present on the Billboard 200, even as it dips a little more than 10 spaces to No. 103. This frame, the project celebrates its two-hundredth week on the ranking of the most consumed albums in the country. The singles-packed compilation is the first release by Keith to reach this milestone. Just three of Keith's releases have reached triple-digit stays on the Billboard 200. Greatest Hits 2 stands as his second-longest-charting success, with 106 frames on the tally. Unleashed managed to last exactly two years before falling away for good. 35 Biggest Hits is one of five Keith titles to hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Although the set debuted back in 2008, it didn't rise to the summit until February 2024, when it reentered the roster at No. 1 as the country mourned the loss of the superstar. Millions flocked to the compilation on streaming platforms, eager to hear his voice once again following the heartbreaking news of his passing. While 35 Biggest Hits is currently on the downswing on the Billboard 200, it continues to perform well on another important tally. This frame, it climbs one spot to No. 21 on the Top Country Albums chart. The former champion has now spent 336 frames somewhere on that genre-only list.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Toby Keith's 2025 Kentucky Derby Horse Carries on Late Singer's Legacy
Toby Keith's legacy will be on display at the 2025 Kentucky Derby. The late singer was the owner of Dream Walkin Farms, which partnered with other stables to train horses. Keith had a dream to get one of those horses into the Kentucky Derby, which will be achieved on Saturday when Render Judgment takes the track in Lexington. Advertisement As Baccari Racing Stable owner Chris Baccari told the Louisville Courier Journal, Keith's job was to name the horses that came through his stable. 'We had about 20-something of them, and he was quick to name them where I'm very slow at that,' Baccari said. Keith died in February 2024, close to two years after he was diagnosed with stomach cancer. The singer was able to name Render Judgment before his passing, and the horse has now made a surprise entry into the Kentucky Derby. As the Courier Journal noted, the colt was originally not slated to run in the derby but an injury to Tappan Street on April 26 left an opening. Keith's family shared the news in a post on Instagram. 'It was Toby's dream….Render Judgment is going to the @kentuckyderby,' the Keith estate wrote. 'He worked so hard to finally have one there! Toby will have the best seat in the house to watch.' Advertisement Despite the late entry, Render Judgement fell near the middle of the Kentucky Derby pack with 15-to-1 odds early in the day on Saturday. Related: Simone Biles, Livvy Dunne Earn Huge 2025 Kentucky Derby Honor
Fast Company
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fast Company
Spotify's AI-powered DJ now takes song requests
Since it launched two years ago, Spotify's AI DJ has been a one-way experience. It curates old favorites and helps listeners discover new tracks based on past listening experience and what similar users like. But now it's getting interactive. Spotify unveiled the ability to request songs from the DJ based on mood, genre, and vibe. The feature, which launched across 60 markets, is exclusive to Spotify Premium users, who can access the DJ by searching for the tool in the app. It's the latest AI feature to come from Spotify, which introduced an AI-generated playlist builder for Premium users in the United States last fall. But Molly Holder, Spotify's senior director of product for personalization, says that tool was designed for people who want to take an active role in their listening experience. The new DJ request feature, by contrast, is designed to give users more input into an essentially 'lean back' experience. 'We know that even in a 'lean back' moment, users still want some semblance of control,' she says. How does the DJ request feature work? After a user searches for and calls up the DJ in the app, they can make a request by holding down the DJ icon and speaking a prompt. (The feature requires microphone access.) After receiving the prompt, such as 'upbeat songs for running' or 'ambient for a rainy day,' the DJ will 'think' for a bit before launching into a tailored playlist. Focusing on mood or moment along with a genre tends to be the best approach for using the feature. Wanting to give it a slam dunk, I asked for 'early 2000s patriotic country' and immediately got Toby Keith's 'Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.' Not too hard. But when I asked for 'undiscovered African gems for a summer barbecue,' expecting Afrobeats and Amapiano, the DJ instead served songs from the African diaspora. (The first was by Timbuktu, who Spotify describes as 'one of Sweden's most well-known hip-hop artists.') Once I specified the genre, the results were better, but I'd forgotten to make clear I wanted undiscovered artists, so I got a lot of Tyla. With several of the requests, the DJ seemed somewhat buggy, abruptly stopping a song and launching into its more default mode. When I asked for 'DIY indie rock from the mid-2010s,' it played a few bars from an early Mitski song, then reset itself and introduced my top songs from 2023. Pairing insight with a human touch Spotify's Holder says that while the DJ's content-surfacing abilities are powered by AI, many of the comments and insights that it delivers in between songs—the bits that make the tool feel like a personalized and expert experience—are powered by humans. 