Music


Stormzy Awarded Honorary Fellowship by Jesus College, Cambridge

Stormzy Awarded Honorary Fellowship by Jesus College, Cambridge

Stormzy has been awarded an Honorary Fellowship for his enormous cultural impact and philanthropic work. The rapper and singer-songwriter, 32, was awarded the honour by Jesus College at the University of Cambridge.  Stormzy, whose real name is Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Junior, was elected in recognition of his cultural influence, commitment to social change and work championing educational access and equity. It is a symbolic title awarded to someone who has made a significant contrib


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Rihanna Surpasses 100 Million Monthly Spotify Listeners for the First Time

Rihanna Surpasses 100 Million Monthly Spotify Listeners for the First Time

Rihanna has officially joined Spotify’s most elite club — surpassing 100 million monthly listeners for the first time ever. Rihanna is now the 11th artist in Spotify history to pass 100 million monthly listeners, joining a lineup of legends like Bruno Mars, The Weeknd, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and Ed Sheeran. It’s been nearly a decade since her last studio album ANTI dropped in 2016, yet her presence on the charts hasn’t faded one bit. What’s wild is that Rihanna has only released four fea


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Nicki Minaj Says She’s Quitting Music After Jay-Z and Roc Nation Rant

Nicki Minaj Says She’s Quitting Music After Jay-Z and Roc Nation Rant

Nicki Minaj has shocked fans by announcing she’s walking away from music altogether. The rapper took to X on Wednesday to reveal she’s canceling her next album after calling out Jay-Z and Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez in a fiery online outburst. They came BEGGING the QUEEN for a tour & album & I said NOPE!!!!! LMFAO. Wanted to patch it up. They needed help from the QUEEN & the BARBZ. I called the Barbz on the secret BARB phone & it was a resounding NOOOOOOOO. just like the casinooooooooooooooooo


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A$AP Rocky Won’t Reveal Any More Release Dates for ‘Don’t Be Dumb’

A$AP Rocky Won’t Reveal Any More Release Dates for ‘Don’t Be Dumb’

A$AP Rocky is preparing for a highly anticipated comeback with his forthcoming album, Don’t Be Dumb—his first full-length project since Testing in 2018. In a recent conversation with Numéro Magazine, published Monday, the Harlem rapper opened up about his decision to take a more deliberate approach to releasing new music. For Rocky, the focus now is less about timing and more about quality. “Honestly, I’m done discussing release schedules,” Rocky said. “I believe in letting the work speak for i


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Killer Mike and JID to Induct Outkast Into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Killer Mike and JID to Induct Outkast Into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

On November 8, Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater will host one of the year’s most anticipated music events. Sleepy Brown, Killer Mike, and JID are set to perform a tribute to Outkast as the Atlanta duo is officially inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Fans and artists have long called the honor overdue, recognizing Outkast’s groundbreaking influence on Southern hip-hop. Their enduring mark on global music culture makes this tribute significant. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame confirmed the lin


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Soul Legend D'Angelo dead at the age of 51

Soul Legend D'Angelo dead at the age of 51

Remembering D’Angelo: The Neo-Soul Luminary Has Left Us Way Too Soon In a heartbreaking development that’s rocked the music world, acclaimed singer, songwriter, and producer D’Angelo (born Michael Eugene Archer) has reportedly passed away at the age of 51. According to sources, he lost a private, years-long battle with pancreatic cancer. Word of his death began circulating on October 14, 2025. The news has sent shockwaves through the music community, sparking heartbreak, tributes, and retrospe


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Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl Shatters Multiple U.K. Chart Records — Biggest Opening Since 2017

Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl Shatters Multiple U.K. Chart Records — Biggest Opening Since 2017

Taylor Swift’s record-breaking week continues as she bags No. 1 spots on the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart and Official Singles Chart following a gargantuan debut for The Life of a Showgirl (Oct. 10). Her 12th studio album nets Swift her 14th No. 1 in the U.K. overall, while lead single “The Fate of Ophelia” earns the superstar her fifth U.K. No. 1 single. The Life of a Showgirl gives Swift her biggest opening week ever in the U.K. with 423,00 units across physicals, streaming and downloads, su


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YoungBoy Never Broke Again Explodes at Fan for Throwing Objects During South Carolina Show

YoungBoy Never Broke Again Explodes at Fan for Throwing Objects During South Carolina Show

YoungBoy Never Broke Again threatened to beat a fan after he kept getting pelted with objects during a tour stop in Columbus, South Carolina. During YoungBoy’s latest performance on Thursday, the rapper paused his rowdy setlist to address a rambunctious fan in the crowd who kept throwing items onstage. “I had to calm myself down,” YoungBoy said in part. “Throw one more thing up here, I’mma whoop your a–, boy. Throw one more.” He went on to reiterate he would beat him down if he threw one more


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Drake’s Defamation Lawsuit Against UMG Dismissed by Federal Judge

