Something Dope · News
What's happening in music.
Releases, deals, tour news, charts, and culture. Curated for independent artists, labels, and the people building around them.
- Charts
Michael Jackson's Thriller Returns to No. 1 on R&B Chart After 40 Years
The Michael biopic has driven Thriller back to the top of Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for the first time since 1984.
May 15, 2026
CultureBeyonce, Taylor Swift, and Weezer Recordings Enter National Recording Registry
The Library of Congress adds 25 recordings to its permanent archive, including Beyonce, Taylor Swift, and Weezer.
May 15, 2026
Tour NewsMadonna, Shakira, and BTS Headline First World Cup Final Halftime Show
The three acts will perform at MetLife Stadium on July 19 for the FIFA World Cup final.
May 15, 2026
IndustryTaylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter Named BMI Pop Songwriters of the Year 2026
Swift and Carpenter shared the top songwriting honor at the 2026 BMI Pop Awards, with Kendrick Lamar's 'luther' taking Song of the Year.
May 14, 2026
Tour NewsIce Cube and Mike Epps Announce Friday 30th Anniversary Concert in Long Beach
Ice Cube and Mike Epps bring the Friday anniversary to Long Beach Amphitheater this July with Warren G and Scarface.
May 14, 2026
CultureShania Twain to Host 61st ACM Awards and Tease New Album
Shania Twain hosts the 2026 ACM Awards on May 17, with surprises and a new studio album on the way.
May 12, 2026
IndustryiHeartMedia Q1 2025 Revenue Rises as Podcast Business Grows
iHeartMedia posted nearly 10% revenue growth in Q1, driven by a 27% surge in podcast income.
May 12, 2026
IndustryAssociation of Music Offices Launches to Support Local Music Ecosystems Nationwide
A new national trade group, the AMO, unites government music offices to strengthen local music economies across the U.S.
May 12, 2026
CultureThe Beatles Museum at 3 Savile Row Opens in London Next Year
The first officially sanctioned Beatles museum will open inside the historic Savile Row recording and rooftop concert site.
May 12, 2026
Tour News50 Cent, Diplo, Nelly and The Chainsmokers Headline 2026 FIFA World Cup Fan Events
Sports Illustrated's Beyond the Pitch series brings live music to four World Cup host cities this summer.
May 12, 2026
DealsSony Music Publishing Acquires Recognition Music Group Catalog in Landmark Deal
Sony and GIC partner to acquire iconic songs from Blackstone in a deal valued at potentially $3.5 billion.
May 12, 2026
IndustryNettwerk Music Group Founders Win Lifetime Achievement at 2026 Libera Awards
Terry McBride and Mark Jowett are being honored for four decades of independent music leadership.
May 12, 2026
CultureRiley Green Joins The Voice Season 30 as Country Coach
Riley Green announced as a coach for NBC's The Voice Season 30, joining Kelly Clarkson and Adam Levine.
May 11, 2026
- Industry
Dua Lipa Sues Samsung for $15 Million Over Unauthorized Image Use
Dua Lipa is taking Samsung to court over the unlicensed use of her photo on TV packaging.
May 11, 2026
- Industry
Rising Alt-Pop Artist Lamb and 90s Trip-Hop Duo Share a Name Problem
Long Beach electro-pop artist Lamb's tour rollout is causing confusion with UK trip-hop duo Lamb, who have formally addressed the mix-up.
May 11, 2026
Tour NewsPlayboi Carti Headlines Rolling Loud Orlando for Record Sixth Time
Carti brought the full Opium roster to Rolling Loud Orlando, teasing new music and ignoring curfew for 60,000 fans.
May 10, 2026
Tour NewsOlivia Rodrigo Unraveled Tour 2026-27 Dates and What to Know
Olivia Rodrigo's Unraveled Tour kicks off September 2026 with 50-plus U.S. dates and a new album on the way.
May 10, 2026
CultureGrammy Hall of Fame Gala 2026: Janet Jackson, Erykah Badu, and George Clinton
The 2026 Grammy Hall of Fame Gala honored 14 recordings, with standout moments from Janet Jackson and Erykah Badu.
May 10, 2026
CultureRolling Loud Movie Trailer Debuts Featuring Travis Scott and Owen Wilson
The Rolling Loud film drops its first trailer, with a theater release set for October 2, 2026.
May 10, 2026
CultureJanet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 Inducted into Grammy Hall of Fame
Janet Jackson and producer Jimmy Jam accepted the Grammy Hall of Fame honor for Rhythm Nation 1814 at the 2026 gala.
