In a new Rolling Stone ‘Musicians on Musicians’ interview, Janelle Monáe nostalgically described to Lucy Dacus her experience "time-traveling" back to the 1970s to see David Bowie perform. “I traveled back into the 1970s, and I saw him do Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars. It was incredible,” Monáe said, causing Dacus to question whether she heard them correctly. “You traveled back?” she asked incredulously, with Monáe responding, “Yeah, I was backstage. I was like, this is what I want to do. I jetted back to the 2000s and I was like, I can have the musical, make the music, create the lyrics, and create community around transformation and being queer — not even just in sexuality, but in how we see the world.” Monáe has long cited Bowie's influence on their groundbreaking 2010 debut album, The ArchAndroid, which received a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary R&B Album. (Rolling Stone) 

Rosalía has officially confirmed that her long-awaited new album, Lux, will finally be released on November 7 via Columbia Records. The announcement – which followed weeks of social media teasers – took place in a public reveal at Madrid’s Gran Vía on Monday (October 20), which included a display of the album artwork featuring the Grammy-winning singer in nun’s attire. “Been waiting so long for this day, this moment, and finally, this moment has arrived,” Rosalía said on the livestreamed album announcement. Vinyl and CD editions of Lux are already available for pre-order on her website, including a limited-edition package that includes a postcard signed by the 33-year-old Spanish singer. Lux marks a continuation of Rosalía’s artistic evolution following her acclaimed last release, 2022’s Motomami, which won Album of the Year at the Latin Grammy Awards, making her the first woman to win the award twice. (Variety)

Gracie Abrams’ August concert at Colorado’s iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre will stream exclusively on Apple Music Live starting Wednesday, October 29 at 7 PM PT/10 PM ET. Abrams' performance features songs from the deluxe edition of her 2024 album, The Secret of Us, as well as tracks from her full-length debut, Good Riddance, and her 2020 EP, Minor, and a nightly surprise song, which will all be available on demand in Spatial Audio following the launch. Ahead of the premiere, the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter’s will chat with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe on October 28 at 10 AM PT/1 PM ET, with the conversation accessible for free on Apple Music 1 or on-demand with a subscription. Abrams’ two Red Rocks shows capped months of touring in support of The Secret of Us, with the 26-year-old artist sharing a teaser video from her performance on Instagram to promote the upcoming stream. (Variety)

Mariah Carey has been named MusiCares 2026 Person of the Year, with a gala honoring her set to take place on January 30, 2026, at the Los Angeles Convention Center, two days before the Grammy Awards. Carey is being recognized for her decades-long musical impact as well as her philanthropic efforts, which includes providing relief to those affected by Hurricane Katrina and the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as founding Camp Mariah to help support underserved youth. The singer joins a prestigious list of past honorees that includes Grateful Dead, Jon Bon Jovi, Joni Mitchell, Dolly Parton, Tom Petty, and more. “We are honored to recognize Mariah Carey as this year’s MusiCares Person of the Year, a true creative force and once-in-a-generation talent,” said Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy and MusiCares. “Her artistry and her voice have helped shape the sound of our times. We look forward to celebrating her remarkable career on this very special night.” (Variety)

Anthony Jackson, the legendary session bassist and creator of the electric contrabass guitar, has died at 73 after battling Parkinson’s disease. Renowned for his distinctive opening bass line on The O’Jays’ “For the Love of Money,” Jackson enjoyed a prolific career working with artists like Buddy Rich, Chaka Khan, Roberta Flack, Carly Simon, Diana Ross, and Paul Simon. Notably, Jackson was the bassist in Simon & Garfunkel’s backing band during their iconic 1981 Central Park concert, which drew an estimated audience of over 500,000 people. Jackson is widely considered one of the most talented bass players of his generation, and during his celebrated career he revolutionized the bass guitar by inventing the electric six-string contrabass, which was tuned in fourths instead of the standard tuning of one octave below a guitar. His unique creation expanded the instrument’s sonic range and pushed the boundaries of its sonic influence within modern music. (Consequence of Sound)

Nicki Minaj took to X over the weekend to announce that she’s entering her “Billionaire Barbie” era, while confirming the release of her sixth studio album, NM6, as planned on March 27, 2026. “I could put out an album tomorrow and still revolutionize the industry yet again on 3.27.26,” Minaj wrote in a since-deleted tweet, while adding that she could “turn around and still release another blockbuster 4th quarter of '26.” The rap superstar reassured fans that the upcoming new album is back on track in an additional post: “The truth is: I’m releasing NM6 on 3.27.26 b/c of the people who were in attendance at #GagCity I saw you. I want you to know that. I saw you. I heard you. I felt you. I love you.” Despite recent tensions with Jay-Z and Roc Nation that threatened to disrupt her album plans, she now appears committed to delivering a follow-up to her chart-topping 2023 release, Pink Friday 2. (Billboard)

