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Fans react to the biggest Grammys 2026 snubs – from Lorde and The Weeknd to Gracie Abrams and Benson Boone
Music

Fans react to the biggest Grammys 2026 snubs – from Lorde and The Weeknd to Gracie Abrams and Benson Boone

by jummy84
written by jummy84

The Grammy nominations are out and fans of some of the snubbed artists – Lorde, The Weeknd, Gracie Abrams, Benson Boone – are not happy.

Earlier today (November 7), the Recording Academy revealed the full list of nominees for the 2026 Grammys, which are set to be presented at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena on February 1.

Kendrick Lamar was the big winner with the announcement, picking up nine nominations thanks to his 2024 album ‘GNX’, while Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter, Bad Bunny, Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish and Tyler, The Creator were well represented.

Records had to be released between August 31, 2024 and August 30, 2025 to be eligible, but several big hitters in the music industry who were eligible were still left without any recognition.

Among those names is Lorde, who released her fourth album ‘Virgin’ in June, but received zero nominations. The New Zealand singer has had a fraught history with the Grammys, dating back to her 2018 record ‘Melodrama’, which was nominated for Album of the Year but did not result in her being offered a solo performance on the telecast, in contrast to all of her fellow male nominees.

In response, she seemed to subtweet the Recording Academy and later took out an advert in a newspaper pointedly thanking music fans for “believing in female musicians”.

Lorde fans were not impressed with her snub this time around, with one X user speculating: “Lorde being blacklisted from the Grammys since she came for their ass in 2018.”

 

Also overlooked was The Weeknd, whose sixth album ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’ came out in January, but did not garner him any nominations. His history with the Grammys is even more frayed than Lorde’s – in 2021, he declared he was boycotting the awards when ‘After Hours’ was snubbed, explaining the Grammys “remain corrupt” and saying the Academy “owe me, my fans and the industry transparency”.

That boycott came to an end at this year’s ceremony, however, when he made a surprise appearance at the show, performing ‘Cry For Me’ and ‘Timeless’. The backtracking has not helped him pick up nominations, however, and many fans have noted the irony.

“Doing all that work to bring The Weeknd back into the Academy and make amends just to play in his face again,” wrote one X user. “Man whatever.”

One of the most successful songs of the past 12 months was Gracie Abrams’ ‘That’s So True’, but despite being released during the eligibility window, it did not get nominated.

Another one missing from the list of nominees was Benson Boone. He was nominated for Best New Artist last time around, losing out to Chappell Roan, but this time, despite releasing his second album ‘American Heart’ in June, he is nowhere to be seen.

All records to have been released since the end of August this year will be eligible for the 2027 Grammys, including the likes of Taylor Swift’s ‘The Life Of A Showgirl’ and Doja Cat’s ‘Vie’.

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Why Blackpink Solo Members Are Not Eligible for Best New Artist Grammy
Music

Why Blackpink Solo Members Are Not Eligible for Best New Artist Grammy

by jummy84
written by jummy84

The last year was a big one for Blackpink fans as each group member showed off their solo prowess by releasing excellent debut albums: Lisa delivered Alter Ego, Rosé gave us Rosie, Jennie released Ruby, and Jisoo shook things up with Amortage. Despite such a big year — especially for Rosé with “APT.” — many Blinks may be wondering why none of the girls earned nominations for Best New Artist.

The term “new” in the category title is key word here. The Best New Artist category recognizes “a breakthrough into the public consciousness and notably impacted the musical landscape” in the last year. The rulebook states that “any artist who had achieved a breakthrough in a prior eligibility period” is not be eligible for the award.

Since Blackpink is (without doubt) the biggest K-pop group in history, and has been for years, its members are ineligible for the category as solo acts. (Despite their massive appeal, the group has never earned a Grammy nomination.) According to Recording Academy rules, members of a group are considered part of that collective entity, meaning that any previous Grammy submissions made under Blackpink would also apply to each of its members individually.

Although it’s unclear how many times Blackpink or its members have been submitted for the Best New Artist award in the past, another limitation is “that an artist cannot have submitted for Best New Artist more than three times previously, whether as a new artist or as a solo artist who emerged from a group.”

At the 2026 Grammys, Blinks will be able to root for Rosé, who earned multiple nominations for “APT.” with Bruno Mars, including for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Duo/Grupo Performance. She’s the only member who received award nominations.

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While there were no nods for Blackpink (which released the superb single “Jump” in July) either, the 2026 Grammys will see great girl group representation. The Best New Artist category, for example, includes Katseye.

The Grammys have been slow in embracing the rise of K-pop. BTS has been mostly limited to the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category and has yet to win any trophies. This year, “Golden” from Kpop Demon Hunters made history for the genre, earning numerous nods, including Song of the Year.

