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The Grateful Dead have paid tribute to longtime collaborator Donna Jean Godchaux, following news of her death at age 78.
“It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the loss of Donna Jean Godchaux,” the band shared in a statement posted to social media. “Her unmistakable voice and radiant spirit touched the lives of countless fans and immeasurably enriched the Grateful Dead family. Her contributions will forever remain part of the tapestry that continues to be woven.”
Godchaux passed away on Sunday (Nov. 2) at a hospice facility in Tennessee following a prolonged battle with cancer, according to her longtime publicist Dennis McNally. “She was a sweet and warmly beautiful spirit, and all those who knew her are united in loss,” McNally said. “In the words of Dead lyricist Robert Hunter, ‘May the four winds blow her safely home.’”
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Godchaux joined the Grateful Dead in 1971 alongside her husband, keyboardist Keith Godchaux, becoming a key part of the band’s 1970s sound during a transformative creative period. She sang on several of the group’s most enduring studio albums — including Europe ’72, Wake of the Flood, and Terrapin Station — and appeared on many now-iconic live recordings, including the legendary Cornell ’77 show and the Dead’s 1978 concerts at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt.
In addition to her work with the Dead, Godchaux had an accomplished background as a session vocalist, performing on classic hits such as Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds” and “In the Ghetto,” as well as Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman.” Her credits also included work with Cher, Neil Diamond, Boz Scaggs and Duane Allman.
After departing the Grateful Dead in 1979, the Godchauxs formed the Heart of Gold Band, which was cut short by Keith’s tragic death in a car accident the following year. Donna Jean Godchaux returned to music in the 1980s and continued recording and performing through the 2010s, including with the Donna Jean Godchaux Band and on her final album Back Around (2014).
Godchaux’s passing comes just over a year after the death of founding Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh in October 2024. The remaining members of the extended Dead universe — including Bob Weir and Mickey Hart — have continued to perform with Dead & Company, who celebrated the band’s 60th anniversary with a three-night run at San Francisco’s Oracle Park earlier this year.
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The Neighborhood will head to Australia and New Zealand in July 2026 as part of their upcoming Wourld Tour, in support of their new album, (((((ultraSOUND)))), arriving Nov. 14 via Warner Records.
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The run begins July 4 at Spark Arena in Auckland, followed by headline shows at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion on July 7 and Melbourne’s Margaret Court Arena on July 10. Presale begins Nov. 6 at 10 a.m. local time, with general onsale following Nov. 7 at 10 a.m. The Australian leg is presented by Handsome Tours.
The global Wourld Tour kicks off March 28 in Austin, Texas, and will hit major venues across North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania, including Madison Square Garden in New York and London’s O2 Arena. The tour will wrap with a hometown performance at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Oct. 9.
ultraSOUND marks the band’s first studio album since 2018 and is described as a stripped-back return to form. The LP was recorded between Conway Studios in Los Angeles and The Beehive in Van Nuys, with longtime collaborator Justyn Pilbrow and Jono Dorr. The band has previewed the project with singles “Private,” “OMG” and “Lovebomb,” the former of which received a new video on Nov. 4 directed by Ramez Silyan (Post Malone, The Kid LAROI).
Notably, the Wourld Tour also marks the return of drummer Brandon Fried, who was previously dismissed from the band in 2022 following allegations of inappropriate conduct. Fried publicly apologised at the time and entered treatment for substance abuse. His quiet return was first observed in early ultraSOUND sessions and confirmed with the release of “Private.” The band has not made a formal statement about his reinstatement, but fans noted his appearance in recent promotional material and tour visuals.
The Neighbourhood recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of their sophomore album Wiped Out! with an expanded edition featuring 11 previously unreleased demos and remixes.
The Neighbourhood Australia & New Zealand Tour 2026Presented by Handsome ToursJuly 4 – Spark Arena, Auckland, NZJuly 7 – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, NSWJuly 10 – Margaret Court Arena, Melbourne, VIC
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Halsey is on the mend after spending the night in the emergency room following her Nov. 2 show in Boston.
The singer-songwriter, who had a two-night stop in Boston for her international Back to Badlands tour, took to Instagram Stories on Sunday (Nov. 3) to share that she experienced a “minor medical emergency” after her concert at MGM Music Hall. Despite the overnight ER stay, she confirmed she would be returning to the stage for her second Boston performance as scheduled.
