Music News

Reba McEntire surprised Kelsea Ballerini with a heartfelt handwritten letter on her first day as a coach on The Voice. "Dear Kelsea, I heard you would be the new coach this season and I'm just so excited for you,” McEntire wrote. “It's up to you to keep country alive on the show and I know you'll do a terrific job. Now go out there and show those boys who's the boss.” McEntire also said she left Ballerini a “little good luck charm in case you need it," as the 31-year-old country star turned to find McEntire's crown from previous seasons — where she was dubbed "Queen Reba" — and placed it on her head. "I feel so fancy," Ballerini said happily. Also during the season 27 premiere, Ballerini joined fellow coaches Michael Bublé, John Legend, and Adam Levine for a powerful performance of Elton John's classic, "Tiny Dancer." (People)

Kacey Musgraves firmly dismissed rumors that she was upset after Beyoncé won Best Country Album for Cowboy Carter at the 2025 Grammy Awards, after her televised reaction to the moment went viral on social media. Musgraves' representative spoke to E! News and downplayed the incident, saying, "It’s a sensationalistic false narrative meant to pit two talented female artists against each other. There was simply no scowl or expression made." Musgraves’ ambivalent expression while Taylor Swift presented Beyoncé with the Grammy led to online debates about what she was thinking, with some fans claiming she looked angry, while others thought it was a neutral reaction, or just a natural look of disappointment. Musgraves didn’t go home empty handed from the ceremony, however, winning the Grammy Award for Best Country Song for "The Architect." (Parade)

Jelly Roll will be American Idol's first-ever "artist in residence" for the upcoming season, joining the show during "Hollywood Week" and continuing to be a permanent fixture throughout. As a previous guest mentor and performer on the show, Jelly Roll will offer direct guidance to the Idol hopefuls. This news coincides with Carrie Underwood replacing Katy Perry as a judge, marking the first change at the judges' table in seven years. Season 23 of American Idol premieres on Sunday, March 9, on ABC, with a special preview of the season airing after the Oscars telecast on March 2. Jelly Roll's recent album, 2024’s Beautifully Broken, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, and the country singer received two 2025 Grammy nominations for his hit single, “I Am Not Okay,” as well as a nod for Best New Artist in 2024. (Variety)

Elton John has hinted that a new album is on the way through a series of personalized letters sent out to fans. The letters detail Sir Elton’s plans for the future, as well as teasing a forthcoming album that features collaborations with Brandi Carlile and producer Andrew Watt, along with his longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin. “When we met, I fell in love with her, and we connected straight away,” John wrote of his creative partnership with Carlile. “It was connection, a true connection, emotionally, musically and it’s been one of the greatest friendships of my life.” They worked intensively to produce 14 songs in 20 days, with 10 ultimately selected for the record. Despite health challenges, including a severe eye condition that affects his ability to see and create music, John remains dedicated to his artistry and passionate about songwriting. The new album will be a follow-up to John’s 2021 release, The Lockdown Sessions. (NME)

On Tuesday (February 4), DJ Khaled unveiled his 14th studio album, Aalam of God, with a cinematic seven-minute trailer starring Mark Wahlberg and Anthony Ramos. The album features two tracks with Drake, with Khaled hinting at a potential collaboration with Rihanna. Aalam of God will be released later in 2025, with Khaled stating, “This is not my last album, it’s my Black album.” (Billboard)

Sabrina Carpenter surprised fans by announcing on Instagram that a deluxe version of Short n' Sweet is due out on Valentine’s Day. The expanded album includes a remix of her No. 1 single, “Please Please Please,” featuring Dolly Parton, which reflects Carpenter’s enduring love for the Queen of Country. The release celebrates Carpenter's two recent Grammy wins, and includes five bonus tracks as a gift to fans. (Billboard)

