The R&B artist is the cover star of Billboard's 2026 R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players issue.
Marquee TV partners with Quincy Jones’ Qwest TV to expand its music film offering with landmark performances across jazz and global music. Marquee TV, the global streaming service for dance, opera, theatre, and contemporary music, has announced a strategic content partnership with Qwest TV, the...
Billboard highlights several top moments from the ACM Honors.
Data center opposition enters a national political phase as ratepayer costs, transmission lines, moratoriums, polling, and electoral pressure reshape America’s AI infrastructure debate.
“Good way to break my leg …,” singer quips weeks after injuring himself before Sturgis Motorcycle Rally gig
13 months after unveiling plans “to greatly expand” its patent portfolio under a Liquidax Capital joint venture, Universal Music Group (UMG) has officially licensed the AI-focused IP to both Udio and GRAI.
The news builds on Apple's recent announcement of AI Transparency Tags for songs. Now, the service will soon make those disclosures visible to users.
A documentary feature about Jessica Simpson has proved to be irresistible to Netflix, who’ve snapped up the project, Variety has learned. Directed by “Robbie Williams” helmer Joe Pearlman, the feature doc will give fans a deeper look into Simpson’s life and career.
The Cash Money & No Limit Tour kicks off in Houston on Sept. 11.
Plus, Mexico’s RØZ strikes the albums charts with SE ESTÁ HACIENDO TARDE.
Bosåen joined the team following the label's relaunch in 2021.
The genre once defined by dizzying runs and range now seems to prioritize vibes and relatability — but big voices could be making a return.
Christian metal band Demon Hunters have filed a lawsuit against Netflix and AEG Presents over the streamer’s mega-hit animated film “KPop Demon Hunters.” The band, which filed the lawsuit under its corporate entity Hyde Lane, has registered the “Demon Hunter” trademark in a number of categories and...
CNN is returning for a second year in its partnership with Farm Aid, bringing the music festival to audiences nationwide. “Farm Aid 2026: Music Festival Live” will air live on Saturday, Sept. 26 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET on CNN and also will stream live on cnn.com/watch and the CNN app.
See an exclusive clip of the season five premiere episode.
The legendary song parodist packed his full live band into the cramped public radio office for runs through classics including "eBay" and "Skipper Dan."
Per-process NPU metrics arrive as one more venerable Windows utility risks feature bloat
Fourteen cuts make the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart as the rapper awaits federal trial.
Northern Virginia alone accounts for nearly 12% of global capacity, though new builds are shifting inland
Clever protocol wrangling gets iBiz-only people tracking working on a non-iGadget
T-Pain, Simu Liu, deadmau5, YOASOBI and more celebrities will be making special appearances for the return of Blizzard’s BlizzCon fan event this September in Anaheim, California.
Developers can now invite the whole team along for their quality time with the coding bot
Musician, who revealed first Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis in 2013, says cancer’s return won’t slow him down
The pop singer and songwriter joins Rolling Stone’s Song Shuffle series, revealing an eclectic mix of songs from Little Mix and her own debut solo album, That’s Showbiz Baby!
Email client follows Firefox onto two-week release treadmill
Suno is introducing deliberate friction to pump the brakes on the AI-powered superabundance it helped create. By implementing download caps (per Variety ), the company is putting guardrails around how much music users can output. Source
“I made this album with so much love and care, so it was devastating to watch it become a punch line. I'm endlessly grateful to my fans who kept championing it all these years,” singer says of 2001 LP
Because apparently even ransomware gangs can't trust the people they do business with
It’s loud, brash, and unlike anything else. | Photo: Terrence O’Brien / The Verge Is Amp Crash a guitar amp or a guitar pedal? Yes. Death By Audio's latest is, in fact, both. While it's in a guitar pedal enclosure, Amp Crash is actually a tiny 3-watt amp hooked up to a 2-inch speaker.
Venerable Unix-like remains reassuringly old-school, if you're willing to put in the work
Garth Jennings-directed film about Jarvis Cocker-fronted band premieres Sept. 25 on Mubi after one-night-only theatrical run
UK tax collector insists latest deal followed fair and competitive procurement
A spoonful of encryption helps the malware go down
Stolen details range from contact information to household finances and withholding rates
Ticketing firm Dice has announced a new tranche of venue and promoter deals in the US as part of its North American expansion under the wing of parent company Fever. The post is from Music Ally.
