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You’ve seen a ton of year-end lists by now; We just published the Uproxx Music Critics Poll for 2023, in case you missed that. If you have an appetite for one more ranking, let’s take a look at 2023’s most-liked Instagram posts.

This information isn’t readily available in an official capacity, so the best available data appears to be Wikipedia’s list of the 20 all-time most-liked posts, with figures accurate as of November 4. According to that, the year’s biggest posts came from entertainment multi-hyphenate Selena Gomez, soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, and a photographer who captured a colorful sky.

The top post on that list from 2023 is a reel of a vibrant sunset from user @jiangzhibin24, which has about 34.5 million likes. That makes it the most-liked reel/video post in Instagram history, as all the posts above it in the all-time ranks only feature images. It’s the sixth most-liked post ever overall.

The next two 2023 posts on the list are both from Ronaldo. Both feature action shots of Ronaldo during games, and both posts have just short of 28 million likes each. The posts are No. 14 and 15 on the all-time list.

The final 2023 post on the list, at No. 19 all-time and No. 4 this year, comes from Gomez. The post was shared on March 13, is captioned “Violet chemistry,” and includes two selfies of Gomez, in which she’s not wearing makeup.

Unless Taylor Swift finds a cure for cancer or Beyoncé announces she’s running for president in the next few days, that is where the 2023 ranks will likely remain for the rest of the year.

It makes sense that Gomez made the list, considering she was once the most-followed person on Instagram, and is currently the most-followed woman, musician, actor, musician, and person from North America on the platform. She has the No. 4 most-followed account overall: The official Instagram account is No. 1, followed by Ronaldo at No. 2 and fellow soccer icon Lionel Messi at No. 3.

Alan Ritchson might not have been able to pass that note to Tom Cruise, but the “new” Jack Reacher is doing just fine. See, he says so himself…

To that end, Amazon has already announced that the second season of Reacher, which has only released three episodes thus far, is already whooping tush and tossing punches all over the streaming charts. As Deadline relays, the three episodes not only “surpassed the entire Season 1 audience by 50% in the first three days,” but the show is now the top-viewed in for all Amazon Originals released in 2023. Here’s more:

Season 1 already seemed like a home run for Amazon, racking up 1.84B minutes viewed across all eight episodes in the U.S. (which were released all at once) during its premiere weekend in March 2022, according to Nielsen streaming data. Since Nielsen only measures domestically, that wouldn’t give an indication of how the series is performing internationally.

Exact Nielsen figures from this season will be delayed, as is customary, for around a month or so, but so far, Amazon is at least thrilled that their own internal figures are perking things up for 2023, which hasn’t had this many streaming minutes racked up since the September 2022 premiere of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Of course, the first Reacher season from February 2022 didn’t do so shabbily, either. And there will be weekly Reacher episodes through January 19, along with a third season that’s already in the works. Details matter!

(Via Deadline)

We’re getting to the point in the NFL calendar where the coaching carousel starts spinning, which can only mean one thing: There are rumors about Jim Harbaugh returning to the league. Harbaugh, the former San Francisco 49ers head coach who currently coaches at the University of Michigan, is apparently one of the names that has piqued the interest of the Los Angeles Chargers as they look to find a replacement for the recently fired Brandon Staley.

The news of this interest comes by way of Jordan Schultz from Bleacher Report, who added the caveat that it’s unclear if Harbaugh would want to leave his alma mater to coach the Chargers.

It is worth mentioning that Harbaugh is a bit busy right now, as the Wolverines are the No. 1 team in America and are headed to the College Football Playoff for the third year in a row — they have a date with the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. Harbaugh returning to the NFL rumors have been around for years, and Michigan has always been able to convince him to stick around in Ann Arbor, although in a fun twist on this one, ESPN’s Mike Greenberg recalled a recent conversation he had with Harbaugh in which he spoke glowingly about Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.

The Chargers opted to part ways with Staley after two and a half years following a Thursday Night Football drubbing at the hands of the Las Vegas Raiders last week. During his tenure in L.A., Staley registered a 24-24 record, but got fired while the team sat at 5-9 during the 2023 campaign.

Harbaugh has amassed an 84-25 record at Michigan, which has included three consecutive Big Ten championships and three straight berths in the College Football Playoff. Prior to becoming the head coach in Ann Arbor back in 2015, Harbaugh spent four years with the Niners and led the team to a Super Bowl appearance in 2012.

With Jonathan Majors handed a guilty verdict for the assault and harassment of his ex-girlfriend, which led to Marvel immediately firing the actor, the next step in the process is sentencing. While Majors could face jail time, attorneys who spoke to The Hollywood Reporter do not believe that will be the case.

