Music
Tyla's Sophomore Test: What the Early Numbers on A*Pop Say So Far
From Viral Hit to Grammy Winner South African singer Tyla broke out in 2023 with "Water," a hit largely fueled by a viral TikTok dance challenge that soundtracked over 600,000 videos, eventually becoming the first song by an African artist to surpass one billion Spotify streams and
Same Bunnies, Different Hands: What NewJeans' Anniversary Video Isn't Saying
On July 22, the fourth anniversary of the group's debut, ADOR released a series of videos titled "2026 Summer of NewJeans," featuring current members Hanni, Haerin, and Hyein alongside Minji, whose status had remained unresolved for some time. The visuals leaned heavily on the aesthetic established
Grammys 2027 Predictions: Who Could Score a Nomination in the Biggest Categories?
Thanks to a rule change in the best new artist category that was announced in June, which allows an artist to be entered four times instead of three, Ella Langley could be nominated in four of the six general field categories at the 69th annual Grammy Awards—album, record and
From BLACKPINK to TIFF: How LISA Became the First K-Pop Star to Conquer the Film Festival Circuit
On July 20, Sony Music Vision announced that Always Lalisa had been selected for the Gala Presentations section of the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival. Other titles in the same section include new works from Pedro Almodóvar, Danny Boyle, and Hirokazu Kore-eda. It is the first time a K-
Less Than A Lover: Why Jennie's New Single Is More Than Just a Summer Song
On July 24, BLACKPINK's Jennie will release "Less Than A Lover" — a single on which she serves simultaneously as director, songwriter, and music producer. It is the first time she has taken complete creative ownership of a release in this way. The song has already accumulated
Rosalía, Karol G, and all the early favorites for Grammy’s Best Latin Song category
In early June, the Recording Academy announced major rule changes for the upcoming 69th Grammys. While tweaks to the eligibility for Best New Artist and the creation of an Asian Pop Music Performance award dominated headlines, another new category went largely unremarked, yet it is no less significant. Best Latin
Thirteen Weeks at No. 1: Who Is Ella Langley, and How Did a Country Singer From Alabama Beat Everyone?
This week, "Choosin' Texas" held at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for a 13th week. It is the only single by a woman primarily known for country music to spend 13 or more weeks at the top, and the first non-holiday song to join
From Error Code to Billboard No. 1: KiiiKiii's August Comeback Explained
In January 2026, KiiiKiii's "404 (New Era)" topped Billboard's staff picks for the best K-pop songs of 2026 so far. The lead single from their second EP Delulu Pack debuted at number one on Melon's HOT100 and Bugs' real-time
Red Velvet's Velvet Summer: What a Two-Year Wait Actually Means
In June 2024, Red Velvet marked their tenth anniversary with Cosmic, an EP that topped iTunes album charts in 41 regions and earned recognition on Billboard, NME, and Dazed's year-end best-of lists. What followed was two years of silence as a group. On August 3, SM
Inside Twice’s Contract Crisis: What Lies Ahead for the Members After the 10th Anniversary?
Twice and Once will face a mutual challenge. Following Twice's first contract renewal in 2022, their contracts were expected to expire in October 2025. However, at that time, Twice was just launching their 10th-anniversary special album and their sixth world tour. Consequently, the industry speculated that the
Ariana Grande's Petal: Can the Queen of Debut Week Do It Again?
In February 2024, Ariana Grande released Eternal Sunshine with almost no advance warning — no drawn-out promotional campaign, no strategic leaks to build anticipation. The album arrived, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, and proceeded to generate two Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers in Yes, And? and We
Four Headliners, Eleven Minutes: Who Closes the World Cup?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final will feature something that has never existed before: a halftime show. Confirmed for July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the eleven-minute performance will be co-headlined by Madonna, Shakira, BTS, and Justin Bieber, with additional appearances from Burna Boy, Venezuelan conductor
