In the first half of 2025 in the United States, Morgan Wallen’s chart-topping album, I’m the Problem, and Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s hit song, “Luther,” led Luminate’s midyear rankings. I'm the Problem earned 2.562 million equivalent album units, while “Luther” was the most-streamed song with 530.4 million on-demand audio streams. 2025’s Top 5 most popular albums are rounded out by (in order) SZA’s SOS, Lamar’s GNX, Bad Bunny’s DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, and Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet. Total U.S. album sales declined by 6% over last year, while U.S. physical album sales dipped by 3.2%, and U.S. digital album purchases fell 17.7%.

However, if you excluded Taylor Swift albums from the year-over-year comparisons, then both total U.S. album sales and U.S. physical album sales would have increased over last year, since sales were boosted in 2024 by Swift’s smash hit album, The Tortured Poets Department, while streaming numbers increased surrounding her blockbuster Eras Tour. The rest of the Top 5 most streamed songs in the U.S. included (in order) Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile,” Lamar’s “TV Off” featuring Lefty Gunplay and “Not Like Us,” and Drake’s “NOKIA.” (Billboard)

On Monday (July 15), Sabrina Carpenter reflected on the third anniversary of her 2022 album, Emails I Can’t Send. The two-time Grammy winner expressed gratitude for the lessons learned and connections made through the music, noting the album's role in paving the way for her subsequent successes in hit songs like “Espresso” and “Taste” from her chart-topping 2024 album, Short n’ Sweet. “3 years of my dear emails,” Carpenter wrote in an Instagram Story. “This album means so much to me and was the gateway to many special moments I couldn’t see ahead. I will never take this chapter for granted and what it taught me and how much closer it brought me to each and every one of you.” To mark the milestone, Carpenter is releasing the first-ever vinyl edition of 2023's deluxe version of the album, Emails I Can’t Send Fwd. (Rolling Stone)

After Sam Fender had to withdraw from Switzerland's Montreux Jazz Festival due to a hemorrhaged vocal cord, Benson Boone was elevated to headliner on Tuesday (July 15), offering a cover of Fender's 2021 Top 3 UK hit, "Seventeen Going Under," for the audience. Boone admitted to the crowd that he was “terrified” to be filling in for Fender, before introducing his cover by saying, “I really hope that the people who came to see Sam today can get just five per cent out of this song. It’s a beautiful song.” Fender also pulled out of upcoming festival appearances at Rock Werchter, Down the Rabbit Hole, and NOS Alive, and shared his disappointment on Instagram: “I’m so sorry to everybody who is coming to those festivals with our show in mind. I hate letting people down and I hate not being able to sing for weeks as it is my only real passion in life. I hope that I’m able to make it up to you down the line.” (Rolling Stone)

Nicki Minaj and SZA got into a heated feud on social media on Tuesday (July 15), with Minaj launching into a lengthy diatribe on X and her Stationhead channel where the Grammy-nominated rapper blasted the chart-topping R&B superstar. “Wait. Does Sza think she’s more successful than me? Lol yall catch me up pls,” Nicki wrote. “Sza if every song you’ve ever done vanished right now the music business wouldn’t even miss you.” SZA initially got involved in the online spat by responding to Nicki’s criticism of Top Dawg Entertainment president Terrence “Punch” Henderson by writing “Mercury retrograde .. don’t take the bait lol silly goose.” Minaj later responded, “Boo im an icon. You’re not. The end.” Regardless of the dispute, both artists have achieved significant success in their careers, with SZA’s SOS remaining in the Top Five of the Billboard 200 years after its 2022 release, and has spent 135 weeks on the chart, while Minaj holds the record for the most Billboard 200 No. 1 albums by a female rapper, and has scored 149 Billboard Hot 100 hits. (Billboard)

Ariana Grande took to Instagram on Wednesday (July 16) to assure fans that she isn’t quitting music to focus entirely on film. “Very silly of you all to assume that just because i have my hands full with many things that i plan to abandon singing & music!” Grande wrote alongside a video clip of her performing “Into You” at the 2024 Met Gala. “It is and has always been my lifeline. there will need to be room made for all of it. 🧚🏼‍♂️” Grande explained that she is feeling “grateful and excited and inspired,” and is currently “finding a balance between many projects and endeavors i love, and doing it my own way… so i’m working on a plan to sing for you all next year. even if it’s just for a little.” Though Grande released her Grammy-nominated album Eternal Sunshine in 2024, she hasn’t toured since 2019's Sweetener World Tour. Grande is starring in the upcoming Wicked sequel, Wicked: For Good, which hits theaters on November 21. (Billboard)

