Only days after announcing his forthcoming new album, Echo, BTS member Jin has unveiled plans for his debut solo world tour, the  #RUNSEOKJIN_EP.TOUR, named after his YouTube variety show Run Jin. The tour will hit nine cities throughout the summer, including a series of eight shows in the U.S. in late July at arenas in Anaheim, Dallas, Tampa, and Newark, with each city hosting a two-night stand from the K-pop superstar. The run of shows will start in South Korea and Japan before heading to the U.S., with the tour set to wrap up in London and Amsterdam. Echo is set for release on May 16, and according to the record’s press release, it “showcases his versatile vocals across a spectrum of moods and styles. It reflects a deeper layer of vocal maturity and personal storytelling that underscores Jin’s evolving artistry.” (Rolling Stone)

Drake has just filed an amended complaint in his defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group, citing Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show performance of “Not Like Us” as broadening the audience for the diss track and causing "even more people to be duped into believing that Drake was a pedophile." The artist’s legal team claimed that UMG intentionally caused harm to Drake by promoting Lamar’s Super Bowl performance after his initial lawsuit was filed, asserting that it “was the first, and will hopefully be the last, Super Bowl halftime show orchestrated to assassinate the character of another artist.” The amended lawsuit also claims that Lamar purposefully omitted an inflammatory line from “Not Like Us” in order to still be allowed to perform at the halftime show. “That is because nearly everyone understands that it is defamatory to falsely brand someone a ‘certified pedophile,'” the complaint reads. (Consequence of Sound)

After opening for Taylor Swift on her Eras Tour at major venues throughout the world, Gracie Abrams has revealed her desire to headline her own stadium shows in a recent Billboard cover story. The 25-year-old singer-songwriter stated that witnessing Swift's massive performances inspired her desire to achieve the same level of success. “Hell yeah,”Abrams said when asked if she wanted to headline stadiums in the future. “I could have never imagined myself admitting to that. I think having had the privilege of opening for Taylor in the stadiums that we played, to now have a visual reference and a real sense of what it feels like to be on a stage in that environment … It’s something that I miss and desperately hope to earn over time.” The Grammy nominee also praised another past tourmate, Olivia Rodrigo, for aiding her career. “She gave me such a shot, opening for her on the Sour Tour,” Abrams said. “I adore her with my whole heart for forever and ever.” (Billboard)

Six months after the tragic death of singer Liam Payne, his sister Ruth Gibbins penned an emotional tribute to her late brother, expressing her ongoing pain over his loss. In a heartfelt Instagram post on Wednesday (April 16), Gibbins described the daily struggle of living without her brother, while reminiscing about their shared memories and the ways she feels his presence guiding her. “My head is still screaming for you,” Gibbins wrote. “Each morning on waking, I feel like I am plunged underwater. Living without you is impossible, so for now, I exist. I’m learning to laugh or smile in the right places, but mate, it’s exhausting when all I want to do is speak to you.” Payne, who rose to fame at the age of 17 as a member of One Direction alongside Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson, died on October 16, 2024 after falling from the balcony of a hotel room in Buenos Aires. Gibbins' added, “I miss you loudly, quietly and in all the moments in between. For now I’ll meet you in my dreams.” (Rolling Stone)

In the new Rolling Stone cover story feature, Lil Wayne opened up about his disappointment in being passed over for the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show in his hometown of New Orleans. Wayne felt snubbed when Kendrick Lamar was ultimately chosen for the slot, and vowed never to perform at the event in the future. “They stole that feeling,” Weezy said “I don’t want to do it. It was perfect.” Wayne admits that he was blindsided when he wasn’t selected to perform, but still has respect for Jay-Z and Roc Nation, who oversee the halftime show. Wayne said he reached out to Lamar prior to his performance to show support, even though he didn’t watch the halftime show. “Every time I looked,” Wayne said of Lamar’s set, “it was nothing that made me want to go inside and see what was going on.” (Rolling Stone)

