In a new interview with Variety for her Power of Women Nashville cover story, Kelsea Ballerini recalled the challenge of establishing her own identity separate from her idol, Taylor Swift, in order to make a mark in the music industry. She recalls an interaction with a record label executive who dismissed her early on by saying, “There’s already a Taylor Swift.” The country star now admits that “he was right,” while adding, “There weren’t a lot of young female singer-songwriter girls in country music to look up to. I had to grow into my own identity as an artist and a songwriter and learn to differentiate myself.” The Tennessee native released her debut EP in 2014, which earned the singer her first Billboard Hot 100 entry with “Love Me Like You Mean It,”, while even receiving recognition from her idol, with Swift tweeting in 2015, “Driving around with the @KelseaBallerini EP on repeat.. SO lovely:)” (Billboard) 

Neil Diamond will be honored with the Inspirational Lifetime Achievement Award at the 39th Annual Carousel Ball in Denver on October 11, benefiting the Children's Diabetes Foundation. Diamond will become only the third recipient of the prestigious award, following Sidney Poitier in 2016, and Diane Warren in 2024. The 84-year-old singer has long been involved with the foundation and its fundraising efforts, showcasing his support by performing at various events over the years. “It’s been my absolute joy to have supported the Children’s Diabetes Foundation for so many wonderful years,” Diamond said in a statement. “Barbara Davis and her organization have done an immense amount of good helping kids, adults and their families facing a difficult diagnosis.” During his six-decade music career, the Grammy-winning Diamond has been inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, as well as being recognized by the Kennedy Center Honors in 2011 and receiving a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2018. (Billboard)

On Tuesday night (April 29), Gracie Abrams paid homage to local legend Lorde by covering her poignant ballad, “Liability,” during the Auckland, New Zealand stop on her Secrets Of Us World Tour. Abrams made a departure from her usual surprise-song performances that are typically reserved for her own tracks, choosing instead to pay tribute to Lorde in her hometown. Abrams performed her rendition of “Liability” alone on the keys, as the entire stadium sang and swayed along to the emotional number. This isn’t the first time that Lorde has been honored by a fellow pop star this month, as Dua Lipa delivered a rendition of her breakout single, “Royals,” during her Radical Optimism Tour stop in Auckland a few weeks ago. In a recent interview with Billboard, Abrams said that Lorde “is just one of my favorite people to lean on period. It’s comforting that there are people like her that exist. Such a gift to be able to ask her questions.” (Rolling Stone)

Jack Black has made Billboard history with his 34-second Minecraft song, "Steve's Lava Chicken," which has broken the record for the shortest track to ever appear on the Hot 100 chart. The brief song features Black portraying the famous Minecraft character, Steve, singing passionately about cooking chicken with lava. “Steve’s Lava Chicken” debuted at No. 77 on this week’s Hot 100 chart, dethroning the previous shortest-song record holder, Kid Cudi’s 37-second interlude, “Beautiful Trip.” This notable achievement follows Black’s previous appearance on the singles chart with a song tied to a video game film adaptation, as his 2023 track, “Peaches,” from The Super Mario Bros. Movie reached No. 56 on the Hot 100. Warner Brothers is capitalizing on the meme-worthy nature of A Minecraft Movie by hosting "Block Party" screenings across North America, where they encourage fans to be as rambunctious as possible as they sing along and act out the notable clips in the film. (Consequence of Sound)

Ed Sheeran has launched a new Instagram account, @teddysoldphone, to promote his upcoming single, “Old Phone,” offering fans a nostalgic glimpse into unseen photos from his retired mobile phone from 2015. The account features unreleased content from early in the Grammy-winning singer’s career, including pictures – most notably with Taylor Swift and Harry Styles – texts, and lyric notes, ahead of the single's release at 11 a.m. ET Thursday (April 29). Sheeran was inspired to write the song after revisiting his old phone during a copyright lawsuit in 2024. “It felt like a time capsule, a time of life that I was in, and living at that time in 2015,” Sheeran wrote. “Turning it on really spun me out. I found myself scrolling messages and conversations with people who are no longer here. The whole experience was such an emotional journey.” "Old Phone" is the second single from Sheeran's forthcoming album, Play, with the pop superstar recently performing in a pop-up British pub called The Old Phone at Coachella, where he played the song live for the first time. (Billboard)

Beyoncé launched her Cowboy Carter Tour on Monday night (April 28) with a nearly three-hour performance at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The 35-time Grammy winner looked resplendent in an all-white outfit complete with cowboy hat, boots, and fringed jacket, with backup dancers dressed in similar attire. The 39-song set focused on Beyoncé’s 2024 Album of the Year, Cowboy Carter, and her 2022 chart-topper, Renaissance, along with deep cuts from throughout her prestigious career. “It feels so good to be on this stage. Thank you to my fans for allowing me to make this album, for the creative liberty to make this album,” Beyoncé said in reference to her country-flavored record.