Britney Spears has revealed that she believes she suffered brain damage during her prolonged conservatorship, reflecting on the traumatic impact it had on her life in a heartfelt Instagram post shared on Sunday (October 19). Spears likened her experience to the story of Maleficent losing her wings, symbolizing how she felt stripped of her autonomy and agency, especially during a four-month period when she was restricted from moving freely. She acknowledged the pain and trauma she left out of her 2023 memoir, The Woman in Me. “Trust me there’s ALOT I didn’t share in my book and still things at this very moment I’ve kept hidden because its incredibly painful and sad,” she wrote, while adding. “I couldn’t dance or move for 5 months. I do feel like my wings were taken away and brain damage happened to me a long time ago 100 percent. I have of course moved on from that troubling time in my life and I’m blessed to be alive.” (Consequence of Sound)

One week after Taylor Swift dominated the Billboard Hot 100 by occupying the top 12 spots with songs from her record-breaking album, The Life of a Showgirl, she continues to hold eight of the Top 10 positions on the chart, and places all 12 tracks within the Top 14, led by “The Fate of Ophelia” at No. 1 for its second week. This marks only the fifth time in Hot 100 history – including four achieved by Swift – that an artist claims at least 12 of the top 14 spots on the Hot 100, and the first to do so in an album’s second week of release. In addition to “The Fate of Ophelia” occupying the top spot, the rest of the charting tracks on The Life of a Showgirl include “Opalite” remaining at No. 2, “Elizabeth Taylor” dropping two spots to No. 5, “Father Figure” falling two slots to No. 6, “Wi$h Li$t” sliding one spot to No. 7, “Wood” dropping three places to No. 8, “The Life of a Showgirl,” feat. Sabrina Carpenter, falling one spot to No. 9, and “Actually Romantic” dropping three places to No. 10.

The album’s four other songs outside of the Top 10 include “Cancelled!” which dropped one spot to No. 11, “Eldest Daughter” sliding three slots to No. 12, “Ruin the Friendship” falling two spots to No. 13, and “Honey” plunging two spots to No. 14. The two songs that cracked into this week’s Top 10 and disrupted Swift’s total chart dominance include HUNTR/X’s former No. 1 hit, “Golden,” from Netflix’s record-breaking animated movie, KPop Demon Hunters, which vaults up ten spots to reach No. 3, while Alex Warren’s previous No. 1 smash, “Ordinary,” surges ten places to claim No. 4. (Billboard)

While closing out the North American leg of her Radical Optimism Tour in Seattle on Thursday night (October 16), Dua Lipa was joined by Ben Gibbard for an acoustic duet of Death Cab for Cutie's "I Will Follow You Into the Dark." This performance continued Lipa’s tradition of performing city-specific covers and collaborating with iconic hometown artists throughout her current tour. Introducing the stripped-down performance at Climate Pledge Arena, Lipa said: “I love this song for so many reasons. I feel like it just really defines what love is in such a pure form of wanting to follow somebody until the very end. I feel very lucky because this indie legend happens to be here tonight and he’s going to come up and perform with me.” Gibbard joins a list of special guests on Lipa’s North American tour that includes Lenny Kravitz, Gwen Stefani, Lionel Richie, and Billie Joe Armstrong, with additional covers likely when the tour resumes in Buenos Aires in November. (Rolling Stone)

On the October 18 episode of Saturday Night Live, Sabrina Carpenter, serving as the show's host and musical guest, delivered an uncensored version of "Nobody's Son" during her second song of the evening. The Grammy-winning pop superstar sang the explicit phrase, “He sure fu**ed me up” twice without being muted or bleeped during the live East Coast broadcast and Peacock simulcast, likely due to a miscommunication with NBC censors. Edited broadcasts throughout the rest of the country were aired following a slight delay to the start of the episode. The performance featured the 26-year-old Carpenter dressed in a white karate gi and black belt on a dojo-themed stage, with the singer dropping two F-bombs live on air while smashing wooden boards and knocking out her fellow black belt backup dancers. Earlier in the show, Carpenter performed her Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit, “Manchild,” in a cozy bedroom setting, singing into a hairbrush microphone while wearing a t-shirt with “Live from New York” emblazoned on the front, paired with pink underwear with “It’s Saturday Night” written on the back. (Variety)

