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Round Hill Music, the name of the Josh Gruss-led, private-equity backed company with more than $1.1 billion in music assets under management, now adorns a physical music store in Greenwich, Conn.
The 1,100-square-foot outlet, which opened last month, hawks high-end guitars and amps as well as a healthy offering of vinyl and other merchandise in a store designed to appeal to the entire family, says Gruss, who is the store’s sole owner. In his day job, Gruss is the CEO of Round Hill Music, the music asset company that’s also a full-service music company which owns or represents rights in music written or performed by the likes of Bobby Darin, Brittany Howard, Gil Scott-Heron, Rob Thomas, Ashley Gorley, Bruce Cockburn, Massive Attack, Collective Soul, Skid Row, Craig Wiseman and Randy Bachman, according to the company’s website.
While the impetus may have been to open a guitar store, Gruss says he wanted it to have broad appeal for the whole family: “If parents come in with a son for a guitar, maybe mom will pick up a shirt or a candle. Another family had a 4-year-old daughter, and we had a kid guitar for her. While the main focus is the high-end guitars and amps, we have something for everybody.” Beyond the above items, the store’s inventory includes sunglasses, rock ’n’ roll t-shirts, hand-made jean jackets, art for sale and even an ashtray. But in the first few weeks of operation, the big eye-opener has been the strength of the record store component, says Gruss. The shop carries some 1,500 vinyl albums, all new — and that has turned out to be the surprise selling category. “Everyone loves music, and we all know vinyl has resurged in popularity,” says Gruss. While he says he was hoping that vinyl would be the secondary reason customers visited the store, “it turns out it’s the primary reason,” he reports. “So far, about 20% of our vinyl inventory is getting sold per week. So far, our No. 1 seller is a local jam band called Goose. Everyone comes in asking for them.”
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Round Hill Music Co.
Terry Moseley
In assembling the retail outlet, Gruss, who plays guitar in an original rock band called Rubikon and a cover band called Kaintuck, says he was inspired by memories from when he was younger. “My favorite thing to do as a kid was look at guitars in guitar stores, especially those on 48th Street,” he recalls, referencing the Manhattan block between 6th and 7th Avenues that, in the 1960s through the 1990s, was known as Music Row for the many musical instrument stores lining the street (the most famous being Manny’s Music).“Even today, when I travel to places like Stockholm and Paris, I check out guitar stores,” says Gruss. Over the years, he adds, “I built up an idea of what I like in a guitar store.”
It wasn’t until the COVID pandemic that Gruss decided to act on his vision. “It was during the height of COVID when I was going through town [and] I see the ‘for sale’ sign on this building,” he remembers. “With my contrarian hat on, I thought, maybe I can get a good price.” After buying the building, he set about planning for the guitar store, a category that Greenwich — although rich in various types of retail — lacked.
Round Hill Records
Terry Moseley
In conceptualizing the Round Hill Music store, Gruss explains he didn’t want it to focus on things you can find at Guitar Center, which he acknowledges as the dominant merchant of musical instruments and equipment in the U.S. As a result, he gave the store a high-end boutique slant, which, considering its location, makes sense: Greenwich is consistently ranked as one of the wealthiest communities in the U.S., with a median household income of $180,000 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
While there are many affordable and recognized guitar brands in the store, it also has more unique items. Case in point: a $20,000 replica of “Greeny,” a 1959 Les Paul Standard guitar named after its owner, Fleetwood Mac’s Peter Green, who sold it to Thin Lizzy’s Gary Moore and which eventually wound up with Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett. Gruss says the store ordered the replica from the Gibson Custom shop, noting the company only made 50 as part of a limited-edition run.With guitars by Gibson, Fender, Paul Reed Smith, Taylor LsL Instruments, Ernie Ball, Rock N Roll Relics and Suhr, Gruss says he wants the store to be a haven for musicians and collectors as well as younger consumers, which is why it also carries guitars attractive to beginners. Beyond guitars, the store carries premium speakers from Devialet and Transparent and apparel by Madeworn, Daydreamer and Rowdy Sprout.
Beyond inventory, Gruss says he wanted Round Hill Music to have a different feel than Guitar Center. “We want our store to be as welcoming as possible and we want people to sit and play as much as possible,” he says. In contrast, he says Guitar Center can be intimidating for customers, with a sales staff that he believes measures whether people have money to buy a guitar and may require some kind of collateral if a customer wants to play one of the nicer models on the floor.Consequently, he says he wants the Round Hill Music store to be welcoming to all ages and hopes it will give young customers the opportunity to enjoy the same experience he had as a teenager at similar shops. He also expresses the hope that the store can be a place where music fans interact with one another.
Mike Stern Band
Ed Christman
To make sure the Round Hill store is correctly merchandised and boasts a welcoming atmosphere, Gruss says having the right staff is key, citing the “super knowledgeable” John Mahoney, who works as the store’s operations manager. He adds that his vision was carried out “by a great group of people” who previously worked in retail at other music instrument stores, including Sam Ash. In total, the store is currently staffed with six employees.At the store’s opening event, what Gruss sees as intrinsic to the store’s future success — an in-store stage — was put to good use by the Mike Stern Band, which played a high-energy set that left the crowd wanting more. “We will program the store with plenty of in-store artist events, including up-and-coming songwriters and local singer-songwriters,” Gruss says. Gruss points out that he’s also using the store to promote the Round Hill Music catalog business, noting that artists and songwriters in the music-asset company’s catalog have their own section in the shop; the inventory there includes albums by Soul Coughing, System Of A Down and Neon Trees. “The store is a great way to spread the Round Hill network,” he says. “It will really help out the rest of the business.”