Beabadoobee is embarking on The Space In Between 2025 North American tour this spring, starting on April 8 in Vancouver. The tour hits cities like Portland, Las Vegas, Houston, and Atlanta, including high-profile festival appearances at Coachella and Bonnaroo. Pretty Sick and Keni Titus will provide support on select dates. Tickets go on sale on February 7. (NME)

In a new interview on The Hollywood Reporter‘s Awards Chatter podcast, Ariana Grande credits her chart-topping 2019 album, Thank U, Next, with seeing her through a low point in her life. “I was doing so much therapy, and I was dealing with PTSD and all different kinds of grief and depression and anxiety,” Grande shared. “Having music be a part of that remedy was absolutely contributing to saving my life. They were dark times, and the music brought so much levity.” Grande says the album was a means of survival for her, created urgently amid personal struggles, including the death of ex-boyfriend Mac Miller, a breakup with ex-fiancé Pete Davidson, and dealing with the anguish following a terrorist attack at her Manchester concert. Thank U, Next, went on to spend two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, and spawned several smash hit singles, including the title track which spent seven weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart. (Billboard)

Killer Mike is suing the security company S & S Labor Force over his citizen's arrest at the 66th Grammy Awards last year. The Run the Jewels rapper alleges that they degraded and physically hurt him following his Grammy wins at the pre-show ceremony, while claiming the incident caused “unnecessary public embarrassment, distress and professional harm,” which led to emotional distress. The lawsuit accuses the security company of false arrest and imprisonment, assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligence. S & S, also known as JRM Private Security, dismissed the allegations as unfounded, asserting their commitment to ethical practices. The incident occurred as Killer Mike and his team were prevented from moving to the red-carpet area despite having the necessary credentials, resulting in physical assault and battery by the security personnel. He is seeking real and punitive damages to be decided at trial. (Rolling Stone)

Chance the Rapper is set to kick off NBA All-Star Weekend by headlining the "NBA on TNT American Express Road Show Fan Experience" on February 13 at Pier 48 in San Francisco. “NBA All-Star Weekend is always a major moment, and I’m honored to be a part of it with NBA on TNT’s American Express Roadshow,” Chance tells Billboard. “Basketball and music bring people together, and I can’t wait to kick off an incredible weekend.” The event will be hosted by NBA legends Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, Kenny “The Jet” Smith, and anchor Ernie Johnson, with Chance’s performance set to be broadcast live. Free tickets to the Road Show Fan Experience are offered to American Express cardholders from February 4-6, and available to the general public beginning on February 8. (Billboard)

During an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show on Tuesday (February 4), Usher shared his advice to Kendrick Lamar ahead of his headlining performance at the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show on Sunday (February 9). Usher, who headlined last year’s halftime show, imparted some words of wisdom to the Compton rapper ahead of his performance, where he’ll be joined by SZA. “The one thing I would say is savor the moment, ‘cause you get obsessed in trying to build the best performance but you don’t realize that it’s really about enjoying it,” Usher said. He went on to express his excitement about watching Lamar’s halftime show, and praised his impact on the world of hip-hop. “He’s completely been an incredible benchmark for what it is to be an artist,” Usher said. “My encouragement to him is to really be present. I’m just hoping he really maximizes that moment.” (People)

During the broadcast of the Grammy Awards on Sunday (February 2), Lady Gaga premiered her music video for her new single, “Abracadabra,” the third track shared from her new album, MAYHEM, due out on March 7. The video debut was sponsored by Mastercard, and Gaga has partnered with the company to offer her fans a series of “Priceless Experiences” surrounding her upcoming album. Fans are encouraged to recreate the choreography from the video on social media for a chance to win exclusive opportunities, including appearing in a special “fan version” of the “Abracadabra” music video, and tickets to Lady Gaga’s Club MAYHEM dance party. “Music and dance have a profound ability to make people come alive and feel bonded to one another,” said Gaga. “I’m excited to partner with Mastercard to bring my passionate community of dancers and fans together to experience MAYHEM more intensely, to celebrate them joining me on the dance floor and giving back to them in a way I’ve never done before.” (Business Wire)

