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2026 FIFA World Cup to introduce halftime show for the first time

FIFA and Global Citizen unveiled plans to collaborate and produce the first-ever Super Bowl-style halftime show at the 2026 World Cup final, scheduled for July 19 in the New York New Jersey Stadium.

“Through this partnership, FIFA and Global Citizen will bring together the worlds of sport and entertainment to actively contribute to a better world. We are committing to a series of joint activities that will help promote access to football and engage fans of the sport in an effort to create positive change in their local communities,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino declared.

— Beatriz Joyce

New hearing set for the Menendez Brothers as case is ‘reviewed’, Kim Kardashian calls for their freedom

This past Thursday, the Los Angeles District Attorney took to a press conference to announce that new evidence in the Menendez case is being reviewed. The evidence in question is a letter Erik Menendez wrote to a family member before the killing of his parents — where he talked about being molested by his father. This new piece could lead to a resentencing for the brothers, or an entirely new trial. A hearing has been set for November 29th.

Shortly after the press conference, Kim Kardashian released a personal essay through NBC News where she demanded freedom for the brothers. She stated: “Following years of abuse and a real fear for their lives, Erik and Lyle chose what they thought at the time was their only way out — an unimaginable way to escape their living nightmare.” Kardashian recently visited the Menendez brothers in prison, following the release of Monsters on Netflix, along with Erik Menendez actor Cooper Koch.

Lisa, Rosé and Jennie announce new music

BLACKPINK is expected to make a comeback next year — but for now, the members are rolling out their solo projects. Lisa, Rosé and Jennie have all officially announced new music within the past week. Fans also await Jisoo to go into rollout mode soon.

LISA previewed her new single Moonlit Floor during her set at Global Citizen Festival, which was followed shortly by an official announcement. The single arrived Friday as the follow-up to Rockstar and New Woman. Rosé surprised fans earlier this week with the announcement for her debut solo studio album rosie. It will contain 12 tracks and arrives December 6th. After a series of teasers during the early week, Jennie made on her promise and announced her new single MANTRA dropping next Friday, October 11th. Hopefully, Jisoo continues the streak and gives us a taste of her new music soon.

Pitchfork unveils best albums of the decade (so far) list

Pitchfork's Top 100 Albums of the Decade (so far) has a new leader: Fiona Apple's Fetch the Bolt Cutters. Released in 2020, this groundbreaking album marked Apple's first release in eight years and quickly solidified its place as a modern classic.

Recorded largely on GarageBand, Fetch the Bolt Cutters features long, improvised takes and unconventional percussion, showcasing Apple's raw talent and unique artistic vision. The album's unedited vocals and extended tracks are a testament to Apple's deliberate approach and her comfort with the limitations of the software.

Elsewhere, SZA’s SOS placed fourth on the list, with Beyoncé’s Renaissance coming in fifth, just ahead of Charli xcx’s Brat - the most recent album on the list.

Joker: Folie à Deux arrives in theaters

Two years after its highly anticipated announcement, Joker: Folie à Deux finally hits theaters worldwide. The sequel, starring Joaquin Phoenix as the iconic villain and featuring Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn, has been described as a "musically infused" exploration of the iconic duo.

Early reviews for Joker: Folie à Deux have been mixed. While some critics have praised the chemistry between Phoenix and Gaga, others have expressed disappointment in the film's overall narrative. Several reviewers have noted that certain scenes heavily featured in the trailers are absent from the final cut, potentially misleading audiences. Additionally, some critics have questioned the limited screen time for Lady Gaga, given her significant role in the film's marketing. Despite these mixed reactions, the sequel is sure to spark debate and generate buzz among fans of the DC universe. The film is projected to open with approximately $140 million worldwide.

— Katie MacBeth

Victoria Monét releases Jaguar II: Deluxe

Victoria Monét’s deluxe edition for JAGUAR II is finally here. The Grammy-winner’s sequel album adds 10 new tracks to the record, including the pre-released Usher collaboration SOS. This marks the final installment of Monét’s JAGUAR series.

The standard album, released last year, went on to win Best R&B Album and Best Engineered Album (Non-Classical) at the 66th Grammy Awards — the same night she won Best New Artist.