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Music Industry Events Calendar: Festivals, Awards & More
Music

Music Industry Events Calendar: Festivals, Awards & More

by jummy84
written by jummy84

As part of our continuing efforts to serve the music industry and its creators, Billboard Pro now features a music industry events calendar for readers.

The calendar will act as music’s most complete summary major national and international industry events, from conferences to festivals to networking mixers and more. Just as Billboard is music’s must-read source for news, charts and analysis, now it also is the go-to for business happenings.

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November 2025

December 2025

January 2026

February 2026

March 2026

April 2026

May 2026

June 2026

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August 2026

September 2026

October 2026

Want your event listed? For more information contact [email protected].

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Take a Dose of Winterpills and See ‘How We Dance’ » PopMatters
Music

Take a Dose of Winterpills and See ‘How We Dance’ » PopMatters

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Little did I know after first getting introduced to Signature Sounds through a budding artist’s debut record in 2013, that the woman serving as publicist for the label was also a talented member of a riveting indie rock band seemingly content to keep its fan base close to home in New England. Winterpills, it’s great to hear from you again. 

The Fantastic 5 based in Northampton, Massachusetts, where their small but sturdy label is located, are active again after a nine-year “hiatus” basically due to family commitments, other musical opportunities, and COVID-19. They’re back in a big way, too, with the wondrous This Is How We Dance, which will be released on 14 November by — no surprise — Signature Sounds. It’s their first full-length LP since 2016’s Love Songs. 

To promote their eighth album spread over a career dating to 2003, Winterpills present an exclusive music video premiere of the seductive single “How We Dance” at PopMatters today (7 November). Philip Price, the band’s primary songwriter who also shares vocal and acoustic guitar duties with his wife Flora Reed (the aforementioned publicist), created the winsome video.   

Calling himself “a packrat of found images, photos, and footage” during our email interview accompanying the premiere, Price provides some insight on the video, the album, and the state of the band. It also includes longtime members Dennis Crommett (electric guitars), Max Germer (bass guitars), and Dave Hower (drums, percussion). 

Check out this exclusive presentation of the official music video for “How We Dance” now, then read on to learn more about a thoroughly engaging, elegant, entertaining — and apparently egoless — group of players who hopefully won’t wait another nine years to deliver their next album. 

Rebirth of a Band 

Seamlessly blending vintage photographs, stock footage, and brief bits of animation along with current video of perky party people and dutiful dancers (try to spot the Winterpills cameos), Price “shot around this huge gothic abandoned building down the street (from their house in Hadley, about 3 1/2 miles northeast of Northampton). … I’ve had a recurring narrative in my head for years of a huge party going on inside a building that I cannot get into — a dream of exclusion. 

“This combined with the idea of all of humanity forgetting how to dance together, being splintered, and disconnected and too injured to dance. My mother was a dancer and I have to assume this factored in as well.” 

For anyone wondering, the lone end credit in capital letters — “Video by WOODYBROOK LANE JR.” — is Price’s pseudonym, named after the street where he grew up in Croton-on-Hudson, New York. 

Since his father was a screenwriter, Price shares, “My first ambition in life was to make films … a path I obviously didn’t fully take, but I keep that dream alive by making lots of little films and music videos. I’m feeling more ambitious about that outlet recently.” 

Along with helping bring back Winterpills, Price also is a dad, celebrating with Reed the birth of their son in 2019. The new album signals a rebirth of the band, too. 

“The band knew there would be a hiatus for this kiddo to happen; it just was extended far beyond our desires,” Price states. While “writing always drags on forever,” he maintains this time it “combined with parenting exhaustion, eldercare exhaustion, world-care exhaustion. But in picking from the pile, I just sent around a mess of songs to the band, and we all picked what we liked. We are democratic to a fault. My son weighed in, too.”

Getting back into the studio and producing with trusted colleague Dave Chalfant (“a member of the extended family” who worked on Winterpills’ first two albums), “It took a concerted push by everyone; but once the wheel started rolling downhill, there was no stopping it,” Price offers. “We basically just decided there were plenty of songs and we started doing weekly rehearsals at several different spaces, before finally settling on Max’s living room as the most conducive and cozy.” 

Recorded at the Institute for the Musical Arts in Goshen, Massachusetts, This Is How We Dance has 12 songs that will enrapt the listening audience, propelled by thought-provoking lyrics, sweet harmonies, irresistible melodies, Crommett’s pulsating electric riffs, and the rhythmic bursts of Germer and Hower. 