Travis Scott’s new single, “4X4,” debuts at No. 1 on this week’s Billboard Hot 100 chart. The track – which the Houston rapper debuted during the halftime show of the College Football Playoff National Championship on January 20 – becomes Scott’s fifth Hot 100 chart-topper of his career. Another notable achievement this week comes from Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” which sits at No. 5 on the Hot 100 after a record-tying 19 weeks at No. 1. The crossover hit has also just set the record for the longest reign at No. 1 on the Radio Songs chart at 27 weeks, breaking a tie with The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights.”

Elsewhere in the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile” – which won a Grammy last night for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance – drops a spot to No. 2, ROSÉ and Bruno Mars’ “APT.” holds at No. 3, Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther” moves up a spot to No. 4, Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” jumps up a slot to No. 6, Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather” falls a spot to No. 7, Bad Bunny’s “DtMF” drops six places to No. 8, Gracie Abrams’ “That’s So True” slides a spot to No. 9, and Morgan Wallen’s “Love Somebody” remains at No. 10. (Billboard)

Drake already has big plans for Valentine’s Day. The Canadian rap superstar and PartyNextDoor are set to release $ome $exy $ongs 4 U on February 14, marking Drake’s first multi-track project since his 100 Gigs EP in August 2024. The collaborative album was first teased last year, with Drake announcing on stage in Toronto, “On behalf of me and Party, we’ve been working on something for y’all. So, you get the summer over with. Do what you need to do. When it gets a little chilly, a PartyNextDoor and Drake album will be right there waiting.” PartyNextDoor was the first artist signed to Drake’s OVO Sound label, and the duo has frequently worked together ever since, on tracks like “Come and See Me,” “Loyal,” “Wednesday Night Interlude,” “Members Only,” and “With You.” Drake previewed the new project in an Instagram teaser trailer on Monday (February 3), which hints at a sultry, atmospheric sound featured on the duo’s highly-anticipated upcoming release. (Rolling Stone)

Fresh off her Grammy win for Album of the Year on Sunday (February 2), Beyoncé finally revealed the dates for her highly anticipated Cowboy Carter 2025 World Tour. The 22-show run kicks off on April 28 with a four-night stand at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, and will continue on to Chicago, Paris, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, and two special shows in Houston, the hometown of the 35-time Grammy winner. Beyoncé will also be performing four-night stands in London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and East Rutherford’s MetLife Stadium, while her D.C. stop includes a July 4 date which will make for a momentous Independence Day in the nation’s capital. Cowboy Carter was also awarded Best Country Album at the Grammys. “I just feel very full and very honored,” Beyoncé said in her acceptance speech for Album of the Year. “I’ll just hopefully keep pushing forward, opening doors.” General on-sale for tickets to the Cowboy Carter 2025 World Tour begins on February 14 at 12 p.m. local time. (Variety)

The 67th Annual Grammy Awards took place on Sunday night (February 2) at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Comedian Trevor Noah hosted the ceremony for the fifth consecutive year, which kicked off with a fitting tribute to Los Angeles after the devastating wildfires. L.A. band Dawes (whose brothers, Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith lost their homes and recording studio in the fires) were joined by John Legend, Sheryl Crow, St. Vincent, Brittany Howard, and Brad Paisley for a fitting cover of Randy Newman’s iconic anthem, “I Love L.A.”

Love for the City of Angels continued throughout the ceremony, from Billie Eilish sporting a Dodgers hat during her performance of “Birds of a Feather,” to Chappell Roan – who won Best New Artist later in the ceremony – performing her love letter to Los Angeles, “Pink Pony Club,” and Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ touching duet on the Mamas & the Papas classic, “California Dreamin’.’” They were also encouraging donations to fire relief efforts throughout the ceremony, with QR codes on the screen and throughout the venue, and paid TV advertisements throughout the broadcast supporting small, independent L.A. businesses hit hard by the fires.