At the Los Angeles stop of her Ultrasound World Tour at the Kia Forum on Saturday night (October 18), Lorde closed her electrifying set by bringing out surprise guest Charli XCX to perform their confessional Brat remix of “Girl, So Confusing.” Lorde shimmied around on the b-stage while Charli delivered her potent verse, with the special guest eventually joining the headliner on the small stage as the two pop superstars shared an emotional moment together, joyfully dancing around as the song came to a triumphant close. The duo had previously performed their Brat collab together during Charli and Troye Sivan’s Sweat Tour stop at New York’s Madison Square Garden in September 2024, and paired up again during Charli’s Coachella set in April, but this was the first time that Lorde was the star of the show. The North American leg of the Ultrasound Tour concludes with two shows later this week in Portland and Seattle, before heading to Europe in November. (Billboard)

Taylor Swift sparked a surge of support for otter conservation after wearing a Monterey Bay Aquarium T-shirt in a clip from her box-office topping film, The Release Party of a Showgirl, inspiring fans to buy shirts with the reissued 1990s design which raised over $2.2 million for sea otter habitat restoration in California. The aquarium expressed gratitude to the Swifties for their overwhelming support, which forced them to put the fundraiser tee on backorder for the time being. “Your response was beyond our Wildest Dreams,” says a statement from Monterey Bay. “We hear you loud and clear, and we’re so grateful for the All Too Well kind of love this fundraising campaign has received.” In addition to wearing the t-shirt, Swift also shared her affection for otters during her record-breaking appearance on fiancé Travis Kelce’s New Heights podcast, proclaiming that, “All I really use the internet for is sourdough and when Travis shows me videos of otters on his Instagram algorithm.” (Billboard)

Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl spends its second consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, earning 338,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. for the week ending October 16, a 92% drop from its record-breaking 4 million debut. Despite the significant decline in sales from its historic opening week, this still marks the fifth-largest week for any album in 2025, and the biggest second-week haul since Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department earned 439,000 units in its sophomore week in April 2024. Showgirl becomes the third album in 2025 to spend its first two weeks at No. 1, joining Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem and Playboi Carti’s MUSIC.

There are no debuts in this week’s sluggish Billboard 200 Top 10, as the only significant move comes from Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving, which rises one spot to reach a new peak of No. 6 in its third week on the chart, marking only the third album this year to debut in the Top 10 and climb to a new high after its opening week. The Top Five is rounded out by all non-moving former No. 1s, as the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack is No. 2, Wallen’s I’m the Problem is No. 3, Cardi B’s AM I THE DRAMA? is No. 4, and Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend is No. 5. The rest of the Top 10 features Bad Bunny’s DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS falling one spot to No. 7, SZA’s SOS rising one slot to No. 8, Alex Warren’s You’ll Be Alright, Kid slides down one place to No. 9, and Wallen’s One Thing at a Time remains at No. 10. (Billboard)

On Thursday night (October 16), Sam Fender was awarded the 2025 Mercury Prize for his album, People Watching. The ceremony was held in Fender’s hometown of Newcastle in the North East of England, marking the first time the awards took place outside of London. Receiving the trophy from broadcaster and DJ Sian Eleri, Fender thanked fellow nominees like CMAT and Fontaines D.C., while other shortlisted bands like Pulp, FKA Twigs, and Wolf Alice performed at the event. Fender dedicated the award to the late Annie Orwin, who inspired the album, referring to her as “like a surrogate mother to me and passed away last November. I was by her side at the end, slept on a chair next to her. It’s about what was going through my head, to and from that place and home.” Emotional and surprised by the win, he praised his hometown, calling it “the best region in the country,” before performing the title track to a standing ovation. (NME)

Janelle Monáe and the Wondaland Arts Society have returned to Los Angeles with Wondaween 2025, a month-long Halloween festival spanning cemeteries, theaters, secret venues, and the Hollywood Bowl throughout the month of October. The event kicked off with a screening at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, and includes highlights like a horror conversation panel with Danny Elfman at USC, a game night, a Haunted Hayride at Monáe Manor. and a concert featuring Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas at the Hollywood Bowl, where Monáe will voice the character of Sally. The festivities culminate on October 30 with an invite-only Vampire Beach-themed music festival hosted by Monáe, featuring surprise DJs, rides, and a costume celebration at a secret location. Monáe, known for her imaginative Halloween costumes in years past, will likely reveal her holiday attire at the event, which she views as a joyful creative outlet and a way to inspire imagination and happiness. (Rolling Stone)