Affected users say support cannot restore their previous approval or override the new decision
The Saja Boys are set to work their magic on the U.K. Andrew Choi and Neckwav – who play Jinu and Abby in Netflix’s global hit “KPop Demon Hunters” – will play a one-off gig at Outernet Live in London next month. The Sept. 6 show will take place at the high-tech venue and include […]
Affected titles crash, freeze, or restart PCs while Redmond works out whether it is to blame
British singer-songwriter Raye released her second studio album, This Music May Contain Hope, in March 2026. Lead single ‘Where Is My Husband!’ dropped over half a year prior to the album - a move that seemed like a gamble on paper, but ultimately built massive anticipation.
The artist, in a moment of quiet contemplation. | Photo by Elizabeth Lopatto / The Verge The pianist sits before her instrument. She carefully extends a front paw, pressing gingerly on a key. She presses again, and again.
Analysts warn of disruption to long-established tech activity
On this week’s episode, Tour managers and artist teams: see why logistics without leadership burns an artist’s budget, with FOH engineer Ryan Goldbacher.
LINK will attempt a rendezvous, but its failed reaction wheels rule out grabbing and boosting the observatory
Last week, consultancy firm Midia Research shared its newest forecasts for the growth of the music industry. The big number? It predicts the global recorded music industry will be worth […] The post is from Music Ally.
Since Tuesday, people in Mumbai have chanced upon graffiti in English and Hindi that asks if they’re “still procrastinating?” and then tells them to “stop scrolling” and “call Mr. Faarigh […] The post is from Music Ally.
Global investment firm KKR has signed an agreement to acquire a minority stake in Indian live entertainment and ticketing platform BookMyShow, for an undisclosed sum. The funds will be used […] The post is from Music Ally.
Debian 13 derivative offers minimal x86 images and lets CDE ride again
Fortunately, the company had a policy of checking source code on GitHub first
Red alert for rivals as LandSpace nails it after December disaster
Nine months after launching, Quantizr, billed as an AI-powered “financial command center for live entertainment,” has secured a $5 million seed raise. The Park City, Utah-headquartered startup formally disclosed its multimillion-dollar round, led by Exactuals backer TTV Capital, this afternoon.
Absolute zero inside is much cooler than Intel inside
A judge has approved Ariana Grande’s request to subpoena information that will help reveal the identities of the hackers who allegedly leaked unreleased music and recording session footage.
Broadcom’s VCF-or-nothing licenses are coming to Azure
Helienne Lindvall, David Lowery, and Blake Morgan ask a fundamental Phonorecords V question: when a private settlement becomes an industry-wide statutory rate, what record allows the Copyright Royalty Judges to independently determine that the bargain remains reasonable?
Paul Keuker, 51, accidentally fell during the show and was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead
House of Zen claims latest systems already 4x more efficient than two years ago
Christian metal band Demon Hunter has filed a trademark lawsuit in federal court against Netflix over its wildly successful film Kpop Demon Hunters. Demon Hunter, a Christian metal band that’s been on the scene for about 25 years, has filed a trademark lawsuit in federal court against Netflix over...
We look at other musicians — from Miley Cyrus to Willie Nelson to Paul McCartney to SZA — who’ve talked about quitting
Rappers filmed the clip to promote upcoming collaborative album, Heavy Is the Crown
Ariana Grande has been granted permission to subpoena information that will help reveal the identities of anonymous hackers who allegedly leaked unreleased songs and footage from recording sessions and music videos.
The singer told the court that without immediate discovery power, she runs the risk that the account data needed to identify her alleged hackers “will be lost”
TikTok announces a partnership with All Things Go Music Festival tied to its Music on Stage competition, offering creators major performance slots. On Tuesday, All Things Go Music Festival and TikTok Live announced a new partnership tied to TikTok’s global live music competition, Music on Stage.
The upcoming release was done in DIY fashion and the same can be said for the music video accompanying the new single. The instrumentation is ...
Virgin Music Group announces a global distribution deal with Indian label Sur Music, one of the fastest-growing labels in the country. Universal Music’s Virgin Music Group, a world leader in partnering with independent music entrepreneurs, has announced a global distribution partnership with Sur...