It only took one pop-up show at Darlings in Easthampton (what Price calls “a beloved local tiny bar”) to get the seal of approval from a small crowd of lucky folks. Winterpills performed the entire album “just to see if anyone noticed. They did,” he adds. 

While Price and Reed added to their family (she’s a stepmom to “Philip’s two amazing adult daughters”) during the extended break, he managed “to squeak out three solo albums during that time, so it wasn’t totally a vacuum.” Their bandmates kept busy, too. 

Juggling solo projects and working with artists like Mark Mulcahy, Crommett is a master guitar blaster who mans another Western Mass band called Spanish For Hitchhiking with Germer, Hower, and Chalfant. (The latter two were also members of the Nields.) Germer has side gigs with the Fawns and Gentle Hen while Hower has recorded with Valley of Weights, his college band. 

Making a pitch 

While pouring themselves into parenting, Reed continues her efficient work at Signature Sounds, where Price has a part-time job as graphic designer and webmaster. The two met after she moved to the area in 1997, with Reed saying the relationship started “more as an acquaintance and fan of his power-pop band the Maggies,” which also included Germer.

Born in Japan but raised in Virginia, Reed joined Winterpills in 2004. Her group status “quickly changed” from single musician as she and Price evolved into married couple in 2008. 

In 2013, Reed first turned me on to Heather Maloney, who soon became one of my fave folk singer-songwriters after profiling her in an article that year for The Huffington Post. While pitching a robust list of artists at her label, including Chris Smither, Eilen Jewell, Lake Street Dive’s Bridget Kearney and the Sweetback Sisters, Reed never mentioned Winterpills. Until 2014. 

She sent me a copy of Echolalia, the band’s cool covers album that included several transformations of eclectic selections from a wide range of artists like the Beatles (“Cry Baby Cry”), XTC (“Train Running Low on Soul Coal”) and Sharon Van Etten (“One Day”, with Reed supplying lead vocals). Recognizing her name in the credits, the light bulb above my head finally shined. Tweeting congrats and complimenting her via email on the “lovely album” that October, I added about her participation, “Pardon my stupidity, but I had no idea …”

That was smack-dab in the middle of Winterpills’ career path, 11 years after the group formed and 11 years before delivering a promising resurgence. 

Reasons to celebrate 

Surviving with little fuss or fanfare, Winterpills quietly go about their business. After previously releasing the Crommett-created lyric video for “Lean in the Wind,” the new parents’ co-write with a soothing group vocal, Price has “several more in the pipeline, some homemade and some by other filmmakers” to build the momentum following “How We Dance”. 

“Plus: touring,” pledges Price, “which is somewhat limited due to parenting, but we like to tour smart, not hard.” This year, Winterpills are also just a few days from celebrating the 20th anniversary of their self-titled debut album. 

Released on 8 November 2005, it now has a remastered edition (available at bandcamp.com and other digital streaming platforms) that includes two new bonus cuts, “Everybody Gets High” and “Looking Down (Flora’s version)”. 

Managing to keep a marriage together for 17 years is a challenge in itself for two accomplished musicians but getting five core members to coexist (on and off) for 23 years is nothing short of a miracle. Reed, residing in Hadley with Price, their son, and a few kittens and chickens, points out they all live within an eight-mile radius of Northampton: Crommett in Williamsburg, Germer in Florence, and Hower in Easthampton. They’re a shining example of the band that plays together, stays together.

Disbanding Winterpills “has never been on the table,” Price declares. “We’re a big open marriage of a band. Why break up? There’s no bad blood. We love each other and take care of each other. We’re boring in that way. When we play, it coalesces naturally and feels (cheesily) like it was meant to be. There’s no money to fight over. We’ll let you know if that changes.” 

Asked for a moment he remembers that best encapsulates Winterpills’ existence, Price goes back to when it all started. “Maybe it was early on when we were learning all the songs for the first album and Flora got very pissed at me for writing a good song,” he recalls. “I knew we’d all be all right after that.” 

Now that they have more of their own good songs to write and projects to pitch, Winterpills can continue to demonstrate how they dance. 

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Grammys 2026 Nominations Revealed: See the Complete List
Music

Grammys 2026 Nominations Revealed: See the Complete List

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Nominees for the 2026 Grammy Awards have been revealed, with Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff, Bad Bunny, Sabrina Carpenter, SZA, Turnstile, Tyler, the Creator, Doechii, and Hayley Williams leading the way.

Kendrick Lamar continued his massive year, leading all contenders with a total of seven nominations. GNX is up for Album of the Year, while “luther,” his collaboration with SZA, is nominated for Song of the Year and Record of the Year. Lamar previously claimed the prizes for Song and Record of the Year at the 2025 Grammys for his Drake diss track “Not Like Us.”

