On Wednesday (April 23), Snoop Dogg reached a dynamic new partnership with NBCUniversal Entertainment & Studios, as confirmed by NBCUniversal Entertainment & Studios Chairman Donna Langley. The extensive venture stretches across film, television, sports entertainment, and streaming, with the media company set to tap into Snoop's global appeal, business acumen, creativity, and authenticity on a variety of upcoming projects. The collaboration builds on Snoop's previous involvement in The Voice and the 2024 Olympic Games coverage, with the rap legend set to return as a coach for Season 28 this fall. Additionally, Snoop's upcoming Universal film about his life marks the inaugural project of his production company, Death Row Pictures. “Not everyone has the courage and vision to see what Death Row Pictures can bring to the table, but Donna and the NBCUniversal team have always understood, which is why I am proud to call NBCUniversal my new home,” Snoop said in a statement. “The Dogg has officially moved into the neighborhood, ya dig?” (Variety)

Madonna's iconic 1986 hit "La Isla Bonita" has made history by becoming her first music video to achieve 1 billion views on YouTube. Madonna’s record-setting video was directed by Mary Lambert, who also was behind her celebrated videos for “Borderline,” "Like A Virgin,” "Material Girl," and “Like A Prayer.” The lush visuals for “La Isla Bonita” showcases Madonna in dual roles – one as a flamenco dancer and the other as a young woman secretly infatuated with a musician – which perfectly captures the essence of the Latin-inspired song. "La Isla Bonita" got a social media boost due to a series of recent TikTok trends, with over 200,000 travel videos posted with the song over the past year alone. Madonna's next most-viewed videos on YouTube are "Hung Up," with 531 million views, "Bitch I'm Madonna" featuring Nikki Minaj with 368 million views, followed by "Like a Prayer" with 341 million views. (People)

On Thursday (April 24), New Kids on the Block announced that they will be releasing a 35th anniversary reissue of their iconic 1990 album, Step By Step, on June 13. The expanded edition of NKOTB’s chart-topping fourth studio album – whose title track spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 – will feature bonus material and unreleased tracks, marking its first availability on vinyl since its original release. As the beloved boy band is gearing up for their upcoming Las Vegas residency, they shared an Instagram video announcing the reissue project which features clips of the group from the Step By Step era. NKOTB’s Vegas run is set to take place at Dolby Live at Park MGM, with dates scheduled throughout June and July, before picking back up again in January and February. “A Las Vegas residency gives us an opportunity to take our performance, and interaction with our fans, to the next level,” Donnie Wahlberg said in a statement. (Billboard)

On Thursday (April 24), L.A. sister trio Haim announced the release of their first new album in 5 years, I Quit, which is set to arrive on June 20 via Columbia Records. The record reveal coincides with the release of their new single, "Down to Be Wrong," which is accompanied by a music video featuring actor Logan Lermana. The announcement follows Haim’s headlining show at the Bellweather in Los Angeles on Wednesday (April 23), where they introduced the album title and performed the new single alongside another track, "Blood on the Street," which featured a guest appearance by Addison Rae. I Quit is co-produced by Danielle Haim and Rostam Batmanglij (formerly of Vampire Weekend), and includes 15 tracks and sports a cover shot by Oscar-nominated director Paul Thomas Anderson, a frequent collaborator with the band. In a recent interview with I-D, Alana Haim described the new album as "the closest we’ve ever gotten to how we wanted to sound." (Rolling Stone)

Lorde has made a triumphant return with her hypnotic new synth-pop single, “What Was That.” The track is the first taste of the Grammy-winning singer’s highly-anticipated fourth album, with the confessional lyrics of the new song reminiscent of Lorde’s celebrated Melodrama era. The release of “What Was That” is accompanied by a visually striking music video shot in New York, featuring Lorde exploring the city alone before finally dancing in Washington Square Park amidst a chaotic meet-up with thousands of fans. Before she dropped “What Was That,” Lorde shared a voice note with her fans where she confessed, “I’ve never felt more intentional with every single piece of what I’m doing. There’s such a deep ethos behind all of it, and it all braids together in the end.” The singer calls the single “one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written,” while adding, “I really think this song is the music of my rebirth.” (Rolling Stone)