Universal Music and The Beatles’ Apple Corps Ltd. announce a major merchandising partnership ahead of the upcoming four-part documentary series. The Beatles’ Apple Corps Ltd., founded in 1968 to oversee the band’s creative and business interests, has announced an exclusive global e-commerce and...
1 This was not the best song on the album, but it’s the one that hit the radio first. This was unexpected. We never thought we’d get another Crosby, Stills & Nash album. And here it was. In June 1977. 1977… The late seventies were about hedonism. Not as bad as the eighties, when greed […]
Scheduled for Nov. 14 and 15 at Dodger Stadium, the weekend-long event will also feature appearances from Not for Radio, Wallows, Lola Young, and more
At the 2026 NAMM Show, the 60,000+ attendees this year represented more than $9.8 billion in combined buying power. That figure comes from the NAMM 2026 Post Show Report and highlights how the show floor has become a marketplace of staggering scale over 125 years.
And I thought no one was supposed to be above the law. That’s how society works. Cross the line and you might get fined, assuming you’re caught and someone has enough money, power and wherewithal to hold you to account. But what if you act in plain sight? Thumb your nose at the system, believe […]
The deal gives KKR a position in the business whose live division, BookMyShow Live, has staged concerts in India by Coldplay, Ed Sheeran, Travis Scott, Guns N' Roses and Post Malone. Source
For the last few years, musicians have been asking the wrong question about artificial intelligence. Can AI write a song? Of course it can. Can it compose music, imitate a voice, generate an orchestral cue, a techno track, an ambient soundscape, a country song, a film score, a jazz approximation,...
The National Republican Senate Committee is waking up to the data center backlash. Not only will that dog not hunt, it's got major fleas.
The partnership gives fans new ways to create with major-label music while routing compensation back to UMG artists and rightsholders. Source
The honor recognizes the artist's advocacy for creators, including her push for passage of the American Music Fairness Act. Source
Set in New York, Prime Video’s “Spider-Noir” stars Nicholas Cage and is part noir-detective and part superhero action. When it came to building the show’s sonic environment, composers Kris Bowers and Michael Dean Parsons, along with the sound team — re-recording mixer and sound designer Ryan...
Following “two years of close collaboration” on artist campaigns, Universal Music Group (UMG) and authorized-remix platform Hook have finalized a “landmark” licensing deal. The major and the self-described “social music app” reached out with word of their agreement this morning.
“The Disciple: A Wu-Tang Fable” the Sundance-bowing doc that unravelled the story of Dutch-Moroccan rapper and producer Cilvaringz and the making of the controversial Wu-Tang Clan record “Once Upon a Time in Shaolin,” is heading to Netflix.
Soulidified has signed to Atlantic Records, just a year after they were introduced to the world on Netflix’s “Building the Band,” Variety can exclusively announce.
Clivillés also wants the court to hand him administrative control of the longstanding C+C Music Factory Instagram account, which Williams runs. Source
The Mumbai-based company started out in South Indian entertainment content, picking up Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam film titles for digital release. Source
Mercury’s Chairman and CEO picks the seven tracks that have soundtracked his existence on this planet so far… Source
In an era where AI music generation has ruptured the music industry, a social-forward music remixing app is aiming to stand out among the rest — with the help of one of the major labels.
Playlist Notes lets editors attach written context to individual tracks on playlists including Today's Top Hits and RapCaviar. Source
The deal builds on the record company's existing stewardship of The Beatles' recorded catalog. Source
TL;DR: The growth of ListenBrainz has caught up with us, and our limited team is working on replacing central parts of our infrastructure. In the meantime, many features are unstable. We are victims of our success.
Nearly 40 years after the debut of C+C Music Factory, founding member Robert Clivillés has fired off a $30 million trademark infringement and defamation lawsuit against “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” writer and rapper Freedom Williams.
YouTube is increasingly becoming more and more important to artists, producers, songwriters, and podcasters, as the service is now the most watched platform in the world (yes, even more than Netflix).
A new Harvard study on distracted driving has found a 15% increase in traffic fatalities in the US on days that major albums are released on streaming platforms. Major album releases can lead to a major surge in traffic deaths, according to a new Harvard study by Dr. Vishal Patel.