Usher was sitting at home watching the 2025 BET Awards Monday night (June 9) when he recognized host Kevin Hart‘s fuzzy red coat. Ahead of Teyana Taylor‘s television debut performance of her new single “Long Time,” Hart strutted down the aisle of Peacock Theater at L.A. Live wearing Usher’s signature jacket from his most recent […]
Macklemore’s Seattle home was the target of a robbery early Saturday (June 7). According to The Seattle Times, the pair of burglars stole thousands of dollars worth of jewelry, shoes and designer watches after bear-spraying a nanny inside the Capitol Hill residence. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and […]
MGK‘s next album will be a tribute to Americana, and it seems that he tapped one of the subculture’s biggest heroes, Bob Dylan, to narrate the project’s trailer.
In a clip previewing the August-slated LP posted Tuesday (June 10), a voice sounding very familiar to Dylan’s can be heard reading a description of the rapper-turned-rocker’s Lost Americana, calling it “a personal excavation of the American dream.”
“It’s a sonic map of forgotten places, a tribute to the spirit of reinvention and a quest to reclaim the essence of American freedom,” the Dylan-esque drawl says over fuzzy shots of MGK smoking, riding motorcycles, hanging out with friends, taking in a mountainous landscape in awe and walking the Las Vegas strip. “From the glow of neon diners to the rumble of the motorcycles, this is music that celebrates the beauty found in the in-between spaces. Where the past is reimagined, and the future is forged on your own terms.”
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MGK further teased that Dylan is in fact the featured voice by cheekily writing in the video’s caption, “narrated by …” without revealing any names. Later, the “My Ex’s Best Friend” artist not-so-randomly shared a black-and-white photo of the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer on Instagram Stories Tuesday.
Billboard has reached out to Dylan’s reps for comment.
Arriving Aug. 8, Lost Americana will mark MGK’s seventh studio album, following 2022’s Billboard 200-topper Mainstream Sellout. Leading up to its release, the artist born Colson Baker has dropped singles “Your Name Forever” and “Cliche,” which followed his 2024 collaborations with Jelly Roll, “Lonely Road” and “Time of Day.”
And while a collaboration with the famously elusive Dylan might seem random, the Lost Americana trailer wouldn’t be the first time he and MGK’s worlds have collided (assuming that it really is the legend’s voice in the narration). In February, Dylan left fans confused when, without explanation, he posted an old video of the “I Think I’m Okay” artist rapping in a Florida music store in 2016 on Instagram.
Whether that was Dylan’s way of declaring that he’s a fan of MGK or just a random moment, the younger musician was amused by the post. “you having a phone is so rad,” MGK commented at the time.
See MGK’s Lost Americana trailer, seemingly featuring the voice of Bob Dylan, below.
On a drizzly Monday (June 9) night in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, the BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! summer series kicked off with a knockout double bill of Grace Jones and Janelle Monáe that also served as an unofficial Pride Month party.
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“Grace Jones is the most original, innovative artist of our time,” Monáe said toward the end of the night, saluting the Jamaica-born musician who went from singing disco in Studio 54 to pioneering a spiky, brash blend of reggae and art rock in the ‘80s. Standing in the park after nightfall, gazing up at the inimitable Jones under the dramatic stage lights in all her imposing, undaunted glory, you’d be a fool to argue semantics with Monáe or attempt to insert a qualifier. Jones is undoubtedly one of the most wildly underappreciated living pioneers, a Black woman whose experimental and experiential art pop was decades ahead of its time. And at 77, Jones is still sowing the wildest of oats, bucking the narrative that edgy musicians need to settle into some kind of well-coiffed adult contemporary mold after crossing a certain age.
Bashing on cymbals throughout “Demolition Man,” straddling a metal gate while singing “My Jamaican Guy,” prancing around matador-style during “I’ve Seen That Face Before (Libertango)” and letting her tongue run amok the entire evening (“I do like to stick out my tongue; don’t make it make you crazy?” the contralto purred), Jones is as uninhibited as ever. Not to mention inscrutable. When she chugged a glass of wine and belted out “Amazing Grace,” it was hard to parse whether it was an earnest expression of faith, a cheeky brag about how wonderful she is or both.
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“Nobody’s hurt, right?” Jones asked her band and backup singers after sending a cymbal sailing across the stage. After ascertaining that everyone was fine, she hugged her singers. “You can take a beating,” she said with a wide grin. “I’ve taken a lot. And I’m still here.”