The second annual I’m Just Me: A Charley Pride Celebration of Inclusion brunch is set to take place on May 6 at the Hall Park Hotel in Frisco, Texas, preceding the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards by two days. The event will be hosted by Mickey Guyton – a two-time ACM Award nominee and the first Black woman to host the ACM Awards, in 2021 – and will honor individuals who embody Pride’s legacy in country music through leadership in hope, advocacy, and innovation, including honorees like Brittney Spencer, Lionel Richie, Shaboozey, the Freddy Fender Estate, and more. The invite-only celebration, presented by Amazon MGM Studios in partnership with Amazon Music and the Academy of Country Music, aims to support diversity in the genre. “We’re honored to support this celebration that uplifts trailblazers pushing the genre forward, while reaffirming our commitment to broadening the narrative and welcoming a wider range of voices into the spotlight,” Ryan Redington, GM of Amazon Music, said in a statement. (Billboard)

The 2025 Grammy Hall of Fame Gala will feature performances by country legend Emmylou Harris, R&B icon Eddie Floyd, and Big Star drummer Jody Stephens. The event will take place on Friday, May 16 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, and will celebrate the recordings being inducted this year. Harris will perform alongside Daniel Lanois and Brian Blade for a song from her 1995 album, Wrecking Ball, Floyd will be honored for his classic "Knock on Wood," and Big Star will be celebrated for their 1972 album, #1 Record. Other performers include Cindy Blackman, Ledisi, Leslie Odom Jr., Orianthi, and the music label, Republic Records, will also be recognized. Jon Batiste is set to perform and will also be the inaugural recipient of the Ray Charles Architect of Sound Award. CBS News journalist Anthony Mason will host the event, which will celebrate the 13 newly inducted recordings that have reached the standards of "qualitative or historical significance" in music. (Billboard)

During their concert in Goyang, South Korea on Tuesday (April 22), Coldplay collaborated with Blackpink singer Rosé, inviting the K-pop superstar onstage to perform her smash hit song "APT." The band and Rosé performed the track together as the huge stadium crowd sang along and screamed their approval, with frontman Chris Martin taking over Bruno Mars’ memorable role in the song. Rosé released "APT." with Mars back in October, and included it on her debut solo album, Rosie, which arrived in December. The single set a record by topping the Billboard Global 200 chart for 19 weeks. With this surprise pairing with Rosé, Coldplay continues their history of collaborating with K-Pop stars, as Twice is the opening act on the current leg of their record-setting Music of the Spheres World Tour, joining the British band last week for a collaboration on their single, “We Pray.” Coldplay also partnered with BTS on their 2021 hit, “My Universe.” (Rolling Stone)

On Tuesday night (April 22), Ed Sheeran and Noah Kahan surprised 100 lucky fans with an intimate performance at Santa's Pub in Nashville. Sheeran shared an Instagram video capturing the duo singing Kahan's smash hit, "Stick Season," with the singers accompanied by their guitars and surrounded by an enthusiastic audience. “Shut down @santaspub in Nashville to do dueling songs with @noahkahanmusic what a night,” Sheeran captioned his post, with the surprise performance featuring a series of duets from the catalogs of both music superstars. This impromptu event followed Sheeran's recent appearance at Coachella over the weekend, and the release of his new single "Azizam," from his forthcoming album, Play, which is due out sometime in 2025. Kahan is preparing for a series of shows starting in May, followed by performances in Europe and the UK, and appearances at a series of U.S. music festivals in September. (People)

Addison Rae took to Instagram on Wednesday (April 23) to reveal the title and album cover for her debut LP, Addison, which is set to be released on June 6, as she announced during her Coachella appearance. “Self-titled debut album!!!!,” Rae captioned her post. “I love the entirety of this project with all of me. A mirror. A deep desperation and desire to understand myself better. A true collection of my proudest work yet. My dream cover. My dream collaborators.” The album consists of 12 tracks, all co-written and produced by Rae, Luka Kloser, and Elvira Anderfjärd, and features the previously released singles, "Diet Pepsi," "High Fashion," "Aquamarine," and "Headphones On." No details have been shared about the complete tracklist or the “dream collaborators” who are featured on the record, with the project being touted as “the first & last album by Addison Rae.” Pre-orders are now available via Rae’s webstore. (Rolling Stone)