Kanye will perform two shows in Russia in October, becoming the biggest act to play the country in four years since the start of the Ukraine war. Ye, the controversial rapper formerly known as Kanye West, is scheduled to perform two shows in St. Petersburg, Russia, this October.
Frank Beard, ZZ Top’s drummer for 56 years, has passed away while in hospice care at his Texas ranch. The band has canceled some shows this week as a result. ZZ Top’s drummer Frank Beard, who played with the band for the past 56 years, passed away on Monday, August 17. He was in hospice […]
With its stock price still hovering around a record low – and with analysts divided about what comes next – Universal Music Group (UMG) last week repurchased more than $160 million worth of its own shares.
Seven months later, “Someone You Loved” songwriter Romans and Paramount Pictures have officially settled a lawsuit centering on the allegedly unauthorized use of two works – one recorded by Rihanna – in 2025’s Smurfs.
AI companies are now required to make model outputs detectable as AI-generated under Article 50 of the EU AI Act – or, in other words, watermarked. The major AI companies have all signed the additional voluntary Code of Practice . Source
Two months later, Merlin and Jamen Capital have officially completed their acquisition of Curve Royalty Systems from Virgin Music Group/Universal Music. The indie giant and Matt Spetzler’s Jamen confirmed the purchase’s wrap today, after disclosing plans in June to scoop up the royalty processor.
ABC/Disney is suing the Trump-led FCC over challenges to its broadcast licenses, alleging violations of its First Amendment rights. Disney-owned ABC is suing the Trump administration’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over challenges to its broadcast licenses, saying the commission’s actions...
Madonna leads the charge at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards with 11 nominations, followed by Taylor Swift with nine. It’s her material world, and we’re just living in it.
The growth of the listenership of regional language music apart from Punjabi — which has enjoyed nationwide popularity for more than a decade — has been among the most significant […] The post is from Music Ally.
Cultural relevance in hip-hop has decoupled from mainstream scale. The artists proving it are reshaping where the industry should be looking, says Diana Umana… Source
MBW speaks with Swidler about her education under the late Clive Davis, how she handles the screamers and the dreamers, the fight to drag the Grammys into the present Source
What an artist wears can say as much about them as what they listen to. That’s the idea behind Spotify’s collaboration with Depop, which brings together six artists, their personal wardrobes, and an exclusive playlist.
The right soundtrack can help you make the most of every mile. But each run calls for something different: a high-energy push through intervals, familiar favorites to stay in your groove, or new music to keep your regular route feeling fresh.
The Eight Mile Music Companies challenge the Phonorecords V Subpart B settlement as a nine-year rate freeze disguised by inflation adjustments—and question whether vertically integrated buyers and sellers should determine the statutory price imposed on everyone else.
If I read one more story that the movies are back… You might be surprised to discover that “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” has grossed 50% more than “The Odyssey,” the supposed talk of the summer.
A great playlist does more than line up songs: it sets a mood, reflects a point of view, tells a story. We keep giving playlist makers more ways to tell that story, from custom cover art and playlist descriptions to tools for customizing transitions between tracks.
In every possible universe? | Image: Backwoodz Studioz "Breakups are… tough." It's the opening lines of an interlude toward the end of DOOMED! Called "It Happens in Every Universe." It's also basically the thesis of the entire record.
They’re far more powerful and fun than their bargain price suggests. | Photo: Terrence O’Brien / The Verge When I'm asked what to buy if you want to get into making electronic music, I often recommend Elektron's budget-minded Model:Samples and Model:Cycles grooveboxes.
They’re the Lennon–McCartney of overanalyzing pop music. | Image: Daniel Randall As if you needed more reason to love Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe" beyond its pop perfection, it is also, according to lore, the genesis for Switched on Pop, one of the best music podcasts out there.
AI Bots Are Stripping European Booksellers’ Shelves; EU Copyright Law May Ban It — The industrial-scale destruction of books for training LLMs has reached Europe. The practice emerged following the decision in Bartz v.
‘Sadete’, Haitian electronic music DJ and producer Francis Mercier’s new collaboration with his Turkish counterpart Mahmut Orhan — which has sparked an AI “octopus rave” online trend — owes at […] The post is from Music Ally.
