Music news summaries
Essential facts and source links for recent music stories.
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At MacArthur Park, Justin Bieber handed out supplies and played an informal set
Justin Bieber went to Los Angeles’ MacArthur Park on Sept. 22 to distribute supplies to people experiencing homelessness, according to a source close to him; as a crowd gathered, he performed an informal set with several musicians. His group also handed out food. -
Madonna says writing ‘The Test’ with daughter Lourdes made her cry
Madonna says she cried while writing “The Test,” her collaboration with daughter Lourdes Leon on “Confessions II.” Leon said she proposed the song to express unspoken love and tension in their mother-daughter relationship through art. -
Swift’s ‘Patient Zero’ video with Dakota Johnson, Colin Farrell debuts at Sept. 27 VMAs
Taylor Swift’s 13-second preview of “Patient Zero” features Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell. The video premieres at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 27, two days after the single and expanded album The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore arrive Sept. 25. -
Dexys Midnight Runners' 'Love' may be their final album, Rowland says
Dexys Midnight Runners frontman Kevin Rowland says the band's seventh album, Love, could be its last: he is not currently inspired to make another, though he is not ruling one out. A 2024 kidney crisis inspired “You’re Alright,” one of the album’s songs. -
Karol G’s ‘Bby Wow’ holds Global 200 No. 1 with about 2,000 downloads
Karol G, Judeline and Rusowsky’s “Bby Wow” held the Billboard Global 200’s No. 1 spot for a third week, with about 2,000 downloads sold worldwide, up 22% from the prior tracking period. The chart excludes radio, and streaming is doing nearly all the work. -
Shreya Ghoshal spotlights Indian crafts on sold-out North American tour
Shreya Ghoshal’s sold-out Unstoppable tour across North America features traditional Indian textiles, with no look repeated. One Kalamkari panel in her wardrobe took Andhra Pradesh artisan Ganga 25 days to hand-paint using natural dyes. -
Macklemore’s Red Rocks resale tickets start at $220 after Sheeran tour exit
Resale tickets for Macklemore’s Oct. 22 solo show at Colorado’s Red Rocks start at $220 for general admission; Ticketmaster lists only resale tickets. Demand surged following the controversy, while tickets for Ed Sheeran’s Philadelphia show were available for $68. -
Four editions of Miley Cyrus’s ‘Bass Persuades’ rank in U.S. iTunes top 10
At the time of Forbes’ report, four editions of Miley Cyrus’s album “Bass Persuades” were in the U.S. iTunes Top Albums chart’s top 10, led by The Miley Edition at No. 4. Released Sept. 18, the album had yet to make its Billboard 200 debut. -
‘Patient Zero’ could make Taylor Swift the first woman with 10 Hot 100 No. 1 debuts
Taylor Swift’s “Patient Zero,” scheduled for release Sept. 25, could tie Drake’s record of 10 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 debuts if it opens atop the chart, making her the first woman to reach that mark. A debut there would also give her 16 Hot 100 No. 1s. -
Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell appear in Taylor Swift’s ‘Patient Zero’ video teaser
Taylor Swift unveiled a 13-second preview of her “Patient Zero” music video on CBS Mornings Thursday, Sept. 24. Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell co-star; the full video is set to premiere at the MTV Video Music Awards Sept. 27, and the single is due Friday, Sept. 25. -
‘AGT’ winner Nene Royal has recorded original music but no release timeline
Nene Royal, a 16-year-old singer from Phuket, Thailand, won Season 21 of “America’s Got Talent” on Sept. 23. She says she will return to Thailand soon, though she has no exact date, and has no timetable for releasing original music she has already recorded. -
Penny Lancaster says Rod Stewart’s slight heart blockage needed a stent
Rod Stewart’s wife Penny Lancaster says doctors found a slight heart blockage after he nearly fainted onstage in Utah in June. He had a stent procedure in August; his team canceled tour dates during recovery. She says he is doing well and eager to return. -
Cavaliers react to Taylor Swift naming an upcoming song ‘Cleveland’
Taylor Swift announced four songs for release Friday under the title “The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore,” including one called “Cleveland.” The Cavaliers responded on X with “Keepin’ it 100 in the Land, always” and shared footage of Swift and Travis Kelce at a game last season. -