During an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday (April 15), Luke Bryan shared that he unexpectedly found himself intrigued by the livestream featuring fellow American Idol judge Katy Perry's all-female space flight on Monday (April 14). The country star's interest was piqued while scrolling through Instagram on his morning farm walk, leading him to tune in to witness Blue Origin’s NS-31 launch. “They’re heading to the capsule, and I’m sitting there walking and it roped me in,” he said. “Because when you have a friend — I mean, let’s face it — it could blow up. So I wanted it to not do that.” Bryan then expressed a willingness to take the chance of traveling to space himself, but admitted that he would need to have "a delicate negotiation" with his family to get their approval first, concluding that they would most likely give him "a resounding no." (People)

Nas' Mass Appeal Records has unveiled seven forthcoming records as part of their "Legend Has It..." series, featuring new records on the way from New York hip-hop pioneers like Nas & DJ Premier, De La Soul, and Mobb Deep. The venerable rap label is also releasing highly anticipated projects from Ghostface Killah – who will finally drop his long-rumored Supreme Clientele 2 – Raekwon the Chef’s Emperor’s New Clothes, and a posthumous release from late Harlem rapper Big L, along with what they are teasing as “the epic return of a surprise guest of honor.” Notably, De La Soul and Mobb Deep will be releasing their first albums since the passing of their beloved members Trugoy the Dove and Prodigy. Mass Appeal shared a teaser video for their upcoming releases, and while all the projects are expected to drop sometime in 2025, no release dates have been confirmed as of yet. (Consequence of Sound)

Ed Sheeran, ROSÉ of BLACKPINK, Snoop Dogg, and Hozier have been recognized as some of the Most Influential People of 2025 by TIME100. Those music icons are honored alongside singers Myles Smith and Nicole Scherzinger, actors Adam Scott, Rashida Jones, Kristen Bell, Demi Moore, Adrien Brody, and Blake Lively, and athletes including Serena Williams and Simone Biles. The annual list from TIME recognizes 100 people across multiple pursuits who are currently “transforming the world.” Chris Hemsworth praised Sheeran for the publication, writing that the four-time Grammy winner “has an almost supernatural ability to connect” with his fans while also being “one of the most kindhearted, down-to-earth people.” Noah Kahan wrote of Hozier, “I’m not sure where my life would’ve gone if I hadn’t been exposed to his music … Thank you for sharing your gift with us mere mortals.” While Hoda Kotb said of Snoop, “There’s just something about this guy that makes me — and millions of his fans — feel so happy and loved.” (Billboard)

Selena Gomez will be honored with the 2025 Woman of the Year award at the third annual Billboard Latin Women in Music event on April 24. The accolade “is presented to a female artist who has demonstrated exceptional success, leadership and cultural influence in the music industry and beyond,” with Gomez set to join previous honorees Shakira and Karol G. The 32-year-old global superstar has released three Billboard No. 1 albums and an impressive 42 entries on the Hot 100 chart during her celebrated career, including No. 1 hits, “Lose You to Love Me” and “Taki Taki.” Her 2021 Spanish-language EP, Revelación, earned Gomez a Grammy Award nomination for Best Latin Pop Album. Beyond music, Gomez is also being recognized for her advocacy on mental health and social justice issues. The awards show will air exclusively on Telemundo on April 24 at 9 p.m. ET, honoring additional artists like Anitta, Belinda, Celia Cruz, Chiquis, Ha*Ash, Natti Natasha, and Olga Tañón. (Billboard)

Young Thug took to social media on Wednesday (April 16) to announce that his forthcoming album, Uy Scuti, is on the way, though he did not disclose a specific release date for the project. “It’s time. Red Planet” Thugger teased in the post, which linked to his official webstore where fans can pre-order a variety of CD and vinyl packages and an assortment of new album-affiliated merchandise. Uy Scuti is named after a red supergiant star, and the Atlanta rap star has been teasing the album for the past month. He first unveiled the title by wearing a custom jersey to a Miami Heat game, while a billboard located near Coachella last weekend featured this teaser, “Universe has been too quiet. Until now. Uy Scuti.” The billboard included this mysterious date, “5/??/25,” which suggests a possible release date coming next month. This album will mark Young Thug's first new album since 2023's Business Is Business, which was released amid the rapper’s RICO trial and while he was in jail. (Rolling Stone)