Fugees founder Pras Michél was recently convicted on multiple conspiracy charges that carry a potential 22-year prison sentence, and the 52-year-old rapper has partnered with Mark Wahlberg to produce a documentary exploring his musical legacy and high-profile 2023 trial. The film, produced under Wahlberg’s Unrealistic Ideas banner, will delve into Michél’s rise in the music world, while also focusing on the complex legal case involving allegations of funneling foreign funds to a straw donor to Obama’s 2012 presidential campaign, witness tampering, and failing to register as a foreign agent for China. “Everyone is fascinated by all the twists and turns, like it’s some kind of thriller,” Michél says. “But for me, this is just my life — the real, messy, complicated truth of what I’ve been living through.” Wahlberg is working on the film with Unrealistic Ideas president Archie Gips, who called the story, “a surprising mix of pop culture and geopolitical intrigue that feels like a spy thriller come to life.” (Billboard)

During a recent appearance on the Sherri show, Ja Rule joyfully announced that he’s going to be a grandfather, as his daughter Brittney Atkins, 30, and her husband, Tevin Aitken, are expecting their first child. "I'm about to be a grandfather," he proudly revealed, while jokingly adding, "That don't even sound right." The 49-year-old rapper and actor recounted the memorable moment Brittney revealed her pregnancy by gifting them a sonogram in a box labeled “you’re now grandma and grandfather.” "You can see my expression, see my wifey's expression," the Fast & Furious star shared. "It  was an amazing moment." Already a father of three with wife Aisha, Ja Rule humorously said he plans to adopt the nickname “Big Poppa” for his new role in an homage to The Notorious B.I.G. Show host Sherri Shepherd celebrated the news by presenting Ja Rule with a custom cardigan emblazoned with "Big Poppa" during the show. (People)

Charlie Puth and his wife Brooke revealed that they are expecting their first baby in the singer’s new music video for his song, "Changes." The track is the lead single on Puth’s forthcoming album, Whatever’s Clever!, which is due out March 6 via Atlantic Records. In the video, Brooke, wearing a red sweater, cradles her baby bump as Puth tenderly places his hands over hers, sharing an intimate moment that mirrors the personal themes of the song. A press release for the video says the clip "reflects on 'Changes' both personal and professional with a sweet cameo from his real life wife Brooke Sansone." Ahead of the music video’s release, Puth hinted at the baby announcement with a post on Instagram, writing in the caption: “This is the song I wanted you to hear first because it’s a perfect way to bring all of you into the most beautiful, colorful part of my life, which happens to be right now. You will soon know why…” (Billboard)

Ava Ahlander, a 23-year-old concertgoer from Seattle, tragically died while evacuating the REDWEST Festival in Salt Lake City on Saturday (October 11) due to severe weather. The event, which was set to be headlined by Post Malone, was postponed and attendees were urged to seek shelter, so Ahlander took refuge in her car. But she was struck by a 2×12-inch scaffolding board from a nearby construction site when she stepped out of the vehicle, sustaining fatal head and neck injuries. Despite receiving emergency medical care, her family confirmed her passing to a local news station. “Ava was an absolute delight of a human being. Everyone loved her,” the family said in a statement. “She was an avid concert goer and had flown in from Seattle to go see Post Malone with her friends.” They have since launched a GoFundMe to cover funeral and medical expenses and counseling for those affected, with remaining funds to be donated to a charity in her honor. (Consequence of Sound)

Shaboozey is praising Bad Bunny as the ideal choice for the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show headliner, calling him a "global superstar, global icon — and an American citizen," whose performances ignite audiences worldwide. Shaboozey – an NFL halftime show veteran after headlining the 2024 Thanksgiving Day Halftime Show in November before making a high-profile cameo in the Beyoncé Bowl on Christmas Day – spoke with Billboard during the U.S. Grand Prix, telling the publication, “I think Bad Bunny’s awesome.” The country superstar went on to add that Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance is going to bring the event to a worldwide audience. “I’ve noticed the NFL has been trying to expand,” Shaboozey said, while adding, “My brother Myles Smith played up in Dublin at one of their season openers, so they’re clearly trying to globalize the brand. Football’s such a beloved sport, why not not take it to other places?” (Billboard)