May 10, 2026
CulturePhoebe Bridgers Debuts New Songs at Roswell New Mexico Pop-Up Show
Bridgers played her first show in three years, previewing new material at a surprise Roswell pop-up.
May 9, 2026
IndustryWarner Records Named Grammy Hall of Fame Label Honoree for 2026
Warner Records received the Grammy Hall of Fame label tribute, with Aaron Bay-Schuck reflecting on artist development and legacy.
May 9, 2026
CultureDua Lipa Joins Tame Impala Onstage at London O2 Arena
Dua Lipa made a surprise appearance at Tame Impala's O2 Arena show, performing 'Houdini' and new collab 'After Thought'.
May 9, 2026
- Deals
Red Hot Chili Peppers Sells Recorded Catalog to Warner Music for Over $300 Million
Warner Music Group acquires the full RHCP recorded catalog via its Bain Capital joint venture.
May 9, 2026
- Charts
Drake Iceman Album Drops May 15 as Hip-Hop Awaits Chart Return
DJ Whoo Kid says rap has been missing Drake on the Billboard charts, and the wait ends May 15.
May 9, 2026
IndustryTDE President Punch Denies Bot Allegations on Joe Budden Podcast
Top Dawg Entertainment's Punch says live show attendance, not streaming numbers, is TDE's real metric.
May 9, 2026
- Releases
Little Simz Drops Sugar Girl EP with JT, 070 Shake, and DEELA
Little Simz releases the four-track Sugar Girl EP featuring JT, 070 Shake, and DEELA.
May 8, 2026
- Industry
Taylor Swift Has Over 150 Trademarks and Is Still Building
Taylor Swift's trademark portfolio covers her name, lyrics, phrases, and even her cats, totaling more than 150 active registrations.
May 8, 2026
CultureKaty Perry, Future, Tyla and More to Perform at 2026 FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremonies
A global roster of artists is set to headline the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening ceremonies across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
May 8, 2026
- Releases
PNAU Announces Seventh Album AHHCade with EARTHGANG Collaboration
Australian electronic duo PNAU drops new single 'Nirvana' with EARTHGANG ahead of July album.
May 8, 2026
- Releases
Charli xcx Drops 'Rock Music' Single and Music Video
Charli xcx releases 'Rock Music,' a guitar-driven new single marking a deliberate sonic shift ahead of her eighth album.
May 8, 2026
- Releases
Chris Brown Drops 27-Track Album 'Brown' With GloRilla, NBA YoungBoy
Chris Brown's 12th studio album arrives with a stacked feature list and a massive stadium tour incoming.
May 8, 2026
- Releases
Mike D Releases First Solo Single Since Beastie Boys' Last Album
Mike D drops debut solo track 'Switch Up,' his first new music since 2011.
May 8, 2026
- Releases
Anderson .Paak and DEAN Release New R&B Single Aftertaste
Anderson .Paak reunites with South Korean alt-R&B artist DEAN on sleek new single Aftertaste.
May 8, 2026
- Releases
J Balvin and Ryan Castro Release Joint Album Omerta
Two Colombian artists blend reggaeton, dancehall, and Afrohouse across 10 tracks on their debut joint project.
May 8, 2026
Tour NewsKen Carson Steps Up as Rolling Loud Orlando Sunday Headliner
NBA YoungBoy pulled out of Rolling Loud Orlando, and Ken Carson is stepping in to headline Sunday.
May 8, 2026
Tour NewsRolling Loud 2026 Orlando Lineup and Livestream on Amazon Prime Video
Rolling Loud 2026 streams free on Amazon Prime Video with Playboi Carti, Don Toliver, and Ken Carson headlining.
May 8, 2026
IndustryWarner Music Group Q1 Revenue Hits $1.7 Billion Driven by Bruno Mars
WMG posts 17% revenue growth in Q1 2025, with Bruno Mars and sombr leading recorded music gains.
May 8, 2026
- Releases
Harry Styles Drops Dance No More Music Video Teaser Ahead of Tour
Harry Styles previews the third visual from his chart-topping album Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.
May 7, 2026
- Industry
BTS ARIRANG Album Drives HYBE to Record Q1 2026 Revenue
BTS's comeback album ARIRANG pushed HYBE to its highest-ever first-quarter revenue, topping $470 million.