“Since it’s the defendant’s first conviction, although technically he faces one year of jail, the judge will 99 percent give him three years probation, anger management and possibly some community service. Mr. Majors is not getting jail time,” Manhattan-based attorney Cary London said.

The chances of Majors getting jail time decrease even further when you factor in his attorney’s intention to the appeal the verdict, which could result in the conviction being overturned due to some unorthodox steps taken during the already unusual trial. At issue are the damning text messages from a prior incident that made their way into evidence:

Several attorneys said they believe an appeal is likely based on the fact that this misstep from the defense team reversed the Molineux ruling protection and allowed this evidence to be introduced. Lance Fletcher, a criminal defense attorney in Manhattan and a former prosecutor, also pointed to the texts as an issue. “Obviously, this kind of thing can sound very bad to a jury and Majors may argue that the jury should not have heard about them, especially since they were not specifically discussing the assault he was on trial for,” Fletcher said.

Regardless of the appeal process, Majors is toast at Marvel. The studio is reportedly making plans to pivot away from his character, Kang the Conqueror, and whatever you do, don’t ask John Boyega if he’s taking over the role. That’ll be a hard pass.

(Via The Hollywood Reporter)

Much has been written about the recent power pop revival. But one project, Bory, has recently emerged as an exciting new voice in the genre, thanks to a co-sign by fellow artist Mo Troper.

Bory, the music moniker of Portland power-pop prodigy Brenden Ramirez, released his debut album Who’s A Good Boy just in time for year-end list season (thus making a shortlist appearance on Steven Hyden’s Favorite Albums Of 2023 list). Whether it’s the pastoral “Feel The Burn” or the splendid, reverb-drenched “Five-Course Meal,” Who’s A Good Boy debut full-length project shows some major potential for Bory to earn the title of Next Big Thing in the genre.

To celebrate the release of his debut album, Ramirez sits down with Uproxx to talk Diet Coke, cooking, and Fyre Fest 2 in our latest Q&A.

What are four words you would use to describe your music?

Loud guitar soft voice.

It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?

Fondly!

Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?

Mo Troper. He’s a really good friend of mine who has given me so much guidance and support since starting my band. I also look up to him as a songwriter. He’s a crazy talented and prolific songwriter.

Where did you eat the best meal of your life and what was it?

Probably one of those combo meals at BCD tofu house.

Tell us about the best concert you’ve ever attended.

I saw Kero Kero Bonito play once at a very small college festival and I was surrounded by so many good friends and it rocked my world.

What song never fails to make you emotional?

“Liverpool 8” by Ringo Starr.

What’s the last thing you Googled?

“Tears Of The Kingdom how does master sword work.”

Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?

One time when I was touring in the UK with the Mo Troper Band our tour manager told us we were crashing at his place that night. I was expecting like a house or apartment or something but it ended up being this whole entire school that had been repurposed to house touring bands. It was pretty cool. There was someone already sleeping in the room we were supposed to be in. There was also a sword in there.

What’s your favorite city in the world to perform and what’s the city you hope to perform in for the first time?

LA because I have a lot of family around there that I can play for. Really looking forward to playing in Tokyo soon!!

What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?

Please please please stop caring so much what other people think!!

What’s one of your hidden talents?

I really like to cook! I’m not sure how good I am at it though.

If you had a million dollars to donate to charity, what cause would you support and why?

Oh man, I guess whatever will get people fed. Or something that will help support people struggling with mental health.

What are your thoughts about AI and the future of music?

No thoughts, does not compute.

You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location it would be held.

Fyre Fest 2:
The Beatles (with holographic John Lennon and George Harrison)
Stevie Wonder
Alvvays
Mo Troper
Diners

Who’s your favorite person to follow on social media?

q8ledgendery on Instagram.

What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?

No tattoos!

What is your pre-show ritual?

I don’t have anything I follow strictly but I usually see what the Diet Coke situation is at the bar. Every venue’s soda fountain varies in taste. Some are a lot tastier than others.

Who was your first celebrity crush?

The hot fish from Shark Tale.

You have a month off and the resources to take a dream vacation. Where are you going and who is coming with you?

New Zealand would be really cool. Would love to hang out at the Shire with all my friends.

What is your biggest fear?

Maybe bugs or dying.

Who’s A Good Boy is out now via Earth Librarys. Find more information here.

Today (December 20), Drake treated fans to a music video for “You Broke My Heart,” a highlight from the recently released Scary Hours Edition of his For All The Dogs album. And there are some serious surprises.