On Wednesday (April 23), the American Music Awards announced their complete list of nominations for their 2025 ceremony – the first AMAs following a two-year hiatus. Kendrick Lamar leads the way with 10 nods, followed by Post Malone with eight, and Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, and Shaboozey each receiving seven nominations. New categories for Album, Song, and Social Song of the Year have been added, and artists like Beyoncé, Charli XCX, Sabrina Carpenter, and Taylor Swift are among the nominees for Album of the Year. The stacked list of nominees for Artist of the Year includes Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen, Post Malone, Sabrina Carpenter, SZA, Taylor Swift, and Zach Bryan. The award show will be broadcast live from Las Vegas on May 26 via CBS and streaming on Paramount+, and will be hosted by Jennifer Lopez. Voting is currently open for all categories on the AMA website. (Rolling Stone)

Fans flooded Washington Square Park in New York City on Tuesday (April 22) after Lorde texted them, “Meet me in the park. Tonight 7 p.m.” The Grammy-winning singer was planning to debut her brand new single in front of the thousands of fans who gathered there to witness the event, but cops shut down the impromptu gathering before it started due to Lorde lacking the proper permits. The crowd still made the most of the moment, joining together on a spirited a-cappella rendition of Lorde’s 2013 Pure Heroine track, “Ribs.” The New Zealand pop superstar wasn’t deterred by the police intervention either, as she returned a few hours later and danced and sang along to her dynamic new single in front of her adoring fans. On Wednesday (April 23), Lorde posted a short teaser video on Instagram featuring a close up of her breathing heavily into the camera, followed by a release announcement for the highly-anticipated new single, “What Was That out Midnight ET,” signalling the official launch of new material from her upcoming fourth album. (Rolling Stone)

In a new interview with People, Dasha revealed that she is set to debut her new single, "Give Me a Second," at Stagecoach this weekend. “I'm really excited this year to have my own set at the main stage,” Dasha shared about her afternoon slot on Saturday (April 26). “I'm going to have four dancers on stage, some other folks on stage with me as well and [am] going to be debuting a new song. Stagecoach is going to be the first to see it.” Dasha also revealed that her forthcoming new project will be an EP release, “with another EP in October that combines into a bigger album.” She also tipped her cap to those who refer to her as "Trailer Swift." “Honestly, I think it's really creative,” she said. “I have to give them some points [for] that. It's f---ing hilarious.” She credits Taylor Swift with inspiring her approach to songwriting and performing, while also attributing her focus on storytelling in her music to her childhood idol. (People)

Phish emerged victorious in the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame fan vote, securing over 329,000 votes and surpassing runner-up Bad Company by nearly 50,000 votes. The Top Five in the fan vote was rounded out by Billy Idol, Cyndi Lauper, and Joe Cocker, with notable acts like Soundgarden, Chubby Checker, and The Black Crowes just missing the Top Five in the tally. Phish, a Vermont jam band known for their spellbinding live shows, have had an unconventional journey in the music industry with no Billboard Hot 100 hits and a lone Grammy nomination, but they have achieved success with 38 albums charting on the Billboard 200, including three Top 10 albums. Meanwhile, this year’s class of inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will be revealed on American Idol on April 27. Ryan Seacrest will host the episode, and James Taylor will serve as guest mentor, with contestants performing songs by previous Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members. The induction ceremony is expected to take place in Los Angeles in the fall. (Billboard)

Lil Wayne will mark the release of his hotly-anticipated new album, Tha Carter VI, with his first-ever headlining show at Madison Square Garden on Friday, June 6. Tickets for the show will go on sale on Wednesday (April 23), with general on-sale starting on Friday, April 25. The New Orleans rapper – and current Rolling Stone cover star –  has previously expressed his dislike of New York due to his past legal issues in the city, including a gun possession charge in 2007 that led to an eight-month prison sentence at Rikers Island. Wayne has since returned to NYC several times in recent years, and he will now celebrate the release of his long-awaited sixth installment in his chart-topping Tha Carter series with his first ever show at The World’s Most Famous Arena. Weezy’s new album features a series of high-profile collaborations, with guest appearances by Miley Cyrus, Bono, Andrea Bocelli, MGK, Elephant Man, Wyclef Jean, and Wayne’s Young Money artist Euro. (Rolling Stone)