May 7, 2026
Tour NewsNo Doubt Open Las Vegas Sphere Residency With Deep Cut Setlist
Gwen Stefani and No Doubt launched their Sphere residency playing songs untouched for decades.
May 7, 2026
Tour NewsMary J. Blige Expands Las Vegas Residency With 10 New Dates
Mary J. Blige doubles her My Life, My Story Las Vegas residency run through October 2025.
May 7, 2026
ReleasesMalik Yusef Releases 'The Poetry of Luke Skywalker' on Star Wars Day
The 8x Grammy winner and Bad Kids Worldwide founder drops the first chapter of his Fantasy Series exclusively on Share.Stream.
May 6, 2026
Tour NewsBTS Mexico City Tour Sells Out With 136,000 Tickets and Presidential Welcome
BTS arrives in Mexico City for three sold-out shows, welcomed at the National Palace by President Claudia Sheinbaum.
May 6, 2026
Tour NewsAriana Grande Brings Back Dangerous Woman for Eternal Sunshine Tour
Ariana Grande teases her 2025 Eternal Sunshine Tour setlist with a rehearsal performance of Dangerous Woman.
May 6, 2026
- Charts
mgk and Fred Durst 'Fix Ur Face' Hits No. 1 on Hot Hard Rock Songs
The mgk and Fred Durst collaboration tops Billboard's Hot Hard Rock Songs chart in its second week.
May 6, 2026
- Releases
T.O.P returns after 13 years with the Korean Kanye album: Ed Ruscha on art, IRKO on mix
BIGBANG's deep bass auteur built ANOTHER DIMENSION as a total work, with the Pop Art legend, Kanye's Grammy winning mixer, and Squid Game's art director all in the credits.
May 6, 2026
- Charts
Michael Jackson Breaks Streaming Record After Michael Biopic Release
The King of Pop's catalog hit 137.5 million streams in a single week, doubling his previous career high.
May 6, 2026
IndustryBig Loud CEO Seth England on Nashville's Rise as a Multi-Genre Hub
Seth England breaks down how Big Loud and country music became the center of the modern music industry.
May 6, 2026
- Releases
Lauren Sanderson and Fred Durst Release Come Say Sum Remix
Lauren Sanderson taps Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst for a rap-rock remix ahead of her debut album LAUREN.
May 6, 2026
- Charts
Bebe Rexha 'New Religion' Hits No. 1 After Going Independent
Bebe Rexha's 'New Religion' tops the Billboard Dance chart in her first release as an independent artist.
May 6, 2026
- Culture
Avery Anna Wins 2026 ACM New Female Artist of the Year Award
Warner Music Nashville's Avery Anna takes home the ACM's top honor for new female country artists.
May 6, 2026
IndustryArena One and AMC Theatres Launch Interactive Live Concert Format in 300 Locations
Bebe Rexha, Kim Petras, and Maren Morris headline a new real-time cinema concert format launching in June.
May 6, 2026
CultureBad Bunny Met Gala Old-Age Look Was Made by Mike Marino
Prosthetics artist Mike Marino explains how he transformed Bad Bunny into a distinguished elder for the 2026 Met Gala.
May 6, 2026
- Industry
Linda Perry to Receive Ivor Novello International Songwriting Prize in 2026
The legendary songwriter behind hits for Christina Aguilera, P!nk, and Gwen Stefani earns a major UK honor.
May 6, 2026
- Industry
Salt-N-Pepa vs. UMG: Copyright Termination Rights Appeal Continues
UMG pushes back on Salt-N-Pepa's master ownership claim, calling the duo's appeal fatally flawed.
May 6, 2026
- Industry
Jason Derulo Savage Love Copyright Trial Testimony Explained
Jason Derulo faces cross-examination over songwriting credits for his 2020 Billboard Hot 100 hit 'Savage Love.'
May 6, 2026
- Industry
Romeo Santos, Daddy Yankee, and Keityn Win 2026 ASCAP Latin Music Awards
ASCAP's 2026 Latin Music Awards honored the songwriters and publishers driving Latin music's global rise.
May 6, 2026
- Tour News
Shakira Adds Five New U.S. Dates to Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour 2026
Shakira expands her 2026 U.S. tour run after record-breaking Brazil shows drew two million fans.
May 5, 2026
CultureUnder Armour Signs as Official Performance Apparel Partner for Rolling Loud 2026
Under Armour becomes the exclusive apparel sponsor for Rolling Loud's 2026 Orlando festival featuring Playboi Carti and Don Toliver.
May 5, 2026
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