Like Lamar, Bad Bunny is also nominated for Album, Song, and Record of the Year at the 2026 Grammys, thanks to his latest project, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, and its standout single, “DTMF.”

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Other Album of the Year contenders include Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend, Clipse’s Let God Sort Em Out, Tyler, the Creator’s CHROMAKOPIA, and Lady Gaga’s Mayhem.

Alongside “luther” and “DTMF,” other notable Song of the Year nominees include “Golden,” the breakout smash by Huntr/x from Netflix’s K-Pop Demon Hunters, and “APT.”,  ROSÉ’s blockbuster collaboration with Bruno Mars. Rounding out the category are Billie Eilish’s “Wildflower,” Doechii’s “Anxiety,” Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra,” and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild.”

With the exception of “Golden,” many of those same names are also up for Record of the Year. In place of “Golden,” Chappell Roan’s “The Subway” will also vie for Grammy gold in the category.

The nominees for Artist of the Year are as eclectic as ever, including names like KATSEYE, The Marías, Lola Young, Olivia Dean, Addison Rae, sombr, Leon Thomas, and Alex Warren.

Hayley Williams earned four Grammy nominations. Her recent solo album Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party is nominated for Best Alternative Music Album, while her songs “Parachute” and “Mirtazapine” are up for Best Alternative Music Performance and Best Rock Performance, respectively. Additionally, “Glum” received a nomination for Best Rock Song.

Competing against Williams in the Alternative categories are The Cure, who received their first Grammy nominations in more than two decades. Robert Smith and co. earned a nod in the Alternative Music Album category thanks to their comeback album Songs of a Lost World, while their song “Alone” is a finalist for Alternative Music Performance.

Other finalists in the Alternative Music Album category include Bon Iver for SABLE, fABLE, Wet Leg for moisturizer, and, perhaps most curiously, Tyler, the Creator for DON’T TAP THE GLASS.

On the Best Rock Album front, nominees include Deftones’ private music, Turnstile’s NEVER ENOUGH, HAIM’s i quit, Linkin Park’s From Zero, and Yungbud’s Idols. Meanwhile, Best Metal Performance nominees feature names like Dream Theater, Ghost, Sleep Token, Spiritbox, and Turnstile.

Speaking of Turnstile, with a total of five nominations in 2026, they’re the first band to be nominated across Rock, Alternative, and Metal categories in a single year.

Now in its 68th year, the Grammys recognize the best albums, songs, and music released between the eligibility period (August 31st, 2024, to August 30th, 2025). If you’re wondering, Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl was not released within the window of eligibility.

The 2026 Grammy Awards will take place on February 1st, 2026 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. The event will be aired live on CBS and Paramount+.

Ahead of the 2026 Grammys, the Recording Academy has announced a few rule changes and introduced new categories. Most notably, artists who previously appeared on an Album of the Year-nominated record can now be considered for Best New Artist, provided their contributions amounted to 20 percent or less of that album. Two new categories have also been added: Best Traditional Country Album and Best Album Cover, bringing the total number of Grammy categories to 95. Additionally, Best Country Album has been renamed Best Contemporary Country Album, while Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package has been merged back into the Best Recording Package category.

Also of note, the 2026 Grammy ballots will be presented in a randomized order for the first time, rather than alphabetically. According to Recording Academy Chief Awards and Global Industry Officer Ruby Marchand, the update “brings our process in line with standard voting best practices … and further ensures the process is fair and equitable for all entries.” The move is widely seen as a way to encourage voters to engage with the entire ballot, rather than defaulting to familiar names or artists appearing first alphabetically, helping to level the playing field across all contenders.

2026 Grammy Nominations

Album of the Year:
Bad Bunny – DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
Justin Bieber – SWAG
Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend
Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
Lady Gaga – Mayhem
Kendrick Lamar – GNX
Leon Thomas – MUTT
Tyler, the Creator – CHROMAKOPIA

Song of the Year:
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”
Doechii – “Anxiety”
ROSÉ and Bruno Mars – “APT.”
Bad Bunny – “DtMF”
HUNTR/X – “Golden”
Kendrick Lamar and SZA – “luther”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
Billie Eilish – “WILDFLOWER”

Record of the Year:
Bad Bunny – “DTMF”
Billie Eilish – “Wildflower”
Chappell Roan – “The Subway”
Doechii – “Anxiety”
Kendrick Lamar and SZA – “luther”
Lady Gaga – “Abracadabra”
Rosé and Bruno Mars – “APT.”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”

Best New Artist:
KATSEYE
The Marías
Lola Young
Olivia Dean
Addison Rae
sombr
Leon Thomas
Alex Warren