Taylor Swift’s father, Scott, recently underwent successful quintuple bypass heart surgery after a routine check-up revealed a need for the procedure. No other specific details were provided, though the surgery was not precipitated by a heart attack. The 73-year-old is said to be recovering well, with support provided by Taylor, her brother Austin, and Scott’s wife Andrea. Scott’s heart procedure adds to the Swift family’s recent history of health challenges, including both Scott and Andrea’s battles with cancer. “I’ve had to learn how to handle serious illness in my family,” Swift wrote in a 2019 essay for Elle. “It’s taught me that there are real problems and then there’s everything else. My mom’s cancer is a real problem. I used to be so anxious about daily ups and downs. I give all of my worry, stress, and prayers to real problems now.” Taylor has incorporated those emotional ordeals into her music, like in the 2019 Lover track, “Soon You’ll Get Better,” which was inspired by her mom’s illness. (Rolling Stone)

On Tuesday (July 15), Ashe and Finneas announced that they will be embarking on An Evening With the Favors Tour in support of their debut collaborative album, The Dream, which is set for release on September 19. The headlining tour – the duo’s first proper shows as The Favors – is scheduled to kick off on September 18 at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, with additional performances at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado on September 26, and Central Park Summerstage in New York City on October 1, followed by two appearances at the Austin City Limits Music Festival on October 3 and 10. Tickets for select shows will be available starting on Friday (July 18). Finneas and Ashe will be accompanied by their collaborators Marinelli and Ricky "Rat" Gourmet on the road, and the duo have already teased their forthcoming album with two previously released singles, "The Hudson" and "The Little Mess You Made." (Rolling Stone)

Drake's recent surprise release track, "What Did I Miss?," debuts at No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart this week. This achievement marks a record-extending 31st chart-topper for the Toronto rapper, while solidifying his place as the act with the most weeks at No. 1 with 140 total weeks. The song also earns Drake his 21st No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart, and 15th career leader on the Digital Song Sales survey. Additionally, "What Did I Miss?" knocks Kendrick Lamar and SZA's "Luther" off the top spot on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, after it spent a record 28 weeks at No. 1 between December-July. This chart battle continues Drake's ongoing rap feud with his rival Lamar, with the Canadian hip-hop superstar hinting at a forthcoming project rumored to be titled, Iceman, that will feature his new chart-topping hit. (Billboard)

The first trailer has been shared for the upcoming Eminem documentary, Stans, which delves into the rapper's career and music, while also exploring the stories of some of his most passionate fans. The film, directed by Steven Leckhart and co-produced by Eminem himself, will screen at participating AMC Theatres in a limited run beginning on August 7. Stans offers a deep dive into Eminem's complex relationship with his dedicated followers, providing insights into the 15-time Grammy winner’s creative process as well as examining the mystique surrounding his public persona.

“Through stylized recreations, rare archival footage, intimate interviews, and an exclusive original interview with Eminem himself, it offers a raw, loud, and revealing journey across his career — and the passionate audience that has grown with him,” reads a synopsis of the film, which premiered at SXSW London in June. The project will also be accompanied by an original soundtrack containing previously unreleased music. (Rolling Stone)

During an interview on Good Morning America on Tuesday (July 15), Miley Cyrus candidly discussed her hesitation about touring again, citing the difficulty of maintaining sobriety and mental wellness while on the road. “I do have the physical ability, and I have the opportunities to tour,” she shared. “I wish I had the desire, but I don’t. It’s really hard to maintain sobriety when you’re on the road, which is a really important pillar of stability in my life.”

The 32-year-old pop superstar also reflected on her surprise guest performance with Beyoncé at a recent Cowboy Carter Tour stop in Paris, where they performed their Grammy-winning duet, "II Most Wanted." “I stood toe-to-toe with Beyoncé,” Cyrus says with pride. “When you’re standing beside her, you can actually feel her desire and her passion.” Bey gave Cyrus a warm hug and kiss on the cheek after their collaboration, with Miley reflecting, “That to me is a win. It’s not a trophy, it’s not something physical that you hold or put on a shelf, but it’s something that I have that’s a true win.” (Billboard)

Beyoncé's 2024 Netflix special, Beyoncé Bowl, which captured her halftime show performance during an NFL game on Christmas Day, has earned the musician double Emmy nominations for Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special and Outstanding Variety Special (Live) at the 2025 Primetime Emmy Awards. This marks Beyoncé's return to the Emmy Awards after she received four nominations in 2019 for Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé, with the singer still awaiting her first Emmy win. The special, which Beyoncé co-directed with Alex Rudzinski, is also up for Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special nomination.