'We have music experts and editors who have built what's called the 'writer's room' for the DJ product,' she says. 'These folks come together with generative AI to build the commentary that DJ offers throughout the experience.' This commentary can increase listener engagement—which can be beneficial for artists who are trying to break through as well. 'In that writer's room, when we build that commentary, it helps to bring artists' stories to life to bring a little bit more context to the content we're recommending,' Holder says. 'One thing we see is that users who hear commentary about a track in the DJ experience are more likely to listen to a track they might have otherwise skipped.' Holder also positions the new feature in Spotify's long history of using machine learning to build personalization into the user experience, from Discovery Weekly to Daylists and now the DJ requests. 'We're really applying AI strategically across our product portfolio in ways that enhance the value proposition of our products.'
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How much money does the winning jockey at the Kentucky Derby get?
(NEXSTAR) — For the 151st time, the gates will open at Churchill Downs on Saturday, promising yet another thrilling Kentucky Derby. While every horse and jockey pairing comes into the Derby with varying odds, they will all be vying for the illustrious blanket of red roses and its accompanying multi-million dollar purse. Journalism, the red-hot California thoroughbred, has carried the best odds in the lead-up to the Kentucky Derby, ranking as a 3-to-1 favorite. Among those with the less-favorable odds is country singer Toby Keith's horse, Render Judgment, who became a late entry after Florida Derby winner Tappan Street suffered an injury to his right foreleg. As of Thursday, Render Judgment's odds stand at 30-to-1. Odds aside, the prizes remain the same: the prestigious Derby trophy, the red roses, an entry into the history books, and, of course, a sizeable payout. How are jockey silks made for Kentucky Derby jockeys? Last year, Churchill Downs Inc., host of the stakes race, announced a guaranteed $5 million Kentucky Derby purse. It was a $2 million increase over the previous purse of $3 million, established in 2019. Unlike the payout at the Masters last month, the purse at the Kentucky Derby is not increasing this year. Like last year, the first-place finisher will get $3.1 million of the purse. The next four will also receive payouts: $1 million for second place, $500,000 for third, $250,000 for fourth, and $150,000 for fifth. But that payout goes to the horse's owner, not the jockey who led the horse to victory in the 2-minute-long race. Like caddies at the Masters, jockeys of top-finishing horses receive a portion of the Kentucky Derby prize their horse lands. Do you believe in luck? Why horseshoes are considered to be lucky in Kentucky Typically, that payout is about 10% of the prize money, multiple reports say. That means the first jockey across the line Saturday could pocket $310,000. However, as CNBC explains, roughly 30% of the jockey's winnings go toward their agent, valet, and taxes. That still outweighs the payouts the second- and third-place jockeys are in line for: $50,000 and $25,000, respectively. The remaining jockeys will profit far less. It's also possible that the winning jockey will be the same jockey as last year: Brian Hernandez Jr. He and Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a three-horse photo finish, despite their 18-1 odds. This year, Hernandez will be jockeying to get Burnham Square across the line first (with better odds, at 8-1). Should the jockey and their horse go on to complete the Triple Crown — which hasn't happened since 2018 — their winnings could total $550,000, before taxes and fees. Both the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes again have a purse of $2 million (unless increases are announced ahead of the mid-May and June runs, respectively), giving the winner a $1.2 million payout. If the jockey receives 10% of that, they could see a $120,000 prize before taxes and other fees. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