On Wednesday (April 16), Lorde took to social media to announce that her highly-anticipated new single, "What Was That," is set to be released “soon.” In addition to the name of the track – which she recently previewed with a TikTok teaser video – the New Zealand pop superstar also shared the cover art for the forthcoming song, which features Lorde’s dripping wet face shot by American photographer Talia Chetrit. “What Was That” marks Lorde’s first new song in four years, and the singer shared a message with fans hinting that big things are ahead. “I just wanted to say hi, because everything is about to change,” she said. “These are the last moments where it’s just us, which is crazy. But so right. I’m so ready.” In addition to her new single, Lorde has been more visible as of late, making a surprise guest appearance during Charli XCX’s Coachella set on Saturday night (April 12), where the two pop titans performed their recent collaboration, “Girl, So Confusing.” (Variety)

Rapper BigXthaPlug's new collaboration with country singer Bailey Zimmerman, “All the Way,” debuts at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart this week. The track was released on BigXthaPlug/UnitedMasters, with additional radio promotion provided by Atlantic Records. “All the Way” also claims the top spot on the all-genre Streaming Songs and Digital Song Sales charts, while reaching No. 3 on Hot Rap Songs. “All the Way” also premiered at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, marking the first Top 10 of BigXthaPlug's career, and Zimmerman's second. The track is a preview of the Dallas rapper’s forthcoming country-focused project. “It gives me a better feeling how they’ll feel about the [country] project,” BigXthaPlug says of his new single. “I knew that song was gonna do something.” (Billboard)

After Katy Perry briefly traveled to space on Monday (April 14) as part of Blue Origin’s all-female mission, the fast food chain Wendy's took to X to share a humorous post which suggested, “Can we send her back.” The joke prompted Perry’s pop rival Kesha to share a photo of herself smiling mischievously while drinking from a Wendy's beverage cup. Kesha is trolling Perry  because the “Firework” hitmaker worked with producer Dr. Luke again on her latest album, 143, marking their first time recording music together since Kesha sued him in 2014 over accusations of "physical, sexual, verbal and emotional abuse over a 10-year period." in 2014. When it was first announced that Perry was back in the studio with Dr. Luke, Kesha took to X in June 2024 and wrote, "lol," and Kesha took their public feud even further by wearing an "LOL" t-shirt for her performance at Lollapalooza in Chicago last summer. (People)

On Monday (April 14), Lil Nas X shared an Instagram video from a hospital bed revealing he's experiencing a mysterious case of partial facial paralysis. The Grammy-winning musician did not disclose the cause of his ailment, but he maintained a positive attitude despite the scary ordeal. “I can’t even laugh right, bro,” Nas said while showing off his lopsided smile, revealing more of his paralysis via his Instagram Stories. The "Old Town Road" hitmaker eventually making a request of his fans, “Stop being sad for me! Shake ur ass for me instead!” The rapper later provided an update that he had returned home after a short stint in the hospital, and he eventually regained some movement in the right side of his face. Prior to this incident, Nas had been busy at work on his upcoming album, Dreamboy, and is scheduled to headline the Outloud Festival in Los Angeles this summer alongside Lizzo and Kim Petras. (Rolling Stone)

On Tuesday (April 15), Ice Cube announced the dates and details of his Truth to Power: 4 Decades of Attitude North American Tour, marking his first headlining domestic trek in over a decade. Cube’s 22-date jaunt – which will showcase the Compton rapper’s legendary career from his time in N.W.A. to his solo work – kicks off in Brooklyn on September 4, visiting cities such as Baltimore, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Oakland, before finishing on October 9 in Toronto. “Truth to Power is more than a tour — it’s a 40-year celebration,” Cube said in a statement. “The world needs truth. The people need power. And that’s what my music brings. It’s gonna be next level to go from city to city with a major production unlike anything I’ve ever done before.” Pre-sale starts on Wednesday (April 16), with general on-sale beginning on Friday (April 18), with a variety of VIP packages available, including meet-and-greet opportunities with the hip-hop icon and signed vinyl offerings. (Billboard)