In additional Bey news, prior to her Cowboy Carter Tour stop in Atlanta, hard drives containing the singer’s unreleased music, footage plans for her show, and past and future set lists were stolen according to a police report. The theft was reported by Beyoncé’s choreographer Christopher Grant and dancer Diandre Blue, who disclosed that two suitcases filled with the musician's sensitive information were stolen from their car. Amid the investigation, a pair of AirPods taken from the vehicle led officers to a suspect, although no charges have been made public. (Rolling Stone)

At the FIFA Club World Cup Final between Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday (July 13), Coldplay made a surprise appearance during the halftime show, which also featured performances by J Balvin, Tems, Doja Cat, and Emmanuel Kelly. The 15-minute set, presented by Global Citizen and curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, opened with J Balvin's "Mi Gente," followed by Tems performing "Love Me JeJe," and Balvin returning for "Reggaeton." Doja Cat performed "Woman" before Coldplay closed the show, with Chris Martin and Emmanuel Kelly duetting "A Sky Full of Stars." The performance aimed to raise $100 million for global education access, and took place on an innovative stage setup in the upper level of the stadium. “By building our platform high in the stands, we ensured that the newly installed natural grass remains untouched while delivering an unforgettable show that is designed to be time-efficient and visually stunning,” said Hugh Evans, CEO of Global Citizen. (Rolling Stone)

Drake headlined all three nights of London's Wireless Festival over the weekend, where the Toronto rap superstar brought out a series of high profile special guests, including Lauryn Hill, 21 Savage, Sexxy Red, Burna Boy, Vanessa Carlton, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Latto, Bryson Tiller, and more. The biggest headline came during Drake’s second set on Saturday (July 12), when he asked the crowd to "name another artist" who matches his performance level, and the audience began chanting "F--- Kendrick." Drake responded positively to the chant, as he smiled and told his longtime associate Chubbs, "Grab me a shot. I’ll drink to that." The incident comes amid his ongoing feud with Kendrick Lamar, with Drake recently dropping his new single, "What Did I Miss?" – which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart this week – that calls out the "traitors" in his life who attended Kendrick’s infamous Pop Out concert in Los Angeles in June 2024. (People)

During his concert at Suffolk’s Portman Road stadium on Sunday night (July 13), Ed Sheeran got emotional when he shared the stage with one of his musical heroes, James Blunt. The two music stars performed a duet on Blunt's 2004 hit "Goodbye My Lover." Sheeran called the experience “a dream come true,” and he took to Instagram to share footage of the special collaboration while expressing why Blunt means so much to him. “I saw @jamesblunt when I was 13 opening for @eltonjohn at Portman Road. I bought his album that day, then got obsessed,” Sheeran wrote. “He became my favourite singer songwriter. His songs moulded me, his performing inspired me. I wanted to be him.” The two have gone on to form a close personal friendship, with Sheeran even serving as godfather to Blunt’s son. “Don’t meet your hero’s, unless your hero’s are James Blunt,” Sheeran added. “Love you mate.” (Billboard)

Rosé surprised fans at Blackpink's second sold-out concert at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Sunday night (July 13) by inviting Bruno Mars to join her on stage to perform their worldwide chart-topping duet, "Apt." Fan shot footage of the collaboration captured the musicians sporting matching jackets for the performance, which culminated in a confetti-filled dance party alongside Blackpink’s backup dancers. The K-Pop group are in the midst of their highly-anticipated Deadline reunion tour, performing a series of 18 stadium shows throughout the world, including upcoming stops in Chicago, Toronto, and New York throughout July, followed by a scheduled performance at Japan's Tokyo Dome in early 2026. Blackpink launched their tour last week at Seoul’s Goyang Stadium, where the group debuted a new song, “Jump,” with the show marking their first live performance together in nearly two years. (Rolling Stone)