“Boston I’m gonna be honest with ya, after the show last night I was in the ER till 6 this morning,” Halsey wrote. “Minor medical emergency but I am A-Okay now and ready to rock tonight! But if I’m pacing myself, that’s why!” She added a thank you to the hospital staff, calling them “the absolute best team I’ve ever met.”
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The 31-year-old artist has been open about her ongoing health journey. In 2022, Halsey revealed she had been diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and a rare T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder, conditions that she says are now being managed or are in remission. “Both of which I will likely have for the duration of my life,” she wrote in a June 2024 Instagram post. She also lives with endometriosis and previously shared she suffered a miscarriage while on tour at age 20.
This latest health scare comes amid a particularly prolific era for the genre-blurring star. The Great Impersonator, released in October 2024 via Capitol Records, debuted at No. 2 on both the all-genre Billboard 200 and Top Album Sales charts. It also debuted atop Billboard’s Top Rock & Alternative Albums and Top Alternative Albums charts. The set earned 93,000 equivalent album units in the United States in the week ending Oct. 31, according to Luminate.
Halsey previously ruled Top Alternative Albums for a week each with If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power in 2021 and Badlands in 2015.
Halsey has charted 20 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, including two No. 1 hits: her 2016 Closer collaboration with The Chainsmokers, which topped the chart for 12 weeks, and 2019’s “Without Me,” her first solo No. 1. She’s also earned multiple top 10 albums on the Billboard 200, including Badlands (No. 2), Hopeless Fountain Kingdom (No. 1), Manic (No. 2), and If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power (No. 2).
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The 99th edition of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will officially usher in the 2025 holiday season when it airs live across all U.S. time zones on NBC and Peacock on Thursday, Nov. 27, at 8:30 a.m. ET.
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Hosted by TODAY anchors Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker, the nationally televised broadcast will feature the annual mix of larger-than-life balloons, celebrity-packed performances, marching bands and floats — plus the arrival of Santa Claus.
This year’s musical highlights include the daytime debut of the singing voices of HUNTR/X, the fictional K-pop girl group featured in Netflix’s KPop Demon Hunters. Additional performances are scheduled from EJAE, Audrey Nuna and REI AMI, along with Broadway productions Buena Vista Social Club, Just in Time and Ragtime.
The full lineup of musical artists and guests also includes Drew Baldridge, Matteo Bocelli, Colbie Caillat, Ciara, Gavin DeGraw, Meg Donnelly, Mr. Fantasy, Foreigner, Debbie Gibson, Mickey Guyton, Christopher Jackson, Jewel, Lil Jon, Kool & the Gang, Darlene Love, Roman Mejia, Taylor Momsen, Tiler Peck, Busta Rhymes, Calum Scott, Shaggy, Lauren Spencer Smith, Luísa Sonza and Teyana Taylor. Appearances will also be made by Nikki DeLoach, Kristoffer Polaha, U.S. Olympian Ilia Malinin, U.S. Paralympian Jack Wallace and special correspondent Sean Evans.
In celebration of their centennial year, the Radio City Rockettes will once again perform, joined by a range of national and international performance groups. These include the EVIDENCE Dance Company, Native Pride Productions, Circus Vazquez, and A Chorus Line: The Next Generation, led by creative director and original cast member Baayork Lee. More than 1,200 dancers and cheerleaders will also perform as part of Spirit of America Dance and Spirit of America Cheer.
The marching band roster features musicians from across the globe, including Banda de Musica La Primavera (Panama), Catawba Ridge High School Marching Band (South Carolina), Damien Spartan Regiment (California), L.D. Bell Blue Raider Band (Texas), Northern Arizona University Lumberjack Marching Band, Alcorn State University Sounds of Dyn-O-Mite (Mississippi), Spartans Jr Drum and Bugle Corps (New Hampshire), The Marching Pride of North Alabama, Temple University Diamond Band (Pennsylvania), the Macy’s Great American Marching Band, and the NYPD Marching Band (New York).
This year’s parade will showcase 32 massive character balloons, 27 floats, 3 “ballonicles,” 4 specialty units, 33 clown crews, and more than 5,000 volunteers. Among the new balloon and float debuts for 2025: Buzz Lightyear (Pixar), PAC-MAN (Bandai Namco), Shrek’s Onion Carriage (DreamWorks Animation), and Mario (Nintendo), alongside KPop Demon Hunters characters Derpy Tiger and Sussie.