The performance later became a family affair, as Beyoncé’s daughters Blue Ivy and Rumi both joined their mother on stage. The evening came to a fitting close with the final song on Cowboy Carter, “Amen,” as Beyoncé appreciatively announced to the crowd, “Thank you all. This is the first show and you shared it with me. I feel so overwhelmed. God bless you!” Beyoncé has four more shows at SoFi Stadium over the next two weeks, before the Cowboy Carter Tour heads to Chicago on May 15. (Billboard)

Luke Combs closed out the final night of Stagecoach on Sunday (April 27) by delivering a high-energy performance that featured surprise guest appearances by Garth Brooks and Good Charlotte. Starting the show with a bang, Combs brought out fellow country star Bailey Zimmerman for their duet, "Back Up Plan," before captivating the audience with unexpected appearances by Good Charlotte, who performed hits like "The Anthem" and "Where the Wild Things Are" alongside Combs. Closing the set with his hit "Ain't No Love in Oklahoma," Combs invited the legendary Garth Brooks on stage to sing the crowd favorite, "Friends in Low Places." The country star's memorable night continued as he made a surprise appearance at the Palomino for a late-night set with the Backstreet Boys, performing their Grammy-nominated 1999 hit, "I Want It That Way," with Combs even busting out some dance moves with the chart-topping boy band. (Variety)

Cyndi Lauper took to Instagram on Sunday (April 27) to express her gratitude and humility over the news that she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “I’m humbled to be in the company of so many of my heroes – Aretha, Tina, Chaka, Joni, Wanda, to name just a few,” said the 71-year-old pop superstar. “Women have made so many important contributions to music and to rock n roll and a win for one of us is a win for all of us. Thank you to the voting members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for this honor. And thank you to my fans for supporting me throughout my career. I could not do any of this without you.” This year, for the fourth year in a row, four or more women are being inducted into the Rock Hall, with The White Stripes’ Meg White, Salt-N-Pepa, and Carol Kaye joining Lauper in receiving the honors. The institution has been criticized in the past for the lack of female representation among its inductees. (Billboard)

After finishing off her three-night stand in Mexico City on Saturday (April 26), Katy Perry was seen in the crowd at Lady Gaga's Viva La Mayhem stadium show on Sunday night. During the performance, Perry was spotted recording and dancing along to the music, and she later took to Instagram Stories to praise Gaga's performance. “Show was MAGINIFCA! The dress! The sand! Every moment was theee moment,” Perry wrote. “So proud of you and grateful to grow up together @ladygaga Love u.” Perry also shared a series of clips of the performance, including a poignant moment where Gaga read a letter she wrote in Spanish for her passionate Little Monsters in Mexico. Gaga and Perry turned Mexico's capital city into Pop Queen mecca as they both performed multiple sets there over the weekend, with Gaga set to continue her tour in Rio de Janeiro and Singapore, and Perry scheduled for additional shows in Monterrey, Mexico before heading to the United States as part of her Lifetimes Tour. (Rolling Stone)

Haim is preparing to release their first album in five years, I Quit, on June 20, and on Monday (April 28) the sister trio announced a fall tour in support of the record that will take them across the U.S., Canada, and U.K. The 30-date jaunt, dubbed The I Quit Tour, kicks off in June in the U.K. The North American leg starts on September 4 in Philadelphia, hitting major cities like Toronto, New York, Chicago, Houston, and Los Angeles, and more, before wrapping up on October 11 in Santa Barbara, California. Haim’s forthcoming album is co-produced by Danielle Haim and Rostam Batmanglij, and features the previously released singles "Relationships," "Everybody's Trying to Figure Me Out," and “Down To Be Wrong.” The album cover was shot by director Paul Thomas Anderson, with Alana Haim describing the record as “the closest we’ve ever gotten to how we wanted to sound.” An artist pre-sale for the tour begins on May 1, followed by a general on-sale starting on May 2. (Rolling Stone)

