Music News

18 Jun 2025

Snoop Dogg’s Bow Wizzle & VanVan Team Up for ‘Clean Up Song’ Remix for First Live-Action ‘Doggyland’ Episode

Fans of Snoop Dogg‘s Doggyland have a new song to sing along to.

This time, Snoop’s lovable character Bow Wizzle linked with social media sensation VanVan — who also happens to voice Doggyland‘s Vancy the Dalmatian character — for a new video for a remix of the “Clean Up Song,” which interpolates the classic children’s song “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” The song is part of Doggyland’s first-ever live-action sing-along episode.

“You know we loved working with VanVan,” said Snoop. “She’s an amazing rapper and has the natural swagger to go with it. She’s a perfect fit for Doggyland and I know Bow Wizzle can’t wait to get in the studio with her again.”

Doggyland co-creator Claude Brooks also enjoyed working with VanVan. “We were delighted when VanVan’s rap version of our ‘Affirmations Song’ went viral across social media,” said the actor and producer. “This inspired us to do a full-length video with her and Bow Wizzle, based around her version of the ‘Clean Up Song,’ and we couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. We have more live-action videos with other talented kids coming. Be on the lookout!” 

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And VanVan added: “Working with Doggyland and Uncle Snoop Dogg on the ‘Clean Up Remix’ was such a fun and inspiring experience. I feel truly blessed to be seen and to create music on this level.”

Brooks, Snoop and R&B artist October London launched Doggyland back in 2022 as an educational show for kids that can be seen on YouTube and YouTube Kids.

Kids and parents can catch their favorite Doggyland characters as they head out on tour with Kidz Bop for the Live Certified Bop Tour. You can check out upcoming dates below.

  • June 19 — Hershey, PA — Giant Center
  • June 20 — Raleigh, NC — Coastal Credit Union
  • June 21 — Charlotte, NC — PNC Music Pavilion
  • June 22 — Greensboro, NC — White Oak Amphitheater
  • June 26 — West Palm Beach, FL — iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
  • June 27 — Jacksonville, FL — Daily’s Place
  • June 28 — Alpharetta, GA — Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
  • June 29 — Franklin, TN — FirstBank Amphitheater
  • July 3 — Gilford, NH — Bank of NH Pavilion
  • July 5 — Bangor, ME — Maine Savings Bank
  • July 6 — Bethel, NY — Bethel Woods
  • July 10 — Richmond, VA — Allianz Amphitheater
  • July 11 — Wantagh, NY — Northwell Health at Jones Beach
  • July 12 — Holmdel, NJ — PNC Bank Arts Center
  • July 17 — Wilmington, NC — Live Oak Bank Pavilion
  • July 18 — Baltimore, MD — Pier Six Pavilion
  • July 19 — Boston, MA (2 Shows) — Leader Bank Pavilion
  • July 20 — Wallingford, CT — Toyota Oakdale Theater
  • July 23 — Columbus, OH — Ohio State Fair
  • July 24 — Clarkston, MI — Pine Knob Music Center
  • July 25 — Noblesville, IN — Ruoff Music Center
  • July 27 — Cincinnati, OH — PNC Pavilion at Riverbend
  • Aug. 1 — Saratoga Springs, NY — Broadview Stage at SPAC
  • Aug. 2 — Camden, NJ — Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
  • Aug. 5 — West Allis, WI — Wisconsin State Fair
  • Aug. 8 — Macon, GA — Macon Amphitheater
  • Aug. 9 — Tampa, FL —MIDFLORDIA Credit Union Amphitheatre

18 Jun 2025

EXO’s Kai Embarks on ‘KAION’ Tour: Here’s How to Grab Tickets to See Him Live

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EXO‘s Kai is going on tour.

That’s right, Aeris: Get excited. The musician’s KAION tour is coming to a city near you, and very soon. Tickets are currently available to the general public on a slew of ticketing sites including Ticketmaster, StubHub, Vivid Seats and so many more, and we’re going to show you how to get them.

The K-pop idol’s touring debut kicked off with a two-night stint at the Olympic Handball Gymnasium in Seoul, South Korea, from May 17-18. The tour name, KAION, is a fusion of KAI + ON, with “AION” meaning eternity in Greek.

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The tour name symbolizes the beginning of eternity for this worldwide tour. Kai will make numerous stops from August to September in the United States in Los Angeles, Texas, Atlanta and New York. EXO’s Baekhyun is also going on tour at the same time as his bandmate, meaning Aeries will be spoiled for options this summer. You can see the full list of dates and stops below.