Drake’s Defamation Lawsuit Against UMG Dismissed by Federal Judge

A federal judge has reportedly dismissed Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), bringing an end to the rapper’s legal fight over Kendrick Lamar’s hit diss track, “Not Like Us.” According to reports, Judge Jeannette A. Vargas issued the ruling on October 9, 2025, concluding that the controversial lyrics at the center of the dispute—where Lamar accused Drake of being a “certified pedophile” and implied misconduct—were protected speech under the First Amendment. The Case:


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Warner Music & Netflix in Talks for Artist-Focused Films and Documentaries

Warner Music & Netflix in Talks for Artist-Focused Films and Documentaries

Warner Music Group is nearing a major content deal with Netflix to produce films and documentaries inspired by its legendary artists and songs, according to a new Bloomberg report. The discussions signal a renewed focus for the record label, which aims to turn its vast catalog into cinematic stories that resonate across generations. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Billboard On the Record (@billboardontherecord) The potential partnership would represent a strategic evolution


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‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ ‘Wicked,’ ‘A Complete Unknown’ & MORE Lead 2026 Grammys Contenders for Best Compilation Soundtrack

‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ ‘Wicked,’ ‘A Complete Unknown’ & MORE Lead 2026 Grammys Contenders for Best Compilation Soundtrack

KPop Demon Hunters, which has topped the Billboard 200 for two nonconsecutive weeks, and Wicked, which debuted and peaked at No. 2 on that chart last December, are among the 48 soundtracks vying for Grammy nominations for best compilation soundtrack for visual media. Wicked received 10 Oscar nominations earlier this year, including nods for both of its main stars, Cynthia Erivoand Ariana Grande. Soundtracks from two other films that were major players at the Oscars on March 2 are also vying fo


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T-Pain’s Viral Track “Club Husband” Set to Drop October 17

T-Pain’s Viral Track “Club Husband” Set to Drop October 17

T-Pain’s unreleased track, “Club Husband,” has gained a life of its own on social media, with fans clamoring for an official release. On October 7, the award-winning recording artist took to Instagram to announce that the song behind the viral trend will be released on October 17. “Clearly you need a Club Husband [ring emoji] 10/17,” T-Pain captioned the post.  T-Pain would share a self-made Nappy Boy News newspaper to promote the upcoming song on social media. Promoting the presave option, th


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Central Cee Earns His First No. 1 on Rap & Rhythmic Airplay Charts With “Which One” — As Drake Extends His All-Time Record

Central Cee Earns His First No. 1 on Rap & Rhythmic Airplay Charts With “Which One” — As Drake Extends His All-Time Record

Drake strings together his fourth No. 1 in a row on Rhythmic Airplay, all coming in 2025. Drake’s 43rd No. 1 on Billboard’s Rhythmic Airplay chart is courtesy of his Central Cee collaboration “Which One,” which lifts 2-1 on the tally dated Oct. 11. With “Which One,” Drake strings together his fourth No. 1 in a row on the list — all coming in 2025. “Nokia” reigned for two weeks in May, followed by the PARTYNEXTDOOR and Cash Cobain collaboration “Somebody Loves Me” in July for a week and the thr


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2026 GRAMMYs: Over 1,000 Songs Battle for Eight Nomination Slots

2026 GRAMMYs: Over 1,000 Songs Battle for Eight Nomination Slots

The race for the 2026 Grammy Awards is heating up as over 1,000 songs are competing for only eight nomination spots in the Song of the Year category. Billboard reports that the category received 1,015 entries this year, making it the most competitive category in the entire awards. In contrast, Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media had only 48 submissions, the lowest number recorded. Voting for the 68th Grammys opened on Friday, October 3. Members of the Recording Academy have until Octo


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Kendrick Lamar Eyes History with 2026 Grammy Submissions

Kendrick Lamar Eyes History with 2026 Grammy Submissions

Kendrick Lamar has officially entered the race for the 2026 Grammy Awards, staking his claim as hip-hop’s leading creative force with his latest album, GNX. This album is a collection of collaborations that have reignited his dominance. As the discourse around Lamar’s evolution deepens, this moment feels like a defining close to a remarkable chapter. This chapter is shaped by his influence in the post-Drake landscape. GNX, along with collaborations featuring SZA, Playboi Carti, and Clipse, anc


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Taylor Swift drops 12th studio album, ‘The Life of a Showgirl’

Taylor Swift drops 12th studio album, ‘The Life of a Showgirl’

Taylor Swift on Friday dropped her 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” a collection of bouncy pop songs about love, marriage, success — and score-settling. For the hotly anticipated album, the 35-year-old artiste reunited with Swedish hitmakers Max Martin and Shellback, and their influence is clear in the driving beats and catchy hooks. “Tonight all these lives converge here, the mosaics of laughter and cocktails of tears… I can’t tell you how proud I am to share this with you, an alb


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