Is Morgan Wallen Featured On Drake’s “You Broke My Heart?”

While Morgan Wallen is not featured on the song itself, viewers who started the music video will find the country singer having dinner with Drake. The two discuss the ways they were hurt by their exes but have no idea what else is in store.

Drake and Wallen go to head home from the restaurant, only to be blown up as the car explodes. The two women that play their exes then carry the rest of the video doing a lip-sync to the track.

Before Wallen’s appearance in the video, it didn’t seem he had much of a relationship with Drake. He previously took over Drake’s record of the most simultaneous entries on the Billboard Hot 100. And there was a Delaware DJ who made a viral mashup of Wallen’s “Thinking About Me” with Lil Wayne’s “Right Above It” (which features Drake). But that was the closest the two came in the news to interacting… Until now.

Check out the video for Drake’s “You Broke My Heart” above.

If you’ve spent any time on social media this year, you’ve no doubt seen reports of major retailers like Target, CVS, Dick’s Sporting Goods and others attributing store closings to an increase in shoplifting thanks to a rash of “organized retail theft.” The talking point has been particularly virulent amongst “tough on crime” Republicans.

There’s just one small problem: the numbers are bogus. The National Retail Federation conjured up the number with no data to back it up, but the organization has only recently copped to the fake stats.

Via Los Angeles Times:

The statistic, published in April by the National Retail Federation, was that “organized retail crime” — including the videotaped flash mob smash-and-grab events aired in frequent rotation on the cable and evening news shows — came to more than $45 billion a year.

Specifically, the NRF declared that organized crime accounted for “nearly half” of the $94.5 billion in retail “shrink” attributed to theft or “other causes” in 2021. The claim appeared in the latest edition of the federation’s annual report on organized retail crime.

However, as the LA Times reports, the NRF has since admitted that the retail theft estimate was a “fabrication” and it was removed from the annual report in an update. Unfortunately, the damage was already done as Republican politicians latched onto the bogus statistic. Donald Trump, to the surprise of no one, was the most aggressive and basically called for gunning down shoplifters on sight.

“We will immediately stop all of the pillaging and theft,” Trump said during a December 1 rally in California. “Very simply: If you rob a store, you can fully expect to be shot as you are leaving that store.”

The MAGA crowd ate it up and cheered at the line thanks to the over-abundance of scare-mongering headlines about a supposed shoplifting epidemic that simply doesn’t exist. So that was great.

(Via Los Angeles Times)

Over the past few years, artists in the LGBTQ+ community have become more of a force in the Latin music scene. They’re breaking down barriers and normalizing queer romance and relationships in Spanish-language songs. The biggest Latin acts today are also a part of the LGBTQ+ community, including Anitta, Tokischa, Young Miko, and Maria Becerra.

“I feel like we’re killing it honestly,” rising Venezuelan singer La Cruz previously told Uproxx about the LGBTQ+ takeover of reggaeton, which was largely dominated by straight men. “We have a very beautiful community. We just live freely. In a way, we sing about freedom and love, which are what the world needs.”

Queer acts in Latin music are not just taking over reggaeton, but also other genres like dembow with Tokischa, Latin pop with Blue Rojo and Yadam, and alternative music with Bruses. With Uproxx celebrating LGBTQ+ stories and voices, here’s a list of 10 recent albums and EPs to check out by Latin artists.

Álex Anwandter – El Diablo En El Cuerpo

Álex Anwandter is a queer pioneer in the Latin music scene. Since his breakthrough album Amiga in 2016, the Chilean singer-songwriter has proudly represented being a gay pop star in his alternative hits. Anwandter is also a producer and he helped sculpt Julieta Venegas’ Latin Grammy-winning LP Tu Historia last year. In May, he returned with an album of his own, El Diablo En El Cuerpo. Anwandter turned to dance and disco-infused music to let his freak flag fly high. For the fierce club banger “Unx De Nosotrxs,” he teamed up with queer Chilean icon Javiera Mena. Anwandter also put a strobe light on the complexities of coming out in “Ahora Somos Dos.”

Bruses – Cuando Ella Me Besó Probé A Dios (2023)

Bruses first made an impact last year with her debut album Monstruos. The Mexican singer-songwriter celebrated every fiber of her fabulous being, including being lesbian, in the angst-driven anthem “I Like 2 B.” In October, Bruses leaned further into her queerness with the EP Cuando Ella Me Besó Probé A Dios. She showed a poppier side to her alternative sound in “Más Que Amigas” and “Crimen,” her ode to a forbidden same-sex romance. Bruses is punk rock at heart for being unafraid to be who she is.