Where to Buy Tickets to Kai’s 2025 KAION Tour

ticketmaster

Courtesy of Ticketmaster

Best Prices

Ticketmaster has some of the best prices we’ve seen so far for Kai’s tour. Standard tickets at some venues start at around $113. Ticketmaster also offers a Fan Guarantee that allows for cancellations, refunds or exchanges within 24 hours of booking, subject to certain exclusions. Current available venues include the Rosemont Theatre in Rosemont, Ill., and The Theater at MSG in New York, NY.

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EXO's Kai's 'KAION' Solo Tour: How to Get Last-Minute Tickets

Best Venue Options

StubHub has a slew of venue options still available for the K-Pop star’s tour. Available venues as of writing include Rosemont Theatre in Rosemont, Ill., Fox Theater Atlanta in Atlanta Ga., Texas Trust CU Theatre in Grand Prairie, Texas and Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles, Calif. Tickets for venues overseas on Kai’s tour docket are also currently available on StubHub’s site.

StubHub’s FanProtect Guarantee allows you to shop for all dates and arenas with ease. It ensures valid tickets every time or your money back. If your event is canceled and not rescheduled, you’ll be able to receive a credit worth 120% of the amount you paid for the impacted event or the option of a cash refund. Safe to say, you’re in good hands.

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EARN REWARDS

Snag your seats with Vivid Seats now with help from us. Right now, you can use promo code BB30 to snag $30 off of your purchase. This ticketing service offers a 100% Buyer Guarantee that vows your transaction is secure, that your tickets will be delivered before your event and that your tickets are valid. Pricing for Kai’s tickets is a bit pricey, but by using our code, you’ll get them for a steal so good that you’ll wanna brag about it.

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promo codes

We can also help you get the best deals for Kai’s tour tickets on Seat Geek. Right now, you can use promo code BILLBOARD10 at checkout to receive $10 off at checkout. Like most of the ticketing services on this list, Seat Geek features a Buyer Guarantee that ensures a breezy ticket purchase experience no matter what. Some venues have tickets right now for as low as $117.

EXO's Kai's 'KAION' Solo Tour: How to Get Last-Minute Tickets

promo code

There’s nothing better than saving your coin. You can grab Kai’s tour tickets through TicketNetwork with the code BILLBOARD300 to save $300 off orders of $1,000, and BILLBOARD150 to save $150 off orders of $500. Don’t have the money to shell out yet? You can also purchase your tickets on the website now and pay later with help from Affirm. TicketNetwork’s website also includes all-in pricing that lets you see exactly what you’ll be paying upfront (fees included). Right now, a slew of US venues have available tickets on the site so you can choose the spot that’s closest to you without going through scalpers.

EXO's Kai's 'KAION' Solo Tour: How to Get Last-Minute Tickets

Courtesy of Gametime

seating options

Gametime has a multitude of great seating options still available at many venues for a range of great prices, the most versatile options we’ve seen so far. Some venues have tickets starting at $130. Gametime’s guarantee includes low prices, event cancellation protection, job loss assurance and on-time ticket delivery so you can purchase your concert tickets without breaking a sweat.

Kai’s KAION Touring Schedule in the United States

  • August 28 Los Angeles, CA  Shrine Auditorium
  • August 31 Grand Prairie, TX  Texas Trust CU Theatre
  • September 2 Atlanta, GA Fox Theatre
  • September 4  Rosemont, IL Rosemont Theatre
  • September 6  New York, NY The Theater at MSG

More About Kai

Kai is a member of the South Korean boy band EXO. He serves as the band’s main dancer, lead rapper and center. The group debuted back in 2012 and experienced major success in both Korea and the United States. Kai first went solo back in 2020 with his mini album titled Kai. Since then, the musician dropped his EP Peaches in 2021 and EP Rover in 2023. Beyond being an excellent dancer and musician, Kai has also used his gorgeous looks to his advantage as a brand ambassador for Gucci.

Kai’s latest album Wait On Me features seven tracks including singles released ahead of the album “Wait On Me” and “Adult Swim.” Every track on the album is dance-worthy with heavy R&B influence. It stands as one of his more experimental albums to date. The album was dropped in April of this year and serves as Kai’s fourth mini-album.

18 Jun 2025

Bad Bunny Tells Fans to Lower Their Expectations for His Tour: ‘I’m Not Taylor Swift’

Bad Bunny is set to kick off his all-stadium world tour on Nov. 21 in the Dominican Republic, in support of his sixth studio album, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, which topped the Billboard 200 in January.

The Live Nation-produced trek will make pit stops in Costa Rica and Mexico in December, before resuming in January in Colombia, and other Latin American countries. Toward the end of February, he’s expected to make his way to Brazil and Australia, for the first time, as well as make his concert debut in Japan in March. Between May and July, the Puerto Rican superstar will tour Europe, visiting fans in Spain, Portugal, Germany and France, among others.