The music world is mourning the loss of neo-soul legend D’Angelo, who died on Tuesday (October 14) at the age of 51 from prostate cancer. His passing has prompted heartfelt tributes from artists including Lauryn Hill, Doja Cat, Missy Elliott, Beyoncé, and Jill Scott. Hill, who duetted with D’Angelo on “Nothing Even Matters” from her landmark 1998 album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, wrote a moving tribute to him on Instagram: “I regret not having more time with you. Your undeniable beauty and talent were not of this world. You sir, moved us, stirred us, inspired and even intimidated others to action with your genius. Thank you for being a beacon of light to a generation and beyond who had no remembrance of the legacy that preceded us.” Beyoncé honored D’Angelo on her website: “We thank you for your beautiful music, your voice, your proficiency on the piano, your artistry, you were the pioneer of neo-soul and that changed and transformed rhythm & blues forever, we will never forget you.” While his longtime manager, Kedar Massenburg, shared, “D’Angelo was a one-of-a-kind innovator and trailblazer whose contribution to Neo-Soul, R&B, and hip hop, will last forever.” (Variety)

At the Los Angeles stop of his Antagonist 2.0 Tour on Tuesday night (October 14), Playboi Carti delivered a star-studded performance at Crypto.com Arena. The chart-topping Atlanta rapper brought out A$AP Rocky – who signed Carti to his creative agency, AWGE – and Kendrick Lamar, who surprised fans with a guest appearance during the track “GOOD CREDIT.” This marked a reciprocal moment for the hip-hop stars, as Kendrick had previously brought out Carti during his Grand National Tour stop in Atlanta back in April. Kendrick is set to resume his world tour in Australia this December, while Carti continues his Antagonist 2.0 Tour across major U.S. cities over the next two months, while teasing his highly-anticipated Baby Boi album, which was confirmed to be completed earlier this year but has yet to be given an official release date. (Billboard)

Sabrina Carpenter is the host and musical guest on Saturday Night Live’s October 18 episode, and the pop superstar released a new promo for the show that parodies Sex and the City. In the clip, Carpenter hilariously steps into Carrie Bradshaw’s New York, exchanging witty banter with cast members, and embodying the iconic character’s sass, all while a voiceover shares her thoughts about the experience. “The woman wondered what she’d gotten herself into,” Carpenter narrates while she types away at a laptop that isn’t even turned on, before leaving us hanging at the end of the clip by adding, “Having won over the cast and crew, the only thing left to do was…” Carpenter made her debut appearance on SNL in May 2024 by performing her hit single, “Espresso,” alongside a medley of her early tunes, "Feather/Nonsense," and she has since gone on to release two chart-topping albums, the Grammy-winning Short n’ Sweet and Man’s Best Friend. (Rolling Stone)

Nicki Minaj has announced that she is canceling her planned sixth studio album, which was originally set to be released on March 27, 2026. The rapper wrote on X on Wednesday (October 15), “Ok I’m not going to put out the album anymore. No more music,” and she tagged Jay-Z with the message, “Hope you’re happy now.” Minaj then said farewell to her fans by adding, “Bye, Barbz. Love you for life.” In previous posts, Minaj alluded to conflicts with industry figures and her record label, suggesting attempts to block her success. She also referenced tensions with Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez amid ongoing public disputes, including a legal ruling against her and her husband. Despite her announcement, fans on social media remain skeptical of Minaj’s claim that she’s done releasing music, while they patiently await the eventual follow-up to 2023’s Pink Friday 2. (Rolling Stone)

Kylie Jenner has revived her edgy alter ego, King Kylie, while making her music debut on Terror Jr’s new single, “Fourth Strike.” The song is a follow-up to their 2014 track, “Three Strikes,” which was featured in an early Kylie Cosmetics lip gloss ad. The reemergence of King Kylie is tied to her relaunch of signature Kylie Cosmetics retro products under the same banner. The track accompanies a new commercial featuring Jenner as a recently released prisoner driving off in a black convertible with her mother, Kris Jenner, blending throwback visuals aligned with the King Kylie theme. Terror Jr were initially an anonymous group who first gained attention through their collaboration with Kylie Cosmetics. Jenner denied being involved with their original single, which makes this musical feature her official debut. Jenner is also set to appear in Charli XCX’s upcoming A24 film, The Moment, which will expand the acting career of the 28-year-old cosmetics and entertainment mogul. (Rolling Stone)

In a new Vanity Fair cover story, Charli XCX discussed her upcoming film, The Moment, which she described as a “2024 period piece” and “the realest depiction of the music industry that I’ve ever seen.” The movie, which is “based on an original idea” by Charli, explores an alternate reality of her career during the Brat era, imagining how things might have unfolded had she made different choices. It follows a rising pop star navigating fame and industry pressures ahead of her arena tour debut, but Charli explicitly says the project is “not a tour documentary or a concert film in any way.” The film is directed and co-written by Aidan Zamiri, with Charli set to star alongside a star-studded cast featuring Alexander Skarsgård, Rachel Sennott, Kylie Jenner, Rosanna Arquette, and more. While the film doesn't have a specific release date, it is set to arrive sometime in 2026, and features music by Charli’s frequent collaborator, A.G. Cook. (Rolling Stone)