The ceremony also featured an all-star tribute to the late music legend Quincy Jones, led by Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Cynthia Erivo, Lainey Wilson, and Jacob Collier, which included an arena-wide singalong on the anthem, “We Are the World,” and Janelle Monáe covering Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough.” The In Memoriam segment was led by a short tribute to One Direction’s Liam Payne, soundtracked by Coldplay’s Chris Martin singing his band’s recent ballad, “All My Love.”

As for the awards, Kendrick Lamar was the night's biggest winner, taking home Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, and Best Music Video for his Drake diss track, “Not Like Us.” Members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department received a standing ovation when a group of them presented Album of the Year to Beyoncé for Cowboy Carter, her first ever win in the Grammys' top category in her illustrious career. Doechii became only the third woman ever to win the Best Rap Album Grammy for her record, Alligator Bites Never Heal, joining previous winners Lauryn Hill and Cardi B.

Sabrina Carpenter took home Best Pop Vocal Album for Short N’ Sweet, and scored Best Solo Pop Performance for her smash hit, “Espresso.” Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ current chart-topper won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Charli XCX won her first ever Grammys, claiming Best Dance/Electronic Music Album for Brat, while her catchy single, “Von Dutch,” was awarded Best Dance Pop Recording. Chris Brown was awarded Best R&B Album for 11:11 (Deluxe), and Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran took home Best Latin Pop Album.

In the Rock categories, St. Vincent was the biggest winner on the night, taking home Best Rock Song and Best Alternative Music Performance for “Flea,” and Best Alternative Music Album for All Born Screaming. Two UK music legends won rock’s biggest awards, as The Rolling Stones won Best Rock Album for Hackney Diamonds, and the Beatles won Best Rock Performance for their celebrated “final” song, “Now and Then.” Best Metal Performance went to Gojira, Marina Viotti & Victor le Masne for “Mea Culpa (Ah! Ça ira!),” which caught everyone’s attention at the Olympics opening ceremony in Paris this summer.

As for the Country awards, Beyoncé was the night’s big winner in the genre, taking home Grammys for Best Country Album for Cowboy Carter and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “II Most Wanted,” her collaboration with Miley Cyrus. Best Country Song was awarded to Kacey Musgraves for “The Architect,” while Best Country Solo Performance went to Chris Stapleton for “It Takes a Woman.” Sierra Ferrell was another big winner on the night, as her Trail of Flowers won Best Americana Album, “American Dreaming” took home Best Americana Performance and Best American Roots Song, and “Lighthouse” was awarded Best American Roots Performance. Gillian Welch & David Rawlings’ Woodland won Best Folk Album, while Billy Strings' Live Vol. 1 was awarded Best Bluegrass Album.

Rascal Flatts and the Jonas Brothers have teamed up on the emotional new single, "I Dare You." The track was written by Nick Jonas and Dan + Shay’s Shay Mooney, and it features the country trio and pop band alternating vocals throughout the lovelorn tune. The new collaboration arrives ahead of Rascal Flatts' upcoming 25th-anniversary Life Is a Highway Tour, which begins in February. “We’re so excited to kick off this next chapter of Rascal Flatts with this single. Working with Kevin, Joe and Nick is such a blast, they’re class acts,” bassist Jay DeMarcus said in a statement. “I think this song fits perfectly into our catalog while also showing off something new and exciting, and we can’t wait to share it with our fans on the road!” The Jonas Brothers are also hinting at possible anniversary plans of their own, with a mysterious countdown ticker on their website teasing a potential 20th anniversary tour announcement coming on Valentine's Day. (Rolling Stone)