In addition to playing a new, unreleased funk song called “The Key” which found her in her characteristic sing-speak mode augmented by a vocoder or talk box effect, she delivered the lion’s share of her catalog favorites, including her full-throated, hard-hitting “Love Is the Drug.” In a shimmering bowler hat under a spotlight, Jones whipped the crowd into a sing-along fervor at the end of the Roxy Music cover, declaring, “It’s wake up the neighbors!” and urging the all-smiles audience to pump up the decibels and “wake ‘em up!” with every fresh round of whoa-ohs.
“Curfew? Who’s ever heard of a curfew?” Jones snarled as she put on a massive, seashell-esque red headpiece and began slinking around to the flirty funk guitar of “Pull Up to the Bumper” (a gay club favorite for reasons that become clear when you pay attention to the lyrics). “Bumper” stretched out into an extended jam session for her nimble band, with Monáe – who had opened the show with her own indefatigably funky brand of pop&B – joining Jones onstage. It was ostensibly a duet on the 1981 reggae-disco classic, but in practice, it was an excuse for the two to let loose: they offered up some French kicks; Jones licked the microphone while Monáe sang into it; they collapsed into each other’s arms, laughing; and one point, Monáe, on all fours, climbed through Jones’ legs, with Jones proceeding to drum on Monáe’s backside and then swivel around and ride her La Dolce Vita-style. Not long after, Monáe pantsed Jones (how often do you get to pants your music and style icon?) and then attempted, unsuccessfully, to free Jones from her slacks. “You’re a naughty, naughty girl,” Monae told Jones after the escapade, wagging her finger in cartoonish disapproval.
Jones shouted out “Brooklyn Pride!” a few times during the show, and while it wasn’t an official Brooklyn Pride event, the playful, resilient spirit of the LGBTQ community – from the audience to what was happening onstage – undoubtedly elevated the evening.
Curfew be damned: after that duet, Jones came out for an encore despite the house lights having already come up.
And what an encore. Jones crooned, cooed, barked and spat the lyrics to her Billboard Dance Club Songs No. 1 “Slave to the Rhythm” while hula-hooping for the entire classic (and she did the long version, too, introducing her band and bringing out her backstage crew during the song). When the show was finally over, the ebullient Brooklyn audience was ecstatic but fully danced out – and left with a lingering suspicion that at 77, Jones is still running circles around us all.
Jessica Pratt, Fontaines D.C., MJ Lenderman and MF DOOM were multiple winners at the 2025 Libera Awards, which honored the best in independent music. This 14th annual awards ceremony took place on Monday, June 9 at the historic Gotham Hall in New York City.
Pratt’s Here in the Pitch (Mexican Summer) won three awards – record of the year, best singer-songwriter record and best folk record.
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MF DOOM (Rhymesayers Entertainment) also won three awards – MM..FOOD (20th Anniversary Edition) won best reissue and creative packaging. “One Beer (Madlib Remix)” won best remix.
Fontaines D.C. (XL Recordings) won two awards – best rock record for Romance and music video of the year for “Starburster.”
MJ Lenderman (ANTI-) also won two awards – breakthrough artist and best American roots record for Manning Fireworks.
Shaboozey, whose “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 19 weeks, received an Impact Award for his album, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going (American Dogwood/EMPIRE). Shaboozey was nominated for best new artist at the Grammy Awards on Feb. 2 and new artist of the year at the Country Music Association Awards on Nov. 20.
The Libera Awards Presented by Merlin – the official name of the awards – kick off the Indie Week conference, which will run from Tuesday (June 10) through Thursday, June 12 at the InterContinental New York Times Square.
The show was hosted by Delisa Shannon, Billboard’s director of shortform content, and featured performances from American music trailblazer Swamp Dogg (Oh Boy Records), genre-bending singer-songwriter serpentwithfeet (Secretly Canadian), punk-rockers Ekko Astral (Topshelf Records) and Latin pop phenomenon Reyna Tropical (Psychic Hotline).
The nominations were announced on Wednesday (March 19) by FIM (The Foundation for Independent Music) and A2IM (The American Association of Independent Music, Inc.).
Dr. Richard James Bergess, MBE, was honored with a special award celebrating his 10 years as president & CEO of A2IM “The 2025 Libera Awards were a powerful reminder of what makes our community extraordinary,” Burgess said in a statement. “We honored not only remarkable music and artistry, but the spirit and purpose that define the independent sector. These nominees and winners embody the innovation, determination, and authenticity that push our industry forward. Congratulations to all who continue to shape the future of music on their own terms.”
A2IM is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade organization headquartered in New York City that exists to support and strengthen the independent recorded music sector. Membership currently includes a broad coalition of over 600 independently-owned American music labels.
Here’s a complete list of nominees for the 2025 Libera Awards Presented by Merlin, with winners marked.
Record of the Year
WINNER: Jessica Pratt – Here in the Pitch (Mexican Summer)
Kim Gordon – The Collective (Matador Records)
MJ Lenderman – Manning Fireworks (ANTI-)
Mk.gee – “Rockman” (R&R Digital)
Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood (ANTI-)
Breakthrough Artist
Jessica Pratt (Mexican Summer)
Magdalena Bay (Mom+Pop)
Mannequin Pussy (Epitaph)
WINNER: MJ Lenderman (ANTI-)
Mk.gee (R&R Digital)
Shaboozey (American Dogwood/EMPIRE)
Music Video of the Year
Caravan Palace – “Mirrors” (Le Plan Recordings)
WINNER: Fontaines D.C. – “Starburster” (XL Recordings)
Justice – “Neverender (starring Tame Impala)” (Because Music)
Porter Robinson – “Cheerleader” (Mom+Pop)
Waxahatchee feat. MJ Lenderman – “Right Back to It” (ANTI-)
Yaeji – “booboo” (XL Recordings)
Best Reissue
Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force – Planet Rock: The Album (Tommy Boy Records)
American Football – American Football LP1 (25th Anniversary Edition) (Polyvinyl Record Co.)