Sabrina Carpenter took to her Instagram Stories to praise Taylor Swift as the “greatest of all time” (GOAT) after Swift's Billboard No. 1 album, The Life of a Showgirl, shattered records by selling over 4 million copies in its first week, marking the biggest opening week in music history. Carpenter, who is featured as the sole guest artist on the album after touring with Swift during her blockbuster Eras Tour, reshared Swift’s recent Instagram post, and celebrated her milestone with a series of heart emojis and the emphatic phrase “Of. All. Time.” In her caption, Swift reflected on her humble beginnings and expressed her appreciation for the overwhelming success of Showgirl, writing: “I have 4 million thank you’s I want to send to the fans, and 4 million reasons to feel even more proud of this album than I already was. I’ll cherish this feeling forever. Thank you for the lovely bouquet. 💐” (Billboard)

Megan Thee Stallion took to Instagram on Monday (October 13) to announce the return of her annual Hottieween Party, which is set to take place on Halloween night (October 31) in the Houston suburb of Humble, Texas. Costumes are mandatory for the event, and everyone must be 21 or older to attend. Tickets go on-sale on Wednesday (October 15), with proceeds benefitting the Grammy-winning rapper’s Pete & Thomas Foundation, which provides resources for women, children, senior citizens, and underserved communities in the area. “HOUSTON HOTTIES IM COMING HOME FOR HALLOWEEN!,” Meg wrote in the caption, while adding, “This year Hottieween is gonna be BIGGER than ever!!! 🎃” In addition to her upcoming holiday party, on Friday (October 10), Megan was honored by The Trevor Project with the 2025 Mental Health Champion of the Year Award for her advocacy and initiatives supporting mental health. (Billboard)

D’Angelo, the pioneering soul and R&B artist known for his critically acclaimed albums Brown Sugar, Voodoo, and Black Messiah, died on Tuesday (October 14) at 51 after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer. “The shining star of our family has dimmed his light for us in this life,” his family said in a statement. “We are saddened that he can only leave dear memories with his family, but we are eternally grateful for the legacy of extraordinarily moving music he leaves behind.” Celebrated as a modern visionary and a key figure in the Soulquarians collective – which included Questlove, Erykah Badu, J Dilla, and Q-Tip – he was lauded for his innovative artistry and profound musical depth, earning 14 Grammy nominations and four wins during his career, including Best R&B Album for both Voodoo and Black Messiah.

Born Michael Eugene Archer in Richmond, Virginia, he displayed musical talent from an early age, ultimately shaping the sound of contemporary soul and R&B, while rejecting industry labels like "neo-soul," instead describing his work simply as “black music.” Despite personal battles with addiction and lengthy struggles with writer’s block, D’Angelo created timeless music renowned for its emotional intensity and meticulous craftsmanship, influencing a generation of artists before his untimely death. D’Angelo is survived by his son, Michael Archer, whom he shared with soul singer Angie Stone until her death in March 2025. (Rolling Stone)

During her Radical Optimism Tour stop at San Francisco’s Chase Center on Sunday night (October 12), Dua Lipa continued her tour tradition of honoring hometown music legends by surprising the audience with a duet with Billie Joe Armstrong on Green Day’s 2004 multi-platinum hit, “Wake Me Up When September Ends.” Lipa introduced the performance by announcing to the crowd: “Every night we do a different surprise song by a local artist, and I immediately thought about San Francisco and all the incredible music that has come out of here. I thought about one band in particular. Join me in welcoming the incredible Billie Joe from Green Day!” Lipa’s collaboration with Armstrong followed her tribute to Bay Area icon Janis Joplin with a cover of “Piece of My Heart” during Saturday’s show. Throughout the tour, Lipa has paid homage to various local artists in each city, and welcomed notable musicians like Gwen Stefani, Chaka Khan, and Charli XCX to share the stage for special collaborations in their hometowns. (NME)