Blue Rojo – Solitario (2021)

Blue Rojo broke down boundaries for queer representation with his debut album Solitario in 2021. In the dark and genre-bending LP, the Mexican singer-songwriter explores his heartache from having an unrequited crush on a straight man. The album opens with the electro-pop rush of the love song “No Te Kiero Olvidar.” After having lost all hope, Blue Rojo turns to the religion of his childhood in the cathartic “Después De La Pandemia Volví A Ser Católiko.” He later reclaims the Spanish gay slur “puto” in the empowering “Eslabón De Bombón.” Blue Rojo has continued to push his sound and Latin pop to new places.

Conexión Divina – Tres Mundos (2023)

In the male-dominated música Mexicana scene, Conexión Divina is proudly representing women and the LGBTQ+ community. The Mexican-American group originally included two queer members, lead singer Liz Trujillo and Ashlee Valenzuela. Sandra Calixto is an ally to LGBTQ+ community. After performing at Coachella, Conexión Divina released their debut album Tres Mundos. The music video for the sad sierreño song “Odio” shows the young women trading male and female partners like it was square dancing. Trujillo then shows herself in same-sex romances in the band’s videos for songs like “Las Ganas” and “La Receta.” In September, Valenzuela left the group and joined Designo Cestial. Daniela Santiago took her place in Conexión Divina.

La Cruz – Hawaira (2022)

La Cruz is making waves in reggaeton as the genre’s first leading gay artist. The rising Venezuelan star went viral during LGBTQ+ Pride Month thanks to his breakthrough hit “Quítate La Ropa.” In that music video, men are perreando, or twerking, to La Cruz’s sexy reggaeton romp. Fortunately, the song put eyes on La Cruz’s debut album Hawaira, which was released in November of last year. He first started singing about gay love in his songs like the dreamy “Boulevard” and the alluring “Te Conocí Bailando.” Now La Cruz is normalizing gay lust in his latest single “Easy Boy,” which previews his next album.

Mabiland – Torque Vol. 1 (2022)

Since the release of her breakthrough album Niñxs Rotxs in 2021, Mabiland has become an empowering Black and queer voice in Colombia. The following year, the Quibdó-born rapper shifted gears with her follow-up EP Torque Vol. 1. Mabiland received co-signs from Julieta Venegas, who spoke about being in awe of her artistry in “Poetry,” and Juanes, who sang his praises of her in another voice note. Mabiland shined in the blazing hip-hop banger “Quema” where she promised that messing with her is like playing with fire. In the music video, she put a spotlight on her Afro-Colombian culture much like in her previous releases.

Ricky Martin – Play (2022)

An artist who busted down doors for LGBTQ+ visibility in Latin music is Ricky Martin. Since coming out as gay in 2010, the Puerto Rican superstar has proudly represented who he is in his songs and music videos. Last year, Martin released his most recent EP called Play. He seamlessly blended bolero and reggaeton in the sexy “Ácido Sabor.” In singing about indulging in a romance that could be “dangerous,” Martin gave the LGBTQ+ community an anthem. The music video for “A Veces Bien Y A Veces Mal” with Reik stars Spanish model Ángela Ponce, who was the first openly trans woman to win the title of Miss Spain.

Villano Antillano – La Sustancia X (2022)

Villano Antillano became one of the top Latin rappers last year when she collaborated with Bizarrap on the viral hit “BZRP Music Sessions #51.” The Puerto Rican star later got a co-sign from Bad Bunny when he invited her to perform at his Un Verano Sin Ti concerts on their island. Antillano then unleashed her debut album La Sustancia X where she celebrated the resilience of women and the LGBTQ+ community as a transfemme non-binary artist. In the reggaeton banger “Cáscara de Coco,” she name-checks queer pioneer La Delfi while giving her props to women with tough skin. Antillano has kept the lyrical firepower going strong since then.

Yadam – Belamor (2023)

Yadam is reviving Latin pop while putting his own rainbow-colored twist on the genre. The Venezuelan singer-songwriter moved to France to pursue his music career and that multicultural sound is reflected in his songs. In September, he released his debut album Belamor, which follows the relationship of a gay couple from the giddy beginning to the heartbreaking end. In the power pop of “Beso,” Yadam sings about not letting anything get in the way of a kiss from the man of his dreams. He also pushes boundaries about a gay romance on the low in the flamenco-infused “Otras Mujeres.”