Though it’s an ambitious run, the artist born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio is encouraging fans not to get their expectations too high, especially those who think he’ll make a retrospective tribute to all of his albums similar to what Taylor Swift did on her blockbuster Eras Tour.

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“First of all, I’m not Taylor Swift,” he said in a new interview with Variety. “I want to clarify now so that they don’t get so excited: It’s not going to be organized that way. It’s still very much a tour for DeBÍ, with some older songs sprinkled in.”

Before embarking on his global tour, El Conejo Malo will perform a 30-date residency at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in his native Puerto Rico, which is set to draw an estimated 250,000 visitors to the island over the summer.

The tour across Latin America, Europe and Australia is set to break records after generating hundreds of millions of dollars from 2.6 million tickets sold, according to data provided to Billboard by promoter Live Nation. Bad Bunny will also make history as the first Spanish-language artist to perform a stadium concert in seven of the countries he’s visiting.

18 Jun 2025

Muni Long to Perform at Megan Thee Stallion’s First Pete & Thomas Foundation Gala: Full Details

Muni Long is set to perform at Megan Thee Stallion’s inaugural Pete & Thomas Foundation Gala in New York City next month.

The gala is scheduled for July 16 at Gotham Hall in the Big Apple, as the Houston rapper took it upon herself to completely organize the inaugural event.

Taraji P. Henson will play host for the night while DJ D-Nice will keep attendees grooving on the turntables throughout the gala.

Proceeds from the evening’s auction will benefit initiatives focused on education, housing, health and wellness. Pastors Juanita and Rudy Rasmus, along with Southern Black Girls & Women’s Consortium founder LaTosha Brown and MH Boxes founder Mila Henry are among the gala’s honorees.

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Those looking to attend the black-tie affair are encouraged to fill out a form on the Pete & Thomas Gala’s website. Megan Thee Stallion launched the Pete & Thomas Foundation in 2022, honoring the names of her late parents, Holly Thomas and Joseph Pete III.

With the foundation, Megan has continued to pursue her goal of uplifting women, children, senior citizens and other underserved communities around the country.

“Launching the Pete and Thomas Foundation is easily one of the most significant endeavors that I’ll ever be part of in my career,” Megan said in a press release at the time. “My family raised me to help others and give back, so I’m incredibly proud to be in a position to accomplish that goal. I have a responsibility to use my platform to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those who may not have access to resources and support services.”

As for Muni Long, the “Hrs and Hrs” artist kicked off 2025 with her sensual “Slow Grind” single in February after the Grammy Award-winning singer delivered her Revenge album last year.

18 Jun 2025

Carly Simon Defends Sabrina Carpenter Against ‘Flak’ for Divisive ‘Man’s Best Friend’ Album Cover: ‘It Seems Tame’

As Sabrina Carpenter continues to field criticism for her suggestive Man’s Best Friend cover, singer-songwriter Carly Simon is “Coming Around Again” to help her fellow performer out.

In an interview with Rolling Stone on Wednesday (June 18), Simon commented on the ongoing backlash Carpenter has received since unveiling the new artwork for her forthcoming album. “She’s not doing anything outrageous,” she says. “It seems tame. There have been far flashier covers than hers. One of the most startling covers I’ve ever seen was [The Rolling Stones’] Sticky Fingers. That was out there in terms of sexual attitude. So I don’t know why she’s getting such flak.”

The artwork for Man’s Best Friend shows Carpenter on her knees with her hand on a suit-wearing man’s thigh, as that same figure grabs a fistful of her blonde hair. Critics have claimed that the cover artwork is over-sexualized and anti-feminist, while fans of Carpenter have called such critiques misogynistic, saying the tongue-in-cheek cover is part of Carpenter’s established sex-positive brand.

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While Simon joked that “touching the man’s knee” was “going over the line a little bit,” she said the “Espresso” singer shouldn’t worry too much about negative reactions to her work. “Any press is good press, so I wouldn’t worry about the press. And as far as her being salacious, I certainly don’t think it’s that,” Simon said. “I mean, look at all of the people who dress much more scantily. She’s so beautiful, and she should be proud of herself and the way she looks. I don’t see anything wrong with that.”

Carpenter herself has responded to a few fans making similar claims about her image. When a fan claimed that her 2024 W magazine photo shoot was inspired by the 1997 film adaptation of Lolita, the singer quickly denied it, saying that she’d “never seen this movie” and that “it’s never been on my mood board and never would be.”