Bad Bunny’s Debí Tirar Más Fotos hits No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart for the third consecutive week. Elsewhere on the chart, three albums made strong debuts this week to crack the Top 10 on the Billboard 200, as Teddy Swims’ I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2) premieres at No. 4, Kane Brown’s The High Road comes in at No. 7, and Central Cee’s Can’t Rush Greatness bows at No. 9. The rest of this week’s Billboard 200 Top 10 is rounded out by SZA’s SOS holding at No. 2, Kendrick Lamar’s GNX moves up a spot to No. 3, Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time jumps up three places to No. 5, Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet remains at No. 6, Gracie Abrams’ The Secret of Us drops three slots to No. 8, and Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft falls a spot to No. 10. (Billboard)

Following the delayed release of his new album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, on Friday (January 31), The Weeknd announced the After Hours Til Dawn 2025 North American stadium tour. The 26-date tour will feature special guest opening acts Playboi Carti and Mike Dean, and will kick off on May 9 in Phoenix, Arizona, hitting major music markets throughout the US and Canada along the way, including two-night stands in Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium and his hometown of Toronto at Rogers Centre. The Weeknd has partnered with Global Citizen for the tour, contributing $1 from each ticket sale to support vulnerable children worldwide. The general onsale for tickets is set for Friday, February 7, with artist presale starting Wednesday, February 5. Hurry Up Tomorrow concludes the Weeknd’s recent album trilogy – which includes 2020’s After Hours and 2022’s Dawn FM – and will be accompanied by a film of the same name in May. (Variety)

Sean "Diddy" Combs reportedly was taken to a local hospital due to a knee issue on Sunday (February 2), according to reports by Daily Mail and Page Six. Combs apparently received an MRI for an old, lingering knee injury at the hospital, before returning to the Metropolitan Detention Center a few hours later that day. The disgraced music mogul is currently serving time at the detention center since his arrest in September 2024 on sex trafficking, racketeering, and other charges. His attorney has previously noted that Combs is currently undergoing "treatment and therapy" at the center while awaiting his trial set for May. Combs has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and has been denied bail on four separate occasions following a series of appeals. (Us Weekly)

On Saturday (February 1), Beyoncé announced that she will soon be embarking on a Cowboy Carter Tour in support of her highly acclaimed 2024 country album. While Beyoncé didn’t announce specific dates or details of her upcoming tour, she did share two separate Instagram posts confirming that she will indeed be hitting the road supporting Cowboy Carter in 2025.  The multiple-Grammy Award nominated album showcases Black roots in country music, and features high-profile collaborations with Dolly Parton, Shaboozey, Willie Nelson, Post Malone, and Miley Cyrus. With Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé became the first Black woman to top Billboard's Hot Country Songs and Top Country Albums charts. Material from Cowboy Carter was previously given its live debut during Beyoncé’s halftime show performance at an NFL Christmas day game. (Rolling Stone)

Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour has just broken Taylor Swift's record for the most-attended concert tour of all time. Coldplay’s ongoing tour has now sold over 10.3 million tickets, surpassing Swift's 10.1 million attendees for her just concluded The Eras Tour. Coldplay’s record-setting ticket sales were boosted when the British band played the largest stadium show of the 21st century in Ahmedabad, India, on January 25-26, drawing over 223,000 fans over the two historic nights. Coldplay's ongoing tour is set to continue until September 2025, which will only solidify their top position among the top most-attended tours ever. The Top 10 most-attended tours of all-time is rounded out by (in order): Ed Sheeran — ÷ Tour (8.8 million); U2 — 360° Tour (7.3 million); Guns N’ Roses — Use Your Illusion Tour (7 million); The Rolling Stones — Voodoo Lounge Tour (6.5 million); Garth Brooks — The Garth Brooks World Tour (6.3 million); Elton John — Farewell Yellow Brick Road (6 million); The Rolling Stones — Steel Wheels/Urban Jungle Tour (6 million); and Rammstein — Rammstein Stadium Tour (6 million).  (Uproxx)