NEWS
Jennifer Lopez and Lady Gaga attend the 61st Annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center on February 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.
David Crotty/Patrick McMullan/GIWhen the 2022 Oscar nominations were unveiled last week, a lot of fans were surprised that Lady Gaga‘s buzzy performance in House of Gucci didn’t make the cut. And their confusion didn’t come out of nowhere: Gaga’s turn as Patrizia Reggiani in the Ridley Scott-directed film had already garnered her acting nominations with the Screen Actors Guild, the BAFTAs, the Critics’ Choice Awards, the Golden Globes and even a win for best actress from the New York Film Critics Circle.
But Gaga is hardly the first female pop star to be overlooked by the Academy (her 2019 double-nomination for lead actress and best original song for A Star Is Born notwithstanding). The snub brought to mind Jennifer Lopez‘s omission from the 2020 Oscar nods, when she was thought to be a strong contender for her performance as a veteran exotic dancer in Hustlers. Oh, and there’s another female musician whose name was left on the cutting-room floor just this year: Haim‘s Alana Haim was a possible best supporting actress nominee for her debut film role in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza.
On the latest Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie & Keith (with an expert assist from Billboard awards editor Paul Grein!) are digging into the history of our favorite pop divas being passed over by the Oscars.
Also on the show, we’ve got chart news about how the music of Encanto continues to hold firm atop both the Billboard 200 albums chart and on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, and how Nicki Minaj and Lil Baby blast straight in at No. 2 on the Hot 100 with their collaborative single “Do We Have a Problem?”
The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and senior director of Billboard charts Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)
Sharleen Spiteri joined BBC Radio 2’s The Sara Cox Breakfast Show ahead of Texas taking the stage to launch the main live music programme at Radio 2 in the Park in Stirling.
Checking in from rehearsals, the Texas frontwoman spoke about getting ready for the band’s opening performance at City Park. Radio 2’s annual flagship festival takes place there from 11 to 13 September 2026. "I’m match fit because I’ve had a couple of days’ rehearsals," Spiteri said. "We’re kicking the whole weekend off, which we’re very much looking forward to, so everybody’s got to get ready to party."
Before the live acts take over, Friday’s DJ Pre-Party gets the weekend started with Radio 2 favourites Sara Cox, DJ Spoony, Gary Davies, Michelle Visage, and Rylan behind the decks.
Jo Whiley helped set the mood with a special programme from Stirling’s Tolbooth venue. Working with BBC Introducing Scotland, the broadcast put the spotlight on Scotland’s emerging music scene through performances and conversations with Fright Years, Alice Faye, and James Emmanuel.
Fright Years, a four member band from Edinburgh, played "Never Been Wrong" and offered their take on Simple Minds’ "Waterfront." Glasgow singer and songwriter Alice Faye, the BBC Introducing in Scotland 2026 winner, paired "Some Brief Encounter" with a rendition of Lulu’s arrangement of "I Started a Joke." James Emmanuel, who was born in Nigeria and now lives in Edinburgh, sang "Brothers & Sisters" before taking on Chaka Khan’s "I’m Every Woman."
"We’re all about celebrating BBC Introducing and all the music that’s come out of Scotland," Whiley told listeners. "It's about celebrating the local music scene and the incredibly important work that BBC Introducing does to support independent, up-and-coming artists."
Joining the conversation were Stephanie Cheape, presenter of BBC Introducing in Scotland, Tara McLoughlin, venue manager for Stirling Council, and student radio presenters representing the University of Stirling’s Air3 Radio.
Listeners can catch the complete interviews and live performances from the weekend’s programmes on BBC Sounds.