During a recent appearance on a Kick livestream with Adin Ross, Drake confirmed that he is currently working on his next solo album. The upcoming project will follow the success of the Canadian rap superstar’s chart-topping collaboration with PARTYNEXTDOOR, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U. “Thank you to everybody that’s streaming the album,” Drake said of his latest release, before making the surprise revelation. “Every time, every journey. Working on a new album, it’s a slap.” When asked if that will be a solo record, Drake responded, “Yeah. Shout out to everybody that’s been showing us love, though, for real. On every song. We love you so much.” Amidst a high-profile rap beef with Kendrick Lamar and ongoing legal battles with Universal Music Group, Drake teased a forthcoming new chapter in his career on Instagram in March, writing at the time, “I understand that this next chapter may leave you feeling uneasy, but I hope you see my honesty as clarity not charity.” (Rolling Stone)

TLC's celebrated creative journey will come to life on stage in the upcoming CrazySexyCool – The Musical, set to premiere at Arena Stage in Washington, DC, in June 2026. The project will be produced by Bill Diggins' Diggit Theatrical Group, with Kwame Kwei-Armah (One Love: The Bob Marley Musical) writing and directing the piece. CrazySexyCool will portray the Grammy-winning trio's – featuring Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas – rise to fame and their impact on the music industry. TLC’s celebrated career included nine Top Ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100, and four No. 1 singles: "Creep", "Waterfalls", "No Scrubs", and "Unpretty.” “Bringing this story to the stage is a dream come true,” says T-Boz. “We have performed in a lot of different venues all over the world throughout our career, but bringing our story and music to the theater is a totally new and exciting challenge.” CrazySexyCool is set to run for eight weeks next summer as part of Arena Stage’s 75th anniversary season. (Billboard)

Barry Manilow has just announced the dates and details of what he is calling "The Last Concerts," a final tour across the US and Canada slated to take place this spring and summer. The 17-date headlining tour will mark a departure from the 81-year-old crooner’s long-running Las Vegas residency, and will include arena shows in cities such as Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston, Montreal, Toronto, Seattle, Portland, Oakland, and more. “I couldn’t be more thrilled to visit these great cities of which I have so many fond memories,” Manilow said in a statement. “Each one is special to my touring history.” Maniow just concluded a historic five-night stand at the venerable Radio City Music Hall over the weekend, and the singer is set to continue his ongoing Vegas residency with 36 upcoming shows scheduled to take place at the International Theater at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino throughout 2025. (Consequence of Sound)

Addison Rae joined Arca onstage at Coachella on Sunday night (April 13), and the pop singer took the opportunity to reveal the release date of her debut album by displaying "June 6th" on her pink undergarments. Rae made a special guest appearance during the experimental electronic producer’s set, joining her on a hypnotic rendition of “Arcamarine / Aquamarine.” During their collaboration, the pop singer turned around to show off the date of June 6th on her underwear, which was visible in her white see-through dress. “I love you, Arca!” Rae said after the big reveal. “Love you too sis,” Arca responded. The set also featured another special guest, Tokischa, with the Dominican rapper joining Arca to perform the duo’s collaborative track, “Chama.” Not much else is known about Rae’s highly-anticipated album – which will feature the TikTok star’s debut single, “Diet Pepsi” – but at least now we know when the project will finally drop. (Rolling Stone) 

Benson Boone wowed the Coachella crowd on Friday night (April 11), but it was the fans’ lukewarm reception to the surprise guest appearance by Queen guitarist Brian May that Boone was focused on after the show. The duo delivered a powerful rendition of Queen’s Diamond-certified 1975 hit, "Bohemian Rhapsody," which received a lackluster response from the young audience. Boone made light of the experience with a TikTok video that featured him lip-syncing to the iconic song into a banana microphone. “Me trying to get the crowd at Coachella to understand what an absolute legend Brian May is and the cultural impact he has on music and THE WORLD,” Boone wrote over the clip. May, for his part, loved the experience, captioning his Instagram post, “I'm still reeling from last night at Coachella. For Benson and his entire team, I have no words. I'm awestruck.” The Grammy-nominated Boone is set to return to the Coachella stage for weekend two on Friday, April 18. (Billboard)