New floats include The Land of Ice & Wonder (Holland America), Brick-tastic Winter Mountain (LEGO), Master Chocolatier Ballroom (Lindt), Upside Down Invasion: Stranger Things (Netflix), Friends-giving in POPCITY (Pop Mart), and The Counting Sheep’s Dream Generator (Serta).
Additional elements returning this year include revamped legacy balloons from Macy’s archives — including Rainbow and Greybow Trouts, Happy Hippo Triple Stack, Wigglefoot, and Freida the Dachshund — as well as new collaborations like Goldfish crackers and the Elf on the Shelf Santaverse float.
Big Brothers Big Sisters matches will ride atop the Tom Turkey float, celebrating Macy’s ongoing “Mission Every One” initiative, which has raised over $13 million since launching in 2022.
The parade broadcast will re-air at 2 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and stream in Spanish via Telemundo, hosted by Andrea Meza, Aleyda Ortiz and Clovis Nienow.
A primetime special, Countdown to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, will air Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the balloons, bands and performers preparing to hit the streets of Manhattan.
The Parade’s 100th edition is set for 2026.
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Winnie Harlow has responded to criticism of her Whitney Houston Halloween costume, saying she never meant to insult the late singer.
Harlow recreated Houston’s appearance at the 2001 BET Awards, and posted a subsequent video of her reenacting the icon’s famous Lifetime Achievement Award speech. After some blowback, Harlow addressed the situation on her Instagram Story.
“My video wasn’t mocking Whitney. That clip has always been one of my favorite of hers,” Harlow wrote, via People. “She was radiant, funny, confident and captivating. She was being awarded. The way she moved across that stage with flair and swag? Iconic.”
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She continued, “People are more than headlines. A woman who could command a room, make you laugh & carry herself like royalty. If all you see when you see Whitney are her struggles, you’re missing her charisma, humor, talent, personality & wit. She was hilarious & magnetic. THAT is and what should always be highlighted. The light that made us all love her. Attention to positivity.”
Celebrities had mostly praised Harlow’s costume in her Instagram comments, with Naomi Campbell, Halle Berry, Ciara, Tracee Ellis Ross, Rita Ora and Law Roach showering Harlow in praise.
Houston struggled with drug addiction throughout most of her adult life. She died from an accidental drowning in 2012, with an investigation concluding that heart disease and cocaine were contributing factors. The report also found that the singer had marijuana, Xanax, Benadryl and other meds in her system.
Whitney Houston’s impact on the Billboard charts is both historic and unmatched. With 11 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, she stands among the top 10 most successful solo artists in U.S. chart history. From 1985 to 1988, she made history as the only artist ever to land seven consecutive No. 1 singles, a record that still stands in 2025.
Her signature ballad “I Will Always Love You” spent 14 weeks at No. 1, setting a then-record for the longest-running No. 1 by a solo female artist and topping multiple Billboard charts simultaneously. She earned 16 Billboard Music Awards, including a record-breaking 11 wins in a single year (1993), and remains the most awarded female artist in history.
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Agents Jenna Adler of CAA, Marsha Vlasic of Independent Artist Group, Sara Williams of WME and Elisa Vazzana of UTA took part in a conversation about the current challenges and trends in touring — and what it’s like being a female agent in 2025 — at the Billboard Live Music Summit on Monday (Nov. 3) in West Hollywood, California.
In a panel moderated by Billboard editor-in-chief Hannah Karp, the four agents — who collectively represent artists including Green Day, Neil Young, Luke Combs and Megan Maroney — discussed the expansion of the micro-residency model as one of the ways the live business is likely to change over the next few years.
Adler remarked that “micro-residencies are only going to get more and more expansive; micro-residencies meaning it’s no longer a 45-date tour across the country, it’s more like four or six markets and we’re going to do multiple days. I think it not only saves on costs, because it’s so expensive to tour these days, especially as a mid-level and young artist, that these micro-residencies actually really help curtail that.”
Adler also noted that global touring is now a major priority for artists, “so as we’re planning 24-month calendars. I think that we’re looking at all of it and making sure there’s breaks in between and just really being mindful for the artist, because it’s grueling out there.”
Vazzana noted that with this emphasis on global touring, it’s important for artists to grow their international fanbases earlier in their careers, as “it hurts a lot more when you have a much bigger team to go and try to do it then, than if you had just done it from day one and taken those incremental steps. I also think that international audiences really appreciate the early investment.”