Young Miko – Trap Kitty (2022)

Young Miko has become the go-to collaborator in reggaeton and Latin trap. This past year, the Puerto Rican star collaborated with Bad Bunny on “Fina,” Karol G for “Dispo,” and Feid in “Classy 101.” While flexing with her versatile flow in every song, Young Miko has also proudly sung about her love for other women. Young Miko first made an impact with her debut EP Trap Kitty, which was released last year. She spit fierce rhymes about being queer in “Bi” with Brray and later exalted baddies in the playful trap banger “Riri.” All eyes will be on Young Miko in 2024 for her hotly-anticipated debut album.

Some of the artists mentioned here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Grammy season will soon be in full swing. Equally as exciting as the Grammy Awards is the week leading up to the ceremony, which is typically jam-packed with events celebrating all things music. The Recording Academy has announced a round of events taking place within the week, one of which is a special Michael Kushner, Atlantic Records’ executive VP of business & legal affairs and general counsel.

You can see the slate of events below (via Billboard).

Wednesday, January 31

A Celebration of Craft: Presented by Producers & Engineers and Songwriters & Composers Wings
The Grammy Museum
7 p.m.
Recording Academy private event: by invitation only

Thursday, February 1

2024 Recording Academy Honors presented by the Black Music Collective
Fairmont Century Plaza
7 p.m.
Recording Academy private event: by invitation only

Friday, February 2

Grammy U Masterclass, Presented by Mastercard
11 a.m.: Doors
1 p.m.: Panel/Livestream
Recording Academy event: by invitation only

26th Annual Entertainment Law Initiative
Honoring Michael Kushner
Beverly Wilshire Hotel
11 a.m.
Recording Academy private event: by invitation only

MusiCares Person of the Year
Honoring Jon Bon Jovi
Los Angeles Convention Center
5 p.m.
MusiCares event

UnitedMasters: A Celebration Of Independence
Featuring Uncle Waffles, Tokischa and special guests
Hollywood Palladium
9:30 p.m.
By invitation only

Saturday, February 3

Special Merit Awards Ceremony and 66th Annual Grammy Nominees Reception
Wilshire Ebell Theatre
2:30 p.m.
Recording Academy private event: by invitation only

Pre-Grammy Gala
Honoring Jon Platt
The Beverly Hilton
7 p.m.
Recording Academy private event: by invitation only

Sunday, February 4

66th Annual Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony
Peacock Theater
11:30 a.m.: Doors
12:30 p.m.: Awards Ceremony
Recording Academy event

66th Annual Grammy Awards Telecast
Hosted by Trevor Noah
Crypto.com Arena
5 to 8:30 p.m.
Recording Academy event

Grammy Celebration
Los Angeles Convention Center, West Hall
8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
Recording Academy event

Does Margaret Qualley ever miss? So far, that would be a definite “no,” and the Sanctuary, Maid, and Stars At Noon star will soon be starring in a crime-caper film from Ethan Coen — yep, a Coen Brother is going solo here but still retaining his reputation and quintessential style — that will be the perfect antidote for anyone who wants cinema-lover throwbacks aplenty.

Let’s talk about what we know of the upcoming Drive-Away Dolls.

Plot

Ethan Coen directs and also writes alongside Tricia Cooke, and of course there will be a trunk shot (thankfully, Margaret Qualley is already familiar with directors who like trunk shots) because this is a caper involving a mysterious briefcase, which transforms an ordinary “get the hell out of Dodge” girls’ trip into a perilous yet funny adventure. Get ready for some goons — including characters portrayed by one of the best parts of Fear The Walking Dead, Colman Domingo, and a couple of A-lister movie stars — who are also hot on the trail of their own volition.

Qualley portrays a woman going through a particularly annoying breakup, and Geraldine Viswanathan is her uptight friend who gets dragged along for the ride. Again, this is a half-Coen Brothers movie, so you might imagine a few callbacks, including a scene reminiscent of No Country For Old Men‘s coin-toss scene (with Bill Camp instead of Gene Jones), but overall, expect mayhem and chaos.

From the movie’s synopsis:

[T]his comedy caper follows Jamie, an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian who desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, two women embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, Fla. However, things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.

Cast

The cast not only includes Qualley, Viswanathan, and Domingo but also Pedro Pascal and Matt Damon, who are both apparently pursuing whatever is in that briefcase. Beanie Feldstein appears as a no-nonsense character as well.

Release Date

Drive-Away Dolls lands in theaters on February 23, 2024.

Trailer

This movie looks like far too much fun. Let’s goooo.