Sabrina Carpenter continues to explore her country music influences, surprising fans during her headlining set at the Austin City Limits Music Festival on Saturday night (October 11) by bringing out The Chicks to perform their No. 1 smash, “Wide Open Spaces.” The 13-time Grammy winning trio also joined Carpenter for a rendition of her chart-topping hit, “Please Please Please,” which she recently re-released with country music icon Dolly Parton. “ACL weekend 2 🖤 such a special night,” Carpenter wrote on Instagram alongside a photo carousel from the show. “Getting to sing wide open spaces/ please please please with @thechicks was a true highlight of my life!!” This follows Carpenter’s collaboration with country legend Shania Twain during the previous weekend at ACL, and comes shortly after Sabrina made her celebrated Grand Ole Opry debut, highlighting her ongoing homage to country music amid her Grammy-winning pop career. (Holler)

After taking an extended break from live performances in 2024, Demi Lovato announced on Monday (October 13) that she is returning to the stage for a one-night-only show at the Palladium in Los Angeles on October 25. The concert will celebrate the release of Lovato's new album, It’s Not That Deep, which drops the previous day, with the performance also set to feature her favorite hits from over the years. “This era is a celebration of the journey that’s brought me to where i am today,” Lovato wrote. “I haven’t announced a headline show since 2023 and i have missed seeing your faces so much. i cannot wait to get back in a room with you all and sing, dance, scream, and shake our asses TOGETHER!!” Tickets went on-sale at 2 p.m. PT on Monday (October 13), with a press release revealing that tickets are being sold in “limited quantities for this underplay.” (Billboard)

Taylor Swift makes history by claiming the Top 12 spots on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated October 18. All the songs from Swift's record-setting No. 1 album, The Life of a Showgirl, reached the top twelve places on the chart, led by the No. 1 debut of “The Fate of Ophelia.” This marks the first time a full album has occupied the Top 12 spots uninterrupted on the chart, while Swift dominates the entire Hot 100 Top 10 for the third time in her career, a feat no other artist has ever achieved. “The Fate of Ophelia” also set streaming records with 92.5 million U.S. streams in its debut week – the highest since streaming became the sole chart metric in 2020 – and earned Swift her 13th career Hot 100 No. 1, tying her with Drake and Michael Jackson for fourth-most in chart history, behind only The Beatles (20 No. 1s), Mariah Carey (19), and Rihanna (14).

The album’s 12 tracks collectively amassed 679 million streams, with each of the 12 songs accumulating at least 1.1 million in airplay audience, while cumulatively they rang up 68.5 million in radio reach. Following “The Fate of Ophelia” at No. 1 on the Hot 100 is “Opalite” at No. 2, “Elizabeth Taylor” at No. 3, “Father Figure” at No. 4, “Wood” at No. 5, “Wi$h Li$t” at No. 6, “Actually Romantic” at No. 7, “The Life of a Showgirl,” feat. Sabrina Carpenter at No. 8, “Eldest Daughter” at No. 9, “Cancelled!” at No. 10, “Ruin the Friendship” at No. 11, and “Honey” coming in at No. 12. (Billboard)

Taylor Swift announced on Monday (October 13) that she is bringing a six-episode documentary series, Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The End of an Era, along with a companion concert film, Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The Final Show, to Disney+ on December 12. The docuseries offers an intimate look at her life during the record-setting global tour, featuring appearances by opening acts Gracie Abrams and Sabrina Carpenter, as well as special guests Ed Sheeran and Florence Welch, with episodes releasing two at a time over three weeks. The concert film captures the full final show of The Eras Tour held at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver on December 8, 2023, showcasing never-before-aired material from The Tortured Poets Department era of the show. Directed by Don Argott and Glenn Weiss respectively, these projects celebrate the culmination of Swift’s landmark tour, with Taylor writing, “It was the End of an Era and we knew it.” (Variety)

Taylor Swift's new album, The Life of a Showgirl, debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart after selling a record-breaking 4.002 million equivalent album units – including 3.48 million pure album sales – in its first week, marking the largest single-week sales and album consumption figures since Luminate first began tracking data in 1991. Opening week sales of The Life of a Showgirl breaks the record previously set by the opening frame of Adele’s 25, which recorded 3.482 million units (3.378 million pure album sales) in November 2015. This achievement gives Swift her record-setting 15th No. 1 album, the most ever for a solo artist – surpassing Drake and JAY-Z – while making her second only to The Beatles all-time record of 19 No. 1 albums. Notably, all 15 of Swift’s full-length studio and rerecorded albums, from 2008’s Fearless onward, have debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, with The Life of a Showgirl also making Swift the only artist in history to have eight different albums sell at least 1 million copies in a single week.