On Tuesday (April 22), Cypress Hill took to social media to reveal the dates and details of their 2025 Dank Daze of Summer Tour, which will also feature Minneapolis hip-hop duo Atmosphere, along with support from Lupe Fiasco and The Pharcyde. The month-long trek will kick-off on August 8th in St. Augustine, Florida, and hit cities like Charlotte, Baltimore, Asbury Park, Milwaukee, and Salt Lake City, before finishing on August 30 in Bend, Oregon. Tickets will be available through an artist pre-sale on Wednesday (April 23), with general on-sale starting on Friday (April 25). “You know we're bringin' the party, so ya better be ready!” the rap legends captioned their post. In addition to the tour, Cypress Hill is gearing up for the release of a live album recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra in June and a Canadian tour in May, before heading to European festivals later this summer. (Consequence of Sound)

During an interview on CBS Mornings on Tuesday (April 22), Tina Knowles, the mother of Beyoncé and Solange, disclosed her private battle with breast cancer. Knowles shared that her cancer was discovered after missing a routine mammogram appointment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, eventually leading to the detection of two tumors in her left breast, one being benign and the other at stage 1. “I’ve always tried to take care of myself. I just was in disbelief,” she said. Following a lumpectomy in August, Knowles is now cancer-free, and she credits early detection for her positive outcome. With the support of her daughters, Knowles aims to be a beacon of encouragement for other women, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing health screenings and routine check-ups to avoid potential health risks. “I decided to share it because I think it’s a lot of lessons in it for other women,” Knowles said. (Rolling Stone)

Lady Gaga has expanded her upcoming Mayhem Ball Tour with seven new dates, adding shows at the Chase Center in San Francisco on July 22, 24, and 26, and the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on July 28 and 29, and August 1 and 2. Ticket pre-sales for the additional dates will begin on Thursday (April 24), with an artist presale set for Monday (April 28). The Mayhem Ball is Gaga's first arena tour in seven years, and the North American leg will kick off on July 16 in Las Vegas, stopping in Seattle, New York, Miami, Toronto, and will conclude on September 15 and 17 in Chicago. “With the Mayhem Ball, I wanted to create a different kind of experience – something more intimate – closer, more connected – that lends itself to the live theatrical art I love to create,” Gaga said of her forthcoming tour. This announcement follows Gaga's showstopping headlining performances at Coachella over the past two weekends, and is in support of her latest chart-topping album, Mayhem, which was released in March. (Rolling Stone)

SZA's SOS has just made history by surpassing Adele's 21 for the most weeks in the Top 10 on the Billboard 200 among albums by women, as it secures its 85th total week within the top tier. came in 2022, but has climbed back into the charts due to the release of an expanded edition, SOS Deluxe: Lana, with the record climbing to No. 3 on this week’s chart. SOS overtakes Adele's 21, which spent a cumulative 84 weeks in the Top 10, with its final week in 2016. Both albums had long runs at No. 1, with SOS spending 12 weeks at the top, and 21 topping the charts for 24 weeks (a record among albums by women).

SOS ties Peter, Paul and Mary's self-titled album for the third-most weeks in the Top 10 among albums by singular artists, following two albums by Morgan Wallen, Dangerous: The Double Album (158 weeks), and One Thing At A Time (106 weeks). The album with the most weeks spent in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 is the Original Cast Recording of My Fair Lady, which spent 173 weeks in the Top 10 between 1956-60. (Billboard)

Post Malone brought out Jelly Roll and Ed Sheeran during his headlining set on Sunday night (April 20) that brought Coachella's second weekend to a rousing close. Sheeran joined Post on "Sunflower," taking the place of his original collaborator Swae Lee on lead vocals and acoustic guitar, with the country superstar genuinely surprised at their unexpected pairing. “I didn’t even know he was here tonight,” Posty exclaimed. Jelly Roll joined Malone on "Losers,” reprising his role on Post’s chart-topping 2024 album, F-1 Trillion. Malone took the opportunity to promote his upcoming stadium tour, while expressing his gratitude for the chance to hit the road with Jelly Roll and praising the singer’s kindness. Malone's Big Ass Stadium Tour is set to begin on April 29 in Salt Lake City and will feature Jelly Roll as the opening act for most of the trek, with Sierra Ferrell as a special guest for the first part of the run. (Rolling Stone)