Pop superstar Katy Perry and CBS Mornings anchor Gayle King were part of an all-female crew who took part in a space voyage on Monday (April 14) aboard Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin spacecraft. The New Shepard rocket took off at 9:30 a.m. ET from the company’s West Texas launch facility, and eventually reached a height of over 62 miles into the atmosphere, allowing the passengers to experience moments of weightlessness and stunning views of Earth. The autonomous rocket then landed successfully, bringing all its passengers safely home, which included Bezos’ fiancé Lauren Sánchez, engineer Aisha Bowe, activist Amanda Nguyen, and producer Kerianne Flynn. Perry sang Louis Armstrong’s classic, “What a Wonderful World,” during the flight, saying, “It’s not about me. It’s not about singing my songs. It’s about a collective energy and making space for future women. It’s about this wonderful world that we see right out there and appreciating it. This is all for the benefit of Earth.” Perry and King both kissed the ground after the safe landing. (Variety)

Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther” claims the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for an eighth consecutive week. The track ties 24kGoldn’s “Mood” (featuring Jann Dior) eight-week rule in 2020-21 for the second-longest run at No. 1 among rap hits this decade, after Roddy Ricch’s “The Box,” which topped the chart for 11 weeks in 2020. Elsewhere in this week’s Top 10, Drake’s “Nokia” moves up a spot to reach a new peak of No. 2, marking the first time that the rival rappers occupy the top two spots on the Hot 100 simultaneously.

Two songs hit the Top 10 for the first time, as BigXthaPlug’s “All the Way,” featuring Bailey Zimmerman, debuts at No. 4, and Alex Warren’s “Ordinary” vaults seven spots to No. 7. BigXthaPlug and Warren each earn the first Top 10s of their career, while Zimmerman notches his second. The rest of the Top 10 includes Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile” which drops a spot to No. 3, Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” sticks at No. 5, Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” falls two slots to No. 6, Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control,” drops two places to No. 8, Morgan Wallen's “I’m the Problem” remains at No. 9, and Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” moves up a spot to No. 10. (Billboard)

On Friday (April 11), Lana Del Rey surprised fans with the release of the twangy lead single, "Henry, Come On," from her upcoming 10th studio album. That highly-anticipated project was originally titled, The Right Person Will Stay, and was slated for a May 21 release, but in a since deleted Instagram reel, Lana hinted that the record is now delayed and the title has changed. “You know it’s not going to come on time, right?” Del Rey asked in the clip. “Should I even tell you that the name changed again? Should I tell you that now, while you’re so happy that you even have a song? Yeah, maybe I’ll wait.” This would be the second name change for LDR’s upcoming record, which was previously titled Lasso. Del Rey also teased the upcoming arrival of another new single, "Blue Bird," ahead of her upcoming country-flavored performance at Stagecoach festival on April 25. “My band is so excited. I’m really excited, and I’m really happy for this album to be moving along,” Lana said. (Rolling Stone)

Sabrina Carpenter is celebrating the one-year anniversary of her career-changing hit, "Espresso," by releasing a limited-edition vinyl filled with espresso in partnership with Blood Records. The clear single discs are pressed with a brown coffee-like liquid inside the vinyl, and all 1,000 copies were purchased immediately after being announced on Friday (April 11). “Sold out before i could post but 😍😍” Carpenter wrote in her Instagram Stories that reposted the video featuring images of the distinctive release. The high demand for the unique vinyl reflects the immense success of the song, which earned Carpenter her first Top 10 hit and a Grammy award for Best Pop Solo Performance. "Espresso" not only led to a No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 for Carpenter with Short n' Sweet, but it was also named the most-streamed song of 2024 on Spotify, accumulating over 1.6 billion streams. (Billboard)

On Friday (April 11), Kendrick Lamar and SZA finally released a music video for their chart-topping hit collaboration, "Luther." The clip is directed by Karena Evans and features stunning visuals that showcase Lamar and SZA performing the song together, as well as engaging in moody, romantic scenes with their filming partners. "Luther" has been No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven consecutive weeks, propelled to the top of the charts following the duo’s rendition of the track during Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show performance back in February. “Luther” is the second No. 1 hit single from GNX, joining “Squabble Up,” which spent one week atop the chart back in November. The video arrives as Lamar and SZA are set to launch their  highly-anticipated Grand National stadium tour, which kicks off on April 19 in Minneapolis, and wraps up on June 18 in Washington D.C. (Rolling Stone)