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“High Road” hitmaker Koe Wetzel is a dad. He and partner Bailey Fisher welcomed their first child, daughter Woods Madison Wetzel, on May 23.
Fisher initially shared the news with fans, posting a photo of the couple’s newborn daughter on Instagram and captioning it, “Woods Madison Wetzel, born May 23rd, 6:49 am, 5 pounds 11 ounces.”
Fisher also wrote in the caption, “My whole heart outside of my body.”
Wetzel also shared the news on his Instagram on Tuesday, May 27, with a photo of the singer with his daughter snuggled against his chest. “The most beautiful thing these eyes have ever seen,” he captioned the photo, adding, “The world is yours Woods Madison Wetzel.”
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Fans previously speculated that the couple’s child was on its way when, hours before Wetzel was set to open the initial night of HARDY’s Jim Bob World Tour, Wetzel canceled his first three opening sets on the tour over the Memorial Day weekend, missing the shows May 22-24 in California and Nevada.
Wetzel shared a statement on Instagram at the time, telling fans, “Unfortunately due to a family medical event, I’ve got to get back to Texas. We hate to miss this first weekend of the JimBob World Tour with our brother HARDY, so make sure y’all show Stephen Wilson Jr. and McCoy Moore all the love. Hoping to get back out next week and party with y’all in Salt Lake City, Utah. Thanks for understanding. Much love and see you soon. – Koe.”
The next scheduled date on the Jim Bob World Tour is May 29 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Last year, Wetzel’s collaboration with Jessie Murph “High Road” spent five weeks at the top of Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart, while his album 9 Lives debuted in the top five on the Top Country Albums chart. Another track from the album, “Sweet Dreams,” also reached the top 10 on the Hot Country Songs chart.
Lorde is getting ready to ask some tough questions on her new single “Man of the Year,” which the singer announced is coming out Wednesday (May 28) while dropping a music video teaser on Instagram.
In a clip from the visual posted one day prior to the track’s release, a topless Lorde spins around in a swivel chair and looks down at her bare chest. “Who’s gonna love me like this?” she sings in a snippet of the song. “Who could get me like this, when he flow down through me?”
“M.O.T.Y. Tomorrow late New York time,” the New Zealand native captioned the post. “Written in blood.”
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The teaser comes more than a week after Lorde first announced that “Man of the Year” would serve as the second single from June-slated album Virgin, following lead track “What Was That,” which dropped in April. In her recent Rolling Stone cover story, the Grammy winner shared that she wrote “Man of the Year” about her own broadening gender identity, which she says fell into place after she stopped taking oral contraceptives.
“I felt like stopping taking my birth control, I had cut some sort of cord between myself and this regulated femininity,” she told the publication. “It sounds crazy, but I felt that all of a sudden, I was off the map of femininity. And I totally believed that that allowed things to open up.”
Just before writing “Man of the Year” — which Lorde has also said is her “favorite” track on Virgin — the star taped her chest down with duct tape in an effort to realize a vision of herself “that was fully representative of how [her] gender felt in that moment,” she told Rolling Stone. She appears that way on the cover art for “Man of the Year,” wearing nothing but the silver tape and a pair of jeans.
Elsewhere in the interview, Lorde confirmed that she still uses “she” and “her” pronouns, but some days feels more like a man than a woman. “[Chappell Roan] asked me this … She was like, ‘So, are you nonbinary now?’” she recalled to the publciation. “I was like, ‘I’m a woman except for the days when I’m a man.’ I know that’s not a very satisfying answer, but there’s a part of me that is really resistant to boxing it up.”
See Lorde’s “Man of the Year” teaser below.
Since its release, Teddy Swims‘ breakthrough hit has never once lost control over its place on the Billboard Hot 100. And this week, “Lose Control” became the song with the longest-ever run on the U.S. singles chart, something the musician celebrated on Instagram Tuesday (May 27).
Sharing the news on his Story, an excited Swims began by simply saying, “Let’s go!!!!!!”
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The star also wrote that the feat was achieved “BY GOD” before shouting out Warner Records CEO and co-chairman Aaron Bay-Schuck. “FOREVER GRATEFUL FOR YOUR STEADY GRACE LOVE AND LEADERSHIP,” the musician gushed.
Swims’ accomplishment comes about two years after he first released “Lose Control” in June 2023, with the track later appearing on his debut album, I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1). On the Hot 100 listing dated May 23, 2025, the hit logs its 92nd week on the chart, surpassing Glass Animals’ prior record for most weeks spent on the ranking with “Heat Waves.”