Cocteau Twins & Harold Budd – The Moon and the Melodies (4AD)
John Cale – Paris 1919 (Deluxe Edition) (Domino Recording Company)
WINNER: MF DOOM – MM..FOOD (20th Anniversary Edition) (Rhymesayers Entertainment)
Ray Charles – Crying Time (Tangerine Records)
Sylvan Esso – Sylvan Esso (10 Year Anniversary Edition) (Psychic Hotline)
Best Remix
Fcukers – “Bon Bon (Confidence Man Remix)” (Technicolour/Ninja Tune)
Kelela – RAVE:N, The Remixes (Warp Records)
WINNER: MF DOOM – “One Beer (Madlib Remix)” (Rhymesayers Entertainment)
Shygirl – “mr useless – MK remix” (Because Music)
Slowdive – “kisses (grouper remix)” (Dead Oceans)
Best Alternative Rock Record
Being Dead – EELS (Bayonet Records)
Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More (4AD)
WINNER: Kim Gordon – The Collective (Matador Records)
Nada Surf – Moon Mirror (New West Records)
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Wild God (Play It Again Sam)
Best American Roots Record
Dave Alvin + Jimmie Dale Gilmore – TexiCali (Yep Roc Records)
Fantastic Negrito – Son of a Broken Man (Storefront Records)
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings – Woodland (Acony Records)
Joe Ely – Driven to Drive (Rack ’Em Records)
WINNER: MJ Lenderman – Manning Fireworks (ANTI-)
Swamp Dogg – Blackgrass (Oh Boy Records)
Best Blues Record
Cedric Burnside – Hill Country Love (Provogue Records)
Little Feat – Sam’s Place (Hot Tomato Records)
WINNER: Ruthie Foster – Mileage (Sun Records)
Shemekia Copeland – Blame It on Eve (Alligator Records)
The Taj Mahal Sextet – Swingin’ Live at the Church in Tulsa (Lightning Rod Records)
Best Classical Record
Ensemble Pygmalion, Raphaël Pichon – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Requiem (harmonia mundi)
II Divo – XX: 20th Anniversary Album (Il Divo Music)
Isabelle Faust – Britten: Violin Concerto and Chamber Works (harmonia mundi)
Ju-Ping Song – Monad (Starkland)
WINNER: Kelly Moran – Moves in the Field (Warp Records)
Marc-André Hamelin, Nathalie Forget, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Gustavo Gimeno – Olivier Messiaen: Turangalîla-Symphonie (harmonia mundi)
Michael Torke – Bloom (Ecstatic Records)
Best Country Record
Corb Lund – El Viejo (New West Records)
Fancy Hagood – American Spirit (Fancy Hagood Enterprises)
Johnny Blue Skies – Passage du Desir (High Top Mountain Records)
Shaboozey – Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going (American Dogwood/EMPIRE)
WINNER: Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood (ANTI-)
Zach Top – Cold Beer & Country Music (Leo33)
Best Dance Record
A.G. Cook – “Britpop” (New Alias)
WINNER: Fcukers – Baggy$$ (Technicolour / Ninja Tune)
Peggy Gou – I Hear You (XL Recordings)
Shygirl – Club Shy (Because Music)
SOPHIE – SOPHIE (Future Classic)
Best Electronic Record
WINNER: Caribou – Honey (Merge Records)
Floating Points – Cascade (Ninja Tune)
Flying Lotus – Spirit Box (Warp Records)
Jamie xx – In Waves (Young)
Justice – Hyperdrama (Because Music)
Photay – Windswept (Mexican Summer)
Best Folk Record
Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future (4AD)
Aoife O’Donovan – All My Friends (Yep Roc Records)
Bonny Light Horseman – Keep Me on Your Mind/See You Free (Jagjaguwar)
WINNER: Jessica Pratt – Here in the Pitch (Mexican Summer)
Madi Diaz – Weird Faith (ANTI-)
Best Global Record
Altin Gun – “Vallahi Yok” (ATO Records)
Asake – Lungu Boy (YBNL Nation/EMPIRE)
BALTHVS – Harvest (Mixto Records)
Glass Beams – Mahal (Ninja Tune)
Hermanos Gutiérrez – Sonido Cósmico (Easy Eye Sound)
Manu Chao – Viva Tu (Because Music)
WINNER: Mdou Moctar – Funeral for Justice (Matador Records)
Best Heavy Record
Chelsea Wolfe – She Reaches Out to She Reaches Out to She (Loma Vista Recordings)
High On Fire – Cometh the Storm (MNRK Music Group)
WINNER: METZ – Up on Gravity Hill (Sub Pop Records)
Scene Queen – Hot Singles in Your Area (Hopeless Records)
Speed – “Only One Mode” (FLATSPOT)
Best Hip-Hop/Rap Record
BigXthaPlug – Take Care (UnitedMasters)
Cash Cobain – PLAY CASH COBAIN (Giant Music)
Common & Pete Rock – The Auditorium Vol. 1 (Loma Vista Recordings)
Denzel Curry – King of the Mischievous South (Loma Vista Recordings)
E L U C I D – REVELATOR (Fat Possum Records)