The agents also discussed the state of the glass ceiling for women agents. Vlasic, who began her career 40 years ago, when she was often the only woman in meetings, reflected that “there are more women in our business than ever. When I started out there were three. It has tremendously [improved].”
“Learning form the past, being in rooms with women who have taught us to come into the room and bring another woman into the room and have those conversations,” is important, Williams continues, “because it’s not over. It’s much better, but it’s not over. The number of times we might be one of the only women on a screen or in the room is significant in this business, still.”
“I feel like we’ve come such a long way, but there’s so much more to do,” added Adler. “We do belong in the room, and we have to advocate for ourselves, and we have to continue to advocate and fight.”
“But you must do it,” said Vlasic. “You cannot expect to have the path laid for you; you have to create it yourself.”
“Sometimes I just feel like we just have to continue to fight for each other and to be there and show up for each other,” Adler continues, “because as much as people try to pit us against each other, I just feel like we just need to be screaming and amplifying from the rooftops that we do belong in the room, because it’s systemic at times.”
“I’ve always said that it’s not a disadvantage to be a woman, and I firmly believe that,” continued Vazzana. “I was raised by a dad who was like, ‘Get in there, do the job, be smarter than everyone else,’ and by the way, sometimes I maybe have to yell a little louder, but I don’t see that as a negative. I see it as a necessity, and if it helps move women forward, so be it.”
Trending on Billboard In recent years, Rauw Alejandro has become one of the most in-demand Latin touring acts – and on his Cosa Nuestra tour this year, he took his high-concept stage production to another level. In this spotlight conversation, Rauw Alejandro and Live Nation SVP of global touring Hans Schafer will discuss the reggaeton […]
Trending on Billboard Shakira sat down for a brief chat with her long time Tour Manager, Marty Hom, after accepting Billboard’s Global Touring Icon Award. Additionally, her tour just became the highest grossing Latin tour of all time. They talked backstage at rehearsal’s her show in Cali, Colombia, about these honors and how she feels […]
Trending on Billboard Sponsored by AXS, when Chappell Roan announced her fall 2025 pop-up shows, she made it her mission to get tickets for the concerts into the hands of real fans. Partnering with AXS, she used the ticketing leader’s innovative tool, Fair AXS, to verify buyers – and stop bots and scalpers from hijacking […]
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A new entrant to Australia’s live music market has officially landed, with the inaugural edition of Strummingbird, a touring country music festival presented by Live Nation and Kicks Entertainment, drawing tens of thousands across three cities over two weekends.
Held in the Sunshine Coast (Oct. 25), Newcastle (Nov. 1), and Perth (Nov. 2), the multi-date, all-ages event marked one of the most ambitious country-focused touring formats launched in Australia in recent years.
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The 2025 lineup combined U.S. charting acts like Jelly Roll, Shaboozey, and Treaty Oak Revival with a strong mix of emerging and established domestic talent, including James Johnston, Kaylee Bell, Wade Forster, The Dreggs, and Rachael Fahim.
Beyond traditional main stage performances, organizers leaned into fan engagement and social content opportunities, from line-dancing workshops and crowd-wide Nutbush dance breakouts to surprise collaborations — including Jelly Roll bringing out both Shaboozey and Bell during his Newcastle and Perth sets, and Johnston filming a live music video during his Sunshine Coast appearance.
The debut comes amid rising interest in country-adjacent genres across the Australian market. Jelly Roll has achieved notable chart success in Australia, with his 2024 album “Beautifully Broken” peaking at No. 19 on the ARIA Top 50 Albums chart. On the ARIA Top 40 Country Albums Chart, “Beautifully Broken” peaked at No. 3 and has maintained a strong presence. Meanwhile, local breakout James Johnston recently scored a top-five ARIA album debut — a rare feat for an independent country act.
Programming across cities was localized, with unique artist configurations in each market and strong integration of Māori and First Nations acknowledgments. The event’s Sunshine Coast leg sold out in advance, and Newcastle received strategic backing from Destination NSW as part of its tourism and major events initiative.
Festival co-presenter Live Nation, which has been expanding its genre footprint across ANZ through a mix of pop, country, hip-hop and Latin offerings, is already planning a return in 2026.
In addition to the core music offering, activations included the “Strummo Bowlo”, a communal dancefloor space where attendees engaged with both country and crossover pop tracks, including viral moments set to Charli XCX’s “Brat” anthems — a programming nod to Gen Z festivalgoers.