“Lose Control” also now holds the record for longest stay in the chart’s top 10, logging its 63rd week in the echelon.
“When it was finished, I was showing everybody before the song came out,” the Georgia native reflected on writing the song to Billboard in 2023. “I just felt that energy, like, ;This is lighting in a bottle.’ I knew this was going to change my life.”
In addition to collecting new records, Swims also got some new ink this week. The day prior to his chart feat, the star shared a video on his Story of himself at a tattoo parlor, where an artist stenciled on a portrait of none other than Joe Dirt, the mullet-sporting janitor played by David Spade in the 2001 film of the same name.
Swims is fresh off of the January release of his new album I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2), which reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200. He’s currently on tour in support of the LP, with his next shows set for Radio City Music Hall in New York City on May 27 and 28.
Bryson Tiller is back. Pen Griffey shocked fans by announcing plans for his first-ever double-album on Tuesday (May 27). The Louisville native revealed on social media that Solace & the Vices is on the way and he provided some insight into the duality of the double-album. “S O L A C E • somber, vulnerable, […]
SZA recreated Kim Kardashian‘s internet-breaking Paper Magazine cover to celebrate her AMAs victory last night. On Monday (May 26), the R&B singer won favorite female R&B artist and favorite R&B song at the 2025 American Music Awards. To celebrate her victories, the SOS star hopped on Instagram and gave her own rendition of Kardashian’s viral […]
Rick Derringer — legendary guitarist, rock icon and songwriter behind hits such as “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo” and “Real American” — has died. He was 77 years old.
The news comes via a Facebook post from the musician’s caretaker, Tony Wilson, who shared on Tuesday (May 27) that Derringer had passed away at 8:09 p.m. on Monday. His wife, Jenda Derringer, was at his side, as was Wilson.
“Derringer’s legacy extends beyond his music, entertaining fans with his signature energy and talent,” the announcement reads. “His passing leaves a void in the music world, and he will be deeply missed by fans, colleagues, and loved ones.”
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The post did not include a cause of death, but according to a report from Variety, Derringer had been ill in recent months.
Shaped by his proficiency on guitar, Derringer’s career as a performer, songwriter and producer spanned six decades. In addition to finding fame as part of the McCoys with hits such as 1965’s “Hang On Sloopy,” the Ohio native and Florida resident also worked on music for a wide variety of artists, from Cyndi Lauper to Steely Dan, Barbra Streisand, Alice Cooper, KISS and “Weird Al” Yankovic.
Over the course of his time in the music industry, Derringer charted four albums on the Billboard 200 — starting with All American Boy, which reached No. 25 in 1974. Spring Fever and The Edgar Winter Group with Rick Derringer would later enter the chart in 1975, followed by Derringer Live in 1977.
Derringer also had one LP make it onto the Jazz Albums chart: 2002’s Free Ride.
Two of the most important pieces of Derringer’s legacy, however, will always be the songs “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo” and “Real American.” The former reached No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974 — marking Derringer’s highest career peak on the chart — while the latter is known for its use as pro wrestler Hulk Hogan’s theme song.
“Real American” was also used as campaign music for both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, as well as sitting president Donald Trump. In 2017, Derringer was working on a new version of the song that would “transcend politics and bring the nation together,” according to manager Kenn Moutenot, who was also the drummer in The Rick Derringer Band.
According to his Spotify, Derringer was still releasing music up until 2022. That year, he dropped a track called “Let It Be the Blues,” which followed a 2018 cover of Aimee Zimmerman’s “Always Be Your Mom” with Jenda.
Nicki Minaj has shown serious love to Sabrina Carpenter and Billie Eilish in a new interview with Vogue Italia.
On Tuesday (May 27), the publication published a lengthy sit down with the Barbz leader, and asked her to share some thoughts on the overnight fame that comes from social media now.
“A superstar is a superstar,” Minaj said. “And if you are one, you’ll find a way to shine — with or without social media. Like any tool, it can be used well or not. What I feel, sometimes, is that today’s artists don’t realize how important the record label is. They don’t realize how much happens behind the scenes. It all looks easy.”
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Minaj was then asked to share a few of her favorite new artists at the moment. “Sabrina Carpenter,” she said. “I didn’t know she’d been around that long when I started listening to her. A breath of fresh air. I like Billie Eilish. I love everything she does. Then there’s a dancehall artist… his name’s Skeng.”
While Minaj and the “Espresso” star have yet to link on a track, Eilish appeared uncredited on the former’s latest album Pink Friday 2. On the intro track, “Are You Gone Already,” a high-pitched Eilish opens up the album before Minaj starts rapping about the love she has for her children.