WINNER: Shygirl – “Immaculate” (feat. Saweetie) (Because Music)
Best Jazz Record
BADBADNOTGOOD – Mid Spiral (XL Recordings)
Ezra Collective – Dance, No One’s Watching (Partisan Records)
CO-WINNER: Kamasi Washington – Fearless Movement (Young)
Lakecia Benjamin – Phoenix Reimagined (Live) (Ropeadope Records)
Morgan Guerin – Tales of the Facade (Candid Records)
CO-WINNER: Nala Sinephro – Endlessness (Warp Records)
Nubya Garcia – Odyssey (Concord Jazz)
Best Latin Record
Angélica Garcia – Gemelo (Partisan Records)
Buscabulla – “11:11” (Domino Recording Company)
Chicano Batman – “Era Primavera” (ATO Records)
Dayme Arocena – Alkemi (Brownswood Recordings)
Gaby Moreno and La Lom – “Alma Florecida” (Cosmica Artists)
Girl Ultra – blush (Big Dada/Ninja Tune)
WINNER: Reyna Tropical – Malegría (Psychic Hotline)
Best Outlier Record
Chanel Beads – Your Day Will Come (Jagjaguwar)
Dawn Richard & Spencer Zahn – Quiet in a World Full of Noise (Merge Records)
Hakushi Hasegawa – Mahōgakkō (Brainfeeder)
Helado Negro – PHASOR (4AD)
CO-WINNER: Khruangbin – A LA SALA (Dead Oceans)
Moor Mother – The Great Bailout (ANTI-)
CO-WINNER: SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE – YOU’LL HAVE TO LOSE SOMETHING (Saddle Creek)
urika’s bedroom – Big Smile, Black Mire (True Panther)
Best Pop Record
Kate Nash – 9 Sad Symphonies (Kill Rock Stars)
Kesha – “Joyride” (Kesha Records)
WINNER: Magdalena Bay – Imaginal Disk (Mom+Pop)
Sofie Royer – Young-Girl Forever (Stones Throw Records)
SOPHIE – SOPHIE (Future Classic)
Suki Waterhouse – Memoir of a Sparklemuffin (Sub Pop Records)
Best Punk Record
A Place to Bury Strangers – Synthesizer (Dedstrange)
Chubby And the Gang – And Then There Was… (FLATSPOT)
Ekko Astral – pink balloons (Topshelf Records)
Laura Jane Grace – Hole in My Head (Polyvinyl Record Co.)
WINNER: Pissed Jeans – Half Divorced (Sub Pop Records)
SPRINTS – Letter to Self (City Slang)
Best R&B Record
Erika de Casier – Still (4AD)
Fana Hues – Moth (Bright Antenna Records)
WINNER: Mavis Staples – “Worthy” (ANTI-)
NxWorries (Anderson .Paak & Knxwledge) – Why Lawd? (Stones Throw Records)
serpentwithfeet – GRIP (Secretly Canadian)
Yaya Bey – Ten Fold (Big Dada/Ninja Tune)
Best Rock Record
WINNER: Fontaines D.C. – Romance (XL Recordings)
IDLES – TANGK (Partisan Records)
Jack White – No Name (Third Man Records)
Mannequin Pussy – I Got Heaven (Epitaph)
The Lemon Twigs – A Dream Is All We Know (Captured Tracks)
The Linda Lindas – No Obligation (Epitaph)
Best Singer-Songwriter Record
Adrianne Lenker – Bright Future (4AD)
Christian Lee Hutson – Paradise Pop. 10 (ANTI-)
Faye Webster – Underdressed at the Symphony (Secretly Canadian)
WINNER: Jessica Pratt – Here in the Pitch (Mexican Summer)
Katie Gavin – “As Good as It Gets” (Saddest Factory Records)
Laura Marling – Patterns in Repeat (Partisan Records/Chrysalis Records)
Best Soul/Funk Record
Angela Muñoz – Descanso (Stones Throw Records)
Neal Francis – “Back It Up” (ATO Records)
The Dip – Love Direction (Dualtone)
WINNER: Thee Sacred Souls – Got a Story to Tell (Daptone Records)
Thee Sinseers – Sinseerly Yours (Colemine Records)
Best Spiritual Record
Brother John – Brother John & The GFT Collective (The Blues Preachers/The Orchard)
Flock – Flock II (Strut)
Lauren Daigle – “Then I Will (from Boenhoffer)” (Centricity Music)
Lecrae – “Die for the Party” (Reach Records)
WINNER: The Harlem Gospel Travelers – Rhapsody (Colemine Records)
The Nelons – Loving You (Daywind Records)
Best Sync Usage
Cigarettes After Sex – “Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby” (It Ends With Us) (Partisan Records)
WINNER: De La Soul – “Say No Go” (Civil War) (A.O.I./Chrysalis/Reservoir)
Jamie xx & The Avalanches – “All You Children” (Apple) (Young)
Spoon – “The Way We Get By” (A Real Pain Trailer) (Matador Records)
Waxahatchee feat. MJ Lenderman – “Right Back to It” (Tracker S1 E6) (ANTI-)
Label of the Year (15+ Employees)
ANTI- Records
Dead Oceans
Mom+Pop
Ninja Tune
WINNER: Partisan Records
Stones Throw Records
Sub Pop Records
Warp Records
Label of the Year (6-14 Employees)
Captured Tracks
City Slang
Fat Possum
Light in the Attic
WINNER: Mexican Summer
Secret City Records
Label of the Year (5 Or Fewer Employees)
Bayonet Records
Daptone Records
Oh Boy Records
Psychic Hotline
Topshelf Records