On Monday (July 14), Bad Bunny surprised fans by releasing his brand new single, "Alambre Púa," the first track released since dropping his chart-topping album, Debí Tirar Más Fotos, back in January. The song – which translates to “Barbed Wire” in English – made its debut as the opener during Bad Bunny’s historic 30-date residency at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The track is also accompanied by a music video featuring a woman dancing on a beach. The residency, which began on July 11 and runs until September 14, serves as a prelude to Bad Bunny's upcoming world tour, which spans Central and South America, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe, and runs through 2026. In addition to his flourishing music career, Benito is also set to appear in two films this year, Happy Gilmore 2 with Adam Sandler and Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing. (Rolling Stone)

Alex Warren’s first career Hot 100 No. 1 hit, “Ordinary,” has now spent six weeks atop the chart. Elsewhere in the Top 10, two tracks cracked the tally for the first time this week, as Drake’s “What Did I Miss?” debuts at No. 2, pushing the Canadian rapper’s record setting career total to 81 Hot 100 Top 10s, while HUNTR/X’s “Golden” vaults up 17 spots to reach No. 6, on the strength of being featured on the KPop Demon Hunters Soundtrack, which surged to No. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Meanwhile, Morgan Wallen claims his 10th week with at least three simultaneous Hot 100 Top 10s, a career mark that only five acts — and no country artists — have previously reached.

Walen’s “What I Want,” featuring Tate McRae, falls one spot to No. 3, “Just in Case” drops one slot to No. 4, and “I’m the Problem” falls three places to No. 8, all of which are lifted from his chart-topping album, I’m the Problem, which is spending an eighth consecutive week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The rest of the Top 10 is rounded out by Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy), which drops one spot to No. 5, Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther” falls one slot to No. 7, Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control” slides down one place to No. 9, and  Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile” drops one slot to No. 10. (Billboard)

On Wednesday (July 9), Harper’s Bazaar published their list of the 50 “Hottest Men Of All Time,” which includes Tupac Shakur at No. 2, Lenny Kravitz at No. 3, Bad Bunny at No. 8, and Elvis Presley at No. 17. Other musicians like Maluma, Zayn Malik, and A$AP Rocky also made the list, along with actors such as Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Keanu Reeves. The No. 1 spot was claimed by actor James Dean, with his fellow Old Hollywood stars Paul Newman and Marlon Brando also making the list. According to the tally, Bad Bunny reached his “peak” hotness level in March when he showed off his abs in his steamy Calvin Klein ads, while Pac’s hottest moment was during his shirtless appearance in the “Hit ‘Em Up” music video, and Elvis’ hotness peak occurred every time he did his notorious “Jailhouse Rock” dance moves. (Billboard) 

Kanye West's Shanghai concert on Saturday night (July 12) faced backlash as fans demanded refunds due to his late arrival, erratic behavior, and early departure. The show, billed as Ye’s first full-length concert in nearly a year, was marred by technical issues and minimal stage production, with the rapper performing alone in the rain at Shanghai Stadium. Attendees were left confused and frustrated by West's delayed start, and once he finally did take the stage,  technical issues with the DJ caused Ye to stop and restart multiple songs. Following the rapper’s abrupt early exit, fan shot footage captured the crowd chanting for refunds. Fans paid upwards of $400USD for tickets to the show, and took to Chinese social media to voice their displeasure, with one user saying they had “never seen such a poorly organized concert.” (Consequence of Sound)

Travis Scott and Cactus Jack released the highly-anticipated JACKBOYS 2 compilation album on Sunday (July 13) in honor of ‘713 Day,’ paying homage to the area code of Scott's hometown of Houston. The set serves as a sequel to Scott’s 2019 JACKBOYS project, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Scott hyped the new collection with an Instagram post on Friday, with a promotional image boasting, “The Jack is back with 17 new tracks full of trunk rattling classics in the making. Hosted by Bun B of UGK.” JACKBOYS 2 features Scott alongside hip-hop stars like Sheck Wes, Don Toliver, GloRilla, 21 Savage, Kodak Black, Waka Flocka Flame, and more. Scott also offered fans various merchandise collections tied to the release, and CD/vinyl bundles featuring alternate cover art. This continues a busy year for Scott, who headlined Coachella in April, after scoring another No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “4×4” in February. The rap star also made a series of surprise appearances at high-profile WWE events. (Billboard)