On Thursday (April 24), Ed Sheeran shared a TikTok video of him casually hanging out with Snoop Dogg, where the rap legend expertly rolls a blunt as Sheeran's new song, "Azizam," plays in the background. In the video, Sheeran also enjoys some Rap Snacks "Bar-B-Que" Cheddar Potato Chips featuring Snoop's face on the bag. The singer jokingly captioned the clip, “Last time I smoked with snoop I lost the ability to see,” while also continuing the Spanish-theme of his new single by naming his video, “Fumando con Snoop Dogg: Una experiencia inolvidable,” which translates to “Smoking with Snoop Dogg: An Unforgettable Experience.” The glimpse of the two music stars spending time together caused fans to get excited about potential future collaborations between Sheeran and Snoop. This session with Snoop continues Sheeran's numerous side quests in the U.S. over the past few weeks, including his recent surprise appearance at a Nashville pub with Noah Kahan, and a performance at Coachella with Post Malone. (People)

Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther” sits at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart for a landmark 10th consecutive week. Only 4% of all Hot 100 No. 1s have ruled for double-digit weeks, with “Luther” becoming the first ever 10-week chart-topping hit by a solo man and woman with no accompanying acts – surpassing the nine-week reign of Diana Ross and Lionel Richie’s “Endless Love” in 1981.

Other notable moves in this week’s Hot 100 include Alex Warren’s first ever Top 10 hit, “Ordinary,” moving up two places to reach a new peak of No. 3, while Morgan Wallen and Post Malone’s “I Ain’t Coming Back” debuts at No. 8, becoming their 15th and 14th career Top 10s, respectively. It marks the sixth Top 10 lifted from Wallen’s album, I’m the Problem, ahead of its May 16 release, extending his own record for the most Top 10s from a record prior to its arrival.

The rest of the Top 10 is rounded out by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile” holding at No. 2, Drake’s “Nokia” drops a spot to No. 4, Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” moves up one slot to No.5, Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” falls two places to  No. 6, Wallen’s “I’m the Problem” climbs three spots to No. 7, Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” remains at No. 9, and Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control,” falls three slots to No. 10. (Billboard)

During Jelly Roll’s headlining performance at Stagecoach on Saturday night (April 26), Lana Del Rey made a surprise appearance, joining Jelly for a duet performance of "Save Me," with Lana filling in for the track’s original vocalist, Lainey Wilson. “This is my favorite crooner of all time. Lana Del Rey is with me, y’all,” Jelly said as he welcomed her to the stage. This collaboration marked a reunion for Del Rey and Jelly Roll, who had previously shared the stage during Lana’s headlining set at Hangout Festival in 2024, where they did a duet of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama.” Lana wasn’t the only guest star to join Jelly during his big night, with the country singer also joined by BigXthaPlug, Alex Warren, Wiz Khalifa, Jessie Murph, and Brandon Lake. Jelly was also joined by Shaboozey during his Stagecoach set, with the two singers debuting their new duet, “Amen,” which was just released on Friday (April 25). The collaboration is featured on the deluxe reissue of Shaboozey’s recent record, titled Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going: The Complete Edition. (Rolling Stone)

Lana Del Rey's highly-anticipated “very special country set” in the Palomino tent at Stagecoach on Friday night (April 25) featured nods to music icons like Tammy Wynette – with a cover of “Stand By Your Man” – and John Denver during her 65-minute performance. Amid speculation about the country sound of her upcoming album, Del Rey surprised the crowd by name-dropping Morgan Wallen in a new track titled "57.5," which caused a stir among fans. The lyrics include the provocative lines, “I kissed Morgan Wallen, I guess kissing me kind of went to his head. If you want my secret to success, don’t go ATVing with him when you’re out west.” Lana also performed country-tinged new songs "Husband of Mine" and "Quiet in the South," while also collaborating with rising country singer George Birge on his new single, “Cowboy Songs,” and bringing out Secret Sisters to join her on “Let the Light In.” Del Rey's set culminated with a fiddle-infused rendition of Denver’s anthem, "Take Me Home, Country Roads," which was a fitting end to her first appearance at the renowned country festival. (Variety)

Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's five core members have reunited for their first new song in nearly 15 years, titled "Aww Sh*t," following failed attempts by John Mulaney to get the group to reunite on his comedy show, Everybody’s Live. The track features Krayzie Bone, Layzie Bone, Bizzy Bone, Wish Bone, and Flesh-N-Bone, marking the first time all members have come together since 2010's Uni5: The World's Enemy. According to Greenback Records, “Aww Sh*t” will be included on a “forthcoming new album” from the Cleveland rap group, who have also announced a series of shows this summer, including an appearance at the Roots Picnic’s Class of ’95 at Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl and stops on the Kings of the West hip-hop festival. But questions still linger about their possible appearance on Mulaney's show, after the comedian claimed he had a suspicious encounter with someone pretending to be Bone Thugs’ manager allegedly trying to scam him out of more money for their scheduled performance. (Rolling Stone)

On Friday (April 25), Joe Jonas released a new solo single, "Heart by Heart," from his upcoming album, Music For People Who Believe In Love, set for release on May 23 via Republic Records. The new track is co-written with Lewis Capaldi, Savan, Oscar Holter, and Max Gsus, and follows the previously released singles, “Work It Out” and “What This Could Be.” Jonas initially delayed the release of his new album in order to add some last minute additions to the project, writing on Instagram at the time, “The album is gonna come out later now because I’m flooded with inspo and want to add some final touches.” Jonas is returning with his second solo album after a seven-year gap following his debut project, Fastlife, in 2011. Joe’s new record comes amidst a flurry of activity for the Jonas Brothers, including their 20th anniversary Living the Dream Tour, a live record, a Disney Christmas movie, and the announcement of their seventh album, Greetings from Your Hometown, due out on August 8. (Rolling Stone)

Justin Bieber mourns the death of his grandfather, Bruce Dale, with a heartfelt Instagram tribute shared on Saturday (April 26). The Grammy-winning singer reminisced on childhood memories he spent with his “papa,” and shared a tender throwback photo capturing the two of them embracing back in November of 2009, only days before the then 15-year-old future pop superstar released his debut EP, My World. Dale, husband to Bieber's grandmother and father to the music star's mother, passed away at the age of 80 in Ontario. “I can’t wait to see u again soon in heaven,” Bieber captioned his emotional post. “Until then I know ur watching down. I will miss u. I will ache. And I’ll sit and let myself remember all of the wonderful times we’ve had.”

In additional Bieber news, the singer shared an Instagram video on Friday (April 25) capturing what his encounters with paparazzi are typically like, filled with blinding camera flashes and swarming photographers. “This has to stop,” Bieber captioned his post, making an emotional plea to paparazzi to let up on their unrelenting coverage of him. (People)  

SZA’s SOS notches a 13th nonconsecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. The record rises two places to claim the top spot once again, aided by the release of an expansive deluxe edition, SOS Deluxe: LANA, on December 20, 2024, along with a February 9 reissue with four additional bonus tracks. Another big move on this week’s Billboard 200, Doechii’s Alligator Bites Never Heal vaults up fourteen places to reach No. 10, following its wider availability on vinyl and first release on CD, becoming the first Top 10 effort for the Grammy-winning Florida rapper.

For the first time in over two months, no albums debut in the Top 10 this week, as the chart is rounded out by all former No. 1s. Kendrick Lamar’s GNX holds at No. 2, Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time climbs three places to No. 3, Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet stays at No. 4, PARTYNEXTDOOR and Drake’s $ome $exy $ongs 4 U remains at No. 5, Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos drops two spots to No. 8, Playboi Carti’s MUSIC sticks at No. 7, Lady Gaga’s MAYHEM jumps up two slots to No. 8, and Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album ascends five places to No. 9. (Billboard)

On Sunday night (April 27), the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced its inductees for the class of 2025. Bad Company, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Cyndi Lauper, OutKast, Soundgarden, and the White Stripes will be inducted in the performer category. Salt-N-Pepa and Warren Zevon will receive Musical Influence Awards, while Thom Bell, Nicky Hopkins, and Carol Kaye will be honored with Musical Excellence Awards, and Lenny Waronker will receive the prestigious Ahmet Ertegun Award. “Each of these inductees created their own sound and attitude that had a profound impact on culture and helped to change the course of Rock & Roll forever,” said John Sykes, Chairman of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. “Their music gave a voice to generations and influenced countless artists that followed in their footsteps.”

The induction ceremony is scheduled to take place on November 8 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, and will be streamed live on Disney+, with an edited version airing on ABC at a later date. Notable snubs from this year's induction class include Phish – who won the recent fan vote – Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, and Mariah Carey. (Rolling Stone)

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)