WINNER: True Panther
Distributor of the Year
FUGA
IDOL
WINNER: Redeye
Secretly Distribution
Symphonic Distribution
The Orchard
Independent Champion
WINNER: Bandcamp
Infinite Catalog
Marauder
Qobuz
The Bloom Effect
Publisher of the Year
Beggars Music
Downtown Music Publishing
Reservoir
Secret City Publishing
WINNER: Warp Publishing
Marketing Genius
WINNER: IDLES – TANGK (Partisan Records)
Khruangbin – A LA SALA (Dead Oceans)
MF DOOM – MM..FOOD (20 Year Anniversary Edition) (Rhymesayers Entertainment)
MJ Lenderman – Manning Fireworks (ANTI-)
Waxahatchee – Tigers Blood (ANTI-)
Self-Released Record of the Year
Cheekface – It’s Sorted (Cheekface)
Fancy Hagood – American Spirit (Fancy Hagood Enterprises)
Los Campesinos! – All Hell (Heart Swells)
Orla Gartland – Everybody Needs a Hero (New Friends Music)
WINNER: RAYE – “Genesis.” (Human Re Sources)
TV Girl & George Clanton – Fauxllennium (Blissful Serenity Industries, LLC)
Creative Packaging
Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works Volume II (Expanded Edition) (Warp Records)
Khruangbin – A LA SALA (Dead Oceans)
Mac DeMarco – Salad Days 10 Year Anniversary Edition (Captured Tracks)
WINNER: MF DOOM – MM..FOOD (20 Year Anniversary Edition) (Rhymesayers Entertainment)
The Go Betweens – G Stands for Go-Betweens: Volume 3 (Domino Recording Company)
Various Artists – Sub Pop Singles Club Vol. 8 (Sub Pop Records)
Impact Award
WINNER: Shaboozey – Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going (American Dogwood/EMPIRE)
Source: Kevin Mazur / Getty
Former 106 & Park hosts Rocsi Diaz and AJ Calloway have issued heartfelt apologies to fans after their unexpected absence from the highly anticipated reunion segment at the BET Awards.
The reunion brought together a number of familiar faces from the beloved music countdown show, including Bow Wow, Terrence J, and Free, creating a nostalgic celebration for longtime viewers.
Rocsi Diaz took to Instagram to explain her absence, expressing sincere regret to her fans. “I’m so sorry if I let you down,” she wrote. “Just know I tried everything possible to be a part of the 106 & Park reunion. It really meant a lot to me to be there with my fellow host. 106 was by far the best thing that’s ever happened in my life.”
AJ Calloway also shared a message, revealing travel issues prevented his attendance. “When you’re on a plane and your phone blows up because you missed a huge night for the best and livest audience in the world! I’m so sorry I couldn’t make it tonight—I’m literally still in the air,” he posted. “I tried, honestly, but it didn’t work out.”
Despite their absence, the reunion was filled with memorable moments. Comedian Druski delivered laughs with a skit reenacting Ginuwine’s iconic performance of “Pony” on the show, and the return of former hosts created an electric energy onstage. Fans continue to hope for a full-circle moment in the future where all hosts can reunite.
Speaking of 106 & Park, The Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage has just announced an exciting addition, “106 & Sea”. Which will serve as a nostalgic celebration featuring 106 & Park legends AJ Calloway and Free. As the beloved music video countdown show marks its 25th anniversary, fans will get a rare chance to relive the magic, live and in person.
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THE BIG STORY: Two years after Jimmy Buffett’s death, his widow and his longtime former business manager are locked in a legal war over the singer-songwriter’s $275 million estate.
Jane Buffett, his wife of 46 years, and Rick Mozenter, an accountant and financial advisor to Buffett for decades, launched dueling court actions last week accusing the other of hostility and mismanagement. At issue is control of the singer’s trust, which holds, among other assets, a lucrative 20% stake in his Margaritaville chain of resorts and restaurants.
Jane’s lawyers say Mozenter has been “openly hostile and adversarial” and has “failed to perform even the most basic tasks required of him” in his role as co-trustee. Mozenter’s attorneys say Buffett clearly intended to limit his wife’s control over the trust – but that this has “made Jane very angry” and caused her to be “completely uncooperative.”