Minaj also recently asked Eilish a question in the latter’s star-studded appearance in British Vogue last month. “Was there ever a time in your career, or before you made it, when you wished people couldn’t see you and that they could only hear the music, and really get a chance to just listen to the written words?” Minaj asked.
“Nicki, this question made me tear up a little,” Eilish eplied. “Well … like you said at the beginning of that question, I’ve never really felt very beautiful or seen myself in that way, so I definitely never struggled with the idea that it would overshadow anything, since I didn’t even really see it myself. I’ve had to really convince myself that I am beautiful. Being a woman is hard.”
When SEVENTEEN debuted on May 26th, 2015, all odds were stacked against the group. Formed by relatively small label Pledis Entertainment (acquired by HYBE in 2020), the 13-piece ensemble faced an uphill battle in the competitive K-pop scene — not the least because of their humble origins and unusually large lineup. “It feels like it […]
In the 1970s, “The Future Is Female” became a rallying cry built to encourage and challenge women, to portend that they were poised to surpass their male counterparts. Nearly five decades later, that prophecy rings truer than ever — especially inside the squared circle and in front of the mic.
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The world of wrestling is birthing perennial WrestleMania main-eventers with names like Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley, Liv Morgan, Becky Lynch, Tiffany Stratton, Iyo Sky and Charlotte Flair headlining a stout women’s division in the WWE. The same could be said in the hip-hop world, where Billboard’s newly crowned Best Female Rapper of All Time, Nicki Minaj, still reigns supreme. While the Queen continues to lap adversaries with her decades-long dominance, her competition is fiercer than ever, as Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, Latto, Doechii, GloRilla, Sexxy Redd continue to push towards pole position.
What makes this era of female wrestlers and rappers so compelling is the depth on both sides. In the 1990s and 2000s, WWE relied on sex appeal and titillating theatrics to captivate the audience. Lita and Trish Stratus dazzled with their skill and in-ring acrobatics, but the WWE leaned more into their desirability to satiate their audience’s cravings. During the McMahon era, Bra and Panties matches were considered the premium for the female division, due to the company’s dearth of talent. Even during The Divas era, when talent increased substantially with the arrival of The Bella Twins, Natalya, AJ Lee, Beth Phoenix, and others, the desire to see these women headline noteworthy premium live events like WrestleMania felt like a pipe dream.
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The trajectory was a bit different for female rap. In the late 1980s and 1990s, pioneers such as Roxanne Shante, MC Lyte, Salt-N-Pepa, and Queen Latifah made a significant impact on the rap scene with their sharp lyrics and unflinching demeanor. Although the men dominated the conversation, those marquee names went toe-to-toe with the males, twice as vigorous and swaggering. In the mid-to-late ’90s, Lil Kim and Foxy Brown grew in fame and supplanted those stars with sex-laden bars. Other artists attempted to replicate the blueprint, but their tawdry attempts didn’t pay any dividends; when Minaj detonated in the early 2010s, she had the female rap landscape in a bearhug, dominating radio and the Billboard Hot 100.
Fast forward to the 2020s, and the times have changed. WrestleMania 37 included not only a main event headlined by two female superstars but also two Black women: Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks. Liv Morgan became the first woman to win the inaugural WWE Crown Jewel Championship last year. At the same time, Tiffany Stratton was arguably the company’s top rookie, winning Money in the Bank in 2024 and, inevitably, her first Women’s Championship earlier this year. With WWE’s developmental system, NXT, serving as the training ground for budding talent, new stars are making their presence felt there before stepping onto the main roster. New stars are surging up the ranks, ranging from Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer to Jordynne Grace to newly-promoted acts Roxanne Perez and Guilia.
Though Minaj remains the top woman on the throne, the battle for supremacy is more brutal, as proven by Billboard’s Top 10 Hottest Female Rappers list last year, which saw GloRilla oust the Queens rapper from the top slot. Megan Thee Stallion rocketed to superstardom overnight when she nailed three Grammys at the 2021 ceremonies. Doechii’s genre-bending defiance has the music landscape salivating at her every move. And though Cardi has yet to drop her sophomore album, her 2018 debut, Invasion of Privacy, remains a landmark moment in the rap landscape.
In 2011, when Beyonce shouted out: “Who runs the world?,” the singer wasn’t merely predicting what was to come. She issued a spoiler, and a decade later, we’re watching it unfold as predicted right before our eyes.
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From Jay-Z and LL Cool J to Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, here’s every rapper in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
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