Summer Walker teases new album

Summer Walker is officially gearing up for her return, and the teasing is in full effect. A Spotify canvas began appearing early Friday, revealing that her next project is, in fact, a third installment to her Over It series. While the first part of the album title is a mystery for now, social media is already taking their best guesses on what it will be. One thing we know for certain — it is bound to be a big moment considering the success and acclaim of its predecessors: 2019’s Over It and 2021’s Still Over It.

Grammy voting begins

Grammy season is once again upon us. The festivities begin today, with the first round of voting, and culminate the evening of February 2nd, when we find out who wins and who loses. There’s already buzz swirling online this morning around which songs and albums the main artists (and their labels) have chosen to submit for consideration. The stakes are high this year with artists like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Charli xcx, Chappell Roan, and of course, Sabrina Carpenter all on the ballot.

The first round of voting closes in 10 days and nominations will be unveiled on November 8th. From there, the voters engage in one final round which takes place from December 12th to January 3rd.

Ariana Grande to be featured on Charli xcx’s BRAT remix album

Charli xcx has been revealing the names on her upcoming BRAT remix album through billboards all around the world. The biggest one of all though was revealed early Friday morning as photos of a billboard in Boca Raton made waves on social media overnight, with many questioning its authenticity. The name displayed in bright green was none other than Ariana Grande and, naturally, fans were sent into a frenzy. Grande herself confirmed the billboard was real by liking a fan’s post on social media and additional angles of the billboard began to arrive by morning. Although it’s unclear which track, Grande will be present on the remix album arriving next Friday, October 11th — marking the first collaboration between the pair.

Best New Track: Maya Hawke, the renowned chaos angel, got her wings clipped in new EP. The singer explained these songs are about “friendship, self actualization, self hatred, and finding balance between what you want and what you want to want.” She holds plenty true to that statement. “My trust is like an outdoor cat / Leave food on the window / She’ll probably come back,” she sings on “You Won’t Feel A Thing.” This song, to all its intent and purpose, seems to follow the dreadful and rust-covered chain of events that is falling in love with someone you shouldn’t necessarily fall in love with. This story might go on in “Jack London” where Hawke confidently asserts “Your purpose is no longer clear / There’s little left for you to do / Don’t know why the hell I’m here / If I’m not here for you.” It’s confusing, though, because the singer is well aware of her lover’s ill use of their relationship. “I hate the way you treat me / Like i’m just one of your characters,” she sings on “Kamikaze Comic” a song that also includes the amusing lyric “I hope you break a nail scratching yourself on the ass” which is enough to earn the song our favorite release this week. Hawke is giving us an unabridged look into love and its often glorious turmoil — but really, if you ever find your lover’s clipped your wings, maybe it’s time to go.

— Dawson Therre

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In other news…

• Ariana Grande surprise-released a new version of her latest album eternal sunshine (slightly deluxe and also live) - including 7 live bonus tracks.

• Additional Brat-themed billboards have popped up in various locations, including ones naming Tinashe, The 1975, Bon Iver and more as collaborators for Charli xcx’s upcoming remix album.

• Sabrina Carpenter has been named one of TIME100’s most influential rising stars.

• On Tuesday, Tim Walz and JD Vance engaged in the only Vice Presidential debate of this election, and presumably the final one.

• Kesha reveals she has A ‘Ten-Year Plan’ to upend the music industry in new interview with ELLE Magazine.

• Chris Brown will be the subject of a new documentary by Investigation Discovery, the network behind Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV. It’s set to cover the singer’s history of legal troubles, including domestic violence.

• Jack Antonoff sat down with Variety to discuss the making of Sabrina Carpenter’s #1 hit Please Please Please.

• Fred Again will be one of the headliners for Coachella 2025, according to HITS Daily Double.

• Famous moms Tina Knowles, Donna Kelce, Mandy Teefey and Maggie Baird graced the cover of Glamour Magazine together where they are highlighted as Women of the Year.

• Grammy For Your Consideration banners and submissions have started making the rounds on social media as awards season kicks off.