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For more, go read Rachel Scharf’s full story on the battle over Buffett.
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Other top stories this week…
CUSTODY BATTLE – Halle Bailey and ex-boyfriend DDG exchanged scathing court filings amid their increasingly acrimonious custody battle over their one-year-old son. In his petition, the rapper (Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr.) claimed that Bailey had been abusive and repeatedly threatened self-harm; in her response, Bailey said those claims were exaggerated and that DDG’s filing was “cold retribution to embarrass, humiliate and caused me additional emotional distress.” The back-and-forth came a month after Bailey sought and won a restraining order by claiming the rapper had physically abused her, including in the presence of their son.
DIDDY TRIAL RECAP – The sex-trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs continued into a fifth week, starting with the judge denying a motion for a mistrial based on testimony about an infamous alleged incident in which the rap mogul dangled a woman from a 17th-floor balcony. Don’t miss our full recap of Week 4, which included testimony about the balcony incident; testimony about Diddy buying a surveillance video with $100,000 in cash in a paper bag; and the start of testimony from an alleged victim named “Jane” over being forced to participate in marathon “freak-offs.” The trial is expected to run until early July.
YSL CASE CLOSED – More than three years after Young Thug, Gunna and dozens of others were indicted in Atlanta on gang charges, the last co-defendant pleaded guilty – a moment that marks the formal end of a sprawling, controversial criminal case that had captivated the music industry for years. The final closure came seven months after Thug pleaded guilty and received only probation, a stunning defeat for prosecutors that had labeled him a dangerous gang boss.
BIG PIMPIN QUOTES – Jay-Z’s legal nemesis Tony Buzbee asked a federal judge to dismiss the rapper’s defamation case with an unusual flourish: quoting the lyrics from the star’s “Big Pimpin.” Buzbee, a Texas lawyer who briefly filed a rape lawsuit against the rapper before dropping it without a settlement, claimed in the court filing that the 2000 song’s references to prostitution describe Jay’s views on “how men should treat women.”
LYRICS LITIGATION – Lyrics provider Musixmatch filed a response to a recent antitrust lawsuit from rival LyricFind, calling the case “meritless” and arguing that the rival was “hoping it can obtain through litigation what it was unable to win in the marketplace.” The response came two months after LyricFind accused Musixmatch of seeking to monopolize the market for providing lyrics to streamers like Spotify by signing an “unprecedented” deal with Warner Music.
ANOTHER TAYLOR STALKER – Taylor Swift won a temporary restraining order against an alleged stalker named Brian Jason Wagner, a 45-year-old Colorado man who the pop superstar claims showed up at her Los Angeles home numerous times over the past year to falsely claim she’s the mother of his child. In seeking the court order, Swift argued Wagner’s conduct “makes me fear for my safety and the safety of my family.” Swift has had trouble with stalkers before, including a man arrested last year after being spotted dozens of times outside her Manhattan apartment.
LIL DURK BAIL DENIED – The drill rapper was once again denied release on bond in his murder-for-hire case, leaving him to sit in jail until his trial (currently scheduled for October). The federal judge overseeing the case – which claims he hired gunman to carry out a failed hit on rival Quando Rondo – noted that rapper was apprehended trying to board a flight to Dubai (United Arab Emirates is a non-extradition country) and might try to escape again if let free.
DEFAMATORY DOC? – Russell Simmons filed a defamation lawsuit against HBO over a 2020 documentary called On The Record that focused on the sexual assault allegations against him. Simmons said the movie disregarded or “suppressed” key evidence in his favor — including “CIA-grade polygraph results” and Oprah Winfrey’s withdrawal from the project – that would have refuted and rebutted” the allegations that were “falsely made against plaintiff in the film.”
ROYALTIES ROW – Sony filed a lawsuit against the streaming platform LiveOne and its subsidiary Slacker Radio, claiming they owe $2.6 million in unpaid licensing fees but have refused to stop playing the label’s music, including tracks by Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus and Tate McRae.
NEWJEANS COURT ORDER – A dispute between K-pop band NewJeans and its agency ADOR, a HYBE subsidiary, escalated when a South Korean court approved a stricter legal measure restricting the group’s independent activities. The court ordered each member (Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein) to pay 1 billion KRW ($734,000) for any unauthorized entertainment activity – meaning fines could total $3.6 million for a single uncleared group appearance.
Source: Richard Bord / Getty
2024 will be remembered as the year of the diss track. In addition to Kendrick and Drake going back and forth, we saw battles between Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion, Ice Spice & Latto, Quavo & Chris Brown. Even Marlon Wayans wrote a country diss track against Soulja Boy. As we celebrate Black Music Month, it’s only right that we credit the first diss track to become a viral sensation.
At just 10, Roxanne Shanté was making noise in the underground rap scene. By 14, she was an undefeated battle rapper and a member of the Juice Crew. That opportunity came when she ran into neighbors Marley Marl, Mr. Magic, and Tyrone Williams, who were frustrated after U.T.F.O. backed out of a show. Though hesitant at first, Shanté was convinced to record a freestyle that became a seven-minute track disrupting U.T.F.O’s plans. The diss track played on U.T.F.O’s unreleased song “Roxanne Roxanne”, Which Shanté used as fuel freestyled from the woman in the song’s perspective, to mock the group’s manhood. “Roxanne’s Revenge” was released in 1984, reached #22 on Billboard, sold over 250,000 copies in New York, and sparked what’s known as the “Roxanne Wars”, a battle resulting in over 30 response tracks.