Best Alternative Music Album:
Bon Iver – SABLE, fABLE
The Cure – Songs of a Lost World
Tyler, the Creator – DON’T TAP THE GLASS
Wet Leg – moisturizer
Hayley Williams – Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party

Best Alternative Music Performance:
Bon Iver – “Everything Is Peaceful Love”
The Cure – “Alone”
Turnstile – “SEEIN’ STARS”
Wet Leg – “mangetout”
Hayley Williams – “Parachute”

Best Rock Performance:
Amyl and The Sniffers – “U Should Not Be Doing That”
Linkin Park – “The Emptiness Machine”
Turnstile – “NEVER ENOUGH”
Hayley Williams – “Mirtazapine”
YUNGBLUD featuring Nuno Bettencourt, Frank Bello, and Adam Wakeman, II – “Changes (Live From Villa Park) Back To The Beginning”

Best Rock Song:
Nine Inch Nails – “As Alive As You Need Me To Be”
Sleep Token – “Caramel”
Hayley Williams – “Glum”
Turnstile – “NEVER ENOUGH”
YUNGBLUD – “Zombie”

Best Rock Album:
Deftones – private music
HAIM – I quit
Linkin Park – From Zero
Turnstile – NEVER ENOUGH
Yungblud – Idols

Best Metal Performance:
Dream Theater – “Night Terror”
Ghost – “Lachryma”
Sleep Token – “Emergence”
Spiritbox – “Soft Spine”
Turnstile – “BIRDS”

Best Solo Pop Performance:
Justin Bieber – “Daisies”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
Lady Gaga – “Disease”
Chappell Roan – “The Subway”

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande – “Defying Gravity”
Huntr/x – “Golden”
Katseye – “Gabriela”
Rosé and Bruno Mars – “APT.”
SZA with Kendrick Lamar – “30 for 30”

Best Pop Vocal Album:
Justin Bieber – SWAG
Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend
Miley Cyrus – Something Beautiful
Lady Gaga – Mayhem
Teddy Swims – I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2)

Best Dance/Electronic Recording:
Disclosure & Anderson .Paak – “No Cap”
Fred Again.., Skepta and PlaqueBoyMax – “Victory Lap”
Kaytranada – “Space Invader”
Skrillex – “Voltage”
Tame Impala – “End of Summer”

Best Dance/Electronic Album:
FKA twigs – EUSEXUA
Fred again.. – Ten Days
PinkPantheress – Fancy That
RÜFÜS DU SOL – Inhale / Exhale
Skrillex – F— U SKRILLEX YOU THINK UR ANDY WARHOL BUT UR NOT!!

Best Rap Album:
Clipse – Let God Sort Em Out
GloRilla – GORIOUS
JID – God Does Like Ugly
Kendrick Lamar – GNX
Tyler, the Creator – CHROMAKOPIA

Best Rap Song:
Clipse, John Legend, Voices of Fire – “The Birds Don’t Sing”
Doechii” – Anxiety”
GloRilla – “TGIF”
Kendrick Lamar featuring Lefty Gunplay – “TV Off”
Tyler, the Creator featuring Glorilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne – “Sticky”

Best Rap Performance:
Cardi B – “Outside”
Clipse and Kendrick Lamar – “Chains & Whips”
Doechii” – Anxiety”
Kendrick Lamar featuring Lefty Gunplay – “TV Off”
Tyler, the Creator featuring Teezo Touchdown – “Darling, I”

Best Melodic Rap Performance:
Fridayy and Meek Mill – “Proud of Me”
JID, Ty Dolla $ign and 6lack – “Wholeheartedly”
Kendrick Lamar and SZA – “luther”
PartyNextDoor and Drake – “Somebody Loves Me”
Terrace Martin and Kenyon Dixon featuring Rapsody – “WeMaj”

Best Latin Pop Album:
Alejandro Sanz – ¿Y Ahora Qué?
Andrés Cepeda – Bogotá (Deluxe)
Karol G – Tropicoqueta
Natalia Lafourcade – Cancionera
Rauw Alejandro – Cosa Nuestra

Best Música Urbana Album:
Bad Bunny – DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS
Feid – Ferxxo Vol X: Sagrado
J Balvin – Mixteip
Nicki Nicole – Naiki
Trueno – EUB Deluxe
Yandel – Sinfónico (En Vivo)

Best Americana Album:
Jesse Welles – Middle
Jon Batiste – Big Money
Larkin Poe – Bloom
Molly Tuttle – So Long Little Miss Sunshine
Willie Nelson – Last Leaf on the Tree