Three Beach Boys September dates fall through before the tour resumes
The Beach Boys’ Sept. 24 show in West Springfield, Mass., appears canceled; venues in Quakertown, Pa., and Myrtle Beach, S.C., confirmed their Sept. 25 and 27 shows were canceled, citing circumstances beyond their control. The tour had been due to resume this week. -
Rita Wilson's back cross tattoo matches the one Chet Hanks has
Rita Wilson’s Sept. 19 post promoting her new single “Stranger With Age” appeared to show a large cross tattoo across her back, matching the tattoo her son Chet Hanks has. She says the song celebrates freedom from expectations about what people should do or say as they age. -
Riot Fest ends Saturday early as storm threat cuts sets across the bill
With storms threatening, Riot Fest cut Saturday sets and ended day two several hours early. Most acts played 20–45 minutes; Afroman’s evening set was canceled. Morrissey played 45 minutes, alongside SUGAR, Angine de Poitrine and Public Image Ltd. -
Randy Travis praises Stella Lefty after she references him in unreleased track
Randy Travis praised Stella Lefty on TikTok after her Sept. 22 video of unreleased song “Raised by the Radio,” which mentions him. He wrote that the country singer could stand “toe-to-toe with the very best in Nashville” and urged her to keep believing. -
After over two years in Russian prison, Gaga Daily’s Kirill hears MAYHEM
Gaga Daily owner Kirill says he was arrested in Russia in early 2024 after protesting against the government, sentenced to more than two years in prison and is now out. Friends ran the account during Lady Gaga’s MAYHEM era; he is hearing the album for the first time. -
Bennah Serfaty and Andy Boose raised musician Sombr in New York
Sombr, whose real name is Shane Boose, grew up in New York City with parents Bennah Serfaty and Andy Boose and sister Amelie. After he left high school at 17 to pursue music, his mother, initially unhappy with the decision, came to support his career. -
Justin Bieber's apparent MacArthur Park performance draws officials' praise
Footage appearing to show Justin Bieber performing at Los Angeles' MacArthur Park on Sept. 22 drew praise from officials, who described the reported set as a sign of progress. Bieber's representative had not immediately responded to a request for confirmation. -
YouTube reports Coachella concurrent-viewer record, renews exclusive livestream deal to 2030
YouTube renewed its exclusive Coachella livestream deal with promoter Goldenvoice through 2030 after the 2026 festival set a record for concurrent viewers on the platform, the company said. The April 2027 edition will mark 15 years of the festival on YouTube. -
2026 VMAs set for Sept. 27, with Madonna opening and Snoop Dogg hosting
The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards air live Sunday, Sept. 27, at 7:30 p.m. ET on CBS and MTV, with a live stream on Paramount+ Premium. Madonna will open the show, Snoop Dogg will host, and fan voting closes Sept. 25, except for Best New Artist. -
Hayley Williams honors late ex-husband Chad Gilbert’s hardcore influence
In a Sept. 23 tribute, Hayley Williams called ex-husband Chad Gilbert a “legend in the scene,” saying the New Found Glory guitarist, who died Sept. 20 at 45 after a years-long cancer journey, deepened her appreciation for hardcore culture. -
On 'The Voice,' Harmony McKee picks Riley Green over Adam Levine
Harmony McKee chose Riley Green over Adam Levine as her coach on “The Voice” after singing Miranda Lambert’s “Gunpowder & Lead,” her first country performance. Both coaches turned for her, and Green called winning McKee a sweet victory over Levine. -
Hardly Strictly taps Rilo Kiley to replace Alison Krauss, adds Parton tributes
Rilo Kiley will replace Alison Krauss at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass after Krauss became unable to perform because of a medical condition, the festival said Tuesday. The Oct. 2-4 event will also honor Dolly Parton, with at least 15 acts agreeing to cover her songs. -
Taylor Swift’s new VMA directing honor will put her ahead of Beyoncé
Taylor Swift will receive the inaugural MTV VMA Artist Director Honors on Sunday, lifting her VMA tally to 31 and past Beyoncé as the VMAs’ most-awarded artist. The award recognizes artists whose work behind the camera advances visual storytelling.