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Laying The Foundation
This catapulted Shanté from local battle rapper to Juice Crew member, earning her recognition as one of hip-hop’s best battle rappers. Roxanne was a rising star credited by Nas as an inspiration. But with fame came challenges, especially for a dark-skinned girl under 18. Beyond battling rappers, she faced physical and sexual abuse, foster care, colorism, and sexism. Decades later, women like Megan Thee Stallion, Latto, and GloRilla face similar backlash. Yet, like Shanté, they respond with bars that prove they can outrap men in the genre while facing systemic challenges.
Source: Al Pereira / Getty
READ: GloRilla Sheds Light On The Challenges Black Women Face In The Music Industry
Today, Roxanne Shanté’s legacy lives on as a blueprint for authenticity in hip-hop. From lighting the Empire State Building during hip-hop’s 50th anniversary to hosting on LL Cool J’s Rock The Bells Radio, and receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2025 Grammy Ceremony, Shanté continues to champion the culture she helped define. Her journey from teenage battle rapper to respected pioneer has inspired generations of female MCs to speak their truth without apology.
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Roxannes Revenge – How A Teenage Battle Rapper Changed Hip-Hop Forever
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The 20-track Democracy Forward double album will feature songs from R.E.M. singer Michael Stipe, Wilco, Tyler Childers, Brandi Carlile, Brittany Howard and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit and many more on a compilation focused on democracy, resilience and courage. The collection is a partnership between literary magazine The Bitter Southerner and national legal organization Democracy Forward.
“The work of Democracy Forward ensures that people and communities – that all of us – are heard and that our rights are protected,” said Skye Perryman, President & CEO of Democracy Forward in a statement about the collection that will be release on vinyl the week of July 3; pre-sales begin today here.
“At a time when so many communities across the nation are hurting and being targeted, music, art, and expression helps to bring people together in community, which creates the conditions for courage,” read the statement. “We are incredibly grateful to the artists who have dedicated their music to support the American people’s rights and our democracy during this consequential time. Each of us has a role to play in strengthening our democracy, and every voice matters.”
Proceeds from the album will benefit Democracy Forward’s work, which includes free representation for people and communities in defense of their constitutional rights. Since the second inauguration of President Donald Trump, Democracy Forward said in the statement that it has been focused on “some of the most significant issues affecting people, families, and communities to confront anti-democratic extremism head-on. From stopping the federal funding freeze, to blocking the decimation of the Department of Education, to protecting religious liberty, to safeguarding due process, to stopping DOGE and Musk from taking Americans’ sensitive and personal data, and more – Democracy Forward has won court orders for people and is just getting started.”
The album will open with Stipe’s new original spoken word piece “Invocation.” The singer and activist said in a statement, “We believe in the importance of our democracy and also our ability to save it. The world is depending on us. This fight is not over. The day is not done.”
Since Democracy Forward’s formation in 2016, the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit has taken the Trump administration to court more than 100 times and worked with dozens of prominent groups to combat some of the administration’s actions by partnering with organizations including: Abortion Fund of Ohio, National Immigrant Justice Center, National Parks Conservation Association, Alliance For Justice, National Resources Defense Council, New York Civil Liberties Union, American Federation of Teachers, Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence and the Southern Poverty Law Center.
The album announcement comes as Trump is attempting to muscle through his so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” a proposed tax and spending package that aims to permanently extend the president’s big tax cuts for the nation’s wealthiest individuals, as well as make deep cuts to social programs including Medicaid and food aid and roll back a wide variety of environmental regulations and green energy initiatives in an effort to focus on climate-warming fossil fuels.
It also coincided with Trump’s provocative deployment of 2,000 California National Guard troops to Los Angeles on Monday (June 9) — without the consent of Gov. Gavin Newsom — in order to quell demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in the city.
Check out the track list for Democracy Forward below.
Michael Stipe – “Invocation” (new)
Sierra Ferrell –“American Dreaming”
Wilco – “Cruel Country”
Tyler Childers – “Long Violent History”
Brandi Carlile – “Speak Your Mind”
Hurray for the Riff Raff – “Colossus of Roads”
Brittany Howard – “Another Day
Tunde Abebimpe – “People”
Kevin Morby and Waxahatchee – “Farewell Transmission”
Fruit Bats – “A Lingering Love”
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – “Something More Than Free” (Live from the ACL Live)
She Returns From War – “Ruthless”
John Prine – “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven” (Live at Fifth Peg Chicago)
S.G. Goodman – “Satellite”
Allison Russell (featuring Brandi Carlile) – “You’re Not Alone”
Langhorne Slim – “Life is Confusing”
Blue Mountain – “Jimmy Carter”
Danielle Ponder – “So Long”
Jim James – “Here in Spirit”
Michael Stipe and Big Red Machine – “No Time For Love Like Now”