Best Folk Album:
I’m With Her – Wild and Clear and Blue
Jason Isbell – Foxes in the Snow
Jesse Welles – Under the Powerlines (Live April 2024 – September 2024)
Patty Griffin – Crown of Roses
Rhiannon Giddens & Justin Robinson – What Did the Blackbird Say to the Crow

Best Comedy Album:
Ali Wong – Single Lady
Bill Burr – Drop Dead Years
Jamie Foxx – What Had Happened Was…
Nate Bargatze – Your Friend, Nate Bargatze
Sarah Silverman – PostMortem

Best Music Video:
Clipse – “So Be It”
Doechii – “Anxiety”
OK Go – “Love”
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild”
Sade – “Young Lion”

Best Music Film:
Devo – Devo
Diane Warren – Relentless
John Williams – Music by John Williams
Pharrell Williams – Piece by Piece
Raye – Live at the Royal Albert Hall

Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media:
John Powell – How to Train Your Dragon
John Powell & Stephen Schwartz – Wicked
Kris Bowers – The Wild Robot
Ludwig Göransson – Sinners
Theodore Shapiro – Severance: Season 2

Producer of the Year:
Dan Auerbach
Cirkut
Dijon
Blake Mills
Sounwave

Songwriter of the Year:
Amy Allen
Edgar Barrera
Jessie Jo Dillon
Tobias Jesso Jr.
Laura Veltz

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Hunter Hayes Unveils ‘Evergreen’ Holiday EP; Chosen as Grand Marshal for 2025 Gatlinburg Christmas Parade
Music

Hunter Hayes Unveils ‘Evergreen’ Holiday EP; Chosen as Grand Marshal for 2025 Gatlinburg Christmas Parade

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Hunter Hayes is stepping into the 2025 holiday season in a major way. The Grammy-nominated, multi-instrumentalist and Platinum-selling artist has spent the past year in his Evergreen era – marked by genre-bending production, soulful storytelling, and a mission to celebrate growth. This December, Hayes will serve as the Grand Marshal for the 50th Anniversary of the Gatlinburg Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade, which is set for December 5th in Tennessee. Before he waves to tens of thousands of fans along the Smoky Mountain parade route, Hayes is gifting fans an early present today (November 7th), with the arrival of his Evergreen Christmas Sessions EP.

The four-song project features Hayes’ signature blend of intricate musicianship and heartfelt takes through timeless holiday favorites. Opening with a glistening, jazz-inflected rendition of “Winter Wonderland,” the track flows seamlessly into a tender version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Hayes then delivers a hushed, soulful “Silent Night” before cutting loose with a bluesy, good-time spin on the holiday classic “Run Run Rudolph.”

“There’s a calm and peaceful Christmas vibe to the EP, which was intentional,” Hayes tells Spin. “For me, Christmas music has always been about spending time with family and friends – the people you love. And I hope this project becomes part of those yearly traditions.”

Recorded in Los Angeles with his band during a few days off from tour last July, Evergreen Christmas Sessions serves as a companion to Hayes’ larger Evergreen vision – a side chapter inspired by the same themes of growth, gratitude and connection, reimagined through holiday classics. The project follows the Evergreen songs released earlier this year: “Around the Sun,” “Wait,  “Fragile,” and “Every Piece.”  Known for his electrifying live shows and his ability to make even the quietest moments feel intimate, Hayes approached the sessions with the same spirit he brings to the stage. “This project felt like a jam session with family,” Hayes says.

Photo Courtesy of Visit Gatlinburg

When the award-winning Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade commemorates its 50th year next month, 80,000 attendees will line the streets of Gatlinburg to witness Hayes lead the celebration. The Smoky Mountain fete is recognized as one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast and will feature 70 to 90 lighted floats, plus marching bands, giant balloons, and of course, Santa Claus himself. The annual festivity will also  broadcast nationwide on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day on local television stations in over 40 markets throughout the U.S. and available to stream to over 100 million viewers through a collaborative partnership with Nexstar.

As for his Grand Marshal honor, Hayes – a Louisiana native – says, “I have a deep love and appreciation for that whole part of Tennessee. Gatlinburg seems to call to all of us around Christmas, and I have incredibly fond memories of being there during the holidays with my family as a young performer. When I was asked to participate, it felt like the perfect way to celebrate the Evergreen Christmas Sessions release.”

Photo Courtesy of Visit Gatlinburg

Now in its 50th year, the Gatlinburg Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade has grown to become one of the nation’s most enchanting holiday traditions. The 2025 Grand Marshal sponsor is Ole Smoky Distillery, a longtime Gatlinburg institution known for its craft moonshine and whiskey.

With Hayes front and center, this year’s celebration promises to be truly unforgettable. The Evergreen Christmas Sessions EP, meanwhile, makes for the perfect soundtrack to a December night spent by the fire, with the Christmas tree glowing and the season in full swing.