The rest of the Billboard 200 Top 10 features seven former No. 1 albums, including last week's leader, the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack, which drops one spot to No. 2, while Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem falls one slot to No. 3, Cardi B’s AM I THE DRAMA? slides down one place to No. 4, Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend holds at No. 5, Bad Bunny’s DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS vaults up four spots to No. 6 (after he hosted the season premiere of NBC’s Saturday Night Live on Oct. 4), SZA’s SOS jumps up three slots to No. 9, and Wallen’s former chart-topper, One Thing at a Time, ascends three places to No. 10. The Top 10 is rounded out by Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving, which rises one spot to No. 7 in its second week on the chart, while Alex Warren’s You’ll Be Alright, Kid jumps up three slots to No. 8. (Billboard)

Role Model made his Saturday Night Live debut on October 11, performing two songs from his deluxe album, Kansas Anymore, including his hit “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out,” which reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay chart. During the rousing performance of “Sally,” Charli XCX made a surprise cameo as the song’s title character when the singer asked, “Where’s my Sally tonight?” The Grammy-winning pop superstar shocked fans by joining Role Model on stage, with Charli doing a playful dance while wearing a black leather skirt, dark sunglasses, and a “Max’s Kansas City” T-shirt. before blowing him a kiss as she exited the stage. In previous live performances of his breakout hit, Role Model has been joined by famous “Sallys” like Natalie Portman, Olivia Rodrigo, Hilary Duff, Reneé Rapp, Kate Hudson, and Troye Sivan, who toured with Charli in 2024 on their co-headlining Sweat Tour. (Billboard)

On Friday (October 10), No Doubt announced details of their six-night residency at Las Vegas’ Sphere in May 2026, marking the Grammy-winning band’s return to the stage following their acclaimed 2024 Coachella performances and the FireAid benefit concert earlier this year. The group – featuring Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont, and Adrian Young – will perform six limited engagement shows on May 6, 8, 9, 13, 15 and 16. “The opportunity to create a show at Sphere excites me in a new way,” says Stefani in a statement. “The venue is unique and modern and it opens up a whole new visual palette for us to be creative. Doing it with No Doubt feels like going back in time to relive our history, while also creating something new in a way we never could have imagined.” This residency will be the first by a female-fronted act at the Sphere, with ticket presale beginning on Wednesday (October 15), followed by a  general on-sale on Friday (October 17). (Variety)

Justin Bieber’s “Daisies” has reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart dated October 18. This marks Bieber's 11th chart-topper of his career, while tying Bruno Mars for the most No. 1s among solo male artists since the chart’s inception in 1992. This achievement places Bieber alongside Maroon 5, Katy Perry, and Rihanna, each with 11 No. 1 hits, second only to Taylor Swift’s record 13. “Daisies,” from his new album SWAG, returns Bieber to the Pop Airplay summit for the first time since 2022, and extends his span of No. 1 hits to nearly a decade, beginning with “What Do You Mean?” in 2015. The song also dethroned Alex Warren’s “Ordinary,” which had held the No. 1 spot for a record 16 weeks, ultimately surpassing Ace of Base’s 14-week reign in 1994 with “The Sign” for the all-time mark. (Billboard)

Good Morning America is teasing a “huge new exclusive announcement” related to Taylor Swift on Monday’s (October 13) episode. “TOMORROW: We’re keep it 💯 with an exclusive Taylor Swift announcement! Tune in ONLY on GMA!” reads the caption on the show's Instagram post, which features a clip from Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” music video from her chart-topping new album, The Life of a Showgirl. The post includes a voiceover that says: “She’s at it again. Taylor Swift shattering records with the biggest album debut in history with over four million units. And now tomorrow morning, GMA has a huge new exclusive announcement on Taylor. So what’s next for her? Find out on Good Morning America.” While speculation about a Showgirl tour continues to build, Swift recently confirmed she is too exhausted after her blockbuster Eras Tour and has no immediate plans to tour again. Fans can catch the exclusive reveal on GMA, which airs from 7-9 a.m. ET on ABC. (Billboard)

During her Miami concert at the Kaseya Center on Thursday night (October 9), Billie Eilish was violently grabbed and nearly pulled into the crowd by an aggressive fan while leaving the stage and exchanging high-fives with the audience. The alarming incident, which was captured in a series of fan-shot videos, initially caused Eilish to fall against the barricade, though she appeared uninjured afterward, and was helped up by security before continuing without further fan interaction. The Miami Police Department confirmed the fan was ejected from the venue with no charges pending. Eilish has previously spoken about the challenges of fan behavior at concerts in a 2013 interview with The Hollywood Report, telling the publication, “people just get excited and it can be dangerous. You’re in a vulnerable position.” Eilish launched the new North American leg of her Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour with a three-night stand in Miami over the weekend, and has additional live dates scheduled through November. (Rolling Stone)