But the pop singer still has plenty to celebrate this week. “Manchild,” the first single from her upcoming new album, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, earning Carpenter her first debut at the chart’s summit and the second chart-topper of her career (following “Please Please Please” in 2024). “I can’t tell you how much this means to me!!!!” she wrote in an Instagram Stories post on Monday (June 16). “This song makes me so happy.”

18 Jun 2025

Selena Gomez Gets Emotional After Wrapping ‘Only Murders’ Season 5: ‘You All Have Seen My Best & My Worst’

That’s a wrap. Selena Gomez has finished filming the latest season of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building, an occasion the singer-actress celebrated with an emotional post on Instagram Wednesday (June 18).

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In a behind-the-scenes video filmed at the end of her last day on set for the show’s fifth season, Gomez tears up as her castmates and the show’s crew cheer for her. At different points in the sweet clip, costars Martin Short and Steve Martin walk over and wrap her in big hugs.

“To my only murders family, the past 5 years you all have seen my best and my worst,” Gomez wrote in her caption. “I hope you reading this because I deeply appreciate each and every one of you. Words can’t describe how much I love what we’ve all created and we wouldn’t be here without you all!”

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“Love you guys,” she added. “Thank you for another great season.”

The fourth season of Only Murders began streaming on Hulu last fall. The comedic murder-mystery series originally premiered in 2021, quickly becoming one of the streaming service’s most popular programs. So far, there hasn’t been any word on whether the show will continue for a sixth installment.

The Emmy-winning show has been just one of several projects that’s kept Gomez busy over the years. In addition to running her Rare Beauty business and earning critical acclaim for her starring role in Emilia Pérez, the artist also made her long-awaited return to music with the release of I Said I Love You First, her joint album with fiancé Benny Blanco. The LP debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in April.

See Gomez’s post below.

18 Jun 2025

Lorde Announces Final ‘Virgin’ Single Before Album Release, Calls It an ‘Ode to City Life & Horniness’

Lorde is laying down the hammer in the last few days before her new album, Virgin, drops, with the pop star announcing that she has one more single coming out in advance.

On Instagram Wednesday (June 18), Lorde revealed that the new song will be titled “Hammer.” “First song on the album,” she wrote in her caption. “An ode to city life and horniness tbh.”

The New Zealand native also shared what appears to be the track’s cover art: a photo of Lorde’s reflection repeating infinitely in opposite-facing bathroom mirrors as she washes her face at the sink, wearing a white tank and gray underwear.

Lorde didn’t say when exactly the song will arrive, but she did post on Instagram one day prior the announcement, “Virgin in ten days another song in a few.”

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“Hammer” will follow Virgin‘s first two singles, “What Was That” and “Man of the Year.” Lorde dropped the former in April along with a DIY music video filmed in part at a fan meetup in Washington Square Park, and on the latter — released in late May — she reflects on her broadening gender identity while embracing her inner masculinity.

Gender is one of several topics Lorde has promised to explore on Virgin, which drops June 27 via Republic Records featuring production from Jim-E Stack, Fabiana Palladino, Andrew Aged, Buddy Ross, Dan Nigro and Dev Hynes of Blood Orange. The singer-songwriter has also said that the album was informed by her experiences with disordered eating, quitting birth control and breaking off a longterm relationship.

“THE COLOUR OF THE ALBUM IS CLEAR,” she described the project when announcing it back in April. “LIKE BATHWATER, WINDOWS, ICE, SPIT. FULL TRANSPARENCY. THE LANGUAGE IS PLAIN AND UNSENTIMENTAL. THE SOUNDS ARE THE SAME WHEREVER POSSIBLE. I WAS TRYING TO SEE MYSELF, ALL THE WAY THROUGH. I WAS TRYING TO MAKE A DOCUMENT THAT REFLECTED MY FEMININITY: RAW, PRIMAL, INNOCENT, ELEGANT, OPENHEARTED, SPIRITUAL, MASC.”

See Lorde’s announcement below.

18 Jun 2025

Bun B Believes Travis Scott Won’t ‘Back Down’ From Pusha T: ‘When These Beefs Happen, You Have to Respond’

Bun B thinks Pusha T is “a dangerous man.”

The Texas rap legend sat down with Shannon Sharpe’s Night Cap and was asked about Pusha T’s recent diss aimed at Travis Scott that has been dominating the rap news cycle.

“Pusha’s a dangerous man,” the UGK member told Sharpe. “He’s willing to throw caution to the wind and be like, ‘You know what? I don’t really f— with him anyway.’ You don’t see Pusha at awards shows, you don’t see him at clubs, at parties, they don’t mix like that. They mix with they own and they’re pretty good in the streets as well, so it’s whatever.”