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25 Hip-Hop Releases That You Need On Your Playlist
Music

25 Hip-Hop Releases That You Need On Your Playlist

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Lil Baby, Danny Brown, Ken Carson, De La Soul, Jim Jones, DJ Premier & Ransom, and more stars unveil fresh material.

Quality Control Music/Motown Records; © 2025 Warp Records; Opium

Today is Friday, which means there are a ton of new releases to look forward to from some of your favorite Hip-Hop artists. To help you unwind and enjoy the weekend, check out VIBE’s picks of songs and albums you should hear and add to your soundtrack of weekend festivities.

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Grammys 2026: Addison Rae, Leon Thomas, and More Nominated for Best New Artist
Music

Grammys 2026: Addison Rae, Leon Thomas, and More Nominated for Best New Artist

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Addison Rae, Leon Thomas, Lola Young, and Alex Warren are among the nominees for Best New Artist at the 2026 Grammy Awards. Also in the running are Katseye, the Marías, Olivia Dean, and Sombr. Find the full list of 2026 Grammy nominations here.

After years bubbling under the surface of mainstream pop, Rae landed with her debut album, Addison, back in June, and Warren is riding into contention off the back of You’ll Be Alright Kid and hit single “Ordinary.” Thomas, too, has been in the pop-cultural conversation for some time, acknowledged here for his perceived breakout album, Mutt, which follows 2023’s Electric Dusk. British artists Olivia Dean and Lola Young are nominated in tandem with their second and third albums, respectively, while Bad Bunny collaborators the Marías are recognized 18 months after releasing second album Submarine. The multinational girl group Katseye may not have an album to their name, but their Beautiful Chaos EP has bestowed them some pop bona fides as they level up from their status as Netflix reality stars. Aside from Rae, Sombr is the only artist to release a debut album in the eligibility window.

Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Doechii, and Raye were among last year’s Best New Artist nominees. Roan ended up taking home the trophy. Other recent winners include Samara Joy, Olivia Rodrigo, Megan Thee Stallion and Billie Eilish.

The 2026 Grammy Awards will air live, on Sunday, February 1, 2026, from Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena. Follow along with all of Pitchfork’s coverage of the 2026 Grammy Awards, and revisit “Who Should Be Nominated at the 2026 Grammy Awards.”

Best New Artist
Addison Rae
Alex Warren
Katseye
Leon Thomas
Lola Young
The Marías
Olivia Dean
Sombr

Grammy Nominations 2026: See the Full List Here
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“I look at her as a real person”
Music

“I look at her as a real person”

by jummy84
written by jummy84

The creator of AI artist “Xania Monet” has spoken out in her first interview.

  • READ MORE: Keir Starmer tells us about “protecting creativity” in the UK

AI creation Monet has now become the first known AI artist to earn enough radio airplay to debut on a radio chart, per Billboard. In an article shared late last month, they pointed to a trend that so far has seen at least one AI artist debut in each of the past four chart weeks.

Monet – described on an Apple Music artist profile as “a contemporary R&B vocalist” – is operated by Mississippi poet and designer Telisha “Nikki” Jones, who reportedly uses the generative software to set her poems to music.

Back in September, it was revealed that she had signed a multimillion-dollar record deal with Hallwood Media after a bidding war between multiple labels, and this week, she became the first AI artist to chart on US Billboard rankings.

Now, Jones has spoken out for the first time in an interview with Gayle King on CBS This Morning, saying: “Xania is an extension of me, so I look at her as a real person.”

In the interview, she clarified that she writes all the lyrics and that they are not AI-generated, though the music is. She also showed King how she uses AI platform Suno to make her music.

When asked about whether her artistic process is a “shortcut,” Jones said: “I wouldn’t call it a shortcut because I still put in the work. And any time something new comes about and it challenges the norm and challenges what we’re used to, you’re going to get strong reactions behind it. And I just feel like AI is the new era that we’re in, and I look at it as a tool, as a instrument, utilise it.”

Monet’s has reportedly racked up 44.4million official U.S. streams, equating to over $52,000 in a matter of months.

Kehlani has previously hit out at the success of Monet, telling fans on TikTok the proliferation of AI in music was “so beyond out of our control.” She went on to highlight the power of AI to create fully formed songs without users having to “credit anyone” involved in making the copyrighted works on which such generative music systems are trained.

“Nothing and no one on Earth will ever be able to justify AI to me,” she added. Other critics of the tech include Mac DeMarco and SZA, while ABBA‘s Björn Ulvaeus called AI “such a great tool”.