However, he knows Travis personally and believes his fellow Texas native will respond in some way soon, but emphasized that he must proceed with caution when dealing with someone like Push “who operates in a space where he really don’t have nothing to lose.”

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“That being said, Travis ain’t ’bout to back down. He’s from Houston,” Bun said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you hear something before the weekend is done. It’s either go into it or act like it didn’t happen, but the problem is that the people are going to demand a response. When these beefs happen, you have to respond. … But you gotta be careful when people try to bait you in.”

The Clipse caused a stir this week when they dropped the second single to their highly anticipated comeback album Let God Sort Em Out when Push closed out the song with lines directed at Scott. “You cried in front of me, you died in front of me,” he rapped. “Calabasas took your bi— and your pride in front of me/ Her utopia had moved right up the street/ And her lip gloss was poppin’, she ain’t need you to eat.”

Billboard reached out to both Pusha and Travis’ camps for comment.

You can watch the full convo below.

18 Jun 2025

Who’s the GOAT Rapper & Producer Combo? Rapsody Joins ‘Billboard Unfiltered’ Debate

Billboard Unfiltered returned on Wednesday (June 18) with another brand-new episode featuring a special guest: Rapsody was in the building.

This week, senior director of R&B/Hip-Hop Carl Lamarre returned with hip-hop editor Angel Diaz alongside Rapsody to debate who is the greatest rapper/producer combination of all time.

First up, Lamarre made the case for Nas and Hit-Boy, who connected for five projects over the course of 36 months with three installments of the King’s Disease series, which Lamarre holds in the upper echelon of rap album series, and a pair of Magic projects.

“When they came into each other’s lives, I think they changed the dynamic of what hip-hop is today in terms of what we look at from a rapper and producer standpoint,” Lamarre declared. “From 2020 to 2023, we saw the best rapping of Nas’ career.”

He continued: “King’s Disease is probably one of the best series in hip-hop of all-time. Magic one and two, flawless. We introduce Nas in a new era… Some of the best beats in Hit-Boy’s career came from working with Nas and they got a Grammy out of it.”

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Angel Diaz laid out the case for Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, as he believes the duo put the West Coast on the map. “They had The Chronic and Doggystyle back-to-back and then they came back with 2001,” he said. “They put the West Coast on the map.”

Taking things a step further, Diaz explained that there’s still remnants of Dre and Snoop’s G-funk DNA in West Coast rap decades later as seen in Kendrick Lamar’s GNX.

As for Rapsody, she elected to spotlight the Clipse and Pharrell. “From their first project Lord Willin’ to this one — I haven’t heard all of it — but it’s setting up to be a phenomenal classic,” she said. “It’s like they’ve evolved and haven’t missed a step. This ain’t gon’ be a miss, we can feel the energy.”

The North Carolina rapper added: “When you have a producer and a rapper come together and they always create their best work together, it’s undeniable,” “Those two, that’s always their best work.”

There was plenty of back-and-forth, but moderator Delisa Shannon gave the victory to Carl Lamarre and his pick of Nas and Hit-Boy on Wednesday’s show.

Watch the full episode below.

18 Jun 2025

Coldplay’s ‘Sparks’ Ignites on Charts After Chris Martin & Dakota Johnson Breakup

Coldplay’s “Sparks” appears on a U.S.-based Billboard consumption chart for the first time, debuting across multiple rankings dated June 21 following the latest viral moment for the 2000 track.

The song, from the Chris Martin-fronted band’s debut album Parachutes, bows at No. 15 on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart (where older songs are eligible to appear if in the top half and with a meaningful reason for their gains).

In the week ending June 12, “Sparks” earned 4.7 million official U.S. streams, according to Luminate. That’s a 44% surge over the May 30-June 5 tracking period.

“Sparks” boosts thanks to a viral performance of the song by Martin and the band during their two-night set at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium June 6 and 7. The shows were held amid rumors of Martin’s breakup with Dakota Johnson; the pair had dated since 2017.

The streaming count also sends “Sparks” onto the Alternative Streaming Songs chart for the first time, debuting at No. 25.

Previously, “Sparks” spent a week at No. 174 on the Billboard Global 200 chart in October 2024. It returns to the tally dated June 21 at No. 145 with 14.1 million streams (up 33%) worldwide in the tracking week.

Although the song was not a single from Parachutes upon the album’s original run, it has achieved a resurgence in the 2020s, especially through playlisting and user-generated content apps such as TikTok.

Parachutes peaked at No. 51 on the Billboard 200 in March 2001 and has earned 5.6 million equivalent album units in the U.S. to date.