It comes during a period of continued controversy for AI technology in the music industry, with a recent study sharing the stark warning that people working in music are likely to lose a quarter of their income to Artificial Intelligence over the next four years.

Last month, Spotify confirmed that it was cracking down on AI by removing 75million “spammy tracks” and targeting impersonators. The statement, titled ‘Spotify Strengthens AI Protections For Artists, Songwriters, And Producers’, added: “AI technology is evolving fast, and we’ll continue to roll out new policies frequently.”

This followed a report claiming that AI-generated songs were being uploaded to dead musicians’ Spotify profiles without permission.

Earlier this year, an AI-generated ‘band’ called The Velvet Sundown made headlines after gaining around 400,000 monthly Spotify listeners – despite only existing for less than a month. A ‘spokesperson’ for the viral act later admitted that he was running a hoax aimed at “the media”.

As for how The Velvet Sundown got so many listeners on Spotify, he said: “I know we got on some playlists that just have like tons of followers, and it seems to have spiralled from there.”

Meanwhile, Deezer recently revealed that 28 per cent of music uploaded to the streaming platform was fully AI-generated.

Paul McCartney, Kate Bush and Elton John are among the big British artists to have urged Keir Starmer to protect the work of creatives last month. This came after the Prime Minister told NME: “It’s very important we protect creativity, and we’re brilliant at creativity in this country – we punch well above our weight within the country and globally, and we’re all very proud of that.

“We need to get the balance right. That’s why we did a long and important consultation, and we’re going through the responses of that consultation now. So it is a question of getting the balance right.”

His comments followed a call on the UK government from various major acts to change copyright laws to combat the tech as it progresses rapidly. Elton John claimed in January that AI would “dilute and threaten young artists’ earnings”, while backing criticism from Paul McCartney.

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Who Is Rosalia Singing About on 'La Perla'?
Music

Who Is Rosalia Singing About on ‘La Perla’?

by jummy84
written by jummy84

The soft guitar strums that open “La Perla” offer a contrast to the unapologetic lyrics that open the Lux standout. “Hello, peace stealer,” Rosalía sings, almost coyly, pointing to her target from the first line.

The string orchestra builds as Rosalía sings to a former lover — “a playboy,” “a narcissist,” “an enchanter” — who “spends money he has and doesn’t have,” and takes first place on the “podium of disillusion,” who’s earned a “monument to dishonesty.”

“The local disappointment, a national heartbreaker / An emotional terrorist, the biggest disaster in the world,” she sings. “He’s a pearl, no one trusts him / He’s a pearl, one to be very careful with.”

But who is the song about?

There seem to be two real possibilities for who “La Perla” might be about — but most fans think it’s Rauw Alejandro, the Puerto Rican heartthrob and reggaeton star, whom Rosalía dated from 2021 through 2023. Together, they released a collaborative project titled RR inspired by their love, and Rosalía even got a tattoo of his first name under her left breast. (She references the tattoo on “Focu ‘Ranni,” another Lux track, singing, “I have your name on my ribs, but your initials were never on my heart.”) 

The breakup was chronicled all over the media and tabloids, and full of public displays and musical antics. Shortly after the breakup, Alejandro released a song titled “Hayami Hana” on which he insisted that infidelity was never the reason for their split, and poured out compliments for Rosalía. And then there was the 2023 Latin Grammys a few months later, where he took the stage — in Rosalía’s home country of Spain, no less — to perform a cover of Laura Pausini’s heartbreak song “Se Fue,” which compares the end of a relationship to a powerful storm that ruined him. “Her fairytale smile is gone / The sweet honey I tasted on her lips is gone,” he sang.

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But back to Rosalía’s “La Perla:: “After a powerful verse from Yahritza y Su Esencia‘s Yahritza about this mystery man’s need for a psychiatrist, Rosalía joins with a sing-songy, spoken line where she describes how her narcissistic ex would see being called an icon as a “reductionist narrative.” She then sings, “Loyalty and faithfulness/Are a language he’ll never understand/His masterpiece, his collection of bras.” Aside from Rauw Alejandro’s bra-catching skills at concerts, the reggaetonero even has a song with Daddy Yankee titled “Panties y Brasieres” on his album Saturno.

Editor’s picks

Rauw may be the obvious answer, but if you ask any Rosalía love-life connoisseur, the other possible subject of the song could be The Bear actor Jeremy Allen White. The two of them sparked dating rumors after being spotted together in the year following her breakup with Alejandro. White wore a rose brooch at the Critics’ Choice Awards in January 2024, which many fans took as a nod to the singer. However, they seemed to split later in the year as Allen retreated from public view to play Bruce Springsteen in the biopic Deliver Me From Nowhere. We have no information about White’s bra collection, though.

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